Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_12_07_2019

SATURDAY 7th December, 2019

' No.105844

‘Don’t run from your record’ PAGE

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…PNCR challenges PPP to embrace ‘scandal-tarred record’ …lists 12 scams that dogged the former regime GTT offers $5M for info on vandalised cable …says over 10 cases of vandalism for 2019 21 PAGE

‘I have done everything humanly possible’ -- to resolve Belle Vue Coop Society issue, says Minister Scott PAGE

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Police walkabout in Kaneville, Grove PAGE

16 The Restoration and Life Ministries on Friday evening held its annual Christmas tree light up at the church’s compound in Caneveiw Avenue, South Ruimveldt. The occasion was attended by children from South Ruimveldt and other neighbouring communities who participated in the ushering-in of the jolly season. (Delano Williams photo) (See story on page 8)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

Private sector to benefit from training at Centre of Excellence

MEMBERS of the private sector will soon be able to benefit from the training

provided by the Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (CEIT).

This was disclosed by Minister of Public Telecommunications, Hon. Catherine

H.E. President David Granger and former Indian High Commissioner to Guyana Venkatachalam Mahalingam unveil the plaque to commission the Centre for Excellence in Information Technology in June 2019. Looking on is Telecommunications Minister Hon. Catherine Hughes

Students in a classroom in the Centre for Excellence in Information Technology

Hughes, during an interview with the Department of Public Information(DPI).

According to the Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes, currently, only members of the public sector benefit from the programmes offered by the CEIT. These include JAVA Programming, Data Communication & Networking, Advanced Web Technologies, among several others.

“I am happy to say that we are now in discussion with the Indian Government and we are going to make the facility and the training opportunities open, also, to those persons in the private sector.”

Highlighting the impor-

tance of the facility, Minister Hughes said “we are working to incorporate the use of technology more into the way we conduct business in Guyana; the way the government operates. Therefore, the Centre of Excellence is key to ensuring that we can train people.”

The CEIT is a centre of academic engagement and excellence and the government’s leading provider of research-informed ICT education and projects for the Public Sector. The facility is just one of the many efforts by the Ministry of Public Telecommunications aimed at promoting the use of technology in Guyana.(DPI)

‘Bounga’ found guilty of murder FORTY-TWO-YEAROLD Mark Atkinson called ‘Bounga’ was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment for the 2014 murder of a gold miner at Blackwater Landing, Konawaruk River.

The sentencing was handed down by Justice Gino Persaud at the Suddie High Court on Tuesday, December 3, 2019.

The indictment read that Atkinson, on June 3, 2014,

at Blackwater Landing, murdered Bearum Anderson called ‘Oshaka’ He was found guilty of the charge.

According to reports, on the day in question, Anderson, 30, of Jonestown, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara and Atkinson were involved in an argument. During the argument, Atkinson reportedly pulled out a firearm and shot Anderson.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

‘Don’t run from your record’ …PNCR challenges PPP to embrace ‘scandal-tarred record’

…lists 12 scams that dogged the former regime AS the elections campaign heats up, the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR), on Friday, challenged its main political rival – the PPP – to embrace its 23-year record in government – which that party said was dogged by some 12 scandals and mismanagement of the country.

The PPP had been making allegations against the government on corruption, but on Friday PNCR executive member, Aubrey Norton, reminded that the PPP’s 23 years in office was punctuated by scandal after scandal.

Those being: The stone scam; The milk scam; The gold scam; The law books scam; The re-migrant duty-free-vehicle scam; The Cane Grove Conservancy Dam scam; The IAST scam; The wildlife scam; The export of dolphins scam; The Polar Beer scam; The GuySuCo scam and the fibre-optic cable scam, among many others.

Norton, a former Member of Parliament, told a news conference held at Congress Place that the PPP led by its Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali is “ashamed of their abysmal performance during their 23 years in government. It is now clear that the PPP is trying to run away from its 23 years of misrule,

corruption and division. The PPP record is so sordid, that they can boast about nothing; so, they have resorted to lies and empty promises in an attempt to get the electorate to forget their 23 years of chaos, confusion and corruption,” Norton told the media.

He said the PNCR will not allow the PPP to run away from their record. It is theirs and they must run on that record. According to Norton, apart from the daily lies, the PPP continues to make outlandish promises to its core supporters and the general electorate that it knows it cannot and will not keep. “Anyone listening to the pronouncements being made by the PPP would think that this was a brand-new political party and not the old worn-out PPP that misruled Guyana for 23 years; before being voted out of office in 2015, just four short years ago,” Norton stated.

He said Irfaan Ali and his cronies are attempting to reinvent themselves, “but we all know that this is the same old PPP (like the old saying goes - you can put lipstick on a pig - but it will still be a pig). It is a fact that while in government, the PPP and their cronies considered themselves to be above the law. The former Attorney

companies,” Norton charged.

PNCR Executive, Aubrey Norton

General, Anil Nandlall, is before the courts in the lawbooks scandal. Irfaan Ali, the Presidential Candidate is before the court facing 19 charges. It is a fact that the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA) is currently investigating how oil blocks were given to companies that do not have any experience in petroleum exploration.

These blocks were awarded

by President Donald Ramotar just days before the May 2015 General and Regional Elections. Intelligence suggests that these blocks are held by known PPP associates through off-shore shell

THE REAL PPP He said this is the real PPP, “and we must never allow this type of lawlessness to return to government. This is their real record and they must defend it. It is a fact that during the PPP’s 23 years in government, the World Bank's worldwide governance indicators reflected that government corruption was a serious problem. It is a fact that while in office, assets acquired by senior PPP Government officials and corrupt business people bore no relationship to their incomes and earnings.

One only has to look at the mansion that Irfaan Ali built after just three years as a government Minister,” Norton said. He said it is a fact that the PPP has an unenviable track-record of lies and broken promises. “During a recent interview, the dishonest Irfaan Ali promised to reopen closed sugar estates; create 50,000 new jobs; get rid of the Value Added Tax (VAT) and return free tertiary education; but the biggest lie of them all, was Irfaan Ali’s claim that the PPP had always kept the promises made in their election manifestos,” Norton observed.

He said in the first in-

stance, the PPP was given $34.8B by the European Union (EU) to protect sugar workers jobs and strengthen GuySuCo. “The PPP chose to squander that money on vanity projects other than investing in sugar workers and preparing the industry for the end of the EU sugar subsidy.

In the end, the PPP resorted to closing the Diamond, LBI and Wales estates. Now Irfaan Ali and the PPP, the same people who destroyed the sugar industry in Guyana, are promising to miraculously reopen the closed estates…” Norton stated.

He told the media that in 2007, the PPP introduced a 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT), but now wants Guyanese to believe that if elected to office, they will get rid of VAT. “The PPP introduced hefty tuition fees for University of Guyana students; now the PPP wants you to believe that if elected to office, they will remove university fees after five years…”

LOCAL GOV’T ELECTIONS According to Norton the PPP has an unenviable track record of failing to deliver on election promises made, noting that the party in their 2011 Manifesto told Guyanese that they would hold local government elections.

“The PPP never held local government elections.

The PPP promised to create 25,000 ‘high quality’ jobs in the ICT sector; the PPP never delivered; instead,

Guyana lost billions of dollars in a failed fibre-optic scam. In their manifesto, the PPP promised the people of Linden 1000 new jobs in the bauxite sector and 800 new jobs in the forestry sector; this never happened.

The PPP promised to open call-centres in Enmore, Tuschen, Corentyne and on the Essequibo Coast which they boasted that this would create 5000 new jobs; never happened. Other Manifesto promises like the deep-water harbour at the mouth of the Berbice River, the chip factory in Wakenaam and the cereal plant at Anna Regina were all empty promises,” Norton reminded.

He said the PPP had their time and their track record proves that they are “dishonest, unscrupulous and too incompetent to govern in the interest of all of the people of Guyana.”

He said since President David Granger’s election to office, Guyana has begun moving in the right direction. “President Granger has always ensured that the coalition government is working for all Guyanese regardless of ethnicity, geography, gender, party affiliation or class. Together let us keep moving forward.

At the next elections, the PNCR urges all Guyanese to vote APNU+AFC to ensure a better future for all,” Norton said.

PPP’s statement of reopening estates is ‘disingenuous’ – says Trotman

--says Gov’t working to transition ex-sugar workers to O&G sector MINISTER of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman has condemned the People’s Progressive Party (PPP)’s promise of reopening the shuttered sugar estates, saying that such statements from the political opposition are “disingenuous”.

“A statement like we are going to reopen estates is not true; it is really meant to be disingenuous, and shows that they are not being up-front with the people,” Minister Trotman said during an interview with Social Activist, Mark Benschop on Benschop Radio on Tuesday evening.

The minister has joined trade unionists and other political leaders in criticising the PPP for making such “false” promises. Government, as part of an effort to rekindle the sugar industry and return it to viability had closed the Wales (West Bank

Demerara), Enmore (East Demerara), Rose Hall and Skeldon (East Berbice) Sugar Estates.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo had said if the PPP wins the next elections, its members will find a way to reopen those estates.

“The PPP will find a way of reopening the estates that are closed, so as to put people back to work. We will explore all forms of partnerships to get that done, plus innovative financing and investments so people can return to providing for their families,” Jagdeo said.

Jagdeo’s comments were repeated by PPP’s Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali, who said the party will reopen shuttered estates of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), even as the party and its presidential candidate continue to dodge specifics

on how they plan to go about that without further sinking the industry.

On Monday, the Guyana Chronicle had quoted veteran Trade Unionist, Lincoln Lewis as saying that the utterances made by PPP Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali that he would reopen sugar estates should not be trusted, and flaying the opposition for floundering opportunities during its time in office to reform the industry.

“These promises in very many cases bear no semblance to reality. For the PPP now in their Manifesto to say they would reopen the sugar estates, I would like to know on what information basis they are going to do that,” APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon said at a recent PNCR news conference.

“This blank statement that we will reopen sugar

Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman

estates,” Harmon said, “when you examine it; when you go into the details, you will see how fake this promise is. And it is not something that any right thinking Guyanese can take on face value.”

Meanwhile, Government

has been working towards resuscitating the sugar industry, and only recently while speaking with radio personality Stan Gouveia, President David Granger said actions taken by his government were intended to reform the sugar industry. He said, too, that because of those efforts, the industry will, in three to five years, be the most sustainable one in the English-speaking Caribbean region.

“All we have done is to ensure that three mega estates are protected. The idea is not to shut down the industry; it is to reform the industry; bring production to about 147,000 tonnes, maintain a labour force that is as large as necessary, and keep the sugar industry alive,” the President said.

GuySuCo is currently using three estates for produc-

tion: Blairmont and Albion in Berbice, and Uitvlugt in West Demerara.

Minister Trotman added to what the President said, noting that Government has maintained its duty of ensuring that former sugar workers receive training so that they could be ready for the next industrial giant, oil and gas.

“With oil coming, we will transition most if not all those workers in the sugar industry… Quite a few have been already retrained or are being retrained…

We had trained about 100 sugar workers at the Port Mourant Training Centre, and most of them have been hired by ExxonMobil, or its subsidiaries… We need more than that, and we need to let the people know that we could turn to other industries,” said Trotman.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 7, 2019

Bloomberg denies trying to buy White House Michael Bloomberg, one of the world’s richest men and a candidate to take on President Donald Trump next

Michael Bloomberg, one of the world’s richest men (BBC News)

year, has denied trying to buy the White House.

Mr Bloomberg’s rivals for the Democratic presidential

nomination have accused him of doing exactly that.

The ex-New York City mayor entered the race in late November with one of the largest political ad buys ever.

Despite his late entry to the race, he is currently polling fifth on 4% out of 15 candidates.

Asked to respond to the claim he was trying to buy the election, Mr Bloomberg told CBS of his rivals: “I’m doing exactly the same thing they’re doing, except that I am using my own money.

“They’re using somebody else’s money and those other people expect something from

them.

“Nobody gives you money if they don’t expect something.

And I don’t want to be bought.”

Liberal Democratic White House front-runners have been criticising Mr Bloomberg, who used to be a Republican.

Senator Elizabeth Warren recently snapped up a TV ad spot on Mr Bloomberg’s own network - Bloomberg TV - accusing him of trying to buy the election to avoid paying higher taxes.

Another leading Democratic contender, Senator Bernie Sanders, last week said Mr Bloomberg was using his bil-

lions “not to buy a yacht, not to buy a fancy car, but to buy the United States”.

According to Bloomberg News, its owner has spent $59m (£45m) on advertising since entering the race, relatively late in the political season.

Asked by CBS why he had changed his mind about running - after saying in September that he would not - Mr Bloomberg said the Democratic field was weak.

