Guyana Chronicle E-paper 9-03-2018

MONDAY 3rd September, 2018

No.105386

… Call for T&T to refine Guyana oil

Good in principle

–– but has to be carefully considered, says Minister Greenidge 03 PAGE

Footballer killed 04 in accident PAGE

Akeemo Bristol

Youths encouraged to become 08 PAGE

agro-entrepreneurs

Ready for school: These children hold their school bags with pride and no doubt will be looking forward to attend school today. More than 70 children in Sections C, D, Block F Sophia, Cummings Lodge, Industry, Land of Canaan and Berbice received school bags and stationery in the Leo Club of Bel Air recent Back-to-School drive. In photo, from left: Leo Club of Bel Air Vice-President Christopher Belfield, Leo Adviser Shondelle Gray and President Waynace Forde pose with some of the beneficiaries of the good gesture

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

… Call for T&T to refine Guyana oil

Good in principle –– but has to be carefully considered, says Minister Greenidge

By Svetlana Marshall TRINIDAD and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) will be given the first option to buy the Petrotrin refinery as the company shifts its focus to the extraction and export of crude oil.

But Opposition Leader of the twin-island republic Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has called on her government to partner with Guyana to refine its oil.

Reacting to the call, Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said while the proposal might be good in principle, there are several critical areas that ought to be considered by Guyana before any decision is made.

Former Trinidad Prime Minister, now Leader of the Opposition, Kamla Persad-Bissessar has expressed the view that Trinidad should attempt to partner with Guyana - its CARICOM sister state - to refine its oil.

Prior to ExxonMobil’s 9th oil discovery here in the Stabroek Block days ago, it was estimated that Guyana had more than four billion oil-equivalent barrels. With this number expecting to increase with the latest oil find, Persad-Bissessar believes

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge that her country should at least try to capitalise on this ‘golden opportunity’ that would salvage the island’s petroleum industry.

“I understand Guyana has found another well and they are producing, can we not group in some way and find a way to work together as a CARICOM (sic) where we can help them refine their oil?” the Trinidad opposition leader was quoted in Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

Vice-President and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge told the Guyana Chronicle that the idea is

good in principle.

“These ideas of utilising spare capacity which the Region may have in anything to ensure that one makes the best of the resources that we have in the Region is one that is very commendable,” Minister Greenidge told this newspaper when contacted on Sunday.

However, he said for an industry as complicated as the oil and gas Industry or petroleum industry, consideration must be given to the specifics.

“The cost associated with the processing by the

Truck ends up in trench after driver loses control

THE driver of a sand truck on Sunday lost control of the vehicle, causing it to plunge into a trench near Little Diamond on the Public Road, East Bank of Demerara.

According to bystanders and the trucking service at the scene, the accident occurred around 17:00hrs as the driver of GWW 9836 was headed north on the western carriageway.

Skid marks painted a visible path from the road to the trench showing that the truck just narrowly missed collision with a rail nearby.

Meanwhile, only one man was seen on the truck assisting with the removal of the

vehicle which lay on its side, stuck in the thick, dark mud.

When the Guyana Chronicle enquired about the events leading up to the accident, there were no eyewitnesses present.

However, the City Trucking Service workers relayed that they were told that the truck driver had since left to visit the hospital for treatment.

A similar story was given by the man assisting in the removal process.

With the help of two police officers at the scene, the East Bank traffic was only mildly affected by the accident.

specific facility, volume is another dimension, and then there are a number of other issues to be examined as far as I am aware,” he explained, while reiterating that the idea is generally sound in principle, but there are specifics that must be addressed before any decision is taken.

He, however, noted that the two governments will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

“Guyana and Trinidad are looking at an MoU, covering in energy, and there will be later this month a conclusion of that MoU,” he posited.

Minister Greenidge alluded to the fact the Guyana government is in receipt of an ‘Oil and Gas Master Plan,’ which was developed and submitted by Mitsubishi Corporation and Chiyoda Corporation in collaboration with the Government of Japan.

The plan has as key objectives the development of Guyana’s domestic oil industry; the creation of a balance in the domestic usage and exportation of products from indigenous oil and gas; the harmonisation of the industry in keeping with Guyana’s ‘green’ development agenda; and the quantifying of the economic feasibility of the plans.

He noted that the Japanese Government has offered Guyana to undertake feasibility studies on a number of logistical areas which include a refinery. Those studies will be among reports that would inform government’s decision.

“So we will be informed by the feasibility studies as to what can and can’t be done. We would also look at what capacity there is in the Region,” the foreign affairs minister said.

In May, Pedro Haas, Director of Advisory Services at Hartree Partners which conducted a feasibility study for an oil refinery here, had revealed that the cost to construct a standard 100 barrel per day oil refinery would be US$5B. Given the cost, Haas suggested that there be a creation of a robust unit within the Ministry of Finance, which should have both technical and professional relationship with the international oil companies exploring for oil here.

The expert had said as an alternative to the establishment of an oil refinery, it would be best for the government to maximise income from commercialising crude oil, swap or toll crude oil for products on the international

Former Trinidad Prime Minister, now Leader of the Opposition Kamla Persad-Bissessar (Newsday Photo) market, create joint ventures with offshore refineries, as well as acquire stock in refining companies.

Haas said whether an oil company is state-owned, domestic or internationally operated, from the standpoint of the government and in the interest of the state, the creation of a fiscal authority body, which would have knowledge of the markets and taxes “in the proper way” is best.

This, he noted, will enable a body to bring an educated discussion on the subject.

The City Trucking Service assists with the removal of the vehicle from a trench near Little Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara on Sunday (Samuel Maughn photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

Police nab jet boat passenger with cannabis

Footballer killed in accident AKEEMO Bristol, 23, a footballer from East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was struck down and killed by a speeding, drunk police rank early on Sunday morning near the Plaza Bridge on Mandela Av-

enue Reports are that the driver had alcohol in his system above the legal limit as stipulated in the law.

The policeman has since been placed under close arrest.

Akeemo Bristol

More pumps for Region Two

THE National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has committed to providing more pumps to Region Two in a bid to improve drainage and irrigation in the farming region.

This is according to NDIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Frederick Flatts at a recent agriculture outreach held in the region.

Addressing farmers in the presence of Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, CEO Flatts said that the govern-

ment has recently signed a US$3.6 million contract for the design and provision of nine fixed pumps and three mobile pumps.

He said of the nine pumps, three will be allocated to Region Two to boost its drainage network system.

The NDIA is rehabilitating the drainage and irrigation pump station at Three Friends Village, Essequibo Coast. Next year, two more state-of-the art pump stations will be built at Devonshire

Castle and Hampton Court, to assist in the outflow of water. Those pump stations will be designed to pump high capacity of water, Flatts said.

The NDIA will also be sending a long boom and a mini-excavator to the region to aid in the excavation and cleaning of canals and trenches.

Farmers who attended the meeting also called for the dredging of the Pomeroon River.

‘F’ DIVISION police ranks stationed at the Issano Police Station arrested a 32-year-old mechanic of North Ruimveldt with several packets of cannabis while he was travelling into the hinterland on Sunday.

Reports are that the man was seen acting in a suspicious manner. He was a passenger of an inbound jet boat from Parika.

The man was taken to the police station where a search was conducted on his person and a five-gallon plastic container with grease which he had in his possession. Three parcels of cannabis which weighed 1,625.2 grams were found concealed in the man’s belongings.

He is in custody and is scheduled to appear at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

The drug which the man had in his possession.

Guyana Gold Board expansion to provide jobs

THE Guyana Gold Board (GGB) was established on May 15, 1982 to manage the business of trading gold in Guyana. At present, there are two branches, one in Georgetown and the other in Bartica.

The board purchases and sells gold within Guyana and abroad, at a standard price which is fixes twice daily. It also secures adequate supplies of gold, ensuring equitable distribution at fair prices and engages in other commercial and industrial activities. The GGB has issued dealers’ licences to eight entities and individuals who help to facilitate

the purchase of gold from sellers across Guyana.

In addition to the current services that they provide, the Ministry of Natural Resources along with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has assigned a new role to the GGB: this is to provide licences to gold traders and jewellers.

Manager of the Bartica Branch, Holbert Knights, explained to this newspaper that the GGB is the regulatory body for gold trading in Guyana. However, they were only equipped to issue licences to gold dealers.

Gold traders and jewellers licensing was done by the GGMC. It has reached the point where the GGMC’s role is overlapping, he said, so a decision was made to have the GGB provide all licences for dealers, traders

and jewellers.

This he says, will create job opportunities.

“We are in the preparatory stage of expanding our services and the actual taking over of gold-licensing.

The Guyana Gold Board has taken on a new role and that is to issue licences to not only dealers, but to traders and jewellers as well. This therefore means that we will need more staff and we are in the process of preparing accommodation (office space) for the Bartica branch and also the Georgetown branch,” Hilbert said.

He further noted that he envisions this expansion, when fully on stream, to create at least 40 job opportunities ranging from clerical duties to field officers.

But as of right now, the Bartica branch is prepared

to take on only five more persons.

“Initially, the target is at least five new staff, ranging from clerical duties to the duties in the field. Some of the officers will have to be travelling in and out of the region. But as time progresses, and as we assume the role fully, those numbers will increase,” Knights assured. Explaining that they will also require persons to be hired as licensing officers who will visit jewellers and traders to validate information provided to the GGB. This expansion is to commence before the end of the year.

Knights shared that the board is waiting until the amendments to the Guyana Gold Board Act and regulations are passed in Parliament.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

Nagamootoo warns teachers about PPP AS the government works towards a resolution to the teachers’ pay dispute, the prime minister has urged teachers to not become easily misguided by those seeking to profit politically from the play of events.

In his weekly column ‘My Turn’, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo stated that “teachers cannot allow themselves to fall for the silly strife of the political opposition,” who claim that the 2015 salary increase for government ministers comes at the expense of teachers.

Nagamootoo, in his article, reminded the public that it was under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration that there seemingly existed a “permanent ‘five per cent’ syndrome” for teachers.

Yet, with government and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) still at an impasse on the pertinent issue, Nagamootoo pointed out that there are some willing for the strike action to not only shut down schools, but to sabotage confidence in the coalition.

“As the academic year starts tomorrow, children who are now starting school will be looking towards a new life-long experience of meet-

ing their teachers, and settling down in their classrooms, which is why the decision by teachers whether or not to be there for these children would be an agonising one.

“It is in the best interest of the children that contingency arrangements be put in place to ensure their safety, and not allow opportunistic elements to hijack the teachers’ cause for mischief,” the prime minister said.

