Guyana Chronicle E-paper 5-19-2019

19th May, 2019

‘No partisan agenda’ No.105642

… GNBA denies any restrictions on 14 freedom of expression PAGE

… says Reporters Without Borders assessment of Guyana inaccurate

Supervision for accountants, auditors … as Guyana strengthens AML/CFT regime

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Citizens 18 Bank records $357.5M profit ‘I am here to help you’ PAGE

–– Minister Broomes pledges help to Muslim brothers and sisters of Alexander Village

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GLDA closes Hatchery 03 PAGE

A section of the gathering at Cara Lodge where accountants and auditors were briefed on their responsibilities in accordance with the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF’s) Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) requirements (Delano Williams photo)

… due to unusual deaths of ducklings

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 19, 2019

Accountants, auditors open to supervision for AML/CFT compliance

By Svetlana Marshall

ACCOUNTANTS and Auditors, on Saturday, embraced the concept of being supervised in accordance with the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF’s) Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) requirements.

FATF, and its regional counterpart – the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), stipulate that Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) must be regulated and supervised through an effective monitoring system that would ensure full compliance with AML/CFT standards.

At Cara Lodge, where the AML/CFT National Coordinating Committee engaged scores of accountants and auditors, Chartered Accountant, Ramesh Seebarran, said it is important for accountants to play a more leading role as Guyana prepares for the Fourth Round of Mutual Evaluation set for 2022. He told the Guyana Chronicle that the appointment of a supervisor would ensure that their work as accountants and auditors is in compliance with the law.

Fazal Bacchus, who was among the auditors who attended the training programme, also acknowledged the role of accountants and auditors in the fight to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism. “I think

that we have to take recognition of these laws, and the faster we come on board, it is better for us,” Bacchus told the Guyana Chronicle, while endorsing the call for accountants and auditors to be supervised for their compliance with the AML/ CFT regime. As an auditor, Bacchus said, he stands committed to the process.

“The Attorney General has already given his commitment so that we could work together, especially on the creation of the supervisory role and the supervisory role is a very important role. I think as a country, we need to have recognition of these laws and it is not something that we should take lightly,” he told this newspaper.

Bacchus also underscored the importance of having all sectors work collaboratively to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism. The auditor, while applauding the National Coordinating Committee for organising the training, made a pitch for follow-up training sessions.

Saraya Narine, of PKF, Barcellos, Narine and Co., also lauded the move by the National Coordinating Committee to consult with the accountants and auditors. “I am glad that they are involving us from the beginning so we can put preventative measures in place – as you know prevention is better than cure,” Narine said.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, while de-

livering opening remarks, said the FATF Recommendations are intended to prevent DNFBPs and other professionals from assisting criminals or facilitating criminal activities. It was the Attorney General that informed the auditors and accountants of the current need for supervision – a point which was elaborated upon by CFATF Executive Director, Dawne Spicer.

“In Guyana, this sector is not supervised for its compliance with the AML/ CFT Act. This represents a significant gap in our AML/CFT regime and if not remedied combatting ML/TF will be an uphill task,” the Attorney General told them. It was explained that the country’s first National Risk Assessment (NRA) in 2017, revealed that the vulnerability of accountants to be used for ML/TF is very high.

“Accountants are generally perceived to be exposed to ML/TF and they can and have, all over the world, contributed to ML/ TF. They are regarded as gate keepers of the financial systems, as they can be used for purposes of facilitating or assisting illicit activities of criminals, including accounting and auditing malpractices,” Minister Williams explained.

EXPERTISE OF ACCOUNTANTS Though this may not be the situation here in Guyana, he said global

Saraya Narine reports have shown how money launderers use the expertise of accountants to facilitate money laundering through various mechanisms such as transferring funds across several countries, setting up shell companies, and structuring complicated transactions.

In bolstering his point, the Attorney General pointed to six functions performed by accountants that are exploited by money launderers. These include financial and tax advice, company and trust formation, buying or selling of property, performing financial transactions, and gaining introductions to financial institutions.

“Criminals may pose as individuals hoping to minimise their tax liabilities or desiring to place assets out of reach in order to avoid future liabilities,” he explained while adding

Fazal Bacchus that they may also attempt to confuse or disguise the links between the proceeds of a crime and the perpetrator, through the creation of corporate vehicles or other complex legal arrangements.

The Attorney General said it is therefore important for a supervisor to be appointed for the sector to ensure appropriate measures are in place to suppress the work of money launderers. It was noted too that under the AML/ CFT Act, accountants and auditors are named as reporting entities and are required to comply with the obligations under the Act. The consequences of becoming involved in money laundering, whether willingly or not, are severe with penalties ranging all the way from loss of licence to significant fines or even a prison sentence, the

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams Attorney General warned.

CFATF Executive Director, in her presentations, explained how DNFBPs applies to accountants and auditors. Focus was also placed on Guyana’s experience under the Third Round of Mutual Evaluation, CFATF experiences, CFATF Members’ performances, global network experiences with FATF, and the upcoming 2022 Mutual Evaluation.

On Friday, the AML/ CFT National Coordinating Committee engaged lawyers on their obligations as part of a country-wide sensitisation programme that is aligned with the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act, Cap 10:11.

GLDA closes hatchery … due to unusual deaths of ducklings

THE unusual deaths of ducklings at the Guyana Livestock and Development Authority’s (GLDA’s) Hatchery has resulted in its temporary closure, the Ministry of Agriculture has announced.

“There is an increased mortality rate of ducklings being hatched at our facility, additionally, we were also informed by some farmers that a similar occurrence was taking place on a number of farms throughout the various regions,” the Ministry of Agriculture said on Saturday.

It was noted that the high mortality rates are recorded primarily in the

Muscovy breed of ducklings, generally between the ages of two-three weeks.

“The ducklings most affected are from the farms that toll hatch at the GLDA hatchery, therefore, as a result of this unusual occurrence, the GLDA is currently conducting an active surveillance exercise through all five coastal regions and are monitoring the breeding flocks of the affected farmers,” the Ministry of Agriculture explained.

The unusual occurrence was detected

by GLDA’s surveillance team, and a decision was taken to close the hatchery until

further notice. The ministry is now seeking the cooperation of the duck farmers to conduct the surveillance exercise. “We are actively working with an overseas reference laboratory to have this unusual event addressed within the shortest period of time,” the Ministry of Agriculture said while assuring farmers that it is aware that the economic impact on the duck farming community is huge. “…we are working assiduously to have the situation rectified at the earliest opportune time. Our duck farming community can rest assure that the GLDA has the full support of the

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Board of Directors and the Ministry of Agriculture, and we are doing everything possible to have this issue resolved. Additionally, we would welcome any information from the farming community in this regard,” the Ministry of Agriculture said.

The Ministry of Agriculture said, to date, it has not received reports of high mortality in Adult Muscovy ducks and other breeds such as Pekin and the Kunshan. It said farmers with information can contact agriculture officials on telephone number 220-6557 or email them at glda1910@gmail.com.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

ExxonMobil evacuates foreign staff from Iraqi oilfield

(REUTERS) The US oil company ExxonMobil has reportedly evacuated all of its foreign staff from an oilfield west of Basra, in Iraq, and is flying them to Dubai.

The move came after the US pulled non-emergency staff from its embassy in

the capital, Baghdad, on Wednesday out of apparent concern over perceived threats from neighbouring Iran, to which Iraqi Shia militias are allied.

Increasing tensions between Washington and Tehran have heightened fears in the region about a potential

conflict.

Citing a senior Iraqi official and three other sources, the Reuters news agency said ExxonMobil staff had been evacuated from the West Qurna 1 oilfield on Saturday.

Production at the oilfield was not affected by

the evacuation and work was continuing normally, overseen by Iraqi engineers, according to Ihsan Abdul Jabbar, the head of the Iraqi state-owned South Oil Company.

“ExxonMobil’s evacuation is a precautionary and temporary measure,” he said. “We have no indication over any dangers, the situation is secure and very stable at the oilfield, which is running at full capacity

and producing 440,000 bpd [barrels per day].”

He said the evacuated engineers would provide advice and work from the company’s Dubai offices.

“We have no concerns at all,” Jabbar said, adding that production was managed by Iraqi engineers and the foreign staff were there mainly as advisers.

ExxonMobil’s staff were evacuated in several phases late on Friday and early on

Saturday, either straight to Dubai or to the main camp housing foreign oil company employees in Basra province, Reuters said.

Washington has increased economic sanctions against Iran and built up its military presence in the region, accusing Tehran of threatening US troops and interests. Tehran has described the steps as “psychological warfare” and a “political game”.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

Praise pours in for retiring CCJ judge

REPRESENTATIVES from around the Region converged on Friday at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, for a Ceremonial Sitting to commemorate the retirement of one of its earliest sworn-in judges, the Honourable Justice David Hayton, who will retire from the Court in July.

In his remarks at the event, Justice Hayton said that it was “an absolute honour, a privilege and a delight working in the CCJ these last 14 years,” the CCJ said in release.

He further noted that “It is, of course, a very privileged position to be on the CCJ Bench to serve Caribbean peoples, whether pursuant to the court’s central Original Jurisdiction role, to flesh out and to police the skeleton structure of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. Also, pursuant to the court’s extensive role in the Appellate Jurisdiction, to develop the domestic laws of CARICOM member states as most appropriate to the circumstances of those States.

Both Jurisdictions should contribute to developing the wealth and happiness of Caribbean peoples under the rule of law promoted in the constitutions of CARICOM

States.”

He also noted that, apart from its judicial work, the CCJ played a special role in the efforts to improve the delivery of justice in the Region. Using the opportunity to list initiatives conducted by the Court through the Judicial Reform and Institutional Strengthening (JURIST) Project, the retiring judge highlighted initiatives such as “the development of Model Guidelines for the Treatment of Sexual Offences, the setting up of a Sexual Offences Model Court in Antigua & Barbuda and the provision of a Criminal Magisterial Bench Book for the Region.

CCJ Judges have also led training programmes in the Region as to civil procedure rules and processes for clearing backlogs of cases, while also encouraging the use of electronic filing systems in local courts”. Presided over by the CCJ President, the Honourable Justice Adrian Saunders, the proceedings included submissions by judges, attorneys, academics and members of the CCJ staff. Described by many of the presenters as an “intellectual giant”, Mr. Justice Saunders noted, “Mr. Justice Hayton’s dedication to legal scholarship and his in-depth knowledge in these areas

CCJ Judges gathered to commemorate the retirement of the Hon. Mr. Justice David Hayton (2nd from right) from the Court. Mr. Justice Hayton is one of the first judges to be appointed at the court and has served the Court since 2005

made him a jurist of international repute.”

This sentiment was echoed in many of the other presentations throughout the event as he was lauded for his many contributions to the study of law, particularly in the area of trusts and his work as a CCJ judge in promoting the rule-of-law in the Caribbean. Similarly, the Rt. Hon. Lady Mary Arden of Heswall, DBE, Justice of the Supreme Court of the UK, noted that Mr Justice Hayton served as “author or editor for 15 books on issues of trust, properties, succession

and tax laws” and described him as “the world’s expert on cross-border issues relating to trust.” Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine noted when Mr. Justice Hayton was appointed in 2005 at the inception of the court that he “was no token foreign judge”.

“Hayton came to us at the very top of his field, having been promoted to the rank of Professor at Kings College, a rank reserved for the heights of academic excellence in the

Argentina ex-leader Cristina Fernandez to run for vice-president (BBC) Former Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has announced that she will stand as a vice-presidential candidate in national elections later this year.

