Issuu

TUESDAY 16th April, 2019

No.105609

PPP/C hires firm named in probe into Russia's meddling in U.S. elections …pays $31.4M up-front for services

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All set for NGSA 2019

…innovative teaching techniques, MoE ‘mock exams’ among strategies 10 PAGE

A Grade Six teacher at the North Georgetown Primary school refreshes her students on a science topic as they squeeze in some last minute revision for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) [Delano Williams photo]

Two killed in separate EBD accidents SEE STORIES ON PAGES 11&16 ►

Manganese workers went into tunnels unprotected …authorities confirm several diagnosed with histoplasmosis

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Relief for Bonasika farmers

…as Reg. 3 administration clears all major canals

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SOCU must stay

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

–– GTUC rejects PPP calls for disbandment of unit –– says party’s motive for setting up SOCU suspect

THE Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) says that the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) must get the requisite resources, skills and staff to function, even as it rejects calls by the opposition for its disbandment. SOCU has brought numerous charges against opposition members, with its Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali, facing some 19 fraud charges. In a statement issued on Monday, the GTUC said that in June 2014, then government spokesperson, Dr. Roger Luncheon, reportedly said that the purpose for the establishment of SOCU was to investigate money laundering and other financial crimes. According to GTUC, “other financial crimes” is a broad mandate, and can

Flashback! Led by SOCU head, Sydney James, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo exited the offices of SOCU after being questioned about fraud allegations involving the sale of lands at Pradoville 2. He was accompanied by Sase Gunraj and his lawyer, Opposition MP, Anil Nandlall (Adrian Narine photo)

include investigating State/ government officials on the acquisition of property in Pradoville II, which is seen as ill-gotten gains. “For the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) to call for the Unit's closure suggests the consideration given to its establishment was for another purpose and not what it had publicly said. Or, that its enforcement should apply to others and not them. SOCU has a place and function in a society crawling with corruption. We must ensure it gets the requisite resources, right skills-set and the right quantity of staff to function. “GTUC calls for capacity building so this agency can serve its purpose,” the umbrella trade union movement said in its statement. According to SOCU, it is

instructive when investigation is being conducted into the perceived infractions of politicians, they are quick to cry witch hunt; yet when similar actions are carried out on the ordinary citizens, said politicians will call for the system to work. “The double standards tell that they expect the laws they participate in making, to apply for others; not them.” CAN’T FAIL The GTUC said society cannot allow SOCU to fail, noting that mismanagement only benefits those who are corrupting the system. “The question here is not about transferring or dismissing workers; TURN TO PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

PPP/C hires firm named in probe into Russia's meddling in U.S. elections …pays $31.4M up-front for services In what appeared to be a desperate bid to return to office the Bharrat Jagdeo-led People’s Progressive Party has hired the scandal-hit United States lobby group- Mercury Public Affairs to help run its elections campaign. The firm is currently embroiled in the probe into Russian interference in U.S. elections. Jagdeo is quoted in the PPP-run INews Guyana as saying that the move is “proactive” and shows that the party understands “modern geopolitics”. He added: “This is how American policy is shaped and the most effective way to counter APNU/AFC misrepresentation…” He said too that the hiring of the firm “is a small one to pay for the protection of our democracy and it is a harbinger of how a future PPPC administration will influence policy decisions regarding our country in a very positive manner”. Jagdeo has had a history of hiring persons with questionable reputation. During his Presidency he had contracted disgraced former New York Police Department head Bernard Kerik as his security adviser and had refused to go back on his decision despite the many negative reports

about Kerik and his past. Kerik later withdrew from the assignment. Kerik was sentenced to four years in prison in February 2010 after a federal judge blasted him for using his high-profile part in the city’s 9/11 response to make money. Kerik’s guilty plea in a November 2009 plea deal including admissions that he lied to the White House, filed false tax returns and lied about US$255,000 in work done by a mob-linked contractor. THE CONTRACT The contract signed on March 5, 2019 by PPP Executive Secretary, Zulfikar Mustapha. According to the contract which was seen by this newspaper the firm will provide strategic consulting and management services specific to issues facing the party in areas of government relations and issues management. The services according to contract shall include but not limited to representing the party before and arranging meetings with the Executive Branch and the Congress of the United States, the Organisation of American States and think-tanks in connection with issues relating

PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo outside of Capitol Hill, Washington, DC for the promised meeting with US Congressmen

to the anticipated general and regional elections. Additionally, according to the contract the PPP agreed to pay the firm US$ 150,000, US$100,000 of which had to be paid at the time of the signing of the contract on and the remainder on May 1, 2019. The PPP also agreed to pay and reimburse the firm for all business expenses in providing the services for it. The party also has to pay the lobby firm for all filing fees, costs and expenses paid or incurred related to compliance requirements in any jurisdictions.

PROBE STILL ON Only on Monday Reuters News agency reported that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe of Russian interference in U.S. politics is over, but prosecutors are still investigating two prominent Washington lobbyists for their work for the former pro-Russian government of Ukraine, according to three sources close to the probe. According to the Reuters rep[ort in a sign that evidence from Mueller's 22-month investigation may yet ensnare more prominent Washing-

SOCU must ... it is about using the information that came out of the audit to help in strengthening the organisation so it can better perform in the future. Too often recommendations about transferring, demoting and dismissal are not founded and guided by any universally acceptable principle but knee-jerk reaction to say corrective action was taken and case closed. We have to move away from such thinking and action.” The union said that fighting corruption has to be done on several levels, and that one must look at the entire system. “At the end of the day, it is taxpayers’ money not being properly spent, and could have gone into other areas of need. From information gleaned, SOCU’s activities are, in many ways, flawed: Inadequate manpower, inadequate skills-set, poor accounting system and filing for retrieval and accountability. You cannot put a man to do something that he knows nothing about, and expect him to function. It is about suitability for the job.” On the back of revelations of al-

leged fraud, falsification of records, misuse and pilfering of monies, the PPP last week called for SOCU to be disbanded. In a statement, the party said that from the inception, it had been publicly complaining that SOCU has derogated from its original mandate of combatting organised crimes and money laundering, and has been reduced to a “rogue unit carrying out political directions to witch hunt PPP leaders and shake down the business community under the pretext of crime fighting.” The party said too, that over the years, they have allegedly received multiple reports from businessmen that SOCU officers have extracted from them huge sums of monies as bribes, and seized large caches of jewellery, monies and other personal valuables, including quantities of foreign currencies, from their premises, without due process. Most, if not all, of the present officers at SOCU were recruited under the PPP administration. INTEGRITY COMMISSION

Meanwhile, the GTUC commented on the state of the Integrity Act and the need for it to be properly financed and staffed. It alluded to calls from Chairman of the Commission, Kumar Doraisami imploring the government to rectify the situation, and officials to comply with the Act, and noted that in December 2018, the government made a commitment to the Commission that by January 2019, it will have its full complement of staff. “It must now move with alacrity to honour same. It is a sad day for this nation that the Commission does not have the staff, including the investigative officers, needed to do a proper a job. These can be considered acts at undermining its effectiveness. You cannot put things in place and they don’t have the teeth needed to function; it would be just a façade and made ineffective. Government must look at the need to transition people out of some areas, recruit and train others to perform, creating jobs. The same goes for aiding the capacity building in SOCU,” GTUC

ton figures, federal prosecutors in Washington cited a former U.S. congressman "working for the government of Ukraine" in charges filed Thursday against former Obama administration official Greg Craig. Craig pleaded not guilty on Friday to lobbying violations and making false statements. The former congressman is not named in Craig's indictment, but other filings by his former law firm cite identical work done for the firm by Vin Weber, a lobbyist with Mercury Public Affairs, who was a U.S. representative from Minnesota from 1981 to 1993. Weber disclosed his work for a Ukrainian think tank, but he did not register as a foreign agent for the government of Ukraine under a the 1938 Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which would have required him to spell out his activity in detail, according to a Reuters review of lobbying records. The Department of Justice is stepping up FARA enforcement after decades of inactivity. Mueller's investigation has not led to criminal conspiracy charges against Trump or his former associates, but it has exposed previously hidden foreign lobbying activity by some of Washington's most promi-

nent lobbyists and prompted a flurry of new registrations since 2017. U.S. Attorney General William Barr is expected to release a redacted version of Mueller's findings next week. Three sources familiar with the investigation said federal prosecutors in Manhattan are examining work done for Ukraine by both Weber and Tony Podesta, brother of John Podesta, a top official of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 2016 Democratic presidential campaign and a former White House adviser. A spokesperson for Weber and for Mercury declined to comment. Tony Podesta also declined to comment. The FARA crackdown has factored in cases against Craig, Craig's former law firm Skadden Arps and Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman now serving a 7-1/2 year prison sentence for lobbying and financial crimes. Other lobbyists have rushed to comply with the law. As of April, 446 separate entities registered with the Justice Department, up from 387 at the end of 2016.

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asserted. The union recalled that the Coalition rode into office not only on its intolerance for corruption, but amidst society’s concern. “Society does not expect corruption to be removed overnight, but expects the beginning of corrective measures to bring the society to a state of accountability. To do otherwise will cause disillusionment in the political process, deterring citizens from participating, thereby undermining an important element in democracy,” GTUC stressed. It added that allegations of Conflict of Interest should be checked, and where it exists reined in forthwith. “All efforts must be channelled to ensuring we are not creating a society where the comparative analyses draw more similarity than distinction, which begs the question: Is it a case of six of one and half-a-dozen of the other? We need a society where rules, laws and conventions hold sway and subject all,” the GTUC release concluded. In its latest report, Guyana

has been listed by Transparency International as one of 20 countries that have significantly improved its rating in the fight against corruption in the past seven years, a feat which has been hailed as progressive, since, under the previous administration, it was in the category as a corrupt country. “In the last seven years, only 20 countries significantly improved their CPI scores, including Estonia, Senegal, Guyana and Côte D’Ivoire,” the 2018 Corruption Perception Index report stated. Guyana now stands with a score of 37, and is ranked at 93 out of the 180 countries. Last year, Guyana scored 38 points, and was ranked at 91, while in 2017, it scored 34. In 2015, when the coalition Government took office, Guyana was ranked at 119, with a score of 29, while in 2014, 2013 and 2012, it scored 30, 27 and 28 respectively, which placed it in the category of corrupt countries.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Fire devastates Notre-Dame Cathedral, centuries-old Parisian landmark PARIS (Reuters) - Notre-Dame Cathedral went up in flames on Monday in a roaring blaze that devastated the Parisian landmark, a searing loss for the city and for France. Flames that began in the early evening burst rapidly through the roof of the centuries-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which collapsed, quickly followed by the entire roof. A huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area. Parisians watched on, many of them lost for words. “Like all our compatriots, I am sad this evening to see this part of all of us burn,” President Emmanuel Macron tweeted. “Basically the whole rooftop is gone. I see no hope for the building,” said witness Jacek Poltorak, watching the fire from a fifthfloor balcony two blocks from the southern facade of

the cathedral, one of France’s most visited sites. Firefighters tried to contain the blaze with water hoses and cleared the area around Notre-Dame, which sits on an island in the River Seine and marks the very centre of Paris. Witnesses said the whole island was being evacuated. Advertisement Nobody was injured, junior interior minister Laurent Nunez said at the scene, adding: “It’s too early to determine the causes of the fire.” The Paris prosecutor’s office said it had launched an inquiry into the fire. France 2 television reported that police were treating it as an accident. “Everything is collapsing,” a police officer near the scene said as the cathedral continued to burn. Macron, who cancelled an address to the nation that he had been due to give on

Smoke billows from Notre Dame Cathedral after a fire broke out, in Paris, France April 15, 2019. REUTERS/ Charles Platiau

Monday evening, went to the scene of the blaze. SYMBOL OF PARIS The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century, features in Victor Hugo’s classic novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame”. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts millions of tourists every year. “I have

a lot of friends who live abroad and every time they come I tell them to go to Notre-Dame,” said witness Samantha Silva, with tears in her eyes. “I’ve visited it so many times, but it will never be the same. It’s a real symbol of Paris.” The cathedral was in the midst of renovations, with some sections under scaf-

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olic faith, over the centuries Notre-Dame has also been a target of political upheaval. It was ransacked by rioting Protestant Huguenots in the 16th century, pillaged again during the French Revolution of the 1790s and left in a state of semi-neglect. Hugo’s 1831 work led to revived interest in the cathedral and a major – partly botched – restoration that began in 1844. The wood-and-lead spire was built during that restoration, according to the cathedral’s website. UNESCO said in a tweet it was “closely monitoring the situation and is standing by France’s side to safeguard and restore this invaluable heritage”.

Jailed Reuters reporters, U.S. border photographers win Pulitzer Prizes NEW YORK (Reuters) Reuters won two Pulitzer Prizes on Monday, one for an investigative report that revealed the massacre of 10 Muslim Rohingya men by Buddhist villagers and Myanmar security forces, and one for photographs of migrants on the U.S. border, the Pulitzer administrator announced. The Pulitzers, the most prestigious prizes in American journalism, have been awarded since 1917 after being established in the will of newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer. The 18-member Pulitzer board is made up of past winners and other distinguished journalists and academics. Reuters and the Associated Press were both awarded prizes for international reporting. The Reuters entry featured an investigative report that revealed the massacre of 10 Muslim Rohingya men by Buddhist villagers and Myanmar security forces at the village of Inn Din, in the heart of the conflict

Tuesday, April 16, 2019 - 03:30hrs to 14:30hrs

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folding, and bronze statues were removed last week for works. Built over a century starting in 1163, Notre-Dame is considered to be among the finest examples of French Gothic cathedral architecture. It is renowned for its rib vaulting, flying buttresses and stunning stained glass windows, as well as its many carved stone gargoyles. Its 100-metre-long (330-foot) roof, of which a large section was consumed in the first hour of the blaze, was one of the oldest such structures in Paris, according to the cathedral’s website. “There are a lot of art works inside ... it’s a real tragedy,” Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told reporters at the scene. A centre of Roman Cath-

zone of Rakhine State. Advertisement Two young Reuters reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, both Myanmar citizens, found a mass grave filled with bones sticking out of the ground. They went on to gather testimony from perpetrators, witnesses and families of victims. They obtained three devastating photographs from villagers: two showed the 10 Rohingya men bound and kneeling; the third showed the mutilated and bullet-ridden bodies of the same 10 men in the same shallow grave. Before Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo could complete their story, they were arrested in December 2017 in what international observers have criticized as an effort by authorities to block the report. The article, “Massacre in Myanmar,” was completed by colleagues Simon Lewis and Antoni Slodkowski and published in TURN TO PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Small number of guns recovered under gun amnesty BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Apr 15, CMC – The Barbados government said while it did not expect to have received a “large number” of illegal guns during the gun amnesty that ended last Saturday, the authorities had recovered at least eight guns during the week long exercise. “To be frank, the expectation was not really that we would have gotten large numbers. The historical facts in relation to the gun amnesties in Barbados before, you tend to get relatively small amounts of firearms and some that are old,” said Attorney General Dale Marshall. Marshall, who is out of the island, told the radio station of Starcom Network, that on his return he would be able to provide the island with the number of guns and ammunition returned during the amnesty. As of Wednesday last week, the authorities had recovered eight guns and 873 rounds of ammunition and Marshall told radio listeners that the majority of the guns submitted belonged to people who had died and some people had suggested that one week was not sufficient for persons to submit illegal guns. “I don’t know how long it would take for someone to decide to hand in an illegal firearm. I think that’s just one of these excuses,” he added. Earlier this month, the government announced the week long gun amnesty in a move aimed at curbing the rise in gun-related murders in the country. Marshall told Parliament that the Mia Mottley administration was intent on dealing severely with the situation. “If you have ammunition and you know you have no lawful reason to have, take it to a police station day or night, no questions asked,” he told legislators. So far this year, more than 20 people have been murdered here.

