2015 8 17

GUYANA No. 104284

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2015

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

GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

PRICE: $80

INCLUDING VAT

Budget debates begin today Page

Mother of AFC chairman dies following 10 accident Page

U.S. civil Page 4 rights leader Julian Bond dies at 75

Jagdeo to lead Opposition to Parliament today Page 5

Plane with 54 on board crashes 2 Page

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

3

2

Plane with 54 on board crashes

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

–in remote Indonesian Region

Indonesia’s Transport Minister Ignasius Jonan, left, with the Director General for air transport Suprasetyo, during a press conference in Jakarta yesterday announcing the plane crash in Papua (Photo courtesy Romeo Gacad/AFP/Getty)

By Kanupriya Kapoor and Fergus Jensen AN aircraft with 54 people on board crashed in Indonesia’s remote and mountainous region of Papua yesterday, a government official said, the latest in a string of aviation disasters in the Southeast Asian nation.

“The latest information is that the Trigana aircraft that lost contact has been found at Camp 3, Ok Bape district in the Bintang Mountains regency,” Air Transportation Director General Suprasetyo told reporters. “Residents provided information that the aircraft crashed into Tangok Mountain.”

There was no immediate word on whether anyone survived.

Earlier, the National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) said a twin-turboprop plane had lost contact with air traffic control as it flew over the forested area of eastern Indonesia, but efforts to trace

it were difficult because of failing light.

Trigana Air Operations Director, Beni Sumaryanto said that within 30 minutes of hearing that the aircraft was missing, the airline sent another plane to scour the same flight path, but it had found nothing because of bad weather, local media reported.

According to the official BASARNAS Twitter account, the aircraft, a shorthaul ATR 42-300 airliner belonging to Trigana Air Service, and built in France

ly used in Papua, Indonesia’s easternmost province, where land travel is often impossible.

According to the Aviation Safety Network, an Online database, the ATR 42-300 that went missing made its first flight 27 years ago. ATR is a joint-venture between Airbus (AIR.PA) and Alenia Aermacchi, a subsidiary of Italian aerospace firm, Finmeccanica (SIFI.MI).

The airline has been on the EU’s list of banned carriers since 2007. Airlines on

base. These include 10 ATR aircraft and four Boeing 737 Classics. These have an average age of 26.6 years, according to the database.

Trigana has had 14 serious incidents since it began operations in 1991, according to the Aviation Safety Network. Excluding this latest incident, it has written off 10 aircraft.

Airline officials were not immediately available to respond to enquiries from Reuters.

Indonesia has a patchy aviation safety record, and

Family members of passengers on the missing Trigana Air flight awaiting word on the fate of their loved ones late yesterday at the Sentani Airport in Jayapura and Italy, was carrying 44 adult passengers, five crew and five children and infants.

The plane was flying between Jayapura’s Sentani Airport and Oksibil, due south of Jayapura, the capital of Papua province.

Air transport is common-

the list are barred from operating in European airspace due to either concerns about safety standards, or the regulatory environment in their country of registration.

The airline has a fleet of 14 aircraft, according to the airfleets.com data-

has seen two major plane crashes in the past year, including an AirAsia flight that went down in the Java Sea, killing all on board.

The AirAsia crash prompted the Indonesian Government to introduce regulations aimed at improving safety.

Indonesia’s president promised a review of the ageing air force fleet in July after a military transport plane crashed in the north of the country, killing more than 100 people.

(Reuters)

Budget debates begin today

3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

By Ravin Singh ROBUST arguments are expected today in the 11th Parliament as the debates on the 2015 Budget hold sway.

The historic Budget of 2015, peaking at $221B, was read before the National Assembly by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who outlined Government’s plan for the remainder of 2015.

The day also marks the return of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to the National Assembly, this time sitting in the Opposition benches after more than 22 years. But this time, the effectiveness of the party will be challenged, given that they only possess 32 of the 65 seats allocated in the House.

The party, which previously served in Government, will be required to strategically manoeuver itself to represent over 202,000 citizens who vested their confidence in them at the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

No stranger to being the majority in the House, the APNU+AFC delegation in the National Assembly is expected to push ahead with their developmental agenda, which will be supported by the Executive

arm which they secured at the elections.

Unlikely to face any dissent, however, will be some initiatives which were detailed to benefit the working class.

Incoming Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo has already signalled support for some of the initiatives, such as increases in public servants’ salaries and Old Age Pension; reduction of the Berbice Bridge toll; subventions for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), and monies allocated to pay rice farmers.

However, intense debates are expected to focus on issues related to developmental projects which were piloted by the PPP and are proposed to be abandoned.

THE AMAILA PROJECT Contending that a continuation of the Amaila Falls Hydropower project would be a “downright criminal act of deception,” Jordan stated in his Budget presentation that investigations have revealed that at the current cost of almost $1

billion, the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) would be required to make annual payments amounting to US$130 million to the operators of the hydro facility.

He revealed that this amount will total US$2.6 billion over the 20-year commitment period of the power purchase agreement.

However, contrary to his investigation, Jagdeo argued that with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the cost for generating electricity would “skyrocket” to over US$600M annually by 2035, as compared to US$400M if Amaila is built.

He also refuted the point made by Jordan that GPL will pay US$2.6B for power, using Amaila for a 20-year period, offering that the figure is closer to US$2.0B. “Secondly, the cost, without Amaila, would be close to US$5.5B,” Jagdeo said.

NIS Last Monday, Minister Jordan announced an end to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) subsidy of 1 percentage point, which was paid by the Government to cushion the effects of the increase in NIS rates in 2003. He reasoned that it was

“opportune” to end this subsidy, given the “substantial increases” in salaries for public servants, coupled with the removal of taxation from NIS contributions.

Unreceptive to this move, Jagdeo had subsequently questioned what the treasury would be benefiting from through the elimination of this subsidy. He argued that only after this is established can one see, in a net sense, what this measure means; whether the funds from this subsidy are larger than the $1.3B the treasury is losing from not taxing NIS. VAT Value Added Tax (VAT), which was also listed in the Coalition’s 100-Day Plan featured in their Manifesto, had also demanded attention during the presentation of the Budget.

However, an unexpected announcement of the failure to “immediately implement a phased reduction of VAT…” was justified by the Finance Minister, who reasoned that the

three-month-old Government was greeted with a tax system which is in need of an overhaul.

As such, the only move made in this regard was the elimination of VAT on some commodities which were listed by the minister.

But according to Jagdeo, the Government was reducing VAT on some items in lieu of the reduction of the rate that they had initially promises. It is to this end that he noted that after examination of some of the items which will now be zero-rated, he can confidently say who some of the lobbyists were to get some items zero rated.

He suggested that there had been “serious lobbying” due to the fact that there is inconsistency in the items zero-rated.

SCHOOL UNIFORM VOUCHER An announcement to increase the traditional $1,500 school uniform voucher to $2,000 was also made by the Minister on Monday. This, he said, will benefit 167,000 students across the country, and reflects an additional $337 million investment into the programme.

But the incoming Opposition Leader

had contended that the $10,000 cash grant which was introduced by the PPP when in Government is being slashed, but not to the benefit of the children.

“If we take the $10,000 that we had given as a transport grant and we multiply it by 167,000, we’ll have $1.67 billion.

So what they have done is that they have given $337 million and have taken back $1.3 billion from the students,” he argued.

PETROCARIBE FUNDS Subsequent to providing a bailout of almost $4 billion for the Sugar Industry earlier this year, Jordan told the House that the Government was faced with a crisis in the rice industry.

He accused the PPP Government of “mismanaging” the Petro Caribe Fund, with only a small balance of US$0.8 million in the fund at the end of May 2015, whereas outstanding payments to rice farmers was in excess of US$17 million.

But the former President argued that the

over $600M Petro Caribe Fund was spent on developmental projects and the remainder to pay off rice proceeds.

Explaining that the fund held an initial amount of $600M, he noted that $16M was spent on the Hope Canal Project, $10M on housing and just over $100M was pumped into GPL. The remaining $500M+, he said, was used to pay off rice proceeds, since the rice deal with Venezuela was that if the neighbouring country takes $100M worth of rice, then Guyana cancels that amount from the balance.

“We no longer have a debt because the balance in the account was used to pay off rice proceeds,” Jagdeo said, adding that “if the account had money and we were not paying the rice farmers then it meant we were abdicating our responsibilities to the farmers.”

LATITUDE DURING DEBATES Additionally, the incoming Opposition Leader had lauded the Finance Minister’s efforts to allude to the May 11 General and Regional elections and the perception of “corruption” during his budget presentation, since according to him, it allows for the PPP to rebut these claims in the National Assembly.

“This [elections and corruption] gives us latitude in the debates; because the debates generally are about the economy in the standing order. But once the Minister of Finance introduces elections, corruption and audits, then it opens the door for us to talk about these things in the debates,” Jagdeo said.

He added that the Opposition will be given a chance to defend their position in relation to these accusations by the Finance Minister since they are allowed to respond to issues that the Minister has brought before the House.

Expected to attract some amount of attention too in the National Assembly during the debates will be the issue of sugar and its survival in a rapidly advancing technological world.

The idea to privatise the industry had been touted by elements in the new Government. The PPP subsequently expressed an opposing conviction and stated that sugar is not an industry, but rather a way of life.

Scrutiny of the allocations made to the individual sectors, particularly health, housing and water, education, roads and bridges will stand to reason that since these pivotal areas are at the centre of the transformation process, then funding is compulsory, given the rapid socio-economic progress of the nation.

