2015 7 4

GUYANA No. 104240

SATURDAY JULY 4, 2015

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UN Secretary General steps in GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

President David Granger with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon Page

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PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar

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– to help resolve border spat

Trinidad will not sit idly by and see Guyana disposed of its territory

Industrial Site Day Care facility graduates 27 cuties Page

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In face of territorial provocation…

‘Guyana not without friends’ Page

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– acting President Nagamootoo reassures PM Moses Nagamootoo

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

UN Secretary General steps in to help resolve Guyana/Venezuela border spat THE UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, has offered to mediate the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, but President David Granger has signaled that Guyana wants more than protracted talks.

“If agreeable, I may be dispatching a mission to both countries to find out how and in what way they are interested in UN Good Officer’s role,” Ban Ki-Moon said at a press conference shortly after meeting President David Granger in Barbados. His chief of staff was due to meet with the Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez to get her agreement.

President Granger appeared wary of the Good Officers process, which was started in 1989, providing for the UN Secretary General to appoint an envoy to mediate a settlement of the border controversy; it also provides for Venezuela to haul off on any claim to the Essequibo region.

“We have informed him (Ban Ki-Moon) that the process is more or less exhausted and he has indicated his willingness to appoint a mission to come to Guyana,” Granger told reporters at the Barbados Hilton Hotel.

The last Good Officer, Professor Norman Girvan,

President David Granger and delegation in meeting with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and team

died a year ago, but Mr Ban Ki-Moon did not appoint someone to replace him.

In October 2013, a ship contracted by Texas-based company Anadarko Petroleum, which was exploring for oil in the offshore Roraima block, was evicted by the Venezuelan navy. Guyana’s efforts to resolve that issue has borne no fruit, with Guyana saying Venezuelan has

resisted talks.

Venezuela renewed its claim over Guyanese territory in February when Exxon Mobil announced its rig was moving into an area 120 miles off the coast to begin drilling for oil. A warning letter from the Venezuelan Government to the oil firm was followed up by Maduro’s decree in May. President Granger said

with the Maduro decree, the controversy has gone beyond Guyana and Venezuela; “it has now contaminated relations with the entire Eastern Caribbean.”

While Guyana pursues a definitive legal settlement to the case, in the interim, he wants the UN’s intervention in having Nicolas Maduro withdraw his May 26 decree which sought to annex Guyanese waters, including an area where the American firm ExxonMobil recently reported a significant oil find.

Maduro’s directive that the military enforce the de-

cree was seen as a threat to evict ExxonMobil, but the company is proceeding with its operations to determine the commercial viability of the find. The Minister responsible for the energy sector, Raphael Trotman, has been reported as saying ExxonMobil could be looking at some 1.5 billion barrels.

“We expect the UN Secretary General to play an important role in helping to reduce the level of tension and to support Guyana in having that obnoxious decree withdrawn,” Granger stated.

Mr Ban did not say when

he would send a mission to Guyana, but President Granger said he expected in Ban Ki-Moon's “line of work he will be moving very quickly.”

Last evening, Granger addressed leaders of the 15-nation regional trade and integration bloc CARICOM, calling for them to support Guyana, and the arbitral award that settled Guyana’s border with Venezuela 116 years ago.

“It was determined, defined, delineated and demarcated by international arbitration. Maps were drawn.

Atlases were adjusted. Border markers were cast in stone.

Any state that systematically, cynically and sedulously seeks to repudiate solemn international agreements and to undermine the security and sovereignty of another state must be condemned,” he said to loud applause. The audience included the Venezuelan Ambassador to Barbados.

“Naval superiority cannot be allowed to supplant the supremacy of the law. Gunboat diplomacy has no place in the 21st century Caribbean and must be condemned where ever it occurs,” Granger stated.

The Venezuelan President aborted a planned visit to Barbados and sent his deputy instead. Granger was not interested in meeting Maduro’s deputy unless it was to say Venezuela was withdrawing the decree.

Venezuela calls the region over the west bank of the Essequibo river a “reclamation zone,” believing that a controversy could lead to Venezuela “regaining” sovereignty over the region. As far as Guyana is concerned, the 1899 arbitral award that defined the borders was final and legally binding.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

Trinidad will not sit idly by and see Guyana disposed of its territory – PM Persad-Bissessar on Venezuela’s maritime claim PRIME MINISTER of Trinidad and Tobago, Mrs. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, says her country is in full support of Guyana as it relates to a recent decree made by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro over most of Guyana’s exclusive economic zone.

According to the Trinidadian Leader, the decree is illegal as it is clearly in contravention of the International Law of the Sea, and so her country will remain steadfast to President David Granger’s call to have the decree withdrawn.

“Trinidad and Tobago fully supports Guyana with respect to the border dispute. We have gone a step further; we have always had discussions with Guyana and

we offered to assist in any way that we can by having dialogue at the bilateral or multilateral level.”

Mrs. Persad-Bissessar reiterated that at this time she is pleased to see the support being offered to Guyana by the United Nations, the Commonwealth and CARICOM, since the impact of the decree is far reaching.

“Guyana should find the support because it (the decree) is in violation of the rule of law, and we are looking at the impact on the Eastern Caribbean.”

The Prime Minister pledged her country’s continued support to Guyana, even with its newest oil exploration project.

Support is also being offered in the area of en-

ergy and an invitation has been extended to President Granger to visit Trinidad to hold further discussion on this subject.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar stated that she will be in talks with Venezuela with the aim of making dialogue possible with Guyana.

She stated that even though the situation seems to have gone beyond the point of dialogue, it is her belief that discussion is the best way forward.

As it relates to on-going projects with CAIRCOM countries and Venezuela, the Trinidad Prime Minister said these are moving ahead smoothly, and she does not see any reason why her support for Guyana would affect

these projects.

The Venezuelan decree not only claims sea space belonging to Guyana, but also to Trinidad, Suriname and Barbados.

However, Guyana is most affected as United States Company ExxonMobil Exploration, which is operating in the Stabroek block, falls into the space being claimed

by Venezuela. That country’s claim came shortly after ExxonMobil announced that it had discovered a significant quantity of oil in one of the two wells it was exploring, the Liza -1 well.

Thus far, President Granger has secured the support of the United Nations, the Commonwealth and CARICOM on this territorial matter. (GINA)

President David Granger meets Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Mrs Kamla Persad- Bissessar

New administration aims to build equity in public education sector – Education Minister – to bridge gap between hinterland, coastland students EDUCATION Minister Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine has said that one of the principal goals of the new administration is to significantly build equity within the public education sector by bridging the gap between hinterland students and the students from the coastland.

This could be done once there are more equitable and relevant systems of education deliver, even as schools from the regions focus on their curricula.

He made these remarks at the Hinterland Scholarship Programme graduation exercise, which was held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre on Wednesday evening.

The programme spans almost five decades, granting top students in the hinterland regions the opportunity to

The Hinterland Scholarship graduating students

study in Georgetown, while catering for their basic needs.

The programme has inevitably evolved overtime,to the extent where some scholarship recipients are fortunate enough to receive placements in schools within their regions.

Dr. Roopnaraine said that it is within his power to en-

sure that any child transferred from the coast to the hinterland should not have any significant change in their education. Additionally, he said a few attempts have been made to some of these regional schools to uplift their standards to the same standards of those schools in Georgetown and on the coast.

The hinterland, said the minister, has long benefited from a unilateral relationship, where the coast has witnessed a high standard in education.

With this in mind, the minister said that there is an “upsurge” recognition of the value of the particular unique education that the hinterland has to offer.

“It is against this back-

ground [that] what I would like to see established in the near future, is the inverse of the hinterland scholarships where some young, promising students from the coast can be afforded the opportunity to learn in an environment where the true wealth of Guyana’s landscape is within arm’s reach,” explained Dr. Roopnaraine.

It is time,the minister added,that the people from the coast recognise that they have a great deal to learn from the hinterland.

In her remarks, Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, expressed similar sentiments to that of Dr. Roopnaraine and is in full support of the new administration’s plans to bridge the hinterland-coastland gap.

She challenged the graduates to better their communities when they return.

Indigenous peoples will

Minister of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine delivers his address

soon benefit from technical and agricultural institutes in Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9, as part of the Government’s agenda. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure will also aid in developing roads in hinterland communities, so that students can move freely while pursuing their academic goals.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

After Tunisia attack, sun-seekers switch to Spain, Bulgaria and Greece (Reuters) FEARING for their safety in Tunisia after a gunman killed dozens of tourists, sun-seeking Europeans are switching to destinations such as Spain, Bulgaria or even Greece for holidays this year.

Tunisia’s tourism industry had been recovering after the Arab Spring unrest, and had become a p o p u l a r l o w e r- c o s t beach holiday spot for Europeans. Last year, 2.8 million travelled there, rebounding back towards 3.8 million level seen in 2010 before the uprising, according to official statistics.

But last week’s attack - in which 38 people were

seeking a value-for-money all-inclusive holiday.

However, those switching may have to pay a premium as the holiday season is already under way and people typically book months in advance.

“It’s clear that some tourists will now change Tunisia for continental Spain or the Canary Islands, but they will have to pay more,” said Juan Molas, chairman of the Spanish Hotel Federation Cehat.

Molas also said Bulgaria and Turkey, which have lost a lot of their customers from Russia due to the economic crisis there, could prove to be popular, good-value alternatives to Spain.

However some industry experts said Westerners staying away from Tunisia for security reasons may be unwilling to switch to countries such as Turkey,

Tourists sunbathe on the Red Beach on the Greek island of Santorini, Greece, July 2, 2015 Reuters/Cathal McNaughton

killed by an Islamist gunman at a beach hotel, mostly Britons - added to security fears raised after a massacre at the Bardo museum in

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ket research firm Euromonitor. Destinations like the Maldives, the Caribbean and Mexico are typically more pricey and target a different customer segment.

Instead the biggest beneficiary is expected to be Spain, Rossini added. Spain targets a similar type of tourist to Tunisia - those

March, when two gunmen opened fire on tourists.

Now many tourists who had planned or booked Tunisian trips are looking elsewhere.

Long-haul destinations are unlikely to pick up tourists originally destined for Tunisia, said travel analyst Angelo Rossini from mar-

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which borders war-torn Syria, and Egypt, where there has been social and political unrest in recent years.

“After the incident in Tunisia, Turkey, as a Muslim nation, may be even more negatively impacted, because all of these types of events keep occurring in Muslim nations,” said Timur Bayindir, head of the Touristic Hotels & Investors Association (TUROB) in Turkey.

With its hot weather and good-value package tours, Greece could also be a beneficiary of a tourism switch but a lot depends on this weekend’s referendum on the country’s bailout terms and the outcome of the debt crisis, said Bob Atkinson, a travel expert at price comparison website TravelSupermarket.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

He attended graduation, 23 years later ( Tr i n i d a d E x p re s s ) A FORMER pupil of the Rio Claro Hindu Primary School last week returned to the school to deliver the feature address wearing the school’s uniform.

