Guyana Chronicle New York Edition 14 07 2017

ISSUE NO. 58

WEEK ENDING JULY 14, 2017

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Collusion ‘behind bars’ ...President determined to weed out corruption in prison system P …says Mazaruni to be maximum security prison a3ge

No big jail in GT

‘I play dead to survive’

Page 23

– Warden recounts how wanted felon, Uree Varswyck almost killed him ■ Page 17

‘Words can’t explain what I went through’

…gov’t not likely to rebuild full-scale prison at Camp Street President David Granger (centre ) led Cabinet on a tour of the gutted Georgetown Prison on Camp Street on Tuesday.

Standing from left, Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo; Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson; President Granger; Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan and Director of Prisons,Gladwyn Samuels

Don’t blame Ramjattan – President says minister inherited a broken prison system

■ Page 19

– abducted driver recounts experience with escapees ■ Page 13

New vehicles to aid in ‘narco’ fight ■ Page 23

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Guyana Chronicle Chronicle New New York York Edition Edition Week-ending Week-ending July July 14, 14, 2017 2017 Guyana

Overseas group holds free business training for young Guyanese

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s Guyanese abroad attached to the United States-based nonprofit organization, The Roraima Institute (TRI), gear for a firmer footing in hopes of positively impacting the country’s economy, the body is in the process of organizing its first outreach to provide free entrepreneurial and leadership skills training to young Guyanese.

TRI’s Director, Paul Nehru young Guyanese to understand the Tennassee told the Guyana Chroni- nation’s history, so they can undercle (NY) Tuesday that he is cur- stand their current society. Tenrently in Guyana for one month to nassee also said that given his continue the organization work and experience and activism during his prepare for an upcoming training time in Guyana, his two books will cover the periods from 1979 to 1985

By Zena Henry and from 1986 to 1992. session with young people and the During this time, Tennassee owners of small businesses. said he was involved in the labor Tennassee pointed out, that and later political movements which work is currently being done to fi- allowed him the opportunity to see nalize location and other logistical first-hand and understand the aspects to have the program kick Guyanese dilemma. For this reason, off. “The workshop will focus on he said, truth has many sides; and entrepreneurship and small busi- believes that the young must also nesses; ethical and transformational hear from the experiences of the Naleadership in young and others per- tional Workers’ Union and the Demsons.” Tennassee said the programs ocratic Labour Movement, organiwill commence this weekend. zations, which Tennassee said he Outside of this, the TRI direc- was part of. tor informed that he will be writing “Millennials have no in-depth two books that will specifically help knowledge of the occurrences and

experiences during these times and it is needed to help them know and understand the fundamental change that is needed,” Tennassee said.

However, Tennassee told the Guyana Chronicle last March that the TRI organization is a cross border think tank formulated by corporate and professional Guyanese based in the US. The non-profit organization which is registered in the US is said to be the brainchild of a number of well-established Guyanese who recognized the need to lend their expertise and skills back home.

Tennassee noted that TRI wanted to aid Guyana in assessing its development, while creating policies that would have positive impact on the overall growth of the nation.

He mentioned that TRI is especially interested in working with the poorer class of persons living in the country areas, so they too can access the benefits of an advancing country.

Tennassee said that in April of 2016, more than 80 Guyanese from across the US met at the University

PAUL NEHRU TENNASSEE Professor University of DC, USA of the District of Columbia, where he (Tennassee) is employed as a professor, at a conference called “Guyana: Aspirations for Real Change — 2016 and Beyond” to engage in dialogue on how they can render their skills back home. “The conference was to spark a non-partisan dialogue and make recommendations about how Guyanese at home and abroad can support sustainable development in the country,” the director indicated.

He stated at the time that the organization was very interested in providing training, and other professional assistance where required.

US$8M project to tackle prison overcrowding – to be launched Monday THE Legal Affairs Ministry will on Monday launch a US$8 million project funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to tackle overcrowding at local prison facilities.

The programme that will provide support for the criminal justice system as it moves ahead to reduce the number of pre-trial detentions of prisoners, while increasing use of alternative

sentencing, (outside of jail time) will be launched at the Marriott Hotel.

Guyana’s prison population stands at 256 per 100,000, well above the world average of 146 per 100,000.

The high rates of imprisonment have been associated with a host of negative factors, including difficulties in former prisoners securing employment and some returning to a life of crime

The project is divided into two components. The first component seeks to reduce the use of pre-trial detention, especially for individuals accused of minor offences.

The idea is to provide better legal assistance to individuals accused of non-violent offences, improve t prosecutors’ ability to handle cases according to the seriousness of the offence, strengthen the judiciary, and design and implement a restorative justice programme.

The second component

seeks to increase the use of alternative sentencing by the criminal justice system in Guyana. This includes strengthening the country’s legal drafting functions, modernising probation services and implementing a pilot project at the Magistrate Court level to apply alternatives to imprisonment of non-violent offenders.

The programme is designed to complement a previously approved citizen security programme targeting high-crime neighbourhoods.

Four million of the eight

million dollars allocated to the project is financed via the IDB’s ordinary capital, has a 30-year amortisation period and an interest rate based on Libor. The remaining $4 million is through the IDB’s subsidised lending arm. It has a 40-year amortisation period and a fixed interest rate of 0.25 per cent.

Last year, the pressure of overcrowding had caused a major commotion at the Camp Street Prison, the country’s most prominent holding facility located in the heart of the city.

Some 17 detainees were killed at the prison when they set mattresses on fire, protesting what they described as inhumane conditions at the facility.

The prisoners had complained about their food, the overcrowding and the length of time it was taking to have their matters heard.

The Camp Street incident had forced the government to immediately draft up measures to address the long prevailing issue of overcrowded prisons.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

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Collusion ‘behind bars’ ...President determined to weed out corruption in prison system …says Mazaruni to be maximum security prison

By Ariana Gordon PRESIDENT David Granger has said that collusion among prison officers and inmates is nothing new, but he is deeply concerned about it, pointing out that with the right training, prison officers will realise their roles as important and will not compromise the security of the state.

President Granger was reacting to reports that the Camp Street prisoners were up to something much bigger,with evidence pointing to elaborate planning as underground steel pipes at the facility were damaged to make weapons; one of the main fire hydrants disabled and several canisters of gasoline

President David Granger and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and prison officials during their tour of the Mazaruni Penal Settlement, last year (File Photo)

available, here and overseas “so we will have a truly professional prison service.”

“We also need to ensure [that] the physical infrastructure is such that it would not be easily breached. When you have a situation where the prison is probably carrying three times the population, there is a lot of pressure on the staff, pressure on the infrastructure and as a result of that, we might have had glitches.”

Notwithstanding the mishaps, President Granger remains optimistic that with a modern maximum security prison at Mazaruni, there will be a reduction of collusion and glitches. The Pres-

ident who said he is “deeply moved by the two tragedies,” described the situation as “a serious blow to our work to make society safe and to guarantee the human safety of the population.”

He explained that the situation was a difficult one, but noted that efforts would be redoubled to ensure no similar recurrence. “I am of course disappointed and at the same time I am not dismayed; I think we can overcome the problems over the next two to three years,” he said, pointing to what he described as a slight turn around in the Police Force in terms of law enforcement and crime-fighting. And, with the help of partners, the President believes that much improvement will occur.

“So my disappointment will turn into relief when these reforms and changes take effect,” President Granger added.

The Georgetown Prison was initially built to accommodate some 550 persons, however, at the time of the second fire on Sunday, 1018 persons were there.

“So we are aware of the danger of keeping prisoners in the Georgetown Prison.

We made an attempt after the 2016 riot to engage the judiciary to reduce the prison population, which is about three times its limit and as you’ve known about 50 per cent of the prisoners in the

Georgetown Prison are on remand. So in addition to very fragile infrastructure, we had overcrowding.”

After the March 2016 fire, President Granger launched a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the prison riots, which resulted in the death of 17 prisoners. He confirmed that another CoI would be held into last Sunday’s inferno. “Yes, we must have an inquiry, but I can tell you that it is likely to confirm some of the information we had before from the previous inquiry. The point is that we were actually working on the implementation of the recommendations of the 2016 CoI and the inquiries held before, including the disciplined services inquiry of 2014.”

“So it was a race against time,” he said, adding, “We never pretended that the prison system was adequate and we were racing to complete the Mazaruni Prison, so that we could have taken the excess amount of prisoners away from Georgetown, particularly the long-term, hard core, dangerous ones,” President Granger continued.

He noted too that Sunday’s fire brought an end to a long saga of abuses in the prison system and “we will now have to find the money to find a final solution and that solution will be based [on] a maximum security prison at Mazaruni.”

Officers sort the lighters which were seized last year during a raid at the Camp Street prison

were placed at strategic locations. During the incident on Sunday, most of the buildings at Lot 12 Camp Street were gutted, as well as the Senior Prison Officers’ Sports Club, which was used as a holding area for the evacuated inmates.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday at State House, the Guyanese leader made it clear that collusion between inmates and officers within the prison will not to be tolerated. He said collusion between the officers and prisoners have

been an ongoing feature of the system. “…nothing new between the prison service staff and the prisoners…

There obviously had to be some means by which cell phones, weapons and other contraband items were being taken in repeatedly into the prison,” he said.

HIGH-QUALITY TRAINING Meanwhile, the President said while the prisons are old, inappropriate and inadequate, a solution to curbing collusion and corruption is to properly train prison officers.

He argues that professionalism is key and believes that by “having a higher quality of prison officers and better training at all levels,” corruption would be minimised.

President Granger noted that persons from all walks of life join the Prison Service and those very persons may be acquainted with inmates. “It therefore means prison officers must see their roles as important and therefore not compromise the security of the state. At the senior level, the President believes officers must be given the best possible supervisory training

A quantity of improvised weapons which were seized from prisoners last year

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G U YA N A S P R O U T S The Zena Henry Column

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here is nothing much left at the famous Lot 12. For the second time in almost two years the country has witnessed another major disaster at its prominent holding facility on Camp Street in Georgetown. On the last occasion 17 prisoners died.

Angry and frustrated, prisoners lit their mattresses and other items to torch the wooden building that was holding them.

When the government met Out of it all, there has been one with them they complained about causality, a prison warder who was the food, the treatment and most of chopped and shot several times to all, the long waiting period to have his chest. It is understood that in the their matters heard. It was said that chaos the prison guard stood his mainly remand prisoners, some incarcerated for years without a conviction had gotten fed up of the slothfulness of the judicial system and decided to act out.

Sunday’s episode however was much more frightening although on this occasion all prisoners were said to have been safely escorted out of what seemed to be a furnace. Seven buildings were burnt to the ground and according to the authorities some of them were set simultaneously. The sky was red, filled with smoke and the heat was intense.

It looked like hundreds of persons had flocked the streets surrounding the prison block. Most were onlookers, others were offering their assistance and the rest were concerned relatives of prisoners eager to ascertain the whereabouts of their loved ones. Some women were even crying. They were so ground but was taken over by the concerned about the well-being of prisoners. He is a hero. their relatives and obviously fearing One could only imagine the sothe worst, given the last experience. cial media buzz. To date it is still a

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017 Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

CAMP STREET PRISON IS GONE!

very hot topic, completely throwing the botched bank robbery, which had occurred just days earlier, and saw the death of one robber, overboard. The magnitude of the Camp Street prison disaster was just overwhelming. Comments, suggestions, condemnations and other discussions flooded the space. On the minibuses, at the exercise parks, beer gardens, and many other

places, the topic was just one thing — The Prison Fire.

But in all that was said, people talked mostly about how the authorities could have allowed a second fire at the facility and where the rebuilding must take place. The majority of persons are totally against the rebuilding of the jail in the city, while others believe that convicted and condemned men should be held at facilities outside of the capital and the remanded prisoners returned to he present facility.

Retired Judge Justice James Patterson, who chaired the commission of inquiry into the first Camp Street fire that killed the 17 prisoners said, maybe the government would now want to transform the space into an emergency remand center.

In an interview with the na-

tional paper, Patterson said that prisoners on remand should not be sent to the various prisons across the country but should be held at the remand center. At Camp Street more than 50 percent of the population were said to be remanded persons.

The judge thought it would be a good idea for the government until they could finance the construction of a new prison.

The Public Security Minister, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan said that it could take as much as three years before a new prison could be materialized. The judge thought three years was a long time, but recognized the government’s financial constraints and posited that, “You can’t expect them to achieve in a year or even two, what hasn’t been done since the turn of the century.”

Aside from the new prison however is the existing dilemma of what must be done with the more than 1,000 prisoners who were housed at Camp Street. The men are now being held in a fenced open air extension of the Lusignan prison because there is no space inside the prison itself. Sitting under tents and other makeshift shelter, it became very clear that the system had to let go of some of those prisoners especially those held for minor and nonviolent offenses.

A magistrate was in fact sent to the Lusignan prison to set bail for those prisoners. This is a remedy that could have been used earlier to ease the strain. Reduced bail sums for minor offenses, case files reevaluated among other solutions.

Guyana needs, at this point, to seriously consider a rehabilitation and parole program so they do not have the task of maintaining and housing these persons, but have an active program to monitor and help steer them back in the right direction.

The plot to burn the jail down was however done by capital offense prisoners, authorities said, who desperately wanted their freedom. This experience it is hoped will see the need for great reform in the entire judicial system.

GuyanaChronicle ChronicleNew New York Edition Week-ending July 2017 Guyana York Edition Week-ending July 14,14, 2017

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The Handel Andrews Column

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Things That Bother Me

The Forgotten War

Operation Decisive Storm. Saudi Arabia asked Pakistan to join the coalition; but the country refused, preferring to remain neutral.

The operation bomb-ed Yemen incessantly and the US bombed Houthi strongholds. According to the UN, from March 2015 to March 2017, 16,200 people have been killed, including 10,000 civilians.

ver the past 2 years, the world has turn-ed its back on the Yemen crisis. Every day we hear about the crises in Syria, Iraq and the Korean Peninsula, to name a few. The war in Yemen is forgotten or dismissed. Tim Lister (CNN) discusses why we should be concerned about the future of Yemen: “At first glance, it might seem that Yemen — like Somalia — is a place we should best forget about. It has few proven natural resources, its hinterland is largely barren and inaccessible, and it has a long history of being virtually impossible to govern. But first impressions can be misleading, and if Yemen were to sink into a state of anarchy, the implications for the Gulf region and beyond would be profound.”

WAR CRIMES Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that the Saudi-led air campaign that began on 26 March 2015, had "conducted airstrikes in apparent violation of the laws of war.” The agency also said that the Houthis had "unlawfully deployed forces in densely populated areas and used excessive force against peaceful protesters and journalists". Reliable sources have reported other atrocities.

US INVOLVEMENT The US is deeply involved in

Saleh and those loyal to the Pres- dent fled the country the same day. ident Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.

FOREIGN INTERVENTION Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. The forOn March 25, Saudi Arabia, mer were based in the capital, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, latter at Aden.

YEMEN The Houthi-led Supreme Rev- Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, MoYemen, officially Republic of rocco and Senegal intervened in Yemen, is a country in Western olutionary Committee (SRC) over Yemen. They received logistical Asia at the Southern end of the ran the capital and took over the support from France and the Arabian Peninsula. It is 527, 970 government in March 21, 2015. United States. Additionally, Engkm, making it the second largest Hadi’s supporters mounted a land and Canada supplied weacountry in the area. Saudi Arabia counter-offensive the following day. pons. The operation was named (continued on page 22) borders it to the north, the Red Sea It was unsuccessful and the Presito the west, the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea to the south and Oman to the east-northeast.

Thousands of years ago, parts of Ethiopia and Eritrea were included in the country. It is the poorest country in the Middle East.

