Guyana chronicle epaper 08 11 2016

High-level probe No. 104640

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

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‒ President orders investigation into new storage bond for pharmaceuticals

Cocaine found in frozen fish, shrimp at CJIA 2

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‘All’ can be investigated ‒ AG says new State Asset Recovery Agency could probe current and former gov’t officials P.3

Police Constable charged with 14 attempted murder P.

Miner shoots wife, then kills self 2

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Jamaican busted 8 trying to ship cocaine in deodorant bottles P.

The packaged drugs contained inside the frozen fish

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 11, 2016

Miner shoots wife, then kills self

Dead: Theodore Adams

Undertakers placing Adams’ body in a hearse Wednesday evening (Ravin Singh photo)

FORTY – TWO – year old Sarojni Warnauth was up

to press time Wednesday evening in a critical condition at a city hospital, after she was shot in the jaw by her husband, who later pulled the trigger on himself.

Dead is 73-year-old Theodore Adams, called “Toti,” who reportedly owned a mining business. His brother, Claude Adams told the Guyana Chronicle that the couple had an argument at their Lot 24 North Road, Georgetown home, when Adams reportedly picked up a gun and shot the woman.

According to Claude, neighbours reported that after she was shot, Warnauth escaped through a window and alerted neighbours, who

The house where the shooting occured

then contacted relatives.

Warnauth was shot at approximately 18:30h; Adams reportedly killed himself some two hours later before relatives arrived at the scene.

It is unclear what the two argued about and a police

investigation is underway.

The couple had two children together.

Sources have indicated that “Toti,” who operated an interior mining operation, recently showed signs of a mental illness.

Cocaine found in frozen fish, shrimp at CJIA OVER 194 pounds of cocaine were seized Tuesday evening in a quantity of frozen shrimp and fish at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), police confirmed.

According to a police release, the discovery was made at approximately 18:40h by ranks of the Police Narcotics Branch, who intercepted a cargo shipment of thirty five

boxes of seafood of which eight contained a total of 88.2 kilos of cocaine.

The shipment was part of outgoing cargo at the CJIA, destined for New York.

This newspaper understands that a man from the West Coast of Demerara is in police custody as other main suspects are being sought.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 11, 2016

‒ AG says new State Asset Recovery Agency could probe current and former gov’t officials

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By Ariana Gordon BOTH sitting and past ministers of government and public functionaries can be investigated by the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) when legislation to set up a new agency is passed, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams said Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of public consultations on the SARU Bill 2016, being held today at the Pegasus Hotel, the Attorney General said the legislation has six parts and is designed to create the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA).

SARA will have as its primary function the recovery of State property obtained through the unlawful conduct of a public official or other person, or any benefit obtained in connection with that unlawful conduct, by way of civil proceedings taken in the High Court for a civil recovery order (Civil recovery is a form of non-conviction based asset forfeiture).

“Of course, public official means past and present, so it doesn’t mean that because

Of course, public official means past and present, so it doesn’t mean that because you’ve left the office that you escape the reach of SARU.” – Attorney General Basil Williams

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams

you’ve left the office that you escape the reach of SARU,” said the Attorney General.

The agency would be headed by a director, who, along with his staff as well as designated officials of the Ministry of Public Security (Police and Immigration officers), the Ministry of Finance (Customs and Revenue Officers), will be empowered by the legislation.

The 2016 Bill proposes to create a State Assets Fund, which is to receive credits from Civil Recovery Orders and payments made, or debts recovered in relation to Civil Recovery Orders made under

the legislation.

According to the draft legislation, 25 per cent of all monies derived from the enforcement of a recovery order shall be credited to the fund, along with the proceeds of sale of property. Additionally, any income derived from the investment of any amount standing to the credit of the fund shall also be added to the fund.

The director may authorise payments out of the Recovery of State Assets Fund to facilitate the discharge of SARA’s functions, including commencement of action for the enforcement of this Act; to compensate victims who suffered losses as a result of an unlawful conduct; to transfer recovered property to a foreign state or territory or share it pursuant to any treaty, agreement or arrangement.

Funds may also be used

for the training or capacity-building of staff along with the payment of fees to counsel, forensic experts, investigators, receivers and other professionals who provide their expertise or assistance.

The Attorney General said too that there is the aspect of international cooperation as it relates to state

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Guyana has over the past few months been working with the World Bank, the United Nations (UN), and British experts to finalise the Bill, which was placed on the Ministry of Legal Affairs website two weeks ago.

As such, representatives of the United States Embassy, including Ambassador Perry Holloway, SARU’s Director, UN and World Bank as well as Chief Parliamentary Counsel Cecil Dhurjon will be participating in the consultations today.

“This Bill is vital in the war against corruption by state officials and public officials and persons who they may act in concert with,”

This Bill is vital in the war against corruption by state officials and public officials and persons who they may act in concert with.” – Attorney General

assets unlawfully stolen and acquired by public officials or any other person. He said those assets would be reached through whichever trail guides the SARU Director and his staff.

the Attorney General told reporters.

According to the Attorney General, the Bill is important because SARU has encountered several difficul-

ties in executing its duties over the past few months in the area of accessing information.

He said during the course of investigation, SARU found that vital information could not be provided to the entity.

The State Assets Recovery Bill 2016 intends to give effect to the non-convictionbased asset recovery recommendations contained in the United Nations Convention Against Corruption 2003, which was ratified by the Government of Guyana in April 2008.

As such, the Bill seeks to fight against unlawful conduct and corrupt practices in relation to property and other assets owned by the State, or in which the State has an interest. The granting of a civil recovery order vests in the State, ownership of any property subject to the order. SARA will have a director with responsibility for the effective management and execution of its functions.

The new legislation is to be placed before the National Assembly after the parliamentary recess.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

Clinton blasts Trump for ‘incitement to violence’ [REUTERS] - DEMOCRATIC presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Wednesday accused Republican opponent Donald Trump of inciting violence with his call for gun rights activists to stop her from nominating liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices.

Clinton’s comments added to a growing outcry over Trump’s remarks on Tuesday at a North Carolina rally, which some interpreted as a call for violence against his

White House rival. His remarks also fueled widespread concerns about his ability to stay on track. “ Wo r d s m a t t e r, m y friends,” the former U.S. secretary of state, who rarely engages in direct back-andforths with her Republican rival, said at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. “And if you are running to be president or you are president of the United States, words can have tremendous consequences.”

“Yesterday, we witnessed

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the latest in a long line of casual comments from Donald Trump that crossed the line,” she said, citing “his casual inciting of violence.” Trump insisted in an interview with Fox News that his remarks were a call for political, not physical, action.

“There is tremendous political power to save the Second Amendment, tremendous,” the New York businessman said. “And you look at the power they have in terms of votes and that’s what I was referring to, obviously that’s what I was referring to, and everybody knows it.” The U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment guarantees a right to keep and bear arms.

“I can’t think of anything remotely comparable to it.

No one tells a joke about the opponent getting shot. I’ve never heard it,” said Bob Shrum, a top aide for Al Gore’s presidential campaign in 2000 and John Kerry’s in 2004.

High-profile Republicans and rank-and-file voters appeared shaken on Wednesday after a string of Trump misfires, struggling with how to best reject his divisive candidacy. Some pledged to

withhold their endorsement and others backed Clinton.

Some, including MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman from Florida, called for party leaders to replace Trump on the ticket.

A new Reuters/Ipsos

U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton poll taken Aug. 5-8 - before Trump’s latest controversy showed that nearly one-fifth of 396 registered Republicans said they want Trump to drop out of the race and another 10 percent said they “don’t know” whether the Republican nominee should or not.

Clinton’s campaign, seeing an opening, has moved to bring disenchanted Republicans into the fold by announcing an official intraparty outreach effort on behalf of the Democratic nominee. Clinton’s campaign now has a website for Republicans and political independents to sign up to pledge their support, listing 50 prominent Republicans

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and independents who have endorsed her.

On Monday, 50 Republican national security officials signed an open letter questioning Trump’s temperament, calling him reckless and unqualified to be president. Other top Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine this week, have disavowed Trump but said they cannot back Clinton.

James Rohrscheib, 74, a registered Republican and retired U.S. Navy officer from Washington state, told Reuters the reality is the Nov. 8 election will be a “tough one.” “I’m in a quandary as to who I am going to vote for,” Rohrscheib said. Trump has dismissed the defections and criticism as an unsurprising reaction of the so-called Washington elite to his drive to change the status quo.

One group that appears unswayed is Trump’s donors. Reuters interviewed nine major Trump donors on Wednesday, and not one said his Second Amendment comment had given them pause.

Trump Texas fundraising cochair Gaylord Hughey called the interpretation of his remark as condoning violence “ridiculous” and “ludicrous.”

“It’s just another issue the press has really twisted to make headlines,” Hughey said. But Mike Smith, a Republican voter and Reuters/ Ipsos poll respondent, said the support Trump is still receiving from Republicans “almost seems obligatory rather than voluntary.”

“I’m almost at the point where I think I’m going to vote for Hillary. I don’t like her,” said Smith, a 74-yearold retiree who lives in

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Clearwater, Florida. “But Mr. Trump is making me very nervous.”

Republican strategist and Trump supporter Ford O’Connell said Trump has “dug himself a deep hole” with voters and to win the election he will need to “make it a referendum on Hillary Clinton and the ‘rigged system.’” Trump sought to do just that by using an economic policy speech in Detroit on Monday to correct a series of missteps that included a prolonged clash with the parents of a fallen Muslim American soldier. But his remarks Tuesday undermined that effort.

“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks,” Trump said at the rally in North Carolina. “Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know,” he continued.

A federal official familiar with the matter denied a media report that the U.S. Secret Service, which investigates threats against presidents and candidates, had formally spoken with the Trump campaign about his remark. Trump’s comment and the resulting backlash occurred as Reuters/Ipsos polling showed some 44 percent of 1,162 registered voters believe Trump should exit the race, and that as of Tuesday, Clinton led Trump by more than 7 percentage points, up from a 3-point lead late last week.

Strategists and Trump detractors agreed that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to remove Trump from the Republican ticket.

“It’s wishful thinking to believe the Republicans are going to replace its nominee after the convention. People are grasping at straws,” Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist unaffiliated with Trump, told Reuters.

A more likely scenario would be a replay of the 1996 presidential race, when the Republican Party essentially deserted nominee Bob Dole, who was badly trailing President Bill Clinton, to focus on congressional races.

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High-level probe GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 11, 2016

‒ President orders investigation into new storage bond for pharmaceuticals PRESIDENT David Granger has ordered an investigation into revelations that $25 million has been handed over to a company to provide storage space for pharmaceutical drugs when in fact the bond is yet to be completed and certified.

“President David Granger has appointed a Cabinet Sub-Committee to review, examine and report on the issue. Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Mr. Raphael Trotman has been appointed to chair the Sub-Committee and it includes Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon,” the Ministry of the Presidency announced Wednesday evening.

When grilled by Opposition Parliamentarians Monday in the Parliamentary Committee of Supply, Health Minister Dr George Norton said that the space was being rented from Linden Holding Company, which is registered at 176 Middle Street, Georgetown, and has the storage bond at Sussex Street, Georgetown.

He said that $25 million was paid as rental and a se-

curity deposit for the month of July. He also said that the bond was certified by an agency of his Ministry. However, investigations by the local media found that the bond was not certified and that it is in an incomplete state.

Dr Norton had to report to Cabinet on Tuesday, the Ministry of the Presidency stated.

The Sub-Committee appointed by the President met Tuesday at the Office of the Prime Minister and was provided with “an extensive and detailed brief with regard to the issues, needs and challenges related to the storage of medicine and medical supplies.”

The statement by the Ministry of the Presidency indicated that the Sub-Committee Chair, Minister Trotman and Health Minister Dr. Norton, “who has made himself available to the Sub-Committee for the purposes of providing information and clarifications” subsequently conducted extensive inspection tours of both the Sussex Street, Georgetown facility along with the Ministry of Public Health Supplies Chain Management Complex at Diamond on the East Bank

of Demerara.

“The Sub-Committee is in the process of preparing an initial report and a further statement will be presented at the post-Cabinet Media Briefing on Thursday, August 11,” the Ministry of the Presidency stated.

Controversy over the rental deal flared when it was noted on Financial Paper No.1/2016, that $65 million was spent on rental of properties to store pharmaceutical drugs.

It was indicated on the Financial Paper that $38 million had been paid as rental to the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC) for the period MarchJune 2016. Norton indicated, however, that since the New GPC was charging $19 million a month (shared 50/50 between the Government and the Georgetown Hospital), the Government was obliged to seek cheaper rental.

That cheaper rental was secured from the Linden Holding Company for $12 million a month.

However, for the month of July 2015, a total of $25 million was handed over, being rental and a security

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Minister Raphael Trotman are leading the probe into rental of a new pharmaceutical storage bond

deposit.

Pressed to give details of the company and its owners, Minister Norton gave the company’s address as 176 Middle Street, but said the actual storage bond was located at Sussex Street, Charlestown, Georgetown.

He could not immediately provide an exact address, or

name the owners of the company, but undertook to provide the information at a later point. He also said the initial contract was for three years, and that the contract was signed with the company.

When the questions were first put to him, the minister indicated that he would be inclined to provide the contract

once the other party agreed.

The Opposition protested that agreement from the other party should not be the basis for the release of the contract, since public funds were involved.

In the end, the Minister said he would provide the signed contract to parliamentarians.

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

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

Editorial

Don’t politicise suicide PER 100,000 people, 44.2 in Guyana commit suicide, making this country’s suicide rate the highest-per capita-in the world. This figure is saying to us that there is a health crisis on our hands that needs to be treated as such. With a population of approximately three-quarters of a million occupying 83,000 square miles, this country is not only underpopulated, but every citizen is vital and important.

Apart from the stated, there is universal acceptance that everyone has a right to life -- which is guaranteed in the Guyana Constitution -- and this includes being able to reach the age of life expectancy and having access to the quality of life and care that would ensure so. Guyanese life expectancy should not be seen in isolation of global trends that see people living longer with the right environment, access to proper healthcare and good lifestyle choices, and where governments in leading the way, set the tone and collaborate with organisations and citizens to make it happen.

