Guyana chronicle new york edition 08 24 2017

Relief pours in to storm-hit Jawalla Page 12

THURSDAY AUGUST 24, 2017

No. 105014

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

Pradoville land in dispute …Plaisance resident says land was bought by slaves ...SOCU points to massive discrepancies in transfer

Page 3

Businessman charged for shooting bandit

‘Green’ agenda major focus

Page 8

Page 8

A total paradigm shift

…as President holds talks with Baroness Amos

Page 14

– MoE mulls approaches to bridge CSEC performance gap

Improved water quality Toshaos urge heightened EPA presence in hinterland for Lima Sands Page 14

President David Granger guides Baroness Amos through a photographic display at State House on Wednesday (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

Page 3

2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

‘Pope London’ in a fix! Again!

– this time for owing the Bank

By Ariana Gordon SELF-proclaimed Pope, Philbert London has found himself yet again in hot water, but this time, not for widely publicised sex videos.

He and his wife, jointly and or severally, failed to pay two mortgages taken from the Bank of Nova Scotia, commonly called Scotia Bank, collectively valuing over $100M. On December 15, 2016, Justice Diana Insanally ordered Scotia Bank to recover the sum of $63, 876, 347 owed to it by London under a residential mortgage loan.

The Judge also ordered

that the Bank recover, from both London and his wife, interest on the principal sums of $32, 053, 598 at a rate of 10.5 per cent from May 14, 2016 until completely paid.

Additionally, it was ordered that the Bank recover the sum of $4, 526, 046 owed

by London under a Scotia Plan Loan, coupled with interest on the Principal sum of $3, 100,000, at a rate of 15 per cent, from May 14, 2016 until fully paid.

London also had an outstanding payment for his MasterCard, and as such, the court has ordered that the property be held as security, under Deed of the First Mortgage and dated November

2008 and located at Diamond, East Bank Demerara be “brought on and sold at a sale at execution and the Plaintiff (Scotia Bank) recover the proceeds of such sale, the sum of $63, 876, 347 with interest on the Principal sum of $32, 053, 598 at the rate of 13 per cent per annum from the 14th Day of May, 2016 until payment.”

Cost was also awarded in the sum of $2,357.

A NO-SHOW London failed to appear before the court despite being served a specially indorsed Writ of Summons filed on August 15, 2016.

According to court doc-

The D’Urban Street premises used by ‘Pope Emmanuel’ Philbert London to host his church sermons (Guyana Chronicle photo)

‘Pope Emmanuel’ Philbert London apologising to his congregation back in November (Guyana Chronicle photo)

uments seen by the Guyana Chronicle, Executive Orders were issued early this year for Court Marshalls to seize and sell all immovable property belonging to London that would total over $95.8M. The two properties at reference are the Pope’s Diamond, East Bank Demerara home and another on D’Urban Street, Lodge, where his church is housed.

Scotia Bank, through its attorneys, made a request for a Writ of Execution, which was directed to a Court Marshal, to levy on London’s property for the sum of $18, 987, 537 together with interest on the principal sum of $14, 292, 728 at a rate of

11 per cent per annum from April 22, 2016 until fully paid, together with costs fixed at $55, 354.

As such, Justice Rishi Persaud commanded the Marshal to seize and sell “so much of the immovable property” in reference to the D’Urban Street property.

If, however, the immovable property proved insufficient to satisfy the judgment, together with interest and cost, “this is to command you to seize and sell so much of the movable property of the said defendant as shall be sufficient to fully satisfy the said judgment and the amount of the said interest and cost.”

SCANDAL! Last November, social media was abuzz with leaked photographs depicting “Pope Emmanuel” Philbert London, of Beacon Ministries, in por-

nographic mode with several females.

One week after a sex tape involving the self-proclaimed ‘Pope’ was widely circulated on social media, a contrite London emerged before his elated Beacon Ministries congregation and apologised.

“I am sorry if I ever communicated to you, by word or action, that I could not fail in morality or social ethics or standing. If I did that, I am so sorry I made you feel that way,” he told about 50 members of his church, comprising young children and adults.

The ‘Pope’, lovingly called “Father” and “Papa” by his followers, said: “I am here to tell you from the depths of my heart that I am sorry for any pain, sorrow, embarrassment or shame that many would have experienced, and in many cases are still experiencing, as a result of what has happened.”

As the ‘Pope’ apologised, members of his congregation shouted: “We love you, Papa!” even as he sat on his gold-painted wooden ‘throne’ and looked at them as if in remorse.

“I want to say how sorry I am for this disappointment, hurt and anguish you felt, and I hope that you will find it within your heart to forgive me, and allow me to be your Father,” London said to shouts of: “We forgive you!”

“We love you!” and “You taught us well!”, mostly from the female members of his congregation.

3

Pradoville land in dispute GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

By Alva Solomon

THE Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) has found a number of discrepancies in the transfer of lands by an order signed by Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, for the Pradoville Two housing scheme at Sparendaam on the East Coast of Demerara. And a resident of Plaisance has come forward with claims that the land was bought by slaves in the early 1800s.

Head of SOCU, Assistant Commissioner, Sydney James told the Land Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday that a vesting order, #6/2004, was made by Jagdeo on February 5, 2004, dissolving the Guyana Broad-

…Plaisance resident says land was bought by slaves ...SOCU points to massive discrepancies in transfer

casting Corporation and Guyana Television (GTV).

The assets of the two entities were then transferred to the National Communications Network (NCN) and the National Industrial, Commercial and Investments Holdings (NICIL). Among the assets transferred to NCN was the area of land at North Sparendaam, ECD, comprising 649,663 square feet of land.

James in his testimony said that SOCU received an audit report into the Pradoville project; the audit

was done by Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram in December 2015. James said SOCU’s investigations have been completed into the findings of the audit and the file is with the police legal advisor.

James submitted a statement to the CoI which he noted points to the discrepancies related to the transfer, vesting and transfer of those lands under the Public Corporations Act. “It suggests that the order vesting the area of Sparendaam and Goedverwagting known as Pradoville

2 into a government company--National Communications Network Inc--that land was never sold or legally exchanged by the National Communications Network as preorder, vesting order or other instruments effective to remove the ownership of the land from the National Communications Network, ”James said.

James said that an investigation done by SOCU found that for the Goedverwagting/ Sparendaam lands, there was a transport , #381 and dated November 4th , 1920

which indicated that the land consisting of 15.25 acres was transported to the then British Guiana Broadcasting company. He said during the investigations, SOCU spoke to one Fitzroy McKenzie, a resident of Plaisance who produced documents purporting to show that the area encompassing Goedverwagting /Plaisance was acquired by slaves in the early 1800s.

He told the commission that based on examination of the documents McKenzie had obtained the papers from the National Archives and SOCU

was not able to conclusively state whether the areas mentioned by the man pertained to the same area subject to investigations. Quizzed by the CoI’s acting legal attorney, Darren Wade, James said that SOCU is also investigating an audit report for NICIL as well as the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

He said for the NICIL audit report, 67 land -related and separate investigations were referred to SOCU and of this number, more than 28 have been completed and submitted to the police for legal advice.

Regarding the CH&PA audit, he said a number of investigations were referred and these are the subject of continuous investigations.

Toshaos call for heightened EPA presence in hinterland INDIGENOUS leaders on Wednesday called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to increase its presence in hinterland communities.

The call came during deliberations on the third day of the week-long National Toshaos Council (NTC) conference, now on at the Cyril Potter College of Edu-

Toshao of Waramadong, Clyde Henry, raising his concerns (DPI)

Toshaos at the NTC conference at the CPCE (DPI)

cation (CPCE) at Turkeyen, where leaders spoke of the many issues affecting them in Marudi, Upper Mazaruni and Baramita.

In fact, the Toshaos and village leaders identified mining and the negative impact it has on the livelihoods of the residents of those com-

munities, as one of the major challenges with which they have to grapple.

Due to this, they have asked the EPA to have a heightened presence in their respective communities, and that they visit more often.

The NTC has also called

EPA Executive Director (ag), Khemraj Parsram, during his presentation on Wednesday (DPI)

for the EPA to establish offices at strategic points in all 10 of the country’s administrative regions. Clyde Henry, Toshao of Waramadong,

said villagers in the Upper Mazaruni are more concerned about the level of pollution in their waterways, as they heavily depend on them for their very survival.

“The Mazaruni River is fully contaminated… fishes refuse to live in the water, and your skin will break out when you use it,” Henry said.

“For years, we were very protective of our river, and we now realise the seriousness of this issue, especially the impact of mercury,” he added.

That said, he pleaded with the EPA to treat the Upper Mazaruni area with urgency.

In response, EPA’s Executive Director (ag.), Khemraj Parsram said that historically, the EPA, through an MoU, Turn to page 5 ►

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

Donald Trump softens tone Egypt criticises US decision --urges ‘a new unity’ --to withhold military aid US President Donald Trump has called for “a new unity” a day after a campaign-style rally in which he attacked political foes and media.

Speaking in Reno, Nevada, Mr Trump said “We are one people, with one home and one great flag.”

“In America, we never lose faith; we never forget who we are, and we never stop striving for a better future,” he told the American Legion.

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the convention centre as he spoke.

In a 22-minute address to the veterans’ group, Mr Trump read from a teleprompter as he said: “It is time to heal the wounds that have divided us, and to seek a new unity, based on the common values that unite us.”

He told his audience of more than 5,000 that in the US, “We are not defined by the colour of our skin, the figure on our pay cheque, or the party of our politics.

“We are defined by our

shared humanity; by our citizenship in this magnificent nation, and by the love that fills our hearts.”

At a raucous rally in Arizona the night before, he’d railed against that state’s two senators, both fellow members of his Republican party, and Democrats.

In his 80-minute speech, Mr Trump threatened to shut down the government unless funding was approved for his proposed wall on the US-Mexico border.

He also excoriated media coverage of his statements about violence at a white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia, earlier this month.

Mr Trump selectively quoted his initial response, omitting his much-criticised remark that “many sides” were to blame for clashes that ended with a counter-demonstrator killed.

He also accused the “damn dishonest media” of “trying to take away our culture”.

“They’re trying to take

Thursday, August 24, 2017

-

05:00 hrs

Friday, August 25, 2017

-

05:00 hrs

Saturday, August 26, 2017

-

05:30hrs

DATE: Wednesday, August 23, 2017 J

2

3 14 16 20 25 21

away our history,” he added.

As he spoke, protesters clashed with police outside the venue in central Phoenix.

A f t e r M r Tr u m p ’s speech on Wednesday in Nevada, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell denied a New York Times report that he was angry with the president, and doubtful of his ability to lead the party.

“We are committed to advancing our shared agenda together,” the Kentucky senator said, “and anyone who suggests otherwise is clearly not part of the conversation.”

At the conclusion of Mr Trump’s latest speech, he signed into law a measure making it easier for veterans to appeal for disability allowance after their claims are denied.

Earlier this week, he laid out his plan for US troops in Afghanistan, and met with border control agents near the US-Mexico border. (BBC)

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

4

11

15

21

EGYPT has criticised the United States after it reportedly withheld $195M (£152M) in military aid, and cut $96M in other aid over human rights concerns.

An Egyptian foreign ministry statement said the move, which has not yet been announced, reflected “poor judgement”.

Shortly after, Egypt’s president met Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, who is in Cairo for talks.

US officials were said to be unhappy President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi recently ratified a new law regulating NGOs. The law states that NGOs are prohibited from conducting activities that “harm national security, public order, public morality or public health,” strictly controls their funding, and gives the government the authority to monitor their activities.

Violations are punishable with sentences of one to five years in prison and a fine of 50,000 to 1,000,000 Egyptian pounds ($2,820 to $56,400).

Eight civil society organisations warned in June that the legislation ushered in “unprecedented levels of repression” and would criminalise the work of

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

25

2

6

0

later go ahead.

President Sisi has launched a sweeping crackdown on dissent since leading the military’s overthrow of his predecessor, Mohammed Morsi, in 2013 following mass protests against his rule.

