Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 6-12-2019

WEDNESDAY 12th June, 2019

No.105666

Deepening

diplomatic ties

See Stories on Pages 02,03,10 &15 ►

... Ghana President conferred with Guyana ‘s highest award ... as countries abolish visa requirement ... sign pacts for oil and gas technical assistance, investment President David Granger and his Ghanaian counterpart, President Nana Addo Danka Akufo- Addo are all smiles after the West African leader was conferred with Guyana’s highest national award, The Order of Excellence, at a State House function (Adrian Narine photo)

No visa to Ghana 2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

… Guyana, Ghana abolish visa requirement … emphasise need to ‘bridge ocean’ through air service pact

By Svetlana Marshall GUYANA and Ghana have signed an agreement to abolish the visa requirement for citizens desirous of travelling between the two countries.

The agreement, in the form of a Memorandum of

the MoU, Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, explained that the agreement to abolish the visa requirement will pave the way for increased travel between the two nations. “What it means is that persons who are holders of diplomatic, official and

between the two countries.

On the basis that most Afro-Guyanese identify with the Akan tribe, which is popular in Ghana, Harmon said the agreement also augers well for cultural exchanges. The Director General disclosed too, that President Granger and President

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings, and her Ghanaian counterpart, Shirley Botchwey, signing the MoU in the presence of President David Granger and Ghanaian President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, during a bilateral meeting at State House on Tuesday (DPI Photo) Understanding, was signed

by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings and her Ghanaian counterpart, Shirley Botchwey, on Tuesday, in the presence of President David Granger and Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, during a bilateral meeting at State House. The MoU will also pave the way for increased cooperation, collaboration and trade.

Addressing journalists shortly after the signing of

regular Guyanese passports can travel to Ghana and likewise, Ghanaians can come to Guyana without the requirement of a visa. In the initial stages, they will be entitled to at least 90 days [three months] without having to renew but after 90 days, then there will be a requirement for renewal based on the laws of the respective countries,” the Director General explained. He emphasized that this agreement intends to facilitate hassle-free travel

Akufo-Addo also “spoke about bridging the ocean,” through the air service agreement.

Using the case of President Akufo-Addo and his delegation as an example, Harmon said it took them approximately 13 hours to travel from Accra, Ghana to Georgetown, Guyana, noting that the journey took them through Europe.

“So this is the benefit of being able to rearrange trade routes, rearrange air routes to

allow for better facility, to allow for better travel time for our leaders and for people of this region,” Harmon posited.

In May, Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Field and the High Commissioner of Ghana, Professor Abena Pokua Adompim Busia verbally agreed to explore the possibility of creating sustainable air linkages when they met at GCAA’s Headquarters.

In November 2018, Guyana and Ghana signed an Air Services Agreement at the Third African Diaspora Meeting held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

Under this Agreement, airlines operating from Guyana or Ghana will be able to fly to any destination within both countries as well as provide any number of services between both countries and beyond to any third country, with no restrictions on capacity, frequency, aircraft type and routing. Further, in December 2018, Guyana also signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement with Ghana for the exchange of knowledge and technical expertise in the area of civil aviation.

The Director General said the State visit by the Ghanaian President and the signing of the MoU are geared at cementing the 40-year-old relationship which exists between the two countries but was never formalised until now.

“This visit is cementing the relationship, which was

Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, addressing journalists shortly after the MoU was signed at State House (Photo by Adrian Narine) developed between our two countries. The diplomatic relations started in 1979 between Guyana and Ghana, but because the legal framework for getting things done was never firmly established, I believe that we are now in a better position to move forward,” Harmon told the media.

President Granger was accompanied at the meeting

by Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo; Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman; Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder; Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton; Director General, Mr. Joseph Harmon; Minister of State, Dawn Hastings- Williams; Minister of Education, Dr. Nicolette Henry and Foreign Secretary

at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge.

The Ghanaian President’s delegation comprised Shirley Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; John Peter Amewu, Minister of Energy; Barbara Oteng Gyasi, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts; Abena Pokua Adompim Busia, High Commissioner of Ghana to Guyana; Napoleon Abdulai, Ambassador of Ghana to Cuba; Michael Ofori Atta, Director for Regional Integration, Presidency; Yoofi Grant, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre; and Florence Akonor, Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

President Akufo-Addo now an honorary Guyanese – with conferral of country’s highest national award

By Svetlana Marshall

PRESIDENT David Granger has conferred the Order of Excellence, the country’s highest national award, on President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his unflinching support to developing countries the world over.

The award was bestowed on President Akufo-Addo on Tuesday during a simple but prestigious ceremony at the Baridi Benab on the grounds of State House.

The Constitution of the Orders of Guyana designates the Order of Excellence of Guyana “the highest award of the State,” a title bestowed upon persons of distinction either nationally or internationally.

In his address shortly after conferring the award on President Akufo-Addo, President Granger said it was an honour to have done so, as his Ghanaian counterpart has shown great dedication and commitment to not only the Commonwealth of Nations, but the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

as well.

“President Akufo-Addo, distinguished statesman, is being recognised for his invaluable exertions in promoting economic security and stability on the Continent of Africa, his steadfast dedication to regionalism, and his tireless efforts to promote the interests of developing states,” the Guyanese Head of State said.

He told President Akufo-Addo that develop-

ing countries are looking forward to his continued leadership and stewardship to protect their gains and secure their future. Guyana, he said, regards the Ghanaian President as a dear friend.

“I congratulate President Akufo-Addo on his investiture. I thank him again for his stewardship to the developing world, particularly for small states. I wish him continued success

President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo thanking the Government and People of Guyana for conferring on him the country’s highest award.

Former Leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC) Robert Corbin, greeting Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland during yesterday’s luncheon in honour of the visiting Ghanaian delegation at the Baridi Benab at State House. (Photos by Adrian Narine)

President David Granger conferring the Order of Excellence, Guyana’s highest national award, on President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during a simple but significant ceremony at State House. and health,” the President in 2015,” he said, adding: Lilian Chatterjee. added.

“From a growth rate of 3.2 The Ghanaian delePresident Akufo-Addo, per cent at the end of 2015, gation comprised Shirley who is currently on a two- the Guyanese economy, Botchwey, Minister of Forday State visit to Guyana, according to the Econom- eign Affairs and Regionexpressed gratitude to the ic Commission for Latin al Integration; John Peter Government and People of America and the Caribbean Amewu, Minister of EnGuyana for presenting him (ECLAC) is projected to ergy; Barbara Oteng Gyawith the country’s highest grow to 4.6 per cent this si, Minister for Tourism, national award. year.

Culture and Creative Arts; “I am, of course, ex“With the agricultural Abena Pokua Adompim tremely appreciative and and extractive sectors of the Busia, High Commissioner very grateful. I am not economy witnessing signifi- of Ghana to Guyana; Naposure that all of these strong cant growth, it would be fair leon Abdulai, Ambassador words that you have said to conclude that your vision of Ghana to Cuba; Michael in my regard are com- of building a diversified Ofori Atta, Director for pletely worthy, but they economy is on course.”

Regional Integration, Prescertainly provide me with The investiture cere- idency; Yoofi Grant, Chief the guideline that I have mony was attended by of- Executive Officer of the to try and achieve. I am ficials from both Guyana Ghana Investment Promovery, very grateful, and I and Ghana. On Guyana’s tion Centre; and Florence am concerned about how side, they included Prime Akonor, Director, Ministry the two of us and our two Minister Moses Nagamo- of Foreign Affairs. countries can work together too; Minister of Foreign In honour of President to promote the welfare and Affairs, Dr. Karen Cum- Akufo-Addo’s first State interest of our two peoples,” mings; Attorney- General visit to Guyana, President the Ghanaian President said and Legal Affairs Minister, Granger also hosted a lunin response.

Basil Williams; Speaker of cheon at the Baridi Benab.

President Akufo-Addo, the National Assembly, Dr. On Tuesday, the Ghanaian who, from the tone of his Barton Scotland; Chief Jus- delegation also met with the response, is well abreast of tice Roxane George-Wilt- Leader of the Opposition what is taking place here, shire; former President and at the Marriott Hotel. A also commended President Leader of the Opposition, meeting was also held with Granger for his stewardship Bharrat Jagdeo; former the Ghanaian Diaspora and over the past four years, President, Donald Ramotar; representatives of African even as he noted that pos- and former President and Group Organisations in itive growth and develop- Prime Minister, Samuel Guyana. That meeting was ment can be readily seen.

Hinds. Members of Guy- also held at the Marriott “I have to commend ana’s Diplomatic Com- Hotel. you, Mr. President, for the munity were also present, The Ghanaian Presstrong leadership you have including US Ambassador ident and his delegation exhibited upon assuming Sarah Ann Lynch, and Ca- are scheduled to leave the the rise of your Government nadian High Commissioner, country this morning.

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Russia in rare U-turn after public anger …drops case against journalist

MOSCOW (Reuters) Russian police abruptly dropped drugs charges on Tuesday against journalist Ivan Golunov, a rare U-turn by the authorities in the face of anger from his supporters who had alleged he was framed for his reporting and had threatened to stage a mass protest in Moscow.

Russian journalist Ivan Golunov, who was freed from house arrest after po-

lice abruptly dropped drugs charges against him, speaks with the media in Moscow, Russia June 11, 2019. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov Golunov, a 36-year-old journalist known for exposing corruption among Moscow city officials, was detained by police last Thursday and accused of dealing drugs, an allegation he flatly denied.

Russian journalists critical of authorities have led

a dangerous existence since the 1990s - sometimes threatened, physically attacked, and even murdered for their work.

But the crude way supporters said Golunov was set up and detained triggered an unusual show of media unity and an uncharacteristically swift response from authorities nervous about social unrest at a time when President Vladimir Putin already faces disquiet over living standards.

Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said the criminal case against Golunov was being dropped due to a lack of evidence of any wrongdoing on his part.

Golunov was freed from

house arrest hours later. After having the electronic bracelet on his ankle removed, he walked out of a police station in central Moscow to be met by hundreds of journalists who applauded him.

INVESTIGATIONS TO CONTINUE Visibly emotional, Golunov thanked everyone for their support and said he would continue his work.

“I will continue the work that I was doing and carry out investigations because I need to justify the trust in me that those who have supported me have shown,” he said.

Choking back tears, he said he hoped other journalists would not have to undergo similar ordeals and that the investigation into the po-

Wed., June 12, 2019 01:00hrs.-02:30hrs./13:00hrs.-14:30hrs.

Russian journalist Ivan Golunov, who was freed from house arrest after police abruptly dropped drugs charges against him, speaks with the media in Moscow, Russia June 11, 2019. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

lice officers and others who framed him would continue.

Kolokoltsev, the interior minister, said some police officers involved in the case were being temporarily removed from duty pending an investigation and that he planned to ask Putin to dismiss other more senior police personnel.

“I believe that the rights of every citizen, regardless of his profession, must be protected,” said Kolokoltsev.

Galina Timchenko, general director of online news portal Meduza where Golunov works, and other senior Russian journalists said in a statement: ADVERTISEMENT “This was the result of an unprecedented international journalistic campaign and of citizens’ solidarity. We are glad that the authorities listened to society. That’s how it should be when an injustice occurs.” A team of investigative journalists would continue to try to establish who was behind his persecution, they added.

Before the police backed down, nearly 25,000 people had signed up to a Facebook page expressing their intention to take part in a protest march on Wednesday in sol-

idarity with Golunov.

The authorities had said the protesters did not have approval, and that their protest could threaten public safety. The march presented the Kremlin with a quandary: either use force to break up the protest, and risk provoking more anger, or stand aside and let the demonstration take place, which risked revealing weakness to the Kremlin’s opponents.

The charges against Golunov inflamed opinion among urban professionals, a group that is in a minority nationwide, but which has outsize influence in Moscow. The three leading daily newspapers - Vedomosti, Kommersant and RBK — all carried the same headline on Monday in a rare show of solidarity: “I am/We are Ivan Golunov.”

Journalists had protested outside Moscow’s police headquarters day after day demanding the case be dropped and celebrities and even some high-profile state TV anchors had spoken out in favor of Golunov.

Golunov and Timchenko advised supporters against taking to the streets on Wednesday, saying it was better to hold a protest event at a later date

Saturday 8, June 2019

08 10 11 16 26 27 01

G

26, 25, 12, 21, 13

1, 0, 1

6, 9, 4

05, 07, 11, 13, 15

7, June, 2019

02 03 07 12 15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

5

Jamaica joins Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action KINGSTON, Jamaica, Jun 11, CMC – Jamaica Tuesday announced that it had become the country in the English Caribbean to join the ‘Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action’.

In a statement, the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service said the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action which was launched in April 2019 at the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund,

aims at driving stronger collective action on climate change and its impacts. It said the Coalition abides by seven principles called the Helsinki Principles which promote national climate action, especially through fiscal policy and the use of public finance. These principles are designed to support finance ministers to share best practices and experiences on macro, fiscal, and public financial management policies for low-carbon transformation.

“Jamaica, like other small island developing states, is highly exposed to extreme weather events and climate risks in the face of climate change and there is no doubt about the urgency of accessing more climate financing from public and private sources to assist the country’s path to climate-resilient growth. Jamaica is among the 30 countries to have joined the Coalition,” the statement said.

Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke said that Jamaica

is engaged in a strategic approach that will enable it to apply prudent public financial management principles to disaster risk financing.

“This Coalition is an important platform to highlight the role of fiscal planning in addressing climate change, and the role of partnerships in advancing disaster risk financing,” he added. According to the 2016 New Climate Economy report, the world is set to invest about US$90 trillion in infrastructure over the next 15 years.

That means spending will increase from about US$3.4 trillion per year to about US$6 trillion. Most of this investment will be in developing and emerging market countries. Paris Agreement is therefore all about radical economic transformation, sustainable infrastructure and resilient growth.

The head of Jamaica’s Climate Change Division, Una May Gordon, said the Paris Agreement has set the stage of what collectively the world needs to

achieve in order to curve greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. “Now it is up to us to successfully achieve our national commitments under the Agreement and that involves as well good management of international climate financing. International and regional financial institutions and finance ministries have a critical role in delivering the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),’ Gordon added.

Barbados Gov’t maintaining consultation with holders of US-dominated commercial debt

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Jun 11, CMC – The Barbados government Tuesday said it is continuing to hold discussions with holders of its United States dollar-denominated commercial debt.

