Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_01_16_2020

THURSDAY 16th January, 2020

Guyana now chair of No.105881

PAGE

03

G77

…PM tells group of Guyana’s push to deepen democratic norms …realise high levels of prosperity, cohesion for all citizens

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo holds the gavel shortly after Guyana assumed chairmanship of the Group of 77 countries and China during the formal handing over ceremony at the United Nations Headquarters, New York on Wednesday

Guyana hailed for protection PAGE of children 08

…working to create multi-year action plan for implementation of the HCCH Conventions

Soesdyke youth tested Guyana’s First Oil

PAGE

16

No more flambeau, PAGE ‘kero’ lamps for 15 Waiakabra residents

-community now connected to GPL’s national grid

2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

CASE CLOSED …Oral arguments close in challenge to non-residents voting in Guyana

…AG says no evidence provided that residency is not a requirement for electors …Ramkarran wants court to freeze case until after elections

By Svetlana Marshall TWO days after pleading with the Appeal Court to decline jurisdiction in a case challenging the High Court’s decision to block the removal of persons from the National Register of Registrant (NRR) Database, Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran, on Wednesday, asked the court to freeze the case until after the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

Wednesday marked the end of oral arguments in the partial appeal brought by the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, against Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram; the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM); and the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield.

Before Ramkarran backpedalled on his earlier position, the Attorney General told the panel of three judges, led by Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings-Edwards, that, from the onset, Ram and his attorney (Ramkarran) pro-

vided no rebuttal evidence as it related to the Constitutional Amendment Act of 1991.

On Monday, the Attorney General had argued that, with the abolition of overseas voting in 1991, the residency requirement for voting was restored in the Constitution with the exception for diplomats, their families and staff – a position he maintained on Wednesday.

“We respectfully contend that there is a clear and unambiguous concession on the part of Mr. Ramkarran, Senior Counsel, that, for the purposes of registration as an elector, residency is a requirement under the National Registration Act and his submission comports with the position of that outlined by the Report of the Constitutional Reform Commission for which he was the Chairperson,” Minister Williams told the Appellate Court.

Putting the case into context in light of Ramkarran’s initial submission that the Court should decline jurisdiction on the basis that it was an ‘elections matter,’ the At-

torney General explained that it was Ram, who, in a Fixed Date Application (FDA) on July 22, 2019, challenged the House-to-House Registration process. That matter concluded

to-house registration exercise would be unconstitutional.”

The Attorney General, in rejecting the contention that it was an elections matter, alluded to the fact that the Notice of

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams

on August 14, 2019 with the High Court refusing all the orders but the inclusion of an order “that the removal of the names of persons on the list of registrants and who were not, or have not been, or are not registered in the current house-

level of impunity.

Minister Williams, in his rebuttal, also rejected the notion, that should the Appellate Court rule on the matter there could be far reaching consequences. “We respectfully contend that the only far-reaching consequence for the purposes of this appeal is that the legislature has prescribed Residency by a constitutional amendment and any disregard to it would have far-reaching consequences for our democratic system of justice because GECOM the constitutional body would be confronted with a logistical nightmare of persons voting who were not properly qualified to be electors,” he argued. He iterated that the court cannot abdicate its responsibility on having the final say in what the Constitu-

Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran

Appeal was filed in September, 2019, approximately three months before President David Granger issued an Election Proclamation.

“This matter is not an elections matter in any shape or form, but it is strictly speaking a constitutional issue as to whether Residency is a fundamental prerequisite for voting in Guyana,” he told the appellate judges while referencing to the case of Zulfikar Mustapha v. The Attorney General Civil Appeal (2018), in which, the Appellate Court rejected a similar argument that was advanced in that case.

The Appellate Court’s position in that matter was endorsed by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

“The argument of election matters ought to be rejected because this is a constitutional issue that goes to the heart of our democratic system which is the requirement for Residency for purposes of qualification to be an elector,” Minister Williams maintained. He said the court must continue to be the guardian of the Constitution, and no one should disobey it with any

tion says or what parliament intended.

Ramkarran, in his rebuttal, turned the court’s attention to Article 163 (1)(b)(i) of the Constitution. It states that “(1) Subject to the provisions of this article, the High Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to determine any qualification – (b) whether (i) either generally or in any particular place, an election has been lawfully conducted or the result thereof has been, or may have been, affected by any unlawful act or omission.”

For him, the operative words are “unlawful act or omission.” He said the case currently before the Appellate Court is similar to that of the Esther Pereira case and should have been brought by way of an Elections Petition.

“In this case, the argument is that the retention of names of non-residents on the electoral roll is a violation of the Constitution, same principle basically. One is a law passed by the National Assembly was a violation of the Constitution; that was an elections petition, and in this case, the

argument is, the retention of names of non-residents on electoral roll is a violation of the Constitution,” Ramkarran reasoned.

He argued that the case became an ‘elections matter’ with the issue of the proclamation by President Granger.

“Once the elections train leaves the station, every issue, has to be determined by way of an elections petition,” Ramkarran told the appellate judges.

Interjecting, the Chancellor, queried whether matters are deemed elections in nature before or after a proclamation has been issued.

Though not offering a direct response, Ramkarran admitted that the case was filed and ruled upon long before the proclamation was issued.

“Your honours, if you proceed and give a decision in this matter, your honours will be giving a decision in an elections issue which ought properly to have been litigated by an elections petition after the elections,” he stated.

But when further pressed by the Chancellor for more answers, Ramkarran backpedalled on his earlier position, which was, that the court should decline to rule on the matter, and instead offered what he considered to be “an innovative argument.”

“Would your honor consider putting the matter down until the elections are over and treating the case as an elections petition…Postpone the decision instead of declining jurisdiction, postpone the decision until after elections, and then treat the matter as an elections petition,” he asked the Court. But Ramkarran was reminded that the Appellate Court would require leave, even if his suggestion was applicable.

The Attorney General, in responding to Ramkarran, maintained that the Appellate Court has jurisdiction to rule on the matter. GECOM’s Attorney, Senior Counsel Stanley Marcus; and President of the Guyana Bar Association, Teni Housty, who appeared Amicus Curiae, also made closing arguments on Wednesday. The appellate Justices – Chancellor Yonette Cummings-Edwards; Justice Dawn Gregory and Justice Rishi Persaud, indicated that they will consider all arguments and will send notices shortly.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday January 16, 2020

Guyana assumes chairmanship of G77 …PM tells group of Guyana’s push to deepen democratic norms …realise high levels of prosperity, cohesion for all citizens

GUYANA assumed Chairmanship of the Group of 77 (G77) and China, on Wednesday, vowing to maintain the Group’s core principles; to build upon the past achievements and to promote collective economic interests for all involved.

Leading a delegation to the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York for the handing- over ceremony was Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings. The Prime Minister delivered remarks on behalf of Guyana following an address and formal handing over of the Chairmanship

by Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine, Riad Al-Malki.

In his remarks, Al-Malki congratulated the country and expressed his confidence in Guyana’s ability to serve as Chair. “We are confident in your ability to carry out these functions successfully and in your wisdom to shoulder this responsibility and enhance the interest of the Group with efficiency,” Al-Malki said.

He noted that in 2019, Palestine was granted the unique honor to Chair the Group of 77 and China and thanked all members of the Group and other stakeholders for their cooperation.

Subsequently, in his address, Prime Minister Nagamootoo stated that many developing countries in the world continue to grapple with a plethora of challenges linked to climate change, poverty, hunger and disease. He noted that there is a “deepening trust deficit in multilateralism” and challenges with regards to financing, trade, technology transfer and capacity building.

With most, if not all, of these countries nonetheless intent on improving their economies and their position in the world, the Prime Minister stated that the Group of G77 and China must be cognizant of its role. “2020 is already full of significant undertakings and challenges that will sternly test the mettle of our Group. It must be easily evident, therefore, that nothing short of a strong, credible and focused G77 will enable us to be equal to the demands of our time,” he said.

“For this reason, it is that these core imperatives of working for a strong, credible and focused G77 for which our energies as Chair will be dedicated. We envisage that during 2020, we will seek to enhance the image and character of our Group as the largest negotiating block with-

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo (third left) participates in the ceremonial handing over of the Chairmanship of the Group of 77. (DPI photo)

in the United Nations.”

The Prime Minister said that while the countries of the Group of 77 and China possess varying circumstances, realities and experiences, they are strongest when they act in solidarity.

the Group works to revise and review its modality of working methods to maintain its efficiency.

He noted that as the UN celebrates its 75th anniversary, it is an opportune time for the G77 to take stock of its

Nagamootoo expressed that Guyana feels much pride in assuming the Chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China in the year that the country celebrates its Golden Jubilee of its Republican status.

He informed the gathering

have been mirrored by our strong subscription to such fundamental principles as the sovereign equality of states, the peaceful resolution of disputes, the international rule of law and the power of multilateralism and the meaningful

Attendees of the handing-over ceremony of the Chairmanship of the Group of 77 from the State of Palestine to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana (DPI photo)

He said: “We will continue to use our diversity as a source of strength. The world needs a strong United Nations and a strong G77.”

Nagamootoo told the country representatives that Guyana is well aware of the fact that the G77 operates on a principled basis and takes consistent and coherent actions based on its core principles.

This credibility, he assured the attending, will not be open to question even as

contribution such as the convening of the South Summit --- the supreme decision-making forum of the Group.

On behalf of Guyana, the Prime Minister congratulated Uganda for its hosting of the Third South Summit which will provide an opportunity for progress review and the strategizing of future actions.

“We encourage all members to participate in the South Summit at the highest possible level,” he said.

that 2020 also marks the year that the country will launch its 2020-2029 Decade of Development within the context of the Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040.

The Prime Minister said: “While a small country, Guyana has been consistently determined to strengthen democratic norms and to realise high levels of prosperity, cohesion and progress for all its citizens. At the international level, these convictions

contribution of all states – small or large, rich or poor.”

He explained that it is these principles that have inspired the country’s activism at the international level and to maintain its membership in organisations such as CARICOM, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Commonwealth, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Alliance of Small Island Developing States (AOSIS),

3

the Non-Aligned movement and the UN. Nagamootoo said that it was these same principles that saw Guyana’s support for the dismantling of apartheid; support for the Palestinian cause; opposition to the embargo on Cuba and the violation of rights and fundamental freedoms of all.

He stated that Guyana has a commitment to sustainable development and will remain undistracted even in its new status as an oil-producing nation.

The Prime Minister also highlighted that Guyana, since its independence, has sought to maintain peaceful relations with other nations and has worked to advance bilateral relations for common cause. “We anticipate engaging all countries --developed and developing --- in a spirit of partnership to advance the interest of the group and of global priorities,” he said.

Meanwhile, also in remarks, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, thanked the State of Palestine for its efforts over the past 12 months and congratulated Guyana even as he assured the country continued support of the Secretariat and his Office. Guterres delved into reform process of the G77; the plan for the Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the budget available to achieving this.

He was proud to state that, this year, the G77 will see its reforms moving from “structures and processes to implementation and results” even the wider agenda of tackling common development challenges and assuring a fair globalization is pursued. He lamented that the changes needed with regards to poverty eradication, emissions reduction, employment creation or gender equality are not happening fast enough and international cooperation and solidarity are needed to change this.

Guterres used the spotlight to encourage all developed countries to meet the commitments they made in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda; to push for cutting of greenhouse gas emissions by all countries; to promote digital connections worldwide and to outline more solutions to reduce our debt to countries. There are 135 countries in the Group of 77 and China. It has since grown to become the largest intergovernmental organisation and presently serves as a platform for Member States and China to articulate and promote collective economic interests and enhance joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues in the UN system.

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

Finance ministry upbraids Indar for ‘wild allegations’ ─says ‘silly season’ no excuse for fear-mongering

THE Ministry of Finance has upbraided People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) newcomer, Deodat Indar for his “wild allegations” on critical aspects about the economy.

According to the ministry, Indar sought to “mislead” persons during a recent roadside meeting, where he attempted to persuade voters through the peddling of distorted information, which the ministry said is tantamount to abuse of public trust.

“We are quite appalled at his interpretations of economic issues, and are, equally, flummoxed at his wild allegations and fear-mongering on critical aspects of

the economy. To the less informed, his ramblings would have been sure to cause anxiety,” said the finance ministry.

from the Consolidated Fund, the latter of which is used by government for expenditure.

Government also responded to Indar’s allegation about Guyana being unable to pay its import bill because the government has spent it all.

“The reserves of the Bank of Guyana are used, principally, to pay for the imports of fuel and the servicing of Guyana’s external debts. All other imports are financed through the commercial banks, foreign currency accounts retained by approved persons and/or foreign direct investment,” said the ministry, adding that the Central Bank’s reserves are adequate enough to meet the identified imports.

All of the reports from the international financial institutions on Guyana’s economy including the most recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) Article IV Country Report never commented negatively on the state of Guyana’s reserves. Those reports have even lauded government’s efforts to avoid the resource curse and its management of the economy.

In further dismissing In-

Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan

Among the “false allegations,” Indar said government has spent all the money and sold all of the gold held in reserves at the Central Bank, but the ministry rebutted by saying a cursory check with the Bank of Guyana will confirm that reserves have always been positive.

Additionally, the ministry said reserves of the bank are held distinctly and separately

dar’s claims, the ministry said: “Indar has fallen into the mantra peddled by his political party that the government instituted 200 taxes since coming to office.

However, neither he nor his fellow peddlers have been able to list these taxes simply because it is a lie. The truth is, this government has implemented tax reform that is unrivalled by any previous government at a similar stage.”

Contrary to the alleged 200 taxes, government said more than 100 reform measures were instituted that benefitted businesses and individuals.

In listing government’s achievements in this area, the ministry said among the progressive measures were substantial movement in the income tax threshold, from $600,000 to $780,000 or 1/3 of gross income, whichever is higher; lowering of personal income tax to 28 per cent on the first $180,000 of chargeable income per month; removal of income tax on employees’ NIS contributions; lowering of company income

tax to 25 percent; lowering of VAT to 14 per cent; increasing VAT threshold to $15 million; and increasing the number of zero rated and VAT exempt items.

In specific response to Indar’s claims about VAT on forestry products causing imported pinewood to be sold cheaper than local woods, the ministry said, the government through the Minister of Natural Resources had stipulated import permits for importers of pine wood as another means of managing its importation and ensuring that it cannot be sold cheaper than local wood products. “$120 million was set aside to begin a forest inventory; that logs and rough lumber for the saw milling industry became VAT exempt from January 1, 2018; that $50 million was allocated for the establishment of a dimension stockyard. Though sadly, the stockyard was never realised as an agreement could not be reached on a preferred model,” said the finance ministry.

In addition, the ministry said, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), which now

enjoys real autonomy, has strengthened its monitoring and enforcement which has resulted in substantial expansion of the revenue base and facilitated the massive increase in workers’ wages and development across the country.

“More persons and businesses are now paying their true and correct taxes as a result. Mr. Indar may have also missed the news that the economy is growing and therefore, it naturally follows that the tax base will grow and, by extension, so will the amount of tax revenues collected,” said the ministry.

Despite the existing “facts” Indar still accused the government of spending $1.2 trillion which, he said, cannot be accounted for.

In response, the ministry said: “this unmitigated lie is really not worth a response; however, the Ministry of Finance has made public all of government’s spending through the publication of the annual budget, the Mid-year report and similar reports

TURN TO PAGE 5

Wednesday, January 15, 2019

5

7 12 13 25 28 26

A

1

4

20

22

26

1

9

0

0

8

January 10, 2020

2

1 13 14 18 21 4

11

12

13 15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

Finance ministry upbraids ...

