Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 05 01 2017

Cambio, car rental services for CJIA

P.2

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Health, Trevor Thomas

Fire the PS No. 104784

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

– drug procurement COI recommends sacking of PS, shake-up of MMU Page 3

3 dead in smash-up Page 4

The mangled vehicles following the head-on collision on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway

Dead: Dextroy Griffith

Yupukari cocaine plane

Traffickers set up logistics camp

– Reg.9 VC accused of hiding info

Page 8

Canawaima in limbo …as Suriname defaults on maintenance payments

Page 9

Abandoned children taken from alcoholic parents

Page 5

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Cambio, car rental services for CJIA …record breaking passenger movements

By Alva Solomon ON the heels of a record-breaking year in terms of passenger travel, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation (CJIAC) is pursuing several initiatives to enhance its operations including the establishment of a cambio service at the airport as well as a car rental service.

The plans are currently under discussion, Chief Executive Officer of the CJIAC, Ramesh Ghir said on Wednesday, noting that the cambio service is being discussed with a commercial bank. He said too that the car rental service is also being discussed and a March timeline has been set in that regard. Ghir was at the time speaking at the Transport Sports Club on Thomas Lands on the 2016 performance review of agencies which fall under the ambit of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.

In 2016, the airport re-

corded its highest number of passenger movements, both for departure and arrival and this may be tied to the country celebrating its Golden Jubilee of Independence in May. According to Ghir, a total of 572,439 were processed as of November 2016, the highest figure ever recorded and surpasses the 504,032 recorded the previous year.

For the corresponding period last year, it was an increase of 14%, he said. In addition, he noted that it is the third time in its history that the movement of passengers topped the 500,000 mark.

According to Ghir, the Panama-based carrier, COPA Airlines completed a solid year in terms of performance, climbing to a healthy 97% increase in passenger movement over the previous year. Other airlines also performed well in 2016 when compared to the previous year and these included Suriname Airways (65%), Fly

Jamaica Airways (79%), Insel Air (16%) and Dynamic Airways (23%). He said that Caribbean Airlines recorded a 10% decline in passenger movements.

However, Caribbean Airlines continue to maintain the bulk of the market share at the CJIA. According to Ghir, CAL holds a total of 54% of the market share at the Timehri-based airport while Dynamic Airways (14%), Fly Jamaica (12%), COPA (8%), Suriname Airways (4%), Insel Air (4%) and Eastern Airlines (3%), shared the remainder of the market share in 2016.

In terms of the destinations which recorded the higher number of passenger movements, the 2016 statistics indicate that the North American market continues to dominate travel out of Guyana, with New York (47%), Canada (17%) and Miami (12% ) leading the figures. It was noted by Ghir that travel from the Spanish–speaking destinations in

Chief Executive Officer of the CJIAC, Ramesh Ghir

the region has seen Panama recording an 8% figure in 2016.

He said that the increase in passengers from Cuba and other Spanish speaking departure points has seen the CJIA implement the use of bi-lingual immigration forms for such passengers,

in which the forms can be completed conveniently to cater for persons whose first language is Spanish.

EXPANSION PROJECT Meanwhile, as works progress on the expansion of the airport, in 2017 an estimated 500 Guyanese are ex-

pected to gain employment at the airport as the expansion works heighten. According to Ghir, currently a total of 271 Guyanese are working on the project, while Chinese labour figures stand at 151.

He said that total runway works completed to date stands at 57.5% and such works are on schedule for its completion date on June 7 this year. As regards works thus far, he said that excavation works and foundation treatment are 100% complete, sand backfilling is 78.5% complete while pavement work is yet to begin.

Ghir noted too that works are ongoing on the plans for the construction of the new terminal building. He said that the expansion plans at the CJIA will see the current arrival and departure lounge being merged and will become the airport’s Departure lounge. Free Wi Fi service was also introduced at the CJIA in 2016, Ghir said.

More medical doctors for GPL employee dies after hinterland regions falling off rotting post

By Navendra Seoraj

A GUYANA Power and Light (GPL) employee identified as Brian Clif-

ford, 47, died on Tuesday afternoon after he attempted to remove a live wire

which was entangled with a Hymac at Arnes Street, Belvedere South, Lower Corentyne.

This newspaper understands that on the day in question at around 16:30hrs the GPL call centre received a telephone call that a Hymac was entangled with a live wire. As a result, Clifford, a technician and linesman, along with a Supervisor, Adolph Hendrax, responded in motor pickup PFF 3156.

Upon arrival, Clifford climbed the utility pole in an effort to remove the wire, but the wooden pole, which had a rotting bottom, broke resulting in the linesman falling off of the thirty feet post. He was rushed to the Anamayah hospital at Hampshire Village, where he died at 17:45hrs.

His body is at the Ramoo Funeral Home awaiting a post mortem examination.

MORE medical doctors are expected to be deployed to the hinterland regions, as the Ministry of Public Health continues to bridge the gap between health care provided on the coastland and hinterland.

This announcement was made by Former Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, who indicated that the Public Health System is now equipped with a total of 704 Government Medical Officers (GMOs) and 968 nurses.

Therefore, the Ministry will seek to utilise their human resources efficiently in order to ensure that all regions benefit from proper health care. However, with accommodation for GMOs and basic living conditions

Former Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton

in the hinterland regions still a serious issue, the Ministry through the department of Regional Health Services, will collaborate with the Ministry of Communities so that these challenges can be alleviated.

Despite the odds, medical programmes in the hinterland continue to prove useful, with the medical evacuation programme benefiting 255 patients who were accommodated on 212 flights at an approximated cost of $82.3million with the month of December still to be completed, he had stated.

The increase in the number of medical evacuations in 2016 is as a result of the ministry’s position on the transfer of all high risk pregnancies from hinterland regions in an effort to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, said Dr. Norton.

A plan which would result in the decrease in medical evacuations is one to deploy specialist doctors to the hinterland regions. As such, the then Minister of Public Health said that all regional hospitals will be staffed by the four basic specialist care services; they will review the human resource gap to have specialist at all regional hospitals; equip and upgrade of district hospitals to deliver the full suite of mandated services; ensure that all regional hospitals have one medical superintendent, and one Administrator/CEO and increase the availability of a national biomedical service provider to effect timely repairs and maintenance to equipment.

Fire the PS

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

– drug procurement COI recommends sacking of PS, shake-up of MMU

By Ariana Gordon THE Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the unauthorised disclosure of information on the procurement of pharmaceuticals at the Ministry of Public Health has recommended that Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Trevor Thomas, be fired and that there be a major shake-up of the Materials and Management Unit (MMU), including the dismissal of an office assistant.

The inquiry also recommended that Western Scientific Company Limited be debarred from tendering for contracts, accusing a top official of the company of conspiring with staff of the MMU to gain a competitive advantage over other suppliers. In the report compiled

by Commissioner Winston Cosbert, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Ret’d), and dated December 12, 2016 it was recommended that Thomas be removed due to “his inability to effectively carry out the mandate of the Ministry.”

WILLINGLY EVASIVE “The Permanent Secretary was willingly evasive and deceptive in his testimony when questioned by the Board of Inquiry…

The Permanent Secretary had made inconsistent and deceptive statements during his testimony. The Board finds that the inconsistencies were sufficiently material to affect the truthfulness and

accuracy of his testimony,” the report stated. Thomas, a career public servant had been employed at the Ministry of Public Health between 2012 to August 2015 as the Ministry’s Deputy Permanent Secretary but was on September 1, 2015 appointed as Permanent Secretary to the said ministry. He served as PS at several other ministries as well as the Teaching Service Commission. During his testimony before the Board of Inquiry, Thomas explained his job description and the procurement procedure with the Ministry.

The Ministry of Public Health does procurement for all health posts and regional hospitals, except the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Prior to 2015, the Health Ministry procured pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment for the regions without consultations.

In 2015, a new procedure for the procurement of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals was implemented whereby the 10 Administrative regions would prepare a list of needs and submit it to the Ministry’s procurement department for procurement of the required items. However, Thomas found difficulty with the system and told the Board of Inquiry that the regions were challenged to prepare their lists despite training was facilitated by the Supply Chain Management Complex (SCMC). He even suggested that the Ministry of Public Health would

return to the old procurement system as the current one was a failure in his eyes.

CENSURE Meanwhile, the Commission recommended that the Deputy Permanent Secretary Colette Adams be “censured

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Health, Trevor Thomas

for authorising advance payment on a contract without first perusing the contract.”

The explanations provided by Adams were deemed unsatisfactory by the Board and “the Board recommends disciplinary actions that are commensurate to the level of breach or neglect in the performance of her duties.”

Additionally, the Commission has recommended that Chetwin Felix, Principal Personnel Officer within the Ministry of Public Health be trained in personnel and office procedures noting that his demeanor was “ad-

versarial” and he was “very evasive in providing answers to questions put to him.”

It was also recommended that the contract of Finance Manager, Sandra Singh should not be considered for renewal. “She paid a supplier without seeing the contract for the transaction. Being an experienced person in that particular department, it was prudent for her to have first advised the Deputy Permanent Secretary Adams, or object to such irregular practice given the fact that, Singh is acquainted with the Government Financial Regulation.”

Singh is responsible for the Audit Report, signing off payment vouchers and the Donor funds. She told the Commission that part of the system relates to payment of suppliers and is based on the contractual agreement and noted that if the contract stipulates 30 per cent advance payment then the Ministry of Public Health is required to pay 30 per cent.

She said too that if there is an addendum, then it must be included before payment can be made.

ADVANCED PAYMENT The Finance Manager testified that in relation to contract number MMU-012016-p4, dated October 4, 2016 between the Permanent Secretary and a senior official of the New GPC Inc. to the value of $544,440,973 was an agreed advance payment of 30 per cent for the supply and delivery of drugs

to the Ministry of Public Health.

“Ms. Singh stated that on October 13, 2016 the Deputy Permanent Secretary instructed her in writing to pay 50 percent on the above contract, she also indicated that at the said time she was not in receipt of the said contract but complied with the Deputy Permanent Secretary’s instructions because she was told there was a shortage of drugs in the Ministry.”

Additionally, Singh said she later discovered that the contract stipulated a 30 per cent advance and was signed by the Permanent Secretary and as a result she had concerns. “She acknowledged however that 30 per cent advance payment was adequate to fulfill the demand shortage. Ms. Singh further acknowledged that she was wrong in paying the supplier (New GPC Inc.) 50 per cent before perusing the document.” She also said the Permanent Secretary later came and signed an addendum dated October 28, 2016 for the 50 per cent advance payment.

TRANSFERS Meanwhile, the Board of Inquiry has recommended that the staff of the Materials Management Unit (MMU) should be transferred to a department suitable for their qualifications and skills and alternatively be trained in the area of procurement.

Moreover, it was recommended that the Ministry of Public Health should “im-

mediately” fill the positions at the Materials Management Unit with personnel who have the requisite qualifications and skills set due to the fact that the department handles multi-million dollar contracts. Having determined the aforementioned the Board of Inquiry believes that Kandasie Aaron, Office Assistant Materials Management Unit be dismissed from the Ministry and noted that during her testimony she admitted under oath that she spoke with supplier of pharmaceuticals Edwin Mc Koon about supplier Meditron Inc. “Further, there is evidence before the Board of Inquiry that Mr. Edwin Mc Koon called Mortrez Lindore (Materials Management Unit supervisor) on several occasions enquiring about bids that were not made public. It is evident from the evidence that Ms. Aaron was conspiring with Mr. Mc Koon to gain insider information which obviously would have been used to his advantage over his competitors,” the report added.

As a result, it was also recommended that legal advice be sought to review all contracts awarded to Mc Koon. Mc Koon was invited by the Board of Inquiry to testify but failed to do so. “Mc Koon’s refusal and non-cooperation had led to the several assumptions. It is highly recommended that Mr. Mc Koon be debarred from future tenders.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Three dead in Linden/Soesdyke Highway smash -up

By Alva Solomon and Vanessa Braithwaite

an employee of the BOSAI bauxite company; however he is yet to be identified.

Those injured are Aleta Shepherd and Lerone Mendonca and another unidentified individual.

Reports are that Primus was driving a Toyota Spacio, bearing registration HC 5326 while the unidentified driver was behind the wheels of the other vehicle, registered PRR 7151, when the two collided.

According to reports from Linden, Primus was heading to the city along with Griffith, Griffith’s wife, Whitney and three other persons at the

time. Griffith’s wife and the passengers are currently hospitalised at the Linden Hospital Complex and medical personnel reported that their conditions are stable.

Reports are that the highway was wet around 18:00hrs when the two vehicles collided in the vicinity of Camp Soweyo near the Loo Creek area. The two drivers were attempting to overtake two container log trucks, which were parked along the highway at the time of the collision.

A large crowd gathered at the scene and rescuers

were forced to cut-open the two vehicles to extract the men’s bodies after which they were rushed to the Linden Hospital complex.

At the hospital, Griffith’s relatives were lost for words as news spread that the young man had died.

According to reports, the father of two married his wife a year ago. The woman is said to be pregnant.

