Guyana chronicle E paper March 26, 2018

Women leaders prepared for LGE 02 PAGE

MONDAY, MARCH 26, 2018

Price: $80

Bridging information gap No. 105225

( VAT I n c l u s i v e )

–– President Granger commissions multimillion-dollar radio station at Orealla 03 GTT’s Innov8 fuels local technology 08 drive PAGE

PAGE

Fire leaves 03 five homeless at Mabaruma PAGE

President David Granger is greeted by eager and curious children as he made his way into Orealla for the commissioning of the radio station in that community on Sunday

Suspect confesses to Albion robbery –– hands over gun, ammo, cutlass and bicycles to police

PAGE

08

Eight wells for Region 13 Nine PAGE

2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Women leaders prepared for LGE

FEMALE community leaders across Region Four recently participated in a special capacity-building workshop to enhance their leadership skills and to prepare them for participation in the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) later this year.

Some participants are already serving members of both Regional and Neighborhood Democratic Councils.

The training was organised by the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute, an institution under the purview of the Ministry of Social Protection. It is the first in a series of similar workshops to be held across the country.

Regional Chairman Genevieve Allen; Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Protection, Adrian Ramrattan;

Regional Chairman Region Four, Genevieve Allen Administrator of the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI), Tricia Watson; and members of the Board of Directors of GWLI were all present at the opening of the workshop.

The workshop is part of the ministry’s commit-

Ministry of Social Protection, Deputy Permanent Secretary Adrian Ramrattan

Administrator of the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI), Tricia Watson

ment not only to the development of women, but to the achievement of gender parity and the inclusion of women in decisions that affect their communities, families and lives, a statement said Sunday.

Ramrattan said gender parity is among the top

priorities for the Ministry of Social Protection and as such, his ministry will continue to empower women.

He noted the importance of the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute in the achievement of gender parity and the responsibility of women to take up leadership roles.

and child-nurturing responsibilities, which overall limit their participation in waged work and other civic responsibilities.

Administrator of the Institute, Tricia Watson, said it is vital that such workshops be held to break barriers and continue to improve the individual aspects and institutional competencies of women in their communities.

Region Four Chairman Genevieve Allen told the participants that it is imperative that they work together to support each other.

She said oftentimes when complaints about community infrastructure are made to the regional office, those complaints come from women.

The regional chairman called for women to get more involved in the management of their communities at the level of local government to have greater control of activities affect-

for that space.

He said it involves both physical development and creating an environment that fosters economic development as well.

Similarly, Valarie Martin, a resident of Farm, East Bank of Demerara, who operates a small business in her community and is involved in several community development projects, said she is looking forward to participating as a candidate in the upcoming LGE. Martin, like the other participants, has expressed gratitude to the organisers.

She said she has learnt a great deal which would help to assist her in the development of her community.

The participants were enthusiastic about the training and all brought varying concerns and interests to the discussion, the statement said.

The Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute is

Participants at the GWLI capacity-building workshop stand with representatives from the Ministry of Social Protection and other stakeholders Ramrattan said while progressively, women have been successful in overcoming the barriers to participate in the development and decision-making process at both the national and international levels of society, traditional values continue to play a fundamental role in their employment in rural and urban areas.

He reminded that in most cases, it is still the women who continue to bear the bulk of domestic

ing them and their communities.

She implored all participants to take the challenge of contesting in their constituencies in the upcoming LGE. Meanwhile, Vincent Alexander, a Commissioner of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), explained to the participants that local government is about putting an authority in place in a local area to deal with public affairs and the matters of development

aimed at creating and implementing gender focused education and training programmes for women and men in the government, non-government, public, and private sectors in order to promote gender awareness and equity and enable the full participation of women in leadership and decision-making processes throughout the society, thereby contributing to the equitable and sustainable development of Guyana.

Bridging the information gap

3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

–– President Granger commissions multimillion-dollar radio station at Orealla

RADIO Orealla 95.1 FM, a spanking, new multimillion-dollar radio station in East Berbice, Corentyne, was commissioned on Sunday with President David Granger telling residents that the radio is not for town, but for all.

In what residents described as the biggest event in the history of the Amerindian communities of Orealla and Siparuta, the President

Every Guyanese everywhere you go in this Republic must be in touch with his national broadcasting service,” President Granger said.

He said the radio station will serve as a medium to empower communities and boost economic ventures while noting that access to public information is the right of every citizen that the government will honour regardless of geographic

citizens of Guyana. We are all equal in Guyana; radio is not for town, radio is for all,” the President told the large gathering.

The Head of State reminisced on his days growing up listening to educational programmes on the radio, and to this end he encouraged residents to use the opportunity to promote their culture and showcase their numerous talents to the rest of the

the other markets in the country so your economic opportunities will be increased. We can’t function without information,” the President said.

FOR THE PEOPLE While noting the venture is a costly one that private companies would seek to recuperate costs and make profits, the President stated that the investment by the government is one for the people.

“Some people pursue profits; we pursue service to the people and that is why we are here,” he told the gathering.

The President also noted that the radio station is only a small part of the plan by government to decentralise its services and provide equal opportunities and access to Guyanese across the nation.

National Communications Network (NCN)

the masses.

“NCN has already started a process of change within its organisation, change that will allow you to see and hear radio stations that are built as you are seeing now, TV stations are to follow, content is moving and migrating, we are rebranding and reforming radio, TV and our online presence. We intend to revitalise the creative sector in this country,” he said.

Woolford explained that through a private partnership with GTT, the NCN is able to utilise their tower free of cost, saving millions in capital costs and provide services to communities.

BRIDGING INFORMATION GAP GTT’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Justin Nedd, said his company is happy and proud to be a part of the historic event that helps

Siparuta thanked the government for the investment.

“Radio Orealla will indeed be of great benefit to our people both now and for many, many generations to come. This new development is a historical milestone that will trigger further development in numerous areas such as education, sports, tourism, forestry, culture and agriculture of both Orealla and Siparuta. Learning and employment opportunities will be provided in particular for our youths to become journalists, radio announcers and other technical staff of radio Orealla,” he said.

Also present at the launch were: acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge; Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock; Minister of Social Cohesion George Norton; Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous

President David Granger is assisted by Toshao of Orealla David Henry, to unveil the plaque to officially commission Radio Orealla 95.1, while Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock, look on and a large delegation of high-level government officials commissioned Radio Orealla-95.1 FM, and pledged to provide access to information to every Guyanese across this vast nation.

“We have embarked on a programme where at the end of the programme every single region is going to have a regional broadcasting service station. Sometimes you wonder why it didn’t happen before because this is so necessary, but from Orealla right around the country, from Aishalton right down to Mabaruma, we are going to make sure the entire Republic of Guyana is connected.

location.

“Wherever you are in Guyana you must be able to tune in to our public broadcasting service. Why? Because this service is a public good, everybody can benefit, everybody will have access to this public good without diminishing this good, and that is why we are on this programme, not to look after some personality, not to conduct propaganda, but to make sure that every Guyanese citizen has access to public information. It will empower you with information so you can make informed choices.

This radio will help you establish equality with other

country and neighbouring Suriname.

“Radio will be a vehicle for educational broadcast, not only for the Ministry of Education, but other ministries of the government, Ministry of Health, Telecommunications, so that if there is a health threat or a security threat you will be warned about it.

This radio will help you to participate fully in the economic life of the country and also to improve you economic livelihood. This radio will help you to promote your village economy… and to establish contact with

Residents of Orealla turned out in their numbers to witness the commissioning of the radio station in their community Chairman, Enrico Woolford, said there are a lot of creative and talented people in Guyana and through partnership with the government, radio stations across the country have been expanding as they provide a platform for creativity to be channelled to

in bridging the information and communication gap, which is part of its mandate to improve communications in hinterland communities. He also pledged GTT’s continued support to developing communities across the country.

Toshao of Orealla and

Peoples’ Affairs Valerie Garrido-Lowe; Members of Parliament; and regional officials.

In addition to the commissioning exercise, the President donated a quantity of sport gears, kites, book and radios to the community.

Fire leaves five homeless at Mabaruma A FAMILY of five at Mabaruma is now homeless after a midday fire destroyed their home on Saturday.

Reports are that Rocky Campbell was on his farm in the Mabaruma Settlement when he observed his home on

fire. The man’s wife had moments earlier left the home to assist him on their farm.

The house, which is

located close to a creek near the popular ‘Kissing Rocks’ tourist site, was gutted within minutes.

Residents attempted

to save the home but the blaze was too much for them to handle.

Campbell and his family have been living

in the area for almost a decade and relatives have since come to the aid of the farmer and his family.

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

North Korea ‘real threat’, says Obama TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — North Korea poses a “real threat” whose solution will require international co-operation, former US President Barack Obama said Sunday on a visit to Japan.

Obama also said the US

needed to ensure there was a defence system in place to protect countries in the region from a potential attack from North Korean missiles.

“North Korea is a real threat” and has developed a weapons programme and delivery system that “poses a significant threat not just to the region but to the whole world”, Obama said in a speech in Tokyo.

“So far, we haven’t seen as much progress obviously as we would have liked.

But the one thing that is very important to recognise is that individually, no country can solve this problem as effectively as if we all work together,” Obama stressed.

He said North Korea was “a country that is so far removed from the international norms and so

disconnected with the rest of the world” that it was particularly difficult to put pressure on the isolated regime.

Under the Obama administration, Washington pursued a policy of “strategic patience” towards the North in hopes that sanctions would bring Pyongyang to heel and force it to abandon its weapons ambitions.

But during that time, a string of nuclear tests and missile launches amply demonstrated the ineffectiveness of the sanctions regime in addressing the issue.

Obama is on a swing through Asia which has already taken in Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.

He has largely avoided the limelight, playing golf with former Prime Minister

John Key in New Zealand and offering parenting tips to the current leader Jacinda Ardern, who is pregnant.

L a t e r o n S u n d a y, Obama met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for lunch, sparking memories of their 2014 “sushi summit” when the American was still in the White House.

Asked after his speech on Sunday what he most missed about his time in office, Obama quipped: “I do sometimes miss Air Force One. That’s a nice airplane -- especially when you fly across the Pacific.”

But he also revealed that he had to buy his own groceries in the White House. “You think you get to live for free but no, no! It’s expensive being in the White House, I’ll tell you.”

Former Catalan leader Puigdemont detained in Germany BARCELONA/BERLIN (Reuters) - Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont was detained in Germany on Sunday, five months after entering self-imposed exile from Spain, where he faces up to 25 years in prison for organising an illegal secession referendum last year.

Puigdemont had entered Germany from Denmark after leaving Finland on Friday when it appeared that police would arrest him there and begin an extradition process requested

by Spain.

The detention threatens to worsen the Catalan crisis that flared last year when the region made a symbolic declaration of independence, prompting Madrid to take direct rule.

Tens of thousands of Catalans, many of them wearing yellow in support of jailed separatist leaders, demonstrated in Barcelona on Sunday afternoon, chanting “Puigdemont, our president” and “freedom for political prisoners.”

In a smaller parallel protest outside the central government delegation in the Catalan capital, three people were arrested and

50 suffered minor injuries after protesters clashed with riot police.

Catalan parliament speaker, Roger Torrent, called for a broad coalition in defense of civil liberties and sovereign rights in a televised address on Sunday evening.

Spain’s Supreme Court ruled on Friday that 25 Catalan leaders would be tried for rebellion, embezzlement or disobeying the state and reactivated international arrest warrants for Puigdemont and four other politicians who went into self-imposed exile last year.

Among those subject to the arrest order, Clara Ponsati, a former Catalan minister now living in Scotland, told authorities she would turn herself in, Scottish police said in a statement on Sunday afternoon.

The other three Catalan leaders are in Belgium.

German police arrested Puigdemont on Sunday in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein on a European arrest warrant issued by Spain. He was later transferred to Neumuenster prison, German news agency DPA reported.

Shopping mall blaze in Siberia kills 37: Russian agencies

Monday, March 26, 2018

01:00 hrs

-

12:30 hrs

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

02:00 hrs

-

13:30 hrs

Wednesday, March 28, 2018 Thursday, March 29, 2018

03:00 hrs 04:00 hrs

-

14:30 hrs 14:30 hrs

DATE: Saturday, March 24, 2018

O

MOSCOW (Reuters) - At least 37 people died in a fire in a shopping mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo on Sunday, Russian news agencies reported, citing authorities.

