2015 4 21 by Guyana Chronicle

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DEMOCRACY UNDER SIEGE No. 104165 TUESDAY APRIL 21, 2015 GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

– as violent pre-election confrontations escalate

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Man doused with ‘battery acid’ BURNT: Travis Joseph

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IN UNPROVOKED ATTACK AT # 51 VILLAGE…

Several PPP/C

supporters injured – as unknown assailants bombard vehicles with missiles, corrosive substance 5 Page

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13-yr-old schoolgirl gives birth to twins Page

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Children of PPP/C members are

‘vampires’, ‘centipedes’

- according to APNU+AFC member James Bond Page 7

Guyanese Canadians picket Granger, Nagamootoo ‘NO WAY’: Guyanese Canadians staged a picketing demonstration against APNU/AFC Leaders David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo, on Sunday, in Toronto. The duo traveled to Canada in an effort to raise money to finance their elections campaign

Child killer gets 22 years Page

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Man doused with ‘battery acid’ AT BARTICA…

– while sleeping in bed By Leroy Smith T R AV I S J o s e p h o f Three Miles, Bartica was, on Sunday morning, awakened from his slumber by a burning sensation all over his body. A corrosive substance had been thrown on him, and doctors at the Bartica Hospital have reportedly confirmed that the corrosive substance was battery acid. Information reaching the Guyana Chronicle indicates that the 27-year-old father of a two-month-old baby girl believes that the attack on him had been ordered by a Bartica-based Brazilian businessman who operates a nightclub and

guest house. His relatives suspect that the culprit behind the act is one of the Brazilian businessman’s present employees, and that the incident might have stemmed from Travis’s decision to alert the police about some illegal activities the businessman may be involved in. Speaking with the Chronicle on Sunday afternoon, in a boat at the Bartica boat landing as he prepared to travel to Georgetown for further medical attention, Joseph explained that, at approximately 02.30 hrs on Sunday morning, whilst he was between sleep and wake, he heard someone approaching his room via the stairs to the house,

which is shared by fifteen other persons. He explained that after he no longer heard the footsteps, he returned to the position of lying on his back with his eyes closed; then he felt a liquid cascading his body, instantly followed by an intense burning sensation. The corrosive substance has affected parts of his head, face, eyes, stomach and right arm. He was, up to late yesterday, still unable to open his eyes, but was preparing to see an Eye Specialist. Joseph said that after the assailant had doused him with the substance, that person scaled the veranda and fled; but before his eyes became pasted shut, he had looked outside and had noticed a dark coloured car at the bottom of the hill, and his attacker joining the car, which later sped out of

BURNT: Travis Joseph

the area. Joseph is contending that it has to be one of two persons who assaulted him with the substance, as only two persons had visited his home in the past, and had even made

their way into his room, as they had both been his close friends. According to the injured Joseph, he had decided to quit the businessman’s employ because

the man had an issue with him socialising with persons from the community. Joseph said that each time he socialised, he was asked numerous questions by his employer and other staff, as they thought he had been plotting to have the business robbed. He denied ever plotting to rob his former employer, stating that he has in fact always looked out for the businessman. And to be treated the way he was treated on Sunday morning was not a fair return of gratitude. Joseph and his brother contend that, for the past two weeks, they have been trailed everywhere they went, and that persons who were trailing them are known. The brothers explained that the men who were trailing them work for the businessman whom they suspect to be part of the plot to harm the 27-year-old. They said also that whenever they were trailed, the men who were trailing them did so in a manner that caused them to know they were being trailed. The Josephs said that since they commenced living in Bartica, they have cultivated a reputation of having no issues with anyone, and this can be substantiated by records at the police station. The Police are continuing their investigations into the matter. After the matter was reported, the police picked up a few persons, but they were subsequently released. Up to late yesterday afternoon, however, the police again picked up the businessman for questioning into the matter, and he was made to give a statement concerning the allegations being levelled against him and his staff.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

DEMOCRACY UNDER SIEGE – as violent pre-election confrontations escalate …Constitutional rights, freedoms of every Guyanese at jeopardy – AG Nandlall AN escalation of election campaign-related violent confrontations is a symptom of democracy literally being under siege in Guyana and the constitutional rights and freedoms of every Guyanese are presently at jeopardy. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has since condemned what he called, “this assault on freedom and democracy in a most condign manner.” Nandlall, by way of a public missive yesterday, said “the perpetrators must understand that violence, intimidation, fear and authoritarianism will never be tolerated in this land again.” The minister related that on Sunday evening last, as supporters of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) were returning home from a rally held by the Party at Albion, Berbice, persons on the Public Road at No. 51 Village, threw missiles and opened containers of corrosive substances into their passing vehicles, causing injuries to many,

including a young girl. According to Nandlall, this horrific act comes on the heels of the wanton destruction of PPP/C’s billboards, flags and other paraphernalia. He noted too that PPP/C political activists putting up campaign materials are also publicly being threatened with violence. Nandlall, in his public missive yesterday, said: “I hope that GECOM (Guyana Elections Commission), the election’s observer teams, rights based organisations and indeed every Guyanese will no longer continue to seek refuge in silence.” Qualifying his conclusion of ‘democracy under siege’ in Guyana, the Attorney General pointed out too that, “a PPP/C public meeting scheduled to be held at Sophia, was forced to be postponed because the vehicle that was announcing the meeting was stoned and violence was threatened if the meeting took place.” The police, he said, was also forced to intervene and bring calm to a PPP/C public

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

meeting in Region 10, as a result of the behaviour of Vanessa Kissoon, an APNU Member of Parliament. He noted too that “a strikingly ludicrous criminal private charge has been

instituted against former President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo for statements he allegedly made at a public political event at Babu Jaan with the clear intention to muzzle him on the campaign trail.”

Nandlall has since surmised that the one common thread running through the documented litany of infractions “is that democracy is under siege and the constitutional rights and freedoms of every Guyanese are at jeopardy.” Nandlall, who serves as the official legal advisor to Government, said “these atrocities assume particular significance in a Guyanese political context and is indeed reminiscent of a period in our history where elections were routinely rigged and citizens, including political leaders, brutalised, imprisoned and killed for merely raising a voice in objection.” According to the Legal Affairs Minister, “significantly, during this period, there was no free press to which the citizenry could have turned; no effective Parliament to which they could have petitioned to ventilate the abominations, since the elections were so rigged to ensure that the Government of the day enjoys a two-third majority

in the House, rendering the Opposition members in that August body, mere toothless poodles; and, indeed, no truly independent judiciary to which they can resort for legal protection and redress, as the flag of the ruling party was flown in the compound of the Court of Appeal of Guyana, the then apex of the judiciary, signalling to the citizenry and the world that the governing party was paramount and the judiciary subservient.” He said that the situation was further compounded by the fact that the major political party in the Opposition-coalition, the People’s National Congress (PNC), “denies that these travesties ever occurred while the other coalition partner exhorts the nation not to be a prisoner of the past. Minister Nandlall has since observed too that neither of the factions in the political Opposition have demonstrated “any appreciation nor remorse, for the gravity of the wrongs perpetrated against the citizenry.”

ROHEE SAYS PPP/C COMPILING…

DOSSIER OF ELECTIONS CONCERNS – for international observers’ attention By Vanessa Narine DESTRUCTION of campaign materials and incidents intended to intimidate the ruling party and its supporters has formed part of a dossier of documented concerns which, if requested, will be handed to the election observer missions that are fielded to Guyana. General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Mr Clement Rohee, made this disclosure yesterday at a news conference held at Freedom House. “We have situations (wherein) our flags (have been) torn down, our billboards (have been) damaged, our posters (have been) desecrated and public meetings (have been) disrupted,” he said, even as he highlighted that the party has a “high degree of tolerance” and will

‘From time to time, we will be assessing the situation as it evolves, with a view to determining our response. In the meantime, because we believe in operating within the confines of the law, we will keep the Commissioner of Police and other stakeholders informed’ – PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee not be provoked. Rohee, instead, made it clear that in keeping with the party’s historical practices, each such incident will be documented. “We have documented these incidents so that when the observers are fully ensconced in their responsibilities, we should be in a position to present to them dossiers reflecting our concerns… This is normal practice of the PPP, we document our concerns,” he said. The PPP General Secretary added that this action reflects the responsible ap-

proach taken by the ruling party. The international observers that are expected to be in Guyana include those from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth, the Carter Centre, the United Nations (UN) and the Governments of South Africa and India. Asked about what is being done in the interim, Rohee said: “From time to time, we will be assessing the situation as it evolves, with a view to determining

Mr Clement Rohee, PPP General Secretary

Dr Steve Surujbally, GECOM Chairman

‘If actual evidence of such spineless incivility is sent to us, we can go to the police and expose the miscreants responsible’ – GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally our response. In the meantime, because we believe in operating within the confines of the law, we will keep the Commissioner of Police and other stakeholders informed.”

IMMATURE ACTIONS One of those stakeholders is the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM); and its Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally, has vehemently decried acts of intimidation during the elections period.

“Such actions are puerile, immature, counter-productive and unproductive,” he stressed. He said that both the PPP/C and the coalition of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) have made reports of acts of intimidation during the ongoing election campaign. “Both parties have informed GECOM of such behaviours… If actual evidence of such spineless incivility is sent to us, we can go to the police and expose the miscreants responsible,” he said. Dr Surujbally added that the unsavory acts represent a backward step. “This is terrible, and demonstrates a backward step to puerility… Any act of intimidation is frowned on greatly,” he said. CODE OF CONDUCT Asked about the Code of Conduct for political parties, Turn to page 5 ►

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Sugar production has surpassed 63,000-tonne first crop mark -reveals Dr Ramsammy

Dr Leslie Ramsammy WITH still another few Berbice. weeks before the first crop Dr Ramsammy, in an ends, sugar production has invited comment, disclosed already surpassed 63,000 that Uitvlugt is on target, tonnes, and several of the while Wales has already surGuyana Sugar Corporation passed its target. “The East (GuySuCo) estates have Demerara estates are on pace already surpassed their to meet their targets,” he targets, according to Agri- said, adding that Blairmont culture Minister Dr Leslie Estate is expected to exceed Ramsammy. its target, while the East BerGuySuCo operates eight bice Estates – Rose Hall and estates, located at Uitvlugt, Albion – are expected to do W e s t C o a s t D e m e r a r a ; the same. Wales, West Bank DemerSkeldon Estate, on the ara; Enmore and La Bonne other hand, started operating Intention, East Coast De- late, and is trying to recover merara; Rose Hall, Albion lost opportunity days, he and Skeldon on the Coren- disclosed. tyne Coast in East Berbice; “Once this happens, and Blairmont, West Bank Skeldon will meet its target.

Sugar cane field being harvested Even if we are not able to recover those lost days, the excess from the other estates will support the production for the first crop,” Dr Ramsammy said. He expressed confidence that GuySuCo will meet its 84,000-tonne target for the first crop of 2015. “This has

been, so far, a good crop, where most estates reach or surpassed target… Once the weather holds to facilitate harvesting, we will be okay,” the Agriculture Minister said. GuySuCo recorded a production of 216,147 tonnes in 2014, when the first

Proxy verification process begins today - 865 proxy applications filed LEGAL provisions regarding the use of proxies will be followed, according to Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr Steve Surujbally. “We will follow the law,” he declared emphatically, in an invited comment yesterday, when asked to respond to concerns raised by the ruling party. General Secretary of the

People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee, yesterday at a news conference held at the party’s Freedom House headquarters, expressed concern over the “seeming abuse” of proxies by the political Opposition. “Our field work has led us to suspect that known Opposition leaders at the community/ local level are filling and submitting proxy applications for

persons who are scheduled to leave the country before Election Day and for others who are physically able to visit the polling station to cast their vote,” he said. As such, Rohee called on the Commission to ensure that proper verification of all proxies are done in accordance with the prescribed procedure and only those deserving are awarded proxy voting. In response to the PPP’s call, Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield,

DATE: 18/04/2015 B

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20/04/2015

crop surpassed the 75,000-tonne target and brought in about 80,000 tonnes. The cycle of the current sugar crop comes to an end in early May. The production being targeted by GuySuCo for 2015 is some 240,000 tonnes. (Vanessa Narine)

reiterated the Chairman’s sentiments and disclosed that the verification of proxies are expected to commence today. “To date we have 865 proxies filed. The reasons for the proxies I do not know,” he said, adding that the stakeholders in the electoral process can be assured that detailed verifications will be done. Lowenfield noted too that GECOM staffers have been briefed and there will be no “sample or survey” checks, rather complete verifications will be done. “We have a procedure

20/04/2015

that sees our staff and party agents investigate all proxies,” he declared. Proxy voting is guided by Section 30 of the Representation of the People’s Act. Applications for proxies have to be sent to GECOM’s Returning Officers no later than the 10th day before Elections Day, in this case by May 1st. According to the law, election agents on the fourth day before Election Day have the right to review and copy the list of persons who are slated to vote by proxy. (Vanessa Narine)

05 18 01 11 17 08

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

IN UNPROVOKED ATTACK AT # 51 VILLAGE…

Several PPP/C supporters injured

– as unknown assailants bombard vehicles with missiles, corrosive substance By Vanessa Narine SEVERAL persons were injured by missiles thrown by unknown assailants at two vehicles transporting supporters returning from a People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Rally that was held at Albion, Corentyne on Sunday night. The scurrilous attack occurred between Numbers 50 and 51 villages on the Corentyne Coast in Berbice, and information received indicates that the vehicles came under bombardment of bottles that contained sand, rocks and a corrosive substance. The injured were all rushed to the Skeldon Hospital, where they were treated. Members of the ruling party leadership, including former president Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, met with those hurt in the incident on Sunday night. Among those injured are 13-year-old Kamini Khan, 32-year-old Babita Zabar, an unidentified 14-year-old boy, and a male sugar worker said to be in his 50s. Injured passengers in the second vehicle included 18-year-old Valita Adams, 18-year-old Saradha Persaud, and 20-year-old Cindy Persaud. An occupant of the second vehicle, Dian Ramsamuj, told the Chronicle yesterday that missiles of stone, sand and rotten eggs had been hurled at the vehicle after it had approached Number 50

President Donald Ramotar

‘This is terrible. It is horrible and probably intended to drive fear into our supporters, but I am sure it will work in the opposite manner and our supporters will support us even stronger’ - President Ramotar Skeldon Hospital. In an invited comment, he told the Guyana Chronicle that the 13-year-old lass had sustained chemical burns to her upper left arm, the 14-year-old lad had suffered a haematoma to the left side of his head, and the 32-year-old woman had suffered a bruised right shoulder. “The sugar worker had first-degree burns, secondary to the corrosive substance,” Dr Mahadeo disclosed. He added that, in addition to the

‘The Guyana Police Force is taking this opportunity to call on members of the public to be tolerant of the political activities that are taking place at this time, and which are part of our democratic process’ - GPF Village. “They throw the eggs first and it hit Valita, and is when she start crying that we realised what happening,” Ramsamuj said. The youngest person injured, Kamini Khan, was in the first vehicle. In an interview with this newspaper, she complained of still being in pain. “Last night, while we coming back from the rally, whoever it was throw something -- acid like thing. My left arm get burn. I went to the doctor last night (Sunday night) and this morning (Monday morning) and get medication, but my hand still blazing,” the teen said. INJURIES EXAMINED Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Berbice Regional Health Authority, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo, confirmed that the teen had visited the

Former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

13-year-old, at least three other persons had returned to the hospital yesterday morning for additional checkup. Chairman of Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne), Mr David Armogan, when contacted, related a similar series of events. “They were pelted with bottles that contained different substances and hot boiled eggs…We have not been able to find the bottle that contained the corrosive substance, so we have not been able to identify what the substance was,” he said. Both Dr Mahadeo and Mr Armogan noted that the injured persons had been traumatised. PROVOCATION General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Mr Clement Rohee, yesterday vehemently condemned Sunday night’s attack on supporters of the ruling

party, but made it clear that the PPP/C would not be provoked. “Is this a provocation? Who is provoking it? If it is a provocation, is it centrally directed or locally directed?