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

President assures safety of citizens

Searching Buxton backlands for escapees

COMMANDER-in-CHIEF of the Armed Forces, President David Granger, has expressed confidence in the ability of the security forces to ensure the safety of the population following the Sunday afternoon riot at the Camp Street Prison, which resulted in one officer being killed and several others injured.

Mass killer Royden Durant Williams and another murder accused along with three others escaped during the unrest. The Head of State also expressed confidence that the aftermath of the fire which destroyed the Georgetown Prisons and which includes the rehousing of more than 1000 prisoners, will be brought under control.

President Granger in an interview released by the Department of Public Information (DPI), noted that as soon as the authorities received word of the unrest around 16:45 hrs on Sunday, the security forces responded to the situation. He said army troops were deployed, members of the Guyana Police Force were called out, while members

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THE Guyana Police Force has made it known that based on intelligence, it is searching the Buxton backlands for the inmates who escaped the Georgetown Prison on Sunday after the unrest at the Camp Street complex. As more information is gleaned, the greater is the indication that this was not a spontaneous act, but one of careful planning and execution. It also raises questions as to how such planning could have been executed internally by the inmates without some sort of external support and who are the intellectual authors.

As of yesterday, the figure of escapees has climbed guyanachronicle.com to six. As a public service, the Guyana Chronicle will be carrying the wanted men’s pictures in order that their image can be etched in citizens’ memories, making it easier to report any sighting to the nearest police station, or calling hotline numbers 225-6411, 225-8196, 225-2227, For All226-7065, Publishing Advertising in 227-1149, or 911. and The last thing the nation would want is a repeat of the four-year criminal mayhem New Yorkjailbreak. consult that resulted from the 2002 Theour death of those escapees, though it brought a sigh of relief, where it is yet Newknown Yorkwho Representative: to be irrefutably were the masterminds and supporters behind their break-out and sustenance, the soA. ofNelson ciety is the poorerDennis from this type intelligence-gathering.

The lesson of that era, if nothing else, has taught of the dennisnelson.nychronicle@yahoo.com importance of getting to the bottom of the present unrest.

The improvement in the force’s crime-fighting techniques will not only be put to the test, but be relied on to capture the escapees and engage in the needed interrogation work.

Not wanting to frighten the society, but at the same time it cannot be ignored where illegal arms and ammunition may be lying around, Guyana’s vast backlands and possible likely support, those escapees pose threat to lives, limbs and properties. This is why it is imperative they be captured as soon as possible.

The East Coast Demerara backlands, which were built during slavery, connects to the East Bank of Demerara backlands and are an intricate infrastructural network, with forested and savannah lands which can be seen as havens to hide out. The nation cannot afford a repeat of the 2002 crime-fighting tactics whereby villages were held under siege and an entire group demonised. There would

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Editorial

of the Guyana Fire Service responded to the scene.

The President was briefed on the incident by Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, and an emergency meeting with the heads of the security forces was called. “So we were able to craft a response ,” the President said , noting that the immediate task was to ensure safety of the population by ensuring that prisoners remained confined as the situation unfolded. “I would like to assure Guyanese that the government is working very hard overnight to recapture the prisoners,” President Granger said , noting that efforts are also underway to address the prisoners who were relocated from the gutted Camp Street facility. The President said that indeed, accommodation at Camp Street had been a problem over the years and according to him, government is taking action to address the issue.

He said the government took action on the report of a Commission of In-

President David Granger

quiry (CoI) into last March’s prison riots at Camp Street.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

Sir Garfield Sobers article was a classic

Hello Editor:

The article on Sir Garfield Sobers was a classic. I got a lot of inspiration from it, I never knew he lost his father at five-years-old! Please carry others on other greats like Lloyd, Gibbs, Worrell, Lara and Kanhai, I hope Mr. Baldeo and others can fulfill this request.

Thanks.

Lionel Narine also be concern if there is an attempt to recreate the fear of one group, feeling it is being targeted by another.

Once the escapees are at large, it could also create and present cover for other criminal acts and harken back to the 2002-2006 era. The horror story recounted by taxi driver Matthew Shivtahal, who said he was abducted by the four escaped prisoners on Sunday evening following the prison break in Georgetown and his car used to transport them to the backlands, serves as reminder. As an aside, though not unrelated to criminality, the Tuesday gun robbery of passengers on a Route 32 minibus at McDoom, East Bank Demerara, where the driver was shot by alleged bandits and later succumbed is testimony to the presence and illegal use of firearms.

Among the escapees are Uree Varswyck, also known as Malcolm Gordon, who was on remand for double-murder since 2014 and Bartica massacre convict Mark Royden Durant, also known as Royden Williams. These are hardcore inmates. In 2015 Varswyck, who is a former policeman attached to the Tactical Services Unit, posted to his social media/facebook account that he would be free from prison. Many

could recall the brutal precision in which the Bartica massacre was executed and the getaway tactics of those involved in the crime. Certain crimes in our society create opportunities for political connotation and hostility, which carries sharp racial undertones that people have not been immune to or protected from. Looking at the present blame game by former Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, former Presidents Donald Ramotar and Jagdeo, and former Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy via letters and statements to the media, is casting a dark shadow of what could likely ensue.

On Wednesday, Leader of the Opposition Jagdeo even as he promised the escapees will have “no political support from the opposition and secondly, we are not going to go to any communities and ask them to provide safe-havens for any of the escapees so our security forces will not be shot at when they go into communities or have to face an entire community” could not resist the political mudslinging. Having said that, attention is taken of the constructive approach in making public, opinions on housing the inmates which is marked improvement to previous insensitivity and hopefully will remain.

Disclaimer:

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

Guyana York Edition Week-ending July 14,14, 2017 GuyanaChronicle ChronicleNew New York Edition Week-ending July 2017

robertsconsulting@gmx.com * (347) 279-6668

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Let’s Talk Poverty

n recent times I’ve been following national and international discussions about poverty. The thing is, after listening to wellmeaning intellectuals and scholars wax eloquently about poverty and its societal effects, I came away with the impression that they don’t know diddley squat about the subject. Maybe they were never poor themselves and just winging it. I don’t know. These guys and a few gals say poverty is about not having enough money to meet basic needs including food, clothing and shelter. No rocket science here.

But even by this simplistic definition I think that poverty is more, much more, than just not having enough money. If that was the case all that governments had to do is print more money. No, don’t laugh. Governments print money all the time for a variety of reasons, nearly all having nothing to do with alleviating poverty.

But yes, despite all the fancy statements and grandiloquent pronunciations, poverty is simply about cash and not having enough of it.

wait there’s still another one — they have children out of wedlock and way too early. I love this one: the poor are poor because of loose morals, tomcatting and runaway procreation.

lack morals and make bad decisions that make their poor condition their own fault. That’s pretty much it. No

then there is very little to save or invest. Moreover, poor people have to make immediate decisions on the fly,

And there is another reason why “the poor will always be with us.”

You see it’s the way we speak and analyze poverty. The poor is routinely stigmatized and vilified for being poor. Here in America the poor live in “bad neighborhoods” as if by some act of social construction places where people live are designated poor and others more nice-sounding names. So from the get go the poor are seen as “bad people” and poverty a consequence of some inability to socially adjust.

Next people are poor because they did not stay in school long enough to get “a good education.”

So by this reasoning people are poor by their own choices — choosing not to stay in school. See, it’s your fault for being poor, if only you’d remain and took that last history class.

But here’s the problem: getting a good education does not guarantee that poor Black and Brown people will kick the poor habit. There’s systemic and endemic racism, redlining, housing discrimination, and other social challenges like chronic unemployment that work in tandem to keep people poor.

The other narrative is that the poor lack character. They are not industrious and make “bad decisions.”

So that’s it — poor morally bankrupt people have made themselves poor by making poor decisions. Let’s add all of the things said about poor people. They live in bad neighborhoods, don’t like school, are uneducated,

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Poverty is much more than that and when poor people have to spend more than 50% of their wages on rent

juggle scarce financial resources, and so sometimes make poor decisions as a consequence. But we here in America are great at treating symptoms — after all we make millions of dollars on it. But when it comes to treating the underlying, root causes of poverty, disease, poor education etc. we fall flat on our collective faces.

You see poverty is man-made.

It’s not a condition that cannot be remedied and solved. But how are we going to solve poverty when a tiny group of people who own and control all of the factories, businesses, and farms depend on AN ARMY OF LABOR? This artificially created army that is controlled by a tiny cabal of rich people is paid starvation wages — a pittance just enough to allow them to barely exist. There is no governmental desire or inclination to lift people out of poverty despite all the highfalutin talk. In lock step and sync with big business the United States government and its well-paid “people’s representatives” are vehemently opposed to even raising the minimum wage that is not enough to allow the vast majority of Americans to live a decent life.

So today the nebulous discus-

(continued on page 22)

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Guyana July 14, Guyana Chronicle Chronicle New New York York Edition Edition Week-ending Week-ending July 14, 2017 2017

EMPHASIS ON TRAVEL AND TOURISM

“STAY TO GET AWAY: ADVENTURE BEGINS AT HOME”

T

he Ministry of Tourism recently launched this year’s “STAY TO GET AWAY: ADVENTURE BEGINS AT HOME” campaign at the House of Angostura in Laventille. The campaign will run from July 01-August 31.

Citizens now have over thirty five (35) tour packages and accommodation properties on offer in Trinidad and Tobago that will whet the appetite of even the most seasoned traveller.

The domestic tourism campaign is bigger and better this year. Basically, it consists of a diverse range of tour experiences to sites and attractions throughout Trinidad and Tobago and staycation value added hotel packages operated by the two (2) main accommodation providers – Trinidad Hotels Restaurants and Tourism Association (THRTA) and the Small Accommodation Tourism Owners of Trinidad and Tobago (STAOTT).

The concept of STAY TO GET AWAY: ADVENTURE BEGINS AT HOME gives citizens and residents an opportunity to experience local tourist sites and attractions as an alternative to vacationing overseas. In times of severe economic downturn as well as during off-season tourism months of June to September, support of the stakeholders becomes critical in ensuring the survival of our local tourism sector.

Speaking to a packed audience at the launch, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Tourism, acknowledged the inclusive-

community clusters and to help identify events and festivals, that when put together provide our visitors and citizens with authentic and memorable experiences. The tourism sector is regarded by Government as critical to the achievement of economic growth through balanced and sustainable development and can be a catalyst for socio-economic benefits for local communities, the preservation of our natural and cultural assets and the advancement of our nation.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of From left: Brian Frontin, CEO, Trinidad Hotels Restaurants Tourism, Mrs. Vidiah and Tourism Association; Lorraine Pouchet, President, Ramkhelawan, explained Trinidad and Tobago In-Coming Tour Operators' Associa- that the Ministry has been tion, Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Tourism, Vidian working to develop tourism Ramkelawan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism; in a sustainable manner and Hassel Thom, President, Trinidad Hotels Restaurants and is partnering with the Re-

ness of the Stay to Get Away campaign “as it is being well supported by our tourism sector stakeholders. They have really risen to the occasion to offer affordable packages to budget

Tourism Association.

conscious domestic tourists that guarantee value for money”.

The Ministry of Tourism has created a dedicated Facebook page – “Staytnt” - and through this page, updates on tours, hotel packages, community festivals and events are provided to both locals and international visitors. In order to ensure a more integrated approach to our digital marketing efforts, the GoTrinBago app will also be used to bring further awareness of this awareness campaign.

The STAY TO GET AWAY campaign is not a “one-off” campaign but part of a more holistic promotional approach to develop

gional Corporations to identify sites for development that will bring the greatest benefit to citizens and tourist alike.

Mrs. Lorraine Pouchet, President of the Trinidad and Tobago In-Coming Tour Operators’ Association, expressed pleasure that “the STAY TO GET AWAY initiative has come to fruition as a result of cooperation among a host of tourism players. The thrust is to develop locals’ appreciation for the domestic tourism product and at the same time, improving their sense of pride in this beautiful country that we inhabit”.

For more information, contact: Sherma Mitchell, Manager Corporate Communications Phone: (868) 624-1403 Ext. 248, 689-5198 (M) Ministry of Tourism Fax: (868) 625-3894 Levels 8 & 9 Tower C, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain ,Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies.

MINERVA TRAVEL

CLIA/IATA OSSN/SATH APTA/PATA TPOC/IGLTA M/W/DBE CERTIFIED

ELAINE HENRY, CTA, MCC Travel Consultant 1053 E 40th Street Tel: 718-377-2071 Brooklyn, NY 11210 Fax: 718-377-1291 email: minitravel@hotmail.com www.minervatravel.net

To Advertise in this new and exciting paper The New York Edition of the GUYANA CHRONICLE — Guyana’s National Newspaper call: 917-379-6590

GuyanaChronicle ChronicleNew New York Edition Week-ending July 2017 Guyana York Edition Week-ending July 14,14, 2017

INCREASED AGRICULTURAL DIVERSIFICATION PRODUCTION CRITICAL FOR CARIBBEAN ECONOMIC RECOVERY

T

he regularity with which Caribbean Leaders and their Cabinet members are lamenting the extremely high food bill causing the scarce foreign currency to dwindle at rates faster than can be afforded is of great concern to persons interested in seeking the region’s development — this situation is multiplying the economic woes.

The best solution to this critical situation is for the Caribbean governments to make greater investments in agriculture. However, that in itself presents problems for the Leaders, since the required labour to

By PETER HAYNES

grammes, these considerations must be seen as being critical for Caribbean countries to bounce back.

NUTRITIONAL CHANGE NEEDED Our Leaders must also invest in programmes aimed at critical nutritional changes for the people of the region, with reference to the people consuming the food their countries produce, or producing the food for the people to eat and eliminate their dependence on consuming imported foods.

changes must be taught from the school level in the home economics classes, so the need to smuggle the restricted items would be eliminated, or at least reduced.

As a spin off from the diversification food development programme, it will also provide jobs for persons who were displaced, thus making a positive impact on unemployment, particularly of our youths.

Previously stated that the Region can no longer remain heavily dependent on food imports. In the past few weeks, we have been hearing how much foreign currency is being spent on food imports, and in islands like Barbados, they import almost everything.

Using Barbados as an example, if the country is to reduce the massive deficit and reduce the use of

till the land is as scarce as their foreign currency.

The younger generation are not interested in working in the fields. The problem is so acute that the youngsters much prefer to join the boys on the block than to accept meaningful employment in agriculture.

Another contributor to the problem is that the lands formerly used for agriculture are being given to housing development. These lands were used in the days when cane farming was the major agricultural crop. One of the major challenges facing Guyana and the Caribbean is the loss of the traditional sugar markets and the world prices, a situation, unfortunately they have no control in reversing.

Essentially sugar was “King”, but sugar is no longer “King”, or to put it in another term, it is no longer a case of sugar being sweet, but it is CANE CUTTERS IN GUYANA now bitter sugar. Sugar became so With the elimination of sugar foreign exchange, producing food bitter that many Caribbean islands cane production, the lands must be imports would be the place to start. have abandoned the growing of cane used for alternative food crops proAccepting that farmers are now an for sugar production. duction, i.e. diversification. When aging demographic and that is quite Since sugar did for the Guyana we travel along Robb Street in the possible in the foreseeable future, and some other Caribbean islands, Bourda Market area, the proliferathat the agriculture sector could belike bananas did for the for the Easttion of imported foot items to say come stagnant. ern Caribbean islands and Jamaica, the least is disgusting. Restricting In Barbados, there are astondiversification is the answer for the importation of foods which ishing statistics: the national producagriculture to pay its role in the ecocould be produced in Guyana need tion per capita has declined most nomic recovery of the Caribbean. to be reintroduced. noticeably in the fruit and vegetable The Caribbean Leaders must We all know that when the recategory. Local vegetable producgive serious consideration to estabstrictions on the importation of 100 tion has declined by 186,000 kilos lishing linkages to the Food and food items led to the increase of or 4.2%, while vegetable imports inAgriculture Organisation and the Insmuggling of those restricted items creased by 16.2% or 406,000 kilos. ternational Fund for Agricultural from across our borders. As menThese include producing Development, as well as to get intioned earlier, critical nutritional Tomatoes, Lettuce, Melons, Beets, volved in the world food pro-

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FRUITS GROWN IN GUYANA Carrots, and Sweet Peppers at increased rates ranging from 50% to 75%.

