New york edition 07-01-2016

No. 104560

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MONDAY, MAY 23, 2016

JULY 1, 2016

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

Billion barrels

… Exxon Mobil confirms another significant oil discovery offshore Guyana

Page 3

The autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) of the survey ship, Fugro America’s which commenced underwater surveillance on behalf of Exxon Mobil last December.

Guyana removed from US TIP 5 Watch List Page

Guyanese hardly Omar Sharief overstay in US –– US Deputy Chief of

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Page 21

Mission Bryan Hunt

arrested

OMAR SHARIEF

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

Man who claimed ISIS links jailed

T

By Clestine Juan

HIRTY-four-year-old Terrence McLean was sentenced to three years imprisonment on Thursday after he admitted to attempting to rob the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) in the name of a notorious terrorist group – the Islamic State (ISIS) McLean appeared before City Magistrate Judy Latchman and pleaded guilty to the charge which alleged that on Monday, June 28 at GBTI on Regent Street, Georgetown, he demanded GY$10M from Dahana Ramjist, with intent to steal said amount.

The unrepresented man showed no signs of remorse and was seen sleeping in the prisoner’s docks before his matter was called.

When he was questioned by the Magistrate for the reason why he attempted to rob the bank, the man smiled and said “they [employees] should have handed over the money because if a next person come in with a bomb they all will die.”

Surprisingly, the man further expressed disappointment with the way in which the Bank handled the security

“they [employees] should have handed over the money because if a next person come in with a bomb they all will die.” threat and deemed it ‘flawed.’

Assistant Superintendent of Police, Vishnu Hunt told the court that on June 28 about 9:20hrs, the accused entered the bank and requested to speak with the manager. McLean then gave a note to Ramjist [the officer in charge of the bank card center] stating “ISIS- there is

TERRENCE McLEAN

a bomb in this bag give us $10M or you all die.”

Immediately, an alarm was raised and police were summoned to the location.

Upon the arrival of the police, McLean dropped a haversack he had in his possession and shouted “Allah Akbar.”

The bag was subsequently searched by ranks of the force but nothing of evidential value was found other than some paper documents.

The matter was adjourned for a few minutes by the Magistrate while she made her decision.

The defendant however used the few minutes to continue his sleep and laid stretched out on the prisoner’s bench in the docks.

In handing down her sentence, the Magistrate considered the seriousness of the offense, the manner in which the money was demanded and the impact the incident had on society and the employees of the bank.

Omar Sharief arrested … PS of MOTP arrested by SOCU in money laundering probe

P

ERMANENT Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP), Omar Sharief has been sent on leave by Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, after he was arrested by ranks from the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) on Thursday.

This newspaper was reliably informed that Sharief was arrested in connection with large sums of cash which was found in his personal bank accounts. Investigators are probing his source of income.

Reports also indicate that SOCU visited the man’s home and removed documents and a safe. Sharief worked under the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government and is a former senior member of the PPP, and a former head of that party’s youth arm, the Progressive Youth Organisation.

In a letter dated June 30, 2016 to Sharief, Minister Harmon informed him that he should proceed on his annual leave from July 1, 2016 to enable him to fully cooperate with the investigation. Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communities, Ms. Abena Moore will take up the role of Acting Permanent Secretary at MOTP. Meanwhile, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo when questioned at Parliament on Thursday about the recent development, noted that once the investigations are fair and impartial, then all illegalities found

OMAR SHARIEF should be dealt with in accordance with the law. The unit works closely with the Finance Intelligence Unit (FIU) to track possible money laundering activities.

Late last year the PPP dumped Sharief and former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman from its Central Committee. This was after the Committee unanimously declared the seats vacant during its November 14, 2015 meeting due to the non-attendance of the members at meetings.

Billion barrels

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

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… Exxon Mobil confirms another significant oil discovery offshore Guyana

UNITED States based Oil Company Exxon Mobil Corporation has announced that drilling results from the Liza-2 well, the second exploration well in the Stabroek block offshore Guyana, confirmed a world-class discovery with a recoverable resource of between 800 million and 1.4 billion oil-equivalent barrels.

“We are excited by the results of a production test of the Liza-2 well, which confirms the presence of high-quality oil from the same high-porosity sandstone reservoirs that we saw in the Liza-1 well completed in 2015,” said Steve Greenlee, president of Exxon Mobil Exploration Company.

A release from the company further quoted him as saying, “We, along with our co-venturers, look forward to continuing a strong partnership with the government of Guyana to further

cess demonstrates the strength of our long-term investment approach, as well as our technology leadership in ultra, deep-water environments,” said Greenlee.

The Stabroek block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometers). Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is operator and holds 45 percent interest in the Stabroek block.

Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30 percent interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 percent interest.

ExxonMobil began oil and gas exploration in Guyana on March 5, 2015, drilling offshore in the Liza-1 well in the Stabroek Block.

On May 20, the company announced that its exploration drill ship, the Deepwater Champion had made a significant oil find in the Block, about 120 nautical miles offshore Guyana.

On Thursday, Minister

Staff from the Natural Resource sector and survey ship, Fugro Americas prior to the survey ship’s initial trip out to the Atlantic in December last year. the US oil company met a government team in January this year, Trotman had said. ““We are still some

“We are excited by the results of a production test of the Liza-2 well, which confirms the presence of high-quality oil from the same high-porosity sandstone reservoirs that we saw in the Liza-1 well completed in 2015 - ” Exxon Mobil’s President

evaluate the commercial potential for this exciting prospect.”

The Liza wells are located in the Stabroek block approximately 120 miles (193 kilometers) offshore Guyana. It was noted that data from the successful Liza-2 well test is being assessed.

According to the company, the Liza-2 well was drilled by ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd., approximately 2 miles (3.3 km) from the Liza-1 well.

The Liza-2 well encountered more than 190 feet (58 meters) of oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs in Upper Cretaceous formations.

The well was drilled to 17,963 feet (5,475 meters) in 5,551 feet (1,692 meters) of water.

“This exploration suc-

of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman noted that the company is working to assist in the development of the sector in Guyana.

He said that it is partnering with institutions such as the University of Guyana in that regard. In addition, he noted that the regulatory framework for the development of the natural resources sector is a work in progress. He said key partners such as the US, British and Canada are assisting the process.

Trotman said the extractive sector “is doing well “as he noted the performance of the gold and diamond sectors with figures for the latter currently being 60 % higher than at this time last year.

The issue of upfront payments from ExxonMobil was not discussed when a team of executives from

ways off from production.

The company continues to assess the scope of the Stabroek block and it is believed by experts in the industry that if you find one well of significant quantities, there are likely to be similar wells nearby,” Trotman had said.

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

Major shakeup at GRA … two dismissed, several transferred

THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has dismissed two managers for poor performance, Board Chairman Rawle Lucas has said.

Speaking with reporters on Monday, Lucas disclosed that the services of Head of the Human Resources Management Division, Archana Joshi, and Head of Customs, Jameel Baksh, were recently terminated following an in-depth review of GRA operations.

The GRA Board Chairman said the Board was dissatisfied with the rate of revenue collection and the poor

conditions under which staff members have been forced to work, hence the decision to relieve Joshi and Baksh of their duties.

A decision was also made on Monday to appoint Hema Khan as Deputy Commissioner General. At the time of her appointment, Khan was serving as the Deputy Commissioner for Tax Operations and Services. The office of the Commissioner General still remains vacant.

While interviews have been conducted, the candidates are still being evaluated.

“While we are in the process of completing the selection

of a Commissioner General, the organisation has gone ahead with some changes in critical areas,” Lucas told reporters while explaining that the Head of the Law Enforcement and Investigative Division, Karen Chapman, will now oversee GRA’s transition programme.

“The functional structure leaves large amounts of revenue uncollected and vast communities of taxpayers underserved. It also leaves the staff demoralized, and this situation the board intends to change,” Lucas posited.

Through the transition programme, Chapman is expected to address many of

the inefficiencies within the system.

“The new transitional programme will focus on our regional approach to revenue collection; it will focus on taxpayers’ needs, ease of doing business, and creating more acceptable working conditions for the staff,” Lucas explained.

Fitzroy Corlette, who has been functioning as the Head of Projects, will now head the Law Enforcement and Investigative Division; while international attorney Lancelot Wills will now take over the Customs portfolio.

GRA Chairman, Rawle Lucas

Nagamotoo invites U.S. Indians to invest in Guyana PRIME Minister Moses Nagamootoo has sought to cajole business leaders and investors of the Indian diaspora, especially those in the United States, to invest in Guyana. “…there are ample opportunities for the American-Indian diaspora in renewable energy supply (solar, wind, hydro etc.),” Nagamootoo told those attending the Global Convention of

the Global Organisation of Peoples of Indian Origin (GOPIO) in New York.

“There are unbridled opportunities for largescale agricultural projects, agro-processing and aquaculture on extensive arable lands, development of which has been restricted for centuries to sugar cultivation,” he stated.

In pitching Guyana, he noted that Guyana is the only

English-speaking country in South America with 215,000 sq. km, the same size as the United Kingdom and 20 times the size of Jamaica; rich in natural resources such as forests, gold, bauxite, gas and oil; politically and economically stable with positive growth rates over the past decade; governed by a six-party, multi-ethnic, coalition Government that has an Open Door policy

towards business, etc..

In addition, he stated that 85% of the land space of Guyana is virgin rainforest.

“We aim to develop 100% renewable power supply by the year 2025 under our policy to promote both a clean and green economy,” the Prime Minister stated.

It was with these facts in mind that he invited new investors to Guyana.

“With anticipated alter-

native energy, Guyana can become a safe haven for ICT and light manufacturing to take advantage of duty-free access to U.S. markets under agreements such as the Caribbean Basin Initiative.

“So, as Prime Minister, I assure you a role in credible investment and business in Guyana.

“We are relatives. Now, we must become partners,” Nagamootoo stated.

He said that though Guyana and India are defined by distinct and different nationalities, almost one-half of the population of Guyana shares ethnic-cultural and ancestral relationships with India.

“We share a common political history of rule by the British. After slavery ended, the British recruited mainly Chinese, Portuguese and Indians to supplement freed African labourers on the sugar estates,” he noted.

Nagamootoo said he traced his own ancestry to South Indian, indentured immigrants who arrived in 1847 in the then British colony and who were bonded to the sugar plantations on the Guiana coastland.

Nagamootoo noted that his ancestors and many other immigrants chose not to return to India and accepted Guiana as their new homeland.

“Though he was born in 1947, the year of India’s independence, like so many other Guyanese I value dearly and cherish my ancestral roots and ethnic-cultural

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo bonds with all Indian citizens and nationals.

“This is why I consider being here amongst you, a privilege and an honour,” he told the GOPIO Convention.

The Prime Minister noted that Guyana and India enjoy special relations.

“India inspired our own independence struggle. India is present in almost all facets of Guyanese life. Indian specialists are helping to modernise and transform our sugar, rice and other agricultural sectors; Indian doctors and medical technicians serve in several of our hospitals; Indian foods, music, art, rituals and even yoga form part of the cultural life of Guyana.

“Besides, India helps to train many of our technicians and media workers under the ITEC programme,” he stated.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

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Guyana removed from US TIP Watch List …Guyanese trafficked to Jamaica, Suriname – US TIP report

THE United Stated (US) has removed Guyana from its Trafficking in Person (TIP) Watch List, according to its 2016 report, which was released on Thursday. Guyana was moved from Teir 2 on the Watch List to Teir Two. Guyana was placed on the Watch List three years ago and has since mounted numerous efforts to improve its rating.

The report however noted that Guyana is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor.

According to the report, women and children from Guyana, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Suriname, and Venezuela are subjected to sex trafficking in mining communities in the interior and urban areas.

It was noted that victims are subjected to forced labor in the mining, agriculture, and forestry sectors, as well as in domestic service and shops.

“While both sex trafficking and forced labor occur in interior mining communities, limited government presence in the country’s interior renders the full extent of trafficking unknown.

Children are particularly vulnerable to sex and labor trafficking,” the report further noted.

According to the US State Department, “Guyanese nationals are subjected to sex and labor trafficking in Jamaica, Suriname, and other Caribbean countries.

Some police officers are complicit in trafficking crimes, and corruption impedes anti-trafficking efforts.”

The report also noted that the Government of Guyana does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so.