It had to have been a chilling feeling to those who had loved ones, known of someone, or care about those who have taken or attempted to take their lives, to hear the comments made in the National Assembly on August 4 by none other than a medical doctor, who it is reasonable to accept would know differently. The Opposition PPP/C, through Member of Parliament Dr. Vindhya Persaud, brought a motion to the House to address the rise in the suicide rate. If suicide is seen from the perspective that this country is losing a segment of its population through absence of mental wellness and everything possible ought to be done to address this, any individual, group or organisation with proposal (s) to arrest the situation should be entertained.

To both the PPP/C and APNU+AFC administrations’ credit suicide has been placed on the national agenda. There is no interest in debating which government is better in this regard or more to be blamed for suicide, since this does not help those who seek the help and where the primary focus ought to be. Sufficeth to say that Dr Persaud is not only a medical practitioner and politician, but also a leading member in the Hindu community. The goodly doctor would be aware of the pains this issue brings to the affected and was arguably best poised to present a cogent and

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

Absence of caution sign contributed to accident

Dear Editor PLEASE permit me to draw the attention of the authorities through your valued newspaper to a roadway accident at a recently rehabilitated/ constructed section of the road in Providence, East Bank Demerara on Sunday,7th August,2016 at approximately 9am.

At the aforementioned time, a minibus destined for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport was transporting 11 Immigration Officers to begin their 10am shift. As the vehicle approached the Providence area which is a very active or high-traffic-volume highway, it went through an un-manned, recently rehabilitated/constructed section of the road with about 200 feet of freshly laid Bitumen which had no “posted Warning” such as a “potential hazard Advisory” sign visible to the general public.

Freshly laid Bitumen on about 200 feet of polished, compacted, smooth road surface is basically oil derived from petroleum distillation and when mixed with the recent rainfall created a slippery, oily film which created a dangerous driving condition. Reports revealed that the minibus while travelling at about 80km/h, immediately and most horrific to the occupants of the vehicle, lost traction and was elevated on one side, with only two wheels on contact with the slippery road moving at a 45 degree angle, as is often seen in spy/fast car movies.

The minibus travelled on two wheels

for the entire 200 feet of the road while the occupants were terrified for their lives before it came to rest on all four wheels and finally stopped. The Immigration Officers were taken to the Hospital for medical attention to injuries as a result of the trauma.

New Bitumen laid on a road surface requires time to cool, which is known as “Bitumen curing(drying) time”, which depends upon the blacktop thickness, weather, etc, but usually three days in warm weather like Guyana, before you allow traffic on it. The curing time directly involves the oils or volatile compounds naturally present in bitumen. Bitumen that is freshly laid on the road surface is black in colour. As the new bitumen ages, it slowly turns from a black colour to more of a grey colour by loss of its oils due to oxidation from the sun(UV rays).This oxidation is actually a good thing, as new bitumen has too much oil in it when first placed on the road.

Editor, Given that environmental factors such as recent rainfall, humidity, etc, had changed the estimated bitumen curing time, hence the timely erection of a “Reduce Speed Now, Slippery Roadway ahead” Sign on that section of the roadway for traffic approaching from both directions was warranted to alert the general Public to changes in roadway conditions that require greater caution.

Further, it is a shared responsibility between the contractor and his road

ironclad case of impressing on her colleagues in the House, including across the aisle and those paying attention, to the seriousness of the issue and need to address same in like manner.

When in making the presentation, the world was told that the heart-rending statistic has to do with what the MP considers the “impact of daily hardships fuelled by a stagnant economy; the curse of unemployment, especially among youths in rural communities; the shameful and hurtful indiscriminate firing or laying off of persons; the poor state of the rice industry, and that all these negatives, are manifested in the spate of suicides that threw this nation asunder as the year 2016 begun,” the golden opportunity to display compassion for the vulnerable and their loved ones was crushed.

Dr Persaud is not new to politics, how society functions, data arrived at and analysed, but sufficeth to say eight months of a new administration cannot be responsible for what she has so claimed. For instance, a national unemployment rate of 21 percent, equally as having almost half of the young demographic, who make up approximately three-quarter of the population, being unemployed did not happen in eight months, though they become the responsibility of the present government to address.

That having been said, where members of the Opposition made known what they think are the causative factors of suicide, management, deficien-

crew that undertook the road project, and the traffic regulation patrol body responsible for enforcing road safety in the Providence area to ensure that the finished road works do not present an unknown hazard before it is kept open to the general public.

Road slipperiness due to the cumulative effects of oil and water can be measured either in terms of the friction between a freely spinning wheel and the ground, or the braking distance of a braking vehicle and is related to the coefficient of friction between the tyre and the road surface. Public works agencies in advanced democracies such as in Britain, Canada, etc spend a sizeable portion of their budget measuring and reducing road slipperiness, seasonally.

Even a small increase in slipperiness of a section of a road can increase the accident rate of that section of road 10fold, and result in a potential lawsuit for negligence for the responsible party.

Currently, there are frequent road rehabilitation and construction projects occurring or planned across Guyana, which I think we can all agree are necessary for Guyana’s development.

However, let us ensure that it is done in a safe manner without putting the general Public at risk, who should be able to see the extent and nature of any road condition well before they reach it.

Sincerely, CLINT THORNTON

cies and recommendations, these should not be ignored. No group or individual has the monopoly on knowledge of this issue. And if, the PPP/C Government left a 2014 Mental Health Strategic Plan and the National Suicide Prevention Plan 2015—2020, these should be examined and where applicable or relevant be implemented. In the meantime, persons are continuing to lose their lives through suicide.

They need our unequivocal support to avoid seeing suicide as the means to cope with challenge(s) facing them. A few days ago 18-year old police constable Sham Kumar Persaud hanged himself. Annan Boodram of ‘ The Caribbean Voice’ in a very telling letter, which this newspaper carried on 8th August, not only recounted the complexities facing someone who wanted to end his life and was seeking help, but also included what he considers deficiencies in addressing the matter.

There are other organisations and individuals, home and in the diaspora, who are helping in whatever way they can, including offering proposal(s) to manage the problem and all voices and help, providing done properly, are needed. Suicide is a national and global problem.

The Government, Opposition, other political parties, civil society and citizens must see it as a collective problem with a collective responsibility to fix. In pursuit of this, the politics of scoring points and hitting low blows should be suppressed.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

Cush says parking meters will modernise city THERE has been plenty of talk recently on the subject of the parking meters, which are coming soon to the City of Georgetown.

Many have spoken. However, the discourse here will be more relevant to our citizens who will benefit the most; for business always comes down to the dollars and cents of a project’s economic costs and benefits.

Georgetown’s traffic woes notwithstanding, when it comes to metered parking on municipal streets, a wealth of empirical evidence and general analyses already exist and have been widely published and are available. However, before even considering these, let’s begin with a layman’s logic of how the city’s new metered-parking initiative may affect the layperson’s daily routine, starting from the quantifiable and moving onto the qualitative.

In order to keep it sim-

ple, let’s ask some simple questions: #1. Would I, as a resident of, or a visitor to, Georgetown, prefer to: (A) Encounter a parking space immediately upon arriving at my destination, with such parking space being physically close to my destination; or circle the block(s) of my destination for tens or even scores of minutes looking for parking, while burning gasoline (which costs money) + wasting my time (which costs money)+ putting stop and go mileage on my car (which costs money)?

Would I as a resident or visitor of Georgetown, prefer to: drive in a city where traffic flow is fluid and unaffected by drivers searching for parking; or have traffic be substantially congested and slowed by the many other vehicles spilling over onto the streets on which I am driving as other drivers circle in their own

search for parking?

Studies have shown that as much as 33% of traffic in cities is caused by the search for parking.

Have city-wide parking regulations which encourage mobility and parking space turnover and availability, and thus have my customers gain easy access in both their drives to my store, and in their search for parking near my store or have myself and each one of my driving employees and my suppliers (not to mention those of my neighboring businesses) park for free in front of my store all business day long so that when my customers come around looking for their own place to park, they are negatively impacted by the lack of parking space availability and the resultant increase in traffic congestion?

Yes, the questions formulated are indeed rhetorical. However, to render Choices (A) in each of the

Genie out the bottle WELL the Genie is out of the bottle with the discovery of four secret bank accounts and it will be very difficult for the City Treasurer, Town Clerk or the Mayor of Georgetown to stuff it back into the bottle.

To begin, the law stipulates that the Georgetown municipality should have only one account, and I challenge any municipal official to prove this to be false. So apart from the other four accounts being surreptitious, which is a downright disgrace, it is also completely illegal. The fact that they don’t include them into the financial statements is criminal and needs to be dealt with as such.

The fact that the Town Clerk is preventing a forensic audit from being held clearly indicates that there is much to hide at that institution. Might I say that the discovery of the four secret bank accounts is the mere tip of the iceberg of what has been and continues to be, the propagation of massive corruption and wrongdoing at City Hall. When the cover is finally blown at the Council, it will turn out to be the biggest scandal and venality

Guyana has ever seen.

And could you imagine the Town Clerk giving us a lecture on Corruption of Omission and Corruption of Commission? Unbelievable!

Let me give him some examples of Corruption of Omission to which they are engaged, including their

failure to remit National Insurance Scheme and Guyana Revenue Authority contributions and deductions that they deduct from their employees for months at a time, or when they collect property rates which are supposed to fix roads, or install street lights or to pro-

above questions a reality, there needs to be some sort of city-wide intervention.

This intervention has come to Guyana in the form of the metered-parking initiative planned for launch in September/October. This will mean that Choices (A) will imply a certain cost. And, this cost, judging by all the press, is likely to end up in the range of 200-300 GYD per hour of parking. Certainly even a cost of 200-300 GYD per hour of parking is still a bargain when applying it as a COST for all the Choices (A) above, and then comparing this cost to the total cost implicit in all the combined Choices (B) above.

To be sure, the hourly unit cost of the metered-parking initiative MUST be priced right.

That is to say, that too low of a parking tariff to be paid by those who CAN afford to own a car, and perceive that they CAN

afford the luxury of driving their private vehicles to their city destinations, will not provide adequate disincentive to drivers from occupying parking spaces for prolonged periods of time. Thus, too low a tariff will not allow for the realization of the benefits of reduced parking space occupancy, reduced traffic congestion, reduced waste of human time, reduced emissions, etc. On the other hand, pricing the parking tariff too high could prove onerous upon drivers and prevent them from realizing the (properly priced) luxury of driving to, and parking in front of, their city destinations.

So far we have considered certain direct and quantifiable benefits of municipal-metered parking.

However, the case becomes far more compelling when considering some of the other, more qualitative impacts metered-parking initiatives

have had on cities the world over. These benefits can then be considered as somewhat of added bonuses, since we have already shown that the benefits associated with Choices (A) above, far outweigh their cost as detailed in Choices (B) above.

Having herein analyzed the Georgetown Metered Parking Project from the all-important business perspective, the conclusion is “Let’s do it.” Let’s do it for Georgetown.

Let’s price it right. Let us reap all its benefits. Let this Parking Project be the first of many improvement and development projects that come to our shores.

And let our city be modernized and developed to its full potential so that the city of Georgetown may stand shoulder to shoulder with the other great capital cities of the world.

vide humane and hygienic meat-processing facilities to citizens which they don’t, but instead use these property rates to travel around the world. And I could give tons of other examples.

Regarding examples of Corruption of Commission, one can allude to

the awarding of contracts of hundreds of millions of dollars to a special friend known as “Brother” or “ Man” without tender or procurement procedures and , the well-known and shameful parking meter arrangement. I consider the Town Clerk’s lecture

and excuse for failing to pay employees on time to be presumptuous, arrogant and disrespectful to all Guyanese.

Regards IFA KAMAU CUSH

Best Regards DEODARIE PUTULALL

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 11, 2016

Parfaite Harmonie Jamaican businesswoman robbed, busted with cocaine neighbours raise alarm in deodorant bottles ‒ praise police response

A 54-YEAR-OLD Jamaican national was Tuesday immediately arrested after trying to ship over one pound cocaine in roller deodorant bottles through the Post Office, Police said.

Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit agents stationed at the post office became suspicious when the man presented the cheap roller

deodorants to be shipped.

When a detailed examination was done agents realized that all the items were of the same scent and this further sparked their interest. When the balls were extracted from the deodorant bottles it was discovered that cocaine was concealed in the bottles. Charges are expected soon.

Pensioner shot, robbed of motorcycle A PENSIONER who works as a security guard was Tuesday night shot and beaten by bandits who stole his motorcycle after he returned home at his Lot 1497 Westminster, Parfaite Harmonie residence.

The man, 65-year-old Winston Forrester, who works at Courtney Benn Contracting, said after arriving home on his motorcycle CH 879 at 19:15 hrs he parked in front of his door.

“I parked my bike in front the door and I locked it and I hear foot step when I look around, I see two men

behind me and one of them said, ‘give me the f@$king keys.’

“They beat me in my head and then they shoot me and beat me again,” Forrester recalled in anguished.

Adding that the two men were relentless and did not give him a chance to respond, Forrester said the men appeared to be in their twenties. He said one of the bullets entered and exited his left upper shoulder.

Forrester said the bandits were brazen and weren’t masked. He said at his age he is willing to

Pensioner Winston Forrester displays his injuries

work hard and the authorities and police should deal with youths condignly who are lazy and appear to be criminal elements.

BANDITS who robbed a businesswoman while she was closing her supermarket in at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD) around 19:00 h Tuesday night escaped after neighbours raised an alarm, when they notice one of the gunmen escorting her into the upper flat of her building.

The businesswoman and her two staffers were beaten and robbed in the lower flat, which houses the supermarket at Lot 4881 La Parfaite Harmonie. The bandits, who were focused on gaining access into the upper flat, only managed to escape with three phones, wedding rings and the day’s sale.

Proprietor of N&V Mini Mart, who requested anonymity said that around 19:00 h on Tuesday, they started experiencing a fluctuation in the power, which caused the street lamp in front of her house and business to shut down and so they decided to close early.

“One of my staff went upstairs to put some stuff on the landing and when she was coming down back, one of the guys grabbed her and

she started to scream,” the businesswoman said.

