2015 6 27

GUYANA

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

Nation’s treasury in deficit $60B PRICE: $80

No. 104233 SATURDAY JUNE 27, 2015 GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

INCLUDING VAT

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Finance Minister Winston Jordan

– says Finance Minister

…external loan debt stands at US$1.6B Bridging language gap of utmost importance – Argentine delegation – for tourism development

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Supreme Court rules

GAY MARRIAGE legal in U.S. 4

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Anti-Money Laundering Bill passed in National Assembly 11 Page

Ramjattan goes after 10 Rogue Cops

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In photo, from left, are Ms Helena Havrylets and another visiting representative from the Argentine Tourism Ministry; Argentina’s Ambassador to Guyana, Mr Luis Martino; Tourism Minister Mrs Catherine Hughes; and Head of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Mr Indranauth Haralsingh, yesterday (Delano Williams photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Capital projects curtailed or postponed In all Administrative Regions…

…due to irresponsible actions of the previous administration

THE Government has “curtailed or postponed” all Capital projects in the ten administrative Regions of Guyana, saying this move is as a result of “irresponsible actions of previous administration”.

Ministers Ronald Bulkan and Dawn Hastings-Williams, Permanent Secretary Emil McGarrell and other senior staff of the Ministry of Communities have, over the period June 17 to June 24, 2015 (inclusive), met with all Regional Executive Officers, regional heads of departments, national heads of projects and officials of the Ministry of Finance, to formulate budget proposals for the remainder of 2015, for Guyana’s ten administrative Regions.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the Ministry of Communities, “this exercise – which had been done in 2014 – had to be repeated, as a result of the previous administration’s failure to convene the tenth Parliament with sufficient frequency, the

Minister Dawn Hastings-Williams

The Ministers meeting with Region 7 officials

subsequent prorogation of Parliament on November 10, 2014, followed by its dissolution on February 28,

2015.”

The change of administration following the general and regional elections on May 11, and the resulting

change of method of governance – to one of transparency, accountability, respect for the rule of law and respect for parliamentary democracy – has therefore necessitated a reformed budget which will be tabled in the 11th parliament, to fund developmental and maintenance works for the

remainder of the year.

As such, the ministry said the 2015 budget may be regarded as a ‘holding’ budget since many capital works had to be curtailed or postponed.

The current budget covers implementation of works and programmes (capital) for about two months in

2015. “This is a result of the current administration’s commitment to the rule of law, given that capital expenditure for 2015 can be undertaken only after approval by the National Assembly and the passage of an Appropriations Act 2015,” the ministry stated.

“The 2015 budget will therefore focus on maintenance of ongoing programmes; procurement of equipment for developmental works to be undertaken in 2016, and beyond; procurement of furniture for existing structures, such as schools and hospitals; undertaking of emergency works, payment for utilities and undertaking of developmental works which can be completed within the limited timeframe,” it added.

It noted that the 2015 budget is expected to be laid before the National Assembly in early August and passage of an Appropriations Act 2015 is unlikely to occur before late August. Subsequent activities include: notices for public tender, evaluation of bids, award of contracts, followed by mobilisation and implementation.

“The Ministry of Communities and the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana remain committed to implementing policies, and undertaking developmental works, so as to empower Guyanese to enjoy a better life. It is therefore regrettable that the unlawful, neglectful and irresponsible actions of the previous administration have resulted in what is, in effect, a stalling of national development,” the ministry posited.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Nation’s treasury in $60B deficit, says Finance Minister …external loan debt stands at US$1.6B

By Gary ELeazar THE Consolidated Fund, the nation’s treasury, is $60B in deficit, the nation’s external loan debt stock stands at US$1.6B and its domestic loan is appreciating significantly.

This was the report handed to the National Assembly yesterday by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who was at the time adding his voice to a motion in the House, approving the charge delivered by Head of State, President David Granger, when he convened the 11th Parliament.

Finance Minister Jordan, addressing his portfolio’s remit of reducing poverty and increasing Government’s accountability, said corruption is also a critical scourge that has to be frontally addressed by the Administration.

According to Minister Jordan, an unaccountable government fosters poverty

Finance Minister Winston Jordan addressing the House yesterday

and he pointed to measures the Administration would have already begun imple-

menting, with a view to increasing transparency.

He said on the revenue

side, a number of bank accounts have already been closed with the monies being transferred to the Consolidated Fund.

The Finance Minister told the House that these accounts left circumstances where theft was palpable and prone to nefarious acts.

He also used the opportunity to address critics of the widespread audits that have been launched across a number of Government agencies.

Minister Jordan explained that any Government assuming Office after two decades, would no doubt want to ascertain its inventory and holdings.

Pointing to the treasury’s heavy deficit of some $60B, he drew reference too, to a number of agencies that hold onto revenues earned.

According to Minister Jordan, this was never the intention of the operations of the numerous semi-autonomous agencies such as the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), the National Frequency Man-

agement Unit (NFMU) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), among others.

Every measure, he said, will be taken to ensure that money which is supposed to be placed in the Consolidated Fund does in fact reach there.

Government, he said, will correct the incorrect positions.

“This is what we have to do,” said Jordan, as he added that persons who placed their hands in the proverbial ‘cookie jar’ will have to be dealt with.

On the matter of a more accountable Government, the Finance Minister announced too that the Integrated Financial Management and Accountability System (IFMAS) which seeks to computerise Government’s expenditure and revenues currently operates with a number of glitches.

The Finance Minister said that of the seven modules built into the system, only five have actually been implemented, but they are not glitch free.

As such, he said, the Ministry will have to remedy the glitches in the five operational IFMAS modules, before implementing the two that have never been used.

These two modules, according to Minister Jordan, will have to be held in abeyance.

The Minister noted too that Government will be forging ahead with its reform of its procurement systems.

Jordan told the House the current board of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) will be disbanded by the end of the coming week.

It was acknowledged that the names of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) could not be provided or finalised until the political Opposition takes up its place in the House.

He did urge members of the Government to press ahead as far as they could, ahead of the Opposition taking up its place in the House.

GuySuCo’s COI members meet Agriculture Minister – final review, outcome of probe to be publicised by September MEMBERS of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) that will be looking into the affairs of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) yesterday met with Agriculture Minister Mr. Noel Holder. The meeting saw discussions being centred on the Commission’s Terms of Reference in charting the way forward for the industry.

The meeting was held in the boardroom of the Minister’s Regent and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive office.

The eleven-member Com-

mission, during its investigation, will develop a 15-year plan which is expected to bring the industry back to profitability to ensure longterm environmental and economic sustainability.

Among the work which will be carried out by the Commission is investigating the current state of cane cultivation, factory operations, and production and marketing of sugar, molasses and other by-products. Special emphasis will also be placed on human resources, research and development, diversification

of the industry, community obligations, weather events, marketing, finance, procurement, factory performance and management.

The Commission is expected to work closely with the Interim Management Team of GuySuCo over a three-month period, commencing July 1, 2015.

The Commission’s members are: Mr. Vibert Parvatan (Chairman), Prof. Clive Thomas (Financial and Economic Analysis), Dr. Harold Davis and Mr. John Piggot (Agronomists), Mr. John Dow

Minister Noel Holder with GuySuCo COI members at yesterday’s meeting

and Mr. Joseph Alfred (Factory Operations), Mr. George James (Sugar Processing), Mr. Nowrang Persaud (Industrial Relations), Mr. Claude Housty

(Marketing), Mr. Seepaul Narine, GAWU Representative and Mr. Omadatt Chandan who will serve as the Commission’s Secretary.

The Ministry of Agriculture will provide all logistical support to ensure the Commission executes its duties effectively.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

US Supreme Court rules gay Tunisia attack on Sousse beach ‘kills 37’ marriage is legal nationwide (BBC News) THE US Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriage is a legal right across the United States.

It means the 14 states with bans on same-sex marriage will no longer be able to enforce them.

Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that the plaintiffs asked “for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”

The ruling brings to an end more than a decade of bitter legal battles.

Same-sex couples in several affected states including Georgia, Michigan, Ohio and Texas rushed to wed on Friday.

However officials in some states including Mississippi and Louisiana said marriages had to wait until procedural issues were addressed.

President Barack Obama said the ruling was a “victory for America”.

“When all Americans are treated as equal, we are all more free “ he said.

However, Christian conservatives decried the decision.

Former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee called the ruling “an out-of-control act of unconstitutional, judicial tyranny”.

And Kellie Fiedorek, a lawyer for an anti-gay marriage advocacy group, said the

Dozens of people were also injured in the attack (BBC News) AT least 37 people, mostly foreigners, have been killed and 36 injured in an attack on a beach in the Tunisian resort town of Sousse, according to the health ministry.

Officials say one gunman has been shot dead and another is being pursued.

Tunisians, Britons, Germans and Belgians and at least one Irish citizen are among the dead.

In March militants killed 22 people, mainly foreign

tourists, in an attack on a museum in the capital Tunis.

Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi has gone to Sousse’s Sahloul hospital to visit the injured. * Tunisia attacks: Live updates Security officials said one attacker, who had posed as a swimmer but was carrying a rifle under a parasol, was shot dead in an exchange of fire with police.

Local media reported that the second attacker had been

arrested, but this has not been confirmed. A photo purporting to show the body of the first attacker is circulating on social media.

One of those killed was an Irish woman, Irish Foreign Minister Charles Flanagan said.

A British man on holiday told the BBC that he heard the attack on a neighbouring hotel.

From his room, he saw a man with a pistol but did not know whether this was an attacker or a member of the security forces.

The Hotel Imperial Marhaba was named as one of the hotels close to the attack.

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Jordan Monaghan told his mum: “Your son can have a husband now.” decision “ignored the voices of thousands of Americans”.

Loud cheers erupted outside the court after the ruling was announced, and there were tears, hugs, and cheers of “USA USA USA!”.

A sea of rainbow flags overwhelmed the few anti-gay marriage activists who reacted in disbelief.

A tour bus drove past honking as hundreds cheered the decision One of the demonstrators, Jordan Monaghan, called his mother from his mobile phone amid the celebrations.

“Hey mom, I’m at the Supreme Court. Your son can have a husband now,” Mr Monaghan said.

Kuwait Shia mosque blast death toll ‘rises to 25’ THE death toll from a suicide attack on a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in the Kuwaiti capital has risen to at least 25, the interior ministry says.

Another 202 people were wounded, it added. Images circulating online show bodies on the mosque floor amid debris.

The blast hit the Imam Sadiq Mosque in a busy area to the east of Kuwait City.

An Islamic State- (IS) affiliated group said it was behind the attack. IS has carried out similar recent attacks in neighbouring Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

However, this is the first attack on a Shia mosque to take place in the small Gulf state.

A Kuwaiti MP, who saw the attacker, said the mosque was packed with some 2,000 people when there was a loud explosion, Reuters reported.

“It was obvious from the suicide bomber’s body that he was young. He walked into the prayer hall during sujood [kneeling in prayer],

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he looked... in his 20s, I saw him with my own eyes,” Khalil al-Salih told the news agency.

A paramedic, speaking to AP news agency, said most of the victims men and boys attending Friday prayers.

