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Cousins killed No. 104678

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

Price: $140

(VAT INCLUSIVE)

- in Berbice accident ; road deaths climb to 98

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Soyini scores the big one! Page

She has won so many pageants before that we almost thought there wasn’t another one she could enter. But Soyini Fraser decided to give the Miss Guyana Universe pageant another shot and won the crown in stunning fashion Saturday evening at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, closely edging out Rafieya Husain, another pageant powerhouse who two years ago ended Guyana’s drought at the Miss World pageant when she landed a place in the finals. Soyini was the 2010 Miss Earth Guyana, Guyana’s 2011 representative to the Miss Princess of the World pageant, the 2012 Miss United Nations, the 2014 Miss Jamzone Guyana queen, as well as first runner up in the 2011 Miss World Guyana pageant. After winning the crown Saturday evening, Soyini, the public relations officer at Hits and Jams TV said: “My chest is just trying to contain my heart right now. At the announcement of the top five I was just happy to be the first person called; I was just crazy excited. You can’t even understand how hard it is when you’re up here and you have so many beautiful women in one place and you just wish that you are the one that the judges think can take the next step.” Soyini will represent Guyana at the Miss Universe pageant in the Philippines on January 1, 2017. In photo, from left to right are 4th runner up Ayana Whitehead, 1st runner-up Rafieya Husain, the new Miss Guyana Universe Soyini Fraser, 2nd runner-up Ariella Basdeo and 3rd runner-up Ashley John.

Construction ‘Suspicious activity’ worker - falls from scaffold reported where electrocuted mystery plane found Page

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Ombudsman Winston Moore 12 is dead Page

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Construction worker electrocuted - falls from scaffold

CONSTRUCTION worker Marrion Matthews Adams, 31, of Lot 75, Block ‘E’ South Sophia Georgetown, fell to his death on Saturday morning after being electrocuted while work-

ing on a building under construction at Lot 1B, Public Road, Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara. He was pronounced dead at the East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital,

Work at this construction site stopped on Saturday morning after Marrion Matthews Adams fell to his death from the side of this building Dead: Marrion Matthews Adams

where he was rushed after the incident. George La Fleur, brother of the deceased, said he received a call from his sister, informing that his brother “was doing some

work on the East Bank, and got into an accident and he fell.” La Fleur said he visited his brother ’s worksite at 10:15am and was told that his younger brother had al-

ready died and his body had been taken to the hospital close by. “He was working at 35 feet in the air with no safety harness; I don’t believe he was experienced enough to work on such

a height without being secured,” La Fleur stated. “What happened was that my brother was at the top pulling up a section of the scaffold, which hooked an electrical wire that was close to the building. He (got) shocked, and it pitched him back, and he tumbled down the scaffold.” La Fleur noted that a post mortem will have to decide whether the electric shock or the fall had killed his brother. La Fleur emphasised that his brother had worked for several years in the construction sector, but started working on the building only last Tuesday. He said the police visited the area and collected information pertaining to his brother’s death. The late Marrion Matthews Adams leaves to mourn four brothers and one sister. His parents died several years ago. Construction work was discontinued after the incident.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Berbice cousins killed in accident - road deaths climb to 98

By Jeune Bailey Van Keric TWO Berbice cousins lost their lives during a return trip from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, after a motor pickup collided with the right front side of their vehicle on the Unity Pubic Road, East Coast Demerara. Dead are Kelvin Cort, 26, an entrepreneur of Lot 4 Courtland Village, Fyrish, Corentyne and Jennifer Grant, 41, of Betsy Ground, Canje. Grant was a mother of four and worked as an auxiliary staff of the New Amsterdam Public Hospital. The accident comes days after the police launched a campaign to curb the rate of road fatalities, which has now climbed to 98. According to the police, the accident occurred about 19:30hrs on Friday. Reports are that Cort was proceeding east along the northern side of the road in motor car PSS 6778 with five occupants, when motor pickup GMM 426, which was proceeding in the opposite direction, suddenly swerved into the path of the car and collided with its right front side. As a result of the impact, the driver of the car and the occupants, namely Jennifer Grant and Jancey Grant, 18, both of Betsy Ground, East Canje, Berbice, along with Petal Thom, 35, Sayol Thom, 38 and Mark Thom, 16, all of Liverpool Village, Corentyne, were rushed to the Georgetown Hospital

Kelvin Cort

Jennifer Grant

where Cort and Jennifer Grant died while receiving medical attention. The other persons were admitted to the hospital. The driver of the pickup is in police custody. Meanwhile, at Cort’s home, his mother Carol held a “Cayeene” belt, the last item she would ever hold from her son. It was given to her by one of her six remaining children, who had seen their brother breathe his last in the Intensive Unit at the Georgetown Pubic Hospital Corporation just after 01:00hr on Saturday.

The wrecked car and pickup

According to the woman, her son had left home shortly after 14:00hrs on Friday and had gone to Liverpool Village, Corentyne, were he picked up his cousins, who were the other occupants in the car. From there, they proceeded to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport where they picked up Petal Thom, who was returning home after spending her vacation in the United States of America. Relatives said Petal was seated in the front passenger seat while her sister Jennifer was seated behind the driver’s seat. Another sister Fayola, along with Petal’s only daughter Jancey, and Petal’s son Mark, was also in the back seat. Petal sustained a fractured arm while the other occupants have all sustained injuries and are being monitored. Cort was the fourth of five children born to Caron and Bertie Cort. He was described as hard- working and had just days before celebrated his birthday and had even asked his girlfriend’s parents for her hand in marriage. His father said his son fed the pigs and did all his chores before departing that day. He never knew he would not be returning home in the car which he had bought just over a year ago. At Jennifer Grant’s home at Betsy Ground, East Canje, her eldest son Jamaine, could not accept the fact that his loving and hard-working mother was not coming home.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Explosion rocks Manhattan neighborhood, at least 25 hurt (Reuters) An explosion rocked the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan and injured at least 25 people on Saturday, the New York City Fire Department said, prompting emergency personnel to swarm one of the most bustling areas of the city on a cool autumn evening. A law enforcement source said an initial investigation suggested the explosion occurred in a dumpster but the cause was still undetermined. Another official close to the investigation told Reuters that investigators were considering the possibility that the blast was accidentally triggered by construction explosives. But CNN reported that law enforcement sources believe

an improvised explosive device caused the blast. President Barack Obama, who was attending a congressional dinner in Washington, “has been apprised of the explosion in New York City, the cause of which remains under investigation,” a White House official said. “The president will be updated as additional information becomes available,” the official added. A U.S. official said the Joint Terrorism Task Force, an interagency group of federal, state and local officials, was responding to the blast, suggesting authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a terror attack. The task force is also investigating a pipe bomb that exploded earlier on Saturday in a plastic trash can along the

New York City firefighters stand near the site of an explosion in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York, U.S. September 17, 2016. REUTERS/Rashid Umar Abbasi

route of a charity road race in the New Jersey beach town of Seaside Park. No injuries were reported in that blast, which authorities believe was a deliberate act. ‘DEAFENING’ EXPLOSION At least three people were seen being taken away from the scene of the Chelsea blast in ambulances, but the severity of their injuries was not

immediately clear. A car seen driving through the area had its rear window blown out. The blast occurred at about 8:30 p.m. (0030 GMT on Sunday) between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue on 23rd Street, a major east-west thoroughfare in the fashionable downtown neighborhood of Chelsea, J. Peter Donald, a deputy commissioner with the New York Police Department, said in a Twitter message.

Representatives of the NYPD, the Fire Department of New York and other city agencies could not be reached immediately for further comment. Twenty-five civilians were confirmed to have been injured in the blast, the FDNY said on Twitter. The explosion, described by one neighbor as “deafening,” happened outside the Associated Blind Housing facility at 135 W. 23rd Street. The facility provides housing, training and other services for the blind. Hundreds of people were seen fleeing down the block on a cool early autumn evening, as police cordoned off the area. “It was really loud, it hurt my eardrums. My 10-year-old boy was sat in the back seat of the car, and the explosion blew the back window out,” said

Tsi Tsi Mallett, who was in a car driving along 23rd Street when the explosion took place. Her son was not injured. Neha Jain, 24, who lives in the neighborhood, said she was sitting in her room watching a movie when she suddenly heard a huge boom and everything shook. “Pictures on my wall fell, the window curtain came flying as if there was a big gush of wind. Then we could smell smoke. Went downstairs to see what happened and firemen immediately told us to go back.” New York City Police issued a bulletin advising motorists in the area that they should “expect extensive traffic delays and emergency personnel in the area of 23rd Street and 7th Avenue” due to police activity there and asking the public to avoid the area.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Blankenburg fatal accident…

Contractor to place adequate reflectors, signs on road

Injured: Mark Halley and Michelle Francis

FOLLOWING the recent fatal accident which claimed the lives of two siblings on the Blankenburg Public road, West Coast Demerara (WCD), Traffic Chief Dion Moore has advised the contractor who is presently rehabilitating the roadway to place thereon reflectors and adequate reflectorized materials, along with information signs, warning signs, and command signs to guide road users, so they can get to their destinations safely. Mark Halley and Michelle Francis, who were on Tuesday last both involved in a tragic accident which claimed the lives of their two children:

two-year-old Marvin Halley and seven-year-old Tina Francis, have been listed as being in stable condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC). The 32-year-old Halley, who was driving the vehicle at time of the accident, together with the mother of the children and police constable Casper Carter, who were also in the vehicle, sustained injuries in the accident. The parents and the children were taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where the children were pronounced dead and later taken to Ezekiel Funeral Parlour. The parents were then transferred

Brazilian miner chopped to death POLICE are investigating the chopping death of Brazilian national 47-year-old Helio Batista Xavier Neves, which occurred at Sourie Backdam, Puruni, Region Seven at about 20:00h on Friday. Enquiries disclosed that the deceased gold miner had an altercation with a fellow Brazilian male over some parts for an excavator machine, and the suspect armed himself with a cutlass and dealt Neves multiple chops about his body. Neves was rushed to the Bartica Hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival. The suspect has not yet been apprehended.

in an unconscious state to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they were admitted. The police constable was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he was treated and discharged. Halley, a mason and part-time taxi driver, was reportedly driving Toyota Primo PVV 38 heading to Parika, East Bank Essequibo at approximately 02:45 hrs on Tuesday morning to drop off the police constable who is stationed in Bartica. He was carrying his family along for the drive when, at a section of the Blankenburg road that is presently under construction, Halley lost control of the vehicle and crashed into two other vehicles before landing in a nearby drain.

‘It’s been hard’ ‒ says NCN Sports Editor who, despite reinstatement calls, remains on suspension By Ravin Singh NATIONAL Communications Network (NCN) Sports Editor Mrs. Jocelle Archibald-Hawke has just about two weeks to go before her suspension is up and she returns to work, but to her it seems an eternity. “The reality is that it has been hard for me. It has caused some amount of setbacks, because I still have to take care of my children, pay my bills, and provide for my family,” she told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday. The mother of two was, a few weeks ago, going about her business as usual, when out of the blue she was slapped with a one-month suspension without pay, sanctioned for committing the cardinal sin of making derogatory comments about one of her colleagues on social media. She was subsequently asked to apologise, and she did. But her apology was apparently not to the liking of the offended party, so she was suspended. A number of prominent individuals and organisations have strongly condemned the action by the NCN management, headed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lennox Cornette. President David Granger himself thought the decision was “inhumane”, and said as much during his weekly televised programme, “The Public Interest”.