Increasing the production levels by a mere half of the number stated would go a far way in reducing the food import bill and saving the extremely scarce foreign currency.

Barbados, like most of the Caribbean islands depend on tourism to support their economies, but for an unknown reason, the hotels provide menus like those their tourists are accustomed while at home. It would be imagined that the tourists come on vacation to enjoy something different than their normal menus, in addition of course to the sun, the sand and the local foods.

The hotels, therefore, need to place greater emphasis on local cuisine, thus making their contribution to reducing the import food bill.

It is high time that the region’s natural resources are exploited.

CARICOM needs to keep abreast with the needs of the people, and follow the lead taken by Guyana and its “green” agenda, which must be the direction for the entire region.

It is unfortunate that many good policies are caught up in politics. This is very typical of the PPP who continue to use the sugar workers for their personal enhancement, while literally killing the industry.

An example is the case of their opposition to the government’s proposed diversification programme.

Undisputedly, politics undermine good policies, but fortunately, Guyana has a government which is fostering national unity.

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Guyana Chronicle Chronicle New New York York Edition Edition Week-ending Week-ending July July 14, 14, 2017 2017 Guyana

BARBADOS SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP REVISITED

"For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."

— Matthew 7:8 See Journal of Eastern Caribbean Studaribbean politicians these days, perhaps it is enies, Special Issue on the Barbados Prodemic to the profession, guard very jealously the tocols and Social Dialogue in the power surrounding their election to political of- Caribbean, Vol. 29, No. 4 December 2004. fice.

C

Their egos drive them to pursue myopic tactics which they think that their constituents will appreciate and which will maintain them individually in power. Despite this, they eventually, sometimes unceremoniously, get booted out of office and the economic fortunes of the country continue to fluctuate.

The challenge is to find a solution to achieve sustainable economic growth.

The solution is to be found in the recognition that, no matter how hard politicians try, they cannot do it on their own and need to aggressively solicit the help of the social partners, the private sector, trade unions and other members of civil society (e.g. the church and service clubs), to take the country on a path to sustainable success rather than just pay lip service. The resulting social partnership may then shepherd the development of a modern efficient economy.

In the early 1990s, a tripartite Social Partnership (government, trade unions and the private sector) was formally established to deal with the consequences of the economic crisis and to implement the Structural Adjustment Programme with the IMF without need for currency devaluation. The first Protocol agreed upon and focussed on wage and price policy as well as fiscal adjustment but also established the National Productivity Board. In 2005, the tripartite partnership agreed on the fifth

in what has become a series of Protocols. In 2007, the parties signalled their intention to extend the fifth protocol for another two years.

In my view, this Social Partnership did not execute that Vision and Action that was expected to induce the synergy needed to stimulate the growth in the economy. The Barbados Social Compact has been documented and studied extensively, especially regarding the impact of the Protocols on wages and prices as well as on fiscal policies and its macroeconomic effects.

I was privileged to have been asked by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in 2008 to tell the story of the learning experience and relative success of Barbados as an example of a country that has employed public-private alliances. This was at the time of a change in political administration which heralded a promised new look for the Social Partnership by the late Prime Minister David Thompson.

The performance of the Barbados economy, since the advent of the social

Dr. Basil Springer’s Column compact, was reviewed quantitatively (evidence-based analysis) and the conclusion is that the economy, which was in crisis in the early 1990s, has grown significantly. How much of this is due to the social compact and how much would have happened anyway? No one can be absolutely sure. The instruments and institutions which arose out of the social compact were all designed to have a positive impact on the economy so it is reasonable that some credit for the improved economic performance be given to the social compact.

Whereas the ongoing operation of the Social Compact may have resulted in proposals for its institutional strengthening and whereas the new political administration in Barbados may have other proposals, I independently made recommendations for consideration by the Prime Minister of Barbados that Barbados' Social Partnership builds on its strengths and strengthens its weaknesses. The economy has declined in recent years and I humbly suggest that these recommendations made in 2008 are still valid today.

Let us remember the power of prayer and that "for everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Let us condition our minds to search for solutions, and implement the answers found.

(Dr. Basil Springer GCM is Change-Engine Consultant, Caribbean Business Enterprise Trust Inc. - CBET. His email address is basilgf57@gmail.com and his columns may be found at www.cbetmodel.org and www.nothingbeatsbusiness.com.)

Plot to free Dataram forced transfer PRISON authorities earlier this year had moved drug lord Barry Dataram from the Camp Street Prison to Mazaruni after reports had surfaced of a plot to spirit him out of that correctional facility.

Dataram, a self-confessed drug lord is currently serving a five-year sentence at the Mazaruni Prison for cocaine possession, and an additional 48 months for forgery. He was also sentenced to three years after he was found guilty of possession of ammunition.

He was found guilty of being in possession of a quantity of cocaine for the

purpose of trafficking by Magistrate Judy Latchman last year September and sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and fined GYD$164,268,000. He had fled the jurisdiction prior to the sentencing, but was nabbed in neighbouring Suriname and brought back to Guyana. “Yes we had heard that a plot was hatched around him and he and some others were moved,” a senior security official told this newspaper.The Guyana Chronicle was told that Dataram was transferred sometime between February and March this year.

Shortly after he was

moved there his wife Anjanie Boodnarine was charged with smuggling contraband into the Mazaruni Prison. The 21-year-old of 79 Patentia Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara on March 31, 2017 had allegedly smuggled a pack of cigarettes for Dataram.

Reports were that Boodnarine was reportedly in the process of attempting to sneak in a quantity of cigarettes in a sealed packet of ‘cheese stick’ when she was caught by prison officials during a mandatory check of the contents.

On April 16, 2015 at Dataram’s house located

Drug Lord, Barry Dataram

at 661 Silver Dam, Fourth Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, 33 parcels of co-

caine substance were found in an upstairs bathroom, 180 pieces in a blue baby tub and 92 pieces in a black garbage bag in the downstairs dining room, and 142 pieces in a freezer with shrimp in the outer yard area. The cocaine amounted to 129.230 kilograms, which is equivalent to 284 pounds.

In addition to the cocaine find, Dataram was sentenced to three years imprisonment and fined $60,000 for the illegal possession of 180 rounds of .223 ammunition on April 16, at Lot 661 Fourth Avenue, Block ‘X’ Diamond, East Bank Demerara,

when he is not the holder of a firearm licence.

He was charged jointly with his wife, Anjanie Boodnarine; however the case against her was discharged. The three-year sentence for Dataram will run concurrently to the 60 months jail time.

Boodnarine and Dataram were caught by authorities in Suriname and handed over to the police at Springlands. The two had departed Guyana for Suriname via backtrack route at Springlands, pending the decision in their trial for the cocaine trafficking case.

Guyana York Edition Week-ending July 14,14, 2017 GuyanaChronicle ChronicleNew New York Edition Week-ending July 2017

BARBECUED MEAT BALLS Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup milk 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 eggs 1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce

in size. Place the meatballs into a 9x13 inch baking dish.

3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes.

Pour barbecue sauce over the meatballs and bake for 35 more minutes.

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, salt and eggs. Shape into little meatballs, about one inch

Ease The Tension — Enjoy A Laugh A A THAT TERRIBLE SMELL

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR

woman took her car to her mechanic. She told him, “Every time I take any of my friends out in my car after a while there is this terrible smell. It never happens when I am on my own.”

group of kindergartners were trying very hard to become accustomed to the first grade. The biggest hurdle they faced was that the teacher insisted on NO Baby Talk!

“You need to use ‘Big People’ words,” she was always reminding them.

She asked Chris what he had done over the weekend.

“I went to visit my Nana.”

“No, you went to visit your GRANDMOTHER. Use Big People’ words!”

She then asked Mitchell what he had done. “I took a ride on a choo choo.”

She said, “No, you took a ride on a TRAIN. You must remember to use “Big People’ words.”

She then asked little Alec what he had done. “I read a book,” he replied.

“That’s WONDERFUL!” the teacher said. “What book did you read?”

Alec thought real hard about it, then puffed out his chest with great pride, and said, “Winnie the SHIT.”

This quite intrigued the mechanic so he said, “OK, let’s go for a spin and see what the problem is.”

Off they went. She drove down a one-way street in the wrong direction at 60 m.p.h., swerving, hitting the curb on both sides of the street, narrowly missed three pedestrians in pedestrian crossings, ran several red lights, and barely missed a policeman on street traffic duty.

They returned to the shop and she said, “There it is now; there’s that terrible smell. Can you smell it?”

“Smell it? Lady, I’m sitting in it.”

IT’S A FACT

by JAMES SYDNEY

Time for Thyme A favorite of the Caribbean kitchen

E

verybody in the Caribbean cooks with thyme, or eats food that contains thyme. Generally, people talk about, and use, thick-leaf thyme and fine-leaf thyme.

Thick-leaf thyme is probably the more popular of the two, and is also called coarse-leaf thyme or big-leaf thyme or even podina. When people talk about thyme without reference to thickleaf or fineleaf, they are generally talking about the thick-leaf type.

The scientific name of the plant is Plectranthus amboinicus. Its leaves are green and relatively fleshy and fuzzy; its stems are brittle. The plant has a strong smell somewhat like that of oregano or sage. This smell clings to people’s hands even after just lightly handling the live plant.

Thick-leaf thyme is easy to grow. In the Caribbean, given a shaded location and the benefit of some sunlight, it can flourish with very little attention. Thyme

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rice and even curry. It is also often used to season fish.

In the Caribbean, thyme is used as an ingredient in marinades in which meats are soaked for hours or even a day before cooking. It is found in the green seasoning available in supermarkets, but many people prefer to make their own green seasoning blends at home and grow thyme for that purPlectranthus amboinicus or Thyme pose. even looks good among ornamental Thick-leaf thyme has also been plants. used traditionally as medicine. It has Thick-leaf thyme is used fresh or been boiled to make a tea for colds, dedried mainly as a seasoning in the layed labor pains, menstrual pains, and kitchen, much as sage or oregano would aiding the expulsion of the afterbirth. be used. By itself, or together with other Leaves are roasted, juiced and taken seasonings, thick leaf thyme is found in orally; or applied externally to treat almeat dishes and stuffing, soups, black lergies, swellings and inflamed areas of pudding and white pudding, peas and the body.

Some people boil the leaves to make an infusion that is blended with honey and used as a tonic for coughs and colds and as an expectorant. The fumes from the crushed leaves are used to clear stuffy noses.

Thick-leaf thyme, by whatever name, is well known around the world.

It is called Cuban oregano, Indian Borage, Jamaican thyme, Spanish thyme, Portuguese thyme and Mexican mint.

Some authorities say that it originated in southern tropical Africa; others say it is probably a native of India. It is cultivated and practically runs wild in Malaysia.

Thyme is commonly used in India to treat insect bites, fever, headaches, cough and bronchitis. Other ailments it is used for include: asthma, eczema and urinary tract diseases.

Many people in the United States grow thyme as a potted plant or in hanging baskets in their homes. It is easy to propagate. All one has to do is to take a small cutting, place it in soil and keep it moist. It does best in rich, well-drained soil and it welcomes light shade if grown outside in the summer.

The plant does well, even in winter, once it is maintained in the controlled environment of the home. It is therefore not uncommon to find someone in New York City, for example, breaking off a stem from potted thyme among ornamental plants in the house and proceeding to add it to whatever is cooking in the kitchen.

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Guyana Chronicle Chronicle New New York York Edition Edition Week-ending Week-ending July 14, 2017 2017 Guyana July 14,

GUYANA UNITY MOVEMENT INC. (G.U.M) APPRECIATION NIGHT

O

n July 6, 2017, Guyana Unity Movement (G.U.M) held a night of Appreciation at the Hills Banquet Hall and Lounge, 4703 Church Ave, Brooklyn, New York. The occasion was to thank members and supporters for their contributions during GUM’s weekend of Fund Raising activities, held June 9th through June 12, 2017.

Chairperson for the event was Ms. Sherif Fraser, President of G.U.M. She opened the ceremonies by asking for a minute of silence in recognition of NYPD Officer Det.

volunteers by Guyana’s Deputy Consul General to New York, Ms. Jacqueline Hamer. Checks totalling over G$1M were presented to five Guyanese organizations to assist in

Some of the attendees at G.U.M.’s Appreciation Night, five organizations received checks to assist them in their charitable work. At back center in white shirts are Sherif Fraser and to her left is Ervin Washington President and Vice President of G.U.M. respectively.

Familia killed in the line of duty.

Persons present then introduced themselves.

Ms. Fraser elaborated on the Movement’s mission and vision statement, and the organization’s motto which is, “Uniting Guyanese One At A Time.” G.U.M members were honorably recognized.

Certificates of Appreciation were presented to the members and

their missions. They were: Prevention Of Teenage Suicide, Guyana United Youth Development Association of New York, Inc., Guyana Cancer Foundation, Office of the First Lady Charities and Sonia Noel Foundation for David Rose Foundation.

Ms. Hamer praised G.U.M for its sterling contribution to the Guyanese community and informed

those present of the upcoming release of the consulate’s newsletter later this month. She also shared information on some of the Consulate’s initiatives. Mr. Colin Moore, well known attorney, used the opportunity to update those present about the immigration laws.

The President of G.U.M. announced that the organization will be submitting a request to the Government of Guyana to conduct a feasibility study to designate a location

in Georgetown where a “Guyana Walk of Fame” can be established to honor those whose contribution has shaped our country and remains an important part of the fabric of our lives. She said this will be a long and thorough process and the organization will be reaching out to partners in the Diaspora to have some input in the process.

Refreshments were provided at end of event. Music was supplied

by DJ Aubrey Wren

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

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1,010 inmates accounted for …eight on the run GOVERNMENT on Tuesday announced that a total of 1,010 prisoners from the Georgetown Prisons are accounted for and confirmed that eight are still on the run following Sunday evening’s riot at the Camp Street Prison, which resulted in one officer being shot and the complex destroyed.

In a statement issued through the Department of Public Information (DPI), government said of the 1,010 inmates some were moved to Mazaruni while the majority remain at Lusignan where they were transferred following the riot.

Meanwhile, of the eight prisoners at large, four have been identified as: Mark Royden Williams aka Smallie; Uree Varswyck aka Malcolm Gordon; Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander and Cornelius Thomas (a Trinidadian).

The DPI mentioned that one newspaper had reported that Dellon Henry aka `Nasty Man’ is among the escapees but this has not yet been officially announced.

Director of Prisons (DoP), Gladwin Samuels, speaking to the DPI on Tues-

day, also confirmed that nine inmates had escaped during the riot and another one while being transferred to Lusignan. This prisoner- Shawn Collins 20 of Lot 6 Ketley and Drydale Streets was recaptured on Hadfield Street the same night. He is in jail on a charge of murder. The second inmate to have been recaptured is Shamudeen Mohamed. He was recaptured Monday evening.

The DPI said that on Sunday there were 1018 prisoners registered at the Georgetown Prisons. Of the 1,018 registered inmates, 980 inmates were at the prison at the time of the fire/breakout.

The other 38 inmates were out of the prison on labour duties, a common feature of prison life for low risk prisoners. According to the DPI, the 38 inmates who were out on labour duties were returned to the location on Sunday evening and are all accounted for.