In a “Creditor Update” released here, the Mia Mottley government said that the consultation is on the restructuring terms that will be required to place the public debt firmly on a sustainable footing, in conjunction with the October 2018 restructuring of its BDS$12 billion (One BDS dollar=US$0.50 cents) domestic debt stock, and the far-reaching economic reforms being implemented under the current US$290 million four-year Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The government said that 60 per cent of its debt to gross domestic product (GDP) by financial year 2033-34 “is a key anchor for the IMF-supported programme under the EFF, with an intermediate target of 80 per cent by financial year 2027-28”.

It said that this “anchor” has guided its position during the consultations with external commercial creditors on the restructuring of their claims, “along with the need to achieve a smooth repayment profile post-restructuring and broad comparability with the domestic debt restructuring concluded in October 2018”.

According to the Creditor Update, as part of these consultations, various rounds of discussions have been held with the bondholder committee, mostly within the context of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). The Motley government said that as part of these discussions, it has sought to improve its proposals from the point of view of bondholders, whilst respecting the debt targets as agreed with the IMF under the EFF-supported programme.

It said it has also received and analysed various counter-proposals from the bondholder committee and that for the benefit of its broader creditor community, it was disclosing the last scenario that was shared with the bondholder committee as well as a new scenario based on a par structure.

“The combined proposal assumes that Barbados will offer holders of its 7.25 per cent Notes due 2021, seven per cent Notes due 2022, 6.625 per cent Notes due 2035 (collectively, the “Eurobonds”), and the Credit Suisse 2018 and 2019 loans the option to exchange their existing instruments either into new Amortising StepUp Notes due 2033 (issued at a discount to face value), or for new 3.25 per cent Amortising Notes due 2044 (issued at par).”

It said that first scenario of the government’s latest restructuring proposal was presented to the bondholder

committee in May 2019 and is the outcome of the consultations that it has maintained with its creditor community over the course of the year.

“Both scenarios are at the limits of what is compatible with the debt sustainability framework that underpins the EFF. In particular, both scenarios make full use of the cash flows available over the four years of the EFF; allow the debt-to-GDP ratio to reach 60 per cent in

FY2033/34, together with the October 2018 local currency debt restructuring and the fiscal correction presently underway (and) result in a relatively smooth and manageable repayment profile, that will not leave Barbados exposed to material levels of refinancing risk.”

The government said that in the coming weeks, it will continue discussions with its creditor community around these scenarios, with a view

to adjusting the structure of the bonds to meet creditor preferences so long as they are compatible with the debt sustainability criteria laid out in its EFF with the IMF. It said it “will remain engaged in good faith negotiations with the bondholder committee and welcomes further opportunities for constructive dialogue.

“Once this final consultative phase has concluded, the GoB intends to launch a

formal exchange offer open to holders of its Eurobonds and the Credit Suisse 2018 and 2019 loans. “It is expected that affected holders will have a period of approximately three weeks to consider and respond to the offer. It is anticipated that holders of other unsecured US-dollar denominated instruments will receive separate but comparable offers around the same time,” the government said.

6

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Fake news in Guyana

GIVEN the continuous indignation over the prevalence of fake news in advanced societies like the United States, we in Guyana might be inclined to say, “Welcome to our world.” And this is not without justification.

Guyana continues to have more than its fair share of propaganda, hoaxes and misinformation. This is particularly so in our politics; in the actions, roles and contributions of political leaders, their parties and rivals, and contributions from racial groups.

Where facts have historically been discarded and lies retold, the Orwellian efforts to create an alternate universe has met with measurable success in influencing acceptance or rejection of an individual or group, and their contributions. This is a fact that advanced societies

are beginning to realise that they, too, are susceptible to. Acknowledging fake news and its consequential impact does not ignore that Guyana is not singular, nor is it a new experience to advanced societies, as evidenced during Adolf Hitler’s reign in World War II Germany and the Cold War era.

But in this Information Age, the potency of fake news is immediate and more lethal, not only for the consequences borne from discrediting persons, but the potential it offers those who seek to discredit issues, credible organisations, and persons.

It is not unusual to find those prone to taking sides to discredit the entire media corps, or specific outlets, when reported actions reflect an image they find distasteful, but conversely expect the media to assist them in communicating their views

to the wider society. In spite of the tactic of attacking the messenger, which is usually to discredit the conveyer of the information and absolve the originator of the information from accountability, it is proving to reap dividends.

Now that information and news can be updated, re-edited, re-interpreted, and posted every second of the day, fake news is exploiting technology to disconcerting ends. It is not unusual to see such outlets obliterating or blanketing credible information and sources by altering reality. At the same time, it is not untrue to say news outlets have used their credibility to spread untruths, or twist the truth in order to promote the agenda of its owner; or fail to ensure the credibility of its source, due to the competitive natur of the environment, in order to be the first to break the story.

In the new landscape, U.S media operatives are litigating the importance of maintaining their integrity and the public’s trust. At the same time, their credibility is coming under fire for being the purveyors of “fake news”. With such allegations becoming more and more difficult to grapple with, Guyanese media owners and workers can cite several instances where the powerful have sought to discredit and delegitimise them, and by extension the content of their news, thereby absolving the originators of the news from accountability.

Local media operatives have experienced, and continue to experience, similar vile attacks from former president, Bharrat Jagdeo.

Why this is instructive is that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic has presented the image that it has fought for

and respects press freedom.

Societies around the world have to grapple with fake news as an industry, which has either seeped into, or become a part of, mainstream media. News outlets, persons or organisations with grievances, dislikes or sinister agendas are engaging in communication to undermine and delegitimise others. This sees the deliberate omission of certain facts, or the redirecting, as in editing, of content, altering of images, or doctoring of footage to get a particular point across.

These realities carry consequences. They not only create opportunities to be economical with the truth, but misleading information can be hazardous to the planning and implementation of programmes. It is factors of this nature that undermines acts of cohesion in society. As advanced

societies, where media are considered freer and pivotal to democracy, grapple with what can best be described as a virus (i.e. fake news), there are expressions of concern that politicians are reflecting characteristics of leaders in authoritarian societies.

Today, the news media is operating in a challenging and complex environment, where even as it tries to be a credible source, it’s at times held captive to forces, technological, ownership and the prevailing culture. There will always be propaganda and high risk of public manipulation. But even in the face of these, news outlet should not lose sight of the fact that pursuing or maintaining credibility is critical to its respect and survival, and the growth and development of society.

There is a distinction between whistleblowers and political spies and moles

Dear Editor,

IT has been brought to my attention that the Opposition Leader used part of a recent press conference to respond to comments I made in a section of the local media regarding reports that some members of the government service have been acting as political spies for the PPP. Prior to the reporter’s call, I had, over time, received reports from some ministries and other government agencies of this phenomenon. From all indications, those engaged in

this behaviour are generally persons who were specially placed in the public service by the previous government, or are genuine public servants who were cultivated by the PPP. It is my understanding that this group of persons are not all Indo-Guyanese; in fact, it is estimated that the majority of them are Afro- Guyanese.

Reporters who have dealt with me over the years will tell you I am usually very detailed in my responses to their questions. Often some of it does not make it into the news report because of space or time constraints. Media

houses tend to concentrate on the aspects of comments that they deem newsworthy, or are in line with the objective of the story. For these reasons, the news story which caused Mr. Jagdeo much distress did not include all of my reasoning, and the totality of my comments, which would have given some more context to them. Hence the reason for this missive.

I am in no way blaming the reporter, because there was enough in the story for Mr. Jagdeo to understand what I was saying. The reporter asked for my comments, and cited two instanc-

es which involved Ministers Patterson and Jordan respectively. In my response, I made six major points.

First, I said that the politicisation of the public service is a post-colonial phenomenon that has hindered the efficiency of government service, and encouraged corruption, among other forms of bad governance. Second, I made a clear distinction between career public servants or whistleblowers, and political spies or “moles” acting as public servants. The career public servant reposts malpractices to defend the integrity of the government,

while political spies engage in leaking sensitive government information to their party bosses to be overtly used for partisan gains.

Third, I made the point that I am in total support of public servants who expose corruption and other forms of government malpractice as a matter of conscience and principle. Such workers, whether they are called whistleblowers or other names, are upholding and defending the dignity of the government, and doing their country a good turn. It follows that if public servants see instances of corruption by

government big-boys and girls, they should expose them to the media, to all opposition parties, to other civil society organisations and individuals like myself.

That these “reports” are given only or mostly to the PPP should raise eyebrows about the motive of the so-called whistleblowers.

Fourth, I told the reporter that I am against punitive action by the government, even against proven political spies and moles. It is against that background that I called for an independent Commission TURN TO PAGE 7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

7

West Indies cricket needs more local involvement Dear Editor,

THE current euphoria about the Cricket World Cup amongst global fans is mainly due to the open nature of the tournament. In this Championship, there are three highly regarded favourites: India, Australia and tournament host, England. Furthermore, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Africa retain loyal fan-bases in their homelands and large Diasporas. Sadly, the West Indies Cricket Team’s ageing support-group is a testimony to its loss of mass appeal in the Caribbean.

For example, in Jamaica, corporate sponsors have completely shunned from financing the terrestrial television broadcasting of the World Cup. The prevailing narrative about the dwindling popularity of the West Indies Team may be initially explained by the constant turmoil between Management and the players; and the freelancing nature of the best Caribbean cricketers who prioritise franchise cricket over patriotism to the Regional Team. However, the family unit, the public

school system and local communities have inadequately socialised the Caribbean youth into playing the game of cricket. Hence, the small talent pool of cricket-playing teenagers means that there will be few future stars of regional cricket.

This current generation of children are being taught very little about the game by older relatives. Dysfunctional families and non-traditional family types like single-parent and visiting unions are associated with limited family-time for adults to impart values to their children. More perturbingly, the case of male absenteeism in some families means that the father-figure is less present to inculcate cherished values about morality and fitness. The trickle-down effect of this social ill means that the present-day millennials are being raised by machines like computers, mobile phones and Xboxes, which amply occupy their time. Paradoxically, in the decades after de-colonisation, the playing of cricket was a ‘rite of passage’ for children in both rural and urban Caribbean territories.

Another hindrance to the

popularity and success of regional cricket lies in the ugly truth that the various Ministries of Education in their respective CARICOM nations do not equitably provide resources for this sport in all schools. Hence, only a minority of schools in each country are actively involved in cricket. Even though there are intra-regional and intra-island school competitions held on an annual level, the competitions are not intense, and just a few schools tend to dominate. These schools may be benefitting from links with alumni and community associations that can provide quality coaching and cricket-gear. In the case of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, certain elite High Schools enjoy a rich tradition in this game, because the playing of cricket embraced part of the “English Grammar-School Curriculum”. The side effect of this trend is that few schools create a finite assembly-line of prominent cricketers. Conversely, football now appears more universally played and followed across the different types of secondary schools. Indeed, football FROM PAGE 6

There is a distinction...

of Inquiry aimed at determining to what extent this problem is embedded in the Public Service, and eventually flushing such elements out of the service.

Fifth, I called for revised guidelines for public servants, aimed at ensuring that there is a clear distinction between loyalty to their job on the one hand, and their political affiliation on the other hand. Sixth, I argued that the prevalence of PPP spies in the Service would force the PNC to install its own counterspies, which would have the effect of turning the public service into sites of party contestation.

Finally, let me say this.

At no time did the reporter ask me to comment on anything to do with the WPA Minister. That was purely Mr. Jagdeo’s insertion, which was obviously done to give the impression that my comments were driven by some personal or partisan

motive. Mr. Jagdeo also revealed that his moles and spies are of Afro-Guyanese descent, as if to say that the ethnicity of the spy makes the infraction less wrong.

He knows that that has been his approach when it comes to neutralising the PNC use African Guyanese as spies and enforcers within their communities rhetoric, and he knows my opposition to and distaste for that.

I have also noted that PPP supporters on social media and beyond have taken to their old ways: David Hinds is a racist. Only yesterday, these people were lauding this very racist for criticising the government. It is perhaps the sickest aspect of our political culture: The inability of our parties and their faithful to take criticisms and the readiness to cast the critic in racist terms.

It is why young people don’t bother to be critical, for they fear the vitriol that comes

with it. It is why we continue to be mired in substandard governance, because the latter are assured that they would not be held sufficiently accountable by their supporters. And they do not take opposition seriously, because even their most justified protests are clothed in partisan bad-mindedness.

But some of us would not be deterred from trying to bring reason to this political and intellectual chaos. I have said that the Coalition is my electoral preference; that barring some political tsunami, they will get my vote. But that’s where it ends. I have no automatic love affair with any party or government. My support has to be earned. Similarly, I am for Black Empowerment, but I am not for Black Slackness.

That’s where I stand.

Regards, Dr. David Hinds.

is more uniquely part of popular culture in the region than cricket. Meanwhile, in Jamaica, the most populous member-State of the West Indies, Track and Field enjoys cult appeal to distinct sub-cultures of both male and female youth.

A further problem in popularising cricket lies in the need for villages and towns to promote more cricket events. This is highly contingent on each district having a cricket field that is well maintained, well-secured and with adequate night lights. There is also a need for a curator of each district field, who will also be responsible for managing the pitch and regulating the water supply. The

latter situation is now a major issue, due to global warming.

It is my observation that the setting up of a recreational ground in each village in the Caribbean seems like a logistic nightmare, since local regional corporations face funding crises and a lack of policy direction. The Local Government agencies must be more aptly integrated with schools and community councils to deliver a decent cricket infrastructure to entice families to visit and exercise at cricketing venues.

Die-hard West Indian cricket fans have a tendency to romanticise about past glories, like when the West Indies won the first two World Cups. They

envisage that our rich history can inspire our youth to love the game and excel at it. But history is not enough to evoke passion and loyalty to cricket. Instead, we need the family; the local school and community council to generate social bonds, and propagate relevant infrastructure. If this is not done, we would remain “doomed forever in a tiny theatre of a conflict and confusion”, as lamented David Rudder. To effectively rally around the West Indies, we must advocate and support “local” sporting initiatives.

Regards, Chandradath Madho.

