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‘ENOUGH!’
– Action plan launched to fight TIP
Singh strikes THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017
No. 104798
Price: $80
(VAT Inclusive)
…throws out Jagdeo’s race-baiting appeal case – nixes out-of-time appeal on Dipcon judgment – AG signals move to CCJ, questions motive
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Gov’t to fix roads in Coomacka Mines
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Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, (left) listens to the concerns of a bus driver as other residents from Coomacka, Region 10, look on. (MPI photo)
Teen stabbed to death …cousin arrested Page 2
Sanjay’s owner Jagdeo under freed of causing pressure to submit new list death charge Page 9
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Teen stabbed to death …cousin arrested By Rabindra Rooplall
A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD boy is in police custody after he allegedly stabbed his 17-year-old cousin to death on Tuesday night during a heated argument at Canal #1, West Bank Demerara. Dead is Leon Anthony Ritchie of Lot 20 L’Oratoire, Canal #1, West Bank Demerara; he was rushed to the West Demerara Re-
gional Hospital with a stab wound to the chest and was pronounced dead on arrival. This newspaper understands that the argument stemmed from ongoing disputes involving money to purchase food, a cell phone charger and a relationship surrounding a young lady. Ritchie lived alone in a house at the front of the lot, while two cousins, including the perpetrator, lived at the back; their grandparents,
The house where the stabbing occurred
Dead: Leon Anthony Ritchie
who acted as guardians, died a few years ago. Monty Abrahams, an uncle, told this newspaper that he rushed Ritchie to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. “I was sitting on a bench in front my home when my cousin Keno come with a bicycle with one speed and run straight into the shop and I ask him what happen, he said he just juck Leon, and I said boy you joking,” Abrahams recounted. “He then jumped back on his bicycle and went back to the scene and I get my car keys and went behind him and I see them bring Leon out onto the roadway from the back house and I put him in my car and carried him to the hospital,” the uncle said. According to Abrahams, the alleged perpetrator gave
GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
conflicting stories about how the stabbing took place. The uncle noted that in December last, the cousins had problems over money borrowed to purchase food and issues surrounding a cellphone charger recently. “So I ask he why he didn’t come to me about the phone charger, since I could have given him one,” the uncle noted. On the night of the fatal stabbing, Abrahams said he was told that Ritchie returned home to have a bath when the young cousin picked up his (Ritchie’s) hat and slippers and took it into the back house, luring him into the kitchen where he
was stabbed. The dead teen’s father, Michael Ritchie, said he saw his son Tuesday when he stopped at his home nearby to have a meal. “He eat and everything and he went over to check his place and I was waiting on him to come back and then is when his uncle bring him in the car and told me he just get stabbed. I jumped in and went to the hospital with them,” the father of two explained. According to the senior Ritchie, he was told by his son that the cousin had told his (Ritchie’s) girlfriend that he was infected with a
terminal sexual disease, in an attempt to discourage her from having a relationship with Ritchie. The teen’s mother Desiree Jones said she last saw her son two months ago, but would inquire about him often since the father is also employed at her worksite at the West Demerara Regional Hospital. The mother of three of Best Plantation, West Coast Demerara, said after finishing work Tuesday she received a cellphone call from her son’s father relating that he was stabbed and seriously injured.
8 years jail for man who killed infant son JAMES Hunte, called “Dougla,” was sentenced to eight years imprisonment by Justice Navindra Singh in the High Court on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. The indictment stated that on March 20, 2012, at Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara, Hunte unlawfully killed Andy Hunte, his two-month-old son. Hunte expressed remorse for his action on Wednesday when he was asked to address the court. Justice Singh took this into consideration and deducted five years from the sentence for time served in prison. Justice Singh however told Hunte to use the time in jail to reform and equip himself with a trade so that when he is freed, he would be able to contribute to society in a meaningful way. The trial Judge also spoke of Hunte’s good behaviour in prison; based on his record, he may become eligible for parole.
The High Court Judge believes that Hunte regretted his course of action on the day in question when he killed his infant child during a row with his then reputed wife. As such, Justice Singh reprimanded Hunte for losing his temper, which caused the death of his child, but took into consideration that he (Hunte) took the injured baby to the hospital. State Prosecutor, Tuanna Hardy, in her submission to the court said that Hunte’s reputed wife was sitting at a shop on the day in question, holding her baby, when the accused arrived and a heated argument ensued. She related that the accused then took off his belt and fired a lash in the direction of the woman, but it connected with the baby’s head, causing severe injuries. The infant died the same day at the hospital. Hunte was represented by Attorney George Thomas. (Michel Outridge)
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Singh strikes twice GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
By Ariana Gordon
ACTING Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh, on Wednesday threw out an appeal against the decision of the High Court last year to free Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo of a race-baiting charge, but Attorney General Basil Williams has signalled that he will file another appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice. He said the Chancellor’s decision is a vain attempt to free Jagdeo because the case is appealable. Justice Singh’s decision comes amid deep concerns by the administration and other citizens regarding his decision in the dying days of his career on the bench to bring up two of the most controversial cases, which will impact Jagdeo. The other case is an appeal against a decision by former Chief Justice Ian Chang to scrap presidential term limits, on which he is set to rule on February 15, 2017. Also in court on Wednesday, Justice Singh refused to allow an out-of-time appeal against a $446M judgement that was granted in favour of Dipcon Engineering Services Limited against the Government of Guyana. Dipcon had taken the government to court since 2009. The court later awarded US$665,032.17(G$133M) together with US$1,563,368 (G$313M). The first sum was awarded for the “road-building and construction works” undertaken by Dipcon. The other sum was for the “increased cost incurred by Dipcon at the request of govern-
…throws out Jagdeo’s race-baiting appeal case – nixes out-of-time appeal on Dipcon judgment – AG signals move to CCJ, questions motive
Deputy Solicitor- General, Prithima Kissoon
ment.” The government has to pay interest on both sums. It also has to pay six percent interest per annum from 2009 when the judgment was filed, to October 2015 and interest of four percent until the sum is fully paid. The Attorney General Chambers had missed the stipulated time to appeal the case, but later filed an out-of-time appeal, which the chancellor who heads the Appeal Court did not entertain. REVOCATION OF ACTING APPOINTMENT Political watchers said that government is not without options to halt any further move by Justice Singh and President David Granger can
revoke his acting appointment as Chancellor before he proceeds on pre-retirement leave at the end of this month. In his ruling, the Chancellor said the Deputy Solicitor-General, Prithima Kissoon, who filed the appeal on behalf of the AG,had conceded that Williams wasn’t a proper party to the matter. According to Justice Singh, the fact that Kissoon had conceded to Jagdeo’s lawyer Mursaline Bacchus’s contention that the AG was not a proper party to the proceeding was sufficient to dismiss the case. Approximately six months ago, Kissoon was required to file an affidavit in response to Bacchus’s contention against the Attorney General being named in the matter along with adding Magistrate Charlyn Artiga’s name to the appeal; this was not done. Justice Singh said too that he finds the concession by the Deputy Solicitor-General to be of “great significance” and ruled that the appeal filed was null. However, when contacted, Williams told the Guyana Chronicle that he was not surprised by the action of the Deputy Solicitor- General. “She filed the appeal and her concession is unknown to me; she did not consult the Attorney General and she has absented herself for the month by submitting medical
Attorney General, Basil Williams
certificate after medical certificate; the judge ruled that the appeal is a nullity…and in favour of Jagdeo.” VAIN ATTEMPT The Attorney General believes that the move by the Deputy Solicitor- General and the Chancellor is “a vain attempt to free Jagdeo of those cases,” while noting that it is a question of having all matters related to the former president dealt with before the Chancellor goes on pre-retirement leave at the end of this month. “I am amused by it; the move by the Chancellor is not without remedy, we will take the case to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ); the case was dismissed on form and not substance…he hasn’t determined the substantive is-
sue there,” declared Attorney General Williams. Some senior attorneys had warned that the Chancellor will attempt to adjudicate political matters before he goes on pre-retirement leave on January 30. The Guyana Chronicle had reported that Justice Singh, whose substantive post is that of Chief Justice, is expected to begin pre-retirement leave in January, 2017 and is also expected to demit office by January 30, 2017. A prominent attorney speaking under the condition of anonymity,has opined that Justice Singh may be politically motivated to take on new cases during the time he ought to be on pre-retirement leave. Justice Singh will celebrate his 65th birth anniversary on February 23. “It must be ensured that the Chancellor does not take on any new cases, especially political cases. It is expected that he would want to start cases and then say he can’t go on leave, as he will have to conclude the cases,” said the prominent attorney. The Guyana Chronicle understands that Kissoon ,unknown to Williams, had conceded by virtue of an oral statement which followed the submission of a written statement one day later. Attorney Judy Stuart worked alongside Kissoon on the case, but Stuart was never briefed by the
Deputy Solicitor- General on her conceding in the matter, this newspaper was told. The Guyana Chronicle understands that Stuart was shocked when she was informed that Kissoon had conceded. This newspaper was reliably informed that Kissoon made an application for leave to the Attorney General to be off work from December 20, 2016 to January 21, 2017, but that leave was denied. Shortly after,
Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh
the Deputy Solicitor- General submitted several medical certificates indicating her unfitness to be at work. BABU JAAN Last year, Justice Navindra Singh had ruled that the facts submitted in the case of racial incitement made by Christopher Ram against Jagdeo were insufficient to amount to an offence for which Jagdeo should be charged. During a speech at Babu Jaan, Corentyne, Jagdeo was accused of racial
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Chelsea Manning decision: Obama says justice was served [BBC] - President Barack Obama has defended his decision to free Wikileaks source Chelsea Manning, 29 years before her scheduled release. He told his final news conference that “justice has been served”. Manning was sentenced to 35 years for leaking diplomatic cables to the group, one of the largest breaches of classified material in US history. The commutation of her sentence has been attacked by Republicans as sending the wrong message. House Speaker Paul Ryan said the move set a “dangerous precedent”. The 29-year-old transgender US Army private, born Bradley Manning, leaked documents to Wikileaks in 2010. She will be freed on 17 May but had been scheduled to be released in 2045. The president said Manning has served a tough prison sentence. “So the notion that the average person who was thinking about disclosing vital, classified information would think that it goes unpunished - I don’t think they would get that impression from the sentence that Chelsea Manning has served.” The commutation announced on Tuesday reduces
Manning’s sentence but is not a pardon, which some campaigners had called for. Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called it a “grave mistake” because Manning endangered lives. “Her prison sentence may end in a few months’ time, but her dishonour will last forever,” he said. Mr Ryan said President Obama “now leaves in place a dangerous precedent that those who compromise our national security won’t be held accountable for their crimes”. White House press secretary Josh Earnest hit back at Republican criticism, suggesting the party was being hypocritical given President-elect Donald Trump has praised Wikileaks. The group released hacked Democratic Party emails during the election campaign. “It is outrageous for them to suggest that right now what Chelsea Manning did is worse than what the man who they endorsed for president did,” he told CBS News. He also told CNN that Mr Obama believed Manning had served an “appropriate punishment”, having been jailed for nearly seven years.
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Most people convicted of leaking have received sentences of between one and three years, according to the New York Times. The Obama administration has prosecuted more people for leaking government secrets than were charged under all previous presidencies, the paper says. Manning twice attempted suicide last year at the male military prison where she is being held at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. She also went on a hunger strike last year, which she ended after the military agreed to provide her with gender transition treatment. Mr Obama granted commutation of sentences to 209 individuals and pardons to 64 others, in one of his final acts as president.
Manning declared her new identity the day after sentencing
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Fmr NY Senate leader sentenced to five years in prison [NY Daily News] Ex-Brooklyn Sen. John Sampson was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison by a judge who struggled to understand why the once-powerful pol became so greedy. Sampson attempted to stymie a mortgage fraud investigation into a friend who loaned the state senator money. He also lied to the feds about his secret ownership of a Brooklyn liquor store. “At the root of all this is some idea you picked up along the way that you had the right to dispense with your ethical obligations. It’s disturbing,” Judge Dora Irizarry said before sentencing Sampson for obstruction of justice and lying to the FBI. “For the life of me, I can’t understand what kind of monetary incentive there was behind this given your wife earns almost three quarters of a million dollars a year as a partner at a highly regarded accounting firm. And you yourself live well. What level of greed do you have to have to engage in this conduct?” Sampson embezzled around $440,000 entrusted to him as a court-appointed referee of foreclosure properties between 1998 and July 2006, prosecutors said. A judge ruled that the statute of limitations on the embezzlement charges had passed, but the feds pressed on with charges of obstruct-
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New York state Sen. John Sampson, center, was sentenced for obstruction of justice and lying to the FBI. (JEFFERSON SIEGEL/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)
ing the investigation and tampering with witnesses and evidence. The feds captured Sampson telling a cooperating witness, Edul Ahmad, to keep secret a $188,500 loan to Sampson that the pol never reported. Sampson had solicited the loan in 2006 to cover up his embezzlement of foreclosure money. “This opens up a can of worms,” Sampson said on the tape. Sampson also told Ahmad, who was charged with mortgage fraud, to lie to federal prosecutors about their relationship. “I understand these actions have caused pain to my family, my constituents,” Sampson said in court. “My parents raised me better than this, and they didn’t sacrifice everything so I could end up in this predicament.” Irizarry did not believe Sampson’s good deeds as
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an elected official meant he deserved leniency. “That’s what you’re supposed to do as an elected official,” she said. “Where it has suited you in your own purpose — you have sidestepped your obligations, and if it hurts somebody else, so be it.” Sampson’s lawyers had previously argued that his crimes were less serious than those of disgraced Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos. Skelos, once the most powerful Republican in the state Senate, was sentenced last year to five years in prison for bribery and extortion. The Long Island pol used his political power to secure cushy no-show jobs for his ne’er-do-well son. Sampson argued in filings that Skelos’s conduct was a more “egregious abuse of power.” Sampson’s attorney, Joshua Colangelo, said he would appeal. He previously asked for a new trial in light of the Supreme Court ruling overturning the bribery conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. Sampson’s arguments echo those of Skelos and former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who said that McDonnell case redefined the legal definition of “official acts” done for corrupt reasons.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Small miners praise gov’t
…say new taxes will not affect them negatively SMALL miners across Guyana are in high praise of the Government, saying that the historic meeting with the Ministries of Finance and Natural Resources last Monday was an important step for the Gold Mining Industry and marks the long-awaited official acknowledgement of the legitimacy of the pursuits of the small mining community, a statement Wednesday noted. The meeting was attended by small miners from Karrau Mining Syndicate and Mahdia/Konwaruk Small Miners Association, Parika/ Mora Small Miners Association, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO). It sought to provide clarity to miners on the new tax compliance marks required by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) under the laws of Guyana. In a statement, the small miners said that the meeting was a positive move on the
part of the Government and a significant step forward in affording a broader cross-section of Guyanese access to the economic opportunities afforded by the gold mining sector. “Critically, the invitation to small miners to attend the meeting also points to an encouraging official recognition of the legitimacy of the pursuits of small operators in the sector. We applaud, equally, the Ministries of Natural Resources and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) for taking this initiative,” the small miners said. With increased knowledge on the tax regime, the miners said that they now understand that the new tax regime will not affect them negatively because the defaulters happened to be some of the “real big” miners. “Small miners will not be oppressed by these measures as the GGDMA, Mr Christopher Ram and the GWMO tried to make them believe at a previous meeting,” they said.