RECOMMENDATIONS The US recommended that Guyana continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute sex and labor trafficking cases and hold convicted traffickers accountable— including complicit officials—by imposing sentences that are commensurate with the severity of the crime, denying bail, and ordering restitution, where appropriate; finalize and issue written procedures to guide and encourage front-line officials— including police, health, immigration, labor, mining, and forestry personnel—to identify and protect victims of forced labor and sex trafficking; train law enforcement, judiciary officials.

The US also recommended that

List. Subject Minister Volda Lawrence said TIP is “slavery as part of economic ventures and this government, through its various arms, will fight vigorously such attempts and will join forces with like-minded persons, organisations and governments to stop vulnerable persons from falling into the hands of such perpetrators.”

Coordinator of the Counter-Trafficking Department at the Ministry, Mrs. Tanisha Williams-Corbin noted that “the improved status is encouraging.

Being off the watch list is a vindication of our efforts to counter Trafficking in Persons, especially those efforts to bring greater awareness about TIP and to have increased prosecution of TIP cases.”

Nevertheless, she said that countering

Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence front-line responders—especially those working outside the capital be trained on victim identification, referral to services, and victim-centered investigations; allocate additional staff to the inter-ministerial anti-trafficking unit and provide sufficient funding and resources for it to investigate trafficking in the mining sector and conduct awareness campaigns.

The Guyana government is also being urged to provide additional protection for victims to enable them to appear in court and testify against traffickers in a way that does not further endanger them; increase funding for NGOs that identify and assist victims; take efforts to ensure victims are not summarily deported without the opportunity to assist in a trial against their traffickers and that they are not penalized for crimes committed as a result of being subjected to trafficking.

It was also suggested that the administration establish and adequately fund the proposed shelter for male trafficking victims; develop child-sensitive investigation measures and court procedures that protect the privacy of children and minimize their re-traumatization; regularly convene the inter-ministerial taskforce and finalize and implement the 2016-2017 national action plan; offer increased protection and assistance for victims near mining communities outside the capital; and continue to raise awareness of trafficking among civil society.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Protection, in a statement noted that it welcomed the removal from the Watch

TIP in Guyana remains a tall order and noted that the 2016 report highlights some of the challenges while making recommendations.

She said that the recommendations are taken seriously and noted that the Ministry has since improved its staffing capacity with the addition of two social workers and a police detective.

Mrs. Williams-Corbin also explained that there are significant increases in surveillance and raid exercises on hot spots. Additionally, the Unit continuously conducts awareness campaigns across the country and provides support to victims to enable them to appear in Court and testify against traffickers while also providing other psychosocial support.

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor-In-Chief Editor

Godfrey Wray Nigel Williams

Editor Editorial: 227-5216; 227-5204 Godfrey Wray guyanachronicle.com wnigel10@hotmail.com Editorial: 227-5216; 227-5204 gnnleditorial@gmail.com guyanachronicle.com

Editorial Editorial

Dennis A Nelson –– dennis.nelson. wnigel10@hotmail.com nychronicle@yahoo.com –– 917-379-6590 gnnleditorial@gmail.com

Investing in Guyana SINCE Guyana became an independent nation, elected leaders have always invited Guyanese resident abroad to return home and invest. Some have answered the call by physical remigration.

Others have opted for dual residency, maintaining homes in Guyana and their adopted country.

Yet others have found other ways to‘re-migrate’ without being physically there.

Those who cannot or chose not to return have made known various reasons for same. Some of these are jobs, financial obligations, family commitment in the adopted country, and situations such as crime, standard of living, health care, education which they see as comparatively worse in Guyana.

There is no intent to debate or debunk the merit or demerit of any claim but merely to acknowledge some of the push and pull factors for migration and emigration through the lens of Guyanese resident abroad.

That being said, none would deny love for country and those living at home, even though in moments of crisis or concerns about the management of the country or who has responsibility to manage it at given time, the inclination may be to ‘done with Guyana.’

This is understood because as a people we expect and want better for country. Continued efforts by Guyanese in the diaspora to invest in Guyana confirm this view and it is to this view attention is paid.

Personal remittance (PR) continues to play a major role in the Guyanese economy, with figures recording in the tens of billions G$. According to World Bank Data for the period 2011-2015 PR contributed 10.6 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The sending of barrels, establishment of overseas-based chapters/organisations, and various ways of collaborating with Guyanese at home, are acts of investing.

The symbiotic relationship brings with it benefits such as cross-fertilisation of cultures and skills transfer which bode well in a diverse and competitive world economy, and the strengthening of connections between groups.

This relationship is putting new meaning to the cliché wanting the best of both worlds, because in today’s globalised environment it can actually happen.

Being physically away from Guyana or choosing not

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

Those suffered under PPP want APNU+AFC to succeed Dear Editor, THOSE who suffered under the PPP/C and/or were disturbed over that party’s mismanagement of the nation’s business want this government to succeed, for the sake of Guyana and her people. Success will not be achieved when this government continues to repeat the missteps of the PPP/C in handling the nation’s affairs and abuse the people through the transgressing of their rights.

There is one too many instances in this society happening under this government that ought not to be happening, given that when in opposition they condemned them and moreso these acts border on disregard for the law, principles governing the management of the nation’s business and the rights of citizens. Let me make it very clear to those who are inclined to label me anti-government or say give this government a chance: On matters relating to the governance of this country, I have a singular interest and focus- I want good governance, now. Consequently, all who hold constitutional office, be they elected or appointed, shall be held to account by me consistent with the established tenets. On matters of this nature friendship or association is not the motivating factor, but adherence to acceptable universal principles.

The trade union movement did not lead the fight for internal self-government (1926) to sit back and allow the principles underpinning governance in the interest of and on behalf of all the people, to be trampled on by any group or party entrusted the people’s privilege to manage their affairs. There are

concerns about several issues and the way these are being mishandled by the administration.

At this moment attention is being paid to the Labour landscape. It is the first time in independent Guyana where there is no Ministry or Labour and a Labour Minister not being a member of Cabinet, yet workers are expected to turn the wheels of production and increase productivity if there is going to be development. This most vital resource (human) continues to be treated with contempt, of which a few instances are being noted.

Today telecommunications workers are on the streets protesting because the employer is imposing working conditions without engagement with the union, which is in breach of the Collective Labour Agreement and Trade Union Recognition Act, Section 23 (1).

There still remains contempt by the Government of Guyana for the 2012 High Court’s decision in handling the arbitration matter between the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated and Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union.

In the sugar industry, the unions representing sugar workers are being shut out from discussion on what will happen to the Wales Estate and by extension the workers. The teachers union continues to witness dilatory acts on the part of the Ministry Of Education in addressing outstanding issues on behalf of the teaching profession.

The Public Service Union had to be in the media constantly demanding that the government meet to commence negotiations before government acted

to return (at least for the time) presents no hindrance to investing in Guyana.

Consequently, it is encouraging to see the diaspora taking on new and additional features such as investment conferences and leading business delegation to Guyana, seeking out investment opportunities and presenting investment portfolios.

What this is communicating to Guyanese at home is a pro-active nature to do something for country and self, where evidently the heart remains, and this is good. The pro-active pursuit will increase awareness and possibilities of what can be achieved when the mind conceived and act.

Where there may be questions and uncertainty as to how to proceed the sharing of best practices and attitudes/ application in dealing with issues could provide needed assurance and guidance. With the technical help and support issues such as time management, setting and meeting goals, customer service, civility, and the value of accountability, are practices that can be cultivated and improved at home.

Conversely the somewhat relaxed or pace of doing

some days ago.

All of the issues above speak to the respect for the Laws of Guyana and the fundamental right to freedom of association and collective bargaining for workers/citizens which this government continues to be in breach of. Lest this government forgets, when it campaigned to enter office, Labour was the major interest group that allowed the group access to share our platform to speak to the workers and citizens. I can say without fear of contradiction that had the workers know that this would have been their lot, i.e. contempt for them, the group that forms the government today would have be in the opposition.

Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar as the nation’s Chief Public Servants have committed some egregious acts against workers in this country. Those who yearned for and/or worked to bring change to society did not expect a David Granger/Moses Nagamootoo administration to seek competition in outdoing their predecessors in this regard. Workers expected when this government spoke about a Good Life it was a life that every citizen would benefit from.

Let me end on a personal note: I want nothing from this government, what I want is that laws be honoured, rights be respected, and time-honoured principles embraced.

This opportunity is taken to call on those on the side-line to embrace the tenets of good governance and demand of the APNU+AFC government to do the same.

Regards LINCOLN LEWIS

things in Guyana and neighbourliness lend for de-stressing and meaningful interaction. While the former can at times be off putting on matters of work, when one wants to unwind, slow down, enjoy the breeze of nature this can be welcoming, coupled with friendless with neighbours and on the streets, which are rarities in metropolitan societies.

Not forgetting the sea/ocean and land breeze, fresh fruits, vegetables and wild caught seafood to name some, though rear and pricey abroad are relatively accessible and reasonably priced at home. The taste of a ripe Buxton or spice mango devoid of chemical sprayed to preserve it, and haggling with the market vendor to reduce the price or add a special cut of meat, are things that uniquely identify Guyana.

Yes, investing in Guyana allows Guyanese abroad to have the best of both worlds. And while it is understood some may not physically want to, or cannot re-migrate, every legitimate effort made, in whatever form, helps to improve the quality of life for Guyanese, reinforces the pride of building Guyana, and makes Guyana a better place.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

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IDB forum on housing was insightful Dear Editor DURING a meeting last week of representatives of the Caribbean Diaspora with officials of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) part of the discussions focused on the findings of a study by the bank entitled: “The State of Social Housing in Six Caribbean Countries.”

One of the countries is Guyana and one of the report’s authors, Michael Donovan, was among the panelists.

According to the study/ report, “the Government of Guyana’s goal is to provide accessible and affordable housing in sanitary and safe communities with the necessities for wholesome

and dignified living for all citizens.” The overarching policy objectives of the programme include a focus on the poorest communities in the hinterland, the completion of necessary infrastructure prior to allocation of lots, integrated development planning and squatter regularization and containment, among others.

The study estimates that Guyana faces a housing deficit of 20,000 units for low- income families, while an additional 52,000 homes are over 30 years old and need improvement and points out that construction by owners and non-profit organisations cannot keep up with the need. It would seem from the report that the

new APNU+AFC coalition government will maintain the policy of the former government of encouraging private sector involvement and investment in housing and that a number of incentives, including the use of a revolving low- income housing fund; the construction and sale of houses by private developers on lots allocated by the government and the granting of blocks of land to private developers for the development of housing estates and the sale of houses in an open and competitive manner.

All this is great news.

The Guyanese populace is however well aware of the lack of transparency regarding such programmes not so

long ago. It is my hope, as I am sure it is on the part of a majority of Guyanese at home and abroad, that these programmes will be fully transparent and fairly allocated and administered. There should be no room for skulduggery as the nation moves to fulfil one of the basic requirements of human beings….. roofsover their heads. There must be no more sub-standard construction, no more favouritism in the distribution of houselots and no discrimination against any particular race in choosing developers, contractors and houselot awardees.

Further, our banks must be conscionable in determining mortgage rates for low-income home-owners and both public and private

sector employers should design financial housing assistance programmes, including guarantees for their lower-level workers.

On another point related to housing development, the IDB report indicated that one of the initiatives it funded was the Housing in the Hinterland Pilot. This pilot addressed the housing needs in eight communities in Regions One and 9 and involved the disbursement of 208 subsidies totalling one million US dollars for roof replacements and where necessary a complete house. Mr. Donovan, in reply to a question from Capt. Gerry Gouveia, informed the audience that the roof-replacement programme involved the use of zinc sheets. Gouveia ques-

tioned the use of zinc sheets for these homes arguing that this was interfering with the customs and culture of our Amerindians and Guyana’s tourism product.

A debate followed which touched on the need to address housing needs in consort with the vulnerabilities of climate change and sustainable development. This is a debate that must continue among stakeholders in Guyana, foremost with our indigenous people themselves who must enjoy no less safe, sanitary and affordable housing conditions than the rest of us.

Sincerely WESLEY KIRTON

Essential Principles in Collective Bargaining – Public Service Dear Editor, THE restoration of Collective Bargaining in the Public Service between the Public Authority and the Guyana Public Service Union is a welcome development.

