Guyana Chronicle Epaper 04 08 2017

First Bartica Safari this month Page 16

$116M approved to operationalise SARA No. 104994

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

-- as Gov’t, Opposition clash over provision

Improving access to justice

--new magisterial district for Upper Demerara River commissioned Page 8

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Lawrence: No turning back

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on Tobaco Bill

Miner killed by falling tree Page 12

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Residents of Linden, Ituni and Kwakwani will now enjoy ease of access to justice with the constitution of the Upper Demerara Magisterial District

Drugs, cell phones, lighters, improvised weapons

-- seized at Timehri, New Amsterdam Prisons

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Porters busted trying to smuggle contraband into prison Page 2

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Cevon’s porters busted -- for smuggling contraband into Lusignan Prison THREE workers attached to Cevon’s Waste Management Disposal service were busted Thursday morning when they tried to smuggle cigarettes and marijuana into the Lusignan Prison.

Police said at 10:45hrs on Thursday, law enforcement officers acting on information conducted a search on a vehicle owned by the waste dis-

posal service shortly before it entered the “Old Compound” of the Lusignan Prison.

During the search, ranks found a haversack containing in excess of 860 grams of cannabis and two cartons of cigarettes.

Police Press Officer, Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan, said the driver and two porters, one being a fe-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Police destroy cannabis cultivation THE police destroyed approximately three acres of cultivated cannabis and a camp at Suribana, Essequibo River, on Wednesday.

A 20-year-old male of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, who was caught tending to the prohibited plants is in custody pending a charge.

Police said there were about 4,000 plants measuring from one foot to four feet and several nurseries with over 5,000 seedlings, on the plot of land. The entire cultivation was set alight.

The Cevons Waste Management Disposal workers who were arrested

The cigarettes and marijuana that were smuggled into the Lusignan Prison

male, were searched and 24 grams of cannabis was found in the driver’s pants pocket.

The 25-year-old driver of Middle Walk, Buxton, East Coast Demerara; the 26- yearold male porter of Russel Street, Charlestown, Georgetown; and the 32-year- old female of ‘C’ Field Reserve, Sophia, are in custody assisting with the investigation.

Prisons Director Gladwyn Samuels confirmed the bust.

He said the workers were in the compound to conduct waste-disposal services.

The Guyana Chronicle

was told that the prison authorities will now investigate whether this was an ongoing scheme by service providers of the prisons.

Inmates housed at the Lusignan Prison have been restless over the last few weeks, when several of them were transferred from the Camp Street facility to that location following the July 9, 2017 fire that destroyed the Georgetown Prison.

Only last week, 13 inmates escaped from Lusignan. Most of them have since been recaptured.

The cultivated cannabis before it was destroyed

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday August 4, 2017

$116M approved to operationalise SARA -- as Gov’t, Opposition clash over provision

By Svetlana Marshall OVER $116.3M was approved for the operationalisation of the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) amid calls from the Opposition for the Government to put a hold on the supplementary provision until the SARA Act is amended to allow for such provision.

But Government argued that the request was within the confines of the law.

The $116.3M had formed part of Financial Paper No. 2 of 2017 of which supplementary provisions for capital and current projects and programmes were estimated at $2.514B. On Thursday, when the financial paper came up for consideration at the level of the Committee of Supply during the 69th Sitting of the National Assembly, the parliamentary Opposition – the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) – expressed major concern.

Through the Legal Affairs Ministry, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government sought approval from the House for approximately $89.8M in subvention for the establishment of SARA. The agency is expected to have a total of five managerial staff, 13 technical staff, 12 supervisory and clerical staff and 16 services and related staff.

Supplementary provision to the tune of $13M was also sought for the purchase of two vehicles for the agency

and another $13.4M for the furnishing and equipping of a “newly rented building” to house SARA. The latter sum includes provision for furniture, television, fridge, photocopier, projector, server and water dispenser.

However, when the initial sum – $89.9M – came up for consideration, PPP Member of Parliament Anil Nandlall argued that the SARA Act did not identify a line minister, and as such, questioned the basis on which Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams was making the request for SARA. In response, the attorney general told the committee that he was the designated Minister under the Act – a position he held fast to throughout the sitting.

It was not long after that PPP Member of Parliament Bishop Juan Edghill sprang to his feet and sought to question the authority under which the Legal Affairs Minister was soliciting supplementary provision for SARA, when no provisions were made for the agency in the 2017 National Budget.

It was on this note that Finance Minister Winston Jordan reminded the Parliamentary Committee that a total of five supplementary financial papers can be placed before the House for consideration in a given year.

“This is a supplementary paper amending the original budget, so it doesn’t have to

Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira making her case for the supplementary provision to be postponed until the SARA Act is amended (Photo by Adrian Narine)

have a previous budget line item. That is the reason why we have brought a supplementary paper,” Jordan posited.

Displeased with the response to the series of questions churned out during the consideration of the $89.8M subvention, Opposition Chief Chip Gail Teixeira returned to the initial question, questioning the legal affairs minster’s authority to request funding for the agency.

Pointing to Section 14 of the Act, Teixeira argued that SARA, under the watch of the director, is mandated to finance its own operations from assets collected.

According to Section 14, Sub-section 3 of the Act, “the director may authorise payments out of the Recovery of State Assets Fund (a) to facili-

tate the discharge by SARA of its functions, including commencement of actions for the enforcement of this act.”

Additionally, it states that subject to sub-sections (2) and (3) any sums received by the director shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

Opining that there is a “lacuna” within the legislation, the Opposition Chief Whip said the “Government has to bring an amendment to this act, to put it in order to allow monies to be released to this agency. And therefore I am proposing that all the items under SARA… be postponed until the government puts its act in place.”

As she heckled from across the chamber, Social Protection Minister Amna Ally could be heard saying, “good try, good try, it is not going to happen.”

Holding fast to his position, the legal affairs minister pointed out that SARA became a legal entity only on May 4, 2017, after the SARA Bill, which was passed in the National Assembly in April, was assent to by President David Granger.

“This money is to operationalise the agency, operationalise the agency,” he emphasised.

Turning his attention to the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA), PPP front bencher, Irfaan Ali argued that the finance minister erred when producing the supplementary financial paper, pointing out that according to Section 24 of the

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman referencing the Speaker’s Ruling No. 5 of 2013 (Photo

by Adrian Narine)

FMAA, the minister is mandated to produce a supplementary document describing the impact that the variations, if approved, will have to the financial plan outlined in the annual budget.

“If we go through the document provided, I will humbly suggest that we are not in conformity with the FMAA because there is no supplementary document that outlines the impact of the variation, nor is there any document that shows the impact in relation to the annual financial plan,” Ali explained.

In defence, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, who served in the 10th Parliament as the Speaker of the National Assembly, stood to the floor on a point of order, explaining that in the 10th Parliament the issue

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams defending the supplementary provision for SARA (Photo by Adrian Narine)

arose on a number of occasions and it was the decision of the House to have the finance minister decide on the format to be used and it is up to the House to accept or reject the financial paper.

In a bid to support his argument, Minister Trotman referred to the Speaker’s Ruling No. 5 of 2013.

The ruling, dated April 24, 2013, was based on a request made by Member of Parliament Carl Greenidge for the Speaker to give approval for the matter of Expenditures of Entities Mentioned in Article 222 A of the Constitution not to be considered until the Ministry of Finance withdraws the proposal for Appropriation and submits same in the manner required by the Constitution.

In his ruling as Speaker, Trotman had stated that “the Speaker of the National Assembly cannot compel the government or the minister responsible for finance, to prepare the estimates and or requests for appropriations in any particular format.”

Upon hearing the ruling, the current Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland asked the Opposition to show cause why the Speaker’s Ruling No. 5 of 2013 should be upheld.

The responses were less than desirable and the ruling was upheld allowing for the provisions to be voted on.

They were all approved. Notably, it was disclosed by the legal affairs minister that SARA is being housed at the Ministry of the Presidency, and once the funds are made available, a building will be rented, furnished and equipped for full operation.

He has also promised to lay over information on the agency’s organisational chart, and employees’ positions and remunerations.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Caribbean economy to grow by 1.1% The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean will grow 1.1% on average in 2017 after two consecutive years of contraction, thanks to an international context that shows improved growth expectations despite geopolitical risks, and better prices for the commodities that the region exports, according to a new annual report that ECLAC presented today in Santiago, Chile.

The regional United Nations organization released its Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2017, in which it underscores the importance of macroeconomic policies to invigorate long-term growth and move toward the necessary structural change in the region’s economies.

“To resume medium- and long-term growth, countercyclical policies are needed that not only focus on reducing the cycle’s fluctuations, but also on modifying those specific characteristics that negatively influence growth and the productive structure of countries in the region. This means moving toward countercyclical

frameworks for fiscal policy that defend and promote public and private investment. This involves revising fiscal rules so they continue to serve as pro-stability instruments, but also as pro-investment. This fiscal framework must be accompanied by a financial policy aimed at credit stabilization and a monetary policy that supports investment growth and goes beyond instruments such as the interest rate,” Alicia Bárcena, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), said during the press conference where the document was presented.

It its main section, ECLAC’s Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean analyzes the policy challenges to stimulating investment and growth. The organization indicates that in the process of achieving equilibrium in terms of indebtedness and the fiscal balance, public investment must not be neglected. In that sense, separating the handling of investment spending and current spending would help eliminate the bias against investment in processes of public

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spending adjustments. It is also important to strengthen the ability to increase public revenue through changes in the tax structure (with the establishment of more direct

mestic Product (GDP) of South America will grow 0.6% this year, while the economies of Central America and Mexico are seen expanding 2.5% on average, thanks to an increase

Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC Executive Secretary, during the presentation of the Economic Survey 2017

taxes), fortifying tax administrations and reducing evasion and avoidance, the document adds.

According to the report, as in prior years, different growth dynamics are projected among countries and subregions. It is expected that the Gross Do-

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in remittances income and improved growth expectations for the United States, which is its main trading partner. Meanwhile, for the economies of the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, 1.2% growth is forecast, following a -0.8% contraction in 2016.

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The report foresees that, in contrast to last year, all the countries in the region will experience positive growth rates in 2017, with the exception of Venezuela – the GDP of which is seen falling -7.2% – and two countries in the Caribbean (Saint Lucia and Suriname, the GDP of which is forecast to contract -0.2%).

According to ECLAC, some of the factors that will positively affect the region’s economic performance this year include the moderate recovery of the global economy, which will end 2017 with growth of 2.7%, three-tenths of a percentage point higher than in 2016; a slight rebound in the volume of international trade (2.4%); and increased price levels for basic products, which are forecast to be 12% higher on average than last year. At the same time, from the perspective of spending, a narrow improvement in investment and greater dynamism in private consumption are being observed.

Furthermore, it is expected that the regional current account balance in 2017 will remain at similar levels to those of 2016, around -1.9% of GDP, although with an improvement in the terms of trade and an increase in exports (which is forecast at 8% for the entire year).

The report indicates that in the area of employment, despite the rebound seen in economic growth during the first quarter

of 2017, labor conditions have continued to deteriorate due to a new interannual decline in the rate of urban employment. For the region as a whole, the rate of urban unemployment is forecast to rise from 8.9% in 2016 to 9.4% in 2017. That would put the cumulative increase in the urban unemployment rate at 2.5 percentage points between 2014 and 2017.

In the fiscal arena, the average deficit in Latin America is seen holding steady in 2017, at around -3.1% of GDP, although with different trends among subregions. Meanwhile, average inflation in the economies of the region has fallen since the second half of 2016, despite the fact that three economies still have rates above 20%. This trend has held firm in the first five months of 2017, with average inflation falling by 1.6 percentage points, from 7.3% in 2016 to 5.7% in May 2017.

The Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2017 also includes, exclusively on ECLAC’s website (www.cepal.org), notes about the economic performance of each of the region’s countries in 2016 and in the first half of 2017, as well as the respective statistical annexes. The information presented has been updated through June 30, 2017, based on the official databases provided by countries.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Grand jury issues subpoenas in connection with Trump Jr., Russian lawyer meeting: sources A grand jury has issued subpoenas in connection with a June 2016 meeting that included President Donald Trump’s son, his son-in-law and a Russian lawyer, two sources told Reuters on Thursday, signalling an investigation is gathering pace into suspected Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

The sources added that U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller had convened the grand jury investigation in Washington to help examine allegations of Russian interference in the vote. One of the sources said it was assembled in recent weeks.

Russia has loomed large over the first six months of the Trump presidency.

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia worked to tilt the presidential election in Trump’s favour. Mueller, who was appointed special counsel in May, is leading the probe, which also examines potential collusion by the Trump campaign with Russia.

Moscow denies any meddling and Trump denies any collusion by his campaign, while regularly denouncing the investigations as political witch hunts.

At a rally in Huntington, West Virginia, on Thursday night, Trump said: “Most people know there were no Russians in our campaign. ... We didn’t win because of Russia. We won because of you.”

Mueller’s use of a grand jury could give him expansive tools to pursue evidence, including issuing subpoenas and compelling witnesses to testify. The

Wall Street Journal earlier reported a grand jury was impaneled.

A spokesman for Mueller declined comment.

A grand jury is a group of ordinary citizens who, working behind closed doors, considers evidence of potential criminal wrongdoing that a prosecutor is investigating and decides whether charges should be brought.

“This is a serious development in the Mueller investigation,” said Paul Callan, a former prosecutor.

usual move.”

U.S. stocks and the dollar weakened following the news, while U.S. Treasury securities gained.

It was not immediately clear to whom subpoenas were issued and the sources did not elaborate.

Some lawyers said it would put pressure on potential witnesses to cooperate with Mueller’s investigation.

“When someone gets a subpoena to testify, that can drive home the seriousness of the investigation,” said

Donald Trump Jr stands onstage with his father US presidential nominee Donald Trump after Trump's debate against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, September 26, 2016.

— Reuters piC

“Given that Mueller inherited an investigation that began months ago, it would suggest that he has uncovered information pointing in the direction of criminal charges. But against whom is the real question.”

A lawyer for Trump, Jay Sekulow, appeared to downplay the significance of a grand jury, telling Fox News: “This is not an un-

David Sklansky, a professor at Stanford Law School and a former federal prosecutor.

In 2005, a grand jury convened by Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald returned an indictment of Lewis “Scooter” Libby, a top aide to then-Vice President Dick Cheney.

“A special counsel can bring an indictment and it has happened before,” said

Renato Mariotti, a partner at the law firm Thompson Coburn and a former federal prosecutor.

DAMAGING INFORMATION News last month of the meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer who he was told had damaging information about his father’s presidential rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton, fueled questions about the campaign’s dealings with Moscow.

The Republican president has defended his son’s behavior, saying many people would have taken that meeting.

Trump’s son-in-law and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort also attended the meeting.

One of the sources said major Russian efforts to interfere in the election on Trump’s behalf began shortly after the June meeting, making it a focus of Mueller’s investigation.

Ty Cobb, special counsel to the president, said he was not aware that Mueller had started using a new grand jury.

“Grand jury matters are typically secret,” Cobb said.

“The White House favors anything that accelerates the conclusion of his work fairly. ... The White House is committed to fully cooperating with Mr. Mueller.”

John Dowd, one of Trump’s personal lawyers, said: “With respect to the news of the grand jury, I can tell you President Trump is not under investigation.”

A spokesman for Manafort declined to comment.

Lawyers for Trump Jr. and Kushner did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

‘NOT THINKING OF FIRING MUELLER’ Trump has questioned Mueller’s impartiality and members of Congress from both parties have expressed concern that Trump might dismiss him. Republican and Democratic senators introduced two pieces of legislation on Thursday seeking to block Trump from firing Mueller.

Sekulow denied that was Trump’s plan.

“The president is not thinking of firing Bob Mueller,” Sekulow said.

One source briefed on the matter said Mueller was investigating whether, either at the meeting or afterward,

anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign encouraged the Russians to start releasing material they had been collecting on the Clinton campaign since March 2016.

Another source familiar with the inquiry said that while the president himself was not now under investigation, Mueller’s investigation was seeking to determine whether he knew of the June 9 meeting in advance or was briefed on it afterward.

Reuters earlier reported that Mueller’s team was examining money-laundering accusations against Manafort and hoped to push him to cooperate with their probe into possible collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia. It is not known if the grand jury is investigating those potential charges. (Reuters)

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Playing their rightful role PRESIDENT David Granger’s recent pronouncements on the uncooperative attitude of the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) with respect to its role in the important affairs of the nation should come as no surprise. In a rather frank and candid assessment of this party’s parliamentary conduct since the birth of his coalition government, President Granger has catalogued many instances of refusal of cooperation, describing such a stance as “dysfunctional.”

These examples of what are clearly a PPP political position of decided non-cooperation, range from absence from the President’s addresses to Parliament; refusal to participate in national budget consultations or sending a junior to these important discussions, to the outright refusal of some regional chairmen to even receive the President. This is a basic courtesy that is expected of such high- ranking regional officials regardless of party affiliation, whenever the chief executive and other members are on official visits

to any region.

The role of a political opposition in a democratic political system is to primarily offer itself as an alternative to the incumbent government. In this endeavour, it is expected to offer constructive criticisms on national policies, thereby causing the executive to account for its stewardship. This explains why the opposition is often referred to as the “shadow” government, since in its functioning role, it allots its leading members counterpart positions with regard to cabinet ministerial positions, in tracking the incumbent government’s performance.

