Guyana Chronicle E-paper 4-6-2019

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Church members educated at oil, gas forum

THE Revealed Word of Christian Center was filled to capacity on Friday when members gathered to engage the Department of Energy to enhance their knowledge on the oil and gas industry in Guyana.

The church is located

at 56, William Street Kitty, Georgetown.

Under the theme “Launch out into the Deep 2, understanding the Oil and Gas Sector,” Head of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe, educated the gathering on the benefits the

sector will have for all in the country.

Dr. Bynoe explained to the church gathering that the Energy Department is tasked with ensuring that the resources are filtered down to the people and it is working with the Board of Industrial

Training and other agencies to promote educational programmes.

He noted that the department has moved to employ a communications expert to formulate the required programmes to get its messages out.

A section of the gathering at the Revealed Word of Christian Center

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019 Head of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe

Dr. Bynoe said one of the positive effects that indirect benefits will bring is improved physical and social infrastructure.

Additionally, he said that there will be an increase in arrivals and as such, airport facilities will have to be improved, taxi drivers will have to upgrade their standards and the general infrastructure in terms of telecommunications and electricity will have to improve.

All of these developments, he said, will require skilled technical persons and therefore, there will be a need for more engineers, contractors and service providers, among others.

On the subject of jobs, Dr. Bynoe said, “those of us who are involved in agriculture, you don’t have to change, those of us who are involved in laundromats, you don’t have to

change. What you have to do, however, is ensure your facilities that are service providers meet the required standards… even within the health sector, it is important that we focus on what is to come… so, upgrade your skills and prepare yourself.”

He explained to the gathering that direct benefits will accrue to Guyana from four main areas, namely: royalty, withholding taxes, profits, and job creations.

While indirect benefits, he said, will be reflected in an increase in investors’ confidence in the local economy, rising of standards and security levels, improved physical and social infrastructure, and improved economic activities.

He said the Petroleum Commission, the Local Content Policy and the Sovereign Wealth Fund will safeguard the benefits which belong to citizens.

Essequibo youths Man gets 10 years claim police brutality for killing spiritualist FOUR teenagers from Charity, Region Two are claiming that they were badly beaten by police attached to ‘G’ Division during a patrol in the area.

According to information reaching Guyana Chronicle, the teenagers, along with their parents, went to PNCR Chairman, Prince Holder, to seek advice following the ordeal.

Prince Holder, upon seeing the marks of the children’s skin, contacted commander of ‘G’ Division, Khalid Pareshram, who in turn advised him to advise the teenagers to give statements to the police.

Speaking to the media, the teenagers, ages 13, 14, 13 and 15, said that they were beaten on different occasions by police and taken to the Charity Police Station.

When asked what the offence they had committed was, one of the boys related that he was walking on the road when the policemen on patrol duty hauled him into their vehicle and started to cuff and beat him with a baton.

He said they wanted to take him to the Charity Wharf to dump him overboard but

he began to scream and they took him to the Charity Police Station where they took an electrical wire and started to choke and beat him mercilessly.

He was later released on Tuesday with countless marks of violence about the body. The young man has since gotten a medical from the Charity Oscar Joseph Hospital.

One of the other teenagers said he cannot hear properly due to the severe beating he received. He claimed he was cuffed several times on his way to the station.

He said the police had accused him of robbing a resident and beat him to accept that indeed he robbed the resident.

The two other teenagers also suffered severe beatings. They have since given statements on their horrific experience at the hands of the police.

Holder said he will be making a report at the Police Complaint’s Authority and noted that police brutality is a cruel act.

He said several other teenagers, especially in the Charity area, were abused in the past.

JOHN Hetsberger, 23, was sentenced on Friday to 10 years’ imprisonment

by Justice Navindra Singh, after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

The indictment read to the court states that on August 8, 2014, Hetsberger murdered 57-year-old Jennifer Ann Mendonca at her home. He was 18- years-old at the time of the incident.

The young man appeared before Justice Singh with his attorney, Dexter Todd, and admitted to the crime. His case therefore, was not sent through for a trial.

According to his statement, the woman was a spiritualist, and his father went to her for ‘fixing’, and subsequently died. Hetsberger was just eight years old at the time of his father’s death, and grew with hate on his mind, for Mendonca.

Hetsberger showed grave remorse for his actions in 2014. He cried before the judge, saying that he was young and he made a mistake. He said he grew up

believing that the woman was responsible for the death of his father in 2006 and he retaliated and ended her life.

Justice Singh pointed out that he is impressed with reports that he has turned his life around in prison.

During the five years Hetsberger spent behind bars, he took all the available classes they have in prison. He now specialises in joinery and builds furniture for all the prisons in Guyana.

In addition, he heads the church choir, and is currently preparing to write the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination.

The judge said this is proof that when he is reinstated to society, he will be a valuable addition.

With that, he was given a lenient sentence of 10 years, and having already served five, Hetsberger will only serve five years more.

The State was represented by attorneys Tuanna Hardy and Abbigail Gibbs.

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US lauds Guyana’s fight against money laundering

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

–– hails progress made as significant

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By Svetlana Marshall

HE U.S Department of State said Guyana has made significant progress on the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) front but more investigations and successful prosecutions are needed.

In its 2019 U.S International Narcotics Control Strategy Report Volume II: Money Laundering, the U.S Department of State noted that Guyana’s National Risk Assessment 2017 found that it has a medium-to-high money laundering risk.

“Unregulated currency exchange houses and dealers in precious metals and stones pose a risk to Guyana’s AML/CFT system.

Other sectoral vulnerabilities include the banking industry and unregulated attorneys, real estate agents, used car dealers, and charities,” the U.S Department of State explained.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Friday, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, said that cognisant of the challenges and risks it currently faces in the fight to combat money laundering, Guyana appointed Rommel St. Hill as its new assistant solicitor general with responsibility for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT). St. Hill, an attorney-at-law for more than 12 years, is the former legal adviser for the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). St. Hill is tasked with developing an AML/CFT strategy for the country.

The legal affairs minister said Guyana’s National Risk Assessment (NRA) report 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 risk-based 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.

“We are going to continue our countrywide outreaches and we are going to continue to sensitise not only cambios, but money transfer agencies,” he said.

WIDE FOCUS Minister Williams noted that focus is also being placed on charities and co-ops.

Additionally, he said his ministry will be working to build the capacity of the Special Organisation Crime Unit (SOCU) and other agencies critical to the fight.

He said at this stage, conviction of money launderers is important.

Under Williams’ stewardship, Guyana has recorded significant progress in addressing the deficiencies within its AML/ CFT regime, which has resulted in it being removed from the CFATF Blacklist and most recently, the European Commission’s Money-Laundering Blacklist.

“So we are going to build on the good work we have been doing since we came into office,” the legal affairs minister said.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Revenue Authority, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit, the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), the Bank of Guyana, the Ministry of Finance, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), and the National Anti-Narcotic Agency are among key players involved in the anti-drug and money laundering efforts.

In its report, the U.S State Department said historically, the primary sources of laundered funds are narcotics trafficking and real estate fraud; however, other illicit activities, including human trafficking, gold smuggling, contraband and tax evasion, are also sources.

“The licensing policies and procedures of Guyana’s unsophisticated banking and

financial institutions increase the risk of drug money laundering. Guyana does not have FTZs, offshore financial centres, cyber currencies, or economic citizenship programmes,” it pointed out.

It was noted that Guyana; however, permits gaming. A gaming authority regulates and supervises all gaming activities.

COMMON TYPOLOGIES The State Department reported too that common money laundering typologies in the country include large cash deposits using fake agreements of sale for non-existing precious minerals, cross-border transport of concealed precious metals to avoid payment of the relevant taxes and duties, and wire transfer fraud using compromised email accounts.

In an effort to strengthen its AML/ CFT regime over the years, the Guyana Government has put a number of legislative frameworks in place, including an Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act 2009, Interception of Communications Act 2008, and Criminal Law Procedure Act. It also passed the State Assets Recovery Act, the Protected Disclosures Act, and the National Payments Systems Act in 2018 to bolster its legislative response.

“Guyana amended its AML/CFT law and the Guyana Gold Board legislation, and established the National Coordination Committee to be responsible for overall AML policy. The National Coordination Committee will develop a national AML action plan,” it reported while noting too that the National Payments Systems Act establishes payment and oversight mechanisms.

It was noted by the U.S State Department, that the country is actively building capacity among the key players in the fight to reduce and ultimately eradicate money laundering.

“The government trained 500 financial-sector personnel on AML best practices. The Bank of Guyana reviewed its supervisory policies and procedures for financial institutions, and developed standard AML/ CFT guidelines for money transfer agencies and currency exchange houses,” the U.S State Department pointed out.

According to the U.S State Department, Guyana has strong legislation relating to money laundering.

“Its AML legislation covers legal per-

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams sons and provides enhanced due diligence for politically-exposed persons,” it reported, but said that the country lacks standardised provisions for secure electronic communications and transactions.

It also said Guyana lacks a national strategic plan for combating money laundering and terrorist financing. But, the attorney general has assured that this is a work in progress, reiterating that St. Hill will spearhead the crafting of the strategy.

U.S State Department noted too that though SOCU launched investigations into reports of suspicious transactions, there have not been any convictions to date.

“The authorities report non-cooperation by stakeholders with SOCU and lack of capacity within SOCU hinders its success at prosecutions. Guyana has shown strong political will to combat money laundering and has made progress on the AML front,” it reiterated.

It said the government still needs to train the judiciary on matters pertaining to the investigation and prosecution of financial crimes.

A national strategic plan for combating money laundering should be developed and implemented and legislation enacted for the facilitation and regulation of secure electronic communications and transactions.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Troy Thomas closer to extradition JUSTICE Navindra Singh on Thursday refused the Fixed Date Application (FDA) filed

by Troy Thomas at the High Court.

The FDA was filed to challenge the authority of Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, to commit Thomas to custody, awaiting extradition to the US.

The US Department of Justice had requested Thomas be extradited there to stand trial on three criminal charges he allegedly committed in the State of New York.

Following the request for extradition, then Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee had issued an Authority to Proceed in accordance with

Saturday, April 6, 2019

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the Fugitive Offenders Act (FOA); CAP 10:04 of the Laws of Guyana.

Subsequently, Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus, issued an arrest warrant for Thomas, who was later arrested and committal proceedings for the purpose of extradition conducted in accordance with the FOA. Thomas then filed an application at the High Court, contending that the Magistrates’ Court does not have jurisdiction to conduct the committal proceedings. Then presiding judge, Justice Jo Ann Barlow had ruled that the court indeed has jurisdiction on the matter.

An appeal of Justice Barlow’s decision was then filed at the Appellate Court, and is currently still pending.

However, the Magistrates’ Court proceedings continued, and after the conclusion of those proceedings, the magistrate issued a warrant of committal on November 30, 2018, committing Thomas to custody awaiting his extradition.

It was then that the now ‘prisoner’ brought this FDA to the High Court, contending that Minister Rohee had no legal authority to authorise Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus to proceed with the committal/extra-

05:30 hrs

dition proceedings.