Upon investigating the reason for the scream, she said an armed man walked towards her and struck her and another staff on their heads before collecting the keys to the supermarket and her home.

The traumatized woman recalled one of the bandits repeating “I want to kill somebody tonight and I’m willing to kill somebody,” as he dragged her to the back of the supermarket.

“They were saying that they wanted to go upstairs and they were hitting us and I had to tell them that I will do what they want and I open the side door for the supermarket but they wanted to go upstairs...” she said.

“While walking up the step, he told me to bend and duck but I refuse because I know my neighbours would look so I walk upright and they were looking.”

Recalling the terror, she said when she reached to her door; she tried to delay the gunman while using the wrong key to open the door.

But the irate gunman became impatient, fearful, she

eventually opened the door.

“When I walked in, he walked in behind me and the neighbours see and started screaming and he panicked and walk out back and I closed the door from inside and press the alarm,” the businesswoman said.

Immediately after she then ran to the window and began shouting loudly for “thief, thief” several times to raise and alarm but the bandits had already disappeared.

She praised the police for their quick response and is asking for patrols to be in the area more often since many persons are victims of robbery.

Divisional and Branch Commanders; ‘D’ Division Stephen Mansell said police visited the scene promptly and began searching the area for the bandits but found nothing. He said police will be on the alert.

Meanwhile, he noted that on Wednesday the marine police also quickly intercepted a boat with an occupant who dropped a bag containing 35kilos of compressed marijuana.

He noted that police in the division are doing their best to keep crime under control.

The supermarket the bandits attacked

Officials deny Timehri prisoner was beaten

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 11, 2016

THE Deputy Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, has denied claims by Timehri residents that a prisoner was beaten, threatened and placed in solitary confinement.

Personally investigating the report, Samuels said he visited the Timehri Prison and spoke to the prisoner, Ramchand Parmasadin, who explained the scenario that occurred Sunday last.

Samuels said the prisoner was part of a batch of inmates who were dispatched Sunday last as part of the prison’s programme.

He explained that the prisoner in question was at a worksite where he was caught by an officer in the washroom with 3.1grams of marijuana – this was subse-

quently weighed inside the prison.

“He ball up half of the weed and decided to keep half in his pocket,” Samuels said the prisoner related to him when questioned.

He said the officer who spotted the prisoner’s illegal actions immediately tried to confiscate the prohibited article and the prisoner resisted.

This, he said, caused a scuffle between the two. The director said this was the only occasion where there was any act of violence and the inmate then surrendered the piece of narcotic.

“The officer conducted a search on the prisoner and found the remainder of the narcotic in his pants pocket; this amounted to 3.1grams when weighed,” the Deputy

Deputy Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels

Director noted.

He explained that the prisoner was then escorted to the front of the building where the works were being done and he was placed to sit on a bench.

When the other prisoners learned of what transpired, Samuels said they threatened Ramchand Parmasadin, accusing him of making their lives hard with the trouble he had caused.

Mr Samuels said as a result of the threats, Parmasadin told him he became fearful for his wellbeing because the inmates said they will “break his bones.” Fearful, Samuels related that the prisoner sprinted across the road from the worksite where he disappeared into the clump of bushes.

When a search was carried out by the prison warden and other prisoners jointly, they could not locate Parmasadin.

Samuels said that when the search party left the area,

a Cadet Prison Officer in a car discovered Parmasadin at the Linden/Soesdyke junction. The Cadet Officer then ordered the prisoner to get into the vehicle to which he complied.

He was then taken into the officer’s custody then back to Timehri Prison. “The prisoner gave a statement of what happened and he was removed from one dormitory and placed in another.”

Samuels said the prisoner upon his return to incarceration was never beaten and there were no marks of violence on his body, and to this the prisoner can attest.

However, according to the previous report a prison warden on Sunday reportedly threatened to kill an inmate of the Timehri prison after the

prisoner was accused of trying to escape while working at Sugrim Residence, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (ECD), residents said.

According to reports, three prison wardens booked out prisoner Ramchand Parmasadin on Sunday to work outside the prison compound.

The prisoner who is serving a two-year sentence was carried to Soesdyke where he was ordered to pack a container with coals.

It was further reported that the prisoner who was eventually left unsupervised decided to leave his worksite. The warden found him sitting on a bench at the Soesdyke junction and he was taken back to the prison beaten and threatened.

comments were “very mild” compared to what he has said locally since the coalition government assumed executive office.

“The first thing I said is that this government discriminates against indo-Guyanese. Its, true and I repeat it today again. It discriminates against indo-Guyanese. Secondly, I said they discriminate against supporters of the PPP. I’ve said that before.

I’ve spoken about if you’re Black and you’re PPP then you face the brunt of the assault of the Government,” the Opposition Leader said.

He attempted to justify his claim by reasoning that the first and largest act of discrimination against PPP supporters in Guyana was the termination of employment of nearly 2000 indigenous community support officers (CSO). Jagdeo said that these persons were dismissed on the basis of their work being deemed political in nature, which supports his contention that there is political discrimination. “It was political work. So it was political discrimination,” he said.

He also referenced another point he made in New

York, which was, “We’re going to work hard and take back this country,” explaining that he meant taking back the country from “people who discriminates based on your politics or your race.”

Jagdeo went on to suggest that if those comments he made make him a racist then President David Granger has to be racist too.

“If I am racist then the President has to be racist too for things he said in the past and continues to say. I will not stop representing people; if I feel they are being discriminated against I will speak out against it.

So today I want to repeat all that I said abroad and I want to unequivocally stand by every statement I said so far,” he said.

Jagdeo maintains Indo-Guyanese under ‘assault’ Jagdeo repeats ‘racist’ comments

By Ravin Singh DESPITE his comments being deemed “racist” by many, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has said that he stands by the comments he made in New York recently.

“Today I want to repeat all that I said abroad and I want to unequivocally stand by every statement I said so far,” Jagdeo said at a press conference held at the Peoples’ Progressive Party’s (PPP’s) Freedom House headquarters on Wednesday.

About two weeks ago, the Opposition Leader, while speaking at a social event in Queens, New York, said Guyana’s political, economic and social conditions were worse than in the 1970s and 1980s under the then People’s National Congress (PNC) Government. He went on to suggest that there is discrimination on the basis of ethnicity being perpetuated by the coalition Government, on people of Indian descent.

“There is an assault on our democracy. There is an assault on people of Indian origin. There is an assault on supporters of the PPP. What

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

we thought would never return to Guyana in just one short year has returned with full force, and even worse in some regards than the Burnham era,” he told the predominantly East Indian gathering.

Subsequently, President David Granger in his weekly television show, The Public Interest, lamented the dangers of such claims in a multi-ethnic society like

Guyana’s. The Head-of-State noted that these sorts of comments are not helpful to Guyana and if Jagdeo or the PPP had evidence of this claim, they should either present them to the government or take them to the courts.

And while a slew of criticisms has followed Jagdeo for his comments, the former President said that he was surprised that he was criticised because these

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 11, 2016

‘May we exist like the Lotus flower-easy in muddy water’ - Zen proverb THERE I was once again being fed my chemo intravenously as I reclined in my chair, I was onto my sixth treatment and my upbeat demeanour had been replaced with a determined, let’s-get-this-over-with attitude. I was as fed up as a person could be in this situation, or so I thought.

My sixth visit to the chemo room was marked by the presence of one of my oldest and dearest friends, Vitri, who no longer lives here in Guyana, but was visiting for the wedding of our mutual friend Ann, which was to take place later that week. I was happy that I would be able to attend the wedding just days after my chemo session, another upside to my new chemo drug Taxol.

Don’t get it twisted though, I still suffered with the joint

pain that had developed after my fifth cycle and even though it was less intense than when it started, climbing stairs could still be excruciatingly painful at times.

As Vitri and I laughed about our silly high school exploits such as skipping classes to play cards at the KFC (how teenagers had fun in our ‘time’, pokemon go-what? ) a patient was being made to lay down on a nearby bed, her IV was not connected as yet.

“Perhaps she has high blood pressure,” I offered Vitri as a possible reason why she was laying down and had not been treated as yet. “They [the Nurses] have to make sure your pressure and pulse rate are normal before they can administer the chemotherapy; sometimes they will tell a patient to re-

lax for a few minutes or they will crack jokes with them to lighten up their mood, because most anxiety is mental anyhow”, I continued on with Vitri nodding in agreement.

Vitri started to respond but was abruptly cut off by the sounds of loud coughing from the patient on the bed.

We both turned to her direction and were met with a sad smile from a girl around our age as she tended to the patient on the bed. We learnt that the patient was the girl’s mother after asking whether she was ok as the insistent cough persisted. It sounded as though it was coming from some place deep inside her body, every time she coughed her body convulsed violently; she had thus managed to say hello to Vitri and I before the cough took

control of her body again.

Her daughter explained that her mother -- whose age I estimated to be close to late 40s, early 50s -- had been diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago and was on treatment ever since. As we exchanged health information, the nurse came over and was able to set “Aunty’s” line.

I am in the habit of calling people I don’t know (in Guyana) but who are old enough to be my parents Aunty/Uncle unless otherwise asked not to. I have friends whose parents (non-Guyanese) prefer to be called by either their first name or their last- I always go for the last name because I have a problem calling elders “full mouth” as I believe is the colloquial term, since culturally we’re taught that

it hints at disrespect.

“Aunty’s” coughing was less intense but she started to groan in pain. Stomach cramps, her daughter explained, before she left the room to get her mother some coconut water. The intensity of the cramps seemed to fluctuate and she was also able to have a longer dialogue with me with less interruptions from her respiratory system. Aunty offered me words of encouragement and strength, I was taken aback that this woman was looking straight at me -- no eyebrows, no eyelashes,hair completely gone and racked by intense pains every few minutes-and telling me that I would be fine and to keep my spirits up, “Do not give up,” is what she said. She had completed eight cycles of chemotherapy just the year before, but this

year it was found that it had spread to her stomach and thus required more chemo.

I could not begin to imagine what she was going through.

What a remarkable human being -- suffering herself, but being more concerned about how I felt.

Even though I never saw “Aunty” after that day, her words “do not give up” stayed with me, not because they were particularly profound, in fact, they could probably be found in my cancer-diplomacy article, but because these words came from a place of almost hopelessness, these words went against everything I saw its speaker go through. These were seeds of hope planted in a murky environment and much like the lotus I had to have faith they would bloom.

Meeting debt obligations, providing services tough for City Hall ‒ Town Clerk

TOWN Clerk Royston King has observed that it is difficult for the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to strike a good balance in providing services to citizens and honouring financial obligations.

This, he said, is due to the Council’s “very meagre resources.” However, King said he believes that the Council can overcome the challenges.

At Monday’s statutory meeting, King was speaking in the context of a delay in the payment of wages and salaries to City Hall workers.

According to him, a situation with Republic Bank had to be corrected before the workers could be paid.

“We managed to correct the situation and our accounts have been settled at Republic Bank and as we speak, workers are receiving their salaries. We wish to thank workers for their support and understanding.”

“We continue to do works in the city, some monumental tasks, and we have to strike a good balance between fulfilling our mandate to local communities and the city as a whole and honoring our financial obligations to contractors and workers. It is not easy given our very

meager resources but by God’s grace and support of this council, the understanding and patience of workers, I believe that we will overcome,” King continued.

In an invited comment yesterday, Mayor Patricia Chase-Green told this newspaper that she does not believe that the municipality is cash-strapped, even as it “overstretched” its budget to do clean-up works in time for the jubilee celebrations.

Just last Monday, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor Bishram Kuppen told reporters on Monday that he is uneasy with the situation involving accountability at the M&CC.

“I am deeply troubled about what is going on at City Hall regarding the lack of accountability and transparency as it relates to the City’s finances, with billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money being spent without any credible financial reports or audits performed for the money spent, as required by the Municipal & District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01, Sect 177.”

The Georgetown City Council has recently promised to have improved services and facilities, better markets, efficient management of the City’s affairs; and, more importantly, transparency and account-

ability for taxpayers’ money.

However, Kuppen said that there is a perception that corruption is rampant at City Hall, and this perception is fueled by the lack of accountability for hundreds of millions of dollars spent on projects such as the Stabroek Market clean-up and the Merriman’s Mall rehabilitation project.

“I have consistently called for a forensic audit to be conducted on the City of Georgetown’s finances.

And, I am not the only one who has been calling for this forensic audit. When any new Council takes over, it should be presented with an audited financial statement

of the Council’s finances from the Auditor General as soon as possible,” Kuppen said, but noted that this did not happen.

He said several attempts were made to move a motion for a forensic audit to be done at the M&CC, and several written requests were submitted to the Mayor and the Town Clerk to have the motions included on the agenda for the statutory meeting held every Monday.

However, it has been alleged that Town Clerk Royston King responded saying that the motions were faulty, but did not advise what those deficiencies were.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 11, 2016

Less than $200 an hour to park in city ‒ when parking meter system begins

Mayor Patricia Chase-Green inspecting a parking meter in Mexico City last June

THE parking meter system that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) wants to implement in Georgetown will no longer come on stream from September 1, Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen has said.

However, when it does become a reality, the cost will be less than $200 to park per hour, she told the Guyana Chronicle Wednesday. The delay in meeting the September launching is due to a review of the contract that was undertaken by the government recently.

According to ChaseGreen, the M&CC wants to ensure that all of the recommendations coming out of the Ministry of Finance and the Auditor General’s Office are met.

City Councillors were on Monday each handed a copy of the review of the parking meter contract that was undertaken by the two agencies and a special meeting will be convened for discussion of the recommendations.

Town Clerk Royston King distributed the document to the councillors at the statutory meeting and observed that a meeting to have the recommendations discussed is in order so that the Council can know how to move forward with the parking meters.

The Mayor had lamented the fact that even before councillors were afforded the opportunity to peruse the document, some sections of the media have already published reports coming out of it.

“The most important part of the mandate of the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General’s office is not being highlighted in those reports. But when you have your copy in your hand, you will see it. I’m happy that it came out that there is no irregularity, or illegality in

the contract. For some reason that is not being peddled in the media” Chase-Green told councillors.