It was while serving under the then opposition in 2011, the Alliance For Change (AFC), that Nagamootoo said that the party had called for an across-theboard 10 per cent increase for teachers.

Although the call went unheeded, Nagamootoo believes that these previous and present actions reaffirm the government’s position that teachers deserve greater benefits.

He added that within its means, this is what government will work towards achieving, even as it placed, upfront, some $900 million on the table.

However, Nagamootoo said that it is unsurprising that the opposition leader has “blurted out” that the government has sufficient funds

to give teachers their initially demanded 40 per cent pay increase.

Added to this, the opposition leader suggested that the increase in salaries for government ministers impacts the salaries that teachers can now receive.

In response, the prime minister pulled back the curtains to the increases of public servants; government ministers and the former president, now opposition leader, over the years.

He first reminded that the “inflexible” position held by the then administration at a non-negotiable five per cent had led to a lengthy strike in the public service in 1999.

He then added that between 1998 and 2014, while salaries for public servants increased by 164.72 per cent, the pay of PPP ministers went up by 220.5 per cent and the salary of the then President, by 386.5 per cent.

“The truth is that in 2015, there was no across-the-board 50 per cent salary increase to government ministers. Nor has there been a cent increase since then, and over the past three years! The increase in 2015 was a one-off adjustment to the pay of mostly of junior and senior ministers,

Offer to refine Guyana’s oil NEWSDAY - BEFORE the Prime Minister addressed the nation the last evening and confirmed the Government’s decision to shut down the refinery of state-owned Petrotrin, the Opposition Leader had urged him to reconsider.

Instead of the shutdown, Kamla Persad-Bissessar believes TT should attempt to partner with its CARICOM neighbour, Guyana–where billions of barrels of oil have been discovered over the past three years–to refine its oil.

Guyana’s oil discoveries were made by ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, which is leading the exploration efforts there.

Speaking to the media at her constituency office in Penal on Saturday, Persad-Bissessar said she hopes Dr. Keith Rowley’s good sense will prevail.

“I understand Guyana has found another well and they are producing, can

we not group in some way and find a way to work together as a CARICOM (sic) where we can help them refine their oil?” she asked. “I am calling on him to let good sense prevail to be very cautious in making such a drastic and dangerous move, this will have a ripple effect throughout the economy and the country.”

She said while she understands that Guyana will build their own refinery in the coming years, this move now could help save Petrotrin and the national economy.

“Of course they will build their own refinery but we have one and many the units in the refinery at Petrotrin are new, so a lot of money has been invested on the refinery side and now they are shutting it down. It is total nonsense.”

P e r s ad - B is s e s s ar is also questioning whether the closure of the refinery will stop the public from getting details about the fake oil scandal and the failed World Gas to Liquid

(WTGL) plant.

“I am watching, why did you close the refinery? Is it because the fake oil was on refinery’s side? World GTL was it on the refinery side?

Is it now that we are not going to get the truth of those matters? If you close the company, collapse one side of it, what will become of the data? What will become of the books? Could this be

numbering under two dozen officials, and the fixing of salary for three first-time vice-presidents.

“The salary [sic] of junior ministers was adjusted to the level of a permanent secretary; and that of senior ministers to the level of a government adviser. The salary of the prime minister was adjusted upwards to be on par with that of the attorney general, who continues to receive a tax-free package,: he clarified.

The prime minister then added: “The salary of the ministerial bureaucracy has been subjected to periodic adjustments over many years. In 1992, the prime minister was getting just over $28,000. In comparison, the attorney general was taking home $78,000.

“By 2015, when the coalition took office, the salary of the prime minister was $1,549,000 and the attorney general to $1,630,000 taxfree. Over that period the president’s salary went up by some 500 percent! Those huge increases were doled out by the Jagdeo regime, not the coalition government.

And there were no tears for teachers.”

Still, Nagamootoo noted

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

that even as the spotlight is being placed on teachers, many others within the public sector have been owed a “wage debt” which must be settled as Guyana approaches significant oil wealth.

“While teachers have carried seemingly a life-time burden to educate our Guyanese generations and their fresh off-spring, there is a consensus that they have not been given adequate benefits for doing so. This would be true also for nurses and state security ranks,” he stated, later adding: “In post-independent Guyana, public servants invariably carried the burden of structural adjustments, wage restraints, austerity programmes and deferred entitlements.”

However, on the pending issue, the prime minister recommends other non-salary benefits such as clothing allowances, which he believes may far exceed the “cursed five per cent straitjacket” the government inherited.

--Kamla urges Rowley to reconsider refinery closure an attempt to cover up all the corruption under this Rowley government with fake oil?”

She also weighed in on the Galleons Passage’s trial voyage to Tobago yesterday morning, saying, “I think many people were excited and anxious because we have been waiting so long to get this connection with the seabridge and once

again the incompetence, mismanagement and corruption in the Rowley government, we are left without that seabridge, we have bought a boat that is now really just junk, scrap iron.

How could we buy a new boat and have it parked up so long at Staubles Bay and when it is actually attempting to float, it cannot dock?”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

The Nurses Association at 90 THE nursing profession is one of the most important in Guyana for several reasons: the most obvious is that it sustains and strengthens the health care system of the country and because it is a civilising force; it affords young women and some men an opportunity to express human compassion and kindness to those who are most in need of it.

If one visits the hospitals and health centres, one could see on the faces of the sick, the feelings of gratitude for the help and care accorded by the nurses.

The nursing profession in Guyana began to have a profile we could recognize only in the last quarter of the 19th century.

Before then, most of those who practised as nurses were men who did the kind of clinical work women nurses now do. In addition, most of the druggists who ran drug stores throughout the country performed the duties of nurses and even doctors. Until recently, druggists were addressed as “doctor” by ordinary folk.

With the founding and development of public hospitals in Georgetown, New Amsterdam and to a lesser extent in Essequibo, the colonial authorities began to recruit female nurses. In Britain itself, nursing as an organised profession with predominantly females emerged only after the great and pervasive influence of Florence Nightin-

gale and her heroic activities in nursing the wounded in the Crimean War of the early 1860s. The story of Florence Nightingale and her vast influence in creating modern nursing cannot be considered here, since our focus today is on the Guyana Nurses Association 90th anniversary.

In the colonial hospitals the Sisters who were responsible for administering the nursing segment of the hospitals, maintaining discipline and even training were recruited from Britain. These Sisters were all in the Florence Nightingale mold and were very knowledgeable and were strict disciplinarians. These British Sisters gave the profession a great prestige and the daughters of many prominent middle-class families entered the profession. But young women of other strata of society also joined the profession in even greater numbers and by 1900, the profession was recognised and respected. In these early days, admission to the profession was more searching. The tradition of professionalism and compassionate treatment of patients which the British Sisters brought has continued.

In June, 1928, the British Guiana Nurses Association was founded and it was the first Nurses Association to be established in the Caribbean. The association was comprehensive in its membership; it not only consisted of public health nurses,

but its membership was open to all registered nurses and midwives and nursing assistants. Patient care assistants and retired nurses could also join as associate members.

The organisation was recognised by the colonial authorities and quietly began to make its impact felt in getting better conditions of work for the nurses. During the world’s economic crisis - The Depression- several Guyanese-American nurses returned home and associated themselves with the association, injecting a new spirit. Over the years, the nursing profession has maintained its standards and has kept abreast with all the modern developments, including advanced medical procedures and the use of information technology and the Nurses Association has been an integral part of these developments.

Qualifications for the profession have now partly migrated from the hospitals to the university and this now gives nursing a higher professional standing. The Nurses Association, in celebrating its 90th anniversary, had programmed a week of activities under the theme, “United Forces - Uplifting nursing - Celebrating 90 years with pride.”

One of the first celebratory activities was the reception hosted by His Excellency President David Granger at his residence.

The President welcomed and congratulated the association and underlined his closeness to the profession by mentioning that his mother was a nurse and his sister is at present a member of the profession. He also remarked on the high quality of the Guyanese nurses and of the profession and said when his wife was ready for delivery in 1971, she chose the Public Hospital rather than any of the private hospitals, because of the quality of nursing at that institution. The President’s insight is well justified when one is reminded that Guyana-trained nurses are in great demand by the American hospitals.

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, in her remarks on the occasion perceptively pointed out: “We can train a surfeit of doctors and specialists, but if we do not train twice as many nurses, we will not be able to enjoy the services we expect to enjoy. Our nurses are the steel in the concrete, because at most times we do not see what they do, we only see what the doctors do.”

The Nurses Association has successfully celebrated its 90th anniversary and the nation has renewed its feelings of goodwill and gratitude to the nurses.

We congratulate them and look forward to the association’s centenary anniversary.

Bleatings of a failed political leadership

THIS refers to the now daily press briefings of Bharrat Jagdeo, which are really a cesspool of lies, continuing to reflect a mind that is diseased and corrupted.

It is the brand of a party leader whose only explanations for his and former government’s stewardship, relies on an immoral bed of utter falsehoods.

Jagdeo should understand that the coalition, A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) is the elected government of Guyana, irrespective as to its very small majority. The fact is that it has been given a mandate by the people of Guyana, and is constitutionally bound to execute such a responsibility,

not only for those who have elected it, but even in service for and on behalf of those who did not give support at the polls.

To carry out its duties, in service to all Guyana and its citizens, its cabinet officers have to travel to the various regions and their locales, even those that are PPP/C based. It is about going to the people to ascertain their problems and offer solutions.

Most naturally, such travels and their concomitant visits will cost money, especially when the latter are to the interior, which by any measure, given the geography of Guyana is expensive, whether in the mode of travel, accommodation, meals, etcetera. So

what is the leader of the opposition bleating about?

There are budgetary provisions for ministerial travels.

As has always been the case of an opposition leader whose lies become desperate by the day – he has quoted a figure, which is astronomical: $1.6B, as costs for such official activities! Maybe, for public scrutiny, he should present those statements to the public, their source, and of course, the financial breakdown. By the way, is this another “costly meals in the National Assembly” gambit by Jagdeo?

About the 2002 jail break, and pointing accusatory fingers in the direction of the People’s National Congress (PNC). This has been an old worn-out re-

frain, which is totally unsubstantiated.

The much publicised jail break from the Camp Street Prison was due to a dismal systems failure on the part of the security authorities at that time. In fact, can Jagdeo explain, how it was possible for some of those escapees to be holed up, just a few houses away from the residence of the then Minister of Home Affairs.

