Guyana Chronicle Epaper 05 25 2019

SATURDAY 25th May, 2019

No.105648

‘A grateful nation’ ... President hails contributions of National Awardees ... says awards have been restored to place of prominence 03 PAGE

Flooding in hinterland locations PAGE

10

Public 12 infrastructure gets additional $2B PAGE

–– 500M for construction of new roads, drains

–– $489.8M for widening, improvement of East Coast Road

President David Granger, on Friday, bestowed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Frederick Hamley Case, with the Cacique Crown of Honour.

Case leads a list of 77 distinguished men and women who have been recognised for their yeoman service to Guyana. (Delano Williams’ photo)

Visitor arrivals up by 6.4%

PAGE

18

2

Men top list of National Awardees

FIFTY-THREE men topped the list of 77 distinguished Guyanese who were conferred with national awards at the National Cultural Centre on the Friday.

The Head of State, President David Granger, MSS, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Chancellor of

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

the Orders of Guyana, conferred the national awards in accordance with the Order of Service of Guyana, as the country prepares to usher in its 53rd Independence Anniversary.

Below are scenes from the ceremony captured by Guyana Chronicle’s Deputy Chief Photographer, Delano Williams.

President David Granger presenting Shameza Baksh, an Educator, with the Medal of Service.

President David Granger conferring the Medal of Service on Veteran Nurse, Taramattie Persaud Barker

Chairman of the National Toshaos’ Council, Nicholas Fredericks receives the Golden Arrow of Achievement

Secretary General of the National Commission for the UNESCO, Patrice La Fleur receives the Golden Arrow of Achievement

Monsignor Terrence Montrose being conferred with the Cacique Crown of Honour by President David Granger

3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

‘A grateful nation’ ... President hails contributions of National Awardees

... says awards have been restored to place of prominence NATIONAL Awards have been restored to their proper place of prominence in Guyana’s order of business, President David Granger asserted during the 2019 Investiture ceremony at the National Cultural Centre on Friday.

President Granger in his remarks to the 77 awardees said that the National

help to make Guyana a better place.

President Granger believes that persons deserve to be accorded with recognition of the state and respect of the nation.

The national honour system applauds citizens for their contribution, participation and accomplishments.

National awards are part

President David Granger making his remarks during the 2019 Investiture Ceremony at the National Cultural Centre (Delano Williams photo) Awards should never be disregarded or disparaged through arbitrary or capricious conferment or through regret. On Friday, 53 males and 24 females were conferred with awards.

“You are being conferred annually since 2015 and you will continue to be in years to come,” said the President, adding that National Awards are an institution of the state and it is Government’s obligation to preserve that institution by conferring these awards annually.

The constitution and orders of Guyana established the national honour system which recognises and respects citizens whose selfless service had a measurable impact on the country.

“Citizens’ contribution to society, their participation in national development and their personal accomplishments are central to a country’s progress,” said President Granger.

He said the awardees are citizens whose services reflect the value, identity, integrity and loyalty which

of the country’s national honour system, the President said, adding that the awards embody the nation’s values and they are tangible tokens that the country can bestow on its worthy citizens.

“These awards express appreciation for the selfless service, they encourage emulation and they exalt the success of the recipients,” he said.

The President applauded their accomplishments in diverse fields such as academia, charity, defence, economy, education, enterprise, faith, health, sport, security and other branches of the public service.

Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings-Edwards in her remarks, also emphasised the importance of National Awards and applauded the awardees.

According to Justice Cummings-Edwards, “it is important for citizens to be recognised and rewarded for their hard work…national awards provide a medium for this national recognition

of the remarkable contribution of our citizens.”

Shameza Baksh who received the Medal of Service said it was an honour to receive an award. Baksh, who has been teaching Islamic studies for two decades, said it is rewarding for being recognised for any hard work.

“I believe that being recognised by God is important but this too is an honour and I am grateful and thankful,” she said.

Former Deputy Chief Education Officer of the Ministry of Education, Genevieve Whyte –Nedd was also honoured to be conferred with the Golden Arrow of Achievement.

Whyte-Nedd said she had many good years during her tenure with the public service and it was definitely good to be rewarded for all the hard work.

Guyana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Frederick Hamley Case, headed the list of the 77 distinguished persons.

President David Granger presents the Golden Arrow of Achievement to National Cricketer, Leon Johnson, captain of the Guyana Senior Men’s Cricket team.

(Delano Williams photo) neil Cummings and Phillip Dorsett, Hilbert Gardiner Nessie Bryan Da Silva.

Foster, Gloria Dawn GarPatrick Reginald Antho- raway, Lawrence Llewlyn ny Farnum, Egbert Harold Griffith, Soyinka Ameygo Field, Nicholas Fredericks, Grogan, Claudette Anne Malcolm Jacob Jawaharlal Patricia Heyliger-Thomas, Harripaul, Vincent Patrick Suresh Jagmohan, ParmeshHenry, Dickson Augus- war Jagmohan, Ian Jardine, tus Hooper, Leon Rayon Bibi Fazeela Khan and NiJohnson, Kalam Azad Ju- zam Kassim. man-Yassin, Patrice Desireé Gordon Hubert KingsAnn La Fleur, Carl Chetwyn ton, Kumar Lalbachan, PeLashley, Derrick Fitzpatrick ter George Lewis, NazruLawrence, Lawrence Hilary deen Mohamed, Terrence London, Julia Anne Mansell, Anthony Poole, Leslie Suresh Narine, Christopher Chrispen Ramalho, HarripAnthony Nascimento, Lur- ersaud Ramsewack, Petal lene Anita Nestor, Max- Elizabeth Ridley, Gail Paine Patricia Parris-Aaron, tricia Robinson, Ramkarran Rajendra Persaud, Eric Roopchan, James Rotry McLauren Phillips, Sandra Sampson, Komal Singh, Kumarie Shivdat, Profes- Zohora Singh and Fitzsor Gomathinayagam Sub- roy Egerton Younge, also ramanian, Morris Wilson, formed part of the list of Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Whyte-Nedd, Garfield Ian awardees for the Golden Cummings-Edwards delivering her presentation Colin Wiltshire and William Arrow of Achievement.

Henry Woolford were also The single Military Ser(Delano Williams photo) presented with the Golden vice Medal was presented to Meanwhile, 36 distin- Arrow of Achievement.

Lieutenant-Colonel CourtHe was bestowed with the guished Guyanese were For their yeoman’s ser- ney Arthur Byrne. awarded the Golden Arrow vice to society, 31 GuyaCacique Crown of Honour.

Meanwhile, three DisCharles John Ethelwood of Achievement. The list nese have been awarded ciplined Services Medals Fung-A-Fat, SC; Ambas- includes: Vincent Luther Al- the Medal of Service. They were presented to Deputy sador David Thomas Allan exander, O’Donna Frances include: Baksh, Tarramattie Commissioner Lyndon Hales; Ambassador Sheik Allsopp, Lorene Evadney Persaud Barker, Roxanne Lancelot Alves, Assistant Riyad David Insanally; Am- Pamela Baird, Ruth Benja- Marilyn Barratt, Rosemary Commissioner Paul Hanbassador Halim Majeed; min-Huntley, Calvin Benn, Nicola Benjamin-Noble, del Anthony Langevine and Monsignor Terrence Leslie Thomas Black, Wil- Donna Annastatia Bowman, and Divisional Officer Montrose have also been liam Andrew Boyle, Negla John Randolph Massiah Compton Anthony Sparawarded the Cacique Crown Helena Brandis, Paul An- Critchlow, Jean Marionetta man. drew Carto, Rudolph Othof Honour.

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Theresa May quits: UK set for new PM by end of July (BBC) Theresa May has said she will quit as Conservative leader on 7 June, paving the way for a contest to decide a new prime minister.

In an emotional statement, she said she had done her best to deliver Brexit and it was a matter of "deep regret" that she had been unable to do so.

Mrs May said she would continue to serve as PM while a Conservative leadership contest takes place.

The party said it hoped a new leader could be in place by the end of July.

It means Mrs May will still be prime minister when US President Donald Trump

makes his state visit to the UK at the start of June.

Asked about the prime minister's announcement, Mr Trump said: "I feel badly for Theresa. I like her very much. She's a good woman.

She worked very hard. She's very strong."

Mrs May said she would step down as Tory leader on 7 June and had agreed with the chairman of Tory backbenchers that the contest to replace her should begin the following week.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has become the latest MP to say that he will run, joining Boris Johnson, Esther McVey and Rory Stewart.

More than a dozen other MPs are believed to be seriously considering entering the contest.

At the start she boasted about not being a creature of Westminster's bars and cliques.

But it meant this very private politician had few true friends to help when things turned sour, and neither the powers of patronage, nor the capability to schmooze

or arm twist to get people around to her point of view.

Few of her cabinet colleagues, even now, know her well at all, one saying that "as things got harder the circle got smaller". Another revealed that "there was no trust, and no faith".

Settling the Tories' decades-long dispute over Europe was always perhaps beyond just one leader. But the wounds have got more

Saturday, May 25, 2019 - 09:30 hrs

painful under her leadership, rather than fading away.

In her statement, delivered in Downing Street, Mrs May said she had done "everything I can" to convince MPs to support the withdrawal deal she had negotiated with the European Union but it was now in the "best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort".

She added that, in order to deliver Brexit, her successor would have to build agreement in Parliament.

"Such a consensus can only be reached if those on all sides of the debate are willing to compromise," she said.

Mrs May's voice shook as she ended her speech saying: "I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honour of my life to hold. The second female prime minister, but certainly not the last.

"I do so with no ill will, but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love."

The prime minister had faced a backlash from her MPs after announcing her latest Brexit plan earlier this week, which included concessions aimed at attracting cross-party support.

The Conservative Party said the likely timetable for the leadership contest was that nominations would close during the week beginning 10 June, with candidates whittled down to the final two to by the end of the month.

Those names would then be put to a vote of party members before the end of July.

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, who is seen as the front-runner to succeed Mrs May, told an economic conference in Switzerland on Friday: "We will leave the EU on October 31, deal or no deal."

He said a new leader would have "the opportunity to do things differently".

Labour Leader Jeremy

Corbyn said Mrs May had been "right to resign" and that the Conservative Party was now "disintegrating".

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt called her a "true public servant" and Chancellor Philip Hammond said it had been a "privilege" to serve alongside her.

Mrs May's predecessor, David Cameron - who resigned as prime minister after campaigning for Remain and losing the referendum - said she should be thanked for her "tireless efforts".

He added: "I know how painful it is to accept that your time is up and a new leader is required. She has made the right decision - and I hope that the spirit of compromise is continued."

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wished Mrs May well despite "profound disagreements" but added: "The prospect of an even more hardline Brexiteer now becoming PM and threatening a no-deal exit is deeply concerning."

Democratic Unionist Party Leader Arlene Foster, whose party supported Mrs May's government in power after the Conservatives lost their majority in the 2017 election, praised Mrs May's "dutiful approach on national issues".

Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said Mrs May's compromises with the right-wing of her party had been blame for her departure, adding: "The best and only option remains to take Brexit back to the people. I believe the public would now choose to stop Brexit."

But Brexit Party Leader Nigel Farage said two Conservative leaders whose "instincts were pro-EU" had now gone and the party either "learns that lesson, or it dies".

22-05-2019

06 25 11 17 24 23 03

24-05-2019

E

8 11 14 16 17 1 7 8 22 23

0

7

4

1 9

4

7

9

12 19 20

5

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Majority in Brazil's top court to make homophobia and transphobia crimes (BBC) A majority in Brazil's Supreme Court has voted in favour of making homophobia and transphobia crimes.

Six out of 11 judges voted to consider discrimination against gays and transgender people equivalent to racism.

The decision will give the community, which suffers constant attacks, real protection, activists say.

At least 141 LGBT people have been killed in Brazil this year, according to rights group Grupo Gay da Bahia.

The Catholic Church and the evangelical movement

are frequently critical of gay rights and far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, elected last year with strong support of conservative voters, is a self-described homophobe.

"Homophobic crimes are as alarming as physical violence," Supreme Court Vice-President Luiz Fux said on his vote, citing "epidemic levels of homophobic violence".

For almost 20 years there have been efforts to make homophobia a crime in Brazil, but legislation on the matter has faced resistance among conservative and re-

ligious groups in Congress, the BBC's Julia Carneiro in Rio reports.

The decision at the Supreme Court means that of-

fences are to be punished under the country's racism law until Congress approves specific legislation to protect LGBT people, our correspon-

dent adds.

The remaining judges will vote in a session scheduled for 5 June.