Vincent Singh who is a teacher at Naparima College in San Fernando never got a chance to graduate because he fell ill on his graduation day in 1992.

Singh, 34 was hoping to surprise his former teachers and the graduating pupils but received a surprise himself when he was presented with a certificate from principal Taramatti Bridgmohansingh, who was his former

teacher. She also invited his former principal Ramsubhag Pancham to be a part of the ceremony.

Singh said the purpose of wearing the school’s brown shirt and short khaki pants was for visual impact so the pupils would have been able to relate to him and it was not hard to obtain one.

He told the Express: “23 years ago, I fell ill on my graduation day in primary school and I would have been one of the students, it would have been a big day for me because I passed for my first choice Naparima Collge. But I couldn’t attend graduation and for me it was

a bit of a homecoming and everybody liked my outfit and everybody complimented me.”

Singh said: “My former teacher knew I didn’t collect my certificate and she printed a brand new one and she invited the principal at that time, Mr Ramsubhag Pancham and after my speech she presented me with my certificate which I didn’t get a chance to collect 23 years ago. It was interesting because my speech in my outfit was supposed to be a surprise but it was met with another surprise on the part of the administration.”

No heatwave expected in Jamaica

More than 1,100 people have died in a blistering heatwave sweeping India (Photo: AFP) KINGSTON, Jamaica – ACTING head of the Climate Branch at the MET Office, Jacqueline Spence, says that Jamaica is not at risk of experiencing a heatwave or heatwave-like conditions that are severely affecting sections of Europe and Asia.

“We won’t experience a heatwave in the Caribbean per se. We are an island and as a result we have the sea breeze which helps in some kind of modulation of the heat,” Spence told OBSERVER ONLINE by telephone Thursday.

She said “there may be isolated cases of extremely hot temperatures but nothing

near what people are experiencing elsewhere in the world”.

While she could not readily provide data on recorded temperatures, Spence added that “temperatures are expected to be hotter”.

She is advising children and the elderly to remain hydrated and take precaution when spending extended time in direct sunlight.

In his address to pupils Singh said education was their lifelong friend.

The theme for this year’s ceremony was “Befriend Education... We will meet again.”

Singh said: “Education is your friend and you want your friend in your company.”

He encouraged them to keep persevering to greater educational heights to post graduate and doctorate degrees. He told them to always try to learn something new to improve themselves.

Singh also spoke of his experience as a child, “getting licks, having box lunch, taking part in Carnival activities and having a good relationship with friends.”

Vincent Singh, former pupil at Rio Claro Hindu School poses for a picture with his parents Kuar Singh (left) and Angenie Singh. Singh who was the feature speaker at the school’s graduation ceremony showed up wearing the school’s uniform since he never got a chance to graduate.

-Photo: Courtesy Sateesha Ramsawak

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

EDITORIAL

Restoring Guyana National Service may help curb juvenile delinquency AN autobiography, entitled “A Goodly Heritage,” written

by Elma Seymour, wife of A.J. Seymour, renowned Guyanese writer, details some customs and standards that epitomise the normal standards and behaviour in the Guyanese society in times past, and this editorial would, in quoting some passages from this enlightening chronicle, provide some insights into the behavioural norms of those times.

(In the absence of their mother) ”Aunt Car was truly a second mother to us, and papa left many of our problems in her hands. She was always helpful and kind. Besides, we all had to be very polite, well-mannered, and obedient; and no loose-talking or (loose) jesting was allowed in our home.”

“Aunt Car was always one for encouraging the members of the family, especially those who were married and had started to raise a family, to establish the “Family Altar,” where prayers and Bible reading were said daily every morning.”

The products of this system were decent, well-behaved law-abiding adults, who believed in the basic principles of honour, respect for their fellow humans, and compassion for the less fortunate in society.

The system involved training in decorum, deportment, and good manners, with the requisite and necessary inputs to achieving equitable intellectual, social and physical development, which started from the home, and which was strategically supported by a strong network involving the education system and the community.

The headmistress of a primary school in Berbice had been summoned by a magistrate to attend court. This headmistress, from childhood, was an exemplary and studious child, who always aspired to, and achieved, academic heights, and who had received lucrative offers of employment in the entrepreneurial world, but who loved to teach

and refused to abandon her profession of choice. She balanced her family life with her profession and, together with her husband, had brought up high-achieving, well-behaved children.

However, she related a story to this newspaper that underscored how far down the ladder we have descended in social behaviour from the days when Mrs. Elma Seymour taught school.

She said that after school had been dismissed at 14:30 hours she was conducting a staff meeting in a room adjacent to where some students were copying their homework, when she heard a commotion.

Upon investigation, she discovered that a parent had entered the classroom and slapped a child with whom her child had a dispute.

The headmistress contends that, irrespective of any consideration, no adult has a right to accost and/or assault any child in or out of the school premises. She says that if a parent has a complaint there is a procedure in place to address such issues, which has to be adhered to at all costs, because the consequences are very detrimental to both children, and the morale and morals of the entire school population.

She is particularly concerned that education institutions are supposed to be protected environments for both parents and teachers, but often members of the public just march into schools and assault both teachers and students.

She expressed her concern over the growing indiscipline among some students whose behaviour is spiraling alarmingly out of control, with severe negative impact on security and the morale of teachers and the students who are genuinely trying to achieve goals within what is quickly becoming widespread lawlessness in school populations.

She contends that instead of a practice where families

GUYANA

“pray together” in order to “stay together”, they instead drink together and fight together, and she thinks that the only solution to this rapid decay in the moral fabric of society is that a holistic approach be taken, as in the days of yore, where there is total involvement of societal sectors to upgrade and enhance social behavioural norms.

Adults in families are often to be blamed for the moral turpitude of the children under their care, and if inculcating false values in children is an instance of abuse, then many adults are guilty of both abuse and the misdemeanors that the children under their care commit.

For instance, many children are encouraged to covet and steal the possessions of others by the adults in their lives.

One woman, who for some inexplicable reason has taken a dislike to a neighbour, encourages the neighbourhood children to enter the woman’s yard during her absence and steal and destroy her property. She also constantly abuses and threatens, and has even physically assaulted the woman, who largely ignores her, then encourages her grandchildren to support her lies when she makes false allegations against the woman to the police.

The headmistress thinks that the Guyana National Service should be re-established in a more structured way, where children with severe discipline problems should be sent to obtain their education under paramilitary conditions, which may serve to restore their sense of social responsibility However, she says teachers are constrained from punishing children because of widespread concerns about abuse, and quoted a recent incident where a very dedicated teacher gave an erring student a few lashes and was severely persecuted by students, their parents, and officialdom.

According to her, discipline has to be left completely to the parents as teachers are allowed no latitude, despite the most provoking behaviour from troublemaking students, who even walk with weapons and threaten other students over trifling incidents.

Parents, on the other hand, can withhold privileges within the home environment, but without a simultaneous programme where the school is allowed some leeway, even with monitoring from officials from the Education Department, the problems of society will continue to deteriorate into more violence…..and more violence….. and more violence.

Industrial Site Day Care facility graduates 27 cuties

By Shirley Thomas ELEGANCE, charm and excitement pervaded the atmosphere within the walls of the Industrial Site Day Care Facility at Ruimveldt yesterday, as 27 cuties, all dandily dressed and psychologically prepared, proudly came together for their annual graduation ceremony.

The boys wore light brown trousers, orange shirts white ties and black footwear; while the girls, each majestically adorned with silver crowns, were dressed in beautifully designed peach maxi dresses with white sashes and matching white shoes

and stockings.

During a well planned and delivered programme, which opened with a prayer, the children regaled their parents, teachers, and other special invitees to inspiring and heart-warming displays of dance; reciting of poems; acrostic puzzles; an elegant segment of modelling, and lusty singing of songs,(including the traditional graduation song).

The Group Leader’s Report was presented by Ms. Simone Cassius, while certificates were presented to the graduating class by D. Charles.

The day care facility is

an arm of the Georgetown Municipality, and is operated under Director Ms. Paulette Bollers and a staff of 12. The 70 children on roll comprise babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers organized in Groups One and Two. Group 2 Pre-schoolers range between the ages of 2yrs, 6 months and 3 years, 9 months.

The children of Pre-School 2 constituted yesterday’s graduating class, under Supervisor Ms. Paulette Beaton.

Presenting her Group Report for the year August 2014 - July 2015, Ms. Simone Cassius said that, over the last

See Page 7

Pre-schoolers 2 Graduates with Nursery Assistants at their graduation yesterday: Fourth from right in background is class supervisor, Ms. Paulette Beaton.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

President Granger calls on CARICOM to reject oppressive, obnoxious Venezuela decree BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – IN his inaugural speech at the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting last evening, President David Granger implored the Caribbean Community to reaffirm its collective support for the principles enshrined in international law for safeguarding territorial integrity, sovereignty and national independence.

He was at the time addressing the opening ceremony at the 36th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, at the Hilton Hotel in Barbados.

Making the case for Guyana, the President said even as this country approaches its 50th Independence Anniversary, with its sister Barbados, it is doing so with a ‘monkey on its back’. This was the unbearable burden of an ‘oppressive and obnoxious’ claim to Guyana’s land and sea space by Venezuela, he explained.

“CARICOM has been a source of solace and steadfast

support for Guyana’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over the years. We never needed that support more”, President Granger said.

Guyana, he pointed out, has over the years borne the brunt of having funding for a major hydro-electricity project blocked; intimidation of investors, harassment of its citizens in border areas and the expulsion and seizure by gunboats of petroleum exploration vessels.

President Granger noted that Guyana’s border with Venezuela was fixed 116 years ago, when it was determined, defined, delineated and demarcated by international arbitration.

In addition, maps were drawn, atlases were adjusted, border markers were cast in stone, the President stated.

“Any state that systematically, cynically and sedulously seeks to repudiate solemn international agreements and to undermine the security and sovereignty of another state must be condemned. Our na-

tional boundaries have been recognised internationally.”

Though this territorial dispute has been alive for the past 50 years, President Granger said Venezuela has become regressive and even more aggressive.

“That country continues to threaten the development of Guyana, a CARICOM member state, both on land and at sea.

That country, mindful of its superior wealth and military and naval strength, and unmindful of the plight of the poor people of one of the world’s smallest and least populated states, has again resorted to intimidation and the threat of the use of force.”

It is against this backdrop that the President passionately pleaded for the support of its sister states in the Caribbean Community.

“We clamour for the succour of the Commonwealth.

We yearn for the security of the United Nations and the shelter of international law to bring a peaceful end to Venezuela’s

rejection of the validity of a boundary which has been defined as a full, perfect and final settlement.”

The Guyanese Head of State told the CARICOM leaders that naval superiority cannot be allowed to supplant the supremacy of the law, and that ‘gunboat diplomacy’ has no place in the 21st century Caribbean and must be condemned where ever it occurs.