Can Jagdeo account for the emergence of the narco-lord, Roger Khan, and his gunmen, who boldly declared that his murderous gang was assisting the legitimate law- enforcement authorities to combat the criminal terror which accounted for so many lives?

Can he also explain to the

nation, the circumstances of the brutal death of his late Minister of Agriculture, Satyadeow Sawh, which answers are still being sought by the murdered minister’s family? Is this the opposition leader’s comprehension of functional responsibility?

Editor, any leader that understood the responsibilities of national leadership, particularly as they relate to the many massacres, and those who may have plotted their execution, would have done the decent action of ordering an official enquiry.

For after all, the families of all the victims, whether pro-PPP/C or otherwise, are owed an explanation as to the brutal deaths of those of their family members.

The shabby treatment, of

especially the families of the Lindo Creek Massacre victims, is a stark example of the kind of cold, callous, reckless, and discriminatory government that the PPP/C was.

Editor, for this opposition leader to continue to blame the coalition government for the failure and ignominious collapse of a once proud, mighty sugar industry when his party and government had shamefully mismanaged this entity for its own selfish political ends, continues to reflect the tragedy of the personal morality of a failed collective of political leaders.

Regards Earl Hamilton

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

UG says has legal, moral standing to confer honorary doctorate degrees Dear Editor, THE University of Guyana takes this opportunity to respond to the article by Freddie Kissoon, titled “Dr Mark Kirton is livid, confused and wants to know what’s going on,” carried in the Kaieteur News on August 29, 2018.

In the article, the University of Guyana’s right to confer honorary doctorate degrees was questioned.

Reference was made to a recent announcement by Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University, Professor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, that the institution will be conferring honorary doctorate degrees at the university’s 2018 convocation.

In addressing this issue, it must be noted that the practice of granting honorary degrees, including honorary doctorates, dates back to the Middle Ages. The title of honorary doctor is bestowed on a recipient as an honour, without the usual requirements or functions such as matriculation, a dissertation,

and the passing of examinations. The purpose of honorary awards is to recognise individuals of distinction, who have made significant contributions to a university, a nation or to society in general.

An award is designed both to recognise the individual, as well as enhance the reputation of the university.

However, the bone of contention in the article appears to be “how can UG offer three honorary doctorates when UG never offered even one doctoral programme in its entire existence?” Fact check: at present, the university offers the Doctor of Philosophy in Biodiversity (PhD) in the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, in partnership with the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry and the Faculty of Natural Sciences. This programme was approved by the university’s Academic Board in 2015, before the arrival of Vice-Chancellor Griffith, and the class comprises students from Belize, Fiji, Jamaica, Suriname and Guyana.

Notwithstanding that fact, a university does not have to be a doctoral-granting institution to confer honorary doctorate degrees. For instance, within the past two (2) years, at least two (2) universities in the Caribbean conferred honorary doctorate degrees while not offering academic doctoral programmes, according to the websites of those institutions. On July 24, 2017, the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean in Jamaica conferred the Honorary Doctor of Business Administration on Gary Hendrickson, CEO of Continental Baking Co Ltd in Jamaica, in recognition of his achievements in business and industry. Further, on July 1, 2018, the University of the Southern Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago conferred an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters on Dr Walter B.T. Douglas for his dedication to Christian Education.

It is important to note that the University of Guyana Act, which dates back to 1963, in the section that pertains to the power to con-

Let us not get used to the culture of death Dear Editor, IT was heart-wrenching to hear of yet another accident on the Soesdyke-Linden highway.

My heart goes out to the victims’ family who must live in pain and grief.

As I try to grapple with the accident, I hear about another accident that took the life of a young boy. It makes me feel sad and upset about these road accidents that could be avoided, if only a person can be extra careful because once we are on the wheels, we have the responsibility of being twice careful. I am afraid that we are getting used to hearing about fatal road accidents for the moment and moving on with our lives.

The victims add to the number of fatalities in the road accidents. There is a culture of death in this world that is permeating our precious lives. At times, it appears life does not matter anymore.

I am afraid we have reached a stage where the more we hear, the more we will get used to it. I am advocating the culture of life.

We have a responsibility for each other in this world. It is unfair to think that they are not our family or our friends. It is crucial to care for each other on our roads. I believe that we are not only driving our own vehicles but also, we are helping others to drive safely.

Let us promote a culture of life. Let us employ whatever measures that keep us safe on the road, not only for ourselves, but for the other road users.

Let us not get used to the culture of death, whereby death is accepted as if life does not matter.

Regards Jerri Melwin Dias

fer degrees, 18 (e); grants the university the legal authority “to confer Honorary Degrees and other distinctions, provided that all degrees and other distinctions so conferred shall be conferred and held subject to any provision which are or may be made in reference thereto by the university.”

Additionally, the university’s statutes, at statute 15, which deals with Powers of the Academic Board, states: “The Academic Board shall be the academic authority of the university and shall have the control and general direction of research, instruction and examination and of the award of degrees, certificates and other distinctions.” Further, that statute vests the Academic Board with the power “to make recommendations to the Council with respect to the award to any person of an Honorary Fellowship or Honorary Degree or title of Professor Emeritus.” Thus, in the context of the authority conferred by law and the university’s statutes, the uni-

versity plans to confer its first honorary doctoral degrees this coming November.

The article also makes spurious claims about the laboratories of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.

The public should note that this faculty and the Faculty of Natural Sciences have been the beneficiaries of an infusion of funds within the last three years through a World Bank-funded project called The University of Guyana Science and Technology Support Project (UGSTSP).

The project had three enhancement components, namely; curriculum reform, rehabilitation of buildings and the acquisition of a significant amount of state-ofthe-art laboratory equipment for the various departments.

Additionally, substantial funds from the recently implemented Learning Resource Facility Fees were used to purchase laboratory equipment. Works in this regard are ongoing.

Additionally, contrary to the misinformation in the Freddie Kissoon article, the

university also offers a number of Master’s Degree programmes. At the 2017 Convocation, Masters Degrees were awarded in the following 10 disciplines: Education, Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine, Internal/Infectious Disease, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Public Health, Forest Biology, Business Administration and Public Administration.

Moreover, during the current academic year, one Master’s Degree will be offered in Orthopaedics and Traumatology and one in Petroleum Engineering, in collaboration with The University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus.

The public is invited to visit the university’s website (www.uog.edu.gy) or Facebook page to keep abreast with developments at the university.

Regards Public Relations Division The University of Guyana

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

Programme to tackle teenage pregnancy gaining momentum –– CPA Director Ann Green

By Gabriella Chapman THE Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) is working diligently to eradicate teenage pregnancy in Guyana, said agency Director Ann Green, on Friday.

In 2016, the Teen Pregnancy Prevention and Empowerment Initiative was launched and has since been rolled out in the 10 administrative regions.

The programme focuses on sensitising girls on making the right choices on intimate relations, as opposed to telling them to abstain.

“Our programme is focused on empowering young people. No more can we tell them practise abstinence. I mean that’s what they should do, but most young people do not adhere to that advice.

So what we do is make available to them, the information that will help them make the right choices when it comes to sex. We still encourage them not to get involved in sexual activities too early, as they could become pregnant,but even if they think they still want to do it, they

have enough information to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy and STDs,” the CPA director said.

The programme is designed to help girls in their personal growth and development and help boys who are sexually active.

After completion of the programme, the CPA follows the participants for 12 years to see if they are making the right choices.

Green emphasised that the programme will be ongoing until there is a significant decline in teenage pregnancy.

In fact, she told the Guyana Chronicle that the programme is currently being done in Kwakwani and another is in its preparation phase for Yarrowkabra and another in Essequibo.

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE In her conversation with this newspaper, Green also made mention of the agency’s efforts in addressing child sexual abuse, since a lot of reported teen

CPA Director Ann Green pregnancy cases resulted from child sexual abuse.

She stated that for 2018, the agency had 481 reported cases of child sexual abuse across Guyana and more has to be done to tackle this issue, as it is the most devastating experience for a child to endure.

“Our next target is child sexual abuse. The number of cases are alarmingly high and sexual abuse is a serious abuse; it is devastating for a child and it robs them of the person they would have become. So the week of Sep-

tember 23, Child Protection Week, we’re hoping to deal with this whole question of child sexual abuse. We are committed to doing a rally on breaking the silence on child sexual abuse. There still is a whole lot of silence.

The region with the highest report is Region 10, followed

by Region Seven. So we are working diligently towards reducing this whole question of sexual abuse,” Green said.

She added: “We’re trying to bridge this gap between culture and law. The laws of the land say a child can give consent for sex at the age of 16, but in some hinterland communities, there’s a high tolerance level for underage sexual activity. But it’s not right, the law says it’s not.

Bridging the gap, we are doing that through education and re-education, so persons can understand that early sexual activity is damaging for a child.”

CHILD ABUSE REGISTRY During Child Protection Week this month, the CPA will be launching a

Child Abuse Registry and Sexual Offences Registry to publicise and expose the perpetrators of sexual abuse.

Green said these registries will provide information such as the type of abuse, the person’s age, their name, where they’re from and their photograph, since persons may have same names.

“When we set up this database, we can do drafts and look and see where the abusers are, we can pull up the map and see where they are and persons can run the database before employing someone,” she shared.

This, she hopes, will aid in reducing cases of this nature.

PARENTING PROGRAMMES In addition, the CPA is currently executing parenting programmes throughout the regions.

“Building the capacity of parents is what we need to focus on as well. They need assistance. Time has long passed for us to be blam-

ing parents. We gotta help them. We realised that they need the capacity to be built.

We’re helping them to build the capacity for the parenting role. So we’re doing programmes at the community level for the parents,” she stated.

The CPA is also working to get communities to take responsibility for the safety of children.

“The average Guyanese thinks it’s Ann Greene and the Child Protection Agency’s responsibility to protect children. Though that may be true, they fail to realise that they play a critical role in the protection as well. I run the agency, but every adult is a child protector. Every community has a responsibility of keeping their children safe. People don’t understand that child protection starts with the family, the extended family, the community then the organisations. Everyone has a role,” Ann Green emphasised.

She urged every person in every community to be vigilant and play their role in child protection.

Youths encouraged to become agro-entrepreneurs …following graduation from agro-processors training programme TWENTY-FOUR young people on Friday graduated as the fourth batch of youth to benefit from the collaboration among the Ministry of the Presidency, Department of Social Cohesion, Culture Youth and Sport, and the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA).

This collaboration dates back three years and is geared towards empowering youth through an agro-processing training programme. The programme aims to encourage young people to get involved in agriculture and aids in boosting the said sector to reclaim the country’s title of “the breadbasket of the Caribbean,” and it also gears them to become entrepreneurs.