News agencies said more than 100 people had been evacuated from the mall, which contains cinemas, restaurants and shops.

There was no immediate indication of the cause of the fire. Television pictures showed people jumping from the windows of the mall, which was engulfed in black smoke.

Kemerovo is a coal-producing region some 3,600 km (2,200 miles) east of Moscow.

9 17 20 24 26 27 21

Saturday, March 24, 2018 7

12

14

15

16

Saturday, March 24, 2018

2

8

1

Saturday, March 24, 2018

3

5

2

Saturday, March 24, 2018 1

4

6

7

8

15 19

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Scenes from ‘Namaste India’ at the Pegasus Hotel Sunday

5

OAS, UNWTO launch seminal report on tourism in the Caribbean A S H I N G TO N , U n i t e d States (CMC) — The Organisation of American States (OAS) says it has collaborated with the United Nations World Trade Organisation (UNWTO) in launching a seminal report on tourism in the Americas, including the Caribbean.

On Friday, the OAS said that the first joint publication, “Tourism and Sustainable Development Goals: Good Practices in the Americas”, highlights tourism as “a key element for achieving the sustainable development agenda in the hemisphere.”

The report also “encourages strengthening public-private partnerships at the local, national and international levels to face the challenges of sustainable tourism and presents recommendations focused on paying attention to tourism management.”

It said the publication, launched within the framework of the 24th Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High Level Authorities of Tourism, held in Georgetown, Guyana, on March 21 and 22, under the theme “Connecting the Americas through Sustainable Tourism,” calls for more responsible management of the sector on which 8.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and 10 per cent of employment in the Americas depends.

The report states that it is “crucial to precisely define the role tourism should play in the sustainable development agenda of the region up to and beyond 2030.”

It also urges that attention be paid to the way in which tourism is managed, taking into account the mitigation of potential risks, such as the overcrowding of tourist destinations and the consequences of climate change.

With the emergence of a more responsible traveller, the report says destinations in the region should integrate resource efficiency and multi-stakeholder involvement in adopting policies, actions and initiatives.

The report says it is necessary to better understand how the sector can overcome current challenges and capitalise on opportunities, and how to measure the role of tourism in sustainable development, including its economic, environmental and social dimensions.

Through the study of 14 cases in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, St Kitts and Nevis, and the United States, the authors present a vision that integrates a multi-stakeholder approach to development of tourism, where governments, private sector, civil organisations and other stakeholders

work in coalition to turn tourism into “a catalyst for inclusive and sustainable growth, protecting the environment and cultural heritage.”

Ranging from tourism projects to strengthening the peace process in Colombia to initiatives in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, through the participatory method adopted by local communities in Panama to promote green tourism, the 14 case studies describe how tourism can become “a central element to advance the (UN) Sustainable Development Goals in the Americas (SDGs).

According to OAS Executive Secretary for Integral Development, Kim Osborne, the joint initiative “provides greater awareness on how tourism can help address poverty alleviation, protect biodiversity and cultural heritage, and support community development in the Americas.”

He said the OAS is committed to supporting its member-countries in achieving the SDGs. As the technical secretariat of the ministerial process of tourism of the Americas, Osborne said the OAS also seeks to provide “useful tools and resources, so that countries can achieve these goals with growth, equity and access to rights. in the area of tourism.”

6

Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

GWI and GPL workers must be safe from attacks

LAST week there was a media report that the vehicle of the disc o n n e c t i o n c re w o f the water utility, Guyana Water Inc (GWI), was destroyed and the GWI workers had to flee for their lives. This incident occurred in the Buxton/Friendship area and was the fifth time since January, 2018 that GWI disconnection crews had been attacked on the East Coast of Demerara. The GWI management has revealed that almost all such incidents occur on the East Coast of Demerara.

This incident brings to the fore the public’s attitude towards the public utilities. There are three public utilities which touch the lives of most citizens: the water utility, Guyana Water Inc (GWI); the electricity utility, the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL); and the telephone utility, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Co (GTT).

The water and electric-

ity utilities fall under the aegis of the Government of Guyana and as such, are ultimately owned by the people of Guyana.

The telephone utility is owned and controlled by a foreign company. The water and electricity utilities are highly subsidised by the state, so that their services would be more affordable to the people of Guyana.

If customers are disconnected for non-payment by the telephone company, there is no protest and no resentful destruction of GTT’s property or attacks on their workers. Customers quietly pay their re-connection fee and put themselves in order. On the other hand, there are always protests in the communities where GWI and GPL have to carry out disconnections for non-payment and staff are sometimes subjected to abuse and physical assault. Fortunately, such unsocial, and indeed criminal behaviour is not widespread

throughout the country.

After this most recent attack on the GWI disconnection crew, Dr Richard Van- West Charles, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the utility emphatically involved himself in this matter and looked at the safety of his staff. GWI has been lucky in its CEOs of recent years: Dr Van-West Charles, like his predecessor, was a senior minister of government and as senior ministers, they brought a great deal of experience and capability to the post. Accordingly, Dr Van-West Charles has been functioning at a level where GWI is trying to consistently remedy deficiencies, become more efficient and provide customers with a better and reasonably priced service.

He accordingly treated the latest attack as deserving his full attention.

He emphatically sent the message to would-be attackers that GWI and its workers would not be intimidated by such attacks

and that they would continue disconnections for non-payment whenever necessary.

Though Dr Van-West Charles is aware that people in the communities where the attacks were perpetrated are decent and law-abiding citizens, he will still mount outreach programmes in places such as Buxton to inform residents how GWI would improve its standards and show them how co-operation with the utility would be in their mutual interest.

Such would help to consolidate good relations between community and utility and prevent attacks on disconnection crews in future.

GWI would secure police presence in areas where there is risk of interference with disconnection crews. Though requiring police presence is a last resort, GWI is prepared to invoke it.

We think such police presence in certain communities is necessary and we hope such a pro-

gramme is immediately effectuated. It would help to underline that the police are determined to maintain law and order.

The wider community in Guyana must realise that it is in the interest of each and every individual to ensure that law and order is maintained and should take appropriate action to prevent anyone from indulging in lawless action against the public utilities and their workforce. Dr VanWest Charles appealed to citizens in similar vein: “....It is my belief that it is time for citizens to raise their voices and their actions to ensure that law is respected and maintained, to support for the betterment of all citizens throughout the length and breadth of

Guyana”.

The water and electricity utilities are owned by the people of Guyana and all citizens have an obligation to protect them. These utilities are subsidised and as such, customers must know they are buying their services at less than cost. They must also know that the workers in these utilities are Guyanese men and women who are doing their best to make fairly outdated equipment work with efficiency and that no one in these utilities has any desire to overcharge or exploit the public. They must realise that paying their bills on time is as much in their interest as in that of the utilities.

Fix these bridges before it is too late “While Nero fiddles, Rome burns” has become applicable to the present state of affairs of the management of Georgetown, the nation’s capital under the auspices of Her Worship, Mayor Patricia Chase-Green and Town Clerk Royston King whose kingmanship quite rightfully is devoid of monarchy, royalty and a crown.

Nevertheless, with the historical and famous landmark of the City Hall, de-

teriorating rapidly at supersonic speed, so too, are two bridges that connects Merriam’s Mall, from North Road, ahead of Bourda Street to Church Streets.

Editor, the two wooden structures are not in a state of rehabilitation/repairs; but rather are in need of a complete replacement since both bridges are dangling precariously for a virtual collapse into the converging canals.

Who is the councillor,

responsible for the Bourda/ South Cummingsburg ward?

Was this pertinent issue ever discussed at a Council meeting within the last three weeks and if so, would it be given the utmost priority it deserves?

Meanwhile, with all being involved and consumed, this dereliction of duty of the numerous vendors that occupies the mall remains a gross insult to the individuals, who pays stall rental to

the Council.

Would a picket exercise and demonstration in front of the City Hall be suffice?

Needless to say, countless shoppers on the mall, Bourda Market and school children rely daily on the bridges as an interconnection for schools and transportation twice daily.

Finally, though not life threatening at the moment, the dilapidated structures for bridges can still cause im-

mense damage(s) to limb(s); more so, the elderly and by extension the women folk.

As a consequence, it’s a sad indictment that the M&CC can’t remedy this public eyesore.

Also, the “shakers down” of vendors, jobbers and passersby are frequently being preyed upon for vegetables, other edibles and cash.

On 09-03-18 within the vicinity of Bourda, and Regent Streets; another

City Constable shaker approached a passerby to purchase a newspaper, which resulted in a “heated verbal exchange” with the latter indicating “I ain’t buying no papers fuh yuh”. Apparently embarrassed, the rank as the aggressor pursued a physical confrontation of pushing and shoving.

Yours truly, Samora N’Komo

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Poetry has always been part of human life Dear Editor, Wo r l d P o e t r y D a y passed silently a few days ago (March 21, 2018). The only person who has an unending love for poetry is Dr. Ian McDonald; he lives and dreams poetry. I read his columns about forty years now and he continues to fascinate me at age 80 writing constantly about great poets and poetry.

On the 22nd of October 1963, Carter made a very mind boggling prediction about the publishing of poetry in Guyana, which is as follows: ‘‘Publishing poetry in this country is like lending books to corpses.

Few read and those who do are not equipped either by curiosity or sensibility to understand what is confronting them.’’

Poetry has always been a part of human life. It is an art that lies in the soul and spirit of man since the beginning of time. A poet writes always of his personal life and experience. He writes because he has an indispensable desire in his heart to express his ideas to objectify his poetic philosophy about life.

The English poet Shelly said, ‘‘A poem is the very image of life expressed in its eternal truth….’’

The profound truth in this line written by Shelly can be seen in the poetry of all the classical poets of old from Homer to Shakespeare.

The writing of great poetry has been the primary vehicle of expressing one’s thoughts, observations, historical events, and various philosophies from a different

perspective about life.

A great poem unlike a novel or a short story can be digested and absorbed in our souls and can become a part of us forever. The poetry of Homer, Virgil, Dante, Tagore, and Shakespeare has become a part of the literary world until today.

The divinity of their poetry has become sermons and prayers over the ages.

Poets speak a language all their own. Poets think in images-words naming a sensory thing or action. Great poetry requires a reader to experience a series of sensory experiences. Having experienced the image – we need to interpret it -its vital message the poet is conveying to his readers.

Poetry gives pleasure first, then truth hidden in complex imagery and philosophy. Its language is charged, intensified and sophisticated.

Imagery in poetry writing is what every poet should strive for to achieve in his literary craft. Imagery is not just the sensory object the poem will convey to the readers. It is not only the beautiful and musical patterning of words; it is truth and meaning within the words of the poet that gives us great poetry.

The illustrious American poet and critic T.S. Eliot wrote, ‘‘The dead poets are revealing themselves in the poets that are alive….’’

His poetic knowledge in the line I have quoted here is what I have experienced as a poet. I am inspired and motivated to write when I read the work of a great poet.

Inspiration will only come when I can value the poetry of every great

poet whose work I have read. Poetry I believe is a very deep spiritual revelation compounded with creative imagination from the unseen world into the known material world.

Some philosophers and theologians believe that poetry writing is very deep ‘intuitive writing’ that cannot be taught from mere book learning. I fully agree with them because one can be taught the literary genres and techniques about writing from an English text book; but one cannot be taught how to write.

Great poetry has to be revealed to the poet by spiritual revelation for him to become an inspired poet. It is my firm conviction that poetry as well as music and art are a God given gift given to the artist unknown to him on many occasions that cannot be taught at universities. Some of our greatest Guyanese authors and poets such as Martin Carter, Wilson Harris, Edgar Mittelholzer, Philip Moore and Petamber Persaud never acquired university degrees but their writings excelled those with PhDs degrees. Why? Because they study and read widely; one cannot write well unless they are widely read. Great reading and a love for words brings inspiration to the writer. Samuel Johnson was too poor to acquire a university degree yet he wrote the greatest dictionary and tonnes of books and papers. What many academics failed to understand is very simple: degrees don’t write; writers do the writing not degrees.

Intuition which we sometimes call ‘inspi-

ration’ will push us to write lines we ourselves are unable to write by our natural intellectual apprehension. Until today many literary scholars believe that Shakespeare never wrote what he had written because he was not educated at a university. Shakespeare was naturally gifted and inspired by God to write what he had written.