Mr Clement Rohee, PPP General Secretary

‘The party calls on all concerned to let good sense prevail in this campaign, which has gone well so far; and to ensure that no further actions of this nature take place’ – PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee He said, “I don’t know of any instance where, after an Opposition rally, the participants, on their way home, passing through villages, would have experienced any

‘Last night, while we coming back from the rally, whoever it was throw something – acid-like thing. My left arm get burn. I went to the doctor last night (Sunday night) and this morning (Monday morning) and get medication, but my hand still blazing’ – Kamini Khan This is a matter of serious concern.” he said at a news conference held yesterday at Freedom House. Rohee added, “This is a serious matter, a criminal offence as far as I am aware. It should not have happened.” He said the next move for the PPP/C is to ensure that there is no retaliation on the part of its supporters and those affected. “This incident places on the party the additional responsibility to calm our supporters and appeal for them not to be provoked into any retaliatory measures,” he said. Accordingly, he appealed for “good sense” to prevail during the remainder of the elections season. “The party calls on all concerned to let good sense prevail in this campaign, which has gone well so far; and to ensure that no further actions of this nature take place,” he said. Rohee added that since the May 11 election campaigns commenced, supporters of the political Opposition have suffered no such fate.

Dr Vishwa Mahadeo, CEO of Berbice Regional Health Authority

such incidents. The question therefore remains: Is this a provocation?” Asked about the impact of the incident on the PPP/C’s

election campaign, Rohee made it clear that incidents of intimidation, like Sunday’s attack, are not new to the party. “We have been through these things for years…We are, as we said from the beginning, battle ready,” the PPP General Secretary assured. He added that, on Sunday, “everything was done in the meaning of the law”, and he called for the elections campaign to be allowed to proceed in a similar fashion. The Guyana Police Force has since called for tolerance in the Guyanese society at this time. “The Guyana Police Force is taking this opportunity to call on members of the public to be tolerant of the political activities that are taking place at this time, and which are part of our democratic process; and is urging citizens

Mr David Armogan, Chairman of Region Six

to refrain from interfering with persons who may be of other political persuasions” the Police Force urged. Meanwhile, President Donald Ramotar, when contacted shortly after the incident on Sunday night, was vehement in his condemnation of the unprovoked attack. “This is terrible. It is horrible and probably intended to drive fear into our supporters, but I am sure it will work in the opposite manner and our supporters will support us even stronger,” President Ramotar said in an invited comment last Sunday night. The President made it clear that elections ought to be free and fair, as well as free from intimidation. In this regard, the President called on the political Opposition to join him in urging all Guyanese to exercise respect for each other’s choice of leadership ahead of the May 11 General and Regional elections. “We have to vehemently put an end to this,” President Ramotar stressed.

DOSSIER OF... Dr Surujbally explained that the Code has been circulated, and political parties are expected by Wednesday to respond to GECOM with recommendations to inform the finalisation of the document. However, he belaboured the fact that recognition of what is decent and what is not need not have to be guided by a Code of Conduct. “You know what is decent and what is not,” Dr Surujbally posited. He also stressed that the law on activities like removing, damaging or defacing any election campaign material is clear: those acts are

criminal. In the last week, the Commission has made public advertisements that warn against such endeavours. “Such activities are specifically forbidden,” the GECOM Chairman declared. Bolstering the legal framework, the Code of Conduct for Political Parties is a guide to expected behaviours in lead-up to the May 11 General and Regional Elections. Once political parties sign onto the Code of Conduct, it is expected that they would abide by the protocols documented in

From page 3

the Code, all in the interest of free and fair General and Regional Elections. The advantage of having such an agreement in place, according to GECOM, relates to being able to guard against confrontational and vitriolic election campaign meetings/rallies and statements. Gecom regards contesting parties signing the Code as demonstrating their willingness to craft their respective election campaign strategies in ways that contribute to the maintenance of peace and tranquility throughout and beyond the elections.

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

EDITORIAL MARRIOTT, SYNTHETIC TRACK

– two major projects commissioned last week LAST week would definitely be recorded as significant in the socio-economic history of Guyana, because of the commissioning of two facilities that will add great stock to the national development process, and great impetus to the transformative momentum. It started with the much-anticipated ribbon-cutting ceremony that officially brought into being the 5-star Marriott brand hotel in Georgetown. We are all au fait with the vitriol and vehement objections against such a facility that is intended to bring international

quality and class to the local hospitality industry that is gradually attracting more visitors annually. After all, the Government did not pull such a project out of a rabbit’s hat, so to speak; for anyone who has been au fait with Guyana’s socio-economic development policies would observe that these are symmetrical, and complementary of each other. Thus, it was no accident when the Government announced its intention to establish a hospitality training institute, the first of its kind in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

This was a signal that our developing tourism and hospitality sector is being prepared for international standards, in terms of ensuring at all times a corps of super trained personnel in accordance with best practices. We are certain that citizens of any developing nation would be proud that their country’s hospitality presentation reflects its well known tradition and customs, albeit in a more sophisticated manner. Therefore, the newly opened Marriott brand should be seen as the beginning of a new era in our hospitality industry, as well as

A CHALLENGE

I AM hoping that there is a newspaper that has the courage and foresight to think outside the box and take on board the challenge to persuade the Government in Guyana (incumbent), that the time is now rife for our Nation to pursue an Independent path regarding Cricket. As you know this is the people’s sport in Guyana. For some time now our Test Cricketers have been humiliated, our Government ignored, and our cricket loving people made to suffer by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). Members of the WICB are a law unto themselves, and in my opinion these are the destroyers of West Indies cricket. My question is this, if we can field an athletics team for the Olympics, then we need to firm our beliefs that the time is now right for Guyana to seek registration for International Test Cricket Status. Bangladesh came from obscurity and is establishing themselves; so can we.

Our country can boast major cricketing talents in the past and at present. Many Countries now play three test match series. We have three Counties. We have a Sports Stadium that is worthy of international standing. We have International hotels to boot, but most of all we can fill our cricket grounds with fanatical fans to make the venture economically viable, with sponsors, television rights, etc. So, what is holding Guyana back from going this route, and here we must, if we truly believe that we are an Independent Nation on the Rise, we must take our destiny in our hands. We need someone, a media of standing that can generate sufficient passion and drive to launch this campaign for Guyanese Cricket, for the long suffering Guyanese Cricketing Fans, and for our independent nation. WILLIAM RAMNARACE (UK)

GUYANA

a defined continuation by Government of improving the standards of the local sector. It is a seminal moment in the development history of our nation, as prefaced above, particularly against the background of the relentless attacks that came/still continue from the political Opposition that refused to accept what such a project on completion would mean for Guyana. But, it highlights a Government whose national agenda has been continuous in its quest for advancing Guyana’s development, more so the well being of its citizens; and the same is obvious with regards the opening of the nation’s first all-weather athletics track at Leonora on the West Coast of Guyana.

For so many decades, such a facility had been a mere dream for the country’s athletes, both national and junior categories. It was promised so many times during the years of the People’s national Congress (PNC) regime. However, it is the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, with its vision of what constitutes a modern Guyana, to make such an inherently important input a grand reality. For those who continue to vilify the Government without any just cause, their senseless mouthings have not in any way constrained this country’s development, since the latter has again been enhanced significantly by the fruition of these two major projects.

Why doesn’t Freddie want to bathe MY friend Freddie Kissoon continues to amaze. Again, he complains (KN, April 17) that Sports Director Neil Kumar does not want him to use the spanking new swimming pool because he (Freddie) does not want to bathe. Man, Freddie, bathe nah man so that people can let you into the pool. Bathing is essential for good health. Bathing before entering into a swimming pool is mandatory everywhere around the globe. I visited Australia last week and used the pool at all of my hotels – I had to bathe in my room and then wash up again just before entering the pool , and then bathe again after coming out of the pool. One had to

do same before using the public pool. Freddie, just in case you don’t know, bathing promotes good hygiene and protect other swimmers from contracting illness of others. The pool is also kept clean of body germs and odors when users bathe before entering it. Bathing is required before entering pools in high schools and colleges in New York. It is required everywhere, not only at the public swimming pool in Guyana. I don’t understand why Freddie objects so much to bathing. I will have a talk with Malcolm Harripal to convince Freddie to bathe. I have no problem buying the soap. VISHNU BISRAM

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Jimmy Carter played crucial role in restoration of Guyana’s democracy THE justifiable fear of the PPP/C that it would not be treated fairly by the electoral machinery, should be allayed somewhat by former US President Jimmy Carter’s decision to lead an observer team for this country’s elections next month, and may provide some level of comfort to the governing partnership and its supporters. After decades of the PNC propagating itself in Government through utilisation of every stratagem to rig elections – a practice party stalwarts concede is still a feature of their own internal electoral mechanisms, Jimmy Carter’s intervention finally resolved the impasse, facilitating (relatively) freeand-fair elections on 5th October 1992. This precipitated the ruling party’s dynamic transformation of this country from being graphed as below Haiti on the development scale to the status of a middle-income developing country with stable macro-economic fundamentals

and a record of continuous economic growth patterns for approximately a decade. The socio-economic progress that Guyana has experienced is therefore directly attributable to Jimmy Carter and his Carter Centre. PPP/C supporters see Jimmy Carter as Guyana’s best-loved friend and saviour. Granted, Dr. Cheddi Jagan had led a heroic and indomitable struggle for decades to rid Guyana of all its oppressors. At varying times he was joined by other freedom fighters, such as the late Dr. Walter Rodney, but they were taken out, or kept out of the equation – some by assassination, like the late Dr. Rodney, some by threats, such as the labour leader who was kidnapped and held aloft over the Demerara River, dangling from a helicopter by GDF ranks, until he promised to stop agitating the labour force to fight for their rights, among others. So it was likely that, without President Carter’s intervention and facilitation

there would never have been a free-and-fair election in Guyana and the

country – emerging from a history of a plethora of destructive elemental forces

Former US President Jimmy Carter PNC would have continued to perpetuate itself indefinitely in Government, until Guyana would have completely self-destructed under an oppressive, destructive regime. We are a developing

that devastated our nation, even to the point where even the more optimistic thought that we would never emerge from the quagmire in which we had been immersed for decades – to the point where even the more altruistic fund-

ing agencies had practically written us off as almost beyond redemption. Until Jimmy Carter decided, in the interest of justice, and in light of the contention of Guyana’s iconic leader, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, that the PPP had been “cheated, not defeated” for decades during general elections in Guyana, that the Carter Centre should use its phenomenal power to force the Hoyte administration, which is recorded to have been responsible for the worst election rigging in the history of Guyana during general elections of 1985, as well as the Draconian Economic Recovery Programme (ERP) that he had imposed on the Guyanese people, to concede to having relatively “free and fair” general elections in our country after decades of PNC rule. Dr. Jagan was vindicated and the reconfigured PPP, with its civic component, undertook the gargantuan task of trying to restore

some order out of the critical and chaotic national landscape then prevailing – in every area. However, the troubling signs that the joint Opposition would use every trick in their unparalleled repertoire, including violence – listen to their calls on their public forums for ‘revolution’, to leverage themselves into the primary administrative office in the land, is frightening in its implications. They have tasted power and they flexed their muscles, albeit at a great cost to the nation as they wielded their miniscule joint parliamentary one-seat majority like a sword of Damocles over the Guyanese people, whom they alluded to as ‘collateral damage’ in their hunger for power It is therefore quite re-assuring that President Jimmy Carter has decided that he will ensure his efforts to democratise this nation in 1992 do not go in vain and that elections of 2015 would be free, fair and transparent.

Children of PPP/C members are ‘vampires’, ‘centipedes’ AS the political atmosphere intensifies in the face of General and Regional Elections, a series of attacks have been made against the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) last Friday evening by Youths of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) at a youth rally held in New Amsterdam, Berbice. The rally suffered a poor turnout of youths in the traditional PPP stronghold, with a majority of the few hundred in attendance being adults. APNU youth representative Malika Ramsey was among the many speakers who sought to lambaste the PPP, taking it as far as accusing them of “child exploitation.” Selling the idea that the ruling party was guilty of “child exploitation”, Ms Ramsey told the gathering that a manifestation of this exploita-

- according to APNU+AFC member James Bond

APNU+AFC Youth rep. James Bond tion was that, “the PPP is forcing children to wear their campaign T-shirts.” “This is nothing short of child exploitation” the APNU+AFC

youth representative said, adding that, “parents who are allowing these practices, shame on you! And shame on the PPP! Stop exploiting your children, and stop helping the PPP to exploit your children!” she exhorted. But the chain of attacks did not end there, as attorney-at-law James Bond, another youth representative of the coalition, also accused the children of PPP members of being “vampires” and “centipedes”. According to Bond, who had found himself in controversy over comments made at a previous youth rally, “If yuh pappa and yuh mummah suh cruel to yuh, much (less) the pickney.” Bond, the APNU+AFC youth leader went on to say: “What they’re doing is creating a next generation

APNU+AFC Youth rep. Malika Ramsey of centipedes and vampires to feast on you.” Bond had, just last week, found himself in much controversy after

he had issued a call for parents to “kick out” their children from their homes should they (the children) refuse to vote at the May 11 elections. Bond was recorded as saying at the preceding Youth Rally hosted by Youths for David Granger: “If you got a son or a daughter under your roof, and they say they are not voting, you kick them out!” He had further urged parents: “Don’t put them out on the landing or the step or the gate; kick them right out the house!” This call for parents to “kick their children out the house” was maintained, despite coming against heavy criticisms from political pundits and commentators, as Bond intentionally repeated his call once again, last Friday at Berbice, for parents to kick their children out should they exercise a constitutional right of refusing to vote.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

BERBICE Fighting spirit, energy existed in 1992 is VOTES NOT that‘alive and well’ FOR SALE! ROHEE DECLARES…

– says PPP/C needs 54,000 votes in Berbice

– Dr Ashni Singh says Nagamootoo, Ramjattan ‘sold their political souls’ in greed for positions, power

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh as he challenged Berbice supporters to vote solidly behind the PPP/C

“THE votes of the Berbice people are not for sale,” according to PPP/C member Dr Ashni Singh. Speaking to a mammoth throng of enthusiastic supporters of the ruling party at its most recent rally at Albion, on Sunday, Dr Singh warned about the ‘power hungry’ nature of the political Opposition. He pointed out that, in their greed for power, former PPP/C executives who are now with the Opposition alliance (APNU/AFC) Mr Moses Nagamootoo and Mr Khemraj Ramjattan have both “sold their political souls” for positions. “You need to say, if their vote is up for sale, yours is not. Say that your vote is not up for sale,” Dr Singh told the thousands of supporters at Albion. He also underscored the shortcomings in the ‘Cummingsburg Accord’, which settled the terms of the Alliance between A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

According to Dr Singh, the Leader of APNU/AFC Brigadier (rtd) David Granger is “not a pacu”, noting that the presidential candidate of the Opposition alliance, based on history, is likely to not see him handing any significant amount of power to the smaller AFC. “AFC done geh knock out and they ain’t contest the election yet,” Dr Singh said, a sentiment that drew cheers from the thousands at Albion Estate road. Turning his attention to the disposition of APNU+AFC in the 10th Parliament, he bemoaned their politics of ‘No’. “We need to ensure that we rid this country of the parasitic one-seat majority that frustrate development of this country…we have to say to the PNC (People’s National Congress) no more,” declared Dr Singh, who is also the Minister of Finance under the PPP/C Government. Dr Singh touted the ruling party’s track record and stewardship of the nation’s

affairs, which saw an unprecedented record growth in our country’s economy for nine consecutive years. “You have seen the track record, the outstanding leadership, the work done to improve roads, school and create jobs,” the Finance Minister said. “I believe that more than anyone else in this country, the people of Berbice understand how valuable our democracy and our freedoms are and how hard we fought,” Dr Singh said. On that note, he highlighted that the promises of APNU+AFC must be considered simultaneously with their track record. “They promise you everything, but the truth is that you cannot believe a word they say. It is the same Nagamootoo who, in 2006, stood up in Better Hope and say he is a son of Cheddi Jagan and the PPP and he will never leave his father’s home… they will come to you and say to you all kinds of things,” Dr Singh warned. He reiterated his warning and made it clear that the Guyanese people ought to be wary of politicians who have “sold their political souls” are whose appeals to the people are based on their ambitions for the sake of power. “Come out on 11 May and make your voice heard and return the PPP/C with a resounding majority,” Dr Singh urged. (Vanessa Narine)

“THE spirit of 1992 is alive. This was the spirit, the energy that existed in 1992, in 1997 and after that…next month at this time we will be celebrating another PPP/C victory!” The confident declaration came from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Mr Clement Rohee. Addressing thousands of PPP/C supporters, comprising mainly Berbicians, at Albion in Region 6 on Sunday, Rohee stressed that the ruling party is one of tremendous influence and one that has always stood on the side of the working class in Guyana. “We have stood on the side of the working women, the youth, all the Guyanese people…that is why the people have given us the confidence at every election,” he said. Reflecting on the last General and Regional election, the PPP General Secretary acknowledged that lessons of ‘taking things for granted’ has resonated with the party and its supporters. “The lesson is that we must never be complacent, we must never take anything for granted… it is sure as night follows day that we have learnt that lesson. We have learnt from the lessons of 2011…,’’ Rohee said while declaring, confidently, that the PPP/C is headed for victory come May 11. “They know that we are heading for victory and we want to warn them that the plans they may be hatching to derail the elections and prevent the PPP/C from winning will not succeed,” Rohee stressed. The PPP General Secretary bemoaned the fact that already there is talk of “revolution” among the camps of the political Opposition.

