Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_03_09_2019

TUESDAY 3rd SEPTEMBER, 2019

No.105749

370,000, final count for H2H …GECOM to discuss results from fact-finding mission in Jamaican on merger

PAGE

02

‘If education fails, the nation fails’

Five killed as Hurricane Dorian batters Bahamas

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09

SEE STORY ON PAGE 11

Harbour Bridge to open today …vessel detained; Cuban, Panamanian crew in

police custody

See Inside

pages 03 & 15

Emergency works being done on Demerara Harbour Bridge

…Minister Henry tells Education month launch

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

370,000, final count for H2H …GECOM to discuss results from fact-finding mission in Jamaica on merger

TODAY, the high-level team that journeyed to Jamaica on a fact-finding mission to assess the available options of cross-matching the data gathered from the just concluded House-toHouse Registration with the National Register of Registrants Database, will deliver a presentation to Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on its findings.

On Monday, the Elections Commission’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Yolanda Warde told the Guyana Chronicle that 370,740 Guyanese registered during the House-to-House Registration exercise which came to a close on Saturday, August 31, 2019 in keeping with a unilateral decision taken by the Chairman of GECOM, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, to shorten the period initially allotted for the exercise. It is expected that the data from the national registration will

GECOM’s Public Relations Officer Yolanda Warde

be merged with the National Register of Registrants Database to allow for the extraction of the Preliminary List of Electors in the runup to General and Regional Elections.

However, before the merger takes place, the Elections Commission would be required to cross-match the

fingerprints from both groups of data to prevent any duplication of persons within the system. In its quest to ensure that a credible list is produced free of duplication, the Commission sent its Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers; and its Information Technology Manager Aneal Giddings to Jamaica last week, where experts in fingerprint cross-matching exist.

The high-level team is expected to present its findings to the Commission at 13:00hrs today during its weekly statutory meeting.

Warde told this newspaper that she is not privy to findings.

“I can’t say if it means go, no go, go slow, what it is, because that information has not been filtered down to me. The information is going directly to the Commission tomorrow (today),” Warde said.

She also disclosed that the Secretariat, in alignment with its mandate, prepared

a number of work plans for submission to the Elections Commission. “They will look at it; scrutinize and discuss it and that decision will inform what our next step is,” the PRO posited.

ago. According to her, 3,982 polling day staff have been trained. Warde explained that the exercise commenced at South Georgetown where 1,185 potential polling staff were trained. During its sec-

rials until after Nomination’s Day but for the non-sensitive things, we have already started a process for that,” she posited.

GECOM Chairman, during her first meeting with

At the close of House-to-House Registration last Saturday, 370,740 Guyanese registered. Unregistered Guyanese will be given the opportunity to be registered during the Claims and Objections period

What is certain is the conduct of Claims and Objections after the Preliminary List of Electors has been extracted.

In an earlier interview, Warde had explained that Guyanese, who have never registered and were unable to do so during the period allotted for Houseto-House Registration, will be given an opportunity to have their names added to the National Register of Registrants Database during the Claims and Objections Period.

“If you will be 18 years old by the 31st October, and you have never registered, you will have that opportunity to do so during the claims and objections exercise,” the GECOM PRO explained.

She explained, too, that in keeping with the August 14 ruling of the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire, the Elections Commission will not remove anyone from the National Register of Registrants Database with the exception of those who would have died (once the required documents are provided) and those who are disqualified. As such, names of Guyanese who have registered in the past will remain on the national register.

Meanwhile, as the Elections Commission determines its next step, with respect to the merge, Warde, on Monday, said it is continuing with its training exercise which commenced on August 17 – some three weeks

ond round of training, 1,201 potential election workers were trained along the East of Coast of Demerara. In parts of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and on the East Bank of Demerara in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) another 1,596 polling day staff were trained.

GECOM is expected to conduct training in Regions One, Two and 10 in the coming weeks. The ongoing exercise includes training of presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, ballot clerks, poll clerks and information clerks, among others.

Once trained, the potential polling day staff would be evaluated, and those successful would be signed onto GECOM as temporary staff.

According to Warde, the training exercise is expected to be completed by the end of September or early October.

Approximately 11,500 polling day staff are needed to facilitate General and Regional Elections.

Added to that, Warde told this newspaper that soon GECOM will launch its Civic and Voter Education Programme. This, she noted will be done ahead of the Claims and Objections Period. The Elections Commission has also initiated the process of procuring non-sensitive materials that are necessary to conduct elections.

“We cannot procure ballots and other sensitive mate-

President David Granger, indicated that the Commission would communicate its position to him soon. It was anticipated that that position would have been communicated to the President following the Thursday August 15 meeting of the Commission but that has not been done to date.

Though not speaking on behalf of Chairman, Warde said it is her belief that the Commission wants to finalise its plans before informing the President of its decision. President David Granger has long indicated that he will name a date for General and Regional Elections when the Elections Commission informs him that it is in a position to facilitate credible, free and fair elections. The President has also assured the Commission that his Government will provide all necessary resources to facilitate credible, free and fair elections. Already GECOM has been allocated close to $8B. As part of the National Budget for 2019, GECOM was allocated $5.546B – this sum, however, was supplemented with an additional $3.482B in May, 2019 after the Commission indicated to the President that it lacked the financial resources to facilitate early elections.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

Harbour Bridge expected to open today …Cubans, Panamanians on barge that crashed into bridge in police custody

By Rabindra Rooplall Emergency repairs are expected to allow light traffic to resume at the Demerara Harbour Bridge today in the aftermath of a tug and barge that crashed into the bridge in the wee hours of Monday morning.

Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson who was on site assessing the situation said the crew and the barge have been detained by the police and statements were taken at CID headquarters as investigations by Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) indicates that the vessel was not properly manned.

He said that the crew was manned by Cubans and Panamanians since it was a Panamanian vessel. He said just before the accident occurred, the pilot of the tug sent out a distress signal to the lighthouse, thereby activating an emergency.

“I can’t say anymore on the investigation until I get the report back from the police and I must commend the Commissioner of Police and Minister of Public Security on acting rapidly,” he said.

Adding that the only access to Vreed- en- Hoop is now by water taxis from Stabroek Wharf, Minister Patterson said there are 55 water taxis that are functioning fully, while the coast guards were fully activated. For temporary measures, he said that the water taxis will be in service until 22:00hrs while MARAD will have four emergency vessels in place for the periods between 22:00 until 6:00hrs for medical emergencies.

“We have to do a lot more assessments and introspection between Demerara Habour Bridge and MARAD, the volumes of traffic has increased, and we may now have to insist in making it mandatory that anybody crossing through there should be all by barges,

A car that came to a halt crashing into the steel plates after they shifted on the bridge when the barge crashed into the Habour Bridge.

Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson inspects the damaged section of the Harbour Bridge.

because the bridge is out of line and for the retractor span to close the harbour bridge must be in line.

and tugs which MARAD controls and pilots,” he said.

He noted that it is not possible to place a ferry vessel back into operation since the conditions of the stellings on both sides cannot accommodate such vessels. Patterson explained that building a permanent bridge is something which is being focused on with financial assistance being sought from the World Bank.

OUT OF ALIGNMENT Meanwhile, General Manager of the DHB Rawlston Adams said at 00:35 hours Monday morning a tug and barge loaded with gravel material came in contact with the bridge on the southern side hitting spans 12, 13 and 16 causing it to be completely out of alignment.

“The barge came into contact with the bridge on two occasions, span 12/13 and again at span 16. We saw some severe damages…

The bridge is completely out of alignment between the

Rapid works being undertaken to ensure that the bridge recommences operations today.

highest span and the retractor span. This morning we were able to replace the connecting posts at span 13 and that was to facilitate us moving over to span 16 and getting equipment

over to span 16. We had to put in some temporary decking and we will be working at span 16 to reconnect the connecting posts”, Adams explained.

He said several anchor

chains; posts and decking were being replaced as works will be continuous until light traffic can use the bridge today (Tuesday). Adams said all marine transit was suspended

SIGNAL SENT OUT He explained that when the signal was sent out moments before the barge slammed into the bridge workmen and other staff attached to the bridge responded and activated all emergency procedures, completely shutting off the bridge to all traffic.

A car that was traversing the bridge at the time got damaged as the plates shifted on the bridge, but there were no reports of any injury. The General Manager said the expenses to repair the bridge are going to be disclosed when a total assessment is done. He said since school reopened on Monday it was expected that approximately 4000 vehicles would have crossed the bridge from the West Bank/Coast.

Father of four found dead in Haslington A FATHER of four was found dead in the wee hours of Monday morning at Haslington North, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

He was last seen at a Karaoke at Nabaclis a nearby ECD village. Dead is David Gentle called “Hassa”, 55, of Lot 42 Trotman Street, Golden Grove, ECD. Gentle was found lying motionless with wounds about his body on a grass parapet and was examined by an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) who pronounced him dead. The body was taken to Jerrick’s Funeral Parlour and is awaiting Post Mortem

examination.

His sister, Wanda Benjamin who described her brother as a jovial person said she was told that her brother and another man had an argument and he left with the intention to visit his nephew but never reached his destination.

She said her brother was an electrician and a former GPL employee who worked at the Neighbourhood Democratic Council. Ms. Benjamin said she last saw her brother on Wednesday.

When asked if her brother had any issues with anyone she said “I sell next to the roadside with my stall, along

said that he got his sisi selling right there and he ain’t moving she, but he did tell me to move, so I decided to build something new and put

Dead: David Gentle

with others, because of the road construction, he was directed to by the NDC to move all stallholders and people were annoyed with him.”

She explained that “they

wheels on it so it can be mobile and no one would have to tell me anything.”

Further, Ms. Benjamin said her brother would call

her cell phone whenever he sees her stall close to the roadside. “I don’t know of any other problems he had,” she said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

Brexit: 'Election in October' if MPs block no deal

(BBC) The government is expected to table a motion to hold a general election on 14 October if it is defeated

by MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit on Tuesday.

Boris Johnson said he did not want an election, but progress with the EU would be "impossible" if they won.

Tory rebels are joining forces with Labour to bring a bill designed to stop the UK leaving the EU on 31 October without an agreement.

It would force the PM to request a delay to 31 January 2020 in that event.

A senior government official said a motion for an election would be put forward if MPs take the first steps towards

passing legislation to block no deal this week.

The prime minister is confident he would win the required two-thirds majority for the motion to be passed, the official added. Speaking outside No 10 earlier, Mr Johnson insisted that with MPs' backing, he would be able to achieve changes to the UK's current Brexit deal - negotiated by Theresa May and rejected three times in the Commons - at an EU summit on 17 October.But he said if MPs voted to block no deal they would "plainly chop the legs out from under the UK position".

The PM said there were "no circumstances" in which he personally would ask Brus-

sels to delay Brexit and UK negotiators must be allowed to get on with their work without interference from Westminster.

"I don't want an election and you don't want an election," he added.

"Let us get on with the people's agenda, fighting crime, improving the NHS, boosting schools, cutting the cost of living, and unlocking talent and opportunity across the entire United Kingdom."

'NATIONAL INTEREST' Faced with Mr Johnson's promise to leave the EU on 31 October, with or without a deal, a number of MPs have come together across party lines to try to prevent the latter outcome.

They are expected to put forward legislation on Tuesday under Standing Order 24 - a Commons rule which allows urgent debates to be called.

The bill, which has now been published by Labour MP Hilary Benn, would force the

PM to request a Brexit delay to 31 January 2020 unless MPs had approved a new deal, or voted in favour of a no deal departure, by 19 October.

Tory rebels - who include former ministers and prominent backbenchers - have been warned that those who support the legislation face being expelled from the party and deselected.

But leading figures, including ex-Justice Secretary David Gauke, have insisted that despite the threat, they will press ahead and - in their words - put the "national interest" ahead of their own.

Speaking at an event on Monday evening, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told supporters his party was ready for a vote, adding: "I will be delighted when the election comes."

"I'm ready for it, you're ready for it, we're ready for it."

He accused Mr Johnson of "threatening people with a no-deal Brexit if he doesn't get his way in Parliament".

03 September, 2019 05:00hrs ~ 06:30hrs

Sarutday September 1, 2019

04 05 09 15 18 26 19

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08, 09, 11, 12, 25

8, 1, 5

6, 3, 0

California boat fire: Four dead, 29 missing near Santa Cruz Island

(BBC) Four bodies have been recovered and 29 people are still missing after a boat was destroyed by fire off the coast of California, the US Coast Guard says.

Firefighters were unable to board the Five people on vessel as the flames had already taken hold board the commercial diving boat Conception The bow of Conception is were rescued. still sticking out of the water.

The fire started in the early It sank 20 yards (18m) off hours of Monday. The boat was the north shore of Santa Cruz anchored just metres off Santa Island, at the depth of 64ft Cruz Island, about 145km (90 (20m). miles) west of Los Angeles.

Run by a diving company The vessel is now sub- called Truth Aquatics, which merged as a search and rescue has a 4.5 rating on Trip Advioperation continues in foggy sor, Conception was used for conditions. chartered trips in the Channel Coastguard services over- Islands National Park. heard a mayday call at 03:30 It was on the final day of a local time (10:30 GMT), saying three day scuba diving excurthat the boat was engulfed in sion for the Labor Day weekflames, according to Capt Mon- end.The boat's layout shows ica Rochester, the coastguard three rows of double bunks sector commander for Los with a shower room at the front Angeles/Long Beach. of the boat.

Reports say some passen"Pillows, blankets, reading gers may have been trapped lights, privacy curtain and perbelow deck. sonal storage are provided," the Those who were rescued company's website says. may have been sleeping in the Capt Rochester said the main cabin of the boat rather boat was "fully in compliance" than below. with no prior violations.

They were awake and had "We are grateful for jumped off the boat's bridge the heroic efforts of first rebefore a Good Samaritan ves- sponders as they work to sel called The Grape Escape save lives," US Speaker of the arrived to rescue them. One House Nancy Pelosi wrote on survivor has minor injuries.

Twitter.

06, 10, 13, 15, 16 August 30, 2019

03 04 09 13 15

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

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Hurricane Dorian: Bahamas sees 'unprecedented devastation'

(BBC) Hurricane Dorian appears to have caused "unprecedented" devastation in the Bahamas, the country's leader says.

The storm, the second-strongest Atlantic hurricane on record, remains "extremely dangerous", said Prime Minister Hubert Minnis.

Some 13,000 houses are feared damaged or destroyed, according to the International Red Cross. Pictures showed surging floodwaters, upturned cars and snapped trees.

Eyewitness videos and reports paint a picture of massive and widespread flooding, with panicked families fleeing to their roofs to escape rising floodwaters. One death has been reported.

Dorian is the most powerful storm to hit the Bahamas since records began and will later move "dangerously close" to the US east coast, according to forecasters.

It hit the Bahamas as a category five hurricane but has now weakened to a category four with maximum sustained winds near 150mph (240 km/h), says the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) in its latest update.

Dorian will however remain "a powerful hurricane during the next couple of days".

The NHC said that only a slight deviation in the path of the storm could bring Dorian directly over Florida's east coast, which is already expected to face life-threatening storm surges and dangerous winds over the next couple of days.

The US states of Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina have all declared states of emergency.

What's the latest from the Bahamas?

The storm is moving very slowly over Grand Bahama, having earlier made landfall on the Abaco Islands, which are just to the east.

It has brought ferocious winds and massive amounts of water to both areas, which are in the north of the Bahamas archipelago. Grand Bahama, with a population of about 50,000, is only 100km (60 miles) east of West Palm Beach in Florida.

Forecasters had warned the storm could create "life-threatening" storm surges as high as 23ft (7m).

Clint Watson, a journalist based in the capital Nassau, said people in Grand Bahama were being hit with "buckets of rain" and posting videos online showing water rising to the windows of their attics.

"You can't fathom that but that's what people are showing us with their videos, saying 'Please, come and rescue me.

I'm in the roof of my home and this is where the water is'. And you can see the water outside pressing in. It's stories like that and images like that that you can't get out of your mind," he told the BBC. Local media report that the international airport is under water.

Dorian is travelling west at just over 1mph (2km/h), the NHC said. It added that the hurricane would "continue to

Strong winds move the palms of the palm trees at the first moment of the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, [Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo]

pound Grand Bahama Island" through much of Monday.