Cabinet Secretary Joseph Harmon, at a post-Cabinet media briefing, had told reporters that government decided to review the controversial parking meter contract to ensure that there are no illegalities based on the complaints that were being made.

The contract for the implementation of the parking meters project was signed with National Parking Systems (NPS)/Smart City Solutions early in May. Harmon had assured that government’s decision to review the contract was by no means an attempt to interfere in the affairs of the City Council. “If they claim there is something wrong or there is something illegal, then government has a responsibility to look at the contract itself to see whether there is anything in the contract that closely resembles the complaints by citizens.”

He said government supports the efforts of the City Council to garner revenue while reducing congestion on city streets, but that government’s intervention is necessary because Georgetown is the Capital City.

According to Harmon, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan briefed Cabinet about the project, noting that whatever the outcome, it is the citizens who will be affected.

Maintaining that City Hall is an independent body, Minister Harmon said, “It is a young Council and we believe it must operate independently.”

When asked whether government would lend its voice to the amount that should be charged for the use of the meters, Harmon said, “The issue of rates, whether too

high or low…are issues for the Council itself.”

Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen had said that the Council is currently reviewing the rate to be charged and that although $500 per hour to park was initially touted, the cost will now be way less than that.

Parking meters are to be installed on every street between South Road and Church Street, Water Street and Camp Street.

Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan has publicly declared that the parking meter project is a shady one. He said the mere fact that the City Mayor has refused to reveal the details of the contract to city councillors and make the contract public, suggests that something sinister is taking place.

“So much has been shady with regards to the contract and how it will be rolled out.

“What is so special about

this contract that it cannot be shared with the public? Who would steal it? Another country? Another municipality? It doesn’t make sense,” Duncan opined.

Chairman of City Hall’s Finance Committee, Oscar Clarke had said the City Council does not need to seek permission from anyone to have the project implemented but it was only out of a matter of courtesy that the minister was contacted.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 11, 2016

Critchlow Labour College refuses ‒ wants conditions $15M gov’t subvention withdrawn

BY Ariana Gordon

GENERAL-SECRETARY of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) Lincoln Lewis says the Critchlow Labour College (CLC), managed by the GTUC will not be accepting the $15M subvention granted it by the Government of Guyana unless the government withdraws the conditions to which the money can be collected.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday, Lewis said that the utterances by Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Monday demonstrates that he is not fully acquainted or apprised of the situation facing the CLC. Minister Jordan had slashed the subvention to the CLC by half and told reporters on Monday that the government will provide only what it can afford.

Additionally, the Minister of Finance said the government is not mandated to fund the college.

“If you are going to refuse a gift then there is nothing we can do… Critchlow is not a government entity… we may make a contribution to it…we can offer what we can afford,” said Jordan.

He explained that Government has offered the CLC $15M and is also giving each union an annual subvention which amounts to over $30M. “We are looking at the entire labour movement,” he said, noting that if the labour movement was not to remain independent,then avenues must be found to garner resources.

According to Lewis, the problem is not the amount of money offered but the conditions which must be complied with before the money is handed over. He said when representatives of the CLC visited the Ministry of Education to collect the money, they were told that seven years of audited statements of the institution must be presented along with some other documents.

General-Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Lincoln Lewis

“The Critchlow Labour College does not belong to the State. The State has not given Critchlow money over a number of years…so why must we go and account to them about the spending of funds when they did not given us any?”

He believes that the conditions set are done in an attempt for CLC representatives to refuse the money.

“I am sure the Minister of Finance is not aware of what I am talking about here.

He is responding in a vacuum …When we go for the money, we don’t go to Ministry of Finance, we go to the Ministry of Education.”

He said he is not against rules, but believes that the rules of the game have to be discovered at the policy level.

“You can’t wake up and make these rules…next year somebody else is going to come with another set of rules. The things that are being asked for are similar to the same behaviour exhibited by the PPP government.”

Lewis said neither the CLC nor his union will undermine or destroy timehonoured principles at the expense of getting “a couple million dollars from the government.”

The college, he said, has come under the sledge hammer over the years and the GTUC has no problem with policies when it comes to money being provided to the CLC, but it is not in favour of

having its accounts audited.

“Don’t ask us to account for how we spend our money… yes, Critchlow is not a State entity…”

The money was refused because of the dynamics involved to retrieve it, but Lewis made it clear that there is a fund in which State funds were placed in the past; that account he explained, used to be audited by the Auditor-General’s office.

“I have no problem having the government’s money accounted for and audited, but not all of Critchlow’s money,” the GTUC General-Secretary stated.

Meanwhile, Lewis said when the college stopped looking overseas for money to manage the institution, it was because the Government of Guyana at the time had engaged the GTUC and entered into an arrangement to have the requisite resources provided.

“Life has changed and hard economic circumstances came and there was a re-engagement with the govern-

ment and GTUC, where we agreed that Critchlow would do cost recovery to meet budgetary needs,” Lewis explained.

He said since that arrangement each successive government, the People’s Progressive Party and APNU+AFC, have decided that the money received is being used by the union. The GTUC General Secretary said approximately 80 per cent of the persons who attend the CLC are not members of the GTUC. “We are catering for a public that the State is supposed to cater for. When they talk about what they can’t afford. Can we afford not to pay money into education in this country… when [the] president is talking labour 4000 dropouts?”

Lewis said it is the persons who drop out of school that end up at CLC. The State has not funded the CLC for seven years between 2007 and 2014. Last year,the CLC received $5M subvention.

Region 10 RDC wants community Relatives suspect foul play in teen girl’s death boundary issues settled REGION 10 officials are calling on the relevant authorities to resolve outstanding community boundary issues.

Most noticeable of these are the communities of River View, located on the bank of the Essequibo River, and Moblissa, located on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

According to the Toshao, or village leader of River View, Elvis Williams, the previous government “without merit and logical explanation drew a demarcation line on the community’s map.”

As a result, he said that the area that is largely unoccupied is what is considered River View, whereas the area where the people actually live, farm, and carry out business activities, is no longer considered River View.

The 1,440 residents are fearful that their ancestral land will be taken away from them after decades of occupancy.

What is more, the village does not have a legal title to their land.

“We have been occupying lands for decades; our ancestors have occupied this land,” exclaimed the Toshao at a meeting held with the Regional Chairman Renis Morian during his last visit to the community. The Toshao

revealed that the land that is now considered River View is occupied by only one family and the majority of the land is used for farming, hunting and primarily logging.

The regional chairman was shown two maps of the community, one of which was deemed the original which included all the land the community claims.

The second map shows the division which the village claimed occurred under the PPP government.

The residents are fearful that strangers can legally claim the land if they are granted permission. “Our main concern is that since these lands are not titled, persons from out of River View can show up with titles for these lands on which the residents resided since the establishment of the community.

“I would like the relevant authorities to give us back these lands, because it is from here we started living, working, fishing, farming, hunting and doing everything.

“And that ‘line’ is very troubling, because you are removing us from our homes,” the Toshao stressed.

These concerns have heightened since the residents observed several loggers on

land no longer identified as River View. With logging being the main economic activity, the residents are claiming that “bread is being taken out their mouths” and since they are considered alien residents they cannot stop the situation.

The residents of Moblissa are also bemoaning the long time it is taking to resolve their land issue.

The community, which is located seven miles away from Linden, is said to be in Region Four’s territory, while another part is said to be in Region 10.

This mix up, according to resident Denise Cornelius, is stymieing progress as they don’t know whom to turn to for needed help.

“When we come to Region 10 for help, they would tell we that we can’t get help here and that we must go to Region Four,” she said.

Regional Chairman Renis Morian posited that on numerous occasions they have opted to assist Moblissa, especially in the area of edFcation but have been advised that it is not in the remit of Region 10 to do so.

The residents of both River’s View and Moblissa are calling on the government of Guyana to intervene to bring an end to this issue of boundary demarcation.

By Shauna Jemmott RELATIVES of 14-yearold Malika Hamilton whose body was discovered in the Hope Canal, East Coast Demerara Tuesday afternoon, suspect ‘foul play’ in her death.

Hamilton of Lot 11, Two Friends Village, East Coast Demerara, and a second-year student of Hope Secondary, went missing Monday and her body was found by a ranger in the canal the following day.

While many residents of the Two Friends/Ann’s Grove area are haunted by questions of what really transpired, Hamilton’s mother Atesha Cambridge said she has reasons to suspect foul play in the death of her eldest child.

Hamilton left home to braid her hair at a cousin’s house, but never reached.

Instead, she and others went bathing in a trench not far away from her home and she never returned.

Relatives and other residents formed a search party and began looking late Monday night. Her body was discovered Tuesday afternoon in the Hope Canal, over a mile

away from the East Coast public road.

Cambridge said based on stories of her daughter’s whereabouts on the last day she was seen alive, she was last seen in the company of a few males, heading in the direction of Hope, which is two villages away.

The teenager’s grandmother Dorrel Cambridge told the press that on Tuesday morning while searching for her missing granddaughter she asked a man whose name was given as ‘Satan’ if he had seen her. She said the man told her that Malika and others were swimming with him in a trench not far away from her home, and she left to visit her other grandmother, who resides at Hope.

However, a boat operator and ranger of the Hope Canal on Wednesday told the Guyana Chronicle he transported Malika and three men, including the same man, across the canal, from Douch Four to Hope, around 13:00 hours Monday. That was the last reported time that Hamilton was seen alive.

He said he saw the men attempting to loose someone else’s boat which was tied by the canal, but after he arrived

Dead: Malika Hamilton

they asked him to take them across instead.

“The day the girl ask me fuh cross she, nah she alone – she, a gentleman from Douch Four and two other boys from Ann’s Grove. Everybody round here see wha going on man. Normally I does cross people,” he related.

The ranger said he transported a few excavator operators to the savannah area, and was on his way out of the area with an employee on the infrastructural project when he observed something black floating in the water around the ‘Skinny Dam’ bridge at ‘Star-apple Tree’ area, where men go to catch birds.

“Whilst coming down I observe a black thing floatTurn to page 15 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 11, 2016

Belize Supreme Court rules ban on same-sex intimacy ‘unconstitutional’ ‒ SASOD calls on Guyana gov’t to also repeal laws here GUYANA’S law banning same-sex intimacy between consenting adults should be repealed, SASOD said Wednesday after a landmark ruling by the Belize Supreme Court.

Caleb Orozco, a gay man in Belize, had in 2010 filed a constitutional challenge to section 53 of the Criminal Code, which makes “carnal intercourse against the order of nature,” which includes anal sex, a crime punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.

Orozco said the law violates his constitutional rights and that of many other Belizeans, to human dignity, privacy and equality before the law because it criminalises sexual intimacy between consenting adults, even in private.

In what human rights organsiations are calling a ground-breaking decision, Belize’s Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin ruled that the law is inconsistent with the Constitution of Belize, because it violates the right to human dignity, privacy, freedom of expression and non-discrimination and equality before the law and equal protection of the law.

The court then “read down’” S. 53 of the Criminal Code to exclude consensual sexual acts between adults in private.

Mr Benjamin is a national of Guyana and Antigua.

After law school, he re-

Caleb Orozco

Joel Simpson

turned to Guyana where he practised privately and also served as a magistrate and assistant judgeadvocate for the Guyana Defence Force.

SASOD, the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination, in reacting to the ruling said that the Belize Supreme Court is on the right side of history.

Joel Simpson, Managing-Director of SASOD, said the Orozco case is the first to examine the constitutionality of laws which criminalize same-sex intimacy in private, noting that the court also broke new ground by ruling that the term “sex” in the Constitution of Belize also means sexual orientation, which is consistent with Belize’s international obligations.

He noted that Guyana has similar laws which crim-

inalize specific kinds of consensual sexual relations in private n sections 351 to 353 of the Criminal Law Offences Act. “As a Commonwealth Caribbean country with a similar constitution, the Belize decision would be considered highly persuasive to Guyana’s courts.

“And Guyana’s constitutional protection of fundamental rights and freedoms is the strongest in the Caribbean Region, because of the 2003 reforms,” he stated.

According to Simpson, Guyana’s constitution directly incorporates seven international treaties.

“Undoubtedly, laws criminalizing consensual same-sex intimacy between adult men in private are similarly unconstitutional,” he stated.

Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin

As such, SASOD urged the Granger administration to repeal these laws forthwith.

“It’s a waste of state resources to be defend these patently discriminatory laws.

“The coalition campaigned and has several times reinforced its commitment to equal rights, justice and a good life for all Guyanese.

“President Granger has said ‘include all, exclude none’,” Simpson stated.

He said these “punitive laws are the institutional basis for exclusion and marginalization of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Guyanese, which perpetrate the violence and discrimination our communities face by police, other state officials and by people

in society.

“SASOD calls on the coalition to demonstrate fortitude and leadership by repealing these laws in the National Assembly,” Simpson declared.

On Wednesday, Orozco was accompanied in the Supreme Court by his sister Golda Neal, who sat beside him in court, two of his lawyers, Lisa Shoman SC and Westmin James, the President of United Belize Advocacy Movement ( UNIBAM) Simone Hill, other UNIBAM members and many other supporters of the litigation.

A representative of PETAL (Promoting Empowerment through Awareness for Lesbian and Bisexual Women) said they were there because the Orozco case “is about the human rights of all.”

Orozco serves as Executive Director of the United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM), a policy and advocacy human rights NGO working to advance the rights protection and enforcement for LGBT persons, which is also an interested party in the case.

After court, Orozco said that today “is a proud day with a history-making judgment for Belize, the country which I am proud to call home. Our courts are there to protect us all. In striking down Section 53, we have reaffirmed ourselves—consistent with the Belize Constitution—as a society built on dignity and respect for all.”

Police Constable charged with attempted murder A POLICE constable was on Wednesday released on $150,000 bail by City Magistrate Leron Daly for the offence of attempted murder.

Lyndon Thompson, 25 of Lot 284 Kaneville, East Bank Demerara is accused of discharging a loaded firearm at Shawn Williams with intent to commit murder on August 5, at Itaballi, Mazaruni. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

His lawyer, Lynden Amsterdam told the court that on the day in question, the officer along with other

ranks went to arrest Williams after his reputed wife made a report of domestic abuse against him.