This is observing the treaty obligations flowing from the International Labour Convention No. 151 – Labour Relations (Public Service) 1978, ratified by Guyana on June, 1982. This Convention provides for the protection of public employees’ right to organise and to collective bargaining, procedures for dispute settlement through negotiations, conciliation, mediation, and arbitration. Convention 151 confers similar rights flowing from Convention No. 98 – Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining, applicable to the private sector.

The Public Authorities need to be mindful of International Treaty obligations of International Labour Conventions, ratified by Guyana, and national laws on the conduct of labour and industrial relations, including the Trade Union Recognition Act Chapter 98:07, No. 33 of 1997, which imposes an obligation on the union and employer to bargain in good faith and enter into negotiations with each other for the purpose of collective bargaining.

The principles and practice of good-faith bargaining in collective bargaining requires the practise of industrial diplomacy of mutual respect, and trust in civil encounters, including: * Adequate preparations on both sides for serious negotiations

* A determination by both sides to forge mutual agreements. * That the negotiating parties have a full mandates to agree on all issues on the negotiating table without frequent adjournments to consult higher authorities.

The negotiating teams should come to the table knowing fully the absolute limit of concessions and acceptance. * The public service negotiating team should be given the absolute percentage or dollar amount of the wage bill for increases in salaries/ wages and allowances, which it can distribute and concede through the cut and thrust of negotiations. * Negotiations are private, confidential processes, and should be free from premature media publicity and before the conclusion of full agreement or otherwise. * Communication to the media during the course of negotiations, if necessary, should be by joint releases. * All cost items of salaries/wages and allowances etc. should be on the negotiation table to determine the total increase in employment costs to the national treasury. * It is prudent to treat all negotiating items – salaries, wages, allowances etc. as a total package with the understanding that agreement on a single item is subject to agreement on all cost items, to avoid a more costly piecemeal approach.

Lack of good-faith bargaining constitutes the power approach in labour negotiations, including: building up expectations of staff with unrealistic proposals at general meetings, agitation in the media before dialogue/

discussions, “negotiating” in the media, misinformation to the media, unnecessary threats of industrial actions, external influences and pressures, public demonstrations, public agitation, illegal actions, political and external lobbying during the course of negotiations, and personal attacks on the integrity of the members of either negotiating team or on the union or public authority.

The parties should be aware that four possible approaches can be adopted

by either or both parties in labour negotiations and in the management of labour conflicts: Avoidance approach: failure or refusal to deal with the issue; settlement by chance.

Power approach: coercion to force the other side to concede; settlement by force, industrial actions - strikes, lockouts, etc.

Rights approach: independent standards of right or fairness; settlement by a labour tribunal, arbitration or by a court of law.

Consensus approach: the best and preferred approach which endeavours to reconcile, compromise or accommodate. The superiority of the consensus approach reflects settlement by the parties through direct negotiations or conciliation/ mediation, or another mutually agreed means for final resolution One would expect that the parties in the public sector would set a good example to the national community by eschewing

of the power approach and employing of the consensus and rights approaches in good-faith encounters.

There is also the assistance of a third party through Conciliation/Mediation, and finally, in the event of failure of the earlier processes, arbitration or a national commission review with recommendations to the National Assembly which provides the funds.

Regards Samuel J. Goolsarran

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Addressing Mental Health Issues Dear Sir I AM very appreciative of the editorial you did on the mental health situation in Guyana as reported in the Chronicle of June 28th 2016.

I fully agree with the statements you have made about the need to reduce the stigma which mental illness appears to have in Guyana. This stigma creates problems for patients in seeking treatment for mental health problems and for the possibility that their illness would be devalued, misdiagnosed and mistreated by physicians.

While the numbers of psychiatrists for the population size of Guyana is small, it is the responsibilty of all physicians, especially general practiotioners, to be able to diagnose and provide minimal care for most mental health problems. In their academic preparation, all phsicians receive training in Psychiatric Medicine.

In this regard, I presented at the Continuing Medical Education (CME) symposium for the doctors

and other medical personnel at the Conference Centre in May of this year.

I am providing you with this presentation and you are welcome to share it with the public, especially the slides that are relevant to Guyana. These include recommendations for reducing stigma. If you choose to publish any materials from my presentation, I think it may be good to check with Dr. Shobha Gobin, President of the Medical Council of Guyana, that she is supportive for publishing materials from the recent CME of the Medical Council.

Many thanks for your sustained interest in the unhealthy and unhappy plight of persons suffering with mental disorders in Guyana.

Regards Yours truly D. Sharma Dr. Davendranand Sharma, M.B.B.S; DM Department of Behavioural Sciences

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

The British High Commissioner is spot on

Dear Editor, THE British High Commissioner to Guyana was spot on in his assessment and opinion with regard to the lack of transparency and show of arrogance at City Hall, particularly as it relates to the parking meter fiasco and other related matters.

However, if he thinks that those officers have the great strength and character to say sorry in this matter in which they have found themselves; and if he believes they would even consider offering comfort to the public by saying how they are going to make it right, then clearly High Commissioner Quinn does not have a clue of how arrogant and obtuse these individuals are.

High Commissioner Quinn is clearly oblivious to the fact that the Georgetown City Council must be the most corrupt and venal municipality in the world, when he expresses the expectation that they would comply with the standards that a transparent and democratic council should hold for itself.

The High Commissioner points to the lack of transparency, the lack of a democratic process within Council’s deliberations, and the fact that in the face of it all the public was told that no apologies will be offered. Clearly, again, this British envoy has not heard of the “Fantastic Four,” the group which has been making many other unlawful decisions without the knowledge

and consent of the rest of the Council. Just one example -- and there are many -- is the unlawful, illegitimate and dishonest waivers of millions of dollars in interest that they have granted to selected persons from their outstanding property taxes. This is being done outside of the amnesty period, and without the Council’s knowledge or permission.

The High Commissioner ought to know that there are no good reasons for keeping the parking meters deal secret, except for a complete disrespect for other councillors and the citizenry at large. It is understandable for the High Commissioner to contrast and measure the Georgetown City Council’s standards with cities in Europe, but that is a sad, sad mistake. Nowhere else in the world could a small food vendor who used to walk and sell dhal puri in the municipal markets become overnight the biggest contractor in the city, earning tens of millions of dollars weekly by getting contracts without even bidding for them.

Should High Commissioner Quinn do a oneweek internship at City Hall, he would leave Guyana at the end of his tour a very heartbroken man, after seeing the corruption, nepotism, egotism and criminality propagated on a daily basis.

Regards, SHANTA SINGH

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

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Guyana moves up global logistics index GUYANA is listed as one of the top performers in the lower-middle-income economies in the latest edition of the Logistics Performance Index, which is part of the bi-annual report of the World Bank.

Ranked 85 of 160 countries, Guyana has moved some 39 places up the ladder from 124 in 2014. This year Guyana is ranked at number 10 in the category of lower-middle-income economies behind India, Kenya, Egypt, Arab Rep, Indonesia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Philippines, Ukraine and El Salvador.

Meanwhile, the Bank said in a press release, that progress in logistics performance has slowed for the first time since 2007 for the world’s least developed economies, while emerging economies that implement comprehensive initiatives continue to improve their performance, according to a new World Bank Group report released on Tuesday.

The latest edition of the Logistics Performance Index, which is a part of the bi-annual report, Connecting to Compete 2016: Trade Logistics in the Global Economy, ranks 160 countries on their trade logistics performance. For the third time, Germany is the top performer. Syria ranked lowest. “Logistics performance both in international trade and domestically is central to countries’ economic growth and competitiveness,” said Anabel Gonzalez, Senior Director for the World Bank Group’s Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice.

“Efficient logistics connects people and firms to markets and opportunities, and helps achieve higher levels of productivity and welfare. Unfortunately, the logistics performance gap between rich and poor countries continues and the convergence trend experienced between 2007 and 2014 has reversed for the least performing countries.”

Countries like Kenya, India and China, all improved their previous performance according to the report, which is based on survey data from more than 1,200 logistics professionals. The report ranks countries on a number of dimensions of supply chain performance, including infrastructure, quality of service, shipment reliability, and border clearance efficiency.

Over the past six years, the world’s top-10 performers have remained consistent and include dominant players in the supply chain industry. Low-income economies with the worst performance are often landlocked, small islands, or post-conflict states. However, for the first time in the history of the Connecting to Compete reports, landlocked countries are no longer automatically disadvantaged, as shown by the performances of both Rwanda and Uganda, which benefit from regionally coordinated efforts to improve trade corridors.

“Logistics performance is about achieving reliability of supply chains linking economies to markets.

In the most constrained countries the needs focus on infrastructure, or critical improvements in customs and border management,” said Jean-Francois Arvis, from the Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice at the World Bank Group and co-author of the report. “More logistically performing countries have to address complex sets of issues centered on the development and quality of services. And all top performers show strong cooperation between the public and private sectors in developing a comprehensive approach to efficient logistics.”

Among the criteria measuring countries’ logistics performance, the report shows that logistics services are improving. However, logistics professionals are the least satisfied with rail, regardless of the countries’ income levels. On the border management side, customs agencies got better ratings than all other agencies involved in the process, with those responsible for sanitary and phytosanitary regulations lagging behind.

The logistics agenda has shifted in priorities over the last 10 years, especially as slower trade growth puts pressure on the logistics industry to re-organize its

networks and innovate. The scope of policies addressing logistics performance is moving from border issues in trade and transport facilitation to domestic performance concerns. Moreover, the logistics industry and the public sector have to address major challenges such as raising skills and competency levels, and adapting to slower trade growth. Managing the footprint and the sustainability of supply chain is also now a high priority.

“This year’s LPI continues to show the complexity of the reforms and the different priorities depending on a country’s logistics performance,” said Daniel Saslavsky, from the Trade & Compet-

itiveness Global Practice at the World Bank Group and co-author of the report. “Logistics policies are now not only limited to transportation or trade facilitation. They are part of a broader agenda that also includes services, development of facilities, infrastructure and spatial planning.” Since its inception, the LPI and the Connecting to Compete report have been prepared by the World Bank Group’s Trade team with the participation of the Turku School of Economics and the support of the International Association of Freight Forwarders (FIATA).

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

Renowned Guyanese honoured with Paul Harris fellow award THE Rotary Club of Demerara, a well-established service organisation known for promoting service above self in Guyana, presented veteran Guyanese Business Executive Ramesh Dookhoo with the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow Award at its annual ‘Handing-Over’ Dinner on Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at the Pegasus Hotel.

The Paul Harris Fellow Award is the highest recognition of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. It is reserved for individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name to The Rotary Foundation of US$1000. Ramesh Dookhoo joins a very prestigious group of Guyanese named as Paul Harris Fellows including, Sir Shridath Ramphal, Dr. Yesu Persaud, Clifford Reis and Mrs. Cecilia Validum.

According to a release from the Rotary Club of Demerara, the award is presented by Rotary Clubs throughout the world in special appreciation and recog-

nition for the ways in which the awardees exemplify the humanitarian and educational objectives of the Rotary International.

The organization noted that Mr. Dookhoo stands as a beacon of outstanding service to the Guyanese business community and to the humanitarian causes supported by the Rotary Club.

Mr. Dookhoo’s longstanding service to the business community includes his tenure as Vice President and President of the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association, Governor and founder member of the Institute of Internal Auditors Guyana Chapter.

He has served in excess 30 years as an executive of Banks DIH Limited. Mr. Dookhoo also served as the Chairman of the Private Sector Commission of Guyana.

Mr. Dookhoo is a sitting President of the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce and is also a sitting Trustee on the CCJ Trust Fund Board and currently Chairs a steering committee

for the formation of the Caribbean Business Council.

He currently serves the Private Sector Commission as its Honorary Secretary and Head of Trade and Invest-

His service to Guyana’s Business community is aided by his one-of-a-kind business acumen and impressive qualifications and specializations in Business and

Standards.

Mr. Dookhoo is among the small and esteemed group of Guyanese to attain the qualification of Certified Risk Management and Assurance Professional by the Institute of Internal Auditors. Hence, he is one of the few Guyanese qualified to pronounce or offer advice on strategic matters related to specialized audits.

According to the Rotary Club of Demerara, Mr. Dookhoo’s qualifications have aided him well in providing exceptional service to the Guyanese business community as well as the causes and charities that are close to his heart.

Receiving his award, Mr. Dookhoo stated that he was Mr. Ramesh Dookhoo honoured with the Paul Harris humbled by the acknowledgement of his service.