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

BK Int’l donates $1.5 million to Linden top 10 students

CHIEF Executive Officer of BK International Brian Tiwarie and Mr. Leslie Chang, Managing Director at Surrey Paving and Aggregate Company, on Wednesday donated $1.5 M to the top 10 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) students of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice).

The cheque was presented to regional Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira, who had made an application to Tiwarie for the donation.

The students, Shakina McGregor, Somira Dainty , Shakina London, Owen Hooper, Latanya Edwards , Zaria Jacobis, Oroyo Trotman, Zalika Dey Anton Ward, Shinnia Flatts , Seraiah Dorris Walker and Makayla Moseley were present with their parents for the simple ceremony, which was attended by Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally. Ally

congratulated the students for their excellent performance and thanked Mr. Tiwarie and Mr. Chang. “I want to thank them for stepping forward and giving assistance to you in your exams and because Mr. Tiwarie would have recognised how important education is to all of us…and so I hope you can take the contribution towards this on a very serious note and your parents will utilise it in the best way possible,” Ally said.

Mr Tiwarie said that the donation is a continuation of what was started on Sunday

by Minister of State Joseph Harmon in Linden, raising $1.8 M for the students. Tiwarie also congratulated the students for their hard work and made a commitment to continue donating towards their education, as long they continue to succeed. MP Figueira has the responsibility of consulting with the parents in deciding how the money will be spent to ben-

efit the children’s education.

Parents however are suggesting that the money which is currently $3.3 M in total, be used to purchase a bus to transport the children to their respective awarded schools in Georgetown. Carolyn Allicock expressed appreciation for the donation and said, “I am very happy about the donation, because I am a single parent and you know single parents, they need a lot of help, because in this time it is very hard; when the children work to achieve certain schools and you can’t afford to let them go, so when we get the support, we are very grateful for that….. so I believe if we get the bus it would be good, because they have other children that would be going to Georgetown that would really need the assistance that is not within the top 10, we would be thankful for that,” Allicock said.

Similar sentiments were

expressed by Rayann Jacobis who said, “I am grateful for the donation that they made because the children would have worked hard, so it is nice to see somebody appreciate the hard work,” she said. Rayann also believes that purchasing the bus is a good suggestion, since it will not only help the students in the top 10, but other students attending who were awarded schools in Georgetown.

Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira expressed his appreciation to Messrs Brian Tiwarie and Leslie Chang for recognising the performance of the Region 10 children. He is happy with the additional benefits that the region has garnered from Director-General Harmon’s donations. It goes to show the level of commitment the government, businesses and the people of Guyana have in respect to the educational development of the country.”

He said that he will en-

sure that the monies are utilised in the best interest of the children and will consult with the parents, since they are the ones to have the last say.

He however also believes that going in the direction of the bus may be most fitting, given the long-term effect it would have.

Last Sunday, the top 10 students were presented by Minister Harmon with laptops, tablets and other stationery- related items. Several of his campaign supporters also pledged donations totalling $1.8 M. Making a hefty donation of $200, 000 was Basil Blackman, who said it is his desire to see the children attend the school they were awarded, Queens College. He also committed to engaging his friends in the diaspora to come on board to make their donations as well.

After the challenges faced by one parent, Rayann Jacobis, to afford the $20, 000 monthly transportation cost

to Georgetown were reported in this newspaper, Zaria has received overwhelming support even from the diaspora. Zaria already has commitments made to cover her travelling for the next five years and has been receiving cash donations as well, along with Dimitry Waldron, who is also visually impaired and was awarded a place at Mackenzie High.

The Linden Youth Network, in collaboration with Corporate Supplies, is granting the two children free printing, photocopying, internet time and other assignment- related work for the next five years at the stationery centre located on Republic Avenue, Mackenzie. The Trevor Pierre Wilson Memorial Scholarship is also funding all that is needed for the two student High School in September. The two were also presented with cash at Sunday’s meeting.

Hundreds of North Korean Seaga makes final trip to beloved Tivoli Gardens public execution sites identified: survey SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea conducts public executions to incite fear among the public, a rights group said on Tuesday in a report pinpointing at least 323 sites used by the government for capital punishment.

The report by the Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG) is the result of four years of research and interviews with more than 600 North Korean defectors living outside the country.

“Public executions are to remind people of particular policy positions that the state has,” said TJWG research director Sarah A. Son. “But the second and more powerful reason is it instills a culture of fear among ordinary people.” Purged members of the elite have been among those executed in public, such as leader Kim Jong Un’s uncle, Jang Song Thaek, in 2013. But the most common charges leveled against the condemned ranged from “stealing copper and livestock” to, less commonly, “anti-state” activities and illegally crossing into China, the group said. The survey of 610 North Korean defectors living in South Korea, included 19 reports of more than 10 people being executed at the same time. Crowds, often of hundreds of people, and sometimes a 1,000 or more, would gather. The youngest person to witness a public execution was 7 years old, the group said. The group found that 35 reports of public executions came from one particular river bank, with executions

taking place at the unidentified location every decade since 1960s.

Six of the executions were by hanging and 29 by firing squad, the group said.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm any of the accounts in the report. the group said 83 percent of a sample of 84 surveyed people had witnessed a public execution at some time, but it did not give specific data on how common such executions may be. Nor did it say if they were getting more or less frequent.

The group warned that the survey sample based on the testimony of defectors, was not necessarily representative. For example, a disproportionate number of the respondents come from northern provinces with the greatest access to the Chinese border for people trying to defect. Some reports of executions in North Korea have turned out to be untrue, with officials who had been reported as being executed later reappearing. This month, there have been media reports about the execution of officials involved in nuclear talks with the United States, which collapsed in February at a summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump last week appeared to cast doubt on the news reports about the executions. “I don’t know if the reports are correct,” Trump said. “They like to blame Kim Jong Un immediately.”

North Korean state media has made no comment.

A cool breeze made the wait a bit bearable, but only a bit, as the mid-morning sun, in a cloudless sky, beat down mercilessly on the scores of persons who waited in line yesterday to file past the casket with the body of former Prime Minister Edward Seaga, at Tivoli Gardens Community Centre.

It was Seaga’s final trip to his beloved Tivoli, the modern, low-income residential community that he created out of the slum that was Back-O-Wall in the 1960s. “Me no business ‘bout the sun, me will stay as long as it take to pay my final respect to ‘The Boss’,” said one woman who gave her name only as Marcia. She was waiting in line behind dozens of students from Denham Town Primary School, who were among the hundreds who turned out as the farewell to Seaga continued.

As more people entered the community centre, where the flag-draped coffin was the only attraction, Marcia slowly approached the entrance in an almost festive mood. “See it deh, me soon reach in. and even though me did want to look in him face, me still ago say respect,” said Marcia.

For “Niha” his reason for being there was more personal.

“In 1984 my domino team from

Students among the hundreds of people who filed past the casket containing the body of former Prime Minister Edward Seaga in Tivoli Gardens on Monday

Denham Town won the competition and we fi go Canada. and Mr Seaga bought tickets for the 24 of we fi go Canada and we go up there go win, so we have to always respect him,” said Niah.

It was a similar story for Cecil “Sarge” Walker, who recounted an incident where he was shot in the hand and head while trying to protect Seaga, who seemed unnerved by the shooting that was taking place.

“Mr Seaga is my boss because him love him people dem,” declared Walker. Annmarie Lowe was decked out in her green outfit as she relater her pleasure of getting the chance to see the coffin.

According to Lowe, she had to be there, as more than 18

years ago she became a member of the Tivoli Gardens Drum Corps and could not pass up an opportunity to say goodbye to Seaga, who had opened several doors for her.

Councillor Alvin Francis of the Mavis Bank division earned a nod of approval from several of his neighbours as he declared that there was no way he could miss seeing the coffin in Tivoli Gardens.

“I come to pay my last respect to the greatest prime minister Jamaica has ever seen — Edward Seaga,” said Francis as he joined others in a toast to the man who represented West Kingston for 43 years and served as Jamaica’s prime minister from 1980 to 1989. (Jamaica Observer)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Meeting for Sophia handing over fixed for Thursday

THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will be meeting with representatives of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on Thursday regarding the handing over of the Sophia community to the municipality.

This is according to chairman of the recently formed seven-member committee, Councillor Akeem Peter, who was speaking at Monday’s statutory meeting. He was responding to a request from Mayor, Ubraj Narine for an update on the handing over process.

The committee members are Councillors Clayton Hinds, Dion Younge, Param Persaud, Alfred Mentore, Patricia Chase-Green and Eketa Edwards.

Chairman of the Finance Committee, Councillor Oscar Clarke, had accused the CH&PA of attempting to rush the matter, and cautioned that there are a number of implications that must be considered. The council-

Mayor Ubraj Narine (first from right) at Monday’s statutory meeting

lor said the matter should first be considered internally before a meeting date is fixed.

The CH&PA had indicated its desire to hand over Constituencies Five and Six (Cummings Lodge to Sophia) to the M&CC before the end of 2018, but officers at the council had expressed concern over such an announcement due to the City Council’s cash-strapped state.

Former Mayor, ChaseGreen, noted that there are many homes in those areas that do not pay taxes to the council.

“But when they are handed over, it is now our responsibility to provide garbage collection, street lights, roads, water,” she said, adding: “Whatever it is that council has core responsibility for, we will have to provide. How do we get more money for the expenses?”

Currently, the Sophia area is not benefitting from

9

Councillor Akeem Peter any of the services provided by the M&CC; hence, for years, basic amenities such as water and electricity could not be extended to residents of North Pattensen, North Sophia, Block ‘R’ Extension and other communities.

The CH&PA had proposed to hand over the communities on December 17, 2017, but was unsuccessful in its attempt to do so.

Nothing new for Fly Jamaica staff SOME 53 former employees of the embattled air carrier, Fly Jamaica, who attended a meeting to which they were summoned at the Ministry of Labour, Brickdam headquarters, left the venue, a very disappointed group, that they were told nothing regarding new developments.

The meeting, at which the media was excluded, was held in the upper flat, as the ministry’s boardroom on the ground floor was unavailable.

Before the meeting concluded, staffers were observed leaving but had an obviously disappointed look etched on their faces, even as they sought to avoid the media representatives. However, a visibly agitated, but a vocal Teasha Corbin, who had functioned as a Senior Cabin Crew member with the airline, expressed her disappointment that the meeting was called with the staff and not a single person from Fly Jamaica’s administration was present.

Fly Jamaica had in its employ about 300 persons, she said.

According to Corbin, who was in the employ of the airline for six years, the staffers, when summoned, were of the impression that Labour Minister Keith Scott would have met with them and would have had some positive news relating to help for the company and the monies that were owed to them by the airline.

Instead, she said two male Labour Ministry employees who briefed the former staffers claimed that the Ministry had “no proper knowledge of the whole issue at hand.”

Corbin questioned that with the November 8, 2018 issue of Fly Jamaica at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport being public knowledge, both locally and international, after several months have elapsed, “that this Ministry is saying to Fly Jamaica employees that they have no knowledge, really, or no

understanding of the matter at hand.”

“So really I don’t know where we (are) at, I am very disappointed, I am truly, truly, disappointed. When this government came in, Fly Jamaica was there all the way, through different support and now the government, I can say to you is not giving Fly Jamaica no support, neither to the ordinary Guyanese citizens, the employees. Hundreds of us are out of jobs, we have children, we have jobs, we have all sorts of expenses, and to date, not even one help from the Ministry, and to tell us today, June 11, that you have no knowledge, really, of the matter at hand.”

Questioned further, Corbin said they were told by the ministry’s representatives that they were seeking to get statements “ to probably take the matter to court, ” adding that from her knowledge employees, even from the security section, had made complaints, reports and given statements from the

inception.

“I am from the Inflight Section and we have and still are patient with Fly Jamaica,” she said, but took umbrage with the Labour Ministry for summoning them to a meeting to discuss an issue of which they claimed to have no knowledge. “I mean what a waste of time,” she remarked.

Corbin said that following the crash they remained in contact with the airline, and being cabin crew were still on a roster, but as reserve in the event the airline and operation had gotten a charter, efforts she said they were aware the administration were making. However, nothing materalised and on March 31, she officially received a termination letter.

She claimed to have seen, though, via social media a copy of the termination via social media that was issued to all the employees by the company.

She said the last payment she received from Fly Jamai-

ca was November 2018.

Asked what would be her next step seeing there appears to be no resolution, Corbin could not say, but, appealed to the President and Government of Guyana to lend some assistance to the airline and its employees. On this point, though, she noted that the Minister of Labour’s interest is in the employees submitting statements, as they have indicated that they want to take the matter to court.

Another staffer who preferred not to be named remarked “This whole issue is ridiculous, we need our monies, we have expenses, some of us loans to repay either the bank or to people from whom we borrowed so as to survive.”

Gina Mc Calmey, a former Flight Services Supervisor, expressed her disappointment at the outcome of the meeting, in that it appears that the Ministry is now seeking to make contact with the relevant airline officials to obtain statements and possi-

bly start a process.

Prior to issuing the redundancy letters to staff members, an indication that the airline may fold up, it had announced its intention to restart flight operations within a few months.

In the letter, signed by the airline’s Chairman and CEO, Ronald Reece, a Guyanese, the company stated that due to the lack of aircraft and the impact this has had on the company’s financial position, it had no other alternative but to make all employees redundant, effective March 31, 2019.

The airline has been refunding passengers who had booked flights prior to the accident, but that process has also been slow.

Fly Jamaica began operations in Guyana, on the Georgetown/New York route, at a time when Guyanese were experiencing difficulties due to the exorbitant fares and bad service from foreign-based and flyby-night charters.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Ghana vows to back Guyana on border controversy –– commits to championing its cause for an amicable resolution

By Svetlana Marshall PRESIDENT of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that his country stands firmly behind Guyana in the push to resolve the age-old border controversy with neighbouring Venezuela.

The Ghanaian President made this commitment while having bilateral talks with President David Granger at State House on Tuesday, according to Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon.

“The President came out very firmly in support of us on the Venezuela issue, and

has committed in the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and in any other fora where Ghana is represented to push Guyana’s case for a resolution of this matter at the ICJ,” Harmon told reporters in an invited comment at State House.

In March 2018, Guyana filed an application with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), asking the Court to confirm the legal validity and binding effect of the 1899 Arbitral Award regarding the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.