The miners are of the strong opinion that the Government is committed to working with small groups, syndicates and non-governmental organizations in the gold-mining sector to ensure that small miners benefit fully from such concessions as are available to the sector. “Government, through the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Revenue Authority, will support small miners’ efforts to comply with the laws of the country in the matters of the filing of tax returns and the payment of taxes,” they said while noting that a desk will be established at GGMC to provide guidance to small miners in their quest to become tax-compliant. During that meeting, it was established that small mining groups, including Cooperatives and Syndicates can apply for and secure exemptions from taxes relating to the purchase of heavy-duty equipment associated with mining activities.
Singh strikes... incitement when he said, “The opposition consistently shouts about the racism of the PPP, but they practise racism. The opposition beat drums at six in the morning and say let us throw out those coolie people.” Ram had filed the matter in April, 2015 at the Whim Magistrate’s Court, Corentyne, Berbice and the charge being that the former president uttered words to cause racial or ethnic hatred, contrary to Section 139 D (1) (a) of the Representation of the
People Act, Chapter 1:03. Section 139D (1) (a) of the Representation of the People Act, CAP 1:03 of the Laws of Guyana, provides that any person who makes or publishes any statement which results or can result in racial or ethnic hatred among the people shall be liable to conviction. The case was being heard by Magistrate Charlyn Artiga at the Whim Magistrates’ Court, but Jagdeo through his attorney Murseline Bacchus
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argued that the charge was frivolous and vexatious and requested it be dismissed, while questioning the jurisdiction of Magistrate Charlyn Artiga to hear the matter. By virtue of the matter put before Justice William Ramlal, an Order/ Rule Nisi of Certiorari directing Artiga to show cause why a Writ/Order of Certiorari should not be issued against her and to quash her decision in the ruling of the private criminal case.
Student dies after shooting in Mexico [BBC] - A student at an American school in the north-eastern Mexican city of Monterrey has died after opening fire on classmates before fatally shooting himself, officials say. The 15-year-old, who injured a teacher and three other students in the attack, was said to have been suffering from depression. The nationalities of those shot at the Colegio Americano del Noreste were not clear. School shootings are rare in Mexico. Reports said the injured were in a serious condition. Nuevo Leon state Governor Jaime Rodriguez named the teenager as Federico Guevara and said that his motive was being investigated, Reuters news agency reports. Aldo Fasci, a security spokesman of Nuevo Leon state, called the incident unprecedented. He said the motive was un-
The area has been cordoned off by police
der investigation. A video showed the gunman shooting the 24-yearold teacher and the students, two aged 14 and one 15, the spokesman said. He then shot himself. “[This] is result of a situation that is happening everywhere. The children have access to the internet. This has happened in other countries,” he said. Mr Fasci said it was not clear how the student got the gun into the private bilingual school, which includes pre-school, elemen-
tary and high school classes. He added that Mexico once had a system in place to check student bags but it ended after parents complained. Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto posted a message on the social media site Twitter, saying that his thoughts were with the local community and the families affected. “As a father and as president, what happened this morning at a school in Monterrey hurts me very much,” he wrote.
Colombia sets date for peace talks with rebel group [BBC] - Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos says formal peace talks will begin next month in Ecuador with the country’s second-largest rebel group, the ELN. Mr Santos said the ELN had agreed to hand over an ex-congressman, Odin Sanchez, the rebel group had been holding since April 2016. The government was to pardon two rebels. Mr Santos last year agreed a peace accord with the main rebels, the Farc. More than 220,000 people have been killed in decades of
civil conflict. Peace talks with the ELN had been due to begin last March. Exploratory talks have taken place for years but stalled when the ELN refused to hand over all their hostages. A joint statement said the formal peace talks would start on 7 February in Quito, the Ecuadorian capital. On 2 February, the ELN will release Mr Sanchez. On the same date the government will grant a pardon to two ELN members. The ELN has freed several other hostages in the
past few months. Mr Sanchez handed himself to the rebels in April last year in exchange for the release of his brother, Patrocinio. The former governor of north-western Choco province, Patrocinio Sanchez, was held by the rebels for almost three years and had fallen ill when his brother suggested the swap. The agreement with the larger Farc, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, was sealed despite an earlier deal being rejected in a referendum in October.
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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 Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in November last year drew attention to the National Agricultural Research Institute’s (NARI) report that Guyana loses up to 23 percent of the cassava it produces and 30 percent of our fruits is dumped. This sampling of wastage in our society when hunger and poverty around the world persist ought to serve as declaration of the country’s potential should these resources be properly harnessed. Right here there are persons who go to bed without a meal and live in poverty, when evidently it ought not to be so. What NARI’s figures are telling us is that there exist an underlying deficit that ought to be addressed, particularly in the areas of capacity for storage, distribution and markets. Last Friday Minster of Business Dominic Gaskin speaking at function to commission a business that has converted to solar energy called on Guyanese to buy and consume local products. In what can best be described as a patriotic pitch the minister not only pointed to the macro economic viability of such an approach but also the micro benefit in creating employment and economic opportunities. Sensitisation is key here in cultivating taste, pride in producing and consuming local, creating employment and economic opportunities for self and fellow Guyanese, and the value of playing a role in reducing poverty and hunger. Resurgent focus in local foods admittedly has left Guyana somewhat behind in several instances. In addition to technology- that is research and development- the appreciation of local products has diminished. Rectifying both requires investment, monetarily and culturally. A process of education could include empowering producers and vendors in packaging techniques to make their products attractive, additionally to avoiding or minimising damage. Preservation and presentation techniques should also aim to put the country at competitive advantage in the global market. At the self-sufficiency level production of fresh foods enhances the nation’s developmental thrust; assist the people’s desire for healthy lifestyle, and reaching for the aspiration of breadbasket status in the Caribbean. But such achievements are not without challenges. In the 21st century where globally the benefits of organic and fresh foods are being pursued for health benefits, it is still not un-unusual to see Guyanese shying away from our local products. Some have come to associate using such with poverty. Such conditioning matters not that imported
GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Justice Pollard’s wisdom must be heeded Dear Editor, THE input by the esteemed Professor Justice Duke Pollard into the disquiet regarding interpretation of Article 161 (2) on who should be among the list of nominees to be appointed Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is timely and most welcomed. The input of this gentleman, who served at the Region’s highest court (the Caribbean Court of Justice), should be heeded in arriving at a list that President David Granger can find consistent with the extant article to be “not unacceptable to” to him. I extract specifically the articulation made by Pollard, in which he expressly states: “In this context, the applicable criteria of choice are clear, to wit, a judge with specified experience, a person qualified
to be such a judge, or “other” fit and proper person. The employment of the pronoun “other” speaks volumes and must be interpreted to mean that such “other fit and proper person” must possess the characteristics of the twonamed preceding persons. In effect, such person must possess the generally accepted distinctive characteristics of a judge, namely, autonomy of decision-making, considerable jurisdictional reach, impartiality, integrity and the disposition to act judicially.” What we are being advised, in addition to the three categories to be identified, is also what should constitute a “fit and proper person.” It must be noted that the distinction made for that person is possessing the “characteristics” of a judge or eligible to be a judge, which is markedly different from possessing certification to be. Thereafter,
Pollard proceeded to identify what these “distinctive characteristics” are as noted in the excerpt. When then President Desmond Hoyte and Minority Leader Cheddi Jagan entered into an agreement defining the procedure for the appointment of a Chairman to GECOM, the names submitted by Jagan to Hoyte reflected an array of persons falling within the three categories. When Hoyte, as Leader of the Opposition, was tasked the responsibility to submit nominees during the Cheddi Jagan and Bharrat Jagdeo presidencies, he did likewise. Having had smooth transitions of GECOM chairmen in the past, the nation can return to this experience given that the formula was tested and proven. Let me reiterate my position that it was a welcome sign when the President requested of
The Marriott Hotel
Dear Editor,
IT is known that I am not a political personality, and as I try to get my points across, I always try to be a fair commentator. Of course, when one is a fair commentator, one will get ‘blows’ from both sides, but that goes with the territory of impartiality. I recall well, that while the Guyana Marriott Hotel was being built, and even after its construction and during its opening, the then opposition was making demonstrations and protests about the Guyana Marriott Hotel. They had promised to turn the hotel into
a Children’s Hospital and/or make it into a section for the University of Guyana. I had written a letter glorifying the project, as I am a customer and a lover of the Marriott Group, in which I had advised that Guyana needs a true five-star hotel to house heads-of-state, diplomats and special events on behalf of our Government and embassies. After the elections, I was looking out in awe, as I feared that as soon as the new government took power, they would have eliminated the Marriott brand and do exactly what they said they would do. However, I observed that they were not taking any such
foods, most of which are processed, are not only unhealthy but diverting needed foreign exchange that can be directed to pressing local issues requiring attention for development. Recognition by the Government that there needs to be collective effort to arrest the trend of not being favourably disposed to local products and turning it around is well taken. Where acknowledgement is given that Government has to create the enabling environment for production and consumption to thrive, there are some areas that readily come to mine. The Government can look at providing institutional strengthening to NARI through increase financial investment that will facilitate intensified research and attract the brightest of minds through employment or exchange programmes. There is also utility in examining local market surveys to understand perception, production and consumption patterns, requirement to get the goods to the marketplace, storage facilitates and availability,
action and I personally felt happiness and pride at the awakening of the reality of the new government as to the importance of an entity of this calibre. I am noticing now as I did in the various newspapers prior to the new year, that the casino and Entertainment Centre for the Marriott is officially underway. In other words, they have moved ahead with the construction of the casino and Entertainment Centre. I recall that the initial protest had chased away an original investor for the casino, but now, we are moving ahead with it. I should say that I per-
the Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo to resubmit a list, which apparently is his effort to make the consultative process work. Both constitutional leaders hold a responsibility to this society to make the process work. The Leader of the Opposition is urged to re-submit a list, that includes the three categories, as was done by his predecessors, which would allow the President the latitude to identity a candidate. Pollard is the most credible legal voice on this matter, given his track record, and his wisdom must be seriously considered. He offers to those who are constitutionally required to find a candidate a pathway for doing so. The moment must be seized. Regards LINCOLN LEWIS sonally do not believe in casinos and gambling, as a person of religion. However, I have seen casinos in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Malaysia, etc., which are supposedly Islamic countries. And so, for the sake of the development and growth of Guyana, and to create employment for our peoples and bring us up the ladder of success by making Guyana a premium tourist destination, this hotel is a prerequisite for development. So, congratulations to NICIL and the government of Guyana, for agreeing now that the Marriott is a good thing. Regards ROSHAN KHAN CEO/Chairman/Founder
and other relevant factors. In penetrating the international market Government could utilise overseas missions where commercial units can be set up to monitor economic activities, including preferential taste in the host countries. As the country moves to the stage where the protection of the environment has become a necessity the minster’s call for opportunities of alternative energy to be tapped into for the production of goods and services is timely. Where it was once seen as poverty to sun dry sea foods, such as the famed salted fish and dried shrimp, today such method of producing foods are lauded. Shade houses are also another viable option. Additionally to protecting the plants from being damaged by the climate yields are enhanced. It is said crops produced under this condition the yield is tenfold. Guyana and Guyanese can achieve what Minister Gaskin points to. Doing this requires commitment towards the ideals.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
GA-FDD doing a commendable job Dear Editor, PERMIT me to highlight a major issue that sits right under our noses and the majority of our citizens are either careless or clueless as to its importance. Over the last three months or so, I have noticed an increase in press releases coming from the Government Analyst-Food & Drug Department (GA-FDD) in relation to non- compliant importers, falsely labelled products, products with incorrect nutrition content or no source of its origin.