Footage said to be taken in the aftermath of the blast showed dozens of men in blood-splattered white robes spilling out of the smoke-filled mosque into the street outside.

Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah said the attack was an attempt to threaten national unity. “But this is too difficult for them and we are much stronger than that,” he added.

State TV showed the Kuwaiti Emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, visiting the damaged mosque.

An IS affiliate calling itself the Najd Province - the same group that claimed a pair of bombing attacks on Shia mosques in Saudi Arabia in recent weeks - said it was behind the attack.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Haiti: Dominican deportations causing ‘humanitarian crisis’

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) —HAITI’S prime minister warned Thursday that the Dominican Republic is creating a humanitarian crisis with its crackdown on migrants, noting that 14,000 people have crossed the border into Haiti in less than a week.

“That is massive,” Prime Minister Evans Paul said during a meeting with reporters to talk about the issue. He said the number included both people being deported and those leaving voluntarily. He said many of them should be considered Dominican citizens.

Paul spoke just days after the Dominican government announced it would

start deporting non-citizens who did not submit applications to establish legal residency. Many of those affected are of Haitian descent or from Haiti.

The majority of those crossing the border are children and young adults, said Paul, who stressed that the Haitian government needs to establish a social and economic plan to help them. He said that creating camps near the border to house them would only lead to more poverty.

Paul called for renewed dialogue with the Dominican government to address the migrant issue, among other things.

“It’s time to try and fix everything that needs fixing, to improve relations between

both countries, but also for the good of the people, for the respect of the people on both sides of the border,” he said.

The Dominican government has said deportations will be a slow and lengthy process, with migration officials saying more than 12,000 people have left the country voluntarily.

Dominican officials met Wednesday with several ambassadors to explain the details of the immigration registration program, in which nearly 290,000 people have enrolled. An estimated 460,000 Haitian migrants live in the Dominican Republic, which shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with Haiti.

Labour shortage in agriculture ( Tr i n i d a d G u a r d i a n ) FOOD Production Minister Senator Devant Maharaj is concerned about the general lack of interest by young people in agriculture and he says that issue, as well as labour shortages in the sector, must be addressed in the short and medium term.

Maharaj raised the issue in the feature address at launch of the Agriculture Now Training Unit’s (ATNU) Workforce Assessment Centre. The ceremony was held on Wednesday evening at the Ministry of Tertiary in Port-of-Spain.

Maharaj said T&T’s agricultural community was affected by a depleting workforce because farmers

were getting older.

He said the situation was so severe that some farmers had to bring in Guyanese labourers but they left as soon as they found other employment in T&T. Maharaj said one farmer paid $400 a day per worker to harvest peppers but those workers quit as soon as the dry season set in, refusing to work in warm outdoor conditions.

“They rather work KFC or URP for $67.50 a day,” he said.

Maharaj called for a change in the ethics and culture of work in T&T. He said a new generation of farmers must be found since people could not eat “concrete and plastic.”

However, he admitted, to

make anything attractive to young people there must be a lot of money involved. He said there are many well organised farmers in the country who are earning high incomes that could support luxurious lifestyles.

Maharaj said the Food Production Ministry had launched a series of initiatives to get more young people involved in agriculture and is working on memorandums of understanding with Servol and the Youth Training Centre (YTC) aimed at vulnerable, at risk young people.

He said despite the challenges, the sector was growing and the food inflation rate had remained at single digits for the first six months of the year.

Migrants, mostly Haitian, protest after waiting for hours and days to register for legal residency at the Interior Ministry building in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Wednesday, June 17, 2015. Authorities are prepared to resume deporting non-citizens without legal residency in the Dominican Republic after largely putting the practice on hold for a year, the head of the country’s immigration agency said Tuesday.

CAISO: Gay Trinis can marry in the US (Trinidad Expreess) CITZENS of Trinidad and Tobago now have another excuse to migrate to the United States - to be married to a partner of the same sex.

On Friday, Colin Robinson, executive director of the Coalition Advocating for the Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO) congratulated the US for declaring that gay marriages were now legal throughout the country.

In a 5-4 decision on Friday, the Supreme Court stated that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the United States following two decades of Supreme Court litigation over marriage, and gay rights generally.

U.S. President Barack Obama said the decision

was a “big step” toward equality.

“Today is a big step in our march toward equality.

Gay and lesbian couples now have the right to marry, just like anyone else. #LoveWins,” Obama said in a Twitter post.

Robinson said:“It means that many people now can get married and migrate to the US, that’s the impact.

Gay Trinidadians and Tobagonians now have another place to migrate. That is the significance of this legislation.”

He said: “Congratula-

tions to the advocates in the United States who worked long and hard, the politicians who have spoken up.”

Robinson added Trinidad and Tobago was trailing behind in the Western Hemisphere in terms of legislation and people still faced discrimination in the workplace and other areas because of their sexual preference. “ We d o n ’ t p ro t e c t people from being fired, we don’t protect people from being thrown out of schools because of a sexual orientation,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

EDITORIAL

GUYANA

Passing AML/CFT bill is in nation’s interest U.S. Charge d’Affaires, Bryan Hunt, during discussions with Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams, made promises of collaborative efforts between the U.SA. and Guyana to “… improving criminal justice and bringing to account those who are guilty of crimes.”

Among the issues discussed was the importance of Guyana’s pending money-laundering legislation, and Hunt stressed the imperative and expressed confidence that Parliament will approve the legislation by the September deadline.

According to Hunt, “We fully support the Government in that objective. It’s going to be very important

that the legislation is passed by the September deadline for submission to the Financial Action Task Force before its October meeting.”

However, Hunt cautioned that the current format and structure of the bill should be retained and noted “[It] has been reviewed by a number of international bodies….

If the bill were to be passed in its current form, then it would be fully compliant with the recommendations that have been put forward by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force [CFATF], and the global Financial Action Task Force.” [FATF].

It is hoped by all stakeholders that the bill would even-

A FREUDIAN SLIP

Why are we now importing judges?

THE announcement by Mr Joseph Harmon, Minister of State, that “Government will be proceeding with its plan to extend advertisements for the posts of Chancellor and Chief Justice overseas”, requires some commentary.

By an almost impenetrable network of provisions, doctrines and mechanisms, the constitution guarantees the independence of the Judiciary against every form of influence and pollution from every person or authority, especially, the Executive branch of Government.

This is so because it is the Judiciary which stands as the bulwark of the rights and freedoms of the citizens; it is the guardian of the Constitution and it is through its vigilance that the rule of law prevails.

More significantly, it is this institution that has the greatest constitutional duty to ensure that the executive acts in accordance with law and the Constitution and does not abuse its powers and authority.

Against that backdrop, there are some pivotal questions for which answers must be forthcoming. Firstly, why the expressed intention to advertise the position of the Chief Justice when there is no vacancy in that office?

It is common knowledge that the acting Chancellor is the substantive Chief Justice of Guyana. To my mind, this Freudian slip unwittingly exposes a preconceived mind-set and agenda which ought to be obvious to the rational mind.

Secondly, in almost 50 years as an independent nation, not once was an attempt ever made to recruit judges from outside of Guyana. Why now? Indeed, we are known to be a reservoir that supplies judges, magistrates and lawyers to the Caribbean and as far afield as the continent of Africa.

Why are we now importing judges?

Is there an acceptance by the Government that Guyana is devoid of persons of sufficient standing, skill, reputation and learning to occupy high positions in the Judiciary?

Thirdly and most significantly, why the marked reluctance to confirm the two persons who have held these offices for more than a decade and I dare say, have acquitted themselves in those offices with distinction? No one can sensibly question the qualifications and experience of these two gentlemen who have served their country with eminence. I am aware that these distinguished jurists have won the respect and acclaim of their peers in the Caribbean, the Commonwealth and elsewhere.

As Opposition Leader, Mr David Granger withheld his agreement for their appointments. I called upon him then to candidly inform the nation of the reasons for so doing. Silence, unfortunately, was chosen as the refuge.

As President, we are now made aware that the repudiation continues. Again, no reasons are furnished. The nation is left with no option but to surmise. National speculation on such fundamental matters is indeed an anathema to constitutional democracy. Speaking for myself, this entire saga is nothing short of an onslaught on the independence of the Judiciary.

This event is reminiscent of an incident which occurred in early post independent Guyana. The then Government created the office of the Chancellor of the Judiciary, over and above the office of the Chief Justice, as head of the Judiciary. It was widely believed that this was done not only to circumvent but to also humiliate the then sitting Chief Justice. It was, presumably, successful because the Chief Justice resigned and migrated permanently from Guyana shortly thereafter.

The similarities to the current situation are as striking as they are frightening.

MOHABIR ANIL NANDLALL Attorney-at-Law

tually be passed in parliament in its current format in a timely manner to avoid sanctions by FATF which would have severe negative impacts on this nation’s economy that will redound to the general public, with all its implications and consequences.

The legislators of the land need to take cognisance that sanctions against this country by FATF for non-compliance of the AML/CFT bill would not be easily reversible and their deliberations should take this factor into consideration.

Citizens of a country elect a government to serve their best interests and one best interest of Guyanese is for a fully-compliant AML/CFT bill to be passed in parliament in a timely manner to avoid sanctions by FATF.

Onward, upward, may we ever grow!

THE deep founded faith in our national motto ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’ rests in the universal application of a core belief system.

It is a belief that all must be held to the same standards and play by the same rules.

This translates to our required cooperation in ensuring established institutions are working for all and not some.

Where our laws reject certain behaviours and require of us application of certain procedures, together we can achieve when these standards and rules are applied to and for all.

Public service is one of the greatest honours in man’s earthly life. When this honour is bestowed, it requires doing honour to the people’s honour by playing by the rules and adhering to the standards set by the people.

It is betrayal of the people’s trust when honour is seen as an entitlement to operate as a law unto self.

Simply put, you cannot do as you want when you are being paid by the people to work for the people, based on the rules established by the people.

The revelations of corrupt practices though these come as no surprise, followed by diverse condemnations and calls to apply the rule of law to address these misconducts, are reminders that the hope, dream and aspiration to be ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’ are in our hands to mould.

We are reminded in widespread condemnations to unfolding revelations that corruption (white collar crime) like blue collar crime is not the domain of any group (race, class, religion, etc).

The evidence further anchors the foundation of what this beautiful land and her diverse people can together achieve when we cooperate for Guyana and resolve to fight together.

It confirms a core belief that we can do it right together. Onward, upward, may we ever grow!

SHARMA SOLOMON

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Gov’t pushing harder for self-sufficiency -Minister Allicock tells in Indigenous communities National Assembly THE new Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry will be conducting an encompassing situational analysis of the state of affairs of Indigenous people, and will be using this to thereafter embark on a set of strategic objectives. The accomplishment of these will chart the course for the elimination of inadequacies that affect descendants of Guyana’s first people.

According to Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, this should facilitate the movement of Indigenous people of Guyana away from being dependent on “hand-outs and towards self reliance and economic independence.”

The new Ministry sees education as being pivotal to this long- term process, and the Bina Hill Institute, at Annai, Region 9, is an excellent project on which to build.