FROM PAGE 4

and publications from the National Tender Board and Administration.

“In addition to infrastructural, social, educational and other projects, government has had to repay billions of dollars in judgement won against the former government by local and overseas investors and businesses, bail out GuySuCo to the tune of nearly $50 billion, and subsidise the tolls for citizens using the Berbice Bridge.”

With impending revenue from the oil and gas sector, government has promised to improve the lives of every Guyanese, but Indar believes that government has no plans for oil and gas revenues.

The finance ministry, however, made reference to the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act, which is a solid piece of legislation that provides for the mechanism that will govern how revenues earned from our natural resources will be saved, spent or invested with full Parliamentary and public oversight.

Further, the government

remains committed to managing these revenues according to best practices, including the Santiago Principles, as demonstrated by Guyana’s recent acceptance as an associate member of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (ISFWF).

PPP Candidate, Deodat Indar

Additionally, the Green State Development Strategy sets out the priorities of the country, and revenues from oil will be utilised within the context of this national development plan.

In addition, the final draft of the Local Content Policy

is being reviewed.

In referring to local content, Indar said the locals do not benefit from similar concessions as investors in the oil and gas sector.

“This is palpably false; it has been debunked on several occasions by the Minister of Finance and the Commissioner General. The investment agreement signed between the government and operators in the oil and gas sector states very clearly that the operators and their subcontractors will benefit from the same concessions, no matter their nationality,” said the ministry.

Government also debunked Indar’s comment about government giving US$5,000 to each citizen.

The finance ministry said Professor Clive Thomas had been calling for the grant, but there is no record of the government saying that it will be handing out unconditional cash transfers to citizens. Govern-

ment, however, said it will consider avenues to provide incentives to citizens.

With regards to the allegations peddled by Indar, the ministry said the “silly season” (elections period) does not give any person the licence to make unfounded pronouncements and believe that those pronouncements will go uncontested.

“We would like to remind Mr. Indar that he has a duty to be honest with the people of this country whose votes he seeks. We hope he takes the time to remedy his uneven understanding of the economy and how it functions so as to ensure that when he speaks at events, the public is consuming factual and accurate information so that they may make informed and unbiased decisions,” said the ministry, noting that the public must conduct its own due diligence and research in order to reject misinformation.

5

Man accused of robbery and attempting to commit a felony remanded

MAGISTRATE Faith McGusty, on Wednesday January 15, 2020, remanded, to prison, a 29-year-old man accused of robbery and attempting to commit a felony.

Odwin David of Hadfield Street appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ court and denied both charges, when they were read to him.

Particulars of the first charge stated that, on January 11, 2020, at Camp Street, Georgetown, while armed with a knife, he attempted to rob Steven Hall.

The second charge stated that, on the same day, and at the same place, while armed with a knife, he robbed Mokis Ally of a phone valued at $30,000, and $1,360 cash.

Police Prosecutor objected to bail based on the nature of the offence and the penalty attached.

Ally told the court that, while he was on his way to work, David approached him asking him for a hundred dollars, and when he told him he didn’t have, David pulled out a knife and asked him if he wanted to die and ordered him ‘to pass everything’.

The matter was reported to police on duty, and David was arrested and positively identified by Ally and Hall.

He was later charged.

Magistrate McGusty remanded David to prison and adjourned the matter until February 5, 2020.

Larceny accused granted bail MAGISTRATE Faith McGusty, on Wednesday January 15, 2020, granted a teen $75,000 bail on a larceny charge.

Davin Bess, 19, of Patterson, Turkeyen, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and denied the charge, when it was read to him.

Particulars of the charge stated that, between January 6, 2020, and January 7, 2020, he stole a 32-inch television valued at $75,000, property of St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.

Police prosecutor made no objections to bail being granted to Bess.

Magistrate McGusty granted Bess $75,000 bail and ordered that he reports to the Brickdam Police Station, every Friday, until the completion of the matter.

Hicken, Karimbaksh seconded ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police and his deputy, Fizal Karimbaksh, have been seconded from the Guyana Police Force to the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Citizenship and Civil Defence Commission respectively.

Before their secondments, Hicken was serving as Assistant Com-

missioner responsible for training within the Guyana Police Force, while Karimbaksh functioned as his deputy. The two reportedly got their letters informing them of their reassignments on Tuesday afternoon just after lunch. Contacted on Wednesday morning, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, indicated

that the move, especially of Hicken, was strategic and necessary. “The commissioner has the right to move police officers anywhere he sees fit as part of the operational mandate of the police

force and he has advised that Clifton Hicken is an extremely effective policeman and he would serve well at the Department of Citizenship where we are having all those problems.”

Thursday, 16 January, 2020, 09:30hrs ~11:00hrs

6

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday January 16, 2020

Decade of Development IN September 2019, before the current election campaign started, President David Granger announced his vision for a Decade of Development. That announcement, appropriately, was made during Indigenous Heritage Month.

The President said that we must invest intelligently in four transformative areas. (1) The Education Nation, (2) The Green State, (3) The Petroleum State, and (4) The Digital State. The confidence and excitement among Guyanese and non-nationals alike are more intense, now that the president has unveiled Guyana’s Decade of Development (20202030) programme.

Elaborating on the programme, the President emphasised his commitment to ensuring that by 2031 Guyana achieves the highest rate of education and skills development in the English-speaking Caribbean, that is, Guyana will become an “Education Nation.” The President has said that, “Education is the great equaliser. It will unlock opportunities [for job creation] for all, and help to provide the skills for development.”

With regard to the creation of a Green State, our people must demonstrate a commitment to preserving and protecting our environment. This includes more

responsible use of our national resources. For example, improving value-added production rather than depending on raw materials, among other practices. Responsible and prudent management of our petroleum resources are also key transformative practices, which will result in increased investment in education, skills training, more business opportunities across Guyana and the inter-generational transfer of wealth, so our children, their children and so on can have higher-paying jobs.

Guyana’s transition to a Digital State is also one of the pillars of the President’s programme. This aspect includes adding to the 175 ICT hubs already created by the Granger administration and otherwise expanding and improving internet connectivity. The major result will be greater, cheaper access to online services, regardless of where one lives.

This is an exciting time to live and work in Guyana whether you are a citizen, resident or non-national. Under the leadership of President Granger, noticeable improvements have been made in each area of life. For example, both the UK and USA have listed Guyana as a top destination to visit in 2020. In March of 2019, Guyana won the Best Eco-tourism Destination Award at the Berlin Tourism

Trade Fair.

The confidence displayed by the international community would never have happened under the PPP regime.

Under that government, Guyanese suffered in a society of State-sponsored violence, disregard for the rule of law, and neglect of hinterland and other sections of society.

When the people elected President David Granger, it was a message to the then PPP Government, as well as for the victorious Coalition Government. It was a message that we want and deserve a better, safer, more equitably prosperous and united Guyana. As Guyana moves towards elections, citizens should think very carefully about our choices. On the one hand, we can choose to go backwards to the dark age of extra-judicial killings, disregard for laws, State-sponsored division, cronyism, and the neglect of many communities, or we can choose to move forward together. Under the visionary leadership of President David Granger, many innovative initiatives and programmes have been conceived and introduced, including the idea of the Decade of Development. Guyanese should resolve to continue along the path of national progress, together.

Thank you Minister Jordan for lending financial support to scholarship awardeees Dear Editor, THE reason for this letter is to register on record the sincere thanks and gratitude of the families of the three scholarship awardees who were recognised by Minister Winston Jordan and his ministry as a result of the 2019 NGSA Region Six performance. Editor, we would like the minister to know of how sincere and happy our children are for his genuine and generous assistance in supporting our educational pursuits.

As the father of Pawan Etwaroo, who had tied for the number one spot in Region Six, I would also like to say thanks twice, as it was a result of the very helpful and caring attitude of Mr. Colvin Heath-London, NICIL/SPU CEO that resulted in me gaining employment as a security guard at Albion Estate after I lost my job with GUYSUCO. I must confess that I was very depressed and heartbroken after I was paid severance and after investing same in rebuilding the humble home that my wife and son occupied, I was struggling severely due to the fact that finding employment was a challenging task for me.

Mr. Editor, it was during a frank discussion that I requested some assistance from Mr. Heath-London as I related the great and at times unbearable hardships that my family and I were experiencing. I subsequently gained employment and must say that as a result of Mr. Heath-London’s generosity and assistance, I have been able to provide for my family, thus helping me to keep us all happy.

I confess that I was moved to write with

the other families to do this letter as a result of the excellent and fantastic weekend stay that we were rewarded with at the Watooka Guest House. It must be noted that none of us have ever been to Linden and have ever stayed in a hotel of this magnitude and class. Therefore, you can understand how excited, thrilled and captivated we felt as we were blown away by the very high fantastic and very comfortable hotel and experience that our children benefitted from.

Further, the various tours to several educational and historical places and sites in Linden further enhanced the knowledge of our children as we were able to dismantle several myths, while replacing them with facts.

We would like to express to Minister Jordan that our tongues are too short to justly express how thankful and happy we are to have been able to see a different part of Guyana, while being educated on the still many rich and breathtakingly beautiful places that exist in this country. I would like to say that as a father seeing the beautiful smiles and deep appreciation from the faces of the children told us a really great story and I would stress that it is one that will forever be remembered by the children and their families. At first, I must confess that I was somewhat hesitant to go upon the trip and this was a result of what many persons living on the Canje and Corentyne areas are told about Linden and people living in Linden. However, while we only spent a weekend, I must admit that it was enough to remove the many myths and perceptions of those living in the mining community. It afforded us a first-hand experience

of Guyanese hospitality irrespective of one’s race, colour, religious views and most importantly, cultural heritage. We had a grand time and left the Watooka Guest House with the understanding that Guyana has a lot to offer and the experience that we gained while on this weekend trip was certainly worth more than anything else in the world that money can buy.

Mr Editor, it’s important to add that the financial assistance being provided to our children by NICIL/SPU is greatly appreciated and continues to play a critically important part in enhancing our daily lives. While I am fortunate now to have a job like the father of Chitra, whose father is the only breadwinner in their home, Marrissa is not this fortunate as her mother is able to work only one and sometimes two or three days a week garnering fish glue, which is then used to provide food for her and her four children. I am aware that while Chitra’s family and I have smaller families, Marissa’s mother is saddled with four children with one preparing for CXC this year and a daily challenge of finding transportation money to send her children to school. It’s no secret that its worst for them. However, we are all happy and pleased that the money being given to us respectively is being stretched to do additional things to further reduce some of the grave and unbearable challenges that we are faced with.

Mr Editor, we would have liked to thank Minister Jordan and Mr. Heath-London personally, as we are forever thankful for the genuine and sincere interest and assistance being entrusted in us; however, based on both

their very busy schedules, we are cognizant that it may not be possible. Thus, I have decided on behalf of all the families to express our deep thanks and gratitude by way of this letter. I trust and hope that it gets to them both that we are truly happy and grateful to them. I would like to confirm on behalf of my wife and son Pawan and to also reiterate on behalf of Chitra and Marrissa that they will continue working exceptionally hard to maintain high and very impressive grades. As such, this will ensure that Minister Jordan and Mr. Heath-London and all of the other staff at NICIL/SPU remain proud of their academic growth. I can assure the Honourable Minister that in some years’ time these three individuals who were once seen as poverty stricken and financially incapable of supporting themselves through school because of the grave challenges faced by their respective families, would be prominent individuals who would have used poverty to prosperity as their motto in succeeding.

Mr. Editor, on behalf of the three families, I would like to say once again thank you to Minister Jordan and similar thanks to Mr. Colvin Heath-London for his willingness, care and affection in helping our children, as it is through the generous help and assistance of NICIL/SPU that has enabled them all to be able to attend secondary school and also to be able to garner some financial assistance to enable them during their school attendance.

Regards Anand Kumar Etwaroo

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday January 16, 2020

Kit is posturing, pandering to the media Dear Editor, AS Ronald Reagan said to Jimmy Carter in a debate, “There he goes again.” I will say the same to Kit Nascimento, “There he goes again.”

Kit is posturing. He is pandering to the media, the observers such as the Carter Center and the Commonwealth, the soi-disant “International Community” and his supporters. He has absolutely no evidence to support his claims. He attacks the medium rather than the message. He does this every time he gets paid, believing

that once he pronounces on an issue that is it.

Kit is wrong, out of touch and is in no position to pontificate on or proffer an opinion to NCN on this particular matter. I can speak to NCN’s news, general programming and current affairs coverage and as far as NCN is concerned it is fair, balanced, accurate and true. The reference to the one instance of coverage of the President at an event was coverage of the Head of State, whether Kit likes it or not.

NCN’s TV and radio coverage of Nomination Day on Friday, January 10,

2020 was phenomenal. Even the GNBA Chairman was interviewed in the all-day broadcast event.

It is not for Kit to inject himself into the fray so that editorials, reports can be compiled. He has to prove his points. Writing emphatically does not prove your point or provide evidence.

He goes down his usual highbrow, pompous, pontificating path by making patently false statements even to the casual observer and thinks that that adds credibility to his arguments.

I repeat for emphasis: NCN will be guided by its

board, what GECOM promulgates and the guidelines set out by the GNBA. En passant, I hope Kit does not find this comment an ad hominem attack (Kit says ad homonym (sic) I say ad hominem).

Kit, you referred to “the share” (sic) hypocrisy of Mr. Woolford’s position!

Clearly your classist, conspiratorial, contemptuous colleagues knew you meant “Sheer,” unless you really meant that the hypocrisy is “shared”.

Regards Enrico Woolford

Why I stand with Ruel Johnson and The Citizenship Initiative Dear Editor, I HAVE known Mr. Ruel Johnson, local author and public figure, for about 15 years now. Our initial interaction stemmed from Ruel providing some critical reviews about the graphics on my website.

Naturally, I was not too pleased at the time, but in hindsight I can say that his feedback was honest and objective, no personal vendetta included. In short, he was telling me as it is from his honest point of view so I could make the site better.

Johnson is often misunderstood as someone who likes to ‘skin-up’ people to achieve his own motives, but from personal experience over the years, I have found that he is critical of any perceived wrongdoing, regardless of the nature. He does this not with the intention of tearing things down, but rather to make them better and fairer. He has no intention or interest in acceding to a presidential position, and since the announcement of our female presidential candidate, he has largely remained in the background, quietly doing the work necessary to build TCI up. I say this to try and dispel any false notions about his grand intentions that have been circulated by his detractors.

Ruel has shared his critique of both the PPP and coalition APNU+AFC governments over the years, and the funny thing is when he was critical of the PPP, his peers who support the coalition were loving it and sung his praises. Flip the script, and now that the shoe is on the other foot, suddenly Johnson is labelled as an upstart and written off as a bitter man who wants to push his own agenda.

As I got to know Ruel better, we became friends and I must admit that I was surprised at the friendship, given how our interactions started. When Ruel initially approached me to talk about forming a group that can seriously stand up to the excesses of the two political giants, I was already fed up of the PPP and the coalition after having supported them both. From a conversation, to an idea to what it is today, The Citizenship Initiative took root and began to grow.

Ruel’s simple honesty behind his motivations for proposing the group resonated with me and others, and here we are today, on the ballot for the next polls.