Other major developmental projects are also expected to release a critical and analytical spirit by both the Government and Opposition in the House, to defend their vision of how Guyana should be transformed for 2015.

Meanwhile, the nation watches and prays that maturity and good sense will prevail as the 2015 Budget debate kicks off to a spirited start today.

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

U.S. civil rights leader Julian Bond dies at 75

By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - U.S. civil rights leader and former head of the NAACP Julian Bond, who emerged as one of the pre-eminent student activists in America’s turbulent 1960s, died on Saturday aged 75.

Bond died in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, the Southern Poverty Law Center said in a statement, without giving the cause of death. Bond was the civil rights organisation’s first president.

“The country has lost one of its most passionate and eloquent voices for the cause of justice,” said Morris Dees, the founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Bond was president of the SPLC from 1971 to 1979.

From 1998 to 2010, he was chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

“Julian Bond was a hero and, I’m privileged to say, a friend. Justice and equality was the mission that spanned his life,” U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement.

“Julian Bond helped change this country for the better.”

Julian Bond, former NAACP chairman (C), listens as Phillip Agnew, executive director of the Dream Defenders (R), announces an end of a 31-day sit-in at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, August 15, 2013 Reuters/Bill Cotterell police brutality and political By the time Bond burst arrived in Chicago for the anarchy in a country seething onto the national stage during Democratic Party’s presiden- over the Vietnam War, racial the raucous summer of 1968, tial nominating convention discrimination and economic the then-28-year-old black that year as a leader of a disparity.

They also saw the first activist already was on his group of political insurgents black person nominated for way to joining the panthe- from Georgia. on of American civil rights During the convention, U.S. vice president by a maleaders.

Americans witnessed sear- jor political party. That perThis grandson of a slave ing images of street rioting, son was Bond, who had to withdraw his name because

DATE: 12/08/2015 A 02 04 13 21 24 25 7

14/08/2015

13

07

03

26

24

14/08/2015

9

he was seven years too young to hold the second-highest elected office.

Even before the Democratic convention, Bond had racked up significant achievements.

While attending Morehouse College in 1960, Bond organised a group that staged student sit-ins with the aim of integrating movie theaters, lunch counters and other public facilities in Atlanta. Then came his work as one of the founders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, organised by black college students to stage sitins throughout the South.

“I was one of many who seized the opportunity the ‘60s sit-ins presented - to fight segregation through the simplest tactic, sitting down,” Bond said in a 2006 interview with Reuters.

In 1965, Bond was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia House of Representatives. But members of the legislature refused to seat him, citing his vocal opposition to the Vietnam War, a posture they called “repugnant” and “inconsistent” with the oath of office he was required to take.

Bond said his opponents

4

5

14/08/2015

may have been motivated by more than his war stance.

“I strongly suspect my race was also a reason. I was part of a group of black legislators elected with me who integrated the lower house for the first time since Reconstruction,” Bond said in 2006.

Before Bond was allowed to join the Georgia House a year later, he had to twice win re-election to his own vacant seat, and the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that his rights had been violated.

He ended up serving 20 years in the Georgia House and Senate.

In 1986, Bond staged an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives, losing to another civil rights giant, John Lewis.

Bond also taught at several colleges and universities and became a published author. In later years, he was a regular commentator for “The Today Show,” and even hosted NBC’s late-night comedy show, “Saturday Night Live.”

He is survived by his second wife, Pamela Horowitz, and his five children, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

21 19 02 01 08 03

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Jagdeo to lead Opposition to Parliament today

THE debates on the National Budget begin today, and the PPP/C, led by former President-turned-Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is expected to make an appearance in the August House today.

The PPP/C has chosen to stay away from all the sittings of the House since the commencement of the 11th Parliament.

According to Jagdeo, the PPP/C, which was voted out of power amid rampant allegations of corruption, nepotism and abuse of public office, will be holding the Government accountable, to stop corruption and ensure good governance.

The new Opposition Leader had already criticised aspects of the 2015 Budget.

For instance, he said he was taken aback by Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s announcement that the Administration intends to spend $97 billion of the $221 billion budget in the last four months of the year.

A former Finance Minister himself, Jagdeo said that spending $97 billion in the last quarter translates into the Government spending $800 million per day.

The “Champion of the Earth” has also predicted that the debates might run until mid-September, which would offer the Government some 115 days to spend the $97 billion.

Jagdeo also noted that following the Budget debates, the Opposition would be closely scrutinising pro-

curement practices by the Government for the remainder of the year.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon had said that the Administration welcomes Jagdeo back into Parliament as a member of the House.

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER But he said the former President will still have to answer questions pertaining to incidents that occurred during his tenure in office.

The Minister of State had pointed out that while the Government welcomes the former President in the House, he (Jagdeo), by accepting to be a member of the National Assembly, points to his credibility.

Jagdeo, on demitting office in 2011, had said he was not interested in being a central figure in public life, and had no interest in public office.

But his acceptance to become a member of the National Assembly in the 11th Parliament, the PPP said, was based on the urging of the party’s executives.

The reversal of his decision not to hold public office aside, a criminal charge has been filed against Jagdeo for racial incitement.

HIJACKING OF LEADERSHIP Meanwhile, former Speaker of the National Assembly and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) stalwart, Ralph Ramkarran has accused Jagdeo of hijacking

the leadership of the PPP. As Ramkarran sees it, Jagdeo and his cabal in the PPP leadership have shunted former President Donald Ramotar aside, a situation which he said has no doubt caused some embarrassment to Ramotar.

But former President Ramotar claimed this is not the case, saying that he is in support of Jagdeo holding the post.

“Mr Ramotar ignored the fact that Dr Jagdeo’s insatiable ego cannot be satisfied by fraternal considerations or rational calculations,” Ramkarran had said, adding: “In any event, Mr Ramotar apparently did not realise that with the loss of elections and Dr Jagdeo’s grip on the leadership, his political career was over.”

The former PPP Executive also informed that the PPP has made, arguably, the most egregious blunder in its entire history by failing to implement Dr Cheddi

Jagan’s ‘shared governance’ or ‘winner-does-not-takeall’ policies in political conditions in 2011, where it could have been easily sold to its supporters.

“The PPP would have had to make fundamental concessions and share power in circumstances of equality, where it would not ‘dominate or be dominated’, a policy also advocated by Jagan.

The national unity thereby created would have transformed Guyana and revolutionised our politics. Our nation would once again have been able to aspire to 1950 and bring within reach our motto of ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’. But President Ramotar had made it plain in 2011 that power sharing ‘would not happen.’ The ruling clique of the PPP has deliberately killed the dream of unity and is on its way to Parliament to bury it,” he had said.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

5

6

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

EDITORIAL Despite small improvements we are still below par YESTERDAY’S editorial commended the top students at the CSEC exams.

The best in and of us must be celebrated and encouraged, but those who are not as successful must not be forgotten. Often, we do just that.

President Granger has spoken about what he calls “education apartheid” in Guyana, whereby the children who generally tend to do well are those whose families can afford to send them to the elite private schools and to extra lessons. A cursory look at the recent results would show that the pri-

vate schools continue to yield better results than the public schools.

Something drastic has to be done to restore the public schools to their former glory. There has been no shortage of advice from educators and other commentators on this score. Yet the problem continues. One cannot separate the quality of the output in public education from the wider society.

While the education system needs serious reform, that alone will not solve the problem. As we noted yesterday, education involves teachers, parents, administrators and the

community. If this combination were to work in unison, we could see the rebirth that we crave.

This year’s CSEC have showed some slight improvements. Crucially, there are improvements in Math and English, the two subjects which have given our students the greatest difficulties. The pass rate in Math has moved from 38.75% last year to 45.07% this year, while English has seen a rise from 46.98% last year to 49.36% this year.

Yes, this improvement must be noted, but the pass rate remains below 50%. It means that half of our chil-

dren are failing Math and English. When half of your student population is failing the country’s official language, something is radically wrong. The consequences are dire. These deficiencies are invariably reproduced at the higher levels, even among our teachers. This obviously has a negative impact on the quality of the overall workforce.

Failing Math and English also prevents students from admission to the University of Guyana. Something has to be done to remedy the problems with these two critical subjects; something has to be done about the vast majority of students who do

Guyana

not perform well at these exams.

In our small economy and competitive labour market, these young people are more likely to become unemployed and unemployable. When they find employment, the wages would be depressed; they would be the last to be hired and first to be fired.

There will always be unequal performances, but the gap should not be that

wide.

The turnaround we so badly need is possible.

We were top performers before. Many First World countries envied our educational standards. That we have dropped so far speaks to an overall social crisis.

As it is in education, so it is in cricket and the arts and other aspects of national expression. We have to change.

Expired foodstuff in West Berbice supermarket seized, destroyed THE Government Analyst Department (GAD) in conjunction with the Environmental Health Department in Region 5 (Mahaica/ Berbice) has seized and destroyed over $100,000 worth of expired goods being offered for sale on the shelves of a supermarket in West Berbice.

The recent raid at Shop Smart Supermarket at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice found items whose shelflife had expired as far back as 2013, an Environmental Health Department source disclosed.

The source said the sale of expired foodstuff may

have been due to a failure by the owner of the business to carry out regular stocktaking exercises which would have allowed him to identify goods nearing the expiry date and taking them off the shelves.

The source said that the raid had been carried out after repeated complaints by consumers about being sold expired food products by the business place.

A customer had complained about feeling nauseated after purchasing and eating chocolate cookies from the supermarket.

She discovered the expiry date on the packet only

after becoming nauseated, the source said.

