Guyana Chronicle E-paper 6-9-2019

9th June, 2019

No.105663

Tackling Teenage pregnancy Gov’t unveils US$559,000 programme targeting Regions 1, 9 12 PAGE

Missing couple found at Enmore 03 PAGE

EPA still monitoring manganese mines 19

Andaiye celebrated in moving farewell

PAGE

02

PAGE

… BOSAI shelves plan to transform tunnels

Tourism should be recognised 11 as export industry PAGE

––THAG advocates for tax exemptions

Scores turned out at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre to pay tribute to the late Working People’s Alliance executive and women’s rights activist, Andaiye Williams at a service held at a memorial held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre

2

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

Andaiye celebrated in moving farewell

By Shirley Thomas

A PLETHORA of glowing tributes resonated across the Arthur Chung Convention Centre where thousands of mourners and sympathisers converged on Saturday to pay tribute and celebrate the life of a fallen Guyanese stalwart of international acclaim.

Andaiye, A.A.,women’s rights activist and International Co-ordinator of Red

Thread, the Women’s Arm of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), died on May 31, 2019, after a battle with cancer. She was 77.

The celebration was followed by cremation at the Good Hope Crematorium, East Coast Demerara.

The programme, chaired

by Ms. Jocelyn Dow who is also a member of Red Thread, was ushered in with a symphonious musical welcome by Ras Camo on the Pan; Trevor Rogers on the

Keyboard and Roy Stewart on the Saxaphone, followed by a solo rendered by Russel Lancaster.

Meanwhile, joining the large gathering at the celebration were representatives of the International Women’s Network, of which Red Thread is a part; representatives from other sister-CARICOM countries on the International Women’s Network. Among them were: Asha Kambon of Emancipation Support

Trinidad and Tobago and Margaret Prescod of Global Women’s Strike. Roberta Clarke and Denise Dias represented Help and Shelter.

Dr Rupert Roopnaraine delivered “Death of a Comrade and for Angela Davis”

by Martin Carter.

Presenting “A Litany for Survival” by Audre Lorde was Ms Ulele Burnham.

Other tributes scheduled to be delivered were by: Abbyssinian; Tacuma Ogunseye – Working People’s

Alliance; Mitzi Campbell – Cancer Survivor; Vikki Jackson; Kevin Bacchus; Iyabo Kayana; Jocelyn Dow and Monica Jardine.

Another Special - “Return Me to the Fire by Mahadai Das and ‘A Message from Ni by Honor FordSmith to be read by Vanda Radzik. This was followed

by Andaiye’s “The Point is the Change the World … presented by Alissa Trotz.

“The Last Words” of Andaiye were given by Ms Karen De Souza, Executive Member of Red Thread.

Painfully presented were the words that mean so much to the Red Thread Movement, and in particular the grassroots women over whose lot she had laboured and who meant so much to her. “[There were two things I decided when I was diagnosed: One was, that I would be in charge, even when I felt I couldn’t, asking anyone around me to accept that: and the second was, that I would fight as hard as I could, to live as long as I could, so that if the time came that I couldn’t fight anymore, I would accept that with grace. That promise to myself in some way, made me feel stronger.

No one ever wants to go.

The question is whether you reach the point where you can let go.

It doesn’t mean that all fear and anxiety go, but that there are other things as well, including the certainty that you are LOVED Meanwhile, in a brief comment to the Guyana Chronicle, Ms De Souza said: “Andaiye’s death is a massive loss, and even though she has not been out in the public very much in the last few years, on account of being so weak, she continued to contribute to the work of Red Thread; continued to ask and question: “What is happening in the community,” and to challenge all the people who were associated with her, to do something, affirming: “We have to get together. We have to talk about things. We have to do some more organising. We have to find ways and essentially not allow ourselves to be frustrated with the difficulty of getting things going, but to just do it and make sure that it is done in a way that is acceptable.

De Souza said that before Andaiye died, she was International Co-ordinaror of Red Thread and a big part of her responsibility was maintaining contact with international women’s groups and coordinating engagements with them. She was also involved in a lot of training in Red Thread.

“ She never stopped working. Andaiye worked until a couple of days before her death– in the hospital bed, you know. She was constantly scribbling and constantly going. She was writing and the brain continued going. For that reason you could not say that Andaiye stopped working.

“She was unable to come out a lot, essentially because of difficulty with breathing, but she used the phone, she used Skype and the international network.

She could call and engage with people.”

Meanwhile, the grassroots persons whose interest she represented almost tearfully recalled: “Andaiye thought us to believe in ourselves. She has more confidence is us than we had in ourselves. And it is because of that teaching she imparted among us that we are able to stand before you today. She was a strict disciplinarian when she considered us to be lapsing, but never hesitated to tell us when we did well. She has a sense of being able to inject humour, especially when we were tense. All she wanted for us was for us to do our best. She was a teacher, mother, mentor, sister, aunt, grandmother to many and generally full of love.

“We never anticipated that in 20019 we would have lost her. Even on her sick bed she continued to be a source of inspiration to people. Even the nurses at Woodlands Hospital admired her strength.

Andaiye was also eulogised as one who fought resolutely against exploitation, particularly of grassroots women and their children. [Her death has come] to soon, said one speaker, adding “For Andaiye it would always be ‘too soon –for there is someone who demonstrates courage in their conviction and those convictions have to do with ending the exploitation of the have-nots by those who have, and rectifying injustice by race, class and other such organisations, it will always be too soon!”

The speaker urged revolutionaries, to ensure that when there is no revolution, they should preoccupy themselves with educating, mobilising and fighting every injustice, small and large, and ‘Tell no lies.’

Everyone knew she called a spade a spade and that is what Andaiye lived by.

She had such great love of people.

Anyone us who walked closely with Andaiye can give testimony to the life she lived. Her contribution stood the test of time.”

3

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, June 9, 2019

NDIA deploys excavator to help drain Black Bush Polder …water receding, affected farmers call for assistance

MINISTER of Agriculture, Noel Holder, and team who visited the flood-affected areas of Black Bush Polder, confirmed that the flood waters have receded and that systems are in place to drain further, the areas that have been under water for over two weeks.

Speaking with the media, Minister Holder, whose ministry oversees the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), stated that the primary drains and canals are the responsibility of the NDIA while the secondary or residential drains are the responsibility of the region, yet the NDIA is being blamed for the flooding. “Cabinet last year had a sub-committee from the Ministry of Agriculture look at the entire drainage system [and agreed] that all the primary drains should be done by the NDIA. The secondary drainage should be residential and so on should be done by the region. What this means is that the funds awarded to the region for these drains should be warranted to the NDIA that has not happened. The region which first agreed to do so, has reneged on that, so the RDC in Region Six has not given one cent to the NDIA but yet would like to blame them for what is happening.”

He continued: “If the NDIA comes in and does the region’s work, what will happen and who will account for the money that central

Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, and team at Yakasari Black Bush Polder on Friday afternoon

government has given to the region for the same job? Two persons cannot be paid for one job.”

Holder noted that the water has receded by over one foot and measures are in place for the operation of the sluices as well as pumps. He further noted that the main outfalls have been cleaned and both the Number 43 and Eversham pumps are operable. Further, the Guyana Chronicle was informed that an excavator is on its way with a pontoon to clean the mouth of the outfall at Number 43 which usually drains the Yakasari and Johana areas. At present there are two pumps operating at the

Number 43 area, the main pump with a 200 cubic feet per second (CuSec) discharge capacity, while a secondary one with 80 CuSec capacity was recently added to help drain the water quickly.

Meanwhile, residents expressed concerns over the flooding which occurred despite only minimal rainfall.

They are contending that had the canals been cleaned, the flooding would not have occurred to such magnitude.

The issue however, regarding who has responsibility for the cleaning of the canal, has been back and forth between the Region Six Administration and NDIA. However, in the interest of the residents,

NDIA has taken the responsibility to oversee the operations temporarily.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the cleaning of the canal, which has heavy vegetation, was awarded to a contractor for manual clearing. However, due to the density of the vegetation the contractor was simply cutting the weeds and leaving them to float in the canal. The weeds would then float to the Number 43 pump area and as a result, damaged the thrash rack of the pump as well as blocked the flow of the water.

Without the thrash rack, the pump remained inoperable and had to be fixed.

NDIA has since sent a re-

quest to the region to have the contractor removed from the cleaning exercise and sent a contractor of their own to do mechanical cleaning with an excavator to remove the vegetation from the canal.

This has led to immediate relief and the water has started to recede almost immediately. Residents however are seeking compensation for the damage to their cash crops as many have claimed to have lost their entire crops. Sunil Deonarine, who lost over 2.5 acres of Ochro, Pepper, Squash and Boulanger, has estimated his losses in the hundreds of thousands and is calling for some form of support to help get his farm

back up again.

Meanwhile, Devanand Dasarut, a father of six and a cash crop farmer who lost his entire crop just before the harvest, is asking for some assistance in getting food stuff for his family until he can be back on his feet. Black Black Bush Polder, which is made up of four Polders: Yakasauri, Johanna, Mibicuri and Lesbeholden, was inundated approximately two weeks ago following heavy rainfalls. While the water receded in three polders, it remained on land in the Yakusari Polder causing damage to mainly cash crops and kitchen gardens.

Missing couple found at Enmore SEVERAL days after she went missing after being dragged from a neighbour's house by her reputed husband at Plantation Warren, East Coast Berbice, Dhanmattie Sumara called ‘Jenny’, along with the man, was found at a house at Enmore Village, East Coast Demerara on Friday evening.

This was confirmed by Bhanmattie Persaud, mother of the victim. According to Persaud, after she received a telephone call informing her of the sighting of Sumara and Martin Bakker (the reputed husband) at a house in Enmore, she contacted the police, who in turn passed on the information to their counterpart after which an arrest was made.

The couple is expected to be escorted to Berbice where charges will be laid. This newspaper was reliably informed that Dhanmattie Sumara has expressed fear for her life.

Alleged marks of violence were seen about her body. On

Dhanmattie Sumara

Martin Bakker

Tuesday, Dhanmattie was last seen after being dragged out of her neighbour’s home

by Bakker, leaving behind five children including a two-month-old baby. Those children have since been sent to foster homes following the intervention of the Child Welfare Department in Region Six. Meanwhile, family friend Jaipaul Jaimal, had claimed that Bakker had kicked down his door just before 01:00hrs on Tuesday, pulled the screaming Sumara by her hair and dragged her out of the house. The neighbours ventured outside to assist the woman but they were unable to do so as the man was threatening to harm those nearby.

4

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

Trump hails new immigration deal reached with Mexico WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday predicted Mexico would strongly enforce a new deal under which it agreed to expand a controversial asylum programme and boost security on its southern border to stem Central American migrants trying to reach the United States.

The deal, announced on Friday after three days of negotiations in Washington, averted Trump’s threatened imposition of 5% import tariffs on all Mexican goods starting on Monday.

“Mexico will try very hard, and if they do that, this will be a very successful agreement between the United States and Mexico,” Trump wrote in a

tweet on Saturday morning.

The Trump administration believes the deal will “fix the immigration issue,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday in a Reuters interview on the sidelines of a G20 finance meeting in Fukuoka, Japan. Mnuchin warned, however, that Trump retained the authority to impose tariffs if Mexico failed to enforce the new agreement.

Trump also tweeted on Saturday that Mexico would immediately begin buying “large quantities”

of agricultural goods from U.S. farmers, who have been hit hard by his trade war with China and risked a new blow from Mexican retaliation if Trump had imposed tariffs.

It was not immediately clear whether Mexico made such a pledge. There w a s n o m e n t i o n o f e xpanded Mexican purchases of U.S. agricultural products in the joint U.S.-Mexican declaration outlining the immigration deal.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer reacted with sarcasm about the agreement late on Fri-

Sunday, June 9, 2019 - 09:30 hrs

day. “This is a historic night!” Schumer wrote on Twitter. “Now that the problem is solved, I’m sure we won’t be hearing any more about it in the future.”

Under the deal, Mexico agreed to the immediate expansion along the entire border of a pro gramme under which the United States returns asylum-seeking migrants to Mexico to await adjudication of their cases.

The programme, commonly known as ‘Remain in Mexico’, has been operating since January in the border cities of Tijuana, Mexicali and Ciudad Juarez. **The American Civil Liberties Union and other rights groups are pursuing a legal challenge to the program, which has returned to Mexico more than 10,390 people, mostly Central Americans.

Mexico also agreed to take stronger measures to

curb the flow of migrants, including deploying militarised National Guard forces on its southern border beginning on Monday.

U.S. border officers detained more than 132,000 people crossing from Mexico in May, the highest level since 2006.

Trump threatened to keep raising import duties on Mexican goods up to 25% unless Mexico acted to stem what he has called an “invasion.”

U.S. business groups and some of Trump’s Republican allies warned that a trade fight with Mexico would hurt the U.S. economy and lobbied the administration to back down.

The deal announced on Friday did not include a U.S. demand that Mexico accept a “safe third country” designation that would have forced it to permanently take in most Central American asylum seekers.

Saturday June 8, 2019

08 10 11 16 26 27 1

Friday June 7, 2019

G

2

03, 10, 11, 22, 26

8, 6, 3

7, 6, 9

3, 4, 8, 14, 17

3

7

12 15

5

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

T&T to consider amnesty for CARICOM nationals, other detainees PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, – National Security Minister Stuart Young says the government will be looking at ways to deal with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nationals and others who are currently being held at the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) here.

Young, who was speaking in Parliament on Friday said they could be granted amnesty, similarly to what has been done for Venezuelan nationals.

The National Security Minister was replying to a question from a member of the main opposition United National Congress (UNC), Fuad Khan on whether Venezuelans now at the IDC can access the amnesty also.

Under the plan, Venezuelans registered with Gov-

ernment are being allowed to work for a year in the twin island republic.

Young confirmed that Venezuelans at the IDC who don’t have criminal charges can register, and said that those who are at the IDC for overstaying their time, or who entered the country illegally, will be allowed to register for amnesty.

“We also had a conversation at Cabinet on looking at Caricom nationals, Africans, Chinese, Cubans and other nationals who are currently at the IDC, and I’ll be taking a note to the National Security Council on how we deal with some of these people who are at the IDC, and maybe extending the amnesty to allow them a similar provision,” the National Security Minister said.

‘Witness’ gunned down in Carenage A 37-year-old Carenage man was murdered on Friday night in what police said was a case of silencing a witness.

Police said Clifton "Scene" Johnson of Francis Street, off Haig Street, was found dead at about 20h30.

Police said they received a call that a man was seen bleeding on Haig Street.

When officers arrived, they found Johnson, with his pants down, on the roadway, surrounded by curious onlookers. Police said he may have witnessed a murder the night before, while residents claimed he was part of a plan to murder another man known as "Mango Dude".

David "Mango Dude" Roberts, 27, of Jones Street, Carenage was liming at the

corner of Haig and Hope streets at about 17h10 on Thursday when he was shot several times by unseen gunmen.

Residents said they heard the gunfire, and on checking saw Roberts bleeding in a drain. They called Carenage police who went to the scene with a doctor who declared Roberts dead.

Roberts was a person of interest in a triple murder at the boardwalk in Chagauramas in 2018. Fabien Williams, Kadel Osbourne and Andrew Francis were shot dead when gunmen opened fire indiscriminately at a group of family and friends who were liming on the boardwalk on July 8 last year. (TrinidadNewsday)

B’dos in bid to get more farmers insured DISASTER relief is still a major challenge for the farming community, says the chief executive officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul.

Speaking at a disaster preparedness press conference at the BAS’ Grotto, St Michael headquarters, Paul

told the media that for the past several years, farmers, especially those who rear livestock, have been experiencing challenges sourcing disaster relief plans.

“We really want to sit down and discuss with insurance companies how we can make the sector insurable,” he said. “Right

now it isn’t, because they (insurance companies) are saying the type of housing provided for livestock is not insurance worthy, and are not built to withstand strong winds.

“Some farmers have no problem getting insurance, but the small-scale farmers are the ones experiencing

the problems.

“So we are trying to identify different insurance companies that would be willing to work with us, and we would help farmers be more compliant with the requests of the insurance companies.” (BarbadosNation)

‘Crop Over’ ranked among world’s best CROP Over Festival has been ranked as one of the top 30 carnivals in the world by a United Statesbased research company.

24/7 Wall Street, a New York-based research firm which covers finance, industry, manu-

facturing, travel, investing and marketing, recently prepared a list of the globe’s leading carnivals and rated ‘Crop Over’ 27th .