Police are investigating the accident.

Poorly lit trucks parked along the Linden/Soesdyke road have been cited over the years as one of the main

contributing factors to accidents on the highway.

In October last, two persons died when a route 72 Mahdia minibus crashed into the back of a truck which was parked with several logs along the highway in the vicinity of Moblissa.

Miner Royston Holder and Bridget Alleyne, 59, wife of the driver of the minibus died following the collision.

Following Wednesday evening’s accident fresh calls were made for, lights to be placed along the highway.

-- Geotechnical Engineer, Charles Ceres

of this site.

According to him, the risks and flaws in the design of the project will threaten its longterm effectiveness and prove too costly and burdensome to the people of Guyana and the country as a small developing state.

“The question is; do we need Amaila at this stage? I think it is an onerous burden on our resources to spend that kind of money on Amaila Falls when we can spend less money for the same volume of power.

What we need at this stage of our development is more power and more power should come

from a mix of resources that are readily available to us,” he posited.

Through these means, Ceres noted that the country can still achieve its goal of having a ‘green’ economy.

“It doesn’t compromise that objective and for us to move to Amaila is too costly. It is a burden on taxpayers… I think that we are staring down the barrel of a potential Skeldon II Project again and I don’t think that we should be doing that,” he contended.

The current configuration of the project is not viable

on two counts – one, it is too costly, and secondly, it will not satisfy the power demands of the country, he reiterated.

According to the report on the project, by 2025, the country would have to build another hydropower plant.

Speaking directly to some of the issues, which were identified by Norconsult, Ceres said the matter of an absence of any sediment handling methodology in the design of the plant is a ‘fatal flaw’.

“There is no provision in

THREE persons died on Wednesday evening following a head-on collision between two Toyota Spacio motorcars on the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway.

Dead is Dextroy Griffith, a 22-year old mechanic and 52-year-old taxi driver, David Primus; both men are said to be residents of Amelia’s Ward, Linden while a third person who was driving one of the two cars involved in the accident, died following the collision. He is said to be

Dextroy Griffith died on the spot; he was a passenger in the taxi, heading to Georgetown

Amaila Project resembles Skeldon Factory THE Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) would be a heavy burden to tax payers should the project be given the go-ahead in its current configuration, Civil, Geotechnical and Groundwater Hydrology Engineer, Charles

Ceres has said.

According to him, while Guyana continues to push for a ‘green’ economy and a ‘green’ footprint, the Amaila Falls Project, at this stage of the country’s development, is not viable.

However, he said that solar,

wind and biomass are cheaper and just as effective options of renewable energy.

Providing his professional opinion after studying the ‘Review of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project in Guyana’ Report, which was done by Norconsult, a Norwegian engineering and design consultancy firm, the geo-technical engineer said that the flaws and risks, which have been pointed out by the independent review are significant and fatal and negate the efficacy of the development

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Abandoned children taken from alcoholic parents SIX children, ranging from six months to seven years old have been removed from the custody of their alcoholic parents and a life in shabbiness at Sister’s Village, after reports surfaced on social media highlighting their family’s plight.

Just a stone’s throw away from the recently closed Wales Estate, the children, their mother and their father have been residing in a 12x12 room, furnished with only two beds, and the walls lined with newspaper.

The father, a fisherman, often goes away at sea for two-week periods, while the mother usually leaves the children home alone.

The father makes a fair living, but would fritter away his earnings, mostly on alcohol. Whatever little money the mother gets she would

reportedly follow-suit.

The older three children, aged 10, seven and six years old were removed from the home by kind-hearted citizens, and are said to be staying in Parfait Harmonie.

The younger of three siblings, the six-month-old and two-year-old fraternal twins, were reportedly removed from the home on Wednesday by the Child Care Protective Agency (CCPA).

One of the twins, a boy, is apparently deaf and dumb.

An older 14-year-old sibling is allegedly residing on the West Coast of Demerara with a family member.

Popular Facebook page “Guyanese Ting’zz” highlighted the children’s predicament after their mother abandoned them.

Sister’s Village resident John Buck was dismayed at

the children’s situation.

“Hear wah go on with them two this (the children’s parents): both ah them ah drink hard. Plenty time she ah go way and left the children them. The gyal ah deh sport all over West Coast, Caribbean Temptations and them place dah,” he said.

He explained that the children’s mother is his wife’s niece, and back in July he agreed to let the family stay at the property until they could find a better arrangement.

Buck’s kindness was however taken for granted.

The children’s father promised to change his family’s fate as soon as he got some money, but never followed through with his promise. The man is also reportedly abusive to the children and their mother.

“Me girl back them up and

Amaila Project resembles Skeldon ... the design for the removal of sediment from the reservoir.

So it is conceivable that we can have a reservoir, which is filled with sediment by the time this project is handed over to Guyana. So where there is this claim that we are going to have access to free electricity, if this reservoir ‘sediment up’ within that period we have access to no electricity, because there is no mechanism to remove sediment,” he explained.

CRITICAL SECTION MISSING At most high powered plants, there are sediment removal facilities in the base of the reservoir, however, this critical section was missing, Ceres lamented.

Another major concern pointed out by the geotechnical engineer was the distance between the site and the transmission centre in Georgetown.

The report clearly states that a financial hurdle, for realising AFHP, is the 270-280 km long transmission line required from the project site to the main dispatch centre in Georgetown.

The cost structure of the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Contract shows that the line adds about 44 percent to the construction costs of the power plant itself, which again is reflected in the energy tariff.

“Now if we do that, that transmission line is incapable of servicing the second plant. We will need to expand the capacity of that transmission line so that in itself is an impediment against the development of the future of hydropower development facilities in that area,” Ceres explained.

ABSENCE OF FLY WHEEL He further pointed out that the absence of a fly wheel, an energy storage mechanism, which is a critical element of the project, is another major flaw.

The flywheel maintains the

rotational speed for relatively small variations in load since it would force the turbine to keep turning. In its current configuration, the project would not be able to self-regulate and as such, a flywheel would be needed.

Further to this, Norconsult would have recommended that three years of geotechnical and geological works be done around the site to determine the risks and viability of the output of the plant. However, Ceres explained that the investment needed in these three years does not provide any assurance of success. It could end up becoming costly with no results to show, he says.

“They have also identified the fact that we should be examining an underground powerhouse as opposed to an above ground powerhouse.

There are implications for that because they have mentioned the fact that there will be need for more geological work and geotechnical work on the site to determine that there isn’t a fatal flaw in going underground,” he lamented.

The engineer added t h a t t h e l e v e l o f u n c e rtainty is a significant risk

f o r s u c h a l a rg e i n v e s t ment.

“Incurring these additional expenses do not provide a guarantee that

thing, but when the man come from sea the man gone and drink out all he money. When we call the captain, the captain seh he [the father] come with $65,000, but he nah come hey and give he gyal even money to buy a pint rice. Me never really see am sober since he come from sea. Beat? He ah beat she bad,” he related.

In a bid to address the situation, the employer of the children’s father would at times hold back some of the fisherman’s pay, then remit same to the children’s mother.

But it was out of the frying pan into the fire.

“The man captain know she [the children’s mother] good. When she go the man [boss] guh give she a portion of the money if he know the man [children’s father] ah go drink out the money. When she collects the portion though

Continued fr. Pg. 4 whatever solution they come up with would be viable because it is still in its exploratory stage,” he noted.

she ah go one next bar wah she man nah deh and she start sport too. So when the two ah them link up now when them broken then them ah head fuh come back ah Wales now. And them come back and them rice can empty.”

Buck is often forced to take care of the abandoned children, but could do so no more as he is facing hard times.

“Everyday me gah run and find food fuh them, but now is out ah grinding down hey, how much children me can

look after? You ah try to assist with them but how much you can assist? Three meal a day yuh gah assist?” Buck questioned.

The CCPA has been trying to assist the family for some months now. In July, they got two family members to sign a contract saying that they would look over and care for the children.

Buck said a CCPA representative would visit often and at times bring things, but the parents would not change their ways.

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

Editorial: 227-5216; 227-5204 guyanachronicle.com wnigel10@hotmail.com gnnleditorial@gmail.com

Editorial

THE property and the building known as the Red House that sits on it belong to the State, i.e. the people of Guyana. Over the years people have come to identify the building, with some emotional attachment to Dr. Cheddi Jagan, given that he lived there for a period during his premiership.

In 2012 the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Incorporation (CJRCI) was granted a ‘99-year lease’, which has now been determined to be invalid, to occupy the building in the promotion of his work. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), of which he was a Founder and Leader, has over the years ascribed to the building an attachment of ownership to him and the party. Generally nothing is wrong with claiming such affinity, as it often happens in human nature and where formidable experiences have occurred.

Dr. Jagan served as Guyana’s first premier and was one of our leading figures in the working-class and anti-colonial struggles. As one of the Founding Fathers, his contributions to this nation, irrespective of how it is being seen, cannot be ignored. Similarly, what cannot be ignored is that with so many things in our diverse culture and polarised politics, it is often easy to escalate an issue to the point where objectivity gets lost in subjectivity.

And here it ought to be reminded that the issue surrounding ownership, lease, and use of the Red House in its present form is not about Dr. Jagan. It is unfortunate that his name is being dragged through what has become a tumultuous incident in dealing with a legitimate matter. Equally unfortunate is that the issue conveyed, wittingly or un-wittingly, a sense of property-grab and in our polarised politics fodder for racial animosity.

The Red House is public building, identified as a national monument and heritage building, and falls under the National Trust Act (1972). It is reasonable expectation that in the determination of the history, usage and ownership of the building, decisions- past, present and future- be guided by the law and human consideration, where the supremacy of the former is not circumvented. And here is where the fault line lies in the 99-year lease, which has been determined to be invalid by the Attorney General.

While the Red House was used as Dr. Jagan’s residency from 1961-1964, it also housed government

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Red House lease is invalid, does not exist Dear Editor, I thank Mr. Ralph Ramkarran for his letter. The former Speaker knows the high esteem in which I hold him as the last great intellectual, already precious few as they were, previously attached to the People’s Progressive Party.

His intervention has clarified for me why it is that the PPP has so confidently challenged the claim of the invalidity of the ‘Red House lease’ and why they simultaneously so studiously avoid reference to the National Trust Act. I can perhaps begin with a parable. Let us imagine there is a bridegroom of high standing, a king perhaps, who gets married to a beautiful, blushing bride. After a decade of marriage, he enters a civil union with a well-known, powerful concubine, one which the courtiers denounce as illegitimate. The king confidently says it is not and when the courtiers eventually produce the original marriage certificate, they find that he is technically right since while there was the pomp and ceremony and while the bride’s signature is clear, they discover that he has conveniently omitted his.

In wake of Red House’s controversial new relationship with Cheddi Jagan Research Centre, Inc. and the rights of the presumptive original legitimate spouse, the National Trust, I rather suspect that a similar omission may be at play.

Let us reexamine Section 15 of the National Trust Act: “(1) Where it appears to the National Trust that it is in the public interest that

any monument should be preserved on account of the historic, architectural or archaeological interest attaching to it or its national importance the Trust may, by notice published simultaneously in the Gazette and one newspaper circulating in Guyana, declare the monument to be a national monument.

(2) Upon publication of a notice under subsection (1) relating to a monument such monument, without further assurance, becomes the property of, and vests in, the National Trust, and where immovable property has, by virtue of this section, vested in the National Trust the Registrar of Deeds shall take due notice thereof and shall make such annotations on the records as may be necessary.”

Properly executed, Red House and the lands upon which it stands (Lots 65, 66 & 67 High Street, Kingston) should have passed into the ownership of the National Trust and subject to the Section 3 (1) of the Act requiring explicit ministerial consent before lease.

The only scenario in which indefeasible ownership via transport had not been passed to the Trust is if the Registrar of Deeds failed to take due notice, under Section 15 (2), of the vesting of ownership “without further assurance” of immovable property in the Trust and hence failed also to “make such annotations on the records as may be necessary”, or if such annotation cannot be found. If one were to examine the relevant Deeds Registry documents concerning the gazetting of Red House as a national monument, I suspect that there

departments in the 1960s to 1980s and prior to 1961 was used by the Colonial Secretaries. When Dr. Jagan was elected President in 1992 he lived in the State House, formerly the Governor’s House, until his death in 1997.

The State House has since housed Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar and David Granger. The stated facts are important in understanding that public properties have had various occupants and used for various purposes over the years. As such it requires an understanding that where these properties are owned by the people, tempting though it may be to claim any, without proper legal transfer they remain the people’s properties and ought to be treated as such.

In a statement, the Ministry of the Presidency had said that after a year of engagement, which included negotiations for The Red House to provide a national service by housing information on all the Presidents

will either be an omission of requisite annotations or an absence of proof thereof.

Indeed, Mr. Ramkarran more than hints as much when he says “It may well be that an Order transferring ownership of the property to the National Trust is required to perfect the National Trust’s title and that until such time, the property remains in the transported owner.”