It means that ex-cabinet chief Alberto Fernandez will run as the Justicialist party presidential candidate.

Ms Fernandez was tipped to be the main challenger to President Mauricio Macri.

Despite facing charges of corruption, her popularity has grown as Argentines live through austerity measures.

The population will head to the polls in October, with Mr

Macri increasingly under fire amid a biting recession Ms Fernandez, a controversial left-leaning populist, said in a video posted on social media on Saturday that she would run for the deputy position.

"I have asked Alberto Fernandez to lead a team that includes both of us, him as the presidential candidate and me as candidate for the vice position," she said in a nearly 13-minute long video on her official Twitter account.

Ms Fernandez was perceived as the biggest threat to Mr Macri, although many remain wary of turning back to the leftist who brought in currency controls and

raised taxes on farm exports.

Mr Fernandez, meanwhile, is little known outside of Argentina.

He served as chief of staff for former President Nestor

Kirchner, Cristina Fernandez's late husband, and for a few months during her first administration.

UK, as in the West Indies and with an international consultancy base, practice

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and the leading author on domestic trust law.” Additional submissions were made by The Hon. Mr. Justice Paul Matthews, King’s College London & Coeditor of Underhill & Hayton: Law of Trusts and Trustees; Dr. David Berry, Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus & University Dean of Law; Dr. Peter Maynard, Attorney-at-Law, Peter D. Maynard Counsel & Attorneys; Mrs. Jacqueline Graham, Registrar and Chief Marshal of the CCJ; Mr. Elton Prescott, SC, Commissioner of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission, and Mr. Oscar Peters, Driver/Usher of the Caribbean Court of Justice.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

THE CORRUPTION DEBATE

SOCIAL media was abuzz on Saturday with opposition spokespersons trying to put a spin on Minister Cathy Hughes’ observations that corruption had become a culture in our society. This acknowledgement by the minister is what is required if we are going to eliminate this scourge that had become entrenched under the previous administration.

In fact, one of the distinctive features of the PPP administration was that of corruption. The reality and perception of corruption during the Jagdeo/Ramotar era is unquestionable. With the change of government came a new sense of hope that the days of systemic dishonesty could finally be put behind us. While this hope remains largely intact, Guyanese are now coming to terms with the fact that eradicating corruption is a huge undertaking.

Corruption – the abuse of entrusted power for personal

gain – indeed has become entrenched in almost every facet of life in Guyana. The reasons for this are complex. The fact that a corrupt administration had occupied the corridors of power for 23 years prior to the election of the APNU+AFC coalition and had the time to influence Guyana’s culture, is certainly a major factor.

Another one is the truth that citizens take their cues from their leaders and having had corrupt leaders for so long, the culture of dishonesty was bound to rub off on many Guyanese.

The result of those and other dynamics was the installation of a mindset of deceit. In those days, politicians were openly practising graft, influence-peddling, fraud, and theft on a grand scale. The judicial branch of government was affected. A culture of bribery and extortion, therefore, became the norm in law enforcement, other agencies, and the general public service. Rooting

out such an evil will necessarily be difficult.

The reasons for corruption are known and Guyana was a textbook example of the phenomenon. The greed for money and power found fertile ground in a society which was ethnically and economically divided; had inefficient administrative structures; had gender and geographic inequalities; dubious democratic credentials; and weak accountability and transparency. So, the answer to the question of how to begin to undo Guyana’s corruption problem is to eliminate that fertile ground. Additionally, systems would need to be put in place to actively discourage corrupt practices, replace the culture of corruption with one of adherence to the rule of law and foster a structure of democratic governance.

It is immediately obvious that the APNU+AFC administration is working towards those ends; the social breeding grounds for

corruption are being eliminated. Inequalities are being addressed within the framework of establishing a cohesive society. Citizen empowerment, including regular local government renewal, is being pursued.

Legislative systems are being strengthened, too. The State Assets Recovery Bill was passed in the National Assembly in April 2017, making it possible for citizens to recover state assets that were stolen by corrupt officials. In January 2018, the Protected Disclosures Bill was passed. This legislation, commonly called the whistleblower law, will protect citizens who report corruption.

It is understandable that Guyanese are impatient for the culture of corruption to be rooted out. After all, it is the citizens who suffered under the yoke of an alleged corrupt regime. Substandard roads, incomplete bridges, structurally unsafe schools, white-elephant projects, high

I accept some blame for sorry state of G’town Dear Editor, I READ a letter written and published in the Stabroek News, May 16, 2019, titled, “Georgetown is nothing like the Garden City it was in 1971, let us put our efforts together to restore it.”

Every word in that letter is valid and the writer deserves to be highly commended.

As mayor for a long time, I must take some responsibility and share some blame for the sorry and sad situation of

our capital.

It is not for the want of trying, but thanks to our disunity and the narrow-mindedness of many in high places, for years every effort to restore the city was frustrated.

Time can heal and I hope and pray that all concerned will put aside pettiness and accept that the city is our capital and that we can come together to achieve what will be tedious and monumental, but to make a determined effort to restore Georgetown.

It is not necessary to re-

cite the many efforts made in recent times to save our city; but thanks to an emerging culture of uncaring behaviour and low standards, we faltered and failed.

The new mayor now has an opportunity to put in place a suggestion made by the writer.

I know he is anxious to do as Hercules did, to clean the Augean stables, but it requires all hands on deck -- central government, the Ministry of Communities, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Public Infra-

structure, all youth groups, all religious organisations, the media, the judiciary and the security forces.

I am copying my letter and the one to which I referred earlier to the mayor; I know he must first deal with the attitudes of certain citizens, starting at City Hall.

However, the goal to restore Georgetown as the Garden City of the Caribbean is worth the effort.

Regards Hamilton Green

prices of goods and other ills were the norm in those days.

However, as was noted, undoing such an entrenched system is difficult. As was noted too, progress is being made on all fronts. This year January the nation was told through media reports that Guyana had been listed by Transparency International as one of 20 countries that have significantly improved its rating in the fight against corruption in the past seven years, a feat which has been hailed as progressive, since under the previous administration it was in the category as a corrupt country.

The report noted: “In the last seven years, only 20 countries significantly improved their CPI scores, including Estonia, Senegal, Guyana and Côte D’Ivoire,” the 2018 Corruption Perception Index report stated.

Guyana now stands with a score of 37 and is ranked at 93 out of the 180 countries.

Last year Guyana scored 38 points and was ranked at

91, while in 2017 it scored 34. In 2015 when the coalition Government took office Guyana was ranked at 119 with a score of 29 while in 2014, 2013 and 2012 it scored 30, 27 and 28 respectively, which placed it in the category of corrupt countries.

President David Granger is committed to confronting the problem. The President said, “Corruption like a malignant cancer cannot be cured by being ignored.” He was at the time addressing the 2018 Police Officers conference.

And, as is the case with all social issues, all citizens have a part to play. For example, a corrupt police officer cannot solicit and receive a bribe if citizens refuse to cooperate and instead, report the offender.

Increased pensions for persons above minimum being discussed Dear Editor, THIS response relates to the letter published in the Stabroek News dated Wednesday, May 15, 2019, captioned: “This increase should have been applicable to all NIS pensioners.”

Please be informed that the recent increase was only for Old Age pensioners who were in receipt of a minimum pension of Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000) as at December, 2018.

The issue of increases for persons whose pensions are above the minimum is currently being discussed by the National Insurance Board and management.

Regards Dianne Lewis-Baxter National Insurance Scheme

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

OP-ED

By James McAllister

IMMEDIATELY AFTER ExxonMobil announced its oil find in 2015, an army of naysayers emerged. They arrogated upon themselves the responsibility to convince Guyanese that this discovery was not good fortune, but rather, was akin to the uncovering of the Bubonic plague.

There were predictions of doom and gloom everywhere. Many local pundits joined the chorus, 'this is the beginning of a resource curse,” they piped. According to them, inevitably, the fate of Venezuela and the Democratic Republic of the Congo awaits Guyana.

Whenever I read these predictions I am reminded of an experience I had as a child. One afternoon, while in first form, I was walking home from school - North Georgetown Secondary to East Ruimveldt. Just as I was about to pass the gate of the Botanical Gardens, I saw a bank note blowing in the wind and quickly picked it up before it was blown into the centre of the road. I looked around for the owner but no one was in sight, instead, there were several more notes being blown my way. I was bubbling up and down as I collected note after note. Still there was no owner in sight, and I was in a conundrum. This was too much money for me to

manage, and no way would I be able to explain to my parents how I obtained that amount of money. The only option was to go home and give it to my mother, and hope she gives me a “small piece.”

Then I was startled by a loud shout by a man across the road. “Hey bai, wuh yuh gah deh?” Instinctively I put my hands in my pocket to hand over the money, and then it dawned upon me that this man did not know what I found. No way it belonged to him (I knew guys like him from East Ruimveldt; they always pounced to convince younger boys that anything found is of no value, but were always willing to collect). Stupidly I said, “this is not your money.” This seemed to have energised the man, and he marched me into the security hut in the Ministry of Agriculture compound. “This lil wun fine sum money crass de road deh an he ain't want gimme,” he declared to two men sitting in the hut. They held me in the hut for at least 90 minutes, cajoling, threatening, warning; all in an effort to get me to hand over the money. “You will get bad luck”, “you will get lock up”, and “we will find the person who lost it” were some of the lines used. The half-hearted attempts to put their hands in my pocket were met with resistance, but no real attempt was

This matter is being looked at Dear Editor, THE Guyana Times newspaper dated Tuesday, May 15, 2019, published an article captioned: “Security firm accused of not transferring employees’ NIS contributions.”

The management of the National Insurance Scheme wishes to thank the newspaper for highlighting the situation regarding the employees of Radar Security Service and Supplies.

Please be advised that the matter is currently engaging the attention of management.

Regards Dianne Lewis-Baxter Publicity and Public Relations Officer

We will have the Good Life made to overpower me.

Eventually, after about 90 minute’s detention, I handed over the money. They took every cent.

This incident convinced me that in life there are always people, who, because of their better circumstances, believe they are more entitled to your good fortune or windfall.

Like our “oil find” naysayers, they try to convince you there is no real value in what was bestowed on you; it is more trouble than it is worth; do not expect any real benefits. In the main, most of these people are just talk, because they could do nothing to change your situation. However, when politicians and civil society opinion leaders, as in Guyana’s case, team up and coordinate a strategy to deliver the message of doom and gloom, it is an ominous sign. Are they hoping, if given the opportunity to be in government, they could make merry with the nation's resources.

That we would be so conditioned by the gloom and doom, we will not question our continued poverty and their sudden opulence. As a nation, we must collectively reject the messages of gloom and doom. We are on the precipice of the “Good Life,” as was promised by President David Granger, and we must claim it. Let it be known that we know, and are fully aware, that the oil find is transformational and no one will deprive us of it.

On the basis of oil revenue alone, our GDP should increase at least 300 per cent, from US$3.6B

to US$13B by the mid2020s. Some experts even estimate GDP could increase a whopping 1000 per cent by 2030, or move to US$30+B. Let's put this in perspective. Guyana's current GDP is smaller than the GDP of Trinidad, Jamaica, Bahamas, and Barbados. However, it is larger than the GDP of Belize, St. Lucia, Antigua, Grenada and St. Kitts. However, when GDP reaches US$13B, Guyana’s economy will be larger than all of the aforementioned except Trinidad and Jamaica. By 2030, when GDP reaches US$30B, Guyana’s economy will be larger than all of the aforementioned.