During the raid a large quantity of expired products, namely lilac powdered milk, cooking oil, phulorie mix, Glow Spread butter and macaroni were seized and destroyed.

The proprietor of the supermarket was chided for failing to adhere to regular stocktaking exercises in order to identify and remove expired food products from the establishment.

The Government Analyst Department warned the proprietor to remove all expired products from its shelves or face closure.

Two GAD staffers with some of the expired foodstuff that were seized and destroyed

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Guyana continues to push for cybercrime legislation ––Attorney-General engages Qualfon on issue

By Ravin Singh

GUYANA is drafting cybercrime legislation which is considered an essential component of technological security for companies operating locally.

Following a meeting last Friday with officials from Qualfon Guyana, Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams told media operatives that with the advancement in technology and increased dependency, cybercrime legislation remains a priority for the Government.

According to the AG, he was approached by the company’s legal practitioners to examine their operations and the need for cybercrime legislation given

a better position to look at the question of modeling cybercrime legislation for Guyana.

Additionally, he noted, inputs will be made by officials from Qualfon, who have brought several problems affecting them directly to the Government. The AG explained that there is need for these pieces of legislation which is very relevant for potential investors and their businesses.

Offering a brief comment too was Vice President and General Manager of the company, Scott Warner, who acknowledged that there have been reported cases of cybercrimes at Qualfon.

It is against this backdrop that the company sees the urgent need to cyber-

can use that for Guyana. The reason why it’s important is because companies that want to invest and want to do business

Just last week a National Cybersecurity Sensitisation Workshop was held with the aim of examining Guyana’s

‘...companies that want to invest and want to do business with us are looking to ensure that their data and their information are secure and safe. When we can see some (cybercrime) legislation, and promote that with future customers, then that translates to opportunities for Guyanese and for jobs’ -- Qualfon Vice-President. with us are looking to ensure that their data and their information are secure and safe. When we can see some legislation and promote that with future customers

legal framework and the need to develop a national strategy.

At the workshop, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan said that in

Attorney-General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams (third right), and Vice-President and General Manager of Qualfon Guyana, Scott Warner (third left) and other officials from the Ministry and Qualfon, following the meeting their primary mandate which is to provide technological services to local and international clients.

This meeting, Williams said, follows a cybercrime legislation seminar which three of his staff recently attended in Miami. With the three individuals returning with the knowledge they would have gained from that seminar, Williams noted that the Legal Affairs Ministry is now in

crime legislation.

However, Warner is of the view that while it remains a priority, what is more important is to get the legislation right and to be judicious instead of trying to “get it out quickly.”

“Sometimes it’s better to go a little bit slower and make sure that you’re doing it right. And take the best pieces of legislation that are out there and see how we

then that translates to opportunities for Guyanese and for jobs,” Qualfon Vice President explained.

Additionally, he urged people not to expect any drafting of the legislation within the next couple of weeks since it takes time to ensure that the Government and the Private Sector look at things from every angle and come up with something meaningful.

addition to public awareness and training, cyber security should be taught in primary and secondary schools.

Later this month, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack and Justice Yonnette Cummings will participate in a Regional Cybercrime Workshop for judges and judicial officers in Sao Paulo, Brazil from August 26-28.

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Economic diversity, marketing to be strengthened in sugar industry –strategies to include cooperation with rice industry

By Navendra Seoraj

THE Government, in continuing its efforts to resuscitate the ailing sugar industry, is set to take new initiatives, with the Ministry of Agriculture outlining plans to strengthen diversification and marketing.

“Strengthening economic diversification and marketing of the industry is the goal of the Ministry, given the fact that the industry does not produce sugar alone but also byproducts can be produced in every stage

Minister Holder during his presentation on Friday of the sugar cane plant,” said Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder last Friday during his address at the National Cane Farmers conference held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

Currently, molasses is used by the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) for the production of alcohol while the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has ventured into bottling molasses, producing 160 cases in 2014 and using the opportunity to brand

Guyana’s molasses.

Apart from direct consumption, packaged sugar can be produced in half-kilogram, one-kilogram, two-kilogram and 25-kilogram packets, based on market demand.

Noting that just recently, GuySuCo launched a new product called Enmore Crystal for the United States and Canadian markets, Minister Holder said they are working with Caribbean retailers to produce specialised brands at premium prices.

amootoo also highlighted the fact that the focus is to make sugar work. “We have too many workers who stand to lose with the collapse of the industry, so it is no question that we have to make it work.”

The Prime Minister declared also that they have to not only look at mechanisms but new and improved varieties of sugar cane to increase productivity at the field level along with appropriate investments.

In fact, it is stated clearly in the AP-

“I say, GuySuCo cannot be divorced from this effort and must be applauded for the lifeline support they have given to private cane farmers through the extension and extensive services provided them over the years.

“Difficult times are now with us, especially with plummeting market prices and rising operating costs and climate change. Farmers must embrace these changes. They must not only work harder but smarter too,” the Prime Minister said.

VALUE-ADDED PROJECTS The minister also told stakeholders that “research for value-added projects is key, therefore, production of paper, wax, etc... are areas which should be taken into consideration.”

Packaging and storage of rice, in addition to packaging sugar, are areas which they are exploring so that they could package rice using existing staff skills.

AIRCRAFT DEPARTMENT Apart from that the corporation’s aircraft department has extended their services for the aerial application of fertilizers and chemicals to rice farmers at a cost of $192,500 per hour with the use of existing staff and equipment.

GuySuCo, he noted, also has the capacity to produce 217 litres of ethanol per day but currently produces 96 liters per day and this will enable the corporation to reduce fuel costs internally and earn revenue.

Meanwhile, he explained that sugar is an integral player in Guyana’s history and a contributor to the country’s current economics as it contributed 9.5% of Guyana’s GDP and US$87M in export earnings in 2014.

Apart from that 16,539 persons are directly employed with GuySuCo, leaving approximately 66,000 dependent on the sugar industry for their livelihood.

Additionally, 2,555 business entities, private cane farmers, labour lorry contractors, local businesses and utility businesses indirectly depend on GuySuCo for their income.

It is also the second largest user of agricultural land and approximately 49, 000 hectares are being currently harvested, with 66% in Berbice and 34% in Demerara.

Over the years sugar suffered shortfalls in production moving from 247,687 metric tonnes in 2007 to 216, 359 metric tonnes in 2014, with 2015 estimates standing at 227, 243 metric tonnes.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Moses Nag-

Minister Holder receives a token of appreciation from Prime Minister Nagamootoo for his efforts at making the conference a success (Photos

by Delano Williams) NU+AFC manifesto that there is an urgent need to reorganise the management of the entire agriculture sector - be it sugar, rice, aquaculture, livestock or other crops.

With the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into the sugar industry the Government is attempting to ensure a flexible, integrated and environmentally sensitive sugar sub-sector to satisfy the demands of the domestic, regional and international competitive markets.

The Government, he added, will also be looking to complement cost-effective production with enhanced processing and marketing as well as establishing programmes for technical and financial support.

On an optimistic noted, he added, “You can rest assured as you leave here today, that you will not be unemployed.

Jamaica scaled back. Barbados went out of sugar. Trinidad and Tobago went out of sugar. St. Kitts went out of production. Our cost of production is high; but despite this, we still have hope that the industry would improve and eventually succeed.”

In 2014, GuySuCo recorded a production of 216,147 tonnes - the first crop having surpassed the 75,000 tonne target, bringing in about 80,000 tonnes. GuySuCo is targeting a 2015 production of some 240,000 tonnes.

Coverden multiple road fatality PI begins ––adjourned to Aug 21 because of absence of defendant’s counsel

By Clestine Juan ALVIN Fleming, an eyewitness, on Friday testified in the trial of Ritesh Bhagwandin, the 19-year-old driver of the sand truck that took the lives of four persons on the Coverden Public Road, East Bank Demerara on October 18, 2013.

Now 22, Bhagwandin, of Lot 12 Hope, East Coast Demerara, stands indicted before Providence Magistrate Leron Daley for driving motor lorry GPP 8495 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the deaths of Felix Marc, Coretta Evans, Delroy Evans, and Poolmattie Samaroo.

Fleming explained that he could never for-

get the events of the day in question. He said he was walking along the road by the Relief Gas Station on his way back to his home in Coverden at about 11:15 hrs, when there was a backup of vehicles on the said roadway. He said he was alerted by a loud screeching noise and saw a motor lorry going above the speed limit approaching the said roadway heading in

a northerly direction. He said the lorry headed into the path of another vehicle that was on the western side of the road, resulting in a collision with a mini-bus that was coming in the said direction.

The witness pointed out that the See page 9

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Mexican expert touts importance –says they’re not of bees to eco-system usually killers

By Clifford Stanley

AN expert bee keeper is of the view that “if bees were to disappear from the surface of this earth, Mankind will only have four more years to live.”

Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) staffer and expert beekeeper, Dr Manuel Sanchez made this comment attributed to Albert Einstein as a reminder to beekeepers and members of the public of the huge role bees play in the reproduction of communities of plants necessary for the survival of humans.

ROLE IN AGRICULTURE And he decried the notion of bees as primarily “killers”. He said: “Bees are a vital part of the ecosystem services, particularly in agriculture. The

perception that their sole purpose is to sting and to

IICA staffer and expert bee keeper, Dr Manuel Sanchez kill is misguided.”

Dr Sanchez said that most crops grown for their fruits (including vegetables such as squash, cucumber,

tomato and eggplant), nuts, seeds, fiber (such as cotton), and hay (alfalfa grown to feed livestock), require pollination by insects.

Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male parts of a flower to the female parts of a flower of the same species, which results in fertilisation of plant ovaries and the production of seeds necessary for reproduction.

The main insect pollinators, by far, are bees.

Dr Sanchez explained: “When a bee lands on a flower, the hairs all over the bees’ body attract pollen grains. Stiff hairs on their legs enable them to groom the pollen into specialised brushes or pockets on their legs or body, and they carry it back to their nest. Individual bees tend to focus on one kind of flower at a time, which means it is more likely that pollen from one flower will be transferred to

another flower of the same species by a particular bee.

Many plants require this kind of pollen distribution, known as cross-pollination, in order to produce viable seeds.”

The productivity of modern agriculture would be drastically reduced without the humble honey bee.

Dr Sanchez said: “The logic is simple: No bees; no pollination; no plants, no animals, no humans. If bees go down they are taking us, humans with them.”

The expert made the observations while teaching local beekeepers how to increase their production and productivity using new and improved methods of production in which bees are kept in hives which approximate the conditions in which they live in the wild.

The Perone hive, which he was training them to build and use, was designed

with the proportions of a “divine geometry” and imitated the holes in a large tree where wild bee colonies used to make comb.

D r. S a n c h e z a d m i t ted that the Africanised bees attack and kill humans and animals on occasion but said that these bees become aggressive mainly when they are not happy in the hives in which they live.

“If bees get to build their nests the way they want to, they become less aggressive; so with systems that are more natural to the bees they become gentle with time. You don’t bother them they don’t bother you.”

WE NEED THEM He stressed: “Bees have been around for over 100 million years. Humans have existed only 100,000 years. They don’t need us,

we need them.”

The expert also remarked on the great potential of Guyanese beekeepers to supply the Region and the rest of the world with honey.

He said: “There is tremendous potential for honey. The U.S. is running out of honey because they are losing their hives so they are now buying a lot of honey and honey is in great demand.”

He said that Guyana’s beekeeping has a lot of potential .

“There is lot of vegetation which can be used by the bees. You also have the wood to construct the hives in large quantities.

You have people interested in doing bee-keeping so I think with the improved technology and with the right approach you can produce a lot, beekeepers can dramatically improve their income.”

Coverden multiple road fatality ...

From page 8

collision rammed the truck into a nearby trench, while the bus was thrown on the eastern side of the road.

“I ran up to the bus and saw the driver dangling by his seatbelt, unconscious with a big gash wound on his neck, while the rest of

the passengers were piled up on each other in an unconscious state in the bus also,” Fleming explained to the court, with guidance from the prosecutor, Inspector Michael Grant.

He pointed out that he ran back home, which was a short

distance away, to get assistance; and upon his return to the scene, he was forced to take a few moments to compose himself because of the horror he was witnessing.

While he was mum, other public-spirited citizens rushed to the aid of the injured persons; and when

he found strength, he went to assist them to get to the hospital.

The absence of Bhagwandin’s counsel, Mr. Bernard De Santos, forced adjournment of the matter until Friday, August 21.

A total of 12 witnesses

have so far been called, including civilians and police personnel. Among them is Orson Riley, who was in the front seat of the Mahdia-bound minibus and had suffered a fractured shoulder and other minor injuries.

In addition, Police Ser-

geant Harry testified that he was present at the accident scene and had seen an ambulance take away the injured to the Diamond Diagnostic Hospital, and he was also responsible for arresting the defendant and investigating the accident.

10

Mother of AFC chairman dies following accident

THE Government was yesterday plunged into a state of mourning at news of the death of Mrs Christobel Deane-Hughes, mother of prominent Lawyer and Alliance For Change (AFC) Chairman, Nigel Hughes.

Director of Public Information (DPI), Imran Khan yesterday confirmed that Mrs. Hughes, said to be in her 80s, died earlier in the day at a city hospital as a result of injuries she sustained during a two-vehicle smashup on Saturday night on Middleton Street,

Campbellville.

He said that Mrs. Hughes was at the time being chauferred by her son, Stuart, when another vehicle slammed into theirs, resulting in mother and son being injured.

They were both taken to an unnamed city hospital, but Mrs. Hughes died of her injuries, while her son was treated and sent away.

According to reports, the Hugheses were on their way home when the accident occurred. The man at the wheel of the other vehicle was reportedly intoxicated.

Bandits chop, rob No. 2 Village vendors -police come under fire, suspect arrested

AT about 03:45 hrs yesterday, two men armed with a cutlass and a firearm entered the home of vendors Abdool Kadir, 47 years, and his wife Neeranie Kadir, 46 years, at No. 2 Village, WCB, as they were preparing for market, and held them up.

According to a police release, the perpetrators took away an undisclosed sum of money and a quantity of jewellery and escaped, the police say.

During the robbery both victims suffered

chops to their bodies. Abdool was treated at the Fort Wellington Hospital while Neeranie was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The police responded to the report received and during investigations came under fire from a group of men along the No. 2 Village Public Road and the ranks returned fire. One man has been arrested and is in police custody assisting with the investigations.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Police and civilians win raffle prizes THE Guyana Police Force on Saturday afternoon drew the winning tickets for the Police Officers Mess Committee.

The raffle was drawn at the Police Mess Hall in the presence of a small number of senior and junior police ranks, including trainees from the Felix Austin Police Training School.

The prizes up for grabs included a 42’’ flat screen TV as 1st prize, one double door refrigerator as 2nd prize, one IPhone as 3rd prize, a stereo set as 4th prize, and ten consolation prizes of $10,000 each.

Consolations prizes were won by holders of ticket numbers: 19988, 06009, 07565, 08888, 13986, 06712, 21358, 24704, 0133 and 2367.

The 4th prize of a stereo set was won by ticket holder 13783 while the 3rd prize was won by ticket holder

19833.

Holders of ticket numbers 15970 and 13855 won the 2nd and 1st prizes respectively.

President of the Guyana Police Force Mess Committee, Assistant Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken was on hand to witness the drawing of the winning tickets as other persons showed up to ensure the transparency of the drawing.

The police expressed appreciation to the members of the public as well as the business community who put up prizes for the game.

The drawing was originally slated to take place in July, but was deferred due to other events that the Guyana Police Force had, including its anniversary celebrations.

Police as well as civilians were among the winners on Saturday.

Pedestrian, 72, killed on Soesdyke/Linden Highway

A driver is in police custody pending investigations into an accident in which a pedestrian was killed on Saturday on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

Police said at about 16:00 hrs on August 15, 2015, pedestrian Rudolph Ramsammy, 72, of Adventure, Soesdyke/Linden Highway,

attempted to cross the roadway at Adventure and was struck down by a motor car.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Linden Hospital Complex.

The driver of the motor vehicle is in police custody assisting with the investigations.

A young man places his hands into the box of coupons to pull a winning ticket

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Police hold successful ‘fun and excitement’ camp for children

THE Guyana Police Force brought the curtains down last Friday on their annual youth camp 2015, which was held at the Women’s Institute, Cove and John, East Coast Demerara, under the theme: “Work-

Commissioner Persaud addressing the gathering on Friday

ing with youth through community partnership for a safer and secure Guyana.”

The camp was held for one week and brought together children from across the country, including youth groups which are financed and managed by the Guyana Police Force through their various divisions in ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘E’, ‘F’ and ‘G.’ Delivering the feature address at the event was Top Cop Seelall Persaud, who also declared the camp closed. He spoke of the main areas of focus for the children over the past week which included life skills training, building self-esteem, domestic violence, interpersonal skills and moral education.

The Commissioner of Police spoke of the importance of dealing with such issues during the camp which was supervised by police ranks and senior members of the Guyana Police scout groups.

Seelall told the gathering of children as well as divisional commanders and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Protection that in most cases the issue of domestic violence comes to the fore when persons have a lack of interpersonal relations with each other or do not understand the importance of it.

Some of the children at the closing of the camp

The commissioner also spoke briefly on the issue of self-esteem while expressing how impressed he was with the art and craft creations that the children prepared during their one-week at the camp.

Senior Superintendent Maxine Graham who was the person tasked with organising the camp and who is also the

police point person on community-related activities was commended by the Top Cop for her efforts and a job well done.

There were no reported cases of incidents among the children who came from various backgrounds and the camp was overall considered a very successful one.

Members of the Police Scout group and their production (Photos by Delano Williams)

Some youths displaying the work they did during the camp

12

Yesu Persaud warns...

By Tajeram Mohabir

L

IKE any other country, Guyana is not a perfect society, and entrepreneur guru Yesu Persaud has said that if Guyanese cannot find ways to work together, they will continue to de-elevate themselves and their beloved country, Guyana.

Speaking at a forum named Culture Conversation, hosted at Moray House at Camp and Quamina Streets in Georgetown, Persaud said that with exception of the Amerindians, the other peoples of Guyana came in ships as cargoes; and the purpose for which they came was to work on the sugar plantations. And they all endured hardship, a commonality he said that should inspire Guyanese to stick together, and love and respect each other for the good of Guyana.

The looking down on one another because of ethnic and cultural differences, he said, will only add to the fear of insecurity, and would do no good for the youth and for development of this country.

Unless Guyanese appreciate who they are, Persaud said, Guyana will not be going anywhere; and will be going down instead of going up.

Emphasising his point, the lead private sector executive told the gathering of mostly persons in the arts that their ancestors came to Guyana in ships, and if they do not work together, they will go down as a sinking ship.

Persaud contends that Guyana is a fascinating country, and Guyanese should not allow hasty assertions to cloud their judgement on the beauty of national unity.