Brazil has the world's biggest Catholic population but also a growing number of young, educated urban liberals who are eager to fight for gay and trans rights.

The country legalised same-sex marriage in 2013 and LGBT couples have also been given the right to adopt.

Last year, 420 LGBT people were killed across Brazil, one of the most violent countries in the world, according to Grupo Gay da

Bahia.

Some activists have raised concerns over the possibility of a rise in crimes against gays and transgender people with the election of Mr Bolsonaro, a deeply divisive figure who has also made racist and misogynist remarks.

In previous interviews, he has said he would rather have a dead son than a homosexual son. Last month, he was heavily criticised for saying Brazil should not become a "gay tourism paradise".

Sandals fights back - denies claim it operates decades-long tax fraud scheme (JAMAICA GLEANER) Jamaican hotel chain Sandals has dismissed as “downright false” allegations raised in a lawsuit filed in the United States (US) that for decades, it “secretly” pocketed fees collected from guests as “local government taxes”.

Lawyers for Vitali Feldman, the American man who filed the lawsuit, claim that current and past customers who stayed at Sandals properties in several Caribbean countries were “deceived” into paying ‘local government taxes’ that were quietly retained by the all-inclusive chain for its “own use, benefit, and profit”.

The lawsuit, which seeks at least US$5 million in damages, was filed in the Florida Federal Court on Tuesday by

the Miami-based law firm Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman.

The allegations have been reported in a number of international publications.

“Deceptive charges are used to generate extra profit at the expense of [guests], who are deceived into believing the fees are legitimate charges directly related to Sandals’ taxes to the government,” one newspaper reported, citing court documents.

But Sandals has signalled that it will vigorously defend “these baseless allegations”.

“Our valued guests have never been unlawfully charged for taxes, and allegations to the contrary are downright false. Our customers are our top priority, and under no circumstances would

Adam Stewart is deputy chairman of Sandals Resorts International.

we exploit their faith in us,” Sandals Resort International (SRI) said in a statement.

“Not only do we conduct our business with pricing transparency, we meet all of our tax obligations in each

of the islands where we call home,” SRI said.

“We take great pride in being the gold standard in the islands where we operate and have spent close to four decades providing guests with the most comprehensive vacation experience bar none,” the hotel chain added.

SRI is chaired by mogul Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, with his son, Adam Stewart, as deputy.

But according to the lawsuit, the hotel chain represented to the public and Feldman that the ‘all-inclusive’ packages include ‘’all taxes’.’

“The way the charges were presented to the guests was described in a deceptive way by labelling the charge(s) as a local government tax, when, in fact, Sandals was

charging more money for the room,” the British-based newspaper reported.

Feldman, a resident of New Jersey, claimed that he vacationed at Sandals Resorts’ properties with his wife and two young children in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

He claims that he fell victim to the alleged overcharge when he was billed the ‘all-inclusive’ tax rate of 12 per cent of the total cost of his stay.

The lawsuit highlighted, in particular, a 12 per cent accommodation tax it said is currently collected at Sandals’ Beaches Turks &

Caicos resort. It alleged that a majority of those fees are being retained by Sandals as part of an agreement with the Turks & Caicos government.

Further, Beaches Turks & Caicos has been accused of collecting the accommodation tax on guests under 12 years old, which is said to be illegal under Turks and Caicos law.

The suit also cited a 12.5 per cent sales tax that was collected by Sandals Grande Antigua, Sandals Barbados, and Sandals Royal Barbados resorts prior to 2017 and allegedly retained, in part, by Sandals.

6

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Making better use of our Independence TOMORROW, Guyana celebrates its 53rd year as a sovereign State, having gotten its Independence from Great Britain on May 26, 1966. This meant that after just over 150 years of loyalty to this European country, British Guiana, as we were then known, ceased to be a colony, thus becoming a nation. We therefore joined the family of nations.

Those who are old enough and had been privileged to witness such a historical moment will remember the excitement in the run-up to that historical date.

There was an air of festivity, almost like Christmas, but with no carols. Homes were given makeovers while flying the Golden Arrowhead proudly from theirlandings and windows; public buildings were gaily bedecked with flags. And instead of

the customary God Save the Queen,the newly-released National Anthem, ‘Dear Lnd of Guyana’ was constantly being played on the two radio stations: Radio Demerara, which, after midnight on May 25, 1966, became the Voice of Guyana, while the then British Guiana Broadcasting Service became the Guyana Broadcasting Service, or simply GBS. There was also the newly-written National Pledge constantly being recited on the national airwaves, for there were no television at the time, and all the newspapers that were carrying historical accounts about the then colony and its relations with its Mother Country, as Great Britain, as a colonising power, was then known.

Daily, dignitaries from all parts of the Commonwealth, inclusive of Britain,

were arriving for what was certainly the most historical occasion yet.

Socially, Guyanese from all walks of life were expressing their views about Independence, in a positive manner, in shops, at street corners, and at drinking spots downtown.

But independence did not come without its challenges, for there was turbulence in the form of communal strife, with its inevitable loss of life and other sad incidents that brought great hurt and discomfort to many. These are chapters that we must not allow to reoccur.

Notwithstanding these sad episodes, Guyana’s Golden Arrowhead was proudly hoisted that momentous midnight, proclaiming our National Motto of ONE PEOPLE,

ONE NATION, ONE DESTINY. A new dawn had come.

From that time onwards, we are still struggling to achieve the ideal of a united people in a united country.

This has been our biggest challenge, and will continue to be so, until all of us, no matter how different, ethnically and culturally, we are, and irrespective of social class, realise that this is our country, and that it will take a bold effort from each of us, working collectively for a better and prosperous country through working together.

It is not that there have not been lessons to be learnt from our past; nor that we lack the intellectual depth and capacity to understand what those former experiences ought to mean for our future as Guyanese. The truth is that while there are many

who are encouraging the gospel of racial unity, there are others who steadfastly continue to sow the seeds of racial enmity and disunity for their personal, partisan ends.

For them, love of country comes second to personal ambition.

Such doctrine can only breed suspicions, hate, and fear, and will not benefit country or people, even those who are the inciters of this poison.

Therefore, it is not too late for Guyanese brothers and sisters to be reminded that Independence was not just an opportunity for us to become pilots of our own destiny. That was just the beginning; the national platform from which the hard work had to be launched.

This meant pooling our mental and physical energies together for the good of every-

The announcement of the century Dear Editor TO my utter amazement, I read this week that a person no other than Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo himself has promised to set up anti-corruption institutions if the PPP gets back in office.

Several things are happening here. First Mr. Jagdeo is clearly playing to the gallery as he is trying to assure the West, supporters, the middle and the business class that he and the PPP will finally tackle corruption once and for all.

Never mind the fact that every single complaint about corruption from every single facet of society prior to 2015 was met with political disdain from the PPP, never official denials, just disdain and dismissals.

Never mind that the PPP – to this day – cannot explain the spectacular wealth that many of its ministers and high officials accumulated in a very short space of time and the lack of

value for money from several projects including, of course, the Skeldon Estate and Fibre Optic cable project.

But I blame the coalition, for as we say in Guyanese parlance the “spounce” Mr. Jagdeo now possesses is because of its lackluster approach to investigating the vast amount of theft, graft and nepotism that were the hall marks of the PPP, especially during the time of Jagdeo.

Many of those who stole from the public purse should be in jail. Today they walk freely, heads held high and are in turn accusing the coalition of being even more corrupt than the 23 years in office. Good heavens.

How can this be?

Editor, Jagdeo is so hell bent on getting back into power to control the wealth and levers of state that he is not even allowing Irfaan Ali, the presidential candidate, to speak on these issues, perhaps maybe because Mr. Ali himself is before the courts on corruption-related

charges. Mr. Jagdeo is desperate for power which is his automatic protection, given his own unlawful behaviour, so much so that he and his party have spent millions of US dollars to hire an American propaganda firm to help clean up their image, while attacking that of their opponent. The fact is that the PPP, given their record under Jagdeo, is absolutely no good for Guyana. And the fact is that the job of that propaganda firm is to create fake news, attack and assassinate persons’ characters, spy and even hack into the people’s personal space to generate an unfavourable imagine of the opponent.

At this stage, only time will tell if this administration’s failure to put ex PPP ‘big wigs’ behind bars for corruption will come back to bite those in power now, in their political derrieres.

As I rest my case, I remain astonished about the quietude from those running the

country now. Not a word of condemnation has come from State House, Congress Place in Sophia, and Office of the President, the PM’s office.

Recently I read that former PPP minister, Priya Manickchand, and PPP stooge, Romel Roopnarine, were on facebook encouraging and making racist statements to the effect that the Berbice criminals were killed because they were Indians. There has been nothing from the government, Ministry Social Cohesion or the Ethnic Relations Commission. This is the reason why Mr. Jagdeo has the gall and gumption to say he will establish institutions to deal with corruption when corruption is the PPP’s mantra.

Regards Winston Mars

one, and for country, and not just a section of the nation, or the favoured few. More importantly, it also meant recognition and respect for our multicultural being, and of the rich diversity of same, channeling our diversity, especially for innovative growth and development of country.

Indeed, as a country, Guyana has the requisite mental energies, while being concomitantly blessed with an abundance of natural resources to become the socio-economic paradise of the Caribbean Community. But we can never hope to climb, much less conquer this much desired summit of material wellbeing,and being able to realise all of the potential opportunities if we do not do so as a united PEOPLE.

Mr. Raymond’s legacy as Santa Claus will live on Dear Editor There has not been a Christmas without Santa Claus and in Guyana there has not been Christmas without seeing Mr. Raymond De Nobrega in the role of Santa Claus. This year onwards, Christmas will have to pass without Raymond in this role. He has spread the joy of Christmas across Georgetown. He had a semblance of how Santa Claus looked, hence, he drew crowds while he entertained and brought cheer to the hearts of people.

He has featured in many major Christmas events in Georgetown and has been popular among children. Apart from being Santa Claus, he had a talent for music, especially the guitar. He was active in music at Churches, especially St Teresa and Brickdam Catholic Churches.

His experiential mechanical knowledge has been praiseworthy. He has touched many hearts through his pleasant personality and clear impression of Santa Claus. He has left an ineradicable impression among the people. He will live on among us through those impressions.

His legacy will be celebrated by many who knew him as bringer of joy and peace.

Regards Jerri Dias Georgetown

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Celebrating the Bahá'í Faith

Dear editor

The first message in the Morse code of dots and stripes sent long distance travelled from Washington to Baltimore on Friday, May 23, 1844, 175 years ago. It was the first time in the history of mankind that complex thoughts were communicated between distant places almost instantaneously.

Until then, there had to be faceto-face conversation, messages coded by drums, smoke signals and optical telegraph systems, or reading printed words.

Thanks to Samuel Morse, the communication changed rapidly, and since then it has continued to change faster and faster. Morse invented the electric telegraph in 1832. Then it took another six years

to normalise a code to be able to communicate through telegraphic cables. In 1843, the United States Congress granted him US$30,000 to lay a cable between the capital of the country and neighboring Baltimore. When the line was finished, the inventor made a public demonstration of long-distance communication.

Morse was not the only one who worked to develop a way to communicate through the telegraph, but it is the only one that has survived.

The cables, magnets and keys used in the initial demonstration have given way to the touch screens of mobile phones, but the Morse code has remained essentially the same, and in the 21st century, perhaps to the surprise of some, it retains its relevance.

The key idea of ??Morse, when developing his code, was to take into account how often each letter is used in English. The most common ones have shorter symbols. The "e", which is the one that appears most often, is represented by a period.

On the contrary, the letter "z", which is the least used in English, was represented by the much longer and more complex "dot-dot-dot (pause) dot".

After the shipwreck of the Titanic in 1912, an international agreement forced some ships to designate a person to be permanently listening for distress signals by radio. That same agreement established that "SOS" - "dot-dotdot stripe-stripe-stripe dot-dot-dot" – would be the international distress signal, not as an abbreviation of

anything, but because it was a simple pattern, easy to remember and to transmit. The coast guard suspended the monitoring in 1995, and in 1999 the obligation of the ships to monitor the entry of distress signals was suppressed. Despite this, the US Navy continues to teach at least some sailors to read, send and receive Morse code.

As its signals are so simple, the Morse code can also be used with flashing lights. Many naval forces around the world use this kind of lights to communicate from ship to ship. The first message transmitted in code by Morse said the following: "What God has done". It is a passage from the book Numbers (Bible), chapter 22, verse 22.

