Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_11_08_2019

FRIDAY 8th November, 2019

SALARY HIKE SOON No.105815

…Jordan says gov’t focussed on bringing public sector salary levels up to acceptable standards

A President’s College student takes a ‘selfie’ with President David Granger while others await their turn following the school’s graduation exercise on Thursday (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

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PPP abused, exploited Toshaos 02 PAGE

…Shuman says many were cursed, chased by Dharamlall

13…asarrested police raid PAGE

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Kuru Kururu stolen vehicles ‘Chop Shop’

An advocate for professional, free press 03 PAGE

…President rubbishes Stabroek News’ claims of unfairness

“Guyana belongs to you” ―President Granger tells President’s College 2019 graduating class

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

Shuman says prefers ‘to walk alone’

Leader and Presidential Candidate of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), Lenox Shuman

LEADER and Presidential Candidate of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), Lenox Shuman, said his party has no intention of coalescing with any other political party ahead of the 2020 General and Regional Elections unless it is necessary as a matter of national importance.

“We are not going to coalesce with any political party going into this election unless the national security or the national interest of this country demands it,” Shuman said during a press conference at Duke Lodge on Thursday.

He said LJP’s position is in keeping with a motion passed during the party’s first members’ conference held on Wednesday. He said the position is also aligned with Article 4.1 of the LJP’s Constitution.

“We are of the firm belief that the country is in need of balance. We recognise and respect that the APNU+AFC

has a massive following, and we have to respect that they are going to look out for their people’s interest; and we also have to respect and recognise that the People’s Progressive Party also represents a very large mass and they have responsibility for their membership, and at this point the Liberty and Justice Party represents what we call a balance in this country. And along those lines we are going to be heading into the elections in 2020 as the Liberty and Justice Party,” Shuman stated.

Shuman said LJP is of the firm belief that no single party has all of the answers to the challenges facing Guyana, and as such, LJP is ready to make its mark.

He clarified that LJP’s meeting with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) was not aimed at coalescing with the APNU. He explained that during the launch of LJP in January 2020, the party clearly stated that it was opened to communication with all political parties. Shuman said it was on that basis that the Executives of LJP have been meeting with the leaders of political parties in the country.

“We had sent out formal notification to all parties to engage in that dialogue because we believe that is the only way move Guyana forward. As such we have met with ANUG, we have met with FED-UP, TCI, we have met with APNU, and we have not met with the PPP,” Shuman explained.

The LJP Presidential Candidate said though an invitation was extended to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), an official response has not been forthcoming.

However, the PPP/C, he said, resorted to a “backdoor” mechanism for which LJP will not tolerate.

“The People’s Progressive Party through their agents has reached out to us but we are not opened to backdoor dialogues and backdoor deals. We are open to a very transparent and forward-looking process that engages everyone, and that engages public discourse,” Shuman said.

President David Granger recently had said that the APNU was in “preliminary exploratory” talks with LJP. He had said that the two sides were for areas of convergence.

On Wednesday, when he was approached on the topic again, President Granger told reporters that talks had not moved forward but maintained that APNU is an inclusionary party, and as such is open to partnership.

“APNU is a party that is committed to the big benab and we prefer that all parties would come into the benab with their constituencies. We are not asking them to lose their identity or lose their constituency. So in principle, APNU has no objection to continuing talks with the Liberty and Justice Party but the talks have not moved forward,” President Granger explained.

He added, “We’re not in the business of sharing out goodies, we’re in the business of shared principles of working towards a common good and if any party is prepared to accept the overall objectives of the Partnership, they would be welcomed to come in but at this point in time, it’s not a question of running for elections, it’s question of developing Guyana and ensure the people of Guyana have the type of government which is inclusionary, which is inclusive and this is what we have achieved under the existing partnership.”

PPP abused, exploited Toshaos …Shuman says many were cussed, chased by Dharamlall LEADER and Presidential Candidate of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), Lenox Shuman, said Indigenous People were exploited and abused under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP) Administration.

Shuman, who once served as the Chairman of the National Toshaos Coun-

cil (NTC) and Toshao of St Cuthbert’s Mission, made the statement during a press conference at Duke Lodge on Thursday. According to him, many Toshaos and Indigenous People suffered at the hands of PPP/C Member of Parliament, Nigel Dharamlall, when he held the post of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of

Amerindian Affairs.

“Many of the chiefs, many of the Toshaos who visited the Ministry of Amerindian People’s Affairs during the PPP tenure were cursed and chased out, and verbally abused by the then Permanent Secretary, Mr. Nigel Dharamlall,” Shuman told reporters.

The LJP Presidential

Candidate said there are numerous allegations of abuse on the part of the PPP when treating with Indigenous People.

“There has been in our view an exploitation of Indigenous Peoples from the PPP. They go about and say that they would have employed close to 2000 Indigenous People

with the CSO programme when we know in fact, and this is not speculation, this is a fact, that what they did was to pay these young people – one to vote for them and two, to spy on communities,” Shuman told reporters.

The Community Support Officers (CSOs) Programme was an initia-

tive introduced under the PPP/C. Shuman said under the CSO programme, Indigenous People were paid to spy on villages.

“So they weren’t public servants, they were party spies who were being paid. They were paying people to spy on small communities,” he contended.

SALARY HIKE SOON

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

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…Jordan says gov’t focussed on bringing salary levels up to acceptable standards …says no provisions made for end-of-year bonuses

MINISTER of Finance, Winston Jordan, on Thursday, said salary increases for public servants will be announced soon.

“Salary increase for 2019 will be announced shortly,” Minister Jordan said. However, he said bonuses will not be issued to public servants as was done in the past.

“There’s no provision for bonus this year or foreseeable future. What the government is trying to do is to rapidly bring salaries and other benefits to a level that befits jobs. For 2020, that subject awaits elections,” he said in a statement.

His statement came one day after President David Granger said the Finance Minister would advise the Cabinet as to whether government would be paying an end-of-year bonus to public servants.

However, the Head of

State explained that as a result of the no-confidence motion passed against his government in the National Assembly last December, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has restricted the administration from embarking on expenditures or agreements which are likely to collide with the convention of an interim government.

Government, he said, has accepted that it is now in an interim mode, and, as such, has not signed onto any major agreement.

Since taking office in May 2015, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government has offered public servants both bonuses and wage increases. In December 2015, public servants, who were at the time earning less than $500,000 monthly, received a one-off tax-free bonus of $50,000. Addition-

ally, public servants whose gross basic monthly salaries were more than $50,000 received a five per cent salary increase; while those with

Minister of Finance Winston Jordan

salaries equal to or lower than $50,000 were given an eight per cent increase.

The minimum basic salary of $39,540 was also lifted to $50,000, effective July 1, 2015. At the time, more than

30,700 public sector workers, among them nurses, teachers, members of the Disciplined Services and semi-autonomous agencies, benefitted from the bonus.

In December 2016, the government paid a one-off, tax-free bonus of $25,000 to all public servants who are earning less than $500,000 per month. In October that year, public servants who were earning $99,000 or less benefitted from a 10 per cent increase; while persons who were earning between $100,000 and $299,000 were offered six per cent increase. Public servants who were earning between $300,000 and $799,000 were offered five per cent increase while those who were earning between $800,000 and $999,000 were given a two per cent increase. Those earning more than $1M at the time were given a one per

cent salary increase.

Meanwhile in 2017, approximately 14,000 public servants benefitted from a $3.5B payout when government increased their wages and salaries, while increasing the minimum wage to $60,000. In addition to increasing the minimum wage, public servants who were earning between $55,555 and $99,999 received an increase of eight per cent, while a six per cent increase was offered to persons earning $100,000 to $299,999. Public servants who were earning between $300,000 and $499,999 received a five per cent increase while those who earned $500,000 to $699,999 got a four per cent increase.

Those who were within the $700,000 to $799,999 bracket received a two per cent increase. For those who earned $800,000 to $1M, a 0.5 per cent increase was offered to

them.

Though it offered no Christmas bonus in 2018, the government approved increases for all public servants ranging from 0.5 per cent to seven per cent. Public servants who earned up to $100,000 received a seven per cent increase while public servants that acquired salaries between $100,000 and $299,999 received a 6.5 per cent increase. Public servants whose salaries ranged between $300,000 and $499.999 at the time, received a five per cent increase; those that fall within the $500,000 to $699,999 bracket received three per cent increase; $700,000 to $799,999 – two per cent increase; $800,000 to $999,999 – one per cent; and those who were earning one million dollars and above received a 0.5 per cent increase.

An advocate for professional, free press …President rubbishes Stabroek News claims of unfairness …paper accused of ignoring important national events President David Granger has always been and continues to be a strong advocate for a professional and free press, the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP) said in a statement on Thursday as it refuted claims made by Stabroek News.

In its November 7, 2019 editorial under the title ‘The President and ‘fairness’ in the press,’ Stabroek News deliberately misrepresented the statements made by the President during a live radio interview with Kaieteur Radio last Friday, the ministry said.

“During his numerous interactions with media practitioners, before and since his assumption to office, President David Granger has always demonstrated great respect and regard for the profession and for journalists. The Stabroek News’s assertions to the contrary therefore, are false,” MOTP stated.

It pointed out that in addressing media operatives in April 2016; the President was pellucid on his position on a

free press. “…journalism is a noble profession. Journalism like any other profession is based on a sense of social responsibility. It is not for the reckless, it is based on education.

It’s not for the uneducated.

It’s based on ethics, it’s based on experience…My administration is committed also to non-interference in the independent media. Independent

media act as watchdogs of the Government. They promote transparency by ensuring that information is provided to the public on the work of the Government. They’re a source of valuable feedback on the effectiveness of the efforts of the Government.

There is no good reason for the State to interfere in the work of the private media.

The relationship between the

State and the private media must be seen as a partnership in providing a public good, that is, public information for the citizens of this country,” the President had said.

The MOPT reiterated that President Granger strongly believes that citizens’ access to information is a democratic right and information is necessary for their informed participation in society.

“Any restriction on the flow of information denies citizens the opportunity to participate fully in decision-making and, thereby, impairs democracy,” it said.

The MOTP added: “Fairness and balance are the hallmarks of good journalism. Fairness in a journalistic context, entails accurate reportage and examining every possible angle and perspec-

President David Granger and members of the media during his 2016 Media Brunch held at State House

tive. Selectively using parts of quotes and information to frame a story presents a false and misleading account to readers on that particular issue or person.”

According to the ministry, the Stabroek News has failed on many occasions, to report on important national events. “In fact, in 2016, the Ministry of the Presidency had brought to the newspaper’s attention, that it had taken note that the paper had not been reporting on important national events involving the Presidency,” it pointed out.

It also observed that Stabroek News currently publishes weekly columns by the Presidential candidate of a political party and an executive member of the same party. “While this is certainly within the paper’s purview, it is hypocritical to criticise the President on his stance for fairness and equitable reportage when the paper itself has not given equal opportunities to the other stakeholders,” MOTP said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday November 8, 2019

Trump denies asking attorney general to clear him on Ukraine US President Donald Trump has denied asking the justice department to clear him of wrongdoing over a phone call with Ukraine’s president that is at the heart of an impeachment inquiry.

US media say Attorney General William Barr declined Mr Trump’s request to hold a press conference to declare no laws were broken.

Mr Trump called the story a “con job”.

The Democratic-led inquiry hinges on whether Mr Trump pressured Ukraine on that call to investigate a rival.

Mr Trump denies using US military aid as a bargain-

William Barr reportedly denied the president’s request to publicly clear him of wrongdoing (BBC photo)

ing chip to prod Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky into launching a cor-

ruption investigation against Democratic White House contender Joe Biden.

According to a rough transcript, Mr Trump suggested that Mr Zelensky work with Mr Barr during the call.

A justice department spokeswoman later said Mr Barr was unaware he had been mentioned by the president until “several weeks” after the call.

The US president, a Re-

publican, has repeatedly insisted his call with Ukraine’s leader was “perfect”.

“The Justice Department already ruled that the call was good,” Mr Trump wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

The president appeared to be referring to a statement issued by the department in September, saying it had “reviewed the official record of the call and determined, based on the facts and applicable law, that there was no campaign finance violation and that no further action was warranted”.

After the Washington Post published a story about Mr Trump’s alleged request to Mr Barr, the president called the report “degenerate”. Since then other media, including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the BBC’s US partner CBS News, have run similar stories.

House Democrats will hold the first public hearings next week. One of the first to appear will be Bill Taylor,

acting US ambassador to Ukraine.

Mr Taylor said in a private hearing last month it was his “clear understanding” that the president had withheld nearly $400m (£310m) in US military aid because he wanted Ukraine to investigate discredited corruption claims against Democrat Joe Biden and his son.

Also on Thursday, the committees leading the impeachment inquiry released a transcript of a closed-door deposition by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent last month.

In his testimony, Mr Kent echoed criticism of the role played by Mr Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani - who many witnesses have accused of being behind the drive to get Ukraine to announce an investigation into the Bidens.

Mr Kent said Mr Giuliani had been conducting a “campaign of full of lies and incorrect information”.

In August, an anonymous

intelligence whistleblower wrote a letter expressing concern over the 25 July Trump-Zelensky call, which took place shortly after Mr Trump withheld military aid to Ukraine.

The whistleblower’s identity has so far been closely guarded by Democrats, amid demands from their Republican colleagues to hear from the individual directly.

Lawyers for the whistleblower have told investigators their client is only willing to answer written questions.

The conservative Fox News network, which is generally supportive of Mr Trump, has reportedly instructed its hosts not to identify the purported whistleblower. Other right-wing media outlets have already done so.

Most media organisations, including the BBC, have not named the source.

(BBC)

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Protestors forcibly cut off Bolivia mayor’s hair The mayor of a small town in Bolivia has been attacked by opposition protesters who dragged her through the streets barefoot, covered her in red paint and forcibly cut her hair.

Patricia Arce of the governing Mas party was handed over to police in Vinto after several hours.

It is the latest in a series of violent clashes between government supporters and opponents in the wake of controversial presidential elections.

At least three people have died so far.

A group of anti-government protesters was blocking a bridge in Vinto, a small town in Cochabamba province in central Bolivia, as part of their ongoing demonstra-

Patricia Arce was covered in red paint and had her hair cut off (BBC photo)

tions following the presidential election on 20 October.

Rumours spread that two opposition protesters had been killed nearby in clashes with supporters of incumbent president, Evo Morales, prompting an angry group to march to the town hall.

The protesters accused Mayor Arce of having bussed in supporters of the president to try and break a blockade they had set up and blamed her for the reported deaths,

Protesters also set alight parts of the town hall (BBC photo)

one of which was later confirmed.

Amid shouts of “murderess, murderess” masked men dragged her through the streets barefoot to the bridge. There, they made her kneel down, cut her hair and doused her in red paint. They

also forced her to sign a resignation letter.

Ms Arce was eventually handed over to the police who took her to a local health centre.

Her office was set alight and the windows of the town hall were smashed.

The person killed in clashes between supporters and opponents of President Morales was identified as 20-year-old student Limbert Guzmán Vasquez. Doctors said Mr Guzmán Vasquez had a fractured skull which may have been caused by an explosive device.

He is the third person to be killed since the clashes between the two sides erupted on 20 October.

Tension has been running high since election night when the results count was inexplicably paused for 24 hours. The suspension prompted suspicions among supporters of opposition candidate Carlos Mesa that the result had been rigged to allow Mr Morales, who has been in power since 2006 to

stay on for another five years.

The final result gave Mr Morales just over the 10-percentage-point lead he needed to win outright in the first round of the presidential election.

Election observers from the Organization of American States (OAS) expressed their concerns and an audit by the body is currently underway.

However, Mr Mesa has rejected the audit arguing that it was agreed without his or his party’s input.

Mr Morales has accused Mr Mesa of staging a coup d’etat and supporters of each side have squared off in La Paz and other cities.

(BBC)

US makes mammoth archeological discovery At least 14 woolly mammoth skeletons have been uncovered in Mexico in traps built by humans about 15,000 years ago.

The two pits in Tultepec north of Mexico City are the first mammoth traps to be discovered, officials say.

Early hunters may have herded the elephant-sized mammals into the traps using torches and branches.

The recent discovery of more than 800 mammoth bones could change our understanding of how early humans hunted the enormous animals.

Mexico’s National Institute

The remains were found during excavations for a waste containment site (BBC photo)

of Anthropology and History (INAH) says more traps could be uncovered in the area north

of Mexico City.

Archaeologists thought early humans only killed mam-

Some of the bones showed physical signs of being hunted (BBC photo)

moths if the animals were trapped or hurt.

However, INAH’s discovery of the human-built traps could mean such hunts were planned.

Diego Prieto Hernández, director of the institute, said the discovery “represents a watershed, a turning point in what we until now imagined to be the interaction between hunter-gatherers with these huge herbivores”.