Suspended NCN Sports Editor Jocelle Archibald-Hawke

“She has not committed a crime; it is not as though she’s a murderer. I think it was inhumane to take away her salary or to suspend her from her job. I don’t know she has committed any crime at all,” the President said. He added: “I think there was an absence of compassion on the part of the [NCN] administration, and we expect that (compassion) in the future. I think it is inhumane to deprive an employee of her salary without due process.” The Guyana Press Association (GPA) has insisted that the suspension should be rescinded because NCN does not have a social media policy from which it can institute disciplinary action. However, despite these calls, management has not seen it fit to reinstate or contact the Sports Editor, whose suspension, effective from August 29, 2016, lasts until September 30, 2016. Archibald-Hawke has

NCN CEO Mr. Lennox Cornette

until then to make ends meet the best way she can. As she told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, she is still in the process of paying for her car, which was bought through the bank. And because of her predicament, she has now been forced to consider writing the bank to ask for time to pay this month’s installment. And while family members and friends have chipped in to help ease her burden, it is still very difficult for her because of her multiple commitments. One such commitment, she said, is the matter of one of her son’s school fee; and she still has to figure out how she is going to pay her other son’s babysitter this month. Meanwhile, efforts to contact the NCN CEO have, to date, proven futile, as several calls to his phone have gone unanswered. Efforts to contact several members of the NCN Board have likewise proven futile.

Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Sunday Editor

Neil Marks

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

Editorial

Whither the coconut?

AS demand for coconut grows on the world market, Compton Paul, coordinator of a regional coconut programme at the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), in the Independent online news (10th September 2016), delivered a spot of news that the Caribbean is running out of this fruit. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports that, since 1994, Caribbean plantations have shrunk by 17 per cent. Some contributing factors for this decline are weather conditions, diseases that wiped out farms, lack of investment in planting new trees and providing fertilisation to improve yields, earlier shift in consumer preference; and in Guyana’s case, a little bit of politics. In the presence of global news that the price for coconut oil has jumped by more than 50 percent in the last year, the human aspect of “what if” would be a point of consideration. In our historically divisive political environment, efforts by the Forbes Burnham government to push food self-sufficiency were met with some resistance on the pretext that it constituted punishing the people and instituting poverty. With de-emphasis on production and with a lack of markets, estates that weren’t abandoned or attacked by pesticides either became forested or suffered from lack of investment. The coconut and its plant have been used by us for many purposes. The kernel or ‘meat’ has been used for making milk, edible oil, sugar cake; the water has been used as a beverage; the branches make brooms; the husk/fibre makes mattress fillers; the milk of the coconut is a major ingredient in foods such as cook-up and metem-gee, etc. Today coconut husk is used to fill car seats and make mats (domestic and motor vehicle). The coconut has also found its way into toiletries and cosmetics, as in shampoo, skin lotion, bath soap, lip balm, body wash, etc. bbcgoodfood.com says, “Coconuts are highly nutritious and rich in fibre, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6, and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Unlike cow’s milk, coconut milk is lactose free, so can be used as a milk substitute by those with lactose intolerance.” This Jo Lewin’s article ‘The health benefits of…coconut milk’ goes on to say that while the fruit “contains significant amounts of fat…(it) provides fat that is mostly in the form of medium chain saturated fatty acids (MCFAs), in particular one called lauric acid, [which] is converted in the body into a highly beneficial compound called monolaurin, an antiviral and antibacterial that destroys a wide variety of disease causing organisms. It is therefore now thought that consumption of coconut milk may help protect the body from infections and viruses.” With increasing appreciation for diverse dishes, and growing shift to food preferences which favour what the

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

What price does Minister Jordan place on an adequately incentivised Public Service?

THE Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) notes with mounting concern the perpetuation of a posture of seeming hostility to the very idea of a living wage for Public Servants on the part of Finance Minister Winston Jordan, as reflected in his most recent outburst on the issue of Public Servants’ wages and salaries, published in sections of the media yesterday, Saturday September 17, 2016. The seeming essence of the Finance Minister’s outburst appears to be with what he says is the “affordability” and “sustainability” of extending the government’s current pay-increase offer despite the fact that the union’s ongoing investigations seriously challenge the validity of the minister’s claims. What Minister Jordan does not say, of course, is that requests made to him by the union for official information that calls into question his “affordability” claim are yet to be provided. What concerns the union most is the fact that Minister Jordan’s fixation with this questionable “affordability” theory takes no account of the nexus between the realisation of a living wage for Public Servants and the efficiency and effectiveness of the Public Service. Like others before him, the Finance Minister appears to take it for granted that the “sustainability” of the Public Service can somehow be sustained, the meagreness of Public Servants’ emoluments and the direness of their material circumstances notwithstanding. His line of reasoning would appear to be that

whatever crumbs are thrown in their direction, Public Servants will simply soldier on, regardless. That, in the union’s view, amounts to taking Public Servants and their families entirely for granted and putting the future of the nation at risk. It is not the union’s view that the minister’s posture is in line with the professed position of the political administration expressed in its campaign commitment to meaningfully improving the standard of living of Public Servants. The union also notes with particular concern the clear fixation by Minister Jordan with interventions in the ongoing wages, salaries and allowances negotiations in a manner that is transparently designed to compromise the negotiations and to frustrate the efforts of Public Servants to rise above their present difficult circumstances. Indeed, we are aware that Public Servants across the Public Service, take issue with what has become his counterproductive and, we believe, potentially damaging interventions in the negotiations. It is a harsh irony that Minister Jordan appears indifferent to the importance of better pay for all categories of Public Servants in circumstances where quite a few contracted employees at the ministry for which he has Cabinet responsibility enjoy ‘super’ salaries. This, incidentally, has been the subject of gossip among some of the meagrely paid substantive Public Servants in that very ministry whenever – as it sometimes does – the issue of wages and salaries

Caribbean offers, the uses and value of the taken-for-granted coconut are catching fire in North America and European regions. For instance, the coconut flakes (grated)are used as toppings on cakes; the milk is used in smoothies, coffee and liqueur. For years, it has been said that Guyana has the potential to be the Food Basket of the Caribbean. In the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Guyana holds the lead position on agriculture. And where CARDI in the past has seen the Jagdeo administration not honouring Guyana’s financial obligations, it is hoped that the APNU+AFC administration corrects this delinquency. Development can never happen in the absence of investing in institutions to make them function effectively, including in the agricultural sector, which needs resources for technical assistance such as research, development and outreach. The absence of continuous and necessary research has caught Guyana unaware of available opportunities in the coconut industry, and the benefits to be derived therefrom. Needed and necessary leadership of Government in the industry could have seen Guyana today holding competitive advantage in the international market, earning significant revenue, creating employment and economic opportunities,

arise in office discourse. Contextually, one might ask whether we are in the presence of a minister of government who advocates, indeed, seeks to further institutionalise, a Public Service of ‘haves and have nots?’ The union, of course, wishes to make it clear that it has no objection to a situation in which salary levels are commensurate with qualifications and experience and the required and where scarce skills need to be recruited to fill key and critical public sector positions. That is not to say that all Public Servants ought not to be compensated commensurate with their contributions, skills and qualifications. It may well be that the minister may regard it as his prerogative to periodically make such reckless and ill-conceived comments about Public Servants’ pay, though a stage has surely been reached where what he has to say will not only compromise the ongoing negotiations and further frustrate the country’s Public Servants, but may also, in the final analysis, have a deleterious effect on the longer-term effectiveness of the Public Service as a whole and by extension on the development of the country. It is against this backdrop that the union believes that the Finance Minister should be counselled to desist from pronouncements that do no more than pollute the prevailing environment. September 17, 2016 Guyana Public Service Union

and reducing the country’s poverty level. As global interest in this fruit and its by-product develops, it is hoped that the Ministry of Agriculture, under the leadership of the Hon. Minister Noel Holder, not only take note, but put in place mechanism for resuscitation of this industry, with the aim of Guyana taking up a sizable market share. Technavio.com (23 Sept 2015) reports that “The coconut water market is expected to generate revenue worth US $4 billion between 2015 and 2019, thanks to the increasing sales of natural drinks among health-conscious consumers.” Such taste in a world becoming increasingly health conscious is likely to remain and increase. We must be able to partake in this market, given our developmental thrust on Sustainable Development. Already, Guyanese such as Mr. and Mrs. Da Silva from the Pomeroon have entered the international market selling bottled coconut water, and have indicated that the ability to meet market demand is inadequate. What this suggests is that in addition to needed government support, proper research and development, abandoned coconut estates need to be resuscitated, and planting needs to be increased.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

I take positions on issues based on what I feel is best for Guyana Dear Editor,

FOREIGN Affairs magazine, published by the Council on Foreign Relations and the LEE KWAN YEW School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore have announced their 2016 Student Essay competition, which is open to undergraduate students graduating no earlier than December 2016. The essay topic is : What global issue should world leaders be paying more attention to? The deadline for entries is October 15, 2016. To submit entries go to:www.foreignaffairs.com/essay 2016. Earlier this week, Foreign Affairs held its Graduate School Fair which was preceded by a panel discussion on a new U.S. Grand Strategy. I encourage Guyanese undergraduate students at home and in the Diaspora to enter this essay competition. Next, Guyana’s former president and current oppo-

sition leader Bharat Jagdeo has been invited and will deliver the 18th annual Eric Williams Memorial Lecture at Florida International University (FIU) on Friday, September 30th. I shared this information on my and other Facebook pages and several Guyanese resented the fact that I shared this information, accusing me and the organisers of the lecture series (I am not part of the organisers) of legitimising Jagdeo. Some have called me all sorts of names for indicating that I will attend, alleging that the former president is responsible for some 400 deaths carried out by the phantom squad which operated in Guyana during his tenure. Kindly allow me a few lines to make it clear that I am in no position to legitimise or dismiss anyone. Former President Jagdeo has been legitimised by a significant percentage of the Guyanese electorate that has

voted for and supports his People’s Progressive Party (PPP). He is legitimised by several international governmental and non-government agencies that apparently value his contributions to their deliberations and quite rightly, as I do, take the position that a person is innocent of allegations levelled at him or her until and unless found guilty in a Court of Law. I encourage Guyanese in Florida to attend the lecture for which there is no fee and to respectfully pose whatever questions they need answered by the former president. During the presidency of Desmond Hoyte, several members of the U.S. Congress were written to by Guyanese-Americans, in some cases one person using different names to send several letters, requesting that the U.S. suspend aid to Guyana pending free and fair elections. And the aid was suspended. Shortly thereafter, I was on Capitol Hill for a

reception one evening and took along my visiting friend Neville Bissember Jr. As we were leaving the Hill I stumbled on then Senator Bob Graham and we engaged him in conversation. I asked the Senator, who knew me as the Caribbean News Agency (CANA) Washington correspondent, how come he could vote to cut off aid to the Hoyte government when in fact Hoyte was embarking on a number of reforms in keeping with the strengthening of democracy. His response was “My office has been receiving letters from all these Floridian Guyanyans (meaning Guyanese) about rigged elections and we don’t ever get the other side of the story.” So, those who feel so strongly about Jagdeo’s alleged wrongdoings and the fact that he continues to be legitimised by reputable institutions, should present to these institutions whatever evidence they have against

the former president and request that he not be “legitimised”. But instead these political sycophants choose to characterise me on social media simply because I share information on an event at which Jagdeo is the featured guest. Fortunately, I am an independent thinker and I take positions on issues based on what I feel is best for Guyana. My positions may not always be right, but these are never influenced by any partisan political, ethnic, religious or gender considerations. I will be attending the lecture by former President Jagdeo and intend to ask a question or two. I care less about who or what anyone has to say about my attending. Finally Editor, I also would like to share some information about next month’s annual Florida International Trade Conference and Expo (FITCE 2016) to be held October 19-20 at the Broward Convention Center. This year,

the Florida Conference on the Caribbean: The Diaspora Discussion, at which Vice-President Carl Greenidge was the featured speaker last year, has been incorporated into FITCE to provide for a single robust event that is expected to attract over 600 participants from around the world. Also, this year’s event will highlight the Caribbean and a special pavilion will be mounted for the Region to display its goods and services. I have secured 10 display booths free of cost for the Guyanese private sector and two for government agencies. I have also had Broward Commissioner Dale Holness extend an invitation to the Honourable Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin. I hope that both the private sector and the government accept this invitation. Regards, Wesley Kirton

