Guyana chronicle new york edition 09 01 2017

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ISSUE NO.No. 65 65 ISSUE

WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 2017 2017 1, 1, SEPTEMBER WEEK ENDING

ENJOY THE

FOLK FESTIVAL and

LABOR DAY

CELEBRATIONS Pages 2, 13

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Land Col…

Witness claims ancestral lands were taken away

■ Page 4

A ‘wrong-andstrong’ deal

– committee pronounces on parking meter project ■ Page 25

Three lanes for new Demerara Harbour Bridge

…Feasibility study cites low environmental impact ■ Page 23

‘Toy gun’ bandit back in court for $3M robbery ■ Page 20

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week endingSeptember September 1, 1, 2017 2017 Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending

Guyanese to march in honor of WIADCA 50th Anniversary

W

By Staff Reporter

Anniversary of the West Indian American Carnival Association (WIADCA).

The diplomat told the New York Edition of the Guyana Chronicle recently, that WIADCA saw it fit last year, to celebrate the Guyana Consul General to New York, Guyanese across America to come out in their 50th Year Anniversary of Independence of Hon. Barbara Atherly is calling on all numbers to celebrate and honor the 50th Year Guyana and Barbados on the parkway, by allowing representatives of the two countries to serve as Grand Marshals, and as such, Guyana wants to reciprocate, to honor and recognize the work of

hen the West Indian American Day Carnival Association WIADCA celebrates its 50th Anniversary on Eastern Parkway on Monday, September 4, a Guyanese contingent would be there to celebrate and honor the five decades of work the organization has done to engage the Caribbean Community.

Consul General Hon. Barbara Atherly (left) and Senator Roxanne Persaud

WIADCA as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

“WIADCA saw it fit and important to recognize the two countries at the parade with representatives who served as Grand Marshals so it is only fitting that we celebrate their 50 Anniversary.”

“The Guyanese community should honor and recognize the efforts of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association for maintaining the Caribbean culture, and forging a bond among Caribbean countries, and celebrate with them on their 50th anniversary,” said the diplomat.

“It has been a long struggle, but WIADCA has managed throughout the years to make sure they celebrate Caribbean people, and therefore it is fitting that a Guyanese contingent march with elected officials to recognize and to honor WIADCA,” CG Atherly reiterated.

The marchers, she said, would not need a costume, but a Tee shirt with the symbolic 50 representation, in a show of support by organizations and elected officials.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3)

1, 2017 September Week-ending Guyana York Edition week ending September 1, 2017 Edition York New ChronicleNew GuyanaChronicle

33

Guyanese to march in honor of WIADCA 50th Anniversary (from page 2)

She added that the consulate supports this great initiative for Guyanese to come together as one, and in unity, to celebrate with WIADCA, adding that elected officials of Guyanese heritage, Senator Roxanne Persaud, one of the highest ranking Caribbean politicians in New York, will be walking the

parade route.

Justice Ingrid Joseph, Maureen Walker, Comptroller of the City of Mount Vernon, Legislator Lyndon Williams, Officers in Law Enforcement, a group formed after Det. Randolph Holder was murdered, and others, will march in the parade on Eastern Parkway.

Members of the G.U.M. display the Tee Shirts that will be issued to all who register for the Labour Day March: From left Ervin Washington, Vice President of G.U.M.; Stanley Harmon and Carl Ferdinand.

“I encourage Guyanese to come out in their numbers since this is a good opportunity for us to come together as one and join in this historic event — WIADCA at 50 — and the first time Guyanese would be celebrating in this manner.

A registration fee of $20.00 will include a yellow Tee Shirt. Marchers are encouraged to wear white bottoms, for uniformity at the parade.

Sen. Roxanne Persaud, a Guyaneseborn who represents a large Caribbean community in the 19th Senate District, said it is extremely important for Guyanese to unite if they want progress as a people, as a community, adding, “It is my hope that the representation at the West Indian American Day Carnival parade is reflective of the six races of Guyana.

Registration, and Tee shirts are available at 7403 Church Avenue (corner of Schenectady) between 6–9pm.

Because of the heavy demand for participation, Tee shirts cannot be reserved, neither could they be bought at the beginning of the parade route.

For more information, call 347445-9995, 347-742-0857,718-879-2662 or 347-262-1108.

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

Land Col…

Witness claims ancestral lands were taken away WITNESS Richard Waddell has claimed that lands left by his ancestors were taken away when he appeared before the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into ancestral lands and other land-related matters on Thursday.

Waddell of Lot 15 Farm, East Bank Essequibo told the Commission that he is a pensioner talking about lands at Farm, in which parts were coveted by the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and his aunt-in-law’s plot at Ruby.

These lands at East Bank Essequibo, he said were awarded through the court to someone, who is not a family member.

According to Waddell, his aunt-in-law Anita Rodney, who is deceased, inherited a property from her grandmother and lived on the plot for 90 years before

she passed away.

The pensioner told the Commission that the plot in question is Lot 17 Ruby in which one plot was divided into two in which one Nazeer Mohamed called “Ashok” was awarded prescriptive rights following a court ruling.

He related that after his aunt-in-law died two years ago he learnt through an elderly uncle that Mohamed has a title for the land left behind by his ancestors.

Waddell views the move as an injustice since the land in question was handed down by his foreparents. A structure on the land is still standing.

The witness said that the same Mohamed has been going around the entire village of Naamryck, East Bank Essequibo seeking unregistered lands and got prescriptive rights.

He is asking that the court order be overturned and the land returned to his family since it is ancestral land.

Waddell told the Commission that he is unaware that this might be a difficult task since he would like the land to be held by his family because Ruby is historically a black village.

Waddell said strangers moved in and occupied the lands and it is lands his aunt and another relative inherited through their ancestors, who have long died.

The second ancestral lands issue he raised at the Commission was the backlands he has a title for located at Farm, East Bank Essequibo, which was bought by his ancestors but is now taken by the NDC. The land is reported under control by the NDC due to drainage works being

undertaken to widen a drain into a trench.

DESCENDANT Waddell said Farm is ancestral lands bought by 26 ex-slaves and he is a descendant of those slaves.

The issue with the village is that there is a plan of the said village which does not correspond with the village as it is now.

He related that it is not right and he cannot recover the original plan which was aged but the current plan was done by Surveyor E.E Whyte.

Waddell told the Commission that in the plan of the village he has, there are some lands missing and that is cause for concern since they cannot utilise their backlands for farming as they did years ago.

As such, he is requesting a re-allocation of backlands

which can be developed for farming and pointed out to the Commission that the village was the provider of ground provisions and long mangoes.

Responding to questions from the commissioners, Waddell said he and his relatives lost lands due to drainage works undertaken by the NDC and his aunt-inlaw’s land was taken away while she was living on it and given to Mohamed.

He said when surveys are done on lands; it either gives or takes away lands and several rods of land were taken from him.

He said the original plan was done by E.E Whyte in 1887 but came out in 1888 and persons who lost lands have transports to show ownership.

The next CoI hearing will be in October.

The exercise is spear-

headed by Chairman Reverend George Chuck-A-Sang and commissioners, Berlinda Persaud, Professor Rudolph James, David James, Paulette Henry, Lennox Caleb, and Carol Khan-James.

The first round of the public hearings started in August 21. During that segment, the CoI heard matters relating to ancestral lands and other land issues.

President David Granger had in March of this year established a CoI under the Commission of Inquiry Act, to examine and make recommendations to resolve all issues, and uncertainties surrounding the claims of Amerindian land titling, the individual, joint or communal ownership of lands acquired by freed Africans and any matters relating to land titling in Guyana.

Lindeners encouraged to team up for business loans

By Vanessa Braithwaite THE Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) is encouraging Lindeners to apply for loans in groups so that they can establish partnerships in order to stimulate economic growth within the town.

While the maximum amount that can be borrowed by an individual is $1M, residents who are interested in partnering with each other, are encouraged to apply for loans, which will allow them to access more money thus financing a larger business venture.

Loan officer at LEN, Miss Neola Rogers, explained on Saturday at a women’s seminar that groups can access up to $10M, which will enable them to start-up companies.

Rogers, who is also a municipal councillor, encouraged applicants to think

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outside of the box, rather than to expand an already established retail business.

Too many persons, the loan officer said, are applying to LEN to purchase goods to sell back, which is actually defeating the purpose of the financial institution. She added that residents need to put aside political and other differences to create business establishments in Linden, which will in turn create employment, as well as to develop the town. “We need to band together, put our resources together and minds together,” Rogers encouraged.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Minister of Communities, Valarie Yearwood, who was the former Chief Executive Officer of LEN. Yearwood said that while monies are available for loans, it will be difficult to access same if everyone comes in with the same business proposal of buying and selling. She was at the time responding to concerns of residents who claim that loans are difficult to access at the lending institution.

“Everybody want buy and

sell, if Len has 500 loans, 400 is people who want buy and sell, the economy cannot grow like that….money is there that you can borrow but if you come to buy and sell we will not give you because we have enough of that, you have to come up with stimulating ideas,” Yearwood explained.

Minister of Finance, Winston Jordon, while addressing residents of Amelia’s Ward also promised to support Linden in every way possible, especially in the area of value-added production. Jordan told Lindeners that he was not happy with the way things are in the town and encouraged the residents to let their voices be heard for betterment. “I need to hear from you, don’t just remain silent Linden, I want to see more than what I have been seeing over the last few years, begin to organise, whether individually, collectively, get involved in business…

Jordan urged the residents.

For the first time since its establishment, the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) received an alloca-

tion of $150M, which saw a massive relaunch of the establishment in December of 2015. $100M was appropriated for business loans, which many Lindeners, especially young people, benefited from. President Granger at the launching said that the glory days for bauxite was over and urged the people to be more enterprising. “LEN has opened a new door for self-employment within the region as this profession encourages one to save… we are going to ensure that LEN remains viable as not starved of resources as Linden will become a womb of entrepreneurship,” he posited.

Almost two years after the launch, scores of Lindeners benefitted from loans to commence or expand their businesses, but the economic situation in Linden has been described in many quarters as stagnated and LEN officials are blaming this on the lack of stimulating manufacturing ideas in which the monies are being used for.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending September 1, 2017

The Handel Andrews Column

5

T TH HE E H HI IS ST TO ORY RY PA PAG GE E

Sweet Sweet Calypso Music

Part Two

Dedicated to my dear Trinidadian friend Haris Edwards

T

rinidad & Tobago celebrated its 55th year of independence on Thursday August 31. To honour this momentous event, here is an excerpt from the Sniper’s great calypso Portrait of Trinidad and Tobago, and considered by some its unofficial national anthem: “Trinidad is my land And of it I am proud and glad But I can’t understand Why some people does talk it bad (But I know) All of them whey runnin’ dey mout’ Doh know whey they talkin’ bout They will paint her black everyday But the right things they would never say

CHORUS

Like our sportsmen Being rated among the best Our scholars have sit and passed every test And put us right ‘longside de rest (But then) Our pitch lake is the greatest one of its kind Our sugar and oil is really refined So you see, friends, this is a real King Solomon’s mine.”

There are other great tributes, such as David Rudder’s — “Sweet, Sweet T & T” “O, how ah love up mih country”, “No place in the world I’d rather be” and “Trini to de bone.” Still Sniper’s song tops them all. Mighty Bomber claimed that he wrote it. Sniper won the calypso Crown in 1965 with it and “More Production.”

Chicago from 1956-1960, when he returned to Trinidad. He resumed singing with the OYB until his death.

His classics include “Dunb Boy and the Parrot” (1962), ““Chicken Chest” (1957) “Last Night the Landlord Nearly Killed me” (1956).

LORD BLAKIE

Carlton Joseph (The Lord Blakie, November 1962, died in Trinidad January 2005). He was known as the Warlord of Calypso and Laughing Calypso King of All Time. David Rudder described him as “a street-smart urban warlord,” and “one of the original rude boys.”

He was the first calypsonian to identify with a steel band, playing mas with the then San Juan All Stars Steel Orchestra, “a

LORD BLAKIE

LORD CRISTO Christopher Laidlaw (Lord Christo, Port-of Spain, 1916-1984) is one of my favourite calypsonians. He was a cabinetmaker and sang in church choirs before becoming the lead singer for the John "Buddy" Williams Band in the 1940s. His solo career began in 1952, when he appeared in Attila the Hun’s Victory tent. In 1955, he switched to the Young Brigade Tent. He played in various nightclubs in LORD CHRISTO

Bad John band.” One of his best loved calypsos is “Steel band Clash”, describing a fight between Invaders and Tokyo steel bands. He was the only calypsonian not intimidated by Sparrow and the first to break from his tent, establishing Victory.

The Lord won the Road March title in 1954 with “Steelband Clash” and in 1962

with his family to the Piparo forest in the hills of southern Trinidad. He began focusing on creating faith-based music.

In the late 80s, he started recording again. He recorded “Watch Out My Chil-

dren” in 10 languages. It spoke about the dangers of drug abuse and was adopted by the United Nations (UN) in an anti-cocaine campaign.

KING FIGHTER

KING FIGHTER

RAS SHORTY I

with “Maria.” Some of his other calypsoes include: “Hold the Pussy” and “Thanks To The Police”(1970).

LORD SHORTY (RAS SHORTY I)

Garfield Blackman (Lord Shorty, Trinidad, October 1941-July 2000) is considered the Father of Soca, a fusion of calypso and chutney. Some of his hits “Cloak And Dagger” (1963) “Indrani” (1973) and “Endless Vibration” (1975) took calypso in a different direction.

In 1984, he voiced his disappointment with Soca, arguing that it had gone in the wrong direction. Shortly afterwards, he adopted the name Ras Shorty I and moved

Shurland Wilson (King Fighter, Guyana March 1928-December 1999) was as popular in Trinidad and Tobago as in his native country. He was a Fisherman, but he got the name King Fighter from his days as a boxer. One of his early influences was Bill Rogers, the great Guyanese Shanto singer.

“King Fighter is ranked among the calypso's legends, a title not often bestowed upon a non-Trinidadian, especially at a time

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

Overcoming struggles – Dr Hercules-Couchman on course to fulfil her dreams as a doctor

By Naomi Marshall

The land inquiry and race relations

REPORTEDLY it was Walter Scott who famously said, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave… when first we practice to deceive.” Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo, at his press conference last week, urged the public not to participate in the Land Commission of Inquiry. It is his view that this commission is a waste of time since from his perspective it “will not solve a single issue people face.” To even utter such a statement suggests a woeful state of being omniscient, uninformed, or uncaring.

To ignore repeated calls to settle land ownership which has been a sore and divisive issue for decades is to ignore the issue and the reality and not to pay attention to the concerns of the people. There can be many reasons why Mr. Jagdeo is asking the public not to attend the inquiry and he is entitled to his view, including his right in making it public. What he is however not entitled to his is own facts, because facts are stubborn things and cannot be revised, ignored or denied.

In 2007 there was a motion sponsored in the National Assembly by the People’s National Congress Reform Member of Parliament Deborah Backer to set up a similar body as the present CoI to address the issue of regularising lands owned by Africans. Amerindians too have expressed similar concerns about land rights/ownership.

The 2007 motion was defeated by the majority People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Members of Parliament. If it is to be accepted the then PPP/C government of Mr. Jagdeo did not appreciate the need for the inquiry and settling of the issue, but it does not mean those who are affected by the matter being left unattended do not consider it an issue.