In that scenario, the status quo remains unchanged for Lots 65, 66 & 67 by virtue of the transport remaining the property of, by procedural omission, the Lands and Surveys Commission (instead of passing to the National Trust) therefore clearing the way for the ‘lease’ under the Commission – in brief, the bridegroom neglected his duty to sign his original marriage contract and hence effectively remained legitimately available until his betrothal to another.

However, there is one critical factor that would impact the validity of the ‘lease of Red House’, and where the central metaphor of my humble parable fails. Section 15 (1) – once effected – put Red House, the monument, automatically in the hands of the National Trust “without further assurance”.

The principals of CJRC Inc. may have imagined, cleverly, that they could have leased the monument by virtue of leasing the land from under the monument, which would explain why what was originally prepared as a lease application properly involving the National Trust in 2000, became a lease application to the Lands and Surveys Commission in 2006, again in 2010, and then ‘success-

fully’ in 2012. This would also explain Anil Nandlall’s insistence that the government as landlord to a faulty lease could not use its own failures of due diligence in securing that lease to invalidate it, merely because of a change of political administration.

However, Red House the monument – which could no longer be considered mere ‘immovable property’ as would a regular building – had already been vested in the Trust and cannot be leased without the Trust as lessor, and without the permission of the Minister. One might as well claim ownership of the 1763 Monument by obtaining the transport for the Square of the Revolution from Lands and Surveys. Unless, CJRC Inc. constructed a new structure for its supposed educational purposes, as per the terms of the lease, no structure on the three lots can be said to be in its ownership.

Of course, that simply deals with the legal issue.

The ethics still remain. By gazetting Red House as a national monument in 2000, the PPP ensured that the state remained obligated, ironically under the National Trust Act, to upkeep the operations of the monument, including maintenance, staffing and utilities. They then authorised the CJRC as a not-for-profit – made up of PPP people including at some point Dr. James Rose, then Executive Chairman of the Trust – to run the facility as it saw fit and to earn revenue from both fundraising activities and the rental of the facilities, including to state agencies. What

Turn to Pg. 7

of Guyana, those negotiations proved futile and in an invited comment, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr Basil Williams said that after discussions broke down, he sought to determine the legality of the lease agreement. President Granger on 29th December 2016 ordered it be revoked and the lessor vacates the premises by 31st December, “having carefully considered the advice of the Minister of Legal Affairs.” He said it would be in the public’s interest for the lease issued to the CJRCI to be revoked. The CJRCI had moved to the court seeking an order to remain, which was not granted, however the matter is scheduled for hearing come 20th February. And while the nation awaits the court’s determination at the same it should be said that the adage of “being wise as serpents and harmless as doves” could still be useful in pulling back a situation from spinning out of control.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Red House lease is invalid, does not exist ...

Continued fr. Pg. 6

the PPP had in essence created was a thinly disguised cash cow, without any independent scrutiny, all the overheads of which – and a considerable part of client revenue – was paid for by the state. And of course, the lawns of Red House were a regular venue for Freedom House soirees.

Further, in March of 2012, the $12,000-a-year ‘lease of Red House lands’, as it should properly be called, represented a maelstrom of interrelated conflicts of interest, with one

person at its epicentre. Dr. James Rose was at the time simultaneously Chairman of the National Trust, Director of Culture under Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, and a principal of Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Inc. As Chair of the National Trust, he was colleague of Mr. Doorga Persaud, Commissioner of Lands and Surveys and signatory to the ‘lease’ ostensibly on behalf of the Commission; as principal of CJRC Inc. he was colleague of Mr. Ralph Ram-

karran, signatory to the ‘lease’ on behalf of CJRC Inc. And, as Director of Culture, he had overall policy and operational oversight for cultural heritage preservation and protection, including from illicit appropriation.

Yet at no point did the Trust, the membership of which consisted of both Rose and Persaud, object to the ‘lease’ of a gazetted national monument which was its property, a transaction in which it played no part as

prescribed by law. And if there were an omission to execute the Order of transferal, it should have been flagged and corrected by both, Persaud in particular, before the ‘lease’ was executed. It is unfortunate that the current NTA protects individual members of the Trust from suit because, in my humble opinion, there is a prima facie case here for gross and deliberate dereliction of duty by both Rose and Persaud.

In closing, the “lease of

Red House”, the gazetted national monument, is not merely invalid or a nullity in law – it simply does not exist and never did. If anything, what the Honourable Chief Justice’ task it is to decide is whether the ‘lease’ of Lots 65, 66 & 67 is valid considering the lands’ strange ownership by the Lands and Surveys Commission in 2012, when they should have properly been vested in the National Trust since 2000 under Section 15 (2)

of the National Trust Act. I suspect it is an oversight she will be compelled by the spirit – if not letter – of the law, to correct. To quote one of Mr. Nandlall’s favourite aphorisms, ‘The Law is not an ass”, no matter how the self-perceived ‘best and brightest’ among us may wish to make it so.

Dear Editor,

News under the caption: “The role of Ogunseye in Walter Rodney’s death”, he again demonstrated the shallowness of his arguments and his desperation to get himself accepted as a person of worth. More so in his recent letter on Sunday, January 01, 2017 in KN, captioned ”APNU+AFC should not trust

Tacuma Ogunseye” Singh has sunken more deeply into his cesspit of lies and deception. It is clear that on each occasion he has written in response to me, all Singh has done is to confirm that he is without integrity. It has become very clear that this man lacks self-respect.

In his attempt to prove

his obsession with his “gold coins” arguments directed at me, he has erroneously credited me with an annual income at SARU of G$8 million. What a thing. If this income is at all true it would place me on a level that is nearly equal to that of a junior minister in the

coalition government and higher than many of the specialist advisers to the government. Sase Singh has demonstrated that he does not even know how to lie convincingly.

It is clear that he has no respect for truth. As I said at the commencement

of my letter this is my final response to Singh. I am therefore taking this opportunity to offer Mr. Singh a last chance to redeem himself in the eyes of the public.

Regards RUEL JOHNSON Cultural Policy Advisor Government of Guyana

Ogunseye disputes $8M annual earning at SARU

This is my final response to Mr. Sasenarine Singh in our polemics, which began after his dishonest commentary on the 2017 National Budget.

In his letter that was published on Thursday, December 29, 2016 in Kaieteur

Regards TACUMA OGUNSEYE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Yupukari cocaine plane

Traffickers set up logistics camp – Reg.9 VC accused of hiding info OPERATORS of a cocaine-carrying aircraft, which was found abandoned on an illegal airstrip at Yupukari, Rupununi back in September had set up a logistics and admin camp that was manned by Colombians and Brazilians, according to the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into the discovery of the plane.

The report also named and accused Vice-Chairman of Region Nine, Karl Singh of withholding vital information regarding the operations of the aircraft, a claim which Singh has denied. The final report of the commission which was conducted by Presidential Advisor on National Security, Brigadier rtd, Edward Collins alleges that Singh was in possession of vital information and refused to report it to the police.

“The commission found that Mr Singh as the acting Regional Chairman at the time had misplaced his priorities between his responsibility as a government official at the helm of the Regional Democratic Council and his political pursuit,” the report stated.

However, when contacted by the Guyana Chronicle, Singh denied the report saying that he learnt about the discovery of the aircraft when security officials of the

Regional Intelligence Committee contacted him to cancel a planned meeting due to the incident. He said several days after, he journeyed to Yupukari to investigate allegations that lawmen had beaten up residents whom they had suspected to be part of the cocaine operations.

“I do not have any information to withhold, I did not refuse to help,” he contended.

On September 13, 2016 a plane, bearing registration number N767Z, was first brought to the attention of officials by residents of the area. A Joint Army and Police team, inclusive of Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), was dispatched to the location to conduct investigations launched into the sightings of the aircraft.

The COI was appointed on September 28, 2016.

CRITICAL FINDINGS Meanwhile, among some of the critical findings is that two men connected to a ranch at Markanata were fully aware of the aircraft.

According to the findings, sometime before August 18, 2016 the aircraft was registered in the U.S but sold to a Mexican and departed Marinila, Antioquia, Colombia for southern Guyana. The COI report noted it is likely that the aircraft was piloted by a Brazilian and assisted

by a Colombian woman.

“The aircraft entered Guyana’s airspace undetected by any of the state agencies who had that responsibility…” the report stated.

According to the findings, on its way to Guyana the aircraft developed engine failure, causing the pilot to attempt a restart. This failed and the pilot made an emergency descent to a lower level. The findings revealed that the aircraft continued along its flight path limping on one engine until it landed on the illegal airstrip nicknamed “Airstrip Charlie” at Yupukari.

Collins said in his findings that the Automatic Dependent Surveillance broadcast system, though it is capable of monitoring Guyana’s airspace, is not suited to monitor and to detect any aircraft bent on intrusion or any aircraft involved in illegal activities.

LOCAL HELP Additionally, Collins said in his findings that the aircraft landed on the airstrip that was specifically built with local help and after it could not restart, the operatives decided to hide it until it was discovered by a joint police-army patrol.

Collins said that the circumstances of the aircraft’s entry into Guyana began with

The Colombian aircraft that was found at Yupukari in September

its use to illegally transport a high value of cargo believed to be cocaine. He said too that refueling of the craft was facilitated by Rupununi businessmen and that it is highly probable that the illegal activities in Southern Guyana could have commenced sometime in April of 2016.

LOGISTICS Collins also said in his findings that there was a logistics/admin camp located some three kilometres west of the airstrip and comprised Brazilians, Colombians, Lethem businessmen and residents of the nearby villages.

Residents were employed as watchmen.

Guyana Chronicle had reported earlier that a deputy superintendent of police and a 2nd lieutenant of the GDF have been removed from their postings in the area as they were accused of assaulting residents as well as tampering with evidence on the scene respectively.

Residents had found the

Magistrate recuses self from Duncan’s trial CITY Magistrate Leron Daly on Wednesday recused herself from the case against former Board Director of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Carvil Duncan involving the $28M scam he allegedly committed.

The Magistrate made this pronouncement when the matter was called before her for trial; however she recused herself, explaining that she had previously dealt with Duncan’s other matter which she dismissed last November.

Daly transferred the matter back to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for reassignment. Duncan is before the court in relation to a charge where he is accused of conspiring with another to steal $27,757,547, belonging to GPL between May 7 and 8, 2015.

It was reported that Duncan and a former senior GPL official Aeshwar Deonarine were part of a multimillion-dollar fraud at the power company.

The men are alleged to have illegally transferred close to $28M to their per-

Former GPL Board Director, Carvil Duncan

sonal bank accounts from GPL. The Government had asked the police to investigate Duncan and Deonarine last July. It was reported that

the men paid themselves without authorization.

The discovery of the suspicious transfers was made by independent auditors who were probing an account which hold proceeds of oil shipments taken from Venezuela. It was while tracking payments to GPL that auditors unearthed the strange transactions.

Police issued an arrest warrant for Deonarine after he fled the country.

November last, Duncan was acquitted by Magistrate Daly for stealing $984,900 belonging to GPL on March 31, 2015 after it was ruled that a prima facie case had not been established against him for the offence.

The magistrate upheld a no-case-submission made by Duncan’s attorney Glen Hanoman.

During his ruling the magistrate dismissed the charge on the ground that the prosecution’s witnesses failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove the elements of the offence.

plane almost one month before an official report was made to authorities and Collins in his report recommended that the two officers be disciplined and also recommended further that an investigation he conducted into whether they knew of the aircraft operations.

Collins also recommended that a more senior GDF officer be posted to command the troops in the Rupununi and that the military should augment its strength in the border region. Collins had initially noted that the residents were not forthcoming with providing information to security forces.

“All of the Toshaos were interviewed and I do not know why they were unwilling to provide the information they had to the security forces. I can only assume… based on the evidence that I have received so far, that the relationship between the villages and the security forces is not as [we would have] expected,” he said.

At the handing over of

the final report he said that his decision to host public meetings in several villages such as Katoka, Kaicumbay, Yupukari and other villages, along with the Regional Chairman and Regional Executive Officer of Region Nine, proved to be a worthwhile exercise, since it allowed him greater insight into the facts discovered during the probe. Brigadier Collins noted as well that through that process a number of eyewitnesses had stepped forward.

“There has been additional evidence, which have caused us to firm up our findings into the circumstances under which this aircraft came into Guyana illegally. I wish to thank the Toshaos, the senior councils, and the village leaders in nearby villages for their corporation. Since they got involved, there have been more revelations [and] more residents came forward voluntarily. They did their own investigations,” Brigadier Collins said.

Man charged with murder/ rape of granny A 47-year-old man was remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday for the murder and rape of a 65-year-old woman whom he reportedly killed during the course of a rape at her Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara home in October 2016.

Jaipaul Jitlall called ‘Latta’ of Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that on October 02, 2016 he murdered the elderly woman.

He was remanded to prison and the case was transferred to the Leonora Magistrate’s Court for January 10, 2017.

According to reports on October 3, 2016, the woman was discovered by her son inside of her hammock with almost a dozen stab wounds about her body.

Investigators believe that the woman was raped before she was stabbed to death, because she was not wearing any underwear and her skirt was pulled up to her chest.