Treatment meted out to GT vendors must be condemned by all Dear Editor: THE treatment meted out to the vendors by Town Clerk Royston King, who unashamedly seeks to justify a conduct that can be described as being bovine, must be condemned by all right-thinking Guyanese. In the Georgetown City Council they are by-laws that guide the conduct of business and these have their genesis in establishing and maintaining good human relations within society. King has responsibility as Chief Executive Officer for the day-to-day business of the Council, but this cannot be discharged on the basis of his gut feelings. The discharge of his duties must be consistent with applica-

tion of the national laws, city by-laws and acceptable human conduct. Respect for these tenets will inform that the town clerk does not have the prerogative to walk around the town, observe activities and perceived violations, and order action be taken without due consideration for the consequences. In the specific case of the vendors at Bourda Market, one has to be careful when dealing with a collective as against an individual. For in the case of the collective, it is totally wrong for actions to be taken against the collective on the perceived violation of a few. The engagement with vendors by the town clerk, though he is fully well aware that this group has established a union that represents their

interest, indicates that the Council has no intention of conducting its business consistent with laws and to bring order to vending. The position taken by Councillor Andrea Marks at Tuesday’s statutory meeting reminds the nation that some persons placed in elective office are prepared to handle issues guided by universally acceptable principles and precedence. It must be recalled that Ms. Marks, not then a councillor, was out there vociferously protesting the excesses of the administration of Town Clerk Carol Sooba. Today that Ms. Marks is using her elective office as a representative of the people, to speak out against the excesses of the incumbent town clerk reflects a glim-

mer of hope that the wrongs of the past administration will not be supported in the present administration. This is a progressive step by Ms. Marks and the society needs to see more of if we, as a people, are going to have political growth. When one accepts that laws are put in place to guide the conduct of man in society, the city mothers and fathers need to take note that these laws cannot be applied in the manner that violate the fundamental rights of vendors and citizens.The pronouncement that the town clerk is the Chief Executive Officer and has to discharge his duty is not doubted. What those who so remind us of are falling short of is reminding themselves that the town

clerk has a responsibility to respect the rights of the vendors and uphold the laws, buttressed with a high level of civility. The pronouncements by Mayor Chase-Green as reported in the media raise concerns as to what her tenure will be like when it comes to treating with people and demonstrating regard for their fundamental rights and freedoms. As mayor of the city, she was elected by the people to be in service to the people, and being in service to the people requires treating them with respect and dignity. She is urged to rethink and understand the role she ought to be playing and giving leadership to. The vendors are an economic group in this society.

They provide a service, livelihoods for themselves and family, and contribute to the revenue intake of city and national governments. In an economy where opportunities are limited, these persons could have sat on their laurels, migrated, or turned to a life of crime. That they chose to stay here and engage in productive endeavours and their legitimacy cemented by their payment of stall rental to the council are enough to see them being treated with deserving respect. The City Council must rein King in, given that his conduct will be seen as a reflection of the city mothers and fathers. Regards Lincoln Lewis

HINDS’SIGHT

Dr David Hinds

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Where are the uplifting Burnhamite, Jaganite and Rodneyite influences on Government policy?

I AM currently teaching a course on Caribbean Politics and Political Economy. The students seem to be into the subject, especially as I am using Globalization, a construct with which they are familiar, as the frame for the course. Once the students got the drift of the course, they began to ask some very piercing questions. At the conclusion of our discussion of Michael Manley’s Democratic Socialism, one student asked why, given its success of social reforms in the 1970s in favour of the poor, the concept is not being applied as a solution to the social problems Caribbean societies currently face. As a teacher, you don’t only teach, you also learn; the students’ questions and insights often force you to think anew about old subjects, and renew your own insights and perspectives. I answered the student’s question, but I have been thinking about it for the last few days. One of the things I said in my answer was the implementation of democratic socialism requires democratic socialists, and we do not produce those in the Caribbean anymore. The political conditions that gave rise to those early post-independence ideas and policies are not now present in the contemporary Caribbean. The Caribbean has moved on, as it must; but, sadly, it has not taken much of its collective creative imagination and intellect with it. It is one of our greatest failings as a society and a civilization. Because we are generally devoid of historical memory, the present generation of political, cultural and academic leadership has scant knowledge and consciousness of even the recent history of our countries and regions. They therefore behave like Columbus —always acting as if they invented something, and making in the public sphere declarations that are grounded in a warped presentism. My student’s question also set me thinking about Guyana in particular, where we hear lots of references to

the greatness of Burnham, Jagan and Rodney from their followers, but very little informed discussion of their ideas and their praxis. We reduce them to ammunition for our political wars, and props for our political theatres, when their birth or death anniversaries come around. Sadly, our political discussions are confined to who did what and when, often without context and rationality. So we live in a moment of emptiness and nothingness. The current Government includes Jaganites, Burnhamites and Rodneyites, but where in its policies are the uplifting ideas of these leaders reflected? For example, there have been some discussion on the role of the government and state in the economy, but all the declarations -- from job creation to workers’ wages -- have come straight out of the IMF-World Bank Structural Adjustment manual. Whatever you say about Jagan, Burnham and Rodney, one thing about their praxis was constant — they never lost sight of the central role of Government in transforming the colonial political economy to one in which the victims of slavery and colonialism are guaranteed some degree of socio-economic security. They knew that, until we develop an economy that allows space for the poor to fend for themselves, it is the duty of the state to guarantee their security. And what better way to guarantee their security than to adequately compensate them for their labour? The role of the state in the economy cannot be the same for Guyana as it is in the USA or Europe — our societies have developed differently, and have arisen out of different historical circumstances. When the foreign and local consultants and IMF officials offer prescriptions for our countries, they never take into consideration what 400 years of economic and political bondage have done to the economies of the Caribbean in terms of their capacity for competitiveness. They are less concerned about the conse-

quences of decreased government spending on wages, such as poverty; and its attendant ills, such as hunger, crime, school-dropouts, and child prostitution, to name a few. That’s not their business. I say all of the above to make the point that, in terms of macro-economic policies, not much has changed under this new Government. Some of us expected something now and fresh that would at least give some hope for a better future. I totally disagree with the learned Minister of Finance that paying the workers better wages is not sustainable. It may not be sustainable under the IMF model of sustainability, but is that model beneficial for the overall health of Guyana? The absence of adequate wages leads to all kinds of negative spin-offs that have negative impacts on the country. The Honourable Minister must know that unemployment, underemployment, poor wages, and all that accompany them are at the heart of our chronic poverty. Is poverty sustainable? The central plank of the post-independence agenda in Guyana and the Caribbean is still the decolonization of labour. I have made the point elsewhere that Government can afford what it prioritises. If the priority of the Government is the well-being of the poor and their liberation from poverty, then its policies must reflect that. While we wait on the Government to put in place architecture for the transition from dependency on Government to entrepreneurship, the workers have to live; their labour has to be properly compensated. More of Dr. Hinds’ writings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his website www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.com. Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com

MMC guard kills driver, wounds other employee

By Michel Outridge

A SECURITY guard attached to one of the country’s leading security companies shot and killed a driver of the same company Saturday, while wounding another employee. Officials of the security arm of the Mekdeci Mining Company (MMC) and the police are trying to ascertain what may have caused the seemingly “normal” security guard to go berserk. Dead is Hubert Verwayne, 36, of Lot 710 Block B Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo. The incident has left employees in a state of shock, so much so that many could not talk about it while others expressed disgust as well as surprise. Police reported that the suspect, 24, is in police custody as sleuths intensify the probe. The incident occurred about 08:00hrs Saturday morning at the Security Service’s Office at Happy Acres, East Coast Demerara. Initial enquiries revealed that the driver was in the company of several other employees when the suspect,

Please see page 9

Killed: Hubert Verwayne

Grieving: Shelly Verwayne and the eldest of four children on Saturday

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

We must protect the spirit and intent of Caribbean Integration RECENTLY in the news was the issue of movement of people in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and primarily the behaviour of immigration officials at the Grantley Adams Airport, Barbados. The solidarity shown by the Guyanese society to another Guyanese who reportedly was mistreated at the Barbados airport must be commended, for it seems very clear that regardless of our differences we are what is termed our brothers and sisters’ keepers. The problems experienced by CARICOM residents at ports of CARICOM member-states will not just disappear overnight and without concerted and committed efforts by the governments of these countries. These problems have existed over a considerable period and refusal to confront them with regard to respecting each country’s sovereignty, the spirit and intent that birthed and should sustain the integration movement, will hurt it. The route of playing the race card or blaming the receiving country that the Bharrat Jagdeo government took during the David Thompson administration when Barbados was seeking to enforce its immigration laws is the worst approach to uphold the spirit and intent of integration, and sent a message that the Guyana Government has no regard for the laws of a sister country. The David Granger/Moses Nagamootoo administration is encouraged to take a dissimilar position to that of the Jagdeo administration, and move to have the issue addressed, resolved, and stop the embarrassment faced by Guyanese not only in Barbados, but at every airport within CARICOM. This should be seen as critical to the protection of integration. The issue of travelling and migration in this Region

has been there for many years and was observed by earlier Caribbean leaders who led CARICOM countries into independence. Those leaders were also mindful that presented with the opportunity, human nature is such where persons will move from a country considered less developed or stabled to another considered in better standing. Prime Minister Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago, conscious of that country’s economic comparative advantage to other member-states rendered economic support to countries such as Barbados and Guyana. That support was given fully well conscious that if the economies of the other countries do not perform by creating decent jobs, unplanned movement to other countries can create shocks on their social and economic sectors. For instance, the job market can be saturated with skills that were not planned for and this could drive down/depress wages/salary and conditions of employment such as health and safety through an influx of un-documented workers. The issue of education and space in schools will evolve from an unplanned migration system that impacts on national planning for the education sector, where private schools, not meeting required government standards, will emerge. Public health services and housing will also have to cater for an unplanned group of individuals. These issues when put together contribute to inner-city slums that do not benefit a country, but serve to reduce its standard of living throughout. A way needs to be found not only to address immigration, for immigration is intrinsically linked to every activity and decision made by our regional political lead-

MMC guard kills driver ...