“Crop Over in Barbados was traditionally held to celebrate the end

of the sugar cane season, but since the ‘70s, it has become the largest music and cultural festival on the island,” explained 24/7 Wall Street.

“Highlights are the Foreday Mornin’ Jam, where participants paint their bodies and dance until dawn, and Grand Kadooment Day, the final celebration parade, decked out dancers and music trucks,” the journal stated.

The festival officially opened on Saturday

in Speightstown, St Peter, with the First Citizens Crop Over Launch and Ceremonial Delivery of The Last Canes from 14h00.

The National Cultural Foundation (NCF), the organisers of the festival, has called on Barbadians to wear bright festive colours every Friday for the season, as well as for businesses to decorate their offices. (BarbadosNation)

6

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

Saving the sugar industry

PRESIDENT David Granger took the bold step last Friday in visiting the sugar belt in Berbice, interacting with workers as well as school children during a tour in which he renewed his government’s commitment to saving the industry.

Noting that the sugar industry is being restructured so that it can be revived, President Granger assured workers at the Albion Sugar Estate in Berbice that the sector is going to recover from the difficulties it is facing.

The President also made a commitment to engage with the unions representing sugar workers in order to chart a course forward for the industry’s development.

According to a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency, the Head of State committed to ensuring that a stronger, smarter, sustainable and more profitable sugar industry is built and workers’ jobs are safeguarded. He also committed to ensuring that the $30 billion syndicated

bond that has been secured by the Special Projects Unit (SPU) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) is transferred to GuySuCo within a short space of time so that urgent needs can be met.

Touching on the issue of the downsizing of the industry, President Granger told the workers that the consolidation of the Berbice and West Demerara plantations is part of a Corporate Restructuring plan and that unfortunately, this resulted in the separation of several thousand of workers from the industry. However, he said while the government regrets the outcome, it is not the first time that hard choices have had to be made to ensure the sustainability of the industry.

No one would deny that sugar forms the core of Guyana being -- from slavery though indentureship, and from plantocracy to nationalisation. Though considered “bitter,” sugar has been a

major pillar of the Guyana economy and has garnered critical foreign currency from export earnings.

The task of sugar workers has been daunting, as much of the field work is back-breaking and arduous.

Yet, for almost two centuries, our workers persevered and made great advances in securing safer working conditions and better pay.

However, in the past two decades, the fortune of sugar has taken a dip with the reduction by over one-third of the preferential price of sugar on the European Union market. If that were alone a major blow, the dramatic and consistent drop in production has compounded Guyana’s misery. Production fell from an average 320,000 tonnes between 2002 and 2004 to below 250,000 tons.

In 2003, production fell to its lowest since 1940, with only 186,000 tonnes being produced. At the same time, due to several factors including incompetence and political

interference under the PPP administration, the industry’s cost of production rose much higher than the market price for sugar, totalling over $50B in losses between 2010 and 2014. At the same time, keeping workers on the payroll was costing more, as the cost rose from $14.5B in 2010 to $20.5B in 2014, an increase of $6.3B or 43%. In order to meet these costs, the PPP government was forced to divert sizeable sums of taxpayers’ money to bail the industry out and prevent collapse that would bring ruin to the 16,000-plus sugar workers.

It cannot be argued that the current problems facing the sugar industry have been inherited from the previous administration. The “Turnaround Plan” “Business Plan” “The Way Forward”, all fancy slogans, gave no answer for the decline. Sugar was in deep trouble by the time the coalition government took office in May 2015. Its priority attention was how to

save the jobs of sugar workers and breathe life into the dying industry. Initially, the new government threw out a bail-out package amounting to $12B for this year and may be ready to extend a similar life-line next year.

The sugar industry affects the welfare of all on the coastland. Where the private sector, in recent times, had seized the opportunity to speak out against future plans and stayed silent in the past to its impending implosion is regrettable. More importantly, that the PPP/C has used every opportunity to make the proverbial political hay with the crisis cannot be ignored. The PPP/C had several opportunities before 2015 to put GuySuCo on a path to self-sustainability if the assumption is being taken that that is the party’s interest.

Ensuring the sustainability of the corporation would have seen the party making a presentation to the Stakeholders Consultation that started in 2016, doing fan-out with the

communities in Regions 3, 4, 5 and 6, which would have given the impression it cares.

Instead, the sugar workers were once again used and betrayed by a party who only sees its survival, making them their footstool.

The excuse that was given for not submitting a proposal is that government must first conduct a socio-economic impact study is an exemplification of the PPP/C’s inept management of the corporation.

The PPP/C could not have awakened in 2016 and realise the necessity for such an approach, they would have had to know whether this was needed or not in their 23 years in government.

Outside of making the corporation board and management the party’s source of giving their colleagues fat pay cheques without delivering, they looked on uncaringly at the industry imploding.

Lincoln Lewis needs to be a team player

Dear Editor,

REFERENCE to a letter by Fredrick (Freddy) Kissoon in the Stabroek News dated Friday, May 31, 2019. I would first like to say that on many issues I do not support his views but at the same time he is entitled to free expression.

Secondly, I agree with him that the University of Guyana Unions should and must remain in the Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC).

The unions in the GTUC have been and continue to be in solidarity with the bauxite workers, the sugar workers, the University Unions, the Teachers’ Union, the Guyana Local Government Officers Workers Union and in a small but somewhat insignificant way, with the United Minibus Union (UMU) and the Guyana Market Vendor Union (GMVU).

However, GTUC and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions in Guyana (FITUG) have, over the past couple of years (after 2015), been marching and sharing the same platform on Labour Day and it is being touted that the Trade Union

Movement is more united now than ever before. I personally believe, that is a fallacy, since lions and hyenas are traditionally enemies and in centuries to come, that will not change. What we have here is that the marriage is incestuous and is meant to benefit some key players of similar character but not the workers that make up their membership.

I find it very strange that whenever a GTUC meeting is called (special meeting, since its monthly statutory meetings are hardly ever kept) whereby a selected few are invited and members of FITUG outnumber the GTUC Executives.

I agree with Freddy that the General Secretary is a one man show at the GTUC and the Critchlow Labour College (CLC) and that he decides who becomes GTUC President and Registrar and I would never forget his brutal removal of the late Colonel Godwin Mc Pherson, the then Registrar, who was instrumental in having the college subvention restored which was later stopped for reasons better left unsaid. The ‘A Partnership For National Unity’

(APNU) Government restored the college subvention after ascending to office and the General Secretary was livid at the amount offered and threatened not to accept same. The government however, continued to honour that commitment and wisely attached conditions, before that subvention is released.

The management skills and strength of the late Colonel Mc Pherson was so overpowering, that he had to be gotten rid of. The source of his betrayal was similar to the betrayal of Roman Emperor, Julius Caesar, and affected him to his grave.

Intellectuals like Dr. Roopnaraine and Aubrey Norton, were forced to leave the college. David Yaw and I, the two Administrative Assistants, had to go since we supported the managing and academic programmes set by Dr. Roopnaraine and the late Colonel Mc Pherson. Even senior staff, Leslie Gonsalves, was fired since he did not appear to be loyal to a fellow Bauxite Trade Unionist.

I had stated in my letter to the Guyana Chronicle dated 20-01-2018 (page 6). The GTUC needs to treat

with matters of national importance such as the GUYSUCO workers’ severance scenario as a collective, and not for GTUC Executives becoming aware of such matters by seeing writings on same for the first time in the tabloids.

While the General Secretary was ranting and almost driven to tears on the sugar workers’ severance scenario, it should be known that Dr. Roopnarine, the late Colonel Mc Pherson, David Yaw, and I, never got our severance and other benefits due to us since, parting ways with the college in 2008, not forgetting fees stills outstanding for more than 30 Critchlow Labour College, Georgetown and about 12 CLC Linden lecturers. Lecturer Clifford Blackett (deceased) had to take the college to court to get what was due to him.

The General Secretary’s article on page seven of Stabroek dated Saturday, June 1, 2019 is just for good reading that has some historical information, but very little that can stand up to scrutiny. The UG Unions have been in the GTUC for many

years while the United Minibus Union has been there for a few years and as he had done before with the UMU, he is attempting to publicly embarrass the UG Unions by stating that informal/non-traditional unions have no collective labour agreement, subtly indicating that the GTUC is doing these type of unions a favour by accepting their membership and that they must know their place, seek nothing, ask no questions, query nothing and be silent, but what he is not aware of or he chooses to conveniently ignore, is that, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), recognising that labour is being assailed by a global dynamic that is eroding the master/servant relationship, and that what is evolving is an army of self-employed workers and that the ILO has added to its Constitution ‘Recommendation 202’ to accommodate, capture and retain these types of workers.

On May 11, 2018, the ILO Caribbean Office, in the persons of Luis Enoff and Ariel Pino, came to Guyana to meet specifically with the executives of the UMU and the

GMVU. This meeting was held at the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Sports Complex, where they advised that the NIS advocate legislation to ensure NIS compliance for the informal/non-traditional sector.

The General Secretary needs to be a team player and I hope that he does not take offence to my missive as is his comportment, since he himself said in his letter ‘no one should be excused from scrutiny in their public doings, NO ONE.’ The GTUC is a workers organisation and not the personal domain of anyone. It is there to develop, support and advise its affiliates and other like organisations and should never engage in the dishonourable act of poaching on other Unions.

Regards Eon Andrews Vice President G.T.U.C

7

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

Power Producers and Distributors Inc. setting the record straight Dear Editor, PLEASE allow Power Producers and Distributors Inc. (PPDI) to respond to statements attributed to its operations and maintenance in your letters’ column on June 8, 2019. PPDI hereby seeks to correct certain statements through the following facts: 1.) PPDI is a state-owned entity established in December 2016. It entered into an operations and maintenance agreement with its sister state entity, the Guyana Power and Light Inc., to operate and maintain four of its power plants.

2.) The “Loss of upper management knowledge and proven ability to deliver quality service” that the writer speaks of is totally misguided and misleading. The operating companies like Wartsila Operations Guyana Inc. are by and large autonomous in that regard. The loss of man-

agerial knowledge is a myth; in fact, all the senior managers and technical personnel opted to remain with the state entity instead of Wartsila Operations Guyana Inc. The Wartsila subsidiary in Guyana was the first operations and maintenance company in the global Wartsila portfolio. Noteworthy, the model and way of working for such services was developed and exported to other countries worldwide by Guyanese – the local company was never managed or run by expats except for the first four months of operations.

The decision taken by the government not to renew Wartsila’s operations and maintenance contract mirrors actions taken by other governments and private power producers in the Region, as in the case of operations in Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic, Antigua and Brazil. Moreover, the decision saves the country several million United States

of America dollars in operations and maintenance fees, provides 50 additional jobs for Guyanese and allows unfettered access to our Guyanese engineers who were not always available because of secondments to other power plants in the Region.

The current contract that PPDI has with GPL also provides greater performance guarantees than that which were previously offered by Wartsila. Maybe the letter writer should do some research into the operations of Skeldon Energy Inc. and find out what performance guarantees Wartsila is currently giving them and whether they are currently meeting them.

You might be very surprised.

3.) On the issue of “The PPP negotiated ‘List minus 17 per cent’ price on all spares”, PPDI wishes to state that there is hard evidence to prove that this discount is a myth. Rather there were instances of serious overbilling

PPP left GLSC in a mess Dear Editor, PLEASE allow me the opportunity to respond to a letter that was published in the Stabroek News on Saturday June 8, 2019, headlined "Move By GLSC for hydrographic surveying has political, strategic implications”.

It is not usual for me to respond to letters in the press.

Since I assumed duties as Commissioner/CEO of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) three years ago, I took the position to allow my actions to speak for me and obviously, it has.

The letter writer is clear evidence. Notwithstanding, his political mind would not allow him to be open or fair-minded in his views.

His jaundiced views and obviously his government’s approach to the management of the government pre 2015 is what resulted in the chaos that has besieged every government institution, especial-

ly the GLSC. It is clear to me that his primary view is to sow seeds of discord and confusion between and among the three agencies named in his letter. The letter writer ought to know that GLSC is a constitutional agency with mandated functions. What he is however highlighting, is his government’s haphazard approach to governance in which they created laws and structures without much thought that has resulted in confusion in the way various sectors are governed. Laws were created without repealing others and functions were assigned that were already part of the mandate of other institutions. Chaos reigned!!!

What I, and many of my colleagues in the public sector have had to do is start from scratch. It is no secret that when the GLSC came into being in 2001, his government over saw the burning of historical records, because in their misguided view, the

documents, maps, plans and files dating back to the 17 century were garbage. Yet the gentleman is assigning motives to the hiring of an historian at this important agency.

As if this was not bad enough, most of the functions assigned to the commission during his government’s time in office were neglected. Of significance are national mapping, surveying, land policy and planning. Does this gentleman, my dear friend, really have a problem with the commission resolving itself to ensure that the government and people of Guyana benefit tangibly from its national patrimony? Does he expect me to continue to preside over such neglect?

I think not.

Regards Trevor L. Benn Commissioner Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission

of parts and for other technical services. The local Wartsila operating company had to follow the mandate of their network company bosses. It must further be pointed out that Wartsila does not manufacture all of the spares used on their equipment, but rather resells under their brand.

The management of PPDI has, over the last two and a half years, managed to negotiate with major suppliers of Wartsila spare parts and other auxiliary equipment suppliers, long term supply contracts – supply contracts that have seen significant savings compared with the same parts offered by Wartsila. As insinuated by the letter writer, we are not joining any queues for spares, or substitute parts; rather, all parts are certified quality original parts and maintenance is done on time, every time.

4.) In relation to the inability to handle, design and construct large new projects, such as the 300MW natural

gas facility desired by ExxonMobil. PPDI is an operations company and does not engage in any design and development of equipment.

We certainly have the capacity to be a valuable partner as the current team members of PPDI consists of the same team members Wartsila used.

Some members of this technical team have a collective experience of well over 150 years in the electricity sector, nearly 100 years of collective experience on Wartsila plants and equipment; were even used by Wartsila in the Caribbean, South America, Central America and the USA to manage and maintain plants, and even worked on projects where new plants were built and commissioned.

PPDI continues to be a valuable partner to GPL in the delivery of operations and maintenance services.

We continue to invest heavily in training and capacity building. Since 2017, we have invested heavily in

training and development of our team members and count over 9,000-man hours of training – both local and overseas – for our technicians and engineers.

What this article has sought to achieve is to discredit the profound decision-making capabilities of Minister Patterson, while embarrassing our local engineers’ ability to get the job done. For this reason, we do urge the author, Mr. Robin Singh, to browse through PPDI’s website where all of the company’s facts/information can be found, free of charge to the general public.

Website: https://www.ppdi. gy PPDI also wishes to state our support and solidarity with GPL and their team of engineers who are working to correct present system defects.

Regards Team PPDI

8

DISSENT WITHOUT DIVISION WITHIN a week, the Alliance For Change (AFC) will hold its biennial conference at which the general strategy of the party will be hammered out, and new election of party leaders will take place.

As happens in the life of all political parties, the run-up to such an event, and the event itself, would see intense lobbying and inner-party campaigns. Like cricket, there would be dissent over the “length and line” of every policy.

On the sideline, the enemies of the party expect to see blood on the floor of the conference. Like the fabled but terrifying witch-doctors, they have been concocting a toxic devil’s brew of division and personality clashes amongst AFC leaders.

They have been preparing the “wake” for the party’s death. None of that has happened in the past, and I doubt that the prophets of doom would succeed in sowing the seeds of division at the upcoming event.

BETTER IMAGE The better image of the AFC as a sturdy party will shine.

This image unwittingly is being projected by the fickle detractors who have been advertising the conference as a battle for pre-eminence between the party’s su-

per-weights. In a wicked, racist obsession over the AFC’s actual strength and electoral appeal, they have singled out the foremost Indo-Guyanese as chief contenders, setting one up against the other, in a manufactured frenzy over power. It wouldn’t work!

The AFC is a key partner in the present coalition government which came into office on May 11, 2015 with a razor-thin, one-seat majority of seats in the National Assembly, The party’s general line, so far, has been that the whole is greater than its constituent parts; that its primary duty is to preserve the unity and stability of the coalition and defend the interests of the Guyanese people.

In its review, the AFC may re-examine its decision to run independently at last November’s local government elections, and the impact of that decision on the coalition and the national interest.

While it mustered the requisite vote to validate its role as an authentic third force, the coalition’s overall performance was dismal. Its defeat had opened the door to the opportunistic attempt by a cunning opposition to unseat the coalition government.