It is Mr. Jagdeo’s thinking the CoI will not improve race relations and Mr. Eric Phillips’ presentation to the CoI is “the generation of an argument of who came before who and whom got too much” which he disagrees with. Such disagreement is okay but equally as it is felt that dissent could be expressed by him, so too one must accept the right of others to differ.

The “little boy” who does not have a job, which Mr. Jagdeo thinks the CoI will not help, may or may not be true. What is undeniably true however is that they are little boys out there, with or without jobs, who can share a story of their families’ encounter with land problems either not transported or being contested. They would have an interest in the CoI because its findings and recommendations could impact their families’ lives and should not be hindered.

Allegations of racist policies and programmes have

“I LIKE fixing bones, I like the challenge,” Dr. Shonette Hercules-Couchman said as she sat down with the Guyana Chronicle.

Dr. Couchman, an aspiring orthopaedic surgeon, who is originally from Ibini in the Berbice River in Region 10, is now on a journey to fulfil her dreams.

Today, she leaves for China along with 13 other Guyanese to secure her master’s degree in orthopaedic surgery at the Nanjing Medical University.

But for the 29-year-old, it was tough growing up in a single-parent home headed by an unemployed mother. In an attempt to provide a better life for her four children, Dr. Hercules-Couchman’s mother relocated with her children to Kwakwani in 1995.

“It was a real struggle, because employment for a woman was difficult and my mother went through it all, but eventually she got a job. Seeing my mom going through what she went through I told myself I don’t wanna become like that, I don’t want to end up in the same situation. Seeing my mom in that condition made me want to become successful,” Dr. Hercules-Couchman recalled.

In Kwakwani, the young and vibrant Couchman attended the Kwakwani Secondary School where her mother worked as a janitor.

On many days, she remained after school to assist her mom.

“My success came from my struggle,” she empha-

Dr. Shonette Hercules-Couchman

sised.

At age 14, Dr. Hercules-Couchman’s uncle died and no one knew the cause.

It was that moment she knew what she wanted to become.

The self-driven young lady in 2005 topped the Kwakwani Secondary School with 10 subjects. At the time, scholarships were being offered to study in Cuba and though it was a great opportunity, she needed her science subjects and as such, decided to go back to school.

It was not long after that her family relocated to Linden, allowing her the opportunity to attend the Mackenzie High School. The following year before the results came out, the confident Couchman applied for the scholarship. Dr. Couchman

haunted Mr. Jagdeo’s presidency in almost every area, and while it may be considered these were part of his modus operandi or he didn’t care how such matters were viewed, for many they were and remain issues of contention.

Before the High Court is a case of him suing the Kaieteur News’ Publisher, Editor and a columnist for a column appearing in that newspapers which alleged his government was engaged in racist policies. Evidence before the sitting Judge from none other than his Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, is that no African-Guyanese was placed as Heads of Mission during his presidency because none was felt to be so deserving.

The Carter Centre Report on the 2015 General and Regional Elections saw it noteworthy to include the concerns of GECOM’s media monitoring unit about Mr. Jagdeo’s “ethnically divisive” campaign rhetoric. The said behaviour resulted in a private charge brought against him for racial incitement, which the Centre noted. This matter is still engaging judicial attention for as at last month the Appeal Court granted an application by Magistrate Charlyn Artiga

noted that she was one of the first in her family to attend university, so she knew that when she was accepted into the scholarship programme, that “it was God working.”

Dr. Hercules-Couchman came from a Christian background, so she has always put God first. “Without God you can’t do anything, so if God isn’t between it, you will never become who you truly want to become,” remarked Dr. Hercules-Couchman.

Whenever the struggle and stress came, she would remember that “God will never give you more than you can handle. Those words took me through it all.”

Living in Cuba was tough, but instead of focusing on the negatives, she focused on the positives. “I look at the end of the seven years I will come out successful, I will come out with a degree and I am going to become a doctor.”

In 2013, Couchman returned to Guyana from Cuba as a doctor, specialised in human medicine. By September 2013, she commenced her 18-month rotation at the New Amsterdam Hospital, and then moved to Linden.

After eight months, she was transferred to the Bartica Regional Hospital in Region Seven. It was while working in Bartica that she acquired another scholarship, this time to study in China.

There she will specialise in orthopaedic surgery to become the first female orthopaedic surgeon in Guyana with a master’s degree.

“Becoming a doctor is not staying at one place, it’s a continual process,” stated Dr.

Hercules-Couchman.

“I love doing surgery, my love for surgery came about in the fourth year of medical school; from since I pick up the knife blade I felt comfortable, when I’m in the theatre, I feel at home” said Dr. Hercules-Couchman. Those feelings were what drove her to become an orthopaedic surgeon.

“Working in Guyana has been a real pleasure for me, helping out and giving my service to the public has been something that I always wanted to do, it brings me joy, I sleep comfortably at nights, knowing that I have helped somebody during the day,” she noted.

“I want to become one of the greatest surgeons, where people can come from all over the world and get their surgeries done right here in Guyana. I am going and specialise to not only develop myself, but also develop this country,” Dr. Hercules-Couchman added.

The young doctor stated that she is a very patriotic person who is very much in love with her country and that she would do anything to make Guyana great.

Dr. Hercules-Couchman’s advice to young aspiring doctors is to keep pressing towards their goals, positing that it is never a smooth road but with determination comes success.

“Medicine is not something easy, but you have to be determined, you have to study hard and once you study it’s going to be okay,” she said, while emphasising that giving up is never an option.

to extend the time to file an appeal in the case.

Guyana has had centuries of racial mistrust and conflicts nurtured from a society created on racism, which became a feature of everyday life and practice in the politics of divide and rule. This defect remains and continues to haunt. They are several instances where its ugliness has been used to further the agenda of a few, putting the collective well-being in peril. Racial healing and changed behaviours require expression, honest and frank discourse, being prepared to listen to the other side, and where necessary moving to correct any perception or action that fuels the defect.

There is no denying Mr. Jagdeo has the distinction of being one of the most, if not the most, polarising political figure on issues of politics and race. Though he may consider the CoI unnecessary, those concerned with its work, irrespective of race, are being encouraged to participate. Its existence allows opportunities to examine the issue which is a marked improvement on the 2007 PPP/C’s vote to deny this right.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in articles in this newspaper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies and views of the management of the New York Edition of the Guyana Chronicle.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

7

‘Citizens must know’ PRESIDENT David Granger on Wednesday said that the Government will be working with ExxonMobil to develop a long-term relationship, which is founded on transparency, accountability, openness and aligned interests for the good of Guyana.

The Head of State made these comments during a meeting with a visiting delegation of ExxonMobil executives at State House to discuss matters related to the status of exploratory and appraisal work in the Stabroek Block, as well as the relationship between the Government and the company. Government has come under pressure to release the contract between it and the U.S. oil company.

President Granger said that at the end of the process, Guyanese must be able to view the development of a petroleum industry as one that is beneficial to the national interest. “We are at the start of an oil- and-gas industry and we want to ensure that our people are involved…We are happy with the way things are going so far and we want to assure you of the Government’s commitment to transparency and accountability. We take decisions at the Cabinet level and then those decisions are taken to the National Assembly and we do not see that process changing. All Guyanese must feel involved in the process,” the President said.

In this regard, he noted that it is important that there are regular and accurate announcements on matters pertaining to the development of the sector, adding that Guyanese must be involved, especially in the mainstream opportunities, which are available in the industry. “We have got to keep the public informed to ensure that civil society does not feel that there is some underhand relationship, which is injurious to the country.

We want to make the right steps and we are looking to see that the population gets

– President says public must be informed about oil development …commits to openness, accountability in relationship with Exxon

President David Granger makes a point to Mr. Darren Woods, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ExxonMobil as officials of the Government and ExxonMobil look on

the education they need to participate in this industry.

We are looking to ensure that this industry generates employment for our people and, as part of our partnership, I hope that we can have a programme, which can help to educate Guyanese on this industry,” he said.

To ensure a long-term,

mutually beneficial relationship, the President said that the Government is working to develop the requisite framework and strengthen capacity in areas, which establishes and maintains good governance.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, also assured the executives of

Government’s commitment to the process of building an open and transparent relationship with the corporation. Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, also attended the meeting and echoed the President’s sentiments, stating that the engagement is part of an ongoing dialogue that aims

to strengthen the relationship between Guyana and ExxonMobil for the benefit of the Guyanese people.

Meanwhile, Darren Woods, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ExxonMobil Corporation, in an invited comment, described the meeting as fruitful, noting that the Government’s commitment to transparency and accountability was discussed in detail. He said that the administration’s commitment is welcome, since the company’s interests and aims are in alignment with this. “I think it is a very productive conversation that we just had. The Government is looking to make sure that we develop the resources and that we do it the right way that can benefit the community and the people of Guyana. We

are very committed to that ourselves and we had a lot of discussions and dialogue to see how best we can do that to benefit ExxonMobil, the Government and the people of Guyana,” he said. Mr. Woods said that ExxonMobil remains committed to its investments in Guyana and is swiftly moving ahead with its production plans. The meeting was also attended by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams; Minister of State, Joseph Harmon and Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin on the Government’s side, while ExxonMobil’s executives present at the meeting were Ms. Kimberly Brassington, ExxonMobil’s Guyana Senior Director of Public and Government Affairs; Country Manager and Project Executive, Rod Henson; and Mr. Carlton James, Director, Government Relations, Guyana.

(Ministry of the Presidency)

8 8

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week endingSeptember September 1, 1, 2017 2017

EMPHASIS ON TRAVEL AND TOURISM

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION CALLS FOR UNITED STATES/CARIBBEAN STRATEGIC ALLIANCE IN FURTHERANCE OF U.S.-CARIBBEAN STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT ACT

M

echanism Incorporating Caribbean's Tourism Working Group with Entities Tasked with Implementing the Act Will Be A Winning Formula, Says CTO Secretary General

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has called for a formal partnership between the region's tourism sector and those responsible for implementing the United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act, known as H.R. 2939.

The Act, which was passed in the United States Congress on Dec. 13, 2016 and signed into law by then U.S. President Barack Obama three days later, mandates a new long-term strategy to strengthen ties between Washington, D.C. and the Caribbean region. It is designed to increase the security, prosperity and well-being of the people of the United States and the Caribbean.

Addressing the importance of the Act to Caribbean tourism at a recent meeting in Washington, D.C., CTO Secretary General Hugh Riley referenced a tourism working group established by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of government at their meeting in Guyana in February, to guide the development and marketing of Caribbean tourism.

This, Riley said, appears to align with the U.S. government's strategy for the Caribbean on many areas related to sustainable development, and a mechanism that incorporates the Caribbean's tourism working

group with the entities tasked with implementing H.R.4939 would be a winning formula for both the U.S. and the Caribbean.

"What an accomplishment it would be for all of us and for the architects of H.R. 4939 if we could report back to our region's prime ministers and presidents when we meet with them in February, that there is now a working partnership between the region's tourism working group and the U.S. Caribbean Strategic Alliance. Our recommendation is that together, we waste no time in making that partnership a reality. Without doubt, shoring up the Caribbean's main economic driver is the surest way to protect the third border of the United States," Riley said.

His remarks were delivered during a panel focused on "building sustainable economies" as part of an event staged by the Caribbean-Central American Action (CCAA) titled: "Caribbean 2020 Implementing H.R. 4939 from Vision to Engagement."

Select members of the U.S. Congress addressed the audience of Caribbean Diaspora, diplomats and public sector policy makers including the co-author of the legislation, Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ranking Member, The House Foreign Affairs Committee; Congressman Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Chairman, The Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere; Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Ranking Member, The Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations; and Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), Ranking Member, The Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy, and Environment.

The Caribbean region is considered the

United States' "third border," characterized by common interests and societal ties that yield daily, tangible benefits for U.S. citizens. The U.S. is the Caribbean's primary trading partner, representing a vibrant economic partnership that, in 2016, saw a $4.6 billion trade surplus for the United States, 14 million U.S. tourist visits, and 11,042 Caribbean students studying in the U.S. CCAA organized the half-day event to move discussions along between the U.S. and key stakeholders involved with the Caribbean region. The meeting began with a discussion of the Act followed by a panel about "The Security Agenda" featuring discussions on the need for stronger regional cooperation and public-private partnerships to advance citizen security. The second panel, "The Prosperity Agenda" focused on the outlook for regional investment, building sustainable economies, and finance and trade options. The final panel "The Well-Being Agenda," dedicated its discussions to the

health, education and future of the Caribbean."

During his presentation, Riley called for a balanced approach to the development of strategies and policies that are designed to spur tourism growth while protecting the resource base on which tourism depends.

He advocated for a sector-specific tourism approach that would provide the greatest effectiveness and long-term sustainability which would be carried out with partnerships between the CTO and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA).

MEDIA CONTACT: Johnson JohnRose - CTO Tel: (246) 427-5242 Email: jjohnrose@caribtourism.com Theresa M. Oakes Tel: (516) 594-4100 Email: T.Oakes@KTCpr.com

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GuyanaChronicle ChronicleNew New York Edition Week-ending September 1, 2017 Guyana York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

99

The Caribbean Diaspora in NY can secure political representation

Dear Editor, Concerning this larger issue, Mike Persaud’s and others’ unfortunate dismissal of the pioneering efforts (e.g., Stabroek News 8/23/17), of “previous Guyanese-born candidates — Trevor Rupnarain, Dr. Taj Rajkumar, Dr. Dhanpaul Narine, Attorney Albert Baldeo, Dr. Robby Mahadeo — they have all failed.

Richard David, in my opinion, is the most qualified,” is symptomatic of the egotistical, myopic and judgmental armchair mentality of delusional and hypocritical West Indians and Guyanese living in the overseas Diaspora.

It costs time, money and sacrifice to put one’s name and reputation to scrutiny in the treacherous reality of politics — blood, sweat and tears.

Each of these candidates Persaud diminishes deserve the thanks and appreciation of even the meanest person, because they tried to change

ALBERT BALDEO the status quo of moving Guyanese, West Indians and other immigrants in the US from second class citizens upwards. All except Dr. Dhanpaul Narine and Dr. Robby Mahadeo, who split their votes three ways in the 2005 election by declaring their candidacies after Albert Baldeo had declared his, thereby ensuring that the incumbent, absentee Councilman Tom White was re-elected. Baldeo lost only because they siphoned votes unnecessarily from him, and the fact that they did not run again after that confirms the sad reality and “crab mentality” that they only ran to spoil their community’s best chances.

Instead, David should seek the endorsements and positives of these

candidates to coalesce and unify the Caribbean votes around him. Having the endorsement of the shrewd Republican Councilman Eric Ulrich is a start, but is more of a strategic tactic that benefits Ulrich more in his future quest for higher office. Ulrich’s Republicans cannot vote for anyone in a Democratic primary.

dented and ground-breaking. To this day, the Disapora regrets that 500 of them did not make the five-minute gratuitous walk to the polls in 2006 to cast that vote for Baldeo, which would have given them a seat at the table of government and ensure that their voices and needs were met. Unlike all other groups, including Haiti, Ecuador and others, they still languish without a voice.

Richard David must take counsel and precedent from Baldeo, Rajkumar, Rupnarain and other former candidates, who have institutional knowledge and experience of

TREVOR RUPNARAIN Mike Persaud, and others, must also realize that one swallow does not make a summer. He, and all the other so-called political experts must do much more than the isolated campaign task. They must do the work!