PPP/C General Secretary, Clement Rohee, speaking at the Albion rally

“We want to say that the PPP is ready for any eventuality. We want them not to invade any polling station, not to hijack any ballot boxes… if they try to do that, there will be big trouble ahead,” he said. Rohee also warned the masses at Albion to be wary of those pretending to be defenders of democracy. “They come to you pretending to be defenders of democracy but they are nothing but hypocrites.” He acknowledged that the task at hand is a difficult one, an undertaking to maintain votes, win back votes lost and secure the support of new voters. “Our job is monumental…we need at least 54,000 votes in Berbice,” Rohee said, adding that the ruling party has every confidence that each Berbician will ‘bring their vote home’. “We will not allow them to take away the victory of the PPP/C come May 11… they say it is time for change, but I want to say, you don’t change clean clothes for ‘dutty’ clothes,” Rohee said. According to him, while the political Opposition is touting ‘time for change’, it is the ruling PPP/C that has delivered change for the Guyanese people. “Change has been ongoing in this country. we have changed the architecture, the financial, social, and ed-

ucation architecture of this country but these people are caught in a time warp…they try to make people believe that we are moving away from the principles on which it has been built,” Rohee said. The PPP General Secretary was emphatic in stressing that the ruling party has not strayed from the principles on which the party was built and stood during its many struggles. He called on Berbicians to abandon any urge for “experimentation” on May 11, delivering a few jabs at the leadership of the political Opposition. “No one must say we done win already…that is something that affected us the last time…this time round, before ‘bird wife wake’ and the men, no rum drinking the night before, make sure you go and vote early,” Rohee said. The PPP also acknowledged that ‘power’ resides with the people – a sentiment that found much favour with the masses. “I can feel the adrenaline flowing. This adrenaline is the power of the people…now we can conclude that we do not want a return to the past, we are moving forward with greater number…we are moving forward with more experience,” Rohee declared. (Vanessa Narine)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

We face a crucial choice

PPP/C presidential candidate Mr Donald Ramotar

APNU/AFC presidential candidate Mr David Granger

FREEDOM of choice makes democracy real. Guyanese citizens exercise absolute freedom in Guyana today to choose who governs us. On the 2015 national and regional elections campaign trail, political leaders engage citizens, working hard to win the hearts and minds of voters, with opposing sides doing their utmost to guarantee votes, wanting the voter to choose either the ruling party, or the Opposition grouping, each side depending on its track record. And the choice comes down to two political camps: the veteran political juggernaut in the ruling People’s Progressive Party with its strong Civic embrace; and that fledgling Opposition group A Partnership For National Unity (APNU), with its last-minute arrangement with the formerly ambitious upstart political cub, Alliance For Change (AFC). One scratches one’s head in vain trying to come up with reasons voters would choose the stern-faced APNU-AFC to govern this nation. For the past three years, the two held hands in Parliament to cripple the socio-economic advance of the Guyanese people, cutting such crucial national budgets as the Amerindian Development Fund and University of Guyana student tuition. In addition, the APNU-AFC conjoining suffered our nation a grotesque dictatorial outcome, with their cutting down of the free and fair Government of President Donald Ramotar from its five-year constitutional term of office, to just three years. These two indicators from the Opposition camp cause immense unease in the global Guyanese population: whereby hysterical Opposition folks angrily stifle the socio-economic progress of

Guyana, this time with three years of slashed national budgets, but reflected also as in what happened to us between 1964 – 1992, when we suffered the Caribbean’s most devastating socio-economic collapse; and then the curtailing of democratically elected PPP Governments, as happened before we gained Independence when the PPP got tossed out of Government, and again in 1998 when late former President Janet Jagan suffered an ignoble end to her Government, and again now in 2015 with President Ramotar’s administration. Maybe this curse on our nation has become a politico-cultural way of being, but whatever it is, the Opposition seems not to have changed its ways, despite changing its name and its face. The Opposition must face its undemocratic ways. Within the past decade it prematurely ended, completely terminated, two freely and fairly elected PPP Governments. Before we gained Independence such a trend reared its ugly head when the PPP suffered an abrupt tossing out of its Government from office. The Opposition must also face its constant attack on the socio-economic progress of Guyana. We cannot condone it perpetuating those 28 years of social and economic devastation it foisted upon us, with its most recent three-year body slam in strangling critical budget flows to the people of our country. In these two frightening scenarios, in exhibiting its dictatorial mindset with gross constant disrespect for freely and fairly elected Governments of this land, and in its constant charge to dismantle our progressive and development initiatives, the Opposition beat up on itself, its own anger turning in upon itself in an ugly display of

In President Ramotar, we see the miracle of accomplishment in the face of an Opposition that terribly miscalculates its strategy and reason d’etre, and the heartbeat of the Guyanese people.

irrational, unethical, emotional, vengeance-filled tirade. In fact, the majority Opposition turned the 10th Parliament into a quarrelsome rumshop, ineffective, noisy and a complete waste of time at every Sitting, never once designing a solution to a social, economic or political problems Guyanese encounter. Indeed, quite a few of its own Members of Parliament got fed-up with the crass ugliness displayed in the 10th Parliament, and by the time the two myopic parties decided to gang up, they had cemented a common modus operandi, joined in their hatred of certain PPP leaders, and their paranoia concerning the freely and fairly elected Guyanese Government. One searches in vain for positives for the Opposition. A political camp filled with aggressive lawyers, the Opposition resorts to court cases, and Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs for the Government, Anil Nandlall, has been busy dealing with these court matters. We saw all sorts of Opposition challenges, from constitutional matters to financial issues to libel cases. What a society we descended to! In all of it, President Ramotar suffered immense harassment and even maligning of his character. Private media outfits disrespected the President at every turn, and body-slammed him with articles, columns and editorial comments passing off as news that reduced the Guyanese social space to a reflection of the rumshop 10th Parliament.

President Ramotar had to battle with this wayward 10th Parliament; a Public Service lacking crucial skills and expertise; contractors for public works who skylarked on the job; an irresponsible private media landscape where Journalism lacks ethical and professional regulation, allowing any and everybody to inundate the public with irrational and nonsensical, wild views, opinions and comments; and a society fedup with the political crap feeding through their televisions, social media smartscreens, and newspapers. In this scenario, the President demonstrated an astonishing thing: he redefined the Presidency into an office of humble service to the Guyanese people. He kept his inner strength and resolve of character quiet, and proceeded to transform how we’re being as a people, how we behave in the face of immense nasty public leadership from our high institutions like Parliament. Today, President Ramotar showcases a Guyanese Government that shows its humanity, classy in public behaviour, engaging with citizens in an authentic reaching out, and putting first and foremost the participation of citizens as the ultimate and most important concern. As the President moves forward, he would face the immense challenge of training frontline Government and State workers and community leaders in the art of human relations, to ensure Government interacts with Guyanese citizens in that humane, humble, heart-felt style he himself

cultivates as a leader. He would need the full cooperation of the Ministry of Education, and indeed all of Government, in this mammoth task, in this retooling of Government’s face as a humane, caring, compassionate organ of the people. Were this simple paradigm shift to happen, the Opposition would not find a leg to stand on, and in that realisation one sees clarity in the choice for our future: the Opposition merely takes advantage of Government’s struggle to employ a cadre of frontline community leaders who mirror President Ramotar’s leadership style of humble, open, people-oriented service. This is the only thing keeping Opposition elements a serious force. But the writing is on the wall: Guyana is a fast-emerging 21st century society, sophisticated in its thinking and political tastes, and our people now recognise the character and leadership softskills of our President, and once this gets inculcated across the State, impacting communities, the Opposition would have to re-invent itself. In the meantime, we Guyanese choose our Government from the track record of the past three years, a record standing on the symbol of the Marriott and how each side approached that signal achievement. In President Ramotar, we see the miracle of accomplishment in the face of an Opposition that terribly miscalculates its strategy and reason d’etre, and the heartbeat of the Guyanese people.

APNU+AFC alleges $280M in drugs, medical supplies destroyed in 2014 - but Health Minister says ‘Opposition disingenuously misinformed’

Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, Minister of Health

THE coalesced Opposition parties of A Partnership For National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) has alleged at a press conference yesterday that $280M worth of expired drugs and medical supplies had been destroyed by the state in 2014. Dr. George Norton of the APNU+AFC coalition said it was only recently discovered that that quantity of medical supplies and drugs had been destroyed in 2014. He contended that sole sourcing of drugs and medical supplies by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the GPHC has incurred a lot of damage to the system, and he promised that that practice would definitely be abolished under an APNU+AFC Government. According to Dr. Norton, “Since 2005, the Government has been practically

Dr. George Norton, APNU/AFC member

sole sourcing medical supplies and medication to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Ministry of Health (MoH), and that is something that we will certainly put an end to.” He pointed out that an APNU+AFC Government would award tenders for the supply of drugs and medical supplies in keeping with the procedure and process established by the National Procurement and Tender Board. “We will try to give all the companies a level playing field, because we have known of cases where Government was purchasing medication from this particular company at very high prices, when they could have gotten from another company at a very low cost,” Dr Norton declared. MINISTER’S REPLY But when contacted by

the Guyana Chronicle for a response, Health Minister Dr. Bheri Ramsaran disclosed that he had never heard of the said figure. He, however, declared: “Yes! From time to time, we do have to get rid of drugs, because it is dictated by an international law!” He disclosed that, because a sluggish system obtains for the removal of expired drugs and medical supplies, over the years, expired materials accumulate and add up to an excessive sum. “The Opposition were disingenuously misinformed, because some reputable NGOs bring in a lot of near-expired drugs and it is then passed on to (the Health Ministry and the GPHC); therefore, all of that, when accumulated, totals up to a large sum,” Minister Ramsaran disclosed.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

APNU+AFC coalition acknowledges rigged elections in campaign ad – but Granger remains silent on issue RELEASING on social media a series of advertisements highlighting the transition of Guyana’s political culture under former President Hugh Desmond Hoyte, the coalesced A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) has acknowledged that, prior to 1992, General and Regional Elections were not “free and fair.” In an attempt to underscore the positive influence the People’s National Congress (PNC) would have had on Guyana, the coalition’s public relations team released several campaign ads which reflected on the work of President Desmond Hoyte following his assumption of office; but these attempts at selling the glory of the PNC in the past come at a time when the same APNU+AFC coalition has chastised the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for using the “past” as a political tool on its campaign trail. One of these ads, which has a graphic design stamped “Fact” at the top, declares: “The first free and fair elections were held in 1992 under the Hoyte Administration, and not under the PPP/C! Democracy was returned peacefully under the PNC.” But this acceptance by the coalition that, prior to 1992, elections had not been “free and fair” is not a “fact” accepted by Presidential Candidate of the same coalition, Mr David Granger. Making his debut as Presidential Candidate of the APNU in 2011, Mr David Granger was reluctant to admit that, under Burnham, elections were rigged. He exhibited this reluctance to face an inescapable fact prior to the November 2011 elections in an interview with Kaieteur News’ Journalist Neil Marks. In the article, published on Sunday, April 10, Granger was quoted as saying, “I don’t have evidence that they were rigged.” He had gone on to urge the journalist thus, “You’ll have to look at the record.

The APNU+AFC ad acknowledging that free and fair elections occurred only until 1992

The record, as far as the PPP is concerned, is that the elections were rigged. I’ve heard people say that; I personally never rigged anything!” But Granger’s running mate and Prime Ministerial Candidate of the coalition has repeatedly lambasted the PNC for these historical claims of rigging. During the general elections of 1980, Nagamootoo was described as a “colossus” who stood against the PNC big guns for three nights on the call-in programme ‘Action Line’, detailing all the facts and figures of the PNC rigging in the 1968, 1974 and the then current 1980 elections. More recently, on February 5, Nagamootoo was quoted in a Facebook post written on his page acknowledging that elections were indeed “rigged.” Underscoring the work of former President and founder of the PPP, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, and his struggle for a coa-

lition between the PPP and PNC, Nagamootoo related that, “He [Dr. Jagan] did that before and after Independence, before and after episodes of rigged elections.” He continued: “Not long after rigged elections in 1973, the PPP gave the PNC Government “critical support”, which was a form of alliance, only that the PPP was not included in the Government. By 1977, on the eve of the rigged referendum, the PPP proposed a National Patriotic Front Government that would include the PPP and PNC. “The PPP again courted Burnham to form a PNCPPP coalition Government AFTER Walter Rodney was killed, and AFTER the 1980 elections were rigged” the APNU+AFC Prime Ministerial candidate revealed. Despite this revelation, however, Granger’s deafening silence has been maintained on issues surrounding the rigged elections of 1968, 1974 and 1980.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Main political contenders still to unveil manifestos

WITH excerpts of Guyana 2.0 – the vision of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – made public, the main political contenders have still to disclose the contents of their manifestos, in its entirety, to the Guyanese people. General Secretary of the PPP, Clement Rohee, in an invited comment yesterday, disclosed that the ruling party will be unveiling its plan soon. “It will be done soon,” he said, declining to commit to a date. Guyana 2.0 is a play on the ‘tech’ term that translates

to mean an upgrade - in this case a better country for the Guyanese people. As such, the central themes of ‘Guyana 2.0’ include: Economic Growth: Jobs, Income & Wealth Creation; Transformative Infrastructure; Enhancing the Well-Being of Our People; Fighting Crimes & Protecting Our People; Fair Governance; and Guyana in a Modern World. The preview of the PPP/C manifesto details a vast number of policies and measures that are centered on these themes, which will be pursued. Meanwhile, Communi-

cations Officer attached with the alliance of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), Imran Khan, told the Chronicle that the party will disclose details of its vision for the next five years this week. M a n i f e s t o s a re t h e plans of political parties vying for leadership posts, which outline programmes, policies and legislative advances expected to be advanced over five years – the term of office after a General and Regional election. (Vanessa Narine)

Former GWI driver found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving – sentenced to 60 months’ jail By Geeta Rampersaud FORMER Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) driver Shawn Ravindra Ramai of Lot 15 Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown was yesterday sentenced to 60 months imprisonment by City Magistrate Judy Latchman on a causing death by dangerous driving charge. He was, after a trial, found guilty of all the charges laid against him. One charge detailed that on February 26, 2014, he drove motor pick-up PRR 292 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Claude McPherson. The other three charges detailed that, on the same day, having been involved in an accident, he failed to render assistance by failing

to take the injured person to a medical practitioner. He also failed to stop the vehicle after the accident, and he failed to report the said accident within 24 hrs of its occurrence. He was fined $30,000 for each of the three charges, with an alternative of one m o n t h ’s i m p r i s o n m e n t should he fail to pay the charges after his conviction. Ramai had made his first court appearance before City Magistrate Judy Latchman on March 6, 2014, and had been granted bail after denying the charges. He had been placed on $2M bail for the causing-death charge, and $30,000 bail each for all the other charges. The matter was prosecuted by Police Inspector Vishnu Hunt operating from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The defence was led by attorney-at-law Mr. Fazil Azeez. During the trial, a number of witnesses had been called to testify, including Police witnesses and civilians. During her ruling, Magistrate Latchman described the convict as not a skilled and competent driver. She took into consideration the mitigating factors of Ramai being married and being the sole breadwinner of his family, which were raised by the defence lawyer. Before handing down the jail term, the Magistrate also considered the prevalence of road fatalities. Subsequent to the sentencing, Ramai’s lawyer gave oral notice of appeal in the matter. He further requested bail for his client, which was opposed by the prosecution and denied by Magistrate Latchman.