Human rights activists say more than 1,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands arrested since then. Most have been supporters of Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood, but liberal and secular opposition activists have also been targeted.

The security forces have also been accused of committing flagrant abuses, including torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions.

Former US President Barack Obama froze some military assistance in 2013. He insisted the restrictions would continue until Egypt showed “credible progress” towards democracy, but ended up restoring the military support in 2015 because it was “in the interest of US national security”.

In April, three months after taking office, President Trump said he wanted to “reboot” relations with Egypt and declared that he was “very much behind” Mr Sisi.

Mr Sisi praised Mr Trump’s “unique” personality and reportedly sought an increase in the $1.3B in military aid that Egypt receives annually to him help battle an insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula by jihadist militants from so-called Islamic State. (BBC)

many NGOs in Egypt, making it impossible for them to function independently.

On Tuesday, the Washington Post cited US officials as saying that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had notified Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry by telephone of his decision to withhold $195M of the $1.3B Egypt receives in military aid, and to reallocate to other countries $65.7 in additional military aid and $30M in economic aid.

The unspent money would be held in a bank account until Egypt showed some progress on “key priorities” such as human rights abuses and the law regulating NGOs, the officials added.

Egyptian officials gave the US assurances earlier this year that the NGO law would never take effect, according to Reuters news agency.

On Wednesday morning, the Egyptian foreign ministry issued a statement criticising Mr Tillerson’s decision.

“Egypt sees this measure as reflecting poor judgement of the strategic relationship that ties the two countries over long decades and as adopting a view that lacks an accurate understanding of the importance of supporting Egypt’s stability,” it said.

A copy of the foreign minister’s schedule sent out to journalists on Wednesday showed that he would not be meeting a US delegation led by Mr Kushner in Cairo, although the meeting did

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

0

3

8

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

3

7

11

12 15 18 19

5

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

Jamaica to host first natural gas conference KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica, which says it stands to gain a great deal from the uses of liquefied natural gases (LNG), will stage its first conference on the commodity in October.

The government said that it is hoped the October 4-6 event is aimed at exploring the economic, commercial, legal and regulatory implications of the development of

the local natural gas industry.

Science, Energy and Technology Minister, Dr Andrew Wheatley, said the island stands to gain a great deal from the uses of LNG “particularly as it relates to the electricity sector.

“When we look at the facility out at Bogue (St James) where LNG is providing electricity at under US13 cents per kWh, and looking at the facility that is expected

to come on stream at Jamalco, with the price of electricity coming in even lower at around US11 cents per kWh or so, speaks to the potential of getting even lower prices for electricity,” he told a ceremony where the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) and the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU establishing a partnership to host

Toshaos call for heightened... has delegated such responsibilities to the Environmental Management Unit of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC); that over the past year, the EPA has made efforts to improve its capacities.

He, however, assured Toshao Henry that the EPA will be establishing offices before the year is over at Lethem, in Region Nine, and in Region Six. TAKE BACK CONTROL “With that in mind, we are making the efforts to take back control of the environment with regards to mining and forestry, of course, in partnerships with GGMC,” Parsram said, “but we want to ensure that we play a stronger role going forward.”

He told Toshaos that

over the years, the EPA has been responding to the complaints lodged by hinterland communities, where the negative impact mercury has been having on their livelihoods is concerned.

He said it is for that very reason that the Ministry of Natural Resources is currently collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to develop a plan for the phasing out of the use of mercury altogether in mining.

Said he: “In the case of the Upper Mazaruni, in the past, we have made recommendations to the GGMC to take enforcement actions, because a lot of the issues are not clear-cut; there are the issues of miners’ rights and other legal authority, and the EPA does not have the authority

From page 3

to just go and say to a miner, ‘Look, you have to shut down!’ It is a process, and it takes time.”

He also noted that the EPA is in the process of identifying ‘hotspot’ areas for monitoring, and called on the hierarchy of the NTC to meet with the Agency to discuss the many issues affecting the Indigenous Peoples so that those concerns can be addressed.

On Monday, at the opening of the conference, President David Granger called on the nation’s Indigenous Peoples to work with his administration on reducing environmental hazards, particularly those related to water contamination and land degradation.

He said it is important that all communities be protected from hazards.

the conference.

Wheatley said that if more LNG is used, a reduction in the cost of electricity will be achieved, adding that the effects of the reduction in the cost of energy will not only be felt by consumers but also by manufacturers, who will be able to boost their production.

He said the government is committed to diversifying Jamaica’s energy source so that “no one fuel source contributes more than 42 per cent”, which will result in a “secure build out of the energy infrastructure”.

In endorsing the MOU, Wheatley urged the PCJ and the OUR to extend invitations to other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to participate in the conference in order to appreciate the benefits of LNG. OUR Feputy Director-General, Hopeton Heron, said that the country’s National Energy Policy of 2009-2030 addresses Jamaica plans to have a secured,

Dr Andrew Wheatley

diversified and sufficient supply of energy, which will, in turn, support long-term economic and social development as well as environmental sustainability.

“This requires, among other things, a national energy-diversification programme, the development of a framework for the introduction of alternative fuels such as natural gas, renewable energy resources and the construction of energy-efficient generating facilities to meet

increasing demand,” he said.

Heron noted that natural gas is poised to become the dominant fuel for the generation of electricity in Jamaica.

PCJ Group general manager, Winston Watson, said it is the role of his organisation to integrate LNG into the energy sector.

He said the reason for the conference is to get “the general population aware and to understand what LNG is about, so that they can benefit from its use”.

The conference, which is being held under the theme ‘New Horizons: The Development of a Natural Gas Sector in Jamaica – Prospects and Challenges’, will have more than 20 presenters including the newly appointed President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS), Emanuel DaRosa and the President of the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited, Curtis Mohammed.

6

Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

The CSEC results EVERY year students sitting various academic examinations look forward, with much anticipation, for the results. For these students, particularly those who felt they went above and beyond to succeed, this is a tense period, given its potential to define and significantly influence their future.

Families, educators/ teachers, government and loved ones too look forward in anticipation as results, one way or the other reflect their investments in the child, the country’s achievements and ranking. This year, 12, 684 students sat the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC). Congratulations to all the students who stayed the course

through secondary education and wrote the examinations.

Special congratulations are extended to our highflyers for proving what hard work can do, and being role models for their peers.

The Ministry of Education has announced that Guyana recorded a 63.8 percent pass rate. No doubt the ministry will find it worthwhile to engage in diagnostic analyses of each subject and overall performance, looking for weaknesses and strengths to improve on the percentage. Given the CSEC’s grading system, 63.8 percent shows Guyana has work to do, though this year reflects marginal improvement on the 63.39 percent scored in 2016.

Examinations are not easy, but at the same time

it should not be ignored that each student has unique, God-given abilities. Navigating this is an education system where ours has been repeatedly critiqued and condemned for falling short, its importance cannot be minimised. There will never be a one-size-fits-all, for while some may be what is considered academically inclined, others may be technically, vocationally, and otherwise bent.

Providing an education system that caters to the unique talent(s) of each child is no easy feat, equally challenging as it is in staffing the public schools and retaining teachers whose skills are also being sought in a competitive and rivalling private school system, though all-out efforts

must be made to successfully climb to the highest height.

The importance of students’ educational development vis a vis the nation’s developmental agenda, which ought to factor in the skills needed across the spectrum, is also important in shaping the education policy. In this entire process, the African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” cannot be ignored, for equally important outside of the family is the wider society providing mentorship, as no child must feel he or she is being left behind because a system did not cater for his or her abilities/potentials.

Guyana continues to underperform in basic subjects, namely, Mathematics, English ‘A’ and English Literature. It may require,

via diagnostic analyses, to examine teaching techniques, past and present, domestic and foreign, that would attract and retain the interest of students in these areas. When our students sit the CSEC, their intellectual work competes with their Caribbean counterparts and where universality in marking techniques is enshrined, the entire society has to

put its proverbial shoulders to the wheel to ensure the country’s grade improves.

Having said that, it’s also useful to look at putting systems in place not only to honour and celebrate the achievements of our highflyers, but also to retain them for the nation’s development, as no society can develop when its best and brightest feel the need to flee.

Theft, cronyism blighted sugar industry Dear Editor,

IT is my belief that there should be a clear line of demarcation between playing politics and doing what is best for our country. It is my humble opinion that some politicians feel that the elections campaign is a ceaseless journey from one General Election to the next. Such an approach will never be fruitful for our country and its people.

After the results would have been announced, the focus should be social and economic development.

Nothing else matters.

My focus in this missive will be to objectively explore the rationale for sugar becoming ‘bitter’ and what can be done to make it ‘sweet ‘ again. The decline of the sugar industry should be placed squarely on the shoulders of previous governments who had grossly mismanaged the industry and subjected it to massive corruption and cronyism. This can be seen from the persons selected from the chairman, the Board of Directors, the CEO and even some managers at the individual estate level.

These negatives have indeed filtered right down to the low-level management.

Theft, squandermania, mismanagement, cronyism and

poor investment decisions or no capital investments characterised and pervaded the entire sugar industry.

Things were bound to fall apart and they did.

Moreover, the EU price cuts were known long before 2006, so it should not be used to mask the ineptitude of the previous administration and its so-called plan to ‘turn around’ the industry did in fact work -- it turned it the other way around!

The EU gave the previous administration $34.8 billion dollars which should have been used to upgrade and restructure the industry, but it must be agreed that this money was not spent usefully. The Skeldon Modernization Project was the death knell of the industry: not only did it bankrupt it, but nothing ever worked -from the factory to the fields -- and it starved the other estates of much-needed capital injections. The downfall of the Wales Estate is a prime example. The estates had to practise ‘voodoo crop husbandry’ which caused a massive decline in the yield per hectare. The canes simply got fewer and fewer. This was a direct result of not applying the correct amount of fertilisers on a timely basis and the same with the application of weedicides and pesticides. The Commission

highlighted over 31 problems which have contributed to this decline.

There has been an increasing decline in production and productivity and this was reflected in the increasing losses from$2.3 billion in 2009 to over $16 billion per annum in 2016.

This has forced the previous and this government to inject billions of tax dollars with no solution in sight (more than $60 billion to date, including $32 billion by this Government). But the opportunity costs forbid such subsidies. The money could have been used more profitably in other sectors.

However, this does not mean closures of the estates. The Commission of Inquiry had made it pellucid that ‘the sugar industry should not be a liability to the State. It needs to re-establish itself as a significant and positive contributor to national development.’

Yet the industry continues to be a liability. Let us look at the Skeldon Estate.

During a live TV programme on NCN with the agriculture Minister and myself, I had mentioned that it is estimated that approximately $3 billion was spent on this estate alone for the past two years to keep it afloat.

This is in excess of $US15 million. Despite this massive

injection of cash, the estate continues to crumble.

Is it time to take the fatalistic attitude and conclude that sugar is no longer profitable? My answer is simple.

Sugar is profitable and can be profitable if it is placed in the right hands. It will not be wrong to say that since nationalisation in 1976, the industry has been on a gradual decline, only buffered by a preferential EU market.

Therefore, we must heed the recommendations made by the CoI. It says that ‘the CoI has deemed that a continued state-run Guysuco in its present from /structure is strategically unacceptable.

It would be an inefficient financial and economic decision. A decisive shift to private ownership and control of the assets now employed in sugar production has to be an essential element of any long-term resolution of the present paradoxical situation.’

The CoI also quoted the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development, which concluded that ‘Agriculture needs to be treated as a business and not a social welfare project.’

This is quite applicable to Guysuco when the massive bailouts are considered.

The CoI further added that ‘business is better run by businessmen as opposed to

politicians. Whenever the lines are crossed between managerial prerogatives and political intervention, the results are negative. History has proven that it is difficult for politicians to resist temptations to intervene on behalf of their constituents which are more often than not at odds with good business practices.’

Therefore, Guysuco must be privatised and the Skeldon Estate should be used as a privatisation model in this privatisation process. GAWU’s empty rhetoric should not even be considered, since they have no solutions to Guysuco’s myriad of problems.

They can only do what they do best and that is complain, criticise and protest.