And further, Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus had no legal authority to proceed since the FOA is unconstitutional and in furtherance of a Treaty which is not incorporated in the laws of Guyana.

Justice Singh said that these are the very same issues/challenges that Justice Barlow would have ruled on. The judge also said that the “this Court fully agrees with the ruling of Justice Barlow and wholly adopts that ruling”.

In addition to the issue of jurisdiction/authority, Thomas had also denied that he is the Troy Thomas named in the warrant of arrest issued by the Supreme Court of New York.

Justice Singh said the court finds that there was sufficient evidence before the court to determine that Thomas is indeed the person whom the warrant is for.

The judge also pointed out that although not raised in this FDA, it is the duty of the High Court on an application of this nature, to ensure that the magistrate had sufficient evidence before her, to commit Thomas.

Justice Singh said based on the affidavits of eyewitnesses; there was more than sufficient evidence before the magistrate to commit Thomas, as she did, for the offence of murder in the second degree, an extraditable offence under section 5 of the FOA. In closing, the judge said, “for all the afore-stated, this application is refused.”

Thomas was then ordered to pay a total of $450,000 in court costs.

Attorney Nigel Hughes, who is representing Thomas, told Guyana Chronicle that Justice Singh’s ruling will be appealed.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

East La Penitence residents promised better housing

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ESIDENTS of East La Penitence Housing Compound, who have been living in less than habitable conditions for over 20 years, were overjoyed by a visit from the Minister with responsibility for housing, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood, who committed to helping the residents acquire better housing.

Accompanying the Minister were Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) Chief Executive Officer, Lelon Saul, and Director of Community Development, Gladwin Charles.

Several of the residents received hampers from the Ministry of Communities.

The visit was orchestrated by Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, who was also present at Friday’s gathering, as the residents

Bharrat] Jagdeo come there and said that they have a place that they will take us, so they bring we here and they told we they gon’ bring we here three months temporary. And they help we with some materials, while we buy some and we build up and we stay here. Some people that came with us already build and gone, but some of we ain’t get we land as yet,” explained 42-yearold Natasha Alexander.

Alexander lives in the compound with her 70-yearold mother, Audrey Grannum and other family members.

Some 153 lots were allocated to Tiger Bay residents at the time when they were requested to move, according to reports. This included 68 lots in Grove/Diamond, 40 lots in Tuschen, 30 lots in Belfield and 12 lots in Haslington.

The lots were mainly allocated to senior members of those households at the time, and according to reports from those at the compound, persons allocated lots were given 20 years to pay for the lots, however, for some persons, the land was later seized and repossessed before the time period expired.

In other cases, while persons allocated lots built and moved on, their children and grandchildren were left at the compound, since many of the units contain multiple households.

The residents’ complaints included the lack of sufficient toilet facilities, and the dilapidated state of many of the houses, including a lack of proper roofing, leaving them exposed to the elements.

The residents noted that they were not inclined to expanding and developing

Minister Valerie Patterson-Yearwood (standing third from left) shared hampers to the residents of East La Penitence Housing Compound last Friday (Adrian Narine photo) told the ministers of their plight.

The compound houses approximately 70 persons across approximately 15 households, with at least two households having as many as 15 persons in the unit.

Most of the residents living in the compound are from households relocated from Tiger Bay over 20 years ago.

The residents spoke of feeling abandoned and forgotten by the previous PPP administration, which had told them that they were only being relocated for a temporary three months period when they were first moved to the compound.

“I was living in Tiger Bay, our house was falling and [former president

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From left Ministers Simona Broomes and Valerie Patterson-Yearwood are greeted by residents of the East La Penitence Housing Compound when they arrived on Friday (Adrian Narine photo) the housing units given that they owned neither the land nor the house. The residents noted that they had applied for land; however they continually encountered stumbling blocks.

“We don’t want to do certain things and then we don’t have the ok and then soon we have to move again, so what we’re asking is if you could please help us, see what best you could do for us. If everybody can’t get to live here, let some people get land and who could stay, they stay,” pleaded 34-year-old Joel Lloyd.

Among the suggestions put forward were that a few of the households be relocated to lands where they can build, while some residents be allowed to remain at the same location and be given ownership of the land, with the area being upgraded to proper living conditions.

The minister informed the residents, however, that while having the area reg-

Some of the houses at the East La Penitence Housing Compound (Adrian Narine photo)

ularised is an option, it is not a guarantee, as such a decision would have to be determined pending a proper assessment of the area and to ensure that it does not conflict with environmental and other regulations.

“Some of you would like your own land to build and some of you are saying you don’t mind remaining here. You want the place to be developed and give you ownership. I can’t say right now if we can regularise you [because] there are a number of things that have to be taken into consideration and more so, you’re next to the sewage. If we are going to regularise you, we have to take health and environmental situations into consideration,” she explained to the residents.

On the way forward, it

was agreed that the community would elect a group of five persons who would meet with CH&PA to address the various issues.

Minister Patterson told residents that lands were available on the East Coast for those willing to relocate and they noted that they are willing to accept if offered lands in that area.

Thirty-two-year-old Euclid Hackett showered continuous praise on Minister Broomes for looking into his plight and that of his fellow neighbours, and getting the CH&PA to look into their issues.

“I just want to say thanks to Minister Broomes for looking in on us because for 20 something years we’ve never had nobody looking out for us,” Hackett noted.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Taking the high road I

N a remarkable and commendable development, President David Granger, on Monday April 1, accepted the resignations of the APNU+AFC members of parliament (MPs) who hold citizenship in foreign countries in addition to Guyanese citizenship. The MPs are Guyanese-American Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, and Guyanese-British MPs Rupert Roopnaraine, Carl Greenidge and Dominic Gaskin. Those MPs will therefore not be present in the National Assembly when it reconvenes. The resignations follow the ruling by Chief Justice (ag), Roxanne George, on January 31. The Chief Justice had ruled that former MP Charrandass Persaud was an illegal Member of Parliament on the basis of his possession of Canadian citizenship. Chief Justice George noted, too, that her ruling had implications for other MPs in that same category.

As such, the MPs’ decisions to resign from the National Assembly and the president’s acceptance represent a laudable development in Guyana’s recognition of the rule of law, as the country progresses along the path to full democratic governance.

By now, most Guyanese would be aware that Article 155 (1) A, of the constitution states that, “No person shall be qualified as a member of the National Assembly who - is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power.” As such, the con-

stitution excludes persons with multiple citizenships from being members of the National Assembly.

Unfortunately, despite that provision being part of Guyana’s supreme law for some two decades, it had been ignored. That untenable state of affairs came to an end on December 21, 2018, when Charandass Persaud voted in favour of a no-confidence motion tabled by the opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C). All things considered, the no-confidence motion and its aftermath may have had the effect of promoting better governance by creating an atmosphere in which the rule of law may flourish.

The rule of law is defined by the oxford English Dictionary as, “The authority and influence of law in society, especially when viewed as a constraint on individual and institutional behavior; (hence) the principle whereby all members of a society (including those in government) are considered equally subject to publicly disclosed legal codes and processes.”

The dictionary elaborates: “The phrase ‘the rule of law’ refers to a political situation, not to any specific legal rule.”

Experts agree that the rule of law implies that every person is subject to the law, including people who are lawmakers, law enforcement officials, and judges. Such is the condition that must exist and prevail in every territory that lays claim to being a democracy.

One will recall that prior to being elected to office in 2015, the APNU+AFC coalition had repeatedly

and emphatically committed itself to good, democratic governance. Such governance necessarily must, of course, incorporate adherence to the rule of law as an integral aspect of its foundational structure.

President Granger, in his address to the nation on the occasion of Guyana’s 49th Republic Anniversary on February 23, 2019, iterated that unaltered position.

His Excellency said, “Guyanese, today, are happy to live in a State that is committed to the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, freedom of the press and respect for fundamental human rights.”

The coalition’s recent actions are consistent with that stated position, and, at the very least, serve to assure Guyanese that the coalition’s statements are not just empty words, but instead, represent the unchanging positions to which the APNU+AFC is committed.

The resignation of the APNU+AFC MPs may be disappointing to many Guyanese, particularly coalition supporters. However, citizens should consider the larger picture. The voluntary resignations — arguably a first in the country’s history — represent a radical departure from the ways of the past, especially the attitudes and practices of PPP/C officials of the last regime. Obviously, officials of the current coalition administration, including those at the highest levels of government, view themselves as being subject to law; the same as any other person. That fact represents real progress along the path towards ideal democratic governance.

"No" was inserted into Article 106(6).

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owhere in the Constitution of Guyana are the words “no confidence” mentioned. Still the courts and some Guyanese have accepted this “rewriting” of our constitution.

The notion of a no confidence or confidence vote is borrowed from England and it is to English law that we must look. In England, the concepts of a no confidence and confidence vote are different, especially since the passage of the “Fixed-term Parliament Act 2011”- in which a vote of no confidence in the English parliament must be passed in a specific form in order to create the possibility of an early general election. Under the Act, if a motion of no confidence in the government is passed in express terms, the house must then adopt a vote of confidence in

that same government or an alternate government within 14 days, or a general election is held.”

Disappointingly, both rulings by Chief Justice Roxanne George and the three Appeal Court judges, upheld the argument presented by lawyers for the opposition that a confidence motion, has it is written in article 106 (6), can also take on the form of a no-confidence motion.

Moreover, the courts failed to ascribe a legal interpretation to this aspect of the Constitution.

The courts failed to cite legal precedence for its conclusion. The courts’ conclusion on this matter basically relied on article 171(1) which states that any member of the assembly is authorised to bring a motion before the house.

It is my view that both the High Court and the Court of Appeal failed to properly interpret and give meaning to article 106(6) of our constitution. Unlike the words “Majority of all elected members,” the words, “defeated by a motion of confidence”, is far more unambiguous. It could be said that the leader of the opposition and speaker of the national assembly misdirected themselves by presenting to the National Assembly, a motion of “no confidence”.

It is my hope that commentators and critics of the Court Appeal’s ruling would recognise the “insertion” of the word “no” into article 106(6) of our constitution.

Regards Quency Sabastian

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

PNCR should not agree to amend constitution to facilitate dual citizens Dear Editor, THE leader of the AFC, at a Press Conference on Wednesday, expressed the view that the time has come to amend the provisions of the Constitution in dealing with the question of dual citizenship.

The framers of the Constitution were wise and knew what they were doing. It was to ensure the integrity and viability of our State, the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

I believe that if Raphael Trotman’s statement is that of the entire AFC, I hope that my Party, the PNC, is not persuaded for what appears to be a momentary emotional reaction to an extant public issue.

First, he says that, it essentially shuts the door to the diaspora. This follows no logic that he is saying the diaspora should only serve in Parliament and at the ministerial level.

Citizens who live abroad and have acquired skills must and have always been welcomed to help develop the land of their birth. A Member of Parliament – ministers functions at the highest decision-making body. Ministers in particular must at all times carry the Golden Arrowhead as their banner and being a Member of Parliament, and or minister is completely different from serving as a professional, technician, consultant or persons who wish to share their acquired skills abroad.