In this light, the President assured the representatives of the international community assembled at the opening ceremony of Guyana’s adherence to international law.

“We assure the Secretary General of the United Nations; we assure the Secretary General of the Commonwealth; we assure the Secretary General of the Organisation of American States and we assure the Secretary General of the Caribbean Community, that Guyana, today, and for all time, will pursue the principles of mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity

and sovereignty.”

Without CARICOM’s cooperation, the President said, Guyana runs the risk of being miniaturised and marginalised and efforts to improve the economy could be trivialised.

Acknowledging the fact that CARICOM is made up of small states, President Granger said these states deserve and should demand to be treated as equals among the nations of the world. “Let us not be afraid to re-engage the rest of the hemisphere as a natural family, as natural allies and as a force for peace and international law.”

He said that CARICOM member states are powerless as individual states, but are powerful as a community of sovereign states, and speaking with a united voice, they can gain amplitude in order to influence the global agenda and resolve the many issues that confront small states.

Regarding the countries’ waters, or exclusive economic zones, the President said these

are integral to CARICOM’s survival, “because we depend on these waters for our economic sustenance — travel, trade, tourism, fishing and petroleum exploitation.”

“Our exclusive economic zones are rich in resources.

These zones represent potentially lucrative economic frontiers,” Mr Granger said. However, he warned that because some have not been demarcated, this can also be exploited by forces external to the Community He said the solution lies in the process of maritime delimitation in accordance with the international Law of the Sea. “We must be prepared, also, to exercise absolute sovereignty over our maritime waters and resources. We must protect these resources from being invaded and annexed. We must pursue the principle of collective security which provides that a threat to any of our members represents a threat to our entire community.”(GINA)

Industrial Site Day Care ...

Graduands in the foreground, parents and other guests in the background at the Industrial Site Day Care Centre graduation on Friday

From Page 6 year, the group operated under three themes: First-term theme focused on ‘Myself, my Family’; second-term theme on ‘My Daycare’, and third term theme on ‘Things around Me’.

Cassius said the aim of the child care programme is to promote and provide opportunities for social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and spiritual development of the child to become a productive citizen.

Throughout the year, the children participated in indoor and outdoor activities.

Addressing the parents and guardians, who beamed with

justified pride and joy, Cassius gave them an insight into the activities in which their children were involved over the last year, stating: “The staff of this group has worked hard with your child/children to ensure they gain the necessary competencies and master the developmental skills mentioned previously.”

She said that at the learning institution, staff used to play to accomplish the developmental goals, since play is the vehicle through which young children learn.

Over the period, the children were engaged in activities such as collage (using shapes to create pictures), sorting colours, matching cards,

stringing of beads, tracing and identifying things, to name a few. Such activities aided their cognitive and fine motor muscle development, she said.

Meanwhile, taking on a very flavoured and colourful approach to learning were language development activities which included story-telling; picture study; rhymes and songs.

Physical development, which constituted another part of the curriculum, was done with the use of ring games, ball games, and physical exercise to name a few.

Rolling out a rather funfilled and exciting calendar of activities embarked on for the reporting period, Ms. Cassius mentioned that kids were tak-

en on visits to the Zoological Park, the Museum; the National Cultural Centre; the National Stadium at Providence and, (more recently) the Independence Park. They visited other day care facilities and nursery schools, toured developmental sites, held Christmas Party, Mash Jump Up and Classroom Valentines celebration.

The group leader assured parents that these visits, tours and other innovative activities were very important and beneficial to the children,

since they had fun, developed enquiring and probing minds, and learnt a lot.

With an air of pride and satisfaction, Ms. Cassius informed the parents assembled that the caregivers of the graduating group had accomplished all the goals set for the children’s development.

“We are pleased to say that Pre-Schoolers 2 children can identify numerals, shapes, colours, their names, the letters of the alphabet, their sounds.

And as was evident at the

graduation ceremony, they have learnt to memorize and recite, or sing before an audience the poems and/or songs taught them by the teachers.

And bidding the graduating class an emotional farewell, Ms. Cassius, who said she was confident that their transition to nursery school would be smooth, declared: “We, the Nursery Assistants, bid our graduating class of 2015 God’s blessings as you head for higher learning. Love you all!”

The Pre-School graduands recite the National Pledge

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

Youths must become crusaders for national reconciliation -Minister Roopnaraine, at working session of National Youth Policy task force

Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, addressing the opening of the National Youth Policy working session at the Arthur Chung International Convention Centre STICKING to its 100-day commitment to improve the situation of youths in Guyana by the implementation of a National Youth Policy, the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Education, has brought together a wide cross section of youths and private and civil society members for a twoday working session, aimed at advancing the process of finalising a National Youth Policy and discussing the broad themes of a National Youth Action Plan.

Day one of the session opened yesterday at the Arthur Chung International Convention (ACIC) Centre, Liliendaal, with Minister of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine charging the youths present to become crusaders for national reconciliation.

The Minister said that in his mind, there is no more sacred task confronting youths and Guyana than that of healing of the nation.

“We have a nation that is always hovering on the brink

of self-destruction, we need to heal this…we need to reconcile,” Minister Roopnaraine said, speaking of the division that has characterised Guyana since the 1960s.

Dr. Roopnaraine pointed out that Guyanese youths have inherited this fractured and polarised society, and that Guyana cannot move forward as a nation without once again reclaiming and regaining that united anti-colonial democratic movement that it had in the fight for independence. “It is what we in the Government committed ourselves to, it was what inspired the formation of our Government,” Dr. Roopnaraine said.

He noted that this first movement to national reconciliation came about by the reconciliation of the Working People’s Alliance and the People’s National Congress, two warring parties. “Some of you may be too young to know something about the bitterness of the fight that these two parties were engaged in,” the Minister told the youths. He

a crusade of love and neighbourliness.”

Addressing Government’s recognition of the importance of providing a framework for positive development of all Guyanese youths, Minister Roopnarine noted that youths are not only the future, but also “youths are here and now.”

In terms of basic arithmetic, Guyanese under 35 years of age make up 70 percent of the national demographics and are disproportionally affected by “every ill thing that our society has to offer,” the Minister noted. “…this process that you are embarking on is engaging youths to find solutions about these problems,” the Minister said, adding that he needs an action plan. “…What I am interested in is implementation, any report that comes to me that does not have a programme of implementation and an action plan is not a report that I am going to spend a lot of my time on,” the Minister said.

Highlighting how critical it is to empower youths to make meaningful contributions to Guyana’s sustainable development, Minister Roopnaraine

pointed out that “the sustainable solutions and actions, for society in a stage of crisis or pre-crisis, have always come from young people.”

He noted that the journey of persons like Forbes Burnham, Cheddi Jagan, Walter Rodney, Martin Luther King Jnr., Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro and Barack Obama all began in earnest during the days of their youth. “They did not come to where they reached by accident…they were inspired and nurtured in their youth,” he said.

He promised that Government will offer avenues for such nurturing for Guyanese youths. “… we are going to listen to you, take your recommendations, work with you as partners, in making this society one that we can all be proud of,” he said.

Meanwhile, Presidential Advisor on Youth Empowerment, Aubrey Norton, in his presentation, noted that these working sessions are intended to encourage serious discussions on the question of the National Youth Policy and a National Action Plan. “It is important for us to recognise

that we are here for ideas to clash, and not personalities,” he said. “….we welcome the clash of ideas, we welcome free and, frank discussions that allow us to disagree, but then arrive at a consensus on the way forward,” he added.

Norton noted that Government has already shown that it has the political will to ensure young people develop a policy by their participation. He said that the intention is make sure that “we place youth work on a professional footing.” “…the intention is to professionalise youth work so that young people can be involved in youth work; well trained, well prepared…young people who are in a position to represent themselves and not necessarily be presented by someone else,” he said.

The two-day session, which will see presentations and also youths being involved in panel and groups discussions on the National Youth Policy and a National Youth Action Plan, is being convened in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). (GINA)

explained that in the 1970s, led

by Walter Rodney of the WPA, a national movement developed and “we entered into the most furious conflict with the People’s National Congress.”

He noted, however, that the day came, “when we recognised the need for reconciliation,” and from these two warring parties came the movement for national unity and the bedrock of this alliance, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU.) Though the country has developed to the point where it now is, there is yet much to be done,” Dr. Roopnaraine noted.

“We still live in a society where there is too much suspicion between major sections of the society,” he said.

“I am convinced and I believe that you must be convinced after all this time, and all this experience that without joining forces, without in effect becoming one nation, and devoting ourselves to the construction of that one nation, we as a country will falter,” He said. He urged the youths A young man making a presentation at the National Youth Policy to embark on this crusade of reconciliation and to “embrace working session

Minister of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine (centre) with officials of the ministry and representatives of UNICEF and UNFPA at the National Youth Policy working session

Youth and private and civil society at the working session

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

In face of territorial provocation…

‘Guyana not without friends’ – acting President Nagamootoo reassures EVEN as President Granger makes a case defending Guyana’s territorial integrity to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at that body’s 36th Heads of Government meeting in Barbados, at home, Acting President Moses Nagamootoo has reassured Guyanese and the international community that “in the face of provocation, our Guyana is not without friends.”

“We are not daunted,” Mr. Nagamootoo told a gath-

ering Thursday night at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston at a U.S Embassy-hosted reception for that country’s 239th Independence, “as we strengthen national and international collaboration in defence of our sovereignty and [further] promote the Caribbean and South America as a zone of peace.”

“Our Government will continue to work towards adherence to agreements that respect our territorial integrity and that guarantee

our sovereignty,” the acting President continued. “In this regard, our Government acknowledges the continued valued support offered by the Government of the United States of America, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Caribbean Community, and other friendly nations and organisations for Guyana’s pursuit of a happy life for our people within secure borders.”

While Mr. Nagamootoo spoke on the “spurious

threats to our territorial integrity” as a challenge to building Guyana’s new democracy, he assured the gathering that like the 239-yearold United States, “we too are optimistic that we can achieve greatness when we harness the creativity of our people and utilise our vast wealth and resources in the manner that the USA has done to promote social and economic development.”

Over in Barbados, President Granger is making a case to the Caribbean Community to unequivocally support Guyana’s territorial

integrity since according to him, a threat to the integrity of Guyana is a threat to the whole CARICOM union.

In his address to the regional Heads of Government last evening, President Granger recalled the provocation faced by Guyana and investors in Guyana seeking to develop this country’s exclusive economic zone in its maritime waters.

To that end, the President told the gathering at the 36th Heads of Government Conference “even as this country [Guyana] approaches its 50th Independence Anniversary,

Acting President Moses Nagamootoo delivers his address to the gathering on the occasion of the reception for the 239th Independence Anniversary of the United States, at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston

with its sister Barbados, it is doing so with a ‘monkey on its back’.”