GAWU is more interested in self-preservation. Privatisation of Skeldon will not only save the economy $ 1.5 billion per year, but it will ensure the survival of the estate along with its labour force. If this had been done at Wales Estate, then many jobs would have been saved and many controversies avoided.

Moreover, if local investors with the necessary skills and expertise are given an opportunity to take over the estate, then not only jobs will be saved (the top executives will continue to

be Guyanese), but muchneeded foreign exchange will flow into the economy, thus maintaining the stability of the U.S. dollar. Therefore, our local investors must be given priority and special concessions if needs be.

It must be noted also that around the world sugar is profitable simply because it is in private hands.

For instance, India and Thailand, with Jamaica being a prime example within CARICOM. The Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries stated in January this year that sugar will contribute more than US$ 80 million.

When it was in Government’s control, it was a struggling sector making huge losses but since privatization, the industry’s fortunes have changed significantly. In conclusion, Guysuco should be fully privatised as per the CoI recommendations and Skeldon should be divested for suitable local investors and thereafter used as a model for the privatisation of the remaining estates.

Regards GOBIN HARBHAJAN Regional Democratic Councillor (APNU+AFC) Former Member of the Board of Directors (Skeldon Energy Inc)

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

City Council has not always struggled for money Dear Editor,

AFTER reading a letter captioned: ‘The M&CC cannot hire contractors it cannot afford,’ written by the Town Clerk of Georgetown who has assumed the title of municipal clerk, one which he has created and assumed in what appears to be an effort to convey esteem, but which lacks legal standing, I felt compelled to highlight a number of inconsistencies contained therein.

Beginning with the title of the letter, there is considerable conflict with that caption and what obtains at the Georgetown municipality, as there are lots of things that are done at that City Council that they simply cannot afford, but they continue doing nonetheless. These include frequent, extravagant travel around the world by the ‘Fabulous Four’ and their cohorts, use and abuse of

luxury sports utility vehicles by the ‘Bigwigs’ and their families, superfluous staffers attending to these persons including bodyguards, personal assistants, secretarial staff, chauffeurs, static security at their residences, etc. But getting into the content of this long-winded epistle, I would like to debunk the claim that ‘Historically, the council has always struggled for money.’

This is just simply not true.

If one were to do research in the archives, one would see that beginning with the Mayorship of John Croal, all the way to the 1980s under the astute, honest and accomplished stewardships of Town Clerks E. A. Adams and Elmo Mayers, and City Treasurers Cyril Ramalho and Patrick Robinson, the Georgetown municipality was a financially solvent and economically viable institution. It carried out administrative and financial best practices that caused

the ‘Garden City’ to be the envy of the Caribbean. The economic malfeasance and administrative irresponsibility we see now, and which is being alluded to in the letter, are of more recent vintage He speaks contemptuously of the council needing to pay in excess of $50M per month to contactors to haul and dispose of the city’s waste, which incidentally is a vital public health service, but conveniently fails to mention that the city pays more than twice of that, each month, to underwrite its bloated and top-heavy payroll of the Council that is stuffed with friends, church pals and family members of the Big Enchiladas at City Hall, who do little or nothing all day long.

He continues whining about revenue shortfalls, but one has to wonder if he has ever heard of the concept of fiscal restraint to facilitate economic growth

at the council, and responsible spending to balance their secret budget that is never made available to the citizenry. The ultimate irony of the letter is when he says ‘The reality is that the council cannot hire contractors it cannot afford’. Does this include the son of one of the political leaders in the council that gets contracts to clean the cemetery and other places without

bidding? Does it include the gentleman who is well known to be a good friend of a senior administrative officer and who moved from being a money-lender and puri vendor to becoming one of the biggest contractors in the city? Does it include the contractor that builds presidential parks, and stables on the mall or bridges around the city without adhering to tender board procedures?

He ends the letter with a sarcastic joke that will crack all citizens up when he says that, ‘The council takes its responsibility seriously. It will not compromise the health and well-being of its citizens’.

Is this gentleman living in Georgetown or in Diamond?

Regards DEODARIE PUTULALL

8

President holds talks with Baroness Amos ...Guyana’s ‘green’ agenda among issues discussed PRESIDENT David Granger on Wednesday met with Baroness Valerie Amos, now Director of the SOAS-University of London, former Leader of the House of Lords and representative to the United Nations (UN), during which they discussed, among other issues, Guyana’s ‘green’ development pathway.

President Granger, during the meeting, which was held at State House, said that Guyana is committed to combating the effects of climate change and global warming by protecting its biodiversity through the adoption of a ‘green’ development agenda.

According to a Ministry of the Presidency release, President Granger told Baroness Amos that the preservation and sustainable management of the environment are central to Guyana’s development, despite the country’s future as a petroleum-producing nation.

The President also briefed Baroness Amos on his plans to establish Protected Areas in all regions of Guyana in order to devolve greater responsibility for conservation and for environmental protection to the administrative centres across the country.

“It will allow our citizens in those regions to exercise stewardship over their regional protected areas and I am confident that given the varied landscape that we have inherited, every region will be able to have a distinctive, a unique protected area; one that is different from any other region,” he said.

The Head of State said that even as Guyana con-

Beharry staff robbed at gunpoint – just doors from Queenstown home CHARISSA Rampersaud, Training Manager at Beharry Restaurant Holdings Inc., was on Tuesday night robbed at gunpoint on Anira Street, Queenstown, a few doors from her home.

According to Commander of ‘A’ Division, the 36-year-old had just parked her vehicle and was walking towards her home after work

at about 19:15hrs when a white motorcar PSS 8175 drove up alongside her and a man emerged with a gun and grabbed her handbag.

Chapman said that Rampersaud had in her handbag at the time some personal documents, a pair of sunglasses, her Samsung Galaxy cellphone, cash and an iPod. Except for a few bruises

and scrapes when she fell onto the roadway as the assailant snatched her handbag, the woman was otherwise unharmed.

The Commander confirmed that the matter was reported to the police, and that it is being investigated, as the occupants of the car are persons of interest.

The incident has reportedly left Rampersaud tramautised.

Hire car driver suspended for DUI

President David Granger welcoming Baroness Valerie Amos to State House for their meeting on Wednesday

tinues to pursue this line of development, he expects that Guyanese citizens, particularly those involved in the tourism industry, will take advantage of the opportunities for eco-tourism, which are presented. Baroness Amos said like the President, she too has a deep interest in mitigating the effects of climate change and protection of the environment. She noted that it is commendable that Guyana is taking up a lead role in the fight against climate change and has already begun taking steps to protect its biodiversity.

The former Leader of the House of Lords, who assumed the position of Director for the SOAS –University of London (formerly known as the School of Oriental and African Studies) in 2015, was born in Dry Shore on the Essequibo Coast and lived in Wakenaam until she was nine years old. She is now the first woman of African descent in the United Kingdom to head a university. Before taking up the post at SOAS, she served as Undersecretary-General for

Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations (UN). She has also served in a number of roles in the public sector in the United Kingdom, including in local government and as Chief Executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission.

Baroness Amos served as an Advisor to the Government of Nelson Mandela on leadership, change, management and strategy issues between 1994 and 1998. She was appointed a Labour Life Peer in 1997 and became a member of the Government of the United Kingdom in 1998. According to her biography, she was a Foreign Office Minister, Secretary of State for International Development, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council. She also served as UK High Commissioner to Australia before joining the UN. In June 2016, she was made a Companion of Honour in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Businessman charged, bailed – for wounding would-be robber A 43-year-old licensed firearm holder on Wednesday appeared before City Magistrate Annett Singh for wounding an alleged robber who attempted to snatch his gold chain.

Lloyd Thomas, a businessman, denied that on August 17 at Grandsand Hill Road, East Bank Demerara, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Anthony Rogers with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

According to Thomas’

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

lawyer, Mark Conway, on the day in question, Thomas was in front of his Grandsand Hill Road home when Rogers drove up in a car and attempted to snatch his client’s gold chain, which is worth over $500,000.

At this, Thomas allegedly discharged a round at Rogers.

The lawyer made it a point to note that back in 2016, Rogers was charged for breaking into his client’s home.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had ad-

vised that since the police investigation is still ongoing, Thomas be charged for the lesser count of wounding instead of being indicted of discharging a loaded firearm.

Police Prosecutor, Simone Payne, made no objection to Thomas being released on $50,000 bail, on condition that he report to the Timehri Police Station every Friday until the completion of the trial.

The matter has been transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for October 19.

THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Wednesday reported that hire car driver Maurice Price has been suspended from driving for 12 months and fined $7,500.00.

The 50-year-old of

Second Avenue, Bartica was found guilty on three counts of driving under the influence of alcohol.

The penalties were handed down by Magistrate Christel Lambert at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.

Maurice Price

Thieves strip dead man of fake ‘bling’

By Vanessa Braithwaite THE tomb of 26-year-old Winston Hinds, the prisoner who was shot dead at the Timehri prison on August 4, was on Tuesday night vandalised and Hinds stripped of the fake jewellery he was buried with.

The discovery was made on Wednesday by family members, who were informed of what happened.

When they turned up at the Christianburg Cemetery, the newly constructed tomb was broken open, while Hind’s body remained in the casket. The fake gold chain and ring that he was buried in were gone.

Mother of the deceased, Vanessa Bess, told Guyana Chronicle that her son was buried with the jewellery but it was not real. The family just wanted to send him off the way he used to dress. The thieves, however, forgot the proverb, “All the glitters is not gold” and will soon find that out upon trying to sell the jewellery.

Bess said what is more heart-breaking is the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LMTC) requested $40, 000 from her to have the tomb redone.

“Sweet heart, I don’t have a cent, I don’t know where I will get $40, 000 from. I am a poor woman, I just bury my son,” the frustrated Bess explained.

Fortunately, however, upon visiting the LMTC after such a request was made, to make her plight known, a decision was made by the Council to drop the monetary request.

In addition, Bess is refuting claims made in some

The vandalised tomb of 26-year-old prisoner, Winston Hinds

sections of the media that she received compensation from the Guyana Prison Authority after the death of her son.

She said that no compensation was given to her but she did receive assistance with the burial of her son. Bess is also calling for a thorough investigation to be done into the death of her son, claiming that the post-mortem findings contradict the explanation given by the prison authorities.

The grieving mother said she witnessed the post-mortem of her son and the findings show that he was shot to the abdomen, while the prison authorities are saying that he was shot while trying to escape.

Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels had noted that

the murder accused had repeatedly ignored all warnings issued by prison officers.

Samuels said several prisoners, who were armed with improvised weapons, were involved in ‘a serious physical altercation.

Hinds was remanded to prison on January 2016, for the February 2015 killing of Richard Remington at Cholmondeley Hill, Wismar.

Remington’s decomposing remains were found in a clump of bushes along a track in the vicinity of Matthew’s Lane at Christianburg, February 12 last year.

Bess, however, is professing her son’s innocence in the matter, since she claims he was not even in Linden at the time.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

More to coconuts than just coconut oil --says Li n manufac den turer

AS awareness of the overwhelming benefits of virgin coconut oil produced locally heightened, so did the interest of many who decided to make this long-lost secret their business.

This is very much in evidence in the mining town of Linden, where bottles of virgin coconut oil could now be seen at almost every block of the market arena.

One of the pioneers of virgin coconut oil production in Linden is Owen De Souza, a farmer. And with the upsurge in coconut oil production, he’s in for stiff competition.

He’s not taking any chances, despite winning over many customers with his sparkling clear and well packaged extra virgin oils.

He’s decided to use this multi-purpose fruit for more than just making virgin coconut oil.

And that decision to diversify has sure paid off as today, he now owns his very own little factory in Block 22 Wismar, where he uses the coconut and other domestic fruits to manufacture soaps, sweet oils, and body creams.

Said he: “Coconut oil is not a dependable thing for me anymore, because there is so much other usage and products that you can make from the same virgin coconut oil.”

In addition to the coconut oil now being a by-product or main ingredient in other products, De Souza also uses fruits such as avocado, and herbs such as meringue to produce his soaps and creams.