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armed with a shotgun, approached in a rage, accusing the deceased and others of making ill remarks about his daughter; in the process, he opened fire, killing Verwayne. One other employee received shotgun wounds to his left hand and is receiving medical attention. Verwayne is said to have succumbed to a gunshot wound to his chest. The man’s grieving wife, Shelly Verwayne, told the Guyana Chronicle that she received the dreadful news of her husband’s death via a telephone call and she visited the MMC office to enquire how he was killed. She was told that after management reviewed the surveillance footage, it was observed that the suspect began discharging the shotgun indiscriminately at his colleagues

after a brief exchange of words. The mother of four, a beverage vendor, said the death of her husband of 10 years is a shock because he left home for work as normal and next she heard he was dead. They had been together for 18 years. She said her husband celebrated his 36th birthday two Saturdays ago. He had been working with the MMC Security Service for the past two and a half months and was a part-time route 32 mini-bus driver. Mrs. Verwayne told the Guyana Chronicle that they had four children, including twin girls who are two years old. She related that the company said they will be in touch with her to sort out his benefits.

ers. As the region pursues a Single Economy, supported by a Single Market, it continues to import food and other consumer items with yearly value to the tune of billions of U.S. dollars. The Single Economy requires deep thinking supported by actions. Most recently Guyana passed through the court and will deport four Haitians for violating our immigration laws. Haiti has the largest population within CARICOM, is experiencing its own socio-economic and political challenges, and given human nature it is expected our Haitian colleagues will move to other societies considered more stable. As Guyanese speak about feeding ourselves and exporting to other CARICOM countries and wider, the world is developing the taste/habit for organic products, herbal foods, Caribbean products, and cuisine. The time is ripe for the Region to not only engage in an aggressive self-sufficiency programme, but also seek to satisfy changing trends. Against this backdrop, the time has come for member-states to embrace farming in a holistic sense, utilising the lands in Guyana and allowing Haitians to move here in the drive to produce foods and other indigenous products to meet regional and international demands. CARICOM was established to harness the skills of the people and the resources within the Region for the people’s collective growth and development. It is this spirit and intent regional governments must return to and at all legitimate costs seek to protect. The issue of immigration is not the problem per se. When the underlying systematic problems are addressed, they can go a far way in resolving the immigration contention, alleged mistreatment of fellow citizens by immigration officials, and avoid the fear that insulation is the best approach to protecting a country’s standard of living. Each member-state has a responsibility to make sure the collective works, and to this end heads of government must work hand in hand as their predecessors did, and where in the era they are capable of doing same and more.

Institutional sustainability and the Good Life

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Today we will look at institutional sustainability, the final of three sustainability articles that began with the environment.

By Rear Admiral (Rtd) Gary A. R. Best, Presidential Advisor on the Environment

T THE outset, it must be said that the concept of Sustainable Development assigns a fundamental role for institutions as a tool for its implementation. One only has to look at Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, and its 27 Principles, to find that practically all of the tasks within the mandate of Agenda 21 were assigned to institutions for implementation on the road towards sustainable development. Whether the issues concerned combating poverty, protection of the atmosphere, integrating environment and development into decision-making, combating deforestation, managing fragile ecosystems, sound management of hazardous wastes, or strengthening the role of major groups: such as farmers, children and Indigenous peoples, it ultimately fell on institutions for implementation. In this context, institutional responsibility is evidenced at the state, national, local and international levels; and includes organizations such as the World Maritime Organization, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Trade Organization, the International Labour Organization, the World Health Organization, national organizations, and the Economic Commission for Africa, among others. Emphasizing the importance of rules and practices, Pfahl (2005) offers a definition of institution which goes thus: “persistent and connected sets of rules and practices that prescribe behavioural roles, constrain activity, and shape expectations. They may take the form of bureaucratic organisations, regimes, or conventions”. In addition, the writer Gordon (2000) believed that norms, values and practices must be enduring in order to ensure that development interventions have continuity in the context of institutional sustainability. In fact, institutional sustainability is a principal factor in enabling sustainable development. Often times, a charismatic leader or an entrepreneur may have been the catalyst for sustainability, but it is important to have appropriate institutions to take over after individual champions may have led the way in a given project, in order for the project not to lose momentum or fail completely. Institutional sustainability, therefore, must narrow social divides by adopting norms, practices, adaptive behaviours and aggressive learnings in an integrated manner to produce the promised ‘good life’. However, we should note that, notwithstanding the creation of new institutional structures aimed at sustainable development, existing institutions may prevent the required results due to old practices of unsustainable conduct. In some cases, it may be a simple name change, and not in essence a new institution; and this may provide challenges to old staff in adapting to new mandates. Further, institutions must facilitate decision-making.

Rear Admiral (rtd) Gary A. R. Best

They must ensure that various interests are represented at the policy level, and that decisions are reflected in political instruments. Institutions should also ensure that an integrated system is set up, so that information reaches the citizenry, and a feedback mechanism is created in order for citizenry information to return to the institution. Good examples in the context of Guyana are the ‘inclusive democracy’ Article of the Guyana Constitution, and the local government mechanism. In many ways, the absence of coercive state power is the hallmark of governance, as opposed to government, which does require the coercive arm. Similarly, and in the context of governance, institutional analysis can be more effective if it examines functional and structural tiers, organization of governance functions, and formulation of key institutional rules as the principal aspects of institutional design. In addition, the performance of institutions must be measurable or assessable. An example of a measuring instrument was developed by the United Nations during its deliberation at the Conference for Sustainable Development in 1995. At that conference, the indicators by which institutions would be assessed in achieving the goals of Agenda 21 were established. In this regard, the indicator system added the institutional dimension as a fourth element of sustainability; the other three principal elements being the social, environmental and economic dimensions. Sustainability indicators for the evaluation of institutional achievements include participation of NGOs in policy making; access to institutions and services; accountability; access by affected groups to national courts, and capability of institutions to balance interests and improve equity. Add also to these categories transparency, participation, responsiveness, and implementa-

Towards a Good Life in a Green Economy tion capabilities. Indeed the categories could be wide and encompassing for institutional assessment. According to Litten (2005), key indicators for institutional sustainability relative to corporate activity would include reports on areas such as health, business, ecology, environment and employment impacts. However, Spangenberg et al (2002) believed a more scientific approach was necessary. They posited that good governance towards sustainability is not possible without appropriate institutions; and unless the sustainable indicators used to measure success of institutions are scientifically based, any results therefrom would be doubtful. As a result, the system has been revised by the United Nations, and is now based on nominal, ordinal and cardinal indicators. The categories now have a bias to science and information technology. However, the new United Nations’ indicators would likely leave out greater participation by developing countries -- a critical issue for Guyana. Notwithstanding this, however, indicators for assessing institutions are critical to the entire process of institutional sustainability. And in this context, Guyana has a splendid opportunity to adapt, modify, and formulate its own indicators through norms, rules, and practices that would enable institutional sustainability as a prerequisite to attaining the good life. (Comments can be sent to towardsagoodlife@gmail. com)

Mr. Gary A. R. Best is a retired Rear Admiral and former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force. He is an attorney-at-law and is the Presidential Advisor on the Environment. He is a PhD. candidate at the University of the West Indies, and holds a BSc in Nautical Science (Brazil) and Masters’ degrees from the University of the West Indies and the University of London. He is also an alumnus of the National Defence University and Harvard Kennedy School. His research areas include climate change governance, climate change finance, international relations and environmental law.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Berbice stakeholders agree strategies to curb suicides A multi-stakeholder meeting was held by the Region Six Regional Health Services Thursday to discuss and implement strategies to curb suicides. The meeting, which saw attendance by several NGOs, healthcare personnel, the Guyana Police Force, the Prison Service and others, was part of an ongoing con-

sultation. According to Alex Foster, President of St. Francis Community Developers and facilitator of the discussion, the main purpose of the session was aimed at “taking the fight to the people.” “The Regional Health Service has a team of trained doctors, nurses, peer educa-

tors and counsellors and unless they reach out they won’t be able to help. Our strategy is to take them to the people instead of waiting until it’s too late. “We will target the hard-to-reach areas and areas that have recorded instances of suicide and take our human resources there to educate and pro-

Alberttown businessman charged with fraudulent conversion A 31-year-old businessman was granted $50,000 bail on a charge of fraudulent conversion when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Friday. Clayton Younge of 4th Street Alberttown, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge. It is alleged that between August 24, 2014 and March 12,2016, he was entrusted with a quantity of household and electrical items to the total value $523,500 by Jennifer Lowe. He was to keep and return the items but converted the items to his own use and benefit. However, Younge’s lawyer Mortimer Coddett, in his application for reasonable bail, explained that his client was the reputed son-in-law of Lowe. Coddett further pointed out that his client was living with the woman’s daughter at the lower flat of her home. Clayton Younge Lowe migrated to the United States of America and her daughter followed and Younge was left in charge of the home at Meadow Brook Gardens. According to the lawyer, there was “bad blood” between Younge and his mother-inlaw. He claimed that his client purchased the items and had receipts to prove his claims. Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers did not present any facts to the court and had no objections to bail being granted to the accused. The case was transferred to Court 12 for September 26.

Sept 20 for decision on cocaine-trafficking charge against Barry Dataram CUSTOMS Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford-Thompson and Defence Attorney Glen Hanoman both made their closing submissions to the court on Friday via paper committals in the matter against Barry Dataram and three others accused of trafficking narcotics. The submissions were made before Magistrate Judy Latchman, who in the next hearing on September 20, 2016, would make a ruling on whether or not the prosecutor has established a prima facie case against the accused. It is alleged that on April 16, at Silver Dam, Fourth Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, the defendants had in their possession 129.230 kilogrammes of cocaine (equivalent to 284 pounds) for the purpose of trafficking. The illicit substance was found by CANU when officers raided the said property.

vide information to the public, so that they can be more aware of the level of help that is available and at their disposal. “If the mountain can’t come to the people we will take the people to the mountain”, Foster said. The other strategies include regular television programmes to address the rate of suicide. This has already been given the go-ahead by the Regional Health Service stakeholders Committee for Suicide. Further, using sports as

a means of getting people meaningfully occupied in indoor and outdoor activities, could also help, Foster stated, but pointed to lack of facilities as one reason why many youths are not involved in sports. “When we speak about sports we are not only referring to cricket; we need a variety of sports to choose from and the government and other stakeholders need to put infrastructure in place to facilitate this. “You need indoor games

where you can play, but still have conversations - games where you can appease your aggressive behaviour like boxing or football or basketball. “However, many times the only facilities that are available are that [sic] for cricket.” Foster said the consultations have been ongoing for some time now and as more people get on board, more ideas and strategies would be developed so as to reduce the rate of suicide in Region Six.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Ombudsman Winston Moore is dead RETIRED Justice Winston Lennox McLennon Moore, serving as Ombudsman, passed away on Friday night after a period of illness. Justice Moore assumed the post of Ombudsman on January 13, 2014, filling a position that had been vacant for eight years. His duties were to investigate and resolve complaints by citizens with the aim of identifying issues that lead to poor service or breaches of citizens’ rights. The Ministry of the Presidency noted that Justice Moore began his legal career as an attorney-at-law in 1983, and was appointed a High Court Judge in 1998. He also served as the Judge Advocate for the Guyana Defence Force in 2007, before assuming the post of Ombudsman. “His Excellency Brigadier David Granger, MSS, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, extends heartfelt sympathy to (the wife of Justice Moore) Ms.