“I watched all the candidates,” he said. “And I just thought to myself, Donald Trump would eat them up.”

Mr Bloomberg also said he

did not warn former Vice-President Joe Biden - another leading Democratic 2020 candidate - that he planned to enter the race.

The tycoon also said he was not trying to take Joe Biden’s “job” - political pundits have said Mr Bloomberg’s campaign is a sign of Mr Biden’s perceived weakness.

Mr Bloomberg’s net worth is $52bn, according to Forbes 17 times more than Mr Trump.

Before setting up a mass media empire, Mr Bloomberg made his billions from data terminals widely used in the financial industry. (BBC)

Saudi student kills three at US naval base The gunman who killed three people at a US naval base in Pensacola, Florida, is a Saudi student, officials say.

The suspect, a Saudi military member in training at the site, was shot dead after the attack in a classroom.

The local sheriff’s office confirmed eight others were injured in the attack. The shooter used a handgun.

It is the second shooting to take place at a US military base after a US sailor shot dead two

07 December, 2019 - 02:00hrs ~ 03:30hrs

workers at the Pearl Harbour military base on Wednesday.

Authorities were alerted to the shooting at the base on the waterfront southwest of Pensacola at 06:51 (12:51 GMT).

“Walking through the crime scene was like being on the set of a movie,” said Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan.

Two officers were shot in the limbs but are expected to recover.

“Obviously the government of Saudi Arabia needs to make things better for these victims,” said the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis.

“I think they’re going to owe a debt here, given that this was one of their individuals,”

he added.

An investigation was taking place and names of victims would not be released until next of kin had been notified, the US Navy said in a statement.

President Donald Trump tweeted that he had received a full briefing.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time,” he wrote.

According to its website the naval airbase, which is still in lockdown, employs more than 16,000 military and 7,400 civilian personnel.

(BBC)

Wednesday December 4, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 7, 2019

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‘Hidden server’ used to rig Bolivia elections An independent international audit of Bolivia’s disputed election in October has detailed “deliberate” and “malicious” efforts to rig the vote in favour of then-President Evo Morales.

The Organisation of American States (OAS) said the measures included hidden servers and falsified signatures.

Mr Morales fled to Mexico after the army urged him to quit. He has not commented on the report.

The interim president has pledged new elections but no date has yet been set.

Jeanine Áñez, a former right-wing senator, called the OAS findings “frightening”.

She has previously said Mr Morales, Bolivia’s first indigenous president who was seeking a fourth term, should face prosecution if he returns to the country.

According to the OAS, the “intentional manipulation” and

The election results sparked widespread protests in Bolivia (BBC photo)

“serious irregularities” included “changes in the minutes and the falsification of the signatures of poll officials”, making it impossible to validate the official results of the 20 October vote.

In the processing of the results, it said in the 95-page final

report (in Spanish), the data was redirected to two hidden servers and not controlled by officials at the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, opening the way for the manipulation of data.

There was also “loss of sensitive material [and] a significant number of errors”.

“Based on the overwhelming evidence found,” the regional body said, “what can be affirmed is that there has been a series of intentional operations aimed at altering the will expressed at the polls.”

A former coca farmer, Mr Morales took office in 2006 and

won plaudits for fighting poverty and improving the economy.

However he drew controversy by defying constitutional limits to run for a fourth term.

Questions about the legitimacy of the election were first raised when the results count inexplicably paused for 24 hours. The final result gave Mr Morales slightly more than the lead he needed to win outright, sparking protests across the country.

An initial OAS report had already pointed to “clear manipulation” of the election and called for it to be annulled. In response, Mr Morales agreed to replace the electoral authorities and hold a fresh poll.

But days later, on 10 November, Mr Morales stepped down and sought asylum in Mexico following an intervention by the chief of the armed forces calling for his resignation. He denounced the move as a “coup”.

Since leaving office, Mr Morales has been accused by the interim government of terrorism and sedition over his alleged role in fomenting unrest, allegations he disputes.

Reacting to the OAS final findings, Ms Áñez said: “This report... accurately describes the way in which the MAS [Mr Morales’ political party] government weaved together a network of corruption from the powers of the state to mount this monumental fraud.”

Speaking at a news conference, she added: “The government of Evo Morales had no scruples in having a laugh at the expense of Bolivians.”

At least 30 people have died in violence since the election, most of them after Mr Morales’ resignation. Last month, Congress approved legislation paving the way for a new vote barring Mr Morales from running. (BBC)

Latin music dominates YouTube’s 2019 top videos Stormzy’s infectious single Vossi Bop was the mostwatched music video of 2019 in the UK, YouTube has revealed.

Based around a viral dance craze, the video sees the star rapping on Westminster Bridge and features a cameo from Idris Elba. Sam Smith and Normani’s Dancing With A Stranger was the second-biggest video. Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy came third.

Outside the UK, Latin music dominated, accounting for all of YouTube’s top five music videos.

the earworm groove of Con Altura.

It’s the third year in a row that a Latin song has topped YouTube’s global chart. In 2018, the honour went to Nio García’s Te Boté; while in 2017, it was Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s Despacito (which is the most-viewed video in the site’s history, with 6.5bn views).

The figures reflect Latin America’s increasing importance to the music industry: It’s the world’s fastest-growing music market - revenues increased by 16.8% last year,

its heart - but, due to copyright infringement, this was never recognised,” said Afo Verde, chairman of Sony Music Latin Iberia, earlier this year.

“When consumption began to take the form of streaming, the results were impressive.”

“I think it has been a sleeping giant for years and years, and the reality is that it’s a country with more than 200 million people. And it’s a country that loves music,” added Jesus López, chairman of Universal Music Latin America. However, the spec-

Daddy Yankee, Stormzy and Billie Eilish racked up millions of views for their music videos in 2019 (BBC photo)

Top of the list is Daddy Yankee’s Con Calma - which interpolates Snow’s 1990s rap classic Informer; while electro-flamenco singer Rosalía takes second place with

with Brazil the largest contributor.

“Without any doubt, there was always huge music consumption in Brazil - it’s a country that truly has music at

tre of piracy still looms over the market. It’s notable that Latin artists thrive on YouTube, an advertising-supported platform, but have a lesser impact on services like Spo-

tify and Apple, which generate larger revenues through monthly subscriptions.

There have also been accusations that record labels in South America are “buying”

views on YouTube to boost their artists’ profiles.

Both Spotify and Apple Music released their own most-streamed charts this week, and artists like Daddy

Yankee were conspicuously absent; with Western stars like Camila Cabello, Lil Nas X and Post Malone populating the countdown. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 7, 2019

Repositioning Guyana’s foreign policy for better efficiency THE recently announced changes within the very important Ministry of Foreign Affairs has again underlined that President David Granger is not averse to making changes, wherever such changes are necessary for the better functioning of his Cabinet and government in the process.

This is perhaps, according to memory, the most comprehensive change in such a vital ministry to be undertaken by any incumbent government in its constitutional life in Guyana.

As is known, ambassadors, as is the custom, are usually given a three to five-year sojourn at a particular posting, after which they are recalled for evaluation.

If found to be satisfying in terms of performance, they may be reassigned in similar capacity, or given a similar status appointment within the said ministry or elsewhere in

the State. One will not expect a high State plenipotentiary to be posted to another location, if he/ she is found to have underperformed, or not at all. Of course, this is from a layman’s empirical point of view.

Such a ministry is dynamic, and has to be discharging its functions in accordance with such an international environment, giving watchful concern with regards to the conduct of a foreign policy that is best suited to the domestic needs of its particular country of origin. One should therefore refer to President Granger’s statement, at the time of the announcement of Guyana’s Mission Heads, that he expects the nation’s highest grade of diplomats to conduct an economic foreign policy. This can only be initiatives which must benefit Guyana. This is the axiom of every nation’s foreign policy.

Though the announcement of the recall of some Mission Heads may be open to speculation, it is quite clear that the Coalition administration is not prepared to have such category of diplomats posted to a particular jurisdiction for two decades and more, as were the many instances during the former PPP/C regime. As far as is known, all of the top diplomats appointed by the current government have been at their current locations since 2015. We stand corrected by stating that there is only one ambassador who is in the very senior years category of almost 20 years or over, who had been retained from the former PPP/C incumbency currently.

Such prolonged overseas postings, which took place from 1992 to 2015, would have resulted in serious stagnation/stultification of many well-deserving and talented

career diplomats personnel, some of whom, out of frustration, would have departed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

No country’s diplomatic corps is expected to grow and wax in stature in such a suppressed state of affairs, as had been the experience during those unfortunate years. Such a ministry expands best in its diplomatic capabilities by exposing capable and competent staff to overseas experiences in different milieus, on a succession bases, while affording further professional in-house training for more junior levels who hope to aspire to higher levels of the ministry. No doubt that there was also hint of sending quality staff to foreign locations on merit, thus ending supersession.

What must also be recognised and appreciated is that there are new academic talents that have

been headed in the direction of this key ministry, possessing such skills in climate change, environmental law, environmental economics, and environmental diplomacy; multi-lingual specialists, which every such ministry must always have; petrochemical law, and the vital quantum of energy, which, more than ever, such a ministry would need, given Guyana’s changed status as an imminent oil and gas producer.

One should therefore see the impending changes as re-positioning Guyana’s foreign policy, not only to be able to cope with the unending attention which Guyana has already begun to receive, due to its evolving economic status, but also to bring its best talent for ensuring that the nation’s best interests are served.

Road works in Lamaha Springs to be completed before year-end

Dear Editor,

THE Ministry of Public Infrastructure is responding to two articles published in the Guyana Times Newspaper on Thursday, December 5, 2019 under the headlines ‘Lamaha Springs residents frustrated by road woes’ and ‘Excavated drain at Festival City blocks roadway’.

With regard to the first

article mentioned above, it was reported to the ministry that works were stalled as a result of the contractor’s inability to source materials for the completion of one aspect in the construction of the road. This stage, as explained by the Ministry’s Senior Engineer for Miscellaneous and Urban Roads, required crush-and-run, a material that is currently scarce in Guyana.

Nevertheless, she ex-

plained that a site visit was conducted this morning (December 6, 2019), which confirmed the discomfort caused to motorists. In this regard, the Engineer posited that most of the rain water was drained off of the road, which will allow for the filling and smoothing of the road’s surface this weekend. This phase will be followed by the laying of crush-and-run in the new week, and asphalt the

following week.

Similarly, in Festival City, where a particular access road was impassable as a result of ongoing works, the Ministry’s Engineer, under Traffic/Safety/ Maintenance explained that works were delayed due to a hurdle encountered by the contractor.

Further, the Minister of Public Infrastructure, Honourable David Patterson, has given directives to the Traffic/Safe-

ty/Maintenance Manager and his team to ensure that this project is completed before the end of 2019.

The ministry would like to sincerely apologise to the residents and commuters for any discomfort caused during this time as a result of the ongoing works. We anticipate the completion of both projects before year-end, and we are confident that these projects will be of great bene-

fit to all road users within the area. We thank the residents for their patience as we work together towards developing our communities and country at large.

Regards, Davina Ramdass Public Relations Officer Ministry of Public Infrastructure

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 7, 2019

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Universal message Dear Editor, IT brought a smile, relief and an immense sense of

renewal. The premature baby girl found buried alive in a claypot back in mid-October in India is

thriving and fully recovered. So says the doctor who cared and nurtured her.

The news of her find was a mixture of anger and hope as she battled for life. At this special time of year, she

is the symbol that unites us all with love and hope, and the universal message that life is ever so precious.

Stay well baby girl!

Regards, Shamshun Mohamed

TIGI Board responds to Freddie Kissoon Dear Editor,

Recently, KN Columnist Freddie Kissoon wrote a piece in which he leveled certain accusations against TIGI. The basis of this attack was a conversation which he overheard between our director Alfred Bhulai and Mr. Donald Rodney. He drew certain conclusions from what he thought he heard.

Mr. Bhulai responded and explained that (a) Mr. Rodney was not accusing TIGI of not helping him and that to the contrary (b) TIGI and Mr. Rodney had explored options the latest of which had not been agreed. This meant that Columnist Freddie Kissoon had a) jumped to a false conclusion from the little he had overheard of the discussion, and b) he had not even sought to establish the accuracy of what he was about to write.

Instead of apologising, Mr Kissoon decided to embark upon the floating of a Trumpian distraction in which he was going to make TIGI the villain. It should be apparent, from his studious avoidance of the original claim he made in his subsequent letter, what his aim was.

However, in his follow-up letter he made certain claims which we need to address. The target of this statement is therefore the reading public - not Mr Kissoon as we will not continue to help him in his fake urgency to discredit Dr. Troy Thomas whom he had seen it fit to praise previously.

