Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_01_08_2019 by Guyana Chronicle

WEDNESDAY 8th January, 2020

No.105873

All Systems Go! PAGE

GECOM Public Relations Officer Yolanda Ward

―GECOM set for Nomination Day

―promises tight security, diplomatic corps to observe process

Big spike in gold 02 declarations PAGE

Contract signed for $827M secondary school at 27 Yarrowkabra PAGE

Corentyne woman killed while 16 crossing road PAGE

Media workers at the lunchtime lecture at Moray House on Tuesday

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Big spike in gold declarations …Gold Board earned US$ 111,971,234 as 2019 declarations surpass 2018 target

THE Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has announced another record-breaking year of gold declarations for 2019, which has been declared at 634,905 ounces. In a release, the ministry said the actual declaration for the year totals 634,905 ounces – some 18,682 ounces above what was declared in 2018 (616,223). Of the declarants, the Guyana Goldfields Inc. and Troy Resources stand as two large scale investors which,

despite severe challenges and constraints, managed to have reasonably good production. Correspondingly, Licensed Gold Dealers, who purchased from small and medium-scale gold miners, contributed approximately 57.69 percent of actual declarations. The ministry said it is important to note that the revenue earned by the Guyana Gold Board, on behalf of the Government of Guyana, has also increased. For 2019, this has amounted to US$

111,971,234.84, equivalent to 79,702.849 ounces. This exceeds the revenue earned in 2018 (US$ 100,143,596.40) by US$11,827,638.44 (11.81 per cent). The ministry commends the miners who made declarations despite the many challenges and constraints faced in the industry, not least amongst which, are a prolonged wet season and labour unrest, and is pleased that the country has surpassed the declarations of 2018.

“The MNR also acknowledges the efforts and responsible conduct of the declarants and praises the Board of Directors and staff of the Guyana Gold Board, who have been key facilitators of this process.” According to the ministry, as the year 2020 progresses, it is hoped that the practice of increasing these declarations continues through the recommended and accepted processes. “The ministry recognises

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman

mining as a critical component of the Guyanese economy. As such, the Government of Guyana, and the MNR in particular, continues to promote the growth of the sector in the most sustainable way by providing regulatory, fiscal and infrastructural support to aid miners in their worthwhile endeavours,” the release noted. In a recent release in response to some concerns outlined by miners, the ministry had assured that government remains committed to addressing the issues affecting miners across the industry. “The ministry continues to cater to those dependent on mining activities, and will continue to work towards ensuring that all are able to benefit. Further, the ministry acknowledges the challenges that present themselves, and continues to urge those within the sector to remain committed to working with us as we aim towards the sustainable development of the sector. The ministry thanks the GGDMA, the GWMO and the NMS for their continued contributions towards the sector and hopes to remain working with both bodies towards the sustainable

exploration, utilisation and development of our nation’s patrimony,” it said. Boasting that it has a support base of approximately 100,000 Guyanese, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and the National Mining Syndicate (NMS) had demanded easier access to mercury-free technologies, improved infrastructure for the mining sector, the reduction, and, in some cases, the removal of taxes and duties on mining equipment, as the country heads into another General and Regional Elections. In a paid advertisement last month, GGDMA and NMS, in a united voice, laid out their grounds for support in the March 2020 Elections, making it known that the more than 100,000 Guyanese and their families, who are directly and indirectly dependent on mining for their livelihoods, will be voting on issues that are specific to the industry. “Miners in Guyana demand more serious representation and less lip service from political parties,” the organisations said in the joint statement.

All Systems Go!

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

GECOM Public Relations Officer Yolanda Ward

By Lisa Hamilton THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has put all plans in place to facilitate a smooth Nomination Day even as the body expects that political parties will come with large contingents to present their lists for approval.

―GECOM set for Nomination Day

―promises tight security, diplomatic corps to observe process aspect and all of that,” Ward said. The Commission will be utilising a special software capable of recognising duplicates with regards to candidates’ names which ought not to appear twice on a specific list. Meanwhile, representatives of the diplomatic corps will be present as observers

country’s top contenders are President David Granger of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), and Bharrat Jagdeo of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and not the party’s presidential candidate as is expected. Ward confirmed that safety measures are also in place at

List. The General Elections List is made up of the National Top-Up List, which must have at least 300 to 330 nominators countrywide, and at least 42 candidates, who are to be elected to sit in the National Assembly. The Presidential Candidate is identified on this list only,

and in at least 13 of the 25 seats available. When it comes to the Regional Elections list, only the Regional Democratic Council List is being presented. This list must have 150-175 nominators, who must be residing in the Region for which they placed their names, and it must have 12 to 36 candidates who

on Nomination Day. The CEO will notify representatives and deputy representatives of a party’s List that a list is defective on January 12, 2020. The party will have until January 13, 2020 to submit a corrected list, through its representatives. The provision is made for appeals to be made to the High Court, if needs

Members of the media in attendance at Tuesday’s lecture (Photo by Delano Williams)

“From GECOM’s end, we have, administratively and operationally, all our systems in place, and are prepped for the efficient conduct of this exercise,” GECOM Public Relations Officer (PRO) Yolanda Ward said on Tuesday at a lunchtime lecture for media operatives on the same matter. “All our staff, they’ve been adequately trained. This is nothing new to them, but, of course, refresher training has always been very important, so we have done that from our side, with IT management

to ensure that the process is fair and transparent. The much-anticipated date when parties will present their lists for contesting the General and Regional Elections is only one day away. Leading up to the presentations, to be held at the Umana Yana from 13:00hrs to 17:00hrs, the political parties are expected to continue their custom of parading the streets in their party colours from a Georgetown location to the Upper High Street, Kingston venue. Heading the lists of the

the venue, while the media has been updated on its accessibility for the day. RULES AND GUIDELINES Those who attended Tuesday’s lecture were reminded or made aware that all whose names appear on the List must be registered electors, must be submitted in duplicate and must have a title. They were also told that the Lists to be presented are categorised as General Elections List and Geographical Constituency

1/3 of which must also be made up of female candidates. All candidates must sign a Statutory Declaration Form. The General Elections List is also made up of the Geographical Constituency List, which must see at least 150 to 175 nominators from each of the 10 Constituencies (Regions). The list should also include no more than 45 candidates, and must have a 1/3 representation of women for the collective Regions. Each political party must contest in at least six (6) Geographical Constituencies,

also reside in the Region. GECOM Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield will examine the lists to ensure that all the requirements, as laid out, are met, and if a single requirement is not met, that list will be deemed defective. Ward told media operatives that all 19 political parties which have submitted their symbols indicating that they will be a part of the elections have been briefed as to their requirements. However, GECOM still caters for errors

be, by January 16, 2020. Approved lists will be gazetted on January 19, 2020, meaning that nothing can be changed at this time. Any changes, such as the death/withdrawal of a candidate or a intent in a joiner of lists, these must be done on January 11 and 17 respectively. GECOM Chair, Justice (rt’d) Claudette Singh has urged that all stakeholders, especially political parties, strictly observe the statutory guidelines of the Commission.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 8, 2020

56 killed during stampede at Soleimani’s funeral AT least 56 people were killed in a stampede in Iran on Tuesday as tens of thousands of mourners packed streets for the funeral of an Iranian military commander, whose killing has plunged the Middle East into a new

crisis, and sparked fears of a wider war. U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said the United States should anticipate retaliation from Iran over last week’s killing of elite Quds Force commander, Qassem Soleimani in Iraq. “I think we should expect that they will retaliate in some way, shape or form,” Esper told a news briefing at the Pentagon, adding that such retaliation could be through Iran-backed proxy groups outside of Iran, or “by their own hand”. “We’re prepared for any contingency. And then we will respond appropriately to whatever they do,”

Esper said. Soleimani, a pivotal figure in orchestrating Iran’s long-standing campaign to drive U.S. forces out of Iraq, was also responsible for building up Tehran’s network of proxy armies across the Middle East. He was a national hero to many Iranians, whether supporters of the clerical leadership or not, but viewed as a dangerous villain by Western governments opposed to Iran’s arc of influence running across the Levant and into the Gulf region. A senior Iranian official said Tehran was considering several scenarios to avenge his death. Other senior figures have said the Islamic Republic would match the scale of the killing when it responds, but that it would choose the time and place. “We will take revenge, a hard and definitive revenge,” the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards,

General Hossein Salami told the throngs in Kerman, Soleimani’s hometown in south-eastern Iran. Soleimani’s burial went ahead after several hours of delay following the stampede, in which more than 210 people were also injured, according to an emergency official quoted by the semi-official Fars news agency. “Today because of the heavy congestion of the crowd, unfortunately a number of our fellow citizens who were mourning were injured, and a number were killed,” emergency medical services chief, Pirhossein Kolivand told state television. Soleimani’s body had been taken to holy Shi’ite Muslim cities in Iraq and Iran, as well as the Iranian capital, Tehran, before arriving for burial in the city cemetery’s “martyrs section”, according to the semi-official news agency ISNA. (Reuters)

Wednesday, January 08, 03:30hrs - 14:30 hrs

Americans increasingly critical of Trump’s record on Iran

--most expect war, Reuters-Ipsos poll finds NEW YORK (Reuters) - The American public is increasingly critical of President Donald Trump’s handling of Iran after he ordered the U.S. military to kill a powerful Iranian military commander, and a majority of U.S. adults now expect the countries to be at war in the near future, according to a Reuters/ Ipsos polling released on Tuesday. The national opinion poll found that 53% of adults in the U.S. disapprove of Trump’s handling of Iran, which is an increase of about nine percentage points from a similar poll that was run in the middle of December. The number of adults who “strongly disapprove” of Trump’s actions in Iran, 39%, is up 10 points from the December poll. The response was largely split along party lines, with disapproval up over the past month among Democrats and independents, while it did not change among Republicans. About nine in 10 Democrats, and five in 10 independents disapprove of Trump’s actions in Iran. Among Republicans, one in 10 disapprove. One in 10 Democrats, four in 10 independents and eight in 10 Republicans approve of Trump’s handling of Iran. The survey ran Jan. 6-7, shortly after Trump ordered the drone strike in Iraq that hit Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and escalated tensions in the region. Iraq’s parliament called for American troops to withdraw from the country, and mourners in Iran crowded onto the streets chanting, “Death to America!” Trump, who said that Soleimani had been planning to attack Americans, argued that the strike was meant to stop a war with Iran. The president threatened to attack Iranian cultural sites if Iran retaliated. According to the poll, Trump’s overall popularity remained stable following his strike on Soleimani, with 41% approving of his performance in office and 54% disapproving. Americans also appeared to be much more concerned now about the risk of war with Iran. A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll that ran Jan. 3-6 found that 41% consider Iran to be an “imminent threat” to the United States, up 17 points from a similar poll that ran in May 2019.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 8, 2020

U.S. mulls sanctions against Venezuelan lawmakers --over bid to seize Congress, sources say

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration is considering sanctions against some of the Venezuelan lawmakers who took part in a bid supported by President Nicolas Maduro to wrest control of the country’s Congress from U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido, according to two people familiar with the matter. Delibera-

tions over the possible sanctions targets, including Maduro-backed lawmaker Luis Parra and more than a dozen others, are in the early stages, and a final decision is not imminent, the sources told Reuters on Tuesday. Venezuelan troops blocked Guaido from entering parliament on Sunday for what was expected to be his re-election as

head of congress, allowing Maduro’s socialist party to hand the post to Parra. Later in the day, opposition legislators quickly re-elected Guaido, recognised by dozens of nations as Venezuela’s rightful interim leader, at the offices of a pro-opposition newspaper. “We go after those who undermine the Constitution,” said one of the sources, a high-ranking

U.S. government official who declined to be named because details of the deliberations have not been made public. “This is no different,” the source said. The White House declined comment, while the State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The measures against the lawmakers could start with bans on their travel to the United States, a

restriction that Washington has already slapped on dozens of Maduro allies, and might later involve financial sanctions against them, according to a person familiar with the matter. Special envoy Elliott Abrams said the United States was looking at additional sanctions to step up pressure on the Venezuelan government on Monday, but did not specify potential targets. Last January, Washington recognised Guaido

as the OPEC nation’s legitimate interim president, and began ratcheting up sanctions and diplomatic pressure in an effort to oust Maduro. Today, a year later, Maduro is still in power, backed by the military as well as Russia, China and Cuba. A senior administration official told Reuters in October that Trump’s frustration over the lack of results had spurred aides to ready further actions.

Trump reneges on threat to target cultural sites

--now promises to abide by international law WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would obey international law on avoiding targeting cultural sites in military attacks, walking back a threat he made to Iran days earlier. Trump on Saturday said

the United States has targeted 52 Iranian sites, including ones that are very important to Iranian culture, and would strike if Iran attacks Americans or U.S. assets in response to the U.S. killing of its military commander, Qassem Soleimani.

Attacking cultural sites, though, would break international conventions and treaties, and the threat sparked concern around the world. Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office as he met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis,

made clear he would reluctantly abide by the law. “You know what, if that’s what the law is, I

like to obey the law. But think of it: They kill our people, they blow up our people, and then we have to be very gentle with their cultural institutions. But I’m OK with it. It’s OK by

me,” he said. “I will say this: if Iran does anything that they shouldn’t be doing, they’re going to be suffering the consequences, and very strongly,” he added.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 8, 2020

Negative ‘noises’ IN his book, ‘Out of the Desert: My Journey from Nomadic Bedouin to the Heart of Global Oil’, Ali Al-Naimi, the former Saudi Arabian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources (1995-2016) and who was previously the first Saudi President of oil giant Aramco, reports that, “[i]n the spring of 1933, even before Saudi Arabia was a year old, our king granted a concession to Standard Oil of California (Socal) to explore for oil across much of the vast Kingdom. To fulfil its mission, the oil company created a subsidiary, California Arabian Standard Oil Co., referred to as Casoc. This was the small seed from which today’s mighty Saudi Aramco has grown.” In this same book, the former United States Secretary of State and former CEO of ExxonMobil Rex Tillerson is quoted as saying, “I spend all of my time thinking about what it is going to be like in 10 or 15 years, because I have to start working today. I think Ali Al-Naimi is very much of the same mind.” There are lessons therein for us as Guyanese. What has been found by ExxonMobil to date, is not the be all and end all of oil and gas for Guyana. We are at the tip of the iceberg of discoveries, not at the tail end. And yet, being at the tip, what we know we will earn from what has been confirmed below our waters will allow us the prospects of rapid national infrastructural and social development, hitherto unimaginable. Yet, we bicker. Rather than heeding the advice of Tillerson and AlNaimi and being consumed with how we will ensure that the transformative wealth, soon to be at our disposal, is utilised based on our national priorities and needs, we have a cho-

rus of persons who have chosen to be obsessed with being enveloped in a perpetual state of pessimism. This ought to concern us all and lead us to question motives. Following the discoveries of 2015, Guyana has been on the fast track to first oil by 2020. We are progressing at breakneck speed, bucking industry trends of seven to 10 years from discovery to production. Excitement is building among our people. This excitement, shared, whether openly or guardedly by all, is not being telegraphed by all. While there are those who have raised valid and credible concerns and reservations, the plethora of negative ‘noises’ comprises persons in three general categories: (i) those engaged in the usual playing of partisan politics, (ii) those who occupy a certain status quo, who feel threatened and have launched a campaign aimed at the zealous protection of their turf and, (iii) those who want in on the action and are using the backdoor stratagem of raising hell in an effort to demonstrate their worth. The political opposition and oppositionists are doing what opposition parties the world over in politics do–oppose. It is their business and purpose. They do this with the sole aim of achieving or reclaiming lost power. This is the nature and demand of opposition politics. The PPP impulsively opposing everything under the sun which is engaged in by this coalition government is not to be met with surprise. It is who they are, intractably and even unreasonably so. There is one unequivocal caveat however. That caveat being that acting against the national interest, under any circumstances whatsoever, cannot be countenanced. Whether it is the suggestion that there should be consideration of

ceding our patrimony and granting our western neighbour “access to the sea,” or any activity which can be considered economic sabotage, there can be nothing but zero tolerance for such posturing. In the global context, Guyana is still at the stage of a small seed, as Saudi Arabia once was, and can grow to being an influential hemispheric power if we, as a nation, agree that the national interests are sacrosanct and are not to be subject to partisan politics. Guyana’s social space is not vast. There are those, based on tradition and the social construct, who have wielded influence and who believe that such influence is an entitlement of theirs. They have sensed that oil will result in major shifts in this status quo, narrow or obliterate their perches and leave them with considerably less influence. In simple terms, they are quite satisfied with being big fishes in a small pond. Oil will expand Guyana’s pond and will allow for greater empowerment of a wider cross-section of our population. The social elite is evidently threatened and there is a convergence of interests to wage a war of dissonance against Guyana’s emerging economy and prospects entering new and bold vistas. And then there are those who are desperate to be facilitated, even by improper political means and who have been rebuffed when attempts were made by them to collude. They now feel ostracised (as a result of their own unwholesome actions) and are using the public space to act up and throw barbs and tantrums, while engaging in disinformation, hoping in the end to be appeased by being brought into the fold. The daily sickening advertisements in Kaieteur News casting aspersions on African countries is evidence of these interests.

