Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_19_09_2019...

THURSDAY 19th SEPTEMBER, 2019

' No.105765

Clean list, realistic timeframe

…President says are key benchmarks before polls SEE STORY ON PAGE 05

GECOM chair to give timeframe today 03 PAGE

…Opposition fails to defend its November proposition

APNU, AFC agree on core principles …commit to shun 02 attempts at covert alliances PAGE

Elderly man perishes in Corriverton blaze ….wife leaps from house to escape inferno 14 PAGE

The Ministry of Communities, on Wednesday, donated six vehicles, costing approximately $64M, to Regions 1, 7 and 9. Handing over the keys to the various Regional Executive Officers was Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Hon. Annette Ferguson. The REOs were appreciative (See story on 11)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

APNU, AFC agree on core principles …commit to shun attempts at covert alliances …candidates must enjoy confidence of respective constituencies

AHEAD of its negotiations to revise the Cummingsburg Accord, the A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) have agreed to the core principles that will guide their union as this country gears up for general and regional elections.

Today, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission Justice Claudette Singh is expected to advise President David Granger as to the timeframe when the electoral body would be ready to conduct the polls. As in 2015, the APNU and AFC have agreed to contest the elections as a coalition and the sides have been work-

ing feverishly to hammer out key revisions of the accord.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that the parties met on Wednesday, but details of that meeting have not been forthcoming. However, this newspaper was told a by a source close to the AFC that discussions have started and both sides have put forward their proposed changes for inclusion in the new accord.

“We have agreed on the core principles and at least that is a starting point…both sides continue to meet,” the source told the Guyana Chronicle.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that the parties to the accord have committed

to upholding the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and to ensuring that no agreement or action collides with or contradicts the articles of the Constitution.

In the previous accord, which was used for the 2015 general and regional elections, the parties had agreed that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo would chair cabinet, but later this proved problematic as according to the Constitution, cabinet must be chaired by the President unless he is out of the jurisdiction or unable to perform the function. There have been suggestions that the President could delegate this responsibility even if he is in

the country. “So this is one of the issues, but not only that there is a general commitment to abide to the constitution and so this was included.”

This newspaper also understands that as part of the core principles the parties agreed and committed to the establishment of a system of inclusionary democracy and the advancement of the country’s Green State development Strategy, Vision 2040. They also committed to seeking electoral majorities at the general and regional elections and local government elections and agreed to select candidates for the aforementioned elections through participato-

The Guyana Chronicle was visited by Grade Six students of Kaikan Primary School – Region 7 and Bethany Primary School – Region 2. The 13 students were given a tour of the facility and were later presented with Laptop Backpacks.

The backpacks and a printer, which were given to the dormitory for Hinterland students, were donated, through a corporate arrangement with Riaz Computers. In this photograph the children proudly display their backpacks.

They are flanked by (from right to left) Ms. Donna Todd–General Manager (ag.), Ms. Rishma Ajodha – Marketing Manager, Ms. Linda Williams – Confidential Secretary and Mr. Akash Persaud – Marketing Coordinator.

Flashback! President David Granger (then candidate Granger) presents a copy of the APNU+AFC manifesto to a citizen during the 2015 elections campaign. Also in photo is Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

ry and transparent processes which guarantee that candidates enjoy the majority of their respective constituencies and satisfy all legal criteria for election.

ALLOCATION OF SEATS On the issue of allocation of seats in the National Assembly, Cabinet, Regional Democratic Councils, Municipal and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, the sides agreed that this would be done on the basis of a formula. The sides agreed too that the prerogative of the President to appoint members of cabinet and ministers and to assign specific ministerial portfolios is explicitly embodied in the Constitution and is inviolable.

Meanwhile, other aspects of the core principles include the cultivation of respectful relations and at all times the parties will act collectively in the best interest of the coalition. They also agreed to speak with one voice on issues of public policy, to support a common manifesto and to issue joint media bulletins and releases on electoral matters.

Additionally, the parties

agreed to abide by the principle of collective responsibility in respect of decisions emanating from Cabinet and to holding common positions on bills, motions and resolutions in the National Assembly.

Each party also pledged to inform the other in advance of its inability at any time to support any measure in the National Assembly.

Other areas covered in the core principles are that of the publishing of a joint manifesto comprising 12 broad fields: constitutional reform, good governance, economic growth and development, education improvement, energy sector, environmental protection, indigenous peoples, infrastructural development, international relations, social protection and social cohesion, security and human safety, women, gender equality and youth. The parties agreed to jointly finance their elections campaign and also to campaign vigorously either on their own or collectively in each contested constituency.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

GECOM chairperson to give timeframe today …Opposition fails to defend its November proposition CHAIRPERSON of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh will, today, advise President David Granger on the timeframe for the next General and Regional Elections.

In making her decision, Justice Singh will take into consideration the March 2020 proposal made by Government-nominated Elections Commissioner Charles Corbin. A similar timeframe was proposed by the Elections Secretariat, and though the Opposition-nominated Election Commissioners are up in arms against elections being held in 2020, they have failed to defend their November 2019 proposition.

In a statement on Wednesday night, GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Warde, confirmed that Justice Singh will be communicating GECOM’s decision to the President, based on the submissions made, and consultation with the Secretariat.

It was during the Tuesday, September 17 Statutory Meeting that it was agreed that Commissioners Charles Corbin and Sase Gunraj would submit separate schedules based on the proposals made during the meeting, but, on Wednesday, the Opposition-nominated Commissioners backpedalled on their position, and declined to justify their November timeline for elections.

“At today’s (Wednesday’s) meeting, Commissioner Gunraj did not make the submission as promised.

While Commissioners Gunraj, Benn and Shadick insisted on a November 2019 date for the holding of elections, they submitted no complete work plan to assist the Commission to determine how it was possible to arrive at such a date,” Warde explained hours after the meeting came to a close.

It was noted that a comprehensive work plan with timelines and considerations reflecting the discussions held on Tuesday was submitted by Commissioner Corbin.

“Chairperson of the Commission, Justice Claudette Singh undertook to study the submission, consult with the Secretariat, and, based on all the information available to her, make a decision on the way forward. Justice

Singh will communicate this decision to the President in accordance with the mandate of the Commission tomorrow (today),” Warde further disclosed.

Outside of the Elections Commission’s High and Cowan Streets, Kingston Office, Commissioner Gunraj offered no justification for his non-action but said the GECOM Chair would deliver her decision today.

“It’s a very simple one this afternoon, the Chairman will render her decision at 10:30 tomorrow morning,” Commissioner Gunraj told reporters as he exited GECOM’s compound. Commissioner Bibi Shadick offered no comment on the meeting, though pressed for answers from the media.

Government-nominated Commissioner Vincent Alexander, however, was more vocal on the situation. He too confirmed that Justice Singh would make her decision today.

“The chairman said she will make a determination and announce it by tomorrow (Thursday). That came after the Commissioners nominated by the Leader of the Opposition failed to make a proposal as agreed to yesterday. On the other hand, Commissioner Corbin made a written proposal,” Commissioner Alexander told reporters, moments after the meeting ended.

With no written proposal in hand, the Opposition- nominated Commissioners – Bibi Shadick, Sase Gunraj and Robeson Benn – without any justification demanded that elections should be held by November, 2019.

“All they contended is that elections should be held by November and they were not prepared to discuss anything else,” Commissioner Alexander said.

He noted that the proposal made by Commissioner Corbin presents a March 2020 timeframe. Although he endorses the proposal, he felt that the timeline can possibly be condensed to an earlier time.

“The presentation is in the form of Microsoft project, so you see the critical path and you see the non-critical path; and in fact, it is not out of the top of the head that you arrive at a date because when you plug in the timelines in that

Government-nominated Elections Commissioner, Charles Corbin

programme, the programme generates a date,” Commissioner Alexander explained as he alluded to the proposal made by Commissioner Corbin.

He said in that proposal, the encoding of data garnered from the just concluded House-to-House Registration has been taken off the critical path, thereby allowing for the Secretariat to proceed with the production of the preliminary list, and the conduct of Claims and Objections even as the encoding continues. “So the information encoded would then become a comparator later in the process but will not be holding up the process,” he posited. Approximately 200,000 of the more than 370,000 names have been encoded.

It was disclosed, too, that in that proposal, the Claims and Objections period was set for 21 plus seven days. “This is what in fact was proposed by the secretariat as well,” Commissioner Alexander added. When it comes to the delivery of the ballot papers, he noted that to fast track this by merely two days would cost the Commission an additional US$250,000 or some GUY$52,165,000.

Though not wanting to preempt the Chairman of the Elections Commission, Alexander said he believes that she will give due consideration to the proposal before her.

“Her concern all along has been the question of the timeframes, the various elements and how we can curtail those timeframes to get the earliest possible time. I think that has been her major concern all along,” he posited.

In the interim, the Secre-

Opposition-nominated Elections Commissioner, Sase Gunraj

tariat has been actively training polling day staff countrywide. Thus far, training of polling day staff has been completed in several regions.

In South Georgetown at 20 locations, 1,185 participants have been trained; on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) at 20 locations 1,201 were trained; on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) and in Region Five at 21 locations, 1,596 were trained; in Region Six at 25 locations 1,940 were trained and at 25 locations between Regions One, Two and 10, 2,030 were trained.

The commission must now conduct training in the hinterland and in other parts of Georgetown with all training expected to be completed by October.

Last week, an electoral expert told the Guyana

Government-nominated Elections Commissioner, Vincent Alexander

Chronicle that the elections commission must comply with the statutory guidelines outlined in the Representation of People Act, and warned that to do the contrary would be to breach the Constitution and the Laws of Guyana. It was explained that the Elections Commission, as advised by the secretariat, must act in conformity with the Constitution of Guyana, the Elections Laws (Amendment) Act of 2000 and Representation of the People Act. The electoral expert made it clear that neither Justice Singh nor her commission can set a timeframe for elections independent of the secretariat, and in total defiance of the Constitution and the Representation of People Act which have set out clear guidelines.

There are approximate-

ly 35 statutory guidelines by which the elections commission must abide, as outlined in the Representation of the People Act. According to Section Nine of the Representation of the People Act, the Notice of the date for submission of the list of Candidates (Nominations Day) cannot be done later than 32 days before elections. Additionally, the act states that candidates must be informed of defects in the list of candidates not later than 30 days before the elections and by the 29th day before the election is held, corrections must be submitted. Those are just three of the 35 statutory guidelines established under the act.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 19, 2019

Saudi Arabia oil attacks: Weapons debris ‘proves Iran behind them’ (BBC) Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry has shown off what it says is wreckage of drones and cruise missiles that proves Iranian involvement in weekend attacks on two oil facilities.

It said 18 drones and seven cruise missiles were fired from a direction that ruled out Yemen as a source.

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have said they are behind the attacks.

Iran has denied any involvement and warned it would retaliate against any attack that targeted it.

The US has stood by its accusation that Iran was behind the attacks. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said after arriving in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday that it was an “act of war”.

President Donald Trump said the US had “many options” in response.

“There is the ultimate option, and there are options a lot less than that,” he said. “And we’ll see. We are in a very powerful position.”

What’s in the Saudi findings?

The evidence was presented at a defence ministry press briefing, where debris from the drone (UAV) and missile attacks was laid out.

Defence ministry spokesman Col Turki al-Malki said the evidence showed the attacks were launched from the north and were “unquestionably sponsored by Iran”.

However, Col Malki said the Saudis were still “working to know exactly the launch

Col Malki presented maps, photographs and video from Saturday’s attacks

point”.

Among the debris was what was said to be a delta wing of an Iranian UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle).

Col Malki said: “Data recovered from the computers [on the UAV] shows it’s Iranian.” He said that 18 UAVs had been fired at the Abqaiq

oil facility and seven cruise missiles had been launched at both targets. Four cruise missiles struck the Khurais oilfield and the other three fell short of Abqaiq.

Col Malki said the missiles that struck had all come from a northerly direction. He showed video of one UAV hitting

Abqaiq, along with maps and photographs of the damage.

He said of the Khurais attack that the “precision impact of the cruise missiles indicate advanced capability beyond the Iran proxy’s [Houthi rebel force’s] capacity”.

Col Malki said details of the launch points could not yet be given, but once they had been determined they would be announced.

He said: “Despite Iran’s best efforts to make it appear so, their collaboration with their proxy in the region to create this false narrative is clear.” He called the attacks “an assault on the international community… Those responsible should be held accountable for their actions”.

An essential question unanswered

The Saudi military briefing, for all its charts and assembled wreckage, had little to say about the essential question.

Were the weapons used in the attacks against the Saudi oil installations actually fired from Iranian soil?

All we got was a cryptic statement that they came from the north. There were more details of the weapons themselves: some 25 in all, a mix of UAVs and cruise missiles - the latter identified as the Iranian-built Ya-Ali. Iran was implicated as being deeply involved in the whole affair but that was it. The Saudi investigations are continuing.

Off the record, US officials seem already convinced of Iran’s direct involvement.

So what is going on here?

It is the Saudis who seem to be setting the pace. Is this an attempt to give sufficient time to assemble a watertight case against Tehran? Or is this more crisis management - stringing things out in the hope that escalation can be avoided?