SHAMEFUL BETRAYAL The crude and shameful betrayal of the coalition by

a fake AFC assemblyman will not escape condemnation at the conference, where delegates will have an opportunity to also unequivocally declare full confidence in the coalition government and its leadership.

This conference is being held at a very delicate time when the coalition enters its fifth year of its first term in office. A frank and honest review of its performance would be expected.

Of course, while the success of the coalition far outweighs its shortcomings, delegates would wish to highlight certain mistakes and weaknesses, including deficiencies in certain good-governance practices.

It ought to be noted that it was the first time in post-independent Guyana that one-party rule was replaced by a six-party coalition. The APNU+AFC coalition brought together in what has been described as “Big Tent politics” leaders hitherto from all political parties and from civil society.

It has entered history as Guyana’s first ideologically plural and genuinely multi-ethnic national government.

FACTIONALISM AND DIVISION As the party’s designated “Elder Statesman,”

I expect open dissent on major issues. Dissent is the lifeblood of any democratic political movement. What should be avoided are factionalism and division.

The AFC, though vibrant, is still young and small. Like a tiny canoe, it has to learn how to navigate the big waves. It has to learn from our own contemporary political history, which is full of examples where dissent and dogmatism had resulted in major divisions.

It was dissent within the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) that had led to the catastrophic 1955 split. It was first dramatised at a congress when a faction of the party walked out; and then the division became irreversible. That rupture in the first united, authentic, national independence movement has seemingly institutionalised ethnic and political polarisation in the country.

From that split came the PPP and the PNC. But both parties have since experienced their own mini-splits.

Periodic defections have given birth not only to several other parties, but a diverse array of youth, women, cultural, religious, labour and solidarity groupings.

When Guyana’s political sage, Eusi Kwayana (Sydney King), left the PPP he not only founded the African Society for Cultural Rela-

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

tions with Independent Africa (ASCRIA). In the mid-60s, a tiny splinter occurred when internal PPP elections were manipulated against the rightwing dissident, Balramsingh Rai, who formed the Hindu-oriented Justice Party.

The rigging of those internal elections had caused the brilliant Dr Fenton Ramsahoye, then a PPP leader, to remark famously, “Comrade, the party works in devious ways.”

It still does, with an unruly “Gang of 8” at the helm.

A combination of dissent and division further flaked off from the PPP some of the better known anti-colonial fighters, including national poet Martin Carter, Brindley Horatio Benn of “you can stop tomorrow but not communism” fame, and Moses Bhagwan, the fiery former chairman of the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO).

Apart from ASCRIA, the fallouts from the PPP and the PNC gave birth to Bhagwan’s Indian People’s Revolutionary Associates (IPRA), Benn’s Working People’s Vanguard Party (WPVP) and Green’s Good and Green Guyana (GGG).

ASCRIA, IPRA and WPVP later teamed up with the independent Ratoon Group of Clive Thomas and Joshua Ramsammy to form the Working People’s Alliance (WPA).

AFC LEADERSHIP The Alliance For Change (AFC) was formed by leaders who were originally associated with the PPP (Khemraj Ramjattan), PNC (Raphael Trotman) and WPA (Sheila Holder). After 50 unbroken years with the PPP, I joined the AFC in 2011. The AFC’s leadership has the enviable image of all the major parties!

Considered the “mother of all parties,” the PPP survived the mass defection to the PNC of almost its entire corps of Marxist-Leninist ideologues and several Russian-indoctrinated cadres, who had formed the communist apparatchik.

Shaken by the defections, nervous Stalinist elements in the party had placed on a Watch List the remaining unorthodox young activists like Halim Majeed, his brother Zaheer Majeed, Odeen Ishmael and I, who were not trained in Russia, but who were condemned as revolutionary intellectuals. At every congress since 1998 the campaigns became more hostile and voting was manipulated.

The AFC cannot walk along this polluted putrid path. It must reach for the mountain top of selfless leadership and unity in its ranks.

Prisoner appeals 75-year sentence TWENTY-FOUR-YEAROLD Kenkossie Lynch, through his attorney Adrian Thompson, has filed an appeal at the Appellate Court, for a sentence he received last week.

Lynch was slapped with a 75- year sentence by Justice Navindra Singh, for the murder of a mechanic in Mocha-Arcadia, East Bank Demerara (EBD), back in 2015.

According to the indictment, on June 1, 2015, at Nelson Street, Mocha-Arcadia, EBD, Lynch murdered 23-

year-old Terrence Lanferman.

He faced a trial before Justice Singh and a mixed 12-member jury, with 15 witnesses testifying. According to reports, Lynch also implicated a cousin of his, Sedley Liverpool, called ‘Birdman.’

Liverpool was later charged for Lanferman’s murder and is currently awaiting trial at the High Court.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the shooting stemmed from a feud between ‘Birdman’ and Lanferman, but Lynch reportedly admit-

ted that he alone carried out the shooting.

On the day in question, Lynch allegedly returned to Mocha and met his cousin, Liverpool. Lynch then proceeded to Nelson Street in the same community to conduct surveillance on Lanferman’s house, after which he returned to ‘Birdman’s’ residence around 19:00hrs; Liverpool then allegedly gave Lynch a handgun. The two later returned to Nelson Street on a ‘CG’ motorcycle. While Liverpool waited in a nearby

street, Lynch reportedly went to Lanferman’s residence and knocked on the front door.

Lanferman opened his door and was confronted by the gunman.

At the conclusion of the trial, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

His attorney requested a probation report, but when the probation officer took the stand last Thursday, she said that Lynch had admitted committing the offence. That sparked a dispute, since his attorney said that he did not

admit committing the offence. The accused then stood and said that he is innocent; the probation officer however maintained that Lynch had confessed.

For sentencing, Justice Singh started at a base of 60 years and then added 15 years for several aggravating factors, including the use of a gun to commit the act.

However, included in the grounds of the prisoner’s appeal is that the learned trial judge erred in law when he admitted into evidence the

Kenkossie Lynch caution statement purportedly given by the appellant.

The other basis of the appeal states that the learned trial judge failed to adequately put the defence to the jury.

A date for hearing of arguments is yet to be set at the Court of Appeal.

9

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

Department of Labour engages oil and gas recruitment companies RECOGNISING the need for foreign companies involved in employing persons in the oil and gas industry to understand the dynamics of employment and surrounding laws and policies in Guyana, the Department of Labour on Friday initiated consultations with several of the companies.

The DoL invited some 27 companies to the event.

Attendees were briefed on matters such as work permits for foreign nationals, labour laws, occupational health and safety policies and laws, and recruitment.

“We recognise that the work ethos is changing. This government has a stable industrial climate and we hope you can get on board with that,” emphasised Minister of Labour, Keith Scott, as he addressed the representatives at the DoL Boardroom on Brickdam.

“The work in the oil industry is important to us so we have to ensure it is in compliance with all known labour practices. We have not invited you just to talk, but to establish a peaceful environment... establish practices in labour environment morale and fit within the framework of good governance.”

Scott noted that it is recognised that the Oil and Gas industry is changing the way recruitment is being done in Guyana, and the DoL is taking the necessary steps to adapt and ensure everything is still in keeping with the labour laws and that employees are protected.

“We are at a critical point in Guyana’s history [and]

Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle (standing) addresses the representatives.

Sitting are (from left) Head of Immigration and Support Services, Carol Lewis-Primo; Minister of Labour, Keith Scott; and Industrial Relations Consultant, Francis Carryl (Delano Williams photo) on the verge of new things employers need to take in needs to be stamped in by happening and we have to applying for work permits immigration officers, as being prepare for those new things. for foreign nationals. An is- registered to work, not while You have brought here to us sue being faced is employers in the country. a new form of recruitment. applying for work permits This applies both to Our history is mostly British after the foreign national has whether or not the foreign style but we are more and entered Guyana. national requires a visa to more moving to the Amer“If there is no approval on enter Guyana. The work perican recruitment and influ- arrival, the foreign nationals mits will last for a period of ence. There will be certain will be landed as visitors, and two years, and the foreign amounts of hiccups, but we [that is] not compatible with national can travel in and out are working on it,” Scott said. what they are here for. When of the country multiple times Some of the international you then apply for approval during that period without companies have been having they have to leave the country needing to renew. some amount of difficulties and return to be landed as an The necessary permits interpreting what needs to be employment possible per- can also be applied for the done in several areas in order son,” Lewis-Primo explained. spouse and children of the to be compliant.

She clarified that the em- working foreign national. The Head of Immigration and ployers need to apply for the children will be given threeSupport Services, Carol Lew- permit prior to the employee year student visas allowing is-Primo, spoke extensively arriving, as the employee, them to attend school. on the necessary steps the upon arriving in the country, Lewis-Primo warned that

employers need not wait until last minute as it comes down to the work permits’ expiration date. It takes approximately one month for the Department of Citizenship to have the application processed, given the increase in applications currently being handled.

“Don’t wait until you have just a month before the visa expires. We have [an] uptick in applications, it is overwhelming. We are asking if you can submit the application at least six weeks in advance so that we can complete our work and you can have the application within that time. There are cases where we go way beyond the month – sometimes we cannot avoid that. Yes you will have emergencies at times and we cater for that.

All you have to do is inform us and we will assist despite our work load,” Lewis-Primo explained.

Legal Officer at the DoL, Kimbely Yearwood, gave some clarity to the parameters of what determined whether a person can be considered an employee or a self-employed contractor. She noted that employers would attempt to bypass labour commitments by labelling employees as independent contractors, when the individual could be covered as an employee and be entitled to all rights therein.

Yearwood explained that the law explicitly instructs employers in determining how a worker is categorised, and this supersedes any existing contract between the employer and worker.

“Law of employment is very extensive, it goes deeper

than society acknowledges or understands. There are instances where a worker is described as independent contractor but when you carefully examine the true nature of the relationship, the worker is an employee disguised as independent contractor.

Employers do this because they want to escape the law,” Yearwood noted.

“The approach to determining employment status is to adopt a multifaceted test.

For a worker to be considered employee there must be obligation on the part of the employer to provide work and worker to do work when offered. If an employer can decline work or the employee can decline to do work, no contract or employ exist.”

An address on occupational health and safety (OHS) was delivered by OSH Consultant, Gwenneth King. Industrial Relations Consultant, Francis Carryl, pointed out that oil rigs are considered floating factories, and workers are not considered sailors on a ship, and therefore come under the necessary safety measures expected of a factory.

King noted the need for a revision of the penalties contained within the OSH Act as a bigger deterrent for employers to flout safety laws.

“We have started the process of reviewing and revising the act,” King noted.

The attendees also heard remarks from Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle; Chief Recruitment and Manpower Officer, Valerie Moore; and Chief Statistical Officer, Saskia Eastman.

Five Senior Counsel admitted to inner bar THE five-newly appointed Senior Counsel, Robert Ramlochan Ramcharran, Carole James-Boston, Stephen Granville Newton Fraser, Rajendra Nath Poonai and Shalimar Isha Ali-Hack, were on Friday admitted to the inner bar by the full court of the Supreme Court of Judicature.

Court One of the High Court was packed to capacity with lawyers, former judges, magistrates, family, friends and well-wishers, as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams SC., read the petitions of the Counsel.

Williams gave the full court a plethora of reasons why the phenomenal five should be accepted to the inner bar. He cited their many achievements and cases won and appeared in since joining the noble profession.

He also pointed to their years of experience, using that too as reason why the batch is deserving of admis-

sion.

Ramcharran was admitted to the bar in November 1979; James-Boston in October 1985; Fraser in November of 1985; Poonai in October 1988; and Ali-Hack in October 1990.

Senior Counsel Vidyanand Persaud welcomed the new batch to the inner bar. He said it is refreshing to note that two out of the five are females. “This is a significant slice. In the United Kingdom, only 14.8 per cent of the Queen’s Counsel are women,” Persaud said.

In addition, Ali-Hack was said to be the first female Muslim lawyer in Guyana to wear the hijab and appear at the bar.

President of the Bar Association, Teni Housty, stressed the importance of parity and transparency in maintaining the integrity of any legal process.

In response to their admission, the Senior Counsel shared their individual stories

about their journey in the legal profession. This included fond memories and light jokes that kept the courtroom alive.

Acting Chief Justice (CJ), Roxane George-Wiltshire, told the Senior Counsel that their position was originally appointed to be the monarch’s counsel, who is learned in law.

“But the term is also recognised as being honorific.

Since the members wear silk gowns in a particular design, the award of SC informally known as ‘taking silk’, and these counsel are sometimes referred to as silks,” the chief justice said.

She took the opportunity to emphasise the symbiotic relationship between the bench and bar, and the responsibility of the bar to ably assist the bench in efficiently dispensing justice.

“Be and continue to be advocates, not only in court, but the various public spheres as we seek to improve the

Four of the five newly-admitted Senior Counsel. From left: Rajendra Nath Poonai; Carole James-Boston; Shalimar Isha Ali-Hack; and Stephen Granville Newton Fraser administration of justice and the court system as a whole,” George-Wiltshire admonished.

The chief justice (ag) noted their competence in the

delivery of law and justice, citing many known cases the five senior counsel played part in.

Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Yonette Cum-

mings-Edwards, in endorsing the sentiments of the chief justice (ag), said the senior counsels can serve as guides to improve the justice system in Guyana.

10

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

Understanding Energy

Saipem’s local expansion shows how broad oil development impacts can be SOME Guyanese will already have seen the news that Saipem, one of the world’s largest oil and gas contractors, opened an office in Georgetown on June 4.

The company provides a broad suite of engineering solutions to exploration and production companies like Exxon. More importantly, it’s an example of the kind of local content, jobs, and development opportunities that will become available for Guyana as our new oil industry expands.

Saipem will be one of the Exxon-led oil-drilling consortium’s “Tier 1” suppliers, all of which are independent multi-national companies in their own right. Saipem, an Italian company, was established in the 1950s as a specialised pipeline and subsea engineering division of Italian oil company, Eni. In the prolific offshore Stabroek Block where Exxon has so far discovered more than 5.5 billion barrels of oil, Saipem will play a vital role in the Liza Phase 1 and Liza Phase 2 developments over the next few years. To support that mission, Saipem has already established an office and a shore

base in Guyana to support its operations off the coast—a strong sign of confidence to international investors that the company plans to operate in Guyana in the long-term.

The company recently outlined its plans for expanding key shoreline infrastructure like jetties and roads to allow it to do more construction and assembly here in country.

When Saipem first arrived in Guyana, according to press report, it struggled to find facilities and structures that could support heavy precision manufacturing. That’s vitally important because Saipem will be responsible for some of the most crucial parts of the oil production process, including the SURF system—for subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines. This system is the vital complex of precision deepwater engineering that connects the wells on the seafloor to the production vessels floating above. The deepwater construction ship, Constellation, will be tasked with installing these systems, an operation that will require more than 700 people working in shifts around the clock.

Saipem is also contracted to install umbilicals, manifolds and foundations for the

production wells and the water and gas injection systems that allow them to function.

The company has also been awarded US $700 million in contracts for Liza Phase 2.

To provide sufficient manpower for these efforts, the company is collaborating with the University of Guyana and the Government Technical Institute to help expand local capacity and recruit and train new staff. Saipem Guyana Country Manager, Thuranthiran Nadarajah, recently told the media, “We are working behind the scenes with local companies to try and build the foundation and build the infrastructure and transfer the knowledge…. For example, we need welders, we need technicians, material, equipment, we need blasting, painting, scaffolding; anything related to fabrication, we need it.”

The company is an excellent example of what the tangible impact of Guyana’s new oil and gas industry will probably look like to most people. Many of the positive impacts from oil production in terms of jobs and indirect economic benefits will come from contractor and service operations like this,

outside of the most obvious and important benefit-- government revenue.

As more Guyanese gain the specialised skills that the industry requires and Guyanese infrastructure improves, more and more of the vital support work for the industry can be done here, bringing jobs. In April, Saipem made news when the first load of pipes for the Liza field was offloaded by a 100 per-cent Guyanese workforce and the necessary infrastructure was prepared by local contractors including John Fernandes Ltd. Most of the building materials were also bought locally.

The people employed by Saipem’s shore base and ships will create even more jobs when they buy services and patronise local businesses. The same goes for the subcontractors they pay, which will have an incentive to hire and expand and pay out wages that allow their own employees to patronise more local businesses in turn.

This kind of economic chain reaction can help more Guyanese across all parts of society benefit from our recent oil discoveries.