“We see this institute as similar in a sense to the Critchlow Labour College,” he said, while addressing, the National Assembly on Thursday, on President David Granger’s ceremonial address on June 10, 2015 when the 11th Parliament was convened.

The Ministry will also be seeking to remove political affairs from governance of village affairs, Minister Allicock said. He noted that this is in keeping with the President’s vision and charge of making Guyana a united nation. “We see our work as a ministry, as pivotal to the relations of the vision of our President in making Guyana one nation,” he said.

He pledged that the Ministry will root out “the fears planted in the heart and minds” of the Indigenous people by politicians of yesterday.”

The ministry is committed to improving the capacity of the Indigenous people to lead themselves, and in this regard,

Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock making his presentation to the National Assembly on June 25, 2015 it has embarked on the process of auditing village records and holding elections which will be accomplished by July 22. “Already villages are prepared for these activities which will position them for internal governance over the next three years.”

Following the village elections, the Ministry will hold the National Toshaos’ Conference (NTC). Minister Allicock said

that the Ministry expects that this forum will focus primarily on Indigenous people’s rights and resources. A document is being prepared and will be the main subject of discussions at the NTC. He noted that the preparation of this document puts the Ministry on par with the President’s 100-day plan.

The Ministry will be seeking to implement several programmes and policies to eradicate poverty in communities.

The goal is to bring relief in a “deliberate, measurable and sustainable manner” that will ensure that the hinterland come up to par with the coastland.

Interventions will be specific to sustainable environmental development and will target women and children on the premise that, “Women are our village economists, while the young people are our next generation of leaders.”

There will be partnership with several non-government organisations that will bring to the villages benefits in areas such as sustainable utilisation, management of natural resources, conceptualisation and management of micro-projects, skills training, life skills, sports and culture, as well as infrastructure improvement.

The Minister also spoke of the Ministry’s intention of continuing the development and recording of the Indigenous languages, of its plan to store for posterity the “valuable Indigenous cultural records” and its intentions to showcase the talents of the Indigenous people, “every day of the year.”

The Minister explained that the Ministry’s programmes are being crafted to develop and promote the rich Indigenous heritage and to marry it with other aspects of Guyanese culture. (GINA)

Need for Lawyers to prosecute in the Magistrates’ Court

THE new administration is extremely busy at this time trying to “right the wrong” of the past years.

It is now focusing on investigating frauds and other dishonesty in Government ministries, corporations and other agencies.

It is also trying to plug the loop holes and the Prime Minister, who is also Minister of Information, has announced that he will revised the functions of GINA and the State media.

It is anticipated that very

soon there will be a large number of prosecutions against alleged wrong doers, and therefore it is extremely important that the Government look into the method of investigations and prosecutions. There is need to have better trained detectives and, more importantly, to have trained lawyers as prosecutors in the magistrates’ courts.

Most of the criminal cases (may be more than 75%, are dealt with summarily and it is not a secret that some of the police prosecutors are medi-

ocre against some defence attorneys.

How can you ask a corporal, a sergeant or even an inspector to do battle against sharp lawyers. Some of them were not even trained to present cases.

This, no doubt, is responsible for the poor conviction rate.

It is understood that many of the prosecutors are taxed with other duties in the prosecution department of the Police Force such as revising statements, briefing witnesses, etc. Moreover, because of lack of experience,

key ingredients in the prosecution case are omitted and experienced lawyers take advantage over this.

There are scores of lawyers in Guyana and it is my view that the Director of Public Prosecutions should be given a substantial vote to have a full complement of lawyers to be trained as prosecutors for both the Magistrates and High courts.

The prosecutors can be classified - the juniors to be in the lower courts and police officers should sit with

them to follow the cases and ensure the witnesses available in court.

This was how I prosecuted when I was acting DPP in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Far too many cases fell through the cracks because of the unavailability of witnesses at the trial.

It was drawn to my attention by a former Army officer that there are a large number of retired senior GDF officers who have their Masters degree and are very articulate.

They can be tapped since

they were prosecutors in the Army.

The Government should ensure that funds are available for police prosecution.

The British Virgin Islands is still a territory under the UK Government, but its legal system is the best in the Caribbean. Lawyers from the DPP office prosecute all magistrates court cases and the Court reporting system is “par excellence”.

OSCAR RAMJEET

All community groups, individuals urged to check with M&CC - before embarking on clean-up exercises

THE Mayor and City Council continues to collaborate with community groups in the clean-up my community initiative. Several groups have responded to the call to restore Georgetown to it former healthy state.

Community Groups and organisations are involved in cleaning streets, drains, alleyways, and removing

garbage from thoroughfares, parapets and other open spaces.

Over the past three weeks, works were done in several communities. The Lions Clubs in Georgetown, and the Guyana School of Agriculture have cleaned the seawall area. Other communities in which cleaning was

done are: Newtown Kitty, Laing Avenue, Lodge, Tucville, Festival City, East Ruimveldt, Stevedore Housing Scheme, West Ruimveldt, Agricola and West La Penitence, South Ruimveldt Park, South Ruimveldt Garden and North Ruimveldt .

Organisations that have participated in clean-

ing their immediate environment included: Gizmos and Gadget, Courts Guyana Inc., and Scotia Bank. Stall holders of Stabroek and Bourda markets cleaned their stalls and general market facilities.

The Mayor and Councillors wish to thank all those, who are involved including Scotia Bank, Mohamed Gen-

eral Store, Hamid General Store, Emporium General Store, Guyana and Trinidad Life Insurance Company, and Food for the Poor for providing tools and equipment to help in this exercise.

The Council is encouraging all community groups and individuals to check with the Council before embarking on

clean-up exercises so that proper logistical arrangements can be put in place, to clear all areas of rubbish and garbage.

ROYSTON KING Public Relations Officer, Mayor and City Council of Georgetown

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Broomes proves to be disastrous for Granger administration – PPP/C THE People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) welcomes the ruling of the chief justice that Simona Broomes violated the Constitution of Guyana when she issued orders to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to “Cease all interviews for vacant positions in various public offices until further directed by President David Granger.”

In a statement, the party said that Junior Minister of Social Protection Simona Broomes, had at first denied sending such a letter to the Secretary of the PSC, but later recanted claiming she “only wanted to understand what was happening.”

Broomes’s action was challenged in the High Court as a violation of Article 226 of

Junior Minister of Social Protection Simona Broomes

the Constitution that it was “Unlawful, null, void, and of no legal effect.”

Broomes’s colleague, Volda Lawrence, Minister of Social Protection, attempted to rescue her when she admitted that she did see the letter, but claimed that the spirit in which it was written was not” disrespectful” and that she viewed Broomes’s action “as political.”

Broomes has proven a disaster for the Granger administration, the crude unconstitutional intervention under the guise of her Leader was rebuffed by the Court; “The Public Service Commission (PSC) is an independent body and such interference, prevents it from acting within its jurisdiction. Nobody can do that, the court ruled.

The party also stated that “It is hoped that this action will prove as a lesson to other eager beavers in the APNU+AFC (A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change) coalition, one of whom has already attempted a similar action with respect to the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), another constitutional body.”

“Interestingly, consistent with their open support for the Granger de-facto Administration, the Kaieteur News and Stabroek News have both refused to publish the Chief Justice’s ruling, which was issued on June 24, 2015.

This was obviously done to save the Granger Administration the bad publicity and embarrassment. It is widely

believed that had the culprit been a PPP/C minister, these two newspapers would have “gone to town” on the matter,” the party stressed.

Writing in the Sunday Chronicle of June 14, Karen DeSouza and Alissa Trotz criticised Broomes for her attack on sex workers as opposed to Trafficking. DeSouza and Trotz advised that it is “important for Broomes to realise that her ministry is doing the work against trafficking a disservice if, instead of addressing the systemic factors that create the conditions for trafficking to exist and flourish, the official focus is on these individual rescue missions that receive such irresponsible coverage from the media.” Broomes was urged to focus on “Other

sites and forms of trafficking in Guyana that do not always involve prostitution.”

It was highlighted by the PPP/C that lots of negativity surrounded Robeson Benn’s presence at NCN and how it was twisted and given front page coverage by the anti-PPP/C media. The party explained that Broomes’s behaviour at the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) was treated quite differently in keeping with Stabroek News and Kaieteur News support for the Granger administration.

The bottom line however, is that Broomes’s action cumulatively is a manifestation of how the APNU+AFC coalition is prone to getting things wrong from the beginning.

GPF re-commissions AG report reveals ‘special’ Intelligence ballooning public debt – loan agreements withheld from parliament Office at Brickdam

By Leroy Smith ‘A’ DIVISION Police on Wednesday re-commissioned a Special Intelligence Office at the Brickdam Police Station with intention to monitor the crime situation within the division and receive intelligence information from members of the public.

At the ribbon-cutting exercise on Wednesday, A Division Commander, Assistant Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken, told the Guyana Chronicle the department would assist to bring information more quickly into ‘A’ Division; and process and disseminate same to the relevant departments of the Force -such as the Operations Rooms etc.

In essence, this office would act as a nerve centre in that it would store photographs and information on all persons of interest to the police within the division, thereby keeping records on all persons who are under the radar of the police.

Hicken was quick to point out that the functions of this office would neither usurp nor overshadow the functions of the Criminal Investigation Department at Eve Leary, but would be a complementary factor to the CID. Senior Superintendent Reshi Dass, in commenting on the functioning of this office, related that the division had an office that discharged those functions in the past, but, for some reason, it was not functioning.

Dass said that in addition to the 911 number and the numbers for the divisional commander and operations room, persons who have information they would like to share with the police can do so by dialling 225-3052, another number that would be accessible to the public on a 24-hour basis.

This new office comes directly under the supervision of the ‘A’ Division Detective, and is located within that department. It has

Commander Clifton Hicken and Senior Superintendent Reshi Dass cut the ribbon to recommission the Special Intelligence Office at Brickdam

an officer-in-charge as well as five support ranks.

Dass said the need to re-establish this office is urgent, given the many serious crimes which have been popping up within the division over the past month.

He is of the view that those shootings and other crimes are not isolated incidents, but may be part of a bigger linkage and/or connection; hence the police are leaving no stone unturned in uncovering the truth behind these incidents, especially in 'A' Division, and with support from the Crime Chief and his deputy.

When this publication visited the office on Wednesday, there were already on the wall photographs of persons who are of interest to the police. The office also has its own log book, which would be used as a reference in respect to all activities in which the office engages.

GUYANA’s public debt was almost three times what the country was earning by the end of 2013, a whopping $380B, almost US$2B. This was disclosed in the now public Auditor General’s (AG) Report on Government’s expenditure for the year 2013 and was released by Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, when the House met on Thursday last.

Auditor General Deodat Sharma found too that in 2013, the now ousted People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Administration had secured almost $50B more in external loans, but presented the information for less than half of this to the legislature.

Sharma in his report said that the Guyana Constitution and External Loans Law stipulate mandatory reporting of all agreements regarding any such loans to the National Assembly, “as soon as practicable after the execution of such agreements.”