The two pits are about 1.7m (5ft 6in) deep and 25m in diameter. Excavations at the site have been taking place for 10 months. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday November 8, 2019

Gov’t record on press freedom and SN complaints The Stabroek News, in its lead on Thursday, accused President David Granger and his Government of being unfair as that newspaper continues its campaign against what it termed the withdrawal of state advertising from it. The newspaper also attributes its accusations to the “forthright reportage on the government in the aftermath of the December 21st, 2018 vote of no-confidence against it in Parliament.”

The record in the public domain completely debunks these claims as the Department of Public Information (DPI) informed the nation back in September that it was Stabroek News that took the unprecedented decision to refuse state advertising owing to a large outstanding debt and when it was paid off, asked to be reconsidered, but this has not been done at the large volumes it once enjoyed as some of the agencies by then had moved to other media platforms to air their advertisements.

The DPI stated that Stabroek News, for the first nine months of 2019, received the second largest share of state advertisements, when com-

pared to the other three daily newspapers in the country.

In fact, the records show that the privately-owned newspaper raked in $57.3M in state advertisements in 2018 when compared to $8M in 2015. Already for 2019, the newspaper had cashed in on approximately $51.7M in ads from the government. It was further explained that DPI effects payments to the newspapers for advertisements as monies are received from the various government ministries that use DPI to book advertisements. It was noted that the majority of the ads placed by DPI are done so on behalf of ministries and not funded from the department’s budget. DPI therefore serves merely as a booking agent.

There is a cyclical flow of payments and the accounts, from time to time, build up as a result of cash flow and other factors. These backlogs are cleared once funds are available and there is hardly ever a lengthy backlog of payments,” the DPI further explained. The DPI also noted that the privately-owned newspaper also receives large volumes of advertising from some government ministries, agencies and departments

that do not book advertising through DPI. Upon receiving its payments, Stabroek News then wrote DPI advising that it will resume acceptance of orders for government ads, however, by that time, DPI said it had already begun to explore alternative avenues to placing state ads such as the use of digital media and radio advertising.

The issue of fairness and balanced reporting have also dogged the Robb Streetbased news outfit, with the Ministry of the Presidency informing in a statement on Thursday that back in 2016, Stabroek News failed on many occasions to report on important national events and this was brought to the newspaper’s attention that it had taken note that the paper had not been reporting on important national events involving the Presidency.

The ministry also observed that Stabroek News currently publishes weekly columns by the Presidential candidate of ANUG, Ralph Ramkarran and his executive member, Dr Henry Jeffrey “and while this is certainly within the paper’s purview, it is hypocritical to criticise the President on his stance for fairness

and equitable reportage when the paper itself has not given equal opportunities to the other stakeholders.”

So, for Stabroek News now to be complaining about unfairness begs the question as to its real motive.

Undoubtedly, since coming to office, President Granger has ensured the preservation of press freedom and even elevated the media the fourth estate to a higher plane that where it stood under the previous administration. His yearly interactions with the press and regular impromptu interviews and sidelines press conferences are testimony of the high regard he has both for the media and ensuring the public is well informed. Stabroek News’ grouse, however, though being camouflaged as that of advertisements placements runs much deeper and in time will be unmasked. President Granger, as was stated in the release, has always been and continues to be a strong advocate for a professional and free press. He has always demonstrated great respect and regard for the profession and for journalists. There is no doubt, as was stated in the release from the Ministry of

the Presidency, that the President Granger administration is committed to non-interference in the independent media.

As we have stated in this column before, journalism is not a profession for the weak. It is selfless, noble and demanding. If the law is a jealous mistress, journalism is a mistress scorned.

In Guyana, no longer are journalists and media workers subject to physical and verbal attacks by government officials; journalists are not imprisoned in pursuit of their profession; journalists are not killed or maimed because what they print or broadcast do not meet the approval of political or other forces; media houses do not suffer from government-imposed advertising blackouts, are not targeted or shut down; state media are not used for vulgar propaganda or ethnic and political attacks; media workers are not subject to threats, bullyism, intimidation, victimisation or other forms of abuses.

Press freedom in Guyana today is at an all-time high.

Never before has the press in Guyana been freer or with greater latitude to operate. No

coalition government official has plummeted to the depths of branding media workers ‘vultures and carrion crows,’ nor has this government denied advertisements to any newspaper nor has it shut down any television station as, we know, had been the case under the previous administration. No journalist has been bused out or cussed down as was a regular occurrence not so long ago. Journalists in Guyana function with virtual impunity.

The environment is practically unrestricted and this imposes on the media itself the need to act with responsibility. For the most part, the gatekeepers of the media in Guyana have done so and understand their role in the daily efforts to inform, educate and entertain. There have been some troubling signs emerging, however. And these need to be red-flagged by the fraternity itself and addressed frontally in an effort to ensure that there is no internal and self-inflicted compromises in, and injuries to, the profession.

Civil society organisations support interim mechanism to monitor O&G sector Dear Editor,

THE state of unreadiness for the advent of ‘first oil’ in Guyana, in both technical and political terms, is a matter of major concern. While a range of factors have contributed to the lack of technical readiness, the source of political unreadiness is readily located in the absence of a bi-partisan political culture, following decades of dysfunctional politics. Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) is encouraging a broad-based civic initiative to address this pressing issue.

The urgency of civic action was underlined by the announcement that ‘first oil’ is scheduled to start flowing at the end of December 2019, with the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee (PAOC) yet to be created. The Ministry of Finance is to be credited for

making a Sovereign Wealth Fund the centrepiece of its fiscal structure with respect to management of oil revenues, accompanied by the PAOC to monitor its performance, both set out in the Natural Resources Fund Act (NRF). Technically, both elements are generally sound, but politically wanting.

Parliamentary approval of the NRF Act took place without the presence of the Opposition, doing little for bi-partisanship, and even less for a sense of urgency around ‘first oil’. Moreover, the proposed PAOC process reflects excessive control on the part of the Ministry, thereby weakening interest from significant sectors of civil society.

We are, therefore, faced with the urgent need to find a formula which will encourage civic and business, as well as political energies, to both preserve the progressive intentions

of the NRF Act and have at least an interim arrangement in place by the time ‘first oil’ comes on stream. In more normal circumstances, the deficiencies of the Act could be addressed by amendments to the Act in Parliament, a route ruled out by Parliament currently being in an electoral recess.

Over the past two years, civil society has been addressing the ‘political’ dimensions of oil and gas, namely, how decision-making on the funding of oil-and-gas priorities should be addressed. These activities have included a series of ‘Open-Space’ meetings around the country, and a series of round-table discussions. Private sector organisations in Guyana have also conducted similar exercises for their memberships, as have trade unions. A combined civic initiative, building on these previous efforts is now

required. Intensified political polarisation, fostered by the upcoming election, rules out political bi-partisanship at the level of political actors. Any unifying momentum will have to come from the civic sector, understood as embracing the NGO community, the private sector, faith-based agencies, trade unions, professional bodies and Indigenous organisations.

Involvement of the Regional Democratic Councils and regional Chambers of Commerce must also be factored into such an initiative.

Against this background, the goal of the initiative must be to generate a broad national consensus around the importance of and support for a modern, fair, transparent and inclusive oversight mechanism for oil & gas decision-making.

The challenge facing such an initiative is two-fold:

i) Firstly, this goal necessitates an interim mechanism to oversee the decision-making process with respect to oil and gas since the full-fledged PAOC cannot be fully achieved prior to elections ii) Recognising the historical and current price being paid for the failure of bi-partisan politics in the past, particular care must be paid to developing collective forms of decision-making in both the interim and substantive mechanisms.

Any attempt to implement the legal provisions of the Act in their current form with respect to the PAOC risks alienation of a significant sector of the business, civic and political sectors. However, at a recent meeting senior members of the Ministry were in favour of a proposal that an interim arrangement would be superior to having nothing in place. We

understand this to mean the Act could be viewed as aspirational rather than be legally binding and approached flexibly in the interim period. This approach in the opinion of the Policy Forum Guyana is realistic and should be pursued.

The difficulty in creating a successful interim public interest and oversight mechanism in an electoral atmosphere should not be under-estimated. At the same time, that same electoral context provides space for to seek public endorsements of a national civic consensus from contending parties.

Regards, Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) Amerindian peoples Association (APA)

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday November 8, 2019

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Leaders like Donald Ramator remind us of the level of disservice being done to this nation Dear Editor,

LEADERS like Mr. Donald Ramator, as they seek to recount history, remind us of the level of disservice being done to this nation and its diverse people. They can only see things through partisan political lens; not universally acceptable principles, always seeking to score cheap political points, even when there exists no need for same. They burden society with their double standards (dualism), causing people to become disillusioned with politics, an important element in the right to self-determination, for they represent what is so wrong with our society and badly needs fixing.

Reference is made to his letter, “Belgrave was never selected by GLU to attend TUC Congress, Lewis mistaken” (SN 7th Nov). As Mr. Ramotar seeks to chastise the late President Forbes Burnham and Desmond Hoyte for being “undemocratic”, as President of the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), in allegedly supporting Mr. Fowler as leader of the waterfront workers instead of Mr. Cyril Belgrave, a known PPP supporter, the PPP would not have done differently were the shoe on the other foot. He is remind-

ed by the standard he sets on this issue, that the PPP is equally “undemocratic”.

What is so depressing about our politics is that there is no universal wrong and right, good and bad. Right and wrong, good and bad depend on who is doing or saying what, and to whom.

Those who take any universally acceptable position on any issue, once it does not coincide with the particular thinking of a group/individual, that action or the person is bound to catch flak or the incident denied.

The late Belgrave was known in the trade union community as a PPP member. His political persuasion was not my concern, for the right to associate is universally protected and constitutionally guaranteed; a principle I respect, advocate and would not deny Belgrave or anyone. Let me assure Donald, there never existed a need on my part “to turn Belgrave into a PNC”, for that is the work of the party politicians. I am a trade unionist, and my advocacy on politics attends to matters of good governance and holding elected officials accountable for the delivery of same, respecting Rights, and the Rule of Law. My association with trade unions and their leaders in Georgetown during

the late 1970s to early 1980s was confined to engagement at the level of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC). Contrary to what Ramotar is seeking to peddle, there is no mistaking on my part. My recall on Belgrave is as clear as day.

I stand by my statement that he was part of the GLU delegation to the GTUC conference, where I first met him in the late 1970s, a time when Forbes Burnham was the Union’s President, a position he held until his demise in 1985.

I stand by my recount of the story between Belgrave and I in the passageway of the Critchlow Labour College (CLC) compound, advocating that I not challenge the then Minister of Labour Kenneth Denny, who was the Organising Secretary for the GTUC and running for re-election (KN, Nov 3, 2019 – “Cyril Belgrave – politics and the trade union”). At that conference, Belgrave was part of the GLU delegation. The GLU was supporting Denny’s re-election to the post. In trade union solidarity, Belgrave supported his union’s position, as evident of his advocacy to me not to challenge Denny. The incident occurred in 1984 as stated in my column; not 1982 as Ramotar claims. Readers

are invited to judge whose memory is failing.

In seeking to put a spin on events he was not party to, Ramotar has brought to the fore how politically polarising he is, or can be. Even on matters of trade unionism and solidarity, he seems to have no qualms about distorting factual events of history. It is hoped the revelation of Belgrave and my interaction would not cause his party comrades to think he was a ‘neemakaram’, or selling out to the PNC, because he wore his political allegiance with pride. In attempting to paint another scenario, what Ramotar is, in effect, doing is portraying Belgrave as unprincipled, to the extent where partisan political interest will always guide his views and decisions on matters of trade unionism, which is governed by its own principles. As he so seeks to

paint the departed Belgrave, such is not only a sad reflection of his thinking, but suggests this thinking may have guided his decision-making as President.

No wonder this nation is in so much turmoil and its people divided, because when leaders are granted the privilege to serve, all they use the people’s trust to advance partisan interest, settle scores and distort history.

One should also wonder whether such partisan thinking informed then President Ramotar’s decision not to return the subventions to the GTUC and its attendant arms, the CLC and Women Advisory Council.

Did a President Ramotar look at these organisations and see workers who didn’t publicly declare for the PPP, and therefore not deserving of the reinvestment of their tax dollars for their education

and training? Incidents like these make his predecessors, outside of Bharrat Jagdeo who took the subventions away, look taller and more nationalistic.

On the matter of the subventions, Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoyte, Cheddie Jagan and Janet Jagan tower over them.

Where, with the David Granger administration, it saw the return of the subvention, albeit smaller, and the issuance of grants to unions within and out of the GTUC fold, it begs the question as to why Ramotar, a former leader in the Trade Union Movement, when given the privilege to lead this nation, could not have done likewise.

Regards, Lincoln Lewis

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday November 8, 2019

AFC standing strong Dear Editor,

LIKE many, or all, of us as humans, we are always awaiting our birth dates, wedding anniversaries or the dates of that special day to hold that celebration of making it to another year or another level or one step upward. We celebrate, knowing what we went through in the past, and start to plan for the days ahead and a long future.

The AFC celebrated its 14th birthday on October 29, 2019. Before I go on, let me take this opportunity to extend to the AFC family, friends and supporters all over the world, “Happy 14th Anniversary and most of all, thank you to the founders of the AFC for forming such a STRONG, VIBRANT and DEMOCRATIC Party”. The AFC was founded by three well-grounded and groomed politicians who came from different political backgrounds and beliefs, but had one common goal, which is to ensure that Guyana moves positively forward, whereby all Guyanese can be treated equal-

ly, no matter their religious beliefs, political affiliations, race, status, sexual orientation, etc.

Those three well-grounded and groomed politicians are, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, the late Ms Sheila Holder, and Mr. Raphael Trotman, who were all Members of Parliament at the time for their various political parties, but yet stood their ground and moved away from their political parties as MPs to form the AFC. Those three persons created history by forming the first-ever strong and united Third Party, the AFC, in Guyana, and I do believe in the Caribbean. They pooled their time, energy and resources together in ensuring that they fulfilled the purpose they set out to do, and moreover to better serve Guyana.

Since the formation of the AFC, it has been working hard to ensure that Guyanese are fully and truly represented at all levels, be it nationally or regionally. The AFC created and continues to have a positive impact on the way Guyana needs to be and move, which is in the positive\right direction.

This party, since its birth and unto today, will continue to be in the future a “GRASSROOT PARTY”; a party that believes in speaking out against injustices and corruption; a party that will continue to fight for the people of Guyana so that all can be equal; a party that stood up-to-date for the people of this land, so that they can be better treated and represented; a party that works hard, day after day, towards ensuring there is a better and united Guyana for all, Etc. Over the past 14 years, the AFC has served Guyana and its people well, and will continue to do so, no matter what it takes, because the AFC has STRONG LEADERSHIP AND TRUE REPRESENTATION. The AFC, since its birth, started to see the growth and a wide cross-section of Guyanese from all walks of life, political spectrums and all corners of Guyana becoming members and supporters of its works and beliefs to date. The AFC is growing; this is a party that enjoys debates amongst its membership, while respect must and is being given when and where

it is due and maintained at all times, no matter what the conversations or forums are.

Since its birth, the AFC has grown from strength to strength, no matter what comes it’s way. This party has stood the test of time, and will continue to do so, no matter what, because, like in every political party or organisation, there are rough and muddy waters at times; everyone tries their best to make it smooth as possible, so that the strength of the party can be shown to all.

Since the AFC’s formation, and it went into its first elections, it started to gain more momentum and support by winning more and more seats in the National Assembly, the country’s highest decision-making body. While in the National Assembly, the AFC represents the people of this land equally, and still continues to do so. The AFC is the only party before 2018 to lay in the National Assembly a no-confidence motion that had the PPP running and sheltering as they shut down the parliament for several months. Considering

Local Gov’t Commission files appeal against Royston King’s reinstatement… claims Judge erred.

Former Town Clerk, Royston King

THE Local Government Commission (LGC) has filed an appeal against the ruling of High Court Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall, who ruled that the commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the operations of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) was unlawful and also reversed the dismissal of Town Clerk, Royston King.

King was fired by the LGC based on a recommendation contained in a report from a CoI into the operations of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council

(M&CC). The CoI was presided over by Chairman, and sole commissioner, Justice (ret’d) Cecil Kennard In September, Justice Morris-Ramlall deemed the CoI unlawful and void following a challenge which was brought against the LGC

by King for his ‘wrongful dismissal’.

Based on the Inquiry’s

THE Local Government Commission (LGC) Chairman Mortimer Mingo

recommendations, King was charged with gross misconduct, abuse of office, recklessness, dishonesty, conspiracy, and misappropriation of funds at the municipality. Justice Morris-Ramlall,

during her ruling, said the LGC unlawfully delegated its investigatory powers to the CoI, which was not part of the LGC or attached to it.

Additionally, the LGC disinvested itself from the CoI when it transferred the investigation and unlawfully delegated its powers.

By doing this, the LCG committed an error of law and the decisions made by the CoI must be quashed. Thus, the setting up of the CoI, the investigation, findings and recommendation were void and unlawful. “The respondent acted blindly upon the recommendation of the CoI,” the judge said since the LGC did not do any further investigation into the findings of the CoI.In concluding, the decision made by the LGC cannot stand, especially sending King on administrative leave in September 2018 and then dismissing him in January 2019.