However, despite this perfectly official position, there is the well-known traditional fact of the opposition being a practitioner of the politics of No. It is seen as part of the practice of adversarial, or rather grudge, politics, where no quarter is asked or given by either side.

Former president, and now current leader of the opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, is on record as saying that in this milieu, the aim is to make the other side look bad.

But surely, what the

opposition PPP has been doing consistently in this 11th Parliament, is beyond the spectrum of adversarial politics: it has been an orchestrated strategy of trying to de-emphasise the President David Granger administration, by parliamentary boycotts, aimed not only at President Granger’s presence when delivering his government’s legislative agenda, but also walkouts against the person of the Honourable Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, on his responses to opposition Members of Parliament during budget debates.

Another example of this behaviour was the party’s absence from what could be described as the initial one-day conference on national cohesion, and the boycott of a social cohesion concert held on Main Street. This has to be seen in this culture of ‘No Politics.’ In fact, it is a continuation of a PPP opposition strategy of non-participation in the nation’s business, under the guise of allegations of being cheated at the May 11, 2015 polls. But this response had generally been anticipated, given the many prior

complaints that had been levelled against the Guyana Elections Commission. After all, this was a party that had been in power for 23 years until it lost its parliamentary majority in 2011 and finally the presidency via a coalition in May, 2015.

But even defeat of a government, and its relegation to the opposition benches, does not mean it cannot continue to play its proper role in the affairs of a nation -- albeit a constructive one -- especially Guyana that has had such a turbulent history as reflected in the ethnic tensions that have bedevilled our nation for the past 60 years, and which continue to be a serious challenge to social cohesion.

We recall President Granger in his historic swearing-in address, emphasising that he will be President for all Guyanese, and is prepared to work with the parliamentary opposition party, towards the goal of national unity and inclusivity. He was under no illusion for acknowledging after his ascension to the presidency that the margin of his coalition’s victory was

very narrow and what this meant for Guyana in terms of the 49 percent of voters that supported the defeated opposition party. He emphasised that the latter scenario was a good point at which to commence the pursuit of inclusionary democracy.

And this has been his appeal continuously to an opposition party, the mantra of which is designedly divisive in nature, posing a threat to the national well-being of the nation.

It explains why as an opposition party, the PPP has been nominated to many of the state boards, but has refused to accept such appointments. Where is the political intelligence in refusing such opportunities to influence national debate?

Let us all be reminded about the nature of the Office of Leader of the Opposition and its parliamentary members: that it is a constitutional office with defined duties and responsibilities, that the holders are expected to be cognizant of and carry out in a responsible manner.

Moreover, they are salaried appointments with allowances. This means that the leader and party are expected to fulfil their constitutional duty as an intelligent partner in national affairs, by giving enlightened leadership to their constituents, not by preaching the dangerous dogma of ethnic division, thus sowing the seeds of discord.

Picking the wrong fights Dear Editor, THERE is no debating the use of tobacco has proven detrimental to man’s health, life and livelihoods and responsible government would have to take measures to protect the health and wellness of society. There is no debating there is need to bring about order in our broadcasting culture. Having said that, the APNU+AFC government must be mindful of their constitutional obligation to the people and the society. This nation’s “political system,” according to Article 13, is management by “inclusionary democracy.”

This government campaigned on the commitment to govern consistent with this “principal political objective.” This objective requires “providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organisations in the management and decision-making processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their well-being.”

Examining the expressions from stakeholders in the tobacco and broadcasting industries, which the government has not denied, is that they have been excluded from having an input into the Bill brought before and passed in the National

Assembly that will affect their well-being.

Ensuring civility in society by government requires of it pursuing issues with civility. The minimisation of conflicts between government and the people requires government pursuing the people’s business with a sense of decorum, guided by the constitution, laws and time-honoured principles. While Bharrat Jagdeo, as president, treated the citizens with contempt and did as he pleased, this does not absolve this administration from doing what is right, decent and principled.

Let me belabour the point, people are calling for constitutional reform but the things in the constitution

that would bring about good governance and improve relations between government and the people are not being respected. How in hell, when these are not being upheld, will constitutional reform bring about changed behaviours. Matters like these reinforce my position that the problem lies not in the constitution, but with the people who are charged with responsibility as guardians of it to uphold it.

The knee-jerk reaction of making it about the disgruntled being of the PPP/C , in addition to the laws being made for all, including in the disaffected, are those who publicly supported this government.

I have never before seen a government that has come to office riding in on so much goodwill is squandering it like a bucket with water whose bottom is full of holes. Everywhere you turn around this government is picking a fight with interest groups. If they continue along this path, very shortly there will be none left to fight with and they will turn on themselves.

This government comprises a group of people who are doing everything to be removed from office. In two years they have made Jadgeo more relevant than he was in his last three years as president.

The economic well-being of those in the tobacco

industry and who ply their trade from it will be negatively affected. There is also the issue of revenue being lost to the State.

Shrewd governance would consider these factors and see the importance of upholding Article 13, engage the affected constituents, and provide support to alleviate the shock that will ensue or create new economic opportunities.

It is time humane and economic considerations be integral in government decision-making, which would also be reflective of the spirit and intent of the constitution.

Regards LINCOLN LEWIS

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Time to reconsider overseas voting Dear Editor,

I PRESENTED a paper at the recent University of Guyana (UG) Diaspora Conference where I sought to both critique our current approach to diaspora engagement and suggest some ways in which we can begin to think differently about the subject. I think there is need for a new approach to the diaspora that conceptualises our overseas brothers and sisters as an integral part of the Guyanese nation. We must change the narrative of “us” and “them” on both sides. There is a critical mass of Guyanese who live partly abroad and partly at home and others who make several

short trips per year. If we begin to employ the narrative of “us” more, then we are likely to have a new thinking and new policies that reflect that mindset.

It is foolish to have more than half of your people living abroad and ignore their skills and other resources, just because they do not live at home permanently. Small countries such as ours, with its limited access to the skills and resources needed to compete in an uneven world as far as development is concerned, must draw on all its energies whether they physically reside in Guyana or abroad. With the coming of the oil economy, we would be challenged to find skills and resources

to serve our needs and interests. Although it would be ideal if persons return permanently, one does not have to live in Guyana permanently to contribute in a meaningful way.

Of course, those who live abroad need to resist the temptation to behave as if they are “better” than those who live here. They should not demand, nor should they be afforded more privileges that those citizens who live here.

But having said that, they would be more inclined to return or to invest resources if there are incentives at the level of policy.

In that regard, I wish to make two suggestions for consideration. First, I propose that each government ministry should have a “diaspora section.”

I know the Foreign Affairs Ministry already has such a section, but it should be expanded to other ministries. There is a popular view that there should be a Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. But I think that is too narrow.

My second suggestion is much more controversial, given its association with a bad period in our history. I do believe that the time has come for a reconsideration of overseas voting. Over 90 countries allow overseas voting in one form or the other. Given the increased migration globally, this makes sense. I think the problem for us in Guyana was not the concept of overseas voting, but that it was used as part of the rigging machinery of that

time. So, in an era of fair elections, the meaning changes. I would propose that if we go in that direction, as I think we should, it would bring overseas Guyanese more emotionally attached to Guyana.

Voting is perhaps the most significant aspect of citizenship. Guyanese who live abroad can now come home to register and vote. So, if we go the route of overseas voting, we would be merely allowing them to vote where they are located. Perhaps we can begin with some form of weighted voting whereby, for example, two or three overseas votes are equivalent to one local vote. In that way, you control for the perception and reality

that those who do not live here all the time should not have equal rights and privileges.

I know that the immediate response to this subject would be partisan—whether it would benefit one party or the other. That, of course, is not my motivation.

I am guided by a desire to bring our sisters and brothers residing outside of Guyana into the national mix in a substantive way. This matter, however, would have to be subject to wide-ranging discussions both in and out of Guyana and may even have to be subject to a referendum.

Regards DR. DAVID HINDS

Min. Patterson floats idea of GCCI taking up PPP seat on GPL board

Dear Editor, REFERENCE is made to the article published in the August 2, 2017 edition of the Kaieteur News, under the headline, “GCCI to push for seats on 16 State Boards.”

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure wishes to applaud the Georgetown Chamber

of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) for its push for greater representation, visibility, and participation, in a bid to improve the private sector and our nation as a whole.

As stated in the article, part of this push will see GCCI advocating for representation on state boards, including the

Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL).

It must be noted that the Private Sector Commission (PSC) – of which GCCI is a member – already has a seat on the GPL board. This seat is held by Mr. Komal Ramnauth. The PSC was selected to hold a seat on the board,

Guyana Civil Aviation Authority’s timely cognisance Dear Editor, AS the nation recovers from shock at the tragic loss of one of its young and more experienced pilots, Captain Collin Martin, who met his sudden demise when the Britten-Normandy Islander plane he was flying crashed at Eteringbang close to Guyana’s western border near Venezuela on July 25, 2017, I wish to commend the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for taking cognisance of one of my recent articles regarding safely and service lapses by an International Airline operating out of Guyana.

The GCAA officer, who contacted me a few days ago for relevant details to support his investigation, was extremely polite and professional. He knows himself, and I would like to publicly commend him and the GCAA for expeditiously addressing the highlighted matter. My letters cogently addressed prevailing issues; issues that most people shy away from publicly addressing, but would resort to murmur over privately, or wash aside with bottles of Banks or El Dorado.

The issues I highlighted are invariably based on verifiable facts that can withstand contest. Within the

past month, the GCAA is the second of two important national entities that reacted and took effective action on matters of public concern following missives I posted via this medium.

These are small but encouraging indicators that not everyone who occupies positions, or go to work daily, sit on their hands doing precious little and are oblivious to public concerns. I trust that the GCAA’s investigation will lead to improved services and safety for both international as well as domestic air transportation.

Regards ORETTE CUTTING

due to its wider membership countrywide.

However, it must further be noted that the GPL board has a vacant seat that is yet to be occupied by a member of the parliamentary Opposition, even now, months after the installation of the latest board. Should the

Opposition agree, I would be willing to allow GCCI to submit a nominee for this seat; this permission must, of course, be sought from the Opposition. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure looks forward to working with the GCCI in any other capacity and would like

to encourage the body to continue its efforts in developing Guyana.

Regards DAVID A. PATTERSON MP Minister of Public Infrastructure Ministry of Public Infrastructure

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Improving access to justice --new magisterial district for Upper Demerara River commissioned

By Vanessa Braithwaite THE town of Linden and Upper Demerara, Upper Berbice River, from next week will benefit from the services offered at a magisterial district court as the former Linden Magistrates’ Court was on Thursday commissioned as the Upper Demerara River Magisterial District Court.

The commissioning ceremony was held in the court’s compound which is located on Burnham Drive, Wismar, Linden and the occasion was graced by President David Granger, a large delegation of members of the judiciary, members of the Bar Association, government and regional officials and residents.

President Granger, in his featured address, said he was honoured to witness the historic commissioning, which brings justice closer to the people of the Upper Demerara, Upper Berbice region. Such access, he said, is the foundation of a democratic nation and a hallmark of modern society and it must ensure that all citizens in the district enjoy equal protection and benefits from the law.

“Equality of the law is an essential element of justice…it is a principle of the rule of law,” the head of state said, adding that services offered in the district will provide legal recourse that is accessible and affordable to the many

residents not only living in Linden, but in hinterland and riverine communities of Region 10, such as Ituni and Kwakwani.

Such recourse should also benefit all classes of society, focus on human rights and the preservation of public order. “An accessible justice system is essential for human safety, public security and a stronger economy,” President Granger affirmed.

His address further highlighted the fact that Magistrates’ Courts constitute the first tier of Guyana’s justice system and is the main and most frequent interface between citizens and the justice system. This court, he said, serves as an important link in helping to preserve public order.

Granger highlighted that the move to have the court upgraded is a judicial move, which proves that there is judicial independence in Guyana.

“The establishment of the Constitution of the Upper Demerara District is an initiative of the judicial branch; it is not an instruction of the Executive branch…. this 10th magisterial district, therefore is a manifestation that judicial independence exists in the state of Guyana.”

The Executive will be taking a similar pattern in brining justice to the people by having a police division being responsible for every region.

Phenomenal

Also deeming the commissioning of the magisterial district a remarkable achievement was acting Chancellor, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, who described the move as “phenomenal, momentous and outstanding.”

Chronicling the history of the Justice System in Guyana, Cummings-Edwards said Guyana has moved from having only foreign magistrates to having 24 local magistrates and for the first time in history, Linden will now have its own resident magistrate, Magistrate Clive Nurse.

“Linden, this is an historic occasion for us all… the need for a magisterial district in this region was great, it is no secret that for many years, residents of the Upper Demerara area had to travel to Vreed-enHoop to obtain or to access certain basic legal services,” the chancellor said.

Some of those services include payments of child support, application for licences and the receipt of bail money. The police were also inconvenienced since they also had to also travel to Vreed-enHoop to file cases, while Kwakwani residents had to travel to New Amsterdam to obtain these basic services. As a result of these hardships, former Justice Carl Singh recognised the need for the Upper Demerara Magisterial District and started the process some three years ago. “A survey was done, boundaries were

President David Granger and acting Chancellor, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards unveiling a plaque at the commissioning of the Magistrates’ Court

marked out, staff members from right in Linden were employed and taken for training at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and today we have four young ladies from the town of Linden who will be employed at this court,” the chancellor said.

Justice Cummings-Edwards informed the gathering that now there will be five days of court sittings per week, while Kwakwani will now have two sittings per month -- every first and third Fridays. The magisterial district will also be introducing a municipal court, which will allow the municipality to file charges; there will also be a youth court.

“The emphasis will be not so much on assigning blame or fault or fit punishment on our young people, but more rehabilitated

and constructive responses aimed at tackling the cause of such responses and working in the best interest of our youths.”

The court will also feature restorative justice practices as well as a mediation centre in Linden.

Court proceedings will also see video-linked evidence where witnesses can testify via skype.

In brief remarks, President of the Bar Association, Kamal Ramkarran, said that justice has indeed come home to the people of the Upper Demerara River and now their legal problems can be solved efficiently.

This district, he said, will allow for more courts which will allow for more jobs for legal minds in Linden. “The Bar Association welcomes the establishment of this new magisterial district and hopes that this is the first of

many more such efforts of bringing justice home to the people,” he said.

Appointed Resident Magistrate Clive Nurse said he is honoured to be recorded in history as the first magistrate that has been appointed as the resident magistrate to the district. Nurse, who was appointed five months ago as magistrate, said that he is honoured to be able to serve in this capacity, which he will continue to do with distinction and excellence.

Attorney Leslyn Charles, who has been in private practice in Linden for 16 years, reflected on the transformation of the judicial system in Linden and how such a commissioning has removed a system once deemed as inconveniencing, to one that is comfortable, accessible and beneficial. Charles reflected on the days of court in Linden being held at an historic building at Christianburg, which was in need of an upgrade long before it was destroyed in 2012 by fire. The Christianburg Community Centre Ground was temporarily used for three years before the building of the Linden Magistrate’s Court, which was also recently upgraded with air-conditioning and other comforts that will allow court proceedings to flow smoother in a more comfortable and modernised environment.

Magistrate Clive Nurse, former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh, Chief Justice (ag) Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire, Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, President David Granger and Justice James Bovell-Drakes inside the Linden Magistrate’s Court

Lawrence: No turning back

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday August 4, 2017

9

-- says gov’t going ahead with tobacco control legislation SAFEGUARDING the health of citizens is paramount in the minds of the APNU+AFC coalition government and it is with this in mind that the Tobacco Control Bill was passed in the National Assembly.

Despite criticisms by the Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO) and other stakeholders, the government on Thursday made it clear that it intends to follow through with the implementation of same when assented to by President David Granger.

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence told reporters just before the start of the 69th Sitting of the National Assembly of the first session of the 11th Parliament, that “government has a right under the Constitution and as human beings to ensure that we take care of our people.”

The public health minister noted that cancer remains the number two cause of death in Guyana and pointed to studies which have shown that tobacco is one of the agents which contribute to the disease.

While she could not quote statistics, the minister of public health made it clear that the effects of smoking are significant.

DEMTOCO on Wednesday called on President

Granger to withhold his assent, and allow the bill to be sent to a Joint Select Committee of Parliament.

The Tobacco Control Bill was passed last Thursday in the National Assembly with Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence arguing that the tobacco epidemic remains one of the greatest public health threats of the 21st century, claiming the lives of seven million people annually.

Six million of those deaths are a direct result of tobacco consumption, while about 900,000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.

It is anticipated that the bill when enacted, will help to curb the manner in which people smoke, resulting in less deaths.

The tobacco company called for the legislation to be properly analysed and reviewed to minimise the impact of the measure, not only on the industry, but on citizens.

In fact, the company has argued that implementation of the legislation will put hundreds of street vendors out of business, while giving rise to the illicit trade of tobacco products However, Minister Lawrence made it clear that the bill will not prevent persons from smoking and moreover

does not ban the sale of cigarettes “What the bill asks is that persons do not sell loose cigarettes. So when the regulations come out you will see how many cigarettes must be in the packets and what must be on those packages,” Lawrence said in response to questions on the ban of cigarette sale.