Let us say at an International forum, PAHO, WHO or Security Council of United Nations, the Guyana Government has a position contrary to that of USA, UK, Canada, Venezuela or any other foreign State. If a Minister representing Guyana swore allegiance to that Country that is a post to Guyana’s position, how can that minister, who holds citizenship for another State, vote? Which of the two countries should he or she betray? Betrayal is not too strong a concept for if you read the words when you pledge allegiance, the use of the word betrayal is in order.

How is asking persons who serve at the highest and most significant decision-making body to commit themselves totally to Guyana and to no other Country is inappropriate. The Constitution is clear. In some countries, when you swear and

become a citizen you are also required to ‘renounce’ allegiance to any other country or State.

How can the application of those provisions in our Constitution constitute, as Trotman says, at the service to Guyana?

This is at best a quantum leap.

Earlier, I stated you cannot serve two masters.

Trotman also contends that most, if not all of us who stayed in Guyana, have families and relatives who lived and worked in foreign lands; this is true, so what is the big deal. He then goes on to quote from World Bank Report, which stated that 86 per cent of our graduates now live abroad. So what point is he making? Every right-thinking Guyanese leader is aware of the brain-drain; the reason for this brain-drain, of course, is another matter. Are we saying that this 86 per cent abroad should be persuaded to come back as MPs and ministers?

Is he saying that those of us who stayed through the trials, tribulations and triumphs of the recent past are not capable of being ministers and Members of Parliament?

Frankly, I can’t see the nexus.

We welcome the diaspora; we need their skills, whether it is a highly-skilled professional or ordinary technician, or to develop with their money, industries and the country as a whole.

Let me repeat, membership of Parliament puts you in a distinct and separate category. Let me make a hypothetical, even though unlikely, case. Suppose someone who is a Guyanese obtains Venezuelan citizenship and Guyana went to war; what should an MP who holds citizenship in both countries do?

As a youngster, I remembered during World War II, the head of a Family in Charlestown was a German citizen, they had a medical doctor who was an Italian Citizen; they were both allowed to function, but they were placed in a sort of ‘protective custody’ by the British Governor.

He argues that 14 per cent is left with the impossible task to manage our country. This, I don’t understand. We have been doing pretty well before and after Independence, and I can name the thousands who studied abroad and returned to serve.

We must know that management and service is manifested at

several levels.

You have an aircraft, you have an engineer, a pilot, a stewardess, a handler, a cleaner et al, but the person who decides when and where the plane should fly, is akin to decisions to be made by the minister or MP. In other words, there are different roles in any society that one has to play.

Different roles, different burdens, different types and levels of responsibility, different obligations. The old saying, ‘different strokes, different folks.’

The making of heavy weather of the diaspora is seriously flawed.

Of course, one may wish to make a distinction between persons who were born abroad of Guyanese parents, or who grow up as children overseas as against those who, as adults, made a conscious decision to swear allegiance to a foreign power.

Let me say this, and Raphael knows it, we are part of that number who stayed and walked the walk and there are enough of us capable of ministerial and Parliamentary responsibility.

Next, from a PR perspective, the coalition should not allow the opposition to run ahead. Mr. Jagdeo has stated that one of his members has started the process to renounce their foreign citizenship.

Finally, let me make it abundantly clear that Carl Greenidge, Joseph Harmon, Rupert Roopnaraine and Dominic Gaskin are citizens of the highest quality.

I have worked closely with the first two and I am aware of their physical and intellectual capabilities. I have known Rupert for a number of years and he too is a brilliant Guyanese and I express similar sentiments about Dominic Gaskin. The country needs their skills and experience. This should never be questioned and I close without compromise. You cannot serve two masters and if the time comes for you to choose there will be a severe problem.

Regards Hamilton Green

It is about fear of government’s Professor Ivelaw Griffith continuous socio-economic programmes Dear Editor,

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HE captioned “The National Assembly must not be used as a conduit for campaign financing’’, April 03, 2019 in Kaieteur News, is another desperate attempt by the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic(PPP/C) to remain relevant to the current situation, of which it has been its treacherous author; but which has subsequently exposed its vile and evil intentions, gradually drowning it in its own cesspool of dangerous lies, national subterfuge, and deceptions that continue to underline them as the political party it is – self-serving, racist and divisive.

Written by that man of the cloth, Juan Edghill, whose undoubted wish seems to be one of ensuring a rendezvous with the devil in Hades, is another failing exercise of trying to associate the coalition government with unethical practices.

First, here is Edghill, bleating the devious strategy of seeking to influence, and maybe pressurise the Caribbean Court of justice (CCJ), like his party leader and the Private Sector Commission (PSC), into rushing for an early hearing and a decision, just to satisfy their power-grabbing plan/ambitions.

He is aware that the case management session had been held on March 29, with the hearings set to commence on May 10.

This, in my layman’s understanding, means the former has laid the groundwork process in preparation for the larger latter undertaking at hand. Yet, Edghill, who has mastered the art of perverse PPP/C misleading and misinformation, stated in his missive that “we can expect a ruling shortly after the 10th day of May”.

This would seem egregious of Edghill in pre-empting when the court will rule; as it is expected to do so, in the shortest time possible after submissions from both sides. But to insert his own anticipation of ‘shortly after’, is to give the erroneous impression that the hearing proper had already commenced as from the March 29 case management date, when it has not; with a decision almost immediately following after the date, May 10. At least that is not the understanding gathered from the media reports.

Edghill must be reminded that the matter is not scheduled to be adjudicated on at Freedom House, but at the CCJ’s properly-constituted place of Justice, Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Secondly, here is Edghill again, seeking to impute another misleading understanding into the Court of Appeal’s decision, and what it really means for the coalition government’s continuity in office, pending the outcome of a PPP/C appeal to the CCJ. Editor,

in my own ignorance of the law, but applying both a logic and layman’s interpretation and understanding of what the decision of the Appeal Court’s judgement means – is that the no-confidence motion vote against the coalition administration has been overturned by such decision of the court, and therefore the government’s tenure has been restored. In plain simple language, for Edghill’s guidance, it means that the current administration must continue its functions in office. One wonders from where Edghill’s twisted rationality originated, to state that the government has no right being in office, notwithstanding the court’s overturning of the no-confidence motion. Editor, I stand to be corrected that this is what this supposedly reverend means Sure, this is another of the PPP/C’s spin on the judgement, which apart from seeking to publicly criticize the judges and their judgement because it went against their expectation, now seeks to distort the reality of its conclusion: government as usual. But this is Edghill, for and on behalf of his party, seeking to deceptively misinterpret and change the court’s decision.

Thirdly, by dint of the court’s decision and the legal right that it has given that there be government as usual, it means that the latter not only has the right to continue its socio-economic development programmes which has been transforming Guyana, but also the right to enter into any legitimate financial business on behalf of the people and country. This means that it has the right to go to the National Assembly for any finances, as mandated that will be of aid in furtherance of the State’s well-being – for example, the acquisition of funds for house-to-house registration, which Edghill’s party now fears more than the devil in hell.

Better yet, the international community is aware of the legality of the sitting government and is therefore continuing to engage it with regards furtherance of its domestic policies.

So, resorting to the insinuation of using the National Assembly as a conduit for campaign finances is a non-starter, as it is another unsubstantiated piece of Edghill’s well-established, dishonest, and continuous attempts to bring the government into disrepute, even stymieing its national programmes.

Edghill continues to desecrate his office, that he has shamelessly allowed in tow to the furtherance of his party’s agenda which means no good for the moral or spiritual development of the nation.

Regards Earl Hamilton

is well qualified for UG Dear Mr Editor,

A

fter a review of Professor Ivelaw Griffith’s academic and career achievements, only someone like the self-described academic, Mr. Freddie Kissoon, would have a problem with him being the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana.

Dr. Griffith’s CV, which on the UG website, shows that he was a university Dean in Florida, a university Provost in Virginia and New York and a university President in Georgia. It also lists his seven books, dozens of book chapters and articles, and scores of speeches all over the world. Mr. Editor, it tells you when he testified in the United States Congress and you can link to his speech there. And there is a whole lot more. Fortunately Dr. Griffith is Guyanese, and is a graduate of UG. Mr. Freddie Kissoon may have contributed in many ways to Guyana, but there is nothing outstanding about his contribution as an academic. Assuming he does have a Masters Degree, he would have been asked to leave after two years by most degree-granting universities with a focus on research and scholarly work by their faculty. I wonder how many articles he has written. He must have read many books, but has he ever written one?

He owes UG a great debt of gratitude for keeping him for 24 years more than he should have been there. Real academics have no problem admitting they gained a lot more from international exposure, than the “being in the trenches” rhetoric used by Mr. Kissoon to justify the exclusion of qualified Guyanese who have lived abroad, from positions they are qualified to compete for.

Mr. Kissoon has no vision for the growth and development of the University of Guyana, from primarily a local institution, to one that attracts regional and international students and faculty. Dr. Griffith was not selected to maintain the status quo, the type of situation that benefited Mr. Kissoon.

It is clear from his speeches and TV appearances that his mission is to develop with the assistance of competent staff, a first class institution, a concept Mr. Kissoon may have some difficulty with. Mr. Kissoon has to spout venom and bad talk Dr. Griffith, but from everything any objective person can see Dr. Griffith is not into tearing down and bad talking, but building up.

Regards Weldon Kendall

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Guyana to accede to Hague Conventions on Private International Law

GUYANA will now accede to the Apostille Convention and the Hague Family Law Conventions, the Attorney General Chambers and Legal Affairs Ministry disclosed Friday in a statement.

The Apostille Convention also called the Apostille Treaty is an international treaty drafted by the Hague Conference on Private International Law. It specifies the modalities through which a document issued in one of the signatory countries can be certified for legal purposes in all the other signatory states. Meanwhile, 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, Conven-

tion 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.

“With the support of UNICEF, Guyana and in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a number of efforts are already underway to assist with the implementation of the conventions,” the chambers said.

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

“It is important to note that all the conventions will provide a stronger framework for ease in doing business (Apostille Convention) and country-to-country cooperation,” the chambers said, adding that the “Conventions will also ensure that Guyana increases its capacity (including administrative, procedural and legal) to deal with current and emerging child protection issues, example on international adoption, child maintenance and child abduction.”

These new frameworks will complement the provisions in the convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and two of the optional protocols which Guyana is already a party. It said the government is committed to ensuring the best interests of all children are upheld and children’s rights are prioritised.

Lethem gets in on ‘Reading and Robotics’ programme CHILDREN in Lethem, Region Nine, will now benefit from an education in literacy and economics, as the countrywide Reading and Robotics programme has been launched at the Lethem Library.

Through this programme, club members will complete one of 10 lesson plans which are integrated with the Ministry of Education (MoE)’s Science curriculum.

According to a release from STEMGuyana, the body facilitating this programme, these lesson plans encourage students to learn concepts like simple machines –levers and pulleys, and to use robotics and scratch coding to design and create their own versions of these machines.