The Auditor General in his examination of

Government’s financials found that in 2013, the PPP/C Administration contracted five large external loans amounting to just about $49.5B. He found however, that only three loans totalling $22.2B and their related agreements were laid in the National Assembly.

The PPP/C Administration presented reports for loans from the CDB, $7B for the West Coast Demerara (WCD) Road Improvement Project ; another $1.5B from the CARICOM Development Fund—to which Guyana is an annual contributor—for the upgrading of all-weather access roads to weather -paved roads; and another $13.6B for road networks upgrade and expansion.

The auditor general found however,that the then administration failed to present to the House, the loan agreements for $3.8B from the Inter-American Development bank (IDB) for the “Environment Sector Strengthening Programme.”

The other outstanding loan agreement, according to Auditor General Shar-

ma, was in relation to the supply of crude oil, refined oil products and LPG of up to 5,200 barrels per day on an annual basis, a whopping $23.7B. The $23.7B loan was contracted with Venezuela under what has become known as the Petro Caribe Agreement Only recently, Minister of State Joseph Harmon confirmed that the incoming administration found that the fund which had been set aside with monies accrued under the Petro Caribe initiative with Venezuela, was bankrupt.

In his report, the auditor general did point out a $14B decrease in Guyana’s public debt over the previous year he reported on 2012, but explained, this decline was due mainly to a substantial debt writeoff and the movement of the foreign exchange rate, coupled with some payments made.

Guyana’s public debt at the end of 2013, according to Auditor General Deodat Sharma, stood at some $380B, while the country had earned only $136B.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

President Granger meets with Bank of Baroda Executives

PRESIDENT David Granger met, yesterday, with the Managing Director of Bank of Baroda, Mr Amit Kumar and Chief Executive Mr Ashok Kumar Grag, and was assured of the bank’s commitment to Guyana’s economic development.

The Head of State was also briefed on the Bank’s financial strength and its plan going forward with the new administration.

The Bank is looking to develop in the area of providing financial literacy, by the hosting of seminars targeting focus groups such as farmers, manufacturers and students.

The Bank is a subsidiary of the Bank of Baroda - India’s International Bank.

President David Granger being presented with a token by Managing Director of Bank of Baroda, Mr Amit Kumar and Chief Executive Mr Ashok Kumar Grag

Koker watchman remanded for robbing granny

– still prime suspect in murder of another ZAHID Mohamed, a koker watchman in the Mahaica area, was on Wednesday remanded to prison when he appeared in the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court, charged with robbery with violence committed of a female pensioner who also operates a shop in the Mahaica community.

The court heard that the man had visited the establishment the woman operates and had requested to purchase cigarettes; and as the woman turned to get him the item, he forced his way

into her business place, and robbed her of $5000 after he had bound and gagged her.

Mohamed is now the subject of another investigation of a more serious nature; to wit, the murder of another Mahaica female pensioner.

He is still the prime suspect in that matter, and the police have indicated they are in receipt of evidence which could possibly link Mohamed to that crime.

Senior police investigators yesterday confirmed that the samples of flesh found under the

fingernails of that pensioner, who was found murdered in her home on May 23, are still in Guyana, as the Force is yet to decide where to send the samples for testing.

Zahid Mohamed was picked up after robbing a pensioner over the weekend. He had a stale scratch on one of his arms, which the police suspected might have been inflicted by the woman who was killed last month, as human flesh had been found under her fingernails.

Haags Bosch performing above design specifications

… Ministry owes BK International for completed works

…Minister Bulkan makes contradictory statements BK INTERNATIONAL is shocked by the contradictory position taken by the Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, with respect to the construction and operation of the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill (HBSL) as reported yesterday in the Guyana Chronicle.

The following statement was issued by BK International last evening: Minister Bulkan claims that the HBSL being constructed and operated by BK International is not meeting the designed requirement, yet, at the same time, he declares that the HBSL is now processing more than 10,000 tonnes per month, while the design was intended for 6,000 tonnes per month. In fact, as of May 18, the HBSL was processing in excess of 500 tonnes per day, the equivalent of 15,000 tonnes per month.

For the record, BK International has no relationship with or obligation to the IDB on the Haags Bosch Landfill, the IDB has a relationship with the Government of Guyana (GoG). The GoG has a responsibility to effectively manage the project to the satisfaction of the funding agency, the IDB. If the IDB is not satisfied that the GoG is meeting the terms and conditions of the contract, it may terminate the funding. Contrary to what is suggested in the article yesterday, although the GoG and IDB signed in 2007, BK International was not awarded the contract until November 2009.

It must also be noted that the IDB has also contracted HYDEA, a German Consulting firm, in association with Guyanese consultants CEMCO, for supervising the project. Compliance with the designs and requirement are in the hands of the GoG and the supervising consultants.

The Minister claims that the contractor is “…routinely failing to meet a number of deadlines – the last proposed date being November 15, 2014.” In fact, the last

BK International Brian Tiwari

Minister Ronald Bulkan

proposed date was January 15, 2015; however the Leachate Treatment System designs were not handed over to the contractor until February 22, 2015. The construction work, done according to those designs, failed on February 25, 2015, and BK International is still awaiting the further redesign.

Minister Bulkan omitted from his interview the fact that in a recent meeting with BK International, it was established that former Minister Edghill had instructed that BK International be paid outstanding sums from January 2013 to May 2014, once the contractor was found to be compliant. After review, it was established that BK was in compliance and the payment was eventually made.

The Minister does not address the issue of the outstanding payments to BK International, which sums have been outstanding for more than a year, but states that BK “…was not in fulfillment with a lot of the requirements that he was expected to deliver.” BK has not been paid since June 2014, but continues construction and operations, handling more than twice the intended volume of waste arriving at the HBSL. Even more egregious is the fact that the Ministry has failed to observe a clear order of Court mandating that BK be paid interim payments for its monthly operation of Haags Bosch,

clearly having no regard for the rule of law.

According to the Guyana Chronicle, Minister Bulkan also said that “The ministry and the bank are unhappy with the conditions that obtain at what is now a dumpsite, when it was meant to be a landfill site.” However, it should be noted that soon after taking office, Minister Bulkan and a delegation paid an impromptu visit to the HBSL and observed the buildings and paved roads all constructed by BK. He and the delegation were also able to observe the operations at the site. The Minister is therefore aware that the site is meeting the operating standards, far from his claim of “no environmental safeguards, an environmental hazard and a ticking time bomb.” It is unclear why the Minister would make these statements that are the opposite to his observations at the site.

Finally, the Minister’s claim that “…they are working assiduously to remedy the situation in an effort to bring back the operation at the site in conformity with how it was originally designed” is completely untrue; since the Minister’s initial visit there have been no interventions of any kind from him or his Ministry. We respectfully call on Minister Bulkan to retract these statements and finally settle all of BK’s outstanding claims.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Ramjattan goes after Rogue Cops

By Derwayne Wills MINISTER of Public Security and Vice-President Khemraj Ramjattan, in the National Assembly yesterday, rolled out his concerns with the country’s security sector with clear emphasis on getting rid of rogue police officers.

The Minister noted in his address to the House the influx of cases involving rogue cops in Guyana’s Police Force, and “disgustingly”, he said, “we have noticed them getting promoted and being retained.”

“To get at rogue cops,” Ramjattan resolved, “will require policemen of integrity who are going to catch them, because more and more I see newspaper letters and other pieces and bits of statements coming my way as to who are misbehaving, and nothing seems to be done.”

Ramjattan, in 2009, represented Twyon Thomas, 15

Vice-President and Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams

at the time, who was arrested by ranks of the Leonora Police Station, and was subsequently tortured by two ranks who doused the lad’s genitals with methylated spirits and

set it ablaze. That case created shockwaves throughout the country about police brutality in Guyana’s police stations.

While Ramjattan pre-

viously represented the lad against the state in 2009, as the new Minister of Public Security, he said he has indicated to both the Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud; and the Police Service Commission, by writing, that High Court rulings must be respected, specifically regarding discipline of recalcitrant police officers.

Under the Donald Ramotar Administration, the two ‘torture cops’, Mohanram Dolai and Narine Lall, had been promoted, even though their characters had fallen into disrepute. Dolai was promoted from Constable to Corporal, and Lall had been promoted from Sergeant to Inspector.

Ramjattan had advised the Police Commissioner to send packing orders to both officers, however only Dolai was dismissed. The Police Commissioner could not dismiss Lall, since his rank fell under the ambit of the Police

Service Commission.

Since then, Ramjattan has written to the Police Service Commission, a constitutionally autonomous body, to have the officer dealt with.

Ramjattan hopes to build, with the assistance of senior police authorities, a force that recognises human rights, and acts in leadership roles within communities.

“I want to assure that all policemen, especially, the rogue cops out there, know we have a plan to ensure that they [will] be caught, and [that they] will be removed forthwith from the Police Force.”

“That plan,” he said, “would be soon executed.”

In an interview with this publication Thursday at the Public Buildings, Ramjattan responded to questions of a possible conflict of interest since he was the attorney that fought against the two officers in the 2009 case; but now, as Public Security Min-

ister, he is calling for those officers to be dismissed.

“Absolutely not,” Ramjattan affirmed, while adding that this new Government was given a mandate to act, and if he did not act, “that would be in effect, not doing my job.”

Meanwhile, former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, following the court order for compensation to be paid to the lad’s family, had threatened to appeal the case. That appeal was filed in 2012.

When asked whether this Administration would continue with the appeal, Ramjattan responded in the negative but assured that Attorney General Basil Williams might withdraw the appeal on behalf of the Government.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Basil Williams, for his part, told the Chronicle yesterday that he does not yet have the facts of the case.

Gov’t sees role for Business Swollen body Ministry in Deeds Registry

Pomeroon river accident…

of boat captain recovered from river

By Rajendra Prabhulall THE swollen body of 47-year-old boat captain, Orcen Benjamin, was recovered at around 02:00 hrs yesterday morning within the St John area in the Lower Pomeroon river.

Reports said Benjamin was thrown into the river on the morning of Wednesday (June 24th) after an accident between his boat and a Guyana Defense Force (GDF) coast guard boat that was heading to Charity.

Benjamin at the time was the captain of his boat and was taking his wife, Simone, who is a teacher and a young

child to her school.

Members of the GDF along with the Police, relatives and farmers assisted in the search for the body of the boat captain.

According to reports, the body was brought to Charity and transported to the Suddie Funeral parlour.

A Post Mortem examination is expected to be performed to determine the cause of death.

The sudden death of Benjamin has left his wife Simone in total shock and the community of St John in sadness and grief.

Police investigations are ongoing.

– intends to improve services offered THE Ministry of Business is expected to play a role in the Deeds Registry, even as Attorney General (AG) Basil Williams has declared that the work of the registry has improved tremendously and will continue to improve.

This observation was made following a tour of the

Registry yesterday by the AG, where he got a chance to interact with staffers and get acquainted with the operations of the statutory body.

According to AG Williams, “The deeds registry plays an important part in the delivery of justice, as it deals with mortgages, leases, business transactions, companies

registration, trade union registration and so forth.”