Canawaima in limbo

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

…as Suriname defaults on maintenance payments

By Ariana Gordon THE M.V Canawaima, the lone authorised passenger ferry service between Guyana and Suriname is in need of a new engine, but Suriname is defaulting in paying its share of the cost, which has forced authorities to work the vessel with a tug boat.

They have also warned that the service could go out of operation as early as this weekend.

Engineers said that the ferry is experiencing numerous mechanical challenges among them being: burnt engine heads, broken propellers, damage to pistons and rings, broken drive shaft and gears, damaged gear box, starboard engine was completely overhauled, and electrical malfunction resulting in loss of steering.

As a result of the combination of problems during 2016, the ferry is in dire need of a new engine (DAF engine, to be sourced in Suriname) which experts have estimated will cost approximately GYD$15M. Guyana Chronicle understands that the vessel which is now being towed by a tug could shut down completely at any point thereby leaving an estimated 330 passengers daily stranded.

Danny Harry Terminal Manager (acting) told Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday that the ferry has been down for approximately two weeks but has been experiencing problems long be-

fore. “The ferry has broken down, if not for the tug that is being used there would be no service,” the visibly frustrated Harry said. He explained that the boat is in dire need of a new engine.

JOINT MAINTENANCE By virtue of a memorandum of understanding between the Governments of Guyana and Suriname on the formation and operation of the joint ferry service along with a management agreement, the two countries are to jointly provide funds for the maintenance of the ferry. In this case, Guyana and Suriname are to fit the bill 50-50. Suriname has however indicated that it does not have the requisite sums and according to officials of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, the excuse is laughable.

Ronald Charles Director, Secretary of the Canawaima service, said the situation is a serious one. He explained to Guy-

ana Chronicle that all funds received from the operation of the ferry service should be paid into an established account.

“When any major overhaul is to take place Canawaima Ferry Service Inc. would have that done.

They asked for a certificate of good standing before they could have paid the money into the account.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that we sent that certificate, on the Suriname side they never paid in the funds from operation into the account.”

Charles said too that the management company is made up of the Transport and Harbours Department Inc. and the Scheepvaart Maatschappij Suriname N. V which was registered in Suriname. He noted that when the ferry service was established by virtue of the agreement of the two countries circa 1997, it was the intention to have a third party company established

in a neutral country but Guyana “unfortunately bent backwards and registered the company in Suriname” he said noting that the vessel belongs to Suriname.

What Charles finds strange is the claim by the Surinamese that they have no funds to purchase the engine for the ferry which crosses the Corentyne River, between Moleson Creek, Guyana and South Drain, Suriname weekly.

“According to the audit reports of 2015… $230M is accounted for so it is impossible for Suriname to say they have a negative balance,” he declared.

Charles said what Guyana is demanding is that the Surinamese come up with their end of the deal. He said in the past, Suriname would have borrowed large sums from Guyana but the money was never re-paid.

“We want to meet them… this is a big problem. We have an agreement where we foot the bill 50-50…

everything has been inconvenienced,” he told Guyana Chronicle. The consistent problems associated with the maintenance of the ferry have resulted in extensive delays and recommendations have been made for the ferry to be docked and the two engines and auxiliaries be replaced with new ones.

This newspaper was informed that a meeting has been arranged with the Surinamese counterparts for January 16. The location of the meeting has not been revealed. Meanwhile, Guyana Chronicle understands that the matter was raised recently when Suriname’s President Desi Boutrese and his delegation visited Guyana to discuss bilateral matters with President David Granger. According to sources within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Surinamese delegation had promised to “sort it out”.

“At this point, major maintenance is required and there is need to purchase a new engine…this should have been done a long time ago but Suriname has indicated that it is not in a position to do so. What has happened to the money they’ve collected?” said the source.

Asked whether Guyana would consider undertaking the expense for the purchase of the engine, the foreign affairs official responded, “No, we have a legally binding agreement, there is a 50-50 split…Guyana would not be operating the ferry alone.” Guyana’s experience with Suriname in

similar matters has been described as “troubling”, the source added. Notwithstanding the challenges affecting the operation of the service, Terminal Manager (acting) Harry during a presentation at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s end-of-year media brief on Wednesday said traffic is projected to increase by 2 per cent this year. The Canawaima Ferry Service was established since 1998 to connect travelers en route from Moleson Creek- 10km south of Corriverton- to the South Drain in Suriname.

It is the only legal marine travel connection between the two countries.

By 2013, approximately 72,000 persons utilized the Canawaima Ferry Service to travel between Suriname and Guyana. The transport vessel has become an essential partner in trade or tourism. The Guyana/Suriname ferry service plays an integral role in attracting tourists from the Dutch speaking country, with regards to the commercial and personal tourism. Additionally, the service has reinforced bilateral trade relations. The service has proven to be a cost effective, efficient and reliable link between the territories. According to recent statistics provided by the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), the Canawaima Ferry Service Incorporated facilitates a significant influx of at least 40,000 visitors from the Dutch territory annually.

Petroleum-based imports up 8% – but fuel smuggling still a bugbear LAST year saw an eightper-cent increase in the importation of petroleum-based products, which, in layman’s terms, amounts to some 14,877 barrels per day.

But the good news, however, is that said imports cost 15.42 percent less than they did back in 2015, when prices were pegged at US$71.02 per

barrel.

This is according to Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Mahender Sharma, who made the disclosure during the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s endof-year press conference Wednesday.

He also reported that under the fuel marking programme, some 20,925

gallons of illegal fuel were seized during the course of last year.

And of the 35 joint operations that were conducted with other law enforcement agencies, seven are presently before the courts.

In terms of plans for the year ahead, Sharma said the government has allocated G$1B towards the implementation of a series

GEA Head, Mahender Sharma

of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

Among said projects are the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on the rooftops of 64 government buildings, and the establishment of a solar photovoltaic farm at Mabaruma in Region One (Barima-Waini).

Noting that another project of the government’s is the procurement of some 5000 energy-efficient street lamps, resulting in energy

savings of $158M annually, Sharma said: “The GEA will continue its efforts in researching and deploying energy-efficient lighting technologies, with the installation of 20 solar-powered street lights at Agatash, Bartica; 100 energy-efficient LED street lights at the Timehri ‘base-road’; and the purchase of 600 photosensors to replace defective units on existing street lights.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Guyanese woman busted with cocaine at Ogle Airport THE Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) had its first seizure for the year with the arrest of a 24year old Guyanese woman who was busted Wednesday with 4.2 kilograms of cocaine in her possession at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport.

Head of CANU, James Singh told the Guyana Chronicle that the drug was stashed in a suitcase that belonged to the woman

One of the many suitcases unearthed with drugs by the law enforcement authorities

who was preparing to board a flight to Antigua and Barbuda. Reports reveal that the woman is a frequent traveller. The cocaine was discovered in packets in the sides of her suitcases.

The drug mule was identified as Clarabel Thompson and she is expected to face charges soon.

Meanwhile, Singh during the recent launch of

the National Drug Strategy Master Plan (NDSMP) had noted the importance of collaboration with partners, both locally and internationally, especially with the emergence of new and innovative methods of drug trafficking.

The four-year plan aims at tackling the rising use and transport of licit and illicit drugs.

Pork Knocker charged with murder of boss

SOLUTION FOR PUZZLE - JAN.4, 2016

SOLUTION FOR PUZZLE - JAN.4, 2016

Dead: Francisco Oliveria Da Conceicao

Remanded : Nickel Anes

NICKEL Anes, a 24-yearold pork knocker has been charged with the brutal murder of a Brazilian dredge owner after reportedly luring him to his mining camp located at Chinese Creek Backdam, Mazaruni River.

Anes of South Sophia appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he was reportedly apprehended by the police wrapped up in a tarpaulin hiding in a truck that was leaving Puruni at a check point a few days ago.

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that on December 28, 2016 at Chinese Creek Backdam, he murdered his boss, Francisco Oliveria DaConceicao, 33, of Joselander, Maranhao, Brazil.

He was remanded by Magistrate McLennan, who transferred the matter to the

Bartica Magistrate’s Court for January 13, 2017.

According to reports, on the day in question, the dredge owner was lured to his mining camp where he was attacked and allegedly chopped by Anes and four other employees.

DaConceicao was stabbed several times about his body, including his head, face and hands and was taken to the Bartica Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The incident occurred between 00:30hrs and 01:30 hrs.

According to reports, DaConceicao was sleeping with his wife, Miranda Manuele in her shop located five metres away from his dredge when one of the suspects visited and informed him that his dredge was under water.

The man’s body was later found with several stab wounds.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Guyana looks to China in achieving ‘green’ state …new Ambassador accredited AS Guyana continues to advance towards the development of a ‘green’ economy, President David Granger has noted that the country looks to the People’s Republic of China for cooperation and assistance as that country shares similar sustainable development goals.

The President made these remarks at an accreditation ceremony at State House, where Extraordinary and Ambassador Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Guyana, Mr. Cui Jianchun presented his Letters of Credence on Wednesday.

China is currently pursuing its thirteenth five-year plan (2016-2020), which is aimed at the development of a ‘green’ economy by introducing ‘green’ low-carbon series of industries; expanding sustainable energy sources; extending forest protection and establishing a ‘green’ development fund.

President Granger said that the two countries are embarking on a common path and as such, they can look to each other for cooperation and support.

“China has been a reliable partner to Guyana in

development… Guyana’s own ‘green’ agenda is consistent with China’s objectives.

Guyana is establishing a ‘green’ state with emphasis on the protection of our environment, the preservation of our biodiversity, the provision of eco-tourism and eco-educational services and the promotion of practical measures to ensure climate adaptation.

Guyana, this year, will place an additional two million hectares of its territory under conservation. We are committed to a low-carbon, low-emission trajectory of development. Guyana looks forward to intensifying cooperation in the adoption of clean, green and low-carbon technologies and renewable sources of energy during your tenure as Ambassador,” President Granger was quoted as saying in a release from the Ministry of the Presidency.

According to the release, in addition to a ‘green’ growth development focus, the President noted that the two countries share common values such as mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,

President David Granger and newly accredited Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Cui Jianchun exchanges a handshake as acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge looks on

mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, cooperation for mutual benefit, respect for treaties and international law and the maintenance of peace and security. As such, Guyana and China have enjoyed fruitful and cordial relations over the past 45 years.

“Guyana established diplomatic relations with China on June 27, 1972, the first English-speaking country in

the Caribbean to do so. Guyana has consistently supported the “One-China” policy.

Guyana’s policy and position are based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Guyana and China have enjoyed very productive relations over the past 45 years. We have worked closely at the bilateral and multilateral levels on matters of interest to our peoples.

Your accreditation today pro-

Vigilance fire electrical in origin – Fire Chief confirms

By Rabindra Rooplall FIRE Chief Marlon Gentle has confirmed that the fire which gutted a home at Vigilance Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on December 30, 2016 causing the death of Bianca Sancho, three, was electrical in origin.

Investigators say the house was receiving electricity through an illegal connection and generally, the area was receiving unregulated supply of electricity.

The blaze started with fairy lights located next to a window curtain, which caught fire and rapidly spread throughout the house.

According to reports, Lovern Sancho and her four children, including Bianca, were asleep in separate bedrooms of the two-storey wooden house

when the mother was awakened about 07:00 hrs by the smell of smoke and saw the house partially engulfed in flames.

Upon seeing this, she hurriedly rushed three of the children out of the home and was returning for the fourth when the upper-flat caved, preventing her from entering.

Within moments, the building was completely engulfed in flames with Bianca Sancho trapped inside.

The mother, who was devastated at her loss, had to be taken to a nearby health centre for treatment as she had also sustained minor burns about the body.

An official of the Guyana Fire Service explained that after receiving the report, several tenders from Campbellville, Georgetown and Mahaica, ECD

Dead: Bianca Sancho in happier times

responded, but by the time they arrived, the house was already in flames and nothing could have been done to save the child.

The firefighters, however, managed to contain the blaze and a few hours later found the charred remains of the toddler.

The family formerly resided in Buxton but moved

to occupy the Vigilance house some three years ago. They are now staying at relatives.

Apart from the fire service, a separate probe was launched by the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) to determine the conditions under which the children were living.

vides an excellent opportunity for Guyana and China to continue to consolidate their cooperation programme for their mutual benefit,” he said.

Meanwhile, newly accredited Ambassador Jianchun, who replaces Ambassador Zhang Limin, said that Guyana is a blessed and beautiful country with great potential for development.

He noted that as the countries prepare to celebrate 45

years of diplomatic ties this year that opportunity must be used to forge new bonds and deepen ties between the two States.

“Guyana is an important country based in the Caribbean region with its rich resources and hardworking people. Since Independence, the Guyana Government has made relentless efforts to uphold sovereignty, develop the economy and (have) made remarkable achievements.

Your country has been actively engaged in the process of regional integration and played a unique role in international and regional affairs. The Chinese Government and people sincerely wish Guyana even greater achievements in building a strong and prosperous country. The Chinese government values the traditional friendship between our two countries.

We stand ready to take the opportunities of the 45th anniversary of our diplomatic relations this year.