The riot on Sunday evening started when inmates lit simultaneous fires in the buildings and one officer was held hostage reportedly by mass killer, Royden

Williams, DoP Samuels told the media late Sunday night.

The prison director noted that around 16:45hrs on Sunday, he received two phone calls, one from the prison and one from a civilian, informing him of the situation at Camp Street.

He said that he was told that an officer was being held hostage and following an exchange of gunshots, the prison’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) were activated. Samuels said the wooden sections of the prison at the corner of Durban and John Streets, as well as another wooden area close to the corner of John and Bent Streets, were set ablaze.

Those areas, known as the strong-cell division and the condemned division, were immediately attended to as evacuation of the prisoners commenced.

Samuels said that from his observation, all the wooden buildings at Camp Street were damaged or completely gutted and the Prison Sports Club, which was used as holding area, was subsequently set on fire and destroyed. Samuels said that there were no signs of unrest prior to Sunday and according to him, based on reports, the

fires served as distractions which resulted in the break for freedom by the escap-

ees. He said the duty officer, who could have been able to provide an account of what

had transpired, is among other prison officers who are hospitalised.

‘Words can’t explain what I went through’ – abducted driver recounts experience with escapees

By Ravin Singh IT was like a nightmare for him – the experience of being abducted by four escaped prisoners who were on the verge of murdering him, cold-bloodedly, in the backlands.

“I don’t have words to explain what I feel and what I went through; pain, scared for my life. It is overwhelming. To go through what I went through and come out alive is just God’s grace,” said 22-year- old taxi driver, Matthew Shivtahal, who was abducted by four escaped prisoners on Sunday evening following a prison break in Georgetown.

He was able to return to the city after being abducted and subsequently released by the escaped prisoners on Sunday evening.

In an interview with reporters on Tuesday morning, Shivtahal recounted seven life-threatening and tension-filled hours of being in the midst of the country’s most notorious gang presently.

The 22-year-old taxi driver related that about 16:35hrs

on Sunday afternoon he was heading to Georgetown from Industry, on the East Coast, with passengers. He said that when he reached Camp Street, he heard gunshots and instinctively swung on Broad Street to avoid whatever commotion was happening.

But that turned out to be disastrous for him. “…next thing I know they [the escaped prisoners] got guns to my head. I had a lady and some children in the car and they take out them, push me back inside the car and we went to South backlands” he recalled.

Shivtahal was taken hostage by four men who had just escaped from the Georgetown Prison, a few corners away from where they boarded his Toyota two-12 vehicle. He was then forced by the escapees, to drive to North Ruimveldt, where the car was abandoned and he was again coerced to accompany them on an unknown journey.

He said the journey began about midnight on Sunday.

“From there, we keep going down south; keep walking south, crossing a lot of bridges

and keep going down till to Land of Canaan seven-door sluice” he said, adding that upon arrival there, they encountered a trench which they had to swim over.

Fortunately, Shivtahal could not swim and told the prisoners that it was impossible for him to cross. He said that at this point, the men said that it would be best to kill him since he would slow them down.

“They said before I slow them down is best they kill me.

[But] I keep begging them. I tell them I got a one-year-old son; that I wouldn’t like he to grow up without a father,” the young father recalled. He said that because of his plea, the escapees told him that: “we gonna let you go.” He remembered one of the men saying they wouldn’t bother to kill him. Seemingly relieved, but still tense in tone, the young man told reporters that the man pointed in the north-eastern direction and told him to walk towards the dam and he would be able to get out of the backdam.

“I cross over like four swamps and a set of bridges. I

A map with the first arrow (left) illustrating where the escapees are believed to have travelled, while the second arrow shows the route which Shivtahal travelled to get to Annandale Matthew Shivtahal

cut up my foot” he said, pointing to his badly bruised feet. On Monday evening, just before midnight, the young man navigated his way to the East Coast Public Road, via Annandale, where he encountered a police officer who escorted him to the Vigilance Police Station.

“It is overwhelming. To go through what I went through and come out alive is just God’s grace. It was just joy to find land,” a visibly shaken Shivtahal

said. He also recalled the men using cell phones throughout the journey and two of them being armed with what appeared to be nine-millimetre pistols. He was not privy to conversations they were having on the phones and when they did engage persons on the phone, one of the other three guarded him some distance away.

The young man, who said he was not harmed by the men, shared that at intervals, the escapees jogged and when

they were tired, they walked.

For the entirety of the journey, none of the men ate or consumed water. With regard to where the escapees are heading, Shivtahal offered that: “They don’t know the area but they cutting and going. They finding places where they know. Some of them said they going down the highway.”

Asked to describe the posture of the men, the 22-year old said that to him, “they have no fear of being captured.”

Prison Warder W 14

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

– as significant portion of Camp Street Prison goes up in flames

Wanted: Murder accused, Euree Varswyck

By Rabindra Rooplall FIRES lit by prisoners consumed the Camp Street Prison after inmates ambushed wardens, seized their weapons, and shot several guards in the pro-

Wanted: Mark Royden Williams

cess.

Prison Warder Odinga Wickham, who was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital with gunshot injuries, has died. He was one of several prison officers hospitalised from the fires and

Dead: Odinga Wickham

shots from the marauding inmates.

Police have confirmed that among the escapees are Bartica Massacre felon Mark Royden Williams, called “Smallie”, murder accused Euree Varswyck, and two

others who hijacked a vehicle and made good their escape.

Inmates were removed from the prison and during transferal to the Prison Officer Club they also set alight the building.

In addition, during the transfer, one inmate who tried to escape was shot and later taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, along with several other inmates.

Scores of inmates were also shuttled away in open back trucks and enclosed vehicles to other prisons and police lockups.

Some of the inmates were seen smashing against the fence within the compound as gas cylinders exploded.

As this was happening,the

Joint Services cordoned off the outskirts of the prison as firefighters tried unsuccessfully to extinguish the blaze that razed the wooden and concrete buildings.

Many of the prisoners attempted to escape into peoples’ yards on Bent Street, Georgetown, but they were caught and taken into custody.

Amid the commotion, screams from mothers and tears of the aggrieved filled the air as the raging fires destroyed the 133-year-old prison.

One eyewitness said he saw a burgundy 212 Toyota car collected some of the prisoners and fled the scene, heading in the direction of

Cemetery Road.

Meanwhile, Prison Chief Gladwin Samuels and firefighters were unable to enter the prison compound since the prisoners were armed with weapons.

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, in a televised interview said the Joint Services have moved the prisoners from Camp Street to the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara.

“The prisoners’ removal is paramount for us, only last year we had a very bad incident there and their safety and security is of utmost importance,” the minister said.

Yesterday, a number of fire tenders were seen battling the blaze and floodlights were erected to aid the Joint Services in the work.

The D’urban Street section of the prison where fire tenders battled with the blaze

Fire blazing through the wooden sections of the tailor shop and infirmary sections of the prison

Wickham killed Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

The blaze as it engulfed the Bent Street section of the prison

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Inmates awaiting removal from the prison

A relative of an inmate was inconsolable as she expressed the pain she felt as the fire razed the buildings Fire fighters unsuccessfully tried to extinguish the flames in the initial stage of the fire

Relatives of prisoners were traumatised while watching the prison complex go up in flames before all the inmates were transferred

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

$97M awarded in contracts under CIIP

By Vishani Ragobeer

THE Ministry of Communities has signed seven contracts to the tune of $97M under the Community Infrastructural Improvement Project (CIIP) for rehabilitation and construction of community facilities.

The CIIP focuses on projects fostering the green agenda, that is, creating green spaces and green pathways, among other things.

The works to be executed according to the contracts signed include construction of Belladrum Multipurpose Centre in the Mahaica/ Berbice Region, awarded to R. Kissoon Contracting Services for the sum of $8,937,126; construction of Sanitary Block at Hosororo Community Ground, Barima/Waini Region by AAV Ragobeer General Construction at a cost of $7,419,962; construction of Tabatinga Approach Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo Region by Kurt Cumberbatch Contracting Services for $10,810,250; construction of Hosororo Green Space, Mabaruma, Barima/Waini

by Aruca Investments for

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan (centre) with six of the seven contractors who were awarded contracts under the Community Infrastructural Improvement Project (CIIP)

$13,235,882; and construction of Golden Beach Boulevard, Bartica, Cuyuni/ Mazaruni

by Ivor Allen for $40,874,295.

Apart from these, the Maria-Johanna Ground in Wakenaam, Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara Region will be rehabilitated

by Khan Contracting and Transportation Services Inc. This project is valued at $12,434,202. The Arthurville Ground, Wakenaam, Essequibo Island/West Demerara Region will also be

rehabilitated by Khan Contracting and Transportation Services Inc to the tune of $3,894,000.

Speaking at the signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Communities, Permanent Secretary, Emile McGarrell said the contractors are given between two to three months to complete their project.

They also have a sixmonth retention period.

McGarrell urged the contractors to complete the projects within the stipulated

timeframe and to employ persons from within the community in which the projects are executed.

Initially, nine projects were bidded for in February.

However, several administrative errors arose and in May 2017, the ministry invited several small contractors to discuss their missteps in the tendering process after most of the previous bidders were found to be non-responsive.

The two bids that were responded to prior to now

were the upgrading of Paradise Playfield, Paradise Village, East Coast Demerara and the rehabilitation of Children’s Playgrounds at Blairmont and Shieldstown The group met with the permanent secretary and Procurement Manager, Michael Blackman. McGarrell urged the contractors to build their capacity to perform not only small contracts but much larger ones.

However, he noted that the work must be of a very high standard and must be

done accurately. He further implored the contractors to set their own standards and core values that would guide their company during the tendering process.

During the tendering process, three contractors who have never worked on projects for the Ministry of Communities were given an opportunity to bid.

According to a statement from the ministry, the process also resulted in more responsive bids and satisfied contractors who felt that they were given a fair chance to participate in the government procurement system.

However, some of the contractors failed to submit a valid registration, National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) compliance while others did not complete the tender documents or failed to attach a signature to the bid declaration form.

Other tenders were deemed non-responsive due to a failure to indicate whether they were engaged in litigation, whether they are involved in ongoing projects and for failing to provide a list of equipment.

He explained the tender process and answered questions from all of the contractors. They were informed that the law requires the ministry to give notification of the responsiveness of each bid and they also have a right to request the reason for their lack of responsiveness.

The permanent secretary stressed that there was no question as to the technical capabilities of the contractors but all the hiccups were avoidable and of an administrative nature.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

17

‘I play dead to survive’ – Warden recounts how wanted felon, Uree Varswyck almost killed him

By Michel Outridge A MEMBER of the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) attached to the Task Force Department of the Camp Street Prison said he played dead after he was shot, because he knew he would have been killed during the fiery jail unrest, which almost flattened the entire buildings on Sunday.

The injured prison rank, Jason Maltay, who is a patient at the Georgetown Hospital, told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday that he was on duty on Sunday in the Task Force Department’s squad room when he heard the hazard whistle.

The 20-year-old, who is nursing a gunshot wound to the leg, said the minute he heard the whistle, he knew that something was amiss, as it meant that an officer was in trouble.

Maltay said that he and four other ranks, on realising that the prisoners housed in the Condemned Division had already broken out, tried to secure the Woods Building, which housed condemned prisoners, but were prevented from doing so by the very people they were trying to save.

The Canje, East Bank Berbice resident said that it was at that point that he and his four colleagues realised that they and their puny batons were no match against the prisoners, who were armed to the teeth with some very wicked-looking improvised weapons.

In their attempt to retreat, Maltay said, they found themselves cornered by a gate in the Chief of Prisons’ office, on the other side of which were prisoners brandishing improvised weapons and saying that if they only dare try to open the gate, they’d be sorry.

But open the gate he and his four colleagues did eventually, and ran into the Chief’s office, where they again found themselves cornered.

Seeing a chance to escape the armed mob outside the Chief’s of fice, Maltay said he ran upstairs, jumped through a window, and made his getaway across the roof

Injured and hospitalised: Prison Warder, Jason Maltay

Carlotta Trim, wife of critically injured Chief of Prisons, Hubert Trim, at the GPHC on Monday

which took him to the prison’s front gate.

PLAY DEAD He related that it was while he was attempting to access the armoury that he came face-to-face with Uree Varswyck, called Malcolm Gordon, the ex-policeman who is on remand for murder.

And without hesitating, Varswyck fired two shots at him from a handgun.

Maltay said, “I plunged to the ground, but a bullet caught me in the foot and I stayed down.

“I played dead, and he probably thought I was and walked away. I believe if I did not play dead, he would have killed me on Sunday.”

He said he saw when Chief Prisoner Officer Hubert Trim was attacked, but he couldn’t help him as he was trying to save his own neck.

Maltay said that on Sunday, all staff who were required to work showed up for duty as per normal, little knowing what was about to take place.

The rank stated that he had no time to retrieve any of his personal belongings on Sunday, as he was too busy trying to contain the

prisoners and helping his colleagues.

As such, he lost his cell-phone, his motorcycle keys, license, identification and bank cards among other things in the fire that day.

Meanwhile, Chief Prison Officer Hubert Trim, both of whose legs were broken in the melee, is listed as critical in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the GPHC, nursing multiple chop and stab wounds.

When the Guyana Chronicle went to see him on Monday, only two relatives at a time were allowed to visit him.

BADLY BEATEN According to his wife, Carlotta, her husband is not doing too well, as he was not only badly beaten, but also chopped to his head and hands, and stabbed in the chest.

She related that she and her husband have four children, aged 16, 14, nine and eight, and have been married for 10 years, but lived together for nine years before they tied the knot.

She noted that he has been in the employ of the GPS for the past 21 years, and was promoted to Chief Prison Officer just last year.

Mrs. Trim, who lives in New Amsterdam, Berbice, told the Guyana Chronicle that she last saw her husband on July 1, when he went home to visit, but they would often talk on the phone, as he’s since his promotion been posted to Georgetown.

She stated that she became aware of the fire at the Georgetown Prison via Facebook and the newsflash on television, and began making enquiries.

Between tears, Mrs. Trim, a postal worker, said on Monday that she’d had to take some time off from her job so she could visit her husband, and was hoping that the doctors would tell her how he was doing.

She added that no one from the GPS has reached out to her as yet. According to ‘A’ Division Commander, Marlon Chapman, the injured prison officers are Hubert Trim; Simeon Sandy, who has injuries about the body but was treated and discharged; Peter Gonsalves, who received chop wounds and is still hospitalised; Jason Maltay, who was shot in the right leg and is still in hospital; Earl Bathness, who was shot to the left shoulder and was treated and discharged.

Chapman reported

Hubert and Carlotta Trim in happier times

that prison officer Odinga Wickham was shot multiple times about the body and succumbed at the GPHC. The injured prisoners have been identified as Keron Cum-

mings, who is nursing a gunshot wound and remains hospitalised, and Marcus Anthony, called “Wild Buck”, who was shot in the left foot and is also hospitalised.

Family and Friends bid Farewell to

CARL ANTHONY MCLEOD

Sunrise Jan. 12, 1949

A

Sunset June 29, 2017

Celebration of Life Serv- ice, Nadine, Carla and LaShaunda. ice was held on Friday, After a good fight of a long July 7, 2017 for Carl An- illness, Carl was called to be with thony McLeod, who departed the Lord on Thursday, June 29, this life on June 29, 2017.

2017.

He leaves to cherish his memCarl, who was born in Guyana, migrated to the United ory, his loving wife, children famStates and worked at Beth Israel ily and lots of friends, who turned out in great numbers to show their Medical Center in New York.

His family owned and oper- support for a great father, grandfaated the well-known Nook Pastry ther and faithful friend to the end.

Shop in Guyana for many years.

Gone But Not Forgotten.