Businessman Barry Dataram, three others remanded

– for 129+ kg cocaine possession By Geeta Rampersaud BUSINESSMAN Barry Dataram and his 19-yearold common law wife Anjanie Budnarine; carpenter Trevor Gouveia of Best Village, WCD; and labourer Komal Charran, 20, of Lot 265 Bell West, WBD, all pleaded not guilty to trafficking in more than 129 kg cocaine when they appeared yesterday before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Telford told the court that on Thursday, April 16, at Lot 661 Fourth Avenue, Block X Diamond, East Bank Demerara, the four accused had in their possession 129.230 kilogrammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. The prosecutor said that Dataram and Budnarine share a common-law relationship and reside at the Diamond address mentioned in the charge. Dataram, he noted, is Guyanese by birth, but has obtained US citizenship. He added that the other two accused, Gouveia and Charran, are Dataram’s friends. The court heard that, on the day in question, ranks from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) went to the home of Dataram, where all four defendants were gathered, and conducted a search that unearthed the illicit drug. The defendants were arrested and charged with the offence. The prosecutor requested that none of the defendants be granted bail, because investigations are still incomplete. He further urged the court to take into consideration the quantity of drugs found. Attorney-at-law Mr. Glenn Hanoman disputed the address of Dataram and Budnarine. He said Dataram resides at Vriesland, just beyond Patentia village, West Bank Demerara; and Budnarine lives at Lot 79 Patentia Housing Scheme, which neighbours Dataram’s village. Defence counsel said the house in which CANU allegedly found the drug is accessible to multiple persons, all of whom have

REMANDED: Komal Charran

REMANDED: Barry Dataram

REMANDED: Trevor Gouveia

REMANDED: Anjanie Budnarine

keys to the place, but they have not been, and are not, charged. Hanoman said Budnarine was with her elevenmonth-old son at the time she was arrested, since she had taken the child to see his father. The lawyer said there are numerous persons who can attest to when Budnarine had left her home. Counsel said he was aware that the courts do not grant bail for charges of the nature of which Budnarine had been charged, unless special reasons are given to satisfy the court. Counsel said Dataram had been passing through the courts frequently, and had suffered a lot at the hands of the prosecution, who had been trying to secure a conviction against Dataram. Counsel requested bail for Budnarine, pleading that she has no relatives close by to take care of her young child, who is still breastfeeding. Prosecutor Telford objected on the grounds that, if bail is granted, the accused persons may not return for their trial, since there are other charges likely to be laid against them.

Hanoman said he would not sit and listen to the prosecutor saying it is likely that other charges would be laid. He questioned why those charges could not be laid now. He brought to the court’s attention that his clients had been arrested since Thursday last, but the CANU did not bring them to court on Friday, but today. The lawyer informed the court that about four or five times Dataram has been released prior to these accusations. He added that Dataram had been mistreated and detained beyond the stipulated 72 hrs, and now the prosecution is saying that other charges are likely to be laid. He questioned what is there to stop the CANU from taking 100 bricks from another matter and planting it in this matter. He further requested that the evidence be properly photographed, so that the defence does not have to worry about pages being torn out. The prosecution’s objections were nevertheless upheld, and the defendants were remanded. The matter has been adjourned to May 7.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

13-yr-old PPP/C bill boards, posters destroyed by Opposition schoolgirl members on Essequibo Coast gives birth

By Rajendra Prabhulall

MEMBERS of the APNU and AFC parties have vented their anger and jealousy of the massive successful rallies of the PPP/C by tearing down some 150 posters and destroying bill boards at Bush Lot and Charity on the Essequibo Coast. Reports said the attack against the party posters started shortly after the posters of President Donald Ramotar and Prime Ministerial candidate Ms Elisabeth Harper were posted up on street light post from Anna Regina to Hampton Court. According to reports, some 150 posters between Hampton Court and Anna Regina were ripped off. Reports said several party supporters who were at Anna Regina around 1:00am Saturday morning helping to decorate the park for the grand rally saw a car drove up the high bridge and stopped and four men came out and started pulling down posters of the PPP/C party. They said a telephone call was made quickly

to a senior member of the party who contacted the Police. Reports said the Police rushed to the scene and the four men who are members of the AFC were caught with a ladder. The party supporters said the men were not arrested or taken to the station and neither was there any discussion with the opposition members on tearing down of posters and destroying of bill boards. A senior member of the Regional Administration said the men should have being arrested and charged and place before the court. Reports said that, at Charity, the bill board of the PPP/C was defaced with mud. Several groups of Opposition supporters are operating along the coast to destroy posters and bill boards of the party. Reports said after the massive PPP/C rally ended Saturday night, many supporters of the party who were traveling home to Charity were threatened and cursed by some persons along the road who

to twins

– at Suddie hospital By Rajendra Prabhulall

One of the many posters that was reportedly destroyed by the supporters/activists of the Opposition on the Essequibo Coast

were angry with the huge turnout at the rally.

A 13-year-old student of Wa k a p o a A m e r i n d i a n community in the Lower Pomeroon river has given birth to twin babies at the Suddie hospital over the weekend. Reports said the student who attends a primary school in the community was rushed to the Charity hospital but transferred to the Suddie hospital on Friday where she gave birth to twin babies. Reports said the babies which are very small and delicate are kept in an incubator at the hospital. The pregnancy of the

young girl was brought to light after she reported to her class teacher that she felt something in her belly while at school. According to reports, the child was taken to a health center where it was revealed that she was pregnant. Reports also said the child was taken advantage of after her mother and father were sent to prison in connection with a murder investigation and she was left to take care of her smaller siblings. The young man who allegedly impregnated the schoolgirl has disappeared from the community. Meanwhile, the young mother is still hospitalised.

Guyanese Canadians picket Granger, Nagamootoo Guyanese Canadians staged a picketing demonstration against APNU/ AFC Leaders David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo, on Sunday, in Toronto. The duo traveled to Toronto, Canada in an effort to raise money to finance their elections campaign. Spokesperson of the group of demonstrators, Mani Singh said, “We have achieved our goal in bringing awareness of the very questionable and controversial record of Mr. Granger when he was in charge of the GDF Army during the PNC dictatorship; and Mr. Nagamootoo for all the lies and dishonesty that he peddles in his political life”. Singh, who is a member of the Association of Concerned Guyanese (ACG), said the Canada-based group was able to publicly asked Mr. Granger the following questions: 1) Where are those approximately 150 missing Guns that disappeared from the GDF, under your watch?

2) Do you know that some of those Guns surfaced in the hands of Criminals and were used to kill many innocent Guyanese, including women and children? 3) What do you know about the murders of the two Ballot Box Martyrs in Corentyne, Berbice, by some GDF soldiers, this also while you were in charge of the Army at the time? 4) Why are you refusing to testify in the Commission of Inquiry that is investigating the assassination of popular historian and political activist Dr. Walter Rodney during the PNC dictatorship? 5) Do you really believe that your PNC Party did not rig all those Elections in Guyana? And as for Mr. Nagamootoo, Singh said the group asked the following questions: 1) Where is the proof that Dr. Jagan had promised you to be the Leader and Presidential Candidate for the PPP?

‘NO WAY’: Guyanese Canadians staged a picketing demonstration against APNU/AFC Leaders David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo, on Sunday, in Toronto. The duo traveled to Canada in an effort to raise money to finance their elections campaign

2) Why did you lie that you did NOT VOTE for the Presidential Retirement Package in Parliament when the parliamentary record shows that you did? 3) Why did you say that “I am Not an Indian” but yet you made a Deal with the PNC that you want to be Prime Minister (if they win the election) and in return you will deliver 11% of “Indian Votes” to the PNC? 4) Why should you be

trusted now when only days after you said that you will never join the PNC, you joined the PNC? 4) Why are you peddling so much dishonesty and lies just for power, Mr. Nagamootoo? Are you really that hungry for power that you will sell your supporters out? “Many of us were forced to leave the shores of Guyana as a result of the repression and victimisation of the

then PNC government. It is ironic that this coalition of APNU-AFC, dominated by the old guard of the PNC, is seeking financial help from the diaspora to remove the PPP/C from office,” the ACG spokesman stated. “What is even more ironic is that Moses Nagamootoo, in his lust for power, is here with the same PNC elements begging the diaspora for money to remove the PPP administra-

tion, the administration that has elevated our country into a middle income country today,” he chided. “We believe that those seeking high office must be accountable for their past performances and in this case, past wrong doings. We urge Guyanese at home to examine promises made by Granger and Nagamootoo against their track record,” Mani Singh urged.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Fazal Mohammed gets 22 years for killing 8-year-old boy By Jeune Bailey Vankeric JUSTICE Brassington Reynolds has imposed a 22-year sentence on child killer Fazal Mohammed, after describing the act as senseless. Senior Probation and Social Service Officer, Ms. Voonashewarie Gopaul, painted a grim picture of the convict, a product of a broken marriage, and whose childhood years were laced with cigarettes and alcohol usage. However, Defence Counsel Raymond Ali, noted that his client’s plea to the lesser count follows a hung jury decision on June 15, 2014, and pleaded with the Honourable court to give full credit for the plea. Additionally, Ali, while pleading for leniency, disputed the State’s assertion, that Mohammed showed no remorse for his actions, and argued that his client had indeed been repentant which resulting in him confessing to manslaughter. Earlier, Assistant Di-

rector of Public Prosecution Mrs. Judith Gildharie Mursalin, noted that the incident was a horrific case in which a young child was brutally beaten to death. The State Prosecutrix pleaded with the Court to send a strong, clear message of condemnation of the depraved act by the accused, who showed no remorse. In rehashing the facts, she said that in August 2012, Shahid Makutnauth called ‘Buddy’, then eight-yearsold, lived with his parents and five siblings at Number 68 Village, Squatting Area in Berbice. On August 20, 2012 at about 17:00hrs, Shahid’s parents had a misunderstanding which resulted in his mother Anita Persaud consuming kerosene, and had to be taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital, leaving behind her children in the care of the eldest child, 12-year-old Alisha Feroze. Two hours later, Ms Persaud returned home, and after not finding Shahid, subsequently made a missing

JAILED: Fazal Mohamed

person report with the police. Thereafter, the police made contact with the convict at the village rum shop, where he informed them that he had seen the missing child the previous day and that he was hungry, and as a result, he had taken Shahid to his sister’s home, where he was given a meal, before being escorted back to the Public road. But, when questioned, the sister of the accused Shazen-

na Mohammed, whilst in her brother’s presence, denied ever seeing him and Shahid at her home at any time. According to her, following a misunderstanding with her sibling on August 18, 2012, she did not see him until three days later while he was detained by police. On August 22, 2012, Detective Corporal Dwayne Harvey acting on certain information, proceeded to an area in a clump of bushes, about a mile off the main access road, where the motionless naked body of the child was lying in a swamp. Government Pathologist Dr Vivikenand Brijmohan, during a post mortem examination, found that Shahid had sustained a clean cut, surgical like dissection of the skin of the anterior chest and upper abdomen with a horizontal upper border and above the nipples. Further, there was a large lacerated wound to the fronto-parietal areas with fractures of the skull bones. Additionally, there was an open compound fracture of

the right lower forearm with the hand hanging loosely. He gave the cause of death as multiple injuries. Following his arrest, the then accused gave a caution statement to the police, in which he claimed he saw ‘Boy’, on a street and he took him down a dam at Number 68 Village. “I then cuff ‘Boy’, plenty times to his head and I pushed him down. I then pick up a piece of hard stick and I lash him in his head plenty time. He started to cry, and when I see blood I left. I beat ‘Boy’ for about five minutes. I then went by my sister fence and sleep there. It was under her bottom house and she did not know. I woke up and went to Number 68 Village back street around 05:45hrs. At about 10:00hrs am, Anita collect me and take me to Springlands Police Station and I was locked up. The police told me that ‘Boy’ was dead.” Prior to imposing the sentence, Justice Brassington addressed the prisoner: “I have listened to the summary

of the facts which was not contested by the defence, the probation report, and the plea in mitigation. “I have recognised that you are a young man, and as your lawyer asked, I ask whether there is a chance of rehabilitation. I recognise that you have had an unfortunate childhood…at a very early age, your upbringing was plagued by unfortunate incidents. You get no credit for the use of drinks and drugs and it could not be an excuse for your behaviour. This is a senseless, snuffing out of the life of a young man in the prime of his life in a brutal, heinous and unprovoked manner. Initially, having regard to the facts, and the manner of the offense, I consider 25 to 30 years. This is against the backdrop of your own age. I have discounted five years for the plea of guilt and an additional three years for time spent as a remanded prisoner. There is nothing more for your credit. Therefore, the sentence of this court is 22 years.”

ELECTIONS FLASHBACK Ryan Primo granted On election losses and violence

$300,000 bail on break-and-enter & larceny charge

– two co-accused further remanded By Clestine Juan

SINCE 1992 the political Opposition has found grounds on which to question the results of General and Regional elections. As recent as 2001, the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) secured another win at the polls and again the results were questioned by the People’s National Congress (PNC). The street violence soon followed. Indo-Guyanese commuters passing through Buxton etc. were targeted. Roads are dug up to slow/stop traffic and other upsets followed. The election result is contested in court by a PNC supporter, Veronica Delph. The then Chief Justice dismissed the election petition on the basis that it was ‘flawed and insupportable’. Unfortunately, it only led to more violence on the streets. Pictured are police ranks positioned on the public road, in an effort to support the maintenance of law and order.

RYAN Primo, a 21-year-old mason of Lot 78W North Sophia; 20-year-old Keri Dick of Lot 15 ‘E’ Sophia; and Jeremiah Frank, a l a b o u re r o f L o t 1 6 2 5 South Ruimveldt Park, all Georgetown addresses, appeared yesterday before City Magistrate Annette Singh, charged with breakand-enter and larceny committed on the storage bond of Buehler Enterprise at Ganges Street in Prashad Nagar, Georgetown, from where they allegedly carted off two Honda ATVs valued at $7M. The offences were allegedly committed on April

13 and 16. Counsel representing Primo, Mr. Mark Conway, told the court in his bail application that his client is the father of two minor children and that he has no prior conviction. Conway explained that none of the allegedly stolen articles had been found on Primo, although he had been beaten by the police after his arrest. The lawyer therefore requested bail for his client. But Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones explained that surveillance footage had been captured of the defendants in the act of committing the offence. The prosecutor did not object to Primo being grant-

ed bail, but objected to bail being granted the other two unrepresented defendants. He cited that the two men have matters currently pending in court for offences similar in nature, and he explained that Dick and Frank had committed this current offence while being on bail. Frank, the prosecutor noted, was the mastermind behind the crime; he was the one who had negotiated to have the ATVs sold, and had even arranged transport for the vehicles. Primo was granted $300,000 bail, while bail was refused his other accomplices. The matter stands adjourned until May 4 for statements.

ELISABETH HARPER PLEDGES TO BE…

‘THE VOICE’

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Electioneering kicks into high gear

…party paraphernalia – in fight for women’s rights demarcating strongholds increase production and the diversification of our other crops, we will also continue to partner with the private sector to create more investment projects and jobs creation”, she related, while applauding the contributions made by the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and the excellent work they have been doing in the ‘ancient county’. She said Government will establish a ‘special development fund’ for Region 6 (East Berbice / Corentyne) that will PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate Mrs Elisabeth Harper, with the symbolic ‘Cup’ in hand, pledges her support to encourage jobs and health not only Berbicians but all Guyana creation activities. Harper also underscored the fact WITH chants of ‘Harper, we want that Education has always Harper ’ emanating from the gar- been a priority of the PPP/C Government, gantuan crowds in Albion, Berbice with many laudable and distinguished on Sunday last, People’s Progressive achievements over the years in this Party/Civic (PPP/C) Prime Ministerial sector. Candidate, Mrs Elisabeth Harper, took to the stage and assured the women of WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT Berbice: “I will be your voice and your The humble yet brilliant and distinrights will be fully respected.” guished woman who is vying to be the Speaking to thousands of supporters Prime Minister of Guyana also spoke on that lined the Albion Estate Road, Mrs her ‘pet issue’, empowering women. Harper asked the crowd: “Who will lead “We will review all the laws that will our country for the next 5 years? Are encourage and promote women’s rights you ready to make that choice? Will you and equality. And we must exercise zero choose a leader and a party that have tolerance on domestic violence,” Mrs brought so much progress? Are you ready Harper declared. for the Presidency of Donald Ramotar?” She explained that “domestic vioHer answer and that of the crowd was the lence destroys who we are and everysame - a resounding ‘yes!’ thing we stand for, and we as a communiHarper spoke with confidence of the ty should not encourage it…I encourage numerous achievements that were made our men to participate in this fight also.” a reality under the PPP/C Government. “Single parents will be able to further “In your community you have more their education; training and day care services in education, health and job services will be provided, child support opportunities. You are now able to build will be mandatory by the court…these your own homes with the help of the are some of the opportunities that will be Housing Ministry; and there are massive available to Single parents under a PPP/C improvements taking place in the agri- Government,” Mrs Harper said. cultural sector under this Government,” While acknowledging that more atshe declared. tention needs to be given to the creation Speaking specifically to the young of jobs for our young people, Mrs Harper people who will be voting for the first promised that the PPP/C will ensure that time, Mrs Harper said: “I want you to jobs are created, and a number of new listen very carefully; soon you might be initiatives will be explored to ensure that standing on this stage and putting for- this can be achieved. ward a vision on this stage. I encourage “With these new initiatives, many you to work hard and help to build this more people will be able to enjoy a blessed country of ours…” higher standard of living in this counThe PM candidate also highlighted a try”, she said. “Our manifesto will few areas that the PPP/C will be focus- talk about housing for young people, a ing on in its manifesto that will bring vision that is geared to creating a Guybenefits to the Guyanese people. “Food ana with a great future, with more insecurity is at the top of our agenda, teracting and dialogue…,” she posited.