Youths between the ages of eight to 14 years will be able to sign up for club membership at the local library and will benefit from the programme each Saturday. The club members will be preparing to participate in Guyana’s first national robot-

Children interacting with the equipment at the Lethem Library ics competition, which kicks off in May 2019, according to STEMGuyana.

STEMGuyana Trainers, Aisha Peters and Michael Sampson, arrived a day before the recent launch to train library staff and school teachers in club management, culture, building and programming robots and

learning to code using the Scratch application.

“The idea is to help the club members to use an integrated approach to learning by using technology to reinforce their knowledge of Science concepts, which they learn in school, while strengthening technical skills and soft skills like collabora-

tion, communication and problem solving,” said Sampson.

Minister of Public Affairs, Dawn Hastings-Williams, related that she was excited that the programme was brought to Region Nine.

“It is important that children in interior communities are able to access

the same programmes and training that will help them to prepare for the new technology future that awaits them,” she said, adding: “I look forward to working with STEMGuyana to expand this programme throughout all of our interior communities.”

ExxonMobil, which

has sponsored eight libraries across Guyana, donated laptop and tablet computers as, well as the robot to the Lethem Library, while a projector was donated by members of the Guyana Diaspora.

According to Senior Director, Public and Government Affairs, Deedra Moe, the company is pleased to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, which it hopes will result in the social and economic advancement of young people in Guyana.

Mayor of Lethem, Carlton Beckles and Deputy Regional Executive Officer, John Macedo, were also present at the launch.

The ‘Reading & Robotics’ programme will meet every Saturday from 09:00hrs at the Lethem Library. Since spaces are limited, STEMGuyana urged parents to sign their children up as soon as they can.

The first club meeting is scheduled for Saturday, April 6, 2019.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Mom of nine moves in new home

Ayasia LaFleur and four of her children at their new home (Adrian Narine photo)

F

ORTY-ONE-year-old, Ayasia LaFleur, the mother of nine who won a semi-furnished home at Prospect after participating in the housing lottery held during the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s (CH&PA) Open House Exhibition, could not stop smiling and thanking all involved, as she received the keys to her new home on Friday.

The sweeper/cleaner received the keys from the minister responsible for housing, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood, in the presence of four of her nine children at a simple handing-over ceremony in front of the property.

“I’m so happy. I don’t know what to say but I must thank God for everything and I would like to thank the Ministry of Housing so much and everybody who come on board to assist me, I would like to say thanks, thanks, thanks,” LaFleur said, as she clutched her six-month-old son Duriel.

Her 13-year-old son, Demarquis, spoke of how happy he was to see the family upgraded to a nicer home.

The kindheartedness towards the former squatter did not stop at just the house, and furniture. She no longer has to pay

the $100,000 for the land, as was initially expected, thanks to the benevolence of the Guyana Public Service Union and D&J Group who paid $50,000 each to cover the bill. The two organisations were present on Friday to hand over the money to the CH&PA. “I feel so great, when Miss Gardener called me and told me that I said oh God! God is working so much miracles for me. I tell my child thank God for what everybody is doing for me,” LaFleur said of this further donation.

Still not done yet, LaFleur was also the recipient of several huge hampers of food and household products to help her better settle into her new home.

Squatting in the GuyHoc Park Squatting Area for some 23 years, LaFleur had applied for a house lot 12 years ago and had hoped that her fortune would change under the coalition government since she got “nowhere” under the previous administration.

On Sunday March 31, she had visited the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s (CH&PA) Open House Exhibition where a lottery was held for one person to win the one-bedroom wooden house at the

Man remanded for Christopher Martin’s murder SHAMAR Harvey, on April 5, 2019, was teary-eyed as he was remanded by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, for a murder he allegedly committed in Albouystown.

He was not allowed to plead to indictable charge, which read that the 21-year-old defendant, who resides at Lot 135 King Edward Street, Albouystown, on March 31, 2019, murdered Christopher Martin also known as “Gully Bop”, at Cooper Street Albouystown. The deceased is an 18-year-old who resides at 66 Barr Street, Albouystown.

According to police reports, the victim and the accused had a misunderstanding in

the area on the day in question. As a result, Harvey and another male pursued the victim and shot him while he was on his way to play football. This resulted in severe injuries which led to his demise.

Harvey dropped his pants in court and was ordered to pull it back up as he had the court in an uproar. He told the court that he did not commit the act and he was wrongfully accused.

Investigations were further carried out which led to the accused being arrested.

However, police are still trying to locate the other suspect in the matter.

The defendant will appear in court again on May 10, 2019.

Little six-month-old Duriel LaFleur was the first of his family members to touch the keys to his new home as he accepts them from Minister Valerie Patterson-Yearwood on Friday; his mother Ayasia LaFleur won the house following a housing lottery held last Sunday (Adrian Narine photo) end of the event. Like hundreds of others accommodate herself and all of her children, who visited the event, LaFleur had filled out LaFleur now looks to the future with much a coupon and hoped for the best. hope, and has big plans for her property.

LaFleur related that she broke out in “I plan to extend the home because screams when she received the phone call I’m having nine children, so later on I’ll some time later, while shopping at the Gift- put out a room so they can have a room. land Mall.

I does do my kitchen garden, I have two While the house is still a step away from puppies and I love flowers and a nice being where she wants it to be in order to home with a nice yard,” she shared.

GWI working to fix ruptured main A WATER main in the vicinity of the Bank of Guyana gave way around 09:00hrs on Friday, causing some water accumulation in the area.

The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), upon learning of the situation, quickly sprang into action to repair the breach.

GWI Executive Director (Operations), Dwayne Shako, said the rupture was due to the lines being old and the constant movement of large trucks in the area.

He noted that GWI lowered the water pressure to ease the volume

Accumulated water from the breached main near the Bank of Guyana (Carl Croker photo) of water accumulation, but would have to raise it at day break in order to meet the water demands of the city.

He said the pressure

cannot be completely turned off since it will affect institutions such as the hospitals and prisons, among others vital institutions.

Clerk remanded for stealing from bar owner DHANRAJ Ragobeer, a 29-year-old electrician, was on Friday April 5, 2019, brought before Principal Magistrate Leron Daly for stealing money from the owner of ‘The Other Bar’.

Particulars of the charge read that the accused, between May 2018 and July 2018, while being employed as clerk of ‘The Other Bar’ stole $1, 570,314 from Kumar Chidaman, the owner of the business. Ragobeer is popular in the court for getting himself involved in matters of similar nature.

He was previously charged with 14 counts of fraudulent conversion. The defendant, who is a resident of Lot 26 Gordon Street, Kitty, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

According to reports, the defendant and Chidaman are known to each other. He was employed by the bar owner to collect monies that were won from the Guyana Lottery Company for persons who played. This was his responsibility during the period of May 2018 to July 2018 until the machine stopped working.

Upon checking the machine,

he noticed that the paid machines were not working because the sum of $1, 570,314 was owed to the company.

Ragobeer was confronted and told of the offence. He was consequently arrested.

Prosecutor Sanj Singh objected to bail being granted to the defendant. He noted that Ragobeer has committed crimes of a similar nature and did not turn up for trials in the past.

As a result the magistrate remanded him to prison until his next hearing on April 12, 2019.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Guyanese man dies in freak accident in Florida A 72-year-old Florida man was killed when the rotor of a helicopter trying to make an emergency landing on a busy highway, struck a pickup truck.

According to the Associated Press, the Florida Highway Patrol said the helicopter crashed into a pole while making a hard landing in Tampa on Thursday afternoon.

The agency says Deodat Persaud Gangapersaud was in a pickup truck being driven by his 35-year-old son, Ryan Anthony Persaud,

when the rotor struck the vehicle. His son wasn’t injured but was taken to the hospital as a precaution.

Troopers said 38-year-old pilot, Bryan Messick, and 21-year-old co-pilot, Joshua Wells, were not injured.

Hillsborough County Sheriff, Chad Chronister, said Messick was “highly trained” and that the helicopter had just been serviced.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

The scene of the accident (Florida Highway Patrol photo)

‘Fabulous’ PI to continue next Friday Route 42 minibus drivers PRELIMINARY inquiries into the February 4, 2018 murder of City ‘money-changer’, Shawn Nurse, called ‘Fabulous’, continued on Friday at the Providence Magistrate Court before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Kerwin Dos Santos and George Hope, both 24, and of Freeman Street, East La Penitence, and Kacey Heyliger, 25, of Shell Road Kitty, were initially charged separately for the murder, but those

charges were subsequently withdrawn, and a joint charge was instead instituted.

The trio was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that on February 4, 2018, they shot and killed Nurse, 47, during the commission of a robbery while he was plying his trade as per normal, on downtown America Street.

The matter has been adjourned to next Friday.

want their old park back IN light of the temporary relocation of the Route 42 minibus park to behind the old Guyana National Cooperative Bank (GNCB), drivers and commuters are unhappy with the current arrangement, since they are now fair game to every criminal who frequent the neighbourhood, and are calling on the authorities to shift them back to their original location.

President of the United Minibus Union, Eon Andrews told the Guyana Chronicle that the issue of ensuring the safety of commuters rests with law enforcement officials.

When the Guyana Chronicle spoke with some Route 42 minibus drivers and commuters who have been adversely affected by the situation, the point was made that since the presence of law en-

forcement officials in the area in question is infrequent, the perpetrators of crime have enough time to do as they please and get away with it.

As such, they are calling for the resuscitation of their original minibus park.

The Route 42 minibus park was relocated to accommodate those vendors who plied their trade on the Stabroek Market Wharf which is currently under reconstruction.

The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) had removed yet another set of minibus drivers from their parks to facilitate the Stabroek Market Wharf vendors, after the facility collapsed back in 2018.

Since 2018, minibus drivers and commuters have been complaining that that the area is prone to criminal activities, and is very unsafe.

Charges expected against wife of murdered fuel dealer

CHARGES are expected to be laid against 50-year-old Milaimi Alli, who was arrested on Thursday evening in relation to the murder of her husband Ramzan Alli on July 12, 2009.

She was apprehended upon arrival at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport after police, earlier in the week, issued a wanted bulletin for her arrest.

It is alleged that she paid over $5M to her lover to facilitate her husband’s murder.

The woman is currently at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) where she is being questioned.

On July 12, 2009, the body of the fuel dealer was found in the trunk of a rented white Toyota Carina AT 212 on the Railway Embankment in the vicinity of Coldingen.

On March 28, 2019, Zaheed Mitchell, a 38-year-old driver of Foulis, East Coast Demerara (ECD), appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, charged

Milaimi Alli with murder of Ramzan Alli.

The indictment stated that Mitchell and others murdered Alli between July 11 and 12, 2009. He was remanded to prison until April 15. It was during investigations that Alli’s name surfaced; hence, an arrest warrant was issued for her arrest.

Back in 2009, the businessman’s body was found by relatives who had launched a search for him after several calls to his mobile went unanswered.

A post-mortem exam-

ination revealed that he died from asphyxiation. It is alleged that Alli’s wife ordered his death on the same day his family was having a religious service for his brother, Akbar Alli, who was gunned down on July 24, 2008.

The father of two had reportedly left his home to buy supplies for the aforementioned religious function.