Guyana is contending that the 1899 Award was “a full, perfect, and final settlement” of all questions

relating to determining the boundary line between the colony of British Guiana and Venezuela. It is also Guyana’s position that between November 1900 and June 1904, a joint Anglo-Venezuelan Boundary Commission “identified, demarcated and permanently fixed the boundary established by the… Award” before the signing of a Joint Declaration by the Commissioners on January 10, 1905 (referred to by Guyana as the “1905 Agreement”).

Guyana is further contending that in 1962, for the first time, Venezuela contested the Award as “arbitrary” and “null and void”.

Since the filing of the application, Guyana has submitted a Memorial justifying the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case, but although the ICJ fixed April 18, 2019 as the date for Venezuela to

submit a Counter-Memorial on jurisdiction, the Spanish-speaking country has failed to do so.

In light of Venezuela’s reluctance to move on the matter, Guyana has

asked the ICJ to proceed with the holding of oral hearings, at the earliest possible date, to determine its jurisdiction over the case brought against Venezuela.

NDIA not doing a good job – City councillors THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is unhappy with the works being carried out across Georgetown by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).

A number of councillors at Monday’s statutory meeting at City Hall, voiced their disapproval

Councillor Trichria Richards with the approach NDIA officers have taken with regard to the cleaning of drains and other works.

“NDIA is doing a terrible job,” remarked A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Councillor, John Van Veen, adding that the drains are being dug, but the waste material is being left right there on the parapets.

A visibly distraught Van Veen was urged by Mayor Ubraj Narine to make contact with City Engineer, Colvern Venture, about the issue, but the councillor responded that would be a waste of time.

Van Veen has long held the view that there is a serious disconnect between councillors and senior officers of the municipality, and that the

former are often pushed around when they try to seek help from the latter.

Councillor Trichria Richards observed that there is a lot of work ongoing in the City, but councillors often do not know who to make contact with.

“We are grateful for the work that NDIA is doing, but it doesn’t mean we have to accept whatever they do,” Richards stated, as she sought to ascertain who from the Engineer’s Department is representing the council.

Councillor Heston Bostwick similarly commented that the situation would have been much better if there was engineer’s supervision.

Some months ago, Cabinet had made a decision to allow greater collaboration between NDIA and the M&CC, and Engineer Venture had said he welcomed the support, which began earlier this year, especially in view of the municipality’s cashstrapped state.

Due to the council’s financial woes, Venture said his department is prevented from executing much drainage works in a timely fashion.

Georgetown was expected to experience less overtopping in several sections of the City from January 2019, as a result of the said collaboration.

Last November 5, a delegation from the City Council met with NDIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Frederick Flatts, to discuss how the drainage system can be improved to alleviate flooding. Flatts informed the meeting that from January 1, 2019, the

NDIA was mandated by Cabinet to work in collaboration with the City Engineer’s Department to provide an improved service in the area of drainage.

He noted that the NDIA would be responsible for desilting and maintenance of all the main drainage canals in the City, including Downer, Young Street, Lamaha Street, Church Street, Avenue of the Republic and the Liliendaal canals.

Councillor John Van Veen While the council still has the main responsibility for desilting and cleaning street drains, alleyway drains, and other interlocking drains, Flatts said the NDIA will undertake to assist with the maintenance of the pumps and sluices.

With limited resources during 2017 and 2108, the council employed a community-based approach to clear drains in different sections of the city.

These include Wortmanville, Lacytown, Bourda, Kitty, Newtown, Albouystown, Charlestown, Agricola and Mc Doom.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

11

Ghana eyes local timber, rum a small exhibition so that his counterpart from Ghana could see what works we have in terms of wood, not just logs but timber species, furniture, floor boards, ply wood etcetera,” Trotman told reporters following the walkthrough.

He explained that Ghana has suffered a severe depletion of its forest resources and therefore the area of trade is one of interest to President Granger.

President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo (centre) views a variety of timber available in Guyana. He is guided by Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, through an exhibition of Guyana’s multi-use forests at the Umana Yana (Adrian Narine photo)

Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman (fourth left), presents President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, with a special gift (Adrian Narine photo)

By Lisa Hamilton WITH Ghana expressing an interest in local timber and rum industries, Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, believes that Guyana has the required standards and quality to meet the demand of the African nation.

On Tuesday afternoon, Guyana proudly showcased to President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo and his visiting contingent, what Guyana has

to offer in this regard.

The contingent are on a State visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations.

Accompanied by Public Telecommunications Minister, Catherine Hughes, the contingent visited the Umana Yana for an exhibition showcasing Guyana’s multi-use forests and products of Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and Banks DIH Limited.

Upon his arrival at the

Umana Yana, President Akufo-Addo was able to peruse an array of durable Guyanese woods and byproducts in the form of furniture and craft.

Received and guided through the display by Minister Trotman, the visiting President was well-informed of the array of timber in Guyana and the country’s ability to produce timber products.

“His Excellency, David Granger asked me to arrange

According to Global Forest Watch (GFW), remote sensing and satellite data from the University of Maryland estimates that there was a 60 per cent increase in Ghana’s primary rainforest loss in 2018 compared to 2017.

Ghana’s rainforest is now being depleted at an alarming rate which is highest in the world.

Trotman stated that he is confident in the quality of

wood and furniture produced

by Guyana and believes that these can be of value to the African State.

VERY IMPRESSED “From the little that was heard, His Excellency [President Akufo-Addo] is very impressed and we do have a high standard here. Anyone witnessing would see that the standard is exemplary,” TURN TO PAGE 12

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

FROM PAGE 11

Ghana eyes local timber,...

President Akufo-Addo tours Banks DIH Limited (DPI photo)

Trotman said.

He added: “I have no doubt that we can meet international standards. We are meeting standards in Europe and North American already; our wood goes to Singapore,

An array of products available at the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) were shown to President Akufo-Addo (DPI photo)

Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia, so meeting standards in Africa should be attainable.”

STRONGER BOND He said given that the two Presidents signed bilateral agreements earlier on ease of air travel and greater collaboration between investment agencies, suggests that the decades-old bond shared between Guyana and Ghana is being strengthened.

At the end of the tour, Trotman presented a wooden clock and a carved wooden photo as gifts to President Akufo-Addo.

He also presented gifts to four members of the delegation, namely Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Botchwey; Minister of Energy, Peter Thomas Amewu;

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi; and Ghanian High Commissioner to Guyana, Abena A. Busia.

Prior to visiting the Umana Yana, President Akufo-Addo was also taken on a tour of the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and Banks DIH Limited.

Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency in Guyana, Joseph Harmon, told the media earlier in the day that Guyana is looking to expand its business in rum following an expression of interest by Ghana. “… the important thing is that we are looking to expand in business. The Ghanaians had an interest in our rum industry, so this afternoon the President [of Ghana] would be visiting Banks DIH and DDL to look

at some of our rum,” he earlier stated.

DDL is an internationally-recognised producer of award-winning rums with a range of over 20 different varieties of premium, standard and specialty products, all with the distinctive Demerara ‘stamp’ of quality and flavour.

Banks DIH Limited is one of Guyana’s main beverage companies which also produces food products and manages restaurant operations.

President Akufo-Addo ended his business day with a meeting with the Ghanaian diaspora and representatives from African groups and organisations in Guyana at the Marriott Hotel.

The President and his team are expected to depart Guyana today.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Bandits beat, rob two women MASKED bandits beat and rob a grandmother and her daughter after invading

their home at around 14:00 hrs on Monday.

Bibi Shakela Sankar was

The track the bandits used to escape after robbing the Sankar family on Monday

chatting with her daughter Razia, 27, when the bandits snuck into their home, through a kitchen door which was opened.

It was the second attack on the New Street, East Canje family in five years.

According to reports, the bandits stole three gold bangles, two gold rings, two gold chains, one Samsung tablet, a Samsung cellphone, and two tablets, all together valuing

in excess of $600,000.

“I pleaded with them not to beat me. I will give them everything I have.

I had to get up. They followed me. I got the jewels I had. I gave them. They asked for money. I had $10, 000 in my purse. They wanted more. They broadsided us with the cutlass.

They ransacked the drawer in which I had $40,000 that my brother had sent to me

to go and see a doctor. I am a sickly woman. I have a heart condition,” Bibi related.

The bandits also beat the children in the home. At the time of the intrusion, Razia was talking to her father-inlaw on the cellular phone.

The father-in-law heard the commotion and summoned the police.

Rafiq Sankar, one of Bibi’s sons, said the robbery

occurred less than 10 minutes after he and his father left home. He was at the Reliance Police Station regarding an unrelated matter when he received a phone call, informing him of the robbery.

The police responded promptly but by then the bandits escaped through a narrow track, a short distance from the victims’ home.

Police are investigating the robbery.

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Cuban foreign minister to visit Guyana

By Navendra Seoraj

CUBA’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, is set to visit Guyana soon, as part of his tour of the Caribbean.

“In a few hours, I will start a tour of countries in the Caribbean which include official visits to Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia, Guyana and Barbados,” said Parrilla in a Twitter post on

Tuesday.

Parrilla served as Cuba’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) from 1995 to 2003. He was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs on March 2, 2009, replacing Felipe Pérez Roque after serving as the vice-minister.

This was a result of the 2009 shake-up by Raúl Castro.

On October 25, 2011,

Parrilla addressed the UN General Assembly right before the annual non-binding vote calling for the US to end its embargo against Cuba.

On July 20, 2015, Rodríguez attended the re-inauguration of the Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C., making him the first Cuban minister of foreign affairs to visit the US on a diplomatic mission since 1958.

Guyana is seeking to expand trade relations with Cuba and in recent years, has exported millions of dollars in goods to the Spanish-speaking Caribbean island.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, economic diplomacy is critical to Guyana’s progress and has taken centre stage in the State’s relationship with many countries since the

2016 appointment of new heads of overseas missions.

Guyana and Cuba established diplomatic relations on December 8, 1972. The two countries share strong bilateral relations which has been characterised by many exchanges at the government level and cooperation under the Guyana/ Cuba Joint Commission.

Trade is a renewed dimension of the decades-old friendship.

Cuba’s Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla

Man sentenced to 48 months for break and enter and larceny DAVINDRA Singh of Block x Diamond, East Bank Demerara, appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce, on Tuesday, to answer charges of break and enter and larceny.

The court was told that, between April 27 and 28, 2019, at Diamond East Bank Demerara, Singh broke into the premises of Selena Ali and stole a quantity of items, including a television set, valued at almost $1m.

Singh had previously appeared before Magistrate Scarce to answer the same charge and had pleaded guilty with explanation.

At Tuesday’s hearing, after giving

his version of the story, Singh told the magistrate that he was sorry for committing the offence and pleaded with the court to place him on a bond rather than send him to jail.

Magistrate Scarce said that he did not believe Singh’s story and sentenced him to 48 months in jail.

When the sentence was being announced, Singh’s wife pleaded with the magistrate to believe Singh’s story but her plea fell on deaf ears and Singh went off to serve his sentence.

As he was led out of the courtroom, Singh’s wife started crying and said “God is Good and you cannot get justice in this country.”

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Ghana commits to helping Guyana build capacity in Oil & Gas Sector

THE Government of the Republic of Ghana has pledged to support Guyana in the development of its Oil and Gas Industry through capacity building.

President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo offered his support on Tuesday, when he led a high-level delegation into bilateral talks with President David Granger and his Ministers, at State House.

Moments after the high-profile meeting, Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, told journalists that the two countries, with strong historical ties, would be engaging in technical cooperation.

He explained that President Akufo-Addo gave a clear commitment to have Oil and Gas experts from Ghana travel to Guyana to assist in the development of the Oil and Gas Industry with a majority of the expense covered by the Ghanaian Government.

“We are talking about capacity, capacity building; we are talking about (building) the capacity of the Department of Energy. Ultimately the President has spoken about the establishment of a Ministry of Energy, and so this is really going to require an expanded level of talent of persons and their skills,” Minister Harmon explained.

According to reports, Ghana has between 5 and 7 billion barrels of petroleum in reserves, which is the sixth largest in Africa and the 25th largest proven reserves in the world. Added to that, the West African nation has up

to 6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in reserves, reports suggest. With commercial quantities of offshore oil reserves in Ghana discovered in the 1970s, the country has a wealth of knowledge in the Oil and Gas Sector.

President Akufo-Addo’s commitment comes weeks after a Ghanaian delegation met with the Director of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe, and discussed possible cooperation in the Oil and Gas Sector.

That delegation was led

by Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Deputy Minister (Petroleum) Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, and included Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana, Napoleon Abdulai and 15 others.

During that meeting, Dr. Bynoe, who was accompanied by Oil and Gas Advisor, Matthew Wilks; and Project Co-coordinator and Legal Advisor in the Department of Energy, Joanna Simmons, said Guyana is opened to technical support in the budding sector.

He said his department does not underestimate the momentous task ahead and it continues to seek partnerships to ensure that it obtains the best value for the nation.

“We do not pretend to have all the answers to all the challenges that are before us, but we are very much positioned and we are keen to learn from others; the good, the not so good and even the indifferent experiences so we do not have to trod the same path which others may have trod before us,” he said.

U.S oil giant, ExxonMobil, has made 13 oil discov-

President David Granger and his Ministers of Government engaging in bilateral talks with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his delegation during a high-level meeting at State House on Tuesday.

(DPI Photo) eries to date, offshore Guyana, in the Stabroek Block.

With well over 5.5 billion oil-equivalent barrels in the Stabroek Block, production is expected to commence in March, 2020. The developments in Guyana’s budding Oil and Gas Sector augur well for the country with a population of approximately 750,000 people, observers have said.

With these significant developments in the budding Oil and Gas Sector, President Granger has said that a Minister of Energy would become a necessity; however, this important authority would not be established before 2020.

Until then, the Department of Energy is overseeing the sector’s development.

MoPH aims for ‘healthy aging’ by 2020

By Dillon Goring BY 2020, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and other stakeholders will build a platform to support “Healthy Aging” in adults 60 years and over.

This is with a view to increasing life expectancy, longevity and improving the quality of life of our elderly population, by making countrywide quality health services accessible to all.

This was further emphasised at the recently concluded Health Expo 2019, which was held at the Sophia Exhibition Complex.

Coordinator of the Elderly Health Programme at the Ministry of Public Health is Dr Melissa De Haarte.

