Guyana Chronicle Epaper 02 08 2017

Guyana-Canada relations stronger than – says outgoing ever Canadian HC Page 13

No. 104992

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2017

Price: $80

70 houses for Lombard St squatters (VAT Inclusive)

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Varswyk pulled the trigger Page 9

…during Camp St escape – Director

Floodwaters destroy farms in Lamp Island Page 11

Remember the ‘priceless gift of liberty’ – President urges Berbicians

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President David Granger interacts with this lad during the Emancipation festivities at the Gibraltar-Fyrish Primary School on Tuesday (Delano Williams photo)

Soldier critical after struck down at roadblock

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It was a sad day

…Guyanese miner recounts execution of colleagues in Venezuela

It was a sad day 2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

…Guyanese miner recounts execution of colleagues in Venezuela

By Svetlana Marshall JOEL Paton, the young miner who came face to face with death when an armed gang invaded a mining camp in Venezuela, leaving three Guyanese dead, is on the road to recovery.

The 19-year-old, who hails from Supenaam, was shot five times while his colleagues Vernon Eudoxie, 63; Cologne Solomon, 23; and Samuel Moses, 19 were shot and killed on the spot in “Imatake Backdam” across the Venezuela border on July 20, 2017. After undergoing two surgeries at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) to remove the bullets from his body and subsequently to install steel into his leg to aid walking, Paton was discharged from the public hospital last Friday. However, he is expected to do a third surgery. A bullet had pierced his scrotal sack.

On Tuesday, Minister

within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, visited Paton at his relative’s Robb Street and North Road residence in Georgetown where he is staying at the moment. As part of her Emancipation visit, Minister Broomes presented the 19-year-old with a fruit basket and an undisclosed amount of cash to assist him with his transportation expenses.

While the youngster may be able to recover from his physical injuries, the emotional scars that came with the fatal shootings may never be erased. “It was kind of sad,” Paton repeatedly said, as he jogged his memory to that fateful day. “We heard that they [the gang] were coming to take everything that we had…So we were moving to come back to Guyana,” he recalled during his conversation with Minister Broomes.

It was just around 03:30hrs on July 20 when the gunmen, suspected to be

Venezuelans, made good on their threats, pouncing on the miners while they were sleeping in their mining camp in Imatake Backdam. The area is located some three hours from the Guyana/Venezuela border by foot. Days before the attack, the Guyanese miners had started relocating their mining equipment and machines to Guyana. “The evening, I brought back the tractor to shuttle the last load.

We were supposed to leave early in the morning.”

Paton was keeping watch, but having worked the entire day, he fell into a “dose” just about 03:00hrs and before he knew it, he was awakened by the sounds of gunshots. Four Spanish-speaking gunmen had descended upon them.

The ex-policeman – Solomon – was the first miner killed. “He was shot to the head. I was the second person to get shoot,” Paton pointed out.

Luckily for him, as

Joel Paton

against being shot to his head, the 19-year-old was shot to his hand which was covering sections of his head. Determined to kill him, the gunmen preceded to shoot him in four other sections of his body.

Paton was shot approximately five times, to his right hand, left leg and thigh, in his hip and through his scrotum. “After they keep shooting at me, I just jump out of the hammock

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes praying with Joel Paton and his relatives on Emancipation Day

and lie down on the ground like I dead,” he recalled.

Eudoxie and Moses were then killed. The 19-yearold recalled that Moses was trying to run away when he was shot in his back. Another miner was in the camp and he, like Paton, pretended he was dead. After the gunmen had existed the camp, Paton handed the other survivor a handgun, who began to shoot at the invaders who ran off without taking anything.

“It was kind of sad,” the young miner emphasized, while recalling seeing one his colleagues’ motionless body lying outside of the camp.

“It was kind of sad, seeing my friends dead because we were planning to come out the same day, we did come out eventually, just that they didn’t make it out alive. It is kind of sad,” he said softly.

News of the shooting had spread to neighbouring camps and by “day clean,” Paton, who was bleeding profusely, and the dead men were being transported to Guyana, but the journey was “a rough” one according to the survivor. “It was kind of rough, because the road was really bad. We travel the whole day, we left like 05:30hrs the morning, all the time I was just bleeding, all the time,” he recalled.

Paton said just when they

crossed the border the tractor developed a technical problem; as such, they were left with no other choice but to travel out of the area on an excavator. “We travel on the excavator; I was lying on the dead bodies to cushion myself because I was bleeding.”

From the Barima River, four bikes then transported them to Port Kaituma. The entire journey took more than 24 hours. “Just before I got to the hospital, I felt like giving up. I was covered in blood and just feeling weak. I didn’t believe I was going to make it.”

After receiving initial treatment at the Port Kaituma Hospital, Paton was airdashed to the city where he received immediate medical attention at the GPHC. Although he was contacted by the police in Port Kaituma, Paton does not believe that “anything will come out of the story,” since it occurred in Venezuela. Asked if he sees himself returning to the industry in the future, the 19-year-old said “it is hard to say now,” but it is not likely.

Meanwhile, Minister Broomes, in reaching out to Paton, encouraged him to stay strong. She noted that Government is concerned for the health and safety of all miners. Having worked as a woman miner for approximately 28 years, Minister Broomes said she too had experienced threats to her life, but they were never so extreme.

“You are a young man, full of life and energy, you will be ok,” she told Paton in the presence of his father David Paton. Before taking her leave, Minister Broomes prayed with the Patons.’ David Paton had also expressed his gratitude to the minister and by the Government for their continuous support and encouragement. Tuesday was the second time Minister Broomes visited the young miner since the incident.

Advocacy group pushes hemp …says it can turn around ‘agri’ sector A LOCAL movement is calling on the government to establish laws which can lead to a “viable” hemp industry.

The group, Hemp for Victory Guyana Campaign, has noted in a release that the government should not pin all its hopes on the proposed

oil and gas industry.

Hemp for Victory is contending that the plant, when cultivated on an industrial scale, can revolutionise the

profitability of the agriculture sector in a short time, and that it can also protect and improve the environment in a sustainable manner.

The body notes that experts have conservatively estimated that once hemp is

fully productive here, industries will be able to generate over $500B in finances annually, even before 2020 when oil and gas is expected to trade in commercial quantities.

The body is questioning

why the government has been denying farmers and potential hemp farmers the opportunity to cultivate a crop that can be harvested every three to four months, and bring in close to $700M annually.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Remember the ‘priceless gift of liberty’ – President urges Berbice villagers

By Navendra Seoraj ONE hundred and seventy-nine years since the abolition of slavery, descendants of Africans who fought for freedom were reminded by President David Granger not to forget the “priceless gift of liberty.”

Despite heavy downpours at the Courtland/Gibraltar Primary School, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), President Granger was able to deliver his reminder to keen listeners who rejoiced and cheered in celebration of Emancipation on Tuesday.

“Prior to emancipation,

our forefathers fought to gain freedom from slavery… it was not just freedom but it was also deliverance and the departure from the plantation,” said the President.

For years, Africans were exploited, beaten and even murdered by persons who called themselves “owners” before rebels like “Cuffy,” “Atta” and “Accabre” thought the injustice was overbearing. “They fought hard to abolish the worst crime against humanity in order to build a better life for families, themselves but most of all for the future generation… Their efforts

which led to emancipation, also led to the birthday of Guyana, because it is after this day that Indians, Chinese and Portuguese came,” said Granger.

Another fruit of their labour were the many villages that exist today. One of those that was pointed out was the host for the event. Gibraltar, he said, was bought four years after Africans gained emancipation. Twenty exslaves pooled their money and bought the 500 acres of plantation for $4,383. President Granger pointed out that today that figure is probably $438M, so that showed the sacrifice they made to buy the plantation.

Minister Nicolette Henry being greeted by Master of Ceremonies for yesterday’s event, Phillip Campbell (Photos by Delano Williams)

President David Granger being greeted by one of the village leaders on his arrival at Gibraltar

Dancers of the Ulverston/Hogstye/Lancaster Youth Group entertain the audience with a traditional African dance at Gibraltar

Subsequent to acquisition of the property, the founders of Gibraltar began the process of transformation by producing their own and becoming one of the food bowls of the Corentyne.

In addition, they were able to restore their families and create a community of persons who had no education, but were aware of the value of emancipation.

“These efforts led to the great village movement…

The movement had a clear purpose, in the sense that our forefathers had an idea to give their children a better life…we are those children and we are the beneficiaries of the movement,” he said.

The benefits were not only houses and villages, but also churches and schools that were built to ensure that the younger ones had the opportunity to acquire an education and religious teachings, the Guyanese leader told the gathering. “Their accomplishments were a sign of their plan and aim to create a central population and promote economic freedom.

We must continue their work and remember their sacrifices… no longer are we called slaves, emancipate yourself!” said President Granger.

Minister of Education,

Nicolette Henry shared similar sentiments as the President, noting that it is time villagers become critical thinkers, innovative and seek economic emancipation. “Prior to slavery there were things barring us from achieving those goals; inequality, division and so on were some of those negativities that still have a lasting effect today.

We must nevertheless remain

resilient in our effort for a better and safer society,” said the minister.

As part of the effort to help persons foster togetherness, five villages from Region Six were given $1M each for the enhancement of their community centre grounds. Beneficiaries include: Union, Gibraltar, Corriverton, Rose Hall and Kildonan.

A young dancer had the crowd on its feet at Gibraltar

A leader of one of the community centres receives a cheque for $1M

Some of the elderly could not hold themselves back as the drummers increased their momentum

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Venezuela jails opposition leaders in new crackdown on opponents Venezuela jailed two leading critics of President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday in a fresh blow to the opposition after the election of a new political body with absolute powers to strengthen the hand of the leftist government.

The United States imposed sanctions on Maduro on Monday, calling him a “dictator” for Sunday’s election of a constituent assembly that the opposition boycotted and denounced as illegitimate. In a statement announcing the jailing of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez and veteran politician Antonio Ledezma, the

pro-government Supreme Court said they were planning to flee the country and had violated terms of their house arrest by making political statements and speaking to media.

But government opponents called the abrupt removal of the men from their homes by security forces in nighttime raids a sign of Maduro’s determination to silence rivals and stamp out four months of massive street protests against him.

About 120 people have been killed in the unrest, including at least 10 during Sunday’s vote. Both Lopez and Ledezma had been urg-

ing protests against Sunday’s vote, which they charged was rigged and a naked power grab by Maduro. In addition to rewriting the constitution and superseding other institutions, the constituent assembly will have the power to dissolve the opposition-led congress, eliminating any formal political challenge to Maduro.

Lopez had been held more than three years in a military jail until last month, when he was unexpectedly released in what was seen as a potential breakthrough in the country’s long-running political standoff. Attempts to get the opposition and

the government to reach a negotiated deal subsequently floundered, however, and allies said Lopez, 46, may have been jailed again because he rejected government proposals. “They have kidnapped Leopoldo Lopez because he simply would not break under the pressures and false promises of the regime,” said Freddy Guevara, a legislator in the Popular Will party led

by Lopez. A U.S.-educated economist and former mayor in Caracas, Lopez is beloved by some in the opposition for his hardline anti-government stance and has become an international cause celebre.

The government sees him as an elitist coup-monger, and even some opposition sympathizers have criticized him for being hot-headed and authoritarian.

AN ARREST FORETOLD Lopez himself suspected he would be detained again, and had recorded a video alongside his wife Lilian

Tintori in which he urged Venezuelans to keep fighting even if he was put back behind bars. “If you’re seeing this video it’s precisely because that’s what happened, they jailed me again, illegally and unjustly,” said Lopez, in the video shown on social media on Tuesday.

Blamed by many for an unprecedented economic crisis and rising levels of poverty in Venezuela, Maduro has faced almost daily protests demanding freedom for jailed politicians, humanitarian aid to combat food and medicine shortages, and early elections to replace him. Condemnation of Tuesday’s arrests came, among others, from the United Nations human rights chief, the president of the European Parliament, and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who called the re-arrests “very alarming.”

Lopez and Ledezma were both taken from their homes to Ramo Verde, a military

jail in a slum area about an hour’s drive from the capital, according to lawyers and family. Lopez was originally arrested for his role in leading street demonstrations against Maduro. Ledezma, a 62-year-old veteran politician, had been arrested on charges of plotting a coup.