Ramphal’s positive message is for ALL Guyanese Dear Editor THE reported Facebook attacks, mounted by the anti-national forces of the PPP/C on 2018 Chutney Soca Monarch Stephen Ramphal should not come as a surprise. In 2015 an Afro-Guyanese, Young Bill Rogers won the Chutney competition, seen as an Indo-cultural competition at Blairmont. So, what was wrong if an Indo-Guyanese, competed in a cultural segment that is Afro-Guyanese type? This should not cause him to be an outcast, or a sellout, because he has participated across cultural lines. It reminds one of the great late Mohamed Rafi who sang the immortal piece, to the tune of Suhani Raat Dhal, “The world is one.” Those who have

continue to spew the incendiary of racism, separatism and division should be reminded of this song and its message. Without any apologies, this is what should be happening more often in Guyana. It will certainly contribute to begin to chip away at the race wall which the dark forces have been building. However, one suspects that, the fact that Ramphal was not attacked in the aftermath of his victory in February 2019, had been because it was a national event. The attacks expose a tragic weakness of the PPP/C’s political culture that has filtered down to its general constituency. And again, I will say it without any apology, simply because it is not political rabble rousing or pandering to racism, or even racial incitement –

that the PPP/C has continued to foster the idea that any prominent East Indian who leaves its political fold for the Afro side of politics betrays the party and his/her race: They are “sellouts’’, the descriptive label given Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo,Vice-President Khemraj Ramjattan and now to Stephen Ramphal. Therefore, as far as those Facebook, anti-cohesion forces are concerned, Ramphal has ratted on his kind, and they are bold enough to vent their shameless and vile anger, using the means of social media, which positive and constructive uses they have continued to degrade by such vile actions. Ramphal sang in a professional capacity since he and other artistes were paid for their performances. But his song is timely, for it is

about Guyana and its six peoples, inclusive primarily of the two races, and how they must live with each other for the betterment of country and ALL. This is what the coalition, A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government supports, and have promoted and upheld since its governance began in May 2015. The fact that Ramphal decided to appear at the coalition launching rally last Friday, signals that he is about LOVE, PEACE AND UNITY, AND NOT ABOUT DIVISION as he has boldly declared. Regards Carla Mendonca

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 8, 2020

Forcing the politicians to bite the bullet! Dear Editor I HAVE already stated in several letters in the media and public pronouncements about my faith in ExxonMobil and large oil companies trekking to Guyana. ExxonMobil, as I have previously stated, is one of the largest, if not the largest, oil and gas companies in the world. However, when we read things like, “ExxonMobil Projects in Papua New Guinea, is an economic parasite,” and statements about, “the disappointments and letdowns to nations and countries by oil and gas companies in Australia, Ghana, Nigeria and other African Nations,” it is something that scares me and other like-minded Guyanese about our chances of development and for our people’s upliftment. I had already asked, in one of my many writings to the media, “Guyana presents ExxonMobil with a gem of an opportunity to erase its negative image,” published in the February 4th, 2018 edition of the Kaieteur News, where I reiterated that ExxonMobil should make Guyana an example of perfection in oil and gas administration and management. Simply because we are new and fresh in oil and gas! And, where we, the citizens of the host country or owners of the resource are given fair due, so that we can have a good life – one in which our people’s education and standard of living could be

propelled to such a state that ExxonMobil itself would have its reputation repaired or corrected. What boggles my mind is the fact that a country like Guyana, which is in a state of poverty, is constantly regressing more and more into poverty. Instead of prospering with all of our enormous resources in gold, diamond, bauxite, manganese, freshwater, sugar, rice and other agriculture - we keep on regressing instead of progressing. Guyanese, even without oil, should have already been enjoying one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean - the people in Trinidad told me this, decades ago. In Guyana, we are so fortunate that Liza Phase 1 will alone produce more than what a hundred and 25 wells produced in Trinidad and Tobago per day. Our returns should be more because we have sweet, light crude, compared to Venezuela, Trinidad and other countries. In many cases, where this corruption and disappointment with oil and gas is a concern in the Caribbean, South America and Africa, it is also due to poor governance and dishonest politicians. It is already highly suspect that we were sold out in Texas by a Minister of Government, who is also a lawyer, having failed to read the document properly before signing (he publically admitted so). And in my opinion, the government should have sent someone from the opposi-

Very frustrating to do business at Republic Bank Dear Editor, IT is out of frustration that I have decided to make public the travesty one has to go through when making online transactions at Republic Bank Ltd (Guy). I have noticed that the bank has decided to compensate for the inconvenience caused due to the transition and upgrade of its electronic system, for which they should be applauded. However, one issue that needs urgent attention is the online purchasing system using its card. As a Guyanese, I am not sure if it is applicable to other territories as well, in which they provide similar services, for me to make an online purchase and/or transaction I must first make contact with the bank’s head office in Trinidad and Tobago for them to provide access to my account, which was opened in Guyana. It is burdensome to make calls to Trinidad and Tobago every time one as to do an online transaction because access is given only for 24hrs. Hence, a subsequent transaction would necessitate another call and note that not all the time you will get through easily or may have wait and go

through extensions to get to the individual authorized to open the account. In addition to the inconvenience, the cost to call to Trinidad and Tobago must be borne by the account holder. The account holder is in no way at fault if the bank cannot provide proper security for the transaction and payment; that is the responsibility of the bank and as such should be the one to provide such calls free of cost to the account holder or return the remittance. It is unfair because I did not apply to any office outside of Guyana to initiate any process to open my account and I was never told subsequently, that I would need to make contact with its headquarter in Trinidad for any transaction. Through this medium, I am calling on the Bank of Guyana to make the necessary declaration to protect the citizens from being unfairly treated and ensure that Republic Bank Ltd (Guy) compensates for all the calls made for this purpose over the years. Regards Sirpaul Jaikishun

tion’s legal fraternity to work along with the government’s legal fraternity to ensure that we are not given the big stick. I always wondered why rich countries and rich corporations of said countries always try to eke the juice out of poor countries. And then make it look as though they are giving you little pieces of gifts or some aid for development, as if they are doing so much. Do not get me wrong, I appreciate those aids, but why is it that these big countries and major corporations do not want us to have a good life? They do want us to prosper but want to keep us at the periphery of failure. Many times they are involved in clandestine political activities, even at times causing disruptions in society, like penetrating certain personalities and causing riots and havoc in certain societies. Anyway, I am asking the government of Guyana to study what Saudi Arabia is doing! To study, very deeply, what Saddam Hussein was doing in Iraq! To study, intensely, what Gaddafi was doing! Also, what Kuwait is doing! And, most of all, what Norway is doing! Norway - where the citizens standard of living is so high and where the oil and gas resources are so well managed. It appears to me that some persons in the political dimensions of our country, opposition and government, are more bent on wanting to control the resources as though it is their personal property and not that of the peoples. I am highly suspect of politicians. I do not have much faith in politicians after

what I have seen over the last 50 years. But as a patriot, I will work with any politician in government or out of government for a better, prosperous and great Guyana. This is why I keep on insisting that we need the opposition and government to sit on boards so that the government has a free watchdog, so to say, to ensure that its people are well supervised. And, this should be made an aspect of law, that even if the current government should lose power, in opposition, they must be given some authority to sit on these boards to ensure that these manipulations and thieveries from which oil and gas are known around the world in some countries, will not happen here. So, I call upon the government and opposition to wake up and smell the coffee. Take a deep hard breath of that powerful, strong, black coffee and think Guyana first. I will let this rest for now, but I had the intention of starting a movement to boycott the elections by telling the people to stay at home so that we can see the power with the intent to force the Government and the Opposition, to work as one team for Guyana, but I will let this rest for now and see what happens in the next five years, hopefully, if I am still around. Politically, I may make my mark in this manner, fighting and insisting (not for me to become a politician) but forcing the politicians to come together and bite the bullet! Sincerely, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan Snr.

Enhancement works at Supenaam/ Good Hope must be applauded Dear Editor, THE massive enhancement and development works done at Supenaam/ Good Hope, a project that the coalition government certainly must be applauded for. I was sitting there one morning enjoying the atmosphere and the beautiful scenes of the surroundings, not forgetting the sound of the rippling waves. My understanding is that project is managed by a committee appointed by the regional administration of Region Two, but while I was sitting there I saw three men cleaning the entire area. I had a conversation with them during which I encouraged them to keep up the good works that they were doing. They told me they are employed by Mr. Morris Bovell to clean the entire area as often as possible and not the management committee.

I know Mr. Bovell well, he is a businessman, and owner and operator of several boats also a popular person, so I was not surprised that he was paying them. I also know that this gentleman has volunteered to maintain the compound of the Good Hope Health Centre, slashing the grass, painting the fences, among other things and have been doing that for years, and he is also involved in the maintenance of the playground and various other community projects. Some praises and accolades to him and I hope that others not only in that area or village can get on board, but also in other villages as well. Keep up the good works Mr. Bovell, and I sincerely hope that your actions would be emulated by others. Regards Archie W. Cordis.

Watooka Guest House pushing local content in Linden -all products for restaurant being sourced in Linden

The management of the renovated Watooka Guest House is looking to utilise products grown and manufactured in Linden and wider Region 10 in support of local businesses. CEO of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Colvin Heath-London said the Regional Agricultural Committee had already received tangible support for its food security drive. The restaurant receives its fresh produce from local

farmers while art and craft and cosmetic items for the guest house are sourced from local producers and manufacturers. This has prompted local farmer and agro-processor Owen DeSouza to start manufacturing and packaging his soaps in sizes usually accepted by the hospitality industry. His soaps are produced from local fruits such as avocado and pawpaw which are also mixed with natural oils and herbs such as coconut oil and moringa.

During the Linden Tourism Exposition, hosted November last, Manager of Watooka Guest House, Rawle Dundas said, “We see ourselves as the facilitators of the activation, we see ourselves as being able to afford opportunities to our young people, whether it be people who have craft or agricultural products, available because we would want to use local things at Watooka.” The Watooka Guest House is one of the oldest

colonial buildings in Linden and served as a restaurant and guest house in the early 1900s. Since the upgrade, the guest house has been experiencing a 100 percent occupancy rate. Several new features are also now available including collaborations with tour agencies to ensure guests experience Linden fully, a private lounge, a membership scheme, transportation services, as well as catering for private, small, and large events, among other things.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 8, 2020

Businessman in court for preventing a man from going about his business freely MAGISTRATE Sherdel Isaac-Marcus, on Monday, granted a 23-year-old businessman $40,000 bail for preventing a man from going about his business freely. George Smith of East La Penitence appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him. Particulars of the charge stated that, on December 22, 2019, at Hadfield Street, Georgetown, he prevented Andy Gibson from going about his business freely. According to information, Smith had made an allegation that Gibson took some money from his (Smith) mother. Smith then confronted Gibson, arresting him to

George Smith

take him to the station and Gibson resisted. The matter was reported and Smith was charged. M a g i s t r a t e Isaac-Marcus granted Smith $40,000 bail and adjourned the matter until January 27, 2020.

President saddened at passing of Mrs. Vylma Harper

Linden farmer and agro-processor Owen-DeSouza along with MP Jermaine Figuiera proudly displays some of his locally produced soaps

ber 21, 2019 and December 22, 2019, at Cuyuni River, he stole a chainsaw valued at $362,930 and two chainsaw bars valued at $29,412, property of Innovation Mining Incorporated. Gordon Mansfield made no objections to bail being granted to McDonald and told the court that McDonald was employed by Innovation Mining Company as a mechanic. Between the days

mentioned in the charge, McDonald requested to travel to attend a funeral. Mansfield added that, days before leaving the mining site, McDonald was observed loading the articles onto a truck after which he left the camp. A search was later conducted and an inventory was made and the articles were missing. The matter was reported and McDonald was contact-

ed in Georgetown. He was arrested and later charged. Magistrate McLennan granted McDonald $150,000 bail and adjourned the matter until January 17, 2020. The matter was transferred to the Bartica Magistrates’ Court. McDonald was also ordered to report to the Region 7 police office once a week, until the completion of the trial.

HIS EXCELLENCY David Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is saddened at the death of Mrs. Vylma Harper, the wife of former Minister of Health and Member of Parliament, the late Dr. Oliver Harper. She died last evening in Florida, United States of America. In a statement, President Granger said, undoubtedly, Mrs Harper would have served as a tower of strength and support to her husband and contributed to the invaluable service her husband provided to Guyana during his lifetime. Mrs. Harper, the Guyana Leader said, also played an active role in the work of the Salvation Army. President Granger expressed heartfelt sympathy to her children, grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

Man dies in Pomeroon River mishap A 25-year-old man died Monday night following a river mishap in the Pomeroon River. The body of Renny France of Friendship Canal, Pomeroon River is awaiting post mortem. He died after the boat he was in struck a tree just after midnight on Monday. Information reaching the Guyana Chronicle has indicated that France and another man, whose name was given as Dennon Lyte, were travelling in the boat when it hit a tree causing both of them to be flung into the river. They were picked up by persons from the nearby community and rushed to the nearby health facility where France was pronounced dead on arrival. Lyte was treated for lacerations and admitted to the Suddie Hospital. It is unclear if the boat, at the time of the accident, had light affixed to it.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Antiguan diplomat makes out case for electing Caribbean nomination for top OAS post ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Jan 6, CMC – Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the Organization of American states (OAS), Sir Ronald Sanders says the Caribbean has a stake in which of the three candidates vying for the position of secretary general of the most influential organisation in this region’s hemisphere. Writing in his weekly newspaper column titled “Contest for OAS Secretary-General: The Caribbean’s interest,” Sanders said that this why the region has decided to play an active role in the outcome. The election for the post will be held on March 20, and the three candidates named are the incumbent Luis Almagro, the present Ambassador of Peru to the United States of America, Hugo de Zela and the lone female Maria Fernanda Espinosa, who recently served as the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Antigua and Barbuda and St Vincent and the Grenadines nominated the Ecuadorian Espinosa, whole Colombia submitted the Uruguayan Luis Almagro; and Peru proposed de Zela. The two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have called on their colleagues in the 15-member regional integration movement to back the Ecuadorian after being very critical of Almagro during the tenure of his first term in office. Sanders echoed regional countries’ position that he had arrogated on to himself “the authority to use the OAS as a platform for pronouncements that are reflective only of his narrowly held positions and not of the OAS membership as a collective body. “In ordinary circumstances Mr. Almagro would be re-elected as Secretary-General with little dissension. Let there be no doubt of his intellectual capacity and his knowl-

edge of Latin America. “Had he taken the time and trouble to appreciate the challenges faced by Caribbean countries and their priorities, he could have become a champion of the smaller countries that comprise almost half of the OAS’ membership,” Sanders wrote, noting that “as the Ambassador, who apart from the Ambassador of Paraguay, has served longest with Mr. Almagro as Secretary-General, I urged him to be more conscious of Caribbean concerns”. Sanders recalled that in February 2015, when he was seeking election, Almagro had promised a contingency fund for natural disasters with particular emphasis on Central America and the Caribbean as well as an Interconnectivity Fund for the Caribbean “which can overcome structural weaknesses, either in terms of logistics and information and communications technology, and increase the employment potential for youth;” and third, an Inter-American initiative on climate change “that can reach a consensus on the position of the Hemisphere ahead of Paris 2015.” Sanders said that apart from a paltry fund to provide a token sum after disasters, none of this happened. “By several missteps, Mr. Almagro managed to alienate himself from the expectations that many Caribbean leaders – all of whom supported his 2015 election – had of him.” He said also that it is not only amongst Caribbean countries that Almagro’s controversial posture raised concerns. “This is obvious in the fact that Peru – one of the architects of the Lima Group, an unofficial grouping of countries in the OAS – decided to field Mr. de Zela against him,” Sanders wrote, noting that “since much of Mr. Almagro’s support comes from the same Lima Group of which Mr. de Zela is the present co-ordinator, the two are contending in

identical space”. He said CARICOM governments could not identify a suitably qualified CARICOM national willing to enter a competition that was “not fully and openly backed by all of them. “Maria Fernanda had impressed many Heads of Government and Foreign Ministers during her stewardship of the last UN General Assembly. She showed qualities of consensus building and inclusion that the OAS now desperately needs in its Secretary-General,” he said, adding that contrary to the propaganda directed at her candidacy by supporters of her contenders, she was not nominated because of the “influence of Cuba and Venezuela”. “ As the representative of one of the governments that nominated her, I can state beyond fear of contradiction that no member of the government of Antigua and Barbuda consulted with any government other than CARICOM ones on proposing her. Indeed, it is her “ideological-free” conduct of the UNGA as President that attracted her to a Caribbean that is driven in free and democratic societies by pragmatism and practicality.” Sanders said that Espinosa, a very seasoned diplomat and government minister “understands the demands on government and the importance of building bridges in international relations. “Her experience as Ambassador to several UN institutions and her engagement with regional governments in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Arab States, places her in a good position to try to unlock new resources for the OAS for sustainable development issues, particularly climate change and financing,” he wrote. At least 34 countries are eligible to vote for the new OAS secretary general.