The releases from the GA-FDD have revealed a number of simple truths that should not go unnoticed, 1) It clearly shows that under the previous administration, importers had grown accustomed to conducting business in a lawless manner and 2) We have all probably consumed foods that were not necessarily what the label said it was or contained. On the first point mentioned, I would want to believe that persons who were importing products under the previous administration are fully knowledgeable
of the systems and procedures necessary to import goods into the country, but then again if you dwell in a lawless environment for too long lawlessness may become your second nature. I remember most recently the issue with Sueria Manufacturing which is owned by Frank Sanichara and the GA-FDD over alleged fake documents being used to import a product. According to the release from the GA-FDD after contacting authorities overseas, they had no knowledge of any such item being shipped to
Media handling of sexual assault matters
Dear Editor,
THERE have been reports in the media of crimes committed in Berbice on the weekend of 14 & 15 January, 2017. One media outlet has provided details of an alleged sexual assault and of the victim and another media outlet offered speculation as to whether sexual assault had occurred. There seems to be no collective effort on the part of the media to respect the rights of survivors of sexual assault. Section 62 of the Sexual Offences Act 2010 is explicit about the anonymity of complainants. It states that: (1) The publication in any document, or the broadcasting, or transmission in any way, of any information that could identify the complainant or witness to an offence under this Act is prohibited. (2) This section does not apply in respect of the disclosure of information -
(a) in the course of the administration of justice; or (b) in the provision of medical services or psychological treatment to the complainant, when it is not the purpose of the disclosure to make the information known in the community. (3) Every person who publishes in any document, or broadcasts, or transmits in any way, any information that could identify the complainant or a witness, contrary to subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of two million dollars. (4) Where a person is charged with an offence under subsection (3) in respect of the publication in any document, or the broadcasting, or transmission in any way, of any information that could identify the complainant or a witness, it shall be a defence, subject to subsection (5), to prove that the pub-
lication, broadcast, or transmission in which the matter appeared was one in respect of which the complainant had given written consent. (5) Written consent is not a defence if it is proved that any person interfered unreasonably with the complainantšs peace or comfort with intent to obtain the consent. The media has a role to play in ending the rape culture and to report on the injustices which are perpetrated against survivors of sexual assault, and has a duty of care to ensure that they do not become complicit in adding to the injustice. Regards VIDYARATHA KISSOON DANUTA RADZIK JOSEPHINE WHITEHEAD VANDA RADZIK ANDAIYE PATRICIA SHEERATTAN-BISNAUTH GAITRIE SHIVSANKAR
Guyana nor did they create the document that was being used by Sueria. The question to be asked then is where exactly did the product come from and who produced it? In my humble opinion, a lot of these products are spurious or goods that did not reach the necessary standards to go on the market and they somehow landed on the black market and ended up in countries like Guyana. On the second point, I must say I’m very pleased with the way in which the GA-FDD has been func-
tioning since the change of administration. Such a department is critical in any country as they hold the key to the health and well-being of the citizenry. I am pleased that the department now can carry out its functions effectively and take into consideration the health of the people as can easily be noticed in the releases as well. I do hope that persons are paying attention to the various items that were recently granted no entry into the country, hence, if you see any you should
report it immediately. I close by saying it is a sad reality when distributors have come to the decision that the dollar is more important than the health and well-being of their fellow countrymen and women. Be careful what you consume, ensure it is genuine. I do hope that a stricter penalty will be put in place for those found guilty of importing fake, misleading, or products with defective labelling. Regards CLAYON F. HALLEY
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‘ENOUGH!’
GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
– Action plan launched to fight TIP
By Ariana Gordon THE Government of Guyana on Wednesday declared that it will fight tooth and nail with human traffickers as a National Plan of Action for the prevention and response to Trafficking In Persons (TIP) for 2017 and 2018 was launched. The plan of action, which was compiled by the ministerial task force on TIP, outlines the government’s planned initiatives, measures and activities to enhance the prevention of TIP, protection of victims and the prosecution of suspected offenders through partnership with stakeholders. Minister of Social Protec-
tion, Amna Ally, in her address at the launch which was attended by several ministers of government, law-enforcement officers, members of the judiciary, and the diplomatic corps, said the time has come for persons to say “enough” and fight against the scourge. “We must say enough! No more to these acts!” the minister declared, as she reminded those gathered that human-trafficking is a callous industry that denies victims their basic rights and dignity, “so that heartless perpetrators can benefit financially from exploiting vulnerable victims.” As such, the Minister of Social Protection emphasised
the need for protection of the human rights and dignity of all persons and stated that it is an essential component of good governance. “I can assure you that our government will -- by all means necessary-- do what it can to curb this illicit trade,” she said, while noting that human- trafficking crosses cultures and has no boundaries. The minister noted that TIP is everybody’s business, while informing the audience that involuntary servitude is not to be ignored. “We all have the responsibility to bring this practice to an end,” she said, adding that it is important to note that while law enforcement, cooperation and information-sharing can all be effective, ending human-trafficking also means tackling the root causes. “Extreme poverty, entrenched inequality and a lack of education and opportunity create the vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit,” the Minister of Social Protection stated. Ally said too that working with stakeholders to educate persons about TIP is critical and noted that collaboration can provide a much-needed voice and helping hand to victims. She gave the assurance that her ministry stands with victims of TIP and those who have been violated and abused. “I can confidently stand here today and say that you can count on this government to support you.” Over $12M has been budgeted this year to counter TIP and she noted that her government will continue to invest in the TIP unit.
A section of the gathering at the launch of the National Plan of Action for the prevention and response to TIP at the Guyana Police Force Officers’ Training Centre. (Samuel Maughn photo)
She posited that while successful prosecutions are important, the cycle of trafficking cannot be broken without protecting the rights of trafficked persons and introducing effective strategies to prevent trafficking. “I am optimistic that the launching of this national action plan sends a clear message to all of our countrymen and women that human-trafficking is unacceptable, perpetrators will be prosecuted… we have recognised that clearly we need to do much more to stop human-traffickers as part of a coordinated and comprehensive response; and this new plan of action speaks specifically to initiatives, measures and activities to curb this crime.” WARDENS IN HINTERLAND REGIONS Meanwhile, President David Granger in his feature address reiterated government’s commitment to fighting TIP. He said his government’s efforts include -- but are not limited to -- the provision of psycho-social services to victims as well as the provision of safe havens. He disclosed too that this year several wardens will be positioned in hinterland locations where TIP is prevalent. He gave the assurance that victims will be protected and perpetrators punished. “The Government of Guyana today is committed to reversing this indifference towards the crime of trafficking in persons. We will do so by enhancing education and strengthening enforcement in order to eliminate the scourge entirely,” he said, noting that his government will tackle the issue of TIP frontally and not brush it under the carpet as was done by the previous People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration. “Traffickers must be identified and prosecuted with the full force of the law… The fear of prosecution must serve as a deterrent against human-trafficking. Guyana seeks to provide [the] ‘good
life’ for all of its citizens. The ‘good life’ includes protecting vulnerable citizens from the threats of servitude, sexual exploitation and forced labour. Victims of trafficking in persons need protection. They are often helpless. They are often afraid to speak out. They generally lack resources to seek assistance. Many of the victims being held against their will may be illegal immigrants and, therefore, afraid to go to the authorities for fear of being deported or prosecuted. Victims of trafficking in persons must be protected and provided with assistance for their recovery and reintegration into society,” President Granger said, noting that it is necessary to “lift the veil of TIP.” President Granger continued: “Government is solving the problem, not suppressing bad news,” adding that the launch of the plan of action is his government’s response to TIP. He called on the ministerial task force which comprises the Ministries of Social Protection, Foreign Affairs, Public Security, Indigenous People’s Affairs, Communities, Natural Resources, and Attorney General’s Chambers to ensure the plan works. “Let us not drop the ball,” President Granger pleaded. SILENCE IS VIOLENCE Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, who also serves as the chairperson of the Task Force, said “silence is violence! We must speak out,” as he encouraged all stakeholders to believe that the fight against TIP can be won. “We have to dream that this job can be done, the job of halting trafficking in humans, in drugs, in violence -- domestic and personal -- of crime in all its ugly forms.” The Public Security Minister said the plan is intended to be one whereby the TIP Task Force begins “to wrest control of the situation in Guyana regarding the crime. It is acknowledged that there is no overnight solution, therefore, patience is required.
However, neglect cannot be tolerated,” he said, as he read from the plan of action. “This Plan seeks to diminish that acceptance by bringing awareness and urging victims and families to speak out. Silence is violence! And this crime and corruption is not a culture. It is not, it is a choice. And a choice we have to halt! People must not be stuck in a cycle of negativity and lose hope,” he said passionately. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador, Perry Holloway, congratulated Guyana on its efforts to rid TIP and committed to assisting the government in its fight, as he made specific reference to the country’s ranking in the 2016 U.S. State Department report which removed Guyana from the watchlist and placed it on ‘Tier 2’. “This improvement recognises the efforts of the Government, the TIP task force, the TIP Unit and the judiciary in combating this modern slavery… We are very impressed by the Government’s action plan, the implementation of which will serve as a guide to even further improvements in the anti-TIP effort. As always, the embassy stands prepared and even anxious to assist the Government in the core areas of TIP,” he said. “I am impressed by the Government’s action plan,” he said, while noting that TIP is one of the most under-reported crimes globally. He said the U.S. Embassy stands prepared to assist, as he disclosed that representatives of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) will be here in February to continue training on TIP. Tanisha Williams-Corbin, Coordinator (ag) Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit, Ministry of Social Protection, outlined the focus of the National Plan of Action. She noted in her presentation that approximately $22M will be spent on prevention, protection, and prosecution by the Task Force.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Jagdeo under pressure to submit new list PRESSURE is mounting on Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to submit a new list of nominees for the position of Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), amid a chorus of influential voices roundly rejecting his first choices. Jagdeo had named Rhyaan Shah, a constroversial Indian rights activist; Professor James Rose; Lawrence Lachmansingh, a Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Consultant; business executive, Ramesh Dookhoo; former Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Norman McLean; and Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram as his nominees, but those names were all rejected by President Granger. Describing the list as “unacceptable,” President Granger has since explained that the six nominees are not qualified, according to the constitutional requirements. According to Section 2 of Article 161, “the Chairman of the Elections Commission shall be a person who holds or who has held office as a judge of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth, or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from any such court or who is qualified to be appointed as any judge, or any other fit and proper person, to be appointed by the President from a list of six persons, not unacceptable to the President, submitted by the Leader of the Opposition after meaningful consultation with the non-governmental political parties represented in the National Assembly.”
Trade Unionist Lincoln Lewis
Since then, there has been an outpouring of support for President Granger’s decision to reject the list, and overwhelming calls for a new list to be resubmitted. In a missive, retired Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Duke Pollard, said that the President’s decision to reject the list was well founded, noting that the intent of Article 161 (2) of the Constitution is to “secure impartiality and even-handedness in the appointment of the Chairman of GECOM.” “The employment of the pronoun “other” speaks volumes and must be interpreted to mean that such “other fit and proper person” must possess the characteristics of the two-named preceding persons. In effect, such person must possess the generally accepted distinctive characteristics of a judge, namely, autonomy of decision-making, considerable jurisdictional reach, impartiality, integrity and the disposition to act judicially,” Justice Pollard said, as he cleared the air on whether an individual who is not a judge
can be appointed Chairman of GECOM. In assessment of the qualifications of the six nominees, Justice Pollard posited that “The list submitted is palpably defective in omitting persons qualified as judges or possessing requisite qualifications to be appointed as such.” In a letter on Wednesday, Guyana’s renowned Trade Unionist Lincoln Lewis said Justice Pollard’s interpretation of Article 161 (2) of the Constitution is “timely and most welcomed.” “The input of this gentleman, who served at the Region’s highest court (Caribbean Court of Justice), should be heeded in arriving at a list that Presi-
of a judge or eligible to be a judge is markedly different from possessing certification to be. “When then President Desmond Hoyte and Minority Leader Cheddi Jagan
Political Commentator David Hinds
Justice Duke Pollard
dent David Granger can find consistent with the extant article to be “not unacceptable to him,” Lewis said. Elaborating on the statement issued by Justice Pollard, Lewis said in addition to the three categories to be identified, is also what should constitute ‘a fit and proper person.’ He said a person possessing the “characteristics”
entered into an agreement defining the procedure for the appointment of a Chairman to GECOM, the names submitted by Jagan to Hoyte reflected an array of persons falling within the three categories. When Hoyte, as Leader of the Opposition, was tasked the responsibility to submit nominees during the Cheddi Jagan and Bharrat Jagdeo presidencies, he did likewise,” the trade unionist recalled as he flipped back the pages of history. Lewis said given that the formula was tested and proven to be effective resulting in smooth transitions in the past, the procedure outlined in the Constitution should be upheld. President of the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID), Rickford Burke, had echoed similar sentiments. According to
him, any decision by Jagdeo to approach the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) would be insignificant. “I believe that the powers which Article 161 (a) confer on the President are absolute and innocuous from judicial review. Regardless of any requirement, qualification or eligibility, the constitution mandates that, ultimately, the nominees by the Opposition Leader cannot be ‘unacceptable to the President,’” he emphasised. According to Burke, Jagdeo may be a little confused about his office; however, he should submit a fresh list. “He’s the opposition leader, not the President. He should quit cavilling and submit a list of nominees that is acceptable to the President.” Political Commentator David Hinds had also endorsed President Granger’s decision, contending that the Opposition Leader must have known that his list was mostly partisan and flies in the face of the spirit of the Carter Formula. “The PPP and Mr Jagdeo, when in office, were never put in the position of having to reject outright any list sent to them by the then Opposition, largely because those lists were generally balanced and included persons who were not known to be overtly affiliated with any of the contending parties,” Hinds stated. He is of the belief that Jagdeo was not thorough enough in his search or with his consultation. “To find a list of such persons in Guyana, one must do some looking and must approach that search with
non-partisan lens,” he posited. Hinds said the Opposition Leader should do the right thing and resubmit a non-partisan list to the President, following another round of consultations. “If Mr Jagdeo cares about the integrity of the process, he would initiate a fresh round of consultations…It must include more stakeholder organisations in its consultation; there are a whole range of interests that were not consulted the first time around. I am not aware that Amerindian and African-Guyanese interests were consulted. Also omit-
President of the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) Rickford Burke
ted were women’s interest groups, the academic community, youth groups and the full range of religious interests. In the end, both sides must display a sense of fairness and statesmanship—the stakes are too high,” Hinds stated.
