2015 3 12

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President Ramotar commissions No. 104126 THURSDAY MARCH 12, 2015 GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

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new $4.6B Rusal bauxite mine

...says industry is once again on firm footing Page

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` President Donald Ramotar along with RUSAL's CEO, Mr Vladislav Soloviov, tour the Kurubuka mining complex yesterday along with Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud and (L) Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn, among other officials

Suspended Magistrate re-instated Man breaks into President

grandma's

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to open

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home, steals Police Officers’ Television Conference

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Vigil held in No place for Education volunteer racially divisive solidarity with comments 13 campaigns to dead 'Activist' – Dr Roger Luncheon save 'Apostle' Page

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

President Ramotar commissions

new $4.6B Rusal bauxite mine

...says the industry here is once again on a firm footing

President Donald Ramotar and other officials during a tour of the Kurubuka mining complex yesterday

By Clifford Stanley PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar yesterday formally commissioned a new bauxite mine at at Kurubuka, on the Upper Berice River, saying that the event was another success story for the People’ Progressive Party/Civic which had launched a vigorous programme for saving bauxite in Guyana when it entered Government in 1992.

He made the remark during a commissioning ceremony to launch production of the new mine and processing plant which has been established by the Russian bauxite giant United Company (UC) RUSAL and its local subsidiary, Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc., (BGGI).

The investment amounted to $4.6B.

The commissioning took place at Kurubuka in the presence of senior government officials, including Ministers Robert Persaud, Robeson Benn and Juan Edhgill, the Russsian Am-

bassador, a large gathering of residents; members of the village council of neighboring Hururu villag,; and staffers and senior officials of RUSAl including Mr.Vladislav Soloviov, the

Chief Executive Officer of UC RUSAL who had travelled to Guyana specifically for the commissioning of the new mine.

Other speakers at the event were Minister Persaud,

Mr.Soloviov and Mr.SergueyKostiau, Managing Director of BCGI. During a feature address to the large gathering at Kurubuka, President Ramotar said that in 1992 the government had found the bauxite industry on the brink of collapse.

“It was said then that the industry was uneconomical and that it should be closed , but the PPP/C Government said no and we commenced the process of saving the industry.”

He added:” Today, we can say that the first part of the mission of the PPP/C has been accomplished ; the bauxite industry is once again on a firm footing and we are very happy for that.

He praised RUSAL for being steadfast in its determination to expand its operations in Guyana despite the many challenges it had faced.

He said that investments such as these made by RUSAL laid the foundations for a better life, not only for the neighbouring communities of Kwakwani and Hururu, but for all Guyanese.

He once again expressed the dream that the day will come when Guyana will be able to add value to its baux-

ite with the establishment of an aluminium smelter .

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Robert Persaud said that the bauxite industry had been brought back from near death by the PPP/C Government .

He noted that the Kurubuka 22 project had been in the pipeline for quite a few years and he was happy that the company had demonstrated a high level of confidence in Guyana and had invested the huge sums necessary for the mine and its related plants and equipment.

He urged RUSAL to examine other areas of expansion so that more opportunities can be created for the people of Region 10.

Soloviov praised the government for creating the right investment climate and encouragement to RUSAL to expand its operations.

He noted that RUSAL had invested over $US150M since it came to Guyana in 2004.

He said that the Kurubuka project will bring additional economic and social benefits to the immediate and surrounding communities of Hururu, Kwakwani, Turn to page 15 ►

Observing the Bauxite operation

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

President to open Police Officers’ Conference

Flashback: Commander in Chief, Donald Ramotar inspecting a Police Guard of Honour

THE annual Officers’ Conference of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is set to begin on March 12, at the Force’s Headquarters, Eve Leary. Head of State, President Donald Ramotar is slated to deliver the feature address, and will address several key issues, according to Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon.

Speaking at his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing today, Dr. Luncheon said that President Ramotar will have an “excellent opportunity” to reflect on security reform and its future for and in the

GPF, and “vicariously” the citizens of Guyana. The president, it was also noted, is “most unlikely to avoid highlighting the impact of sustained resourcing.”

This, Dr. Luncheon said, refers to the provision of financial, capital goods, and political will and moreover, the last three years of the president’s tenure in office.

Mention will also be made of the satisfaction of the provision of aid in various forms from the United Kingdom, the United States and other nations, the cabinet secretary added. These aid programmes were facilitated

under the Memorandum of Understanding with the UK; the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) with the USA; the Inter-American Development Bank and the Citizens Security Initiative, initiated by the Home Affairs Ministry and expanded under the sector minister.

The officer corps of the GPF will also be enlightened by the president and Commander-in-Chief of the current administration’s vision for the “life of the 11th parliament and beyond,” the cabinet secretary further added.

April 7 is Nomination Day – Dr Surujbally appeals for decorum during elections campaigning

GUYANA Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally, has announced that April 7 is Nomination Day and he appealed to political parties contesting the elections to demonstrate decorum during the elections campaign.

Addressing representatives of the political parties intending to contest the May 11 General and Regional Elections at the Commission’s Secretariat at Kingston, Georgetown, Dr Surujbally said he expects that the days of “bradarism” is over.

“I am appealing since I cannot dictate, I am appealing to combatants within the realms of the respective political parties to ensure that they maintain campaign decorum and that political speeches and rhetoric will remain respectful at all times. This respect is not for opposing parties themselves, this respect has to do with the Commission as well as the electorate,” the GECOM Chairman said.

CODE OF CONDUCT He, however, acknowledged that over the years, political parties here have become more mature, crediting the maturity in part to political leaders abiding by the Elections Code of Conduct for political parties.

“In fact, I can go so far as to say after the political parties so maturely put together

through GECOM’s guidance the Code of Conduct for political parties, and to a large extent, all the parties adhere to the code. I would hate to know that over the next two months, we revert to what we had in the past.”

He said the tenets of the code and legislation are representative of the guiding principles of GECOM, pointing out that the Commission is committed to managing the conduct of the elections within the Constitution and other statutory provisions.

MOSAIC OF DEMOCRACY “In following those principles, we expect that we will be treated with dignity and respect. If the point of origin in our thoughts, beliefs and convictions represent one of the most important tiles in the mosaic of democracy, then you have to show that respect to the purveyors, the organisers and the management of the electoral process, in this case, GECOM,” Dr Surajbally said.

The Chairman of the elections body said he is proud of the work of the Commission, boasting that in the global arena, GECOM is held in high esteem.

GECOM is part of a Commonwealth network of elections commissions, and according to Dr Surujbally, hardly a week or month passes without a country in

A section of the gathering at the GECOM meeting

the grouping contacting the Commission for solutions to its electoral challenges.

PASSION FOR PERFECTION He said GECOM has gained the respect mainly because of the Secretariat’s conviction of doing what is correct, following the direction of the Commissioners and having a passion to get things right.

Yesterday’s meeting was aimed to equip the representatives of the political parties with the relevant information for a smooth process on Nomination Day and the approval of the List of Candidates for the various political parties.

The Commission is working to ensure that the conduct in the elections

is aboveboard - free, fair, transparent, and acceptable to the nation and the international community - and is in consonance with the spirit of the Constitution of Guyana.

GECOM Chief Executive Officer Keith Lowenfield said the meeting spells out all the precursor activities required for the conduct of nomination before the move towards May 11 for the elections proper.

It was against this backdrop that representatives of the different political parties were invited to the meeting, with the primary objective being to ensure that they all sing from one song sheet as it relates to preparatory activities.

“These activities are all statutory in nature, the law requires of us as a body and

you as representatives of political parties to ensure that the processes required, every step of the way, are followed to letter of the law,” the GECOM Chief Executive Officer told the gathering.

Meanwhile, GECOM recently concluded the Claims and Objection exercise, the end of which saw 45 of 416 objections upheld; approximately 6,375 transfers, due to issues related to change of address, etc.; 3,904 new registrants; approximately 1,646 changes and corrections to existing registration information; 1,681 replacements of identification cards requested; and 634 retakes of photographs.

“We are happy about that, it says to the Commission and the Secretariat that the nation is responding to

our request to have all the processes required for the official conduct of elections.

Today marks another step in which parties need to know, understand so that they can efficiently operationalise these processes going forward. It will no doubt minimise likely errors contained in submissions for Nomination Day, in the first instance, so that the period for corrections will be a smooth one, should there be any,” Lowenfield said.

Additionally, it is expected that GECOM will publish the Revised List of Electors (RLE) by March 16. After that the Official List of Elections (OLE), which will facilitate voting on Elections Day, will be completed, likely by April 13.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Iraqi forces push into Tikrit, bombers hit Ramadi (Reuters) - IRAQI security forces and militias fought their way into Saddam Hussein’s home city of Tikrit on Wednesday, advancing from the north and south in their biggest counter-offensive so far against Islamic State militants.

In a possible response to the fighting north of Baghdad, militants in the Islamic State stronghold of Anbar west of the capital launched 13 suicide car bomb attacks on army and security positions in the provincial capital of Ramadi.

Army and militia fighters captured part of Tikrit’s northern Qadisiya district, the provincial governor said, while in the south of the Tigris river city a security officer said another force made a rapid push toward the center.

“The forces entered Tikrit general hospital,” an official at the main military operation command center said. “There is heavy fighting going on near the presidential palaces, next to the

A tank of Iraqi security forces is seen in the town of al-Alam March 10, 2015. Iraqi troops and militias drove Islamic State insurgents out of al-Alam on Tuesday, clearing a final hurdle before a planned assault on Saddam Hussein’s home city of Tikrit in their biggest offensive yet against the ultra-radical group. hospital complex.”

Islamic State fighters who stormed into Tikrit last June during a lightning offensive through northern and central Iraq have used the complex of palaces built in Tikrit under Saddam, the executed former president, as their headquarters.

More than 20,000 troops and Iranian-backed Shi’ite Muslim militias known as Hashid Shaabi, supported by local Sunni Muslim tribes, launched the offensive for Tikrit 10 days ago, advancing from

the east and along the east bank of the Tigris.

On Tuesday they took the town of al-Alam on the northern edge of Tikrit, paving the way for an attack on the city itself.

“The governor of Salahuddin announces the purging of half of Qadisiya district, the largest of Tikrit’s neighborhoods,” a statement from governor Raed al-Jubouri’s office said.

The army and militia fighters raised the national flag above a military hospital in the section of Qadisiya they

had retaken from the militants, security officials said.

After pausing while helicopters attacked Islamic State snipers and positions, the ground forces were progressing steadily, taking “one street every 30 minutes”, the security official said.

He said there was fierce fighting around Tikrit police headquarters just south of Qadisiya.

To the northwest, troops and Hashid Shaabi fighters were clashing with Islamic State militants in the city’s industrial zone, he added.

U.S. may be unable to defend its Syria recruits against Assad (Reuters) - THE United States does not appear to have clear-cut legal authority to protect Syrian rebels it trains from attack by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, even under new war powers, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday.

Still, Carter told Congress, a final determination had not yet been made.

The remarks underscore the deep uncertainty surrounding a fledgling U.S. military-led training program expected to get under way in the coming weeks, first in Jordan, then at training sites in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and, later, Qatar, with the goal of training upwards of 5,000 fighters a year.

President Barack Obama’s government says the Syria train-and-equip program will complement the campaign against Islamic State militants across the border in Iraq.

But critics say Obama’s goal of focusing solely on the Islamic State in Syria is not realistic and fails to take into account the threat to U.S.backed fighters from forces loyal to Assad, once they’re deployed on the battlefield.

The top U.S. military officer, General Martin Dempsey, testifying alongside Carter, warned that the United States would need

to give some assurances of protection to the new recruits it is injecting into Syria’s messy civil war.

“Now the scope and scale of that protection is the part of this that’s being actively debated,” Dempsey said.

“But the program won’t succeed unless they believe themselves to have a reasonable chance of survival.”

Carter, for his part, said the fighters will need to know “whether and in what manner they will be supported” but said the matter was being discussed within the Obama administration.

“That is something under active discussion. I don’t believe the legal aspect of that has been determined,” Carter said.

Senator Bob Corker, a Republican from Tennessee who leads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, pressed Carter. He said Pentagon lawyers indicated existing war powers authorized in 2001 and new ones now before Congress didn’t give a clear pathway for U.S. military action against Assad’s forces.

“Neither one gives clear-cut authority to y’all’s being able to defend the train-and-equip program against Assad’s assault,” Corker said.

“That’s my understanding,” Carter responded.

Military copter crash off Florida leaves 11 presumed dead (Reuters) - SEVEN Marines and four soldiers were presumed dead after an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a nighttime training mission off the Florida coast, where some human remains have washed ashore, U.S. military officials said on Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for the Eglin Air Force Base in north Florida did not provide details on the remains and officials did not immediately

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release information on what might have caused the crash.