2020 marks the Caribbean countries warned to be prepared International Year of as major earthquakes hit Puerto Rico the Nurse and Midwife IN order to recognize the work of nurses and midwives around the world and advocate for increased investment in this workforce, and improvements in working conditions, education and professional development, this year has been designated the international year of nurses and midwives by the World Health Assembly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the world needs 9 million more nurses and midwives to achieve the goal of universal health coverage by 2030. In the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) highlights that 800,000 more health workers are needed, including nurses and midwives. These professionals play a vital role in providing essential health services at all levels of care and are crucial to promoting health and preventing disease. They care for mothers, children and the elderly, administer life-saving vaccines, and provide health advice, among other actions. “In many parts of the world, nursing and midwifery professionals constitute the first and sometimes only human resource that is in contact with patients,” said Carissa Etienne, WHO Regional Director for the Americas and PAHO Director. “Investing in nursing and midwifery means advancing towards health for all, which will have a profound effect on global health and well-being,” she added. The initiative, which will last all year, brings together WHO, PAHO and its partners, including the International Confederation of Midwives, International Council of Nurses, Nursing Now and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Jan 7, CMC – The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Tuesday said that the recent earthquakes in Puerto Rico should serve as a reminder to the Caribbean “that our region is seismically active and we always need to be prepared”. On Monday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 rocked Puerto Rico and it was followed by a stronger quake with a magnitude of 5.4 on Tuesday. The SRC said that Monday’s quake was a “foreshock” to the 6.4 quake on Tuesday. US officials said power outages and damage have been reported near the island’s southern coast, including in the city of Ponce, where a 77-year-old man was killed and at least eight others were injured. The US Geological Survey said the quake also affected several other countries including the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, Guadeloupe, Haiti,

Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, Turks and Caicos Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “The recent earthquakes around Puerto Rico serves as a reminder that our region is seismically active and we always need to be prepared,” the SRC said, adding that “although we do not monitor that area, sharing of knowledge is key to better understanding and living with these geological hazards”. According to information posted on the SRC website, the biggest earthquake in an earthquake sequence is called the mainshock. “Mainshocks are followed by lots of smaller earthquakes called aftershocks. Occasionally an earthquake will be followed by a larger event. In that case, we call the first earthquake a “foreshock” and the new, larger event a “mainshock”. There’s nothing inherently different about the earthquakes themselves, it’s just terminology explaining when they occur in relation to each other.” In recent days, several Caribbean countries

GWI commits to system upgrades, sustainable energy solutions for 2020 AS Guyana enters the Decade of Development, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has devised a plan of action to enhance its services in customer satisfaction and overall efficiency. By the first half of 2020, GWI will reduce the use of alum and lime for water treatment by 50 percent. Poly-Aluminium Chloride will be used instead and is expected to save the utility company some GY$20Million, according to Managing Director, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles. And by year-end, GWI wants to reduce its chemical use by as much as 70 percent through the use of inline water filters. Intensified cleaning and treatment are to be done on wells to reduce the amount of dissolved iron in the water while the company begins exploratory drilling in Essequibo for water

with lower iron content. Dr. Van-West Charles says they are making strides to begin e-billing so that late payments could be eliminated and customers could access their bills electronically. A mobile application for easy-to-read bills and to make payments is also on the cards. Meanwhile, new customer services and payment centres are to be set up in hinterland areas such as Lethem, Mabaruma, and Mahdia. Further, the utility company is looking to introduce smart meters to boost timeliness and eliminate the need for its staff to enter customers’ premises. The increased use of solar energy, wind energy and other forms of sustainable energy initiatives are also part of GWI’s plans for continued development in 2020.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 8, 2020

Puerto Rico declares emergency after earthquakes

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) - Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after a series of earthquakes killed at least one person, toppled buildings, and knocked out power to nearly the entire island of more than 3 million people. The largest of the quakes in the U.S. territory registered at magnitude 6.4, the most powerful to hit the Caribbean island in 102 years. With two large power plants shut down, drinking water was cut off to at least 300,000 customers, Vazquez told a news conference. She said power should be restored to most of the island within 24 to 48 hours. Puerto Rico schools will remain closed, and public employees, other than health workers and police, will stay home today, while checks are made on the structural safety of buildings, Vazquez said. “There are people who have lost their lives; there are people who have lost all their property,” she told reporters, without giving further details on the extent of damage and injuries. Puerto Rico’s electricity authority said it hoped to re-establish services during the night in the metropolitan area of San Juan, the capital, which is home to about 2.3

A house in San Juan after the ‘quakes’ hit on Tuesday

million people. At least 346 people were left homeless, officials said, after homes were flattened, mostly in the south of the island. Many damaged buildings sat next to piles of rubble. Bottled water, batteries and flashlights ran low at San Juan supermarkets, and ice was scarce as residents tried to keep food from rotting, said resident Luis Borri, 31. “Water is running out,

people are grabbing like 10 boxes,” said Borri, who recharged his cellphone at San Juan’s international airport where he works, and where backup generators allowed normal services to continue. Puerto Rico’s emergency declaration will facilitate federal financial aid. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the earthquakes, and administration officials were monitoring the impact in coordination with Puerto

Rico officials. HURRICANES AND BANKRUPTCY Puerto Rico has been rocked by hundreds of ‘quakes’ since Dec. 28, including 10 of magnitude 4 or greater, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Powerful ‘quakes’ are rare in Puerto Rico. A 7.3 magnitude ‘quake’ that occurred in 1918 triggered a tsunami, and killed 116 peo-

ple, according to the island’s seismology office. “Everyone’s scared; it’s the first time anything like this has happened,” said San Juan resident, Patricia Alonso, 48, who, with her 13-year-old son was heading to her mother’s apartment building, which had power from an emergency generator. Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 killed about 3,000 people, and destroyed

a significant amount of infrastructure. Puerto Rico is also working through a bankruptcy process to restructure about $120 billion of debt and pension obligations. “We are a resilient people. We have responded to many difficult situations. Now this has been asked said Vasquez, who assumed office in August after Ricardo Rossello stepped down over a scandal involving offensive chat messages and government corruption. One of Tuesday’s ‘quakes’ triggered an automatic shutdown of electricity across the island as a safety measure and a later, more powerful quake damaged power plants in the southern part of the island, Vazquez said. A 73-year-old man died after a wall fell on him, and a power plant worker was hospitalized after he was hit by debris, the governor said. Tuesday’s magnitude 6.4 quake struck at a depth of 6 miles (10 km) at 4:24 a.m. (0824 GMT) near Ponce on the island’s southern coast, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Witnesses on social media described it as “super strong” and lasting up to 30 seconds. It was followed by a number of hefty aftershocks, including two measuring 5.6.

Stocks, gold and oil whipsawed as Iran strikes pushes Mideast to brink SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Financial markets were roiled on Wednesday after Iran fired missiles at U.S. forces in Iraq, sending Asian stocks and U.S. Treasury yields sliding and sharply lifting oil prices as investors feared a wider conflict in the Middle East. Iran’s missile attacks on the Ain AlAsad air base and another in Erbil, Iraq, early Wednesday came hours after the funeral of an Iranian commander whose killing in a U.S. drone strike has intensified tensions in the region. By late morning in Asia, however, equities had trimmed losses, the yen had stabilized somewhat and U.S. bonds tempered their rally as investors paused for breath, and as a U.S. official said the United States was not aware of any casualties from the strikes. “We are getting exaggerated moves but that’s of course volatility playing. Markets simply hate uncertainty. It’s an old adage but it definitely holds true in the current situation - markets can price risks but they can’t price uncertainty,” said James McGlew, executive director of corporate stockbroking at Argonaut in Perth.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet late on Tuesday that an assessment of casualties and damage from the strikes was under way and that he would make a statement on Wednesday morning. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.47% around 0400 GMT, having dropped more than 1% earlier in the day. China’s blue-chip CSI300 index was 0.48% lower. Japan’s Nikkei was down 1.2%, also paring earlier losses of over 2%, while Australian shares clawed back from a more-than-1% drop to shed just 0.14%. U.S. S&P500 e-mini stock futures, which had earlier dropped nearly 1.7%, were down 0.26%. Rob Carnell, Asia-Pacific chief economist at ING in Singapore, said possible further escalation of tensions between Iran and the United States could still provoke a prolonged negative market reaction. “If you see U.S. treasuries rallying a bit this morning, expect them to rally quite a bit further should there be a forceful response from the United States, which I’d imagine there would be...from a market

perspective I think this one could run and run,” he said. The yield on benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury notes last stood at 1.7899%, down from a U.S. close of 1.825% on Tuesday, but up from session lows. U.S. 10-year Treasury futures had earlier peaked at their highest level since November, and were last up 0.24%. The two-year yield fell to 1.5223% compared with a U.S. close of 1.546%. The yen, which had hit its strongest point against the greenback since October in morning trade, gave up nearly all its gains midday in Japan. The U.S. currency was last down just 0.06% against the yen at 108.35. The euro was up 0.03% to buy $1.1154 and the dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major peers, was 0.10% lower at 96.909. In commodity markets, global benchmark Brent crude futures shot back above $70 per dollar to their highest level since mid-September, but were last up 1.61% at $69.37 per barrel. U.S. crude added 1.5% to $63.64 a barrel. Gold also fell below a key psychological level as initial fears eased. The precious

metal was 1% higher on the spot market at $1,590.21 per ounce, having earlier blasted through $1,600. [GOL/] Analysts said markets will be closely watching for confirmation of any U.S. casualties from Iran’s strikes. “If it does look like we’ve got U.S. casualties, then I don’t think Trump is going to just stand back and take that,” said Matt Simpson, a senior market analyst at Gain Capital in Singapore. “World War III has been thrown around. I don’t think we’re there yet. But it does look like Iraq II.” Reports of the attack threw the market off balance after better-than-expected data in the U.S. non-manufacturing sector helped to lift the dollar overnight. The Institute for Supply Management said its non-manufacturing activity index rose to 55.0 last month from 53.9 in November, indicating a faster rate of expansion. Shares on Wall Street had nonetheless fallen on Tuesday amid worries over U.S.-Iran tensions. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.42%, the S&P 500 lost 0.28% and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.03%

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Suriname in major oil find close to Guyana

The Maka Central-1 well indicated in black in Block 58 and just adjacent and below Haimara-1 Well

APACHE Corp and Total announced a “significant oil discovery” of “light oil and gas” offshore Suriname on Tuesday at the Maka Central-one well on Block 58 which is just adjacent to the Stabroek Block where ExxonMobil has made major discoveries over the last few years. Analysts, according to Reuters, are now making estimations on what could be possible for the country based on the projected six billion barrels of oil estimated thus far within the Stabroek Block. Already, Apache’s stocks are sky rocketing to its biggest gain in almost five decades even as Total’s senior Vice-President for Exploration, Kevin McLachlan, reported that the discovery at Maka Central-One well

“proves the extension of the Guyana Cretaceous oil play into Surinam waters.” The confirms geologic model with 73 metres (240 feet) of oil pay and 50 metres (164 feet) of light oil and gas condensate pay and appraisal planning is now underway. “We are very pleased with results from Maka Central-One. The well proves a working hydrocarbon system in the first two play types within Block 58 and confirms our geologic model with oil and condensate in shallower zones and oil in deeper zones. Preliminary formation evaluation data indicates the potential for prolific oil wells. Additionally, the size of the stratigraphic feature, as defined by 3-D seismic imaging, suggests a substantial resource,” said Apache CEO and President,

John Christmann. Located a short distance away from the Maka Central-One well are the Haimara-One well, the Tilapia-One well, the Pluma-One well, the Turbot-One and the Tripletail-One well where between 93 and 23 metres of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir has been found. The next well to be drilled off Suriname is the Sapakara West-One, approximately 20 kilometres (12 miles) southeast of Maka Central-One. Apache, as operator, holds a 50 per cent working interest and Total holds a 50 per cent working interest. Suriname is not the only country to have anticipated positive oil finds based on Guyana’s successes, but energy experts have promoted the ‘Mirror Theory’

US issues security alert for its nationals in the Caribbean BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Jan 7, CMC – The United States Tuesday urged nationals in the Caribbean to be cautious as a result of the “heightened tension in the Middle East” as Washington continued to defend its targeted missile strike that killed senior Iranian general Qassem Soleimani last week. Iran has vowed to revenge his death and the US Embassy here said the tension “may result in security risks to US citizens abroad” and that the Embassy would ‘continue to review the security situation and provide additional information as needed”. It urged Americans to keep a low profile, be aware of their surroundings as well as staying alert in locations frequented by tourists and reviewing their personal security plans. In addition, the Americans were also urged to have travel documents up to date and easily accessible. On Tuesday, Us Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the decision of President Donald Trump to order the strike that killed Soleimani, insisting that the American President was right to order the killing and sarcastically dismissed any suggestion that Soleimani might have been in Iraq for peaceful purposes. “Is there any history that would indicate that it was remotely possible that this kind gentleman, this diplomat of great order, Qassem Soleimani, had traveled to Baghdad for the idea of conducting a peace mission?” Pompeo asked reporters at the State Department. “We know that wasn’t true.” He warned that if Iran were to make another “bad choice,” he was confident President Trump would respond “as he did last week, in a decisive, serious manner.” Caribbean governments have so far not made any official statement regarding the situation in the Middle East.

which suggests that the petroleum system of the Guiana basins is similar to the West Africa basin. “Both sides of the Atlantic —the African and the South American—because

they were originally joined at one point on earth’s history, must therefore have the same distribution of resources,” Geologist and Product Ambassador at Getech, Dr. William Heins,

said explaining the theory. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil has already made 15 oil discoveries offshore Guyana with the Mako-One well, being the most recent in December 2019.

Bartica looking ‘green’ L A S T S e p t e m b e r, t h e Mayor and Town Council of Bartica launched a tree-planting programme dubbed ‘Green Pathway’ which was part of their transformational projects to make Bartica the model ‘green town’ in Guyana. In a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Mayor Gifford Marshall said that the project is moving apace and is evidently transforming the aesthetics of the township. “Our streets are slowly becoming more beautiful

with our efforts to replace dilapidated vehicles, scrap iron and bushy parapet with flowering trees. This we believe

will be a tremendous boost to our tourism package and a step closer to achieving our “greening” objectives,” Marshall told this publication. Since its launch in September, he disclosed that almost 200 trees have been planted, with the most recent being 70 “fiscus benjamina” that was planted along the road at the dumpsite. “These trees will aid our efforts in ensuring the site immediate surroundings are environmentally friendly. In the next few weeks, 20 geiger trees and a few sa-

man trees will be added to the dozens of trees already planted along the streets of

Bartica. This programme will continue until the streets of Bartica are aesthetically pleasing, resulting in a transformed landscape,” the mayor said. The Bartica Town Council is receiving financial support from the Ministry of Communities and consultancy services from Hans landscaping for this project. In addition to the trees planted by the roadways, this initiative saw the construction of a fish pond, planting of various trees and the creation of a plant-growing wall

in the council’s compound. This facility now serves as a major attraction and is

Residents of Bartica support the tree-planting exercise

Streets in Bartica lined with trees

providing a greener, more attractive local environment. The entire project has attracted tourism investments, created jobs, and provided cleaner air and cooler roadways. It also assisted in beautifying the township and creating an environment for various species of birds which will allow for research and studies. Marshall stated that it is atop his agenda to ensure that Bartica lives up to ‘green town’ status. The mayor was recently re-elected and sworn in to serve a next term, as his efforts have been constantly applauded and supported by the people of the small town. More projects will be reeled out, as he noted that this is the Decade of Development.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Essequibian to stand trial for murder

Devanand Narine

FIFTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD Devanand Narine was on Tuesday committed to stand trial at the High Court for the murder of his reputed wife, who was killed during a domestic dispute at their Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast home last year. Narine is currently on remand for the capital offence which alleged that, on May 16, 2019, at Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, he murdered 39-year-old Farida Khayum. Narine was before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court where the preliminary inquiry into the matter was conducted. On Tuesday, the magistrate ruled that there is sufficient evidence to commit Narine to stand trial at the High Court, since she had found evidence led by the prosecution to be fully credible. The prosecution is contending that the investigation had revealed that there was no ‘male friend’ at the home as Narine claimed. On the day in question,

Narine and Khayum were at home when they got into an argument which quickly became physical. It is alleged that Narine armed himself with a knife from the kitchen and stabbed his reputed wife several times about her body. The police were summoned and Khayum’s lifeless body was discovered in the kitchen area at the home. Narine was arrested and taken to the Suddie Hospital, where he was treated for ingesting herbicide.