Albert Baldeo was the first to launch professional and spirited campaigns, and spent a small fortune in securing a near victory in the larger State Senate elections in 2006, when his announced victory on NY 1 was rolled back to a “narrow defeat” of 500 votes in his groundbreaking fight against a 30- year-old incumbent Serf Maltese — the then Chair of the Queens Republican Party. Ironically, Baldeo was targeted as “too independent and maverick” to fit in to the Old Boys political club, and he was hounded out of office.

In contrast to the City Council election where candidates benefit from matching funds, Baldeo’s Senate and Assembly races were mostly self-financed. In a community where the Diaspora are selfish and hardly give any meaningful contributions or efforts to their own, and support their Duck Curry festivals, material pursuits, lavish parties and Guyanese politics where they do not have any stake, more than a mere meaningful cause like political empowerment, Baldeo’s election efforts are unprece-

RICHARD DAVID local politics and campaigns, and still have a large following in New York.

He also has to explain why he failed to help the same community he now seeks to assist, when, in his previous 10 years in three influential government agencies-the Chief of Staff of the much criticized ACS, former Vice President of the politically-controlled NYC Economic Development Corporation, and others, where he managed over $1.2 billion worth of funding in neighborhoods across NYC, he failed to bring any benefits or changes to his own. He must credibly explain why, for 10 years, he refused, neglected and or refused to assist the very constituents he now claims he wants to help.

Again, David’s claim to a honesty and integrity is severely undermined by his brash claim of largesse that he voluntarily resigned his city jobs to empower his community, a disingenuous claim considering that anyone in his position must resign their government employment before running for or taking up elected of-

CHRIS GOUNDEN fice in accordance with City law ethics, conflict of interest laws and the Hatch Act. The truth is that, should David lose — God forbid, he will return to his executive position within the City agencies without any loss in wages, position, portfolio and benefits.

His position as President of the Indo-Caribbean Alliance, which failed to attract any support within the mainstream Indo-Caribbean Diaspora apart from a few youths, is also at severe odds with his claim that “he is the only candidate in the race that can represent both sides of the Van Wyck Expressway,” especially given the fact that only 25% of the diverse district consists of IndoCaribbeans. His claim to represent such a generic group of people in the first place was transparently misconceived in the first place. He must confront these issues of public importance with sincere answers.

However, David still has the best opportunity to win the seat, because he is the only Indo-Caribbean or Caribbean candidate on the ballot, hence he will not have the hurdles the ethnic candidates of Harpreet Singh Toor, Narine and Mahadeo caused in previous elections, which resulted in Baldeo’s and the community’s loss.

He must reach out to and secure the endorsement of Albert Baldeo, the only person to be elected District Leader in the community, one who fought and defeated institutional barriers and put the Diaspora on the political and economic map with 80% of the same votes David now seeks.

Chris Gounden, SE Queens Leadership Alliance (929) 398-1232

10 10

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week endingSeptember September 1, 1, 2017 2017 Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending

OPTIMAL THINKING

"There is no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear."

T

The concept of "Optimal Thinking" has become the successor to "Positive Thinking" and has been en—dorsed by Dr. Stephen

Victor Hansen, Robin Leech, Dr. Nathaniel Branden, other experts, media, celebrities and more than 6,500 corporations.

Fascination with optimization has remained with me over the years and my interest has been manifested as follows: (1) Study of Operational Research at the Imperial College of Science & Technology; (2) a thesis

Covey, Dr. Ken Blanchard, Dr. Edward De Bono, Brian Tracy, Mark

on some theoretical aspects of optimization; (3) six consecutive years

he human brain is made up of five major areas, all of which serve as individual power houses that process conscious thought, control emotional and physical reactions, store memory and much more - www.holinergroup.com.

Similarly, the business "brain" is made up of five major systems, all of which serve as individual power houses that lay the foundation, provide security, generate life, inspire growth and engender business sustainability through the tenets of positive thinking, the holistic mind-body-soul resource of homo sapiens, the importance of the education system, the value of hard work and pervasiveness of love, respectively.

Optimal thinking facilitates the management of these systems and the collective success of individual businesses stimulates socio-economic success.

When I was a teenager the book, "The Power of Positive Thinking" by The Reverend Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, popularized the concept that "faith in yourself makes good things happen to you".

Sixty years later the book, "Optimal Thinking" by Dr. Rosalene Glickman, shares how to optimize your life and career on your own to achieve the greatest return on your time and investment - www.optimalthinking.com .

— 1 John 4:18

Dr. Basil Springer’s Column of service as Chairman of the Barbados National Productivity Council; (4) the challenge to set up a value chain system to sustainably export fresh product from the Caribbean to Europe; (5) strategies to allow the West Indies cricket team, once world champions, to return to its glory days; (6) the attempt to introduce the shepherding model as an optimization business tool; (7) involvement in the initial concept and a review of a private, public sector partnership; and (8) the recent authorship of a guide to showcase the investment potential in the CARIFORUM region’s growing agribusiness sector, with increasing global demand for tubers, added value of cultivating the crop, and the governments’ efforts to promote production and value addition.

Optimal thinking can generically be introduced, in the business context, by first adopting positive thinking. Secondly, the realization that our people are our greatest resource means embracing mindbody-soul and hence productivity is paramount. Thirdly, getting our educational system right from the cradle to the grave is so important.

There is much evidence now of the negative impact on society when our early childhood educational system is neglected. Fourthly, there is no short cut for "hard work! hard work! hard work!" This culture has been diluted by many prevailing distractions such as drugs and the earning of a quick buck. Fifthly, arguably the most important point, the recognition that learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.

Each Life stands under a beam of Light which draws its energy from an infinite pool of Love.

Let us recognize that Love is the opposite of fear and hence we need to embrace Love and continually improve our understanding so as to cast out fear completely. Optimal thinking expedites this process and, with God's guidance and grace, will ultimately lead us to sustainable success.

(Dr. Basil Springer GCM is a Change-Engine Consultant.

His email address is basil gf57@gmail.com. His columns may be found at www.nothingbeatsbusiness.com and on www. facebook.com/basilgf.)

Guyana Edition week ending September 1, 2017 GuyanaChronicle ChronicleNew NewYork York Edition Week-ending September 1, 2017

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Ease The Tension — Enjoy A Laugh THOSE DAMN CELL PHONES

SALMON PATTIES Ingredients: 2 (15 ounce) cans pink salmon 1 onion, finely diced 1 egg, beaten 8 saltine crackers, crushed salt and pepper to taste 1 stalk celery 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup canola oil

ture and roll in cornmeal.

3. In a large frying pan over medium high heat pour oil for frying. Place salmon patties in oil and fry on both sides until golden brown. Drain well. Serve warm.

Directions: 1. In a medium size mixing bowl combine salmon, onion, egg, crackers, salt, pepper, and celery.

Mix well.

2. Make patties out of salmon mix-

Several men are in the locker room of a golf club. A cell phone on a bench rings and a man engages the hands free speaker-function and begins to talk. Everyone else in the room stops to listen.

MAN: “Hello”.

WOMAN: “Honey, it’s me. I can hardly hear you . . . .are you at the club?”

MAN: “Yes” WOMAN: “I’m at the mall now and found this beautiful leather coat. It’s only $1,000. Is it OK if I buy it?”

MAN: “Sure . . . go ahead if you like it that much.”

WOMAN: “I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the new 2017 models. I saw one I really liked” MAN: “How much?”

WOMAN: “$90,000” MAN: “OK, but for that price I want it with all the options.

WOMAN: “Great! Oh, and one more thing. The house I wanted last year is back on the market. They’re asking $950,000” MAN: “Well, then go ahead and give them an offer of $900,000. They will probably take it.

If not, we can go the extra 50 thousand. It’s really a pretty good price.”

IT’S A FACT

by JAMES SYDNEY

LOOKING BACK AT WINDMILLS OF THE CARIBBEAN

HELP FOR THE FUTURE FROM THE PAST

P

eople are talking about windmills again. The cost of the oil that provides most of the energy that drives industry in the world keeps going up. It is also a limited resource that modern nations cannot do without, and world politics is bedeviling supplies.

The people of the Caribbeanbwill have to face the consequences of whatever happens in the wider world and will be forced increasingly to examine alternative sources of energy. Among such sources is the wind.

Windmills have long harnessed wind power for a variety of uses, e.g., pumping water, grinding corn, crushing sugarcane, driving small sawmills, and driving electrical generators.

In the Caribbean, windmills were especially valuable when sugar was king. It was an important provider of energy for the mills. With the introduction ofsteam technology, however, windmills were abandoned or converted to accommodate the new technology.

Barbados has tried to preserve as many of the old windmill structures as it

Windmill at Betty’s Hope in Antigua

could. The Morgan Lewis Mill at St Andrew is a famous example. Today, it is in fairly good condition. At one stage, it was listed as one of the most endangered heritage sites in the world, but with the help of millwrights from the UK, it hasbeen restored. Believed to have been built around 1727, it had continued to work until 1945.

For Barbadians, windmills have great symbolic value. They have appeared on the country’s banknotes, coins, and

postage stamps.

The island of Antigua had 170 windmills in 1705, according to the records. Of those remaining today, the showpiece is at Betty’s Hope — formerly Antigua’s largest sugar estate, described as the flagship estate of Antigua. The restoration of the windmill was completed in 1998. It now runs just as it did in the old days and serves as a popular attraction for tourists, but it is not operated fulltime because the

WOMAN: “OK. I’ll see you later! I love you so much!!”

MAN: “Bye! I love you, too.”

The man hangs up. The other men in the locker room are staring at him in astonishment, mouths agape.

He smiles and asks: “Anyone knows who this phone belongs to?

THE BUD LIGHT

I went into my proctologist’s office for my very first rectal exam. His new nurse, Evelyn, took me to an examining room and told me to get undressed and lie face down on the treatment table, until the doctor could see me. She said that he would only be a few minutes.

After putting on the gown she gave me, I relaxed. While waiting I observed that there were three items on a stand next to the exam table: A tube of K-Y jelly, a rubber glove and a huge bottle of Bud Light beer.When the doctor finally came in I said, “Look Doc, I’m a little confused.

This is my first rectal exam. I know what the K-Y jelly is for, and I know what the glove is for but can you tell me what this huge bottle of Bud Light BEER is for?

At that moment Doctor Paul became noticeably outraged and stormed over to the door. He flung the door open and yelled to his nurse . . .

“Darn it Evelyn !!!!!!!!! !! I said a BUTT LIGHT”

stone mill walls are unlikely to survive great stress for long.

The little French Caribbean island of Marie-Galante has named itself the “Island of 100 Windmills.” But only 72 remain today. Their showpiece is Rouse Triton Windmill, with its cut stone buildings and red brick stables.

There is also Ballet Windmill, said to have been built on the spot where Christopher Columbus landed on November 3, 1493.

Guyana has long had systems of wells and windmills. A few of them can still fetch water from deep wells to the surface.

There were windmills all over the Caribbean at one time, but the same fate befell them. Their work was more readily done by modern equipment powered by electricity or by some kind fuel.

Now, because of the energy woes of the world, the Caribbean has to examine, along with the rest of the world, where it is going from here. Experiments have already been done using bagasse, natural gas, wood, charcoal and solar power.

Bagasse, the husky stuff remaining after sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract their juice, is often used to supply energy for sugar mills, sometimes more than the mills need.

The current energy policies in the Caribbean generally encourage the further development and more effective use of existing renewable resources, mainly bagasse and solar, but wind energy and even wave energy are becoming increasingly attractive.

12

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

Woman covered Guyhoc Park man nabbed with ganja in Waini Backdam man’s head with POLICE on an ATV mobile patrol in the Waini Backdam, Cuyuni River recently intercepted a man with a quantity of cannabis in a haversack he was carrying.

According to the police, upon seeing the patrol the man fled into a nearby camp and they gave chase and apprehended the suspect. A search of the haversack revealed a quantity of cannabis

in a black plastic bag.

The 33-year-old suspect of Guyhoc Park, Georgetown was arrested and escorted to Bartica Police Station where the drugs was weighed and amounted to 856 grams. He is expected to be charged soon.

Police in ‘F’ Division (Interior locations) also recently arrested 21-year-old Kavita Surujnauth of Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE)

her underwear

…shared nude photos of him

The cannabis found in the haversack

after she was intercepted at the Bartica Stelling with almost three pounds of cannabis.

Police, acting on a tipoff, stopped and searched the unemployed woman, who was reportedly carrying a parcel wrapped in black plastic bags and secured with scotch tape. She was taken to the Bartica Police Station, where the illegal substance was weighed and amounted to 1.29kg.

A 30-year-old woman on Wednesday appeared in court charged for allegedly exposing nude photographs of her ex-boyfriend and was released on $100,000 bail by City Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Nekita Cooper of North East La Penitance was charged for exposing to the public, obscene photographs of her ex-lover with intent to corrupt public view without excuse, between January 1, 2017 and July 18, 2017.

The unrepresented woman denied the charge while police prosecutor, Shawn Gonsalves, related the facts to the court. According to the report, Cooper and the man were in a relationship for the past five years but it ended in February. However, the woman circulated

nude photos of her ex-boyfriend on social media and threatened to send the photographs to the man’s father.

The victim, who was also present in court, explained that the woman’s actions had affected his life both physically and mentally. The man further pointed out that he was forced to drop out from classes he was attending at the University of Guyana this summer.

The victim disclosed that the photos were taken while he was asleep since Cooper had placed her underwear on his head in one of the photographs. Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves made no objection to bail being granted and Magistrate Latchman granted Cooper $100,000 bail and adjourned the matter until September 5.

Guyana York Edition week ending September 1, 2017 GuyanaChronicle ChronicleNew New York Edition Week-ending September 1, 2017

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GCA hosts Awards Ceremony at Brooklyn Borough Hall

T

he Guyana Cultural Association(GCA) of New York, Inc. held its 2017 Awards Ceremony on Thursday, August 30 at Brooklyn Borough Hall. The event is part of the 2017 GCA Folk Festival which runs from August 30 through Septembert 3, 2017. The Festival’s theme this year is: Celebrating Our Indigenous heritage.

To start the ceremony the Invocation was performed by Ms. Mercedes Pierre and the anthems of the United and Guyana was sung by Anthony Alleyne.

Introduction of Host was done by Ms. Claire Patterson-Monah, Co-Chair of the Awards Committee.

Chairperson for the event was Ms. Michella Ali, of the National Communications Network (Guyana). In her opening remarks, she noted her indigenous roots and thanked the GCA for focussing and celebrating the rich heritage of Guyana’s native people: “Treasure the Inheritance.”

Some of the honoured guests were: Eric L. Adams, Brooklyn Borough President; His Excellency Dr. Riyad Insannally, Ambassador of Guyana to the USA; Ms. Barbara Atherly, Guyana Consul General to

President of the GCA, welcomed those present and thanked all who helped in making the event possible, especially the volunteers.

The Brooklyn Borough President lauded the contribution made by Guyanese in Brooklyn. He pledged that: “As long as I am Borough President” the GCA Awards Ceremony will be hosted by Borough Hall.

Mr. Allicock thanked the GCA for inviting him. He discussed aspects of Guyanese native culture and was inspired by the GCA’s emphasis on and celebration of the Indigenous People’s Heritage. He further said that he hoped Guyana would use its oil revenues for improving the lives of all Guyanese.

Dr. Riyad Insanally said, “The GCA should be proud of its efforts to help foster a greater understanding and appreciation of Guyanese culture.” He

SOME OF THE AWARDEES New York and Hon. Sydney Allicock, Vice-President, Guyana Ministry of Indigenous Affairs.