Fellow Award by the Rotary Club of Demerara “Everything I have attained, I have put towards ment.

Finance. Mr. Dookhoo is a my service to Guyana. I Mr. Dookhoo has given graduate of the University am extremely proud to be a yeoman Service to Guy- of the West Indies with a recipient of the Paul Harris ana over many years on the Masters in Business Admin- Fellow Award and very humBoards of GWI, CJIAC and istration. He was certified in bled that I share this honour the CCAC as the Chairman Standardization Management with great Guyanese such as of these Institutions’ Boards. from the Swedish Institute of Sir Shridath Ramphal. These

are people that have inspired me all my life and to share the same award with them is truly an amazing moment that I shall not forget very soon.

“I wish to acknowledge my family, close friends and business partners and Chairman Reis of Banks DIH and former Finance Director Azam A. Khan who helped to shape my life as a professional and who have supported my incredible journey.

“I only wish that this moment inspires young Guyanese to not pursue fortune and notoriety, but to truly give their energy and skills towards service to Guyana in whatever capacity they may serve. As a young man, my intention was not to chase after prestigious awards such as this; my only goal was to serve this country at every opportunity.

I only hope that my moment tonight serves as a beacon to young Guyanese to pursue service to their country above all else,” Mr Dookhoo was quoted in the release as saying.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

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Bandits shoot, rob Canal #1 businessman

By Rabindra Rooplall

ARMED bandits stormed the home of 36-year-old businessman Dhaniram Tirbeni at Lot 13 Studley Park, Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara at

Injured businessman Dhaniram Tirbeni

about 1:00hr on Monday, gaining access to the home by prising open a window in the lower flat of the building.

Two of the four unmasked bandits then proceeded to the upper flat of the building, where four persons were asleep: the businessman and his wife in one room, and their two children in another.

Tirbeni was then awakened by gun butts to the head, whilst the bandits demanded cash and jewellery. He was placed to kneel with his hands behind his head, and then shot once to the right arm. He also received cuts to the head from the beating.

The bandits then ransacked the entire home before making good their escape with jewellery and an undisclosed sum of cash.

Relatives rushed Tirbeni to a city hospital, where he was admitted and is said to be in a stable condition.

The Tirbeni family operates a grocery shop and poultry business, and relatives say the Tirbenis are traumatised and are calling on police to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Police found the keys of the businessman’s vehicle in a neighbour’s yard, as investigations into the robbery continue.

The Tirbeni property was ransacked by bandits

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

INVESTMENT STRATEGY

By Dr BASIL SPRINGER

[THIS column originally appeared in the Barbados Advocate's business on June 20, 2016] "He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. God loves a cheerful giver." - II Cor. 9:6, 7.

The concept of "the circular flow of money" is pivotal to the vision of business success.

The continuous circular flow of blood in the body is pivotal to our vision for a long life. One of the health risks with which we are faced is the reduction of blood flow to our heart muscle due to the blockage of the channels through which the blood flows. We may then be medically diagnosed with atherosclerosis.

There are ways to treat this disease in a timely manner so that our life span might be extended.

Similarly, investment channels facilitate the circulation of money to nurture the business trading system, where producers sell goods and services to consumers. One of the risks, with which businesses are faced, is the blockage of investment channels to the extent that they inhibit the circular flow of money. Then, the trading system may be diagnosed with "investment channel sclerosis" and, if this disease is not treated in a timely manner, our vision for business success may not be realized and our hopes for sustainable economic growth will be dashed.

MSME enterprises are fraught with a plethora of business risks associated with the corporate governance, financial, marketing, human resource development and operational business systems and hence

Dr Basil Springer investors may be reluctant to invest. The challenge is to reduce these risks.

Usually there is no shortage of money in the global financial system. How can we develop innovative ways of treating the "investment channel sclerosis" to maintain the circular flow of this money?

The investment channels are savings, seed capital, working capital, retained earnings, loans and increased profits. Let us consider, in turn, the following preventive and curative measures that should be employed to keep these investment channels functioning well: (1) The savings culture is best adopted at an early age and should be the first source of funds that you draw on when

you start up a business; (2) Seed capital, a grant or unsecured loan, may be accessed from those who are attracted to the business model, e.g. family and friends, the private sector through corporate social responsibility and/or local, regional and international development institutions; (3) In an agricultural setting, say, Financial institutions, in particular credit unions, micro finance and development banks, may provide working capital (secured by Shepherding) for raw material purchasing, particularly when the management, credit readiness, marketing, land, operating space, equipment and labour are secure.

(4) Retained earnings should initially be ploughed back into the business based on Skip Weitzen's principle - "Start small; Do it right; Make a profit; Then expand"; (5) Loans may usually only be considered when the business is mature enough to meet the conditions of the likes of com-

mercial banks; and (6) Increased profits then become your ultimate investment channel and signal the advent of your financial self-sufficiency.

An ingredient which ought to be embraced by all of the channels is Shepherding. The cost of the Shepherding will be out of the seed capital initially but as soon as it is viable, it will be a charge to business operations.

Let us quickly adopt a new investment strategy paradigm which recognizes that diligent Shepherding of all business systems significantly reduces business risk, making it more attractive for the investor.

And, let us invest bountifully in MSME enterprises.

(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.)

Capital towns to get stadium-like facilities ––President Granger

By Ravin Singh PRESIDENT David Granger has said on Friday’s edition of his weekly television programme, ‘The Public Interest’, that capital towns in the regions will benefit from stadium-like facilities to accommodate public events in the future.

Guyana currently has nine towns: Anna Regina, Bartica, Corriverton, Georgetown, Lethem, Linden, Mabaruma, New Amsterdam and Rose Hall. A tenth town, Mahdia, is expected to be commissioned in 2017.

The President said Government is looking at developing stadium-like facilities in these towns. “We are looking at developing facilities in the capital towns.

Those are at Lethem, Bartica, Mabaruma, Mahdia, Anna Regina and so on, which could be venues for public events,” President Granger said.

He also disclosed it is unlikely that the stands at Durban Park would be dismantled. The park was built initially through a two-phase process to host the flag-raising ceremony and float parade of Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary.

The first was a public-private phase in which private donations were utilised in construction of the park; the second phase was funded by Government.

Government had initially announced

that the 27 wooden stands at Durban Park would be dismantled after the May 26 float parade and sent to various community centres.

But the President said on Friday that Government recognises the facility serves as an institution for public events and would consequently not like to deprive the public of its use. Government has therefore opted not to dismantle the stadium-like facility, which has been used by several bodies for public events after the jubilee celebrations.

“We’ve had a second look at it and (concluded that) Durban Park is an institution which people have started to use.

We’ve had requests; the churches have started to use the facility. We’ve had other social functions, including parades. So it is very likely that Durban Park, which is the single largest stadium in the country, will be kept as a place for public purposes,” the President said, adding that the stands will not be dismantled.

He further explained that the area would be protected against vandalism and any unsafe practice. In addition, he noted that the present thinking is that the park would be improved and kept intact as a major place for public events.

As it relates to the cost for the facility, the President said he could not say how much was spent to build it, since at the level of Cabinet he was not in receipt of any report about overall expenditure.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

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Man burns to death in house fire

By Rabindra Rooplall

THE body of a 20-yearold man was found in a charred state in his in-laws’ home on June 25 at De Willem Village, area ‘G’ Squatting Area, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

Dead is Satesh Jagmohan of De Willem Village, area ‘G’ Squatting Area, WCD. According to reports, the fire occurred after 22:00hrs and though two fire engines visited the scene, they were unable to contain the blaze. The burnt remains of the body were removed by the EzeThe remains of the De Willem Village, area ‘G’ Squatting Area, West Coast Demerara home, where Satesh Jagmohan lost his life

Dead: Satesh Jagmohan kiel Funeral Home.

According to Ramdhani Jagmohan, the father of the deceased, Satesh was the eldest of eight children. He said his son, who is a porter, returned home at 21:00hrs Saturday night and had dinner.

He then visited his uncle’s home which is in the neighbouring yard where he has been staying for the past four weeks since a separation between his uncle and wife.

“My wife brother and he wife left and for that time when they left, he does come for my son to sleep at their home to keep he and his son company.

He gone to bush the other day, and was he son and me son sleeping there, and he wife come yesterday [Saturday] from wherever she living on the East Coast and take her son and carry him away,” he explained.

The father, recalling

what occurred Saturday night, explained that he was watching television after having dinner when he heard a loud banging on his fence.

“Somebody start lash down the zinc and say, Fire! Fire! Meh know meh got dogs and sometimes people does just lash the zinc, so meh open the door to see is who, and when a come out I see the house in big fire,” he lamented.

Ramdhani said he immediately dashed into the neighbouring yard to save his son and noticed that the entire building was up in flames.

The father related that he ran under the house in the hope of removing a few floor boards so that his son could have gained access to escape, but to no avail.

“Meh try knocking out two flooring, when ah doing that is share kerosene I smelling all over the house, the fire was spreading fast and I couldn’t save my son, at about 02:00hrs [Sunday] they find what was left of him,” Ramdhani said as tears rolled down his face.

He called on the police to investigate the origin of the fire, since it appeared as if kerosene was doused inside the building before the fire was ignited.

According to residents in the area, the fire quickly razed the building as if there was some sort of fuel used to burn it.

One woman said Satesh was a very willing person and was not known to have problems with anyone.

“He didn’t deserve to die like that in fire, he was burnt alive.”

A generator, gas stove and bottle, along with other items were among the debris.

BE UNITED

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

–– President urges City Hall; says no declaration of war against municipalities

By Alva Solomon

PRESIDENT David Granger has pledged his Government’s support to the Georgetown Municipality.

Welcomed at City Hall by a parade of City Constables held outside the

downtown landmark on Regent Street, and escorted into City Hall compound by Georgetown Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen, the President’s address to the Council was the first made by a Guyanese leader in over 20 years.

President Granger is being escorted into City Hall compound by Mayor Patricia Chase-Green on Monday afternoon

Addressing councillors gathered around City Hall’s horse-shoe table shortly after 14:00hrs on Monday, the Head of State said he had visited City Hall to encourage unity among councillors and offer proposals which the Council can adopt in discharging its mandate to enhance the development of the capital city.

He appealed for unity at City Hall, and made several proposals to the Council as he called for the City to be more sustainable.

“Some people complain -- and they will always complain -- about new financial measures,” he said. He noted that as long as such measures are transparent, approved by the Council, and are in the interest of the nation, Central Government would fully support their implementation.

The President called on the councillors to reach out to their respective constituencies, as he noted that each councillor represents approximately 2,800 citizens within Georgetown.

“And you have to listen to them,” the President said. “We expect you -week by week, month by month -- to engage those citizens in your constituencies, so that you can bring back to the Council their opinions on matters affecting them,” he

The President inspecting the Guard of Honour outside City Hall charged.

He said that, thus far, the Council has been working to improve the outlook of the City, and he noted that persons have been making positive remarks about the City’s progression.

He promised that Central Government would remain committed to assisting the Council in discharging its mandate, and reiterated his call for councillors to work together in the interest of the citizenry.

The President said the governance structure is based on three strata, the most elementary of

those being the local or municipal stratum. He said the local government system must work if the country is to become prosperous.

NO DECLARATION OF WAR He assured that there will be “no declaration of war between Central Government and the municipality,” noting that Central Government will always be prepared to meet the Council…and in the final analysis, the citizens can be assured of their concerns being addressed,” he said.

President Granger

spoke of the unsanitary and unsightly state of the City in years gone by. “It had degenerated into a national embarrassment,” he noted, as he recounted that Georgetown had become prone to a plethora of problems, including poor drainage and problems associated with solid waste management.

“Our national capital (city) must never be neglected again,” he said, “regardless of which political party is in power.

The City must regain its image as one of the Caribbean’s most picturesque and pleasant places for residents, and an attractive

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

15

President David Granger addressing Councillors of the Georgetown Municipality on Monday destination to visitors,” he said.

President Granger said the Council has only 30 months to carry out its mandate, since elections are due in December 2018.

“If you don’t perform, you will get a bad report and people will not put you back in office. As long as I am President, municipal elections will be held when they are due,” he promised.

PLANNED

DEVELOPMENT According to the President, the City must avoid “unplanned development”, which he noted has affected its progression many times in the past.

He said the boundaries of the capital were extended, but the requisite resources were not increased or improved. The extension, he said, was in response to demands of commerce, industry, and for human settlement.