The winds at the core of the storm are spinning so fast that the centre is collapsing on itself, stalling over the area and weakening the storm's eye. This is making it expand and cause damage over a larger area, says BBC Weather.

On Monday morning, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said reports from the Abaco Islands suggested the devastation was "unprecedented".

The Abacos are home to about 17,000 people. It is unclear how many ignored evacuation orders and pleas from officials to leave low-lying areas.

The International Red Cross also said as many as 13,000 houses could have been destroyed. "There might no longer be any clean water readily available on Abaco because of storm surges flooding wells," spokesman Matthew Cochrane

told the BBC. He said that aid workers were expecting "significant humanitarian needs" in the Bahamas once the storm passes.

The UK Department for International Development said it was sending three humanitarian experts to the Bahamas.

One video as the storm hit the Abacos carried a desperate plea for help:

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

GECOM must be allowed to do its work T

HE last couple of days have been very significant ones in politics here as the nation prepares for national and regional elections.

The electoral commission has now activated its full machinery towards the conduct of national elections, which is its right, repeated ad nauseam, and which must be respected. Again, these steps, as a reminder, can only be taken by GECOM, in accordance with its constitutional dictates, before the President is informed.

However, there are those who are bent on a particular strategy which is inherently unfair, meant to pressure and hurry the Constitutional body into making short cuts towards its decisions. This, it is contended, must be highlighted, and warned against, more so given the revelations of fake birth certificates, and persons in possession of national identification cards and birth certificates issued in a certain hinterland region, without any source documents, and which trail lead to the office of a certain opposition party in the reported geographic location, as admitted by those found in possession of

such dubious documents.

This particular incident fully vindicates government’s insistence as to the necessity of a House-to-House procedure which remains the surest way of ferreting out such electoral deviancies. These are, indeed, very serious matters which must be properly investigated, as indicated by both government and GECOM, in terms of ascertaining their prevalence, believed to have been taking place for some period, and in many regions.

Such occurrences are criminal, deceptive, and fraudulent, and cannot assist GECOM in its mandate of preparing the nation for arguably its most important national elections within recent times, in the shortest time possible, along with a credible list. It cannot be the latter without the former, as seems to be the strange representation of such a clamour from the political quarters and its support clique. It has to be both together for the finished electoral product, which will uphold GECOM’s constitutional profile as a credible electoral body.

In an action that has been described as ‘unilateral’, but not, if one were to ac-

knowledge the chairperson’s request for submissions from both sides of the Commission, and applying what could be seen as a procedure intended to avoid a deadlock in a balloting process, the chairperson as her right, resorted to her prerogative in an effort to move the process of preparations towards national and regional elections in the “shortest possible time.”

The decision by the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to mandate that the House-to-House registration process be ended, almost two months before its earlier announced date, brought to end a process of deliberations that had been intense, without a possible consensual decision in sight.

As would be expected by such a decision, unexpected, given the unprecedentedness of such a pre-election exercise ending before its stipulated time frame, there have been questions as to its wisdom, particularly on the key issue of the threat of disenfranchisement, not to forget also the question of removing the names of those who are not present in Guyana, in addition to deceased

persons.

The issue, as pronounced on by the learned acting Chief Justice in a recent High Court ruling, is set to be challenged by the government. Notwithstanding such expected challenge, however, GECOM’S announced intention of a merger of the already existing list with the data from the recent procedure for the purpose of extracting a new list, in addition to an extensive period of claims and objections, is expected to arrive at a desired list for credible elections, a pronouncement which had been again emphasised when GECOM announced the decision of the Chairperson.

Thus, more than ever, GECOM must be allowed to continue its important and challenging task of the delivery of a credible voter’s list, in a national environment that is conducive to proper and beneficial decisions for the constitutional health of the nation, and not for the vested interest of a few.

By exercising judicial restraint CCJ has allowed for a political solution Dear Editor

W

e now hear from Mr Ralph Ramkarran that the CCJ’s decision-making was “timid, indecisive and ineffectual” after he wholeheartedly referred to the very ruling in his August 4th column, “as these clear and telling words”. Mr Ramkarran, as Chairman of the 1999 Constitutional Reform Commission and one of the influential shapers of the constitution, has a special national responsibility in the aftermath of the passage of the no-confidence motion (NCM).

First, he, more than most, must know that the NCM was not introduced into the constitution to be used as a personal and secret scheme by any one MP, whether or not under the influence or funding of private plotters. In fact, the so-called anti-defection provision and the party whip system clearly show the effort of the constitutional framers to thwart such hijacking of our supreme law, to maintain political stability, and to respect the will of the people as expressed in elections. With 20-20 vision, we now know that the safeguarding articles require more precision such as in the constitutions of other

countries.

Given the legislative history and intention behind Article 106 and the other articles aimed at preserving stability and respecting the popular will, the campaign by Mr Ramkarran, Mr Ram and others for hasty elections is most troubling. There is no democratic mandate underpinning this campaign, no people’s power energising or legitimising it. Moreover, and very importantly, a rushed election that fails the smell test has the distinct potential of compounding the current problem.

In contrast, both of the country’s previous cases of early elections (shortened

terms of office) were people driven. The 2001 election was the result of popular protest and the Hermandston Accord. The 2015 election was precipitated by the fact that we had a minority government, with the parties with the combined majority support in the opposition.

But on December 21, 2018, a democratically-elected government, enjoying majority popular support, facing no social or economic crisis, was blind-sided by the treachery of one of its parliamentarians. His act was so without honor; he saw no need to share his concerns with his party leadership or with those who reside in his

constituency or who generally support the government.

Indeed, he spent the previous week publicly praising the very government he later stabbed with his NCM vote.

This treachery, illegitimised by legislative history and the tenets of representative democracy but made constitutional by imperfect drafting, is now being used to nullify the 2015 election result and to precipitate a constitutional crisis. As I pointed out in a previous letter, this matter goes far beyond legalities. And those who are innocently or deviously trying to take our gaze away from the bigger political picture are doing a disservice to our

fledgling democracy.

The CCJ has therefore done the country a good favour by not reaching outside of its judicial boundaries and venturing into political matters. Its restraint allows us to confront the reality that we face a situation characterized by a tension caused by the democratic will of the electorate being thwarted by the dishonourable act of MP, facilitated by loose constitutional text. We need a fair political solution, not blind legal imperatives.

Regards Sherwood Lowe

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

7

Prevention is always better than to cure Dear Editor,

T

he Times Newspapers of Monday, August 19, 2019, on page 2 carried a story under the caption “Anna Regina residents, business under water” and also a photograph of the Mayor, Mr. Rajendra Prabulall and Deputy Mayor Mr. Rudolph Williams and another photograph showing damaged paddy.

These two elected officials of the Town

Council have served in that capacity for years and I don’t think they were elected to assess damages done by flooding that was manmade. They were elected to run the affairs of the Council, which would include that the drainage system function in such a way so as to prevent flooding and that would certainly mean cleaning and desilting the drains and other waterways. One does not have to be an engineer to know that when the drains and

other waterways are not clean it reduces the speed the water goes to the river and also the capacity of drain to store the amount of water it was intended to.

I happened to be in the affected area driving to and from Charity on the said day, and when you look at the condition of most of the drains, it is small wonder why the village in question had to be flooded out. The swift action promised by the may-

or and his deputy is of course welcome but the question has to be asked why this could not have been taken before. To prevent is always better than to cure. You don’t lock the stable when the horse is already out.

This flooding was definitely man-made, our decision makers need to have foresight.

Regards Archie Cordis

This country must have a credible voters’ list for national elections Dear Editor

T

here is every reason to believe that the fake birth certificates and the discovery of national identification cards without source documents, are widespread, and should be thoroughly investigated, given the high propensity for fraud that such may hold for the imminent national elections.

There is plenty evidence to

point that these fraudulent incidents have been in train, for a long time, beginning at some point during the PPP/C regime, if one were to have followed the explanations given by persons who were caught with such documents. As a matter of fact, there are two categories of foreign nationals in this city, particularly students, who are known to have Guyanese birth certificates, although not born in Guyana. Most

naturally, this would extend to being the recipients of ID cards.

By any scale, this is indeed very serious, as it points to these foreigners being assisted from on high, in a seamless underground system that has been in operation for quite some time.

GECOM especially must comprehend the serious implications that such may hold for the production of any credible voters’ list,

transparency of poll, and should therefore pursue a very diligent and thorough investigation, leaving no stone unturned. In this inquiry, though time may be of the essence in having elections in the shortest time possible, GECOM must not allow any hurried investigation as it gets to the bottom of what may be the tip of the ice berg of a very big electoral scandal. It smells of a big rotten fish. No doubt those

vehement objections against the House-to-House that has been coming from the PPP/C. Editor, it must be repeated: this country must have a credible voters’ list for national elections, and a tranquil social atmosphere that prevails after, reflective of national satisfaction with the results.

Regards Earl Hamilton

What does The BV/Triumph NDC owe to the Our First Peoples are better off today play and sale at the same alition Government to help person(s) who applied to build a lumber yard Dear Editor, place. Our first peoples have our people. President Grangongratulations to all now entered the market with er has highlighted only one on the BV Sideline Reserves of our indigenous first-class products like to- aspect – education- which is

Dear Mr. Editor

A

t the July Statutory Meeting of the Beterverwagting and Triumph NDC a decision was taken to remove an unauthorised structure located on Triumph Sideline Dam Reserve.

Objections to the presence of the structure was made by PPP Councilor Sukhu in whose constituency the structure falls, at that statutory meeting chaired by the (PPP) Vice Chairman Tekchand.

In the ensuing discussion, the Works Committee Chairman, (PPP) Councilor Cumberbatch gave support to the existence of the structure.

In his statement he indicated that the person(s) erecting the edifice had applied to the council for a piece of the reserve alongside the BV Sideline, in the vicinity of Granville Park to establish a Lumber Yard. However, because of the vigorous objections made by the residents and the involvement of the Environment Protection Agency, which agency advised that the siting of such a business in that location would have been in contravention to their regulations, thus the Lumber

yard was not built. Hence he (Cumberbatch) and (APNU) Chairman Bagot (who was absent) felt it just to give the person(s) the present location to establish a Plant Shop.

Based on questioning from Councilors to Mr. Cumberbatch and the CEO of the Council it was revealed that there was no application presented by anyone to the council for that portion of the reserve to establish a plant shop. Subsequent to that a vote was taken and a decision was made to have the structure removed. However from all appearances that is still to be executed a month and one week later.

With reference to the same structure I am aware that a complaint was made to the Engineering Division of the RDC # 4, as it is on a reserve and would hinder D & I Works. A promise was given by the personnel of that Division to investigate, but no information about that investigation is available.

One should note that since the July meeting and the Complaint to the RDC, there were some modifications to the initial structures, fence and shed.

The shed was shortened and the fence was

drawn back about 15 feet, away from the Railway embankment Highway.

This was accompanied by the portion of land between the shed and the drainage trench now being enclosed and what seems to be living quarters is established on it. The latter would definitely be a hindrance to future drainage works linked with that trench.

What is frightening is that the presence of this plant shop seems to be catalysis for others structures many of whose proprietors are aware that less than three years ago the BV/Triumph NDC was campaigning against building on the said reserve. This last weekend I observed two other structures being erected, one a mere 10 feet away from the Plant Shop. Just wondering how the Drainage and Irrigation works would be executed if all of such reserves become occupied by businesses. Also I see potential conflicts with residents who’s ‘parapets’ would possibly be occupied by others.

Regards Elton McRae

C

peoples as we celebrate September as Heritage Month.

I was at the opening of the exhibition at Heritage Village on Sunday, and never before have I seen so many indigenous products on dis-

mato sauce, hair oils, skin cleansers and soap, and a variety of crafts and arts.

This has taken time, but no one today doubts that great assistance is being given to our hinterland communities under the present Co-

helping to produce scholars among Indigenous youths.

Our First Peoples are better off today!

Regards Christine Henry

Jagdeo denies that PPP is an Indian party Dear Editor,

T

he Opposition Leader has denied that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is an “Indian” Party. This is like someone trying to run away from his shadow while the bright sun light is staring him in the face!

In a Guyana Times report on September 2, 2019 Mr. Jagdeo accepted that there is a perception out there that the PPP is “Pro- Indian”, but the party has done nothing to change this. I guess with elections around the corner,

it will try to do so now!

The PPP had a great opportunity to change this perception after Dr. Jagan died. Among his favourites was Dr. Roger Luncheon, but Luncheon was sidelined for the position as Presidential Candidate for the 1997 elections. Mr. Jagdeo has a chance now to say “why”- if it did not have to do with Dr. Luncheon’s race.

Another Jagan’s favourite, Mr. Clement Rohee, was sidelined, and squeezed out from ever being the PPP General Secretary or the

Leader of the Opposition, posts which Jagdeo himself hogged!

Perception, they say, is 99% reality.

Mr. Jagdeo can run but can’t hide from this perception that under his leadership the PPP has been pursuing a racist ethnic agenda that helps to divide our nation. The window- dressing with a few Afro- Guyanese hanging on can no longer fool anyone!

Regards Indrawattie Hardatt

Delay in pension payments on West Demerara

T

he Guyana Post Office Corporation wishes to advise all customers on the West Bank and West Coast of

the Demerara that there will be a delay in pension payments. This is due to the closure of the Demerara Harbour Bridge. GPOC

apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Regards Thalissa Grant-M Clure Public Relations Officer

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

We are starting small, but will grow big Dear Editor,

I

refer to a letter by Mr. Vishm Bisram that says ‘regrettably the government of Guyana signed a royalty clause that gives away the country’s prime assets.’ (KN 2/9/19).

Mr. Bisram, a known Jagdeo-Ali supporter, did not

say which “government” but he should know that in 1999, the royalty that the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government accepted was one-half of a percent.

In addition, Mr. Bisram must have known of Mr. Jagdeo’s promise to give Venezuela a “Channel” that leads right into all of

our off-shore oil deposits in the Atlantic. I have every hope that down the road Guyana will get a portion of oil wealth that will make all of our people happy. We are starting small, but will grow big!

Regards Rovin Singh

That operator of “Contented Youth” was unreasonable Dear Editor,

P

lease permit me a space in your editorial column to express my views in your widely read newspaper. I am businessman who travels regularly from Essequibo to Georgetown and I used the Speedboats to transport my goods to and fro.

However, on Thursday 29th August, 2019 about 17:00hrs while the sun was still up and shinning bright, I arrived at the Parika Stelling with my family and my goods which are brought from Georgetown to Essequibo to stock my business for the new school term.

My family and I, along with fourteen other passengers were on the Parika Stelling, when one of the MARAD representative namely Charmaine Joseph was standing on the stelling. It caught my attention when there was a Supenaam boat loading which could not have accommodated my load and my family, so I enquired as to the next boat that will be loading for Supenaam and I was told by the operators that they could not have loaded because MARAD representative told them that they have to tie their boats and if they move or load their boat, she will report them and cause them to be grounded.

But during that time as I was standing and enquiring, I saw a boat was loading, namely “Dreams Express” so I decided to ask a man who was at the steering wheel where the boat was going and his response was Bartica. To my amazement that

boat will take about ninety minutes to arrive at Bartica and Ms. Joseph did not offer a single word to those Bartica Operators. It is known that from Parika to Supenaam it only takes about twenty five to thirty five minutes, then why are these officers being biased? At 17: 5hrs there were sixteen passengers on the stelling, why couldn’t she (Joseph) dispatch a Supenaam boat? Instead she waited there until the Supenaam operators took their boats to the boat house and moored them. While standing there she (Joseph) saw a boat named “Contented Youth” which is an unlicensed boat which was loading, and then she walked off the stelling.

That operator of “Contented Youth” charged each passenger $3000 per person.

Why couldn’t the boat that is in the association, of a rightful system load? A boat that pays for a yearly licence and pays tax and contribute to this country’s development is not allowed to work and an unlicensed boat with an uncertified captain is allowed to operate anytime. It looks like we are heading backwards.

Essequibians are left to wonder what next to do because sometimes you are caught in a traffic jam at the Demerara Harbour Bridge resulting in lateness and when you arrive at Parika you have to pay extra just to meet your destination and there are persons who have to reach home to look after their loved ones and there are some who are even bedridden, and some are even single parents trying to make a honest living and then you have to deal with

this situation.