He sources his raw materials from his very own farm, something he encourages other local manufacturers to do.

And while he’s never had any formal training in oil and soap making, he’s been at it since a child.

“I never went to an institution or class, but I grew up in the oil business in Nabaclis; seeing my grandmother make soap and oil and casareep and cassava bread and all these things,” he said,

adding: “And I always knew about making extra virgin oil and fry-oil.”

With time, he got even better. “I get to learn which oil is the right flavour; will

country that we can put into use and make products out of, but there is no bottling factory.

“I now miss our glass factory; we really need a bottle factory to produce bottles,”

issue affecting him but most manufacturers who are producing other products such as achar, pepper and jam, who are forced to source recycled bottles.

Despite this hiccup, the

Owen DeSouza and Coconuts

open your pores and detox the body, and I started checking the meaning of the chemicals in the dictionary, and I learned that the coconut oil has the best lather than any other oil, so I normally use that to test other oils such as olive oil, crab oil and black castor oil.”

BOTTLING A BIG ISSUE One of the biggest challenges he has as a local manufacturer, however, is bottling, and as such is calling on the relevant authorities to establish a local plastic bottle factory, since the absence of one is running counter to the government’s call to push local manufacturing.

But apart from the increased competition in the virgin coconut oil business, De Souza said he also has difficulty sourcing the imported plastic bottles which are sold at a hefty cost and are not available in sizes that are price-friendly.

“We still have a problem with packaging with these bottles,” he said. “There is so much raw materials in our

the manufacturer bemoaned, adding that it is not only an

Linden producer has plans of expanding his small factory

and taking his business to the next level. He was high in praise for the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) for their continuous support towards to growth of the business. De Souza is now in the process of having his business legalised and registered, and GMC is playing an integral role in having that phase expedited.

“I need to take it to the next level,” he said, adding: “That is why we starting a new coconut plantation, where it is more accessible to the road, and easier to transportation that is on the Mabura Road. So, for the future, it doesn’t only have to be a De Souza thing, but a people thing.”

TEACHING OTHERS While business is a competition, De Souza’s vision goes far beyond making money, but to see Linden push off through diversification.

He has, therefore, been taking time out of his busy

schedule to teach residents of other communities the skill of soap and oil making, and is currently running a summer programme with youths in Block 22, who he even gives a daily commission for the work they put out.

He is encouraging the seasoned and potential manufacturers to move towards the use of their own raw materials rather than to purchase from other farmers, since it will be beneficial to the expansion of their businesses.

“I would advise anyone to start planting their own raw material, because, when your business expands, the farmers get jealous and the price then goes up.

“So, the best thing is to have your own raw material,” he advised.

This diversified farmer and manufacture is a fitting example that Linden can shoot off with local manufacturing, which can be the perfect substitute of bauxite mining that has long lost its glory days.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

Personality...

‘Granny Sarah’ scores a remarkable century --not yet ready to give up the bat SARAH Elizabeth Melville, also known as “Granny Sarah” of Amelia’s Ward Linden, last Saturday celebrated her birthday as a healthy, jovial and independent centenarian.

Born August 19, 1917, “Granny Sarah” still has the same captivating smile that complements those sharp, mischievous eyes of hers, not to mention a charming personality and generous heart.

A grand celebration was held for her in Brooklyn, New York where she lived for almost half a century, and among those that were on hand to help liven things up were her

eight children, along with her grandchildren, great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.

Of all the fond memories people shared of “Granny Sarah”, which could never sum up the many qualities she is adored for, what was most noted is that at 100, she still travels from the USA to Guyana alone every year, still cooks, still holds a sensible conversation, still walks up and down stairs, still does her laundry, and still recognises faces she has not seen in a very long time.

“Granny Sarah” moved to the United States in

search of a better life for her children, and after decades of working tirelessly to fullfill that task, she can now relax, knowing that hers was a job well done.

And even as she has fulfilled life’s purpose by living a God-fearing life, and surpassed the threescore-and-ten age limit, “Granny Sarah” is not yet ready to kick the proverbial bucket.

As a matter of fact, she jocularly said she could well do with 50 more years. Her secret to a long life is, “Always smile, and never go to sleep with a troubled heart, for prayers can take away any pain.”

Granny Sarah

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

‘Multi’ tops Region 10 at CSEC --Top-girl had hoped to do even better

THE Christianburg-Wismar Secondary School (CWSS), also known as “Multi”, has reportedly copped the top spots in Region 10 at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Examination Council (CSEC) examinations.

Though it has not been established by how many the school has top-scored, heading the list is Aliyah Smith with eight Grade Ones, six Grade Twos, and one Grade Three.

The subjects she scored Grade Ones in are Mathematics; Additional Mathematics; Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM) General; English A; Food and Nutrition and Health Technical; Human and Social Biology General; Information Technology General; and Physical Education and Sport.

A science major, Smith also created history at CWSS as the first student to challenge herself by sitting up to 15 subjects. She was also the first to write Additional Mathematics.

She told the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday that in spite of doing so well, she’d expected to do even better.

“I wanted to do better, but I’ve accepted my results,” she said, adding that the journey was a hectic one.

“It was a lot of preparation; it was a lot of studying. I had to move from lessons to lessons, seven days a week, and I didn’t have teachers for all of my subjects so I had to work very hard for a lot of them,” Smith said.

The teenager will now be pursuing tertiary education at the University of Guyana.

A CLOSE SECOND Coming a close second with seven Grade Ones out of the 12 subjects he wrote is Sa-Yoor Headley from the technical stream

at CWSS. His Grade One subjects are: Mathematics General; EDPM General; Industrial Technology; Building and Industrial Technology; Electrical and Information Technology General; Technical Drawing General; and Physical Education and Sports General.

Sa-Yoor, who had his grounding at Mackenzie High, does not regret switching schools in Fourth Form. “In my opinion,: he said, “the technical stream at CWSS is way better than the ‘tech’ stream at MHS...

The teachers are really, really good at ‘Multi’.”

When asked to describe how he felt about his results, the young lad said: “I’m feeling pretty good, though I didn’t do as well as I thought I would.

I didn’t plan on getting ‘Three’ in Physics; but that’s the only thing I am vexed about.

“But the ‘Ones’ and ‘Twos’, I am feeling pretty good about those.”

In addition to copping a number of spots in the region’s top 10, CWSS’s improved academic performance over the last three years at CSEC has shown that the teachers and students are trying hard to also take the Sixth Form monopoly from MHS. It’s a sentiment shared by this year’s top student, Aliyah Smith. “I think it is really good for a change, and it is good that ‘Multi’ can produce students with that potential, because we can get another Sixth Form school in Linden,” she said.

RAISING THE BAR Headmaster, Cleveland Thomas, who has

been lauded by many parents and teachers for his efforts at bringing the school back to its former glory, had alluded to that in a previous interview.

Thomas had told the Guyana Chronicle that his desire is to see the school obtain Sixth Form status, but the focus will be given to vocational subjects, thus catering for those students who are technically inclined.

“It must cater for those boys and girls who would want to get into the technological field, and that is why we have really tried to maintain the technological slant of the school,” Thomas said.

In 2015, for the first time in decades, CWSS copped seven of the region’s top 10 spots; and while it did not do as well

in 2016, it did get two spots.

The overall pass rate for the school had increased from 62% to 67%.

Thomas credited this great achievement to several factors, among them extending the school’s curriculum by offering such subjects as Spanish, Economics, Theatre Arts and Physics. “ We h a v e r e a l l y worked hard on making sure our children understand the basic functions of students in an institution like a school,” he said, adding: “We have also tried to let our teachers understand their function.

We don’t operate loosely here; we operate as a team, where each individual has his or her role to play.”

‘Aliyah Smith’ and ‘Sa-Yoor Headley’

12

Relief pours in to storm-hit Jawalla …rebuilding efforts to commence soon

Relief supplies being handed over to the village

RESIDENTS of Jawalla Village, Upper Mazaruni, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) are now regrouping following a freak storm last Friday which killed a woman and destroyed several houses.

The storm occurred around 15:30hrs and destroyed 34 buildings in the area. Roofs were damaged while other buildings collapsed. One of the collapsed buildings resulted in the death of 27-year-old Marsha Jordan, who was seven months pregnant at the time.

The death of Jordan and her unborn baby has sent the entire community into a state of shock and mourning.

At the time of the incident, Jordan and her two children were sheltering under the house from the

heavy rains, when a strong wind caused the support of the building to weaken and the building came crashing down. Jordan sustained severe head and neck injuries and died instantly, while her two children managed to escape death with minor injuries. According to residents, freak storms such as these occur often, but have never resulted in the death of anyone. Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe and Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hastings- Williams, met with residents and the family of the deceased Jordan to offer comfort and support to the villagers.

Major Sean Welcome of the Civil Defence Commis-

sion (CDC) and the Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, accompanied the ministers to ascertain how their respective organisations could aid in the rebuilding of the community after the natural disaster.

Minister Garrido-Lowe said, “We were talking about how perhaps we can bring engineers, the army engineers to come and look at the structures of the houses to see how we can build strong houses to withstand these freak storms that happen every now and then, I understand now it is increasing.”

Upon assessing damaged buildings, especially those that collapsed, the team recognised the need for redesigning the way wooden structures are built in the

One of the houses that collapsed during the freak storm

area. The building which crushed Marsha Jordan was considered a ‘disaster waiting to happen.’ The elevated building was placed on wooden blocks approximately four feet off the ground.

With the redesigning of the structures, the residents have been urged to play their part in this rebuilding process. “I know you good people here at Jawalla, you have done it in the past. Whenever we want to have a project done here in Jawalla, you have always given your time. Come together, the government will do their part, the regional office will do their part and I am quite sure the community will do their part.” Minister Hastings-Williams urged.

The CDC and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs contributed building materials to the village and the Toshao has been tasked with mobilising men from the community to be engaged in the rebuilding of Jawalla. “In this case, where houses have been damaged, we brought two power saws that can help; the villagers can saw and a lot of things can be done to bring immediate relief,” Minister Garrido-Lowe stated. The two ministers also committed to being a part of the rebuilding process by making individual contributions. “I can tell you I will be here to help paint and I am willing to donate some louvres for the windows and I’m sure minister Dawn (Hastings-Williams) would be here doing here part.” Minister Garrido-Lowe explained.

Meanwhile, a new home is to be constructed for Jordan’s husband, Gilbert Jordan and the two children, Carmeline and Zalepha Jordan. “It would be a good thing if the men of the community come together, saw boards and let us build a new house for Mr. Gilbert Jordan and his daughters.” one of the ministers added. The Civil Defence Commission will be supplying the villagers with relief supplies including food, cleaning agents and other items needed for basic living. (DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

Madhia boundary issues to be resolved soon

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan

THE boundary demarcation issues which have caused the delay in Mahdia becoming a town will soon be resolved, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, said Wednesday.

In an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Bulkan said he hopes that “within four to six weeks that the boundary (demarcation) issues can be resolved to allow for the subsequent naming of the township and concurrently the convening of the Interim Management Community (IMC), which will have the responsibility for the preparations or the interim management of the town prior to the democratic elections that will be held next year.”

The IMC is designed to manage the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) within Mahdia, until the Local Government Elections are held in 2018, following which the Council will be run by the duly elected local representatives, chosen by the residents of Mahdia.

On Monday, Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Joel Frederick, expressed much concern about several communities being made towns without consultation with the Council. At the opening of the NTC, the chairman referenced the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which speaks to indigenous rights and decision-making.

On that note, the NTC chairman said several decisions have been made at the level of the government without consultation with

the Indigenous community.

“We have seen townships named with indigenous lands being placed in township such as Lethem, Bartica, Mabaruma and soon to become township of Mahdia,” said Fredericks, who pleaded with President David Granger to consult with the NTC in such regards.

“We need to have consultation Mr President.

All of these without the Indigenous participation through FPIC (Free Prior and Informed Consent) … this is troubling and needs a redress mechanism,” he added.