We stand ready to bring the Chinese and Guyana Government relations to new heights, to new benefits for our countries and peoples,” he said.

Work will continue on Trusted Trader Programme THE Department of Commerce under the Ministry of Business will continue to work on the Trusted Trader Programme, which will allow eligible businesses with good track records to conduct transactions, and clear goods unhindered by red tape and other bureaucratic hurdles.

According to Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, after consultations and close examination of the internal procedures of several public entities, the concept of the Trusted Trader Programme has been advanced to the final stages of its development.

A number of relevant agencies have been engaged and have communicated their endorsement of the programme.

Minister Gaskin said that in order to further support businesses, the Department of Commerce has established a Help Desk– which is fully functional and capable of offering clear and concise advice on matters related to the conduct of business in Guyana.

Minister Gaskin said he has great confidence in the business community, with the expectation of improved growth in 2017, based on current projections. “The target of 3.8% growth rate demands confidence in our economy at all levels and we should avoid the temptation to talk ourselves out of the good life,” Minister Gaskin said.

Between 2015 and 2016, Guyana improved by 16 places on the ranking of the World Bank’s doing Business Index. This has been the largest single improvement achieved in our history of being on the Index. To further improve the position, the Government will examine the viability of the recently recommended reforms of the World Bank in the areas of starting a business, registering property, trading across borders, getting electricity, and obtaining construction permits, and will develop an action plan for implementation. (GINA)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Senior Counsel appointed based on merit – President Granger

By Svetlana Marshall THE elevated status of Senior Counsel is not perfunctory or ornamental but rather it is a symbol of nationhood, President David Granger said as he pledged to continuously recognise and reward the work of citizens on the basis of merit.

The newly appointed Senior Counsel, Neil Boston, Charles Fung-A-Fat, Justice Alison Roxane McLean George-Wiltshire, Clifton Mortimer Llewelyn John, Rafiq Turhan Khan, Vidyanand Persaud, Rosalie Althea Robertson, and Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams, were presented with their Instruments of Appointment on Wednesday by President Granger at a simple but significant ceremony at State House.

Justice Claudette Singh will be presented with hers at a later date as she is currently overseas.

After being declared a Cooperative Republic, Guyana intensified its independence by establishing its own system of national awards, including the award of Senior Counsel, the President noted in his address.

“Senior Counsel, your elevation to this status today is a symbol of our nationhood,” he told the appointees in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Director of the Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack and the former Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang among other senior functionaries.

“It is a mark of respect, of

recognition and of reward for the accomplishments of those who have given, and who continue to give, selfless service to our nation,” President Granger said while pointing out that the average individual service appointed is 37½ years and an accumulated service of 338 years.

“You embody a massive amount of legal education and experience. You are exemplars of a fine tradition of an honourable and ancient profession,” the President further added.

The last set of Senior Counsel was appointed some 20 years ago in 1996. For President Granger, these appointments are an important part of his personal obligation as President of Guyana.

“It is my obligation, not an option, to respect our national

system of honours. Failure to confer these awards, whether as a result of caprice or malice, would constitute a dereliction of duty, the debasement our identity of nationhood and an affront to our citizens. I shall, with regularity and consistency, recognise and reward the work deserving citizens by conferring these honours on the basis of merit. This is the custom of our people. This is the convention of good government. This is the culture of a good society,” President Granger said.

Chosen based on merit On the sidelines of the ceremony, President Granger told reporters that the nine luminary minds were chosen based on merit as he responded to concerns raised by critics who complained about the appointment of a sitting judge as a Senior Counsel.

Consultations were held, he

President David Granger presents 92-year-old Llewelyn John with his Commission of Appointment as Senior Counsel. He has been practicing in the legal field for 65 years

Justice Alison Roxane McLean George-Wiltshire being presented with her Instrument of Appointment from President Granger. She is the first of three women to be appointed Senior Counsel

maintained.

“For the first time in 20 years, I have appointed three women and I couldn’t find any reason why women weren’t appointed before and as far as sitting judges are concerned as in the case of Justice Roxane George, she served for several years in the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) and were this a normal jurisdiction, during those years, she would have had the [Senior Counsel appointment] long ago,” he told reporters.

According to him, it is a travesty that for 50 years there had not been a single appointment of a woman Senior Counsel.

Meanwhile, Boston, who is among the newly appointed Senior Counsel, told reporters that the appointment was long in the waiting.

He recalled that in 2005, the then Chancellor Justice

Désirée Bernard had invited him to apply for Senior Counsel, and though it took him a while, he applied.

“After that there was a Senior Counsel Committee and the committee had planned that you would have two sets, six would go in the first set and about four will go in the second set,” Boston recalled, however, that Committee dissolved.

He added “after the dissolution of that committee, there wasn’t a resurrection of another committee but eight of us names were proposed and President Ramotar was contemplating appointing eight of us Senior Counsel and that never materialized.”

Explaining the process of appointing a Senior Counsel, Boston noted that it is done based on recommendations put by judges of the Supreme Court.

“Because we are practic-

ing before them, the judges will nominate lawyers who they feel have reached the threshold to be admitted as Senior Counsel and then the judges will pass their recommendations to the Chancellor who puts the recommendations together and forward it to the President and from that list he selects,” Boston further explained.

For Justice George, her appointment as Senior Counsel came as a major surprise but one in which she is thankful for, and grateful to the President for his recognition of her. She had applied for the position since 2003.

“I know that there was a list in 2014 and I was surprise to see that my name was still on the list bearing in mind I am and was then a sitting judge…I didn’t ask too many questions, I didn’t speak about the tradition of our profession,” Justice George said.

In offering an advice to new comers practicing in the legal realm, Justice George said be committed. “When I do admissions for counsel, I say to them be a lawyer’s lawyer, which means that while we may enjoy the gallery and the public looks for the gallery, what we look for in a lawyer is their scholarship, their research, their presentation to the court, their deportment, how they carry themselves, so that is what is important,” she said.

Notably, 92-year-old Llewelyn John was also singled out for his 65 years of service in legal field. He was admitted in 1952 first as a solicitor and then as a barrister, for his practice in both the High Court and the Magistrate’s Court. For him, it came as no surprise.

He is now on a journey of chronicling his experiences.

President Granger flanked by the new newly appointed Senior Counsel. On his left they are Charles Fung-A-Fat, Neil Boston, Llewelyn John and Justice Alison Roxane McLean George-Wiltshire. On his right are: Rosalie Althea Robertson, Minister Basil Williams, Vidyanand Persaud and Rafiq Turhan Khan

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Mental health laws to be broadened THERE is an absence of independent review bodies to update laws and advocate for the protection of the mentally ill, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings has contended.

The Ministry has a Mental Health Unit and the goal is to promote mental well-being, prevent mental disorders, offer care, enhance recovery, and promote the human rights of persons with mental disorders.

In this regard, Dr Cummings said the Ministry will be moving to submit the relevant documents pertaining to the rights of persons with disabilities and so forth, so that the laws can be amended.

Additionally, the unit will be moving to ensure that existing laws and regulations regarding pesticide sale, use and storage are being enforced, so that the high suicide rate can be dealt with as soon as possible.

In 2015, researchers revealed data gathered from almost all of the 24 Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) member countries pertaining to violence and injury and offered recommendations to tackle these issues.

Besides being ranked as having the highest suicide rate in the world, Guyana was listed as one of the Caribbean countries with an above-average injury death rate per every 100,000 population and with a high ratio of adolescent alcohol consumption.

“Mental Health is high on the agenda for the Ministry of Public Health and while there is little epidemiological evidence, it has been recognised that neuropsychiatric illnesses account for more morbidity than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined in Guyana,” Dr. Cummings said.

The provision of Mental Health Services is critical to addressing the mental health of Guyanese. Mental health services are provided at the National Psychiatric Hospital in Region Six, which has 200 beds.

Additionally, a six-bed short stay psychiatric ward is also located at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

However, the National Psychiatric Hospital and the GPHC have extended their psychiatric services to many locations across Guyana via satellite clinics in areas such as Lethem, Diamond, Bartica, Lenora and prisons as well.

And, with Baramita be-

Junior Public Health Minister, Dr. Karen Cummings

ing cited as a suicide hub last year, satellite clinics are scheduled to commence in the indigenous village this year.

“Other services include emergency and acute care, geriatric services, and an adolescent and children’s clinic at GPHC…. Site visits were conducted in 2016 in order to assess the services, educate the management staff about the new model of community mental health and evaluate the areas which need to be improved,” said the minister.

STAFFING Meanwhile, as it relates to staffing, it was said that there are currently six psychiatrists in the public health system, while other staff includes four psychologists, four social workers trained in psychiatry and 52 nurses.

In August 2016, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) trained approximately 25 doctors in the MH GAP Intervention Guide which is a manual prepared by the World Health Organisation for use by non-specialists.

It trains persons in the medical and non-medical management of 10 priority mental illnesses. In November 2016, 14 professional staff consisting of psychologists and social workers were trained as well.

A training and certification programme for drug and violence prevention, treatment and rehabilitation specialists was conducted in 2016 and saw five Mental Health Unit staff benefitted.

The staffers were also trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy and family counselling.

In 2016, numerous activities were conducted to raise awareness of mental health and suicide among healthcare providers and the public.

Staffers of the Mental Health Unit visited churches,

various communities and schools and various forums to deliver mental health and suicide talks, including in Victoria village on the East Coast of Demerara, Lodge, and to a wide audience at GuyExpo 2016.

The Mental Health Unit also conducted numerous outreaches and suicide prevention programmes in churches, schools and communities, including at Seventh-day Adventist churches, J.C. Chandi Singh Secondary School, Port Mourant, and Corentyne.

The staff of the Mental Health Unit also collaborated with the Ministry of Education to conduct a Strategic Psychosocial Interventions for Adolescents in 11 Secondary Schools Programme organised by the Guyana Psychological Association and the National Communications Network.

Some 1,250 students between Third and Sixth forms were randomly screened for suicidal ideation using Beck’s Scale.

Stress and mental illness-

es, conduct disorder, as well as sexual abuse were also topics discussed at forums at the Cyril Potter College of Education in Regions Three, Four and Six in collaboration with Ministry of Education and CPCE. The minister also pointed out that an intervention called “Still I Rise” was also conducted in collaboration with the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association.

It involved the reintegration of pregnant, parenting teenage girls into the educa-

tion system; prevention of drug use among children and adolescents; sexual violence; sexual relationships, depression, and suicide.

Nevertheless, the Ministry hopes to train at least 50 per cent of primary health care doctors in MH GAPIG, increased the number of beds added to inpatient services at GPHC psychiatry department and place important mental health topics into the Health and Family Life Education syllabus in secondary schools.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Ogle/Diamond Bypass project to start soon

By Alva Solomon “THIS is the time when the tyres will be hitting the road,” Minister of Public Infrastructure , David Patterson said on Wednesday as the ministry sets-off to bypass the 78.85% it achieved in works completed in 2016.

Speaking to the media during the annual year-end review performance of the agencies which fall under the ambit of the Ministry, Patterson said that 2016 was a good year for the ministry.

“Overall, the locally

Minister of Public Infrastructure addresses heads of agencies and the media at the press briefing on Wednesday morning

funded programmes performed extremely well. This was with the exception of the hinterland infrastructure projects,” he said, in the presence of several heads of agencies at the Transport Sports Club on Thomas Lands in the city.

Patterson said too that last year several major internationally-funded projects were unable to start, and the

cal staff of Wartsilla and the staff will be complemented by returning Guyanese. According to Patterson, the services and trading mechanisms of the new firm will be enhanced and the same will bode for its maintenance schedules.

Patterson said that there were several highlights which will be carried into the new calendar year. Born in 2016 and taken into 2017 is the commitment by government to allow 20% of procurement of contracts to go to small contractors.

Patterson said that he is “heartened” that the process has already started, noting that the MPI has closed the pre-qualification shortlist of contractors on December 29 last year. He said that the MPI has received over 900 applications from small, medium and large contractors. He said the figures indicate that there is high interest and according to him, the contractors

Heads of agencies which fall under the ambit of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) at the press briefing

list include the East Coast Demerara (ECD) Extension project, the Ogle/Diamond Bypass as well as the Guyana Power and Light, Lot “A” project.

According to Patterson, the ECD road expansion project is awaiting a definitive word from Exim Bank of China while the bypass linking Ogle with Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara, as well as the pedestrian overhead walkway projects, are planned for undertaking this year. The latter project will be the first of its kind to be undertaken in Guyana.

As regards the power company, Patterson apologised for the performance of the company as it relates to power outages which increased in frequency during the latter quarter of 2016.

Patterson announced that a new entity, known as Power Producers and Distribution Inc. was established late in 2016 and as January 1, the entity has taken over the operations of the Wartsilla power plants.

He said the company was fortunate to retain all of the previously employed lo-

have illustrated that they have a genuine chance of successfully being awarded contracts for works.