He was the husband of Joy May His Soul Rest in Peace McLeod and father of Leon, Shan-

18 18

Emphasis on Real Estate, Taxes and Business

W

The Edgar Henry Column

henever a businessperson closely monitors the way they get paid, they can take control of cash flow and avoid coming up short on payment schedules and deadlines.

Figure out where your money is going so you can avoid a cash crunch, which could probably lead to business failure. It is imperative that you manage your cash flow properly.

You can foster a profitable cash flow for your business by starting each sale/order off on the right track. Negotiate terms and conditions that require payments whenever you want them to materialize. Profitable cash flow will occur when you establish and execute timely cash-flow concepts into every sale.

There are a couple of ways to look at cash flow, and as the old saying goes ‘prevention is always better than cure.’

Prevention is to manage the business in such a way that you see problems coming and can deal with them very early, while cure deals with problems when they arrive. Prevention is by far the best option. If you plan ahead and look for problems as far out as possible, you can avoid many of them and lessen the severity of the ones you can't avoid.

OPTION/CHOICES If you've worked hard on prevention but still find yourself with an unexpected problem, what can you do about it? If you haven't been planning on this happening, you may face some painful choices: Borrow from your personal funds, delay paying some ven-

dors, delay payroll, try to convince customers to pay their bills early, etc. A much better plan is to have a close relationship with your banker. Don't make the mistake of treating your banker as an outsider; treat him or her as a partner, and send them frequent financial reports. The more a banker knows about your business, the more confidence he will have in you, and the more willing he will be to help out if you get into a cash crunch. Another important tool is a line of credit from your bank. Think of this as a business overdraft protection for your checking account. If you've got that in place and a

Guyana Guyana Chronicle Chronicle New New York York Edition Edition Week-ending Week-ending July July 14, 14, 2017 2017

Avoid Cash Flow Problems — Adopt Smart Payment Policies customer is slow to pay, you can draw on it until your invoices come in.

able to use in order to collect interest from delinquent accounts.

DUE DATES Setting payment due dates, is important because it defines when you will be paid. Why take an order if you don't make an effort to assure payment?

Bear in mind that extending credit to customers has a real cost to you. Be sure your contract and or price provides for that cost.

Poor credit risks should be sold C.O.D. Discounts can be offered but tied to the shipment date, customer acceptance date, your invoice date, or a calendar date. The point is, once the payment date is established in your contract, purchase order, etc., you have a legally enforceable document.

Establishing penalties for late payment will help you get timely payments. What happens today if a customer pays you 30 days late? Do you collect interest, or are you just happy to get paid? If your terms and conditions require a penalty for late payment, you improve your chances for timely payment, based on contract terms.You have legal remedies avail-

CASH FLOW You can negotiate profitable cash flow to save collection time and effort.

You must place extra emphasis on payment provisions if you want to keep the profit you earned on the production line as your own. If there's one thing that will make or break your company, especially when it's small, it's cash flow.

If you pay close attention to your cash flow and think about it every single day, you'll have an edge over almost all your competitors, and you will keep growing while other companies fall by the wayside. The amount of attention you pay to cash flow can literally mean the difference between life and death for your company.

What does "cash flow" mean, anyway? For the moment, don't think about profits and losses, your balance sheet, gross margins, etc. Perhaps the simplest way to think about cash flow is to just think of the balance in your checking account. Will that balance be enough to pay your bills when they come due?

That's the point of this whole concept.

The further out you can predict your bank balance, the further out you can see a problem, and the longer you have to deal with it.

As you start to think about it, you'll realize that you can pretty easily forecast most of your expenses, at least for the upcoming months. Once you have that in mind, add the revenue that you believe you'll receive, and do the math. Cash-flow management is simple in concept but can be complex in execution. Why? Partly because it's tough to decide how to get started and partly because it takes serious discipline to consistently look at this scenario especially when there are often more interesting things vying for your valuable time.

The bottom line with cash-flow management is to develop the tools and discipline to manage it constantly, look for problems as far into the future as possible, and set up a good plan for dealing with the problems that you sometimes really can't avoid.

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

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

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

19

Don’t blame Ramjattan – President says minister inherited a broken prison system

By Ariana Gordon NO blame should be attached to Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan for the two Georgetown Prison fires in March 2016 and last Sunday, President David Granger has said.

The President’s statement follows calls by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) for Ramjattan to step down from his post. But President Granger reminded that the prison system has been plagued with problems for a long time, while noting that the problems are not a quick fix.

“It is quite unfortunate that Mr Ramjattan had to in-

herit a prison service which is in its present state,” the President told the Guyana Chronicle in an interview on Thursday.

He noted too that even while he was a member of the Disciplined Forces Commission 14 years ago, he was aware of the decrepit state of the infrastructure at all the country’s prison facilities.

Following the March 2016 fire which left 17 prisoners dead, the President and the Minister of Public Security visited the Mazaruni Prisons where an assessment of the infrastructure was done and plans made to have the facility expanded to accommodate more prisoners. “…he was with me last year, we visited Mazaruni and we

knew what had to be done.

I would not blame him, I think he has a very difficult ministry,” President Granger added.

Asked whether he believes the appointment of a junior minister to the Public Security Ministry would remove some of the pressures off Minister Ramjattan, the head-of-state said, “…the presence of a junior minister may not necessarily relieve him of the burden of the discrepant system.”

Granger made the point that each aspect of the security sector is faced with its own challenges, and as such, he is awaiting a report from his advisor on security on the way forward relative to reform of the force.

In the case of the Guyana Fire Service, the President noted the need for more equipment. “It is a high-expenditure ministry, but I would not attach any blame to him or any neglect of duty on his part. I think he is working very hard in a difficult situation,” Mr Granger asserted.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo said Ramjattan should consider calls for him to resign following the second Camp Street penitentiary fire and jailbreak.

Jagdeo labelled the minister as incompetent and said it would be best if the President asks Ramjattan to resign.

“He has to take respon-

‘Camp St fire wasn’t normal’

By Alva Solomon SUNDAY night’s fire which gutted the Georgetown Prison was not “normal” and Fire Chief Marlon Gentle said the evacuation of the inmates was a bigger priority than to save the building which was eventually gutted.

When the Fire Service received word of the fire via the operations room of the Brickdam Police Station, the firemen observed all requisite protocols and during the swift activation, two fire units were dispatched to the scene, Gentle told a media briefing Sunday night at the National Communications Network (NCN) studios. “When they got there, there were four different fires at four different parts of the prisons,” Gentle related, adding that the Fire Service received word of the fire around 16:45hrs.

The prison was reduced to rubble after a prison break which started when inmates lit simultaneous fires in the buildings and one officer was held hostage reportedly by mass killer, Royden Williams. This was according to Director of Prisons, Gladwyn Samuels, who also spoke to the media late Sunday night.

Gentle recounted that when the firemen arrived at the scene, it was decided that alternatives had to be sought.

He said that the firefighting

role was aimed at safeguarding the exit points of the prison. He said that given the time of the day, being 17:00hrs, one would have expected rapid combustion as the prison was ablaze.

The wooden sections of the prison at the corner of Durban and John Streets, as well as another wooden area close to the corner of John and Bent Streets, were set ablaze initially. Those areas, known as the strong-cell division and the condemned division, were immediately attended to as evacuation of the prisoners commenced.

Gentle said that given the large number of persons who had to be accounted for, 1018 prisoners, the immediate priority was to ensure the fire remained confined to the prison compound and, secondly, to ensure everyone exited the building safely. He said that there were several simultaneous factors which were being played out as the prison burned. Gentle noted that as the firemen battled the blaze with help from other members of the Joint Services, they were being constantly attacked by prisoners with large bricks. “There are a lot of issues that occurred“, he noted, adding that first responders would have made appropriate moves based on the situation on the ground.

Gentle described the scene as “unprecedented”,

a major incident where in less than an hour more than six buildings in the centre of Georgetown were razed. Officials noted the complexity of the situation on Sunday night.

It was noted that groups of prisoners who were brought out from inside the prison and placed inside the Prison Officers’ Club set fire to that facility.

Last March, 17 prisoners in the Capital Section of the Georgetown Prison died as a result of an unrest that started several days earlier .The Capital Section of the prison usually accommodates persons who are on remand for murder and gun-related crimes. Following the fiery incident, a fire-truck was placed on stand-by outside the prison for any eventualities. Later a decision was made to remove the fire – truck from the environs of the prison. Samuels told the media on Sunday evening that after any event, assessments are conducted and while the fire tenders being at the scene served a security purpose, it was also viewed as a form of provocation to prisoners.

“And, our assessment at the time revealed that the prison was calm enough to revert to the SOP whereby if there is an incident we would utilise whatever firefighting capabilities we have on the ground and also to call in the fire service,”

Samuels said. Eight persons from the prison were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) to

President David Granger

sibility just like in the past when they used to call on PPP ministers, when there was a problem… to resign,” said Jagdeo, who served as President during the 2002 jailbreak and other prison unrests.

However, on Sunday

night, during a televised press conference aired on the National Communications Network (NCN), Ramjattan cast aside calls for him to demit office. When asked whether be believes he should step down, given the two fires which occurred just over a year apart, Ramjattan said he is not to be blamed as he did nothing wrong. “If there is a fault on my part; well, the President can do that… I would have resigned if it was a fault on my part,” Ramjattan told reporters.

He said too that because of the need to bailout the ailing sugar industry, large amounts were expended there and stressed that the government does not have the finances to construct a new facility immediately.

…Gentle says priority was to save lives, contain blaze receive medical attention on Sunday night. Seven of those persons are Prison Officers. One of the offi-

cers, Odinga Wickham, who sustained a gunshot wound, subsequently died while seeking medical attention.

20

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

Over 200 prisoners will return …brick prison being to Camp St prepared for intake OVER 200 prisoners are likely to return to the Camp Street penitentiary to be housed in the recently constructed brick prison, wellplaced sources have told the Guyana Chronicle.

The newly-built brick prison is one of the only buildings still standing amidst the rubble at the Camp Street site. It was constructed at a cost of $80M following recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the March 2016 prison riots which claimed the lives of 17 inmates.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that the inmates are likely to be transferred from Lusignan to the brick prison before the end of the week.

According to sources, among those who will be housed there are persons on remand for murder and other serious crimes. “Basically, it will be a remand centre and just for those who are on remand and have to attend trial and court,” the source who asked not to be named said.

Only this week, retired Judge, James Patterson told the Guyana Chronicle that Camp Street should be transformed into an emergency remand centre. Patterson who chaired the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the March 2016 riot said: “Perhaps the Government might think about clearing up the debris in Camp Street and making that an emergency remand centre.” According to him, the prisoners on re-

mand should not be sent to the various prisons across the country but should be held at the remand centre. “This is something Government may want to consider… until the required resources are acquired for the construction of a new prison,he said.

President David Granger on Tuesday said his administration did not intend to rebuild the Camp Street-based penitentiary as it was prior to the fire. The President had led members of Cabinet on a tour of the gutted facility. He posited that the authorities will return to the drawing board “to determine whether it is appropriate to have a facility such as a prison at the centre of the capital city.” He said that the country’s three major prisons, Georgetown, New Amsterdam and Mazaruni Prisons were constructed by the British in each county. “So this is what was adequate maybe 120 years ago,” President Granger said, noting that the authorities “definitely” will discuss what type of facility is needed following Sunday’s fire. “But we are not going to have the same type of facility here again,” he reiterated. He said the devastation at the site almost totalled the facility.

The President said that the government was aware of the situation at the Camp Street Prison prior to the blaze and, according to him, the authorities were acting on recommendations made by the Commission of In-

The Brick Prison at the Georgetown Prison being prepared for the return of 250 inmates (Delano Williams photo)

quiry (COI) after the riots at the prison last March. “We knew we had to strengthen Mazaruni (prison); money had been provided,” the President said. Government is in the process of expanding the facilities at the Mazaruni prisons. ”This was an accident waiting to happen”, the Head-of-State noted of the inferno. He explained too that the New Amsterdam prison was equally a “fragile structure”, noting that government is acting with the resources at hand. He assured that the Ministry of Public Security, at the end of the process, will have more secure prisons across the country, which he

noted will not be susceptible to the cycle of breakouts which have been happening.

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, had said the “brick block” of the Georgetown Prisons will house high-profile prisoners. The brick prison can house more than 300 prisoners. During the sitting of the COI into the prison riots, Attorney-at-law Selwyn Pieters who represented the Guyana Prison Service had said Government needed to invest financially in constructing a brick prison, since the main prison is housed in the country’s capital city, which is also the country’s business capital. Further,

Camp St. Prison gutted

By Alva Solomon The Camp Street Prison as well as the officers’ sport Club has been gutted as inmates set coordinated fires to several buildings in a riot reminiscent of a similar one last year.

The riot started when inmates lit simultaneous fires in the buildings and one officer was held hostage reportedly by mass killer, Royden Williams, Director of Prisons Gladwyn Samuels told the media late Sunday night.

Samuels was at the time responding to questions posed during a news conference at the studios of the National Communication Network

(NCN), Homestretch Avenue.

He said that the incident commenced with simultaneous fires which were lit by the prisoners. Flanked by Deputy Chief of Staff of the GDF, Nazrul Hussain, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud and Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle, the prison director noted that around 16:45hrs on Sunday, he received two phone calls, one from the prison and one from a civilian, informing him of the situation at Camp Street.

He said that he was told that an officer was being held hostage and following an exchange of gunshots, the prison’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) were activated.

Samuels said the wooden sec-

tions of the prison at the corner of Durban and John Streets, as well as another wooden area close to the corner of John and Bent Streets, were set ablaze. Those areas, known as the strong-cell division and the condemned division, were immediately attended to as evacuation of the prisoners commenced.

He said that from his observation, all the wooden buildings at Camp Street were damaged or completely gutted and the Prison Sports Club, which was used as holding area, was subsequently set on fire and destroyed. Samuels said that there were no signs of unrest prior to Sunday and according to him, based on

reports, the fires served as distractions which resulted in the break for freedom by the escapees. He said the duty officer, who could have been able to provide an account of what had transpired, is among other prison officers who are hospitalised.

The police commissioner told the media that the identities of two prisoners, Williams and Uree Varswayke aka “Malcom Gordon,” have been confirmed, while the identifies of three others have not been confirmed. Persaud said his Surinamese counterparts have been informed of the situation, noting that previously Varswayke, who was before the court for the

Pieters pointed out that Superintendent Kevin Pilgrim, Officer-in-Charge of the Georgetown Prison, in his testimony, had said the old wooden structures make it easy for inmates to hide contraband, and pose challenges for officers assigned to the living units. “Wood buildings at the Georgetown Prison… have their place, and their place now is ‘historic relics’; those are not places to house prisoners,” Pieters told the Commission at that time.

EXPANSION OF MAZARUNI Meanwhile, Ramjattan said that the plans to expand the Mazaruni Prisons were

initiated after the completion of the COI last year. Noting that the 2016 National Budget was already passed when the COI was completed, the Minister said a request for the funds for the project’s first phase was approved in this year’s budget. These plans will see the foundations for a state- of- the- art modern prison being built on the grounds of the Mazaruni Prison to the tune of 278 million dollars.

The expansion will entail the construction of solid cast foundations, wall supports and internal fixtures such as wiring, utilities and other features being built over a one-year period. The new section, which will be adjacent to a part of the old prison, will also feature automated locks, sprinkler systems and forced ventilation. Twelve concrete houses are also being built to accommodate prison officers stationed there, at a cost of $178 million dollars.

Ramjattan explained that this is the first step towards building a maximum- security prison which will accommodate some 400 prisoners. He added that an engineer from Trinidad with prior experience in constructing similar facilities is a consultant on the project.

When completed within the coming year, it will ease the problems of overcrowding at other prison facilities across Guyana.