This newspaper spoke to Shonette Reid, one of the graduates of this batch who was very much excited about the knowledge gained from the programme. She shared that she had a bit of agricultural knowledge, but the programme has improved

on that.

“I knew a little bit about agriculture, but not as indepth as the programme took me. I now understand the concepts of how to take care of raw materials; how to preserve it and add value; the right methods of labelling and packaging and so much more,” Reid said.

She added that her reason for signing up for the training is that she always wanted to

get into production and she has intentions getting into the business of making teabags, but she was unaware of how to go about doing so.

“I want to get into teabag production and I had absolutely no idea how to start.

And with this training, I have a lot of useful information that gives me a better idea of what to do. It made me aware that I can use our own produce right here in Guy-

ana, and I probably would not have known that. And it showed me also, how simple the process is, so now that I have completed the training, I definitely will now venture off into investing in making my own tea bags,” the young woman said.

Reid said she believes that agriculture is a Guyanese thing, past, present and will be our future. As such, she believes that the training pro-

The group of young people who graduated in the fourth batch of the Agro Processing Training Programme

gramme is necessary so as to teach our own and help with reducing unemployment.

Minister of Social Cohesion Dr George Norton, in a previous address to the agro processing training said that the graduates should use their knowledge gained to bring Guyana back to where it used to be in the agricultural sector.

He explained that Guyana fell prey to excessive imports and the prosperity of Guyana lies on Guyanese shoulders.

“It is a well-known fact that agriculture is the backbone of a country’s economy, given that Guyana was once celebrated as the breadbasket of the Caribbean and literally it remains that way, even though the basket might not be as filled at this time as it might have been in the past, but certainly can be in the future and that is what we are depending on you the youths to do,” Minister Norton said.

One of the objectives of the training is to create

One of the graduates, Shonette Reid an environment that would work towards reducing the unemployment rate amongst our young people, and the idea of having our young people involved in agro-processing arose from a visit made by the team from the Department of Youth, to the Pomeroon in 2015.

It was then observed that there was some wastage of fruits and vegetables; they felt that some of the wastage could be curtailed through agro-processing, so they thought it fit to venture into this programme.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

GPL promises improved power generation in Essequibo

AS the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) advances efforts to improve power supply and eliminate power disruptions on the Essequibo Coast, it will be implementing immediate, short, medium and long-term plans which will cut generation shortage on the coast.

This is according to GPL’s Chief Executive Officer, Albert Gordon, who told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the plans were agreed following a meeting

unit will be sourced from Canefield, which will provide an additional 800 kilowatts.

With this unit in place, there will be a total of five units operating, allowing for a reserve capacity for eventualities. Moreover, load- shedding will not be experienced and self-generators will also be supplied.

The short-term plan will see a total of six units in operation by September 10. Gordon told DPI that within a week’s time, a critical spare part to fix an additional unit will be The three generators in operation at the Anna Regina power station

GPL CEO Albert Gordon, discussing with GPL officials the situation at the Anna Regina power station with himself and GPL’s official at the Anna Regina Power Station. He said these plans will immediately address the deficiencies at the Anna Regina Power Station.

Gordon explained that while the power situation has stabilised, these plans are crucial since managing peak periods, with the four generator units, remains a challenge.

“We are currently meeting the demand, but we have no reserve capacity in place to allow for eventualities. So, we may load-shed in order not to lose any of the units, but the power outage will be rotated and won’t last more than two hours,” Gordon explained.

The immediate plan involves GPL managing the load and not pushing the units to their full capacity. The power company will still meet the demand, but during peak periods it will request self-generators to supply electricity and, if possible, conduct minor load-shedding. Additionally, another

arriving. Nevertheless, GPL will still work to fix the other units which are down. The power company’s short-term plan is also to accelerate efforts to complete the new power plant by December 15. According to Gordon, when completed, the Anna Regina Power Station will have a total of 5.4 megawatts from the three new units. “This new power station will use high fuel oil which is best suited for continuous operation or Base load and will allow for cheaper fuel use and more reliability,” the CEO explained.

However, the other six caterpillar units will still be used for emergencies.

For the medium-term plan, GPL has already begun the process for a fourth unit that will serve as the back-up for the three units. Finally, GPL’s long-term plan involves meeting with the stakeholders and preparing a 20-year plan for the region.

GPL CEO Albert Gordon and Divisional Director Bharat Harjon are taken on a tour of the Anna Regina power station by Regional Manager Nigel Benfield and Engineer, Michael Haley

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The things we do at the CPA

SEPTEMBER is a busy month with a lot of events and activities.

It is Education Month and Amerindian Heritage Month and our children go back to school. Then, before you know it, parents are helping their children prepare for school sports. For us here, at the Childcare and Protection Agency, (CPA) the last week in September, 23rd - 29th is Child Protection Week and events are being planned by CPA officers in the different regions of Guyana, to heighten public awareness on reporting and preventing child abuse. (as well as fun activities) Every year we have a theme and this year’s theme is, ‘Supporting families to prevent child abuse, through education and community involvement.’

Supporting families to prevent child abuse: At the CPA ,we support families by firstly, working to keep them together. It is a fact that children strive best in a family setting, surrounded by people they are (biolog-

ically) linked to and love. Unfortunately for some children, their parents cannot provide a suitable home for their health, development and well-being and this puts them ‘at risk.’

For instance, a report was made to the CPA recently, about three children who were being left on their own for days while their parents went out and about. On investigation, the children were found in a small shack without adult supervision. There was barely any food in the home and the children slept on pieces of cardboard in a corner of the room.

The eldest child, who was about eight -nine years old, could not remember the last time she attended school.

These children were left in a vulnerable situation, where predators and/or paedophiles may have taken advantage of them. Luckily, due to a thoughtful neighbour, their plight was reported, investigated, and the children were taken to a place of safety until further enquiries and a plan of action could be de-

vised. But when their parents do show up, (if they are not charged with child neglect and sent to prison), will they be prepared to work with the CPA to help provide an adequate home for the long-term care of their children?

With CPA support, would they be willing to take part in our ‘parental skills training’ programme and work towards fixing up their home to make a better life for their family?

Some parents refuse to do anything to help themselves or their children. However, many families have benefited from the help of the CPA and have moved on to better, brighter times. …through education and community involvement: Each week through social media and indeed this newspaper, we aim to educate the general public about preventing child abuse. In addition to this, our varied advertisements are broadcast on radio and television in different regions of Guyana. For this year so far, we have held a sensitisation seminar for the police, parental skills training programmes, locally and as far away as Kwakwani and teenage pregnancy prevention workshops, in different regions of Guyana.

Our aim is to impart and disseminate information that is imperative in the prevention of child abuse. But we are also well aware that behaviour change does not happen overnight and we therefore need to employ a number of varied communication approaches to reach and educate the public.

To this end, earlier this year, we held a ‘special meeting of religious organisations’ with the aim of forming a partnership for the

protection of children and support for families. When it comes to passing on valuable information, religious bodies have the monopoly on large congregations and ‘listening ears.’ Therefore, they are in a key position to play a very valuable role in preventing child abuse in Guyana. One of the biggest challenges that we have at the CPA when it comes to community involvement is the lack of commitment and initiative. If people could learn to be more pro-active when they suspect abuse, then innocent lives could be saved.

Instead of just calling the CPA hotline and making a report, think! ‘What can I do in the interim to protect the children concerned?’

This is where members of the community can get involved: they can band together and make their concerns known to their religious leader for him/her to take action, or they could confront the abusive parent and let him/her know that his/her behaviour is against the law.

Depending on the situation, children could even be removed from their home and cared for by neighbours, until CPA officers arrive.

These are just three suggestions that may or may not be suitable, because each situation needs to be analysed before community members take action. But there is safety in numbers, and adults should feel confident enough to join forces to protect children from abuse.

Every adult should be a child protector.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or email childcaregy@gmail.com A Message from the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ministry of Social Protection

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

Region Five independents target youth development SOME of the persons in Region Five who want to be elected independent councillors at the upcoming Local Government Elections 2018 will be campaigning with the welfare of youth as their priority.

Guyana Chronicle caught up with three such councillors, namely Ismay Dalrymple, Julius Nurse and Kelvin Mingo They all said that their motivation was to take up leadership positions within their community and contribute to a positive impact on the quality of the lives and welfare of their constituents.

Ismay Dalrymple, who is a resident of the Golden Grove Lovely Lass Community on the West Coast of Berbice, is running for election for the first time.

“I am concerned about the problems affecting young people particularly young females. I am deeply concerned about teenage pregnancies and will work with the Council to find ways and means of assisting these young girls to continue their education after the have given birth,” he said.

According to Dalrymple, she was urged by residents to run for office.

“I have done work in the community in sports, culture and community development;

in 2003, I helped to resuscitate Emancipation celebrations in this community after a lapse of 42 years; and I have also been organising Christmas parties for children in the community for several years now,” she said.

Dalrymple said it was her activity within the community that caused residents to urge her to run as an independent councillor and seek to shape policy at that level to improve the quality of their lives. Her symbol for election is ‘Hand in Hand’-- one hand supporting the other to make all things possible.

Julius Mark Anthony Nurse, who is from Number 10 Village or No 10 District, is also running for election as an independent councillor.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT “I been living in this district for all my life and I see a lot of room for improvement of the quality of life of my fellow residents.

Residential drainage in my mind is a priority.

Proper drainage and irrigation for this mainly farming community is another major need if our farmers are to become more productive and wealthy… so also is the lack of amenities for sports and

recreation for our youths.

There is need for these facilities, as well as mentors who would help to keep the youths on the right track to contribute in a positive way to the development of their community. I am running because I want to see improvement in the quality of life of my fellow villagers that can be made through local government.”

Kelvin Mingo also known as “Fighter” was elected to the Profitt /Rising Sun Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) at the last LGE as an independent councillor.

“I am running as independent again. I must say that there has been some progress in this current term of office, but I think I got a lot of things more to do for my community.

We want more streets in the area because there are some undeveloped lands and if we get streets and we get access roads water and so on; eventually people will build more houses and the village would become more developed; the unemployment situation of youths, particularly those who have dropped out from school is a burning issue; I don’t know what the NDC can do about this, but I feel that this is an area that needs to be

LGE candidate Julius Nurse urgently addressed and if I am re-elected, I would have to see how we move more energetically to deal with this problem.”

His symbol is a rice plant with the slogan “Progress for All.”