In the simple world of Freddie Kissoon, TIGI does investigations. Transparency International of which we are an affiliate does not do investigations. TIGI would enquire into a matter. That is different. This requires a person making a claim of corruption to produce evidence and be willing to stand by their claim. Investigations are generally the purview of investigative journalists.

For example, in a case a few years ago, a complaint was made to TIGI against a government official by an ex-associate of his who wanted the matter exposed and who felt that the press was unwilling to take up the matter. Through the agency of TIGI, the matter was finally exposed in the media and projects in which he was involved brought to an end.

In the simple world of

Freddie Kissoon, TIGI’s duty is to investigate UG. More specifically “rampant opaque governance” and “financial recklessness” that took place under the tenure of Dr. Ivelaw Griffith. In this simple world of Freddie Kissoon, recklessness on the part of the UG administration, such as he perceives, must be matched by equal recklessness, that is by a self-appointment

by TIGI to the role of Commission of Enquiry. And this must be championed and seen to be championed by none other than Dr. Troy Thomas who is now Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences himself.

In the simple world of Freddie Kissoon, there is no conflict of interest, no need for persons whose roles are likely to conflict to recuse themselves in such matters.

We need not insult the intelligence of the reading public by further dwelling on this absurdity. We are glad that Freddie Kissoon, as he says, recognises the work we are doing. He hopefully can excuse us if we say that we regard highly the efforts of our fellow Guyanese and successive administrations

Thank God for the cameras!

Dear Editor, WITH reference to “Berbice women to face charges over assault to Police Officer and other incidents”, News Source, December 05, 2019.

This is an ugly case of brattish behaviour, perhaps premised by possession of wealth, which is known to foster an unfortunate misunderstanding of the world, its requirements for civility as human beings, and a recklessness of conduct that often clashes with law and order, as seems to be the case from the incident reported in News Source. It is a category of sub-social behaviour that exists.

The fact that both Ramsook sisters ended up at their district

police station should therefore come as no surprise. It was inevitable that their loutish behaviour would have caused such.

It was even more disturbing that their out-of-control and boorish behaviour could have continued, even within the precincts of a citadel, representative of the Law, attracting a caution from an on-duty police officer, who proceeded to be assaulted, inclusive also of being threatened with dismissal. Thank God that that office remained at the highest professional level in dealing with suchhigh-voltage disrespect for the law, coupled with the provocation and indignity suffered.

She must be commended.

But it is the resort to racial slurs, no less worrying than the other issues arising out of the irresponsible and disagreeable conduct of the two young women that must be noted. These two women, and others of similar disposition, must know that those officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), men and women, are there to protect and serve the citizens of this nation.

And they execute this mandate, in different forms, whether as beat-duty patrol, or being placed at police stations, where it is their duty to receive complaints from the public, as well as investigating such instances when detained citizens are brought in for whatever reason/ cause, to whichever precinct.

at the University of Guyana.

We believe that managing such a large institution over the decades and latterly in the face of growing competition cannot be easy. We have our own challenges in a small organisation such as TIGI. We are aware of the challenges of getting competence to prevail in every organisation especially against loyalty.

We are also aware that there is never agreement between levels of staff on the allocation of scarce resources. The fact that a backward political culture has insisted on stamping its authority on every institution in Guyana does not help in the least. In fact, the Donald Rodney vigil traces its roots to this same problem when Dr. Walter Rodney was barred by the government of those days from working at UG. However, we (that is, the directors other than Dr. Troy Thomas, who has recused himself from this statement) are quite satisfied that there are mechanisms available to a vibrant university community which are fully utilised including demonstrations and strikes that would be more appropriate to deliver redress, long before a problem

is brought to an organisation like TIGI. So we wish to make clear that we do not act on innuendos made by trigger-happy columnists.

In the simple world of Freddie Kissoon , there is no line to cross between an employee who is part of the administration acknowledging, whether on TV or otherwise, that there are problems in his workplace and the outright pursuit of a campaign to expose his own team. In the simple world of Freddie Kissoon, confidentiality requirements of good human resource practice and protection of the rights of every employee including those he deems miscreants does not exist. Perhaps he is able to distinguish between the quite proper protection imposed by such legal requirements and “rampant opaque governance”. We cannot and do not have the resources for that even if we were likely to succeed in such an endeavor.

As for moral authority, we wish to let the public know that at Transparency International’s last Annual Members Meeting held in Berlin last month, the organisation addressed frontally and openly certain accusations

made against its board and management.

This is how an organisation addresses problems within in order to have the moral basis to accuse others. It is not a member airing grievances to the public while still being part of the organisation. We end this statement by putting the issue back where it belongs - in the domain of a blunder made by a columnist in not taking the trouble to ensure that he had heard correctly before expounding and by the obvious resort to a distraction.

We do not expect him to keel over and acknowledge his embarrassment but instead to keep digging. He must be allowed to heap more material that can only result in further discredit and lack of trust in what he reports.

He must be allowed to engulf himself in the quicksand he has created for himself unimpeded by TIGI. As for us, this is the first and last comment by the board on his distraction. We have bigger fish to fry.

It is further reminded that these functions are carried out by thousands of enlisted men and women, who are representative of the nation’s ethnic pool, and are mandated to do so in an entirely professional manner. This uncompromising principle has been the masthead of the President Granger–led APNU+AFC administration, and its gradual implementation as a component of the Security Sector Reform Programme, has been bearing gradual fruit in an evolving new-look Guyana Police Force.

The Ramsooks et al must again be reminded that it is those same officers who carry out their duties for, and on behalf of, law and order, protecting all citizens, irrespective of ethnicity or race; and in the same vein they would have to deal with alleged infringers of

the law, inclusive of their type allegedly unlawful conduct.

Editor, given the deeply polarised society that we have become, it is not difficult to discern the devious insertion of the race card as a definite preparatory means for getting themselves out of the alleged serious traffic violations which these two sisters face, and which would have attracted the usual partisan political accusations from the political opposition. It is the easiest card to play. And I say this without fear or favour, since there is a track record of criticisms levelled against the GPF in that very region whenever they have matters from a certain ethnicity to investigate and seek to enforce the law.

And this is not forgetting the unheard of, unbelievable comments, not surprising, that emanated from a former senior

PPP/C minister in the aftermath of the Berbice Police Division confronting and killing three well-known dangerous criminals, whose several attacks on the Berbice community paralysed citizens with fear.

How could the police have been accused of wasting resources for eliminating three terrorist bandits can only come from highly mischievous politicians.

But thank God for the cameras.

Thank God again; the truth as to the current reported incidents that took place within that police station is there for scrutiny.

But the well-known hypocrites will still find some disingenuous reason(s) to criticise and condemn the GPF.

Regards, TIGI Board

Regards, Carla Mendonca

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

The operations of the drug treatment court

ALMOST two month ago, government opened its first Drug Treatment Court at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, with the aim of rehabilitating drug users and reintegrating them into society.

This pilot programme was made possible with the aid of the Supreme Court of Judicature of Guyana, in collaboration with the Organization of American States Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (OAS-CICAD), and the National Anti-Narcotics Agency.

The programme gives offenders a choice beyond traditional court proceedings, to help them get the treatment needed, to overcome their addiction, and be productive people in society.

Additionally, the pilot programme will help within areas such as prison overcrowding and reducing recidivism, while helping to curb drug addiction in Guyana.

Currently, the supreme court of Judicature has listed a vacancy notice for a case manager for the drug treatment court.

The case manager will provide counselling, support services to the drug offender.

The applicant must hold a degree in social work or

Inside of the drug treatment court

sociology with experience in counselling and be familiar with the justice system, provision of drug treatment support service and drug testing.

On December 2, 2019, a 29-year-old mason was referred to the drug court after he appeared before a City Magistrate for stealing a pressure washer. He pleaded guilty to the charge.

The man suffered from cocaine addiction and stole the pressure washer to aid his drug habit. He was recently released from prison for a similar charge.

He was remanded to prison and an assessment was ordered to determine if he was fit to be placed in the drug treatment court.

Once an offender satisfies the eligibility requirements, his/her sentence would be deferred while he/she participated in the Drug Treatment

Court programme.

Participants who complete the programme may receive a light sentence such as a fine or community service, or have their underlying criminal charge dismissed or have no conviction recorded.

Offenders are given an opportunity to voluntarily enter the court programme and undergo a four-phase treatment plan, supervised by treatment providers and a magistrate.

Participants are rewarded for maintaining their treatment plans and sanctioned for failure to meet their obligations.

Upon successful completion of the programme, there is a graduation ceremony, by which time, the participants will be rehabilitated and prepared for reintegration into their community, where they can meaningfully contribute

to society.

However, if a participant fails to complete the programme that person will be processed as normal in the traditional criminal justice system.

The programme requires a lot of commitment from participants and dedicated case supervision from the drug treatment court team.

It may require participation for many months to help the person maintain longterm recovery strategies.

Offenders are ‘treated’ with random drug tests to ensure that they stay clean.

Participants must attend court frequently so they can be monitored and encouraged to make and maintain their recovery.

The pilot programme was designed to give structure to participants’ lives and to support their recovery. Unlike traditional court, Drug Treatment Courts take a collaborative approach to justice.

The magistrate, state prosecutor, defence attorney, probation officer, police officer, treatment provider, and mental health specialists work together with each participant to seek solutions for his or her benefit.

Restoration and Life Ministries ushers in Christmas season THE R es toration and Life Ministries, on Friday evening, held its annual Christmas tree light up at the church’s compound in Caneveiw Avenue, South Ruimveldt.

Several children from South Ruimveldt and other neighbouring communities

gathered to witness the beginning of a ‘Holly, Jolly Christmas Season’.

The children were also greeted by First Lady, Sandra Granger, who extended warm Christmas greetings to the children, families and members of the church, who attended the ceremony.

The Christmas Tree in The Restoration and Life Ministries Compound

Sexual assault of boy, 6, being investigated

THE Ministries of Education and Social Protection are investigating the circumstances surrounding the sexual assault of a six-year-old pupil who was allegedly beaten and sodomised in the washroom of an East Coast Demerara (ECD)

school.

“The Ministry of Education wishes to advise that an incident involving students is actively being investigated and a number of stakeholders are involved in the matter. The Ministry of Education

is appealing to individuals to desist from sensationalising issues related to minors and to engage in responsible reporting,” the Education Ministry noted.

The Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) which falls under

the Social Protection Ministry is currently playing its part in the investigation before the child speaks to police investigators.

Police in sub-division C (East Coast Demerara) confirmed that investigators are currently probing the

incident after a report was received earlier in the week.

The matter was reported to police after the child told his father about the incident when he returned home from school.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 7, 2019

9

TOTALTEC wins int’l award WITH Guyana’s interest in becoming a ‘green’ economy even as it enters into oil production, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TOTALTEC Oilfield Services, Lars Mangal believes that Guyana is the ideal partner for companies in the energy sector to put their ‘green’ objectives into action.

This was the CEO’s take away from his attendance at the 2019 World Energy Capital Assembly (WECA) held December 2-3 in London, where the 97 per cent Guyanese company was awarded

by WECA as a finalist for the Service Company of the Year.

There, Mangal presented and participated in a panel session which highlighted the emerging and high-potential regions and companies, and how they are changing the way the industry operates.

In a release from TOTALTEC, the company said on Thursday that the scale of ExxonMobil’s discoveries in Guyana and pace of ramp-

TOTALTEC’s Lars Mangal

ing-up activity to first oil expected in the coming weeks made it clear the country would be of strong interest to the Assembly.

“Being asked to participate in this conference validates the work we are doing in Guyana through our partnerships and the International Petroleum and Maritime Academy,” Mangal said, adding: “There was considerable discussion on the environment, and the importance of the industry working to positively contribute to addressing climate change and other environmental concerns in the countries where it

operates. Guyana is an ideal partner for operators to put these ‘green’ objectives and plans into action.”

The World Energy Capital Assembly brings together the oil and gas and finance and investment worlds and senior executives to discuss emerging and re-emerging energy investment opportunities to review deals, and to chart exploration and production activity globally.

Meanwhile, TOTALTEC delivers a steady flow of trained personnel to international oilfield standards, offers customised training and supports offshore operations through a range of services.

At the event, TOTALTEC was nominated as a finalist for Service Company of the Year with the three other finalists being major oilfield service companies Schlumberger, TechnipFMC and SBM Offshore.

Mangal said: “To be a finalist and considered within this group of four is an honour, and highlights the

World food prices jump in November WORLD food prices rose significantly in November, reaching their highest point in more than two years, driven by jumps in the international prices of meat products and vegetable oils.

The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly-traded food commodities, averaged 177.2 points over the month, up 2.7 per cent from October and 9.5 per cent from the same period a year earlier.