Additionally, it was brought to the minister’s attention that the Tobacco Control Bill states that “No person shall go into any public place carrying any tobacco product, electronic delivery system or component, in a tray, container or otherwise for the purpose of making sales or commercially displaying the product,” but she said that section is applicable to health, government, education and sport facilities.

Section 34 of the bill titled “Prohibition on sales in certain places,” speaks specifically to the sale of any tobacco product, electronic delivery system, or component anywhere on the premises for healthcare, sports, athletic, recreational, educational facilities and government buildings or any other place prescribed by the regulations.

STOPPING

INCONVENIENCE Lawrence assured that “We are not here to stop people from smoking cigarettes, we wouldn’t like people to smoke cigarettes period, but we are not here to stop people, what we want to do is to ensure that persons who do smoke, that the smoke is five metres away from open doors, windows and so on, so that people don’t die from second-hand smoke.”

She noted that the term workplace can refer to a home, as there are many cases of persons taking care of small children in their homes, or caring for the elderly in their homes.

The minister went further to explain that workshops, or mechanic shops are oftentimes attached to persons’ homes and noted that once persons are employed there, the premises becomes a workplace.

DEMTOCO is a subsidiary of British-American Tobacco Co, which has annual revenue of US$63 billion.

Even though DEMTOCO ceased production in Guyana in 1997, it still markets and distributes widely in Guyana.

According to reports, the tobacco company continues to make a profit with the increase in tobacco sales over the years, at an average

yearly rate of 18 per cent. In 2016, DEMTOCO paid $4B in taxes to the local treasury.

Once the law is enacted, its revenue is expected to drop significantly.

MUST ENGAGE Meanwhile, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Thursday said while it appreciates the international obligations Guyana has acceded to, it believes that government must engage with the tobacco industry on the legislation and the effect it will have.

According to the PSC, it is aware that the government believes the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) protocols dictate that it should not engage in dialogue with the tobacco industry.

“The Private Sector Commission views this as an inconsistency. Ours is an independent jurisdiction called Guyana and most democracies were built on dialogue.

“The Select Committee of Parliament is a platform which belongs to the people of Guyana and we join in the call by the industry to refer the Bill to a Select Committee,” a statement from the commission said.

The body urged the government to address the civil rights issues contained in the Bill through the utilisation

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

of the process of the Select Committee of Parliament.

“The commission is aware of the reasons for the introduction of the bill as well as the hazards which it addresses.

“Guyana has, over many years, come a long way in controlling the practice of smoking in public places and the public as well as various operators of bars, hotels, cinemas, other businesses and smokers themselves should be applauded,” the PSC stated.

The Tobacco Control Act 2016 is aimed at fighting the tobacco epidemic by implementing the evidence-based requirements of the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to which Guyana acceded on September 15, 2005.

Parking meter report submitted to mayor, town clerk

By Telesha Ramnarine

CHAIRMAN of the committee that was renegotiating the parking meter deal, Councillor Malcolm Ferreira and his team, who have since completed all consultations, handed over a detailed report to Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen and Town Clerk Royston King on Wednesday.

The committee, which was tasked with examining each suggestion received during the consultation period, also managed to wrap up a long-awaited meeting with Attorney General (AG) Basil Williams, who was said to be one of the main persons in the process.

In an invited comment on Thursday, Ferreira told

the Guyana Chronicle that the report will now be sent to all city councillors who will in turn be able to study the document.

He is grateful to all the members of the committee who through their hard work and dedication saw the process being completed. The members were Councillors Noelle ChowChee, Carlyle Goring, Tricia Richards, Ivelaw Henry, Roopnarine Persaud and Heston Bostwick.

Meanwhile, Ferreira and team were supposed to have wrapped up work on the negotiations earlier, but the Council in June voted to give them an extension to the end of July.

In providing an update to the Council on the consultations at past statutory meetings, Ferreira had said

that some quarters of society were not cooperating in coming forward to voice their concerns.

One single resident from the parking meter zone had turned up for consultations on the day that was set aside by the team, he recalled.

Mini-bus and taxi drivers, too, have not cooperated as much as they should have when consultations were planned with them.

Even after a poor turnout from this group, the committee sought to set up a tent at the Stabroek Market Square and went around to personally invite persons to share their concerns.

“The taxi drivers responded, and I am left to conclude that most minibus drivers are so busy with the hustle that they

can’t take a few minutes to make a contribution, or they simply don’t care,” Ferreira said, adding, “The response from drivers was nothing near the amount that should have been present, given the fact that traffic management directly affects their livelihood.”

According to him, the committee went even further by producing a questionnaire and went to speak with operators at the bus and car parks.

“The vast majority is [sic] of the opinion that something has to be done to correct the current traffic situation in Georgetown,” he noted.

The committee also conducted two house-to-house evening consultations with residents in the metered zones. “We completed 345

questionnaires,” Ferreira said. “A little over 50 per cent of the taxi and bus drivers we spoke to do not live in Georgetown and 35 per cent do not own their own vehicles.

“It is sad but true that the public transportation system seems to be running on its own, more so than being controlled. It is up to us now to fix the whole system of transportation arrangements and allocation, as the simple truth is that there are more buses and cars than space is available on the parks. Hot plate is a major issue.”

He said the committee plans to finish its house-tohouse consultations, have a two-day business walkabout, and consult with representatives of organisations for the differently

abled, as well as the Council’s legal team.

Meanwhile, Minister Bulkan had communicated Cabinet’s decision for a 90-day suspension of the metered parking system, but the town clerk had opted for legal advice to challenge the minister’s order, resulting in a majority vote by City Councillors to put the order on hold.

Minister Bulkan was subsequently directed by Cabinet to immediately suspend the by-laws which govern the project. The City Council thereafter approved a seven-member team to negotiate a revised parking meter contract with Smart City Solutions, the company to which City Hall granted the concession to install meters in the city.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Wide participation at this year’s youth parliament

By Navendra Seoraj

FORTY students from secondary schools across the country will be debating a number of issues, including the proposed cap on Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects and the budding oiland-gas sector when this year’s youth parliament is convened later this month.

Since the re-introduction of the Youth Parliament in 2015, only issues based on the Commonwealth were discussed and this year the planning committee decided to take an independent approach to encourage a wider discussion, Clerk of Committee Jocette Bacchus said at press conference at Parliament Building on

Thursday.

With the assistance of former youth parliamentarians, the committee was able to create an objective motto which reads “Our generation, our voice, to inspire, encourage and impact.”

“We will work towards our motto from here on since it has become an annual activity… prior to this year, only issues on [the] Commonwealth were discussed, so this year we will allow students to expound on more topical issues,” she said.

Apart from the issues listed earlier, the young parliamentarians will be debating topics such as suicide prevention and the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.

Prior to being exposed to the seats of Parliament, Bacchus said students will have an opportunity to interact with parliamentarians from both the opposition and government.

“There will be many activities from August 6-12 to allow students to prepare themselves for the debates,” said the Clerk of Committee.

Out of the lot, 13 of them are boys and the remainder, girls. According to Assistant Clerk of Committee, Dellon Adams, they were aiming to have an equal balance of the genders, but the Ministry of Education was tasked with selecting the students.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS They were nonetheless able to get schools from

Assistant Youth Co-ordinator Eden Corbin sharing his experience as a youth parliamentarian with members of the media on Thursday

nine of the 10 administrative regions to be a part of the activity. Out of those, two private schools have been

Trio charged for Uitspa businessman’s murder

THREE men were on Thursday charged with the murder of 51-year-old Dhanpaul Dookie called “Pauline,” who was killed at his Uitspa Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway home during a home invasion.

Chanderpaul Persaud, 45; Harrilall Ramdan, 54, both farmers and Janiswar Gannie, a 29-year-old fisherman, all residents of the East Coast Demerara (ECD), were jointly placed before City Magistrate Faith

McGusty.

Particulars of the charge alleged that between July 24 and July 26 at Uitspa Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, they murdered Dookie. The unrepresented men were not required to plead to the indictable offence and were remanded to prison until August 7, when they will appear before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

According to reports, the murder allegedly occurred between 20:00 hrs

DEAD : Dhanpaul Dookie called “Pauline”

The trio when arrested by the police

on July 24 and 08:00 hrs on Wednesday, ,July 26, at Dookie’s residence. The suspects reportedly worked for the now dead man, who was killed during the home invasion. Dookie reportedly had given the men $18,000 and was beaten for more money.

The victim finally told them that he had over 200,000 in a rice bucket, after which they killed him and made good their escape.

Dookie’s body was discovered three days after by persons who had gone to check on the cause of his absence.

However person in the area became suspicious after they saw the three men in the area consuming alcohol. When investigators arrested the trio, they reportedly confessed to the murder.

The three men were each previously charged: one for murder, but that case was dismissed; another for attempted murder, and that case is pending in the High Court; and the third was charged with several other criminal offences.

included this year.

“We want to get everyone involved, because our aim is to promote parliamentary democracy, hone leadership skills and outreach skills,” said Bacchus.

Some of the schools that will be involved include Port Kaituma Secondary, Region One (Barima-Waini); Zeeburg Secondary Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Apex Academy Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Novar Secondary Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); Paramakatoi Secondary Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); and the McKenzie High School Region 10 (Upper DemeraraUpper Berbice).

Schools such as the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation

Centre and the New Opportunity Corp did not participate this year.

The Youth Parliament nevertheless remains relevant to youths, said Assistant Youth Co-ordinator Eden Corbin, who is also a former youth parliamentarian.

“It has done a great job in my view because it directed me in my career path… I am now the International Affairs Committee Chairman at the UWI, St. Augustine Campus and I would not have been able to accomplish this without the guidance from the youth parliament,” he asserted.

In addition, it allowed him as well as other participants to take an interest in parliament and governance.

Essequibo residents to receive normal electricity supply RESIDENTS from Anna Regina and Charity in Essequibo, Region Two were expected to receive normal supply of electricity as of Thursday.

Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI), the Guyana Power and Light’s (GPL), Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Renford Homer, explained that on August 01, the number four cylinder on the aged Wartsilla engine experienced a fault causing it to be out of service.

Homer highlighted that due to this, just over two megawatts of available capacity was lost, “so there was a load shedding schedule between Anna Regina and Charity. There were some villages between Anna Regina and Charity which received electricity for 12 hours then the other villages received for the remaining 12 hours.”

The power company is working to have the engine up and running by the end of Thursday, hopefully in time to meet the peak demand which begins around

18:30hours, Homer stated.

Just last month residents and business owners on the Essequibo Coast experienced persistent blackouts; Charity being the most affected, with outages for five days.

Homer said the power company had corrected the situation by converting large portions of the Essequibo coast to 60 cycles. This he said, provided more generation, reducing the load on the 50 cycles’ circuits, “where we were challenged with generation having just over two megawatts of capacity.”

The residents on the Essequibo Coast can expect overall improved power supply by Christmas as the government has procured three new generators for the Anna Regina power station, which are expected to arrive in Guyana in October and should be installed and powered by December.

The Acting CEO is calling on the residents to be patient as the company works to restore normalcy. (DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday August 4, 2017

Toolsie Persaud helps Shaheed Orphanage TOOLSIE Persaud Group of Companies on Thursday donated 170 gallons of paint to the Shaheed Boys and Girls Orphanage of Lot 157, Alexander Street, Kitty, Georgetown on Thursday to help with the repainting of the building.

President of the orphanage, Raheema Rahaman, expressed gratitude to the company for the kind gesture and for always giving a helpful hand.

Toolsie Persaud Group of Companies General Manager, Ray Sukhnandan, said the company is committed to improving the welfare of vulnerable children in Guyana.

“It is our aspiration

to help these children grow and prosper in a safe and secure environment,” he said and assured the public that the company will continue to join efforts with charitable groups to create a better place for the less fortunate.

The orphanage is home to 30 children; 16 of whom are boys.

The girls reside at Oleander Gardens, East Coast of Demerara, while the boys stay at Kitty.

Toolsie Persaud Group recently had also made a donation to the Guyana Book Foundation to help promote literacy in the vulnerable Charlestown/ Albouystown communities.

Toolsie Persaud Group of Companies General Manager, Ray Sukhnandan, presenting the donation to Shaheed Boys and Girls Orphanage President, Raheema Rahaman

FAO Food Price Index rises further in July

Global food prices rose for the third consecutive month in July, driven mainly by higher cereal, sugar and dairy quotations.

The FAO Food Price Index - a monthly trade-weighted index tracking international market prices of five major food commodity groups - averaged 179.1 points in July, its highest value since January 2015, marking a 2.3 percent increase from June 2017 and 10.2 percent rise from its level a year earlier.

The FAO Cereal Price

Index was up 5.1 per cent in July. The Index has been rising consistently over the past three months, supported by firmer wheat and rice quotations. Wheat values rose the most in July, as continued hot and dry weather conditions hampered spring wheat crops in North America, while seasonal tightness pushed up rice prices. On the other hand, maize prices remained largely steady.

The FAO Dairy Price Index gained 3.6 per cent in July, underpinned by stronger prices of butter,

cheese and Whole Milk Powder (WMP). Tighter export availabilities pushed butter prices to a new high in July, widening further the spread between butter quotations and other dairy products.

The FAO Sugar Price Index rose by 5.2 per cent in July, marking the first monthly increase since the beginning of the year. The strong appreciation of the Brazilian real was the main driver behind this rebound in sugar values. Despite the latest increase, sugar prices remain well below (26 per

Bandits rob another E-Networks store ONE day after an E-Networks Store located in the lower flat of the Mon Repos Mall, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was robbed, another chainstore outlet located at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara (WCD) suffered a similar fate.

Press Officer, Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan said about 11:45hrs Thursday, two identifiable males armed with handguns en-

tered the E-Networks Inc. located at lot 15 Cornelia Ida, WCD and robbed the two cashiers and seven customers of their valuables, after which they fled the scene in a motorcar.

He said the bandits, before relieving the victims of their belongings, ordered them to lie on the floor and then bound their hands with plastic cuffs. No one was injured and no shots were fired.

“Ranks have processed the scene and are making diligent efforts to apprehend the suspects, whose modus operandi is likened to that of Wednesday’s robbery at the company’s chain-store at Mon Repos Mall, ECD,” Ramlakhan said.

On Wednesday, five persons were robbed of their cash and electronic gadgets at the Mon Repos branch. The bandits then fled in a waiting motorcar.

cent) the corresponding period last year.

The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index fell 1.1 per cent from June to its lowest level since August 2016.

The July slide primarily reflected good production prospects for palm oil in Southeast Asia and weak global import demand.

The FAO Meat Price Index remained steady.

An increase in international prices for ovine meat in July was offset by downward price movements in bovine, pig and poultry sectors.

No bail for Eccles man charged with drug possession A 46-YEAR-OLD dredge owner was on Thursday remanded to prison by City Magistrate Faith McGusty on two drug trafficking charges.

Shawn Samuels called ‘Hawaii’ of BB Eccles, East Bank Demerara, was charged for having 55 grams of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking on July 31, at Mowasie, Pomeroon River.

It is further alleged that he also had five grams of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking. The father of nine denied both charges, while his attorney, Paul Fung-afat, made an application for his bail.

According to the attorney, the drug was not

found on Samuels’ possession or presence, since it was found in a shop his client owned.

Fung-a-fat pointed out that Samuels did not visit the said shop for the past five months, since it was run-down. However, recently the police, while investigating an alleged case of break and enter at the shop, discovered the drugs.

Police Prosecutor, Steven Telford, opposed bail and pointed out that the police had found the drugs in a room in the accused presence, where he confessed to the drugs being his.

The Magistrate ruled in the prosecution’s favour and remanded Samuels until August 7.

Tax refunds cheques to be mailed THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Thursday announced that it is in the process of processing refunds for individual taxpayers for the period 2010 to 2017.

In a statement to the media, the authority said the move is in keeping with the law and its promise earlier this year to reduce the refund backlog allowing employees and other individual taxpayers who have tax refunds

pending for a number of years to receive their refunds within 2017.

“Based on past experiences with issuing refunds via registered post, taxpayers - business persons and employees/ individuals alike - are advised to inform the Revenue Authority of any change to their business and or individual (home) addresses,” the GRA said.

Failure to do so may result in the likelihood of

mail going to incorrect addresses and/or being returned to GRA. “The GRA wishes to assure taxpayers that updating their contact information will come at no cost,” the statement added.

Persons desirous of further information on tax refund cheques can contact the GRA’s Finance Division on 2276060, 227-8222 extensions: 4504 or 4508.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Drugs, cell phones, lighters, improvised weapons -- seized at Timehri, New Amsterdam Prisons THE Guyana Prison Service (GPS) has launched an investigation into the discovery of a quantity of drugs, cell phones and other items found at the Timehri and New Amsterdam Prisons on Thursday, acting Prison Director Gladwyn Samuels has confirmed.

At the Timehri Prison, Samuels said a prison officer is at the centre of the investigation, as a prisoner had indicated that a “prison staff took pay for the items to pass during a visit.”

“The discovery has caused the owner much pain and he is talking about killing prison officers. The police were called in to investigate,” the director noted.

He said the first discovery of the illicit items was made on Wednesday at 14:30hrs, and as such, the Joint Services were ordered to conduct a thorough search, which commenced at 10:30 hrs on Thursday.