LGE candidate Ismay Dalrymple

LGE candidate Kelvin Mingo

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

Bringing joy through music Celebrating 160 years of the Guyana Police Force Band’s legacy IT was Billy Joel who said “I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity.

It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.”

This statement holds true for the Guyana Police Force Military Band, which has over the past 160 years of its existence, has won the hearts and admiration of Guyanese from all walks of life.

As the band celebrates its 160th anniversary this year, we will take a look in this week’s Government in Action into its history, how it has impacted Guyanese culture and the national and international recognition that has been earned.

CELEBRATING 160 YEARS On August 29, 2018, President David Granger hosted a special luncheon to celebrate the milestone of the Guyana Police Force Band at the Baridi Benab at State House.

As he reminisced on the pleasures of growing up seeing the band bring joy to hundreds of faces across the country, he also pledged his support and that of the Government of Guyana to what he called “a national institution.”

President Granger noted that the Police Force’s Band has become a state establishment which has served the Guyanese people well.

“The Force has built up a formidable reputation not only in Guyana but also in the Caribbean and even as far as the UK and it has produced a great number of talented musicians. The band has had an important role in the development of Guyanese culture because it is the best band in the land.

The fact that the band has been awarded a National Award signifies the seriousness with which the State has taken the role, which the band has performed,” he said.

The President expressed the hope that the band can become decentralised, with a presence in all of the ten administrative regions.

“The band doesn’t just have a proud past; it also has an important future.

Youngsters who are interested in playing music in all of the villages and regions are encouraged to emulate the Guyana Police Force Military Band.

It will be such a great thing to be able to go to a region and see that every region has a major police division and every police division has a band.

Some of the members may be volunteers, young apprentices. I would like to feel that the Police Band, as a national institution, shouldn’t do so much travelling as it has to do now. It should be able to stimulate the growth of divisional See page 15

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

Bringing joy through...

From page 14

bands throughout the Police Force.

It is possible that young people can be encouraged. On the part of the Government of Guyana, I commit myself…

This is a national institution and it deserves national support from a national president,” he said.

HISTORY OF THE BAND But one may ask, what is the history and rationale behind the Guyana Police Force Band and what has been its accomplishments over the past 160 years?

The band was established on August 22, 1858, and was initially named the British Guiana Militia Band. At that time, it boasted a complement of one band master, who was Mr Christian A. Ahrens, one band sergeant and twenty band privates.

According to retired Assistant Police Commissioner and former band master and Director of Music, Mr Cecil Bovell, the Band--the only one of its kind at that time-- was a proper playing unit and for these purposes, was consigned to the Mayor and Town Council in 1870.

Though the Band faced many challenges, among the highlights of its accomplishments and history was playing at a cricket match in 1884 for Prince George, who later went on to become King George.

Prince George was serving as Junior Officer aboard the HMS Britannia when it visited Guyana. A cricket match was arranged be-

tween the ship’s crew and a team from the Georgetown Club and the band was tasked with playing selected scores from the ship’s band library at intervals on the day of the match.

“The renditions of the Band passed all expectations and the captain, Prince George and his officers were so pleased and impressed that they cheered the band repeatedly. The people present were hysterical over such royal recognition of the band’s performance that they too started cheering the band for its excellent work and so that’s where we started,” Mr Bovell explained.

Three years later, the band moved from 21 persons to 35 persons due to its growing popularity. In 1924, under the direction of W Fawcett, it played at an exhibition at Wembley, England and placed second.

In April 1935, the band master changed and Lieutenant Sydney Henwood took over. Sometime later, the British Guiana Militia regimen was disbanded and became attached to the British Guiana Garrison--the military base--but Henwood maintained its identity as the British Guiana Militia Band.

“Then in 1956, legislation was passed that the band must be attached to either the British Guiana Volunteer Force or the British Guiana Police Force for salary structure and so by 1957, the band was drafted into the Police Force. Members were given the option to swear in as policemen or resign. Ninety per cent

As has become customary, the members of the Guyana Police Force Band visited and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ for the President. of the band were sworn in and given regimental numbers. Henwood opted to resign and leave. By 1965, P G Small formed the core drums and the aim behind that was to ease the workload on the military band.

In 1966, Mr Small was appointed band master with the rank of superintendent.

In 1969, the band left for Expo ’69 in Grenada,” the former Director of Music noted.

In 1996, the band was awarded a national award-the Medal of Service-- for long, dedicated and outstanding service to the nation in the field of entertainment and training of musicians.

Today, the band is headed by Superintendent Charmaine Stuart, who, in August 2016, created history by becoming the first female to become the Director of Music and Culture in the band’s entire

President Granger addresses the gathering at the luncheon in observance of the 160th anniversary of the Guyana Police Force Military Band existence and served as the Force’s Band Mistress.

She has taken over a band that has approximately 35 members, approximately nine of whom are women, including the superin-

President David Granger with members of the Guyana Police Force Band

tendent, who is a clarinet player.

The other sections of the band complex include the Steel Pan, String, Choir, Choral and Drum sections.

According to President Granger, the band has become a prominent feature at every major event in Guyana, whether it be the Independence Flag Raising ceremony, the Republic Anniversary, a national observance or even at the commemoration of the death anniversaries of former Presidents and other dignitaries.

“This band has produced a number of talented musicians. Even to now, it is difficult to imagine any major national function at which the Guyana Police Force Military Band is not present. From being a 700-year-old tradition on the battlefield for purely military purposes of advancing troops to battle, it has now become an important ceremonial and cultural tool which the whole country looks forward to,”

he said.

The Head of State noted that the band has played a significant role in shaping the cultural and musical landscape in Guyana and this is proven in the number of requests which the band receives on a daily basis.

The band has doubled its pace in maintaining the Force’s commitment to the nation through music and culture and supporting local, national and international events. More recently, the Guyana Police Force Military Band has become synonymous with carol-singing at the Ministry of the Presidency during the Christmas season as well as visits for the Head of State’s birthday.

Woman superintendent, Charmaine Stuart, Director of Music and Culture at the Guyana Police Force Band, said the band has planned activities in Linden, Berbice, Essequibo and Demerara in observance of its milestone.

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Truelove siblings stand tall in Barbados ….wins for Vieira, King in group 4

By Stephan Sookram in Barbados --compliments of Mohamed’s Enterprise, Miracle Optical and AMS MATTHEW Truelove and his brother Harry whipped their competitors this weekend as the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) round three rolled into Barbados.

Matthew swept the competition in the CMRC superstock class, winning ahead of his brother, Harry, on all three occasions.

Matthew, who also reset the CMRC superstock lap record on two occasions, was in no mood to play after Saturday’s qualification left him on pole with his brother, Harry, second.

The old record of 1:01.910 was eclipsed in race one with 1:01.7 and later in race two with 1:01.542, which will represent a new superstock record.

Matthew Vieira was also able to find the podium on all three occasions as well as the Guyanese wrapped up the weekend with all three steps of the podium filled.

In the group two class, Rameez Mohamed finished

fourth in race one and fifth in race two but did not finish race three, with Trinidad’s Justin Sanguinette winning two and finishing second in one and Marc Gill finishing first on one occasion and twice in second spot.

There were no competitors in Group three for Guyana but Trinidad’s Ronald Wortman finished on top the podium in all three races.

In the group four class, there were wins each for Mark Vieira, Mark Maloney and Andrew King.

Maloney was the winner on the first occasion after battling from the back of the

pack, eventually getting past Mark Vieira on the penultimate lap to the chequered flag.

Race two saw the battle continue with Vieira going neck and neck with Maloney but suffering a punctured tire, leaving him out of the race.

Maloney also fell out a little later, leaving Andrew King to take the chequred flag.

In the final race of the afternoon, it was Mark Vieira’s turn to cross the line first, leaving Justin Maloney a distant second and Andrew King third.

The team begins returning home tomorrow.

Booing just makes me stronger, Hamilton tells Ferrari fans

By Alan Baldwin you’re against an opposing where Mercedes have won MONZA, Italy (Reuters) - Ferrari fans had mocked up a picture of Lewis Hamilton as a cry baby ahead of the Italian Grand Prix but the Mercedes driver was not the one shedding tears of frustration at Monza on Sunday.

The boos and jeers rang out as the beaming Briton bounded out onto the podium as a five times winner of Ferrari’s home race — and the mass of red-shirted ‘tifosi’ showed how much it hurt.

Hamilton had started third, behind Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel on the starting grid, and yet he beat them both to stretch his championship lead to 30 points with seven races remaining.

Monza is the one race a Ferrari driver always has to win and none has done that since 2010. The wait will now go on for another year.

“Here there was a lot of negativity, as there is when American Racing Tips Saratoga Race 1 Gump Race 2 Mc Erin Race 3 Complexity Race 4 Deep Sea Race 5 Kulin Rock Race 6 Seek and Destroy Race 7 Barely Impazible Race 8 Saratoga Colonel Race 9 Voodoo Song Race10 Mucho Canadian Racing Tips Woodbine Race 1 Noble Thought Race 2 Glamour Lady Race 3 Glencairn Race 4 Clever Shot Race 5 Kylia Instinct Race 6 Cummings Road Race 7 Kitten’s Cat Race 8 Zucker

team,” Hamilton said as a throng of fans invaded the track and filled the start-finish straight with their red flags and flares.

“In future, the negativity is really a positive thing for me because I harness it and turn it from negative to positive,” added the 33-year-old, who also paid tribute to his fans for holding firm.

“I know I’ve got those individuals who are out there who travel the world to support me. I know they’re there,” he told reporters.

“I’m really really proud of them, because obviously when you’re in a big sea of red and there’s the booing and... you notice there’s one guy standing there with a flag or there’s a kid waving it and you can imagine being surrounded by that, feeling the heat on him,” he said.

Hamilton’s win equalled the number achieved by Ferrari great Michael Schumacher at Monza, a circuit Race 9 Unbounded Spirit South Africa Racing Tips Flamingo Park 08:20 hrs Chief Sioux 08:50 hrs Sultry 09:25 hrs Red Special 09:55 hrs Northern Flyer 10:25 hrs Sweet Pleasures English Racing Tips Brighton 09:00 hrs All Back To Mine 09:30 hrs Make A Wish 10:00 hrs Live Dangerously 10:30 hrs Hameen 11:00 hrs Imbucato 11:30 hrs Good Luck Charm 12:05 hrs Light Of Air Ffos Las 09:15 hrs Give Em A Clump 09:45 hrs Pimlico Pleaser 10:15 hrs Lamb Chop

for the last five years.