He alluded to the fact that, thanks to the advancement in technology, they have digitalised systems which have reduced substantially, the delays in providing services; however, they still have a long way to go.

This registry, he noted,

From left, Registrar of the Deeds Registry, Azeena Baksh, introduces AG Williams to one of the staffers

makes in excess of $1B in revenue, but unfortunately it goes into the Consolidated Fund, and is not there really to fund the department, as it was removed by the previous Government as a Government department and made a statutory body.

“There are currently two registries, this and the commercial registry, which will be at the NBS building, and that will have a registrar… there are still some vacancies to fill, but he is confident that the work of the registry has improved tremendously and will continue to improve, as they have to also fill a vacancy in the Chairman of the Board of Directors,” he said.

The composition of the board is determined by the Act and has representation from various Government bodies. “We all knew that we have problems, and a lot of money was spent, and currently we are on a path to making the delivery of the services provided by this statutory body something efficient.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Anti-Money Laundering Bill passed in National Assembly

By Derwayne Wills GUYANA moves one step closer to becoming financially compliant with international regulations as the National Assembly yesterday passed the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Legislation.

The bill, which will be put before President David Granger for his assent, was passed with the absence of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in the National Assembly.

The bill, presented by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, signals not only Guyana’s obligation to becoming an AML/CFT compliant regime, but also the commitment of the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition Government passing the bill in the 100-day plan of its manifesto.

“The proposed bill has added the person authorised by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), and it has said also that they could seize and detain cash above the sum of

$10M anywhere in Guyana,” Williams told the House, adding, “that is not done whimsically or capriciously.”

He stressed the requirement for “cogent evidence” in the legislation before any seizure is done. “It seems to be higher than reasonable suspicion, because you have to have reasonable suspicion also.”

“They cannot seize cash that is in the possession of persons in the course of business, commerce, trade, and such activities,” Williams added. Both the FIU and Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) would have to provide the evidence before seizures are done.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan rose in the National Assembly to declare that the passage of the bill is a momentous occasion and that bill is a result of “tremendous efforts and inputs of a wide cross-section of people and entities that are involved in the fight against the twin evils of money laundering and financing of terrorism.”

“These legislative amendments,” Jordan said in his address, “represent our Gov-

Saturday, June 27, 2015 - 13:30 hrs Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 14:30 hrs Monday, June 29, 2015 - 14:30 hrs

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, in conversation with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Social Cohesion Minister Amna Ally, and Finance Minister Winston Jordan

ernment’s firm resolve to fight the scourge of money laundering and terrorist financing.”

The Finance Minister noted the impact of money laundering on the development of a country.

“It could lead to large scale insolvencies, which can arise if financial institutions’ balance sheets are not valued.” Jordan continued, “If

sections of the financial system is owned or controlled by criminal elements, the authorities may encounter difficulties supervising these institutions or identifying problems where financial stability is compromised.”

“If the illegal sector forms a significant part of the economy, and criminal proceeds are withheld from the formal

banking system, then official data on such things as employment conception, foreign exchange movement, etc will not reflect the economic reality in the country,” the Finance Minister continued.

He pointed to the difficulties this would place on policy makers being able to assess the state of the economy while formulating appropriate eco-

nomic policies. “A parallel economy will be operating alongside the official economy, and in many respects, to the detriment of the official economy.”

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has long expressed concerns about the integrity of financial systems which could have a dampening effect on foreign direct investment. Jordan noted all of this as the right reasons for passing the bill, which was approved in the National Assembly after it was read twice, taken before the Committee of the House, and finally approved by the majority of members in the National Assembly.

Jordan expects the passage of the bill will fuel Guyana’s economic growth.

This bill sought to amend the principal AML Act, which was passed in 2009, and introduces a Financial Intelligence Unit, as well as the enhancement of sanctions and granting greater powers to authorities tasked with safeguarding Guyana’s obligations to the international financial system.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Carnegie final-year students display art and craft FINAL-year students of the Art and Craft Section of the Carnegie School of Home Economics on Thursday put of a fashionable display of the works they have been doing over the past months leading up to their final days at the institution.

Teachers and students of the Visual Arts section put on display items such as African dolls, leather slippers, leather key rings, tie-dye dress lengths, free hand paintings and costume jewellery among other items.

Speaking with this publication, Mrs Kim Gordon, Administrator of the Craft Production and Design Department of the

Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, explained that the students indeed worked hard over the last term, and the smiles which were evident on their faces during the display of their work was one of pride and satisfaction; and it was special to those who worked with them.

There were also posters and other items made from the bark of the banana tree, and dry leaves coupled with towel-hanging items, she explained.

Mrs. Gordon also confirmed that persons from the school are expected to head to the Caribbean Festival of Arts, which would shortly be held

in Haiti.

The items which were on display will be assessed and graded by the Examinations Division of the Ministry of Education, following which the students would have the honour -- as is customary -- of taking their pieces home.

The Carnegie School of Home Economics is also calling on persons who have an interest in visual arts and other courses, such as garment construction -- which the school offers -- to make urgent contact with the principal so that information on registration enrolment dates can be obtained. (Leroy Smith)

A teacher poses with some of the students and their African dolls and floral arrangements at yesterday’s exhibition

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Bridging language gap of utmost importance - Argentine delegation

--for tourism development

By Rebecca Ganesh

AFTER a week of analysing Guyana’s tourism product, an Argentine delegation has concluded that “bridging the language gap” is of utmost importance to both countries.

Addressing a news conference yesterday at Colgrain House, Tourism Minister Mrs Catherine Hughes thanked the delegation for facilitating the ongoing partnership between the two countries and noted that she is benefiting from a foundation that was previously laid.

The Tourism Minister explained too that as a country that is now developing in the tourism sector and “feeling our way and finding ourselves,” this cooperation between Guyana and Argentina will provide the country with a “helping hand to lead us through some of the challenges we would encounter.”

Since 2013, she noted that Guyana has been benefiting from a series of joint efforts to boost the sector; she referred specifically to the Spanish courses being offered to the sector and all stakeholders at no cost. She explained that it is vital for the growth of the industry, since the native language for South American countries is Spanish and “if we are to attract tourists, we must be able to communicate with them.”

She mentioned the fact that plans are in place for a Hospitality School and noted that such cooperation will only be beneficial when this entity becomes a reality.

Speaking on the bridging of the language barrier between the two countries His Excellency Luis Martino, Ambassador of the Argentine Republic explained that this idea of bilateral cooperation is a programme that was sought through the Ministry of Finance.

He added that South- South cooperation is an important instrument for international cooperation, explaining too that it provides

opportunities for developing countries and countries with economies in transition to achieve their individual and collective goals in economic growth and sustainable development.

South-South cooperation is the exchange of resources, technology and knowledge between developing countries, also known as countries of the Global South.Ambassador Martino noted that over the past 25 years, the Argentine Fund for South-South and Triangular Cooperation has been able to finance the development and implementation of several international technical cooperation and bilateral triangular projects.

He referred to the fact that the pilot programme here in Guyana was intitally started in the tourism sector, where a team of experts came to assess the tourism product and now again in 2015, “our delegation is doing a practical assessment of the tourism product so as to enhance our cooperation.”

“Education and training have always been very important in the development of any country,” the ambassador noted, “We need to bridge the gap between the two countries so that the job demand within the professional tourism sector is realised.”

Helena Havrylets, a representative of the Argentine Tourism Ministry, disclosed that her team is here on a one- week visit. “ We have visited some of the protected areas in Guyana,” she revealed, noting that her general consensus is that with further development, Guyana stands to benefit tremendously from tourism.

Havrylets stated that the delegation is here to gather practical results and will able to have a proposal available to Guyana for the future of the sector. She noted that one of the main barriers is the language gap between the two countries. “We currently offer Spanish classes to tourism stakeholders at no fee to them to have their staff learn the language. Another class will start on September 3.”

According to Havrylets, with the introduction of COPA Airlines to Guyana, visitors from South America have moved Tourism Minister Catherine Hughes greets from a mere 3% to 14% per year from these countries. ThereHis Excellency Luis Martino, Ambassador of fore, to be able to deliver quality service to tourists, “we need the Argentine Republic to bridge this language gap.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Economists outline strategies that could better develop Guyana’s economy

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- urge new Government to practise good governance

GUYANESE economists have outlined strategies which the newly elected Government could employ to better develop Guyana’s economy, which of course also comes with good governance and participation of each stakeholder.

This was touted on Thursday at a symposium held in the conference room of the National Library by the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) on “The Political and Economic Challenges ahead for Guyana.” The symposium was held to commemmorate the 35th Anniversary of the assassination of world-renowned scholar, political activist and founding party member, Dr. Walter Rodney.

During the discussions, Professor Clive Thomas, Dr. Maurice Odle, Dr. Rishi Thakur and Dr. Turhane Doerga made reference to the failures of the past Government to implement certain economic practices which would have helped Guyana to be in a better economic position today.

Some of the topics discussed were improvement of the rice and sugar industries; plans to tackle poverty; and diversifying the economy by moving away from traditional economic activities such as rice and sugar production, mining and so forth.

Speaking to the gathering, newly appointed Presidential Advisor for Sustainable Development

and popular economist, Dr. Clive Thomas, said the change of Government comes at a “pivotal time when yes, there are innumerable political [and] economic challenges, but every challenge brings an opportunity.”

Further disclosing that there are five ways in which the coalition Government can go about developing the country, Prof Thomas said these include, coalition management, the need to diversify the economy, financing for development, tackling poverty and tackling political disruption.

Zeroing in on coalition management, Prof Thomas stated that though the coalesced parties may have two different ideologies-which in some cases may cause a coalition to fall apart-they must work closely together in order to execute their functions as the government.

That apart, he elaborated on the fact that earnings generated from the various economic activities should be directed towards diversification of the economy, instead of injecting them into ventures that would not prove to be fruitful in any way.

RICE AND SUGAR Focusing on the agricultural sector, the professor noted that $15B each would be needed for the rice and sugar industries in order to prevent the their collapse.

“The Government has to en-

From left, Prof. Clive Thomas, Dr. Maurice Odle, Dr. Rishi Thakur and Dr. Turhane Doerga on Thursday at the symposium (Samuel Maughn photos) to be achieved before 2030. sure that their 100-day plan Government must open the develop the industries.”

These, he stated, are is met, and do their best to country by bridging the

some of the guidelines which meet the constituencies of Corentyne River, which will MILLENNIUM the Government should folrice and sugar.”