The differences of ethnic groups in Guyana, he said, is not a situation that is unique to Guyana. He pointed out that, even in some Western countries, differences exist among the Europeans.

But the ethnic groups in Guyana, he said, can overcome their differences by first appreciating each other for who they are, and resolving to work in the best interest of their country.

BRIGHT FUTURE When all Guyanese begin working together, Persaud told the forum, themed “Different Origin — Common Future”, Guyanese will begin to achieve together, and will have a future that all can be proud of.

He was one of five panellists at the lively, rich, and highly informative discussion. The other panellists were Francis Bailey, Sara Bharrat, Vanda Radzik, Eric Phillips and Dr Paloma Mohamed.

An academic, playwright and culture enthusiast, Dr

Paloma Mohamed said that, in Guyana, there is a great tendency to talk extensively about the problems, but little about the solutions.

For Guyana to move forward, she said, Guyanese must think of a common future, begin to see differences as beautiful diversity; and stop the pointless and disgusting political blame game.

She lamented the culture in Guyana where opposing political parties do not recognise the good done by the other. Notably, when the PPP/C was in power, their narrative gave the impression that the PNC did nothing good for Guyana; and now they are in the Opposition, the new Administration seems not to see any good in them.

According to Dr Mohamed, the failure to recognise the good in each other is the reason for the “start over” whenever a new Government takes office.

She said the dismantling of this cycle will require that rival political parties recognise and acknowledge what is good and bad, and resolve to build on the good.

Francis Bailey, an accomplished musician and multimedia artist with a passion for social justice and youth work, noted the importance of culture and the bond it creates.

Culture, he said, ties a people to their homeland, and reflects the sum total of the traits of a group transported from one generation to another.

Guyana, he said, has a rich tapestry of culture, and the future of a united Guyana would require an appreciation and celebration of the differences of the people of the different ethnic groups.

The Guyanese identity, he said, remains in all, and must be shared.

ONE PEOPLE Director of the African Cultural and Development

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Either pull toge --or go down like sinking ships

Yesu Persaud making a point during the rich discussion at Moray House

Association (ACDA), Eric Phillips, said Guyana is a nation with one people but from different lands, and the Africans are not descendants of slaves, but rather the enslaved.

He said the latter is not told, as he pointed to the distorted and selective history of the African people. They suffered and endured, he said, and he contended that without economic justice, there will be no common identity.

Social and sustainable development, women’s rights, and gender equality advocate Venda Radzik also addressed the forum.

She told the gathering that Social Studies, which to a large extent covers history in the early levels in school, should be dropped.

Prominent businessman Stanley Ming raising a question at the forum

The panellists on Cultural Conversations: Different Origins — Common Future; Guyana’s Post-Emancipation Identity

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

ether as kindred spirits She advocated for it to be replaced with Cultural Studies, with heavy focus on music, the arts and culture. This, she said, will be a great step in ending the communicable disease called racism.

Radzik, who was once part of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), said she is proud to have been part of the Civil Rebellion against the Burnham Administration.

During that period in the late 1970s, she was arrested and jailed with 18 other women who were peacefully picketing in support of women/housewives who had lost their livelihoods due to a clamp down on essential food items that were banned by the then Administration.

But despite this, she said, there were things that President Burnham did which were praiseworthy, and she recognised him for it. The late Guyanese leader, she said, ignited the spirit of nationalism in her, and she will forever thank him for that.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo, she said, also did good things for Guyana,

and must be recognised and praised for it.

FOCUS ON SOLUTIONS Guyanese, she said, do not “big up” themselves, and tend to focus too much on the negatives. A case in point, she said, is the media. She pointed out that while much focus is placed on crime, scant attention is paid to the solution and the reporting of what is good about Guyana.

Meanwhile, member of the Global Shapers Community, and Director on the Board of Transparency Institute Guyana Inc, Sara Bharrat, contended that politics is the source of division in Guyana.

She maintained that it instils a level of fear, and she recalled her experiences growing up in an East Indian-dominated community.

Bharrat alleged that part of her fear is peddled by a certain religious organisation with close links to the PPP/C. The organisation, she said, has managed to infiltrate the leadership of many mandirs.

The fear, she said, is

passed down from one generation to another, and it is time for a united effort to ‘kick the ghost of fear out’, and for all to start listening to the other side of the story.

Radzik was also critical about religion, contending

that it is man-made and does not put women in a too pleasant light. And some of the proponents of religion, she said, can be passed as anti-Christ rather than followers of Christ -- the peace-loving man who reached out to all,

but especially the poor and downtrodden in society.

The discussion organised

by ACDA was sponsored by CGX Resources Inc. It was part of Emancipation Day observances, and was moderated

by Professor Suresh Narine.

Professor Narine urged that a spirit of entrepreneurship be inculcated in the different ethnic groups, to ensure their growth and development. This, he said will redound to a better Guyana.

A section of the gathering at Moray House on Wednesday

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

‘Locked-up teen’ released into mother’s custody

By Jeune Vankeric MAGISTRATE Marisa Mittleholzer has released the 15-year-old girl who had captured media attention after she was detained for just over a month between the Whim Police Station and the Juvenile Holding Centre in George-

town.

The teen was released into the care and custody of her biological mother, Bridgette Moore, who had staged a one-person protest outside the Appellant Court in Georgetown on Wednesday, where she got the attention of senior legal and ministerial officials.

Further, the magistrate has ordered that the Probation Officer must work along with the Child Protection Officer, and that they are to visit the teen’s home at Lot 102 B Independence Arch Road, Rose Hall Town unannounced twice weekly.

It was also ordered that the child must regularly

––faces three counts of assault

attend the Port Mourant Secondary School, where she is a Grade 8 student, prior to returning to the Albion Court on October 2.

Meanwhile, in the New Amsterdam Court on Thursday afternoon,

the presiding magistrate ordered those present, including the media, to leave the courtroom. Moments afterwards, she was overheard bashing the teen’s mother for her interaction with the media.

“I don’t mind you spreading my name, but I want you to speak the truth,” she charged.

Court documents have revealed that the juvenile faces three counts of assault, allegedly committed on Anika Mangal, Shika Mangal and Nikita Stoute respectively, on July 7 last at Rose Hall Town.

She was previously charged with assault, damage to property, and resisting a peace officer.

Her mother, along with her pregnant 19-year-old sibling, Monica Smart, also faces charges.

However, during their initial appearance at the A l b i o n M a g i s t r a t e ’s

Court, when questioned by the court, the teen’s mother could not provide the court with a proper address, nor could she state the name of her employer. The woman had initially given her name as Beverly Moore.

However, the teen’s birth certificate has listed her mother’s name as Brigette Moore.

Consequently, a probation report was ordered, and it was suggested that the child be placed in the juvenile holding centre pending the report.

In the interim, the child’s birth certificate was to be presented to an officer of the court to ascertain the teen’s age.

It took the family five days to furnish that document, and when the probation report was expected to be presented, the magistrate was absent, due to a personal issue.

Monday August 17, 2015 - 05:00 hrs Tuesday August 18, 2015 - 05:00 hrs Wednesday August 19, 2015 - 05:00 hrs

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

15

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

17

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Knight...

From Backpage put on 38 with Matthews, 37 with Deandra Dottin who made 19 before adding an exciting 65 from 58 for the fourth wicket with Quintyne.

With Barbados chasing quick runs at the death, the innings tailed away somewhat, with the last four wickets falling for just 19 runs in the space of 16 deliveries.

Jamaica started unsteadily, losing Jerona Walcott for eight with the score on 22 in the tenth over.

However, Taylor and McLean then revived the

innings in a 29-run stand and when McLean retired hurt with the score on 51, Taylor put on a further 21 with Watts (4) to keep the partnership going.

Barbados then made key strikes, grabbing three quick wickets for five runs in the space of 12 balls as Jamaica tumbled to 77 for four in the 25th.

Taylor tried to rebuild again, adding 17 for the fifth wicket with McLean but her dismissal at 94 for five in the 20th proved massive and the defending champs lost their last five wickets for 24 runs.

PPYC ...

From Backpage drea Foster took a captivating win over Trinidad’s Dawnel Collymore in the women’s 1500m, another one of the competition’s lucrative international event.

Intense competition was what the roaring crowd wanted and it was what they got as Foster overtook Collymore on the final straight to win in 5:17.7s, and take home the US$250 prize money.

Collymore’s 5:20.6s second place earned her US$150, while Rising Star’s Alika Morgan collected US$100 for her third-place finish in 5:57.8s.

The 1500m was Foster’s second win of the day, as she earlier prevailed in the women’s 3000m in a time of 12:29.00s. Alicia Jack was just behind in 12:30.00s and Police’s Shion Boyer placed third in 13.03.8s.

Natrena Hooper was the one to watch in the women’s 200m and she ran away with it in 25.5 secs, taking down USA’s Jeamae McCammon who clocked 26 secs flat.

GDF’s Tyshon Bentick tried but failed to overthrow clubmate Cleveland Forde, who proved for another year that he is Guyana’s best distance athlete. Forde retained his title in a time of 17.37.6s, while secs behind was who Bentick clocked 17.39.2s.

In the relays, GDF collected the women’s 4x100m win in a time of 54.02s, Police claimed second in 54.04s and Super Upcoming Runners took third in 55.09s. In the women’s distance medley Police triumphed while the men’s distance medley was won by GDF.