“Any State,” the President said in his address,“that systematically, cynically and sedulously seeks to repudiate solemn international agreements and to undermine the security and sovereignty of another state must be condemned. Our national boundaries have been recognised internationally.”

President Granger reminded the heads that Venezuela had once again, as was done for some time, utilised intimidation and the threat of the use of force even as that country clearly holds superior wealth, military, and naval resources as compared to Guyana.

In the presence of the Secretaries-General of the United Nations, Commonwealth, and CARICOM, President Granger reaffirmed “Guyana, today and for all time, will pursue the principles of mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

P re s i d e n t G r a n g e r warned of Guyana being seen as miniature and marginal without the support of CARICOM, but called on leaders of the smaller Caribbean territories to “re-engage the rest of the hemisphere as a natural family, as natural ally, and as a force for peace and international law.”

Blind Society anxiously awaiting second batch CSEC results – recruiting third batch of students THE Guyana Society for the Blind (GSB) has just recently had its second batch of visually impaired students sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and is currently recruiting its third batch of students to sit the 2016 exams.

Project Coordinator of the society, Ganesh Singh, told this publication that the society is fully prepared to work with the third batch to create more history for the organisation. The society has also been hosting free computer classes for those visu-

ally impaired persons who are not computer literate.

Seven subject areas are being offered thus far: Social Studies, Principles of Business, Office Administration, English Language, Human and Social Biology, Caribbean History and Religious Education. Mathematics however, will come in the near future once the resources become available, Singh disclosed. Additionally, the society will be commencing its braille classes, come August.

Singh has expressed his expectations about the second batch, noting that the

society has high expectations of them and are anxiously awaiting the results which are expected in August.

This project was long nurtured before it was implemented and is a spin-off of another project that sought to teach visually impaired persons how to use computers.

The Blind Society has been collaborating with the One Laptop Per Family Project (OLPF) in order to provide computers for the students, as well as the implementation of the JAWS software which serves as a computer instructor for visually impaired learners.

Moreover, the society was fortunate to benefit from assistance by the Basic Needs Trust Fund, which funded rehabilitation of the society’s building and also provided better furniture to accommodate members as well as the CSEC students.

However, Singh recently noted that he hopes the new Minister of Education will continue to support the society in its future endeavours.

Last year, Rosemary Ramitt emerged as the top student of the first batch, securing five grade ones along with Odessa Harper, who came second in securing five grade two passes at the CSEC examinations.

Some of the new recruits of the third batch

10

Ramjattan re-directs CPG resources to GPF – as crime continues upward spiral EVEN as Guyana’s rising crime rate continues to be a sore point for the new APNU+AFC administration, Vice-President and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has proposed re-directing the resources of Community Policing Groups (CPGs) into “beefing-up” the operations of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

T h e m i n i s t e r, w h i l e speaking to this publication,specifically referred to vehicles currently in the possession of CPGs, as well as those parked in the compound of the subject ministry, and even those ordered under the previous administration.

“With the present crime increase,” Minister Ramjattan said on Thursday,June 25 at the public buildings, “I decided that why not give those vehicles that were there in the Ministry of Public Security, and those that have been ordered to [sic] the police, because a lot of stations don’t have any transportation.”

This measure taken at the policy level by the minister comes as the surging crime situation continues to ail this new administration, which

came into office following the May 11 general and regional elections. “[There has been] a lot of crimes in the recent weeks, and the major counter to it is to ensure there are lots more police patrolling all the various divisions,” the Public Security Minister said in an invited comment.

“I have asked the Policing Community Group Head, Mr. [Dennis] Pompey, who has a number of vehicles, to transfer them to the police.”

When asked whether this move by the minister will impair the ability of those groups to tackle crime at the community level, Ramjattan responded in the negative, saying, “The policing community groups [sic] are but a supplement to the police force.The frontline that must be resourced is the police force, and the last administration bought a huge set of vehicles for the policing community groups.”

Minister Ramjattan is adamant that he made a judgement call for the re-directing of resources to the police force to increase its operations. Minister Ramjattan still sees the importance of policing groups at the

THAG’s President Shaun McGrath

during his first term in office.

He thanked Ram and McRae, auditors to the association, the executive; past and present, and the membership for their continued support.

The other members of

Anna Catherina United Sadr Islamic Anjuman presents plaque to Minister Lawrence MINISTER of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, on Thursday received a plaque from members of the Anna Catherina United Sadr Islamic Anjuman on behalf of the Muslim community.

The presentation was in honour of Mrs Lawrence’s appointment as Minister of Social Protection of the Republic of Guyana. (GINA)

Vice-President and Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan

community level, but his position for now is that the groups should “just hold on a while.”

Another issue which the minister hopes to tackle is the 911 Emergency Service, which has been problematic for a long time. On that note, Ramjattan said he had requested recommendations from Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud on how to improve that system “by far as to what is presently the situation.”

Shaun McGrath to serve second term as THAG president SHAUN McGrath was elected to serve a second consecutive term as the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) President, as the association held its 22nd Annual General Meeting on Tuesday at the Cara Lodge.

The association indicated that during its recent elections, Shaun McGrath was re-elected President, while Andrea de Caires and MitraRamkumar were also re-elected to serve as vicepresident and treasurer, respectively.

President McGrath, in his presentation to the membership, outlined his plans to enhance services offered members, address advocacy concerns and growing the membership. He also promised to work assiduously on those aspects not completed

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

the Board of Directors are as follows: committee member Kevin Daby, General Manager, Grand Coastal Hotel; committee member Annette Arjoon-Martins, Marketing Manager, Air Services Limited; committee member,Jacqueline Allicock, CEO, Surama; and committee member,Teri O’Brien, General Manager, Wilderness Explorers.

Christopher “Kit” Nascimento, Managing Director of Public Communication Consultants Limited, continues to serve as immediate past president.

A Booking Engine, Explore Guyana Website, and Tourism Development Fund were recently launched as the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) aims to take Guyana further ahead in the tourism sector.

Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence receives the plaque from a member of the Anna Catherina United Sadr Islamic Anjuman

Diamond housewife shot, robbed of $200,000 in minibus SHARON Baldeo, a housewife of Diamond Housing Scheme, was Thursday afternoon shot to her leg and robbed of a bag with more than $200,000 after leaving the Republic Bank Branch at Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

According to the woman’s daughter who spoke with the Guyana Chronicle, while at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), herself and her mother exited the bank and walked to the roadway to join public transportation.

The young lady said that they joined a minibus and when they entered, they observed a young man eyeing them up all along. She recalled that when the minibus was approaching the Flour Mill Road at Eccles, the male requested to be put off.

The woman and her daughter who were seated in the back seat with the man,

Shot Sharon Baldeo

moved their feet for him to pass and as he passed he grabbed the bag which the woman had in her possession and she and her daughter put up a fight, which forced the man to whip out a handgun and fire shots at them.

One shot missed the

young lady, while the second shot connected to her mother’s foot before the man made good his escape with the bag containing the cash.

However, after the police were informed of the incident and quickly went into operation mode, they were able to arrest the suspect but no weapon or the bag with the money was recovered.

The man was positively identified by another passenger in the minibus and the police are looking to have the victim and/or her daughter confirm today at an ID parade, if the suspect is indeed the man who snatched the bag.

Police sources have indicated that the young man whose age was given as 21, was said to be involved in a number of robberies in the past and was picked up by the police before. None of the robberies were however committed with the use of a firearm.

IPED employee charged with theft of $29,000 FORTY-FOUR-year-old Mark Ashby of 70 Friendship Village, East Coast Demerara, was granted $50,000 bail when he appeared Thursday before city Magistrate Ann McLennan charged with larceny.

Ashby denied the allega-

tion that stated on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, at Georgetown, while being employed as a clerk or servant at the Institute of Private Enterprise Development Ltd (IPED), stole the sum of $29,480.

Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Paul Fung-a-fat, in his request for bail for his client,

explained that his client had issued a receipt when he received the mentioned money; however, Ashby forgot to lodge the money.

The magistrate placed Ashby on $50,000 bail, and ordered him to return to court on Monday, July 27, 2015.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

Nandlall deflects blame for non-payment

of 2014 Cabinet-approved $1.2B after CCJ rulings – but Williams slams Nandlall’s assertions as 'erroneous'

By Derwayne Wills FORMER Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall is challenging the claim made by his successor, Attorney General Basil Williams, that he must account for some $1.2B approved

by Cabinet in 2014 for court-ordered payments to the Suriname Rudisa Beverage Company.

“Mr. Williams seem (sic) not to be able to appreciate that the whimsical withdrawal of such a huge sum of money from the treasury can have far reaching ramifications in an economy like ours,” Nandlall said in a statement to the media.

Williams was making his inaugural address to the National Assembly on June 26 when he noted that there were a number of outstanding court-ordered monies against the Guyana Government at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in Trinidad.

“I informed that the previous Government, represented by the former Attorney General had occasioned a judgement in the matter of Rudisa Beverage Company’s case of $1.2B… and that judgement has not been

paid by the previous Government,” the Attorney General told the House.

On another case, regarding Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL), Williams further disclosed to the House, in the absence of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), that there is a sum of $57M owed to the company, which was unpaid by the former Administration.

Nandlall, in his response, sought to lay blame for the need to pay $1.2B squarely at the feet of the new Attorney General, and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)/Alliance For Change (AFC) parties in the National Assembly during the 10th Parliament (20112015).

“This humongous debt on the backs of Guyanese tax payers,” Nandlall said in his statement, “is purely the creation of Mr. Williams and his political colleagues while they had a majority in the 10th Parliament.”

He reasoned, “They rejected our Government’s (PPP/C) attempt to amend our laws on two occasions to bring Guyana in conformity with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC).” “Were this amendment passed, Ru-

Attorney General Basil Williams

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

disa Beverage Company would have withdrawn the case without Guyana paying a single cent.”

The former PPP/C Attorney General called for his successor to come out and explain to Guyanese “how and why they… have to pay this debt in the first place.”

assertions about his party’s objection to the proposed amendments “erroneous”, further stating that the objections to the amendments made by himself, and Ministers Khemraj Ramjattan and Carl Greenidge had nothing to do with the environmental tax.

The environmental tax was the essence of the legal battle between the Government of Guyana and the Surinamese beverage company, which was imposed by what

ASSERTIONS “ERRONEOUS” Meanwhile, Williams, while talking to the Guyana Chronicle, called Nandlall’s

was deemed as “discriminatory” laws enacted by Guyana’s Parliament against the interest of products imported from the CARICOM trading bloc.

In a May 2014 media release from the CCJ, the Court ruling said, “A breach of the RTC cannot be excused on the basis that the Government was unable to obtain from the National Assembly necessary amendments to domestic legislation.”

The release continued: “The CCJ held the claimants (Rudisa) were entitled to a declaration that the legislation was inconsistent with the RTC. The claimants were also entitled to be repaid the environmental taxes collected from them up to 2013, amounting to US$6,047,244.47.”