“I ask this Council today to consider the possibility of establishing a National Capital Planning Commission,” the President said, noting that the task of that body should be to review the numerous plans which were prepared over the years, and develop a structured approach to urban renewal.

“Business places should not intrude in areas designated as residential zones,” he said.

He also called for each

vendor to be placed under a roof, to cheers from those gathered.

“Vending is a legitimate economic activity, and I would like the City Council, as it has abided in the past, (to) let us find suitable places where vendors could be protected from the elements,” he said.

The President suggested that the Mayor and councillors should develop a “much clearer vision” and “much more profound

sense of mission”. He said that on September 25 last year, the country adopted “the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The agenda contains 17 goals, and number 11 speaks to making citizens safe.

“The Council should, I suggest, create a City where people can feel safe,” the Head of State noted.

EXPECT THE BEST

Mayor Patricia-Chase Green welcomed the President’s proposals, and assured that the Georgetown Municipality would work to ensure that one can “expect no less than the best from the City”.

The Mayor called on the councillors to support the City’s agenda; and in her chants of “yes we can”, several councillors placed their hands on the table as others looked around.

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

Iwokrama is it ––President sees Centre as key to Guyana’s future; a repository for renewable energy

By Svetlana Marshall THE Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development will be used as a flagship project by the APNU+AFC Administration for the harvesting of renewable energy, President David Granger has announced.

During his weekly televised programme, the Public Interest, the President said the future of Guyana is in Iwokrama. “Without biodiversity, without sustainable exploitation of our resources, we will not be able to develop this country, quickly and fully,” he posited.

ural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman at a time when the centre was operating at a shortfall of US$1.3M. The CEO had explained during an interview at the time that the Centre needed an average of US$2.5M to effectively execute its mandate, which is to promote the conservation and sustainable use of tropical rainforests in a manner that would lead to lasting ecological, economic and social benefits for the people of Guyana.

CHALLENGES In 2014, Iwokrama raked in a total

President David Granger is the first sitting President to cross the canopy walkway at Iwokrama A view of the Essequibo River on a rainy day from the Iwokrama Resource Centre It was explained that the international centre for rainforest conservation and development will be used as a project through which people can harvest renewable energy in a sustainable manner. “I see Iwokrama as a big laboratory; a big laboratory that will preserve our flora and fauna for future generations,” the President added.

COMMITTED The President’s announcement comes one year after he committed to working closely with Iwokrama with the aim of restructuring its agenda. That commitment was made in June 2015 following a meeting with Iwokrama’s Chief Executive Officer Dane Gobin, along with Conservationist Major General (Ret’d) Joe Singh and Nat-

income of US$1.2M, with the Government contributing US$600,000. In 2013 and 2014, the Government provided a total of US$1.5M to relieve the Centre of its financial burden. In July 2015, US$100,000 were pumped into the ailing Centre.

In 2013, the Centre commissioned two financial reports which suggested that between US$750,000 and US$1.2 million was needed annually to meet its core functions.

In addition to the payment of rental fees, telephone and electricity bills, the core functions include the conduct of research and science; forest management and monitoring; business development in the areas of timber production and tourism, community and stakeholder partnerships, information dissemination and outreach.

Funds are sourced from earned revenues and investments (from businesses and partners), donors, intellectual property, and services -- including eco-system services.

A GIFT Iwokrama was given as a gift to the Commonwealth by then President, Desmond Hoyte. This act was endorsed by President Cheddi Jagan when he came into power.

Dedicated as a place for research “to develop, demonstrate, and make available to Guyana and the international community systems, methods and techniques for the sustainable management and utilisation of the multiple resources of the tropical forest and the conservation of biological diversity,” the Iwokrama rainforest is located in the geographical heart of Guyana.

It comprises 371,000 hectares of forest (1.6% of Guyana’s landmass and 2% of Guyana’s forests).

The Iwokrama Centre was established in 1996 to manage the forest area, following the signing the year before of an international agreement between the Guyana Government and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Enshrined in an Act of the Guyana Parliament, the agreement gave the Centre the mandate “to promote the conservation and the sustainable and equitable use of tropical rainforests in a manner that would lead to lasting ecological, economic and social benefits to the people of Guyana and to the world in general.”

The Centre has the task of testing the proposition that conservation, environmental balance and sustainable economic activity are mutually reinforcing, that it is possible to use a forest without losing it.

Departmental charges for Berbice cop accused of rape DEPARTMENTAL charges have been recommended against Berbice detective Terrence Paul who was accused of rape by a female police corporal.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the file was sent to the Director of

Public Prosecutions (DPP) and departmental charges have been recommended.

The file will also have to be reviewed by the Police Service Commission (PSC).

There is a procedure which is standard in the Police Force when an allegation is made against a police

officer. It is guided by the laws under the Police Service Commission Discipline Act 17:01.

The Act states that “Where the power to exercise disciplinary control over persons holding offices in the Police Force (including the power to remove such

persons from office) has been exercised under article 212 of the constitution by the disciplinary authority, any such person in respect of whom that power has been exercised may appeal from the decision of the disciplinary authority to the commission.”

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

Real Estate and Business

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Expanding Your Business

By Edgar Henry If you are contemplating business expansion, you must consider some basic points to help make your decision a little easier.

DETERMINE IF YOUR BUSINESS CAN BE DUPLICATED Opening a branch office or store makes good business sense when it presents an opportunity for growth that fits the feasibility study and the business vision; especially if the existing business is strong enough to sustain the growth.

If your physical presence is critical to your business’ success, it cannot be expected to operate well without you.

One way to test this is to ask yourself, “Does my customers know I am the owner?” If your customers do not insist on doing business directly with you, your business is a candidate for expansion.

MEASURE THE STRENGTH OF YOUR EXISTING SHOP Is your current location profitable and generating a positive cash flow?

What are the keys to your current success and can these factors be transplanted to a new location? Are there other specialty shops nearby that help to generate and sustain the traffic of potential customers on which your business relies for its ongoing customer base?

What changes from your existing shop could you implement that could be expected to improve the performance of a new location? Does the proposed new location offer access to an even larger pool of potential customers in the new target market? What are the characteristics of your proposed new location that might adversely affect the way your business would operate? Is the existing competition strong and well-established?

Who would manage your new location, and would there be an adequate supply of qualified potential employees?

PERFORM MARKET RESEARCH ON NEW LOCATION Confirm objectively what you believe you already know. Identify potential new target markets, and measure the strength of existing demand as well as current and anticipated competition.

Or if adequate demand doesn’t currently exist, determine the cost/time and potential effectiveness of any required new marketing efforts designed to create the desired demand.

Also, confirm that your advertising medium of choice is available, and at a cost that is within your budget. Don’t forget to measure both the strength of

EDGAR HENRY your industry as well as the strength of your proposed new local market. Ideally, your market research will comprise of test marketing, including, if possible, pilot test sales of your products and services in the proposed new target market.

Be certain that you have prearranged adequate funding for the proposed new location This may include such sources of funding as loans, outside investors and/ or your own contributed capital dollars as well as any applicable trade credit.

Remember, you are well-advised never to count on your existing location for any funding; rather, consider the new location a separate business venture.

Finally, before making your decision, consider any appropriate growth alternatives to opening a second physical location.

You may be able to grow your business by building a new website, eliminating the need for considerable funding and the risk associated with opening a physical store. For many businesses, the Internet offers low-cost access to a national market, with large numbers of potential customers. The viability of the Internet marketing medium for your business is a function of your business’s ability to successfully and profitably deliver your products and services outside your existing local market.

Keep in mind, your final decision must always be based on verifiable business logic, not merely your desire to duplicate the success of your existing location. In other words, do your due diligence homework first, before you decide.

When coupled with the opportunity for talented long term managers to have their own spheres of influence while still maintaining connections to the strong

existing company, the move makes even more sense. What opening a branch office doesn’t solve, however, are unresolved personal issues. Nor does it settle disputes among squabbling dissatisfied and disgruntled employees.

But when there’s a solid business reason behind the decision, opening a branch with talented employees at the helm presents a rare opportunity to head off problems that arise when you have a lot of qualified personnel in a successful business. Branches allow a business to leverage its established base, building a solid reputation and taking advantage of economies of scale while giving managers and supervisors their own spheres of influence. Talent is important if you’re planning this type of expansion. So is trust.

Even if there’s a market opportunity to branch out, business in a second location have to be wary about doing so before they’ve gone through the second stage of their development: the professionalization of the business. If the

business hasn’t done this yet--businesses are often resistant--they can wind up replicating management and organizational problems when they expand into other markets. Business problems compound geometrically, not mathematically, when there’s an expansion. The complexity of expanding makes it essential to define the structure of the holding company, the responsibilities and methods of accountability of the branch heads, the geographical territories, and the operational connections.

In addition to making certain the business processes are well articulated and understood, managers and skilled employees need to talk about unresolved issues of trust and respect before branching out.

Still, there’s nothing better for a business than expanding your profit and having a large, talented cadre of trusted employees and dedicated supervisors / managers to make that expansion happen.

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

18

Pilot and operator of Oxford Aviation, Munidat “Raj” Persaud

Getaway pilot has murky history

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

By Alva Solomon AS LOCAL authorities continue to examine the legal basis on which to tread, reports have suggested that the operators of two aircraft which departed Guyana without authorisation on Saturday had committed several aviation violations while operating here. pilot of one of the two aircraft, Munedat “Raj” Persaud, along with another pilot whose only name was given as “Vladimir”, departed the Eugene F. Correia International Airport (EFCIA), unknown to the authorities here, in two Cessna 206 aircraft bearing registration 8R-GTP and GMP. The two flew undetected to Grenada, and later island-hopped their way further north to the island of Anguilla. This newspaper was informed that one of the aircraft was prevented from moving onward, while the other was allowed to depart for San Juan, Puerto Rico the following day.

Persons within the aviation sector told this publication on Monday that Persaud had always “bullied” his way while operating here. The pilot has, reportedly on several occasions, provided incorrect information to the authorities; and one aviation official noted that such violations are known within aviation circles.

Same occurred on Saturday when the pilot departed from these shores minus customs or immigration declarations. In addition, Persaud and his colleague flew through Trinidad’s airspace without authorisation.

Calls to the numbers provided for Oxford Aviation at Ogle on Monday went unanswered. According to reports, the company folded in recent months and the operator was planning to relocate the two aircraft to the United States, where the company operates a flight school.

Prior to last weekend’s incident, the company’s operations here have reportedly been dogged by several notable accidents, in one of which its aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

A Guyanese by birth, Persaud, during an interview with this newspaper in February 2011, had said he decided to start operating here because he had seen the need for a service to hinterland areas, and he had started

with two aircraft. Shortly after, however, the company lost an aircraft in an incident at Ekereku, in Region Seven. On board then were five persons, some of whom were employees of Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). All the passengers managed to escape with minor injuries after the plane ran off the runway at Ekereku Bottom during take-off.

That aircraft, the first of two owned by Oxford, was damaged beyond repair, and subsequent investigations established that it had crashed as a result of pilot error -- the pilot had overloaded the plane. He had suffered only minor injuries, Persaud confirmed at the time.

Then, in January 2010, the pilot of another aircraft operated by the company landed the aircraft short of the Baramita airstrip in Region One. “The facts are that the aircraft landed short of the runway. Why he landed short of the runway, we don’t know. From what I was told, the aeroplane was coming in to land at minimal air speed, and he landed short of the runway; and part of the consequence was that he hit a ditch and lost control,” Persaud had said at a press conference at that time.

It is unclear whether the incident at Ekereku Bottom was related to another incident which involved another aircraft operated by another local company -- Domestic Aviation.

That aircraft, a Cessna 172 model aircraft bearing registration 8R-JIL, had sustained structural damage during a collision with an aircraft operated by Oxford Aviation.

That incident resulted in pilot Orlando Charles of Domestic Aviation taking the matter to the courts to be resolved. The active High Court proceedings barred Persaud from operating the two aircraft, and this is seen as the genesis for the pilot’s actions on Saturday morning.

Reports are that the two pilots, using their airport pass, passed through the security at the airport and informed security personnel that they were going to the aircraft to place something onboard.

The incident has resulted in criticism of the security arrangement at the airport.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

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Guyana Lands & Surveys to partner with UNFAO … to implement land development project

THE Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) will be partnering with the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (UNFAO) to implement a Sustainable Land Development and Management Project.

The proposed project is expected to take effect in January 2017.