Meanwhile, Patterson spoke highly of the Community Organised for Restoring the Environment (CORE) programme, the initiative which will see small community groups being provided with small and permanently sustainable employment to supplement the work of the Special Projects Unit of the MPI. Patterson said that CORE , for which $150M was allocated in the 2017 budget, would be commissioned to undertake works such as upgrading parapets and improving the aesthetics of the area on a continual basis noting that maintenance has been an “arch enemy “ of the ministry.

Some 20 CORE groups will be established and will be paid to carry out works around the country in each administrative region. The groups will each comprise a team-leader and nine employees, Patterson said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Mother craves re-uniting with her children TWENTY-seven-yearold Shaneza Sampson is a mother of three girls, ages two, five and seven and her only wish for this New Year is to get them back in her possession.

Sampson is separated from her children due to a custody battle with her husband who resides in Trinidad and Tobago. She had walked out of an abusive relationship that reportedly endangered her life.

The mother of three decided to return to Guyana with her youngest child; however, on a return trip to Trinidad, despite producing the relevant documents, her toddler was also taken away from her and given to her husband.

She was also refused entry into that country.

The young mother has since tried twice to return but

Shaneza Samson

“We were married for two years and like every husband and wife we had our up and downs but then he had an affair and things took a turn for the worse,” she said.

The injured infant had to be taken to hospital for treatment.

“When I was at the hospital, he took my two older daughters and took them by

Attia 5, Mikayla 7, Shania 2

was turned back by the Twin Island Republic officials.

Sampson is now seeking help to re-unite with her children even if it is for a short period of time just to hold them in her arms and be able to spend some time with them while the legal matter takes its course.

She has even in a letter to President David Granger appealed for help but is yet to receive a response.

In an interview with Guyana Chronicle, Sampson said she was separated from her children on March 19, 2014 after she had a fight with her husband that led to their two-week-old infant being injured.

his mother and told me they no longer want me at that house and I will have to find someplace to stay with the baby,” she claimed.

Sampson said she sought shelter by an aunt for the night and moved in with a friend the following day where she split the rent for three months before renting an apartment on her own.

During this period, she went to the police and filed for custody of their children but not for a divorce. Her two daughters remained with her mother-in-law and she was allowed to visit them.

“Whenever we went to court was something different, he was required to pay

support but he did not pay it for two months and he explained to me that he was training to become a police and he could not afford it, so I felt sorry for him and I ask that the amount be reduced.

But after the matter keep getting dragged on and it was difficult for me to work and take care of the baby alone, I decided that I will go back to Guyana until the matter sort out.”

Sampson explained that she applied for a passport on March 2, 2015 for

her youngest daughter and booked to travel to Trinidad and Tobago on March 5, 2015.

However, when she arrived at the airport, she was not allowed to leave since she had an ongoing court matter.

“The immigration told me we can’t leave and held me and the baby for three months at a home for abused and battered women pending a special inquiry. During the three months, every two week I had to check wid the

immigration until they grant me the special inquiry.”

Following the inquiry, an immigration officer explained that she could leave but could not take her daughter with her.

“In the end the immigration officer granted me voluntary departure instead of deportation since I had a pending residency file and because of my three children who are all Trinidadians,” the mother said.

Sampson has made two return trips from Trinidad to

Guyana between July 2015 and January 2016 hassle-free but in May of 2016, she decided to return to Guyana with her youngest child after some time and was turned back by Trinidadian authorities on two occasions.

And to compound matters, her child was taken away from her and placed in the father’s custody.

She is pleading with the relevant agencies to assist in uniting her with her three little girls as soon as possible.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Donald offered Kent coaching role ALLAN Donald, the former South Africa fast bowler, has been offered a senior coaching role at Kent.

D o n a l d i s c u r re n t ly negotiating with the club about the position, thought to be director of cricket, which would see Matt Walker, officially assistant coach at present, promoted to work alongside him. The exact hierarchy and official designations are among the points that require finalising.

It is understood Mat-

Allan Donald

thew Mott, currently the Australia Women’s coach, was originally favoured for the director of cricket role but, after having talks with the club, decided against it.

Donald is a hugely experienced bowling coach he has held positions with the South Africa, England and, most recently, the Australia and Royal Challengers Bangalore teams - but taking responsibility for all aspects of a club will be a less familiar experience.

He was promoted to head coach at Pune War-

riors in 2013, and also held a short-term role at Knights (the Bloemfontein-based franchise).

M o r e r e c e n t l y, h e w a s interviewed by his former club, Warwickshire, for one of the roles subsequently filled by Ashley Giles and Jim Troughton.

T h e K e n t ro l e w a s vacated when Jimmy Adams resigned in October after five seasons in charge. Adams has subsequently been short-listed for the West Indies coaching position.(ESPN Cricinfo)

Fernandinho to serve four-match ban after appeal rejected (REUTERS)-Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho will miss four games after the Football Association rejected his appeal against

Manchester City’s Fernandinho is shown a red card by referee Lee Mason Action Images via Reuters / Jason Cairnduff Livepic

a straight red card he received during Monday’s win over Burnley.

The Brazilian was sent off before halftime following a two-footed lunge on Burnley’s Johann Berg Gudmundsson.

It was his third red card in his last six appearances -- the other two coming against Chelsea in the Premier League and Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Champions League.

“His suspension includes the standard sanction of an additional game as it was his second dismissal of the season (in the Premier League),” the FA said in a statement.

Fernandinho will miss Friday’s FA Cup thirdround match with West Ham United, followed by Premier League games against Everton and Tott e n h a m H o t s p u r. T h e fourth match he will sit out will depend on Friday’s cup result.

Real Madrid extend unbeaten run to 38 games REAL Madrid extended their unbeaten run to 38 games with a 3-0 victory over Sevilla in the first leg of their last-16 Copa del Rey tie at the Bernabeu.

Real - who have won 29 of those 38 matches - are one short of equalling a best-ever run by a La Liga team.

James Rodriguez scored twice as he made a rare start in the absence of the rested Cristiano Ronaldo.

R a p h a e l Va r n e a l s o headed home to put Real firmly in control with the second leg in Seville on 12 January.

It is a second leg which now appears a formality amid a hectic schedule that could see Real play 21 times in 11 weeks.

Madrid started a second consecutive home game without any of their first-choice front three with Karim Benzema on the substitutes’ bench, Ronaldo rested and Gareth Bale sidelined with a long-term ankle injury.

Rodriguez had previously said he would consider his future in January after playing a minor role so far this season, but made the most of a rare start by scoring a spectacular longrange opener and adding his second from the penalty spot after Luca Modric was fouled by Mariano.

Real Sociedad also took a huge step towards the last eight with Willian Jose, Carlos Vela and Mikel Oyarzabal scoring in a 3-1 win over Villarreal (BBC Sport).

English Racing Tips Southwell 08:35 hrs Mr Morse 09:05 hrs Playful Dude 09:35 hrs Powered 10:10 hrs Mackiri 10:40 hrs Dungannon 11:40 hrs Magic Journey Lingfield 08:50 hrs Sliding Doors 09:20 hrs Impulsive Star 09:50 hrs Indian Rupee 10:20 hrs Cool Sky 10:50 hrs Cass Tete 11:20 hrs Shoofy Milly 11:50 hrs Amber Gambler Wolverhampton 10:00 hrs Pivot Bridge 10:30 hrs Spinwheel 11:00 hrs Garam 11:30 hrs Tranquil Daze 12:00 hrs Dandy Flame 12:30 hrs Verne Castle 13:00 hres Born To Finish

South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:50 hrs Ilitshe 09:25 hrs Trip To Troy 10:05 hrs Cool Fantasy 10:45 hrs Beckoning American Racing Tips Aqueduct Race 1 Archumybaby Race 2 Julie D Race 3 She’s Had Enough Race 4 Mr. Charles Race 5 Liz’s Cable Girl Race 6 Dan the Man Race 7 Ocean Knight Race 8 Spectrolite

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Morgan snatches it at the last for Thunder

EOIN Morgan’s thrilling late show kept the Sydney Thunder’s Big Bash League defence alive, as he struck a six from the last ball of the match to finish unbeaten on 71 and secure a six-wicket victory over Melbourne Stars.

In his last game before departing for international duty, Morgan wrote himself into Thunder folklore yesterday by launching Ben Hilfenhaus back over his head for an enormous maximum when five runs were required from the final delivery.

Kevin Pietersen (60 off 37 balls) and Glenn Maxwell (34 off 22) shone with the bat for the Stars, guiding them to 166-8 on a slow pitch at Spotless Stadium as they looked to

Eoin Morgan

avenge last season’s final defeat to the Thunder.

The ever-confident Pietersen had targeted 200 when speaking to commentators from the crease, but a late-innings slump eventually cost his side.

For the Thunder, who still face an uphill battle to retain their title despite finally winning a first game this season, the loss of England captain Morgan could be compounded

by Andre Russell being ruled out of the remainder of the tournament, after the West Indies all-rounder was carted from the field with a nasty-looking hamstring injury.

MORGAN’S LATE, LATE SHOW The Thunder were

behind the eight-ball throughout their chase, losing Aiden Blizzard and Shane Watson in the sixth over, bowled by Hilfenhaus.

Needing 81 runs from 42 balls for victory, big-hitting pair Morgan and Pat Cummins (22 not out) scored off all but six of them to chip away at the target.

A huge maximum from Morgan at the end of the 19th over left 16 runs needed from the final one and the 30-year-old’s enormous blow at the last sealed a crazy comeback.

Morgan said: “I waited for him (Hilfenhaus) to bowl one in the slot. I thought we timed it pretty well, but Jesus, we might have left it a bit late!

South Africa, Australia to clash in rare four-Test series

(REUTERS) - South Africa and Australia will contest a four-Test series for the first time in almost 50 years when they clash in March and April 2018, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced yesterday.

Australia will tour South Africa seeking revenge for their 2-1 home series loss in November and will play four Tests for the first time since being humbled 4-0 on South Africa soil in the 1969/70 season.

Since South Africa’s readmission to international

cricket in 1991 the sides have met in only two- or three-Test series.

The first Test will be played in Durban (March 1-5), followed by Port Elizabeth (March 9-13), Cape Town (March 22-26) and J o h a n n e s b u r g ( M a rc h 30-April 3).

“Test match cricket between Australia and South Africa has always produced epic battles and brought out high-class individual performances that have become part of the annals of the game,” CSA Chief Executive, Haroon

Lorgat said in a statement.

“Australia are currently the number two-ranked team on the ICC Test table and we will need to beat them and India to regain our place at the top of the table.”

The tour will form part of a busy home summer for South Africa who will also host Bangladesh (two Tests, three ODIs, two Twenty20s) in September and October, as well as India (four Tests, five ODIs, three Twenty20s) over the festive season period and into 2018.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Proteas close-in on series victory (REUTERS) - South Africa need six more wickets with two days still to play to win the second Test against Sri Lanka, who closed the third day at Newlands yesterday on 130 for four, still 377 runs behind the mammoth target set them.

Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada both took two wickets in the Sri Lankan second innings as the home team closed in on

victory and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

South Africa have ample time to whittle away the rest of the Sri Lankan batting while the visitors, set 507 runs to win, must survive six more sessions if they are to force a most improbable outcome.

Angelo Mathews (29 not out) and Dinesh Chandimal (28 not out) will resume today, having shown some resistance to the

close of play with an unbeaten 61-run partnership.

Philander made an early inroad before tea when he clean-bowled Dimuth Karunaratne for six and then added the wicket of Kusal Mendis after the break as he edged a ball on a tempting length to Dean Elgar for only four.

Kaushal Silva went for 29 runs when a rising Rabada delivery hit him

Kagiso Rabada strikes two early blows in Sri Lanka’s second innings. on the glove and popped up for an easy catch for Stephen Cook.

Dhananjaya de Silva was then given out leg-before-wicket off a Rabada delivery that was

heading down leg-side but surprisingly did not ask for a review. Had he done so, de Silva would have been able to add to his 22 runs.

Sri Lanka were put in to bat midway the second session after the South African lead went past 500 runs. They declared on 224 for seven, having resumed at 35-0 overnight.

Seamer Suranga Lakmal took four wickets in a rare highlight for Sri Lanka while Elgar topscored for the home side with 55, to add to his first-innings century.

Captain Faf du Plessis made 41 while Stephen Cook was out for 30.

South Africa scored 392 in their first innings to which Sri Lanka replied with a paltry 110.

The hosts, who won the first Test in Port Elizabeth last week, did not enforce the follow-on.

SCOREBOARD SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings 392 (D. Elgar 129, Q. de Kock 101; L. Kumara 6-122) SRI LANKA 1st innings 110 (V. Philander 4-27, K. Rabada 4-37) SOUTH AFRICA 2nd innings (o/n 35-0) S. Cook c Karunaratne b Lakmal 30 D. Elgar c Mathews b Herath 55 H. Amla c Chandimal b Lakmal 0 J. Duminy lbw b Lakmal 30 F. du Plessis c Chandimal b Lakmal 41 T. Bavuma run-out (D. de Silva) 0 Q. de Kock c Chandimal b Kumara 29 K. Maharaj not out 20 V. Philander not out 15 Extras: (nb-3, w-1) 4 Total: (for 7 wickets declared, 51.5 overs) 224 Fall of wickets: 1-64, 2-64, 3-110, 4-136, 5-137, 6-170, 7-192.