As we were in the boat I spoke to my fellow travelers and this was one of the views from a woman who had her five-year-old grandson with her, she related that both the child’s parents passed away along with her husband but she is taking care of him and went to the city to purchase goods to sell and provide for herself and the grandson, and others also shared the views.

What do these people want us to do? It leaves me to wonder if these MARAD officers have a business going on with these unlicensed boats. I only come to this conclusion after what I saw happened, if you are going to stop the legal boats to work that have licences and are certified to operate on the waterways then it leaves me with no other choice but to think that MARAD officers at Parika are corrupt. I am calling on the government and President David Granger to look into the welfare of Essequibians, please bring some relief to this situation, so our fellow travelers can enjoy the good, safe and reliable service offer to us by the PSSA–Parika Supenaam Speed Boat Association). With Guyana soon to start producing oil it will be a significant growth for tourists entering our beautiful country and for sure they will have access to the speed boat services that are available, since Guyana is a land of many waters.

Regards Concerned commuter

Some writers were in hibernation in the last decade Dear Editor,

S

ince GECOM had made the decision to end the House to House registration process before its scheduled time, there has been so many letters written twisting the narrative.

Please permit me a space in your Newspaper to respond to a letter that was published in the Guyana Times dated August 30th, 2019. Haseef Yusuf’s letter titled, “Guyanese are too tired and cannot be held hostage”, where he declares that, “The coalition Government has once again shown its total disregard and insensitivity for the hard-earned taxpayers’ dollars of the Guyanese people.

It matters little that value for money is sacrificed for political expedience and the usual few getting filthy rich in the process”.

The Haseef Yusufs of Guyana must have been in hibernation in the last decade or so in respect to our tax payer’s money and “the usual few getting filthy rich in the process”.

Let me remind Mr. Yusuf that the abuse of taxpayers’ money and the few getting filthy rich is the hall mark of the previous

administration.

Let’s take a few examples: - the 20x20 flat concrete NIS building at Corriverton for $69M, the Fip Motielall Amaila Falls road to nowhere cost US$40M-plus, the $400M float away Supenaam stelling, and the US$57M ‘investment’ in the Marriott Hotel while schools across the country were falling apart. The latter example is the epitome of insensitivity. And that is just the tip of the iceberg of the PPP/C’s ‘investment’ with taxpayers’ money.

The APNU/AFC will not continue with the old conception of trickery and scam that the PPP/C held Guyanese under for the 23 years in their government when they blatantly abused tax payers’ money.

However, this government’s vision is to transform Guyana to a more developed and modern country for All Guyanese.

It is clear that given the facts that Yusuf, in my opinion has one main aim, to spread false propaganda and try to cause disruption in Guyana.

Editor, the money approved by Parliament for the House to House registration is not the responsibility or

in the hands of the APNU/ AFC. In November 2018, the Committee of Supply of the National Assembly approved $5.4 billion dollars for the Guyana Elections Commission for the conduct of House-toHouse registration. That was well before the treacherous No Confidence Motion of December 21, 2018. It is hypocritical for Yusuf to now claim that, “the CCJ ruling would have negated the H2H Registration in keeping with the three-month timeline as stipulated by Article 106, but GECOM saw this as a priority to execute the will of the coalition”. The three-month deadline would have expired in due process of litigation, which was the Coalition’s right to pursue constitutionally.

It is so disgraceful to read that Yusuf and cohorts are holding the government accountable for GECOM which is a constitutional, autonomous body. The GEOCOM must be allowed to carry out its functions without hindrance or directions from the likes of Yusuf and his cohorts.

Regards Ceion Rollox

Aurora employees must be unionised Dear Editor

I

read with much pleasure the efforts of the Aurora employees to be a part of a union; this is commendable, both their efforts, as it is their right as enshrined in the constitution of Guyana and the efforts of the company to foster what now seems obvious, the enabling environment for such development and it seems as if their efforts have been widely supported by most employees.

My happiness for this development, however, is tempered by what seems to be an apparent disconnect, as the union is claiming that the Ministry of Labour through the Trade Union Recognition Board has been communicating with them as the company is complaining that they have been kept out.

This does not augur well for the budding relationship.

Usually the Ministry would invite both parties and share the outcome of their survey and the process in determining the final position.

Following this, the ministry would then issue the Certificate of Recognition to both

parties. However it seems that this was not done and the suspicions are encouraged to grow between the company and the union when that was absolutely unnecessary.

I read also that the union leader was stating that now that his union has gained recognition for the Aurora employees the union will send in to have union dues deducted and to deal with the many issues of the employees. I am surprised that the Ministry of Labour or the Trade Union Recognition Board did not spend some time explaining to the union that recognition is just about the first step and that following this achievement the union must submit its proposals for the negotiations of a Collective Labour Agreement. As I understand it, unless there is a CLA, there could be no other major movement. A CLA is the guide book that establishes the process and procedures to be followed both administratively, how both the Management and the Union should function and the dos and don’ts and in the Avoidance and Settlement of disputes. Then it sets out the conditions of employment including other monetary and

non-monetary benefits. There are other aspects including the agreement on the collection and deduction of union dues. It’s not automatic.

Whilst all of this is going on the union must set up its local branches and ensure shop stewards and other local branch executives are in place with whom the company shall relate to. These would be also set out in the administrative aspects of the CLA and should be followed.

So it appears there is work to be done by the Ministry of Labour and the Union should tamper down expectations. Usually the parties can agree to apply certain agreements which are arrived at during the negotiations or wait until everything is agreed. That’s a decision of the parties.

Mr. Editor, it is with mixed emotions that I end this letter but with lingering hope that the transparency will prevail and the right decisions will be delivered to the benefit of the workers in the final outcome.

Regards Concerned Citizen

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

9

‘If education fails, the nation fails’

…Minister Henry tells Education month launch “IF EDUCATION FAILS, THE NATION FAILS,” warned Minister of Education, Dr Nicolette Henry, as she stressed the government’s continued emphasis on education, when she delivered the feature address, on Monday, at the launch of the Education Month Activities during a ceremony at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, Carifesta Avenue.

Education Month is celebrated in Guyana annually during the month of September. This year it is being celebrated under the theme “Education: The key to national development”. The launch coincided with the opening of the new school year for public schools.

The launch comes on the heels of President David Granger, last Sunday, declaring the period 2020 – 2029 as the “Decade of Development”, noting that the government will be utilising the oil wealth to further build on the education developments that have been put in place over the past four years.

Since 2015 government has put huge emphasis on the investment and developments in the education sector of Guyana, producing massive results. In 2019 the country recorded its highest past percentage at the Caribbean Secondary Education certificate (CSEC) Examination, and seeing improvements, across all Regions of the country, in the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) Mathematics results.

“His excellency believes that education is the key to national development. In 2019 $52.2 billion would’ve been allocated to the education sector, an over 15 percent increase from 2018.

This investment in education is critical and crucial to the development of this nation,” Dr Henry noted.

She added that: “Educa-

formal education system the government would’ve made it a priority to bridge the gap that exists in the disparity of access and quality of education services between the hinterland and coastland, with the view of understanding that the development of a nation is dependent on the development of its people,” Henry said.

international partners, all of us we’re involved in the process. It is on that note I would like to wish each and every one of you a productive education month,” Henry noted.

“I am really enthused by the theme of this year because we are about to embark on a ‘Decade of Development’ and you cannot undertake any development A section of the attendees at the launch of Education Month (Adrian Narine photo)

Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, at the launch of 2019 Education Month (Adrian Narine photo)

tion gives persons the skills, knowledge and wherewithal to be innovative, creative and solve problems that affect them each and every day of their lives. As a nation we can never stop learning, especially our children.”

Noting that “education is the bedrock of any country’s development”, Henry noted that much emphasis has also gone into ensuring that the quality of education offered is equitable all across the country. “In our

Henry went on to thank and commend the varying stakeholders of the sector, reminding them of the critical role they play in making all progress possible. “We know the adage that it takes a village to raise a child. It takes the commitment, hard work and dedication of all of us to have an educated nation.

At this launch of education month 2019, parents, teachers, head teachers, education officials, and our supporting partners, developing partners,

without the development of your people. So we are all very fortunate to be in a sector that has responsibility for the development of our nation. More importantly we are in a sector that is performing and performing well, and we are performing well because of the commitment and dedication of each and every one of you, that wake up every morning and come to work and serve with purpose. I commend all of you for the sacrifice that you

bring to the job every day.”

Henry particularly singled out the work of the teachers “Our teachers are the main thing of our education system so I cannot have a session without recognizing and re-emphasising the government’s commitment to prepare and train our teachers to deliver excellence in the classroom,” Henry said.

Remarks were also made at the event by Chief Education Officer, Dr Marcel Hutson, who also echoed Henry’s sentiments in commending the varying stakeholders for the parts they play. “As I reflect on the work we have done thus far I wish to be magnanimous in expressing gratitude to all stakeholders for their unswerving contributions to the effectiveness and successes enjoyed by the education system in the last academic year,” Hutson said.

He further added that: “as we enter the first term of the new academic year 2019 – 2020, we at the MoE crave your continued, unfettered support in advancing the cause of education delivery

in our nation.”

The celebration of Education Month will see a number of activities being conducted across the country throughout the month.

“International Literacy Day – Drop Everything and Read” will be celebrated on September 8; while there will be a panel discussion on STEAM in Education on September 12 at the NCERD building. There will be a mural painting at the Kingston Seawalls on September 13; a National Spelling Bee Competition on September 18, a JOF Haynes Debating Competition on September 19 in Region 7. In Linden there will be a Special Needs Sports Day on September 26 at the McKenzie Sports Complex.

A Music and Drama Festival is set for September 30, while International Teachers Day will be celebrated on October 5 and a National Award Ceremony will be held on October 31. Several other activities are planned throughout the month.

David James – Championing the rights of Indigenous people DAVID JAMES created history as becoming the first Amerindian to be accepted to the bar in Guyana, and now serves as the Special Assistant on Legal Issues at the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, where he is tasked with the responsibility of advising the ministers attached to the ministry, on matters of legal nature.

The attorney is also a passionate and articulate advocate of the rights of the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana.

In an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, on Monday, the attorney asserted that it was his experiences and challenges while growing up and attending secondary school in the city, and later studying as a young teacher, that he felt

very strongly that the rights of Indigenous peoples were not being respected in the manner they should. Also, “as Indigenous peoples (we) also need to be responsible in what (we) do to fulfill our potential.”

James felt that as a lawyer, he could contribute to the process in ensuring that the rights of the Indigenous peoples are respected, advocated and their voices heard, something that he has been doing for a long time and continues to do today.

Born at Maururanau, in the Deep South Rupununi, as the last of 12 children born to school teachers, John and Francesea James, the attorney recalled that it was his dad who saw in him, at an early age, the qualities of a lawyer and repeatedly told

Attorney David James, Special Assistant on Legal Issues at the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and the first Amerindian in Guyana to be accepted to the bar.

(Adrian Narine photo )

him he should be one.

“It was those words of encouragement that played a lot in my belief that I can become a lawyer,” James said.

James only spent the first five years of his life at his place of birth, since his parents upon retirement returned to the indigenous community of Moruca, their initial home.

He attended the Santa Rosa Primary School at Moruca, and in 1978, was awarded a scholarship to The Bishop’s High School, when he sat the then Common Entrance Examination.

He spent five years at that top secondary school where he wrote his CSEC examinations.

Moving back to Santa Rosa, James, then age 16, began a career in teaching as a primary school teacher

but left one year later to receive training at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE). The holder of a Certificate in Primary Education after spending two years at the teaching institution, David said he returned to teach at Santa Rose and spent seven years.

During the period, James and Victor Ferreira, another teacher, were credited for pioneering secondary school education at the original Santa Rosa School, starting with 22 students. Subsequently, the secondary school was relocated to another building.

Later a new building was constructed and gazetted.

According to the attorney, he left Santa Rosa again in 1993, this time to attend the University of Guyana, first reading for a Certificate

in Secondary Education, majoring in Social Studies/Sciences. Continuing his studies, he obtained a Degree in Education with Social Studies as the major in 1996.

Armed with his new academic qualifications, James upon returning to Santa Rosa was appointed Head of the Social Sciences Department in 1998. He, however, only spent two years, having accepted a scholarship from the Rainforest Foundation of the United States, to study law at the University of Guyana (UG).

James graduated from his UG law programme with distinction and thereafter proceeded to the Hugh Wooding Law School, in Trinidad where he Turn to PAGE 10

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

Competition Commission to name and shame defaulters MANY businesses in Guyana continue to disregard their obligations to comply with the Consumer Affairs Act and the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission has taken a decision to publish the names of the defaulting entities on its website.

In its report for the first half of 2019, the commission said that it carried out inspections at 82 businesses during the first half of the year and of that figure, more than 80% of the businesses were non-compliant with the act. It said that the inspections were carried out in Essequibo, Georgetown, Vreed-en-Hoop, Bartica and at Kwakwani.

“During the first business inspection, if any infringements are found, the business

is given a date to correct this.

A random second inspection is conducted on the same business to determine if corrective measures were put in place,” the commission said.

It was noted that many businesses continue to disregard their obligations to the CAA, and remained non-complaint on the second inspection. “The Commission has taken a decision to publish the names of those non-compliant businesses on the website,” the body said.

In other details provided in the mid-year report, the commission said that it has received a significant number of complaints from the public during the first half of 2019, and the figures have eclipsed last year’s record when a comparison was made. It was pointed out that a significant

increase in complaints can be attributed to increased awareness of the Commission.

It was stated that that a large amount of complaints from persons affected by the Fly Jamaica incident that took place in November, 2018. That airline has since

folded after one of its Boeing aircraft skidded off of the runway at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, crippling the company’s finances and as a result a number of passengers have been making attempts to retrieve the cost for tickets purchased for subsequent flights.

The commission said that during the first half of this year, its Consumer Affairs Unit (CAU) received a ‘staggering’ three hundred and eighty-eight (388) complaints valuing an astounding $128,897,477.

The sum eclipsed the value of complaints received for the same period in 2018, the commission said. According to the report, most of the complaints which the commission received were from the airline and auto industries which, the body said, “saturated the list of complaints as it pertains to the number of complaints and value of complaints respectively for this period.”

It was noted that while it is a norm to see a high influx of complaints from the Electronics and Auto industries,

the airline industry received an “unusually large amount of complaints due to Fly Jamaica’s inability to refund consumers affected to date.”

The commission said that it faces several challenges with the main issue being that the body is unable to continue the execution of business inspections to measure business compliance because of its staff capacity to carry out its functions and limited availability of finances. It was noted too that unexpected financial constraints to the Commission has affected the conduct of business inspections countrywide.

Pomeroon Trading listing shares on Guyana Stock Exchange POMEROON Trading, a coconut growing and processing agri-business with operations on the Pomeroon River in Guyana, is listing all of its shares on the Guyana Stock Exchange, according to British businessman and CEO of Pomeroon Trading, Duncan Turnbull.

He explained that whilst Guyana has an incredible natural environment and huge potential for agricultural growth, there are no listed agriculture companies on the Exchange.

“This announcement changes everything, making history.

With the company open to public investors, management demonstrates to the Guyanese people that the company is aligned with the country for the long term,” Turnbull noted.

Underscoring that Pomeroon Trading began operations in Guyana in 2017, the CEO said the vision from day one

CEO of Pomeroon Trading, Duncan Turnbull.

was to build a sustainable agriculture company vertically integrated and focused on exports, but with a strong social mission and respect for the natural environment.

Two years on, Duncan and Co-Founders Neil Passmore and Hayden Chittell invested their own money alongside investments received from international investors into a 700-acre estate flanked by the Pomeroon River and the Atlantic Ocean.

He explained that the company will issue an additional 133,333 new shares at a price of US $7.50 per share for any

new investors who wish to invest in the company. “The management hopes that this timing, allied to the economic growth that Guyana is now enjoying, will help encourage many others to follow in our footsteps-and deliver good returns to new shareholders,” he said.