Meanwhile, Regional Executive Officer (REO), Gavin Gounga, said efforts to establish a NDC are among several systems that are expected to be implemented, as preparations are almost complete for Mahdia to become a township.

The Region Eight community is slated to achieve its township status before the year-end.

Last year, Minister Bulkan had said the challenges facing the realisation of Mahdia as a township were being addressed through a work programme.

The creation of new towns in the administrative regions is part of the government’s policy and vision for fostering national development via regional and local empowerment.

This will allow the new townships to stand as the administrative centres in their respective administrative regions, to provide key governmental services to their communities.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

Suriname ambassador bids farewell to Guyana GUYANA on Wednesday expressed gratitude to outgoing Surinamese Ambassador to Guyana, Mehroen Nisa Kurban-Baboe, for her service and work in advancing and strengthening the bilateral ties between the two nations.

Kurban- Baboe paid a courtesy call to President David Granger and Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge.

President Granger noted the work of the outgoing ambassador over the past four years and said the two countries have been able to resuscitate the Guyana-Suriname Cooperation Council with the aim of further strengthening cooperation between the neighbouring states.

The resuscitation of the Council was also geared at promoting investment opportunities, while exchanging culture. But though there has been much progress, the head-of-state believes more is yet to be achieved.

“It has been a successful tour. I am happy with your tenure. The important thing is that we have been able to preserve cordial relations. I am happy for the level of cooperation that exists and there is still more to be done. We need to strengthen the positive aspects of our relationship and we need to explore our strength in other areas,” President Granger told the Surinamese Ambassador.

In an invited comment,

President Granger shares a light moment with Ambassador Kurban-Baboe during their meeting (MoTP)

President David Granger, with outgoing Ambassador of Suriname to Guyana, Mehroen Nisa Kurban-Baboe at State House on Wednesday (MOTP)

Ambassador Kurban-Baboe, agreed that much more work needs to be done between the two countries. She pointed specifically to the increase cross-sectoral cooperation between the two countries.

She said Suriname places great value on its bilateral ties with Guyana and will keep the channels open for cooperation and dialogue.

“It is important for us to have a good relationship with Guyana. We have a lot in common economically, in culture and tourism and we have to keep the doors open and speak to each other…

We are border countries and I think we should move further to strengthen the relationship.

Guyana is beautiful country.

The people are beautiful and I must say that I have a very positive impression of Guyana and I know that with my country, we can do a lot,” Ambassador Kurban- Baboe stated.

Similarly, the sentiments of both President Granger and the outgoing Surinamese Ambassador were echoed

by Minister Greenidge on Wednesday. He also stressed on the need to continue strengthening the relationship

Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge, exchanges tokens with Suriname's outgoing Ambassador to Guyana, Mehroen Nisa Kurban-Baboe (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

between the two countries.

The Foreign Minister said over the years, Guyana and Suriname enjoyed a high level of interface, which was further abetted by Ambassador Kurban-Baboe during her tenure.

“I hope to see the con-

New landfill sites for Region One

– soil-testing for feasibility in several other regions to be conducted AS part of its effort to strengthen the solid waste disposal programme, the Ministry of Communities has signed a contract totalling $6.5M for hydrogeological and geotechnical investigation at proposed landfills in Region One (Mabaruma and Port Kaituma).

This was disclosed on Tuesday by Permanent Secretary (PS), Ministry of Communities, Emil Mc Garrel. He said the soil-testing initiative which will be undertaken by E & A Consultants Ltd, is estimated to be completed in three months.

In brief remarks, Mc Garrel explained that the first stage is soil-testing, to ascertain what

the soil parameters are. This will be instrumental in the design of the sanitary landfill, and is a requirement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He noted that this initiative will also help to protect the groundwater. “The approach to the sanitation initiative for the Ministry of Communities is not only to address infrastructure work or developing land facilities, but importantly, given our green development strategies… is to ensure that we have sustainable approaches to sanitation management,” Mc Garrel added.

It was highlighted that soil investigations will also be conducted at various proposed sites

including in 14 Miles Bartica, Region Seven, Kara Kara, Linden, Region 10, Bon Success, Lethem, Region Nine, Red and White, Mahdia, Region Eight, Khan’s Hill, Region One, White Creek, Mabaruma, Region Two, Port Kaituma and Onderneeming on the Essequibo Coast.

The dumpsites that are scheduled to be upgraded to landfills are located at Byderabo, Bartica, Rosehall, Lusignan and Haags Bosch. The sites at Haags Bosch, Lusignan, Rose Hall, Bartica and Mabaruma will also have an operation service. Mc Garrel stressed that it is the ministry’s intention to upgrade Haags Bosch to a

demonstration site and determine other suitable locations for landfills in Regions Three, Five and Six. The PS said that conditional approval has been given by the EPA for a proposed site at Khan’s Hill in Mabaruma and Sia/White Creek in Port Kaituma. He explained that it is prudent to have two separate sanitary landfill sites due to the terrain of the region and the areas selected to be used.

It was noted that the ministry is aware of the issues plaguing the sites in Corriverton and New Amsterdam and is investigating new landfill site locations. There is a proposal for Belleview, a possible site in New Amsterdam. (DPI)

tinuation of dialogue and the deepening of understanding between Guyana and Suriname,” Minister Greenidge remarked. Additionally, the foreign affairs minister pointed to the recent productive meetings between President Granger and Suriname’s

President Dési Bouterse.

During those discussions, the two heads-of-state agreed that special envoys will be appointed to speak specifically to the Guyana, Suriname relations in the areas of the environment, agriculture, trade and tourism and oil and gas.

“The relationship has been fruitful and we are looking forward to another meeting of the Cooperation Council,” said Ambassador Kurban-Baboe, whose four years of service here has come to an end. She was accredited as Ambassador to Guyana in 2013.

Formal diplomatic relations between the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Republic of Suriname were established on November 25, 1975.

The Surinamese government has not yet identified her successor.

Rupununi man jailed for ‘doing fine hustle’ A 35-year-old Aishalton farmer was on Wednesday sentenced to three years in jail and fined $30,000 for trafficking cannabis.

Fernando Latia, a father of three, appeared before City Magistrate Judy Latchman and confessed that on August 17, 2017 at Aishalton Village, South Rupununi, he had 96 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

The unrepresented man told the court: “If it wasn’t for my grandmother’s sick daughter, I won’t have had the thing.”

According to the facts,

on the day in question at about 04:30hrs, the police, acting on information, went to the accused’s Aishalton home, where they found him standing outside.

Though a search of his person didn’t yield anything, the police became suspicious upon seeing a multicoloured bag nestled between the roots of an orange tree in the man’s yard.

A search of the bag in Latia’s presence unearthed the drugs. On realising that the game was up, he reportedly told the ranks: “The weed is my own; I just doing a fine hustle.”

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

A total paradigm shift – MoE mulling various approaches to help bridge performance gap, CEO says

By Zena Henry THE Ministry of Education is employing a multi-agency approach and continued policy shakeup in order to bridge the ongoing performance gap between city schools and those located on its outskirts and farflung locations.

This was told the Guyana Chronicle by Chief Education Officer (CEO), Marcel Hutson, on Tuesday following the reading of the 2017 Caribbean Secondary Examinations Certificate Education (CSEC).

When Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, read the results by region, it was noted that of the 164 top performers in the country, 93 were from Georgetown alone, while Regions

Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) accounted for 13, 20, 17, three, 17 and one respectively.

Needless to say, Minister Henry was not happy with the out-of-town performances. “We have to reduce our disparities, and we have to increase our percentages,” she told those gathered at the event.

As CEO Hutson later told this newspaper, the Ministries of Education and Finance, and even the Ministry of the Presidency have been taking a keen note of the situation, and are moving towards creating ways to

have resources and measures implemented to remedy it.

“This was one reason why the President himself has been moving ahead with the 5Bs programme,” he said, “because we want to focus on resources to cause our children to be punctual and attend school.”

He, however, pointed out that contrary to appearances, it is not only the city schools that are doing well, as those in places such as Anna Regina, Zeeburg Secondary, Mackenzie and Tagore High are slowly coming around and picking up performance-wise.

He did concede, however, that when it comes to the hinterland, there is a need for greater focus. “We are looking at how we can build capacity in those regions

Essequibo residents benefit from improved water quality – Lima Sands to be newest beneficiary RESIDENTS of Lima Sands, Essequibo--Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region 2) will be the newest beneficiaries of improved water quality, following steps by the Guyana Water Inc to decrease the presence of iron in their water supply through the use of a product called SeaQuest.

Lima Sands started receiving a constant source of water supply from GWI earlier this year, GWI said in a release. This was as a result of the completion of a new well worth approximately $117 million. Previously, residents were accessing water through a creek or via rain water harvesting. However, since the completion of the well, residents have been receiving water with unusually high iron content.

The Essequibo Coast is known for the prevalence of high iron concentrations in water and GWI has implemented SeaQuest to significantly reduce its presence in a number of villages, with Lima Sands being the next on the agenda to benefit in the Region. SeaQuest is dosed into water at pump stations to help mitigate discoloration.

The total sum of dosing of SeaQuest at the Lima Sands pump station is valued at some $3.6 million. With the requisite equipment and materials being mobilized, residents of Lima Sands are expected to benefit from clear, odourless water before the end of August, 2017. The well serves approximately 650 households, with a distribution network that comprises 14km of transmission and

distribution lines and service connection installations.

Initially, six pump stations across the Essequibo Coast benefitted from the implementation of SeaQuest at a cost of GYD$22 million. This entailed the importation of SeaQuest, mixing it, purchasing tanks and pumps and the delivery to each site. The addition of Lima Sands brings the total amount of pump stations receiving SeaQuest on the Essequibo to seven. SeaQuest is also being used at a number of pump stations on the coast of Guyana.

With this investment being pumped into the improvement of water quality supply on the Essequibo Coast, GWI is calling on customers to conserve on their water consumption and to make bill payment a priority.

The new well as Lima Sands, Essequibo Coast

with our teachers, and how we can actually have them involved and engaged in continuous professional development,” he said.

And what this means, he said, is putting together an action plan to foster their abilities in various topics and subject areas to match the specific needs of the region.

Apart from the resources aspect, Hutson said that there is a core team within the leadership of the education system that functions in a collaborative, collective manner and recognises the need for service. He said that along with national and regional subject committees, these teams help to determine what happens at the various levels and how it makes the necessary impacts.

Hutson said, too, that there is a growing consciousness among teachers themselves to go the extra mile, in that whereas many in the past dreaded having to work in far-flung remote locations, they are now volunteering, because they recgonise the need to serve.

“They want to go to the riverine areas; they want to make an impact.”

Hutson implied that the challenges of working in remote areas are recognised and if the idea of serving and making an impact is sold properly, “then people will buy into it.”

As Minister Henry had earlier observed, “All of our children will not suddenly get 90 per cent, but if we continue to work, and if we continue to follow particu-

lar methodologies, we will reach that place we want to reach.” She said that the ministry is keeping an eye on schools, with particular focus on their areas of weaknesses such as Mathematics and English.

At the announcement of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) results back in June, Minister Henry had also acknowledged the need to remove the high level of disparity between coastland and hinterland schools.

Apart from saying that interventions were underway, she had said at the time that an analysis and disaggregation of data relative to the NGSA results for 2016 had shown that the hinterland regions were performing poorly at the examinations.

Cigarette vendors, smokers protest tobacco bill A GROUP of cigarette vendors and smokers on Wednesday afternoon picketed outside the Ministry of Public Health, Brickdam, Georgetown, airing their grievances against certain aspects of the recently passed Tobacco Control Bill.

A protestor, who spoke on behalf of the group of 15, and requested not to be named, claimed that the bill will affect small cigarette vendors and smokers because they will not be able to advertise the sale of cigarettes.

She also claimed that small vendors will be unable to make a living by selling small quantities of loose cigarettes.

Even though tobacco smoke is among the leading causes of death globally, the woman related that a cigarette vendor told her that he paid for his car and supports his family selling cigarettes.

The protest attracted

cigarette vendors around the markets and several city wards. They told Guyana Chronicle that the fines in the bill are harsh and there should be no imprisonment for smoking in public.