IMF predicts “steady’ economic growth for Bahamas for 2019 WASHINGTON, Apr 15, CMC – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Monday said the Bahamas delivered strong economic performance in 2018, supported by sound macroeconomic policies and progress on fiscal reforms. It said with downside risks prevailing, maintaining this positive momentum requires broad-based reforms to strengthen institutions, improve competitiveness and external accounts, and bring public debt on a downward path. An IMF team visited Nassau from April 1-12, to hold discussions for the 2019 Article IV consultation with representatives of the government, private sector and civil society. The Washington-based financial institution said that the 2019 Financial Sector Assessment Programme (FSAP) found the financial system in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to be resilient to current stability threats, but action is needed to safeguard against potential weaknesses and respond to future stress events. According to the IMF, growth in 2018 was backed by buoyant tourism and construction activity. It said real gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have grown by 2.3 per cent in 2018, and growth is projected to steady at 2.1 per cent this year, underpinned by continued growth in the tourism sector. “Despite positive jobs growth, however, the unemployment rate remains high and is projected to decline only gradually. Inflation increased to an average of 2.2 per cent in 2018 but is projected to fall to 1.6 per cent in 2019 as the temporary effect of the value added tax (VAT) rate increase fades.” The IMF said that the medi-

um-term outlook is positive, but risk factors could weigh on growth. Economic growth is projected to converge to its potential of 1.5 per cent in the medium term as tourism growth normalizes. “A significant slowdown in the US and other advanced economies would, however, adversely affect the tourism-dependent Bahamian economy. Reputational risks in the offshore sector remain even as the government has strengthened regulatory and transparency standards, and existing business models could be challenged. “Vulnerability to hurricanes and climate change is high. Against this backdrop, continued commitment to fiscal responsibility and sound macro-financial policies is welcome and indispensable,” the IMF added. It said that the effective implementation of the Fiscal Responsibility Law (FRL) will bolster policy credibility and ensure durable gains from fiscal consolidation. “The commitment to maintaining the pace of fiscal adjustment in line with FRL targets, which will bring public debt towards the anchor of 50 per cent of GDP, is welcome. While the budget deficit has narrowed, recognition of sizeable arrears highlights the need for stronger public financial management (PFM) systems to address weaknesses in expenditure control and budget preparation.” The IMF said enacting the Public Financial Management, Public Debt Management, and Procurement Acts and operationalizing the Fiscal Council should be prioritized to ensure permanent advances in budgeting, transparency, and accountability. “In the near term, however, there is need for expenditure restraint to deliver the fis-

Jailed Reuters reporters, U.S. border ...

cal year2018/19 target. Available data point to weaker-than-expected revenue performance, partly due to grace periods granted for the implementation of revenue measures and legal disputes.” The IMF said that the fiscal deficit is therefore projected to narrow to 2.1 per cent of GDP, bringing the outturn close to the 1.8 percent target. “This consolidation is broadly in line with the transition path towards the FRL targets established in the budget. To demonstrate steadfast commitment to the new policy framework and safeguard public investment, the government should further rein in current expenditures. Over the medium term, decisive measures are needed to reduce debt, including in the areas of public pensions and health, while carefully balancing priorities for inclusive growth and disaster preparedness.” The IMF said that fiscal policy should play a greater medium-term role in achieving public policy objectives, including greater income equality. “The Bahamas does not levy income or capital gains taxes, relying mostly on VAT, business license fees, and international trade taxes. Global tax trends and the prospective accession to the WTO (World Trade Organization) thus present an opportunity for a comprehensive review of the Bahamian tax regime with a view to achieving a more equitable and less distortionary tax system. “To strengthen transparency and inform future policies, a quantitative review of existing tax and other investment incentives is recommended,’ it said.

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February of last year. In September, they were sentenced to seven years behind bars. As of Monday, they have been in jail for 490 days. In the breaking news photography category, 11 Reuters photographers contributed pictures to “On the Migrant Trail to America,” a package of images of asylum seekers and others

from Central America to the U.S. border. Advertisement One photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon showed migrants fleeing tear gas launched by U.S. authorities into Mexico at the San Diego-Tijuana border. In the image a mother grabs her twin daughters by the arm, one in diapers and wearing

rubber sandals, the other barefoot, as a teargas cannister emits its fumes. In another image, an aerial photo, Mike Blake was the first to photograph the detention facility in Tornillo, Texas, where children walked in single file, like prisoners. Goran Tomasevic captured an image in San Pedro Sula, Hondu-

ras, a city with one of the highest murder rates in the world, of a rooster scratching in the dirt next to the slain body of a Barrio 18 gang member. Tomasevic was a previous finalist for his pictures of the war in Syria.

Pirate attack on yacht off Trinidad's north coast The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) is investigating an attempted piracy attack reported north-east of the Hibiscus platform, off Trinidad’s north coast on Sunday. The Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (YSATT) stated that a 55-foot Beneteau sail boat was approached by a vessel allegedly carrying eight Venezuelan men at around 10.30am. In a Facebook post on Sunday, the Tommy Johnson, acting president of the YSATT stated the vessel, Sylph, was positioned north east of the Hibiscus platform when it was approached by a group Spanish-speaking men. “The Yacht refused to stop and in heavy seas and high wind took an evasive zig zag course preventing them from boarding. Due to the fact that they were unable to board they abandoned their plans,” he stated. The men, however, fired several shots at the sailboat as they left. No one was injured but the vessel was damaged. “Sylph is now in Port Louis Grenada meeting with the Coast Guard and officials. TTCG is in contact with the Grenada CG and will be meeting with YSATT tomorrow,” the post stated. Johnson advised that anyone travelling in or out of Trinidad waters should file a “float plan” with the TTCG and call north post radio station. And if possible, he said, travel in a convoy.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Combatting money laundering

IT is public knowledge that for years, Guyana’s economy saw two forces at work: The formal and underground. The extent to which the latter was allowed to hold sway in the society has been debated, though not refuted. The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government has always denied the presence or significance of the underground economy. To the average man and woman, the construction of massive buildings around the country, and the opening of businesses, where the latter, in some instances, never see heavy customer traffic, contradicted any denial. Professor Clive Thomas, in his several writings on the criminalised State, by which he had referred to Guyana under the PPP administration, had pegged the underground economy at around 60 per cent. He had said then: “The phantom economy is what I call it…is being driven by three forces:

Tax evasion, evasion of regulatory oversight in terms of those agencies like the Gold Board, for example, and it is also driven by criminal firms who thrive on businesses that seek to generate gains for themselves in terms of theft from certain activities.” Even those who’d denied, or thought Thomas’s figure was high, something had to be amiss in any society where government would allow illicit economic activities and seek not to eliminate them. There was a time in this society when no one would have doubted the influence of drug lords in the economy and State, with a forcible reminder being the infamous Shaheed “Roger” Khan. Aside from Khan’s questionable wealth, some of which could have been used in the purchase of assets, there was the full-page newspaper advertisement taken out by him, admitting that he’d played a role in supporting the Bharrat Jagdeo government in

crime-fighting. Crime-fighting is the purview of the State, and where Khan was bold enough to make such a claim, which was not refuted by the PPP/C government, lends to further evidence of forces that were at play in undermining the legitimacy of the State and the safety of the people. There can be no credible denial that the Guyana Revenue Authority, though conscious of the presence of illegal money, seemed constrained, or reluctant, to go after questionable characters under the PPP/C Government. Ostentatious wealth was flaunted in the face of the State, whose government seemed unwilling to investigate and hold persons accountable to the law. Another factor in our polarised society, is that those who dared to address the problem were dismissed, verbally assaulted, or accused of being envious of the questionably ‘industrious’. Evidently, what may have been the appearance

of legitimate business and investment might have well been funded with questionable (laundered) money propping up the formal economy. The acknowledgement of this, however, does not ignore the cyclical nature of economies, where features of growth and the slowing down of growth are evident, or the need for corresponding acts to manage same. And whereas the PPP/C government sought ways and means to avoid tackling bad money in the system, apparently to lend perception of buoyancy, that the APNU+AFC government has taken this bull by the horns is commendable. Sourcing the integrity of it, the persons involved, and the authentication of residency in money transactions, banking and otherwise, have formed part of the new regulatory system. It is, therefore, not surprising that the U.S Department of State, in its recent report, said Guyana has made significant progress on Anti-Money Laundering

(AML), and though it urges more investigations and successful prosecutions are needed, it concluded that the President David Granger Government has shown the political will to tackle this scourge. In a further demonstration of this commitment, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, said that cognisant of the challenges and risks it currently faces in the fight to combat money laundering, Guyana recently appointed a new assistant solicitor-general with responsibility for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT). The legal affairs minister said, too, that Guyana’s National Risk Assessment (NRA) report has identified and acknowledged that cambios and money-transfer entities pose a high risk to the AML regime. In 2018, the Ministry of Legal Affairs announced that a risk-based supervisory approach would take effect to closely monitor

money transfer services and cambios. Coupled with that, the Legal Affairs Ministry has been conducting a series of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) outreaches and sensitisation seminars as it seeks to raise awareness and build capacity. Minister Williams said, this year, the Legal Affairs Ministry will be intensifying its efforts through countrywide outreaches and other initiatives. Initially, the fleeing informal economy had led many to believe that it was the bad economic policy of the current government, as it had resulted in the slowing down of economic activities. They have now come to recognise that it was the regulating of the economy to weed out the underground economy, which brings with it not only a false sense of prosperity, but many social ills, many of which were unleashed on the society over the past few decades.

Mayor not interested in confrontation with business community

Dear Editor,

IT IS with great surprise that I read an article published by I News, via social media, on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, captioned: “Mayor’s attack on city businesses that owe taxes “displeasing” I wish to avoid the tedium of a verbose response except to say briefly, the following: As the Chief Citizen, I did not attack anyone. I simply made an appeal at a press conference for businesses to honour their civic obligations to the Council. No organisation that is committed to providing critical services can do so without the 3 Ms, money, manpower and machinery. It is the synergetic interactions of the 3Ms that translates into the provision of services to the citizenry. Our records at Council reveal that both residential and commercial rate payers owe the Council rates in excess of $8B.

This has affected the timely provision of services to the citizens of Georgetown. When I took office, I sought to have audience with several organisations and private individuals in an effort to communicate the challenges of the Council, and to encourage ratepayers to be responsible. If ratepayers are faithful to this cause, the Council would be in better financial position to respond to its indebtedness, and to liquidate some of its liabilities. It is quite unfortunate that the GCCI would interpret my simple appeal to ratepayers, particularly the business community, as an attack. The current situation at the M&CC requires all hands on deck to advance the interest of the City. I am willing to work with all organisations and citizens in the interest of this beautiful City. I have come to realise that over the years, some persons have become negligent in this regard, while the Council continues to provide services. It is important to note that unpaid rates attract compound interest, and this has placed many

ratepayers in a peculiar situation, where the interest accrued is much more than the demand. However, we have put systems in place to address these special circumstances. I continue to appeal to residents to come in and talk with us. As Mayor, I have adopted an open-door policy to reach every citizen who has a concern. The truth is, there is a need for a paradigm shift in the way we view and treat with payments of general rates. It cannot be business as usual, if we desire take the city to another level. Once again, the payment of general rates is a legitimate responsibility of ratepayers, and likewise is the provision of services. This is a hand-in-gloves situation that cannot happen in isolation. Many have opined that Council must find other ways of garnering revenue, which is quite true. However, at the same time, we must put systems in place to collect outstanding revenue owed. TURN TO PAGE 7

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Minister Hughes rejects accusations of breaching Integrity Act

Dear Editor,

IN Monday’s edition of the Stabroek News in an article titled ‘Minster Hughes in clear breach of the integrity Act’, the following statement is made: “To the extent she continues to retain ownership of the company in question, or an interest in it, she is in breach of the Code of Conduct contained in the Act. This could trigger an investigation by the Commission, and possibly criminal proceedings,” Goolsarran told Stabroek News. This headline is ingenuous at best. I would like to invite everyone’s attention to the specific provisions of the Integrity Commission (Amendment of Code of Conduct) Order 2017, particularly the contents of Articles 4 and 5 “Conflict of Interest” and “Use of Official influence.” The specific contents of Article 4 provide: No person in public life shall (a) Allow private interest to conflict with his or her public duties or improperly influence his or her conduct in public in the performance of his or her public duties.