19 September, 2019 - 05:00hrs ~ 06:30hrs

Wednesday September 18, 2019

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September 13, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 19, 2019

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Clean list, realistic timeframe …President says are key benchmarks before polls

A credible List of Electors and a realistic timeframe for the conduct of General and Regional Elections are important benchmarks that must be met, President David Granger said on Wednesday as he once again reassured Guyanese of his administration’s commitment to holding elections in the shortest possible time.

Today, the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh is expected to communicate the timeframe for which elections could be held to President Granger. Speaking to reporters on the sideline of an accreditation ceremony at the Ministry of the Presidency on Wednesday, President Granger said he is focused on having credible elections in a short a time as possible using a ‘clean list.’ Certain benchmarks, he said, must be met to facilitate credible elections. “The most important benchmark is that the Commission, as a whole is satisfied that the list is credible and that it is more or less representative of the electorate, that it is not padded, that it does not contain spurious names – that is the most important benchmark,” the Head of State told reporters.

Secondly, he said the timeframe set for elections must be one that is achievable. “The second bench mark is that they must give me more or less a certificate of readiness, and after that I am good to go,” he further stated. The Opposition – the People’s Pro-

gressive Party (PPP) – has been pushing for the Official List of Electors (OLE) to be extracted from the current National Register of Registrants Database (NRRDB) established since 2008 but the Government through its coalition partners – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance for Change (AFC) – have championed the cause for a new registered to be developed through a process of House-to-House Registration, from which a OLE could be extracted. In their defense, the coalition partners have argued that the current register is bloated with thousands of persons who are either dead or have migrated.

Recent reports have suggested that non-Guyanese nationals were able to secure Identification Cards (IDs) using fake birth certificates. This matter is under active consideration.

For those reasons, the coalition has been pressing for a sanitised list. “…We were aware from our members and supporters and persons in the field that even in Local Government Elections, there had been some transgressions, that in some riverine areas where governmental scrutiny was weak or where it lapsed, there were multiple voting and people who were not entitled to vote voted,” President Granger explained as he underscored the importance of a clean list.

In keeping with a decision of the Commission, the Elections Secretariat had initiated House-to-House Registration but as a result of a decision of

the High Court, a subsequent decision was taken to shorten the period for House-to-House Registration and merge the data with the existing National Register of Registrants Database. GECOM, ahead of its decision, has promised an extended Claims and Objections period to aid in the sanitisation of the list.

The opposition and its supporters have planned countrywide protests if election is not held this year but President Granger said, while his Government would wish to have elections soonest, it is the Elections Commission that has exclusive responsibility to facilitate elections.

“But this is not in my hands. People are calling on me, people are picketing but I cannot do anything because I do not have the authority. I cannot go out and print ballot paper, appoint returning officers; I cannot detail where polling stations would be, these are functions given exclusively to the elections commission,” President Granger said. He made it clear that he cannot and will not interfere in the operations of the electoral body.

Very uncomfortable President Granger said he too is desirous of having elections soonest. “It is very uncomfortable for me as a Head of State to labour under the restrictions of an interim administration…Apart from my health, I have not accepted any invitations to go to foreign countries, many of my ministers have had their travels

restricted; we cannot bring a budget to parliament; we cannot engage in certain types of projects, which are regarded as irreversible; and the whole business of government has been slowed because we are obedient to and compliant with the instructions of the CCJ… So it is uncomfortable for me to remain in this condition,” he told reporters. Last Friday, he pointed out, a Government Parliamentary delegation led by Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence met with the Elections Commission to discuss the pending elections.

However, he maintained that GECOM must be allowed to do its work.

“The Elections Commission must be allowed to continue the task of preparing for the forthcoming general and regional elections. The Commission has an obligation to assure the public that it is ready to conduct credible elections and to advise the President of

its readiness to do so. I could then dissolve Parliament and issue a proclamation appointing a date on which elections could be held in accordance with the Constitution,” President Granger said on Monday in an address to the nation.

He iterated that since the No-Confidence Motion, he has been in contact with GECOM and through the National Assembly has ensured that the electoral body has the financial resources needed to facilitate elections.

“I have acted expeditiously throughout the year to ensure that credible general and regional elections are held. I consulted the Elections Commission on two occasions. I consulted the Leader of the Opposition on three occasions to select a new Chairman of the Elections Commission in accordance with the Constitution (at Article 161 (1)). I appointed Justice Claudette Singh, SC, CCH, as Chairman of the Com-

mission and administered the Oath of Office to her on 29th July 2019,” the President had said on Monday in an address to the nation,” he said.

On Wednesday, President Granger while reiterating his position said the Parliament and Cabinet remain intact, noting that he remains the President until a new President is sworn in. “The Executive has not been removed, the Cabinet has not been removed, I remain President until I am replaced as President,” he posited. In the event a No-Confidence Motion is passed, the Constitution provides for the three month timeframe to be extended by an act of Parliament but to date this has not been done thought the three month period has long expired. President Granger is still hopeful that an official extension can be granted. “I believe that we will go back to parliament once an agreement can be reached with the Leader of the Opposition,” he posited.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

Dealing with dissent NO Anglophone Caribbean government in recent decades has come under as much scrutiny during its first term in office as our current APNU+AFC Coalition Government.

Besides, it is customary for new governments to be allowed the proverbial honeymoon period with the understanding that, that time represents a transition from the old to the new; from very early in its term however, this administration faced the most aggressive of criticisms, so much so that even before completing its five-year term the coalition faced a no-confidence motion which was passed in the National Assembly. Though abiding by the constitution and the rulings of the court on this matter, it continuously

has to make the case that it was following the rule of law.

However, if one were to judge from the criticisms of the opposition PPP and the commentaries in the media, it seems more as though the administration has been in government for three terms. The big consequence is that the government has not had the space needed to settle into its own mode of operation; it has had to simultaneously try to put its own stamp on the governmental process and defend itself against an avalanche of criticisms, including some glaringly unjustified ones.

The PPP, even close to new elections, is still smarting from the shock of losing power and has been the most uncooperative and

Our Indigenous communities are living with dignity

uncomplimentary opposition. It has gone as far as rejecting national unity talks. Instead, it pontificates on every issue in a manner that suggests its objective is criticism simply for the sake of doing so.

What is even more nauseating is that it barefacedly seeks to hold this new government responsible for all its failings, when it has occupied the seat of power for less than five years. Besides, the daily rantings by its top leaders and some within civil society replete with threats against and slander of the government cut a sorry picture. There is not even a hint of patriotism or goodwill; it’s as if the government is an invading force.

Some may argue that the PPP is merely doing what a serious op-

Carter Center should be aware it was the PPP that sabotaged democracy

Dear Editor,

I SAW on Facebook the profiles of our Indigenous Heritage Contestants who came from all 10 of our geographical regions.

Several of the contestants stated that they are attending college and university, which shows the great progress that has been made in the life of our peoples who were once confined to the forest. Today, I can say with pride that our Indigenous communities are living with dignity, and are treated by this government as equals. I wish all the contestants the very best and wish to say that they must win on three fronts – being female, being Indigenous persons and being proud Guyanese.

I WANT to congratulate President David Granger and the Carter Center for meeting on Monday last.

It sends a good signal that Guyana still values the role of the celebrated President Jimmy Carter in promoting democratic values.

A major such value is free and fair elections, which President Granger has repeatedly declared that he supports. In his most recent address to the nation, the Guyanese President again said that he wants credible elections and would set an early date for these as soon as the elections commission signals that it is ready.

The Carter Center will of course accept the assurances of the Head of State who has solid credentials of fostering democratic involvement at all levels of our society.

We should never forget that is was Mr Granger who was in the forefront during 2014 to demand local government elections which the former PPP government denied for 20 years.

Yes, it was the PPP that sabotaged democracy and the Carter Center should be aware of this.

Regards Cheryl Campbell

Yours sincerely, Rovin Singh.

Dear Editor,

position is supposed to do. While there is some merit to that argument, in the final analysis the opposition is part of the government. In that regard, it does have a responsibility to ensure that its oversight of the government is constructive and not destructive. Clearly, the PPP is mindful of its own questionable stewardship of the country for over two decades, so criticism of the government is less about oversight and more about creating a distraction and in the process putting the government on the defensive.

Mr Jagdeo has made clear time and again that the PPP is solely concerned with regaining power at the next elections and even before those elections were constitutionally due, he, through alleged trickery,

engineered a no-confidence motion and got a government MP to vote with his party to bring down the government.

So far the government has responded well to its critics. It has pushed back against the PPP’s demonisation with success.

Crucially, it has not sought to silence the PPP. This is evident by the very fact that the PPP’s viewpoints are given coverage in the state-owned media—a drastic departure from the PPP’s attitude when it held the seat of power. In the end a government is judged not only by the success of its policies, but equally by how it deals with dissent.

Who will take responsibility for this situation?

We need local support as well as backing of our friends

Dear Editor,

WITH the 16th discovery of oil, Guyana has never been so close to being earth’s most precious spot!

But there would be some who will be jealous of Guyana -- if they are not already -- and may want to steal our wealth, or even destroy it.

We cannot let this happen!

Even though we have different political choices, we must hold together and give support to our government at this time. This is not a time for us to show weakness or division.

Since 2015 our people for the first time have seen a government that is fully serving the poor and the powerless. We saw the increases in public servants’ wages, bigger old age pensions and know that we have a government that cares.

We need local support as well as the backing of our friends from democratic countries to keep the peace and to make sure that Guyana stays on course to benefit from our new wealth.

MY question will be very short. I just wish to know who will be held accountable when an accident occurs on the corners of Alexander and Charlotte Streets? It has been months now -- if not longer -- since "STOP" signs on both streets have been sending the same command to vehicles heading north and west, cutting across each other with no indication as to who has the legal right-of-way.

I am always left in awe at simple, yet potentially catastrophic mistakes such as these. I bang my head to wonder whether the person (s) who authorised and/ or placed the stop signs did not see that both streets were giving the command, or whether he cared to notice or whether he even knew what he was doing? Should a collision occur at the corner of Alexander and Charlotte Streets, is the state prepared to compensate drivers for this ridiculous faux pas on the part of its agents?

Regards Zena Henry

Dear Editor,

Regards, Christine Henry

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

The government is in plain sight doing what it was elected to do

Dear Editor,

I WOULD like to respond to a letter published in the Kaieteur News by Shane Lindie, dated September 14, 2019 titled, “Where is APNU+AFC?” In that letter he stated, “As we very slowly but surely approach much-anticipated and unique general and regional elections, something is strikingly odd.

Where is APNU+AFC? We are in election mode and the contemporary PPP administration is very up-to-date with information. There are interviews and press conferences very regularly on TV. They are also releasing these interviews moments after airing on YouTube and on other popular social media platforms.”

Let me inform Mr Lindie that the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Brigadier (ret’d.) David Granger has not yet issued a proclamation dissolving the parliament and appointing a date for the holding of elections. Are you in a state of hibernation from Guyana

Mr Lindie?

It was only on Monday in his address to the nation that the President reiterated his commitment to holding credible elections at the earliest time possible and called on all Guyanese to respect the independence and judgement of the elections commission, which is responsible for elections. Just to set the record straight, GECOM is a constitutional, independent body which has a chairperson and PRO to speak for it and on its behalf; not under this government will you see political interference in a constitutional body!!!

As the President reminded the nation in his address that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) must be allowed to continue the task of preparing for the forthcoming General and Regional Elections, the Head of State explained in clear language that GECOM is solely responsible for the conduct of polls and that the Constitution safeguards the body from political interference, even as he pointed out that the commission must as-

sure the public that it is ready to conduct elections and to advise him of its readiness to do so.

Until then Mr Lindie, we are not in elections mode, the opposition PPP/C has been in election mode since it lost the elections in 2015 and it has manifested itself through a series of subversive actions and attacks on the government, resorting to the backdoor grab for power with the treacherous no-confidence motion last December.

Not until President Granger declares a date for elections, please be advised that the Prime Minister of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana reminded Guyanese in his My Turn column that, “The government operates on an interim footing, but does all routine functions from which citizens benefit. The Constitution invests in the Executive President and his interim government a life that goes beyond elections, until a new President is sworn in.

The APNU+AFC Government therefore enjoys both de jure and de facto status” in his ‘MY Turn column.

No value to the nation Dear Editor IT can hardly be denied that the deliberate and wilful acts of high-voltage criminality that degutted this state of so much of its material assets, presented an experience to Guyanese, unknown in their understanding of government and state.

For this was pillage on a grand scale that had been permitted -- unchecked and unbridled -- by those in power and authority, with those recipients of the loot carrying out their unlawful acts, comforted in the knowledge of nonaccountability.

As has been the subsequent march of time, a new psyche has been created, fashioned out of a social milieu of disrespect for social morals, inclusive of a contemptuous ignoring of the law, and a brazen

arrogance of even defying its existence, much less its applicability. All truths in the process were beaten down on the political anvil of lies. It became the sin qua non of a political clique.

It is against this background that the no-confidence motion must be understood, in terms of the morality of those who were its prime movers, as well as all those who aided and abetted its presentation in the National Assembly.