The American poet and critic T.S. Eliot believed that Shakespeare never did any real thinking to write but wrote upon inspired thoughts given to him by the imperial muse of poetry.

Poetry is an art, the

greatest of the fine arts, and the hardest in which to reach true perfection.

The true poet must be a genuine poet who has faith and confidence that his work will do something to the world and the society he lives in.

Poetry deals with the emotional intensity in man. It’s a more sophisticated art in writing that comes from the poet’s heart by a higher sort of creative imagination.

Prose on the other hand deals with the external intellect, it’s a more lucid and scientific form of expression. It is a more analytical and comprehensive

style in formal writing.

It enables man to see things more clearly; whereas poetry lies in obscure images beneath the surface of things that can only be comprehended by eyes within our mind’s eye. Poetry is philosophy locked in symbolism and magnificent imagery.

Poets are important in every society because their prophetic words of wisdom will live on after they are gone.

Regards, Reverend Gideon Cecil Author, poet and literary critic

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

GTT’s Innov8 fuels local technology drive

SEEN as a catalyst for local technological innovation, the three-day ‘Innov8’ summit, which was organised by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), commenced yesterday at the Marriott Hotel.

Leading the path of innovation was Starr Computers which sought to introduce 3D printing to Guyana with the display of its entry level 3D printer at the summit.

The company’s representative, Raleeta Persaud explained to inquisitive minds the mechanics of the printer and showed how it combined computer software with a polylactic acid filament to print three-dimensional images.

“This is the first that we’ve brought,” Persaud

said. However, she noted that in keeping with the summit’s mandate to promote local innovation and new technologies, the printer is not yet for sale but was only brought to introduce it to customers. It will, however, become available for purchase “very soon”.

Local favourite STEM Guyana also stood in the limelight at the summit with children and adults alike flocking their booth to catch a glimpse of the robots.

STEM founder, Karen Abrams noted that the booth displayed the activities that the organization was involved in, including the creation of the National Grade Six Assessment practice app and the clubs created nationwide.

“We just want to excite

them. We just want to create that wonderment in their minds and make them want to find out more,” Abrams said. She added that the summit of itself was a great initiative that fostered innovation from other ‘innovators’ in Guyana.

The Guyana Animation Network (GAN) was another crowd favourite that brought out the innovation by allowing persons to try out virtual reality gaming at the summit.

Director, Francine Leitch noted that the GAN collaborated with the Coded Arts Company from Trinidad and Tobago to present this virtual reality experience.

“We know that basic sketching on paper is what starts out any idea in technology and we’re trying to

Part of the Junior ‘cosplayers’ participating in the competition

First Lady Sandra Granger at the STEM Guyana booth hone that,” she said. Leitch also mentioned that the network was seeking to continue the promotion of innovation through its comic art summer camp.

And as evidenced, First Lady Sandra Granger commented that Guyana is proving that it is not playing ‘catch-up’. During a tour around various booths she shared her amazement of the products of innovation, especially coming from the younger folks.

Innovation and technology were, however, not the only facets promoted at the summit. The Come Alive Network Incorporated (CANI) utilised the opportunity of having scores of

young people assembled at a single location to advance youth development and community building.

“We really want to promote youth empowerment and youth building and we want to get as many young people as possible involved in giving back to other young people [and] those in need, and really helping them to understand that this doesn’t have to be a boring or dreary activity, but rather something that is dynamic and really fun,” CANI’s founder Ryan Hoppie related.

And as evidenced by the young people visiting the booth and even Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, CANI has been able to

spread awareness on some of its activities.

The final touch of innovation brought by the summit was its cosplay and gaming competitions which not only garnered overwhelming support, but also allowed Guyanese to get involved in fairly new fields while chalking up prizes.

In the cosplay category especially, patrons were afforded the opportunity to dress up as their favourite characters. Justine Hamer, dressing as Princess Azola from Avatar and Jeremiah James parading as the Grim Reaper, ended up earning $100,000 each in prizes in the inaugural competition.

Suspect confesses to Albion robbery –– hands over gun, ammo, cutlass and bicycles to police POLICE have detained a 22-year-old suspect of Ankerville, Port Mourant, East Berbice, Corentyne in the alleged robbery and subsequent shooting of a labourer of Lot 157 High Reef, Albion, Corentyne, Berbice, on Saturday night.

The suspect, who was identified as Premchand Ransohai, has reportedly since confessed to the crime and turned over the gun believed to have been used in the attack.

According to the information, Ganesh Jagdeo, called “Chucky” and “Tony” and other relatives were sitting under his

house in High Reef Albion when three masked men, one armed with a handgun and two with cutlasses pounced upon them demanding cash and jewellery.

The 36-year-old victim was relieved of three cellphones and other valuables.

During the attack, it is alleged that Jagdeo resisted the bandits and the armed suspect discharged four rounds at him in the process. He sustained close range gunshot injuries to his right hand and right side hip.

According to his mother Gangadai Ganesh, 50, her son spent eight hours in surgery as doctors battled to save his

life. She related that one of his kidneys was removed due to the extent of the damage caused by the gunshot.

“He face and belly swell, them tell meh he nah do too well, tube deh all over he body. One of he hand break and he cannot use none of he fingers,” the man’s mother related.

In addition to the labourer who was shot, two young men, including a 15-year-old were at the home and were beaten with a cutlass during the robbery.

The teen recalled that when the men came, they asked for the owner and two of them barged into the home

leaving the bandit with the gun standing guard over them.

“After them two gone inside and the one left outside, Tony rush he and them two fight and he get shot; he then go inside and me hear couple more shot then them run out,” the teen said.

According to Ganga Persaud, 56, he was in bed when he heard the disturbances in the living room and jumped out, only to come face to face with one of the masked bandits.

“I slammed the door on his face; he fired a shot and it catch the mirror,” Persaud said.

The police were called and promptly responded to the robbery scene around See page 13

The gun and cutlass recovered by the police

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Guyana must be prepared for technological changes –– local tech company boss

By Rabindra Rooplall THIS year will see emerging technologies disrupting human lifestyle on an epic portion with Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Starr Computer Inc. President Michael Mohan said.

He made the observation at one of the seminars held at the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GTT) inaugural Innov8 Summit and Expo being hosted at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown.

The event brought together hundreds of technology-based businesses, business leaders, entrepreneurs,

2018, we will see emerging technologies disrupting human lifestyle at epic portion with Artificial Intelligence and Robotics,” he explained.

The businessman added: “Therefore, the time has come when all stakeholders in Guyana from the public and private sectors to academia and civil society will need to work together to protect our young nation from falling into the cracks of unemployment and poverty.”

The first industrial revolution used water and steam power to mechanise production; the second used electric power to create mass production; and the

technologies to create a higher level of productivity, or, on the verge of being disrupted with new changes,” Mohan told persons attending the seminar.

He continued: “Countless consumers are already addicted to using more technologies to supposedly increase their productivities from the use of an electric tooth brush and can opener to operating a business at home. The end result will be loss of jobs and risk of crime increase.”

Adding that 3D Printing now opens a world of new opportunities from printing physical objects to human body parts, he said bio-medical technologies

emergency medical supplies to the helpless faster.

Small countries like Guyana can defend itself from bulling aggressors without loss of its human life with the use of military drones. Biological Nano size drones can be deployed to vaccinate its citizens against uncontrolled diseases,” he emphasised.

DAYS GONE He told the gathering that learning is an ongoing process and long gone are the days when someone could sit on a university degree and tell the world that they know it all – “pay me well or

First Lady Sandra Granger, Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, and GTT’s Chief Executive Officer, Justin Nedd, at the STARR Computer booth observing a miniature 3 D printer in operation students and youth group members to showcase their creativity, exchange ideas and to create linkages for business.

Mohan said technology will bring a scale, scope, and complexity unlike anything mankind has ever experienced before.

“Over the last four years, we have seen more technological disruption occurred than during the prior 20 years. And through

third used electronics and information technology to automate production.

Now, Mohan said, the fourth industrial revolution is enhancing and fusing the best of the past with new technologies into a new force of deep learning smart machines to replace unproductive manpower at an exponential pace.

“A large number of industries are either already been disrupted with new

will fast forward the waiting time for crucial body parts.

Autonomous vehicles in the form of driverless cars, buses and trucks on a subscription basis will eliminate over-crowded streets and significantly reduce transportation cost.

“Man controlled drones will now serve as a search and rescue tool to help to find missing people in hard to reach places, deliver

you lose me forever”.

Mohan said the focus for all should be on science and technologies, engineering and mathematics (STEM). “Subscribe to academical contents so we can open our imagination and develop ourselves,” he said.

By the year 2022, he opined that over 30 million current jobs will be discontinued and five million new jobs will be created from this change.

President of Starr Computer Inc., Michael Mohan And, he said as time goes by, “we will likely to see the extreme high skilled/high pay jobs, low pay/low skilled jobs, and an unemployment “donut” in the centre unless government start planning a solution.

He said an immediate action plan that can be deployed in Guyana with the use of Industrial 3D Printers is that “we can now print an entire home in 48 hours for under G$2,000,000.”

As such, he said that this process can be a big breakthrough for low income Guyanese.

With the massive influx of international investors to Guyana seeking their fortunes, Mohan explained that this would be a good opportunity for government to negotiate with these investors to contribute to a special funding pool for the start-up assets on this project.

Then government can guarantee loans through local banks for these low-income residents to make home purchases.

And, 50 per cent of the housing production is allocated for export while the other 50 per cent becomes available for the local consumption.

“The foreign exchange earned from export can then be used to purchase imported raw materials, renewable energy components (solar panels, inverters, batteries and controllers), and spare parts. This ongoing project can create employment, solve our homeless problem and help with national development,” he said.

He said government and businesses will be faced

with new challenges as the revolution matures. Procedures and processes will need to be overhauled to adapt to new changes – faster, secured and more connected.

Mohan said this means, software application must be smarter, adaptable to changes, and cloud ready.

Hardware will be driven by the software to execute the manual process. However, data will need to be better encrypted, regularly backed-up with consistent password updates. Most importantly, repetitious process will need to be replaced with software and hardware automation.

Cybercrime via system hijack, ransomware, and adware will be some of the biggest challenges to all.

So far, Symantec amongst others, have been a good defense from intrusion.

Businesses in Guyana need to focus its energy on innovation and productivity to compete while banks will need to encourage more encrypted Debit and Credit cards issuance to customers so as to help move away from our “cash-based” society.

He noted that government may be better off continuing with its drive for improved Infrastructure, utilities, and vocational school development along with incentising private entities to promote this new initiative for the betterment of Guyanese.

The event ended with a video footage interview of a robot named `Sophie’ at the Future Investment World Forum held last October.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Adults are having sex with children ADULTS are having sexual activities with children and it is definitely one of the major ills in our society.

How is a country meant to prosper and progress when the minds of some of the next generation are being brainwashed and/or groomed by immoral adults, who want to use our children for nothing more than their own sexual indulgence. The adults who instigate these acts know fully well that children are immature and not ready for sex. They choose children because they are gullible, mouldable and are easy prey. Boys are being groomed for sexual activity too, but it is not talked about as much as the girls who are constantly becoming fodder for their step fathers and fathers, uncles and other low-minded individuals.

Once a child has been exposed to sexual activity, he/she can become entrenched in a lifestyle that seems to depend on nothing more than sexual gratification. All this is not the child’s fault-- it really isn’t. It is the fault of the perverted adult, caregiver or other ‘sick’ individual, who initiated sexual contact. Of course, early sexual activity may lead to promiscuity and the promiscuous child is always considered ‘wild’. He/she is barely 13 years old and is sleeping around

the place, rebellious, truant, defiant, delinquent and everything ‘bad’.

But the still developing child simply has sex in the wrong context he/she may, as a result of early sexual activity, become oversexed. Sex to the ‘oversexed child’ is nothing more than an outlet for their confused and frustrated mindset. They even mistake being ‘used ‘sexually for genuine ‘love and affection’. But they are children, so what more can we expect? Children should not be interfered with. They must be allowed to grow into adults, naturally.