(b) Allow the pursuit of his or her private interests to interfere with the proper discharge of his or her public duties. Provided that any such conflict that tends to interfere with the proper discharge of his or her public duties shall be reported to the Integrity Commission for guidance on a resolution as soon as practicable in favour of public duties of the person in public life. (2) For the purposes of this Code, a conflict of interest arises where a public official makes or participates in the making of decision in the execution of his or her office, and at the same time knows or ought to have reasonably known, that in the making of that decision, there is material beneficial opportunity either directly or indirectly to further his or her private interest or that of a member of his or her family or any other person or entity. (3) A person in public life shall: (a) In order to protect and uphold the public interest, take reasonable steps to avoid, resolve and disclose any material conflict of interest, financial or non-financial, that arises or is likely to arise, between his or her per-

sonal interest and his or her official duties (b) Declare any conflict of interest in writing to the relevant authority as soon as possible after becoming aware of the conflict of interest (c) Refuse or relinquish any outside employment, shareholding or directorship which create conflict of interest. Article 5 of the Code provides: Use of official influence. No person in public life shall use his or her official influence in support of any scheme or in furtherance of any contract or proposed contract or other matter in regard of which he or she has an interest. I have never made or participated in the making of any decision in the execution of my office as Minister of Public Telecommunications in the deliberations of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) decision to award a contract to Videomega Productions. I have no relationship with the decision- making processes of the DOE. The decision was entirely that of the Department of Energy. I have never utilised any influence, official or otherwise, to influence the

furtherance of any contract with VideoMega Productions Ltd. I have never at any time prior to the public comments by MP Gail Teixeira and Edward Layne from Channel 28 been aware that the DOE was considering the award of any contract to Videomega Productions. In my declarations to the Integrity Commission made in July 2018 prior to the declarations of most members of the National Assembly, including the Leader of the Opposition, I fully disclosed my interest in Videomega Productions Ltd. I have taken no decision, in my capacity as Minister of Public Telecommunications, or in my personal capacity, which has been the subject of a conflict of interest. I completely reject the not surprising but malicious accusations of Stabroek News and Anand Goolsarran. We don’t all have private agendas with special interests to protect. Regards, Catherine Hughes. M.P. Minister of Public Telecommunications

Please intervene Madam Minister

Dear Editor,

WE, a group of concerned and affected residents of the Providence area, are writing to request the urgent intervention of your office in a matter of grave concern which is currently affecting our community. This issue was previously raised with the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), but no long-term solution has ever been provided, nor did we see evidence of any action being taken. Currently, the residents of the NABI Housing Development (located along the Massy Stores road at Providence) are faced with a situation of high vulnerability to flooding. As a result, our residential community is faced with frequent flooding during rainfall periods. The underlying issue is that linkage between our section of the Providence drainage network and the nearest outfall channel, which is the Peter’s Hall outfall channel, has been completely compromised. This means that rainwater and domestic discharge have nowhere to go. Areas adjacent to our community are faced with a similar problem. This situation is further exacerbated by the fact that the most practical solutions which would involve simply linking to the Peter’s Hall outfall channel through existing drainage canals cannot be implemented in a sustainable manner, since most of these FROM PAGE 6

Mayor not interested...

drains are presumably within lands sold to private developers who are filling them all up to increase their land footprint. We have prepared the attached map to illustrate the problem and solution. As mentioned earlier, this matter was previously brought to the attention of the CH&PA, which could not provide an acceptable response, even to the question of whether any nearby reserves were left between private lands to cater for outfall linkage, and where these reserves are. A ground assessment indicates some disturbing details, for example, a culvert construction by the CH&PA, adjacent to the R. Maye Hardware Store, which may have been intended to facilitate connection to the outfall channel, has become redundant, since the connecting drain which existed was filled up to facilitate construction by the proprietor of the hardware store. Whether this was illegally done or not, the CH&PA should investigate. The proprietor of DAX Construction Services, who is now developing land for commercial use, is currently filling in a connector drain that previously brought some relief during flood events. The commercial/industrial development, which is currently being undertaken by this individual, is being done on land originally allotted for residential housing (for the Palm Springs Housing Development). It is disturbing that the CH&PA, which is mandated to employ principles of good land use planning,

Currently, the Finance Committee is finalising Budget 2019. Hence, City Hall is seeking to secure outstanding rates in order to cover proposed works, and address such outstanding statutory obligations as N.I.S, G.R.A, PAYE and the Credit Union. Once again, in my inaugural address to the

would allow such a development to occur within such obtrusive proximity to existing residential communities. This situation smells of either incompetence or manipulation of the functions of the agency, and is a failure of the system, Honourable Minister; a failure of Government to protect the wellbeing and interest of hardworking Guyanese citizens. The drainage problem faced by residents of our housing scheme is a real crisis, which will become glaringly evident if nothing is done before the next rainfall season. A few photos of past flood events are attached to orient you with the degree of severity. As a general note on drainage, the CH&PA should monitor the activities of private developers. Simply passing by the Providence Access Road will reveal numerous cases of lawlessness and lack of consideration on the part of some. For example, some have filled their land with white sand all the way to the road shoulder, covering over the entire roadside drain. Some have filled up the roadside drains to provide access, without placing a tube to facilitate continued drainage. Others who have attempted to place drainage tubes, have sought the cheapest solution by using undersized tubes, some of which have been placed too high. Honourable Minister, please direct your staff to devise some kind of strategy to hold these individuals and companies responsible, and for enforcing good engineering practices.

citizens of this great city, I encourage us to build bridges and not walls. Fellow citizens, bridges allow us to communicate; they provide opportunities for us to advance our sphere of influence. My posture as Mayor is not to be confrontational. but to unite with the business community and residents to

In conclusion, we are kindly requesting that your Ministry look into this matter urgently. We have consulted with experienced engineers who have proposed that Option 1, illustrated by the yellow arrows in the above plan as the most practical solution. Option 2, red arrows, has been ruled out because of the bad practices of private developers who have compromised the roadside drain. Other options, including draining directly out to the East Bank Public Road via the southern roadside drain, have also been ruled out for this reason and other factors, including the characteristic poor maintenance of public drains. The issue of establishing whether the proposed linkage canal is a government reserve, and adjacent access dams along the drain is important to establish. A culvert structure will have to be constructed to facilitate implementation of Option 1. We also propose that the entryways established by DAX Construction Services all be upgraded to include drainage tubes or culverts of adequate size. It is imperative that steps be taken to undertake this work now, during the dry period, which will make it much easier to implement. We trust that your agency will be proactive in addressing the matters above. Regards, Concerned and affected resident of Providence move this city forward. LET US BUILD BRIDGES. Regards Pandit Ubraj Narine Mayor of Georgetown

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

‘I had no input whatsoever’ …Minister Valerie Adams-Yearwood denies influencing contracts award to husband MINISTER within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for Housing, Valerie Adams-Yearwood said her husband Godfrey Yearwood was awarded contracts through the official bidding process as she poured cold water on allegations that she influenced the process. “I had no input whatsoever, with regard to the award of these contracts,” Minister Adams-Yearwood said on Monday while explaining that she only became aware that her husband had been awarded contracts to build a number of housing units when he informed her. In setting the record straight, the Housing Minister said her husband, a well-known contractor for over 33 years, was contracted by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA)

to construct one duplex unit, two single elevated units and two units for the differently-abled – a total of three contracts. These contracts, she noted, were all signed in 2017 with the final one signed in December 2017. “Prior to that, he was contracted early 2017 along with another contractor to do rehabilitation works at the Linden office to which both contractors were highly commended (publicly) by the CEO, Mr. Lelon Saul,” Minister Adams-Yearwood posited. It was noted that the Mr. Yearwood currently has one contract outstanding which will conclude in two weeks. The Housing Minister emphasized that all the contracts awarded to her husband were done through the correct and legal process. “Like all other contrac-

tors, every contract that Mr. Yearwood has received was done through the official bidding process. Every contract that was/is engaged in was awarded by the competent authority – the Board of Directors of CHPA, of which I am not a member. Like all other contractors, Mr. Yearwood is subject to the same rules and regulations, without exception,” she said. It was alleged that Minister Adams-Yearwood had collected monies on her husband’s behalf but this she said is far from the truth. “There is absolutely no truth to the unfounded allegation that I collected any monies on behalf of my husband. I have never collected any cash or cheque(s) on behalf of Yearwood Contracting & Consultancy Company. It is a total falsehood,” she said. It was explained that

during her travels for medical reasons, her husband authorised Delroy Anthony to sign for cheques that became payable during Mr. Yearwood’s absence. “I do not preside over any aspect of the contract award process. The selection of contractors, the awarding of and/or the termination of contracts are outside my remit as Minister. I had no involvement in the (pre or post) award of the contracts to my husband or any other contractor,” she reiterated. In 2017, as part of the effort to promote the Housing Solutions 2017 and Beyond Project, Minister Adams-Yearwood was present at the symbolic signing ceremony for contractors that had been pre-qualified to build houses for the Housing Expo. It was noted that two of the contractors signed

their documents that day at which time all aspects of the selection and award processes had been completed by the competent authority. “My presence was purely ceremonial. The other time that I would have spoken with contractors would have been to discuss policy matters and share our expectations with regard to meeting deadlines and quality standards,” she explained. On the issue of indebtedness to sub-contractor, the Minister said as far as she is aware, a sub-contractor, by the name of Desmond Murphy, was engaged by Mr. Yearwood in 2018. “During the period of (6) weeks, while we were overseas, the sub-contractor did a lot of substandard work which was rejected by CH&PA as well as several materials which were pur-

Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for Housing, Valerie Adams-Yearwood

chased by Mr. Yearwood and left in possession of Mr. Murphy could not be accounted for. The defective works had to be corrected by the contractor Mr. Yearwood using his own finances. The sub-contractor, therefore, could not be paid for those works,” she explained. The contractor had complained to the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo about the situation.

Relief for Bonasika farmers – as Reg. 3 administration cleans all major canals

FARMERS in Lower and Upper Bonasika in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) are overjoyed after the regional authorities excavated all the main drainage canals in the area. According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), the farmers had written the regional administration in February this year and requested assistance, and Regional Executive Officer (REO), Jennifer Ferreira-Dougall was quick to honour the request. A $10M contract was later awarded for the digging and cleaning of all the major canals. According to the REO, agriculture is the main economic activity in Bonasika, and depriving farmers of their request would have been a grave injustice on her part, and, by extension, the government. “The Administration is here to serve the people of this region, and we must fulfil our mandate by not only listening to the people, but also by acting in their best interest. The farmers of Bonasika depend heavily on farming, and it is their main economic activity, so we had to fulfil their request. Had we not done so, then we, as a government, would have been guilty of dereliction of duty, and we are not a government that neglects our duty,” Ferreira-Dougall said. Samuel Nauth, from the Upper Bonasika district, noted that the farmers in his area are very pleased, not only at the fact that the work was approved by

The excavated main canal that separates Lower Bonasika from Upper Bonasika

the region but also with the quality of work done. “When the rainy season steps in,” he said, “we have nothing to fear. We were very worried at one time, given the state that our canals were in, but the regional administration responded in a timely manner, and we really appreciate that. But, moreover, the quality of work done is remarkable, and I must express gratitude to the administration and contractor, on behalf of all the farmers at the Upper Bonasika district.” Richard Allen, who lives in the Lower Bonasika District, told the DPI that the clearing of the canals now provides for easier egress and ingress to the farmlands. “It is so much easier for us to now go in and come out from our farmlands,” he said, adding: “Before, we had to walk long distances, and with our produce, but now, we go with the boat and come out back with all our produce

in one trip. We save time, energy and money, so it is only fair for us to say thank you REO and team.” The administration will also build a ramp for the farmers at Lower Bonasika, which will provide great comfort to them when loading their produce into boats before heading out to sell. This work will commence before the end of May, and according to Senior Superintendent of Works (SSOW), Shanganan Singh, the farmers from Upper Bonasika will also see significant improvement in the coming months. “We will build a ramp for the people of Lower Bonasika before the end of next month, and a visit to the Upper Bonasika is soon coming. Let me say that great developments are in store for Upper Bonasika and the entire riverine community of the Essequibo River,” Singh said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Manganese workers went into tunnels unprotected

…authorities confirm several diagnosed with histoplasmosis By Svetlana Marshall WORKERS cleaning the tunnels at Guyana Manganese Inc.’s Matthews Ridge Mines in Region One (Barima-Waini) had no protective gears on with the exception of one, who wore a mask, thereby exposing them to a fungus found in the droppings of birds and bats, authorities confirmed on Monday. To date, two persons have died, 10 flown to China for further medical attention, and two remain hospitalised in the Pakera District Hospital – the majority diagnosed with Histoplasmosis. The authorities confirmed the facts surrounding the case on Monday during a joint press conference with the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Social Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the Mental Health Unit on Quamina Street, Georgetown. The Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud led the press conference with support from Georgetown Public Hospital’s Internal Medicine Consultant, Dr. Genellys Camps; Dr. David Samaroo; Social Protection Ministry’s Occupation Safety and Health Consultant, Gweneth King; and EPA’s Senior Environmental Officer, Camille Adams. King, responding to a series of questions, said that, based on information received, the workers were not wearing personal protective equipment when they were cleaning the tunnels. That means they were not wearing respirators which would have been necessary to prevent them from breathing in the fungus. “If you have to do a job like that, you need personal protective equipment, otherwise to that you can expose yourself,” the OSH Consultant posited. The tunnels had not been in use for decades but the company – Guyana Manganese Inc. nonetheless allowed its workers to clean them without any protective gear. The company, which is a subsidiary of Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated (BMGGI), reportedly told the authorities that the protective gear was on the wharf. “They said that they had the stuff in country but it was still on the wharf awaiting clearance from customs,” King told reporters. Despite the seriousness of the Occu-

pational Safety and Health infringement which resulted in the death of two persons and hospitalization of more than 12 persons, the OSH Consultant, at the time, could not determine whether Guyana Manganese Inc. would be sanctioned. “We will have to work within the confides of the Occupation Safety and Health Act and we are now going through our findings and preparing the report, so I wouldn’t want to comment on that any further,” King said in response to a question posed by Guyana Chronicle. The Chief Medical Officer said with the help of the Pan

According to him, it was a dose dependent exposure. “So it wasn’t just exposure to Histoplasmosis, it was the period of time and the dose that they were exposed to,” he noted. Dr. Persaud said from the review conducted by the Health Ministry in conjunction with its partners, only one person indicated that he has a mask on at the time of cleaning the tunnel. That person was among 23 workers interviewed by the authorities. Weighing in on the issue, EPA Senior Environmental Officer, Camille Adams said all large scale mines in Guyana must be authorised by the EPA in accordance with

Social Protection Ministry’s Occupation Safety and Health Consultant, Gweneth King (Photos by Delano Williams)

(L-R) Georgetown Public Hospital’s Internal Medicine Consultant, Dr. Genellys Camps; Dr. David Samaroo; Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud and EPA’s Senior Environmental Officer, Camille Adams.