Dr. Vibert C. Cambridge, A.A.,

observed the timeliness of the GCA’s theme to that of Guyana’s celebration in September under the theme: “Guyana’s First Peoples Sustaining a

A section of the crowd that gathered at Borough Hall to witness the 2017 GCA Awards Presentation ceremony (at top front row are some of the dignitaries who attended) third from left is Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, to his left is Consul General Barbara Atherly, Guyana Ambassador to the UN Hon. Riyad Insanally, Hon. Sydney Allicock and Guyana’s fourth Vice-President and Minister of Indigenous Affairs. At bottom front row from left is Vice President of Health First George Hulse, members of the Chin family and Dr. Lear and Eric Matthews at extreme right.

Rich Cultural Environment.”

The main part of the evening was devoted to the Awards. Lifetime Achievement Award was given to George Simon, Artist, Archaeologist and Educator The Godfrey Chin Heritage Journalism Awards went to Neil Marks for an article entitled: “Pakarima Bound”; Dr. Lear and Eric Mathews for a video: “ Dis Time Na Lang Time” and Amanda Richard, for photographic cartoons on contemporary political life in Guyana.

The Youth Awards were given to Faith Parris, Clinton Duncan, Dominic Alleyne, Kyle Igarto, Keama S. McGarrell and Tevin Skeete.

The GCA Awards Honorees were:

Mercedes Pierre; John L. Aaron; Desmond Ali; Amerin-dian Research Unit (University of Guyana); Lloyd Philips, Anything Guyanese First; Cana-Guyana outreach Mission; The Mighty Sparrow; Guyana Christian Charities; Ms. Aileen Hintzen; Ruel Johnson; Romona Lucas; Clive Powell; Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology; and Healthfirst.

The Exemplary Awards were given to Dr. Walter Edwards, Researcher, Linguist and Pioneering Academic and Mr. Godfrey Wray, Editor of the Guyana Chronicle and New York Edition of the Chronicle for his 50+ years in journalism, Mr. Wray could not attend, but his awards were accepted by the Chronicle’s New York Representative Mr. Dennis Nelson..

The GCA Awards Committee is comprised of: Ave Brewster-Haynes, Verna Walcott, Jackie Newton, Allison Skeete and Alex Neptune, Students of the Summer Workshop Series gave a dance selection entitled, “The Matapee.”

The Vote of Thanks and Acknowledgement of Sponsors was given

by Verna Walcott-White, Co-chair GCA Awards Committee

The GCA Committee Members

A reception comprising renowned artistes Jeggae, Akoya Rudder and Hilton Hemerding to name a few closed off the celebrations for the evening.

14

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

Power company eyes US$2M profits

By Svetlana Marshall CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the Power Producers and Distributors Inc. (PPDI), Arron Fraser, has said that the power company is on target to achieve in excess of US$2M in profits at the end of 2019 as it continues to operate at an optimum.

PPDI, which took over the operations of Wärtsilä in December 2016, is expected to make between US$2.7M and US$3.9M in profits, even as it saves the Government millions of dollars. Wärtsilä is a Finnish company which had been offering operational and maintenance services to Guyana Power and Light (GPL) since 1994. Similar services

production of 650,000 megawatts of electricity per year, GPL is expected to pay PPDI some US$10.9M or approximately GUY$2.3B per annum, saving GPL US$2.4M. Under Wärtsilä, GPL would have had to pay US$13.3M for 2017.

With an average yearly expenditure of US$9.6M to US$10M, the PPDI CEO said the company’s return is set way below Wärtsilä’s benchmark.

“Overall we are looking at a margin of just about 8-12 per cent return on revenues. It is a lot less than what our competitor (Wärtsilä) would have gotten,” Fraser had explained to the Guyana Chronicle, while noting that PPDI’s lower bound is set at US$2.7M and

sentially what the customer requires,” he explained.

Fraser stated that though two of the engines at the New Kingston Power Plant are down, the company is still producing electricity at an optimum.

“We have one engine that is down for major overhaul…and then the other engine that is down you will see that the alternator is away for some special maintenance work. So right now at this plant we have three engines that are operational and they are going at full load,” the CEO further explained. It was noted that the alternator was sent to Miami for repairs and is expected to return mid-September, however, it would require another 10 days to allow for installation before it

Inside the Kingston Power Plant (Photos by Samuel Maughn)

Maintenance work ongoing at the Kingston Power Plant by PPDI

A PPDI staff member demonstrating the company’s ability to put out a fire if one is ignited in the vicinity of the fuel tanks at Vreed-en-Hoop

are now being provided to GPL by PPDI under a three- year Operations and Maintenance Agreement which will end on December 31, 2019. PPDI manages the Kingston, New Kingston, Vreeden-Hoop and Garden of Eden power plants. The CEO, while giving media operatives an extensive tour of the power plants at Kingston and Vreeden-Hoop last week, said PPDI is charging GPL a fixed rate of US$16.87 per megawatt of electricity – US$3.64 less than the fee (US$20.51) Wärtsilä’s had proposed for 2017.

With an estimated

upper bound – US$3.9M over the three-year period.

On Thursday last, he told reporters that for the first seven months of 2017, PPDI produced 375,285 megawatts of electricity when compared to 381,347 for the same period last year. The CEO noted, however, that though the production is lower this year, it is based on the demands of its sole client– GPL. “Our generation is tied to the demand of the grid, so though we might have generated less this year, our output is strictly mandated by what GPL requires, which is what es-

is re-commissioned.

“Two engines that are out we are barely meeting the demands, but peak demand is covered. It is a significant undertaking which is being covered by GPL, in accordance with the contract,” he noted.

Fraser disclosed that for 2017, there are 11 scheduled maintenance sessions.

“The schedule remains the same, but because we are a new company we have been extra diligent in increasing the scope of what we do, so for instance, the alternator that you see now, alternator maintenance was not

something we placed a lot of emphasis on in the past,” Fraser posited.

Meanwhile, PPDI Board Chairman Mark Bender said he was pleased with the company’s operations. Bender s a i d i n a d d i t i o n t o o perating at an optimum, the company is big on Occupational Health and Safety. It was pointed out that the power plants, in particular the new power station at Vreed-en-Hoop, have fight fighting capa-

bilities.

The chairman noted that so far for 2017, there have been no accidents or injuries on at the plants which have prevented workers from attending to their duties.

PPDI has a staff size of 134 persons, 80 of whom are technical people. It is headed by a CEO followed by three Deputy CEOs – Finance and Accounting, Technical, Administration. There are also five middle managers – one

managing each of the four power plants and the fifth manager oversees the operations of the workshop.

Additionally, each plant is staffed by four shifts of four persons.

According to PPDI, key members of its team include six capable field service engineers, who in addition to working in the Guyana power plants, have worked in many similar plants in the Caribbean and Latin America.

PPDI CEO Arron Fraser addressing media operatives while giving them a tour of the New Kingston Power Plant, Georgetown

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

15

New investors for Barama concessions – investments totalling US$9.5M by 2020 to create 524 jobs

THE Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) has awarded two lots totalling over 800,000 hectares to R.L. Sukhram and Sons Sawmill and Rong-An Inc from the 1.6 million hectares of forest concession relinquished by Barama Company Limited in October 2016.

A release said the Natural Resources Ministry, along with the GFC, had taken the decision to divide the former Barama Company Limited concession into four parcels, each of approximately 400,000 hectares.

The ministry advertised two of those parcels as State Forest Exploratory Permits, which means that there is a three-year process of assessment prior to commercial, full-scale harvesting.

The third parcel was identified for conservation and research, while the fourth was identified for small-concession allocation of areas 20,000 acres and less.

Parcel one is a forest area of size 417,809.23 and is located in the Essequibo region (North-West, Mazaruni Potaro District), while Parcel Two is a forest area of size 432,262.59 and is located in the Essequibo region (NorthWest, Mazaruni Potaro District).

The concessions are located in North-west Guyana in Region One in the Barima-Waini, and Region Seven in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni sub-regions.

The concession areas both have a high occurrence of a number of high-value commercial timber species, including Baromalli, Greenheart, Purpleheart, Mora, Wallaba, Crabwood and Kabukalli, among others.

Parcels one and two were opened for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the period ending February 10, 2017.

These were advertised in the local media as well as in the international publications ‘Development Business’ and ‘The Economist’ and placed on several websites.

Ten submissions were made at this deadline -- some for both parcels -- while others were for one or the other.

Part of Barama’s operations in Essequibo

These firms were invited to submit State Forest Exploratory Permit (SFEP) applications, pay the non-refundable fee, and complete a Business Plan Summary by April 28, 2017.

At the deadline of April 28, 2017, five applications were received, namely from Chemtech (Trinidad firm) for Parcel One, R.L. Sukhram and Sons Sawmill for Parcel Two, Rong-An Inc. for both Parcels One and Two, Forlene and Sons for Parcel Two and ACE Resources (Canadian firm) for both parcels.

Following the receipt of applications, the technical sub-committee of the GFC Board of Directors conducted a full review of each application.

The review of the technical sub-committee concluded that Parcel One should be issued to Rong-An Inc. and for Parcel Two to be issued to R.L. Sukhram and Sons Sawmill for a three-year period commencing July 2017 to July 2020.

Following this process, a recommendation was made to the full board of directors at the 129th meeting held on June 27, 2017 approved for Parcel one to be allocated to Rong-An Inc., and for Parcel two to be allocated to R.

L. Sukhram and Sons. This decision was approved by the full board and has been implemented by the GFC. It is expected that the awarding of the two parcels will result in benefits to the forestry sector over the course of the full operationalising of

the utilisation/harvesting plan for the concession.

These include a total investment of US$9.5 million by 2020, a total of 524 new jobs when the operations are at full scale, an increase of national production level by at least 189,000 m3 annually,

an increase in export revenue by at least US$7 million, and an increase in harvesting of Lesser Used Species from the current 10-15 per cent to at least 25 per cent of total production.

The Ministry of Natural Resources urged R.L. Sukh-

ram and Sons Sawmill and Rong-An Inc to carry out their operations in a manner that is compliant with the GFC Code of Practice and other laws and regulations, respectful of the environment and beneficial to the people of Guyana.

Narrow escape!

Several converged on the scene on Vlissingen Road Wednesday afternoon to watch this man dramatically squeezes out of his car that ran off the road and plunged into a nearby trench (Samuel Maughn photo)

16

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

Norton takes charge of culture, youth and sports

...Henry confirmed as Minister of Education PRESIDENT David Granger has announced that Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton will, as of September 1, assume responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, allowing Minister of Education, Ms. Nicolette Henry to focus on improving the quality of and access to education countrywide.

In a statement, the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP) said, Dr. Norton will remain Minister of Social Cohesion at the Ministry of the Presidency, with the new addition to his portfolio. However, his office will now be housed at the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport on Main Street. “This forms part of government’s efforts to ensure the effective delivery of critical public services,” the MOTP statement read.

In an invited comment, Dr. Norton told the MoTP that he is thankful for the

confidence reposed in him by the President and looks forward to the new portfolio, even while he continues to focus on building social cohesion in Guyana. “I am very excited about this.

There is no doubt about my interest in sports and I have been exposed to the various cultures across the country.

In my role as Minister of Social Cohesion, I have been privileged to work with all the groups across the country and so I have an understanding of what is needed already. I have always been vocal about youth opportunities and...I certainly see the youth population as being the agents of change, who can make social cohesion a reality in Guyana and so I look forward to doing my best in both worlds,” he said.

Back in January President David Granger had reshuffled his Cabinet, removing Dr. Norton from

the critical Public Health Ministry and replacing him with Volda Lawrence, while Amna Ally took over at the Ministry of Social Protection and Norton was sent to the Ministry of Social Cohesion.

Only recently, President Granger also announced the movement of Dawn Hasting-Williams from the Ministry of Communities to that of Minister of Public Affairs within the Ministry of the Presidency. “It was a question of my own judgment and I have to continuously evaluate the workload of every Ministry… It’s a continuous process to ensure that government works well and we need to ensure that we put our best effort where those efforts can have an impact on Government,” the Head of State had said in making the announcement.

The President said Minister Hasting-Williams going into the Ministry of the

Minister of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth & Sport, Dr George Norton

Presidency is a continuation of a balancing process to strengthen the management of the Ministry.

In June, also, Presi-

Minister of Education, Ms. Nicolette Henry

dent Granger moved Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine from his post of Minister of Education to the Ministry of the Presidency as the Public

Service Minister. As a result, Henry took up the post as Education Minister.

In 2016, the President had also initiated some changes to his Cabinet. Minister Catherine Hughes was appointed Minister of Public Telecommunications while the Ministry of Governance and the Protection of the National Patrimony were delinked. The latter was renamed the Ministry of Natural Resources and assigned to Minister Raphael Trotman. The functions of the Ministry of Governance were then added to the portfolio of Prime Minister, Mr. Moses Nagamootoo. In addition, Minister Simona Broomes was also shifted from the Ministry of Social Protection to the Ministry of Natural Resources, while Minister Keith Scott was moved to the Ministry of Social Protection from the Ministry of Communities and was tasked with responsibility for Labour. Minister Valerie Sharpe-Patterson was then given the nod for the post of Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for Housing.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

17

Bicycle anti-crime patrols fan out POLICE bicycle anti-crime patrols commenced fanning out around the city on Monday and four teams will be monitoring suspicious activities of persons.

A team will be made up for two bikers. When contacted, Police Press Officer, Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan said that four teams will be in operation.

The area that will be monitored will include Stabroek Market, Robb Street and Alexander Street, Regent and Camp Streets, Avenue of the Republic, Water and Commerce Streets.

He said they will operate as spotters and will be equipped with handsets to summon for backup whenever necessary. Ramlakhan explained that the evidence from the current studies suggests that bicycle patrols may be an effective and valuable tool for enhancing community policing relations.

Underscoring that bicycle patrol units perform well, Ramlakhan noted that in

Bicycle patrols that were deployed at the Brickdam Police Station Monday

some activities they perform more productively. He said bicycle patrol units provide that closer exposure and relationship with the public and bicycle patrols are more approachable for pedestri-

ans, as well as for those in motor vehicles.

The superintendent explained that the bicycle patrols are more likely to roll up on illicit activities or situations where people are

in need because on a bicycle, officer can see, hear, and even smell better from their perch.

Recently, two hundred bicycles and accessories were handed over to the

Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Georgetown City Constabulary by the United States State Department, through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), at the

Tactical Service Unit (TSU) Square, Eve Leary.

The donation worth over US$145,000 saw the GPF receive 170 bicycles with 30 being assigned to the City Constabulary.

Father of seven dies in two-car New ‘scheme’ for Perseverance collision on East Bank – over 20 acres of land being A FATHER of seven died on the Land of Canaan Public Road, EBD, early Monday morning when the car he was driving, PGG 6896, collided with a taxi, HC 8204.

Dead is Feroze Khan, 54, of Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway. Relatives said he left his home on Sunday to take his daughter to the hospital and was returning home on Monday morning when he was involved in the accident. His youngest child is 10 years old and the eldest is 20 years old.

Police said they are investigating the fatal crash that occurred about 04:25 hrs on Monday morning on the Land of Canaan Public Road, involving Khan’s motorcar and the taxi driven by a 33-year-old resident of Forshaw Street, Queenstown, Georgetown.

According to the driver of motorcar HC 8204, he was proceeding north along the western carriageway when motorcar, PGG 8696, which was proceeding in the opposite direction, suddenly made a U-turn into his path

and they collided.