DEAD: Farida Khayum

Ministry of Education begins planning for Mashramani DESPITE there being major focus on Elections 2020, The Ministry of Education (MoE) has started planning for celebration of Guyana’s 50th Republic Anniversary with the Mashramani 2020 Costume and Float Parade. Leading the planning committee, Permanent Secretary Mr Alfred King held a meeting on January 6, 2020, at the ministry’s boardroom to commence planning and strategising the way forward to up the ante, while increasing its numbers and competitive creativity when the bands take to the parade route in February 2020. The planning committee has confirmed that the ministry will be moving from its usual small- contingent participation to enter the medium-band category. The ideas that were discussed at the meeting were centred Minister Nicolette Henry’s vision for the ministry’s participation, which is in keeping with the vision of His Excellency President David Granger to promote the Decade of the Development of a petroleum State, an Education nation, as a Green State and a Digital State. Additionally, the Allied Arts Unit headed by Director Ms Lorraine Barker King, has commenced planning for the Regional and National Children’s Mashramani Competitions and the ultimate costume parade.

Members of Ministry of Education Mashramani Planning Committee gathered on Monday to discuss plans and strategies for the nation’s 50th Republic Anniversary

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

‘Secret service and CIA agent and friend of Donald Trump’ remanded for illegally entering Guyana A NATIONAL of France was, on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, for entering Guyana illegally. Sylvie Dubose, 50, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and, through an interpreter, pleaded not guilty to the charge. Particulars of the charge stated that, between December 15, 2019 and December 20, 2019, at Springlands, Corentyne, she entered Guyana by sea and disembarked without the involvement of an immigration officer. Dubose, through the interpreter, stated that “I am a secret service agent to Pope Francis and I am a CIA agent of America for 14 years. Plus I am a close friend of the President of the United States, Donald Trump”. She stated that when she came to Guyana from Suriname the immigration officer told her that she was not welcome and they could not

give her any stamp. “I came here to get a plane because the mafia kid-

napped my two kids over five months. The mafia also killed my husband so I had

Sylvie Dubose, the woman who claims to be Donald Trump’s friend

to stay five months in Brazil. While I was in Brazil, Donald Trump came over and told them to release my kids,” Dubose said. Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield told the court that, on January 4, 2020, Dubose was arrested at the Eugene F. Correia Airport, after it was observed by an immigration officer, at the airport, that there was no entry stamp. Dubose was arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters. An investigation was conducted and it revealed that Dubose entered Guyana illegally. Further investigation was made and it also revealed that Dubose visited Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Magistrate McLennan remanded Dubose to prison and adjourned the matter until January 13, 2020. The matter was transferred to the Springlands Magistrates’ Court.

Mechanic accused of stealing chainsaw granted bail MAGISTRATE Ann McLennan, on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, granted a 33-year-old mechanic $150,000 bail on a larceny charge. Ruanda McDonald of Middle Road La Penitence appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and denied the charge, when it was read to him. Particulars of the charge stated that, between December 21, 2019 and December 22, 2019, at Cuyuni River, he stole a chainsaw valued at $362,930 and two chainsaw bars valued at $29,412, property of Innovation Mining Incorporated. Gordon Mansfield made no objections to bail being granted to McDonald and told the court that McDonald was employed by Innovation Mining Company as a mechanic. Between the days mentioned in the charge, McDonald requested to travel to attend a funeral. Mansfield added that, days before leaving the mining site, McDonald was observed loading the articles onto a truck after which he left the camp. A search was later conducted and an inventory was made and the articles were missing. The matter was reported and McDonald was contacted in Georgetown. He was arrested and later charged. Magistrate McLennan granted McDonald $150,000 bail and adjourned the matter until January 17, 2020. The matter was transferred to the Bartica Magistrates’ Court. McDonald was also ordered to report to the Region 7 police office once a week, until the completion of the trial.

Iran targets US troops with rockets fire at Iraqi air base …hours after funeral of slain commander BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran launched a missile attack on U.S.-led forces in Iraq in the early hours of Wednesday, hours after the funeral of an Iranian commander whose killing in a U.S. drone strike has raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East. Iranian people attend a funeral procession and burial for Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, who was killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, at his hometown in Kerman, Iran January 7, 2020. Mehdi Bolourian/Fars News Agency/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS Tehran fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles from Iranian territory against at least two Iraqi military bases hosting U.S.-led coalition personnel, the U.S. military said on Tuesday. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed that they fired the rockets in retaliation for last week’s killing of Qassem Soleimani, according to state TV. “We are working on initial battle damage assessments,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement, adding that the bases targeted were al-Asad air base and another in Erbil, Iraq. U.S. President Donald Trump has been briefed on reports of the attack and was monitoring the situation, White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said. “We are aware of the reports of attacks on U.S. facilities in Iraq. The president has been briefed and

is monitoring the situation closely and consulting with his national security team,” Grisham said in a statement. Earlier on Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the United States should anticipate retaliation from Iran over the killing in Iraq of Soleimani, commander of the elite Quds Force. “I think we should expect that they will retaliate in some way, shape or form,” Esper told a news briefing at the Pentagon, adding that such retaliation could be through Iran-backed proxy

groups outside of Iran or “by their own hand.” “We’re prepared for any contingency. And then we will respond appropriately to whatever they do.” Stock markets in Asia fell sharply on news of the rocket attack, while investor safe havens including the Japanese yen and gold shot higher. Soleimani, a pivotal figure in orchestrating Iran’s long-standing campaign to drive U.S. forces out of Iraq, was also responsible for building up Tehran’s network of proxy armies across the

Middle East. He was a national hero to many Iranians, whether supporters of the clerical leadership or not, but viewed as a dangerous villain by Western governments opposed to Iran’s arc of influence running across the Levant and into the Gulf region. ‘WE WILL TAKE REVENGE’ A senior Iranian official said on Tuesday that Tehran was considering several scenarios to avenge Soleimani’s death. Other senior figures

have said the Islamic Republic would match the scale of the killing when it responds, but that it would choose the time and place. “We will take revenge, a hard and definitive revenge,” the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, General Hossein Salami, told the throngs in Kerman, Soleimani’s hometown in southeastern Iran. Soleimani’s burial went ahead after several hours of delay following a stampede that killed at least 56 people and injured more than 210, ac-

The missile attacks followed the funeral of Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani

cording an emergency official quoted by Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency. Soleimani’s body had been taken to holy Shi’ite Muslim cities in Iraq and Iran, as well as the Iranian capital, Tehran, before arriving for burial in the city cemetery’s “martyrs section”, according to the semi-official news agency ISNA. In each place, huge numbers of people filled thoroughfares, chanting: “Death to America” and weeping with emotion. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wept as he led prayers in Tehran. Prompted by the strong public backlash over Soleimani’s killing on Iraqi soil, lawmakers in Iraq voted on Sunday to demand a removal of all foreign forces from the country. More than 5,000 U.S. troops remain in the country along with other foreign forces as part of a coalition that has trained and backed up Iraqi security forces against the threat of Islamic State militants. U.S. officials have said Soleimani was killed because of solid intelligence indicating forces under his command planned attacks on U.S. targets in the region, although they have provided no evidence. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said 13 “revenge scenarios” were being considered, Fars news agency reported. Even the weakest option would prove “a historic nightmare for the Americans”, he said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Lombard St. families to receive support upon relocation TWENTY Broad and Lombard Streets squatting area families will receive additional support from the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) to ensure a smooth transition as they move into their new homes before the end of the first quarter of 2020. According to Deputy-Director of Community Development, Donnel Bess-Bascom, they are collaborating with several government ministries and agencies to provide tangible support to the families. “As much the housing structure comes modified, it is very important that these individuals, especially the children, are safe and comfortable. We are not going to just build the CH&PA’s Chief Executive Officer, Lelon Saul [left]; Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for Housing, Annette Ferguson [centre], and Chief Executive Officer of FFTP, Kent Vincent, presenting the signed MoU for the project

house and stop there. We are seeking to collaborate with the Ministry of Education to ensure the children are transferred to schools closer to the new location,” Bess-Bascom explained. She added that the Department of Social Cohesion and Childlink Guyana would soon come on board to assist in the distribution of school uniforms and offer support to the adults. The CH&PA’s efforts also extend to self-sufficiency. “Each house was constructed on good land space, and we decided to bring in the Ministry of Agriculture to work alongside them so that they can use the remaining land space to farm. This way, they can put food on the table and generate an income by selling the

agricultural produce at nearby markets,” the Deputy-Director stated. In July 2017, a court order was issued in favour of the De Freitas and Gonsalves Company, ordering more than 140 persons to vacate the Lot 17-18 Broad and Lombard Streets property. Two years later, a MoU was signed between CH&PA and Food for the Poor (Guyana) Incorporated to relocate the residents. Phase one of this MoU saw an initial 20 families being housed at Prospect on the East Bank Demerara; while Phase two will see homes for the remaining 50 families constructed at Cumming’s Lodge, East Coast Demerara. (DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Kimbia toshao called to the stand ―as hearing into 2015 murder of Jamaican national continues

TOSHAO Ecliffe Lindie of Kimbia Village recounted seeing the partially clothed, bullet-riddled body of Jamaican national, Michael Dillon moments before police destroyed marijuana plants at Kimbia Creek, on the Berbice River on April 27, 2015. Lindie was testifying before Justice Simone Ramlall and a majority female mixed jury at the Berbice Assizes where Quacy Walker is indicted with murder. The accused pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Tuesday. Lindie recalled that after receiving information, he contacted the Commander of the Berbice Police Division before going to see Jean Lindie, wife of the deceased. He said that on the following day, at approximately 02:30hrs, he, Mrs. Dillon and her two sons, aged aged 10 and

12, and a neighbour went to Kimbia Creek by motorised boat.

Murder accused, Quacy Walker

He said that along the way, they passed a boat carrying the accused, his girlfriend, his younger brother and some other persons.

“When I arrived at Michael Dillon’s camp,” he recalled, “I saw drops of blood. I subsequently saw the body of Dillon, called ‘Jamaicie’. He was facing upwards, dressed in a pair of shorts, and his chest had a lot of holes, which appeared to be gunshots.” Later that day, after contacting the officer-in-charge of Kwakwani Police Station, Lindie said he went to the home of the accused’s mother, where one Braithwaithe and Leroy Hope were arrested and taken to a building in proximity to the health centre. Thereafter, he retraced his path and also arrested Akeem Simon. On April 29, the police arrived and the detained men were handed over to them. Responding to Defence Counsel Charlyn Artiga’s line of questioning, Lindie said he last saw Dillion on March 10,

2015. He said that besides being the only person in the area who farmed, Lindie said Dillon not only cultivated marijuana, but also had a kitchen in which he grew pumpkins. Meanwhile, Detective Assistant Superintendent Orin Cameron told the court that he’d led a party of policemen to the scene of the murder at Itcholoko Creek, on the Kimbia River, and that on arrival saw spent shells alongside the body of the deceased. He said that further searches revealed a marijuana farm with plants measuring two to six feet in height, all of which were later destroyed. He said that Dillon’s body, which had by then been so badly decomposed, was subsequently buried in a shallow grave. Other witnesses were firearm and ammunition examiner Corporal Floyd Hosanna and police photographer and Crime Scene Examiner Sergeant Leon George.

ProFuturo digital and interactive ICT project launched in Region One MINISTER of Education, Dr. Nicolette Henry, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, signed an agreement between ProFuturo and the Organisation of American States (OAS). The agreement will allow over 5,000 boys and girls from communities across Guyana to benefit from the use of technologies and incorporating innovative methodologies in classrooms at the primary level. In the long term, it is expected that the students will have access to digital content and interactive materials for improving their learning experiences. The project was launched on Monday at Hosororo Primary School in Region One – Barima Waini. Currently, 449 teachers from 28 schools across Guyana have received or are in the process of receiving training on the use of the technologies and other intricacies associated with the project for its rollout at the other schools. At the launch of the first such project in Guyana, the Minister of Education said that such an initiative demonstrates the Government of Guyana’s commitment to reducing the disparity that exists between the coast and hinterland communities. She said that today’s children are living in an exciting time when information is more accessible. Additionally, Dr. Henry opined that in order for the nation’s children to be competitive at the global level, Information Communication Technology (ICT) must play a central role in the education delivery process. Moreover, Minister Henry said that the world is constantly changing and the education sector must adapt to align itself with these changes to bring about positive outcomes. The project centres on the teachers and the students utilising tablets, laptops and other gadgets and devices, to assist with methodologies and content in the classroom. Guyana was the first country in the Caribbean to meet the requirements to be signed onto the project. The following primary schools; Mabaruma, Hosororo, Barabina, Wauna, All Saints, Betsy Ground, Cumberland, Edingburg, Fort Ordinance, Gangaram, New Amsterdam, Overwinning, Rose Hall Estate, Sandvoort, Sheet Anchor, Lochaber, St. Aloysius, St. Therese’s, Amelia’s Ward, Coomacka, McKenzie, One Mile, Regma, St. Aidens, Watooka Day, Wismar Hill, Christianburg and Bamia, will benefit from this project.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

12-year-old succumbed to asphyxiation THE twelve-year-old girl whose body was found at Longsdale Village, East Bank Berbice, died as a result of Asphyxiation due to Broncho-aspiration of Gastric content, compounded by compression injury to the neck.” The findings were given by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh who performed a post mortem examination with dissection, at

Anthony Funeral Home, West Coast Berbice. Dead is twelve-year-old Ashley Ayana Agard, a Secondary School student of Rotterdam, East Bank Berbice. On Monday, the girl was found unresponsive with froth flowing from her mouth at her neighbour’s home at Longsdale Village. She was subsequently taken to the New Amsterdam hospital where she was pronounced

dead. According to Shunnamae Gaffar, she was alerted that something was amiss, after hearing the screams of her daughter. “I was upstairs. She [her daughter] and Ashley was playing. She screamed calling me, Mummy come see wha Ashley do.” She continued, “When I came downstairs I saw Ashley seated on the ground with a piece of the hammock

material around her neck and froth flowing from her mouth. I removed the cloth from around her neck. I put her to lie on the ground. I called my neighbour Allana. She said Ashley was breathing, and that I should call Ashley’s mother,” she said. According to the woman, when Ashley’s mother Samantha came, she started to scream, and while doing so, picked up the unresponsive child and took her home. According to Ms Downer, her daughter, the second of four children, had not attended Vryman Erven’s Secondary School that day because she complained of a headache. It was revealed that after she returned home, she placed Ashley on the bed with the hope she would have revived. But, her older brother Ramalo was concerned that she was not waking up, and hurriedly ran to the nearby sawmill where his step father Sylvester was employed. After narrating his fears to the parent, together they rushed home before taking the preteen to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Dead Ashley Ayana Agard

Corentyne pensioner killed while crossing road

MOMENTS after collecting her monthly old-age pension at the Nigg Post Office, East Berbice, Corentyne, Parvidi Ramcharran, 81, was killed in an accident while making her way across a nearby road.

was struck down. The impact sent her airborne and she landed on the southern parapet. Crying uncontrollably, Balkarran said he was in the bus shed waiting when he heard an impact and someone shouting, “somebody got knocked down”. Rushing to the scene, he saw his mother motionless, in a pool of blood. She was picked up and taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Po-

lice arrived at the scene shortly after and took the driver into custody. Ramcharran was a mother of four and had worked at the Albion Estate in the weeding gang prior to retirement. She was well known in the community as a hard worker. When the Guyana Chronicle visited the home of the elderly woman, family members and villagers had gathered to mourn her passing.