Maduro accuses the opposition of continuing to seek a coup against him and says the constituent assembly is designed to bring peace back to the volatile nation. The opposition-controlled congress, whose days may now be numbered, condemned the creation of the constituent assembly in a session held on Tuesday. Ambassadors from Britain, France, Mexico, and Spain attended the session. Underscoring fears of escalating violence in the South American nation, the UK said all dependants of embassy staff in Caracas had been withdrawn. (Reuters)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

70 houses for Soldier critical after struck down Lombard at roadblock St squatters SEVENTY single houses will be built to relocate the Broad and Lombard Streets squatters, each costing $1.2M, with funding provided by the Ministry of Communities and Food for the Poor.

This was disclosed during the ministry’s mid-term review and budget proposal held at the Regency Hotel, Hadfield Street, on Monday.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Patterson, explained that the decision to relocate the squatters was due to legal action taken by the land-owner and a High Court decision. This led to a six-week eviction notice.

“We have taken the initiative

to relocate those persons. We have commenced work at Barnwell North on the East Bank, where we are currently advertising to have the road done. That will facilitate houselots’ development and in collaboration with Food For The Poor, we have already negotiated; we are doing 70 single houses there.

When we did the registration, it was close to 68 adults and 100 children in that little area,” Minister Patterson noted.

The minister emphasised that government will not allow citizens to live in those conditions, hence the relocation programme. “Our focus from CH&PA is,as far as is practical, to build the

low-cost houses and relocate these persons and we are also looking at a similar project in Industry on the East Coast to relocate squatters from Sophia, East and West Ruimveldt and its immediate environments,” Minister Patterson explained.

The government will be investing $42M on the relocation programme, which will be transferred to Food For The Poor for construction of the houses and $30M for infrastructural development of the area. Minister Patterson also reminded that government remains committed to providing lands and houses for other persons and urged that they remain patient. (DPI)

A Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldier is battling for his life at the Georgetown Public Hospital after being struck down on the Bath Settlement Public Road, West Coast Berbice, early Tuesday morning.

Injured is Brian Samuels, 22, of Low Lands, Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Police said the accident occurred around 01:30h when a motorcycle of which the cyclist sustained minor injuries,

rammed into a roadblock set up as part of the Joint Services “Operation Clean Sweep.” The biker, Ramraj, 65, of Fifth Street, Alberttown, is admitted at the Fort Wellington Hospital.

Investigations revealed that ranks of the Joint Services, including Samuels, were conducting a road block under” Operation Clean Sweep” on the Bath Settlement Public Road, when the cyclist who was

proceeding east along the northern side of the road allegedly breached the cordon and collided with the soldier who was positioned on the northern side of the road. As a result of the impact both victims fell onto the road surface; they were immediately rushed to the nearby Fort Wellington Hospital. A breathalyser test was administered to the cyclist and no alcohol was detected in his breath.

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Licensing of teachers THE recommendation by the recently concluded Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the education system for teachers to be licensed seemed to have passed silently, and understandably so, given the major news events in the past month.

The idea has been around for some time. It was first mooted by top education administrators a few years ago and never gained traction under the tenure of former Education Minister Priya Manickchand, under whose watch performance in the sector, across the board, experienced a decline.

Back then it was felt that licensing of teachers was the way to go in the near future, as it would ensure greater accountability on the part of teachers and enable government to get full value for

money invested in the sector.

Education every year gets the largest slice of the national budget. The discussion was prompted after it was realised that while at the time about 70 per cent of teachers in the education system were formally trained, students’ results at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations were unsatisfactory.

Quite interestingly, the view was proffered, even though little effort was made to properly evaluate teachers in the school system, which from all indications is a major cause for the undesirable results. It is no secret that the education system has a mixed bag of teachers. There are those who give their all for their charges to succeed;

they are those who try; and then there are others who go through the motions.

A commonly accepted opinion then was that a strong system of evaluation was needed to hold all teachers to book for their performance in the classroom. The system envisioned would have also seen all teachers in the public school system undergoing some form of mandatory professional upgrade in order for their licences to be renewed. And these professional upgrade programmes would have been offered by the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) and the University of Guyana (UG).

These, among other measures, educators had felt would have played an instrumental role in shoring up students’ performance at

Some positive things happening in Guyana Dear Editor: THERE are some positive things happening in Guyana that we don’t seem to hear about, or are reminded of.

How many of us know that the only fully automated concrete block factory in the Caribbean is located in Guyana?

I had the honour of visiting KSM Investments at the invitation of its owner Mr. Mahadeo Panchu last Saturday, where I saw first-hand the operations of this state-of-the art concrete block factory which also produces “pavers” which are special blocks that are used for paving roads, sidewalks, median, etc. This almost $10 million (U.S.) investment has generated 20 direct jobs and more employment can be created if more of the blocks and pavers are used for local construction of buildings, roads, pavements, parking lots and medians. The new parking lot at State House, official residence of the President of Guyana, was recently paved with pavers manufactured at KSM Investments.

My visit revealed an operation that is carried out with precision to ensure a consistent, quality product which is just NOT plenty sand and some cement. These products consist of a mixture of a type of gravel, cement and sand based on a specified international quality-control ratio of each of these inputs and each batch is weighed to ensure that there is consistency in the quality.

This is monitored from a sophisticated control room which can immediately detect any discrepancy in the ratio of inputs. I am quite impressed with this operation, especially since I see an increasing number of high-rise buildings in Guyana. I am told that many of these new high-rise buildings are using these high-quality blocks, but that many contractors and sub-contractors on government projects such as schools are still not using these high-quality blocks which help to ensure the stability and safety of those structures.

I know that the shoveland-spade production of

concrete blocks /slabs generates significant employment and this must be taken into account. But we should not be compromising safety, especially on government buildings such as schools and high-traffic offices. Also, the use of pavers on select roads (certainly not highways) could also prove advantageous, since these pavers are everlasting, and where there is sinkage/erosion the pavers can be removed, the base refilled and the same pavers put back. I am impressed by the operations of this entity which I was not aware of prior to my visit.

Mr. Panchu and I are friends on Face Book and met for the first time last Saturday.

His investment deserves every support. This factory should be operational at full capacity, not only to generate more employment, but to ensure that our buildings meet internationally established safety standards.

Regards WESLEY KIRTON

all levels of examination and enable government to get a “bang for the buck” its pours into education.

It is heartening to know that this progressive idea has not disappeared into oblivion and was among the recommendations of the Education CoI to fix the many faults in the education system.

The CoI report was quick to note that implementation of a licensing system for teachers would ensure greater discipline and management of educators, and would require certain adjustments in the education system.

It stated thusly: “This will require a complete rethink on how teachers are trained, certified, appraised, managed and disciplined.

Every teacher should have an incentive to maintain his or her licence to teach.”

And importantly, it pointed out that consideration should also be given for the renewal of such licence on a five-year basis, once “certain criteria for professional development, mental and physical assessment are fulfilled.”

Much work would be required before implementation of such a programme. And given the current state of things, if the Ministry of Education does decide to accept the recommendation, it might

take some time before the licensing programme is implemented. Notwithstanding this, the Ministry of Education must also not be unmindful of resistance to change from players in the education system. As such, it would be more than useful for the ministry to consult the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) in every step of the implementation process.

At the end of the day, all must have a say in building a better education system.

Was Deodat Sharma protecting Gocool Boodhoo?

Dear Editor: IS the question of transparency and accountability at GECOM really a focus point for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic?

Since the 2001 General Elections, the Auditor General’s Office has zeroed in on GECOM suspicious transactions with Mike Brasse, but Deodat Sharma refused to conduct a Forensic Audit. Gocool Boodhoo, who was Assistant Chief Elections Officer got appointed as Chief Elections Officer.

More allegations of corruption, GECOM purchased $25,000,000 worth of janitorial items at exorbitant prices from Mike Brasse’s company, Tri Star, which was never registered at the Deeds Registry. The business registration that Mike Brasse provided to GECOM was

proven by the Audit Office as fake, but again Mr. Deodat Sharma failed to call a Forensic Audit.

In 2008, the Audit Office started a Forensic Audit of $24,000.000 expended for OKIDATA Toners. Accounting Officer Boodhoo allegedly submitted fake quotations, because the company could not be located by visits or phones. The audit was suddenly halted. In 2009, present PPP commissioner Bibi Shaddick publicly criticised Accounting Officer Boodhoo, after a public accounts meeting. In 2010, then President Bharrat Jagdeo raised concerns about Accounting Officer Boodhoo’s regular submissions of single-sourcing for cabinet approval. 2010, shocking revelations, PPP administration approved adjacent

houselots for CEO Boodhoo and another official of GECOM at Diamond.

Please note the houselots approval were just before the 2011 General and Regional Elections. For the record, Mr. Sharma, present Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield is still living at his modest South Ruimveldt residence. Fast forward to 2015, with Gocool Boodhoo not calling the shots and the PPP out of office, Mr. Deodat Sharma and the Audit Office of Guyana are hunting GECOM and its CEO Keith Lowenfield with Usain Bolt speed and Glen Lall and Kaieteur News are holding the speed gun.

Regards Former GECOM employee

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Some questions for the Commissioner of Forests Dear Editor: AS a dedicated and humble logger from the Essequibo Coast, I write to express grave concern about the rights of small loggers in our country.

On Wednesday, 21st June, 2017, three officers from the Supenaam Forestry Station were involved in a raid on 41km Buckhall road gps zin 0290414 UTM 0754693.

During the ordeal, custody form #018177 was issued reflecting 50 pcs or 2500BM purple heart lumber. However, the officers failed to identify 1200BM of Washiba lumber amongst the Purpleheart.

One month has elapsed with no feedback from the Supenaam Forest Station, despite numerous promises.

I have visited the Supenaam Forest Station five times and made numerous phone calls during this period. I was always cooperative. Mr. Editor, I accept full responsibility for harvesting the lumber on AMS ESS 06/85 (a concession owned by A. Mazaharally and Sons). I have three children to maintain and due to financial constraints, I was forced to harvest on AMS ESS 06/85.

On the 21st July, 2017, I once again called the Supenaam Forest Station only to be told by the supervisor that he was instructed by the commissioner that the lumber had already been sold.

Here are some questions

for the commissioner of forests: 1. Why was a custody form (illegal harvesting #018177 issued for 2500BM Purple Heart lumber found at 41 km Buckhall road for 1200BM Washiba and 1800BM of Purple Heart lumber?

2. Why did you overrun this document and what procedure did you use to hand responsibilities to Cummings Wood Products Ltd? Why was the producer not allowed to pay the penalty, or why was a public auction not held?

3. Why is it that despite visiting the Supenaam Forest Station on five (5) occasions and numerous phone calls was I not informed that the commissioner had different plans for the produce?

How did Cummings Wood Products gain access to the lumber?

4. Why is it that the three officers (including the supervisor) involved in the custody could not tell the difference between Purpleheart and Washiba hammer #331? What training are those officers receiving? Yet upon visiting this forest station, officers are busy on their cellphones chatting or frequenting the nearby shop.

5. Why was the producer not the first option regarding the resale of the produce?

Why was a custody form issued?

6. Why it that a lumber

yard located in Anna Regina is fully operational and yet to uplift its licence from the Supenaam Forestry Office? Isn’t this document supposed to be on display and failure would lead to closure of the facility?

7. Why are there double standards regarding the penalties for various offences?

8. Why was the Washiba lumber (1200bm) transported to the Buckhall landing by an individual who is an ex-forestry officer, and a well-known figure within the forestry sector for various negative reasons? Why was the 1800bm Purpleheart not transported as well?

This trampling on the rights of citizens must be rejected in all forms. In the face of such travesty of justice, silence is not an option. Article 144 of the Constitution of Guyana guarantees that a man is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. I call upon the commissioner to uphold the rules governing the forestry sector. Citizens should speak up and don’t wait for you to become the next victim. Let’s stop this madness now. What message is this sending? We know what happened in the past, we must never allow this to happen again. Stop the abuse now.

Please awake from your slumber Mr. Commissioner.