After the impact, the driver of PGG 8696 was taken out of his vehicle in an unconscious state and rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The body is currently at Lyken’s Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Police said that a breathalyzer test was administered to the driver of HC 8204 and no trace of alcohol was detected. He is in custody assisting with the investi-

The car which Feroze Khan was driving when he met his demise (Rabindra Rooplall photo)

cleared for project

Dead: Feroze Khan

gation.

Neighbours described Khan as a quiet, easy-going person who supplied wood shavings to chicken farms.

The taxi that was involved in the fatal collision early Monday morning on the Land of Canaan Public Road

Contractors clearing the land at Perseverance (Photo by Adrian Narine)

OVER 20 acres of land is being cleared at Perseverance, East Bank Demerara in order to facilitate the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA)’s new housing development.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood told the Guyana Chronicle during an interview on Monday that the project is at the land-clearing stage, so that the infrastructural work, such as the construction of roads, can start.

The new development, which is being cleared by Puran Brothers Construction, will reportedly accommodate 40 duplexes and 173 single-unit, two-bedroom houses.

Minister Yearwood said the new scheme, replete with housing and infrastructure, is expected to be ready by

year-end.

She said the area was strategically chosen because its layout can accommodate some 570 houselots, which will help with reducing the 25,000 housing applications’ backlog within the CH&PA system.

CH&PA Chief Executive Officer, Lelon Saul, had earlier in the year said that the agency’s vision is to construct single-unit, two-bedroom elevated houses at Onderneeming, on the West Bank Demerara (WBD); Hope Experiment in West Berbice; and Amelia’s Ward, in Linden.

He had said that Perseverance would also benefit from the programme; that the CH&PA was in the process of engaging private developers; but that more information on the process would be made available later in the year.

18 18

Emphasis on Real Estate, Taxes and Business

H

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending September 1, 2017 Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

The Edgar Henry Column

laborated, loved and hated each other at one time or another, but the workplace is not an environment for ego expression, in which you and your friend should play out or resolve your childhood differences or adult dramas.

Instead, each friend you Hiring a friend is like hiring an hire should strive to interact with other employees involved employee in a lot of respects, in the business in the same though the main difference is that neutral manner you use when you need to discuss all possible interacting with non-friend employees. If you can't mancontingencies before you hire age to do that, then when trust him or her, and determine exit is called for in problem solving or collaborating, it will be strategies in case it doesn't work all too easy for you to recall out. Try not to oversell what the what happened such as "when you were kids," or "when your job is to your friend. Be realistic son hit my son" or "when your about the pay,responsibilities and wife and my wife had an argument." Or “who did not repay other aspects. some borrowed money.” If in managerial decision making, your business and end up being destructive you cannot separate previous encounters, and counter-productive. or you can't manage a non-neutral stance, It's also key to always treat your you can then expect disaster ahead for friend just as you would any other em- your work environment and your work ployee, regarding both positive actions outcomes. like raises and difficult disciplinary acCOMMUNICATION tions.

As boss, you must establish clear SEPERATING BUSINESS channels for communication. There are alFROM PLEASURE ways ways to thwart the system, to go to Another scenario is to leave your your friend to get the task resolved. Invarifriendly issues good or bad at home. While ably, this means going over or around the this can often seem impossible, it must be proper individual. This can seem preferattempted. Friends may have grown up to- able, especially if the manager in charge gether, may have played, competed, col- thinks that favoritism exists, and if the

iring your friends can pay off for your business. That is of course if you do it right. Most businesss owners shy away from hiring friends and at times do not even want to entertain that thought. Truth be told, the dedication and commitment of a true friend may work out much better for you in the long haul.

To start your business, you may need a little cash from your friends. After all, who better to borrow from or hire than the people you already know, love and trust.

However, you have to make sure your friend or friends are a good fit for your company before you hire them. That applies whether the person is a friend, enemy or someone you have no prior knowledge of business, but the fact that he or she is a friend should not be a qualification by itself.

HIRING Hiring a friend is like hiring an employee in a lot of respects, though the main difference is that you need to discuss all possible contingencies before you hire him or her, and determine exit strategies in case it doesn't work out. Try not to oversell what the job is to your friend. Be realistic about the pay, responsibilities and other aspects.

When hiring a friend, make sure that everything that occurs, including the delegation of authority and responsibility, decision-making, promotions, rewards, demo-tions, praise and salary increases, compensation and awards are based on concrete and clearly stated knowledge, skills, abilities and personality traits. These factors must be at the very foundation of every business activity. If they're not, negative dynamics will begin to creep into

A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed

friend is is not well liked. This should not be allowed, and while this action also occurs in non-friendly encounters, it's too easy to allow it to occur in non-friendly businesses; the inevitable result is that the manager being avoided discovers that a friend has bypassed the proper channel and protocol. The rules are the rules and the purpose they are there is mainly because they have to be followed. When this happens, old friendly rivalries and patterns emerge that can further complicate an already complicated issue.

BE FAIR The best way to avoid problems. The goal is to treat friends and regular employees alike in all situations. Hiring friends was definitely right for certain types of business. You feel more comfortable working with them, as long as they stay with you, follow the rules, and you can feel free to go on your vacation without worrying. Avoid comments to constitute favoritism in the work place as they can cause strife and animosity.

The general assumption is that there should not be issues with friends that work with you and that you should be able to get along together. But that's where you're wrong. Regardless, whether your business is selling, buying, servicing or producing, the challenges of working with friends are the same. Believe it or not, at times when you are under severe pressures, they're not often easy to deal with. Special issues crop up in friendly-run businesses that don't occur anywhere else. Or the same issues you see in non-friendly businesses seem more intense in a friendly-run company atmosphere.

I have listed a few of the interpersonal dynamics that often occur in friendly businesses. Fortunately, there are approaches you can take that will minimize, and even erase the negative aspects of working with your friends. A true friend should be looking out for each other regardless of circumstances. They must also consider the fact that a large initial capital investment was made and as a friend that investment should be respected and protected. Failing which, a disaster would possibly be on the horizon.

When entrepreneurs take these factors into consideration, friendly-run businesses can operate more smoothly with increased output and decreased tensions.

“It is always better to have information and not need it than to need it and not have it.”

To have all your real estate questions answered — FREE CONSULTATION — call: Edgar Henry @ (718) 930-9526

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

NTC to have input

…in design for new Georgetown Hostel THE Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs will be consulting the National Toshaos Council (NTC) on a new design for the Amerindian Hostel in Georgetown. This was announced

by Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe.

The sum of $5M was allocated in the 2017 budget for consultancy and design of a modern hostel in Georgetown to accommodate the country’s indigenous peoples.

During her address to the toshaos on Thursday at the NTC conference, Minister Garrido-Lowe, who has responsibility for indigenous welfare, said, “Some suggestions from you would be very good…We want to have your input in the design of this facility, you are the ones who benefit from it, so you will be better able to say what is needed and what is not.”

At the event, indigenous leaders were at the time raising concerns about the current state of the facility. Minister Garrido-Lowe explained that the ministry was aware of the challenges residents at the hostel were facing and the ministry was working to address those issues.

Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe

“We realise that the facility is not up to standard and we will fix it to ensure you have a comfortable place to stay when you travel to Georgetown to seek medical attention or conduct business,” she noted.

The minister said that the shortage of food has been another troubling issue at the hostel, and urged nearby villages to submit proposals to provide traditional staples such as cassava bread and farine to the facility.

“As a Government, we care. We are not promising you and not delivering, we know some of the issues and we are working on them. Development takes time, but we are working as fast as we can to meet your needs,” Minister Garrido-Lowe assured the toshaos.

Suspects in gas station robbery apprehended THE police have arrested five persons including two school dropouts in connection with the New Amsterdam Gas Station robbery which took place two Saturdays ago.

The suspects were nabbed on Sunday.

In a statement, the Guyana Police Force said the arrest was a result of a diligent It was noted that on August 19, 2017, three armed men stormed into a gas station at New Amsterdam, robbing the pump attendant of an undisclosed amount of cash. The pump attendant was reportedly relieved of his money by one of the

bandits who was reportedly armed with a handgun.

When the intelligence-led operation was carried out on Sunday, the police said a toy gun, a cutlass, and a hooded jersey were among items found in possession of some of the suspects.

It is believed that two of the suspects hatched the robbery and are suspected to have received a part of the stolen cash.

The suspects who are all from New Amsterdam, Berbice, will be charged and arraigned before a magistrate soonest, the police assured the Chronicle.

19

Mabaruma to get treated water for first time – Paramakatoi gets $4.2M to improve service MABARUMA will, for the first time in history, have access to treated water in a matter of weeks while the construction of a reservoir in the Paramakatoi Village will result in treated water being available there for the first time as well.

This was disclosed on Thursday by Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Managing Director, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles as he addressed over 200 Toshaos, Community Development Councillors and Government officials at the just-concluded National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference which was held at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE),Turkeyen.

He explained that GWI, in collaboration with the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), has captured water from the Hosororo Falls, constructed a reservoir, and is now in the process of completing the pump station and installing the treatment system.

The completion of the multimillion-dollar project will see the village of Mabaruma, in Region One (Barima-Waini) benefitting from treated water for the first time.

Over in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), Dr. VanWest Charles pointed out that through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Paramakatoi Village Council, GWI is in the process of constructing a reservoir, which will make treated water available to that hinterland community.

As part of the MoU for the undertaking of the water supply improvement project, GWI has handed over a cheque to the Village Council valued approximately $4.2M. This project will see the villagers executing the works,under the guidance of GWI’s engineers.

“We are now constructing the catchment,storage; we are installing a pumping system and distribution network, standpipes and treatment system at Paramakatoi. So that moves us to a different level of development within that village,” the CEO explained.

The availability of treated water in the Hinterland Regions started in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), by treating the water which comes from the six wells with chlorine, he posited.

Dr. Van-West Charles disclosed, too, that GWI is

GWI Managing Director, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles addressing the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE),Turkeyen

also distributing jerry cans and carbon filters to a number of villages across the hinterland. “It is a special filter which removes all of the bacteria, viruses and fungi from the water so that you can drink it immediately,” he said, by way of explaining the function of the filters.

These filters, he noted, have been installed at Kamarang Hospital, Kako Primary School, Baracara Primary School and the Mabaruma

Hospital, among other inte- upon drilling wells in varrior locations. ious parts of the hinterland GWI has also identified so as to ensure a sustainable a number of villages in Re- source of water supply. gions One, Seven Eight and “So we want to ensure Nine for the installation of that while we have access filters, while plans are un- to the water from surface derway for the establishment sources such as creeks, rivof miniature laboratories ers etc., you also will have throughout the hinterland, access to water from ground so that water can be tested source….because you know and the results can be shared especially in Region Nine with villagers. what has happened over Dr. Van-West Charles the past year and how the reiterated that it is of utmost drought has affected not importance that schools and only human consumption health facilities have access but also your agriculture and to water that is in compli- economic development”, Dr. ance with the World Health Van-West Charles pointed Organisation (WHO) stan- out. dards.

He appealed to the “We are now about to Toshaos to maintain concomplete our strategic plan, stant contact with GWI as a and within the next four means of ensuring a sustainyears this is our task; to able access to water in their ensure the population has ac- regions, even as he disclosed cess to potable water, which his personal contact informameans water of a good qual- tion and that of his technical ity in accordance with WHO staff. standards,” he emphasised.

According to Van-West He highlighted, too, that Charles, the projects and most Interior Regions use programmes being exesurface water but noted that cuted by GWI are aligned in light of climate change, w i t h P r e s i d e n t D a v i d this cannot be their main Granger’s vision for equity source of water access. As of livelihoods throughout a result, GWI has embarked Guyana. (continued on page 20)

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week endingSeptember September1, 1, 2017 2017 Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending

Sweet Sweet Calypso Music (from page 5)

when Sparrow and Melody ruled the calypso world tightly.”

Fighter lived in Trinidad during the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, performing regularly at the Original Young Brigade Tent.

One of his greatest kaisos was “Come leh we go Sukie.” His “O my Dear” was on the Guyana’s “Husqvarna” Hit Parade for one year. He also composed and sang the classic, “People Will Talk.” Here is a verse from it: “If ah man have ah ugly head like Yul Brynner They will laugh till they nearly dead Anyway he turn, they will say ahh look the clean head man But if yu head was looking like mine They will say that’s a nice design

Wire", the first calypso to run two years in a row at the Trinidad carnival.

In 1983, she was named Top Female Calypsonian by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. In 1993, she was inducted into the Tobago Walk of Fame as a charter member.

MIGHTY DUKE

Kelvin Pope (Mighty Duke Trinidad 1932-January 2009) was a true Trinidadian icon. He left teaching and a career at Shell Oil to sing calypso. Duke performed at the Original Young Brigade Tent from 1964 to 1967. For four years (1968-71), he won the Calypso King title, the only person to do this — 1968 with "What Is Calypso" and "Social Bacchanal", in 1969 with "Black Is Beautiful" and "One Foot Visina", in 1970 singing "Brotherhood of Man" and "See Through" and in 1971 he won the competi-

("No Smut For Me" and "Ah Put On Meh Guns Again"); 1977 ("My Way Of Protest" and Shango Vision"); 1981 ("Ah Can't Make" and "My Kind of Worry"); 1989 ("Chauffeur Wanted" and "Carnival Is The Answer"); 1993 ("Kaiso Sick in de Hospital" and "Misconceptions"); 2004 ("Fish Monger" and "Trinidad in the Cemetery"); 2005 ("I in Town Too Long" and "Ah Doh Rhyme"); lin 2009 (Doh Touch My Heart) and in 2017 (“learn from Arithmetic.”)

Chalkie holds a PhD. from Michigan State University. His thesis was “Rituals of Power and Rebellion: The Carnival Tradi-

SHADOW tion in Trinidad and Tobago 1763-1962 (published in 2001).

SHADOW

CALYPSO ROSE Nothing in this world Like you can't please people wih at all.”

Fighter died in Grenada where he had lived for many years.

CALYPSO ROSE Linda McArtha Monica Sandy-Lewis Calypso Rose, (Tobago April 1940) is, arguably, T&T’s greatest female calypsonian.

Over the years, she composed more than 800 songs and recorded more than 20 albums.

In 1966, Rose wrote "Fire in Me

CHALKDUST tion performing "Mathematical Formula" and "Melvine & Yvonne".

In 1987, Duke won the Road March Title with his composition “Thunder.

CHALKDUST Dr. Holis Urban Lester Liverpool (Chalkdust, Trinidad, March 1940-present) is a scholar and practitioner of the calypso craft. He has been singing kaiso since 1967 and recorded more than 300 kaisos.

He won the Calypso Monarch competition 9 times, the last in 2017, the most by any Calypsonian. The winning performances for this coveted award are: 1976

‘Toy gun’ bandit back in court for $3M robbery Just a few months after 27-year-old Ivor Billingy was granted bail for allegedly robbing a fruit vendor with a toy gun, he was back in court again on Wednesday to face three counts of robbery.

Billingy of East Ruimveldt denied that on July 21 at Middle Street, while being in the company of others armed with guns, he robbed Kubina Wright of $1.4M cash, along with a passport valued $15,000.

It is further alleged that on August 15 at Church Street, Billingy robbed Peter Tun-kurt Fagg of $1.2M cash and other items totaling

250,000. Also on the same date and location, it is alleged that he robbed Sunil Gobin of three phones valued $650,000 and $10,000 cash.

Billingy also denied these charges.

Police Prosecutor, Shawn Gonsalves objected to Gobin being granted bail on the ground that the accused currently has another ongoing robbery matter before City Magistrate Annett Singh.