The most ironic point in the whole dynamics of early sexual activity is the fact that the adult(s) who should be protecting, guiding and nurturing the child towards adulthood is usually the same one(s) committing the sexual offence. It is usually a person the child knows and trusts. How is a girl child meant to bounce back to ‘normality’ after being sexually molested by her father? What about a boy who has been sexually abused by a man? Is he really meant to ‘just get on with his life’ as if nothing has happened after such a traumatic ordeal? You cannot see inside the minds of the victims, but their harrowing experiences do live on.

So many families choose to cover up abuse. Mothers know their husbands ‘deh’ with their daughters and they turn a blind eye, are in denial, or they do not confront the situation. They need to expose the perpetrator for what he truly is: he is a child sex offender and should be prosecuted under the Sex Offenders’ Act and jailed for his heinous behaviour. Mothers are far better off without people such as those in their households and around their children.

But some people don’t want a ‘story’ or scandal, so they simply get on with their lives, oblivious to the trauma caused to the still developing child -- the consequences of which will be seen at some point during the victim’s life span.

The families of some boys who have been raped or sexually molested may prefer to take money from the ‘sexual predator’ rather than expose him and let people know their business. While this type of cover up and bribery might seem to prevent a scandal in the short term, the long-term effects of the sexual assault and conspiracy can be detrimental to the victim’s development.

Children who are damaged today can become the social rejects or misfits of tomorrow. Some of them will be psychologically

‘messed up’ for life, unable to fit in socially or adapt and cope with situations emotionally; unable to hold down a job or have a proper relationship; the victim may be unable to express him/herself effectively and the list of possible negative outcomes continues.

We need dependable, well-rounded people for our future workforce; those who will lift up our country to greater accomplishments, not adults who will impede our growth, or because of their childhood trauma, set our nation on a moral decline.

It is the duty of every Guyanese to expose and report child sexual abuse, child neglect, child deprivation and all physical or immoral abuses against children to the relevant authorities.

We must not stand by and allow some evil-minded individuals to corrupt the innocent minds and abuse the bodies of our children. We need our young people to build our nation and they need us to protect them.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, ring the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION

Pathfinders, Master Guides embark on five-day camp SOME 400 campers from the Caribbean will travel to Guyana this week to participate in a five-day Survival and Wilderness Training Camp for Pathfinders and Master Guides being hosted by the Seventh-Day Adventists (SDA) denomination.

The initiative was set in motion by the Caribbean

Union Conference, which is the administrative headquarters for the Adventist Church in the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, Windward Islands, Guyana and Suriname.

The visitors along with some 1,500 Guyanese will meet at the body’s LooCreek campsite located on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway for the event themed ‘I

Dream of Greatness Camporee: Guyana 2018’ from March 27-31.

At the opening ceremony, President David Granger is expected to deliver the feature address and to inspect a Guard-of-Honour, while other ministers of government will also be in attendance.

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure under the man-

A group of Pathfinders gather for a drill exercise at during a previous local event. agement of Minister David camp honours.

Patterson has awarded a conAccording to Assistant tract of some G$10 million Youth Ministry Director towards the surfacing of a Lennox Jason, safety is loam road in place of the pre- an important aspect of the vious sand road for smooth camp’s success and, as such, passage into the camp site. members of the local conApart from the main tent, ference have teamed up with the camp will see other small the Guyana Police Force tents and booths set up to (GPF) to assist with secufacilitate medical services, rity throughout the event’s registration, food, camporee duration. souvenirs and more.

In addition, prior to enThe campers will com- try, all individuals including pete in challenges such as campers, visitors and venobstacle courses; will be dors, must produce a security trained in areas such as pass acquired during the regtent-building, fire-building istration period of the camp. and first aid; will experience The Caribbean Union drama and church services camp has been in the planand will be trained in nine ning stages for quite some Master Guide and Pathfinder time under the direction

the Loo Creek Camp site of Union Youth Director Pastor Anthony Hall, who realised that Guyana is the only country within the Region with a pristine campsite to provide the best camping experience.

The Caribbean visitors will also be given the chance to visit other tourist locations in Guyana, either prior to or after the camping event.

Just last week, the body hosted a Caribbean Union Conference (CARU) ‘Impact Guyana 2018’ evangelistic initiative, whereby 50 preachers from the Caribbean conducted one-week crusades in various parts of the country, baptising over 1,200 individuals.

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Training begins for Hindus celebrate Ramnavmi oilfield operators

TOTALTEC Academy will today launch its inaugural Oilfield Operator Training Programme (OTP) with 24 young Guyanese recruits.

The academy is strategically located at the heart of the emerging and developing oil-and-gas hub at Houston, Greater Georgetown, adjacent to the recently developed and now operational shore base for ExxonMobil, Guyana Shore Base Inc. Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman conducted the ground-breaking ceremony on February 8, 2018 during the Guyana International Petroleum Business Summit and Exhibition (GIPEX 2018), as the patron of the newly established Oilfield Service Training Academy.

According to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TOTALTEC, Lars Mangal, the “amazing speed” at which the TOTALTEC team has been able to complete its first field classroom of the academy, develop the 60 courses which will be part of the OTP programme and recruit 24 Guyanese candidates to become the future workers of our oil-and-gas industry must be commended.

“The OTP programme will be run by two dedicated, highly experienced international instructors with over 40 years of experience in the industry between them. From basic safety, through to specific environmental practices and technical training on specialised lifting operations, rigging and slinging and forklift driving will be included in the programme,”

Mangal, a Guyanese, told this newspaper.

Mangal said that the OTP programme will run for just under three months, during which recruits will be fully immersed in every aspect of basic operational and safety training required in the industry. This is to ensure that every recruit will be given the opportunity to develop and perform to the world-class standards expected in the international oiland-gas industry.

“Academy recruits will have the opportunity to be exposed to a number of highly experienced oil-and-gas industry professionals and learn from them along with determining and developing their own career aspirations and ambitions,” said Mangal.

The Chairman and CEO of TOTALTEC believes this is a unique opportunity for TOTALTEC and other companies involved in the emerging oil-and-gas industry of Guyana to contribute to the development of an accelerated participation of Guyanese in its own industry.

“Typically, without this catalyst to accelerate local-content development being established, one would not see a strong participation of Guyanese for years to come, which would be a missed opportunity,” Mangal said.

Industry sources said that the programme which has been developed is a unique one, in that it has never been done with this level of commitment and investment towards local-content development in any emerging oil-and-gas market around the world.

HINDUS on the Essequibo Coast celebrated the Festival of Ramnavmi with congregational worship at various temples on Sunday.

Ramnavmi coincides with the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is known as Maryada Purushottam – an embodiment of chivalry and virtue.

The conclusion of Navratri was observed with persons paying homage to the Hindu Goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Swarswattie during nine nights of fasting.

On Sunday, many persons engaged in congregational worship of Lord Rama, whose birthday falls the 9th day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Chaitra (March- April).

In Hinduism, Ramnavmi is one of the most important festivals and on the auspicious day, devotees repeat the name of Rama

with every breath and vow to lead a righteous life.

In observance of the day, many persons fasted, temples were decorated and special offerings of sweetmeat and prashadam were offered to the Lord.

At mandir services, pandits read the Ramayan, a text that traced the life and work of Lord Rama.

The day ended with many visiting temples to make their offerings and recite special prayers in obeisance to Lord Rama.

Lord Rama was born as the eldest son of Kausalya and Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya. He is also referred to as Maryada Purushottam, literally the Perfect Man or Lord of Self-Control or Lord of Virtue. His wife Sita is considered by Hindus to be an avatar of Lakshmi and the embodiment of a great woman.

Sunday religious day 1: Members of the Golden Fleece Mandir performing puja in observance of Ramnavmi

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Linden salesgirls complain of exploitation

By Vanessa Braithwaite SEVERAL salesgirls employed in the Mackenzie Market in Linden have expressed dissatisfaction with the way they are being treated by their employers and are calling on the Ministry of Social Protection to tactfully deal with the situation so that they will not be fired.

On Thursday during a walk about in the Mackenzie Market, several sales girls especially those employed at clothing stalls and variety stores said that they are grossly underpaid while working

extremely long hours.

While the minimum wage in Guyana is $44, 200, the salesgirls’ salaries are between $8,000 to $9,000 per week. They work six days a week and if for any reason they miss a day’s work, their pay is cut. One sales girl said her salary is even cut when a public holiday falls on a work day.

Trying to keep back her emotions, a mother of three who works at a clothing store, said that she worked at a previous variety store for $8, 000 a week and after being treated unfairly, she left.

“I left that work because

you had to go out for 08:00 hrs in the morning and most nights you closing up the shop 19:30 hrs and 20:00 hrs in the night. If you miss a day, your pay gets cut, if is holiday, your pay get cut, if you have to go to the doctor, your pay gets cut. I came to this new job and first I start with $10,000 a week and all of a sudden it drop to $8,000.

That is $32, 000 a month.

I have my three children to send to school, bills to pay, food to eat and you are afraid to talk because soon as you leave some body is waiting to take your space,” the tearful young woman related.

A section of the Mackenzie Market in Linden In Linden, where employ- do more than I doing. Some ment is hard to find, though weeks when I done take out the situation may be sadden- her $9,000, I don’t even pay ing, it is a matter of choosing myself, you still have Town the lesser of the two evils.

Council to pay, rent to pay, “I still prefer that to light bill to pay and all these nothing because every- things, so is a general thing,” where you go is the same the stall owner said. thing you getting and me This publication was told and my children still have that social services officials to eat, but I would really visited the market recently like if the labour depart- and were soliciting views ment can look into it be- from employees but it was cause it is really hard.” not tactfully done since the employers were right there.

DISCREPANCIES Whether the wages situation Another salesgirl who may be debatable, several has five children and has sections of the labour laws been working at a variety are still being broken, such store for several years, said as workers not being paid she does not receive any for not working on a national sick days, bonuses, her NIS holiday or workers NIS not is not being paid and her being honoured. salary is very low.

According to the Ministry “I could remember I had of Social Protection Nationthe flu and I really couldn’t al Minimum Wage Order, work but then I’m studying businesses within the private if I stay home my salary will sector are required to pay cut so I went to work, it is re- their employees no less than ally tough. I would encourage $44,200 per month. all young girls to take in their In accordance with Seceducation so that they can tion 8 of the Labour Act, “the get couple subjects and get minimum rate of wages paya proper job because when able to an employed person you have to come out on the shall not be less than $255.00 market, it don’t be nothing per hour or $2,040 per day nice,” the mother encouraged. or $10,200.00 per week or While soliciting views $44,200.00 per month, as the with some stall owners, it case may be.” was related to this newspaThis order targets perper that business in Linden sons operating in the food, is slow and paying workers transportation, manufacturlow salaries is not done in- ing, social services, health, tentionally but the returns hospitality and entertainment, do not allow one to reach security, garment, agriculture the minimum wage. and tourism sectors, among others.

THINGS BROWN Workers are stipulated This newspaper was to work 40 hours per week told that sometimes for and should not exceed one day, nothing is being five days per week. The sold and that the issue does order further stated that not lie with individual stall any employer who fails owners but with the econo- to comply with the provimy of Linden. sions of the order will be “Things slow bad right liable upon summary connow and when it hot season I viction to a fine of $45,000 would top up my worker pay, for the first offence and all like when is Christmas or for any second or subseTown Week or during the quent offence, to a fine of August holiday but generally $90,000 and one month’s things ain’t nice and I can’t imprisonment.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Drilling of wells in Region Nine to commence October

GUYANA in collaboration with Brazil through their respective armies are preparing to wrap up a 10-day reconnaissance mission in Region Nine, which will pave the way for the drilling of eight wells in eight villages in October of this year.

phase, the Brazilian army will be working closely with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and this collaboration will see the drilling of artesian wells in the villages of Aishalton, Chukrikednau, Shea, Maruranawa, Awarawaunau, Karaudarnau, Achiwib and Bashraidrun.

with regard to access to the communities, particularly the remote villages.

In an invited comment, Colonel Craig said that the drilling of wells is an important part of disaster response and preparedness, particularly during the El Nino season. Importantly

Officers of the Guyana and Brazil armies and a civilian on the ground Sunday On Sunday, Commanding Officer of the 6th Construction Engineering Battalion of the Brazilian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Vandir Pereira Soares Junior and Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant-Colonel Kester Craig, wrapped up a threeday visit to the identified locations of the wells.

The wells are intended to ensure water supply through cyclical dry seasons.