Buju Banton owes an entire generation a sincere apology LET me be clear: I know the headline will produce a visceral reaction which suggests the writer is committing heresy.

I know there are those who are of the view that the legends or quasi-legends of reggae music are beyond reproach and critical examination. This position proceeds from the basis of these icons being urban figures with god-like stature.

He who dares to question incurs unprecedented wrath. I will continue to be a fan of Buju Banton but I cannot ignore his blatant lack of contrition upon the end of his incarceration.

If an apology is imminent, disregard this article.

When Mark Anthony Myrie aka Buju Banton released his first reggae album and appeared in full dreadlocks for the first time, it was the transition of the ‘Gargamel’ from dancehall officiator to a quasi-urban prophet. His albums, ‘Stamina Daddy’ (1987) and ‘Mr. Mention’ (1992) broke the record of #1 singles in Jamaica previously held by Bob Marley. The dancehall experiences with hits such as ‘Batty Rider’, ‘Champion’, ‘Who say’, ‘Bogle dance’ and ‘Big it

up’ were unprecedented and distinguished. The Caribbean had not seen such talent for decades. These songs catapulted this artiste to a rare level of living rooms acceptance. He became even more intriguing when there was this mystical metamorphosis to Bob Marley-like embodiment of a positive movement. An entire generation got the message and accepted Buju as a supreme exemplar of doing the right thing in life. This was no facetious example. This was real and powerful. He told all and sundry that the life of doing wrong was not the chosen path via his music. He had an obligation beyond his grasp. It is for this reason he was caught up in a lifetime commitment that had to be honoured at all cost.

Let me expound. During the hard dogged days of University life when resources were scarce and some days you felt like giving up, it was the baritone smooth melody of Mark Myrie aka Buju Banton that got us through the day. In the dark times of the Jagdeo regime, when the lives of young black males were being thrown away like the garbage, we sought succour in the lyrics of ‘Murder’: ‘Kill I today, you

cannot kill I tomorrow’. The positive energy of ‘Til Shiloh’ (1995), Buju’s first reggae album, deified this artiste among the generation of the 90s. It is for this reason, many from my generation felt the excruciating pain and supreme disappointment on June 23rd, 2011, when Banton was sentenced to 10 years in jail in the US for his role in setting up a cocaine deal in 2009. This development seemed surreal and in complete contradiction to the character who warned: ‘destruction of the soul is vanity’. How could the teacher fall victim to that which he passionately warned against?

In consideration of the aforementioned, it would have been nice if ‘Mr. Mention’, at his very first ‘I am Legend’ concert since his release had said: “I made a mistake, I apologize to all my fans, this is not the life to choose”.

11

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

Lethem being significantly transformed

By Tamica Garnett

SINCE the naming of Lethem as a town and the holding of Local Government Elections (LGE), the Rupununi Savannah, which is home to about 7,000 persons, has been on a progressive path of development.

Looking back at this year, Carlton Beckles, who is the first mayor of Lethem, said he is thankful that the President David Granger-led administration saw the need to establish the village as a town.

The move was a part of the President’s vision that every region must have a regional capital which can help to ‘trigger’ economic activity and development.

The A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition’s resuscitation of the holding of LGEs has created a structure in which central government does not bear the burden of administering to every community and neighbourhood in the country.

Prior to 2016, LGEs were not held in Guyana for more than 20 years. The hosting of the elections have enabled representatives in villages and towns to deal with issues at the grassroot level and this has done wonders for Lethem, which was declared a town on October 20, 2017.

“These townships are meant to be capital towns; capital towns with the aim of giving guidance to the region.

It means that whatever is being done here, at the level of the township, is supposed to transform the region in terms of development,” Beckles said.

He added: “Being the first mayor, it was no easy task because when we got into office after the Local Government Elections, what I found is that Lethem hadn’t any street lights.”

That was the beginning of the journey for Beckles, but today, Lethem has over 280 street lamps.

Lighting up the streets of the new town marked one of the first projects embarked

upon by the Town Council.

The former major recalled that 50 of the lamps were provided through the Town Council; 100 from the Lethem power company through the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and 132 from the Ministry of Communities.

Upon taking up the position on the council, Beckles said he and other members were met with a revenue base of $25,000 to $30,000 monthly coming from the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).

They also had little to no office equipment and no staff available.

INCREASED REVENUE COLLECTION “When I would have demitted office, I left with a revenue base in excess of $3M per month and those revenues were garnered right here by initiatives that we would have come up with from the council,” he said.

In a push for projects to

turn the town around, the council wrote to the Ministries of Public Infrastructure and Communities, requesting repairs to deplorable roads in the town.

“The minister sent in a team here – I was a part of the team – and we did a mapping [exercise] where we identified 7.2 kilometers of road to be done within the township,” Beckles said.

He added that presently, 4.2 kilometers of the area identified is being transformed into a four-lane road, though previously planned to be a two-lane road, thanks to Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson.

Another project for which plans began under the first council is the construction of a Lethem Town Hall.

Beckles told Guyana Chronicle that while he is no longer mayor, construction works for the project commenced and the project is expected to be completed within the next six to eight months.

Another project is the

building of a fire station in the town. That project is 95 per cent complete and soon staff will be recruited.

The council also purchased a 26-tonne capacity garbage truck and a 30-seater school bus from revenues collected in the township.

“We decided to do that project because of the cost to get children to school from here. If you had a child going to St. Ignatius School, you would have been required to pay between $3,500 to $4,000 a week,” he said, noting that today, they pay far less.

The former mayor added that the David Granger bus donated by the President through his ‘Five Bs’ initiative is also assisting with transportation and is free of cost.

The Lethem Municipal Market was also upgraded and this has since increased the level of interest in famers and vendors to occupy the space.

“When we got in there, there was very low occupan-

Former Lethem Mayor, Carlton Beckles cy. I think only three stalls were occupied in the market, now there’s an improvement in the occupation of stalls,” the former mayor said.

Several recreational areas were also developed such as the Declaration Park, the Mayflower Children Park, the Tabatinga Sports Complex Ground, the Tabatinga Community Ground and the Culvert City Ground.

Tourism should be recognised as export industry –– THAG advocates for tax exemptions

By Navendra Seoraj

THE Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) has called for tourism to be recognised as an export industry.

THAG President Mitra Ramkumar believes that tourism must follow rice and

THAG President Mitra Ramkumar sugar to be third on the list of exports.

“There is no coincidence that the past UN Secretary-General said that tourism is the third largest sector globally,” said Ramkumar during a cocktail reception for new Business Minister, Haimraj Rajkumar, at the

Cara Lodge on Friday evening.

He said if tourism is recognised as an export product, the industry must be granted concessions which are given to every other industry. Ramkumar said concessions could come in the form of no tax or a reduced rate of tax.

“We will continue to meet and lobby with the new minister to have these things…. Guyana needs to diversify its economy and make it robust from shocks of commodity prices,” he said, adding that tourism needs capital investments in order to be marketed.

This, he believes, will be done through a deliberate strategy which focuses on promoting tourism.

THAG has been doing a lot to promote tourism and ensure that Guyana remains the number one destination for eco-tourism.

The association has a number of upcoming events such as the annual tourism awards and auction, a photography event, El Dorado rum flight and many other attractions.

Although a lot has been done and is being done, Ramkumar believes that tourism still needs more attention in order to be the new frontier industry for Guyana.

Former Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin said it is a good time for tourism to grow and expand. He said amid the buzz for the budding oil industry, it is time for investment and growth in the tourism sector.

Gaskin also shared the view that tourism

Former Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin (left) and his successor, Minister Haimraj Rajkumar, in conversation (Adrian Narine photo) is an export industry and should be recognised as such.

The industry, he said, is a valuable asset as it brings in foreign dollars.

Development in the sector cannot be possible without governmental support or public/private partnerships.

Minister Rajkumar echoed the sentiments of Gaskin, noting that with significant input from all stakeholders, the standards of the tourism product can be lifted.

“Tourism has and will continue to

play an important part of developing our country… with the correct input and management, I believe the tourism industry can make a significant contribution to our development,” said Rajkumar.

The minister believes that Guyana is unique and offers a product which is different from the Caribbean.

He urged stakeholders to capitalise on the uniqueness and create a different package and product which would attract persons from across the world.

12

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

Teenage pregnancy under microscope –– project launched to tackle problem in Regions 1, 9

By Navendra Seoraj THE government, with financial assistance through the India-United Nations (UN) Development Partnership Fund Project, will be looking to reduce adolescent pregnancy by 10 per cent in Regions One and Nine by 2021.

The project called “Reducing adolescent pregnancy in Guyana” was officially launched at the Sophia Exhibition Centre on Friday.

Teenage pregnancy is a national concern and the grant of US$559,000 will provide financing that will

Minister Lawrence, adding that statistics have shown that Guyana has the highest rate of adolescent pregnancy in the English-speaking Caribbean.

The adolescent fertility is above average, especially among the indigenous girls, with a statistic of 74 out of every 1000 persons within the age group of 15-19 years old in Regions One, Seven and Nine.

“Our situation is critical and the recently conducted situation analysis on adolescents, pinpoints that compared to the other ethnic groups, the Indigenous People recorded the highest

take urgent action to address adolescent pregnancy.

PARTNERSHIP APPROACH In appreciating the enormous challenges, the ministry has recognised that it could not address the problem singlehandedly and thereby sought the support of other local and international partners to tackle the problem.

Against that backdrop, the ministry made a commitment to align the Adolescent Health Unit with the strategic action outlined

Office for the Caribbean Director, Alison Drayton, said adolescents and youth must be provided with age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education to develop the knowledge and skills they need to protect their health throughout their lives.

“Education and information are however not enough. Good, quality reproductive health services must be readily available to help adolescents make informed choices and be healthy,” she said.

She believes that with the support of the India-UN Development Partnership

From left, Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Venkatachalam Mahalingam; UN Resident Coordinator, Mikiko Tanaka; Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence; and Director of the UNFPA’s Sub-Regional Office for the Caribbean, Alison Drayton with the project agreement (Adrian Narine photo) help Guyana to improve access to adolescent sexual reproductive health and quality services in community; establish an enabling environment towards sexual and reproductive health; and empower adolescents, parents and communities to prevent teenage pregnancy and achieve the overarching goal of reducing adolescent pregnancy by 10 per cent.

This was according to Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, during her remarks at the launch of the project.

“The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Public Health, is aware of the high levels of adolescent pregnancy plaguing our country… We have prioritised this issue on our health agenda,” said

percentage of teenage pregnancy,” Lawrence outlined.

Some of the contributory factors were lack of access to contraceptives and comprehensive sexual education, risky sexual behaviour and early sex.

Lawrence believes that there is also an overriding factor that is many times overlooked and that is the cultural differences which exist.

“That is something that in everything we do, we must take into account whether it is Region One, Seven or Nine, we will find that as we move from one tribe to another, their cultural differences stand out,” she explained.

The ministry has since utilised the situational analysis to galvanise and

in the Global Strategy for Women, Children and Adolescent Health 2016-2030.

“Through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, we are here and we will be signing that threeyear project which will be implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Regions One and Nine,” said Lawrence.

She noted that government will still need to look at Region Seven since no one must be left behind.

The ministry’s focus for the targeted adolescent group includes adolescentfriendly health facilities; pregnancy support groups; community parenting groups; and all initiatives used to improve access to healthcare services.

UNFPA Sub-Regional

Fund, UNFPA and partners will be able to employ targeted interventions to reduce adolescent pregnancy in Regions One and Nine.

The two outcomes of the project are to strategically address capacity-building and increase access to sexual reproductive health information and services.

At the local level, communities should be provided with the infrastructure to deliver reproductive healthcare in a youth-friendly and sensitive way.

“Although today we are launching a new programme, we are already involved in strong collaborative solutions for reducing adolescent pregnancy, not only in Guyana but across the Region,” said Drayton.

The sub-regional office

UNFPA Sub-Regional Office for the Caribbean Director, Alison Drayton led the development of an school, information or integrated strategic frame- healthcare. work for the reduction of The UNFPA works to adolescent pregnancy in the address these issues by foCaribbean. cusing on the protection and This plan provides fulfilment of girls’ rights. policy and operational This includes supporting platforms for sub-regional comprehensive sexuality collaboration and gener- education and sexual and ates political momentum. reproductive healthcare to help girls avoid pregnancy.

GOAL UNFPA also advocates supThe goal is to reduce porting girls who become the number of adolescent pregnant so they can return pregnancies in each coun- to school and reach their try in the English and full potential.

Dutch-speaking CaribbeAs Guyana embarks an by at least 20 per cent on the journey to address this year. teenage pregnancy, the InAccording to the UNF- dian High Commissioner PA, every day in develop- to Guyana, Venkatachalam ing countries, 20,000 girls Mahalingam, and UN Resunder age 18 give birth. ident Coordinator, Mikiko This amounts to 7.3 million Tanaka, both wished Guybirths a year. And if all ana success for the project. pregnancies are included, The India-UN Developnot just births, the number ment Partnership Fund is of adolescent pregnancies a dedicated facility within will be much higher. the United Nations Fund When a girl becomes for South-South Cooperapregnant, her life can tion established in 2017. It change radically. Her edu- is supported and led by the cation may end and her job Government of the Repubprospects diminish. She lic of India, managed by the becomes more vulnerable United Nations Office for to poverty and exclusion, South-South Cooperation, and her health often suffers. and implemented in colComplications from laboration with the United pregnancy and childbirth Nations system. are the leading causes of The India-UN Develdeath among adolescent opment Partnership Fund girls. supports Southern-owned Adolescent pregnancy is and led, demand-drivgenerally not the result of en, and transformational a deliberate choice – these sustainable development girls often have little say projects across the deover decisions affecting veloping world, with a their lives. Rather, early focus on least developed pregnancy is a consequence countries and small Island of little or no access to developing states.

13

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

WGEC Hall of Fame officially launched

THE Women and Gender Equality Commission (WGEC) on Friday officially launched its Online Women’s Hall of Fame with the honouring of 25 heroines/sheros, including Andaiye and Magda Lois Muriel Pollard CCH,AA and the matriarch of the WGEC, both of whom died recently.

At the commencement of the programme which was held in the Conferenece Room of the National Library, a minute’s silence was

ment of Guyana. She has also helped to prepare Ministers of Women’s Affairs for the 1995 Beijing Conference on Women, and worked briefly as Special Adviser to the CARICOM Secretary-General on Women and Gender.

The late Magda Pollard is recognised both nationally and internationally for her firm commitment to women’s rights and the rights of the girlchild. She was awarded the CARICOM Triennial Award for Contribution to the Caribbean Women’s Move-

Industrial Workers Union, she toured the sugar estates and fought many battles on behalf of workers. In 1953, she was a candidate at the General Elections and won the constituency in the sugar belt with tremendous support from the sugar workers. In the stormy days of 1961, Jane led her women in protest. She helped to form and nurture the Women’s Auxiliary arm of the People’s National Congress (PNC).

Janet Jagan who was born in the USA was married to

A family member of deceased honouree, Magda Pollard, delivers a tribute, as a portrait of Pollard with a citation is displayed at left observed in honour of Pollard and Andaiye.

Delivering the opening remarks, Chairperson of the WGEC, Indranie Chandarpal, said the honorees were selected from during the pre-independence period to present, but that the 25 names in no way represents the number of women who deserve to be honoured.

Chief Executive Officer of the WGEC, Diana Swan-Lawrence, individually announced the names of the honorees and read a citation; IT specialist Samuel Reid, who was responsible for creating the organisation’s online Women’s Hall of Fame, displayed the respective photo along with a bio.

Andaiye, whose name means “daughter come home,” is one of Guyana’s and the Caribbean’s leading thinkers and women’s rights advocates; one whose activism is rooted in the interaction of class, race/ethnicity and gender. A founding member of the Red Thread organisation, her advocacy for the recognition of unwaged, low-waged women’s work and the upholding of women’s and children’s rights is consistent and enduring. Her involvement in politics began in her early 20s.

Andaiye served as a coordinator for the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) party and has edited some of the works of Clive Thomas and the late Walter Rodney.

In 1992 she was awarded the Golden Arrow of Achievement(A.A.) by the Govern-

ment in 1993 and the Special Award from the Caribbean Association of Home Economists in 1995. In 1996, a national award, the Golden Arrow of Achievement, was conferred on her.

In the sphere of Home Economics, Ms Pollard had held many posts, including Principal of the Carnegie School of Home Economics(1962-1978); lecturer at the University of Guyana (1975-1977; member and consultant for the Caribbean Home Economics Association and Chairperson for the CXC Home Economics Panel (1975-1985). She is credited with the publication of “Teaching Home Economics in the Caribbean” and “What’s Cooking in Guyana.”