American Health Organisation (PAHO), a time chart was created which showed that in some cases, the workers were in tunnels exposed to the fungus for as many as 10 days. “It varied from one person and this included even the Guyanese who were there. It varied between 4 minutes to 84 hours. Interestingly, two of the persons who actually died, were in the tunnel for the 84-hour period, and one of the more serious ones was also in the tunnel for 84 hours,” Dr. Persaud explained noting that 84 hours was over a 10-day period. “Less than one hour, there were seven persons; up to 2 hours, two persons; three hours, three persons; and four hours, five persons. And the five persons in the 4 hours and above, some of those, were also (hospitalised). So it definitely indicated that longer hours of exposure in the tunnels were the ones most likely to come down with more severe disease as the case may be,” the CMO further explained.

the Environmental Protection Act of 1996. Adams noted that the Guyana Manganese Inc.’s Matthew’s Ridge mine is “undergoing authorisation.’ According to her, an Environmental Officer was due to fly into Matthews Ridge on March 26 to assess the mine in response to an application for authorisation to operate the mine. However, the issue arose. That assessment is yet to be completed. “The company had come into the EPA I think it was on March 12, to discuss what they could do before the assessment was completed. Of course, all development companies want to get going as soon as they can. They discussed that…and they were permitted to do some rudimentary works to the area, not mining,” Adams explained. The Senior Environmental Officer clarified that the company was not mining at the time of the incident but was clearing the tunnels to make provision for a workshop. Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Officer gave a de-

tailed timeline of events that took place from the time the workers fell ill to their hospitalisation and subsequent release or transfer to China, in the case of 10 Chinese nationals. Dr. Persaud detailed that the first four cases were reported on March 28, 2019, noting that a Chinese national died while receiving medical attention at Pakera District Hospital in Region One. The next day, four more workers were taken to Pakera District Hospital complaining of similar symptoms – fever, headaches, joint pains, and mild shortness of breath. On day three, March 30, seven Chinese workers were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), and an additional six, including one Guyanese were attended to at Port Kaituma Hospital but were later transferred to the GPHC. One of the six persons visited the hospital on his own. He was evaluated but not admitted. “Once the cases were reported, several teams visited the site from the regional

level. The team included the Regional Health Officer and the Regional Environmental Health Officer along with some supporting medical staff. In the initial stage, we were sure what we were dealing with but since it was a febrile illness with respiratory symptoms we took all the necessary precaution to restrict access to both the site and the hospital where the patients were being kept,” the CMO told reporters. Additional staffs sent to the region set up a temporary facility at the community centre in Matthews’s Ridge and attended to regular patients. However, following the transfer of the patients on April 3 to GPHC, they cleaned the Pakera District Hospital and closed down the temporary sites. Work resumed as normal at the hospital for Maternal Child Health and other services, the CMO further reported. By that time, however, two persons had died, one at Pakera District Hospital and one at GPHC. Notably two persons were discharged from GPHC after recovering and another from the Pakera District Hospital. Dr. Persaud further confirmed that on Monday April 9, 10 workers were transferred to China for additional medical attention. “Blood, sputum and urine samples were collected from those that were under care while tissue samples were collected during the post mortem from the two deceased. Testing of these samples was done locally at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) and confirmation was done at Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad,” the CMO noted. He said all tests were neg-

ative for influenza A & B, dengue, chikungunya and zika. However, it was noted that while the National Public Health Reference Lab had indicated that two of the critical patients (one of whom is now dead) had Leptospirosis, CARPHA later indicated that it was not Leptospirosis but rather Histoplamosis. “On April 10th, we received word from CARPHA that five samples were tested for Histoplasmosis, four were positive. The Chinese CDC tested an additional six persons and five were positive for Histoplasmosis,” the CMO told reporters. Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by a fungus found in the droppings of birds and bats in humid areas. It is not serious if confined to the lungs but can be fatal if spread throughout the body. Meanwhile, he said from April 8-10, he along with two consultants from Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) and a team from the Public Health Ministry visited the area. A team of nine officers from the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), China was also part of the visiting team. During the visit, the team met with the hospital staff, reviewed their procedures for infectious disease control and prevention. They also met with company officials. Interviews were conducted with the persons who were working in the mine. Currently, the Health Ministry is monitoring persons at Matthew’s Ridge. During the last two days, two persons developed fever and were admitted to Pakera District Hospital and are under close observation and treatment for hanta virus which is a fungal infection. Samples were taken from the patients and are presently being processed for shipment to CARPHA. Going forward, the authorities will be giving guidance to the company for work on the plant or any additional work within the areas identified as high risk. The capacity of the Pakera District Hospital will also be boosted with additional staff, equipment and supplies to respond to emergency in a timely manner.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

All set for NGSA 2019 …innovative teaching techniques, MoE ‘Mock exams’ among successful strategies

By Vishani Ragobeer ON Wednesday and Thursday thousands of pupils will sit the annual National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) after months of focused preparation, which included innovative teaching techniques. The NGSA will last two days, beginning on April 17 and culminating on April 18. The pupils will be writing four subjects: English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science. “That is an exit examination for

the primary level, and so you start to prepare for the NGSA when you enter Grade One,” Minister of Education, Dr. Nicolette Henry, told the Guyana Chronicle recently. On Monday, the Guyana Chronicle visited the North Georgetown Primary school which- like many other schools- held classes for the pupils writing the examinations. At this school, about 128 children are expected to sit the examinations. “We are very confident with the amount of work that we would have put in and

the strategies that we would have used with the children in order to go fully confident into their NGSA,” Grade Six teacher, Abiola Clarke related. According to her, the teachers at the school employed several innovative teaching techniques to ensure that all pupils are adequately prepared for the NGSA. “We would have realised that the children had certain shortcomings, especially in Math, Science and Social-Studies, and what we did we went on a trial and error basis to see if

The Grade Six teachers at the Mae’s Primary School (L-R: Kelvin Lewis, Gillian Ramdhial, Penelope Favorite and Claire Assanah)

we would’ve covered and get the children back in order,” she explained. But this was not a ‘one size fits all’ strategy, and the teachers had to turn towards engaging in remedial classes for the children also. These classes began at 07:30 hours and here, the teachers would focus more specifically on areas that seemed problematic for the children. And these problematic areas were identified from in-class tests done every Friday. Even so, Clarke and the Grade Six teachers began conducting “one-on- one” sessions, where the teachers opted to work with pupils individually. And finally, the teachers separated the children who garnered more than 60 per cent in the midterm and end-of-term examinations into one classroom. Here, each Grade Six teacher focused on teaching one of the four subjects, depending on their subject strengths. MOCK EXAMS In addition to the individual techniques teachers engaged in at their respective schools, the Ministry of Education (MoE) continued the use of its ‘Mock Exams’. “It’s been a long journey and specifically at the Grade Six level, my Ministry, in much more recent times, would have implemented some diagnostic examinations, which we generally call ‘Mock Examinations’ to give the children the opportunity to be exposed to the examination environment prior to the actual day of the examination,” Minister Henry also highlighted. These examinations were given twice in the months leading up to the examination, and Dr. Henry explained that these examinations helped the MoE to understand what gaps exist in the pupils’ learning and what areas the ministry and the schools should focus on specifically. As such, Minister Henry affirmed: “We’ve done the

groundwork, the hard work and we expect that the children will go out there and they will do well.” “The mock exams that the MoE gave helped in that it gave guidance in what is expectedthe kinds of questions [and] the structures of the questions, and helped the children to adjust to answering those kinds of questions,” Grade Six teacher at the Mae’s Primary School Claire Assannah indicated. Added to that, Assannah shared that the mock examination results were reviewed and the children would have had the opportunity to understand the areas they did well in and the ones they needed to work more on. At North Georgetown, Clarke related, “In the first one (Mock exam), the children were kind of shaky but the second one they did pretty well-- we saw great improvements and we saw the children would’ve really excelled and that made us more confident too that we would’ve covered the concepts that the ministry tested on.” In addition to these examinations, primary schools would have conducted their own end-of-term examinations as mandated by the MoE, and would have also done in-class tests as the teachers thought best. “On yearly basis we would do our own mock examinations,” another Grade Six teacher at Mae’s, Penelope Favorite, disclosed. But tests and mock exams aside, teachers shared that creating a comfortable environment for the children is critical to a good learning experience. “Some of (the children) would be nervous but one way of putting them at ease was engaging them in outdoor activities,” Kelvin Lewis, another Mae’s teacher, said. He explained that through his teaching experience, he has found that engaging children outside of the classroom, in ways that allow them to relax is

usually conducive to greater learning. Assannah, like her colleague, indicated that engaging in outdoor and co-curricular activities were techniques employed to ensure that the children at Mae’s were able to learn better. She also shared that rewarding the pupils for even the smallest achievement helped to boost morale and fostered learning overall. As classes came to an end on Monday at North Georgetown primary, Odetta Chan went to the school at midday to take her son home. Chan shared with the Guyana Chronicle that her son was not one that is at the top of his class, but she knows that he works hard and the most she expects out of him is for him to do his best at the examinations. She works as a janitor and though some days she would get home feeling drained from her day’s work, Chan places emphasis on helping her son with his studies. “I sit and help him with whatever I can help him with and whatever he can take in. I’m just there and sitting there with him and just encouraging him to do his best,” the mother explained. “Every child is different, so as a mom, I just want him to do his best. I’m not going to pressure him because I know Grade Six Assessment is not easy...,” she said also. “I just want him to do his best and we’ll take it from there.” It is this support from parents that teacher Penelope affirmed is the final piece of support that children preparing for the NGSA need. “To my mind, nervousness can never be truly removed from the mind of a child as he or she prepares for this exams,” Favorite shared. “I have found that in assisting them, you constantly talk to them, constantly reassure them, let them know that you believe in them and seek to bring them to the place where they begin to believe in themselves.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Gov’t, PAHO/WHO to Goedverwagting man to face trial combat climate change for 2013 murder over a woman

Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon is flanked by, from left to right: Consultants, Dr. Zoikla Fletcher-Payton, Dr. Daniel Buss, Ms. Tamica Noel; Head of the Office of Climate Change, Ms. Janelle Christian; PAHO/WHO Senior Adviser, Environmental Health and Sustainability, Eng Adrianus Vlugman; PAHO/WHO, Country Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow and Ministry of the Presidency Political Assistant, Ms. Tabitha Sarabo- Halley (MoTP photo)

THE Ministry of the Presidency and the Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) are strengthening efforts to address climate change challenges in the health sector. Following a courtesy call paid to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, by PAHO/ WHO representatives on Monday, the stakeholders commenced the process of determining what actions need to be taken in this regard. Visiting the Ministry of the Presidency were PAHO/ WHO Country Represen-

tative, Dr. William AduKrow; Consultants Dr. Zoikla Fletcher-Payton and Dr. Daniel Buss and Senior Advisor in Environmental Health and Sustainability, Adrianus Vlugman. Also attending was Head of the Office of Climate Change, Janelle Christian. According to a release from the Ministry, the meeting was part of the Government’s continued actions to address the emerging challenges of climate change and broadly to support its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) in keeping with the Paris Agreement. As part of the NAP, there

is recognition that more indepth work is required to address the emerging vulnerability and challenges in the health sector, with regard to climate change. These actions would be influenced by applied research, which will then inform the institutional strengthening of the health sector. At the gathering, Minister Harmon said that the Government was not averse to accepting assistance from any agency which can help Guyana to achieve its commitments to the Paris Agreement, particularly in the health sector.

Mocha man killed in Peter’s Hall, hit-and-run

Arnold Kissoon in happier times

THE community of Mocha was, on Monday April 15, 2019, plunged into a state of mourning as 44-year-old Arnold Kissoon tragically lost his life, as a result of a hit and run accident at Peter’s Hall on the East Bank of Demerara. Kissoon, an employee of Texilla University which is located in the vicinity of Providence East Bank Demerara, was reportedly walking along the

East Bank Demerara Public Road when the accident occurred. The sister of the now deceased man told the Guyana Chronicle: “We glad fuh see the camera footage and who hit he down and we need justice.” Kissoon, who was a maintenance supervisor at Texilla University, leaves to mourn a wife, five children, six sisters and three brothers. Police are continuing their investigation into the accident.

A MIXED 12-member jury was on Monday empaneled before Justice James Bovell-Drakes at the High Court for the trial of Junior Anthony Henry, who is alleged to have murdered Michael Hamilton at Sparendaam Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara. Henry, called ‘Oswald’, 28, formerly of Third Street, Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, was charged in the indictment, and is currently on remand. On Monday, Henry denied that on October 7, 2013, at Sparendaam Squatting Area, he killed Hamilton. He is represented by attorneys-at-law, Lyndon Amsterdam and Latoya Roberts, while the State is represent-

Junior Anthony Henry, called ‘Oswald’

ed by prosecutors Tiffini Lyken and Sarah Martin. The trial commenced with a series of witnesses on Monday and will continue today. According to the police, at about 17:30 hrs on the day in question, 22-year-old