I am sharing these stories to try and dispel the dark clouds that have been painted over Johnson’s public image, as I want the public to under-

stand his motivations. I have sat next to Ruel Johnson when he responds to those who attack his character while he was a contracted worker of the government, and he would literally sit with a copy of the Constitution in his hands while replying to them. He could have shut his mouth and continued to work for the government and enjoy his benefits, but instead he chose to call it as it is and could no longer be a part of something that became the monster he once stood against.

The Citizenship Initiative represents all of its founding members’ convictions to put aside our personal comfort zones and step up to challenge the political unfairness and skewered policy in our country. The Ruel Johnsons of history are the ones who are often unpopular in public opinion, but end up being the ones who force tangible change to happen for the better. Let’s not write off those who objectively seek to create an even playing field for all of us. Bringing about meaningful change is often hard, thankless work.

We started out with the intention to change the culture of political discourse in Guyana, and we welcome all Guyanese who want to help transform Guyana into a happy, peaceful and

rewarding nation for all. Let’s not write off the messenger without taking in the message.

Sincerely, Shazaam Ally The Citizenship Initiative

MoPI addresses concerns over Linden to Mabura road Dear Editor, PLEASE permit the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI) to respond to a letter published by Stabroek News and Kaieteur News in the Tuesday, 14th January, 2020 editions which was inked by a concerned resident with regard to the Linden to Mabura road.

The ministry would like to affirm the writer’s remarks that contracts were indeed signed for the maintenance of this road. Given the special nature of the carriageway, in that, heavil laden trucks usually traverse this section for the purpose of transporting timber among other things for natural resource purposes, the MoPI has partnered with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), an arm of the Ministry of Natural Resource, to assist in maintenance of the road.

An assessment of the condition of the road is being carried out and it will guide the way for the maintenance work which resumes tomorrow. So far, the contractor has confirmed that sections of the road deteriorated during the rainy season in December. This resulted in water lodging and further weakening the carriageway.

To address this, the contractor has readily opted to commence maintenance works which will see the situation being rectified in a few days. In December last, the private contractor who had conducted maintenance works on the specific corridor for the period 2018 to November 2019 was reassigned to undertake the works.

His new contract will conclude at the end of this year.

The ministry would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to commuters during this time and reiterate, that our team is dedicated to the development and enhancement of all our roadways.

Regards Public Relations Officer Ministry of Public Infrastructure

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

Guyana hailed for protection of children …working to create multi-year action plan for implementation of the HCCH Conventions …expansion of CPA Adoption Unit, Child Abduction Bill in the pipeline

By Svetlana Marshall

EVEN as it works to develop a multi-year action plan for full implementation of The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) Conventions, Guyana has been recognised for leading the Americas in the protection of children.

At the opening of the a stock-taking meeting on the HCCH Conventions at the Marriott Hotel on Wednesday, HCCH and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), highlighted the fact that Guyana is the first State of the Americas to be party to all HCCH Children’s Conventions.

Guyana has acceded to the Child Protection, Child Abduction, Intercountry Adoption Convention, and the Child Support Conventions. The Child Support Convention will come into force in March 2020.

HCCH Representative, Ignacio Goicoechea, said implementation of the HCCH Child Protection Conventions and the Convention on the Rights of the Children is no easy task, but Guyana has made remarkable progress since 2016.

“Guyana is, somehow, leading by example in this continent as the first country to sign all four conventions,” Goicoechea said. He said the HCCH family is eagerly working with Guyana to ensure implementation of the child protection conventions in a systematic manner.

UNICEF Representative for Guyana and Suriname, Sylvie Fouet, also took stock of the progress made by Guyana, even as she renewed UNICEF’s commitment to work with the HCCH, the Legal Affairs Ministry and all other stakeholders to advance Child Rights in the country.

“Guyana is the first State in the Americas to be party to all HCCH Children’s Conventions – namely Adoption, Abduction, Child Protection and Child Support,” the UNICEF Representative iterated while noting that the journey started four years ago (July 2016) when 118 participants from 25 territories met in Georgetown to discuss the work of the HCCH and the relevance of some core conventions and instruments to Guyana and the wider Caribbean region.

“Since then, Guyana has taken several quantum leaps to ensure that the agenda for children remains a priority.

To name a few – the Alternative Care Policy (adopted), the revision of the Adoption Law and thirdly the revision of the Kidnapping Act 2011,” Fouet told the country’s legal luminaries, child rights activists, diplomats and other key stakeholders.

As the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) celebrates 30 years of existence, the UNICEF Representative said it is important to note the challenges made by Guyana in changing the environment.

“At a time of speaking of an oil economy and of migration flows, these are two examples which may propel the use of these conventions. There is a need for local action to ensure

the passage of domestic legislation. He noted too that major emphasis is being placed on capacity building within institutions to allow for effective implementation of laws once passed by the National Assembly.

“The implementation of the Hague Family Conventions will buttress the existing local legislation to secure the protection of our children and pro-

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams

HCCH Representative, Ignacio Goicoechea

UNICEF Representative for Guyana and Suriname, Sylvie Fouet

A section of the attendees (Photos by Adrian Narine)

The achievements made to date, Fouet said, would not have been possible without the unwavering support and commitment of the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams; his chambers and the HCCH family. She was also keen on singling out the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Social Protection Ministry, the Child Care and Protection Agency, the police, the Judiciary and the Director of Public Prosecutions.

that the best interest of children comes first,” she said.

For every child’s protection and happiness, Fouet said UNICEF stands committed to ensuring that a plan of action is operationalised for each of the conventions.

In his address, the Attorney General said the stock-taking meeting was designed to help Guyana chart its next steps with respect to the implementation of the Hague Family Conventions through

vide for their best interests,” he explained.

With Guyana gaining increasing attention globally in light of its ongoing oil explorations and discoveries, the Attorney General said it is critical to have legislation and regulations in place to safeguard the rights of children.

“The increasing oil exploration in Guyana has contributed to increased migration patterns and consequently

the change in family dynamics. Therefore, recognising that the legal landscape has changed, Guyana has chosen to embrace the protection that the Hague Conventions on Family Law brings, especially to children. As our Constitution recognises, the best interest of the child must always be paramount and when confronted with this changing world, the Hague Conventions allow Guyana to ensure that the child’s interest remains paramount,” Minister Williams explained.

The 1980 Child Abduction Convention, 1993 Inter-Country Adoption Convention, 1996 Child Protection Convention and 2007 Child Support Convention – are all useful Conventions that support the strengthening of a country’s capacity to manage and preside over child protection issues both locally and internationally, he said.

He disclosed that the implementation of the Hague Adoption Convention into domestic legislation will necessitate a review, improvement and expansion of the existing Adoption Unit of the Childcare and Protection Agency and the operations of the Adoption Board.

“It will also enhance the procedural arrangements involved in the adoption process and provide more opportunities for capacity development in the department.

The co-operation provisions of the Convention provide the basic framework for the exchange of information and for the necessary degree of collaboration between administrative authorities in the Contracting States. Already, we have an Adoption (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to give this Convention the force of law in Guyana and a working draft of Hague Adoption Regulations outlining the procedural aspects of the Convention,” the Attorney General detailed.

According to the Attorney General, the Drafting Division has also commenced work on a bill to give effect to the 1980 Child Abduction Convention. The convention addresses the issue of the removal of a child out of the jurisdiction by one parent without the consent of the other parent and, therefore,

provides for the expeditious return of the child. In other words, the convention provides recourse for the aggrieved parent to approach the courts for relief.

He explained that the other family conventions – the Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance, and the Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Co-operation in respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children – seek to establish a modern, efficient and accessible international system for the cross-border recovery of child support and other forms of family maintenance.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the well-being of our children is a key concern of this government and we commit ourselves to do all we can to protect our children. In doing so, we are protecting our future,” he told those present.

Outside of the Hague Family Conventions, Minister Williams alluded to the fact that Guyana has also acceded to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, simply known as the Apostille Convention.

“Our accession to this convention signals Guyana’s commitment to ensuring that we foster an environment that contributes to the ease of doing business. This is much needed since we are about to enter a season of significant economic growth,” Minister Williams explained.

Added to that, the Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, and Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire, are now part of The International Hague Network of Judges.

Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Charles Fung-aFatt, SC, CCH; Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC; Commissioner of Police, Leslie James, DSS, DSM; Deputy High Commissioner of the British High Commission, Ray Davidson; and President of the Guyana Bar Association, Teni Housty, were among the officials present in addition to the Chancellor and Chief Justice.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

More sanctions for Bosai for deficiencies in tailings pond ─Noitgedacht residents compensated for damages

By Vanessa Braithwaite THE Bosai Minerals Group Guyana (BMGG) has been further penalised by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for causing flooding in the South Mackenzie community of Noitgedacht, following a breach in its tailings pond last week.

The company was sanctioned to pay another $1, 066, 000 and to continue halting operations at the wash plant, until an entirely new tailings pond system is initiated.

This is according to EPA’s Executive Director Dr. Vincent Adams, who stressed on the seriousness of the issue and said that, while Bosai was cooperating at all levels to remedy the situation, all requirements must be met, to ensure the environmental hazards do not reoccur. He said an entire team visited Linden, following the latest incident of the flooding, had a firsthand view of the deficiencies, and held lengthy discussions with the company’s engineers and management, on fixing the issue, not for temporary relief, as was done in the past, but as a permanent solution.

Technical officials related that a pipe, located in a confinement in the company’s tailings pond, had burst, hence all of the bauxite liquid was diverted into the homes of the residents.

This occurred just days after the EPA was notified that bauxite sedimentation from the company’s tailings pond was being discharged into the Kara Kara Creek, causing discolouration and high turbidity.

The EPA, Adams said, agreed with the engineering designs proposed by Bosai and would work step by step with the company to ensure the designs were actually manifested and the results sought achieved.

While Bosai Senior Technical Coordinator, Wainewright Bethune, said the projection was that the new system should be completed within a week and operations were expected to resume, Adams said that the reconvening of operations was not determined by the completion of the new system, but on approval from EPA. “There will not be any operation of washing of bauxite until construction is complete and we approve it.

We are working with them on a daily basis, but their progress really doesn’t matter to us, whether they want to take six days or six months, that is their call, they have an economic interest, it has to be properly done,” Adams said.

He does not want the company to execute the remedial work hurriedly since there was only about seven days of bauxite stock-pile remaining in the company. Bethune said that one week was the company’s projection and they were in compliance with all EPA stipulations.

Meanwhile those residents who were affected and recorded losses from last week’s flooding, were compensated, he said.

The situation at Bosai has had the workers a little tense and they (the workers) are calling on the management to expend all revenues to have the issue corrected once and for all. Workers believe that, over the last few years,

the company did not take a hands-on approach to fixing the issue, hence the reason the situation was now affecting the operations. One worker

opined that management was utilising the cheap and easy way out and now the company was facing the backlash of poor decisions.

Bosai’s operation

PM, Dr. Cummings to headline APNU+AFC Brooklyn rally today

PRIME Minister Moses Nagamootoo, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings will, today, headline an APNU+AFC coalition re-election campaign rally in Brooklyn, New York. The event will take place at the prominent Grace Christian Church of Adventist, located at 434 DeWitt Street, Brooklyn NY 11207, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

set for March 2, will be held at a time when Guyana is considered an oil-producing nation and has been dubbed the mother of all elections.

“In a December, 2019, US Department report, US government analysts contended that experts project a victory for the ruling APNU+AFC coalition, led by President David Granger,” the organisers noted, while adding that in May 2015,

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Karen Cummings

Prime Minister Nagamootoo and the Foreign Affairs Minister travelled to New York to participate in the official handing over of the G77 chairmanship to Guyana, which took place on Wednesday.

Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Jr., son of late PPP leader and former President of Guyana President, Dr, Cheddi Jagan, is expected to endorse President David Granger and the APNU+AFC coalition for re-election.

The campaign rally is being organized by the ‘Friends of the APNU+AFC Coalition.’

In a statement, the organisers said the event is intended to update the diaspora on Guyana’s ruling APNU+AFC coalition’s r-election campaign and mobilize registered voters residing in the diaspora to return home to vote March 2, 2020. The elections,

Granger’s APNU+AFC coalition narrowly defeated the then twenty-three year old incumbent PPP regime, to form a one-seat majority government.

Other prominent speakers at the coalition’s Brooklyn rally will include President of the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID), Rickford Burke; AFC member Anita Jaikaran; PNC/R North America Chairman, Errol Lewis; Guyanese American community leader, Dimple Willabus; PNC/R member Derrick Arjune and President of the Guyana Unity Movement, Sherif Fraser.

Entertainers slated to perform include famous Guyanese artiste Eddie Neblett; Zaman “The International Dancer,” Indigenous artiste Queen B; two-time McDonald’s Gospel Fest winner, Gerard Placid; and vocalist, Cindy Nedd.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

E’bo news vendor murder…

Brothers among three charged, remanded T H R E E m e n w e re o n Wednesday at the Georgetown Magistrates Court remanded by Magistrate Faith McGusty for the brutal murder of Sham Bharrat Chunnilall Mannilall, a newspaper vendor of Queenstown, Essequibo Coast.

Charged with the murder are Carlton Carter, his brother Carl and Delhoya McKenzie.

The men were not required to plead to the capital offence which read that on

DEAD Sham Bharrat Chunnilall Mannilall

January 10, 2020, at Queenstown, Essequibo Coast, they murdered Mannilall during the course or furtherance of a robbery.

The matter was transferred to the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court for January 29, 2020. The trio will remain on remand.

According to a police report, on the day in question around 20:00hrs, Mannilall and his family were about to enter their Queenstown, Essequibo Coast home when they were confronted by two

masked men, both wearing helmets and armed with a handgun and a cutlass.

Subsequently, the firearm was discharged hitting Mannilall to his chest, shoulder and the right side of his abdomen, after which both men fled the scene.

Mannilall was rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The police subsequently launched an investigation, as a result of which the trio were arrested and charged.

Delhoya McKenzie, Carlton Carter and Carl Carter

Blue Martini murder…

Accused to be sentenced today HIGH Court Judge Justice Jo-Ann Barlow is today (January 16,2020), expected to sentence 31-year-old

Shawn Harris called ‘Shawny,’ who was recently convicted for the February 5, 2017 murder of Sunil Singh called

‘Grey.’

Singh was killed in the vicinity of the Blue M artini n ig htclu b in Owen Street, Kitty.

Harris was represented by attorney-at-law Maxwell McKay, while the state was represented

Shawn Harris called ‘Shawny’

by prosecutors Shawnette Austin and Sarah Martin.

McKay had begged the court to be lenient with his client, since he had already spent almost three years on remand.

However, prosecutor Austin informed the court that, the conviction was

Harris’s third, since he had served time before for other criminal activities.

According to reports, patrol ranks went to the Blue Martini Nightclub and closed the club about 02:45hrs on February 5, 2017, after which they left.

However, shortly after, according to Charles Valenzuela, an employee of the nightspot, three men arrived and wanted to enter the club.

At that point in time, the young man informed them that the club was closed and that resulted in an argument, during which one of the men stabbed Valenzuela to his left arm.

Singh, who was present at the time, intervened and was trying to make

peace when the suspect dealt Singh a ‘lash’ to his head.

Singh then reportedly ran north into Railway Street, Kitty, and was pursued by his attacker, who caught up with him and stabbed him several times.

Both Singh and Valenzuela were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where Singh was pronounced dead; Valenzuela was treated and sent away.