Regards J. JOHN

Concerned about my son’s safety

Dear Editor, WITH all the drama of the Camp Street prison fire, jailbreak, pasture prison, tarmac prison, brick prison, Lusignan prisoners and security at war, prisoners shot and still no solution. I am hoping to see my son alive. He stole my neighbour’s phone and was awaiting trial when he scaled the Camp Street Prison fence according to prison officials.

His case for the cellphone was dismissed and he was given twelve (12) months imprisonment for scaling the fence.

I did not help him with a lawyer because I felt that I have been helping since 2010 when it was determined that he is mentally unstable. I regard his life just as I regard any other; the authorities took him alive in

their care, so I hope that is how he is going to get out of there.

His reaction to charges set against him and sentencing in the courtroom is an indication of his state of mind.

The Government of Guyana took my son into their care in December 2017. Are they capable of keeping my son Roscoe McIntyre safe throughout the end of his sentence? What will they tell me if anything goes wrong?

What did they tell the relatives of Charles Peters? Is that what they are going to tell me?

Mentally deranged individuals need to have better care and a better holding place.

I went to the prison service to seek an audience with the director of prisons about my concerns and was told

that he was out. The people there took my contact information and said they will contact me. To this very day I was not contacted. Maybe if he had given me the time of day he would have gotten some ideas that would have prevented the daring prison break that cost his prison a loss of life and property. Since this event took place, after my son strolled out of the prison months before the daring escape, I always thought it was lack of security. Persons in high offices need to be ready to listen and accept constructive criticisms, which can turn into ideas that most have to pay consultants for.

Regards LORRAINE MCINTYRE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Court of Appeal puts hold on Westford trial THE Court of Appeal has granted an order stopping the magisterial proceeding in the matter against former Minister of Public Service, Dr. Jennifer Westford in relation to eight state vehicles, for which she has been charged with forgery of documents and attempting to transfer same to other persons.

Dr. Westford of Lot 55 ‘AA’ Victoria Avenue, Ec-

cles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and Ms. Margaret Cummings, former Personnel Officer at the Ministry of Public Service and of Lot 709 Section ‘A’ Diamond, EBD are currently before City Magistrate Fabayo Azore for the charges.

The attorneys for the women were forced to take the motion to the Court of Appeal following a High Court ruling to quash a Constitutional Motion to

Dr Jennifer Westford

Margaret Cummings

examine the issue of amnesty. The order granted also, prevents the Director of

Public Prosecutions (DPP) and police from prosecuting the two women until the appeal court proceedings is completed.

When the matter was called in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday before Magistrate Azore, it was adjourned until August 7, 2017 for the lawyers to address the court on the way forward. The women are being represented by a team of attorneys – Neil Boston SC, Rexford McKay, Keisha Chase, Eusi Anderson, Bibi Shaddick, Brandon Glasford and Dexter Todd. The trial is led by State Prosecutor Teshana Lake.

In August 2015, the former minister was placed on a total of $800,000 bail after she pleaded not guilty to the charges, which state that between July 17, 2014 and June 23, 2015, she attempted to transfer eight state-owned vehicles to four persons.

Westford’s former aid, Margaret Cummings was also slapped with four counts of forgery. Cummings also pleaded not guilty to four charges which alleged that she forged documents for the purchase of the eight motor vehicles.

She was also released on a total of $1.2M bail.

In June 2015, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, had told the media that it was brought to his attention that some documents were sent to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), purportedly signed by Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Ministry, Hydar Ally.

This was done under Ally’s letterhead, but signed by someone else. It was Ally who directed Harmon to the discrepancy in the paperwork forwarded to GRA for the transfer of eight vehicles. In light of the overwhelming evidence, the vehicles were returned to the government.

Meanwhile, in April 2016, Westford and Cummings were each released on $4.8M bail after denying a total of 24 charges which alleged that they stole over $639M, while being employed in the Public Service. This matter is currently before City Magistrate, Judy Latchman.

According to court facts, Westford was employed as Minister of Public Service from 2001-2015, while her co-accused was the Principal Personnel Officer (PPO) of the Ministry. Cummings was also in charge of the Ministry’s accounts department.

In January 2016, Magistrate Azore overruled a submission citing “executive abuse” made by Senior Counsel, Neil Boston and signalled her readiness to proceed with trial. This was after Boston had contended that the institution of criminal charges against the

former Minister and Cummings breaches an amnesty promise made by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon during a June 19, 2015 press conference.

Boston had stated that Harmon had promised that once the vehicles were returned no prosecution would take place. He had stated that during the press conference, Harmon said, “They can quietly bring them (state assets) back to the Ministry, in which they came from or to the Office of the President (OP). They can park them outside the gate…”

Boston had related that all the vehicles were returned to the then Office of the President and in spite of the amnesty, his clients were still charged. The lawyer had made this claim while addressing the court on why court proceedings against his clients should not go forward.

However, the Magistrate ruled that the statement made by Harmon was ambiguous.

She stated that the court is not sure if what the minister said amounts to an amnesty or pardon and signalled her readiness to proceed with trial. The battery of lawyers then moved to the High Court and filed a Constitutional Motion preventing Magistrate Azore from proceeding with the trial. But the Constitutional Motion was quashed some time last year by then Chief Justice (ag) now Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards. The lawyers have since appealed the ruling.

Prison Service eyes retired senior noncommissioned officers DIRECTOR of Prisons Gladwyn Samuels on Tuesday announced that in an effort to strengthen the capacity of the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) applications from retired senior non-commissioned officers of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Prison Service would be considered.

These retired officers who wish to join the Guyana Prison Service can submit written applications to the Director of Prisons, 46 Brickdam, Stabroek, or call telephone number 225 6003 for further details, the Department of Information said in a release.

“Recent challenges which the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) has been

faced with, requires us to look at all possibilities in strengthening our internal capacity. We know that there is a core of experienced security services officers who have expressed a willingness to continue to give service to the nation and we believe it would be eminently sensible to engage these officers at this time,” Mr. Samuels said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Varswyk pulled trigger during Camp St escape – Director

CAMP Street prison escapee, Uree Varswyk, was identified by injured prison warders as the person who shot at them during the July 9 outbreak at the Georgetown Prison.

This was revealed by Director of Prisons, Gladwyn Samuels, during a recent press briefing at the Ministry of Public Security, Brickdam Georgetown.

Varswyk was charged with the murder of Abrams on February 26, 2015.

The prison director said he recently visited six of the injured prison warders and managed to get a detailed account of what occurred during the prison break.

“Many of those officers would have already given statements to ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department and I am quite sure police will be acting on information received,” Samuels explained, “Persons were not pressed for statements because of their medical state and now with improved health conditions they were able to provide statements.”

Escapee Uree Varswyk

The Prison Director said four warders identified Varswyk as the shooter who killed Officer Odinga Wickham and shot at three other warders. “Statements given by prisoners and officers who witness what happened, as well as prison officer Hubert Trim, who said he was stabbed repeatedly by Sean Collins, who was recaptured and he was also chopped by prison escapee Royden Williams,” the director noted.

Former police constable; Sean Collins was committed to stand trial in the High Court after being accused of killing taxi driver Raphael Campbell. It is alleged that Collins murdered 30-year-old Campbell

Director of Prisons Gladwyn Samuels

of Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, between January 2 and January 3 2016. Meanwhile on February 2, 2017, following a lengthy jury trial Bartica Massacre felon, Mark Royden Williams called “Smallie” was sentenced to be hanged by the neck until death for the offence of murder.

Joint services are hunting for the remaining four escapees from a total of seventeen prison escapees. Wanted are Uree Varswyk, Royden Williams, Paul Goriah and Cobena Stephens.

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Region 5 councillors uncooperative – President PRESIDENT David Granger on Tuesday expressed disgust at the resistance of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to government.

In response to a question posed by members of the media on the state of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), the President said, many PPP councillors are very “uncooperative.”

Since the Local Government Elections (LGE) were held in 2015, there has been an ongoing battle between councillors on both sides of the divide. “Many times the Minister of Communities would call a meeting and they would not show up. The Regional Chairman wouldn’t show up, the councillors wouldn’t show up and the Mayor too,” lamented President Granger.

He said, government is made up of three levels; the municipal, regional and national levels and in order for there to be progress, all levels must cooperate. The President, as such, called on the PPP councillors to show cooperation by showing up to meetings and playing an active role in the management of the RDCs. Only recently the Head of State told this newspaper that there has been a consistent lack of cooperation by the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), to have dialogue with the govern-

ment on matters of national importance outside of the constitutional requirements.

The President described the non-cooperation by the Opposition as “dysfunctional,” during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

He made it clear that his administration is not opposed to talks with the Opposition on non-constitutional matters, but noted that “it is good to speak with people who are not prepared to speak with you and we have had some difficulties.”

The Head-of-State cited several examples, including his address to the National Assembly at the beginning of every session and budgetary consultations. “For example, last October, I addressed Parliament to lay out the legislative agenda, and the financial considerations and the entire Opposition was absent.

“When the budget consultations take place, they send a junior person or they don’t participate at all. The reform of the sugar industry, the attendance is very spotty.

There has been a very low level of cooperation on the part of the Opposition,” said President Granger.

He noted that the resistance by the Opposition does not exist only at the level of Central Government, but also regionally. “I have been to

some meetings and the Regional Chairman won’t come to meet me, the Ministry of Communities has had seminars and the persons who have been elected on the PPP ticket don’t show up; municipal and regional levels.”

President Granger assured that notwithstanding the challenges faced with regard to political dialogue between the coalition Government and the Opposition, he has no issue consulting with the PPP outside of constitutional matters. “So we have had a lack of cooperation from the Opposition in many areas. I would consult them yes, in matters of GECOM and things I am required to consult him on, and outside of the Constitution, but they have been very uncooperative.” Moreover, the President described the resistance from the Opposition as dysfunctional.

“We expect resistance from the Opposition, but it is uncooperative to the level of being dysfunctional. And, if you have a system in which [the] regional administration refuses to cooperate with the Central Government, it is beyond defiance, it starts to become dangerous and I think the Opposition has to bear responsibility for that,” the President added.

Wednesday, August 2, 2017 - 01:00 hrs | 13:30 hrs Thursday, August 3, 2017 - 02:00 hrs | 14:30 hrs Friday, August 4, 2017 - 02:30 hrs | 14:30 hrs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Experts plug climate-smart agriculture – to mitigate adverse affects of climate change FARMERS are being implored to take a more “climate-smart” approach to doing business, if they want to beat the adverse effects of climate change.

Although the notion of “going green” is reportedly the best solution to mitigating the effects of the global change in climatic conditions, experts say once the right methods of farming are not employed, more greenhouse gases can be emitted.

Journalists on Saturday

learnt of the growing demand for the climate-smart agriculture approach at a media workshop organised by the Office for Climate Change and the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISB).

Executive Director of Global Economic Cooperation, Trade and Investment within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Rawle Lucas, made reference during his presentation to the harmful effects of chem-

ical fertilisers to both land and air because of the gases they emit.

“Agriculture is contributing to 24 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions around the world,” Lucas said.

“We are not doing anything different from those other countries, so it is clearly an issue for us to focus on,” he added.

He pointed to the urgent need for farmers to do things differently; to recog-

nise and change their current methods of production, as it cannot work any longer.

His comments were particularly directed at those who have a marked preference for fertiliser use in rice production. It was outlined that the fertiliser is not “ozone-friendly”, and therefore there is need to negotiate with farmers locally and from other countries to accept the changes that are

necessary.

Specialists say that climate-smart agriculture is a business model that increases agricultural output, while maintaining, or lowering, amounts of inputs, such as land, water or fertiliser.

It also increases total productivity, while reducing environmental impacts and building resilience to threats to production induced by the effects of climate change.

In 2015, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) announced the approval of US$5M for a Climate-Smart Agriculture Fund (CSAF) for the Caribbean and Latin America to encourage private sector companies in the region to invest in projects that increase farmers’ incomes while addressing climate change.

CATIE, MOA to advance research and development through collaboration TROPICAL Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) is likely to collaborate with the Agriculture Ministry to boost the country’s livestock capabilities, with the

introduction of a new model for dairy development in the tropics.

Livestock development was among areas discussed on Monday when CATIE’s Director General, Guyanese

born, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim called on Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder.