Former Justice Winston Moore taking the oath of Ombudsman before then President Donald Ramotar in January, 2014 Viera Moore and children: Nichole, Gary, Gavin and Kevin, as well as other family members and friends of the late Justice Winston Moore”, the Ministry of the Presidency stated. Justice Moore presided over a number of cases, including the high-profile treason trial of activist Mark Benschop. After spending five years in prison, Benchop was later pardoned by former President Bharrat Jagdeo. While serving in his last portfolio, Justice Moore had indicated that another activist, columnist and former University of Guyana lecturer, Freddie Kissoon, was wrongfully dismissed from the tertiary institution in January 2012, and had recommended that Kissoon be compensated by the university. He also investigated a claim by former Chief Executive of the New Building Society (NBS), Maurice Arjoon, that there was a multiplicity of wrongs done to him by two senior managers of NBS. He concluded that Mr. Arjoon and his colleagues Kent Vincent and Kissoon Baldeo, who were dismissed from the employ of the NBS, had suffered an “injustice”, as he found no credible evidence of wrongdoing against them. The Office of the Ombudsman was created in 1967; its jurisdiction was however extended in 1971 to include certain public corporations and local government organs. When the new constitution was extended in 1980, it continued the Office of the Ombudsman as contained in Articles 191-196 of the Constitution.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

‘Suspicious activity’ reported where mystery plane found THE authorities are still seeking to determine whether the abandoned aircraft found at the Yupukari airstrip, Upper Takutu- Upper Essequibo (Region Nine) is linked to drug trafficking. The police and army are speaking with nearby residents with the hope of turning up leads in the case and this has resulted in a number of them sharing information they deemed as ‘suspicious activity,’ such as the presence of motorcycles frequently at midnight in the area. They also reported that the abandoned aircraft had previously been sighted circling the area on numerous occasions in the past, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency noted. The plane, bearing registration number N767Z, was first brought to the attention of officials on September 13 by a resident of the area. The following day, a joint army and police team, inclusive of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), were dispatched to the location to conduct a full investigation and it was later revealed by Minister of State Joseph Harmon that the United States registration was bogus, since there is another active aircraft in the U.S. with the same registration number. Meanwhile, the release noted that on Saturday morning, a team including Head of CANU, Mr. James Singh and GCAA officials, ventured into the area to further assess the aircraft for damage and capabilities in order to make recommendations on what should be done with it. During a search of the aircraft, several pieces of communication equipment were discovered. These have been secured to be further examined for any potential leads. According to the release, Harmon said that while the government is yet to receive a full report on what had transpired over the last few days, President David Granger and the entire government are committed to ensuring that a full investigation into the matter is completed. The minister noted that reports received from residents near the area where the aircraft was

The twin-engine Cessna, which has been secured by the Joint Services after it was discovered on Tuesday last discovered, have raised serious concerns for those involved in the investigation. The Cessna 441 Conquest 11 is said to be a very expensive aircraft, with an aviation official putting the price at US$2M. The official said too that it is extraordinarily strange for such type of craft to be found at the location. The Guyana Chronicle was also told that the payload of the plane is about 4000 pounds minus fuel and has a range of 2500 miles on fuel.

The stashed-away, twin-engine Cessna which was discovered at the end of the Yupukari Airstrip

Harmon had explained that the area has been under regular and constant surveillance, because in the past an airstrip not very far from that location was actually used for aircraft that were connected to the illicit drug trade. The aircraft was discovered partly hidden, as it was off the airstrip itself and according to Harmon, there seemed to have been some kind of a camouflage net that was thrown over it.

The plane was cleverly hidden by branches and other materials, making it difficult to identify from a distance

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

The 2016 Miss Guyana Universe pageant

Xamiera Kippins won the Miss Fitness Prize

The beautiful heart award went to Ariel Basdeo

Ashley John won the Peopleâ€™s Choice Award 4th runner-up Ayana Whitehead

Soyini Fraser sizzles in the evening gown competition

‘Why not here?’

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

‒ Davide Matelicani tells how Nereid’s came into being

Several yachts arrived in Guyana for the annual Nereid’s Yachts Rally. They moored in the Essequibo River just off the Hurakabra Resort (Photo by Michel Outridge)

By Michel Outridge BY PURE chance, Davide Matelicani came to know Kit Nascimento and his wife, Gem Madhoo-Nascimento. He was here weathering out a storm when the three met and got to talking. Pretty soon, the conversation came around to boats and yachting, and Davide mentioned en passant that he was headed to French Guiana to set up a marina there.

“So why not here?” asked Kit, who, with his wife, runs a thriving eco-tourism operation named the Hurakabra Resort on the Essequibo River. “Swell idea!” Davide must’ve replied, as together they began talking around the concept of welcoming yachters here, preferably on the scenic Essequibo River, thereby making the country a prime destination for yachting, and the activity itself one of the most consistent and reliable on Guyana’s

tourism calendar of events. Today, five years on, Nereid’s International Yacht Rally, as the event is called, is on its fourth voyage here; and according to Kit, it’s been a particularly successful year for them, as this time around the flotilla is made up of 15 vessels, with just two repeaters from last year. Kit told media operatives on Friday that during their 10-day stay here, the visitors were treated to a fun-filled programme of activities,

whereby they were taken on a guided tour of Georgetown and the Kaieteur and Orinduik Falls, among other places of interest. They were also hosted by Mr. Gordon Bradford, Chairman of Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) while on a tour of Bartica, where, besides being taken to see the Marshall Falls and a walk through the jungle to get to two smaller falls, they were treated to a ‘Reggae-on-the-River’ concert, featuring the local

group ‘First Born’. According to first-timers Damien El Lucile and his wife, they will certainly be returning next year, in spite of encountering bad weather on their way over from France. Another couple, Urs and Christine from Switzerland, said that despite the journey being very challenging for them, it was well worth the while in the end. As for tour organiser Matelicani, it’s been a difficult

sail this year; probably the toughest he’s ever encountered coming to Guyana. For starters, he said, they’ve had to endure very strong winds, squall-type weather conditions, and lots of rain, which accounted for many of his fellow yachters being “a little tired” on arrival. Yachters this year came mainly from Canada, Switzerland, France and Sweden; but, for the first time, quite a few also came from Germany.

Ailing father appeals for help ‒ so paralysed son can undergo corrective surgery SIXTY-FIVE-year-old Devhram Jodhan of Best Village, West Coast Demerara is asking for help so his 22-year-old paralysed son, Beshaan, can undergo corrective sur-

gery. Jodhan told the Guyana Chronicle last Friday that, following an accident on May 18, 2011, Beshaan, the youngest of his children, has been left bedridden.

He explained that on the day in question, the lad, now 22, had left home at about 15:00hrs for Windsor Forest, to help a friend put a large metal signboard on a truck. The task complet-

Young Beshaan Jodhan needs your help so he could undergo corrective surgery

ed, Beshaan was standing behind the truck when the heavy signboard fell on him.

The resultant compression injuries to the spinal column and spine have left Beshaan

paralysed from the waist down, and caused him to be hospitalised for months. Jodhan, who suffers with a heart condition, says his health is fading fast and he fears he may die any day now. He would dearly love to see his son walk again, so Beshaan would be able to take care of himself when he is gone.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

New food house opens in the city Pita Bar owner Sean Major cuts the ribbon to officially open the business on Friday. His wife Shavana Persaud and General Manager Rehana Rambarran look on

THE Pita Bar at Lot 5 Duncan Street, Bel Air Park, Georgetown officially opened its doors for business on Friday, and word is that the business intends to raise standards in the local food industry. Soon after the ribbon-cutting exercise, busi-

ness owner Sean Major told the Guyana Chronicle that the pitas are baked fresh, and are not fried; prices are affordable, ranging between $900 and $1500; and all foods are prepared on site fresh, with five fillers of vegetables and three sauces for the pitas. Major disclosed that 99 per cent of the ingredients used are local, and the foods offered are 100 per cent halaal and are high in protein and low in calories. Major said his business is a “made in Guyana” brand with a foreign expression. It

provides all-day breakfast of pitas with eggs and sausages. A variety of salads are also available. The bar has seven employees, and offers a delivery and ‘go to’ service. The business is open on Monday to Thursday from 10:00 hrs to 21:00 hrs; and on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 hrs to 22:00hrs. Major is the owner of chain restaurants at the Giftland Mall, besides the Publix Wing and Burger House located in Duncan Street, Georgetown.

4G service in transition A MERE few months after its launch, consumers have already begun to complain of the poor 4G service being offered by local telecommunications providers. With the launch of the 4G service, consumers were told that it would enable much faster connection to the Internet than ever before, whether to browse, watch videos or movies, download music, or shop online. This has not happened yet, and consumers are calling on the two major telephone companies to live up to their promises. Subject Minister Cathy Hughes said on Friday that the upgrade is going through a period of transition. The hiccups, she said, are expected to cease before year-end, as both the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) and Digicel are working to get the service in order. Minister Hughes told reporters that she also is a customer and has been having regular discussions with the two telephone companies on the issue.

“I’d like to say that I, too, am a customer, so I, too, like everybody else, understand having to have to deal with the challenges of dropped calls and systems going down quite often. “But in fairness to them (GTT and Digicel) they are aware; I have reminded them of that. And in fairness to the telephone companies, we really gave them a short space of time to put out 4G. “I had a situation where we were having thousands of people coming to Guyana in the month of May, and I asked them, as we would say in Guyanese parlance, ‘to see what they could do’. So now they really have to build out that network. It means importing specific pieces of equipment, it means re-training. I am confident that with my constant interface with them, that this is a period of transition,” the minister said.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Gov’t reaffirms right of bidders to appeal to Bid Protest Committee BIDDERS who have concerns relating to the process of bidding to provide goods or services to the government are being urged to take their protest to the Bid Protest Committee (BPC). This Committee was established in June of this year under regulations of the Public Procurement Act and is chaired by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams and includes Mr. Archie Clifton and Mr. Ewart Adams. A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Saturday noted that government has received a complaint from a manufacturer over the award of a contract for the supply and delivery of boxed juice for national distribution to nursery schools in anticipation of the start of the current school term.

It was noted by the OPM that the recommendation for award of the contract was made by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, which stated that all the technical and administrative requirements had been satisfied by the winning bidder. The recommendation was subsequently considered by Cabinet and a no- objection was issued for the contract to be awarded accordingly. “In this case, Cabinet was advised that the lowest bidder was not recommended for the contract in view of continued issues with past performance dating back to 2012. Further, the second lowest did not meet a technical re q u i re m e n t o f 2 5 % natural juice content in each box after tests conducted by the Food and Drug Department,”

Sunday September 18th, 2016 - 05:30 hrs Monday September 19th, 2016 - 05:00 hrs Tuesday September 20th, 2016 - 05:00 hrs

the statement clarified. As such, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board therefore recommended the third lowest bidder in view of that bidder having satisfied all technical and administrative requirements.