The prosecutor noted that Wright was shot by Billingy during the armed robbery in July. The Magistrate ruled in the prosecution’s favour and remanded Billingy until September 15.

In January, Billingy along with a 16-year-old were charged for a spate of armed robberies they allegedly committed in the North Georgetown area.

According to reports, on January 10, the duo armed with a toy gun was caught red-handed robbing a fruit vendor at the corner of Cummings Street and North Road. The two men were nabbed by members of the Presidential Guard Service. One was captured immediately while the other ran away but was subsequently found hiding under some mattresses in a house on Robb Street.

Winston Anthony Bailey (“The Shadow”, October 1941) is everyone’s calypsonian. He grew up with his grandparents, who wanted him to become a lawyer; but he became a calypsonian. He won the Road March competition with “Bassman” and “Stranger” in 1974 and 2001 respectively. He won the Calypso Monarch with “What’s Wrong with Me” and “Scratch Me Back” in 2001.

Other Shadow classics include: “Come Out to Play” (1974); “The Garden Want Water” (1988); “Feeling The Feeling” (1989);”Yuh Looking for Horn” (2000); BLACK STALIN’ Dr. Leroy Calliste (Black Stalin, Trinidad September 1941) is one of T&T’s

BLACK STALIN

greatest calypsonians. He began his entertainment career as a limbo dancer and turned to singing calypso in 1959. In 1962, he joined the Southern Brigade. Lord Blakie gave him the name “Black Stalin” in 1965. In 1967, he joined Kitchener’s Calypso Revue.

Stalin won the Calypso Monarch in 1979 with “Caribbean Man” and “Play One.” He would win again in 1985, 1987, 1991 and 1995. In 1999, he won Calypso King of the world with “Black Man feeling to Party.”

In 2008, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate by the University of the West Indies (UWI).

CONCLUSION I am an old timer, make no mistake about that and the only thing I love more than Kaiso/Soca is “pan.” Whether Soca has betrayed its Kaiso roots by stressing less social consciousness or whether it is merely a change in tone is beyond the purview of this article. I love Kaiso; but also listen to Soca. Kaiso is till sung by the likes of Chalkdust, Cro-Cro, Sugar Aloes, Watchman, Black Stalin, Pink Panther and others. Which Kaiso purist would refuse to listen to Baron? Lord Kitchener and Machel Montano are different sides of the same coin. Remember the old days when the West Indian Day Parade featured live Kaiso? Well, I’ll still go and listen to it recorded. When you go, remember it all began with Kaiso.

Children rescued from ‘abusive’ home OFFICERS of the Childcare Protection Agency (CPA) on Monday rescued three children from a home in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

The officers acted on reports made by village leaders, including school teachers, who claimed that the children may have been sexually abused by their father. The children, two girls aged 12 years and eight years and a boy aged eight years, were taken from the home

where they resided with their 49-year-old father.

According to those who have reported the case, it is alleged that the father had previously sexually abused two of his older girl-children.

They are now 20 years and 14 years old and have since relocated.

CPA officers, meanwhile, have taken the three children they have rescued to the Lethem Police station to assist with the investigations.

Thus far, the children told the

police that they have been abused physically, however, they did not testify to being sexually abused.

The police, however, continues to question the father as the investigations are still ongoing. Meanwhile, the CPA is urging citizens countrywide to report any suspected case of child abuse whether physical, emotional or sexual.

All information, the agency says will be treated with strict confidence.

GuyanaChronicle ChronicleNew New York Edition Week-ending September 1, 2017 Guyana York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

New York Chronicle Horoscope

21 21

C CR RO OS SS SW WO OR RD D

ISSUE 64 CROSSWORD ANSWER

ARIES (Mar. 21 - April 20) Try to visit friends or relatives you don’t get to see often. There are ways of making extra cash if you put your mind to it. You may overspend if you travel this week; however, the trip will be one to remember. Your mind is on moneymaking ventures. Your lucky day next week will be Wednesday.

TAURUS (Apr. 21 - May 21) Make plans to do something special with the one you love. You can make professional decisions this week that will affect your position You will do well in social settings, and new and interesting individuals may spark a romantic curiosity. Don’t count on your friends to be loyal when it comes to doing things. Your lucky day next week will be Saturday.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) You’ll find it easy to upgrade your environment by redecorating or changing your residence. Opportunities to meet new lovers will I come through pleasure trips or social events. Friends may not be completely honest with you.

Hassles with your boss are sure to erupt if you speak your mind. Your lucky day next week will be Saturday.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) You may be thinking of starting your own business. Confusion at an emotional level will cause you to make wrong decisions concerning your personal life. Think before you act. Deal with the needs of children and get into groups that deal with self awareness. Your lucky day next week will be Wednesday.

LEO (July 23 - Aug 22) They will not be in the right frame of mind to put up with tactless comments.

You will be in the mood for entertainment. Extravagance and overindulgence are not a cure if you’re feeling sorry for yourself. You can enjoy social events and meet new potential mates; however, avoid being lavish. Your lucky day next week will be Thursday.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 23) Knowledge can be acquired if you listen. You need some rest. Don’t let your anger consume you and don’t allow important matters go unattended to. Your reputation may be at stake if you partake in gossip. Your lucky day next week will be Thursday.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 - Oct. 23) Some time spent with that special someone should be your intent. Don’t let your mate force you into making a decision that you aren’t ready to make. Don’t overspend or give too freely to others. Your lover may not under stand your needs so you must figure out a way to communicate them. Your lucky day next week will be Friday.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Don’t be afraid to confront situations concerning loved ones in order to solve any problems that may exist. Residential moves will also be advantageous for all concerned. Don’t offer to pay for others. If you take on too much, you will find your self in martyrdom. Your lucky day next week will be Sunday.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 - Dec. 21) Don’t jump as quickly as you usually do. There will be hidden matters that you may find disturbing. You can’t live your life for others. Your mate may not be too sure about your intentions. Your lucky day this week will be Friday.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) You’ll be able to break bad habits if you put your mind to it. You need some help this week. Someone you work with could have a personal interest in you. You need to keep the peace and you will have to bend in order to do so. Your lucky day next week will be Thursday.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) Travel may be confusing. Think twice before you pursue an unrealistic endeavor. You’ll be prone to tears if your mate is harsh with you this week. Lighten up your serious attitude. Your lucky day next week will be Tuesday.

PISCES (Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) Take the time to close deals that have been up in the air. You will find that friends or relatives may not understand your needs. New friendships will develop through group events. Try to be precise in your communications.

Your lucky day this week will be Saturday.

ACROSS 1. Bank door letters 5. Infant’s protection 8. Find a sum 11. Author Philip (“Goodbye, Columbus ) 12. Woodwind instrument 14. Bridge action 15. Draft status (hyph.)

16. Poisonous haze 17. Poem that praises 18. Broadcast regulating org.

20. Guy’s companion 22. Celebrate wildly 25. Showing extreme fondness 29. Bunyan’s chopper 30. Real estate unit 32. “Bring ___” (2 wds.)

33. Bachelors 34. Ventriloquist’s side-

W O R D F I N D

T R E E

APE BABBOON BEAR CAT CHAMEL;EON CHEETAH CHIMP COUGAR ERMINE GECKO GIBBON GORILLA KINKAJOU KOALA LEOPARD LION LYNX

kick 36. “___Loser” (2 wds.)

37. Obama’s title (abbr.)

39. Garden bloom 40. Rowing need 41. He takes big steps 43. Ivan of the courts 45. Young Lincoln 46. It follows winter (abbr.)

47. Flight height (abbr.)

49. Links gp.

52. Served like champagne 56. Born as 57. Plumbing problem 58. Law suit 59. Numerals (abbr.)

60. Mao ___ -tung 61. Killed a dragon DOWN 1. To’s partner 2. Actor Adams

3. Follower (suffix) 4. Irritate the skin 5. Anjou cousin 6. Tech co.

7. Surpriser’s cry 8. Annulment of slavery 9. Performed 10. Between HST and JFK 13. Waffle brand 19. Garbed 21. Tycoon Onassis 22. Highway sights 23. Put forth 24. Reveres 25. Knight’s wear 26. Not Reps, or Inds.

27. Pastoral wanderer 28. Growl 31. Heal 35. Pained sound 38. Sis, e.g.

42. Computer brand 44. Sevareid and Ambler 46. Sushi bar drink 47. Dancer Miller 48. Baseball’s Durocher 50. Tame animal 51. Petrol 53. ___ Ripken, Jr. 54. Vietnam or Taiwan ending 55. Grass moisture

C L I M B E R S MANDRILL MARTEN OCELOT OPOSSUM ORANGUTAN PANDA PANTHER RACCOON SABLE SERVAL SLOTH SNAKE SQUIRREL TAMARIN TREESHREW WEASEL

ISSUE 64 WORDFIND ANSWER

‘Don’t be fooled’ 22

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

…Min. Gaskin warns Corentyne chambers against PPP ‘ramblings’ …says Guyana will earn revenue from oil on day one of production

By Nafeeza Yahya MINISTER of Business, Dominic Gaskin, says Guyana will earn revenue and royalties from oil from day one of production and he cautioned that citizens should not be fooled by the ramblings of the opposition.

He made the comment at the recently held dinner and awards ceremony of the Central Corentyne Chambers of Commerce (CCCC). He made the disclosure during his presentation on the oil and gas sector and noted that while there is the public outcry for disclosure on the terms of the agreement they are bound by confidentiality agreements in the initial contract that was signed by the previous administration.

“The initial exploration license was issued in 2008 by the then President of Guyana at the time and now leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo. His government would have issued the original license with the original agreement in which the confidentially clause was inserted. Now for him to ask for a disclosure from the government shows that he wants us to breach the

agreement he put in place when he could have made the deal public when he was in power.”

Gaskin did however disclose that apart from royalties and revenue from when production begins government will also earn revenue from withholding taxes due on payments for foreign contractors by Exxon Mobil.

This revenue he noted is “likely to be significant and can be earned even as we speak” since they are payable to contractors who would need to do work before oil is produced.

He stated that the Petroleum Prospective License which announced the exclusive oil exploration in a particular block was issued for a period of four years with the condition to renew twice for a period of three years each for a total of ten years per block. In 2015 Exxon Mobil found deposits of commercial quantities in the Stabroek Block of approximately 800 million barrels of oil which after recent additional discoveries is now pegged at 2.7 billion barrels of oil and submitted an environmental impact assessment to the Environmental Protection Agency and has received the

environmental permit to start production in 2020.

It is expected that Exxon Mobil will initially invest US$4.4 billion for the Liza one Project alone which includes converting an oil tanker into a Floating Production Storage and Off-loading Base (FPSO) which is the epi center of the offshore operations. The contract for this has already been awarded and it is being built in a dockyard in Singapore.

The FPSO will have the capacity to extract 100,000 barrels of oil per day. 17 wells are expected to be connected to the FPSO of which 8 are for production, 6 for water injection and 3 for gas injection. The water and gas injection wells are needed to stabilize the pressure of the production well to ensure a constant flow. According to Minister Gaskin, the government is looking at the possibility of making use of some of the assorted gas that is being re-injected into the wells without affecting production. This is currently being entertained by the government which is looking at the various options and investment needed and the feasibility of each

NA gas station robbers plead guilty Eighteen-year-old Travon Sinclair known as ‘Fatman’ of High dam, Angoy’s Avenue and his 15-year-old accomplice pleaded guilty to the charge of robbery under arms committed at the recently opened M. Ali Gas Station at Main and King Streets, New Amsterdam.

The duo along with Leon Somaru called Allan, age 27, a carpenter of Lot 8 Ogleton Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, Delon Johnson of King Street, New Amsterdam and Princess Street, Lodge, Georgetown, appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore at the New Amsterdam Magistrates

Court. Somaru, Johnson and the teen pleaded not guilty to the charge. They were granted $75,000 bail each, following a successful application by Attorney Erun Gossai and are expected to return to court on October 2, for report.

However, Sinclair has been remanded to prison, while his 15-year-old accomplice was sent to the juvenile holding centre. They will be sentenced on the adjourned date. Police Prosecutor Inspector Godfrey Playter, revealed that three of the defendants were former students of the Berbice Educational

Institute , who had all been expelled for drug-related offences.

On August 19, last, at about 2017 hrs, pump attendant Prakash Seenarine was on duty at M. Ali Gas Station at Main and King Streets, when three masked men, armed with a gun, demanded the income from the sales, which totalled $140,000. After the robbery, varying sums were divided among the defendants. However, after intense investigations, the suspects were identified after the sleuths viewed the security cameras.

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin

option before a decision can be made. Also on the charts were the possibility of an on shore facility however since an agreement was made with a local company and Exxon Mobil for use of their wharf facilities as a support base for the Liza one Project this option is now on the back burner but can be re-considered based on need for future production.

The minister of business also asked the business community not to be fooled by the ramblings of the opposition who is advising the population not to vote for

the current administration again because they will steal the oil money. “Guyana has submitted in August its candidacy for extractive industries transparency initiative, a global standard to promote an open and accountable management of extractive resources, which is a demonstration that the government and Guyana is moving towards greater transparency in the way that it manages its natural resources and will ultimately benefit the Guyanese people as they will now be able to hold the government more accountable for their stewardship of the national platform” “In addition to this Guyana now has a draft local content framework which is designed to address how opportunities arising out the oil industry will be treated in relation to Guyanese nationals and Guyanese businesses. The draft deals with developing capacity, Guyanese ownership of businesses, provision of goods and services by local suppliers, value-addition in the sector and societal benefits. It is expected that the local content policy will develop over time with Guyana’s long term national interest as its driver.”

Further the minister disclosed to the packed audience of businessmen and women that Exxon Mobil has launched a resource centre in partnership with a local service provider that is geared to provide assistance from small to medium sized businesses to improve their competiveness and increased capacity and will also provide information on technical standards and procurement opportunities within the sector. Guyanese business can now register their businesses online and this will allow big suppliers and contractors within the industry to find suitable local suppliers for their requirements.

Based on projection, oil prices are predicted to hit around $80 per barrel in 2020 as opposed to the current price of around $52 per barrel that is around $30 more per barrel. This equates to approximately GYD$74 billion annually in revenues that the government is expected to receive based on the current agreement of 50/50 split after cost recovery with Exxon mobile from the Liza one well alone, and is touted as being the key to transforming the country and delivering the good life for all.

Wanted bulletin issued for robbery suspect QUINTYN Alvin Bourne is wanted by the police for robbery under arms, which was committed on Leon Bentham and others that occurred on August 22, at Sheriff Street, Campbellville, Georgetown.

Police said anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of 32-year-old Quintyn Alvin Bourne is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-8196, 225-2227, 227-1149, 226-7065, 911 or the nearest police station.

Bourne’s last known address is Lot 142 Eldorado Drive, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

23

Three lanes for new Demerara …Feasibility study cites low Harbour Bridge environmental impact THE Feasibility Study and Design for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge has successfully been completed, and a copy of the document was on Wednesday presented to Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson.