Boosting the capabilities of extension officers is another area of which CATIE and Turn to page 19 ►

Technical Officer of Climate Change, Shane Singh, making his presentation at Saturday’s forum. Seated at the head-table are, from left: Climate Change Officer, Ms Kandila Ramotar; Head of the Office for Climate Change, Ms Janelle Christian; and Executive Director of Global Economic Cooperation, Trade and Investment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Rawle Lucas

From left: NAREI’s CEO, Dr. Oudho Homenauth; Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder; CATIE Director General, Muhammad Ibrahim; and GLDA CEO, Nigel Cumberbatch

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Floodwaters destroy farms in Lamp Island

By Vanessa Braithwaite FLOODWATERS have destroyed the farms of residents of the small farming community of Lamp Island, Berbice River, even as authorities have described the situation as a disaster and urge immediate help for residents.

Lamp Island, which is located in the Berbice River, is inhabited by around 50 families who depend on fishing, farming and hunting for a living and while flooding occurs approximately every 5 five to six years, this episode has been described as the worse. Over the past month, many of the residents, especially those living in flat houses were forced to evacuate and while some had nowhere else to go, they remained in the community with water estimated to be 9 ft. deep. According to Region 10 Vice-Chairman Elroy Adolph, who is a resident of Kwakwani, the situation continues to worsen every time it rains and residents are counting their losses in the thousands as their livestock and other material possessions have been destroyed. This was corroborated by the Chairperson of the Kwakwani Neighbourhood Democratic Council (KNDC) Merna Adrian, who said that all of the farms in the area have been destroyed because of the flood. The last flooding occurred in 2012, but not to this magnitude.

Adolph said that the office of the vice-chairman made a donation of food items to the residents as well as the Seventh Day Adventist Church

A wide shot of the community being inundated

in the community. He said that a report was made to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) after an assessment was completed by the KNDC and the response given is that the residents were warned about squatting in the area, since it is close to the river and will be prone to flooding and they were also advised to move out during previous flooding.

Adolph reported that the main access road to the larger sections of Kwakwani is also under water and therefore a by-pass situated around the crushing plant area had to be made. “Even if all the water stop fall now, it will take a good time for all

the water around there to drain off,” Adolph said in explaining the situation.

Adrian said that the NDC was not able to render significant assistance to the residents, but a report was completed and no visit or response was done by higher authorities, even though the residents have lost most or in some cases their entire livelihoods. “We haven’t received any response as yet, and the people, they depend on fishing, farming and hunting for a living,” Adrian said. Residents and other community authorities are calling on the RDC and CDC to be more proactive in bringing relief to the residents of Lamp Island.

STEM gets additional financial support THE Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Programme has received additional financial support with funding being provided by US-based Roraima Consulting Incorporated.

On Monday, Andrea Watson-James and Colin Westmoreland, President and Chief Operating Officer of the New York Company, presented Guyana’s First Lady, Sandra Granger, with a cheque for an undisclosed sum to assist with the programme. The donation was made during a brief courtesy call.

Watson-James said that the company was inspired and motivated to make the contribution to the First Lady’s STEM Education programme after witnessing the country’s performance at the recently held 2017 First Global Challenge in Washington, D.C. The First Lady said that it is heartening to see companies and individuals beginning to come on board to support the initiative.

STEM education is an important component of Pres-

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, receives the cheque from Ms. Andrea Watson-James, President and Chief Executive Officer of Roraima Consulting Incorporated, as Mr. Colin Westmoreland, Chief Operating Officer, looks on

ident David Granger’s policy to emphasise science and technology in the education sector. Recently, Mrs. Granger said that the success of the STEM Guyana team at the 2017 First Global Challenge is testimony of the value of these kinds of investments by Government and the Private Sector for the development of STEM education. The team placed tenth out of 165 competing countries.

The First Lady has placed a strong focus on training programmes, particularly in

the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in various communities, including Buxton/Friendship and Lusignan, which are being run parallel to the President’s National Endowment for Science and Technology (NEST) programme.

Overseas based Guyanese, Karen Abrams brought the Robotics Camp to Guyana in August 2016 and talks have been ongoing to establish Clubs and Leagues all across Guyana within the next year.

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Bath Settlement benefitting from much-needed drainage works RESIDENTS of the entire northern section of Bath Settlement village, West Coast Berbice, will benefit from improved environmental sanitation and reduced instances of flooding as a result of emergency works on desilting of over 6,000 rods of internal drains currently being undertaken by the administration of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

During a site visit last week, Regional Engineer Mr Dhanpaul Sukha disclosed that the emergency works at Bath Settlement which falls under the Bath/Woodley Park Neighborhood Democratic Council (NDC) began a week

ago with funds allocated by the regional administration via its budget for the NDC for 2017.

Regional Executive Officer Ovid Morrison, who also visited the area said that on completion the network of internal drains will be handed over to the NDC for maintenance. He was confident that the NDC will be able to use manual labour to do so, given that the heavier work of desilting is being done mechanically in the current intervention. Yesterday, residents in the area expressed satisfaction that the project is being executed as emergency works. Enthusiastic residents then pointed to abandoned

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

84 graduate from Pan Minors workshop

Some of the participants displaying their skills during the graduation ceremony

Regional officials on a site visit at ongoing emergency desilting works at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice

house- lots in the village which during the rainy season contain stagnant pools of water which breed mosquitoes.

They sought assistance from the regional administration to drain these lands.

Morrison however explained to them that the abandoned lands were privately owned and they will need to get the written permission of the owners before the administration can make excavations on such properties “lest we encounter legal problems.” He assured residents that the administration will assist once this obstacle is cleared, failing which they could at the community level look at manual means of draining the troublesome vacant lots which contribute to the nuisance of mosquitoes in those sections of the village.

EIGHT-FOUR young Guyanese graduated from the Republic Bank Start Pan Minors Music Literacy Programme recently.

On Friday, they were all presented with certificates to mark their completion of the programme, which was jointly executed by the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, and Republic Bank Guyana from July 11-27.

The closing ceremony was attended by Education Minister, Nicolette Henry and Senior Officials from Republic Bank, including Jannis London, Denise Hobbs and Yugisther Mohabir.

The Education Minister, while delivering the feature address, said the National School of Music’s partnership with Republic Bank has borne fruit.

“Many school aged children, particularly at the secondary level have benefitted….and are actively involved in steel pan concerts and competitions, such as the

annual Republic Bank PanO-Rama,” she pointed out.

She said the contribution being made by Republic Bank Guyana has not gone unnoticed. “Republic Bank has invested millions of dollars over the years to help spread steel pan music throughout the country, and I trust, will continue to do so as there is no better investment than investing in our young people!”

While expressing the hope that the partnership will continue, Minister Henry pointed to government’s strategic development plan to establish 15 new school bands by 2020. “Steel pan music in Guyana has a rich and interesting history and legacy, and we want to continue this legacy by having as many schools as possible equipped with steel pans,” Minister Henry posited.

Andrew Tyndall, Administrator of The National School of Music, and organiser of the programme in his Turn to page 19 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Guyana-Canada relations stronger than ever – says outgoing Canadian HC OUTGOING Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Pierre Giroux, has said that the increase in technical and economic cooperation between Guyana and Canada is proof of the strong relationship that the two countries share.

Mr Giroux made the observation during a farewell courtesy call on President David Granger at State House on Monday.

“In the last two years, what we have really developed is more economic cooperation. Canadian companies are investing and interested in your markets,” Mr Giroux said, adding: “We also have good po-

litical dialogue, and we have good technical cooperation in which technical assistance is actually supporting activities in this country.

“So if I do an assessment, I would say it’s been a very successful two years.”

Speaking on the level of interest that Canadian companies have shown in the local extractive sector, the Canadian High Commissioner, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of the Presidency, noted that even the decline in the price of gold has not deterred investors; that in fact, Canadian investment in the mining sector has increased considerably in the last two years.

President David Granger and Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Pierre Giroux at State House

“We now have several other companies, [which] are now doing exploration beyond gold, so the traditional investment of Guyana in the

Morucans in preparation mode

– for opening of New Waramuri Secondary School ALTHOUGH the start of the new school year is more than a month away, parents of students assigned to the new Waramuri Secondary School at Moruca have already commenced preparations for when school opens.

On Monday, parents and teachers banded themselves together and undertook a self-help project to spruce up the school’s surroundings, including the

removal of several trees which stood close to the building.

Work on the North West District (NWD) school commenced last year after the finances were approved for its construction.

Last year, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon announced at a post-Cabinet media briefing that the contract for the construction of the school was awarded to Sattaur Mohammed

and Sons Construction and Hardware Supplies.

Based on information provided by the Regional Education Officer (REO), Nigel Richards to GINA, financing for the project was approved by the Ministry of Finance, to the tune of $17, 920, 864 for a building measuring 50 by 70 feet.

The new structure will accommodate a school population of more than 250 students.

Parents engaged in self-help works at the new Waramuri Secondary School at Moruca (Photo courtesy of Colin De La Cruz)

Unlicensed teen driver crashes car A TEENAGER is in police custody after the vehicle PVV 6203 he was driving crashed on the Success Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD) in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Reports indicate that three persons including the

driver were in the vehicle when it crashed. They were assisted to the Georgetown Public Hospital and treated for minor injuries and sent away. The teenage driver was given a breathalyzer test and was found to be above the alcohol limit.

The detained car at the Beterverwagting Police Station

Reports indicate that the motorcar, a Toyota Allion, is owned by a 26-year-old man who told the police that he was unaware that the teen was using his vehicle.

Enquiries disclosed that the motor car was proceeding west along the southern side of the road at fast rate of speed when the car tyre suffered a blow out toppling the vehicle multiple times before it crashed onto the carriageway. Police said the accident occurred after 03:00hrs Tuesday morning and the teenager was an unlicensed driver.

extractive sector has been reinforced,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Granger spoke highly of Canada’s relationship with the region as a whole, and noted that given the size of the Guyanese Diaspora in Canada, there is much more scope for deeper engagement and cooperation.

He also expressed his Administration’s gratitude to the High Commissioner for the work he has undertaken in Guyana during his tour of duty here, and asked him to convey to his successor that

the Government of Guyana is ready and willing to continue the work of strengthening relations between the two nations.

High Commissioner Giroux, who also served as Canadian High Commissioner to Suriname, and is Canada’s Representative to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), presented his Letters of Credence to President Granger in August 2015.

He is scheduled to depart Guyana on Friday, and his successor slated to arrive in September.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Let us preserve our homes – President tells Plaisance residents PRESIDENT David Granger has called on the pastor and congregation of the Glory Light Tabernacle to ensure that the community of Plaisance does not forget the people who made the village a reality and to show the young generation the heights that the village can reach with hard work and commitment.

Speaking at the Glory Light Tabernacle’s annual Sunrise Worship Breakfast in the East Coast village Tuesday morning, the President called on the church to “lead the way to hold a prayer service for this village this year, the 175th Anniversary,” he said. He also reminded residents that the task of nation-building does not end with the 89,000 persons, who

fought and won their emancipation. “Nation-building is a continuous process. We have to carry on the work that they started but we have to evaluate our efforts,” the Head of State said.

The President noted that while freed Africans were poor and uneducated, they were rich in their understanding of the need to look after their families. It is primarily for this reason that they pooled their resources and started the Village Movement. Within the first decade after Emancipation, freed Africans purchased 15,000 acres of land at the value of $1M, which they converted into communities. The village of Plaisance, which sits on about 300 acres of land, was purchased by 65 persons for

$39,000 in 1842.

“This nation’s ancestors purchased these villages. They helped to transform what was then a series of plantations into a nation…We have inherited a beautiful gift and I urge you to celebrate that gift. I urge you on this Emancipation Day to consider what would have been going through the minds of your ancestors 179 years ago when they gained their freedom. They saw their freedom as an instrument not to have fun, but as an instrument to make their children and grandchildren happy for eternity,” the President said.