The same day, in Shiraz, in Persia, today Iran, Siyyid Ali Mu-

hammad, declared His mission as Messenger of God for our time, and becoming known as The Báb. He inaugurated a prophetic cycle that will last 5,000 centuries – 500,000 years. The Báb (1819-1850), besides being the founder of a world religion, was also the precursor of the coming of Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and who came to teach that there is one God, one religion (which is taught by God in stages through His messengers from time to time) and one single humanity.

Regards Rooplall Dudhnath

Guyana made the right move Dear Editor, The Government of Guyana, represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karen Cummings, must be congratulated for not only doing the right thing, but also doing the bright thing, by voting in the affirmative at the United Nations General Assembly, regarding the call for Britain to relinquish control over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean.

From 1968-1973, Britain

forcibly removed the rightful inhabitants of the islands to make way for a military base. This is the same Britain whose High Commissioners and ambassadors are forever lecturing Guyana and other countries in the Global South on the rule of law, democracy, and human rights.

Whether Britain will abide by the ruling of the International Court of Justice and the majority affirmative vote by the UN General Assembly to cede the Chagos Islands back to

Mauritius, is left to be seen because, in the world of so-called international law, might is right and the bully gets away with breaking international law time and time again.

As an organisation committed to the struggle against colonialism and imperialism, Organisation for the Victory of the People will always support any measure taken to rid the world of the domination by a small minority of humanity over the billions

that inhabit this earth. We therefore applaud the APNU+AFC administration

for having the courage to be, in this instance, on the right side of history.

Gerald A. Perreira Organization for the Victory of the People (OVP)

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

No bombs found at UG –– students express frustration over constant bomb threats

By Tamica Garnett EXAMS were cancelled, projects had to be postponed, and persons were made to brave the rain in an emergency evacuation of the University of Guyana (UG), Turkeyen Campus on Friday amidst yet another bomb scare, which police later determined was hoax.

The Police Bomb Unit conducted a thorough search of the campus and found no evidence of a bomb.

As they exited UG compound or stood around waiting for an update on the situation, most of the University students were more annoyed than scared about the disruptions to their studies and final year exams.

Many were quick to suggest that the threat was perhaps the idle work of a

student who was not ready to write their Friday exams.

“To be honest, I’m actually annoyed. It just feels like somebody just doesn’t want to write final exams and they’re just choosing to call in. I have other things to do and they need to quit this nonsense already. I’m not even scared I’m just annoyed,” related Kimeanda Hinds, a final year biology student. She was in the University’s laboratory working on her final year project when she had to leave campus because of the bomb scare.

The Police Bomb Unit and the Fire Service responded to a report of a bomb threat at the Turkeyen Campus after it was issued via social media around 10:45hrs. The campus was evacuated and all afternoon examinations were cancelled

as a precautionary measure, the University of Guyana said in a statement.

The message, which was sent to some media houses and circulated on social media, stated that 20 bombs were placed throughout the Turkeyen Campus. The person said the bombs would be activated unless their demands were met, despite the fact that there were no demands.

The message was accompanied by a picture of what the person said was the bomb, but which was later proven to be an image from a 2018 bomb incident in Dublin.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) was contacted, and it carried out a thorough search of the school, while the Guyana Fire Service dispatched a unit to the campus. However, by late

Amid a heavy downpour,on Friday morning,University of Guyana students were forced to evacuate the Turkeyen Campus after a bomb scare at the institution (Delano Williams photo) afternoon Police confirmed what many were already openly suggesting, that the threat was a hoax.

“A little after 9 am we [GPF] were called by somebody from the media. We searched all the buildings on campus and nothing was found or any trace of anything,” reported Commander of ‘C’ Division, Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus.

“If there’s a report we have to respond to it and follow the law. We’ve already completed [the search] and vacated. We don’t have anything else to do as it is now, but in terms of classes (resuming) the school’s authority would have to determine that,” the Commander added.

He said the next move is to locate the individual or individuals behind the threat, and charge them for cybercrime. The Criminal Investigation Division (CID), he said, would be conducting the investigation.

“In terms of cybercrime they are doing their own investigation at the CID [Criminal Investigation Division],” Brutus posited.

Friday’s bomb scare at the school was the fourth such case for the year. UG student Sheliza Jafferally was in February charged with the misuse of a telecommunication device after a telephone number belonging to her was linked to the number from which a number of bomb threats on the University were allegedly made.

She is currently out on bail, and the case is ongoing. Jafferally, who goes by the nickname ‘Shelly’, is the niece of former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Region Six Member of Par-

liament (MP) and current Region Five Campaign Manager Faizal Jafferally.

Students fear that the continued bomb scares may result in a case of the boy who cried wolf, and are concerned that the continued false threats are making it all the more difficult for what could play out in the case that something serious does happen.

“We were in the library studying,” explained third year Chemistry student Melissa Thomas as she walked out the campus gate with her friends.

“At this state I’m tired, it’s frustrating and I am tired, we have to leave campus for the entire day. Money spent on transportation wasted. We’ve been calling scares for too long, this is like what the third one or fourth one? My thing is if something does actually happen would anyone actually believe it?” Thomas asked as she vented her frustration.

Yanick Austin, another final year biology student, found out about the bomb scare when he arrived to work on his final year project, and saw persons being prevented from entering the campus. Concerned about his work he chose to wait out the search to see if students would be allowed back on campus.

“I was outside, and we saw the traffic and I overheard someone talking about it. I’m not too please because I need to do my project work so this is impeding me. I need to get the results today. I just have to wait and see,” Austin said.

“I’m very upset because you would’ve lose a lot of sleep, you put your mind to this and now to come

and have the exam cancelled it is so annoying, I am very angry,” commented accounting student Melissa Rodrigues, who was not happy that her afternoon accounting examination was cancelled.

“You waste a lot of passage to come here. This is not the first time, this is not the second, it’s not the third, I don’t feel it’s real. It makes no sense you’re making other people uncomfortable, wasting people’s time, energy and money to come here,” she added.

In a statement issued by the University, Vice-Chancellor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith said he was thankful that the threat was a hoax. “I also appreciate the professionalism of the police bomb squad in handling the matter. Thanks, too, to the students and staff who responded with appropriate calm,” the Vice Chancellor added.

He stated that the inconsiderate and dangerous acts cause considerable physical and psychological stress, and are particularly disruptive at this crucial time for thousands of students and dozens of invigilators.

“My hope is that we do not experience any such acts going forward,” he said.

The search of the campus revealed no explosives of any kind nor were any suspicious packages or items located during the search, the University also confirmed.

Following the thorough sweep of the campus Inspector Dyal of the Police Bomb Unit issued the ‘allclear’ signal. Students and staff members are asked to note that full operations will resume on Saturday, May 25, 2019.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

UG’s Vice-Chancellor sent on leave

THE University of Guyana’s Council on Thursday ordered Vice-Chancellor (VC), Professor Ivelaw Griffith to proceed on leave, effective May 28, 2019.

According to a release from the university, the decision was made at a special meeting for the Vice-Chancellor (VC) to proceed on terminal leave in accordance with the terms and conditions of his contract.

In the interim, the Council has directed that Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Engagement), Professor Michael Scott, will perform the functions of Vice-Chancellor (acting) for the period May

28, 2019 to June 13, 2019.

The University of Guyana Workers Union [UGWU] and the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association [UGSSA] have recently intensified their calls for the ouster of Professor Griffith.

The unions at the university have been at odds with the VC. University of Guyana Staff Senior Staff Association (UGGSSA) President, Dr. Jewel Thomas said at a recent press conference that the VC is the highest paid in the University’s history, and that he expects the institution to pay for his “high-maintenance” lifestyle.

“He gets a gratuity; a bonus. He had even requested a credit card when he became VC, and the university pays for whatever is on the card.

We also know that his salary is higher than any other VC, and he also only travels business class, which is paid

by UG. He will tell you he gets free trips; ask him how many occasions were free,” Dr Thomas said.

“He also requested an increase in allowances in accordance with ministerial levels; Minister of the Government… The Pro-Chancellor has refused to tell us what is in the VC’s contract,” she added.

Professor Griffith him-

Stolen car found near GDF Timehri base –– residents say prime suspect lives in the area

THE discovery of a stolen Toyota motorcar, which was found abandoned near the Guyana Defence Force Camp Stephenson base, at Timehri, on Friday, has led residents to believe that a key member of a carjacking ring is living in the area.

Their suspicions grew on Friday, after the car found in the area was listed as the fourth which have been abandoned, at a particular spot, close to the army base, adjacent to the Hill Top community at Timehri.

The car, a Toyota Premio, bearing registration PWW 5325 was found outside a gap which leads to several houses along a street in the area.

The suspect, who lives along the gap, was allegedly seen running away on Wednesday night by a GDF rank.

On Friday, after a post with photographs of the car was made on social media, the owner of the vehicle, Kwame Sincliar, indentified it as his. The car was one of several items which were stolen from the man’s home at the Westminster Housing scheme on Tuesday night.

The businessman told another newscast that the car had a large sum of cash along with tools inside when the family went to bed that night.

Sinclair told the newscast that he nor his family members heard any sounds on the night of the incident and this led him to believe that the

Kwame Sinclair’s car which was abandoned near the Guyana Defence Force Camp Stephenson Base at Timehri on Friday by thieves. thieves sprayed a substance As regards the three other inside the family’s home cars found in the area, reswhile they were asleep. idents said that the owners Residents of Timehri told lived at Grove on the East the Guyana Chronicle that Bank of Demerara and they the prime suspect, who was too, reported that they went to seen running from the car, sleep and had no recollection is no stranger to the police of what transpired until the as he has been arrested on following morning when they several occasions for break discovered that thieves had and enter and larceny. entered their home. They beA resident told this publi- lieve that the thieves sprayed cation that some time ago, an a substance into their home. airport employee who lives A resident of Timehri in an apartment along the reported that the suspect’s road close to where the car relatives have boasted that was found, was at home one he has “connections” at the night when he felt a burning Timehri Police Station and sensation in his nostrils. The that he is protected by perman suspected that someone sons there. had sprayed a substance into They are calling on the his home and sometime later authorities to investigate that night, he discovered that the recent matter with the a section of the house was hope of the suspect being broken by persons unknown. arrested.

self recently cleared the air on what he describes as “egregious misinformation” being reported about his administration of the tertiary institution. He had tied those ‘attacks’ to efforts by some to scuttle his chances of getting a renewal of his contract.

Recently, the Ministry of Education notified the Vice-Chancellor’s office of the unions’ request for a fo-

rensic audit into the university’s spending. This request came after the unions had staged peaceful picketing exercises for weeks against what they deemed the ‘misappropriation’ of UG funds.

Though the VC indicated to this newspaper that all spending was in keeping with his drive to transform the university, he expressed that the administration is willing to have its financial

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith position examined by any competent and independent arbiter.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Flooding in hinterland locations HEAVY and persistent rainfall has resulted in flooding in several Hinterland locations, including the town of Mahdia in the Potaro-Siparuni Region where more than two dozen households, in low-lying areas, have been affected.

Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, said, in a Facebook post on Friday, that the commission is monitoring the flood situation in Madhia. He noted

in another post that focus is being placed on Aishalton and Sand Creek in the Upper-Takatu, Upper-Essequibo Region and Mahdia in Potaro-Siparuni (Region 8).

As regards Mahdia, Craig said that based on reports from the municipality, 25 homes have been affected and may be in need of immediate relief. “The CDC is currently in talks with the municipality to identify possible shelters. A damage assessment team will be deployed to the area at

13:00hrs today with relief supplies,” Craig said.

Later in the afternoon, Craig said relief supplies were ‘mobilised’ and sent to Mahdia while a team is on the ground to conduct a damage assessment.

Most of the homes affected are those below Danjou Hill and homes near the airstrip. Residents of those areas are being asked to take precautionary measures.

It was noted, on Friday, that the rains had eased around noon. However, the

A section of Mahdia under water on Friday

Staff of the Civil Defence Commission mobilising relief supplies to be sent to Mahdia (CDC photo)

Civil Defence Commission (CDC) staff on the ground at Mahdia providing relief to residents affected by the flooding (CDC photo) flood waters had reached high levels and, in some cases, homes close to Danjou Hill were under several feet of water. A resident there told the Guyana Chronicle that his home was flooded and according to him, perishable goods including foodstuff and electrical items and ap-

pliances were among his losses.

He said that the rains started around 20:30hrs on Thursday night and continued non-stop throughout the night. “This rain ain’t stop till midday and by then me whole house was under water,” the man said.

A weather map of the conditions near the coastland as provided by the Hydromet Office.

Meanwhile, the town was cut-off from vehicle travel late last evening as a section of the public road washed away under flood waters.

The area, called ‘Red and White’, was inundated and the regional administration was making efforts to correct the situation.