The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index rose by 10.4 per cent in November, as palm oil price quotations rose amid robust global import demand, increased use for the production of biodiesels and expectations of possible supply shortages next year. Rapeseed and soy oil values also rose. The FAO Meat Price Index increased by 4.6 per cent, its largest monthon-month increase in more than a decade. Price quotations for bovine and ovine meats rose the most, buoyed by strong import demand, especially from China ahead of year-end festivities.

Pig and poultry meat prices also rose. The FAO Sugar Price Index rose by 1.8 per cent from October, buoyed by mounting indications that world sugar consumption in the coming year will surpass production - which is being hampered by less-than-ideal growing conditions in Thailand, India, France and the United States of America.

The FAO Cereal Price Index, by contrast, declined by

1.2 per cent amid stiff competition among the world’s leading wheat exporters. Rice values also fell while U.S. maize export prices remained under downward pressure even as those for Argentina and Brazil were generally firmer.

The FAO Dairy Price Index rose marginally from October, nudged up as milk production in Europe entered its seasonal low and global demand remained strong.

RECORD CEREAL PRODUCTION EXPECTED

FAO also released a new worldwide cereal production forecast for 2019, anticipating an all-time high harvest of 2 714 million tonnes, which would be 2.1 per cent higher than in 2018.

The latest upward revision, contained in the new Cereal Supply and Demand Brief also released today, reflects higher-than-previously predicted coarse grain yields in China, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

World output of coarse grains including maize is now forecast at 1 433 million tonnes, marginally short of the record level registered in 2017. After an upward revision for the European Union, global wheat production in 2019 is now forecast to rise by 4.8 per cent from 2018 to reach 766.4 million tonnes. World rice production is likely to reach 515 million tonnes, a mere 0.5 percent drop from the record set in 2018, with Egypt, Madagascar and Nigeria all poised to spearhead a rebound for African rice pro-

duction this season.

FAO’s world cereal utilization forecast for 2019/20 stands at 2 709 million tonnes, up around 21 million tonnes from the previous season. World cereal stocks at the close of seasons in 2020 are now expected to reach 863 million tonnes. At this level, the global cereal stock-to-use ratio would approach a relatively high level of 31 per cent, underscoring a comfortable global supply situation.

World trade in cereals in 2019/20 is forecast at 416 million tonnes, some 1.1 percent higher than in 2018/19.

focus of the awards on companies at the forefront of the industry in regions having exploration and development success.”

The two-day event kicked off with an opening plenary titled, ‘Taking the Pulse of

the Industry in 2019 and Giving Insight to 2020 and Beyond’.

Subsequent topics included the role of environment, social and corporate governance in the future of the industry, insights into

the technological innovations disrupting the future of the oil and gas industry and a number on attitudes of the financial markets to investing in oil and gas.

10

$500M in community ground development

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton, and his team visiting the Cane Grove Community Ground earlier this year

WITHIN the last four years, 674 community grounds across the country have been rehabilitated under the Department of Sport’s ground enhancement project to the tune of $500Million.

Speaking with the Department of Public information (DPI) on Friday, Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, said that for 2019 the department has commissioned 48 grounds with an expected 22 to be commissioned before year-end.

While the initial goal was to upgrade the grounds and provide the necessary facilities for local athletes to hone their talent, Jones remarked that there was a noticeable increase in the establishment of sports clubs.

“This is in keeping with the mandate of the National Sports Commission’s Act which speaks to creating an enabling environment for the advancement of sports and there are spin-off benefits to that,” the Sports Director noted.

According to Jones, when the Coalition Government entered office in 2015, while the project existed, there was no tangible evidence of monies having been spent to develop community grounds across the country.

Director of Sport Christopher Jones

“What we did differently is coordinate the disbursement of those monies with the NDCs and RDCS…we started the disbursement but with the view that we were not only doing a fence or so forth, but the complete ground…so you saw areas where the fencing was done, rehabilitation to the play space and the installation of lights,” he explained.

The Sports Director said that this approach has resulted in many positive spin-offs and it would be remiss of the government to stop there but will continue with an intense focus for the benefit of residents and athletes alike.

Apart from this, moving forward, the department is also looking to purchase more energy-saving lamps for its’ Light it up’ campaign. “Recognising that Guyana is going ‘green’ and that many parts have already gone ‘green’, we are trying to source cheap energy-saving lights that would have sufficient illumination to light the grounds,” he explained. Adding that once the department has secured these lights, steps will be made to install them at all of the community grounds. (DPI)

The lights at Central Mahaicony Community Centre Ground after the commissioning in November

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

Trotman says Troy Resources to return to ‘full strength’ next year -workers will be brought back on during December

AUSTRALIAN-owned, Troy Resources Inc., will be looking to return to full strength by next year, said Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, who said the company will

had approximately 500 employees, including about 80 contracted workers.

Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally had, however, sought to encourage the company to restart operations

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman

start to rebuild its staff complement by hiring more workers during December.

Troy Resources had sacked close to 150 workers in October, after Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott, had issued a cessation order to the company following the death of Geologist, Ryan Taylor, at the gold company’s “Hick’s One Extension” pit.

The company has three pits, the other two being “Larkin” and “Smarts Three”. Taylor died while on duty, after he was buried beneath the rubble of the mining pit which collapsed.

“An officer of the Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health Department has conducted a preliminary investigation which has determined that there is need for further inquiry, particularly in relation to Larkin and Smarts Three,” stated the letter from Minister Scott.

“This decision is taken with the utmost concern for the safety and lives of the most valued resource which is our human resource – managerial and non-managerial alike,” the letter added.

The company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ken Nilsson, and General Manager, Eric Olsen, had said the company, in its suspended state, lost some US$40,000 per day due to expenses to remain in existence. It was reported that overall, the company

by reversing the cessation order that was issued by Minister Scott.

“We have since received the assurance that some work will start soon, but right now, on site, there are about 150 workers who are working,” said Minister Trotman in an interview with Social Activist, Mark Benschop, during a programme on Benschop Radio, on Tuesday.

The minister said the company has also given the assurance, by way of letter, that workers will be “brought back on” by the end of December and by next year the company will return to full strength.

“I had strong words to say about the manner in which workers were laid off, but we need these operations back up and we need to get the workers back up so they can take money back to their families,” said Minister Trotman.

A team of Cabinet members was established to engage stakeholders such as the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Ministry of Social Protection, on issues pertaining to Troy Resources and to find ways of getting the company’s operations up and running.

“We want investors to remain in Guyana and bring jobs and royalties…workers have a right to a fair wage and the company has a right to receive a fair amount of returns on the investments,

but there needs to be a balance between those rights,” said the natural resources minister.

Despite the occurrences over the past month, Trotman said there has been no indica-

tion from the company that they want to pull out from Guyana.

The company had said when it resumes it will be looking to take on back all laid off employees once they

are willing to return.

“They have an option whether they want to work for us or not; we can’t force anybody to come back. These are people we have, we’ve spent massive

amount of money in training. Obviously, if we have to go back and do that all over again, we’ll set ourselves back a long time, so that’s not really desirable,” Nilsson explained.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

Mayor visits Bent Street fire victims

THE Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine along with several members of the Mayor & City Council (M&CC)’s Constituency Eight, has visited the families whose homes were gutted in an early morning fire.

The mayor, upon arriving on the scene, spoke with several victims to make arrangements with the Guyana Relief Council (GRC) about assisting them, since they were unable to save any of their belongings.

The fire, of unknown

City Mayor Ubraj Narine assisting a resident to put out a small flame at the scene

Mayor Narine meeting with Joel Perreira, one of the fire victims

origin, reportedly started at around 05:00hrs and quickly spread to surrounding houses. Luckily, all of its occupants were able to escape unharmed.

When the Guyana Chronicle arrived at the scene, members of the Guyana Fire Service were already battling the fire with support from residents.

A member of the Perreira family, who lived at one of the houses, told the Guyana Chronicle that she was asleep when she was awakened by a sudden “heat”.

“I scream for my sister to wake up and just get out the house,” the woman said. “We were sleeping. I don’t know which side the fire started; we were only able to save our

washer, computer, and couple other things,” she added.

Residents have also reached out to the Perreira family.

Shania Ramdohar, a resident whose house was razed, said the Fire Service responded too late. She said the phone lines were busy, and when she was finally able to speak to someone, the respondent asked her to hold.

“They telling people hold, and it is not an emergency,” she said, adding: “They say they on their way; 10 minutes pass and they wasn’t here.”

Ramdohar said if the response was prompt, other houses could have been saved. Investigations into the fire are ongoing.

Rajendra Prabhulall re-elected Anna Regina mayor RAJENDRA Prabhulall was, on Wednesday, re-elected mayor of the Township of Anna Regina in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region. He was re-elected at an internal election held in the boardroom of the Anna Regina Town Council.

Deputy Mayor, Rudolph Williams, also retained his post. Both men are representatives of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

Prabhulall took his oath after which he thanked the council for having confidence in him for a second term as mayor. He said his first-term in office was very challenging, noting that the council is currently cashstrapped and due to financial difficulties, many projects could not be executed.

He said it is his desire for the town of Anna Regina to continue to develop and prosper.

The council is currently

Anna Regina Mayor, Rajendra Prabhulall

cash-strapped and employees are not paid their November salaries. The mayor said the council has millions of dollars outstanding in rates and taxes and therefore urged businesses and vendors to pay up their taxes. He said, once the outstanding monies are paid to the council, services in the township will be efficient.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

CARDI looks to tackle coconut waste in City THE Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), in collaboration with the Guyana Coconut Industry Developers Co-operative Society Limited, held its fourth annual CARDI Day at the Georgetown City Hall, where the issue of coconut waste disposal was addressed with Mayor Ubraj Narine.

Jhaman Kundun, the officer-in-charge at CARDI stated that green coconut shells pose major disposal and environmental problems for the City. He added that GCIDCO (coconut co-op) is actively pursuing, with the municipality, a business venture to address the 175 tonnes weekly waste water coconut shells in Georgetown.

“We have a European funded, the EU-ACP funded regional project where we are addressing the coconut industry… we want to build back the coconut industry not only in Guyana but throughout the region and its becoming a major sub-sector within the agriculture system,” Kundun

Jhaman Kundun, officer-in-charge at CARDI

explained.

He added that there was a large boost in coconut usage, proportionally and equally with the improving production in usage of coconut. There was also a generation of a lot of waste of the coconut which was causing a lot of problems in Guyana and other Caribbean countries.

Kundun further stated that EU-ACP brought in a coconut shredder to demonstrate that coconut waste was no problem but an opportunity which can be embarked on to create a business, as coconut fibers were used all around the world to make mattresses, car seats and other items.

Mayor Ubraj Narine, along with members of the Georgetown City Council and Guyana Coconut Industry Developers, Co-operative Society Limited (GCIDCO) viewing coconut waste being shredded

He noted that the coconut fibers can also be beneficial for agricultural purposes since it can be used as mulch and compost.

Mayor Ubraj Narine stated that per day Georgetown produces over 20 tonnes of coconut waste; hence, the City Council will work closely with CARDI and GCIDCO to pursue the EU-ACP Regional Coconut Project Industry Development.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

Onverwagt farm-to-market road boosting agriculture –– provides hassle-free access to 40,000 acres of rice land and 10,000 heads of cattle

A $100M upgrade to the Onverwagt farm-to-market road aback of the West Coast Berbice community is nearing completion.

The road provided 125 residents with hassle-free access to some 40,000 acres of rice land and 10,000 heads of cattle. It is also expected to result in lower production and transportation costs during the harvesting and land preparation periods.

On Thursday, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), which is executing the project, said the road is 95 per cent complete and some $10M had been saved.

Engineer for Region Five, Bhagwandass Seeraj, said the money would be used to surface the road leading to the MMA/ADA seed processing plant which

Now: The section of the Onverwagt farm-to-market road that is 95% complete

a short distance away.

According to Seeraj, a section of the road became impassable during the last rainy season making it difficult for farmers and residents living along the banks of the

Abary River to travel.

The new stretch has also been extended by 1.8 kilometres and is designed to cater for the heavy loads associated with rice cultivation and rural farming.

The agriculture ministry’s Agricultural Support Development Unit had previously upgraded a three-kilometre stretch of the road. (DPI)

Man remanded to prison for attempted murder

Flashback! The state of the Onverwagt farm-to-market road last year

MAGISTRATE McGusty, on Thursday December 5, 2019, remanded a 39-yearold farmer to prison for attempted murder.

Micheal Francis appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

Particulars of the charge stated that, on November 28, 2019, at Karasabai South Pakaraima, he attempted to murder Raphael Matthew.

Attorney-at-law Jerome Khan, who represented Francis in the matter, told the court that his client was trying to protect his wife from Matthew who was drunk and had attacked her at their farm, and was threatening to kill her with a hoe.