Hamilton, of Sparendaam Housing Scheme, ECD, was allegedly shot and killed by the suspect, Henry. They also said that investigations had revealed that Hamilton’s sister was at home when she heard an explosion, and that when she looked outside, she saw her brother running after Henry as blood streamed down his left leg. The police said that as Hamilton got closer, Henry turned around and shot him in the chest, before making good his escape, leaving the aggressor to be taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The men reportedly had an ongoing feud over a woman, said to have been Henry’s girlfriend.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Felix debunks Teixeira’s naturalisation claims MINISTER of Citizenship, Mr. Winston Felix, has dismissed as “spurious, baseless, untrue and without merit”, a letter written by the Opposition’s Chief Whip and Member of Parliament, Ms. Gail Teixeira, titled “Full- scale probe required of suspicious cases of foreigners seeking naturalisation and other events” and published in the April 11, 2019 edition of the Stabroek News. In an invited comment, Minister Felix made it clear that the Department of Citi-

zenship, since 2015, has been conducting all of its functions above board, and would have been following the law in all cases of registration and naturalisation. He said that the government of the day is working with the same provisions which were in place under the previous administration. “It is very easy and simple for persons to allege impropriety in Government’s work, but some people who attempt to make these allegations find very flimsy and what I would describe as ‘airy-fairy’

reasons to attribute to what they have under suspicion,” Minister Felix said, adding: “So I find the attempt to tarnish the Department really unbelievable and unimaginable, coming from the sources I see making these allegations. These are former people of Government, who held these very offices and did the work that I am doing. I think they probably need to revisit the laws of Guyana and what governs the Ministry before making the statements attributed to them.” In response to allegations Minister of Citizenship, Mr. Winston Felix

that the Department has been issuing passports to persons within months of application, Minister Felix explained that there is nothing that is illegal or morally corrupt about this. He explained that according to the Constitution of Guyana, the Citizenship Act Article 44 states, “A person born outside of Guyana after the commencement of this Constitution shall become a citizen of Guyana at the date of his birth, if, at that date, his father or mother is a citizen of Guyana...” “All I have to say to that is that the person who made the allegation, I am very surprised that they did not do more indepth research. To the person who has no knowledge on immigration issues, it would sound as though there is a big irregular practice. NO IRREGULARITY HERE All that that means is that your child born out of Guyana could, at any time, claim his parent’s citizenship. That’s all that it means. We do that within the Department and [at] the General Register Office (GRO),” he said. Minister Felix further explained, “An applicant, for registration as a citizen, only needs to go to the GRO with two birth certificates: His parent(s) and his or hers to establish, first of all, that the parent is a Guyanese, and as such the provisions of the Constitution applies to the child. Then the child’s birth certificate must have the parents’ names, and when those two documents are compared and verified as genuine documents, the process to register

the child as Guyanese will commence.” The Minister said that there is no provision in the Constitution which requires such a person to wait one year to acquire a passport. “In my view, a Guyanese is entitled to a passport, and once that child is registered as a Guyanese, that child can apply for a passport without offending any law in this country,” he noted. Responding to allegations that there are applicants who have only lived in Guyana for a year, and therefore are not eligible for citizenship, Minister Felix said that this is not always the case, as Article 45 of the Citizenship Act states, “Any person, who, after the commencement of this Constitution, marries a person who is or becomes a citizen of Guyana, shall be entitled upon making an application in such a manner and taking such oath of allegiance as may be prescribed to register as a citizen of Guyana: Provided that the right to be registered as a citizen of Guyana under this Article shall be subject to such exceptions or qualifications as may be prescribed in the interests of national security or public policy,” and that “except for those exemptions referred to, a person who is married to a Guyanese is entitled to the citizenship of the spouse. So, if you are married today, I see no timeframe set out for the application of that person to become a Guyanese based on the spouse’s citizenship. Maybe that would come later on, but it is not present now. And as such, if you are married to a Guyanese and you wish to be naturalised or registered, the process can start immediately after your marriage. There is no requirement at this time to wait. This very law is what the previous administration had been enforcing. It has not changed, and I find it strange that they are now imputing improper motives in an area with which they also had been practitioners,” the Minister asserted. Minister Felix also said that any person who is seeking naturalisation is given the steps and a list of required documents which must be presented with the application. The applicant must also publish public advertisements at his or her own cost. With respect to the allegations of the involvement of Government officials in the smuggling of Haitians, the Min-

ister said that he had dealt extensively with this issue in the past, and had even briefed the Parliamentary Committee with oversight for Foreign Relations, providing the Opposition with answers to their questions. He noted that for them to raise this issue again shows that there is a desire to create falsehoods and spread misinformation. “Any breach of airside security ought to be raised by the airport authorities,” he said, adding: “I find it strange that this broad statement is made on a matter of national security. I find it also very disingenuous for them to say Government Ministers and officials go airside to collect Haitians. Who are the government officials? Say so, and say it with proof. And that is where these mindless and baseless allegations fail. Let them produce the facts.” In relation to birth certificates being given out at “PNC ‘green’ events” Minister Felix said that the Member of Parliament making the allegation should come forward with proof, since the Department has only been conducting outreaches mainly in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), and Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice), and recently began in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) in keeping with its mandate of 100 per cent birth registrations. This is yet another incident of abstract allegations and no proof, Minister Felix said. He further noted that Ms. Teixeira’s utterings of such baseless, inaccurate and malicious statements demonstrates the length to which the Opposition and its members would go to spread falsehoods and cast doubt to attempt to diminish the confidence the populace has in the Coalition Government. However, he said, the Government remains committed in its mission of providing a better life for the Guyanese people, and will not be distracted by the likes of Ms. Teixeira, who is bent on creating mischief and distractions. (Ministry of the Presidency)

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Goldfields declares 36,600 ounces of gold in first quarter

GUYANA Goldfields Inc. produced 36,600 ounces of gold in the first quarter of 2019 at its Aurora Gold Mine as it remains on track to achieving 145,000 to 160,000 ounces of gold by the end of the year. However, its quarterly production declined by – 4.9% when compared to the production for the first quarter in 2018, which stood at 38,500 ounces of gold. Guyana Goldfields Inc. made the announcement on Monday, explaining that the decrease in the mining rate can be attributed to the completion of the Phase 3 pit at Rory's Knoll. It said that as of March 31, 2019, there was “a strong balance sheet, with an unaudited cash balance of approximately US$73M, and a total debt balance of US$35M.” Guyana Goldfields noted that the full first quarter 2019 operational and financial results will be released after-market on Tuesday April 30, and that a conference is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1 to discuss the results. President and Chief Executive Officer, Scott Caldwell said the gold company is working to improve its operations. “Management is developing an optimized production schedule that will, among other things, reduce the stockpile buildup that is currently part of the new LOM (Life of Mine) plan,” Caldwell explained, noting that management has identified several additional cost-saving opportunities not captured within the new LOM plan, but will improve operating and financial flexibility. “Looking ahead,” he said, “we expect to set a new and higher standard in our operating performance, and provide consistent results based on our new resource model. We have continued to strengthen our Board and senior management, and have brought on proven expertise to assist with our operating plan.” The company stated that in the first quarter of 2019, it significantly improved mining and milling volumes, compared with the prior year. It was explained that the improvement allowed the company to partially offset the negative impact of a higher strip ratio and a lower head grade compared to the first quarter of 2018. “Gold recovery averaged 90.5% for the quarter, compared with 91.7% a year earlier. The Company completed

the mill expansion, which is anticipated to enhance capacity and redundancy of the primary crushing circuit, and expected to further lower per unit costs,” Guyana Goldfields explained. On January 14, 2019, the Company stated that first-quarter gold production would be similar to its fourth-quarter 2018 production of 42,750 ounces, based on the now obsolete 2012 resource model. A full reconciliation analysis of the model, mine and mill grades will be presented with the quarter end results. On the financial side, Guyana Goldfields expressed satisfaction with its unaudited cash balance of approximately US$73M, describing it as strong. It said that with the debt reduced to US$35M under the current terms of the loan agreement, it is scheduled to make seven additional quarterly payments of US$5M to retire the debt at the end of 2020. The Company is reviewing options to restructure debt in order to boost its financial flexibility. In the statement, Guyana Goldfields said Roscoe Postle Associates Inc. (RPA), the author of the updated LOM plan which was completed in March, recognised and pointed out that the production plan was not optimised due to time constraints. As such, the company’s management has identified a number of additional opportunities to enhance its corporate business plan that fell outside the scope of the RPA study. It expects to complete and announce its optimized plan in conjunction with its first quarter financial and operating results after-market on April 30, 2019. Among the plans it has, is to establish a strategic mining alliance into a single operating unit in an effort to improve the efficiency of the operation, thereby allowing management to focus on reducing overhead costs. The company will host a teach-in technical workshop for analysts and institutional investors on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 to discuss the results of the optimization initiatives. “Work on the underground decline will resume in the second quarter. The contractor will complete and reinforce the collar at Mad Kiss and extend the exploration decline 200 metres to fulfill the scope of the early works phase. The company expects this work will take approximately three months

to complete once the contractor is fully mobilized. A budget of US$2.0 million has been approved for the early works phase,” it further detailed. Guyana Goldfields permit allows test mining of up to 350,000 tonnes that could potentially provide supplemental

mill feed during the development period and further unlock value at the Aurora Gold Mine. In addition, the underground exploration ramp will allow the Company access to perform infill drilling at depth to delineate exploration targets and potentially add mineral resources, as well as

convert mineral resources to mineral reserves and further unlock value by potentially prolonging the mine life at the Aurora Gold Mine. It noted management's intention is to develop an Underground Technology Centre, with a purpose of educating and transferring

skills and technology required in all areas of underground technology. The company is finalizing the review of bids received for the underground development contract with the target of final award in the second quarter of 2019.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Gov’t enlists rights commissions to help push social cohesion THE Ministry of the Presidency, through its Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport, wants the various ‘rights’ commissions across the country to help it imple-

ment policies that would foster a more unified society. As such, the Department has hosted its first engagement with one such agency, the Ethnic Relations Com-

mission (ERC). A sensitization session with the chairman, deputy chairman, commissioners and senior staff of the ERC was opened Monday morning at the Racquet Centre, Woolford Ave-

Social Cohesion Minister, with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. George Norton (at left), with Chairperson of the ERC, Dr. John Smith

Programme Coordinator (ag), Department of Social Cohesion, Natasha Singh Lewis

nue, in Georgetown. As the ministry continues to disseminate information on its work, it wants to be able to provide a clear understanding of just what social cohesion is, and to establish a partnership with the agencies to see how they can better collaborate. Policy areas have been under discussion for the past three years and according to Acting Programme Coordinator, Natasha Singh Lewis, the Department has already completed drafting its strategic plan. “We have an implementation plan on which we have done two years of work. The strength of social cohesion is networking. We have sought to work with all the ministries because we recognized that social cohesion is not about any individual or [one] organization.” Minister of Social Cohe-

sion, with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. George Norton, assured the ERC that the Department stands ready to lend whatever support is needed towards building the partnership. “As we all know, the ERC is a constitutional body meticulously designed and established to address the very damaging issues relating to ethnic tension and disharmony in our country. Your role as the ERC is critical to national development, and as a government agency, the Department of Social Cohesion is here to lend support to your efforts,” Norton expressed. He noted that while the ERC is constitutionally mandated and fully capable of dealing with matters of race and ethnicity, the Department is working to address division in all areas of society. “Admittedly, our history would outline that ethnic and race-related issues are seen as the most prominent in our society. Our mission is to build partnerships that aid in the promotion of a harmonious nation where equality prevails – where diversities are embraced and where individuality is nurtured and accepted at all levels.” He said the Department does not plan on taking away from the ERC’s role as a constitutionally mandated agency. “We respect your functions and we are here to not only lend support, but to also seek assistance where needed. It is my genuine hope that today’s session will solidify our partnership with the ERC so that we can all continue to work in the best

Technical Officer, Department of Social Cohesion, Mahendra Boodram

interest of our country.” Technical Officer from the Department of Social Cohesion, Mahendra Boodram, expressed hope that the two agencies can form common grounds on which to work. “We’re here looking at collaboration and not competition. This is stated in the strategic plan; that we are not here to compete with anyone for any area. We are here to work in a collaborative manner so that we can assist you and you can assist us in getting the information necessary for us to achieve our programmes,” he said. “If the statutory commissions have their mandates met, and persons feel that they are not working in a discriminatory environment, then they can contribute to nation-building and help us achieve our goals of implementing policies that will benefit all,” he added.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Aishalton gets fully-equipped ambulance

RESIDENTS of the South Rupununi, Region Nine, will now benefit from improved emergency health services, as a $15M fully equipped ambulance was presented to the Aishalton District Hospital on April 14. The ambulance will provide services to Aishalton and surrounding areas, including Awarewaunau, Mururanau, Shea, Kraudanarau, Achiwib, Rupunau, Sand Creek and Shulinab. Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, who officially handed over the vehicle to the District Hospital, reiterated the government’s commitment to providing quality health services to the Guyanese people. “We have a mission, and that is having a good life for everyone, and health comes first… This is the beginning of many more things to come.” Regional Executive Officer, Carl Parker said that the initiative is part of the regional administration’s effort to improve the medical facility, by enabling it to do surgery and dentistry among other services. He said that the region is also working on upgrading the Annai, Karasabai and Sand Creek health centres so as they can become cottage hospitals, and that because of the growing population of the villages, more Community Health Workers (CHWs) will

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock and Regional Executive Officer, Carl Parker during the handing over of the ambulance to the Aishalton District Hospital

The ambulance that was handed over to the Aishalton District Hospital

be assigned to all the health centres in the region. Plans are also on stream, Parker said, to have the Lethem Hospital operate on a 24hour basis. To facilitate this development, he is calling on young people in the region to apply for training in the medical field, since there will be a need for more doctors, nurses, medexes (Medical Extension Officers) and technicians. Regional Health Officer (RHO), Region 9, Dr. Naail Uthman, has said that the ambulance would be used primarily by the maternal unit to reduce maternal deaths in the region, and that the hospital can now

transfer its patients to the main referral hospital in Lethem. The ambulance will add to the one already in Annai and in Lethem to provide services to the residents in those areas. Among other services soon to be added to the Aishalton District Hospital are x-rays and surgeries. An X-ray and anaesthetic machine will be procured soon. Between 2015 and 2018, the Coalition Government invested over $950M in health services in Region 9, of which the sum of $120M was spent in Aishalton alone. (DPI)

Miner crushed to death as pit collapses THE mining authorities are investigating the death of a Pomeroon miner who died in yet another mining-pit cave-in, this time in the Mahdia mining district in the Potaro-Siparuni region. Dead is Edward Daniels who hails from the Pomeroon. Reports are that Daniels and eight other miners were working in a pit

when its walls collapsed. While the others were fortunate to be pulled out, Daniels was covered down by a layer of soil. His body was later extracted with an excavator. Reports are that two of the miners remain hospitalised at the Mahdia Hospital and one of the men is said to be nursing a broken leg. Over the years, a number of per-

sons lost their lives in mining-pit accidents, many of which have been occurring in the Potaro-Siparuni region. In many instances, the accidents have been attributed to unsafe practices. Last September, miner Lennox Douglas, 33, of Canvas City, Wismar, Linden died after the pit he was working in caved in at

Issano Backdam. That incident occurred less than a month after two other mining- related deaths at Mowasi Backdam, Konawaruk, Potaro. A resident of Aishalton and another man , identified as Deon Sproston of Matthew’s Ridge , North West District, died in that incident.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Young businessman killed in Land of Canaan crash BUSINESSMAN and proprietor of M&R construction was killed in the wee hours of Monday morning after the car he was driving crashed into two other vehicles on the Land of Canaan Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD). Dead is 20 year-old Mahendra Ryan Deokie of Lot 4, Soesdyke EBD. Three other occupants of the car in which he was driving were among those who also sustained injuries. Reports indicate that Deokie was driving a motorcar bearing registration,

PPP 972, south along the roadway at Land of Canaan, allegedly at a fast rate, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a Motor Jeep (CRV) PKK 1555 and a minibus BWW 5216 which were heading in the opposite direction. Deokie and his friends, Nicholas Morrison, Amerita Mohanlall and Emily Persaud sustained the brunt of the injuries following the impact. They were rushed to the Diamond hospital for medical attention; Deokie died

The minibus that was involved in the accident.

while receiving medical attention. His body was taken to

Dead: Mahendra Ryan Deokie

the Lyken funeral home where it is awaiting a Post Mortem Examination as police investigations continue. Injured persons from the minibus and jeep were also taken to the hospital, treated and are being monitored. Police said that the other drivers passed breathalyzer tests and are assisting with the investigation. Forty three- year-old Parmanand Deokie told this publication that he last spoke to his son after midnight and

The mangled vehicle that Deokie was driving when he lost his life.

informed him that he was home. His son did not go into details of his whereabouts and that was the last he heard of him. “His grandmother called me and told me that he was involved in a fatal accident… my son was a good person who lighted up anyone’s life he came into contact with, anyone in Soesdyke can tell the type of person he is,” his father lamented. There has been a 20.8% increase in fatal accidents and

a 19.2% increase in deaths resulting from accidents for the period of January 1 to April 3, 2019, as compared to the corresponding period last year, according to the Guyana Police Force (GPF). “One death is one too many,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie was quoted as telling the heads of the Traffic Departments countrywide, during a recent meeting. The Deputy Commissioner told traffic ranks that he understands the consideration

that “enforcement” is sometimes reduced to facilitate “traffic direction” as well as the dynamics of development and how they would affect the amount of vehicles on the roads and influence the demands of the Traffic Department. The Traffic Department has, over the weeks, been engaged in a massive education and sensitization campaign which has placed great emphasis on youths and students as well as minibus owners and operators.