In 2016, Harris was released from prison after serving a sentence for drug trafficking. He had also served time for the Bank of Baroda robbery committed at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, on January 22, 2016.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday January 16, 2020

GPL director sues KN, PPP media outlets for libel

DIRECTOR of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Kirk Hollingsworth, who served as a diplomat for 25 years, has sued Kaieteur News, Freedom Radio, and Guyana Times for libel in excess of $300M. Hollingsworth filed three separate legal proceedings against the entities through his attorneys Roysdale Forde, Olayne Joseph and James Bond.

In the case brought against Freedom Radio Inc. and Manzoor Nadir, Hollingsworth claimed for damages in excess of $50M for libel committed by the respondents on November 12, 2019 on Freedom Radio 91.1 FM (Demerara), 90.5 FM (Berbice) and 90.7 (Essequibo). He told the High Court that Freedom Radio published or caused to be published defamatory statements made

by Nadir that he (Hollingsworth) had been awarded over 3000 acres of prime property at Ruimveldt as a result of seemingly corrupt and clandestine transaction.

Hollingsworth also claimed for damages in excess of $50M on the basis that the information was circulated on Freedom Radio’s online platform. He is also seeking a mandatory injunction compelling Freedom Radio and Nadir to remove permanently, the defamatory statements from the Internet, as well as from the radio site.

In defending his claim, Hollingsworth pointed out that he is not only a Director at GPL, but also a former diplomat and a consultant, providing consultancy services to international and domestic companies in a number of areas inclusive of the Oil and Gas Sector, Trade and Investments in Guyana.

The High Court was presented with evidence in the form of quotes or transcripts from the radio programme which suggested that

Hollingsworth had been awarded over 3000 acres of prime property at Ruimveldt as a result of a seemingly corrupt and clandestine transaction.

Forde, on behalf of his client, told the court that the natural and ordinary meaning of the sentiments expressed by Nadir would cause the reasonable listener to conclude that Hollingsworth acquired over 3000 square feet or 3,199.92 acres of land, and that the acquisition of the land from the government was an award or result of him manipulating the system for self-preservation and enrichment.

It was also alleged that Hollingsworth was rewarded the plot of land for his participation at meetings of the Board of Directors at GPL. Forde said listeners would also reasonably conclude that the acquisition of land was also as a reward for Hollingsworth’s support and vote at an emergency meeting of the Board of Directors at GPL to remove the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Rensford Homer, from office. “…The effect of the aforesaid defamatory statements seems calculated to affect the claimant’s as a consultant with a view of lowering him in the estimation of right-thinking persons in society, render him the subject of disapproval and rejection by the citizens of Guyana and to negatively affect the claimant’s creditability, character and reputation,” Forde told the Court in the Statement of Claim.

He reported that on November 12, 2019, Hollingsworth and his family were inundated with phone calls, text messages, Facebook messages, emails and Whatsapp messages concerning or related to the defamatory statements and the truthfulness and or veracity of the claims made by Nadir.

“The claimant’s personal and professional reputation and standing has been irreparably and severely damaged,” Forde iterated while pointing out that on November 25, 2019, Hollingsworth’s client, Kaydel Oil and Gas Ltd., terminated his consultancy contract because of his alleged involvement in “illegal land grabbing dealings with the government.”

The next day, Elantra Global Capital LLP also terminated its contract with Hollingsworth on a similar ground.

A similar lawsuit was filed against the Guyana Times Inc. and its Editor-in-Chief, Tusika Martin. In that statement of Claim, Hollingsworth, through his attorneys, claimed for damages in excess of $50M for libel committed by Martin and the Guyana Times on November 11, 2019 where they published or caused to be published, an article titled, “Over 3000 acres of prime land allocated to GPL Director,” in which Hollingsworth was portrayed as having been awarded over 3000 acres of prime property located on the East Bank of Demerara, as a result of a seemingly corrupt and clandestine transaction.

Another $50M is being claimed by Hollingsworth on the ground that the article was published on Guyana Time’s online platform. In this case he is also seeking a mandatory injunction compelling both Martin and the Guyana Times to permanently remove the defamatory article from the Guyana Times newspaper edition of the November 11, 2019, available at https://www.guyanatimesgy.com.

“Over 3000 acres of prime land, located on the East Bank of Demerara in an area known to be the location for the Ogle-to-Diamond bypass road, has been allocated to a

Crane man kills wife over alleged infidelity A MOTHER of three was brutally stabbed to death by her reputed husband in their Lot 15 Crane, Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara home Tuesday night.

Dead is Bibi Sabeeda Ally, 34. Her husband, Matram Lall, 40, a construction worker has since confessed to the gruesome act.

The couple’s three children are 19, 17 and seven years of age. Police said Ally was stabbed to the left shoulder and neck with a kitchen knife.

Lall was arrested while hiding out at his cousin’s residence across the road from where he lived. Lall is a patient at the West Demerara Regional Hospital under police guard.

“He was arrested and indicated to police that she was being unfaithful to him; it became unbearable to him that night and he became frustrated and stabbed her. Then he ingested a poisonous substance,” a senior police said.

The woman’s moth-

er, Rajpattie Persaud, said her daughter had always complained about her husband’s ill-treatment and abusive behaviour.

She explained that her daughter worked at a shop in Kingston, Georgetown, and, last Sunday night, her son-in-law was out and returned home intoxicated.

“The same night he drinks, he was in a small accident with his vehicle and the person turn up where we live and started to quarrel, saying how he broke his light on the vehicle he hit. So he told my daughter let she get up and go and get some money to pay the man but she didn’t get up, she sit down right there,” the mother explained.

Adding that the owner of the damaged vehicle began to behave in a hostile manner, the traumatised mother said, that upon inquiry, she learnt that the vehicle owner needed $25,000 to fix the damaged light on his vehicle and an agreement was made.

“Since then, he (Ma-

Arrested: Matram Lall

tram Lall) keep drinking late into the same night and he started to ill-treat my daughter and she would have to go and sleep with the children. He would then go and chuck her out of the bed and force her to go into his room,” she reflected.

However, on Tuesday night, the distraught mother said she was awakened by the screaming of her daughter.

“I hear my daughter holler Mommy! Mommy!

It was almost midnight. My grandson ran out the room to see what happened and me run out too. He then come out with the knife, and my daughter run out and fall down in front of my bedroom door bleeding.

I didn’t realise the stabs she get would have killed

11

single individual. The land, 3199 acres in total, is listed as parcel 728 from the East Bank of Demerara and was surveyed back in 2014 by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC). A gazette notice dated October 14, 2019, indicates that it is now in the hands of Kirk Hollingsworth, a current Director on the Board of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and a former diplomat,” Guyana Times alleged in the article. Forde told the High Court that the article would cause an ordinary person to conclude that the acreage of the land awarded to the claimant, which measured 3,199 acres, was larger than the city of Georgetown – capital of Guyana, and the award was corrupt in nature. He detailed similar damages as was highlighted in the case brought against Freedom Radio.

The case, Hollingsworth v Adam Harris and the National Media and Publishing Company Ltd, Forde made similar claims on behalf of his client. Hollingsworth sued Harris – the Editor-in-Chief of the Kaieteur News and its publisher for damages in excess of $50M for libel committed against him on November 11, 2019 in the Kaieteur News.

The newspaper published an article headlined “Govt. gives out land larger than G/town to a single individual,” in which it was contended that the GPL Director was portrayed as having been awarded over 3000 acres of prime property at Ruimveldt as a result of corrupt activities.

Harris and the publisher of Kaieteur News were sued for another $50M because the content of the article appeared on their online platform. In this lawsuit, Hollingsworth detailed similar damages and asked that the article be removed from the newspaper’s website.

Police resuscitates Traffic Advisory Committee A section of the stakeholders gathered at the Traffic Advisory Committee’s meeting

Dead: Bibi Sabeeda Ally

she,” the mother said in tears.

She said Matram then turned and watched his son in a very angry manner.

“I then go on my knees and I started to beg him and asked him why he do this, give me the knife, he said he will give me the knife, but don’t call nobody. I told him to go outside let me look after my daughter, and I locked the door behind him,” she said.

The crying mother said minutes after the confrontation, her daughter stopped breathing. She was pronounced dead at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

Matram reportedly went to his cousin nearby and there he attempted to commit suicide.

THE Guyana Police Force Traffic Advisory Committee, which was not functioning for some time, has been resuscitated.

The committee will be chaired by Commissioner of Police, Leslie James, and will consist of stakeholders that include the Guyana National Road Safety Council and the United Minibus Union.

Other representatives will include Deputy Commissioner (Administration), Paul Williams; Deputy Commissioner (Operations), Maxine Graham; Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent, Linden Isles and key traffic officers.

The committee, on Tuesday, met for the first time and will be doing so on a monthly basis. During the meeting which was held at the commissioner’s Conference Room, all committee members formally introduced themselves, after which an interactive session was held, outlining issues and concerns pertaining to traffic.

Commissioner of police, during brief remarks, welcomed the members of the committee and urged them to give of their best, adding that the resuscitation of the committee was of utmost importance.

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday January 16, 2020

Commonwealth Technical Adviser arrives to support GECOM ALREADY, international support is arriving in Guyana to assist the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) with preparation for the March 2, 2020 elections.

On Tuesday, GECOM Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward announced that Commonwealth Senior Technical Adviser, Dr. Afari Gyan had arrived in Guyana and met with the full Commission inclusive of GECOM Chair, Justice (rt’d) Claudette Singh and Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield.

Gyan is to provide technical support to the commission, particularly the Secretariat. Ward informed media operatives that a team from the Secretariat is also in the country conducting advance preparations for an observer mission they have planned. Meanwhile, Former Chief Elections Commissioner of India, Dr. Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi is expected to arrive in the country by the end of the month.

Added to this, the International Republican Institute (IRI) has provided the Commission with technical support in the area of civic and voter education. The individuals who have already arrived to assist are former Director of Elections in Jamaica, Orette Fisher and a current representative of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ).

The exercise is intended to ensure that the public understands its rights and restrictions when it comes to voting. Meanwhile, the Commissioner to travel to engage overseas contractors about balloting have been identified as Commissioners Sase Gunraj and Charles Corbin.

Former Director of Elections in Jamaica, Orette Fisher (Jamaica Gleaner photo)

Commonwealth Senior Technical Adviser, Dr. Afari Gyan meets with GECOM Chair, Justice (rt’d) Claudette Singh and Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield

URP rebuffs Jagdeo’s invitation to join PPP ...Bandhu accuses the party of stealing his candidates

LEADER of the United Republic Party (URP), Dr. Vishnu Bandhu believes that many Guyanese are not politically educated and therefore continue to fall into the traps of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

On the Guyana Chronicle’s online programme, Vantage Point on Monday, the URP Head said much of his bad experiences came from the former Administration he once supported. Unlike other small parties contesting the elections, the URP has been around for quite some time, founded in 1985 and launched in Guyana in 1987. In 1992 and 2015 the URP contested the General and Regional Elections but, according to Dr. Bandhu, the party only received 1,800 and 1,100 votes respectively. Questioned why the party took a break from contesting between 1992 and 2015, the party leader stated that it was because it (the party) “trusted the PPP would do the right thing”.

He said that that meant addressing law and order, positively, in Guyana and respecting the constitution. There was also the view that Dr Cheddie Jagan was an “honest politician”.

“We thought that he (Dr Jagan) would do the right thing but his years in government, he didn’t even attempt to do those things that he promised he would do. In fact, after the elections, I personally went to him. I said ‘Doc, you said winner wouldn’t take all’. Do you know what his answer was to me? ‘Who do

you think is PPP/Civic? PPP/Civic is PPP.’ It was only names they were playing with. Because of the wrong things that had been going on in Guyana under the 23 years of the PPP we thought it was unfair. So, the same party which we assisted to go in government, which was the PPP, we came back and are fighting against them,” he explained.

The URP is self-funded by Dr. Bandhu and he has vowed never to coalesce with the PPP/C despite the fact that Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo had contacted him about same.

“The URP is not merging with no political party,” Bandhu told the newspaper earlier this month. “Other political parties have called and asked us to come together and we said no. PPP called me but I never went. Bharrat [Jagdeo] had called me personally, I never went. Badal’s party had called me…but we are going alone, we’re not merging with nobody.”

On Monday, he repeated the same stating that he believed that URP represents the only hope for Guyana with the true leadership to move the country forward. Dr. Bandhu said that he doesn’t believe that all the leaders of the country’s two main political parties are bad but said that they would need to dismantle themselves and join the URP if they really wanted some form of a joint effort.

Detailing areas in which he believed the PPP demonstrated mismanagement and poor leadership, the URP Head criticized the notorious $10,000 cash grant to school children

which he admitted had been misused for years by parents and guardians for unintended purposes.

“I know people who never even looked at their children. They picked up five of their children, they carried them at the school and they say ‘these are five children’ and they never spent any money on their kids but they collected $50,000,” he said.

It is the same cash grant that presidential candidate of the PPP, Irfaan Ali, has been promoting to resuscitate during the party’s on-going elections campaign. Dr. Bandhu said that people in pro-PPP areas continue to be misled to the extent that they believe every utterance of their leaders without thinking for themselves. He detailed: “You will find some Indian areas where there is PPP support [and] the government built their roads now and you will hear the PPP go around and say ‘we de put in fuh build that road’. Five years ago you were in there and you couldn’t have built the road but the government built the road, what is fair is fair…you‘ve got to think for yourself. We have a budget every year; this year’s budget will be spent on next year’s projects.

So, how will PPP who came out from office five years ago and five years ago they could have left money to build the road? Nonsense.

It doesn’t work like that.”

The URP head also accused the PPP of attempting to steal its candidates by sizing up the URP’s lists posted for

Leader of the United Republic Party (URP), Dr. Vishnu Bandhu

previous elections and randomly taking names and copying signatures. “In the Local Government [Elections] we had candidates who were leading our lists on the West Demerara where I’m from and he [this candidate] never signed for the PPP but when we submitted our lists they said his name was on the PPP [List]. So, he wrote them a letter, got it notarized and showed them and told them that he never, ever signed for the PPP and let them take his name immediately off that list,” Dr. Bandhu said. The URP is contesting the 2020 General and Regional Elections and hopes to gain several seats in the National Assembly despite the limited support received on previous attempts.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

Gov’t commissions $86.6M sluice in Leguan …will protect over 1000 acres of land from flooding

IN an effort to protect over 1,000 acres of land from flooding, government has commissioned an $86.6 million sluice and revetment project at Thierens, on the Island of Leguan.

According to a report from the Department of Public Information (DPI), over 50 farmers will benefit from the new sluice, which was commissioned on Wednesday.

According to the DPI report, Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder said the government has been concentrating on water resource management as a priority, since local agriculture is practised in the low-lying areas of Regions Tw o ( P o m e r o o n - S u p e naam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

“This sluice can ade-

quately drain an area of 750 acres. It takes into consideration your current situation and any future developments in the village of Thierens…This will

CEO of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, Frederick Flatts

considerably increase the benefits attained by improving crop production since shorter, and less frequent, inundation periods can be expected,” said Holder.

Minister Holder said his

Chandan-Edmond resigns from PSC ─ after selected for APNU+AFC top-up list

FORMER Magistrate and member of the Public Service Commission, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, resigned on Tuesday from office in the aftermath of being chosen as a candidate on the national top-up list for the APNU+AFC coalition.

Former Magistrate, Geeta Chandan-Edmond

According to reports, the Public Service Commission had expressed a no objections to her resignation request.

A letter dispatched by the chairman of the Public Service Commission, Michael Somersall, stated that in order to maintain the integrity which the commission holds, a Statutory meeting with its members was called to discuss the ramifications of Mrs. Chandan-Edmond’s elevation, inter alia.