A release from the Ministry of the Presidency noted that this is the largest collaboration of its kind in Guyana between the UNFAO and the GL&SC. The project will be funded through the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF), in line with the Low Carbon Development Strategy, and in keeping with the ideals of a low emissions pathway of the Green Economy Framework.

The release noted that the partnership was the outcome of a meeting, which was held on June 24 at the GL&SC between Commissioner of the agency, Mr. Trevor Benn and UNFAO representatives, comprising Dr. John Ronald Ford, Sub-regional Coordinator; UNFAO Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean, Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul; Deputy UNFAO Coordinator/ Administrative and

Technical Capacity – Land and Water Divisions, Mr. Reuben Hamilton Robertson; Guyana Country Representative of the UNFAO and Ms. Angela Alleyne, Assistant UNFAO Representative for Guyana. Also present at the discussion was Mr. Marlon Bristol, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist and Head of the Project Management Office, Ministry of the Presidency.

The proposed project is intended to promote good environmental stewardship in a green economy to achieve a better quality of life, improve planning, monitoring and evaluation capacities to address land management needs, improve standard of living through sustainable land use and management practices, strengthen monitoring and enforcement capacity and ensure compliance with sustainable land management practices, mainstream policy and implementation by natural resource agencies and implement sustainable land development and management and monitoring using indicators for the reduction of land use conflicts and innovative problem solving initiatives.

It is also expected to increase land reclamation

Mr. Trevor Benn, Commissioner of Guyana Lands and Surveys in a symbolic handshake with Dr. John Ronald Ford, Sub-regional Coordinator, FAO Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean along with other officials of degraded public lands and reduce degraded areas in relation to total land area, improve organisational image through better client-employees relations and ensure greater coordination and improved service delivery in technical areas.

As the guardian of public lands and the National Focal Point Agency to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Commission has implemented numerous projects aimed at improving public land administration

in Guyana and contributing to poverty alleviation and national development while meeting the country’s international obligations.

According to the release, Cabinet recently took a bold step of approving Guyana’s alignment process to the

Representatives from UNFAO with Senior Staff of GL&SC

UNCCD’s 10- year (20082018) Strategic Plan giving the green light for the implementation of the Aligned National Action Plan to Combat Land Degradation (NAP).

This provides further impetus to addressing issues related degraded lands.

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

QUEENSTOWN VILLAGE

By Tajeram Mohabir LOCATED in the quiet but cheerful village of Queenstown, on the Essequibo Coast, the existence of St Bartholomew Anglican Church stretches back to the dark era of slavery, over a century ago.

Originally a coffee storage house, the building is believed to have first been constructed by slave labour in the 16th century, but following the abolition of slavery, was converted into a church by the White planter who had owned the plantation where it sat.

There is no record showing exactly when the building was consecrated a church, but some church elders believe that it happened around 1830.

Unique in shape, the ar-

proposals. Thus to this day, and for a long time to come -- if that time will ever come -– the building has retained the design of its construction at time of consecration.

The first church to be constructed in Queenstown, the building was named after St Bartholomew, one of the 12 disciples of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Bartholomew has been identified with Nathanael, who appears in the Gospel according to John as being introduced to Christ by Philip (who would also become an apostle).

In the early days, the church was presided over

by European priests, but as time went by, this culture changed and folks of African, Indian, and even Indigenous ancestry were

––and tales of the Comfa priests

tions established a presence in the village. Aside from the Anglicans, there are today Methodists, Presbyterians, Seven-Day Adventists and members of the Full Gospel Fellowship churches.

While the church is doing well, Christiani told the Guyana Chronicle, it has, in the past few years, lost some of its members to the Full Gospel Fellowship Church; and this is probably due to the way that church conducts its prayer services.

Services at the Full Gospel Fellowship Church are lively, with members singing and dancing, compared to the simple way services are conducted at

The St Bartholomew Anglican Church at Queenstown, Essequibo Coast chitecture was modified to somewhat resemble the early ships that brought the slaves to the West Indies from the African coast after it was converted into a church. Though the building was renovated several times over the years, its architecture was never changed.

According to church member Winston Christiani, 73, there have been several attempts to modify the building’s architecture, but most church members have rejected these

appointed as priests, once trained in Theology.

Queenstown residents worship at St Bartholomew Anglican Church every Sunday, and according to Christiani, Easter and Old Year’s Night services attract the largest congregation.

A RELIGIOUS PEOPLE Queenstown residents are a religious people, and over the years, several Christian denomina-

the St Bartholomew Anglican Church.

Apart from the Christian churches, there is a Temple and a Masjid in Queenstown, the largest village in all of Guyana.

At the time of its founding in 1841, Queenstown, named after Queen Victoria, was a Black village; but today it has diversified, due mainly to interracial marriages, Christiani said.

All the sugar factories in the village have disappeared, and the lands used for planting sugarcane have

The quiet but cheerful village of Queenstown, Essequibo Coast now been given over to rice cultivation.

Queenstown has, from the days of slavery, remained an agriculture-based village, with residents engaged in cultivation of ground provision, coconut and cash crops.

Christiani related that in his days as a boy, practically every household had a farmer, with a vast majority of them planting cassava, which was used to make cassava bread. It used to be sold widely on the coast, until the arrival of wheaten flour. This caused the cassava bread business to decline, as villagers opted for wheaten flour, and eventually, many sought occupations other than farming. Some went into the bauxite and sugar industries, and learnt the mechanic trade, while others chose careers in teaching, the Police Force, and other public service disciplines.

Former Deputy Bank of Guyana Governor, Clarence Ellis, is a resident of Queenstown, Christiani told this publication.

LIFE HAS CHANGED Christiani said that, over the years, life in Queenstown has changed considerably. He pointed

out that some of the old customs have died natural deaths and are hardly even spoken about today.

The church elder related that, growing up, his parents and grandparents had regaled him with stories of Moon Gazers, Mermaids and Baccoos, but he has never encountered any of those creatures. However, Christini said, he knows of the Comfa drummers and Comfa priests, who were spiritualists with uncanny abilities.

The Comfa priest and his close followers, Christini said, used to be consulted when a family was going through difficulties or when there was a major occasion in the family.

“The priest and his men, along with the person who consulted the priest, used to go to the burial ground of the person’s father/mother or grandfather/ grandmother and invoke them, asking for guidance to overcome their troubles.

From what I was told, it used to be a frightening experience, but all the persons going to the burial ground were prepared for what was to come. I was told that when the spirit was awakened, it groans and the persons around would feel the vibrations in the ground.

“The priest and his men, I was told, would put to the spirit the questions of the persons seeking the invocation, and they spoke in ‘tongues’. If a family had a major court matter, the ancestor spirt was contacted. If there was a wedding, the spirit was contacted also, to have a presence at the ceremony so as to ensure all goes well,” he said.

In those days, Christiani said, there was no electricity and people used to be very afraid of burial grounds; and if someone were to say “I will send my grandfather on you”, the hearer had valid reason to worry, because the person might go to consult the Comfa priest to have him cast a spell on the hearer.

These things, the church elder said, no longer exist today; and young people in the village are not fearful of the burial ground, as their grandparents were.

“Today, some of them play on the tombs in the burial ground; some gamble on them; some smoke, and some do other unholy things,” Christiani said.

And children today regard jumbie stories as jokes, “thanks to electricity, technology and this enlightened age”, he said.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

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Corentyne fishermen protest illegal shrimp-smuggling

By Nafeeza Yahya

THE East Berbice-Corentyne Agriculture Association staged a protest on Wednesday on the Miss Pheobe Public Road,Port Mourant, Corentyne, East Berbice, calling on the authorities for more support to combat smuggling of shrimp from neighbouring Suriname.

The protest, which was held in the vicinity of the Trainline Dam, saw about 30 fishermen representing the various fishing villages across East Berbice-Corentyne and was held to raise awareness of the challenges and disadvantages they face as a result of the illegal act.

According to Secretary of the organisation, Seudat Persaud, the protest was intended to make vendors aware of the problem and not resell the smuggled produce.

“This protest is to let the authorities know we have a concern; we carry this battle for 15 years.

“The Customs agency always say they don’t have resources like vehicles and stuff; we the farmers have to go and apprehend these

smugglers then the police and customs come so we are encountering some great difficulties, especially for the past year and we need help …plus people need to know about this so they can stop supporting the smugglers.”

Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, addressed the issue of smuggling while attending a function to observe National Fisher Folk day at the #66 Co-op Society base on the Corentyne.

“The smuggling of shrimp, fish and fish products in and out of the country affects us all. In addition, the smuggling of shrimp and fish into Guyana has the potential to generate many problems such as the introduction of pests and diseases into our environment.

Fish not inspected by the health authorities many very well not be fit for human consumption and can cause many health problems in our population. So while you [may] be getting a cheaper commodity, you may be damaging your health and the health of your family.”

Ronald Arjune, a fisherman from Whim who rears both shrimp and tilapia for both local and

international markets, said he is feeling the impact of the commodity on the

world they are fooling consumers.

“Some people are pass-

shrimp industry and we are the ones who will suffer.

“We are calling on the

and apprehend smugglers whenever they are on the move.

market as his revenue has declined significantly after being forced to lower prices.

“We have to sustain our children, they have to go to school. It’s not easy …this Suriname shrimp that is coming here is of bad quality and it would affect the entire country and several parts of the

ing the shrimp off as Guyana shrimp.”

Another fisherman “Rakesh” chipped in saying, “This shrimp go out to all parts of the world and many people have a bad experience with it and them labelling Guyana for the bad quality.

“If it continues this way it will cripple the

relevant agencies to look into this situation urgently so these issues of smuggling can be addressed.”

Persaud said while the organisation has made some strides recently with support from the Government and other agencies, they need more tangible help, especially with vehicles to be able to track

“We need more resources, especially vehicles and boats to catch the smugglers in the act. That is the help we need; right now we using our own vehicles and stuff, but that not enough.

“We need the help, so please let the relevant authorities look into this matter please.”

Guyanese hardly overstay in US –– US Deputy Chief of Mission Bryan Hunt

LESS than one per cent of Guyanese overstay their time in the United States, outgoing US Deputy Chief of Mission Bryan Hunt said.

In an exclusive interview, Hunt told Guyana Chronicle that the US Embassy is encouraged to issue more visas given that many Guyanese who were issued with non-immigrant visas, for business or pleasure, have returned home.

This is according to period studies conducted by the US Embassy on the return rate.

According to the Deputy Chief of Mission, the high rates of return are linked to the state of Guyana’s economy.

“Because Guyana’s socio-economic situation has gotten better, because we have this data that demonstrates that most Guyanese travellers use their visas appropriately and legitimately… our consular officers are able to make better decisions, which in Guyana’s case means that more Guyanese are qualified to travel to the United States,” he explained.

According to Hunt, in the past, Guyanese were more than often denied visas to the United States because they were being judged on a Guyana. This no longer happens, he said.

US Deputy Chief of Mission Bryan Hunt

“I think when I first got here in 2013, we had a situation where people were assessing visa applications based upon a Guyana that no longer existed, a Guyana that was ten years, 15 years old. A Guyana where lots of people overstayed their visas in the United States and for which people were looking for economic opportunity,’ the outgoing Deputy Chief of Mission explained.

Since, then he said, the US Embassy has been helping consular officers to better understand the Guyana of today. Consular officers are therefore urged to look at recent trends in terms of travel to help them make accurate and fair decisions.

Hunt said he is encouraged by the high rate of return and hopes that this positive trend continues for the good of all Guyanese.

Statistical data coming out of the US Embassy indicates that in 2015, a total of 39,000 Guyanese were interviewed for non-immigrant visas, the majority of whom were granted their visas.

Approximately 4900 Guyanese were also issued with immigrant or permanent visas. In the early 2000s, less than 6000 visas were issued by the US Embassy.

22

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

THE VILLAGE of Moraikobai, situated up the Mahaicony River, Mahaica-Berbice (Region Five) on Sunday became the latest beneficiary under President David Granger’s Five B’s or ‘Boats, Buses, Bicycles plus Breakfast and Books’ Programme, which is aimed at ensuring that every child has access to

been playing an instrumental role in the coordination of the B’s programme, in her remarks, highlighted that though the President had made the commitment since 2015, he has fulfilled the promise so that younger generation can benefit to take Guyana forward. “I recall being told by the President of your approach to him for a boat to be used by our children and members of the community for essential purposes and here we are; the President is delivering on his promise as usual.