That it found its way into such an august sanctum of the nation’s law-making sanctuary, on the back of the treachery of a parliamentary debate, speaks of the gross disregard that those responsible showed for what is truth and integrity.

There is no doubt then that this nation has been the victim of the biggest legis-

lative hoax ever perpetrated in its political history. And it was from this, the biggest political lie from which flowed other lies from those whose crooked task became one of defending the challenges made against their treachery, as is only fair in accordance with due process.

How does one explain the incessant, unfair demands by the “constitutional experts” of 106(6), in isolation of 106(7), knowing fully well that the government had signalled its intention of a judicial challenge, a fact relayed to the opposition -- and understood -- and to which there were no objections. In any such circumstance, there would be a pause, a fact conveniently brushed aside by those who parroted TURN TO PAGE

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So, Mr Lindie, if you want to see the APNU +AFC government without going to the respective offices there are many mediums through which you and all Guyanese can access any information on this government. May I direct you to the Department of Public Information’s (DPI) Website, Facebook , Instagram and Twitter pages, the

Ministry of the Presidency’s Website, the Guyana Chronicle newspapers/ Online, Facebook etcetera and the National Communications Network(CN) Six O Clock News, Info Hub , Context and Insight to name a few.

I am sure you will find the information in the public domain that can edify you as to where is APNU+AFC.

The government is IN PLAIN SIGHT DOING WHAT THEY WERE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED TO DO, WORKING FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF GUYANA. Regards Ceion Rollox

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

Truck driver in Agricola accident arraigned on dangerous driving charge, gets bail MONTHS after a 7-yearold girl was crushed to death during an accident in Agricola, on the East Bank of Demerara, a truck driver was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday September 18, 2019, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The man, 39-year-old Danion Welcome, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that, on July 1, 2019, at the Agricola Public Road, he drove motor lorry GWW962 in a dangerous

manner to the public, causing the death of the 7-yearold Ciara Benjamin.

Police Prosecutor Mansfield noted that, on the day in question, at approximately 16:10hrs in the afternoon, Welcome was driving the motor lorry and was proceeding at a fast rate on the public road at Agricola.

He then lost control of the said vehicle and collided with the child, who was standing by the median, causing her death.

The matter was reported to the police and follow-

Dead: Ciara Benjamin

Charged, Danion Welcome

ing an investigation, a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), who advised that the man be

charged for the child’s death.

In an application for bail, Attorney-at-law, James Bond, stated that since the

accident, his client has been unable to work due to beatings he received from residents of the Agricola community following the incident. He requested that bail be set at reasonable amount.

Bond added that his client was advised to seek medical attention abroad for head injuries he sustained during the said beatings. He also noted that his client is not a flight risk and has been in frequent contact with the police since the accident.

The lawyer also stated that if bail is granted, his

client will adhere to any conditions the court sets.

Chief Magistrate McLennan released the man on $500,000 bail, under the conditions that he lodges his passport to the court and that he reports every Friday to the officer-in-charge at the Ruimveldt Police Station until the hearing and determination of his trial.

Welcome’s driver’s licence was also suspended and he is to appear at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on September 23, 2019 for statements.

$170M Golden Grove Secondary School commissioned

The new Golden Grove Secondary School (GGSS) building was on Wednesday commissioned by Education Minister, Dr. Nicolette Henry, in the presence of happy students, parents, teachers, villagers and several education officials.

The commissioning ceremony held in the school’s auditorium, took the format of a cultural presentation and reflection on where the school started to where it is today.

Education Officer (Secondary), Loren Park in briefing the audience on the history of the school, shared the story of the founding fathers, mothers and villagers, who fought through the prevalent racial tension that existed in the 1960s and ensured they had a secondary school in the village.

With a population now of 722 students, the school is better equipped not only to accommodate its population, but to ensure quality education delivery so that students can have a better chance at reaching their fullest potential.

Minister Henry told the attendees the government invested a “pretty penny” ($170M) in the school and it is the hope of the government that students will make full use of the resources to secure a solid education.

The Ministry of Education, she said, is currently crafting its strategic plan, which among other things, will focus on improving efficiency of the education system by helping all students to complete secondary school.

This is in keeping with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Four, which speaks of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all.

“The construction of every new school brings us closer to the fulfillment of the SDG Four, as more and more young people are provided with opportunities to equip themselves with the relevant skills and academia to foster personal as well as professional growth,” Dr Henry said.

She pointed out that Pres-

Education Minister, Dr. Nicolette Henry, education and regional officials assist a student in cutting the ribbon to commission the Golden Grove Secondary School (GGSS)

ident David Granger would have continuously promoted and supported development of education in this country, through several initiatives.

The mere fact that the education sector has the largest budgetary allocation is a reflection of how important the government deems edu-

No value to the ... the political opposition’s demand.

This lie, extended to the Caribbean Court of Justice(CCJ) consequential orders of July 18, which orders were not coercive as demanded by the opposition and their legal advisers. That such outrageous demands could have been made of the high justices of the nation’s highest court, asking that co-

ercive orders be made for the government to demit office, and in the process, announce a date for national elections, reflected a desultory disdain for truth in seeking to inveigle the court into a series of orders which were of a political nature, and which it was not going to make because of the Separation of Powers.

Yet, despite the justices’ firm ruling and explanation that

supported their reasons, the decision was twisted into another big lie, which its political perpetrators boldly challenged in the High Court – both an act of disrespect, since it was in fact demanding a lower court to overturn the decision of a higher body, and of desperation which was, as expected, dispatched.

Surely, the inevitable question that is being asked

cation.

“Our current students are the future leaders and therefore they should be groomed to govern with excellence.

They should be given conditions that are conducive to growth and development,” the minister said.

The commissioned school

has four laboratories: one each for Biology and Chemistry, one for Information Technology and another for Home Economics.

“And note these facilities were not included to just showcase architectural skills, but rather as a means to foster holistic development

of the students’ potential.

Needless to say, the facility itself cannot accomplish the goal, but strategic planning and implementation of those plans to utilise the facility to its full advantage, will ensure that these goals are a reality,” Dr Henry said.

She also charged the teachers to adopt a positive attitude and create the best and most conducive learning environment for the students.

Sharing sentiments of appreciation for the investment, headteacher, Dolores Dublin-Benjamin, a past student, said over the years the school has seen improvement in students’ academic performance.

With the new building and facilities, she said, it is expected that students will perform better.

During the commissioning ceremony, the audience was entertained as students showcased their talent through dramatic poetry, singing of folk songs and playing of steel orchestra.

◄ From page 7

of the political opposition’s dubious objections to the pre-election procedure of House- to - House registration, another lie, is how does it justify the latter as being illegal for the purpose of a sanitized voters’ list. How could it have pedaled such a big fib, which in all desperation it also challenged in court, only to be defeated?

One should also not for-

get the infamous accusation of the government being responsible for the collapse of the former industrial giant , GuySuCo. Absolutely, these are the dangerous political lies, fashioned in the mindset of a category of politicians and clique that has become their daily lexicon to misinform and deceive. This is a tragic downside that brings no

spiritual and moral value to the nation and serves only to reflect a crass, callous and selfish band of power-seekers, whose actions are entirely anti-national.

Regards Earl Hamilton

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

OP-ED PPP threatens to cancel Indigenous land titles

By Mervyn Williams IN another brazen, barefaced attempt to mislead the Guyanese public and to pull wool over the eyes of Guyana’s Indigenous population, the PPP suggests that: 1. This government does not care about Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples and their right to lands and has not issued any land titles in four years 2. Government in reaction to opposition criticism is now issuing titles to a number of Indigenous communities 3. Government is in ‘caretaker’ mode and any titles to Indigenous lands will be unlawful.

PPP incredible: The PPP is incredible. It suggests that President David Granger is not acting fast enough to grant titles to Indigenous Peoples for their lands. Recently, the President has through his Director-General (D.G) of the Ministry of the Presidency announced that a number of communities will receive titles to their lands.

The PPP has, predictably, changed its position. It now contends that President Granger’s government cannot legally issue titles to Indigenous Peoples, citing ‘caretaker status’ as the basis for its argument. It contends that any titles issued to Indigenous communities would be illegal.

The PPP’s leadership has said over and over again that whatever contracts are entered into and whatever acts are done by this government which it (the PPP) considers “illegal,” it would reverse if it gets back into government. By simple logic, the PPP has signalled to the Indigenous population of Guyana

and more particularly the eight communities identified by government that, if the PPP is returned to office, it will cancel the land titles issued to these eight communities.

RECORDS COMPARED The People’s National Congress (PNC) is the largest partner in the APNU and the largest partner in the APNU+AFC coalition. The PNC while in government has a proud record in the area of Indigenous Peoples’ land rights.

The Amerindian Act of 1951 was amended in 1976 by the inclusion of a schedule of sixty two (62) Indigenous villages and two (2) districts which were granted titles to their lands. The Act was again amended in 1991 to include an additional ten (10) villages and two (2) districts which were also granted titles to their lands.

If one were to disaggregate three of these districts into villages: Baramita, Karasabai and Annai (which is how they exist, function and style themselves), one will find that at least fifteen (15) villages are located within these three districts.

Essentially, therefore, one can successfully argue that the PNC between 1976 and 1991, a period of 15 years, was responsible for granting titles to some eighty seven (87) Indigenous villages. That is an average of six (6) villages receiving titles to their lands per year.

The APNU+AFC now stands accused of not granting any titles after four years in office. By now, however, The APNU+AFC has announced that eight communities have received executive approval for the granting of titles over their lands. That is an average of two titles per year being issued after

four years.

The PPP entered government in 1992 ready to fix all of Guyana’s problems, including the Indigenous Land Rights issues. It was not until the PPP realised that the changing demographics was growing increasingly unfavourable to its electoral chances that it set about attempting to pay some attention to the Indigenous Land issue.

In 2004, 12 years after first entering government, the PPP had the Baramita district demarcated.

Baramita was titled in 1976 under the PNC. Demarcation was the first step to issuing a Certificate of Title, an ownership document which supersedes the Absolute Grant (also a form of title) which was issued following the 1976 award. In other words, Baramita was given another ownership document for their land – the same land -- for which they had since 1976 received a legal instrument of ownership.

After 12 years, the PPP had still not issued a single new Land Title to any Indigenous community. The same PPP now barefacedly tries to lecture a responsible government on the subject of Indigenous Land Rights, an area in which the PPP has failed miserably.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DO NOT HAVE SHORT MEMORIES The PPP believes that Guyanese have short memories. If they were truly representing Indigenous Guyanese, they would know that our memories reach very far back. Our traditional knowledge stands out in this regard.

Even after just four years in government the David Granger government can boast about a better record than the failed PPP in the

area of Indigenous Land Titling.

The APNU+AFC government has succeeded in granting an average of two land titles per year compared to the PPP’s one per year during their term in office. The APNU+AFC did not waste eight years before acting decisively in honouring its commitment to the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana with regard to their land rights.

Guyanese can be certain that given the process and the partnerships involved in the granting of these new titles, they will be without controversy. This is quite unlike titles granted by the PPP. Guyanese can also be assured that, the granting of these titles by President Granger is entirely in keeping with his commitment to the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana and in conformity with the Laws of Guyana, with the Free Prior and Informed Consent of the beneficiary communities and following an exhaustive process which was open and transparent.

VISION: ONE GUYANA The APNU+AFC administration remains committed to ensuring that inequalities, where ever they exist, are removed. The APNU+AFC administration embraces the Sustainable Development Goals. The APNU+AFC administration has started and is committed to doing all that is required to ensure that whatever public goods and services are available to citizens who reside in the capital city and in the coastal regions of Guyana become available to citizens who reside in the hinterland.

The public infrastructure revolution in Guyana’s hinterland which complements institutional

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strengthening and the exercise of the right to self-determination and good governance in our Indigenous villages and communities present in a profound way President Granger’s expression of his One Guyana vision. No more coastal Guyana and hinterland Guyana – One Guyana.

Those who insist on trivialising sacred, important and historically significant issues which touch the very soul of the Guyanese man, woman and child can continue to pursue their misplaced agenda to their own detriment. There is no place in this forward-moving society for such backward people.

The fast-growing Indigenous population of Guyana embraces the vision of the One Guyana. The Indigenous population of Guyana rejects continued attempts to divide us. Our issues are not new. They may be misunderstood by some.

We are prepared to offer clarity to those who will inquire. Those who continue to attempt to mislead, misinform and hold us hostage to their empty promises and failed ideals -- particularly the PPP and including the new comers -- we reject.

Guyana is moving forward.

The Indigenous peoples of Guyana are involved as active participants in that forward-movement process. The Indigenous Peoples are involved in making policy in this country. The Indigenous peoples of Guyana embrace the government of President David Granger and acknowledge His Excellency’s fulfilment of commitments made, particularly in the area of land-titling. The work commenced in May of 2015 must continue.

Bosai workers on strike over 6% wage increase –– company puts new proposal to table, union to consider THE majority of the 600 workers employed by Bosai Mineral Group Guyana (BMGG), the Chinese-owned bauxite company operating in Linden, downed tools on Wednesday and will remain on strike until the management of BMGG decides upon an increase of more than 6.5 per cent.