The 57-page final report was presented by the project team, which includes Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation General Manager and Project Manager, Rawlston Adams; Chief Transport and Planning Officer, Patrick Thompson and Mr Arie Mol,Team Leader of the consulting company, Lievense CSO. During the handing over, a rundown on its main conclusions were highlighted, the ministry said in a release. From the feasibility study, it was determined that the proposed location of Houston-Versailles was the most ideal. It was further noted that the bridge should be a low-level one with a movable part and three-lanes. This structure, it said, provided the most socio-economic benefits for Guyana and led to the lowest urban environmental impact. Furthermore, it was recommended that the

Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Hon. Annette Ferguson (third, right) receives the completed Feasibility Study and Design for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge from Mr. Ariel Mol of LievenseCSO (second, right). With them are the members of the project team: DHBC General Manager and Project Manager, Mr. Rawlston Adams (third, left); Chief Transport and Planning Officer at MPI, Mr. Patrick Thompson (second, left); Senior Engineer (Transport and Planning), Mr. Ronald Roberts (left); and Transport Planning Officer (Economist) Ms. Ramona Duncan (right)

promotion of alternative transportation routes should be encouraged to lend to the longevity of the new bridge.

The completion of the feasibility study paves the

way for the next stage, the pre-qualification of contractors for the construction of the bridge. This process has already begun and will conclude on October 17.

Meanwhile, both Mr. Adams of DHBC and Mr. Thompson of MPI noted the preparations that were undertaken during the feasibility stage to ensure the

successful completion of key components. Thompson noted that during the preparation of the feasibility study, all possible stakeholders, including those

from the private and public sectors and neighbourhood and regional democratic councils, were consulted.

In fact, Mr. Adams added, the project team met with the Land and Surveys Department on Wednesday for advice on the surveying and the acquisition of the land.

The team also met with the Environmental Protection Agency on proceeding with the necessary environmental study.

“All in all, we’re confident that once we work together and everyone puts their shoulder to the wheel, we can get this project moving along smoothly,” Adams said. Thompson added that challenges, such as land acquisition, will have to be faced, but he stressed that the team is up to the challenge.

Upon receipt of the report, Minister Ferguson thanked the team for its dedication to the project and extended special thanks to Mol for satisfactorily delivering the report. In response, Mol expressed his honour and gratitude for the support received from the Guyanese team and emphasised that his counterparts had enabled the entire team to work as one effective unit.

Constabulary set to seize movable assets – as businesses served with debt notices

By Telesha Ramnarine THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will be invoking the laws pertaining to seizing moveable property from businesses that owe accumulative millions in taxes and interest and have shunned the council’s debt collection efforts.

Public Relations Officer, Debra Lewis, told Guyana Chronicle that beginning last Friday and concluding on Tuesday, letters have been served to Jaikarran and Sons, owing $117,250,262; Waylite Engineering, owing $29,398,064; Parker and Company/Muneshwers,

owing $17,113,309; and Central Garage, owing $28,410,596.

Furthermore, she said, letters have been prepared for some 14 additional businesses. These businesses have 14 days to respond to the City Council, during which time the owners are expected to visit City Hall to arrange a payment plan.

Failure to do so will result in officers of the City Constabulary turning up at the business locations to seize whatever they can find, including cars, furniture, televisions, etc.

Lewis said the M&CC has found that using ‘parate execution’ to recover costs takes a long time through

the court process. As such, the municipality is now bent on invoking the laws relating to ‘petty debt’ for which they can simply turn up at the businesses and seize whatever valuables are there and sell them.

“The court process is long and drawn out and the council needs money.

We’ve been very lenient with these businesses and have often given them options to pay, like announcing amnesty and so forth,” Lewis noted.

She said the M&CC has found residents more willing to pay up but there are those businesses who just do not care. “They have become complacent because

they see that the M&CC has not been using the law in the strictest sense,” observed Lewis.

“But we are very serious about seizing their property.

We need money and we have to provide services.

We’re not talking now.

We’re going to evoke the law. You can’t cry and say you weren’t told.”

“EYE OPENER” Lewis said the seizing exercise will serve as an “eye opener” to other businesses who are failing to honour their obligations to the council.

Lewis had earlier told the Guyana Chronicle that in 2017, the M&CC intends to embark on an “aggressive” campaign against defaulting ratepayers since

Debra Lewis

the Council needs “every single cent” to provide services.

In a press release, the M&CC had also named Sunglow Industries, Abdul & Sakina Sattur, Guyana Development Corps, Property Protection Services, and Correia’s Enterprise

Limited among the defaulters.

“The owners of several businesses and corporations which are on the delinquent list did not even see it necessary to make use of the facility or to seek an audience with the Georgetown Municipality concerning their status on rates owed,” the M&CC had said.

“The action of corporations and big businesses of not paying their rates to the Council is inconsistent with their corporate social responsibility and a contravention of the City by-laws. Their actions have affected the delivery of vital services such as drainage works, road repairs and maintenance of parks, gardens and open spaces,” M&CC had said.

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GuyanaChronicle Chronicle New New York ending September 1,2017 2017 Guyana York Edition Edition week Week-ending August 25,

MAKE BODY CAMERAS MANDATORY FOR ALL FEDERAL AGENTS

“T life.”

here is no man so good, who, were he to submit all his thoughts and actions to the laws, would not deserve hanging 10 times in his — Michel de Montaigne

The Trump administration’s troubling efforts to expand immigration detention on the backs of taxpayers in the United States are already underway in Texas. The Geo Group, a for-profit, private prison corporation, has begun constructing a $110 million, 1,100-bed facility in Conroe, Texas, after signing a 10-year, renewable contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in April. Geo already operates a nearby 1,500-bed detention center, as well as the country’s second-largest detention facility for jailing asylum-seeking families.

The immigration detention system in the United States is already a burgeoning network with at least 600 locations designated to house detained immigrants. Federal incarceration of minorities have also increased outrageously.

Government data shows that more people are being detained due to the increased

prosecution of civil cases and arrests by ICE agents, coupled with a decrease in the government’s use of prosecutorial discretion to release immigrants from detention. Prosecutors now capriciously abuse their powers to incarcerate innocent people to fill these and similar prisons, with profits, not justice, being the motivating factor.

Again, the president’s fiscal year (FY) 2018 budget requests Congress to allocate $3.5 billion for detention in order to increase detention bed capacity by 50 percent above currently-funded level, paying an estimated $159 per day for each person detained. With 65 percent of ICE detainees housed in private, for-profit facilities managed by companies like Geo and CoreCivic, these corporations sell the government their services and are reporting record-breaking profits.

Indeed, Geo unashamedly cites ICE as its leading customer.

Consequently, while detaining thousands of immigrants in hundreds of prisonlike facilities throughout the nation, America has gifted filthy profits to the private prison industry, while failing to protect the lives and liberties of the individuals they detain.

The die is being cast. It is alarming that the United States continues to allow private corporations to profit off detaining immigrants and its own citizens within a system that has been plagued with abuses and a lack of accountability and oversight. The expansion of immigration detention and federal incarceration for petty crimes is a threat not only to members of our communities but to our values as a nation, an indictment of our federal justice system as a whole.

Consequently, to counter the perverse haste to fill these jails and the pockets of their evil stakeholders, there must be more accountability and transparency during ICE, FBI, DEA and other law enforcement operations, not only with local law enforcement.

The public has a right to know, and to see how our laws are enforced all across America in a transparent manner.

The absence of this very important evidence from the eyes and ears of the jury and judges have resulted in many innocent people being violated, including being falsely imprisoned and maliciously or selectively prosecuted. Our legal system must be cleansed of the dirty elements we have read about, seen and experienced if the streams of justice are to become pure.

We applaud those lawmakers, especially US Representatives Yvette Clarke and Adriano Espaillat, who are soon going to introduce a bill that would require federal immigration agents to wear body cameras while in the field, joining concerns with how immigrants are treated during arrests, and wisely advocating to ensure enforcement is done in compliance with the law.

They will also introduce legislation that would make it illegal for immigration agents to arrest people on sensitive locations such as churches, funeral homes and schools. To his credit, President Trump's Chief of Staff General John Kelly, who previously served as Secretary of Homeland Security, also supports the camera program.

However, our representatives must also amend the bill to include the requirement that all federal agents, including the FBI, the DEA and others, wear body cameras with audio also.

The massive proliferation of investigative misconduct and abuse demands this. My own experience with law enforcement fortifies my argument. During the 2010 campaign season, where my previously naïve belief that running for public office is one of the greatest humanitarian and altruistic tasks one can undertake, I was swallowed whole by the putrid slime of law enforcement and special interests gone rogue in my endeavor to uplift and empower an underserved minority district. I was ripped from my family and community and imprisoned in a federal jail for 18 months for what many legal experts opined was a mere administrative violation.

The ALBERT BALDEO Column

Similar to what was done in Comptroller John Liu’s mayoral campaign, 5 of my campaign contributors were hounded down and intimidated with bogus charges, loss of jobs, pensions and deportation unless they told the FBI agents and the jury what they wanted them to say to make their despicable charges stick. They were coerced to change their statements exonerating both candidates from wrong doing. The jury never heard or saw how these manipulative and flagrant illegal operations were conducted in their adjudication of innocence or guilt, or the exculpatory interviews of the other hundreds of campaign contributors, a major breach of the due process and constitutional rights guaranteed by our constitution.

Although the government could not produce any other independent evidence, the jury convicted after being coerced to break their deadlock in my case. I then became part of the human prison stock that is bought and sold on the stock market-a refined form of slavery, dehumanization and exploitation.

Videos and audios will give a clear account of the motives and actions of federal agents, more so because their activities are largely shielded by immunity, and debunk the false stereotypical belief that they are all honest and honorable public servants. They will also reveal the culprits and rogues who abuse their powers under the guise of serving and protecting the public, pillaging and destroying communities and reputations with their unsavory methods.

These changes will go a long way toward ensuring that justice is done.

Note: Albert Baldeo is a civil rights activist and community advocate. As President of the Baldeo Foundation and Queens Justice Center, he has continued to fight for equal rights, dignity and inclusion in the decision making process. He can be contacted at the Baldeo Foundation: (718) 529-2300.

Caption: Cameras would have solved what shenanigans occurred when the ballots in the custody of police officers were transferred from the poll sites to the Board of Elections via the 104 Police precinct. After law enforcement intervention, Albert Baldeo’s historic 2006 State Senate election and the community’s victory were rolled back to “a narrow defeat.” Video recordings will also expose the growing illegal and coercive methods used by law enforcement in convicting innocent citizens.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending September 1, 2017

25

A ‘wrong-and-strong’ deal – committee pronounces on parking meter project THE revenue split of 80 per cent for Smart Meter Solution and 20 per cent for City Hall as stipulated in the parking meter contract is a slap in the face of city residents and the Georgetown municipality which they democratically elected.

This was the dominant view expressed by Georgetown residents in the final report of the Parking Meter Negotiating Committee which months ago launched an investigation into the controversial parking meter project.

According to the report, persons suggest that the split in revenue should be in the reverse or the Mayor and City Council take full control of the project.

The duration of the contract initially was for 49 years with the ability to re-negotiate after 49 years, but this was subsequently changed to 20 years.

The report said residents felt that even 20 years is a

long time and the number of years should be cut down to not more than 10 years.

City residents were also of the view that tax concessions to Smart City Solutions should not be a part of the agreement since the Mayor and City Council is not in a position to grant such concessions.

They also believe that the contract gave Smart City Solutions a monopoly over metered parking systems and garaged parking in Georgetown, which is unwarranted and illegal since Guyana has a Competition Law that governs and rules out the establishment of monopolies in Guyana.

The location of some of the parking meters and the area around them were also an issue for residents.

“Persons spoke of having to walk through mud or stand in water to access the meter, especially when it rains. The expectation was for an upgrade of the actual parking

spots so that they are clean and easily accessible at all times,” the report said.

The overwhelming majority of persons consulted also expressed the view that the current prices are way too high when compared to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the economic situation in Guyana and the salaries of residents.

NEW BURDEN The cost was seen as a new burden while there was no preferential parking for business owners, customers and delivery vehicles.

The report noted that from the views garnered, the parking meter project was rushed and “pushed down the throats” of city residents without careful consideration of everything and anyone.

The report found that during the time the project was implemented, there was a sharp decline in business in the metered zone as persons were not able to pay for park-

The parking meter created a very lonely road on the Avenue of the Republic

ing and conducted business outside this zone.

On the other hand, some taxi and minibus drivers said they had gained an increase in income since more persons started to use the public transportation system.

The report also noted that

residents decried the attitude of customer relation/services staff of Smart City Solutions.

“The cries were of the heavy-handed nature in which they carried out their jobs, with seemingly little to no regard for any situation that may arise, except to clamp vehicles and get paid.

Persons expressed feelings of being bullied, harassed and even threatened during interactions with the staff, especially if a perceived infraction was being dealt with,” the report said.

But it noted that there was an opinion that the wages paid to Smart City Solutions employees should be at least $100,000 per month and be increased annually based on increases to public servants.

On a different matter, the views obtained in the report pointed to the need for utility vehicles attached to differently-abled organisations and law enforcement agencies to be given exemptions and priority parking.

“There was a call for the areas around schools and buildings that are used

by the differently-abled, to be exempted and placed on standby for the differently-abled, respectively. In other words, a reserved space for the differently-abled only and reserved areas in front of schools for drop off and pickup etc,” the report said.

Meanwhile, the report said there was no recommendation from city residents to continue the parking meter project in its current form.

The Georgetown City Council has the option to discontinue the metered parking system with Smart City Solutions, continue the project in accordance with the law or continue the parking meter system independently.

Members of the committee that compiled the report said the report will be submitted to the full council for deliberation and consideration of the best option that will create harmony, encourage corporate responsibility, foster good local governance and improve the overall physical, financial and social development of Georgetown.

Gov’t to engage miners to address concerns THE Ministry of Natural Resources will be hosting a stakeholder engagement with members of the mining community today to deal with concerns recently raised by miners about the state of the industry and the means through which these will be satisfactorily addressed by all sides.

The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners’ Association (GGDMA), the Guyana Women Miners’ Organisation (GWMO) and the National Mining Syndicate, representing mining syndicates from across the country, have been invited to the stakeholder engagement.

This stakeholder engagement is part of the Ministry of Natural Resources ongoing efforts at public consultation and outreach on a number of natural resources-related issues, the ministry said in a statement.

Only recently, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman speaking at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission Annual Awards ceremony, told the gathering that the administration is unveiling carefully and methodically, the Syndicates initiative that is being spearheaded by Minister Simona Broomes. He explained that

through this initiative, hundreds of Guyanese men and women who were either denied access to lands or came under the harsh conditions of a “landlord,” can now band together in a cooperative way and access lands and the synergies and economies that evolve from working together.

Trotman said so far 15 syndicates will be given in the first instance, 12,000 acres of land each to have a combined area of green Guyana land of 180,000 acres of land. “To put this into context, we are speaking of 281 square miles. Barbados, a place we are all familiar with, is just 170 square miles.

So again, with some momentary surprise, I wonder at the agitation of the syndicates for more land when they have not yet begun to mine any lands. I am assured that GGMC is working assiduously to ensure that by the end of the month, the lands will be available for distribution and I am awaiting the opportunity to sign the “special order” to this effect.”

Members of the various syndicates had staged a protest recently in Georgetown, clamouring for more lands.

However, Trotman said struggle is good as it is out of the

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman

dialectics of struggle that positive change comes, but struggle must be purposeful and well directed. He said struggle for the sake of struggle is without a lasting foundation. “Once we are satisfied that the syndicates have been good stewards, then we are prepared to entertain applications for additional lands,” the minister asserted.

Trotman also acknowledged that there is agitation and restlessness in the sector with some bemoaning the state of mining and government’s response to their concerns. Also, he said government has embarked on a quest

to make Guyana a green land in both the figurative and literal senses. “To this end, the Government appreciates that there are some changes that are taking place in the mining industry – some changes we recognise as being organic by nature and some others will have to be influenced if the industry is to remain vibrant, well into the 21st century.”