Commenting on the listing, David Lammy, a Member of Parliament in the UK with

very deep ties to Guyana, states "I hope Pomeroon's Initial Public Offering will excite all my fellow Guyanese people as much as it excites me. At a time of huge and understandable focus on the oil and gas industry, it is proof that the country's Green State Development Strategy is serving in parallel to attract investment, expertise and responsible practice to the agriculture industry”.

Zena Bone, the owner of the Stoll Estate, adds “I grew up on the Stoll estate and my parents planted it. Pomeroon Trading is the perfect partner to turn our land into a world-class business. We are processing and adding value to what we grow and successfully trialing new crops.

I hope others will join us on this journey, investing in and then benefiting from the work of Pomeroon Trading”.

Jared Kissoon, Pomeroon

Trading’s Chief Operating Officer, says “I joined the company a year ago with the mandate to build a business that would become a poster child for Guyanese agriculture.

Our IPO gives the Guyanese Stock Exchange its first float in a decade and its first ever listed agriculture company. We are building a regional coconut champion for all of Guyana to be proud of.” Investors wishing to participate in the listing, via the company’s Agent Guyana Americas Merchant Bank, may receive copies of management presentations and materials.

There will also be openhouse sessions with company management held at Cara Lodge in Georgetown on Thursday 12th and Wednesday 18th September from 17:00 hours to 18:30 hours.

David James – Championing the rights of Indigenous... earned his Legal Education Certificate in 2005. He returned to Guyana and the same year was admitted to the local bar.

Reminiscing on that memorable day, when he stood before then Chief Justice Carl Singh and heard him publicly announce that he (James) had achieved the feat of becoming the first Amerindian lawyer, James said it was such a tremendous feeling for him, his family and the Amerindian people.

According to him, he received unwavering support from his parents and regretted that they were unable to travel to the city to witness `crowning’ moment. It was on this note that he recalled the ability his father saw in him at an early age.

And, as he recalled his experiences and challenges while

studying in the city, having to work and pay rent, James lauded the government’s decision to construct a dormitory for hinterland students, likening it as a tremendous boost for the Amerindian youths.

James through his appointment with the government, has been playing an important role as the government seeks to fast track long out-standing issues relating to the Indigenous peoples such as Land Titling and Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

As a minority in the country, and a very important minority too, in terms of the numbers as the first peoples, James said there is need to have their voices heard, and develop the self-esteem as a people to contribute to national development.

The indigenous peoples, however,

need to develop themselves individually.

James, who is from the Arawak tribe, views the ongoing Heritage Day celebrations as an excellent way of helping the First Peoples to uphold their traditions while giving other Guyanese an opportunity to view the way of life of the Indigenous peoples.

He lamented that the Arawak tribe has lost its language, adding that his grandmother had tried to teach him but he never really learnt it properly. However, he is heartened by the fact that efforts are being made to preserve and promote the Amerindian dialect.

To this end, the attorney drew attention to the International Year of Indigenous Languages, a United Nations observance this year

that aims to raise awareness of the consequences of the endangerment of Indigenous languages across the world, with an aim to establish a link between language, development, peace, and reconciliation.

According to him, language of people is a vehicle for cultural transmission as such it is important that the work is continued.

The attorney also commended the government on its efforts through the Hinterland Employment and Youth Services (HEYS) initiative, a product of government’s commitment to providing equitable opportunities to all Guyanese, especially youth. The project is aimed at empowering hinterland-based indigenous youth to break the dependency syndrome and give young people a chance in life, in some instances,

From page 9

a second chance to those who may have dropped out of school.

He also lauded the establishment of the government's community radio stations that are aimed at linking the Indigenous communities through communication.

The attorney who is married and has four children, was during his tenure as a teacher, one of the founding members of the Amerindian People’s Association. He had served the body as the president on two different occasions, but has since resigned.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

11

Five killed as Hurricane Dorian batters Bahamas NASSAU, Bahamas, Sept 2, CMC – The Bahamas government Monday confirmed five people had been killed in the Abacos as a virtually stand still, but weakening Hurricane Dorian continued to pound the Bahamas.

Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis told a news conference that the Royal Bahamas Police Force “has confirmed that there are five deaths in Abaco,” adding that teams would travel to Abaco as soon as possible for “full and proper assessments and identification”.

He did not provide a breakdown of those killed, but earlier reports said that among the casualties was a nine-year-old boy, who drowned. His sister is reported to be still missing.

Minnis said the authorities were still coming to grips with the situation in “the midst of a historic tragedy”.

But he was also critical of people who had engaged in reproducing “fake news” and videos surrounding the damage caused by the hurricane, described as one the most powerful storm to hit the Bahamas since records began. Minnis

told reporters that he Minister wanted Dr. alsHubert and to Minnis the nation. “Many Prime only the “official channels” to people in affected areas, their be used in providing informa- loved ones in the Bahamas and tion on the storm here, saying overseas are understandably “we need to be sensitive in worried. Please do not add to reporting such information and their anxiety and their worries. will do so as soon as we have This is not the time to be creatreliable information. ing mischief and playing on the “The initial reports from emotions of others especially Abaco is that the devastation is those who are most vulnerable unprecedented and extensive. at this time”.

They are deeply worrying. The The Miami-based National images and videos we are see- Hurricane Centre (NHC) said ing are heart-breaking. Many that while the winds associated homes, businesses and other with the storm had weakened buildings have been completely to 145 miles per hour (mph) it or partially destroyed”. would remain “a powerful hurHe said the fake news and ricane during the next couple of fake messages could be very days”. He said the mission now damaging both to individu- is search, rescue and recovery.

“I ask for your prayers for those in affected areas and for our first respondents,” he said, adding that the hurricane is still battering Grand Bahama Island “and will be there for many many more hours. “We know that there are a number of people in Grand Bahama who are in serious distress and we will provide relief and assistance as soon as possible after the Meteorological Department has given the all clear. “I strongly urge the residents of Grand Bahama to remain in doors and be as safe as possible until the all clear is given by the appropriate authorities. Bahamians throughout our country and the world are praying for you.”

Minnis said rapid assessment teams are on standby to conduct initial assessment and reconnaissance of affected areas “as quickly as possible,” so as to reduce any suffering and pain to residents of the affected areas. The International Red Cross said thousands of houses have been either damaged or destroyed, during the storm as it crawled over Grand Bahama, having earlier made landfall on the Abaco Islands, which are

just to the east. “We are puting together a hurricane relief and recovery committee (and) we will announce the coordinator s soon as possible,” Minnis said, adding that orders would soon be announced to allow donated and purchased relief supplies from registered charitable organisations to enter the affected areas duty free and value added tax “in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane.“Landing fees would also be waived in the affected areas as well as departure taxes and Customs processing fees for non-commercial flights,” he said, adding that the orders would cover Abaco, the Abaco Keys, Grand Bahama, Deep Water Key and Water Key. Minnis said in addition to goods traditionally exempted after past hurricanes, government is also including in the new orders medicine and medical supplies, electrical generators, tents, cots bedding material and mosquito netting.

“I pledge to you that your government will bring to bear every resource possible and all of our collective energy to assist those in the devastated areas,” Minnis said, telling

Bahamians that they ahould also be prepared for “many difficult days, weeks and months ahead.”

But he said “as a people and as a country we must stay united “to bring immediate assistance, bring hope and bring recovery and rebuild lives.” He urged Bahamians to open their homes to those affected by the storm, saying that he had been in communication with regional and international governments and organisations that all have pledged assistance to the country. “In the midst of this devastation and loss of life, in the midst of this terrible tragedy we must rely on the Lord of life who is our great hope and our comfort in times of need,” he said, “be strong and of good courage, be not frightened neither be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. “Let this be our shared prayer,” he added.

Commonwealth blames climate change for “catastrophic” hurricane lashing Bahamas LONDON, Sept 2, CMC – Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, Monday, linked climate change to the “increasing frequency and intensity of these natural disasters,” as she expressed concern for The Bahamas as the “catastrophic” Hurricane Dorian continues to batter the Caribbean country.

“Memories of similar disastrous impacts in other Commonwealth countries caused by floods in Asia, by cyclones in Africa and the Pacific, and by hurricanes in the Caribbean, are still fresh in my mind,” the Dominican-born Secretary-General said.

“Nations are rebuilding from those climate disasters.

We share with the people of The Bahamas deep concern about the impact of Hurricane Dorian on vulnerable communities and for economic resilience. “We will carry forward with renewed vigour our Commonwealth advocacy and work in support of small and vulnerable countries facing the serious challenge of climate change – an undoubted cause of the increasing frequency and intensity of these natural disasters,” she said in a statement.

Dorian, a Category 5 hurricane, considered one of the worst storms in recent history, has been battering the archi-

pelago since Sunday. While there has been no official statement regarding casualties as yet, Bahamas Foreign Affairs Minister, Darren Henfield, has described the damage caused by a virtually stand-still Hurricane Dorian on the Abacos “as tremendous…the kind of which we have never seen”.

Henfield, who is the Member of Parliament for North Abaco, said in a message aired on ZNS News that residents of the area “are coming out of the last of the storm at the moment.

“We have severe damage, compromise to buildings and homes. We are holding strong.

We have no real communication right now because all of the networks are down,” he said, adding “we are moving about right now, we are basically in search and recover mode.

“We received catastrophic damage here and in Abaco,” he added. In its latest bulletin, the Miami-based National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said that the Grand Bahamas Islands will continue to “experience catastrophic winds and storm surge” as Hurricane Dorian “inches westward” with sustained maximum winds of 155 miles per hour (mph). The storm is now 30 miles north east of Freeport, Grand Bahama and is moving “very slowly” towards the west at one mile per hour (mph). “A slow westward

to west-northwestward motion is forecast during the next day or so, followed by a gradual turn toward the northwest and north. On this track, the core of extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian will continue to pound Grand Bahama Island through much of today and tonight.

“The hurricane will then move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late tonight through Wednesday evening and then move dangerously close to the Georgia and South Carolina coasts on Wednesday night and Thursday,” the NHC added.

In her statement, the Commonwealth Secretary-General said that she wanted “the government and all Bahamians to know that our thoughts and prayers are with them; and that we are working with our partners to make available as swiftly as possible whatever assistance The Bahamas may require at this time of great need and uncertainty. “It is heartrending to hear of the destruction and disruption this extremely powerful Atlantic hurricane has caused, forcing people out of their homes and wreaking widespread devastation on The Bahamas” She said that among innovations being delivered by the Commonwealth Secretariat on behalf of its member countries is the Disaster Risk Finance Portal, designed to assist capac-

ity-constrained governments with access to information on various finance instruments so that they are better equipped to manage the financial impact of natural disasters. “Alongside this there are programmes such as our Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, which has helped countries gain access to US$25 million for climate action, with a further US$367 million in the pipeline;”.

She said the Commonwealth’s participation in

CommonSensing, a consortium of international partners, working together to support and build climate resilience and enhance decision-making through the use of satellite remote sensing technology, is also being pursed. “Every time a member country is affected, the urgency and resolve with which we need to mobilise our Commonwealth response is borne in afresh on our collective consciousness.”

Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

Jagdeo must be held accountable -Lincoln Lewis

VETERAN Trade Unionist, Lincoln Lewis, said Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, should be held accountable for his actions, noting that instead of assisting with the governance of the country, he continues to act recklessly.

“Somehow, he thinks opting for the presidential package as against the Opposition Leader’s salary exonerates him from constitutional duty for the job he holds. He thinks living off our sweat means receiving benefits to “cuss and buze”. A check of the Constitution of Guyana for his job description shows it falls under the Executive, which means he has a responsibility for day-to-day governance, but he has opted to engage in reckless conduct,” Lewis explained in his column on Monday.

The column titled ‘Mr. Jagdeo, go to work and stop buzing’ was published in the Kaieteur Newspaper. “What we are seeing in Guyana is a similar demonstration to the Stockholm syndrome, where he who presided over a nation of fear, rampant corruption, death squads and those who were his likely victims, demonstrate a psychological alliance to this display of Hitlerite tendencies,” the Trade Unionist further stated.

According to him, Jagdeo is consumed by his hunger for power. He noted from the time the No-Confidence Motion was passed in the

National Assembly last December, there has been bedlam. Instead of adopting a statesmanlike approach, Lewis contended that the Opposition Leader has resorted to ‘ghetto politics, cuss out, buze out, break down.’

“It is political immaturity that will not value the necessity of coming to this nation with a proposal of how together we can move forward, other than shouting ‘get out!’” Lewis posited.

Urging Guyanese to assess the conduct of other Opposition Leaders to that of Jagdeo, Lewis submitted whenever the nation faced crises, they delivered leadership by making proposals to resolve differences, arriving at agreement, in the quest to move the nation forward.

“National interest was placed above partisan interest,” he emphasised.

“Dr. Henry Jeffrey, a few days ago in his Stabroek News’ column, reminded us what President Desmond Hoyte and Opposition Leader Cheddi Jagan together did in the 1990s to resolve electoral differences. In 2001, during a national crisis, Mr. Hoyte made a proposal and signed an agreement with Jagdeo as to how the nation could move forward together. In 2003, during another crisis, Mr. Robert Corbin put to the nation a proposal which resulted in a communiqué with Jagdeo. None he honoured,” he reasoned.

Veteran Trade Unionist Lincoln Lewis

Lewis opined that Jagdeo is not a team player, contending further that he does have the nation’s interest at heart.

“He’s a man without a plan, other than the constant media brawl, creating mischief and mayhem. When he is not engaging in such conduct, he has Anil, who is starting to look like a battered person, running to the court to ask of it to do what the voters elected him and President Granger to do,” Lewis opined.

He further contended that the Opposition Leader has little or no respect for the masses. At a time when the country is faced with early elections, Lewis said the Opposition Leader is failing to utilize the best available option, that is, to sit with President David Granger and agree on a plan that would allow for the country to pro-

CARPHA deploys technical staff to Bahamas to respond to Dorian THE Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), as part of the Regional Response Mechanism (RRM), led by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency Coordinating Unit (CDEMA) has assigned a member of staff to support the Government of the Bahamas in rapidly assessing the damage from Hurricane Dorian and in prioritising needs.

Two Rapid Needs Assessment Teams (RNAT) comprising 18 persons, and CARPHA join representatives of the CDEMA Participating States of Antigua and the Turks and Caicos Islands as well as the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Port Managers Association of the Caribbean (PMAC), Private Sector, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Early Sunday afternoon on September

1, Hurricane Dorian, a powerful category 5 storm, slammed into the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco, with sustained 185-mph winds causing residents to flee their homes as a result of widespread devastation to property, coastlines and utilities. “As part of the RNAT, CARPHA will add its expertise to the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) component of the evaluation. This includes conducting assessments of the country’s health facilities, and public health systems. Focus will also be given to environmental health concerns that could further impact human health and wellbeing. These will include water and food safety, chemical and waste management, shelter management and potential for vector borne disease outbreaks,” stated Dr. Joy St. John, CARPHA Executive Director.

Hurricane Dorian has been labelled by the US National Hurricane Center as the TURN TO PAGE

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Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo

ceed in a lawful and orderly manner.

“If he thinks telling the nation that the government is illegal and expects an illegal government and president to name a date for election, he is of a confused or wicked mind. An illegal president cannot make a legal decision.

He is ashamed to let his supporters know he has to return to the National Assembly, instead ranting and raving like a big bravado that he will not. Jump high, jump low, he has to return, not because I say so, but because of the Constitution,” Lewis said.

He alluded to the fact that the three-month period for the holding of elections, as stipulated by the Constitution, has passed, resulting in the need for the proviso, within the very Constitution, to be enacted through an act of parliament.

Lewis opined that if President Granger sets a date for elections without an extension by the National Assembly can result in another round of litigation.

“Mark my words, Jagdeo will be among the first to turn around and challenge the election if he doesn’t like the results,” he posited.

Noting that political expediency must not trump the Rule of Law, the Trade Unionist said it is detrimental for a nation to have an Opposition Leader who is bitter, visionless and is without a plan.

“The similar conduct displayed as president he seeks today to employ, holding the nation to ransom. This PPP renegade is a destroyer, threat to humanity, governance and Guyana’s stability. I shall continue to hold him to account for his performance and in so doing, I speak not

only for myself but for tens of thousands,” Lewis said.

Turning his attention to Jagdeo’s campaign promises, the Trade Unionist said after initiating the process of depriving university students their constitutional right to free education, saddling them with burdensome loans, Jagdeo is now promising free education.