Further, a search of a convicted prisoner’s cell at the Timehri Prison on Thursday unearthed 180 grams of cannabis.

Between 09:4012:30hrs, ranks of the Joint Services conducted a thorough search of the cells at the said Timehri Prison and a number of prohibited items were found.

These are eight lighters,

Prisons Director Gladwyn Samuels

seven smoking utensils, 16 improvised weapons, eight packs of cigarettes, two dining forks, two pairs of scissors, five cell phone chargers, one bottle pepper sauce, three cellular phones, one tattoo machine, a quantity of tobacco and 305 grams of cannabis.

A similar search was also conducted on Thursday at the New Amsterdam Prison under the direction of Deputy Commander ‘B’ Division, Senior Superintendent E Cooper, who was accompanied by 20 police ranks and seven prison officers.

Two dorms, two landings and cells were searched and eight cellular phones, three cellular phone batteries, one cellular phone display, three earphones, five cellular phone chargers, 16 ciga-

rette lighters, two tattoo machines, five improvised weapons, 20 packs cigarettes and three grams of cannabis were found.

In July, over 40 cellphones were seized during exercises at the Lusignan pasture, where several of the inmates had been held following destruction of the Camp Street Prison on July 9.

The possibility of collusion, both from prison officers and prisoners, has not been ruled out, said Prisons Director Gladwyn Samuels.

The prison director had noted that there is some degree of camaraderie among the officers that could possibly explain why certain

contraband items trickle into the system.

He explained that due to the number of years some staffers have worked together there is some degree of trust that could foster improper and illegal activities that officers engage in to earn extra cash.

Random searches are carried out on staff members and Samuels said that on more than one occasion, several officers have been dismissed or even sent to prison for their involvement in transporting contraband items.

These searches, he explained, must be carried out by an officer of the similar sex and who is of a higher rank.

Some of the phones found at the New Amsterdam Prison

The illegal items that were confiscated by the authorities

Miner killed by falling tree Airport Passenger Facilitation A MINER was on Monday struck and killed by a tree at Takatu on the left bank of the Puruni River. The deceased, identified as 22-year-old Deon Baptiste, worked as a “Marack Man” on a land dredge and hails from Port Kaituma, North West District (NWD).

According to reports, the incident occurred around 14:00hrs and another miner, Ralph Garraway of Charity, Essequibo, was also injured by the falling tree.

A statement from the Natural Resources Ministry on Thursday said reports indicate that the miners were conducting hydraulic mining in a swampy area at the time of the accident.

“They were operating in a mine pit prepared only two days by the excavator operator. The accident occurred due to inadequate tree clearance around the mine pit,” the statement added.

Additionally, the tree carried an approximate height of 10 to 15 feet and was said to be leaning in the direction of the mining pit. It reportedly fell after a strong breeze passed.

“It has been determined that the falling tree hit the two men, likely causing the death and injury,” the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the ministry has indicated that it has launched an investigation into the accident which resulted in the death and

injury of the miners and noted that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has issued a Cease Work Order to manager of the mine, Michael Kissoon.

“The Ministry of Natural Resources joins with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission to extend condolences to the young man’s family and uses this opportunity to recognise that though success has been achieved with curtailing mines-pit collapses and consequential accidents, the need for greater vigilance and adherence to mining and safety regulations and practices remains very high,” the statement added.

Fee from September 1

FROM September 1, all passengers departing Guyana from the Eugene F. Correia International Airport will be required to pay a Passenger Facilitation Fee. This decision follows a meeting on Monday between the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), LIAT and the Ogle Airport Inc. to discuss concerns relating to the implementation of the fee.

It was agreed that the fee “is a normal and legitimate airport charge to passengers… with IATA’s approval, effective 1st September 2017, this fee will be included in the LIAT ticket price and will appear on the LIAT ticket for any booking on

LIAT for international flights departing Guyana from the Eugene F. Correia International Airport,” a statement from the airport said Thursday.

Additionally, LIAT has committed to working with the management of the Ogle Airport to ensure that the airport is paid on schedule and in accordance with an established and agreed payment plan.

“The Eugene F. Correia International Airport recognises LIAT as an important and valued customer of the airport and LIAT is very proud of its years of service to Guyana,” the statement added.

The move by the airport is as a result of LIAT’s

inability to pay its airport service fees over the past few months.

In June, the Eugene F. Correia International Airport published a notice in the daily newspapers indicating that it will be reverting to the collection of the airport service fee directly at the airport for LIAT passengers.

Guyana Chronicle understands that the issue has been a longstanding one.

Monday’s meeting was hosted by GCAA’s Director General, Lieutenant Colonel Egbert Field while LIAT was represented by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Julie Reifer-Jones and other representatives.

The Ogle Airport Inc. team was headed Anthony Mekdeci.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday August 4, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Gov’t gifts Kwakwani teen a guitar NATURAL Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, on Thursday gifted Kanya Miggins, a student of Kwakwani, a brand new guitar to fulfill her dream as a musician.

Miggins of Kwakwani had made a request for the guitar when she entered the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Petroleum Commission of Guyana (PCG) Logo Competition, which concluded earlier this year.

The Petroleum Commis-

sion of Guyana will oversee and manage Guyana’s emerging oil and gas sector.

In her request, the Kwakwani resident said, “I designed a logo for the Petroleum Commission of Guyana and it’s perfect…

If I do not win the prize, please can you help me buy a guitar, the cheapest one please… I really like music and school is so important.”

Miggins’ entry was not selected among the winners

Kanya Miggins receives the guitar from Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, on Monday in the presence of her mother

of the competition but it was her note that caught the attention of Minister Trotman and the review team.

“The Ministry of Natural Resources, as does the entire government, pays much attention to develop-

ments in the Upper Berbice area and seeks to support worthwhile endeavours in which youth are the beneficiaries,” a statement from the Natural Resources Ministry said.

The guitar was presented to Miggins on behalf of President David Granger and his administration by Minister Trotman, who said his administration is pleased to support Miggins’ love for music.

He encouraged her to continue striving for excellence and noted the timeliness of the gift as the teen, who will be celebrating her 16th birthday on August 5, also topped her class during the recently held end of terms examination.

Abused woman gets bail on manslaughter charge “IT was a case of domestic violence, an abuse suffering in silence” were the words uttered in court by the attorney of Lisa Hayley, who was charged on Thursday for killing her husband.

The 21-year-old appeared before City Magistrate, Faith McGusty, and could have barely spoken in court when the charge of manslaughter was read to her. The woman was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which alleged that on July 29, 2017 at Lot 30 Queen Street, Kitty, she unlawfully killed Dailson Hayley.

According to the woman’s lawyer, Stanley Moore, his client was suffering years of abuse by her husband, Dailson, and her action stemmed from self-defence.

Police Prosecutor, Stephen Telford, made no objection to the woman being released on bail but requested that it be in a substantial sum. Magistrate McGusty released the woman on $250,000 bail and transferred the matter to the Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, for August 7.

According to the police report, the couple had been

Lisa Hayley

together for the past three years and have two children. During that time, she had been abused frequently. The man would reportedly force his wife into prostitution and would usually take away whatever cash she made.

However, on Friday, July 29 at Queen Street, Kitty, during an argument the woman stabbed her husband. The man had reportedly armed himself with a knife and threatened to kill her.

Hayley managed to disarm her husband and stabbed him.

The injured man was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he succumbed.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday August 4, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

First Bartica Safari this month RAINFOREST Tours in collaboration with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) will be hosting the country’s first Bartica 4x4 Safari this month.

Rainforest Tours Managing-Director Frank Singh and GTA Director Indranauth Haralsingh, launched the Safari on Thursday at the Ministry of Business.

The much-anticipated event is billed for August 18-20, 2017 and will see participants travelling from Georgetown to Bartica by road in their four-wheel drive vehicles and motorbikes,

while exploring the natural beauty of Guyana.

According GTA Senior Product Development Officer Kamal Baksh, the Bartica Safari route will be the fourth to be fully explored by Frank Singh’s Rainforest Tour.

Safaris are an ideal adventure-type product that caters for persons who love the outdoor exploring and discovering beautiful Guyana.

The Bartica 4x4 safari offers the public an opportunity to engage in a life-changing experience, the challenges in overcoming the chance to see both historic and natural

GTA Director Indranauth Haralsingh

scenic spots and to enjoy the comfort and contemporary hotels among others.

This safari is a welcome addition to Guyana’s tourism adventure portfolio. People who are starved of adventurous activities in Guyana now have different options to choose from.

Haralsingh said the GTA remains very committed to promoting and encouraging responsible, affordable, adventure travel outdoor recreation and short get-aways.

This year has seen a record for safari or drive and both for 4x4 ATV and off-

road drives. They began this year with a safari at Phagwah and another over the Mash weekend. These safaris create avenues and opportunities for exploration and discovery for seeing Guyana’s beauty.

“If you are adventurous there is no sense to have a 4x4 vehicle and not driving on the trail and off-road where they’re meant for,” Haralsingh said, adding that “Safari is also ideal for motorcycles.”

Persons who would like to obtain information on the GTA can call the office on these numbers 219-0094, 219-0095, 219-0096.

Venezuela court asked to suspend inauguration of assembly Venezuela’s prosecutor’s office has asked a court to suspend Friday’s inauguration of a constituent assembly over claims of electoral fraud.

It came after chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega opened an investigation into the allegations, which have been dismissed by President Nicolás Maduro.

A firm that supplied the voting system said turnout figures had been inflated.

influential politician said.

The new assembly will have the power to rewrite the constitution and override decisions by the opposition-controlled congress.

Its members were elected in a controversial vote held amid widespread protests and the assembly has been widely condemned abroad.

Smartmatic, the company that supplied the electronic voting system,

President Nicolas Maduro has been widely criticised over the new assembly

The opposition boycotted Sunday’s vote and will hold rallies in the capital, Caracas, as the ceremony takes place.

In a post on Twitter, Ms Ortega’s office said the case had been filed by two state prosecutors “based on suspected crimes committed” during the election.

Ms Ortega was once a close ally of President Maduro but is now one of his fiercest critics.

Luisa Ortega has called for an independent audit of the vote after allegations that the figure for the turnout was inflated.

Her trajectory from party loyalist to thorn in the side of the government has made her future very uncertain.

A close ally of Mr Maduro, Jorge Rodríguez, said it was only a matter of time before she was removed from her post.

“She is the past,” the

said that the turnout figures had been inflated by at least one million.

Earlier on Thursday, Ms Ortega said she had appointed two prosecutors to investigate four out of the five directors of the National Electoral Council (CNE) “for this very scandalous act that could generate more violence in the country than what we have already experienced”.

Critics of the council say it is filled with government loyalists who do the president’s bidding.

However, it is unclear how far the investigation will proceed.

Ms Ortega has made previous attempts to challenge executive decisions but they have been blocked.

President Maduro insists the new assembly is needed to restore order to the country after months of political and economic crisis. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday August 4, 2017

TIP awareness week concludes

THE week of activities in commemoration of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons recently concluded following a number of impactful events organised by the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness of the scourge.

The week of activities commenced with an Awareness Walk in Region Five from Number 30 Village to the Fort Wellington Secondary School. It received significant contributions from Food For The Poor.

This was followed by awareness sessions and ‘Anti-TIP Flash Mob’ performances held during the week at Stabroek Market, Mon Repos Market and Giftland Mall.

The week culminated on July 30, 2017 – World Day Against Trafficking in Persons --- with an awareness walk in Region Four, from the Bank of Guyana to the Seawall Bandstand, where a TIP Awareness Concert was held.

The Guyana Police Force strongly supported activities

throughout the course of the week.

The audience at the concert, which was the marquee event of the week and was co-sponsored by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, was treated to an array of local talent with the pieces performed either speaking specifically to the subject of human-trafficking or carrying an uplifting message.

The performances were preceded by the feature address delivered by Public Security Minister and Task Force Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan.

During the week, the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit (C-TIPU) at the Ministry of Social Protection also conducted TIP Awareness activities in Bartica, Linden and at Giftland Mall, while it also launched its ‘Blu Flame Campaign’ to fight trafficking in persons.

Throughout the week, there was distribution of brochures, posters, flyers and other TIP-related paraphernalia by the task force and the C-TIPU, while the International Organisation

Man fined, licence suspended for drunk driving THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Wednesday charged and placed before the court a 34-yearold taxi-diver for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI).

Kazee Henry of Three Miles, Bartica appeared before Magistrate Christel Lambert at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court and was found guilty on two counts of DUI. The magistrate suspended Henry from driving for a period of twelve

Kazee Henry

months and imposed a fine of $7,500 on him.

Teen mom died after C-section THE teen, who died while giving birth at the Georgetown Public Hospital on Emancipation Day had undergone a cesarean section.

According to reports coming out of the Public Health Ministry, Esther Edwards of Laluni Creek on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, died during a Cesarean Section (C-Section). To date, the country has recorded seven maternal deaths for 2017.

A reliable Source told the Guyana Chronicle that the

Laluni Creek teenager was admitted to the public hospital late Saturday night. At the time, she was 40 weeks pregnant. An emergency C-Section was performed on Edwards and while the baby girl was safely delivered, Edwards did not make it.

She died at around 03:00h on Emancipation Day. The direct cause of her death remains unknown at the moment.

The Public Health Ministry has launched an investigation into the death.

The Dominion Dance Group after Stabroek Market Anti-TIP Flash Mob

for Migration joined in the distribution at the TIP Awareness Concert.

The Ministerial Task Force is extending gratitude to all entities which participated in the events during the week of activities.

This involvement signalled that a number of stakeholders, including citizens not attached to a particular agency, bore a willingness to learn more about the crime of trafficking in persons and had embraced their responsibility in the fight to end the crime.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

‘Juke Ross’ LOCAL singer, Juke Ross has landed a signing with major US record label, Republic Records, whose roster boasts the likes of Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande and The Weeknd.

It all hit a high for Ross, real name Hubert Norville, with the release of his spine tingling debut single, “Colour Me”, which had Guyanese near and far just anxious for more sounds of the for-

mer Brickdam Secondary and Queen’s College student.

With this signing, he’s definitely poised to give them just what they’ve been asking for, and then some. The 23-year-old is still just taking it all in.

“I felt excited that my music in its current state was assigned value by the Number One label in the world, and would be given the proper platform to reach millions,” the soul singer shared with The Buzz.

Ross seems very pleased with the arrangement he has with Republic, which he doesn’t think will stifle his creative freedom.

“I’m relieved that I didn’t have to change in any way to make it more commercial,” he

said. “I felt compelled to make music of equal depth and flow, while at the same time exploring all the themes I had in mind. The freedom to create and make a decent living came at the right time.”

Since around the early 1990s, Republic Records has been a subsidiary of the global music corporation, Universal Music Group, which is considered

one of the “Big Three” record labels, along with Sony Music and Warner Music Group.

Ross’s “Colour Me” single, which has reportedly been downloaded over one million times on Spotify, was already featured as part of Republic Records “#NewMusicFriday” listing, which also included “Stony Hill” by Damian Marley.

Ross, who takes inspiration from singers like Matt Corby, Adele and Kygo, had his fame exponentially expanded early last year following the release of “Colour me”, a song that has been described in some quarters as “beautiful lyrics, coupled with angelic vocals and an instrumental which plucks at the strings of the

soul”.

He also has another single, “Home”, which he wrote for last year’s 50th Independence Anniversary Jubilee celebrations. One patriotic fellow, Juke also produced a cover version of Dave Martins’ “Not a Blade O’ Grass”.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

The price of justice – and the fragmented philosophy of the courts THERE is no need to further explore what happened at the prisons and the inevitable ruptures that will follow.

From the first protest on the rooftop of the prisons in the mid-90s, attention should have been paid. But far from the vaguest concept of responsibility was the nature of that government, with idiotic response utterances to an obvious dangerous social development, that came from possibly the worst and most banal home affairs minister this country has ever had since becoming an independent nation.

One of the least considered factors is the cultural awareness of the sub-cultures that exist and impact on ‘The all’ that the humanity of Guyana is.

During my school days, the heated casual conversations among young males were as follows: The tough talk of movie characters; how to whip up the courage to ask a young lady you thought you were in love with but she didn’t know for a dance at the school party; cricket, football and James Bond cards and comic books; local boxers and Mohamed Ali; and, relevant to this article, the exploits of local street fighters and ‘bad- men’, names like Ronny Yaw, Eric Skeete, Pemya, Maxie Sargeant, David Allen and the famous fist fight between Lil Ray [Hunt] and Michael Cush and dozens of other grassroot machismo inspirations, including some women the likes of ‘Corn Hero’, who packed a mean punch.

These names span periods of grassroot history, and were common to every village and township where social demarcations, since the emancipation of intended isolation, instituted strong sub-cultures.

Why is the latter relevant to 2017? Because our sheltered [meaning no offence] brothers and sisters who have become custodians of the courts must understand the culture and dynamics of what they are asked to manage every day, especially in a society that has, in less than three years, begun the desperate process to reconstruct its institutions and public perceptions to a functional semblance of sanity, coming from a recent period when the State accommodated the criminalisation of the nation, including the Police Force and the Courts, and exploited its mutations for its own benefit.