Micheal Francis

Police Prosecutor Seon Blackman objected to bail being granted to Francis based on the seriousness of the offence and the punish-

ment attached. He added that, on the day in question, there was an argument between Matthew and Francis’ wife and Francis walked over, picked up a hoe, and dealt Matthew a blow to his head, causing the injuries.

Blackman stated that Matthew was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

The court also heard that Francis admitted to the offence and there were witnesses who said that Francis and Matthew had no argument.

Magistrate McGusty, after listening to the prosecutor, remanded Francis to prison until December 16, 2019. The matter was transferred to the Lethem Magistrates’ Court.

Several injured following Soesdyke-Linden Highway accident SEVERAL persons were injured on Friday afternoon after a route 43 minibus toppled and crashed into the bushes at Long Creek on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway following a tire blowout.

According to reports, sometime after 14:00hrs today, the minibus bearing registration, BWW8829, was heading to the city when it suffered a blow-out.

The driver of the bus lost control of the vehicle and it veered into the bushes.

Members of a football team were on board the minibus and they sustained various injuries, none of which was said to be life threatening.

Police are investigating the accident.

The scene of the accident

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 7, 2019

15

Disability community wants GECOM to change policies - to offer more inclusivity

By Telesha Ramnarine THE disability community in Guyana has, for years, been asking for more inclusivity in the processes that govern the general and regional elections and on Friday has engaged the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on the way forward.

The Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), on Friday, held a one-day conference to draft a voter education plan for the disability community, especially youth, and to draft the list of recommendations for submission to GECOM on fulfillment of the voting rights for persons with disabilities.

GCOPD Chairman, Cecil Morris, at the conference at the National Library on Church Street, noted that the disability community has to fight each time there are elections in the country

that those in the disability community have the same rights as everyone else.

US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, offered that there are specific measures that can make voting more accessible for the differently-abled, such as providing options for the blind and visually impaired to vote privately and independently, outlining special instructions for those who are deaf; constructing ramps, slip resistant surfaces and suchlike things.

“All of these steps and more should be taken to ensure that people with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote,” she stated, adding that voting without civic education is a weak form of democracy.

Commissioner of GECOM, Vincent Alexander, welcomed the engagement.

“From a policy perspective, I can only speak for myself. This is a matter that has

US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, interacting with participants at the opening of the National Disability Conference

Disability rights activist, Ganesh Singh, having a word with US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, before the start of the programme

intervention; that has its own problems. Others may require time… so I cannot give an undertaking from a technical perspective.”

GCOPD Chairman, Cecil Morris, says those in the disability community have the same rights as everyone else

to have their say. He wants for the disability community to be afforded the kind of

been brought to our attention in the past,” he noted.

Regarding the techni-

issues related to the timing of the requests, as Guyana is already on the eve of elections.

“Any changes being made,

A number of GECOM commissioners at the conference on Friday

respect due to it, as he noted

calities, he said there may be

some may require legislative

Meanwhile, the oneday National Disability Conference was held as part of other activities during a oneweek period to note the observance of International Day for Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). The 24 member agencies of the GCPD, from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and 10 were represented.

In Guyana, the GCOPD observed that the March 2020 elections will determine the future of Guyanese in a new oil economy, and said it is important to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, especially for marginalised groups.

Recognising this, the GCOPD believes it is important to encourage maximum participation of the disability community in the electoral process through voter education which specifically responds to their needs.

The annual observance of IDPD was proclaimed in 1992, by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 47/3. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of PWDs in all spheres of both society and developmental programmes; giving a voice

to the one billion PWDs living across the world.

“Over the years, PWDs have been marginalised and forced to live on the fringes of society with limited opportunities for living independent, productive lives.

Recognising the circumstances of this marginalised population, the Government of Guyana signed and ratified the UNCRPD. The Guyana Government also made one step further by initiating and implementing a legal framework for the protection and promotion of the rights of PWDs in Guyana by way of the Guyana PWD Act 2010,” GCOPD informed.

However, the body said these legal instruments have not been very effective in mitigating the instances of both overt and covert discrimination and the accompanying impacts, which continue to plague the disability community.

“Within this context, it is important to continue creating opportunities for empowerment for PWDs in Guyana. Currently, most important among these opportunities is citizen participation in the 2020 General and Regional Elections,”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 7, 2019

GPF hosts annual trainees’ Christmas Luncheon RECRUITS of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were given a break from their arduous training and treated to an enticing meal and other goodies, by the hierarchy of the force, at the Annual Trainees’ Christmas Lun-

cheon on Friday.

The luncheon was held at the Police Officers’ Mess Annex, Eve Leary. Present at the luncheon were senior officers of the force, along with branch commanders.

A toast was also made to

President David Granger as the Christmas season unfolds.

The luncheon also served as a platform for future policemen/policewomen to showcase their talents in group dances, poems, songs, and skits.

Police interact with residents of Kaneville

A Santa Clause was also present at the Annual Trainees’ Christmas Luncheon (Delano Williams photo)

OFFICER-IN-CHARGE of the number one Sub-Division in Regional Police Division, Number Four (B), Deputy Superintendent, Marlon Taylor and his team conducted a “walkabout” in Kaneville, Grove, East Bank Demerara recently.

The walkabout commenced

(Center) Commander Senior, Superintendent, Kurleigh Simon interacted with residents of Kaneville, Grove, East Bank Demerara

at “Hammerhead Turn” and concluded at “Wrong Turn” bridge where the team joined Commander of Four (B), Senior Superintendent, Kurleigh Simon and they interacted with the persons present.

Commander Simon urged those present to shun drug abuse, stop upholding lawlessness, negative behaviours and to embrace and empower themselves for positive community development.

The commander also went on to outline the division’s Christmas Policing Plans and social partnership initiatives that will enhance the long term police-community relations, community safety and policing arrangements, among which is the pledged formation of a Community Policing Group by December 23, 2019.

About 70 persons from the community were in attendance.

Prominent Indian dance group performing at Kendra today PROMINENT Indian dance group, Project Chhauni from Odisha, India, performed at the Bal Nivas, Berbice in a show titled “Mayurbhanj Chhau Dance”, on Friday.

geared at reviving the lost glory of dance form Mayurbhanj Chhau. It was launched on May 19, 2016 by Sri Rajesh Prabhakar Patil (Collector and District Magistrate of Mayurbhanj) at

Members of the Project Chhauni performing at the Bal Nivas, Berbice on Friday evening (Deodat Persaud photo)

The group will perform today at Dharmic Sanskritik Kendra, Prashad Nagar, Georgetown at 19:00hrs.

The all-male troop will also conduct workshops today and tomorrow at Dharmic Sanskritik Kendra. This event is a collaboration between the High Commission of India along with Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Georgetown, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Project Chhauni is an initiative of the District Administration of Mayurbhanj in India

Baripda, Mayurbhanj in Odisha State. The Project Chhauni was prepared by Subhasree Mukherjee, a well-known chhau dancer and resident of Mayurbhanj, who has also worked closely with chhau artists and organisers in the past.

Meanwhile, earlier on Friday, Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr K.J. Srinivasa in the presence of President of Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Dr Vindhya Persaud, introduced the group to the media at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre.

The dace group departs Guyana on Monday.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

‘I have done everything humanly possible’ -- to resolve Belle Vue Co-op Society issue, says Minister Scott

By Tamica Marshall MINISTER with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott, said the Ministry of Social Protection (MoSP) has “done everything humanly, morally and legally possible” to resolve the decade-long dispute that has plagued the Belle Vue Cane Farmers Marketing Co-op Society (BCFMCS) and now considers the matter settled.

The minister, on Wednesday, issued a statement in response to a letter to the editor from Shyam Balkarran, who accused to MoSP and other authorities of not stopping the “destruction and illegal occupation” of land owned by the society.

The minister; however, notes that Balkarran, notwithstanding his advocacy for the land, is not a member of the BCFMCS. “I am of the considered opinion that the Ministry of Social Protection has done everything humanly, morally and legally possible to resolve the issues which hindered the functioning of the Belle Vue Co-op Societies for years. We cannot afford to allow any individual who has no standing in the matter to perpetually obstruct the smooth functioning of the society,” the minister said.

The co-op is currently headed by Chairman, Deodat Deokinandan. The BCFMCS dispute began in 2009, stemming from the sale of co-op land to Deokinandan, popularly known as “Beardman”.

The land is owned by GuySuCo but leased to the co-op society.

Earlier this year, Minister Scott; Chief Co-op Officer, Perlina Gifth, and a representative from the Prime Minister’s Office, met with the two disputing sides continuously after tensions boiled over when the two sides clashed to the point of police involvement earlier in February.

CONSIDERED RESOLVED The minister held a meeting in April and a subsequent meeting in May and considers the issue resolved.

“I believe that the min-

istry has already expended vast amounts of resources in

for their lands to be returned and when asked to return the

Minister with responsibility for labour, Keith Scott

addressing this matter which should now be considered closed, without any further treatment. To do otherwise, would be subscribing to an abuse of authority and goodwill, which we can ill afford,” Minister Scott said.

“Over the years, the ministry, in conjunction with the legitimate members of the society, would develop workable solutions which were acceptable to the stakeholders.”

Farmers disputing the validity of the current BCFMCS are said to have signed documents and verbally indicated that they no longer want to pursue the dispute. Deokinandan is said to have bought the lands of some 15 members of the co-op whose membership was terminated because they owed the society.

Over the years, affected farmers have contended that the land was repossessed and then sold without due process. In 2011, then Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, commissioned an enquiry into the situation.

The issue was taken to the then Cabinet where the decision was taken for the affected farmers to receive compensation. All but one of the affected farmers has acknowledged that they received monetary compensation, ranging from $500,000 – $1,500,000.

REFUSED Deokinandan has contended that the farmers were asking

compensation they received, the farmers refused to do so.

In 2017, the disputing farmers began planting cash crops on the land. Deokinandan said the farmers were trespassing. He destroyed the crops and fenced the lands.

Special Purpose Unit Officer-in-Charge of the Wales Estate, Charles Browne, said the estate was willing to offer the contentious farmers other lands but they refused to accept the offer.

Minister Scott said he has been dealing with the issue for some time now and has heard both sides, multiple times.

“When I joined the management team of the Ministry of Labour as it was in 2014… I encountered serious issues pertaining to the Belle-Vue-Farmers’ Co-operative Society. All interested parties were given hearings and opportunities to be heard before any and every decision was made and I must say that in every instance, the ministry was guided by the rules contained in the Co-operative Societies Act, Chapter 88:01,” Scott explained.

“After several years of engaging all interested parties and stakeholders, the contentious issues were resolved through the conduct of an Annual General Meeting in December 2018 at which a Committee of Management was elected by the legitimate members of the society,” he added.

Scott noted that notwith-

standing Balkarran not being a member of the society, he continues to be an agitator of the resolved dispute. The farmers have since indicated that they no longer wish to dispute the matter.

“Balkarran was not residing in Guyana but in Canada. Nevertheless whenever he sought an engagement with the ministry’s officials,

he was always facilitated in the interest of finding an amicable solution to the issues which prevailed and even those which emerged, along the way,” Scott said “Whenever Cde. Balkarran visited Guyana he would instigate some individuals to contest the decisions which were mutually arrived at and which

were working smoothly.

He would not only encourage them to seek an overturning to decisions but also encourage them to boycott meetings called by the ministry to ventilate their grievances. Some of them… have concluded in a letter dated March 26, 2019 that Mr. Balkarran had misled them.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

Four homes razed in Bent Street blaze CHRISTMAS for several Bent Street, Wortmanville families may be bleak, after a fire razed their homes early Friday morning.

The fire of unknown origin started at around 05:00hrs and quickly spread to surrounding houses. The occupants escaped unharmed.

When Guyana Chronicle arrived at the scene, members of the Guyana Fire Service were already battling the fire,

with support from residents.

Several fire fighters were controlling the hose to ensure the fire was put out and it did not destroy a fifth building.

A member of the Perreira family, who lived at one of the houses, told the Guyana Chronicle that she was asleep when she was awakened by a sudden ‘heat’. “I screamed for my sister to wake up and just get out the house. We were sleeping; I don’t know

which side the fire started.

We were only able to save our washer, computer, and couple other things,” she said. She said residents first reacted to assist the families.

Shania Ramdohar, a resident whose house was razed, said that the fire service responded late. She said the phone lines were busy and when she finally spoke to someone, the respondent said “to hold”. ”They telling

The smoldering remains of one homes at Bent Street (Photos by: Jared Liddell)

A resident whose name was given as ‘Natasha’ said she could not save anything. She lived at one of the homes with her two sons.

people hold and it is not an emergency. They say they on their way, ten minutes pass and they wasn’t here,” she said.