The LGC then moved to

the appeal court, to challenge the Judge’s decision and listed five grounds of appeal.

One of the grounds stated that the learned trial judge committed errors of law when she found that the LGC did not have the authority to delegate its powers to a CoI. Another ground in the document stated that Justice Morris-Ramlall erred in law and fact in finding that the LGC had delegated its authority to the COI to enquire into allegations against King.

“The learned trial judge erred in law and fact in having found errors of procedure in the hearing by the Local Government Commission in exercising her decision in granting the reliefs sought by the applicant” the document read.

Finally, the LGC is calling for the appeal to be allowed, and the decision of Justice Morris-Ramlall, dated September 13, 2019, to be quashed.

the young age of the AFC in 2015, the party plays the most and very important role by joining hands with several other parties (APNU) to throw out the PPP, which was in power for 23 years. In 23 years, no other party or parties could have done what the AFC did in 2015. The AFC holds the balance of power in this country unto today.

Since 2015 in government, the AFC continues to work hard at ensuring that the government of the day servse all Guyanese, no matter what, and to ensure that all are being treated fairly and justly.

As the AFC celebrates 14 years as a major political party in Guyana, I want to thank the founders for putting together such a strong and solid political party that continues to struggle and fight for a better Guyana, where all Guyanese can be respected and looked to as one. The AFC is HERE, AND HERE TO STAY, no matter what the critics have to say.

The party is being criticised by those that see the strength in it, and wants to make it weak, but that won’t happen,

because the AFC is made up of a strong leadership and membership-base that are always ready to defend the rights of the party at any moment that it is called for. To all members of my AFC family, “Happy Anniversary” and let’s continue to celebrate all year round as we grow stronger and stronger, and from strength to strength. Let’s continue to support our leaders as they strive to better our party and Guyana at large.

As a party, we are once more in testing times but let’s hold strong as we usually do and ensure that those that want to say and believe we are no more keep talking because they make us stronger and stronger every day. They make us a household name day after day and moreover, they can’t test our strength because we are “STEADFAST AND STRONG” Regards, Abel Seetaram Region 5

Teen sentenced to one year in prison for robbery

Chris Pollard

MAGISTRATE Annette Singh, on Thursday November 7, 2019, sentenced an unemployed teen to one year in prison on a robbery charge.

Chris Pollard of Durban Street, Georgetown, had pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

Particulars of the charge stated that, on September 13, 2019, at Camp Street, Georgetown, while being in

the company of others, he robbed Sachin Narine of a Phone valued at $45,000.

According to information, on the day in the question, around 17:30 hours, Narine was walking on Camp Street talking on his phone when Pollard approached him and snatched his phone.

Narine then approached Pollard who was standing with two others and asked for his phone but Pollard told him “Don’t do nothing before we do you something.”

Narine then raised an alarm and two officers, who were in the area, gave chase and arrested him. Pollard was then taken to the station where he was positively identified by Narine as the person who robbed him. Pollard was later charged.

Magistrate Singh after finding Pollard guilty of the offence sentenced him to one year in prison.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday November 8, 2019

9

Land-use, roles and responsibility training for local authorities LOCAL authority representatives in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region have been trained on land-use planning and the roles and responsibilities of local authorities. The training was held on Monday, November 4.

In a statement, the Ministry of Communities, Department of Housing, detailed that the programme, which was held in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council, was facilitated by the Planning Department within the Central Housing and Planning Authority. The Central Housing and Planning Authority is the agency with full statutory powers to make decisions on matters of land use.

The training sessions are aimed at building capacity within local authority organs

The Local authority representatives in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region during the training session.

in order for them to effectively discharge their functions.

The training covered a number of areas including: Planning Permission Process, Management of Government of Guyana Housing Schemes,

Squatter Regularization/Relocation, Types of Planning Applications, Contravention and Enforcement Issues and Criteria for Assessment of Planning Application.

“Land use planning is vital since it is an integral

part of the process of national growth and development.

It is also necessary for a structured and coordinated approach to making decisions on future development at all levels of Government. This

includes zoning, issues of traffic and transport while providing an objective basis to resolve land-use conflict among other issues,” Denise King-Tudor, Operations Director of the Central Housing and Planning Authority said.

King-Tudor is performing the function of Chief Executive Officer.

Land-use planning takes into account two functions -- Development Planning and Development Control.

Planning Control function is aimed at managing and regulating property development. This is to ensure that all development takes place at an appropriate time and place which confirms to a pre-determined set of policies, standards or regulations.

According to King-Tudor, the purpose of development control is not designed

to stop development or make life difficult for developers or homeowners. Instead, the main purpose is to ensure that there is orderly, rational and progressive development of land, to create sustainable human settlements that accommodate a variety of land uses to meet the needs of the people who live in those settlements.

She said, in order for the CH&PA to make sound decisions, it must coordinate with several other regulatory agencies, among them the Environmental Protection Agency, the Guyana Fire Service, National Trust, Central Board of Health, Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Guyana Forestry Commission and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority.

Tree-planting, hamper-distribution in Victoria to commemorate National Villages Day ON Thursday, the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Victoria Youth Development Organization (VYDO), in observance of National Day of Villages, held a tree-planting and hamper-distribution exercise in Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara.

The exercise was held at the church of the Nazarene and Community Empowerment Center where the Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, with responsibility for rural affairs, Valerie Adams-Yearwood, delivered the address.

“Today is a joyous day, not only for the people of Victoria Village, but for all Villagers whether you live along the East Coast, East Bank of Demerara, Berbice or Essequibo.

We must be thankful to the people of Victoria who showed our forefathers & mothers that they can buy their economic, political & social freedom, and because they have paved the

Minister Valerie Adams-Yearwood handing a soursop tree and hamper to an elderly Victorian

Yearwood stated.

Minister Yearwood stated that, at the 63rd sitting of Guyana’s Tenth parliament, His Excellency President David Granger, who was then Opposition Leader, delivered a Speech, on a motion, to have November 7 be designated as the National Day of Villages. On that day the village of Victoria celebrated the 174th Anniversary of its purchase.

Some of the hampers with local food products that were distributed

way for us to have these kinds of freedom, we must ensure that we maintain it,” Minister

She added that, in his presentation, His Excellency said

“Victoria is our first village and the purchase is significant in our folklore, literature and history”. He further said that “On that day, 83 men and women collected their moneys in coins and in a wheel barrow brought bags of coins 30 kilometers from what was then Plantation Northbrook to Georgetown.”

However, although the motion was passed by the house, it was never assented to by former President Donald Ramotar. It was not until His Excellency David Granger became President, that the day came into effect.

One hundred and eighty soursop trees were donated to

residents along with hampers to several elderly Victorians.

08 November, 2019 01:30hrs ~ 03:00hrs

10

Public engagements on GSDS open

INTERACTIVE sessions on the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS): Vision 2040, have commenced with a workshop for members of the public sector, youth groups, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations.

The engagement was hosted on Thursday by the Department of Environment at the Baridi Benab, State House, where several representatives attended. “This session is supposed to ensure that persons present have a good understanding of what a ‘green’ State is. So, we’re raising the awareness of the Green State Development Strategy, its implementation schedule, how persons can participate, how you can develop projects through your own groups to execute, as well as to examine opportunities for partnerships,” Stakeholder Managing Coordinator, Onika Stellingburg, told the gathering.

The Department of Energy coordinates the execution of specific policies of the GSDS; ensures the harmonisation of environmental laws and regulations and helps agencies within the extractive sector to operate in accordance to environmental safeguards. One of the current questions in the public is how will Guyana manage its plans for the GSDS and its emerging oil and gas sector, the latter a non-renewable resource.

In explaining this, Stellingburg said, “The finding of oil is something that is very significant for a developing country as Guyana to transition into a ‘green’ State or to develop projects of any sort or kind, massive amounts of resources would be needed. Ideally what we

Several persons participated in the stakeholder engagement (Adrian Narine photo)

hope to do is to have the finances and the resources from the oil to go in to the development of the ‘green’ State so as we transition in to the ‘green’ State we are hoping to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels [and] transition to cleaner energy but to do all of this we do need the resources to invest into that.”

The country will strive to achieve up to 65 per cent renewable energy by 2035 and later assess how much more it can achieve. Implementation of the GSDS will begin in 2020. In presenting the completed strategy to the President in May 2019, United Nations (UN) Environment Programme’s Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Leo Heileman, had stated that it promotes three key messages: manage natural resource wealth; support economic resilience and build human capital and institutional capacity.

He explained that the 20year national development policy reflects the guiding vision and principles of the ‘green agenda’. Altogether,

reality”. He committed that Guyana will work towards building stronger relationships with other states so that efforts can be combined in the fight against climate change.

Meanwhile, the department has several upcoming outreach activities to raise awareness through which they hope to convey that achieving a ‘green’ state is not a task for the government alone. “Beginning in 2020, we have a plan to move out into the Regions but, in December, we plan on going out to the Stabroek Market Square to distribute re-usable shopping bags, factsheets, bro-

Stakeholder Managing Coordinator, Onika Stellingburg (Adrian Narine photo)

it works towards an inclusive and prosperous Guyana that provides a good quality life for all its citizens based on sound education, social protection, low-carbon and resilient development, providing new economic opportunities, justice and political empowerment.

President Granger had noted that the GSDS Vision 2040 stands to not only benefit Guyana but the Caribbean as climate change is more and more “a grim, relentless

chures and other branded items. We would then have a conversation with persons in the streets to talk to them about that the ‘green’ State is,” Stellingburg said. Minibus drivers will also receive bumper stickers that speak to the ‘green’ State strategy. Through the stakeholder activity yesterday, the department had hoped to form partnerships with the organisations for their support during the upcoming outreaches.

20-year-old still missing

IT has been three months since 20-year-old Ijahafar John walked out of his ‘A’ Field Sophia, Georgetown home and has not been seen.

John, who suffered from mental issues was a patient of Psychiatric clinic at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. He was last seen by his relatives on August 5, 2019.

According to Ijahafar’s mother, Lynette, he was last seen by relatives in front of the family home and was acting in a strange manner.

She explained that he

was looking up to the sky and was looking, aimlessly, in the water in the nearby trench.

Ijahafar, she said, was having a hard time finding a job and started to “take it on.”

The woman noted that she reported the matter to the Turkeyen Police Station and still continues the search for her missing son.

The distraught mother is pleading with the general public to call her on 6142574 or contact the nearest police station, if her son is seen.

MISSING Ijahafar John

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday November 8, 2019

President saddened at passing of Dr Hanoman His Excellency David Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana is saddened at the passing of veteran medical doctor and friend, Dr. Carl Alton Hanoman, CCH. Dr. Hanoman died on Wednesday while undergoing treatment at a city hospital. In a statement President Granger said undoubtedly, Dr. Hanoman would have served his profession and fellow Guyanese with distinction. “It is for this reason that he was conferred with the Cacique Crown of Honour in 2016 for his long, dedicated and outstanding work in the medical field.”

Additionally, President Granger said Dr Hanoman served in the National Assembly as a Member of Parliament, on the Guyana Medical Association and at the University of Guyana as the Director of the School of Medicine and also played an integral role in its accreditation. He also sat on the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy and was the Chairman of the

Dr Carl Max Hanoman

Board of Directors for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

President Granger expresses heartfelt sympathy to his wife Leontine, his children Carlin, Harry, Hans, and Carl ‘Max’ Hanoman Junior, other relatives and friends. He was also a one-time political leader of the United People’s Party (UPP).

UG student apologises for despicable remarks THE University of Guyana (UG) student, who recently made despicable remarks which went viral on social media, has since apologized, but the university said it views his video utterances with deep concern.

According to UG in a release, while Guyana embraces the aspirations of “One People, One Nation, One Destiny,” there are incidents that do not emerge in isolation.

Scholars of the university have been interrogating this persistent national problem for many decades, said UG, which also noted that the student in question has since, voluntarily, recanted his statements.

“We would hope that he would now be allowed to reflect and consider the consequences of his actions and to grow past this moment. Our staff will continue to work with him and any others to identify the triggers and any underlying factors to be addressed which could have led to this outburst. The University of Guyana aspires to be a model for the nation. In doing so, all our constituents, including staff and students, are reminded of our values at

this sad but instructive time,” the university said.

The leading tertiary institution in Guyana said its values include mutual respect and sanctity of all cultures and groups; commitment to social inclusion and protection of all forms of life; upliftment of mind, body, spirit, and of the vulnerable; adherence to the principles of fairness, highest moral, ethical and professional responsibility, and a total rejection of all forms of bigotry and discrimination.

On this note, it called on all sharing the video of the student making the unfortunate remarks to consider not doing so.

“Sharing such content may have the unintended negative effect of unintentionally perpetuating those utterances and behaviours which we rightfully decry in Guyana. We had been planning a series of internal and public interventions for the next few months and this incident has now brought them back into sharp focus. We sincerely thank you for your understanding and responsible actions,” the UG release concluded.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

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‘Guyana belongs to you’ ―President Granger tells President’s College 2019 graduating class

By Navendra Seoraj STUDENTS of President’s College, who graduated after spending five years of their life in the secondary school system, were given assurance that Guyana belongs to them and that there are numerous opportunities for them to capitalise on.

Guyana is expected to undergo dramatic changes over the next few years but those changes will only bring positive benefits to Guyanese.

The country, which sits on the edge of South America and has a population of about 800,000 persons, will soon become a petroleum state, a green state and a

President David Granger addressing the graduands of the President’s College on Thursday (Delano Williams photo)

“Guyana belongs to you, I have to leave it for you and hand it to you in a better shape than I inherited it,” said President, David Granger during his address at President’s College’s 29th graduation exercise, on Thursday.

The graduates will inherit the biggest and most bountiful Caribbean country, said the President, adding that Guyana belongs to them, but the country will be much different from it is now.

digital state.

According to President Granger, the first change, which is oil and gas, will boost national development since the sector will not be designed to make a few people rich.

“The economy will expand and revenues will increase and more money will be available for education, infrastructure, public health, social protection, and other sectors as well as to provide running water and electricity in every home,” said the

President.

While the advancement of every sector will be important, he said emphasis will also be placed on protecting the environment by making Guyana a green state.

The green state will emphasise the protection of the environment and biodiversity and will utilise sources of renewable energy. President Granger said the aim is to transition Guyana from the use of fossil fuels to the use of renewable energy.

All of the plans for creating a green state are outlined in government’s Green State Development Strategy.

FORCES AT WORK By becoming a green state, Guyana will be able to guard against the dangers of climate change. President Granger said there are powerful and terrible forces at work and unless the environment is protected, those forces will do more damages.

Guyana will, however, be equipped to monitor and address those forces with new technologies, since the country is projected to become a digital state.

The country will be fully digitised and will be able to communicate with people the world over.

“The state will enable you to live comfortably and enjoy dignified existence but Guyana needs highly

skilled persons to populate the state,” said President Granger.

He said the country will need scientists and preparations have already been made to ensure that future scientists are nurtured and trained. Government has been placing emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), which will produce the skills to propel development and make Guyana competitive.

ucation will be accorded the highest attention during that decade.

As said before, government will aim to provide free education from nursery to tertiary. The President said no eligible person should have to pay for tertiary education after the decade of development is launched.

“During this decade, we will be embarking on policies and programmes in accordance with the Green State Development Strategy

er said there are more tangible benefits ahead for the school and for the students.

“I had presented a cheque of $1 million to improve the school’s laboratories and I am pleased to see that there have been improvements in the science programme and I also applaud the college for maintaining the standards of excellence,” said the President.

He said there are, however, more exciting opportunities ahead and the grad-

The bus which was donated to the school by President David Granger (Delano Williams photo)

More systems will soon come on stream when government launches the decade of development in 2020.

President Granger said ed-

Some of the graduands eagerly awaiting their opportunity to ‘shift the string’ and become graduates (Delano Williams photo)

(GSDS)… for instance, we will be able to provide more funds to the administrators of this school for development of the institution,” said President Granger.

According to the GSDS, an educated population is one that is more inclusive, mobile and can enjoy high living standards.

QUALITY EDUCATION The President promised that in the decade of development, government will ensure that there is quality education and that inequalities are reduced.

Steps to reduce inequalities have already been taken and President Granger reemphasised that motive by donating a bus to the President’s College.

“The last time I visited this school, a child told me that her parents were paying $5,000 to send her to school every week, but I will not have that,” said the President.

The bus will reduce or even eliminate the transportation cost of students who have to travel to school on a daily basis. President Grang-

uating students should be mindful of the plethora of opportunities that will be available to them in the near future.

The students have already built a foundation by spending five years of their life at a prestigious institution. In recognising the work and effort of the school, the President said his vision is for President’s College to be replicated in the four new towns-Lethem, Mahdia, Mabaruma and Bartica.

President’s College has indeed performed well over the years and that was again reflected in this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) results.