Elsewhere in the Hinterland, flood waters were rising in sections of the Rupununi including at Sand Creek and Aishalton in the Deep South.

Residents of both areas reported that the water was not at an alarming height but they noted that if the rains continued, the situation may become dire.

According to the Hydrometeorological Service of the Ministry of Agriculture, heavy showers and possible thunderstorms are expected over Regions one to four and parts of Regions Seven to Nine. Rainfall is expected to measure between 20 to 45 millimetres over areas where there are heavy showers.

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

‘We navel string bury heah’ … Prime Minister calls for patriotism

PRIME Minister Moses Nagamootoo has urged youths here to fully embrace their Guyanese nationality, saying in local parlance, that “we navel-string buried hey”.

The prime minister made this call to patriotism in his weekly column “My Turn”, under the title “MOTHERLAND”, as Guyana observes the 53rd anniversary of Independence from Great Britain.

At this time, he wrote, for “those of us who were born in Guyana, we celebrate Guyana as our Motherland.”

He noted that the patriotic affinity with the land of our birth is captured in the national song “Oh Beautiful Guyana”, put to music by Valerie Rodway, “the centenary of whose birth we have observed a few days ago with the release of a commemorative stamp.”

This land is “more dear” to the descendants of several ethnic groupings - Europeans, Africans, Portuguese, East Indians and Chinese – who joined the Amerindians, our Indigenous Peoples, who were already here. “That was how we became the Land of Six Races, as we have come to know Guyana,” he reminded.

In addition to National Arrival Day, Guyana celebrates Emancipation Day on August 1; Chinese Arrival Day on January 13; Portuguese Arrival Day on May 3; Indian Arrival Day on May 5, which coincides with National Arrival Day; and September as Indigenous

person in Guyana to respect the National Flag, the Coat of Arms, the National Anthem, the National Pledge and the Constitution of Guyana”.

“It is time that our young people who are the benefactors of the great promise

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo Heritage Month.

Prime Minister Nagamootoo, a former youth leader and a fighter for Guyana’s independence, dedicated his column to Guyana’s young people who will lead this year’s independence observances. Young people will raise the National Flag at Sunday’s solemn ceremony at the D’urban Park.

He explained: “The main reason for this is that our young people must be given every opportunity to showcase their nationalism, their love of country, as Guyanese.

“Our young Guyanese citizens will demonstrate their loyalty to country and their love our fellow citizens, which our National Pledge commands us to do. They must become the exemplars of patriotism that is contemplated in Article 7 of our Constitution, which states: “It is the duty of every citizen of Guyana wherever he or she may be and of every

that Guyana holds for them, mirror the meaning in our National Anthem about Guyana being our dear, green and great land.

“Our anthem reminds our young people about our ancestors, of the heroes of yesteryear, of their pains and sacrifices. As inheritors of their legacy, they must not let those sacrifices go in vain,”

he said.

Mr. Nagamootoo stated that after 53 years of independent, sovereign, free nationhood, Guyanese have to take their citizenship status seriously. “Unless our law changes, our young people have to be vigilant and not allow, now or in the future, an under-cover foreign agent to unseat the country’s

lawfully-elected government; or derail our glorious system of multi-party, plural and open democracy, which the Coalition Government has restored over these past years.

“There can be no compromise on our love for Guyana, and our commitment to her ideals of a good life for all.”

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Public infrastructure gets –– 500M for construction additional $2B of new roads, drains –– $489.8M for widening, improvement of East Coast Road

By Svetlana Marshall IN keeping with its commitment to improve the conditions under which people

operate, the Government of Guyana has injected an additional $2B into the public infrastructure sector for the construction of new

roads, bridges and drains.

This is in addition to the installation of highway lights, and completion of the billion- dollar East Coast Road

Widening and Improvement Project.

The sum, which complements the $15.5B already received by the Public Infrastructure Ministry for 2019, formed part of a $7.9B supplementary provision approved by the National Assembly on Thursday.

Of the more than $2B approved for the ministry, $500M will be used for the construction and rehabilitation of roads and drains in urban areas. Minister Patterson told the House that residents in all 10 administrative regions will benefit from this injection. He said the government is pleased with the projects completed.

“The roads that we did in 2015, they are still standing, they are still standing sir. I remember there was something that they use to call ‘elections roads,’ but we don’t have that,” he posited.

Also, to complement the $1.9B that was approved for the construction and rehabilitation of main roads and drains for the Public Infrastructure Ministry, the House approved an additional $150M. It was disclosed that the money would be used to construct and rehabilitate main access roads and drains in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six. Minister Patterson told the House that since 2015, the government has invested heavily in the development of road and drainage networks in the country, and the added provision is intended to respond to concerns raised by citizens during the national outreaches.

Also, $489.9M was approved for the East Coast Road Widening and Improvement Project. Minister Patterson noted that the project is 75 per cent completed and the additional resources will be used to accelerate the pace. He assured the House that the project deadline, September 2019, remains the same. Approximately $2.2B was approved for the project in the 2019 Budget.

In the hinterland, an additional $50M will be used to carry out urgent repairs to roads and bridges along the Lethem-Hiowa-Nappi

Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson corridor.

Additionally, some $40.8M has been set aside for the rehabilitation of access bridges at Bella Dam and Little Diamond. In the case of Bella Dam, the beams were damaged while in the latter, urgent works have been prioritized, the Public Infrastructure Minister explained. In the 2019 Budget, the ministry was allocated $175.7M for bridges.

Minister Patterson also secured $400M to augment allocations for the acquisition of spares to facilitate rehabilitation of four vessels – M.L Allan Young, M. L Thompson, M.L Setter and M.T Aruka. It was explained that the works are critical to improve the safety, reliability and seaworthiness of the vessels. With the oil and gas industry on the rise, the Public Infrastructure Minister said it is important to keep the country’s maritime sector ahead of the curve.

The National Assembly also cleared $67.4M for the East Bank--East Coast of Demerara Road Linkage Project. It was explained that the additional resources are needed for consultancy services in addition to the higher cost associated with drainage of swampy areas along the alignment of the proposed road linkage. In the 2019 Budget, the House had approved $2.2B for the project. Minister Patterson,

while noting that the draft design for the road is being reviewed, further explained that the project is larger than what was envisaged. “What was previously envisaged initially when the loan was taken was a single road…but what has been designed is a dual carriageway,” he said.

Under the line item, Infrastructure Development, the sum of $23.5M was cleared by the National Assembly for the installation of highway lights in Joppa in Region Six and in the vicinity of Kuru Kururu along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. He said upon taking office in 2015, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government initiated the project for the installation of highway and street lights across the country. According to the Public Infrastructure Minister, he is pleased with the project thus far. He said though the past administration had not seen the project as “economical,” citizens across Guyana continue to benefit from safer thoroughfares.

Additionally, the House approved $97.5M for the Kwakwani Electrical Company to complement the $3.9B already received for 2019.

In defending the added sum, Minister Patterson said it is intended to ensure that the electrical company is able to effectively meet the demands of Kwakwani – a community located in the Upper Berbice River, Region 10. It was pointed out that the power company had encountered a number of challenges in 2018, due to the fact that it was unable to procure normal amounts of fuel from RUSAL. Due to the shortage of fuel, a number of other services were affected, and it is intended that the added amount will help to eradicate those challenges.

Approximately $49.5M was also approved by the House for rental of one UN House, which will house all UN agencies within the country.

Additionally, $160M has been approved for Sea and River Defence works at Prospect and Mahaicony to prevent flooding.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Anna Catherina squatters were warned six times

SQUATTERS at Anna Catherina/Edinburg, West Coast of Demerara, whose homes were destroyed last Friday, were engaged by officials from the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and issued warnings six times since January 2019.

CH&PA Head of Enforcement and Investigation, Lester Kitt, explained that when the authority first visited the area and engaged the squatters in January 2019, only two structures existed but last Friday, eight were there.

“We engaged them on numerous occasions and served notices on each occasion to stop. Seven times we engaged them, we talked six times and the seventh time is when we did the demolition,” Kitt explained.

The particular area in question is a stretch of land at the edge of a trench where the villages of Anna Catherina and Edinburg border each other, just across the street from the National Track and Field Centre. The squatters first began building in December 2018 and were shortly after told to stop.

“During the month of December (2018), we heard that persons were invading a particular government land by Edinburg opposite the Track and Field Centre. On the 23 January [2019], we engaged them first, we spoke with like about 40 persons. At that time there was one structure with a frame while

living in them.

Persons living in their structures were given time to demolish their homes themselves and move.

Radicka Singh the other wasn’t a frame as yet. So we talk to them and told them to desist from squatting, we have pictures where they were clearing the bushes and burning bushes, we have pictures of that,” Kitt noted.

After the initial visit, the CH&PA team continued to follow up on the situation.

“On the February 5, 2019, we went back and the one structure continued to go up and while some persons stopped the cutting of the bush, some continued,” Kitt said.

“It had some persons in the group saying they’re not moving until the government finds land for them.

We advised them to follow up with applications that they have at the CH&PA.” As the persons continued to build, others felt encouraged to join in and the number of squatters continued to increase. The CH&PA felt it was out of options. Kitt noted the decision to destroy the structures was also driven by the fact that there was no one

EMPTY HOUSES “At least you would think that they would’ve gone and occupied the structure but nobody was living [there].

We demolished six structures and left two persons who are occupying their structures, we told them that they had up to Monday gone to cease. The two persons, why we leave them was because they have children,” Kitt said.

Fifty-four-year old Radicka Singh is one of the squatters who admitted that she decided to build after she saw others putting up structures at the area. At the time, she was struggling to pay her rent after it was increased from $25,000 to $30,000. She was renting in Leonora at the time.

“When they raise it to $30,000, it becomes very hard. I can’t even send my daughter to school. So I see people building and I seh leh I tek a chance and see if I can build,” Singh explained.

Singh said she spent some $195,000 on materials and paid someone to erect the structure. She resides at the home with her 26-yearold and 13-year-old daughters, and two grandchildren who are nine and six months old.

The mother said she is willing to comply with the order to move and has

The home built by Radicka Singh (Delano Williams photos)

since been able to secure another place to rent. She has already packed up her belongings and is awaiting word to move into the new home. She refuted claims that the CH&PA violently approached the squatters.

“When this gentleman [Kitt] come here, he didn’t come and harass nobody yuh know,” she informed, adding: “He tell them they had to move and that was it.

He didn’t come violently.

And I beg him to let me stay and I tell him that we moving.”

Singh said she does not work full-time but would do occasional domestic work.

She takes care of her grandchildren while her elder daughter works as a waitress.

Neither the woman nor her daughter have applied for land from the CH&PA

but plan to do so eventually.

“No, I never applied for land ‘cause I am of my age [that] I cannot afford so my daughter [will apply], but after she did not get an ID card, she did not get to apply.

She got to go [to get her ID card] but finances is not here presently now [for her] to go and apply for the ID card,” Singh said.

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

15

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Electorates have to be trusted, ‘they understand the issues very well’ – PM Nagamootoo COULD the second consecutive victory for India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi hold some parallels for this nation? In an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, while of-

fering congratulations, said that the “interesting elections resulted in the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] being allocated more than 350 seats of the 570 plus of the country’s parliamentary seats.”

Prime Minister Naga-

mootoo noted that some commentaries signalled some of the “huge problems you would expect in a country as big as India”. The world’s largest democracy, he admitted, would have challenges such as unemployment, housing shortages and shortages of various types but it demonstrated that its electorate felt that one term was not enough, “to resolve all those problems

they inherited.” “[The people of India have] exercised very wise judgment, in allowing a government that is doing a good job, to continue to improve what it has been doing. It is also wise in the sense that sometimes, one term is not enough… sometimes, once is not enough depending on the enormity of the problems you’ve inherited in the so-

ciety, and our societies, of course, have huge social problems.”

Prime Minister Nagmootoo said electorates have to be trusted and they usually make very sound judgments since “they understand those issues very well.”

He added, “while we may have politicisation of these issues, they are real and they deal with a government they trust can resolve their problems.”

India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said the country “wins yet again” after his party won the general election. He took to twitter

after the victory, promising to build a strong and inclusive nation, tweeting: “Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again!”

Early vote counting from the six-week election shows the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leading in contests.

This election may mark the first time in the party’s history that it has won two consecutive elections on its own. The news has sent the stock market soaring in anticipation of another five-year term for the Hindu nationalist leader. (DPI)

Accidents on Soesdyke-Linden Highway down THERE has been a noticeable decrease in both fatal and ‘damaged’ accidents on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway following the initiation of a night patrol by the Guyana Police Force’s ‘E’ Division.