GRO to train GPF officers in border locations to register births COLLABORATION between the Ministry of Citizenship, the General Register Office (GRO) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will soon see officers in border locations commencing training to conduct registration of births. The same was announced in a release by the Ministry on Monday. The release said that the Eteringbang community in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) has been identified as the first location where officers will be trained. The decision came following a meeting of the National Multi-Sectoral Coordinating Committee. In the release, Minister

Felix said that since the government’s assumption to office, it has been working with a mandate of 100 per cent registration of births. “There should be no child in Guyana, irrespective of his or her geographical location, who is not registered,” he said. Minister Felix stated that he has already dispatched a letter to the Office of the Commissioner of Police requesting that a meeting takes place with the General Register Office (GRO) to ensure that all systems are put in place for the training to begin. He added that it is important for issues such as the storage of application

forms, training schedules and sustainability be worked out between the two entities. Felix also expects that the administrative and other issues would be finalised within one month’s time. “What we are looking at is the fact that there should be sustainability. We would not want to train ranks and when they are moved from that location, there are issues. The absence of a rank trained in this area should not affect the system, so that is what must be looked at,” he said. Eteringbang, Minister Felix informed, would be used as a pilot before registration is rolled out in other border locations.

Mechanic charged for causing death by dangerous driving LEROY Bhagnauth, on trial for causing death by dangerous driving, was yesterday released on bail by Chief Magistrate Ann Mc Lenann, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. It was alleged that the 29-year-old resident of 182 Kuru Kuru, Soesdyke Highway, on November 18, 2018, at Friendship, East Bank Demerara, drove motor lorry GXX 1162 in a dangerous manner, causing the death of Mohammed Kalamadeen. He denied

committing such an offence. He was represented by Attorney-at-Law, Maxwell Mc kay, who pleaded with the Magistrate for bail to be granted at a reasonable sum. Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield did not object to bail. He told the court that, on the day in question, the defendant was proceeding south along the eastern lane of the Public Road, while the victim was driving truck GVV 9645 in the opposite direction. The defendant subsequently swerved into the

path of Kalamadeen’s truck, resulting in the accident where both parties were injured. Kalamadeen was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he succumbed during December, 2018. Bhagnauth was granted $350,000 bail with the conditions that he reports to Grove Police Station every Friday until completion of the matter. He will make his next court appearance on April 30, 2019.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Shaheed Girls’ Orphanage gets new building

CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shaheed Girls’ and Boys’ Orphanage, Raheema Rahaman, has attributed the fruition of a new building for the Shaheed Girls’ Orphanage to the selflessness of individuals who put aside race and religion to help. On October 20, 2018, the Shaheed Girls’ Orphanage in Oleander Gardens, East Coast Demerara, was gutted (by fire) leaving 18 orphans,

books, my school clothes are damaged’ and all I could do is say ‘okay, it’s only toys. Aunty will get better things for y’all’,” she recounted. She would often speak with the girls one-on-one to ensure that they were coping well; would expose them to counselling and took them to the creek to distract them from the looming disappointment. Eventually, organisations like the Central Islamic Orga-

age received sand, cement, steel and stones from M.Y Khan, a hardware store. Assistance also poured in through Rahaman’s immediate family members, friends and even strangers from across North America, Europe and Guyana. “Monies [came] from people throughout this country--- poor people---there were Hindus, Africans, atheists, Muslims, all sort of people came there and brought

The newly-constructed sleeping area for the girls

between the ages of 4 and16, homeless. Recounting the dreadful day, Rahaman remembers receiving, from a caregiver, a phone which she couldn’t, at first, come to grips with. “I actually thought she was joking,” Rahaman said. “But she said ‘no, no’ and then I heard her tears; I felt it and I rushed down.” When Rahaman got to the scene, she was so intent on ensuring that the girls were safe that she rushed past firefighters to the back of the field near the building where the girls and their caregivers were safely huddled together. The immediate moments after would see Rahaman transporting the girls to the Boys Orphanage in Kitty, Georgetown, which she quickly transformed into separate housing for the two genders. “When I got there the little girls said ‘Aunty Dolly, my toys burnt up; my

nization of Guyana (CIOG) and other well-wishers began donating clothing and other items the girls would need to adjust. Fast forward to when construction began on the new home, Rahaman said that the girls were eager and excited throughout the journey and are happy to have, once again, all the things they lost in the fire. On Sunday, Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally; Member of Parliament (MP) Anil Nandlall and Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine attended the launching of the new building. Speaking to the newspaper, the CEO noted that getting to the present state was not as easy as one would have hoped. It took some two weeks for those who assisted, such as the Puran Brothers Inc., to remove the burnt debris and, after the first few days following the fire, the orphan-

$5,000 or $10,000… [soon] little bit added up and we started building,” Rahaman said. One of the most challenging moments she recounted was when she sought to purchase wood for the construction, but no sawmill, amongst a list of options, would agree to the transaction. “I had $500,000 but for some reason everybody that I went to, they just told me ‘no’ or ‘sorry we don’t have that size’ or something else… on my way back, I started to cry. I was frustrated and really wanted to know what was happening,” she said. She thanks Attorney-at-Law Juman-Yassin for the encouragement he gave to her during that time. Still, trusting in Allah, Rahaman contacted her former son-in-law, MP Nandlall, who shortly after provided wood; TURN TO PAGE 19 ►

Some of the girls listen to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shaheed Girls’ and Boys’ Orphanage at the new home.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

$1.9M disbursed to HEYS participants in Region Three THIRTY-EIGHT participants of the Hinterland Employment Youth Service (HEYS) Program from the Essequibo Islands –West Demerara region are in a better position to develop their businesses, after $1.9M was disbursed to the group recently. Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, led a seven-mem-

ber team to the region, on Wednesday last, where he met with the participants with existing businesses under the HEYS Program. The young participants were drawn from the villages of Saxacalli, Bonasika and Caria Caria along the Essequibo River where the grant total was distributed. According to a release from the Ministry of In-

digenous Peoples’ Affairs, passionate testimonies were shared by the youth who noted, with excitement, the positive impact the HEYS Program has made on their lives. Karen DeNieuenkirk of Caria Caria said, “it has been a good learning experience, I am now in a better position to operate my own little business and I know that by God’s grace I will be

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, with participants of the HEYS programme in Region Three.

successful.” Celine Sampson, another participant from Caria Caria, expressed appreciation to the government and the Ministry for giving the youth a second chance at life. “This program has allowed me to discover hidden talents that I am now using, my life has changed and I have a business up and running, my moral life and academic life have improved and I am confident that things are better with me now than before. I will be happy if this program can come back where more young people can have a chance to improve their life,” said Crystal Decamp who is also a participant from Caria Caria. The HEYS Program also caters to the needs of the differently-abled in society and Courtley Jones, a youth from Saxacalli, with assistance from his sister Candida Allicock noted that “[I] started my business with a small amount of chickens and now I have forty three laying birds and I would like to improve my business. I would like to thank the Government for what they have done and will continue to do for the youths”. Following the testimonies of the participants, Minister

Allicock said that he was extremely pleased with the commitment demonstrated by the youth who have embraced the HEYS Program and positive outcomes were being realised. “What I can see and what I can hear, you are poised for a great future ahead, the mere fact that you have said these things for yourself is very encouraging. Mr. Courtley Jones your story from the chickens and eggs is very refreshing, it means that you are passionate and a lot of people might think that when you are differently- abled that you can’t help yourself and here is a very, very good example of what could happen as long as you are focused and dedicated,” he said. The Minister further noted that, “I am extremely impressed with the number of young women taking up the challenge. I think there are only five or six males and the rest are females who are leading in this which is a very, very good sign and I would like to ask the young men to take an example of what the young women are doing”. Courtley Jones took the opportunity to capitalize on the marketing opportunity

and sold fourteen trays of eggs to those attending the meeting including Minister Allicock who bought four trays to take back to the city. Leaders from the respective villages encouraged the youth to thrive towards building on this opportunity which one leader described as “transformative”. In the recent past, the HEYS initiative was deemed no more a “Program but an Irreversible Movement”. The Program which was introduced in 2015, is the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Flagship Youth Program, one that has transformed the lives of close to four thousand youths across the Hinterland. The program is one that was part of a ten- point plan for Hinterland development by President David Granger during his address at the opening of the National Toshaos’ Council Conference in 2015. To date, the “movement”, according to the ministry, has brought tremendous benefits to the youth and already plans are being formulated to have a third cohort rolled out before the end of 2019.

Father of 3 on narcotics charge granted bail TREVOR Forde, a 56-year-old resident of Fourth Street, Albertown, was yesterday, April 15, 2019, brought before Principal Magistrate, Sherdel Isaac Marcus, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for having illegal drugs in his possession. He denied the charge which read that, on April 11, 2019 at Fourth Street, Albertown, he had six and a half grammes of cocaine in his possession for the

purpose of trafficking. According to Prosecutor Quinn Harris, the police went to the defendant’s home where, on conducting a search in his presence, they recovered the said cocaine on a plate. However, Forde told the ranks that it might have been the property of his 21-year-old nephew whom he claimed lived with him. Forde told the court that the police told him he had stolen a Samsung Galaxy S4 and 3 motor cycles.

He further stated that they had taken out the sim and gave it to the family but did not lodge the phone at the station. He then went to the station to bail his friend and was told by the police that drugs were found in his house. The Magistrate granted the accused bail in the sum of $20,000 and ordered him to make his next court appearance on April 29, 2019.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Mother excited

over birth of triplets MOTHER of one the most recent triplet deliveries in Georgetown, Latifa Stephen, is overjoyed to have one extra baby than she had planned for and is thankful that, even as she juggled her pregnancy and teaching practice, everything turned out successful in the end. On Friday, April 12, 2019, Latifa gave birth to three baby boys at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). While she carried the bundles of joy, she was in her final year of teaching practice at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), pursuing training in Early Childhood Education. Delivering healthy babies, for the 21-year-old, has solidified her belief that anything is possible, once one places one’s trust in God. Since the delivery, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings and GPHC’s maternity unit have visited Latifa, showering her with gifts and well-wishes The babies’ father is Police Officer of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Dillon Prince, who is currently stationed in Corentyne, Berbice. When the Guyana Chronicle visited the woman at the hospital, the babes were fast asleep in the nursery. Latifa told the newspaper that, for some time, she and Prince had been preparing for twins based on ultrasound scans conducted. However, they are both now happier with the present

results. “He’s excited, he doesn’t really have words; all he can do is smile,” Latifa said, speaking of Prince. Telling of her labour period, she said: “I just thought I was getting twins. After I pushed out the second child they felt my stomach and they said ‘there’s another one coming’ and I started to feel pain. I was scared and excited at the same time.’” Meanwhile, she described period of being pregnant and on teaching practice as “challenging and easy at the same time”. While she had intially thought that at least one of the babes would be a girl, she is now gearing up for the expected high spirit of male children about the house. Also ecstatic are her family members who have indicated that they will be pitching in to help Latifa manage, especially in these early stages. “I have a lot of family members who are helping me. They’re more excited than me. My family and his family will pitch in and help,” she said. Meanwhile, hampers and other items have already poured in from the likes of Courts; Kings Jewelry World and Predo Diapers. This is the first set of triplets in Latifa’s family but Prince has a set of twins in his. Even as the couple is still deciding on baby names, Latifa is positive that everything will fall into place and wants other women preparing to

FROM PAGE 17

Shaheed Girls’ Orphanage ...

tiles; blocks and more. There are still items such as utensils, computers, a television and furniture that are needed at the orphanage that the CEO trusts will come in due time. Meanwhile, looking to the future, she is already planning to advance even further than before by building a workshop for skills training for the children and a mini-clinic for around-the-clock medical

care. Rahaman has been managing the Shaheed Girls’ and Boys’ Orphanage since 2003. At the launching on Sunday, Minister Ally presented Nandlall with a certificate of appreciation, thanking him for his work towards rebuilding the Shaheed Girls' Orphanage. They both pledged to continue their assistance towards its development.

give birth to feel confident in themselves. “We know it will be difficult but everything will work out,” she said. Encouraging other women, she added: “Keep strong. God has everything in place and with God anything can happen.”