According to the School’s Principal (ag), Samantha Success, the institution recorded an overall pass rate of 92 per cent at CSEC, with 100 per cent passes recorded in 18 subjects. There was an overall pass rate of 85 per cent at CAPE, with 100 per cent passes in 20 subjects.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday November 8, 2019

Parliament will reopen in event of the need for emergency expenditure

PRESIDENT David Granger said he has not set a date for the dissolution of the Parliament of Guyana, on the grounds that the government may need approval from the National Assembly to access finance from the treasury in the event there is a matter of national importance.

“I will stay away from dissolution as long as there is likelihood that we would need a vote of the whole Parliament to pass any financial measure. Unfortunately from time to time sometime, because of urgent matters, such as a flood, a fire, we may need funds and only

President David Granger

parliament can authorise the disbursement of funds which have not been provided for,” the Head of State explained.

He pointed out that due to the current political situation, the government, to date, has not drafted a budget for 2020, and is required to be very prudent in its expenditure.

“It means that if there is

any extraordinary expenditure arising out of any unanticipated situation, whether it is an act of God, force majeure or any other, I feel that is prudent to keep the Parliament open as long as possible,” President Granger said.

Last September, the Head of State proclaimed that General and Regional Elections will be held on Monday, March 2, 2020. Constitutionally, the Parliament must be dissolved three months before an election.

“An election of members of the National Assembly under Article 60 (2) shall be held on such day with-

in three months after every dissolution of Parliament as the President shall appoint by proclamation,” Article 61 of the Constitution states.

As such, the Parliament of Guyana would have to be dissolved by December 2, 2019.

Early elections in Guyana were triggered when, on December 21, 2018, the Parliamentary Opposition – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – secured a one-seat majority in the House to defeat the government on a motion of no-confidence. Now recalled Member of Parliament, Charrandass Persaud, had used his vote in the House to support the

motion, thereby giving the opposition an edge over the government in the 65-Member National Assembly.

The no-confidence motion was upheld by the High Court on January 31, 2019 but on March 22, 2019, the Court of Appeal, by a twoone majority, invalidated the motion on the basis that an absolute majority was not acquired although the opposition had secured an extra vote to defeat the government. It was not until June 18, 2019 that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – Guyana’s final appellate court – validated the no-confidence motion.

In handing down its consequential order on July 12, 2019, the CCJ stated clearly that the government, as a result of the passage of the no-confidence motion, will remain in office, though on a different footing, until a new President is swornin. He told the nation that it could now look to the Elections Commission to conduct credible elections within the timeframe prescribed. Guyana, President Granger said, is on the right path to preserve its precious parliamentary democracy.

Linden Town Week 2019 Secretariat cries foul over non-payment from LMTC EVEN as Linden Town Week 2020 has been launched, in celebration of the town’s 50th anniversary, members of the Linden Town Week (LTW) 2019 secretariat, are crying foul since they have not received a single payment from the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LMTC), for their services rendered in the execution of the calendar of events that occurred in April -May, 2019.

The frustrated members, in presenting their case to this publication, are calling on the LMTC to hold its end of the bargain and make the payments, since they would have worked tirelessly for months to ensure LTW was pulled off. “It has been six months now and we have not been paid a single cent for our services, none of the members of the secretariat

hired by the Council have been paid; it is very frustrating, people have their families to feed, people have responsibilities and we need our money,” one member said.

Those who are owed payments include the Coordinator of Linden Town Week 2019, Norvell Fredericks and ten other members who were responsible for entertainment, tourism, sport, education, and health events and many more.

“They would have launched Linden Town Week 2020 and they didn’t even invite the 2019 secretariat to let them know what is the status or anything, I find it very disrespectful.

“For months we worked tirelessly; we were the ones who brought in the money for Linden Town Week 2019 from sponsors and we are the ones

left without a cent. We neglected our family for months to organize this thing, day in, day out and we have not been paid and we are calling on the Council to honour its obligation, because the next step is to protest for what is rightfully ours and to call on Linden to boycott Linden Town Week 2020,” another member of the secretariat said.

In a letter dated September 20th 2019, Town Clerk (ag), Orleena Obermuller, wrote to the members, thanking them for their services and explained that the Council was unable to make the payment because of monies owed by promoters. On Wednesday, Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell, stated that there were outstanding monies not only for the members of the secretariat but for other per-

sons in Linden who would have provided some form of service. She said it was the understanding that once all expenses were paid off, the secretariat would be the last to be paid. “We do have outstanding monies, it was the understanding that once we would have covered all expenses, the secretariat would be paid and we are waiting on the monies to do so,” she said.

Coordinator of the Secretariat and Chairman of the Municipality’s Social Development Committee, Norvell Fredericks related that the Council is awaiting payment of substantial sums from two promoters and efforts are being made to receive that money. While he agreed that the process to do so might be a bit slothful since meetings with these promoters are be-

ing cancelled ever so often, Fredericks said it would not be prudent to use the same promoters for the upcoming LTW as these would not have honoured their contract. One of the promoters, he said, was under legal obligation to pay and there may be reason to seek legal action against that company.

Meanwhile, the members of the Secretariat are claiming that they did not sign any contract with the understanding that they will only be paid, on the basis of payment being received from promoters. “So it is a case of if the promoters never pay that our months of service will go down the drain, the Council cannot hire people and not have a plan B in place for their payment. If the promoters fall short, then the Council has to step up

and make that payment,” the members reasoned.

Mayor Arrindell said that the members are aware of Council’s present financial situation. LMTC is currently cash strapped with millions of dollars in debt and on a monthly basis, only rakes in enough to clear expenses. LTW 2020 has been launched under the theme, ‘fifty 4 fifty’, in celebration of Linden’s 50th anniversary. The 17 days of celebration is expected to have on its calendar 50 activities to mark the jubilee observance. Tourism, culture and history are expected to be showcased at the event.

There is presently an ongoing logo competition, where the winner will receive $50, 000 for designing the official logo that will be used.

Burglars empty pensioner’s ‘foreign barrel’ BURGLARS, on Tuesday, broke and enter the home of an 80-year-old woman, Irene Sukhoo of Auchlyne Village, who was overseas at the time.

The caretaker of the home, Bishanie Jaigobin called “Sunita”, 51, said she was tasked with overlooking the premises while the owner went to seek medical treatment.

Jaigobin related that she is doing some work at her home at Lancaster Village

The area of the house where the bandits cut to gain access to the home of Irene Sukhoo

and did not sleep at Sukhoo’s home for the past few days.

However, when she visited on Tuesday, she noticed that something was amiss.

On entering the house, Jaigobin said she saw the entire lower-flat in disarray and a barrel that the owner’s daughter had sent and asked not to be opened until the elderly woman retuned was opened and the contents emptied outside.

The upper-flat of the house was also ransacked.

The perpetrators gained access into the house by cutting an opening in the zinc roof.

Thus far, a microwave and utensils were reported stolen from the barrel.

Meanwhile, Jaigobin expressed dissatisfaction that the police were yet to visit the scene even though a report was made. However, the Guyana Chronicle was informed officers did visit the premises but no one was at home.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

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Linden Town Council rejects LGC town clerk appointee

By Vanessa Braithwaite THE Linden Mayor and Town Council (LMTC) is presently divided over what was deemed, a unanimous decision made by the Local Government Commission (LGC), to confirm Orleena Obermuller, the substantive Deputy Town Clerk to Town Clerk, without due process or consultation. Obermuller has been acting in the capacity of Town Clerk since the dismissal of former Town, Clerk Joneller Bowen, by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, in 2017.

The council was informed of Obermuller’s confirmation via correspondence dated September 5, 2019, by the Local Government Commission.

It stated that the confirmation is with effect from March 23, 2017.

Things escalated at the council’s latest Statutory meeting, when Obermuller walked out of the meeting and ordered her officers to walk out as well, since she was not addressed as Town Clerk but as Acting Town Clerk, by the council.

Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell, in an invited comment, told the Guyana Chronicle that the situation is a very serious one and warrants immediate intervention.

She would have since written the Ministry of Communities on the matter. This newspaper was told that 13 of the 16 councillors are not in favour of Obermuller’s confirmation and would have attached their signatures to a round robin, addressing the issue. “The Local Government Commission made a decision without any consultation from the council....this is not in keeping with the President’s vision of local governance and local democracy, that it must be governed by the people,” Arrindell said.

Sifting out some unfinished business, Arrindell said that the LGC never furnished the council with a termination letter of Miss Bowen and therefore, the process of appointing someone, is null and void. Bowen’s dismissal was deemed unlawful by the court and recommendations were made for her to be compensat-

ed for lost wages but not to be re-appointed. To date, Bowen has not been paid any monies and therefore, the matter has not been legally closed. “For us to hire someone, we have to see a termination letter of the person (Bowen) and once that it done, we will go through a lawful position,” Arrindell said.

In 2018, the LGC, advertised the position for a Town Clerk, after Obermuller would have failed her appraisal as Deputy Town Clerk, by the previous council. Interviews were conducted, of which Obermuller was an applicant but the councillors related

Town Clerk, Orleena Obermuller

she would have failed that too. The commission then informed the council that the recruitment process must be re-conducted since the recommended candidate’s qualifications, were inflated.

Deputy Mayor, Wainewright Bethune, then related that in the process of re-advertising the vacancy, the commission wrote the council requesting that it holds on the process so as to facilitate dialogue with the council.

“That never happened, the council was waiting to hold the dialogue and all we saw is the letter saying the Town Clerk was confirmed. We feel disrespected in the entire process because the fact that you wanted dialogue with us, means there was room for consultation. If we want real local governance as it should be and to know how effective this municipality would function, basic ethics would say, let us hear the take of the council. It has to be the council’s desire,” Bethune affirmed adding, “this is not about Obermuller, this is not about personality, it is about

putting somebody to manage the affairs of the town, to have some body to work with the limitations of the council.

This is not a personality thing, it is a professional thing.”

He did, however, state that Obermuller improved in her ability to advise the council.

Bethune said he believes the LGC is playing politics at this time rather than putting the interest of the municipality at heart. He further related that 75 per cent of the recommendations made by council were not executed by the administration of the council, of which the TC heads. Most of these, he said, are not solely because of the lack of resources, but basic management skills and the LCG should realise that this is not about promoting someone, but about promoting the town.

In response to the allegations, Chairman of the LGC, Mortimer Mingo, related that LGC made a decision to confirm Obermuller’s position and that decision is in keeping with the Labour Act of 2018, which states that a person must not act in a position for more than six months. In Obermuller’s case, she was acting for almost two years.

petence, have only risen to the fore, after she was confirmed.

He said the commission never received any correspondence from the council, complaining about her performance.

Her confirmation, will not be reversed, he affirmed.

In relation to the lack of consultation on behalf of the commission, Mingo said that the constitutions, Chapter 28:01, never advised that consultation has to be done with the council.

Article 119 of the 28:01 states : The power to appoint a chief executive officer or persons to hold or act in any local government offices the emoluments of which do not exceed eighteen thousand dollars per annum (including the power to confirm appointments), the power to exercise the disciplinary control over any persons holding or acting in such offices and the power to remove any such persons from office shall vest in the council to which such person is to be appointed or in which he holds office and, in the case of the appointment of a chief executive officer, be subject to the approval of the minister.”

In respect to this clause, former Chairman of the Ad-

Chairman of the LGC, Mortimer Mingo

The situation, he said, was brought to the attention of the Commission by the Guyana Labour Union, as there was a Collective Labour Agreement between the TC and the union, of which the council also signed on to. “On that basis, the commission looked at the CLA and since we didn’t receive anything adverse in terms of the performance of the TC, based on that, a unanimous decision was taken to appoint her. Mingo said that all issues brewing about her ill-performance and incom-

ministrative and Legal Affairs Committee at LMTC, Lennox Gasper, said that he believes that the Chairman of the LGC, Mortimer Mingo, is bullying the council and that is wrong. “This is not democracy, Mr. Mingo is out of order as Chairman of the LGC, you cannot force someone down a person’s throat that is not functioning,” he said.

During his tenure as a Councillor, Gasper said that he has first-hand knowledge of Obermuller’s ability to execute and does not believe

there have been any improvements. He also claimed that the request for her to act as TC, was unfair to her, since she was basically thrown into the position, in approximately one month or so, after she was appointed Deputy Town Clerk. She did not benefit from any training and had no fore-knowledge of the post and it seems she has not benefitted from on-the-jobtraining over the past two years. “To me, the TC lacks

Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell

the capacity to adjust or function under pressure, we had gotten situations in terms of execution. When decisions were made at the statutory, it was close to the next statutory meeting that she would wait last minute to get things together. Her ability to report would come across very vague so from there, I started to have an issue.”

Gasper then related that after three months, the council was unable to appraise Obermuller in her substantive position as Deputy Town Clerk, since she was already acting as Town Clerk. A decision was made to extend her probation period to another three months. At the end of that three months, she failed the appraisal and it was then the council informed the LGC on this and a decision was made to advertise for the post.

Even at this juncture, the former councillor admitted that both the LGC and the council were wrong to advertise the post, since the substantive TC, Bowen, was not formally dismissed and her litigation was still ongoing and as stated by Arrindell, Bowen was never served a termination letter by the LGC, since the one

served by the minister, was deemed illegal and she was not paid her judgement, she is still legally, in the employ of the LMTC. Relative to Obermuller’s recent decision to walk out of the statutory meeting, Gasper said that the TC’s duty is to follow the dictate of the council and not the commission and the fact that she is following the commission and not the council, he questioned, “Where is the democracy?”

When this publication contacted Obermuller on the matter and on the allegations of her being incompetent, she said she has no comment to give.

However, Councillor Monica Hackshaw, one of the three councillors who are in favour of the confirmation, said that Obermuller has been acting since 2017 and the labour laws are clear in that regard, that she must be confirmed, more so that it is a labour law that the council signed on to. Hackshaw articulated that most of the issues relating to Obermuller’s confirmation are fuelled by personality conflicts and she urged the councillors against her confirmation, not to dismiss the fact that the council is cashstrapped and Obermuller can only work with the resources available to her.

She described the incompetencies listed by the majority, as petty issues and several factors need to be considered. “I think Miss Obermuller is very competent, she would advise the council effectively, she knows the 28:01, there are a lot of personality issues in this matter,” she affirmed.

She encouraged councillors to be more proactive in their quest for development in their constituencies and not to solely depend on the council, knowing its financial state and then laying blame at the foot of Obermuller when the council cannot deliver. She urged them to come with recommendations, rather than only demands and to seek out other donors such as NGO’s for assistance.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

National Medicine Policy launched ― geared at ensuring optimum health care for all citizens

By Rabindra Rooplall THE Guyana National Medicine Policy (GNMP) was launched on Thursday with the aim to bring about significant improvements in the rational use of medicines while addressing pharmaceutical problems and treatment outcomes countrywide.

The launch was held at Herdmanston Lodge, Queenstown, Georgetown and saw attendance of Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence; Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud; PAHO/ WHO Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow; and Director and Deputy Director of the National Pharmacy

CMO, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud

Services, Oneal Atkins and Leevan DeSantos.

Minister Lawrence said the policy document establishes a pathway for all citizens to receive optimum healthcare, which includes access to and responsible use

Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, receives a copy of the National Medicines Policy from National Director of Pharmacy Services, O’Neil Atkins

of quality medical supplies.

“Government has been focused on its commitment to better the lives of Guyanese, demonstrating this in the 2019 budgetary allocations to the health sector which represented 11.9 per cent of the total budget for healthcare,” Minister Lawrence said.

She said the Public Health Ministry has been pursuing an aggressive agenda of development in all sectors in the healthcare system with a view of proving equal and equitable access to all.

In recognition of the urgent need for the policy document in guiding the decisions of the pharmaceutical sector and the health sector in general, the minister said tremendous efforts were made to revise what has been in limbo since 2007.

Minister Lawrence explained that the development of the GNMP was primarily undertaken with the overarching vision that the research, manufacturing, procurement, storage, distribution, prescription, dispensing and administration and disposal of all medicines are done according to best practices and legislative requirements.

SAFETY AND EFFICACY “We want to guarantee the safety and efficacy of medicines, we want to see results, when we give persons medicines we want it to impact whatever are their medical concerns,” she said.

The minister said the Ministry of Public Health is responsible for all persons in Guyana, not just Guyanese.

She said the implementation of the GNMP falls under the National Pharmacy Services with the aim of providing quality pharmaceutical services as an arm of the health sector.

The health minister said citizens should be able to access the right quality medications at an affordable cost to the country.

“According to the World

Health Organisation (WHO), rational drug use requires that the patients receive drugs appropriate to their clinical needs in doses that meet their requirements,” she said.

She continued, “These drugs must be of acceptable quality and available at affordable and the lowest cost

from reputable pharmaceutical shops and sent them to Australia, it came back that three were worthless, not only the fact that we are deceiving people who are taking the medication thinking that they will get better, but in the case of kids and pregnant women, we are just killing them, so standards are a major issue,” Dr. William Adu-Krow said.

Another issue, he said, was inappropriate handling which can also affect quality since many medications are transported in the heat of the sun at the back of vans, while noting that general storage is also essential in preserving quality.