Baracara Primary to undergo repairs …teachers’ quarters to be constructed TENDER documents are being prepared for the renovation of the Baracara Primary School and construction of living quarters for teachers. Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council, Region Six, David Armogan, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the Region is in the process of preparing the tender documents after which the tenders will be advertised and the contracts will be awarded for works to commence immediately. He said approximately $4.5M has been
budgeted for the renovation of the school. Additionally, $13 million has been set aside for the construction of living quarters for teachers. A single building comprising two apartments will be constructed. Armogan explained that it has been challenging to retain teachers in the riverain communities due to lack of accommodations. Armogan stated that this is a start and it is aimed at ensuring that there are adequate teachers in the riverine communities. He added that along with the living quarters the teachers
will also be given an out of town allowance, also known as a hinterland allowance, to further encourage them to work in Baracara. Meanwhile, the government will be providing the necessary facilities to upgrade the community into a Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). “Even though it is not being done from our budget some other works are being done. For instance, the establishment of a recreational centre that will cost over $30M,” Armogan said, adding that the recreational
centre will be constructed through the Ministry of Communities. This year, the Region was given an allocation of $16.2M for furniture and equipment for all schools. The Regional Chairman pointed out that every year, large sums of money have to be spent on furniture and equipment since teachers and students do not care them. He urged teachers to be more attentive and to encourage students to care the furniture. “I understand we are dealing with children but what we found is that very often when new furniture is placed in the schools the
Region Six Chairman David Armogan
children would damage them very quickly. Even though some of the furniture are of poor quality, students must
… not damage the equipment. The teachers must also pay attention to the students with the furniture and equipment,” Armogan underlined. A sum of $96.8M was allocated in the Region’s 2017 budget for the education sector. Armogan said that this sum will go towards massive transformation and upgrade of the education sector across Region Six. In the $250 billion national budget, $43.1 billion was provided for the education sector across Guyana. Several new schools are also slated for completion, in Regions One, Six, Nine and Ten. (GINA)
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Babita Sarjou murder PI
Mother recalls last time she saw Sarjou
Dead: Babita Sarjou
Mother, Champa Seonarine
THE mother of Babita Sarjou took the witness stand before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday as the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of her daughter continues at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court. Sarjou’s ex-husband, Sharnandand Narine, called ‘Anand’ of Lot 51 Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown and Darel Ponton called ‘Yankee’ of Lot 54 Broad Street, Charlestown are on remand for Sarjou’s murder. The mother, Champa Seonarine, a farmer of Timehri, East Bank Demerara, recalled the last time she saw her daughter. Led by Police Prosecutor Inspector Neville Jeffers, Seonarine also identified several pieces of clothing and jewellery that were dug up from the shallow grave, as her daughter’s belongings. Detective Inspector Suraj Singh, formerly of the Major Crimes Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), also testified. Additionally, the dead woman’s sister, Sunita Sarjou, is expected to testify, along with a niece and another police witness on Thursday. On Tuesday, the Post Mortem (PM) report of Sar-
jou, her cell phone records from the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), along with video footage of investigators digging up her skeletal remains, was tendered into evidence. It is alleged that on November 4, 2010, Sarjou left her Timehri, East Bank Demerara home, informing her mother that she was going to meet her husband and son at the Kitty Seawall to view the annual Diwali Motorcade. When she did not return home that night, her mother became worried and filed a missing person’s report. After many months of searching and treating the case as a missing person, the case was closed. However in 2016, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum reopened the case, treating it as a homicide, since new information had surfaced. Following new investigations into the matter, Sarjou’s estranged husband was questioned, and he subsequently led the investigating team to the shallow grave of Babita Sarjou, which had been dug in his own backyard. Investigations have also revealed that Narine had paid Ponton GY$50,000 and had promised him a trip to Trinidad if he killed Sarjou.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Gov’t to fix deplorable roads in …Ministers Ferguson, Coomacka Mines Allicock meet with residents By Vanessa Braithwaite
RESIDENTS of the mining communities of Region 10, who protested the deplorable state of their access roads and bridges for close to a week, were pacified on Wednesday by Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, and Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sidney Allicock, who led a delegation of several regional leaders to visit the disgruntled residents. The delegation met with residents, bus drivers, and schoolchildren, who held placards, expressing their frustration over the state of the roads. Minister Ferguson, who also had a technical team from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure present, was able to see first-hand the deplorable state of the roads and access bridges. She told the residents that a contractor has already
Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, speaks with residents who are protesting the deplorable condition of the road
been awarded the contract and works will commence as early as next week. “I am here this morning to say to you that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure will commence work shortly on your road; it is not only the road we have to address, but we have to ensure the culverts are installed, and the necessary drains. As we speak right now there is a contractor, RIM Construction
Company, they are actually mobilising at this point to commence work if not this weekend, early next week,” Ferguson said. She added that she is cognisant of the situation and is aware of the effect it has on everyone, especially the children who are unable to travel to school in Linden. The residents however maintained that they had no other choice but to mount a protest action, because their
Conman jailed for two years – on one of 17 counts of ‘fraudulent conversion’ TWENTY-SEVEN-yearold Dhanraj Raghubir was on Wednesday sentenced to two years imprisonment after he was found guilty by City Magistrate Leron Daly on one count of fraudulent conversion. Raghubir, 27, of Gordon Street, Kitty, was initially slapped with 17 indictable charges, which all alleged that he fraudulently converted to his own use and benefit, money given him to either pay the Bank of Baroda for U.S. visa applications, or purchase bank drafts for Canadian visas. When the matter was previously called up in court, Raghubir gave every assurance that he would compensate the virtual complainants, but failed to make good on that promise on Wednesday. In the circumstances, one of the 17 matters was concluded the said day, and he was sentenced for fraudulently converting to his own use and benefit, the
Dhanraj Raghubir
sum of $64,000, the property of Natasha Cheddi. According to the facts, Cheddi had sent Raghubir a message via his Facebook page saying she was interested in his visa application services as advertised. She then made contact with him later, via telephone, whereby he was
asked to schedule an appointment for a visa waiver for her husband. But on the date of the appointment when the two met, Cheddi told the court, Raghubir assured her that he would be able to provide the application services as requested. After checking for several weeks at Raghubir’s office, Cheddi was unable to confirm the date for her interview at the embassy. A representative of the Bank of Baroda also informed the court that Raghubir did not make any such payments on Cheddi’s behalf for a visa application. As such, Magistrate Daly found the defendant guilty for failing to pay the money on Cheddi’s behalf to the bank, failing to provide her the service as promised, and failing to compensate her for misappropriating her money. The other 16 matters, which are of a similar nature, will be heard on March 6, 2017.
communities have been ignored for years. PATIENCE Minister Patterson however requested that they exercise patience as the extensive repairs will not be completed overnight. “We are just asking for your patience, we are just asking for your cooperation and things will get done.” According to a senior engineer from the ministry, the contract covers repair works to all the major bad spots from Linden to Coomacka Mines, but the residents inquired about the road and the two deplorable bridges at Three Friends, which is a community five miles away from Coomacka. They claim that Three Friends has been forgotten for over two decades and no infrastructural upgrade has been done. “Everything happens up to Coomacka, Three Friends, nothing happens, we have a bridge over the hill, this bridge has been under repairs since 2015 and it ain’t done yet, that one near to fall in the creek,” said community leader Robert Gentle. Gentle is also a bus driver, who led the community in the protest action. He emphasised that there is nothing political about the action of the residents. “If you look here you will see different faces; everybody has their own political attachment, but we are here because we want
we road and we bridge fix.” He told the ministers that Regional Chairman, Renis Morian, had engaged residents during the second day of the protest and promised that 30 loads of sand will be placed on the road to commence repairs. This did happen, but as a result of the inclement weather, the aggregates were washed away and the road remains in the same state. The residents however bemoaned the action taken by Morian and some other councillors, whom they claimed drove past the residents Wednesday morning. This upset the residents who then decided to block the road. Morian however was at the time leading the team from the NDIA to other sections of Coomacka in search of the source of water, which has caused erosion in several sections of the community. He revealed that his intention was to go ahead and then engage the residents upon arrival of the ministers. PPP BEHIND THE PROTEST Meanwhile, Morian told this newspaper that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is behind the protest action. “What I have recognised is that the PPP has turned this road and road works into a political situation; basically, this road has been like this for the past 20 years. The David Granger
Administration coming into power has started doing work on the road. While all this noise and demonstration has [sic] been going on, the RDC, along with Government support, has been doing work on the road while the people are picketing. This is not just road; this has gone into the realm of the political,” Morian said. Mayor of Linden Carwyn Holland and APNU+AFC Parliamentarian Jermaine Figueira, asked the residents to start a new relationship with the regional authorities. Figueira also encouraged them to monitor the contractor’s work to ensure it is up to standard. “It is important that you as the residents see the scope of works and you have to monitor the works to ensure that it is done to the best of what you are expecting, because at the end of the day your taxes are being paid for these works; so you have to ensure that the work is done properly by whoever contractor is being awarded this contract,” he said. Additionally, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sidney Allicock, also posited similar sentiments of cooperation. “We have to work together, we are all part of this process, we can only do things well if we are properly advised,” he said. He promised to continue visiting the people and to provide help in other areas. The residents expressed satisfaction at the visit and say that [they] are confident that works on the road will commence shortly. They have been picketing over the state of their access road since last week Monday and bus drivers had commenced a strike. They revealed that the state of the road had increased the maintenance cost of their buses and the time it took to commute from Linden to the mines had doubled.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
…Pres Granger refers Jagdeo’s GECOM chair enquiries to Attorney General PRESIDENT David Granger has officially responded to Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, who has been seeking clarification as to why the President rejected his six nominees for the post of Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). The Guyana Chronicle has confirmed that Jagdeo received the President’s response on Wednesday night and in the correspondence, President Granger advised the Opposition Leader to send one of his representatives to seek the clarification from Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams “in order to avoid further misinterpretation or misunderstanding of this important constitutional matter.” A statement from the Opposition Leader’s office Wednesday night noted, “We are disappointed that
the clarifications that we requested have not been furnished. We are further disappointed that the President is unprepared to meet with the Leader of the Opposition on a matter of such crucial national importance. We had hoped that such a meeting would have exposed
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo
the President to a view that is different from that of the Attorney General, whom we presume, is advising the President on this matter.” According to the statement, in the best interest of the nation, the Leader of the Opposition will accede to the President’s request to meet with the Attorney General. “It is our hope that this engagement will provide the requisite clarity and will move the process closer to an early resolution,” the statement concluded. The President had written Jagdeo informing him that he finds unacceptable his list of nominees for the post of GECOM; the nominees included Governance and Conflict Resolution Consultant, Lawrence Latchmansingh; Business Executive Ramesh Dookhoo; former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, retired Major-General Norman McLean; Attorney-at-Law
President David Granger
and Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram; businesswoman Rhyaan Shah; and former University of Guyana Vice-Chancellor, Professor James Rose.0 The President had noted that the qualifications of the six people submitted by Jagdeo do not match the criteria as set out in the Constitution of Guyana. Jagdeo had then asked the President to provide clarification for his rejection of the list and also requested a meeting to deal with the matter. When questioned on Wednesday about the issue, the President told reporters, “I myself did not feel that there was anything that was obscure or unclear in the constitution, so I’ve asked the Minister of Legal Affairs to examine the letter from
the Opposition Leader to see whether anything I might have written was obscure.” When asked if he will agree to the Opposition Leader’s request for a meeting, the President said, “Well as I said, he wants clarification; I don’t think he wants to meet me, he wants clarification…I think what he meant is that he wants the matter clarified and I will provide that clarification. I don’t mind meeting him, but as far as I can see, it is a matter of clarification.” According to the President, he is in no hurry to unilaterally select a new Chair for GECOM; he says he wants to conduct meaningful consultations. “I am obliged to conduct meaningful consultations with him [Jagdeo] and I will do that…I will not make a
choice until after the consultations are completed. “ “I am a man of great patience. This is a constitutional matter, it is important to Guyana, so I am not rushing and I don’t want to bring the process to an end without both sides being satisfied,” the Head of State said. It should be noted that this is the first time since 1992 that the Opposition Leader has submitted a list of persons to be selected as chairman of GECOM without at least one of them being qualified as a judge or a senior counsel. And though Article 161(2) of the Constitution leaves room for a non-judge to be selected under the ‘fit and proper’ description, it is the President who determines this, Attorney General Basil Williams had said.