During the drilling

The reconnaissance mission commenced on March 19 and will run until March 29, 2018. Already, on-theground testing has been completed for more than half of the communities identified.

During the three-day visit to the communities, Colonel Vandir Soares and his team along with the team from the CDC were able to visit the proposed locations and to meet with some of the village leaders and residents to identify any potential challenges

too, Guyana is benefitting from the transfer of knowledge and technology with the beneficiaries being the main stakeholders, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and the GDF. “The well-driving operation is a comprehensive disaster risk management approach to reduce the identified communities risk to the impact of drought.

These wells, which are being drilled to approximately 100 metres and the best identified locations would seek ensure that the

communities have potable water during prolonged dry seasons and drought conditions,” Colonel Craig explained.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER Further, the operation would seek to build the country’s well-drilling capacity and ensure that valuable knowledge is transferred to the national and local players, which is key for sustainability and drilling of other wells not only in Region Nine, but in other vulnerable communities in Regions One, Two, Seven and Eight.

In an effort to stay within the stipulated 60-day project duration, the Brazilians will be bringing three drilling machines and two teams from both armed forces will be dispatched to work in conjunction.

Raymond Almando, Toshao of Bashraidrun, a border community with a population of 142, in an invited comment said that the wells will bring significant relief to residents of the communities identified.

Given its remote location, Almando said that he is pleased that the community has been included in the project.

“I say when this opens, everyone will be happy because we will get water.

We will get water for our gardens and our children.

We punish when there is no

water. I am happy that this government is working for this community.

We are not lost. We are getting this. Everyone is happy to get water because it will be centrally located, especially for the health post and the school,” he noted.

WELCOMED INITIATIVE Leonard Johnson, Toshao of Achiwib, a titled indigenous community with a population of 616, echoed those sentiments, noting that with the dry season beginning to approach, it is a welcomed initiative for the community.

“Well we are very happy that we will be getting this well. With the well-being centralised, people can come on their carts and get water to take back to their homes, because this dry season is very hard for us, so we want to say thank you to the government and we will lend our support where necessary,” he said.

This project follows President David Granger’s state visit to Brazil in December 2017, when the Complementary Agreement to the Basic Agreement on Technical Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Guyana and the Federative Republic of Brazil for the Implementation of the Project Technologies to Reduce the Effects

of the Drought in Region Nine of Guyana, was inked.

The Complementary Agreement states that the Government of Brazil shall undertake to “promote the transfer of Brazilian knowledge and experience related to mitigation of the effects of drought; provide the means for implementation of activities foreseen in the project, send consultants and experts to implement activities to be carried out in Guyana, support the development of the Guyanese technical team’s capacity to drill artesian wells and mo0nitor and evaluate Project implementation.”

Meanwhile, the Government of Guyana, as prescribed in the Agreement, shall “take responsibility for the maintenance of the artesian wells that will be drilled during the practical operations on the ground; appoint a technical team to monitor and participate in activities to be implemented, provide the technical team sent by the Government of Federative Republic of Brazil with the logistical support required to implement activities of their responsibility and to take measures to ensure that activities implemented by professionals sent by the Brazilian Government will be continued by professionals from the Guyanese implementing institution.”

Suspect confesses ...

From page 8

20:30 hrs on Saturday night, and acting on intelligence, ranks went to a location at Topoo, Albion, Corentyne and arrested the 22-year-old suspect.

The man had in possession a black t-shirt which looked similar to the one used to conceal the suspect’s face during the commission of the crime. The t-shirt was found in his crotch.

Police sources have indicated that the gang to which the suspect belongs was responsible for the robbery committed on a family of Ankerville, Port Mourant and a pensioner and her daughter at Sand Reef, Albion.

The suspect reportedly has also revealed the identities of his accomplices.

Among them is a

19-year-old, US-based Guyanese whose address was given as 157 Ankerville, Port Mourant.

The suspect also led investigators to an area a short distance from where he was apprehended and handed over a .32 revolver with two-live rounds

and four spent shells, two bicycles and a cutlass.

The robbery on Saturday was the third within the past week. Recently, investigators arrested a salesman from Ankerville, Port Mourant in whose possession items from the first robbery

were found.

It is hoped that with the arrest and confession of the suspect in custody, ranks will be able to round up the other members of the gang and stop them from wreaking havoc on the Corentyne.

Injured and still hospitalised, Jagdeo Ganesh

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Fly kites away from airport, power lines WITH Easter being just one week away, aviation heads are cautioning the general public that flying kites near the airport is “extremely dangerous”.

Kite flying is an ardent tradition, especially in Guyana where thousands take to the sea wall, botanical gardens and open play fields to raise kites of all colours, sizes and types for competitions and recreational purposes.

Although these occasions usually go calamity free, the aftermath of kites seen entangled on electricity wires and phone lines attests that although most individuals are aware of the dos and don’ts of kite flying, others still require annual reminders.

With this in mind, the Eugene F. Correia International Airport is cautioning residents residing near the airport to desist from flying their kites within a two-three mile radius of the facility.

Speaking with the newspaper, Public Communications Consultant Kit Nascimento said the public, over the years, has begun to demonstrate an understanding of the dangers involved in the matter, but the airport will continue sensitisation measures.

“It is happening less frequently…

Public Communications we advertised at Consultant Kit Nascimento great length in regards to warnings against flying kites near the airport… we also distributed pamphlets in the area, but the local population is well aware of it,” he said.

He added: “Since we’ve been advertising the public has been responding well and we’ve been doing this for the last 10 years and the public, now, I think has learnt to respect the regulations of the airport.”

However, Nascimento said should a person disregard the rules, airport security is prepared to warn, apprehend or request the involvement of the police for arrests and charges should the situation call for it.

The public communications consultant said strict measures are being taken due to the high risk of fatality or catastrophe, should an airborne object come into contact with moving airplane.

“The kite can get caught into the propellers of a taking-off aircraft; it could be sucked into the engine of an aircraft and cause an aircraft to crash,” Nascimento said, while noting that the airport is one of the busiest in the Caribbean.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Probation and social services officers sharpen skills

PROBATION and Social Services Officers of the Ministry of Social Protection are currently engaged in capacity-building training with a focus on counselling.

The training, themed “Enhancing Our Counselling Skills for Effective Service Delivery,” focuses on the theory and practise of counselling, ethical and legal issues, group counselling, record-keeping and

leadership.

The officers are being trained in batches to facilitate the training of every Probation and Social Service Officer employed within the Ministry of Social Protection.

Senior Probation and Social Services Officer and organiser of the training, Trenetta Elliot, said probation and social services officers are not only court officers, but they serve other

functions such as providing psychosocial support.

She said the workshop aims at providing officers with the tools to better enable service provision to the public in the execution of their duties.

Elliot stressed that the nature of social issues is changing daily and so are the techniques to deal with them. As a result, she said the Ministry of Social Protection aims to continue

Participants at the Ministry of Social Protection’s capacity-building workshop

exposing its officers to best practices and modern trends.

Meanwhile, facilitator of the workshop Dr Joy Wilson, who spoke extensively on personal and professional competencies, explained that it is important for social workers to know themselves before engaging a client.

“When we go to work, we don’t leave ourselves at home – the importance of having good mental health, emotional and other

well-being is critical to your success; the most important asset is you,” she stated.

Further training sessions are scheduled for April 3-5, 2018 with the final training seminar slated for April 1012, 2018.

The Probation and Social Services Department is the largest department in the Ministry of Social Protection, with probation officers in every region across Guyana.

15

Workshop facilitator Dr Joy Wilson

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

17

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

from Afghans thrash Windies ...Continued back page the 23 rd over and captain Jason Holder was run out at the non-striker’s end two balls later in the next over, failing to regain his ground after backing up too far for a third run.

It was left for Powell to revitalise the innings, posting 37 for the sixth wicket with Hetmyer before putting on a further 41 for the eighth with Nurse.

Hetmyer, who faced 51 balls and counted three fours, eventually perished when he edged left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf behind in the 33rd over and Carlos Brathwaite belted a four and a six in 14 before holing out to mid-off off speedster Dawlat Zadran.

Powell ensured the Windies got runs down the order, however, facing 75 balls and striking a four and a couple

of sixes while Nurse counted three fours in a 29-ball knock.

Once Powell missed a heave at Mujeeb and lost his off-stump, the last three wickets tumbled without a run added.

Any hopes the Windies had of an early breakthrough were then dashed as Shahzad anchored two half-century parnterships up front, to guarantee the Afghan side a solid start to their run chase.

The right-hander blasted 11 fours and two sixes, adding a run-a-ball 58 for the first wicket with Gulbadin (14) before posting another 90 for the second wicket with Rahmat Shah.

Gulbadin was first to fall, edging a wide one from seamer Keemo Paul to Gayle at slip in the 10th over before Shahzad, with a century in sight, whacked an innocuous delivery from Gayle to mid-off where Holder took a simple catch.

Rahmat completed a deserved half-century, striking four fours off 78 deliveries and seemed intent on seeing Afghanistan home but missed a charge at Gayle and was easily stumped by hope in the 37th.

Even then there was no cause for alarm as Nabi and Samiullah Shenwari (20 not out) formalised the win in an unbroken 36-run partnership.

SCOREBOARD

WINDIES Innings C Gayle c Sharafuddin Ashraf b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 10 E Lewis c wkp Mohammad Shahzad b Gulbadin Naib 27 +S Hope lbw b Rashid Khan 23 M Samuels c Rahmat Shah b Gulbadin Naib 17 S Hetmyer c Mohammad Shahzad b Sharafuddin Ashraf 38 *J Holder run out 0 R Powell b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 44 C Brathwaite c Asghar Stanikzai b Dawlat Zadran 14 A Nurse not out 26 K Paul lbw b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 0 K Roach b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 0 Extras: (lb2, w3) 5 TOTAL: (all out, 46.5 overs) 204 Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-50, 3-73, 4-99, 5-101, 6-138, 7-163, 8-204, 9-204, 10-204.

Bowling: Dawlat Zadran 7-0-26-1, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 9.5-0-43-4, Gulbadin Naib 5-0-8-2, Mohammad Nabi 9-1-37-0, Sharafuddin Ashraf 7-0-26-1, Rashid Khan 9-0-42-1.

AFGHANISTAN Innings +Mohammad Shahzad c Holder b Gayle 84 Gulbadin Naib c Gayle b Paul 14 Rahmat Shah st Hope b Gayle 51 Samiullah Shenwari not out 20 Mohammad Nabi not out 27 Extras: (lb2, w8)

10 TOTAL: (3 wkts, 40.4 overs) 206 Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-148, 3-170.

Did not bat: Asghar Stanikzai, Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Dawlat Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Bowling: Roach 5-0-24-0, Holder 6-0-45-0, Brathwaite 6-0-37-0, Paul 8-0-29-1, Nurse 10-2-31-0, Gayle 5.4-0-38-2.

Series: Afghanistan win ICC World Cup Qualifiers.

Man-of-the-Match: Mohammad Shahzad.

Man-of-the-Series: Sikandar Raza.

20

Marcus Rashford celebrates after scoring on his England debut in the friendly international against Australia.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

79 days to go …

Hart faces heartbreak but Rashford, Sterling, Kane a fearsome England trio defender they have, and one with the most experience in a back three. Southgate can’t afford to ignore that sort of know-how.

MIDFIELD: KYLE WALKER, ERIC DIER, JACK WILSHERE, DANNY ROSE The wing-backs in this formation virtually pick themselves. Rose might not be an automatic choice for Tottenham but he is still the best bet on the left flank, while Walker has been playing as an auxiliary wing-back for Manchester City, even if they don’t often play a three-man defence.

These two will be relied upon for much of England’s attacking play, but the players between them bring a few more concerns.

Central midfield is clearly the shallowest part of the squad in terms of quality, and the list of names who could effectively perform in a two-man formation is quite dispiriting. Dier and Wilshere are not an ideal pairing, in that neither have the dynamism of, say, N’Golo Kante, but they do offer a reasonable combination of graft and craft. Should a three-man central midfield be called for, then Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam Lallana might be better bets, but in a 3-4-3 this is probably the best England can do.

ATTACK: RAHEEM STERLING, HARRY KANE, MARCUS RASHFORD

Raheem Sterling in action for England

Harry Kane celebrates (ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Probably the only area of the England team which features players who(a) other countries would actively covet and (b) have been in form for the bulk of this season. This is written assuming Kane shakes off the knee injury that ails him. If he isn’t fit, the World Cup could be reduced to the most expensive and best guarded holiday the rest of the squad will ever go on.