A relative eventually spotted the car on the Railway Embankment. The relative reportedly saw blood dripping from the trunk. He then forced the trunk open and found the body.

Detectives had suspected that Ramzan Alli was killed somewhere else and brought in his car to the embankment.

While his limbs were not bound, a plastic bag was duct-taped over his head.

There was what appeared to be a skid mark on the parapet near where Alli’s body was discovered, leading investigators to believe that the killers fled the scene in another car.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Man handed 12-year sentence for carnal knowledge of child A 28-year-old plumber was on Friday, April 5, 2019, sentenced to serve 12 years imprisonment for having carnal knowledge of a fouryear-old girl.

Dwayne Hamilton was recently found guilty of the charge which read that on February 21, 2007, in the county of Demerara, he had carnal knowledge of a fouryear-old girl.

The trial was heard before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow in the Sexual Offences Court.

Hamilton was represented by Attorney Ravindra Mohabir, while the state’s case was presented by Prosecutors, Lisa Cave, Seeta Bishundial and Sarah Martin.

On Friday, a probation report was read in court following a request made by Hamilton’s attorney, Mohabir.

The report, which was read by a probation officer, Anand Sharma, explained that Hamilton served in the Guyana Defence Force but was dismissed, due to him sleeping while on duty.

Hamilton is known to the victim and her relatives, since he would often be around them.

Persons in the village de-

Dwayne Hamilton scribed Hamilton as being a humble youth. Hamilton, after the alleged incident, lived with his mother at Festival City Squatting Area, North Ruimveldt.

The victim’s impact statement was read in court by Counsellor and Court Support Officer, Celeste Mullin.

The victim, in her statement, explained the she felt sad and afraid, but most times embarrassed since persons still talk about the alleged incident.

In her statement, the victim wanted Hamilton to know that she is no longer afraid of him and wanted him to be jailed.

Madam Justice Barlow,

before handing down her sentence, said that she considered that at the time of the alleged incident the victim was four years old and Hamilton was 16.

Madam Barlow told Hamilton that the Court has a role to play to advocate against rape cases, especially when the accused is known to the victims.

Hamilton was sentenced to serve 12 years jail and was ordered to undergo counselling for persons convicted for sexual offences.

According to reports, at the time of the incident, the victim was four and Hamilton was 16. On the day in question, the victim had just come out of the washroom when she was allegedly confronted by the accused.

The accused allegedly took the child to the back of his yard where he raped her.

The victim’s mother reportedly caught Hamilton in the act as she saw him with her daughter. Hamilton ran away and the matter was reported to the police.

The accused was on the run and was later arrested by police at his grandmother’s home.

26 years imprisonment for convicted child rapist CONVICTED child rapist, Clinton Anthony Doris, was on Friday, April 5, 2019, sentenced to serve 26 years imprisonment for raping a 7-year-old school girl, five years ago.

Doris, 37, called ‘Masquerade Man’ or ‘Lally,’ was recently found guilty by a 12-member mixed jury of raping a seven-year-old girl on March 27, 2014 in the county of Essequibo.

On Friday, a probation report was read in court following a request made by Doris’ attorney, Ravindra Mohabir.

The report, which was read by a probation officer, Anand Sharma, explained that Doris had served in the Guyana Police Force but was fired. He then went to Arakaka, North West District, where he worked as a pork knocker.

Doris, father of two, was described by villagers as a humble person who loves children and would often purchase sweets for them.

The victim’s impact statement was read in court

by Counsellor and Court Support Officer, Celeste Mullin.

The victim, in her state-

Clinton Anthony Doris ment explained the she felt terrible for what Doris had done to her and would like for the accused to be jailed so she can feel safe.

Attorney Mohabir in his plea of mitigation told the court that his client now resides at Bagotville, West Coast Demerara.

Mohabir begged the court to impose a light sentence onto his client and urged the Court to consider the role Doris plays in his children’s lives.

Madam Justice Barlow before handing down her sentence told Doris that she considered the victim was seven years old and at the same time Doris was a grown man, who had children of his own.

Additionally, Barlow

told Doris that he used his knowledge to lure the victim to his home with sweets.

“Imprisonment is the only answer” the judge told Doris who stood emotionless in the prisoner docks as the 26-year sentence was handed down.

Justice Barlow also ordered Doris to undergo counselling for persons convicted for sexual offences.

The state was represented by Prosecutors Lisa Cave, Sarah Martin, and Seeta Bishundial. The trial was conducted in-camera at the Sexual Offences Court of the High Court in Georgetown.

According to reports, on the day in question, the child was on her way home and while passing Doris’ house, he called out to her and invited her into his home to collect ‘sweetie.’

However, when the child entered the house, Doris raped her and sent her home crying. Her relatives saw her crying and she told them what Doris had done.

The matter was reported to the police and Doris was subsequently arrested.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Five roads commissioned in Region Two

THE Region Two administration on Friday commissioned five multimillion-dollar roads in various locations on the Essequibo Coast.

The roads will create better access for residents and farmers using it to access their farmlands.

Residents at Charity Old Housing Scheme, Devonshire Castle, Anna Regina, Lima, Good Hope and La Union are all beneficiaries of the new roads.

At the commissioning ceremonies, Regional Executive Officer, Denis Jaikarran emphasised the need for residents of the respective Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) to care and maintain the roads.

During the commissioning of Pitman Street, Darthmouth, Jaikarran said the roads were upgraded and rehabilitated due to re-

quests by the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) to the Regional Democratic Council (RDC).

The Region Two administration has expended millions of dollars to ensure that residents of the five communities are provided better roads.

The residents were very happy for the development works. The Devonshire Castle access dam was upgraded from a mud dam to a crusher run road. .

The Charity Old Housing Scheme Road was upgraded at a cost of $12,131,000 by V and S Engineering; the upgrading of the road at GTT Street, Good Hope costs some $11,042,000; while the upgrading of the La Union Road leading to the cremation site was done to the tune of $9, 287,100.

‘Speedy Gonzales’ to spend next six months in jail THIRTY-nine-year-old Bisram Paul was on Thursday sentenced to six months in prison in the hope that it will cure him of his penchant for speed.

The sentence was handed down by Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Providence Magistrate’s Court, where Paul was arraigned for dangerous driving.

It is alleged that on April 1, 2019, he drove

motor vehicle, PKK 6473, along the East Bank Public Road, and in the vicinity of Diamond, in such a reckless manner as to cause serious injury to a number of persons.

To compound matters, it is also alleged that not only did Paul fail to render assistance to the injured on the day of the accident, but he was not licensed to drive.

As such, he was fined $40 000 and sentenced to seven

days in prison for driving without a valid driver’s licence. He was also sentenced to a further six months in prison for speeding, in spite of his employer’s pleas for leniency.

According to Magistrate Latchman, the six-month sentence is for his own good, as it is intended to serve as a deterrent, so he won’t be inclined to speed again.

The upgraded road at Pitman, Darthmouth, Region Two

VC opts for counselling, rather than press charges THIRTY-four-year-old Kevin Smith of 173 Eccles Squatting area on Friday appeared before Principal Magistrate Sunil Scarce for the felicitous wounding of Unica Stewart on January 29, 2019, to which charge he pleaded not guilty.

During the hearing, Stewart

pleaded with the magistrate to send the defendant for counselling, since she has three young children with him, and is herself in need of guidance.

Stewart also asked the Court to provide counselling to the entire family so as they may better navigate their way through life.

After listening to Stewart’s pleas, Magistrate Scarce placed Smith on $75, 000 bail, and a peace bond.

The matter has also been adjourned to April 24, when Stewart is expected to give a statement and decide whether or not she will proceed with the case.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

‘Bright-Up Guyana’ winners awarded

By Carl Croker

IN keeping with government’s policy of having a clean and ‘green’ environment, the Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport awarded winners of its “Bright-Up Guyana” competition at a simple ceremony on Thursday.

At the event held in the boardroom of the ministry’s Main Street office, the winners received trophies and prizes from Social Cohesion Minister, Dr. George Norton.

The awards were made in eight categories. These are N on- Commercial (Decorated and Illuminated building), Non-Commercial (Decorated Building), Non-Commercial (Best Parapet), School (Decorated Building), School (Best Parapet), Commercial Residence (Decorated and Illuminated), Residence (Decorated and illuminated Building) and Residence

(Best Parapet).

Vibert and Alexander Belle won in two categories, namely Residence (Decorated and Illuminated Building) and Residence (Best Parapet).

Alexander Belle, who received the awards, said he loves to participate in such activities and loves to keep his surroundings clean.

“I feel honoured about the whole thing because I am being rewarded and it is catching on in my area; most persons in the neighbourhood do clean their parapets as well,” he said.

The Central Housing and Planning Authority walked away with first place in the Non- Commercial (Decorated and Illuminated Building) category, leaving West Watooka Health Centre, Region 10, to settle for second and the Department of Social Cohesion, Culture Youth and Sport third.

One Mile Health Cen-

Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton and ministry officials (seated) with the winners of the “BrightUp Guyana” competition (Carl Croker photograph) tre, Region 10, got the top spots in the Non-Commercial (Decorated Building and Non-Commercial Best Parapet) categories, while the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Public Security took second and third place respectively in the Non-Commercial (Decorated Building) category.

Zeelugt Primary School took home first prize for School (Decorated Building), leaving Freeburg Secondary and Sophia Special School with second and third places respectively in that category.

However, Sophia Special School took the top spot in the School (Best

Parapet) category and Zeelugt Primary got the second spot.

Maxi Williams Design was the lone participant in the Commercial Residence (Decorated and Illuminated) category.

Mashramani Coordinator, Andrew Tyndall, in addressing the awardees, said decorating and light-

ing-up of buildings contribute to the festive spirit and the competition is very special to the ministry.

He encouraged the participants to continue flying the national flag on their buildings as Guyana prepares for Independence celebrations in May.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

‘Carnegie’ celebrates its 86th anniversary –– soon to introduce housekeeping, other new programmes

THE Carnegie School of Home Economics, a government institution which falls under the Ministry of Education, celebrated its 86th year of existence on Friday.

A thanksgiving cere-

mony was organised on the lawns of the school at High Street, in Georgetown, with songs, dances and poetry.

Principal Myrna Lee told the Guyana Chronicle that the school is adaptable and continues to modify its

curriculum to suit pressing needs in the country.

“We have evolved over the years. It’s a Home Economics school…about home and the family, but now it’s more hospitality-related,” she said.

Since Guyana is on the verge of having its first- oil, Lee said the school wants to ensure that it is preparing and certifying people to meet the new demands that the oil-and-gas sector brings. On top of the

An exhibition on Friday, of items made by students of ‘Carnegie.’ list are training staff and upgrading the curriculum, she said.

The school currently has a population of over 1,500 students, who are enrolled in the more than 18 programmes available at the institution.

“We can do with an upgrade, but we’re making the best use of what we have at the moment. The facility of itself needs upgrading; we have outgrown the building and that is why we have

evening and weekend classes,” Lee disclosed.

But this will not deter the school from pressing on. “We are pressing on very heavily on competency-based programmes.