They suggested that there should be instead community service for those in breach of the law, pointing out that jailing person for smoking will create more problems as the authorities have been battling to control prison overcrowding.

The bill, which had its genesis under the previous administration, was piloted

by Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence and passed in the National Assembly.

The Tobacco Control Bill provides for the adoption and implementation of tobacco-control policies in accordance with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Hailed as a progressive

legislation, the bill serves as the legal regulator for administration, inspection and enforcement, while providing legislative protection from exposure to second- hand smoke by eliminating public smoking.

It seeks to reduce tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke; prevent tobacco use by minors and protect workers and the public from exposure to tobacco smoke.

The bill also clears the way for the establishment of a National Tobacco Control Council.

The legislation will be enforced by the application of several penalties in the form of fines and prison sentences for “certain transgressions”.

These range from a fine of $200,000 for persons who breach the new regulations, along with six months’ imprisonment, to fines for business entities of up to $9M.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

15

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

17

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

Guinness ‘Cage Football Championship’ kicks off tonight

… 32 teams to battle in inaugural tournament THIRTY-TWO teams, drawn from as far as Linden, will battle in the inaugural Guinness Cage Football Championship, which will kick off tonight at the Nation-

al Gymnasium.

The tournament which was officially launched yesterday at the Windjammer International Hotel in Kitty, Georgetown, will see teams battle for the winner’s purse of $400 000 and will be played on August 24, 29, 31, as well as September 2, 5, 7, 9 and the grand finale on September 16.

Second-place team will pocket $200 000, and the third- and fourth-place finishers will collect $100 000 and $50 000 respectively as well as trophies.

On the individual side, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) will receive a gold chain from YK Investments and Pawn Shop and a trophy, compliments of Trophy Stall.

Rawle Welch, one of the organisers of Three Peat Promotions, stated “the tournament was conceptualised months earlier between myself and colleagues and it was readily accepted, following our proposal to Banks DIH Limited. We are very pleased to have such a large company like Banks DIH Limited on board.”

We l c h , a v e t e r a n award-winning Sports Journalist, further added, “It has been an arduous process to get to where we are, but I expect the tournament to be a success and I can assure the management of the National Sports Commission (NSC) that all conditions will be met.

“I implore all the fans to be on their best behaviour, which is very often, as it is getting more difficult to gain access to the venues and the support of the necessary stakeholders to stage such tournaments. We have to work together to make the event a tremendous success so it can continue next year,” Welch said.

Gervy Harry, Administrative Manager of the National Sports Commission (NSC), asked the organisers,

South Africa Racing Tips Turffontein 08:40 hrs Diva Faustina 09:15 hrs Like A Panther 09:50 hrs Cashel Palace 10:25 hrs Hurricane Lass 11:00 hrs Florentino English Racing Tips Stratford 08:40 hrs Scripturient 09:15 hrs Mister Universum 09:45 hrs Petrou 10:20 hrs Jazz Thyme 10:55 hrs Slim Pickens 11:55 hrs Kublai York 08:55 hrs De Bruyne Horse 09:25 hrs Madeline 10:00 hrs Chelsea Lad 10:35 hrs Enable 11:15 hrs Mori 11:50 hrs Cristal Fizz Chepstow 09:05 hrs Fab

spectators and the competing teams to practise discipline throughout the tournament, as sanctions can be enforced for misconduct.

In the first two playing nights (August 24 and 29), the teams will play in a ‘win or go home’ format, after which, the remaining 16 teams will be divided into groups of four, after which, the top two teams from each group will advance.

The teams will play two segments of ten minutes each, with the ball only being considered dead when it goes over the ‘wall’. Until the quarter-finals, all matches will be decided by kicks from the penalty spot if both sides are even on the score sheets.

ELIMINATION FIXTURES Thursday - August 24 Broad Street vs Old School Ballers - 19:00hrs Bent Street vs Hustlers 19:30hrs Leopold Street vs Plaisance - 20:00hrs Dave and Celena vs Pike Street Sophia - 20:30hrs North East vs Mocha 21:00hrs Tiger Bay vs Silver Bullets - 21:30hrs Albouystown-A vs Alexander Village - 22:00hrs Future Stars vs Agricola Gas Team - 22:30hrs Tuesday - August 29 Sophia vs MBK All Stars - 19:00hrs West Back Road vs Albouystown-B - 19:30hrs Tucville vs Showstoppers - 20:00hrs North Ruimveldt vs Melanie - 20:30hrs Champion Boys vs Channel 9 Warriors - 21:00hrs Gold is Money vs Campbellville - 21:30hrs Back Circle vs New Market Street - 22:00hrs Sparta vs Vryheid’s Lust - 22:30hrs 09:35 hrs Whiteley 10:10 hrs Fantasy Queen 10:40 hrs Topmeup 11:10 hrs Royal Melody 11:40 hrs Oxford Blu 12:15 hrs Seafarer 12:45 hrs Camiyra Irish Racing Tips Killarney 11:30 hrs Andesh 12:00 hrs Uno Momento 12:30 hrs She’s So Flawless 13:00 hrs Miss Snossyboots 13:30 hrs Sandymount Duke 14:00 hrs Neddyvaughan 14:30 hrs William Du Berlais 15:00 hrs Oathkeeper American Racing Tips Saratoga Race 1 Modem Race 2 La Contessa Race 3 Caribbean Race 4 Jewel Can Dosco Race 5 Just Got Out Race 6 Iwishirish Race 7 Table for Six Race 8 Celtic Chaos Race 9 Rubilinda

S

B D K K N S T E T F 3 B m K 0

G C S G M J A K R E T F 3 B 0 3 la S

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

We’re going to beat Rooney-England’s record-breaker who fell short at tournaments Suriname at home – Jones

By Neil Robinson

(REUTERS) - Wayne Rooney made the announcement of his retirement from the national team within hours of another England great Gary Lineker saying that he felt the country’s leading goalscorer was “under appreciated.”

As a 17-year-old prodigy, Rooney was the last of a particularly talented generation of players, who included Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, David Beckham and Paul Scholes.

Together they were expected to win England back respect, if not honours, as the country that always considered itself a major footballing power struggled to emulate its solitary tournament success at the 1966 World Cup. When Rooney burst on to the tournament scene by scoring four goals at the 2004 European Championships, his impact was even compared to that of Pele.

Already the youngest player to be capped by England, Rooney was seen as the totem who could do his country what his outrageously talented predecessor had done for Brazil.

But while Rooney achieved every honour in the club game, eclipsing Bobby Charlton as Manchester United’s leading scorer, his career with England was always more problematic, even though he ended as their most prolific goalscorer and most capped outfield player.

With the goals came injuries - like the broken metatarsal that blighted his 2006 World Cup campaign - and occasional

flashes of temper as England’s talisman struggled to drag an inferior side up to his superior standards. “[England] went through a time of being bereft of worldclass talent - it was just him,” said Lineker.

“He’s gone to play in tournaments, sometimes not fully fit, sometimes fit, in a team that’s not really good enough, and he’s suffered a little bit from that.

naments was poor after 2004: he scored just once in 11 games at three World Cups.

But he was an automatic first choice for six England managers until Gareth Southgate omitted him from his squad earlier this year when his United career had come to a standstill.

It means Rooney played his final appearance for England against Scotland last November, a game that was followed by an

Wayne Rooney

ELITE GROUP When asked whether Rooney was under-appreciated, Lineker said: “He probably is. He’d be [one of Britain’s] top 10 ever.”

Like most of the others in that elite group, Rooney experienced the frustration of tournament football when England underwhelmed rather than overcame.

Some observers believe that, like England, he was found out by the game’s top level when his record at tour-

apology after Rooney appeared drunk at a subsequent wedding party at the team hotel.

Rooney reacted to last season’s many disappointments with good grace, never dodging questions about his future and suggesting that he wanted one last hurrah with England at next year’s World Cup in Russia.

Ironically, the 31-year-old’s recent club form suggested that he might be able to achieve it, with two goals in as many matches since returning to

Everton last month.

The latest of those came against Manchester City on Monday, when he bided his time before ghosting into the area to score almost unnoticed. In an instant he showed what the older Rooney might contribute, as the wise attacker profiting from younger legs around him.

At his peak Rooney was capable of outrageous skill, a striker to pluck goals from anywhere. But as his pace slowed, England toyed with playing him in midfield, an experiment that ended in failure when England were knocked out of Euro 2016

by Iceland in the second round.

That led to the departure of manager Roy Hodgson, but not Rooney, who said he was simply happy to play anywhere.

Nothing showed that more than the night he beat Charlton’s England record by scoring his 50th goal against Switzerland in 2015. Back in the dressing room after the game, he was presented with a commemorative shirt, with 50 on the back.

Close to tears, Rooney addressed his team mates with a speech full of humility and pride outlining how much the “huge honour” of playing for England meant to him.

For all the might-have-beens, that sense never left him even if his powers were beginning to diminish.

Charlton’s goal-scoring record had stood for 45 years; perhaps Rooney’s will last even longer.

AB de Villiers reveals playing future … steps down as ODI captain; ready to play all three formats of the game

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - Batsman AB de Villiers has stepped down as captain of South Africa’s One-Day International team but has said he is ready to play all three formats of the game after a self-imposed exile from Test cricket. de Villiers sat out South Africa’s recent 3-1 Test series defeat to England amid speculation that he was ready to ditch the five-day game having not played in the format since January 2016 through a combination of injury and personal reasons.

But with series to come in the 2017/18 season at home to India and Australia, de Villiers, 33, says he is now available once more.

“Following this recent break, I really do feel refreshed and revived,” de Villiers said in a statement released on his behalf by Cricket South Africa (CSA)

yesterday.

“I want to get back on the field and I have today assured the national selectors that I will be available for selection in all three formats of the game during the coming

given up on his dream of captaining his country at the 2019 World Cup. de Villiers led South Africa in the Champions Trophy in England in June when they failed to make the last four.

AB de Villiers averages more than 50 in Test cricket.

season.” de Villiers averages more than 50 in Test cricket and his return will bolster a batting line-up that struggled for runs against England. de Villiers has however

“Faf du Plessis has proved to be an outstanding captain of the Twenty20 and Test teams, and bearing this in mind, I have informed Cricket South Africa that I would like to step down as

captain of the ODI team,” he said.

“It has been an honour to lead the team for the past six years, but it is now time for someone else to take the ODI side forward,” he added. de Villiers, who has two young children, had been stung by accusations that he was picking and choosing his matches and maintains there was an orchestrated plan with CSA to extend a career that has become beset by injury in the last few years.

“This strategy has prompted some people to say I am picking and choosing when to play for the Proteas, and even to suggest I am somehow putting myself before the team,” he said.

“That is simply not true.

That has never been true.

Playing for South Africa is, and will always be, the greatest privilege of my life,” he added.

By Rawle Toney

A contingent of 155, inclusive of athletes and officials, departed Guyana today for neighbouring Suriname, where they will compete at this year’s Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) from August 25 to 27.

The games, a brainchild of former President Forbes Burnham, will be celebrating its ‘Jubilee Edition’ (50 years), having started in 1967 as a means of using sports to foster closer bilateral relations with Suriname.

Guyana and Suriname will do battle in track and field, basketball, volleyball, swimming, cycling and football. With the exception of track and field and swimming, the other disciplines will have only male participants.

“We anticipate that we should do fairly well since all the disciplines would have been participating at high level both locally and overseas throughout the year,” Director of Sport Christopher Jones told reporters yesterday at his Homestretch Avenue office.

Jones said that he was pleased with the handling and preparation of the respective teams by the various associations, adding that he would have also been proud of the anxiousness of the athletes to represent the ‘Land of Many Waters’.

“At least the ones at the various camps I’ve visited, they are excited and some of them had participated last year as well,” the Director of Sport said, noting, “their own prediction is they can win.

There is hype and excitement amongst the Guyanese delegation to win these games.”

Apart from track and field, cycling and volleyball where team Guyana rule supreme, the Dutch-speaking country hold the IGG titles for both basketball and football (male and female).