Still, Kane isn’t England’s only threat. Sterling and Rashford both have the ability to

WITH less than three months to go before the World Cup, Gareth Southgate is trying to figure out his best England team.

Here’s how we think England will line-up against Tunisia on June 18...

GOALKEEPER: JORDAN PICKFORD If you cast your mind back to last summer, the prevailing wisdom was that Everton had “won” the transfer market. As it turned out, only Pickford represented much of an upgrade on what they already had, and while he hasn’t been flawless in the intervening months, he’s done enough to displace Joe Hart, who will be lucky to get a place on the plane, given his lack of playing time for West Ham. Pickford’s distribution will arguably be the most important element of his game for England; and if nothing else they should have plenty of pace on the flanks. Pickford spraying the ball out wide to start counter-attacks could be England’s biggest threat.

DEFENCE: HARRY MAGUIRE, JOHN STONES, GARY CAHILL It looks likely that Southgate will favour a 3-4-3 system; it’s not ideal, for reasons that will become clear, but it is a system that suits a number of England’s attacking players. However, it does potentially mean playing central defenders in a formation they are not used to, but there is just about enough for him to work with.

Southgate is a fan of Maguire, and with reason, a defender able to bring the ball out from the back with purpose, which is a quality the England coach has placed plenty of emphasis on.

Stones is still clearly the best English defender at that particular art, but they will need a little ballast in addition to the distribution. Cahill might be out of the Chelsea team and was missing from the current England squad, but he’s the most experienced

England’s likely World Cup XI

frighten the heck out of opposition defences with their pace and directness, and given that both those things will be coming from either side of Kane, you can see England causing a few problems to opposition defences. Whether they will cause enough problems ... well, that’s another question.

THE BENCH The good news for Southgate is that, assuming he does start with a 3-4-3, he has tactically flexible options on the bench.

The most obvious for when a goal is required will be Jamie Vardy, in fine form and able to play either with a partner or on his own.

Dele Alli isn’t having his best season but has still been involved in 15 goals for Tottenham, while Lallana and Oxlade-Chamberlain represent options should a change in system is required.

Jesse Lingard shouldn’t be ignored either. For all his detractors he has a knack of finding crucial goals for Manchester United, so if he can translate that to England, then he’ll be a valuable option.

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Morkel demolishes sorry Aussies to put South Africa 2-1 up

By Nick Said

Paine, drafted in to lead the side after Smith CAPE TOWN (Reu- and vice captain David ters) - Stand-in Aus- Warner stood down tralia captain Tim before the start of Paine apologised for p l a y o n S u n d a y, the ball-tamperapologised for ing controversy the incident that that has has been condemned around the o v e rworld. shad“It’s been horrible owed the 24 hours, difficult for third test all of us. I want to take after South this opportunity to apolAfrica seamer ogise to our fans for what Morne Morkel has happened,” he said at ripped through the post-match presentation the visitors’ batceremony. ting lineup to “We are disappointed, inflict a 322-run too, with the way we folded defeat on Sunin the last two hours of what day. was a really horrible Test The scanmatch,” added Paine. dal-hit AusThe result has piled more tralian team, humiliation on an Australia who have been side that has become emcaught up in a broiled in one of the biggest storm since descandals in the country’s sportposed captain ing history after Smith admitSteve Smith ted an orchestrated plan from confessed on the team to tamper with the ball Saturday that seon the third day. nior players in the He will be missing for the side hatched a plan final match at The Wanderers to tamper with the ball, as he serves a one-match ICC were booed and whissuspension, and it could be tled throughout the day a much-changed side that as they were skittled out takes to the field with the for 107 in their Morne Morkel finished places of a number second innings. of players under the game with his M o r k e l five-wicket haul AFP threat, some due picked up five to poor form. wickets for 23 runs, and caAfter AB de Villiers (63), reer-best match figures of De Kock (65) and Vernon Phi9-110, as the hosts took a 2-1 lander (52 not out) led South lead in the tempestuous four- Africa to 373 all out in their match series, taking the 10 second innings, Australia faced Australia wickets for 50 runs a world-record run chase for in a shambolic end to the game victory. for the tourists.

Openers Cameron Ban-

croft, who was handed three demerit points and fined 75 percent of his match fee for his role in the ball-tampering scandal, and Warner started brightly enough.

They took the score to 57 when Warner called a tight single and a direct hit from South Africa’s Faf du Plessis saw Bancroft (26) run out well short of his ground.

Kagiso Rabada (1-31) then removed Warner (32) before two wickets in as many balls for Keshav Maharaj (2-32) as

Usman Khawaja (1) was caught in the slips before Shaun Marsh (0) was taken at forward short leg by Aiden Markram.

Smith (7) was roundly booed when he came to the wicket and left having steered the ball to Dean Elgar in the gully off Morkel, an unhappy end to a series in which he has averaged 24.

Morkel then made light work of the tail, picking up a further four wickets as the end came in a rush for the hapless Australians.

SCOREBOARD SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings 311, Australia 1st innings 255 South Africa 2nd innings (overnight 238 for six) Aiden Markram c Pat Cummins b Mitchell Starc 84 Dean Elgar c Steven Smith b Pat Cummins

14 Hashim Amla c Cameron Bancroft b Pat Cummins 31 AB de Villiers c Shaun Marsh b Josh Hazlewood 63 Faf du Plessis lbw Nathan Lyon

20 Temba Bavuma c (Sub) b Josh Hazlewood

5 Quinton de Kock c Tim Paine b Pat Cummins 65 Vernon Philander Not Out

52 Kagiso Rabada st Tim Paine b Nathan Lyon

20 Keshav Maharaj c Pat Cummins b Nathan Lyon 5 Morne Morkel c Usman Khawaja b Josh Hazlewood 6 Extras: 4b 1lb 1nb 0pen 2w

8 Total: (112.2 overs)

373 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-28 Elgar, 2-104 Amla, 3-151 Markram, 4-196 du Plessis, 5-201 Bavuma, 6-269 de Villiers, 7-324 de Kock, 8-354 Rabada, 9-362 Maharaj, 10-373 Morkel Bowling: Starc 23-5-98-1 (1nb), Hazlewood 25.2-5-69-3, Cummins 27-5-67-3 (2w), Lyon 31-2-102-3, Smith 1-0-6-0, Mitchell Marsh 5-0-26-0. ...............................................................

AUSTRALIA 2nd innings Cameron Bancroft Run Out Faf du Plessis 26 David Warner c AB de Villiers b Kagiso Rabada

32 Usman Khawaja c AB de Villiers b Keshav Maharaj 1 Steven Smith c Dean Elgar b Morne Morkel

7 Shaun Marsh c Aiden Markram b Keshav Maharaj 0 Mitchell Marsh c AB de Villiers b Morne Morkel 16 Tim Paine Not Out

9 Pat Cummins c Dean Elgar b Morne Morkel

0 Mitchell Starc c Aiden Markram b Morne Morkel 7 Josh Hazlewood c Vernon Philander b Morne Morkel 5 Extras: 4b 0lb 0nb 0pen 0w

4 Total: (39.4 overs)

107 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-57 Bancroft, 2-59 Warner, 3-59 Khawaja, 4-59 Marsh, 5-75 Smith, 6-86 Marsh, 7-86 Cummins, 8-94 Starc, 9-94 Lyon, 10-107 Hazlewood Did Not Bat : Lyon Bowling: Rabada 12-6-31-1, Philander 6-2-17-0, Morkel 9.4-323-5, Keshav Maharaj 12-2-32-2.

Opportunistic Vettel steals victory from Hamilton

By Ian Ransom

MELBOURNE (Reuters) Sebastian Vettel made full use of the virtual safety car to sneak in front of Lewis Hamilton and hold off the frustrated champion to win Formula One’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Mercedes engine’s infamous ‘party mode’ that delivered Hamilton a blistering pole lap on Saturday could do little once Ferrari’s Vettel nosed ahead when re-entering from pit-lane midway through the race at Albert Park.

Pole-sitter Hamilton had appeared set to coast to victory with a clear pace advantage but the race turned on its head with the safety car, which was called after Romain Grosjean’s Haas failed and rolled to a stop at

turn two.

In another bonus for Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen finished third, fending off Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and leaving the unlucky Australian still searching for a first podium in his home race.

Four-times world champion Vettel claimed a 48th overall win and his third in Melbourne following his victories at Albert Park last year and in 2011.

“It was needless to say we got a bit lucky with the timing of the safety car,” the German, who had started from third place and inherited the lead when Hamilton and Raikkonen had pitted earlier in the race, told reporters.

“It’s not the easiest track to pass.”

For Hamilton, the result was a bitter pill to swallow and had echoes of last year’s race.

Vettel also managed to re-enter in front of him from

Root falls on final ball of day four

England captain Joe Root

By Matthew Henry

man to take to the field.

It also came one ball afENGLAND captain Joe ter he took a nasty hit to the Root was dismissed on the glove from another bouncer final ball of day four as by Boult and had to receive New Zealand took a big lengthy treatment. step towards victory in the Root had looked uneasy first Test at Auckland. at times during his innings Root gloved a bouncer - he got off the mark with a from Trent Boult through to top-edged pull for four - but wicketkeeper BJ Watling, settled the England innings leaving England on 132-3 at by growing into his knock the close. which brought up a 38th Test half-century.

(Scores: England 58 & 132-3: But once again Root Stoneman 55, Root 51; Boult fell between 50 and 100, a 2-24 New Zealand 427-8 dec: problem which has plagued Nicholls 145; Broad 3-78 him in recent times, having They trail New Zealand not converted any of his by 237 runs after the hosts past eight half-centuries declared their first innings into a hundred. on 427-8 with Henry NichThe wicket-taking delivolls finishing on 145 not ery from Boult bounced more out. than Root expected and, in England must bat out the attempting to fend the ball final day for a draw. into the leg side, he gloved it New Zealand need seven through to the wicketkeeper. wickets to inflict England’s “That was really good 10th defeat in their past 12 bowling from Trent Boult,” Test matches overseas. former England spinner Root’s wicket fell on the Graeme Swann said on fifth ball of the final over BBC Test Match Special. with no time for a new bats- (BBC Sport)

American Racing Tips Mahoning Valley Race 1 Wicked Love Race 2 Risible Race 3 Too Fly Salsa Race 4 Sandro Race 5 Flat Out Super Race 6 Obvious Two Race 7 Luna Mesa Race 8 Mobil’s Lemonesque Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel celebrates his win on the podium with the trophy REUTERS/Brandon Malone TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

pit-lane in 2017 before burning away to victory while the pole-sitting Briton was blocked by traffic.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said his team had miscalculated the margin between the cars during the safety car period. “ We t h o u g h t w e h a d enough margin,” he told the BBC. “It must have been a software bug in the system that caused us to get it wrong.

We are digging deep now to

understand where we had a problem.”

STILL BEMUSED Hamilton, who cockily spoke of “wiping the smile off” Vettel’s face with his pole lap on Saturday, battled to keep positive.

“Even now I don’t understand what’s happened,” the 33-year-old told reporters. “I did everything I believe I was supposed to do.”

09:00 hrs Passing Call 09:30 hrs Mahari 10:05 hrs Clondaw Westie 10:35 hrs Royal Ruby 11;10 hrs Minella Whisper 11:40 hrs Ulis De Vassy 12:10 hrs Commodore Barry

Market Rasen 09:10 hrs Or De Vassy 09:40 hrs Norse Light South Africa Racing Tips 10;15 hrs The Blue Bomber Flamingo Park 10;45 hrs On A Promise 08:15 hrs Sultry 11:20 hrs Must Havea Flutter 08:45 hrs Seattle Wonder 11:50 hrs Bocasien Desbois 09:15 hrs Two Gunsy 12:20 hrs Definitelyanoscar 09:45 hrs Sussex 10:15 hrs Winter Model Taunton 10:45 hrs Emperors Tractor 09:20 hrs Mount Rushmore 11:15 hrs Eagle’s Legacy 09:50 hrs Smart Boy 10:25 hrs Caviar D’Allen English Racing Tips 10:55 hrs Flight To Milan Huntingdon 11:30 hrs Crown Hill 08:30 hrs Schiaparannie 12:00 hrs Prince Mahler

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Smith suspended for one Test, Bancroft handed three demerit points

By Ian Ransom, Nick Said

MELBOURNE/CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Steve Smith stepped down as Australia captain on Sunday and has been suspended for one Test by the International Cricket Council (ICC) amid stunning ball-tampering revelations that have plunged the test team into crisis.