The decision to down tools came after management announced a 6 per cent increase for 2019 and a 6.5 per cent increase for the following two years. This unilateral decision was made by the company after discussions between management and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), had continued to a dead end.

The workers came out in full force to air their op-

position to the increase. All of the mines workers were on strike and operations in the mines were affected, according to Senior Personnel Officer Truedel Marks; only foremen, casual workers and apprentices turned up for work. In the mines, operations were manned by a skeleton staff including foremen, casuals, apprentices and very few workers who decided not to strike.

The workers walked the streets of Republic Avenue before assembling in front of the Bosai’s main entrance with placards. One worker related to this newspaper that their reason for striking is that the company is in a financial position to give a higher increase than 6.5 per cent, since they have been making billions in profits.

BOSAI workers picketing in front the main entrance of the MacKenzie plant on Tuesday

BOSAI SHIFTS POSITION The strike action prompted senior officials from NAACIE to journey to Linden to engage both the workers and management. Present at the engagement was General- Secretary of NAACIE, Dawchan Nagasar. He related to this publication that Bosai shifted its position and brought a new proposal of 7

per cent for the two years.

While Marks did not relay what was the figure, she did say that a new proposal was brought to the table after management’s reconsideration. She said she is hoping the union’s response to this new proposal would be not only positive, but prompt, since operations are severely affected, especially in the mines. “We are hoping they come to an agreement so that

workers can go back to work as early as tonight,” she said.

Nagasar related that the 7 per cent proposal is being considered by the union.

“They did bring a new proposal to the table, some are for it, some are against, so it is under consideration,” he said.

In addition to salary increases, the workers also related their concern with Bosai holding two separate staff meetings; one in the mines and one in the Mackenzie plant. They are calling for one meeting to be held, as they believe this will allow workers to voice their concerns in a more effective manner. Nagasar related that not many concerns pertaining to the working conditions were raised by the workers.

The last time Bosai workers downed tools was in 2016 over slothful negotiations for increase in wages and salaries.

Meanwhile, Bosai’s counterparts at the Russian-owned bauxite company,RUSAL, through their Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU), is calling for the same 6.5 per cent increase that Bosai workers benefited from over the last few years. They are rejecting the three per cent proposal from RUSAL. “Alongside with the bauxite company BOSAI, three per cent is nothing. Because BOSAI rate is far over our own and we are in the interior location, whereas BOSAI is actually in a town where most of the workers go home to their family when we have to wait 14 days,” BCGI Union Branch Secretary Leslie Junor related. As a result of this, GB&GWU General-Secretary Lincoln Lewis, has written the Department of Labour, requesting that the dispute be moved to conciliation.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

‘Don’t gamble your future’ -PM warns Guyanese against Jagdeo’s PPP …says party cannot be trusted to lead nation

GUYANA has all the characteristics of a unique democracy with attributes of multi-party, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural democracy, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo said, while promising to work tirelessly for the re-election of President David Granger.

The prime minister was at the time speaking on VYBZ 100.1FM with Malcolm Ferreira on Wednesday. “I believe you will be gambling with the future of this country to return Jagdeo and the PPP into office; I’ve been there for 50 years, I know what I say and I may not say everything,” he said.

He continued: “For this that I would not even say in

public, the PPP cannot be trusted in its present leadership; it has a role to play and cannot be excluded from the governance process, it represents a large constituency, especially Indo-Guyanese and it has to better represent that constituency by saying that we would like to be in the governance process.”

He said that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has to come forward and say it wants to participate in a government of national unity while working with others in a national coalition.

The prime minister said he will not participate in marginalisation of any section of the populace.

“We have made tre-

mendous gains and Guyana should consider itself a fortunate country; it enjoys a democratic government, parliamentary democracy, it has freedom of expression, a free, open and plural press.

It has freedom of association, freedom to belong to a trade union, unions to represent workers, we have an independent judiciary,” the prime minister said.

He explained that such systems cannot and should not be reversed.

“I would not like to see that reversed; I would want to work with the last ounce of my energy to ensure that the coalition returns to office.”

When asked if he would

serve in a new capacity under the APNU+AFC coalition once re-elected, the prime minister said he is always willing to serve in the nation’s interest and would not shy away from service.

TEAM PLAYER “I am a team player, if I can’t bowl I will bat; if I can’t bat I’ll run. Sometimes you run on or run off the field, so I won’t have any problem if I have to go off the field or called to be on the field; whatever I do, I will play for the Guyana team,” Nagamootoo said.

He said whatever is the outcome of the Cummingsburg Accord it has nothing to do with his public service, since he has served as prime minister of the government and not just a party.

“What is important is securing victory, you can always distribute the positions in government after you secure victory; you have to have something first to distribute, because you can’t distribute nothing. My interest is to secure victory in the elections… personality issues should be kept at the lower level,” the prime minister said.

He said the coalition should put forward the best candidate who will capture the support of Guyanese.

“Get candidates that can energise the support base and I think the APNU+AFC coalition has been doing that together,” Nagamootoo

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

said.

Meanwhile, on reflecting on the aftermath of the no-confidence motion last year and an AFC forum held in January 2019, the prime minister said he had even offered his resignation to President Granger.

“The President did not accept my resignation and this is the first time I am saying this in public… since an AFC man had voted to overthrow the government, the AFC should take responsibility for that, since the vote of no-confidence was against the President and prime minister, along with the government; therefore, the AFC should immediately step forward and reassert confidence in its leadership,”

Nagamootoo said.

The prime minister said that there are certain protocols and standards when being a government official.

“There has to be a process of self-monitoring, and in my situation I am a team player. When the AFC nominated me initially, their nomination was for me to be the presidential candidate and at the Cummingsburg Accord, I decided on being prime minister,” underscoring his actions as a team player.

Nagamootoo described President Granger as an outstanding statesman and called on the electorate to support the coalition government.

‘Child of God’ to spend three months in prison for assault A 48-year-old Barber appeared before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that, on September 16, at Regent Road Bourda, Georgetown, he unlawfully assaulted his ex-girlfriend.

Seon Cholomondeley of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, who was unrepresented, said to the court “Me and this woman dated for a while and we broke up because I wasn’t living up to her Christian lifestyle.”

He added “I went to the church and the pastor gave me some scriptures to read.

While reading the scriptures I realized that she was guilty of certain things so I went to confront her about her wrongdoings. When I told her she got upset and we

Seon Cholomondeley

started to fight.”

Police Prosecutor stated that, on the day in question, the defendant went to the woman’s workplace where they had a confrontation.

The two got into an argument and the woman stopped a minibus. While the woman was entering the said minibus, Cholmondeley grabbed her.

Reports stated that, the

woman began walking away from the defendant but he pushed her into a wall and said, “you provoking me and will cause me to do something to you.”

However, public spirited citizens saw the scuffle and called the police and Cholomondeley was later arrested and charged.

Magistrate McGusty, after listening to the statements of the Prosecutor, asked Cholomondeley if he had anything to say and he replied, “I am a child of God.” He was then sentenced to three months’ imprisonment and instructed to read his scriptures.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

Several vehicles handed over to three regions GOVERNMENT’s commitment to empowering regions with the necessary resources that they need was reiterated on Wednesday when Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Annette Ferguson, handed over six Toyota Double Cab Hilux vehicles to officials of three administrative regions.

The Regional Executive Officers (REO) of Regions One, Seven and Nine collected the keys for the vehicles.

During the handing-over event at the ministry on Wednesday, Minister Ferguson noted that so far the ministry has procured ten (10) Toyota Double Cab Hilux vehicles and anticipates to spend in excess of over $100M for the number of vehicles procured. The cost for those handed over thus

far is close to $64M. “I wish to underscore this point, that since we came into office from 2015 to date, we have seen tremendous growth in the budgetary allocation for the various regions by 158%,” the minister said.

REO of Region Nine, Carl Parker, stated that the vehicles allotted to that region will be used by the regional health officer to enable the official to conduct outreaches into the villages where health matters are of concern. He said too that a vehicle will be going to the Regional Education Department to assist in the supervision of schools.

Parker also noted that a third vehicle will be assigned to the Public Works Department to enable them to monitor and evaluate projects around the region;

another will be assigned to the Regional Accounting Unit, since there are always challenges with paying salaries in the region.

“Presently, we only have two vehicles and they are shared, so these vehicles will greatly improve our delivery and ensure that communities have access to the regional administration and its programmes,” Parker said.

It was noted at the event that four additional vehicles will be delivered in October. The Ministry of Communities previously donated a number of equipment and vehicles for capacity- building of the town councils.

These include compactor trucks, Toyota Hilux vehicles, a hook lift truck, 12 tractors, and 11 skip lift trailers.

Gov’t, opposition must act -- workers in oil, gas sector not allowed to join unions, says GTUC

GTUC General-Secretary, Lincoln Lewis

GUYANA Trades Union Congress (GTUC) General-Secretary, Lincoln Lewis, is calling on the government and Opposition People's Progressive Party (PPP) to get the foreign oil and gas companies here to respect workers’ right to join a union.

Lewis, at a press briefing at Critchlow Labour College on Wednesday, said workers should enjoy the freedom of trade union membership as is their right under the Constitution of Guyana.

Article 147 of the Constitution which deals with protection of freedom of assembly and association, he said must be respected.

According to Lewis, some companies have

laid off workers who insisted on joining a union.

“The growth and development of an oil and gas industry holds out the likelihood of significant social and economic development for Guyana and for us in the trade union movement, the prospect of the creation of significant additional jobs for the workers of the country,” Lewis said.

He said the GTUC has had negative dispositions from foreign firms related to the oil and gas sector where unionising workers is concerned.

The GTUC general-secretary told reporters that one oil company stated in their employment contract, that “the employee may not without prior written consent of the company engage, whether directly or indirectly, in any business or employment or association including union membership which is similar or in any way connected to or competitive with the business of the company or which could or might reasonably be considered by the company to impair the employees’ ability to act at all times in the best interest of the company during outside the employees’ hours of work for the company.”

Lewis also called on the Private Sector Commission to make a pronouncement on the right of workers to join unions of their choice, a constitutional matter.

He said the union will also advocate for the workers in the country to benefit from local content.

Third fire at Plaisance property leaves five homeless

By Elvin Croker

FIVE persons are now homeless after fire destroyed their one-bedroom wooden cottage situated at 38, Duran Street Plaisance, on the East Coast Demerara.

Foul play is suspected in what is reportedly the third occurrence of fire at the property.

Fire fighters were able to contain the blaze on Wednesday evening, to the one bedroom wooden cottage, after receiving a call reporting the fire just around 19.00 hrs.

Relating the ordeal, Florence Alexander, 47, said it was just her four-year-old grandson and herself who were at home when the fire started.

“I went washing wares outside when I look up all I see is this big ball a fire in de kitchen,” she related.

The mother of two who estimated her loses at over one

Florence Alexander with her 4 year-old grandson after the fire

million dollars said the house, which is occupied by her two sons, a daughter-in-law, her grandson and herself, was burnt twice before.

“When me run in de bedroom fa pull out things, de fire keep coming mo an mo, su I had fo lef everything cause me can’t go through the fire,”

the distressed mother who lost everything said.

Alexander explained that her nephew had died in the last fire on the property a few years ago.

She said the property which was reduced to ashes belongs to her 81-year-old mother who she said did not return to it, after the death of the family member.

The woman who works as a security guard, on the night shift, told fire officials that she did not work because it was her night off and she believes someone sent “fire bun” on her house again.

She explained that she recently won a court battle over issues surrounding access to the property and believes persons are after her for the land.

Alexander was taken into police custody to give statements on the fire.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

Guyana remains committed to EU in the post-Cotonou period …President Granger assures as he accredits new EU ambassador

PRESIDENT David Granger registered Guyana’s strong commitment to the Post-Cotonou Framework and the longstanding relationship it shares with the European Union (EU) as he accredited Fernando Ponz Cantó as the EU Resident Ambassador to the country.

Ambassador Cantó presented his Letters of Credence to President Granger during a simple, but significant ceremony at the Ministry of the Presidency on Wednesday. Through the EU’s development cooperation programmes, the country has benefitted significantly in the fields of ag-

riculture, sugar-cultivation, education, training, housing, public health, public and private sector development, coastal zone management and climate change.

In his address, President Granger noted that Guyana and the EU have collaborated within the ambit of the successive Lomé Conventions

and the current African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States: ACP-EU Cotonou Partnership Agreement.

“These arrangements establish a platform on which to construct a new generation of partnership for their mutual benefit. These agreements will assist in the realisation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals to which Guyana is unequivocally committed,” the Head of State explained.

The Cotonou Agreement, which spans for 20 years, is the most comprehensive partnership agreement between developing countries and the EU. Since 2000, it has been the framework for EU's relations with 79 countries from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP).