Local media showed images of what appeared to be helicopter parts and base officials asked nearby residents to report any findings.

The military in the morning called the effort a “search and rescue mission.” Heavy fog in the morning hampered the search.

One of two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters participating in the routine exercise crashed near the

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base 50 miles (80 km) east of Pensacola, and rescue workers discovered debris about 2 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, the base said in a statement.

A U.S. military official, speaking on condition on anonymity, said the 11 service members aboard were presumed dead in what could be among the deadliest domestic military training accidents in years.

Eglin officials said the helicopter was believed to have gone down in the water. It was reported missing around 8:30 p.m.

EST on Tuesday, when heavy fog had blanketed the region.

The Marines were part

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of a special operations unit from Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Four crew members and the helicopter were part of the Louisiana National Guard, assigned to an Army unit based in Hammond, Louisiana.

The second helicopter landed safely, the military said. Names of the missing troops were being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

President Barack Obama phoned military officials to express condolences, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters, noting the president anticipated a detailed investigation.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Colombia to temporarily halt bombing of Farc rebels (BBC News) COLOMBIA is to halt bombing raids against left-wing Farc rebels for a month, President Juan Manuel Santos says, in a further sign of progress in the country’s peace process.

Mr Santos said the move was in recognition of the fact a unilateral ceasefire declared by Farc was holding.

But operations against another guerrilla group - the National Liberation Army (ELN) - will continue.

Colombia’s government and the Farc are holding peace talks in Cuba.

“In regards to the indefinite, unilateral ceasefire declared by the Farc on December 18, we must recognise that they have fulfilled it,” Mr Santos said in a televised address.

“In order to start the de-escalation of the conflict, I have decided to order the minister of defence and armed forces commanders to stop bombing raids on

Farc camps for a month,” he added.

President Santos said the ceasefire declared by Farc was holding

Breathing space?

President Santos was critical of the smaller Colombian rebel movement, the ELN, saying the group had “increased its criminal activities”.

His conservative opponents say halting the bombing will give the rebels valuable breathing space. Aerial raids have been a key component in the government’s

military campaign.

President Santos was critical of the smaller Colombian rebel movement, the ELN, saying the group had “increased its criminal activities”.

His conservative opponents say halting the bombing will give the rebels valuable breathing space. Aerial raids have been a key component in the government’s military campaign.

Video: Man cow-ties woman over stolen peppers

The unidentified woman who was tied for allegedly stealing peppers in Gasparillo.

Photo courtesy Charman Lal

(Trinidad Guardian) A VIDEO of a man herding a Gasparillo woman through a farming community with a rope tied around her body has sparked outrage among social media users.

The video was posted to Facebook by Moruga contractor Charman Lal hours after the incident on Saturday and was viewed 39,908 times and shared 1,335 times by 3.20 pm yesterday.

It showed a man holding a rope which was tied around the woman’s arms and waist while he walked behind her swinging the excess rope.

He was challenged by Lal as he led the woman down a dirt roadway, but justified his actions by saying that “they thief my

No confidence motion ruled out of order

(Barbados Advocate0) THE motion of no confidence against the Speaker of the House, Hon. Michael Carrington, which was drafted by the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), filed and submitted by Leader of the Opposition Business Santia Bradshaw to the clerk of Parliament for consideration, has resulted in an “out of order” reply from Her Honour, Deputy Speaker Mara Thompson. This means that the motion will not be allowed on the floor of the House of Assembly.

As noted by Leader of the Opposition, Mia Mottley, as she spoke to the media during a press briefing yesterday, “We have followed the best examples of parliamentary practice...that certain matters cannot be debated except on a substantive motion

– that substantive motion is in fact the motion of no confidence – so if we wanted to debate the conduct of the speaker, the only way we could do it is by way of a substantive motion, which we have done.”

Continuing, she further noted, “We chose not to file it from day one because of the Government’s decision to refer this matter to the Committee of Privileges, that was their judgment, we allowed them their route and we have now found that they are not acting with dispatch in bringing it to closure, and therefore we have said enough is enough and we sought to file our motion.”

Pointing out that the letter which explained that the motion had been ruled out of order did not convey a reason for the ruling, Mot-

tley said that for the BLP, their position on the matter was indeed very clear, as they saw it as a moral and ethical issue.

“For us, this has always been a moral and ethical issue and we sought to have it raised first in the House of Assembly…It was the Government through the very same Deputy Speaker, Mrs Thompson, who determined that the matter should go to the Committee of Privileges. This is a matter on which there is no vote…We participated, as is our duty, in the proceedings and we took a decision that we needed to wait for those proceedings to be completed before seeking to take any further action if necessary, depending on the ruling of that committee,” she stated.(AC)

peppers.” The woman, clearly afraid, said it was her husband who stole the peppers.

In an interview yesterday, Lal said he was driving through the area to get to Bonne Aventure to drop off someone when he noticed

the woman being “walked like an animal.” He said the passenger told him “don’t study them,” so he took a few pictures and drove off.

He said he called the E-999 hotline twice and did not get through, so he contact-

ed the Moruga police to get a number for the Gasparillo police. He said he made a report, but was not sure if the police ever came. After dropping off the passenger, he said, he returned and videotaped the man.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

EDITORIAL

GUYANA

That 'kick ass' comment ONE wonders what f o r m e r P re s i d e n t D r.

Bharrat Jagdeo meant when he said “… you have to kick asses to get things done.”

One can ponder like Socrates if he meant kick jackasses (donkeys) or the figurative posterior region of laggards and dullards who stymied development in the nation while heating up the seats in Parliament and drawing hefty stipends and enjoying luxurious benefits during deliberations of weighty matters, such as what was for lunch in the Tenth Parliament.

Guyana’s no-nonsense former President, who was often criticised by Opposition elements and the hostile media for his uncompromising positions and his intolerance for hypocrisy and bullyism, was in fine mettle as he demolished the

unfounded accusations that he had to endure for many long years – in and out of office.

Vintage Jagdeo: “That is private business… none of your business”, he slammed Capitol News’ Neil Marks who intrusively and arrogantly asked him about his private medical arrangements. The rumour-mongers who spread gossip instead of reporting news had written and spoken ad nauseam about the State’s funding of Dr. Jagdeo’s medical expenses, incidentally, to which he is entitled; so much so that even PPP/C supporters believed that lie that has been told so often that it became ingrained in the public psyche as a fact.

But Dr. Jagdeo nailed that lie and killed it dead by stating unequivocally that he had not accessed any

monies from the treasury for his medical expenses since he demitted office after elections of 2011.

Dr. Jagdeo has unreservedly condemned the collective Opposition for shooting down developmental works and programmes, cutting budgets vital to people’s welfare, and generally wasting the entire life of the 10th Parliament, not to mention the monies from the public purse that paid them handsomely while they were destroying programmes and policies meant to benefit the very public whose taxes were funding the futile occupation of their parliamentary seats.

Dr. Cheddi Jagan and President Ramotar have rebelled against the various oppressive forces that held the nation bondage for decades; but they are pacifists

whose preference lay in reasoning and discussion, with the hope of problem-resolution through talks.

However, Dr. Jagdeo is convinced that when dialogue is used to waste time to make those with vested interests relevant in the socio-political equation, while the nation suffers the consequences for either inaction or destructive actions, then it is time to figuratively kick butts.

He has done so without qualms, with no tolerance for idlers, naysayers and doomsayers during his successive terms in office, because he is results-oriented and without a doubt driven to achieve superlatively; hence the miraculous transformation of the country within a relatively short time-span.

And he was certainly

kicking some asses during the press conference held at Freedom House last Tuesday as he firmly put in place the obdurate and hostile opposition media operatives who have driven a continuum of corruption theories, converted to baseless and unproven ‘facts’, against Government functionaries, with himself as a primary target – in or out of office.

Last Tuesday he iterated his conviction that instead of time-wasting exercises and discussions that fructify in no benefits to the people, but conversely destruction to the developmental paradigm of

the nation, it is preferable to “kick asses” in order to achieve the visionary goals enshrined within successive PPP/C Manifestos.

“I do believe you have to kick asses sometime to get things done, I do believe that.” This position, he explained, was not a hostile one engendered by hate “...but because that is the attitude you have to have in a country like ours.”

He elucidated further that such an attitude is sometimes necessary because the decisions to be taken involves the lives of people and the services to be delivered to them.

Youths of PPP/C, rise and be heard on Facebook!!

I APPEAL to the youths of the PPP/C to rise up and be heard on social media and more specifically, Facebook.

There is a move by the Opposition to intentionally, strategically and deceitfully create a false sense of hope in the minds of young people of Guyana via Facebook.

They are using the youths to achieve their plans of backward and vengeful politics, filled with anger, hate and vendettas.

They want to tell us not to speak of the past (pre 1992) and that we should move forward; but I say only wise ones with vision reflect on the past to guide their future. And if we did not, then they would have fooled us now with their sheep’s clothing. How can I look the other way, when I am looking at the wolves that destroy our country? How can young persons logically

choose to forget their past, when they are the ones who have to create our future?

APNU/PNC (the past) must be transparent with their young supporters and explain that their actions with the PNC have set this country back 30 years and it is the PPP/C and their relentless effort for development that is moving us forward.

Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados had 30 years head start to develop, so how can we compare ourselves to them? Do we really think that waving a magic wand or simply saying “move forward” will achieve what you want?

Young people of the PPP/C, it is because of the above-mentioned why I say it is your duty to RISE UP! And take a stand on FACEBOOK and be heard. Because this time, your mom, dad, aunty and uncle cannot win this one

by themselves. You are the true heroes of this election; and on May 11th, your vote will be the most important vote for this country’s future.

No longer can we go on quietly with our daily lives and expect our elders to bring home the cake, you have to earn your keep this time.

So join me and your fellow comrades on Facebook and: RISE UP! For the ability to own your own home before you reach the age of 30. It is very rare for young people in many parts of the world to own a home and receive affordable financing. Yet this is and has been happening with the PPP/C, where thousands of house lots and easy financing for building your home is offered every year.

RISE UP! For the ability to become young business men and women from Skel-

don to Georgetown, to Kwakwani and back to Bartica and Lethem. Young people are “setting up shop” in computer repairs, mechanical and electrical engineering, construction, trade, transportation, entertainment, catering, local produce, farming and ICT to a level never seen in this country’s history.

We use less foreign consultants today because the PPP/C has fostered an environment for young Guyanese to become specialists for doing the things that foreign consultants would do in the past.

RISE UP! For your right to choose various forms of entertainment and fashion.

Whether its cable TV, social media, and going to a concert; we have the spending power to do so and many options to choose from. Affordable fashion is everywhere and every

one can look great when they go out. Gone are the days of “Sunday best”; everyday has a different best now, where rich and not so rich alike can all look and feel great.

RISE UP! For the ability to freely express yourselves, it is ironic that it is this very freedom of expression that the PPP/C has fostered, we see APNUAFCPNC (huh?) using to build their propaganda. But freedom of expression does not belong to them alone, we who fight the PNC for freedom also have the right to freedom of expression, so FACEBOOK and other platforms belong to us too.

As I write this, there are young supporters of the PPP/C fighting for their rights to hear my views on a Facebook group that says it is for all to express themselves, but yet they blocked me and deprive the PPP/C followers

on their page from reading my messages, because unknowing to the members, it is run by APNUAFCPNC (this confusion). A clear sign of their past is still showing now.

RISE UP! and be heard, sign up on Facebook; join groups, follow pages and say why you are PPP/C and defend it. Start by joining our Facebook group “We for President Donald Ramotar” and we will show you the rest. Join PYO groups and be engaged. Click like and comment on posts you agree or disagree with. We will send a strong message to this confusion we call an Opposition that we are not blind and we see the past in them. I applaud those who are already in the fight on social media.

Hardwork+PPP/C=Success MALCOLM WATKINS

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Political Shock Therapy?

CAN WE NOT TAKE THE MORAL HIGH ROAD?

I condemn this wanton killing

THIS week we celebrate the death anniversary of the reputed ‘father of our nation’, personal hero to me and, I believe, most Guyanese, the late Dr Cheddi Jagan, who dedicated his life for the betterment of Guyana by, among other things, working to unite the races and pursuing policies that benefit the common man, while he lived an exemplary life of honesty, personal integrity, hard work and dedication to the cause of improving the lives of all Guyanese.

Indeed his work and lifestyle, as is well-known and already amply documented, characterised “the moral high road”.

As we approach the national elections scheduled for

May 11, 2015, can we not try to emulate this great leader?

Can we not avoid ad hominem attacks on others who try to follow in his footsteps in their own ways and thru their own parties?