DEVELOPMENT low in order to put Guyana link Guyana and SurinaElaborating more on the me, and the Takutu River, GOALS in a positive position as it ways in which the rice and which will Link Guyana and Meanwhile, moving relates to the economy. sugar industries could be Brazil,thereby building bet- away from the agricultural Also, “ Guyana now has developed, Dr Thomas not- ter relationships among the sector, Dr Maurice Odle a possibility of changing ed that the sugar industry,- neighbouring countries. outlined that the Govern- our economy, and setting like the rice industry, has Therefore, they must find ment will now be aided by our sights high to achieve to be privatised in order for markets and get going in the United Nation (UN) 17 a different set of expectait to function better, because order to contribute to the Millennium Development tions, as our economy has it was wrong of the previous total re-development of the Goals (MDGs, which will only developed between administration not to do so. country. be endorsed by the Interna- 3-5% within the last four “The private sector Dr. Thomas also added tional Community on Sep- years, and from 2000-2015 should be pushing the econ- that these two main agricul- tember 17, 2015). the overall development omy while the Government tural industries are needed if Some of the targets rate was 2%... while there of the day should be han- the country is to go forward, which are included in the were 19 countries in 2000 dling regulations and gov- because they are two of the MDGs include, ending pov- that were able to achieve erning the country,” he said. main sources of income for the erty, ending hunger, ensur- a 7% growth rate and in With reference to new Government. “Although there ing healthy lives, ensuring the coming years, Guyana markets for rice and sug- is a small window of opportu- there is proper education, should join those counar, Dr Thomas said that nity for us, we must take it and gender equality, which are tries,” he said.

The gathering at the National Library on Thursday

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

PPP/C denies CJIA project funding ‘grossly underestimated’ THE People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has commented on Government’s position that funding for the CJIA was grossly underestimated.

The PPP/C in a statement referred to statements in sections of the media attributed to Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson.

The two senior Government officials had stated that contract funding for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) was grossly underestimated and that several areas of expenditure were not included in the original contrac. These statements, the PPP/C said, are invidious attempts to deliberately misrepresent the project contract entered into with

China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).

“The PPP/C administration always identified a design/ build, fixed price contract, entered into between Guyana and CHEC which identified an amount of US$150M for specific activities, items and specified, related amounts, detailed in that contract signed in 2011,” the statement read.

This contract, the party asserted, is funded by US$138M provided for by a low-interest, concessional loan from the EXIM Bank of China and a matching US$12M provided

by Guyana as the country’s required contribution for the total contract sum.

“These amounts were agreed, after intensive work and negotiations were done

to bring the final contract sum into limits imposed by the funding available on offer from the People’s Republic of China’s funding mechanism at the time, and what was the possible via the then budgetary provisions.”

The PPP/C stated that it was often stated, that the activities, items and amounts for other works which had to be done, on Guyana’s account, were identified and worked up for funding via subsequent budgets and for completion through public tendering.

The items and amounts, stated by Harmon and Patterson, are basically the figures of the PPP/C’s Government work specified to achieve all activities both for the CHEC contract and for the other works. “These items and activities include: a new car park, US$2.5M; baggagehandling conveyors, ticketing and other counters, furnishings and equipment for the terminal building US$12M; navigational aids,US$1.3M; utilities, US$ 0.06; fencing and lights,US$0.565M; and building relocations, US$0.510M; – all of which do not total up to the US$65M, which the new Government’s duo quote as now being, additionally required,” the party disclosed.

“It’s surprising that the amount US$65M, identified by the two ministers as being required for other works, is the same amount requested

by CHEC in meetings with the PPP/C Government in 2014, to deal with the ground conditions and other issues. CHEC was at those meetings firmly advised to take seriously into account the design/build-fixed price contract which they had entered into, and that no further funding could be provided under the contract.”

Minister Harmon, the party stated, is also reported as saying that only six percent of work was done against an expenditure of US$30M. This deliberately disregards and misleads on the fact that US$20M was required and paid as the normal mobilisation payment necessary to initiate the project. This has been previously publicly stated. The balance of some US$10 million has been paid against payment certificates invoiced for measured works completed.

“It is worthy to note, that the relocation of the GDF (Guyana Defence Force) Engineering Corps building was known to be required for the creation of the new car park and was funded by a separate contract to CHEC, much later, as funding was sourced through what was available to the GDF. A new building was

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

completed, westwards of the airport site on land identified by the GDF, making the land available for the construction of the car park.”

Continuing with their explanation, the PPP/C related that the funding for all the other activities and items were identified to be split between the Ministry of Finance, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority. Modifications to the nature, extent and costing of the other works were adapted, from time to time, particularly contingent on CHEC’s concerns that underlying ground conditions, on the originally intended northern extension, were poor, as a result of thicker pegasse and associated soft-clay sections.

This resulted in a decision to share the full runway extension between the northern and southern ends of the runway so as to mitigate these concerns. Additional ground geotechnical works were done to the south of the runway to confirm the validity of this approach.

“Project delays occurred because of: the AFC (Alliance For Change) and APNU (A Partnership for National Unity) intransigence; the blocking of budget funding in the 10th Parliament, along with the need to do additional geotechnical work on the runway extension southwards.

“In the interest of transparency,” the PPP/C stated, “particularly for the much discussed high-profile project, the party is calling on the new de facto Government to accord with the conditions of the design/ build, fixed price CHEC CJIA contract and, also, to allow for scheduled releases for funding to facilitate national contractors participating in the various CJIA projects, in the long-delayed 2015 National Budget, as was originally envisaged by the previous PPP/C Government.”

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Congress unanimously adopts new GFF Constitution … Elite League teams, Beach football and Futsal among new voting members

By Stephan Sookram THE Extraordinary Congress of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) yesterday unanimously adopted a new Constitution for the sport here in Guyana, according to Chairman of the Normalisation Committee, Clinton Urling, at a press conference hosted at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston.

FIFA’s Head of Member Associations Primo Cavaro, who chaired the process, indicated that the biggest change in the Constitution was the introduction of more voting members to ensure a holistic approach moving forward and to guarantee inclusiveness of all stakeholders.

“The biggest difference between what was before and is now with the new constitution is

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about the membership, of course, because we are now 22 delegates,” Cavaro told reporters.

The FIFA Member Association head highlighted that the inclusion of the eight Elite League teams and the teams having voting rights is not “unique to Guyana” and is within the confines of what the World governing body is promoting throughout its member associations.

“FIFA is to try and promote balance between the main stakeholders. One of the main stakeholders is the Elite Football, first division, professional, whatever the name maybe.

Here it’s the Elite football because it is the mirror of the football of Guyana.

Teams playing in this division are the ones that will go to CONCACAF competitions; they are the ones attracting the attention of

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the youth and so on,” said Cavaro.

He added, “That’s why we vote and FIFA is promoting the fact that we have a balanced unit, also the elite being part of the membership but we have also the amateurs, who are represented by the regional association and then we have the groups of interest like the referees and the coaches and so on. We have Futsal and beach and so on.”

He indicated too that t h e p o s i t i v e e n e rg i e s that flowed during the hour-and-a-half session to adopt the new Constitution augurs well for the forward thrust of the sport in Guyana, while he publicly commended the work done by the Normalisation Committee.

Urling revealed to the

media that the unanimous decision to adopt the document shows the intent of the stakeholders involved to move the sport forward.

He also hailed it a historic move, adding that Guyana is on the way forward.

“This process today, with the adoption of the constitution is a first step.

Again our mandate continues as the Normalisation Committee. The next step is for us to go to every member association. Under the new constitution, we now have 22 members as opposed to 12 before, so we have to ensure that their Constitutions are in order, and we also have to serve as the electoral body to observe those elections,” Urling explained.

The GFF NC Chairman further added, “Every M.A. (Member Association) will be a part

of that process so that in the end, we will have executive committees and representatives of all of our members and from there we will go to the next Congress which we will elect our new executive committee of the GFF.” The Elite league will be represented by Alpha United, GDF, Slingerz FC, Pele, Fruta Conquerors, GFC, Buxton United and Monedderlust FC. The interest groups will include the Guyana Football Coaches Association, the Guyana Football Referees Council, the Guyana National Women’s Football Association, the Guyana Futsal Association and the Guyana Beach Soccer Association. Each member is entitled to one vote.

Guyana crash out of CFU Olympic ... lose 0-2 to Antigua Qualifier and Barbuda GUYANA can now kiss their dreams of qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games goodbye, after falling 0-2 to Antigua and Barbuda yesterday as Group 2 action continued in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Olympic Qualifier.

The Guyanese had fallen to Cuba with a similar scoreline and were hoping to rebound against the hosts in order to stand a chance of making it out of the group.

After watching Antigua dismantle Aruba 7-1 in their first game, head coach Jamaal Shabazz called the host nation a “formidable opponent” and one which he believes will be a tougher nut to crack than the Cubans.

Elvis Thomas, the 21-year-old forward who plays in Shabazz’s Caledonia AIA in the TT Pro-

League, opened the scoring just three minutes into the contest to give his country the lead.

Thomas blasted in his second of the night in the 29th minute and from then the game was out of reach for the Guyanese.

The Antiguan forward’s teammates at Caledonia AIA Trayon Bobb, Domini Garnett and Pernell Schultz tried their best to claw Guyana back into the game and ultimately the tournament, but the resolute defending by the home side thwarted their every move.

Guyana will now play the perennial whipping boys of the group, Aruba, tomorrow, in an attempt to not leave the Island empty-handed.

Meanwhile, Cuba hammered Aruba 11-1 to set up a showdown with Antigua tomorrow to see who will advance to the next round.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Sri Lanka lead by 166 runs after Shah takes five (REUTERS) - Skipper Angelo Mathews and opener Kaushal Silva hit half-centuries to help Sri Lanka take a 166-run first-innings lead against Pakistan and push for a series-levelling victory on day two of the second Test yesterday.

Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah (5-95) claimed his second successive five-wicket haul but the visitors sorely missed the service of pace spearhead Wahab Riaz who will miss the series with a fractured hand.

Rangana Herath was

Yasir Shah became the fastest Pakistan bowler to 50 Test wickets in Colombo on the seond day.

batting on 10, while Dushmantha Chameera was yet to open his account when rain forced stumps with the hosts on 304 for nine.

Shah, 29, became the fastest from his country to the 50-wicket club in Test cricket, achieving the feat in only his ninth match.

Shot out for 138 in their first innings, Pakistan received a jolt when Riaz, nursing a hand injury sustained while batting, was ruled out of the rest of the series, taking much of the sting off his team’s pace attack.

Resuming on 70 for one, Sri Lanka lost Kumar Sangakkara (34) before reaching the 100-run mark after the southpaw played a lofted shot off left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar and Asad Shafiq ran backwards to take a good catch at long on.

Pakistan’s improved catching also sent back Lahiru Thirimanne who offered a bat-pad catch off Shah and an alert Azhar Ali pouched it at short leg in his second

attempt.

Shah dismissed Dinesh Chandimal and Kithuruwan Vithanage cheaply after lunch, having also been involved in Kaushal Silva’s (80) run-out that pegged back Sri Lanka.

Mathews and Silva added 72 runs to steady the innings before a miscommunication led to the opener being run-out after a patient 218-ball knock that included 10 boundaries.

Mathews then added 73 runs with Dhammika Prasad (35), who fell to part-time

off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez, to consolidate his team’s position.

Former captain Hafeez, who has been reported twice since November for a suspect action, faces a 12-month ban if a new assessment finds his action illegal.

Shah, who took seven second-innings wickets at Galle to set up Pakistan’s comprehensive victory in the first Test, trapped Mathews leg-before and dismissed Tharindu Kaushal to claim his third five-wicket haul.