Some people will argue that a country’s GDP could be misleading as it relates to the quality of life of its citizens. For instance, Guyana’s GDP is larger than St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Kitts, yet thousands of Guyanese have gone to these islands for a better life. This is because they have a higher GDP per capita.

At the moment, Guyana’s per capita GDP is US$4,600. The per capita GDP of St. Kitts, Antigua, and St. Lucia are US$17,900, US$14,800, and US$9,700 respectively. The GDP of Barbados, Trinidad, and Jamaica are US$16,300, US$16,100, and US$5,100 respectively.

As an aside, the per capita GDPs of all the aforementioned countries are higher that the pet capita GDP of India, which stands at US$2,000. The per capita GDP of China is US$8,800.

By 2025, Guyana’s per

capita GDP will be approximately US$17,300. This will be double the average GDP of an upper middle-income country, and higher than all of the previously mentioned countries except St. Kitts. By 2030, Guyana’s per capita GDP could be as high as US$48,000.

In terms of world ranking, this would place Guyana between the Netherlands and Austria. It will be higher than Canada, Germany, France, Japan, United Kingdom, the UAE, and all the countries in the Caribbean and Latin America.

This does not mean that Guyana could maintain an armada of aircraft carriers in the Caribbean Sea to enforce its will.

The fact is, with a GDP at US$30+B, we will still have a relatively small economy, and will not be able to afford such luxuries. This is how we must look at it. The size of its GDP is an indicator of the level of influence a country

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has in the world. On the other hand, the size of its per capita GDP is an indicator of the quality of life a country could provide for its people. By 2025, Guyana should be able to provide its citizens with a quality of life equal to, or better than most countries in the Region. By 2030, Guyana’s quality of life will be equal to, or better than all, but a few, countries in the world. This is the “Good Life” President David Granger promised.

Those who say otherwise must be viewed with suspicion. Those who suggest oil revenue should not be used in the short term to develop infrastructure and improve competitiveness have nefarious agendas.

Yes, work has to be done to improve our systems and processes as we prepared for the oil economy.

Guyanese have always shown innovativeness, resilience, and industry. We will have the Good Life.

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MOTHERLAND

A WEEK from now, we will observe the 53rd anniversary of the independence of Guyana from Great Britain.

We will acknowledge that, as we say in local parlance, not only we navel-string buried hey, but this is the place where our common Guyanese nationality flourishes. At this time, for those of us who were born in Guyana, we celebrate Guyana as our Motherland.

My ancestors came from India, their Bharat Mata, between 1847 and 1860. Most of them did not repatriate, but instead planted roots initially in Bath and Mahaicony. Their off-spring, who were born in the colony, spread out to Albion and Whim on the Corentyne Coast, and were possibly scattered elsewhere.

They embraced this country as their native land. They were proud to be Guyanese at birth.

OH BEAUTIFUL GUYANA The patriotic affinity with the land of their birth of all of our peoples who were born here, is captured in the national song “Oh Beautiful Guyana,” put to music by Valerie Rodway, the centenary of whose birth we observed a few days ago with the release of a commemorative stamp.

The lyrics of this song are captivating, a stanza of which reads: “Oh beautiful Guyana O my lovely native land More dear to me than all the world…”

This land is “more dear” to the descendants of several ethnic groupings. Recently, when we observed National Arrival Day on May 5, we were reminded of the arrival of Europeans, Africans, Portuguese, East Indians and Chinese. They joined the Amerindians, our indigenous peoples, who were already here, centuries before. That was how we became the Land of Six Races, as we have come to

know Guyana.

In addition to National Arrival Day, we celebrate Emancipation Day on August 1, in recognition of our African brothers and sisters and their ancestors; Chinese Arrival Day on January 13; Portuguese Arrival Day on May 3; Indian Arrival Day on May 5, which coincides with National Arrival Day; and we observe September – an entire month - as Indigenous Heritage Month.

As an independent nation Guyana respects and celebrates its diversity. By treating each ethnicity as equal, Guyana reinforces the integrity of its composition and strengthens the bonds that bind its different peoples together. It is this bond that strengthens our diversity, and commits us to our common duty to serve this nation.

YOUNG PEOPLE I am writing today’s column with young people in mind, and dedicating it to them, since this year’s independence celebrations will take on a distinct character with youth being centre-stage.

Young people from all 10 administrative regions will feature in mass games, cultural displays and in the solemn flag-raising ceremony.

The main reason for this is that our young people must be given every opportunity to showcase their nationalism, their love of country, as Guyanese.

Our young Guyanese citizens will demonstrate their loyalty to country and their love for our fellow citizens, which our National Pledge commands us to do. They must become the exemplars of patriotism that is contemplated in Article 7 of our Constitution, which states: “It is the duty of every citizen of Guyana wherever he or she may be and of every person in Guyana to respect the national flag, the coat of arms, the national anthem, the national pledge and the Constitution of Guyana”.

It is time that our young people who are the benefactors of the great promise that Guyana holds for them, mirror the meaning in our National Anthem about Guyana being our dear, green and great land.

Our Anthem reminds our young people about our ancestors, of the heroes of yesteryear, of their pains and sacrifices. As inheritors of their legacy, we must not let those sacrifices go in vain.

DUAL CITIZENSHIP I know that a few persons became vexed when I repeated last week what the Guyana Constitution states and what the judiciary has upheld - that a Guyanese cannot, while holding office as a Member of Parliament or a Minister of Government, be a citizen of a foreign country, or swear allegiance to a foreign power or state. This is the crux of what

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 19, 2019

has become the “Dual Citizenship” issue that came to the surface last year after the no-confidence fiasco in the National Assembly.

This is the law, as it is at present. It could be changed in the future by a constitutional amendment, but for now a dual citizen is ineligible to run in parliamentary elections, or to be appointed a government minister. My own view is that a residency qualification could be prescribed to lift what is tantamount to a life-time ban on Guyanese nationals who are living in the diaspora or, like my grandsons, who were born in a foreign land, and may wish to play a role in our governance.

For now, as is, a Guyanese who wants to run for political office as an MP is not allowed to hold split loyalty towards Guyana, our Motherland. However, there are no barriers to a “dual citizen” Guyanese serving in any other posts and, where their skill-set permits, they are in demand and are most wanted.

A current example of how the door to opportunities remains open is to be found in the appointment of four former ministers who resigned their portfolios on account of their dual citizenship status, to various advisory positions relative to functions in which they have experience.

There are abundant precedents for this, set by the former government, which not only put former ministers in sinecure offices, but had placed some proven political misfits on board what the regime had seen as a partisan, gravy train.

Before December 21, 2018, the status of dual citizens as regards membership of the legislature did not become a national concern, but now that it is, there should be a public process in which prospective candidates would declare their citizenship, ahead of fresh national elections. There could also be constitutional reform to vary the eligibility criteria for membership in the National Assembly if there, is broad support for this .

NO COMPROMISE After 53 years of independent, sovereign, free nationhood, we have to take our citizenship status seriously.

Unless our law changes, our young people have to be vigilant and not allow, now or in the future, an under-cover foreign agent to unseat the country’s lawfully-elected government; or derail our glorious system of multi-party, plural and open democracy, which the coalition government has restored over these past years.

There can be no compromise on our love for Guyana, and our commitment to her ideals of a good life for all. It is in this context that I find appealing the slogan, “Patria O Muerte!” (Country or Death!)

Socialise males better

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 19, 2019

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–– and it will go a long way in addressing domestic violence, psychologists say

By Rabindra Rooplall PSYCHOLOGIST and University of Guyana (UG) lecturer, Wil Campbell, said while there is no single solution to domestic violence, proper socialisation of males can go a long way in addressing the problem.

Campbell expressed this view in the aftermath of the recent murder of Zaila Sugrim, a mother of five, by her ex-husband Ryan Sugrim.

She reportedly suffered some 15 years of abuse at the hands of Ryan before he eventually killed her and dumped her body in a shallow grave at Crane, West Coast Demerara (WCD), next to the gas station where he worked.

Almost a week after Zaila Sugrim was killed; Farida Khayum, a mother of six, of Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast was stabbed to death by her reputed husband.

After committing the heinous crime, the suspect, Devanand Narine reportedly ingested a poisonous substance and succumbed.

“Men and boys are socialised to think that the only masculine emotion is anger, so boys grow up not knowing how to properly express other emotions. As such, every negative emotion felt is channelled through anger,” he explained.

He added: “If we feel frustrated, sad or jealous, we lash out in anger and any other unpleasant emotion is expressed through anger because the socialisation teaches that to express hurt, sadness and jealously is effeminate but anger is masculine and sexy.”

As such, the psychologist said boys and men usually operate on anger which is their default whenever a negative emotion is experienced.

Another challenge, he said, was that men view themselves as being leaders of their home, along with the expectations of society.

The psychologist said many men mistake this to mean that they should dominate the other members of their family.

DOMINANCE “So men try to establish dominance over women, they try to establish dominance over children so that what they say, must

Sociologist, Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth

Psychologist Wil Campbell

go to the point where the women are not even given a voice in things that affect them; women are not seen as equal and that is another negative factor in our socialisation that breeds domestic violence and abuse in families,” Campbell said.

The psychologist said in the case of law enforcement and the judicial system where an abuser is successfully prosecuted, that person is usually incarcerated for a given period then released and nothing is done to rehabilitate that person.

“In a lot of these cases, the court could issue restraining orders or probationary sentences on the provision that the person undergo treatment and anger management therapy by approved therapists,” he said.

Adding that the law allows for alternative sentencing in certain cases, the psychologist said even if it does not, sentencing should include a rehabilitative component to the satisfaction of the court before the accused is freed.

“That way, when that person is released and goes home, he doesn’t go home with the anger, because being incarcerated does nothing to resolve anger management issues, if anything, incarceration exacerbates anger because of the conditions existing in our prisons and because of the nature of incarceration in itself, so we have to use more creative sentencing measures,” he said.

Men prosecuted and convicted of domestic violence, he noted, must seek treatment since returning to society with the same social and psycho-emotional issues they went into prison with, will only continue the negative cycle.

IMMUNE Adding her voice to the matter, Sociologist Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth said based on her experience, Guyanese have become immune to the various issues of domestic violence.

She explained that domestic violence is trivialised, justified and murder occurs when women attempt to leave or have left the relationship to seek a better life.

“In Guyana, a lot of initiatives to address domestic violence have been done but are they working? We don’t have a track record although there were many workshops, numerous consultations that has brought about awareness and advocacy, especially in the media,” she said.

The sociologist said women who are faced with violence live in traumatising situations and many expect them to behave normal and live a normal life.

“One day a woman can make up her mind and leave such a relationship but not many women are able to do such,” she said.

She said women have to face tremendous hurdles in escaping domestic violence that may later result in murder.

“In the last 30 years, what has been done at the State level of governance?

Have we seen a movement in strategies and in plans to address the same situations which are happening over and over again?” the sociologist asked.

Adding that the laws are there but poor implementation and enforcement stymied the process, she said justice is important for healing, along with the support systems being offered for women who need it.

“We need to review the implementation of the Do-

Dead: Zaila Sugrim mestic Violence Act since we still have law bearers who operate with personal beliefs and values, especially the perpetuation of men being seen as the one who disciplines the family,” she said.