She, between 1980 and up to the time of her recent demise, played a significant role in the sphere of women and development, as an administrator, consultant and adviser. She was also a commissioner on the Constitutional Commission for Women and Gender Equality.

The other honourees, some of whom are deceased, are: Gertie Wood, President of the Circle of Sunshine Workers, an organisation founded in 1931 and located at 110, Regent Road, Bourda. She was the pioneer for women’s rights.

Jane Phillips-Gay was one of the first African-Guyanese women to enter the British Guiana legislature.

Elected as the first General-Secretary of the Guyana

the late Dr Cheddi Jagan, former Executive President of Guyana. She was deeply concerned about the life and situation of the people under colonial rule, and with her husband formed the People’s Progressive Party in 1950.

She served as the generalsecretary until 1970. In 1997, Mrs Jagan was appointed prime minister and then became the first female Executive President of Guyana, serving from December 19, 1997 to August 11,1999. She received the Order of Excellence (OE) and the Ghandi Gold Medal for peace, among other awards for her outstanding work in the promotion and advancement of women.

Viola Victorine Burnham, familiarly known as “Vi,”was married to the late President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. A champion of women’s rights, she led Guyana’s delegation to the World Conference of the UN Decade for Women in Mexico in 1975. At that conference, she signed the Convention to Eliminate All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). She was awarded a national honour, the Order of Roraima. As a politician, she was the first woman to be appointed Vice- President and deputy prime minister with responsibility for Social Development and Culture and was also responsible for setting up SIMAP. Philomena Sahoye-Shury, earned the nickname “Fireball” for her feisty style during the independence

struggles, in defence of union rights for sugar workers Born at Den Amsel, West Coast Demerara, she began showing interest in politics and women’s affairs when she met Mrs Jagan. She believes that politics should be the same for both men and women. Her advice to young Guyanese women is, “The sky is the limit. Education is not only important, it is vital. Set realistic goals and standards and try to maintain good ethics, morals and values. The door is now wide open for women to take their rightful place in the socio-economic and political development of the country.”

Differently-abled Odessa Alexis Blair, 37, is a single mother of two, aged six and 16 years. She became blind while pregnant with her last child. Odessa, on the encouragement of friends, joined the Guyana Society for the Blind where he began interacting with other persons. She commenced her studies for the 2013 programme using the Jobs Access With Speech (JAWS) software application on her laptop that she acquired from the One Laptop Per Family programme.

Odessa, who wrote five subjects at CSEC and obtained Grade 2 in all, is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work at the University of Guyana.

Vilma Da Silva of Jacklow Pomeroon is a councillor

Paulette Jacobs Allicock is a proud Makushi woman and mother of five from Annai, North Rupununi. She co-founded the Makushi Research Unit (MRU), an indigenous women-led group which is recognised nationally and internationally. The MRU coordinator is also a facilitator in leadership, parenting and advocates and educates for the prevention of Domestic Violence and Trafficking in Persons (TIPs).

The late Desrey Caesar-Fox is from the Akawaio nation of Indigenous Peoples in Guyana. A national icon, she served as Minister within the Ministry of Education, championing languages, culture, music and choirs in schools. The late Caesar-Fox is a powerful example to all Amerindian and young Amerindian women in particular, of proudly affirming and promoting the richness and value of the country’s traditional culture, knowledge and heritage.

Bernadette Indira Persaud, is a Berbician who believes that the women’s movement , in general, has made us all the more conscious about discrimination against women/minorities-in life and in art. She however, has not been overly influenced by any local movement and believes that women, artists and citizens should all contribute to shaping a moral and just society.

the Woodside Choir. Kirkpatrick was recognised and awarded the Medal of Service in 1984; the Woman of Distinction2002 and the Mother of the Year in 2005.

Claudette Izel Humphrey nee Masdammer was the first female Olympian from then British Guiana, representing the country at the 1956 Olympic Summer Games in Melbourne, Australia, while a student of the Tutorial High School; she had entered “Tutorial” on an athletic scholarship. Her ability was recognised by the Castello brothers, founders of the school.

In 1960, she became a student nurse at the Georgetown Hospital. While studying in London she met and married a fellow Guyanese who was a naval soldier in the British navy. Mother to three children born in England, Singapore and Hong Kong, Claudette in 1965 enrolled in a midwifery course in Hong Kong. She has been credited in delivering 50 babies.

Sister Mary Noel Menezes (RSM), who was born in Guyana in 1930, is the first member of the religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy (RSM). She is a prominent Caribbean historian and educator, and has achieved the highest academic distinction, serving as a role model for women pursuing academic careers.

At the launch of the Women & Gender Equality Commission online Women’s Hall of Fame, from left in front row, differently-abled honouree, Odessa Alexis Blair; and Roberta Clarke, Nigel Westmaas and Wasir Mohamed on the Regional Democratic Council in Region Two, a Director on the Guyana Marketing Board and Founder/Leader of the Pomeroon Women Agro-Processing Association. The latter won the first prize in Barbados in 2011 for the most sustainable group in the Caribbean.

Da Silva, who owns Henvil Farm, is presently involved in exporting coconut water under the brand of HYDS and supplies her product to Sterling Products Limited, along with other crops.

Joycelynne Eleanor Loncke, is an accomplished Guyanese whose roots are in music, coming from a family in which both of her parents are musicians. She plays the violin, piano, cello and tenor pan and is renowned for her piano recitals in Guyana, the Caribbean and farther afield.

Margery Kirkpatrick, deceased, was noted for her outstanding legacy in her local promotion of Chinese culture and was an active member of the Chinese Association and a founding member of

June Ramsammy is a humble woman who blazed a trail for women in Guyana, and quietly bore the banner as the first woman in Guyana to be appointed to a number of prominent positions in both her private and professional life.

Matilda Saigo, who is from Paramakatoi Village, North Pakaraimas in Region Eight, considers herself a true Patamona and is proudly recognised See page 14

14

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

Qualfon expanding Providence …scales down Goedverwagting operations branch after losing key client

By Svetlana Marshall QUALFON Guyana Inc. has lost one of its key clients for the Goedverwagting operations and will be scaling down its business there, but staff who will be severed due to this move would have another chance as the

Qualfon Guyana Vice-President of Operations, Steve DiBari company is simultaneously expanding its Providence branch.

Some 200 employees could be affected at the Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara branch. The remaining 50 employees, according to a senior functionary at the company, are also at risk of being handed termination letters in the coming weeks or months but the global provider, of con-

The Qualfon Goedverwagting branch where approximately 200 employees were sent home. It now has approximately 50 staff left tact centre, back-office, and Vice-President of Operations, ger doing business in Guy- approximately 200 employbusiness process outsourcing Steve DiBari, in a Skype ana with us,” the Qualfon ees affected to date, accord(BPO) services, said it is not interview hosted at Qualfon vice-president of operations ing to the company. closing down its operations at Providence Campus One, explained. According to “Every single one of the Goedverwagting branch. said Qualfon Guyana, which him, due to the confiden- those employees that was let The termination letters has been operating in the tiality clause Qualfon has go because of that, they were were handed out in phases country for the past 14 years, agreed to, he is unable to given severance (pay) which with the most recent batch has three locations: Site Two disclose the name of the we feel was something that of letters issued at the start situated at Goedverwagting, client but would only say we wanted do because of of June, 2019. A dismissal and Campuses One and Two that the client has been with their tenure and because we letter issued on May 6, 2019 located at Providence – none Qualfon for 14 years. had a client for 14 years,” reads: “As discussed in your of which are closing.

DiBari said.

REASON FOR exit interview, this separation Each site, he said, has Fifty employees remain at RESTRUCTURING is based upon organisational different clients, explaining the Goedverwagting branch, It was explained that as and according to a senior restructuring which makes that one of the clients at the your role in your depart- Goedverwagting branch has a result of the loss of this functionary at the company, ment redundant. Therefore, consolidated its operations client in Guyana, Qualfon there is a potential that some, the company has chosen to – a move which has impli- began restructuring its op- if not all of them, could be isend your employment con- cations for Qualfon Guyana. erations particularly at the sued with termination letters. tract. All monies owed to “Their network was Goedverwagting branch. That But DiBari maintained you will be paid in the form consolidated and they made restructuring exercise started that the Geodverwagting of a cheque.” That letter was the decision to consolidate on January 24, 2019 when the branch is not closing down. signed by the Human De- their outsourcing work first batch of employees was “That site is still opervelopment Manager, Denise and their customer ser- issued with dismissal letters. ational. We still have other McGarrell-Murray. vice work. So within those Two other batches of letters clients that are there but we Q u a l f o n G u y a n a decisions, they are no lon- were since dispatched with do have one client that is

shutting down,” he told this newspaper, noting that the employees were and are fully informed.

“Although it is never great news that we are losing a client, just looking back and reflecting on all they have done for the community and Qualfon is something that we are very proud of,” he added.

The vice-president of operations said Qualfon is actively looking for other clients to ensure the effective use and operation of its sites.

“We are always looking for perspective clients, and we are actively looking. We have had many clients visit. We are in the process and in talks with many different clients to do work there,” DiBari assured this newspaper. As the largest BPO in Guyana, he said it is important to keep all three sites opened.

At the Providence Campuses, there are approximately 700 employees combined.

The company, however, is currently recruiting persons for that location.

“We have three locations, and our goal is to fill every seat in all those locations and to provide as many jobs as possible in Guyana. It is always our goal but we will do what makes sense for our company and what makes sense for Guyana, and what makes sense for our clients,” DiBari said.

He said the company maintains very high standards and only recently copped a regional award.

WGEC Hall of Fame ...

From page 13

as a matriarch of her village. She has also been honoured nationally for her years of service to Guyana in the medical profession.

Miss Saigo also currently serves on the Indigenous Peoples Commission, a constitutional rights body reporting to Parliament.

Other honourees who were cited were Sheila Holder; Kowsilla; Eileen Cox ; Desiree Bernard, Diane Mc Turk; Jean La Rose and Josephine Whitehead Tributes to Andaiye were read by Wintress White , representing Red Thread; Wasir Mohamed and Nigel Westmaas, while the tributes for Magda Pollard were delivered by Chandarpal, Vanda Radzik, Commissioner, WGEC ; Roberta Clarke and Gigi Pollard, on behalf of the Pollard family.

The names of Andaiye and Pollard, it was noted, will always be remembered when the history of women’s activism in Guyana is

recorded.` Earlier, Chandarpal, in a brief review leading up to the launch, said that it has its origin during Guyana’s preparation for the Beijing conference. Then, it was discovered that there was a paucity of information on Guyanese women who were known to have been champions in a number of areas.

A decision was then taken and starting in 1995, research started which led to the publication of a magazine titled “Women Power,” followed by “Women in Focus,” a book in which an attempt to examine the lives of women and recognise their contributions in society. With the establishment of the WGEC, a decision was taken in 2011 to begin honouring women in the month of March-- that included Guyanese women, as well as some in the international area.

She noted that women all over the world

These students pay rapt attention as citations for respective honourees are read ( Photos by Carl Croker) have played an important role in different aspects of development.

At the inception, the display of the honourees was done in the corridor of Parliament Building; on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Guyana’s independence, the display

was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, when the contributions of 50 women were highlighted.

She sees recognition of the women as serving as a motivation for the younger generation.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

15

16

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

17

18

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

GNBS observes World Accreditation Day

THE Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) is joining standard organisations world over in observing World Accreditation Day today.

The day was jointly established by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) to raise awareness of the importance of accreditation.

GNBS Public Relations Officer (PRO), Lloyd David, said the agency, as the national accreditation focal point, is offering services to

support organisations and businesses to implement international best standards.

This year’s theme, he said, focuses on how accreditation provides added value to the supply chains.

“Supply chains provide a vital role in delivering products and services for consumers, business and the public sector in a timely, cost-efficient and quality manner,” David noted.

According to IAF and ILAC, although businesses have been producing items with goods sourced from around the world for many

years, supply chains are now significantly more complex in terms of speed, scale, depth and breadth of global interactions.

David said the global nature of the supply chains and retail markets mean that businesses have to operate in multiple and often differing regulatory environments.

“Determining the quality, authenticity and traceability of raw materials or components requires credible and trustworthy information,” he said.

And on this note, the GNBS PRO explained that

accreditation and other quality infrastructure tools such as standards, metrology and conformity assessment, provide widely accepted tools that help deliver value to the supply chain.

“These tools help with trust and assurance, enabling confidence in both final products and services and the manner in which they are placed on the market and used,” he said.

As in previous years, David said the day will be celebrated across the world with the hosting of major national events, seminars, and press

GNBS PRO Lloyd David

and media coverage, to provide the opportunity to explore how accreditation can help deliver a safer world and to support businesses, government and regulators to find standards, conformity assessment and accreditation tools to support them in this goal.

Locally, business organi-

sations are becoming accredited according to international standards.

The list includes the Guyana Rice Development Board Central Laboratory and the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department.

These are accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard: General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.

In addition, medical institutions are also ensuring that they too are getting ahead of the game and are today reaping the benefits of being accredited.

These institutions are the Eureka Medical Laboratory Inc. and the Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital Inc. They are accredited to the ISO 15189 standard: Medical Laboratories -- requirements for quality and competence.

US Congressional leaders to help lobby for transfer of sugar quotas KEY members of the United States Congress have pledged to embark on efforts to determine what are the constraints that need to be overcome to facilitate the transfer of sugar quotas from one Caricom member state to another.

These pledges resulted from an appeal made to several members of the United States Congress, including key members of the Agriculture Committee by Komal Samaroo, Chairman of the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) during Caribbean American Legislative Week. Samaroo told Members of Congress in oneon-one meetings and in a keynote lunch address that reallocation of sugar quotas on a regional level would help strengthen the industry in those countries that still produce sugar.

Currently, according to Samaroo, Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis enjoy quota allocation for sugar on the US market for some 15,000 tons although these two countries no longer produce sugar.

“Reallocating these quotas to countries in the Caribbean that still produce sugar would make sense. I was not aware of this need and I will take follow-up action including writing to the United States Trade Representative

requesting that we look at this to see why it has not happened and what needs to be done to make it happen,” Congresswoman Barbara Lee said in response to Samaroo’s request for assistance at the opening session of the Caribbean Legislative Forum on Capitol Hill last Wednesday.

Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett asked Samaroo for a detailed outline of the problem which was later provided to her key staffers at a private meeting. “I want to have the details on this issue and to make sure I fully understand it so that I can raise it with the United States Trade Representative when he comes here to testify in a few weeks,” Plaskett, a member of the agriculture committee, said.

Several other members of the US Congress were briefed on the matter and have pledged to work to resolve this matter.

The Ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis to the United States, Dr. Thelma Phillips-Browne advised at the working lunch session that her country had already indicated its desire to reallocate its quota to Guyana and would support all efforts to make this a reality.

(Wesley Kirton)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

EPA still assessing Guyana Manganese Inc’s Matthews Ridge Mines

19

-- company seals off tunnels, dismantles plan to transform it to workshop

By Svetlana Marshall THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not granted approval for Guyana Manganese Inc. to commence operation at its Matthews Ridge Mines in Region One (Bari ma-Waini). That decision, according to EPA Executive Director, Dr. Vincent Adams, is still pending; however, in the interim, Guyana Manganese Inc., a subsidiary of Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated (GMGGI), has reportedly taken a decision to seal off the filthy, bat and rat infested tunnels which had resulted in the death of two Chinese nationals.

Speaking to the Guyana

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud

Chronicle on the sideline of a World Environment Day event held recently at State House, Dr. Adams said the assessment of the site is still ongoing. “We have not granted any approval… we are still evaluating (the mine),” Dr. Adams said.

An environmental officer was due to fly into Matthews Ridge on March 26 to assess the mine in response to an application for authorisation to operate by Guyana Manganese Inc., however, the visit was placed on hold after reports surfaced that workers within the mines had fallen sick after entering tunnels located in the concession.

Two Chinese nationals died while 24 other persons fell ill. There were subsequently diagnosed with histoplasmosis.