Requests like these cannot be ignored or forgotten because this administration recognises that education and essential services happen to be the best investment that we can make in our people. We as a government have initiated legitimate action to improve access to education through President David Granger’s B’s project,” Minister Ally told the residents of Moraikobai.

She noted that the programme is a representation of how responsive the government is to the needs of the people, especially in the areas of education and social development. “We have a proactive government whom by every means necessary, will seek to address social ills and inequality issues, specifically issues that impedes children and young people from achieving their full potential in life. We will make all the necessary investments to ensure that every child has equal access to education, regardless of

Moraikobai gets school boat, bicycles to follow the Central Mahaicony Secondary School. The children are forced to pay as much as $3000 per day to travel out of the village to attend school.

Consequently, school dropouts and absenteeism had become prevalent.

“I was encouraged to come here by three wise women. They came to me last year November and I did

us keep this boat working and I promise you, we will do everything possible to ensure that it is kept repaired and functional at all times because if our children cannot go to school, they cannot take part in making Guyana that better place and giving themselves that good life that has been promised. I want to urge the Toshao to make sure

President David Granger pours coconut water on the newly commissioned boat and stays in school.

President Granger commissioned a 42-seater boat, which was donated by the Guyana Goldfields Incorporated/Aurora Gold Project.

The company had handed over the boat to Minister of Social Cohesion, Ms. Amna Ally, earlier this year.

In addition to handing over the boat, the President has committed to ensuring that a number of bicycles are handed over to the community before the beginning of the new school term to cater for travel, during the dry season.

Before officially commissioning the boat, President Granger in his remarks, said that in November 2015, three women – Deputy Toshao, Ms. Mary Joseph, Ms. Shenelle Adrian and Ms. Lynette Adrian - from the village had visited him at the Ministry of the Presidency, where they shared the plight of the students, who travel as much as 100 miles to get to

promise to come and today I am fulfilling that promise.

What they asked me for was a boat and I have brought the boat. These are the women who came out of this river and took the initiative to come and see me. I didn’t refuse to see them. I didn’t tell a clerk to see them. They came into my office and I gave them my word. I am honouring that promise,” the President said, even as he gave each of them a token of appreciation.

Given his intense focus on education, the President noted that he was moved to initiate action so that the burden of travelling can be significantly reduced for both students and parents alike of the village. “I couldn’t come before because there was a drought and the river was too low but here I am today… We must keep our children in school and there must be no excuse; no excuse of lack of transportation. Let

every child goes to school,” President Granger said.

Minister of Social Cohesion, Ms. Amna Ally, who has

their location, whether it is riverine, hinterland or coastal communities,” the Minister noted.

Meanwhile, Toshao of the Moraikobai, Mr. Collin Adrian, expressed his thanks, noting that it is heartening to see the President keep his promise, which he had made to the women who had visited his office since November last year. He also extended thanks to the Government for its quick response to addressing the village’s flooding situation about two weeks ago.

“Our expectation surely was not in vain. This is a visit that we were expecting since December and today it has borne some fruits. A few weeks ago our community was affected by the flood; however I must thank the Government for its quick response. Thank you, Mr. President for responding to our call,” he said.

Though no representative from the Guyana Goldfields Incorporated/Aurora Gold Project was present at the commissioning ceremony, Logistics Manager of the company’s Buck Hall operations, Kenrick Glasgow, during the handing over of the boat to Minister Ally, earlier this year, had said that the commitment to give this gift to the President - a boat for his ‘Buses, Boats and Bicycles’ or ‘three Bs’ programme, was made the same day that the company poured its first gold bar. “This is a present from the people of Guyana Gold Fields for the children of Moraikobai in the

Mahaicony River. It is indeed a pleasure and an honour to give this gift for the children so that they can go to school,” Glasgow said.

Ms. Mary Joseph, one of the women who had visited the President in November, expressed her gratitude, noting that the President’s actions to honour his promise, has not gone unnoticed.

“I feel so great that the President has really stood to his word and I know that he didn’t fool us. He promised us and he has dedicated himself and came to us and delivered and for that we are most grateful,” she said. Ms. Shenelle Adrian, another resident said “we feel happy because it is good for our children. When they have to go to school, they have to travel on the pontoons in the rain and now all of them will get to school,” Ms. Adrian said.

The Boat is expected to benefit at least 50 students and Headmistress of the St. Francis Primary School, Ms. Shalome Calistro, hopes that it will significantly boost the morale of the students and parents alike, encouraging regular and punctual attendance at school. To date, eight boats and nine buses have been commissioned by the President, while hundreds of bicycles have been distributed to communities across the ten administrative regions of the country. (Ministry of the Presidency)

Residents of Moraikobai were out in their numbers at the commissioning

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

23

Ahead of oil rush, Guyana buckles down to fight corruption - Gov’t seeks certification by global transparency body

GUYANA is hoping to submit its official application to become a candidate of the Extractive

representatives of government, industry and civil society.

On Tuesday at the

management of revenues and better choices for our spending,” Trotman said .

Guyana’s economy is heavily based on the extractive industries. Its oil and gas sector is currently taking shape and is an indication for the extreme wealth that could behold the country once managed effectively. As such, EITI is critical in this process.

“The recent discoveries of hydro carbons in the Atlantic Ocean tell us that Guyana has oil and natural gas many times more valuable than our nation’s entire economic output,”

Minister said while the Government anticipates that the expected revenue will be “explosively transformative for the economic and social development

scored the importance of understanding and improving the management and use of natural resources in Guyana, particularly in the extractive sector.

jected shift,” he opined.

The private sector was represented by Hilbert Shields – a geologist.

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources,

“The recent discoveries of hydro carbons in the Atlantic Ocean tell us that Guyana has oil and natural gas many times more valuable than our nation’s entire economic output.”

– Minister Trotman of all Guyanese,” such ‘explosion’ will be both “good and controlled.”

Adhering to sound macroeconomic principles

McCormack said the next decade is likely to see a major transfer or shift in terms of greater reliance on domestic revenue for

Simona Broomes, British High Commissioner Greg Quinn, Canadian High Commissioner Pierre Giroux, and U.S. Ambassa-

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman addressing the EITI Symposium at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)

by November, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman said on Tuesday.

EITI is a global organisation of 51 countries which have subscribed to establishing, upholding and promoting the standards and tenets of good governance, transparency and accountability in the management of extractive industries.

At its core, the EITI promotes the belief that natural resources belong to the people and are to be extracted and managed on behalf of the people for current and future generations.

Countries, on assuming membership, coordinate their activities through a tripartite Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) that comprises

Arthur Chung Convention Centre, a tripartite MSG symposium was convened to discuss the role of stakeholders in the process of safeguarding extractive industries.

Minister Trotman, who was among the key speakers, said the trust and confidence that EITI engenders are critical to the development of the country.

“Addressing the issues pertaining to better resource revenue collection is complicated and requires effective coordination of our agencies and institutions and coordination between civil society and the stakeholders in the extractive industries.

Thankfully, the EITI process provides a bridge where all three can engage and exchange information and views with the intention of ensuring better

EITI Symposium in session at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre Trotman said.

However, he made it clear that other contributing sectors such as gold-mining will not be glossed over or under-emphasised.

“Gold has been the largest earner of foreign revenue over the last seven years, from all indicators it will again be our single largest foreign exchange earner this year,” he posited.

The Natural Resources

and becoming a member of EITI will aid in making this transformative process a reality, Trotman said.

“Transparency, accountability and good governance are the bedrock of strong economies and strong societies,” the Natural Resources Minister added.

Mike McCormack, a representative of Policy Forum (Civil Society), in his presentation under-

development rather than international aid.

As such, he said the elimination of illicit financial flows and availability of tax information are among key issues that ought to be addressed.

“If we are going to manage extractive resources there is a whole range of infrastructural changes that have to take place, our governance arrangements are no way near in place for this pro-

dor Perry Holloway were among officials present at the symposium.

Even as the country awaits full membership of the EITI, in its quest to embrace good governance standards in the regulation of extractive industries, Guyana has been receiving guidance and support from the EITI’S Norway- based secretariat and the Trinidad & Tobago Chapter (TTEITI).

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

CPL excitement to hit Florida THE 2016 edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will kick start a new beginning for League Cricket in The United States of America on 28 July when Guyana Amazon Warriors face off against Barbados Tridents in a night game at the Lauderhill Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It will be a tussle for crucial league points as a total of six games will be played in Florida, across four days, before the start of the Playoffs phase.

There will be plenty of star power that will draw crowds to the 10,000-capacity stadium for the matches featuring the six CPL teams. For the opening game of the Florida leg, Florida will witness stars like AB de Villiers, Kieron Pollard and Shoaib Malik represent Barbados against Amazon Warriors, who boast of the likes of Martin Guptill, Dwayne Smith and Adam Zampa.

July 29 will also feature a single night game, featuring St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Trinbago

Knight Riders (TKR).

While the Patriots have plenty of players of international reputation like Lendl Simmons, Faf du Plessis and Samuel

Hashim Amla and Umar Akmal in their ranks.

July 30 and July 31 will witness double-headers. Zouks, which has the likes of David Mill-

Chris Gayle, Kumar Sangakkara, Shakib Al Hasan, Andre Russell and Lasith Malinga - in the mid-day match, while Barbados and Guyana

face off against St Kitts & Nevis in the mid-day match while Jamaica will take on Zouks in the evening game.

“We are delighted to

The Lauderhill Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida will be the venue for six CPL games across four days.

Badree, among others, the newly re-named defending champions TKR have Dwayne Bravo, Brendon McCullum, Sunil Narine,

er, Shane Watson, Darren Sammy and Michael Hussey, will take on the Jamaica Tallawahs - who have plenty of stars like

will face off for the second time in Florida in the evening match on Saturday. The Sunday doubleheader will see Trinbago

announce fixture information of the ground-breaking Florida leg of CPL which represents an exciting new chapter for the tournament.

Supporters will have the opportunity to see all six teams in action twice over four action-packed days which will showcase some of the best West Indies and international talent on display,” Damien O’Donohoe, the chief executive officer of CPL, said.

“West Indies cricket is on a real high at the moment, with the success of the men’s, women’s and Under-19 World Cup winning squads generating a feel-good factor locally and internationally, and plans are well underway to deliver a top-class leg in the USA,” he added.

Florida-leg Schedule: July 28 - Guyana Amazon Warriors v Barbados Tridents (7pm) July 29 - St Kitts & Nevis Patriots v Trinbago Knight Riders (7pm) July 30 - Zouks v Jamaica Tallawahs (midday), Barbados Tridents v Guyana Amazon Warriors (4pm) July 31 - Trinbago Knight Riders v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots (midday), Jamaica Tallawahs v Zouks (4pm)

Charles, Watson deliver CPL opening win for Zouks (ESPNCricinfo) - Johnson Charles scored a 38-ball 52 to lay the foundation for St Lucia Zouks’ chase of 163, before David Miller finished the job with an unbeaten 33 off 20 to seal a six-wicket victory for the visitors in the Caribbean Premier League opener in Port of Spain.

That Zouks were not chasing more was in large part thanks to Shane Watson who combined economy with timely wickets to stifle Trinbago Knight Riders’ innings at crucial junctures.

Introduced in the last over of the Powerplay,

Watson dismissed Colin Munro off his third ball, before snaring Umar Akmal and Kevon Cooper in the closing overs.

Though Darren Bravo’s two sixes off his last two balls somewhat spoiled his figures, he had by then helped to keep Knight Riders down to a total that Zouks ultimately chased down with five balls to spare.

Knight Riders got off to an underwhelming start as their power-packed top three Brendon McCullum, Hashim Amla and Munro - were dismissed for sluggish starts to leave the home side 58 for 3 after nine overs. Darren

Bravo then combined with Akmal to consolidate with a stand of 66 off 50. That stand was brought to an end when Akmal mistimed a Watson bouncer to offer an easy caught-and-bowled chance.

After Watson closed out a tight 18th over, Darren Bravo went on the attack in the last two, hitting Morne Morkel for a four and a six in the 19th, before hitting consecutive sixes off Watson to close out the innings with a flourish.

In pursuit of 163, Charles got Zouks off to a strong start, stroking six fours and a six in his knock of 52. He fell in

the 12th over, when a mistimed attempt at a reverse-sweep off Sunil Narine was caught by McCullum. By that stage, though, Zouks had raced to 93 for the loss of two wickets.