Can we not consider and debate objective policies, approaches, programmes… the so-called ‘Manifestos’ of competing political parties, instead of the reported continuing personal bashing of personalities?

I believe appeals like this might invite criticisms of my being naive…but is it really necessary for those who seek the highest offices in our land to stoop as low as is being reported in the media?

AT approximately 19:30 hours Tuesday evening, from where I reside, I heard at least five separate explosions which from the sounds, suggested they came from a firearm or from several firearms. I telephoned a contact who confirmed that an individual was shot at Diamond and shortly after I read the newsflash on Demerara Waves which gave the identity of the individual as Mr Courtney Crum Ewing.

As a Guyanese citizen, I condemn in the strongest terms this wanton killing of a young man whose only unlawful act just prior to

politically charged, must not be contaminated by considerations being propounded by political spin doctors across the political spectrum. All political parties must unequivocally condemn this heinous act without seeking to attribute blameworthiness, unless proven after investigations, so as not to cause panic in a society still seeking to mend the legacy of ruptures in the tapestry of Guyana’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society.

The forces of law and order must be allowed to objectively and professionally conduct their investigations and be given all sup-

port from officialdom and citizenry to bring the perpetrators to heel, and have them face the full weight of the law in a process that is managed expeditiously.

It is to be hoped that political leaders on their campaign trails will deal objectively and circumspectly with young Crum Ewing’s death and those other traumatic events that occurred in Guyana’s recent history from the 1960s to date, and they will not seek to exacerbate tensions by ‘milking’ these for perceived political mileage.

I NOTE with profound disdain the blatant attempt to impugn the integrity of the Honourable Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Mr. Anil Nandlall.

Mr. Nandlall’s meteoric rise within the leadership of the incumbent PPP/C is a worry for many people, especially those sitting on the opposite side in the last parliament. Grounded in the grassroots of the party, technically astute and ever so popular in the public domain, he has been

a thorn in the side of the obstructionist Opposition, giving the political Opposition many sleepless nights.

The killing of the lone protester is saddening and even more so that his death is being used for political mileage. Moments after this senseless act, Opposition cynics via social media launched a searing assault on the Government and allegations that the AG was somehow involved in the killing.

While the leaders of the

his death by violent means may have been the use of a noisy instrument, a loud hailer, in a public place, without the necessary police permit. As a former student of Queen’s College which was also Courtney’s alma mater, I mourn the death of a fellow alumnus. As a retired officer of the Guyana Defence Force, I am distressed that one, who at the time of enlistment and during his service would have pledged

PNC try to dupe unsuspecting simpletons, we must ask ourselves some basic questions; 1) Was this act politically motivated? 2) If it was politically motivated, whose/which side stands to benefit from this senseless act?

At a time when the Opposition has great aspirations, having made promises grandeur to its constituency, is battling significant descent within its ranks, declining support where their partner in obstruction,

to lay down his life for his country and for his fellow ‘squaddies’, would have been marked for death in

such a cold blooded and cowardly manner by perpetrators who did not even have the courage to face this unarmed citizen but fired their weapon from a vehicle in which they fled

the AFC, has promised to deliver, rejection by its supporters; they surely need some stimulus, something to enchant disenchanted supporters, political shock therapy.

Any person with an iota of intellect will see there’s only one section of the political divide that can benefit from this dastardly act. I urge all to consider; after all, it’s the PNC we’re dealing with.

STEPHEN KISSOON

from the scene.

Crum Ewing had come to be known to the public through the media coverage of his oneman protests in Carmichael Street. He was exercising his democratic right to protest. He was going about his advocacy work Tuesday evening, in relation to the upcoming elections, noisily perhaps but peacefully. He did not deserve to die under such circumstances and this act of folly coming at a time when the environment is again

NOWRANG PERSAUD

JOSEPH G SINGH Major General (retd)

Too much attention being paid to frivolous matters THE attempts made by the political Opposition, aided and abetted by the opposition media, to divert public attention from real and substantive issues of national development, has not gone unnoticed.

Indeed, too much atten-

tion is being paid to frivolous matters which are not germane to the well-being and future development of Guyana.

It is unbelievable how much media space is given in the opposition press to distort remarks made

at Babu John on the issue of race and the manner in which race was used by both the colonial powers and the PNC regime to divide our people and perpetuate the then status quo based on undemocratic and minority rule.

The best safeguard against any form of abuse to our national matrimony is to allow for the free and democratic expression of the Guyanese people as to who they want to be their elected representatives. This was denied the Guyanese people for

close to three decades under the PNC regime.

I urge the media, in particular the opposition media, to move away from cheap and sensational journalism and focus more on issues of substance.

The Guyanese electorate

is more concerned with what is in store for them to ensure political stability and further improvements in the quality of their lives rather than issues that are lacking in substance.

HYDAR ALLY

8

GECOM is not

‘externally’ influenced - Dr Surujbally

By Tajeram Mohabir G U YA N A E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM) Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally said the Commission will never endorse any “external” youth organisation, but like all the political parties, it wants young people to come out and vote on May 11.

Dr Surujbally was referring to claims that the Commission has “endorsed” the Guyana National Youth Council, a body reportedly funded by the International Republican Institute (IRI), under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Leadership and Democracy Project.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport in a statement had said that the Guyana National Youth Council does not represent the majority but rather they represent themselves.

“They are not democratically-elected but rather self-appointed; they have no formal Constitution or basic requirements for a properly constituted group,” the Ministry said.

Critical elements as these are key criteria for formal registration of a youth group with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

“It is because of these deficiencies that they were unable to get formal registration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. It is therefore a concern and is somewhat surprising that organisations such as the USAID through its LEAD (Leadership and Democ-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Man breaks into grandma's

home, steals Television A MECHANIC accused of breaking into his grandmother’s home, and stealing her television, was yesterday remanded to prison by City Magistrate Annette Singh.

Ceon DeFreitas of 27 Seaforth Street, Campbellville, denied that on February 25 at Robb Street, Georgetown, he broke and entered the dwelling house of Janet DeFreitas and stole a 32” flat screen television valued $340,000.

The 23-year-old man told the court his grandmother bought the said TV from Courts retail store but he paid the monthly

installments. In addition, he said that he did not break into the house as his grandmother opened the door and let him in and he later left with the TV. Police Prosecutor Adonni Innis explained that the defendant would normally threaten his grandmother, and he had made threats to poison her. The prosecutor then objected to bail, noting that he may tamper with the virtual complainant.

The magistrate ruled in the prosecution’s favour and bail was refused.

The matter will be called again for statements on March 26.

Watchman jailed for cocaine possession after police tipoff

Dr Steve Surajbally

racy) Project and CUSO which holds good governance at its fulcrum for accountability and transparency and good organisational management would seek to endorse this group without due diligence,” the statement read.

The Ministry said it is happy that GECOM would like to encourage more first time voters to participate in the elections, but hopes that the Commission will soon unveil a programme of how it will engage first time voters and not delegate it to a third party.

YOUTH STAKEHOLDERS “However, if GECOM will like to engage youth stakeholders in the process, then they must do so in an open and transparent manner and not give preference to a particular organisation,” the Ministry stressed.

But Dr Surujbally said that globally, youth tend to divorce themselves from the

electoral process, and every political party here would want to see the opposite happen.

GECOM too, he said, wants to see a change in this trend, pointing out that as future leaders of the country, youth must be involved in both the electoral and political processes.

“We are saying that we must get the youth involved in the electoral process, we do not approach individual youth groups, they approach us, and we are very clear that our involvement is limited to the provision of information for dissemination. GECOM will not at any point endorse any external organisation. When we give information, GECOM is saying that they must use the information as is.

GECOM will not be providing any financial support [to the youth group],” he noted.

In Guyana, while registration is compulsory, there is no push to make voting mandatory.

A WATCHMAN was yesterday sentenced to three years imprisonment by Magistrate Judy Latchman for possession of cocaine.

Twenty-three-year-old T. J. Prince (no address given) was also fined $10,000 after he accepted the charge that was read to him.

Particulars of the offence stated that on March 9 at North Road, Georgetown, he was in possession of 0.8 grammes of cocaine.

According to the prosecution, on the day in question at around 22:23 hrs, police

received information and as a result they proceeded to North Road between Orange Walk and Cummings Street, where they saw Prince and others sitting by a building.

The unrepresented man was seen with a black plastic container in his hand and as the ranks approached him, he threw the said container to the ground.

The container was retrieved by the police and when opened the illicit drug was found. Subsequently, he was told of the offence, arrested and taken to the Alberttown Police Station where the prohibited drug was weighed in his presence.

Miner remanded over gunpoint robbery A DAYLIGHT robbery accused was yesterday refused bail by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on robbery under arms, assault and escaping from lawful custody charges.

Eighteen-year-old miner Eon Godfrey Lynch of Lot 16 Second Bridge, Cow Dam, Diamond, East Bank Demerara pleaded not guilty to three charges.

One of the charges stated that on February 18 at Agricola, East Bank Demerara, while being in the company of another, and armed with a gun, he robbed Dexter Richards of one Jialing motorcycle valued at $175,000, property of Shondell Mars.

It is also alleged that on February 18 he also robbed Richards of one gold ring to the value of $50,000, while brandishing a gun.

In addition to that, he also answered the charge that said on March 1, he escaped from the lawful custody of Police Constable Boyce when he was held pending investigations into a sexual assault matter.

According to the facts, Richards was

riding his motorcycle in Agricola when it encountered some mechanical problem.

As he stopped to check, Lynch confronted him at gunpoint while his accomplice was armed with a cutlass. They relieved him of the bike and gold ring, as stated in the charge, before escaping.

The unrepresented teen was later caught and he was positively identified by Richards when he was on an Identification (ID) parade.

Police Prosecutor Michael Grant successfully opposed bail on the grounds that Lynch has a pending robbery matter at Providence Magistrate’s Court.

However, regarding the investigations into the sexual assault matter, statements were taken and advice is pending from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Grant further objected to bail, citing the nature, gravity and penalty the charge attracts.

The matter was transferred before Magistrate Judy Latchman for March 25, for report and fixtures.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Massive Babu John crowd sends shivers down Alliance back …Opposition resorts to dangerous tactic of racial hysteria EXACTLY what is the political Opposition press trying to do? That I ask this question in the aftermath of the recent Babu John annual Cheddi Jagan commemoration is because of the naked, senseless and dangerous, but willfully orchestrated plan by the political opposition media to resort to racist hysteria.

And just look who is its intended framed purveyor – the person of the former President, Bharrat Jagdeo. If this is what the recently cobbled A Parnership for National Unity(APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) alliance is all about, then they are certainly proceeding along the expected route of NATIONAL DECEPTION. There was nothing in the address by the indomitable Jagdeo that hinted or suggested

any such statement as slanderously blared by the infamous political opposition mouthpiece – the Kaieteur News. In fact, it would be unthinkable for such a statement to be made by any leader of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic), a movement that is a national party where all ethnicities have always been welcomed.

In fact, it should be reminded on the part of especially young supporters of the political opposition parties that the PPP commenced its political journey as a single working class party, that included Forbes Burnham, Sidney King (later Eusi Kwayana), who were among its first cabinet ministers in 1953.

What the former President alluded to in his address was in reality a situation that

had occurred in some communities on election day, 2011, that were patently racist in content. And as any wise leader would – he warned against its ugly head. Where is the racism in such an advice?

It is instructive to note that there were no recriminations when the APNU-AFC Moses Nagamootoo, in clear bold language, declared that he was going to deliver 11% of the Indian votes! Now, there is a lot that was offensive about such a statement!

It needs not be recalled that Guyana has had its fair share of ethnic tensions throughout its modern history; but there has been a conscious effort by our peoples through the decades to understand that Guyana is for ALL, and that working together towards peace and prosperity is in the best interests

for a united people and country.

It is therefore dangerously dishonest for the political opposition, the APNU-AFC alliance, in its desperate attempt to whip up the mirage of electoral support from the hemorrhaging of its constituents, to play such a damning card!

But there is abiding faith in the understanding of Guyanese, as to how much they have matured as a people, especially over the last twenty years, during which so many, of all ethnicities, have benefited from the numerous socio-economic development programmes of the PPP/C Government.

The national housing programme that has been empowering ALL the races is a perfect example of the kind of government formed by the PPP/C.

OAS electoral observer missions contributed to stronger democracies THE Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin, highlighted the contribution of the Electoral Observation Missions (EOMs) of the hemispheric institution to the consolidation of democracy in the region, at the opening of the First Meeting of Chiefs of EOMs of the Organization, held yesterday at the headquarters of the multilateral Organization in Washington, DC. Ambassador Ramdin recalled that the OAS has deployed more than 224 missions over more than half a century, which makes it the regional organisation with the most experience in electoral observation, a press release stated.