SCOREBOARD PAKISTAN 1st innings 138 (K. Silva 5-42) SRI LANKA 1st innings (o/n 70-1) D. Karunaratne c S. Ahmed b J. Khan 28 K. Silva run-out (Shah, S. Ahmed) 80 K. Sangakkara c Shafiq b Babar 34 L. Thirimanne c Az. Ali b Shah 7 A. Mathews lbw b Shah 77 D. Chandimal b Shah 1 K. Vithanage b Shah 3

D. Prasad lbw b Hafeez 35 R. Herath not out 10 T. Kaushal c Misbah-ul-Haq b Shah 18 D. Chameera not out 0 Extras: (b-6, lb-3, nb-1, w-1) 11 Total: (for 9 wickets, 118.2 overs) 304 Fall of wickets: 1-47, 2-98, 3-119, 4-191, 5-194, 6-202, 7-275, 8-275, 9-303.

Bowling: W. Riaz 9-2-19-0 (nb-1), J. Khan 27.2-5-80-1 (w-1), Z. Babar 32-8-82

Johnson among wickets for Australia MITCHELL Johnson took three wickets to provide a timely reminder of his abilities as Australia continued to dominate Kent in their tour match.

Johnson’s Ashes spot is under threat after Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood out-bowled him against West Indies, but he finished with 3-42.

Scores: Australia 507-8 decl’d; Marsh 114, Smith 111; Hunn 5-99. Kent 203-5: Key 87, Denly 36; Johnson 3-42).

Ex-England batsman Rob Key hit 87, but Kent slid to 203-5 at stumps.

Australia vice-captain Steve Smith had earlier retired on 111 as the tourists declared on 507-8.

Left-armer Johnson was England’s nemesis in the Ashes whitewash down under in 2013-14, taking 37 wickets in five Tests.

But the performances of Hazlewood and Starc in the Caribbean, and the return of right-arm seamer Ryan Harris, left him with something to prove on another warm day in Canterbury.

It did not take long. At the end of a fiery first over, Kent opener Daniel Bell-Drummond was pinned lbw to give Johnson his first wicket of the tour with just his sixth ball of the day.

Riding their luck at times, Key and Joe Denly withstood the remainder of a testing opening spell from Johnson and Harris to put on 81 for the second wicket.

After Denly was dismissed by Peter Siddle for 36, Northeast and Key added a brisk 59, only for Northeast to glove the third ball of a new Johnson spell to wicketkeeper Brad

Haddin.

Key, who played the last of his 15 Tests in January 2005, bludgeoned three fours in five balls off struggling leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed to move within sight of a century.

But his aggression proved his downfall, as he lobbed the last ball of the over to Shaun Marsh at midwicket.

Johnson showed his potency once again in clean-bowling Ben Harmison for five, but a gutsy unbroken stand of 35 between Sam Billings and Adam Ball guided Kent, who were 140-2 at one point, to the close without further damage.

Earlier, Smith picked up where he left off on Thursday as he breezed to a century from 151 deliveries.

Two boundaries later, Test cricket’s topranked batsman retired to give someone else a turn.

That someone was Mitchell Marsh, whose effortless strokeplay contrasted sharply with the travails of Shane Watson, his rival for an Ashes place.

Watson fell to a spectacular one-handed catch by Denly for 21, before Marsh had his off stump uprooted by Matt Hunn to end a 26-ball innings of 30.

Hunn, who plays most of his cricket for Sandwich Town in the Kent Premier League, picked up figures of 5-99 in his first Kent outing of the season.

The 21-year-old was then applauded from the field after Australia declared following quick runs for Haddin (35) and Johnson, who finished unbeaten on 32.

(BBC Sport)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Tough first week in store for Djokovic at Wimbledon

By Martyn Herman LONDON, England (Reuters) - Defending champion Novak Djokovic will have to hit the ground running at Wimbledon next week after being given a tricky route into the second week of the grasscourt grand slam.

The Serbian top seed, who opens play on Monday on Centre Court against Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, could face former champion Lleyton Hewitt in round two and Australia’s Bernard Tomic in the third round.

Hardly an ideal draw for the world number one who has not played a competitive match since losing to Stanislas Wawrinka in the French Open final, depriving him of a career grand slam.

“I needed a little bit of time to regroup, to recharge my batteries, stay with the family, the little one and come here to London prepared for the biggest event in the world in our sport,” the 28-year-old said this week at the Boodles exhibition event before he headed to the All England Club.

Kohlschreiber once beat Djokovic at Roland Garros and, at 33 in the ATP standings, is the highest-ranked player Djokovic could have faced in the first round.

Second seed Roger Federer, bidding for an eighth Wimbledon title after losing in the final to Djokovic last

year, will play Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur whom he beat at the French Open.

Czech Petra Kvitova, who stormed to her second title

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in action

last year when she crushed Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard in the women’s final, will begin against Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands.

She could play former world number one Jelena Jankovic in the third round.

The top half of the women’s draw looks stronger than the bottom with world number one Serena Williams joined by Ana Ivanovic, Maria Sharapova and five-time winner Venus Williams.

American sisters Serena and Venus could meet in the last 16.

Serena should have little trouble in the first round after being drawn against Russian qualifier Margarita Gasparyan.

The men’s bottom half also looks treacherous.

In-form home favourite Andy Murray faces a potentially tough path if he is to win a second Wimbledon title.

He plays Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan in round one but Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga could be waiting in the last 16 with Rafa Nadal or fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the quarters with Federer as his probable semi-final foe.

Tenth seed Nadal plays Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci while Swiss Wawrinka, seeded four and on course for a semi-final against Djokovic, plays Portugal’s Joao Sousa.

FIFA president Blatter says has not resigned - paper

ZURICH, Switzerland (Reuters) - Sepp Blatter has added to speculation he

may try to stay on as head of world soccer’s governing body but a source told Reu-

NOTABLE DATES MICHAEL Anthony Parris fought Glen Forde three times. Their third and final bout happened on June 27, 1993. At 35, Parris was 14 years older than his teenage opponent. With the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) FECARBOX featherweight title on the line Forde did all in his power to out-fox the experienced Parris and won the 12-rounder by decision.

The two first met in October 1992 when the featherweight title of Guyana was at stake. Parris lost that fight via points-decision. The second encounter was a 10-rounder and occurred on April 18, 1993. Parris gained revenge after the

judges awarded him the fight.

A bronze medallist at the 1980 Moscow Games, Parris retired from boxing without adding a Commonwealth title to his list of achievements. He watched as his second attempt at a Commonwealth crown went up in smoke when Neil Swain won

by TKO in the second round.

That battle for the vacant super bantamweight title was held on April 12, 1995 in Wales, United Kingdom and Parris was at the `ripe’ age of 37. The Guyanese had first made an attempt at the Commonwealth belt in March 1989. He lost by points-decision against Bahamian Ray Minus.

FORMER Commonwealth lightweight champion Lennox Blackmoore was rated the number one junior welterweight by the World Boxing Association when he challenged champion Aaron `The Hawk’ Pryor on June 27, 1981.

The fight was held at the Hacienda Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada and was the main event of a six-bout card promoted by Don King. The contest turned out to be the toughest two rounds that the Guyanese ever endured, as Pryor swarmed from the opening round throwing punches from all angles.

The American, who weighed in at 140 pounds (half a pound heavier than Blackmoore) came into the fight with

imposing credentials. He was undefeated in 27 fights and had 19 consecutive knockouts leading up to the Blackmoore challenge.

Rated among the best counter-punchers in the world, Blackmoore was down within the first 30 seconds of the fight and graced the canvas one more time before the first round was over. A left-right combination sent the darling of Guyana’s boxing back to the floor early in the second round.

Like a true warrior Blackmoore got up but `The Hawk’ delivered a few more telling blows which forced referee Mills Lane to stop the fight at 58 seconds of round two.

ters yesterday the 79-yearold still intends to stand down as FIFA president.

Blatter’s comments to Swiss newspaper Blick -- in

at an extraordinary congress,” Blatter was quoted as saying in the article published yesterday.

A FIFA spokesman said by

pressure to leave sooner rather than later as U.S. and Swiss authorities investigate suspected bribery and corruption at

FIFA president Sepp Blatter (2R) poses with workers during an event for workers building the planned FIFA museum in Zurich, Thursday. (Reuters/Kurt Schorrer) which he said he had not resigned -- seemed to be less final than on June 2 when he said he would step down as FIFA president and call a leadership election in the wake of a corruption scandal.

However, a FIFA source close to the story told Reuters yesterday that Blatter’s stance has not changed.

“He is going,” the source said. “He did not use the word resign on June 2 but he did say he was laying down his mandate and that is exactly what he intends to do.”

Blick said Blatter was speaking on Thursday in his first public appearance since the June 2 news conference.

“I have not resigned, rather I am offering my mandate

email: “We can confirm the quotes in Blick are accurate.

They are in line with the speech of the president on June 2.”

A former Blatter adviser had said previously that the long-serving FIFA president could go back on his promise to stand down from his role.

FIFA said at the time that Klaus Stoehlker, who advised Blatter during this year’s FIFA election campaign, was no longer working with Blatter.

Fuelling scepticism over Blatter’s departure was his decision to stand for re-election in 2015 after pledging not to run again in the run-up to his 2011 victory.

B l a t t e r, w h o w a s re-elected in May, is under

FIFA. Blatter has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Domenico Scala, the official overseeing the choice of a new president, has said Blatter’s departure is an “indispensable” part of planned reforms to soccer’s governing body.

Blatter spoke at an event for workers building the planned FIFA museum in Zurich, Blick reported.

Also yesterday, one of seven soccer officials arrested in Zurich last month on suspicion of racketeering following a U.S. extradition request had a request for bail rejected, with a Swiss court saying he posed a “risk of flight.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Bowlers benefit from ODI rule changes IN A MOVE to give bowlers a bit of breathing space in 50 Overs cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) board has decided

tions made last May by the ICC’s cricket committee, headed by the former India captain Anil Kumble.

David Richardson, the

overs of the innings,” Richardson said during a media conference yesterday. “So to that end we have got rid of the requirement to have

N. Srinivasan and David Richardson at the ICC Annual Conference in Barbados, yesterday. to do away with catching fielders in the first ten overs, getting rid of the batting Powerplay, and allowing five fielders outside the 30-yard circle in the last ten overs of an ODI innings.

The other notable change to take place from July 5 will see free hits awarded for all no-balls in ODI and T20 internationals, not just when bowlers overstep.

These changes to the playing conditions were part of the recommenda-

ICC chief executive, said the modifications were made to make the “game simpler” for the fans and were approved by the ICC’s chief executive committee and further ratified by the ICC Board at the annual conference in Barbados this week.

“What we tried to do is make the game simpler for the fan and at the same time try and at least claw back a little bit of balance in favour of the bowlers especially in the last ten

Independence Champion of Champions dominoes concludes PHILLIP Dass emerged winner of the ‘C’ Division Champion of Champions Independence dominoes competition played last Thursday at the Chateau Margot Community Policing Complex, Chateau Margot.