“Thompson, who was armed with his service-weapon proceeded to arrest Williams, who resisted and assaulted the lawmen,” the lawyer told the court.

Amsterdam pointed out that Williams behaved disorderly and advance towards Thompson resulting in him firing a round at him. The lawyer further stated that the Police Constable, with the assistance of other villagers, took Williams to the

Constable Lyndon Thompson

Bartica Hospital, where he was treated.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Kevin London did not object to bail but requested that reporting conditions be attached. As such, bail was granted and Constable Thompson has to report every Monday to Police ‘F’ Division, Eve Leary. The matter was adjourned and transferred to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for September 6.

The Police Office of Professional Responsibility is conducting a separate investigation into the purported

breaches of standard operating procedure in relation to the report of domestic violence.

Police reports reveal that at about 20:00h on the day in question, a mother reported to the police at Itaballi Check Point that her son-in-law was assaulting her daughter. The subordinate officer-in-charge sent a Constable with a service firearm to accompany the complainant.

On arrival, the Police Constable and Williams got into an argument when he [Williams] was shot.

After court, President of UNIBAM, Simone Hill stated that “This case is an important part of the march forward in Belize and the Caribbean towards dignity and respect for the human rights of all. Decisions throughout Caribbean history that have had advanced human rights have not been decisions arrived at easily or quickly.”

Laura Tucker-Longsworth, chairperson of the National AIDS Commission of Belize, says that “section 53 is a national issue, because it has implications for HIV prevention and care.

Education is key for creating meaningful change in our society.”

Mrs Kim Simplis Barrow, the Special Envoy for Women and Children, said: “It’s a great day for Belize, it’s a great day for human rights; one step closer to dignity and the respect we all deserve.

Belizean indigenous leader and environmentalist Cristina Coc of Maya Leaders Alliance, and awardee of the prestigious Equator prize in December 2015, also welcomed the decision.

She commented: “We are equally responsible to ensure STATE Accountability to protect the human rights of ALL and not SOME! Therefore, all laws, policies and actions must be consistent with the CONSTITUTION. “The Issue of non-discrimination must not be overlooked. No one person, group or community should be discriminated against because of the colour of his or her skin, his or her choice of religious belief, his or her ethnicity, or his or her sexual orientation. It is our duty to give effect to and reinforce the highest law of Belize – the CONSTITUTION.” Westmin James, one of the lawyers and member of the Faculty of Law UWI Rights Advocacy Project (U-RAP), which helped to launch the case, said: “This decision is a brave step in the recognition of the human rights of all persons in Belize and will go a long way in promoting the human rights and equality of all LGBT persons in the Caribbean.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 11, 2016

Search on for new Miss India Guyana ‒ Franchise has new management THE New Miss India Guyana organisation has launched its search for a new queen, who will compete in the Miss India Worldwide Pageant in New Jersey this October.

Former beauty pageant contestant Umadevi Bux was Wednesday named as the new director of the pageant, saying it has no affiliation with the previous director Chandini Rambalak or its entertainment house Apsara.

“The pageant will offer a vibrant opportunity for young Guyanese women of Indian decent, offering them a platform to better themselves not only as beauty Ambassadors, but also as young leaders,” the new management stated.

“This will give the participants the opportunity to build on their interpersonal skills, community involvement, self- confidence, communication skills, leadership skills, interview skills, and poise!”

Others on the new management team are Rishma Persaud of RP Couture, Jason Shurland of Rockerz Designs, Keisha Edwards of Shasha Designs (Designers), John Greene (Photographer), Derek Moore (Creative Director and Pageant Coach), Jyoti Hardat (Production Manager), Tenisha Garnett-Billington (Make-Up Artist), Noshavyah King (Certified Fitness Trainer), Seon Barrington (Media Coordinator).

Applications for the 2016 Miss India Guyana Pageant are available online at the official website (missindiaguyana.org).

The National Pageant auditions for the contestants are estimated to take place during the first week of September 2016. Since the Franchise was only acquired in late July and limited time given to the new management, the pageant format for 2016 will take the form of an

online voting process for the applicants.

This will be opened to the public via Social Media, resulting in people’s choice finalists with the most likes and votes, which will make up 40 per cent of the total score, from this the top 10 contestants with the most votes and likes will be invited to compete for the remaining 60 per cent. The remaining 60 per cent will be tabulated based on the talent and interview segments.

The panel of Miss India Guyana Organization team members will be judging the final two segments and it will be open to public audience, free of cost!

However, if any member from the team of judges identifies any young woman from the list of contestants, who did not make the top 10 people’s choice voting, but is an exceptional candidate in talent, personality and embodies the qualities of

tition night, a full make-up class package sponsored by Flawless, Tenisha Garnett and a full photo-shoot session sponsored by John Greene Photography.

The winner will also be flaunting a genuine handmade, Austrian Swarovski crystal, and gold plated crown - marking Guyana’s 50th Anniversary. As well as, she will be receiving a

Uma Bux, the new National Director of the Miss India Guyana franchise

Miss India Guyana Motto, the individual/s will also be invited to compete in the remaining two segments, for the 60 per cent of total score aiding in an over-all winner.

The winner of Miss India Guyana Pageant 2016 will be given a complete wardrobe from the Miss India Guyana Organization and its designers for the week of the competition activities and exclusive international designer outfits for the final compe-

Rigid debt collection recovers $1.8 billion for GWI THE country’s water company GWI has recovered $1.8 billion from its rigid debt-collection campaign.

This was announced on Wednesday by Chief Executive Officer Dr Richard Van-West Charles.

He added that a payment plan has since been put in place for customers who have large sums of money outstanding. He noted that 40% of GWI ‘s customers are metered.

Dr. Van-West Charles told the media that they have also uncovered that some customers who are metered are not reflected in their data, while others have service but are not paying.

He explained that all customers, including businesses that are not paying and have service connection through nefarious means, will be disconnected and once that is done, if they require service connection, they will have to agree to a contract for payment.

The CEO said the utili-

Dr Richard Van West Charles at Wednesday’s press conference

ty’s aim is to provide a good product with exceptional quality; as such, they have a Leak Unit on call on a 24hour basis to respond and with the use of technology, they will prevent leaks in the near future.

The GWI boss stated that the total investment made by the water company

this year stands at $343M, adding that GWI has expended $60M in rehabilitation and maintenance works so far.

He also spoke about the ridiculously low allowances being paid to Sewerage employees and disclosed that the issue will be fixed soon.

Dr. Van-West Charles

explained that the night premium some employees were receiving is about $5.00 to $25.00 after taxes, but they are now being paid an increase of $15,000.

The CEO added that GWI has drilled 12 new wells across the country.

Dr. Van-West Charles pointed out that they achieved their project implementation compliance by which GWI can respond to demands by drilling new wells and the construction of more water treatment plants.

He disclosed that GWI has established a unit which comes under the office of the CEO to monitor and evaluate projects, etc.

As for the improvement of water quality, they will establish a series of mini-labs across the country, but has one at the Shelterbelt since 60% of the water distributed to customers in the city comes from surface water there.

stipend every month for the duration of her reign.

“Miss India Guyana Organization, under the new Directorship seeks to embody a pageant of fairness and equality for every woman, who wishes to participate.

“Our mission is to find a well-rounded beauty Ambassador, who is radiantly beautiful from the inside out.

Court case against Bishop Edghill dismissed MAGISTRATE Annette Singh on Wednesday dismissed the case against People’s Progressive Party (PPP) parliamentarian, Bishop Juan Edghill, who was charged with dumping a derelict vehicle on a parapet in front his home on April 18.

The case was brought against the former Junior Finance Minister by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council. According to a statement from Edghill on Wednesday, the case was dismissed after the magistrate found the testimony of City Constable Anasha Williamson to be unreliable.

Edghill had pleaded not guilty to the charge and according to the statement, during the trial Williamson’s testimony was found to be inconsistent, incoherent and contradictory, “which clearly revealed that the charge was designed by the city authorities to embarrass and defame Bishop Edghill.”

The statement further noted that Edghill is “seriously concerned about the abuse of the judicial process

PPP/C MP, Bishop Juan Edghill

to target, intimidate and victimise Guyanese for political and other purposes.”

“I am urging that we continue to build a society where social justice, fairness and equity are upheld by all. Furthermore, I encourage public servants and officials in the employ of the State to be professional and refuse being used as instruments to settle political scores by the APNU+AFC Administration,” the parliamentarian was quoted as saying in the statement.

He was represented by Attorney Sase Gunraj.

Relatives suspect... ing. I said to the gentleman ‘Is hair tha?’ and he said no man is grass come down from the Savannah.”

He returned to the area after taking the search party, which included Malika’s mom, across the canal from Hope to Douch Four and realized the teen was missing.

“Deh (search party) went over deh and they ask me fuh cross them. I cross them ova and I heading back towards the backdam just at the area where I see this thing.

When I take the boat and I go, I look at it carefully and whilst going with the boat I barely get a glimpse and I spin round the boat again, and when I spin the boat, I recognize she pants.”

He said he went to the

From page 13

family’s house but did not know how to tell them, so he told Shellon Sampson, who visited the canal for a bath, before calling the police.

The man told the Guyana Chronicle he returned to the area until police arrived and was the one to lift Malika’s body into the boat. Her skin was muddy and something else seemed unusual.

“She neck deh contrary… when I tek she out she neck deh sideways. And I was surprised because yesterday morning we going down there and me ain’t see nothing, nothing, nothing. That thing funny though man,” the boat man said.

A post-mortem examination will be performed on the body Friday.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

Reconciled Region Five Councillors approve 2017 budget proposals

Teenager charged with breaking into man’s house

THE first meeting of the recently reconciled Regional Democratic Council of Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) held on M o n d a y l a s t w a s deemed a success after councillors unanimously approved of the Administrations’ budget proposals for 2017 .

The meeting of the op-

and adjustments.

Regional Chairman Mr Vickchand Ramphal said that he was happy with the projects selected, although he would have liked to see additional programmes proposed by residents.

He also congratulated the staff of the Administration comprising the REO Morrison and his

and potable water supply at the Mahaicony Hospital and the construction of a training facility for health workers among others.

REO Morrision disclosed that steps will be taken to ensure that the hospitals and health centres in the region make access to their services easier for the elderly and

upgrade of several community roads throughout the region, including farmto-market roads as well as the construction of bridges to improve access within various communities.

The RDC also proposed the provision of more sluices and the acquisition of excavators to minimize flooding with-

Councillors during the successful budget proposals meeting in Region Five position People’s Progressive Party /Civic councillors and APNU+AFC councillors, the first in seven months, was held in an atmosphere of cordiality. Regional Executive Officer Mr Ovid Morrison invited his senior staffers to present their budget proposals to the councillors under the headings of Administration, Education, Health, Drainage and Irrigation and Public Works.

The budget proposals were examined by the councillors and thoroughly discussed during a fourhour-long meeting, after which they were approved with some amendments

team for doing a fine job in their compilation and presentation of the proposed estimates.

At a quick glance, proposals for the administrative programme include the training of overseers in the 10 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to help them to computerise basic operations such as assessment registers.

Under Health, the RDC proposed the construction of a new Health Centre at Carlton Hall, Mahaicony, to serve residents in west and central Mahaicony; upgrading of the electricity supply

the physically challenged.

Business people will also be encouraged to make their premises similarly more easily accessible by these seniors and the physically challenged.

Under education, the budget proposed the construction of a new nursery school at Perth Village, Mahaicony and the reconstruction of a primary school at Augsburg Burma Road, east Mahaicony, among others.

The budget also requested funds for the further upgrades to the Nursery and Primary Schools at Mortice, Mahaicony.

Under Public Works, the council proposed the

in the various communities and at the same time maintain the clearing of channels.

The budget also proposed increasing the frequency of cleaning of drains within the region to alleviate the problem of siltation and blockage caused by aquatic weeds.

Councillors said they were pleased that the projects have been evenly distributed, so as to benefit all communities in the region.

The approved proposals will be sent to the Ministry of Communities and then subsequently to the Ministry of Finance for inclusion in the 2017 budget.

Canje River farmer assisting cops with ‘ammo’, ganja find A CANJE Creek farmer is assisting Berbice police with their investigations following the discovery of four kilograms of compressed marijuana and live cartridges at a house at Brotherson Village, Canje river.

On July 19, last, during a surprise raid,

sleuths travelled to the riverain community in their motorised vessel, where, in the vicinity of the Brotherson pump station, an occupant from a nearby house fled into the densely forested lands, after seeing the cops.

After surrounding the building, and checking

within, the plain clothes officers, accompanied by a uniformed rank, discovered dried compressed portions of the illegal marijuana plants along with 11 live 12 gauge ammunitions. The items were taken to the Central Police Station where the narcotic was weighed and lodged.

However, Wednesday morning, the suspect, accompanied by his lawyer Charrandas Persaud, visited the Reliance Police Station, where he remains in police custody, as cops continue their investigations.[Jeune Bailey Van Keric]

CITY Magistrate Leron Daly set bail to the tune of $120,000 for a 19-year-old, accused of break and enter and larceny. Kemuel James of Pomeroon Village, Region 2 denied that he broke into the dwelling house of Delbert Marks and stole a quantity of items.

The court heard that between July 29 and August 29 at Eteringbang, Cuyuni River, the accused carted off a Stihl chainsaw, RCA laptop and an amplifier—all totaling $422,000 – property of Marks.

James, who was unKEMUEL JAMES represented, was instructed to return to court on August 21. Police Prosecutor, Inspector Kevin London did not reveal any facts of the matter to the court.

Meanwhile, a 44-year-old miner was released on $70,000 after being charged for allegedly receiving the stolen laptop from the teen. Richard Johnson of RICHARD JOHNSON Mabaruma Township is alleged to have received from Kemuel James a RCA laptop valued $180,000 property of Delbert Marks, knowing same was stolen or unlawfully obtained.

Johnson denied the charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Daly. He was subsequently released on $70,000 bail and ordered to return to court on August 31.

Fisherman granted bail on narcotics charge A 29- YEAR-OLD fisherman was on Wednesday released on $50,000 bail by Magistrate Leron Daly for possession of cannabis sativa (marijuana).