He told residents that the best way to honour and pay homage to their ancestors is by preserving the four pillars of a strong community, which was bequeathed to them by people who endured the worse crime ever perpetrated against

President David Granger in conversation with Pastor Jason Yorrick of the Glory Light Tabernacle and Demerara/Mahaica Region (Region Four) Regional Democratic Council Chairman, Ms. Genevieve Allen at Tuesday morning’s Sunrise Worship Breakfast

Worshippers at the Glory Light Tabernacle in Plaisance decked out in their African wear as they sing praise and worship songs on Tuesday morning at the Sunrise Worship Breakfast

humanity. “These people were extraordinary…They were cutting cane, working with the hands, they never went to school… They use their freedom as an instrument to build churches to serve God, to build schools to teach their children, to build farms to feed their families and to build homes to work and to live with their families. Let us preserve our homes, let us preserve our schools and let us preserve our farms so that

we can have a happy life in the land that our fore parents purchased with the blood, sweat and tears,” the Head of State said.

President Granger has attended the Emancipation Day Sunrise Service annually, which starts at 06:00hrs with a prayer and worship session. The event was well attended by members of the community and church, who were beautifully attired in colourful African prints,

which is a special tribute to the rich culture that was brought to Guyana by their African ancestors. Among the invitees were Attorney General, Mr. Basil Williams and Chairperson of Demerara-Mahaica (Region Four), Ms. Genevieve Allen. This year, the Glory Light Tabernacle is celebrating its 47th anniversary under the theme “Soaring from glory in the year of the supernatural”.

(Ministry of Presidency)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Rich Guyanese culture celeb

THE National Park was on Tuesday abuzz with festivities as Guyanese celebrated the 179th Anniversary of the abolition of slavery.

There was a mixture of every race as patrons joined in the Emancipation celebrations hosted by the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA).

The theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Moving Forward, Building Guyana through Ujamaa (a political-economic model of development). Also gracing the event were Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, Minister of Labour Keith Scott, and several Members of Parliament.

The sounds of drums pounding out African rhythms under

expert handling of the Buxton Drummers added to the atmosphere of liberty and joy displayed by Guyanese and a number of foreigners who joined in the historic celebrations.

There were also cultural performances during the day from many talented Guyanese, including the Vergenoegen Dance Group, ACDA’s Association of Young Africans (AYA), the Mocha Cultural Group, the Farm Dance Group, the Hebrew Family Dancers, the Glaston Twirling Dancerettes and many others.

Various groups from around Guyana were dressed in flamboyant African wear, and others, who were stylishly casual for the occasion, were all focused on the cultural show, despite the morning rain and the weather remaining partly cloudy for the

rest of the day.

Several booths exhibited African culture, while others had displays of clothing, jewellery and ornaments. Food bars were also prevalent, with many selling traditional African foods such as conkie, black pudding, foo-foo and cook-up rice. This year, the ACDA aimed at showcasing the richness and diversity of African culture and its role in Guyanese society, the Caribbean and those countries to which slaves were brought. This was achieved by traditional and modern, inspired performances and family-oriented activities, “Hello Africa” children parade and also a show with international and regional performers such as Etana, Everton Blender, Surinamese Cultural Presentation“fire eating” etc. and a Nigerian cultural presentation.

The Farm Dance Group in action at the ACDA celebrations (Samuel Maughn photo)

MATCHING OUTFITS! This family decided to wear similar red garments as they celebrated 179 years of emancipation (Samuel Maughn)

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo enjoying the cultural show while his wife, Sita, gives a wave to the crowd (Samuel Maughn photo)

This young girl shows off her elaborate head wrap and outfit (Samuel Maughn photo)

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Karen Cummings, decked out in a full African outfit as she enjoys the show (Samuel Maughn photo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

brated on Emancipation Day The Guyana Chronicle caught up with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who expressed that for this year in addition to people celebrating the freedom of the enslaved Africans, there seems to be a “consciousness” developing.

The development of this consciousness, demonstrates that there’s a fusion of cultures in the Guyanese society, where people are diverging from being racially and ethnically segregated, according to the prime minister. He explained however that the celebration of African culture and people of African ancestry are not being downplayed by society’s evolution; rather, it is the communal celebrations that add to the festivities.

The prime minister also related that on display, at this pro-

gramme, was the rich variety of culture through dance, song, tradition and language. This rich variety was not a sole reflection of African culture, but was influenced by other cultures.

The mixture is portraying that you could be different culturally, but yet you are blended into a national milieu… a national fabric,” he stressed and further underscored, “Our variety is our beauty, and you could [see] national cohesion and social cohesion based on this beautiful cultural mix and variety.”

Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott, shared similar sentiments when the Guyana Chronicle spoke to him as he toured the booths at the National Park. He noted that the day marks a very historic occasion however, according to him, “It is an opportunity to reaffirm our commit-

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ment to being Guyanese. As Guyanese, while we respect each other’s culture or while we strengthen each other’s culture, we want to make sure that that culture is used productively,” Scott said too.

And finally, the Guyana Chronicle had a quick chat with overseas-based Guyanese musician, Courtney Noel, who after missing the Emancipation celebrations for many years, thoroughly enjoyed the day. For Noel, the best part was seeing children indulging in their culture and embracing their heritage. For young boys beating the drums or young girls dancing to the sounds of the drums, he related, “It is quite a pleasant surprise for me, to see the kids being involved in the day’s festivities.”

ACDA’s Association of Young Africans (AYA) dancers (Photo by Samuel Maughn)

The Glaston Twirling Dancerettes

Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott, visiting one of the booths at the National Park on Tuesday (Samuel Maughn)

A group of marchers entertain the crowd with their antics, as part of the cultural show (Samuel Maughn photo)

This family are decked out in their African wear while visiting the National Park later in the afternoon (Samuel Maughn)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Destigmatising depression

By Akola Thompson I AM depressed. I am not

depressed right at this moment as I write this, but it is something I have battled

with and continue to battle with. It comes and goes in waves, often as some pass-

ing melancholy, but sometimes it persists for weeks and months. My last serious

bout of depression began in 2013. That lasted for more than a year. I say it was my last ‘serious’ one not to say that depression should not always be taken seriously, but to say that it was the last time I ever seriously considered killing myself because of how empty I felt.

Getting through that was no easy task. Firstly, I had to admit to myself that I actually had a problem. As someone who thrives on solitude and who on a normal day has an existential crisis, it took me a very long time before I realised that this was not just my personality trait getting a bit more complex. It was an actual problem that needed to be addressed.

While addressing my problem put me on to a road of self-discovery and selfcare, too often we get caught up in the romanticised idea that that is the end of it. Yes, things can get easier, but we need to stop treating depression as if it is just some passing problem. Too often, it persists and for those who are sold quick ideas about how to get ‘rid’ of it, this can be dangerous. I am no longer suicidal, but I do still suffer from depression. This past week saw me spending an inordinate amount of time under my writing desk crying into dirty clothes. I broke down everywhere. I began crying while struggling to open my room door. I began crying because I lost a pen. I began crying because I felt tired of crying. When the crying abated, I just felt numb to everything. The reason as to why I felt like everything was falling apart still eludes me.

But see, that’s the thing about depression, it cannot always be easily explained away. Often, there is no reason other than a deep sense of isolation that refuses to budge, even when people surround you.

I began being active in an attempt to get out of my “funk,” as my friend aptly put it. I re-started yoga, I finally got around to beginning tasks I had been ignoring, such as overdue articles and dirty laundry. I went for runs, I watched sunsets and I lived

in the moment. From everything I have been told, these things should have helped.

In a sense, they did. While participating in them, I did feel momentary relief. As soon as I was alone again however, I fell back into a rhythm of self-loathing and every seemingly progressive step I had taken so far, no longer seemed to matter, because I once again felt the black cloak of depression shroud itself over me. Being active can help, sometimes we all need a bit of fresh air and a clean environment to lift our spirits, but more often than not these are temporary solutions to serious problems that if unchecked, can be dangerous for those suffering from them.

Despite all of the public service announcements (PSAs) and the outreaches trying to address depression and mental illness, there are still too many persons who are told that their illness is not real. As a result, they feel isolated and ashamed, believing that maybe if they try just a bit harder to be happy, to do things differently, then they can cure themselves of depression.

People are often discouraged about speaking about their depression. This often perpetuates the idea that depression does not exist, or that those who say they suffer from it might be either confused or attention-seeking and we need to stop this. We also need to stop addressing depression and mental illness only when tragedy strikes. Yes, using high-profile cases or an increase in cases of suicide can be good in a sense when it comes to bringing awareness to the issue of mental health, but too often these approaches fizzle out and we wait until a next tragedy strikes before the conversation starts again.

Often during these times, we hear phrases such as “take action,” or “do more.” To who are these terms thrown?

Being soundbites, they do sound right and in a way, they can help. Encouraging people to be their brothers/ Turn to page 19 ►

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

CATIE, MOA to advance research and... From page 10 the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) will collaborate, the Agriculture Ministry stated a press release.

New Zealand has been utilising the skills of CATIE for sponsored training of technical officers in Central Latin America and the Caribbean, and this will be extended to Guyana. According to the Ministry, a proposal will soon be developed between CATIE and Agriculture Ministry to finance such training.

“Research and Development have always been a high priority for the Ministry of Agriculture and through the aegis of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and GLDA, much has been achieved in this regard, in assisting farmers in boosting their production and productivity,” the Ministry stated.

While there have been successes, CATIE will be working with NAREI and the GLDA over the next few months where the exchange of genetic materials and exposure to dairy cooperative systems between Guyana and Costa Rica will be realised.

“Ensuring that NAREI

has access to cultivars which show more resilience to climate change is important, as we move forward with our cause for a green economy.

Climate Change is real and unless we take a more adaptive approach to agriculture we cannot bridge that productivity gap,” Minister Holder stated.

The Agriculture Minister, in welcoming the collaboration between the Institute and the Ministry, stated that this augurs well for the advancement of agriculture in the CARICOM Region, and Guyana’s ability to address its US$4B import bill.

“With our research aspect strengthened, we (Ministry of Agriculture) will be better able to assist investors with not only new breeds but the high line of new genetic materials for crop production,” he said.

The aim of CATIE is to increase sustainable agricultural production and include the training of professionals in Latin America and the Caribbean with an enhanced focus on sustainable management of agriculture and conservation of natural resources.

84 graduate... missive, declared the camp a success. He further urged the children to apply the same level of dedication and commitment they showed over the three weeks of the camp as they continue to play and also apply the same to their lives, including their school work.

He also thanked the parents for allowing their children to attend the programme every day.

In a separate interview, Tyndall revealed that this year’s programme was spe-

From page 12

cial. For the first time the programme reached out to the Child Care Protection Agency to include children from the Drop-In Centre in Georgetown and Mahaica.

He said that as a result, all of the children completed the programme with diligence and enthusiasm.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Education, through The National School of Music, will be holding a permanent steel-pan programme for the children from the Drop-In Centre.

Destigmatising... sisters keepers is relevant and valid, but more often than not, depression requires the person suffering from it to put in the work, to seek help.

Often however, persons do not want to admit to a problem that they have been made to feel ashamed for. Dealing with depression often means that we have to be brutally honest with ourselves and being able to be honest with others about it. It is only when we have accepted to ourselves that we suffer from depression that we can hopefully go to therapy and get

From page 18

support from those closest to us. So while we must continue our messages of helping those suffering from depression, we should also up the ante in encouraging persons to destigmatise depression.

Further, stigmatising persons suffering from depression is not helping them or you in any way.

All it is doing is contributing to the culture of silence and shame that surrounds depression and when it comes to depression, silence and isolation can be very dangerous.

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No tour without new pay Bolt ready to race, and deal, says Australia Smith really ready to retire (REUTERS) - Australian players will not travel to Bangladesh for a two-Test tour starting this month until the pay dispute between them and the sport’s national governing body is resolved, captain Steve Smith said on Tuesday.

in July after a new Memorandum of Understanding could not be agreed and Smith says the senior team will skip the Bangladesh tour, which is scheduled to start on Aug. 27.

“I’d like to, but as we’ve said for a long time we need to get the deal done first,”

Australia captain Steve Smith

The Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) and Cricket Australia’s (CA) have failed to resolve a long-running pay dispute that has left around 230 players effectively unemployed after the previous five-year agreement expired in June.

The Australia A team boycotted their South Africa tour

Smith told Fox Sports.