The Briton has many admirers in Italy too, even if Monza is more about demonstrating passion for Ferrari than the sport itself, and he refused to criticise the crowd for their response.

“It doesn’t offend me, no. There’s nothing to get offended by,” he said, even if he had never himself booed anyone or any team.

“It happens in all sports.

It definitely happens in football and probably here more than I’ve noticed in others but it is the way it is,” added the Briton.

“It is very, very easy to allow it to get to you, to allow it to have an impact on your life and have you think about it, all these different things. But it is also quite easy to harness it and use it and that gave me so much motivation today.

“I welcome it. If they want to continue to do it, that just empowers me.”

10:45 hrs Wufud 11:15 hrs Cuban Heel 11:45 hrs Jacbequick 12:15 hrs Landue Windsor 10:55 hrs Danecase 11:25 hrs Golden Force 11:55 hrs Grandstand 12:30 hrs Al Mortajaz 13:00 hrs Harry Hurricane 13:30 hrs Camomile Lawn 14:00 hrs Prabeni 14:30 hrs Hawridge Flyer Irish Racing Tips Roscommon 11:05 hrs Copia Verborum 11:35 hrs Mayaadeen 12:10 hrs Best Not Argue 12:30 hrs Landline 13:10 hrs Ancestral 13:40 hrs Hamley 14:10 hrs High Mounte 14:40 hrs Papal Parade

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

United fans back Mourinho as Lukaku double sinks Burnley

By Simon Evans

B U R N L E Y, E n g l a n d (Reuters) - Manchester United fans showed their backing for manager Jose Mourinho after Romelu Lukaku struck twice as United returned to winning ways after two successive Premier League losses with a 2-0 victory at Burnley on Sunday.

against chief executive Ed Woodward by hiring a plane to carry a banner over the ground declaring him a “specialist in failure”.

Mourinho said he had not seen the protest and simply said “Ed Woodward won 2-0 today”.

Defeats by Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur increased the scru-

supportive reaction at the end of Monday’s 3-0 home loss to Spurs had set the tone for the performance.

“The three points were an important thing, the quality of the performance and happiness of the team is an Old Trafford response the way Old Trafford reacted to the boys in the Spurs defeat was important,” he said.

Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku scores their second goal Reuters

But it was not all good news for Mourinho, as substitute Marcus Rashford was sent off in the 71st minute for pushing his forehead into Phil Bardsley’s head.

Rashford’s loss of cool, described by Mourinho as “naive”, was the only real blemish in a solid performance along with Paul Pogba missing a second-half penalty.

As expected, some United fans protested

tiny on United, Woodward and Mourinho but while this win will not end the doubts over the club’s direction it did suggest they are not in free-fall.

The reaction of the United away support, chanting “Mourinho’s red army” certainly showed that the controversial manager enjoys backing among the club’s hardcore fans.

Mourinho said the fans’

“What Old Trafford did to the team after Spurs was fundamental to the happiness of the team.

“Today the fans were fantastic from the first minute, but Old Trafford is a moment to remember,” he said.

Lukaku opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a simple back-post header from an Alexis Sanchez cross, the big Belgian losing his marker Ben Mee to cre-

Smith out for rest of CPL with abdominal strain AUSTRALIA batsman Steven Smith will miss the rest of this year’s CPL with a side strain.

The injury was revealed by his Barbados Tridents captain Jason Holder at the toss ahead of their game against St Lucia Stars on Sunday at Kensington Oval.

A subsequent interview with the side’s head coach Robin Singh revealed that Smith has left for home to receive treatment for the injury.

Smith was signed as replacement for Shakib Al Hasan after he became available to play in the CPL for the first time following his one-year suspension from international cricket for his

role in the ball-tampering scandal.

The 29-year-old had fared modestly before the injury, scoring 185 runs in seven innings while also taking three wickets, though he was

Man of the Match in one of the only two wins this year for the bottom-placed Tridents by scoring 63 and taking 2 for 19 against Jamaica Tallawahs in Florida (ESPN Cricinfo).

Steven Smith

ate space for what Burnley manager Sean Dyche will consider a soft goal.

United were strong physically and direct in approach while their defence, the focus of so much criticism, was given little work from Burnley who played into their hands with an isolated lone striker in Chris Wood.

Lukaku’s second, just before the break, was a little fortunate as the ball fell to him close to goal after Jesse Lingard’s shot ricocheted off two Burnley defenders.

United had a chance to make it three from the spot after Rashford went down under challenge from Aaron Lennon but Pogba’s effort was superbly saved by former Manchester City keeper Joe Hart, who had been taunted throughout by the travelling support.

Bardsley then challenged Rashford as the ball was going out of play and the forward’s ill-considered reaction left United with 10 men.

But Lukaku could have added a third as he burst

through, rounding Hart before Mee made a great lastditch tackle.

Apart from a couple of late efforts from substitute Sam Vokes, winless Burnley created little and their lack of penetration in the final third could leave them facing a long season ahead.

Mourinho ended the game by showing his appreciation for the United supporters who had chanted his name throughout the game and, pointedly, in the final minutes.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

Moeen Ali spins England to series victory over India

SOUTHAMPTON, England (Reuters) - Moeen Ali spun England to a 60-run victory over India in the fourth test as the hosts sealed a series victory over the world’s topranked nation with a match to spare on Sunday.

Set 245 for a series-levelling victory, India were bowled out for 184 with the recalled Moeen taking four for 71 to go with the five wickets he took in India’s first innings.

None was more crucial than that of India skipper Virat Kohli who shared a gritty 101-run fourth-wicket partnership with Ajinkya Rahane after India had slumped to 22-3.

Kohli, who survived an early review against Moeen, looked set having reached a patient 58 but he fell to the off-spinner just before tea.

India’s last six wickets went down for 51 runs and although Ravi Ashwin blazed away for 25 to hold England up he was eventually trapped lbw by all-rounder Sam Curran.

England lead the series 3-1 with one match to play.

Skipper Joe Root praised his side’s strength of character after they had slumped to 86-6 on day one and picked out Moeen’s return as key.

“I think today it was the best I’ve ever seen him bowl in an England shirt,” Root said of all-rounder Moeen who was left out of the opening three matches of the series.

“Credit to the group. We were really up against it on that first morning. Couldn’t be more

proud of the group.”

India began the day by ending England’s second innings for the addition of only 11 runs to leave an absorbing test balanced on a knife edge.

While 245 looked reachable, a worn pitch together with India having only three times

Pujara, whose century helped India establish a small first-innings lead, back to the pavilion lbw after rapping him on the back thigh with an inswinger.

SQUARED UP Opener Shikhar Dhawan struck three boundaries in

Moeen Ali finished the game with figures of 9 for 134 and went home with the Man of the Match successfully chased 200 plus for victory outside Asia meant the odds favoured England.

England seamers James Anderson and Stuart Broad took full advantage of the helpful conditions to rip out India’s top order — leaving the visitors’ hopes in tatters.

In the third over KL Rahul had his off stump removed by a full-length Broad delivery that shot through at ankle height.

Anderson sent Cheteshwar

his 17 but fell in next over, thick-edging to Ben Stokes at gully after being squared up by a beauty to leave India reeling on 22-3.

Kohli and Rahane both got the benefit of reviews, however, as the visitors limped to lunch on 46-3.

England were incensed not to have Kohli out lbw off Moeen after replays failed to show conclusively that the master batsman had got an

edge.

After lunch Kohli began to work singles and twos with Rahane also showing good technique against spin duo Moeen and Adil Rashid and India’s fans in the ground began to dream of victory.

There was no panic from England, though, and with tea approaching Moeen got the prized wicket of Kohli.

Having just seen Kohli survive a half chance from his previous delivery, Moeen got another ball to climb out of the rough and catch the glove before looping up into the grateful grasp of Alastair Cook at short leg.

Kohli looked deflated as he trudged off and shortly after tea India were in deep trouble as Hardik Pandya edged a rising Ben Stokes delivery to second slip where Root took a great catch.

Rishabh Pant mounted a brief attack with a feisty 18, launching Moeen for a six, but his aggression cost him as he holed out to Cook in the deep.

When Moeen pinned Rahane lbw for 51 India’s last hope had gone. Stokes got his second wicket by removing Ishant Sharma for a duck and Moeen had Mohammed Shami caught slogging.

“England were brav-

er in tough situations than us,” Kohli said at the postmatch presentation in which Moeen was named man-of-

the-match. “It’s been a very competitive series and we will not throw in the towel in the last game.”

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND first innings 246; India first innings 273 England 2nd innings/evernight 260 for 8 Alastair Cook c Lokesh Rahul b Jasprit Bumrah 12 Keaton Jennings lbw Mohammed Shami 36 Moeen Ali c Lokesh Rahul b Ishant Sharma

9 Joe Root Run Out Mohammed Shami

48 Jonny Bairstow b Mohammed Shami 0 Ben Stokes c Ajinkya Rahane b Ravichandran Ashwin 30 Jos Buttler lbw Ishant Sharma

69 Sam Curran Run Out Ishant Sharma 46 Adil Rashid c Rishabh Pant b Mohammed Shami 11 Stuart Broad c Rishabh Pant b Mohammed Shami 0 James Anderson Not Out

1 Extras: 7b 2lb 0nb 0pen 0w

9 Total: (96.1 overs)

271 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-24 Cook, 2-33 Ali, 3-92 Jennings, 4-92 Bairstow, 5-122 Root, 6-178 Stokes, 7-233 Buttler, 8-260 Rashid, 9-260 Broad, 10-271 Curran Bowling: Ravichandran Ashwin 37.1-7-84-1, Jasprit Bumrah 19-3-5-1, Ishant Sharma 15-4-36-2, Mohammed Shami 16-0-574, Hardik Pandya 9-0-34-0. ...............................................................

INDIA 2nd innings Shikhar Dhawan c Ben Stokes b James Anderson 17 Lokesh Rahul b Stuart Broad

0 Cheteshwar Pujara lbw James Anderson 5 Virat Kohli c Alastair Cook b Moeen Ali

58 Ajinkya Rahane lbw Moeen Ali

51 Hardik Pandya c Joe Root b Ben Stokes

0 Rishabh Pant c Alastair Cook b Moeen Ali

18 Ravichandran Ashwin lbw Sam Curran 25 Ishant Sharma lbw Ben Stokes

0 Mohammed Shami c James Anderson b Moeen Ali 8 Jasprit Bumrah Not Out

0 Extras: 0b 1lb 0nb 0pen 1w

2 Total: (69.4 overs)

184 all out Fall of Wickets: 1-4 Rahul, 2-17 Pujara, 3-22 Dhawan, 4-123 Kohli, 5-127 Pandya, 6-150 Pant, 7-153 Rahane, 8-154 Sharma, 9-163 Shami, 10-184 Ashwin Bowling: James Anderson 11-2-33-2, Stuart Broad 10-2-23-1, Moeen Ali 26-3-71-4, Ben Stokes 12-3-34-2 (1w), Sam Curran 3.4-2-1-1, Adil Rashid 7-3-21-0.