At Anna Regina over the weekend

THE 2015 elections campaign is in full swing and with just over two weeks before Guyanese head to the polls, political parties have been taking their messages through various means including public meetings and rallies across the country. Over the weekend the incumbent Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), hosted two such massive rallies at Damon Square at Anna Regina in Essequibo and at Albion in Berbice. As had been the case on the Essequibo Coast, party paraphernalia dotted the Berbice coastline with clear distinctions being made at separate parts of the country. On the Essequibo Coast, those traversing westward from Supenaam to the Anna Regina meeting point were greeted with not only party flags from both of the major political factions, there was also on display, two effigies of Brigadier (rtd) Granger, the Opposition Presidential Candidate and his running mate Moses Nagamootoo. The East Coast of Demerara boasted thousands of APNU flags but as supporters made their way along the East Berbice coastline toward Albion, PPP/C colours draped the landscape. HARPER, HARPER Sunday’s rally in Albion got started just as the afternoon sun began to cool giving way to a breezy, relaxed and soothing atmosphere for the close to 20,000 PPP/C supporters that converged outside of the Albion Community Centre Ground, inundating the Chesney and Albion Roads, nearby bridges and canal banks and just about any plot of grass that allowed a supporter room to lend a listening ear. Among the other crowd favourites to take to the podium was the PPP/C’s Prime Ministerial Candidate, Elisabeth Harper, whose support across the country has clearly been building. Amidst the chants of ‘Harper, Harper, Harper’, the Prime Ministerial Candidate took to the podium firstly adumbrating, “Vote PPP/C.” She too impressed on supporters the importance of the decision to be had on May 11, and asked if Berbicians were ready to throw their support behind Ramotar and team, to which she received an overwhelmingly affirmative answer. As had clearly been her task at rallies being held across the country, the PPP/C’s Prime Ministerial Candidate, in her presentation sought to outline concrete initiatives to be undertaken by the administration, once re-elected, such as the “Special Development Fund for Region Six.” The afternoon’s proceeding was aptly managed by the party’s Executive Secretary, Zulfikar Mustapha who functioned in the capacity of Emcee for the day.

Effigies on display on the Essequibo Coast over the weekend

He, during the proceedings, also took swipes at a number of political opponents and the privately owned Stabroek News. Mustapha told Berbicians that despite the thousands that came out in support of the party in Essequibo the previous evening (Saturday), the Stabroek News completely ignored the event. Mustapha also utilised his role as Emcee to lash out at Opposition Leader, Brigadier (rtd) Granger, repeating on occasions the now popular mantra at PPP/C rallies, “Granger is Danger.” Other Speaker’s at Sunday’s Albion Rally included Dr Clive Jagan, the nephew of the Late Dr Cheddi Jagan. Dr Clive Jagan, who is featured on the 2015 List of Candidates for the PPP/C, said that this is testament to the continuity of the Jagan legacy, which he acknowledged as, among other things, the pursuit of justice, freedoms, rights and liberties for all Guyanese. Other speakers at Sunday’s rally at Albion, Berbice included: Dr Vishalya Sharma, Dr Ashni Singh, Minister Clement Rohee and Head of State Donald Ramotar who delivered the feature address to the gathering. (Gary Eleazar)

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Hospitality Institute to be built at UG -- will complement Marriott in tourism drive; serve as centre of excellence and hospitality sector values between US$131,471,820 and US$304,925,083. A likely estimate being closer to the mean estimate is US$214,874,091 (8.3 per cent of Gross Domestic Product [GDP]). Ali had explained that for the total value to be US$214,874,091, the following would have to be true. There are a total of 176,642

GTA Director Indranauth Haralsingh By Tajeram Mohabir WITH the US multi-million-dollar world class Marriott Guyana completed and operational, attention is being channelled towards bringing the Hospitality Institute, which is expected to be second to none in the Caribbean, onboard. In the 2014 National Budget, some US$4 million (Gy$800) was earmarked for the project, which is part of a wider plan to transform the tourism sector, and since then, much work has been done. Guyana Tourism Au-

Turkeyen Campus and when completed, it will, among other things, offer short courses, diploma, certificate and degree programmes. “It is a much-needed institution, it will help to prepare the skills needed for the tourism and hospitality sector as increasingly, visitors are looking basically for good service, quality service and only through an institution such as the Hospitality Institute we can train our people in service, in table setting, tourism, hospitality, in preparing and serving food, among other areas,” the GTA Director told this publication.

The Hospitality Institute will serve as the school of excellence, covering all aspects of the tourism industry, including the culinary arts thority (GTA) Director Indranauth Haralsingh told the Chronicle that the design brief and concept paper for the project have been prepared and submitted to the Ministers of Education and Tourism. These important documents require the approval of the two ministers for work to begin on the construction of the world class centre, the first of its kind in Guyana. Haralsingh said the institute will be built at the University of Guyana (UG),

SKILLED LABOUR FORCE The establishment of the institute will expand the Human Capital base of the country and with a highly skilled labour force, productivity will be at its optimal. This would allow for efficient and effective utilisation of resource, leading to an increase in production. Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali in 2014 had reported that the total direct tourism

tourists in the year; of this total, 149,616 of these tourists come to Guyana for the purposes of visiting family, friends, personal business, or one day trips; these ‘visitors’ spend on average 15 days in Guyana; they spend on average US$60 per day; of the total, 8,832 of them come to Guyana for the purposes of adventure, nature tourism, or scientific research; these

‘dedicated tourists’ spend on average 13 days in Guyana; they spend on average US$206 per day; of the total number of tourists, 18,914 of them come to Guyana for the purposes of business; these ‘business travellers’ spend an average of 7 days in Guyana; they spend an average of US$226 per day; and the tax revenue rate collected by the Government from all of

the above expenditure is 15 per cent. Over the last 10 years, visitor arrivals have been increasing significantly in Guyana. In 2013, arrivals were pegged at 200,235, but visitor’s arrivals in November 2014 alone increased by 13 per cent. Arrivals have been projected to increase by 15 per cent in 2015. Turn to page 21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Berbicians hear Jagan lega …Candidates point to track record in re-election bid

Medical Superintendent at the New Amsterdam Hospital, Dr Vishalya Sharma in full flow Berbician Attorney-at-Law, Adrian Anamayah speaking at the Albion rally

THOUSANDS of Berbicians made their way to the Albion Estate Road on Sunday last to welcome the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) with loud cheers and chants of ‘Vote PPP/C, come May 11’. Speaking at the Albion Estate Road, Berbician Attorney-at-Law, Adrian Anamayah, told the mammoth gathering of supporters that there is “only one party that can rule this country.” He alluded to the many developments taking place in the country as well as in the County of Berbice. “I am proud of this Government and this party is running on its track record with the distribution of 100,000 house lots. Over 1000 schools have been built. Don’t you think they (PPP/C) deserve another 5 years in Government,” he asked the hyped-up supporters who responded with a resounding ‘yes’. Anamayah noted that the PPP/C have great teachers and have made sure that the party always delivers what they promise. “We have great teachers; Dr. (Cheddi) Jagan, Janet Jagan and Dr. (Bharrat) Jagdeo; the Opposition cannot match our line of leaders… and come May 11, put the ‘X’ by the cup, the cup that cannot run empty and the cup that deliver all promises,” Anamayah urged. Dr. Grason Hally, another of the featured speakers at the PPP/C Albion Rally, said to the supporters, “I can see that you all are ready and prepared to vote PPP/C.” He however, urged that you all should make sure the PPP/C word is spread all over this country and we can bring about progress and prosperity.” Hally related his personal expe-

riences of achieving his dream of becoming a doctor. “Without the PPP/C, I could not have been a doctor, without them I could not have realised my dream,” he proudly declared. “Today, our young people, our

sons and daughters, we can tell them that you can be a doctor if you want because the PPP/C provide that for you; you can be anything you want to be. The PPP/C will take care of you,” he said. Dr Hally also called on the PPP/C supporters to tell the Opposition (APNU/AFC) coalition to

“move aside….just give them the hand and tell them move aside… you’re not interested; tell them you’re voting PPP/C come May 11.” The Medical Superintendent at the New Amsterdam Hospital, Dr Vishalya Sharma, who is also featured on the PPP/C List of Candidates for the 2015 Regional and

One of the amusing placards at the Albion rally on Sunday

General Elections, told the gathering, “I bring to you the message of progress, and the message of continued development under the PPP/C.” Alluding to the transformation of Guyana for the better since 1992, Dr Sharma also noted that women, in particular, have benefitted in this transformation. “We have more female doctors in the system now under the PPP/C,” Dr Sharma declared. She, like her previous colleagues, spoke about the numerous developments in the country and specifically highlighted that “I have heard of the criticisms when it comes to the Berbice Bridge… but it has transformed Berbice, it has created new opportunities for this community. Come May 11, vote confidently. Place your ‘X’ next to the cup,” Dr Sharma told the crowd. The nephew of the Late Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Dr. Clive Jagan also took to the podium, telling supporters that the PPP/C has not moved away from the teaching and vision of the Late Dr. Jagan. “Do not be fooled comrades,” Clive told the rally. “To see this outpouring of support, it is with humility and joy I speak today. I graduated in 1977 and returned home and be a part

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

acy alive and well in PPP/C

The mammoth crowd that attended the PPP/C’s 2015 elections campaign rally at Albion in Berbice Dr Clive Jagan, nephew of the Late Dr Cheddi Jagan, on stage with Head of State Donald Ramotar

Dr Grason Hally encouraging party supporters to calmly tell the APNU/AFC to “move aside…we voting PPP/C”

of the party since 1978,” he said. He explained that for many years he worked along with his uncle (Cheddi). “I will stop to speak to the cane cutters with the ‘old man’ (Dr. Jagan) and stand and wait on the ferry to go across back to Georgetown…but now you have the Berbice Bridge.” “Suppose we didn’t have the bridge, the coalition would have taken two weeks to transport the 250 vehicles for their rally here in Berbice,” he said. He also mention that in 1992 when the Former United States President, Jimmy Carter, was

in Guyana it would have taken some 3 to 4 hours to come from Timehri to Georgetown, “this is not so anymore; we have the four lane highway and now he will take some 45 minutes to do so.” Dr Clive Jagan also pointed out that the PPP/C has served this nation well and has responded to the needs of this country. “The party has not strayed from the principles of Dr. Cheddi Jagan where he stood for freedom, peace, prosperity, liberty and democracy,” he stressed.

‘Marble Slab Creamery’ opens for business! THE ‘Marble Slab Creamery’ officially opened its doors to the public at its location situated alongside the Footsteps mega-store on America Street in downtown Georgetown yesterday. The new dessert entity has proven to be ideal for Guyana, given the overwhelmingly positive responses from the public. Thus its aim of offering the Guyanese public a wide array of top quality ice-cream is very achievable. Marble Slab Creamery has been birthed by the Managing

Director of Gravity Lounge, Navin Singh, after noticing the limitations of the dessert industry in Guyana. He explained that, after much success with Gravity, he felt there was need for a dessert entity and, as such, he began researching franchises and thus discovered Marble Slab Creamery. Prior to the opening of Marble Slab Creamery, Singh took friends, family members and media operatives on a tour and menu sampling exercise last Friday, followed by a ‘slow’ opening on Saturday, which reportedly attracted

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015 hundreds of Guyanese. Given the robust competition in the dessert industry, with competitors like Brusters and Dairy Queen, Singh noted that Marble Slab Creamery will offer more than just the best customer service; it holds approximately 70 flavours along with 13 different toppings, which will rotate every week. Marble Slab Creamery has been serving chef-created, super-premium and hand-mixed ice creams since 1983. Every batch of Marble Slab Creamery ice-cream has been freshly made in small batches in the store, using ingredients from around the world and dairy from local farms. Marble Slab Creamery products are today enjoyed by consumers across the globe, and are obtainable at locations in Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, the United States, and now Guyana. Gravity’s portfolio is, however, on the verge of expanding so that Guyana can be among the best in the food and entertainment industry. (Shivanie Sugrim)

Customers awaiting their ice-cream yesterday at the official opening of Marble Slab Creamery

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Fire destroys house in Haslington - family of eight rendered homeless

By Shirley Thomas A FIRE believed to be of electrical origin has devoured the home of construction worker Brian London and his security guard wife Merle at Lot 197 Fourth Street, Block 20 Haslington, East Coast Demerara shortly after noon yesterday, completely wiping out all the middle-aged couple had acquired after years of saving and sacrifice. The couple had, thankfully, managed to whisk three toddlers out of the building to safety; but the fire left nothing of the building or their other hard earned possessions, and they and their

What’s left of the Londons’ home after destruction by fire at Haslington yesterday afternoon

The couple and three of their children watched helplessly from a neighbour’s home as the fire raged six children are now left leading to the house sparking. towards the house, and in an Merle said she did not take it instant the house was ablaze! homeless and destitute. Weeping bitterly, Merle very seriously, because it was In a frenzy, she grabbed the told the Chronicle that the fire not the first time that phenom- children up and ran through the started at about 13:00 hrs. She enon had occurred. “It does door with them. At about the same time, recalled being in the house with happen, cause sometimes the voltage does low and someher husband said, he and her three youngest children -times it high, and other times a friend were walking into while the others were at work it would spark,” Merle related. the street from work when and school -- when she heard But on this occasion, as it he looked ahead and saw a a sparking sound outside, and sparked, the fire began running house being devoured by looked up only to see the wires

ten years, Mr London said. Family members could only sit disconsolately on a neighbour’s stairway across the road and weep bitterly as the fire raged. One of the children, a boy presumed to be in the NGSA (Common Entrance) class, was coming home when other children in the street met him and alerted him to the disaster. On arriving at the neighbour’s yard, he threw himself onto his mother and literally screamed. Asked what would be their next move, and where they were going to spend the night, the couple shook their heads in grief, indicating that they had nowhere to go,

This nine-year-old hugged his mother and father and burst into tears on returning from school to find that their home had gone up in flames fire. He said he immediately ing with considerable force nothing to eat; and the only recognised that it was his from across the Atlantic, the clothes they had were those home that was alight, and he flames angrily demolished on their backs. hastened to get there. “I run the house, reducing it to rub“All we clothes burn; all through the backdoor and ble in record time. we documents, money, evpushed it open, but by then “We couldn’t save notherything! The fire just carry meh wife had already run ing; everything burn!” the all,” Merle said dolefully. outside with the children,” distraught Merle related. Meanwhile the Guyana Brian recounted. The house was their perRelief Council was alerted, Fanned by the mid-af- sonal property, and they had and promised to visit the ternoon sea breeze blow- been living in it for the last family soonest.

Muslim youth body to host suicide prevention/HIV awareness seminar

By Navendra Seoraj

THE Anna Catherina Muslim Youth Organization (ACMYO), youth arm of the Anna Catherina Islamic Complex, will host a Suicide Prevention/HIV Awareness Seminar on Friday, May 1, 2015 from 13:00hrs in the Computer Resource Center at the Anna Catherina Islamic Complex. The seminar is one of many such activi-

ties scheduled for the rest of the year by the Executive of ACMYO on important issues of tremendous importance to young people. President of ACMYO, Mohamed Khan stated that the organization recently took a decision to step up its role as the youth arm to the most important Muslim institution in Guyana and in keeping with the mandate given by its parent body. ACMYO will open its activities to both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Persons interested in attending the seminar can contact Mohamed Khan on 622-7047 or Nazim Hussain on 652-9020 for registration. Limited space is available for the seminar. Sister Theresa Roopnauth, Counsellor/ Socio-Psychologist from the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Crossroads Guyana and Nazim Hussain from Artistes in Direct support (AIDS) will be the main facilitators for the seminar.