The highway is one of the main thoroughfares in Guyana where accidents occur primarily during the nights, and the unavailability of lighting to guide the visibility of drivers, especially those not familiar with the terrain, has been deemed a major factor in causing accidents.

Speeding too, is a major concern and this prompted the traffic department of ‘E’ Division (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), to initiate the night patrol. The initiative has proven to be very effective, according to Commander of ‘E’ Division, Linden Lord.

Commander Lord told Guyana Chronicle that the figures show that since the patrol has gone into effect, not only have there been fewer accidents, but fewer reports of dangerous driving. The traffic ranks patrol from the Mackenzie junction to Dora, where the Division stops.

Another mission for the patrol is to monitor logging trucks that are not adhering to the Traffic Laws, which stipulate that all trucks should be parked between 06:00 hours and 18:00 hours. While parked, they must also be accessorised with the necessary reflecting tools.

Consultants of Beston SRKN’gineering Company, who have been hired to conduct a feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, told the regional officials that their axle load survey revealed that heavy duty trucks continue to break the law in relation to load limitation. In one day 1,199 trucks were seen traversing the highway at Soesdyke. The heaviest of these weighed 19.0 axle tonnes which is a significant overload of the 7.2 axle tonnes that the highway was built to carry.

Regional officials are likely to collaborate with the Guyana Police Force to clamp down on these trucks, especially at nights, and, according to Commander Lord, the night patrol is very effective in doing just that.

“So we have a nightly patrol, traffic ranks patrolling that corridor in the night, because you know those trucks, with the logs protruding in the night, you can get into a lot of trouble and even if they park they must have these cones around them,” he said. The division intends to continue the exercise for as long as possible.

In addition to initiating the night patrols, ‘E’ Division recently established a mobile police outpost on the Highway in the vicinity of Bamia. It is in operation for 24hrs and ranks are engaged in traffic patrols throughout the day.

While the primary purpose of the outpost is to monitor criminal elements entering Linden and to make it difficult for suspects to escape, it also serves as an effective tool to monitor traffic breaches, especially speeding, by drivers.

17

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Former bauxite worker fails in bid to have judgement enforced at CCJ

A FORMER bauxite worker has failed in his attempt to retrieve US$174, 032.49 for damages, and a monthly pension of US$2000.72 awarded by the court.

The Trinidad-based CCJ, on Friday, dismissed the application for special leave to appeal in the matter of James Ramsahoye v Linden Mining Enterprises (LME), Bauxite Industry Development Company Limited (BIDCO) and National Industrial Commercial and Investments Limited (NICIL).

In a statement issued shortly after the ruling, the CCJ’s Public Education and Communications Unit (PECU) explained that Ramsahoye was seeking permission from the CCJ to appeal a decision by the Court of Appeal to dismiss enforcement orders made by a single Justice of Appeal. The Appellate Judge, Justice B.S Roy, had ordered Ramsahoye be paid damages and a monthly pension from a previous employment judgment awarded in his favour against the respondents.

“After being terminated in 1998, after 26 years of service, Mr Ramsahoye took legal action against his former employers, Linden Mining Enterprises and Bauxite Industry Development Company Limited, which were state enterprises. He was unsuccessful at the High Court; however, he appealed the judgment and was awarded damages of US$174, 032.49 and a pension of US$2000.72 monthly.

“While the matter was pending in the Court of Appeal, the assets of BIDCO were transferred to the National Industrial Commercial Investments Limited, another state enterprise,” PECU explained. It was noted that subsequent to the judgment, there were multiple proceedings between the parties aimed at either preventing the payment of, or enforcement of, the decision. This eventually resulted in Justice Roy making orders for the enforcement of the judgment, however, those orders were dismissed by the Court of Appeal as they held that a single sitting Justice of Appeal did not have the authority to make orders relating to the enforcement of a judgment.

“Mr. Ramsahoye then sought special leave to appeal this decision by the Court of Appeal at the CCJ. In considering whether the court should grant the leave, the court reviewed its earlier decisions in relation to the grant of special leave and concluded that those decisions demonstrated that a two-stage test was used to grant leave.

“The first stage was to determine the circumstances

in which the application for special leave was made and the second was to determine whether there was some special feature of the case for the court to consider granting special leave. These special features include: whether there was a serious error of law or a substantial miscarriage of justice; or whether the application has a real prospect of success, which would warrant the court hearing the appeal,” the unit explained.

On Friday, the CCJ found that the correct test to be applied in this case was whether there had been an error of law, or substantial miscarriage of justice, resulting from the decision of the Court of Appeal.

The court examined the orders made by the Justice of Appeal, and the scope of the powers granted to him by the Rules of the Court of Appeal and held that the single Justice of Appeal was incorrect in making enforcement orders as this was

outside of his legal authority.

In the judgment, the court stated, “That the learned Justice of Appeal, who no doubt may have been moved by Mr. Ramsahoye’s plight, had no jurisdiction to make those orders.”

In considering whether there was a substantial miscarriage of justice, the CCJ noted that it could not grant special leave, although Ramsahoye did have difficulty in receiving the payments. However, the

court highlighted that there is an appeal before the Court of Appeal in Guyana, which would give parties an opportunity to examine the orders requested by Ramsahoye. As such, the court dismissed the application for special leave and made no order for costs.

In a separate decision, Justice Denys Barrow agreed with the court’s judgment not to grant special leave.

He found that a review of the CCJ’s original decision

on granting special leave to appeal shows that in considering whether leave should be granted, there should be a possibility that the decision being appealed is wrong and the matter has a possibility of succeeding.

Justice Barrow found that Ramsahoye’s application neither had any special feature to warrant being granted special leave, nor did he have a realistic chance of success.

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Gov’t proposes amendment to Small Business Act

By Svetlana Marshall

MINISTER of Business Haimraj Rajkumar has tabled a Small Business (Amendment) Bill intended to raise the requirement for the classification of small businesses.

Minister Rajkumar presented the bill to the National Assembly, on Friday, for its First Reading.

Clause 2 of the Bill, which amends section 2(1) of the Principal Act, seeks to ensure that once a business employs not more than 25 persons; has a gross annual

revenue of not more than $60M, and total business assets of not more than $25M such a business in addition to satisfying the other applicable conditions stipulated in section 2 (1) (a)-(e), will be classed a small business for all intents and purposes of the Act. It was explained that the amendment will make it mandatory for a business to satisfy all three of the criteria instead of two in order to be classed a small business.

Additionally, Clause 2 of the Bill, which amends section 2(3) of the Principal

Act, seeks to allow the Small Business Council to grant “approved small business” status to businesses based on recommendations from the Small Business Bureau.

Clause 3 of the Bill is intended to expand the procurement opportunities for small businesses to include government works to be executed. “The Principal Act provides for at least 25 per cent of Government procurement of goods and services to be obtained from small businesses,” the Minister of Business, in proposing the legislative changes,

explained, noting that Government works are excluded from this provision in the Principal Act. The proposed legislation comes days after the National Assembly passed the Procurement (Amendment) Bill which paves the way for small businesses to be given preferential treatment for certain procurements.

Once the Bill is assented

by President David Granger, Part II, Section 3A (1) would mandate procuring entities to procure only from small businesses approved under the Small Business Act,

Visitor arrivals up by 6.4% VISITOR arrivals for the first two months of 2019 have increased by 6.4 per cent when compared to the corresponding period last year.

According to the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), 21,999 persons travelled to Guyana in January 2019, an increase, when compared to 19,635 recorded in January 2018. In the case of last

February, 20,771 visitors were recorded compared to 20,541 last year.

“Just so you are aware of the process, we use the ED Cards arrivals filled out at the main ports of entry (CJIA, Ogle, Lethem and Moleson Creek) to derive the visitor arrival data,” said GTA’s Senior Officer of Marketing, Nicola Balram, in an invited comment.

According to Balram, by the middle of the month, the GTA would usually have all inputted data from the previous month but, they are still awaiting some outstanding cards for March and April to input into their system.

When asked about the expectations for the Carnival season, Balram said, they hope to not only meet

the number of arrivals that was recorded in 2018 but exceed it, as was seen in January and February.

According to the GTA, Guyana continues to grow as a destination of choice for travellers. As of December 31, 2018, Guyana recorded a total of 286,732 visitors, a 15.93 per cent increase from the 247,330 visitors Guyana welcomed in 2017.

It was reported that Guyana’s tourism industry was placed third among the country’s top export earners behind gold and rice, raking in some US$143 million.

goods, works and services as specified by regulations made by the Minister with advice of the Public Procurement Commission or the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board.

Additionally, the Bill once brought into effect will mandate the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board to maintain and keep updated in a registry, a register of bidders.

“Every supplier or contractor shall apply to be registered as a bidder in the register of bidders in

order to participate in procurement proceedings at least seven days before taking part in any procurement proceedings,” a section of the bill states.

Over the past years, the GTA has worked on raising the profile of Destination Guyana through increased product development, awareness activities and niche marketing.

The efforts include attendance at trade shows such as American Birding Expo, Internationale Tourismus-Börse, and World Travel Market.

The year 2018 saw big changes in GTA’s marketing efforts. A new destination website and social media strategy were launched; market representation was secured in the core source markets of the US, Canada, UK and Germany; and GTA hosted several trade, media and influencer FAM trips – all with the aim of increas-

ing awareness on Guyana, and driving demand among travellers seeking out authentic, nature, adventure and cultural experiences.

Travellers come to Guyana to enjoy its pristine rainforest and the golden savannahs of the Rupununi; its unique indigenous community-owned eco-lodges and its nature resorts on the Essequibo and Demerara Rivers; Guyanese events such as Bartica Regatta and Guyana Carnival, and the most popular attraction of them all, majestic Kaieteur Falls.

Kaieteur National Park recorded a total of 8,195 visitors to the tourist attraction in 2018, which is a 10 per cent increase from the previous year.

Minister of Business Haimraj Rajkumar

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Removal of fibroids at top of visiting medical team’s agenda

DURING the next two weeks, 39 women from Regions Three, Four and Five will be operated on by obstetrician-gynecologists (OBGYN), who are part of the New Horizon 2019 surgical readiness training team, in Linden.

At a press conference at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) on Friday, the team, inclusive of Colonel Greg Malone, Lead Anesthesiologist; Lt Colonel Robert Smith, Lead OBGNY Nurse; Captain Sean Bundles, Expeditionary Medical Operations; and Lt Colonel Jason Massengill, Lead Gynecologist and female reproductive surgeon, related that of the most prevalent gynecological problem affecting women in Guyana and by extension, the Caribbean and South America Region is benign fibroid.

“We will be doing a lot of hysterectomies for very large fibroids. Fibroids are benign growths of the muscles of the uterus…. they can give patients lots of problems, (and) I think those patients would be happier, and have a better quality of life, after the surgeries,” Lt Colonel Jason Massengill related.

He further added that this condition is completely genetic, especially in women of African descent. While there are different remedies women can use to ease the symptoms of fibroid such as the bleeding and discomfort, there is nothing that can be done to prevent being diagnosed with benign fibroid.

The team related that their expertise was requested by the Government of Guyana, given the prevalence of this medical issue. While these types of surgeries are commonly done at public hospitals, team members related that their advanced training, will allow for a back log of cases for removal of fibroids and hysterectomies to be taken off in a short period of time. The team will also use the opportunity to train local OBGYNs, as well as personnel under their watch who will be deployed to future missions.

In addition to removal of fibroids, other surgeries will be done for urinary and fetal incompetence.

The team commended the local OBGYN and surgical team at the LHC for screening patients and preparing them ahead of the

Female prisoners granted Presidential pardon

TWO women prisoners have received Presidential pardon from President David Granger.

The pardons of Bibi Parjohn, age 40, and Unique Hope, age 30, will take effect from May 26, 2019 in observance of Guyana’s 53rd Independence anniversary, according to a release from the Ministry of Public Security.

Both women served a portion of their prison sentences at the New Amsterdam Prison. Parjohn served time

Bibi Parjohn

Unique Hope for larceny while Hope was imprisoned for forgery.

According to the release, “it is expected that this expression of compassion and humanity by His Excellency will result in these prisoners reuniting with their families and leading good and useful lives here on.”

The women received their pardons by President Granger under Article 188 (2) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

surgeries.

In addition to this mission, New Horizon is preparing for a massive medical outreach that is slated for June 26-July 12 at the Egbert Benjamin Conference Centre in Linden.

Hundreds of residents will be given the opportunity to benefit from scores of medical services as well as medication.