“I don’t think it would be fair for us to go away after the (Australia) A guys were very strong on not going away on their tour, for us to then go away I don’t think that’s fair.

“CA know this, they’ve been told this. I told (CA’s Executive General Manager Team Performance) Pat

Howard personally that this was how things were going to be if there wasn’t a deal done.”

The dispute revolves around CA’s scrapping of the two-decade-old revenue share model, by which players get a fixed share of the organisation’s annual revenue, in the new pay deal.

Local media reported that CA is on the verge of an agreement with the players’ union and Smith remained hopeful that a solution would be found.

“It’s had some difficult moments,” the 28-year-old said.

“When this is all over with, I have to deal with Pat Howard, I have to deal with the (CA) Board and speak to (CA chief executive) James Sutherland so I have to be careful with what sort of lines I tread.

“Talking to the two parties and trying to figure out what each of them want and the best way forward. It’s been a long process and hopefully it comes to a close soon.”

Sutherland said last week that his organisation would take the pay dispute to arbitration if a resolution was not found by this week.

Zinedine Zidane hopes Cristiano Ronaldo joining back up with Real Madrid will bring an end to talk about the forward's tax fraud case.

Zidane hoping for swift end to Ronaldo tax fraud saga CRISTIANO Ronaldo will be back with Real Madrid on Saturday and Zinedine Zidane hopes that will bring a close to questions over the Portugal star’s tax fraud case.

Prosecutors allege the 32-year-old, who denies any wrongdoing, has evaded €14.7million in taxes relating

to his image rights between 2011 and 2014.

Ronaldo opted not to speak to reporters after making a court appearance in Madrid over the case on Monday.

Instead, Inaki Torres of his management company Gestifute spoke on his behalf, insisting “everything is in order” with the proceedings.

Ronaldo is yet to join up with Madrid for their pre-season preparations due to his involvement in the Confederations Cup with Portugal in Russia.

Madrid face MLS AllStars to conclude their tour of the United States before returning to Europe to pre-

pare for their Super Cup meeting with Ronaldo’s former club Manchester United in Skopje next Tuesday.

“If he had spoken, there would also be comments. The important thing is what he said to me. He is on holiday and he’s calm,” Zidane told a media conference.

“He’ll be with us on the fifth [of August] and I hope that, after that day, this topic is closed.

“I don’t believe these things hurt him. He’s happy because it’s over. Now he’s calm about the topic of football, he wants to play and he’ll be with us on the fifth.”(Omnisport)

By: Mitch Phillips

LONDON (Reuters) - Just in the unlikely case that the world of athletics did not know what they will be missing once Usain Bolt walks away in less than two weeks, the Jamaican superstar’s final eve-of-race news conference rammed home the message on Tuesday.

These events have become part and parcel of every global championship and though Tuesday’s version in east London lacked the dancing girl razzmatazz of his Rio welcome last year, it scored heavily on nostalgia as every aspect of his stellar career was raked over anew.

As always, journalists and TV crews, around 400 of them, from every corner of the world packed every available space and strained their arms in desperation to get their question answered by the great man, who playfully castigated one half of the auditorium for not giving him an enthusiastic enough welcome.

Bolt is an old hand of course and rolled out all the familiar answers, but always with grace. His proudest moment was winning the world junior title on home soil as a 15-year-old while his most satisfying performance was his 200 metres world record run in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he poured all his concentration into getting the mark he had always wanted, having earlier danced over the line when winning the 100m.

He explained how his motivation to keep putting his body through such a punishing regime was renewed each year by resetting his goals - with one often created for him by a casually “disrespectful” remark from one of his opponents.

His target in London is clear – to sign off with a fourth 100m title and a fifth 4x100m relay gold – taking his world haul to 13 to add to his eight Olympic golds - and then head off to play football with his friends and have fun.

“I’m ready,” he said.

“If I show up at a championships you know I’m fully confident and ready to go.

“I ran 9.95 in Monaco so it shows I’m going in the right direction. Going through the rounds always helps me and it’s then about who can keep their nerve.

“It’s go time, so let’s go.”

The London Stadium, where he successfully defended his sprint double in the 2012 Olympics, will rise to acclaim him when he settles into his blocks for the last time on Saturday night.

Then, other than the relay a week later, he will be gone, leaving the sport without the

man who has been its focal point for a decade.

Tuesday’s event included big screen “farewell and thanks” messages from the likes of actors Samuel L. Jackson and Idris Elba, former France footballer Thierry Henry, model Cara Delevingne and India cricket captain Virat Kohli, underlining his status as probably the world’s most famous and arguably most admired sportsman.

Bolt, who turns 31 later this month, looked moved by the images, saying: “It’s just brilliant that people in other disciplines respect what you do as they know the work you have to do.”

British TV had screened his “I am Bolt” film on Monday night, which opened a window on the rarely seen battles he has had to go through to overcome so many injuries and was a testament to his willingness to work himself back into shape year after year.

That is one thing he will not miss, and although he thrives on the pressure of the big race, he says he is looking forward to watching the next one from the sidelines.

“Oh yeah, sitting down, talking about it, no pressure,” he said. “The next championship should be fun.

“It’s going to be hard, as track and field has been everything for me since I was 10 and it’s been a rush – but we’ll see where life takes me.”

He intends to stay close to athletics and is eyeing some sort of roving ambassadorial role, inspiring the world’s youth to get involved in a sport he says is on the up after reaching “rock bottom” with the Russian doping crisis of two years ago.

While fans and the sport’s administrators will miss Bolt enormously, those lamenting his departure most of all will probably be his chief sponsor Puma, the German sportswear manufacturer which has shod him and ridden his glory for a decade while the rest of the sport has largely been dominated by rivals Adidas and Nike.

Bolt’s parents were on hand on Tuesday to present him with his final pair of spikes – a combination of gold to mark his career highs and the purple of his school, William Knibb Memorial, where it all started after his cricket coach suggested he try out for the track team.

“I didn’t know I would be a world record holder growing up, I had no idea,” he said.

“So all I’ll say now is, if you work hard, that anything is possible.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

UDFA-GT Beer Super Sunday Cup

Blake‘s strike helps West Demerara upset Georgetown 1-0

... Berbice and Bartica play to 2-2 stalemate By: Joe Chapman

WEST Demerara upset Georgetown 1-0 with a shocking strike from David Blake as early as the third minute to remain unbeaten in Group B, but likewise, after two matches Berbice and Bartica remained winless with a 2-2 stalemate, as the Upper Demerara-organised GT Beer Super Sunday Night Inter Association Football Championship continued at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground last Sunday.

By virtue of that win, West Demerara is the only unbeaten association in that draw of the tournament and most likely will advance as one of two teams moving to the final four, which will go into a break to facilitate

West Demerara scorer David Blake Berbice’ scorers: From left Graham Thomas and Stephon Boucher

work on the tournament venue for the Boyce and Jefford VIII Athletics Classic set for August 12 and 13.

West Demerara through

a first-half goal secured an important win, and like hosts Upper Demerara are on six points from two wins with a game in hand.

However, the other result of the night did revive hopes of the city boys making it to the semi-finals from Group B as the other game between Berbice and Bartica ended 2-2, as both teams now have one loss and a draw.

It was the boys from the Ancient County who netted the first goal in the 6th minute

Berbice’ scorers: From left Graham Thomas and Stephon Boucher

through Graham Thomas but Shaquille Hopkinson squared things for the Bartica side when he scored in the 20th minute.

With the game balanced the first half ended with Berbice taking control as Stephon Boucher found the back of the net in the 28th minute which gave them a

2-1 lead at lemon time.

Not to be outdone however, after play resumed, Bartica sought to level things and did so just before the game ended as Aloysious Edwards would find the equaliser in the 89th minute and earn his side their first point from this 2-2 draw.

Hero CPL and Republic Bank team up with UWI for internship scheme

THE Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will be partnering with the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus and Republic Bank for an internship scheme that will extend the opportunity for students from the Academy of Sport Cave Hill to intern with the Hero CPL during the tournament that will run from August 4 to September 9 2017.

The students will have

will also provide access to team members who can facilitate sessions with the selected students on areas ranging from commercial rights to sponsorship activations.

Selection for this programme is now complete and the four successful students are; Joel Manning and Kyle Hinkson who will work with the social media and communications team, and Shernell Charley

Dr. Tara Wilkinson-McClean, Sponsorship Manager for Hero CPL said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for UWI students to gain valuable experience and contacts working at the biggest sporting event in the Caribbean.

The Hero CPL is fully committed to helping to develop sports management skills across the region and we are really looking forward to welcoming these talented stu-

Joel Manning (intern); Dr. Tara Wilkinson-McClean (CPL Sponsorship Manager); Kyle Hinckson (intern); Debbie Stoute (Manager Marketing & Corporate Communications with Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited); Rohansonn Waithe (intern); and Amanda Reifer (Head, Academy of Sport, University of the West Indies Cavehill) (CPLT20).

the opportunity to experience on-the-ground training in sports management as they work with the assigned CPL team members in varying departments. The select students will have the opportunity to travel with team members and work at the finals based on performance.

As part of this partnership, the Hero CPL

and Rohansonn Waithe will work alongside the Hero CPL sponsorship department.

The successful candidates will be provided with travel, accommodation, a per diem to cover their expenses and a Certificate of Participation which will aide them in their future career.

dents into our team.”

“Like the Hero CPL team, Republic Bank is proud to be associated with developmental opportunities for young Caribbean people.

This tournament provides opportunities for exposure to a myriad of disciplines critical to the success of not only sports, but business in general and compliments

our ‘Power to Make a Difference’ programme, one of the basic tenets of which is the power to succeed,” said Debbie Stoute, Manager, Marketing & Corporate Communications.

Mrs. Amanda Reifer, Head, Academy of Sport, Cave Hill Campus stated: “The Academy of Sport Cave Hill is extremely pleased to partner with

Hero CPL to facilitate internship opportunities for our students in our sports programme.

Students will be able to apply what they have learned in the classroom in a practical and meaningful way, at an international level.

“We look forward to working with Hero CPL in the future to expand

these internship opportunities to students not only at the Cave Hill Campus but across all of the UWI campuses. This initiative is timely as UWI launches the Faculty of Sport; a clear demonstration of UWI’s commitment to the further development of sport in the region. Thus, a partnership such as this aligns perfectly.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Toby Roland-Jones: a thrilling throwback to the classic English seamer By: Richard Edwards TOBY Roland-Jones became the first cricketer with a double-barrelled surname to play for England since 1935 when he made his Test bow against South Africa at the Oval last week.

His appearance, though, was a throwback in more ways than one.

Bowling with an action

that wouldn’t be far off a coach’s dream, Roland-Jones delivered the kind of backto-basics performance that wasn’t sexy but was mightily effective.

It was left to Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali to steal the show in a Test that made England’s previous performance at Trent Bridge seem little more than a distant nightmare. Roland-Jones’ debut, meanwhile, was the

stuff of dreams.

On a pitch that offered him assistance throughout, the Middlesex man put the ball on the proverbial sixpence and couldn’t have been better value for his match-figures of eight for 129.

At a time when more and more emphasis is placed on pace, he once again reminded the Test match lovers of this country that the rudimental skills

of the great English seamer are as much a part of the summer as strawberries and cream and Royal Ascot.

No 90mph thunderbolts – just the priceless ability to jag the ball off the seam at a reasonable pace coupled with a nagging line and length that none of the South Africans ever looked comfortable against.

“Since 2005 we’ve focused a lot on pace,” says

Roland-Jones’ back-to-basics have proven mightily effective (Getty)

former England seamer Phil DeFreitas, himself no stranger to the qualities that are so abundant in the 29-year-old new boy.

“Yes, we had Matthew Hoggard who swung the ball and obviously Jimmy Anderson but there has been more of an emphasis on getting the ball down the other end as quickly as possible.

“Roland-Jones has decent pace but he moves the ball off a classic English length and that was what really stood out for me.

He was always making the batsmen play.”

His Monday dismissals of Temba Bavuma and Ver-

non Philander were a classic illustration of the skills he has brought to this side.

Both men were LBW, with Bavuma playing with his bat behind his pad to cover any away movement from the man whose hat-trick sealed the County Championship for Middlesex at Lords last September.