Trevor Hopkinson of Lot 241 West Ruimveldt is accused of having 47.2 grams of cannabis in his possession on August 5, at West Ruimveldt.

Hopkinson denied the allegation, while his attorney, Ronald Daniels requested that he be released on reasonable bail since the drugs were not found in his possession.

Daniels argued that his client was sitting on a bench along with several others in a shop at West Ruimveldt when police came and searched TREVOR HOPKINSON them. The lawyer disclosed that his client was searched and nothing was found in his possession. However, the ranks found a black bag with the drug nearby and claimed it belonged to his client.

The Magistrate transferred the matter to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for September 14.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

Five more Venezuelans to be deported

Three of the Venezuelan nationals being escorted out of court by an immigration officer FIVE female Venezuelans were on Wednesday fined by city Magistrate Leron Daly for entering Guyana illegally.

Yaola Figueroa, Johana Gutierrez, Mariah Figueroa, Yonaly Sanchez and Dianna Gutierrez were charged separately for entering Guyana illegally by sea on July 25 at Eteringbang, Cuyuni River and disembarking without presenting themselves to an immigration officer.

Speaking through an interpreter, the foreign nationals pleaded guilty to

the charge. They were unrepresented and were fined $20,000 or an alternative of two weeks imprisonment.

They were ordered to be kept in police custody until they reached the nearest port of exit, from where they would be deported.

Over the past few weeks, about 16 Venezuelans were fined and deported to their homeland after entering Guyana illegally.

Many have said that the economic crisis in their country has forced them to leave.

Thursday August 11th, 2016 - 10:30 hrs Friday August 12th, 2016 - 12:00 hrs Saturday August 13th, 2016 - 13:30 hrs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

ARIES Sometimes you think you can postpone the inevitable, but today you’re champing at the bit, eager for action. You don’t want to acknowledge the amount of work you have ahead of you. Instead, you think that heading into it at full speed will enable you to magically accomplish everything on schedule. Nevertheless, you might be in for a rude surprise unless you reconsider your expectations. Don’t wait for a better time to reclaim control of your life; do it now while you can still save face.

TAURUS You might believe that the pressure will finally lighten up today, but your emotions intensify, possibly kicking up another dust storm in your relationship world. Your focus is on the future and the Moon’s shift into your 8th House of Deep Sharing suggests that you should talk with someone you trust if you don’t know which way to turn. It doesn’t take much; even a short conversation can bring a sense of peace if you restrain your expression of any deeper anger until it morphs into something more positive.

GEMINI Personal relationships are requiring you to carry a heavy load this month while dutiful Saturn continues plodding through your 7th House of Partners. The optimistic Sagittarius Moon connects with warrior Mars tonight, inspiring you with the courageous behaviour of others. There’s no reason to compete to see who is more outrageous in their pursuit of the truth. As soon as you understand that you’re all in this together, it becomes obvious that cooperation and love trump isolation and fear.

CANCER You are making big plans for what you will accomplish at work today, yet you might easily bite off more than you can chew. Gauging the amount of time needed to complete a project is tough because your sunny outlook leads you to believe that your resources are inexhaustible. Something will likely snap if you stretch yourself too thin now, causing a house of cards to tumble. The sooner you take action to get your schedule back under control, the better for everyone involved. “Less is more” is your motto for the day.

LEO Yesterday’s conflicts morph into today’s mutual agreements. Making plans to explore your self-expression is so much easier when everyone is reading from the same page and supporting one another’s creative pursuits. But don’t assume that everything will continue to flow smoothly since there are still a few bumps in the road ahead. You will likely finish more than you expect when you do your best to take everything in stride. A healthy sense of humour serves you well.

VIRGO Trivial secrets get blown out of proportion today and you could quickly lose track of your priorities. Although you might put great intention into concentrating on your work, your thoughts are running on overdrive, making it nearly impossible to complete even the simplest task. Nevertheless, you can still turn the day into an amazing memory by cutting yourself some slack. Being totally unproductive for a little while revitalises your system and clears your brain. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “It is a happy talent to know how to play.”

LIBRA You’re trying to walk your talk and contain your growing anger at the same time.

But don’t worry if your negativity slips out into the atmosphere today, since others are likely to be swimming in similar waters. However, the Moon’s shift into your 3rd House of Information motivates you to act on what you learn. Maintain a flexible attitude; the most interesting life hacks arrive in unexpected packages at unsuspecting times. But try them out while the planetary energy is still in your favour; it will only be harder for your changes to gain traction if you keep waiting for a better moment.

SCORPIO You can breathe a sigh of relief when the Moon leaves your extreme sign this afternoon. But it’s no secret that you enjoy the emotional intensity, so you might also feel let down when Luna heads into the greener pastures of Sagittarius. Nevertheless, the future looks brighter now, but it’s unwise to buy into the fantasy of a perfect relationship. If you do become entangled in someone’s personal melodrama, take the time to separate out your pieces from theirs. There’s always something distracting knocking at your door; however, today’s a great day to let it in.

SAGITTARIUS Your gut instincts overrule your rational thoughts today, inspiring your passionate judgment about a political or personal injustice. Thankfully, you possess the gift of charisma, making even the most difficult topic approachable now. Quietly observe any negative emotions that arise in the pit of your stomach. Rather than overreacting at the drop of a hat, hold your feelings close until they develop into something more constructive. Do what is right, not what is easy.

CAPRICORN A strategy of secrecy isn’t working now, even if you thought it would be wise to sidestep a confrontation by keeping your feelings private. The Moon’s move into your 12th House of Escapism tempts you to pretend that everything is copacetic. However, some disagreements should not be avoided for the sake of maintaining the peace.

Express your outrage over someone’s inappropriate words or actions after you let off a little steam first. Keep in mind that denying the truth doesn’t change the facts, but the delivery of your message matters more than you think.

AQUARIUS The storm clouds of your emotional world are clearing today, opening your mind to the multitude of possibilities that were previously hidden. But seeing further into the future comes with its own paradox and you could be struck with uncharacteristic indecisiveness if there are too many forks in the road. The sooner you can eliminate some options, the easier it will be to make the hard choices in front of you. Follow your dreams, not your fears.

PISCES You are being pressed to make a decision about your job or your career, but you might not feel as if you’re ready to declare your final choice just yet. You may be tempted to push back, but nothing useful is likely to come from a disagreement between two people arguing over a minor issue that doesn’t matter in the long run. Confucius said, “When anger rises, think of the consequences.” Wisdom is knowing when being right is not worth the trouble.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

Windies make solid reply after Ashwin, Saha tons

(REUTERS) - Centuries

by India middle-order batsmen Ravichandran Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha could not prevent West Indies from marginally gaining the upper hand on day two of the third Test in St Lucia yesterday.

All-rounder Ashwin (118) and wicketkeeper Saha (104) shared in a sixth-wicket stand of 213 runs, creating history by becoming the first India number six and number seven batsmen to score a century

SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Vaal 08:40 hrs Analyse This 09:15 hrs Pacific 09:55 hrs Chief Sioux 10:30 hrs Lakahal 11:05 hrs Mutakayyef ENGLISH RACING TIPS Salisbury 08:40 hrs Carducci 09:10 hrs Scorching Heat 09:40 hrs Mona Blu 10:10 hrs Land Of Dubai 10:40 hrs Bess Of Hardwick 11:10 hrs Zonderland 11:40 hrs Rosie Royce 12:15 hrs Fashion Parade

in the same innings.

I t w a s a l s o S a h a ’s first Test ton, and the second-highest sixth-wicket partnership by India in an away Test.

But after the India tail crumbled and the visitors were all out for 353 -- West Indies claiming the final five wickets for 14 runs -- the home team advanced to 107 for one wicket at stumps in their first innings, 246 runs behind at the Darren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet.

Lokesh Rahul had a busy afternoon in the field for India, dropping Leon Johnson at third slip when the West Indies opener was on four.

But Rahul later made amends when he ran-out Johnson for 23 with a direct hit from mid-wicket.

Kraigg Brathwaite (53) and Darren Bravo (18) were unbeaten at stumps on a pitch that offered little assistance to the bowlers.

There was a scary moment late in the day when Rohit Sharma, fielding at short leg for India, was struck in the helmet by a Bravo sweep.

Play was halted for four minutes as an ice pack was applied to the back of Shar-

ma’s head, but he did not appear to incur serious injury, perhaps thanks to the padded wing on his helmet.

Earlier, Ashwin continued his outstanding form with his second century in three innings this series, bringing up his 100 in style by hoisting off-spinner Roston Chase over mid-wicket for six.

Teenage fast bowler Alzarri Joseph (3-69) enjoyed a promising Test debut for the Windies, breaking the Ash-

win-Saha partnership when he had Saha caught behind, a day after claiming the prized scalp of India captain Virat Kohli.

And fellow paceman Miguel Cummins, in his second Test, claimed 3-54, including the wicket of Ashwin, caught fending a short ball to backward point.

India lead the four-Test series 1-0 after winning the opener at North Sound on Antigua and drawing the second match at Kingston.

SCOREBOARD INDIA 1st innings (Overnight: 234-5) L. Rahul c K. Brathwaite b Chase 50 S. Dhawan c Dowrich b Gabriel 1 V. Kohli c Da. Bravo b Joseph 3 A. Rahane b Chase 35 Ro. Sharma c Dowrich b Joseph 9 R. Ashwin c Blackwood b Cummins 118 W. Saha c Dowrich b Joseph 104 R. Jadeja c Dowrich b Cummins 6 B. Kumar c Johnson b Gabriel 0 M. Shami not out 0 I. Sharma c Johnson b Cummins 0 Extras: (b-7, lb-8, nb-10, w-2) 27 Total: (all out, 129.4 overs) 353 Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-19, 3-77, 4-87, 5-126, 6-339, 7-351, 8-353, 9-353.

Bowling: S. Gabriel 23-4-84-2 (nb-7, w-1), A. Joseph 24-6-69-3, M. Cummins 21.4-8-54-3 (w-1), J. Holder 19-7-34-0 (nb-1), R. Chase 339-70-2, K. Brathwaite 9-1-27-0.

WEST INDIES 1st innings K. Brathwaite not out 53 L. Johnson run-out (Rahul) 23 Da. Bravo not out 18 Extras: (b-9, nb-2, w-2) 13 Total: (for 1 wicket, 47 overs) 107 Fall of wickets: 1-59.

Bowling: B. Kumar 11-4-11-0 (w-2), M. Shami 9-1-35-0, R. Ashwin 134-17-0, I. Sharma 7-0-26-0 (nb-2), R. Jadeja 7-2-9-0.

BEVERLEY 08:50 hrs Queen In Waiting 09:20 hrs See The City 09:50 hrs Ryan The Giant 10:20 hrs Mininggold 10:50 hrs Bulas Belle 11:20 hrs Pacific Salt 11:50 hrs Eeny Mac

Gaskin opens Guyana’s bid at the Olympics today

YARMOUTH 12:05 hrs Presence Process 12:35 hrs Mr Quicksilver 13:35 hrs Frangarry 14:05 hrs Iberica Road 14:35 hrs Twin Point 15:05 hrs Ettie Hart

… Sanmoogan performs tomorrow

IRISH RACING TIPS Leopardstown 12:30 hrs Alphabet 13:00 hrs Californiadreaming 13:30 hrs Cappadocia 14:00 hrs Diopdorus 14:30 hrs Hit It A Bomb 15:00 hrs Windsor Beach 15:30 hrs Sharliyna AMERICAN RACING TIPS Saratoga Race 1 Lady Yeats Race 2 Egyptian Rose Race 3 Caribou Club Race 4 Banner Bill Race 5 Bea Bea Race 6 La Inesperada Race 7 Blarney Stones Race 8 Call Provision

GOODWILL Games gold medallist Hannibal Gaskin opens Guyana’s performance at this year’s Rio Olympics when he takes to the pool in the Men’s 100m butterfly today at the Olympic Aquatic Stadium in Rio, Brazil.

Gaskin is in heat one of six, competing against 41 other swimmers in the event. In his heat Gaskin will be coming up against Mali’s Oumar Toure and Myanmar’s Thint Myaat.

The 18-year-old starts off with an entry time of 59.99 seconds, equal to the entry time of Myaat.

The leading entry time is held by none other than leading Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps himself. Phelps is in heat six with an entry time of 50.45 seconds.

Gaskin is one of only two swimmers on the Guyana Olympic team, which also includes four athletes.

The other swimmer is Jamila Sanmoogan and she will be participating in the Women’s 50m freestyle tomorrow; she is in heat five of 12 heats, and has an entry time of 28.60

seconds.

Like all the years gone by the swimmers are participating at the Olympics on ‘wild card’ entry, with the only mandatory criterion being that they participated at last year’s FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia.

The athletes on this year’s team are Winston George, Troy Doris, Aaliyah Abrams and Brenessa Thompson.

National record holder Thompson will also be performing tomorrow when she hits the track in the Women’s 100m heats.

Thompson is the only athlete on the team who has qualified to participate in more than one event, so she will also be performing in the Women’s 200m heats next week Monday.

George will follow with the Men’s 400m heats also scheduled for tomorrow, while Abrams will be in the Women’s 400m when the heats begin this Saturday.

Also performing on Monday will be Doris, who will enter the competition in the Men’s triple jump.

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

Zimbabwe fold for 132 to give NZ comprehensive 254-run victory (REUTERS) - Part-time spinners Ish Sodhi and Martin Guptill bagged three wickets each as Zimbabwe folded on the final day of the second Test to hand New Zealand a comprehensive 254-run victory yesterday.

New Zealand won the two-match series 2-0 after bowling Zimbabwe out for

132 in their second innings, though the home side were hampered by poor umpiring decisions.

Sodhi took 3-19 and Guptill career-best figures of 3-11 as they tore through the Zimbabwe batting line-up after lunch, having set the home side an imposing victory target of 387.

“It was a great effort,

we knew it was going to be tough to take 20 wickets on this surface,” New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said at the post-match presentation.

“Our whole squad is stepping up. It’s causing a few problems but it’s a good problem to have. It’s important we look to improve, we have a big challenge coming

New Zealand pose with the trophy after sweeping the series 2-0 in Bulawayo on the fifth and final day.