“We have learned that while it is possible to have elections without democracy, a country cannot have democracy without legitimate, periodic, transparent and regular elections,” he said, noting that “elections are the cornerstone of representative democracy,

and constitute the only legitimate form of transfer and exercise of power in democratic states.”

Ambassador Ramdin said the EOMs have improved their methodology through experience, and have helped to improve the democratic systems and institutions of OAS member countries through the recommendations made in the reports produced at the conclusion of each mission.

This has taken place at all levels, he recalled, because “the OAS has observed many types of elections: presidential and parliamentary elections, legislative, municipal, referendums and even the election of authorities of the judiciary,” he said.

The senior OAS official reviewed in his address the different observation teams that the OAS has deployed throughout its history, of varied sizes and tasks. “These missions have varied in their size and scope, from missions of two members to accompany

electoral processes, to missions that deployed 400 observers, as in Nicaragua in 1990,” he said. In terms of their duration, he said, there have been both short and long-term missions.

“While short-term missions are limited in their scope, only allowing for the deploying of observers a few days before the elections, long-term missions provide an opportunity for broader and deeper engagement with all phases of the electoral process,” he added.

In addition, Ambassador Ramdin also mentioned two programme initiatives recently published by the OAS in order to improve its assistance to electoral processes. The first is a Manual for Incorporating a Gender Perspective into OAS EOMs, with the aim of developing “a methodology standardisation that incorporates gender perspective into its election observation efforts,” he said, to bring issues of “gender equality and women’s political rights to the fore and help place these

concerns on the political agenda.” The other initiative mentioned by the OAS Assistant Secretary General is the Quality Management Systems in Electoral Authorities in Latin America, which resulted in the certification process of electoral processes or structures under the ISO 9001 standard.

In his conclusion, the Assistant Secretary General said that for EOMs to succeed, they must have four key factors: leadership reflected in the Chief of Mission; the collaboration of the electoral authorities of the country visited; availability and appropriate use of technology; and adequate funding and support.

Regarding this last factor, he noted the need for donors to extend their support to electoral missions long-term, so that they can successfully accomplish their work.

The meeting was coordinated by the OAS Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation (DECO),the release concluded.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

DECONSTRUCTING THE OPPOSITION’S AGENDA

By Teayken A. Dhigg

An attempt to rewrite history THE many facets of the Opposition’s demeanour generally point to an agenda of wanton disdain for the welfare of Guyana and Guyanese. No politician, regardless of the side he/ she may be on, would openly demonstrate such capabilities.

As noted in a previous instalment, opposing politicians can rise above partisanship in the interest of people as seen in some other countries. Unfortunately, this quality has been absent from Guyana’s Opposition following the ascension of the PPP/C to Government over two decades ago.

This absence of such statesmanship became even more noticeable since 2011. It once again brings into focus the repeated question of why would a politician, in this case a local, proudly and explicitly engage in actions that put in jeopardy the well-being of his country and people?

This proclivity, almost unashamedly, to put the nation at risk has characterised the Opposition over the past three to four years. But

much has already been said about this. Interestingly, over this same period, some horrific tales were revealed.

The Commission Of Inquiry (COI) into the death of prominent Guyanese historian, Dr. Walter Rodney, presented the nation with the opportunity to be afforded the truth in an effort to bring closure to a very dark chapter in the country’s history. President Donald Ramotar, who, through a request from Dr. Rodney’s widow, went to much pains to explain the need for such an inquiry and more so, that the findings would not be used for prosecution. In other words, let the story be told and move on. But that’s where I find it interesting.

Many came forward to tell their related stories, but the PNC, now APNU, which was the government when Dr. Rodney was killed, has refused up to this point, to testify. It is believed that when someone has nothing to hide, he would be adamant to tell his story. This must bring into question the old cliché, is there

something to hide! One can only assume that based upon what was revealed through testimonies of some persons and who are known critics of the Government, that there is the possibility of something to remain hidden. Of course, some things which were hidden were revealed.

These include the shocking revelation that guns belonging to the army were issued to the PNC Party then! Could you imagine the furore the Opposition and its media cohorts would make if such an arrangement were to occur today with the PPP/C Government?

The thunderous outcry would be deafening in an effort to mask hypocrisy. I will examine aspects of the Opposition’s hypocrisy in subsequent columns. Such arrangement then to give guns to the ruling PNC Party epitomises the wanton paramountcy that existed; the Palm Tree symbol was superior to everything, including the Constitution. The question regarding the need for the guns remains officially unanswered.

The image of the PNC flag,

fluttering high in the courtyard of the Appeal court then, symbolised the hallmark of such indignity.

But what does this mean in the context of deconstructing the Opposition’s agenda today? It represents the mindset of some of those same politicians in the PNC then, and who have now positioned themselves as an alternative government. They have, with the help of cohorts in some sections of the media, tried to manipulate history in an effort to conceal a past riddled with atrocities and to deliberately fool members of the younger generation.

This explains the name change from PNC to now an alliance with the AFC. More importantly, the Leader of the PNC/Alliance publicly articulated that the PNC should not accept any responsibility for Dr. Rodney’s death. This is in contrast to the testimony of someone whose Party is now part of the PNC/Alliance. That testimony left no ambiguity as to who is believed to be responsible. Some Opposition members have even

articulated that such incidents like Dr. Rodney’s death, be left in the past; in other words, no closure, no truth. This can only be interpreted as a calculative attempt for the past to be forgotten!

This position remains steadfast to the agenda of the Opposition and some media operatives who are bent on rewriting Guyana’s history.

That aside, it must be asked, why would the Opposition want to take such a position with regard Dr. Rodney’s death but promises that, if they were to win the elections, they would delve into the past, through witch-hunting, against PPP/C officials? What has become laughable is that the PNC alliance leader is a historian while such a call is being made. Is this a hint that a historian would probably want for history to be forgotten with regards to another historian! If that were the case, then it becomes the pinnacle of hypocrisy which stays resolute to their agenda to deceive.

Nagga mek a racial statement and get off!

Postalt is amaze how de Opposition and its pals including Glenny, de Big Market tabloid and de unsocial media, meking a big issue about what BJ seh in Berbice.

Everybody expect that people who went to school and learn fuh write in papers and so on, would at least have de basic tool; understanding. If you can’t understand what somebody seh or write, then how you gon write? People seh dem understand that Glenny is a exception because he didn’t go in de school. That is why he always wearing a pointy hat.

So he get excused, but dem can’t excuse

Adam because he went to de Queen school so he suppose to understand de Queen language!

De same people seh how Adam does operate like he ain’t gat understanding. Dem seh he name should change to ADumb! Postalt understand that somebody already give he that name! Everybody else who hear BJ in Berbice know that he didn’t seh anything racial. He seh racism mustn’t be tolerated and he use a example fuh show how de Opposition use it during de last election. Apparently de Opposition had a set of drums meking noise in parts of GT sehing that “coolie

people must get vote out”. BJ also seh that if anybody in de Cup Party did do something like that, them would get kick out!

That is a condemnation of racism!

Potsalt would like fuh ask ADumb and de others, how come that is a racial statement? Which part? Even Chrissy get hook and and seh how BJ statement wrong and it desecrate Babu John. People who know, sehing Chrissy desecrating de lawyer profession, but that is a different story. What de Glenny, ADumb, de Big Market tabloid and de unsocial people should ask is how come Nagga mek a racial statement and get

away with it! Potsalt understand that is because he is now of de Palm Tree PNC Party.

Apparently, when yuh in there, yuh can do anything and get away with it! Nagga seh how de Key party gon deliver 11% Indian votes to de PNC Alliance.

He didn’t seh Guyanese votes; he was specific! Indian! Potsalt asking again; isn’t that racism? But because of de lack of understanding, deliberately, de ADumbs and so on wouldn’t haul Nagga over de coals and RumJ wouldn’t tell to haul he a$$! Maybe dem afraid because BJ talking de truth! Postalt gone! Fuh now!

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

GUYANA-VENEZUELA TENSIONS…

Diplomacy remains ‘adequate’ solution – Cabinet Secretary

By Vanessa Narine IN the face of recent tensions between Guyana and neighbouring Venezuela, Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon is adamant that diplomacy remains the best solution to address the countries’ difference in positions.

The latest bone of contention is the current Administration’s decision to give the USA-based Exxon Mobil a concession to drill an exploratory well for oil in Essequibo coastal waters.

The presence of Exxon Mobile Deep Water Rig, currently in Guyana, was objected to by the Venezuelan Government, but this was subsequently rebuffed by the Government of Guyana via a note verbale to the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry warning that it must desist from taking any actions that could only result in stymieing Guyana’s development and contravening international law.

DRILLING SOON The company is continuing its operations in earnest and should be ready soon to commence drilling. This was

Dr Roger Luncheon

Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

Hugo Chavez

confirmed by Country Manager Jeff Simon who told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that despite the utterances by the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Ministry, the company is contracted by the Guyana Government. He explained that the oil company will not be engaging in any Government to Government matters and will continue to execute on what it was contracted to deliver.

Dr Luncheon, yesterday, during the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing held at Office of the President, made it clear that no efforts will be made to injure the mutually beneficial bilateral agreements that exist between the countries.

He added that the rela-

tions, despite the years-long controversy over the Essequibo Region, have been healthy.

According to him, under the leadership of Venezuela’s late former president, Hugo Chavez, and Guyana’s former president, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, bilateral relations have advanced on the basis that specific mechanisms are in place to ensure that the controversy does not impact unnecessarily on fruitful bilateral relations.

The Venezuelan rice authorities recently confirmed their continuing trade relations with Guyana via an agreement that was inked to facilitate shipments of close to 200,000 tonnes of rice and paddy soon.

Venezuela is a major importer of Guyana’s rice,

which it has been buying at preferential prices since the signing of an agreement in 2009. The long-awaited rice deal was first initiated by Dr Jagdeo, who held talks with Chavez at a United Nations Climate Change meeting in New York at that time.

All considered, Dr Luncheon stressed that the latest difference of positions cannot be termed as a worsening of relations between the two countries.

The territorial integrity of the Essequibo re-

gion, historically, was pronounced on by the 1966 Geneva Agreement, signed by both countries. The agreement took note of the fact that Venezuela was disputing the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award. While it did not take any position about Venezuela’s claim to Essequibo, it committed the country, as well as Britain and Guyana, to ensure that “any outstanding controversy…should (be) amicably resolved in a manner acceptable to both parties.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Suspended Magistrate re-instated

By Leroy Smith

AFTER being away from the magisterial bench at the Sparendaam Court for just over three months, Alex Moore has been reinstated as a magistrate and will be immediately returning to that court to perform his duties.

Magistrate Moore has over the years received the nickname ‘Superman’ by members of the public, lawyers and even some police ranks in reference to the long hours that his court would function on a daily basis, sometimes going late into the afternoons and even wrapping up as late as 17:30 hrs.

A businesswoman made some damming allegations against the magistrate which saw him immediately receiving a suspension letter pending the outcome of a hearing.

Yesterday the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in a statement to the media said that it concluded its investigations into the claims and it was satisfied with the responses provided by

Magistrate Moore in relation to matters regarding his suspension.

In addition, the businesswoman’s claims were described by the JSC as one that was different from that which was reported in sections of the print media.

“The Judicial Service Commission takes the opportunity to point out that the account provided by Ms Singh of her experience at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court differed in material respect from the report carried in certain sections of the print media,” the JSC said.

The release quoted the Commission as saying: “In relation to all other matters which engaged the attention of the Commission concerning Magistrate Alex Moore, the Commission was generally satisfied with the responses provided by Magistrate Moore thereto. As a consequence, Magistrate Moore has been reinstated to the Magisterial Bench.”

Moore’s reinstatement comes just two weeks after two of his colleagues were

Magistrate Alex Moore dismissed by the JSC. Magistrates Geeta Chandan-Edmond and Chandra Sohan were both given their marching orders on the same day.

The reinstatement of Moore will ease the strain now being experienced along the East Coast Demerara where one magistrate has been operating the two courts in an effort to fill the gap left by him during his suspension.

Vigil held in solidarity with dead 'Activist'

A GROUP of individuals yesterday held a vigil in front of Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall’s office, calling for justice for known political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing who was shot dead in Diamond on Tuesday night.

Crum-Ewing, before his death, frequently held a one-man protest outside of the AG’s office. He was gunned down on Tuesday evening in Diamond, East

to come out and vote on May 11.

The protestors displayed placards making statements such as: “We have the right to choose” and “We will not be silenced”.