CMO Dr. Shamdeo Persaud said medicine policy helps countries to guide the process by which medicines are selected for use in the country.

He said the guidelines are a benchmark for medical practice.

“So even if someone receives treatment for a condition in the private sector

PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow

to patients and the community, we signed onto that as a country, and what we are doing is fulfilling a part of that mandate.”

The GNMP covers all aspects of pharmaceutical services in Guyana. These include manufacturing, supply chain systems, medicine regulation, quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation, financing, selection and rationale use.

PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow, said the policy will strengthen information systems for health to monitor and evaluate the quality, provision, access and the use of medical products.

He explained that the policy will also support decision-making for the distribution and avocation of rudimentary levels to meet the demand and supply for patients and the healthcare system.

ESSENTIAL Dr. Adu-Krow said standards are very essential in ensuring people receive the right medication.

“I took five antibiotics

and it is not in accordance with that guidelines, they may have a reason to contest such treatment and even seek recourse for inappropriate treatment. We know that our main focus in this final phase of implementation of health vision 2020 is on achieving universal health coverage,” he said.

With approximately 380 health facilities countrywide, the CMO said medicines and human resources are needed to respond to more than 88,000 persons with hypertension, who need medication.

“Another 62,000 persons need to be treated for diabetes and that number is growing.

Along with its complications, we deal with another 20,000 persons. For the communicable diseases: HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, more than 35,000 persons need to be treated annually,” he said.

As such, the rationale use of medicine, he said, is a critical part of the whole process of ensuring medicines that are provided by the national system and throughout the healthcare services are safe.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

Energy Department to get new office

THE Department of Energy, which is currently housed in the Ministry of the Presidency, will soon be shifted to a new facility.

A reliable source told the Guyana Chronicle that the department will be moved to a building on Brickdam, where the United Nations (UN)’s office was once located.

The imminent shift was confirmed by Director of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe, during a press conference at the National Communications Network (NCN), on Wednesday. “We’re just about to move in to a new premises, so, hopefully the next time we have a press conference it will be in our premises,” said Dr. Bynoe.

In addition to making prepar a tions for a shift, the department

guided by advice from its Oil and Gas Adviser, Matthew Wilks. “Wilks is still with the department, but under a different arrangement…he is not in Guyana, he is on a call off,” said Dr. Bynoe.

Wilks’ current arrangement was his preference because he has a relatively young family and could not be away for a long period of time. Despite the arrangement, Wilks will be able to efficiently guide the department. The department will be utilising all the assistance and advice it could get, since Dr. Bynoe said there is a lot more to be done.

The Department of Energy, which was established on August 1, falls di-

rectly under

the Min-

isDirector of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe

has been putting together its technical unit, which will include chemical engineers, petroleum engineers, reservoir engineers and so forth.

Dr. Bynoe said the department is improving its staff complement in preparation for first oil, which could possibly come in December this year. In order to build capacity, the department has been working with agencies such as the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Ministry of Finance, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and others.

The department has also been and continues to be

try of the Presidency and follows a proposal by Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, to have specialised attention placed on the petroleum sector, given the complexity of tasks that exist with the administering of such resources. The department is, however, expected to evolve into a ministry.

President David Granger had said that his administration’s intention is to establish a ministry that would be responsible for the oil-and-gas sector, but he said the Ministry of Energy would not likely be established before 2020.

The former UN office on Brickdam (Adrian Narine photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

One month on…

Late employee’s family still awaiting word from Troy Resources ─on results of investigation into accident; workers concerned about delayed reopening of company

By Tamica Garnett

ALMOST one month after his demise, the relatives of former Troy Resources Inc. employee Ryan Taylor are still awaiting the results of investigations that were conducted into his death at the Karouni Gold Mine in the Cuyuni Mazaruni Region.

Taylor, a geologist, died on October 8 at the company’s “Hicks One Extension” pit while on duty, after he was buried beneath the rubble of part of the mining pit which had collapsed.

He left to mourn his three children, aged 13, eight and five, his mom and his grandmother among other family members.

His mother, June Taylor, said the family was visited by representatives from the company as recent as last Tuesday, but they told her the company was still awaiting the outcome of the reports from the various investigations that were conducted into the accident.

“They come, but they are just saying that the people [company executives] are outside [of the country]…”

Mrs. Taylor said. “They have meeting and they ain’t get no report from GGMC, they ain’t get no report from the police. You mean to tell me since the 8th [October] GGMC, police, all of them went in there and up to now they ain’t get a report?” she told the Guyana Chronicle.

Following Taylor’s death, investigations were launched by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Occupational Health and Safety

Department (OHSD) of the Ministry of Social Protection. The company was said to have also launched its own investigation.

Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman had earlier confirmed that he had received the GGMC report on October 17. However, on Tuesday, Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally said she had not yet received the OSHD report.

Mrs. Taylor said that following her son’s death, she was contacted by the company, and that they subsequently stood the expenses for the funeral. However, as it pertains to the family being compensated, she said the company told her that it was awaiting the outcome of the investigations before making that decision.

“They come and they paid for the funeral; the tomb and these things they paid for. Since then, we still waiting. Since the 8th [October] my son die, we are still waiting to get reports,” June said.

She said that she regularly speaks with a female human resource official from the company, but having recently been told that the report was out, she will be attempting to contact the company. “Somebody told me [last] Friday that the GGMC report come out,” she said, adding: “I had planned that I want to go in, but I’m a little busy right now. But I said by [this] Friday, I would to go in to them. She does normally talk to me, but I don’t know if she had a busy schedule today [Monday]. I just call to see what’s going on; how are things, and if she hear anything.”

June said it has not been

easy for her since the day she was told that her son was dead. “My big son was up there,” she tearfully recalled.

“He works with ‘Troy’, and he called and told my nephew at 3am. And then my nephew come over and tell me sit down; and he give me the news, that he [Ryan] had an accident and he’s dead.”

“I can’t even go back to that,” she said, adding: “That was a hard blow for me. It’s too much; everywhere I go I crying. It hard; I don’t know how I gon’ make out; it too much.”

AVOIDABLE Executives of the union representing the workers, the People’s United and General Workers Union (PUGWU), believe that Taylor’s death was avoidable. PUGWU President Lincoln Lewis, noted that they had been receiving complaints from workers since last year on issues of safety.

June said that she, too, had heard that conditions at the mines were not entirely safe.

“My son was working under some adverse conditions,” she said. “I hear it was bad; people are talking, but I can’t call people names.

People had pictures all of the place; of the conditions.

But my son was working because he wanted an honest dollar; so people know that the place didn’t have proper steps for how they does do it, and all of that. Somebody told me about it, but they said to keep quiet and don’t call their name. But people know what [was] going on in there.”

June said that at the mo-

ment, she is not considering legal action, as she is waiting s to see how the company will handle the situation first.

“No; not right now,” she said. “We’re trying to be fair with them; with ‘Troy, and wait on them, because they said they will talk with us.

We’re trying, with all fairness, to wait on them to tell us what they will do; if they will compensate us. They did say they will do something; they’re not telling you what they will do, but they said hold on. So I’m trying, with all fairness, to wait on them.

I’m not really pursuing lawyers right now until they talk to me.”

Geologist Ryan Taylor

Nonetheless, the 61-yearold said Ryan’s death has been a hard blow to the family financially, especially for his children, who have not been able to access money left in his bank account.

“They hold he account at the bank,” Mrs. Taylor said, adding: “The bank said I have to do a Letter of Administration before I could get anything, because he died without leaving a will.

I went to Legal Aid to talk to them; It gon’ take six to nine months. So his money there, but his children can’t get no

money this month. The li’l girl have to travel and all of that; the children them need money to live.”

EMPLOYEES CONCERNED Meanwhile, even as June awaits word on the reports, employees of the company are also awaiting word on what is contained in the reports, as well as the fate of the company’s operations and their jobs. The company has ceased operations since October 12, when they were ordered to do so by MoSP Junior Minister Keith Scott. Minister Ally later, on October 15, reversed the directive, after the company laid off hundreds of workers.

However, the company’s operation still remains suspended.

“Everybody wants to know what’s going on. We’re home; they’re not telling you anything. Nobody don’t want to make a different turn and then the company start up back, and they call you and you not there and you lose all your benefits,” expressed an employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Following the company’s closure, the employees were paid on October 15 for work up to October 11.

The employee confirmed that prior to Taylor’s death, workers in the mines were somewhat concerned about the techniques being utilised by the company in the pits.

“We used to tell them, ‘Man, these walls unsafe and them sort of stuff.’ Not last year; is long. We used to talk to the supervisors; they would forward it to management.

The feedback was, ‘They say

they gon’ work on it.’ And sometimes they would work on it,” the employee attested.

Like Taylor, he said the employees chose to continue working, notwithstanding the situation, given their financial obligations. “Everybody felt hurt [about Taylor’s death], because we used to talk; we didn’t want anybody lose their life. Everybody got a family; everybody got a reason why they in there; we used to talk about it every single morning. Before we go to work in the morning, we would pray; we would talk about it. We would raise concerns about these walls and so on,” he said.

In an earlier interview, Minister Trotman said that prior to the incident, GGMC, over the years, has been carrying out regular quarterly inspections at the company’s mines, as well as periodic visits, and that during that time, nothing untoward was observed at the operations. “They do quarterly investigations,” he said, “but apart from the quarterly, they do intermittent investigations.

On the very day that this accident took place, a visit was scheduled. From the reports I’ve received before, nothing was observed that would have led to them putting a halt on mining at the company.

From time to time, areas of concern would’ve come up, and they would have been pointed out and corrected, but nothing would’ve jumped out as being something that required urgent immediate attention; such that you needed to shut operations down. That is the information I’ve received.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

Delinquent Essequibo Coast drivers receive lecture A “Traffic Enforcement Exercise” on the Essequibo Coast, on Thursday, saw 20 cases being made against delinquent drivers there.

These cases include breach of condition of road service licence (5); overloaded minibus (4); unlicensed

conductor (2); maintenance of motor vehicle (3); faulty packing of load (2); maintenance of tyre (3); and breach of insurance (1).

Subsequently, another lecture was givento the very drivers by Inspector-in-Charge of Traffic Re-

gional Division, number two, Inspector Troy Griffith; Sgt. Romace Davidson and Pastor Mohamed Ally, of the Cops and Faith Community Network, in the Anna Regina Police Station Compound.

During the discussion, the drivers were edified on Inspector Troy Griffith, Sgt. Romace Davidson and Pastor Mohamed Ally of the Cops and Faith Community Network speak to drivers in the Anna Regina Police Station Compound

a number of topics related to proper use of the roadways. Among the issues covered were exceeding the speed limit, driving under

the influence of alcohol or drugs, overloading of vehicles, adherence to the rules of the road and proper maintenance of vehicles.

Man committed to stand trial for murder

Matthew Parks

MATTHEW Parks of Freeman Street, East La Penitence, was, on Thursday November 7, 2019, committed to stand trial at the High Court for the murder of a Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) employee.

The 21-year-old man was not required to plead to the charge which stated that, on September 13, 2018, at D’Urban and Chapel streets, Lodge, he murdered 23-year-old Roger Alleyne.

Magistrate McGusty stated that, after considering the prosecution’s evidence, the court found sufficient evidence against Parks.

According to information, on the day in question, Parks was on duty

at a Mini Mart located at D’Urban and Chapel streets, Lodge, when Alleyne went to the mart to make a purchase. The two men had an exchange of words due to a misunderstanding and Alleyne subsequently left.

Alleyne returned later and, as Parks exited his work place, he was confronted by Alleyne who was reportedly armed with a piece of wood and a knife. A scuffle ensued and both men sustained injuries. The men were escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where Alleyne underwent emergency surgery for two suspected stab wounds. He later succumbed to his injuries.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

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‘Defy conventional thinking’ --Min. Hughes urges JC Chandisingh ‘Class of 2019’

By Nafeeza Yahya

MINISTER of Public Telecommunications Cathy Hughes has left the JC Chandisingh ‘Class of 2019’ a powerful charge, one that suggests that they think outside the box in the pursuit of their dreams.

“Do not bow your heads; defy conventional thinking, and you will be astonished at what success and beauty you will find,” she told the 80-odd students that were about to say goodbye to an institution they had come to love since gaining a place there after writing the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSS) examinations some five or so years ago.

The occasion was the school’s annual graduation ceremony on Wednesday afternoon, and the minister was at the time delivering the feature address before a packed auditorium of beaming students, emotional parents and proud teachers gathered there for the event. Having obviously done her research, the minister left the audience amazed at her depth of knowledge of the school’s history; its achievements and accomplishments not only academically but at extracurricular activities as well, as she urged the graduands to bask in their glory, but also continue to walk along the path of success to be the true “movers and shakers of Guyana’s future”, and the change they want to see the country become.

“Each of us has the capacity to rise above limited attitudes and actions,” she said, adding: “We can and must tap

into our power to choose, and to consciously shape our destiny. Never doubt your ability as a young person to start to change the world, or start to change Guyana.”

Noting that through the use of technology and forward thinking, the possibilities are endless, she also urged that they not only remember the academic subjects they would have been taught over the years, but the many “gifts”, such as independence of thought, honesty, integrity, respect and discipline, they would have developed along the way.

“You must be our future petroleum engineers, our next large-scale exporters of rice, sugar, provisions, fruits and vegetables that the Caribbean can’t get enough of…,” she said, adding: “We are all depending on you; history is watching you. But to succeed, you and all of us must throw off the heavy cloak of racism and bitterness; they have plagued our country’s history at different times for many years. You will be confident; you graduands will be strong and self-assured, because Guyana has made you different in a really good way.”

NO GIVING UP Minister Hughes wrapped up her presentation by urging students to never doubt their abilities or be told they cannot make their dreams a reality. She drew reference to the many greats of the world, among them Usain Bolt, Mahatma Ghandi, and Nelson Mandela, all men that rose above their circumstances and

Minister of Public Telecommunications Cathy Hughes presenting 14-year-old Hemanchali Samlall with her award

Minister Hughes presenting JCCSS top performer, Jhasodra Ramnarine with her award

JCCSS ‘Class of 2019’ at their graduation ceremony

made a difference in the world after putting in the hard work.

“So I say to you, let us remember there is always something in ourselves that is beyond the conditions around us; we have the awesome ability to make choices, based on principles, and these choices always work. So I say your attitude most definitely determines your altitude; your character is will determine how many good persons extend their hands to guide you along the way and there is no short cut to hardwork and success.”

Under the leadership of Ms. Annabella Ramnarain and team, the school, which is located in Portuguese Quarters, Port Mourant, has a lot to be proud of, having given Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) its top student at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination in Jhasodra Ramnarine, who placed 10th nationally, and was awarded the Best Junior Secondary School Performer in the country for her 16 Grade Ones, 14 of which were straight ‘A’s, and one Grade Two. For her sterling performance, Ramnarine was also adjudged the 3rd and 10th best student in the entire Caribbean for her achievements in Integrated Science and Home Economics respectively.

She took home 16 awards from the graduation ceremony on Wednesday, in addition to a ‘Tablet’ device from Minister Hughes.

With 100% passes in nine subject areas, JCCSS placed third in Region 6, and among the 83 students who wrote the examinations was 14-yearold Hemanchali Samlall, who has the distinction of being the youngest person in the entire country to have written the examinations this year.

The Third Former, who scored three Grade Ones from the six subjects she wrote, walked away with the Dr. Walter Singh Award for the most outstanding performance ever by the youngest candidate.

HM REPORT Headmistress Ramnarain, in her report, accredited the school’s success

to the harmonious working relationship between her staff and other stakeholders, donors, parents and guardians. She noted that despite the many challenges they would have faced over the years, they were able to rise above them, and not

only excel academically but at extra-curricular activities as well.

Regional Education Officer Celestine LaRosecongratulated the school for their performance, and urged them tocontinue es-

tablishing the high standards that they have, and to engage stakeholders in the school’s affairs.

Among the Class of 2019’s top performers is Arifa Ashidally, who obtained 12 Grade Ones and seven Grade Twos.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday November 8, 2019

Local Content Policy for year-end completion -Private sector feedback to make policy contextually relevant to Guyana At a Wednesday press conference, Director of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe, said that the document has received much feedback from a number of stakeholders and is now moving towards finalisation.

The policy framework is meant to outline the guidelines by which local content will be understood, developed, measured, secured and implemented in Guyana’s petroleum sector.

It takes into consideration the urgent need for optimization of revenues received from oil to benefit Guyana’s economy and citizens, present and future.

“We did receive feedback from the Private Sector Commission(PSC), Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the insurance association of Guyana and a number of others and so we’re looking at those comments and ensuring that we’re making the policy more contextually relevant to Guyana,” Dr. Bynoe said.

“What we are setting out here is a framework for engagement and allowing the Guyanese private sector and others not only to access businesses but also for technology transfers as well as to allow for the capacity building that is necessary if Guyana is to have a greater share

of the local content pie.”

Dr. Bynoe shut down the notion that there is nothing catering to local content existing currently in Guyana, by reminding that Guyana’s existing Petroleum Agreement mandates that the operator provide an annual local content plan to be approved by the Government.