Green makes comeback with victory in Grenville Felix 50-miler ANDRE Green made a welcome return to cycle racing by winning the Flying Ace Cycle Club-organised 50-mile cycle road race in memory of Grenville Felix which was held last Sunday in Berbice.

The event, which was staged along the Corentyne Coast in Berbice, saw Green, who was returning to the sport after suffering injuries, win three of the eight prime prizes that were up for grabs, while Deoraj Garbarran and Romelo won two each. The other prime prize went to Silvio Inniss.

According to reports, 20 cyclists faced the starter in front of Felix’s former residence at Betsy Ground with a roll start, but the riders were given the green flag at Canefield, East Canje, Berbice from where they proceeded to Nand Persaud and Company Limited at #16 Corentyne before returning to finish at Felix’s residence at Canefield.

When they were given the green flag, a group of seven cyclists went to the front on the No.19 Road and they included Green, Walter Grant-Stuart, Jebon Crawford, Raphael Leung, Michael Anthony, Silvio Inniss and Garbarran.

It was on the downward journey that Green changed into overdrive and in company with Grant-Stuart and Crawford, opened a sizeable lead over the others and battled to the end with Green outsprinting the other two riders.

Grant-Stuart settled for second while Crawford had to be content with third.

Leung placed fourth, Anthony fifth, Inniss sixth and Shaquille Agard seventh.

Hicks was the first junior to cross the finish line while Syborne Fernandes was the first veteran to do so.

Second in this category was Steve Ramsuchit.

Shenica Teixeira won the ladies category ahead of Whitney Poyer.

up in South Africa.”

Zimbabwe resumed on 58 for three in the morning session and batted for 22 overs without losing a wicket, before the first of a number of bad decisions against the home side.

Nightwatchman Donald Tiripano (22) had used up 96 deliveries before he was adjudged lbw by Australian umpire Paul Reiffel off the bowling of Mitchell Santner, even though the ball appeared to be missing the leg stump.

With no umpire review system being used in the series, the home side were unable to challenge.

First-innings centurion Craig Ervine (27) was on the end of another dubious call from Reiffel when he was incorrectly given out caught by wicketkeeper BJ Watling off Guptill.

It proved a turning-point as the home side lost their remaining five wickets for 20 runs.

Sean Williams (11) was Guptill’s second victim as he smashed a drive to Williamson at short cover, before debutant Peter Moor (one)

was plumb lbw to Sodhi.

Graeme Cremer (1) got an inside edge on to the pad off Guptill but was given out lbw by Reiffel, before umpire Michael Gough adjudged Prince Masvaure (11) had been caught by Ross Taylor at slip off Sodhi the ball came off his pad only.

There could be no complaints but the wicket that finished the game, though, as Michael Chinouya (0)

offered a simple catch to Williamson.

“We showed fight. I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Zimbabwe skipper Cremer said.

“Any cricket for us is really appreciated. We need to be playing more to be more competitive.”

New Zealand now head to South Africa for a two-Test series starting in Durban on August 19.

SCOREBOARD

NEW ZEALAND 1st innings 582 for 4 decl. (T. Latham 136, R. Taylor 124 n.o., K. Williamson 113, M. Guptill 87, B. Watling 83 n.o.)

ZIMBABWE 1st innings 362 (C. Ervine 146, P. Moor 71, C. Chibhabha 60; I. Sodhi 4-60) NEW ZEALAND 2nd innings 166 for 2 decl. (K. Williamson 68 n.o., R. Taylor 67no) ZIMBABWE 2nd innings (Overnight 58-3; Target: 387 runs) T. Mawoyo lbw b Boult 35 C. Chibhabha c Guptill b Wagner 21 S. Raza lbw b Southee 0 D. Tiripano lbw b Santner 22 C. Ervine c Watling b Guptill 27 P. Masvaure c Taylor b Sodhi 11 S. Williams c Williamson b Guptill 11 P. Moor lbw b Sodhi 1 G. Cremer lbw b Guptill 1 J. Nyumbu not out 0 M. Chinouya c Williamson b Sodhi 0 Extras: (b-1, lb-2) 3 Total: (all out, 68.4 overs) 132 Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-58, 3-58, 4-97, 5-112, 6-130, 7-131, 8-132, 9-132.

Bowling: T. Southee 14-7-35-1, T. Boult 12-4-26-1, N. Wagner 12-523-1, M. Santner 12-4-15-1 I. Sodhi 114-5-19-3, M. Guptill 7-4-11-3.

BLUSC/BLRS annual cricket academy underway THE Bush Lot United Sports Club/Bush Lot Rising Stars (BLUSC/BLRS) annual cricket academy commenced on Monday, with a number of promising young cricketers participating.

The academy will run for two weeks, with participants going through the basics of the game. They will also be lectures on topics such as: HIV/AIDS prevention, alcohol and drug abuse, physical fitness, domestic violence and career choices, among other life skills.

Meanwhile, the academy recently was given a major boost with the intervention of Feroze Service Station and Hi-Powa Sounds System, who donated an undisclosed sum of money to the organisers.

Chief Executive Officer of the of Feroze Service Station and Hi-Powa Sounds System, Feroze Isahawk, after the presentation, disclosed that his support towards the academy is part of the company’s mandate in giving back to the community.

The organisers expressed gratitude to Isahawk for his kind assistance.

One of the participants from the BLUSC/BLR) annual cricket academy collects the sponsorship cheque.

Pacquiao confirms November 5 fight date against Vargas

Philippine boxing star and Senator Manny Pacquiao speaks during a news conference after being proclaimed by elections officials as one of the new members of the upper house of Congress in Manila, Philippines, May 19, 2016. (Reuters/Erik De Castro)

(The Sports Xchange) MANNY Pacquiao confirmed yesterday he will come out of retirement to fight World Boxing Organisation welterweight champion Jessie Vargas on November 5 in Las Vegas.

The 37-year-old Pacquiao, also a senator in the Philippines, issued a statement to announce his comeback opponent.

“Yes, the fight is on,” Pacquiao said in the statement. “Boxing is my passion.

I miss what I’d been doing inside the gym and atop the ring.”

Pacquiao announced his retirement following an April 9 victory over Timothy Bradley Jr in their third fight so he could focus on his senate duties in the Philippines.

Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs), who has won world titles in eight weight divisions, was widely expected to return to the ring at some point.

Pacquiao, who was

elected to the Philippines senate in May, said he will spend the entire training camp in his home country so he can also attend to his legislative work.

“Boxing is my main source of income. I can’t rely on my salary as a public official,” Pacquiao said.

“I’m helping the family of my wife and my own family, as well. Many people also come to me to ask for help and I just couldn’t ignore them.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

Two more gold medals for Phelps; Hosszu and Ledecky march on

By Mark Trevelyan, Alan Baldwin and Amy Tennery

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Michael Phelps won two gold medals on Tuesday, avenging his 200 metres butterfly defeat from the London Olympics and then anchoring the U.S. 4x200 freestyle team to victory on a night of high drama and emotion in the pool.

Katie Ledecky of the United States won her second gold medal of the meeting and Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu her third, extending their dominance of women’s swimming in feats that on any other day would have grabbed top billing.

Instead it was Phelps, the most successful Olympian of all-time, who stole the limelight, extending his career medal tally to 25 by adding gold medals 20

and 21.

In the 200 butterfly, he touched the wall in one minute 53.36 seconds to beat Japan’s Masato Sakai by 0.04 seconds, with Hungary’s Tamas Kenderesi taking the bronze. Chad Le Clos of South Africa, Phelps’ conqueror four years ago, finished fourth.

Phelps, who had announced his retirement after London but launched a comeback in 2014, then celebrated by climbing into the stands to embrace his fiancée Nicole and kiss his baby son Boomer.

Seventy-five minutes after racing, he was back in the water to swim the final leg of the 4x200 freestyle after Conor Dwyer, Townley Haas and Ryan Lochte had built a lead of 1.76 seconds.

The Americans touched in 7:00.66, with Britain sec-

ond in 7:03.13 and Japan in third after James Guy over-

Michael Phelps wins two more gold medals on Tuesday night to take his tally to 21. hauled Takeshi Matsuda on

the final leg.

For Phelps, the butterfly victory was especially sweet after the sting of the London defeat, where he misjudged his final lunge for the wall to let Le Clos steal the gold medal.

“I’m just thankful, that’s for sure, I wanted that one back,” he said.

“That event was kind of like my bread and butter, and that was the last time I’ll ever swim it ... There wasn’t a shot in hell I was losing it. And if I did, every ounce that I had was left in the pool.

“Just being able to see the number one next to my name again one more time in the 200 fly - I couldn’t have scripted it any better.”

LEDECKY PUSHED In the women’s races, Ledecky, 19, pipped Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom and

Australia’s Emma McKeon to win the 200 freestyle, on top of her victory in the 400 on Sunday.

She is the overwhelming favourite to add the 800 title later this week, an event in which she is totally dominant, and to achieve a treble at those three distances that no woman has managed since American Debbie Meyer in Mexico City in 1968.

In what might qualify as a ‘too much information’ moment, Ledecky underlined how gruelling the contest had been.

“Pretty sure that’s the closest I’ve come to throwing up in the middle of a race,” the teenager said. “I’m just so glad I got my hand on the wall first.”

Hungary’s Hosszu, who, despite five world titles had come away empty-handed from three previous Olympics, won her third gold medal with victory in the

women’s 200 individual medley.

The 27-year-old, who set an Olympic record of 2:06.58, had already won the 400 individual medley on Saturday and 100 backstroke on Monday.

Britain’s Siobhan-Marie O’Connor took silver, with Maya DiRado of the U.S. winning a bronze to add to her silver in the longer distance.

Hosszu, the ‘Iron Lady’ who withdrew from the 200 butterfly earlier on Tuesday to prepare for the individual medley final, is entered in one more individual event, the 200 backstroke.

If she wins that she would equal the women’s record of four solo swimming gold at a single Games set by East Germany’s Kristin Otto in Seoul in 1988.

Hand-in-Hand Insurance Fiji end USA’s 92-year rugby reign on board with Rose Hall

By Nick Mulvenney

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - The United States had their 92-year reign as Olympic rugby champions brought to a dramatic end when they lost 24-19 to Pacific power Fiji in the final pool match at the inaugural Olympic sevens tournament yester-

The match fluctuated back and forth until NFL special teams player Nate Ebner rampaged down the touchline for a 40-metre try in the final minute, which give Madison Hughes the chance to add the extra points and keep the United States alive.

The American skipper screwed his conversion wide, however, and it was 12-times

Perry Baker (USA) is tackled by Samisoni Viriviri of Fiji. (Reuters/Phil Noble) day.

Winners of the last Olympic gold medal awarded in 15-man rugby at the 1924 Paris Games, the United States needed only to avoid defeat by a margin of five points or more to reach the quarter-finals and send sevens powerhouse New Zealand home.

world sevens series champions New Zealand who moved into the last eight for a meeting with the Fijians, who have won the world series title for the last two years.

“They’re the world champs for a reason,” said crestfallen American Danny Barrett.

“What else can you say?

All credit to them.”

South Africa play Australia, Britain face Argentina and Japan will hope to continue their fairytale run against France in the other quarter-final matches later yesterday.

New Zealand were left banking on the Fijians after suffering a second defeat in two days at the Deodoro Stadium, going down 21-19 to Britain despite racking up 19 unanswered points in the second half.

Coming after their stunning loss to Japan on day one, during which they also lost Sonny Bill Williams and Joe Webber to injury, the defeat left the All Blacks teetering on the brink of an embarrassing exit.

The Japanese, ranked 10th of the 12 teams at the tournament and hosts of the next Olympics, picked up where they left off on Tuesday with a 31-7 thumping of world sevens series regulars Kenya to ensure they would be in the last eight.

Japan’s outstanding Lomano Lemeki scored two tries, the first off a sublime sidestep, to lead the tournament with a total tally of four.

Australia, whose women’s team won gold on Monday, kept alive their campaign after a lacklustre start with a 12-5 victory over second seeds South Africa, whom they will meet again in the semi-finals.

Argentina were again in impressive form in a physical all-South American clash against Brazil, running in five tries for a 31-0 victory.

Town cricket tourney

HAND-in-Hand Insurance Company on Tuesday confirmed its sponsorship towards the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, (RHTYSC) M.S. 5/5 cricket tournament.

Set for August 18 at the Area ‘H’ Ground, the oneday tournament is being held as part of the Rose Hall Town 46th anniversary celebrations.

The insurance giant donated $188 000 towards the tournament.

At the presentation ceremony, Secretary/CEO of

the RHTYSC, Hilbert Foster, expressed the club’s gratitude to the management of the company for their continued support towards the club.

The insurance company’s Berbice Branch Manager Tajpaul Adjodhea indicated that the company has a long working relationship with the township of Rose Hall, and as such, is pleased to be associated with its 46th anniversary celebrations.

He described the township as a progressive hub

of development and expressed confidence that the Town Week celebrations will be a great success.

A total of ten teams will battle for prizes worth over $100 000. The second division teams involved will be allowed two first-division players.

According to the tournament rules, the first two overs will be power-play overs where only two fielders will be allowed outside the 30-yard circle.

The tournament will be played on a knock-out basis.

RHTYSC M.S Executive Member Mark Papannah receives the sponsorship from Hand-in-Hand Supervisor Zalena Ram Kishun.

26

Team Refugee’s Misenga and Mabika out of Olynpics judo TEAM Refugee’s Popole Misenga and Yolande Bukasa Mabika “entered history” despite going out of the judo competition at the Rio Olympics.

The pair, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, are among 10 refugee athletes competing under the flag of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Misenga, 24, lost his last16 -90kg bout as Mabika, 28, was knocked out in the first round of the -70kg contest.

“When I’m older, people will see my name in the

books about Rio,” she said.

Misenga, who beat India’s Avtar Singh in his opening match, lost by ippon to South Korea’s Gwak Donghan.

Misenga’s home city of Bukavu was one of the areas worst affected by the Second Congo War, which began in 1998 and officially ended in 2003. Both he and Mabika began seeking asylum in Brazil during the 2013 World Judo Championships in Rio. “It’s an honour to be in the Olympics. I fought with a champion,” Misenga said.