During an interactive session on” Elderly Health” with members of the public, Dr De Haarte made the point that we are continually aging from the time of conception and, as a result, we should prepare for life’s aging process.

According to Dr De Haarte, the Department for the Elderly of the MoPH aims to combat social issues such as ageism, elderly abuse, retirement, caregiver stress /burn out and health issues such as alzheimers, depression, loneliness, chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, arthritis and pain management). Dr De Haarte further indicated that there is need for adjustment on the part of young people who have to take care of aging parents.

The Department for the Elderly in the MoPH, in collaboration with the Pan-American Health Organisation, carried out a situational analysis of elderly health in Guyana in 2016.

As a result, a National Elderly Health Committee has been established in partnership with the Ministry of Social Protection. Monthly medical outreaches are conducted at elderly homes and this exercise is executed by the Regional Health Services Department and Elderly Health Clubs have been established in Regions Four and 10.

This is aimed at fostering healthy aging in all administrative regions and aligning health systems to the needs of the older population.

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Guyana strengthens capacity against chemical mishaps

By Vishani Ragobeer LOCAL stakeholders have tested out their skills in communicating during acute chemical events, with the aim of strengthening local capacity to respond to these types of incidents.

On Tuesday, participants from the Ministry of Public Health, medical professionals, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) engaged in a simulation exercise titled “Exercise Neptune’s Gift”.

The aim of the exercise was to test communication channels and capabilities surrounding the management

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud

of acute chemical events in Guyana.

The simulation exercise took place at the Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where a handful of participants were given acute chemical mishap scenarios and were trained in understanding the best practices needed to be employed.

“Unlike the real situation, we have a chance to plan for this,” Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud said before the commencement of the simulation.

He noted that the exercise was in observance of the International Health

Regulations (IHR). These regulations are part of an international legal instrument that include measures for preventing the transnational spread of infectious diseases.

“An event will occur that will require [the public health system] to be alerted and for our national disaster mechanism to spin into operation so that necessary precautionary measures and responses are in effect,” Dr Persaud said as he noted the importance of this exercise.

In the local context, he related that health workers and partners in other agencies would respond to biological events, such as the outbreak of diseases and natural disasters that can pose a threat to life.

On the other hand, ac-

cording to him, chemical events are “quite diverse” and can range from contamination or spillage to more malicious practices of use of chemicals as weapons.

He noted that a majority of the chemical events that have occurred in Guyana have been in relation to the environment, but noted that precautions must be taken since these may not always be acute, but may have longterm effects.

The exercise is being funded by Public Health England and executed through the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Emergency Operating Centre in Washington.

Already in Guyana’s National Disaster Risk Reduction plan, there are de-

fined response mechanisms in place to mobilise local systems and personnel in the event of a mishap. Dr Persaud, however, noted that the aim of the simulation exercise is to focus specifically on the communication channels that exist and how these should be best used.

Director-General (ag) of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig said when disasters occur, there is little time to refer to plans. As such, the training is important in understanding what happens and what communication channels exist.

He also shared that the CDC will be supporting the emergency operating centre, in terms of providing training to the people there.

Participants engaging in the simulation exercise at the Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC)

Duo electrocuted while installing security cameras

By Vishani Ragobeer A 16-year-old technician, Krishna Chan, and driver Anthon (only name given) were electrocuted while installing security cameras inside the compound of the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Tuesday afternoon.

Chan resided at Lot 98 Lusignan Pasture, East Coast Demerara (ECD). He was an employee of Smart Tech Solution located at Lot 11A Kersaint Park, La Bonne Intention (LBI), ECD. According to reports, Smart Tech Solution employees Chan and Aftab Umrao, 24, hired a motor canter driven by Buxton resident, Anthon and porter, Brian Culley, to transport them to the Guyana National Stadium to install security cameras on the northern side of the compound.

“According to Umrao, Krishna had the wire to do the job wrapped around his neck, whilst Anthon and Cul-

Dead: Technician Krishna Chan ley were holding the metal pole which was attached to a Crane on the canter that was lifting it and Umrao was feeding the wire to Krishna,” the police said.

Krishna and Anton were electrocuted when the top of the pole touched the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Company high voltage lines.

It was noted that Krishna was burnt on the torso, arms and face, rendering him beyond recognition. Anthon showed no sign of visible

injuries.

Krishna and Anthon were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics and were later taken to the Lyken Funeral Home for a post- mortem examination.

Culley suffered burns to the palm of his left hand and Umrao sustained minor injuries. They were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where they were treated and then sent away.

The cameras being installed by the men are part of the Smart City Security initiative from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, which forms part of the Citizens Security Strengthening project.

This project is being carried out by Chinese telecommunication equipment company, Huawei.

Local Director of Huawei, Zhou Bo told Guyana Chronicle that the men were not employed with Huawei, but were sub-contracted to install the cameras.

Police are investigating the matter.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

St. Joseph wins NIS debating competition

By Naomi Marshall

ST. JOSEPH High School on Tuesday defeated Queen’s College to emerge as champion of the National Insurance Scheme’s (NIS) first-ever secondary school debating competition.

The victorious team was represented by Carmalita Byrne, Chelsea Forde and Adaiah Lawrence. They opposed the moot “Improved information technology will enhance the services offered to contributors and pensioners by the National Insurance Scheme”. Christine Richardson, Ayjha Griffith and Lorelei Kanhai represented Queen’s College.

Opening the debate was leader of the proposition, Christine Richardson, who was confident and pitched her voice across the room.

In expounding her stance on the moot, she stated that her team understands the moot to mean, “that with enhanced quality of information technology, services to the pensioners and contributors will be of a higher standard and they will be provided with more choices.”

Richardson, in highlighting the situation of senior citizens, said they often have to wait in long lines and would “complain boldly”. Richardson said the situation is due to the manual process in which pension is distributed.

Student of St. Joseph High School and Best Speaker, Chelsea Forde She noted that the elderly deserves better, adding, “the staff are only human, they will make mistakes and there is only so much they can do at a time.”

Taking the stage right after was leader of the opposition, Carmalita Byrne, who included tone variation throughout her argument. She argued that there are many disadvantages and limitations when information technology is used.

“A major limitation that is relatable to our Guyanese population is electricity which is needed to power technology which is used every day… without electricity; no one would be able to power the technological devices that we use every day. If these devices have no power,

then no one will have access to any service, much less, an enhanced one by the NIS,” Byrne said.

She added that there are many security risks that businesses and organisations face with improved technology.

Her teammate, Chelsea Forde presented in a timely fashion, confidently and was quite engaging with the attendees and judges.

Forde, who copped the best speaker prize, barely looked at her flash cards during the debate.

Judging the debate were Celeste James Williams, Head of the English Department at New Campbellville Secondary School; Brendhill Barton, Head Office Manager of NIS’ Brickdam office; and Desa Liverpool, Head of the English Department at the Carmel Secondary School.

The secondary school competition, hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, was part of the events held in celebration of NIS’s 50th anniversary. It was held under the theme “We guarantee social protection: 50 years of consistent and dedicated service to Guyana.”

Other participating schools in the competition were Bishop’s High, Brickdam Secondary, North Georgetown Secondary, Christ Church Secondary, St. Roses High and St. Stanislaus College.

A section of the gathering at the National Insurance Scheme’s first-ever secondary school debating competition (Delano Williams photo)

17

Champions of the competition, Carmalita Byrne, Chelsea Forde and Adaiah Lawrence (Delano Williams photo)

18

ICT Hub for Baramita

RESIDENTS of Baramita Village, in Region One (Barima-Waini) will soon benefit from an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Hub through the efforts of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications.

This was announced during a recent visit of Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’

Affairs Sydney Allicock to the village where he interacted with residents about the plan.

Already, the Village Council, led by Toshao Sharmaine Rambajue, has been outfitted with 15 cubicles for computers which will be installed by the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) under the Public Telecommuni-

cations Ministry.

Speaking on the imminent completion, Minister Allicock stated: “The Hub is a necessity at this time for development and especially for the teachers and the students but what is needed is more technical training at a simpler level so that they can grow because this has been a community that has been

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock (right) stands near the completed cubicles neglected for so long and they have now been given the opportunity of access to better quality education”.

Baramita, the village with the largest Carib population in Guyana of some 4,000, has been plagued for years with alcoholism, suicide, sexual and domestic abuse.

Since the coalition government took office in 2015, an inter-Ministerial Task Force was established

by President David Granger to address those issues.

To date, significant strides have been made to ensure the village can enjoy social and economic benefits, similar to the rest of Guyana.

Allicock said that he is confident that residents of Baramita have the potential to build on this by ensuring their own development. “We have seen that they can really do well if given the chance and I am very happy that it [the ICT Hub] is in that area and it is for us to continue to give the support needed until they can be able to be on their own in managing the facility and making good use of it in business and other areas of need,” he said.

A careful assessment revealed that children in the community are now benefitting from scholarships while plans are in place for the revision of the curriculum under the Ministry of Education. One student from the village is currently attending the Guyana Industrial Training Center (GITC) while two youths participated in the Hinterland Employment Youth Service (HEYS) Program, with each having established successful businesses.

Other notable strides made were the establishment of a Youth Club by the Guyana Police Force

(GPF) which attracted over 100 young people who were sensitized on health and wellbeing and the negative effects of substance abuse and lack of education.

The Ministry of Social Cohesion also played an active role by deploying one of its most experienced football coaches to the community, Gordon Brathwaite, who believes that sport can be a stimulus to bring about the much-needed change.

The Ministry of Agriculture and National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) are also working with residents who are interested in farming and so far several have received a quantity of planting materials.

Residents have also received training in poultry production from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and are preparing to establish small farms of their own. The ICT Hub also fits into the village’s developmental plans along with its draft Village Improvement Plan (VIP) which was recently handed to Toshao Rambajue and will serve as an important instrument for development over the next three years.

The document was compiled by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs following consultations with villagers who are now tasked with perusing the same and making changes if necessary.

Another significant milestone which was accomplished was the completion of Baramita’s draft Village Rules (document) which was also handed over to the Ministry.

The village’s Toshao is confident the rules will restore law and order.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

19

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

President Akufo-Addo recognises Ghanaian heroes

President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana lays a floral wreath at the base of the 1763 Monument in the presence of Chairman of the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana, Vincent Alexander (DPI photo)

By Lisa Hamilton PRESIDENT of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, laid wreaths at the Non-Aligned Monument and the 1763 Monument, in recognition of the contributions of Ghana to their historical developments.

The Ghanaian President is in Guyana for a two-day State visit during which he will sign bilateral agreements with President David Granger and be conferred the highest State Award, the Order of Excellence.

Prior to his arrival at the Non-Aligned Monument on

Tuesday morning, President Akufo-Addo was greeted at the Marriott Hotel -- where he is staying -- by Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings.

Together, they departed for the wreath-laying ceremonies, arriving first at the Company Path Gardens for the ceremonial wreath-laying at the Non-Aligned Monument.

He was received by His Excellency Cedric Joseph, C.C.H. and the National Anthem of Ghana was played in the presence of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Guard of Honour.

The Ghanaian President

was then escorted to the Monument where he laid a floral tribute at the base of the monument.

Ghana’s first President, President Kwame Nkrumah, was one of the founders of the Non-Aligned Monument.

The monument commemorates the 1972 Conference of Foreign Ministers of NonAligned countries, held in Guyana that year.

It was first unveiled by Guyana’s first President, Arthur Chung, in honour of the founders who also included President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt; President Jawaharlal Nehru of India and President Josip Broz Tito

Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo lays a floral wreath at the Non-Aligned Monument (DPI photo)

of Yugoslavia.

The Non- Aligned Monument is situated on the corner of Republic Avenue between Church Street and North Road and consists of four busts sculpted to the likeness of each of the founders.

Three are made of bronze and one of plastic; they were sculpted in the countries from which the founder-leaders originated.

They are mounted on a concrete plinth with a base made of quartz stone from the Mazaruni district while four jasper rocks from Guyana’s Orinduik Falls adorn the front of the monument in a pool decorated with colour-

ful stones from the riverbeds of Guyana.

Before leaving the Company Path Gardens, he expressed words of greetings to children of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre (PRRC) present and students of The Bishop’s High School, Christ Church Secondary and Saint John’s College.

Outside the Gardens, the President of Ghana was greeted by scores of Guyanese in representation of African groups, secondary schools and the general public.

Some persons were dressed in various forms of African wear while others

waved the flags of Guyana and Ghana as a form of welcome They all cheered when President Akufo-Addo waved as he departed for the 1763 Monument located a few minutes away at the Square of the Revolution.

Upon arrival at the Square, the National Anthem of Ghana was once again played while President Nana Akufo-Addo was escorted to the Monument by Chairman of the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana, Vincent Alexander.

TURN TO PAGE 22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

21

President Nana Akufo-Addo’s State House visit in retrospect

Minister of Public Telecommunications Catherine Hughes having a little tête à tête with an official from the visiting Ghanaian delegation at State House (Adrian Narine photo)

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo greets Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as President David Granger enjoys their good-natured exchanges (Adrian Narine photo)

Former President and Prime Minister of Guyana, Samuel Hinds in discussion with Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Guyana, Cui Jianchun and another official during the Presidential Luncheon held in honour of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana’s State visit to Guyana (News Source photo)

Guests awaiting the start of the investiture ceremony (Adrian Narine photo)

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

FROM PAGE 20

Members of the military who were on hand at the ceremony

An enthusiastic group waiting to catch a glimpse of President Nana Addo Danka Akufo- Addo.

This little princess was busy waving her flag as the crowd awaits the arrival of the visiting leader

Two anxious on-lookers

The 1763 Monument was built to commemorate the 1763 revolution, also known as the “Great Rebellion”, which occurred on plantation Magdelenenburg in the Dutch colony of Berbice, on the upper Canje River.

The revolution is considered to be the first major attempt by enslaved Africans to fight for their freedom.

An enslaved African named ‘Kofi’ or ‘Cuffy’ from Ghana, West Africa, led in the organisation of military attacks on several plantations.

The monument features

include pouting lips which symbolise the resistance to oppression; a shield-like face on the chest represents a spiritual guard against enemies and hands of a pig and dog being squeezed, symbolising the greed, lust and ignorance against which Guyanese should fight. The map of Guyana carved on the back of the monument is a representation of the peoples of Guyana.