Dead: Parvidi Ramcharran

Ramcharran called “Aunty Marina” was crossing the road to join her son, Jaichand Persaud Balkarran, who was in the bus shed opposite the post office, to take her home when she was struck down by a silver Toyota Spacio bearing registration number PPP 1008. The car was driven by a 29-year-old Chinese of Robb Street, Georgetown. CCTV footage seen by this publication showed that Ramcharran was heading north and already towards the centre of the road when she

The car that struck the pensioner

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 8, 2020

Commentary: CPC faithful to its founding mission BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- China is striving to achieve the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. It will be a milestone both for a country with nearly 1.4 billion people and for the Communist Party of China (CPC) to remember its founding mission. When it was established in 1921, the CPC had only about 50 members, but its original mission is grand: to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. This mission is what has been inspiring Chinese Communists to advance. As the Party is turning 99, many of its achievements are noteworthy: founding a new China, lifting more than 700 million people out of poverty in four decades, governing an economy with a GDP of nearly 100 trillion yuan (about 14.37 trillion U.S. dollars), and transforming an isolated nation to an open one with diplomatic relations with 180 countries. Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in October 2019, the Chinese nation is proud that its days of being weak, bullied and humiliated since the Opium War 180 years ago

are gone. In times of peace and prosperity, however, it is not easy to be alert to dangers, to maintain the spirit of hard work, to strictly govern officials, to prevent corruption and extravagance, or to respond to the people’s demands efficiently and effectively. Neither the Party’s advanced nature nor its governing status is permanent. The bitter lessons of some big and old parties in the world have warned that if a Party deviates from its original mission, it will change its nature, lose its followers, and eventually decline. That is why the CPC keeps reminding its 90 million members of retaining the Communist ideal and always putting the people in the highest position. In an education campaign themed “staying true to our founding mission,” which has been carried out nationwide since it was launched on May 31, 2019, all CPC members and officials are required to bear in mind the original aspiration and act accordingly. The education campaign gives the Party the power and courage to move forward, and

gives the people confidence in their future -no matter what difficulties lie ahead, there is always a Party representing their fundamental interests. The Party has no reason to take comfort in its past successes. It is clear about the challenges it faces: the economic downturn pressure, an income gap despite a per capita GDP of 10,000 U.S. dollars, an aging population, and the tough battle against pollution. China is still the world’s largest developing country. The Party must sharpen its capacity to lead the country in transforming the economic growth model for high-quality development. Most importantly, the Party must harbor its most distinctive character: self-reform. The CPC cracks down on malpractice of Party officials, particularly those losing faith in the Party, taking bribes, leading extravagant lives, and being autocratic. Supervisory commissions have been set up at all levels across the country, to ensure “all public servants exercising public power” are subject to supervision. Fearless to launch a revolution against itself, the CPC carried out a massive insti-

tutional reform involving a wide range of entities of the Party and state. The reform is revolutionary in breaking vested interests and in ensuring development. The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is not at the expense of other nations. The CPC advocates building a community with a shared future for humanity. It is eager to join world efforts to cope with uncertainties and destabilizing factors including protectionism and unilateralism. History moves forward. There is no time to stop on the way to fulfill the original mission. When the CPC realizes the first centenary goal, it will shift its focus to the second. The top leadership has laid out a two-step approach for China’s development: from 2020 to 2035, working to basically realize socialist modernization; from 2035 to the middle of the 21st century, developing China into a great modern socialist country. CPC’s efforts will pay off. By keeping its promise, the CPC will not only amaze the world but also inspire everyone in the world to never forget why they started.

Commentary: Yangtze, Yellow rivers protection highlights China’s ecological advancement. BBEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- China’s ecological ambition is engraved in the enhanced protection of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, the two longest in the country, with an aim of realizing a balanced relationship between economic growth and environmental protection. From Jan. 1, 2020, China began a 10-year fishing ban in key areas of the Yangtze River to protect biodiversity. Observed in 332 conservation areas in the Yangtze River Basin, the ban will also be expanded to all natural waterways of the river basin and its major tributaries from no later than Jan. 1, 2021. On Jan. 3, the Chinese leadership stressed efforts to enhance ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, urging curbs on unreasonable water use in the region and differentiated efforts based on local conditions to push for coordinated protection. The latest measures to protect the two river basins are no coincidence, as China is making unprecedented efforts to step up environmental protection and fight against pollution for sustainable development. China has listed the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, and the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt as national strategies. The country is mobilizing resources

to promote green development of these regions. By the end of November 2019, the central budget had earmarked 123.7 billion yuan (17.67 billion U.S. dollars) to support

China issued loans of 362.1 billion yuan and 152.9 billion yuan, respectively, to support Yangtze River protection and green development. The 11 provinces and municipalities along the Yangtze River are

environment rehabilitation in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, according to the People’s Daily. In the first 11 months of 2019, the China Development Bank and the Agricultural Development Bank of

making coordinated efforts to protect the region from environmental deterioration. In the Yellow River Basin, the central authority has ordered attention be given to major issues in the ecological protection

and high-quality development of the basin by implementing projects including water source conservation and water and soil loss control. Thanks to joint efforts, the environment along the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, important ecological barriers and economic zones in China, have seen marked improvements. By the end of 2019, more than 80 percent of the waters along the Yangtze River Economic Belt were categorized as good quality. Economic output in 11 provinces and municipalities along the river increased 7.1 percent to 31.46 trillion yuan, faster than the growth rate recorded nationally. The proportion of water with quality higher than third-class in the Yellow River grew 8.7 percentage points year on year in 2018, while that of fifth-class water dropped 3.7 percentage points. Progress has been made, but much more arduous work lies ahead. China must always guard against ecological risks. China aims to complete building a moderately prosperous society in all respects in 2020. The country must win the battle to ensure blue skies and clean water and soil. As long as China maintains strategic focus in improving the ecological environment, the Yangtze and Yellow rivers will be handed down to future generations, clean and beautiful.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 8, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 8, 2020

President holds luncheon for the members of the Special Protective Service President David Granger last Saturday hosted an annual luncheon for the members of the Special Protective Service (SPS) of the Guyana Police Force. The SPS is responsible for the safety and protection of the President, the Prime Minister and their families. In brief remarks to the staff, President Granger thanked them for their hard work and service throughout the year. He reminded that the SPS comprises persons who have demonstrated an additional level of commitment and adherence to the standards of the Police Force. “Every person of the SPS should be honest in the conduct of their day-to-day duties. You must have a sense of loyalty to the country and you must be efficient. You must be continuously educated to learn new things. You must have a sense of responsibility,” he said. The President also presented tokens of appreciation to ranks who completed their studies at the University of Guyana as well as those who received promotions.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

‘Don’t buy pig in bag’ – Dr. Hinds urges rejection of Jagdeo-Ali combination …accuses PPP of political dishonesty with ‘front presidential candidate’

By Svetlana Marshall NOTING that Bharrat Jagdeo is the ‘real presidential candidate’ for the PPP, Political Scientist and Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Dr. David Hinds, said that the party is engaging in political dishon-

esty and Guyanese must reject such behavior at the March 2, 2020 polls. . In an interview on Guyana Chronicle’s online programme – Vantage Point – Dr. Hinds said it is no secret that the PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali, is a ‘front’ for the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo,

who will pull the strings, if that party is elected to office. “The PPP/C is selling a pig in the bag to the Guyanese people and the Guyanese people have to be wise…It is very clear that Mr. Ali is a front and the real person who is going to run the throne is Mr. Jagdeo and Mr. Jagdeo, because

of his track record, is not acceptable to the people of Guyana,” Dr. Hinds told the Guyana Chronicle. Aside from Guyana being described as a ‘narco state’ under the leadership of Jagdeo, who served as president from 1999 to 2011, it experienced a wave of violent crimes fuelled by ex-

tra-judicial killings. During that period, there were three massacres: Lusignan where 11 people were killed, Bartica where another 12 were killed and Lindo Creek, where seven miners were slaughtered. Besides, there were countless extra-judicial killings, with some activists estimating that around 400 Afro-Guyanese males were

fore the Guyanese people, a candidate, who is not going to be the person running the ship of government, and in a sense that is political dishonesty but I think the PPP has gotten to this point because they have depended on Jagdeo too much, they have allowed Mr. Jagdeo to hijack the party,” Dr. Hinds reasoned.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, and PPP/C’s Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali

gunned down. Convicted drug-trafficker, Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan, had operated his gang between 2003 and 2006. In a public advertisement, the drug-trafficker, who was arrested in 2006, contended that he was fighting crime on behalf of the Jagdeo-led government. Cognisant of the fact that Jagdeo, under the Constitution of Guyana, is not eligible for a third term in Office as President, Ali, months after being named the PPP/C Presidential Candidate, said he will make Jagdeo a vice-president, if the PPP/C wins the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. But Dr. Hinds said that while Jagdeo may have the backing of Ali and other executives within the PPP/C, he lacks widespread support due to the damage done to the country under his leadership. “He may be acceptable to part of the PPP’s base but certainly Mr Jagdeo’s name does not inspire confidence in the large cross-section of the Guyanese people,” the Political Scientist posited. He said while there is nothing wrong with Jagdeo, a former president, offering his service to the PPP/C, it is the prominent role he wants to play that is a cause for concern. He said while Ali is the Presidential Candidate, Jagdeo remains the face of the PPP/C. “In a sense, you are putting be-

DON’T TAKE A RISK He said Guyanese cannot risk having Ali as a President, knowing fully well that he will be heavily guided by Jagdeo. But like Jagdeo, the Political Scientist said, Ali has his own baggage. Ali, a former Minister of Housing, Water and Tourism under the PPP/C, has been accused of academic fraud. It is alleged that he used a fake transcript to pursue a master’s degree programme at a University in India. Added to that, he has been accused of defrauding the State of some $174M for his role in the notorious Pradoville land-sale scandal. The case is before the court. The ex-minister was slapped with 19 counts of fraud in November, 2018 and the charges were laid indictable. The charges read that between 2010 and 2015, Ali conspired with persons unknown to defraud the Government of Guyana when he acted recklessly in presenting the value of 19 plots of State land situated at Plantation Sparendaam and Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, and sold the said lands at a grossly undervalued price without first obtaining a valuation to determine their true value.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

GECOM says onus on parties to ensure candidates ‘fit and proper’

Q U E S T I O N S a re b e i n g raised as to whether the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) should do more to ensure that candidates of the various parties possess clean records before being accepted on the Nomination Day lists. At a news briefing on Nomination Day, which is on Tuesday, reporters grilled GECOM officials on what role does the electoral body play in vetting candidates. GECOM does not have the “legal obligation” to investigate a particular candidate on the lists to determine whether the individual does not meet the provisions of articles 53 and 155 of the Constitution which address the qualifications for election as a Member of the National Assembly. While the Statutory Declaration Forms are to be used for the declaration of a President named in the National Top-Up List and

a candidate as well as the List of Candidates of the National Top-Up List, the Geographical Constituency List and Regional Elections List, the forms simply require the individual to “solemnly and sincerely” declare that they meet the constitutional requirements. The form is also to be signed by a Justice of the Peace or Commissioner of Oaths – persons who are authorised to verify affidavits, statutory declarations and other legal documents. GECOM relies on these individuals and the honesty of political party members and candidates to ensure that the information put forward is factual. For example, Article 155 (6) (d) (i) and (ii) states that a person shall not be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly if during a period not exceeding five years preceding the election day, he or she has been convicted by a court of an offence related to excitement of hostility or illwill against any person or any class of persons on the ground of race. “From GECOM’s end, I know you might be wondering whether we have the legal obligation to investigate and all of that. From my end where I stand right now this is not something that I think GECOM has ever engaged in and I’m not sure whether from the legal side it’s something that will be examined,” GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward, told the media on Tuesday. “It is a Statutory Form and the expectation is that the candidates signing those forms to be part of an elections that they adhere to what are those statutory requirements.” She was, at the time, responding to several questions from the media in relation to the topic. She noted that Guyana’s laws do not cater to some of the “what if” questions being asked by reporters. “For us at GECOM, while sometimes we may be cognisant of things in the public domain, what might be happening nationally, there is only so much that the law allows us to do and the prerogative within GECOM,” she said. Asked whether GECOM would approve a candidate on a list if it is known that the person does not meet the requirements, Ward said: “The statutory declaration form is a legal form. The law says it must be signed in the presence of a duly-appointed Commissioner of Oaths [or] Justice of the Peace. It is hoped that when you go in front of the Commissioner of Oaths [or] Justice of the Peace, the onus is also on the Commissioner of Oaths and

Justice of the Peace to ensure that whatever you’re swearing to is also [factual].” According to the Statutory Declaration Act, Chapter 5:09: “Everyone who makes a declaration according to this Act containing any statement false in fact, which he knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true, shall be guilty of a misdemeanur and shall be liable to imprisonment for one year.” The act says that a declaration made under the act may be referred to in any act or in any official or legal document as a statutory declaration. Added to this, GECOM encourages any person whose name appears as a nominator on a List that they did not sign, to urgently notify the CEO. A representative of the Citizenship Initiative (TCI) had reported to the newspaper recently that during the GECOM field verification process, representatives of a “major party” pretended to be GECOM staff to get persons to fill out their nomination Lists. At the meeting, questions were also raised about the short timeframe the law provides for appeals to be made to the High Court in the case of a disagreement between a political party and the commission on a defective list. On the submissions of the Lists on January 10, 2020, any appeal must be made to the High Court by January 16, 2020. The approved Lists will be gazetted on January 19, 2020, some five working days later. However, Ward has reminded that all political parties have been made aware of the legal guidelines and will be given time between Nomination Day and when the Lists are gazetted to make corrections.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

PPP Region 9 chief granted bail on sexual assault, corruption charges

FORMER People’s Progressive Party Civic top representative and Central Committee member, Allister Charlie, was, on Tuesday January 7, 2020 granted $200,000 bail by Magistrate Sherdel Isaac-Marcus, on two charges: sexual assault and perverting the course of justice. Charlie appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and maintained his innocence, with respect to both charges, when they were read to him. It is alleged that, between July 31, 2019 and August 1, 2019, at Lethem, he sexually assaulted a 16-year-old boy.

It is further alleged that, on August 5, 2019, he attempted to pervert the course

PPP top Region Nine representative Allister Charlie on sexual molestation charge

Change Guyana promises national oil company if elected CHANGE Guyana has promised that once elected to the National Assembly at the upcoming General and Regional Elections, its members would establish a National Oil Company and make every Guyanese shareholders of that company. The political party intends on ensuring that all unassigned and assigned oil blocks are vested in a state-owned National Oil Company, which will be directly owned by all Guyanese.

Presidential Candidate of Change Guyana, Robert Badal

“Every citizen of Guyana will be assigned shares in the National Oil Company from birth…such shares will appreciate in value with every action including signing bonuses and so forth,” said Presidential Candidate of Change Guyana, Robert Badal, during a press briefing at Pegasus, on Tuesday. He said the shares will only be disposed to families of the shareholders or back to the oil company. The party’s intent through the initiative is,

however, to ensure that every Guyanese gets a stake in the oil sector. Change Guyana’s plan is to ensure that every Guyanese receives a fair share of Guyana’s oil and gas resources. According to Badal, his party’s plan is to also propel Guyana into the league of progressive countries. While he believes the oil and gas resources are important for that process, he said those resources would not have been possible without the input and efforts of ExxonMobil and its partners. The presidential candidate applauded ExxonMobil for its work here, saying: “we applaud the success of ExxonMobil and its partners in discovering and bringing this world class resource to production and I would like to encourage their leaders to continue partnership with the people of Guyana.” Badal said Guyana’s oil and gas reserves are world class and must be exploited for the benefit of every Guyanese. And, although he believes that the local leaders could have negotiated a better deal for the people of Guyana, the commencement of oil production has put the country on the map and will bring enormous benefits to Guyanese. In that regard, he said if his party is given the opportunity to govern, it will engage ExxonMobil and its partners and all oil majors to enhance the benefits accruing to Guyana.

of justice. Attorney-at-law Latchmi Rahamat, who represented Charlie, asked that his client be released on reasonable bail. Magistrate Isaac-Marcus granted Charlie $150,000 on the sexual assault charge and $50,000 on the other charge. The matter was adjourned until January 31, 2020, and transferred to the Lethem Magistrates’ Court. According to information, the teenager, attended a party at Charlie’s residence. The teen was then taken to a nearby bar and was allegedly given alcohol laced with ecstasy.