“Significantly because of the respect which the commission has for the Constitu-

tion and the Laws of Guyana, it has decided to inform the populace that Mrs. Geeta Chandan-Edmond has indicated her intention to resign from office, and to which there were no objections,” the letter stated. “In this era where information is readily accessible, the general public ought to be congisant of the fact that the commission is required to be a non-partisan body in the performance of its constitutional duties.”

The commission noted that Chandan-Edmond has served with distinction and has exhibited the greatest level of neutrality and deference to the oath of her office.

As such, her sterling contributions to the commission would be missed.

“The commission, along with its secretariat takes this opportunity to thank Mrs. Chandan-Edmond for her excellent service and wish her success in her future endeavours,” the letter stated.

Further, the commission noted that Mrs. Chandan-Edmond’s resignation, as a member of the commission, will not affect the work of the commission because it still maintains a majority in order to execute its mandate.

However, in light of Chandan-Edmond’s resignation, the commission has since made representations to President David Granger for a suitable replacement.

ministry, through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), had expended approximately $8 Billion in 2019 to continue the implementation of plans for the upgrading and rehabilitation of the drainage and irrigation infrastructure in all regions across Guyana.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NDIA, Fedrick Flatts, also said over the years the authority has sought to improve drainage and irrigation throughout the country. According to Flatts, as NDIA continues to increase drainage coefficient across the nation, 12 pumps - 9 fixed and 3 mobiles- are expected to arrive in less than two months from India.

Leguan farmer, Roopchand Maraj, in commending the ministry for the work they did, said: “this project was neglected for years and

we were faced with major flooding. So, this is a great gift.”

Another farmer for over two decades, Jagdesh Ram-

reported that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP)controlled Leguan-Endeavour Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) was

Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder

Leguan farmer, Jagdesh Ramratan

ratan said: “we are happy for this. It will help us greatly.”

The commissioning of the sluice comes a few weeks after some 30 families of Leguan were affected by flooding.

Guyana Chronicle had

blamed for neglecting their duties to repair and maintain a koker door, which gave away and caused flooding in some areas of the Region Three island on Tuesday.

Former Councillor of the Leguan-Endeavour NDC, Amjad Shaw, believes the

situation could have been avoided if the NDC had serviced the door.

“The NDC has received money to service the door but they are very negligent… it was the negligence of the NDC to service the door that caused this,” said Shaw in an invited comment on Friday.

The former councillor said persons suffered for the short time because they had to battle with high levels of water, which got into their yards and houses.

“Some persons incurred damages beyond repair,” said Shaw, reiterating that the problem could have been avoided.

He had called on the NDC to be more proactive in their approach to maintaining critical structures so that such situations could be avoided in the future.

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

Coalition reminds Tiger Bay residents of Jagdeo-era killings …urges rejection of PPP at March 2 polls

THE APNU+AFC coalition rolled into Tiger Bay on Monday night to remind residents of the daily blood shed during the Bharrat Jagdeo presidency and urged that Guyanese should not buy the “lies of the opposition” as the country heads into general elections.

The meeting saw remarks delivered by several party members, including Attorney-at-Law, James Bond; Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine; Former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief-ofStaff, Rear Admiral (rtd) Gary Best and several others. Also in attendance was Chairperson for the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR), Volda Lawrence, however she did not speak during the evening’s proceedings.

Jagdeo was President of Guyana from August 11, 1999 to December 3, 2011 during which there were three massacres: Lusignan where 11 individuals 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 gunned down.

No inquiry was ever held for these killings.

Addressing the gathering, Bond spoke to the residents about the many developments that the APNU+AFC government has brought about across the country notwithstanding its short four year tenure. He touched on the yearly increases in public servants’ salary – with last year seeing many citizens pocking no less than $100,000 over the Christmas season. “We have heard public servants saying this is the best Christmas they have ever had. We’ve done a lot and we got more to do. Guyana is on the up, Tiger Bay is on the up. This country belongs to the people of Tiger Bay, the people of Mabaruma, the people of Corentyne,” Bond conveyed.

Many of the community’s young children in the gathering danced around while

waving party flags, as Bond told the residents that the future of their children could be in jeopardy if the opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) gets back into government. “Don’t let them sell you dreams. They

Mayor, Ubraj Narine, pointed to the establishment of washroom and bathroom facilities in the community, and the transformation of an empty lot in the community that once served as an illegal dumpsite. The community

several clean-up exercises in the environs of the community. “This government works in the interest of each and every one of you. My friends, the opposition neglected Tiger Bay for decades and it is this government who brought back the power of you the people so that we can serve you in the right way,” Narine preached.

“I never forget Tiger Bay, every occasion I visit. I visit on behalf of his Excellency President David Granger, he sent me to you to make sure you are doing well. I can recall a concern raised about washroom facilities, today there are two restrooms and

answer me. We bring it in a vision because David Arthur Granger has a vision. Let us ensure that family members go out and place that ‘x’ next to the APNU+AFC, and the symbol is the Palm and key,” Narine stated.

During her presentation, an impassioned Bishop’s High School teacher, Elizabeth Williams, spoke of the days when Bajan Calypsonian John King’s song “How Many More” that speaks to “senseless killing”, was the community’s anthem. “That was the song on my mind tonight, ‘How Many More’.

Do you remember in Tiger Bay when you used to have

APNU+AFC government.

Your children will get an education second to none, not in the next five years; we are not waiting until the next five years. This man, David Arthur Granger, he is a President who goes down on his knees every single day for every child in this country. This man believes that an educated nation is a great and prosperous nation,” Williams shared.

Former GDF Captain, 28-year-old Daniel Seeram pleaded with the audience to ensure the progress and development continues. “It we don’t vote, the progress can’t continue, the devel-

APNU+AFC Party member, Attorney-at-Law, James Bond (Elvin Croker photos)

APNU+AFC Party member, Former GDF Captain, Daniel Seeram, (left) smilingly greets a supporter, during the party’s Tiger Bay meeting Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine (right), delivering remarks during the Tiger Bay meeting

The Bishops’ High School teacher, Elisabeth Williams, speaking at the APNU+AFC Tiger Bay Public Meeting

are going to sell you so many dreams you are going to want to know where were these people all the time,” Bond cautioned.

Delving into some details of how the community has specifically benefitted from developments over the past few years, Georgetown

now has a skip bin, which is regularly emptied. A constituency candidate, Narine pointed out that Tiger Bay fell within his constituency and he has held to his promise to see the community rise out of its once neglected state. The Mayor and City Council (MCC) have held

bathrooms.” Narine also highlighted work that the municipality and government have done on the drainage system that has reduced flooding in Tiger Bay and many other communities across the City.

“I want you to know your government has put systems in place tackling the drainage system,” Narine noted.

Also warning the residents against the empty promises of the opposition, Narine highlighted that that party’s candidate, Irfaan Ali, is still to provide any evidence whatsoever to substantiate his continuous claim that he could provide 50,000 jobs for Guyanese. “If I ask him to give me a break down, he can’t

the mass funeral, when you used to missing your son, when your daughters used to turn to prostitutes. If you ever put back PPP they will allow your brothers, fathers and uncles blood to run in the streets again. I want you to remember, tell your brothers, uncle, cousins, don’t forget the blood that used to run in these streets,” Williams warned.

She claimed that there was a time when in Tiger Bay children were not even afforded the same opportunities for education as others. “They used to send your children to all kinds of schools. Your children’s lives depend on you voting for David Granger and the

opment can’t continue,” Seeram expressed. Leonard also urged the crowd to ensure that their names are on the voters list and that they go out and vote come March 2, Guyana’s next general and regional elections. “The most important thing we need to do is exercise our right, on March 2 we have to go and vote. We have to tell our friends, our brothers, tell everybody, every vote counts. If we don’t go out and vote is another five years of the PPP. If you think you used to punish before, there would be more punishment if they return,” Leonard also warned.

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday January 16, 2020

No more flambeau, kerosene lamps for Waiakabra residents Residents of Waiakabra for the first time in decades have received electricity from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).

According to a press statement from GPL, the little community, located just off the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, was in darkness for decades but now there is light and power.

For the first time, residents of Waiakabra now have access to a stable supply of electricity. This access now dispels the need for flambeau and kerosene lamps, generators and candles. This follows a move by GPL to connect Waiakabra to the national grid on December 22, 2019.

The connection came subsequent to an engagement with members of the Community Development Council (CDC) and councillors, where GPL promised to provide power to the community and later delivered on that promise.

Chairman of the CDC, Burston Peters, said efforts to power the community in the past were unsuccessful. It was only when Peters relocated to the community four years ago discussions resumed and were fruitful.

“There were obstacles during the process, we never thought it was possible to have electricity in this community, but it is here today and we’re thankful to GPL for it. The children in the community used their phone lights or generators to do homework, but now they don’t have to. This is real progress in our community,” Mr. Peters said.

With electricity in place, the residents are now carrying out their daily routines with more ease.

Some residents have already ventured into small businesses, while others are assessing entrepreneurial avenues to improve their livelihood.

Inez Daniels, the oldest resident in the community, expressed exuberance for the electricity in the community. She recalled the days without electricity which she said were “burdensome.”

Daniels said: “I lived here over 40 years and we did not have electricity and water. Now we have both and I am happy that we no longer have to use flambeau lamps or noisy generators which were very costly for us.

“Plus, for the first time we were able to use fairy lights for Christmas. We are very thankful for the light.”

Another resident, Alisha Jocintha, shed tears of

maintained a stable supply of electricity during the Christmas season. This was the second consecutive year that the company was able to deliver such a service during the holiday period.

According to a press statement from GPL, in 2019 there were five shutdowns, an amount which was “unprecedented.” In comparing the amount of shutdowns to previous years, the power company said there were 12 shutdowns in 2018 and 25 in 2017.

Chairman of the Community Development Council, Mr. Burston Peters

joy while expressing her gratitude for the electricity in the community. Jocintha was particularly happy that her children can now study with ease, rather than with the noisy generators.

She said, “for 15 years I have been spending lots of money in gas for the generator and I am now relieved that we finally have electricity. No more generators, thanks to GPL.” Other residents were particularly happy that they can now have cold water regularly and watch television shows. Another resident, Richard Oselmo, was happy that he can now walk late at nights without fear.

Public Relations Officer of GPL, Shevon Sears, said GPL is happy to serve the community. She said it was a good opportunity for GPL to provide the necessary infrastructure to supply the community with electricity in time for the holiday season. It was recently reported that GPL delivered a “commendable” service during the holiday season.

The company is usually criticised by the public throughout the year, mainly because of the power outages and usual inconsistences in the delivery of the service. GPL, despite existing challenges,

Mandisa Williams and Richard Oselmo

Police probing murder of ‘Foots’ POLICE are investigating an alleged murder committed on Richard Fresco called “Foots” a 43-year-old man of East La Penitence, Georgetown on Monday.

In a release, police said the killing occurred about 03:40 hrs at Lot 65 Cross Street, Werk-En-Rust, Georgetown between Had-

field and Leopold Street.

Enquiries revealed that the victim and an unidentified male were heard having a heated argument over money.

Following the incident, there was a loud banging on a nearby zinc fence where the victim was reportedly found lying next to the said fence.

He was reportedly removed by persons unknown and placed on the eastern cross street with what appeared to be a stab wound to his upper right chest. The body is currently at the Lyken Funeral Parlour awaiting a post-mortem examination. Investigations are on-going.

“The aim is to completely eliminate these events, even though this will be a challenge until existing generation, Transmission and Distribution (T&D) systems are upgraded,” said GPL. The company said the improvement in performance had resulted in customers in Demerara, Berbice, Anna Regina, Bartica, Leguan and Wakenaam only experiencing minimal service interruptions, which were largely attributed to localised faults.

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday January 16, 2020

Shivnarine Outar: The Soesdyke Man gets ‘life’ youth who tested Guyana’s First Oil for 2015

A YOUNG Guyanese laboratory technician had the honour of being the first to test Guyana’s First Oil, extracted from the Liza Phase One project, which commenced production on December 20, 2019.

A release from ExxonMobil said that for Shivnarine Outar, it was the opportunity of a lifetime. “The offshore laboratory technician, employed by Nalco Champion, was the first person to test the first sample of Guyanese crude oil as it came through the Liza Destiny Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel,” said the release.

Understandably, he was ecstatic about the occasion and what it means for him.

“So many things can happen from that crude that is right there in front of me and I was fortunate enough to capture that moment,” said Shiv, as he is fondly referred.

“Nobody can take that from me right now, never!”

He recalled eagerly waiting for hours on December 20, 2019, the day Guyana produced its first drop of oil.

“We were making sure our apparatuses are correct, we made sure our instruments are calibrated, and our sample boards are all prepared and ready,” he related. “I had to be all suited up, as a safety precaution with a mask, gloves and boots everything, the whole nine yards just to get a sample of this Guyanese oil. The moment finally came at 9:34 pm, that’s

when we got the first sample of Guyanese oil on the FPSO,” he is quoted as saying.

Although it was a moment of pride for the former Covent Garden Secondary School student, the occasion was still an unbelievable one which gave him goosebumps.

“I’m actually reliving the moment right now,” he said, looking down at his arms.

“I was almost emotional, it meant so much to me, and it meant so much for my family and for the Guyanese population. I looked at the oil and said ‘what the….?’ I was so proud…I am so proud right now.”

The release said that Shiv has been employed by Nalco Champion since April 2019 and rotates on to the FPSO every 28 days. It said that he and his ‘back-to-back’ colleague, Rajiv Indarjeet, entered a friendly competition over who would be the one to witness first oil. “Fortunately, I was there and I can assure you he shares that moment with me. He was up waiting with me that night just to get the news.”

According to ExxonMobil, the two young men were trained in the United States, Singapore and Brazil before taking up their roles on the FPSO. “They are receiving further mentorship by experienced personnel whom they will eventually replace,” the release said.

From what they call the “cortex” of the FPSO, Shiv and Rajiv test the quality of

Man accused of murder remanded

MAGISTRATE Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, on Tuesday January 14, 2020, remanded to prison, a 26-year-old man accused of the murder of a Festival City, North Ruimveldt man who was killed during the course of a robbery last October.

Terrence Pitt on his way to the court room

Terrence Pitt, called ‘Shots’, of Timehri Hill To p , a p p e a r e d a t t h e Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. He was also charged for escaping from lawful custody. He

was not required to plead to the charges, when they were read to him.

Particulars of the first charge stated that, on October 5, 2019, at Festival City, North Ruimveldt, Pitt murdered Darrel Breedy during the course of a robbery.

The second charge stated that, between November 11, 2019 and November 12, 2019, at Georgetown, while in custody, pending investigation for murder, he escaped from lawful custody.

Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus remanded Pitt to prison and adjourned the matter until January 29, 2020, when he will make another appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Breedy, 53, of Lot 2037 Hummingbird Street, Festival City, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was shot and killed after two gunmen broke into his home and robbed him of $11,000 and his television.

Sophia murder

FIVE years after the gruesome murder of 18-year-old Alisa McPherson, her boyfriend was on Tuesday sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving 20 years.

Shivanand Roopnarine,

crime his client was under the influence of alcohol and now regrets what he did.

Additionally, Dhurjon said Roopnarine while behind bars had learned to read and write.

He will also be writing the Caribbean Secondary Education

Shivnarine Outar and Rajiv Indarjeet at the Liza Destiny Naming Ceremony in Singapore in June 2019

Guyana’s oil against certain benchmarks. “The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has been doing a lot of work with the American Petroleum Institute (API) and so we are the guys on the FPSO making sure those specifications are met,” he explained.