Here in Guyana, President Granger said the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) is a strong indication of the government’s

President David Granger in discussion with EU Resident Ambassador, Fernando Ponz Cantó, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings

political, developmental and socio-economic cooperation. “We can only succeed in our important mission if we work even more closely together involving all actors, at all levels of government, together with non-state actors, the private sector and community-based organi-

and rehabilitate its sea defences, which become more and more relevant each day as we witness the harsh effects of climate change. Your Excellency, we also look forward to supporting Guyana’s efforts in other areas, such as human security, and implementing the Voluntary Part-

President David Granger with His Excellency Fernando Ponz Cantó, Ambassador of the European Union to Guyana (third from left) during the accreditation ceremony. Also photographed (left to right) are: Mr. Philippe Coessens; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings; Mr. Jorge Janeiro and Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Audrey Waddell (MoTP Photos)

commitment to cohesive and sustainable development.

“The ‘green state’ will place emphasis on the protection of our environment, the preservation of our biodiversity, the promotion of renewable energy and practical measures to ensure climate adaptation,” he detailed, while noting that the country is now pushing for increased access to modern, clean and affordable energy, notwithstanding the development of the oil and gas sector. Emphasis, he said, is also being placed on climate adaptation.

The new Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union, in his address, took note of the fact that Guyana and the EU share a broad agenda of

sations,” he told President Granger in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings.

Like President Granger, Ambassador Cantó noted that for more than 40 years, the EU has been a reliable partner and supporter of Guyana’s development. This period, he posited, has been marked by contributions in multiple sectors such as education, health, agriculture, infrastructure development, strengthening of governance, institutional capacity building and trade facilitation as well as democracy and human rights.

“Of particular note is the EU's extensive contribution to helping Guyana maintain

nership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) in the years ahead. This is also part of our joint efforts to address the challenge of making the most of natural and extractive resources, while preserving the environment and fostering sustainable and inclusive development,” the EU Ambassador told the President.

He noted that the political partnership, between Guyana and the US, is also becoming more and more important due to shared objectives, interests and values.

“As your Country approaches the next electoral date, TURN TO PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

New Mexican ambassador accredited HAILING Mexico as a valued market for Guyana’s rice, President David Granger said Guyana looks forward to that country’s support to foster a more resilient agricultural sector.

At the time, he was de-

disaster management, education, oil and gas, and trade and to resuscitate the coconut industry.

“Mexico is a valued market for Guyana’s rice.

It has provided valuable technical support in disaster management; extend-

environmental resilience,” President Granger noted, while adding that Ambassador Conteras’ appointment allows for the consolidation of cooperation between the two countries.

“We look forward to Mexico’s support in build-

President David Granger pays keen attention to José Omar Hurtado Conteras, Ambassador of the United Mexican States to Guyana. Also photographed are the ambassador's wife and son

livering the keynote address during the Accreditation Ceremony of His Excellency, José Omar Hurtado Conteras, Ambassador of the United Mexican States.

Ambassador Conteras presented his Letters of Credence to President Granger, on Wednesday, in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings; Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Audrey Waddell and members of the Mexican Delegation.

In his address, President Granger noted that Guyana-Mexico relations have fostered active cooperation in the fields of agriculture,

ed scholarships to build Guyana’s human resource capacity; and commenced cooperation in the oil and gas sector,” he pointed out.

Noting that Guyana is moving towards the establishment of a ‘green state,’ the Head of State explained that the country’s ‘green’ agenda places significant focus on environmental protection, biodiversity preservation, renewable energy and climate adaptation.

“Guyana and Mexico share a common interest in working together to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and to build greater economic and

ing a more resilient agricultural sector, increasing trade between our two states and learning from Mexico’s experience and expertise in disaster management. We therefore look forward to improved relations between our two republics during your tenure as Ambassador of the United Mexican States to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana,” President Granger said.

While underscoring the strong relations between the two countries, Ambassador Conteras said he intends to foster greater growth in the areas of education. “Both countries have aggressive agreements in scientific

Guyana remains committed to ...

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I am happy to reiterate the EU's availability to accompany your efforts, as we know we agree on the importance of ensuring transparent, inclusive and timely processes meeting all relevant standards,” he said.

Added to that, Ambassador Cantó, while describing the two sides as like-minded partners and friends, said

by building on the solid partnership, they can also achieve the most useful results in the multilateral arena. It was noted that the post-Cotonou framework, in which Guyana plays a key role, is another great opportunity for closer cooperation at regional level. “I am looking forward to increasing our cooperation and co-

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ordination in the promotion of common objectives at regional and global level, for the benefit of both the EU and Guyana,” he posited.

Guyana and the EU established diplomatic relations in 1975 which is premised on the common principles of equality, mutual respect, the rule-oflaw and tolerance.

Ambassador of the United Mexican States, José Omar Hurtado Conteras lays a wreath at Independence Arch (MoTP Photos)

and technical cooperation that we can make the most of in sectors such as education. For example, I think a big opportunity is teaching Spanish here in Guyana,” he said.

Guyana and Mexico established diplomatic relations on March 1, 1973.

Their relations are founded on mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, cooperation for mutual benefit, respect for treaties and international law and the maintenance

of regional peace and security. In October, 2017, the Guyana-Mexico relations were reinforced at the regional level during the Fourth CARICOM-Mexico Summit in Belize City.

There, President Granger had met with President Enrique Peña Nieto.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 19, 2019

Teon Allen charged for discharging illegal firearm --Released on $500, 000 bail Former Cop, Teon Allen, who was wanted by the police for attempted murder, was on Monday charged for discharging of a firearm with intent on Tuesday, at the Linden Magistrate’s Court. He appeared before Magistrate Wonda Fortune and pleaded not guilty to the charge. Allen was released on $50,000 bail and is expected to return to court on October 7, 2019.

The police was advised to charge Allen after video footage surfaced showing a male,

suspected to be him, carrying out the act. Allen is however strongly contending that he is not the person in the video. He too submitted a video to the police as an alibi. The video showed him at another location, at the time of the incident.

Allen turned himself in last week, after a wanted bulletin was released by the Guyana Police Force, in connection with attempted murder on Denise Grant and Tiffany McDeth, in Amelia’s Ward, on September 2, 2019. While

Allen was in custody, his car was reportedly torched and a bystander witnessing the incident, was reportedly shot by the perpetrators. It is suspected that the act was carried out by members of a Cayenne-based Guyanese gang, operating in Linden.

Last Thursday, ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), journeyed to Linden and arrested 14 males who are suspected to be involved in the ongoing gang violence. Ten of these were subsequently released but four were charged for offences

Former cop Teon Allen

ranging from possession of narcotics and acquiring military clothing from the Guyana Defence Force. These are Adrian Webster, Yuriel Lewis, Rodwell Fraser and Lennox Estwick. Rodwell Fraser was released on $20, 000 bail and Estwick was released on $5, 000 bail. Webster and Lewis were fined $10, 000 in addition to being ordered to conduct community service.

Meanwhile Region 10 officials, residents and ranks of ‘E’ Division, believe that the arrest would bring a rest to the

gang-related violence Lindeners were exposed to, over the last few months.

Since the feud started some months ago, allegedly between Allen and the ‘Cayenne Gang’, at least one person has been stabbed; vehicles were torched, one person was shot and shots were fired at several properties, with intent to harm those inside.

‘E’ Division has ramped-up patrols in the communities, especially in Amelia’s Ward.

couldn’t then my neighbour and other persons try to help but the fire got really big but we still tried to break to down the door,” Smith said.

an explosion from a gas bottle and his grandmother jumped through a window to escape the blaze.

The elderly woman explained that despite the heat and flames in the house, she tried to break through a wall to create an exit for the elderly man. She also tried dousing the flames with water. After failing to extinguish the blaze, she jumped through the window to save her life.

The elderly man managed to crawl through the opening to reach the backdoor of the house, however, because of the grill and padlocks, he became trapped inside of the burning house where he succumbed.

An investigation into

Octogenarian perishes in Corriverton blaze ….wife leaps from house to escape inferno

By Nafeeza Yahya AN 85-year-old Corriverton man died during a fire at his home on Wednesday morning.

The fire, which started at approximately 06:00hrs,

claimed the life of Stanley Brown, whose remains were removed by firefighters a few hours later from his Scottsburg, Corriverton, East Berbice Corentyne home.

According to information

received, the fire started in Brown’s bedroom which was situated in the upper flat of the two storey, wooden and concrete structure. His wife, Mervette Brown, 77, who slept in a back bedroom, was

forced to jump out of a window to escape the inferno.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the elderly man, whose leg was ampu-

Dead: Stanley Brown

tated, was unable to unlock his door which he usually locked from the inside with padlocks.

According to their grandson, Tyrese Smith, who resided in the lower flat of the home, he was lying down on the when he heard his grandfather calling out to the elderly woman.

He said he found it strange that the couple was up so early and he decided to investigate.

“I run upstairs and then see the fire from the front and she was asking him for the keys because all the doors does be locked with padlocks. I run to the back door and try kick it down but I

The distraught Mervette Brown

At that point, there was

the fire is underway.

Teen who engaged in sexual activity with a child to know his fate in October A MIXED 12-member jury on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, found a 17-yearold boy guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a 6-year-old girl, three years ago.

The matter was held in camera before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the

Demerara High Court.

The teen was on trial for engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age of consent between November 16, 2016 and November 31, 2016 in Demerara. He was 13-years-old at the time.

After hours of deliberating, the jury returned a guilty

verdict and the defendant was placed in the custody of the Juvenile Holding Centre.

He will return to court early in October, 2019, for sentencing, after the presentation of a probation report.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

NGSS electronic library declared open

NORTH Georgetown Secondary School (NGSS) is now equipped with a fully functioning electronic library, said to be the first of its kind in Guyana, compliments of the school’s alumni.

At the launch ceremony on Wednesday, in the school’s auditorium, Education Minister, Dr. Nicolette Henry, noted that libraries play a vital and central role in shaping the education system

gift worth some $10.7M, to commemorate the school’s 50th anniversary.

The project was a collaborative effort between NGSS Guyana, NGSS North America (NA), the Education Ministry and the National Data Management Authority.

NGSS NA provided the tablets and accessories for the e-library while NGSS Guyana built the space, Internet via fibre-optic cable, network connection and education

NGSS past student and Coordinator of NGSS 50, Rear Admiral (rtd), Gary Best

in Guyana.

And giving the ministry’s mandate to eliminate illiteracy, modernise education and strengthen tolerance, the opening of the e-library “is nothing short of remarkable and should be highly commended,” the minister said.

“The presence of libraries in our society has often benefitted the academia and students at various levels, nursery all the way to tertiary institutions… e-libraries are very relevant to education delivery in today's ICT age, as they open up windows to the world and inspire all of us to explore, achieve and contribute to improving the quality of our lives… a digital state will trigger economic transformation,” Henry posited.

The minister told the packed auditorium that a large part of this country's development is linked to what is happening in the classrooms and the schools.

As such, the ministry has themed education month “Education - the key to national development”.

“Therefore promoting reading and school libraries is critical to eliminating illiteracy. Guyana needs high quality education system, with globally competitive literacy and numeracy standards. An intensive effort is therefore needed to promote reading in our school and develop reading skills... Guyana is indeed on the right path and in the right hands. And so NGSS is the launching ground for the first ICT school library in this country,” Henry said moments before declaring the new library officially open.

Shedding some light on this venture for the school, NGSS past student and Coordinator of NGSS 50, Rear Admiral (rt’d) Gary Best said the e-library is a donation, a

content.

He also pointed out that NGSS NA, over a period of one year, hosted fund-raising activities to offset the expenses for the donation to the school.

Best said the first phase of the project caters for 25 students at a time to have access to the library but phase two will allow remote access any part of the school, on a tablet. In the third phase, students will be able to dial in from their tablets at home and have access to the network of information.

Best also shared that the room will run for 24 hours and the aim is to give it a feel and appearance like an Apple or Samsung store.

This, he hopes will aid in encouraging the students to continue improving their performance.

Best told Guyana Chronicle that he believes the world has gone past the digital age and the e-library for NGSS is keeping abreast with the advancing world.

The tablets have all the past papers for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations for the students to use as practice.

However, Best noted that the e-library is not limited to the use of CSEC students, but rather the entire school.

The students of North Georgetown Secondary whom this newspaper spoke to all expressed much anticipation that the e-library has come onstream.

“Well you know that we are in the digital age and most of us young people we prefer using digital devices for everything. And when we have homework and assignments and we have to do research and so on, to go look in several books to read and look for what we want

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Students in the new e-library at North Georgetown Secondary School

is like a deterrent in the research process. So now that we have this e-library, I believe our students will be

more encouraged to do their work, because the process is appealing and relevant to us,” the student said.

Education Minister, Dr Nicolette Henry assists a student in cutting the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the e-library at North Georgetown Secondary School

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 19, 2019

Women have to be equal partners in development of Guyana

IN order for the country to achieve its full potential, women have to be equal partners in growth and development, said First Lady Sandra Granger.

Women participation in development was at the fore of the discussions during the third annual WeLead Empowered

Leadership Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, on Wednesday.

The two-day conference featured speakers like Beyoncé’s Publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, the First Lady, Founder of WeLead Caribbean, Abbigale Loncke and US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah

Ann-Lynch, among others. The conference was held under the theme, “Powherful: transition from inspiration to action.”