“I’m just really happy to be here because everybody understands and knows about the refugee team, knows the refugee story. People around the world, they’re all watching this competition right now.”

Mabika lost to Israel’s Linda Bolder at Carioca Arena 2 yesterday.

But she said afterwards: “I’m representing many nations and my victory is a victory for all refugees in the world. I lost, but I’m here.

The fight did not end today.

The fight is not only judo, the fight is life.” (BBC Sport)

Popole Misenga, in blue, is one of 10 athletes competing for Team Refugee at Rio 2016

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

Guyana Under-19s thrash ICC Americas in 50-Overs … Jamaica, Barbados also victorious

By Brij Parasnath GUYANA Under-19s made an impressive start to their campaign against their counterparts when they thrashed the ICC Americas team by six wickets in the opening round match of the West Indies Cricket Board Regional 50-Overs competition at the Sion Hall playing field in St Vincent & Grenadines yesterday.

ICC Americas XI were dismissed for 173 in 48.5 overs while Guyana romped to an impressive win with 174 for 4 in 34.2 overs.

West Indies’ triumphant World Cup player Keemo Paul was the outstanding player for Guyana. He claimed four wickets for 37 and then blasted 72 (4x6, 6x4s off 93 balls) and shared a match-winning 111run third-wicket partnership with Bhaskar Yadram who made an unbeaten 57 that included nine fours off 63 balls.

Travis Persaud was also not out on 15 (3x4, off 13 balls) when victory was achieved.

Akenie Adams (10-2-27-

3) and Marlon Hubbard (7-015-2) also shared the bowling honours with Paul.

Jamaica and Barbados were also victorious in their

KEEMO PAUL matches against Trinidad & Tobago and Leeward Islands respectively.

Jamaica Under-19s whipped their Trinidadian counterparts by six wickets at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex.

The Trinidad and Tobago batsmen failed to produce big scores and were all out for 131 runs in 41 overs with Keagan Simmons 28, Kirstan Kallicharan 19 and Jonathan Bootan 26 being the main contributors. Miguel Smith (5 for 35) and Jeavor Royal (3 for 20) did the damage for Jamaica who raced to victory with 18 overs remaining.

Jamaica celebrated an important victory with 135 for 4 after 32 overs with Keshawn Beale 56 and Michael Frew 45 the principal scorers.

Barbados bowled out Leewards for 105 in 40.2 overs (Tyrone Williams 34; Tremaine Harris 4 for 20, Joshua Bishop 3 for 21) and then raced to victory with 106 for 3 in 22.3 overs (Nicholas Kirton 30 n.o.) at the Park Hill playing field.

Today, T&T will do battle with Barbados at Sion Hill playing field while Windwards will oppose Jamaica at Arnos Vale SC and Leewards will clash with ICC Americas at Park Hill.

Guyana are on a bye for this round of the seven-team competition.

There should have been a comparison of the knowledge and experience of the coaches I WRITE regarding an article that appeared in your sports page of August 6 under the caption of “GASA denies claims of favouritism in selection of Olympic coach” in which the President of GASA is quoted as saying, “Paul Mahaica was chosen through a democratic process of voting” to be the Rio 2016 swimming coach.

Is the President of GASA (who is also the Chairman of the National Sports Commission) really stating that the selection of the coach to accompany athletes to the highest level of sports competition should be based only on popularity? Is there no concern for what is best for the swimmers?

In July 2008, GASA Council (executive plus club representatives) agreed that the coach who travels with a team should be from the club of the majority of swimmers.

This decision was not lightly made; it resulted from consultation with the Athletics Association of Guyana and Amateur Swimming Association of

Trinidad & Tobago.

While the by-laws, which would have cemented this rule, have mysteriously failed to be completed, this rule was followed until the London 2012 Olympics when GASA sent Sean Baksh as coach of two swimmers, neither of whom was from his club; both of whom were members of the Dorado Speed Swim Club.

The explanation given at that time was that the swimmers’ coach, Stephanie Fraser, had gone to Beijing in 2008 and someone else should “get a turn”.

In the case of Rio 2016, the two swimmers are Hannibal Gaskin (Dorado) and Jamila Sanmoogan (Dolphin). The proposed coaches were Shyka Gonsalves (Dorado) and Paul Mahaica (Dolphin). So a second criterion should have been applied to select the coach – what is best for the swimmers.

To determine this, there should have been a comparison of the knowledge and experience of the coaches.

I will attach the resumés of three Dorado coaches for

your information as they are all vastly more experienced than Mr Mahaica. Coach Gonsalves was one of Hannibal’s instructors when he was learning to swim.

Coach Stephanie Fraser has been his primary coach since he became a competitive swimmer; persevering despite another coach’s advice that Hannibal should choose another sport as “he likes swimming but swimming doesn’t like him”.

She continued to work with him in the morning while coach Gonsalves coached him during afternoon sessions. His acceptance for the FINA Olympic Preparation Scholarship and the positive remarks by the Spire Institute coach are based on their work with Hannibal.

The GASA president went on to justify Mr Mahaica’s selection by stating that he is the National Swim Team Coach. I cannot comment on this as no such term exists in GASA. He then stated that Mr Mahaica will be “coaching the Guyana Goodwill Games swim con-

tingent scheduled to compete in St. Lucia on August 19”.

At best Mr Mahaica can once more be accompanying a team as he will be in Rio during the most crucial ‘taper’ period for the Goodwill team and will return to Guyana on the night of August 15 while the Goodwill team will arrive in St Lucia by the 18th.

I have absolutely nothing personal against coach Mahaica. He is unfailingly courteous to me. I believe that, in time, he may be a good coach, but that is yet to be seen. In 2013, he and I worked side-by-side during a FINA clinic and he was then learning the rudiments of teaching swimming.

Compare this with coach Gonsalves, who became a swim instructor in 2001 and was Guyana Red Cross-certified in 2002. She started coaching more than ten (10) years ago and has attended FINA swimming coaches’ clinics in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

In 2010 she participated in the UNDP Long-Term Athletes’ Development Training-of-Trainers pro-

gramme. She is an American Swimming Coaches’ Association and FINA Level 2 coach. In December 2015 she earned a Diploma in Swimming from the International Coaching Course, University of Physical Education (Hungary).

Guyanese looked with pride at our Rio 2016 team during the Opening Cere-

mony. We will all be proud of our athletes, no matter how they do during the Games, but we expect to at least see Personal Bests from our two swimmers.

They should have been given the best possible chance to achieve their best.

Sincerely, KAREN PILGRIM

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday August 11, 2016) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Jamaica Tallawahs (2) Imad Wasim (Tallawahs)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) What was the margin of victory by India in the first Test of the current series against the West Indies?

(2) Where was the first Test of the current WI/India Test series played?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday August 11, 2016

Sammy words come back to hurt him – Andy Roberts FORMER West Indies pace bowler Andy Roberts believes Darren Sammy’s comments after the regional side won the T20 World Cup in India on April 3 cost him his job as captain of the two-time world champions.

Last week, Sammy posted on Facebook that he was informed by Chairman of Selectors Courtney Browne that he was being sacked as captain and based on his performance he would also be dropped from the team selected to play India in two T20 Internationals in Florida at the end of August.

Roberts, a consistent critic of the West Indies Cricket Board, said Sammy’s performance in the recently concluded Hero CPL should have earned him a spot on the team but his words from April have come back to

DARREN SAMMY haunt him.

“This is Sammy’s best year in the CPL and you can see, this year, he was inspired by what transpired in

the World T20,” said Roberts.

“I think his comments afterwards were more of a motivation for him to do well so that in the event they wanted to axe him, they would do it on the fact that it has nothing to do with cricket.”

Roberts also believes Sammy’s replacement Carlos Braithwaite will be damaged by the captaincy, arguing that the pressures of captaincy will impact him negatively.

“I don’t know if it’s a choice; they can’t give it to Sammy because they axed Sammy. They can’t give it to (Kieron) Pollard whom I think should be the T20 captain because, to me, he is the best captain around the region right now and they wouldn’t give it to (Dwayne) Bravo either or give it back to Chris Gayle.

“So, who are they going to give it to?” (Sportsmax.com)

Motor Racing on the rise locally - GMR&SC president LOCAL Motor Racing is on the rise with more and more competitors coming into the sport. This is the view of current president of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) Mahendra Boodhoo as he spoke to media operatives last evening.

According to the president, “I think the sport is on the rise and we are focusing a lot on the cohesion between the fans and the sport. It’s where we can have the fans more involved and have a great facility and we will be concentrating a lot on safety.

He contended that 2016 thus far has been good for the sport, with the body trying out its first day/night contest earlier this year, adding that while there were some shortcomings, they plan to continue to experiment with getting more competitors and fans alike.

“We are working on various rules

GMRSC president Mahendra Boodhoo to make it cheaper for racing, so the average guy can come in to race; the perception is that it is an elite sport but

we are of the opinion it is not an elite sport since we can get so much people involved in it,” Boodhoo stated.

More so, the club president added, “We are working always to make it friendlier, as a sporting organisation, to bring more people, to have everybody involved.”

Meanwhile the club has set its focus on the two major events for the remainder of the year - the first being an International Drag Meet on October 2 with cars expected from Suriname while the second is the final leg of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC).

Guyana are the defending champions but currently languish in third (276) behind leaders Trinidad and Tobago (799 points) while Jamaica have 465 in second place.

Down in fourth are Barbados (202 points) and Cayman Islands on 60 points. Round three is set for the Bushy Park Raceway in Barbados on September 2-5.

Defending champion Serena Williams exits Olympics DEFENDING champion Serena Williams is out of the Olympics after losing to Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the third round of the women’s singles.

Williams lost 6-4 6-3 to Svitolina, ranked 20th in the world.

The world number one’s struggles were highlighted by five double faults in the seventh game of the second

set.

“It didn’t work out the way I wanted it to but at least I was able to make it to Rio - that was one of my goals,” Williams said.

“The better player today won but I know next time is going to be a really good match and I look forward to it.”

Williams and sister Venus were knocked out of

the women’s doubles on Sunday by Czech Republic pair Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova.

Svitolina, who will face the Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals, said: “It’s an unreal feeling for me. This is just a perfect moment.”

Williams follows men’s top seed Novak Djokovic in exiting the Olympics af-

ter he was defeated in both singles and doubles.

The 34-year-old’s exit means Angelique Kerber and Madison Keys are the only top-eight seeds remaining of what had appeared a very strong field.

Kerber faces Britain’s Johanna Konta in the quarter-finals after both won their matches earlier on Tuesday.

Local squash players fail to get past semi-finals at CASA Senior C/ships AFTER a good start at the ongoing Caribbean Senior Squash Championships in Trinidad, Guyana players Sunil Seth, Mary Funga-Fat and Ashley Khalil bowed out in the semi-finals of the competition, after facing some tough opponents in their respective matches Tuesday night.

Seth found himself pitted against reigning champion Chris Binnie. He, however, put up enough fight against Binnie to drive the match to an even 2-2 point, before having to forfeit the game due to injury. Seth was on a path of possibly upsetting the five-time defending champion when he rolled his ankle and had to retire.

He is probably out for the team event of the tournament, further damaging Guyana’s chances of claiming the overall title, where the remaining men are Benjamin Mekdeci, Nyron Joseph and Jason Ray Khalil.

Fung-a-Fat also found herself up against a defending champion when she took on Barbados’ Karen Meakins and lost 4-11, 8-11, 8-11.

The women’s singles final is now an all-Barbadian clash, after reigning Caribbean junior Girls’ Under-17 champion Meagan Best defeated Ashley Khalil

in straight sets ending 7-11, 5-11, 5-11.

In other matches of the day, Barbados Amanda Haywood edged Guyana’s Akelia Wiltshire 3-2, in the Women’s classic plate (5th-8th place) and Larissa Wiltshire

MARY FUNG-A-FAT got the better of compatriot Taylor Fernandes 3-1.

In the Women’s plate (9-16), Victoria Arjoon won against Denise Kyme 3-0.

Meanwhile, Guyana began their quest for the overall Team title last evening as the Veterans team category got underway. Guyana’s competitors are Alwyn Callender, Joe Mekdeci, Juanita Fernandes and Ramon ChanA-Sue in this age group category.

The men’s and women’s team event was scheduled to begin later last evening.

Stallions bludgeon Knockers; Hikers down GCC HOCKEY action continued on Tuesday evening in the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB)/Lucozade indoor league at the National Gymnasium.

In game 1, Old Fort Stallions beat off their teammates Old Fort Knockers 9-1. Terry Shaw opened the scoring for the Stallions in the 7th minute before adding the second in the 10th. Aderemi Simon picked up where his teammate left off, scoring in the 15th and 16th to end the half 4-0.

Upon the return, Stephon Sprosta in the 25th netted his team’s first before Jason DeSantos (33rd minute) made it 5-1. Simon returned in the 35th minute to seal his hat-trick before Omar Hopkinson netted his strike in the 37th. Simon scored on the end of the 37th and returned in the 39th to compile 5 goals in the game.

Game two saw the Bounty GCC side swatted aside by the Pepsi Hikers 3-6. Hikers Devin Munroe opened the scoring in the 6th minute to which Peter DeGroot responded for the GCC side one minute later with Steven Xaiver in the 14th minute giving the GCC side the lead.

That lead would be a short accord, as Aroydy Branford in the 15th minute levelled the score again and in the 17th minute put the Hikers ahead 3-2 before the half.

On the return, he completed his hat-trick in the 25th minute thanks to a penalty corner before Colonel Heywood’s 27th strike made it 5-2.

Kevin Spencer (32nd) gave GCC some hope at 5-3 but Rayon Branford (32nd) quashed that hope instantly.

Sammy words come back to hurt him – Andy Roberts See story on page 27

Windies make solid reply after Ashwin, Saha tons See story on page 23

Wriddhiman Saha congratulates R. Ashwin on his century on the second day at Gros Islet.

Gaskin opens Guyana’s bid at the Olympics today … Sanmoogan performs tomorrow

HANNIBAL GASKIN Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216.

See story on page 23

JAMILA SANMOOGAN THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016