The minister said there was a time, for many centuries in fact, when sugar production dominated the political economy of Guyana. It defined us as a nation, and then, in the 1970s and beyond, as we took hold of our newly found republican status, and forged a path of self-reliance, bauxite mining and production took centre stage. “Later came gold and gold remains Guyana’s primary foreign exchange earner and is singularly responsible for the direct and indirect employment of tens of thousands of Guyanese, though agriculture and bauxite remain viable industries in their own right.”

Trotman told the miners that the coming petroleum production will undoubtedly change the face of Guyana, and the mining industry as we know it, will be impacted. However, he

said gold is too important to the culture, psyche and economy of Guyana to be displaced and as the saying goes, it is “too big to fail.”

“Many of the fears and concerns that I hear expressed about government’s lack of appreciation for the industry are therefore unfounded. This government, as I have said on countless occasions in the past, has no desire to see the industry

fail. However, we all have agreed in private meetings, and in public outings elsewhere, that there has to be change and adjustments on all sides. The status quo cannot remain. For Government’s part, we are, as of necessity, having to streamline the collection of taxes and curtail what was obviously an abuse of the tax concessions that were given.”

To advertise in this newspaper call Dennis at: 917-379-6590

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Guyana Chronicle Chronicle New New York ending September 1, 2017 2017 Guyana York Edition Editionweek Week-ending August 25,

Richie Richardson to serve as match referee in Independence Cup L

ahore [Pakistan], August 29 (ANI): The International Cricket Council (ICC) has appointed former West Indies captain Richie Richardson as the match referee for the three-match T20 Independence Cup between Pakistan and the World XI side.

The first two T20Is will be played on September 12 and 13, and the final game will be played on September 15 at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Richardson has been a member of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees since January 2016 and has refereed in 11 Tests, 19 ODIs and 18 T20Is to date.

As one of the greats of Windies cricket, Richardson played 86 Tests and 224 One-Day Internationals between 1983 and 1996, scoring 5,949 and 6,248 runs, respectively. He also

captained the Windies in 24 Tests (winning 11 and losing six) and 87 ODIs (winning 46 and losing 36), and served as a team manager from 2011 to 2015.

Against Pakistan, he played 12 Tests and 61 ODIs, scoring 708 and 1,988 runs, respectively. He played two Tests and four ODI at the Gaddafi Stadium, with his final appearance in the Windies colours at RICHIE RICHARDSON Pakistan cricket's headquarter being (C), Hashim Amla, Samuel Badree, Iqbal, David Miller, Morne Morkel, in 1991.

The 14-member World XI George Bailey, Paul Collingwood, Tim Paine, Thisara Perera, Imran (ANI) squad is as follows: Faf du Plessis Ben Cutting, Grant Elliott, Tamim Tahir, Darren Sammy.

Bangladesh stun Aussies to claim historic maiden Test win … Warner ton in vain as Australia fall short DHAKA, Bangladesh (Reuters) - Bangladesh pulled off a fairytale maiden Test victory over Australia yesterday as cricket witnessed a second triumph for the underdog in as many days with the Ashes protagonists both on the receiving end of surprise losses.

Less than 24 hours after Shai Hope’s second century of the match secured a series-levelling victory for West Indies against England at Leeds, the Shere Bangla National Stadium on the outskirts of Dhaka became the venue of another upset.

Playing his 50th Test, local talisman Shakib Al Hasan lit up the stadium with his all-round brilliance to script a famous 20-run victory that gives Bangladesh a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.

Australia tried their hardest to dampen home hopes when a 130-run partnership between David Warner and Steve Smith revived Australia’s bid to chase down the 265-run target and salvage a win after being outplayed for the greater part of the match.

Warner tempered his natural aggression but did not altogether abandon it, as was evident from the 16

boundaries and one six in his belligerent 112.

The southpaw conquered his spin demons to register a 19th Test century, and second in Asia, but he fell just short of guiding Australia home on the fourth day of an enthralling encounter.

Skipper Smith led a charmed life at the other end, spilled at mid-on by Tamim Iqbal, but Australia’s most assured weapon against Bangladesh’s rampaging spinners could not make the most of his reprieve.

Shakib sent back Warner and Smith, who made 37, in the morning session when Australia lost five wickets.

The left-arm spinner then snuffed out whatever realistic hopes Australia had of making it five straight wins over Bangladesh by dismissing Glenn Maxwell with the first delivery after lunch break.

Pat Cummins, the lone paceman to taste success in the spin-dominated contest, blasted an unbeaten 33 down the order to inject some late excitement but was left stranded as Australia folded for 244.

Shakib claimed 5-85 and was the obvious man-of-thematch choice for his first

Bangladesh’s man-of-the-match Shakib Al Hasan celebrates the wicket of Glenn Maxwell, one of his five second-innings victims

innings score of 84 and a 10-wicket haul.

HOME STRENGTH Yesterday’s win came five months after Bangladesh secured their first Test win over Sri Lanka and a month before the first anniversary of their maiden triumph over England in the longest form of the game.

Seventeen years since granted the Test status, there are still whispers whether Bangladesh belong in the elite group but skipper Mushfiqur Rahim remains satisfied with the progress the team has made under his leader-

ship.

“If you look at our home performance, it has been pretty consistent,” he said.

“Against England also, we were very close in the first Test and beat them in the second Test. That’s the belief we have.”

Shakib articulated that belief in a pre-series media interaction where he said Bangladesh were capable of winning both the Tests against Australia and the opening triumph has filled Mushfiqur with similar optimism.

“Hopefully we’ll come harder at them in the next

Test and hopefully we’ll seal the series,” the captain said.

Counterpart Smith believed Australia paid the price for a poor first-innings display, especially since they had to bat fourth on a track where the ball both bounced unpredictably and turned viciously.

“It was a great Test match, credit to Bangladesh the way they played,” Smith said.

“We probably let ourselves down in the first innings with the bat, probably we should have made a few more there. It was pretty

difficult batting here in the second innings and I thought we did pretty well to get 240 in the end.”

Bangladesh’s threepronged spin attack claimed 19 of the 20 Australian wickets to fall with Usman Khawaja’s run-out in the first innings the only victim to elude the slow bowlers.

Australia will slip one place to fifth in the Test rankings even if they level the series by winning the second Test in Chittagong from Monday. A second defeat would see them drop another place.

David Warner’s fighting ton was all in vain

Guyana ending September 1, 2017 Guyana Chronicle ChronicleNew NewYork YorkEdition Editionweek Week-ending August 25, 2017

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Shai Hope the hero in thrilling West Indies win I

t was one of the great Test matches. Headingley has seen some remarkable final days and West Indies created their own extraordinary tale by chasing down 322 to level the series. Shai Hope achieved what Kraigg Brathwaite narrowly missed, becoming the first batsman to score twin hundreds on the ground in first-class cricket and, at 6.43 pm, with the floodlights illuminating the ground almost as much as the day-night Test last week, Hope tucked the ball through square to complete one of the most unexpected redemption stories in the game's history.

Such was the application and skill of West Indies' batting, anchored by the 144-run third-wicket stand between Brathwaite and Hope that, once they got through the morning session, the prospect of victory was closer than many would accept. There was constantly talk of how quickly it could change, but the collapse never came. At tea, moments after losing Brathwaite for 95, they needed 123 off 35 overs; when Roston Chase was superbly caught by substitute Mason Crane at midon, 76 off 19.5 overs.

There was a chance with the new ball looming and the light fading that it could still unravel for West Indies, but Chase's wicket may actually have helped. He was finding the old ball hard to time, and it brought in Jermaine Blackwood who chanced his arm (or batted normally for himself). He clubbed two tension-easing fours before, in brilliantly brazen style, hammering James Anderson's second ball with the new ball straight for six. He was stumped with two runs needed, but his 41 off 45 balls ensured England never regained a foothold. From losing 19 wickets in a day, to this. Their

first win in England since Edgbaston in 2000.

Hope brought up his century from 175 balls — the second fifty proving much harder work off 105 deliveries - and on 106, with 37 runs required, he benefited from the 13th drop catch of the match when Alastair Cook at first slip spilled a topedged cut. The last West Indies batsman to score two centuries in a Test was Kieran Powell, against Bangladesh in 2012, and Hope's performance — from a man who averaged 19 before this Test — epitomised more than anything the team's revival. Those who paid 10 Pounds to get in witnessed an 'I-was-there' moment.

It was the second-highest successful chase at the ground behind Bradman's 1948 Australians, slotting in ahead of England's final-day hunt against Australia in 2001. Joe Root became the fourth England captain to declare and lose a Test but it was a perfectly reasonable target to set and it needs to be hoped a streak of positiveness isn't knocked from Root's mindset. England did not bowl badly, although Chris Woakes wasn't at his best, on a sur-

KRAIGG BRAITHWAITE

SHAI HOPE In mid-afternoon, England face that behaved far better than extried to conjure something with pected.

Missed chances, though, forceful spells from Broad and Ben proved costly from early in the day. Stokes, the latter not used until the In the fourth over, Cook had also 47th over of the innings, but both dropped Brathwaite when he had 4. batsmen withstood everything, inAnother chance came from Brath- cluding a few zipping deliveries waite, on 29, amid bizarre circum- from Broad and the occasional ball stances when he popped a return which jumped off a length. England catch to Broad which burst through grew increasingly frustrated, espethe hands and cannoned into the cially Broad who took a kick at one non-striker's stumps with Kyle Hope of the followthrough marks which well out of his crease. A wicket, but brought a rebuke from umpire S the more valuable one would have Ravi and may interest the ICC. Eventually it was spin which been Brathwaite's, as one of the players with the ability to defy Eng- brought the breakthrough, Brathland for long periods. It was 40 waite driving away from his body to overs before he offered another give Stokes a catch at slip. England chance, edging Moeen Ali to slip, would have had expectations of and by then the groundwork for vic- making further inroads into the middle order, but Hope and Chase sentory had been laid.

Hope's innings was magnifi- sibly soaked up the pressure after cent. His first boundary was a rifled tea as Root gave Anderson an exback-foot straight drive from a tended 10-over spell either side of short-of-a-length delivery by the break which gave him precious Woakes and his fifty came off 70 little time to rest before the new ball.

The harder ball zipped under balls, a slightly quicker rate than Brathwaite and he ensured Root the lights, but also came quicker off could never dry up the scoring. As the bat — the middle and edges — in the first session of the second day, as it dawned on England that the it was an examination of both bats- game had escaped them. With the men techniques against a moving target closing in Blackwood swung ball and the pair also played Moeen fiercely at Broad, edging a boundary smartly to nullify his threat. After and then clearing third man for six. their 246-run partnership in the first There was still time for one more innings, it was the first time since dropped catch — Stokes, of all peoBrian Lara and Ramnaresh Sarwan ple, shelling Blackwood at deep at Colombo in 2000-01 that the midwicket — but by then West Insame West Indian batsmen had dies were all but home. Lord's, next shared two hundred stands in a week, is one of the more unexpected deciders.

ESPNCricInfo match.

Botham and Atherton laud Windies win as one for the times LEEDS, England (CMC) – Two noted legends of English cricket have hailed the West Indies’ stunning second Test win over England at Headingley as one of the finest sporting triumphs in recent memory.

Ian Botham, arguably England’s greatest cricketer of all-time, and Michael Atherton, one of their most capped players and captains, showered praise on Jason Holder’s team after their fearless and fascinating triumph at the historic ground on Tuesday.

Chasing 322 for victory on the final day, West Indies pulled off a remarkable five-wicket win, 11 days following a humiliating innings defeat inside three days in the first Test at Edgbaston.

Writing in The Times newspaper yesterday, Atherton said most observers expected a shellacking but the Windies changed the narrative and performed “a resurrection … of a once-proud cricketing nation fallen on hard times.”

“This was one of the great modern Test matches, one that produced a truly astonishing result,” Atherton wrote.

“In my time watching, playing and commentating on Test cricket I cannot think of a bigger upset when taking into account the low expectations for a team with a horrendous away record who had subsided to a three-day defeat only the week before.”

Botham echoed the sentiments of many over the world when he noted: “What Test cricket needs is a vibrant West Indian team. They bring everything – the colour, the party atmosphere.

“After being totally embarrassed at Birmingham, something they would have been devastated about, Windies managed to pick themselves up. It was great to watch and for Windies to show guts like that was a top performance.”

Botham, a highly-respected pundit with Sky Sports, was speaking at the venue where he performed one of cricket’s greatest feats – a back-to-the-wall century against Australia in the 1981 Ashes.

Atherton, who is also a Sky Sports pundit, is familiar with the cricketing landscape in the Caribbean, having toured the region on two occasions, and also lived in Barbados.

Shai Hope (left) and Kraigg Brathwaite celebrate their centuries.

“There were many heroes of the hour: (Jason) Holder, the young captain, who took the criticism full on after Edgbaston, and who batted with real authority when West Indies were wobbling in their first innings, and then bowled with heart and discipline throughout; Shannon Gabriel, who returned to lead the attack as a strike bowler should; but most of all two young batsmen around whom the semblance of a sturdy Test match batting line-up can be glimpsed,” Atherton wrote.

“Kraigg Brathwaite, from Wanderers Cricket Club and Combermere School, the alma mater of Sir Frank Worrell, and Shai Hope, of Pickwick Cricket Club and,

latterly and briefly, of Bede’s School in East Sussex, led the charge, following up their hundreds in the first innings with magnificent contributions in the second.

“They were partners in both innings for 390 runs, more than half their team’s total in the match, and they were the rocks upon which England’s ship foundered.”

Hope, a stylish 23-year-old right-hander, stroked an unbeaten 118 to follow up his first innings 147, in the process becoming the first batsman to score twin hundreds at Headingley in 127 years of first class cricket at the venue.

Opener Brathwaite made 134 in the first innings and 95 in the second.

The records broken in epic Windies win SHAI Hope and his young Windies side defy the numbers and decades of history to win at Headingley

3

- The number of times a team has been beaten by more than an innings and 200 runs and gone on to win the following Test. The Windies lost the first Test by an innings and 209 runs only to win by five wickets at Headingley.

Only India in 2008 (lost to Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs) and Australia in 1998 (lost to India by an innings and 219 runs) have bounced back from heavier defeats to win the next Test.

18.61

- Shai Hope's Test batting average from 11 matches before this Test. Having posted scores of 147 and 118no at Headingley, his average is now 29.81.

533

- The number of first-class matches that had been played at Headingley before this Test. Hope is the first man ever to score a century in each innings of a firstclass match at the ground.

11

- The number of West Indians to score a century in each innings of a Test before Hope. He joins George Headley and Gordon Greenidge as the only West Indians to achieve the feat in the UK.

91

- The number of Tests played in the UK since a player scored a century in each innings of a Test there. Marcus Trescothick was the last man to achieve the feat, against the West Indies at Edgbaston in 2004.

17

- The number of years since the Windies last won a Test match in England. They'd lost 15 and drawn three

of their past 18 Tests in the UK.

147

- The number of runs Shai Hope scored in his first innings, the highest Test score by a Windies batsman in the UK since Brian Lara scored 179 at The Oval in 1995.

322

- The number of runs the Windies scored in their second innings, the fourth-highest successful run chase in their history.

69

- The number of years since a team successfully chased down a target of more than 320 at Headingley.

The 1948 Australians chased down 404 to win the fourth Ashes Test of that series, which was then a world record.