Courtney Crum-Ewing

Bank Demerara after he was allegedly urging persons

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, yesterday, one of the individuals disclosed that they are not affiliated to any political party, adding that it doesn’t have anything to do with politics.

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Three held over Agricola killing

By Leroy Smith INVESTIGATORS are very confident that they will be able to solve the murder of 27- year -old Randy Persaud, who was gunned down in the presence of his brother and cousin while sitting in front of his home on Tuesday night.

Police sources have confirmed to this newspaper that they were able to pick up three persons from the community of Agricola who are assisting them in the investigation. According to sources, the three persons have also supplied the police with information on possible hiding places where the suspect could be located.

The suspect, whose name was given as Jamel, was identified as the shooter by the two persons who were in the company of Persaud when he was shot on Tuesday night. In addition, the mother of the dead man also confirmed that she was able to see the shooter before he

fled the scene and assured investigators that the person she saw was Jamel.

On Sunday last the suspect, Jamel, was accused of shooting at a car which belongs to a friend of Persaud and that matter was said to have been reported to the Guyana Police Force. At the time of the shooting of the car on Sunday, Jamel was said to be in the company of several other friends.

Police investigators have, however, confirmed that the three persons who are in custody are not among the persons who were in the company of the suspect when he opened fire on the car Sunday last.

On Tuesday, the father of one who also has a child on the way was killed after the suspect Jamel walked up to him, whipped out a firearm and fired shots at him.

The man was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital by his mother but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Persaud lived in Agricola with his relatives and is also

a shopkeeper. On Tuesday evening at the Georgetown Public Hospital, his mother told this newspaper that her son reported that on Sunday her son related to her that the suspect had approached a friend of his and demanded some money; when the money was not handed over, the suspect became upset thus causing shooting up of the vehicle.

She explained that she was at a loss to understand why if the suspect had an issue with one of her son’s friends, her son was the one that had to be attacked by the man.

The police on Tuesday night were busing carrying out their investigation and questioned several persons from the community, including relatives of the dead man and those who were seated with him at the time he was shot dead.

Persaud was described as a very humble and quiet young man, who was trying to make an honest living, according to his mother.

AHEAD OF MAY 11 POLLS...

No place for racially divisive comments – Dr Roger Luncheon RACIALLY divisive comments represent a scourge that has “reared its ugly head” in recent days, according to Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, who categorically stressed that they have no place in the local political arena.

The occurrence he referred to was manifested by comments made on a local television station in Berbice, Region 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne) by members of the coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)/ Alliance for Change (AFC).

REMINISCENT OF PNC During his weekly post-Cabinet press conference, held at Office of the President, yesterday, he drew the nexus from the comments made to the characteristics of the former People’s National Congress (PNC) regime, which includes bullyism and intimidation.

Dr Luncheon also underscored the fact that the Alliance’s prime ministerial nominee, Moses Nagamootoo, who “spoke and wrote” about the racial divisions perpetuated by the PNC, has “embraced” the group he “reviled” in the

“not so distant” past.

Nagamootoo, himself, has come under scrutiny for comments made at a public meeting a few weeks ago, where he stated that the AFC could give APNU the 11 per cent of the Indian votes, to clinch a majority at the upcoming polls.

“APNU is like a large umbrella that has attracted large numbers of people, particularly Afro-Guyanese. But APNU cannot win an election alone, APNU needs to have a strategic alliance with the church and the trade unions and other groups and the AFC could bring in the eleven per cent,” he said at a public meeting held in APNU’s stronghold, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam.

The alliance’s prime ministerial candidate subsequently denied having said this.

As a mean of clarification, he later said, “If you want to cross the line and have majoritarian Government in Guyana, you need eleven percent. The Alliance For Change has a strategic role in elections where there are two parties to the contest.”

UNACCEPTABLE

The Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) acknowledged that in an ethnically diverse population, as well as a “less than ideal” political culture, such occurrences are expected.

However, he stressed that there ought to be no place for such comments in Guyana and added that Cabinet at its weekly meeting on Tuesday, registered its concerns over the resurfacing of such a phenomenon.

Dr Luncheon stated too that racially divisive practices must be “extinguished” in Guyana’s society, in the interest of preserving the gains of democratic advances.

“The PPP/C (People’s Progressive Party/Civic) has been and continues to be an arch enemy of racial incitement,” Dr Luncheon said.

Concerns over racial divisions have added weight, given that Guyana is two months out of the upcoming May 11 General and Regional Elections. The electoral process since 2001 has been marked by a level of peace, a welcome change, given the country’s history during such periods. (Vanessa Narine)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Cheddi Jagan Death Anniversary portraits mounted at alma mater STUDENTS attending two schools previously attended by the late President Dr. Cheddi Jagan were recently encouraged to follow the work of the former Head of State, and to emulate him in whatever way possible. As part of a series of events being held in observance of the 18th death anniversary of the late President, his portraits have been mounted at Rose Hall Primary, and Port Mourant Scott Schools, along the Corentyne coast in Berbice.

D r. C h e d d i J a g a n died on March 6, 1997, in Washington, D.C., United States of America.

In an effort to keep his legacy alive, the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre mounted his portraits at the two learning institutions, where the now deceased had received his primary education.

At a simple ceremony recently, Dr Jagan’s sibling Ms, Debra Jagan -Fries, recounted to her audience the childhood days of her oldest brother.

“After returning to his home village of Port Mourant, he could not find a job, so, Cheddi, took up a friend’s advice and went to the United States. A steamer [boat] fare was acquired after our father sold all of the family’s movable assets.

While studying, Jagan did

odd jobs to upkeep himself.

His first job was that of tailoring.”

According to Ms Jagan-Fries, on his return to Guyana, she was given her first pair of shoes at the age of 10.

“He was a wonderful brother, for what he did was to educate all 11 of us.

It was not easy. He had to work very hard. So you can achieve whatever you want but you have to work hard to get it,” Jagan-Fries told students at the Port Mourant Scott Primary School.

Further, she informed the pupils of how hard she worked, and noted, that in her younger days, she cut grass and used her feet to mash paddy in order to make a living.

The students also learnt of Dr. Jagan from an international perspective and as a leader of the country.

Administrator of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre, Indra Chandarpal, noted that the same life those students were experiencing is the same one that the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan had. “The difference is that during his time the conditions were much harder that they are today.”

She said in order to succeed, the students must have a vision and must work hard.

It was after his death that the Cheddi Jagan Research

The handing-over ceremony at Port Mourant

Centre was established at The Red House through the efforts of his wife, the late Janet Jagan.

Chandarpal noted that it is the duty of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) which was formed by Dr. Jagan, to ensure that his legacy lives on.

The portrait of Dr. Jagan should serve as a constant reminder to all you young children of the life he lived,

so that you can use it as a role model, to carve your own destiny.”

In both schools the portraits were mounted in the school’s auditorium.

The late Cheddi Bharrat Jagan is undoubtedly a national hero who emerged from the bound-yard of a Corentyne sugar plantation, being the son of East Indian indentured labourers, and ascended to the highest seat

in Government, namely, the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Prior to his ascension, he had experienced the wrath of the Anglo-American alliance and local reactionaries in the 1950s and 1960s. With remarkable patience and persistence, Jagan endured 28 years in the political wilderness while never once doubting the righteousness of his

cause and with the firm belief that time and history were on his side. With a wave of new consciousness and vigorous steps for the restoration of democracy, there came the inevitable vindication of this great son of Guyana, Cheddi Jagan, as the legitimate representative of the popular will of the people when in 1992 he swept the polls and emerged President.

MARAD to establish office at Charity, Region 2 THE Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has announced that the department will be establishing an office at Charity, in Region 2, by the end of the first quarter of this year.

The new office will facilitate boat owners and operators from the surrounding areas, as well as from Moruca.

According to officials from MARAD, a team visited the area on March 3, 2015 and met with boat operators and other stakeholders in the area. Some 21 boat operators attended the meeting, along with the Assistant Regional Executive Officer of Region 1(Barima-Waini), Gerald

Assistant Regional Executive Officer Gerald Rodrigues and the District Education Officer Ignatius Adams, pose with children after receiving their life jackets

Rodrigues.

During this meeting, sections of the sensitisation and safety awareness campaign that included discussing is-

sues relating to the licensing and registering of vessels, and the certification of captains were publicised and discussed. Several other

matters of concern were raised by the boat operators, in particular their desire to have timely access to the Department’s services.

Rodrigues during his brief remarks urged the operators to get themselves and their vessels certified once the office is up and running.

As a result of the visit by the MARAD officials, a total of 48 children and adult life jackets were handed over to the District Education Officer of Region 1, Ignatius Adams.

Adams thanked MARAD and promised to distribute the jackets to schools in the riverine areas, so as to improve their safety while traversing the waterways.

This department operates in accordance with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and was

established and regulated in 2003 under the 1997 Merchant Shipping Act. Due to the increase in ships to Guyana’s shores, MARAD is party to a number of IMO Conventions that include Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS); Standard of Training, Certification and Watch keeping Of Seafarers (STCW) and Marine Pollution (MAR), among others.

The Department also offers an around-the-clock pilotage service.

MARAD will continue its safety campaign throughout the country and the distribution of life jackets in keeping with its mandate.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Motorcyclist has leg amputated after crash in city

By Shirley Thomas

AT 05:00AM, just when 26-year-old motor cyclist Otto Pitman thought that the roads in Georgetown would have been easy to navigate and safe to ride, he was proven wrong.

He was hit by the driver of a motorcar who was reportedly swerving to avoid a pot hole and slammed him against a lamp post and he landed in a nearby drain, crushing his right leg.

Within the next few days, his leg was amputated. Crippled for the rest of his life, all his hopes, dreams and aspirations have been rudely dashed and still he has to undergo radical changes.

But through it all, even as he battles to bear the excru-

ciating pains, tempered only by shots of morphine, Otto is thanking God for sparing his life.

At 05:00hrs. On Sunday, March 1, as Otto Pitman of La Grange, West Bank Demerara was returning home after spending the night in Georgetown, he was somewhere in the vicinity of D’Urban and High Streets, when he was unexpectedly hit by a motorcar and slammed against a lamp post. He ended up in a drain with water at the roadside, his right leg badly crushed and bleeding and with abrasions to other body parts.

The car which was approaching from behind him, had swerved to avoid a water-filled pot hole and slammed into him.

Struggling to endure the

agony as he lay on his hospital bed on Wednesday, the injured man recalled that around 05:00hrs that Sunday morning, he was riding his Honda 125cc motorcycle on his way home when the accident happened.

As his body connected with the lamp post, he landed in a drain, with his leg badly crushed and bleeding profusely. There he remained helpless and unable to move for some time.

Fortunately, a few moments later a truck drove up and on it was some of his friends with whom he worked in the gold mining interior. They stopped to offer assistance, and to their horror, found that it was their workmate.

It is not known how many

times he might have ‘blacked out’ while in the drain, but before his friends arrived on the scene, Pitman’s bike, along with his wallet containing cash and his cellular phone, had all gone.

He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and on Sunday night was taken to theatre where the leg was operated on. Pitman said he was taken to Woodlands Hospital where a Computed Tomography (CT) Scan was done, but the results showed that considerable nerve damage had been done, making the chances for recovery of the leg negligible.

Over the next few hours, the leg remained without feelings, and within a few days it had become infected.

Otto Pitman with right leg amputated following the accident in front of Carnegie School of Home Economics two Sundays ago

The doctors were forced to take a decision to amputate the leg, in order to save his life. By Thursday, the amputation was done and he was accommodated in the recovery ward before being

taken to the open ward which he finds an altogether new experience, and where he is struggling each day to deal with persistent and excruciating pains, Pitman says.

President Ramotar commissions...

From page 2

President Donald Ramotar shakes hands with CEO RUSAL Mr Vladislav Soloviov, in the presence of Ministers Robert Persaud and Robeson Benn following a tour of the Kurubuka mining complex yesterday

Aroaima, Ituni and Linden by creating direct employment opportunities as well as social benefits Kostiau said that the idea of the Kurubuka mine had survived global recessions and

other major hurdles .

He recalled that a reputable construction firm had projected thirty three months for the completion of construction works for the establishment of the mine, but the team had com-

pleted it within one third of that time without any disruptions of its operations atKwakwani.

The Kurubuka 22 deposit is located immediately adjacent to the Berbice River and approximately 14.5 KM from

the former Aroaima’s crushing and drying facilities.

During the commissioning ceremony, the President and other senior officials were taken on a tour of the plant at Kurubuka during which they saw

the operational process from the loading of the raw materials into the plant to its deposit in a barge for transport to the mouth of the Berbice river and export .

RUSAL also gave tokens of appreciation to several of

its workers whose good performance, the Company said, was instrumental in the construction phase leading to the official launch of the production at the mine.