Ramdohar added that if the response was prompt, other houses could have been saved.

Another resident who gave her name as ‘Natasha’ said she lived with her two sons, and she was awakened by the ‘smoke’. “I jump out my bed and when I look at the window I saw this fire and by time I could get water to throw it start spreading all

over. I couldn’t save anything. I just woke up my children and run on the road because that is all I had a chance to do. I think it start from my house because it was just a lil thing when I wake up”, Natasha said.

Meanwhile the Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine, on Friday, visited the families who were affected by the fire and showed his concern. Narine also told the residents to make contact with the Guyana Relief Council for assistance.

Man sentenced to two years for trafficking drugs MAGISTRATE Faith McGusty, on Thursday December 5, 2019, sentenced a man to two years in prison and fined him $292,800 for trafficking marijuana.

Abel Simon appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to TURN TO PAGE

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Abel Simon

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

19 GDF ranks graduate from GTI

NINETEEN ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) graduated from the Government Technical Institute (GTI) in Georgetown, on Thursday.

Twelve of them completed two-year programmes while the others completed year one of their programmes. The latter are continuing their studies.

Warrant Officer Class Two, Selwyn Douglas, was the Best Graduating Student in the Technician Certificate in Telecommunication Part One programme, and gained a national awards from the Ministry of Education for his outstanding performance.

Other top performers were Warrant Officer Class One, Sherlock Rigby (Best Graduating Student of the Refrigeration Level II programme), and Lance Corporal, Daeseia Junior (Best Graduating

Student of the Electrical Installation Level II programme).

Graduates of two-year programmes were: WO1, Sherlock Rigby; Staff Sergeant, Leon Martin; Corporals, Osafo Jones, Rawl Wilson, Compton Hinckson, Tyrone Peters, Natisha Dos Santos, Lance Corporals Daeseia Junior, Eon Wilson, Shanesea Jack, Clavon Bacchus, and Mervin Rawlins.

Graduates of year one of their programmes were Corporals Kevon Leitch and Nicholas Riuchards and Lance Corporals Ingrid Inverary, Derrol Cummings, Deana Ash, Michael Persaud and Brandon Stephen.

Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier, Patrick West, officers and ranks of the GDF congratulate the graduates.

GTT offers $5M for info on vandalised cable … says over 10 cases of vandalism for 2019

One of the GTT cables that was vandalised

THE Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) is offering a GY$5M reward for information leading to the arrest of anyone involved in the vandalisation of its fiber cables on the Linden Highway recently. The illegal act resulted in widespread service disruptions.

GTT’s Public Relations and Corporate Communications Manager, Jasmin Harris, said the company has made numerous efforts to put a stop to persons vandalising its cables and is appealing to witnesses and others with knowledge, to come forward with information that can help lead to the arrest of perpetrators.

“For 2019, we have had over 10 cases of vandalism to our infrastructure. We are pleading with the public to report any form of vandalism by calling our 0908 hotline. Such vandalism causes degradation of service and affects many customers,” Harris said. Persons with information can also email tips@gtt.co.gy.

On November 30, GTT received numerous reports of loss of services in the Linden Highway area. Upon inspection, GTT technicians noticed that the Linden Highway cable was cut, leading to the loss of all GTT services in Linden, Bartica, Kwakwani, Ituni, Mabaruma and Port Kaituma.

“Our technicians were forced to work through Saturday evening into Sunday morning to restore services, putting a strain on our human resources. But more importantly, the service to many was affected. Vandalism has quite a negative, domino impact – and is against the law,” Harris shared.

GTT spends millions of dollars to repair vandalised cables across Guyana annually.

The GDF graduates of the Government Technical Institute

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 7, 2019

Tourism Month 2020 expected to be bigger and better DIRECTOR of the Department of Tourism (DoT), Donald Sinclair, has noted the importance of decentralised tourism industries, during a meeting, on Thursday, with tourism committees, from each of Guyana’s respective administrative regions.

The committees did presentations on their accomplishments for Tourism Awareness Month last month and shared some of their future plans.

At the forum, Sinclair also shared with the Regional Committees plans for 2020, where the department will be

focusing on four key pillars under its “Regional Tourism Priorities 2020” plan, which will come under the headlines “Institutional Strengthening”, “Capacity Building”, “Product Strengthening” and “Market Links”.

“The creation of regional tourism committees is a huge momentum to tourism in Guyana. We had some that were started in 2018 but the momentum gained around April 2019. It is a catalyst to developing tourism from the bottom up, for decentralising the planning of tourism,” Sinclair noted.

Thursday’s event also

saw the announcement of the winners of the competition for the cover design of the DoT inaugural annual “Hot Spot 2020: The Regional Travel Companion Magazine”, with East Berbice, Corentyne emerging the winner, and claiming the $100,000 first place prize.

The competition was extended to all of the regions and saw some nine entries.

The $50,000 second place was won by the Upper Takutu- Upper Essequibo Region which submitted four entries.

Third place, for $30,000, also went to another entry from the Upper Takutu- Upper

Co-chairs of the Upper Berbice, Corentyne Regional Tourism Group, Travis Issaacs (left) and Keisha Hamid (second from left), with Priya Malaram (second from right) and her mother, winner of the regions Tourism Awareness Month Secondary School photography competition (Tamica Garnett photo)

Essequibo region Tourism Month saw many of the regional tourism committees focusing their activities around bringing about awareness to tourism potential within the respective regions.

The Upper Berbice, Corentyne; CuyuniMazaruni, and Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice regions held a number of school competitions, to highlight the industry to students.

The Upper Berbice, Corentyne Regional Tourism Committee, held photography competitions in two categories: secondary school students and professional photographers. The secondary school competition was won by 16-year-old, Priya Melaram of New Amsterdam Multilateral. The region carried out visits at all of the region’s 17 secondary schools to get the students excited about the competition, and also did television and radio programmes on the native stations.

The competitions required entrants to send pictures taken of a place of tourism interest in the region.

Melaram submitted a picture of the Indian Monument at Palmyra.

In the Pomeroon-Supenaam region, the tourism committee is currently actively working to revive interests in the culture of masquerade, while in Essequibo Islands West Demerara, the Tourism Development Association is currently working on a 2020 Tourism Calendar of activities. These include focusing on the development of its beaches and pushing for the development of the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling into an appealing waterfront, much like the one located in Pomeroon-Supenaam.

In The Barima-Waini region, where tourism is a new industry, there are separate tourism committees in Mabaruma and Port Kaituma, where they are focusing on identifying areas with high tourism potential and developing them.

In Mabaruma, two areas that have been identified, namely ‘Tiger Cave’ and ‘Kamwatta falls’, activities related to clearing the areas of bushes commenced last month.

A tourism forum is planned for December 18 while the launch of the Mabaruma Tourism Working Group is set for December 20. President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Mitra Ramkumar, also highlighted the push for tourism across the regions when he delivered remarks at the event.

“We see tourism as the new frontier industry for Guyana. It will bring lasting benefits long after the oil has subsided,” Mitra commented.

Guyana Tourism Authority Director, Brian Mullis, noted the vast improvements that Guyana has made over the past year, highlighting leading global travel and lifestyle magazine, Condé Nast has listed Guyana as one of the 20 most exciting places to visit in 2020.

“The key to unlocking the potential is collaboration. Tourism committees and groups working together are the ones making the magic happen. You all are helping to facilitate that very thing,” Mullis conveyed.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

Kitchen garden competition launched THE Ministry of Agriculture Rural Affairs Secretariat launched its first-ever “Kitchen Garden Competition” for households in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine and 10 last Friday.

The launch was part of the ministry’s activities to celebrate Guyana’s upcoming 50th Republic Anniversary, in February 2020, and to stimulate interest in agriculture.

The competition will run from December 1, 2019 to February 14, 2020, with eligible gardeners being able to enter in three categories, small, medium and large scale, depending on the size of their gardens.

Explanations and rules of the competition are available on the ministry’s website, while persons who do not have access to the Internet can uplift forms at the ministry or any agricultural agency, including NAREI stations, GLDA and NDIA offices in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine and 10.

Participants will be judged at the regional level before regional winners go on to compete for the overall prizes of $150,000, $100,000, and $50,000. The competition puts the focus on each household being able to contribute to its food needs.

The Agriculture Ministry and its agencies offer many opportunities and technical support to the public in establishing a kitchen garden. As part of the launch, Minister with Responsibility for Rural Affairs, Valerie Yearwood, visited the kitchen garden of Dr. Victor Allen.

“I am very pleased to support this initiative and would like to thank an avid gardener such as Dr. Allen, whose plot of land encourages a love of gardening and enjoyment of fresh, healthy

foods, which are so vital to nourishing and maintaining physical health and wellbeing,” Yearwood said.

This effort is in keeping with the Guyana’s Green State Development Strategy (GSDS), that is, the promotion of established kitchen gardens in every household, particularly in rural communities, which has proven to be one of the best methods of achieving these set goals, a statement from the ministry said.

“Family farmers hold a unique potential to move towards more productive and sustainable food systems. For thousands of years, family farmers have been innovating, hence, investing in innovation and family farming is more crucial than ever in attempts to end hunger in our nation,” Yearwood noted.

She added: “Food is so much more than what is on our plates, it impacts our whole life; thus, it requires much emphasis, research and investment. We must first see the potential of having kitchen gardens in our homes, [and] appreciate its benefits and contributions towards the development of our communities and economy altogether.”

Yearwood highlighted that kitchen gardens will also play a role in homes being able to capitalise on eating healthier.

“Food is what brings us together, yet not everyone has access to the food they need. Kitchen gardens give us the opportunity to have a healthy, more nutritious and balanced diet at a lowcost, to secure food all year round, and opens an avenue to earn money to sustain our families. It assists too to reduce the risk of many life threatening diseases and to promote good health and wellbeing,” she said.

“To achieve a goal, we

Man sentenced ... the charge, when it was read to him.

Particulars of the charge stated that, on December 4, 2019, at 70km, Cuyuni River, Essequibo Magisterial District, he (Simon) had in his possession 488 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

“I get nuff children, I been selling it to get money fa them I sell it to mek a living” Simon said.

Police prosecutor Seon Blackman told the court that, on the day in question, po-

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lice, acting on information, intercepted a car where Simon was the passenger. A search was conducted and a black plastic bag was found containing the suspected leaves, seeds, and stems.

Blackman added that Simon was told of the offence and he admitted ownership of the items. He was arrested and charged.

Magistrate McGusty, after listening to the prosecutor, sentenced Simon to two years in prison and fined him $292,800.

need to want it, create a plan, believe in it, set a timeframe to achieve it and effectively implement,” the minister continued.

This competition follows on the heels of the ‘Agri-cursion’, ‘Agri-ability’, ‘Fam’ of familiarisation tours to GuySuCo.

Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Valerie Adams-Yearwood (right), displays produce from the kitchen garden of Dr. Victor Allen (centre) and his wife, Rehana Fareed

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KESRICK WHO?

Kohli destroys West Indies in opening T20I (ESPNCRICINFO) - AN unmistakable sign of greatness shone through as Virat Kohli sealed India’s sixth straight successful chase at home, their second-highest successful one overall.

For a large part of the chase, Kohli kept fighting himself, unable to find his touch, but he found a way to turn a start of a nine-ballthree and a run-a-ball 20 in a two-run-a-ball chase into a match-winning 94 off 50. And he didn’t play all that well.

Let it sink in. That’s greatness right there.

Animated, furious at himself and the opposition, Kohli had a capacity crowd live the chase with him.

At one point, he hit a six and mocked Kesrick Williams’ signature celebration wherein he pulls out an imaginary notebook from his pocket and pretends to strike off the batsman’s name.

This was a rare high-scoring T20 match where the side scoring fewer runs in boundaries ended up winning. India managed 120 in boundaries as compared to West Indies’ 134, but West Indies made up for it with the extras they conceded: 21 to India’s four, not counting leg-byes, which are not a sign of ordinary discipline.

The last time India won the toss, they chose to bat against South Africa, knowing fully well defending is their weaker suit, especially in dewy conditions.

That, though, was with a series lead in hand.

In the series opener against West Indies, they stuck to chasing. West Indies knew they had their task cut out.

From the moment Evin Lewis got stuck into Washington Sundar in the first over, West Indies were on a mission to get themselves a defendable total. It didn’t matter that Lendl Simmons fell in Deepak Chahar’s first over. Brandon King hit the third ball he faced for four. Nor did Lewis’ wicket for 40 off 17 in the sixth over slow them down. When King fell in the 11th over, Shimron Hetmyer immediately hit Ravindra Jadeja for four.

It seemed India may have missed a trick not bowling the legspin of Yuzvendra Chahal the moment Kieron Pollard walked out.