The 28-year-old, who was once responsible for testing the quality of another of Guyana’s valuable commodities -- El Dorado Rum, has a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Guyana and an MBA through Nations University,” the release said.

He was raised in Soes-

dyke on the East Bank of Demerara by a supportive family who instilled in him drive and dedication. “When I go on the FPSO, they are the reason I want to work safely and come home.”

Meanwhile, Shiv sees oil production as an opportunity for himself, family and other Guyanese to thrive. He is optimistic about its potential to transform the country and improve people’s lives.

“Be patient,” he advises others. “Oil is here to stay for a long time so be patient, keep looking for the opportunities and they will come.”

NIS Old age pension increase to pay out Feb 1

THE National Insurance Scheme is informing that the old age pension increases took effect on January 1, and payments for all beneficiaries will be made on February 1.

Public Relations Officer, Diane Lewis Baxter, told DPI that measures are in place to ensure that all pensioners receive their benefits. “The pension took effect from the first of January 2020 and is for those persons who receive $32,100, so those are the minimum pensioners and it will be paid in February. We do have the banking system and we call it lodgment, where persons will submit their bank account numbers so that we can put the monies into their bank account. Apart from that, we have offices in every administrative region and persons can visit these offices if they do not have a bank account,” Baxter said.

The PRO noted that there has been an increase in the insurable earning ceiling with a monthly rating of $256,000 to $280,000, with weekly moving from $59,262 to $64,615. “...

that means, is that persons who make claims for their NIS benefits will be paid at a higher rate and for persons who are retiring this time next year, that also will have a spin-off effect, in that it will affect the amount they will receive as a pension and that’s for those who are paid on the ceiling,”

National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Public Relations Officer, Diane Lewis

The Public Relations Officer stated that the statutory date for pensions to be submitted to the bank is the 22nd of every month. She urged pensioners to submit their life certificates on time.

(DPI)

Shivanand Roopnarine and Allisa McPherson

26, of School Street, Grove, East Bank Demerara, was sentenced by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court.

Roopnarine confessed that on April 19, 2015, he murdered his girlfriend Allisa McPherson at Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

The state was represented by prosecutors Tiffany Lyken, Tuanna Hardy, and Nefeeza Baig. Roopnarine was represented by attorney-at-law Siand Dhurjon.

According to reports, on April 18, 2015, McPherson left her home and went to a party in Sophia with a male friend. While at the party McPherson was confronted

by Roopnarine who accused her of infidelity. McPherson denied the accusation, subsequent to which Roopnarine took her to the back of the yard, drew a black object from the waist of his pants and stabbed her.

McPherson was discovered in the toilet area with stab wounds and she was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.

A post-mortem report revealed that McPherson was stabbed 41 times about her body. Roopnarine fled the murder scene but was arrested in March 2016 at Mabura, Region 10(Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice).

Roopnarine confessed and told investigators that he had felt betrayed by McPherson Dhurjon, during his plea of mitigation, told the court during the commission of the

Certificate (CSEC) examinations in June.

Roopnarine during his address to the court begged McPherson’s family for forgiveness.

McPherson’s mother De-

Shivanand Roopnarine

nise took to the witness stand and read a statement in court.

She broke down in tears, stating that she is still grieving the loss of her daughter. “I would like to ask him why he did it to my daughter,” she said, as she looked to Roopnarine for an answer; Roopnarine however stared blankly at her.

Justice Kissoon considered the following factors: the age of the deceased and how she was killed; the fact that a weapon was used and the need to deter like-minded individuals from committing similar crimes. He also considered the following mitigating factors such as Roopnarine’s age, the date when he committed the act and when he was arrested a year later.

Justice Kissoon eventually sentenced Roopnarine to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving 20 years.

17

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday January 16, 2020

Rubis accountant murder…

Judge aborts trial in interest of justice THE trial pertaining to the murder of Jason Cort, the Rubis accountant who was shot and killed by bandits at his Meadowbrook Gardens home in 2015, was on Wednesday aborted by Justice Brassington Reynolds at the Demerara High Court.

The trial had commenced against Stancy Rodney, 30; Linton Eastman, 33, and Clifton Gibson, 33, all of whom have pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on June 17, 2015, at Meadowbrook Gardens, Georgetown, during the course of a robbery, they murdered Cort.

The Guyana Chronicle was made to understand that there was a development in relation

to the trial, which led to an inquiry. The judge, based on the inquiry, decided that the trial had to be aborted in the interest of justice.

Consequently, the three accused will have to face a new trial at the next sitting of the Demerara Assizes.

On the day in question around 22:30hrs, Cort was shot to the chest when gunmen invaded his home before making off with his licensed firearm, mobile phone and Nintendo game.

Cort had just returned home from an outing with his girlfriend. She was also at home at the time of the incident but was unhurt. It was reported that the bandits took

Court gives double-murder accused 14 days to find counsel

...accused again refuses state-assigned lawyer

Gavin Graham

JUSTICE Sandil Kissoon has given double-murder accused Gavin Graham 14 days to find a lawyer to represent him during his trial, since he has again refused a state-assigned lawyer.

Graham, 53, is on remand for the indictment, which alleged that on January 2, 2015, at Lot 6036 ‘C’ Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, he murdered Towobola Abrams, 38, and her stepfather Clifford Sampson, 68, by setting their home afire.

Although spending the last five years behind bars, Graham made his first High Court appearance in April, 2019, before Justice Navindra Singh when he refused the services of four state- assigned lawyers.

Graham was then placed back to await the next partial sitting of the Demerara Assizes.

On Monday, when the January Assizes was opened, Graham was called before Justice Kissoon.

The court was again informed that Graham was refusing the services of a new state-assigned attorney.

Justice Kissoon told Graham that he was granted eight months to find a lawyer, which he failed to do so.

“It is unfair to have you locked away without a trial” Justice Kissoon told Graham.

Graham pleaded with the judge to grand him three months to find a lawyer, but the judge granted him 14 days.

As a condition, the judge told Graham that if he failed to find a lawyer within the period, a state lawyer will be assigned and trial will commence.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported that Graham is the ex-lover of Towobola Abrams.

January 2, 2015, it is alleged that Graham set alight Abrams’s Sophia home and made good his escape. Sampson was trapped in the home and was burnt alive, while Abrams died at the Georgetown Public Hospital while receiving treatment for burns.

Graham, who was reportedly seen by neighbours at the scene, was later arrested with minor burns about his arms and other parts of his body.

DEAD Jason Cort

L-R: Clifton Gibson, Linton Eastman and Stancy Rodney

Cort’s licensed firearm, cellphone, gold band, chain, ring and an X-Box console.

One person from the community had indicated that after hearing the loud explosion and looking outside, they observed persons scaling the fence of Cort’s home and fleeing up the road.

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

19

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

21

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 16, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, January 16, 2020

23

Lindeners pay tribute to Basil Butcher … Remembered for more than cricket by many

By Vanessa Braithwaite IT was a serene and emotionally-charged atmosphere at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, yesterday, as Lindeners paid moving tributes to the late Guyana and West Indies cricketer Basil Butcher.

Complementing these was the sound of the bauxite horn, a horn that is only sounded at the passing of iconic and extraordinary persons, who would have left an indelible mark on the lives of Lindeners.

While many would asso-

ciate the name Basil Butcher with international cricket, Lindeners yesterday remembered him as a true son of the soil, a businessman, a mentor and the founder of Mashramani - a now national festival that commemorates the Republican status of Guyana.

For these outstanding contributions, a call was made for Butcher’s legacy to be etched into a ‘Linden Hall of Fame.’ The scores of persons, who joined family members at the MSC ground, comprised representatives of the Guyana Cricket Board(GCB), Anand Sanasie; vice-president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Calvin Hope, former Barbados and West Indies fast bowler Charlie Griffth, who played alongside Butcher in the champion West Indies team led

by Sir Frank Worrell, and other representatives; local cricketers such as Jeffrey Trotman, president of the Linden Chamber of Commerce, Victor Fernandes; representatives from the Linden Mayor and Town Council and Regional Democratic Council; old neighbours of Butcher and others.

While his plethora of titles were highlighted, his contributions to national and West Indies cricket, took precedence. Sanasie underscored the level of discipline and determination Butcher demonstrated during his career as a batsman - qualities that would put him in line with the world’s best during his era - and what was phenomenal about him is that he shared his skills with many.

“Basil, in my conversation with him, he always had a word of advice for you, always do things this way and a lot of times, he was always right,” he said, while expressing condolences on behalf of the GCB. Giving a detailed overview of his career was cricketer Jeffrey Trotman, who was part of the ‘Butcher Boys’ team - a group of boys who learnt to play under the tutelage of Basil Butcher.

“We the Butcher boys idolised Basil,” he reminisced, adding that he first came in contact with him in 1965, as a shy thirteen-year-old, who was now being privileged to be coached by him.

In the cricket arena, Butcher was also remembered for the Basil Butcher Trust Fund which was

deemed responsible for sponsorship of present cricket star, Shimron Hetmyer, and many others from all across Guyana.

He also played an integral role in coaching cricketers at the Mackenzie Sports Club, which also produced international cricketers. His son, Basil Butcher Jr, said that growing up, he and his siblings underappreciated what it meant to be children of a West Indies cricketer.

It was not until they migrated, that he realised what an iconic figure his father was, as he was approached in awe by persons of all walks of life when they heard the name and associated him with Butcher.

Lindeners took the opportunity to speak on Butcher’s contribution to economic development in Linden, by being one of the first distributers of Banks DIH products in the township.

Many members of his old staff were also present at the funeral to pay homage to the community catalyst. His old neighbour, Staydon Payne, reminisced on visiting the Butcher’s yard in Watooka, with other friends, where the local fruits and birds were part of the fun package.

He was also remembered for being a member of the Jaycees Group which was instrumental in the hosting of the Linden Mashramani and Float Parade.

While the atmosphere was no doubt sad, it also boasted a celebratory mood, since Butcher would have lived a fulfilling life and is only leaving behind positive and heroic memories to Lindeners, Guyanese, those in the local and international cricket arena and all those who crossed paths with him.

He will be cremated today on the East Coast. Basil Butcher was a former Guyana and West Indies middle-order batsman of the 1950s and 1960s..

Butcher made Linden his home in 1965 when he took up the responsibility to coach the Mackenzie Sports Club team and players attending both primary and secondary schools across Mackenzie, through the Demerara Bauxite Industry (DEMBA).

He died on December 16 in Florida, after a prolonged illness.

RACING TIPS American Racing Tips Gulfstream Park Race 1 Mister Noisi Race 2 Bundi Bundi Race 3 Cuddle Kitten Race 4 Causalistic Race 5 New Year Race 6 Northern Race 7 Lookinlikeaqueen Race 8 Swagger Arab Emirates Racing Tips Meydan 10:30 hrs Geological 11:05 hrs My Catch 11:40 hrs Dream Vastle 12:15 hrs Nisreen 12:50 hrs Midnight Sands 13:25 hrs Suedois South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:10 hrs Leading Fast 08:50 hrs Carbon Atom 09:25 hrs Van Halen 10:05 hrs Three Peaks 10:40 hrs Jive Express English Racing Tips Market Rasen 08:40 hrs Fix Sun 09:10 hrs Highway Girl 09:40 hrs Strong Glance 10:10 hrs Just Don’t Ask 10:45 hrs Panic Attcak 11:20 hrs Zen Master 11:50 hrs Calvary Scout Wincanton 09:00 hrs Broadclyst 09:30 hrs Donatello Mail 10:00 hrs Fanfaron Dino 10:35 hrs Storm Home 11:40 hrs Christmas In April 12:10 hrs Lydford Lad Newcastle 11:55 hrs Native Fighter 12:30 hrs Amood 13:00 hrs Ballyare 13:30 hrs Commander Han 14:00 hrs Monya 14:30 hrs Loretta 15:00 hrs Jefrey Harris

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, January 16, 2020

Stokes wins Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Player-of-the-Year ENGLAND all-rounder Ben Stokes has won the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Playerof-the-Year after a fabulous 12 months that saw him play a decisive role in England’s dramatic victory at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 along with a host of other memorable performances.

Stokes, who kept his nerve to smash an unbeaten 84 in the final against New Zealand, aggregated 719 runs and bagged 12 wickets in 20 ODIs during the voting period. He also scored 821 runs and took 22 wickets in 11 Tests, the highlight being an unbeaten 135 to win a nail-biting Ashes thriller in Leeds.

Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins has been named the Test Player-of-the-Year and India opener Rohit Sharma the ODI Player-of-the-Year in other major men’s ICC awards announced yesterday.

India seamer Deepak Chahar won T20I Performance-of-

… Pat Cummins named Test Player-of-the-Year

the-Year, Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne has been named as Emerging Cricketer-of-the-

after his return to international cricket from a one-year suspension for changing the condition

Sawhney congratulated the winners of the awards this year and wished them all the best for the future. “On behalf of the ICC, I would like to congratulate all of the individual

in such dramatic fashion. Ben Stokes was, of course in the midst of all the action during the event from that quite incredible catch at the Oval, right through to that epic final at

Ben Stokes

Year, while Scotland’s Kyle Coetzer is the Associate Cricketer-of-the-Year.

India captain Virat Kohli, who had swept the Player-ofthe-Year, Test Player-of-theYear and ODI Player-of-theYear last year, has won the Spirit of Cricket Award. He won the award for his gesture at the World Cup, when he egged the crowd on to support Steve Smith rather than boo him soon

of the ball. Kohli has also been named Captain of both the ICC Test and ODI Teams-of-theYear.

Meanwhile, England umpire Richard Illingworth has become the seventh person to win the David Shepherd Trophy for Umpire-of-the-Year. This is the first time that the 56-year-old has won the award named after the late umpire from England.

ICC Chief Executive Manu

Pat Cummins

2019 award winners as well as those players named in the ICC Teams-of-the-Year.

“The awards celebrate the world’s best cricketers and this has undoubtedly been an extraordinary year for men’s cricket. The highlight of course was the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 that ended

Lord’s and is a very deserving winner of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.”

The 28-year-old Stokes was elated at winning the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy but remembered to credit his team and support staff. “It is quite flattering to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC

Men’s Cricketer-of-the-Year.

The past 12 months have been incredible for England cricket and to lift the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time was our greatest achievement.

“This award is testament to my teammates and the support staff who have been there every step of the way. Fundamentally, without the support of these individuals, we would have never achieved our objective of lifting a major trophy.

“There is an incredible bond between teammates and to savour our achievements, whether that’s winning the World Cup Final at Lord’s or digging deep to win a Test match against Australia at Headingley. It is satisfying you can accomplish these superb highs together.

“The last 12 months have been the best in my career, and I believe what we attained will be the catalyst to achieve further success over the next few years.” (ICC Media Release)

Teams advance to BCB/Banks Beer 2-Day semi-finals ALBION, Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt, Tucber Park and Young Warriors have advanced to the semi-finals of the BCB/ Banks Beer 2-Day first division tournament, following wins in round 3.

Albion batted hard to earn a draw after losing first innings to Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour while Tucber Park, Young Warriors gained first-innings points against West Berbice and Blairmont respectively. Bottom of the table Port Mourant completed a poor tournament after been crushed by Rose Hall Canje by 10 wickets.

At the Area ‘H’ Ground, RHT NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour made 181 with former national player Delbert Hicks

making 81 and National Youth player Junior Sinclair 32.