“We continue to struggle for the right to education, for representation in decision-making bodies, gender parity and equal pay…I continue to look for the day when the value of

the unwaged work, which many women do in the various spheres of their lives, is recognised and quantified,” said the First Lady.

She said almost 40 years after the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, women in many parts of the world are still discriminated against and are still demanding equal rights.

The First Lady believes that women’s empowerment is underpinned by education because it is through education that a woman begins to level the playing field.

“It is through education that she gains employment and moves forward and upward in her chosen career. It is through education that she improves her economic viability and that of her family and through education that she gains confidence in herself and empowers herself,” said First Lady, Granger. She encouraged women to start thinking for themselves and step outside the boxes, which they are placed in, and follow and fulfill their dreams. “I believe that empowerment comes from knowing yourself and the value of what you bring to the table. And as women, we bring a lot,” said Ambassador Ann-Lynch.

The ambassador referred to data that supports the notion that when you bring

-says First Lady

First Lady Sandra Granger addressing persons at the WeLead Empowered Leadership Conference (Delano Williams photo)

the wrong time,” said the ambassador. Despite the inequalities, she encouraged women not to give up because nothing will be improved unless they improve it. The ambassador also challenged women to raise their voices and speak about their opinions.

“Use your outdoor voice! Men do it, so why can’t we? Follow your instincts. Empower yourself, since it has clearly gotten you this far.

“Resist negative people and negative thinking.

Envision a future where you want to go and join with others to go there. Build on each other’s ideas. Put people first. Most importantly, believe in yourself.

First Lady, Mrs Sandra Granger and US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah Ann Lynch joined other presenters at the forum

women into the political and economic life of a country, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) goes up and the poverty rates go down. She said it is proven that companies with more women in higher management positions achieve higher profits. “When women participate in the decisions, there is an increase of peace, prosperity and security. History shows when at a peace table, women build coalitions and work hard to build consensus,” said Ann-Lynch.

She believes that women need to be involved in every aspect of shaping the world which they live in, but they need the tools to do that. There are, however, barriers and obstacles which prevent women from achieving their full potential.

“Talented women everywhere are working 24 hours a day and still get discouraged and they cannot seem to get ahead.

Every day, sexism is still with us. We have all felt it. The meetings where your ideas are ignored, a man says the same thing and he gets the credit.”

“The direct assaults on women, who are attacked and then blamed for wearing the wrong thing or being in the wrong place at

Build on your strengths and always insist on a better tomorrow,” said Ann-Lynch.

The US embassy has been helping women to achieve their goals and become empowered. The embassy sponsors people like Loncke and gives them the opportunity to participate in business exchange programmes like Young Leaders of America Initiative (YLAI) to increase their leadership and business skills. On a larger scale, the US state department sponsors the Women of Courage award every year, recognising women around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Since 2007 more than 120 women from 65 different countries have been recognised for making a difference. In February the US established the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, the first whole-of-government effort to advance global women’s economic empowerment.

The initiative seeks to reach 50 million women across the globe by 2025 through US government activities, private-public partnerships, and a new innovative fund, all focused on three pillars: women prospering in workforce, women succeeding as entrepreneurs and women enabled in the economy.

Participants at the opening day of the WeLead Conference (Delano Williams photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

Fiery protest following fatal shooting of Leopold Street man

…police say suspect confronted ranks following a robbery A FULL investigation has been called for into a shooting incident in which a 35-year-old Leopold Street man was shot dead by the police following a robbery during the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

Residents of Leopold Street set fires to debris that they threw on the roadway as they protested and called on the Guyana Police Force to provide them with clear information into the circumstances surrounding the death of resident, Orin Williams, who the police noted was shot during a confrontation with ranks following a robbery.

Following the protest actions in Leopold Street, residents met with PNCR Chairman Volda Lawrence and Executive Basil Williams SC accompanied by WPA Executive Tacuma Ogunseye and GAP Executive Attorney An-

thony James. The High Level APNU contingent supported the call for a fair investigation into the incident and justice being served.

The police, in a press release, said that initial investigations revealed that four persons were held at gunpoint, at the corner of Hadfield and High Streets, by three men, early on Wednesday morning. They were robbed of several articles including four cell phones, an undisclosed amount of cash and personal documents.

The victims promptly reported the matter to the police who responded and proceeded in the direction in which the suspects allegedly fled. Reports are that around 01:30hrs, while in the vicinity of Norton and Bishop Streets, Wortmanville, one of the suspects dismounted his bicycle, drew a firearm from his waist

Dead: Orin Williams

and discharged two rounds in the direction of police ranks who took evasive action and returned fire using their service weapons.

One of the suspects was wounded and he was taken to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The police noted that the other suspects made good their escape. One .38 revolver with its serial number filed out with

Teen who engaged in sexual activity with a child to know his fate in October A MIXED 12-member jury on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, found a 17-year-old boy guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a 6-year-old girl, three years ago.

The matter was held in camera before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Demerara High Court.

The teen was on trial for engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age

of consent between November 16, 2016 and November 31, 2016 in Demerara. He was 13-years-old at the time.

After hours of deliberating, the jury returned a guilty verdict and the defendant was placed in the custody of the Juvenile Holding Centre.

He will return to court early in October, 2019, for sentencing, after the presentation of a probation report.

one live round and two spent shells, a quantity of Cannabis, three cellular phones, one yellow metal chain, G$10,000 and one back-pack were recovered from the scene.

Two of the cellular phones recovered have since been identified by two of the victims as belonging to them, the Guyana Police Force said. On Wednesday morning, the residents of the area barricaded Leopold Street as they sought the attention of the authorities.

The situation was quickly ‘de-escalated’ when the scene was visited by a party of police officials , headed

by Assistant Commissioner, Marlon Chapman, who spoke with the protestors in

Officials of the PNCR who met with the concerned residents.

the presence of Attorney at Law Mr. Nigel Hughes. He assured them that a thorough investigation into the matter would be conducted.

Residents subsequently extinguished the fires and also removed the debris from the road ways.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

Minibus driver who threatened traffic rank remanded to prison A 30-year-old minibus driver was, on Wednesday, remanded to prison on several charges including threatening the life of a traffic rank.

Tavid Ahmad appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer to the charges.

Particulars of the first

charge stated that, on September 13, 2019, at Camp Street, he unlawfully and maliciously assaulted Police Constable, Jaffar Blackman.

Particulars of the second charge stated that, on September 13, 2019, at the same location, he resisted arrest.

The third charge stated that, on September 13, 2019 at the same location, he dam-

aged one police shirt, valued at $2500, property of the Guyana Police Force.

The fourth charge stated that, on the same day and at the same location, Ahmad used threatening language towards Police Constable Blackman.

The fifth charge stated that, on the same day and at the same location, Ahmad Tavid Ahmad

in public hearing, behaved disorderly.

Ahmad also appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse, on Wednesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer to two additional charges.

The sixth charge alleged that on the same day and at the same location, he drove minibus BVV 3428 in a manner dangerous to the public.

The final charged stated

that on the same day and at the same location, he drove minibus BVV 3428 while under the influence.

Police prosecutor, Seon Blackman, noted that on the day in question, the defendant's minibus was seen obstructing traffic on Camp Street.

Constable Blackman, who was carrying out his duties at that time, approached the said minibus and told the

defendant to drive the vehicle to the Brickdam Police Station.

The defendant then disembarked the vehicle and punched the rank to the face and said, “I'm not afraid of no police.”

Reports also stated that during the altercation Ahmad threatened the life of the complainant, allegedly saying, “I would kill he and spend time in jail.”

The prosecutor objected to bail being granted to the defendant due to the seriousness of the offences and the fact that the officer was executing his duties.

Magistrate McGusty, after hearing the facts presented by the Police Prosecutor, remanded the man to prison until September 25, 2019.

Vendor charged for simple larceny granted bail A 42-year-old vendor was arraigned before Magistrate Faith McGusty, on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, at the Georgetown magistrates’ court.

Phillip Adams pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that, on September 16, 2019, at Croal Street, Georgetown, he stole $22,000, property of Andrew Blackman.

Police Prosecutor Brum-

mel informed the court that, on the day in question, the defendant snatched the virtual complainant’s money and attempted to escape on a bicycle.

Brummel added that the virtual complainant then kicked the wheel of the bicycle of the accused causing him (Adams) to fall. Adams then told the virtual complainant that ‘is joke I making.’ The matter was reported

to the police and Adams was later arrested and charged.

Adams, however told the court that he is a psychiatric patient and needed medication. He also stated that he often made jokes of similar nature with the vendors in the area.

Magistrate McGusty released the man on $22,000 bail and adjourned the matter until September 25, 2019.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 19, 2019

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Milerock FC crowned NAMILCO/ UDFA U-17 champions

IT was a weekend of competitive football when the GFF-NAMILCO U-17 IntraAssociation Tournament continued in the three Regional Member Associations Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA), East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) and the Berbice Football Association (BFA).

Matches began in the UDFA on Saturday when they wrapped up their leg of the tournament and Milerock FC were crowned champions after defeating Botofago by a 5-1 margin following kicks from the penalty mark at the Wisburg Secondary School ground at 14:00hrs.

The match, played in front of a sizeable crowd, saw both teams play with intensity but it was goalless after the first half. The rivalry continued in the second half but after ninety minutes, the score remained tied at nilall resulting in kicks from the penalty mark, which Milerock won to secure the match.

Eagles United gained third-

place following a no-show

by Amelia’s Ward in the first scheduled match.

Meanwhile, over at the EDFA on Saturday the Victoria Community Centre ground came alive when Golden Stars FC snatched a 2-1 win from Victoria Scorpions, with goals from Christall James in the 33rd minute and Joshua De Souza in the 59th minute.

Not wanting to give up the match on home ground, Daniel Murphy claimed redemption for Scorpions late in the second half with a 70th minute goal.

Unfortunately, the first scheduled match – Mahaica Determinators FC vs Ann’s Grove FC – had to be rescheduled to this Sunday due to unforeseen circumstances.

Sunday’s matches saw Buxton United FC and Melanie FC gain walkovers from Dynamic FC and Buxton Stars FC respectively.

The tournament continues this Saturday and Sunday with the finals set for Saturday, September 28 at 13:00hrs and

15:30hrs respectively.

In the BFA, a hat-trick from Hopetown Rangers FC’s Kevin Wilson, assisted by a brace from Luke Langevine and a goal from Denroy George, ensured a win for the team on Sunday against Hearts of Oak by a 6-4 goal difference at the Esplanade Park, New Amsterdam.

Credit should be given to Hearts of Oak who fought valiantly for a comeback after trailing by 2-1 at halftime. Among the scorers for Hearts of Oak were Jonathan Dolphin with a brace and Emmanuel Phillips and Shamar McAndrew with one goal apiece.

In Saturday’s scheduled fixture, Corriverton Lynx FC gained a walkover from Mahaicony FC. Matches continue this weekend at the same venue – Monedderlust FC vs Arsenal FC (Saturday) and NA United vs Cougars FC on Sunday.

NAMILCO is official sponsor of RHTYSC first division team THE NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour has been confirmed as the new official sponsor of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS (RHTYSC) first division team. At the official launching recently, NAMILCO Managing Director, Bert Sukhai, told the 13 players present, that his company was proud to be associated with RHTYSC. He expressed confidence that the team would be perfect representatives of the Thunderbolt Flour brand. NAMILCO, he stated,

strongly believed in investing in sports and education. The company which was founded in 1969 is a strong supporter of sports in Guyana especially football and cricket. Chief Executive Officer of the club, Hilbert Foster, reassured NAMILCO that the team would represent their brand with pride, passion, dedication and most importantly results. Foster said the first division team, as it has done in the last 28 years, would achieve success via a simple formula - hard work, dedication and team unity. The NAMILCO brand would be promoted throughout the Ancient County and it is our hope that this sponsorship would be a long-tern one. The team was

sponsored by Gizmos & Gadgets for the last nine years and has produced a number of players for Berbice, Guyana and the West Indies including Test player Assad Fudadin and ODI player Royston Crandon. Meanwhile, the club has plans to feature some of its female West Indies players at the First division level against weaker teams, as part of its development programme. The team would also undertake a number of personal projects under the sub-headings of Education, Charity, AntiDrugs, Anti-Suicide, Sports, Support to Senior Citizens, Anti-Alcohol and Religion among others.

Ticket prices up for CPL Playoffs

TICKET prices for the two Playoff Hero Caribbean Primer League matches to be hosted in Guyana on Sunday, October 6, has seen a slight increase, according to organisers. The Providence stadium will host the two games - the eliminator between the third-placed and fourthplaced teams, and qualifier one involving the top-of-the-table side after the preliminaries against the second-placed side.

However, it is confirmed that patrons can be a part of the double-header playoff matches with the purchase of one ticket. Prices are as follows for both matches – Grass Mound G$2 500; South East Stand (Orange) G$3 300; North West Stand (Red) G$5 500 and South West Stand (Green) G$6 000.

Tickets will be on sale from tomorrow at the local CPL

ticket office, located at 238 Camp and Quamina Streets in Georgetown.