Albouystown man caught with illegal gun, ammo AN unemployed Albouystown resident was detained on Tuesday night by ranks of a police mobile patrol on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown with an illegal firearm. A police report noted that the 27-year-old male, who was riding a bicycle in the vicinity of the “Well”, dropped the weapon upon seeing the police and attempted to escape. He was however caught and arrested; the firearm was retrieved and found to be a .32 pistol with three live matching rounds. He is expected to be charged soon.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Farmers protest hike in land rentals OVER 150 disgruntled rice farmers on Tuesday picketed the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary–Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA), West Coast Berbice, over its recent decision to increase the rental fee for farm lands. Farmers used the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction in the move by Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder and the MMAADA to increase the rental fee from $3500 to $15,000 --a decision, which they said, was made allegedly without any consultation with the farmers or the body
which represents them, the Rice Producers Association (RPA). According to General-Secretary of the RPA, Dharamkumar Seeraj, the increase in some of these charges is in excess of 600 percent and is being implemented at a time when farmers are getting low prices for their produce. “Rice farmers in the project area proper are now being commanded to pay $15,000 per acre, an unbearable increase from $3,500 just last year for land rent and drainage and irrigation charges…Cattle and oth-
er-crops farmers are not spared the wrath of this uncaring Authority and their rent and services charges have also been increased by more than 100 percent in many instances,” lamented Seeraj. The rates for land rent and drainage and irrigation have not been increased for 18 years, Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder has said. Holder described the rates being paid by rice farmers for the services provided by the agricultural scheme as archaic, and said they should be adjusted upwards if the scheme is to be expanded.
Rice farmers displaying their placards in protest over the increase in land rent [Samuel Maughn photo]
“There has been no attempt to keep the rates of land rent and the cost of drainage and irrigation, or the pay for the cost of drainage and irrigation, in line with inflation. The result of that is: where MMA used to be a source of income to the Government, it is now taking money out of the Government to survive — $237M out of the budget for this year. We have to look at raising rates to the proper levels,” the minister had told the Government Information
Agency. In a notice on December 31, 2016, the MMA-ADA declared that in accordance with section 28 of the MMA Act N0. 27 of 1977, charges for drainage and irrigation services provided within the Project Area (Rosignol) were set at $8,000 per acre and were expected to be paid in two equal instalments in February and August. As such, in an effort to clarify the issue and have the decision to increase the rental fees reviewed, the
RPA along with a delegation and scores of farmers sought to confront the General Manager of the MMA-ADA, Aubrey Charles, in a formal meeting. However, Charles declined to meet with the delegation and stated that he will have to meet with the Board of Directors of the Authority on January 27, 2017, to seek further guidance on whether he should meet with farmers or have the directors meet with them.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Gov’t mulls relocating Shell, Almond Beach residents – following recent floods By Alva Solomon
FOR years, the authorities in Region One (Barima-Waini) have been trying to encourage families living on sections of the idyllic, but windswept Shell Beach in the North West District to relocate from the area, but without
much success. Some willingly moved to higher ground where there’s better protection from the elements, like Mabaruma and parts of the Moruca sub-region; others opted to stay put, saying that the area is where they make their living. But in light of recent
weather-related developments, reports from Mabaruma indicate that fresh consultations are planned with the remaining residents to relocate to other sections of Region One. There are several Amerindian titled communities and three Community Development Councils (CDC)
communities at the beach, which was designated a Protected Area in 2011. Of those, the Almond Beach, a section of Shell Beach, took the brunt of last weekend’s floods and consequent soil erosion. Reports are that several sections of the mudflats and beach surfaces were inun-
dated, while dozens of coconut trees were uprooted by the strong Atlantic waves.
LOCKED IN TALKS On Wednesday, Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley was reportedly locked in talks with officials of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), who travelled to Mabaruma in light of the recent flooding at the beach. Vice-Chairperson of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Sarah Browne, told the Guyana Chronicle that in the past, residents were relocated from sections of the beach mainly for safety reasons. All government facilities, she said, were relocated from parts of the beach, while persons were encouraged to move due to erosion concerns. Reports are that many residents are involved in some agricultural activity or the other on the beach, but in the main, it is either the growing and trading of coconuts, fishing, or the cultivation of the manicole palm. But as the erosion continues inland, relocation may be the only option for residents in the years ahead. According to the Shell Beach Protected Area Management Plan 2015 – 2019, there are 11 Amerindian villages that adjoin or are within the Shell Beach Protected Area (SBPA), which includes 13 satellite communities. Those communities at reference, it says, have traditionally relied on natural resources for their livelihoods, with fishing, crabbing, hunting, and manicole palm and timber harvesting being among common practices. RISING SEA LEVELS Data in the plan, which was compiled by the Protected Areas Commission, the Environmental Protection agency (EPA) and the German Development Bank, suggests that erosion at the beach has been as a result of rising water levels. In addi-
tion, the 1998 El Niño dry weather conditions which saw large swathes of mangroves being burnt also impacted the coastal defence of the beach. “Two extensive forested areas were completely burned: The northern Almond Beach burnt and the Kamwatta burnt. A second fire period of less intensity in 2001 affected the open swamp areas of the southeastern part of the SBPA,” the report states. It states also that there are concerns over erosion of the beach and the potential impact it might have on turtle nesting, a key activity which falls within the mandate of the Protected Areas Commission. It notes further that natural forces such as wind, waves, and currents are constantly changing the coastline at the beach. In fact, the plan states that satellite data from 2007 show that in certain sections of the coastline, there has been regression of up to 1,100 meters over a period of time, going to as far back as 1987. SEA WATER INTRUSION In addition, water from the Atlantic ocean has found its way in the middle section of the beach, and a 2009 report from a consulting group has assumed that the sea water intrusion has been intensified due to coastal erosion. Based on observations at Almond Beach in recent years by members of the Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS), formerly the Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society, and in August 2014 by the Shell Beach Management Planning Team (SBMPT), indications are that the beach is eroding rapidly. According to oceanic and marine conservation experts, while beach erosion is caused by climate change and the resultant sea level rise, the accretion and decretion of beaches are also part of nature.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Guyana, Bolivia to forge stronger partnership …as new Ambassador is accredited PRESIDENT David Granger on Wednesday accepted Letters of Credence from Ambassador-designate, Mr Jose Kinn Franco at State House, accrediting him as the new non-resident Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to Guyana. The President said that with the appointment of the new Ambassador, it is hoped that an even stronger relationship, characterised by peace, security and prosperity, can be forged between the two nations, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency noted. According to the release, the President said that the two countries place great emphasis on the importance of regional integration, which serves as a means of achieving a higher standard of living for their peoples through the sustainable use of the countries’ natural resources. He noted that Guyana and Bolivia both adhere strongly to the international values of mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, cooperation for mutual benefit, respect for treaties and international law and the maintenance of regional peace and security. “Guyana and Bolivia recall that the Heads of State and Government of the Com-
munity of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) gathered at the Second Summit in Havana, Cuba, on January 28 and 29, 2014, declared Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace based on respect for the principles and rules of International Law, including the international instruments to which member states are a party and the Principles and Purposes of the Charter of
the United Nations. Guyana is confident that, as a member of various regional organisations, we will continue to collaborate with Bolivia to work for the preservation of the continent as a zone of peace,” the President was quoted as saying by the Ministry of the Presidency. As the country moves towards the pursuit and development of a ‘green’ economy, the President said that he
looks forward to cooperation in this area, as it is a means of tackling the ongoing climate-change phenomenon. “The ‘green state’ will place 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. We are committed to a low-carbon, low-emission trajectory of development. We believe that the develop-
ment of sustainable models of development -- which both of our countries support -- are best achieved in an environment of peace and security,” the President said. Meanwhile, the newly accredited Ambassador in his remarks, said that the two countries have always shared cordial, friendly relations and it is that country’s hope too, that the bonds can be further deepened for the mutual benefit of Guyana and Bolivia. “It is the profound wish
of our President to see the development and strengthening of relations with your country. My mission will be to seek fruitful outcomes in all areas of our relationship with due priority to fostering brotherhood among our peoples and actions in favour of development, [to] which our peoples fervently aspire,” Ambassador Franco said through a translator. He replaces Mr. Jerjes Justiniano Talavera, who began his tenure in Guyana in 2014.
From left: Acting Minister of State, Mr Raphael Trotman; Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to Guyana, Mr. Jose Kinn Franco; President David Granger and Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Audrey Waddell
GGDMA open to consultation with gov’t on new taxation – says recent meeting was disrupted by ‘itinerant’ group CITING a “burden” placed by new taxation and financial reporting measures, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) says it is open to fruitful discussions with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ministry of Finance. According to a release issued by the mining body, a meeting was held
on Monday with Finance Minister, Winston Jordan. However, the forum was not as fruitful as the body had expected it to be. The GGDMA said that the meeting was “unexpectedly joined” by a group of “itinerant” miners accompanied by Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes. “We regret to inform
our members that the proposed agenda was derailed and nothing of consequence was achieved, because of the intrusion by these new groups,” the body said. The GGDMA noted that the core issues of taxation and regulatory difficulties for miners could not be fully discussed. “We instead were railroaded by this surprise ad-
dition to our meeting. This new group does not have legitimate miners’ interests at heart,” the body said. As such, the mining body said that it has not agreed to any new position with the Ministry of Finance or the GRA. It noted that it will continue to work in good faith and partnership with the two government agencies, while a meeting is planned
with the miners. At Monday’s meeting, the GGDMA was accompanied by the Guyana Women Miners Organisation. It called on all miners, including small, medium and large-scale miners, marrak-men and pork-knockers among others, “to let your voices be heard and let the Government of Guyana understand that we will not be divided.”
The release said that the Ministry of Finance and the GRA have agreed that miners need to better understand the issues and as a result, the GRA will attend a meeting, to be scheduled, to answer questions and clarify issues for miners. Miners are asked to be on the lookout for a GGDMA meeting to be held shortly.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
US$3M GEF project targets mercury-free mining by 2025 By Ravin Singh AGAINST the backdrop of unprecedented gold declarations in 2016, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) will, over the next four years, invest US$3M in the phasing out of mercury in the extraction of gold here and in seven other countries by 2025. The full title of the Global Opportunities for Long Development (GOLD) project is: ‘A supply chain approach to eliminating mercury in Guyana’s Artisanal and Small Gold Mining (ASGM) sector: El Dorado Gold Jewelry – Made in Guyana’. The eight-country project is being implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and aims to help business enterprises and other stakeholders in the gold sector shift towards mercury-free practices by 2025. In Guyana, the project is being executed by Conservation International Guyana (CIG), and was officially launched on Tuesday evening at the Pegasus Hotel. GOLD is built around Guyana’s commitment to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS According to a public statement from CIG on the project: “Major highlights include a ban on new mercury mines; the phase-out of existing ones; the phase-out and phase-down of mercury
targets and outcomes, and the management of risk to adapt the project activities to meet targets and contribution to a global strategic communications programme.
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman
use in a number of products and processes; control measures on emissions to air and on releases to land and water; and the regulation of the informal sector of artisanal and small-scale gold mining.” The Convention will also address the interim storage of mercury and its disposal once it becomes waste; sites contaminated by mercury, as well as health issues. According to CIG Vice-President, Dr. David Singh, specific outcomes of the project are: The establishment of a demonstration area for technology transfer; a financial mechanism for capital investments for mercury-free technologies; a chain-of-custody process and verification mechanism for branded Guyana gold that is linked to international responsibly-produced gold markets; a national policy on responsible gold production and value-added and requisite laws/regulations refined/
drafted to support a responsible gold commodity chain; and education and awareness on options and benefits of responsible gold production and targeting policymakers in particular. He said the project will also include a programme for the regular monitoring of project activities against
BUILDING BRIDGES “CI’s work is about building bridges and partnerships,” Dr Singh said, adding, “So far in our initiative, I’ve witnessed what is possible if we take a longer view of issues, where problems are seen as things that need to be resolved rather than seeing them as the excuse to walk away.” Some 30 persons from different parts of the gold value chain, he said, sat together on Tuesday to develop detailed plans for the implementation of the initiative. He said that over the next four years, this same kind of interaction will be carried out so as to help solve the problems of people on the ground. Speaking, too, at the forum was Minister of Gover-
nance, Mr Raphael Trotman who said that expressions of frustration in the media and elsewhere only serve as a reminder of the tensions that exist between small and medium-scale miners, and between miners and the government over land and resources. REASON TO CELEBRATE He noted that while the launching of the project at hand is reason to celebrate, all stakeholders ought to be mindful of the fact that besides preserving the environment, uppermost on the government’s agenda is life and good living. This being the case, he said, the project captures and addresses the essence of the many issues that the government seeks to manage in an extractive industry’s sector that is bracketed within a ‘green’ and sustainable development agenda. That said, Minister Trotman went on to laud the
contributions of the mining sector, particularly the small and medium-scale gold mining aspects of it, to the economy, which accounted for 11 per cent of Guyana’s GDP in 2016. He said that in 2016, the sector not only generated approximately US$700M in foreign exchange, but also proved to be the main source of employment and revenue for hinterland communities, including indigenous ones, thereby providing direct employment for over 20,000 people. Other presenters at the launch included CIG Senior Vice-President, Dr. Sebastian Troeng; GEF Director of Programmes, Dr. Gustavo Fonseca; Head of the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Environment, Ndibi Schwiers; and Mr Hilbert Shields, Executive Member of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners’ Association (GGDMA).