Narine pulled the game back in the middle overs with a stingy spell of 2 for 25, leaving Zouks with 39 to score off the last four. But Miller then tore into medium pace bowler Ronsford Beaton in the 17th over, with two fours and a six off consecutive deliveries. Zouks ultimately eased past the target with five balls to spare.

Johnson Charles’ 52 set up St Lucia Zouks’ chase, Trinbago Knight Riders v St Lucia Zouks, CPL 2016, Port of Spain, June 29, 2016 © Sportsfile via Getty Images

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

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Sports Hall gets new equipment ahead of U-16 CBC championships

By Daniel Haynes AHEAD of the male and female U-16 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships, the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) has been going through renovations within the past months.

The peak of the renovations, however, has come at the hands of new basketball systems which include the base, stanchion, backboard, rings and shot clock, camera and microphone.

The new systems are now FIBA-certified Level 1 and bring with them the opportunity for Guyana to host regional and international tournaments.

The systems were revealed Tuesday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH). Present were Director of Sport Christopher Jones, Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation president Nigel Hinds and CBC vice-president Finance and Marketing Patrick Haynes. Also present at the reveal were members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC).

Patrick Haynes stated that the arrival of the rings brought the preparation process up to 60%. He added that the readying of the CASH was behind schedule and should have been finished by June 25. He expressed confidence in the LOC and GABF, promising 100% completion

by tomorrow.

Also commenting was Nigel Hinds who stated the entire process was at 70%.

“The process won’t be completed until we have the games underway successfully,” Hinds added, “The tournament is for development and the entire renovation process is not just for the CBC U-16 but for Guyana basketball.”

Director of Sport Christopher Jones also had his take on the new systems stating that the acquisition of certified goals ensures the readiness of Guyana to host the tournament.

He added that the addition revitalises the sport of basketball even more and pushes Guyana into a new sphere. He

(L-R) LOC member George Vyphuis, Nigel Hinds, Christopher Jones.

gave a nugget of information that next up for renovations was the National Gymnasium which would see an estimated cost of G$460M. Jones also commented on the entire renovation of CASH being for the enhancement of the facility to move it into the future.

The CBC games begin on Sunday July 3 with four games.

At 13:00hrs Antigua & Barbuda will take on The Bahamas, and Barbados will come up against the British Virgin Islands at 15:15hrs. Group B will see Jamaica take on Suriname at 17:30hrs and hosts Guyana will wrap up against Aruba at 20:30hrs.

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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

‘It’s the worse feeling you can ever have’ ... Mills talks about Messi penalty miss

By Stephan Sookram Scoring a football penalty seems routine, right?

Standing at the 12-yard spot with only the goalkeeper defending an 8x24ft box should be easy, especially if the person standing ominously behind the ball is the world player-ofthe-year!

Not so, says one Guyanese football forward who believes that Lionel Messi’s catastrophic penalty miss, which cost Argentina the Copa America title for a second year running, is not as easy as it seems.

Golden Jaguars and Slingerz FC forward Vurlon Mills spoke to Chronicle Sport about the workings of the mind during that gruelling 30 seconds leading up to and the execution of the one-on-one shootout.

“Penalties are made to

National player Vurlon Mills score,” Mills said. “However, it’s easier said than done. Especially when

you’re in front of thousands of screaming fans and the whole nation is depending on you.”

He continued, “As a fan, put yourself in that player’s position and imagine you’re taking a penalty kick in front of 100 000 fans, the pressure you’re under, the whole atmosphere, the noise, your family watching!”

Copa America’s Centenario had, according to Forbes.com, ‘a sold-out crowd of more than 81 000 fans.’

The Slingerz forward empathised, “I can understand how Messi felt after missing an important penalty for his country. Think about everything that will be going through a player’s mind. Everything always starts with ‘if’ and ‘what’.”

“What if I miss? What happens if the keeper goes the right side? Everything

other than kicking the ball goes through your head,” Mills said, however adding, “but as players it’s always our responsibility to blank out all the distractions and focus on just how to get the ball between the uprights.”

He continued, “There’s always joy in scoring the winning penalty for your team, but it’s the worst feeling that you can ever have when you miss.”

Three major football finals in as many years representing the Albiceleste and Messi is yet to snap a trophy for his country, something that is deeply frustrating for a man crowned player-ofthe-year five times, according to Mills.

But whether you hate Messi or idolise him, you have to feel some amount of emotion for a man who played his heart out in a tournament he dominated up

Lionel Messi wipes his eyes after missing his penalty shot in the Copa America Centenario on Sunday.

(Goal.Com Photo) until the absolute last strike when he hit the bottom deck of the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Laden with individual and club accolades but trophy-less in a senior competition for his country, La Pulga Atómica (‘The Atomic Flea’) seems to be no more

for Argentina.

He has seemingly stared into numerous broken mirrors, walked under more than his fair share of open ladders and crossed paths with clowders of black cats during his stint in that blue and white ensemble.

Chanderpaul has his own role to play, says Drubahadur His knowledge is important in taking Guyana’s cricket to higher heights

By Rajiv Bisnauth FOLLOWING the third annual West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)/Professional Cricket League (PCL) draft earlier this month at the Coppin/Cozier/Short Media Centre at Kensington Oval, Barbados, the Guyana Jaguars opted for veteran West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul as one of the fifteen contracted players.

At age 42 many felt that the former captain should have made way for a younger player, but during an exclusive interview yesterday, president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Drubahadur strongly believes that Chanderpaul still has a pivotal role to play in taking

SHIVNARINE CHANDERPAUL Guyana’s cricket to higher heights.

The GCB boss insisted that age is just a number, add-

ing that the left-hander has his own role to play within the Guyana Jaguars’ setup.

“More importantly what we see, he (Chanderpaul) will basically assist the youngsters in the team. We need someone like him at this moment where the young batsmen can bat around with.

“Shiv is still committed to the game, and his performance speaks for itself. He averaged close to 50 in the last season, so definitely he has his own role to play. His knowledge is important in taking Guyana’s cricket to higher heights,” Drubahadur concluded.

People know him for his unusual stance and calm demeanor. Born in the same era as Brian Lara, Chanderpaul

never got the same adulation as the former West Indian batting great.

He was no Clive Lloyd or Alvin Kallicharran, yet he will always be remembered as one of the greatest all-time left-handed batsmen.

With an open-ended stance that saw him flick, hook and find the gaps with ease, Chanderpaul was able to accumulate 11 867 runs from 164 Tests, just 86 runs shy of Lara’s (11 953 in 131 Tests).

He also has 8 778 ODI runs to boast about. So, it came as a disappointment to not only his fans but Lara as well when this 42-year-old was forced into retirement by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

Meanwhile, the Guyana Jaguars opted for its local players, with 21-yearold Trinidad and Tobago all-rounder Vikash Mohan, the only new imported draft choice.

Barbadian left-handed all-rounder Raymon Reifer is the other foreign player, but he was one of ten players retained by the Guyana Jaguars.

The other contracted players for the new season are: Shimron Hetmyer, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Vishaul Singh, Assad Fudadin, Christopher Barnwell, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, Keon Joseph, Anthony Bramble, Steven Jacobs, Paul Wintz and Romario Shephard.

Further, it must be not-

DRUBAHADUR ed that batsmen Leon Johnson and Rajendra Chandrika, along with leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, were not considered for contracts since they all have WICB retainer contracts.

Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending July 1, 2016

27

Langer in awe of West Indies fast-bowling talent WEST Indies cricket would go a long way to reaching its potential if Caribbean pitches regained the pace and bounce of yesteryear, according to Australia’s stand-in coach Justin Langer.

After Australia won the tri-series final against West Indies on Sunday, Langer said he had been in awe of the talent he had seen among local net bowlers over the past month.

However, the pitches offered up during the series tended to be on the slower side, as has been the case in the region for many years.

Langer said he found it baffling that pitches were prepared that would help spinners such as Sunil Narine, who he said was “still going to be a star” on any surface due to his natural talent, instead of fast bowlers who could rattle opposing batsmen.

“There is so much fast-bowling talent here,” Langer said. “You’ve got big, tall, beautiful athletes, and they run in and bowl fast and they keep bowling all day, but I don’t understand why they play on such dead, low, lifeless wickets.

It doesn’t make any sense to us.

“If you could harness

the natural ability you’ve got in the West Indies with those tall fast bowlers ... it would get the batsmen more used to facing fast bowling, more used to facing short-pitched bowling.

And with the natural talent they’ve got it won’t take long. But you’ve got to face it. You’ve got to be exposed to it.

“There’s so much natural talent. We’ve seen it in the net bowlers. I’m in awe of how many young fast bowlers you’ve got in the West Indies. We’ve seen it in Guyana, we’ve seen it in St Kitts, we’ve seen it in Barbados, and yet you play on wickets that bounce about this high. It doesn’t make sense to me.”

The 19-year-old Leeward Islands bowler Alzarri Joseph was one such talent who impressed Langer with his work in the nets against the Australians during the St Kitts leg of the tour.

Joseph was part of the West Indies side that won the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh earlier this year, and Langer said he was seriously impressed by what he saw at training.

“He reminded me of Andre Russell,” Langer said. “He bowled fast,

Justin Langer was particularly impressed by Alzarri Joseph, West Indies highest wicket-taker at the Under-19 World Cup this year. beautiful yorkers - and what an athlete! I reckon I’ve seen four or five who have really, really raw talent, and they just kept bowling. That’s what I kept loving. They just kept running in and bowling

all day.

“In a lot of parts of the world now it’s so structured with workloads and bowling loads. These kids just kept running in and bowling fast, and it was bloody hot … I do know they gave our batsmen

a workout, and there was talent. The talent is very obvious.”

Langer, in charge of the Australian squad while Darren Lehmann had a break at home, emerged from the tour with a series

win to his name, but he said West Indies should have a bright future judging by their performances this year.

“West Indies crick et is so exciting,” he said.

“They won the T20 World Cup, they’re so dangerous.

They’re like a boxer who’s got the big right hook and could knock you out at any time. They’ve got so much talent.

“I really respect and admire the guys who are playing, Jason Holder and Darren Bravo, Carlos Brathwaite to name a few - Narine, Pollard is always dangerous. (Johnson) Charles is a very dangerous player.

Until we got him out I was nervous for the game, because he’s a serious player. He whacks it - not a lot of foot movement but he’s a dangerous player. If he could harness his ability and go out and score more hundreds ...

Darren Bravo got a brilliant hundred the other day.

“There’s a lot of talent and I think they’re playing really well. They made the final, they beat South Africa very well, who are on paper an unbelievable cricket team. West Indies have a lot to look forward to.” (ESPN Cricinfo)

Sport CHRONICLE

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Sparta Boss snags second Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’

Director of Sport Director Chris Jones hands over the winners’ trophy to a jubilant Sparta Boss team.

THE Georgetown-based side Sparta Boss made a successful defence of their Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” football title when they won it for the second time in as many years on Friday evening.

Led by Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson and Devon Millington, the Sparta side spared no prisoners from Linden’s team 25 side in securing their second title at the National Cultural Centre Tarmac.

Chan in the 23rd minute through a cannon of a shot gave Sparta the lead

while on the contrary, Millington utilised ball skills to slip a pair of defenders and slot his shot home in the 59th The Sparta Boss Team received the $400,000 and the championship trophy but most importantly will jet of to St. Lucia for the regional tournament which runs from July 2-3.

“Team 25” walked away with the second place prize of $150,000 and the respective trophy while the other Linden side, Wisroc, finished in third place ahead of Channel 9 Warriors.

In that third place play-off, Wisroc defeated Channel 9 Warriors 3-1 on the back of a double by Clarence Huggins in the 3rd and 7th and a supporting goal from Michael Williams in the 11th.

Kemo Lawrence was the lone scorer for the Georgetown unit in the 9th; Wisroc collected $100,00 prize while Channel 9 had to settle for $50,000 and the respective trophy.

Meanwhile, for the regional championships the side will meet the hosts and defending champions St Lucia, Antigua,

Aruba, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, and the newest country to join the line-up, Curaçao.

The eleven country teams will be vying for the chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to Brazil, the mecca of football, with tickets to a major game in Rio de Janeiro.

With this exciting grand prize to Brazil, Guinness has heightened the competitive stakes, setting the stage for a series of thrilling showdowns.

(Stephan Sookram)