He assured that the (DoE) is treating Guyana as a unique country with unique needs and expectations which must rightfully be met.

“We will do what is fit for purpose now, and, as Guyana builds further, it ultimately will go through revisions; that’s just the nature of the

sector that we’re treating with,” he said.

In the interim, he said the (DoE) has been encouraging joint ventures to better allow Guyanese to participate in the sector and raise their own standards Meanwhile, ESSO Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, is working along with the Ministry of Education’s Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

The company intends to implement two pilot projects in first quarter 2020 to build capacity at technical institu-

tions in New Amsterdam and Linden.

Youths will be trained in the area of slinging and rigging, scaffolding, welding and fabrication, flange and borehole expertise, static training, facility maintenance and more.

The Director explained, “The last Local Content reported indicated that over 13,000 Guyanese are currently employed in the sector.

Additionally, since 2015, over 300 million has been spent by EEPGL and its co-contractors on Guyanese contractors and service providers. The Department of Energy is working with the

Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education under an Islamic Bank Loan on a possible reverse linkage project to enhance capacity within TVET institutions to service the oil and gas sector and the existing and emerging sectors in Guyana.”

At the same time, Dr. Bynoe said that the Government is working with CGX Energy Inc. (CGX) and Tullow Oil plc to develop their local content plans.

He welcomed the recent CAD $5M by CGX to the University of Guyana (UG) for the capacity building of lecturers and other such initiatives from others.

Four receive Chief-of-Staff ‘Attempted murder’ Award for academic excellence accused granted bail

The four students, in the presence of their parents, display their awards for Academic Excellence at Defence Headquarters

THE 2019 recipients of the Chief-of-Staff Awards for Academic Excellence were given to four students on Thursday by Brigadier, Patrick West.

The students received their Certificates of Excellence and monetary rewards from Brigadier Patrick West at a simple ceremony at Defence Headquarters, Camp Ayangana. They were also presented with ‘the General’s Coin’.

The students rewarded were Kadian Massiah, Wonetta Semple, Sonia Lynch and Delesta Alexander.

Massiah, a former student of Christ Church Secondary and son of Sergeant Kessa Massiah of the Force’s Education Department, gained passes in 10 subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) ex-

aminations, including seven grades ones.

The young man has not yet decided on his career path but wants to remain in the field of economics. He has moved on to the Bishops’ High School where he is pursuing a number of business subjects at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) level.

Wonetta Semple of Queen’s College gained passes in 15 CSEC subjects with six grade ones. Her love for farming has caused her to contemplate a career in biological genetic engineering in agriculture.

Some benefits of genetic engineering in agriculture are increased crop yields, reduced costs for food or drug production, enhanced nutrient composition and food quality, resistance to pests and disease, greater

food security, and medical benefits to the consuming population. She is the daughter of Warrant Officer Class Two, Wilfred Semple.

Sonia Lynch, daughter of Malika Lynch and the late Major Lancelot Lynch is passionate about land development.

She believes that Guyana has a lot of potential in this area and with the expected influx of persons there will also be the need for altering of the landscape in a number of ways like the creation of housing schemes. Lynch gained passes in 10 CSES subjects with five grade ones.

Delesta Alexander is passionate about teaching and wants to mould young minds to bring out the best in them.

“Students look up to their teachers for guidance and path-breaking initiatives.

When they meet an inspired teacher, they start believing in their own dreams. That’s the kind of teacher I want to be,” said Alexander. She is the daughter of Reserve Sergeant, Mark Alexander.

Brigadier Patrick West congratulated the awardees and encouraged them to continue to work hard for more successes in their academic pursuits.

On this note, he urged them to pursue further education before entering the world of work. He urged them to see further education as an investment in their future. Further, Brigadier West congratulated the parents of the awardees and conveyed the force’s commitment to continue to support the children of military families by recognising excellence in academic achievement.

CHIEF Magistrate Ann McLennan, on Thursday November 7, 2019, granted $100,000 bail to a 56-year-old farmer who was charged with attempted murder.

Ronald John of Five Miles, Kumaka, North West District, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

Particulars of the charge stated that, on November 2, 2019, at Five Miles, Kumaka Road, with intent to commit murder, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Anthony Atkinson.

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield made no objection to bail being granted to John and asked that the bail be substantial.

Mansfield added that, on the day in question, Atkinson was passing when he saw an individual with whom he had a misunderstanding. Atkinson stopped and was talking to the person and an argument developed. John intervened and dealt Atkinson several blows about his body with a wood then took a hammer and ‘lashed’ Atkinson twice to his head.

Atkinson was picked up and rushed to the hospital.

John was arrested and later charged.

“The man come in my yard with a cutlass and a knife and fire a chop at me

Ronald John

with a cutlass and it catch me on my hand, me and this boy never had no problem, I didn’t lash he with no hammer, I defended myself with a wood,” John said.

Magistrate McLennan released John on $100,000 bail and ordered that he stay 50 feet away from Atkinson until the completion of the matter. The matter was adjourned until January 7, 2019, at the Aquaro Magistrate’s Court.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday November 8, 2019

RFHL records US$0.24B in profits REPUBLIC Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL), the Parent Company of Republic Bank Limited, recorded a profit of US$0.24 billion for the year ended September 30, 2019.

This is according to Chairman of Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL), Ronald Harford in a press statement, on Thursday.

According to Harford, the profit reflected an increase of US$38.66 million or 19.5 per cent over the profit of US$0.20 billion reported in the previous financial year.

“These results include two significant one-off items, the net impact of which increased profits by US$12.5 million. Firstly, the bank in Trinidad and Tobago amended the terms of its post-retirement medical benefits plan in line with market, resulting in a write back net of deferred

taxes of US$41.21 million.

“Secondly, Barbados reduced its corporation tax rate from 30 per cent to a range between 1 per cent and 5 per cent, which resulted in a charge to our income statement of US$28.71 million due to the re-measurement of deferred tax assets at the lower tax rate,” he said.

Excluding the impact of these items, the Group’s core profit was US$0.22 billion, US$26.17 million or 13.2 per cent more than the prior period. The increase in core profit was driven mainly by Cayman National Corporation (US$13.86 million) and the RBL Trinidad and Tobago Group (US$5.87 million).

Total assets stood at US$13.1 billion at September 30, 2019, an increase of US$2.54 billion or 24.2 per cent over that of the prior year.

The Board of Directors has declared a final dividend of US$0.49 (2018: US$0.47) per share, which brings the total dividend to US$0.67 per share or US$109.54 million (2018: US$0.66 per share and US$107.04 million in total) for the fiscal year.

The dividend combined with the increase in the share price of US$2.71 during the year means that the total RFHL shareholders’ return was 21.81 per cent. The final dividend will be paid on December 2, 2019 to all shareholders of record on November 18, 2019.

“The Group continues to progress with its strategy of acquisition and diversification of income sources with two major acquisitions: 1. On March 13, 2019, Republic Bank Trinidad and Tobago (Barbados) Limited (a subsidiary of RFHL), ac-

quired 74.99 per cent of the outstanding ordinary shares of Cayman National Corporation (CNC). This acquisition increased RFHL’s asset base

by US$1.66 billion and added US$13.86 million in profits (after minority interest) for the seven months period under RFHL’s ownership,” said Harford.

On November 1, 2019, the Group completed the acquisition of Scotiabank’s banking operations in St. Maarten, Anguilla, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

On a pro-forma basis, the acquisition will add 350 team members to the company’s staff complement and US$1.51 billion to total asset size so the company anticipates net profits in the region of US$20 million.

“We are very pleased

Chairman of RFHL, Ronald Harford

to welcome the new staff members and clients to the Republic family. The outlook for the economies in which we operate are generally positive and we expect continued growth in our subsidiaries in those territories,” he said.

This combined with the recent acquisition of CNC

and completion of the acquisition of Scotiabank’s operations in the Eastern Caribbean and St. Maarten, and the implementation of a number of efficiency initiatives will boost profitability over the coming years.

Harford in his statement used the opportunity to announce his retirement from the Boards of Directors of Republic Bank Limited and RFHL on December 31, 2019.

“I wish to extend a warm welcome to Mr. Vincent Pereira who was appointed to the Board of Republic Bank Limited on July 1, 2019 and is the Chairman designate for both companies in 2020,” said Harford.

Harford spent 57 years in the banking industry and 16 of those years as the Chairman of the organisation.

The Guyana Tourism Authority launches tourism expo with Suriname and French Guiana The Guyana Tourism Authority, in collaboration with the Republic of Suriname and French Guiana, on Thursday, launched the Tourism Expo of the

Guianas.

The launch was held at the Marriot Hotel where the Director General of the Department of Tourism, Donald Sinclair, noted that the

upcoming tourism event, scheduled for February 2020, was a collaborated effort between the three Guianas to strengthen the links of the three countries

A Masquerade Band performing at the launch (Adrian Narine Photo)

and promote the diverse richness of the food, culture, and people of the Guianas.

The Tourism Expo of the Guianas is expected to promote tourism in the three Guianas. The expo will be held in Guyana and will commence on February 6, 2020 and end on February 9, 2020.

The expo will see a series of cultural programmes, displaying the dances, festivals, food and clothing of the Guianas.

In 2021 the expo will be held in Suriname, followed

by French Guiana in 2022.

Director General of Department of Tourism, Donald Sinclair (Adrian Narine Photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday November 8, 2019

13 arrested in “Chop Shop” raid at Kuru Kururu

THIRTEEN persons were arrested on Wednesday and a number of vehicle parts, shells, cars and motorcycles, among other items, were found in a “chop shop” during a police operation at Kuru Kururu Station District, East Bank Demerara.

Illegal operations known as “chop shops” are places

where stolen vehicles are disassembled so that parts may be resold. “Chop shops” can be found almost anywhere and are often not identified until it is too late.

It is alleged that former policeman, Jason Harry, who was previously charged with five counts of receiving stolen property, was also arrested.

Reports indicate that the arrest was as a result of an intelligence-led operation conducted by ranks of Regional Police Division Four (b) (Eccles-Moblissa).

Police also seized shells of a pitbull minibus and a 192 Toyota motor car, five generators and two weeding machines, all suspected to

have been stolen or unlawful obtained.

Police said persons have begun to identify some of the articles as their belongings and several confessions have been obtained from suspects regarding their criminal involvement into the articles found.

Investigations are ongoing.

One of the cars found at the “Chop Shop” at Kuru Kururu Station District

Some of the parts seized by police

Last February, the alleged mastermind behind the carjacking ring in Kuru-Kuru, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, was charged for receiving several stolen cars and removing their chassis numbers.

Former policeman Jason Harry, 26, appeared before Georgetown Magistrate Judy Latchman and pleaded not guilty to five counts of receiving stolen property.

He was released on $200,000 bail on each charge.

Particulars of the first two charges alleged that Harry, between August 17, 2017 and February 9, 2018 in Georgetown, received a Toyota Spacio PNN 1811 valued $1.7M, property of Shivrajie Narine and a Toyota Allion

PMM 7517, valued $2.9M property of Samuel Munroe, knowing same to be stolen.

It is also alleged that between December 8, 2017 and February 10, 2018, at Georgetown, he received a stolen Toyota Fielder HC 6999 valued $2M, property of Elizabeth Martin.

Additionally, it is also alleged that Harry between December 12, 2017 and February 10, 2018, received a stolen Toyota Allion PVV 6691 valued $2.3M, property of Tricel Powers.

Lastly, Harry was charged for receiving a stolen Toyota Spacio PVV 9742 valued $2.5M, property of Dellon Skedel between December 15, 2017 and February 10, 2018, at Georgetown.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

Carnegie School of Home Economics adds care for the elderly to its curriculum -to enable caregivers to work in the hospitality industry

The Carnegie School of Home Economics is moving to change the way Care for the Elderly is delivered in Guyana. The institution has added the programme, ‘Care for the Elderly’ to its Curriculum in an effort to ensure that there are trained and capable persons in the sector.

Vice Principal of Carnegie, Sharmaine Marshall, gave an insight into the programme, “I believe this programme will change the way care of the elderly in done within Guyana, I think it will improve a lot of things, because what we teach here it is revolutionary, it is trending, and it’s up to world standard.

The main emphasis of care for the elderly is to enable persons to work in the hospitality industry, and help persons to manage the care of the elderly, to teach them

interactions with elderly persons, because that’s what they will be doing at the end of this course, just today we facilitated the pensioners and the distribution of their pension books, in an effort to give the students the opportunity to put in practice what they have learnt. The students were even allowed to make several items including smoothies and teas that are healthy and could be consumed by any of the elderly persons in attendance, even if they may have a special dietary regimen.” Marshall said.

The care for the elderly course is available in a two options, a part time and a full time options. The course currently facilitates fourteen part-time students and eight fulltime students. The fulltime course is slated to last for two years, while the part time programme, lasts for 12 weeks.

Students of the Carnegie ‘Care for the Elderly’ Programme engaging elderly persons during the pension book distribution (Elvin Croker Photo)

how to treat persons, how to assess their dietary needs of the elderly and what it takes to be someone in the business of elderly care.”

Marshall further stated that the students in the programme are not just learning the theoretical principles, but that they are also being given the opportunity to have several practical opportunities, to practice what they would have learnt, these practical opportunities will be facilitated by the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) and the Psalms Geriatric Home.

“We gave the students several opportunities to have

The courses have already commenced, an official launching ceremony is slated for November 12, 2019.

This newspaper spoke with two of the students in the programme, they related that the knowledge they gained throughout the programme, has opened their eyes in relation to all of the things that go into elderly care.

One of the students, Savitri Singh, related her experience, “I’ve learnt so much, number one, I didn’t really know a lot about the caring, I just knew like that you could cook the food and give them and whatever, but I didn’t

Students of the Carnegie ‘Care for the Elderly’ Programme (Elvin Croker Photo)

know that there were persons with specific dietary needs and so on. I didn’t know how to do bed baths or test pressure. And I learnt all of that in just a few short weeks. It gave me a new perspective on how care for the elderly works, we had placement at the Psalms (Geriatric Home) and we had to be with them

for a week and the experience was really nice, and we were there actually caring for someone who is not your family member, and it was such a great feeling” Lone male participant, Joseph Johnson, explained what the programme meant to him, “I think it’s something that more young people should

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Vice Principal of Carnegie, Sharmaine Marshall (Elvin Croker Photo)

step out and take up because our population has a lot of elderly people and they need care, some of them don’t have anyone they can depend on for help, and so it’s up to us to help. What pushed me to actually decide to do the full course was that I was given the opportunity due to my prior course to go to one of

the care home and from that experience of being able to help out it made me realize that I actually wanted to do this.”

Elderly care, or simply care for the elderly is the fulfillment of the special needs and requirements that are unique to senior citizens.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

Over 2,000 receive military training this year Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier West addressing the GDF Training Conference

A TOTAL of 2,272 officers and ranks have thus far, this year, undergone local military training, a slight increase in the number trained during 2018.

This was disclosed on Thursday during a review of training across the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at this year’s edition of the Army’s Training Conference.

In the main, the GDF realised the completion of almost all of its planned training courses, with a few still being conducted currently.

According to the GDF, the training at external local institutions has also increased during the reporting period, and, for the first time, GDF ranks are being trained at the GuySuCo Training school (27 persons).

Ninety-eight persons are studying at the University of Guyana: this number includes students graduating this year and between the years 2008 and 2019. Also, 917 ranks gained external academic training.

It was also reported that training provided overseas continued with support from the US, the UK, Brazil and China. Additionally, one Coast Guard officer is reading for a Master’s Degree in Malta.

Of equal importance, is the fact that the GDF continues to attract foreign candidates for training on some of its courses.

For example, there are four foreign candidates being trained on the Standard Officer Course (SOC) 51 while six others are on the SOC 52.

The projections for training during 2020 will continue to focus on GDF military and skills courses. Officers and other ranks will be trained in a slew of specialist areas, as the force progresses toward a future where enhanced technical skills are going to be the bedrock of its operational sustainability.

Also presented at the meeting were projections for training to be conducted during 2020. The review,

presented by Staff Officer One General Three, Lieutenant Colonel, Raul Jerrick, covered the period January 1 to November 7, 2019.

The conference also heard a presentation on training done in the Guyana National Cadet Corps (GNCC) since its formation last year.

This presentation was done by commanding officer of the GNCC, Lieutenant Colonel, Eon Murray.

It was reported that the GNCC had been and continues to train its instructors and cadets in a range of skills, including drills, skill-at-arms, national policy and foreign languages.

The instructors, all of whom are reservists, are exposed to training that aims to build their capacity to administer the cadet programme while also enhancing their capability of performing military functions.

GNCC cadet training offers a curriculum that provides adventure and supports academics while embracing the values and standards of the GDF. Emphasising the transformative nature of quality training, Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier West, congratulated the Training Corps and all the military schools for realising their goals. He explained that the GDF can only grow through rigorous, dedicated, meaningful and high-quality training. To this end, he noted that as the force forged ahead with upholding its mandate and national responsibilities, all officers and ranks must continue to pursue all available training opportunities.