Latifa Stephen, 21, stands near one of her babies after giving birth to triplets on Friday. (DPI photo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

FROM BACK PAGE

Fifth ECCB-sponsored Elizabeth Styles 40-Over tournament launched – $510,000 in cash up for grabs

UNITED States-based company, Elizabeth Styles, has continued its partnership with the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) with a sponsorship worth $510,000 towards the board 40-over round-robin competition. The partnership was confirmed last Saturday between the two entities during a simple launching ceremony at the Better Hope Community Centre. Among the officials attending the launch were Marketing Director of Elizabeth Styles, Kevin Thomas, and ECCB President, Bissoondyal Singh, among a number of club captains. Thomas commented: “While this is the fifth consecutive year that we are sponsoring cricket on the East Coast of Demerara, we have also in the past sponsored Under 17, 19, 21 and development programmes in the County of Berbice and it gives us great pleasure to be associated with the game in Guyana. We believed that the ECCB is doing a great job and are quite satisfied with

the way they have been administering these competitions and, as such, we wish them well.” The winner of the competition will pocket $380,000 along with a trophy; second place attracts $80,000 and a trophy, while the best player in the final will also receive a trophy. The ECCB has disclosed that this year there will be no zoning of teams, since the sponsor had requested that every team on the East Coast be allowed to face each other. The competition is expected to bowl off shortly. ECCB Vice-President and Competitions Committee Chairman, Raymond Barton, speaking at the launch, explained that nineteen teams have entered the competition so far with four others having indicated that they are interested in participating. He anticipates some exciting cricket as this competition is the largest Elizabeth tournament on the East Coast in terms of the amount of teams participating. Teams as far as Abary will be

competing. Singh, in his presentation, noted that while the board is facing challenging times as it relates to receiving subventions and financing from what is given to Guyana by Cricket West Indies, they have managed to maintain a high level of cricket activities. “Had it not been for businesses and companies like Elizabeth Styles, it would have been a monumental task and so on behalf of the ECCB, the clubs and teams, I would like to express sincere gratitude to the management and staff of Elizabeth Styles for their generosity.” Meanwhile, Barton is requesting that clubs make contact with the committee in relation to participating in the tournament. Contact can be made on telephone number 626 0223 on or before tomorrow. Elizabeth Styles, a company that produces hair care, baby care and a wide range of cosmetics, operates in 104 countries. FROM BACK PAGE

Trump to award Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom Trump, an avid golfer, and Woods have played together in the past including in February when the pair joined golf great Jack Nicklaus for a round at Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida. Trump appeared to follow the action at this year’s Masters closely, tweeting well-wishes to the field on Saturday and encouraging people to tune in when Woods had the lead with just two holes left to play US President Donald Trump

The one-stroke win at Augusta National led to an outpouring of support from sports greats and politicians including Trump.

on Sunday. “Congratulations to @ TigerWoods, a truly Great Champion!” Trump tweeted shortly after Woods sank a short putt to secure his 15th major title. “Love people who are great under pressure. What a fantastic life comeback for a really great guy!” he added later. The medal is the highest civilian honour in the United States and is given annually to people who

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have made outstanding contributions to the security or national interests of the country, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavours. Since taking office Trump has given the award to several athletes including former professional NFL players Roger Staubach and Alan Page and late professional baseball player George Herman “Babe” Ruth, Jr.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Smith, Warner return for Australia’s World Cup defence MELBOURNE (Reuters) - The return of Steve Smith and David Warner to Australia’s squad for the Cricket World Cup came as little surprise on Monday but selectors still managed to cause a stir by omitting strike bowler Josh Hazlewood and in-form batsman Peter Handscomb. Former skipper Smith and Warner were eligible for Aaron Finch’s side after their 12-month ball-tampering bans ended last month but their return put a squeeze on the batting positions that saw Handscomb drop out. “Steve Smith and David Warner come back into

the squad. Both are world class players and it has been pleasing to see them produce some good form in the IPL (Indian Premier League),” Chairman of Selectors Trevor Hohns said in a Cricket Australia statement. Warner has registered five 50-plus scores, including an unbeaten century, for Sunrisers Hyderabad in seven IPL matches this season while Smith, returning from an elbow surgery like his former deputy, has also looked in good touch for Rajasthan Royals. Spinners Nathan Lyon and Adam Zampa have made the cut, with selectors

going for the pace of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson and Jason Behrendorff, who has been in fine form in the IPL. Hohns said Hazlewood, who has instead been named in the Australia A team for their tour of England in June-July, remained a big part of Australia’s Ashes plans. The quick, who has taken 72 wickets in 44 one-dayers, has been sidelined since January due to a back injury but had been confident of being fit for the World Cup. “Having not played at the highest level for some time, we feel this will provide him

with the best preparation to get some quality cricket under his belt,” Hohns said. “Our focus is to have Josh back bowling at his best for the commencement of a big Ashes tour.” Starc and Richardson have both been selected subject to fitness. “The advice from the CA medical team is they are progressing well and barring any setbacks will be available for selection ahead of our opening match against Afghanistan on June 1,” Hohns said. Teams have to submit their 15-member squads by April 23 but injury replacements can be named until

Pattinson, Warner, Smith handed central contracts … Mitchell Marsh dropped

Mitchell Marsh

AS well as being named in the World Cup squad, Steven Smith and David Warner have returned to Australia’s central contract list for 2019-2020 following their year-long bans for the ball-tampering scandal. James Pattinson, who is tipped to be included for the Ashes, is also included. Mitchell Marsh and Matt Renshaw are among those who have lost their deals while Kurtis Patterson, who has impressed early in his Test career, is omitted from the list as are fellow incumbent Test players Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne despite them pushing for places on the Ashes tour.

Pattinson is included ahead of his Victoria team-mates Peter Siddle, Chris Tremain and Scott Boland who helped form a Sheffield Shield winning attack. From those on last year’s roster, Ashton Agar, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake and Andrew Tye have also been cut. Nathan Coulter-Nile, Marcus Harris and Adam Zampa have been elevated to the contracted group. “We believe the 2019-20 contract list provides us with a versatile group of players who can represent Australia across all three formats over the contract period,” chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said.

“Our key criteria focused on selecting a pool of players who are going to help us in our ambition to win the upcoming World Cup and Ashes series in England, and who can also play the various formats over the course of the Australian summer.” Mitchell Marsh had a fall from grace during the Australian summer after being named Test vice-captain, losing his spot across all the formats after playing the Boxing Day Test against India where he failed twice with the bat. However, he did finish the Sheffield Shield season strongly with a century and has been named in the Australia A squads, and therefore remains in the selectors’ thoughts. Agar, Stanlake, Tye and Kane Richardson featured in whiteball cricket over the season - Kane Richardson making a late push for the World Cup squad - but have slipped out of the main pack. 2019-2020 CA contracts: Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Alex Carey, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, James Pattinson, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa. (ESPN Cricinfo)

David Warner (left) and Steve Smith

May 23. Opener Usman Khawaja, player-of-the-series in Australia’s ODI series victory in India last month, was picked but may have to bat lower with Warner likely to partner Finch at the top. Handscomb was left out despite his good form and the value he adds as a backup stumper. Alex Carey has been named the sole wicketkeeper in the squad, which also contains all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn

Maxwell. The tournament, being hosted in England and Wales, runs from May 30 to July 14. Squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa.

Pant left out, India pick Karthik and Rahul for World Cup MUMBAI (Reuters) Veteran Dinesh Karthik pipped young Rishabh Pant to the second wicketkeeper’s spot in India’s World Cup squad on Monday and all-rounder Vijay Shankar also made the cut. There was not much suspense hanging over chief selector M.S.K Prasad’s news conference to announce a 15-member Wicketkeeper/batsman Rishabh Pant squad led by Virat Kohli as most of the players picked pipped Rayudu. themselves. “What Vijay Shankar offers is With Mahendra Singh Dhoni three dimensional,” Prasad said. the undisputed first-choice wick“Apart from his batting, he can etkeeper, the selectors preferred bowl and he’s a fantastic fielder... Karthik’s experience to the raw ag- We are looking at him as number gression of 21-year-old Pant. four. We have Dinesh Karthik and “We felt Rishabh Pant or DK Kedar Jadhav also, so we have will come into the playing XI only plenty of options at number four if Mahi (Dhoni) is injured,” Prasad right now.” told reporters, saying Karthik’s Lokesh Rahul made the squad superior keeping and reputation as a back-up opener, but could also as a “finisher” clinched it for the bat at number four, Prasad said. 33-year-old. The World Cup in England and “In crunch matches, who can Wales starts on May 30. be the best guy who can handle Squad: Virat Kohli (captain), the pressure? For that reason, the Rohit Sharma (vice captain), decision went in favour of Dinesh Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Karthik. Otherwise Pant is full of Vijay Shankar, Mahendra Singh talent, there’ll be time for him. It’s Dhoni(wicketkeeper), Kedar unfortunate for him that he missed Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzout.” vendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, There were also speculation Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit about who India pick as their num- Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravinber four batsman and Shankar dra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Mumbai openers setup easy victory as RCB slump to seventh defeat

MOEEN Ali produced an all-round show for the ages but it wasn’t enough as important contributions through the top-order followed by a late onslaught from Hardik Pandya helped Mumbai Indians record a crucial five-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore at Wankhede Stadium on Monday. Led by swashbuckling half-centuries from AB de Villiers and Moeen, Bangalore posted a competitive 171/7 in their 20 overs. In reply, Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock got Mumbai off to a solid start but with the ball turning square, the batsmen found the going tough with Moeen doing the job with the ball as well returning 2/18. However, Hardik like he has so often done for Mumbai, came in at the end plundering 37 in just 16 balls to take his side to a win in 19 overs. Mumbai’s chase got off to a rollicking start courtesy Rohit and de Kock. The left-hander crunched Umesh

Yadav for two back-to-back boundaries in the first over before Rohit welcomed Navdeep Saini by pulling him over deep fine leg. Bangalore continued to bleed runs in the Power Play with all the bowlers failing to make any sort of mark. The hosts raced to 67/0 after six overs and at that stage it seemed they might race to a win on a canter. But an inspired bowling change from Virat Kohli turned the game on its head. With the ball turning sharply, Moeen was brought into the attack in the seventh over and the move paid dividends. The spinner struck twice in four balls to remove both set openers and open the contest wide open. He first castled Rohit (28 in 19) with one that turned sharply from outside off and then trapped de Kock (40 in 26) right in front of the stumps three balls later. Mumbai soon realised aggression was the best form of defence on the surface and Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav decided to take on the

Hardik Pandya plundered 37 for just 16 balls.

RCB spinners. Ishan Kishan first pummelled Negi for two sixes on the bounce while Suryakumar creamed Moeen effortlessly over extra cover for another half-a-dozen. Kishan then took after Chahal too, depositing him over deep midwicket but the shrewd tactician that the leg-spinner is, had his revenge the very next ball. Looking for a repeat of his previous shot, Kishan (21 in 9) once again came down the track but Chahal saw him and pushed the ball wider and Patel removed the bails in a flash to catch the batsman

Ex-Brazil soccer chief given life ban for bribery - FIFA

Former president of CBF Jose Maria Marin

(REUTERS) - Jose Maria Marin, the former president of Brazil Football Confederation (CBF), has been banned for life and fined 1 million Swiss francs (761,152 pounds) for taking bribes, the sport’s governing body FIFA said on Monday. Marin is currently serving a four-year sentence in prison a the United States after being convict-

ed on corruption charges related to a bribery scandal at FIFA. He was also fined $1.2 million and ordered to forfeit $3.34 million. FIFA’s investigation into Marin was linked with the awarding of contracts for the media and marketing rights to The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), CBF and CONCACAF competitions in 2012-2015. “In its decision, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Marin had breached art. 27 (Bribery) of the FIFA Code of Ethics and, as a result, banned him for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level,” FIFA said in a statement. Marin was among the first to stand trial over what U.S. prosecutors called a sprawling scheme involving payments of more than $200 million of bribes and kickbacks in exchange for marketing and broadcast rights for soccer matches.

short. Kohli employed spin exclusively through overs six to 16 where RCB took 6 for 64 to stymie the hosts. It seemed it would be enough but Hardik had other ideas. With Mumbai needing 22 runs to win off two overs, the all-rounder took Negi apart thumping him for two fours and two sixes to finish off the contest with six balls to spare. Earlier, Rohit’s decision to field was vindicated when Jason Behrendorff got the prise scalp of Kohli in just the third over the day for 8.

The left-arm pacer making full use of his height nipped a shortish length delivery back into the RCB captain catching his inside-edge and de Kock made no mistake in snapping up a simple chance. Jasprit Bumrah then started off with a maiden as Mumbai tightened their grip early on proceedings until Parthiv Patel broke the shackles. The left-hander slammed three fours and a six off Behrendorff’s third over to help Bangalore move to a respectable 45/1 after the six-over mark. However, Hardik brought an end to Parthiv’s sprightly knock when the opener uppishly drove a back of a length delivery to point to fall for a 20-ball 28. De Villiers and Moeen slowly re-built the innings amidst a good spell from Hardik and Rahul Chahar. The leg-spinner, in particular, had both batsmen in a lot of strife with his variations but could not dislodge the duo. At 97/2 after 13 overs, Bangalore were desperate to make a move and Moeen de-

cided he was the one to take initiative. The Englishman first hacked Chahar for a six down the ground before clubbing Krunal Pandya into the stands over long-on. Moeen then plundered two sixes and a four in Behrendorff’s last over as overs 14 to 17 yielded 39 runs for Bangalore. Both batsmen reached their respective half-centuries in the 18th over but Moeen could not carry on for long falling to Lasith Malinga for a well-compiled 32-ball 50 which included one four and a six. Marcus Stoinis fell for a duck two balls later deceived by a slower one from the Sri Lankan. De Villiers further collected two fours and a six but was run-out in the last over courtesy a direct throw from long-on by Kieron Pollard. The South African smashed 75 in just 51 balls, his innings studded with six fours and fours sixes. Three wickets in the final overs scuppered Bangalore’s final flourish but they still managed to cross the 170run mark.

Persaud hits back-to-back tons for McGill in Beacon Café competition

FORMER Guyana U-19 captain, Travis Persaud, has returned to form with back-to-back centuries for the McGill Super Star Sports Club in the West Demerara Cricket Association (WDCA) Beacon Café 50-over competition. In their latest clash on Sunday at the Zeeburg Sports Club ground, the home team registered a 187run victory against La Grange All Stars with their skipper excelling with bat and ball. La Grange All Stars won the toss and opted to field, but their bowling attack was unravelled by Persaud, who struck 12 fours and five sixes in an even hundred to help his side to a staggering score of 319-8 in 40 overs. In a match against Windsor Forest Sports Club last Sunday, Persaud had also scored an even hundred. For the second wicket in their latest clash, Persaud and another former U-19 cricketer, Kheshram Former national U-19 cricketers Kheshram SeySeyhodan, batted the All Stars out of the game with hodan (left) and Travis Persaud tallied 151 for the a 151-run partnership. Seyhodan, who carved out 68, second wicket. laced the boundary 11 times. Travis and his younger brother, Troy Persaud 19 away and in the process, four of them fell to the off(2x4s, 1x6) had added 51 runs for the first wicket. spin bowling of Travis Persaud. The 21-year-old finAlso contributing to the total was Sudesh Persaud, ished with figures of 4-25 from eight overs, while leftwho struck 44 (2x4s, 2x6s) and Mahadeo Ramotar, arm fast bowler, Daniel Basdeo, supported with 2-32 who finished with an unbeaten 23. (seven overs). Abdul Razack, Seyhodan and Sudesh Bowling for La Grange, left-arm medium pac- Persaud finished with one wicket apiece. er, Greg Singh, took 3-31 from eight overs and Paul Kalfani Adams led La Grange with 34 (3x4s, Shivram 2-36 from five overs. 2x6s), while Naresh Ramcharran added 21 (2x6s) In the middle, the visitors struggled to get the ball and Singh 13 (2x4s).