Charlie and the teen were videoed with their pants and underwear down, and Charlie allegedly touched the teen’s genitals. This was done in the presence of other persons who were seen laughing. A man, known to the family of the teen, was passing the bar at the time, and reportedly intervened, and started recording the incident. The teen was subsequently taken to his grandmother’s residence. The matter was reported, an investigation was launched, and Charlie was arrested and later charged.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

‘My daughter had no reason to commit suicide’ ―says mother of 26-year-old woman found dead at Aracari Resort

THE mother of Sabrina Nandram, 26, called “Priya” of Alness Village, Corentyne, Berbice, whose body was discovered on Sunday evening in a locked hotel room at the Aracari Resort, is shocked that her daughter may have committed suicide. The mother of two was discovered with her boyfriend, Kevin Singh, 26, of Lot 18 Triumph, East Coast Demerara at the Versailles, West Bank Demerara establishment. Kevin was also found dead. Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle at her son’s residence in Bushlot Village, East Berbice, Corentyne,

Sabita Singh, 46, said her daughter and Kevin were in a relationship for over two years. He would often visit Sabrina at her home in Alness, and according to Sabita, the couple shared a happy relationship. The mother noted that her daughter had moved back to Berbice about two years ago and was staying with her at Alness on the Corentyne, where Kevin would often visit. “She and she first husband separate and she been with he for two years now. She children does stay with them grandparents in town and them come for the holiday. He too come up and

spend a two-day and he gone back up and she left Saturday

Sabita Singh

morning to carry the children back home,” Sabita recalled.

Sabrina reportedly left Berbice on Saturday morning

Dead: Sabrina Nandram

and had spoken to her mother on Saturday evening, saying she would be home on Sunday at around noon. Sabita said she tried calling her daughter early on Sunday morning to find out what time she was leaving but the phone went unanswered. She tried calling her several times throughout the day but the calls went unanswered. However, at around 19:00hrs on Sunday evening, a male answered the phone and said he is a police officer and the owner of the phone is dead. Thinking she had dialled a wrong number, Singh called again and got the same shocking news. She eventually asked a relative to call as she refused to believe what she heard was true. Singh said she travelled up to Versailles to identify her daughter’s body and saw

that she had what appeared to be a poisonous substance on her face and her body was bloated, leaving her to believe she was forced to drink the substance or had drowned. “She frighten death and would never try to kill she self cause she loves her children them. Like she drown cause she belly and suh did swell up plus she had green stuff on she face. I don’t know what really happen but she would never try to kill she self cause she nah had no reason,” the mother reasoned. Since the news of her daughter’s death, Sabita had moved out and is staying at the residence of one of her sons in Bushlot Village since being in the home she shared with her daughter brings back too many painful memories. The wake and the funeral service will be done at the Bushlot address as well. Sabrina was the third of four siblings and was described as a quiet and caring individual who loved her children. The post-mortem is expected to be conducted today and relatives are hoping it will provide answers to their many unanswered questions. The bodies of the couple were found in a bathtub in a locked room at the Aracari Resort. Police said based on initial investigations, the bodies did not bear any marks of violence and the bottle of poisonous substance suggests the couple may have committed suicide.

Labourer on attempted murder charge remanded

Remanded: Dilkumar Lallman

A 49-year-old labourer of Grant 1803 Crabwood Creek, who has been charged with attempted murder, was remanded

to prison on Tuesday. Dilkumar Lallman called “Wall”, made an appearance at the Mibicuri Magistrate’s Court where the charge was read to him by Senior Magistrate, Alex Moore. Lallman allegedly attempted to commit the act on Ganesh Bissoon called “Balam”, 52, of Grant 1803 Crabwood Creek, East Berbice Corentyne, on January 3 at Crabwood Creek. Lallman was not required to plead to the charge. The matter was transferred to the Spring l a n d s M a g i s t r a t e ’s Court and will be heard again on January 20, 2020.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Party leaders call for decent campaigning … Ramjattan urges opponents not to provoke other party supporters

POLITICAL party leaders have urged citizens to refrain from nasty elections campaigning in light of complaints from both sides of the political divide of aggressive behaviours from some supporters. In recent days, reports have been made that supporters of the major political parties have been ‘tearing down’ political paraphernalia such as flags and posters and have verbally attacked each other since the parties’ campaign launch. Meanwhile, many persons on social media noted that such events were the result of provocation. On January 2, 2020, an incident occurred when a ‘canter’ transporting PPP/C activists were prevented from going through Laing Avenue, West Rumiveldt, Georgetown. A complaint was issued after a video went viral. There have been similar videos and reports of opposition supporters attacking activists of the coalition. Executive members of these parties have since called on their supporters to adhere to the laws of the country and desist from participating in activities that promote “political thuggery.” President David Granger has always preached peace and unity. This is noted by the fact that the APNU+AFC government endorsed unity at its campaign launch last Friday at D’urban Park which saw diversity, as Guyanese from all walks of life celebrated as one. It is noted that what is said during these rallies has a grave effect on how the people react, as such, Director General, Joseph Harmon, called on the PPP/C to be responsible in their campaign messages and avoid comments of division, since such can lead to violence and a vehement election campaign. “The statements which they make on the platforms and in their communities where they have their supporters will have an impact on people everywhere in this country,” the Director General stated. Harmon further noted that, the APNU+AFC does not encourage or condone acts of violence and as such, condemns the incident that occurred in Laing Avenue. “We don’t encourage that kind of behaviour, we believe in civil campaigning and that is what we have always done. We believe that this country needs to be united and unity is our message. We’ve said it at our campaign launch and at our campaign rally, we believe that unity is where this country needs to go and not [division],” he stated. Additionally Minister

of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, condemned the behaviour which took place at Laing Avenue, saying: “it is something that should be condemned. There is deliberate destruction of your opponent’s paraphernalia and it should be halted …it is not a good thing, it is not a good thing for a democracy and acknowledging democracy to have people on the opposing side destroying [campaign materials].” Ramjattan, in an invited comment on Monday, stated that it is every citizen’s right to express themselves and political views and as such one must not try to deface or destroy any campaign materials. “We must enjoy the right to freely express ourselves through our paraphernalia and I feel that is way we will grow and mature as a rule-of-law country ….and there must be a halt to this kind of thing,” Minister Ramjattan stated. He added that as the Minister of Public Security and as the AFC’s choice for Prime Ministerial Candidate, he does not condone acts of political vulgarity and wants all Guyanese to be mature, be calm and to overlook instances of provocation. “I am urging our supporters not to be provoked to anything that can be negative and painted in international press,” he stated. Minister Ramjattan stated that the PPP/C has the capacity to provoke people sometimes such as the incident which occurred outside of the Pegasus Hotel during the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) luncheon last year, however, he is urging supporters of the APNU + AFC government to remain calm and not to be provoked by similar events. Meanwhile PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali, during the party’s campaign launch on Sunday at the Kitty Market Square, condemned persons who are participating in vile and malicious acts of political thuggery. Ali added that the PPP/C stands for unity and urged his followers to not be provoked by acts to hinder their democracy and patriotism to their country. Executive Member of the PPP/C, Anil Nandlall, also stated that, acts of political vulgarity should not be ignored and such behaviour should not be condoned. Nandlall also urged supporters of the PPP/C not to retaliate or indulge in such unlawful acts, and take their anger and frustrations to the polling stations on March 2 and cast their ballots.

Director-General, Joseph Harmon

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan

PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Dr. Irfaan Ali, addressing the gathering at the party’s launch on Sunday at the Kitty Market Square (Adrian Narine Photo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Two-day ‘Rum Fest’ billed for February GUYANA will host its first Rum Festival as part of the Republic Jubilee celebrations. The event will be held at Everest Cricket Ground on February 15 and 16. Entrepreneur and organiser of Guyana Rum Fest, Yannick David, and his team, are eager to introduce the festival to the country. They have been receiving valuable guidance and the expertise of the Guyana Tourism Authority in the planning of the event. “We understand where

Rum Fest Creator, Yannick David

Guyana comes from; Guyana’s history is set in sugar and obviously from sugar, there’s rum. So, we decided that we needed to bring history back alive and host a rum festival,” David told DPI. David said he and his team have participated in similar festivals throughout the Caribbean and were looking to stand out. “We have the best rum in the Caribbean [and] we have the best people in the Caribbean.” He noted that Guyana’s Rum Fest would feature

storytelling, old-time games like ‘sal out’ and dog and the bone, and other attractions. “Rum fest is about beverages, food, and culture, that’s our motto,” David exclaimed. A variety of dishes will be available, including Guyanese Indian, African, and Indigenous cuisine as well as several from the Caribbean. Anticipating a positive response, David said, “I expect people to come

out and learn a little bit more about the history, I expect Guyanese people to connect with each other… It’s all about bringing people together and have them experience what Guyana has to offer.” Already looking ahead, the organiser is aiming for the event to be a week-long celebration, incorporating GuySuCo and rum tours, while shining light on the country’s colonial history.

Reg. 3 executes 100% of capital works in 2019 REGION Three has executed all its capital works programme budgeted for 2019, Regional Executive Officer (REO), Region Three, Jennifer Ferreira-Dougall has disclosed. She said that all of the budgeted infrastructural works had been executed and the region was now monitoring the quality of work before final payment was made to contractors. Ferreira-Dougall explained that there were several infrastructural development projects to be completed before the end of 2019. “Whatever payment is left to be made is called retention and that is normal when you prepare a contract; there is a period after the contract has been completed and then you would have paid them, so physically we would have executed all of our capital project for this year,” she said. The REO further explained that many roads, bridges, culverts, landings and ramps were constructed, buildings rehabilitated and furniture and equipment procured. “Over the past four years, this region has been doing exceptionally well in improving the lives of our people. We focused our attention on education delivery, improving the health services delivery as well as improvements in public infrastructure and agriculture.” Some of the completed projects included rehabilitation of the Leonora Cottage Hospital road, Jai Dam at Tuschen, Nismes Old Road, Edinburg Housing Scheme Road and Seaview Stewartville Road at a total cost of $67Million. A sum of $88Million was spent on the construc-

tion of RC control structure at Le Destin, East Bank Essequibo, revetment installed at the Phoenix sluice in Leguan, rehabilitation of sluice revetment at Hogg Island, construction of revetment to control structure at Beribisaballi in the Essequibo River, construction of ramp and landing at Salem, East Bank Essequibo, rehabilitation of Enterprise Sluice in Leguan, rehabilitation of RC control structure at Canal No. 2, construction of revetment at Sideline Dam, Sisters Village and construction of revetment at Zeelugt Middle Walk. Additionally, heavy-duty RC bridges were constructed at Leonora Cottage Hospital entrance, Edinburg, Retreat Street, Parika, Hague Back and Nismes while footpath bridges were built at Stewartville and Belle Vue Housing scheme, all at the cost of $83Million. Under the education delivery programme, a sum of $134 Million was spent on the enhancement of several schools and the construction of two new institutions – the Bagotville Primary and Leonora Nursery Schools. A new school wing at the Leonora Primary School was near completion. In ensuring that the region’s special needs children were also catered for, the region purchased a new school bus equipped with wheelchair ramps to complement the recently constructed Special Needs School at Schoonord on the West Bank of Demerara. “We will continue to serve the people of Region Three. In keeping with President Granger’s promise to provide a good life for everyone,” REO Ferreira-Dougall remarked. (DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Contract signed for $827M secondary school at Yarrowkabra By Gabriella Chapman THE Ministry of Education on Tuesday awarded a contract in excess of $826M to BK International Inc to construct the very first secondary school in Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke-Linden Highway. At the small contract-signing ceremony, Education Minister Dr Nicolette Henry said as the country has now entered the Decade of Development, the signing, though a simple ceremony, represents another step in the right direction. “As a government we have made a commitment to prioritise education because we know that it is through the development of our people, that the country ultimately will be developed. And so in order to create a first-class education, we have to provide opportunities and we have to have the facilities and the institutions,” the minister said. Noting further that she and President David Granger have over the past months been referring to ‘repositioning’ in the education system, Dr Henry said the construction of the secondary school at Yarrowkabra is in keeping with this vision. “So currently we are constructing two schools with funding from the World Bank. This is the third secondary school that we will be constructing at this particular time. The intention is to have excellent secondary schools in every region, at key positions, so that students, who would have exited primary level can have a school that can produce the best and brightest persons to function in the 21st century. And so this modern facility is expected and intended to be a cutting edge,” Dr Henry said. She added: “We look forward to nothing less than excellent work. Our students, teachers deserve conducive environments for learning. They also require modern facilities. And I trust that by the end of the project, we all will be very comfortable with both the outcome and output,” the education minister posited. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Alfred King in brief remarks said the President’s Decade of Development places much attention on education. “We continue our pursuit to ensure that we make space accessible and schools accessible and quality education accessible to our young people all across this country. So it is against that background that we will continue to provide quality educational spaces as well as experiences for our young people.” King said the school is expected to be completed in 12 months and will have the capacity to accommodate 600 students. This school will be accessible to children from Yarrowkabra and other neighbouring communities on the Linden Highway. In addition, he disclosed that the amenities of the school will be those of a modern outfit that features Information Technology and Science laboratories, Allied Arts Departments, a library, auditorium, and of course, classrooms. Owner of BK International Inc, Brian Tiwari, said he is more than happy to assist the Ministry of Education in executing its mandate. He thanked the minister for choosing his company and assured her that the school will be completed in the stipulated deadline and within the budget. BK International is working on other school projects and Tiwari noted that his company has brought in an engineer from Jamaica to work on this project. This will enable a smooth, uninterrupted execution of the works to be done.

Education Minister Dr Nicolette Henry hands over the contract to Brian Tiwari in the presence of his team and other education officials

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 8, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 8, 2020

Lewis’ unbeaten 99, Joseph’s 4-32.. FROM BACKPAGE

edge of the roof - before finding backward point with a cut. Roston Chase, West Indies’ new ODI floater, brought calm after a middle-order wobble and took West Indies to within three runs of victory before falling. Shai Hope had begun in similarly pristine fashion to Lewis, but Adair had his revenge after being hit for two fours, hurrying him with a short ball that he sliced high in the midwicket region where William Porterfield took a diving catch running backwards. That wicket was something of an extension of the first innings, when Joseph and Sheldon Cottrell made effective use of a bouncy pitch that was on the slower side. Ireland’s top three pulled and hooked well against the new ball as West Indies kept their lengths on the shorter side. The extra time because of the surface’s slow pace helped in that regard, but as the lacquer progressively went out, horizontal-bat shots became tougher. Paul Stirling was at his flowing best, piercing tVVhe off-side early on, and got great connection on his pull shot against Joseph in his first over, but he couldn’t keep it down. At mid-

wicket, Pollard took an easy catch. Andy Balbirinie, who had won the toss in his first match as ODI captain, played three pristine shots within minutes of coming in - one a drive through the covers, one watchful pull caressed to fine leg, and a gorgeous hook for six. But Pollard’s gamble with the off-spin of Chase inside the Powerplay worked immediately. Balbrinie reached out, first ball of the tenth over, and got a thin edge as the ball held its line. Hope held onto the first of his four catches behind the stumps. The free-flowing nature of the innings stopped there. Debutant all-rounder Gareth Delaney, who was picked to open ahead of James McCollum, was next to fall, getting an inside edge trying to pull Joseph’s back-of-a-length delivery after a sustained period of dot balls, and moments after a mix-up had nearly ended Porterfield’s innings at the non-strikers end. In his next over, Joseph pinned Kevin O’Brien deep in the crease trying to flick a full ball, and Cottrell returned shortly after to find Porterfield’s outside edge with a short delivery outside off that he appeared too eager to cut. Ireland were 80 for

5 at that point, and slipped to 88 for 6 when Simi Singh was strangled down leg side. Twenty-three-year-old wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker, who played ahead of Gary Wilson, then dug in with Mark Adair for just over 13 overs. They weren’t extravagant in putting up the only half-century stand of the innings, but at just over four an over, they didn’t open up the danger of a complete slowdown. But two balls after the drinks break, Adair jumped down the track to a length ball from Hayden Walsh that was delivered from well behind the crease and ended up being beaten in flight completely. Joseph got another one to kick up from the surface in his last over to account for Tucker, and might have had a fifth wicket if Barry McCarthy hadn’t had the option to overturn an lbw decision using DRS. There was one final bit of resistance from the lower order, with McCarthy and Boyd Rankin adding 30 for the last wicket. But they could only stretch the score to 180, which didn’t prove nearly enough as the hosts won with a third of their overs to spare. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Johnson on course to... FROM BACKPAGE

of Jamaica who are the other country to win the competition for a record five times in a row. Outside of Guyana and Jamaica, the Bajans were the first to hold the record of five straight 4-Day title wins in a row, when they dominated between 1976 and 1980. Outside of Guyana’s possible record of capturing the title for 6

consecutive years, Johnson now has the chance to displace the likes of; Sir Clive Lloyd, Roger Harper, Rohan Kanhai and Carl Hooper. Kanhai, one of the legendary Guyanese/ Windies batsmen was the first to win the Chip