From next term, we want to offer programmes in housekeeping, care of the elderly and childcare. Again, this is to meet the new needs and demands of our communities,” the principal said.

The programmes being offered at the school

are those that have been demanded from industries and the communities. “We facilitate those requests by changing or upgrading our curriculum to match whatever is related. Whatever is being taught should be relevant; it shouldn’t be something that the community doesn’t need.”

Lee further mentioned that the school is in constant collaboration with related industries and organisations.

‘Carnegie’ Principal Myrna Lee (second from left in front row), along with students and staff at the ceremony on Friday.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

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Guyana is solution to Region’s –– says FAO expert but urges food security embrace of food security

By Vishani Ragobeer FOOD and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Assistant Director General, Dr. Julio Berdegue said Guyana can be the solution to the Caribbean’s food import problem, but only if the country realises its “production potential”.

Engaging members of the media on Thursday,

during a visit to Guyana, the assistant director general noted his visit here is to strengthen FAO’s collaboration with Guyana, given the unique role Guyana can play in agriculture development.

“The Caribbean faces an enormous problem of a food import bill which is growing every year for the past 30-35 years.

Right now, the Caribbean

is spending US $4.5B each year to buy food that can be grown in the sub-region,” he explained.

Dr. Berdegue sees this as a huge problem to food safety and security in the Caribbean Region.

“Guyana is a fundamental part of the solution to this problem. Few other countries in the Caribbean have the production potential of Guyana,” he told

reporters.

This potential, he said, is under threat from climate change. In fact, he shared that by 2030, 50 per cent of the whole of Latin America and Caribbean region will experience about a 1.5 higher degree of temperature.

This increase in temperature would not augur well for the continuation of agriculture and feeding the

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

FAO Assistant Director General, Dr. Julio Berdegue and Country Representative, Dr. Gillian Smith (Adrian Narine photo) population. “We don’t have fisheries industry. a lot of time to spare,” he “On the other hand, said, while adding that real the oil and gas economy, solutions to climate change if it’s done well, may be need to be implemented. able to provide some of And specifically in the very large investments Guyana’s context, he that will be necessary to stressed that practising meet the challenge, for exclimate-smart agricul- ample, of climate change ture that coexists with adaptation [or] of changits emerging oil and gas ing the food systems,” he sector, is vital. said.

INNOVATION Dr. Berdegue noted that the agricultural products produced do not need to be changed, but instead, different varieties can be produced through different farming methods. And he suggested that there are various ways of mitigating this and fostering sustainable agricultural practices with the myriad of techniques and technologies available.

“What we have to do probably is shifting the places we do agriculture.

Certain crops that grow here very well [because] of changes in weather patterns [and] temperature patterns, we would have to move them to other parts of the country,” he explained.

But this is also a “complex process”, according to him.

“It’s 800 million farmers in the world, figuring out how to deal with this issue; there’s 190 countries,” he said, but hastened to reassure: “There’s a lot of innovation, there’s a lot of creativity and one of the roles we (the FAO) play is to make available these technologies and solutions for countries.”

For Guyana, he does not believe that the emerging oil and gas industry is a threat to sustainable agriculture. He did however acknowledge that it would change the country’s economy.

“There might be competition for spaces with the fishes [and the oil extraction facilities offshore], not so much with crop production or animal production,” he explained, pointing out that this has occurred in Trinidad.

However, he also indicated that Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, has requested assistance from the FAO in maneuvering this competition for space with both the petroleum and

BENEFICIAL “These are not inexpensive things to do; these are not cheap things to do.

These are significant investments over the longterm and if the oil and gas economy goes well, and is managed sustainably and in a responsible way, it can be a significant source of resources for this country,” Dr. Berdegue said.

As a citizen of Mexico, he also shared that his country has been a major producer of oil and gas since the 1930s, while still maintaining a vibrant agricultural sector.

“Oil and gas and agriculture can live together and develop together,” he affirmed, and added: “We need modern regularisation and modern technologies to manage a space in order to make these different economic activities coexist in the less stressful situation and more mutually reinforcing situation.”

In the meantime, the FAO will be helping Guyana to successfully manage its food sector, particularly to build it into a climate-resilient one.

“We are interested very much in helping to validate many of those climate-smart agricultural practices to ensure that we really have a system in knowing that they are producing the results that we are looking for,” FAO Country Representative, Dr. Gillian Smith added.

Aside from ensuring these facets are in place, Dr. Berdegue also indicated that the food being produced should be “healthy food”, since one of the major health ailments in the Caribbean is the “run-away epidemic” of weight and obesity.

These affect about 50 per cent of Guyana’s population, Dr. Berdegue said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Skeldon Hospital gets new $6.8M laboratory

GETTING a prognosis for a patient will be easier for doctors at the Skeldon Hospital, which has been outfitted with a new, modern laboratory facility.

In the past, residents of Corriverton and Skeldon had to travel to New Amsterdam or Georgetown to get their tests done, but that burden has been relieved.

The laboratory will fill

institution to have lab tests done.

This was a financial burden to many persons who could not afford to access those services privately.

“Sometimes we miss the bus in terms of what is provided nationally through tax... people who come here most times do not have finances to go to the

Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, inspecting the new laboratory (Delano Williams photo) the gap which existed at the hospital and in the region, said Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, during her remarks at the commissioning of the facility on Thursday.

Minister Lawrence made reference to a World Health Organisation (WHO) study which showed that a clinical laboratory provides the information required by physicians to better administer treatment.

“They provide vital information to clinicians who make decisions which affect the quality of life,” said the minister, adding that persons can now visit the hospital with confidence.

The new laboratory complements the recently-rehabilitated maternity and paedeatric wards.

Persons were often referred to the New Amsterdam Hospital or a private

private hospital. Having the lab releases that financial burden and it also means that the confidence in the hospital will now grow because persons know that they can access services right in their community,” said Minister Lawrence.

The patients will not be the only beneficiaries, as doctors will also get to use their skills more efficiently and effectively to serve patients.

Doctor-in-Charge of the Skeldon Hospital, Dr. Ryan Campbell, said the hospital offers services to over 43,000 people.

Minister Lawrence said those people have a lot more to benefit from as this is only the beginning of a continuous process of development.

Regional Executive Officer of Region Six (East Berbice- Corentyne), Kim Stephens, in

giving a breakdown of the spending, noted that $5 million was spent on equipment while $1.8 million was spent on the rehabilitation of the facility.

The Skeldon Hospital

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Empowerment training for 20 female entrepreneurs

SOME 20 female entrepreneurs will benefit from business training through a $4million training project over the next few months.

The project has been made possible through collaboration between Courts Guyana Inc and Cerulean Inc. This training, known as the Women’s Empowerment Project (WEP) workshop, is a pilot programme that will be used as a learning experience for the other programmes.

“We want to give back. Our vision is to give back to the grassroots, because that’s where there is the biggest impact,” Managing-Director for Courts (Guyana) Limited, Clyde DeHaas, noted at the launch of the WEP.

Some of the female entrepreneurs to benefit from the programme, alongside representatives of Courts Guyana Inc and Cerulean Inc Furthermore, he indicated his belief that assisting women entrepreneurs would create a bigger impact, since women are the “backbone of small businesses.” He also not-

ed that it will help female entrepreneurs rise above the adversity they inadvertently face.

Managing-Director of Cerulean Inc., Lyndell Danzie-Black, explained

that the actual training segment of the programme would last about three months. Here, the women will receive training in various areas of business, including financial

management and market research.

“We have basically responded to a lot of the issues entrepreneurs are saying that they have currently,” she said.

The participants applied to online advertisements put out and Black indicated that the set chosen were the ones deemed successful.

“The entrepreneurs cannot do the programme during the day, because they have to look after their businesses, so what we have are evening programmes from 5:30 to 7:30, where they are going to be given various courses,” she explained.

Beyond the training, it is envisioned that other members of the private sector would have the women work with them as interns.

Subsequent to that, these women will receive further coaching from the facilitators in ironing out specific issues in their businesses.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Russell heroics deny RCB win (ESPNCricinfo) - ANDRE Russell produced a fourth consecutive devastating innings, clubbing an unbeaten 13-ball 48 as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) chased a steep total with five balls to spare.

Chasing 206, Knight Riders needed 66 off 24 at one point, and then 53 off 18 with Russell having faced two balls.

- and had bowled a beamer that was hit for six. With 53 required off 18, he started with two dot balls, fizzing past Russell’s outside edge on both occasions.

But just when he seemed to have redeemed himself, he bowled a bouncer that was called a wide. From there, RCB lost control altogether.

ball. Twenty-three came off that over.

Tim Southee, brought in place of Umesh Yadav, and with a reputation for tight death-overs bowling, seemed to be switching between many ideas. He bowled from both over and around, tried slower balls, short lengths, full lengths -

Andre Russell celebrates with his team. (BCCI)

From there, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) used four bowlers - Mohammed Siraj was suspended halfway through the 18th for a second beamer - all of whom were pumped to various corners of the ground by Russell who needed only eight scoring shots to score 46 of the 53 required.

It particularly soured the night for RCB captain Virat Kohli, whose 84 and a 108run stand with AB de Villiers seemed to have set up a win they desperately needed, having come into the game with four consecutive losses. The result told a familiar story - a long-standing deficit of quality death bowling, even on a night where they had seven bowling options.

Siraj had had a night to forget even before he was handed the ball for the 18th over. He had put down two catches Chris Lynn and Nitish Rana’s

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His next ball, the beamer that got him suspended, was slapped for six. The ensuing free-hit, mercilessly handed to Marcus Stoinis who had to complete the over, also went for six. And so did the next

pretty much all that’s there - and was carted for four sixes and a four.

Russell had managed to get 28 off that over, and 47 off his last nine balls. KKR needed only a run off the last over.

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TODAY’S QUIZ: How many times CSK have played in an IPL final?

How many times MI have done so?

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Sir Hilary believes Caribbean talent is needed in WI coaching job (CMC) – LEADING regional academic and noted cricket author, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, believes a head coach of Caribbean origin should preside over West Indies’ campaign at the upcoming ICC World Cup. Currently, controversial Englishman Richard Pybus occupies the role as interim coach but Sir Hilary argued that the May 30 to July 14 showpiece in England was a “global project” and therefore presented an ideal opportunity for Cricket West Indies (CWI) to create the basis for a “Caribbean coaching system”.

“If I have a choice of building up a cadre of West Indian coaches in the context of a World Cup, which is a global project and which is going to bring sustainability into the coaching culture of the Caribbean, that to me seems to be a no-brainer to compare with a person who is likely to use that moment simply for career advancement,” Sir Hilary said this week.

“Because he will enter the space, acquire that skill, acquire that knowledge and move on to his next team as he builds his trajectory.

“So it seems to me this is a moment to dig deep, this is a moment for West Indian people, having now changed their direction, having now acquired a leader who is a strategic thinker, for us to dig deep and put together a Caribbean coaching system that would take us into this project and other projects.”

Pybus was controversially appointed last January to replace Australian Stuart Law, who led the Windies for two years, before quitting to join English County Middlesex.