It was 107 for 3 after 11 when Chahal could have exploited Pollard’s weakness against leg-spin.

Instead Shivam Dube was hit for 13, and Jadeja for 12 in the next. However, by getting the wickets of Hetmyer and Pollard in the 18th over, Chahal may have made sure West Indies don’t make an absolute killing of the final few overs.

Jason Holder’s nine-ball-24, though, took them to a total India have never chased successfully before.

Dew was going to play a part, but India still needed a quick start to this chase.

Back as opener in Shikhar Dhawan’s absence, KL Rahul provided just that. He went after Holder in the second over, and then made sure India didn’t fall streets behind when Kohli struggled for a start upon the early dismissal of Rohit Sharma.

Along the way he became the third-fastest to 1000 T20 international runs in terms of innings taken to get there.

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At the other end, though, Kohli was just not himself.

But in being that, he was more himself than he can ever be. At every shank, he kept admonishing himself. Then he tried harder, and shanked harder.

West Indies, generous with wides, were smart with their changes of pace.

Perhaps a word or three flew too. A border-line noball call for height went West Indies’ way. Kohli reacted to everything, especially to the bowlers’ interaction with him. Many a great batsman are known to go in their shell and only respond to chirping once the job is done, but Kohli was thriving on it.

All we know is Kohli was not happy, and he was willing himself to concentrate harder.

Reading body language is usually fraught with risks, but you could obviously say Kohli on this night was in some other zone. And with every single he took, the asking rate went up. At the halfway mark, India needed to go at 11.9 an over.

Hayden Walsh then bowled a lovely over but Kohli got away with an inside edge for four. In the next over, Holder set him up for the slower bouncer, which has brought him success with Kohli before,

but this top edge sailed over for six. Then he smacked a full toss for four and fought with the umpires for a no-ball. The man was fighting every inch, hyper aware of everything.

In the 13th over, Williams bowled two no-balls, but it was still obvious that Kohli was struggling for timing against him. Amid all this, Rahul drilled Khary Pierre straight to long-off.

India still needed 78 off 39, and Kohli had only just begun to find his bearings.

India promoted Rishabh Pant, which brought them double dividend. Apart from the right-left combination, it meant the leg-spinner Walsh didn’t bowl anymore. And Pant made sure of that with the first ball he faced, getting down on a knee and smacking Pierre for six. Kohli fed off it, and went after Holder in the next over. Nineteen runs came off five balls, and at 55 required off 34, India’s win probability had gone from 27 to 73 according to Cricinfo’s forecaster.

Trying big hits, Pant and Shreyas Iyer fell to keep West Indies interested but Kohli was never going to come back with the chase unfinished. Not on this night!

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday, December 07, 2019)

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TODAY’S QUIZ:

(1) Which Australian player has scored most Test runs to date?

(2) Which Australian player has scored most ODI runs to date?

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

Chelsea accuse FIFA of double standards

(BBC) - CHELSEA say FIFA treated them more harshly than Manchester City despite their transfer ban being cut on appeal.

The Blues’ two-window ban was halved by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), freeing them to buy players next month.

City did not get a transfer ban after they were also found to have broken rules on signing young players.

“FIFA chose to treat Chelsea entirely differently to Manchester City for reasons that make absolutely no sense,” read a Chelsea statement.

“The approach taken

by FIFA to this case has been deeply unsatisfactory.”

FIFA accused Chelsea of breaching rules on the signing of 27 under-18 players.

However, the Blues claimed that in 16 of those cases, the players were registered in line with advice that the game’s global governing body had given the Football Association in 2009.

Chelsea argued that the alleged rules breaches in the remaining 11 cases were either “procedural” or there was no case to answer because of precedents set in CAS’ ruling on Spanish side Real Madrid’s transfer ban in 2016.

“Chelsea respects the importance of the work undertaken by FIFA in relation to the protection of minors and has fully coop-

erated with FIFA throughout its investigation,” added Chelsea.

“However, if FIFA continues to impose inconsistent and unequal sanctions on clubs then it not only will undermine the very purpose of the regulations, but also

will bring into doubt the game’s confidence in FIFA being able to appropriately regulate this important area.”

New Amsterdam to play thrice in tomorrow’s Inter-Jamaat competition NEW Amsterdam (NA) Masjid will be hunting victories when they play in three of the four games of the Muslim Youth Organisation/Trophy Stall 10-over Inter-Jamaat Softball Cricket Competition, which is scheduled for the MYO ground on Woolford Avenue from 09:00hrs tomorrow.

NA will first tackle LBI Masjid’s B team from 11:00hrs followed by a battle against LBI A team at 13:00hrs and a clash against defending champions Diamond New Scheme at 15:00hrs.

Home team MYO who stormed to three wins last Sunday are favourites to win their fourth consecutive clash of the season when they face LBI B team in the opener.

In last week’s clashes, last season’s runners-up MYO opened their campaign with victories against New Mosque and New Amsterdam Masjid and a revengef u l win

against defending champions Diamond New Scheme Masjid.

In a repeat of last season’s final, Diamond New Scheme won the toss and opted to take first strike, but they could muster only

85-8 in their allotted overs.

Shafeek Ismail was the only batsman in double figures.

His 45 was punctuated with five fours and three sixes.

Timore Mohamed, who was outstanding with the ball, finished with two scalps, so too did Chien ‘Shaheed’ Gittens and Richard Latif.

Opener Gittens then returned with the bat to score an unbeaten 43 (4x4, 3x6) to lift his team to victory (86-2 in 7.1 overs).

MYO had started the day with a 23-run victory over New Mosque then later they defeated New Amsterdam Masjid by 12 runs.

NA had also defeated New Mosque by 52 runs.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

33

Caribbean Boxing Championship

Hunte advances to semis; Amsterdam, Lewis lose GUYANA’S superheavyweight champion Kevin Hunte stormed to a first-round victory on the opening night of the Caribbean Boxing Championships in Trinidad and Tobago, but the defending champions lost three bouts.

With several top nations, including powerhouse Cuba in the championships, defending the title looks to be an uphill task for Guyana.

It showed with current Caribbean middleweight champion, Desmond ‘Dynamic’ Amsterdam, and former Caribbean lightweight champion Colin ‘Superman’ Lewis going down in their opening bouts.

Along with the champion pair, Kevin McKenzie also lost when he battled against Jamaican Joshua Fraser in a welterweight bout.

All three of our defeats were via points.

National coach Terrence Poole told Chronicle Sport that he was surprised with the decision in Amsterdam’s fight.

“The judging was terrible for the Amsterdam bout.”

Amsterdam, who was imposing en route to the national middleweight title last month at home, lost to Grenadian Triston Brookes.

Brookes, however, lives in Canada, where

he has become a dominant name. In fact, he won Canada’s middleweight national title in 2017 and again this year. Brookes also won the WBA and IBF amateur titles last month, when he represented the Eddie Melo Legacy Organisation at the prestigious and coveted fourth annual Willie Pep Invitational, hosted in East Windsor, Conn.

Despite the Grenadian conquests, Amsterdam reportedly dominated their clash so much so that when the split decision was announced it baffled the Guyanese side and according to president of the Guyana Boxing Association Steve Ninvalle our officials later protested.

“They did an official protest, but were advised by the ITO (International Technical Officer) that the protest had to be done while the referee was in the ring, because once the referee is out of the ring you can’t protest - which is something fairly new.”

Lewis faced off against Cuban boxer Jorge Moiran and he also lost on points against the seasoned fighter.

Guyana’s triple champion boxer (Novice, Intermediate and Open) for 2019, Hunte, was able to overpowered Grenadian Andy Andall with some power punches in round one of their +91kg

2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifying draw set for December 11 TWELVE nations have already qualified via the CONCACAF Nations League. The last four remaining participants will be determined via a tworound qualifier Guyana’s Senior Men’s National Football team – Golden Jaguars – will know who they’ll have to face in their quest to qualify for the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup when the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) hosts the official draw for the qualifying matches on Wednesday, December 11, in Miami, Florida.

Fans and media will be able to follow all the action beginning at 20:00hrs (Eastern Caribbean time) via CONCACAF social media channels.

As announced in March of 2018, the group stage of the 2019-2020 CONCACAF Nations League kicked off qualifying for the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. After round-robin play, the top two finishers in each of the League A groups and the top finishers in each of the League B groups secured their participation

in the 16th edition of the Confederation’s premier tournament for men’s national teams.

The 12 teams already qualified for the 2021 Gold Cup are Canada, Costa Rica, Curacao, El Salvador, Grenada, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Suriname and the United States.

The road to the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup will continue next year with a two-round qualifier, to be played in a direct elimination format.

Beginning in March of 2020, the second-place finisher of League B (French Guiana, Guyana, Montserrat and St Vincent and the Grenadines) will face the first-place finisher of League C (Bahamas, Barbados, Guadeloupe and Guatemala).

After home-and-away play, the four round-one matchup winners will advance to the second round, where they will face the third-place finisher of League A (Bermuda, Cuba, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago).

The second round will take place during the FIFA window of June 2020.

DRAW PROCEDURES The draw will be executed using a single blind system, involving three pots. The 12 participating teams will be divided in the pots as follows (in alphabetical order by CONCACAF Nations League): POT A: Bermuda, Cuba, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago POT B: French Guiana, Guyana, Montserrat and St Vincent and the Grenadines POT C: Bahamas, Barbados, Guadeloupe and Guatemala The draw will begin by randomly selecting a team from Pot C and placing that team in matchup number 1.

The process will be replicated with the remaining three teams in Pot C, using matchups 2, 3, and 4, according to the order in which they are drawn. The same procedure will be used for Pot B. For Pot A, the first team drawn will face the winner of matchup number 1, the second team will face the winner of matchup number 2, the third team will face the winner of matchup number 3 and the fourth team will face the winner of matchup number 4.

clash to advance to tonight’s semi-finals, where he is scheduled to face home fighter Nigel Paul.

Andall was no walkover; he had represented his island at the 2019 International Boxing Association (AIBA) World Boxing Championships in Yekaterinburg, Russia in September, but the Guyanese was too daunting in their clash.

Paul is also experienced. He represented the Twin Islands Republic at the 2016 Olympics.

Last night Alesha Jackman, one of two female Guyanese boxers at the meet, was scheduled to be in action. The amazingly talented Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) boxer was set to fight against home team boxer Sharika Elias in the Youth Women Novice 64kg battle.

Howard Richard was also scheduled to meet Trinidadian Nyrell Hosein in a Youth bantamweight clash, while another 2019 Guyanese triple champion Daren France was set to face Grenadian Dariel Sylvester in a Kevin Hunte was Guyana’s lone victor heavyweight (91kg) clash. on the opening night

Ruiz and Joshua get ready to rumble in Saudi Arabia (BBC) - “He’s humbled now. It will either make him a better individual, a better fighter, a better person, or it might just destroy him.”

Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is in no doubt about how big Saturday night is for Anthony Joshua.

Six months after the Briton was stunned by Andy Ruiz Jr in New York, he gets his shot at redemption - his chance to join greats such as Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield on the list of heavyweights to reclaim world titles.

Ruiz, meanwhile, can prove one of the greatest sporting upsets in recent memory was no fluke.

Saudi Arabia is the venue for what has been billed as the ‘Clash on the Dunes’.

But who will win? Here’s all you need to make your mind up before the ring walks on Saturday at 20:45 GMT. WHAT THE EXPERTS THINK Joshua starts a 4-9 favourite with most bookmakers, while Ruiz is around a 2-1 underdog. You can send your own predictions for a fight that has split opinions to #bbcboxing.

BBC Sport boxing correspondent Mike Costello: “There has to be a fear that Joshua’s punch resistance

will not improve at this stage of his career but I believe this time he will be more patient when he has success and his power from long range will be decisive.”

BBC Radio 5 Live boxing analyst Steve Bunce: “I think Ruiz might need to be rescued. I think if Joshua has his confidence back we may see Joshua win and Ruiz rescued from his bravery late in the fight.”

WBA world super-middleweight champion Callum Smith: “If Ruiz wins again I wouldn’t be one bit surprised.

I do think you’ll see a more switched-on Joshua who is more like Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko. It could be boring but I’m going Joshua late.”

Hall of fame promoter Bob Arum: “I like Ruiz to win again. He is really an under-rated guy. His low centre of gravity works well against a big heavyweight and his hand speed is phenomenal. His style plays to Joshua’s weaknesses.”

Former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman: “I am leaning at the moment to Ruiz by knockout.

I just think Joshua has lost weight. I feel he may have lost muscle and that can be detrimental.”

WBA and IBF world super-lightweight champion Josh Taylor: “I see Ruiz edging the fight just

because of Joshua’s past record in struggling against shorter, more compact opponents.”