26 26

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

East Coast Zone – Guinness Greatest of the Streets

Uprising dethroned, new champs to be decided on Easter Monday NEW champions will be crowned in the East Coast Zone of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ on Easter Monday after last year’s winners, Uprising, could not find the winning formula and were knocked out at the round-robin stage. In front of a full house at the Haslington Market Tarmac, Uprising failed to win a single game in the round-robin stage on Saturday night, losing to Belfield Warriors and Paradise A, respectively, to make an unflattering exit from the tournament. However, the former champions have a shot at redemption in the Plate Competition which will see teams battling it out for $60,000 plus a trophy. Belfield Warriors beat them 1-0 from the pen-

Full results of the round-robin stage: Round-1 Melanie B vs Liliendaal Hustlers 1-0 BV A vs Buxton Diamond 1-0 Paradise A vs Victoria Church Yard 1-0 Uprising vs Belfield Warriors 0-0 Belfield won 1-0 on penalty kicks Round-2 Buxton Diamond vs Melanie-B 0-0 Melanie B won 1-0 on penalty kicks Liliendaal Hustlers vs BV ‘A’ 3-0 Victoria Church Yard vs Belfield Warriors 1-0 Paradise A vs Uprising 1-0

Action in the East Coast Zone of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’.

alty spot after both sides failed to find the back of the net in regulation time. Uprising were then needled by Paradise A, who are crowd favourites. Paradise A will now face Liliendaal Hus-

tlers, who beat BV A to seal their semi-final spot. Meanwhile, Melanie B will face Victoria Church Yard with a place in the final at stake.

Tiger Woods’ Masters Injured Alzarri Joseph win gives Nike investors likely to miss remainder another reason to cheer of IPL season

Tiger Woods wins the Masters for the fifth time

(REUTERS) - Nike Inc’s long-time brand ambassador Tiger Woods gave investors another reason to cheer on Monday, after the world’s biggest name in golf won the Masters, pushing the company’s stock higher. In his signature red shirt and black shoes with the Nike “swoosh” logo, the 43-year-old came back from a series of setbacks to claim his fifth Green Jacket on Sunday, ending an 11-year major title drought. “A win for a high profile endorser is a clear win for the brand,” Nomura Instinet analyst Simeon Siegel said. Nike celebrated his victory by posting an ad on its website titled “Tiger Woods: Same Dream,” which has received nearly 500,000 views on YouTube in less than a day. President Donald Trump praised the win,

tweeting: “Love people who are great under pressure. What a fantastic life comeback for a really great guy!” Nike and Woods forged a partnership that dates back more than two decades through good times and bad publicity. The brand already has a celebrated pool of endorsers, including tennis star Serena Williams, basketball phenom LeBron James, football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr, as well as golfers Francesco Molinari and Brooks Koepka. While not transformational, Woods’ win should provide a boost to Nike’s golf apparel business, marketing consultancy firm Metaforce co-founder Allen Adamson said. “His win is good for golf and its good for Nike,” he said. Nike’s shares were up about 1 percent at $87 Monday morning.

WINDIES and Mumbai Indians pacer Alzarri Joseph is likely to miss the rest of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season after suffering an injury to his bowling arm. In Saturday’s contest against the Rajasthan Royals the 23-year-old injured the limb while fielding. It was a bad afternoon all round for the young bowler. After claiming record figures of 6 for 12 in his debut last weekend, Joseph ex-

perienced the flip side of the coin. He bowled the most expensive three-over spell ever seen at the tournament. Joseph was targeted for 53 off his three overs, the third the worst of all as he was the victim of some savagery from Jos Butler. Butler smacked six boundaries in the over to take 28 runs. He ended the night with 89 from 43 balls as the Royals chased down Mumbai Indians’ 187 with three balls to spare.

Mumbai Indians pace bowler Alzarri Joseph

According to reports, Joseph has a tear in his right arm, which was dislocated during the fielding incident. Although there has not been an estimate for the length of time the player

will take to recover, the player seems set to miss the rest of the season. With the ICC World Cup just over a month away, Joseph will hope to recover in time.

Hand-in-Hand Insurance sponsors GTTA’s Thuria Thomas

THE Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Ltd is once again proud to support the National Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Champion, Thuria Thomas. Thomas has been selected by the GTTA as one of the key players among a group of sixteen (16) most talented, disciplined and brightest young players to represent Guyana in the on-going Caribbean Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championship scheduled for the 11th – 18th April, 2019 in Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic. Over the years, she has been making consistent improvements in her technical and tactical development and is one whom the GTTA believes has the potential and ability to reach the highest level. The Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire Insurance Company has always been supportive At a simple presentation at the company’s Head Office, Ms. Savita Singh, Business Development Officer, proudly presents the sponsor- and will continue to nurture and assist in ship cheque to Ms. Thomas in the presence of GTTA president, Godfrey the development of sports amongst youths in Guyana. Munroe.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday April 16, 2019

Sergeant commands Regal to 3rd consecutive Florida Cup

AN ultra-aggressive 85 from Rickey Sergeant gave Regal All Stars a commanding 131-run victory over Softball Cricket Canada (SCC) All Stars in the Open final of the 15th edition of the Florida Cup which ended last Sunday in Fort Lauderdale. The strongly built righthander walked in at number four with the now three-time champions 33-2 in the third over after winning the toss and powered them to 233-7 from their 20 overs. However, at the start of his innings he was just a spectator at the other end and played the supporting role to Patrick Rooplall who seemed a man possessed. Rooplall hit two sixes and two fours off the first six balls he faced to get the ball rolling in the assault at the only international cricket venue in North America-Central Broward Regional

stadium. In the next over, Sergeant got into his stride and started to match Rooplall shot for shot. The attacking right-handers took the score to 89-3 when Rooplall holed out at midwicket for 46 (3x4s; 5x6s) in the eight over. After Rooplall’s dismissal, Sergeant got support from Sewchand Budu who made 16 (1x4; 1x6) and Eon Ellis 22 not out (1x4; 1x6) before he was 5th out at 196-5 in the 17th over, 15 runs short of what would have been a well-deserved century. Rabindra Ramnauth (03), Martin Dutchin (06) and Delroy Pereira 10 not out (1x4; 1x6) then saw the champions past the 200-run mark. Earlier, in-form opener Sachin Singh 08 (2x4s) and captain Fazal Rafiek (01) fell to Ramkissoon who was the pick of the SCC bowlers with

The winning Regal All Stars team with supporters after they won the title.

3/33 from his four overs. SCC, in reply, was off to a bad start when fast bowler, Martin Dutchin (2/13), sent back opener, A. Rukhram, without scoring and K. Parbhudin (06) in quick time.

CWI confirms Estwick, Collymore return to coaching setup BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Experienced coach Roddy Estwick has returned to the setup of the senior men’s side for the ICC World Cup, Cricket West Indies confirmed Monday. Ironically, the Barbadian was sacked ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in March last year, ending a near two-year stint with the West Indies side. He will be the assistant coach to interim head coach, Floyd Reifer, who was announced last week in the post, and joins former Test seamer Corey Collymore and ex-first class pacer, Rayon Griffith, as the the support staff. “CWI have, in consultation with interim head coach Floyd Reifer, assembled a strong support group of coaches to work with the squad for the Tri-Series against Ireland and Bangladesh as we prepare for the World Cup,” said director of cricket, Jimmy Adams. “This support group will continue throughout the ICC

Roddy Estwick returns to the Windies coaching setup

Cricket World Cup in England.” Estwick earned plaudits from players during his tenure as bowling coach after replacing legendary former fast bowler, Sir Curtly Ambrose, in May 2016 ahead of the Tri-Nations Series in the Caribbean. After his sacking, Estwick worked as bowling coach of the Windies women’s squad for the Twenty20

World Cup in November last year. Collymore, meanwhile, returns to the setup as well after featuring as bowling coach on Windies men’s tours of India and Bangladesh last year. The 41-yearold, who played 30 Tests and 84 One-Day Internationals for West Indies, will resume his role as bowling coach for the tour of Ireland and the World Cup. Guyanese Griffith, who served as a coach with Caribbean Premier League franchise Guyana Amazon Warriors in the past, will now undertake fielding coach duties. CWI have revamped the entire coaching staff for the upcoming World Cup, following the recent election of new president Ricky Skerritt and vice-president Dr Kishore Shallow. Englishman Richard Pybus, controversially appointed interim head coach last January, has been removed along with his support team of Vasbert Drakes, Toby Radford and Esuan Crandon.

Dutchin was supported by opener, Shilenda Ramnauth, (1/13) to leave SCC on 28-3 after 8 overs and they never recovered. R. Ramsuchit top scored with 47 (4x4s; 2x6s) while

A. Sookdeo made 22 as the only two batsmen in double figures when the innings ended at 101 in 19.4. Kishore Smith was the most destructive Regal bowler with 4/22 while

Pereira picked up 2/23 (3.4). For his destructive innings of 85 (7x4s; 6x6s), Sergeant was later named Man-of-the-Match. Sewchand Budhu was named Man-of-the-Series. Regal All Stars have now won three Florida Cups in a row after copping the 2016 and 2017 titles. In the other categories, Orlando Legends won the Over-50 title after beating South Florida Legends in the final and SVC Corriverton took the Masters over40 title when they beat SCC Masters. It was the 15th edition of the Florida Cup and was organized by the South Florida Softball Cricket League. Across the three formats, there were 28 teams in all with 10 each in the Open and Masters over-40 while there were 8 teams in the Legends over-50.

Freakish goal gives Arsenal 1-0 win at 10-man Watford (REUTERS) - Arsenal boosted their hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League after a bizarre 10th-minute goal by striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave them a 1-0 win at 10-man Watford on Monday. The result lifted the Gunners two places up to fourth on 66 points from 33 games, one behind third-placed Tottenham Hotspur. Arsenal are ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea, who have played a game more, on goal difference. Watford stayed 10th with 46 points. Arsenal manager Unai Emery was pleased with his team’s first away clean sheet of the season. “A clean sheet is very important,” he told the BBC. “It is going to give us a lot of information, this match.” The fast-paced clash took a decisive turn in a frantic one-minute spell early on, as Aubameyang found the back of the net in unlikely fashion before Watford striker Troy Deeney was shown a straight red card for elbowing Lucas Torreira. The home side’s goalkeeper Ben Foster dwelled on Daryl Janmaat’s back pass for too long, allowing Aubameyang to close him down and block his attempted goalmouth clearance as the ball ricocheted into the back of the net. Foster made no excuses for his howler. “I’ve said sorry to the lads,” he said. “I tried to drag it on to my left and pass it out but before I knew it Aubameyang was bloody on me. He is too quick. In hindsight you have to get rid (of the ball) as quick as you can, even if it goes into row Z.” Despite their numerical disadvantage, Watford kept pressing and missed a string

Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ainsley Maitland-Niles celebrate after the match REUTERS/David Klein

of chances to draw level, having twice been denied by the woodwork as well as by some good saves from Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno. The home side missed their best opportunity in the 80th minute when Arsenal substitute Ainsley Maitland-Niles slid in to block Andre Gray’s goal-bound effort after the Watford forward rounded Leno. Aubameyang, Alex Iwobi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan also came close at the other end but Arsenal were forced to hang on in the closing stages with Watford throwing men forward. The home team’s manager Marco Silva praised his team for their fighting spirit in the face of adversity. “We did a lot of things to try to win, a big effort,” he said. “We didn’t get any points but we played well. It was a difficult game with 10 men.”

East Coast Cricket Board president (ECCB) Bissoondyal Singh (far left) at the launching of the fifth edition of the Elizabeth Styles 40-over round-robin competition.

Fifth ECCB-sponsored Elizabeth Styles 40-Over tournament launched – $510,000 in cash up for grabs

See Page 23

Trump to award Tiger Imran McSood appointed Woods the Presidential independent director of CWI Medal of Freedom

Tiger Woods of the U.S. celebrates on the 18th hole after winning the 2019 Masters. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he would award Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom after the golfer won the Masters for the fifth time on Sunday. “Spoke to @TigerWoods to congratulate him on the great victory he had in yesterday’s @TheMasters, & to inform him that because of his incredible Success & Comeback in Sports (Golf) and, more im-

portantly, LIFE, I will be presenting him with the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM,” Trump tweeted. The victory on Sunday was one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, as the 43-year-old ended an 11-year major title drought having overcome personal and professional setbacks including a highly-public divorce and multiple surgeries.

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IMRAN McSood-Amjad, First CEO of NAGICO Insurances has been appointed an Independent Director of Cricket West Indies. (CWI). The CWI Board of Directors ratified his appointment during a board meeting on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. Mr. McSood-Amjad joins CWI with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the insurance and motor industries. “We are delighted to welcome Mr McSood-Amjad’s deep region-wide business experience and his undoubted passion for cricket to the CWI Board, where we know he will make valuable contributions to the growth and success of the West Indies to make cricket the heartbeat of the Caribbean,” said CWI President Ricky Skerritt in announcing the appointment. Reacting to his appointment, McSood-Amjad said he was honoured to be able to serve Windies cricket. “It’s a privilege to be appointed to serve cricket across the whole of the region as we aim to strengthen West Indies cricket,” he said. “Cricket makes such a difference to every community, country, player and fan and there is a genuine opportunity to make cricket stronger and continue to be the pride of the Caribbean. “CWI must focus on all levels of cricket and work towards ensuring that the best and most disciplined players represent us at each level so as to become world leaders of the game once again. This would require a unified and astute approach to cricket coupled with a financial vision for which I hope to bring added value.”

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Imran McSood-Amja

An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Mr McSood-Amjad and Nagico Insurances have had a long and active involvement in West Indies cricket. NAGICO was a recent past sponsor of the West Indies Super50 Cup. He is also Chairman of Motorworld, Caribbean Auto and International Motors Ltd. in St Maarten. His passion for cricket in the West Indies runs deep and he is the founder and current Chairman of the St. Maarten Cricket Association. Mr McSood-Amjad has also been recognised for his longstanding and outstanding services to St Maarten’s society with the Order of Orange-Nassau, a Royal Decoration and recognition from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.(Sportsmax) TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019