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back in 1973, followed by one of the most successful skipper in Sir Lloyd who took Guyana to titles win in 1975 and 1983. Current West Indies chief selector and former Windies all-rounder Harper won in 1987 and

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1993 while Hooper was the last Guyanese to win the title when he captured it in 2002. Johnson, meanwhile, has a great shot of etching his name at the top of the list while securing another championship title for his country. 09:00 hrs Greengage 09:30 hrs Brushwork 10:00 hrs Heath Charnock 10:30 hrs Lomu 11:00 hrs Via Serendipity 11:30 hrs Tomorrow’s Dream 12:00 hrs Etikaal 12:30 hrs Fortamour Kempton 12:15 hrs Sherella 12:45 hrs Sweet Serenade 13:15 hrs Sound Mixer 13:45 hrs Qaseeda 14:15 hrs Raining Fire 14:45 hrs Harry’s Bar 15:15 hrs Jamacho 15:45 hrs Prince Of Rome

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 8, 2020

a t o n e r a , We e c i l o p R l VA l a b t o o f y sa s r e k a m w la

Kohli aces another chase as India thrash Sri Lanka in Indore

IFAB secretary Lukas Brud

By Simon Evans MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Football’s rule-making body IFAB will not police the way VAR (video assistant referees) is implemented in different leagues, despite continued controversy over the use of the technology in the Premier League. Speaking to Reuters, IFAB secretary Lukas Brud said the organisation is working on current or future VAR usage with over 100 competitions and is not focussed on the Premier League. However, Brud repeated his view that VAR should only be used in cases where a “clear and obvious” error has been identified and should not “try to find something that might not be there”. Brud also said the organisation has no plans to change the offside law, a change which some pundits have called for in response to the controversy over marginal offside decisions which have been a feature in the first season of VAR use in the Premier League. Zurich-based IFAB, the International Football Association Board, is made up of five members: the four British football associations: England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales as well as FIFA which represents other federations. IFAB will hold its Annual General Meeting in Belfast on February 29 which has led to speculation that it may act over the use of VAR in the Premier League. But Brud said the body was constantly working with different competitions through its Implementation Assistance and Approval Programme (IAAP) and was not in the business of “punishing” bodies. IFAB can withdraw permission to use the system but Brud said that there was leeway for competitions to have different interpretations of the guidelines over the use of VARs. “Of course it is a requirement to follow the laws of the game and the VAR protocol. Competitions may apply some elements of it in a slightly different way but still within the Laws and protocol framework. We work together to try to make it work better,” Brud said.

OFFSIDE LAW “We are not the police, we cannot be the police. We will be issuing guidelines on the use of VAR as we do on a regular basis. “That has nothing to do with the Premier League. In cooperation with FIFA, we are currently working with around 90 countries, over 100 competitions around the globe, our focus is certainly not on the Premier League, just because there are some media debates about VAR in the Premier League.” While acknowledging that the technology used to determine offside decisions by VAR is not accurate enough to identify millimetre calls, Brud said that did not mean the offside law needed to be changed. “We don’t think it is time (to change the law). What we need to do is focus on the training and education and ensure that the consistency and application of the VAR/offside law is being done properly,” he said, rejecting the suggestions for the law to reflect ‘clear daylight’ or other changes. “We cannot make it subjective. With offside, the problem we have is that you are either offside or you are not. “We need to remind people of principles. If the original decision cannot be overturned with 100 percent certainty – leave it as it is.” He added that VAR officials were not supposed to spend a long time examining on-field decisions. “VARs should not be spending a lot of time looking at an incident that on the first or second sight doesn’t show clear and obvious evidence that the original decision was wrong,” he said. The IFAB official said other leagues who adopted VAR prior to the Premier League had overcome their initial issues. “With more experience and more understanding, those decisions are not being questioned anymore,” he said

‘Purist’ Tendulkar against four-day Tests By Sudipto Ganguly MUMBAI, India (Reuters) - Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar told Reuters he is firmly opposed to shortening Test matches to four days from five and has warned against straying too far from the game’s roots in the quest to attract a younger audience. The International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s world governing body, is set to discuss the idea of reducing all Test matches by a day to free up a crowded international calendar. The future of the longest format has been the subject of debate since the rise of Twenty20 leagues over the last decade coincided with dwindling crowds at Test matches outside cricket hotbeds Australia and England. However, Tendulkar told Reuters there were other ways of making Test matches more attractive and halting the drift towards the shorter formats. “I feel a purist will always enjoy a five-day match, because that is where you find the challenges,” he said. “We should not be looking at Test cricket as a longer format of a limit-

ed-overs match.” Tendulkar retired from international cricket in 2013 and remains the leading scorer in the format with 15 921 runs and a record 51 hundreds. He said that while the game continues to evolve it would be a mistake to focus on the latest trends at the expense of Tests. “From Test cricket, one-day cricket started, which people enjoyed, and from there T20 came and next the 100-ball will come,” he added. “A number of new things are being produced for the newer generation. But while you are learning new things you cannot forget your roots. “As a purist, it is important Test cricket stays the way it is.” Four-day matches were given the green light by the ICC in 2017 when South Africa hosted Zimbabwe, and England have since played one against Ireland. With an increasing number of Tests finishing before the fifth day, administrators are keen to free up space in the schedule for more lucrative shorter-form matches. Tendulkar said they should instead focus on producing better playing sur-

NEW DELHI, India (Reu- falling to Kuldeep Yadav. ters) - India captain Virat Navdeep Saini impressed Kohli orchestrated yet anoth- with his pace again, yorking er successful chase as his team Gunathilaka and then bouncing thrashed Sri Lanka by seven out Bhanuka Rajapaksa. wickets in the second TwenThakur wrecked the lower ty20 International to go 1-0 order, dismissing Dhananjaya up in the three-match series de Silva, Isuru Udana and rival in Indore yesterday. captain Lasith Malinga in the Kohli smashed Lahiru penultimate over. Kumara for a six to seal Wanindu Hasaranga a clinical victory which smashed the last came with 15 balls to three spare as the Indian top deliverorder comies from Jasplemented prit Bumrah, who the spadereturned from a back w o r k injury, but the tourdone by ists still fell short of their bowlers. the 150-mark. Shardul Thakur KL Rahul and claimed three wickets Shikhar Dhawan gave in one over to help India a strong start, restrict Sri Lanka to their 71-run opening a below-par 142-9 stand taking them nearly with only Kusal Perhalfway to their target. era (34) managing a Hasaranga dedecent score on a traditionceived Rahul, who made ally high-scoring ground. a fluent 45, with a googly Kohli won the toss to snap the burgeoning and unsurprisingly partnership and trapped elected to field, once Dhawan lbw for 32. again putting faith in Shreyas Iyer chipped his team’s ability to in with a typically busy 34 chase in Indore’s before perishing searching for Holkar Cricket his second six. Stadium. Navdeep Kohli stayed put to guide Sri LankSaini India home, hitting two sixes an openers in his unbeaten 30 off 17 balls. Danushka GuThe series opener in nathilaka (20) and Avishka Fernando (22) got Guwahati was abandoned because of rain and a wet starts but could not carry on. Perera smacked three six- outfield. Pune hosts the third es in his breezy knock before and final match on Friday.

South Africa to back ICC plan for four-day Tests

Sachin Tendulkar faces to make Tests more appealing. “What is the heart of Test cricket? I think the heart of Test cricket is to provide a good pitch where there is enough for the bowlers throughout the match,” he said. “The ICC should look to provide exciting wickets for spectators to come and watch. You need to provide surfaces where the bowlers are testing batters also. “There are two formats - ODIs and T20s - where the bowlers are being tested, so you’ve got to have one format where the batters are being tested. “That’s why it’s called Test cricket - it has to test everyone. “If you provide good pitches which have something for the bowlers, Test cricket will.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - South Africa have come out in support of four-day Test matches, refuting reports that said they would oppose the plan. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to discuss the idea of making Tests four-day games to ease a crammed international calendar and reduce player workload. England have said they will support the idea after 2023 while Australia are to give serious consideration to the plan. Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper reported that South Africa would oppose the idea, despite the country becoming the first to host a four-day Test when they played Zimbabwe in 2017. “In view of an unsourced and misleading report in the media this morning, please be advised that it is Cricket South Africa’s official policy to support four-day Test match cricket,” Cricket South Africa said in a statement. “We, in fact, hosted the first official four-day Test match between ourselves and Zimbabwe a couple of years ago.” South Africa beat Zimbabwe by an innings midway day two of that Test in Port Elizabeth. The powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to offer an opinion, but India captain Virat Kohli said he was totally against the plan. “I am not a fan,” Kohli told reporters. “I think the intent will not be right then because then you will speak of three-day Tests, I mean where do you end? “Then you will speak of Test cricket disappearing. I don’t endorse that at all.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 8, 2020

Inspired Stokes seals dramatic England victory By Nick Said CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - Ben Stokes took the last three wickets as England subdued a stubborn South Africa to win a thrilling second Test by 189 runs late on day five yesterday, their first victory at Newlands since 1957. Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen had frustrated England for 44 overs before Stokes provided late drama to finish the match with 8.2 overs to spare and level the fourmatch series. The win will be especially pleasing for England for the way they stuck to their task on a flat fifth-day wicket, with Stokes’s superb burst earning the all-rounder figures of 3-35. “A great day’s play and a great Test match,” England seamer Stuart Broad told Sky Sports. “We had to work incredibly hard; we knew we were going to have to do that. “It was incredible discipline from South Africa throughout the day but we kept saying one bit of magic. “We set some funky fields. One breakthrough and we could apply some pressure. You need a lot of character and skill to chase 10 wickets. We are proud of taking our chances.” Chasing a Test record 438 to win, South Africa looked relatively comfortable as they reached 237 for five with 26 overs remaining in the match. For the second time in the innings, however, a key man gave his wicket away. de Kock (50) attempted to pull a dragged-down delivery from part-time leg-spinner Joe

Denly and succeeded only in picking out Zak Crawley at mid-wicket. It was an unnecessary stroke that opened the door for England and when Broad removed the obdurate van der Dussen (17 from 140 balls), it was well and truly ajar. Stokes accounted for Dwaine Pretorius and Anrich Nortje in successive balls, both caught at slip, and sealed the victory in front of an ecstatic Barmy Army when Vernon Philander was caught fending a lifting delivery to Ollie Pope. South Africa had given themselves a chance with some stern resistance, not least from debutant opener Pieter Malan who lasted 288 balls for his 84. But England looked on course for victory at lunch after grabbing the key wicket of South Africa captain Faf du Plessis (19), who will be disappointed with his shot selection as he tried to take on spinner Dom Bess with a powerful sweep and picked out Denly at square leg. “The boys fought very hard. They bowled really well and congrats to them,” de Kock said. “Obviously we tried to push them as far as we can. Unfortunately we fell just short. I was disappointed because we had a good partnership going and I smoked one straight to a fielder.” South Africa won the first Test in Pretoria by 107 runs. The third match in the four-Test series starts in Port Elizabeth on January 16.

Ben Stokes claimed a superb 3-35 to take England to victory at Cape Town. (Getty Images)

y a D 2 r e e B s k BCB/Ban s e h c t a m d n u o r third d n e k e e w s i h t n o … Albion, Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour already in semifinals THE historic Berbice Cricket Board(BCB)/Banks DIH Ltd Banks Beer 2-Day first division tournament continues this weekend with the hosting of the third and final rounds of matches. The competition is the first of its kind to be hosted in Berbice since 2004 and involves the top-eight first division matches. The Albion and Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour teams from Zone B have reached the semi-finals while Tucber Park, Young Warriors and Blairmont are in a tight tussle for the two spots in Zone A. In Zone A, Blairmont Community Centre clash with Young Warriors at the Cumberland ground. Blairmont will feature players like Seon Glasgow, Nigel Deodat, Javed Karim, Marvin Prashad, against the likes of Seon Hetmyer, Alex Algoo, Sudesh Dhaniram, Ricardo Ramdehol and Trevon Stanislaus of Young Warriors. In the second match in Zone A, Tucber Park CC spearheaded by Gar-

field Benjamin, Kwesi Mickle, Leon Swammy, Martin Singh and Anthony D’Andrade would travel to Bush Lot to play West Berbice. The home team would include players like Shamar Angel, Joshua Van-Tull, Leon Andrews and Keyron Joseph. Bottom-of-the-table Port Mourant and Rose Hall Canje will battle for pride at the Port Mourant ground. The home team would depend heavily on West Indies Under-15 player Rampertab Ramnauth, Demetri Cameron, Joshua Ramsammy and Salim Khan. The ever-improving Rose Hall Canje would be spearheaded by their inspirational captain Ameer Rahaman. Support will come from West Indies Youth player Isiah Thorne, Michael Veersammy, Sasenarine Sukhoo and Kedar Amsterdam, while Port Mourant and Canje would be seeking their first victory, over at the Area H Ground. Arch rivals Albion and RHT Namilco Thunderbolt Flour would be playing Albion in the battle of the top two teams.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND 1st innings 269 SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings 223 ENGLAND 2nd innings 391 for 8 SOUTH AFRICA 2nd innings o/n 126 for 2 Pieter Malan c Ben Stokes b Sam Curran 84 Dean Elgar c Jos Buttler b Joe Denly 34 Zubayr Hamza c Jos Buttler b James Anderson 18 Keshav Maharaj lbw James Anderson 2 Faf du Plessis c Joe Denly b Dom Bess 19 Rassie van der Dussen c James Anderson b Stuart Broad 17 Quinton de Kock c Zak Crawley b Joe Denly 50

Gudakesh Motie

Albion would feature national senior player Gudakesh Motie, Jonathan Foo, Kandasammy Surujnarine, Kevin Umroa, Sharaz Ramcharran, David Latchana and Gourav Ramesh. Eon Hooper would lead the home team effort with support from Junior Sinclair, Jason Sinclair, Shawn Pereira, Sylus Tyndall, Jonathan Rampersaud, Keith Simpson, Brandon Prashad, Delbert Hicks and Keon Sinclair. President of the BCB, Hilbert Foster, is hoping that the Board will be able to complete all of the 2019 first division tournaments by the end of February. The BCB would shortly announce the dates for the finals of the Ivan Madray 20/20, Busta Champions of Champions 40 overs and STAG Beer 50 overs tournament.

Vernon Philander c Ollie Pope b Ben Stokes 8 Dwaine Pretorius c Joe Root b Ben Stokes 0 Anrich Nortje c Zak Crawley b Ben Stokes 0 Kagiso Rabada not out 3 Extras: (b-4, lb-2, nb-5, w-2) 13 Total (all out, 137.4 overs) 248 Fall of wickets: 1-71, 2-123, 3-129, 4-164, 5-171, 6-237, 7-237, 8-241, 9-241.

Bowling: James Anderson 189-23-2, Stuart Broad 23-8-37-1, Dom Bess 33-14-57-1, Sam Curran 16-4-37-1 (w-1, nb-1), Joe Denly 18-4-42-2, Joe Root 6-0-11-0, Ben Stokes 23.4-8-35-3 (w-1, nb-4).

Burns out of Sri

Lanka series after ankle surgery ENGLAND opener Rory Burns will miss the Sri Lanka series in March after having surgery on ruptured ligaments in his left ankle. Burns, 29, sustained the injury while playing football during practice before the ongoing second Test in Cape Town. He had surgery on Monday in London and is expected to be out of action for up to four months. The Surrey captain is aiming to return to play for the beginning of the 2020 County Championship season in April. Keaton Jennings is the leading contender to replace Burns for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka starting on March 19. England have yet to decide whether to call up a replacement for Burns for the final two Tests of the current series, which South Africa lead 1-0. National selector Ed Smith is in Cape Town and will discuss the options with head coach Chris Silverwood. Burns, who top-scored for England with 84 in the firstTest defeat in Centurion, averages 33.75 in 15 Tests.