However, the appointment was met with heavy pushback from several CWI directors, with Enoch Lewis publicly condemning the move as lacking in “transparency, fairness and due process” and accusing then president Dave Cameron of “hand-picking” Pybus “without the prior knowledge of the Board”.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Noted regional academic, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles

Pybus subsequently oversaw the Windies shock 2-1 win over England in a three-Test home series in February and a 2-2 draw in the five-match one-day series following.

West Indies suffered a 3-0 whitewash in the T20 International series.

Pybus was expected to oversee the squad until September when a permanent head coach was hired but Sir Hilary pointed out that the World Cup was of such importance, it needed to be utilised strategically to kick-start the process of developing indigenous coaches.

“My sense is that West Indian people have to think in terms of project development, project management development skills,” he contended.

“The World Cup is a major project in cricket and the West Indian cricket culture should now be identifying coaches whom they will expose to this global intervention, not only for this moment but for the future.”

Pybus’s future was always expected to come under scrutiny once Ricky Skerritt toppled Cameron in CWI elections last month in Jamaica.

During the election campaign, Skerritt had spoken about his discomfort with the manner in which Pybus had been chosen.

“What I have been upset about … is the way in which Mr Pybus was recruited in an environment where the board was already expressing concern about the propensity and over dependency on coaches from other countries who may not understand the West Indian culture,” Skerritt said in a media interview.

Former Test player, Phil Simmons, was the last Caribbean coach to lead the regional side but was axed after less than two years in charge in 2016 for what CWI said were “differences in culture and strategic approach”.

Only last week, the Skerritt-led CWI settled a long-running legal case with Simmons for damages, and apologised to the Trinidadian for the way he had been treated.

Holder eyeing solid performance for Northants

West Indies captain Jason Holder drives during his unbeaten 36 for Northants.

(CMC) – WEST Indies captain Jason Holder was eyeing a half-century on county debut, as he made an encouraging start to life in the Championship, helping Northamptonshire bat the entire opening day of their contest against Middlesex here yesterday.

Playing at home at Wantage Road, Northants finished on 310 for six, with captain Alex Wakely top-scoring with 76 and wicketkeeper Adam Rossington carving out 67.

Rob Keogh chipped in with 46 while opener Ricardo Vasconcelos made 38.

Holder, fresh from leading West Indies to a series win over England in the Caribbean, ended the day unbeaten on a composed 36.

He has faced 66 balls in 99 minutes and struck five fours, putting on 67 for the sixth wicket with Rossington, who counted eight fours and two sixes in a 82-ball knock, before falling near to the close.

Northamptonshire had earlier recovered from 83 for three courtesy of a 99-run fourth-wicket stand between Wakely and Keogh.

Veteran new-ball seamer Tim Murtagh claimed four for 43.

The 27-year-old Holder is the leading all-rounder in Tests, averaging 33 with the bat and 27 with his medium pace, to sit at number one on the ICC charts.

Is there a dictatorship at the Guyana Cycling Federation? … Asks Michelangelo Jacobus IT is no secret that cycling in Guyana has long been in a state of disarray, specifically on the administrative side of things and along with the empty coffers of the federation.

A new and somewhat dark situation has now reared its ugly head which brings about the headline of this article; Is there a dictatorship at the Guyana Cycling Federation?

As an ardent follower of cycling and sportsman at heart, I truly believe in the development of our young athletes and a positive advancement of sports in general.

Let’s examine the present situation. The Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) is bound by its constitution to hold General Elections every three years “no later than at the end of March”.

In addition the said elections must be advertised no less than 20 days in ad-

vance in the official Gazette along with being featured in the printed media no less than twice in that period.

The last time the GCF held its elections was back in June of 2015 when Horace Burrowes (current president) was elected to the helm of the

federation; four years later and just about four weeks from June, there is not a murmur of the executive putting plans in motion for the much needed elections.

As a responsible stakeholder in sport, three weeks ago the question of elections was brought up at a cycling meet in the National Park and the response to the question posed was: “The president says when he feels like keeping an election, there will be an

election”.

This was uttered by a senior official in the GCF who will be named if the need arises. That statement holds all the idiosyncrasy of a “dictatorial

regime”. That statement, coupled with other dubious activities by the current GCF administration, begs the very question.

It is no secret that persons heavily involved in cycling, stakeholders and various club administrators are hoping for a change in the GCF management personnel. To that effect a group of club officials, along with stakeholders of the sport, led by former national cyclist Linden Dowridge, had written to the GCF president and his executive, querying the organisation of elections and other urgent concerns.

However, Dowridge told Chronicle Sport that they were told that Burrowes would respond to them shortly, something which was put off and even when addressed, the glaring issue at hand was not properly answered.

Following the passing

of the elections deadline; Dowridge revealed that the group’s next move would be to write to the subject Minister, Dr George Norton who holds the portfolio for Youth, Culture and Sport.

He also noted that they will be approaching the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) to take up the issue. This is something that Dowridge is apprehensive of as he pointed out that the GOA is notoriously lax in their approach and responsibility to the cycling situation.

Among one of the charges levelled against Burrowes is that he has been heard telling persons that the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), along with COPACI (Confederación Panamericana de Ciclismo), has granted him power to do as he likes in regard to cycling in Guyana, something that has not

GCF president Horace Burrowes

been verified.

It is with a heavy heart and apprehensive mindset that I call on the GCF administration to clear up these questions and move ahead with positivity with regard to constitutional conformity with the best interest of our young cyclists and the development of the sport in mind.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

ECCC to go ahead with U-19 trials today … Inter-county U-17 tournament called off

By Rajiv Bisnauth THE East Coast Cricket Committee (ECCC) has maintained that the ruling in the High Court by Justice Fidela Corbin that the Executive Committee of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) is illegal, has nothing to do with them, and as such they will go ahead with their Under-19 trials today.

ECCC event is billed for the Ogle Community Centre ground from 09:30hrs.

“The court did not rule on the affiliate bodies to the GCB, it ruled only on the legality of the GCB and the Cricket Ombudsman Stephen Lewis ... subsequently the entity, the GCB, remains but the executive is dissolved,” a member of the committee said on social media.

According to Anil Persaud, the committee has nothing to fear since a court order had permitted its existence.

Persaud’s comments came even as Chronicle Sport was reliably informed through a court order that the ECCC was barred via a previous court order issued by Justice Nareshwar Harnan, from selecting the East Coast teams for submission to the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) and by extension the GCB,.

Chronicle Sport was also informed that the East Coast Cricket Board is a legally constituted organisation and the only authorised body to administer cricket between Abary and Cummings Lodge.

Meanwhile, following Wednesday’s decision by the High Court, the host-

ing of the Inter-county Under–17 tournament has been cancelled, leaving the administration of the game in total disarray.

This new development has now put Guyana’s cricket at jeopardy and it will be interesting to see how newly-elected CWI president Ricky Skerritt will deal with the off-field issues here.

Skerritt, in an exclusive interview with News Room Sport yesterday had stated “it won’t be business as usual on the Guyana issue”.

The matter was brought before High Court Judge, Justice Fidela Corbin, by Attorney Arudranauth Gossai on behalf of secretary of the BCB, Rabindranauth Saywack, who claimed that GCB was operating in contravention of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act

established in 2014.

He also challenged the appointment of Lewis as Cricket Ombudsman, to which the High Court also ruled that the appointment was also declared unlawful, null, void and to no legal effect.

Under Guyana Cricket Administration Act (GCAA), two Ombudsmen are appointed, the first being a Cricket Ombudsman, whose sole responsibility is verifying the Register of Clubs and performing the function of Returning Officer for the first election of the members of the GCB. “Thereafter the ombudsman will have no further part to play in respect to the holding of subsequent elections of the GCB.” The GCB held elections in January 2018 without a Cricket Ombudsman be-

ing appointed. The Cricket Ombudsman is to be appointed by Guyana’s Minister of Sport in concert with the president of the CWI. Lewis was only appointed Cricket Ombudsman on May 3, 2018, four months after the GCB elected its executive committee.

In light of the improper appointment, Saywack also claimed that since the commencement of the GCAA in 2014, there has been no election of the GCB and currently there is no validly elected executive committee of the GCB. The GCB has not had a proper constituted or what many observers have labelled “free and fair” elections for the past ten years.

Staging of the GCB elections was faced with a major setback with the

resignation of Guyana’s first-ever Cricket Ombudsman, Dr Winston McGowan.

Dr McGowan was appointed in 2005 by then Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony, and his appointment was subsequently approved by the-then Cabinet.

He was previously charged with overseeing the elections of the various county boards and the GCB, in accordance with the Cricket Administration Act which was successfully passed in the National Assembly by the previous government in May 2014, and assented to by then President Donald Ramotar in August of that year.

The GCB has not held elections since 2009 owing to the numerous court injunctions.

Barbados beat St Lucia in CNA Archery Guyana represented Jean Pierre Juniors c’ship at Lima 2019 Pan Am Games (CMC) – Leaders Barbados produced a sterling final-quarter performance as they beat St Lucia 29-25 in their pivotal final game, to maintain their unbeaten run and capture the Caribbean Netball Association’s Jean Pierre Memorial Junior Championship here Thursday.

With scores locked 13all at halftime and 18-all at the end of the third quarter, Barbados out-scored the St Lucians 11-7 in the all-important last stanza to snatch an

amazing victory at the YMCA Sports Complex.

They were led by goal shooter Sumara Benn who netted 17 from 24 attempts, including six from eight in the final quarter. She received outstanding support from goal attack Chiara Chase, who was perfect in shooting eight from eight attempts, with five coming in the last quarter.

For St Lucia, Dasha Eugene led with 20 goals from 25 attempts, netting nine from 12 in the first half to keep St

Action from the key game between Barbados and St Lucia

Lucia in the contest.

With the success, Barbados topped the standings with 30 points, four clear of Trinidad and Tobago, who finished second while St Lucia were third on 22.

Despite missing out on the title, T&T finished the tournament on a high when they defeated Grenada 33-20.

Jillisa Briggs, who started at goal shooter and ended at goal attack, scored 18 from 22 attempts while Kelelicia George, who began the first half at goal attack before switching to goal shooter in the second, supported with 15 from 19 attempts.

T&T led 16-10 at the half and steadily widened their advantage in the quarters following. For Grenada, goal shooter Kalidah Andrew led the scoring with 16 from 21 attempts.

In the other game played, Dominica dominated Bermuda, 36-23, with goal shooter Treneese Hamilton inspiring the winners with 25 goals from 35 attempts.

Dominica were fourth on 17 points, Bermuda ended fifth on 12 while Grenada were sixth on nine points and hosts, Antigua and Barbuda, last without a point.

Defending champions Jamaica, who are 12-time winners, missed the tournament.

Wayne DeAbreu in Chile with Guyana’s flag flying in the background

ARCHERY Guyana (AG) is being represented at the Lima 2019 Pan Am Games by Wayne Gerald DeAbreu.

It is the final qualification tournament for the Lima 2019 Pan American Games as part of the fifth World Archery Ranking Tournament in Santiago de Chile, Chile.