Guyana U-19 spinner Kevin Umroa bagged 6-54 for Albion, who were bowled for 174 despite Kandasammy Surujnarine stroking 84 and David Latchana making 34.

Hicks then returned with the ball to snatch 5-18 and Eon Hooper 3-29.

RHT Thunderbolt with a lead of 7 runs, then reached 177 in their second innings with Junior and Jason Sinclair making 59 and 29 respectively.

Umroa completed a fine match with the ball by taking 6 for 51 (match haul of 12 for 105) which off-spinner Sharaz Ramcharran took 3 for 31.

Needing 185 to win in three overs, Albion stumbled to 85

for 7 but Ramesh Kasinauth 20 not out and Reyad Karim 29 not out added 46 crucial runs to see them to 131 for 7 when stumps were lifted. Hicks took 3 for 25.

At Bush Lot, West Berbice made 185 thanks to Leon Andrews 47 and Arthley Bailey 49. Tucber Park in return were dismissed for 242 with Martin Singh 73 and Jamal La Fleur making welcome return to Berbice Cricket with a polished 66.

Keyron Fraser took 4 for 46, Andrews 3 for 82 and Andrew Dutchin 2-35. West Berbice in their second innings reached 151 for 6 at stumps.

West Berbice in their second innings reached 151 for 6 as Andrews continued his fine form with 50.

Rose Hall Canje Commu-

nity Centre registered their first victory in the tournament with an easy 10-wicket victory over a helpless Port Mourant CC team, who lost all three of their matches. PMCC batting first were bowled out for 137 with West Indies U-15 player Rampertab Ramnauth topscoring with 35. He received support from Raymond Vankenic, 6 for 40. Rose Hall Canje with solid batting from Joel Seitram 43 and Thorne 35 reached 178 to gain a 41-run lead.

Port Mourant were then bowled out for a meagre 63 in their second knock with medium pacer Michael Campbelle gaining a hat-trick during his spell. Needing to score 24 for an outright victory, Canje reached 25 without loss to take

full points in the match and end in third place in Zone B. At the Cumberland ground Young Warriors were just 7 runs from an outright victory when time ran out in their match against Blairmont. Blairmont were bowled out for 115 in their first innings with Javed Karim top scoring with 43.

Left-arm spinner Trevon Stanislaus bagged five wickets as YWCC in reply amassed 187 with Berbice Under-19 batsman Carl Gilgeous making 55.

Leg-spinner Kevin Jawahir and left-arm spinner Nigel Deodat both took four wickets each.

With a deficit of 72 runs, Blairmont reached 207 for 9 declared, with Z. Zaheer 42 and Marvon Prashad 64. Seon Hetmyer, the older brother of West

Indies player Shimron Hetmyer snaring 5-40 in an impressive spell of medium pace.

Needing to score 135 for an outright victory, YWCC were kept to 128 for 7 when the umpires called time. Hetmyer returned with the bat to score 63 while Deodat completed a good match with the ball to take another four-wicket haul.

Albion ended as winners of Zone B while arch-rival Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt flour, despite gaining first-innings points against Albion advanced as runners-up. YWCC and Tucber Park emerged as winners and runners-up of Zone A. The dates for the semifinals would be announced shortly by the BCB.

England still unsure over Archer, Wood availability for today’s third Test PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa (Reuters) - England captain Joe Root says fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood must still prove their fitness to be included in the side to play South Africa in the third Test at St George’s Park that starts today.

England are seeking a replacement for James Anderson, whose tour has ended after he picked up a rib injury in the 189-run second Test victory in Cape Town.

Archer missed that game with an elbow problem and Wood has had a number of fitness issues in the

past, meaning neither might get the nod.

“No decision has been made,” Root told reporters. “It is important to use today’s training session to get a real clear understanding of where everybody is at and as this tour has proved, make sure that we are all ready to go when we turn up to play.”

Root suggested a fully fit Archer would play, but whether his elbow will hold up over five days, allowing him to bowl at his full intensity, is the big question.

“With Jofra, he is 24 years old,

right at the start of his Test career, and has a huge amount of ability. It is clear to see what he is capable of doing,” Root said.

“But managing workloads is a very important part of it as well.

He has played a huge amount of cricket since he has come into the international arena and we have seen a little bit of push-back from his body with that elbow injury. “If he is fit and raring to go you want him in your side. But you want to make sure that he is able to deliver all of his skills and not just seam it around and swing it, but do it all at 90 miles an hour.”

Wood’s chequered past with injuries means the selectors are cautious over him as well, and Root suggested that he, like Archer, must be able to bowl at full pace to get into the line-up.

“The reason we have been quite cautious in terms of rushing him back is that (injury) history and knowing that his value in the team is being at 100%,” the skipper added. “If he is 100% and firing, the skills he has at his pace will be a great asset in Test cricket.”

One player who will definitely play a prominent role is all-rounder Ben Stokes, who was named ICC

England pacers Mark Wood (left) and Jofra Archer Player-of-the-Year yesterday.

“It is hard to say any more superlatives. It is the right decision and it could not really have been anyone else,” Root said.

“The way he has performed

across all the formats has been fantastic. In my opinion he is definitely the leading player in the world at the moment.”

The series is level at 1-1 after South Africa won the first Test.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, January 16, 2020

25

SA captain keen on AB de Villiers return before T20 World Cup AB de Villiers is set to play in at least one of South Africa’s T20 series before the T20 World Cup, where he is expected to make an international comeback. de Villiers, who retired in May 2018, and long-time friend and current T20 captain Faf du Plessis have been in talks since before Mark Boucher took over as head coach about the possibility of de Villiers playing at the tournament.

Now, they only need to sort out some of the finer details of de Villiers’ reintroduction to the national side.

“We spoke about it, and I was very keen to have him back. That was even before the new coaching staff was on board,” du Plessis said. “Then it was the process of what does the next year look like in terms of T20 cricket - how many games; where, when, what?

And then try to unfold that in a way that we can get him back.

AB de Villiers thumps a boundary over cover.

(Getty Images)

He’s keen to come do that, I don’t know when. I can’t give you that answer yet because that decision hasn’t been taken. But there would be a series we would like to get him back to play.”

South Africa are due to play 11 T20Is before the World Cup

(three each against England and Australia at home in February and five against West Indies in August) which leaves plenty of opportunities for de Villiers to play in-between his other commitments.

He is currently playing for the Brisbane Heat at the

Big Bash, which ends four days before the first T20 against England. de Villiers will also play at the IPL, which does not clash with any South African fixtures.

The advantage of having de Villiers in the team is obvious, but South Africa have turned him down before. When de Villiers made himself available to play in the 2019 fifty-over World Cup on the eve of the squad announcement, South Africa’s selection panel decided it was too late to make room for him.

News of de Villiers’ offer broke after South Africa had already lost their first three matches. They went on to lose two matches to become the first team to be eliminated and recorded their worst-ever World Cup performance.

They do not want to make the same mistake at the T20 World Cup, which is also likely to be du Plessis’ swan-

song.

South Africa’s squad is far from confirmed but du Plessis wants to start finding a blueprint as soon as possible and getting them used to each other’s playing styles.

“In an ideal world we would like to try and make sure that we can play our best 11, 12 or 13 players for a few games or series together leading up to the T20 World Cup,” du Plessis said.

“A learning curve for me with the 50-over World Cup last year was that we never had the combinations we were looking for. As a new coach, Ottis Gibson didn’t know a lot of the players.

There was a search for a lot of layers and finding combinations. If I could do that over again, I would try and settle into the combinations a little earlier so the guys can play as many games as possible together.”

Not only was the 50-over World Cup squad dogged by uncertainty, but it was also plagued by injury. Dale Steyn was included despite carrying a shoulder injury and did not play a game before being sent home, Lungi Ngidi missed crucial matches with a hamstring injury and Hashim Amla was concussed in the first match and missed the next two.

Steyn has since staked a claim for inclusion in the T20 World Cup with strong performances in the Mzansi Super League and Big Bash and could bowl alongside Ngidi, who is currently recovering from another hamstring niggle.

Amla has retired, leaving a gap at the top of the order which de Villiers could fill. If all that comes together, South Africa could have some big names as they look to break their major trophy drought.

(ESPNCricinfo).

Angry players speak out at smoke-shrouded Australian Open qualifiers

By Ian Ransom

MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - Tempers flared at the Australian Open qualifying yesterday as players battled through another day of smoky air and two of the game’s all-time greats were labelled “selfish” for not protesting about the conditions.

Qualifying was disrupted for a second successive day, firstly by bushfire smoke and later by a torrential rainstorm which cleared the air but put an end to play at Melbourne Park.

Tournament organisers have been under fire for ploughing ahead with the qualifiers after an initial delay on Tuesday,

France’s Nicolas Mahut

with players complaining of breathing difficulties and one forced to retire from a match after suffering a coughing fit.

The ill-will spilled over

into yesterday, with Canadian world number 103 Brayden Schnur taking aim at 20time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer and world number one Rafael Nadal for not taking a vocal stand for the lower-profile players in qualifying.

“It’s got to come from the top guys - Roger and Rafael are a little bit selfish, in thinking about themselves and their careers,” Schnur told Australian Associated Press after winning his qualifier against Austrian Sebastian Ofner.

“Because they’re near the end and all they’re thinking about is their legacy and they’re not thinking about the

sport itself and trying to do what’s good for the sport - so those guys need to step up.”

Schnur said he felt “super dryness” in his throat and that conditions were “100 percent not normal”.

“They’re just trying to shove us on the court because we’re qualifiers.”

France’s Nicolas Mahut posted a picture of himself wearing a mask over his mouth and nose with the caption: “Ready for my first round”.

Canada’s Vasek Pospisil, a member of the ATP Player Council, tweeted: “It’s time for a players’ union. This is getting absurd.”

Australia is experiencing

one of its worst bushfire seasons on record, with fires burning for months and killing 28 people, destroying more than 2 500 homes and razing forests and farmland the size of Bulgaria.

Tennis Australia said it would continue to monitor onsite data and consult their medical team, the local bureau of meteorology and government scientists to determine whether conditions were fit for play.

Scheduled horse race meetings in two separate Melbourne suburbs were also cancelled yesterday, governing body Racing Victoria said, “due to smoke haze and poor air quality”.

Bushfire smoke has affected a number of Australia’s elite sporting competitions including soccer, rugby league and cricket.

Victoria State’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton, said Tennis Australia needed to establish a proper air quality policy alongside its existing extreme heat policy.

“They do have a heat policy, I think they need to plan out an air quality policy in the same way,” he told media.

“You can’t have a blanket solution; you need to look at the individual circumstances and what the alternatives are for protecting people.”

After Mumbai spanking, Kohli sees need to rethink batting order NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) - India captain Virat Kohli acknowledged the need to rethink the team’s batting order after being steamrolled

by Australia in Mumbai on Tuesday, but said there was no cause to panic after losing the first one-day international of a three-match series.

India were subjected to a 10-wicket thrashing for only the fifth time in their history after scoring a modest 255, a total

overhauled by Australia in the 38th over.

India packed three openers in their playing XI in a bid to give more game-time to in-form players, rejigging the top order with Kohli dropping down to number four to accommodate KL Rahul at three, but the plan came unstuck against a fired-up Australian attack.

“Because of the way KL has been batting, we have tried to fit him in the bat-

Virat Kohli

ting line-up,” Kohli told Star Sports about his batting po-

sition at the Wankhede Stadium.

“Having said that, I don’t think it’s quite gone our way whenever I’ve batted number four, so we’ll probably have to rethink about that one.”

Rohit Sharma made 10, while fellow opener Shikhar Dhawan forged a century-partnership with Rahul before India lost four wickets, including Kohli, for 30 runs before being bowled out in the final over.

“All in all it’s about giving some guys opportunities and you’ll never know if this works or not if you don’t try,” Kohli said.

“It’s very easy to just go with one template and just follow it non-stop. I think people need to relax and not panic with one game, I’m allowed to experiment a little bit and fail as well at times. You lose games here and there but today was one of the days when it didn’t

Africa Cup of Nations moves to January next year, says Cameroon (REUTERS) - The Africa Cup of Nations will revert to its traditional slot in January and February next year to avoid the rainy season, the football federation of host country Cameroon (FECAFOOT) said yesterday.

“The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be played in

Cameroon from January 9 to February 6 in 2021,” said FECAFOOT on Twitter.

“The date has been changed for meteorological reasons at Cameroon’s request.”

The tournament, played every two years, was switched to JuneJuly last year when it was played in Egypt, avoiding disruption to

the European club season but provoking concerns about high temperatures.

The latest switch is likely to anger European clubs, in particular Premier League leaders Liverpool, whose team includes Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in attack, two of Africa’s top players, plus Naby

Keita in midfield.

However, the new timing will avoid a clash with FIFA’s revamped 24-team Club World Cup to be played in China in June and July 2021. The AFCON was due to be played immediately afterwards, meaning that players who took part in both competitions would get almost no rest in the

summer and would return late for pre-season training in Europe.

The AFCON was traditionally held in January and February until CAF decided to alter the timing in 2017 when it also increased the number of participating teams from 16 to 24.

Cameroon was originally due

come off.”

Australian openers David Warner and Aaron Finch smashed unbeaten hundreds and stitched together the largest partnership against India in one-day cricket to help the tourists romp home with 12.2 overs to spare.

The two sides will meet in Rajkot for the second ODI tomorrow. to stage the 2019 AFCON but was stripped of hosting rights the previous November by CAF, due to delays in preparations and security concerns. It subsequently agreed to host the 2021 tournament instead. Ivory Coast, who had been due to stage the 2021 competition, were awarded the 2023 hosting rights at the expense of Guinea, who will now stage the contest in 2025.

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, January 16, 2020

Nannan spins Malteenoes All Stars into semi-finals of UWI Unicom T20 tournament LEFT-arm spinner Raj Nannan spun his way to a five-wicket haul and the Malteenoes All Stars into the semi-finals of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Unicom T20 tournament on Tuesday night at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket ground at UWISPEC in Trinidad and Tobago.

The former national U-15 cricketer, who has had several years of cricketing ex-

Raj Nannan won the Man-of-the-Match award

perience in the Twin Island Republic, where he plays in the domestic league, was able to undermine the batting of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) cricket team to hand the visitors an eight-wicket win.

The All Stars, made up of a number of Malteenoes Sports Club cricketers, with several invitees, lost the toss and were asked to bowl first.

The home team laboured to 123 before they

were bowled out in 19.1 overs. A few batsmen had starts, but they were not able to dominate.

Keishawn Dillon led the attack with 20 unbeaten runs, but he faced 19 balls in his innings. Shaquille Johnson and Dion Wells batted with a bit more aggression, but the former lost his wicket for 18 from 12 deliveries and Wells for 15 from eight balls.

Eventual Man-of-the-

Match Nannan, who opened the bowling, led the attack with 5-19 from his four overs, while Anthony Adams and Kellon Carmichael supported with two wickets each.

Rain then forced the use of the Duckworth–Lewis– Stern (DLS) method, which revised Malteenoes All Stars target to 94 off 15 overs.

With experienced batsmen Robin Bacchus and Trevon Griffith playing some solid strokes, All Stars

were able to race to 95-2 in 10.4 overs.

Bacchus made 31 from 22 balls and Griffith 27 from 13.

Wells was the pick of the Defence Force bowlers with 2-24 from his four overs.

The semi-finals are scheduled for tomorrow and Saturday with the final billed for Sunday. The winners of the competition will collect TT$40 000 (approximately G$1.24M).