Sheerattan-Bisnauth, who is also a pastor, said gender education and positive socialisation of children are pivotal in how the next generation will understand the perpetration of violence against women.

She said many women do not even acknowledge the many forms of domestic violence such as intimidation, control and physical, sexual, emotional, verbal and economic abuse.

“Every service provider should learn counselling skills for both women and men so that screening can be done in search of domestic violence,” she noted.

UNSAVOURY CONNECTION The sociologist also said there is a connection between sexual health and gender- based violence because men suffer sexual issues which are normal but society looks at masculinity in a way that can be devastating for men.

“These things can put a lot of pressure and burden on men and the health institutions have a big role to play, along with community systems and institutions,” she said.

Additionally, the pastor said community leaders can exacerbate issues of domestic violence by feeding into stereotypes of dominance and abuse in family relationships by trivialising the issues.

Underscoring that when such issues are brought to the attention of service providers and leaders, there is

Ryan Sugrim need for mandatory counselling, Sheerattan-Bisnauth said. She said Grenada has a system for mandatory counselling of men and the results can be seen in the society’s development.

“There is more to men than seeing them as the perpetrator; there is need for justice and accountability, but I do believe more emphasis needs to be placed on men as part of the solution and not only the problem,” she emphasised.

Importantly, she said more family violence counselling and support programmes are needed.

However, the former Executive Director of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) questioned the amount of investment Guyana, its leaders and society have placed in finding solutions to the root cause of the problem.

“I was also attached to the health sector and several persons have come to me and said that they went to the hospital with a child who was raped and the girl at the desk would say ‘you cannot send your bread winner to jail’, causing women to run back and hide as a result of being scared and fearful,” she said.

She said this kind of behaviour is found in all sectors of society and systems and mechanism must be out in place to address it.

“Many times women are seen to be the cause of the violence, but I am saying women are never the cause because no man has a right to exercise violence on a woman,” the sociologist said.

Noting that there is Help and Shelter, the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association, some good police stations and many other avenues to seek counselling,

Sheerattan-Bisnauth said women should also invest in their own capacity to earn an income.

“Be independent, do not totally rely on a man and invest in your own capacity; don’t totally rely on a man since he is your partner. In your own right, build your own resilience, don’t matter what situation you find yourself in, when you are violated, report it and seek professional support, think about your own protection,” she advised women.

The UN has called on the international community to accelerate efforts to ensure women and girls can live free of violence and intimidation at latest by 2030.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has included violence against women and girls as a target area under Goal Five on Gender Equality. It re-affirms that such violence is a barrier to gender equality, women’s empowerment and sustainable development, as well as to the achievement of the other 16 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According local statistics, reported incidents of domestic violence by an intimate or previous intimate partner rose from 74.8 per cent in 2011 to 89 per cent in 2017, with females accounting for an upward 80 per cent of the victims.

It was noted that three quarter of these gender-based violence cases stem mostly from Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

First Lady, Sandra Granger, in March last, encouraged persons to speak out against all forms of violence, specifically domestic violence.

She was, at the time, delivering the feature address at an International Women’s Day concert and exposition hosted by the Canadian High Commission.

“Let us as we ‘Balance for Better’, ensure that we speak up and speak out against violence of any kind, not just for one day but every single day and wherever and whenever it occurs. This must happen in our families, our communities, our regions and at every level across the nation,” she said.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 19, 2019

Guyana to get US$95,000 to help enforce tobacco legislation

THE Public Health Ministry is awaiting a US$95,000 (GYD$19,833,817) grant to train enforcement officers and heighten awareness on the Tobacco Control Legislation, National Tobacco Control Focal Point, Dr. Kavita Singh said.

In a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Dr. Singh said the grant is being provided by the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. “Maybe in another month or two, we will get it but that money is specifically for enforcement,” the National Tobacco Control Focal Point said.

The National Tobacco Control Act was passed in the National Assembly in July 2017, and according to the Official Gazette of Guyana, came into effect on December 11, 2017. The Public Health Ministry has,

however, indicated that the legislation would be gradually enforced with heavy focus on the Tobacco Industry during the initial phases of enforcement.

While the Public Health Ministry has made significant progress in bringing tobacco companies and importers of tobacco products in line with the legislation, enforcement of the other components of the Act will take full effect after officers from the Public Health Ministry, Guyana Police Force and Guyana Revenue Authority among other agencies, undergo training.

Education awareness and enforcement are key to the effective implementation of the legislation, Dr. Singh emphasised.

The Tobacco Control Act provides for a ban on smoking in indoor public places, indoor work places,

National Tobacco Control Focal Point, Dr. Kavita Singh public transportation, and only in specified outdoor places, including the premises of schools and health facilities, and places for the commercial service of food and drinks.

Attorney-at-Law and Legal Adviser on Tobacco Control to the Public Health Ministry, Kesaundra Alves The Act provides for a maximum fine of $10,000 for a person who smokes in a place where smoking is prohibited. Where the person commits the offence a subsequent time, the maximum fine is $20,000. No imprisonment is prescribed for the offence.

Enforcement of no-smoking laws in places where smoking is prohibited will not be implemented until the publication of ‘no-smoking’ signs, regulations and sensitisation of the business community. Dr. Singh disclosed that on World No Tobacco Day (May 31), the Public Health Ministry will be erect-

ing 50 ‘no-smoking’ signs at establishments across the capital city – Georgetown.

Attorney-at-Law and Legal Adviser on Tobacco Control to the Public Health Ministry, Kesaundra Alves, in a separate interview, said now that the Tobacco Control Council is in place, citizens could expect an acceleration in the rate of enforcement.

But she too underscored the importance for training.

“In order for enforcement to happen, training needs to happen. We need to train our police; we need to train our customs officer and all of the enforcement officers under the Act,” the legal adviser posited.

According to her, the council, which was appointed by the Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, will soon establish a timeline for full and effective implementation, and a strategic training plan for enforcement officers. The training, Alves posited, will also extend to business operators and owners.

The council is chaired by the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud. The Vice-Chairman, who was drawn from civil society, is Desiree Edghill, the Executive Director of Artistes in Direct Support. Dr. Singh was appointed the Secretary of the Tobacco Control

Council.

Meanwhile, importers of tobacco products, who have modified their packages and labels to include graphic health warnings in an attempt to comply with the regulations, have been given up to August 31, 2019 to make all necessary corrections for full compliance.

The tobacco companies are banned from promoting and advertising their products, and they are prohibited from sponsoring events.

Part VII (5) of the Act states: “The unit package and outside packaging and labelling, and the design and appearance of any tobacco product shall not promote that product by any means that are false, misleading, deceptive or likely to create an erroneous impression about the product’s characteristics, health effects, hazards or emissions, including using – (a) any term, descriptor, trademark, figurative, colour, number, or other sign of any kind that directly or indirectly creates or is likely to create the false impression that a particular tobacco product is less harmful than another; including terms such as, but not limited to, ‘low tar’, ‘light’, ‘ultra-light’ or ‘mild’, ‘smooth’, ‘natural’, ‘fine’, ‘extra fine’, ‘extra’, ‘ultra’.”

Small businesses in ‘Carnival Market’

By Vishani Ragobeer SEVERAL small businesses banded together on Saturday to create the ‘Carni-

val Market’ in an attempt to capitalise on business opportunities that would be created for the Guyana Carnival season.

Patrons checking out haircare products at the Carnival Market held at the Umana Yana (Delano Williams photo)

Saturday morning, at just about 10:00hrs, the Umana Yana at Kingston opened up for patrons to choose their outfits, skin and hair products and even their craft mementos.

“Carnival Market is just a huge pop up shop for small businesses to capitalise on the season,” one of the organisers and local entrepreneur, Denisha Victor, said, adding: “A lot of persons have different Carnival-type products and services and we felt that there was a need for them to come together in one space.”

Victor explained that she and few other local entrepreneurs and small business owners decided that a niche market would be created with the Carnival season, and as such, it would make ‘good business sense’ to capitalise on the opportunity.

To bring the event together, the small business owners tapped into their See page 13

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 19, 2019

Beware Guyana: Social Media – The political double-edged sword

I HOPE, for the sake of my country, the words contained in this article do not become prophetic.

Guyana’s national and regional elections are no longer quiet events that occur every five years in the near and far reaches of South America’s only English-speaking country. Ever since Exxon announced its first oil discovery in 2015, the game has changed in a cataclysmic way. Guyana’s political system will never be the same. As a consequence, social media, which is a key mechanism of communicating and getting to the hearts and minds of the masses in this modern era, cannot escape the feverish pitch at which Guyana’s electoral system now operates. There is no doubt, based on global trends, social media will become ground zero for electioneering. This source of information is a beautiful tool to be utilised by incumbent governments to argue their case but the flipside is that those who are outside of power, can use social media for the spread of disinformation and extensive disruption schemes.

In 2018, social media was used to influence elections in at least 18 countries, according to the democracy advocacy group, Freedom House. This civil society organisation documents how Russia and China have created virtual internet armies with ‘Bots’ and ‘Algorithms’ that are programmed ‘opinion shapers’. This means these countries can design programmes that can scout the internet activities of citizens from any country, create fake profiles that are computer generated and these can comment and post based on the issues being highlighted from a particular geographic area. In the case of Guyana, programmers can study Guyana’s Facebook activities all the way from Moscow and Beijing and identify what are the issues affecting citizens in Berbice and direct information that suits their interests. This activity will be conducted by fake profiles being operated out of these foreign capitals and it will be consistent with the interests of the countries behind this operation.

How vulnerable is Guyana to this development? In reference to the above caution, the results of Guyana’s elections have implications for geopolitics and spheres of influence. It therefore follows; many global power players will undoubtedly

seek ways to influence the outcome of these elections.

There is a clear precedent for this. On April 4, 2018, the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerburg admitted that up to 87 million users of Facebook may have been affected by a data breach spearheaded by a British political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica (CA), initiated by Cambridge Professor, Aleksandr Kogan.

Professor Kogan procured the data of 300,000 by placing a Facebook-linked app, ‘thisisyourdigitallife’, on this social media platform.

Professor Kogan was able to access the personal information of the ‘friends’ of the 300,000 users whose data he captured without their permission. Through this app, Facebook users were paid to participate in a personality test under the pretext of academic research. This information was taken and stored by Professor Kogan.

It was then sold Cambridge Analytica for US 800,000.

Cambridge Analytica used this information to create a software platform for influencing the US elections and sold it to the Donald Trump campaign. In a country with a population of 800,000 with most persons on social media, it is a cake walk for any lobby group to use these processes to advance the cause of their client.

It has to be noted, social media is not restricted to Facebook, even though this platform has the largest global following.

Whatsapp, Snapchat and Instagram hold significant sway over the modern way of communicating. Among them, Whatsapp teems with equal danger if misused and abused. For example, imagine a scenario where someone in Linden creates a fake video of Afro-Guyanese beating an Indo-Guyanese, this video can be shared across the various social communication platforms and spread mass frenzy and confusion. In a nation with a history of polarisation such as Guyana during an election period, this sordid development can provide the ultimate exemplar of the double-edged sword effect of social media. The world is presently replete with the aforementioned frightening prospect. Whether fake or real, messages can go viral on Whatsapp and reach enough citizens to cause social unrest. India provides the starkest example of this disheartening scheme. By February 2019, Whatsapp rumours have led to 30 deaths in India, the country that has the largest market

for Facebook and Whatsapp with 500 million users. Hindu extremist groups such as the Popular Front of India continue to demonstrate the menace of modern communication when the persons behind the keyboard have diabolical intentions. Recently, the government of Sri Lanka has been forced to block Facebook due to numerous attacks on Mus-

lims.