Philander was then all at sea against a fuller delivery first ball – a ball that was idiosyncratic of Roland-Jones’ relentlessly accurate approach from the moment he was thrown the ball by captain Joe Root in the Oval gloom on Friday night.(The Independent)

SRS Settling Star ‘settled’ in winners row at KMTC’s Pre-Emancipation race meet SHERIFF Racing Stables’ Settling Star romped home to victory in the feature one-mile event for horses classified `D3’ and Lower when the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club staged its annual Pre-Emancipation race meet at the club’s facility, Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice on Sunday.

The win by Settling Star earned the stable the top prize of $1M along with the Demerara Distillers Limited Ivanoff trophy.

Pre-race favourite, Golden Blue Echo had to settle for second while Brave Sky and lady Budapest placed third and fourth respectively.

The Sheriff Stable handlers will be hoping that the animal’s (Settling Star) winning ways will hold for the next two weeks as two more racing events will be staged, with the next being today at the Port Mourant Turf Club when the Four Horsemen stage their Emancipation Day meet.

The other is on August

13 when the Jumbo Jet Racing Stable runs off the lucrative Guyana Cup meet.

In other results from Sunday’s meet, the class `L’ non-winners event was won by Lucky Lucky who finished ahead of Party Done, Sweet Silence and Angel Eyes respectively.

The `E2’ and Lower race was won by Honey Flow.

Second was Golden Blue Echo, while Storm Bird placed third.

Party Time won the `I3’ and Lower with threeyear-old Guyana bred open race ahead of Miss Olympic, Mary Ann and Red Jet respectively.

The `H2’ and Lower event was won by Trinidad and Tobago. Second was Midnight.

Liquid Lion won the `J’ and Lower event ahead of King Stanley, Miss Olympic and Irish Baby respectively.

The Class `K’ non-winners event was won by Irish Baby. Second was Royal Sun, third was Mystery Man and finishing fourth was DeRock.

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Countdown to CONCACAF Tournaments

National Male U15 and Female U17 teams begin encampment

…Caribbean Women’s qualifiers August 9 THE National Male U15 and Female U17 teams preparing for respective CONCACAF tournaments began their final encampment yesterday on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD).

The National Male U15 team is getting reading for the CONCACAF U15 Boys Championship from the 13th – 19th August in Florida, U.S.A, while the females are preparing for the CONCACAF Caribbean Women’s U17 Qualifiers from the 9th – 13th August at the National Track and Field Facility, Leonora.

The 18-man male squad

consists of two goalkeepers, six defenders, five midfielders and five forwards from seven GFF-Scotiabank Academy Training Centres (ATC) and one player from Region One (Barima-Waini).

Meanwhile, the female squad has three goalkeepers, six defenders, seven midfielders and four forwards from six GFF-Scotiabank ATCs with one player from Canada.

In an invited comment, GFF’s Technical Director, Ian Greenwood shared the focus of the female team encampment: “The Women’s U17 will be focusing on defensive shape,

composure in possession, regains of possession and set pieces in the upcoming camp.

“We know we still have a long way to go with our Women’s programme as we are currently a long way behind in terms of technical skills and tactical understanding at this level.

“However, the tournament will give us much needed exposure as we will build this newly-established squad over the next few years.” Due to unforeseen circumstances, only one international player has joined the squad but Greenwood is looking forward to the

Female U17 squad

Male U15 squad

tournament.

“We are excited to see Nalaih Rowe, in a Guyana shirt, who recently excelled in our GFF Talent ID Camp conducted in Toronto. We are calling on Guyana to come out and support the girls on their tentative early steps into international football.”

Guyana will begin their campaign in the CONCACAF Caribbean Women’s U17 Qualifiers on Wednesday, 9th August against the Barbados national team.

This will be followed by a Barbados – Cuba clash on Friday, 11th August and a Guyana – Cuba match on Sunday, 13th August to wrap up the Group D stage. Thursday and Saturday have been assigned rest days.

Admission for the Wom-

en’s tournament is free and games will begin at 17:00hrs.

The team will be headed

by Akilah Castello and assisted by Tricia Munroe while the Goalkeeping coach will be Hope Clarke, an overseas-based coach.

The competition will be

seen” measure, which led to retrospective bans for Tyron Mings and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for clashes that were not picked up by officials in last season’s game between Bournemouth and Manchester United.

Not everyone thinks

the new measure goes far enough, however.

Former England manager Sam Allardyce criticised it for having no provision to remove cards for players wrongly accused of diving.

He also wants greater use of in-game video tech-

Nalaih Rowe

hosted in two phases: the Qualifying Group Phase and the Qualifying Final Phase. According to the regulations, the Qualifying Phase of the Caribbean Competition shall be played separately within the Caribbean, thus providing the agreed representation for the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship.

Three teams from the Caribbean zone will qualify automatically to the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship, the two finalists and the third place winner in the qualifying final stage.”

The female encampment will conclude on the 8th August while the male encampment will conclude on the 5th August.

English crackdown on divers gets first airing in season’s opener

LONDON (Reuters) - A new era in English football begins on Friday with a crackdown on players who cheat referees by diving to win a penalty or get an opponent sent off.

Sunderland’s opener in the second-tier Championship at home to Derby County will be the first game in which players can be retrospectively punished with two-match bans if they are found guilty under a trial by video.

Diving for penalties has been a growing problem in the English game.

Most clubs in the top two divisions were accused of it at some point last season, with Marcus Rashford of Manchester United, Leroy Sane of Manchester City and Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur coming under the spotlight on a single weekend.

The crackdown, announced in May, is aimed at players who go unpunished during the match for actions that have a significant bearing on it. The Football Association will be able to charge them with “successful deception of a match official”.

Its implementation fol-

Cardiff City’s Jordon Mutch is booked by referee Chris Foy (L) after appearing to dive in the penalty box, during his English Premier League soccer match against Sunderland at Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, December 28, 2013.

lows a year of feedback from players and officials and it is adapted from a similar regulation in force in Scotland.

While controversies there are settled by a compliance officer, in England a three-person panel consisting of an ex-player, an ex-manager and an ex-referee will sit in judgement.

All three must agree there is a “clear and overwhelming case” for a charge to be

brought.

If the player accepts a charge he will be given an immediate two-match ban. If not, the case will go before an FA independent regulatory commission that deals with all disciplinary issues.

Players proved to be the innocent victims of cheating will have red cards, although not yellow ones, rescinded.

The crackdown is an extension of the FA’s “not

nology of the kind used at this summer’s Confederations Cup when six “game-changing decisions” were changed. World football body Fifa said the experiment had “really good results but many aspects should be improved”.

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With federation suspended, 19 Russians head to worlds as neutrals

MOSCOW (Reuters) - If Russian hurdler Sergey Shubenkov retains his world title in London next week he will not be serenaded by his national anthem when he stands on the podium.

Shubenkov and 18 compatriots will compete as neutral athletes at the World Championships, the biggest international meeting to include Russians since their country’s athletics federation was suspended nearly two years ago over an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report that exposed the country’s widespread state-sponsored doping.

“I want everything to be like in 2015,” Shubenkov said, referring to the gold medal he won in the 110-metres hurdles at the last worlds in Beijing.

With their federation still

suspended, dozens of Russians have been cleared to compete internationally after demonstrating to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) that their training environment meets the required anti-doping standards.

Although some semblance of a Russian squad is returning to the international stage after missing last year’s Rio Olympics, Russian athletes in London will be barred from wearing their country’s symbols and colors, down to hairbands and nail polish.

Russian authorities, who have vehemently denied the existence of state-sponsored doping, have generally accepted athletes’ efforts to compete as neutrals.

“Everyone understands who they are representing,” sports minister Pavel Kolobkov told reporters at Russia’s

Saiba Batoosingh … top-scored with 76.

Jamaica struggling at 106 for 7 in reply to T&T 153

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – Saiba Batoosingh’s half-century and Justyn Gango’s three-wicket haul were enough to hand Trinidad and Tobago the advantage on the opening day of their third round Regional Under-19 Championship contest against Jamaica here Tuesday.

Opting to bat first at Molineaux, T&T were dismissed for 153 with Batoosingh top-scoring with an attractive 76. However, he was the only one to pass 20 and just one of three to reach double figures.

He arrived with the innings slumping at eight for three in the sixth over and put on 31 for the fourth wicket with Christian Thurton (18) and 45 for the fifth wicket with Joshua James (18).

All told, Batoosingh struck seven fours and two sixes in an innings requiring 120 balls and a shade over 2-1/4 hours, before being last out.

Seamer Kishawn Graham claimed four for 41 while Andre McCarty (2-11) and Shalome Parnell (2-40) backed up with two wickets apiece.

In reply, Jamaica ended the day tottering on 106 for seven, 47 runs adrift of their target.

They found themselves in a deep hole at 49 for six as leftarm spinner Gangoo ripped through the innings with three for 28 but Shalome Parnell (29) and Raewin Senior (26) came to their side’s rescue in a 53-run seventh wicket stand.

Parnell faced 43 balls and struck three fours while Senior has so far faced 68 deliveries in 1-1/2 hours at the crease and counted three boundaries.

national athletics championships last week.

“It will be difficult for the athletes to compete because

is but a minor annoyance that neither dims their love for their country nor affects their focus.

Russian hurdler Sergey Shubenkov

they are patriots.”

Many of the Russians set to compete in London say that the absence of their flag

“I try not to think about it, not to give it any importance,” Shubenkov said.

World champion high

jumper Maria Lasitskene -- whose personal best, a 2.06-metre jump recorded last month, is three centimeters off the world record -- said that the possibility of retaining her title was more important than the colors she would be wearing.

“I’m competing as a neutral but what’s most important for me is to show results, to defend my title,” she said.

Russian athletes cleared by the IAAF say the long hiatus from international competitions has hurt their development as much as their income.

“It’s tough to motivate yourself when you are competing against those with whom you train every day,” sprinter Kseniya Aksyonova, who was cleared to compete by the IAAF but met the entry standard for London only after the deadline, told Reuters.

The Russian federation’s decision to hold the national championships after the entry deadline for the worlds ultimately deprived three athletes, including Aksyonova, of the chance to compete in London.

“I understood that the chances to qualify were gone,” Aksyonova said. “That lifted a weight off my shoulders.”

A return to the fold remains unlikely before 2018 after the head of the IAAF’s Task Force, Rune Andersen, said on Monday that Russia had yet to meet several of the criteria for reinstatement.

Drug-testing was still insufficient and banned coaches were still operating freely, he told reporters in London after a presentation to the IAAF Council, saying: “There are still issues to be resolved.”

Louisy six unable to give Windwards edge BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – Spinner Lee Louisy’s six-wicket haul hurt Leeward Islands but Windward Islands also suffered a batting collapse, to leave the third round Regional Under-19 encounter in the balance after day one here Tuesday Opting to bat first at St Paul’s, the Leewards got up to 180 with Uri Smith stroking a top score of 58, Demari Benta getting 38 and Jamie Cornelius, 28.

Leeward Islands pacer Kian Pemberton.

They were coasting at 118 for three before suffering a collapse which saw seven wickets tumble for 62 runs.

At the heart of the decline as Louisy who snatched six for 64 to destroy the innings while Sealron Williams finished with three for 26.

In reply, the Windwards slid to 27 for three as seamer Kian Pemberton produced a telling burst to finish with two for 31, before recovering to end the day on 77 for five.

Dillon Douglas, who top-

scored with 21 from 22 deliveries with two fours and a six, added 25 for the fourth wicket with captain Johnnel Eugene (6) to prop up the innings.

However, Windwards suffered a double blow when both fell in successive overs to leave the innings rocking on 54 for five.

Tahj Tavenier, unbeaten on 17, has so far anchored a 23 run unbroken sixth wicket partnership with Jahseon Alexander (4), to keep the innings afloat.

Windies must maintain discipline - Brathwaite WINDIES batsman Kraigg Brathwaite has encouraged the team to continue taking a disciplined approach against English County team Essex following day one of the threeday first-class match at the County Ground on Tuesday.