GVF further shortens National U-21 squad set for Inter-Guiana tournament THE Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) has further shortened the national Under-21 teams set to travel for the Inter-Guiana tournament, which is billed for French Guiana in the latter part of next month.

Last month, GVF had shortlisted 32 players (15 females and 17 males) to travel.

They have since reduced the number to 28 (14 females and 14 males) with the sides expected to be reduced to 12 each before they leave for the February 27-29 event, which also includes Suriname.

The male players se-

Several of the 2019 U-21 players are in the 2020 squad.

lected are Andy Rohoman,

Singh, Kristoff Sheppard,

Farley, Daniel Joseph,

Ronaldo Bobb, Hellond

Levi Nedd (Jr), Tyreece

Noelex Holder, Terrence

Groenhart, Andre Jagnandan, Daiymon Al Ahamad, Kellon Leitch, Jaleel Robert and Montel Denny.

The females are Shamariah David, Famke David, Cassie Junor, Kelly Gurrick, Cherry Ann Fraser, Danielle Francis, Amisha Mohàbir, Latoya Drakes, Hannah Hicks, Ronelda Payne, Devonte Hernandez, Aliyah Mohabir, Krystal Paddy and Philana Simpson.

According to information from GVF, teams are in the process of acquiring visas for the trip, while training is ongoing.

Guyana’s males are the 2018 champions and the 2019 runners-up.

Last year they finished second to French Guiana (2-3). Along with the second-place trophy, Guyana took two individual awards.

Captain Andy Rohoman was adjudged the best attacker, while his teammate Jaleel Roberts finished as the best blocker.

The female side lost to both the home nation and Suriname in the preliminary round.

Russell fireworks outshine Gayle’s as Royals reach BPL final DHAKA, Bangladesh (CMC) – A scintillating Andre Russell’s half-century trumped Chris Gayle’s, as Rajshahi Royals stunned Chattogram Challengers by two wickets to storm into the Bangladesh Premier

League (BPL) final here yesterday.

Gayle’s sensational top score of 60 from 24 balls had propelled Challengers to 164 for nine off their 20 overs and when Royals slumped to 128 for eight in the 18th over, the

result looked all but certain.

But Russell produced an amazing late blitz, smashing an unbeaten 54 from 22 balls to put Royals over the line with four balls to spare.

Royals will now take on Khula Tigers in tomorrow’s

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday January 16, 2020)COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL- Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 2259230) &CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1)

91 (vs IND, Mumbai, 1974-75)

(2)

Vs ENG, Barbados, 1974 Today’s Quiz:

(1) took?

How many Test matches Curtly Ambrose played? How many wickets he

(2)

Who were the members of the famous ‘3 Ws’ Club?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

West Indies superstar Andre Russell

final.

Sent in, Challengers lost Ziaur Rahman cheaply for six at 22 for one in the third over but Gayle took responsibility for the innings, crunching half-dozen fours and five sixes in a thrilling knock.

Crucially, he put on 52 for the third wicket with captain Mahmudullah, whose 33 required just 18 balls and included three fours and sixes.

Gayle eventually perished in the 10th over, bowled by 20-year-old off-spinner Afif Hossain, a dismissal which triggered a slide until Asela Gunaratne belted 31 from 25 balls to rescue the innings.

West Indies all-rounder, Rayad Emrit, managed just three, batting at number eight.

In reply, Royals were tottering on 34 for three in the sixth over before wicketkeeper Irfan Sukkur carved out a

patient 45 off 42 deliveries in adding 46 for the fourth wicket with Shoaib Malik (14).

But once both fell in successive overs, Royals lost five wickets for 48 runs in the space of 24 balls, to find themselves requiring 37 from 17 balls for victory.

Russell quickly took charge in an innings highlighted by two fours and seven massive sixes, silencing the Challengers’ attack and turning the tide in the contest.

He single-handedly took 23 runs from the penultimate over sent down by off-spinner Mehidy Hasan, before finishing the game with another six in the final over from medium pacer Gunaratne.

Seamer Emrit finished with two for 41 from his four overs.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, January 16, 2020

2020 PCL Regional 4-Day Round 2

27

Jaguars battle old rivals Barbados Pride as second round bowls off today

By Clifton Ross AFTER demolishing the Leeward Hurricanes in the opening round, defending champions Guyana Jaguars seek to continue their hunt when they look to capitalise on their successful track record against arch rivals, Barbados Pride.

Today’s encounter shifts to Pride’s backyard at Kensington Oval, where the home team will be desperate to rebound from their 3-wicket loss to the Windward Volcanoes in the opening round.

Jaguars, with momentum firm after their 10-wicket mauling of the Hurricanes sit at the top of the table with 21 points while their opponents languish in second to last (5th spot) with 4.2 points, making today’s encounter one based on a tale of the tapes between the two familiar franchises.

Guyana Jaguars all-rounder Raymon Reifer has been Barbados Pride’s boogeyman over the years with bat and ball

Regarding track-record, Barbados will be staring at an uphill task if they seek to beat the champs, as they have not won a match against Guyana in a number of years.

In the last 5 encounters since 2016-17 season, Guyana have beaten Pride three times, with the last being in 2019 while they managed to secure a pair of drawn games

along the way.

Fast-forward to today’s game and the Jags, who put on a batting clinic against the Hurricanes, will be keen on maintaining their form. Seasoned campaigner Chris Barnwell missed a ton by 20-odd runs as he continued his excellent batting form which peaked during the Super50s.

Skipper Leon Johnson along with openers Chandrapaul Hemraj and Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who all struck fifties, looked ominous as they looked to be hitting peak form.

Apart from the aforementioned, Vishaul Singh and Anthony Bramble were the only two senior players to miss out during the run-fest but could come to the party against Pride.

Pacer Niall Smith returned 8 wickets and got support from the other seamers while the veteran spinner Veerasammy

Permaul could possibly inch a step closer to the 500-wicket mark, should he maintain his knack of getting wickets.

Barbados, meanwhile, will know that their task is immense having lost to the Volcanoes, who are not on the elite level as Jaguars. Pride also have history on their side after beating Guyana in the 2013-14 season after the Champs were bowled out in the 2nd innings during their pursuit of just 70-odd runs.

Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite got some runs in the first game while Kyle Mayers struck his maiden 4-Day ton. But Jonathan Carter, Shamarh Brooks, Ashley Nurse Jomel Warrican all played for the Windies.

First-class stars in Shayne Moseley, Justin Greaves and Keon Harding who helped the WIEP to win the Regional Super50 recently also add some much-needed buff to the Pride

who will need more from their show-time squad.

In the last two encounters as of recent 2019 season, Raymon Reifer, the Barbados-born all-rounder and one of the main weapons in the Jaguars team, bagged 9 wickets and scored a half-century.

The other match was dominated by Hemraj and Bramble who hit majestic centuries while Reifer again chipped in with runs as well as wickets against his countrymen.

Meanwhile, Jamaica Scorpions battle the Volcanoes at Sabina Park and Trinidad Red Force square off against Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Brian Lara Ground.

Matches for Round 2 are scheduled to bowl off at 10:00hrs.

Anderson hundred flattens Scotland PRETORIA, South Africa (CMC) – Kevlon Anderson’s stunning unbeaten hundred handed West Indies Under-19s precious momentum ahead of their ICC Under-19 World Cup opener against Australia on Saturday, as they crushed minnows Scotland by 126 runs in their final official warm-up here yesterday.

Choosing to bat first, the Caribbean side piled up 322 for six with Anderson top-scoring with 101 not out from just 72 balls while captain Kimani Melius stroked 67 from 78 balls and Leonardo Julien, 65 from

Kevlon Anderson scored 101 off 72 balls. (File photo)

72 deliveries.

In reply, seamer Joshua James claimed three for 22 but it was the slow-bowling trio of off-spinners Avinash

Mahabirsingh (2-21) and Matthew Patrick (2-39), along with left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd (2-39), who really did the damage.

Number five Uzzair Shah top-scored with 49 while Ben Davidson (34) and Jasper Davidson (32) chipped in but Scotland Under-19s could muster only 196 all out off 48 overs.

West Indies were given a fluent start when Melius posted a run-a-ball 30 for the first wicket Kirk McKenzie (16) but it was the ensuing second-wicket stand between Melius and Julien which provided the platform for the late assault.

Melius struck five fours and two sixes and the left-handed Julien, half-dozen fours and three sixes in adding 127 for the second wicket.

Unfortunately, they perished in successive overs and when Patrick followed without scoring, the Windies were stumbling at 167 for four in the 30th over, having lost three wickets for 10 runs.

Enter Anderson, to transform the innings in a knock that contained five fours and three sixes. He dominated a 90-run, fifth-wicket partnership with Daniel Beckford (27) before adding a further 46 off 23 deliveries in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand with Matthew Forde (20 not out).

Scotland then endured a

slow start to their run chase, Ben Davidson and Angus Guy (17) posting 32 off 50 deliveries for the first wicket. When two wickets fell for 17 runs, the Davidsons added 39 for the third before Jasper Davidson put on another 41 for the fourth wicket with Shah.

Jasper Davidson faced 57 balls and struck four fours but his dismissal triggered a slide and led to three wickets falling for 19 runs.

Shah, who counted five fours off 69 balls, posted 39 for the seventh wicket with Kess Sajjad (19) but by then the match was all but over.

Williams etches name in history books as first third umpire in a men’s international game WEST Indies umpire Jacqueline Williams, became the first woman to officiate as the third umpire in a men’s international after taking field for the first of three Twenty20 Internationals against the visiting Ireland team, yesterday.

The 43-year-old from Jamaica made her debut on the opening day and will continue to officiate in the position for the remainder of the series. The move continues a trend of women officials breaking barriers in the game, having already stood as an on-field umpire in men’s ODIs and T20Is. Last month, India’s G S Lakshmi oversaw the third series of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2

in the United Arab Emirates, becoming the first woman match referee in men’s ODIs. Earlier in May, she became the first woman to be appointed onto the ICC International Panel of Match Referees.

In April last year, Australia’s Claire Polosak became the first female umpire to stand in a men’s ODI, in the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 match between Namibia and Oman in Windhoek, Namibia.

Jacqueline Williams: “This is a matter of huge honour for me and I am really excited at the prospect of my role as TV umpire in a men’s international match. I have officiated as a third umpire in men’s matches before, but this

is for the first time in an international and that too featuring the West Indies.

“I am thankful to the International Cricket Council and Cricket West Indies for all the help and support over the years and wish that more women take up umpiring in the coming years.

Umpiring is a challenging job but one from which I derive utmost satisfaction.”

Adrian Griffith, ICC Senior Manager – Umpires and Referees: “Jacqueline is another of our women officials who have come through the system with hard work and determination. I am confident she will do a good job and I wish her all the best for the upcoming series.

“It is heartening to see

that women match officials are ready to move up a notch and it only validates our effort to encourage them and assign them important matches.”

Williams had become the first woman to officiate as third umpire in an ICC men’s tournament in 2016 when she was assigned the Oman versus Nigeria match at the ICC World Cricket League Division Five in Jersey.

Retired umpire Kathy Cross of New Zealand was the first woman official to stand in a men’s ICC tournament during the ICC World Cricket League Division Five and Three held in Malaysia in 2014.

Jacqueline Williams became the first woman to preside over a men’s international game as the third umpire, during the T20 series

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, January 16, 2020

Lindeners pay tribute to Basil Butcher … Remembered for more than cricket by many

From left: BCA vice-president Calvin Hope, former West Indies fast bowler Charlie Griffith, Mrs Pam Butcher and GCB Secreatary Anand Sanasie..

PAGE

23

Lindeners viewing the body of Basil Butcher

Bravo fails to save Windies as Ireland take Twenty20 series lead ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) – Veteran Dwayne Bravo’s return following a three-and-ahalf-year break ended in disappointment as a feisty Ireland stunned West Indies by four runs in the opening Twenty20 International here yesterday to take a 1-0 lead in the threematch series.

In fact, the 36-year-old all-rounder was one of two wickets to fall in a dramatic final over, bowled by 20-year-old left-arm slow medium Josh Little as West Indies, chasing a demanding target of 209, failed to gather the 13 runs required off the last six balls of the contest at the Grenada National Stadium.

Left-hander Sherfane Rutherford, who struck 26 off 13 balls, holed out to long-on off the first ball in search of his fourth six but Bravo then clobbered the next delivery over the ropes at wide long on to reduce the target to seven runs from four balls.

A couple down the ground off the third ball meant the Windies were in the driver’s seat needing five runs from three balls but Bravo turned down a leg bye off the fourth ball before picking

Veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo celebrates one of his two wickets on his return to West Indies colours yesterday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

out Gareth Delany in the deep on the leg side.

With five needed from the final delivery of the game, Hayden Walsh Jr missed a desperate swing, leaving the Irish to celebrate their first win of the tour, in the wake of their 3-0 whitewash in the preceding one-day series Left-handed opener Evin Lewis top-scored with 53 from 29 balls while captain Kieron Pollard got 31 from 15 balls, Shimron Hetmyer, 28, and Nicholas Pooran 26.

However, Ireland snatched wickets at key moments especially through Little, who bowled brilliantly to finish with three for 29 and

seamer Craig Young who claimed two for 31 from an excellent four-over spell.

West Indies had earlier found themselves virtually paralysed by Paul Stirling’s brutal career-best 95 from 47 balls as Ireland stormed to 208 for seven off their 20 overs after choosing to bat first.

The veteran right-hander bludgeoned six fours and eight sixes – mostly straight hits – and shared a whirlwind first-wicket stand of 154 with Kevin O’Brien whose 48 came from 32 deliveries and included four fours and two sixes.

Both gladly indulged in the feast prepared by undis-

Paul Stirling taps one on the offside in his top score of 95 for Ireland. (Getty Images)

ciplined West Indies bowlers, plundering a record 93 runs in the first power-play, to be 130 without loss at the halfway stage.

Medium pacer Bravo, whose first over leaked 18 runs after he was maltreated by Stirling, finally got the breakthrough when he hit O’Brien’s off-stump with a deceptive yorker in the 13th over.

He conceded just 18 runs from his last three overs to finish with two for 28.

Stirling was eyeing a maiden hundred when he holed out to Lewis at deep mid-wicket off leg-spinner Walsh in the following over and quickly, Ireland had lost both their set batsmen.

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

Left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell (2-37) and left-arm spinner Khary Pierre (2-45) then put the shackles on the heavy scoring and it was left to Delany’s 12-ball 19 and 15 extras – including 10 wides – to get Ireland past 200.

Needing to score at nearly 10-½ runs per over, West Indies were well ahead of the required rate thanks to Lendl Simmons who pummelled three fours and a six in a 14ball 22, as he added 37 off 21 balls for the first wicket with Lewis.When Simmons sliced Young to cover in the fourth over, Lewis and Hetmyer kept the scoreboard ticking over in a stand of 56 for the second wicket.

Lewis, fresh from a hun-

dred in last Sunday’s third ODI, stroked six fours and three sixes before lofting Young to be taken on the cover boundary by Harry Tector.

Hetmyer, who struck three sixes in an 18-ball cameo, followed 12 balls later but Pooran added 36 for the fourth wicket with Pollard and 44 for the fifth wicket with Rutherford, to keep West Indies in the chase.

However, the momentum swung Ireland’s way when off-spinner Simi Singh removed Pollard to a catch in the deep in the 15th over before Little struck the key blow, having Pooran caught at backward square in the penultimate over.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020