A team from EPA has since visited the mines. Dr. Adams noted that the manganese company has since indicated that it would no longer operate within the tunnels as was planned. Initially, Guyana Manganese Inc. had intended to set-up workshops within the tunnels but that plan failed when several of its employees fell seriously ill after cleaning bat droppings from one of

Guyana Manganese Inc. has reportedly indicated that the tunnels located at the Matthews Ridge Mines are now sealed

four tunnels at the mining site called ‘Rail Ends.’ The tunnels have been in existence since the 1970s when manganese was first mined at Matthews Ridge. The EPA executive director said while the company has given a verbal commitment to seal the tunnels, written commitment would be required.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, who also spoke to reporters on the sideline of the World Environment Day event, said the Public Health Ministry was also informed that the tunnels at the Matthew Ridge mines would be

sealed.

“The company has since informed us that they have sealed off those tunnels and that they would not be allowing anyone to venture into them,” the CMO said while fielding questions from reporters.

He noted that the situation at the mines has been normalised. It was explained that the 24 employees who were survived after exposed to the droppings in the tunnels, have all recovered, however, precautionary measures would still be taken.

The CMO also confirmed that the exposed employees

had histoplasmosis – an infection by a fungus found in the droppings of birds and bats in humid areas.

“We have firm confirmation that the agent was a spore-forming Histoplasma that are usually found in (bat) droppings, and the droppings from the bats were there for decades. So this fungus grew on the droppings, and when they attempted to clean out the tunnels… they breathe them into their lungs,” Dr. Persaud explained.

It was explained that usually, the organism is not an aggressive killer or results in disease, but given the state of the tunnels, it became deadly.

“We do see Histoplasmosis but mainly among people who are HIV positive, whose immune systems are damaged, but with the dose that they were exposed to in the tunnels, that caused the problem,” he posited.

The CMO said the Guyana Manganese Inc. was cooperative throughout the ordeal, noting that it even assisted by providing additional medication. The Chinese Centre for Diseases Control (CDC) was also helpful and continues to work with the Public Health Ministry, of-

EPA Executive Director, Dr. Vincent Adams

fering much-needed assistance, the CMO said.

The Chinese CDC is currently working with the Public Health Ministry to upgrade the Pakera District Hospital at Matthews Ridge, so that it would be equipped with specialists and laboratory equipment for testing.

Focus is also being placed on the National Public Health Reference Laboratory.

However, the Guyana Chronicle was unable to confirm whether Guyana Manganese Inc. has been sanctioned or will be sanctioned for sending the workers, with the exception of one, to clean the tunnels without personal protective equipment.

Bartica minibus drivers adopt Code of Conduct

MINIBUS operators in Bartica have decided to adopt the Code of Conduct for public transportation providers by donning uniforms.

According to a release from the United Minibus Union, the Bartica Branch of the body donned their uniforms, which comprise gold coloured shirts/jerseys and black and gold caps last Sunday.

The Code of Conduct was developed and endorsed by the Ministry of Business, the United Minibus Union, the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana National Road Safety Council.

The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to improve the quality safety and efficiency of public transportation in Guyana and to make the public transport system accessible to all commuters on a non-discriminatory basis.

The Code of Conduct was launched in February this year at the Stabroek Market Square Tarmac.

United Minibus Union (UMU) President, Eon Andrews (right); Bartica Branch Chairman, David Daniels (fourth from left), and Branch Secretary, Dianne Banwarie (fourth from right)

20

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

Broomes bats for SMART classrooms at St George's High School

MINISTER within the Ministry of the Presidency, Mrs. Simona CharlesBroomes has made a commitment to engage the Ministry of Education on introducing SMART Classrooms at the St George’s High School.

She made the announcement on Friday following a student’s request. She was at the time on a visit to the school where she held a lively interactive session with the students of the Company Path, Georgetown school.

According to a release from the Ministry of the Presidency, the Minister met with

the students after receiving an invitation from the school to speak with them on the importance of cultivating discipline and working towards their goals.

Minister Broomes encouraged the students to plan for their futures now and to remain focused as they will face many distractions and other challenges that could derail them.

“Your approach to education has to be different because you are crucial to the development of the nation…So I urge you to take these four pillars: discipline, self-respect, self-esteem and

commitment, to work and mould yourselves into responsible Guyanese leaders.

That is what we [the Government] want as we have to pass the mantle to you because our country’s future depends on you, the nation’s youths,” she said.

The Minster also urged the students to make a personal commitment to leading disciplined lives. For example, she said, the students could recite, “I pledged myself to make a difference at St. George’s High School starting with discipline, self-respect, self-esteem and commitment to my work.”

Minister within the Ministry of the Presidency, Mrs. Simona Broomes (centre) along with the Head Teacher of St. George’s High School, Ms. Donna Zammett and her staff (MOTP photo)

Minister Broomes also thanked the teachers for their commitment to the task of moulding the nation’s children, noting that their contributions to society in this regard are commendable and cannot be measured.

Grade Ten Business student, Ezra Gibson, said that the sentiments expressed by the Minister resonated with him personally.

“I like that the Minister took the time to come and talk to us especially on discipline because this is an area that I try to work on personally and her message was very touching to me,” he said.

His peer, Ms. Amberley Amarnauth agreed. “She talked about keeping your self-esteem up and that was very touching because sometimes you have situations

where you feel down and I think that her talking about these topics made an impression on me and I will work towards some of the things that she said,” Ms. Amarnauth said.

At the close of the session, Integrated Science Teacher, Vanessa Grahams, who facilitated the Minister’s visit, thanked her for meeting with the students.

These three boys pay keen attention to Minister within the Ministry of the Presidency, Mrs. Simona Broomes, as she encourages them to make wise choices (MOTP photo)

21

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

Guyanese film ‘The Tenants’ officially released

“THE Tenants…Rent’s Due”, an 111-minute-long drama by the George Subraj Foundation and Red Lock Media, was officially introduced to the Guyanese populace on Friday, with showings commencing on July 25 at Caribbean Cinemas.

Popular Guyanese-American entrepreneur and philanthropist, George Subraj (now deceased), along with long standing member of the entertainment industry, Richard B. Mahase, began talks of producing a Guyanese film in an American setting since back in 2015.

Four years later, Mahase and the George Subraj Family Foundation couldn’t be happier that the movie, which fulfills their beloved George Subraj’s vision, has come to fruition.

“This film was a passion project of my father for several years. To see his dream come to life… that encompasses his life experiences as a Guyanese-American from the area of Bel Air, is truly awe inspiring,” his daughter, Jasmine Subraj, told the press at the movie’s launch.

Speaking inside the Caribbean Cinemas Party Hall, at Giftland Mall, the daughter offered that her father’s hard work, determination, and giving personality, has left a mark and continues to drive their family to continue his work and legacy, both professionally and in their charitable pursuits.

Mr. Subraj’s wife, Nowatee Subraj, also spoke

well of her husband, as she noted how honest and successful he was as a businessman. “He gave over 25 years to Guyana, the place he loved so much…in health…and the educational field. He was a strong cultural man because he believed in the development of art,” she fondly recalled.

Mr. Mahase, writer and director of the movie, offered that the film was made

by Guyanese to the United States’ level of production.

Known for his many medical missions in Guyana, Subraj, as a New York resident, developed a huge rental enterprise before he passed.

The film is therefore about the industry in Queens, New York, which is considered the expansive ‘melting pot’ capital of the USA. It reflects the business that Mr. Subraj ran and the struggles of people from all across the world who are seeking to rent an apartment in New York.

The movie was cast with all American actors who hail from different countries; some from Japan, Russia, and Argentina, who came together in this apartment building.

Mahase is relieved that the film finally made it to Guyana because he said he was stymied for about 18 months in trying to do so. “I was about to leave last year without pursuing it further because I felt there weren’t any opportunities or events,” he offered.

At this point, he encountered Assistant Manager of Caribbean Cinemas, Sherwin Bart, and explained how

the film was all Guyanese.

“For the first time, someone recognised the value of a Guyanese production from abroad, and his words were encouraging,” related Mahase.

“I wanted to do my part to get this to the big screen. This is a proud moment in our history where we have a film produced by a Guyanese to an American standard,” responded Bart.

The film will show four times daily for one week commencing July 25 at the Caribbean Cinemas.

Meanwhile, regarding local entertainers in the acting fraternity, Mahase praised them as an “extremely talented” team of young actors and actresses. “The pool is fascinating; comparable to anywhere in the world,” he expressed.

For them to better function, though, he said they need an organisation, “a proper head and system to say how we will operate.

If we do not attach professionalism to talent, it will go in different directions, it will be diverse and it will be diluted.”

“So once they are to get a recognised body, the same way I was able to get my cast from a recognised body, then you will see how this talent pool will develop and grow. There is the talent, there is the passion; they just need a body to guide and structure them for success,” he added.

Local actors Michael Ignatius and Chris Gopaul attending the launch

At Friday’s launch. From left are senior coordinator of the Subraj Foundation, Mahindro Jainarine; Subraj’s daughter, Jasmine Subraj; his wife, Nowatee Subraj; writer/director, Richard B. Mahase; and Assistant Manager of Caribbean Cinemas, Sherwin Bart

22

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

23

24

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 9, 2019

25

26

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, June 9, 2019

Bravo’s recovery lies in his mind

By Rudi V. Webster

DARREN Bravo, the talented West Indies batsman, has been in a performance slump for some time now and has been receiving harsh and persistent criticism from cricket-lovers throughout the Caribbean.

Darren has probably tried many different approaches to escape from his failure spiral but none has worked.

His critics believe that his problems are purely technical and that the solution must therefore be a technical one.

Some of them have said

that he should ask Sir Garfield Sobers for advice and guidance. That would be a wise and sensible move.

very well with the situations you face because you approach them badly and don’t use your common sense to

ommend it to team members during the World Cup. “Dhoni’s attitude to pressure is interesting and is

Darren Bravo

These critics would, however, be disappointed to find that Sir Garfield’s approach, diagnosis and solution would be very different from their own.

A slump is a dramatic loss of confidence that is usually accompanied by self-doubts, confusion, poor concentration and poor performance. When a player is in a slump he often underestimates himself and his ability, and overestimates the ability of his opponent and the difficulty of the task. Players in a slump get trapped in a failure spiral where they fail, expect to fail and then fail again.

Here are Sir Garfield’s feelings about slumps: “When you are in a slump you tend to fiddle around with your technique and when you do this you make matters worse. Believe me, you don’t find the cause or solutions in the body very often.

“You must look into the mind, in particular, your thinking and concentration.

Only after you have done this should you look at other areas. The slump may be started by something physical like an injury, but in the end, poor mental functioning is the real cause.

The trigger to the slump is often trivial; a slight change in thinking and concentration can result in a major slump.

Personal problems off the field can also be a cause.

“Your thought patterns change when you are in a slump. You doubt yourself, you worry about the things that might happen to you, you make the job harder than it is and you put yourself down. You become anxious and confused and don’t cope

apply your skills.

“You must play your own style of game. If you try to change it and start doing things you are not used to, you won’t play well. You must focus on the basics of your game, strive to execute them well, and gradually work your way back.”

Ian Chappel, one of Australia’s best cricket captains, reiterates Sir Garfield’s comments. He says, “Your confidence and concentration are messed up when you are in a slump. Players in this state often do a thorough analysis of the physical aspects of their game. They examine their technique carefully and pick it apart bit by bit. The people around them offer all sorts of advice and often suggest that they change important aspects of their game that worked well for them in the past.

“They must learn to protect themselves from that type of advice. In those people who have a reasonable history of success, a slump is usually due to poor mental functioning rather than to any great technical problems.

“When the pressure becomes too great your brain starts to race and everything seems to speed up, particularly your psychological clock.

If you don’t do something about it, it will race around in circles and your body will follow.”

Darren is handling pressure inadequately, most of which he is creating in his own mind. As soon as he makes the necessary corrections in his mind, that will change. During his recovery he should pay attention to MS Dhoni’s perception of pressure. He should also rec-

probably the main reason why he has been so productive under pressure. He once told me: ‘I regard pressure as an opportunity to do well but there are times when I would rather not have it. I see it as a challenge not a threat. People say a lot of negative things about pressure. Pressure to me is just added responsibility. That’s how I look at it.

It’s not pressure when God gives you an opportunity to be a hero for your team and your country’.”

Darren still has a lot to offer to West Indies cricket.

In the old days when we didn’t have head coaches, specialist coaches and analysts, Darren’s problem would have been solved by the collective wisdom, intelligence and experience of the captain and fellow players.

In those days, players had to think for themselves, work out their own problems and stand on their own feet. The advent of professional coaches and analysts has, in many cases, dampened the players’ initiative, self-awareness and self-reliance. The players’ knowledge, intelligence and creativity are three of the most neglected and untapped resources in today’s teams. I believe that Darren can find a solution to his problem in the collective wisdom and experience of the players in his team.

Building and establishing self-confidence will be the key to his success. It is about knowing what he is doing, and being in control of what he is doing. If he doesn’t know what he is doing or is not in control of what he is doing, his confidence and performance will remain substandard.

Newbies Ondaan, Gorden want full support for Golden Jaguars ahead of Gold Cup THE way 25-year-old Torell Ondaan and 20-year-old Liam Gorden have blended into the Golden Jaguars’ setup would give the impression that they have been around before, but they have not.

The former, based in Holland, and the latter who plays in England donned national colours for the first time against Bermuda last Thursday night.

They both joined the Guyana national senior team at a historic juncture as the nation, for the first time in their 117plus year history, have qualified for the premier tournament in the CONCACAF Confederation, the Gold Cup. Speaking with GFF Media, both young men have said that they are excited and gratified at being given the opportunity to represent Guyana and will strive to represent with pride.

Torell Ondaan, who plies his trade at SC Telstar in Holland, described his feelings on making his debut as amazing and something that one cannot really describe: “The feeling is so amazing to be a Guyana player. It is one of the biggest dreams for me because I come from Holland, I’m born there but I always like to go to Guyana to see everybody, to feel everything about Guyana.”

He noted that whenever he travels to Guyana he feels all the love, “That’s why this is the biggest dream of my life.”

Born to Guyanese parents in Holland, Yonette and Lionel, and playing at the Second Division Level, Ondaan describes himself as the easy guy. He sees himself as a team player and has already felt the warmth of his teammates even though he has been with the team for just a matter of days.

“Everybody is so lovely and nice to me and I am still grooving into the team. I will see what I can do for the team, not for myself but more for the team. It’s amazing really, everybody is so nice, I didn’t expect that.”

Stating that this is home for him, Ondaan said his knowledge of Guyanese is that they are strong in will and he is encouraging everyone, players and all, to work together as a family not as individuals.

He is calling on fans and supporters to be persistent with the team: “Stay patient, watch the games with all the love and don’t be aggressive if we miss chances or something.

We are here now for the team, for the country and it’s amazing already that we have made it this far.”

Meanwhile, Liam Gorden, who celebrated his 20th birthday last week and plays as a defender with English club side Dagenham & Redbridge FC, described his debut as a massive opportunity.

“It’s the first time for me playing international football and it’s the best thing you can ask for. It’s better than club football; it’s a different experience. It’s a big thing for me and my family as well, just to recognise the Gorden name it makes me proud that I am Guyanese. It’s a dream come true for me.”

Gorden’s grandparents are from the Ancient County of Berbice, his grandfather hailing from Belladrum.

He notes that for the team to push on further there must be a collective effort fuelled by a deep sense of togetherness.

“The only way we’re going to push on far is for all of us, management and players, to be together and want it. We know what the goal is and we know what to do on the pitch and we’ll do that. I just want the team to do well.

“It doesn’t matter if I play or not, I’m part of the programme and it’s a massive opportunity for me as a young player to be involved in this. So I just want the country to do well and for everyone to recognise how good we can be.”

Young Gorden is calling on the fans and supporters to get behind the team and support: “It’s the first time that Guyana have ever been in this competition and it’s a massive competition. As long as everyone is behind us we’ll do whatever we can to prove to you that we can do it and let everyone know what Guyana is about.”

27

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, June 9, 2019

Barty party underway as Ashleigh triumphs in Paris

By Ossian Shine PARIS, France (Reuters) - Ashleigh Barty, the Australian who ditched tennis to play professional cricket for a year, smashed Marketa Vondrousova for six yesterday to lift the French Open crown at Roland Garros.

Boasting a bewildering array of shots and spins, the eighth seed crushed her Czech teenage opponent 6-1, 6-3 to win her first Grand Slam title, and Australia’s first French women’s singles crown in more than four decades.

“It’s unbelievable ... I played the perfect match today. I am so proud of myself and my whole team ... it has been a crazy two weeks,”

said Barty, the ninth different female champion in the last 10 grand slams.

“This is a special place for Australian players ... it has been a magical two weeks.”

Not since Margaret Court’s triumph in Paris in 1973 has an Australian won the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen but this victory was in very little doubt from the moment the final began.