Additionally, the Court had ordered Guyana to become compliant with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which outlines the responsibilities of member countries in CARICOM, and to file a report in late 2014 on compliance with such orders. The Chronicle is unaware whether such a report was filed.

Nandlall in his statement directed Williams to the fact that while the CCJ’s judge-

ment was made in May 2014, “the National Assembly went into recess and then Parliament was prorogued.” “Parliament was then dissolved and of course,” the statement continued, “there were certain limits upon spending in the absence of a budget in 2015.”

Williams told this publication recently that he was in receipt of a memo from Cabinet, which ordered the payment of the $1.2B to the Rudisa Beverage Company, and called on his predecessor Anil Nandlall to account for the $1.2B approved by Cabinet for the CCJ-ordered payments.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon at a recent post-cabinet press briefing told reporters that the Government is prepared to negotiate with the Surinamese beverage company.

While declaring that Cabinet will honour the commitments, Harmon said “Cabinet has advised the Honourable Minister of Legal Affairs to seek to enter into negotiations with these companies with a view to finding out whether they will be prepared to accept a smaller sum as a final settlement in these matters.”

Development of Recht Door Zee imminent DURING a visit to Recht Door Zee Phases I and II in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Minister with responsibility for Housing in the Ministry of Communities,Keith Scott, related that beautification of the environment, creation of recreational facilities, construction of schools and improved road and drainage networks are some areas that have been identified for upgrades.

Minister Scott visited the housing schemes on Tuesday last and made these observations. He was accompanied

by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Hous-

ing and Planning Authority (CHPA), Myrna Pitt; Director of Operations, Denise King-Tudor; Senior Community Development Officer, Donell Bess-Bascom; and Enforcement Officer Lester Kitt.

The housing scheme at Recht Door Zee Phase I includes houses which were constructed under the Core House Pilot. This project was implemented by the Government of Guyana in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Second Low-Income Settlement Programme.

Recht Door Zee Phase II is also one of the Low-

Income Settlement (LIS) Two Project, home to the professionals’ pilot, which saw 206 lots allocated to teachers, nurses and police officers. These persons would have taken mortgages from Republic Bank (RBL) and the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), to realise their dreams of home ownership.

Determined to achieve Government’s vision of building cohesive communities, Minister Scott inspected the housing schemes to identify needed community development projects. The minister explained that he is pleased with Republic

Bank Guyana Limited and the services that they have offered to the residents and expressed the hope that other banks would come on board to assist the working class in improving their living conditions.

He advised that selfhelp groups should be formed to assist in beautifying the communities and a playground with club-house facility should be constructed to promote sports such as football and cricket. In addition, the Westminster Multi-Purpose Building should be renovated and properly utilised to benefit residents.

Minister Keith Scott with other CH&PA officials

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Former Housing Minister calls out gov’t…

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

Housing sector $3.3B loan…

Transfer all resources Irfaan Ali cites need in private banks for infrastructure

– to Consolidated Fund, as promised FORMER Minister of Housing Irfaan Ali Thursday said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has always held the view that resources held in private commercial banks by the State was legal and not a contravention of any Act or guidelines.

Speaking at a Freedom House press conference, Robb Street, Ali, who also held responsibility for the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, said the figure in question, which is held by various agencies in private commercial banks, is some $20B. For instance, he said the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has more than $8B held in these banks. In this case, he noted the Act empowered the previous Administration to invest resources and also provided guidelines on how the resources were to be managed.

Ali said the current Minis-

“They had said in the campaign and in the last parliament that they would return all those resources (in private commercial banks) into the Consolidated Fund. I want to take this opportunity to urge the Government to do this as they would have promised.

They said it was held there for corrupt practices, for thieving…” - Irfaan Ali ter of Finance was director of budget and advisor on budget issues. “As a technician, he would have worked in the system when these accounts were established and held. So I think that his advice at that time would have been interesting for the Government.”

The present Administration has consistently said that this practice is illegal and should be corrected. “They had said in the campaign and in the last parliament that they would return all those resources into the Consolidated Fund. I want to take this opportunity to urge the government to do this as they would have promised. They

said it was held there for corrupt practices, for thieving.

Now that they have access to the resources and are in a position to implement what they promised, I wish to urge the Government to immediately implement this decision of theirs to transfer all resources into the Consolidated Fund.

“The Minister of Finance said they are re-examining some of their 100 days promises because of availability of resources.

By transferring this money, they will have the more than $20B available to them to fulfil their promises, such as increases in salaries and so on.” (Telesha Ramnarine)

development

FORMER Housing Minister Irfaan Ali Thursday sought to explain why the housing sector was seeking a $3.3B loan when it already had some $8.8B. Speaking at a Freedom House press conference, he said: “The mere transfer of land or purchase of land does not translate into house lot allocation or does not translate into housing development. You have to have development of the infrastructure, development of the

fiscal assets required. So the $3B was for the acquisition of land but when that land would have been acquired, the loan would have had to be repaid by the CH&PA (Central Housing and Planning Authority).”

To repay that loan, Ali said, they would have had to immediately move into infrastructure development to bring the land into a state that they could have allocation or start building so that they could have started to receive

revenue to service the loan.

“If you deduct the cost of infrastructure to develop that land that we’ve acquired, you would see that resources would have had to come from CH&PA Fund. We also have ongoing infrastructure. A lot of the resources held there are already earmarked for future development and for the completion of infrastructure upgrade in various communities,” he said.

Two portfolios, one salary, says Irfaan Ali

By Telesha Vidya Ramnarine DESPITE holding two portfolios in the former PPP/C Government, those of Minister of Housing and Water and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Irfaan Ali on Thursday said he did not receive two emoluments.

Speaking at a press conference at Freedom House, in Georgetown, he said: “I have received one salary. I have executed the duties and responsibilities for the tourism sector without any additional financial benefit or any other benefit.”

In relation to vehicles, Ali said he was never issued an additional official vehicle from the Ministry of Tourism. “In terms of vehicles belonging to the tourism

ministry, I can count on one hand the number of times I may have used a Ministry of Tourism vehicle because my substantive post as Minister of Housing and Water gave me access to a vehicle and most of the fuel was covered under the Ministry of Housing. There is very limited access that I would have had.”

Ali said he called the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism yesterday who told him that he was not aware of any discrepancies and that nobody discussed with him any irregularities or any investigation.

“I would like to urge the Minister of State to lay out the vehicle numbers and names of the persons who would have abused the system. What I am very proud of as minister with responsibility for tourism,

Mr. Irfaan Ali

is the savings I brought to that ministry,” said Ali.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

‘Be the best you can’-Dr Barton Scotland to NGSA graduating class THE 2015 graduating batch of National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) students of St. Margaret’s Primary School, were on Thursday charged, as they move to the next phase of life, to “Be the best they can,” in consonance with the school’s motto which is: “To be the Best I can be.”

This charge was made by the Hon. Dr. Barton Scotland, Speaker of the National Assembly, who delivered the feature address at the school’s graduation ceremony held at the National Cultural Centre.

Dr. Scotland, eminently proud of the students’ performance at the examinations, congratulated them and wished them well as they move to the next level of education.

Preparing them for the road ahead, Dr. Scotland made a clarion call to the graduands to be ever mindful about the friends they keep, adding that they should make it an imperative to stay away from bad influences. To this end, he warned, “It is you who will determine your destiny, so stay away from influences which will lead you astray.”

D r. S c o t l a n d w a r n e d against hanging out with other young people who are at liberty to spend the evenings out and return home the next day; who engage in immodest forms of dress – be it male or female. He cautioned the students against giving their lives to others, who will lead them to destruction, and consciously aim to be the best that they can be.

Moreover, he challenged parents to ensure they know their children’s friends. “I am suggesting that you should know your children’s friends.

If he or she has friends he doesn’t want his parents to meet, there is a problem there.”

Rights and responsibilities of the Child; And touching on the concept of the ‘Rights of the Child’, Dr. Scotland said that even though there is much emphasis on respect for children’s rights, there is something fundamental that is not being emphasised.

“Over the years, we hear about the Rights of Children and respect for those rights, and even though we often hear about such rights, what is not emphasised are the duties and responsibilities of children.”

To the graduands, he said:“What is not clear is that rights carry with them duties and responsibilities.

The rights owed you by your parents, your teachers, the

community, oblige you to be aware of your responsibility to teachers and your parents.

Know that you owe a duty to your class, fellow students, teachers and to the school you attend. You have a responsibility to your parents and the community in which you live.

Each of us has a responsibility and I think we are all aware of that.”

Dr. Scotland emphasised that none of us can go through life without respecting the rights of others, since responsibilities are shared things.

And using the playing of music as a timely reminder, he stoutly admonished the graduands against playing their music at the loudest, much to the annoyance and inconvenience of others.

“Do not merely insist on your rights, but accept that other people have rights too.

By playing your music at its loudest, you are in effect saying silently to everybody, “I don’t care what you think nor do I care what you say. I have a right to play my music so I am playing my music.”

Stopping short of saying that such constitutes rude

behaviour, Dr. Scotland cautioned the graduands to keep foremost in their minds that whatever they practise now, whatever habits you adopt – be it good or bad, will accompany them into adulthood.

“If you acquire a reputation in secondary school for being a school bully, or a “ruction” or quarrelsome person, if you get that reputation in secondary school, it will remain with you and it’s the only way people will refer to you,” He advised the students.”

BEWARE Other bad influences against which the youths were warned, include: immoral dress forms; the practice of forgetting the direction to school once they leave the home, or take along other clothing to school with the intention of heading elsewhere after school and immoral dress.Touching on the consequences, the guest speaker said: “You have to decide if that is the brand you want to present to the world.”

Dr. Scotland reminded the graduands that over the last six

See page 16

For Saturday July 04, 2015: 05:30hrs For Sunday July 05, 2015: 05:30:00hrs For Monday July 06, 2015: 08:30hrs

A dance by former students

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

Bartica businessman accused of fraudulently converting $120M A BARTICA businessman accused of fraudulently converting $120million loaned him to purchase gold, was on Wednesday remanded to prison by city magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Eon Figueroa pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that between Monday, June 22 and Sunday,June28,2015 at Bartica, he being solely entrusted with $120M by Nazar Mohamed, owner of Mohamed’s Enterprise, to purchase gold and return

the proceeds, converted the said sum to his own use and benefit.

The matter was privately prosecuted by attorney at law Latchmie Rahamat, via means of a “Fiat,” rather than a state prosecutor assigned by the director of public prosecutions (DPP).

The prosecutor stated that the defendant is a business partner with Mohamed and was given a large sum of money to purchase gold, make other investments and return the money. However, when the virtual complainant went to uplift the

cash it was discovered missing, hence the charge.

Rahamat further disclosed that Figueroa is currently being investigated by the police for a similar matter, whereby he is accused of fraudulently converting $60,000 from a man.