The two games will bring to seven the number of CPL matches staged here during the 2019 campaign after Guyana Amazon Warriors played three of their home games here at the start of the tournament.

They have two remaining matches here on October 3 and 4 against Jamaica Tallawahs and two-time reigning champions Trinbago Knight Riders.

The winner of qualifier one will book a direct spot in the final set for October 12 in Trinidad and while the winner of the eliminator will face the loser of qualifier one on October 10 in Trinidad and Tobago, for a place in the final. (Rajiv Bisnauth)

RACING TIPS American Racing Tips Belmont Race 1 Winston C Race 2 Kazmandude Race 3 Mohican Race 4 Stiva Race 5 Boston Beauties South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:45 hrs Kapama 09:25 hrs Hartleyfour 10:05 hrs Ragoon 10:40 hrs Jacko Boy 11:15 hrs Village Deep English Racing Tips Ayr 08:30 hrs Morisco 09:00 hrs Monsieur Noir 09:30 hrs Royal Regent 10:00 hrs Ventura Royal 10:30 hrs What’s The Story 11:00 hrs Eva Maria 11:30 hrs Orange Blossom 12:00 hrs Iron Mike Yarmouth 08:50 hrs Gobi Sunset 09:20 hrs Ursa Minor 09:50 hrs Thread Of Silver 10:20 hrs Past Master 10:50 hrs Potters Lady Jane 11;20 hrs Harrovian 11;50 hrs Yimou Pontefract 09:10 hrs Seas Of Elzaam 09:40 hrs Data Protection 10:10 hrs Anna Bunina 10:40 hrs Ballylemon 12:10 hrs Round The Island

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 19, 2019

Semi-final play-offs set for Sunday in Central Essequibo T20 League Reliance Hustlers who will have in their lineup former national Under-17 batsman Rovendra Parasram, Anthony

the versatile all-rounder Neil Cadogan.

They will match up against Ravens who will rely on the consistency of Sugrim Ahiram, the lone centurion

Parmesh Parsotam WITH the improvement in the weather conditions, Central Essequibo Cricket Committee will resume its competition with the longawaited semi-final matches scheduled for Sunday at the Imam Bacchus ground in Affiance.

At 10:00hrs Cotton Field Strikers, who will heavily depend on the likes of Parmanand Persaud, Carlos Yapp, Rajeev Kissoon and former Essequibo senior intercounty player Latchmikhant Narine, will compete against

Yogeshwar Lall Ifill, Pavindra Persaud and Trevis Simon as their main arsenals In the second match at 14.00hrs, defending champions Bacchus Bulls will again seek to bully their way with their strong batting line-up that will be led by former national youth players Yogeshwar Lall, Latchman Rohit and Parmesh Parsotam along with

Anthony Ifill in the competition, along with Safraz Ally, Marvin Pearson and Jamal Wilson.

The officiating umpires will be Deva Dass and Wazeer Dhanraj. (Elroy Stephney)

Ramnauth stars in Port Mourant win over DCC GUYANA and West Indies youth player Rampertab Ramnauth smashed an unbeaten 87 and was the main architect in hosts Port Mourant Under-15’s win over their Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) opponents by four wickets last Sunday in a special arranged match.

Watched by a large turnout of cricket-lovers, DCC, after deciding to bat first, reached 139-6 off their allotted40 overs.

Romeo Deonarain retired hurt on 32, Jonatan Van Lange made 20 while Jaden Campbell (17), Jerry Hohenkirk (16) and Maheen Khan (15 not out), made timely contributors. Bowling

Former Guyana and West Indies batsman Travis Dowlin hands over winners’ trophy to Rampertab Ramnauth, captain of Port Mourant for Port Mourant, Salim Khan claimed 3-18 while Ramnauth took 2-25.

In the run chase, Ramnauth struck six sweetly timed fours,

as Port Mourant ended on 140-6 in 37 overs.

Trophies were donated by the Trophy Stall Port Mourant branch.

Lindelof extends Manchester United contract to 2024 (REUTERS) - Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof has signed a new contract that will keep him at Old Trafford until at least June 2024, the Premier League club said yesterday.

The 25-year-old Sweden international joined United in 2017 and has made 74 appearances so far. United have an option to extend the deal by a further year.

“I’m extremely happy (Lindelof) has committed his future to Manchester United.

We’re all looking forward to working together to deliver success and get United back to where we know the club

Man United defender Victor Lindelof belongs,” manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told the club’s website here United, who are fourth in the

Premier League table after five games, host Astana in the Europa League today.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 19, 2019

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Abbott’s 17-wicket haul dents Somerset title hopes (REUTERS) - Hampshire fast bowler Kyle Abbott picked up 17 wickets in a County Championship Division One match to help his side beat title-chasing Somerset by 136 runs yesterday.

South African Abbott took 9-40 and 8-46 to finish with 17-86 - the best figures in first-class cricket since England’s Jim Laker picked up all 10 wickets in an innings and match figures of 19-90 against Australia in

Across both innings, Kyle Abbott dismissed all 11 Somerset batsmen at least once.

Manchester in 1956.

Abbott’s were the fourth-best bowling figures in County Championship history and dented Somerset’s hopes of winning the title with one match left in the season.

“It hasn’t quite sunk in. It is pretty incredible. Yesterday I didn’t think I’d take nine and I didn’t think I’d take eight today,” said the 32-yearold Abbott whose last Test appearance for South Africa was in 2017. “I reckon that is

the best I can bowl.”

Somerset dropped to second while Essex moved atop the standings after beating Surrey by an innings and 40 runs.

Somerset are 12 points behind Essex and the teams play each other in the last match of the championship, where at least 16 points are up for grabs, starting on Monday at Taunton.

Best match figures in Championship 17-48 C. Blythe, Kent v

Northamptonshire 1907 17-56 C. Parker, Gloucestershire v Essex 1925 17-67 A. Freeman, Kent v Sussex 1922 17-86 K. Abbott, Hampshire v Somerset 2019 17-89 WG Grace, Gloucestershire v Nottinghamshire 1877 17-89 F Matthews, Nottinghamshire v Northamptonshire 1923

Kohli leads India to T20 win over South Africa NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) - India captain Virat Kohli led from the front with an unbeaten 72 to help secure his team’s comprehensive seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the second Twenty20 International yesterday.

After disciplined Indian bowling restricted the touring side to a below-par 149-5, Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan (40) helped the hosts chase down the target with an over to spare in the north Indian city of Mohali.

After the series opener in Dharamsala was washed out, Quinton de Kock made his debut as South Africa’s Twenty20 captain, as they explore leadership options before the 20-overs World Cup next year.

The left-hander top-scored with 52 and Temba Bavuma contributed 49, but the subsequent South African batsmen could not capitalise on the decent start.

Deepak Chahar drew first blood when he dismissed Reeza Hendricks for six after

Virat Kohli

Kohli won the toss and elected to field. de Kock and Bavuma helped South Africa overcome the early setback with a fluent partnership. de Kock raced to his fifty before Kohli produced a magnificent piece of fielding, running to his left from mid-off to take a tumbling one-handed catch and send back the skipper.

Ravindra Jadeja caught Rassie van der Dussen off his own bowling to peg back South

Africa who found boundaries hard to come by.

Bavuma, making his Twenty20 debut, along with Anrich Nortje and Bjorn Fortuin, fell just short of his fifty, foxed by Chahar’s slower delivery.

The touring side milked 16 runs off the final over from Navdeep Saini, but fell short of the 150mark.

India’s chase got off to a fast start as Rohit Sharma greeted Nortje with two sixes in the debutant’s first over.

Andile

Phehlukwayo

dismissed Rohit before Kohli and Dhawan effectively killed off the contest, Kohli hitting three sixes in his 52-ball knock.

Bengaluru hosts the third and final match on Sunday before the teams clash in a three-Test series next month.

Mahmudullah fifty guides City put aside domestic slip Bangladesh to tri-series final with 3-0 win at Shakhtar

C H I T T A G O N G , BANGLADESH (AFP) - Mahmudullah struck a quick-fire half-century as Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 39 runs to qualify for the final of their Twenty20 triseries in Chittagong yesterday.

The hosts will face Afghanistan in the final on Tuesday in Dhaka, while Zimbabwe will finish their campaign against the same opponents on Friday.

Riding on Mahmudullah’s 62 off 41 balls, Bangladesh posted 175-7 - the side’s highest total against Zimbabwe in Twenty20s - before pacer Shafiul Islam and debutant leg-spinner Aminul Islam shared five wickets to bowl out Zimbabwe for 136.

Shafiul, playing his first Twenty20 international in nearly two years, claimed 3-36 while teenager Aminul also impressed, taking 2-18.

Mustafizur Rahman also took two wickets in the final over to finish with 2-38 as Bangladesh condemned Zimbabwe to their third consecutive defeat in the tournament, ending their chances of playing in the final.

Bangladesh took the upper hand in the game when Mohammad Saifuddin and Shakib Al Hasan struck in the first two overs before Shafiul reduced Zimbabwe to 8-3.

Zimbabwe soon slumped to 66-

Mahmudullah led Bangladesh to victory.

(AFP photo/STRINGER) 7, a position from where they never recovered despite some late blows

by Richmond Mutumbami and Kyle Jarvis.

Mutumbami hit 54 off 32 balls, his maiden Twenty20 international fifty, with four fours and three sixes, while Jarvis added 27 off 20 balls, but they could never put Bangladesh under pressure.

Mahmudullah earlier led Bangladesh’s batting charge with his fourth Twenty20 international fifty, which featured one four and five sixes.

Sent into bat first, opener Liton Das made 38 off 22 and put on 49 runs with debutant Najmul Hossain to give Bangladesh a positive start.

Neville Madziva took a stunning catch off Chris Mpofu at short third man to end Liton’s innings and Bangladesh were soon 65-3.

Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim (32) added 78 for the fourth wicket to set up a possible score of close to 200 runs but Zimbabwe halted Bangladesh’s progress with late strikes.

“We started well with the bat but couldn’t finish the innings the way we wanted. That’s an area we can improve. Bowlers backed it up brilliantly,” said Bangladesh skipper Shakib.

Jarvis, who claimed 3-32, removed Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain in consecutive deliveries in the final over to create a chance of a hat-trick.

Mohammad Saifuddin hit six runs off the final two balls to ensure Bangladesh posted a strong total.

Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakadza lamented his side’s batting in the first 10 overs.

“If you lose half your side within 10 overs, you’re always behind the game,” he said.

KHARKIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - Manchester City put aside their recent Premier League setback, delivering a comfortable performance in a 3-0 win at Shakhtar Donetsk in Champions League Group C yesterday.

Pep Guardiola’s side, beaten

by Norwich City on Saturday, brought in their Brazilian former Shakhtar midfielder Fernandinho as a makeshift central defender to replace the injured John Stones.

But there was to be no real test of City’s back line as the English champions

dominated, taking the lead in the 24th minute through Riyad Mahrez, who slotted home after Ilkay Gundogan’s shot came out off the post.

Shakhtar quickly had a chance to go level after a superb run from Taison who found Junior Moraes but his tame shot was well dealt with by Ederson.

City doubled their lead in the 38th minute with Mahrez finding Gundogan at the end of a trademark City passing move and the German clipped home to make it 2-0.

The Ukrainian side struggled to break up

City’s possession play in midfield and while there was a relaxed tempo from Guardiola’s side, the outcome was never in doubt.

Gabriel Jesus made it three in the 76th minute after Kevin De Bruyne led a swift counterattack and slipped in the Brazilian who made no mistake.

There was some good news on the injury front for City with French left-back Benjamin Mendy coming on as an 83rd-minute substitute, for his first appearance since April.

Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko and Nicolas Otamendi shake hands with Shakhtar Donetsk players after the match. (REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 19, 2019

After 10-year wait, hosts Japan face Russia in Rugby World Cup opener

By Jack Tarrant TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) - With the weight of an expectant nation on their shoulders and a governing body desperate for the hosts to succeed in the first Rugby World Cup in Asia, Japan head into the tournament opener tomorrow under arguably more pressure than any other team.

Fortunately, head coach Jamie Joseph probably could not have picked a better match-up to begin their campaign as they prepare to face Russia, ranked 20th in the world and making only their second World Cup finals appearance, at Tokyo Stadium.

A big win for the home side is likely to be welcomed

by World Rugby, who took a major risk in awarding the tournament to Japan 10 years ago, taking the World Cup out of the sport’s traditional heartlands for the first time.

They will be looking for a good early showing from Japan to build further excitement in the host country, who are already optimistic following the Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) triumph last month.

Japan now see themselves as too good for many of the other Tier Two nations and are looking to disrupt the established world order by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time.

Although the results against their other Pool

A opponents Ireland, Scotland and Samoa will likely define Japan’s World Cup campaign, a big opening win in front of an expected record television audience will build belief that history can be made.

Joseph has been quick to dismiss the favourites tag ahead of tomorrow’s game, pointing out that Japan only managed to sneak a 32-27 win when they faced Russia in November.

“I never consider us to be the favourites, simply because … we have never been the favourites,” Joseph said yesterday.

“We have got a lot of respect for Russia and we were very lucky to win the last time we played them.