A section of the gathering at the event
Sanjay’s owner freed of causing death charge By George Barclay OWNER OF Sanjay’s Jewellery, Bishnarine Sanjay Persaud, who was jailed for 58 months back in 2015 for causing the death of a City Council worker, has been freed of the charge. The Guyana Court of Appeal on Tuesday freed Persaud after he was jailed on October 9, 2015 by Magistrate Judy Latchman. After listening to an appeal by Senior counsel
Edward Luckhoo with another lawyer, Glenn Hanoman, on behalf of Persaud, Chancellor Carl Singh allowed the appeal after finding that the conviction was faulty. The defendant, of Lot 26 Sheriff Street,Campbellville, Georgetown, was found guilty of the causing death by dangerous driving charge, which had stated that on September 11, 2014, he drove motorcar PKK 501 in a manner dangerous to the
public, thereby causing the death of Leon Hunte, a 55-year-old handyman attached to the Mayor and City Council. He was released on bail pending the appeal. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Sonia Joseph, represented the State. At the end of the appeal, the court sent an Order to the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Judicature, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Director of Prisons.
Hunte, of Stone Avenue, Blygezight, was heading home on his bicycle along Lamaha Street, Newtown, when he was hit by the car being driven by Persaud around 1.30 am on the day in question. The deceased, who had been mute from birth, was a handyman at City Hall for more than two decades. He had been on short leave from work at the time of the accident, in order to celebrate his birthday.
Bishnarine Sanjay Persaud
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
CANI hosts entrepreneurship workshop in Linden MORE than 40 Lindeners received much-needed training in the field of entrepreneurship at a time when the town continues to face a high rate of unemployment. The Self-worth and En-
trepreneurship Programme was facilitated by Come Alive Network Incorporated (CANI). CANI is a non-governmental and not-for- profit organisation established to actively support youth development through the use of
applied global perspectives to effectively contribute to genuine and progressive community and global development. The self-worth and entrepreneurship training, which targeted persons between the ages of 14 and 30, was
Participants in a team-building exercise
A CANI member fits a youth with shoes
one laced with practical activities which underscored the importance of being able to inspire effective and continuous teamwork in communities. Additionally, it reinforced the importance of embracing individuality and disciplining one’s self in order to be successful. The training took place last Sat-
urday at the Watooka Guest House at Mackenzie, Linden. In a statement issued on Wednesday, CANI Managing Director, Kadeem Gordon, said the workshop was held in response to calls by Lindeners, who had taken note of the entrepreneurship workshop which was held in Berbice last September. Based on that, Gordon said, the idea to host a similar workshop in Linden was birthed and CANI member, Kiamsha Carter, was appointed Project Coordinator. “It became obvious from engagements that indeed, this town does grapple with the issue of unemployment and lack of opportunities for young people,” Gordon said. According to the Director, the response was tremendous, explaining that the participants had to collectively face the challenges and achieve the goals established to unfold their hidden capabilities and talents. Members of CANI, who were the presenters for the one-day training, zeroed in on the many ways in which young entrepreneurs and leaders can market themselves; more particularly, principles that are foundational to starting and maintaining small businesses. Resume and CV writing was foremost on the agenda, along with the qualities and practices of successful leaders. “This was certainly well received by the participants and is intended to assist them not only in their businesses which they now plan to embark on or their job, but also in their homes with families and even at the community level,” Gordon said in the statement. Participants reportedly praised the initiative and invited the CANI team to establish a sustained presence in the mining town of Linden in order to assist with the development of this region, particularly geared with a youth focus.
“The team was very receptive to this request, thanking all in attendance for their participation and committed to assisting in as many regards as possible as the work continues to bring youth more to the fore of national involvement,” the Director noted. It is CANI’s hope that young Guyanese will become more aware of how imperative it is for them to develop themselves now as they will and are currently being called on to lead both nationally and internationally. In addition to this programme, school shoes were also distributed to approximately 20 students from various institutions as part of our ongoing national shoes drive effort. In executing this training programme, CANI received the support and commitment of the Director of Sport, Christopher Jones and the National Sports Commission, in addition to Vishnu Doerga, Action Coach Guyana, the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC), Floorit Guyana, Eco Atlantic Investment Company, NICIL, the Carters, JACS restaurant, Lasleek Fashion and Le Shanette’s Cupcakes & Treats. It is CANI's intention to raise funds to embark on an International Exchange with Suriname in the month of July, as well as for its other projects. Persons interested in inquiring and making donations to the work can make contact with CANI On 6450657/ 638-1020/ 617-8410 or its email comealivenetwork@ gmail.com. Over the years CANI has been able to facilitate a number of major projects such as the Annual ‘JUST Youth-IT’ conference, ‘CANI Connect’ three month training programme, Community outreach initiatives, Sophia Care Centre youth engagement effort and our annual Shoes drive.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Gov’t says hike in MMA rates necessary AMID protest actions, the Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday said that new rates for land rentals at the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary Development Authority are necessary and also slammed the move by the Rice Producers’ Association (RPA) to ratchet-up resistance against the move. In a statement issued on Wednesday the ministry said that the protest action by cash crop, rice and cattle farmers of Region Five is a cause for concern. “For the past 18 years, farmers were required to pay $2500 Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder per acre annually despite the increasing cost of material and supplies in the provision of D&I services by the MMA/ADA. Despite such a low cost for land and drainage and irrigation services provided by the State, some sections of farmers were still not keeping their end of the agreement, by paying their lease rates as stipulated by the Mahaica/Mahaicony and Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) Act.” As such, the ministry said this has hampered the Authority from executing planned works outlined in its work programme with the most important being the completion of MMA Phases 2 and 3. “In this year’s budget the MMA received $357M from Central Government, as the Authority in view of the existing D&I rates and land rent charges is unable to meet its operating cost,” the ministry stated. According to the ministry the MMA- a statutory agency under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture- is required to provide drainage and irrigation services within the MMA/ADA area, as laid out in the Authority’s Act. The areas which fall under the MMA's purview are:- Abary/Berbice, Abary/Mahaicony and Mahaica/Mahaicony. Agriculture Minister Noel Holder remains adamant that the increase in rates is not an unfair move, but one which is necessary to finance the services being provided by the Authority and to ensure that it doesn’t become another GuySuCo, draining the country’s coffers. “The budgetary appropriations received for D&I services in these blocks cannot offset the currently high cost for maintenance of its structures...As such, the MMA has faced serious challenges in meeting the expenditure required to provide these critical services since the charges fixed were too low,” the minister explained. The ministry said drainage and irrigation charges have remained the same for almost two decades, despite escalating costs for fuel, spares for machinery, equipment, building materials and wages for the Authority’s workers. The benefits of extensive infrastructural and other works provided to the area by the MMA are evident in the fact that the areas production has doubled, the ministry stated. “Unlike the other blocks, those between the Mahaica and Mahaicony rivers do not pay for D&I services and it is now proposed that charges be instituted...Indeed, the MMA area now produces approximately half of the national rice production and its cattle population is considerably larger than the other regions. It is therefore only fair that farmers pay the economic cost of the services provided,” Minister Holder said. Over two years ago, two critical drainage pumps in the Trafalgar area were vandalised and the MMA was unable to have the structures fixed due to lack of available funds. Central Government was required to provide a subvention to off-set the expenses in 2015 due to the importance drainage plays in the region and to prevent excessive flooding in the Union, Tempie and Trafalgar villages. LAND RENT CHARGES In 1998, land rent charges for pasturage were fixed at $1,000 per acre annually. The Rice Farmers (Security of Tenure) Act Chap. 69:02 sets out the guidelines for basic rental and are expressed in bags (14 llb) per acre which is five percent of the quantity of paddy produced in one two-crop year. The Calculations are outlined below:Rice yield (national average) = 35 bags per acre per crop 5 percent of yields (By 2 crops per year) = 3.5 bags
3.5 x $2000 per bag = $7000 per acre ($583 per month) In addition, it has been established that the basic rent for land for pasture is 20 percent of the rent for rice lands. Therefore, the rents livestock farmers are being asked to pay will be $1400 per acre annually or $117 per month. “These rates are not exorbitant and yet some farmers are of the view that they should not pay the increased rates being asked to enable the MMA to provide effective drainage and irrigation services which are critical for development to take place, the minister said. On Thursday last, the agriculture minister led a team on an outreach exercise to the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary areas where discussions were held on a number of issues with the increase in land rates taking centre stage. The issue was addressed, with farmers only then understanding the fees being asked to pay each month by the MMA/ADA. The Ministry of Agriculture is calling on farmers to be responsible in their judgment and for all players to work together in the best interest of the sector.
The following is a breakdown of D&I charges by area:-
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Weak tobacco legislation boosting big companies – WHO report
WEAK regulation of tobacco products in some countries allows powerful companies to market those products unfettered, and to recruit young smokers, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has noted. According to a report issued by WHO on Monday January 16, its International Health Regulations and Framework Convention on Tobacco Control provide legal frameworks to countries for responding to public health emergencies and the global tobacco epidemic. The contention of the WHO, the United Nations health agency, was contained in a wider report issued on Monday in which the body highlighted the use of the law to improve health. The body issued the report based on studies it conducted in conjunction with the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), the University of Sydney, and the Georgetown University in Washington, DC. The passage of tobacco legislation here has been in the making for years. Guyana signed onto the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) on 15 September, 2005. However, while other sister Caricom countries including Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have enacted tobacco legislation, the Tobacco Control Bill here has been delayed for passage in the National Assembly. It was touted for passage in the National Assembly in 2016 but has since remained under discussion. The proposed tobacco control legislation is expected to see a ban on smoking in public places, while cigarette advertising will be disallowed and graphic and text health warnings will have to be displayed on at least 75 per cent of the packaging on tobacco products. The legislation seeks to ban smoking at all indoor workplaces, public transport and strictly regulates the sale of cigarettes while creating reporting requirements for manufacturers, wholesale distributors or importers, with stiff accompanying penalties, as well as imprisonment. Last year , the Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO) described the draft
tobacco bill as “draconian”, mainly the recommendations made in the bill. The company, as reported in some sections of the media, was particularly concerned with the imposition of a ban on public smoking and to prohibit advertisement and sponsorship from the tobacco industry, among other things. It has also called for consultation with the authorities on the crafting of legislation. On Monday, the WHO said that the failure of some countries to comply with legal framework regarding tobacco use puts the world at risk of potentially catastrophic outbreaks and the long-term costs and health impacts of smoking. Meanwhile, the WHO noted that there are hundreds of examples of the vital role the law plays in safeguarding and promoting good health globally. It listed several examples, including a soda tax implemented in Mexico in 2014, salt limits imposed in South Africa, legal impositions to national health insurance in Ghana, as well as mandatory motorcycle helmets use in Vietnam. “Some of the best examples in this report use population-wide interventions to reshape the environments in which people make their lifestyle choices,” said Dr Rüdiger Krech, Director in the Health Systems and Innovation cluster at WHO in Geneva. “This requires extraordinary government commitment, courage, and persistence in the face of powerful commercial interests”, Krech said. On October 11, 2016 the WHO suggested that countries use their tax policies to increase the price of sugary drinks such as fizzy drinks, sport drinks as a way to fight diabetes, which is a non-communicable condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in one’s blood is too high resulting in the body not being able to use it properly. The umbrella body suggested a 20 per cent retail price increase for sugary products on the market. The law will be a vital tool for countries to make progress towards the health-related targets in the Sustainable Development Goals, the WHO said.
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Ruiz, Morgan named 2016 CONCACAF Players-of-the-Year MIAMI, USA – The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced yesterday Bryan Ruiz and Alex Morgan, respectively, as the 2016 CONCACAF Male and Female Playersof-the-Year.
Winners in ten additional categories for the annual CONCACAF Awards were also revealed. In an equally-weighted vote among member association, women’s and men’s national team coaches/captains, media and fans, Morgan captured the award for the second time, while this is the first honour for Ruiz. Ruiz enjoyed a successful 2016 campaign with club and country. The 31-year-old was key in Sporting Lisbon’s run to a runner-up spot in the 2015/16 Portuguese Primeira Liga and a berth in the UEFA Champions League. He also helped Costa Rica to a first-place finish in Group B in the fourth round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup -- scoring in a 3-0 win over Jamaica -- and played in all three of the Ticos’ games in the Copa America Centenario. Morgan - recipient of the inaugural CONCACAF award for the region’s top female player in 2013 - finished level with Carli Lloyd as the USA’s joint-top scorer in 2016 on 17 goals, including five in the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship and two in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament. She also netted four goals in 15 games for the Orlando Pride of the National Women’s Soccer League. Winners in other categories are: Goalkeepers-ofthe-Year Keylor Navas and Ashlyn Harris; Coachesof-the-Year Óscar Ramírez and Amelia Valverde; Referees-of-the-Year César Arturo Ramos and Carol Anne Chenard; Goal-ofthe-Year – Jesús Corona, in the 80th minute of the
South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:10 hrs Bella Sonata 08:50 hrs Freely Forever 09:25 hrs The Smell Of Rain 10:05 hrs Teenage Dream 10:45 hrs Maximizer Arab Emirates Racing Tips Meydan 10:30 hrs Muthram 11:05 hrs Calare 11:40 hrs Maljaa 12:15 hrs Fog Of War 12:50 hrs Flash Fire 13:25 hrs Main Stay 14:00 hrs Folkswood American Racing Tips Gulfstream Race 1 Buon Gusto Race 2 Façade Race 3 Linda Mimi Race 4 Key the Storm Race 5 Over the Limit Race 6 Nassau Talent Race 7 Passport to Chaos Race 8 Mornin Brew Irish Racing Tips Thurles 08:10 hrs Timi Roli
Copa America Centenario match vs Venezuela. For the first time, the CONCACAF Outstanding Performance Award was presented by the Confederation to the team or individual that best exemplified excellence through performance, and in so doing helped to further elevate CONCACAF to the highest levels of the sport. This year’s Outstanding Performance Award went to the Canadian Women’s National Team and head coach John Herdman, medallists at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Best XI squads were also selected, with Costa Rica and the United States placing a total of six players on the Male and Female teams, respectively. The CONCACAF Awards are designed to honour the year’s outstanding performers and achievements in confederation-sanctioned competitions involving national teams at all levels and age categories, including FIFA World Cup matches and qualifying for both genders. Performances also eligible for recognition included those achieved in professional club football leagues within the CONCACAF Member Associations, as well as the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League. T h e v o t e s o f t h re e important stake-holding segments within the Confederation were counted in compiling the results. Member Associations’ national team coaches and captains (women’s and men’s), accredited media and fans each accounted for one third of the final vote.