“Sugar workers who he trampled on and threatened their union with de-recognition are now being promised a PPP government that will treat them with respect. Who is Mr. Jagdeo fooling? As president, he closed down Diamond, the estate that provided GuySuCo the greatest yield of canes. He closed down LBI estate. Thousands of sugar workers were put on the breadline. Some had to approach the court, using the legal service of Khemraj Ramjattan, before receiving severance pay,” Lewis further pointed out.

The Trade Unionist also lashed out at the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali for his forced displayed of contentment to be used in fronting the political mania of Jagdeo. He said leaders in society who support or stay silent as Jagdeo continues to create a hurricane of confusion with no plan for the continuity of good governance in the interim, should be ashamed of themselves.

Wildlife trader accused of trafficking granted bail A 62-year-old businessman, accused of trafficking two Venezuelan Nationals, was on Monday, September 02, 2019, released on $100,000 bail, after denying the offence.

Feezal Shaw, a wild life trader who operates South American Unlimited, appeared before Magistrate Annett Singh at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the two charges.

Particulars of the two charges alleged that, between February 14, 2018, and June 14, 2018, at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, he engaged in trafficking in persons and recruited, harboured or transported the two men and did not pay them.

Feezal Shaw (Stabroek News Photo)

According to the facts, on February 14, 2018 the two Venezuelans were invited by Shaw to work in Guyana.

When the men arrived, Shaw told them that they would be building cages for exotic animals.

The victims were paid for the first three days and were not paid again until June 14, 2018. Shaw reportedly took away the men’s passport and threatened to report them if they did not comply with his demands.

The Magistrate released Shaw on $100,000 bail and transferred his matter to the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

In 2018, Shaw was slapped with the same charges, but the matter was dismissed in July 2019, by Magistrate Faith McGusty due to insufficient evidence.

However, due to new evidence the case was reopened and Shaw was re-charged.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

Be guardians of the environment …Minister Allicock tells Heritage Month launch

MINISTER of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, charged the indigenous people of Guyana to take up the mantle as “guardians of the environment” as the country prepares to become a thriving oil and gas nation.

Allicock was at the time delivering remarks at the opening ceremony of Indigenous Heritage Month on Sunday afternoon at the Indigenous Heritage Village at the Sophia Exhibition Centre. This year Indigenous Heritage Month is being celebrated under the theme “Maintaining our traditional practices, while promoting a green economy”.

“The theme this year is most timely and apt as our country is rapidly preparing for transformation into an oil-rich nation, and the numerous challenges of a newly-developing oil-rich nation.

Our new wealth in no way absolves us from responsibly managing our development in sync with the protection of our environment,” Allicock noted.

“We as indigenous people have an important role in maintaining balance between our natural environment and our country’s development.

Are we prepared for this task? I believe that as guardians of the environment, whose culture is integrally linked to our natural environment, we are now ready to take advantage of the opportunities that are available with the emerging oil sector.

We are on the right path if we remain conscious of the value of our natural environment, while undertaking any development that requires the exploitation of any of our resources.”

Even as we put value to the developing oil and gas industry, Allicock says,

Gallery of Art, Castellani House, an Indigenous Heritage Art Exhibition will run from September 7 – 30.

On September 10, in Rivers View, Region 10, there will be a celebration of the life and works of Stephen Campbell, the first indigenous Member of Parliament

Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, delivering remarks at the launch of the 2019 Indigenous Heritage Month (Samuel Maughn photo)

we must not forget that our natural environment still remains a valuable resource to our economy. With proper strategic management it is possible for both to be valued, without one hampering the development of the other.

“Our fresh water resources and our pristine forest are among our most valued resources, therefore it is imperative that we find a way to manage these resources while making full use of the opportunities to develop our communities,” Allicock said.

“We should not have misconceived idea that with oil we do not need to work, for protecting our ecosystem requires diligence and work becomes much more challenging now. With prudent management of our resources there would be no need to choose between development and conservation. Strategic development is critical if we are to embrace the reality of life where we need facilities to accommodate training.”

Notwithstanding the imminent oil and gas industry, government has placed great interest in the country’s

dedication to being a green economy, embracing and promoting environmentally friendly practices. “The green economy which underlines our Green State Development Strategy demonstrates government’s commitment and support for sustainable development for the benefit of all Guyanese. I urge you to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities that our transformation brings. I am not suggesting that you abort your cultural way of life; instead use the resources that will be available to advance training and techniques to refine your natural skills for the development of your communities,” Allicock said.

Sunday marked the beginning of Indigenous Heritage Month, which is celebrated annually throughout the month of September. The celebration will see a number of indigenous activities being carried out across the country. The Indigenous Heritage Village will run until this Saturday, and will include daily cultural extravaganza, and an indigenous food and craft exhibition. At the National

CARPHA deploys technical staff ...

FROM PAGE

“strongest hurricane in modern record for the northwest Bahamas”. Last week, Dorian was expected to bring tropical storm conditions to the islands of Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, however minimal damage was reported.

Dr. St. John urged residents and visitors to take

continued precautions and listen to the advice given by the local disaster management authorities. CARPHA expresses deep concern and sympathy for those affected

by Hurricane Dorian. The Agency provided technical assistance in 2016 and 2015 to the Bahamas following Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Joaquin respectively.

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As the sole public health agency for the Caribbean region, mandated to respond to emergencies, including pandemics, hurricanes, earthquakes and flooding, CARPHA is on stand-by to assist and support other affected Member States in hurricane response.

in Guyana; there will also be an Indigenous Heritage Village in Rivers View on that date.

Other activities planned include a Hinterland School Educational Tour at various sites around Georgetown from September 16 – 20; Educational Lectures

and School Visits on September 18 and 25, at the Umana Yana; Heritage Sports/Indigenous Games at the Everest Cricket Club from September 20 – 22 and the Indigenous Pageant at the National Cultural Centre on September 28.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

NGO brings joy to 35 children of Patentia THIRTY-FIVE children of Patentia, West Bank Demerara, were surprised with back-to-school items from ‘For the Soul Guyana’, through an outreach on Saturday.

The children were presented with stationery items, bookbags and more, to equip them for the new academic year. They were also engaged in conversation with the members of For the Soul Guyana, who took the opportunity to give motivational words to the children.

Founder of the organisation, Tianna Graham, told the Guyana Chronicle that this is the organisation’s first proj-

ect since the official launch in August, 2019.

The aim of this project, she said, “was to create an open and accepting environment, a space where children feel appreciated, motivated, and can express themselves honestly, authentically, without fear of judgement.”

Patentia was the chosen community, Graham pointed out, “because when people or organisations do these types of outreach and drives, much emphasis is placed on Georgetown. We don’t really hear persons coming to Patentia and these other farflung communities, so that’s why we chose to assist those

on the West Bank.”

Through the support of Sol Guyana and Giftland Mall, the parents of these children were relieved of the expense of providing these school items.

Graham said though the organisation is relatively new, these projects are what they are setting out to align themselves with. She said, too, that they are looking to do a food-drive in December as their next activity.

Giving an insight on the organisation, the young woman said that they are a non-governmental organisation that aims to foster and develop increased learning

and development, in the empowerment of youths.

“This will be done through encouraging and supporting them to contribute, steer activities and lead their own ‘Soul sessions’ projects. Though most of the work is voluntary, special emphasis is placed on the training of young people to become peer educators, counsellors, social activists, and youth leaders,” Graham said.

She said that while the movement was founded by her, “it is led by a cadre of young professionals with the desire to better the development of women’s rights

A few members of For the Soul Guyana with some of the children who received back-to-school items

and the eradication of gender-based biases. We fully believe in and support the advancement of Gender Equality, Social Education and equipping young people with the necessary skills and attitudes that may be consid-

ered an asset on their journey to become youth leaders.”

Thus far, there are 18 members in the organisation, divided into different sub-committees dealing with different projects.

GWI working to address concerns over water at Charity

The Charity waterfront RESIDENTS of Charity on the Pomeroon are concerned about a foul stench which emanates from the water running through the

pipes in the community.

This publication was told that for years the situation has been occurring and residents reported on Sunday that there

appears no solution to the problem.

However, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Water Inc (GWI), Dr Richard Van-

West Charles told the Guyana Chronicle, on Monday, that each week the company usually carries out exercises to flush the water system using a chemical solution.

Dr Van-West Charles said a more permanent solution is being crafted in which the company will be treating the water in a project from funds garnered via a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) loan. On Saturday, the publication visited the area and was told by residents that for some time the water has been “smelly.” Several persons who were visiting the area, from Georgetown and overseas, noted that they were unable to cope with the water scent and were forced

to purchase water in order to take a bath and carry out other grooming exercises. A woman who vends in front of the Xenon hotel noted that persons reported that their hair became stiff after they took a bath.

A businessman, Afro Alphonso, noted that he was familiar with the situation and added that the authorities should try to remedy the situation. He said that at his business place, a filtration system was installed to remedy the situation. However, patrons at a hotel which the businessman operates, noted that they were trying their best to stomach the scent.

A market vendor at Charity noted that she had raised

the issue with a visiting delegation of officials from the government during an outreach at Anna Regina in May this year and two government ministers related that they experienced the situation regarding the water. She said persons were told that the matter would have been addressed and corrected.

According to residents, GWI operates two water systems at the villages of Somerset & Berks and at Dartmouth but while the water in those areas appears to be stenchfree, the situation at Charity is different.

They posited that the situation may be in the pipes which connect the wells to Charity.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 3, 2019

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‘All hands on deck’ … stakeholders respond swiftly to bridge disaster … passengers, operators hail systems put in place

By Tamica Garnett AUTHORITIES at the Georgetown to Vreed-enHoop Stelling were able to swiftly put measures in place, on Monday, to ease the traffic of commuters brought on by the closure of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, although during low tide, there was a buildup of passengers during certain periods.

Instead of opening at its usual hour of 06:00h on Monday, operations at the stelling began at 05:00h and closed at 22:00h instead of it’s usually closing time of 8pm.

When the boat service closed at 22:00h two emergency boats were still available, for cases where hospital patients may need to be transferred from the West Demerara Regional Hospital to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Extra measures at the stellings became necessary after a tug and barge ran

Harbour Master, Michael Tenant

at the stellings on Monday morning; however they were instead met with a heavy police presence and ease in boarding and disembarking the speedboats. At the Vreed-en-Hoop end, police closed off the road leading to the stelling.

“I thought it would have been chaos and confusion, but the only stressful part was to walk from the junction to the stelling. It was smooth with police right

hipaul, commended the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for stepping in to assist with the situation. “The GPF has been giving tremendous support.

The GPF and the regional administration currently have the situation under control, the traffic is flowing smoothly, and persons are traversing as usual. We want to appeal to commuters to remain calm,” Mahipaul noted.

However, the day was not without its challenges, and while things were smooth throughout the day, at the Vreed-en-Hoop end, on the eastern side Stabroek stelling at times experienced periods of buildup of passengers. With some 56 speed boats operating the route, Harbour Master, Michael Tenant, explained that the issue was not a case of there not being enough vessels to handle the demand, but instead it was due to preventative measures being hampered during low tide.

“At the Transport and Harbours Landing there’s

when the tide is low. This port is a tidal port, so once there is not enough water vessels can’t come close up to the landing for persons to get easy access on and off, that is where the challenge comes,” Tenant related. “When the water is so low the boats are struggling to come out. Because of the tidal situation the landing cannot accommodate four speed boats at a time for the

were utilized to offload passengers.

The situation, nonetheless, inconvenienced many, who had to park their vehicles and utilize the boat services instead. “This is ok at the stelling, but it’s very inconvenient, for instance I have a car and now I have to come here to catch the boat.

I’m from Georgetown and I’m just came for a walk and I’m going over back now,”

smiling bowman, Visham Dat, as he loaded his boat at the Vreed-en-Hoop stelling.

On a regular day Dat makes an average of ten trips, but during yesterday’s situation he estimated that he would be able to run about 20 trips, by midday on Monday he had already made his daily quota and had plans to work until 10pm. Dat, who has been working as a boat operator

The Harbours Master Boat House was opened as a secondary loading area at the Stabroek Stelling, and allowed for several boats to load at once, during high tide, easing congestion of passengers (Samuel Maughn photos)

At the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling multiple boats being able to load at once saw an ease for commuters throughout the day (Tamica Garnett photo)

into the Demerara Harbour Bridge early Monday morning, forcing an emergency closure of the bridge, leaving the Georgetown to Vreed-enHoop speedboat service as the only remaining option for persons traversing between the West and East Banks of Demerara.

EASE OF TRAFFIC Many commuters commended the effective response by authorities and ease of travelling on Monday morning, and Monday evening. Many west bank commuters anticipated possible congestion and disorder

through, so it was good,” commented Shawn Venture, who lives on the West Bank, and used the stelling to take his children to school in Georgetown. Twenty-oneyear-old Mark King of Tuschen was really impressed with how the situation was handled. “It was a good response I don’t know if they were prepared for it before or what, but it was really good response,” he expressed.

REMAIN CALM Essequibo Islands-West Demerara Regional Information Officer, Ganesh Ma-

two steps, one of the step is for loading and one for disembarking, on a normal situation we would have one boat loading at one time, but when we have these situations we can accommodate a maximum of four boats to load at any one time,” Tenant explained. He said this situation allowed for a smooth flow during the morning and late evening, however during the day low tide impeded on the amount of boats that could load, causing a buildup of commuters.

“The challenge is not the number of officers on the ground, the challenge is

boats to move off. It’s only about two boats can come in and load at a time.”

The situation was exacerbated at the Stabroek Stelling, by early afternoon, during rush hour, however by late afternoon, as the tide came in, the congestion was quickly eased with as many as 15 boats loading at a time.

Tenant explained that another section of the Stabroek Stelling – the Harbour Master Boat House - was opened to the public for the boats to load passengers, while both of the steps of the landing

commented Enrique McClennan, as he stood waiting to board a speedboat at the Vreed-en-Hoop stelling on Tuesday.

But one man’s poison is another man’s treasure, and as commuters spent the day irritated by the inconvenience, speed boat operators, on the contrary, joyously spent the day capitalizing on the increase in business.

“I feel good, who wouldn’t feel good about this? Would we like the opportunity for this to happen again? Yes bring it on,” commented a

for the past 16 years, had further plans to capitalize on the situation, and work throughout the day on Tuesday.

Another boat operator, Anthony Chichester also foresaw himself doubling his average daily quota.

“I make about 8 trips go, 8 trips come. For me I average for the day [Monday] about 16, 18 trips go and come. Whenever I can get a bit more I accept and bless,” said Anthony Chichester, he planned to close up work around 7pm.

Low tide hampered speedboats from getting to the landing which caused a buildup of passengers at the Stabroek Stelling at points during the day

B ack to school T

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

HE summer is over and children are heading to school, some for the first time and others for a new level. In some of the photos you’ll see students, neatly decked out in their uniform, making their way to school. Noticeable too is the fact that parents made it their duty to ensure that their children get safely to school.

Alleged murderer ‘captured’ after 21 years

ON Monday September 2, 2019, a 46-year-old man who has been evading police custody for twenty one years was arraigned before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

It is alleged that, on September 5, 1998, Philbert (Gilbert) Thomas at Kabucalli

Waini (region 1) murdered his wife, 23-year-old Viola Thomas.

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge when it was read to him.

The late Viola Thomas was at a fun day in Kabucalli Waini when she was stabbed several times about the body by the accused, who later fled

the scene of the crime.

In 1998, the matter was investigated and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), at that time, had recommended that the suspect be charged with murder.

The matter was heard at the Acquero Magistrate’s Court, Region 1, where several witnesses testified

against Thomas and he was charged in absentia. Approximately eight years later, the matter was recalled at the same court and was adjourned with no appointed date for resumption.

However, the accused was recently arrested and remanded to prison for allegedly stabbing his ex-lover to her

breast, along with her male companion, at Hururu Mission, Upper Berbice River.

It was this charge which lead Alina Thomas, the mother of the deceased to recognize her ex-son-in-law in a daily newspaper. She then contacted the Acquero Police Station and made a report.

A court order was filed.

Philbert Thomas was identified by Alina Thomas. He later admitted to the crime.