“The government once again reaffirms the right and implores any bidder which is dissatisfied with this or any government bidding process to pursue via the Bid Protest Committee,” the statement concluded.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Guyana’s football world ranking improves ….amid controversies and uncertainties

Wayne Forde

By: Ras Wadada AMID the off-pitch controversies and uncertainties currently pervading the corridors of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) come the delightful news from FIFA’s world ranking for September that the Golden Jaguars have moved ten places up the order to 118. The improvement by the men’s senior national side is being proclaimed as a sign of progress,according to a release issued by the Federation,that also included a congratulatory comment by President Wayne Forde. “This is indeed a proud moment for Guyana as a Football nation,and a defining moment for a group of young men that I admire and respect dearly. They have sacrificed enormously and yet much more is being asked of them on the eve of what will surely be their greatest achievement. To the coaching staff, the employees of the Secretariat and the Executive Committee, congratulation and may God

keep us all.” The Golden Jaguars will next confront their neighbour and nemesis Suriname, on October 8th in Paramaribo,and three days later take on Cup holders,Jamaica,in round three of the CFU Senior Men’s Championship at a venue still to be decided. A two-member team from the CFU is expected in Guyana this Friday for an inspection and approval,or disapproval, of the Leonora Stadium for the fixture against the Reggae Boyz. Among other uncertainties surrounding the National Federation are: the start of the new Elite Season,and how many teams will be contesting. There is also the controversial issue of apologies,between President Forde and 6 of the 8 Elite clubs. The football boss has suspended Javed Ali, owner of Champion team, Slingerz FC, until he apologises for inappropriate behaviour during an intense meeting at the Federation’s Boardroom two Fridays ago. The Slingerz boss has since denied

those allegations and has garnered the support of six of the eight clubs that are demanding an apology from the GFF’s President for his behavior at the said meeting,which was described as inappropriate and unprofessional. The Federation is also being pressured by six of the eight Elite teams who are objecting to the manner in which the GFF arrived at expanding the League by adding two more teams. Guyana’s best FIFA ranking was in 2010, when they were ranked 86th.

Windies T20 captain wants Pooran, Powell to play naturally DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, (CMC) – Captain of the West Indies T20 team Carlos Brathwaite wants new recruits Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell to play their normal game during their series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. Powell, a 23 year old batsman from Jamaica and Pooran a 20 year old wicketkeeper batsman from Trinidad and Tobago, were drafted into the regional T20 setup after excelling in the 2016 edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). West Indies arrived here Thursday for their threematch Twenty20 International series against Pakistan, starting next week Friday. “Go there, express yourselves, continue to be exciting and eventually win games for the West Indies,” Brathwaite told the players.

“It’s a big task to represent the West Indies, and away from home is probably a little easier because you don’t have family in the stands with that extra pressure”. Powell scored 228 runs in 13 matches for Tallawahs in this year’s CPL. Pooran, who played for the Barbados Tridents, scored 217 runs in 10 matches at 27.12 and a strike rate of 197.27 and was also responsible for eight dismissals behind the stumps. “You’re just surrounded by your team-mates and it’s a good team to be in at the moment,” said Brathwaite. “So it’s just about going there and continuing to do the things that they did to get themselves here and do it for longer periods – it’s a higher stage, more pressure, but I’m sure they can continue with it and do well.” West Indies start the

New Zealand paceman Southee ruled out of India Tests

(REUTERS)-New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee has been ruled out of the three-match Test series in India with an ankle injury and will be replaced by paceman Matt Henry. Southee felt pain in his front foot while bowling in training and a scan had shown a ligament strain in his left ankle, New Zealand's cricket board said. The 27-year-old, New Zealand's most experienced Test bowler with 52 matches and 177 wickets, will return home for rest and rehab but was expected to be available for the oneday internationals starting mid-October. "Tim has been working hard in preparation for this tour, so he's understandably very disappointed to be ruled out of all three tests," New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said. "The focus now is for Tim to give his ankle seven to 10 days rest, before slowly building his bowling loads back up ahead of the ODI series. "We've got a replace-

series as favourites, after beating power house India one-nil in a two match series in United States last month and especially after reclaiming the T20 World Cup six months ago. The players were involved in a light gym and pool session on Thursday and were scheduled to have their first full training session at the ICC Academy on Friday. “The selectors were very big in ensuring that some young players are blooded and rubbed shoulders with some of the best T20 players in the world so we can continue our legacy of being dominant in this format, and those were two of the guys who fit the bill at this point in time,” he added. The T20Is between West Indies and Pakistan will be followed by a threematch ODI series and a three- Tests series.

English Racing Tips Plumpton 09:00 hrs Bleu Et Noir 09:30 hrs Regulation 10:00 hrs Shady Glen 10:30 hrs Jim Dandy 11:00 hrs Knight Bachelor 11:30 hrs Lakeshore Lady 12:00 hrs Mount Vesuvius Uttoxeter 08:40 hrs Burrows Lane 09:10 hrs Kovera 09:40 hrs Ben Cee Pee 10:10 hrs Vic’s Last Stand 10:40 hrs Gannymede 11:10 hrs Hold Court 11:40 hrs Crazy Train 12:10 hrs Lord Of Drums

Tim Southee

ment who is ready to go in Matt Henry and he'll join the team before the start of the first Test." The 24-year-old Henry has played just three more tests since his debut against England at Lord's last year, his last match against Aus-

tralia in Christchurch in February. The series opener starts in Kanpur on Sept. 22 before further matches in Kolkata and Indore. New Zealand are bidding to win their first Test series in India.

Irish Racing Tips Gowan Park 09:20 hrs Wayside Flower 09:50 hrs Rekindling 10:20 hrs Discipline 10:50 hrs Modern Tutor 11:20 hrs Nannys Well 11:50 hres Kandahari 12:20 hrs Massayan 12:50 hrs Ample Sufficency South Africa racing Tips Scottsville 08:30 hrs Gavea Girl 09:05 hrs School Run 09:40 hrs Ten Gun Salute 10:10 hrs Frikkie 10:45 hrs Kali’s King

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

De Bruyne shines as Man City juggernaut rolls on By Toby Davis LONDON,(Reuters)-Manchester City maintained their imperious start to the season with a fifth straight victory yesterday as Bournemouth were swept aside 4-0 to become the latest victims of Pep Guardiola's table-toppers. Goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Kelechi Iheanacho, Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Guendogan, on his Premier League debut, wrapped up the points after another scintillating display from the title favourites who continue to lay down a marker to their rivals. Heading the chasing pack are Everton, who stayed two points behind City with a 3-1 home win over Middlesbrough, Gareth Barry marking his 600th league appearance with a goal. Arsenal made it three successive league wins for the first time since January when they eased past 10-man Hull City 4-1 with Alexis Sanchez scoring twice and missing a penalty. There was also a double strike at Leicester City where new signing Islam Slimani

enjoyed a league debut to remember as the champions rediscovered their domestic form to beat Burnley 3-0. Some pundits predicted Manchester City might suffer during Sergio Aguero's three-match suspension but, after winning the Manchester derby last weekend, they tore into Bournemouth and wasted little time in taking the game away from their opponents. City were 1-0 up after 15 minutes when De Bruyne cleverly fired a free kick beneath the wall and into the net. They doubled the lead 10 minutes later when Iheanacho stabbed the ball home. The Nigerian then turned provider for Sterling soon after halftime and Guendogan rounded off the scoring when he drilled the ball low inside the post. There was a sour note for City when they had Spaniard Nolito sent off for a head-butt with four minutes remaining. That did little to dampen the spirits of Guardiola, however, who heralded another superb display from Belgium playmaker De Bruyne. "We are so lucky we have Kevin with us," the coach

own goal by keeper Maarten Stekelenburg before Barry levelled. Further first-half goals from Seamus Coleman and Romelu Lukaku then gave Ronald Koeman the best five-game start to a Premier League season by an Everton manager.

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring their first goal Action Images via Reuters / Carl RecineLivepic

said. "It was a fantastic performance."

Everton trailed against Middlesbrough following an

FIRST TASTE It was a day of superb individual displays with Slimani whetting the appetite of Leicester fans with two goals. Slimani, who made his debut in the Champions League in midweek after costing a club record 29 million pounds ($37.70 million) last month, was handed his first taste of Premier League action and scored twice in four minutes either side of halftime. The Algeria striker met Christian Fuchs' inswinging free kick in first-half stoppage time and then headed home after the break when Riyad Mahrez showcased his dancing feet to shimmy into the box. Ben Mee's own goal completed the scoring late on as Leicester took their haul to seven points from five

games. Arsenal's season has yet to fully ignite but they made light work of a Hull side who had Jake Livermore sent off for handball in the first half. Sanchez deflected the ball home to put Arsenal ahead after 17 minutes but the Chilean had his penalty saved by Eldin Jakupovic following Livermore's dismissal. It was plain sailing from there on in, though, as Theo Walcott doubled the lead 10 minutes into the second half and, although the hosts pulled a goal back from the penalty spot through Robert Snodgrass, there was to be no late fightback. Sanchez rifled the ball high into the net and Granit Xhaka made it 4-1 with a bullet finish from distance in stoppage time, putting the London club third in the table on 10 points. West Bromwich Albion midfielder Nacer Chadli marked a superb home debut with two goals, one a penalty, and two assists as they beat hapless West Ham United 4-2 to hand the Londoners a third straight league defeat.

Mumbai batsmen dominate Barca win easily at Leganes, Atletico thrash Sporting NZ bowlers on day 2 By Richard Martin |

New Delhi: Rohit Sharma failed to be among the runs on a flat track but his Mumbai teammates, Kaustubh Pawar and Suryakumar Yadav, scored contrasting centuries to frustrate New Zealand on the penultimate day of the warm-up match at Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi yesterday. Rohit, who managed to retain his place in India's Test squad for the New Zealand series despite an inconsistent run, was unable to stake a claim to a playing eleven spot in the first Test. Mumbai revelled on a flat wicket, with Pawar (100 off 228 balls), Yadav (103 off 86), Siddhesh Lad (86 not

out off 62) and rookie Arman Jaffer (69 off 123) amassing most of the runs. Mumbai, resuming the innings at 29 for one, went on to reach 431 for five by stumps on day two after New Zealand had posted 324 for 7 on the opening day. A total of 402 runs were scored in 90 overs at a run rate of 4.46. For the visitors, it was a tough day in the field with their bowlers toiling in the sun with little success. Not a lot was expected from the quicker bowlers on a flat deck but the effort from New Zealand's spin trio of Ish Sodhi (2/132), Mitchell Santer (1/71) and Mark Craig (0/60) was also nothing to write home about.