Hamilton wins as Vettel spins in Ferrari’s backyard

By Alan Baldwin

MONZA, Italy (Reuters) - Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton equalled Michael Schumacher’s record of five Italian Grand Prix wins on Sunday and left Ferrari feeling the pain yet again in their own backyard.

The Briton and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel clashed at the fourth corner of the opening lap, with the German spinning around before fighting back from 18th to fourth with a badly damaged car and all hope of victory gone.

Hamilton stretched his lead over Vettel from 17 points to 30 with seven races remaining.

Vettel’s veteran Finnish team mate Kimi Raikkonen finished second, after starting on pole position and racing superbly, with compatriot Valtteri Bottas third for Mercedes.

The thrilling victory was a fifth in a row for Mercedes at Monza, the historic circuit inside a former royal park near Milan, and one of Hamilton’s most successful.

“You are the man, you are the man,” said Hamilton’s engineer Peter Bonnington as he took the chequered flag. “You knocked that out of the park today.”

“It was one of the most exciting of victories that I’ve had, that I can remember,” Hamilton told reporters later.

For the Ferrari ‘tifosi’ it was a major let-down at the high-speed spiritual home of the sport’s most glamorous and successful team, who last won there in 2010, and they did not hide their feelings.

“Today was so difficult. Whilst the negativity is never great, that’s what powered me along. I actually accept it,” said Hamilton, booed massively on the podium by the crowd flooding the main straight with their flares and flags.

“I love being here in Italy...the track is incredible, and it’s a such an honour to win here in front of

such a great crowd.”

NO SPACE While Vettel looked to be to blame for his own misfortune, he pointed the finger at Hamilton who had seen his chance and seized it in a move that could be crucial to the championship outcome.

Lewis Hamilton celebrates “Lewis saw a little bit around the outside but he didn’t leave me any space,” the German told Sky F1 television of the collision. “I had no other chance (but) to run into him and make contact.”

OTHERS SAW IT DIFFERENTLY. “Sebastian Vettel cracked under pressure, it has to be said,” commented 1996 world champion Damon Hill, with agreement from Hamilton’s former team mate and 2016 champion Nico Rosberg.

“I think it was 100 percent Sebastian’s fault. Lewis left him enough room,” said the German.

Hamilton’s sixth win of the season lifted him to 256 points, to his German rival’s 226, but the fierce battle between the fourtimes world champions is far from

over with Mercedes facing some tough races ahead.

Mercedes have 415 points to Ferrari’s 390 in the constructors’ standings.

Raikkonen had looked to be in with a chance of his first win in 108 races but the Finn, who responded to Hamilton overtaking him on lap four by promptly taking back the lead with a brilliant move, could not resist on worn tyres.

Hamilton, who pitted later and had fresher tyres when it mattered, passed the Finn again eight laps from the end.

“I think it (the car) was quick enough but unfortunately our rear tyres went,” said Raikkonen, who at least had a fitting location for his 100th podium in Formula One. “It was a losing battle from that point. We did our maximum,” said the 2007 world champion.

Hamilton was also helped considerably by team mate Valtteri Bottas, who eked out his tyres before pitting to hold up Raikkonen and help the eventual winner close the gap.

The Finn and Vettel, who made two stops including a first one to replace a damaged front wing, both moved up a place at the finish after Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was handed a five second penalty for pushing Bottas off on lap 44.

Vettel was back in the points by lap 15, helped by the safety car coming out immediately after his spin as marshals removed New Zealander Brendon Hartley’s damaged Toro Rosso.

Verstappen was fifth with Romain Grosjean sixth for Haas and Esteban Ocon seventh for Force India ahead of team mate Sergio Perez.

Renault’s Carlos Sainz was ninth and Canadian Lance Stroll took a much-needed point for struggling Williams in 10th.

McLaren’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo both retired.

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

Costs of staging Women’s T20 World Cup were too high - JCA president KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – Jamaica was unable to bid to host any of the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup matches in the Caribbean because the costs associated were too high.

That is the word from the president of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) Billy Heaven, who said the association simply could not afford to host any of the 23 matches which will be played in the region between November 9 and 24.

President of the Jamaica Cricket Association Billy Heaven

Those matches will be played in Guyana, St Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda.

“The reality is, as with any male team coming here (Caribbean), the territories are now expected to bid for matches and that comes with a cost.

When we looked at the women’s tournament, we could not afford it,” Heaven said.

“It is not reasonable to ask the Government to fund these things. I do not believe in that. It

would cost the JCA what we don’t have because we had established some programmes before that we are obligated to fund, and we could not set those back at the time. So it was purely a matter of cost and not that we don’t want our women to play here.”

Heaven said while there was always much talk about the benefits of sports tourism, there needed to be studies done to quantify how much countries actually benefitted from it.

He said unless there were major benefits it would be unfair to ask Government to foot the bill.

“Every time a team or a country is to come here (Caribbean) to play, you hear this argument about sports tourism and all of this. We need to quantify what benefit it is to the economy. If it is of no real benefit to the economy, I couldn’t ask the Government to fund it … ,” Heaven said.

“We would work and support any initiative to establish that (research), because as you know, this has come up time and time again. You need credible data to determine that (benefits) … We cannot approach sponsors without satisfying them that these are the benefits that you (sponsors) will get from whatever we are promoting.

TKR regain top spot with win over Patriots BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – The Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) regained top spot in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) when they trounced the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by 46 runs at Warner Park here on Saturday night, to notch their fourth consecutive victory.

In a mesmerising display of batting, the Knight Riders bludgeoned 87 runs from their final five overs to post a formidable total of 199 for four in their 20 overs.

And while the Patriots threatened briefly in their run chase, they eventually fell woefully short of the target finishing on 153 for eight.

The Knight Riders owed their mammoth, yet unlikely total to Colin Munro, who pummelled an unbeaten 76 from 50 balls, and later on captain Dwayne Bravo, whose 37-run cameo took just 11 balls and contained five sixes and one boundary.

With the score on 112 for three at the end of the 15th over following the dismissal of Brendon McCullum, the Knight Rid-

ers launched their assault.

This brought Darren Bravo to the crease, and while he didn’t last long, his 18 runs from just eight balls set the stage for what was to come.

completely tear apart fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who up until then had bowled brilliantly, snaring two wickets.

Joseph began the 19th over by bowling a dot ball,

Trinbago Knight Riders captain Dwayne Bravo punching the air in delight after his team defeated the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by 46 runs

His older brother entered the fray with just 20 balls remaining in the innings and proceeded to

but was then carted over the boundary ropes in his next five balls by Bravo.

Bravo first belted him

over mid-on, before lifting the third ball over mid-0ff.

The next ball was helped over deep square leg, while the fifth and sixth balls were dispatched over point and wide mid-on respectively.

Munro then delivered the final rites, smashing Sheldon Cottrell for 18 runs in the final over to push the Patriot’s required run rate for victory up to 10 an over.

Despite losing Chris Gayle cheaply, the Patriots were given hope by Evin Lewis. Lewis stroked a beautiful half-century as his side progressed to 78 for 2 in the 10th over.

But once he became the second of newcomer Anderson Phillip’s three wickets, the Patriots folded meekly.

After progressing to 52 from 36 balls, laced with five boundaries and two fours, Phillips produced a quicker delivery to trap Lewis plum in front.

Wickets then tumbled frequently, as the required run rate escalated to more than 20 runs per over, to all but secure victory for the Knight Riders.

Phillips was the pick of the Knight Riders’ bowlers, taking 3-40 from his four overs.

Serena survives scare from Kanepi to reach U.S. Open quarters

By Steve Keating NEW YORK (Reuters) - Serena Williams survived a scare from giant-killer Kaia Kanepi to claim a rollercoaster 6-0 4-6 6-3 win on Sunday and move into the U.S. Open quarter-finals, a step closer to a record- equalling 24th career Grand Slam title.

Following a shock upset of world number one Simona Halep in the first round, the 44th-ranked Kanepi had looked a potential trouble spot for the six-times U.S. Open champion.

Following a shock upset of world number one Simona Halep in the first round, the 44th-ranked Kanepi had looked a potential trouble spot for the six-times U.S. Open champion.

Any tension inside a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, however, was quickly eased as a ruthless Williams stormed through the opening set in 18 minutes for the loss of a measly six points.

But in a bizarre twist in momentum, fans suddenly found themselves back on the edge of their seats as the

Serena Williams

Estonian opened the second with a break and broke Williams again to go up 5-2 before holding off a late rally from the 17th seed to level the match.

Having collected her first set off of Williams in five career meetings, however, there would not be a second.

Just as quickly as the momentum had swung to Kanepi in the second set it returned to Williams in the third as normal service resumed with the 36-yearold American breaking her opponent at the first opportunity and jumping out to a 3-0 lead before cruising into the last eight.

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

Stars ensure Barbados Tridents remain winless at home BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – The St Lucia Stars ensured the Barbados Tridents’ would remain winless at home in this year’s Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) by trouncing them by six wickets at Kensington Oval here Sunday.

Once again it was the Tridents’ batting which let them down, as they could only muster 135 for seven off their 20 overs after they were sent in to bat.

The Stars, which have also endured a miserable season, made sure to end their regular season on a winning note, easily surpassing the target to reach 136 for four in 17.3 overs.

It was the Trident’s fourth straight loss in front

David Warner finished unbeaten on 42.

of their home fans and their sixth in eight matches, to leave them firmly rooted at the bottom of the table on just four points.

Meanwhile, the victory kept the Stars’ slim playoff hopes alive, as they ended their campaign on seven points.

No batsman from the Tridents had a meaningful impact on the game, with Hashim Amla’s topscore of 35 off 34 balls, highlighting those struggles, as no other batsman scored 20.

Openers Dwayne Smith and Martin Guptill both fell cheaply, with debutant Christopher Lamont having Smith caught at mid-off by Odean Smith for 16 and Kesrick Williams claiming Guptil’s

wicket for just nine to leave them 27 for two.

Man-of-the-Match Lamont then caught Hope off his own bowling for just two, to put the Tridents in further trouble at 50 for three.