Rory Burns England have since banned playing football during practice. Lancashire’s Jennings averages 25.19 from 17 Tests since making a century on debut in India in 2016. They opened with Burns, whe scored 233 runs at 46.60 in England’s 3-0 series win in Sri Lanka in 2018, including an unbeaten 146 in the first Test in Galle. England in Sri Lanka 2020 March 7-9 v SLC Board President’s XI, Katunayake (04:30 GMT) 12-15 v SLC Board President’s XI, Colombo (P Sara Oval) (04:30 GMT) 19-23 1st Test, Galle (04:30 GMT) 27-31 2nd Test, Colombo (RPS) (04:30 GMT March 2728, 05:30, BST March 29-31)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 8, 2020

League Cup final in sight for Man City after 3-1 win at United MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Holders Manchester City took a big step towards a return to the League Cup final with a 3-1 win over Manchester United in their semi-final, first leg at Old Trafford yesterday. City outclassed their neighbours in the first half, going in 3-0 at the break before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side regrouped and avoided what could have been a more emphatic defeat. United suffered a blow before the kickoff with central defender Harry Maguire failing a fitness test and Phil Jones was handed a rare start. City boss Pep Guardiola opted to play without a recognised striker, giving Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva licence to push forward centrally. With Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez on the wings, the approach worked superbly against a flimsy-looking United defence. It was a brilliant strike from Bernardo Silva to put City ahead in the 17th minute, the winger cutting in from the right before unleashing a superb shot into the far, top corner. The busy Portugal international then created City’s second, collecting a poor headed clearance from Victor Lindelof and dancing past

a challenge before threading the ball to Riyad Mahrez who rounded goalkeeper David de Gea and slotted home. City then punished United on a counter-attack, which ended with De Bruyne leaving Jones on the floor and blasting goalwards before De Gea’s parry ricocheted off United midfielder Andreas Pereira into the net. United looked more solid after the introduction of midfielder Nemanja Matic at the break and got a foothold in the tie through a 70th-minute goal from Marcus Rashford. The England striker was picked out by a perfectly-weighted pass from Mason Greenwood and coolly slipped the ball past keeper Claudio Bravo. “We could have gone in four or five up at halftime, we had the chances. They pressed us higher in the second half, we got tired but overall we are happy,” said Bernardo Silva. “I enjoyed my role - because it worked and we won. Pep wanted one more man in the middle.” Leicester City face Aston Villa in the first leg of the other semi-final today.

Port Mourant lose by 8 wickets to Albion in BCB/Sarwan U-17 tournament

McGill Super Stars Sports Club Awards set for this evening CANAL Number One cricket team, McGill Super Stars Sports Club, will hold their annual Awards ceremony this evening at the New Thriving Restaurant, Providence branch. The clubs will present trophies to the most outstanding players of 2019. Telco Solutions, Trophy Stall, overseas-based club members Anil Beharry, Rameshwar Persaud, Karan Singh and Anand Persaud and his brothers are the main sponsors of the event. McGill, which was founded in 1992 by members of the Canal Number One community, has produced three national Youth cricketers, including former National U-19 captain Travis Persaud, left-arm spinner Kheshram Seyhodan and left-arm seamer Daniel Basdeo. McGill Super Stars continue to be one of the top clubs in the West Demerara Cricket Association (WDCA) and, according to club captain Sudesh Persaud, they have a number of talented and hardworking cricketers in their lineup. He noted that the players are looking to build on their club’s achievements and were satisfied with the club’s performance last season. McGill reached all of the WDCA tournament finals in 2019. Persaud noted that his side would look to replicate their form this year. The skipper said that his main aim this season is to continue playing his part in the club’s overall development, with the hope of producing more national cricketers.

Trophy Stall’s Lakeram Narine, (left) presents some of the trophies to McGill Super Stars Sports Club representative Troy Persaud for tonight’s Award ceremony.

Brian Ramphal donates half-a-million dollars to BCB

… BCB targets $10M mark for sponsorship in 2020 THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has hit the ground running for 2020 after receiving $500 000 from overseas-based Guyanese Brian Ramphal. A long-time sponsor of Berbice Cricket, Ramphal, a businessman who operates in the technology field, came on board with the BCB on the recommendation of its former Secretary Oscar Ramjeet in 2018. Ramphal’s 2020 contribution would be used for the 3rd annual Brian Ramphal Award Ceremony, Inter-County MVP and Man-of-the-Match Scheme, Coaching Clinics and an Internal Zone 20/20 tournament. BCB president Hilbert Foster disclosed that the board in 2020 is aiming to host at least twenty-five tournaments at different levels, dozens of developmental programmes/events and to assist clubs as much as possible to fulfil their mandate. In 2018 and 2019, the BCB had assisted all clubs in the Ancient County with over $5M worth of balls, stumps, cricket gear, scorebooks, raincoats,

bicycles, school bags and educational materials. Foster made it quite clear that in 2020, BCB would only assist clubs who have a junior section and have proper management structure in place. The BCB is working to assist clubs with about $3M in 2020. Foster stated that Ramphal since March 2018 has donated over $1.5M with funds being used to host two cricket tournaments, five different educational posters, two cricket award ceremonies and several coaching clinics. Foster, who was recently re-elected for a second term in a 31-0 landslide victory hailed Ramphal and another overseas-based Guyanese Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh as one of the main reasons his presidency has been so successful. Together they have donated close to $4M to the coffers of the BCB over the last 20 months. Ramphal, who is an awardee under the BCB Tribute to Heroes programme, stated that he was very impressed with the work of the Foster-led Board has a commitment to assist on an annual basis.

Feared threesome: Kevin de Bruyne (left), Riyad Mahrez (centre) and Bernardo Silva all played key roles in Manchester City’s victory at Manchester United. (AFP Paul ELLIS)

PORT Mourant suffered an 8-wicket thrashing at the hands of Albion last Saturday when the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)/Ramnaresh Sarwan Under-17 50-Overs competition continued across the Ancient County. Batting first, Port Mourant made a mess of the toss which they won as they were restricted to 82 for 8 in their 40-overs-a-side match, which had 10 overs each taken off due to rain. Salon Khan was the leading run-scorer with 19 while opposition bowler, Inzam Shazam bagged 4-21 as he utilised the familiar Albion Community Centre ground conditions to his likeness. Chasing a paltry target, Albion cruised to 84 for 2 with 7 overs left in the tank. In the end, it took just the combined efforts of Hemendra Gurdyal (28) and Naresh Veerasammy (18) who held their nerves in the chase to get Albion safely over the line. They now prepare for the final.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday December 08, 2020) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) The Oval, 1973 (vs ENG) (2) Rohan Kanhai

Today’s Quiz:

Overseas-based Guyanese businessman Brian Ramphal

(1) Who struck WI first Test match century? (2) Who hit WI first ODI ton? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 8, 2020

T&T coach Fenwick outlines plan to revive national side’s fortunes PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Newly appointed Trinidad and Tobago football head coach, Terry Fenwick, has identified a num ber of initiatives aimed at halting the national team’s losing slide and restoring their “dignity” in the Caribbean. The Englishman, who was named in the post after under-fire Dennis Lawrence was sacked last month, said there was a need for the ailing side to be invigorated with new blood and as a result, young domestic talent had to be found and experienced overseas-based players also drafted in. Further, Fenwick said a collaborative approach involving “parents, families, com munities” was required by football authorities, in order to strengthen the fabric of the sport domestically. “This is a team initiative. This is about parents, families, communities, coming together to help,” Fenwick told media here Monday. “We have got some terrific young talent out there. That talent has got to be uncovered

and brought to the forefront. We have operat ed over the last years with one lead academy in Couva, and if you are Tobagonian, you’re from Toco, Blanchisseuse, you’re from Mayaro, you can’t get there, so we are missing out on a lot of talent.” He added: “We have got to change the balance of the flagship, the senior national side, which has had a very poor run over the last couple of years. I am trying to cut through things as quickly as I possibly can. “I have got my initiatives; I have got my back ground checks on all of the players we have got, and some, who haven’t been invited to the squad.” T&T have experienced wretched form over the last year, winning just once in 15 outings while suffering 10 defeats – the worst-ever run of form in the side’s modern history. At one stage, they went 14 matches without a single win. Once Caribbean powerhouse, T&T were relegated to League B of the CONCACAF Nations League after finishing bottom of Group C without

a win, which also caused them to miss out on automatic qualification for the Gold Cup next year and the 2022 World Cup. They were also dumped from last July’s Gold Cup in the first round after failing to win a single game. While warning the situation would not be a quick fix, Fenwick said it was time to return T&T to its rightful place in football. “I’ve got to get the national team winning again, I’ve got to get a bit of pride back into national football,” he stressed. “This is not something that is going to be cured as quickly as we’d like but if we work together – and this is everybody, Trinidad and Tobago absolutely all pulling together. We are not winning on any level. We’re losing; we’ve lost our dignity within the Caribbean region. “We’re not even in Division One in CON CACAF these days so we need to put structures, plans, organisation. Put these together so we can give these kids the best possible opportunity.”

New T&T football head coach, Terry Fenwick He added: “We’re not competing, because we’re not on the same level. Teams like Panama, like Costa Rica, like Honduras have had four or five years of development. They have now got the mass of their players, playing overseas. So we’ve got to address our local game.” Fenwick is a former England defender who earned 20 national caps before turning his at tention to management.

Three players with Guyanese roots in Canada Under-19 World Cup squad By Frederick Halley TORONTO, Canada – When the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 World Cup bowls off in South Africa on January 17, three players with Guyanese roots will be part of the Canadian squad vying for supremacy in the prestigious tourna ment. The 15-member squad departed for South Africa last Friday. The three are skipper Ashtan Deosammy, Raqib Shamsudeen and Nicholas Manohar, all products of Tranzac Cricket Academy in the Toronto District Cricket Association League. Deosammy is one of four players who participated in the 2018 tournament, played in New Zealand, the others being Randhir Sandhu, Arshdeep Dhaliwal and Rishiv Joshi. Deosammy also captained the Canadian Under-19 side which quali fied by winning the Americas Region Qualification tournament in Toron

to in July last year, defeating the USA by five wickets to go unbeaten through the five-team competition, which included Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Argentina. Shamsudeen, whose omission from the team for the last World Cup drew criticisms in some quarters, was on the reserve list in 2018. He also plays for Guyana’s Everest Cricket Club during March breaks. The left-handed Manohar, a legbreak googly bowler, played against Argentina in the Americas Regional qualifiers. This year marks the thirteenth edition of the tournament and South Africa’s second occasion as hosts. South Africa hosted the second edi tion which was held in 1998, ten years after the 1988 inaugural competition. Canada’s 2020 participation will be its sixth appearance as a team country. Team Canada had participated in

Ashtan Deosammy the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup’s 2002, 2004, 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2018. Canadian players had also been members of the ICC Associates XI Squads that had participated in the 1988 inaugural tournament and again in 2000. The sixteen participating teams at the ICC 2020 Under-19 World Cup will be split into four groups for the tournament’s preliminary rounds. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super League, with the bottom two from each group progressing to the Plate League. Canada will play their preliminary

Raqib Shamsudeen round matches in the tournament’s Group D. The Canadians will face the United Arab Emirates on January 18, hosts South Africa on January 22 and Afghanistan on January 24. Prior to their departure the Canadian players were presented with their official Team Canada caps at a January 2 Cricket Canada-hosted function. The players and their management staff were also treated to a Bukhara Restaurant farewell dinner by Cricket Canada officials including president Ranjit Saini, Board directors Mohammed Shaikh and Ranjit Chaudhri,as well as General Manager

Nicholas Manohar Ingleton Liburd. Canada’s 15-member squad: Astan Deosammy (captain), Akhil Kumar, Arshdeep Dhaliwal, Ayush Verma, Benjamin Calitz, Eshan Sensarma, Gurjot Gosal, Mihir Pa tel, Muhammad Kamal, Nicholas Manohar, Randhir Sandhu, Raqib Shamsudeen, Rishiv Joshi, Udaybir Walia and Harmandeep Singh Bedi. The manager is Anil Khanna, head coach Farouk Kirmani, while the as sistant coach is Kulbir Jaswal. Shah Zafar will serve as analyst, Tejash Patel as physio.

No reverse in West Indies First policy: Skerritt KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – Cricket West Indies president, Ricky Skerritt, has given the assurance there has been no change to his West Indies First poli cy, in the wake of several foreign coach ing hires attached to the international men’s team. Last week, former Warwickshire batsman Trevor Penney was appointed fielding coaching on a two-year contract, replacing Guyana’s Rayon Griffith who performed the role during the recent tour of the subcontinent. The appointment, which followed those of Indian Monty Desai as batting coach and Australian Chris Barbazon as coaching education manager, sparked discussion across the region about the

CWI policy. “There is no reverse at all,” Skerritt told the Gleaner newspaper here. “First thing is that I didn’t say we would hire West Indian coaches only. I said we would adopt a West Indian-first policy, whereby, we would look at the individuals we have in the region, and if we cannot find the respective talent to fill those roles, then we would have to go overseas to do so.” When West Indies men’s coach Phil Simmons was named head coach last October, the recruitment process was underscored by a ‘West Indies First policy’ underscored by a CWI guideline that “persons without West Indian heri tage need not apply.” Since then, however, Caribbean

coaches have been overlooked for key positions, including Desmond Haynes who was short-listed for the head coach role but then ignored for the post of batting coach. Skerritt said the Caribbean did not possess the richness of resources which allowed CWI to choose personnel only from the region. “The reality is that we do not have the required persons with the requi site expertise, especially in white-ball cricket, and so we had to look outside of the region to fill those positions,” he pointed out. “The persons that we have brought in like Chris (Barbazon) are internationally qualified, and we believe they will help us to get to where we want to be.” He added: “These coaches have been

FIelding coach Trevor Penny hired with a contractual obligation to share their best practices, and this is a policy with which we are moving forward so that we can develop our local coaches.

Batting coach Monty Desai “In a week’s time, Jimmy Adams and head coach Phil Simmons, as well as our CEO, Johnny Grave, will meet to further the discussion on coaching as we look to develop our game soon.”

EVIN LEWIS fell agonisingly short of a hundred, but his immaculate unbeaten 99, which followed Alzarri Joseph’s feisty four-for, helped a dominant West Indies brush Ireland aside in the first ODI played at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. Batting on 93 with three required for a win, the opener managed to slice one wide of third man for two runs. That left a straightforward equation - a six to win the match as well as get his hundred. Lewis managed to smoke the length ball that followed, but it landed a few metres short of the extra-cover boundary and left him on 99 as West Indies took a 1-0 lead. Lewis’ innings was nearly chanceless. He began solidly, offering a vertical bat as much as possible on a good batting surface that showed glimpses of being slow every now and again. The only chance he offered - a chip against Mark Adair in the ninth over - was put down by Kevin O’Brien lunging low at mid-off. Either side of that ball, Lewis bludgeoned short-pitched bowling from the medium-pacer. That early plan to put away horizontal-bat shots was a theme throughout for Lewis, whose other highlights were blistering drives through extra cover, and nonchalant lofts over mid-off against the spinners. Occasionally he brought out the sweep - such as when he brought up his fifty - and, in a short chase, he anchored the innings without compromising on his scoring rate. In his company, all batsmen made starts without building on them. Brandon King struggled in a 71-run partnership as Ireland cramped him for room, Shimron Hetmyer lasted eight balls before top-edging a slog sweep, and Nicholas Pooran played one of the shots of the match - a glorious straight hit that slammed the

First ODI at Kensington Oval

Lewis’ unbeaten 99, Joseph’s 4-32 cap dominant win for West Indies See story on page 31

Evin Lewis slices the ball over mid-off. (Getty Images)

Alzarri Joseph ripped through Ireland, taking 4-32 as they were rolled for just 180.

See Page 31

o t e s r u o c n o n o Johns t s o m s ’ a n a y u G g n i m o c be r e p p i k s y a D 4 c prolifi

See story on page 31

Leon Johnson has managed to sustain the weight of leading the most dominant franchise in contemporary 4-Day cricket for more than 5 years. Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

By Clifton Ross GUYANESE Leon Johnson is just one title away from being crowned arguably the most successful Regional 4-Day Captain in the country’s history, should he lead his team to yet another tournament win, come Thursday when the 2020 season gets underway. Already in esteemed company, having won the title for 5 years in a row, dating back to the 2013-14 season, the out-of-favour West Indies Test player has managed to shape a phenomenal First-Class career while putting Guyana on the map as Regional heavyweights in the longest format. When Cricket West Indies (CWI) redesigned the regional structure to make it more professional as well as financially stable, Guyana under the leadership of Johnson immediately won the first edition. Since their first win, the newly renamed Jaguars never looked back as they continued to dominate the format every year. In all, Guyana have won 7 domestic first class titles since the tournament’s birth in 1965-66 - then known as the Shell Shield. With a total of 10 titles in all, Guyana’s tally is third overall on the list of most wins by a nation. They trail second place Jamaica who have 12 and Barbados who lead the way with 20 wins to date. Guyana have followed in the footsteps See Page 31 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 08, 2020