I must add this article to the voice of other writers who are confused by the present philosophy of some judges and magistrates who seem not to apply consistency in the discharge of their duties based on what should

be an awareness that they are dealing with a redemptive human condition, fully aware that the courts are there to Punish, Intercept and apply Redemptive measures.

BRIDGING THE GAP To the latter end, they must use their influence to acquire the support systems that can facilitate the public relations needed to bridge the obvious gap of any discourse with the struggles and overall doctrines of the fragmented society we live in.

We lacked the basic social awareness over the past 25 years to pay attention to the symptoms, resulting in no particular directive. Asinine politics ignored the uses of the National Service, and vindictively cancelled its training programmes and structures that could have been enhanced to positively shape lives.

What will three years in prison, at this time, do for 18-year-old Esan Gibson who hid his villager, prison escapee Melvor Jeffrey recently in Agricola? Did Gibson have a criminal record and needs severe punishment? Or was he just caught up in the sub-cultural ethos where help must be given in cases between ‘we and de system’ back in the day ‘Babylon’ when those tests of courage arise? Was a chance missed for orientation through extended confinement in a work group either with the GDF or the GPF or does the structure lack such a framework?

Because, a prison sentence can become the initiating badge into a social cult that was tapped into by dark political minds in the notso-distant past; the ominous nimbus around those possibilities still exist. Stranger still are the recent revelations that allegations of a plot to kill the President did not even merit detention with persons who fit the profile to have such political and other grouses, that it

should be taken seriously, when a man who threatened his wife was placed before the courts and sentenced to prison. This fact in comparison with Esan Gibson gives cause for serious public attention.

The approach to intercepting the sub-culture of crime in Guyana has never evolved as a discourse or ‘Study’ as far as I know.

Though interventions like the soon-to return GYC, the past Pioneer Corps and the GNS have impacted on diminishing the inherited underprivileged overcrowded districts vulnerable to the ‘Bad Boy’ sub- culture in a positive way.

From the legal realm of the courts and law enforcement, the application was more automatic; and not just how the Laws were developed, but depended on the enlightenment of the sitting personality, as I will demonstrate at the close of this column.

While still in school, I recall ‘The Angry God’, as Justice Akbar Khan was called, presiding over the courts with wisecracks and ‘Convict Sentences’. He sent career bad- men away for long periods, but never closed the door on them for the rest of their lives. He was smart, unlike some judges today, who use the prison system as a symbolic Biblical eternity to a deserved hell, and igniting an immediate recourse in the prisoner’s resolve to escape rather than to die in prison.

KILLER-FOR-HIRE CULT The extra-judicial killing of law breakers at the grassroot level was also applied by State authority without consideration of the servicemen used to conduct these acts. It failed, unleashing a criminal cadre of Police killers for hire. We have to go deeper; the problem is cultural and more sophisticated than previously understood.

Back in 2012, I wrote a letter protest-

ing the unusual verdict of a magistrate who had sentenced a single-parent male of three daughters to prison for beating his 14-yearold eldest whom he had sent to school one morning and never returned home until the following afternoon. She was advised to report him to the police by the other male involved, and was screaming when the verdict was meted out to her father.

A senior authority from the Judiciary called me, and we had a most amicable conversation. I learnt that he had briefed his Magistrates about verdicts that could be unsettling, impacting negatively on the social unit involved, and the balance of Justice dispensed, when it could have been handled better. Because, as with this father, there was no social system to cushion the impact it could have on his children who were then left defenceless.

That aberration of Justice was purely the choice of the sitting personality, and possibly that it was a ‘male’ accused at the time.

It was inspiring to read that the Caribbean Film Academy and EPIC of Guyana visited the juvenile detention centre at Sophia to show relevant clips to the detainees there to enhance their consciousness of self worth through viewing parallel lives redeemed and enhanced.

There are few private efforts that reach out socially to proactively inspire and galvanise youthful hope. In the lead is Chase’s Academic Foundation’s successful crusade through Sports; this is the only private school that in this era has championed such an altruistic programme, and it should not be ignored and not recognised for the potential it represents, and should be supported by the obvious distracted authority designated to positively affect sports.

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 4, 2017

The price of justice – and the fragmented philosophy of the courts THERE is no need to further explore what happened at the prisons and the inevitable ruptures that will follow.

From the first protest on the rooftop of the prisons in the mid-90s, attention should have been paid. But far from the vaguest concept of responsibility was the nature of that government, with idiotic response utterances to an obvious dangerous social development, that came from possibly the worst and most banal home affairs minister this country has ever had since becoming an independent nation.

One of the least considered factors is the cultural awareness of the sub-cultures that exist and impact on ‘The all’ that the humanity of Guyana is.

During my school days, the heated casual conversations among young males were as follows: The tough talk of movie characters; how to whip up the courage to ask a young lady you thought you were in love with but she didn’t know for a dance at the school party; cricket, football and James Bond cards and comic books; local boxers and Mohamed Ali; and, relevant to this article, the exploits of local street fighters and ‘bad- men’, names like Ronny Yaw, Eric Skeete, Pemya, Maxie Sargeant, David Allen and the famous fist fight between Lil Ray [Hunt] and Michael Cush and dozens of other grassroot machismo inspirations, including some women the likes of ‘Corn Hero’, who packed a mean punch.

These names span periods of grassroot history, and were common to every village and township where social demarcations, since the emancipation of intended isolation, instituted strong sub-cultures.

Why is the latter relevant to 2017? Because our sheltered [meaning no offence] brothers and sisters who have become custodians of the courts must understand the culture and dynamics of what they are asked to manage every day, especially in a society that has, in less than three years, begun the desperate process to reconstruct its institutions and public perceptions to a functional semblance of sanity, coming from a recent period when the State accommodated the criminalisation of the nation, including the Police Force and the Courts, and exploited its mutations for its own benefit.

I must add this article to the voice of other writers who are confused by the present philosophy of some judges and magistrates who seem not to apply consistency in the discharge of their duties based on what should

be an awareness that they are dealing with a redemptive human condition, fully aware that the courts are there to Punish, Intercept and apply Redemptive measures.

BRIDGING THE GAP To the latter end, they must use their influence to acquire the support systems that can facilitate the public relations needed to bridge the obvious gap of any discourse with the struggles and overall doctrines of the fragmented society we live in.

We lacked the basic social awareness over the past 25 years to pay attention to the symptoms, resulting in no particular directive. Asinine politics ignored the uses of the National Service, and vindictively cancelled its training programmes and structures that could have been enhanced to positively shape lives.

What will three years in prison, at this time, do for 18-year-old Esan Gibson who hid his villager, prison escapee Melvor Jeffrey recently in Agricola? Did Gibson have a criminal record and needs severe punishment? Or was he just caught up in the sub-cultural ethos where help must be given in cases between ‘we and de system’ back in the day ‘Babylon’ when those tests of courage arise? Was a chance missed for orientation through extended confinement in a work group either with the GDF or the GPF or does the structure lack such a framework?

Because, a prison sentence can become the initiating badge into a social cult that was tapped into by dark political minds in the notso-distant past; the ominous nimbus around those possibilities still exist. Stranger still are the recent revelations that allegations of a plot to kill the President did not even merit detention with persons who fit the profile to have such political and other grouses, that it

should be taken seriously, when a man who threatened his wife was placed before the courts and sentenced to prison. This fact in comparison with Esan Gibson gives cause for serious public attention.

The approach to intercepting the sub-culture of crime in Guyana has never evolved as a discourse or ‘Study’ as far as I know.

Though interventions like the soon-to return GYC, the past Pioneer Corps and the GNS have impacted on diminishing the inherited underprivileged overcrowded districts vulnerable to the ‘Bad Boy’ sub- culture in a positive way.

From the legal realm of the courts and law enforcement, the application was more automatic; and not just how the Laws were developed, but depended on the enlightenment of the sitting personality, as I will demonstrate at the close of this column.

While still in school, I recall ‘The Angry God’, as Justice Akbar Khan was called, presiding over the courts with wisecracks and ‘Convict Sentences’. He sent career bad- men away for long periods, but never closed the door on them for the rest of their lives. He was smart, unlike some judges today, who use the prison system as a symbolic Biblical eternity to a deserved hell, and igniting an immediate recourse in the prisoner’s resolve to escape rather than to die in prison.

KILLER-FOR-HIRE CULT The extra-judicial killing of law breakers at the grassroot level was also applied by State authority without consideration of the servicemen used to conduct these acts. It failed, unleashing a criminal cadre of Police killers for hire. We have to go deeper; the problem is cultural and more sophisticated than previously understood.

Back in 2012, I wrote a letter protest-

ing the unusual verdict of a magistrate who had sentenced a single-parent male of three daughters to prison for beating his 14-yearold eldest whom he had sent to school one morning and never returned home until the following afternoon. She was advised to report him to the police by the other male involved, and was screaming when the verdict was meted out to her father.

A senior authority from the Judiciary called me, and we had a most amicable conversation. I learnt that he had briefed his Magistrates about verdicts that could be unsettling, impacting negatively on the social unit involved, and the balance of Justice dispensed, when it could have been handled better. Because, as with this father, there was no social system to cushion the impact it could have on his children who were then left defenceless.

That aberration of Justice was purely the choice of the sitting personality, and possibly that it was a ‘male’ accused at the time.

It was inspiring to read that the Caribbean Film Academy and EPIC of Guyana visited the juvenile detention centre at Sophia to show relevant clips to the detainees there to enhance their consciousness of self worth through viewing parallel lives redeemed and enhanced.

There are few private efforts that reach out socially to proactively inspire and galvanise youthful hope. In the lead is Chase’s Academic Foundation’s successful crusade through Sports; this is the only private school that in this era has championed such an altruistic programme, and it should not be ignored and not recognised for the potential it represents, and should be supported by the obvious distracted authority designated to positively affect sports.

20

Miss World launches ‘Sweet Vigor’

AS newly minted Miss World Guyana queen, Vena Mookram continues her “Beauty With a Purpose” platform, the 18-year-old is set to launch her “Sweet Vigor” campaign, which will focus on bringing awareness to Diabetes Prevention.

The multi-million-dollar campaign is set to be launched this morning at the Cara Lodge on downtown Quamina Street.

During her run as a delegate, Mookram’s “Beauty With a Purpose” platform was “Promoting Physical Fitness and Nutrition” vis-àvis the prevention of chronic diseases.

Her project specifically focuses on developing a healthy diet and physical lifestyle in order to prevent these diseases. She has already started, and promises to continue executing events, and bringing about awareness to her purpose in order to benefit her community and country as a whole. Her aim is to reduce the number of persons with chronic diseases in Guyana.

Mookram is particularly concerned about the prevention of diabetes, as it is something that has affected her family personally.

The former Bishop’s student and the rest of the Miss World Guyana Organisation is now looking forward to the support of the public at large and partners in promoting the “Sweet Vigor” project.

The campaign forms part of the “Diabetes Prevention through Diet and Exercise” Beauty with a Purpose project for the Miss World 2017 competition.

“The objective of the campaign is to educate the general public about how to prevent and treat diabetes through healthy eating and being physically active,” the Miss World Guyana Organisation says in a press release. “The team will highlight the benefits and importance of being tested early for diabetes and give guidelines that would help everyone. The campaign strongly believes that by educating persons, especially our youths, about diabetes, it will give them control over the disease and some peace of mind,” it added.

Mookram is set to represent Guyana on the international scene later this year when the Miss World Pageant is held on November 18 in China.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Lots of surprises tonight!

– as ‘Jumo’ shows fans a ‘different side’

RESIDENT “Bumper Inspector”, Jumo Primo is celebrating his birthday this weekend at the Palm Court, and the Soca Monarch is making some big promises that has fans super excited to see if he can put his money where his mouth is and deliver.

“It’s to showcase a different side of party, we’re going to be doing a lot surprises.

We’re going to be doing something at Palm Court that has never been done before; we’re talking music, entertainment, not just DJs. It’s something that persons should come and support...,” Primo said as he offered a little teaser without really giving much away.

“It’s a celebration of my day; my music in the industry,” he added.

Apart from just being a celebration of his work while surrounded by fans, Jumo says he’s also using the event to raise funds for several projects he’s looking to do during 2018.

“It’s also to raise funds to keep doing what I do. A lot of people think it’s about money and ‘Jumo’ rich and all these things. But in order to keep doing what I’m doing is expensive; as we all know, it’s not easy to serve in Guyana as an musician, so that’s also why I’m doing this. I’ll be doing a lot more promotion in entertainment,” he promised.

Destra breaks an ankle QUEEN of Bacchanal, Destra Garcia is said to be in need of surgery after she fell off a stage in Bermuda and broke her ankle late Wednesday.

The Trinidad & Tobago Soca star was performing at the Cup Match Summer Splash when the incident occurred. According to an eyewitness, the 38-year-old performer slipped between the stage and a speaker during the concert.

While she had earlier placed a foot on a speaker during the show, she fell attempting to do so again, bringing her performance to a

halt, the witness said.

Video that captured the incident shows Destra talking to the audience when she suddenly falls off the stage. A group of people rushed to assist the singer who was removed via a stretcher.

Her manager, Brian Morris confirmed that she broke her ankle and is in need of surgery.

He said her ankle is in a temporary cast, and she is in pain.

Destra was scheduled to be in Guyana later this month as part of the Jamzone “Bacchanal Wednesday” soca night.

20

Miss World launches ‘Sweet Vigor’ AS newly minted Miss World Guyana queen, Vena Mookram continues her “Beauty With a Purpose” platform, the 18-year-old is set to launch her “Sweet Vigor” campaign, which will focus on bringing awareness to Diabetes Prevention.

The multi-million-dollar campaign is set to be launched this morning at the Cara Lodge on downtown Quamina Street.

During her run as a delegate, Mookram’s “Beauty With a Purpose” platform was “Promoting Physical Fitness and Nutrition” vis-àvis the prevention of chronic diseases.

Her project specifically focuses on developing a healthy diet and physical lifestyle in order to prevent these diseases. She has already started, and promises to continue executing events, and bringing about awareness to her purpose in order to benefit her community and country as a whole. Her aim is to reduce the number of persons with chronic diseases in Guyana.

Mookram is particularly concerned about the prevention of diabetes, as it is something that has affected her family personally.

The former Bishop’s student and the rest of the Miss World Guyana Organisation is now looking forward to the support of the public at large and partners in promoting the “Sweet Vigor” project.

The campaign forms part of the “Diabetes Prevention through Diet and Exercise” Beauty with a Purpose project for the Miss World 2017 competition.

“The objective of the campaign is to educate the general public about how to prevent and treat diabetes through healthy eating and being physically active,” the Miss World Guyana Organisation says in a press release. “The team will highlight the benefits and importance of being tested early for diabetes and give guidelines that would help everyone. The campaign strongly believes that by educating persons, especially our youths, about diabetes, it will give them control over the disease and some peace of mind,” it added.

Mookram is set to represent Guyana on the international scene later this year when the Miss World Pageant is held on November 18 in China.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 4, 2017

Lots of surprises tonight!

– as ‘Jumo’ shows fans a ‘different side’

RESIDENT “Bumper Inspector”, Jumo Primo is celebrating his birthday this weekend at the Palm Court, and the Soca Monarch is making some big promises that has fans super excited to see if he can put his money where his mouth is and deliver.

“It’s to showcase a different side of party, we’re going to be doing a lot surprises.

We’re going to be doing something at Palm Court that has never been done before; we’re talking music, entertainment, not just DJs. It’s something that persons should come and support...,” Primo said as he offered a little teaser without really giving much away.

“It’s a celebration of my day; my music in the industry,” he added.

Apart from just being a celebration of his work while surrounded by fans, Jumo says he’s also using the event to raise funds for several projects he’s looking to do during 2018.

“It’s also to raise funds to keep doing what I do. A lot of people think it’s about money and ‘Jumo’ rich and all these things. But in order to keep doing what I’m doing is expensive; as we all know, it’s not easy to serve in Guyana as an musician, so that’s also why I’m doing this. I’ll be doing a lot more promotion in entertainment,” he promised.

Destra breaks an ankle QUEEN of Bacchanal, Destra Garcia is said to be in need of surgery after she fell off a stage in Bermuda and broke her ankle late Wednesday.

The Trinidad & Tobago Soca star was performing at the Cup Match Summer Splash when the incident occurred. According to an eyewitness, the 38-year-old performer slipped between the stage and a speaker during the concert.

While she had earlier placed a foot on a speaker during the show, she fell attempting to do so again, bringing her performance to a

halt, the witness said.

Video that captured the incident shows Destra talking to the audience when she suddenly falls off the stage. A group of people rushed to assist the singer who was removed via a stretcher.

Her manager, Brian Morris confirmed that she broke her ankle and is in need of surgery.

He said her ankle is in a temporary cast, and she is in pain.

Destra was scheduled to be in Guyana later this month as part of the Jamzone “Bacchanal Wednesday” soca night.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

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Nick Cannon’s ‘King of the Dancehall – in YouTube Red’s new movie

THIS weekend’s biggest event is no doubt going to be Mr. Rubberwaist’s birthnight celebrations at the Palm Court on Saturday. It’s called “Soca In Mi Blood”, so you don’t even have to ask what it’s going to be all about.