President Akufo-Addo laid the floral tribute at the base of the monument to a roll of drums played by the GDF.

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

‘Hot Skull’ and Guyanese gets top appointment at UN ‘Rambo’ freed of one murder charge

JUSTICE Navindra Singh, on Tuesday, directed a 12-member jury to return a not-guilty verdict for Roberto Miggins called Hot Skull and Quasi Benjamin called ‘Rambo’, who were jointly charged for a murder at North West District.

The indictment read to the court stated that between October 12 and 13, 2016, in the county of Essequibo, the duo murdered Mario

was gone.

During cross-examination by the prosecutors and the defence attorneys Nigel Hughes and Adrian Thompson, it was raised that, prior to Pozzer’s death, he had fired Omar Williams, and never paid him. It was insinuated that Williams should have probably been a suspect, and not the two accused, who are not known to any of the witnesses.

Murder accused Roberto Miggins called ‘Hot Skull’ and Quasi Benjamin called ‘Rambo’ Pozzer called ‘Gaucho’, in the course or furtherance of a robbery.

Forth-three-year-old Pozzer’s bullet-riddled body was found on October 13, 2016 by two of his workers.

The trial commenced on Monday with the prosecutors calling several witnesses to the stand, including workers from the camp that the now deceased had owned.

According to Gavin Campbell’s testimony, his boss, Pozzer, left their camp with several ounces of gold, as they had just washed up a production.

It wasn’t until the following day, that they realised he never reached where he was going. They then went in search of him and found his lifeless body lying on the trail, near his ATV bike.

Campbell said that the haversack containing the gold that Pozzer had left with

However, there was a star witness, an ex-police officer, who allegedly said that the two accused admitted to the crime. The star witness, however, did not show up for the trial, as such, there was no substantial evidence that pointed to the two men.

The defence attorneys then made a no-case submission, and it was upheld by the judge.

Justice Singh then told the jury that they have to return a not-guilty verdict until the State can build a solid case against the men.

The duo however, did not walk free, as they are still awaiting trial for a second murder charge; so. They were further remanded to prison.

The State was represented by Tuanna Hardy, Sarah Martin, and Teriz Mohamed.

THE United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, on Tuesday, appointed Guyanese Catherine Pollard, as the next Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance.

She succeeds Jan Beagle of New Zealand who served for 40 years within the UN system. The UN said Pollard brings to the position over three decades of experience in human, financial, information communications technology and support operations and services.

She is currently Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Affairs, a position she assumed in 2015.

Her previous leadership roles include Assistant Secretary-General for General

Assembly and Conference Management and Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management. Pollard, a graduate of the University of the West Indies (UWI), joined the United Nations in 1989 as Chief of National Executive Projects at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

She then served the United Nations in various capacities, including as Chief Budget Officer for the United Nations Operations in Yugoslavia and Central Headquarters, Chief of the Budget and Finance Section of the United Nations Volunteers, Director of the Peacekeeping Finance Division in the Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts and Chief of Staff in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

Guyanese Catherine Pollard, has been appointed Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Immigration offices for Berbice, Linden to be ready soon CONNECTIVITY issues that the Ministry of Citizenship had faced with utility companies, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph and the Guyana Power and Light, have been resolved, and the ministry is now working assiduously to have all the necessary equipment installed and furnishings in place for its new offices at New Amsterdam, Berbice and Linden.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the furnishings at the New Amsterdam office are already in place, and, with the installation of all the computers almost completed, it is likely that business at the new office will soon commence. The pace is also expected to be accelerated at the Linden office, so that the new office too, can soon go into operation as well.

Meanwhile, the evaluation of bids for the construction of a new office at Lethem is underway. Some $50M has been allocated for that project. The idea to construct new immigration offices at New Amsterdam, Berbice; Linden and Lethem will see the decentralising of services and the reduction of the workload at the Camp Street central office. By taking the services to the people in those areas, the crowd build-up will be greatly reduced and persons from those areas, no longer will have to endure the long travel to access such services.

It was imperative to have transformers installed so that reliable electricity to power the equipment could be provided. Personnel have already been identified and trained to man the new offices, where the aim is to have citizens receive the same level of service with the production of passports, as is obtained at the central office.

The passports are soon to be upgraded from machine-readable to E-Passports, which is a modern and enhanced travel document that will be accessorised with an electronic chip to provide enhanced security for users.

The new biometric or E-Passport will be a 48-page document with a 10-year life span and will cost $10, 000. It is expected to be of great benefit to frequent fliers, members of the judiciary, businessmen, parliamentarians and senior public servants. In addition, efforts are being made to introduce the expeditious issuance of passports, at a cost of $20, 000; but this service will not be for the benefit of persons who have lost or damaged their travel documents.

The upgrade will allow Guyana to be in the range with other developed and developing countries across the Caribbean.

Already, pensioners who previously have had to pay $6000 to obtain a passport, can now obtain the travel document at no cost.

Construction worker fined for threatening language THIRTY-year-old Akeem Austin of Swan Squatting Area, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, appeared before Principal Magistrate, Judy Latchman, to answer a charge of using threatening language to Shelini Hoosain.

It was alleged that Austin, a construction worker, committed the offence on May 17, 2019, at Swan Squatting Area.

Magistrate Latchman fined Austin $10,000 for committing the offence.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Permanent logo for CARIFESTA GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Jun 9, CMC – The Caribbean ministers of culture have given the nod to make the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) more standardised by agreeing to a permanent logo.

The approval was given during the two-day meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) that ended here this weekend. Traditionally, each CARIFESTA host country was required to design a logo to be used in their branding of the region’s premier festival, which meant that for each hosting, there was a different logo.

“With this new logo, every CARIFESTA subsequent to the 14th staging this year, will use the new design. The aim is to give the Community’s mega cultural Festival a more uniformed brand,” the Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat said in a statement following the COHSOD meeting.

It said the logo for the first CARIFESTA was “a dark hand rising, grasping the sun, depicting the skills and aspirations of the tropical man with talent untold”, a symbol of the Caribbean people defining themselves and articulating their aspirations. CARIFESTA will be held this year in Trinidad and Tobago from August 15-26 under the theme ‘Connect, Share, Invest’.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Dr. Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, provided the meeting with an update on the preparations.

She told the ministers that Trinidad and Tobago was introducing several niche festivals to the event that could become stand-alone events in the region. She said that CARIFESTA was one of the Region’s best cultural assets and it was up to the Community to find innovative ways to reinvigorate and re-imagine the Festival each time.

The Secretariat said that the calendar of the events can be accessed at the CARIFESTA website www.carifesta.net.

CARICOM Secretary-General, Irwin LaRocque, took the opportunity to reiterate that culture plays a significant role in the region’s sustainable growth and development.

He said that cultural industries in the region had out-performed sectors such as agriculture, finance, insurance and construction in some member states. He, however, said that there needed to be the necessary enabling environment for the creative industries to be more competitive, and to increase their contribution to employment and growth. Speaking on CARIFESTA, which he referred to as the Community’s highly valued regional space that showcased arts and culture, LaRocque said the mega cultural event was being positioned as a catalyst for creative industry development within CARICOM. He noted that since CARIFESTA XI in Suriname, a business component – the cultural marketplace – was introduced where managers of venues, international festivals and performing arts, buyers and booking agents were invited to see and network with Caribbean artists.

LaRocque said that the initiative was intended to create more opportunities for the professional development of artists and for the export of their products and services.

In the statement, the CARICOM Secretariat said that other matters that were discussed at the meeting included a proposal for the establishment of the Caribbean Creative Industries Management Unit (CCIMU) developed by Caribbean Export and the establishment of national and regional registries of artists and cultural workers were also discussed. The CCIMU is intended to provide business and other support services to the sector to build the export capacity of artists and cultural entrepreneurs. The national registries and the regional registry are important tools to complement the free movement provision for artists and cultural workers under the CSME and enable greater market access to the European Union as Contractual Service Suppliers.

“The matter of Reparations for Native Genocide and Slavery was also ventilated and the Council was updated on the progress made to date in advancing the claim; the achievements realised and the challenges faced by national committees and the regional CARICOM Reparations Commission in carrying out their mandates.”

The Secretariat said that another meeting will be held via video conference to further discuss these matters as well as a Draft Regional Development Strategy and Action Plan for the Cultural Industries in CARICOM.

25

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

27

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

29

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

31

32

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

33

34

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

American Racing Tips Race 1 Zorbed Race 2 First Forever Race 3 American Song Race 4 Stormy Justin Race 5 Tiz No Bluff Race 6 Kris D’Oro Race 7 Walkoff Race 8 Belle Of The Spa Race 9 Elenzee

English Racing Tips Fontwell 09:10 hrs Ormskirk 09:40 hrs Dontbitedabait 10;10 hrs Jaunty Soria 10:40 hrs Our Reward 11:10 hrs Paddys Runner 11:40 hrs Gilly Grace 12:10 hrs A Book Of Intrigue

South Africa Racing Tips Scottsville 08:10 hrs Fives Wild 08:50 hrs Letaba 09:25 hrs Arizona Sunset 09:55 hrs Isla Morada 10:30 hrs Antigonus

Haydock 09:20 hrs Swift Wing 10:20 hrs Lorelina 11;20 hrs Global Gift 11:50 hrs Moon King 12:20 hrs Atalanta Queen Kempton 12:50 hrs Kingston Kurrajong 13:20 hrs Sir Busker 13:50 hrs Ambling 14:20 hrs Dreamweaver 14:50 hrs Peggie Sue 15:20 hrs Quick Breath 15:50 hrs Greenview Paradise Irish Racing Tips Punchestown 12:40 hrs Count Simon 13:10 hrs Peregrine Run 13:40 hrs Thecraicisninety 14:10 hrs Fulysse 14:40 hrs Ash Hill 15:10 hrs Stacks Mountain 15:40 hrs Gun Merchant

Advertise in Guyana Chronicle Classified Ads. For All Your Classified and Space Ads. Call 225-4475.

35

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Former CONCACAF president Jack Warner loses extradition appeal

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Former international football strongman, Jack Warner, yesterday suffered a major setback in his fight against extradition to face corruption charges in the United States, after the Court of Appeal here dismissed a judicial review challenging that extradition.

The 76-year-old Trinidadian had his initial claim for judicial review dismissed by High Court judge James Aboud in 2017, but had subsequently challenged the ruling, contesting the process by which the extradition proceedings against him were being carried out and seeking to quash the authority to proceed (ATP) which was

signed in 2016 by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi.

A former powerful former FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF president, Warner also challenged the legality of the Extradition (Commonwealth and Foreign Territories) Act, and the treaty signed between this country and the US. In a 40-page written decision dismissing the latest claim, however, the Court of Appeal comprising Justices Gregory Smith, Prakash Moosai and Andre des Vignes said the extradition treaty had not been shown to lack conformity with the Act and there was no merit in Warner’s case that the U.S. order which declared that

country as a declared foreign territory was not valid.

“Therefore, the pending extradition proceedings in respect of the appellant before the magistrate are valid,” the Court of Appeal ruled, adding that “there was no denial of justice in the issuance of the ATP by the Attorney General”.

The Court of Appeal stayed the magisterial proceedings for 21 days pending an application

by Warner for permission to argue his case at the London-based Privy Council, the country’s highest and final court.

Wa r n e r, w h o i s o n TT$2.5M (US$369 365) bail, was one of nine former

Special Auto commits for GMR&SC Drag Race championship LOCAL company Special Auto yesterday confirmed its commitment to the upcoming Drag Race event of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC).

The company’s representative Kamini Seejatan handed over its sponsorship to the GMR&SC’s Cheryl Gonsalves at its South Road office.

Known as The Filter King, Special Auto is the supplier of all local models of filters and other car spares.

Speaking on the occasion of the sponsorship receipt, GMRS&SC vice-president Hansraj welcomed the input of Special Auto for the second round of the National Championships.

“We are always grateful to have guys like the Special Auto team onboard with us.

They have been involved

with circuit racing for a number of years now and also endurance racing.”

“Their owner Shan Seejatan is a former endurance champion and a serious contender in the group-two action for circuit racing, so we hope to see him come out and try his hand at drag racing as well.”

Speaking the issue of readiness, Singh confirmed that all systems have already shifting into gear.

“We anticipate a good meet. At the committee level, we have already commenced the required work to ensure a smooth event come June 23.”

“For this event, we want to ensure also that competitors are registered early because we want them to have their entries in the system.

A lot of time was lost at the last event on sorting through

entries. We don’t want that this time around.”

Other sponsors for the event include Platinum Car Show, KFC, Supreme Bets, R. Kissoon Contracting Services, Deryck Jaisingh Trucking Service and Machinery Rentals, Del Ice Co., Mohamed’s Enterprise, B.M. SOAT Auto Sales, Prem’s Electrical, E-Networks, Motor Trend, Nexus Machine Shop, Power Line, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, Wind Jammer Hotel, Cyril’s Taxi, A&R Jiwanram Printery, Blue Spring Water, Choke Gas Station, Miracle Optical, First Class Auto Spares and Sales, GT Tuners, West Coast Customs Washbay and Imran Autoworks.

Tickets for adults cost $1 000 and children $500.

Action starts at 09:00hrs on race day.

T&T slip to defeat in final warm-up before Gold Cup LOS ANGELES, United States, (CMC) – Trinidad and Tobago slumped to a 2-0 defeat to Canada in their final international friendly before kicking off their CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign in seven days time.

T&T’s nil-all draw against Japan in another international friendly in Aichi last week and head coach Dennis Lawrence said even though he was disappointed with the outcome, there had been encouraging aspects of his side’s performance.

Trinidad and Tobago head coach, Dennis Lawrence

In a match played behind closed doors at California State University, the Caribbean side conceded on either side of half-time to Canada captain Scott Arfield, who scored early in the contest and then again late on.

The result follows

“I was very, very pleased with a lot of the aspects,” he said afterwards.

“Obviously disappointed to concede two goals, one so early in the game and then one late but in terms of a training exercise for the boys I thought it was very good

for us.

“It gave us the opportunity to try different players, to try different players in different positions because we are still trying to find the right balance.”

He continued: “I was a bit pleased especially in the second half with the way we managed the game. We got ourselves in a lot of good attacking situations but again we didn’t manage to convert. All in all it was a very pleasing exercise for us.”