BARCELONA,(Reuters)-Barcelona's attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar were all on target as the champions roared back into life in La Liga by thrashing promoted Leganes 5-1 away yesterday while Atletico Madrid thumped visitors Sporting Gijon 5-0. Atletico strikers Antoine Griezmann, Fernando Torres and Kevin Gameiro all found the net as Diego Simeone's side warmed up for next Wednesday's visit to the Nou Camp. Elsewhere, Las Palmas maintained their excellent start to the campaign by beating Malaga 1-0, and Sevilla's 15-month wait for an away victory continued after they

were held to a 1-1 draw at nine-man Eibar. Messi sidefooted in a simple cross from Suarez to strike the opening goal for Barca after 15 minutes and returned the favour for the Uruguayan to nudge in the second in the 31st. Neymar stretched Barca's lead to three goals on the stroke of half-time, tapping in another lay off from Suarez, before Messi got his second from the penalty spot 10 minutes into the second half. Rafinha rounded off the most comfortable of Barca victories with a curled finish in the 64th minute, although Gabriel Appelt salvaged a goal for the Madrid minnows in the 80th with a free-kick whipped into the top corner. Barcelona, beaten 2-1 by newcomers Alaves last

weekend in their first loss at the Nou Camp since April 17, now have nine points from their first four La Liga games. They join Real, who can go clear again when they play at Espanyol on Sunday, and Las Palmas at the league's summit, while Atletico are one point behind. "This is an important victory against a team that we knew would cause us problems in bringing the ball out. We exploited the space well and we were very active from the start," said Luis Enrique. After squad rotations backfired against Alaves, Luis Enrique picked a similar team to the one that battered Celtic 7-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday in Barca's biggest ever win in European soccer's top com-

petition. Atletico kickstarted their league campaign last week with a 4-0 win at Celta Vigo and raced out of the traps against Sporting, Gameiro feeding Griezmann to tap in the opener in the second minute before curling in another in the fifth. Griezmann then cut inside to lash in the third goal in the 31st before being replaced by Torres, and the homegrown Atletico hero further delighted the Vicente Calderon by rounding off the victory with two late strikes, including an injury-time penalty. "We knew we were doing the right things to score goals," Torres told BeIN Sports after a rewarding afternoon for Atletico's strikeforce.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Inside

Edge

With Edwin Seeraj

A HUNDRED AND A FIVE-FOR IN THE SAME TEST IN the 140 years of Test cricket there have been 32 instances in which 23 players have distinguished themselves in recording a century and managing a five-wicket haul in the same game. Leading the way is the indomitable Ian Botham of England,who achieved the feat on a staggering five occasions between 1978 and 1984,followed by the great West Indian, Gary Sobers; the former Pakistani captain, Mustaq Mohammad; South Africa’s stalwart, Jacques Kallis; the Bangladeshi, Shakib-ul-Hassan; and India’s Ravichandra Ashwin who have each done the double twice. The player who established the ‘Century and Five-wicket Club’ was Jimmy Sinclair,who was involved in 25 Tests between 1896 and 1911;in the formative years of South Africa’s life as a Test-playing nation. In 1899 against England in Capetown,he cracked 106 and claimed six for 26 with his right-arm fast-medium stuff,to carry his team to an emphatic 210-run victory. Uniquely, New Zealand’s Bruce Taylor joined the elite list in his debut game against India in Kolkata in 1965;a record that is still intact more than 50 years after. Batting at number eight in the order, in the first of his eventual 30 Tests, he slammed 105,then returned with his right-arm swingers to bag five for 86 in the drawn encounter. The first of the four West Indians to perform the double was the Barbadian Dennis Atkinson,against the Aus-

Collie Smith

tralians in the fourth game of a five-Test series at the Kensington Oval, Barbados in 1955. The Aussies, led by Ian Johnson, was leading the series 2-0 at the time and Atkinson was under pressure as captain. On winning the toss, the visitors plundered a massive 668 with the all-rounders Keith Miller (137), Ray Lindwall (118) and Ron Archer (98) leading the way;in the face of a herculean effort from the Jamaican pacer, Tom Dewdney, who toiled manfully for figures of four for 125. The West Indies were soon stuttering at 147 for six with John Holt, Sobers, the feared ‘3 Ws’-Frank Worrell, Clyde Walcott and Everton Weekes, and the talented Collie Smith,all back in the pavilion and still behind by a mammoth 521 runs. Atkinson, who had never compiled a Test century before, was joined by the wicketkeeper Clairmonte DePeiaza who was playing in only his second Test and had little credentials as a batsman;having never reached

three-figures in a first-class game. However, the pair somehow managed to put together a huge, record-breaking seventh wicket partnership of 347 runs;still a Test record,and for over 50 years a first-class record as well. DePeiaza fashioned a remarkable 122 (16 fours) and Atkinson an incredible 219 (29 fours and a six),to take the West Indies to 510 all out,which kept the deficit to a manageable 158 and ensured the follow-on was avoided. The Aussies, exhausted by the West Indian fightback, were dismissed for 249 second time around,with Atkinson etching his name in the record books with five for 56 off 36.2 overs. Set 407 for victory, the regional side batted their way to 234 for six as the game ended in a draw. Incidentally, Pakistan’s Mustaq Muhammad is the only other player to hit a double-century and pouch a five-wicket haul in the same Test. His 201 and five for 49 was achieved against the New Zealanders at Dunedin in 1973. The second West Indian to enter the fray was the budding all-rounder O’Neil Gordon (Collie) Smith, against India in Delhi in 1958-59. Smith was a right-handed batting stylist and useful off-spinner who first came to prominence when he produced a stunning 169 for Jamaica against the visiting Aussies in 1955-a performance that won him a place in the team for the first Test at Sabina Park,where he eased to a debut hundred (104) in a losing cause. In the Delhi Test, In-

dia got to 415,on the heels of middle-order batsman Chandu Borde’s fine 109 as Wes Hall (4/66) and Smith (3/94),did most of the damage. The West Indies then went on the rampage, battering the Indians to the tune of 644 for eight declared with the opener John Holt scoring 123, Joe Solomon registering an unbeaten even century, and Smith dismissed for an exact hundred; batting at number five. Trailing by 229 runs, India were all out for 275 (Borde 96);but there was insufficient time left for the West Indies to start their second innings in pursuit of the 47 runs needed for victory. Speedster, Roy Gilchrist prized out three wickets for 62 runs but it was Smith who stole the headlines with five for 90 from a marathon 42 overs;thereby distinguishing himself in the process.

Garfield Sobers

Sadly, Smith played just three more Tests--all against Pakistan--before he tragically died in a car accident in England in September 1959. The legendary Sobers first hit the ‘jackpot’ in 1962 when the West Indies inflicted a 5-0 drubbing on the hapless Indians in the Caribbean. In the fifth and final Test in Jamaica, he came to the wicket with his team in a spot of bother at 64 for three, but carved out a responsible 104,spiced with 12 fours and three sixes,which took the hosts to 253. The visitors were then bundled out for 178 (Bapu Nadkarni 61) as fast bowler Lester King--on debut and playing on his home turf--ran riot,reducing the Indians to 40 for six,enroute to a haul of five for 46.

In their second dig, West Indies got to 283 as Worrell found himself stranded on 98. Set 359 to win, India could only muster 235,and so went down by 123 runs. Sobers caused most of the carnage, claiming five for 63 off 32 overs. Sobers then repeated the dose four years later at Headingley, Leeds in England,when he had a phenomenal series both as captain and player. The West Indies took the 1966 Wisden Trophy 3-1,with Sobers winning the toss on all five occasions, hitting a record-breaking 722 runs at 103.14 per innings with three centuries, and garnering 20 wickets at 27.25 runs apiece in a truly magnificent performance. In the fourth Test at Leeds, the West Indies amassed 500 for nine declared as 174 of those runs blazed off the bat of Sobers (24 fours),and 137 from the blade of Seymour Nurse (14 fours, two sixes) in a strokefilled 265-run fifth wicket stand. England then staggered to 83 for six before they were rescued by Basil D’Oliveira (88) and Ken Higgs (49), who featured in a face-saving 96-run seventh-wicket partnership that took them to 240 all out. Sobers,with his subtle pace and variations,gathered five for 41. Asked to follow-on, England were bundled out for just 205;to lose by an innings and 55 runs. The fourth and final West Indian to enter the record books is the recently-recruited middle-order batsman and off-spinner, Roston Chase, who did the ‘double’ against India at Sabina Park in the second Test of the four-Test ‘rubber’ in July-August this year. Having had a profitable West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League 2015-2016 season and some useful scores for representative West Indies sides against touring teams, Chase made his debut in the first Test of the series at North Sound in Antigua. It was an inauspicious start with scores of 23 and eight and figures of none for 102 in an innings and 92- run thrashing in four days.

In the second Test in Jamaica, the West Indies batted on winning the toss and scraped to 196 after having been seven for three in the sixth over. Jermaine Blackwood, coming into the game with a ‘pair’ in the first Test, played superbly for 62 as Ravi Ashwin spun his way

Roston Chase

to five for 52. India then raced to 500 for nine declared (Lokesh Rahul 158, Ajinka Rahane 108 not out),and enjoyed the luxury of a 304-run lead. Chase twirled his fingers for 36.1 overs and was rewarded with a five-for……five for 121. The West Indies started the second innings disastrously and at the end of the fourth afternoon they were precariously placed at 48 for four with Kraig Braithwaite, Rajendra Chandrika, Darren Bravo,and Marlon Samuels gone cheaply and everything pointing to a comprehensive win for India early on the fifth day. However, Jermaine Blackwood again played enterprisingly for 63,and with Chase,added 93 in a crucial fifth wicket stand. The wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich, in tandem with Chase, then put together a fluent sixth-wicket effort worth 144 runs that not only took the sting out of the Indian attack but stole precious time from the day’s play. Dowrich eventually fell for a classy 74 but Chase, now partnered by his captain Jason Holder, batted exquisitely to the end, eventually reaching an undefeated 137,which carried the West Indies safely to a confidence-boosting draw. Chase’s feat was the first by a West Indian in 50 years. When will it happen again?

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

AAG still considering Chance for SA U-23 Championships ‒ Bright and Williams may be considered for SA Youth Championships By Tamica Garnett PRESIDENT of the Guyana Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hudson, says that the Association is still looking over the idea of whether or not to send athletes to the South American Under-23 Championships set to begin in Lima, Peru,this coming Friday, while Chantoba Bright and Daniel Williams are being considered for the South American Youth Championships in November. According to Hudson, the Association has been considering overseas-based Guyanese Arinze Chance, who is currently in Trinidad, studying at the University of Trinidad and Tobago for

a diploma in Petroleum Engineering. Earlier,Hudson had noted that there was also consideration for another athlete, but that athlete was not named. “For The South American Under-23,the person that we were really thinking about was Arinze Chance; we were to look back at his times and compare it to what is going on in South America.However,there is another under-23 athlete(that) we were thinking about.” Hudson had said at the beginning of the month. A sprinter, Chance is known for his performances in the 200m and 400m, and earlier this year, in another section of the media, had voiced his hopes of being selected for the Under-23 Championships. Chance had

noted that he wasn’t sure of the criteria for selection for the event, since none had been identified. Speaking with Chronicle Sport, Hudson clarified that with the selection of the Under-23 Championships,the Association is looking at the athletes’ performance for the the year thus far, assessing the timings produced, and comparing it with what is the usual standard at the South American event. “What we will look at is what they did at the last National Seniors or what they would have done in the year so far,and compare it with what is happening in South America, see how far off they are and see if it’s a worthy competition to send them to,where they will get medals,

gain experience.Or do we just say, look, let us try to work with them and see if we can prepare them for next year’s World Championships.” Hudson added. "The thing about it is we have to look at results and see if it’s worthy of sending anybody; that’s the key area. We don’t want to expend too much funding on it when funding is limited;we prefer to spend it on an area that may be more productive, that’s why we’re looking at results of the last three South American Under-23(championships) and come up with the athletes that are going, if they’re at that caliber to make sense to send them as against sending another athlete to the South American Youth(championships).” He further

Chantoba Bright

Arinze Chance

explained. The South American Youth Championships is an event that caters to Under- 18 athletes. Bright was named for the event since earlier this year,when plans

for her to attend the IAAF World U-20 Championships fell through. Bright specializes in the triple and long jumps, while Williams is a sprinter who favours the 200m and 400m distances.