Shamar Springer (17) and Nicholas Pooran (14) struggled to get the ball away, striking only two boundaries in the 37 balls faced between them.

By the time Amla was dismissed in the 15th over, the Tridents had yet to reach triple figures.

Ashley Nurse and Imran Khan tried their best to get the Tridents up to a competitive total, but the final score was well below par.

The home side made a spirited response in the

field, with Mohammad Irfan claiming the early wickets of Andre Fletcher and the promoted Rahkeem Cornwall for five and 18 respectively to limit the Stars to 24 for two.

But Chandrapaul Hemraj, who scored 37 from only 26 balls and David Warner, who finished unbeaten on 42, combined to add 56 runs in six overs to swing the momentum back in the Stars’ favour.

And even when captain Kieron Pollard fell for a first ball duck following Hemraj’s dismissal, Warner and Lendl Simmons carried them over the line in an unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership of 56.

New faces expected to shine at GAPLF’s RAW Nationals DIG Inc. supports GSSF Steel Challenge Match ACCORDING to Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Guyana Amateur Power Lifting Federation (GAPLF), Runita White, this year’s RAW National Championships on September 9 will be all about the new faces coming to the fore.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport, white revealed, “We have competitors like Blossom Babb, Susan Rodrigues and Noel Cummings. These are competitors who are fairly new to the sport and we want to see them come to the fore.

They’ll be competing for Raw Nationals and training has been coming along well for them.”

The competition is about the athletes competing raw, which mean that the athletes are using little to no additional

GAPLF’s Raw Nationals is set for September 9 at the St Stanislaus College Auditorium.

equipment.

The Championships will be held in the auditorium of the St. Stanislaus College on Brickdam, Georgetown.

Participating athletes

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday September 03, 2018)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) (1) (2)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: Warriors (Match #11, Florida) Stars & Patriots (20.1 Overs)

(1)

(2)

Today’s Quiz: Who has taken most wickets for the Tridents in all CPL cricket to date? How many?

Who is the youngest player to hit a CPL hundred?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

for Flight A are required to be at the venue mentioned for 8:00hrs for the weighing in which will go no later than 9:30hrs, so athletes are urged to be there on time. The competition will begin at 10:00hrs. The entrance fee is $1,000.

Persons who are interested in competing at the Raw Nationals are required to submit their application and pay their fees.

The forms and monies can be submitted to executive member, Martin Webster. A screenshot of the filled out registration along with the deposit slip to the GAPLF Bank Account #6552194 will be accepted as well.

Dr. Pravesh Harry, Director of DIG Inc (second from left) makes a presentation to GSSF treasurer, Mr. Ray Beharry, and GSSF director, Mr. David Dharry (far right).

On the left, DIG Inc’s Company Secretary, Dr. Jodah looks on.

THE Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) is pleased to announce its plans for a Steel Challenge Match sponsored by Dental Imports Guyana Inc. The GSSF, an affiliate of the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA), continues to promote this simple, yet action-packed shooting sport to local pistol-shooters by organising such matches on a regular basis.

Steel Challenge is considered to be the fastest practical shooting competition in the world. All matches comply with all rules and regulations stipulated by the SCSA. Chairman of the SCSA Committee, Dr. Pravesh Harry, reported that three exciting stages are being planned

where competitors will be shooting at five steel targets which are arranged in preconfigured positions.

Scoring will be done using a timer which records the time taken for a shooter to complete engaging all 5 targets. The shooter’s time is his/her score, with time added for targets not hit. Scores are entered into a specialised software, and the shooter with the lowest overall time wins the match.

Participants will fall under two divisions--Limited and Production-- with prizes being awarded to the top three shooters in each division.

At the small handing-over ceremony, Company Secretary Dr. Kevin Jodah commented that Dental Imports Guyana

(DIG) is pleased to sponsor the Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation’s Steel Challenge match and indicated DIG’s commitment to the GSSF and safe sport shooting activities.

DIG Inc., recently established by Dr. Pravesh Harry and Dr. Kevin Jodah, is a local, efficient, and reliable dental supplies company.

The main focus of the company at this point is to supply dentists in and around Guyana with a wide range of dental materials at competitive prices.

The executive hopes that the company becomes a popular name among dentists.

More information on the GSSF can be found on its website: www.GuyanaSportShooting.com.

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 3, 2018

RHT Pepsi and Blairmont through to New York Business Group U-19 final

Team Guyana

ROSE Hall Town Pepsi and Blairmont will clash in the Berbice Cricket Board-sponsored New York Business Group Under-19 cricket final after both teams recorded victories in their respective semifinal game yesterday.

Guyana’s female Squash team qualify for Pan-Am Games 2019 THE Guyana female squash team on Saturday qualified for the 2019 Pan-Am Games in Peru. Their day did not start with promise, as they took on the powerhouse Colombia in the quarter finals of the women’s team event.

Even with a win from Nicolette Fernandes, the ladies couldn’t take one more match to advance to the semi-finals and automatically qualify. However, they were placed in the 5/8 draw for another chance to qualify, with a matchup in the evening session against Brazil.

First up was Nicolette Fernandes, who was just too much for Thaisia Serfini, ending in a 3-0 win for Guyana.

The next player on was Mary Fung-A-Fat, current national champion who played one of her best matches of the tournament, and won 3-0 against Brazil’s Juliana Periera.

Taylor Fernandes then followed up by defeating Giovana Viega in straight games to come out 2-0.

Team Guyana will now try for its best finish at a Pan-Am Championship as it plays fellow qualifier, Chile, for 5th.

The Guyanese men had a different experience. Playing in a must win match against El Salvador, they lost their first two matches to lose out on qualifying for Peru as well. Sunil Seth and Richard Chin lost their matches 3-0 and 3-1 respectively.

Season best for Ming

By Stephan Sookram

GUYANESE Calvin Ming continued his podium running form in the Cooper Tyres Mazda USF2000 with his best ever finish-- a second position in Portland, Oregon on Saturday.

Ming, who finished third driving for the Pabst Racing team, was elevated one podium spot after a 30-second penalty for initial second place finisher and Exclusive Motorsports driver, Igor Fragga.

Stewards found the Brazilian guilty of avoidable contact.

Overall USF2000 champ Kyle Kirkwood racked up another top spot for Cape Motorsports with DeForce’s Kory Enders benefitting from Fragga’s demotion for the final podium spot.

Ming, who was able to patiently move through the pack from ninth, paced himself well, getting up to fifth before a full course yellow brought out the safety car.

On the restart, Ming was able to navigate through a first corner tussle between Pabst team mates Rasmus Lidnh of Sweden and Kaylen Frederick

Calvin Ming stands on the third step of the podium following race one of the Cooper Tyres Mazda USF2000 series in Portland, Oregon. He was promoted to second after Igor Fragga (Extreme left) was handed a 30-second penalty.

-- places second in USF 2000

of the United states to move up to third.

He defended that third for the remaining four laps of the race under pressure from Enders to pick up third, which would eventually become second spot.

He told Chronicle Sport, “I want to thank the team and the mechanics. It was a good drive today for me, especially starting ninth and it gives me a lot of positive [for] Sunday’s race.

Kelvon Anderson

Hosts, Rose Hall Town Pepsi whipped Tucber Park by 77 runs at the Area ‘H’ Ground, while Blairmont produced a discipline bowling effort to beat Albion by seven wickets.

Kelvon Anderson struck an entertaining 125 to lead the Rose Hall Town Pepsi to a commanding total of 235-6, in a match reduced to 35 overs.

Anderson, who just returned with the National Under-19 team, stroked

eleven fours and five sixes in his knock. He received support from Keith Simpson (35) and Chanderpaul Govindhan (21). Romel Retemiah claimed 3-41, bowling for the visitors who reached 158-9 in reply.

Retemiah (40) and Marlon Mickle (35) were the principal scorers.

Kevin Sinclair (3-15), was the best bowler for the hosts.

Meanwhile, asked to bat first, Albion were bowled out for 91 in 23 of their allotted 30 overs.

Ramesh Kassinauth (37) and Anthonio February (20) were the principal scorers. Left-arm spinner Nigel Deodat claimed 3-20, while Seon Glasgow and Marvan Prashad took 2 wickets each.

In reply, Blairmont reached 94-3 in 18 overs, with Glasgow hitting an unbeaten 55, which included five fours and two sixes.

The final will be contested over two days on September 7 and 8, from 13:30hrs to 20:30hrs on both days at the Albion Community Centre ground. It will be the first time the final will be played under lights in Berbice, using pink balls.

Truelove siblings stand tall in Barbados

Matthew Truelove was in fine form in Barbados (Stephan Sookram photos)

See Page 18

….wins for Vieira, King in group 4

Mark Vieira and Andrew King race to the first corner in Barbados

Blairmont Cricket Club president resigns with immediate effect --quits BCB posts as well

By Rajiv Bisnauth PRESIDENT of the Blairmont Cricket Club, Shabeer Baksh, has resigned from his position with the club with immediate effect.

Baksh, who is currently the vice-president of the Region Five Chamber of Industry and Commerce, also quit his Berbice Cricket Board’s posts, where he was appointed as one of the seven executive members as well as a member of the West Berbice Selection Committee.

Baksh, who was the club’s president for over eight years, said he was resigning with “deep regret”. He added that his decision was based on personal reasons.

“I have tried to do my best and have tried to be fair and impartial in deciding matters in the functioning of the club and in matters related to the BCB. “However, for personal reasons it is not possible for me to continue in those positions and, hence, I am resigning from the positions with immediate effect,” Baksh wrote in a letter which was forwarded to the Guyana Chronicle.

“I take this opportunity to thank all the members of the Blairmont Cricket Club and BCB for their support over the years. I wish both the club and board all the very best and hope it achieves greater heights,” he concluded.

President of the Blairmont Cricket Club, Shabeer Baksh

He is known as a proactive person, who always have a positive attitude, but his decision hasn’t shocked some club members or even some at the board level.

At least three club officials, who have spoken on condition of anonymity, said that while Baksh was a go-getter, his self-importance was always questionable.

Baksh, a businessman, is a former president of the Region Five Chamber of Industry and Commerce, former chairman of the Board of Governors of Rosignol

President of the BCB, Hilbert Foster Secondary School and former assistant treasurer of the Berbice Cricket Board. He is currently coach and Public Relations Officer of Itahca Head Liners Basketball Club.

Meanwhile, President of the BCB, Hilbert Foster, said the board is yet to receive an official resignation letter from Baksh.

However, Foster said the board will await the letter before making a further announcement.

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See Page 18 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2018