The accused was remanded to prison and is scheduled to return to court on September 9, 2019 before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

‘Make this a productive year’ -Education Minister urges students during tour of schools

MINISTER of Education, Nicolette Henry called on children to let this school year be a productive one and to ensure that they understand that respect for themselves and teachers are expected standards which will not be compromised.

As schools across the country reopened their doors to children for the commencement of the new school year, on Monday, Minister Henry visited ten schools in Regions Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Ma-

haica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

In Region Four, the education minister visited Helena Nursery, President's College and Golden Grove Primary School. Those schools that were visited in Region Five were Cotton Tree Primary, No. 5 Nursery and Fort Wellington Secondary. While in Region Six, visits were paid to New Amsterdam Secondary, Savannah Park Nursery and St. Aloysius Primary.

Minister Henry also stopped at the Latchmans-

ingh Primary School where the Department of Education, Region Five, held a brunch to honour retired headteachers.

Minister Henry thanked those in attendance for their exceptional service. She said that the education sector owes them a lot of gratitude for their sterling contributions.

She explained that her visits are intended to get an understanding on the ground about how both students and teachers are adequately prepared for the resumption of

Minister Henry addressing students during her visit to one of ten schools on Monday

Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry interacting with a group of nursery school students

school after a long holiday period. Added to that, the education minister said that she wanted to ensure that schools are equipped with the necessary amenities to ensure the children can benefit.

At the New Amsterdam Secondary, the minister said she was expecting to hear good results from the school come CSEC 2020.

At President's College,

Henry had lunch with the student population and the teachers. The minister sat among the children and had lunch while using the opportunity to have discussions with them. She also visited the school's Home Economics Department where discussions were held with the school's Headteacher and Deputy Head Teacher and the Head of Department.

At the Nursery schools, the hard-working teach-

ers were at it trying to get some first-timers to stop crying. Minister Henry said that there can be no denying that teachers are hard-working professionals to whom her government is thankful. It is against this background that Henry said that her Ministry will do everything possible to ensure that both the children and teachers have the necessary resources to deliver.

Jamicia McCalman launches project to ‘aggressively’ tackle sexual violence TWENTY-TWO-year-old Jamicia McCalman has taken up the mantle to combat sexual violence in Guyana, through a campaign project she named ‘Project SEE – Save, Eliminate and Educate’.

McCalman is a candidate in the Miss World Guyana 2020 pageant, and is using the platform to champion a cause that she holds close to her heart.

The young woman said that she wanted to take her activism beyond the realms of just social media, and given that she too suffered sexual violence during her growing years, she believes that with the Miss World Guyana platform, she can bring light to others.

“Under the flagship of the Heart to Art Foundation, a non-governmental orga-

nization I founded in 2018, that uses art advocacy and activism to address issues such as mental health, gender-based violence, youth development, come Project SEE. This project addresses the issue of sexual violence and its effect on your mental health and well-being,” McCalman said at her project launch.

She opened up about the sexual violence she endured as a child, and how it affected her mental health.

Because of her experience, McCalman said that she is the evidence that proves sexual violence has an effect on your mental health.

“I was victimized and cast aside by many… But I am the representation of what it means to be broken and not destroyed,” the young woman said.

Referencing the popular saying ‘hurt people, hurt people’, she further stated “I want to shift that narrative.

I believe that hurt people who have been healed, have the capacity to help others to heal.”

It is with that belief, McCalman is carrying out this initiative to make a difference in the lives of many.

Explaining her project approach, she said that to save and eliminate, education from the bottom-up approach is required. “…more talk and twice as much action is needed. Project SEE aims to systematically address and delve into the pervasive issue of sexual violence and its profound impact on your mental health and well-being. Teens and young adults will continue to be educated

Miss World Guyana 2020 candidate, Jamicia McCalman (Samuel Maughn Photo)

about preventative measures that can be taken to protect themselves from sexual violence,” McCalman said.

This, she explained, will be done through outreach in schools, providing youths with coping mechanisms that provide and direct the

sources that can help them heal from the mental scars or trauma of sexual violence.

“Ultimately, the work of Project SEE will ensure that within the next year, sufficient funds are available to establish the first safe developmental hub

for families and victims of sexual violence, starting in Region 4… This will be done through collaboration with government, civil society, religious organisations, and the private sector,” McCalman said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

GuySuCo hosts inaugural FAMTOUR to Albion-Port Mourant Estate - tour operators praise the initiative

By Naomi Marshall GUYANA Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), in its quest to tap into the country’s second largest export sector – Tourism-- hosted its inaugural ‘FAMTOUR’ to the Albion-Port Mourant Estate in Berbice; an initiative that forms part of its ‘Cultural and Sugar Heritage Tourism’ programme.

On Saturday, tour operators and media operatives from across Guyana were given the opportunity to experience the aesthetics-rich heritage that exists within Guyana’s biggest sugar estate.

The initiative is in keeping with the United Nations

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) - led World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme.

The ‘Cultural and Sugar Heritage Tourism’ programme is GuySuCo’s newest business line.

Rama Persaud, GuySuCo’s Commercial Manager, in an interview with Guyana Chronicle, explained that after the Sugar Industry was downsized – moving from seven sugar estates to three – the corporation sought new and alternative means to gain revenue. She said while assessing the possibilities, GuySuCo realised that it was “sitting on a gold mine which can be shared with visitors

GuySuCo’s Commercial Manager, Rama Persaud

while creating revenue for the company at the same time.”

“We (GuySuCo’s representatives) realised that we have to look at other means An old “steam-generated pump” on the Albion-Port Mourant Estate

Participants of the “FAMTOUR” enjoying the lorry experience

Some of Guyana’s Tour operators along with representatives of Guyana Sugar Corporation

of diversifying, so the idea of tourism came when we recognised our culture and history. You cannot think of Guyana without sugar and rum, almost everybody drinks rum and rum is being made from sugar and so the history of GuySuCo will continue to be there,” she explained.

But Persaud made it clear that GuySuCo is not moving away from its core business of sugar production. However, it is making use of all the products it has to offer, including its culture and history.

Representatives from Wilderness Exploders, Evergreen Adventures, Eco Travel, Rainforest Tours, Visit Rupununi, Dagron Tours and the Guyana Tourism Authority were among persons who participated in the ‘FAMTOUR’ to the Albion-Port Mourant Estate in Berbice.

The participants were given the chance to witness

the sugar production and view monuments and landmarks within the estate. They were also given the opportunity to travel in the ‘lorry and passenger punt,’ and sit in the world’s last working 1921 Rolls Royce Goshawke, among other adventurous activities.

Salvador De Caires, representative of the Wilderness Explorers, said that the initiative is what his entity has been searching for year after year.

“I think this tour is wonderful, I think it was something we had been looking for years and years because throughout the Caribbean, everybody has rum tours and sugar tours. It is one of the important parts of Caribbean tourism and we never use to do it here,” he said.

De Caires added that the tour would be a great weekend trip “for locals, the diaspora and the international market which is something

The Albion Sugar Factory

unusual.”

Albion Estate was established in the second half of the 19th century. The Estate lost its singleness and became known as Albion-Port Mourant Estate, following the closure of the Port Mourant Factory in 1953. This amalgamation formed the largest operating unit within the local sugar industry.

The first-ever tour to be held by GuySuCo was held at the Uitvlugt Factory, located on the West Coast of Demerara.

Apart from the Albion-Port Mourant Estate and the Uitvlugt Factory, tours will be conducted at the Blairmont Estate, as well as the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Head Office to be used as dual sites, meaning that they will serve as production or profit and service centres, as well as tourism sites.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

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Sophia Night School students doing well at CSEC Exam SOME 30 students of the Sophia Night School are to date on record to write the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination at the May/June 2020 sitting, according to Programme Coordinator, Orin Nelson.

The school, which is managed by the Sophia Community Development Association (SOCDA), whose Programme Director and Founder is Brussels-based Leroy Adolphus, a former journalist, has recorded 100 per cent passes in all subject areas, with the exception of Social Studies where an 89 per cent pass rate was attained and Mathematics and English, which are reflective of the showing of the entire country.

According to Nelson, since we live in a time when many young people leave school prematurely, and run a high risk of being unemployed and socially marginalised, the introduction of a positive option like the night school is an excellent initiative.

Speaking at the Orientation Session of the school, at which Minister of Social Cohesion, George Norton, was in attendance, Nelson proudly announced that the recently-released results of the May 2019 CSEC examination, showed that 26 students received good grades, having written Mathematics, English `A’ , Social Studies, Principles of Accounts, Principles of Business, Office Administration, Integrated Science and Human and Social Biology.

The school, which has a “Come as you are policy”, has since it opened its doors in 2016, registered over 450 individuals, the youngest aged 14 years and the oldest being 50-years old, as it continues to achieve its purpose which is to provide a second chance to at-risk youths, school dropouts and individuals who did not have

Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr George Norton (Centre) is flanked by executives of Sophia Social and Development Association (SOCDA)

a chance to achieve a Grade Three or above, in five or more subjects CSEC examination, as well as, individuals who never had the chance to write CSEC examination in the first place.

The student population comprises not only students who are residents of Sophia but also individuals from other parts of Georgetown, as well as the East Coast Of Demerara, East Bank Demerara, the West Coast of Demerara and the West Bank of Demerara. Nelson said that when the school started in 2016, only five subjects were offered: Mathematics, English `A’, Principles of Accounts, Principles of Business, and Office Administration. Subsequently, an additional five subjects: Social Studies’ EDPM, Human and Social Biology, Integrated Science and Agriculture Science, were added.

He disclosed that the last academic semester was not an easy road, as the additional subjects placed a strain on School’s budgetary allocations. However, so as not to drop any of the subjects, the school’s executive took a decision to merge Years One and Two of Office Administration, Business and Accounts and reduce the

contact hours.

The merger affected subjects like Mathematics, English `A’ and the Sciences, as Nelson noted; ideally those subjects could have had an additional three hours.

He said, though, for the new school year, efforts will be made to ensure that teaching hours do not exceed 100 hours per month. Notwithstanding the challenges the school faces, it has been delivering, he added.

SOCDA is a community-based non-governmental organisation that provides programmes and activities, aimed at promoting youth empowerment and education as vehicles or mechanisms to reduce the prevalence of crime and violence in the surrounding Sophia environment. To this end it seeks to educate, empower and develop innovative leaders to managers with the skills, the competences and the predisposition to contribute to the nation’s development.

It has been in existence for more than a decade and was initially intended to serve as a forum where individuals, organisations and stakeholders meet and have exchanges regarding community development. In 2015, the organisation was

been plagued with many developmental challenges in the past which still continue today, as he alluded to some headlines that appeared in the media of occurrences in Sophia. Said Nelson: “the association cares about this and is of the belief that it is its job, as well as other community organisations, to ensure that they advocate the government and other stakeholders to invest in Sophia and its development.

He said that, although SOCDA is a young organisation, it is improving lives and by managing the night school, SOCDA has started to promote education and

Field, Sophia.

Minister Norton in congratulating SOCDA on its achievement, and the fact that it is offering close to a dozen subjects, urged the school to include a foreign subject, be it Spanish, French or Portuguese.

He reminded the gathering that CSEC is the basic qualification required for almost every job and is essential for pursuit in academic advancement. According to Minister Norton, the Government is cognizant of the fact that persons from less wealthy families are at a disadvantage when it comes to many things in life, in-

The gathering at the Sophia Night School Orientation Session hosted the Sophia Community Development Association (SOCDA) ( Photo by Adrian Narine)

officially registered as an NGO-Trust.

Sydney Nelson, SOCDA Treasurer and Project Manager, in his remarks, said the orientation exercise was testimony that the association “is putting action to our words”, adding that once they decrease or even eradicate the social and community development ills that the Sophia community faces, the association would be closer to achieving its mission at the local level, which will then translate to the national level and then globally.

Sophia, he noted, has

youth empowerment and has interventions to respond to increasing crime and violence in the community.

“With additional funding, SOCDA intends to broaden its community intervention to now include environment and advocacy. Ideally, we would like to be added to the Minister of Social Cohesion annual budget under the line item contribution to local organisations. This will enable us to better serve and improve our interventions,” he remarked.

SOCDA is located at the Cumming’s Park Community Centre which is in “E”

cluding education.

As a result, President Granger has worked assiduously to establish the programmes which provide buses, bicycles, boats, breakfast, books and now bookbags to children in need, adding “Nothing must hinder the education of our nation.”

Alluding to the request made earlier for the Night School or SOCDA be granted a subvent6ion, Minister Norton assured that he will at his upcoming budget presentation to the Minister of Finance, make mention of the request.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

Guyana’s trade facilitation roadmap for Friday launch

-draft strategy to be reviewed over the next two days GUYANA’s trade facilitation roadmap 2019-2024 will be officially launched on Friday, paving the way for the next phase of its implementation.

The trade facilitation strategy document will guide the local trade facilitation reform process, from the end of 2019 to 2024. “In this five-year plan we have articulated a single vision which is supported by eight main goals and 33 activities,” said Chairman of the National Committee on Trade Facilitation, Patrick Hyman, during his remarks at the commencement of module two of the 2019 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) empowerment programme for the national trade facilitation committee, at the Ramada Hotel, on Monday.

He said it is important that persons, who are participating in the programme, keep the vision statement at the fore of their minds. Hyman quoted the vision statement which reads: “Guyana aims to improve its standing as an

Participants who were a part of the 2019 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) empowerment programme for the national trade facilitation committee

effective trade partner in the global value chain, through the implementation of key trade facilitation reforms described in this roadmap…It will reduce trade processing time by 50 per cent and related transaction costs by 30 per cent by the end of 2024…it will also improve the position World Bank’s trading across border position, which in turn can contribute towards enhancing Guyana’s ease of doing business.”

The strategy document, which is in its draft stage,

will be further finalised and improved by participants from the Bureau of Statistics, the Guyana Marketing Corporation and other organisations, over the next two days. The participants will be guided by facilitators from UNCTAD. “We are grateful for the continued support from the secretariat of UNCTAD and the financial support of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings via her Majesty’s revenue and customs of the British government,” said Hyman, add-

ing that those contributions have made the workshop and the Guyana trade facilitation roadmap a reality.

One of the facilitators of the programme, Economic Affairs Officer of UNCTAD, Bismark Sitorus, was optimistic about the outcome over the next few days.

“We have the draft of the roadmap which will be improved and validated in the first two days of the workshop…this is going to be a very challenging exercise, but it is your document,” said

Sitorus.

The workshop is the third in a series of specialised intensive programmes, which were facilitated by UNCTAD. The first module of the empowerment programme was completed in March this year. The module focused on planning skills for implementing trade facilitation reforms.

And, most recently, several persons participated in an online course, which expanded their knowledge on trade facilitation. As a follow up in module two, apart from participating in the validation of the draft trade facilitation strategy document, participants will be involved in a training of trainers programme on Wednesday and Thursday.

Participants will be responsible for knowledge transfer to new members of the national trade facilitation committee and for spreading knowledge about the committee to all concerned individuals. “Guyana has taken a number of steps to modernise its customs administration and promote trade facilitation.

These include the Ratification and Notifications requirement

– Guyana ratified the TFA on Nov 30, 2015 and submitted five requisite notifications to the WTO (World Trade Organisation during the period 2016-2018, including those on its transparency commitments, and contact points for offices responsible for coordinating donor support,” former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, said in his remarks during the launch of the first module in March.

“Trade facilitation reforms are important. They will allow us to improve the efficiency of our systems and will bring numerous spill-over benefits which include reducing transaction costs associated with importing and exporting goods, boosting our export competitiveness, helping to sustain our economic growth, improving our attraction to foreign investors, facilitating easier entry into foreign markets, improving revenue collection, contributing to job creation, improving the business climate, and facilitating more efficient and transparent delivery of public services,” said Greenidge.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday September 3, 2019

Kwakwani roads get much-needed facelift –– thanks to intervention of Min. of Natural Resources THE Upper Demerara community of Kwakwani continues to benefit from enhancement and upgrading projects through the timely intervention of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

With the condition of the internal roads being a sore point and a major complaint with residents, given that theirs is a logging community, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman has answered the call of the area’s Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to have the one-mile stretch of main access road from the Kwakwani Waterfront to the Kwakwani Park rehabilitated.