Warwickshire crush Surrey at Lord's to win Royal London One-Day Cup WARWICKSHIRE were crowned 2016 Royal London One-Day Cup champions after cruising to an eight-wicket victory over Surrey at Lord's. Jonathan Trott's unbeaten 82 off 100 balls underpinned the run chase after a disappointing Surrey were bowled out for 136 in 40.1 overs to fall short in the competition's final for a second successive year. (Scores: Surrey 136 (40.1 overs): Burns 40; Javid 2-15, Woakes 2-24, Hannon-Dalby 2-27, Patel 2-28 Warwickshire 137-2 (30.2 overs): Trott 82*, Ambrose 22*; Meaker 1-25) Fittingly, Trott brought up the 137 target by dispatching a cover drive as Warwickshire won with 19.4 overs to spare and for the loss of only two wickets. Having compiled 99 for two, Surrey collapsed losing eight wickets for 37 runs in just 15 overs with Rory Burns' 40 their highest score in an innings notable for three ducks.

of the season, rashly strode out to meet Javid's first ball and made a mess of his shot as Tim Ambrose completed an easy stumping. Surrey's brisk start was a distant memory as their run rate dried up, Patel and Hannon-Dalby limiting them to singles. The key wicket of former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara arrived at the scheduled midway stage of the innings, Hannon-Dalby forcing a nick to Ambrose. Hannon-Dalby's successful spell continued when he snared Ben Foakes lbw for a duck and the batting continued to crumble when Zafar Ansari went for nought, caught by Evans off the

Ian Bell lifts the Royal London Cup after Warwickshire beat Surrey at Lord’s to win Royal London Cup Final (Getty Images)

Among those who failed to score was skipper Gareth Batty, whose jubilation at Friday's England recall after 11 years in international exile was quickly followed by the frustration of seeing his county routed at Lord's Chris Woakes was the pick of Warwickshire's bowlers, but Oliver Hannon-Dalby and spinners Jeetan Patel and Ateeq Javid also contributed

two wickets each. Complaints over the condition of wicket that followed Surrey's low total were silenced when the new champions, who were playing in their 19th Lord's final, reeled in their opponents with ease. There were few indications of the troubles to come as Surrey raced to 45 before their first wicket fell when Jason Roy swiped at a deliv-

ery from Chris Wright and found Laurie Evans, who produced a stunning diving catch at mid-wicket by leaping low to his right. Wright's introduction into the attack had stemmed the flow of early runs and when the spin of Javid was added, Warwickshire claimed their second wicket. Steven Davies, who departs for Somerset at the end

bowling of Patel. Surrey were flailing at 102 for five having lost three wickets for three runs in their last 16 balls and Javid was the next to strike by bowling Sam Curran, whose promising start had seem him rattle off 13 runs in 19 balls. Mistakes continued to be made in Surrey's quest for a defendable total when Tom Curran was run out by Patel, but there was little Gareth Batty could do as Woakes took out his off stump. Rory Burns' resistance was ended by Patel while attempting a big shot and when Jade Dernbach's stumps were sent flying by Woakes, Surrey's feeble innings was over.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

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) 4 (2) 2 Today’s Quiz: (1) Where and when did the WI & PAK contest the first Test against each other? (2) What was the result of the game? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 18, 2016

Jaguars Franchise League 3-Day Tournament...

West Berbice forced to follow-on, victory for Lower Corentyne By Rajiv Bisnauth

EAST Coast Demerara bowlers left West Berbice in a precarious position at the end of the second day of the Jaguars Franchise League three-day competition, yesterday at the Enterprise Busta Sports Club ground. The visitors,asked to follow-on, were 9-0. They closed the day with 169 runs adrift of ECD’s first innings total of 346. Leon Andrews and Avishkar Sewkarran will resume today on three and four respectively,and surely with a huge task ahead. Resuming at 294-6, the hosts were bowled out at 12:52hrs. The day’s play began at 11:55hrs, and the

Kassim Khan finished with match figures of 12/62

hosts’ remaining batsmen could only survive 13 overs. Overnight batsmen, Amir Khan and Vivian Albert,were dismissed in quick succes-

Sherfane Rutherford hit a century for East Bank in a losing cause

sion, with Khan taking his overnight 39 to 44, before he was removed by Keyron Fraser.

Albert went for 21, leg-before -wicket to off-spinner Collis Butts (698), while Paul Wintz (11), and Jermaine Martins (0), were both removed by Andrew Dutchin (2-72). Paul Wintz then consolidated his team’s dominance, with a four-wicket haul (4-24),which eventually took the match away from the visitors Only Sherwyn McPherson (39), Leon Andrews (30), Dutchin (19), and 14 apiece from Kevin Jawhair and Fraser, were at ease against the hosts’ bowlers. Part-time spinner, Chanderpaul Hemraj (2-22),along with Vivian Albert, Kamesh Yadram and Martins, were the other successful bowlers, with a wicket apiece.

Meanwhile, summerised scores from the other three games are as follows: At Lusignan, Lower Corentyne, resuming on their overnight score of 227/7,went on to make 339,with Devon Clements finishing on 92 not out (7x4) and (6x6). Seon Hetmyer added 20 more to his overnight score of 51 before he was dismissed for 71. Bowling for East Bank Demerara, Steven Jacobs had 3/59, Ryan Shun took 2/16, and Sherfane Rutherford claimed 2/31. East Bank,in their second innings and facing a deficit of 234,could only make 196,with Sherfane Rutherford smashing a blistering 106 (6x4) and (10x6). Danny Narayan was again among the runs,contributing 33.

Kassim Khan followed up his first innings 5 for, with 7/25,to finish with match figures of 12/62. He now has 33 wickets after 4 matches. Jonathan Foo had 2/30. Result: Lower Corentyne won the match by an innings and 38 runs At Bourda, play was again called off without a ball being bowled for the second consecutive day in the match between Georgetown and Essequibo. At Tuschen, play was called off,also without a ball being bowled for the second consecutive day in the match between West Demerara and Upper Corentyne. Play continues today at Tuschen, Bourda,and Enterprise,weather permitting.

MS Dhoni says media made him feel like a `terrorist’ after India's 2007 World Cup group stage exit INDIA's exit in the group stages of the ICC 2007 World Cup was unexpected, bringing with it the wrath of both the fans and the media on the players. This angry reception that the players received on returning home made India's current One Day International and Twenty20 skipper MS Dhoni feel like a "murderer or terrorist." India had a poor time in the Caribbean losing their

group matches to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which meant they failed to qualify for the Super 8 stage. This led to wild, angry and negative reactions from the Indian public and media. "When we landed in Delhi, there was a lot of media. At times, people feel that we are not emotional enough about it, but I always felt, as sports persons, you have to be strong enough to go

through everything and it has to be within yourself", Dhoni said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo. "At that point of time, when we landed, we had to get out in a police van. I was sitting next to Viru (Virender Sehwag) paaji. It was evening or night time. We were travelling at a decent speed, that too on narrow roads. And you know, media cars around us with their cameras and the

big lights on top, it felt as if we had committed a big crime, maybe like a murderer or terrorist or something. We were actually chased by them", the World Cup winning skipper added. Dhoni was speaking at a press conference in Manhattan, New York ahead of the release of his biopic —MS Dhoni: The Untold Story. The movie traces the life of the 35-year-old through his early formative

years to him lifting the 2011 World Cup trophy at home. Dhoni, who has retired from the longer format of the game, will be seen in action next when New Zealand face India in a five-match ODI series. The first game is scheduled to start on 16 October at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamasala. (Yahoo Sport)

West Berbice forced to follow-on, victory for Lower Corentyne 27 P.

Guyana’s football world ranking improves

Mabaruma males, females in strong contention for football titles ….amid controversies and uncertainties ‒ Volleyball title still wide open

The Golden Jaguars will be in action against Suriname next month.

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Young ‘Soca Warriors’ in action again

THE Brian Williams coached U-20 ‘Soca Warriors’ will again be in action at the Leonora Stadium when they confront a combined selection of Elite clubs this evening from 19:00hrs. Last Friday, the visitors defeated an Alpha United selection 2-1,at the said venue and today Head Coach Brian Williams is expecting another win as he continues preparation of his charges for next month’s CFU U-20 finals to be staged in Curacao. The ‘Dreadlocked’ Williams, who made his senior International debut for T&T here in Guyana in 1979 against Suriname, in a World Cup play-off, expects another positive result tonight with his ‘second string’ squad. The Young ‘Soca Warriors’ visit here, on a one-week training camp, also gives Guyana’s Golden Jaguars head coach Jamal Shabazz an opportunity to look at the local-based players in the provisional squad,selected for next month’s crucial 3rd round matches against Suriname and Jamaica. Among the local stars expected to be on show tonight for the combined selection are: Vurlon Mills, Dwight Peters, Dwayne Jacobs, Dominic Garnett and Trayon Bobb.

Head coach Brian Williams

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Sporting action in the 2016 edition of the Indigenous Heritage Sports will culminate today at the Everest ground. In the first of the female Football semi-finals, the Region one Mabaruma side will take on their Region nine opponents,Culvert City, while the second semi-final will see Region 9’s North Rupununi taking on Region 7’s Paurima. On the male end of things, Georgetown is the first team to advance to the semi-finals,with the second team likely to be Mabaruma,who up to press time,held a 3-1 lead over Kamarang. The other two semi-final places would be decided when Port Kaituma (Region 1) takes on North Rupununi, while Moruca (Region 1) was scheduled to do battle with Tabatinga of region 9. And in cricket, semi-final action will see Laluni (Region 4) taking on Santara, while St Cuthbert’s Mission will play Moraikobai in a region 4 versus region 5 battle. Volleyball action is expected to be competitive with several of the regional teams very much in contention for the top prize in both the male and female categories, while the Archery action, which begins at 15:00hrs today,will see 20 males, five females,and four juniors in the finals. This year’s event is being held under the theme ‘Our Culture, Earth’s Future- Save the Environment, live the indigenous way’.

Windies T20 captain wants Pooran, Powell to play naturally

West Indies players Chadwick Walton, Jerome Taylor, Rovman Powell and Carlos Brathwaite during training at the ICC Academy yesterday. (WICB Media Photo/PhilipSpooner)

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016