Also in attendance at the conference were Adjutant General, Colonel Sherwin Anderson; Quartermaster General, Colonel Godfrey Bess; Commandant of the Guyana People’s Militia, Colonel Paul Arthur, several commanding officers, and warrant officers with responsibility for training across the force.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday November 8, 2019

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Sankar’s Auto Works inks Clash of Champions deal

SANKAR’s Auto Works, through its Valvoline brand, has come on board as a major sponsor of the November 16th and 17th Clash of Champions race meet of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club’s event.

The company, through Darsho Singh, handed over the sponsorship cheque this week while expressing its support for the event.

The company, through Singh stated, “We are more than pleased to support the clash of champions international race meet. We’ve seen it grow throughout the years and

we could not pass up the opportunity when they came to us.”

In receiving the sponsorship, GMR&SC executive member Motilall Deodass said, “Valvoline has been involved in racing for a number of years, not only in Guyana, but across the world.”

“And to have such a big brand partner with us means that we are doing something right in motorsport. We want to thank them for this support and let them know that we will strive for a great race meet.”

Apart from Sankar’s, other major sponsors include B.M Soat Auto Sales, Mohamed’s

Enterprise, Tropical Shipping, MOTUL, ExxonMobil, JAPARTS and Air Services.

Other sponsors include Prem’s Electrical, AgriParts, Choke Gas Station, Miracle Optical, Secure Innovations and concepts Inc., Premier Auto Sales, Bikers Bar, Professional Key Shop, Truck Masters, Palm Court, King’s Jewellery World, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, Ramchand Autobody and Tow Truck Service, KGM security, Royal Castle, Ramada Hotel, Readymix, Auto Fashion, Ideal Supplies, Panko Steel Fabrication, Hand in Hand, Windjammer Inter-

national, Cyril’s Taxi, Century Tamara Energy Service, ISG and Survival Supermarket.

The event is expected to feature action in the street and sport tuner class, the groups two, three and four and the superbikes,as well as the Radical Caribbean Cup. The two-day event, which is billed for the South Dakota Circuit, is set for November 16th and 17th.

Admission cost: Adults $2000; Children $1000. Children under 10 are free.

Dharry to fight Andrew Moloney for vacant WBA World Super Flyweight title

GUYANA’s Elton Dharry will face Australian Andrew Moloney on Friday, November 15, at the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne, for the interim World Boxing Association

(WBA) World Super Flyweight title.

Moloney, an undefeated fighter, boasts a perfect record of 20 wins (13 KOs) as against Dharry’s 24 wins (14 KOs), five losses and a draw.

However, Dharry’s five losses occurred in the very early part of his career and

he has not lost a fight since 2010, winning 21 consecutive fights.

The 28 year-old Moloney, an Australian born, is a natural flyweight and goes by the alias “The Monster”.

Dharry, 33, on the other hand, was born in Enterprise, Guyana and prefers not to be

called by the alias by which he became known in Guyana – “Coolie Bully”.

The fight will be televised through ESPN Plus app and if Guyanese are able to download this app, we may be able to see this fight.

SHC Silencers, GBTI GCC Spartans win big on opening night THE sixth Annual Junior Indoor Hockey Championships got off to an exciting start on Wednesday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with the SHC Silencers and the GBTI GCC Spartans being the big winners of the night.

In the Farfan & Mendes U-16 girls division, the GBTI GCC Spartans cruised to an easy 10-0 victory over YMCA Old Fort which was the largest margin of victory for the evening.

Prolific goal scorer, Abosaide Cadogan led with four goals, Madison Fernandes and Sarah Klautky scored doubles, while Haley Carpenter and Madison Singh scored one each.

The SHC Supreme outplayed their club counterparts, the SHC Sensations, by 2-1 in the other U-16 girls matchup of the evening.

Charlia Webb and Mariah Seegobind were the scorers for the Supremes while Dharanee Meghoo scored one for

the Sensations.

In the Farfan & Mendes boy’s U-16 division, the SHC Silencers tamed the GCC War Dogs with a 3-1 win.

Baraka Garnett led the score sheet with two goals while teammate, Nkhuma Hutson, scored a single.

Jonathan Bissoon was the lone goal scorer for the War Dogs. The Silencers then established their dominance by returning to the floor later the same evening to exact a 4-0 beating of the Joseph Warriors.

This time the scoring was evenly shared between Nkhuma Hutson, Baraka Garnett, Javid Hussain and Jabari Lovell. The SHC Shockwave and YMCA Old Fort ended in a 0-0 draw for the third match in this division.

The GBTI GCC Spartans began their campaign in the Sunshine Snacks Girls U-21 competition in similar fashion to the Under-16. Sarah Klautky amassed a hat-trick of goals in the Spartans 7-0

victory over YMCA Old Fort including a brilliant solo effort in the 13th minute.

Abosaide Cadogan added two goals while Madison Fernandes and Kirsten completed the table with one goal each.

The most entertaining match of the evening saw the YMCA Old Fort Under-21 boys come from behind to defeat the GCC Pitbulls by 3-2.

After Samuel Woodroffe put the Pitbulls up in the 7th minute, Old Fort came storming back with three goals in the next ten minutes via Omar Hopkinson, Nandalall Persaud and Luis Adams.

Rahim Oliver managed to draw GCC back within one in the dying seconds of the match which saw Old Fort through to the 3-2 win.

Matches continue for the rest of the week with the finals scheduled for Sunday.

Gulfstream Park West Race 1 Flat Out Flying Race 2 Feature Creature Race 3 Infinitypowersiwin Race 4 Sky Point Race 5 All D’Hype Race 6 Zalza Race 7 Alpilles

South Africa Racing Tips Greyville 08:35 hrs Twice To Sydney 09:10 hrs Big King 09:50 hrs Ishnana 10:25 hrs La Bahia 11:05 hrs Accidental Tourist

English Racing Tips Nottingham 08:20 hrs Beauty Stone 08:50 hrs Parikarma 09:25 hrs Mishriff 09:55 hrs Book Review 11:00 hrs Bellevarde 11:35 hrs Ebitda 12:05 hrs Gamesters Icon

Musselburgh 08:40 hrs Ashington 09:15 hrs The Road Home 09:45 hrs El Picador 10:20 hrs Arthurs Secret 10:50 hrs Glimpse Of Gold 11:25 hrs True Ropmance 11:55 hrs Gennady

Chepstow 09:00 hrs Minnie Escape 09:35 hrs Mcfabulous 10:05 hrs Just A Thought 11:10 hrs Simply The Betts 11:45 hrs Thunderstruck 12:15 hrs Switch Hitter

Irish Racing Tips Dundalk 10:15 hrs Early Call 10:45 hrs The King Of Kells 11:20 hrs So Suave 11:50 hrs Mutadaawel 12:25 hrs Masalai 13:00 hrs Scream 13:30 hrs Clifftop 14:00 hrs Munaajaat

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 8, 2019

Guardiola is the best manager in the world, says Klopp

LONDON (Reuters) - Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has hailed Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola as the best manager in the world as the Premier League rivals gear up for Sunday’s top-ofthe-table clash at Anfield.

Leaders Liverpool have a six-point advantage over the defending champions and the match is a crucial one for both sides.

The build-up has been coloured by Guardiola saying Liverpool’s Sadio Mane sometimes dived and then backtracking.

Klopp, who has taken a dig at City’s “tactical fouling”, drew a line under the verbal sparring on Thursday in an interview with Sky Sports television.

“We constantly get asked questions and sometimes we say what is in that second in our mind without thinking about anything else, that we are in public, that there is a

camera,” said the German.

“I couldn’t have more respect for Pep Guardiola, that’s how it is. I’ve known him for so long, for me still it’s a big thing to be his contender.

team which is very difficult but possible. That’s enough for me.”

Klopp dismissed a suggestion that the match was as much one Liverpool could not afford to lose as must

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp looks on as Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts

(Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff) “For me he’s the best man- win. ager in the world and we have “For me, it’s a 100% wantthe chance to win against his to-win game — 100% with

all I have,” he said. “We want to win and we try everything to make that happen, which is difficult enough. And then after that we will see how the situation is and use that situation.

“But it’s a big one, we know that. The whole world will be watching that game, I would 100%, everybody I know will, so it’s a massive one.”

Champions League winners Liverpool lost at Manchester City last season after a goalless draw at Anfield and were beaten to the title by a single point.

“Last year ’s performance of City at Liverpool was probably the biggest show of respect I ever got, that one of my teams ever got, because they played different to what they usually do,” said Klopp.

“I expect a tight game.

How exactly it will be, I don’t know.”

Lyon the latest to join county cricket’s Aussie influx AUSTRALIAN spinner Nathan Lyon has agreed a deal to become Hampshire’s overseas player in next season’s County Championship.

Lyon, who is third on the list of all-time Test wicket-takers for Australia, was a major part of the squad which this year retained the Ashes with a drawn series in England.

The 31-year-old will represent Hampshire in red-ball cricket in 2020 and is delighted at the prospect of playing more cricket in England.

“I very much look forward to playing with Hampshire in next year’s County Championship. It is a fabulous opportunity to be involved with a leading county who have had a long and successful relationship with Australian cricketers,” Lyon told the Hampshire website.

“I love playing cricket in England and no doubt will enjoy the 2020 summer with the Hampshire players, coaches, members and supporters. We will all be focused on winning the County Championship in 2020 – I can’t wait.”

Lyon made his Test debut in 2011 and has gone on to win 91 caps and take 363 wickets – putting him behind only Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath on Australia’s all-time list.

He previously played four County Championship games with Worcestershire in Division Two in 2017, but his

Hampshire stint will mark his first foray into the 10-team Division One. Hampshire’s director of cricket Giles White added: “Nathan is a really highclass spinner and we identified him in the summer as someone who would be a great addition to our Championship side.

for a well-balanced attack. In order to win County Championships, which we want to do, we need to take 20 wickets regularly.”

Lyon is the latest Australian to sign on for next year’s county season.

Australian T20 squad member Sean Abbott has signed on to play up to 10

Nathan Lyon is third on the list of all-time Test wicket-takers for Australia.

“He has a real appetite for county cricket and is keen to be a part of what we’re trying to do here, so we’re delighted to secure his signature and we can’t wait to have him on board next summer.

“If you look at our bowling attack at the moment, the gap has maybe been taking wickets with spinners.

With a new groundsman in Simon Lee also joining the club, having worked at Somerset, it all seemed to fit to bring in a high-class spinner for red-ball cricket too.

“Nathan’s addition makes

County Championship games with Derbyshire next season in a deal for the first-half of the season, and could also feature in T20 games for the county.

Lyon’s fellow Ashes tourist and Queensland Bulls seamer Michael Neser has signed on to join London county Surrey for the first half of the season.

Neser said: “It has been a long-held ambition of mine to play county cricket. To be able to do so at The Oval alongside some fabulous players is obviously huge-

ly exciting for me. I look forward to contributing and helping the guys challenge at the top of the County Championship in 2020.”

Surrey have also signed D’Arcy Short for their domestic T20 competition, which will run separate from the new ‘Hundred’ concept being played in England next winter.

South Australia captain Travis Head will join Sussex for the entire 2020 season, playing all formats for the Jason Gillespie-coached county.

“We wanted a top-four batsman to improve our team and Travis will do that,” said Gillespie, who also coaches Head at the Adelaide Strikers in the KFC BBL. “He’s shown his class in his international career so far, he brings some useful off-spin and he will offer good leadership support to our captains from his time leading South Australia and the Strikers.

“We also felt it was important to sign an overseas batsman that would be able to join us for most of the season and give us some continuity.”

Cameron Bancroft will return to Durham where he captained the side in 2019, while Peter Siddle will again play for Essex and Sean Abbott has been picked up

by Derbyshire. Peter Handscomb is reportedly a target for Middlesex.

(Cricket Network)

Gilchrist backs Paine as Australia’s Test captain and keeper

Tim Paine: the best man with the gloves for Australia? (Getty Images)

Adam Gilchrist believes Tim Paine is still the best available wicketkeeper and captain for Australia’s Test team.

Paine’s batting form in the Ashes - one fifty from ten innings at an average of 20 - has led to concerns about whether he merits selection in Australia’s first-choice Test XI, with Alex Carey waiting in the wings. Gilchrist’s comments echoed those of Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts, who unequivocally backed Paine to “continue leading from the front the way he has done so far”.

Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Gilchrist rated Paine as being “on par with anyone in the world as gloveman”, and said he has done a “wonderful job [as captain]” since he took over from Steven Smith after the events in Newlands. “[If you look at] what he took on, when he took it on, he in partnership with [coach] Justin [Langer] and all the players have done a remarkable job over the past 12 months to just get a nice, stable balance back.

I can’t see any rush to push him out, as long as he’s still performing, like we all had to, to stay in the team. Like every other player, he’s got a hold of his spot in the team as being selected as the best available option for that player type. I think he’s doing a wonderful job [as captain].”

Gilchrist, who works as a Fox Cricket commentator, is also a notable mentor for Carey, who recently spoke to ESPNcricinfo about their relationship: “I’m fortunate enough to have a good relationship with him now and I guess through the Big Bash it probably started with him as a commentator and myself getting into the Strikers team. It developed from that.

The funny thing with Gilly and I, we don’t really talk a lot about cricket when we

catch up, which I think is a good thing as well. We have a great relationship away from the game, talking about footy, talking about family, rather than the skill sets on the field.”

Australia have had an unbeaten start to their home summer, winning all four of their T20Is so far, as they build up to the first-ever T20 World Cup on Australian soil, the only global tournament the men’s side haven’t won yet. Gilchrist is backing them to “start as one of the favourite teams” playing at home, “even though 12 months is a long time [and things can change]”. Asked to stick his neck out and predict a winner, he named “the usual suspects like India, England, Australia and New Zealand”, the same four sides from this year’s 50over World Cup to make it to the semi-finals.

“I think Australia are really well placed seeing how they’ve started the summer. They love the conditions, they play well in the bigger grounds. We’ve got everyone available now and probably for the first time, Australia are looking to pick their best XI regularly [for bilaterals] rather than just for the World Cups. They’re probably still working out whether they should play two spin bowlers or one spinner with a batting allrounder like Mitch Marsh or [Marcus] Stoinis.

“Ashton Agar is doing a really good job, and if you look at all the successful bowlers in T20 around the world, they’re all spinners. Nine out of the top ten I think are spinners”. Australia have one of their own spinners, Adam Zampa, among the top ten, and Gilchrist is optimistic of their chances given “they’ve got a really well balanced squad” and “have time to work out” their ideal combination for the World Cup”.

(ESPN Cricinfo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday November 8, 2019

29

WADA President-elect Banka vows to get tough on Russia

By Karolos Grohmann

KATOWICE, Poland (Reuters) - World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) President-elect Witold Banka pledged on Thursday to be tough on Russia if the country is proven to have manipulated the doping data of its athletes.

The Polish Tourism and Sports Minister, who was officially appointed as the next WADA president on Thursday, will take over his post on Jan. 1.

“I start my term of office next year. I am waiting for the results of the analyses. If we discover some manipula-

Poland’s Minister of Tourism and Sport Witold Banka

tions the reaction should be tough,” Banka told a news conference.

For more than four years Russia has been the focus of

several investigations and sanctions after a 2015 WADA-commissioned report highlighted a vast doping network in the country’s sports community.

Russia’s anti-doping agency RUSADA was suspended after a 2015 WADA report which found vast evidence of state-sponsored doping in Russian athletics. The country has since struggled to restore its international credibility in sport.

RUSADA’s suspension was lifted in September 2018 amid strong criticism as WADA gradually obtained access to key Russian athletes’ data from the Russian

lab.

But WADA opened compliance proceedings again in September after finding inconsistencies in the vast bank of historical testing data finally handed over in January.

The 35-year-old Banka, a former track and field athlete who will succeed Craig Reedie, was the public authorities’ choice for WADA president, as the post rotates between a choice from sports bodies and one from public authorities.

Banka, whose appointment was rubber-stamped by the body’s Foundation Board on the final day of the

world conference on doping in sport, has also pledged to set up a doping fund for corporate sponsors to contribute towards clean sport.

“We have the same objective and goals in our hearts, to clean up sport and create a fair environment,” Banka said in a brief address after a unanimous election.

“I promise you to try to always build bridges with all stakeholders. I am sure together we will make anti-doping systems stronger.”

WADA also approved a revision of its World Anti-Doping Code which will come into force on Jan. 1, 2021 after a two-year consul-

tation process.

Among the changes are considerably lower sanctions for the use of illicit drugs taken not to enhance performances but for recreational purposes, such as marijuana and cocaine.

Athletes will be banned for weeks instead of years for such an anti-doping rule violation if they can establish that the use of such banned substances was unrelated to their sport performance.

Successful completion of a rehab treatment programme can further reduce the suspension.

Djokovic has world number one Nadal in his sights at London finale

By Martyn Herman LONDON (Reuters) - If Novak Djokovic is to claim the year-end number ranking for a record-equalling sixth time he will have to do it the hard way at the ATP Finals next week in London.