Racing Tips South Africa Racing Tips 08:35 hrs Fleetfox 09:10 hrs Peace Again 09:50 hrs All True Man 10:25 hrs Normanz 11:00 hrs Treble Shot English Racing Tips Pontefract 09:15 hrs Shaka Zulu 09:45 hrs Keep In Line 10:15 hrs Call It On 10:45 hrs Byzantium 11:20 hrs Spring Offensive 11:50 hrs Sky Cape 12:20 hrs Tango Sky Southwell 09:00 hrs Dubai Prince 09:30 hrs Jack The Gent 10:00 hrs Red Seventy 10:30 hrs Mawaqeet 11:05 hrs Miss Serious 11:35 hrs Bantam 12:05 hrs Orsm 12:35 hrs Steps And Stars Irish Racing Tips Dundalk 09:10 hrs Tessonna 09:40 hrs Almadaa 10;10 hrs Father Frost 10:40 hrs Way To My Heart 11:15 hrs Lean And Keen 11:45 hrs War Room 12:15 hrs Compass Hill Tramore 09:20 hrs Cliffside Park 09:50 hrs Shouband 10:20 hrs Beckwith Star 10:55 hrs Finish In Style 11:25 hrs Upazo 11:55 hrs Illtakeitfromhere 12:25 hrs Pearl Diamond

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Misfiring Chelsea crushed by City, Arsenal win

By Martyn Herman LONDON, England (Reuters) - The Premier League season is only a week old but the problems are already piling up for misfiring champions Chelsea after a 3-0 thrashing at Manchester City yesterday.

Goals by Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and Fernandinho were the least City deserved for a dominant display against a side who took 70 minutes to register a shot on target.

While a buoyant City top the table with six points, six goals scored and none conceded, Chelsea have one point after failing to win either of their opening two fixtures for the first time since 1998.

Chelsea’s troubles will not have gone unnoticed by Arsenal who belatedly got their season into gear with a 2-1 derby win at Crystal Palace -- Damien Delaney’s own goal sealing their first points of the season.

The sense of unease in the Chelsea camp was increased when talismanic skipper John Terry was substituted at halftime -- the first time he had ever been hauled off by manager Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho later confirmed that Terry had been replaced by pacey central defender Kurt Zouma for tactical reasons.

The Portuguese caused controversy last week when criticising first-team doctor Eva Carneiro for treating Eden Hazard and leaving Chelsea temporarily with nine men in the opening day draw with Swansea City and he faces another testing week.

Mourinho was already on the offensive, though, saying Chelsea’s defeat by City had been undeserved.

“The best team in the first half won the game. The best team in the second half was Chelsea for sure,” he told Sky Sports.

“Second half everything was different. If the 1-0 was a doubtful result at minute 70, 3-0 is completely fake.”

PUZZLING ANALYSIS Chelsea did regroup well but his analysis was still puzzling.

“It was a comfortable game. To start the way we did today is definitely the right signal but there’s still a lot to come,” City captain Kompany said.

Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Swansea came a week after

Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud applauds fans after the game. (Reuters/Toby Melville Livepic) defeat by FA Cup winners Arsenal in the Community Shield and was followed

by Mourinho’s removal of Carneiro from bench duties.

His team needed a response yesterday but they were outplayed in the opening 45 minutes.

Aguero had already been causing Terry and central defensive partner Gary Cahill headaches and had three sights of goal in the opening 30 minutes before finally putting his side ahead.

The Argentine played a one-two with Yaya Toure in a crowded area, wriggled into space past a lumbering Cahill and fired the ball just inside Asmir Begovic’s post.

Eliaquim Mangala

Australia’s Steve Smith fails in Northants draw AUSTRALIA Test captain-elect Steve Smith fell for a duck as his side drew their rain-affected threeday tour match against Northants.

Maurice Chambers had Smith caught behind off the 12th ball of the day after Australia resumed on 13-1.

The tourists slipped to 87-5 before Mitchell Marsh’s 68 and Pat Cummins’ unbeaten 82 carried them to 312-9.

Australia face England in the final Ashes Test at The Oval starting on Thursday, having lost the series.

Smith, 26, who was this week named as Michael Clarke’s successor as Test captain after the Ashes, has not scored more than eight in his past five innings.

Marsh, dropped for the fourth Test, hit 11 fours and a six to com-

should have made it 2-0 when he headed wide as Cahill was flattened by his own goalie. Tempers then flared

as Fernandinho’s elbow left a furious Costa bloodied.

Hazard had Chelsea’s one real chance in the 70th minute but fired a shot straight at Joe Hart before City’s defenders cleared the loose ball with Costa lurking.

Kompany’s glancing header gave City breathing space before Branislav Ivanovic gave the ball away and Fernandinho completed Chelsea’s misery with a clinical finish past Begovic, who could have expected more protection on his first start in place of the suspended Thibaut Courtois.

Arsenal had Alexis Sanchez back in their starting

line-up and it was the Chile forward’s 55th-minute header that was turned into his own net by Delaney as Arsenal responded to last week’s home defeat by West Ham United.

“I’m very pleased with the three points. If we had gone two games and zero points it would be absolutely difficult, we knew this would be a tricky one,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.

Olivier Giroud had given the Gunners the lead with a smart volley in the 16th minute, only for Joel Ward to equalise against the run of play 12 minutes later.

Bencic claims Rogers Cup as Halep retires TORONTO, Canada (Reuters) - Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic capped a brilliant run to the Rogers Cup title yesterday when a distressed second seed Simona Halep retired from the final after losing the first three games of the third set.

Bencic needed nearly two hours and 30 minutes on a sweltering centre court to see off a determined Halep 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 3-0 and claim the biggest title of her young career, putting down a marker as a player to watch at the upcoming U.S. Open.

The 18-year-old’s Rogers Cup debut was a memorable one, as Bencic’s drive to the title included a stunning

semi-final upset of world number one Serena Williams and two former number ones in fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki and fifth seed Ana Ivanovic.

“I’m really sorry it had to end like this, I am really sorry for Simona, I hope she will be fine for the next tournament,” said Bencic, the first Swiss woman to reach the final of the Rogers Cup since her mentor Martina Hingis in 2006.

“For me it has been an incredible week, I cannot believe it. A win is a win and I had to fight really hard today.”

It was Bencic’s second title in two months, following her breakthrough win at the Aegon International on grass

in England in June. She arrived in Toronto ranked 20th in the world.

Halep produced a gutsy effort but the Romanian appeared in trouble right from the start as she struggled with the heat and a sore left thigh that required treatment throughout the match, including a medical time-out when medical staff checked her blood pressure.

“In the first set I felt a little bit muscle and then it was going to the knee and in the second set I felt bad, like stomach cramps and dizzy and stuff like that,” explained Halep. “I was thinking that I need a miracle to finish the match.

Guptill smashes half-century, Kiwis draw T20 series

Pat Cummins passes 50 for the first time in any format. not out. plement his figures of 4-56 Australia rested five on the second day, while players, including the Cummins added 98 for the three-man pace attack of ninth wicket with Nathan Mitchell Johnson, MitchLyon, who made 41. ell Starc and Josh HazleAustralia-born Steven wood, from the side that Crook claimed 3-38 for lost the fourth Test and Northants a day after he the Ashes at Trent Bridge. scored a career-best 142 (BBC Sport)

PRETORIA, South Africa (Reuters) - A blazing half-century from opener Martin Guptill helped New Zealand beat South Africa by 32 runs in Centurion yesterday to draw the two-match Twenty20 international series 1-1.

Guptill smashed three sixes and six fours as he bludgeoned 60 from 35 balls to lead the tourists to 177 for seven.

The Proteas were in trouble early in their chase and battled to keep up with the rate, managing 145 for eight in reply.

New Zealand won the toss and Guptill and captain Kane Williamson (25) added 52 for the first wicket.

Jimmy Neesham (28 from

Martin Guptill 19 balls) also played a fine cameo as the visitors finished their innings strongly after the platform laid by Guptill.

Young fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was the pick of the home bowlers with three for 30 in his four overs, including two wickets in as many balls for the second match running.

South Africa started slowly and when AB de Villiers (15) tried to up the rate he was caught by Neesham off spinner Nathan McCullum before they slipped to 47 for three in the seventh over.

Farhaan Behardien (36), David Miller (29) and Rilee Rossouw (26) tried to rebuild but could not get South Africa close to their target.

The teams start a threematch one-day International series at the same venue on Wednesday.

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Stop talking, play the game: Gavaskar BATTING legend Sunil Gavaskar believes India should “stop talking about aggressiveness” and focus on the game at hand, describing their shock first Test loss to Sri Lanka as “terrible”.

In a remarkable turnaround, Sri Lanka won by 63 runs after being bowled out for 183 in their first innings and being reduced to 5-95 in their second.

Dinesh Chandimal smashed a brilliant 162 off 169 balls to lift the hosts to 367, before India were skittled for 112 on the fourth day chasing 176.

“It would have to be one of the terrible losses that India suffered,” Gavaskar told NDTV. “Because after you take a big lead like this then you are expected to win the match.

… Batting legend offers advice to India after stunning Test loss

Sri Lanka rejoice after skipper Virat Kohli’s dismissal.

“And I did say that if “But clearly, despite tak- India were set around 170 ing that huge lead India were then it would be a very just not able to step up in tough challenge.” both the second innings, Following the defeat, when they were bowling to India skipper Virat Kohli the Sri Lankans, and when said his team were unable they batted in the fourth to take the pressure of innings. chasing in the fourth in-

nings.

“There are no excuses.

It was a case of us not playing fearless cricket.

We were very tentative,” Kohli said.

But Gavaskar disagreed.

“I think we should stop talking about aggressiveness, tentativeness and whatever,” he said.

“I think we should just focus on the game and start playing the game. We don’t have to justify anything to anybody as to the kind of cricket you are going to play.