19

The OBGYN New Horizon team. From left: Colonel Greg Malone, Lead Anesthesiologist; Lt Colonel Robert Smith, Lead OBGYN Nurse; Captain Sean Bundles, Expeditionary Medical Operations; and Lt Colonel Jason Massengill Lead Gynecologist and female reproductive surgeon.

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

UG graduate, lecturer win inaugural 2018-19 Guyana Innovation Prize

LISA DUBLIN, a graduate of the University of Guyana (UG), and Dr. Dawn Fox, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, are the winners of the inaugural 2018-2019 Guyana Innovation Prize, the university said in a release on Thursday.

The Innovation Prize is an initiative of the Guyana Economic Development Trust (GEDT), a U.S. based, independent philanthropic organisation that incubates and supports start-up enterprises to boost the private sector of Guyana. The award provides pre-seed funding to commercially viable research in agro-processing and technology from students, alumni,

and faculty of the University of Guyana.

The total prize is US $10,000 and it will be presented to the winners at the Diaspora/Entrepreneurship conference in July. The GEDT also partners with the Guyana Marketing Corporation to provide Innovation Prize Fellows with technical support, including market analysis, product-market fit, supplier sourcing and package design. This helps move the product idea from the laboratory to the shelves, homes and offices.

The winning team’s project is based on using processed coconut as a low-cost water filtration solution. The focus of the project is to

Lisa Dublin, a graduate of the University of Guyana optimise the production of granular coconut-shell activated carbon to produce a low-cost activated carbon

that is effective in improving water quality. According to Ms. Oslene Carrington, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Economic Development Trust, “through the fund, the diaspora has an opportunity to give back to our society using a platform that is not connected to anything except a desire to see really great things happen.”. She emphasised that it is “… a desire to empower our university, a desire to empower our young people, and a desire to empower our intellectuals to develop new ways of doing things, things that will ultimately have our country thriving and successful”.

The Guyana Innovation Prize sees promising research

ideas being selected based on a competitive application process. Selected Innovation Prize Venture Fellows are then paired with mentors, both in and outside of Guyana, over a 12-month period, to help develop business plans and revenue models for commercially viable, scalable businesses. Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, lauded the initiative: “Major kudos to Ms. Carrington and the Guyana Economic Development Trust for this powerful initiative, which is a major way to celebrate and incentivise entrepreneurship and innovation. Let me also extend congratulations to the winners — Senior Lecturer Dr. Dawn Fox and alumna Ms. Lisa Dublin, who are innovation front runners.

Professor Griffith further stated, “Ms. Carrington approached me with the idea last year as a way to support Project Renaissance’s emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation and to give back to her native land.

The splendid work she and her team have done in the diaspora and in Guyana in bringing the idea to fruition is itself a powerful example of innovation. I deeply appreciate it”. The vice-chancellor also thanked the individuals at UG who were part of the collaboration that translated the idea into reality: Dr. Gerry Yaw, Director of Strategic Initiatives; Professor Leyland Lucas, Dean of the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (SEBI); and Dr. Troy Thomas, Director of Undergraduate Research.

Ms. Dublin graduated from the University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, and is currently employed as a Laboratory Analyst in the Environmental Department of the Guyana Goldfields. She is responsible for monitoring the ion chemistry associated with the effects of the mine site on the waterways. In 2017, she presented her undergraduate research project at the McNair’s Scholar’s Conference for Undergraduate Research in Florida. Her project focused on developing cost-effective systems for water treatment using natural waste materials. Additionally, Ms Dublin participated in the Undergraduate Research Conference at the University of Guyana in 2017 and 2018. Outside of her academic work Ms. Dublin was a member of the University of Guyana Chemistry Club and the Campus Lion’s Club.

Additionally, Dr. Dawn Fox is also a graduate of the University of Guyana. Her overarching research interest is in converting local materials, especially waste materials, into value-added materials to solve environmental

Dr. Dawn Fox, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry problems. She has extensive experience in characterising sorbents with microscopy and spectroscopy, water and wastewater treatment, and water quality analysis. She and her undergraduate students made aqueous phase sorbents using a variety of materials local to Guyana, including waste sawdust, coconut shells, and rice husk.

In 2016, she co-founded a group called Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE), to support, empower and advocate for girls and women to pursue and flourish in STEM careers. In 2018 she became the first Guyanese to be awarded the Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World – Elsevier Foundation Early Career Award for scholarship and research in the Physical Sciences. The duo were determined the winners ahead of four other University of Guyana graduates.

The other applicants were: Rebecca Harris (Bachelor of Science in Chemistry minor in Biology) who endeavours to formulate a more natural, inexpensive product that can be used to fight against various fungal infections; Tandika Harry (Bachelor of Science in Agriculture), exploring the application of beeswax and cassava starch to extend the postharvest life of mangoes; Juanelle Marks (Bachelor of Science in Computer Science), with a focus on Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CCBT): Towards Unlearning Learned Helplessness and Shavon Sharif (Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Forestry), who intends to explore the use of vinasse (waste) as an organic fertiliser on crops. The Guyana Innovation Prize is not a research grant but rather, it makes available funding to commercialise research. The funds are provided by members of the Guyana Diaspora to invest in the development of scientific and technology forward-looking ideas that are commercially viable, and can become businesses and provide jobs.

The Trust’s aim is to advance the private sector and economy of Guyana by supporting innovative ideas that reflect the future of science and technology.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

21

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

23

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

25

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

27

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

29

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

31

Toronto Raptors aim to CWI president assures Guyana top Bucks tonight for will feature on the India tour NBA Finals berth TORONTO - The Toronto Raptors will be looking to move on and the visiting Milwaukee Bucks will be hoping to stay alive tonight in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The host Raptors lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 after winning Game 5 in Milwaukee 105-99 on Thursday night. Another win will put them into the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

The Bucks have an immediate goal of forcing a Game 7 Monday night on their home court.

do this. ... We’re the best team in the league, man.

“We’re not going to fold.

We’re going to go and give everything we’ve got. We’re not going to go there and even (if) they set a great tone and come out and hit us in the mouth first - we can’t fold.

We’re going to come back to Milwaukee being (ticked), like, you cannot fold. You’ve got to go out there and give everything you’ve got. If we lose, we lose. OK, cool. But we’re not going to fold as a team. That’s not what we do.”

As usual, Kawhi Leonard led Toronto’s scoring Thurs-

CRICKET West Indies (CWI) president Ricky Skerritt has assured Guyanese cricket fans they will see the West Indies and India teams in action in August at the Guyana National Stadium.

This assurance was given during a meeting with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo to discuss matters of mutual interest towards the development and growth of West Indies Cricket.

Accompanying Skerritt were CWI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jonny Grave and CWI’s Logistics Manager Fawaaz Baksh.

The Prime Minister’s team comprised the Director of Public Information, Imran Khan, and Coordinator of the Governance Office at the Office of the Prime Minister, Tamara Khan.

The India team is scheduled to tour the West Indies in August following the Cricket World Cup which will com-

mence next week in England.

PM Nagamootoo again congratulated Skerritt on his new appointment as the president of the CWI. “We are heartened by your elevation,” Prime Minister highlighted. Guyanese people are passionate and unwavering fans of West Indies cricket and look forward to annual international cricket in our country.”

He assured Skerritt of the government’s commitment towards the development and growth of cricket in both Guyana and the Caribbean.

The Prime Minister revealed to Skerritt that the Government of Guyana will shortly embark on a multi-million-dollar programme to upgrade dozens of grounds all across the country which will be used by various sports, especially cricket, the national sport.

Skerritt congratulated

the government on this initiative and expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for his hospitality as well as his sincere congratulations on his new appointment.

He explained that while he is here for a very short visit, it was necessary for him to engage the Prime Minister on his vast knowledge and involvement in cricket.

“I came here to pay tribute to your longstanding cricket interest and you have always been a big cricket supporter,” Skerritt said.

“Cricket is so powerful, cricket brings people together,” Skerritt emphasised. He explained that he will be engaging the various cricket stakeholders in Guyana on the way forward for cricket governance in the country.

The two leaders also discussed matters related to the hosting of the Regional Under-19 tournament. (DPI )

GFF’s Forde engages Brazilian Federation in historic meeting

… Establishment of Development MoU discussed Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon (13) shoots the ball over Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) during the third quarter in game five of the Eastern conference finals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum. Milwaukee.

(Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports) The Raptors are approach- day with 15 of his 35 points ing Game 6 warily, not trying coming in the fourth quarter. to get ahead of themselves.

He also added seven rebounds “Listen, this is a great and a career-best nine assists. team we’re playing,” Raptors “Just got to give credit coach Nick Nurse said. “They to my teammates,” Leonard are really good and deep and said. “They knocked down athletic and long and all kinds shots (Thursday) when I gave of stuff. This was a super hard it to them, and I’m not a guy win (Thursday), super hard. that really controls the ball And we have to play the whole game.” with a tremendous amount The Raptors have an of effort. Again, I think our advantage in playoff expekeys are this: We’ve got rience over the Bucks, and to play good offence, not that could have been a facturn it over and score the tor already in this series and basketball, because if you could be again in Game 6. don’t, they’re getting what “Experience helps a lot,” they want, which is downhill Leonard said. “You know, basketball in a hurry. just from my input, I’ve been “If we can score it, if we here before. I’ve been to the can take care of it, we can finals, and it’s pretty much get our defence set up, for nothing new that I’m seeing the most part we get down out there. You just have to and guard them and make the have fun with it and enjoy it. shots a lot tougher. We have Like I told them (Thursday), to rebound the basketball. we were down 10, I told them They’re a great rebounding to enjoy the moment and team.” embrace it, and let’s have fun Bucks centre Brook Lo- and love it. This is why we’re pez is aware of the task at here.” hand.

Bucks forward Ersan “We’re just on to the Ilyasova said it’s a mental next game,” Lopez said. game.

“We’re not thinking about “I think it’s going to winning two right now, ob- be about us showing our viously. We just want to go strength - not just physiout there and get Game 6.” cally,” Ilyasova said, “(but) Milwaukee star Giannis mentally, because we have Antetokounmpo was em- to be ready. They will come phatic. out full force, and not just “I’m (ticked), I’m not them - the fans and evgoing to lie to you,” Antetok- erything. We have to stick ounmpo said. “We’ve got two together and play our best more games to go and we can game.”

PRESIDENTS of neighbouring federations, Guyana and Brazil, engaged each other at the Brazilian Football Federation (Confederação Brasileira de Futebol – CBF) on Thursday where the presentation and discussion of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two nations for the further advancement of the game in Guyana was held.

President Wayne Forde, in presenting the MoU to his counterpart CBF president Rogerio Caboclo, indicated that the historic agreement will be very beneficial to Guyana’s continued development.

Included in the MoU are

Canadian Racing Tips Woodbine Race 1 Silent Consort Race 2 Our Uncle Drew Race 3 Skywire Race 4 Wiley O’Rielly Race 5 Awesome Wok N Roll Race 6 Sly Beauty Race 7 Detroit Steel Race 8 What’s In A Kiss Race 9 Pink Lloyd American Racing Tips Belmont Race 1 Karak Race 2 Thunder’s Honor Race 3 Bustin Mach Four

areas for Coaches, Referees, Competitions Management, Sports Marketing, Infrastructure Development and Pitch Maintenance.

The Brazil interface between the two presidents would be followed up with another meeting when the presidents assemble for the 69th FIFA Congress in Paris expo Porte de Versailles in Paris, France, on June 5. At this meeting, key officials of FIFA will be involved.

Forde pointed out; “There is no quick fix to genuine football development. However, the process could be less arduous with technical assistance from the Brazil Football Federation. The CBF has been Race 4 Laura’s Patriot Race 5 Trouble for Skylar Race 6 Stellar Agent Race 7 Lough Na Mona Race 8 Tossup South Africa Racing Tips Scottsville 08:45 hrs Cartel Captain 09:25 hrs Snowdance 10:05 hrs Undercover Agent 10:40 hrs Spring Fling Irish Racing Tips Curragh 08:50 hrs Latin Five 09:25 hrs Hit The Silk 10:00 hrs Speak In Colours 10:35 hrs Magna Grecia 11:10 hrs I Can Fly 11:45 hrs Downdraft 12:20 hrs Sherkali

very positive throughout our discussion and they too have asked what took us this long to engage them.”

F o r d e ’s v i s i t w a s a multi-faceted one since similar MoUs are being pursued with other Brazilian clubs.

The journey for Guyana’s historical qualification to their first-ever CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament commenced in Brazil last August when the senior national team, known as the ‘Golden Jaguars’ engaged in a two-week Train and Play Camp, setting the foundation for its eventual qualification via matches in the CONCACAF Nations League.