08:40 hrs Caro Des Flos 09:10 hrs Battleford 09:45 hrs Western Point 10:15 hrs Sub Lieutenant 10:50 hrs Westerner Lady 11:25 hrs Lisclogher Lad 12:00 hrs Roxrock English Racing Tips Southwell 08:55 hrs Miss Osier 09:30 hrs Vocalisation 10:00 hrs Call Out Loud 10:35 hrs White Royale 11:10 hrs Warm Words 11:45 hrs Ralphy Lad Ludlow 09:20 hrs Boagrius 09:50 hrs Land Of Vic 10:25 hrs Upsanddowns 11:00 hrs Fille Des Champs 11:35 hrs Still Believing 12:10 hrs River Wylde Wincanton 09:40 hrs Walt 10:10 hrs Buttercup 11:20 hrs Morney Wing 11:55 hrs St Saviour 12:25 hrs Black Mischief
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Murray hands out a masterclass to reach third round By Nick Mulvenney MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - Andy Murray looked every bit the world number one as he gave Russian teenager Andrey Rublev a lesson in grand slam tennis to reach the third round of the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-0, 6-2 win yesterday. Only a nasty tumble in the third set on Rod Laver Arena stalled his march to victory and the top-seeded Briton said the right ankle he rolled on was “a bit sore” at the end of the
contest. “I don’t know how bad it is,” said the 29-year-old. “Just normally if it’s something like severe, a serious ankle injury, you can’t put weight on your foot. “It just a little bit stiff just now. It’s okay. I don’t think I’ve done too much damage. See in the morning how it feels when I wake up. But hopefully it will be all right.” Five times a losing finalist at Melbourne Park, Murray had laboured through his opening round victory over Illya March-
enko in the full heat of the opening day of the tournament. Yesterday’s performance in the evening of a much cooler day was of a far higher calibre. The Wimbledon and Olympic champion was in clinical form, smashing 29 winners and ensuring that the 19-year-old Rublev was unable to get a single break point on his serve. “It was better than the first match. I was hitting the ball a bit cleaner. I was hitting through the court more. More winners,” said Murray.
Britain’s Andy Murray falls onto the court during his Singles second round match against Russia’s Andrey Rublev. (REUTERS/Thomas Peter) The final time Murray sent the world number 156 running around the court brought up match point, which Murray converted when the qualifier went long after one hour 37 minutes. Next up for Murray in the third round tomorrow is American Sam Querrey. “He’s obviously a dangerous player,” said the Scot. “Big serve. Goes for it. Obviously had a big win a couple slams ago against Novak (Djokovic) in the third round (at Wimbledon).
“I was able to get myself up to the net more. I served way better too. That helps you and allows you to dictate more points. “Second serve was harder than the other day. Yeah, most things were better tonight. But still think I can improve.” Several times, he delighted the crowd with a series of deft shots that sent the Russian qualifier scurrying around the court before delivering a crunching winner that brooked no reply. Rublev, the son of a one-
time boxer, spent Tuesday sparring in a Fight Club gym and Murray, also a fight fan, suggested the teenager was not quite yet up to competing in the heavyweight division, in tennis at least. “I think in comparison with some of the guys that are his age, physically he’s going to get stronger,” he said. “I still think he’s got some developing to do there. When he does, I think he’ll do really well because he hits a big ball. He’s a clean ball-striker.“
Kerber, Venus Williams reach Australian Open third round DEFENDING champion Angelique Kerber survived an onslaught from fellow German Carina Witthoeft to advance yesterday to the Australian Open third round. Kerber - top seed at a Grand Slam for the first time - struggled with her serve in a second-set tie-break before prevailing 6-2, 6-7(3-7), 6-2. The top seed, who was 29 yesterday, faces Czech Kristyna Pliskova next. Venus Williams beat Swiss qualifier Stefanie Voegele 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round for the 13th time Williams, who played at her first Australian Open in 1998, is the oldest woman in the singles draw, is still going strong at 36 and is competing in her 73rd Grand Slam. “I have to talk about my age every interview!” the American said. “I’ve played some of the greats. “It’s an honour and privilege to start that young, and play this old.” She later pulled out of the doubles competition with her sister Serena as a precaution to rest a sore elbow. The 17th seed has never won the title in Melbourne, her best result finishing as runner-up to Serena in 2003. Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208
“To have this pressure is a privilege,” she said. “It’s completely new for me, but I’m doing well. I’m just trying to enjoy it.”
Angelique Kerber
She will next play Duan Yingying after the Chinese player beat Varvara Lepchenko 6-1, 3-6, 10-8. World number one Kerber has started the year in less-than-convincing style, going out in the last eight in Brisbane and the second round in Sydney. And Witthoeft, 21, posed a far more serious challenge in this meeting than in the 6-0, 6-0 defeat she suffered against her compatriot at Wimbledon in 2015. After a frustrated Kerber coughed up successive double faults in the tie-break, Witthoeft’s powerful groundstrokes took the opening game of the decider against serve. But Kerber won the next four to regain control and avoid an upset.
BEST OF THE REST World number seven Garbine Muguruza advanced to the third round by beating America’s Samantha Crawford 7-5, 6-4. Meanwhile, Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova, a three-time quarter-finalist in Melbourne, was a 6-2, 6-1 victor over Australia’s Jaimee Fourlis. But 10th seed Carla Suarez Navarro is out after a shock defeat by Romania’s world number 78 Sorana Cirstea. The Spaniard went down 7-6(7-1), 6-3. Canadian Eugenie Bouchard avoided a second successive Australian Open second-round exit by beating China’s Peng Shuai. Bouchard, a Melbourne semi-finalist in 2014 who is now ranked 47 in the world, won 7-6(7-5), 6-2. Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, in her first Australian Open appearance since 2014, moved to the third round for the first time with a 7-5, 6-1 win over American Shelby Rogers. (BBC Sport) THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2017
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
AB de Villiers further delays Test return … rules himself out of England tour CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - AB de Villiers has ruled himself out of South Africa’s tour to England later this year, having already said he would not be available for the Test series in New Zealand in March, as he focuses on limited overs cricket. The former world number one Test batsman will also sit out the two-Test home series against Bangladesh starting in August, meaning he will have missed five series in a row for his country since
suffering an elbow injury last June. South Africa visit England for four Tests in July and August without one of their premier batsmen, who has recovered from injury but is reluctant to overload his schedule, having targeted a place at the 50-over World Cup in England and Wales in 2019. The 32-year-old de Villiers will play in the Indian Premier League and South Africa’s Twenty20 competition, but will not be available
for other domestic tournaments around the world. “I’m just not ready yet. I’m aware of my elbow. The surgeon said it will be normal. I’m feeling really confident,” he told reporters yesterday. “There is a lot of cricket but the situation has changed for me, my priorities have changed. Playing three formats felt like the world is on my shoulder.” de Villiers, who has played 106 Tests averaging 50.46, said he hoped to restart
Pollard springs to life as Strikers silence Thunder SYDNEY Thunder needed a win to remain alive in the Big Bash League, but a crushing 77-run defeat to Adelaide Strikers ended their hopes. Kieron Pollard smashed five sixes in a 22-ball 47 as the Adelaide Strikers ended Sydney Thunder’s hopes of reaching the Big Bash League semi-finals with a 77-run victory yesterday. The Strikers came into this meeting at the Sydney Showground Stadium bottom of the table, with their own last-four ambitions already over, while the defending champions needed a victory from their final fixture to stay alive in the tournament. But New Zealand leg-spinner Ish Sodhi returned 6-11 - the second best BBL figures behind Lasith Malinga’s 6-7 in 2012 - as
Ish Sodhi’s 6 for 11 is the best figures by an Adelaide Strikers bowler in BBL history.
the Thunder collapsed to 101 all out after the Strikers had posted 178-5. Ben Dunk became this season’s top run-scorer, overtaking Chris Lynn as the Strikers opener plundered 65 from 40 deliveries, including five fours and three maximums. He had good support from the evergreen Brad Hodge (39 from 32), before Pollard clubbed in his 22-ball 47. Only Shane Watson (39) and Kurtis Patterson (29) reached double figures in reply for the Thunder, as the Strikers gained a consolation win to send the holders to the bottom of the table. West Indian all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite on the other hand had an evening to forget. The Twenty20 captain,
(REUTERS) - British police investigating allegations of widespread child sex abuse at soccer clubs dating back to the 1970s said yesterday they had now identified 184 potential suspects and 526 victims, adding other sports had also been implicated in the scandal. Police forces across the country launched inquiries after former player Andy Woodward revealed in November he had been abused as a boy by a youth team coach, prompting other ex-professionals to come forward with allegations. The soccer abuse revelations are the latest in a series of paedophile scandals to have hit Britain in recent years. Victims say the scale of wrongdoing is likely to
be worse than in the case of TV star Jimmy Savile, a cigar-chomping BBC television host who abused hundreds of youngsters over six decades until his death in 2011. So far 1 016 referrals of sports abuse have been passed to specialist detectives from a child protection charity and police. The number of possible victims is now 526, up from about 350 last month, with 126 suspects. The National Police Chiefs Council said 248 soccer clubs had been impacted. Police said 22 of the referrals related to other sports including rugby, gymnastics, martial arts, tennis, wrestling, golf, sailing, athletics, cricket, and swimming. “Allegations of non-re-
cent child sexual abuse are complex, often require specialist skills and knowledge, and can take time to progress,” said Chief Constable Simon Bailey, the national police lead on child protection. “ H o w e v e r, a l l a l l e gations and information received by police forces across the country are being acted upon,” he added. Last month, the Premier League cleared Chelsea of breaking its rules in failing to report allegations of historical sex abuse made by their former player Gary Johnson in 2014. Johnson, 57, said he had been abused by former Chelsea chief scout Eddie Heath in the 1970s and received a £50 000 ($61 550) settlement from the club in 2015.
Police say 526 possible victims in UK soccer abuse scandal, 184 suspects
his five-day career at the end of the year when India tour South Africa, followed by a home series against Australia. He denied speculation on Tuesday that he was about to give up the longest form of the game altogether. “I’m not retiring out of any format, that’s for sure. I am not prepared to do that,” he told South Africa’s Radio 702. “My main aim is to get to that 2019 World Cup and I am going to do everything
possible to get there. “It’s important to play the other formats but mentally and physically I need to be in a good space come the 2019 World Cup and that’s what I am aiming for.” de Villiers is listed to play in the third Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka in Cape Town on January 25 and then captain the side in the five-match one-day international series that starts three days later.
AB de Villiers is scheduled to play in IPL and SA T20 competitions.
with lime green bat in hand lasted only two deliveries as Sodhi ripped through the Thunder batting line-up.
Brathwaite had also dropped Dunk when the opener was on eight - the missed chance seeming to spark the electric
opener into gear, hitting his first six two balls later and then accelerating to his 50. (Sportsmax.com)
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Guyana Horse Racing Authority remains in limbo
… Implementation of legislation will be only way out – Ramnauth
By Rajiv Bisnauth
THE work of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA) has been put on hold due to the lack of a critical piece of legislation that will legitimise its operations. This is according to acting secretary of the GHRA, Chattergoon Ramnauth. Ramnauth said the proper management of the authority remains in limbo, since executive members have not met to discuss GHRA’s business for almost a year, since its president Vickram Ouditt demitted office in February last year following the expiration of his term. Ouditt was elected president of the horse racing body at the Annual General Meeting on February 9, 2014 and according to the GHRA, new
Flashback! Legal Adviser of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA) Rajendra Poonai (centre) hands over the draft legislation to the-then Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony in the presence of GHRA president Vickram Ouditt.
ment for some time now. In fact, an official from the GHRA has confirmed that the copy was handed over to the National Sport Commission late 2015. Assistant Director of Sport, Brian Smith, confirmed last month that NSC had indeed received the document which was sent to the Attorney General Chambers. But when contacted yesterday, the Attorney General Chambers remained sceptical about the status of the document. The draft Guyana Horse Racing Authority Act, which will allow the sport to run more effectively and to deal with violators, includes: increasing the membership of the Racing Authority from nine to 15; including the Bush Lot United Turf Club as a member of the GHRA and implementing a two-year term for members of the Authority. The legislation which was championed by former GHRA president Justice Cecil Kennard will also give the GHRA the power to schedule race dates for race meetings in the event that a club is unable to run off a race meeting.