Arfield put Canada ahead in the fifth minute with a powerful right-footed volley from seven yards out after the T&T’s defence failed to clear their lines.

Down 1-0 at half-time, T&T struggled to find the equaliser and Arfield ensured the win for Canada in the 90th minute with another thunderous strike from the edge of the 15-yard box.

T&T are set to do battle in Group D of the Gold Cup alongside United States, Panama and Guyana, in the tournament which runs from June 15 to July 7.

and current executives of football’s world governing body, FIFA, to be named in a 47-count indictment by then U.S. Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, back in 2015.

The indictment alleged racketeering, wire fraud and money-laundering conspiracies among other offences spanning 24 years in a scheme “to enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer”.

Cayman Islands’ Jeffrey Webb, who replaced Warner

as CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president following the cash-for-votes scandal of 2011, was also indicted. He subsequently pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing in the U.S. Warner, a long-serving Caribbean Football Union president and a former government minister here, is charged with 12 offences related to racketeering, corruption and money-laundering allegedly

committed in the jurisdiction of the United States and Trinidad and Tobago, dating as far back as 1990.

But Warner has claimed the case against him is politically motivated, accusing the United States of seeking revenge because it lost to Qatar in its bid to host the 2022 World Cup. He surrendered himself to police here in 2015, after learning of the provisional warrant for his arrest.

36

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Raptors squander golden Warriors fear Durant’s opportunity to clinch NBA title right Achilles ruptured

TORONTO - Kevin Durant was lost in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday and likely for months to come with a ruptured right Achilles.

Durant, who is three weeks from another foray into free agency, played for the first time since May 8, when he strained his right calf.

“Seeing your brother go down, trying to be there for him. It puts everything in perspective,” Steph Curry said Monday. “I’m kind of honoured the way he sacrificed, put his body on the line.”

Durant exited in the second quarter after starting the game on fire. He had 11 points, two rebounds and one block to help the Warriors set the early pace in a game they ultimately won 106-105.

“I’m just devastated for Kevin,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

After the game, Bob Myers, the Warriors’ president of basketball operations, confirmed that Durant has an Achilles injury.

“I don’t know the extent of it,” an emotional Myers said. “He’ll have a MRI tomorrow.”

Myers said medical and team personnel conferred several times to discuss whether Durant would play and made the decision to let him return.

“The people that questioned whether he wanted to get back to this team ... they’re wrong,” Myers said, fighting back tears.

By Frank Pingue TORONTO (Reuters) The Toronto Raptors had the Golden State Warriors on the ropes late in Game Five on Monday but even with one hand on the Larry O’Brien Trophy it was not enough to wrestle the NBA championship away from the two-time defending champions.

Toronto had mounted a fourth-quarter comeback to take control in front of a rollicking red-shirted crowd eager to celebrate the first NBA championship in the team’s 24-year history, but then their shooters suddenly went cold.

Even after squandering a six-point lead with three minutes left the Raptors still had a chance to win the game but Kyle Lowry’s last-second shot from the corner was not even close.

The Raptors guard dismissed suggestions they let thoughts of celebrating a title on their home floor creep into their minds.

“No, we stayed in the moment. They came back and made three straight threes. Played some good defence down the stretch,” Lowry said after the 106105 loss.

“We just missed some shots and they did what they were supposed to do.”

The Raptors trailed by as many as 14 in the second half before a torrid run saw them grab a 103-97 lead with two-and-a-half minutes to play. However, they were

Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots the ball against Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) in game five of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena (Mandatory Credit: Nathan Denette/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports)

then outscored 9-2 the rest of the way, shooting 1-for-6 in the closing minutes.

Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard had been contained for much of the night when he broke loose to get the comeback started, a threepoint dagger putting Toronto ahead by one with five minutes to play.

That marked that start of a red-hot stretch for Leonard, his 10 consecutive Toronto points giving them the late six-point lead before head coach Nick Nurse called a timeout, which seemed to stall their momentum.

“At that time I felt that

he probably wanted to get us some rest at that moment,” said Leonard, who had a team-high 26 points. “You never know, I mean, if we would have won the game, we wouldn’t be talking about it.”

But the Warriors, who lost Kevin Durant to an Achilles injury in the second quarter, came out firing and used some quick passing to set up a number of easy looks while taking advantage of some Toronto turnovers.

Thankfully for the Raptors, they have two more chances to close out the best-of-seven series,

which resumes in Oakland tomorrow. A Warriors win there would set up a winner-take-all clash in Toronto on Sunday.

“Our team has reacted all year long great to bad losses, and I would say it takes a lot to beat this team, and that took a hell of a lot of blows and a heck of a lot of balls bouncing the wrong way in the last couple minutes for us to come out on the wrong side of it tonight,” said Nurse.

“But I’m super proud of the guys. Man, they played their guts out, kept on fighting, and put themselves in position to win it.”

Becker slates younger generation’s inability to challenge ‘big three’ (REUTERS) - Boris Becker says younger players on the men’s tour do not have the right mindset to challenge the “big three” of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the Grand Slams.

The trio have won every Grand Slam since 2017, with 33-year-old Nadal claiming the latest title at Roland Garros on Sunday, dispatching 25-year-old Austrian Dominic Thiem in the final for a second straight year.

Becker, who won Wimbledon aged 17 and went on to win six Slams, said it was the mental aspect of the game more than anything that set Nadal, Federer (37) and Djokovic (32) apart.

“I was just reading a stat that no active player outside

the big three under 28, apart from Thiem, has been in a Grand Slam final,” Becker,

not a compliment for anybody under 28. And don’t give me that ‘the others

Boris Becker watches on at The Queen’s Club, London, Britain - June 24, 2018 (Action Images via Reuters/Tony O’Brien)

a pundit with Eurosport, said looking ahead to Wimbledon which begins on July 1.

“That’s not good, that’s

are too good’. We should question the quality and the attitude of everybody under 28; it just doesn’t

make sense.”

Other players to reach men’s Grand Slam finals in the past three years were Juan Martin del Potro, Kevin Anderson, Marin Cilic and Stan Wawrinka - all aged 30 and above.

“As much as I respect Roger, Rafael and Novak, young players should show up,” Becker added. “Eventually, they will be too old, but you want to see the passing of the torch while they are still in their prime.

“There’s a certain mentality that they (younger players) don’t have, that the three others do have.

It’s not the forehands, it’s not the fitness. It’s mindset - attitude - that makes the difference between winning and losing.”

Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) sits on the court after an apparent injury during the second quarter in game five against the Toronto Raptors of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena

(Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports) Early in the fourth quarter, ABC’s broadcast showed Durant leaving the building in a walking boot on crutches with his agent, Rich Kleiman.

ABC reporter Doris Burke said she spoke with Kerr returning to the court after halftime and he said of his message to the team, “You tell them to keep going, keep competing. Obviously we’re all worried and thinking of Kevin right now.”

Renowned former San Diego Chargers team doctor David J. Chao tweeted about Durant, “KD clearly grabbing at Achilles. Not saying complete tear but that is too low to be called calf. Bad news, his finals are done even if there is a game 7. Good news, should not affect his free agency.”

In his first game since Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets, Durant grabbed for his right Achilles and calf area while attempting to drive past Raptors forward Serge Ibaka with 9:46 to play in the first half. The Warriors were leading 39-34, and the home crowd erupted with cheers as Durant crumbled to the hardwood.

Ibaka and Kyle Lowry motioned to hush the fans as Durant was walked to the other end of the court and down the tunnel to the locker room.

The Raptors held a 3-1 series lead and were aiming to close out the championship series at home on Monday night.

Durant had missed nine games but was cleared to return to practice Sunday.

Kerr said pregame there would be no minutes restriction on Durant if he did play.

“You worry about the conditioning,” Kerr said. “The skill, obviously, is undeniable. He’s a guy who can get a shot off anytime he wants. ... He’s Kevin Durant. If we have him out there, he’ll be a threat. We know that.”

Durant averaged 26.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game in the regular season. During the postseason, he was producing 34.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game entering Monday.

“The most difficult thing is just not being able to be out there with your teammates at the biggest time of the year,” Kerr said pregame. “From that perspective, I have just felt bad for him. We all have. If you have a chance to play, go play and see what happens.”

37

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Regal Masters win GSCL Inc. Independence Cup title

Members of the victorious Regal Masters team

AN unbroken 158-run second-wicket stand between Ramesh Deonarine and Troy Kippins, ensured Regal Masters made light work over their counterparts Wellman Masters, to win the final of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. Independence Cup by nine wickets last Sunday, at the Everest Cricket Club ground.

Regal Masters chasing 165 for victory, lost Eon Abel without scoring, but thereafter it was a Deonarine and Kippins show.

Deonarine clobbered one four and 10 sixes to finish on 95 which came off 54 balls, while the right-handed Kippins slammed five fours

and four sixes in scoring 60 off 43 balls.

Earlier, Wellman Masters posted 164-7 from

their allocation of 20 overs.

Openers Mahase Chunilall and Greg De Franca added 56 before De Franca

Ramesh Deonarine accepts his man-of-the-match prize from GSCL Inc. president Ian John

was dismissed for 25.

Chunilall struck one four and three maximums before he departed for 35 off 31 balls. There were also small contributions from Nandram Samlall, Eon Lovell and Wayne Jones.

Deonarine was named man-of-the-match while Regal Masters collected a trophy and $53 000 and Wellman Masters received a trophy. The competition was sponsored by Regal Stationery and Computer Centre and Trophy Stall Bourda Market.

The tournament forms part of preparation for the upcoming New York Softball Cricket League tournament, which bowls off on June 28.

Late strikes spare Sweden’s blushes in 2-0 win over Chile RENNES, France (Reuters) - Kosovare Asllani and Madelen Janogy scored late on as fancied Sweden laboured to a 2-0 victory over Women’s World Cup debutants Chile in their Group F encounter at Roazhon Park in Rennes yesterday.

The match was interrupted for 45 minutes by lightning and torrential rain in the second half, but Chile had to weather a storm of a different sort on the pitch, as Sweden enjoyed the majority of possession and chances.

They had found Chile goalkeeper Christiane Endler an impenetrable wall until Asllani profited from a poor attempt to clear the ball by Camila Saez on 83 minutes and arrowed her shot into the top corner.

Substitute Janogy then sealed the points with an excellent solo goal in stoppage time as she danced past three defenders before crashing the ball beyond a helpless Endler.

Chile created little in the way of chances, and battled to keep possession, giving the ball away on 70 occasions in the first 45 minutes.

Endler saved smartly from Nilla Fischer’s header at a corner, expertly reaching backwards to claw the ball to safety, in the best chance of the first half.

Sweden created a number of half-chances at the start of the second period, as they tried to pass their way through Chile, with Fridolina Rolfo’s effort deflected just wide of the goal.

Shortly afterwards the rain started lashing down, but before the players left the pitch on 72 minutes, Magdalena Eriksson flashed a shot from the edge of the box narrowly over the bar.

The lengthy break should have allowed Chile to catch their breath and re-organise, but when the game resumed, it was more of the same.

Endler tipped a curling Sofia Jakobsson shot over the bar as Sweden continued to press for the opener, which finally came when Asllani provided the clinical touch that had been missing from most of the match.

Janogy showed her class with a sublime finish.

Bangladesh-Sri Lanka match abandoned as rain plays spoilsport BRISTOL, England (Reuters) - Sri Lanka’s World Cup game against Bangladesh was abandoned yesterday without a ball bowled, as a record third match in the tournament was called off due to rain.

Heavy overnight and early morning rain dashed hopes of a scheduled start of play at 10.30hrs (0930 GMT) as covers remained on the pitch and square in Bristol.

As many as three pitch inspections had to be called off at different stages, before the game was eventually abandoned at 13.55hrs.

Fewer than eight overs were bowled before West Indies and South Africa shared a point each in a washed-out game at Southampton on Monday.

The previous highest number of abandoned games in a World Cup edition was two, in 1992 and 2003.

Rain is forecast for today’s match between Australia and Pakistan at Taunton, and also tomorrow at Trent Bridge, where India are due to take on

New Zealand.

Bangladesh coach Steve Rhodes, who played 11 Tests and nine one-dayers for England, questioned the logic behind not including reserve days for the league stage of the tournament.

“We put men on the moon so why can’t we have a reserve day?” joked Rhodes.

“I know that it would have been difficult, but we have got quite a lot of time in-between games, and if we have got to travel a day later,

then so be it.”

Sri Lanka, who already had a game called off against Pakistan in Bristol last week, now have four points in four games, while Bangladesh remain in the bottom half of the standings with three

points.

Although the result takes Sri Lanka to fifth in the standings, captain Dimuth Karunaratne said his team would have rather taken to the field and built on their victory over Afghanistan last week.

“We want to play cricket, win games and gain the points,” he told reporters.

“I think the last game we played, till the Australian game (on Saturday), it will

be a gap of 11 days.

“So I think we need to prepare for the games, after winning, and we need momentum for that game.”

Sri Lanka seamer Lasith Malinga is flying home for his mother-in-law’s funeral, but he is expected to return for Saturday’s game against Australia at The Oval.

Bangladesh face West Indies in their next match at Taunton on Monday.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday, June 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) (1) (2)

Ground staff work on the field during a rain delay at the County Ground, Bristol, Britain

(Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge)

(1) (2)

ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: Allan Turner/Naseer Malik (AUST vs PAK, Leeds, 1975) Sri Lanka-1996 TODAY’S QUIZ: Who was declared Man of the Final when Sri Lanka claimed the World Cup title for the only time?

How many teams played in the 1996 World Cup? How many took part in the 2007 tournament?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

38

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Semenya wins in Montreuil, intends to defend 800m world title

GABA to hold weekly encampments ahead of Caribbean Schoolboys & Juniors 2019

MONTREUIL, France (Reuters) - Caster Semenya, who is battling the sport’s governing IAAF over rules that prevent her from running her preferred distance races unless she takes testosterone-suppressant medication, won a 2 000 metres race at the Montreuil athletics meeting yesterday.

The double Olympic champion has appealed a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision that supported the IAAF’s rule that XY chromosome athletes with differences in sexual development (DSDs), like Semenya, can only race in distances from 400m to a mile if they take medication to lower their testosterone levels.

“I can run any distance I want,” the South African told reporters after winning her race in five minutes 38.19 in front of 1 650 spectators on the outskirts of Paris.