(END).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Education volunteer campaigns to save 'Apostle'

By Shivanie Sugrim AN education volunteer has recently initiated an online campaign to raise funds from around the world to improve a jaguar’s current enclosure housed at the Zoological Park (zoo) in the city.

Sarina Kawall, the zoo’s education volunteer, underscored that ‘Apostle’, the jaguar, is about seven or eight years old and came to

the zoo as an abused animal.

Apostle was captured in a mining camp and subjected to extremely brutal treatment before being rescued by other miners.

Thereafter, she had been tied up in a bag and beaten and consequently had large open wounds on her skin.

Due to the care of the zoo keepers, Apostle has fortunately made a complete recovery.

This campaign, Kawall

said, is geared at raising funds to improve Apostle’s life at the zoo by rehabilitating her enclosure, which is in a rough condition since at present she is confined to the concreted portion of her enclosure for security reasons.

Moreover, Kawall noted that the “green” space behind the animal’s enclosure which is used for exercise and recreation is currently termite infested and it is

‘Apostle’ the jaguar

not a safe environment for a 250 lb animal to be in, nor would it be safe for zoo patrons to be around.

Additionally, she indicated that although there are plans for a full ‘open’ cat enclosure for the future, this seems unlikely for the time being.

CONSERVATION FOCUS Administered by the Pro-

tected Areas Commission (PAC), the zoo has drastically moved from a focus on entertainment to focus on conservation, rehabilitation and education. Annalise Bayney, the PAC officer, who oversees such issues at the zoo, told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that at present Kawall has raised USD1,950 (all private donations from around the world) through

her online campaign.

“The rehabilitation will cost USD8,300 to properly repair the area behind the enclosure. Repairing this ‘green’ space will allow the jaguar to run and be ‘outside’, rather than be confined to a concrete space all day. This will add enrichment to her life and daily activities,” said Bayney.

The plans noted by Kawall, include a complete dismantling of the current structure behind the concrete space and rebuilding with concrete and metal fences to safely contain the feline while allowing Apostle the freedom of exploration and usable ‘green’ space.

Lastly Kawall stated, “I am hoping that some human beings can help to make up for the cruelty that this jaguar has suffered from other humans, even though she will never know your kindness.”

Donations can be given to the zoo.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Bushmasters Tours receives GTA certification -campaign launched to have more businesses registered,licensed THE Ministry of Tourism and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) have thus far accredited a number of entities under the Tourism Regulations and has since launched a campaign to have businesses registered and licensed.

Bushmasters Tours was the third Tour Operator to receive certification; Roraima Tours and Wilderness Explorers have already achieved this important milestone, while Rock View Lodge Eco Tourism Resort was presented with its licence under the Interior Lodges and Resort category.

Princess Hotel and City Inn were granted licences under the Tourism Accommodation category.

Director of the GTA, Indranauth Haralsingh, reiterated that all tourism businesses should follow the example set by the entities which have been licensed to date, and commit to the process.

He again emphasised that in an effort to prepare local businesses to become more competitive, the Tourism Ministry and GTA are striving to ensure that these establishments meet the necessary requirements expected by any tourist or visitor visiting

any one of these facilities, whether overseas visitors or locals.

He said: “This is in no way a difficult process, but it is a process that requires commitment. We want to take this opportunity to congratulate you on this achievement and for following through with the process.

This is a significant achievement and should set the precedent for other businesses.”

The director acknowledged that with the growth in the tourism sector, conformity to set standards and regulations should be the focus of tourism establishments, even as they employ the best marketing and promotional strategies.

Haralsingh explained some of the benefits to be derived from achieving 100% compliance, noting that the GTA will be separating these businesses and will provide a listing on their website: “This will determine who gets support in terms of both local and international exposure.

“The GTA’s Act and these regulations say that you need a licence to operate any one of these businesses; we will not want our visitors to have a tourism experience with an unregistered and unlicensed business,” he emphasised. After the “lapse” period of conformity, GTA will then embark on a series of activities to have persons yet again confirmed; if by that time persons still do not comply with the regulations, they will then face the consequences.

The GTA will continue to monitor and evaluate hospitality institutions across the country in their effort to ensure that the tourism industry in Guyana continues to grow and expand.

Aries Today you might plan a quick trip by air. This could be business related. Someone else may have been meant to go but couldn’t, so you may be taking his or her place. This could be disruptive for you, but if you make an effort, you can turn it into an adventure. It’s always best to go with the flow and make the most of it.

Taurus Your ego should be strengthened by your emotions, and vice versa, today. Be yourself in every capacity and situation. Things should flow quite smoothly for you as long as you keep the energy moving within you. Share your feelings honestly with others and you will find that your inner vitality strengthens. No one will be able to speak against words that come straight from your heart.

Gemini Sudden and unexpected problems could have your household in chaos. This probably doesn’t relate to difficulties with your housemates. It’s more likely to involve problems with wiring, appliances, or phone lines. It could be annoying to deal with repairmen in and out of your house, but you will have to bear with it.

You want your household back to normal as soon as possible.

Cancer Too many communications may prove distracting today. The phone could be ringing off the hook and your email inbox overflowing. Everyone around you seems to be talking at once. If you don’t bring some order to this chaos, it could give you a headache! Let voicemail get the phone, get away from the computer, and take something light to the park to read. You need some peace and quiet.

Leo A sudden but necessary expense could make a big hole in your budget today.

Perhaps some repairs need to be made around the house or to the car. Maybe someone needs an unexpected trip to the dentist. This could throw you off balance, but you can manage it by cutting some corners. So what if you have to eat pasta for a week or two? It could be worse! Just move ahead with whatever needs to be done.

Virgo Generally you’re pretty emotionally stable. Today’s events might seem to conspire to create erratic moods that you aren’t used to feeling. No major concerns should arise, but little irritations like dropping things, misplacing keys, or missing calls could get on your nerves. Slow down and stay focused. It’s the only way you will remain calm today.

Libra If you’ve been studying astrology, numerology, or any other occult science, today you might find some of the concepts you’re studying a bit confusing. You may have glossed over some of the ideas that are prerequisites to what you’re looking at now. Go back and review last week’s lesson and everything might make more sense to you. You will probably progress that much faster for doing this.

Scorpio A friend could be having financial troubles and ask you for a loan. You like this person and understand what he or she’s going through, so you want to help.

But it could be a while before your friend is solvent again. If you make the loan, remember the adage about never lending anything to a friend that you aren’t willing to consider a gift. Don’t depend on immediate repayment.

Sagittarius Some equipment that you use a lot, perhaps an appliance, computer, or TV, might go on the blink today. Don’t try to fix it yourself even if you think you know how. Call a professional, and hang the expense. If you try to do it yourself, you might cause more damage to the equipment or perhaps to you! This is definitely a day to exercise caution. Be patient!

Capricorn Some rather bizarre news could come to you today about metaphysical or paranormal matters. This isn’t anything that affects you directly, but more likely concerns discoveries of anomalies. You and others could find it fascinating and discuss it for hours. Don’t be surprised if the theories that come up seem even more bizarre than what you heard in the first place!

Aquarius This could be a hectic day. You will probably try to go too many places and do too many things at once. Friends might want to get together, but you may have a lot of errands to take care of. It might be a good idea to assess what needs to be done and take care of it in order of urgency. That’s the only way you can stay sane!

Pisces You might hear some rather bizarre rumours today. Someone has misinterpreted a piece of information and blown it into something far different from reality. You will need to check this out for yourself before jumping to any conclusions. Don’t be afraid to pass on what you learn. It’s better to nip this sort of gossip in the bud by revealing the facts than let it continue to spread.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Chelsea crash out to 10-man Paris Saint Germain

By Paul Hassall

Racing Tips South Africa Racing Tips

10:05 hrs Dawalan

Vaal

10:40 hrs Don Cossack

08:30 hrs Ahlaam

11:20 hrs Lieutenant Colonel

09:05 hrs Gems A Plenty 09:40 hrs Its Magic 10:20 hrs Future Fantastic

THIAGO SILVA went from villain to hero as 10-man Paris Saint Germain (PSG) survived the first-half sending-off of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to secure a 2-2 draw and dump Chelsea out of the Champions League on away goals yesterday.

The Brazilian defender seemed to have quite literally handed the tie to Jose Mourinho’s men when he gave away an extra-time spot kick that Eden Hazard converted with typical nonchalance to put the Blues 2-1 ahead on the night.

The defender looked horrified by his mistake but made amends six minutes from time with a stunning header that saw Laurent Blanc’s side defy the odds to progress to the last eight.

It had looked like being a bitter night racked with controversy for the French side when Gary Cahill broke the deadlock nine minutes from the end of normal time, after Ibrahimovic was shown a harsh straight red card for a foul on Oscar in the first half.

The visitors could easily have felt sorry for themselves, but they kept battling and David Luiz came back to haunt his old teammates with a header that forced extra-time where Silva’s moments of horror and joy eventually ended in progression for Blanc’s team.

(EUROSPORT)

11:00 hrs Read My Gesture American Racing Tips

12:40 hrs Champagne James Hexham 09:45 hrs Sultana Belle 10:20 hrs Endless Credit

Aqueduct

10:55 hrs Personal Shopper

Race 1 Stage Name

11:35 hrs Harry The Lemmon

Race 2 Bridgetta

12:15 hrs Purple Harry

Race 3 C C ‘s Pride

12:55 hrs Notonebuttwo

Race 4 Ghost Ship

13:20 hrs Spoils Of War

Race 5 Party On

Chemsford City

Race 6 Jazzminegem Race 7 Glickman

Thiago Silva

12:00 hrs Monetaire

13:40 hrs Puzzle Time 14:10 hrs Hydrogen

Race 8 Atlantic’s Smile

14:40 hrs Chelwood Gate

Race 9 Ferzetti

15:10 hrs Marzocco

English Racing Tips

15:40 hrs Queen Aggie

Cheltenham

16:10 hrs Dynamo Walt

09:30 hrs Vautour

16:40 hrs Senora Lobo

Kumar Sangakkara rules out ODI U-turn KUMAR SANGAKKARA dismissed talk of prolonging his one-day international career after becoming the first man to hit centuries in four consecutive ODIs. The 37-year-old is due to retire from the 50-over game following the World Cup, but proved yesterday that he is still an elite performer at the top level with his 124 against

Scotland, following on from tons against Australia, England and Bangladesh.

Next week’s quarter-final could therefore be his final ODI outing but, despite his prolific form, Sangakkara insists he will not play on after the tournament Down Under.

“It is never about whether you can play or not,” he told the BBC’s

Test Match Special. “Retirement is not about form, it is about time and place and whether it feels right.”

The wicketkeeper admitted in the post-match presentations following the 148-run win against the Scots that his body was finding it harder and harder to cope with the demands of modern cricket.

“It becomes hard, of course, now that I’m 37,” he said. “I get a

bit slower, the joints start creaking and aching. I’m pretty happy that I’m still playing, I consider myself pretty lucky to be part of such a good side. When everything is going well, things look bright.”

Sangakkara has scored 14 189 runs in 403 one-day internationals, adding 12 203 in 130 Test matches in a near 15year international career.

Federer says Nadal can beat Grand Slam record … with a few more French Opens

(REUTERS) - Roger Federer has said he is not consumed by a quest to add breathing room to his record total of 17 Grand Slams, but suggested the only way rival Rafael Nadal could eclipse him was by continuing to churn out French Open wins.

Nadal sits three Grand Slam titles behind the Swiss maestro on 14, with nine of them coming at Roland Garros and Federer conceded that Nadal could charge past him, but added that world number one Novak Djokovic is probably too far adrift.

“Who knows? Rafa has the best

shot if he wins the French Open a few more times and if I don’t win anymore he can catch me quickly. I guess Novak is still a long shot but it really depends on how dominant his next years are going to be,” said Federer, whose wife and two sets of twins travel with him around the globe.

“They have to be very dominant because Rafa and me, we both are still playing. It’s not like we’ve both retired, or anything. “I’m more focused on me than on them. I hope to make it more difficult on them but at the end of the day records are there to be broken.”

Federer is proud of all his grand slam singles titles, but if the Swiss master could add just one more to his record men’s haul it would be at Wimbledon.

“It would be my favourite choice if I had a choice right now,” Federer, 33, told reporters.

“I’d love to win Wimbledon. I think it’s possible, and I think if I win Wimbledon it’s cooler for me personally, and my team and Swiss people and my fans.”

Another singles title at the All England Club would give Federer a record eighth Wimbledon crown, breaking his tie with Pete Sampras

and W.C. Renshaw of the late 19th century and it would also make him the oldest Wimbledon men’s winner, eclipsing Arthur Ashe, who was 31 when he won in 1975.