English Racing Tips Goodwood 08:55 hrs Vintager 09:30 hrs Dubai Legacy 10:10 hrs Silent Wave 10:40 hrs Barsanti 11:20 hrs King’s Advice 11:55 hrs Paddy Power 12:30 hrs Neon Sea York 09:00 hrs So Beloved 09:35 hrs Makawee 10:05 hrs Alexana 10:45 hrs Leodis Dream 11:15 hrs Makyon 11:50 hrs Elisheba 12:25 hrs Sir Roderic Haydock 09:15 hrs Eden Rose 09:50 hrs Oasis Spring 11:00 hrs Mabs Cross 11:35 hrs Signora Cabello

32

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Sports, politics to mix again in Indo-Pak match-up

By Amlan Chakraborty

NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) - The old adage that sports and politics do not mix will ring hollow again when former champions India and Pakistan clash in a geopolitically-charged World Cup match months after being on the verge of war.

over Kashmir, which both claim in full but rule in part.

Bilateral cricketing ties between them have remained suspended since 2008 and relations further soured in February this year after a suicide car-bombing that killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Indian warplanes carried

players urged Virat Kohli’s men to boycott the June 16 match in Old Trafford, Manchester, against their arch-rivals while others saw more merit in playing and extending India’s 6-0 unbeaten record against Pakistan in World Cups.

“India-Pakistan matches have always been billed as the

Pakistan’s Sarfaraz Ahmed and India’s Virat Kohli during the captains’ press conference. (Action Images/Andrew Boyers)

Tensions run high in any sporting contest featuring the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have fought two of their three wars since independence

out air strikes inside Pakistan, which retaliated with its own aerial mission before a fullblown conflict was averted.

Several former India

final before the final, because people have attached political factors to the game,” cricket historian Boria Majumdar told Reuters.

Sports and politics always mingle, he said, recalling the black armband protest at the 2003 World Cup by Zimbabwe duo Andy Flower and Henry Olonga against Robert Mugabe’s political regime.

“The moment you are singing the national anthem on the sports field you are invoking a strong sense of nationalism. And what else is it but a political statement,” says Majumdar.

Also in 2003, England refused to tour Harare for a World Cup match, citing security fears after then Prime Minister Tony Blair called on them to pull out in protest against Mugabe’s regime.

Kohli and his team mates wore army camouflage-style caps in a one-day match against Australia in March to show solidarity with the Indian paramilitary police killed in the Kashmir attack.

The Indian board subsequently made an unsuccessful attempt at isolating Pakistan in world cricket and raised security concerns for its players in England.

“The pressure will be immense on both teams,” Majumdar said.

“The hype is massive, tickets have been sold out, and the broadcasters will project it as the final before the final.

“Every player in his heart of hearts knows this is a very different game, an opportunity to become a national hero.”

Plucky Afghanistan stun Pakistan in World Cup warm-up

Hazratullah Zazai waves away Shaheen Afridi in the midst of crunching five boundaries in an over. (Getty Images)

(REUTRRS) - Afghanistan batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi hit an unbeaten 74 as the World Cup underdogs stunned former champions Pakistan to win by three wickets with two balls to spare in a thrilling warm-up match in Bristol yesterday.

Chasing a modest 263 for victory, Afghanistan’s opening batsmen Mohammad Shahzad and Hazratullah Zazai got them off to a blistering start before Shahidi took charge to help them cross the finish line in the final over.

Pakistan batsman Babar Azam, who shone in their 4-0 series defeat by England this month, continued his excellent form with the bat ahead of the World Cup, scoring 112 off 108 balls but his team were restricted to a below-par 262 in 47.5 overs.

Afghanistan spinners Mohammad Nabi (3-46) and Rashid Khan (2-27) then choked the Pakistan batsmen to lay the foundation for a famous win while pacer Dawlat Zadran claimed two wickets, including that of the dangerous Azam.

England’s Morgan injures finger ahead of World Cup

Faf du Plessis, Phehlukwayo star in SA’s easy win CARDIFF, Wales (Reuters) - South Africa captain Faf du Plessis struck a fluent 88 as his side eased to an 87run victory over Sri Lanka in a Cricket World Cup (CWC) warm-up game at Sophia Gardens yesterday.

South Africa were sent in to bat in the training match, which did not hold official One-Day International status, and posted 338 for seven, before bowling their opponents out for 251 in 42.3 overs.

The Proteas were without fast bowler Dale Steyn, who is not fit after a re-occurrence of his shoulder problem, but were carried to the win by seamer Lungi Ngidi (2-12 in six overs) and all-rounder

Andile Phehlukwayo’s four-for helped South Africa bundle out the opposition for 251.

Andile Phehlukwayo (4-36 in 7 overs).

Ngidi reduced Sri Lanka to 10 for two but excellent half-centuries from captain Dimuth Karunaratne (87 from 92 balls) and Angelo Mathews (64 from 66 balls) kept the sub-continent side in the contest.

The run-rate kept rising, though, and both batsmen were caught in the deep trying to accelerate the innings, with the guile of Phehlukwayo in particular stifling the chase.

South Africa will be relieved with runs at the top of the order for opener Hashim Amla as he reached 65 from 61 balls before being bowled by leg-break bowler Jeevan

Mendis.

That may earn him the nod ahead of Aiden Markram (21) for South Africa’s World Cup opener against England on Thursday, with the pair vying for a place alongside Quinton de Kock, who did not bat yesterday. du Plessis looked in superb touch for his 88 from 69 balls, which included four sixes before he skied a delivery from Dhananjaya de Silva and was caught.

Several the other South African batsmen got starts but no-one else posted a half-century, though Rassie van der Dussen (40) and Phehlukwayo (35) enjoyed their visits to the crease.

England’s Eoin Morgan during nets.

(Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborr) (REUTERS) - England captain Eoin Morgan has sustained a small flake fracture on his finger but the injury will not affect his participation in the World Cup starting on May 30, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said yesterday.

Morgan picked up the injury to his left index finger during training at the Hampshire Bowl ahead of today’s warm-up match against world champions Australia and was sent to a hospital to have a precautionary X-ray.

“Morgan picked up the injury during catching practice ... he will not take part in the match (against Australia) ... but is expected to make a full recovery and be available for England’s opening World Cup match against South Africa.”

The ECB did not say if Morgan would play in another warm-up clash against Afghanistan on Monday.

Favourites England begin their World Cup campaign against South Africa on the opening day of the tournament.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

Reggae Girlz unbeaten run continues ahead of World Cup bow JAMAICA’S Reggae Girlz continued their preparation for their historic trip to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France next month, with a 2-1 victory over FC Surge in a 60-minute game at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida on Thursday.

The Reggae Girlz had to come from behind after striker Chrissey Grant lobbed goalkeeper Nicole McClure to put the hosts 1-0 ahead in the 10th minute.

Olufolasade Adamolekun and Tiffany Cameron replied for the Reggae Girlz with second-half goals.

Adamolekun rammed home a low, curling shot from 25 yards, while Cameron slotted home a weak clearance.

The Reggae Girlz are in South Florida for a short camp. They will fly to the United Kingdom for a friendly against Scotland in Edinburgh on May 28 before travelling to France.

The number 53-ranked

Jamaica are in Group C of the Women’s World Cup with 10th ranked Brazil, sixthranked Australia, and Italy, ranked at 15th.

The Reggae Girlz will begin their World Cup campaign on June 9 against 2007 Women’s World Cup runners-up Brazil at the Stade des Alpes in Grenoble.

The Reggae Girlz will return to action on June 14 at the Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims where they will square off against Italy.

The Jamaicans will then round out their group stage action four days later on June 18 against Australia once again at the Stade des Alpes in Grenoble.

The Reggae Girlz created history on October 17, 2018 in the United States by becoming the first Caribbean team to reach the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Reggae Girlz achieved the feat by defeating Panama 4-2 on penalties

in their third-place playoff match at the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship at the Toyota Stadium in Texas.

The historic qualification to the 2019 FIFA World Cup follows the success of the men’s squad, who participated in the World Cup for the first time in France 1998.

Since that penalty shootout win, the Reggae Girlz have not been beaten.

Jamaica’s 23-member World Cup squad: Sydney Schnieder, Konya Plymmer, Marlo Sweatman, Khadijah Shaw, Deneisha Blackwood, Dominique Bond-Flasza, A l l y s o n S w a b y, Tr u d i Carter, Chantelle Swaby, Ashleigh Shim, Sashana Campbell, Nicole McClure, Roriana Patterson, Chinyelu Asher, Lauren Silver, Jody Brown, Chanel Hudson-Mark, Yazmeen Jameison, Kyla McCoy, Chenya Matthews, Tiffany Cameron, Olufolsade Adamolekun and Havana Solaun.

South Africa announces fixtures for England, Australia series

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - South Africa will host England for four Tests and a limited overseas series then Australia in Twenty20 and One Day Internationals in a packed summer programme, Cricket South Africa announced yesterday.

England will start their tour with two warm-up matches in December before the first Test in Pretoria from December 26 to 30.

They will then play three more Tests at Newlands in Cape Town, St Georges Park in Port Elizabeth and at the Wanderers in Johannesburg in January 2020.

England are also scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20s against South Africa in February.

Australia are scheduled for three T20s and three ODIs in February and March.

PCB bans wives and family from travelling with team WIVES and family members of Pakistan’s players at the World Cup will not be permitted to stay with them for the duration of the tournament in England.

According to a new Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) policy, any cricketer’s family members who wish to travel along with the player will have to make their own arrangements throughout the event.

ESPNcricinfo under-

stands that the decision is intended to keep players focussed on the task at hand, without the distraction of families around them. Only Haris Sohail has been allowed special dispensation on personal grounds.

The players’ wives and families were allowed to stay with them during the bilateral series against England, but the team manager has since informed the players about the new policy.

This is a departure from standard operating procedure (SOP). Previously, Pakistan’s players insisted on having their wives during series abroad, and they were allowed to share hotel rooms.

Pakistan are set to begin their campaign against West Indies in Nottingham on May 31 to kick off a World Cup that will see them play nine games across seven venues before the semi-finals.

The Reggae Girlz created history on October 17, 2018 in the United States by becoming the first Caribbean team to reach the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

33

34

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

AAG boss gives thumbs up for ‘Mackenzie High versus Multi’ Track and Field clash PRESIDENT of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Aubrey Hutson has endorsed the staging of the inaugural ‘Ole School Nu School’ ‘Mackenzie High versus Multi’ track and field championship saying it is the way to go as his governing body prepares to officiate in the Independence Day meet at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground tomorrow.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport on Thursday, Hutson said his personal view was that there was need for more championships like these, as he felt the time is coming when the rivalry should move from the Inter-District level and have the schools engaged in such competitions to further expose more athletes.

He said he was prepared to shed light in this regard for the future of such meets as this is what the Jamaicans have been doing and one can see the results of such a programme.

Hutson said he will be in Linden tomorrow to ensure the internationally recognised Fully Automatic Timing System (FATS) for athletics is implemented in Guyana for the first time on the grassy outfield at the MSC ground.

The AAG had responded promptly earlier this year to the request for sanctioning of the meet and this first such meet, put on by former athlete of the Mackenzie High School (MHS) Erwin Shawn ‘Baldhead’ McNeil and past student of the Christianburg Wismar Secondary School (Multi), Floyd Cameron, (Team McNeil/Cameron), could be the starting of something big in athletics in the future.

Among those big names who have given their backing for the staging of this championship are former national athletes of MHS, Marian Burnette and Bruce Butcher, who are based in the United States of America. (Joe Chapman)

Minute’s silence, red cap tribute for Lauda in Monaco MONACO (Reuters) Formula One will hold a minute’s silence in memory of triple world champion Niki Lauda before tomorrow’s Monaco Grand Prix, with a noisier salute to the Austrian after the race.

Lauda, one of the sport’s greatest heroes and characters who came back from a fiery crash at the Nuerburgring in 1976 to win two more titles after a first with Ferrari in 1975, died on Monday at the age of 70.

Formula One said the silence would be held at 14.53hrs local time, 17 minutes before the start of the race in the principality.

The 20 drivers and dignitaries who normally stand at attention on the starting grid for the national anthem will be joined by a group of Lauda’s contemporaries and peers each holding a red cap

in tribute.

Lauda, Mercedes t e a m ’s n o n - e x e c u t i v e chairman, was known for the trademark red cap he wore to hide his burns

from the 1976 accident.

Fans in the grandstands were invited to pay their own tribute to the two-time Monaco Grand Prix winner on the in-lap after the finish.