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite bats during his 61 against Essex

Brathwaite crafted a careful 61 from 155 balls, his 37th half-century at first-class level,

in a knock that included a total of eight boundaries. The West Indies then pushed on by steady scores from Roston Chase (81) and Jermaine Blackwood (59) pushed the score to 309 for eight off 89.4 overs. Shane Dowrich was unbeaten on 28 at the close of play with Kemar Roach and Miguel Cummins left to bat.

“The key playing in England is patience,” Brathwaite said of the knock.

“I think as a team it was a good start to the tour. Tomorrow we just need to come and bat and put on as much runs as possible and when we do bowl we should stick to our discipline and just have a good game,” he added.

“We just have to keep learning and keep getting accustomed to the conditions and we should be good for the tour.”

The West Indies are using the match in preparation for the upcoming tour of England

which gets under way on August 17 and features three

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Test matches and five One Day Internationals.

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31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Chase, Brathwaite and Blackwood hit half-centuries on first day CHELMSFORD, England, (CMC) – Roston Chase made an enterprising start to his maiden tour of England, leading a trio of half-century makers as West Indies prospered on the first day of their opening tour match against Essex here Tuesday.

Sent in at the Essex County Ground, the Caribbean side reached 309 for eight courtesy of Chase’s top-score of 81, opener Kraigg Brathwaite’s 61 and Jermaine Blackwood’s aggressive 59.

Wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich ended the day unbeaten on 28 while brothers Shai and Kyle Hope both got 22 but failed to carry on.

Rookie 20-year-old seamer Callum Taylor (2-33) and left-arm pacer Paul Walter (2-50) ended with two wickets apiece.

Up against an un-

der-strength side with Essex choosing to rest five key players in view of Sunday’s County Championship clash

for 15 when the left-hander was bowled by 19-year seamer Sam Cook on his Essex first class debut but

West Indies batsman Roston Chase gathers runs through the on-side in his top-score of 81 on the opening day of the three-day game against Essex on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

against Yorkshire, the Windies made the most of the opportunity with key batsmen getting among the runs.

West Indies suffered the early loss of Kieran Powell

Brathwaite then anchored the innings to see the tourists to lunch on 102 for two.

The right-hander put on 36 for the second wicket with Kyle Hope before adding a

further 51 for the third wicket with Shai.

Unbeaten on a patient 38 off 91 balls at he interval, Brathwaite lost Shai in the third over following the break – bowled by Walter – but moved to his half-century from 135 balls while adding 44 for the fourth wicket with Chase.

Brathwaite, dropped on 53

by Nick Brown at second slip off 19-year-old pacer Aaron Beard, eventually perished with the score on 150, bowled

by Taylor after facing 155 deliveries in nearly 3-3/4 hours at the crease and hitting eight fours.

West Indies then enjoyed the best stand of the innings as Chase and Blackwood played freely to put on 119 for the fifth wicket to lift their side to 177 for four at tea.

Chase struck 12 fours and a six off 138 balls in three hours at the crease while Blackwood stroked eight fours and a six in a 70-ball cameo.

At the break, Chase was unbeaten on a cautious 27 from 78 deliveries while Blackwood, in contrast, carved out 21 from a mere 13 balls.

Blackwood entertained afterwards, reaching his half-century off 48 balls while Chase stepped up the pace as well to raise his landmark off 101 deliveries.

Chase was going through the gears when he was bowled by Taylor at 169 for five and 14 balls later Blackwood, who had been caught off a no-ball on 58, perished lbw to captain Ryan ten Doeschate.

They were two of four wickets to tumble for 40 runs

in the last session as the Windies lost their way.

SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES 1st Innings K Brathwaite b Taylor 61 K Powell b Cook 15 K Hope b Walter 22 S Hope b Walter 22 R Chase b Taylor 81 J Blackwood lbw b ten Doeschate 59 +S Dowrich not out 28 *J Holder c Chopra b Dixon 6 D Bishoo c and b Lawrence 4 Extras (b1, nb6, lb4) 11 TOTAL (8 wkts, 89.4 overs) 309 To bat: K Roach, M Cummins.

Fall of wickets: :1-19 2-55, 3-106, 4-150, 5-269, 6-275, 7-292, 8-309.

Bowling: Cook 20-6-49-1, Beard 16-0-65-0, Dixon 17-3-56-1, Walter 12-0-50-2, Nijjar 10-2-38-0, Lawrence 1.4-1-1-1, Taylor 102-33-2, ten Doeschate 3-0-12-1.

ESSEX – R ten Doeschate (captain), V Chopra, N Browne, D Lawrence, A Wheater, C Taylor, P Walter, A Nijjar, A Beard, S Cook, M Dixon.

Brathwaite puts Barbados on verge of Despite the doubters, Farah bows out as the best By: Mitch Phillips Perhaps, like MonaA world record at 5,000 or ship farewell and will hope to co-based and Africa-raised 10,000 would silence all the get the feel-good factor going lead after Guyana bowled out for 142 LONDON (Reuters) - Mo Chris Froome, the Somadoubters but, at 34, that now early when he goes over 10,000

Opener Shian Brathwaite smashed 86 from just 76 balls

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – West Indies Under-19 batsman Shian Brathwaite struck an aggressive half-century to put Barbados on the verge of first innings lead over Guyana on the opening day of their third round Regional Under-19 Championship match here Tuesday.

The 17-year-old, who featured in the Regional Super50 earlier this year, smashed 86 from just 76 deliveries as Barbados ended the day on 140 for five, just two runs adrift of Guyana’s first innings total.

Kilano Brathwaite was unbeaten on 24 while off-spinner Kevin Sinclair picked up two for 19.

Sent in earlier in the contest at Verchilds, Guyana were undermined for 140 by leg-spinner Shavon

Brooks (3-28) and left-arm spinner Camarie Boyce (3-33) who grabbed three wickets apiece.

Off-spinner Dante Niles (2-25) and fast bowler Jarion Hoyte (2-30) supported with two wickes each.

Kevelon Anderson made 26 and opener Raymond Perez, 23, but no other batsman passed 20. Guyana were 59 for one at one stage but lost their last nine wickets for 81 runs.

Brathwaite then stunned the Guyanese bowlers with a brutal assault, clobbering 11 fours and four sixes.

He put on 32 for the first wicket with Nico Reifer (8), 24 for the second wicket with Marc Cyrus (6) before adding 55 for the fourth wicket with Kilano who has so far struck three fours in a 55ball knock.

Farah will bring down the curtain on his championship career with a bid for yet another distance double in London but, despite his unmatchable palmares, the Briton still finds himself fighting for appreciation in some quarters.

Five years ago, when the same stadium produced that unprecedented rolling roar to help carry the home-town favourite to emotional Olympic victories over 10,000 and 5,000 metres, Farah was the golden hero.

Since then, he has successfully defended both titles at Rio, something only Lasse Viren had previously achieved, and kept his grip on the world championships.

He is seeking a third successive world double in London and a seventh world title, with his last global defeat coming in the 10,000m in Daegu in 2011.

He also has five European titles to his name.

To put that in perspective, no Briton had previously won the 10,000 or 5,000m at the Olympics or world championships and no British track and field athlete managed more than two Olympic golds.

Yet, just as in the Tour de France, where the idea of a British victor was something of a joke for a century and now is so commonplace it’s expected, Farah’s accomplishments have somehow become so predictable that the blood doesn’t pump the same way.

lia-born and America-based Farah is just not considered British enough.

To some fans it doesn’t matter how often he grabs the microphone post-race to rave about loving London - where he lived after arriving at the age of eight - if he then jumps on the first plane out to return to his preferred training environment of Alberto Salazar’s much-criticised Oregon project.

Among athletics aficionados too, there are sometimes murmurs of doubt. Farah’s titles should brook no argument, but nagging whispers remain that he has somehow had it easy.

Critics say that he is lucky to be operating in a period when the best African talent has begun diverting to the lucrative marathon circuit at a younger age than previously and that his championship opposition is not in the class of previous champions such as Kenenisa Bekele.

Of course, Farah can only beat whoever lines up against him, even if they all too often play into his hands and allow him to dominate races. It is easy to shout from the sidelines that the best Kenyans and Ethiopians should try to run his finish out of him, but they just don’t have the quality to do it for long enough to make an impact. Farah has also developed into a tactically astute operator and is always ready to mark and react to any moves.

looks an impossibility - unless something very unusual happens over the next two weeks.

Farah will race twice more after London, in Birmingham and Zurich, before switching full time to the marathon.

He deserves and will get great support in his champion-

on the opening night on Friday.

Whether or not he triumphs then, and again over the shorter distance eight days later, he will depart as undoubtedly Britain’s greatest track and field athlete and right in the mix for the title of the country’s greatest performer in any sport.

USA U19 players to embed with CPL squads

MEMBERS of the USA U19 cricket team are to be embedded with a number of Hero CPL squads as the league, working closely with the ICC Americas looks to offer as many developmental opportunities as possible to the cricketers while the tournament is in Lauderhill, Florida for four regular season matches on August 5 and 6.

The players will be immersed with squads during the buildup to the tournament’s matches in South Florida and during the games themselves.

They will serve as net bowlers, act as 12th men during the matches, sit on the bench during games and be fully integrated into the dressing room for them to experience the atmosphere of a world-class squad in action.

Awais Mubarak and Gaurav Patanker will be assigned to the Barbados Tridents, while Karthik Gattepalli and Keshav Pabbisetty will embed with the Guyana Amazon Warrriors. Meanwhile, Motak Buch and Raymond Ramrattan will spend time with the defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs.

The St Kitts & Nevis Patriots will take on Sahil Patel and Sam Das. “This is an exciting opportunity to have some of the best bowlers from the USA U19 team, who recently participated in the World Cup Qualifier in Toronto last month, to develop their skills and be around some of the best players in the world,” said Ricardo Powell, USA Chairman of Selectors.

Pete Russell, Chief Operating Officer of the Hero CPL is excited about the initiative.

“The Hero CPL is firmly committed to supporting the development of cricket in North America and we see this is another example of that. We really hope that these young and exciting USA players get a huge amount out of this developmental opportunity,” he said.

32

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Chase, Brathwaite and Blackwood hit half-centuries See Page on first day 31

Bolt ready to race, and really ready to retire See page 26

Usain Bolt’s parents presented him with his last race shoes.

(Source: Reuters)

Uganda Olympian Mutekanga to highlight Boyce & Jefford Classic VIII By: Tamica Garnett

Uganda’s Julius Mutekanga (left) will highlight this year’s Boyce & Jefford Track and Field Classic VIII next month

Ashton Gill

Kevin Bayley

THE international men’s 800m at the upcoming Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic VIII, set for Linden at the MSC Ground on August 12-13, has become very interesting with the inclusion of one of Uganda’s top middle distance athletes, Julius Mutekanga.

Mutekanga is a sub1:50.00s 800m athlete, with a personal best time is 1:46.30s, which he ran to qualify for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in 2011 in Daegu. He is also a national record holder for his nation, just last year he broke Uganda’s national 600m record.

United States of America–based Guyanese athlete, Kevin Bayley, who is the defending champion in this race, will be hard pressed to produce

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his best with the inclusion of Mutekanga, who represented the African country at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Bayley will be back to attempt a title defence as well as Trinidad and Tobago’s Ashton Gill, who was second to Bayley last year. Put Mutekanga in the midst and the race promises to be one of the highlights of the 2017 Championships in Linden.

Ironically, 2011 is the year that Dennis Horatio established the Boyce and Jefford 800m record with 1:55.90s. With, such an international field in the race this year along with the quality of local athletes, that record seems to be under serious threat.

Apart from the World Championships and Olympic Games, Mutekanga also ran at the World Indoor Championships. The 29-year-old competes for the Central Park Track Club in

the United States, which is sponsored by New Balance, as an elite athlete.

However, the Guyanese would be eager to ensure that the prize money up for grabs in the race stays at home. As such, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) standout, Anfernee Headecker along with Police’s Quacy Morian and Samuel Lynch cannot be ruled out of the top three finishers.

The race is also likely to include Desmond Amsterdam and Daniel Melville.

The winner of the race will pocket US$250, while second and third place gets US$150 and US$100, respectively. The male 800m event is one of six international events scheduled for the Classic.

The other international events are the male and female 200m, female 1500m and the male and female Long Jump.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2017