Federer, whose last Grand Slam triumph came at the 2012 Wimbledon, made it clear that setting the all-time record meant a great deal to him.

“I was very happy to get the grand slam record at Wimbledon in 2009,” he said about surpassing Sampras’ total of 14. “It was a dream come true and it was a huge motivation to get to that after Pete had set that record.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

10TH DIAMOND MINERAL WATER 11-RACE MEET

Hinds set to defend 35-lap title this Saturday

Orville Hinds

TEAM EVOLUTION’S Orville Hinds is set to make a successful defence of the feature 35-lap cycle race he won last year when national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed runs off the 10th Annual Diamond Mineral Watersponsored 11-race cycle meet around the inner circuit of the National Park on Saturday from 09:00hrs.

Hinds, who won the event last year in a time of 1h.14mins 05.38 secs is still basking from his glory of winning the second

stage of the 18th annual Dr Cheddi Jagan Memorial cycle road race in Berbice last Sunday and is expected to take that form into Saturday’s event.

It is anticipated that he will get valuable support from his team mates Marlon `Fishy’ Williams, Michael Anthony and Stephen Fernandes and, having won two races for the year, Hinds will be looking to chalk up his third, but will have to be wary of Raynauth Jeffrey, Paul DeNobrega and Romello Crawford, all of whom have been performing

outstandingly since the season began in January.

Anthony, who won the 10-lap event for juveniles last year with a time of 24 mins .01 secs is no longer a juvenile, so that category is open for the crowning of a new champion on Saturday.

Junior Niles returned 15 minutes last year in winning the five-lap race for veterans under 50 years of age and will be determined to make a successful defence of that title but will be hardpressed by Eon Jackson and

Kennard Lovell.

Christopher Griffith and Oziah McAulay are the defending champions of the Boys’ and Girls’ 12-14 years five-lap event and the Mountain Bikers’ fivelap event respectively.

Griffith recorded 13 mins .07 secs for the 12-14 race while McAulay registered 13 mins .01 secs.

A representative of DDL is expected to witness the day’s proceedings as well as assist in presenting the prizes to the respective winners.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

National Basketball Association roundup

(THE Sports Xchange) - Derrick Rose cannot yet jump, but the Chicago Bulls guard is strengthening his knee and hamstring after a third knee surgery in three years and wants to return in time for the playoffs.

Rose said he is shooting and working on his body after his February 27 surgery to repair a torn right meniscus, adding that he is working on balance and building his body in his bid to be in the playoffs for the first time in three years.

“Right now, it’s about getting the most out of my rehab, getting the most out of every day,” said Rose, who refuses to put a timeframe on his return to the court.

Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh, who was hospitalised for a week in February with blood clots on a lung, could begin regular exercise later

this month and is expected to resume full basketball activities in September, doctors said Monday.

Bosh, 30, will be evaluated this month and, if cleared, can begin exercise immediately and start strength-training in April, according to thoracic surgeon Dr. John DeRosimo and team cardiologist Dr Ed Neff.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Dahntay Jones was fined $10 000 by the NBA for an ill-timed bump into an opponent.

The fine, announced by president of Basketball Operations Rod Thorn, was assessed after Jones bumped into Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green while Green was being interviewed on TV after the Warriors beat the Clippers 106-98 at Oracle Arena on Sunday.

Derrick Rose

GSCL Inc. to host one day of Inter-county softball THE CAMP Road-based Everest Cricket Club ground will be buzzing with activity from 10:00hrs this Sunday when the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc., in collaboration with the National Sports Commission, Guyana Softball League, Essequibo Softball League and

Berbice Softball League host an Inter-county four-team softball one-day T20 tournament.

National 10/10 champions Regal XI and their nemesis Wolf Warriors will be the two teams representing Demerara in this fixture, since they have both been featuring in the finals of most of the tournaments hosted

under the auspices of the GSCL Inc. The teams to represent Berbice and Essequibo will be an open and combined lineup, thus making the day’s activity a fair and transparent one, void of controversies etc.

The draw for the virtual semifinals will be done at the venue, while the two finalists will

be competing for $50 000 and a trophy, with the losers receiving $25 000 and a trophy and, in addition to the above-mentioned matches, a specially-organised T20 fixture between GSCL Inc. Masters and a Rest XI will be contested.

This is being used by the GSCL

Inc. as a yardstick for their trip later this year to Fort Lauderdale, where they were invited to compete in a big ball tournament in the United States of America. Players such as Chien Gittens, Richard Latiff, Pritvi Motilall, Troy Kippins, Amit Rai and Sachin Singh are expected to be on show.

MILO U-20 C’SHIPS

Defending champions among teams advancing

By Calvin Roberts

… Knock-out round commences Saturday

DEFENDING champions of the Petra Organisation/Milo Under-20 Inter-Secondary School Football Championships, Lodge Secondary School, along with dethroned champions St George’s Secondary, are part of the 16 teams advancing to the knock-out stage in this year’s tournament.

This was confirmed by fixtures issued by the organising body, following last Sunday’s final preliminary round of matches held at the Ministry of Education, Carifesta Avenuebased ground. St George’s gained a walkover from Ascension Secondary, while St Mary’s, Dolphin and Chase Academy all recorded victories.

In the first game of the day, goals from

the boots of Curtez Kellman (7th) and Andel Smith (42nd) were enough to hand St Mary’s a 2-0 win over Brickdam Secondary, before Dolphin blanked Christ Church 3-0, courtesy of a Leon Richardson double (38th and 50th) scored after Dakhawn Matthews’ 35th minute strike.

Following Ascension’s walkover win, Chase Academy faced and defeated South Ruimveldt 2-0 in the final game of the day, with Isaiah Reddy scoring a brace for the victors in the 46th and 65th minutes, after Shaquiel Blair had placed South Ruimveldt in the lead with his 24th minute goal.

Following Sunday’s completed fixtures, North Ruimveldt and Richard Ishmael advanced to the knock-out round, having chalked up 7 points to top Group ‘A’, with Queen’s College (7) and Mae’s Secondary

(5) being the top two teams out of Group ‘B’.

Kingston Secondary and St Joseph High were the two top teams coming out of Group ‘C’ with 6 points each, with Dolphin and Morgan Learning Institute sharing the lead in Group ‘D’ with 7 points.

Four schools namely Lodge Secondary, St George’s, East Ruimveldt and Chase Academy achieved victories in all three of their group matches to record maximum points of 9 each to top their respective groups.

Lodge topped Group ‘E’, St George’s (F), East Ruimveldt (G) and Chase Academy (H) and they had as their runners-up Queenstown, St Mary’s Bishops’ High and South Ruimveldt, who all accrued 6 points each.

Meanwhile, the fixtures for this weekend’s quarterfinals action will see Kingston oppose

St Mary’s at 11:00hrs, Mae’s Secondary take on Dolphin Secondary at 12:30hrs, Bishops’ High meet Lodge Secondary at 14:00hrs before South Ruimveldt and North Ruimveldt culminate the day’s action with their fixture which kicks off at 15:30hrs.

On Sunday, Queen’s College go up against Morgan Learning Institute at 11:00hrs, Queenstown will look to hand East Ruimveldt Secondary their first loss when the two sides meet at 12:30hrs, St Joseph and St George’s face each other at 14:00hrs, followed by the Chase Academy versus Richard Ishmael fixture that is set for 15:30hrs.

The quarterfinals will be played next Saturday at the same venue from 11:00hrs, with the semifinals and final on March 25 and 29 respectively.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

‘The pressure got to us’ - Duminy (CRICINFO) - “When you find yourself in that pressure moment, the last thing you think about is the team game plan because it gets too big for you,” JP Duminy said Chasing in major tournaments does to South Africa’s strategy what most of us want to do to our eggs in the morning - scramble them and now, for the first time, someone on the inside has admitted as much.

“We are human. We make mistakes but that’s not an excuse. We get chosen to represent our country and to play on this big stage. This is what international cricket is about - performing in those big moments. There are one or two guys who are getting it right as individuals but we are not getting it right as a team.”

South Africa have had “two,” big games at this World Cup - against India

and Pakistan - they’ve batted second in both and lost both.

Of the players getting it right, few truly stand out. AB de Villiers does though as he threatened to win the Auckland game all on his own despite what he described as a lack of intensity from his teammates and Duminy wants to put that right.

“AB showed major fight in the way he played. That’s what we ask of ourselves, to show that grit and fight and never-say-die attitude. We were below par in terms of that mindset. Barring AB, we didn’t show any fight.

The pressure just got to us.

“We didn’t stick to any game plans. There were a few soft dismissals. Guys got in and didn’t take it through. As a captain, I can only expect AB to be angry, He tried to lead from

the front and we just never followed. We take full responsibility.”

Duminy identified himself as one of the “culprits,” who “felt like I got in but threw my wicket away.

With a partnership building and the required run-rate under control, Duminy went for a big shot off the dangerous Mohammad Irfan, and ended up holing out. That misplaced urgency was a mistake which Duminy recognised “will happen in one’s career but can’t happen in big games like that”.

The upside for South Africa is that, important as the two group games were, the losses will not have a significant effect on their progress.

“The beauty of this tournament is that you

JP Duminy always have another opportunity in the group stage and luckily for us we are still in that group stage,” Duminy said. “We need to make sure that we are up for the fight when it comes to that knockout phase.”

But in the knockouts is where South Africa have unravelled at every World Cup before this one - except 2003 when they did not reach that stage - and so far they have provided no evidence that things will be different.

They have also provided no evidence that they know what to do to ensure things will be different. The most de Villiers could offer was that he is “not sure,” why South Africa are poor chasers when it matters most.

Duminy’s explanation was that they “deter too much” from their plans when batting second, compared to when they bat first and he urged his team-mates to remember what works when they set a target, rather than hunt one down.

AB DeVilliers

Local cyclists to get big boost from fundraiser in Brooklyn THE Guyana Cycling Association of North America (GCANA) will host its 5th Annual Reunion and Fundraiser this Saturday in Brooklyn, New York, with a major focus on providing equipment and accessories for cyclists with limited resources in Guyana, in collaboration with the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) and their local representative William Howard.

In addition, GCANA is now finalising plans to have a coach from Enduro Training Systems of Canada come to Guyana to provide some technical knowledge to cyclists.

This GCANA fundraiser is being held at the Woodbine Ballroom, Church and Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y., with the generous sponsorship of Williams Caribbean Shipping and Caribbean Cargo Shippers of Washington, D.C.

Among the Guyanese cycling stars of yesteryear expected to grace the occasion will be GCANA president Neville Hunte, Olympian and personal trainer Aubrey Bryce, Olympians Aubrey Gordon and Byron James, and other national cyclists such as Randy Toussaint, Desmond ‘Pops’ DeCaires, and Kenneth Joseph, as well as motorbike ace Kevin Jeffrey and boxer Lennox Blackmore.

“We set up the game for the back end with wickets in hand, guys scoring hundreds,” he said. “But every time we find ourselves batting (second) we’ve not stuck to it. Guys haven’t been scoring hundreds, partnerships haven’t been there. If we are going to be successful in chasing, we need to find a way to stick to those strategies and plans.”

And while they do that, Duminy has also warned against over-thinking or transferring blame and advised moving on quickly if they hope to be successful at the later stages.

“That hurt is always going to be there and if we find ourselves in a similar

situation it’s always going to be at the back of our mind. To get away from that, we need to try and focus on something else,” he said.

“We need to make sure we stick together as a team.

These sort of defeats can break you mentally. We need to understand it’s all part of the course. No great teams have gone through no hiccups.

We have come short many a time batting second but we haven’t come short in the quarterfinal. It hasn’t happened yet. There is still an opportunity for us to get it right. It’s all about the comeback.”

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 225-6158; 2236055) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) AUST-6 times; IND-3 times (2) Shiv Chanderpaul-19 Today’s Quiz: (1)How many WI bowlers have taken fivewicket hauls in WC cricket? Who was the first?

(2) Who are the players that have captained India in WC finals to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

Record-breaking Sangakkara leads Sri Lanka rout of Scotland KUMAR SANGAKKARA became the first batsman to score four consecutive one-day centuries as Sri Lanka thrashed Scotland by 148 runs in the World Cup in Hobart yesterday.

The left-hander hit 124 off 95 balls and Tillakaratne Dilshan made 104 as the Islanders piled up 363 for nine and then bowled Scotland out for 215 in 43.1 overs in the Pool A match at the Bellerive Oval.

Skipper Preston Mommsen (60) and Freddie Coleman (70) put on 118 for the fourth wicket but they provided the only Scottish challenge as seamers Nuwan Kulasekara and Dushmantha Chameera grabbed three wickets each.