Topics to be discussed at the seminar will include: ‘Suicide as a public health problem’, ‘Causes and treatments for suicide’, ‘Formulating plans for suicide prevention, intervention and post-vention programmes’, ‘The role of young people in the prevention of HIV’, ‘Tackling stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/Aids’, etc. ACMYO will also be organising leadership seminars throughout Guyana.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Body of drowned miner recovered from Cuyuni River

By Leroy Smith

THE body of miner Ivor Haynes was pulled from the Cuyuni Batavia River on Monday morning, a short distance from where he had last been seen going down with the current of the water after the light boat had capsized two days ago. The body was recovered by family members who had launched a search party for the man after he had gone missing on Saturday afternoon. Police sources have indicated that neither the boat in which the man had been travelling nor the engine of that boat has been recovered, but the man’s relatives have indicated that they will not be searching for those two items. The body was first taken to land and then transported to the Bartica Hospital, where police ranks examined it. Shortly after, it was placed into a police boat and

transferred to Parika, thence to the Lyken Funeral Parlour. Police sources confirmed to this publication that a post-mortem would be conducted on the remains tomorrow, Wednesday. At approximately 17:30 hrs on Saturday last, the boat with a 15-horse power engine encountered difficulty while approaching a falls. The engine failed and the boat capsized, flinging the man and two others, including the captain, out. The dead man was, however, more interested in holding onto and saving a metal detector rather than saving himself first. The metal detector, worth more than one million dollars, was being carried away by the current after the boat had capsized. It is used to detect gold in mining areas in a process called prospecting. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle at the Bartica Police Station on Sunday morning, captain of the ill-fated boat, Mr Peter Pol-

DEAD: Ivor Haynes

lard, explained that he, his 16-year-old nephew and the now dead Haynes, who had been identified as a father of two, were returning from the Arawak Creek when the tragedy occurred. Pollard explained that he was also carrying his fatherin-law, but had decided to drop him off first, since he had luggage with him and it

was impossible for all four men and the amount of luggage to be carried in the said boat at once. According to Pollard, who this publication learnt was at the time not operating with a licence to captain the boat, after he had dropped off his father-inlaw, he had returned to pick up his nephew and the now dead Haynes, and while approaching the falls, the lone 15-horse power engine that was being used on the boat failed, causing the rough water to capsize it. As the boat capsized, the 16-year-old nephew plunged into the river and swam to a rock where he sought refuge, and after struggling for some time, he (Pollard) also was able to hold on to one of the slippery rocks, while Haynes choose to go after the metal detector, despite their calls to him to leave the object alone and save himself. The metal detector that Haynes had been attempting to save, as well as another

one being carried by the captain, was later recovered. Pollard recalled that, after struggling in vain to recover the metal detector, Haynes called out to him to say that he “cannot make it”, and immediately went down. After remaining on the rocks from late Saturday afternoon to about midnight, the 16-year-old and the captain then decided to swim from island to island for about three hours as they sought to get help. They finally reached a location where they were able to secure the help of a man, and together with a paddle boat they returned to the area in search of the missing man, but came up empty handed. It was then that they recovered the two metal detectors, one worth more than one million dollars and the other just above a quarter million dollars. The men then picked up Pollard’s father-in-law who had earlier been dropped off with his luggage, took him

out of the area and again returned into the area, this time with a 75-horse power engine, as they commenced the massive search for the man. Pollard told the Guyana Chronicle that he had decided to travel in the area of the falls with a small engine because the water is low, hence he could not use his big engine to traverse the area. He admitted that he does have a larger boat and engine. The man said that in his twenty-odd years of traversing the Cuyuni River, this is the second time he has been involved in a mishap. He recalled that, some four years ago, he was transporting three Brazilian men when the boat he was piloting capsized; but he said in that incident there were no fatalities. On Sunday, the police took statements from the 16-year-old lad who was in the boat at the time of the accident.

GUYANA WELCOMES ANOTHER CENTENARIAN…

Mrs Doris Agatha Kingston is today 100 not out! By Shirley Thomas TODAY is a special day for Mrs. Doris Agatha Kingston of Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara. Today, she is privileged to be joining the ranks of Guyana’s few but celebrated centenarians. Born at Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara on April 21, 1915 to Martha David and Inniss, Doris is the longest surviving from her line, but recalls with pride that she had an aunt and godmother, Aunty Bacchus, fondly referred to as ‘Aunty Piggy’, who had also been a centenarian. Doris’s nieces and other family members, both at home and visiting from the United States of America, have planned a 100th birthday reception in her honour, scheduled for Saturday. Asked how she feels about living to the ripe old age of 100 and still enjoying fairly good health, Doris spontaneously asserted, “Good! Good! I feel very good; and of course I am proud to be 100!” And just what is responsible for her maintaining that charm and elegance she has been able to take with her through the years? She smilingly replied: “Being in touch with my Lord. I live for Him and trust in Him. He is a very

Ms. Doris Agatha Kingston is 100 years old today!

present help in the time of need. I cast my doubts and cares on Him, and he is able to see me through,” she vaunted, adding: “I don’t have to go to any ‘Read man;’ my God is able!” As a child growing up in Nabaclis, she attended the Victoria Roman Catholic School, but grew up in a Brethren Home, and so attended the Victoria Brethren Church along with her four siblings. “We grow up loving, attended Sunday School and educational school, but my father was very strict.” Of course she remem-

Centenarian Mrs. Doris Kingston with her nieces Leila Ashby; Pansy Thomas (visiting from the USA); and Natasha Kingston, who assists in taking care of her and other relatives

bers the good times she had had as children, taking part in Sunday school treats and winning first prize for reciting Bible memory verses, and the response she elicited for creditable performance. She remembers, with pride, the appreciative and wildly excited audience literally ‘bringing the house down’ with their promptings to: “Put she back again!” On one such occasion, she recalled truly making her parents proud; and as her father

was entering the concert hall, he recalled hearing the tumultuous applause and calling for repeat, but had no idea it was his little Doris on stage, until he got to the building. At age 23, she married Isaac Webb, but they had no children. The wedding was ‘something to remember’, with cutely dressed flower girls and a page boy carrying the rings. The reception was held at Cove and John, and from there the couple went straight to Berbice, where she

would only recall her father’s strictness, but no longer had to endure it. She was now happily married. She recalled working with the British soldiers at Atkinson air base (now Timehri) as a maid, serving the table, but she said it was quite an experience. One had to be very disciplined in that environment, and she learnt the basic rules of etiquette. Being very industrious, even after the death of her husband, with the passage of

time, she invested in improving the home handed down by her parents, in which she lives to this date. She also travelled abroad, having spent six months in Canada on vacation. Today at 100, she boasts, “My eyes are bright like a cat, even though my hearing is slightly impaired.” She has never suffered from diseases, like the dreaded diabetes and hypertension. With the aid of dentures, she can eat almost anything edible, but does so in moderation, she adds. “But I love cook-up rice and, of course, meh soup! But let me tell you a secret: The young people nowadays can’t cook a good cook-up rice to suit me.” Asked what is so different about the ones she cooked, she replied. “Cook-up must have fresh beef, salt beef, pig-tail, tripe, chicken and shrimps. But now the young people they don’t eat shrimps, so right away their cook-up is lacking, and so it’s different altogether,” she mused. And reiterating her acknowledgement of the Creator, she concluded, “I believe in only one God. Ah never go to card-cutter. I look to my God alone.” (Shirley Thomas)

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Late last night…

Opposition activists seen removing PPP/C campaign flags on West Coast - between Cornelia Ida and Blankenburg

ACTIVISTS aligned with the political Opposition were seen on the West Coast of Demerara, between Cornelia Ida and Blankenburg, late last night, removing the flags of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). This reporter was also a witness to such activities, last night. At approximately 22:30 hrs the PPP/C flags were being replaced with those of the alliance of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC). Notably, the first set of flags representing the main Opposition only carried the APNU trademark. The news ones mounted last night had the ‘AFC’ lettering thatched to the end of the APNU flags. When contacted by the Guyana Chronicle, the PPP/C Region 3 representative, Irfaan Ali, disclosed that two reports were made to the closest police station, where the illegal act was being committed, the Den Amstel police station.

Minister Irfaan Ali “Tonight (last night) Water as well as Tourism, Inthree different vehicles were dustry and Commerce, addidentified up and down the ed that the first three visits coast involved in this ac- related to flags being pulled tivity,” Ali said, “This is down, as well as posters and the fourth time we have has billboards being destroyed. cause to make a report to the Minister Ali said, “Not police about such acts.” only are they pulling down The regional rep, also our campaign materials they the Minister of Housing and are willfully and maliciously

Hospitality Institute to ...

From page 15

STRATEGIC SECTOR, TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT Tourism has been identified as both the most important and the most strategic sector to secure Guyana’s future growth and development, and according to Haralsingh, the Marriott which recently came onboard, and the Hospitality Institute, which will also be realised, will position the country along this path. “It is a very good transformational kind of project that will be undertaken by the Government of Guyana,” the GTA Director said, pointing out that the institute will be working closely with the top players in the hotel industry, including the Marriott. Marriott brings to Guyana a five-star status, world

class service and world class standards. These, Haralsingh said, will be shared with the Hospitality Institute, and the institute would in turn serve as a feeder of skilled personnel to the international hotel. He said efforts would also be made to get students of the institute to do internship at the Marriott. “The programmes there (Hospitality Institute) will have a theoretical and practical component so that persons, trainees and students could come over to the Marriott and many other top hotels for practice sessions and here at the Marriott we have so much to learn, the latest in terms of equipment, techniques, best practices, safety including food safety, and quality stan-

dards,” Haralsingh said The Marriott and the Hospitality Institute, he said, will complement each other well, as they will set the stage for Guyana to develop a vibrant and highly competitive tourism sector, benefitting Guyana and the world. And now that the Marriott is in operation, attention is being shifted to the Hospitality Institute. “It is happening in stages and phases; it is a massive project and again, it is another transformative project that will benefit all of Guyana. The curriculum of the institute will also be developed to attract students from elsewhere in the Caribbean to come and study here in Guyana,” an optimistic Haralsingh told the Guyana Chronicle.

covering our materials with their own. They have also become so callous that in villages where we have a stronghold of support, they are going into those villages and pulling down our campaign materials.” As at 23:00 hrs last night, he disclosed that the Region 3 PPP/C activists received a commitment by police ranks to escort them to where the illegal acts were being committed. Up to press time it was unclear what action was taken by police ranks. Ali bemoaned the actions as provocative, particularly in light more glaring incidents at Stewartville, the site for the PPP/C’s upcoming rally on Sunday. “We have a lot of preparation done at the rally site and a lot of our materials have been destroyed. This is a direct signal that they want to upset our plans for the rally,” Minister Ali said. All considered, the Region 3 representative has since appealed to all PPP/C supporters to not act on the provocations of the political

Opposition and also not to be intimidated by the dastardly acts. In the last week, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has made public advertisements that

warn against such endeavours. The law on activities like removing, damaging or defacing any election campaign material is clear: those acts are criminal. (Vanessa Narine)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

KKR bowlers ... From page 26 Tiwary and Yuvraj Singh added 37 for the fourth wicket, the highest partnership of the game for Daredevils, but on 32, the Bengal batsman dragged a wide one from Morne Morkel straight to midwicket in the 14th over. Daredevils dealt themselves another blow in the next over when Yuvraj strolled out after missing a sweep off Chawla and was stumped for 21 off 19. Angelo Mathews helped Daredevils take 43 off the last five overs, including 20 off Sunil Narine in the 19th. The off-spinner had bowled a couple of tight overs before but was repeatedly slogged over midwicket at the death by Mathews and Kedar Jadhav. Umesh Yadav did not let Daredevils go past 150, giving away just three in the final over. Gambhir and Robin Uthappa were in control of the chase when Domnic Joseph removed the latter and Manish Pandey in fifth over, both batsmen trying to force boundaries but failing to clear the fielders. Suryakumar Yadav clubbed a few boundaries to add 48 with Gambhir, but it was the Knight Riders captain who piloted the chase. Putting away loose deliveries off his pads and finding gaps through the off side, Gambhir put Knight Riders on course. He is a difficult batsman to stop when he is able to dab singles behind point at will, which is what he did tonight. Gambhirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourthwicket stand of 65 with Yusuf Pathan sealed it for Knight Riders. Yusuf did not look too comfortable at the start, but he lashed out at short balls, and stayed unbeaten on 40 off 26. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Porto need ‘great’ game to advance against Bayern, says Lopetegui

Porto coach Julen Lopetegui attends a training session at yesterday. (Reuters/Lukas Barth) MUNICH, (Reuters) - Porto Martinez and Mehdi Benatia, will need to hit top form to while winger Franck Ribery advance against five-time looks set to miss the game with champions Bayern Munich a nagging ankle injury. today, despite holding a Germany captain Bastian 3-1 first leg advantage in Schweinsteiger returned to their Champions League team training yesterday but he quarterfinal, coach Julen is also doubtful to start having Lopetegui said yesterday. been out for weeks with an The Spaniard warned ankle injury and a subsequent Bayern remained lethal even virus. though they were missing Bayern are chasing a treble several big names including of titles and their fourth straight Arjen Robben and David Champions League semi-final Alaba. appearance. Twice winners “We have to produce a Porto have not reached the last great performance against one four since winning the trophy in of the greatest teams in the 2004. history of Bayern,” Lopetegui, Lopetegui had the luxury whose team are unbeaten in the of resting nine players who had competition this season, said. played against Bayern in their “I am expecting a superb 1-0 league win over Academica Bayern team, regardless of on Saturday. who they will end up playing “We need to put everything and we are prepared for what we have planned into practice,” will happen.” said the coach, who was a Bayern are also without Javi former Barcelona and Spain

the Allianz Arena in Munich team mate of Bayern coach Pep Guardiola. Porto will be without suspended Danilo and Alex Sandro but Jackson Martinez, who made his comeback from injury against Bayern and scored their third goal and Ricardo Quaresma, who scored the other two, are looking in fine form. They also have defender Ivan Marcano back from suspension. “It will be a very difficult task but we will try to find simple answers,” Lopetegui said. “We like the idea of playing Bayern, who are one of the best teams in the world. We cannot think about what could happen, we must focus on the game tomorrow and try to give the answer on the pitch,” he said.

Buoyant Windies ... “I think the character and the way we fought that last day and not just the last day but throughout the Test match, was fantastic, the way the guys stood up in the bowling department and the batting department,” Ramdin said here yesterday. “Young Jermaine Blackwood in the first innings made a fantastic hundred and Jason Holder, a young player as well – not many Test matches behind his name – but he stood up and batted with a lot of maturity at the end with young Roachie (Kemar Roach).” He continued: “They are two guys who want to do well for themselves and the team so they went out there and expressed themselves. Having said that, the senior players haven’t gotten any big runs as yet and I am looking forward to those guys getting runs. “You will see a big difference in the totals that we score in the match coming here. I’m sure they are eager to get out there. The starts are there but it’s just for the guys to carry on from century to 150 and stuff like that.” The Windies have made one change to their squad for the second Test, drafting in leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo for left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn who was ineffective during the Antigua contest. Bishoo was dominant during the just concluded regional first class season where he picked up 61 wickets – the second highest tally in the competition – at an

outstanding average of 17. The Guyanese played the last of his 11 Tests three years ago but Ramdin believes he can have an impact, especially as the game wears on. “On a day-four and dayfive pitch the spinner always comes into play and with his type of bowling, he has a lot of different types of deliveries in his armoury which will help the team,” Ramdin pointed out. “So once he gets an opportunity tomorrow and over the next five days, he can do the job for the team which is to pick up wickets. He’s a bowler who likes to bowl and he will enjoy this opportunity.” West Indies will depend heavily, though, on their faster bowlers all of whom were impressive during the first Test. The new-ball pair of Jerome Taylor and Roach swung the ball to trouble the English batsmen while Holder was also steady as the third seamer. While pleased with their outing, Ramdin said he wanted them to be still more clinical, especially in closing out innings. “Every time you go out there and play and have a new ball in your hand as a fast bowler, as a captain you want them to take early wickets and they have done that so far,” he said. “In this series I would like them to continue to do that and try and finish off the lower order. It’s very important to do that. You don’t want the lower

cricketer ... KKR bowlers hand Daredevils Young According to doctors, Keshri’s condition was stable but he suffered a cardiac arrest ninth successive home loss around midnight on Sunday and died early KOLKATA Knight Riders’ bowlers set up their third win in four games, restricting Delhi Daredevils to 146 for 8. Gautam Gambhir then made his third halfcentury in four innings to consign the hosts to their ninth successive defeat at Feroz Shah Kotla. Scores:Kolkata Knight Riders 147 for 4 (Gambhir 60, Yusuf 40*) beat Delhi Daredevils 146 for 8 (Umesh 2-18, Chawla 2-27) by six wickets. Neither captain was sure at the toss about how the pitch, dry and grassy, would behave. Both wanted to chase; Gambhir won the toss. The ball seemed to come on decently, especially at the start, although Duminy felt the pitch deteriorated as the game progressed. The Daredevils batsmen fell to poor strokes and many of them came just when a

From back page

yesterday morning, officials of the state association said.

order to come and create that big partnership and try and put you out of the game.” As they proved in the opening Test, England will be more than a handful. Veteran right-hander Ian Bell and rookie left-hander Gary Ballance both got solid hundreds while Joe Root and Ben Stokes also gathered halfcenturies. New-ball bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad will lead the attack again with off-spinner Moeen Ali, drafted into the touring party following the Antigua Test, also expected to make the final XI. Ramdin, however, urged his side to stay calm over the next five days, stressing that West Indies had the ability to upset the English once they remained relaxed. “I think we need to be more patient at times and show more energy in the field. Sometimes we go all out when we can just relax a bit and enjoy the game, rather than fighting the game too much,” Ramdin stressed. “I believe we are capable of winning Test matches and once we get one in this series under your belt it will be fantastic and put the English on the back foot.” SQUAD – Denesh Ramdin (captain) Kraigg Brathwaite, Devon Smith, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jermaine Blackwood, Jason Holder, Jerome Taylor, Kemar Roach, Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Shai Hope, Shannon Gabriel.