Many residents in the Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) community have since voiced their satisfaction with the positive response they’ve had from the ministry.

Cort Simeon explained that while repairing the road may seem like a small gesture to many, for residents of Kwakwani like himself, it is a big deal, since the livelihood of many depends on the condition it’s in. With a deplorable road, it means that those that are into logging have to spend more money to have their logs transported, and those who own the trucks have to spend more on servicing and the purchasing of parts.

Regional Vice-Chairman Elroy Adolph says that the community is very grateful for the upgrades, since the NDC is not in possession of a grader or other equipment to carry out the kind of works that needed to be done. "These forms of development not only on the coastland but the hinterland show that the government cares, and while they

One of the internal roads rehabilitated at Kwakwani

may not be able to fulfill all the promises,” he said, “we can be assured that some are being fulfilled to make our

lives easier.”

In addition to effecting repairs to the internal roads in Kwakwani, the Linden to

Man fined for theft of battery

ON Monday September 2, 2019, a young man was arraigned before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court.

It is alleged that, on July 15, 2019, at Regent Street, Kumar Shaw stole a minibus battery valued at $20,000 from Kinn Dos Santos.

When the charge was read to Shaw, he admitted saying "

yea man me carry it way".

Police Prosecutor noted that, on the day in question, the virtual complainant secured and parked his vehicle. On the following day, when the virtual complainant returned to his vehicle, he discovered that the battery compartment of the vehicle was open and the battery was missing.

The defendant was seen on CCTV and the matter was

reported to the police.

He was arrested and later charged.

Shaw noted that he attempted to retrieve the stolen item from the person he sold it to, but the said individual refused and assaulted him causing actual bodily harm.

Shaw pleaded with the magistrate to give him community service; however he could not produce

a fixed address.

Magistrate Daly gave Shaw a $15,000 fine.

The magistrate explained to the defendant, because of his inability to produce a fixed address he cannot be granted community service and will have to pay a fine or be sentenced to two months’ imprisonment.

Kwakwani Trail is also being upgraded by the Ministry of Natural Resources. Extensive works were done on the road last year, but because some damage was done during the recent rainy season, the MoNR does not want the situation to regress to the deplorable state it was in in the past.

Meanwhile, the MoNR said this is the first time contracts to rehabilitate additional roadways around the country that are predominantly traversed by loggers were awarded to the very loggers themselves. The roads that were approved for rehabil-

itation were Armeu Road, which was awarded to Bhola Sawmill; the Itaballi to Puruni Road, which was awarded to Toolsie Persaud Limited; Uname Road, done by Variety Woods and Greenheart Ltd; and the Bissaruni Road, by R. Razaek Business Enterprise.

The small concessions that have directly benefitted from the rehabilitation of the roads are those whose production by quota in 2019 were between 41% to 71%.

This shows that these road rehabilitation contracts positively impacted the production of small miners.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 3, 2019

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FROM BACK PAGE

Heavy 257-run defeat...

Brooks, unbeaten on four at the start, then found an ally in Roston Chase (12) to stretch the third wicket stand to 60 and leave India without success in the first hour.

In the second over after

the drinks break, however, Chase played down the wrong line to Jadeja and was lbw at 97 for three and six balls later with just one run added, left-hander Shimron Hetmyer loosely drove Is-

SCOREBOARD INDIA 1st Innings 416 West Indies 1st Innings 117 India 2nd Innings 168-4 decl.

West Indies 2nd Innings (target: 468 runs) (overnight 45 for two) J Campbell c Kohli b Mohammed Shami 16 K Brathwaite c wkp Pant b Ishant Sharma 3 D Bravo ret. hurt 23 S Brooks run out 50 R Chase lbw b Jadeja 12 S Hetmyer c Agarwal b Ishant Sharma 1 J Blackwood c wkp Pant b Bumrah 38 *J Holder b Jadeja 39 +J Hamilton c Rahul b Jadeja 0 R Cornwall c wkp Pant b Mohammed Shami 1 K Roach c wkp Pant b Mohammed Shami 5 S Gabriel not out 0 Extras (b14, lb2, w5, nb1) 22 TOTAL (all out, 59.5 overs) 210 Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Brathwaite), 2-37 (Campbell), 3-97 (Chase), 4-98 (Hetmyer), 5-159 (Blackwood), 6-177 (Brooks), 7-177 (Hamilton), 8-180 (Cornwall), 9-206 (Roach), 10-210 (Holder) Bowling: Ishant 12-3-37-2, Bumrah 11-4-31-1, Shami 16-2-65-3, Jadeja 19.5-4-58-3, Vihari 1-0-3-0.

Man-of-the-Match: Hanuma Vihari.

N.B – Jermaine Blackwood replaced Darren Bravo as concussion-sub in second innings.

hant to Mayank Agarwal at cover. Blackwood arrived and was quickly into his stride, and he and Brooks put on a crucial 61 for the fifth wicket which took the Windies to the first interval without further loss.

Brooks, who was caught at first slip off a Jadeja noball on 30 in the fifth over before lunch, faced 119 balls in just over 3-¼ hours at the crease and struck nine fours while Blackwood faced 72 ball and crunched four fours and a six – a clean hit over long on off Jadeja.

With his scoring dried up after the interval, Blackwood added just two to his lunch time 36 before eventually gifting his wicket, flirting with a wide one from Bumrah and edging behind at 159 for five. Brooks, on 39 at lunch, completed his maiden Test fifty before becoming the second wicket to fall after the interval, run out by Virat Kohli’s direct hit from cover.

Debutant Jahmar Hamilton (0) succumbed two balls later in the same over to a catch at slip with no addition to the total at 177 for seven and the other debutant Rah-

Medvedev to face Wawrinka in Day Nine U.S. Open action

By Rory Carroll NEW YORK (Reuters) Russian Daniil Medvedev, who has embraced his role as a villain at this year’s U.S. Open, will face Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals on today, while Serena Williams and Roger Federer also return to the court.

Fifth-seeded Medvedev has been showered with boos by the New York crowd during his last two matches after angrily snatching a towel from a ballperson and showing the audience his middle finger on Friday.

The 23-year-old Medvedev did a dance after his fourth round win on Sunday that also rubbed fans up the wrong way but said he was not trying to make anyone upset.

“Talking about the dance, I was just so happy,” the Russian said. “It was not against the crowd. I was just happy to be in the quarter-finals.”

Serena Williams will kick off the night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium when she meets China’s Wang Qiang for the first time as the American looks to claim a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title.

The eighth-seeded Williams rolled her ankle during her fourth round match on Sunday but recovered to defeat Petra Martic.

Third seed Federer will be the favourite when he takes on Grigor Dimitrov under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Federer had his best match of the tournament on Sunday, cruising past David Goffin to reach the last eight in New York for a 13th time.

With holder Novak Djokovic quitting during his fourth round match against Stan Wawrinka on Sunday through injury, Federer could potentially face long-time rival Rafa Nadal in the final.

keem Cornwall perished for one in the next over, caught behind off Shami, leaving Windies on the brink.

Kemar Roach also nicked Shami behind for five and Holder, after hitting nine fours in a breezy 35ball knock, missed a heave at Jadeja and was bowled to be last out.

West Indies failed to win a single match on tour, suffering a 3-0 clean sweep in the Twenty20 series and a 2-0 loss in the threematch one-day series.

RACING TIPS American Racing Tips Finger Lakes Race 1 Sydney Sweetie Race 2 Schwarbertown Race 3 Mia Bella Race 4 Financial Freedom Race 5 Flippity Flop Race 6 Kerry Boy Race 7 Breeze Burner Race 8 Quiet Dillon South Africa Racing Tips Turffontein 08:20 hrs Jackman 08:55 hrs Nawaasi 09:35 hrs Phillydelphia 10:10 hrs Destinys Game 10:45 hrs Dry Your Eyes 11:20 hrs Deebaa English Racing Tips Catterick 09:00 hrs Vintage Times 09:30 hrs Sloane Garden 10:05 hrs Gemini 10:35 hrs Rux Ruxx 11:10 hrs Final Frontier 11:40 hrs Gylo 12:10 hrs Betty Grable 12:40 hrs Red Stripes Goodwood 09:15 hrs Affluence 09:45 hrs Call Me Katie 10:50 hrs Rose Of Kildare 11:25 hrs Themaxwecan 12:00 hrs Rose Hip 12:35 hrs Cadre Du Noir Salisbury 11:50 hrs Lunar Deity 12:25 hrs Lost Empire 13:00 hrs Star In The Making 13:30 hrs Emaraaty 14:00 hrs Horatio Star 14:30 hrs Brooklyn Boy

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Djokovic’s U.S. Open title defence derailed by injury

By Frank Pingue

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic’s U.S. Open title defence came unstuck on Sunday when a nagging shoulder injury forced the world number one to retire from his fourth-round match

against Stan Wawrinka, prompting a chorus of boos from the crowd at Flushing Meadows.

Wawrinka was leading 6-4 7-5 2-1 when Djokovic decided he could not continue, the pair embracing at the side of the court before the Serb walked off with his

head down low but his left thumb stuck high in the air.

“The pain was constant for weeks now. Some days higher, some days with less intensity, and obviously taking different stuff to kill the pain instantly,” said Djokovic, who has won the U.S. Open three times.

“Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. “You just know when you know, I guess, when you feel like you’re not able to hit the shot anymore.”

After dropping the second set, Djokovic immediately called for medical attention and sat courtside without his shirt on while the trainer gave him a massage. He returned to the court but the 16-times Grand Slam winner was still clearly hampered by the issue and after being broken to love following a double fault decided he could not go on.

The shoulder injury nearly saw Djokovic retire from his second-round match on Wednesday but the 32-year-old seemed to have recovered by Friday, saying he was almost pain-free after winning in straight sets to reach the last 16.

While frustrated in his bid to inch closer to Roger Federer’s all-time record of 20 career Grand Slam titles, Djokovic was confident there would be plenty more chances to add to his collection. “It’s a long road ahead hopefully for me,” he said.

“I hope I can play for many more years. I’m planning to.

I mean, I don’t see an end

Flushing, NY, USA; Novak Djokovic of Serbia rubs his shoulder during a match against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland in the fourth round on day seven of the 2019 US Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports

behind the corner at all.

“Now it’s a matter of keeping my body and mind in shape and trying to still peak at these kind of events that are majors and that are the most significant in our sport.” Djokovic was off the pace in a lacklustre first set against three-times Grand Slam champion Wawrinka but seemed to right the ship in the second when he took a 4-1 lead.

But a determined Wawrinka, with his serve clicking, fought his way back and twice held to love en route to taking the set for a 2-0 lead.

Wawrinka, who had not

faced Djokovic since beating him in the 2016 U.S. Open final, said he could see his opponent was struggling but did his best to focus on his own game. “For sure I could see some little thing that he was in trouble,” said Wawrinka, who will face Russian fifth seed Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals.

“But I was most likely, most of the time, focussed on myself because I know how well he can fight. I know how well he can come back. Doesn’t matter how he’s feeling on the court, and that’s what I was focussing on.”

Khawaja out, Starc in as Aussies name fourth Test squad USMAN Khawaja has been left out of Australia’s 12man squad for this week’s fourth Ashes Test against England at Old Trafford as paceman Mitchell Starc is recalled.

Steve Smith replaces Khawaja, who batted at number three throughout the series but managed an average of just 20.33 from his six innings.

Smith missed the third Test at Headingley with concussion. Marnus Labuschagne keeps his place after three successive half-centuries.

Starc, who was the leading wicket taker at the World Cup earlier this year, impressed in Australia’s tour match against Derbyshire last week, taking seven wickets. He is likely to compete with Peter Siddle for a place in the attack, with

Usman Khawaja has averaged 20.33 in six innings this Ashes campaign, with four scores between 13 and 40.

James Pattinson rested.

The five-match series is level at 1-1 after England’s epic one-wicket victory at Headingley, although holders Australia will retain the Ashes if they win either of the final two Tests.

The fourth Test starts on Wednesday.

Australia XII for fourth Test: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matt Wade, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood..

(BBC Sport)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 3, 2019

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Parasram plunders century as Reliance Hustlers take Mandholall Memorial Trophy A blistering unbeaten century from former national Under-17 batsman, Rovindra Parasram, and an equally aggressive unbeaten half-century by former national T20 all-rounder, Ramesh Narine, lit up the Anna Regina Community Centre ground as Reliance Hustlers over-powered Reliance Veterans on Sunday.

The special-arranged annual 15 overs softball memorial match was held in memory of the late former national under -19 cricketer, Shivanandan Mandholall, who passed away following a brief illness at the age of 30, six years ago.

After winning the toss and batting, Reliance Hustlers got to an imposing 239-1, due mainly to an unbeaten 210-run partnership between Rovindra Parasram, who stroked 117 including 10 massive sixes and 8 exquisite fours, and Ramesh

The victorious Reliance Hustlers team and their supporters...

Narine’s brutal 93, decorated with 10 fours and 6 sixes.

The only wicket to fall was that of Mark Austin for 15 as no bowler was spared the onslaught. In reply, the Veterans wilted early under pressure and lost wickets at

regular intervals. They eventually reached 134-6 when the overs expired with only Ravindra Lall 42 (3x6 and 2x4) and Suresh Persaud, with an unbeaten 30 (4x4) showed some intent. Accurate bowling by Ryan Shi-

vambar with 3-12 from 3 overs ensured that the Hustlers comfortably won by 105 runs.

At the presentation, Ravindra Mandholall, brother of the late Shivanandan Madholall, expressed thanks

to both teams for participating even as he reminisced on the promise and exploits that his brother displayed as a charismatic cricketer.

He further disclosed that the occasion will continue annually with support from well-wishers and family members. At the presentation, Rovindra Pararsam received trophies for being man-of-the-match and best batsman, compliments of Devon Ramnauth and Platinum Lounge and Bar of Canada while Brian Shivambar also received a trophy, compliments of Krishna Arjune.

The runners-up trophy was donated by Ravindra Mandholall while the winner’s trophy was donated by Rovindra Mandholall and daughter.

Prior to the match, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Shivanandan and Seeram Mand-

Rovindra Parasram celebrates his unbeaten 117...

holall, the late father of the Mandholalls, who passed away three years ago. He, too, was a dynamic club cricketer (Elroy Stephney).

Defending US Open Denly to open for England, Broad wary of Smith return champion Osaka loses LONDON (Reuters) - Joe Denly will swap places with struggling opener Jason Roy in the England batting order for the fourth Ashes test against Australia at Old Trafford, he said on Monday.

Roy, who was handed his Test debut after an impressive World Cup-winning campaign, has failed to deliver at the top of the order in the first three Tests, scoring 57 runs in six innings with a highest score of 28.

Denly’s patient half-century in the second innings of the third Test, where he shared a 126-run stand with Root, set up the win for the hosts who were chasing a daunting target of 359 to level the series.

“I got a call from Joe Root after a bit of time off and he said he’d like for me to go at the top of the order and try and get us off to a good start,” Denly told BBC. “Obviously, Jason’s going to bat at four. With Jason in the team, I think we’re a better team for sure.

“With him coming in at four with hopefully the new ball worn off, and hopefully myself and (opener) Rory

Joe Denly

(Burns) doing our jobs at the top, it enables him to come in and play his way. He’s a dangerous player so he’s great to have there.”

Australia’s Steve Smith, who scored 378 runs in three innings, is set to return to the side after missing the third test due to concussion.

Smith was hit on the neck by a rising Jofra Archer delivery during the second test at Lord’s and England fast bowler Stuart Broad expects the former skipper to be well-prepared.

“Whenever a batsman seems in great rhythm, a period

of time out of being in the middle could affect them but he’s a world-class batsman,” Broad said. “He’ll be very ready for the conditions he will face here at Old Trafford.

“There’s been a little bit of to and fro between him and Jofra. And Jofra will be excited to continue that battle. Smith will be very hungry to come back into a crucial test match.”

England’s one-wicket win at Headingley prevented Australia from retaining the Ashes, and Broad said this was the most closely-contested series he had been a part of.

“The momentum of that test match shifted to England and with that the series,” Broad said. “I don’t think I’ve ever played in an Ashes that has been as closely matched man-to-man. “The teams are so close and you can see that by the punches being thrown by each side and how they’re soaking it up. It’s a fascinating series to be involved in.”