He amassed 16 games to demote Lloyd Baithu and Joseph Azeez respectively in the Payless Get More Variety Store-sponsored tournament. The medals and trophies were handed over by the Divisional Secretary of the C1 Community Policing Ms Sursaui Morgan.

Meanwhile, the C1 Division Inter-Divisional dominoes competition took place on the same evening with Naitram Chedi amassing 17 games to pilot C2 Division to an overwhelming victory over C3 Division with 72 games and C1 Division with 64 games.

The competition was sponsored by Karim Electronics and was intended to develop and maintain the good relationship among the members of the Community Policing Groups within the Divisions on the East Coast Demerara.

compulsory close catchers in the first ten overs.”

Explaining the move to

remove the batting Powerplay, Richardson said bowlers were getting a “hiding to nothing” with batting teams going on a rampage during the last fifteen overs, taking advantage of the expansive gaps in the outfield.

“We have got rid of the batting Powerplay where you were only allowed three fielders outside the circle.

It was normally taken between the 36th and 40th overs. So you had those 15 overs where all hell broke loose and, especially if a batsman was set on a good batting wicket, we were on a hiding to nothing.”

From October 2012 the ICC altered the fielding restrictions to ensure that no more than four fielders could be outside the circle at any stage of an ODI; previously five was the maximum.

Although the change was implemented for the first time in a World Cup hosted earlier this year by Australia and New Zealand, teams have

strongly criticised the move.

Incidentally in March, Richardson had told ESPNCricinfo that he supported the fielding restrictions as they made the cricket and team tactics more aggressive. “Personally I’d like to see that we stick to the current fielding restrictions because I genuinely believe that has lead to a much more attacking approach, from the captaincy, fielding and batting perspectives.”

Asked by veteran West Indies commentator Tony Cozier whether the ICC considered the big totals that teams were scoring regularly detrimental to ODI cricket, Richardson disagreed.

“Not necessarily, Tony,” he said. “There is a great appreciation for the attacking nature of the play. The level of skills that batsmen have developed over the years is largely due to T20 cricket and just an overall attacking approach to the

ODI game is actually welcome. The indirect impact of that is the only way the fielding team can survive is (by being) more attacking themselves. So you see an effort to get wickets especially early on in the innings. So the overall attacking approach is certainly not something we want to get rid of.

“Whether it is 300 or 400, as I said, towards the end of an innings in particular if you have just four fielders out, there are always two places you just cannot defend. But by allowing five fielders there is only one place. So if you have two places which are un-defendable, you have to change the field and then the batsman knows exactly where you are going to bowl, because you can’t bowl anywhere else as you would be murdered. “(So by) reducing undefended area to one it makes it a little bit easier for the bowler.” (ESPN Cricinfo)

USA national body’s ICC membership suspended (REUTERS) - The USA Cricket Association’s (USACA) membership of the International Cricket Council (ICC) has been suspended with immediate effect, the sport’s governing body said yesterday.

The decision to suspend USACA was made after findings set out in an ICC review group report expressed “significant concerns about the governance, finance, reputation and cricketing activities of USACA. “The ICC Board has made this

difficult decision in the best interest of the game and all cricketers in the USA,” ICC chairman Narayanaswami Srinivasan said in a statement.

“The country has tremendous potential but because of governance, financial and cricketing challenges, the opportunity to grow the game is not being properly nurtured.”

The suspension means USACA will not get ICC funding but the sport’s governing body said the U.S. will be able to play in next month’s ICC World Twen-

ty20 qualifiers in Ireland and Scotland.

The ICC Board had put USACA on notice in January hoping it would urgently address and improve areas identified as weaknesses but the ICC believes the response has been inadequate.

To have its suspension lifted and membership reinstated, the ICC said USACA must demonstrate that conditions relating to governance, finance and its cricket activities have been addressed and remedied in full.

England will not be batting on Spain trip - Alastair Cook ENGLAND captain Alastair Cook has said there is no batting practice planned for the team’s bonding trip to Spain.

A 14-man squad leaves today for a four-day clinic with new coach Trevor Bayliss before the Ashes on July 8.

“We don’t need to constantly train, we don’t lose it in two or three days of not picking up a bat,” said Cook.

“We’re in a unique situation, that 11 days before an Ashes series none of us had met the new coach before,

ALASTAIR COOK so going away seemed to be the best

option.”

Cook highlighted the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s last month as a key moment for his side’s season. England won the match by 124 runs having recovered from 30-4 on the opening morning, with Joe Root and Ben Stokes putting on 161 in 32 overs.

“To me the summer started with that partnership,” said Cook.

“The way they played was very un-English - a counter-attack scoring at six runs an over rather than trying to scrape through - and from that moment on there was a sea change in everyone’s mentality.” (BBC Sport)

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday June 27, 2015

Tridents brush aside Red Steel to extend winning start BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Reigning champions Barbados Tridents continued their imperious start to the defence of their Caribbean Premier League title when they brushed aside Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel by eight wickets here Thursday night.

Before a capacity crowd at Kensington Oval, Tridents limited the visitors to a paltry 95 for nine and then cruised to their target with 41 balls remaining.

The victory was their third on the trot following similar convincing performances against last year’s losing finalists Guyana Amazon Warriors and 2013 champions Jamaica Tallawahs.

They sit on top of the standings with six points while Red Steel remained on a single point, following the no-result in their opening game of the campaign against St Lucia Zouks last Sunday.

Tridents owed their victory to a brilliant opening spell from West Indies seamer Jason Holder who snatched three for 11 from his four overs, to claim the man-ofthe-match award.

His brilliance left Red Steel reeling at three runs for four wickets in the third over, a position they never really recovered from despite captain Dwayne Bravo’s top score of 30 and Jason Mohammed’s 20.

Cheered on by a vocal

Ramdhan Distribution appointed CPL Ticket Agent in Berbice CRICKET fans in Berbice can purchase tickets for the upcoming Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) matches in New Amsterdam following the appointment of Ramdhan Distribution as a new ticket agent in Berbice.

Ramdhan Distribution is located at 19 Princess Elizabeth Road, New Amsterdam, a few buildings from Berbice High School (BHS).

Tickets went on sale on Thursday June 25 at the location and will be available for the Guyana leg of the Hero CPL which will be played from July 15-21 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Guyana Amazon Warriors will square off against Jamaica Tallawahs on July 15 , then oppose St Lucia Zouks on July 17, while on July 18 they battle against Barbados Tridents before meeting Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel on July 21.

Ramdhan Distribution can also be contacted on telephone numbers 333-5981, 676-9931 and 622-0982.

The office business hours are 08:30hrs to 16:00hrs.

Meanwhile, fans countrywide can purchase tickets at the CPL Central office in Middle Street while from July 1. Tickets will go on sale at the Ticket Office at the Guyana National Stadium.

crowd, Tridents’ run chase was fuelled by an opening stand of 73 between Sri Lankan Dilshan Munaweera

who hit 39 and Dwayne Smith who got 33.

Munaweera stroked five fours and two sixes off 28

Man-of-the-Match Jason Holder returned figures of 3 for 11.

balls while Smith faced 29 deliveries and struck four fours and a six – an extraordinary front-foot punch over long-on off seamer Jacques Kallis in the sixth over.

Asked to bowl first, Tridents were on top from the third ball of the innings when Cameron Delport skied Holder to Smith at point without scoring, with just one run on the board.

With just one run added in the following over, Kallis holed out to Holder at fine leg after miscuing a pull at pacer Ravi Rampaul for one and Kamran Akmal followed for one in the next over, pulling Holder to Jeevan Mendis at fine leg.

Off the very next delivery, Holder broke Darren

Bravo’s edge with a quick back-of-a-length delivery for Navin Stewart at second slip to pouch the catch.

William Perkins struck a six in 13 before tragically falling via run-out in the sixth over, as Red Steel slumped to 20 for five.

Dwayne Bravo and Mohammed then rescued the innings with a 46-run stand, to navigate the total past the 50-run mark.

They were beginning to threaten when leg-spinner Mendis broke the stand in the 14th over, having Bravo brilliantly caught by Stewart diving to his right at extra cover.

There was no revival, however, as Tridents kept the pressure on.

GFF Congress lifts ban on UDFA officials THE suspension of former Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) executives Sharma Solomon, Collie Hercules, Terrence

Former UDFA president Sharma Solomon Mitchell, Wayne Bethune, Rawle Johnson, Jefftey Trotman, Ansawatt Bar-

rett, Patrick Day and Clive Brushe, was lifted at yesterday’s Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Extraordinary Congress.

Solomon, who is also the Chairman of Region 10, was suspended for eight years while Hercules; an executive of the GFF as well at the time, was given a five-year ban from the game.

The other executives had similar sentences like Hercules.

Chairman of the GFF Normalisation Committee Clinton Urling, addressing the media after yesterday’s Congress at the Marriott Hotel, said, “We’ve lifted the sanctions that were imposed on the UDFA executives on January 17, 2014 and they will now be able to participate in football and football-related activities, (but) they wouldn’t resume their roles as the executives of the

UDFA” The aforementioned former officials were suspended by the Christopher Matthias-led GFF for playing the Final of their GT Beer year-end tournament on January 1, 2014 at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground simultaneously with the Georgetown Football Association’s (GFA) Banks Beer Cup Final at the Guyana National Stadium.

Congress at the time believed that the two should not have been played on the same day but the UDFA explained that the final being played on New Year’s Day, 2014 meant a lot to the Linden community and as such went ahead with the hosting of their final.

It was also argued by Linden that a final in Linden would not be a hindrance to the final being played 65

miles away.

The suspended executives had full support from the clubs affiliated to the UDFA who until now, did

Former GFF vice-president Collie Hercules not recognise the decision handed down by the-then GFF Congress.

Sport CHRONICLE

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

Guyana crash out of CFU Olympic Qualifier

... lose 0-2 to Antigua and Barbuda See story on page 27

Congress unanimously adopts new GFF Constitution See story on page 27

… Elite League teams, Beach football and Futsal among new voting members

Members of the GFF Congress after they adopted a new Constitution yesterday.

Former GFF president leads protest WHILE the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and its affiliates, in conjunction with FIFA, were busy going through the process of adopting its new Constitution, former president Christopher Matthias led a three-man protest outside the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Along with disgruntled Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) president Collis Gift and former referee Otis James, Matthias and his ‘crew’ protested the GFF and FIFA’s decision to not involve the UDFA, along with the Bartica and Essequibo Football Associations in the constitutional reform process.

However, it was under Matthias’ leadership at the GFF, that FIFA installed Guyana’s first Normalisation Committee to run the affairs of the game locally.

On October 14, 2014, FIFA dismantled the Matthias-led GFF since, according to their (FIFA) Head of Member Association Primo Cavaro and CONCACAF’s Director of Legal Affairs Marco Leal, Matthias had brought the game into disrepute and the GFF-affiliated Member Association had lost faith in his leadership.

Yesterday, the GFF and its affiliates adopted a new Constitution; one of the mandates given by FIFA to the Normalisation Committee who must now amend the current constitution of their member associations and to organise elections according to the new Constitution.

(L-R) Otis James, Collis Gift and Christopher Matthias protest outside of the Marriott Hotel yesterday.

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SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2015