From back page In November, Hughes passed away at the age of 25, two days after he was struck in the neck by a bouncer with the incident sparking a massive outpouring of grief across the world.

Racing Tips

Gautam Gambhir guided KKR to a win over Dehi Daredevils. partnership was starting missing a slog at Piyush to build. Opener Shreyas Chawla. That ended a Iyer played some superb third-wicket partnership shots off the back foot of 36 with Manoj Tiwary. but, having motored to 31 Turn to page 25 off 24, was bowled after

South Africa Racing Tips

10:20 hrs My Mo

12:00 hrs Ellaway Rose

Vaal

10:55 hrs Quadriga

08:55 hrs Sea Knight

11:25 hrs Lady Lydia

09:30 hrs Manx Park

11:55 hrs Argot

10:05 hrs Uncle Tommy

12:25 hrs Chevallier

10:40 hrs Ahlaam

Brighton

11:15 hrs Secret Magok

11:40 hrs Taexali

English Racing Tips

12:15 hrs Young Jackie

Ludlow

12:45 hrs Lu’s Buddy

08:40 hrs Set The Trend

13:15 hrs Baileys En Premier

09:10 hrs Sublime Talent

13:45 hrs Mime Dance

09:40 hrs Guiding George

14:20 hrs Saskia’s Dream

10:10 hrs Jimmy The Jetplane

14:50 hrs Welease Bwain

10:45 hrs Hawdyerwheesht

Irish Racing Tips

11:15 hrs Rockiteer

Wexford

11:45 hrs Clemency

09:25 hrs Hunting Harry

Kempton

09:55 hrs Cest Notre Gris

12:30 hrs Miss Dinamic French Racing Tips Maisons-Laffitte 08:20 hrs Noozhoh Canarias 08:50 hrs Windy King 09:20 hrs Moonlight Gambler 09:55 hrs Country Gorl 10:25 hrs Bambouzle American racing Tips Parx Racing Race 1 Shesatank Race 2 War of Honor Race 3 Glass Zealing Race 4 Reflected Way Race 5 Ten Note Mel;ody Race 6 Sacred Ground Race 7 Just Ace

09:20 hrs Ask The Guru

10:25 hrs Akorakor

Race 8 Malibu Bluff

09:50 hrs Bol;d

11:00 hrs Moonunderwater

Race 9 Copley Square

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Harbhajan hails ‘fantastic’ Ponting By Suneer Chowdhary MUMBAI Indians coach Ricky Ponting has received high praise from what would once have been considered the unlikeliest of sources – veteran offspinner and former fierce rival Harbhajan Singh. Harbhajan, nowadays plying his trade for Mumbai under the watchful eye of Ponting, has been impressed by the attitude of the Australian, who is currently experiencing his first season as a full-time professional head coach, and cited Ponting’s World Cup-winning experience as pivotal to the development of Mumbai youngsters. “He is a very positive guy,” Harbhajan said. “(That’s) the way he played cricket throughout his career. “He has been very positive about things whether you win or lose. “He always says give your 100 per cent and that’s what the boys are looking to do. “The boys had lost four games and yet he stayed calm and composed. “He has been fantastic with the team.

“Moreover, under Ponting’s guidance, many youngsters like Unmukt Chand would help themselves to become better cricketers, especially in the backdrop of his achievements of winning three World Cups for Australia. “I hope under his guidance a lot of youngsters will know how to bat in different situations, which will help them to become better cricketers.” Not too long ago, Harbhajan and Ponting shared arguably the fiercest one-on-one rivalry in international cricket. Their disaffection stretched back to 1998 when the two were involved in a minor altercation in a one-day international in Sharjah and since then, relations between the Indian off-spinner and the Aussie legend were famously bitter. The two had sparred at each other on-field and in media interactions, while Harbhajan’s exemplary onfield record against Ponting only fuelled the rivalry. The Indian spinner dismissed Ponting 10 times in Test cricket, including thrice for a duck. Things did change,

There was never any love lost between Harbhajan and Ponting. (Getty Images) though, when Ponting joined the Mumbai Indians for the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League and the pair appeared to hug and make up. Case in point was Ponting’s catch of Unmukt Chand off the bowling of Harbhajan in a game in the 2013 IPL, following which the pair celebrated like longlost friends. Since, there seemed to be a gradual thaw in their relationship in the lead-up to Ponting being appointed

the coach of the Mumbai Indians side, and the offspinner’s praise for his coach came after the side’s first win of the 2015 IPL. Incidentally, the batsman from whom Ponting took that superb catch in 2013 off the bowling of Harbhajan, Chand, is currently in the Mumbai Indians’ squad,

and was one of the players instrumental in guiding them to that first victory. Batting at three, Chand hammered a quick-fire fifty against Bangalore yesterday and in an interview with iplt20.com, praised the former Australian captain for his energy. “Ricky is such a positive

guy and so full of energy. He really boosts your morale, which is so important at this level. The best thing about Ricky is that if he believes in you, he backs you to the hilt,” he told iplt20.com. “I have been talking about technique to him as well but it is the conversations we have on the mental side of things that have really been helping me. “He is a very good guy. But when we are training, he doesn’t like to mess around. He expects every individual to give his best and if we do that, he is happy. When we are not on the field, he is one of the most chilled out guys. “He doesn’t talk about the game, which is a good thing. When we are out there, he expects nothing short of everything from us. It is only fair because he gives his 100 per cent all the time.” The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cricket Australia.

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Russia’s World Cup critics should ‘stay at home’, says Blatter By Denis Dyomkin SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) World politicians unhappy that Russia will host the 2018 World Cup should “stay at home”, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on a visit to host venue Sochi yesterday. “If a few politicians are not particularly happy that we are hosting the World Cup in Russia, then I always tell them: ‘Well then, stay at home’,” Blatter told reporters at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Swiss said he was happy with Russia’s progress in preparing for the tournament which will be hosted in 11 cities. “Your organising committee and you personally deserve five stars,” he told the Russian president. Earlier this month, a group of U.S. senators urged football’s governing body to strip Russia of its role as host nation, objecting to Moscow’s role

in the Ukraine crisis. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has also advocated boycotting the

fire when hosting a major sporting tournament. The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games were mired in

2018 World Cup about the high levels of racism amongst Russian football fans, a problem FIFA has

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with FIFA president Sepp Blatter in Sochi, yesterday. tournament unless Moscow withdraws Russian troops which Kiev says are supporting separatist rebels in east Ukraine. This is not the first time Russia has come under

controversy with some world leaders choosing not to attend in protest over the country’s poor human rights record. Similar concerns have been raised ahead of the

acknowledged will be hard to solve. Putin said Russia had a big task preparing for the tournament and would respond promptly to any comments from FIFA.

Enterprise Over-40 outplay Guyana Media XI THE Enterprise Busta Sports Club Over-40 team turned in a clinical and efficient performance on Sunday to defeat the Guyana Media XI by 106 runs in a feature 20/20 match at the Enterprise ground. Batting first after skipper Seemangal Yadram called correctly at the toss, the home team posted a challenging 1935 with youth coach Latchman Yadram making 41 and Vishwanauth Gobin, who benefited from three chances, scoring 40. L. Yadram struck five fours in his top score, while Gobin found the boundary six times. The pair added some valuable runs for the third wicket after legspinner Shahrukh Imran removed Jitlall Jowahirlall (11) and Khaleel Mohamed (0) in quick succession. Rohan Mangal contributed a brisk 32 (5x4s), while S. Yadram and Nandalall Seebarran chipped in with 18 (1x6) and 17 (3x4s) respectively in an unbroken sixthwicket partnership that yielded 40 in the final three overs. Imran was outstanding with the ball, picking up 3-12 from four parsimonious overs. He troubled the batsmen through his four overs on the trot, extracting appreciable bounce and turn from the surface. Rene Stoby (1-33) and Ravi Persaud (1-38) claimed the other two wickets to fall. In reply, the Guyana Media XI never recovered from the early loss of guest player and former national wicketkeeper/batsman Sheik Mohamed for three, as they laboured to 87 all out

in the final over. Left-hander Rajiv Bisnauth, batting at number three, top-scored with a fine 39, while Keon Blades

for the victory. Both captains S. Yadram and John Ramsingh hailed the atmosphere in which the game was played and the

Members of the Enterprise Over-40 team pose with their trophies on Sunday. hit a breezy 20 down the order. Five batsmen fell without scoring. Bisnauth struck five fours in his knock, while Blades hit a six and a four. Persaud made 14. Bowling for the predominantly spin attack employed by Enterprise, Rajesh Balram and Chatterpaul Singh picked up 3-1 and 3-17 respectively, while there were two wickets apiece for Nazir Khan Omar for 20) and Nandalall Seebarran for 5. At the presentation ceremony which followed, L. Yadram was named Best Batsman and Imran Best Bowler, while Enterprise Over-40 received a trophy

camaraderie displayed by the two teams. They also recognised the contribution of former national wicketkeeper/ batsman Sheik Mohamed, who donated the three trophies through his business establishment Tiger Sports of Enmore Old Road, East Coast Demerara. The match was played in memory of Chetram Budhai, a former member of the Enterprise club. His son, Navin Budhai, a Guyana Media XI player and resident of Enterprise, was given the honour of spinning the toss and presenting the winners’ trophy to Enterprise.

NOTABLE DATES

GAIRY St Clair had his last fight on Guyana soil on April 21, 1999. On that night, he defeated Trinidadian Alric Johnson in a 10-round bout. St Clair won the contest on points. It was sweet revenge for the Guyanese as Johnson, 13 years St Clair’s senior, had whipped three of his countrymen (Wayne Briggs, Gordon Carew and Winston Goodridge). St Clair next challenged the-then world rated `Vicious’ Vivian Harris and was adjudged the loser by the judges at the end of the 10-rounder. That fight was held in the USA and televised live by ESPN. On July 29, 2006 St Clair joined a distinguished list that included Andrew `Six Head’ Lewis, Wayne `Big Truck’ Braithwaite and `Vicious’ Vivian Harris as male Guyanese boxers to win world titles. The skilful orthodox boxer defeated South African Cassius Baloyi to take both the International Boxing Federation and International Boxing Organisation super featherweight titles. The victory made him only the second Guyanese to win two world titles at the same time, following Harris’ feat in October 2002. `Superman’ turned 40 in February and is still active in his adopted country Australia. He has been victorious in his last four fights and was engaged in 60 bouts, winning 46, losing 12 and drawing two.

Final Farfan and Mendes league match rescheduled for tomorrow … National Under-21s to face GCC THE final match of the Guyana Hockey Board’s (GHB) 2014 Farfan and Mendes Hockey League will take place tomorrow at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground with the national men’s Under-21 team taking on hosts GCC. Starting time is 16:00hrs. This match was initially scheduled for last Friday at the same venue, but due to the heavy rainfall on Thursday night and Friday, it had to be rescheduled for tomorrow. The end result of the match is not important as GCC have already won the first division league, having played unbeaten so far in the tournament. However, the national men’s Under-21s along with three other teams, are the only ones to have held the powerful GCC team to a

draw during the tournament, and this was in a first-round fixture when they played to a 2-2 draw. According to GHB president Philip Fernandes, the Board was forced to culminate the 2014 season this year because it was severely affected by rain last year, hence the conclusion in 2015. The former national player said the GHB will start the annual John Fernandes Insurance Service Limited’s Second Division tournament as well as a new Woodpecker Products’ Women’s League, beginning this weekend. These two tournaments will be contested mainly at the St Stanislaus College ground, Carifesta Avenue, while some matches might be played at other venues, Fernandes stated.

CRICKETQUIZ CORNER (Tuesday April 21, 2015) Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512) Answers to Sunday’s quiz: (1) WI vs ENG, Barbados, 1948

Charlotte

Street,

(2) 1 IPL game Today’s Quiz: (1) Who is the first WI player to score twin hundreds in a Test? Where and when? (2) How many games were scheduled for the IPL tournament in 2013? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Berbice Guinness ‘Greatest of de Streets’ Competition …

Manchester endure to claim inaugural title A HUGE crowd converged Gang went away with $150 000 on the Berbice River Stelling and a trophy. tarmac on Sunday evening to Earlier, Manchester needled witness the conclusion of three East Bank Gunners with Carlos days of exciting action which saw Mingo scoring the decider Manchester squeeze past Unruly while Unruly Gang beat New Gang to claim top honours. Amsterdam Kings 1-0 in a penalty In the match which lasted shootout after the teams remained until the early hours of Monday deadlocked at one when full time morning, the eventual victors expired. prevailed by one on sudden-death Meanwhile, in the third place penalty kicks. showdown, Stephen Boucher’s This was after the two sides stunner gave NA Kings a 1-0 were deadlocked at nil at regulation triumph over East Bank Gunners and extra times and could not be to take the $100 000 prize while separated by penalties. Gunners had to settle for $50 000. Credit must be given to Among those witnessing the Manchester as they held their final night of action were Guinness composure in the face of consistent Brand Manager Lee Baptiste, attacks by the opposition. Outdoor Events Manager Gavin However, Unruly Gang’s Jodhan, Communications Manager consolation was, like Manchester, Troy Peters and representatives of that they have won the right to the Banks DIH Berbice Branch. represent Berbice in the national The highly supported playoffs set for early June. tournament now goes to Linden They took home $300 000 and Champions!!! Manchester receive their spoils after capturing the inaugural Berbice edition of the ‘Guinness Greatest with tomorrow set to be the of de Streets’. Representatives of Bank DIH and orgainsers of the competition are seen flanking the victors. the winning trophy, while Unruly commencement.

Timid England must be more aggressive - Hoggard By Tony Jimenez LONDON, England (Reuters) - Former fast bowler Matthew Hoggard has accused England of being too “timid” and is urging his country to follow Australia coach Darren Lehmann’s lead by encouraging a more positive and aggressive approach. England are without a managing director after Paul Downton left his job this month and Hoggard believes the new man, who will assume a restructured role with a new title, must revamp the domestic game and instil a fresh brand of cricket. “We’ve seen with Darren Lehmann that he tells his players to go out and entertain and to have the freedom to go out and play,” former Yorkshire paceman Hoggard told Reuters in an interview. “You don’t see any timid cricket from Australia since he’s taken over. England’s performances at the moment are very timid, very English in the way they approach their cricket. “I think that needs to change and I think the (new) director of cricket needs to give the players the freedom and confidence to play the cricket we all know we are capable of but are just not producing at the moment.” Hoggard, England’s ninth highest Test wicket-taker of all-time with 248 victims in 67 matches, believes sweeping changes must be made to the

domestic game. “I think an English Premier League would be a fantastic idea, to get some world stars over to play Twenty20 cricket,” said the 38-year-old. “We saw in this year’s World Cup how far we are behind the rest of the world in one-day cricket so to get an Indian Premier League equivalent would be fantastic

over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and went out in the first round group stages. The England batsmen were lacking in flair and adventure and Hoggard said world champions Australia showed how one-day cricket should be played. “If you look at Australia there’s not much difference

Matthew Hoggard is England’s ninth highest Test wickettaker of all-time with 248 victims. in our country. “To get a window of opportunity to let our players go over to the Indian Premier League would also be fantastic but there’s no magic wand,” said Hoggard. “There are only so many days in the year and we don’t really have the time to create a gap in the schedule so it’s going to take a lot of reconstruction of county cricket and England international cricket.” WORLD CUP Captain Eoin Morgan’s team were completely off the pace in this year’s 50-

between their one-day team and their Test team,” he added. “A few players may come in and out but I think it’s more about mindset. Let’s not analyse it too much, let’s just go out and entertain -- go out, see ball, hit ball.” Hoggard, a member of the side that won the Ashes in 2005 for the first time in 18 years, said England could do with emulating the same approach his team adopted a decade ago. “We went out not to be bullied by Australia because we knew if we got behind the

eight-ball against them they would just steamroller us,” he explained. “We took the fight to them. Marcos Trescothick and Andrew Strauss opened the batting and they took the fight to them from the top of the order. “Look at the Edgbaston Test, we scored 400-odd in 90 overs. That was unheard of at the time. To have the flair and calibre of players to score quickly made for fantastic viewing.” Fans are pessimistic about England’s chances of competing with Australia in the next Ashes encounter in July but Hoggard said skipper Alastair Cook and his players must take it one test at a time. “Never mind the Ashes and Australia, how are we going to compete with New Zealand next month?” he added. “I think we need to focus on our processes in the current series in the West Indies. Questions are still being asked about our batting. “Our top four is not a lineup that looks settled and that’s worrying.” Hoggard will raise money for cricket development and HIV/ AIDS charity ‘Cricket without Boundaries’ by taking the plunge at four open water swimming events starting on June 12.