Niki Lauda poses at the airport in Duesseldorf, Germany, March 20, 2018. (REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger)

(Saturday May 25, 2019)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL- Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

(1) (2)

Tough choices had to be made, says Reggae Girlz coach Donaldson

Striker Khadija Shaw (centre) set to lead Jamaica’s frontline at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(a) (b)

WE READY! Organisers Floyd Cameron at left and Erwin Shawn ‘Baldhead’ McNeil are wearing the promotional jersey for the ‘MHS versus Multi’ Track and Field clash at MSC ground tomorrow

ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: ENG 4-0 (1 NR) Jason Roy (ENG) TODAY’S QUIZ: Where and when was the first ICC World Cup held?

Who were the winners?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

“They can wear either a red cap, display a message on a banner, or simply applaud, while those watching from the yachts in the harbour are invited to sound their klaxons,” said a statement.

Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari already have stickers on their cars in tribute to Lauda.

Mercedes team members are also wearing black armbands.

K I N G S TO N , J a m a i c a (CMC) – Reggae Girlz assistant coach, Lorne Donaldson, said selecting the final squad for next month’s FIFA World Cup in France had been a difficult process, especially knowing there would be disappointment for players who helped the side qualify.

Sixteen players who were part of the history-making 20-member squad at last year’s CONCACAF Women’s Championship were retained in the 23-member side for the June 7 to July 7 showpiece.

It meant that four players – Christina Chung, Giselle Washington, Shanise Foster, and Jadyn Matthews – all missed out on the trip.

“We looked at the persons and the contribution they have made, and what they can do in the future.

There will be mistakes that people will not agree with, but it was a very difficult

decision,” Donaldson was quoted in a radio interview here.

“As coaches, how do you tell your daughters that they can’t make it?

We have been through war with some of these players, and at the end, when a big thing like a World Cup presents itself and they are not chosen it’s very difficult.

“But that’s why coaches coach. There are tough decisions we have to make, and it’s nothing personal against the players, but somebody will be left out and even the player selected feels sad for those players left out. But we talked with them and hopefully there are no hard feelings.”

Chanel Hudson-Mark, Yazmeen Jameison, Kyla McCoy, Chenya Matthews, Tiffany Cameron and Olufolsade Adamolekun were the new faces named in a 22-member squad announced earlier this week.

And Norway-based attacker Havana Solaun was recently added to the squad after receiving international clearance from football’s world governing body, FIFA. Donaldson said she expected Solaun to play a vital role in the squad supporting United States-based forward, Khadija Shaw.

“There are players and there are special players for positions we need, and she fills one of those roles. In the number 10 role, we need somebody to play behind ‘Bunny’ Shaw that can do that very well,” Donaldson explained.

“She’s a quarter-back or a point-guard. She’s a top player we need in the middle to pull the strings and set the tone, and she brings that.”

At the World Cup, Jamaica will do battle in a tough Group C where they line up against Australia, Italy and Brazil.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 25, 2019

35

Dynamic West Indies a dangerous World Cup wildcard

By Andrew Both (REUTERS) - The once mighty West Indies struggled to qualify for the Cricket World Cup (CWC) last year but their fortunes are on the upswing and they will arrive in England a dangerous and unpredictable outfit that nobody will be keen to play.

The winners of the first two World Cups back in the 1970s, West Indies have not made the final since 1983 as the well-documented decline in Caribbean cricketing fortunes played out.

Throughout their struggles at Test level in recent decades, however, they have remained a dynamic 20-over outfit, winning the 2012 and 2016 World Twenty20 tournaments.

The recent return of some of their best players, following the resolution of a

West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell

long-running pay dispute with West Indies board, has provided a big boost and they certainly do not lack batting firepower.

Chris Gayle and Andre Russell are particularly important returnees, both potential match-winners coming off magnificent Indian Premier League (IPL) campaigns where they lit up the subcontinent with breathtaking performances.

Crowd-pleasing opening batsman Gayle, still going strong at the age of 39, showed he had lost none of his power as he slogged no fewer than 34 sixes for Punjab.

He will be vice-captain of the Jason Holder-led team at his fifth World Cup - his oneday international swansong - and enters the event by far the most experienced player in the squad with 10 151 runs

in 289 ODIs. “As a senior player, it is my responsibility to support the captain and everyone else in the team,” he said.

“This will probably be the biggest World Cup, so there will be great expectations and I know we will do very well for the people of the West Indies.”

All-rounder Russell was even more destructive with the bat in IPL, smashing 52 sixes and scoring at a strike

rate of more than 200 for Kolkata, both best in the league.

Russell is also likely to spearhead a genuinely fast bowling attack at the World Cup that also includes dangerous 22-year-old paceman Oshane Thomas and battle-hardened 31-year-old Shannon Gabriel.

Interim West Indies head coach Floyd Reifer expects another high-scoring World Cup and thinks the bowling will be

the difference between the top teams and the also-rans.

“The team that bowls the best and fields the best will win the World Cup,” Reifer said recently.

“We expect the World Cup to be very high-scoring. The pitches are expected to be very good for batting so batters are expected to score runs.”

West Indies open their campaign against Pakistan at Trent Bridge on May 31.

Budding female cyclist in Bartica presented with racing cycle by GCF president Burrowes

Guyana’s senior TT players begin quest for Pan Am Games Qualification Selena Stephen is presented with a new racing cycle by GCF president Horace Burrowes in the presence of Mayor Gifford Marshall.

Chelsea Edghill

G U YA N A’ S h i g h est-ranked and top senior players, Shemar Britton, Christopher Franklin, Trenace Lowe and 2018 Sports Woman-of-the-Year Chelsea Edghill are currently in Guatemala continuing their quest for Pan American Games singles’ qualification spots.

The event is being held May 24-25 at the Teodoro Palacios Flores Gymnasium in Guatemala.

Having narrowly missed out on the team qualification event when Guyana hosted the Pan American games and Caribbean table tennis championships in March, the event in Guatemala offers six (6) singles spots for male players and six (6) female spots for countries that

Shemar Britton

didn’t qualify in the team events of the various continental qualification events.

The eventual qualifiers will play at the Pan American games scheduled for July-August in Lima, Peru.

Two players from each country will be eligible to participate in the team event.

The qualification system will see three trials played where the top two players from each qualification final will qualify for the Pan American games then there will be a redraw for the next round.

Some 23 male players and 19 female players from the Pan American region are vying for qualification spots.

Trenace Lowe and Chelsea Edghill have been

seeded 1 and 2 respectively with participating countries in the women’s category coming from Ecuador, El Salvador, Paraguay, Ecuador, Costa Rica Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Barbados, St Kitts and Honduras Christopher Franklin and Shemar Briton have been seeded fifth and sixth in the men’s category in a field of countries comprising Jamaica, Colombia, Bolivia, Panama, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Kitts, Honduras, Guatemala, Venezuela and Barbados.

Up to press time Guyana’s Shemar Britton, Trenace Lowe and Chelsea Edghill had advanced to the quarter-finals of the first trials.

THE dream to own her own racing cycle came through for 15-year-old cyclist Selena Stephen on Tuesday of this week.

The Bartica Secondary School student who participated in the inaugural Bartica Cycling Challenge in March of this year had caught the eyes of Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) president Horace Burrowes during a determined ride that resulted in her copping the 3rd place in her race.

Urged on by her home fans, Stephen beat her more seasoned rivals and as a result was promised a racing cycle to further develop her skills and love for the sport.

So, last Tuesday, Burrowes made good on his promise when he journeyed to Bartica Secondary School to present Stephen with her cycle.

Accompanying Burrowes were Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall, GCF Assistant Racing Secretary Joseph Britton and other officials.

The GCF head also met with Mrs Natalie Stephen, mother of Selena to discuss continued support of the

budding cyclist.

Stephen, who has competed at past National Schools Cycling championships, expressed delight at finally being able to own a racing cycle.

In addressing the students at the school, Burrowes stated that the federation will continue to do all it can to encourage more female cyclists in the sport noting that he was pleased to see the response

by Bartica, following the race in March.

“You guys have done well as you have taken up the challenge to form a new club. This is indeed commendable and I am confident that in the not-so-distant future, exciting female and male riders would be putting their hands up for national recognition from the Town of Bartica.”

Burrowes also commended Mayor Marshall and his Council for pushing the development of sports in the town and pledged continued support of the GCF. Marshall, in addressing the students, told them that he himself attended Bartica Secondary and challenged them be the best they can be,

always being disciplined and aiming for the skies.

“Sports and education go hand-in-hand and my advice to you is to pursue a sport of your choice and strive to be the best.

At the level of the Town Council, we will continue to support your development by ensuring that you have multiple facilities of a high calibre to develop your skills and to one day represent this Town and Guyana by extension, as some of you have already done.”

One of the students present was National junior basketball guard, Emanuel Atherly, who will be representing the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) at the 2019 Nike/ FIBA Under-17 Development Camp in Puerto Rico, this July.

Also part of the function was Mr David Van Lange who has accepted the responsibility to be the caretaker/coach for young Stephen who will be in contention to represent Guyana at this year’s Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships to be hosted in Bartica, August 10-11.

T

CWI president assures Guyana will feature on the India tour Page

31

CWI president Ricky Skerritt (at right) greets Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

(Keno George photo)

GFF’s Forde engages Brazilian Federation in historic meeting

… Establishment of Development MoU discussed Page

31

Ponting voted Australia’s greatest ODI player … beats long-time teammate Adam Gilchrist in the final

AFTER almost 1.5 million votes from cricket fans around the world, cricket.com.au can reveal that the unofficial title of Australia’s greatest-ever ODI player belongs to ... Ricky Ponting.

In a series of head-to-head fan polls over the past 10 days, lovers of the game have voted in huge numbers to select Ponting as Australia’s best-ever when it comes to one-day cricket.

From a shortlist of 16 players, Ponting and his former teammate Adam Gilchrist were well ahead of the pack and faced off in a ‘grand final’ to decide Australia’s best ever.

And after more than 135 000 votes across cricket.com.au, the CA Live app, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter on Thursday and yesterday, Ponting prevailed with 57 per cent of the vote compared to 43 per cent for Gilchrist.

Speaking before being announced as the winner, Ponting told cricket.com.au he would vote for Gilchrist - as long as his long-time teammate returned the favour.

“If you ask Gilly, he’s going to say me. And if you ask me, I’m going to say Gilly!” Ponting said with a laugh.

“I’ll say Adam Gilchrist. Hopefully he says me ... Gilly, you better do the right thing!

“I was lucky to play a lot of games with Gilly and I captained him on a lot of occasions. He was a match-winning player at the top of the order and at certain times probably made my job a lot easier going in at No.3.”

Players and coaches in Australia’s World Cup squad were split between the two legends, with several sitting on the fence and coach Justin Langer - who ended up siding with his assistant Ponting - likening the choice to being asked to pick his favourite daughter.

All-rounder Glenn Maxwell opted for Gilchrist - a call he conceded was “controversial” given Ponting is one of his childhood idols - while assistant coach Brad Haddin broke with the wicket-keeping union in picking Ponting.

“He’s led us to a number of World Cups, he’s got longevity in the game and every time we had a big moment, Ricky Ponting was there to deliver,” Haddin said.

With three World Cup wins to his name - including two as

Ricky Ponting in 2007as he holds the World Cup for a third time. (Getty Images) skipper – as well as 4 000 more ODI runs than any other Australian, it comes as little surprise that Ponting has been crowned Australia’s best-ever by the public.

For more than 15 years, Ponting held down the No.3 spot in an Australian side that enjoyed an unprecedented level of success, highlighted by the unbeaten World Cup campaigns he skippered in 2003 and 2007.

In a career full of great moments, his stunning assault on India’s bowlers in Johannesburg in 2003, on no less a stage than a World Cup final, is an innings that’s difficult to forget.

Ponting was matched-up against Mitchell Starc in the opening round of Australia’s ODI GOAT, winning comfortably, while the first round also saw surprise eliminations for two-time World Cup winners Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan, who were knocked out by Mike Hussey and Matthew Hayden respectively.

In Round 2, Ponting, Gilchrist and Brett Lee all won comfortably, while Shane Warne just edged out his old teammate Glenn McGrath with 51 per cent of the vote to 49 per cent, a margin of less than 4 000 votes.

Ponting and Gilchrist both won more than 70 per cent of the vote in their semi-finals, against Lee and Warne respectively, to set up a final between the former captain and vice-captain.

Page

GFF president Wayne Forde displays his custom-made Brazilian jersey, presented to him by CBF president Rogerio Caboclo

Dynamic West Indies a 35 dangerous World Cup wildcard

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2019