You can “prep” for that party by going down to the District Ultra Lounge by Giftland tonight and get wasted. Or get started right at the same venue as the Palm Court shakes things up a little with their after-work lime.

Over on the “West Side”, the Pouderoyen Tarmac is becoming a major countryside entertainment hub if you’re not in the mood for that drive across the Demerara Harbour Bridge to get to town!

You can head on down there tonight and catch some street football and other great vibes!

On Sunday, Club Monaco is going to be a virtual battleground as some of the fiercest of Guyana’s DJs chase after a lucrative cash prize and pride! On the subtler side, there’s some jazz with an Emancipation flair going on at the Umana Yana.

TODAY Do you like it better when you’re Wasted? Then head on down to District Ultra Lounge as Pulse Entertainment gets you “Wasted”! Win El Dorado glasses and CPL tickets when you buy 5 and 12-year-old rum!

Ladies free before 22:00hrs.

Admission: $2000 before 22:00hrs; pay more after.

Ballers get ready! The Pouderoyen Tarmac is about to get busy! Second Round Entertainment and Xtra Beer second annual “Ballers in the Summa” floodlight football six-day competition starts tonight! Thirty-two of Guyana’s best street teams will be vying for $800,000 in cash and prizes!

Gully Ras, Cash Money, Selecta Andre and Damien will be shelling it down! One motorcycle and a whole heap ah prizes will be up for grabs!

The Palm Court presents their 3sum After-work Lime where you can get 3 beers for $3000 with a platter of chicken strips, chicken wings, nuggets, steak bites, fish fingers and a few other things! Yum!!!

TOMORROW Last year was great; but this year’s is going to be even greater at Jumo’s birthnite bash called “Soca In Mi Blood” going down at the Palm Court!

Walk with your crew and jiggle it all night long! Music by the BOOM DJs and Rock FM Selector LJ and DJ Vybez!

Ladies free before 22:00hrs Admission: $2000 up to midnight; $3000 after!

The BAC Couriers Kids Summer Fest is going on at the National Park! There’s going to be trampoline, apple bobbing, races, treasure hunt, storytelling, face painting, henna designs, musical chairs, pin-the-tail on the donkey and many more exciting games!

Admission: FREE SUNDAY The Annual Emancipation Jazz, Soul Concert returns at the Umana Yana! Come out and catch performances by Courtney Fadlin, Kelvin NAJITE Ikpeni, Dr. Keith Waithe, Derry Etkins, Sean Bhola, Charmaine Blackman, Keith Campbell, Aubrey “Fingers” Roberts, Dawn Edwards, Bonny Alves, the Quick Pick Band and many more!

Trevor John, Peter Calender and Michael Smith will be on Drums and Pan! Starting time: 17:00hrs! Admission: $2000!

Grill Masters is back! A now annual fundraiser of the Rotary Club of Georgetown, Grill Masters Lunch-and-Lime allows the family to enjoy an afternoon together!

Enjoy a scrumptious two-meat meal of grilled chicken along with your choice of grilled beef or grilled pork.

Lunch served from 12:00 - 16:00hrs.

Tickets available from Club members.

Price: $2500.

Mackeson and Empire Media Inc presents “The Art of War 2017: Unfinished Business” at Club Monaco!

Featuring the infamous five from DJ Darwin, Spotlight Sound, Dellon and Charley, DJ Keston and the defending champion Skinny Hype and Platinum, all battling for $750,000, one trophy, and one year’s bragging rights! Admission: $1000.

It’s cricket time at the Malteenoes Sports Club as thye Barbados-based Guyanese Students Association (GUYSA) hosts its first official fundraising event on these shores.

Come on down and enjoy a game of Seven-a-Side, Six-Overs cricket, titled “Kings of the Wicket”, featuring top-level players from some top clubs around Georgetown and Berbice.

Food and drinks will be on sale.

NICK Cannon is introducing YouTube Red viewers to one of Jamaica’s signature cultural institutions.

The former America’s Got Talent host is the director and star of “King of the Dancehall”, a feature film that is now available through YouTube’s subscription platform.

In King of the Dancehall, Cannon portrays a man who travels to Jamaica to make a new life for himself.

While there, he becomes ingratiated into the community of dancehall performers, and ultimately ends up as a competitor in a prestigious contest.

The film features a strong cast that includes Busta Rhymes, Whoopi Goldberg, and Louis Gossett, Jr. YouTube Red picked up King of the Dancehall in January after the film’s premiere at the Toronto Interna-

tional Film Festival. It is now available through the All Def Digital, which has worked on multiple feature films as part of its content strategy.

A novel based on King of the Dancehall is in the works as well, and is expected to be published later this year.

A scene from King of the Dancehall

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 4, 2017

21

Nick Cannon’s ‘King of the Dancehall – in YouTube Red’s new movie

THIS weekend’s biggest event is no doubt going to be Mr. Rubberwaist’s birthnight celebrations at the Palm Court on Saturday. It’s called “Soca In Mi Blood”, so you don’t even have to ask what it’s going to be all about.

You can “prep” for that party by going down to the District Ultra Lounge by Giftland tonight and get wasted. Or get started right at the same venue as the Palm Court shakes things up a little with their after-work lime.

Over on the “West Side”, the Pouderoyen Tarmac is becoming a major countryside entertainment hub if you’re not in the mood for that drive across the Demerara Harbour Bridge to get to town!

You can head on down there tonight and catch some street football and other great vibes!

On Sunday, Club Monaco is going to be a virtual battleground as some of the fiercest of Guyana’s DJs chase after a lucrative cash prize and pride! On the subtler side, there’s some jazz with an Emancipation flair going on at the Umana Yana.

TODAY Do you like it better when you’re Wasted? Then head on down to District Ultra Lounge as Pulse Entertainment gets you “Wasted”! Win El Dorado glasses and CPL tickets when you buy 5 and 12-year-old rum!

Ladies free before 22:00hrs.

Admission: $2000 before 22:00hrs; pay more after.

Ballers get ready! The Pouderoyen Tarmac is about to get busy! Second Round Entertainment and Xtra Beer second annual “Ballers in the Summa” floodlight football six-day competition starts tonight! Thirty-two of Guyana’s best street teams will be vying for $800,000 in cash and prizes!

Gully Ras, Cash Money, Selecta Andre and Damien will be shelling it down! One motorcycle and a whole heap ah prizes will be up for grabs!

The Palm Court presents their 3sum After-work Lime where you can get 3 beers for $3000 with a platter of chicken strips, chicken wings, nuggets, steak bites, fish fingers and a few other things! Yum!!!

TOMORROW Last year was great; but this year’s is going to be even greater at Jumo’s birthnite bash called “Soca In Mi Blood” going down at the Palm Court!

Walk with your crew and jiggle it all night long! Music by the BOOM DJs and Rock FM Selector LJ and DJ Vybez!

Ladies free before 22:00hrs Admission: $2000 up to midnight; $3000 after!

The BAC Couriers Kids Summer Fest is going on at the National Park! There’s going to be trampoline, apple bobbing, races, treasure hunt, storytelling, face painting, henna designs, musical chairs, pin-the-tail on the donkey and many more exciting games!

Admission: FREE SUNDAY The Annual Emancipation Jazz, Soul Concert returns at the Umana Yana! Come out and catch performances by Courtney Fadlin, Kelvin NAJITE Ikpeni, Dr. Keith Waithe, Derry Etkins, Sean Bhola, Charmaine Blackman, Keith Campbell, Aubrey “Fingers” Roberts, Dawn Edwards, Bonny Alves, the Quick Pick Band and many more!

Trevor John, Peter Calender and Michael Smith will be on Drums and Pan! Starting time: 17:00hrs! Admission: $2000!

Grill Masters is back! A now annual fundraiser of the Rotary Club of Georgetown, Grill Masters Lunch-and-Lime allows the family to enjoy an afternoon together!

Enjoy a scrumptious two-meat meal of grilled chicken along with your choice of grilled beef or grilled pork.

Lunch served from 12:00 - 16:00hrs.

Tickets available from Club members.

Price: $2500.

Mackeson and Empire Media Inc presents “The Art of War 2017: Unfinished Business” at Club Monaco!

Featuring the infamous five from DJ Darwin, Spotlight Sound, Dellon and Charley, DJ Keston and the defending champion Skinny Hype and Platinum, all battling for $750,000, one trophy, and one year’s bragging rights! Admission: $1000.

It’s cricket time at the Malteenoes Sports Club as thye Barbados-based Guyanese Students Association (GUYSA) hosts its first official fundraising event on these shores.

Come on down and enjoy a game of Seven-a-Side, Six-Overs cricket, titled “Kings of the Wicket”, featuring top-level players from some top clubs around Georgetown and Berbice.

Food and drinks will be on sale.

NICK Cannon is introducing YouTube Red viewers to one of Jamaica’s signature cultural institutions.

The former America’s Got Talent host is the director and star of “King of the Dancehall”, a feature film that is now available through YouTube’s subscription platform.

In King of the Dancehall, Cannon portrays a man who travels to Jamaica to make a new life for himself.

While there, he becomes ingratiated into the community of dancehall performers, and ultimately ends up as a competitor in a prestigious contest.

The film features a strong cast that includes Busta Rhymes, Whoopi Goldberg, and Louis Gossett, Jr. YouTube Red picked up King of the Dancehall in January after the film’s premiere at the Toronto Interna-

tional Film Festival. It is now available through the All Def Digital, which has worked on multiple feature films as part of its content strategy.

A novel based on King of the Dancehall is in the works as well, and is expected to be published later this year.

A scene from King of the Dancehall

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday August 4, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

CA and ACA agree to $500M pay deal to finally end dispute

By Ian Ransom MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) announced they had agreed a new pay deal “in principle” yesterday, finally ending an acrimonious dispute that threatened a tour of Bangladesh and this year’s Ashes series.

The previous five-year collective bargaining agreement expired on June 30, which had left about 230 players effectively unemployed and forced the cancellation of Australia’s ‘A’ tour of South Africa.

The immediate repercussions of the deal are that two Tests in Bangladesh will now go ahead in August and September with the Australia squad scheduled to gather in Darwin next week for a pretour camp.

“In announcing this agreement we are restoring certainty, beginning to repair relationships, especially with the fans,” Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland told reporters.

“We want the focus to be back on the cricket ... I’m very confident by the time the first ball is bowled this

summer all of this will be well and truly behind us.”

Both the board and the players’ union were bruised in the tortuous 10-month negotiation but ultimately the deal represents an emphatic win for the players and a huge back-down by the board.

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland

Cricket Australia had tried to jettison a 20-yearold model under which players receive a fixed per-

in place while the broader Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is hammered out over the next four to six weeks.

A tired-looking Sutherland declined to say whether the deal was a win for the players, but insisted it was a win “for the game” that would allow greater investment in the grassroots.

“It’s a very different revenue-share model to what was previously the case. It’s been modernised to allow the game more flexibility,” he said, seated next to union chief Alistair Nicholson at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

“Neither side has got everything we wanted out of these negotiations

» Bruising dispute ends to ensure Bangladesh, Ashes tours go ahead » Players keep revenue share deal in blow for board » Players’ boss says relationship with board not yet fixed centage of revenue, saying it was unfit for modern times and starving the grassroots of funding.

The players, though, were adamant the arrangement should be retained and it survived in the “heads of agreement”, the deal put

but they shouldn’t be approached with a winner-takes-all mindset. In that spirit, I think we’ve reached a good compromise.”

GRIEVANCES AIRED Nicholson said players

would share up to 30 percent of agreed revenue consisting of 27.5 percent of forecast revenue streams and a 2.5 percent performance pool.

“This is estimated to be up to A$500 million ($396 million) in the next fiveyear period,” he added, outlining the agreement.

“A revenue-sharing model ensuring all players, male and female, are partners in the game of cricket.”

The dispute overshadowed Australia’s home summer of cricket and grew increasingly bitter as both sides took to airing their grievances in public.

The union refused to deal with CA’s lead negotiator and was angered when Sutherland warned players would be unemployed and unpaid without a new agreement on the table.

Players subsequently boycotted the ‘A’ tour and warned the tours to Bangladesh, India and the Ashes series were under threat.

Sutherland said both parties regretted that the dispute had become a turn-off for fans and Nicholson left little doubt there was still some bad blood between the players and the board.

“I think that will take some time (to repair),” he said. “But that’s something we will now work through together and for the good of the game.”

Australia vice-captain David Warner, a vocal proponent of the players’ position throughout the dispute, made clear his approval.

“Great outcome to retain the revenue share for all players now and in the future while supporting the games grassroots,” he posted on Twitter.

“Looking forward to getting back out on the park and doing what we love - playing cricket.”

Kares Engineering Inc. ...

Continued from back page

Bolt on show ...

Continued from back page

Kares CEO Radesh Rameshwar for coming on board.

“I must express sincere gratitude for having Kares Engineering Inc. partnering with us at this very crucial time to host the eighth edition of the Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Championship,” Boyce commented.

Boyce also took the opportunity to voice his hopes that from next year the competition could for the first time be held on a synthetic track, as anticipation continues that such a facility will be constructed in Linden sometime this year.

Speaking on behalf of Kares was the company’s Communications Consultant Mondale Smith, who noted that as a construction company Kares is also concerned about building Guyana through its youths who are the future of the country as ‘Kares cares’.

Five of Guyana’s top athletic clubs - Police, Guyana Defence Force, Super Upcoming Runners, De Challengers, and Upper Demerara Schools Track Club – are confirmed to participate at this year’s Classic, where they will be battling for the grand first prize of $1 million.

Those who don’t make the top spot need not despair,

ready and that the headline after tomorrow’s 100m final would read “unbeatable, unstoppable Bolt”.

“I am not worried. It’s a championships, it’s a final, so it’s all about who can keep their nerves,” said the three-time Olympic sprint double champion.

“If I show up for a championships, if I am here, you know I am fully confident and ready to go.

“The last race I ran 9.95 and it showed I am going in the right direction, so after these two rounds leading up to the final, which always help me then for me I am going forward.”

Jamaican Elaine Thompson and Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo are two other Caribbean headliners for the meet.

The 24-year-old Thompson, the reigning Olympic sprint double champion, will also run only the women’s 100m, which gets going tomorrow.

Miller-Uibo, the Olympic Games 400m champion, takes on the 200/400m double but according to her, special focus will be on the one-lap event.

“I think I am pretty ready.

however, as second-, thirdand fourth-place clubs will still pocket $500 000, $300 000 and $200 000, respectively.

Over 140 local and international athletes are set to match skills. The event is expected to see Ugandan middle distance runner Julius Mutekanga, who will be in the international men’s 800m event.

The men’s 800m is one of six “international” events on the card at this year’s Classic, the other events being the male and female 200m, female 1500m and the male and female long jump.

Each of the international events carries at US$500 purse with US$250 for the winner; US$150 to second and US$100 for third. The male and female champion athletes will also cash in, running away with $50 000 each.

Eight gate prizes will also be given away to lucky ticket holders.

Children’s tickets are available at ZSK Beverage Depot for only $500, while all other tickets will be $1000 at the venue on the day. Movements Sound, DJ Winston, Father Moey and Determine Immortal Sound will be providing the Entertainment throughout the event.

Everything is going well,” Miller-Uibo said yesterday.

“The main thing is the 400m so once I get done with the 400m, the 200m is just there for play. I just want to go out there and have fun with it.”

Meanwhile, seven other Caribbean athletes will be in action on today’s opening day.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Chavaughn Walsh will be in the preliminaries of the men’s 100m, along with Barbadians Mario Burke and Ramon Gittens, and Bahamian Warren Fraser.

They are challenging for a place in the heats, the stage at which Bolt enters later in the evening.

In the men’s discus, Jamaicans Fedrick Dacres and Traves Smikle are down to contest the opening round.

The 23-year-old is the world number two with a throw of 68.88 metres.

Damar Forbes and Ramone Bailey, both Jamaicans, will be the English-speaking Caribbean’s representatives in the men’s long jump.

The opening day’s activities will end with the men’s 10 000m final.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Centurions Pujara and Rahane torment Sri Lanka on opening day COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Cheteshwar Pujara registered his second century of the series while Ajinkya Rahane also notched up a hundred as two of India’s most dependable batsmen laid the foundation for a massive first-innings total in the second Test against Sri Lanka yesterday.

Pujara’s 50th Test turned out to be an eventful one as India’s number three nearly perished in the slip early in his innings and ran out partner KL Rahul before making amends with his burgeoning 211-run stand with Rahane.

Pujara, who also completed 4 000 Test runs in the process, was batting on 128 at stumps, his 13th Test century containing 10 boundaries and a pulled six off debutant spinner Malin-

da Pushpakumara.

Rahane, who survived a couple of reviews, hit 12 boundaries in his fluent 103 not out, as India utterly dominated the opening day of the contest to reach 344 for three.

Alarmingly for Sri Lanka, still smarting from their comprehensive defeat in the series opener in Galle, lone frontline paceman Nuwan Pradeep left the field in the final session clutching his left hamstring.

India got off to a brisk start after skipper Virat Kohli opted to bat on a dry surface with Rahul, who missed India’s victory in Galle with high-fever, and Shikhar Dhawan scoring freely against a spin-heavy Sri Lankan attack.

Dhawan clobbered Rangana Herath for a six in the spinner’s first over and

also hit five boundaries in his brisk 35 before Dilruwan Perera trapped him leg-before.