The Serb was knocked off top spot by Rafael Nadal on Monday despite winning the Paris Masters last week and will need a strong finish alongside the River Thames to snatch it back.

Only Pete Sampras has finished a year on top six times and Djokovic’s hopes of emulating the American are not in his own hands with Nadal leading by 640 points heading to the climax.

Nadal, 33, is bidding to

Novak Djokovic

become the ATP’s oldest yearend number but with 200 points awarded for round-robin wins, 400 for a semi-final win and 500 for winning the final the door is still ajar for Djokovic to deny him.

Spaniard Nadal has often struggled physically in London and pulled out of his Paris Masters semi-final against Denis Shapovalov last week citing an abdominal issue when victory would have put him virtually

out of reach He intends to play in London having been drawn in a round-robin group alongside 2018 ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev and debutants Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas. If Nadal fails to win a round-robin match, Djokovic would still need to win two group matches and reach the final to dislodge him. Djokovic will also finish the year as number one by winning the title, providing Nadal does not reach the semis. Djokovic faces a tough group though, with six-time champion Roger Federer, French Open runner-up Dominic Thiem and Italian Matteo Berrettini, the third newcomer in this year’s event, who he will play in Sunday’s opening singles.

obstacle for Djokovic even if he has not added to his ATP Finals title haul since winning in 2011.

The Swiss, who has a record 57 match wins at the event, bowed out to Zverev

Roger Federer

GCA competitions continue this weekend GCA ACTION. THE ongoing Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/GISE/STAR PARTY RENTALS/TROPHY STALL 1st Division (2Day) cricket competition, continues this weekend with a lone fixture.

Everest Cricket Club will be battling GNIC at Camp Road on Saturday and Sunday with play starting 09: 30 hrs on Saturday and Sunday

Meanwhile, the Noble House Seafoods 2nd Division (2-Day) cricket competition which commences on Saturday will feature encounters between; GCC and Ace Warriors at Bourda, Bel Air Rubis vs Diplomats at Queen’s College and Malteenoes tackling the GDF team at Malteenoes ground; all from 10:30hrs..

In the New Building Society 2nd Division (40Over) cricket competition, Muslim Youth Organisa-

tion (MYO) entertain the University of Guyana at their venue in Woolford e Avenue.

Toucan Industries Under-15 cricket competition 50 Overs semi-finals bowl off on Monday November 11 with clashes between DCC and Bel Air Rubis at Queenstown while at Bourda ground, Everest tackle home team GCC, from 9:30h.

Rafael Nadal

“It’s an extremely difficult task considering who my opponents are going to be,” Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Djokovic said.

“As a consequence, if I manage to get the year-end number one, that would be fantastic. It is a motivation and a goal every day.”

Federer, ranked third, will be a particularly dangerous

nals in London, before it moves to Turin, has a fresh look this year.

Russian counter-puncher Medvedev has enjoyed an incredible breakthrough year

in the semi-finals last year but continues to defy the passing years at the age of 38.

Last month he claimed the Swiss indoor title without dropping a set. It was his fourth title in 2019, during which he lost an epic Wimbledon final to Djokovic having held match points.

The penultimate ATP Fi-

and of the three debutants he looks the most likely to challenge for the title.

He leads the charts in terms of match wins (59) and finals reached (9) and against Nadal in a sensational U.S. Open final proved he has the personality to go toe-to-toe with the giants.

For the fourth successive year there are eight different nations represented in the singles while half of the singles field are aged 23 or under. The new wave is arriving, but Djokovic still has unfinished business.

Colombian duo Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah will lead the doubles event having already clinched the year-end number one ranking and will be seeking a London double after winning this year’s Wimbledon crown.

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 26, 2019

ANSA McAL/ Dewars Rum Golf tourney tees off Sunday ANSA McAL, in collaboration with the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC), on Thursday, launched the inaugural Dewars Golf Tournament set to tee off tomorrow.

The company, through its Dewars brand, which is a blended Scotch/Whisky, will have its name attached to this weekend’s event which is set to be well-supported by the local fraternity.

The LGC and the bever-

age giant held their official launch at the company’s East Coast Demerara BV location, where LGC president Aleem Hussain Brand coordinator for Dewars Rum, Timothy Sammy; and Corporate Communications Officer, Treiston Joseph, were all excited over the venture.

Hussain said that it was good to have yet another new sponsor on board as Golf continues to develop in Guy-

ana. With the landscape improving for the sport, Hussain believed that it was crucial to incorporate more entities and with Ansa McAL being a longtime supporter of Golf, it was good to have the continued support.

Both Joseph and Sammy, during their brief remarks, pointed out that the company and Brand were pleased to be a part of this weekend’s activity, as it has become an

annual tradition for the two to cap off the year with an Invitational.

The two executives further added that the beverage company, over the years, has been proud to be one of the premier sponsors of Golf in Guyana, hosting a number of brand-sponsored tournaments in the past and, as such, they are happy to continue the tradition.

Ansa McAL Corporate Communications Officer, Treiston Joseph; LGC president Aleem Hussain and Dewars Rum Brand Co-ordinator, Timothy Sammy display this weekend’s spoils.

Boston’s 6 win Halley’s dominoes feature ORIN Boston’s 6 emerged winners of the Frederick Halley feature dominoes tournament held on Monday night last at Everest Cricket Club pavilion, Camp Road, Georgetown.

In a fiercely contested encounter which went right down to the wire, Boston’s 6 tallied 79 games to edge out Beharry’s 6 on 77 and Halley’s 6 which ended in cellar position on 74.

The game wasn’t decided until the final sitting after only one game separated the

Frederick Halley presents the winning trophy to Sonia Goodluck while other members of the winning team look on,

three teams, both Beharry Halley’s teams deadlocked on 63 and Boston’s 6 a mere one game away on 62.

In the end, Boston’s 6 prevailed after marking 17 games in the final sitting which saw Beharry’s 6 scoring 14 and Halley’s 6 managing 12 games.

Sonia Goodluck led the way for Boston’s with 17 games while John Freeman supported with 15. Skipper Boston, who played through, made 13 in his first three sittings and 14 in the other

three.

The top players in Beharry’s 6 were Roderick Harry with 15 games and Mark Welch who marked 14.

For Halley’s 6, Edmund Sammy topped with 15 games while there were 14 and 13 games respectively for Ravi Shivnauth and Frederick Halley.

The game was organised

by Manniram “Packer” Shew while the trophies were sponsored by Halley.

Thomas credits knowledge gained in recent CPL for his century BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – Devon Thomas has credited the knowledge gained in the recent Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for his current form which

saw him stroke his second List A hundred in Leeward Islands Hurricanes’ victory over title-holders Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners here

Wednesday.

The right-hander gathered 105 as the hosts raised the curtain on the Regional Super50 with a crushing 198run win at Warner Park.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Friday November 08, 2019) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Chris Gayle-1627 runs (58 matches) (2) Mohammad Shahzad-1936 runs (65 matches) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who has taken most T20 International wickets for the WI to date?

How many?

(2) Who has taken most T20 International wickets for Afghanistan to date? How many?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Devon Thomas struck his second List A hundred.

“It’s not just this innings. I learnt a lot during the Caribbean Premier League so I am just trying to take those things into my game a lot more,” said Thomas, who turned out for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the regional T20 tournament.

“Playing with a few overseas players, I spoke with them and they told me what’s up – even the coaches – so I just want to put a few of things into my game and try to make them work.”

He added: “It (hundred) was very special to me. I have only one List “A” hundred, so

this was my second, and I am very pleased to have reached the milestone.

“I have been batting pretty well from the Leeward Islands Cricket Board tournament (which preceded the Super50 Cup) and I have tried to remain in that same frame of mind.”

Thomas arrived at the crease at 67 for two in the 19th over and quickly asserted control for Hurricanes, smashing 10 fours and a six in bold 93-ball knock.

And by the time he departed in the penultimate over, the hosts were poised for an imposing total, eventually finishing on 292 for seven.He praised Amir Jangoo (39) and Kieran Powell (30) for laying the foundation for the innings.

“They set up the game for us and for me to rotate the strike and try to start batting deep into the overs,” he pointed out.

“I said to myself I wanted

to bat [to] 42 overs and ended up batting [to 49 overs], but it was a good team effort from everyone and we are pleased that it all worked out in this game.”

The victory ensured Hurricanes started the tournament on a winning note, though with sterner tests to come against the likes of multiple-time champions Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions.

And Thomas said he would be looking to extend his form against all opposition.

“It’s good. We are playing at home. We know this pitch much better than the rest of the teams, so it will be a good tournament,” he noted.

“There will be challenges too, but for me this tournament I want to really stand out this year, especially since it will be my 30th birthday next week.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday November 8, 2019

31

Allegiance Corporations, JD Carn ICT Guyana Inc. shooting with Rawle Toney/Mackeson 3X3 Classic ALLEGIANCE Corporations and JD Carn ICT Guyana Inc. are the latest entities to align themselves with this weekend’s Rawle Toney/Mackeson 3X3 Classic, which will be played at the Burnham Basketball Court. The tournament starts from 18:00 hrs each day.

Yesterday, at the 704 Sports Bar, Allegiance Cooperation made a monetary donation of an undisclosed sum, while JD Carn ICT Guyana Inc. presented their company-branded jerseys which will be worn in the finals of the tournament that will see the winner pocketing $300,000.

Company secretary of Allegiance Corporations Inc., Rhonda Roberts, pointed out that the company is rel-

Organiser Rawle Toney (first from left), along with Allegiance Corporations Inc. Director Rhonda Roberts (second from left) and JD Carn ICT Guyana Inc. representative, Ocey Phillips (first from right).

atively new on the market and as such, the tournament provides a perfect platform for them to announce their Marketing and Communication services to Guyana.

Roberts said along with the

other Director of the company, Jamal Shamsudeen, sports is seen as an important part of their core values and they were more than happy to support.

Ocey Phillips, country

manager of JD Carn ICT Guyana Inc. told the media the Trinidad and Tobago-based company, which recently set up shop in Guyana, is known for being sports oriented and this also is their

first major event being on board as sponsors.

JD Carn’s business is the delivery of telecommunications and ICT services, using workflows built upon solid project and quality management foundations and which save time and money.

Incorporated in 2014, the company’s main areas of focus are in Outside Plant (OSP), engineering and construction services (Telecommunication) and installation services.

Meanwhile, organiser Rawle Toney said the he was overwhelmed at the support shown and promised that the two-day tournament will deliver as promised.

Apart from the lavish first-place prize, the second and third place teams will go home with $100,000 and

$50,000 respectively.

The Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) will also host their National 3-point shoot-out on the final day of the tournament when the winner will go home with $25,000 and bragging rights for a year.

FireSide Grill ‘n’ Chill, one of the sponsors of the tournament, will give $1,000 to every player who makes a four-point play from the ‘Fire Shot’ spot.

Ansa McAl, under their Mackeson brand and the Guyana Lottery Company’s Let’s Bet Sports, are the tournament’s main sponsors, which also includes ‘STUFF’, Slingerz Family Entertainment, the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Trophy Stall.

Savory’s unbeaten 71 steers Jaguars to tense win -spinners, Beaton show up with ball

By Clifton Ross KEMOL Savory stroked an unbeaten half-century on debut for the Guyana Jaguars, who toppled the West Indies Emerging Players (WIEP) by 2 wickets in their Group B match played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad last evening.

Action continued in this year’s tournament as the WIEP managed to take the fight to the Jaguars, pushing the game to the final ball as they Jags prevailed.

WIEP took first strike and were led by Justin Greaves’ defiant top-score of 55. Guyanese Kevin Sinclair played an unbeaten cameo of 35 from 37 while Roland Cato chipped in

with a useful 37.

Opener Gidron Pope hit a pair of fours and one six in his 25, as the WIEP made a decent total of 185 for 8 from 50 overs.

As expected, the Jaguars bowlers were successful during their spells with the veteran left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul returning figures of 3-34 and his spin buddy Ramaal Lewis bagging 2-17; while returning fast-bowler Ronsford Beaton snapped up 2-36.

But it was Savory, who batted like it was his 50th game instead of his first, guiding the Jaguars to their end total of 189 for 9 in 50 overs.

The left-hander ended on a composed 71 off 146 balls with 6 fours and one 6 and batted through the entire innings. The

unbeaten Clinton Pestano was also the hero as his 7 runs came when Guyana looked like they were staring at defeat.

A double strike from seamer Keon Harding (4-35) saw the Jaguars losing their left-hand opening pair of Tagenarine Chanderpaul (3) and Chandrapaul Hemraj (18).

Savory was composed in his first innings for Guyana as he anchored the top order while Chris Barnwell continued his aggression by scoring 35 off 31; as the left/right hand combo frustrated the young Windies bowlers with a 4th wicket 56 run partnership.

When Barnwell departed, Savory carried his bat and reached his 50 but lost a few partners in the process before

enduring a tense last over.

It came down to 1 run from the last ball and Savory, who failed to score off a few balls finished the game with a scoop which flew over the keepers head and crashed into the boundary rope to seal a tense win for the Jags.

Earlier, after a brief stutter at the top of the innings the young Windies side rebounded decently thanks to Greaves and Cato who dug in against the Jaguars bowlers.

Greaves was classy during his stay at the crease, his knock stabilized the WIEP after the early losses of vice-skipper Kimani Mileus (8) and Joshua Dasilva (3).

Greaves and Cato then pull things back with their confident approach as they added 70 runs for the 5th wicket partnership.

The right-hander Greaves

hit one four and a six in his gritty fifty before departing to Permaul, which set up the stage for Sinclair who came in and saw out the remaining deliveries, not before hitting two big sixes which added to the total.

Over Iat Basseterre, Barbados Pride made 265 all out in 50 overs and beat the Jamaica Scorpions by. The Pride were steered by half-centuries from Nicholas Kirton (55) and Kyle Mayers (52) while Windies all-rounder Ashley Nurse hit 3 fours and 3 sixes in his 38 off 21 balls.

The Scorpions were led by 4 wicket hauls from pacer Oshane Thomas 4-52 and part-timer spinner Andre McCarthy who grabbed 4-41.

The chase saw the Jamaicans falling short by 75 runs despite McCarthy returning to hit 95 and Aldane Thomas 41,

taking them to 195 all out.

Pacer Chemar Springer bagged 3-37 while Nurse followed up his cameo with figures of 4-26, capping off a brilliant all-round exhibition.

Majestic Rohit takes Tigers apart in 100th T20I to level series ROHIT Sharma bludgeoned an imperious half-century in his 100th Twenty20 International as India levelled the series against Bangladesh with a crushing eight-wicket victory in Rajkot.

Yuzvendra Chahal took 2-28 as the Tigers made 1536 after they were put in by Rohit at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Thursday, Mohammad Naim top scoring with 36.

Rohit then took centre stage, becoming only the

Rohit Sharma hit a blistering 83 off 43 balls.

second man to play a hundred internationals in the shortest format - Shoaib Malik being

the other - with a domineering 85 off 43 balls.

The prolific stand-in captain struck six sixes in another magnificent knock and India cruised to their target with 26 balls to spare, blowing Bangladesh away in a match that was in doubt due to Cyclone Maha and set up a decider in Nagpur on Sunday.

Liton Das and Naim got the Tigers off to a good start, but an opening stand of 60 ended when Rishabh Pant ran the former out for 29 after he was given two lives.

Naim looked well set until he holed out attempting to launch Washington Sundar over the ropes, then Chahal put the brakes on by removing Mushfiqur Rahim and snaring Soumya Sarkar (30) stumped in an excellent 13th over.

Captain Mahmudullah struck a brisk 30, but Chahal and Deepak Chahar (1-25) restricted the tourists to a below-par total with skilful death bowling.

It soon became clear that was nowhere near enough as

Rohit cut loose with exquisite timing and power, reaching his half-century off only 23 balls by clattering Afif Hossain’s first ball for six.

Shikhar Dhawan was cramped up by the seamers, but looked more at home facing spin before he was bowled for 31 giving Aminul Islam the charge - ending a stand of 118 from only 65 balls.

Rohit continued to treat the Bangladesh attack with disdain, hitting Mosaddek Hossain for three sixes in a

row and looking certain to make a fifth T20I hundred before he was taken in the deep trying to dispatch Aminul into the stands.

Shreyas Iyer (24 not out) struck the winning runs to put the Tigers out of their misery and ensure it is all to play for in the third and final match of the series.

32

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday November 8, 2019

Sankar's Auto Works inks 27 Clash of Champions deal PAGE

Dharry to fight Andrew Moloney for vacant WBA World Super Flyweight title

Darsho Singh (right) hands over Sankar’s sponsorship to the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club’s Motilall Deodas..

SHC Silencers, GBTI GCC Spartans win big on opening night

PAGE

27

Elton Dharry

PAGE

27 Part of the action in the sixth Annual Junior Indoor Hockey Championships at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. (Adrian Narine photo)

Andrew Moloney Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limited, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 226-3243-9 (General); Editorial: 227-5204, 227-5216. Fax:227-5208

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019