…Officer held hostage, coordinated fires set to buildings murder of a security guard at Sterling Products Limited, was caught by the police there and handed over to the Guyana Police Force for the offences of armed robbery and murder.

ROAD BLOCKS Persaud said that as per procedure, roadblocks were established across the police divisions on the East Coast of Demerara. He said there were reports of an incident in which an unlicensed driver attempted to escape a police roadblock at Buxton. He said that incident was unrelated to the prison unrest.

As regards security at the Lusignan Prison, where the prisoners were relocated

on Sunday night, Samuels said that security is being provided by the joint services. He said that there are rogue elements among the prisoners and efforts are being made to ensure they are isolated. Colonel Hussain told the media that the army activated its security protocols in light of the incident and according to him, the military has placed its resources for availability, including air assets. Fire Chief Marlon Gentle noted at the briefing that the immediate priority of the Fire Service was to evacuate the prison and contain the blaze, adding that the conflagration was “high-intensive.”

GuyanaChronicle ChronicleNew New York Edition Week-ending July 2017 Guyana York Edition Week-ending July 14, 14, 2017

New York Chronicle Horoscope

21 21

C CR RO OS SS SW WO OR RD D

ISSUE 57 CROSSWORD ANSWER

ARIES (Mar. 21 - April 20) Don’t press your luck with your loved ones. You are best to stick to yourself next week. Try to be precise in your communications. Travel may change your attitudes with regard to your philosophy. Your lucky day next week will be Friday.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) You are best to stick to yourself next week. Do not yield to children or relatives when they really don’t deserve it. Be tolerant, but don’t let any one take you for granted. Lack of funds may add stress to your already uncertain situation. Your lucky day next week will be Monday.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) If you keep busy you won’t feel the personal pressures you are going through. Travel opportunities must be taken advantage of. Your ability to talk circles around your colleagues will help you forge ahead in the workforce. Pleasure trips should be on your agenda. Your lucky day next week will be Monday.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) You can elaborate on your creative ideas and get involved in groups that relate to the arts. You may find that your generosity has been taken for granted.

Not everyone will be pleased with your plans. Try to channel your energy into physical work. Your lucky day next week will be Thursday.

LEO (July 23 - Aug 22) Secret affairs will eventually backfire on you. You should consider submitting some of your written work for publication. A new you could help your attitude. Take matters in hand when it comes to dealing with clients or colleagues. Your lucky day next week will be Wednesday.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 23) Get the whole family involved in a worthwhile cause or cultural event.

Concentrate on spending quality time with children. Don’t do something silly just to get back at your mate. Opportunities to get together with people in powerful positions could help you get ahead. Your lucky day next week will be Wednesday.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 - Oct. 23) This will not be the day to lend money to friends or family.

Exhaustion combined with overindulgence could result in minor health problems. Try to communicate if you wish to help. Travel could include delays and other minor problems. Your lucky day next week will be Tuesday.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) You can open up to your mate and let them know what you expect out of this relationship. Do not jump to conclusions concerning your romantic partner. Have some fun, but draw the line if someone tries to fast talk their way into your heart. Your lucky day next week will be Sunday.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 - Dec. 21) You may find that someone you live with is not too happy, but you can’t really do anything about that right now. Travel will enhance romance and adventure. Your outgoing nature might work against you next week. Your lucky day next week will be Sunday.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) You may have difficulties while traveling or problems dealing with close friends or relatives. Difficulties with children will surface if you try to break a promise you made. Don’t be afraid of opposition; your suggestions are valid. Your lucky day next week will be Friday.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) There may be opportunities to attend social functions that are linked to work. Problems with your boss could lead to unemployment. Don’t let friends or relatives make you feel guilty if you’re not able to attend one of their affairs. Take a trip or just spend some quality time with your mate. Your lucky day next week will be Saturday.

PISCES (Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) Limitations at work might set you back. Underhandedness will affect your reputation. Children may be less than honest with you. You may blow situations out of proportion when dealing with the one you love. Your lucky day next week will be Tuesday.

40. John Jacob ___ 43. ___ blanche 45. Pursues 47. Saucer 48. Tom Arnold’s ex 50. Goldie’s daughter 53. Mouse-spotter’s cry 54. Pulled by double 55. Historical periods 56. Draft org.

57. Online auction house 58. Highways (abbr.)

ACROSS 1. ___ oxide 5. Scotsman’s skirt 9. Light knock 12. Inspiration 13. Again 14. Stat for Alex Rodriguez 15. Frost work 16. Picture mentally 18. Distribute cards 20. Head over heels (2 wds.)

21. Org. 23. Vapors 24. Longitude’s opp.

25. Occur 29. Weaving contraption 31. Field 32. ___off (angry) 36. Pacific and Indian 39. Picnic drink

W O R D F I N D

A W H A L E

DOWN 1. Close luggage 2. Wedding words (2 wds.)

3. Must (2 wds.)

4. Bit part 5. Movie critic Pauline 6. Guesthouse 7. Tribe of Israel

8. Pang 9. Threesomes 10. Atop 11. Longs (for) 17. Be at an angle 19. German exclamation 21. Total amount 22. ___ Paulo 26. Brewer’s product 27. “The Princess and the ___” 28. Springform 30. Bullwinkle, for one 33. Aviator Amelia 34. Summer setting in CT 35. Fourth letter 37. Fabricate 38. Biology, e.g. (abbr.)

40. Land units 41. Loafers 42. Assigned duties 44. One who questions 46. Stuck-up sort 47. Disclaim 49. ’30s relief agcy.

51. Famed inventor’s monogram 52. Snaky shape

T A L E

ALL OCEANS

INSULATED

ANIMAL

LEVIATHAN

BLOWHOLE

MIGRATORY

BLUBBER

“MOBY-DICK”

BREATHE AIR

NARWHAL

BROACH

OCEAN

BUOYANT

CURRENT

FAT

OIL

HAS FLIPPERS

SING

HUGE BODY

TONS

HUMPBACK

WARM-BLOODED

IMPRESSIVE

WHITE WHALE

ISSUE #57 WORDFIND ANSWER

22 22

GuyanaChronicle Chronicle New New York YorkEdition EditionWeek-ending Week-ending July July14, 14,2017 2017 Guyana

The Forgotten War

(from page 5) the War and President Trump threatens even more involvement.

The USS Carl Vinson, USS Theodore Roosevelt, a missile carrier and 10 other US warships are in the region.

I understand our involvement in a country that poses a threat to our national interests. Does poor Yemen pose such a threat? I should think not. Why, then, is the US involved in Yemen’s war? The only reason could be to assure her allies in the region that it is “watching their back” However, Iran could interpret this as the beginning of a Trump effort to build an anti-Iranian military coalition. This would not help our efforts to encourage Iran not to build nuclear weapons.

Another and more traditional reason concerns our military-in-

dustrial complex. Members of Operation Decisive buy our military hardware and keep our weapon factories busy. President Trump recently signed a $110B arms deal with Saudi Arabia. This pleases members of Congress, who receive huge campaign contributions from the arms industry.

MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX A country's military establishment and industries producing arms or other military materials are regarded as its military industrial complex. On January 16, 1961, in a 10-minute farewell speech, President Dwight Eisenhower, warned against the dangers of the military industrial complex. He said: “This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. Yet we must not fail to

comprehend its grave implications.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”

However, the extremely conservative kingdom blames Iran for supporting Houthi rebels, who are Shia. I will not advance this argument further, since it tends to oversimplify the complexity of the Yemen situation.

CONCLUSION

The war will end — will pass into history as minor. However, the plight of its victims should haunt the G-20 members and all civilized persons. This war does concern us, because we are our brothers’ keepers. Every civilian that is killed by an errant drone or indiscriminate As they say, the elephant in bombing shames us all. the room is Iran. The two major Sooner or later there will be sections of Islam — Sunni and Shia — are waging a psychologi- an end to the fighting, and a minor cal war against each other for ad- war will pass into history. But the herents. Saudi Arabia is Sunni, plight of its victims should haunt while Iran is Shia. Yemen is eight Americans for a long time to percent more Sunni than Shia. come.

Unfortunately, we have not heeded Ike’s words. We will continue our intervention in wars that do not impact the people of America. As long as the Military-Industrial Complex benefits, we will go full steam ahead.

Let’s Talk Poverty (from page 7) sion about poverty fails to address hunger, lack of shelter (homelessness), sickness, and poor schools, unemployment and in some cases functional illiteracy. Poverty is all these things. In addition to a lack of money, poverty is about not being able to participate in recreational activities; not being able to send children on a day trip with their schoolmates or to a birthday party; not being able to pay for medications for an illness.

These are all the accompanying costs of being poor. Those people who are barely able to pay for food and shelter simply can’t consider these other expenses. When people are excluded within a society, when they are not well educated, and when they have a higher incidence of illness, there are negative consequences for all in society. In the end we all pay the price for poverty. The increased cost on the health system, the justice system, and other systems that provide support to those living in poverty has an impact on our economy.

SO WHAT’S THE SOLUTION? There is no silver bullet. And many scholars and academics far smarter than me have offered a slew of solutions. I particularly favor the Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI)

(also called minimum income). This is a system of social welfare provision that guarantees that all citizens and/or families have an income sufficient to live on, provided they meet certain conditions . . . If citizenship is the only requirement, the system turns into a universal basic income.

omy in place.

In essence then “guaranteed basic/minimum income”— where, instead of multiple income assistance programs, we have just one: a single payment to all citizens, regardless of background, gender, or race. It’s a policy idea that sounds crazy at first, HOW DOES THIS WORK? but actually begins to make sense Let me say that this is not a new when you consider some recent or particularly novel idea. It was pro- trends. For starters, work isn’t what it posed by historical luminaries like used to be. Today, many people now Thomas Moore, George Orwell and struggle through a 50-hour week and still don’t have enough money to live Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on. There are many reasons for this– First, this is a government en- including the heartlessness of emsured guarantee that no one's income ployers and the weakness of unions. will fall below the level necessary to So work no longer pays. The wages meet their most basic needs for any of most American workers have stagreason. As British philosopher nated since the 1970s. About 25% of Bertrand Russell put it in 1918, "A workers now need public assistance certain small income, sufficient for to top up what they earn. necessities, should be secured for all, The point is that public welfare whether they work or not, and that a as presently operational in America is larger income should be given to both wasteful and inefficient. We those who are willing to engage in some work which the community rec- need a new approach to poverty. ognizes as useful. On this basis we However, I am no idealist and I know may build further." Thus, with this that an idea like this is bound to elicit system no one is destitute but every- push pack. And too, the exact details one has a positive incentive to work. of Guaranteed Basic Income still need A guaranteed minimum income is an to be worked out. But it might work efficient, effective, and equitable so- something like this: Instead of wellution to poverty that promotes indi- fare payments, subsidies for health vidual freedom and leaves the care, and tax credits for the working beneficial aspects of a market econ- poor, government would take that money and use it to cover a single

payment that would give someone the chance to live reasonably. For example, Switzerland is planning to hold a referendum on a basic income this year, though no date is set. The proposed amount is $2,800 per month.

Finally, the economic and social benefits to communities with more money circulating in them is well documented; more planned savings accounts and the quality of life payoffs made possible by citizens knowing that they will get a fixed sum of money every week or month means that the poor “will not have to make spontaneous bad decisions.” Such a system brings peace of mind. And the good thing is that the fixed amount will be pegged to the cost of living index to make sure that it’s adjusted for inflation.

And there’s reason to be encouraged — a pilot program in the 1970s in Manitoba, Canada, showed that a Mincome” — not only ended poverty but also reduced hospital visits and raised high-school completion rates.

There seemed to be a community empowering effect, which showed itself in people making use of free public services more responsibly. Moreover, if successful this is a model that can be replicated in the Caribbean and other poor countries where crippling and stultifying poverty is a real headache.

No big jail in GT Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

…gov’t not likely to rebuild full-scale prison at Camp Street CITING Sunday’s gutting of the Georgetown Prison as an “accident waiting to happen”, President David Granger on Tuesday said his administration does not intend to rebuild the Camp Street-based penitentiary prison as it was prior to the fire.

The President led members of Cabinet on a tour of the gutted facility around midday on Tuesday. The Head-of-State told online media entity, News Source, that the authorities will return to the drawing board “to determine whether it is appropriate to have a facility such as a prison at the centre of the capital city.” He said that the country’s three major prisons, Georgetown, New Amsterdam and Mazaruni Prisons were constructed by the British in each county.

“So this is what was ade-

quate maybe was 120 years ago,” President Granger said, noting that the authorities “definitely” will discuss what type of facility is needed following Sunday’s fire.

Noting that he will not prejudge the matter, the President said he will discuss the issue with Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, and members of Cabinet.

“But we are not going to have the same type of facility here again,” he reiterated. He said the devastation at the site almost totalled the facility.

EIGHT ON THE RUN Regarding questions on the figures provided by the authorities on how many prisoners escaped on Sunday, the President said that Director of Prisons, Gladwyn Samuels, has advised that eight persons are unaccounted for from the total prison population.

New vehicles to aid in ‘narco’ fight THE soon-to-be-operational National Anti-Narcotics Agency (NANA) is one of several agencies for which Cabinet has green-lighted various sums of money for the purchase of new vehicles.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, told the media during a post-Cabinet briefing on Friday, that Cabinet has noted the award of contracts to the tune of $39M for the purchase of several vehicles.

NANA, the Guyana Prison Service, and the Police Complaints Authority will benefit from the sum awarded.

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, has said in the past that NANA will be implemented as an umbrella agency under which all agencies in the fight against illicit drugs, including the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) , will operate.

Minister Harmon also announced the award of several contracts on Friday. These include: $17M for the extension and rehabilitation of the regional administration building of Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo); $74M for the construction of a single-lane roundabout at Timehri; $386M for the supply of poles and timber products for the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) for several housing and industrial areas across the country; $4M for the procurement of agricultural equipment and office supplies for the Guyana Prison Service; and $72M for the supply and installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras for 24 tower sites to be managed by the Data Centre of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications.

The President said that the government was aware of the situation at Camp Street prior to the blaze and, according to him, the authorities were acting on recommendations made following the Commission of Inquiry (COI) after the riots at the prison last March. “We knew we had to strengthen Mazaruni (prison), money had been provided,” the President said.

Government is in the process of expanding the facilities at the Mazaruni prisons. ”This was an accident waiting to happen”, the Head-of-State noted of the inferno. He explained too that the New Amsterdam prison was equally a “fragile structure”, noting that government is acting with the resources at hand. He assured that the Ministry of Public Security, at the end of the process, will have more secure prisons

across the country, which he noted will not be susceptible to the cycle of breakouts which have been happening.

HARD DECISIONS Meanwhile, former Director of Prisoners, Dale Erskine believes that the authorities should focus now on finding solutions to the situation at hand rather than the faults. Erskine noted in a lengthy social media post on Tuesday that “judicious, hard and endurable decisions “ will be have to be acted on “swiftly” to ensure a stronger, new prison infrastructure is built . He said it has to be designed “in such a manner to diminish the will of prisoners to break out in the manner that occurred on Sunday, 9th July, 2017.”

Erskine, who sat as a Commissioner in last year’s COI into the March distur-

23

bances, noted that the relevant authorities were aware of the “vulnerability” and the “toxicity” of the Georgetown Prison.

He said daily there was a strong sense of vulnerability that “it could be your last day, considering the overpopulation, poor security design of most prison buildings, a high amount of dangerous, violent, in- discipline and angry prisoners, inadequate and poorly trained staff as well as a number of corrupt/ unprofessional staff.”

He said those factors were “highly explosive” and officers did their utmost to ensure the situation at the prison was always under control. Erskine said the death of Prison Officer, Odinga Wickham, who succumbed to gunshot wounds following the unrest on Sunday, is evidence of how a quiet day can turn into deadly tragedy within minutes in the prison system.