The fourth Test in Manchester starts on Wednesday with the series level at 1-1.

The final match at The Oval in London begins on Sept. 12.

to Belinda Bencic

DEFENDING champion Naomi Osaka has been knocked out of the US Open, losing 7-5 6-4 to Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic in the last 16 on Monday.

Osaka, 21, was broken late in the opening set and then again in the fifth game of the second at Flushing Meadows.

It means the Japanese player will lose her world number one ranking, with French Open champion Ashleigh Barty of Australia to return to the top spot.

For Bencic, 22, it is her second appearance in the quarter-finals. She also made the last eight in 2014 and will now play Croatia’s Donna Vekic after the 23rd seed beat Germany’s 26th seed Julia Goerges 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 6-3 in a match that lasted two hours 42 minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

“I was so excited to come on the court, the

Belinda Bencic, the 13th seed, has now matched her best ever run at a Grand Slam event.

challenge cannot be bigger - Naomi Osaka is a great player and won the US Open last year,” said Bencic. “I had to be on top of my game and am really pleased with how I played.

“She has a lot of power, I was just trying to play it a little bit like chess, anticipate and make a tactic on the court.” Osaka, who beat Serena Williams in

last year’s final for her maiden Grand Slam title, started off badly as she lost her serve at the first opportunity and had to save two break points to avoid going 3-0 down.

She then fought back with a break before Bencic took the decisive break in the 11th game and then served out the set.

In the second set, an Osaka double fault gifted Bencic another break and the Swiss player took the final game of the match with a service game to love.

After winning the Australian Open in January for her second Grand Slam, Osaka became the world number one, a position she held until June before Barty took over.

Osaka returned to the top eight weeks later but Barty will become number one again, despite losing in the last 16 to China’s Qiang Wang on Sunday.

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Hails them as Minister Norton lauds National true ambassadors youth football teams’ showing for Guyana

MINISTER of Social Cohesion, Dr George Norton, who also holds the responsibility for sport, joined the Guyana Football Federation recently at an appreciation reception to recognize the efforts of the National Under-17 and 20 Women’s teams, as well as the National Under-15 Boys team at their Dadanawa Street, Section ‘K’ Campbellville Headquarters.

The respective teams had represented the nation well in three Concacaf Qualifying tournaments. The Under-20’s swept the Concacaf Women’s Championship in Group A that was hosted here by defeating Saint Lucia, Suriname, The Bahamas and Antigua and Barbuda.

The Under-17s won the CONCACAF Women’s Qualifying Championship in Group ‘D’ played in Curacao when they defeated the host, as well as St. Vincent & the Grenadines and The Bahamas and qualified for the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship scheduled to be played from March 21 to April 5.

In the Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship 2019 played in Florida, Guyana, after losing to Nicaragua 3-0 in their first match, went on to win against The Bahamas, The Cayman Islands

Minister Dr. George Norton (at centre), with members and Staff of the youth teams honoured by the GFF.

and ended with a 1-1 draw against French Guiana.

In feature remarks, Minister Norton said that he was proud to be able to celebrate the players for their wonderful achievements and accomplishments.

Pointing out that football is the most popular sport in the world with over three billion fans, Minister Norton told the players, “We are sincerely proud of each of you and the way you have performed outside these shores as true ambassadors of Guyana.”

Norton said that he was quite excited when the U-20 Lady Jags managed to create history by remaining undefeated during the group stage of the Concacaf Under-20

championships in July last.

He also expressed delight with the U-15s performance and, most recently, that of the U-17 Girls, adding that “as the minister responsible for sport, I am truly impressed by each of you and I am further motivated to continue my fight, my struggle, my support to develop and upgrade our country’s sports infrastructure. I’m also quite satisfied by the fact that our national football teams have been attracting increased participation from youths and particularly from the hinterland regions.”

Reflecting on a recent tournament held in Kamana, Region 8, Minister Norton said he is truly convinced that football is going forward

and is in the right hands and the right persons are associated with the sport.

“At those games, there was the participation of FIFA and there was a banner which said, ‘Living football.’ The FIFA representative at those games and I want to congratulate the GFF for having FIFA so intimately involved at that level and in those areas.’’ He further added that looking at the situation in Kamana, he saw exactly what it is to be living football.

Norton said that he is looking forward to the players helping to make the game popular here in Guyana and take their rightful places in the fraternity. He encouraged the players to remain

focused.

GFF president, Wayne Forde, in congratulating the players and staff, said that it takes years of deliberate work to reap rewards, citing that the women’s achievement is nothing short of being historic; winning both the Under-20 and Under-17 Concacaf Qualifying Groups undefeated.

“The youth development programme that was launched way back in early 2016 is still being adjusted from every single corner.

We believe that we are on the right path; we now have the evidence to support, we have the indicators that are clear, and we are on the right path. How do we sustain this and how do we re-

peat it over the next couple of years is going to be the greatest challenge for us,” Forde said.

The GFF boss encouraged the young players to see their achievements as motivation towards accomplishing even greater things, while noting “…could you understand or even think for a second what it would mean for Guyana when you guys qualify for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup? Is there anyone here who doubts that you would qualify for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup? I don’t think so. So we have to keep knocking down goal after goal.”

GFF’s Technical Director, Ian Greenwood, told the youths and coaching staff that they have done a fantastic job for the nation and themselves, pointing out that what was achieved by the two women’s teams is unprecedented. The ‘TD’ noted the boy’s Under-15 team has been together for some time now and the hard work that they have been putting in is paying rewards now.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Lady Jaguar, Jalade Trim, who presented a short overview of their sojourn in Curacao, and Junior Jaguar, Rajan Ramdeholl, respectively.

Waugh returns to give Australia an Ashes lift

(REUTERS) - Australia have brought back former captain Steve Waugh to

help the squad prepare for the final stretch of the Ashes series against England

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Tuesday September 3, 2019) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: 1. Robert Christiani (107 vs India, Delhi, 1948-49) 2. 5248 runs & 434 wickets Today’s Quiz: 1. What was the result of the second Test of the WI/IND series?

2. Who was declared Man of the Match?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

as the tourists look to rebound from the painful third test defeat at Headingley.

Waugh had left the squad after the first two Tests as scheduled but has rejoined the group ahead of the fourth test at Old Trafford starting on Wednesday.

With the series locked at 1-1, one victory in the next two tests will ensure Australia retain the urn in England for the first time since Waugh’s side triumphed 4-1 in 2001.

“We asked him to stay for the third test, but he had to go back for a function,” Australia coach Justin Langer told reporters in Manchester.

“But he was actually going to fly there, do the function and fly back the next

Former Australia captain Steve Waugh.

day. That’s how much he’s enjoying it.

“He’s been like a kid at Christmas.”

Having Waugh in the backroom staff, much like Ricky Ponting taking on an assistant coaching role during the World Cup, was a priority for Langer after he faced many testing moments

during his first year as coach.

“Guys like Punter (Ponting) and Steve Waugh, not only do they have a great presence in the group, but they are great psychologists,” Langer added.

“They’ve been in the cauldron before, they’ve seen it all, so to have that those type of guys, we are

talking about developing leadership in Australian cricket, to have our guys to learn from people of that calibre is very important short term.”

Australia’s one-wicket defeat in the third Test was a bitter pill to swallow but they would put it behind them, he said.

“I actually felt physically sick after it and then I went back to my room. I wasn’t sure whether to cry my eyes out or smash my hotel room,” he said.

“Everyone in that change room, probably a lot of Australians felt it, felt completely sick.

“You never like to let opportunities slip... that’s OK, we’ll make sure we learn from it.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 3, 2019

31

FIFA hosts successful Referees Assistance Programme TWENTY referees, including three FIFA referees, have completed the annual Referees Assistance Programme (RAP) held in Guyana from August 27 – 31.

The programme, hosted at the National Stadium, Providence, saw both theory and practical sessions led by FIFA’s Technical Instructors, Javier Santos and Jeffrey Stolis, and Fitness Instructor, Alan Brown.

According to Santos, three key areas were covered over the period, pointing out that “the first was the fitness condition of the referees; second was the technical knowledge and working in the classroom sessions with the technical instructors and the third area was the technical and practical training in the field of play.”

“In the fitness condition aspect of the referees, a fitness test was done but two different types of tests were administered for the Refer-

FIFA Technical Instructors, Javier Santos, Jeffrey Stolis, and Fitness Instructor Alan Brown flanked by GFF officials and participants of the FIFA RAP in Guyana.

ees and the Assistant Referees respectively. For the technical knowledge, video tests were done – evaluating

handball decisions, tactical fouls and offside decisions and challenge, the most important thing in the field of

play. The third aspect was done using players and the Referees and Assistants had to take the best decisions de-

pending on the play,” Santos said.

While noting that the referees were receptive to the

information shared, looking ahead, Santos said the major challenge is the referees’ commitment to the task at hand.

“They have to show that they are ready to officiate at the elite level matches regardless of whether if it’s just here in Guyana or internationally and this is not just for the FIFA referees.

They have to show they are ready physically and technically, so they have to train continuously and keep working together with the support of the Referees Department and the GFF to enable them to be prepared and ready for matches in this part of the region,” Santos related.

At the conclusion of the programme, a Certificate of Participation was given to each participant.

The RAP is a capacitybuilding programme which seeks to create uniformity among elite referees and enable same to meet the demands of the game.

Hero CPL 2020 season confirmed Bravo injury hands TKR for August 19-September 26 captaincy to Pollard

The Hero Caribbean Premier League 2020 season will be played from August 19--September 26, 2020.

THE Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) have come to an agreement on a tournament window for the 2020 tournament. In a release to the media, it was revealed that next year’s CPL season will take place between August 19 and September 26.

For the third successive year, all West Indies contracted players will be available for the duration of the event and with top quality international stars also set to take part, fans across the Caribbean will be able to see the best talent the cricket world has to offer.

Speaking about the window for the tournament, Pete Russell, COO of Hero CPL, said: “We are very pleased to be playing our tournament in August and September, a time of year that is perfect for us and our fans.

Having the best Caribbean

cricketers and the world’s best overseas players is the foundation of our tournament and this period gives us that. We may be just days away from the 2019 tournament, but we are already making plans for next year to ensure that we continue to see the phenomenal growth and economic impact that CPL has seen over the years.”

Johnny Grave, CEO of CWI, said: “The Hero CPL has developed into one of the best and most exciting T20 competitions in the world and we look forward to hosting another successful tournament next month.

We are pleased that we have once again found a window in our international calendar for the 2020 season to ensure that all the best West Indian cricketers can take part, as the tournament plays a crucial role in our preparations and planning for the ICC T20 World Cup in 2020.”

Kieron Pollard

THE Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) have appointed Kieron Pollard captain for the 2019 Hero CPL season. They came to the decision after Dwayne Bravo injured his finger during practice and could miss a significant part of the season.

Pollard was picked in the 2019 Player Draft as TKR’s marquee player and the Trinidadian is set to represent his home franchise for the first time in the CPL. Venky Mysore, Director of TKR said,“It’s a very unfortunate injury and Dwayne Bravo will be greatly missed. However, we are fortunate to have someone of the calibre of Kieron Pollard to take over the reins from Bravo,” said Director of TKR Venky Mysore.

“His leadership abilities are well proven and, like Bravo, will bring a

very aggressive style as captain in TKR’s quest for a third championship in a row”.

Pollard said he was happy to be able to stand in for the mercurial captain of the three-time champions. “I am standing in the shoes of the entertainer, Dwayne Bravo. I have been waiting for a long time to be made a part of this special team and I am happy to finally be here,” Pollard said.

“This year, a couple of new guys like me have been given the opportunity to be a part of this great franchise. We are looking forward to putting in our best and lifting the title once again in 2019.”

The Trinbago Knight Riders will start their campaign with a home game against St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots on Wednesday, September 4.(Sportsmax)

Dwayne Bravo

The Guyana Amazon Warriors pose for a photo opportunity with Rod Henson and other ExxonMobil officials. (Adrian Narine photo)

ExxonMobil pleased to continue backing Amazon Warriors – Rod Henson EXXON Mobil will once again be the official sponsors of the Guyana Amazon Warriors at ‘the biggest party in sports’-- the Hero Caribbean Premier League.

At the official media launch at the Marriott Hotel, yesterday, Exxon’s Country Manager, Rod Henson noted that the oil giant is proud to once again partner with the Amazon Warriors.

He also spoke of the Warriors’ consistency and noted that despite their loss in the final against the Trinbago Knight Riders last year, he is certain that they will take the next step.

“Guyana is a huge supporter and lover of

cricket” and this is one of the reasons Henson pointed out that ExxonMobil is happy to partner with the Amazon Warriors.

Henson spoke of the pride he felt in handing over a Man-of-the-Match award to Sherfane Rutherford and said that he was optimistic that more young players would come through the ranks.

Meanwhile, key player and captain for the Warriors matches of last season, Chris Green, is of the opinion that there is not much that the Amazon Warriors have to make in order to make that final step and secure the elusive title.

The tournament kicks off tomorrow in

MATCHES TO BE PLAYED IN GUYANA Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) v Zouks: September 5 at 18.00hrs GAW v Patriots: September 7 at 20.00hrs GAW v Tridents: September 8 at 17.00hrs GAW vTallawahs: October 3 at 18.00hrs GAW v TKR: October 4 at 20.00hrs Sunday October 6 (Guyana), Two games – Eliminator and Qualifier One Trinidad and Tobago, with matches in Guyana starting on September 5 with Amazon Warriors playing St Lucia Zouks, while on Saturday, September 7, Warriors play St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

On Sunday, September 8, Warriors will face Barbados Tridents.

Guyana Amazon Warriors squad

reads: Shadab Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Shoaib Malik (Captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Ben Laughlin, Chris Green, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Brandon King, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Keagan Simmons, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Veerasammy Permaul, Anthony Bramble, Clinton Pestano and Saurab Netravalkar.

Heavy 257-run defeat leaves Windies with another whitewash KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – A sudden inside four days in Antigua a week-and-a-half post-lunch collapse sent embattled West ago, and they now have not beaten India in a Indies to a crushing 257-run defeat to InTest in 17 years. dia inside four days of the second Test here “I’m obviously disappointed. We haven’t Monday, leaving them with another series been able to play complete cricket game in eiwhitewash and without a single Test victory ther of the last two Test matches,” skipper Jaover the Asian side in nearly two decades. son Holder said afterwards. “There are still a Resuming the day at Sabina Park on 45 lot of problems with the batting. We need to be for two requiring a miracle to overhaul their able to put some scores on the board and fight mammoth target of 468, West Indies folded through tough periods.” West Indies suffered meekly in their second innings for 210, about an early setback in the morning’s fourth over half-hour before tea. when Darren Bravo (23), resuming the day Shamarh Brooks, in his second Test, topon 18, complained of feeling unwell only moscored with exactly 50 while captain Jason ments after caressing seamer Jasprit Bumrah to Holder got 39 and Jermaine Blackwood – the the cover boundary, and left the field never to Windies’ first-ever ‘concussion-sub’ stroked return.

38, but India’s varied attack proved clinical esThe left-hander had suffered a blow to the pecially in the second session to bring a swift helmet from a short ball from Bumrah in the end to the contest with a day to spare.

Skipper Virat Kohli poses with the series trophy after his team’s victory at Sa- final over of Sunday’s third day, but batted Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (3-58) bina Park, yesterday. But it was also India’s 28th Test victory under Virat Kohli, out the over. He underwent the required ICC and seamer Mohammed Shami (3-65) claimed making him the winning-est Indian Test captain, going past MS Dhoni’s 27. ( AFP) concussion protocols on Sunday evening and three wickets apiece while pacer Ishant SharMonday morning, but was cleared to resume But once Blackwood perished about 35 minutes after ma picked up two for 37. the resumption, West Indies fell apart at the seams, losing batting. Once leaving the field on Monday, he was checked West Indies appeared to be making a fight of it when their last six wickets for just 65 runs in quick time. by medical staff and once again checked for concussion, Brooks and Blackwood, playing positively against the InThe defeat meant yet another clean sweep for West In- and the decision was taken to have him replaced by Blackdian attack, took the home side to lunch on 145 for four. dies, after they suffered a chastening 318-run defeat also wood under the new ICC rules.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019