“You have got to play cricket that suits your team, that suits the position that the team is in, suits the

IAAF suppresses study of admitted dope cheats: Report LONDON, England (Reuters) - World athletics’ governing body (IAAF) has suppressed a 2011 survey that reveals that up to a third of the world’s top competitors admitted using banned performance-enhancing techniques, Britain’s Sunday Times and German broadcaster ARD/WDR reported.

The authors of the study, which involved interviews with 1 800 athletes at the 2011 world championships in South Korea, were told to sign a confidentiality agreement a month after the information had been collected and analysed, the newspaper said.

The revelations are the latest in a series of damaging blows for the sport in the countdown to the start of this year’s world championships in Beijing on August 22.

Earlier investigations by ARD and the Sunday Times prompted claims that more than 800 athletes tested between 2001 and 2012 had suspicious test results that were not followed up by the IAAF. The IAAF has since initiated disciplinary ac-

tion against 28 athletes after retesting samples from the 2005 and 2007 world championships with new technology that can uncover previously undetectable substances.

The organisation came under heavy fire from the authors of the 2011 study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Tuebingen in Germany and leaked to The Sunday Times and ARD/WDR. “The IAAF’s delaying publication for so long without good reason is a serious encroachment on the freedom of publication,” a statement from the researchers said.

The statement added that the IAAF had not commissioned the survey but had used its influence to suppress the findings.

Reacting to the latest accusations in a statement, the IAAF said it “had never vetoed” publication of the survey and understood it had twice been rejected for publication in a scientific journal.

It also questioned the validity of the research.

“The IAAF does, however, have serious reservations as to the interpre-

tation of the results made by the research group as confirmed by high-profile experts in social science who reviewed the publication on our request,” it said.

“The IAAF submitted those concerns to the research group but has never heard back from them.

“The IAAF is surprised that any professional team of social science researchers should choose consistently to leak research material through the media before it is published,” adding it was continuing its own study, started in 2011, for publication in coordination with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The results of the leaked study showed that 29-34 percent of the 1 800 competitors at the championships had violated anti-doping rules in the previous 12 months.

“These findings demonstrate that doping is remarkably widespread among elite athletes and remains largely unchecked despite current biological testing programmes,” the study said.

The study was financed

by WADA, which told the newspaper on Friday that they had given the IAAF the power to veto publication in return for allowing access to the athletes at the 2011 championships.

According to the newspaper report the IAAF said it was negotiating with the authors and WADA about its publication.

“The IAAF is extremely surprised to see WADA quoted on Friday as saying that the IAAF has a right of veto (if the quote used by the Sunday Times is in fact accurate). The quote in the article attributed from yesterday to the IAAF was never made),” the IAAF statement said.

The lead author, Rolf Ulrich, said he and his fellow experts had been barred from even discussing their work.

“The IAAF is blocking it,” Ulrich told the newspaper. “I think they are stakeholders with WADA and they just blocked the whole thing.”

Some of the study’s headline figures were leaked in America in 2013, but the IAAF continued to prevent full publication, the newspaper said.

pitch that you are playing on and suits the opposition that you are playing against,” Gavaskar said.

However, Gavaskar said he believed India could bounce back in the remaining two Tests of the series, and suggested they took to Sri Lanka for inspiration.

“I think and hope that India can bounce back.

Because this is a kind of loss that can demoralise the team,” he said.

“And as I keep saying, ‘you lose the first Test - you are always playing catch-

up’. This is going to be huge for Virat and Ravi Shastri to lift the team’s morale, to get them to believe in themselves, to believe that they can come back.

“The example of the Sri Lankans in the second innings is what they should be showing to the Indian team.”

The second Test will begin in Colombo on Thursday in what will be legendary Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara’s farewell to international cricket.

Binny added to India Test squad

Stuart Binny had scored a half-century in his debut Test, in England.

All-ROUNDER Stuart Binny has been added to India’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka series. He will join the team ahead of the second game, which begins on August 20 in Colombo at the P Sara Oval.

The BCCI confirmed that there was no fresh injury concern for any other members of the squad, that Binny was just an “addition” to the 15-man unit. Binny is seen as someone who can bat at No. 6 and be a fifth bowling option. He will provide the team management with an additional all-round choice.

He has played three Tests, all on India’s tour to England in mid-2014. While he did not pick up a wicket in any of those games, he scored a handy 78 in his debut Test, in Nottingham, to help India draw.

India does have a couple of injury concerns going into the second Test, around their openers. M Vijay, who had missed the first Test with a hamstring

niggle, was on the mend, the board said, though a decision on whether he will return to the XI would be taken closer to the game: “Improving every day and the team physio is working with him. The final call will be taken one day before the Test.”

There was no further update on Shikhar Dhawan, who had batted through the Galle Test with an injury to his right hand.

India lost the first Test of the Sri Lanka series, in Galle, after being ahead for a large part of the match. There are two more matches to go, both in Colombo, one at the P Sara Oval and the other at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

With the P Sara Oval, considered Sri Lanka’s most seamer-friendly wicket, it is possible that Binny could slot in. Leading up to the game, the indication is that a pacer will in all likelihood replace the third spinner, especially as Harbhajan Singh was largely ineffectual on a turning pitch in Galle.

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Resolute Herath stretches cricketing mortality, again

By Andrew Fidel Fernando in Galle AFTER being jettisoned for the third Test against Pakistan, whispers about Rangana Herath’s retirement grew. However, he returned for the first Test against India, fighting weak knees and a troublesome back, to spin Sri Lanka to a come-from-behind win When the grey hairs bloom and the joints start creaking, a barren spell takes on a little more meaning than before.

In the last 18 months of his career, no one has known this truth of mortality better than Rangana Herath.

As innings-figures like 1 for 99, 1 for 154 and 1 for 89 begin to stack up, the whispers start as well. “Is Herath too old now?” “Is the fizz gone from his fingers?” “His knees will only get worse from here on.”

Herath’s craft has always been subtle. Sometimes his cricket slides too low.

He doesn’t bowl batsmen around legs, or pull rabbits from top hats, so when the dry spells come, and the ball does little for him, Herath is an easy man to doubt.

He had been a miser in the first innings of this Test, while Tharindu Kaushal made headway at the other end. But his figures said 0 for 67, so the whispers grew a little. “The next Test is Kumar Sangakkara’s last. Should Herath quietly give it up as well?”

Yet, as is often the case with Herath, these whispers have no malice. Whatever his most recent match analysis, you can never bring yourself to resent him. Somewhere in

Rangana Herath exults after trapping Ishant Sharma lbwon the 4th day of the first Test in Galle.

Herath was easy to love on the fourth morning, the memory, his 2011 charge to win a match in Durban when he dismissed Ishant Sharma, who has had a still plays out.

In bus halts across the long run in the India team country, his Chittagong despite many long, fruitless humbling of New Zealand days. When Herath had a is spoken of. But maybe lean spell against Pakistan you need his fingers to in June, he was axed for twitch with magic again for the decider in Pallekele - no the doubts to fade into in- heed given to his record, no significance. You need him chance granted to rediscovsending batsmen back in a perahera, to remember his iron will. Because Herath, with his heart that beats like a bass drum, is also an easy man to love.

He was easy to love late on day three, when in his second over, struck KL Rahul’s pad dead in front.

By Kayon Raynor Herath had 264 Test wickets by then. He has won entire KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reseries for Sri Lanka, virtually uters) - Six-times Olympic on his own. Yet he maintains gold medallist Usain Bolt will a ceremonial job at his bank, miss Jamaica’s training camp in Japan before the world and when all this ends, he athletics championships in may go back to filling out Beijing later this month, the account forms. manager of the Caribbean Rahul, with a Test av- island’s delegation said. erage of 23.66, but screeds “He’s (Bolt) the only one of domestic runs and now a who is not in camp, because profile in India, has an IPL you know he was undergoing contract. Forget Virat Kohli, some amount of examination three Tests in, even Rahul’s while he was preparing at the earnings are maybe triple same time,” manager Ludlow Watts told Reuters by telephone what Herath gets in a year.

er form.

He was easy to love when he floated one in at Rohit Sharma then had it jive past his outside edge to move the bail at the top of off stump. Rohit has a universe of talent, it is believed, but is so far burning up in the Test atmosphere.

Herath has just a few molecules of ability, but has stretched and tugged and kneaded at the raw material until the career he has built rivals that of any other spinner that has played in this decade.

Herath was loved when he weaved one past an advancing Wriddhiman Saha, who at 30 is getting the long stretch in the Test team, having been long-nurtured within India’s system.

When a Kumar Sangakkara phone call found Herath at 31, he had resorted to playing club cricket in England, to make some

semblance of a living from his sport.

R Ashwin is an orthodox spinner, but his type commands substantial respect in India.

Beyond the Palk Strait, Herath has seen the mystery bowlers promoted ahead of him. Ajinkya Rahane, whose dismissal brought the biggest roar from Herath, had to wait for greats to retire from the Test team to get his chance.

But he didn’t wait nearly as long as Herath did for Muttiah Muralitharan.

Most of all, Herath is easy to love because he has borne all this with good humour, without obvious complaint. When he speaks of the axe at the selectors’ hands, he does so with a smile. “It’s happened to me so many times, being dropped is my bread and butter,” he said of his recent omission against Pakistan. “ B e i n g d ro p p e d i s

nothing new, but I’m confident of things that I can do, because I’ve done those things in the past.

That self-belief keeps me going.”

In the past 15 years of Sri Lankan cricket, Murali has embodied the island’s talent.