Social media can be a beautiful tool for spreading positive information, emergency notices, rescuing people in times of natural disasters and exchanging differing political views but when those with evil intent get their hands on this tool, it becomes a political double edged-sword.

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GPHC celebrates outstanding nurses

By Shirley Thomas

THE Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, last Thursday, celebrat-

ed International Nurses’ Day with a Luncheon and Awards Ceremony for nurses who served with distinction and

above normal call of duty over the years.

The function, which was held at the Georgetown Club, Camp Street,

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 19, 2019

saw an all-female batch of 20 nurses being honoured in various categories from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Principal of the GPHC School of Nursing, Cleopatra Barkoy addresses the forum

Seated at head table (from left): Ms. Kesaundra Alves, chairperson of the Board of Directors; Dr. Holly Alexander, Board Member; Elizabeth Gonsalves, Deputy CEO; Cleopatra Barkoy, Principal of the Georgetown School of Nursing; Brigadier George Lewis, CEO; and Celeste Gordan, Assistant Director of Nursing Services (Samuel Maughn’s photos) (GPHC) and health centres drawn from around coastal Guyana.

There were kudos for the nurses from Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier George Lewis; member of the Board of Directors, Dr. Holly Alexander; Deputy CEO, Ms. Elizabeth Gonsalves; Principal of the GPHC School of Nursing, Ms. Cleopatra Barkoy; Assistant Director of Nursing Services, Celeste Gordan; and Ms. kesaundra Alves.

Among the words of encouragement and appreciation given to the nurses was the importance of recognising and celebrating nurses as leaders in the response to health for all.

They were acknowledged as strong leaders with re-

markable qualities. They were also recognised as persons who play a pivotal role in the delivery of healthcare in Guyana, and deserve due recognition.

Urging the nurses to keep-up the good job, the stakeholders commended them and reminded that a kind word from a nurse brings healing to a sick person.

Meanwhile, Barcoy noted the stark increase in illness and deaths due to illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and said that plans are in-train to significantly reduce them by 2030. Noting the challenges associated with reducing NCDs, she was of the view that nurses can do more to address these challenges, since they teach prevention.

Board member, Dr. Holly Alexander, said she felt honoured to be able to lend support to the nurses on such an auspicious occasion and those who were and are the backbone of the nursing profession in Guyana. She urged

the nurses to pay respect to the profession, noting that inherent in nursing, is a respect for human lives.

Ironically, Dr. Alexander observed that the nursing profession in Guyana has taken a nose dive.

“But [over time] we’re seeing a resurgence of the profession,” she said, adding that a tremendous amount of knowledge and diverse skills are being added to the profession.

Commending the frontline staff of the GPHC for the service they deliver, Dr. Alexander also had kudos for the nursing profession for their role in bringing new lives into the world, adding that nurses and doctors are respected for the quality of service they deliver.

“Nurses are the hospitality of the Hospital,” she concluded.

But even as praises reverberated across the reception hall for nurses in the profession, a clarion call resounded for them to have respect for the rules of the profession, particularly when it comes to confidentiality.

Nurses at the Awards Ceremony and Luncheon at the Georgetown Club

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 19, 2019

Less tolerance for corruption now than before – says Gaskin

By Navendra Seoraj

ALTHOUGH admitting that corruption cannot be completely eradicated, Al-

liance For Change (AFC) Executive Member, Dominic Gaskin, said tolerance for corruption is less compared to the period prior

to 2015.

“I think there is less tolerance of corruption now… there is a lot more transparency and accountability,” said Gaskin during a press briefing on Friday.

He said although the tolerance is low, corruption

Labourer jailed for armed robbery, escaping custody

By Clestine Juan TWENTY-THREEYEAR-OLD Kelvin Wilkinson, a labourer, was on Friday, May 17, 2019, sentenced to six years’ imprisonment by Magistrate Fabayo Azore after confessing to escaping lawful custody.

Wilkinson was also convicted of three counts of armed robbery.

Wilkinson, called ‘Kevin,’ of Hope, East Enmore, East Coast Demerara, appeared at theVigilance Magistrate’s Court, hours after being re-arrested by the police Particulars of the first charge stated that on February 20, 2019, Wilkinson while being armed with a weapon, robbed Ramnarace Somar.

The second charge read that on May 10, 2019,

Kelvin Wilkinson called ‘Kevin’ Wilkinson, while being armed with a weapon, robbed Kusilica Bhagwandin.

The last charge alleged that on May 16, 2019, Wilkinson, while being in custody at the Cove and John Police Station on criminal charges, escaped.

Wilkinson, who was un-

represented by counsel, pleaded guilty to all three counts and was given a two-year sentence on each.

The court however ordered that the sentences be made to run concurrently.

According to reports, on May 16, 2019, Wilkinson was in police custody at the Cove and John Police Station on two robbery- under- arms charges, pending a court appearance. Wilkinson, while being prepared for his court appearance escaped from the station.

The police then launched a manhunt for him and, acting on intelligence, they went to his sister’s home where they found him.

Efforts to arrest him were first met with some resistance, during which time Wilkinson tried to escape through an alleyway, but was nabbed.

Small businesses...

From page 10

own networks and encouraged like-minded persons to join with them.

The Small Business Bureau (SBB) also came onboard and according to Victor, they even sponsored

booths for five persons.

Victor said too that there was a steady flow of persons throughout the day, though she would have liked for an even greater turnout.

“It was the first event of

One exhibitor shows off her ‘all things Guyana’ line of products to an interested patron (Delano Williams photo)

this kind and so we expect better as it progresses,” she said.

She also noted that at the Umana Yana, many of the exhibitors were craft makers.

“Maybe one day we could have crafts, one day we could have fashion and so forth,” she explained.

This year, the exhibition is crafted as a one-time event but the organisers are not ruling out the possibility of it being done again during the Carnival season.

Victor noted that it is definitely an event that will be held again, for the next Carnival season.

“We had a lot of small businesses and we were really encouraged by how many small businesses turned out and gave their support and we’re looking forward to bigger and better next year,” Organiser and co-owner of WineDaysGY, Michelle Howard, said.

AFC Executive Member, Dominic Gaskin still remains a problem in Guyana and there is a lot more work to be done in order to address the issue.

Gaskin encouraged persons to assist government in fighting corruption by reporting incidents of corruption.

“As I said, it is a work in progress and there remains a lot of work to be done,” said Gaskin, adding that the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government has achieved a lot over the past four years in office.

Trinidadian Engineering Consultant, Richard Small, had recently urged Guyanese to be wary of corruption, particularly as the country prepares to develop infrastructure through its oil and gas wealth.

“By experience or by fact, it has been shown that

there is a strong potential that corruption is going to step in and that is something I think we should all need to be very mindful of and careful of so that it doesn’t impact the potential for infrastructure growth and development in Guyana,” Small highlighted.

Corruption, according to him, has led to bad project selection, poor quality construction, and increased price of construction, time cost overruns, insufficient maintenance, low returns and negative impacts on economic development.

Infrastructure, he said, adds to the overall development of a country, and as such, it needs to be done in a sustainable manner.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

‘No partisan agenda’

…GNBA denies any restrictions on freedom of expression ---says Reporters Without Borders assessment of Guyana inaccurate THE Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) has raised concerns about several statements which seem to suggest that the authority had embarked on a course of

conduct aimed at depriving the media the right to freedom of expression which is guaranteed by Article 146 of the Constitution.

“I would not pretend that I do not understand that in

these exciting times of oil discovery and motions being filed there would be no doubt, speculation and political manoeuvres,” said GNBA Chairman, Leslie Sobers, during an interview with the

Guyana Chronicle on Friday.

Sobers gave the assurance that the GNBA has no partisan role or partisan interest; instead, their interest is rooted in the provisions of the Broadcasting GNBA Chairman, Leslie Sobers

Act. The chairman’s contention was primarily based on an article carried by the Guyana Times which had information from a report which was published by Reporters Without Borders.

The report was setting out an index of countries that can be regarded as allowing freedom of expression. Guyana moved from 55 to 51 on the index.

Despite the positive shift on the index, he said the rest of the article suggested that at present, there is a regulatory body for the media that sets out to deprive media operatives the right to freedom of expression and prosecute them if they make utterances against the government.

“Reporters Without Borders did not do their homework properly to ascertain whether their information on Guyana was correct… it was pre-2011 information,” lamented Sobers.

He believes that their perception and basis were rehashed instead of portraying a more current image of the system.

At present, there is only one media regulatory body in Guyana and none of what was said in the article reflects what the GNBA does, he said.

“There were even broadcasters who followed up on that report to suggest that the GNBA is interfering with persons’ rights to freedom of expression,” said Sobers.

Part of the report stated that Guyana employed a Defamation Act to stifle journalists. The GNBA said this is not true.

A PROTECTION “There is an Act to protect citizens and nowhere in this world can freedom of expression be held to be exercised properly if

persons can freely tarnish the reputation of others,” Sobers argued.

Guyana, like other countries, is guided by a similar act and if that Act is denying persons the right to freedom of expression, then so are Canada, US and Australia because they have enacted similar provisions to protect their people.

“We have another Act called the Summary Jurisdiction Offences Act and Section 141 of that Act Chapter 802 sets out things that people ought not to do to offend their neighbours,” said Sobers.

In that regard, he contended that there will always be restrictions to how people exercise their freedom.

The GNBA chairman challenged Reporters Without Borders to show an instance where any journalist was put before the court for reporting anything against the government.

“Today, GNBA has systems set up and ratified by the board to examine what our broadcasters do before we arrive at any suspension of licences. We have the monitoring department and when they see certain infractions it is reported and it goes to the special investigative committee… the broadcasters are called in and then they have the opportunity to refute it.”

“We do not go fault hunting, but if you commit an infraction we will deal with it… the citizens of Guyana also monitor,” said Sobers.

The GNBA intends on institutionalising the idea of citizen monitors since a citizen can write or call in to report a matter to the GNBA. “We will also be working out a research department which will survey listenership, quality of programmes, content analysis, levels of infractions and so forth,” said Sobers.

He remained hopeful that his contentions would dispel negative information which seem to have political undertones.

“GNBA has no political agenda”, said the GNBA chairman, adding that the authority is not a partisan entity.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

‘Family doctors – caring for you for the whole of your life’

By: Dr Tariq Jagnarine (Family Medicine Resident)

THE World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) first declared world Family Doctors’ Day (FDD) – 19th May – in 2010 and it has become a day to highlight the role and contributions of family doctors in health care systems locally and around the world.

This event is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the central role of the family medicine specialty in the delivery of personal, comprehensive, and continuing health care for all of our patients. It is also a chance to celebrate the progress being made in family medicine and the special contributions of family doctors, globally.

WHAT IS FAMILY MEDICINE? Family medicine is the medical specialty that provides continuing, comprehensive health care for the individual and family. The scope of family medicine encompasses all ages, all genders, each organ system and every disease entity. It is based on knowledge of the patient in the context of the family and the community, emphasising disease prevention and health promotion.