Liam Livingstone has 350 reasons to smile. (Getty Images)

Cricketer makes 350 in one-dayer (REUTERS) - Young Lancashire batsman Liam Livingstone has smashed a world record 350 in just 138 balls during a one-day match. The 21-year-old allrounder bludgeoned 34 fours and 27 sixes for Nantwich in a Royal London National Club Championship game against Caldy. The England and Wales Cricket Board said on its website (www.ecb.co.uk) that his innings was the highest recorded in any form of one-day match, beating the previous record of 334 not out by Nikhilesh Surendran in an Indian club fixture in Hyderabad. Nantwich, a club based in the north-west of England, amassed 579 for seven in 45 overs and ended up winning by a remarkable margin of 500 runs.

Caldy’s poor bowlers were hit to all parts. One registered figures of nought for 123 from nine overs and another finished with two for 124 in eight overs. Caldy were then bowled out for 79 and Livingstone completed a memorable day by taking three catches. “It was just one of those days when everything I did came off,” said Livingstone, who was used as a substitute fielder by England in last year’s third Test win over India in Manchester after Stuart Broad was struck in the face while batting. “The ball was moving about a bit early on and the third ball I faced nipped back through the gate and just missed the off stump. After that I thought I’d try whacking a few. “I hit the next one for six and everything kept hitting the middle. Someone told me at drinks when I was on 190-odd that I was on for a record but I only knew when I came off what the record was and that I’d broken it. “It’s a great feeling, and my phone’s been busy since, with texts and my Twitter going mental. I suppose that’s the good thing about social media,” said Livingstone. “One of the texts was from Ashley Giles, our cricket director at Lancashire, and for all that this was good fun, the main aim for me this season is to try and earn a place in the first team.”

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Dover cites lack of competition as hindrance for local clubs

Alpha United go back to the drawing board

By Rawle Toney

NO ONE ever understands what the lack of domestic football means for a club, especially when they have to compete against those who have been consistently competitive in leagues and other formats of the game. Alpha United, however, despite the lack of competition, continuously, have always been able to set the benchmark in local football. Being the only team from Guyana to ever play at the CONCACAF Champions League must be an accomplishment every team must strive to emulate when they carefully examine the circumstances in which they were able to excel. After clinching their fifth Guyana Football Federation (GFF) league title, doing so consecutively since 2009, (except 2011 when there was no league), Alpha United

only played twice – winning the Banks Beer Cup for the second time and losing in the final of the Kashif and Shanghai Tournament final on Easter Sunday (April 5). “We have to look forward to what is ahead locally,” said the team’s head coach Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover, speaking to Chronicle Sport after their 3-1 loss to Central FC in the CFU Club Championship. The loss meant that Alpha United, who had finished in a good enough position to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League last year, were booted from the tournament. Dover cites the lack of competition as a major contributing factor for his side’s demise, noting “unfortunately, we’ve been suffering where football is concerned in Guyana; you play a couple of tournaments and then wait for a long time for another and it’s hard to

Alpha United head coach Wayne Dover represent well at this level down as well and it will but we’ve been successful always be difficult coming nonetheless” up against them.” The former national Alpha United – the player pointed out, “These Hammer as they are teams coming off a full popularly called – have just season, almost winding competed in the Caribbean

Football Union (CFU) Club Championship, drawing in Group One against Inter Moengotapoe, a team they had played five times before and Central FC, debutants at the regional showpiece. While Inter Moengotapoe had only recently wrapped up winning another League title in Suriname, Central FC, sitting on top of the TT ProLeague, are poised to win their first League title when the Twin Island Republic’s Professional football season concludes on Saturday, May 2. Alpha United were able, for the first time, to defeat Inter Moengotapoe, winning by a 3-0 scoreline and when Central FC defeated the Surinamese side 2-0, a final of some sort was set between the Guyanese and the Trinidadian club. A draw was all Alpha United wanted while for Central FC, being behind the ‘Hammers’ on goal

difference, had to get a win. Both sides featured some of the best players money can buy in their respective countries while Alpha United also searched Jamaica and Panama for additions. However, when the final whistle was blown at the Guyana National Stadium last Sunday, it was the ‘Trinis’ who celebrated, having won 3-1 while dejection and disappointment showed on the faces of Alpha United players, staff and even supporters. “We need to have a serious introspection of things to see how we move forward because in world football, you will require certain things from your players in order to move forward and get the results needed, and if they can’t produce at a certain level, it makes no sense for us being in these tournaments,” explained Dover after the game.

Callender breaks Sport minister Unbeaten Central FC, W Connection clinch semi-final berths proud of 100m meet record

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Emmanuel Callender put himself in line for a spot on Trinidad and Tobago’s sprint relay team for the IAAF Relays next month in Bahamas, when he broke the 100 metres meet record at the NAAATT President’s Classic here Saturday. The 30-year-old, who captured bronze with the T&T sprint relay team at the London 2012 Olympics, clocked 10.23 seconds at the Hasely Crawford Stadium to erase the old meet record of 10.47 posted by Rondel Sorillo last year. In the process, the twotime Central American and Caribbean champion became the second fastest Trinidadian in the world this year. His record was one of 14 to fall during the meet. Rising star Akanni Hislop left his mark on Emmanuel Callender sets new the event, when he claimed the 100m record. inaugural boys Under-18 200 This mark shattered metres in a time of 21.28. Hislop was fastest earlier Chelsea James’ old one of this month when he clocked 13.97m set last year. James, 20.91 to win the same age who claimed bronze at group title at the 44th CARIFTA behind Warren, CARIFTA Games in St Kitts. finished with silver this time Portious Warren, who also around in a mark of 14.33 won at CARIFTA, was herself which also eclipsed her old in record-breaking form, as she mark. Warren threw 15.22m claimed the women’s shot put with a new measurement of earlier this month at CARIFTA. 14.39 metres.

turnout for Antigua Test

ON the eve of the second Test match between West Indies and England in Grenada today, Minister of Sport in Antigua, Paul Greene, has expressed gratitude to the Antiguan public for the support shown during the first Test match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The West Indies fought well to draw the match with two deliveries remaining on the final day, as Jason Holder scored an unbeaten century to stave off defeat before an appreciative crowd. “I want to commend everybody in the media for the role they played in really bringing Antiguans and Barbudans out to this Test match,” he said. “I want to say thanks for all the support we had from the various government agencies that worked in concert to make it happen. It was just a national effort that I think we all should be proud of and we have the right to be proud of the way we collaborated and worked as one.” Greene also suggested that the experience has served to forge closer bonds between government and some corporate entities.

Hashim Arcia scores a hat-trick for W Connection. BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Trinidadian outfits Central FC and W Connection scored convincing wins on match-day three on Sunday, to finish unbeaten and cruise into the semi-finals of the Caribbean Football Union Club Championship. Playing in Group One in Guyana, Central FC trounced Surinamese side 3-1 while W Connection continued their goal-scoring form to hammer SAP FC of Antigua and Barbuda, 7-2 in Port of Spain. They were joined in the semifinals by Montego Bay United who picked up their second win with a 3-0 victory over Haitian side Excelsior in Group Three in Les Cayes while in Port-au-Prince, home side Don Bosco edged USR Sainte-Rose in Group Four to also clinch a spot in the final four. All four clubs topped their respective groups and will now do battle in the semi-finals on May 22. Playing at the Guyana National

Stadium at Providence, Central FC were powered by Ataullah Guerra who scored in either half to finish with a brace. He opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a left-footed volley before setting up Sean de Silva a minute later, to help the visitors double their lead. Konata Manning pulled one back for Alpha United on the stroke of halftime with a brilliant free kick but Guerra wrapped up the points from the spot, five minutes from the end when substitute Darren Mitchell was bought down in the area. At the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, meanwhile, W Connection scored seven goals for the second straight game to brush aside SAP FC. They were propelled by a hattrick from Hashim Arcia and a brace from Jerrel Britto, as they put together another imperious performance before their home crowd. Jomal Williams put the hosts ahead in the fifth before Britto doubled the lead four minutes later and Arcia got his first in the 20th, to make it 3-0 approaching the halfhour mark. Shahdon Winchester netted in the 26th minute to stretch the lead to 4-0 and Arcia completed his hat-trick with goals in the 43rd and 45th, to give W Connection a runaway 6-0 advantage at the break. On resumption Tevaughn Harriette (59th) and Steven Roberts (77th) pulled goals back from SAP FC before Britto completed his brace nine minutes from time.

Guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday April 21, 2015

Berbice U-15s humiliate USACA U-15s

The visitors will take on a Demerara Under-15 lineup at the Demerara Cricket Club ground from 11:00hrs, with this game being a 40 overs-a-side contest. WITH OPENERS Junior Sinclair and Brandon Mangal laying the foundation for a huge total, a Berbice Under-15 lineup defeated their counterparts from the United States of America Cricket Academy (USACA) by 56 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis Method at the Everest Cricket Club ground

yesterday. Winning the toss and opting to bat first on a straw-coloured track at the Camp Road-based venue, Berbice Under-15 posted 185 for 9 from their 50 overs, with Garfield Benjamin 43 (3x4), Sinclair 30 (4x4), Mangar 24 (2x4) and Haifa Walters an unbeaten 21 (2x4, 1x6) leading their batting.

Sinclair and Mangar posted 62 for the first wicket before they were separated, following which the Berbicians, who slipped to 92 for 5 following the demise of Kevlon Anderson (4), Alex Algoo (1) and Seon Glasgow (6), were revived by a 43run, sixth-wicket partnership between Benjamin and Andre Bissoondial (5).

When Bissoondial was caught by a leaping Praneel Jadhav at wide mid-on off Aman Patel (2 for 39), Berbice were 135 for 6 in the 39th over, but Walters, who struck the first delivery of the final over from Michael Katwaroo for six, ensured his side posted a match-winning total on a track that is conducive to spin.

Sanjay Jonathan ended with 3 for 18 from 9.4 overs, after Santosh Reddy was disqualified from the attack, after he sent down two abovethe-waist deliveries, even as Aman Patel and Katwaroo, whose final delivery of the Berbice innings was struck for four by the pint-sized Nivendra Persaud, finished with 2 for 39 each. In their turn to bat, the Americans struggled to come to grips to the guile of Kelvin Omrao and Persaud and folded for 110 in 33.2 overs, after being set a revised target of 166 in 42, when rain stopped play for 35 minutes. They were coasting along at 24 for 1 off six overs, losing Jadhav, who was bowled by Walters for 3, when rain stopped play and on the resumption they lost wickets regularly despite wicketkeeper/batsman Nand Kishan Das shouldering the responsibility with a mature 44 (5x4). Omrao finished with 4 for 17 from 7.2 overs and Persaud 2 for 16 from 8, as only Jonathan (11) and Katwaroo 10 reached double figures. Extras contributed a healthy 34 to the visitors’ total with wides making up 19.

GCB seeking audience with GUYSUCO over LBI Community Centre PRESIDENT of Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Drubahadur made public the intentions of the Board regarding its proposal to upgrade the LBI Community Centre to house the National Academy for cricket in Guyana. The GCB has been engaging both the Government of Guyana and GUYSUCO for several years now on this initiative and has already obtained approval but is still awaiting the formal legal documentation to facilitate this development. Former Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud had instructed GUYSUCO a few years ago to hand over the facility to the GCB but the Board noted that GUYSUCO has been dragging its feet in this matter.

A draft Memorandum of Agreement was since presented by the Board to GUYSUCO a few years ago and there has been little or no movement on the part of GUYSUCO in making this process move forward to a closure. Speaking to the media last Sunday during one of GCB’s development programme sessions at the LBI facility, conducted by Alvin Kallicharran, Drubahadur stated that the GCB has already developed and presented an impressive proposal to GUYSUCO to lease the land from them and the Board will invest approximately $600M in the next few years to put in practice wickets, fencing, raising the ground, lights and carrying out other general upgrading to the facility to benefit the

GCB president Drubahadur (left) and Territorial Developmental Officer, Colin Stuart. cricketing community. The GCB president explained that the Board cannot invest that kind of money without proper documentation to show that it has legal permission to do so. The GCB had invested close to $75M a few years ago to construct the existing hostel at that location and over the years the Board has saved a lot of

accommodation expenses with the use of this hostel to house its players. GUYSUCO has allowed the remainder of this facility to deteriorate very badly and due to its current state cannot afford to invest anything at this ground. “We are very serious about obtaining this facility and transforming it to a venue that can our house

our Academy and everyday practice and development for our cricketers. So we are hoping that good sense prevails among those in authority at GUYSUCO,” said Drubahadur. The WICB had launched its Professional Cricket League last year and the Guyana Jaguars have placed first lien on the inaugural competition that concluded last month. Cricket Guyana Inc. has contracted 15 players and an additional 12 players who are training year round. GCB Territorial Developmental Officer, Colin Stuart, further explained that it is a major challenge every time there is a competition with the unavailability of grounds, noting: “We have been shifting matches too often due to

grounds being booked for other activities. “This is no fault of the Clubs as they try their best to accommodate us. Clubs have been forced more and more to lease their facilities for non-cricketing use in order for them to survive. “We need our own venue that we can use every day, all day. Training is essential and I think this LBI ground is the ideal venue since our hostel is already in the compound.” Former West Indies great, Alvin Kallicharran, said it is sad to see the current state of the LBI facility going to waste like this, noting that the vision the GCB has for the facility will tremendously benefit everyone involved, hence, he is hoping GUYSUCO and/or the Government will facilitate the proposal of the GCB.

Sport CHRONICLE

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

Berbice U-15s humiliate USACA U-15s See story on page 31

Buoyant Windies hoping to build on first Test momentum

Moeen Ali ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) – West Indies head into the second Test against England starting here today, confident they can build on their impressive showing in the opening match in Antigua and come away with a victory. Against all odds, West Indies managed to pull off a draw in the first Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in Antigua last week, after being set 438 to win in just over four sessions. The result, albeit a stalemate, has instilled momentum into the Caribbean side’s campaign and captain Denesh Ramdin believes they can now exploit whatever weaknesses exist in England’s game to their own advantage. Turn to page 26

Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo goes through his paces in training yesterday. The Guyanese is set to play in his 12th Test today. (Photo courtesy WICB Media)

Young cricketer dies in Kolkata after on-field collision

Ankit Keshri

MUMBAI, India (Reuters) Tragedy struck Indian cricket yesterday when a 20-year-old player died as a result of a freakish on-field collision with a team mate during a club match in the eastern city of Kolkata. Four months after Australia cricketer Phillip Hughes died after being hit by a bouncer, Ankit Keshri,

a former captain for his state’s Under-19 team, battled for three days before passing away at a Kolkata hospital. “It’s so unfortunate. He was such a promising cricketer and for him to pass away in such a manner is difficult to swallow,” Subir Ganguly, the joint secretary of the state’s cricket association, told

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Reuters. Keshri, a right-handed batsman and leg-spinner, came on as a substitute fielder for his club and collided with a team mate as both players went for a high catch. He briefly lost consciousness but was resuscitated by a team mate, following which, he was rushed to Turn to page 26 hospital. TUESDAY APRIL 21, 2015