In light of him being currently fingered in another criminal matter, the prosecutor objected to bail on the ground that the businessman poses as a flight risk, and because of the quantum of money involved, he may not return to stand trial.

However, Figueroa’s

lawyer, in his request for his client to be released on reasonable bail challenged the prosecutor to produce the bank statement purporting to show the alleged claims.

The magistrate in her address told the lawyer that she was aware of the alleged claims and investigation that were highlighted, and bail was therefore refused.

The businessman was remanded to prison until Wednesday, July 8, 2015, and will make his next appearance at the Bartica Magistrates Court.

Porter remanded for intent to commit murder A YOUNG porter was Thursday remanded to prison on a charge of intent to commit murder when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Mark Spencer, 18, of Lot 4 Laing Avenue, was not required to plead to the indictable offence, which alleged that on June 27 at Houston, East Bank Demerara, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Mark White with intent to murder

him.

According to Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones, the victim is still hospitalised and is said to be in a critical condition.

Deniro however, did not relate further on the matter.

Spencer had informed the court that he was being represented by Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd; but the lawyer was delayed in a meeting at Parika. Spencer was nevertheless remanded until Friday, July 17, 2015.

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‘Be the best you can’-Dr Ba From Page 13

Dr. Barton Scotland, speaker of the National Assembly, delivers the feature address at St. Margaret’s graduation ceremony

years much time, attention and resources would have been expended on them by parents, teachers and their headmistress. Hence, he urged them to choose to do only those things that would lift their images and standards and make the school and those who have invested in them proud. “I am saying these things to explain that you are moving from the phase where adults make excuses for you [and now comes the time] when adults begin to require you to take up responsibility. You are entering secondary school.

You have the ability; you have everything. Use it to [your] advantage.

DANGERS OF MISUSE AND ABUSE OF CELLPHONES Meanwhile, there was a chilling message for the students assembled, on the issue of inappropriate use of cellphones and other electronic gadgetry.

Dr. Scotland painstakingly shared with the students the hidden dangers and repercussions of “typing of inappropriate messages or images to share with friends,” on cellphones or facebook.

“Typing inappropriate messages or images to share with friends is dangerous and years later, can come back to haunt or embarrass you,” Dr. Scotland warned.

He outlined that if one types an inappropriate mes-

sage or posts an inappropriate image, then removes it later, they may only ‘think’ they’ve gotten rid of it, but it remains in the system and can be used against that person at a later date. “Removing it doesn’t mean that it’s gone. It means that the inappropriate message or images will come back to haunt you 10 or 12 years later.”

The guest speaker cited an example of a person having made such a posting and years later turning up someplace for an interview.

The interview goes perfect, until suddenly the interviewee is asked to explain that particular image or language documented 12 or 14 years ago. “Imagine the terror and embarrassment!” he declared.

“Maybe your first reaction will be to deny it... when you knew, even at the time you were doing it that you ought not to have done it or made such choices.

“If you have brushes with the law, that remains with you,” he said, as he urged them to choose carefully and wisely.

What in effect happens, is that the information or image is stored in cyberspace and can be retrieved at any time.

This explains the concept of cyber-bullying, where another person can use embarrassing information you probably posted on cell phone or face book to destroy your image or reputation. Hence the need to be very guarded about the information you document or post.

Students

The Graduating Class o Guyana’s Children” ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Meanwhile, Dr. Scotland congratulated the parents for having brought their children up to the present stage of development, working with them educationally and emotionally, nurturing and encouraging them to perform.

Exhorting the parents not to leave them at this critical juncture, he also cautioned, “Do not allow the belief to creep into your minds, which says they are now big and must have ‘their space and privacy.”

Reacting harshly to that stance, he said: “We as parents, must know what our children are doing ... We should know their friends. We must know what they are doing in their rooms... what they are doing on the internet. Dr. Scotland urged parents not to allow their children to give them any “talk” about invasion of private space, adding, “It is your responsibility to know, because consider, if anything untoward occurs, consider who will be asked the questions.

“So parents, between being given the space and being “nosey” in everything they do, there is room for guidance, questions and to be firm. You have a responsibility in their lives. It is not their responsibility alone.

Let us work with them; continue to see them as our responsibility. You nurtured them and protected them from harm. Let us support them. Do not leave

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

arton Scotland to NGSA ... were awarded places at the prestigious Queen’s College; 15 got placements at other senior secondary schools, such as Bishops’ High, St. Rose’s High, St. Stanislaus

s assembled for the graduation

of 2015 renders a patriotic song: “Hymn for them now.”

Dr. Scotland, expressing pride and satisfaction with what was being realised, congratulated the headmistress and staff of St. Margaret’s for the dedicated work, patience and tolerance towards realis-

ing such stellar performances by the children at their examinations.

From a class of 43 students who wrote the examination, six ranked among the nation’s 100 top performing students; seven

College and St. Joseph High; and the remainder were awarded places at Grade ‘A’ schools.

Those awarded places at Queen’s College are: Rean-

na McCurchin (who placed among the nation’s top 10 students), Zuri Singh, Andrew Chinatambi, Rhea Ramotar, Nechemiyah Levans, Lugard Mohan and

Mesha Sealy. The professions they aspire to pursue include law, medicine, law enforcement, journalism, military commander, and veterinary doctor.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

Dynamic Airways– non-stop celebrates service to Toronto will first anniversary commence in October AMIDST all the hard and challenging days Dynamic Airways has faced, the airline celebrated Thursday one year of providing its service to the travelling Guyanese public.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Roraima Airways, Captain Gerald Gouveia

during a press conference held at Duke Lodge in commemoration of Dynamic Airways one-year anniversary, noted that there were some challenging times in the past, but the airline has regrouped and to date has been providing excellent service to the travelling

public. “Dynamic gave me a dynamic headache, but the hard times are behind us,” Gouveia stated.

“You are not hearing anything about us in the news now because everything is going smoothly, the only time you hear about us in the news is when things Captain Gerry Gouveia, Captain Debbie Gouveia, CEO of the Roraima Group of Companies, Captain Gerald Gouveia and Dynamic Airlines’ Captain Lawrence Skinner, along with several Guyanese flight attendants

are bad,” Gouveia added.

He noted that the airline has been running very efficiently four days weekly Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. “Our flights are on time, flights arrive every morning at 06:30 hrs and depart at 16:00 hrs in the evening on time, every time.” To this he added that because of the summer vacation period, the airline will be having additional flights to offset the influx of travelling persons.

Some 1,500 passengers were transported between the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and the John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport on 92 scheduled flights during the last quarter. Captain Gouveia has also indicated that because of Dynamic Airways’ entry into the market, the airline has been contributing significantly to the stable airfares Guyanese now enjoy. “We have every intention to keep the fares stable during the upcoming summer peak season.”

Dynamic Airways has also given many Guyanese the opportunity to be a part of their family by training persons as flight attendants and in the near future, it was revealed that the airline will be training pilots that are presently serving Roraima Airways. “Roraima pilots will be infiltrated into the Dynamic system,” Gouveia disclosed.

Dynamic Airlines’ Captain Lawrence Skinner gave

the assurance that the company was looking to foster a long-term relationship with Roraima Airways and Guyana. He was also in high praise of his Guyanese flight attendants. “We look forward to many years of service,” he said, as he announced a doubling of the airline fleet.

The company’s Chief Operating Officer, Bill Grey, in light of the company’s first anniversary, recently stated that “our goal in the first year of service was to establish ourselves as the preferred carrier of Guyanese. We achieved this by maintaining the highest safety records, delivering the most desirable schedule, and reached highest on-time performance standards as well as exemplary customer service.”

“We believe that our coming daily service from Georgetown to New York combined with non-stop service from Georgetown to Toronto, which we intend to start in October of this year [2015], will allow us to provide Guyanese with safe, reliable and affordable service into two of their favourite international destinations.

“Dynamic has proven its intent and dedication to stay, improve and grow international travel to and from Guyana. Expect some amazing surprises for loyal passengers and exciting announcements from Dynamic in coming days,” he revealed.

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Ramdin inspires Warriors to first 2015 Hero CPL win THE Guyana Amazon Wa r r i o r s n o t c h e d u p their first win of the 2015 Hero Caribbean Premier League with a crushing seven-wicket victory over the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots at Warner Park, yesterday.

Captain Denesh Ramdin celebrated the birth of his first child earlier in the week with a match-winning 54 not out off only 35 balls, including smashing Shahid Afridi for four sixes in a row as his side cantered to their target.

The Patriots had got off to a good start having won the toss and decided to bat, with Evin Lewis and Martin Guptill both getting to 34 before getting out, as the Warriors spinners turned the game on its head with some exquisite bowling.

Sunil Narine (2-27 off 4), Tillakaratne Dilshan (1-9 off 2) and Devendra Bishoo (2-13 off 2) spun the Patriots dizzy with their superb spells and despite three sixes late on from Carlos Brathwaite, the

hosts’ total of 149-9 never looked enough.

Lendl Simmons (41 off 33) got the Warriors’ reply off to a fine start and, although the recalled Tabraiz Shamsi impressed for the Patriots with 1-25 from his 4 overs of left-arm leg-spin, the Warriors were never in any trouble.

Ramdin dealt harshly with Afridi in particular as he and Brad Hodge (18 off 15) put on 59 from 30 balls.

Even when Hodge was out, it didn’t matter.

Aussies struggle to 212 for 8 after Starc’s six

AUSTRALIA captain Michael Clarke spent some valuable time in the middle during day three against Essex, making a patient 77 as he attempted to spare the blushes of the tourists who struggled to 8-212 at the close of play.

It was a brilliant fightback from the home side, who themselves lost their final seven wickets for 89 to

finish 9-414 after Mitchell Starc ran through the lower order to claim figures of 6-51.

Heading into the final day, Australia led by 360, with Peter Siddle (13) and Josh Hazlewood (9) the not-out batsmen, and it was far from the second innings they’d hoped for heading into next week’s first Test in Cardiff.

David Warner was the first to go, bowled by Jamie Porter for four, before Chris Rogers (32) edged Matt Salisbury behind.

A short time later, Adam Voges (1) and Shane Watson (6) both felt aggrieved to be given out lbw, as the score slipped to 4-76.

First-innings centurion Mitchell Marsh then teamed up with his skipper for a

SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Greyville 08:25 hrs Princess Royal 09:10 hrs Never Settle 10:20 hrs Majmu 11:15 hrs Prince Of Orange 12:00 hrs Alexis 12:35 hrs Barbosa 13:10 hrs Generalissimo 13:50 hrs Chosen Dash ENGLISH RACING TIPS Sandown 08:25 hrs Use Your Filbert 09:00 hrs Waady 09:35 hrs Spark Plug 10:10 hrs Jellicle Ball 10:45 hrs Golden Horn 11:20 hrs Havana Beat 11:55 hrs Peace Prize HAYDOCK 08:45 hrs Jumeirah Glory 09:15 hrs Queen Of Ice 09:50 hrs Penhill 10:25 hrs Bapak Asmara

stand of 62, but just as he was looking settled, the all-rounder chopped on for 37.