‘Studies show that patients want care that is accessible and affordable. Above all, they want care that responds to them as people, in their unique family and social situations. People do not want to be treated like a collection of specialised body parts; they do not want

to have bits and pieces fixed.

They want to be treated as people with social and spiritual lives. Primary care is our best hope for the future. Family doctors are our rising stars for the future.’ -Dr Margaret Chan Director-General of the World Health Organization, 2013.

ROLE OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS • A family doctor-patient relationship is oftentimes one of the most trusted in health care. Both the doctor and patient have been nurturing a relationship since a patient’s first visit— and often the patient’s first encounter with the health care system. We know patients count on family doctors and value these relationships.

• Family physicians often act as the central hub for managing your health and provide a higher level of continuity of care.

• Family physicians play an important role in health promotion and illness prevention, coordinating care with other specialties and health professionals, and advocating on behalf of their patients with respect to the care and services they need in all other parts of the health care system.

FAMILY MEDICINE IN GUYANA The Family Medicine Specialty was introduced to Guyana in May 2015 with the launch of the Masters of Medicine (MMed) Family Medicine Post-graduate course. A robust curriculum was developed with the col-

laboration of the Universities of Ottawa and the Institute for Health Sciences Education. The programme started with a group of six Residents.

Today, there are four locally trained Family Medicine Specialists with a vibrant upcoming class of 16 Family Medicine Residents offering primary health care services at Health Care Centres at

Grove, East La Penitence, Kitty, Cambellville, Industry, Sophia, and the Enmore Polyclinic.

The Family Medicine Speciality programme incorporates local faculty members distinguished in their specialties along with visiting Family Medicine Specialists to provide the necessary blend of international best

practices and expert opinions for our setting. Since the commencement of the programme, there have been notable changes in attitudes, perspectives and competencies among Residents. This is reflected in the enthusiastic uptake of a whole-person perspective to health care.

This perspective takes into account more than just the

illness, but looks to improve a person’s wellness in all functions of life- social, emotional, physical, and mental.

It is the vision of the Family Medicine Programme to have a Family Medicine specialist placed at all the healthcare centres throughout Guyana. We are working TURN TO PAGE 19 ►

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

Citizens Bank records $357.5M profit

CITIZENS Bank has recorded a profit after tax of $357.7 million for the period ending March 31, 2019 compared to $277.7 million for the corresponding period last year, representing an increase of $79.8 million.

According to the bank’s interim financial reports, interest income for the sixmonth period was $1.4 billion while interest expense was $190.9 million, resulting in net interest income of $1.2 billion compared to $1.1 billion for the corresponding period last year.

Other income was $280.9 million, resulting in a surplus before non-interest expenses of $1.5 billion which rep-

resents an increase of $141 million or 11 per cent over the corresponding period last year.

According to the report, the bank’s operating expenses were $743.2 million, reflecting an increase of 3.0 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year.

“Increases in the cost of goods and services were the major contributors to the increase in the bank’s operating expenses,” said Citizens Bank.

At March 31, 2019, the net loans and advances balance was $26.4 billion, compared to $26.1 billion in March last year. Net investments were $3.6 billion,

compared to $6.3 billion last year.

In light of the increased profits, the bank’s board of directors has approved an interim dividend of $0.90 per share compared to $0.70 per share for the corresponding period in 2018.

The remaining six months of the bank’s financial year will require them to overcome many challenges.

“The bank is, however, optimistic that we will record an improved performance that will result in increased shareholder value,” said Citizens Bank.

It was reported that the bank recorded $602.3 million in after-tax profit for 2018.

Citizens Bank has recorded a profit after tax of $357.7M for the period ending March 31, 2019

The bank’s profit before taxation was $1.009B, while its net interest income stood at $2.24B. Its earnings per share

were recorded at $10.12 while the total assets base was $50.5B. Meanwhile, loan assets in 2018 decreased from $28.2B to

$25.5B in 2018 and customer deposits were at $40.9B compared to $40.6B in 2017.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

Programme connecting PWDs to web services launched

By Vishani Ragobeer

“Internet for @ll”, a programme seeking to make web services more accessible for persons living with disabilities (PWDs), has been hailed as groundbreaking by Telecommunications Minister, Catharine Hughes.

“Guyana is running a fast marathon to bridge the gap in Internet accessibility while inculcating ITU international standards into every initiative,” the minister said, on Friday, at the launching of the programme at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

“Internet for @ll” targets particularly persons with visual and hearing impairment.

Hughes opined that for many years, not enough has been done to minimise the challenges faced by PWDs. However, when the Telecommunications Ministry was created in 2016, she shared that the body engaged PWDs. “We were reminded that many PWDs, especially the visually and hearing impaired, do have the capacity and the will to contribute to national development in meaningful ways,” she said, adding that: “They want, and in fact demand, to be included in economic, social, political and cultural policies and programmes.”

In budget 2019, the ministry put together the first set of programmes for PWDs, Hughes reminded. Through these measures, PWDs would be able to purchase their own vehicles equipped with accessibility features, free of excise duty and Value Added Tax (VAT), and, specifically for visually and hearing impaired persons. Tax rebates on handsets with accessibility features were also granted.

“We believe that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can have a far-reaching and positive impact in people's lives based on the actions we take in our personal, professional and institutional capacities; we can all come together to create equal lives,” ITU Senior

Programme Officer, Roxana Iliescu, said.

Nowadays, she reminded, ICT is present in every aspect of life, but utilising the technology is not always an easy task for all. In fact, she stressed: “These technologies are not always available, accessible and affordable to all.”

DIGITAL INCLUSION In this context, she noted that emphasis must be placed on fostering digital inclusion.

“Digital inclusion means the empowerment of people through ICT,” Iliescu said, adding: “It is the ability to persons to access ICTs.” And this is not just for PWDs, but for all persons, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender or otherwise.

In this specific context however, the aim is to create a more enabling environment so that PWDs can access online governmental information and services in Guyana without discrimination.

Due to increased access to information and the ability to do more, Roxana further highlighted that the programme would be able to contribute to the socio-economic empowerment of PWDs and contribute to wider national development.

With the implementation of the programme, she also noted that Guyana is set to be a role model for many other countries.

“We strongly believe that this web accessibility programme will be a landmark effort to support equal access and equal opportunities,” she said.

Ministerial Adviser to Minister Hughes, Lance Hinds, also shared that in Guyana, where the population is relatively small when compared to it its geographical size, it becomes imperative that every person contributes to development.

He shared that in making the society a more inclusive one, it is important that intangible infrastructure such as those for web accessibility is bolstered, alongside the more FROM PAGE 15

‘Family doctors ... towards providing quality family medicine healthcare for optimal physical and mental health through accessible, safe, cost-effective care that is based on best evidence and responsive to the needs and preferences of patients and populations, and respectful of patients’ families, personal values and beliefs.

It is with warm hearts that the Family Medicine programme of Guyana extends greetings and best wishes on World Family Doctor Day to the Family Doctors and pri-

mary healthcare physicians of Guyana and encourages all physicians to continue to care beyond prescriptions.

Upcoming Events: Table Exhibition at Giftland Mall on May 19, 2019, from 1:00-5:00pm, free mini-medical consultation, blood pressure testing, contraceptive advice, chronic illness advice, and much more.

Come See a Family Physician!

Happy World Family Doctors’ Day 2019!

tangible components such as providing wheelchair ramps and communication aids.

The “Internet for @ll” Programme is in line with ITU Plenipotentiary Resolution 200 'Connect 2020 Agenda for Global Telecommunication/ICT Development' and ITU Strategic Goal to ensure ICT is accessible to persons with disabilities.

The programme is focused on two fundamental aspects: national political buy-in and capacity building.

To garner the buy-in, the ITU will make a presentation on ICT accessibility focused

ITC Senior Programme Officer, Roxana Iliescu

Public Telecommunications, Minister Cathy Hughes

on web accessibility to enable all policymakers to understand the power of accessible ICT in ensuring equal access to information products and services for all citizens.

Through capacity building, the ITU will engage in training, which will include five days of in-country training, with the objective of creating in-country capabilities for developing digital content as well as for developing and designing accessible websites.

This training will commence on Monday.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

‘I am here to help you’

- Minister Broomes pledges help to Muslim brothers and sisters of Alexander Village

Minister of Youth Affairs, Simona Broomes, with the Imam of the Alexander Village Masjid addressing Muslim brothers and sisters (Delano Williams photo)

A Muslim brother makes a point during the engagement

MINISTER within the Ministry of the Presidency with responsibility for Youth Affairs, Simona Broomes, pledged her assistance to the Muslim brothers and sisters at the Alexander Village Masjid.

The minister engaged persons at the Masjid on Friday, and spent a few hours listening to concerns that they had. According to her, areas like Alexander Village are often stigmatised and as such, she wanted to direct her energies to connecting with the grassroots.

At the outreach activity, a common issue raised by members of the community was employment.

“We know that [unemployment] is a problem, and that is being addressed,” Minister Broomes said, and explained that it is for this reason the government has been seeking to engage members of various communities. Exacerbating this, she noted, is that many do not have the relevant qualifications for the job market.

However she highlighted too, that the government has been striving to facilitate more training opportunities for persons and at the session, promised to help interested persons into the training programmes. She also indicated that she has been speaking to members of the private sector about providing more jobs for persons.

“In Guyana, between the age 14 to 25, a lot of our young people have no training, no CXCs and no jobs,” she said. “We’ve got to get all hands on deck.”

One member of the community shared that persons may want to attend the training programmes and equip themselves but are confronted by the challenge of having

to provide for their families.

A suggestion was floated that the government could provide stipends for persons desirous of being trained.

The minister took note of the views expressed and shared that in fact, this was something that was raised at a previous outreach, and was one that she would have to look into further.

In the meantime, she worked to create the avenues for persons to access the training available and help them with employment.

She urged the citizens to desist from engaging in any delinquent activity to ‘make ends meet’.

“Don't have that frustration putting you out there... that's going to get you in trouble,” Broomes said. “I understand it is a real thing, but I also understand it is a real thing in prison and understand it is a real thing when children grow up without a father.”

One woman shared with the gathering that she felt that she was forced to resort to delinquent activity just to make ends meet in her household. And for that, she spent three years in prison and has been so stigmatised that she has been unable to regain a job in the teaching profession.

Minister Broomes was so moved by the woman’s story that she immediately contacted Minister of Education, Dr. Nicolette Henry, in an attempt to help the woman get back a job as a teacher.

According to the minister, the woman did the crime and had already served her time for that mistake. And as such, she ought to be given a second chance to contribute to society meaningfully.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

Jamaicans strike gold at Shanghai Diamond League (CMC) – JAMAICANS Tajay Gayle and Omar McLeod both won their respective events, while sprint champion Elaine Thompson had to settle for bronze at the Shanghai Diamond League here yesterday morning.

Gayle claimed gold in the long jump while McLeod captured the men’s 110-metre hurdles.

Gayle’s winning leap was measured at 8.24 metres, with China’s Jianan Wang finishing second with a jump of 8.16 and Ruswahl Samaii of South Africa third with a leap of 8.14.

McLeod, the Olympic and World champion in the 110m hurdles, stormed to victory in 13.12 seconds ahead of hometown boy Wenjun Xie in 13.17 and Russia’s 2017 World Championship silver medal winner Sergey Shubenkov, who crossed the line in 13.28 seconds.

The news wasn’t as good for Thompson, the double Olympic sprint champion, who was competing in her first 100 metres race for the season.