In a match-up where guile and artistry always trumped power, Barty was simply smarter throughout.

Producing angles so sharp they might have come with a health warning, the 23-year-old carved apart Vondrousova in the opening set, clinching it in half an hour.

Works moving apace at LBI despite challenges DESPITE the challenges from the weather and other forces, construction of the living quarters for the grounds man, storage bond for ground preparation equipment and final sand-topping of the playing area at LBI Community Centre ground continue at full force.

A facebook post recently from Chief Executive Officer of Cricket Guyana Inc., Anand Sanasie, indicated that construction works are in full flow while the playing area is been sand-filled.

The upgrading of the facility became a reality after GCB secured the lease from the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GUYSUCO), last year January. This has paved the way for the board to invest approximately $600M in the next few years towards the general upgrading of the facility to benefit the cricketing community.

GCB had already invested close to $75M a few years ago to construct the existing hostel, the Chetram Singh Centre of Excellence, at that location and over the years the Board has saved a lot of accommodation expenses with the use of this hostel to house its players.

In addition to the facilities for the accommodation of teams preparing for local and regional tournaments, the Centre provides for indoor nets, a gym and a lecture room, all designed to turn out more rounded players, who are prepared to meet the challenges of the modern game.

The multi-million dollar structure was officially opened in 2010. It is expected that the bulk of the funding will come from the board through funds from the franchise league.

While the match was no classic, those fans who had taken a break after the conclusion of the Dominic Thiem-Novak Djokovic men’s semi-final, which had caused the women’s final to run more than an hour late, missed some of the more thoughtful tennis played on the Roland Garros clay this past fortnight.

Vondrousova, who herself has bamboozled a succession of opponents here, repeatedly found herself outfoxed by Barty, whose doubles excellence was always on display with her net-play and cleverly angled serving.

Barty, who returned to tennis in 2016 after a successful stint with the Brisbane Heat in Australian cricket’s Women’s Big Bash

Australia’s Ashleigh Barty celebrates with the trophy after winning the final against Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic at Roland Garros, Paris, France. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

League, took nary a backward step, breaking instantly in the second set to deprive her 19-year-old opponent any foothold.

Cracking a stiff-armed, two-handed backhand, in the manner of Jim Courier, Barty was able to counter Vondrousova’s attempts to pull her wide with her loopy

left-handed backhand, and the Czech rapidly ran out of ideas.

Vondrousova turned to ever riskier strategies - her drop shots became finer, her drives more firmly struck and she earned a little breathing space, holding serve three times after that early break.

But the irrevocable dam-

Teenager Gwinn earns German victory on her Women’s World Cup debut

Giulia Gwinn (second right) came to her side’s rescue and in doing so became the third teenager to score for Germany in FIFA Women’s World Cup history.

TEENAGER Giulia Gwinn scored on her first competitive appearance for Germany, as they made a winning start to their 2019 Women’s football World Cup campaign against China.

Ranked second, Germany were frustrated for long parts of the game by the Steel Roses in the Group B match in Rennes.

Yang Li hit the post for China after Germany’s Carolin Simon struck the bar before the only goal of the game.

Midfielder Gwinn, 19, fired home from the edge of the penalty area.

However, Olympic champions Germany were far from their best in front of a crowd of 15 283 at Roazhon Park.

China’s Yang wasted two great chances before Freiburg’s Gwinn scored her second senior international goal.

This was Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s first competitive game in charge of Germany and she will know she has much to do if her side are to repeat their 2003 and 2007 World Cup triumphs following an unconvincing performance in Brittany.

China, 14 places below their opponents in the world rankings, created the better chances and if Yang had been more clinical it could have been a different outcome.

Having made a strong start, Germany were caught when China counter-attacked but Gu Yasha’s pass to Yang ended up in the side-netting.

China’s star player Wang Shuang - nicknamed ‘Lady Messi’ after Barcelona’s highly-decorated men’s forward Lionel Messi - surprisingly started on the bench but the 2015 quarter-finalists coped ably without the Paris Saint-Germain forward.

Yang spurned another glorious chance with a shot which hit a post after another counter-attack as Germany struggled to impose their authority.

Top scorers in UEFA qualifying for the finals, the Germans were heading for a frustrating goalless draw when Gwinn, whose first eight caps had all been in friendlies, punished China for failing to clear a corner. (BBC Sport)

age had been done and when Barty slammed a short smash high into the stands it was all over and she raised her arms in triumph.

The victory lacked drama but lifts Barty to number two in the world - a feat last accomplished by an Australian woman in 1976

by Evonne Goolagong.

Spain come from behind to win their Women’s World Cup opener JENNIFER Hermoso scored two penalties as Spain came from behind to beat World Cup debutants South Africa, who were reduced to 10 players.

Atletico Madrid’s Hermoso converted both spot-kicks in the second half, awarded after a handball and Nothando Vilakazi’s late challenge - for which she received a second yellow card.

Spain were the better side and Lucia Garcia added a cool third late on.

Thembi Kgatlana had given South Africa a shock lead with a chipped finish.

Kgatlana should have put South Africa 2-0 ahead but her tame effort at the far post was pushed away by Spain goalkeeper Sandra Panos.

The result means they are now without a victory in any of their last 12 games and are bottom of Group B. Spain are top courtesy of better goal difference than two-time winners Germany, who edged past China 1-0 in their opening game.

Jorge Vilda’s side claimed their first victory at the tournament, having failed to win any of their games at the 2015 event, but it did not go to plan early on after Kgatlana’s surprise strike in the first half.

The Spaniards regrouped in the second period, Garcia looping a shot against the crossbar, Maria Leon curling a free-kick narrowly over and Marta Corredera seeing a scooped shot pushed away by Andile Dlamini.

But Hermoso did manage to keep her cool from the penalty spot, before Garcia went round Dlamini to slot in with a minute remaining. (BBC Sport)

28

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, June 9, 2019

Roy’s 153 leads England to victory over Bangladesh CARDIFF, Wales (Reuters) - England posted their highest World Cup total to overcome their Bangladesh hoodoo in style as they got back to winning ways with a crushing 106-run victory in Cardiff yesterday.

England had lost their last two World Cup matches against Bangladesh, including the defeat that knocked them out of the 2015 tournament, but they had no such trouble in blustery conditions in south Wales.

Jason Roy (153), who smashed the second highest World Cup score by an England batsman, and Jonny Bairstow (51) set England on their way, before Jos Buttler (64) took them past 300 and a late flurry from Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett ensured a record 386 for six.

In reply, pace bowler Jofra Archer struck early to remove Soumya Sarkar - the ball clipping the off stump before flying past the wicketkeeper all the way to the boundary without bouncing - before a run-a-ball century from Shakib Al Hasan helped Bangladesh recover.

But they were bowled out for 280 as tournament favourites England hit back from their surprise loss to Pakistan in convincing style.

Umpires/Scorers Association training course set for June 18

THE Guyana Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association (GCU&SA) will hold a training course on the Laws of Cricket from June 18, and every Tuesday and Thursday thereafter for a two-month duration.

Classes will be held from 17:00hrs each day at the DCC pavilion and at the conclusion of these sessions an examination will be administered with certificates presented to the successful candidates.

Trainers will include international umpire Nigel Duguid. In addition, those interested in careers as umpires, cricketers, administrators, coaches and media personnel, as well as cricket enthusiasts, are also invited to attend.

Registration fee is $1 000 and interested persons can contact GCU&SA president Arleigh Rutherford on 622-6969, Kelvin Morris 664-5657 or Stephon Josiah 645-2596.

“We knew that we would have to improve in order to win a tough game against Bangladesh,” England captain Eoin Morgan said. “And I think with the bat, in particular, we were outstanding.

“He (Roy) is very intimidating to play against when he does score runs.”

Roy and Bairstow put on the second-century opening partnership of this World Cup before Bairstow fell to a fine catch by Mehidy Hasan to make it 128-1 in the 20th over.

Roy was not to be deterred, reaching his ninth ODI hundred off 92 balls, before passing 150 with three successive sixes, only to fall the very next ball chasing another big hit.

“Jonny and I have been doing pretty well together over the last few years so we’ve got not too much to worry about,” man-of-the-match Roy said. “We’ll go out there and get the job done.”

Buttler, moved up the order as England kept attacking, slammed four sixes in his quick-fire 64, passing 50 from just 33 balls - the joint fastest half-century at this World Cup. Morgan made 35 before being caught and Plunkett and Woakes then

SCOREBOARD ENGLAND innings J. Roy c Mashrafe Mortaza b Mehidy Miraz b Mashrafe Mortaza

51

J. Root b Mohammad Saifuddin

21

J. Buttler c Soumya Sarkar b Mohammad Saifuddin

64

E. Morgan (c) c Soumya Sarkar b Mehidy Miraz

35

B. Stokes c Mashrafe Mortaza b Mustafizur Rahman C. Woakes not out

6 18

L. Plunkett not out

27

Extras: (lb-3, nb-1, w-7)

11

Total: (6 wickets, 50 overs) 386 Fall of wickets: 1-128, 2-205, 3-235, 4-330, 5-340, 6-341.

Bowling: Shakib Al Hasan 10-0-71-0, Mashrafe Mortaza 10-0-68-1, Mohammad Saifuddin 9-0-78-2, Mustafizur Rahman 9-0-75-1, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 10-0-67-2, Mosaddek Hossain 2-0-24-0.

BANGLADESH innings (target: 387

England’s Jason Roy celebrates reaching 150 runs. (Action Images via Reuters)

blasted 45 off the last 17 balls to help England post the seventh highest total in a World Cup. Buttler did not come out to keep wicket due to injury as Bangladesh got off to a shaky start with the bat, with Sarkar being spectacularly clean-bowled by Archer with just eight runs on the board.

Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim put on 107 for the third wicket before Mushfiqur fell six short of his 50, but Shakib’s eighth ODI century kept Bangladesh in with an outside chance.

Nonetheless, what would have been a World Cup record run chase eluded Bangladesh, as the innings lost momentum and England eased home.

“That total was too much; credit goes to England for the way they batted,” Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza said.

England now have two wins from three games and next take on the West Indies on Friday.

Bangladesh have one victory from three and play Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

Black Caps cruise, remain undefeated

The County Ground, Taunton, Britain - New Zealand’s James Neesham celebrates the wicket of Afghanistan’s Najibullah Zadran Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge -

KANE Williamson led by example as the New Zealand captain’s 79 not out guided his side to a seven-wicket win over Afghanistan that maintained their 100 percent start to the World Cup yesterday.

Williamson was New Zealand’s top scorer with a 99-ball innings containing nine fours after Jimmy Neesham took career-best one-day figures of 5-31 to dismiss Afghanistan for 172 at Taunton.

New Zealand’s third successive victory kept them on course to make the semi-finals in the 10-team tournament,

153

J. Bairstow c Mehidy Miraz

while Afghanistan have lost all three of their matches.

The Black Caps, who saw off Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in their opening two games, have won 11 of their last 12 World Cup games, with their only defeat in that span coming against Australia in the 2015 final.

The Black Caps’ run chase got off to the worst possible start when Aftab Alam had Martin Guptill caught off a thin inside edge with the first ball of the innings.

Guptill’s 14th ODI duck was a dream start for Aftab in the pace bowler’s first ap-

pearance in this year’s World Cup. Afghanistan took the field without leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who was hit on the head when he was dismissed

by Lockie Ferguson’s bouncer in the first innings.

He looked dazed as he walked off the field and later failed his first concussion test, ruling him out for the rest of the match and depriving Afghanistan of their best bowler.

But it was Aftab who was leading the Afghan attack to good effect and he removed Colin Munro to leave New Zealand on 2-41.

It was a nervous start from the Black Caps and Williamson had to survive a review of a caught-behind appeal.

Afghanistan kept the pressure on and Williamson rode his luck again when he just made his ground to beat a run-out review.

Together with Ross Taylor, Williamson steadied the ship in a 89-run partnership for the third wicket.

It was hardly flashy stuff as they nudged singles and picked off the occasional four until Taylor was bowled by Aftab for 48 from 52 balls.

Fittingly, it was Williamson who clinched the win with a routine single as New Zealand reached 3-173 in 32.1 overs.

Earlier, Neesham turned the game in New Zealand’s favour with his impressive spell after Afghanistan briefly threatened to rock the Black Caps.

Put in to bat, Afghanistan openers Hazratullah Zazai and Noor Ali Zadran blasted a quick-fire 66 for the first wicket.

But pace bowler Neesham, who had struggled in New Zealand’s first two matches, finally found his rhythm despite two rain interruptions.

Neesham made the crucial breakthrough when Hazratullah went for one big shot too many, the lefthander hitting to Colin Munro at deep cover to depart for 34.

runs from 50 overs) Tamim Iqbal c Morgan b Wood

19

Soumya Sarkar b Archer Shakib Al Hasan b Stokes Mushfiqur Rahim c Roy b Plunkett

2 121 44

Mohammad Mithun c Bairstow b Rashid 0 Mahmudullah c Bairstow b Wood

28

Mosaddek Hossain c Archer b Stokes 26 Mohammad Saifuddin b Stokes

5

Mehidy Hasan Miraz c Bairstow b Archer 12 Mashrafe Mortaza not out

4

Mustafizur Rahman c Bairstow b Archer 0 Extras: (lb 9, w 10) Total (all out; 48.5 overs)

19 280

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-63, 3-169, 4-170, 5-219, 6-254, 7-261, 8-264, 9-280.

Bowling: Woakes 8-0-67-0, Archer 8.5-2-29-3, Plunkett 8-0-36-1, Wood 8-0-52-2, Rashid 10-0-64-1, Stokes 6-1-23-3.

SCOREBOARD AFGHANISTAN innings Hazratullah Zazai c Munro b Neesham 34 Noor Ali Zadran c Latham b Ferguson 31 Rahmat Shah c Guptill b Neesham 0 Hashmatullah Shahidi c Henry b Ferguson 59 Gulbadin Naib c Latham b Neesham 4 Mohammad Nabi c Latham b Neesham 9 Najibullah Zadran c Latham b Neesham 4 Ikram Alikhil c Guptill b de Grandhomme 2 Rashid Khan b Ferguson 0 Aftab Alam c Latham b Ferguson 14 Hamid Hassan not out 7 Extras: (lb-6, w-2) 8 Total: (all out, 41.1 overs) 172 Fall of wickets: 1-66, 2-66, 3-66, 4-70 , 5-105, 6-109, 7-130, 8-131, 9-147.

Bowling: M Henry 8-0-50-0, T. Boult 10-0-34-0, L. Ferguson 9.13-37-4, J. Neesham 10-1-31-5, C. de Grandhomme 4-1-14-1.

NEW ZEALAND innings (target: 173 runs from 50 overs) M. Guptill c Najibullah Zadran b Aftab Alam 0 C. Munro c Hamid Hassan b Aftab Alam 22 K. Williamson not out 79 L. Taylor b Aftab Alam 48 T. Latham not out 13 Extras: (lb-4, nb-1, w-6) 11 Total: (3 wickets, 32.1 overs) 173 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-41, 3-130 Bowling: Aftab Alam 8.1-0-45-3, Hamid Hassan 7-0-30-0, Gulbadin Naib 9-1-55-0, Mohammad Nabi 3-0-18-0, Rahmat Shah 5-0-21-0.

29

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, June 9, 2019

Facing 3-1 deficit, Warriors hope to reverse history

By Rory Carroll OAKLAND, California (Reuters) - A defiant Golden State Warriors team are adamant they can overturn a 3-1 deficit to the Toronto Raptors and erase memories of becoming the first team to fail to win the NBA title after holding the same advantage.

The memory of the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers recovering from a 3-1 deficit to snatch the championship in 2016 is still fresh in their minds and gives them faith that their goal of a third successive title is not dead.

“We just got to win one game and then build on that,” Warriors forward

Draymond Green told reporters after Friday’s 10592 Game Four loss in Oakland.

“But I’ve been on the wrong side of 3-1 before, so why not make our own history.”

The Warriors battled back from a 3-1 deficit of their own in the 2016 Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, so they know what it takes to come back from the brink.

That Thunder team was led by Kevin Durant, who joined the Warriors the following season and went on to win back-to-back Finals MVP awards with the team in 2017 and 2018.

Durant has been sidelined with a calf strain since May 8, however, and it is unclear if he will be able to play in Game Five in Toronto tomorrow.

The Warriors said they will be prepared to go with or without their sharpshooting forward.

“It’s not over,” a defiant Stephen Curry said.