“I don’t have time for nonsense; I don’t have time for messages for anyone. I said a long time ago that I’m going to focus on myself.

“There will always be people who will provoke you, but I’m always going to stay

THE Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) will step up preparations for this year’s Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors tournament with an encampment of young boxers from Friday to Sunday.

This was revealed yesterday by the association’s president, Steve Ninvalle, who confirmed that approximately 20 fighters would be housed at the National Gymnasium for the three-day exercise.

The encampment is the first this year for the national nursery and is scheduled to be a weekly event.

A battery of experienced coaches will be in charge headed by Sebert Blake, Clifton Moore, Lennox Daniels and Clive Atwell.

Ninvalle said that the GABA would be leaving no stone unturned in its attempt to whip the youngsters into shape ahead of an expected stern test at the

By Julien Pretot

Oval and out?

positive. I’m not going to talk about the appeal. I have a lawyer, I have a team. I am an athlete the only thing I focus on is my performance.”

to the Swiss Federal Tribunal (SFT), who ruled last week that she can run in her favoured 800 metres event without taking medi-

Steve Ninvalle

Caster Semenya winning the 2 000 metres race at the Montreuil athletics meeting yesterday

Asked if she would be defending her 800 metres title at the world championships, which start in September, Semenya replied: “Of course I’m an athlete, a world class athlete. My goals are very clear, I think I’ve made a statement in Doha (in May), running in 1:54(.98), it’s pretty clear to me.”

Semenya has appealed

cation until her appeal has been ruled on.

She was named in South Africa’s preliminary squad for the world championships in Doha, though this is dependent on the outcome of her appeal to the SFT. She has so far not entered races in distances covered by the IAAF rules, having won the 5 000 metres national title

Dhawan’s injury upsets India plans

By Amlan Chakraborty NOTTINGHAM, England (Reuters) - A hand injury suffered in the match against Australia has thrown Shikhar Dhawan’s further World Cup participation into doubt but the in-form opener will remain with the team, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said yesterday.

Dhawan was batting on 24 when a Pat Cummins bouncer hit him on the back of his left hand in the region between the index finger and thumb during the game at The Oval on Sunday.

The left-hander braved the pain and made a match-winning 117 as India beat the defending champions by 36 runs.

Dhawan did not field when Australia were chasing and was seen with his hand in an ice pack in the dressing-room.

“Shikhar Dhawan is presently under the observation of the BCCI medical team,” the BCCI said in a statement ahead of tomorrow’s match against New Zealand.

“The team management has decided that Mr Dhawan will continue to be in England and his progress will be monitored.”

The board did not elaborate how many matches Dha-

this year.

Her next race is expected to be the 3 000 metres of the Prefontaine Classic in Stanford, California, on June 30.

wan would miss but his absence is a serious jolt after a smooth start to India’s bid for a third 50-overs World Cup title.

Dhawan was the top scorer in both the 2013 and 2017 editions of the Champions Trophy and he exhibited his fondness for English conditions with another century on Sunday.

India opener Shikhar Dhawan

In his absence, backup opener KL Rahul, who was picked to bat at number four though he came at sixth against Australia, is set to partner Rohit Sharma at the top of the order.

It would then be a toss-

up between wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik and all-rounder Vijay Shankar to fill the number four spot.

Dhawan’s absence denies India a left-right combination at the top of the order and also leaves them without any lefthander in their batting line-up.

Dhawan and Rohit have forged a formidable opening partnership with 16 century stands in ODIs, behind only compatriots Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly who shared 21.

Australians Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist also shared 16 century stands in one-day internationals.

F o r m e r Te s t s p i n n e r Harbhajan Singh said India should consider flying in wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant in case Dhawan had to be replaced.

“This is a big blow ... If anything goes wrong with Shikhar Dhawan for more than three weeks, I’d want to pick Pant,” he told India Today channel.

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen also backed the selection of Pant, who is known for his six-hitting prowess.

“Get Pant on the plane ASAP. KL Rahul to open and Pant at number 4,” he tweeted.

Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba, another XY chromosome athlete with differences in sexual development (DSDs), was fifth in the 2 000 metres yesterday.

She said after the race that she would not take testosterone-suppressant medication. “I’m against (those rules). It’s discriminatory,” she said.

Sebert Blake

Championships.

With that in mind, GABA executive member Dexter Patterson has been appointed as chairman of the local boxing’s Youth Commission.

Patterson has since planned a meeting with parents and guardians of the athletes.

Guyana will host the fourth edition of the Caribbean Schoolboys and Junior Championship from August 16 to 18 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Guyana hosted all three editions of the tournament so far and the team have been crowned champions on all three occasions.

Ninvalle extended gratitude to the Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, for approving to have the competition shifted from the Gymnasium to Sports Hall and for accommodating the encampment at the Gymnasium.

ICC defends no-reserve-day decision, blames ‘unseasonable weather’

By Amlan Chakraborty NOTTINGHAM, England (Reuters) - The International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday defended not scheduling reserve days for group matches at the rain-marred World Cup and blamed the disruptions on “extremely unseasonable weather”.

A record three matches have already been either abandoned or called off in the weather-hit tournament and the forecast is for further washouts this week.

The organisers have been criticised for not allotting reserve days in the group stage and outgoing ICC chief executive David Richardson said it was not a feasible idea.

“Factoring in a reserve day for every match ... would significantly increase the length of the tournament and practically would be extremely complex to deliver,” he said in a statement.

“The knockout stage of the six-week tournament includes

reserve days but it would post a massive logistical challenge at the group phase and inconvenience everyone,” Richardson said.

ICC chief executive David Richardson

“There is also no guarantee that the reserve day would be free from rain either,” he said.

Bangladesh coach Steve Rhodes criticised the organisers after his team’s match against Sri Lanka was abandoned yesterday without a ball bowled in Bristol.

“We put men on the moon, so why can’t we have a reserve

day, when actually this tournament is a long tournament?”

Rhodes quipped.

“I know logistically, it would have been a big headache for the tournament organisers ... but we have got quite a lot of time in-between games, and if we have got to travel a day later, then so be it.”

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne acknowledged the logistical challenge but still felt result days suited everyone.

“It’s not easy, but if they can put on a reserve day, it would be good for everyone,” said Karunaratne, whose team’s previous match against Pakistan was also washed out.

Richardson, however, blamed the disruptions on an “extremely unseasonable weather”.

“In the last couple of days we have experienced more than twice the average monthly rainfall for June which is usually the third driest month in the UK,” he said.

39

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 12, 2019

GFF/KFC U-20 Independence Cup

National Playoffs kick off this weekend FOLLOWING the completion of the intra-association stage of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF)/ KFC U-20 Independence Knock-out Cup, the National Playoffs will kick off this weekend with four matches on Saturday and three on Sunday.

All matches will be played at the National Training Centre (NTC), Providence, East Bank Demerara.

The fixtures were decided by a draw held at the KFC main branch on Vlissengen Road, after the presentation of trophies to the respective association winners.

The intra-association champions were Botofago FC (Upper Demerara), Pouderoyen FC (West Demerara), Buxton United (East Coast Demerara), New Amsterdam United

The respective captains of the various winners of the Intra-Association competitions pose with their trophies at the KFC Vlissengen Road outlet

Women’s World Cup

Morgan scores five as U.S. beat Thailand with record 13-0 win REIMS, France (Reuters) Striker Alex Morgan scored five times as holders the United States began their World Cup campaign with a record 13-0 win over Thailand yesterday.

Morgan opened the goal spree for the title favourites, who are in pursuit of a fourth world crown, with a header in the 12th minute and from then on there was no stopping the champions.

Eight minutes later Rose Lavelle found the net with a left-footed shot while midfielder Lindsey Horan gave them a 3-0 lead going into the interval.

Samantha Mewis opened the floodgates five minutes after the break as the U.S. made life miserable for the Thais by regularly finding the back of the net.

In total, seven Americans scored during the match - Morgan (5), Lavelle (2), Mewis (2), Horan, Megan Rapinoe, Mallory Pugh and

Carli Lloyd all finding their way on to the scoresheet in a performance that is bound to strike fear into all of those teams hoping to end the

Alex Morgan (second right) celebrates after scoring the United States’ 12th goal during the team’s 13-0 win over Thailand yesterday

United States’ reign as world champions.

“We really wanted to showcase ourselves and what we’ve been preparing for and working on and I think we did that,” said Morgan.

“Every goal matters in this tournament and so that’s what we were working on in this game. We got a lot of attacks and I think we were really clinical in the number of attacks that we did get.

“I am speechless. The ball just bounced my way today and I am looking forward to the next game.

“To see Rose Lavalle have the confidence to go at players, Sam Mewis taking on players and scoring from outside the box, they showed really well. I am really proud of them.”

Warren Creavalle to miss Guyana’s Gold Cup run ...MLS/ Philadelphia Union midfield player broke his foot in training

WHILE the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) remains tight-lipped, Philadelphia Union head Coach Jim Curtin announced yesterday that midfielder Warren Creavalle will miss Guyana’s 2019 Gold Cup run after breaking his foot in training.

According to Curtin, he will miss playing for the next two to four weeks due to the injury.

Creavalle, now in his fifth season with the Major League Soccer (MLS) club, was called up by Guyana but broke a bone in his foot soon after arriving with the national team.

He was a key piece in Guyana’s run to its first-ever

Philadelphia Union’s Warren Creavalle helps Guyana earn first ever Concacaf Gold Cup berth

Gold Cup appearance this year, but now the midfielder will remain with the Union as he rehabs from his injury. Creavalle has made six appearances, including two starts, thus far for the Union in 2019.

The GFF is yet to officially announce his replacement on the 23-man roster, but Brandon Beresford was called in and started during the Golden Jaguars’ 1 – 3 defeat to Haiti in their final International Friendly before heading off to their camp in Minneapolis.

Guyana opens its 2019 Gold Cup campaign against the United States on June 18 in Minneapolis.

(Berbice Football Association), Timehri Panthers (East Bank Football Association), Potaro Strikers (Bartica Football Association), Queenstown United (Essequibo Football Association) and Strikers FC (Rupununi Football Association).

The draw was facilitated

by GFF Competitions Director, Ian Alves, with players and team representatives in attendance.

In a twist, each of the teams is allowed three guest players during the national playoffs. However, the players must be from the respective Regional Member Association.

On Saturday, the Timehri Panthers will take on Soesdyke Falcons at 09:00hrs while New Amsterdam United will face Amelia’s Ward

Panthers at 11:00hrs.

Following the morning matches, Botofago will clash with Den Amstel at 13:00hrs with Potaro Strikers taking on Dynamic FC at 15:30hrs.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, tournament favourites Fruta Conquerors will match skills with Cougars FC at 11:00hrs and Buxton will come faceto-face with Queenstown United at 13:00hrs. Pouderoyen will battle Santos FC in the final game at 15:30hrs.

The Rupununi Strikers have drawn the bye for this round and will face the winners of the Pouderoyen/Santos game in the quarter-final stage.

The final is set for July 1 while the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be played on June 23 and 29 respectively, all at the same venue.

Russell fit to face England on Friday

Andre Russell (right) chats with head coach Floyd Reifer during a recent net session

SOUTHAMPTON, England (CMC) – Injury-plagued all-rounder Andre Russell will be fit to face England in Friday’s crucial World Cup encounter at the Rose Bowl, despite missing the rain-abandoned match against South Africa on Monday.

West Indies head coach Floyd Reifer confirmed that Russell was left out of the clash with the Proteas as a “precautionary measure”, with the view of getting him in the best shape to face the tournament hosts.

“Andre will be fit enough for the game on Friday.

The game against England is a big game for us,” said Reifer.

“We are looking forward to that game. Looking at the weather forecast (for Monday’s game), it was 90 per cent rain (in the forecast) and they had rain over the last couple of days here as well. So it is just a precautionary measure where we are kind of wrapping him in cotton wool.”

Russell has been bothered by a chronic knee problem in recent years which has limited his participation in the longer formats. He was picked primarily as a batting all-rounder for the World Cup but has had a major impact, bowling with pace and hostility in short spells against Pakistan and Australia.

He sent down eight overs against Australia and appeared in discomfort in the latter stages of that outing.

Opener Evin Lewis has also been bothered by injury and has played in just one game of the tournament. He suffered a blow to his hand ahead of the Windies opener against Pakistan and was ruled out of the fixture.

Even though he returned for the Australia clash last week, he subsequently missed the South Africa game after the injury resurfaced.

“Evin got struck on his hand in one of the practice sessions so he is still getting some pain, some severe pain from it as well,” Reifer explained.

“So he played the last game (against Australia), but he is still having some pain in his hand.”

T

Former CONCACAF president Jack Warner loses extradition appeal

Page

35

Cayman Islands’ Jeffrey Webb is currently awaiting sentencing in the US

Former FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF president Jack Warner

Special Auto commits for GMR&SC Drag Race championship

Keanu Marsh-Brown scores, but Haiti top Golden Jaguars 3-1

Page

35

Guyana’s Anthony Jeffrey in action during the Golden Jaguars’ 1-3 defeat to Haiti in Costa Rica on June 11

Special Auto’s Kamini Seejatan hands over sponsorship to the GMR&SC’s Cheryl Gonsalves for the second round of the GMR&SC Drag Race championship

GUYANA’S ‘Golden Jaguars’ went down 1-3 to Haiti in their final game before the CONCACAF Gold Cup, when the two sides met in Costa Rica yesterday.

Keanu Marsh-Brown scored in the 80th minute to register his first international goal for Guyana in his third outing for the Michael Johnson side.

Mechak Jerome put Haiti in the lead eight minutes into the contest when he converted from the penalty spot, while Donald Worrier netted in the 29th minute to give the Haitians a 2-0 cushion at halftime.

Jonel Desire made it 3-0 in the 61st minute, but Marsh-Brown, who plays with New Port County in the English Football League Two, buried the team’s consolation goal.

The last time the two countries met, Haiti won 1-0 during the 2012 Caribbean Cup. Prior to 2012, Guyana and Haiti played to a 0-0 draw in the 2010 Caribbean Cup. Guyana will debut at the Gold Cup against the USA on June 18, while Haiti will play Bermuda on June 16 in Costa Rica. (Rawle Toney) Page

39

Russell fit to face England on Friday Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019