Sangakkara also took two catches to overtake Adam Gilchrist as the most successful World Cup wicketkeeper with 54 dismissals, the Australian holding the record having had 52 victims to his name, while with the win, Sri Lanka ended the league with four wins from six matches and now await

an undecided opponent in the first quarterfinal at the Sydney Cricket Ground on March 18.

Scotland’s fifth successive defeat means they will take an early flight home after their final league match against Australia at the same venue on Saturday.

Sangakkara, 37, who will retire from one-day cricket after the World Cup, had made 105 not out against Bangladesh, an unbeaten 117 against England and 104 against Australia and he is the leading scorer in the ongoing tournament with 496 runs from six games, followed in second place by 38-year-old Dilshan with 395 runs.

The pair put on 195 for the second wicket after Lahiru Thirimanne had been snapped up in the slips off Alasdair Evans in the sixth over after Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat, leaving Scotland to wait until the 35th over for their next success as Sangakkara and Dilshan toyed with the bowling in good batting conditions.

Both batsmen reached their centuries off successive balls from Kyle Coetzer in the 34th over, Dilshan taking a single to record his second hundred in the tournament before Sangakkara followed next ball with two runs.

Sangakkara leapfrogged six players who had scored three ODI centuries in a row -- Zaheer Abbas and Saeed Anwar

Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan (left) and Kumar Sangakkara congratulate each other, after chalking up centuries over Scotland yesterday. of Pakistan, the South African trio of Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock, and Ross Taylor of New Zealand.

Dilshan followed his unbeaten 161 against Bangladesh with his fourth World Cup century before he holed out in the deep off seamer Josh Davey who struck two quick blows soon after, getting rid of Mahela Jayawardene and Sangakkara off successive balls as Sri Lanka slipped from 216 for one to 244 for four.

Jayawardene, 37, who will also retire after the World Cup having already quit Test cricket, made two when he was caught at mid-off by Calum MacLeod, while Sangakkara edged the next delivery to the wicketkeeper, sparking wild celebrations

GCB steps in to avert crisis THE GUYANA Cricket Board (GCB) has taken swift action to ensure that cricket is not disrupted in its InterCounty Under-17 Tournament which got under way yesterday with two first-round matches.

The GCB learnt on Tuesday that 16 persons from the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) have been prevented from functioning as executives of the BCB, and is of the firm view that, irrespective of the challenges facing that or any other Board, cricket must not be affected.

The GCB has been in contact with the parents of several players and they have all agreed that the games should not be disrupted regardless of the legal challenge against that body.

The team was already selected by the BCB prior to its executives being injuncted, and the GCB will take steps to ensure that the tournament is successfully concluded with the participation of all the youth teams; hence all related expenses would be absorbed by the GCB in this regard.

The GCB recognises that this is an internal matter of the BCB and urges all stakeholders to seek a prompt resolution while respecting the order of the court.

This course of action from the GCB came about following an email that was sent from injuncted secretary of the BCB, Angela Haniff, late Tuesday afternoon, in which she acknowledged being injuncted and warned media operatives not to publish any article sent from the BCB with immediate effect, due to the injunction.

The full excerpt from Ms Haniff’s email is listed below:

“Good afternoon, please take note that an Injunction was filed against the Berbice Cricket Board which was granted with immediate effect. Please do not publish any article that was sent by the Berbice Cricket Board in the media with immediate effect. BCB will not be participating in the Under-17 Intercounty tournament.”

The injunction was granted last Monday to the plaintiffs David Black in his capacity as president of West Berbice Cricket Association (WBCA) and Godwyn Allicock in his capacity as secretary of the Port Mourant Cricket Club (PMCC).

The defendants are Anil Beharry (president), Dhieranidranauth Somwaru (1st vice-president), Qualis Winter (2nd vice-president), Vemen Walters (3rd vice-president), Angela Haniff (secretary), Plafianna Millington (assistant secretary) and Vicky Bharosay (treasurer).

The BCB’s eight executive members Hubern Evans, Albert Smith, Julian Cambridge, Rabindranauth Saywack, Malcolm Peters, Imtiaz Bacchus, Keith Foster and Carl Moore, along with Public Relations Officer Rajiv Bisnauth, were also named in the injunction which will be heard tomorrow.

What must be noted is that the injunction was filed against the purported executives of the BCB and not the BCB in itself, hence the course of action taken by the GCB to have all teams listed to participate in the Under-17 tournament and do so amicably well.

among the Scottish supporters in the stands.

Skipper Angelo Mathews smashed 51 off 21 balls at the end, slamming four sixes in a row off spinner Matt Machan before being caught next ball on the mid-wicket fence and Sri Lanka, who were 216 for 1 at one stage, lost eight wickets for 147 runs as the later batsmen attacked the inexperienced Scotland attack.

Sri Lanka go into the knock-out rounds beset with injuries, with seamer Dhammika Prasad ruled out of the tournament before it started and Jeevan Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal sidelined during it, while veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath is yet to recover from a finger injury.

New Zealand squad hit by stomach illness

Adam Milne

NEW Zealand’s Cricket World Cup selectors might be forced to change their lineup for their final pool match this week after several players came down with a stomach illness on Monday.

New Zealand beat Afghanistan by six wickets on Sunday to remain perfect in their five Pool A matches in the tournament.

Coach Mike Hesson did not

say which players were sick or confirm the nature of the illness, but said he hoped they would recover in time to play in New Zealand’s final pool match against Bangladesh in Hamilton tomorrow.

Hesson also said fast bowler Adam Milne suffered a slight shoulder injury against Afghanistan but is thought likely to play against Bangladesh.

GCA tournaments continue this weekend … GYO meet DCC in U-13 semis

CRICKETERS who are members of clubs affiliated to the Georgetown Cricket Association can gear themselves for action this weekend when that entity runs off two matches in the first division and an additional five in the second division.

In addition, the GCA/Banks Malta Supreme Under-13 competition has reached its semi-final stage and will see Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) host defending champions Demerara Cricket Club at their Woolford Avenue-based ground on Sunday, with the action set to commence at 13:00hrs.

In the GCA/Hadi’s Mall Inc. first division twoday tournament, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) will go head-to-head at GCC while Police will look to

arrest Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC), when they meet at Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC). Both matches will commence at 09:30hrs each day.

In the second division competition which is being sponsored by the New Building Society and consists of a 40 overs-a-side affair on Saturday, Third Class and GNIC will meet at GNIC, GDF clash with Ace Warriors at Muslim Youth Organisation and DCC face St Stanislaus at GYO, with the action bowling off at 11:00hrs.

Only two matches in this competition are carded for Sunday when the action also starts at 11:00hrs, with Third Class and Police facing each other at Eve Leary, while Diplomats and University of Guyana collide at MYO.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday March 12, 2015

AAG shortlists nine for CARIFTA Games

Brenessa Thompson THE ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION of Guyana (AAG) has shortlisted nine athletes for the 2015 CARIFTA Games set for St Kitts & Nevis, April 4-6, with eight locally trained athletes and one overseas-based athlete in the lineup.

Over the weekend of March 7-8, seven athletes made the qualifying standards set out by the AAG, with all of them doing so in the Under-18 division.

Those shortlisted are Compton Caesar for the 100m, 200m and Matthew McKenzie for the 1500m,

3000m, with Kenisha Phillips (200m), Cassie George (1500m), Claudrice McKenzie (3000m), Chantoba Bright (long and triple jump) and Natricia Hooper (triple jump) being the females selected by the AAG. Hooper won the triple jump during last Sunday’s trials that was hosted by the AAG at the Guyana Defence Force ground, with her measurement being 12.26m while Bright registered 11.55m. Both athletes surpassed the qualifying distance which was 11.35.

Compton Caesar In addition, the council considered the times of all the athletes in the Under-20 division and how close they were to the qualifying standards set and named Ernesto Thomas for the 800m and 1500m events.

Added to the team is overseas-based sprinter Brenessa Thompson who has been having an outstanding indoor season in the USA, with the AAG registering her for the Under-20 100m and 200m events.

Yvonne October is the manager. A coach will be named at a later date.

RHT Bakewell win again as Mahadeo continues to impress ROSE HALL TOWN Bakewell second division team won their fourth consecutive game in the Berbice Cricket Board/Raffik and Son Construction 20 overs tournament when they defeated Yakasari Cricket Club of Black Bush Polder, by seven wickets at the Area ‘H’ ground.

In a match reduced to 15 overs-a-side due to extra moisture on the pitch, RHT Bakewell won the toss and invited the visitors to take first strike, restricting them to 90 for 9 in the process.

Rajesh Lalu muscled his way to a topscore of 41 with four massive sixes and he received support from Churaman Ayana who made 20 and Naipaul Ayana 15.

Bowling for RHT Bakewell, off-spinner Khemraj Mahadeo continued his impressive season with 3 for 9, while left-arm West Indies female pacer Erva Giddings nabbed 2 for 12 and veteran left-arm spinner R. Lewis 2 for 28 in support to Mahadeo.

Needing to score 91 to continue their unbeaten run in the tournament

Khenaraj Mahadeo so far, RHT Bakewell reached 93 for 3 off 11.3 overs with Mahadeo returning with the bat to score an even 50 (5x6, 2x4) while Vishal Crandon clipped in with 18.

Azam Khan (5) and Jason Anderson (6) were unbeaten when victory was achieved after national Under-17 player Brandon Prashad fell cheaply for 7. RHT Bakewell now look to transform that form into the BCB/ New Building Society 40 overs tournament which commences this weekend.

DDL pleased to be on board KMTC horse race meet once again DEMERARA DISTILLERS Limited (DDL) is once again pleased to be on board with the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club’s Annual Phagwah Horse Race Meet which is fixed for this Sunday at the club’s track located at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice.

This is according to DDL’s Ivanoff Vodka Brands manager Maria Munroe, who in a simple address at the presentation of the sponsorship cheque and trophy yesterday, said her company is pleased to once more partner with the Club’s race meeting for the 2015 season.

She said they have decided to brand it under the Ivanoff vodka brand, which according to her, is the number one locally produced vodka in Guyana, adding that this race meet is the first of many horse race meets that her company plans to sponsor this year.

“Demerara Distillers Limited under our various brands continues to support the development of sports in Guyana, thus our participation with horse racing,” Munroe stated, adding “We have committed to supporting all of the planned race meetings this year.”

Munroe, a former national ladies’ hockey captain, wished former Chief Justice Cecil Kennard and his organising committee a successful race meet on Sunday and encourages horse racing fans to come out in full numbers to support the event.

Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority, Cecil Kennard (left), accepts the sponsorship cheque and winner’s trophy from DDL’s Ivanoff Brands manager Maria Munroe.

During Sunday’s activity, there will be winner set to walk away with $400 000 and the 42nd year that DDL has supported the several promotional activities, including bar a trophy, while the second to fourth place works of KMTC. specials, giveaways and door prizes, but she finishers will receive $200 000, $100 000 and “We at the Kennard’s Memorial Turf warned that patrons who are vodka drinkers $50 000 respectively - a total prize package Club are indeed grateful, regardless of the must drink responsibly. worth $750 000. size of the sponsorship and we’re indeed DDL is sponsoring the second event on In accepting the sponsorship cheque and grateful to DDL,” said Kennard, who the day’s card which begins at 13:00hrs and winner’s trophy, former Chief Justice Cecil is open to horses classified `D 3 and Lower’ Kennard thanked DDL for staying on board added that the weather has been holding over a distance of five furlongs, with the the club’s activities, noting that this will be and the track is in excellent condition.

Sport CHRONICLE

The Chronicle is at http://www.guyanachronicle.com

GCB steps in to avert crisis

See story on page 26

Kumar Sangakkara makes World Cup history KUMAR SANGAKKARA became the first man to score four consecutive World Cup centuries as he feasted on Scottish bowling in Hobart.

The Sri Lanka number three followed up hundreds against Bangladesh, Australia and England with his highest score of the tournament so far, an innings of 124 from 95 balls, as Sri Lanka posted 363 for nine.

Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan put on 195 runs for Sri Lanka’s second wicket, before Dilshan fell for 104.

After beginning steadily, Sangakkara accelerated as

Scotland struggled to contain him. He cleared the ropes four times and added 13 fours, reaching his ton with a prod through third man. He eventually fell edging Josh Davey to wicketkeeper Matthew Cross.

Angelo Mathews plundered 51 from 21 balls down the innings, including sixes from each of the four deliveries he faced immediately before being dismissed when going for another maximum - caught just inside the ropes by Freddie Coleman off the final ball of Matt Machan’s costly fourth and final over.

(EUROSPORT)

Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara plays a shot while batting against Scotland during their Cricket World Cup Pool A match in Hobart yesterday.

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THURSDAY MARCH 12, 2015