Smith was also fined 100 percent of his match fee, while opening batsman Cameron Bancroft, who was caught on camera attempting to alter the condition of the ball, was handed three demerit points and a 75 percent fine of his match fee.

Bancroft, however, escaped a ban and is therefore free to play in the fourth Test starting in Johannesburg on Friday if selected.

David Warner also resigned as vice-captain on Sunday amid shock and disappointment at the conduct of the team back home.

Cricket Australia said Smith and Warner had agreed to give up their lead-

ership roles following “discussions” with the governing body, with wicketkeeper Tim Paine to take the reins for the remainder of the third Test in Cape Town and mostly likely now the fourth.

“This Test match needs to proceed, and in the interim we will continue to investigate this matter with the urgency that it demands,” CA CEO James Sutherland said in a statement.

“Cricket Australia and Australian cricket fans expect certain standards of conduct from cricketers representing our country, and on this occasion these standards have not been met.

“All Australians, like us, want answers and we will keep you updated on our findings, as a matter of priority.”

Smith and Warner’s demotion came hours after Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull heaped pressure on CA to act swiftly and decisively.

“I have to say that the whole nation which holds those who wear the ‘baggy green’ up on a pedestal about

as high as you can get in Australia, certainly higher than any politician that’s for sure, this is a shocking disappointment,” Turnbull said.

Smith had admitted on Saturday that the ball-tampering carried out by Bancroft had been orchestrated by himself and senior players but although he was “embarrassed” by the scandal, he had no intention of stepping down as skipper.

The series is currently poised at 1-1, though South Africa are in a strong position in the third test having set Australia 430 to win.

PLAYERS CASTIGATED The cost to Australia’s reputation is high, with cricketing officials and former players across the globe branding the team cheats and fans castigating the players on social media.

South Africa coach Ottis Gibson had called for strong action from the ICC. “I’m shocked at what’s gone on. I’ve never seen anything as blatant as that,” he told SuperSport television.

“The statement from them said it was the ‘leadership group’ and therefore it was quite a few people involved, so we’ll see how the ICC deals with the situation.”

Team manager Mohammed Moosajee, an influential figure within Cricket South Africa, said he did not believe the scandal would affect relations between the cricket boards of the two nations.

“The fact that Australia have admitted to what they have done,” he said. “There is no place for that in cricket at all. They will go through an internal process as well.

“We leave it to the ICC to make the call on what the next steps are and what the sanction will be.”

“DISGRACEFUL” Australia cricket chief Sutherland had earlier told a news conference in Melbourne that the CA’s head of integrity would fly to South Africa to investigate the incident.

Sutherland described it as “very sad for Australian cricket” and said fans had “every

Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith admit to ball-tampering during the third Test against South Africa (Getty)

reason to wake up and not be proud of the Australian cricket team”.

However, the long-serving chief executive declined to call the ball-tampering “cheating” and steered studiously clear of using the word.

His reticence was not shared by Australian media pundits and a host of former players who lined up to decry the incident.

Australian newspapers described the scandal as the worst captaincy crisis since 1981 when skipper Greg Chappell instructed younger brother Trevor to bowl underarm with the last ball of a one-day match against New Zealand to secure a victory.

Michael Clarke, Smith’s predecessor as captain, said the revelations were “disgraceful” and that he had no doubt that the skipper would be “crying in his hotel room”.

“I can’t believe the senior players have made a decision to do that,” he told Australian television. “It’s disgraceful and it’s not accepted by anyone.”

Former captain Allan Border said it was a “a bad look for Australian cricket” while former Test bowler Rodney Hogg was one of many who said that Smith could not continue in his role.

How the world reacted to Australian ball-tampering scandal (REUTERS) - Reaction after Australia captain Steve Smith confessed that the team’s “leadership group” had hatched a plan to alter the condition of the ball during the third day of the third test against South Africa. ¤ MALCOLM TURNBULL, Prime Minister of Australia “Shocked and bitterly disappointed by the news from South Africa. It seemed completely beyond belief that the Australian cricket team had been involved in cheating. Our cricketers are role models and cricket is synonymous with fair play. How can our

team be engaged in cheating like this? It beggars belief.” ¤ JAMES SUTHERLAND, Cricket Australia chief “To our Australian cricket fans. We are sorry. We are sorry that you had to wake up this morning to the news ... that our Australian men’s cricket team and our captain admitted to conduct that is outside both the laws of our game and spirit of cricket.

“This behaviour calls into question the integrity of the team and Cricket Australia... we share your anger and disappointment.

“Cricket Australia and Australian cricket fans expect certain standards of

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday March 26, 2018)

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

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: 18 runs 4 wickets

(1)

(2)

Today’s Quiz: Who was declared Man of the Match when the WI played Afghanistan in the recent ICC World Cup Qualifiers Super Sixes?

Who was voted Man of the Match in the WI/Scotland Super Six game?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

conduct from cricketers representing our country, and on this occasion these standards have not been met.”

tralia captain “It’s a terrible day for Australian cricket. I can’t believe the leadership group have got a young kid play-

care who you are you can’t tamper with the ball.” ¤ OTTIS GIBSON, South Africa coach “I’m shocked at what’s gone on. I’ve never seen anything as blatant as that.” ¤ SHAUN POLLOCK, former South Africa paceman “It was pre-meditated and they’ve been caught.

They have been shown to cheat.”

Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Thurnbull

¤ DAVID RICHARDSON, International Cricket Council chief executive “The decision made by the leadership group of the Australian team to act in this way is clearly contrary to the spirit of the game, risks causing significant damage to the integrity of the match, the players and the sport itself and is therefore ‘serious’ in nature.” ¤ M I C H A E L CLARKE, former Aus-

ing in his eighth test match to do this.” ¤ADAM GILCHRIST, former Australia wicketkeeper “Australian cricket is the laughing stock of the sporting world.” ¤ SHANE WARNE, former Australia spinner “Disappointed in Steve Smith as captain to go out there and do that. To me it was unAustralian. I don’t

¤ GRAEME SMITH, former South Africa captain “You’ve got to ask some tough questions of Steve Smith and (Australia coach) Darren Lehmann. They’ve obviously driven this process, they’re the leadership.” ¤ DALE STEYN, South Africa paceman “Nothing in professional sport is done without the consent of your captain and coach.” ¤ KEVIN PIETERSEN, former England batsman “The leaderships groups jobs (sic) are untenable.

They’ve disgraced a great cricketing nation & test cricket.”

¤ MICHAEL ATHERTON, former England captain “They are in crisis. This certainly will not be the end of it. There will be consequences for senior members of the team.” ¤ BOB WILLIS, former England paceman “I would be very surprised if everyone in the dressing room didn’t know what was going on.

They were so naive to get caught.” ¤ M I C H A E L VAUGHAN, former England captain “Disgraceful behaviour by senior pros.” ¤ STUART BROAD, England paceman “Steve has come out and said it’s the first time they’ve ever tried it and we have to believe his words.” ¤ MOHAMMAD KAIF, former India batsman “Oh no! Bancroft.

Very embarrassing. From the looks of it, this is not on. Haven’t seen a series marred by controversies like this one in a long long time.”

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 26, 2018

Buxton Youth Development, Sir Leon Lessons to battle in Milo U-18 Schools final Part of the action in Sunday’s Milo Schools football semi-finals play at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue. (Samuel Maughn photo)

BUXTON Youth Development will play Sir Leon’s Lessons in the sixth final of the annual Milo Schools U-18 Football Tournament.

Both teams dominated their opponents on Sunday in the semi-finals at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.

The duo of Shemar Scott and Teshawn Gordon scored goals on either side of play to seal their place ahead of Annandale Secondary.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 26, 2018 Scott scored in the 24th minute while Gordon scored in the 54th as the East Coast Demerara unit made their first final in their inaugural year of the tournament.

In the second match of the day, Sir Leon’s obliterated

Lodge Secondary 4-1 with Lennox Young scoring a double, with goals in the 80th and 88th minute . Zion Gray (29th) and Shamar Carrington (49th) had other goals after Troyston Louisy gave the former champions the lead in the 6th.

Played under the theme “There is no excuse for Violence” due to the tournament’s partnership with the Ministry of Public Health, the Under-18 boys will be hoping to secure the first place prize of $500,000 which will go towards a school project on March 31. Additionally, 21 first runner-up will get $300,000 while third and fourth placed teams will get 200,000 and 100,000 respectively, along with trophies and individual prizes for outstanding performances.

PROFORMANCE Why mobility is just asVS important as strength PREHAB REHA With Neil Barry

Imagine yourself on the track, in the pool, on the court, field or on your bike, inches behind your closest rival, ready to make the defining move of your race. Just as you start making that big effort, ‘pop!’ goes the muscle behind your thigh, and suddenly every movement is painful as you struggle to the finish. These experiences are unfortunately major moments in the careers of many athletes, so this edition of ProFormance will explore the typical reasons for these injuries and safe ways to prevent them.

It must first be said that the feeling of ‘pulling up’ occurs with primarily muscular injuries. Your muscles are designed to produce tension and force, controlled by what is called the neuromuscular system--the brain and spinal cord interacting with your muscles. These are typically injured by either external or internal factors such as direct blows or strains.

posed to excess tensile force,

and early after returning to

are like the thick rubber band,

movement habits by shorten-

duce acute hamstring inju-

competing at high levels, you

need them to do?

can produce more force and

Therefore your muscles need

across sports. Other great

i.e. - shortening/lengthening sport, so how do you prepare and inactive muscles are like ing, so they can become over- ries by 50% in footballers, “THE preservation of arehealth isforeasier the cure of stretched disease.”B.J.andPalmer with tension. When you your muscles the work you than can be highly beneficial the string.

Active muscles at shorter lengths.

may try to perform better exercises include the split to both be strong, and long.

You might have heard the phrase than cure”.

It experienced athletes about which who play deadlift the same “Champions do not become than you have“prevention before, but un- is better romanian and Good coachesother can tellathletes you squat, champions when they win an injuries affected them. about active isolated fortunately your body might figure the single leg hip-hinge, and stretchlikely came from B. J. Palmer, an instrumental in developing role.

E.g. a goalkeeper may selevent, but in the hours, weeks, not be ready for these forces. es, and dynamic stretches what’s more, they can all be chiropractic practice who said that “the preservation of health If you’re in a team,forthen dom experience same injuries It is important NOT to develdone asthe pure bodyweight exwarmthe ups, while physical and months, and yearsisthey op the belief that giving your therapists and other trained ercises or with small loads, spend for it. The same principle can be applied easier than the cure of disease.”

Inalways sports, time lost topreparing injury costs to canthan of astill striker.

So you best effort is going being highly benprofessionals help those with while victorious performance itself to result in injury.

Instead, loads ofexperifun bepassive stretches that elite teams, players, and health systems significantly. should lookeficial into and injuries is merely a demonstration of think of these injuries as an athletes will say help with cause of the challenge to do their championship character” This edition of ProFormance reasons enced by other athletes who play indication explores of aspects of your why prehab, targeting them correctly. muscle recovery after intense – Michael Jordan, Six time NBA preparation that need to be The big take away here fatigue, and prevention of Champion. potential injuries and working to prevent them, is more ideal than the the same as you. addressed. is that stretching, when muscle strains during long role So why is the muscle with adequate seasons of competition. Another Pro- combined rehabilitation of injuries themselves. key aspect of prelength-tension relationship fessionals will tell you that functional range of moveimportant? A good way to viexerlargely used muscles your ment hab inwould be tostrengthening assess yourself. sualize your muscles working respective sport should be pri- cise, should be encouraged WHAT ISpulling PREHAB Consider your own history for of is to imagine on a loose in your preparation oritized for stretching--often string,injuries versus pulling on thick rather often and while high levelifcompetition to your hamstrings, injuries, hip flexors,especially Unfortunately in sports, do occur you’ve had rubber band. Loose string does quadriceps and calves. What prevent the injuries before resist being pulled apartthere have been proven they It happen, many elite training systems ones. many of them occur as anotresult of accidents, recurring wouldand alsoalso be until you reach its full length, now encourage is full range stop them from reoccurmethods of prevention that todoesn’t limit the incidence of injuries. very beneficial a qualibut help it also develop inseek yourout career.