Burkina Faso denied win By Gabon’s Aubameyang
Cameroon players celebrate their nation’s first Afcon victory since beating Zambia in 2010 - a run of six matches.
Cameroon fight back to deny debutants Guinea-Bissau FOUR-time champions Cameroon moved top of Group A as they fought back to deny debutants Guinea-Bissau a historic first win yesterday at the Africa Cup of Nations. Shock qualifiers Guinea-Bissau, making their debut at this year’s tournament, led through Piquito’s superb solo goal. Cameroon restored parity after the break when Sebastien Siani rifled in low from outside the penalty area. Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui drilled in another low strike as Cameroon earned their first Afcon win since 2010. The Indomitable Lions, historically one of the dominant forces in African inter-
elections are due every year. Ramnauth is of the opinion that the GHRA is non-functional at this time because no meetings were held or was there any form of discussion; oral or written ever since Ouditt left. He, however, maintained that the implementation of the legislation will be the only way out of the dilemma the authority finds itself. Dubbed the ‘Sport of Kings’, horse racing, since its resuscitation locally, has been operating under a legal document that was registered under the Miscellaneous Deeds Act. But back in 2014, a key step to regularise the sport was taken when the-then Legal Adviser to the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA), Rajendra Poonai, handed over a draft legislation on the sport to then Sports Minister Dr Frank Anthony. Nothing much was done by the previous administration with regard to the implementation of the legislation. However, the present Government cannot escape their fair share of criticism since a copy of a horse racing legislation has been with the govern-
national football, failed to qualify for two of the three previous tournaments and lost all three games in 2015. But, after drawing their opening game against Burkina Faso, they are well placed to reach the quarter-finals. They are two points clear at the top of the group after the opening three games ended in 1-1 draws. Earlier yesterday, hosts Gabon fought back from 1-0 down with a goal from their star player, Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, to hold Burkina Faso. Cameroon meet Gabon and Guinea-Bissau face Burkina Faso in Monday’s deciding games. Guinea-Bissau must
win to stand any chance of reaching the last eight. (BBC Sport)
P I E R R E - E m e r i c k A ubameyang scored his second goal of the Africa Cup of Nations football competition to earn hosts Gabon a point from their match yesterday with Burkina Faso. The Borussia Dortmund striker scored a 38th-minute penalty to secure his side’s second 1-1 draw in Group A. Burkina Faso took the lead when Prejuce Nakoulma latched on to a long ball and held off two players to score. Herve Koffi tipped Denis Bouanga’s drive onto the bar early on and denied him again with his legs on 81 minutes. Those saves made up for the Burkina Faso goalkeeper’s error when he brought down Aubameyang for the penalty. Bouanga will look back at
GUMDAC tournament billed for February 1 and 3 THE Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) commences its 2017 calendar of events, with the GUMDAC Open Doubles tournament, which is billed for February 1 and 3 at the National Gymnasium. Action on both days will run from 19:00hrs to 21:00hrs. According to the GBA, the tournament will be played in the Men’s, La-
dies’ Doubles and Mixed Doubles. All players are asked to take note. Entries close on January 30. The defending champions in the Men’s doubles are Narayan Ramdhani and Jonathan Mangar, while the defending champions in the Ladies’ Doubles are Priyanna Ramdhani and Siya Persaud.
the late chance as an opportunity he should have taken, having latched on to Aubameyang’s downward header in the box only to direct his shot too close to Koffi. There was still time for Bouanga to almost atone for the miss and his excellent delivery into the penalty area deserved better than to be headed wide by an unmarked Kevyn Aboue Angoue. Burkina Faso’s clearest chance was created by Alain Traore, who cut
into the box between two defenders and sent a shot towards the far corner only to see it well saved by Didier Ovono. Burkina Faso’s chances of progress appear to be higher, given they will face rank outsiders and debutants Guinea-Bissau on Sunday. But they could well be without key man Jonathan Pitroipa, who was stretchered off after only 11 minutes against Gabon. (BBC Sport)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has two goals in two games but Gabon are yet to win. CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday January 19, 2017) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Brian Lara-400* (WI vs ENG, ARG, 2004) (2) Rohit Sharma-264 (IND vs SL, Kolkatta, 2014) Today’s Quiz: (1) What is the highest team total in a Test innings to date? (2) What is the highest team total in an ODI innings to date? ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 19, 2017
Ramdin praises DCC players, UWI UNICOM T20 officials and sponsors By Brij Parasnath WEST Indies senior professional Denesh Ramdin, who successfully led Cane Farm Sports Club to the 2016 UWI UNICOM T20 title; was high in praise for the organisers and officials for their high level of professionalism and the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) players for their consistency and fighting qualities. The newly-appointed captain of the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force team that will attempt to register a unique hat-trick of Super50 crowns commended the organising committee members (headed by Dr Trevor Alleyne) and said: “We have thoroughly enjoyed playing in the UWI UNICOM T20 tournament and it was one of the best. The organisers did a fantastic job and players are extremely happy with the way everything put together for us to give of our best.” Ramdin also expressed sincere gratitude to all the sponsors for contributing to the overall success of the tournament and stated: “I
DCC’s Gajanand Singh (left) receives gold chain and pendant for his UWI UNICOM T20 Player-of-the-Series award plus TT$4000 from UWI Registrar Richard Saunders.
want especially, on behalf of all the teams and players who participated in the UWI UNICOM T20 tournament to thank all the sponsors, including UNICOM - the main sponsor; who made it possible for us to come and play in these competitive
matches that will help all of us to improve and be ready for higher level competitions. We had great fun playing here and look forward to coming back to defend the title.” Ramdin singled out the DCC players for special mention and said: “I want to
congratulate the Demerara Cricket Club players for their consistency and fighting spirit. I am impressed with the way they played the game and made us fight very hard for the victory.” He was also appreciative of the crowd response and
stressed: “The crowd in the final were real good and their reactions helped the players to lift their game and put on a good show. Our role is to entertain all cricket supporters and other stakeholders, and I think they would have enjoyed what they saw. We are excited to have won the competition and made everyone very happy.” “Special thanks also to the media personnel who provided good coverage of the tournament as these reports and highlights also help to push the players to improve and do better every time they go on the field,” added Ramdin, who was at the helm of the Trinidad and Tobago’s senior team that had won a hat-trick of Caribbean T20 titles in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Cane Farm SC maintained their unbeaten record and celebrated sweet success when they registered an impressive 67-run win over the previously unbeaten DCC in the grand finale contested last Sunday at the Sir Frank
Worrell ground, St Augustine campus. DCC, without the services of their two regional players Christopher Barnwell and Paul Wintz surprised the other local T&T teams and won four consecutive matches before their winning streak ended against the star-studded Cane Farm SC team that proved superior with their overall experience and their class was too much for the Guyanese double-crowned T20 champs. For his wonderful batting exploits and entertainment in the tournament, 29-yearold Singh was rewarded with the UNICOM Player-of-theSeries award of TT$4 000 plus a special gold chain and pendant, courtesy Kanhai Raghubir Jewellery. On behalf of the victorious Cane Farm SC, Ramdin collected the winning prize of TT$40 000 from UNICOM plus the UWI-UNICOM T20 Trophy while all members of his winning team received hampers, courtesy AS Bryden & Sons.
Honduras top Panama, qualify CONCACAF president tackles for CONCACAF Gold Cup development in Grenada
EDDIE Hernandez converted a penalty kick and Honduras (3W-0D-0L, 9 points) clinched a berth in the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 1-0 win over hosts Panama (1-1-1, 4) in a spirited Copa Centroamericana encounter Tuesday night at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez. Honduras, who won their first three matches in the competition for the fourth time, remain atop the six-team table with nine points. The Panamanians had their tournament-record unbeaten streak snapped at 16 games and sit in fourth place – trailing third-place El Salvador on the most-goals-scored tiebreaker - with four points from three matches. The scoreless stalemate was broken in the 36th minute, when Hernandez rolled a penalty kick into the left side of the net, as Panama goalkeeper Jose Calderon dived the other way. Referee Jair Marrufo had pointed to the spot after ruling that defender Luis Ovalle pulled Hernandez down inside the box. Hernandez’s second goal of the tournament came just five minutes after teammate Marce-
Honduras celebrate after defeating Panama in a Copa Centroamericana match and qualifying for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Tuesday in Panama City, Panama. (Photo: Imagenes en Costa Rica)
lo Canales put a blistering free kick from 30 yards just over the crossbar. Panama pushed hard for an equaliser, but were unable to break down a Catracho defence that had now conceded one or fewer goals in 21 of their last 22 Copa Centroamericana matches. Tony Taylor had a quality chance to level for the Canaleros in the 54th minute, beating an offside trap and cutting inside the box, before his low shot from 12 yards out was stopped by goalkeeper Donis Escober. Moments later, Panamanian midfielder Armando Cooper
sent a dangerous ball across the face of the goal, but Marcelo Pereira slid to clear at the edge of the six-yard box. Panama’s best chance came in the final minute of regulation. Arabe Unido star Edgar Yoel Barcenas chipped an effort that forced Escobar into a leaping save. Honduras are three-time champions of the tournament, last winning in 2011. Panama, who have lifted the trophy once (2009), lost previously against Costa Rica 3-0 on January 23, 2009. Both sides return to action tomorrow as Honduras face Costa Rica.
DURING his first official visit to the Grenada Football Association (GFA), CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani reiterated his unwavering commitment to support the advancement of football in the Caribbean and empower youth through sport. Montagliani met with GFA president Cheney Joseph, Grenada Prime Minister, Dr The Right Hon. Keith Mitchell, Governor General Her Excellency Dame Cécile La Grenade, and the Minister for Education Hon. Anthony Boatswain. The discussions with local leaders covered a wide range of topics, with football development a leading subject, while addressing aspects like competitions, infrastructure, marketing, and administration. “Grenada has tremendous potential in sport, and I am pleased to see the GFA progressed under the presidency of Mr Cheney Joseph. “Through our ONE CONCACAF Vision, we are providing strategic support to the federation in rebuilding its competitions platform, while
encouraging initiatives that promote youth participation and women’s football,” said Montagliani. “I am confident that the federation is on the right track to continue investing in development programmes that will transform the game.” During his trip to the Spice Island, he visited the oldest high schools in the country, Grenada Boys Secondary School and The Anglican High School for girls, where students who are actively involved in sport interacted with the president about his role as CONCACAF leader
and his passion for football. GFA president Cheney Joseph stated that Montagliani’s trip presented an opportunity to discuss the pivotal role of government support to develop the sport. “CONCACAF president visit reassured the local government that it is important to build a strong relationship with the federation for the benefit of the game and our country,” said Joseph. “Our aim with this visit is to start the year off on the right foot as we prepare to implement further initiatives to grow football.”
CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani met with the Grenada Prime Minister Dr The Right Hon. Keith Mitchell and GFA president Cheney Joseph on Monday, January 16, 2017.
Ramdin praises DCC players, UWI UNICOM T20 officials
and sponsors
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See Pa
Ruiz, Morgan named 2016 CONCACAF Players-of-the-Year See story on Page 27
Rachael Heyhoe Flint played 22 Tests and 23 ODIs and captained England between 1966 and 1978.
Brian Ruiz and Alex Morgan - 2016 CONCACAF Players-of-the-Year
Trophy Stall on board 2017 Limacol round-robin football
FOOTBALL action in the 2017 Limacol round-robin knockout received a boost yesterday when the proprietor of Trophy Stall, Ramesh Sunich, donated the first-place trophy and goal nets. The Petra-organised tournament begins on January 23. Sunich praised the organising body for the efforts to elevate the sport, hence his donation to the cause. Receiving the trophy, co-Director of Petra Organisation, Troy Mendonca, added that the tournament helps to showcase the talent in teams that are not in the elite, with the aim of allowing them to hopefully elevate themselves
in the future. Meanwhile the tournament’s first playing date is January 23 with Group D action when Police play Mahaica and Riddim Squad oppose Camptown. Both games will be played at the GFC ground, Bourda. Action returns on January 27 when Group B’s Western Tigers play New Amsterdam United at GFC and Group C’s Santos oppose Ann’s Grove. The following evening will see action at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground as Milerock play Northern Rangers and Winners Connection play Grove HiTech in Group A.
Pioneer of women’s cricket Rachael Heyhoe Flint dies at 77
(REUTERS) - Rachael Heyhoe Flint, who captained England against Australia in the first women's cricket match played at Lord's in 1976, has died at the age of 77. The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) expressed condolences yesterday at the passing of a pioneer of the women's game, who captained England between 1966 and 1978 and in 2004 was the first woman elected to the MCC committee. "This is a terribly sad day for everyone involved in cricket and all of us at MCC," said club president Matthew Fleming in a statement. "Rachael Heyhoe Flint was a pioneer of women’s cricket - she was the first global superstar in the women’s game and her overall
contribution to MCC, cricket and sport in general was immense." The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also hailed her contribution to the game. "Rachael was one of our sport's true pioneers and it is no exaggeration to say that she paved the way for the progress enjoyed by recent generations of female cricketers," said Clare Connor, the ECB's director of women's cricket. Heyhoe Flint, who played 22 Test matches and 23 one-day internationals, was a vice-president of Wolverhampton Wanderers soccer club, whose players will wear black armbands in Saturday's Championship game at Norwich City.
AB de Villiers further delays Test return See page 29
Mark Alleyne of the Petra organisation collects the donation from Trophy Stall’s Managing-Director Ramesh Sunich. Also in the photo is Petra Director Troy Mendonca. Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208
Guyana Horse Racing Authority remains in limbo See page 30
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017