Rahul was on 19 when the right-hander was given out leg-before to Dimuth Karunaratne but the batsman used review to successfully overturn the decision and went on to make his sixth successive Test half-century.

Rahul fell on 57 after a horrible mix-up with Pujara and was soon joined by Kohli in the pavilion as India slumped to 133-3. Pujara, who struck 153 in Galle, and Rahane ensured Sri Lanka did not get any momentum, however.

Renowned for their impeccable temperament, the right-handed duo deftly used the crease to punish the Sri Lankan bowlers who endured a wicketless

CSKA includes Archery in two-week summer camp

Nicholas Hing ((left) makes a point to a participant during yesterday’s Archery session. (Photo: Rajiv Bisnauth)

WITH the aim to spread the sport of Archery locally, the Central Shotokan Karate-do Association (CSKA) has included the sport in its two-week summer camp.

The summer camp commenced last Monday at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground.

The Archery camp is supervised by Nicholas Hing, and targets interested

youngsters, who have a passion for the sport.

Hing in an invited comment on Wednesday disclosed that he is happy to share his archery expertise with the youngsters in order to help raise the awareness and standard of the sport in Guyana.

He further divulged that the summer camp will target the various techniques regarding the sport, since

Archery is a relatively new sport in Guyana.

Youngsters interested in joining, both the Karate and Archery camps can make contact with Hing on telephone number 614-4216.

The camp runs Monday to Friday from 09:00hrs to 12:00hrs daily.

The CSKA is housed at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) pavilion.

Annual Seven Seas 11-race cycle programme set for tomorrow

THE inner circuit of the National Park comes alive tomorrow when cycle coach/ coordinator Hassan Mohamed runs off the 14th Annual Seven Seas-sponsored 11-race cycle programme beginning at 09:00hrs.

The feature event will be the normal 35-lap race for Schoolboys, Novices and Invitational riders.

The defending champion of the event is Team Evolution’s Michael Anthony who registered one hour 18 minutes

15.25 seconds in winning the event last year.

There will also be a 10lap race for Juveniles and this event will have Briton Jo hn hoping to make a successful defence of the title he won last year in a time of 24 minutes 34.59 seconds.

A five-lap race is open to Veterans Under-45 years and the defending champion is Eion Jackson who won the race last year in a time of 11 minutes 53.24 seconds.

There will also be a five-

lap race for Mountain Bikers of which Stephen Gobin is the defending champion. He had clocked 12 minutes 19 seconds in winning the event last year.

Last year’s three-lap race for Boys and Girls 12-14 years of age was won by Adelie Hodge last year.

Nirwanna Thakur and Karen Cornell, representatives of the sponsors, Massy Group of Companies, are expected to be on hand to make the presentation of prizes to the respective winners.

final session. Sri Lanka welcomed back skipper Dinesh Chandimal, who missed the Galle Test, with pneumonia, and effected three changes overall in their bid to level the threematch series against the top ranked Indian team.

SCOREBOARD

INDIA 1st innings S. Dhawan lbw b D. Perera 35 L. Rahul run-out 57 C. Pujara not out 128 V. Kohli c Mathews b Herath 13 A. Rahane not out 103 Extras: (b-4, lb-3, nb-1) 8 Total: (for 3 wickets, 90 overs) 344 Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-109, 3-133.

Bowling: Nuwan Pradeep 17.42-63-0, Rangana Herath 24-383-1, Dimuth Karunaratne 3-0-10-0, Dilruwan Perera 18-2-68-1 (nb-1), Malinda Pushpakumara 19.2-0-82-0, Dhananjaya de Silva 8-0-31-0.

India’s Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane celebrate in Colombo.

Eight teams confirmed for Guyana Primier Softball Cup

By Rajiv Bisnauth

EIGHT teams, including three from the United States of America have confirmed their participation for Guyana’s Primier Softball Cup. Dubbed the ‘Prime Minister’s Cup’, the three-day tournament is billed for October 27, 28 and 29.

According to secretary of the Georgetown Softball Cricket Association Inc. (GSCL Inc.) Telesha Ousman, four teams each from the Masters and All Stars categories confirmed their participation on Tuesday evening.

The teams in the Masters category are: New York Hustlers, New York President’s

X1, Regal and HS Masters of Guyana, while in the All Stars category, SVC All Stars of the USA, Regal Farm and Speedboat have confirmed their participation.

Aimed at attracting 16 teams, eight each in the Masters and All Stars categories, the first 16 teams to register will participate in the tournament.

Players must be over the age of 45 in order to play in the Masters category, while the All Stars format is open to all ages.

Entrance is free.

The Over-45 category will make the champions $500 000 richer while in the All Stars category the winning team will collect $600 000.

The proposed venues are the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC), Everest Cricket Club, Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO), Police and GNIC. Teams registering for the Over-45 category must submit photo identification, preferably valid passports for every member of their 15-man squad.

Registration will be done through Russel Jadbeer on 626-8228 or 226-4205.

The official launch of the tournament is set for August 25.

The tournament is being held in collaboration the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

OMSCC Toronto Cup II bowls off today … GFSCA among teams battling for supremacy

By Frederick Halley TORONTO, Canada – After last night’s delightful and colourful meet and greet at the Tropical Nights Restaurant and Bar here, it’s down to serious business as the 2017 Ontario Masters Cricket Clubs Toronto Cup II swings into gear here today with 12 teams, four in the Open category and eight in the Masters, starting their quest for top honours at several venues across Scarborough.

Picking a winner in either division seems an arduous task in the three-day tournament which climaxes on Sunday with the two finals, set for the University of Toronto ground.

Preliminary matches will be played at Ashtonbee, Littles and St Bede’s.

With both defending champions, New York Enforcers and Toronto’s Our Own opting out of this year’s tournament, two new champions will be crowned at the end of what is expected to be two enthralling finals come Sunday at the picturesque venue. Of note, however, is the fact that several of the players from both New York Enforcers and Our Own will be donning colours for other

teams.

Notable absentees in the Open category are the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL), reigning champions, and current Conference A leaders Dant who were runners-up to New York Enforcers in 2015.

While Dant’s absence

aloft come Sunday.

A p a r t f ro m t h e e v er-green Parasnauth, Sunshine’s batting will hinge on the elegant Richard Latiff, whose exploits with Guyana’s Regal are well known around softball circles, including a match-winning masterful display in the 2016 New York

hamed, they are a supremely buoyant bunch whose aim is to cart off the championship.

Fresh off a brilliant century in the Elite League of the Scarborough Cricket Association, Abdool Samad is also a fine batsman at the softball level and will team up with the likes of Dilon Heyliger, Surujpaul

NYSCA All Stars but with the influx of several seasoned former Guyanese players among their contingent they cannot be underrated.

The Masters category also promises lots of action with the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA), led by Rickey

GFSCA’S Rickey Deonarine

Sunshine’s Mahendranauth ‘Bobby’ Parasnauth

Rems-Tech All Stars’ Surujpaul Deosarran

SVC Mafia’s Anil Beharry

is a huge blow to the local supporters, Sunshine and Rems-Tech All Stars are more than capable of holding their own against the New York contenders in NYSCL All-Stars and SVC/Mafia Cricket Club.

Victorious Our Own skipper Mahedranauth ‘Bobby’ Parasnauth, who is now at the helm of Sunshine, has exuded an air of confidence in his charges and according to him, he’s confident his team will be holding the winners’ trophy

Legends Cup final.

The team also includes the likes of Loaknauth Ramsuchit, who led Dant in the last final, Asif Ally, Anil Mahadeo, Riaz Kadir, Trevon Garraway, Zaheer Haniff, Krishna Deosarran, Anil Ramoutar and Avinash Sookdeo. Zanil Jumarali is manager while Paris Tulsi is the coordinator.

Led by former Guyana Under-19 batsman Eyaaz Mohamed, Rems-Tech All Stars are not to be taken lightly and according to Mo-

Deosarran, Sheik and Zakir Khan. Ian ‘Russian’ Baldeo is player/coach.

Reports indicated that several of Regal and Wolf Warriors players are part of the SVC/Mafia Cricket Club from New York and they are expected to also provide stiff opposition. Among the notable names are Martin ‘Beast’ Dutchin, Navin Singh, Anil Beharry, Azad Azeez, Rocky Randy and Anand Nezamuddin.

Much is not known of the

Deonarine, fancying their chances of coming out on top this time around after losing to Our Own in the 2015 final.

GFSCA Masters are coming off a resounding victory over Regal Masters at the Roy Wilkins Park, Queen’s New York where Ravi Lutchman blasted a match-winning undefeated 112.

The formidable GFSCA, who are threatening to come with all guns blazing, will do battle with NYSCL Legends, NY Hustlers, Tri-State Mus-

lims, Ontario Masters Legends (OMSCC/Host, League Team), Ontario Masters Softball International (OMSI – Ontario Masters Touring Team), Amazon Warriors (New Jersey) and Better Hope Legacy.

The winners in both categories are assured of cash prizes. In addition, the victorious teams and runners-up in both categories, the most valuable players, and the men-of-thematch in the finals are assured of trophies plus medals compliments of the Trophy Stall of Guyana. Proprietor Ramesh Sunich will be on hand to assist with the presentation of trophies. The white balls to be used are the Trophy Stall branded white balls.

Among the other sponsors are Tropical Nights Restaurant and Lounge, Nirad Lall. Bhowan Persaud, Dr Rudy Singh, (Vitality Physical Medicine), Jenny Tajpaul (ReMax), Robert Lall (GL Carpentry), Demand Maintenance, All Trade Rentals, AJ Hardyal (Dent Wizard), Paul Jaman (Reliance Lions), Danny Suknandan (PGI Ltd), Raymond (First-Class Printing) and Naz Shaw (Saf Fire Restaurant and Bar).

Petra/Corona Beer football PSG sign Barcelona forward Neymar for world record 222 million euros Invitational continues tonight FOOTBALL action continues this evening in the Petra-organised Corona Invitational tournament at the GFC ground with a triple- header.

In the first of the games from 17:00hrs, the Beacons team will take on Black Pearl FC in a gauntlet battle to determine the better of the two.

Game two pits Pele FC and Flamingo FC against each other in a battle of arch rivalry that dates back many years while in the final game of the evening Santos FC will play Northern Rangers.

South Africa Racing Tips Fairview 08:35 hrs Rippit Whippet 09:10 hrs Tevez 09:45 hrs Battle Creek 10:25 hrs Northern Ballet 11:00 hrs Cherry Bliss

12:20 hrs Peace Dreamer 12:55 hrs Rowlestonerendezvu 13:25 hrs Sunbreak 14:00 hrs Game Starter 14:30 hrs Summer Chorus 15:00 hrs Kunani 15:30 hrs Clear Spring

English Racing Tips Thirsk 08:40 hrs Jean Paget 09:10 hrs Tulip Fever 09:45 hrs John Kirkup 10:20 hrs Mitchum Swagger 10:55 hrs Sheriff Garrett 11:30 hrs Ingleby Mackenzie 12:00 hrs Creek Walk 12:35 hrs Sea Of Green

Irish Racing Tips Galway 12:10 hrs Top Of the Ra 12:45 hrs Warm The Voice 13:15 hrs On Fiddlers Green 13:50 hrs Whiskey Sour 14:25 hrs Dawn Choir 14:55 hrs Cosy Club 15:25 hrs Vigil

Goodwood 08:50 hrs Lord Yeats 09:25 hrs Beat The Bank 10:00 hrs Blair House 10:35 hrs Profitable 11:10 hrs Gift In Time 11:40 hrs Al Jazi 12:15 hrs Swiftsure Newmarket

American Racing Tips Saratoga Race 1 Sand City Race 2 Luna Rising Race 3 Switzerland Race 4 Pauseforthecause Race 5 Forge Race 6 Style Drift Race 7 Lifelong Dreamer Race 8 Petrov Race 9 Caviar Czar

PARIS St-Germain (PSG) have signed Brazil forward Neymar for a world record fee of 222 million euros (£200M) from Barcelona.

The deal for the 25-yearold smashes the previous record set when Paul Pogba returned to Manchester United from Juventus for £89M in August 2016.

Neymar will earn 45 million euros (£40.7M) a year – 865 000 euros (£782 000) a week - before tax from the initial five-year deal, a total outlay of £400M. Barcelona told French club PSG they must pay the transfer fee “in full”.

A LATE SNAG? After weeks of speculation, Neymar arrived for training with Barcelona on Wednesday with his father and representative, and told the Spanish club he wanted

to leave.

He was then given permission by Barca manager Ernesto Valverde to leave to “sort out his future”.

In Spain, a release clause can only be activated by a player buying himself out of his contract.

the negotiations continued.

La Liga believes PSG are violating UEFA’S Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules and Barcelona previously said they would report PSG to European football’s governing body UEFA for a FFP breach.

Neymar reportedly said goodbye to his Barcelona team-mates at training on Wednesday.

But when Neymar’s lawyers attempted to make the deposit yesterday, La Liga officials rejected the payment. Further statements followed from all sides as

PSG believes La Liga was acting unlawfully, while the French league (LFP) said it was “surprised” and urged its Spanish counterpart to “abide by the FIFA

rules”.

S o l a t e r y e s t e r d a y, Neymar’s representatives paid the 222 million euros (£200M) fee at Barca’s offices instead.

FFP rules, first implemented during the 201112 season, stipulate that European clubs cannot outspend what they earn by more than 30 million euros.

PSG is backed by money from Gulf state Qatar and La Liga president Javier Tebas has accused the French club of “financial doping”.

Neymar joined Spanish giants Barca in 2013 and has won two La Liga titles and one Champions League PSG reached the last eight of the Champions League last season - knocked out by a Neymar-inspired Barcelona - and were beaten to the French title by Monaco.

29

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Resaul is top performer at the ITF/COTECC Three Guyanese in SCA Under-12 Development Championships Under-17 squad to face Dallas VADEANAND Resaul of Sheltez Tennis club was the spark for the future of Guyana’s tennis at the pre-qualifying rounds of the ITF/ COTECC Under-12 Development Championships held recently at the National Racquet Centre, Trinidad and Tobago.

Two teams of three boys, Devine Jeremiah Kalekyezi, Vadeanand Resaul, Wayne Baker and three girls Sekai Akilah Jones, Monisha Amba Persaud, and Rashida Hardy represented Guyana in our 10th participation at the tournament.

Winning three of his four singles matches, young Guyanese tennis player Resaul was the top performer at the pre-qualifying rounds of the ITF/COTECC Under-12 Development Championships held recently at the National Racquet Centre, Trinidad.

Overall, however, Guyana’s Boys’ team finished in third place out of 10 countries, according to a press release from the Guyana Tennis Association. The team, comprising Resaul, Baker and Kalekyezi had been favoured for one of the two top spots. However, they came up short.

Aside from his singles wins Resaul, also picked up two wins from his four doubles match, where he teamed up with Baker.

Playing as the No. 2 seed for Guyana, Resaul signalled his intention from the start, winning the first match of the tournament, and immediately caught the attention of coaches with his consistent focus on and off court and emotional outbursts at pivotal points in a game.

He prevailed in tough matches even when there was much pressure playing against a Trinidadian for his final singles match.

Guyana’s No. 1 seed Kalekyezi was a strong favourite but managed to secure only two wins of his four singles matches. It was clear that Kalekyezi never

really overcame his nervousness as he followed into other player’s tactics such as two mega rallies of over 100 balls each in the final singles match against a Trinidadian top player.

Team coach Shelly Daly was ecstatic about Resaul’s performance, noting that he is one of the most confident players that her club has experienced in years and he usually executes on court one hundred

45 minutes to come out as the victor against a Barbadian.

She won two of her five singles matches.

GLTA vice-president and Girls team captain Grace McCalman felt that the girls were pressured to quickly adapt to the pristine environment of multiple courts but they practised often and were disciplined enough to fight bravely against the odds visibly improving each day.

gion 4,” was explained in the release.

“The president of the Tennis Association of Trinidad & Tobago Mr Hayden Mitchell is also the president of Sub Region 4.

During the visit Ms McCalman in her capacity as GLTA executive member sought to collaborate with Trinidad officials for specific categories of players to participate in limited competiCricket Ontario president Praim Persaud

Team coach Shelly Daly, (right) with GLTA’s Grace McCalman and the participants

percent as planned.

“He is mentally the toughest and is highly motivated,” she said.

The six players many of whom are products of their school mini–tennis programme were all coached by Daly and she is confident that Guyana has a bright future in tennis with the current crop of young players.

Jones the #1 seed of the Girls’ team lost all five of her singles matches but her partnership with the young Hardy produced two wins. The surprise performance came from Persaud, the No. 2 seed, who showed strong signs of mental strength and patience with long rallies in her matches even enduring a match of 3 hours

“All players learned significant lessons from the tournament which is ITF’s premier development tournament to determine how nations are preparing the next generation players,” the release said.

The revised approach to the tournament defined four sub-regions of which Guyana falls into sub-region 4 excluding Central American territories. This was a welcome move along with the Davis Cup Format for 3 member teams.

“The recently commissioned National Tennis Centre of Trinidad which accommodates 12 tennis courts including four indoor courts and one stadium court hosts the office of the Committee of Sub Re-

tions in Guyana to stimulate interest for development of the sport locally.