Bowling: S. Lakmal 19.5-269–4, N. Pradeep 11-0-46-0 (nb-1), L Kumara 12-0-62-1 (w-1), D. de Silva 3-0-15-0, R. Herath 6-0-32-1.

SRI LANKA 2nd innings (Target: 507 runs) D. Karunaratne b Philander 6 K. Silva c Cook b Rabada 29 K. Mendis c Elgar b Philander 4 D. de Silva lbw b Rabada 22 A. Mathews not out 29 D. Chandimal not out 28 Extras: (b-6, lb-5, nb-1) 12 Total: (for 4 wickets, 40 overs) 30 Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-25, 3-66, 4-69.

Bowling: K. Abbott 10-3- 23-0, V. Philander 10-1-34-2 (nb-1), K. Rabada 10-3-22-2, K. Maharaj 10-2-40-0.

Dhoni resigns as India’s ODI and T20 captain (REUTERS) - Mahendra Singh Dhoni has stepped down as India’s limited-overs captain but will still be available for selection, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said yesterday.

“Mahendra Singh Dhoni has informed the BCCI that he wishes to step down as the captain of the Indian Cricket Team from the One-Day Internationals and the T20 Internationals formats of the game,” the BCCI said in a statement.

Dhoni not only holds the record for most matches as captain of an international side, with 331 games across all formats, but also is the only captain to have won all three ICC Trophies -- ODI World Cup, World Twenty20 and Champions Trophy.

Considered India’s most successful ever captain, Dhoni stunned everyone when he announced his decision to quit Test cricket in the middle of an Australian tour in 2014, handing the mantle to Virat Kohli who is likely to be also given the reins in the shorter formats.

The BCCI, however, did not immediately name a successor.

End of an era: MS Dhoni resigns as India ODI and T20 captain The 35-year-old Dhoni, who was named captain in 2007, led the cricket-crazed country to the top of the world Test rankings and is the only player to captain in more than 50 matches in each of the three formats.

Having made his international debut in 2004, Dhoni, whose life inspired a Bollywood biopic in 2016, quickly rose up the ranks in Indian cricket.

After being named captain of the Twenty20 side in 2007, Dhoni achieved immediate success as he guided India to

the World Twenty20 title in South Africa.

One of Dhoni’s most iconic moments came in 2011 when he hit a massive six to end the country’s 28year wait for the ODI World Cup. “On behalf of every Indian cricket fan and the BCCI, I would like to thank MS Dhoni for his outstanding contribution as the captain of the Indian team across all formats,” BCCI chief executive Rahul Johri said in a statement.

“Under his leadership, the Indian team has touched new heights and his achievements will remain etched forever in the annals of Indian cricket.”

Dhoni led India in 199 ODIs, of which he won 110 and lost 74, and was captain in 72 Twenty20s, of which India won 41 and lost 28. His last series as captain came against New Zealand at home, where he led the Indian side to a 3-2 series win.

Dhoni will be available for selection for the ODI and Twenty20 series against England, starting January 15.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Pakistan steady, Aussies in control after Handscomb ton

By Nick Mulvenney |

SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - Pakistan’s Azhar Ali and Younus Khan forged a 120-run partnership to stall a rampant Australia on day two of the third and final Test yesterday after a Peter Handscomb century had helped drive the hosts to 5388 declared.

Opener Azhar, who hit a double-century in the second Test defeat in Melbourne that lost Pakistan the series, had contributed 58 to his side’s 126 for two at close of play, while veteran Younus had forged ahead of his partner with 64 not out.

Handscomb had earlier completed the third century of Australia’s innings, matching openers David Warner and Matt Renshaw, as Steve Smith’s men poured on the runs before the declaration, which came seven overs before tea.

Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb are on the honours board after the second day’s play in Sydney. (Cricket Australia/Getty Images)

Paceman Josh Hazlewood immediately drove home the advantage by removing debutant Sharjeel Khan and Babar Azam cheaply inside five balls to leave the hapless tourists reeling at 16-2 at the second break.

Half-centuries from Azhar and Younus may have raised Pakistan’s flagging spirits but the Australians will still be confident of victory and a series sweep going

into day three at the Sydney Cricket Ground with a lead of 412 runs.

Handscomb had resumed on 40 with Australia 365-3 and never looked like missing out on his second Test hundred, becoming only the second Australian to score 50 or more in his first four Tests along the way.

Brought into the side with Renshaw in the wake of the Hobart humiliation at the

hands of South Africa in November, the 25-year-old has proved a rock in what had become a fragile Australian middle order.

He brought up the milestone with a single off the 194th ball he faced and had nine fours on the board when he was out for 110 in bizarre circumstances.

A TV review showed he had got too deep into his crease when facing a Wahab Riaz delivery and his bat had dislodged a bail, resulting in a rare ‘hit wicket’ dismissal.

Australia’s fielders had the opposite problem as they tried to break up Pakistan’s third-wicket partnership in the final session and Handscomb rued two missed runout chances.

“It would have been nice to take one of those run-out opportunities and you never know what could have come from there if we had them maybe four or five down,”

he said.

“We just need to come out tomorrow and keep that pressure on.”

Renshaw earlier fell short of dislodging Don Bradman as Australia’s youngest double centurion, the 20-year-old chopping on for 184 in the first hour of the day, and debutant Hilton Cartwright (37), Matt Wade (29) and Mitch Starc, who hit two huge sixes in his 16, also departed before the declaration.

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur admitted bowlers Mohammad Amir and Yasir Shah were “not in good shape” - the latter carrying a left hamstring injury - but thought the third-wicket stand had given his side a glimmer of hope.

“The resilience and character and intent that has been shown by Younus and Azhar have been a real example to the rest of the dressing room of how we need to play,” the South African said.

“We’ll carry on with same intent and see where that gets us tomorrow.”

SCOREBOARD

and Beijing World Championships.

“Crossing the 800m finish line in Rio I didn’t have this feeling,” she said.

“I was mentally exhausted. I have never been so thankful to be finished something in my life. I felt like I never wanted to do another heptathlon again.

“I gave the last 4 years everything I could. I put my life on hold. Track and field was the priority before everything else: my family, my friends, my marriage,

my future. This is something I chose to do and I don’t regret it for a second.

It made me happy to pursue something I was so passionate about.

“I no longer have the passion for track and field or the heptathlon that I used to, because I know I can’t advance any further in the sport. I’ve given it all I can and I refuse to come back and half-ace it because I love and respect this event and sport too much.” (Sportsmax)

AUSTRALIA 1st innings (o/n 365-3) M. Renshaw b Imran Khan 184 D. Warner c S. Ahmed b Riaz 113 U. Khawaja c S. Ahmed b Riaz

13 S. Smith c S. Ahmed b Shah 24 P. Handscomb hit wicket b Riaz 110 H. Cartwright b Khan 37 M.Wade c B. Azam b Ali 29 M. Starc c sub. (Rizwan) b Ali 16 S. O'Keefe not out 0 Extras: (b-5, lb-1, w-2, nb-4) 12

Total: (8 wickets decl; 135 overs) 538 Fall of wickets: 1-151, 2-203, 3-244, 4-386, 5-477, 6-516, 7-532, 8-538.

Bowling: Amir 24-2-83-0, Khan 27-4-111-2, Riaz 28-4-89-3, Shah 40-2-167-1, Ali 14-0-70-2, Shafiq 2-0-12-0 PAKISTAN 1st innings A. Ali not out 58 S. Khan c Renshaw b Hazlewood 4 B. Azam lbw b Hazlewood 0 Y. Khan not out 64 Total: (2 wickets, 41 overs) 126 Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-6.

Bowling: Starc 10-2-34-0, Hazlewood 11-3-32-2, O'Keefe 7-111-0, Lyon 9-1-34-0, Cartwright 4-0-15-0

Decathlon king Ashton Eaton announces retirement AMERICAN decathlete Ashton Eaton, who won gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016, has retired from athletics.

Two-time Olympic decathlon gold medallist Ashton Eaton has announced his retirement from competitive action with immediate effect.

Eaton defended his Olympic title in Rio last year, breaking his own world record in the process, having first claimed decathlon gold at London 2012.

The 30-year-old was also

American decathlete Ashton Eaton prolific at the World Championships, bursting onto the international scene in 2011 when he won silver behind

United States teammate Trey Hardee.

Eaton beat Hardee by 198 points in the London Games, before going on to seal back-to-back World titles in Moscow and Beijing.

With a glittering career behind him Eaton has opted to step away from athletics, saying: “Frankly there isn’t much more I want to do in sport.

“I gave the most physically robust years of my life to the discovery and pursuit of my limits in this domain.

weeks and we are going to have some trial games. We promised you we are going to have the best franchise and whatever it takes, we are going to make sure it works,” he said.

“The other big name for you is Ronsford Beaton - the Guyanese fast bowler - who is also going to be part of our 20-man squad, and from last year we would have had Daron Cruickshank who is also coming back into the One Day squad,” he added.

Antiguan all-rounder Orlando Peters has also been included in the training squad.

(First Published In The Antigua Observer)

(REUTERS) - A French centenarian, Robert Marchand, made cycling history yesterday by covering 22.528 km (14.08 miles) in one hour on a track near Paris at the age of 105.

Marchand has a huge following in France and was cheered on by hundreds of fans as he rode round the velodrome at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, clad in yellow and blue with the number 105 on his back.

However, he fell short of his own previous best of 26.927 km in the over-100s category, which he set in 2014 at the age of 102 years old.

Marchand, a tiny, bird-

Did I reach them? Truthfully, I’m not sure anyone really does.

“It seems like we tend to run out of time or will before we run out of potential. That makes humanity limitless then, as far as I’m concerned. And I think that’s inspiring.”

His wife Brianne Theisen-Eaton also announced her retirement and steps away from a career in the heptathlon, having claimed bronze in Rio, adding to silver medals in the Moscow

Samuels, Beaton to 105-year-old Frenchman cycles join Hurricanes into history with hour-long ride

EXPERIENCED West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels will be joining the Leeward Islands Hurricanes for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Super50 competition scheduled to start later this month.

This was revealed by Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Leeward Islands Cricket Board (LICB), Vernon Springer, who also named two other regional players set to join the sub-regional franchise ahead of a preparatory camp here at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground starting January 9.

“We have 20 guys who will be here over the next couple of days or over the next two

French cyclist Robert Marchand, aged 105, reacts after he rode 22,528 km (14,08 miles) in one hour to set a new record. (REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen)

like figure, beamed at his success after his one-man race was over, telling journalists he could have done better.

“I didn’t see the notice tell-

ing me I had 10 minutes left,” he said. “If I had, I would have been a bit quicker. I would have done better.”

He said he would celebrate

by having “a bite to eat with all my pals.”

He was philosophical when asked if he would turn out again on the track in two years’ time.

“You are nine months in the making. But it takes you only 30 seconds to drop dead,” he said.

Born in 1911 in northern France, Marchand started riding a bike when he was 14 but only took up cycling seriously when he was 67.

He trained for six months for his performance yesterday.

In 2012, when he was 100, he set a record for his age of covering 100 kms in four hours 17 minutes 27 seconds.

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Riley wants Beaton to concentrate on longer format of the game

By Rajiv Bisnauth

DIRECTOR of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and Chairman of the Barbados Pride cricket franchise, Conde Riley, urges Guyanese fast bowler Ronsford Beaton to concentrate more on the longer format of the game.

Riley is of the opinion that the 24-year-old is too promising to only play the shorter format of the game.

Riley made the comments during his feature address at the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB) 2016 Awards ceremony last Thursday

night at the Umana Yana.

“I’d like to urge Mr Beaton to concentrate more on the longer format of the game where he will

build his stamina and fitness and go on to represent the West Indies if he so desires.

“I certainly believe that he is too promising to only play the shorter format. He was our leading fast bowler four years ago at the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand when we reached the semi-finals. He must give back more to the region and Guyana,” Riley said.

Having shown great aggression and hostility during his admirable career so far, many feel he already has the potential to don the prestigious maroon colours,

W h i t m o r e , h o w e v e r, who enjoyed a previous four-year stint as Reggae Boyz head coach, said he was eyeing a long-term appointment.

“I wouldn’t say (the appointment is only for) two games, because I am thinking it will be up to the Gold Cup, so I definitely believe I will lead the team into the

Conde Riley

but the West Indies A team pacer who has played 33 First-class games since his debut against the England Lions in 2011, was overlooked as part of the Guyana Jaguars first-choice plans for the 2016/17 Professional season.

However, after being ignored, Beaton was a part of the West Indies ‘A’ team which travelled to Sri Lanka back in October last year to play in an unofficial Test and ODI tournaments.

He regained some confidence and form during the tour, returning figures

Ronsford Beaton

of; 3-26, 2-41, and 2-38 in the 50-over format, before being called up to play for the Dhaka Dynamites in the fourth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

With 64 First-class wickets, Beaton, who was among a squad of 14 young p l a y e r s w h o re c e i v e d training at the Sagicor High Performance Centre (HPC) for the 2013-14 programme, is part of the Leeward Islands Hurricanes 20-man squad preparing for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Super50 competition scheduled to start later this month.