Clarke copped a nasty blow to the hand when on 66, removing his glove and inspecting the damage, but he pressed on and in doing so seemingly removed concern over his health ahead of the Ashes opener.

He was out in the final hour of play, playing back to spinner Aron Nijjar but the ball kept low and bowled him.

Starc was the next man out, picking out Nijjar in the outfield to hand Tom Moore a first wicket.

E a r l i e r, A u s t r a l i a bowled Essex out just prior to the scheduled lunch break but not before copping further treatment.

11:00 hrs Algar Lad 11:35 hrs New Strategy 12:10 hrs Royal Seal IRISH RACING TIPS Bellestown 11:50 hrs Marchese Macaroni 12:25 hrs Gold Class 12:55 hrs Trainstation 13:25 hrs Rawnaq 13:55 hrs Grangeclare Rosa 14:25 hrs Quiet Account 14:55 hrs Tesseract AMERICAN RACING TIPS Belmont Race 1 Paynes Prairie Race 2 Elraazy Race 3 English Minister Race 4 Samraat Race 5 Ready for Rye Race 6 Enchanting Lady Race 7 Texas Red Race 8 Bolo Race 9 Tonalist Race10 Lady Eli

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

Wimbledon Tennis

Serena survives, Djokovic, Sharapova ease through

LONDON, England (Reuters) - The needle on the Wimbledon Richter scale sat poised and ready but Serena Williams dug deep into her battle-hardened playbook to ensure there was no earth-shuddering shock at the hands of scurrying Briton Heather Watson yesterday.

With the shockwaves of Rafael Nadal’s exit at the hands of maverick journeyman Dustin Brown 24 hours earlier still rippling around the All England Club, Williams stood on the brink of an even more astonishing reverse.

The five-time champion was two breaks down in the third set to her 59thranked foe and at one stage stood two points from defeat before normal order was restored and Williams clinched a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 win.

“The older I get, I think the tougher I get upstairs,” Williams told reporters after disappointing the frenzied British crowd to tee up a fourth round clash with sister Venus.

“I think every year, maybe this time next year I’ll be probably even stronger.”

The astonishing finale to the Centre Court action had shaken up an otherwise routine day at SW19 where Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova had imposed their own brutal authority on their battered opponents.

Djokovic dispatched a beleaguered Bernard Tomic 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 and Sharapova polished off Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu

also in straight sets in their third-round matches.

Neither of the defeated duo, however, showed a fraction of the fight on display from 23-year-old Watson.

When Serena hits top gear, her opponents have a habit of rolling over, but the

Serena Williams of the USA celebrates winning a game during her match against Heather Watson of Britain at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, yesterday. (Reuters/ Suzanne Plunkett)

Briton overcame the disappointment of being steamrollered in the first set to rebound in the second, forcing Williams into a string of wild shots.

She reeled off six games in a row to clinch the second set and take a 3-0 lead in the third and served for the match at 5-4 having appeared to tame the Williams fightback.

Twice in the next game she was two points from the match, but Williams took her chances and after engineering a 6-5 lead, the American claimed victory on her third match point to leave Watson reflecting on a positive display but gut-wrenching result.

“I gave myself the opportunity to beat her. I didn’t take it this time,” she said.

“But I’m really glad I was in that situation because I can learn from it.”

GYMNASTIC DEFENCE The other top seeds had a far less testing day.

Djokovic has yet to drop a set and has barely broken sweat in reaching the last 16 and at times in his victory over Tomic his gymnastic defence was at its jaw-dropping and ligament-stretching best.

When the Serb is scrambling from left to right on the baseline and retrieving everything that comes back on to his side of the net, you half expect his battered opponent to throw in the towel.

To Tomic’s credit, he scrapped and

battled to the bitter end but the 27th seed looked a relieved man to escape from a sun-baked Centre Court when Djokovic, chasing a third Wimbledon title, smacked down his 15th ace to close out the match.

Such was Djokovic’s dominance that his opponent might have suspected the world number one of having an extra limb -- and not the prosthetic one he was handed to sign by an eager fan at the end.

“This gentleman gave me his artificial leg and my signature will make him feel better,” he quipped, before giving his future opponents a warning as to his current form.

“I was hoping I could play better and better as the tournament progresses and that is what is happening. As we are moving on, I feel more confident.”

It was a similarly one-sided story on Court One where Sharapova eased past Begu 6-4, 6-3.

There were some picture-perfect backhands on display as fourth-seeded French Open champion Stan Wawrinka’s seamless progress continued with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win over Fernando Verdasco, while Richard Gasquet sent misfiring Bulgarian 11th seed Grigor Dimitrov packing in straight sets.

Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios reached the next round, beating seventh seed Milos Raonic 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-3 while arguing with one of the crowd and being told to reverse a headband after falling foul of the all-white dress code.

Karunaratne ton rescues Sri Lanka … Shah claims four wickets to wreck top order

(REUTERS) - Dimuth Karunaratne’s second Test fours in a patient knock which rescued Sri Lanka. century lifted Sri Lanka to 272 for eight against PaThe hosts lost Kaushal Silva (nine) in the morning kistan after Yasir Shah exposed their frailties against session when the batsman edged paceman Rahat Ali, one leg-spin on the opening of the four new faces in the day of the series-deciding Pakistan team, to be caught third and final Test in behind.

Pallekele yesterday.

Karunaratne added At 106 for one in the 91 with Upul Tharanga second session, Sri Lanka (46) to steady the innings looked poised for a big but Shah wreaked havoc first-innings total before after lunch as Sri Lanka Shah, who took 17 wickets lost three wickets for the in the first two matches, addition of just 31 runs. tormented them again with Tharanga was outfoxed his flight and variation to by a Shah googly that took claim four for 77. the outside edge, deflected Tharindu Kaushal off wicketkeeper Ahmed’s was batting on 17 with pads and ballooned up for Suranga Lakmal (one) Younus Khan to take a divafter Shah had wrecked ing catch at slip. the top order and partLahiru Thirimanne time leg-spinner Azhar Ali needed 17 balls to get off claimed two late wickets the mark before he decidin two balls to peg back ed to come down the track the hosts. and hit a Shah delivery Karunaratne fell for 130 Dimuth Karunaratne got to his second Test century straight to mid-off. off 230 balls, hitting 14 on the first day in Pallekele.

Skipper Angelo

Mathews, the only member of the Sri Lankan side to have played more than 25 Tests, was also guilty of poor shot selection, hitting Shah straight to mid-on.

A resolute Karunaratne took two runs off Azhar to bring up his century in 188 balls - contributing exactly half of the team’s total at that point -- before punching the air in celebration.

He added 67 runs with Jehan Mubarak (25), who was playing his first Test in more than seven years after being named in the side in one of the four Sri Lanka changes.

Mubarak got started but could not convert it and was lured out of his crease to be stumped.

Azhar struck back-to-back blows by dismissing Karunaratne and Dhammika Prasad off successful deliveries as Sri Lanka lost four wickets in the final session.

SCOREBOARD SRI LANKA 1st innings D. Karunaratne stp. S. Ahmed b Az. Ali 130 K. Silva c S. Ahmed b R. Ali 9 U. Tharanga c Y. Khan b Shah 46 L. Thirimanne c sub b Shah 11 A. Mathews c sub. b Shah 3 J. Mubarak stp. S. Ahmed b Shah 25 D. Chandimal lbw

b R. Ali 24 D. Prasad c Shah b Az. Ali 0 T. Kaushal not out 17 S. Lakmal not out 1 Extras: (lb-3 w-3) 6 Total: (for 8 wickets, 86 overs) 272 Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-106, 3-133, 4-137, 5-204, 6-248, 7-248, 8-264.

Bowling: R. Ali 19-2-74-2 (w-1), E. Adil 14-3-37-0 (w-1) I. Khan 15-346-0 (w-1), Y. Shah 31-4-77-4, Az. Ali 7-0-35-2.

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Tour de France begins today

Cavendish ready to bulk up with more stage wins

By Martyn Herman UTRECHT, Netherlands (Reuters) Mark Cavendish’s daughter thinks he looks skinny but the Manx Missile will be hoping to bulk up on Tour de France stage wins when the 102nd edition of the race begins today.

The 30-year-old Etixx-QuickStep rider is third on the all-time list for stage wins on the Tour with 25, three behind Bernard Hinault and nine shy of the great Eddy Merckx.

But for a high-speed crash in the first stage of last year’s race, in his mother’s home town of Harrogate, Briton Cavendish might already be closer to 30 victories.

Not that he is greedy, just excited to be in prime condition for the Tour, a year after not even making it to stage two.

“My three-year-old daughter, Delilah, just said, ‘Daddy, you look skinny.’ So I couldn’t care less what my team directors say before @letour

now,” the 30-year-old said on Twitter.

Talking to reporters in Utrecht yesterday, close to where today’s Prologue

Mark Cavendish of Britain (C) celebrates on the podium after winning the Kuurne-BrusselsKuurne cycling race March 1, 2015. (Reuters/Eric Vidal) begins in the historic Dutch city of Utrecht, Cavendish said while he wants to add to his haul he already has a ca-

reer’s worth of wins, many times over.

“I’ve won stages in most of the Tours I’ve competed in and I’d like to add more than one stage to that haul,” he said.

“But winning one stage in the Tour in a career makes a rider’s career, let alone one a year.”

Marcel Kittel, the man who sped to victory in the Tour’s first stage last year as Cavendish lay in agony on the ground with a shoulder injury that meant he had to abandon, is missing from the start list in Utrecht because of ill-health.

“There are 200 riders on the start line and take any one of them away and it increases my chances of winning a stage,” Cavendish said, downplaying Kittel’s absence.

Asked whether he would miss having his fierce rival on his shoulder in the bunch sprints, Cavendish simply said: “I’ve missed the Tour much more. Sitting watching it at home last year after crashing was not easy.”

Australia’s Faulkner charged with drink-driving LONDON, England (Reuters) - Australia all-rounder James Faulkner has been charged with drink-driving by Greater Manchester Police, Cricket Australia said yesterday.

The 25-year-old has been released on bail and will face a court hearing in Manchester on July 21 after he returned a blood alcohol reading of around twice the legal limit.

Faulkner, who helped Australia win this year’s 50-over World Cup, has been playing for English county Lancashire this season.

“I have made contact with James to understand the facts of the matter,” Cricket Australia executive general manager of team performance Pat How-

JAMES FAULKNER

ard said in a statement.

“It is clear he made a very poor decision to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking and that decision had potential to cause serious harm to him and others.”

Faulkner apologised for his behaviour.

“I can’t excuse my actions and understand that I have let people down,” he said. “My decision to drive was an error in judgement.

“I apologise unreservedly and accept any penalty handed to me by Cricket Australia and the relevant authorities.”