DeAbreu secured 32nd spot after shooting a score of 594 during the 72 Arrows Ranking Round on Tuesday April 2.

On Wednesday, April 3, he opened the day with a win against Barbados in the first round before losing to Bolivia later that day.

He is up against Ecuador next.

Wayne DeAbreu taking aim in Lima

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Ganesh Parts & General Store donates balls to GRFU

GANESH Parts and General Store has come to the rescue of the Guyana Rugby Football Union with a donation of training balls.

Handing over on the BKT-sponsored balls on behalf of the company was Sales Manager, Suresh Rampersaud, in the presence of Chief Executive Officer Chatram (Roop) Persaud.

In receiving the balls, president of the GRFU, Peter Green, and Public Relations Officer Esan Griffith commended the company for coming on board at an important time.

According to CEO Persaud, his company’s donation is just one way of giving back to society and the development of sports in the country.

He challenged the union to produce in two months’ time and his company will continue to donate to the sport’s wellbeing Green stated that GRFU is grateful for the donation which is a timely presentation.

The union will soon embark on its Youth Devel-

From left, CEO of Ganesh Parts and General Store, Chatram (Roop) Persaud, watches as Sales Manager Suresh Rampersaud hands over BKT-sponsored rugby balls to president of GRFU, Peter Green and PRO Esan Griffith.

opment Programme around the country and the balls will be utilised meaningfully in that programme.

GRFU is expected to launch its U-19 league and women’s 7 tournament this month end while the National men’s team will be in training

for their international tournament against Guadeloupe at the end of this month.

Guyana is scheduled to host debutants Guadeloupe on April 27 in the RAN South Zone Championships final, with the winner playing Bermuda for overall champion-

ship honours.

The winners will also earn the right to play the losers of the Mexico vs Cayman Islands game in the latter half of the year, for promotion into the Americas Challenge Championships.

DeSouza, Persaud earn sponsorship for Trinidad pool battle AS a result of their exceptional performance at the just concluded Guyana Pool Committee (GPC) Banks Beer National Pool Qualifiers, the pair of Sean DeSouza and Steven Persaud have secured sponsorship to travel to Trinidad for an upcoming competition with their national team.

DeSouza finished as the national pool champion, after recording 16 wins (lost three) in 19 games in the grand twoday finale of the nationwide competition, which attracted the top competitors in the country.

The champion lost to Kamil Husain, Dave Husain and number 13 finisher Ronald Lowton.

Persaud, who finished second, won 15 of his 19 games.

In total, the top eight players were selected to represent team Guyana, from the 20 finalists who competed

at the Grand Central Sports Bar in Grove last weekend.

Johnathon Parbu finished third with 14 wins, while Kamil Husain, Abdool Salim, Ryan Rambalak, Anthony Xavier and Dave Hussain also made the national team.

Ryan Baksh, who won 10 of his games, and Suraj Singh who won eight, rounded off the top 10.

In Trinidad, the Guyanese players and their Trinidadian counterparts will battle in a competition similar to the Masconi Cup (which is an annual nine-ball pool tournament contested between teams representing Europe and the United States since 1994). The hope is to create a friendly rivalry between the two nations and to re-ignite interest in the game.

According to information from the organisers, Banks DIH, Grand Central Sports Bar and Suraj Sports Bar were instrumental throughout the tournament.

New president Jafferally has big plans for Rose Hall Canje CCCC FORMER first-division player Roy Jafferally has taken over the reins of the Rose Hall Canje Community Centre Cricket Club and he intends to use his expertise and experience to transform it into one of the top clubs in the country.

Roy Jafferally was elected as club president on Wednesday.

J a ff e r a l l y, w h o w a s elected as club president on Wednesday at the AGM and elections, said that he is honoured to sit at the helm and is excited to take the club forward.

“It is a young thriving club that is now taking off … the talent is now shining, all they need now is proper administration and guidance, so that we can launch this club forward.”

Rose Hall Canje has two female teams, which produced three female national players this year, while they also have a few youth players in the Guyana and Berbice set-up.

The 40-year-old hopes to use his administrative skills to build the club’s finances and overall appeal.

According to the professional chef and businessman,

his intention is to make the club one of the best in terms of administration and talent production.

“I would use that (the current talent at the club) to ensure that the club is recognised, that it is properly managed and to garner more youths to be registered with the club.”

EDUCATION AND SPORTS High on his agenda, Jafferally will strive to balance education and sports.

He said he will try to get support from the government and look to have internet access and computers at the club, which will be used by the players to do their homework after practice sessions.

Over the August holidays, the club will also look to hold cricket camps for the youngsters. The current president is hoping to attract some former and current players to work with the youngsters. The young cricketers will also be exposed to academic lessons.

“The plan is to have cricket and academics go hand-in-hand.”

Over the next 12 months, former president Dr Cecil Beharry will serve as the first vice-president while Charran Singh will sit as the second VP and Zahir Osman as the third VP. Vishaka Singh will serve as secretary with Geetanjalie Beharry as treasurer and Ameera Adram as assistant secretary/treasurer.

T h e c l u b ’s P R O i s Ameer Rahaman.

MILO schools football tournament 2019 finalists to be decided today

The top nine finishers, from left: Sean DeSouza, Steven Persaud, Kamil Hussain, Johnathon Parbu, Dave Husain, Ryan Rambalak, Abdool Salim, Anthony Xavier and organiser Ryan Baksh.

THE two finalists for the 2019 MILO schools football tournament crown will be decided today when semi-final action kicks off.

Set for the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue, the double-header will begin at 14:00hrs.

In the first game, Annandale will go toe-to-toe with Linden’s Christianburg/Wismar Secondary.

Both sides had runaway wins in their previous matches and their meeting at the semi-final stage is expected to provide fireworks The second game of the afternoon pits President’s College against Lodge Secondary - a feisty affair which will see a no-holds-barred kind of football The final is billed for next weekend. The tournament is sponsored by the Ministry of Public Health under the ‘Stop Gender-based Violence’ campaign.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 6, 2019

Guyana’s debut CONCACAF U-17 Boys squad shaped by CSEC dates

Guyana’s U-17 squad in training at GFF National Training Centre

THE selection process for Guyana’s first appearance at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship for boys in May has been decided according to the availability of eligible players who are sitting CSEC exams this year, GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood said yesterday.

The scheduling for the tournament has meant that participating Caribbean Football Union nations have had to factor in study commitments and exam timetables as part of their tournament planning and squad preparation.

Players selected for a preliminary U-17 squad are currently preparing for the tournament, with at least five training sessions per week at the GFF National Training Centre in Providence under the guidance of GFF coach-

National U-17 Boys preparing for the CONCACAF U-17 championship in May

ing staff. The final squad will be announced on April 15.

“The GFF is committed to ensuring our young players focus on their education as a priority. We have worked closely with parents and put contingency measures in place to prepare the best talent available to us for our debut at this CONCACAF U-17 Championship,” said Greenwood. “Some of our more experienced U-17 players will be absent from the tournament or are unavailable for certain matches.”

The CONCACAF U-17 Championship takes place between May 1 and 16 at the IMG Academy in Florida, with Guyana drawn in Group G with Honduras, Haiti and El Salvador. The top four placed teams from a total of 20 participating countries will qualify for the 2019

Scholars International school Fruta Conquerors 2-1

FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil. Guyana’s U-17 boys are ranked at a record high 18th out of 41 CONCACAF nations.

“We have competed at CFU level before, but this is the first time boys from Guyana will compete at CONCACAF level in this age group. We are extremely confident our players will make the nation proud by giving their all in what is a tough group,” Greenwood said.

“After our success at the U-15 Souliga Cup in 2017, this regional U-17 tournament is a big opportunity for players, nurtured through the GFF’s Academy Training Centre system, to continue their development within our national pathway.”

Petterson-Griffith ready for World Classic Powerlifting Championships … Guyana Shore Base Inc., Space Gym on board CARLOS Petterson-Griffith has his weights in hand and is ready for his final push as he prepares for his pioneering journey to Helsingborg, Sweden to take part in the World Classic Powerlifting Championship, which is scheduled for June 3-15.

Due to the distance of the

event, the 25-year-old would travel on June 8, just for his leg of the competition, which is the 93kg weight class.

So far, Guyana Shore Base Inc. and Space Gym have assisted, but it will take more support to fund the trip, which would be the first for a Guyanese power-

Swarmed! Fruta Conquerors’ Eon Alleyne is swarmed during his side’s 2-0 defeat in Curacao.

THE second edition of the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield began yesterday with Guyana’s Fruta Conquerors taking on Scholars International Sports Club of Cayman Islands, in the opening match at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Curacao.

Their Group ‘A’ clash was the first of three matches scheduled for the same venue, while the other two matches to complete the day’s quota were to be run simultaneously at the Dr An-

toine Maduro Stadium.

Unfortunately, Fruta Conquerors were defeated 2-1 by Scholars International.

Tomorrow, Fruta Conquerors take on Curacao’s Jong Holland at the same venue, which is home to Jong Holland. The match is scheduled to kick off at 20:00hrs.

Two days later, April 9, Conquerors are fixed to battle the Cubans, Santiago de Cuba, from 17:30hrs at the Dr Antoine Maduro Stadium.

If Conquerors are suc-

cessful and manage to find a way out of Group A, the quarterfinals are set for April 11 with the semifinals and final billed for April 13 and 15, respectively.

The winners of the Caribbean Shield, will have the opportunity to face the fourth-place finishers of the 2019 Flow CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship in a playoff match to determine the fourth Caribbean representative in the 2019 Scotiabank CONCACAF League.

Carlos Petterson-Griffith received the sponsorship cheque from Space Gym Guyana on Wednesday afternoon.

lifter. Petterson-Griffith, is no ordinary lifter. His short time in the sport has yielded incredible results. In fact, he is the current NAPF/Regional Overall Champion.

That competition was held in Mexico City, Mexico last August.

At that event, he squatted 300kg, bench-pressed 165kg and deadlifted 325kg which gave him a total of 790kg and the best lifter title, which also earned him a spot in the best-of-the-best Sweden tournament, billed for next month.

“I started competing in powerlifting since 2016 with hard work, dedication and most of all, sacrifice. I’m not only one of the best in Guyana currently, I’m sharing a top-10 World Classic’s powerlifting rankings position with Brazilian David Coimbra ... the highest rank a Guyanese ever achieved.”

The fitness enthusiast is also a bodybuilder. Last July he won the bodybuilding heavyweight class at Seniors Bodybuilding Championship which was held at Park Rayne. He also competed in the Guyana Strong Man event last November and finished as runner-up to Julio Sinclair.

Fruta Conquerors’ Derrick Carter is beaten as the Guyanese side went down to the Cayman Islands-based club in Curacao 2-0.

Scholars International school Fruta Conquerors 2-1

Semi-final action in the MILO schools football tournament 2019 starts today.

ECCC to go ahead with U-19 trials today … Inter-county U-17 tournament called off

CWI president Ricky Skerritt

MILO schools football tournament 2019 finalists 30 to be decided today Page

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Anil Persaud

Is there a dictatorship at the Guyana Cycling Federation? → 28

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SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2019