Reggae Boyz play the USA on February 3 at the Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee and square off against Honduras 13 days later at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas.

This year’s Gold Cup runs from July 7 oi 26 in the United States.

In 2015, Jamaica were good enough to reach the Gold Cup final first time before going down to eventual champions Mexico.

Whitmore, who boasts

over 100 caps for Jamaica in a sterling playing career, said he was focused on building the squad and striking the right balance between youth and experience.

“It’s a work in progress.

We want to get the players committed to playing for the country again,” the 44-yearold said.

“We want to strike a balance between local and overseas players because we keep hearing about this debate and we don’t want

to miss out on the fact that we want to develop local players and get them wanting to play for their country again.”

H e c o n t i n u e d : “ We have a lot of youngsters who want to represent the country and we have to assure them that opportunity. We are trying to put a squad together, so by weekend we should have a squad together, because we have to start the ball rolling as soon as possible.”

WITH the adverse weather affecting all outdoor activities, Cricket Guyana Inc. has decided to utilise the board’s indoor cricket facility at LBI in preparation for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Super50 competition scheduled to start later this month in Barbados and Antigua.

According to a release from the board, the decision to use the indoor facility is due to the persistent rainfall which left the Guyana

National Stadium in Providence in a condition not conducive for play.

The two trial matches scheduled for January 6 and 7 have been rescheduled for a later date.

Currently, the 28 players for the two trial matches along with the Academy players are in training.

The 28 players invited are: Shimron Hetmyer, Leon Johnson, Assad Fudadin, Raymon Reifer, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul,

Whitmore confident of taking Reggae Boyz to Gold Cup KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Head coach Theodore Whitmore says he is confident of leading Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz into the prestigious CONCACAF

Jaguars in training at indoor facility at LBI

Interim Jamaica head coach Theo Whitmore Gold Cup in July.

The former national star was an interim replacement last September for German Winfried Schaefer, following the country’s failed 2018 World Cup campaign, and the Jamaica Football Federation said this week he would continue in the position for upcoming friendlies against United States and Honduras.

“2017 can be a silver lining in a way for us,” said interim Jamaica head coach Whitmore.

“It’s always a pleasure (to coach Jamaica). It’s something I want to do and I know that I can achieve great things. We just need time to put things in place to make it successful,” he told the Gleaner newspaper here.

Gold Cup and I think I am getting closer to landing the job on a more permanent basis.”

Whitmore made a successful start to his second stint in charge, overseeing wins over Guyana and Suriname in the third round of the CFU Caribbean Cup last October as Jamaica reached the finals set for June.

Keon Joseph, Paul Wintz, Christopher Barnwell, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Taignarine Chanderpaul, Romario Shepherd, Tevin Imlach, Anthony Adams, Gudakesh Motie, Robin Bacchus, Anthony Bramble, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ronsford Beaton, Rajendra Chandrika, Vishaul Singh, Jonathan Foo, Sherfane Rutherford, Royston Crandon, Clinton Pestano, Steven Jacobs, Eon Hooper and Kevon Boodie.

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Hassan, Moriah and Singh top ECCCC awardees TOP cricketers and contributors to the game were on Monday afternoon honoured for their outstanding achievements in 2016 when the Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club (ECCCC) hosted its annual awards ceremony.

Held in the auditorium of the East Coast Demerara club, the ceremony sought to highlight and recognise the achievements of the cricketers over the past 12 months, while serving as a platform to express gratitude to the large band of supporters of the club.

The Best All-rounder of the year, which is seen as the major award, went to Imran Hassan, who chalked up 413 runs and captured 12 wickets, while East Coast Demerara franchise player, left-arm seamer Gavin Moriah, finished with the most wickets - 28 from 13 matches - including a best of 6-18 against Paradise SC in the SPR 40-over competition.

Promising young talent Rudolph Singh emerged with most runs – 434 - and was also adjudged Most Improved Player of 2016, after showing considerable improvement from the previous season.

The Best Batting performance prize went to another East Coast Demerara franchise player - wicketkeeper/ batsman Vishwanauth Ramlakhan - who scored 114 against Calcutta SC and 87 versus Fairfield during the period under consideration.

Both knocks came in the SPR 40-over competition, which the ECCCC won.

The Best Bowling performance of the year went to off-spinner Chandraban Seemangal for his 7-35 in a must-win against Enterprise B in the SPR 40-over competition, while the Most Consistent player was off-spinner Satesh Jainarine, who captured wickets in 75 percent of the matches he played, and was voted the club’s Most Valuable Player in the two finals in 2016.

Nandram Ganesh was

The awardees pose for a group photo at the conclusion of the Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club annual awards ceremony. unanimously voted by his teammates as the Most Disciplined player, while Jainarine was named Most Promising player and club captain Bheemraj Ramkelwan Most Committed player.

Special awards were also given to caretaker/grounds-

club, Taajnauth Jadunauth, told the gathering that the club will collaborate with schools in the Enmore area to recruit new members.

He, however, noted that while the year was generally successful, there were some challenges, some of which were internal.

Jadunauth pointed out.

He added, “My disappointment is twofold. One: we are not getting younger boys to come to the Centre, regardless of which sporting interest they may have.

“Whether the reason is school lessons, television or their cell phones, I am see-

ECCCC president Taajnauth Jadunauth (left) and Club captain Bheemraj Ramkelawan (right) pose with the top cricketers of the year: Imran Hassan (second left), Gavin Moriah (centre) and Rudolph Singh. man Deolall Rajkumar, treasurer Tahal Ganesh for his outstanding and selfless contribution to the club, and the club’s number one fan Narain ‘Uncle Nar’ Singh, who attended almost all the games during the past year.

Meanwhile, delivering feature remarks at the function, president of the

“It would be further accurate to declare that the Enmore Cricket Club has been providing the people of Enmore with an avenue for recreation. Yet some people, who should know better, would not, even grudgingly, give us some recognition for that. But we will continue to do what we have to do,”

ing a frightening situation.

And I hold many parents responsible for that. Two: Some of our current players think that they are too big to be actively involved in activities to raise funds for the Club, but the same persons expect that the Club should carry their match expenses. And these are

senior players.”

Jadunauth also addressed the club’s young membership directly, noting that only positive outcomes can be had from their continued involvement with the ECCCC. “Over the past year I have been pleased to see our younger members stepping up to the plate and I encourage you to see this Club as the Club which brought you to where you are today.

The time will come when you will have to take greater responsibility and leadership roles in the Club’s affairs.

You should not shy away from those roles because they will serve to make you better persons and good leaders,” he posited.

Club captain Bheemraj Ramkelawan, stressed that the club’s mandate to rid the streets of Enmore of youths who continue to engage in unwholesome activities, has been met by several stumbling blocks.

“The environment that we operate under has become one of hostility. This is one of the reason why parents are reluctant to send their kids to the Centre and our club has been at the receiving end of this hostility.

“I dare say that this is as a result of lack of leadership from the other Clubs who operate here. A small

group of persons are allowed to intimidate our younger members and for that matter new ones also,” Ramkelawan explained.

The Club captain further stated that in 2016, the club played 18 games, winning 15, a six percent increase from its winning record the previous year.

The ECCCC also hosted a few fund-raising activities during the year, but was unable to stage the Inter-block softball competition, which will now be held in the first quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, the club will have its Annual General Meeting and elections of office-bearers later this month, while there will be a renewed drive to increase membership, even if it means recruiting players from outside the village.

Chess training programme on this weekend THE Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) will from this weekend commence a National Training Programme.

According to a GCF correspondence, the National Chess Training Programme 2017- 2020 will feature a free Beginners course for the introduction to chess.

Additionally, the programme will offer one-onone training sessions, clubs and group seminars and after-school chess..

Sessions will continue on Wednesdays from 15:30hrs to 17:00hrs at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) Thomas Lands facility while sessions will take place at the same time on Thursday at St Stanislaus College.

Tomorrow’s session will be held at the National Library as well as Saturday morning’s sessions from 09:00hrs to 11:00hrs while the National Racquet Centre will be the venue for the afternoon sessions from 13:00hrs to 15:00hrs.

Interested persons can call the GCF directly for more information.

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 5, 2017

Hassan, Moriah ry See st2o3 and Singh top on ECCCC awardees

Persaud urges NSC scholarship awardees to be good ambassadors

By Rajiv Bisnauth

CHAIRMAN of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Ivan Persaud has urged the four NSC scholarships awardees, Owen A d o n i s , E m a n u e l A rchibald, Alque Stanley and Natrena Hooper to take the programme seriously and be worthy ambassadors of their country.

Persaud made the appeal yesterday when the four awardees visited the NSC headquarters on Homestretch Avenue, where they met with Director of Sport Christopher Jones.

The four awardees were each given a four-year scholarship late last year, with Adonis, Archibald, and Hooper, attending the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus in Jamaica, while Stanley is at the GC Foster College also in Jamaica.

“For the recipients, I want you guys to understand that it’s very important that you

(Standing from left): Emanuel Archibald, Alque Stanley, Owen Adonis, and Natrena Hooper. Seated are: Director of Sport Christopher Jones, UG Sports Administrator, Lavern Fraser-Thomas and Chairman of the NSC Ivan Persaud.

(Photo by Cullen Bess-Nelson) take this very seriously, and to make sure that you perform more than your best, not only academically, but also in your respective sport.

“Make sure that you

understand that you are a role model for a lot of youngsters who are coming into sport now … and be a good ambassador for Guyana,” Persaud said.

According to the NSC chairman, the initiative is really needed for the development of sport locally.

“We cannot have elite athletes without scholarships,

without being afforded the opportunity to have free meals, free accommodations, free studies, and most of all, the opportunity to train at the highest level if we want to

not only participate, but to really compete at international sports,” Persaud pointed out.

The initiative was coordinated by NSC Commissioner and UG Sports Administrator, Lavern Fraser-Thomas, who said that the scholarships were based on University of Guyana’s performances at the UWI invitational track and field competition last year in Jamaica.

Apart from training, Adonis will be studying for a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Studies, Archibald will pursue a Bachelors’ in Sociology, while Stanley will be pursuing a Bachelor’s in Education and Hooper a Bachelor’s in Social Science (Gender Development Studies).

The four awardees, while accepting that the training is much different from what they have been accustomed to, promised to make full use of the opportunity offered.

The scholarships are expected to cost the NSC some $16M.

Alli stars as Spurs end Chelsea’s 13-match winning streak

By Phil McNulty (Chief football writer at White Hart Lane)

TOTTENHAM ended Chelsea’s attempt to make Premier League history with a 14th successive victory as the title pacesetters were well beaten at White Hart Lane.

Spurs moved up to third place as headers from Dele Alli either side of halftime made the difference to leave Chelsea five points ahead of Liverpool in second place.

Alli rose to meet Christian Eriksen’s cross in firsthalf stoppage time and the same pair combined to put the game out of Chelsea’s reach in the 54th minute.

Eden Hazard had Chelsea’s two best chances in each half but Spurs closed out the victory in comfort to put north London rivals Arsenal out of the top four and leave themselves seven points off the top after their fifth successive league win.

Tottenham’s season was

at a tipping point after a disappointing Champions League exit at the group stage and the poor performance in defeat at Manchester United in early December - but they have responded magnificently.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side are gathering impressive momentum, illustrated by the manner in which they overcame a Chelsea side that was starting to carry an air of impregnability.

The 4-1 wins at Southampton and Watford served as a warning that Spurs were approaching the sort of form that carried them close to the title last season and this performance confirmed their growing confidence and stature.

Spurs have recaptured their intensity and energy and when this is bolted on to the quality provided here by the likes of Alli and Eriksen, it makes them a formidable prospect.

Manchester City had already found Spurs too hot to

Tottenham’s Dele Alli celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Couldridge Alli’s headed double “the most important player to handle at White Hart Lane this season - and Chelsea suffered here made it seven goals his emerge in English football in last four games, the third recent years”. a similar fate.

Alli endured a quiet start time in succession he has And here the £5M signto the season, perhaps in scored twice in a game after ing from MK Dons backed the aftermath of England’s doing the same at South- up his manager’s confident debacle at Euro 2016 - but ampton and Watford. words with a consummate Pochettino said before the all-round display crowned the 20-year-old is firing on game that he regarded Alli as by the two towering headers cylinders now.

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which proved decisive.

Alli received a standing ovation when he was replaced in the closing minutes after showing the quality that will make him an integral part of the future of both Spurs and England.

Chelsea’s perfectionist manager Antonio Conte and his players will be bitterly disappointed they could not achieve Premier League history with a 14th successive win that would have matched the mark set across the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons by Arsenal.

However, they remain in prime position in the title race.

They still have a healthy five-point lead over Liverpool in second place and have come a long way since their last Premier League defeat at Arsenal on September 24, a 3-0 loss that left them eight points adrift of then-leaders Manchester City in eighth place. (BBC Sport) THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017