Six months have passed since Ruiz’s rotund body shape was questioned before he shocked the world.

And on Friday he weighed in 15lbs heavier than last time at 20st 3lbs. He has not been heavier for a fight in more than 10 years.

Joshua’s revelation earlier in fight week that he might drop from 17st 9lbs to under 17st was described as “nothing short of startling”

by Costello, who added: “It makes you think, what is in his mind?”

On Friday, Joshua confirmed his prediction by weighing in at 16st 13lb - his lowest mark in five years.

But what could that mean on fight night?

Added speed for Joshua? A chance to carry less bulk and aid his engine?

The ability to throw snappy punches over slower, more loaded shots?

But, on the flip side, will the power that floored Ruiz in round three of their first contest be diminished? And will carrying less weight lower his resistance to punches?

And for a heavier Ruiz, is that a lack of training? Or will it make him more durable than last time, when he took some punishment and still won through?

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

GFF-ALWAYS Championship Cup 2019 matches continue today at Providence

Lady Panthers Football Club

COMPETITION in the Guyana Football Federation-ALWAYS Championship Cup, featuring six female clubs, is set to continue today at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Training Centre at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

In today’s double-header Lady Panthers will take on Foxy Ladies from 13:00hrs, with the main attraction between the Guyana Police Force and Fruta Conquerors starting at 14:30hrs.

Tomorrow’s action will open with Lady Panthers and Fruta Conquerors at 13:00hrs, to be followed by a clash between Santos and Guyana Police Force (GPF).

All teams are being urged to be at the playing venue at least one hour prior to the start of their respective matches in order to facilitate a prompt kick-off.

Meanwhile, in last weekend’s opening matches, Fruta Conquerors recorded the largest margin of victory, whipping

Santos 10-0 while Guyana Police Force lost back-to-back matches to Foxy Ladies 0-2 and Lady Panthers 0-3.

Conquerors were led to their huge win thanks to Abioce Heywood who led with a hat-trick (19th, 29th, 39th), with a brace each from National forward Tiandi Smith (15th, 36th), Lakeisha Peasron (10th, 55th) and Shayma Daniels in the 44th and 52nd minutes. The other goal came off the boot of Shanic Thornhill in the 62nd minute.

Foxy Ladies in their 2-0 win over Guyana Police Force got their two goals either side of play from Shontel in the 11th minute and Janel Edmonson in the 36th minute.

Lady Panthers’ 3-0 win which was also over the GPF was built around strikes from Bliz Hope in the 13th minute, Albau Marquez from the penalty spot in the 55th minute with the third and final goal from Shavey Reuben in the 60th minute.

Former All-blacks players asked to donate brains (REUTERS) - FORMER rugby players in New Zealand

are being asked to donate their brains to research when they die as part of a study aimed at learning about the long-term effects of concussion and head injuries from contact sports.

The Centre for Brain Research (CBR) at the University of Auckland launched the initiative yesterday and said it was seeking athletes from sports like rugby, soccer and boxing to donate their brains even if they had not experienced concussion.

Head injuries are a major concern for New Zealand sports and health authorities with more than 20% of all brain injuries in the country sustained through contact sports.

Last year more than 9 000 reported concussions in New Zealand were in people aged under 19 years.

“Adding a sports injury aspect to its existing research platform is a significant step for the CBR and promises to deepen our understanding of the impact sports injuries have on the brain,” the centre said in a statement.

“It reflects a growing international focus on traumatic brain injury and brain diseases associated with repeated head impacts, including Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).”

Research has also shown that CTE, a degenerative disease linked to repeated concussions and hits to the head, has been discovered in the brains of contact sport athletes who experienced repetitive brain trauma, the CBR added.

CTE currently can only be formally diagnosed by studying the brain during an autopsy, making doctors unable to confirm it in living patients.

“With a large focus on contact sports in our culture, it’s important that New Zealand is part of this global conversation,” neuroscientist Richard Faull, who leads the CBR, said in the statement.

The CBD said the New Zealand Sports Human Brain Bank would also collaborate with the U.S.-based Concussion Legacy Foundation Brain Bank.

The National Football League in the United States has faced lawsuits from multiple former players over the league’s past handling of concussions and care for ailing retired players.

Several high-profile rugby players, including one test All Blacks James Broadhurst and Ben Afeaki, and former Wallabies prop Toby Smith, have in recent years been forced to retire early due to concussion symptoms.

Afeaki said yesterday he would donate his brain once he died. As did former Junior All Blacks and Waikato provincial player John ‘JJ’ Williams, who attended the launch in Auckland and has said he had been provisionally diagnosed with CTE. “I had a reunion the other day and didn’t know any of the people until they introduced themselves,” Williams told Radio New Zealand.

“I am not the only one. There are a lot of people, a lot of blokes that played rugby, wondering what’s going on.”

Rio Indoor Streetball Championship

The stars will be out in tonight’s quarter-finals

THE battle lines have been drawn as the fate of several teams will be decided this evening, when the quarter-final round in the inaugural Rio Indoor Streetball Championship is played at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.

The four matches programmed for the evening are expected to thrill the large gathering that is expected to descend on the venue to witness the thrilling action.

Tournament hosts and dark-horse Rio All-Stars will open the night’s proceedings against Future Stars from 20:00hrs. Rio All-Stars possess quality players in the form of Andrew Murray, Jermin Junior, Job Caesar and Kelsey Benjamin and will fancy their chances of progressing to the semi-final round.

However, standing in their way will be the quartet of Kevin Cummings, Keron Solomon, Jamal Cozier and Rondell Bowman. A major rivalry will be revisited in the second match from 21:00hrs, when Gold is Money take aim at Leopold Street.

Gold is Money will depend on the likes of Randolph Wagner, Jamal Pedro, Keifer Brandt and Phillip Rowley to shift the balance in their favour while Darren Benjamin, Carl Tudor, Mark Jhalu and Okeene Fraser will be tasked with ensuring a Leopold win.

In the third match, National heavyweight Sparta Boss will oppose the pride of the East Coast of De-

merara BV from 22:00hrs. The East La Penitence unit are considered one of the favourites in the event and will be expected to overturn the challenge of their impending opponents, led by their star- studded cast of Gregory Richardson, Sheldon Shepherd, Eusi Phillips and Ryan Hackett.

Meanwhile, the final match of the evening can be described as a virtual final when Bent Street lock horns with Back Circle from 23:00hrs.

For many pundits, Bent Street are viewed as the safe choice for a final-appearance duel, with their plethora of national team players, Daniel Wilson, Clive Nobrega, Pernell Schultz, Akel Clarke and William Europe.

However, Back Circle are giants in their own regard and with the fate of the entire East Ruimveldt community on their shoulders, a clinical showing will be expected from the quintet of Selwyn Williams, Stephon McLean, Jermin Beckles, Delon Kelly and surprise package Trayon Bobb.

According to an official release from tournament coordinator Three Peat Promotions, “The excitement and anticipation in the air and within the respective communities cannot be described. The teams are well oiled and geared to produce thrilling action which will certainly entertain and provide drama for the large spectatorship.”

RIO All-Stars’ Andrew Murray (with ball) will be one of the players to watch in tonight’s quarter-finals

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 7, 2019

Petra Girls champions to be crowned today

Harper calls for improved bowling, fielding following mixed Super50 WEST Indies head selector Roger Harper has called for vast improvements in the bowling and fielding departments, following the end of the 2019 Colonial Insurance Regional Super50 tournament.

Roger Harper

The semi-finals and final of the Smalta Girls Pee Wee tournament will be played today

THE champions of the 2019 Smalta Girls Pee Wee will be known today when the semi-finals and final of the tournament take place.

The games will open at 13:00hrs with the 5-8 playoff between Smith Memorial and South Riumveldt while Timehri play St Stephen’s on pitch two.

North Georgetown and Tucville will clash in the first semi-final from 13:50hrs with West Ruimveldt playing

Redeemer in the second semifinal.

Those matches were scheduled for last weekend but the inclement weather made the ground unplayable for a major part of the day.

Following that, the seventh and eighth place playoffs will take place along with the fifth- and sixth-place playoff.

The third-place playoff is set for 15:30hrs with the final on the opposing pitch.

35

A crafty off-spinner during his Guyana and West Indies playing days, Harper who recently gave a number of reviews following the end of the Super50, specifically touched on the areas of bowling and fielding with regard to more emphasis being placed on improving the two capacities.

While a number of bowlers gave accounts of themselves, whether it be Windies Emerging Players seamer Keon Harding who ended third on the wicket-takers’ list with 18 scalps or the tournament’s most prolific wicket-taker, Leewards medium-pacer Sheeno Berridge who finished with 23; Harper believed that more could have been done by the bowlers.

“While guys have taken wickets, bowling in the death

overs hasn’t been as focussed as it could be. The bowlers didn’t seem clear on where and how they should bowl.

We didn’t see execution of many yorkers and runs were generally given away on both sides of the wicket. We had four five-wicket hauls and 25 four-wicket hauls. So the bowlers showed they can take wickets.” said Harper.

Fielding this season was mixed by the standards of all teams, as a number of dropped catches as well as other unnecessary mishaps in the field were recorded throughout the tournament; prompting the 56-year-old to call for corrective action on those flaws.

“We definitely need to be more organised in this area (bowling) also the fielding needs to be a bit sharper and of course holding a higher percentage of those catches,” he said.

Going back to its mandatory criteria for West Indies One Day team selection - the Regional One Day tourney - Harper confirmed that the Regional Super50 will be used by the panel of selectors as a means to assess and thus select desiring players to the limited overs side.

He also noted that it will be crucial for the team to gel and have that familiarity needed ahead of the next World Cup. “There is a lot of 50-over cricket to be played both regionally and for the West Indies team, so guys have a lot of opportunities to showcase their skills and stake a claim for the World Cup squad,” Harper ended.

Double T Motor-cross champions collect spoils THE winners of the recently concluded Double T Promotions Motor-cross event in Linden were given their trophies yesterday.

The presentation which took place at the Banks DIH head office in Georgetown saw David Nobreiga take the overall champions class ahead of his cousin Steven.

David secured two wins with Orlando King picking up the other in the Novice Class.

In the Professional Class, Steven Nobrega picked up all three wins but had difficulty in the Overall class.

The day’s sponsors included Banks DIH Limited, New Generation Clothing, Wismar Mar-

ket, Ministry of Business Department of Tourism, Broad Money Spares & Accessories - Republic Avenue, Bolo’s Variety & Furniture Store - Sunflower Street Wismar, Star Party Rentals - Georgetown, Region 10 Tourism Development Association, Cho’s Bar - Burnham Drive Wismar, Sports Plus, Toucan Mall - Amelia’s Ward, Foreign Links - Linden/GT Bus Park, Allegiance Corporations Inc. - Georgetown, B. Harry Lumber Yard & General Store - Waterlily Road Linden, Enterprise Network. Inc. - Republic Avenue, Trophy Stall - Georgetown, Tropical Reflection - Washer Pond

Road, Solomon Fresh Vegetables - Potaro Road, Ms Orleena Obermuller Town Clerk, Linden Mayor & Town Council, Mr Orin Gordon - Regional Executive Officer Region No. 10, Golden Taste Fish Shop - Wismar, Snooks Variety Store - Mackenzie Market, R & R Modern Meat Centre - Potaro Road, Alternative Measures - Mackenzie Linden, VJ’s Construction - Canvas City, Pleasurable Flavours - Amelia’s Ward, Wills Electrical Hardware Store, Mr Rogers, Bosai, Mr Dublin General Manager LECI, Mr Alves CEO Linmine Secretariat and Pauline Meat Centre Mackenzie Market.

The winners stand with organisers and Banks DIH PRO Troy Peters. (Adrian Narine photo)

KESRICK WHO?

Kohli

destroys 31 West Indies in opening T20I PAGE

That’s how I do it in my notebook - Virat Kohli to Kesrick Williams. (BCCI)

Shimron Hetmyer slog-sweeps powerfully. (BCCI)

2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup 33 qualifying draw set for December 11 PAGE

HISTORIC!

Guyana’s Neil Danns (airborne) is joined in celebration by Samuel Cox, after scoring the country’s first goal at a major CONCACAF event, when Golden Jaguars played Panama in the 2019 CONCACAF GOLD CUP. (Samuel Maughn photo)

‘Ball out!’ … Guyana and Grenada Goodwill Basketball series off to exciting start

GUYANA and Grenada began a three-game Goodwill Basketball Series last evening at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The two countries hope to use the tournament to help develop inter-Caribbean basketball outside of the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championship.

Chronicle Sport’s photographer Adrian Narine was on hand at Guyana’s premier indoor basketball facility and caught some early action between the two CARICOM countries.

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2019