Her time of 11.14 seconds was third fastest behind winner American Aleia Hobbs’ 11.03, and Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria who finished second in 11.07.

In other results, Stephenie-Ann McPherson ran fourth in the women’s 400 metres in a time of 51.39 seconds, while Nathon Allen’s time of 45.73 seconds was also good enough for fourth in the male equivalent.

Tyquendo Tracey struggled in the men’s 100m, clocking 10.18 for ninth place in the event, which was won by American Noah Lyles in a world-leading 9.86 seconds.

South Africa Racing Tips Turffontein 08:20 hrs Dry Your

Omar McLeod won gold in the 110-metre hurdles at the Shanghai Diamond League.

Eyes

Tapatino

10:10 hrs Fairy Fast

08:55 hrs Atyaab

English Racing Tips

10:45 hrs Takumi

09:30 hrs Regal Graduation

Market Rasen

11:20 hrs Just Hiss

10:05 hrs Will Pays

08:45 hrs Siannes Star

11:55 hrs Kareena Kapoor

10:40 hrs Abelie

09:15 hrs Istimraar

Irish Racing Tips Naas

10:25 hrs Akarita Lights

12:30 hrs Millions Memories

08:35 hrs Kiss For A Jewel

11:00 hrs Back On The Lash

09:40 hrs Rionach

11:35 hrs Star Foot

10:15 hrs Gossamer Wings

12:10 hrs Craigmor

10:50 hrs Peace Charter 11:25 hrs So Perfect 12:00 hrs Giga White 12:35 hrs Perfect

12:45 hrs Lamh Ar Lamh

13:00 hrs Ticks The Boxes Stratford 10:35 hrs Yamuna River 11:10 hrs Alexander The Grey

Ripon

11:45 hrs Flying Verse

09:00 hrs Abadie

12:20 hrs Ruby Yeats

09:35 hrs Ascot Dreamer

12:55 hrs Stony Stream

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

John cops 9th Annual Rainforest Waters cycling title on return

By Michelangelo Jacobus TEAM Coco’s cyclist Jamual John made an impressive return to Guyana’s circuit by comfortably winning the feature 35-lap Schoolboys and Invitational Race of the 9th Annual Rainforest Waters 11-race cycling meet, which was held at the inner circuit of

the National Park yesterday.

Returning to these shores after his lengthy sojourn on the USA circuits, John told Chronicle Sport that his experience overseas and training have helped him to improve a lot.

This he noted, made him confident and he backed himself to win the race from

the outset. John, who led from the start, fended off a stern challenge from Michael Anthony in the final sprint home.

“I knew I could sit back for the majority of the race because I improved considerably in sprinting and I backed myself in the final stretch to the finish line,” John revealed.

NAMILCO, RHTYSC, MS to host Day of Sports on Independence Day

On the May 26, 2019, Guyana would also be celebrating its 53rd Independence Anniversary THE Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTYSC) MS is planning a Day of Sports to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of the National Milling Company (NAMILCO).

The event will take place on Independence Day. NAMILCO, founded in 1969, is currently sponsoring a series of activities to mark its anniversary and has joined hands with Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation to host the Day of Sports at the Albion Community Sports Complex.

The day’s event would comprise a softball match between RHTYSC members and NAMILCO staff, a volleyball competition to be organised by the Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) for teams in Berbice and an athletics competition among invited schools.

The RHTYSC has established an Organising Committee, consisting of its members, teachers and experienced sports organisers to make sure the event is a success.

The committee has invited eight primary schools

and nine secondary schools to participate in the event based on their performance at the annual Guyana Teachers Union Athletics Competition.

The primary schools are: All Saints, St Therese, Rose Hall Town, Port Mourant, Tain, Leeds, Cropper and McGowan Memorial.

The secondary schools are Skeldon, Central Corentyne, Manchester, Lower Corentyne, Corentyne Comprehensive, J. C Chandisingh, Port Mourant, Berbice Educational Institute and New Amsterdam.

The events for male primary school students would be 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1200m, 4x100m relay, 4x200m relay while the females will be 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 4x100m relay.

Male secondary schools athletes would be involved in 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay, 1500m cycling, 3000m, cycling, high jump, shot put, javelin and discus.

The events for female

secondary schools athletes are 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay, 1500m cycling, 2000m cycling, high jump, javelin and discus.

Each school would be allowed one athlete per event while an athlete would be limited to only two events for the day.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that the winner of every primary school event would receive an educational package worth $3 000 and the runner-up $2 000.

The winner of every secondary school event would take home $5 000, an educational grant and the runner-up $3 000.

Trophies and medals would also be given to the top two winners of each category.

The top primary and secondary schools would collect a $50 000 educational prize while each student would also collect a large quantity of NAMILCO exercise books.

Attendance to the event is free.

John took the race in one hour 22 minutes 35 seconds and was followed to the line

by Anthony, while Team Evolution’s Paul De Nobrega settled for third.

Meanwhile Adealie Hodge, Paul Cho-Wee-Nam, Kemuel Moses, Christopher ‘Chicken Legs’ Griffith and Marcus Keiler finished fourth to eight places in that order.

Of the eight ‘primes’ on offer, John and De Nobrega carted off three each while Anthony and Hodge had one apiece.

In the Juveniles 10-lap race, David Hicks triumphed over Sherwin Sampson to take first place in 25 minutes 20 seconds while copping the two sprint prizes.

Meanwhile in the Veter-

ans Over-50, Kennard Lovell copped first place ahead of Linden Blackman.

In the U-50 Veterans 5-lap race, Nigel London took top honours in 11 minutes 31.52 seconds while Jaikaran Sookhai and Kwame Ridley were second and third respectively.

Former West Indies batsman Nurse laid to rest

A section of the hundreds of persons who turned out to pay their last respects to Seymour Nurse

(CMC) – HUNDREDS of mourners flocked to Kensington Oval on Friday as legendary West Indies batsman Seymour Nurse played his final innings.

People from all walks of life, including Governor General Dame Sandra Mason; Prime Minister Mia Mottley and almost her entire Cabinet, as well as National Hero Sir Garry Sobers, were among several former and current West Indies players in attendance.

Nurse, who played 29 Tests between 1960 and 1969, passed away on May 6 at age 85, after battling illness.

He scored 2 523 runs at an average of 47.60, along

with six hundreds and 10 half-centuries.

Former Chief Justice Sir David Simmons spoke highly of Nurse in a glowing eulogy.

He said there were few men who could bat as well as Nurse.

“Seymour McDonald Nurse belonged to the pantheon of Barbadian and West Indian batting aristocrats. It means those who were not vocally boisterous, but who batted with a boisterous and exuberant mastery that was granted to few men in Test cricket - men who entered into the highest class of Test batsmanship.

“Seymour was a classical player … his strokes were so cultured, so elegant and so

refined,” Sir David said.

In a moving tribute, Sir Wes Hall said Nurse was well loved and respected by his colleagues.

“Off the field he was quiet, friendly and unflappable. On the field he was disciplined with a brilliant works ethic, good manners, compassionate with dignity, that few of us can even conceive the manner in which his gifted spirit moved,” Sir Wes said.

Tributes were also paid by former Barbados and West Indies opening batsman Desmond Haynes, president of the Barbados Cricket Association Conde Riley and president of the Empire Club Adrian King.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

Barbados Tridents get new owners

… Jason Holder named Marquee Player THE Barbados Tridents have new owners who will take over the running of the franchise with immediate effect.

T h e y h a v e a l s o a nnounced that West Indies Test and ODI captain, Jason Holder, will be their Marquee Player for the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season.

The USA-based CMG Companies (CMG) leads a team of local and international investors in the acquisition of the cricket franchise in Barbados.

CMG, through its affiliates, primarily owns and operates franchise restaurants, hotels, and real estate across America and is one of the largest owners of a major fast-food franchise.

CMG is also no stranger to sports, as it has sponsorship deals with NBA teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, with several similar initiatives at the collegiate and grassroots level, investment in MASL’s Dallas Sidekicks, along with past ownership of CPL’s very own Jamaica Tallawahs.

Manish Patel, Principal of CMG, says, “Selling our ownership rights of the winning Jamaica Tallawahs held from 2014 to 2016 was the right move for us as a business, but we missed being involved in the Region and in CPL. “When the chance to purchase the Tridents came along, we were delighted, especially with the opportunity to bring good strong local partners on board. We can’t wait to get started at

Jason Holder (R) and Dominic Drakes of Barbados Tridents during match 26 of the Hero CPL between St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Barbados Tridents at the Warner Park Sporting Complex on September 4, 2018 in Basseterre, St Kitts. (Photo by Randy Brooks - CPL T20/Getty Images)

enhancing the profile of this team on and off the field and to bringing a comprehensive sports entertainment package to Barbados. We will work very hard to make Barbadians proud of their team.”

New co-owners and local entrepreneurs Kailash Pardasani of Promotech, and Terrol Cummins and Arvind Gopwani of Silver Technetium Capital Inc. (STCI) are excited about the opportunity for Barbadians to venture into sports entertainment in an era where the new format of cricket has generated renewed excitement in investment opportunities worldwide including India, Australia and the UK among others.

Tridents co-CEO Kailash Pardasani reveals that the investment by local partners is “an investment in Barbados and a vote of confidence in the resilience of its people

and the resurgence of the country as a whole. Cricket has been an integral part of the fabric of our society and has uplifted and united families and entire communities.

We are investing in that. We couldn’t ask for better investment partners and for a better time to place our money and efforts while continuing to be huge fans.”

Pete Russell, COO of Hero CPL, said: “The issues that the Tridents have faced in recent months have been well documented and are being fully addressed as a priority. We have been working tirelessly to find a solution and we believe that this international-local investor collaboration is the ideal solution. This is a group of passionate cricket fans and astute business minds who have experience of successfully running a CPL franchise. The Tridents are

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday May 12, 2019) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Delhi Capitals won by 2 wickets (vs Sunrisers) (2) Rishabh Pant (DC) Today’s Quiz: (1) Which two teams contested Qualifier #2 in IPL 2019?

(2) How many times Mumbai Indians have now played in an IPL final?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

in safe hands and the issues the franchise has faced are a thing of the past.”

The arrival of an experienced and successful ownership team means that the Tridents will now enter the

2019 tournament on a solid financial footing and with a clear plan both on and off the field. Local investors in the Tridents are focussed on renewing the connection between the franchise

and the local community, through partnerships with the Barbadian business community and a lineup of fan-centric events and content.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

Everest Masters, Odyssey Masters battle for ‘Sticky’ Jubilee Cup METEN-Meer-Zorg Masters have accepted the challenge thrown out by Everest Masters to a 25-overs per side cricket match, to celebrate the 50th birth anniversary of Ronald ‘Sticky’ Jaisingh today.

Jaisingh, who is a longstanding member of Everest Cricket Club Masters team opted for a cricket celebration since most of his adult life is spent in cricket as a player and administrator, especially along the East Bank of Demerara.

Everest Masters have been a dominant force on the local scene and have reached out to the Odyssey Transportation Services-sponsored Meten-Meer-Zorg (MMZ) Masters for the occasion and they have consented.

In their most recent match, MMZ Masters edged the Media XI in a nail-biting finish and will be looking to continue their winning ways, while the hosts recently bounced back to their winning ways with a compre-

Ronald ‘Sticky’ Jaisingh

hensive victory over Bartica Masters, after losing four consecutive matches in and out of Guyana.