Erskine urged the prisoners and their families to work with the prison administration and members of the Joint Services to bring normalcy to the situation. On Monday, the Government of Guyana (GoG) approved the “immediate implementation” of a four-part emergency plan to deal with the aftermath of Sunday’s massive inferno.

President Granger in a televised address to the nation said the four-part emergency plan has been activated and includes the construction of temporary structures to house the displaced prisoners in the short term, the completion of a recovery operation to account for and accommodate every single prisoner, implementation of legal measures to immediately reduce the prison population and, importantly, the immediate recapture of the inmates, who escaped custody.

GHRA praises Joint Services response to prison riot THE Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) says that the safe relocating of over 1 000 prisoners during the raging inferno that reduced the Central Prison on Camp Street to cinders, borders on the miraculous and praised the joint services for a job well done.

In a statement the GHRA said while a final accounting for all prisoners awaits a search of the cooling-off compound, the Prison Service staff and Joint Services who worked with them, along with inmates, deserve the highest commendation. “This commendation is additionally merited, in light of the provocation of the Prison Officers’ Club being set alight, allegedly by some inmates while being held there as a temporary measure.”

According to the rights body, statements from President David Granger and the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, indicate an intention that these levels of humanitarian concern will carry over to the make-shift accommodation in Lusignan, especially given the current heavy rains. “Judging from their performance last night, lessons have been learnt by the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) and the Joint Services from last year’s fire in which 17

prisoners perished. As reported, one prison officer, Wayne Wickham, lost his life tragically while he was resisting the efforts of the ring-leaders to break out from prison. It was also reported that eight persons from the prison had been transported to the Public Hospital, seven of whom were prison officers who had been shot and brutally chopped.”

According to GHRA the spotlight needs to move fairly quickly to an assessment of other aspects of this tragedy.

The body said last year’s Commission of Inquiry Report, asked three questions: what happened: what happened that should not have happened, and what did not happen that ought to have happened?

The first section dealt with the facts: who did what and to whom and what were the consequences. The second part encompassed Standing Orders, their adequacy and other aspects of the general administration of the prison. The third part: ‘What did not happen that ought to have happened?’ looked at the role of supporting agencies – the most vital of which is the Judiciary, which controls how many prisoners are sent to Camp Street prison.

The GHRA noted that the prison population as of Sunday according to Prison Director (ag) Gladwin Samuels, stood at 1018 in a prison built originally to accommodate 300-400 inmates. “The prison has to

take all who are sent by the courts. The central complaint leading to last year’s fire came from remand prisoners who spend long periods awaiting trial. The Minister of Public Security reported last night that this figure still constitutes half of all inmates –some 500 men who are still to be convicted or released as innocent.”

According to the GHRA, the COI Report alluded to the following causes of overcrowding which one way or another fall within the purview of the administration of justice.

They include refusal of bail in bailable cases, inability to pay bail, a dearth of magistrates, slowness of the High Courts, lack of alternative sentences and absence of a sentencing policy leading to bizarre discrepancies in sentences.

Following a temporary introduction of night courts and appeals to magistrates to use their common sense and be even-handed in bail matters, over-crowding has assumed a lower profile. An initiative to develop alternative penalties has reportedly been developed but its effects are not yet evident in the courts. Equally disturbing is the lack of sustained interest from the legal profession in bringing pressure to keep prison reform front and centre of public concern. Similarly, the GHRA said, other key institutions nominally responsible for the welfare and safety of prisoners, namely

the Parole Board, has powers to ensure that time spent productively while in prison will result in positive and timely recommendations for parole.

It is the safety valve all prisons require to incentivise good behaviour. More attention to the role of the Guyana Parole Board is needed to ensure public accountability and greater vitality.

By contrast, the GPS has shown imagination and leadership on over-crowding by rewarding prisoners who work without compensation in the prisons. Acting Prison Director Samuels is reported as stating that “it’s a form of reward for daily contribution to the prisons. They work in the tailor shops, farms, kitchens, clean the yards, transport self-support meals.

At the end of the month, we calculate the value of that labour. So, as a form of compensation, they receive Special Remission, which is reduced time on their sentences….

“Last year a total of 8,743 days were taken off from the sentences. In the past, it was seven to 28 days, but this time we started from 14 to 21, to 28 days… many of them are well behaved and go beyond the call of duty of what is required. Some 486 prisoners have benefitted from this scheme to date,” he noted.

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Guyana Chronicle Chronicle New New York York Edition Edition Week-ending Week-ending July 14, 14, 2017 2017 Guyana

A TRIBUTE TO ROSA PARKS — A WOMAN WHO WENT TO JAIL FOR US! “I

n life Marcus Garvey was controversial, and in death he continues to impact our nation in small, useful ways — teachable moments. He was no angel; most of our heroes were criminals — outlawed, jailed, hanged.”

“I had not planned to get arrested . . . to end up in jail. But when I had to face that decision, I didn't hesitate to do so because I felt that we had endured that too long.

The more we gave in, the more we complied with that kind of treatment, the more oppressive it became.” —Rosa Parks As we observe American Independence which we celebrated two weeks ago on July 4, we must pause for a moment and appreciate the monumental efforts of those who made America, although still imperfect, a better place. Our community, I hope, knows about heroes like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the father of the civil rights movement, and an iconic figure globally. But, I wonder, how many even know who Rosa Parks was?

We must not only be proud of our Duck Curry festivals, and material things like huge flat screen TVs, blasting car stereos, mansions and fancy cars. Our out-

Franklin Johnston look must be much broader than that. You must empower yourselves and become citizens, register to vote, exercise that most important franchise of voting, and be active in our communities. Charity begins at home. As Harriet Tubman once said, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer.”

Take inspiration from people like Rosa Parks, a humble woman, who stands supreme as the mother of the civil rights movement, and on whose shoulders you now stand and flourish. Immigrant and minority communities like ours should always sing the praises of these righteous heroes who changed America, for most of us would not have migrated to Jim Crow America as it existed before they made their groundbreaking changes.

People of color could not marry a white person, use the same rest rooms, eat in the same restaurants, play together, attend the same schools, be hospitalized in

The ALBERT BALDEO Column

the same institution, nor sit in the same buses and trains with White folks like we do now. Primitive and inhumane, but that was what America was before heroes like Dr. King Jr., Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey and others changed it.

As we stand on their shoulders, let us not forget the legacy they left us, and build on the gains they bequeathed to all who come to the "Home of the Free, and the Land of the Brave" for a better life.

In South Africa, Nelson Mandela vanquished the evils of apartheid with statesmanlike courage. In India, Mahatma Gandhi’s liberating victories against Britain and improving the lives of untouchables, or ROSA LOUISE McCAULEY PARKS lower caste people is a beaFEB 04, 1913 - OCT 24, 2005 con to the world. Similarly, in America, we owe allegiance to heroes the struggle for racial equality, she was the like Rosa Parks. Robert Kennedy once said, recipient of innumerable honors, including “Few will have the greatness to bend his- the Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent tory itself, but each of us can work to Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of change a small portion of events, and in the Freedom. Her example remains an inspiratotal of these acts will be written the history tion to freedom-loving people everywhere. of this generation.” Rosa bent history itself, Uplifting humanity was her oyster.

Thank you, Rosa Parks, for the legacy and forced America to become a better nayou gave us. tion.

Note: Albert Baldeo is a civil rights One of the most important lives to ever walk the earth, Mrs. Parks was a seam- activist and community advocate, and his stress in Montgomery, Alabama when, in groundbreaking political efforts placed preDecember of 1955, she refused to give up viously ignored minority communities like her seat on a city bus to a white passenger. She was not tired physically, but tired of seeing so many men treated as boys and not called by their proper names or titles. She was tired of seeing children and women mistreated and disrespected because of the color of their skin.

She was tired of Jim Crow laws, of legally enforced racial segregation.

The bus driver had her arrested. She was tried and convicted of viOf all the many awards and proclamations awarded to me, olating a local ordinance. including three Congressional Citations, I treasure the one She went to jail for all of from Rosa Parks most. us, and for your generaRichmond Hill and Ozone Park firmly on tions to come.

Her act sparked a citywide boycott of the political and economic map. As the the bus system by Blacks that lasted more President of the Baldeo Foundation and than a year, crystalizing into a movement Queens Justice Center, he has continued to that catapulted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., fight for equal rights, dignity and inclusion to national martyrdom, and resulted in the in government and decision making, and in U.S. Supreme Court’s historic decision out- recognizing role models like Rosa Parks. lawing segregation on city buses. Over the He can be contacted at the Baldeo Foundanext four decades, Rosa Parks helped make tion: (718) 529-2300, 106-11 Liberty Avher fellow Americans aware of the history enue, Ozone Park, New York 11417. of the civil rights struggle. As a pioneer in www.albertbaldeo.com.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

25

President unveils plan …to deal with aftermath of Camp St riot

President David Granger on Monday convened a second meeting of the National Security Council since the Camp Street Prison riot on Sunday evening

By Ariana Gordon THE GOVERNMENT of Guyana on Monday approved the “immediate implementation” of a fourpart emergency plan to deal with the aftermath of Sunday’s massive inferno which left the Georgetown Prison completely gutted.

The fire was started by inmates who rioted, and resulted in six persons escaping police custody; one of whom has since been recaptured. On Monday evening, President David Granger in a televised address to the nation said the four-part emergency plan has been activated and includes the construction of temporary structures to house the displaced prisoners in the short terms, the completion of a recovery operation to account for and accommodate every single prisoner, implementation of legal measures to immediately reduce the prison population and, importantly, the immediate recapture of the five inmates, who escaped custody.

The Head-of-State assured that the National Security Council (NSC), after meeting for the second time after the incident occurred, will continue to remain engaged to coordinate and implement immediate measures to ensure that the situation remains stable and secure and that there is a return to normalcy.

The second meeting was held at the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Base Camp Ayanganna.

“The Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Prison Service and the Guyana Fire Service are working together to ensure public safety. A manhunt is being executed, air and ground patrols are being conducted and vigilance has been heightened on roadway and at key points,” the Commander-in-Chief said.

Meanwhile, some $18M has been approved by the government to have temporary holding facilities erected for the prisoners, the Ministry of the Presidency said on Monday.

By the end of Monday, approximately 300 inmates were safely relocated to various detention facilities across

non-violent offences and reducing bail for those who could not have afforded to post the initial court-ordered sum. On Sunday, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan said he is mulling several extraordinary measures to reduce the Camp Street Prison population, one of which is an early release

ber of persons within the system on remand be reduced drastically, something that they have been trying to do.

“We’ve had some of them who couldn’t pay their bail and who when the bail was granted, they didn’t have cash, so that also accumulated that high amount of persons there, in a prison that was not made for 1, 100 persons,” Ramjattan continued.

The fire at the Camp Street penitentiary occurred one day before the Ministry of Legal Affairs was set to launch a US$8M project funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to tackle overcrowding at prisons across the country.

The programme aimed at reducing the number of pre-trial detentions of prisoners, while increasing use of alternative sentencing.

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson who also partici-

Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally(R) meets with relatives of the deceased Prison Warden, Odinga Wickham, on Monday and offered condolences on behalf of the Government of Guyana

the country, including the Mazaruni, New Amsterdam and Timehri prisons. The remainder continues to be housed at Lusignan, where temporary facilities have been installed by engineers from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. Some 1018 prisoners were held at the Georgetown Prison with more than half of that population being on remand.

Tents along with portable toilets have been erected to protect inmates from the elements, while construction begins on three holding shelters, washrooms and reinforced gates.

Six magistrates from different magisterial districts were at the Lusignan Prison to review the records of inmates, who are eligible for release between now and August, for the purposes of early release.

They have also examined releasing on their own recognisance, inmates, who have been incarcerated for minor,

of non-violent, well-behaved prisoners.

“It has to do with a lot of prisoners who are serving time, three years for possession. I have the statistics and a lot of them are there for possession of narcotics and trafficking of narcotics and all of that and they have served some time and they are of good behaviour,” he told reporters at a press conference held at the National Communications Network (NCN).

The minister added: “There is what is called a good behaviour, an early release date and a late release date, when you are going to serve [per se] a five-year term… If you are of good behaviour, you can get some remissions from me. I can give you as minister and the authority.”

This move, he said, stemmed from the recently held Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the prisons which recommended that the num-

pated in the NSC meeting on Monday disclosed that his ministry in collaboration with the Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Prison Service will begin removing the debris from the burnt out Camp Street facility with the aim of having restorative works carried out on the brick prison located within the precincts there. Patterson explained that the brick prison received minor damage and can accommodate approximately 250 prisoners.

Notwithstanding the implementation of the emergency plan, President Granger said his government is continuing to implement the major recommendations that were made by of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the March 2016 prison riot.

One of which includes the expansion of the infrastructure of the Mazaruni Prison.

On Sunday, the President had assured that all recommendations made by the COI into

President David Granger and Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, in discussion prior to the commencement of the meeting

the March 2016 riots which resulted in 17 inmates being burnt to death were being implemented. In a televised broadcast, the Head-of-State said “We know what the problems are and we have started to take action on the COI report … the public knows we are building a brand new prison in Mazaruni and effecting repairs to the others. We did take action based on the COI report- to reduce the prison population and enhance and strengthen the existing infrastructure.”

During that address, President Granger said too that the state of the Georgetown Prison has been of major concern for years and alluded to the fact that it was severely overcrowded.

“A number of people are on remand … as many as half of the prison population is on remand. Once again we are taking action along with the magistracy to ensure that

prisoners are not remanded for petty offences, stealing cell phones, small amounts of ganga…there are far too many people on remand and the magistracy must act more quickly,” he stated. Additionally, the President expressed condolences to the family and friends of Prison Warden, Odinga Wickham, who was shot multiple times about his body and succumbed on Sunday.

“I mourn the loss of Prison Warden, Odinga Wickham, who was murdered in the execution of his duties and I extend condolences to his family. We will ensure the best medical attention is given to everyone else who received injuries in the riot,” he said. He also thanked the Joint Services for their resolute response to the emergency “under difficult circumstances” to contain the situation and limit the loss of life.

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

26 26

The Peter Haynes Column

G

SPORTS EVENTS ALSO HAVE G.R.A. RESPONSIBILITIES

uyana’s National Sports Policy, at least the first draft, should be made public hopefully very soon, given its decades of a promised “Policy” by the previous administration. The much-anticipated Policy is expected to place emphasis on several critically important national imperatives.

Fourteen specific areas have been listed as the major components of the Policy. These include: • Fundamental and Guiding Principles • Governance • Financing, funding and sponsorship • Accountability and Transparency • Ensuring a safe/secure sporting environment • On Discrimination • On Harassment • Future of Sports in Guyana – Development Pathway • Athlete Development • Training • Sports Intellectual Property Rights • The Media – Rights, Roles and Responsibilities • The Role of the Diaspora, and • Policy Implementation. Monitoring and Evaluation.

Listed as the third ingredient, Financing, Funding and Sponsorship is one area which needs to be seriously reviewed. It was previously suggested that ALL sports associations, especially those affiliated to the Guyana Olympic Association (G.O.A) and/or registered to the National Sports Commission (N.S.C) must as a policy, submit to the G.O.A and the N.S.C. their annual reports from the previous year, inclusive of the Audited Statement. The package must also include the projected programme for the ensuing year, the budget and fund raising.

In my opinion, these requirements must be mandatory if the Association/Federation will be seeking financial assistance from the G.O.A and/or the N.S.C for championships at home or for teams to travel overseas. Should this policy be in place, all the components stated should be included and enforced. In addition, it must be recognised that attendance at these events put a strain on the nation’s foreign exchange.

Strange as it may sound, when Guyana’s foreign exchange was not in abundance, sports teams seeking to travel overseas had to get the National Sports Development Council’s approval before the Bank of Guyana released foreign currency.