Ask of movement exercise train- ringto much tension.

Alternatively, a qualified exercise proing that incorporates Simple examples of injury prevention methods can be by wearing fiedstrength, health and fitness professional you can feel increasing tension flexibility, and motor control fessional about stretchthe moment start pulling ingassess techniques and funcduring both acceleration andhelp protective equipment, keeping the you playing surface Former as freeNational from danger who can you for physiSchools Track and Field 400M record on the thick rubber band, but tional range of movement deceleration. holder, Carlwyn Collins performing a single leg swiss as possible, and by the implementation of rules for keeping athletes safe, cal asymmetries such as leg length the maximum tension is not strength exercises such Ball Hamstring Curl- (Photo compliments- TopEnd at its full length, so beyond a FUNCTIONAL as the nordic hamstring Performance Training Systems) such asHAPPENS penaltiesWHEN for dangerous tactics. discrepancies, WHAT certain length, it will become TRAINING curlmuscle to learn imbalances how to safely AThis MUSCLE ‘PULLS’ to burst.

ReResearch hasand shown e.g. movement program them into your RATIONALE FORinare less susceptible to tearing article is about weak, formsandofstart injury prevention that are more faulty patterns.

Muscle strains occur search shows that many strains STRETCHING until overstretched, however that the nordic hamstring training regimen, just like trinsic, taking into thesame individual andactive howmuscles they your muscles adapt to your curl has been shown Additionally, you should arm when your muscles are consideration ex- reoccur at the location, athlete to re- the pros.

Ideally, can physically prepare their bodies for the rigours of their sport, and to yourself with knowledge. A simminimize on the injuries they are most likely to experience. ple Google search may point out, For the purposes of this column, Prehabilitation, or prehab, defor example, that if you have had

By Michael DaSilva The race was sponsored by for the event which got under- Anthony. the veterans’ category ahead open category. Fifth place scribes measures taken totheenhance the capacity an athlete the18 an jaikarran ankle sprain, you become much in Berbiceto onmeet February went to Cho-Wee-Nam, while Forbes Burnham Foundationof way For the second stage which of Junior Niles and TEAM Evolution’s Paul De- and coordinated by the Flying with the first stage from Cor- wheeled off from Linden, Sukhai, respectively.

Grant-Stuart placed demands ofyesterday the stresses his/her sport. moreHicks likelyWalter to have another one, fourth, Jeumel Yearwood Nobrega was de- in riverton to New Amsterdam.

Stars Cycle Club.

Region 10 and concluded Berbice’s Andrew third and Johnmethods second. clared winner of the prehab Forbes considers Despiteyour not winning Despite notthe winning any of stresses in the are Simply put, physical body that is on Homestretch Avenue in placed sixth overall and there training to Burnham memorial 10th An- the three stages, DeNobrega stage, he placed second and Georgetown, DeNobrega was CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday February 26, 2018) exposed to, and works help you manage happen. minimize that. nual Three-Stage Cycle Roadto clocked securedinjuries a bunch time like win- involved in a bunch finish an overall time them of five before

Evolution’s DeNobrega wins Forbes Burnham Three-Stage Race.

hours 23 minutes 48 seconds

ner and teammate, Michael

FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN PREHAB You might be asking how do I know what injuries to prevent if they haven’t happened yet? The key is to look closely at your sport. If you are in an individual sport, it may be a little easier to look at other athletes who do what you do, and read about the injuries they have had, or ask

and received the bunch time, COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The placing among the top three City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & finishers overall.

CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Going into the final stage Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) yesterday which began on Balance training with Answers to yesterday’s quiz: Homestretch Avenue, proceeded Shane Shillingford-21 wickets (Windwards) toresistance Belfield, East Coastmay Demerara be a (1) useful (2) Khary Pierre-6/34 (Trinidad vs Hampshire) and returned to the place of oroption in prehab, as test igin for the finish, DeNobrega Today’s Quiz: finished fifth, but received (1) What was the highest team score in the preliminary round of batsman LeontheJohnson bunch time, making him the the CWI Regional Super50 Tournament 2018?

(2) How many centuries were scored in the preliminary round? overall winner. displays The winner of the first

TIPS ON IMPLEMENTING PREHAB After you have been assessed or you have identified the injuries most likely to affect you, the next step may be to make time in your

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

Windies Women end NZ tour without a single victory

Fast bowler Shamilia Connell.

HAMILTON, New Zealand, (CMC) – West Indies Women ended their tour of New Zealand in the same vein in which it began, with another defeat and a comprehensive series loss here Sunday.

With only pride at stake in the final Twenty20 International of the five-match series at Seddon Park after losing three of the previous four, Windies Women once again found themselves outplayed, to go down by seven wickets.

Sent in, the Caribbean side looked like in good shape when captain Stafanie Taylor smashed 42 and teenager Hayley Matthews, 40, in an exciting opening stand of 60 off 44 deliveries.

Deandra Dottin got her first significant score of the series with 33 but off-spinner Leigh Kasperek (2-19) and speedster Lea Tahuhu (2-27) clawed things back for the White Ferns to limit Windies Women to 139 for five off their 20 overs.

Wicketkeeper Katey Martin then extended her excellent form with an unbeaten 54 while Amy Satterthwaite weighed in with 43, as New Zealand stormed to their target in the 17th over.

The innings lay in ruins at 27 for three in the third over following fast bowler Shamilia Connell’s devastating new-ball burst but Martin and Satterthwaite calmed their side’s fears with an intelligent 116-run, unbroken fourth wicket stand.

The series was a wretched one for the Windies, suffering a whitewash in the three-match one-day series before losing the T20 series, 4-0, with the fourth in New Plymouth abandoned without a ball bowled due to rain.

Taylor belted five fours and a six in a 36-ball knock while Matthews faced 28 balls and counted six fours and a six, to give the visitors impetus early on.

When Matthews holed out to deep mid-wicket off Kasperek in the eighth over, Chedean Nation followed in the 11th over, nicking a drive at a quick one from Tahuhu to be caught at the wicket for six.

Dottin then joined Taylor and together they put on 33 for the third wicket to lay the ideal foundation for an assault at the back end of the innings.

This acceleration never materialised, however, as Taylor drove pacer Sophie Devine low to long off and Merissa Aguilleira (9), after adding 27 off 23 balls for the fourth wicket with Dottin, slashed Tahuhu to Amelia Kerr at a deepish gully.

Dottin, who faced 31 balls and struck five fours, failed to significantly raise the run rate and perished to the first ball of the final over, skying Kasperek to be caught at cover.

There was some hope for West Indies Women when Connell claimed Natalie Dodd (8) in the first over, gloving a catch behind and then removed Maddy Green and Devine (15) in the third over.

But Martin stroked 10 fours in an attractive 41-ball knock while Satterthwaite notched four boundaries in a run-a-ball knock to see off the Windies challenge. training to carry out exercises that strengthen the structures most likely to be affected.

The British Journal of Sports Medicine published research which showed that strength training reduced sports injuries to less than a third, and even halved the incidence of some types of injuries.

Even FIFA has developed a warm up program that includes strength exercises that has been shown to reduce football injuries, called FIFA 11+.

You should also keep in mind that it is not always strength training that go into prehab, as in the case of preventing ankle injuries, exercises that improve your balance and coordination are also helpful.

With regards to implementing prehab, be sure to consult with a health and fitness professional to ensure you choose the right exercises suited to you and your sport, and ask about the correct ways to implement them for your safety.

Finally, do not be afraid to take some time during a long competitive season to work on the nagging pain you might have that may be worsening the more you compete.

Additional information on the injuries that are common in specific sports and the proven training methods to minimize them may be found on the upcoming ProFormance Facebook page. Top teams and athletes around the world are investing more heavily in prehab, do not be left behind. Better to spend your time in the gym now than your money on a table later.

If there are specific topics you would like to see discussed here, or you have questions, you can email proformance592@gmail.com or leave a message on the Facebook page.

e ag

eP

Se

19

Buxton Youth Development, Sir Leon Lessons to battle in Milo U-18 Schools final

National Race of Champions..

Matthew Vieira reigns supreme in season opener -Wins for King, Persaud & Seebarran Matthew Vieira displays his chequered flag

Andrew King leads Mark Vieira during one of the three Group 4 events. (GTRidez photos)

THE first National Race of Champions featured a clean sweep for former Caribbean Champion, Matthew Vieira in the super stock class.

Vieira came under fire from Ravario Tucker in several races but held his own; demoting Rovario to second on all three occasions.

In Group four, Andrew King continued his podium form, picking up two wins in the class ahead of Mark Vieira who picked up two seconds and first.

In the Street Tuners, there were two wins for Raymond See-

Raymond Seebarran in the Street tuner class

barran and one for Narine Dasrat as they battled through every race.

Seebarran drove from the lead wonderfully before he surrendered the lead midway through the third race to finish second.

In the Miracle Optical Sport Tuner class, Mohamed Ahmad made a clean sweep, demoting Raymond Seebarran into second on three occasions.

Group two saw its first race being won by Chet Singh with Ryan Rahman second and Adrian Fernandes third.

Afghans thrash Windies to win ICC World Cup qualifier HARARE, Zimbabwe, (CMC) – Favourites West Indies failed in their bid to put the finishing touches on an otherwise successful campaign as memeses Afghanistan trounced them by seven wickets here Sunday to lift the ICC World Cup Qualifier trophy.

Hoping for revenge in the final at Harare Sports Club after two losses in the competition to the Asian side, West Indies never mounted a serious challenge, dismissed for 204 and then watching as Afghanistan strolled to their target with nearly 10 overs remaining.

Opting to bat first, the Caribbean side were coasting at 73 for two in the 18th over before slumping to lose their last eight wickets for 131 runs.

All-rounder Rovman Powell top-scored with 44, left-hander Shimron Hetmyer chipped in with 38 while Evin Lewis got 27 and Ashley Nurse struck an unbeaten 26 towards the end.

Sixteen-year-old off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman was again brilliant with the new ball, taking four for 43 while seamer Gulbadin Naib picked up two for 28.

Man-of-the-Match Mohammad Shahzad then took the game from the Windies with a typically aggressive 84 off 93 balls, as

Rahaman would turn the table in the next two races, returning to glory he once knew.

Group three was the Danny Persaud show as defending champion, Vishok Persaud, fell out on the first lap with Danny leading until his Alternator failed.

Danny returned, however, to take race two and three easily.

The Choke Starlet Cup saw wins for Rameez Mohamed and Annand Ramchand. The presentation ceremony will take place today at the GMR&SC headquarters in Georgetown.

around from point after mis-cuing one that spun across him.

The left-handed Lewis then stroked six fours in a fluent 36-ball knock in adding 34 for the second wicket with Shai Hope (23) to stabilise the innings.

However, Lewis departed in the 11th over, caught at the wicket nicking a booming drive at Gulbadin Naib and Marlon Samuels lasted 26 deliveires for h i s 1 7 b e -

fore smashing a short one from the same bowler to Rahmat Shah at short mid-wicket in the 18th over.

Hope posted 26 with Hetmyer for the fourth wicket but was one of two wickets to fall in quick succession as West Indies slipped to 101 for five in the 24th over.

The right-handed Hope missed a pull at a googly from Rashid Turn to page 19 Khan and was lbw in

Aghanistan dominated the early stages of the innings to put the result beyond doubt.

Rahmat Shah weighed in with 51 while Mohammed Nabi arrived with victory already in sight to blast a cameo unbeaten 27, ending the contest in style with three successsive sixes down t h e ground off parttime off-spinner Chris Gayle.

The victory completed a fairy-tale turnaround for the Phil Simmons-coached side who had barely squeezed into the second stage of the tournament after winning just a single match in the preliminaries.

Buoyed by a warm-up and Super Six victory over the Windies already in the tournament, Afghanistan started positively when Mujeeb claimed talismanic opener Chris Gayle for 10 in the sixth over, caught by Sharafuddin Ashraf running Afghanistan team with the ICC World Cup Qualifying trophy (Image: ICC)

How the world reacted to Australian ball-tampering scandal 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

See pa

ge 22

MONDAY, MARCH 26, 2018