Faulkner was not selected for Lancashire’s Twenty20 Blast match against Yorkshire later yesterday.

NOTABLE DATES

MASTER of the boxing art, Lennox Beckles, was adjudged winner on points in a fight against Trinidadian Levi Campbell on July 3, 1964.

The fight was held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and was the third of seven the 21-year-old Guyanese had that year.

It also marked the start of a four-fight winning streak.

The next month Beckles was back in Trinidad to battle Simple Simon. That contest was also won by points after 10 rounds.

Compatriot Caesar Barrow was next in line. However, Beckles by that time had run out of patience and

Barrow was stopped in the first round.

Venezuelan Alciro Valentine followed and Beckles won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds. That event was also held in Trinidad. The winning streak was brought to a halt when he met Johnny De Peiza on November 27, 1964. The Trinidadian won on points to hand the Guyanese his second defeat.

Beckles made an unsuccessful attempt at the Commonwealth welterweight title in October 1967 and permanently hung up his gloves in May 1979 after losing to Brian Muller, who at 24, was 12 years Beckles’ junior.

Barbados open Regional U-17 title defence against Windwards ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Reigning champions Barbados will launch the defence of their title against Windward Islands, when the Regional Under-17 Championship bowls off next Tuesday in Tobago.

Last year when Barbados topped the tables to capture the third edition of the tournament also played in Tobago, their only loss came to the Windwards, and they will be wary of their opponents when the contest bowls off at Canaan.

They will follow up with a second round clash against Leeward Islands at the same venue on Wednesday before squaring off with Guyana at Shaw Park in Tobago, starting two days later.

Barbados and hosts Trinidad and Tobago do battle in the fourth round starting on July 12 and the defending champs will close out their campaign two days later against Jamaica.

In other first-round fixtures, Leeward Islands face T&T at Louis D’or while Guyana and Jamaica clash at Shaw Park.

The Regional Under-17 Championship is staged by the West Indies Cricket Board and features 50-overs per side matches.

SCHEDULE ROUND 1 – Tuesday, July 7 Leeward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago at Louis D’Or Windward Islands vs Barbados at Canaan Guyana vs Jamaica at Shaw Park

ROUND 2 – Wednesday, July 8 Barbados vs Leeward Islands at Canaan Trinidad & Tobago vs Jamaica at Shaw Park Guyana vs Windward Islands at Louis D’Or

ROUND 3 – Friday, July 10 Jamaica vs Leeward Islands at Louis D’Or Barbados vs Guyana at Shaw Park Windward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago at Canaan

ROUND 4 – Sunday, July 12 Guyana vs Leeward Islands at Canaan Jamaica vs Windward Islands at Shaw Park Trinidad & Tobago vs Barbados at Louis D’Or

ROUND 5 – Tuesday, July 14 Windward Islands vs Leeward Islands at Canaan Trinidad & Tobago vs Guyana at Mount Pleasant Barbados vs Jamaica at Shaw ParkLee.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday July 04, 2015) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market &The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) 234 runs (2) Dwayne Smith (20); Evin Lewis (19); Marlon Samuels (18); Andre Russell (16)

Today’s Quiz:

Which two of these players were not a part of the Warriors’ inaugural CPL game?

VeerasammyPermaul; Steven Jacobs; Lendl Simmons; NarsinghDeonarine; Trevon Griffith (2)How many games have been played at the National Stadium, Providence?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015

Gentle/Humphrey capture GBTI Ladies Doubles title

AFRUICA Gentle and Carol Humphrey showcased great team work to defeat the pair of Areta Dey and Nicola Ramdyhan 6-4, 7-5 to claim this year’s Guyana Bank for Trade & Industry (GBTI) Open Ladies’ doubles title.

Although Gentle struggled a little at the beginning with her volleys she found better shots in the second set as Humphrey anchored the team with strategies and backup at the net points.

Dey and Ramdyhan played an exceptional game to come back in the second set but were unable to force a tiebreaker.

Meanwhile, youthful faces have been making it deeper in the main draws of the GBTI Open this year. Keenan Persaud and Jordon Beaton are the latest of the juniors to cause an upset in the tournament.

They took out Harry Panday and Joseph De Jonge 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in the Men’s Open Doubles. It was a marathon of a match as the older players rallied deep into the night but were unable to secure the third set. The win gives them a match against the No. 1 seeds, Jason

Andrews and Anthony Downes, in the semi-finals.

Afruica Gentle and Carol Humphrey claim the ladies’ doubles title.

It will be a tough match since this partnership has been solid this season. Andrews and Downes dropped no games as they held court position and dictated the points in last night’s match against Bishan Dalip and Kester Abrams. It was a 6-0, 6-0 victory for Andrews and Downes.

The Men’s Singles Open had its fair share of highs and lows. Oswin Coggins started strong but struggled to end the match in the second set as Joseph De Jonge found his serve and rhythm to force a tiebreaker, which he easily won. Signs of fatigue and a resilient aggressive play by Coggins cost De Jonge the match.

Coggins secured a spot with a win of 6-1, 6-7(7-1), 7-5. On the other court Leyland Leacock took the first set 6-1 against Stephen Bailey. The score does not do justice for the tenacity in which Bailey played.

The once-student, Bailey, showed the coach a better match in the second set as he raced to a 4-1 lead but nerves and a physically drained Bailey succumbed at 7-5. No. 2 seed Leyland Leacock progressed to the quarter-finals where he will face old rival Benjettan Osborne.

Teams gearing up for CARICOM Female umpires part Relay of two-day workshop ed, Payless Variety Store, Mohabeer Cambio, Star Party Rentals, Real Value

CLOSE to two dozen teams have already signed up for tomorrow’s highly anticipated inaugural CARICOM Relay, which is being coordinated by the Ministry of Education’s Department of Sport, in collaboration with the Athletics Association of Guyana and a plethora of sponsors.

The National Park is the venue for the event, which will commence at 16:00hrs.

The organisers in giving an update yesterday revealed that teams from Berbice, Linden, West Demerara, East Coast Demerara and Georgetown have confirmed their participation.

Registration is still open, and interested teams can turn up on the day of the event and register to compete for several trophies and medals, as well as special prizes.

The categories to be contested are male and female Junior and male and female Over-50.

The day’s activities will take the form of team races with each team allowed five persons.

There will be rewards for the top three teams. There will also be individual and special prizes up for grabs.

There is no entrance fee for athletes desirous of participating.

More information on the event can be had from organisers Leslie Black on 673-8829 and Rajan Tiwari on 652-9570.

The event is being powered by Banks DIH Limit-

Supermarket and Fullworks’ Seasoning and Blue Spring Water.

Rajan Tiwari of Payless Variety Store displays the trophies and medals that will be up for grabs tomorrow.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Four female umpires eyeing possible selection to the international panel for ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017 in England and Wales are part of a two-day workshop that started yesterday in Trinidad and Tobago.

The four females umpires – Kenalyn Baker from Guyana, Barbadian Valerie Mahon, Leona Thomas of Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica’s Jacqueline Williams – join two-dozen of their West Indies Cricket Board second tier, male colleagues benefitting from the workshop taking place at the National Cricket Centre in the south Trinidad community of Couva.

“The four females umpires have all been involved at the domes-

McCullum hits second-highest T20 score of all-time LONDON, England (Reuters) - New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum smashed the second-highest Twenty20 score of all-time when he hit a typically belligerent 158 not out in 64 balls for Birmingham against Derbyshire yesterday.

It is the best knock in England’s T20 Blast competition and led Birmingham to a huge total of 242 for four that earned

them victory by 60 runs.

The 33-year-old McCullum cracked 11 sixes and 11 fours as he compiled the second highest-ever T20 score behind West Indian Chris Gayle’s 175 in the Indian Premier League in 2013.

McCullum also thumped an unbeaten 158 off 73 deliveries for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural game of the Indian Premier League in 2008.

tic level in their territories, but the ICC are looking to have a number of female umpires to be placed on the panel

Rawle Lewis, the WICB’s project officer - Cricket Operations. for the Women’s World Cup,” said Project Officer – Cricket Operations of the WICB, Rawl Lewis.

“A number of criteria for the appointment of female umpires for that tournament were also forwarded and so we will work with Kenalyn, Valerie, Leona and Jacqueline over the next two years to develop their skills and give them more exposure in the hope that they meet the qualifying standards of the ICC for the Women’s

World Cup.” Lewis noted the workshop was very important for the continued development of the region’s umpires.

“We have conducted a number of workshops for our senior panel in recent times, but we felt it was important to expand the training to our emerging panel because we are seeking to improve the overall standard of the game in the Caribbean – and the umpires are a very integral part of this.

“Recently, the Directors of the WICB approved an improved fee structure for the panel and this workshop is another small step that the WICB has taken to encourage them with an eye to the overall development of the game in the region.”

The workshop is being facilitated by ICC umpires’ coach David Levens with the assistance of Zahid Bassarath, Verdayne Smith and Leslie Reifer Jr, three members of the senior West Indies Cricket Board panel.

The training will cover such topics as Managing Expectations, Teamwork & Communication, Code of Conduct and Attitude & the Mental Side of Umpiring, along with technical application of the rules of the game.

Sport CHRONICLE

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

Gentle/Humphrey capture GBTI Ladies Doubles title See story on page 31

Ramdin inspires Warriors to first 2015 Hero CPL win See story on page 28

Skipper Denesh Ramdin guides Guyana Amazon Warriors to victory with 54 not out.

Devendra Bishoo takes the wicket of Shahid Afridi for 3 before dismissing Marlon Samuels with his next delivery. at Warner Park in St Kitts.

Twelve thousand persons to carry Olympic torch in Brazil

By Andrew Downie SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - About 12 000 persons will be chosen to carry the Olympic torch around Brazil in the three months leading up to next year’s Games in Rio de Janeiro, organisers announced yesterday.

“There will be around 12 000 torch-bearers that will carry the Olympic flame across some 300 cities and towns in the 26 Brazilian states, plus the Federal District, for 90 to 100 days,” the organising committee said in a statement.

“Each Torch – crafted from recycled aluminium and resin with a satin finish – weighs between 1kg and 1.5kg and stands

63.5cm high when contracted and 69cm when expanded.”

The torchbearers will be chosen in the next two months by the organising committee and sponsors Coca-Cola, Nissan and Bradesco, organisers added.

They will each get to carry the torch about 300 metres.

Authorities are working on security for the torch relay, one of the most inclusive parts of the Olympic celebration.

Some 19 of the world’s 50 most dangerous cities are in Brazil, according to a report released this year by Mexican advocacy group Citizen Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice. The Olympic torch will visit all 19 of them.

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff (L) and Rio 2016 Olympic Games Organising Committee president Carlos Arthur Nuzman applaud next to an Olympic torch model during a ceremony where the Rio Organising Committee presents the torch and relay route for the Rio 2016 Games. (Reuters/Wenderson Araujo)

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SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015