TRACK AND FIELD TEAM: » Girls: Toyan Raymond (100m, 200m), Binka Joseph (100m), Deshauna Skeete (200m, 400m), Kezra Murray (400m, 800m), Joanna Archer (800m, 1500m), Shaquka Tyrell (1500M, 3000m), Leyanna Charles (3000m), Chantoba Bright (long jump, triple jump), Tatyanna Blair (long jump, high jump), Virlyn Gibson (triple jump, high jump), Mian McPherson (shot put, javelin), Jamacia Scott (shot put, discus), Prudence Codrington (javelin, discus) » Boys: Tyrell Peters (100m, 200m), Umkosie Vancooten (100m, 200m), Daniel

Williams (400m, high jump), Samuel Lynch (400m, 800m), Daniel Melville (800m, discus), Murphy Nash (1500m, 5000m), Ronaldo Wishart (1500m, javelin), Rickie Williams (5000m), Anthony Williams (long jump, triple jump), Ronaldo Greene (long jump, triple jump), Tarique Boyce (high jump), Jermine Simmons (shot put, javelin and Lennox Henry (shot put, discus).

Kenisha Headley and Quincy Clarke will coach the squad while Nadine Trotz and Carolyn Garraway will act as managers. » BASKETBALL: Andrew Wiggins, Stanton Rose, Jermain King, Akeem Crandon, Timothy Thompson, Shamar France, Nigel Bowen, Jaheel Young, Aton Fileen, Jamal Gilkes, Andrew Johnson and Akil Vaughn.

Abdullah Hamid is the team’s head coach, Kirk Fraser assistant coach and Troy Green manager. » CYCLING: Adealie Hodge, Marcus Keiler, Cortis Dey, Jason Cameron, Shenika Barker, Yonka Barker and Deance Welch. » SWIMMING: Andrew Gordon, Antonia Rodrigues, Daniel Scott, Nathon Hackett, Leon Seaton, Alex Winter, Nikita Fiedtkou, Teshana Hunter, Anna Isaacs, Accalia Khan, Kenita Mahaica and Lian Winter. » VOLLEYBALL: Kirstoff Shepherd, Akil Vaughn, Omari Joseph, Hellod Singh, Andy Rohoman, Jaleel Roberts, Samuel Jordan, Ronaldo Bobb, Montel Denny, Daymyon Alahamad, Ronaldo Griffith and Kellon Leitch. » FOOTBALL (FEMALE): Indera Amardeo, Vicky Jonannis, Althea Austin, Odessa Smith, Lendey Adolph, Anastacia Horsham, Shania Riley, Naomi Aaron, Ashana Williams, Stacy Adams, Amanda McKenzie, Tiandi Smith, Latesha Sutherland, Shontel Greene, Jamaica Hunte, Sasha Rodrigues, Anulissa Johnson and Selena Chan.

Head coach Akilah Castello and assistant Tricia Munroe » FOOTBALL (MALE): Jervis Cumberbatch, Simeon Hackette, Cecil Jackman, Jeremy Garrett, Kevin Padmore, Shomol Smith, Marriheo Eastman, Raushan Ritch, Orin Moore, Ryan Hackette, Ryan Dowding, Nixon Robertson, Chris Macey, Anton Peters, Shane Haynes, Brandon Atkinson, Sherral Daniels, and Lorenzo Miller.

Head coach Sampson Gilbert.

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

Guyana finish third at Goodwill Swim Meet

By Tamica Garnett

TRINIDAD and Tobago may have won this year’s Goodwill Swim Meet but it was team Guyana that grabbed the spotlight with the country’s remarkable improvement.

They finished third place to end a longstanding streak of bad luck for the Land of Many Waters at the regional developmental meet, which concluded last Sunday at the National Aquatic Centre, in Liliendaal.

Boasting two age-group champions in Aleka Persaud and Leon Seaton, multiple record-breaking performances and a heavy haul of 60 medals, including 20 gold, Guyana finished with 868.5 points, some distance away from the penultimate position the team managed at the competition last year, when competing against five other countries in St Lucia.

This year Guyana’s participation was bolstered by maximum participation and impressive performances, which saw 11 of the 40 participating Guyanese swimmers medal in individual events. Several others contributed the 14 relay

medals for the country.

After ending the second day of competition on Saturday, just 50 points behind the Bahamas, Guyana picked up

records en route to Guyana’s third-place finish.

Also showing much improvement, Bahamas ended with 805 points for fourth,

Goodwill Swim Meet age group champions Aleka Persaud (left) and Leon Seaton

their final 21 medals on Sunday, with Seaton and Lian Winter setting new meet

moving up after finishing in last place last year.

Trinidad and Tobago suc-

cessfully defended their title as the winning country after putting together 1 322 points, holding off longtime adversary Suriname for yet another year, but only just.

Suriname ended just 33 points behind Trinidad, while usual third-place finishers Barbados were displaced to fifth position this year with just 445 points. St Lucia ended in sixth with 314.5 points and newcomers Grenada were last with 50 points.

After ending the first day of competition with 11 medals, Guyana had plunged into an encouraging start at the meet on Friday. The country’s first medal - a gold - was clinched by Persaud in the Girls’ 9-10 100m freestyle with a time of 1:05.78s.

It was the first of 10 medals that Persaud obtained by the end of the meet. Two silver in the 50m breaststroke (39.06s), and 100m backstroke (1:21.04s), being the only events in which she did not secure gold.

She set her second Goodwill Swim Meet record, first in the Girls 9-10 category, then in the 50m butterfly ending in a time of 31.41 seconds, shaving a second off

Destiny Harding’s five-year old previous record.

A versatile swimmer, Persaud also copped gold in the 50m freestyle (29.29s), 100m freestyle (1:05.78s), 200m freestyle (2:29.77s), 200m IM (2:46.81s), 100m breaststroke (1:25.65s), 50m backstroke (35.56s) and the 100m butterfly (1:14.59s) With nine medals, including five record- breaking performances, Seaton was Guyana’s second-best performer. Seaton was on a record-breaking mission as he hunted gold medal after gold medal, taking eight by the time he was through.

He swam to a new record in the 200m freestyle (2:10.37s), 100m freestyle (58.19s), 50m freestyle (26.18s), 50m butterfly (29.20s), and 50m backstroke (31.72s), while he also had gold medals in the 100m backstroke (1:10.49s), 100m butterfly (1:06.16s) and the 200m IM (2:33.95s). He also finished with bronze in the 100m breaststroke (1:23.54s).

Building on the three gold medals she accomplished last year, Jadyn George returned, this year in the Girls’ 13-14 category to pick up five medals – one

gold, two silver and bronze.

Lian Winter set her first meet record after swimming to a 33.70 seconds finish in the Girls’ 11-12 50m backstroke.

Other medal earners over the weekend included the Mahaica siblings Kenita, Paul and Patrice, Raekwon Noel, Nikita Fiedtkou, Phillip DeNobrega and Daniel Scott.

The full list of Guyanese medallists at the 2017 Goodwill Swim Meet are as follows: Aleka Persaud – 8 gold, 2 silver Leon Seaton - 8 gold, 1 bronze Jadyn George – 1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze Lian Winter – 1 gold, 1 silver Raekwon Noel – 2 silver, 1 bronze Phillip DeNobrega - 1 silver, 5 bronze Daniel Scott – 1 silver, 2 bronze Patrice Mahaica – 1 silver, 2 bronze Paul Mahaica – 1 silver, 1 bronze Nikita Fiedtkou – 2 bronze Kenita Mahaica – 1 bronze Relays – 2 gold, 8 silver, 4 bronze.

Australia’s one-pad preparation AUSTRALIA have adopted a left-field – and potentially painful – training method in a bid to counter an expected spin barrage against Bangladesh.

Opener Matthew Renshaw and first-Test hopeful Usman Khawaja have both spent time batting to spinners without their front pads on in preparation for the first Test in Dhaka.

The likes of Rahul Dravid, Michael Vaughan and Dean Jones have all spoken of the benefits practising without pads, and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell revealed ex-Test opener Justin Langer had promoted the method during his stint as Australia’s batting coach five years ago.

It’s a ploy Maxwell has

used in recent years to improve his defence against spin bowling, explaining that it forces batsmen to rely solely on their bat to survive.

“It’s probably something we did back in 2012 when ‘JL’ (Langer) was the batting coach,” Maxwell told reporters at Sher-e Bangla National Stadium yesterday.

“We did it a little in the nets when we were in Dubai (for Australia’s pre-India tour camp earlier this year).

“I think the main thing is to basically use your bat: if you don’t have the safety of your front pad there it makes you get your leg out of the way and actually use your bat.

“It’s more about refining your defence and making

sure you’re trusting the fact you’ll hit the ball and not

“It’s more for the spinners that are hitting the

They bowl the ball stumpto-stump and they put pres-

Matthew Renshaw bats with one pad. (Getty)

hoping that your pad’s there just to save you.

stumps repeatedly and Bangladesh do that really well.

sure on your defence.

“That’s one thing that

we have worked on and will continue to work on.

“I’ve done a fair bit of it, I did a lot of it back home, a lot of my practice revolves around defence and expanding from there.”

The strategy came in for heavy attention after former England star Kevin Pietersen published an email from Test great Rahul Dravid in his 2014 book, KP: The Autobiography.

In the midst of a form slump on England’s 2010 tour of Bangladesh, Pietersen had asked Dravid for advice and in response the Indian suggested he face teammates Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar, two spinners at the height of their powers, with no pads on at all. (Cricketcom.au)

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

Mayweather confident McGregor ‘gamble’ will pay off

Kallicharan ton keeps T&T unbeaten; wins for Guyana and ICC Americas BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC) – Kirstan Kallicharan’s hundred kept Trinidad and Tobago unbeaten in the Regional Under-19 one-day championship here Tuesday, as they trounced Windward Islands by eight wickets.

Chasing a tricky 209 to win at Molyneaux in the fourth round contest, T&T motored to their target in the 39th over, with Kallicharan stroking an unbeaten 102.

ished with two wickets apiece.

At Conaree, ICC Americas produced a solid batting display to upset Barbados by 48 runs.

Opting to bat first, ICC Americas were powered to 258 for five off their 50 overs with Pranav Sharma top-scoring with 79, Arslan Khan getting 66 and Akashdeep Gill, exactly 50.

They were tottering on one for one in the first over before

Floyd Mayweather will put his 49-0 record on the line in Las Vegas against Conor McGregor.

Kirstan Kallicharan hits an unbeaten 102.

FLOYD Mayweather Jr admits he is taking a big risk fighting Conor McGregor but remains confident his “granite chin” will see him deal with everything the UFC star throws at him.

Mayweather will put his 49-0 record on the line in Las Vegas this weekend after opting to come out of retirement to face McGregor in a blockbuster fight that has caught the world’s attention.

The American has long been favourite to come out

of the bout with a victory given his experience and boxing know-how, but McGregor’s unpredictability has seen many backing an upset.

Mayweather remains confident he has what it takes to preserve his undefeated record, though, and cited his battles with Manny Pacquiao, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Shane Mosley as prime examples of his strong chin.

“I’ve been here so many times, I know what it takes

in a fight of this magnitude,” he told a media conference at the MGM Grand yesterday.

“He’s a hell of a fighter, a stand-up guy, a tough competitor, this is not going to be an easy fight; there will be blood, sweat and tears.

“After 21 years I’ve been hit with everything and I’m still here.

“He’s going to bring his best, it is not going to be easy, but remember Pacquiao got bombs, Canelo got

bombs, Shane Mosley had bombs but I’ve got a granite chin.

“I’m taking a gamble, but it’s a gamble worth taking.”

Mayweather finished his complimentary speech with one final warning for McGregor, adding: “Remember, the same way you give it, you have to be able to take it.

“One thing I can do is fight. To be 49-0 it is obvious I am giving it, not receiving it.” (Omnisport)

Twelfth man produced best support

By Stephan Sookram

GUYANA’S home games provided the ultimate factor to boost the Amazon Warriors during their 2017 campaign according to the squad’s vice-captain Rayad Emrit.