“It’s not a good feeling right now, obviously, but we have been on both sides of it.

“And for us it’s an opportunity for us to just flip this whole series on its head.”

Coach Steve Kerr said his team’s desire to win is their most important asset going forward.

“We’ve got a lot of talent

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots the ball against Toronto Raptors centre Serge Ibaka (9) in game four of the 2019 NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Oakland, CA, USA. (Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

and we got a lot of pride,” he said.

“These guys have been to the Finals five straight

GSCL Independence Cup 2019

Regal Masters looking for more silverware today

RECOGNISING that the weather in Georgetown is perfect for softball cricket, the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. (GSCL) will run off its annual Independence Softball Cup today, at the Everest Cricket Club ground beginning at 09:30hrs.

The four-team tournament, which is for teams comprising players 45 years and older, will bowl off with semifinals action simultaneously on two pitches after which the two winners will clash in the grand final from 14:00hrs.

There will be lots of prizes on offer for outstanding performances while there will also have live ball-byball commentary for all who attend.

The May/June rainfall is having its effect on grounds in the city but the management of Everest Cricket Club (ECC) recently enhanced the ground’s drainage capacity

President of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc., Ian John (right), and Devi Sunich of Trophy Stall pose with some of the trophies for today’s tournament

and also built up the outfield making it perfect for ‘under-arm’ bowling that will also lead to excitement galore.

The in-form Regal Masters will begin as favourites for another title, but will be strongly challenged by Mike’s Wellman, Ariel Masters and Fishermen Masters.

Just a week ago, Regal Masters won a similar

tournament with Ramesh Narine cracking a century while David Harper was also in destructive form, hitting a rapid 93 which allowed the men in yellow and green to overcome Wellman Masters in a one-sided final at Malteenoes Sports Club.

The Independence Softball Cup, organised by the GSCL, is being used as much needed preparation for play-

ers and teams heading to New York for the annual New York Softball Cricket League’s Independence Cup from June 28 to 30 this year.

Regal Masters are the defending champions in the Masters category and will be looking to continue their winning ways both locally and in the ‘Big Apple’.

years for a reason. They’re unbelievably competitive.

And they’re together and they’re going to fight.

“So we’ll go try to get one win and, if we can do that, come back here and see what happens.”

Reggae Girlz intend to make mark at World Cup: head coach Menzies … play Brazil in opening game today PARIS, France (CMC) – Jamaica are not at the Women’s World Cup merely to spectate but to show they are one of the best in the world, head coach Hue Menzies has insisted.

The Reggae Girlz are the first nation from the Caribbean to qualify for the World Cup and will play Brazil in their opening game today.

Despite being the 53rd ranked team in the world, the Jamaicans are not daunted about being in Group C with sixthranked Australia, Brazil (10th) and Italy (15th).

Menzies said despite their ranking, he believes the Reggae Girlz are the best counter-attacking team at the World Cup. “The entire World Cup is a group of death so it doesn’t matter where you fall. We are here to compete and we feel like we are p­ robably one of the best teams in terms of counter-attacking, so we are going to depend a ­little bit on that,” Menzies said.

“Everybody knows it, it’s nothing to hide, but teams will have to deal with our pace and also our attitude to get results.

We just have that.”

The Jamaicans arrived in France late last week and Menzies reported that the team had settled in well, ahead of the Brazil contest.

Meanwhile, Mireya Grey joined the team Friday night, replacing injured Kayla McCoy, who had to withdraw from the tournament with a knee problem.

The Reggae Girlz also received a boost ahead of their opener against Brazil, after it was announced that reigning FIFA World Best, Marta, would not feature for the South Americans.

Marta has been struggling with an injury to her left thigh since late last month but there were hopes among the Brazilians that one of women’s football’s biggest names would recover in time to face debutants Jamaica.

She has scored 133 goals for Brazil in 110 games and helped the country to two Olympic silver medals and a Women’s World Cup final. She is also a six-time recipient of the World Player-of-the--Year award.

30

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, June 9, 2019

Barnwell sparks Guyana Jaguars to massive UDECOTT T10 win … beat South-Central by 8 wickets at Brian Lara Cricket Academy

By Brij Parasnath EXPLOSIVE big-hitting has become the norm of modern-day cricket. And while cricket fans have been disappointed in the many low-scoring matches in the current ICC World Cup matches, Guyana Jaguars all-rounder Christopher Barnwell displayed his power stroke-making ability in grand fashion during a fine exhibition of calculated big-hitting against a combined South-Central outfit, in the opening match of the inaugural UDECOTT T10 match, contested at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, on Friday evening.

With Guyana Jaguars set 84 runs to win from the allotted 10 overs, the sturdy built Barnwell lighted up the evening skyline with his right-handed pyrotechnics that sent the white ball sailing into orbit and well beyond the boundary markers and into the stands on eight occasions, as he raced to an unbeaten 57 off only 16 deliveries.

Barnwell had replaced former West Indies ODIs opener Chandrapaul Hemraj

(1x4 off six balls) who departed centre-stage with only five runs to his name. His lofted stroke ended into the hands of Kjorn Ottley off the bowling of T&T’s leg-spinner JonRuss Jagessar.

Ottley accepted the catch gleefully just inside the boundary while his teammates and the supportive crowd cheered lustily. The Jaguars were nine for one wicket. And if there were any thoughts of more quick wickets tumbling after the dismissal of left-handed opener Trevon Griffith who joined his partner Hemraj at the team’s hut on the northern side of the iconic stadium, Barnwell dispelled those emotional fantasy with his clean purposeful hitting that hastened the commanding victory with 21 balls remaining.

Barnwell was spurred into his big-hitting ways after his DCC clubmate Griffith was bowled by former West Indies Under off-spinner Jyd Goolie for 14 that contained one six and a four off six deliveries. The scoreboard showed that the Jaguars were 20 for 2.

Barnwell was joined by captain Leon Johnson and

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday June 09, 2019) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL- Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1)

Australia & New Zealand (7 times each)

(2)

Stephen Fleming-1075 runs

Today’s Quiz: (1) Name the three teams that have each appeared only once in World Cup tournaments?

(2) In which World Cup tournament an odd number of teams took part?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

he took a special liking for the floated deliveries from Goolie, whom he smashed for three huge sixes. He repeated a similar feat with three gigantic maximums off T&T’s spinner Mark Deyal, who was introduced at the southern end.

Johnson played a watchful role and finished with 12 not out (1x4) off eleven deliveries while Barnwell blazed to a hurricane unbeaten 57, as the Guyanese contingent signalled their intention to win the TT$75 000 first prize in the fourteam series.

Barnwell’s 50 (1x4, 7x6) was scored off 15 deliveries. His eighth six was the winning stroke after he registered the first fifty of the tournament.

The second match between a formidable North-Tobago and Windwards Hurricanes was abandoned without a completed innings when a heavy downpour left the outfield in an unplayable state.

Windwards had reached 61 for 6 after 8.3 overs when the deluge forced the players off the field. And although the showers stopped, too much water forced the organ-

Christopher Barnwell

isers to abandon play for the rest of the evening.

It was a major disappointment for the ardent fans who showed up with the expectation of plenty fireworks from West Indies and T20 superstars Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine who were members of the North-Tobago team.

Pollard is serving as captain of the team that also includes established players Rayad Emrit, Yannic Cariah, Akeal Hosein, Tion Webster and Khary Pierre.

The Hurricanes were shocked into disbelief when left-arm spinning all-rounder Akeal Hosein produced a magical spell to claim four wickets in his two-over spell without conceding a single run and left the visitors stunned at 5 runs for 4 wickets after three overs.

Hosein bowled West

Indies T20 player Andre Fletcher with a quicker one with the first ball of the match and then shattered the stumps of Kavem Hodge three balls later. It was a sensational start for the QPCC player, as he repeated the feat in his second over and third of the innings.

He bowled opener Desron Maloney for a solitary single and then forced Dillon Douglas to offer a simple return catch. He left the arena completely dumbfounded as their dreams of a positive start against the star-studded North-Tobago outfit became a nightmarish experience.

Junior Henry and Ryan John averted further disaster and stitched together an 18run fifth-wicket partnership.

Henry made eight runs off eleven balls before Ryan Emrit sent him marching forlornly to the pavilion,

caught by wicketkeeper Joshua DaSilva.

John was joined by West Indies Under-19 player Alick Athanaze and together they restored some respectability to the proceedings.

John struck three boundaries off 17 balls while Athanaze did better with four fours off nine deliveries.

They featured in an encouraging 31-run sixth-wicket stand when John, the top-scorer with 25; exited by offering Terrence Hinds a return catch. Athanaze was not-out on 20 while Keron Cottoy was undefeated on 7 when the showers thundered down and eventually forced the abandonment.

There were four matches yesterday and the final will be contested this afternoon at the same venue.

Lloyd says Windies must play smart cricket NOTTINGHAM, England (CMC) – Clive Lloyd, the last West Indies captain to taste World Cup glory, has insisted that the regional team need to make smarter decisions if they are to have an impact in the tournament.

Lloyd, the legendary captain who won the 1975 and 1979 World Cups, made the comments following the Windies’ batting collapse against Australia on Thursday.

The Windies were well-placed on 190 for four in the 35th over, chasing Australia’s total of 288, but lost five wickets for 66 runs to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Lloyd said he believed it was a game the West Indies should have easily won.

“The West Indies team must start to play smart cricket because they have two real big games coming up against South

Africa and England, therefore they have to be on top of their game as I’m sure they’d want to qualify,” he said.

“I think on another day, with a better analysis of the situation they could have won that game and this would have given them the impetus to realise that they were serious contenders to qualify for the latter stages of this competition.”

Lloyd said players needed to realise they were playing 50-over cricket and not T20.

“The players have to realise that this is not Twenty20. The batsmen need to turn those scores of 30 and 40 into bigger scores and they must be aware that all these teams have world class bowlers at their disposal,” he said.

He explained that their next match against South Africa was a crucial one

in deciding whether they qualify for the knockout phase of the competition.

Lloyd said it was important for the West Indies to put the loss against Australia behind them.

“South Africa are up next and while they haven’t performed to their ability, Windies have to be aware of the job at hand, as South Africa are in danger of missing out on the top four if they lose.

“They now have to re-group, look at the mistakes they made and rectify them so that they can return to their winning ways. I’m still feeling positive about the West Indies overall,” Lloyd revealed.

“West Indies have to get all the disciplines right on the day and play clever cricket because for the most part of the day (against Australia) they did well, but they simply did not capitalise on the early dismissals.”

31

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, June 9, 2019

Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Karate Association team win several medals in New Jersey MEMBERS of the Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Karate Association registered podium finish in several events, when they competed in the North American Federation of Martial Arts International Championships, which was recently held in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

All seven karatekas earned medals. Leading the charge was Azariah Duncan, who stormed to first-place finishes in traditional kata, kumite and freeform.

Chandrapaul Sukha finished first in kumite and earned two silver medals in freeform and traditional kata.

Altaf Singh finished first in traditional kata, second in kumite and third in freeform karate.

In the black belt division: Zafar Lee Ramnarine finished second in kumite, second in traditional kata, third in freeform karate and third in weapons, while Raul Joseph finished third in traditional kata, and Abrar Wahid third in kumite and third in freeform karate.

Master Lloyd Ramnarine, who made a return to competition after 18 years in the martial arts arena, finished first in kumite and also received a special award from Grandmaster Jose Torres.

According to information from the association, Ramnarine promised his students that he would compete alongside them in the future.

Ramnarine also congratulated each student who participated in what was described as a very rigid international martial arts championship.

He thanked sponsors: Anand Persaud Dental Lab, Dougie Beer Garden in Bagotstown, Howard Restaurant in Eccles, National Horse Racing, Atlantic Marine Supply and Silvie’s Variety Store, He also extended special thanks to Republic Bank for sponsoring Azariah Duncan.

Meanwhile persons interested in learning martial arts can become a member of any of the associations’ schools.

Among benefits to be derived are: self-control, self-defence, self-discipline and overall health improvement, The schools are Iron Fist

Ross satisfied with third-place performance at NABBA World Championships

GUYANA’S most decorated bodybuilder, Hugh Ross, registered another podium finish, when he competed at the National Amateur Bodybuilders Association (NABBA) World Championships, which was held in Northern Ireland yesterday.

The multi-time winner decided only seven weeks ago to compete in the Over50 division of the top global competition and has expressed his satisfaction with his third place trophy.

“I’m very satisfied with my overall performance and my appearance. Given the time frame that I worked with, I’m particularly satisfied with what I was able to achieve.”

Ross, who has not participated in any bodybuilding competition since 2015, when he won the Over-50 division in the same championships, finished ahead of several big names in the sport.

The US-based Guyanese, who has the distinction of winning both the US national Masters bodybuilding and powerlifting championships, registered the best finish by a non-UK representative.

Brendan Surgeoner from Northern Ireland was declared the winner, while

Hugh Ross (left) won another NABBA World Championships trophy yesterday.

Great Britain’s Anthony James was named runner-up.

In the final the Berbice (Eversham)-born beat off eight world-rated opponents, who represented Canada, Slovak Republic, Czech Republic (two), France, Northern Ireland (two others) and Austria.

The former military man, who will turn 60 in a few weeks, said that the Over-50 division had some of the most defined bodybuilders and was one of the most competitive divisions at the 2019 World

Championships.

According to the Medal of Service recipient, due to the peak conditioning of the older athletes NABBA has decided to change the age ranges of the divisions.

Instead of 40-50, participants will compete in the 45-55 category from October when the Mr Universe is held.

The older athletes will compete in the Over-55 age division, instead of the Over-50 age division.

Medal winners who competed in the North American Federation of Martial Arts International Championships

Martial Arts Academy located in Diamond/Grove Primary School, Vreed-en-Hoop Martial Arts Academy located opposite Royal Castle, Herstelling Tiger Martial Arts

Academy at the NDC building, Invisible Kicks Martial Arts Academy in La Parfaite Harmonie and Red Dragon Martial Arts Academy located at the Belle West Primary

School.

Contact instructors on 698-6727, 673-0823, 6987456, 266-2869 and 6224857.

AB de Villiers must live with retirement decision, says SA coach Gibson SOUTHAMPTON, England (Reuters) - Coach Ottis Gibson says AB de Villiers will have to “live with the decision he has made” after the batsman attempted to come out of international retirement on the eve of South Africa’s squad announcement for the World Cup. Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed this week that de Villiers, regarded as one of the world’s leading batsmen, had approached captain Faf du Plessis and Gibson about a return to the side following his self-imposed exit from the team last May, after which he took part in a number of Twenty20 tournaments.

The approach was rebuffed by the national selectors but has been revealed in the media, at a difficult time for the team after they lost their opening three matches of the World Cup to England, Bangladesh and India.

“I don ’t think you should have to beg a guy to play for his country but I did make it clear to him that I thought he was making a bad decision (by retiring last year) and that he could help us win the World Cup,” a clearly irritated Gibson told reporters yesterday.

“Since he has retired we

Former Soth Africa batsman AB de Villiers

have won every series we’ve played, and I haven’t had many AB questions. Suddenly we’ve come to the World Cup and we’ve had one bad week, and AB is the saviour.

“But AB has retired.

He’s made his decision. We have to live with the decision he has made. He has to live with the decision he has made.”

Gibson says he found the whole episode “strange”, especially as de Villiers has repeatedly claimed he was happy in international retirement.

“He made his decision and he has said continuously that he is happy with his decision.

“There are a lot more people wanting AB to be here than AB himself. If AB wanted to be here, he would be here.”

Gibson added that there was disappointment within the South African squad that the issue had become public as the team battle for form and for survival in the tournament.

“The guys are disappointed that it’s come out at the time that it’s come out. When we got together in camp, we spoke about managing distractions, that was one of the things that we said could come up.”

South Africa play West Indies in Southampton on Monday in desperate need of a victory to keep their slim World Cup hopes alive.

“Are we going to talk about this all the time? Or are we going to prepare for the West Indies game.

Because it feels like it’s a court case here,” Gibson said.

Newbies Ondaan, Gorden want full support for Golden Jaguars ahead of Gold Cup

PAGE

26 Torell Ondaan (right) and Liam Gorden

Lloyd says Windies must play smart cricket PAGE

30

The West Indies celebrate a wicket against the Aussies at Trent Bridge on Thursday( Reuters photo)

Reggae Girlz intend to make mark at World Cup: head coach Menzies ‌ play Brazil in opening game today

PAGE

29

The Reggae Girlz hope to get off to a winning start when they face Brazil today 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

SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2019