It is a year and three months since GLTA has been awaiting the signing of an MOU with the National Sports Commission, to jumpstart the process of developing eight international standard courts, at the National Racquet Centre for an improved training programme and the hosting of international tournaments.

In order to facilitate coaches conducting high performance programmes, the GLTA continues to depend on the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry for provision of adequate facilities - a kind gesture for which the executive is grateful.”

TORONTO, Canada – Three Guyana-based players have been included in an 11-man Under-17 squad selected by Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) to play against Dallas Cricket Academy in a feature 40-over clash set for the L’Amoreaux cricket ground, Scarborough, starting at 11:30hrs today.

The players are brothers Devin and Navin Nauth and Kevin Persaud who are members of Superstars Cricket Club.

In welcoming the touring party from the Dallas Cricket Academy, Cricket Ontario longstanding president, Guyanese Praim Persaud pointed out “this is an excellent initiative in the interest of initiating bilateral competitions and cricket development in both countries.”

According to Persaud, “Where better to start than the grassroots level of youth cricket as this is where our future cricketer stars will grow and build their skills and potentials as they strive to represent their respective countries’ national teams.”

Persaud disclosed that he “would like to thank the management of both Cricket Ontario and Dallas for taking the time and efforts to make this exchange a reality.

Special thanks to Shah Safar and Jag Poosarla as well as our members who are hosting the academy.

“Good luck to all teams competing and I hope our visiting youths have a great tournament and enjoy their time and experience in Ontario.”

The SCA squad reads: Aharan Nithiyapalan, Anoop Chima, Devin Nauth, Kevin Persaud, Azeem Pandya, Eton Gibson, Sujan Bohora, Rohan Jaggernauth, Fardin Anwar, Gurtej Sandhu, Navin Nauth. The manager/coach is Guyanese Vish Jadunauth while the umpires are Ashook Brijcoomar and Neville Sarju.

(Frederick Halley)

DCC Summer Camp begins August 7 THE Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) summer camp will commence on August 7 to 25 at the club’s Queenstown, Georgetown ground.

The 15-day camp specifically targets children aged seven years to the Under-17 level, and is aimed at ensuring the youngsters learn the joys of cricket, while acquiring and developing the basic skills of the game.

The programme also in-

volves classroom style ses-

Reon King

Travis Dowlin

sions, lectures by a variety of expert presenters, cricket and fitness drills, game simulations and matches.

Quality and experienced coaching will be done

by Travis Dowlin, Garvin Nedd, Mark Harper, Reon King and Orin Bailey.

Registration fee is $6 000, and interested participants can make contact with Dennis Squires (club captain) on 665-7400, Nedd

(club coach) on 617-9381) and Harper (technical director of the camp) on 6110735, 678-9973.

Registration forms can be uplifted at the club after 16:00hrs daily or contact can be made on 226-2006 or 665-7400.

Refreshment and lunch will be provided. A dress code will be in effect, and confirmed participants are asked to attire in track pants

or short pants, white tee or polo shirts, track boots and socks.

Youths will be placed in groups according to their age and skill level. Participants are encouraged to walk with their own equipment, water bottle, rag and hats.

However, DCC will provide gear for participants to use as well. The camp runs from 09:00hrs to 15:00hrs daily.

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

Guyana Cup horserace meet launched

Baird focuses on new season after - Jones commended organisers for their role towards horse racing development missing out of World Championships WORLD Junior silver med- scheduling fee, which the girls

(From left) Mortimer Stewart, Christopher Jones, Nazrudeen Mohammed Jr, Rawle Nedd and Compton Sancho.

(Photo: Rajiv Bisnauth)

By Rajiv Bisnauth REGARDED as the largest horserace meet in the Caribbean, the 11th annual Guyana Cup was officially launched yesterday at the Jumbo Jet Auto Sales Office at 92 Smyth Street, Stabroek, Georgetown.

The mega event is billed for August 13 at the Rising Sun Turf Club in West Berbice.

During yesterday’s event, Director of Sport Christopher Jones pointed out that the National Sports Commission (NSC), and by extension the Government of Guyana stand committed in the development of horse racing.

According to Jones, horse racing, and more so the Guyana Cup has over the years been recognised as a tourism package.

“Recently we hosted the

tourism workshop, and we would have indicated that activities like horse racing and car racing attract thousands of persons from overseas and we hope that this tourism package can develop,” the Director of Sport echoed.

Jones added, “By virtue of the fact that this is a tourism package, the Government of Guyana is only too supportive to lend support to such an activity”.

The Director of Sport congratulated the organisers for managing an event of such magnitude, and at the same time called on the organisers to ensure all security measures are in place for the day’s event.

Chief coordinator Nazrudeen Mohammed Jr, in his remarks pointed out that the event is not only about horse racing, but also for the entire family.

According to Mohammed Jr, preparations for the event are moving apace, with most of the logistics already in place.

He also noted that rehabilitation works on the grandstand and track are ongoing.

Mohammed Jr further indicated that security measures will definitely be at its best, since he anticipates the biggest crowd in the history of Guyana Cup. Both Banks DIH Outdoor Events Manager Mortimer Stewart and Banks Beer Brand Manager (Trainee) Rawle Nedd noted that the beverage company is proud to be a part of the Guyana Cup for another year.

Eight races are carded for the day’s event, with close to $20M in cash prizes as well as other incentives at stake.

The feature event is for

horses classified `B’ and Lower, battling over 1600 metres with the winner pocketing $2M. The co-feature event is open to E3 and Lower horses (open to all imported and Guyana-bred three-year-olds and up, rated E Class and Lower) and they will contest a 1200 metres race with the winner receiving $1.2M. Other races billed for the day are G1 and Lower, H2 and Lower, two-year-old Guyana-bred, three-year-old Guyana-bred and I1 and Lower, J2 and K and Lower and L and Lower non-winners.

Meanwhile, for the first time a fifth place prize will be awarded to horse owners.

Admission to the venue is $2 000 for adults while children will enter the venue at no cost. Race time is 11:30hrs.

Roach, Chase shine on final day for West Indies CHELMSFORD, England (CMC) – Kemar Roach’s impressive five-wicket haul and Roston Chase’s second half-century, highlighted the final day of West Indies’ drawn three-day first class game against English County Essex here yesterday.

Right-armer Roach added two wickets to his overnight tally to end with five for 43 as Essex rallied to declare their first innings on 185 for nine at the County Ground.

Paul Walter, at number seven, held the hosts’ innings together with an unbeaten 68 after it tottered at 56 for six in the morning session.

Batting a second time, the Windies quickly found themselves in trouble at 30 for three after Walter struck twice with his left-arm seam to leave the innings in strife.

But the right-handed Chase carved out his second

half-century of the contest with an unbeaten 50 while Shai Hope struck 46, as West Indies ended on 135 for four.

Roston Chase carves out his second half-century of the match.

Walter (2-14) and 20-yearold seamer Callum Taylor (220) both finished with two wickets apiece.

Resuming the day on 47 for four after the last two sessions of Wednesday’s second day were washed out, West Indies struck in the

fifth over of the day when captain and fast bowler Jason Holder removed Taylor for 13 with the score on 52, caught low down at third third slip by Kyle Hope.

Three overs later, lefthander Nick Browne followed in similar fashion, nicking Roach to Hope at third slip, after failing to add to his overnight 16 in the 24 additional deliveries faced.

However, Walter and Aron Nijjar, who made 30, propped up the innings in a 50-run, seventh-wicket stand.

Walter struck nine fours and a six off 139 deliveries while Nijjar counted six fours in a breezy 37-ball innings.

Pacer Miguel Cummins, who ended with two for 43, broke the stand when he had Nijjar caught at slip by Kieran Powell and Roach claimed his five-wicket haul when he had Aaron Beard playing on for 10.

On 138 for eight at lunch, Essex fared well afterwards as Walter and Matt Dixon put on a defiant 53 for the ninth wicket to hold up the Windies march.

Wa l t e r re t u r n e d t o haunt the Caribbean side with the ball again, claiming Kraigg Brathwaite caught at the wicket for two in the second over before bowling Kyle Hope first ball without scoring in his next over.

When Powell was taken at the wicket off Taylor for 27 off 26 balls, the Windies were slumping badly but Chase and Shai Hope put on an attractive 82 for the fourth wicket to restore order.

Chase faced 80 balls and struck eight fours and a six while Hope’s innings consumed 59 deliveries and included nine fours.

West Indies face Kent on Sunday in their second three-day tour match.

allist Kadecia Baird is now putting her focus on preparing for the new season, after suffering the disappointment of not being able to represent Guyana at the IAAF World Championships, which starts today in London.

were unable to pay.

“It’s obvious that anyone would be happy to compete for their country and it’s unfortunate that it won’t happen but it’s time for me to refocus on my goals,” Baird said.

In earlier reports from the

Kadecia Baird

Winston George

“Right now my focus is just getting better as an athlete. I’m just going to refocus on what I need to do to get my body right for the new season,” the athlete told Chronicle Sport.

The 22-year-old US-based Guyanese had qualified to represent Guyana in the women’s 200m, along with national record holder Brenessa Thompson.

Athletics Association of Guyana, however, it was indicated that it was athlete Winston George who was being faced with a visa fee, while Thompson and Baird had already submitted their applications and the fee was waived.

However, according to reports, George will be participating at the Championships in the men’s 400m, which runs off

Brenessa Thompson

Troy Doris

Thompson had also clocked a qualifying time for the women’s 100m.

However both Baird and Thompson were unable to travel to London, after a reported, missed visa appointment date, which attracted a US$300 re-

this Saturday. Guyana will also be represented in the men’s triple jump by another overseas-based athlete, Troy Doris.

The men’s triple jump is set to begin on Monday with the qualification round. (Tamica Garnett)

Sinclair frustrates Barbados with a top score of 93 BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC) – Kevin Sinclair narrowly missed out on a hundred as Guyana frustrated Barbados to draw their third round game in the Regional Under-19 Championship here yesterday.

Kevin Sinclair

Resuming the final day at Verchilds on 75 for two, Guyana batted for most of the day before declaring their second innings on 246 for eight, with Sinclair top-scoring with 93.

Ramnarine Chatura chipped in with 45 while Kevelon Anderson added 35. Raymond Perez made 29 on Wednesday’s

second day.

Leg-spinner Shavon Brooks claimed four for 49 while leftarm spinner Camarie Boyce supported with two for 40.

Set an improbable 192 for victory, Barbados were 19 for one from 12 overs when the game was abandoned.

It was Sinclair’s innings which made the difference on the day, however. With Guyana starting the day just 10 runs ahead, Sinclair ensured there was no collapse as he produced an innings lasting 224 balls, a shade over four hours and containing four fours and a six.

Pivotally, he put on 102 for the fifth wicket with Chatura who struck four fours in an innings off 114 deliveries.

When Chatura became Brooks’ first wicket of the day, Sinclair added 22 for the sixth wicket with Adrian Sukwah (10) and 25 for the seventh with Richie Looknauth (13) to further frustrate the Barbadians.

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

GHB unveils plastic floor for CASH ahead of PAN AM hockey championships By: Stephan Sookram THE Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) yesterday unveiled a plastic floor laid at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall as part of their preparations to host the Pan American Indoor Hockey championships 2017.

Presented to the media yesterday, the floor, which can function for many disciplines including basketball, futsal and volleyball will be used for the showpiece tournament.

Addressing the media, GHB president Philip Fernandes contended that the floor is similar to what is used in North America and after a meeting with the Director of Sport Christopher Jones, approval was given to import and lay the tiles.

“Hockey has been in the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall for some time and then it was moved to the National Gymnasium because of the inadequacy of the floor.

While the floor was in good

condition for many other sports like basketball etc, for hockey, it required an

Federation that is that whilst we have a great facility, here, is that we can in fact correct

the games in just over two months’ time.

The sport director, who

The newly laid plastic tiles of the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall absolutely true surface and the wooden floor posed some challenges for us,” the GHB boss said.

Fernandes added, “One of the requirements we had to assure the Pan American

the problem of the floor and improve the surface for the hockey ball to roll on.”

He noted that in the coming weeks, the floor will be tested to the limit to ensure a flawless performance at

was also on hand for yesterday’s visit, noted that the quality of the tiles will ensure that several other disciplines, in the long run, can use the surface for practice and tournaments.

“Of course, the sport commission was only very supportive of this to ensure that every opportunity that presented itself would ensure that Guyana is able to host these games,” Jones said.

He noted that the return of hockey to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall now means that there is a slot opened for another discipline at the National Gymnasium and the NSC is considering futsal.

The floor features boundary lines for futsal, basketball and volleyball as

well as hockey at the moment and has already been fully laid at the Homestrech Ave venue.

Meanwhile the October tournament will feature seven teams, namely Guyana, Argentina, Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago and the USA with all of them strong contenders for the gold although Canada remain the favourites having won the competition a record four times out of six.

Guyana have competed on three occasions in this competition, resulting in a 4th place finish in 2005, fifth place in 2010 and their best showing, 3rd place in the last competition held in 2014 in Montevideo, Uruguay.

32

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, August 4, 2017

GHB unveils plastic floor for CASH ahead of PAN AM See hockey championships Page 31

US Embassy helping to grow basketball through Sports Diplomacy

Agnus Berenato, women’s head coach at Kennesaw State University, demonstrates to some players what is required of them in the next drill.

By: Rawle Toney UNDER their ‘Sports Diplomacy’ initiative, the United States Embassy in Georgetown yesterday wrapped up a basketball clinic that was headlined by Elvis Valcarcel, assistant coach for Player Development for the New Orleans Pelicans, Agnus Berenato, women’s head coach at Kennesaw State University and former WNBA star guard Allison Feaster.

Over 50 participants, both male and female, gathered at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and were educated on training regimens and techniques, physical fitness and nutrition. “ We ’ r e b r i n g i n g o u r knowledge of the game here for the youths to build enthusiasm, build pride and build passion for the game. But also, we’re here to build on our knowledge of the game as well. We know basketball is a two-way street” Valcarcel

told reporters before taking the court.

Valcarcel, who spent the last decade of his life working in the world’s most popular professional basketball league (NBA), spoke of the importance of continued outreach programmes, adding “the NBA is not about growing their franchise or the association; it’s about helping to grow the game.

“I know basketball can take you to a lot a places; me

Kares Engineering Inc. is the new title sponsor for Boyce and Jefford Classic

Organiser Edison Jefford (centre right) collects the sponsorship package from Kares Engineering Inc. Brand Ambassador Paul Meusa, as Organiser Colin Boyce (right), Communications Consultant Mondale Smith (left) and others look on.

By: Tamica Garnett Boyce and Jefford Com- to renew their sponsorship this mittee Co-chairman, Edison year, after a seven-year partnerKARES` Engineering Inc. Jefford, formally announced at ship with the event. has “risen to the challenge” a press briefing yesterday that Chairman of the Boyce and comes on board with the anticipated event has been and Jefford Committee Colin the annual Boyce and Jef- rebranded the ‘Kares Engi- Boyce, showered praise on ford Track and Field Classic, neering Inc./Boyce and Jefford the engineering company officially signing on as the Track and Field Classic”. for taking up the mantle and title sponsor for the lucrative Kares came on board after making it possible for the event, which goes down next the former main sponsor of the event to continue, thanking weekend, August 12-13, at event, telecommunications giTurn to page 26 the MSC ground, Linden. ant Digicel found it “difficult”

L-R: Allison Feaster, Director of Sport Christopher Jones, US Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Terry Steers-Gonzalez; Agnus Berenato, women’s head coach at Kennesaw State University and by Elvis Valcarcel, assistant coach for Player Development for the New Orleans Pelicans. (Adrian Narine photos) personally, it has taken me all over, helped me to meet a lot of people, culture and so on.

So that’s what the NBA is trying to grow.”

The US Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Terry Steers-Gonzalez, explained the importance of diplomacy in sports, telling the gathering of student athletes and coaches, that “a lot of diplomacy and a lot of what we do, not only at the US Embassy, but interacting with Guyana and

Guyanese, has to do with finding compromise, working as a team and working under hard situations, as well as learning how to be graceful. That’s what this activity is all about.”

Director of Sport Christopher Jones said the National Sports Commission (NSC) was happy to partner with the US Embassy on the programme.

According to Jones, “Sports throughout the world unite people” while further

stating that “essentially, this programme will empower our athletes and basketball in general.”

“The NSC lauds the US Embassy and rest assured this is not the first and final and we will be knocking on the doors of the Embassy, to ensure that similar programmes are had in 2018 and beyond, or, perhaps even further if we expose some of our athletes for a camp,” Jones said.

Bolt on show for final time as IAAF World Championships opens today

LONDON, England (CMC) – The track and field world is set to bid farewell to the greatest sprinter of all-time in Usain Bolt when the IAAF World Championships gets going here this weekend.

Jamaican Bolt, a legend of the sport, will race for the

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final time at the August 4-13 showpiece before calling time on a decorated career that has brought him multiple World and Olympic titles over the last decade.

A n 11 - t i m e Wo r l d champion, Bolt, despite winning the men’s 200m at the last four World Cham-

pionships, will only settle for the 100m this time around.

And despite having only three 100m races this season and a season-best of 9.95 seconds, the irrepressible athlete told journalists he was

Turn to page 26 FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017