Emrit was speaking about the Twelfth man factor and their support throughout the

four games hosted here, citing them as major boosters to the side’s performance.

“I think the crowd support here, the twelfth man, is very important for us so we are glad that we could give the crowd two victories to leave and hopefully go to Barbados and Jamaica and finish the job.”

Emrit, who spoke to the

media following his team’s seven-wicket win over the St Lucia Star on Tuesday, was upbeat about his side’s chances of making it to the playoffs.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (THURSDAY AUGUST 24, 2017) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 43 times (2) St. Kitts/Nevis Patriots Today’s Quiz: (1) Who is the first Tridents player to cop the ‘Man of the Match Award’ in Hero CPL 2017?

(2) What is the highest individual score ever made in a CPL game at Providence?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

Amazon Warriors vice-captain Rayad Emrit

“Still in to qualify, we have two more games, two mustwin games and we are going to take each game at a time and hopefully we can cross the line.”

He acknowledged obvious changes in the side’s

mentality and style, saying, “In the field today (Tuesday) we were excellent, the guys were diving around and leaving everything on the field and that’s what we asked for before we came to Guyana.

We did it today (Tuesday) and hopefully we can continue to finish off teams.”

“I think the last two overs in the innings is where we leaked runs and myself and Tanvir are the ones capable of doing the job for the Amazon Warriors, so hopefully we can get that right and restrict teams to low scores,” he said as he provided critique of the side that will return to training today.

“We kept learning every game that goes by. It’s important that we keep learning and not continue the mistakes that we made. The game against Jamaica we should have won. It’s a repeat of what we did in Florida and that hit us badly.

The 17-year-old righthander, already a key member of world champions West Indies Under-19s, tore into the Windwards attack striking seven fours and seven sixes in a 79-ball cameo.

With his side stumbling at 43 for two in the 11th over, he put on 166 in an unbroken third-wicket stand with Cephas Cooper whose unbeaten 55 came from 93 deliveries and included eight fours.

Earlier, Kallicharan’s Windies Under-19s teammate Emmanuel Stewart struck 52 as the Windwards ended on 208 for eight off their 50 overs after opting to bat.

He put on 78 for the third wicket with Johnnel Eugene, who made 40 from 63 balls, to help pull Windwards around from 35 for two in the 11th over.

Off-spinners Cooper (2-20) and Aaron Maniram (2-30) fin-

Sharma stroked fours in a 109ball innings and Khan gathered five fours in a 100-ball knock, to rescue their side in a 157-run second-wicket stand.

In reply, Barbados were dismissed for 210 in the final over with Dante Niles top-scoring with 35 and Nico Reifer getting 34.

At St Paul’s, Raymond Perez carved out a fluent unbeaten 52 as Guyana overhauled Leeward Islands’ 116 to win by eight wickets.

Opener Perez faced 71 balls and counted five fours and a six and put on 106 in an unbroken second-wicket partnership with Kevlon Anderson who made an unbeaten 51 off 81 balls, with four fours and a six.

West Indies Under-19 star Bhaskar Yadram had earlier taken six for 16 with his off-spin to limit the Leewards to 116 all out off 45.3 overs.

Off-spinner Bhaskar Yadram bags 6-16 in Guyana’s victory.

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 24, 2017

Law says Windies still up for the fight despite first Test humbling LEEDS, England (CMC) – Head coach Stuart Law says embattled West Indies are anxious to prove their worth, after enduring a storm of criticism over their humiliating innings defeat to England in the day/night opening Test at Edgbaston last weekend.

The Caribbean side lost 19 wickets on Saturday’s third day to tumble to an embarrassing innings and 209-run loss, and extend their woeful record of not having won a Test in England in 17 years.

Despite the firestorm, however, Law said his side, though disappointed, had continued to show the necessary temperament and commitment.

“The boys know it’s an

attitude change. They need to stand up and fight and they’ve all spoken about that,” Law told reporters here yesterday.

we need to do better. It’s all positive talk in our room.

“The criticism will come whether we win lose or draw – we’re pretty accustomed to

West Indies head coach Stuart Law

“There has been no negative talk in our dressing room. We’ve tried to highlight what we have done well since we’ve arrived and what

that so we just have to get on with it.”

West Indies entered the Test in good nick after encouraging performances

in their opening first class matches against Essex, Kent and Derbyshire.

In fact, four players scored hundreds in the drawn three-day encounter in Derby, a total contrast to the showing in Birmingham when they were rolled over for 168 and 137 in quick time.

Law, who took over the helm of the side in March, said confidence had been understandably low following the drubbing but the players had rebounded well.

“After a loss like that you always feel a little underconfident but we’ve been honest with our assessment … all the boys are very honest with the assessment of what went on and we’re aiming to put it right over the next five days,”

the Australian explained.

“These guys need the chance to prove that they are good enough to play for West Indies and I am backing them a hundred per cent. There’s a lot of talent in our dressing room and they have the opportunity to turn it around.”

He added: “We understand that there are a lot of people out there who are disappointed in our performance but I can tell you there is no one more disappointed than the dressing room itself.

“We had a good long chat after the game, we had a good session up in Birmingham as well which highlighted the fact that we are thinking about turning this around.”

West Indies clash with England in the second Test

starting Friday at Headingley, knowing another defeat there will keep their disappointing record intact of not having won a series in England in three decades.

The Caribbean side’s last two Tests at the venue – in 2000 and 2007 – ended in innings defeats for the visitors but Law said they were hoping to do well.

“We came here full of expectations again. Our preparation has been good,” he noted.

“If you dissect the game (at Edgbaston) we had to bat against two pretty decent bowlers in favourable conditions under lights and in overcast conditions. Taking that in, we understand we have to be better and we’re aiming to do that.”

FIFA intervenes in Cameroon to try to end bickering

ZURICH, Switzerland (Reuters) - FIFA is to intervene in Cameroon’s football federation (FECAFOOT) again in an attempt to end bickering among officials which has dragged on since 2015, soccer’s governing body said yesterday.

FIFA said it had set up a “normalisation committee” to run FECAFOOT’s daily affairs, draft new statutes and organise elections for a

Shahid Afridi’s hundred contained 10 fours and seven sixes.

tion in 2015 was subsequently annulled by the Cameroon National Sports and Olympic Committee’s arbitration chamber. That decision was then confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Despite the off-field problems, Cameroon won the African Nations Cup earlier this year, beating Egypt 2-1 in the final.

However, they face a tough task in their World

Cup qualifying group which also contains bitter rivals Nigeria, plus Zambia and Algeria.

Nigeria have won their first two games while Cameroon have drawn their first two, allowing the Super Eagles to open up a four-point gap. Only the group winners qualify for Russia next year.

Cameroon will host the African Nations Cup in 2019.

Pollard wants big final effort as Tridents chase playoff spot

Hampshire’s T20 Blast hero says gamble to open paid off with century

SHAHID Afridi said his 42-ball century which sent Hampshire to their second T20 Blast Finals Day owed a lot to his natural risk-taking.

The Pakistan all-rounder asked to open the innings against Derbyshire and then smashed seven sixes in his 101, which also proved the margin of victory.

“I told the captain and coach to send me up the order,” Afridi said.

“In Twenty20 you can take chances. Batsmen like me, who play aggressively, have to utilise those first six overs.”

Afridi certainly did so, hitting spinner Wayne Madsen

new executive committee by the end of February.

It said the decision followed “recent failed attempts by FIFA to reconcile the football stakeholders in Cameroon and overcome the current impasse”.

FIFA briefly suspended Cameroon in 2013 for government interference in FECAFOOT then also set up a normalisation committee to run its affairs.

A hotly contested elec-

for four boundaries in the first over and was 45 not out after the powerplay, with Hampshire on 71-1.

The 37-year-old’s hundred was the fastest in this year’s competition and by the time he was caught at deep fine leg, Hampshire were 146-2 in the 13th over.

“I tried to start with attack - attack is your defence,” Afridi, who had not opened a T20 innings since 2011 Finals Day, told BBC Radio Solent.

“The spinner (Madsen) was bowling so I tried to put pressure on them, because the pitch was not easy, especially with the new ball.”

(BBC Sport)

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Barbados captain Kieron Pollard wants a huge final push from his side ahead of their home leg starting here next week, as they seek to turn the page on a spell of ordinary form and book their place in the final four of the Caribbean Premier League.

Tridents won their opener against reigning champions, Jamaica Tallawahs, on August 5 but since then have managed just one win in five outings, to be fourth in the six-team standings on four points.

Significantly, they have lost their last three games to Trinbago Knight Riders, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and Guyana Amazon Warriors, and Pollard said it was critical that Tridents make the most of their final four games at Kensington Oval.

“Obviously we want to finish in the top four because the main thing is qualifying for the playoffs,” Pollard told

a media scrum on the team’s arrival here Monday.

“There are different scenarios if you finish in the top two (but) it might be a hard reach for us now, so we have to get a couple wins under our belt.

There’s no secret about that so let’s see if we can muster that first.

Barbados captain Kieron Pollard

“In playoffs and knockout cricket, it’s who plays better on the day so again, it’s about scrapping now and getting in and staying in that top four.”

Tridents crashed to a dis-

appointing loss on Sunday night, going down to Amazon Warriors by four wickets at the Guyana National Stadium.

The defeat came despite a superb 69-ball hundred from opener Dwayne Smith and left Tridents only ahead of the fifthplaced Amazon Warriors on net run rate.

With the winless St Lucia Stars having no hope of advancing, Tridents and Amazon Warriors will now scrap for what could possibly be the final playoff spot.

Pollard, who has been in enterprising all-round form, said it was important for everyone to pull his weight and also use the next few days to reflect and re-focus.

“We have to keep believing. Yes performances have been there but sometimes individual performances alone don’t help. You want all the guys performing,” he pointed out.

“You rather make 30 and

win a game than how Smitty (Dwayne Smith) scored a hundred and we lost. He’s disappointed that we actually lost the game because he batted superbly well but again, we have to dig deep as a team … and we have to be desperate.

“We have enough time where we can go, we can relax, we can sit back and look at the areas, talk to guys individually, come up with some better plans and most of all try to execute.”

Tridents face Amazon Warriors in their opening home game at Kensington Oval on August 29 at 18:00hrs, before clashing with Stars two days later in a 20:00hrs encounter.

On September 2, the Tridents take on archrivals Trinbago Knight Riders in a 21:00hrs game before wrapping up their preliminary campaign against Chris Gayle’s St Kitts and Nevis Patriots the following day at 18:00hrs.

Law says Windies still up for the fight despite first Test humbling See Page 23

We’re going to beat Suriname at home – Jones … Guyanese contingent departs for IGG today

IGG Football team captain Jeremey Garrett

IGG Basketball Kevon Wiggins

Bolt mulls London move CITING developing of his business interests and his love for Premier League football, Usain Bolt, the now retired fastest man in history, could be setting up a home in London sometime in the near future.

Bolt, who during his stellar athletic career had a training base in London, is considering making the English capital a base of operations.

“I would never have considered training anywhere apart from Jamaica but now I am retired Kingston does not have to be my only home.

I am going to have business interests and things I am passionate about that I will have more time to enjoy,” Bolt told British media.

“London is special because I have had a lot of success here - it’s the only city outside of Kingston I could see myself living. Not in the winter, but I am looking to buy a place so I can spend more time here.

Also, you can be most places in the world easily. It is time for me to have fun now. It is a great city to shop, to eat, and

of course party!”

Bolt, a huge fan of many-time Premier League champions Manchester United, believes living in London also opens up opportunities to see his favourite team play.

See

Page 20

IAAF World Youth silver medallist Daniel Williams

Guinness ‘Cage Football Championship’ kicks off tonight … 32 teams to battle in inaugural tournament

See Page 19

Usain Bolt “I would like to see more Premier League games. Football is one of my passions hopefully, Jose let’s me stay at his house when I have to travel to Manchester,” he joked.

Organisers and competing teams pose at yesterday’s launch of the Guinness Cage Football Championship at the Windjammer Hotel.

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

THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2017