The teams will wear coloured clothing and will play with the pink ball. The first ball is expected to be bowled at 12:30hrs.

Teams will come from: Odyssey MMZ Masters; Troy Khan (captain), Muneshwar Balgobin, Mohan Chatram, Vinod Rajkumar, Jetendra Kishore, Hemandra Kowelsser, Sham Persaud, Gary Headley, Mohamed Willie, Zaheer Haniff, Chabiraj Ramcharran, Naiem Habib, Abid Haniff and Zamal Khan.

Everest Masters; Rajesh Singh (captain), Sahadeo Hardaiow, Saheed Mohamed, Hemraj Garbarran, Azeemul Hanif, Basil Persaud, Imtiaz Sadik, Robert Pereira, Robin Bharat, Ucil Armstrong, John Ramsingh, Safraz Sheriffudeen, Ravi Narayan, Nadir Baksh and Ronald Jaisingh.

STAG Beer Guyana Carnival 7s ready to ignite GFC ground today … Ramps Logics shows support ONE of the Caribbean’s oldest sporting venue, Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, will see one of the Caribbean’s oldest rugby clubs, STAG Trinidad Northern Rugby Football Club, in action when the second annual Guyana Carnival Sevens gets going from 13:00hrs today.

The STAG Beer-sponsored club from the Twin Island Republic will have the Guyanese pair of Dane Parks and Ronald Myers in their line-up, and will come up against defending champions Pepsi Hornets, as well as Yamaha Caribs, Panthers and Guyana Police Force.

With Guyana looking to regain their Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens title (in July) which they relinquished two years ago to Jamaica, the organ-

isers of the event, Pepsi Hornets Rugby Club, believe that the Carnival Sevens provides the perfect platform for the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) to see some of the best talents on show.

The Guyana Carnival Sevens is the first tournament in the game’s shortest format being held for the year and the prize money being offered places the competition amongst the most lucrative in the region.

“I think we’ll see some really good rugby because Northern, a team that have always wanted to come to Guyana, said that they’re here to make a statement. We should understand the quality of their team with Dane Parks and Ronald Myers in their line-up but I also believe that the local teams, who

also boosted their teams with overseas-based players, will try to keep that prize money in Guyana,” said Rawle Toney, vice-president of the Hornets Rugby Club and organiser for the event.

According to Toney, today will be more than just rugby; it will be keeping with the ‘Carnival fever’ that has hit Guyana.

Meanwhile, Ramp Logistics, one of Guyana’s leading providers of freight forwarding and supply chain management services, became the latest corporate entity to support the tournament, joining title sponsors Ansa McAl/STAG Beer, DDL/Pepsi and Guyana Lottery Company’s Let’s Bet Sports.

Beau-Sarifah battle lights up Woodpecker Juniors SPECTATORS at the Georgetown Club were treated to another exciting evening, as the Woodpecker Products Junior National Tournament continued , with an especially thrilling bout between Beau Fernandes and Safirah Sumner that extended the usual 11-point game to 21.

They both came out on a mission and intended to make an early mark. Fernandes executed some ace serves, deep in the back of the court while Sumner gained some excellent points with good drops.

The two girls battled through reaching 10-10, 1111, 12-12 all the way up to 19-19. The exhausted young ladies finally wrapped up the game with Fernandes killing the ball for a 20-19 lead then a signature serve for a 21-19 well fought battle win.

Fernandes regrouped and dominated the second two games 11-5, 11-5 for a 3-0 triumph.

Christiana Fernandes, Kirsten Gomes and Teija Edwards all secured wins.

Edwards won a tough 5-setter against Angel Rahmin despite the challenge of returning Rahim’s strong serves.

An improved Edwards held her own and at 9-9 in the 5th deciding game, took the last two for the win.

The Boys’ matches were all won in 3 games. Louis DaSilva kept form, defeating Chad DeAbreu, and Shiloh

Asreagdo sailed through a win with Matthew Spooner in the Under-13s. Michael Alphonso conceded only 3 points each game in his match with Mohryan Baksh in the Under-15. Shomari Wiltshire continued his clean sweep against Demetrius DeAbreu.

The final day of play had two sessions yesterday at the Georgetown Club.

Girls Under-11 Christiana Fernandes trounced Shriya Persaud 112, 11-1, 11-3.

Girls Under-13 Beau Fernandes defeated Safirah Sumner 21-19, 11-5, 11-5.

Girls Under-15 Kirsten Gomes mauled Aishani Persaud 11-0, 11-0, 11-1.

Girls Under-17 Teija Edwards overcame Angel Rahim 12-10, 11-8, 6-11, 4-11, 11-9.

Boys Under-13 Louis DaSilva crushed Chad DeAbreu 11-0, 11-1, 11-3.

Shiloh Asregado thrashed Matthew Spooner 11-1, 11-4, 11-0.

Boys Under-15 Michael Alphonso whipped Mohryan Baksh 11-3, 11-3, 11-3.

Boys Under-17 Shomari Wiltshire beat Demetrius DeAbreu 11-1, 11-6, 11-4.

Nicholas Verwey was given a walkover by Samuel Ince-Carvalhal.

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Edghill’s dream of ...

I’m forever grateful.”

The young woman then went on to thank her family, coaches, mentors, friends and sponsors who have played a part in her progression.

For Edghill the last few years have been a process.

“It was hard; I balanced school, work and table tennis. It took discipline and determination, as many times I felt like giving up.”

For Edghill, the second half of her degree proved very taxing.

“Some days the workload would become so overwhelming, I wouldn’t know

how to even approach them.

It was a matter of taking it one-step at a time and compartmentalising. I also had the support of mentors and family every step of the way which made the journey a bit better.”

Over the next few months, Edghill will concentrate solely on her sport as she looks to take her game to the next level.

The goal is to take some time and focus on table tennis and return next August to pursue my PhD in Chemistry.”

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, May 19, 2019

GFF/KFC U20 Independence KO Cup – East Bank FA

Timehri Panthers snatch title

LED by the tournament’s highest goalscorer Tyrone Burnett who fired in a hattrick, Timehri Panthers lifted the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) leg of the GFF/KFC Under-20 Independence Knock-out Cup yesterday.

The side won with a comfortable 4-1 margin over Soesdyke Falcons in the final.

Burnett, who ended the tournament with six goals, teamed up with Shawn Steele who hit in the other goal to guide their club to victory.

In the process they became the first team to advance to the National Playoffs which would feature the nine winners from GFF’s Regional Members Associations.

After posting the first win of the tournament via penalty kicks against Agricola Red Triangle on April 26 last, Panthers grew in confidence with every game by putting on dominating performances under the guidance of coach Delon Williams and his technical staff.

Yesterday, the young Panthers wasted little time in stamping their authority against neighbours Soesdyke.

In fact, Burnett came against his former team and by the 6th minute he had already put one past the goalkeeper to signal their intentions.

Shawn Steele, who ended the tournament with three goals, inked his name on the score sheet in the 34th minute to further cement his

Edghill’s dream of winning Senior Sportswoman-ofthe-Year award comes true NINE years ago, Chelsea Edghill won her first NSC Junior Sportswoman-ofthe-Year award, and although it was one of the most rewarding moments of her young career, she could not stop dreaming about winning the senior prize.

For her, the senior trophy was a rite of passage - it was an endorsement of greatness, not just in the sport of table tennis, but for all sports in Guyana.

As she grew, the youngster kept winning the junior award. In fact, the former Bishops’ High School student won back-to-back awards in 2013 and 2014, before she copped one during her first year at university in 2016.

Despite the difficulties, Edghill balanced the sport that she loves and the books that she needed. In the end, her hard work paid off. Within a week, she realised not one dream, but two. Six days after graduating from the Lindenwood University in

Missouri, USA with a BSc in Chemistry, the young woman picked up her first Senior Sportswoman-of-the-Year award.

“It’s my best week yet and I’m really happy,” the 21-year-old told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday from the USA, where she is based.

Edghill, who had won the U-21 title at the 2018 Senior Caribbean Table Tennis Championships in Jamaica, added that she was “grateful for the award, humbled even.

It just shows that hard work, perseverance, persistence and humility do pay off”.

On Friday night, Edghill, who placed second at the College National Regional competition in the U.S. last year and who helped the women’s national team to a second-place finish at the Pan Am Qualifiers in Guyana this year, shared the moment on Facebook. “We did it! Another achievement attained and TURN TO PAGE 30 ►

Tyrone Burnett (left) and Shawn Steele are Timehri Panthers FC goalscorers.

side’s hold on the game.

The halftime break came with the Panthers further consolidating, Burnett slamming in his second in the 41st minute.

Timehri Panthers’ comfortable position at the break meant that it would have required a herculean task from Falcons to pull themselves back into contention. Even their most potent forward and captain Tyrone Khan could not counter the sturdy backline of the Panthers as he was kept quiet throughout the match.

Six minutes into the second half, Burnett netted his third goal of the match and sixth of the tournament which virtually ended the battle.

The scoreline could have

been more were it not for Ishmael Pulsaram missing a few clear chances, when he put the ball wide of the uprights.

Soesdyke were able to score a consolation goal in the 91st minute, thanks to Cledwin Williams’ effort.

The champs, based on the tournament rules, have the option of strengthening up their line-up for the National Playoffs by adding three players from within the association.

GFF president Wayne Forde witnessed the match and offered words of congratulations to Timehri Panthers on their win.

Forde also thanked KFC for coming on board with sponsorship.

Twenty-four strong to compete at today’s GAPLF Masters/ Intermediate Championships THE St Stanislaus College Auditorium will ring out with grunts, cheering and the clanging of weights today when 24 athletes in the Intermediate and Masters Categories compete for top honours in the Guyana Amateur Power Lifting Federation’s (GAPLF) Masters/Intermediate Championships.

They will bid to outdo each other in the three lifts - squat, bench press and deadlift.

The Masters category will pit the likes of Edwin Spencer, Frank Tucker, Noel Cummings and Franklyn Brisport-Luke against one another.

Flight A will take off at 10:00hrs, while Flight B will begin at 14:30hrs. Weigh-in time is set at 08:30hrs and athletes are urged to be punctual.

Sponsors on board include Banks DIH Limited under their Tropical Mist brand and the ever-present Fitness Express, back in action.

Meanwhile, according to GAPLF president Ed Caesar, Trinidad and Tobago’s International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Category Two Referee, Gabre McTair, will be present as a special guest of the GAPLF for today’s event.

Noel Cummings is set to compete at today’s GAPLF Masters/Intermediate Championships.

The champs are pictured with GFF and EBFA presidents Wayne Forde (2nd left) and Franklin Wilson (left), following their win yesterday at the GFF National Training Centre, Providence, EBD.

GFF/KFC U20 Independence KO Cup – East Bank FA

Timehri Panthers snatch title

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STAG Beer Guyana Carnival 7s ready to ignite GFC ground today

Focus and discipline helped Chelsea Edghill attain two of her dreams this month.

… Ramps Logics shows support

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Ramps Logistics Operations Director Richard DeNobrega (right) makes his company’s contribution towards the Guyana Carnival Sevens to Pepsi Hornets’ Ryan Gonsalves.

Edghill’s dream of winning Senior Sportswoman -of-the-Year award comes true PAGE

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Team Coco’s Jamual John crosses the finish line to take the feature event of the 9th Annual Rainforest Waters 11-race cycling meet.

John cops 9th Annual Rainforest Waters cycling title on return

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SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2019