“I will say that the players are really excited, they have been waiting a long time, like everybody has in Japan, for the day to arrive.”

Japan were naive in a 41-7 loss to South Africa in their last warm-up match, struggling to adapt to the Springboks’ suffocating defensive gameplan and leaving Joseph looking tactically outclassed.

Despite admitting that match was a wake-up call for his players, against Russia he is likely to go back to the dynamic, attacking rugby that produced 14 tries and 109 points in three matches during the PNC. For their part, Russia will be determined not to act as merely the sacrificial lamb to Japan’s slaughter

Japan's prop Koo Ji-won and his team-mates are under intense scrutiny. as they aim to get their first-ever World Cup win.

They lost all four matches at the 2011 tournament during their only previous appearance at

the finals and are only in Japan after Romania and Spain were disqualified from European qualification for fielding ineligible players.

Russia, under the tutelage of Welshman Lyn Jones, lost their last warm-up match 85-15 to Italy.

Paine reveals Australia’s secret Ashes injury toll AUSTRALIA captain Tim Paine has revealed he broke his thumb during the fifth Ashes Test, while he has praised paceman Peter Siddle for bowling through the pain of a hip injury for most of the match.

The Test skipper has also revealed he won’t be available to play in the KFC BBL this summer as he looks to focus on playing red-ball cricket.

England won the fifth Test at The Oval this week to level the five-match series at 2-2, although Australia retained the Ashes urn as the holders of the famous old trophy.

To add to the disappointment of losing the match in south London, Paine had to play through the pain of a busted thumb.

“My thumb was broken towards

It is not known exactly when or how Paine suffered the injury or whether it’s his right or left thumb.

The Test skipper was not selected for Tasmania’s opening two Marsh Cup games next week as the majority of Australia’s Ashes squad were given a well-earned break, but he’s expected to feature for the Tigers in the lead-up to Australia’s first Test of the home summer, against Pakistan in November.

Paine famously required seven separate operations on his right index finger after it was broken during an exhibition match in 2010, almost ending his career Australia captain Tim Paine prematurely. the end of that Test but it is not displaced, so I He also suffered a hairline should be right to get back into training early,” fracture in his right thumb during the Johannesburg Test Paine wrote in his column for The Australian.

last year, his first as captain In his column, Paine also touched on the hip injury suffered by Siddle on the opening day of the Test, which the Victorian hinted at during the match.

“Peter Siddle tore a hip flexor bowling on the first morning,” Paine wrote.

“He has copped a bit of criticism for not bowling as well as he we know he can, but the team knows just how heroic he was. A lot of other people wouldn’t have bowled again in the match, but he pushed on because he didn’t want to leave Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins to do extra work.

He’s a warrior, Sidds, and we love him deeply for that.”

Siddle was picked ahead of Mitchell Starc and James

Pattinson for the Oval Test and was uncharacteristically expensive on the opening day, conceding 0-61 from 17 overs in the first innings.

He also leaked four-runs-anover in the second innings, although he did pick up the key wickets of Joe Denly for 94 and Jos Buttler for 47.

“I hurt my hip early on day one, so it’s been a bit of a graft in the last couple of days,” Siddle told the BBC after day three.

“It’s been hard work, but it’s a Test match, you do what you can do and you stay out there.”

It is understood Siddle’s injury, like Paine’s, is not overly serious and he’s expected to be available to play for Victoria next month.

Paine said while playing Big

Bash cricket for the Hobart Hurricanes is not on his radar for this season, he’s keen to return to the 20-over game once his Test career is over.

“I’m keen to see just how far we can take this (Test) team and I’ve decided to give up the BBL so I can concentrate on red ball cricket and being in the best place to lead them,” he wrote.

“Being captain is draining and I think I should take every chance to recharge my batteries.

“I’ll go back to the BBL when I’m finished, but for now my focus is on my main job.”

Di Maria scores twice as PSG beat Real to increase pressure on Zidane ANGEL Di Maria scored twice against former employers Real Madrid as Paris St-Germain began their Champions League Group A campaign with a comfortable win.

Thomas Meunier’s stoppage-time goal added more embarrassment for the Spanish giants and heightened the pressure on Real manager Zinedine Zidane, whose win ratio is below 50% since returning to the club towards the end of last season.

Eden Hazard, making his first start for the visitors, showed some nice touches but struggled to influence proceedings, as a Real old boy stole the show.

Celebrating his 100th appearance in the competition, Di Maria opened the scoring with a close-

range shot that crept inside Thibaut Courtois’ near post from Juan Bernat’s pass.

While Real’s Belgian goalkeeper Courtois appeared to be caught out for the opening goal, he could do nothing to prevent the second.

Idrissa Gueye’s fine work on the right created the opening for Di Maria, who found the bottom right corner superbly with a curling effort from 20 yards.

Hopes of a Real fightback were briefly raised when Gareth Bale lobbed the ball magnificently over home keeper Keylor Navas from the edge of the penalty area.

However, his goal was ruled out for handball by referee Anthony Taylor after it was reviewed by video assistant referee (VAR) officials, as was Karim Benzema’s offside effort

late in the second period.

And a miserable night for Real and Zidane was compounded as Juan Bernat and Meunier strolled through the visiting defence before Belgian full-back Meunier placed the ball into the bottom right corner.

It confirmed that PSG, who were without their entire first-choice strike force of Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe, halted a run of three consecutive defeats against the Spanish club.

NO SUPERSTARS, NO PROBLEM FOR PSG While Paris St-Germain were - on paper at least - noticeably understrength without their celebrated front three, they still easily had too much firepower for Real.

That was largely down to Di

Maria, Pablo Sarabia and loansigning Mauro Icardi - supposedly the supporting cast - who exhibited the guile and movement to bewilder a Madrid defence shorn of the leadership of Sergio Ramos.

Di Maria in particular produced a performance that rolled back the years to his days patrolling the flank over five seasons at the Bernabeu.

The 31-year-old Argentina winger made almost 200 appearances for Real and was named man-ofthe-match as the Spanish giants claimed their 10th European Cup/ Champions League trophy against neighbours Atletico in 2014.

Just as on that night in Lisbon, he was at his best with his elusive running and clever positioning, tormenting Real full-back Dani

Angel Di Maria is only the second player in Champions League history to score twice against both Real Madrid and Barcelona, after Mario Jardel.

Carvajal.

Aside from scoring twice, Di Maria cut the visitors open on several occasions with Sarabia sliding an effort wide after being picked out by his colleague.

And Di Maria, whose exuberant celebrations after both goals

will have rankled with Real supporters, could have rounded off his evening with a hat-trick narrowly failing, with a scooped effort over Courtois that landed on the roof of the Real net. (BBC Sport)

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 19, 2019

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TKR skipper Pollard defends decision to bowl struggling Neesham

… says ‘sometimes you have to back your players’ TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) captain Kieron Pollard has defended bowling a struggling Jimmy Neesham at death in a thrilling super over loss against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on Tuesday night.

The New Zealand cricketer had a night to forget, his four-over spell going for a record most runs conceded with 68. On his birthday, the 29-year-old got off to a horrid start after being punished with 31 taken off his first over by

top-order batsman Evin Lewis.

Lewis and the Patriots were in pursuit of 216 and got within touching distance of the target, largely in part to 64 runs from a 30-ball cameo from Carlos Brathwaite.

The Patriots needed 19 from the final over and Neesham, who bowled at the death for the Black Caps during the Cricket World Cup earlier this year, bowled it but conceded 18 runs as the home side’s Rayad Emrit (21 off 11

balls) and Alzarri Joseph (7 off 3 balls) forced a Super Over.

Needing five to win from the last ball, Emrit was fortunate with a four that flew to the boundary after a leading edge and the scores were tied after a dramatic final over that featured misfields, overthrows and a no-ball for height from Neesham.

“Obviously in hindsight, I could have bowled that last over, bowling two overs with sweat on my back but couple games before

Jimmy Neesham (L) and head coach of Trinbago Knight Riders Brendon McCullum

that he had done it for us bowling the last over. Yes, he wasn’t having a great day but sometimes you have to back your players and I backed him to do it,” Pollard said.

Pollard also had high commendation for man-of-thematch Brathwaite, who scored 17 in the super over, before taking the ball to respect the Knightriders to 5 for 1.

“I could have easily backed myself and taken the initiative like Carlos did but it’s great to see Carlos stepping up and taking that mantle and taking the team on his shoulders.”

(Sportsmax)

Atletico dig deep to snatch draw with Juventus MADRID, Spain (Reuters) Atletico Madrid produced a typically spirited comeback from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Juventus in a thrilling finale to yesterday’s heavyweight Champions League Group D opener.

Mexico midfielder Hector Herrera levelled in the 90th minute with a thumping header from a corner after defender Stefan Savic had pulled a goal back for the Spaniards in the 70th with a header from close range following a free kick.

The Spaniards were the brighter side in the first half but Juve went ahead in the 48th minute when Juan Cuadrado sent an unstoppable curling shot into the top corner after a break engineered by a punt forward

Hector Herrera’s 90’ goal brings Atletico Madrid level with Juventus at 2-2 in the Champions League.

from defender Leonardo Bonucci.

The Italian champions doubled their lead in the 65th minute following another quick counter as midfielder Blaise Matuidi headed home a cross from Alex Sandro.

But with bullish coach Diego Simeone motivating them from the sidelines and a typically boisterous Wanda Metropolitano crowd roaring them on, Atletico refused to give in.

Atletico and Juve have a point each while Lokomotiv Moscow top Group D after beating Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 away from home.

“This game will do us a lot of good for the rest of the season, as it makes us believe in the character of the team,” Simeone told reporters.

“We started well then they hit

us twice and we were out of the game but we never caved in.”

Juve’s Bonucci did not hide his disappointment at the fact his side could not see out the victory.

“It’s a real shame to concede two goals from set plays. We had a great performance, but we’ve got to be more focussed, because this has happened too many times now,” he said.

“Everyone has to be more concentrated. A side like ours cannot keep conceding this many goals from set plays.”

Savic’s scrappy goal galvanised Atletico and moments later Spain forward Vitolo forced Juve keeper Wojciech Szczesny to make an acrobatic save.

Atletico were denied a penalty when the ball hit the arm of Bonucci, with Diego Costa

earning a yellow card for his loud protests at the decision.

INSTANT HERO Substitute Herrera made himself an instant hero 14 minutes into his competitive debut for the club by escaping his marker and heading home Kieran Trippier’s corner to spark jubilant scenes in the stands and around the Atletico dugout.

“This team is renowned for suffering and fighting until the end. This result tastes better than most draws, of course we wanted to win but a draw is good given how tough Juventus are,” said Herrera, who joined Atleti from Porto in the close season.

Brathwaite ends wretched run with hundred for Glamorgan CARDIFF, Wales (CMC) – West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite struck his 22nd first class hundred to end a miserable run of form and put Glamorgan in a strong position to force a result on the final day of their Division Two County Championship contest against Leicestershire.

Playing at Sophia Gardens on the penultimate day yesterday, the 26-year-old carved out an unbeaten 103 as the hosts declared their second innings on 251 for five, leaving Leicestershire with a difficult target of 424 for victory.

At the close, the visitors were tottering on 32 for two after newball seamer Lukas Carey (2-10) prised out captain Paul Horton (7) and Colin Ackermann (1) cheaply.

Leicestershire had earlier used a last-wicket stand of 92 between Chris Wright (60) and Will Davis (39 not out) to rally from their overnight 191 for nine to 263 all out in their first innings.

Wright, resuming on 26, struck 10 fours and a six off 86 deliveries before he was last out, stumped off former England left-arm spinner Samit Patel who finished with four for 58.

Brathwaite then anchored the Glamorgan innings in a knock that required 189 balls, lasted just shy of four hours and included 12 fours and a six.

The knock followed his marathon 44 in Glamorgan’s first innings of 435, when he batted nearly 3-¾ hours and faced 156 deliveries.

More importantly, Brathwaite ended a rut which saw him average a miserly 12.58 in his last nine Tests over the last 12 months. In the recent two-Test series against India, the right-hander managed 28 runs from four innings.

Yesterday, Brathwaite posted 65 for the third wicket with Patel (25), 39 for the fourth wicket with Billy Root (19) before adding a further 80 for the fifth wicket with captain Chris Cooke whose 43 came from 39 balls with four fours.

Unbeaten on 68 at tea with the hosts on 171 for four, Brathwaite brought up his first hundred for his new county in the final session when he stroked veteran seamer Wright to the cover boundary, prompting the declaration.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday September 19, 2019) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 2013)

Umar Akmal (Tridents vs Zouks, Barbados,

(2) Nicholas Pooran (Warriors vs Zouks, Providence) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who is the last man on the losing side to cop the Man of the Match Award in a CPL game?

West Indies Kraigg Brathwaite struck his 22nd first class hundred, for Glamorgan.

(2) How many players were representing the Warriors in a CPL game for the first time when the team played their opening match this season?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 19, 2019

Milerock FC crowned NAMILCO/UDFA U-17 hampions

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NAMILCO is official sponsor of Ticket prices RHTYSC first division team 23 PAGE

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019