The amount of foreign exchange and the value of jewellery a passenger had in their possession when leaving the country must be declared. That law as far as I am aware is still on the books. It was written because our smart travellers instead of applying for foreign currency purchased jewellery and sold them when they

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017 Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 14, 2017

reached their destination.

Having outlined this position, it would be seen that it fits in with several of the fourteen specific ingredients of the proposed National Sports Policy.

GRA REGISTRATION I may be wrong, and I hope I am, but it must be reminded that all Associations and Federations are required to be registered with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). The registration has several specific requirements which include the official name of the organisation and its officers.

According to the GRA a Licence is necessary for the hosting of entertainment events. There is a fee of $25,000.00 for Georgetown; $12,500.00 for New Amsterdam; and $7,500.00 for elsewhere.

These organisations involved in events which generate revenue and make payments e.g. as prizes and other expenses are also required to file VAT returns on a mouthy basis — even if there was no revenue generating events.

According to the GRA regulations, the process to obtain a license is very simple and should require just about an hour for its completion.

It is important to note that organisations and individuals who are involved in the promotion of such events, especially where non-residents are involved must make returns to the GRA, including the payments made to the non-residents.

Tax Operations Policy No. 9 advised of the requirements of the Licensee who contracts individuals to perform work for reward. The reward when paid is subject to withholding tax of 10 Percent (10%), which in turn must be paid to the GRA with the monthly return — within 30 days of receipt. It must also be noted that noncompliance will attract an additional 10 percent (10%) penalty.

It is necessary for the column to continue with this academic dialogue, it must be also be known that “any person who refuses, fails or neglects to submit tax returns or pay taxes in accordance with the provision of the Income Tax Act — Chapter 81:01 is ‘guilty of an offense’.

In the case of non-residents when their contractor fails to satisfy the authorities that they are in full compliance, the performer could be prevented from leaving the country when attempting to depart. That would be very embarrassing to both the individual and the promoter.

This issue is being expounded having read that several international athletes will be in Guyana to participate at a previously successfully organised Aliann

Pompey Invitational athletics event.

No doubt the successful staging of the South American Junior Athletics Championships, the good showing by Guyanese athletes at the Senior South American Championships has caused Ms. Pompey, who represented Guyana with distinction during her active career, to be able to attract quality sponsorship. These include Air Jamaica, Georgetown Ramada Hotel, Banks D.I.H. the G.O.A, the N.S.C., the Ministry of Education, Star Party Rentals, Hits and Jams and Douglas & Associates.

There are also other athletic events promoted by individuals, of course under the auspices of the National Association, whom I hope are filing their returns to the GRA and paying the taxes on the sponsorship and the gate receipts.

Promoting sports for the love of the sport is good, but for the financial rewards from promoting these events is a different matter.

Normally, I would not have listed these generous sponsors in this column, but because of the Income Tax Act regulations, they are listed. We all know that the sponsorships are written off when the companies file their taxes at the end of the year. There is no problem with that happening, as they are contributing to a good cause.

However, in my opinion there is a problem when the company, organisation or individual contributes, he is pictured when the trophy and cheque is handed over and again at the end of the event presenting the prize to the winner. I question this type of “cheap” publicity by sponsors since in addition, there is the tax write off.

I have been advised that the publicity is necessary as these ‘generous s p o n sors’ also contribute to the sponsorship of sports writers travelling with teams to overseas tournaments. Added to that, the sports writer is filing the daily reports list the sponsors as “through the compliments of X, Y and Z sponsors” the newspaper can bring to their readers the timely reports.

ONCE is enough, even if the tournament runs for six days. I do not recall that the name(s) of sponsors of coverage of overseas tournaments being given

FLASHBACK: Aliann Pompey a quarter of the publicity compared to what pertains currently.

If it requires the GRA, the Ministry of Sports, the Olympic Association and the Sports Commission to be involved in a policy formulation, all the potential sponsors should at the beginning of the year indicate the value of their sponsorship for the entire year. These sums should then be placed into a ‘National Pool’ and disbursed according to the needs of the respective Associations/Federations and to the game’s contribution to the Nation’s Sports Development Policy.

It simply means that all the generous sponsors of sporting events will be contributing to the National Development of Sports. It would also eliminate the situation where some sports which have international recognition and status struggling to meet their commitments at the international level, as against some “games”, who in my judgement are past times recreations.

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His innings has virtually immortalized him Roy Fredericks' 169 at Perth: 212 minutes of magnificence

T

he West Indies touring team that visited Australia in 197576 was worthy of billing as a World Championship team with formidable pace attacks and strong batting on both sides.

In the event, the series turned out to be a disappointment for the West Indies and a triumph for Australia by five games to one.

The West Indies lost the first game in Brisbane, but bounced back admirably to take the second. If Australia's victory in the first Test set the pattern for most of the series, however, the second Test at Perth momentarily reminded the world what a truly great side the West Indies could be when things were going their way. Australia won the toss and batted on a fast true pitch. But expectations of a high first innings score were quickly scotched. Fast bowler Andy Roberts took two wickets in his opening spell and all the West Indies bowlers maintained the pressure, including Lance Gibbs, who was still an outstanding off-spinner although he was in the twilight of his career, and claimed Gary Gilmour as his 300th Test wicket.

Only a superb performance from Ian Chappell held the innings together. Coming in when Rick McCosker was dismissed in the first over of the day, Chappell batted through the close displaying a wide range of strokes.

When Michael Holding ran in to bowl Chappell with the second new ball early in the second day's play, the batsman had scored 156 and Australia were 329-7. Holding broke through Chappell's defense and clean bowled him. With the next ball he shattered Jeff Thomson's stumps, and five balls later finished the innings by bowling Ashley Mallet.

This precipitate end to the Australian first innings, opened the way for one of the most astonishing assaults ever perpetuated upon a top-flight Test bowling attack.

In the 90 minutes to lunch, the West Indies scored a formidable 130 for one off only 14 overs. The man most responsible for this assault was the little powerful opener, the late great Roy Fredericks, who hit Lillee's second ball for six with a hook. It was some statement. A few months earlier at Lord's in the

first World Cup final, Freddo hooked Lillee’s first ball for six, then trod on his stumps.

This time no such incident occurred.

The rest of the shots flew infallibly off the middle of the bat. Hooking, cutting and driving, he reached his hundred in less than half an hour after lunch, off a mere 71 balls with one six and 18 fours, it was the second fastest century at that time, after Australian J. M Gregory's 67 balls century against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1921-22. Come to

think of it, this was not a one-day, nor a 20/20, but a Test match, for God's sake.

Lillee hurling down his thunderbolts and Thomson like the wind, supported by the excellent Garry Gilmour and Max Walkerthe most feared fast-bowling foursome in the world at the time — on a pitch that favored pace, but Freddo, cutting, pulling and hooking like a man possessed made them look

CLIVE HUBERT LLOYD

tame and ordinary. There were many a time when he cut at lifting deliveries, and at the precise instance he struck the ball, both his feet were well clear of the ground.

According to Ashley Mallet who played in the match, 40 years later said he was fielding in the gully, and nothing came anywhere near him, yet Freddo was cutting fiercely, the ball soaring over his head and to his left, round point.

In just 145 balls he scorched to 169 against Lillee at his most fearsome and Thomson at his fastest with 27 fours and one six. The former Australian captain Lindsay Hassett said on the ABC network that Freddo’s 169 was the greatest innings I've

ROY CLIFTON FREDERICKS — LEATHER HUNTING

seen in Australia. Some accolade, given Hassett had played alongside Bradman from 1938 through to 1948 and seen many amazing innings from the Don and others. Freddo thumped 26 runs off one Thomson over, 25 from one Lillee over and 24 from Walker's (all 8 ball overs). Oh, how we long for a Roy Fredericks on the West Indies side at this point in time.

Roy Fredericks was the only recognized opening batsman in the team and the management was not prepared to use Lawrence Rowe or Deryck Murray. In the minutes prior to the start of the innings, there was the unusual sight of three batsmen- Fredericks, Bernard Julian and Keith Boyce padded up to do the job, with Lance Gibbs even offering his services. In the end, Julian was the one — a decision which left Fredericks somewhat in anger as he would have preferred Rowe as his partner. When he stepped out of the dressing room, it was obvious that something was going to happen out in the middle, one way or the other. This was the mood the Guyanese was in. In the opening over, he top-edged a hook off Thomson wide of the man on the long leg boundary and from then on it was blue or what we Guyanese say red murder with Julian reduced to nothing more than a bystander at the opposite end. Thomson Lillee, Gilmore and Walker threw everything at him on the world's fastest pitch and he just lashed them to ribbons, hitting the ball anywhere he wanted and with tremendous power as he drove, cut and pulled with disdain.

The measure of his authority as evident

by SHAN RAZACK when the last over to lunch, a time when other batsmen would fold their hands and think about coming back after the break he hit, not one, not two, not three, not four but five boundaries of Gilmour's bowling. After the interval, he just stepped up the pace, as he blazed the West Indies to a total handsome enough to give them victory by an innings.

And anytime after that day, if you asked "Freddo" how he got out or why, he would tell you to ask the manager.

At tea time, with the Australian attack in shreds and Fredericks past 150, and still licking his fingers, manager Edmond Kentish pulled reins. The former West Indies pace bowler from Jamaica begged Fredericks to "cool it" with the explanation that he was scoring too quickly, that he wanted the Australian danger pair Thomson and Lillee to stay out in the field and bowl as many overs as possible. Fredericks, the good team player he was, followed orders, sheathed his sword and that was that.

Fredericks on the go was a beauty to behold as the new ball raced from his bat glistering across the turf as it flashed to the boundary. Fredericks was out, just after tea, for 169 out of a total of 258-3. His blistering innings in 212 minutes off 145 balls and containing 27 fours and a six had virtually immortalized him. It was, as they once said of the legendary Don Bradman in the 1930 series, murder in specification, an innings rated

by Ray Robinson, the Dean of Australian cricket writers, as the best Test innings in Australia in more than 20 years.

After Fredericks' departure, the pace of the scoring slackened, but not by much. For over three and a half hours the commanding figure of Clive Lloyd occupied the crease. In most matches, his 149 would have outshone all else.

But the power and glory of Fredericks' remarkable innings dulled everything that came after it. The West Indies eventual total of 585 was scored at the rate of more than six runs an over. Lillee's 20 overs cost 123 runs less expensive than Thomson at 17 overs for 128. To rub salt into the Australian wounds, it only remained for Andy Roberts to show what could be achieved by an inspired fast bowler on the Perth wicket. Unfailingly accurate and very fast, Roberts destroyed the Australian batting, taking the wickets of all seven specialist batsmen and leaving Bernard Julian to pick off the tail enders.

It was an outstanding victory, both in the margin, an innings and 87 runs, and the manner it was achieved. For the rest of the series, the West Indies sought and failed to repeat the same form. For consistent high quality performances, the Australians might justly claim to have proved themselves the better team. But at Perth, the West Indies had shown how, on their day, they could play cricket — typical West Indian cricket — to match the finest ever seen in the history of the game.

Fredericks, a man who developed from a middle order batsman at club level, to become one of the most successful West Indian opening batsmen. The batsman who feared no bowler.

Bravo exile ends after exchange of apologies ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Exiled left-hander Darren Bravo is set to play for West Indies again “with immediate effect” after he and Cricket West Indies president Dave Cameron exchanged apologies to end a nine-month impasse.

In a statement yesterday, Cricket West Indies said the 28-year-old player would be “available with immediate effect to play in all `forms of cricket.” Bravo had his match-tour contract cancelled and was sent home ahead of the Tri-Nation Series in Zimbabwe last November for labelling Cameron “a big idiot” in a controversial tweet.

Cameron said Bravo was a “valuable part” of the West Indies side and had intended “no insult or offence” when he gave an interview last year appearing to criticise Bravo over his lack of form.

“In early November 2016, I gave an interview to SportsMax TV during which I discussed player retainer contracts and the grades of contract that had been awarded to certain players,” Cameron said in the statement.

“In the course of the interview I stated that Darren Bravo had previously been on an ‘A’ contract, which I have since been advised is not correct. I apologise for the misstatement, and wish to assure Mr Bravo that there was no insult or offence intended towards him.

“Darren is a senior cricketer who has been a valuable part of the Windies set up for a long time, and I would hope to see his game continue to progress and mature, at both regional and international levels.”

Bravo, the region’s leading Test batsman with an average of 40 from 49 Tests, said his reaction to Cameron’s comments in the media interview had been “inappropriate” and had now removed the offending tweet from his Twitter account.

“On the 11th day of November 2016, after viewing statements made about me by Mr Dave Cameron, president of the Cricket West Indies, on a television sports programme, I tweeted a response which referred to the president which was, in retrospect, inappropriate,” Bravo said.

“As I have always tried to uphold the best traditions of West Indies Cricket and its players, I now therefore wish to withdraw the comment made on my Twitter account and apologise to the president of CWI and to all Windies fans.

“I look forward to continuing to play a positive role in both the West Indies’ senior men’s team and regional cricket, as well as helping to grow and develop cricket in the region at all levels.”

Bravo had also earlier this year initiated legal action against CWI over the matter but the release did not state whether this had been withdrawn.

The controversy erupted after CWI announced that Bravo had declined a retainer contract for the period up to September 30, 2017, with news subsequently emerging that the player had rejected a Grade C contract – a downgrade from his previous retainer.

In the controversial media interview, Cameron said Bravo’s performances had not merited an enhanced contract.

“His averages in the last two years have been declining, so what do you do? Reward poor performance or do you encourage him to get better?” Cameron was quoted as saying.

“If you continue to keep giving him an A contract then what is the motivation to get better? He has been on an A contract and he hasn’t done well.”

In response, Bravo lashed out angrily on Twitter, tagging Cameron in a tweet which said: “You hav[e] been failing 4 d last 4 yrs. Y don’t u resign and FYI I’ve neva been given an

Government, CPL sign contract for use of Guyana National Stadium CARIBBEAN Premier League (CPL) yesterday inked its contract with the Government of Guyana, which will allow for Guyana National Stadium to play host to the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ four home fixtures in the T20 spectacle.

Guyana Amazon Warriors will battle Jamaica Tallawahs on August 17, Trinbago Knight Riders two days later, followed by a clash against Barbados Tridents on August 22, and would wrap up their fourgame home stand against the St Lucia Zouks.

The agreement was signed in the boardroom of the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture’s Main Street office

by Omar Khan, Team Operations Manager of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, in the

presence of Hon. Minister Nicolette Henry and Permanent Secretary Melissa Tucker.

Also present at the agreement signing was Anthony Xavier, the General Manager of the Guyana National Stadium.

“It's a significant part of the process and an opportunity for Guyanese to once more enjoy world-class international cricket and entertainment at the National Stadium,” said Khan.

Khan noted too that Guyanese have been tremendous supporters of the CPL and of the Guyana Amazon Warriors and he expects that support to continue.

Minister Henry at the agreement signing dubbed it an honour on the Government’s behalf to partner once again with the CPL.

West Indies Test left-hander Darren Bravo

A contract. Big idiot.”

CWI slammed Bravo’s actions as “disparaging” to Cameron and demanded he apologise and remove the tweet. The player complied with neither.

Bravo since then has been barred from selection and also from playing for his native Trinidad and Tobago.

Only recently, Cameron said Bravo would remain sidelined until the tweet was removed.

West Indies are expected to tour England next month for three Tests with a squad announcement expected this week but Bravo last month indicated his unavailability because of commitments in the Caribbean Premier League.

Minister Nicolette Henry (second from left) and Guyana Amazon Warriors Omar Khan hold the agreement signed yesterday for the use of the Guyana National Stadium.

Also in photo are Permanent Secretary Melissa Tucker and Anthony Xavier