In Mahela Jayawardene, its joyful innovation has been borne out. But in backs-tothe-wall scraps against other teams, and now the war on his public perception, no one has had Herath’s will in a fight.

In 18 unbroken overs, all the wicketless balls have been forgotten. Herath will know better than anyone that the praise doesn’t last forever. He will know best of all he will have to fight his way back again, on another day, in another place, with another spell like this.

Maybe then we will all remember why we love him again. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Bolt skips camp ahead of world championships, Bailey-Cole out

from Japan.

“He was to come in (camp in Japan) but at the last moment

it was decided that he should not come, considering that the team is just two days away from travelling to Beijing.

“It was considered necessary that he should perhaps go to the venue of the competition directly, rather than come here.”

Watts also said about 14 athletes, including reigning double sprint champion ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce, who were having problems obtaining Chinese visas through Italy, should get them by today in Japan.

“It is being sorted; in other words by tomorrow it will be completely sorted because it is in the process and I expect it will be completed by today,” Watts said.

Meanwhile, Commonwealth Games 100m gold medallist Kemar Bailey-Cole has been ruled out of Beijing after suffering a torn hamstring.

In a message on his Facebook page, the 23-year-old sprinter said he was ending his season.

“It is with bitter emotions that I am announcing that my season has come to an end. I will not be competing at the World Championships,” read the post.

“This is so, as an ongoing cramp to both hamstrings at the London anniversary games now lead to one of them been torn Saturday in practice.

“Thank you all for your

thoughtfulness. Your generosity and support during this difficult time is greatly appreciated.”

Watts said Nesta Carter will likely replace Bailey-Cole in the 100m sprint.

“The technical team will determine that, but it’s like that Nesta Carter would be the one to take the 100m metres spot,” Watts told Reuters.

Carter, who came fourth in the 100m sprint at the Jamaican trials, won the bronze medal in the same event at the World Championships in Moscow in 2013.

“We still have a good team and I hope that things will work out well,” Watts said.

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Now that the Caribbean’s top female umpire, Jacqueline Williams, has officiated at the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Under-19 level, the next goal, according to the Jamaican, is to officiate at the regional first-class level.

The former Jamaica female cricketer, who was born in Westmoreland, umpired in five matches during the recent WICB Under-19 tournament - a first for a female umpire in the Caribbean.

This was an improve-

ment on a similar experience at the WICB Under-15 tournament last year.

“The experiences were good and taught me a lot, and for it I’m a much-improved umpire,” said the 39-year-old.

“The next hope for me is to be selected to officiate at the regional first-class in the not- too-distant future.”

Williams, who is the only female umpire on the WICB’s panel of umpires, albeit on the second-tier ‘B’ panel, would be the first fe-

male umpire to achieve the feat if she does get called to the first-class level.

This would put the St Andrew Technical alumna within her lifetime dream of being an international umpire.

“If I were to make it to the first-class level, that would be my next goal, as it is from there that umpires are adjudged before being given international status.

“That’s the route I would like to take, and with God’s blessing, and further oppor-

tunities, I am optimistic.”

Williams, who began umpiring in 2007 at the age of 31, also outlined why she believes she can make it to the highest level.

“I have rubbed shoulders with the best umpires in the country, and I think I have stood up well,” the Portmore resident pointed out.

“I also believe I have garnered the respect of players, which for me is one of the most important things in umpiring.” (Jamaica Star article)

CRICKET QUIZ Female umpire has big match dreams CORNER

(Monday August 17, 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: 259-Glen Turner (NZ vs WI, 1972) 152*-Desmond Haynes (WI vs IND, 1989) Today’s Quiz: What are the best bowling figures in a Test innings at Bourda?

What are the best bowling figures in an ODI game at Bourda?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 17, 2015

Tang Soo Do (Guyana) wraps up summer camp THE Guyana chapter of Tang Soo Do International successfully completed its Summer Martial Arts Training Programme under the theme “I Believe I Can Make It” on Friday with several students graduating.

The camp, which commenced on August 13, was aimed at getting students ranging from ages 3 to 15 involved in martial arts in an effort to meaningfully occupy their time..

The participants studied the art of Tang Soo Do Practical and Theory, Self Defence, Sparring and Gymnastics during the one-month camp.

Speaking at the conclusion of the camp, Sensei Roland Eudoxie, who was the facilitator indicated, “It was a success based on the fact that we were able to have more kids coming in and wanting to learn the discipline of martial arts and more so adding an extra meaningful activity in their lives throughout the summer break.”

Meanwhile, the body is moving apace with plans for

its North American Federation of Martial Arts (NAFMA) competition set for November 20 & 21, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

The two-day family event will feature teams from Suriname, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia, Guadeloupe, Aruba and the United States and Canada.

On the first evening, according to Sensei Eudoxie, there will be a seminar and dinner with guestsof-honour Azim Rizk, the Black and Green Power Ranger in the Power Rangers Super Megaforce on Nickelodeon and Master Jose Torres.

Day two will feature competition at the CASH where the various teams will compete.

The event has gained support from the National Sport Commission, COPA Airlines, Farfan and Mendes, Banks DIH Ltd, Pegasus Hotel Guyana, Pro Graphics, HFD Mining Supplies, POPEYES and Trophy Stall. (Stephan Sookram)

Sensei Roland Eudoxie stands with his graduates.

Sunshine Girls settle for fourth after defeat to England SYDNEY, Australia (CMC) – Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls failed to overcome England yet again, and were forced to settle for fourth spot on the final day of the World Cup here yesterday.

Hoping to erase the memory of their loss in the group stage, the Jamaicans blew a sizeable first-quarter lead to crash to a 58-55 defeat at the Allphones Arena.

The result was a virtual repeat of the 2011 World Cup when Jamaica also lost to England in the bronze medal game to finish fourth.

Reigning World champions Australia, meanwhile, won their third straight title when they edged perennial rivals New Zealand, 58-55, in the gold medal game.

They used a strong first quarter to fuel their victory bid and even though they lost the remaining quarters, had enough momentum to get over the line.

Goal shoot Caitlin Bassett shot 48 from 51 attempts while goal attack Natalie Medhurst finished with ten from 13.

For the Silver Ferns, goal attack Maria Tutaia led with 38 goals from 53 attempts

13.

Jamaica’s defenders Stacian Facey and Vangelee Williams (right) go high with England’s Joanne Harten and Pamela Cookey (GA) in their bronze-medal match yesterday. (Jamaica Observer photo.). while Bailey Mes scored 17 from 22.

Jamaica, meanwhile, also opened with a strong first-quarter run but were then outplayed over the re-

maining 45 minutes.

Goal attack Romelda Aiken led with 26 from 28 attempts and got support from goal shoot Jhaniele Fowler-Reid who finished with 12 from

England were inspired by goal shoot Joanne Harten with 52 from 59.

Jamaica led 7-4 after 6:25 minutes through an Aiken goal and maintained their lead to be 16-11 ahead at the end of the first period.

H o w e v e r, E n g l a n d turned it around in the second quarter, out-scoring the Jamaicans 17-7 to lead 28-23 at the half-time break. Behind excellent shooting from Harten, England sparked a 12-6 run to tie the scores at 23 after 11:17 minutes before rattling off five unanswered goals to end the quarter.

On resumption, England kept their foot on the accelerator, with Harten and Pamela Cookey – who scored 14 from 18 – keeping Jamaica at bay.

They led 45-33 at the start of the final quarter leaving Jamaica needing a virtual miracle to take a come-from-behind victory. Predictably, though, there was no late drama.

England kept the lead wide enough for the first ten minutes before closing out strongly with a 9-2 run, to reiterate their dominance.

IAAF/Adidas launches best World Champs performer award FANS around the world will be able to select the best performer of the day during the IAAF World Championship in Beijing.

In conjunction with Adidas, the official IAAF partner, the IAAF is asking athletics fans around world to choose the best performers of each day.

After each evening session of the championships, August 22-30, a panel of experts will put together a shortlist of three athletes deemed to be among the day’s best performers.

The IAAF will then announce the names of the three athletes -- who need not be winners or even medallists but nevertheless are competitors who grab the imagination of the experts -- through the IAAF website and social media, opening it up to the public to vote via www.iaaf.org and decide a

winner.

The athlete with the most votes will be announced before the following day’s evening session, except for the winner of the final day who will be announced the following morning, the day after the championships.

Each day’s winning athletes will then form a final shortlist -- the ‘champion of champions’ shortlist -- and voting will take place from Monday, August 31 to Friday, September 4.

One athlete will emerge as the overall winner and get the accolade of being the Best Performer of the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 presented by Adidas.

The overall winner will be announced on September 4 and will be presented with a special Golden Shoe Award at the IAAF Gala in November.

Sport CHRONICLE

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

Tang Soo Do (Guyana) wraps up summer camp See story on page 23

Knight, Matthews power Barbados to Super50 title PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – West Indies players Kyshona Knight and Hayley Matthews stroked half-centuries as Barbados crushed defending champions Jamaica by 124 runs, to lift the Regional Women’s Super50 title here yesterday.

Playing at the National Cricket Centre in Couva, the Barbadians piled up 242 for seven off their 50 overs then bundled out the Jamaicans for 118 in the 40th over, to complete an emphatic victory and an outstanding campaign where they played unbeaten.

P l a y e r- o f - t h e - M a t c h Kyshona Knight top-scored with 68 from 65 balls, while opener Matthews struck 53 from 93 deliveries.

Opener Kycia Knight chimed in with 39 while captain Shaquana Quintyne weighed in with an unbeaten 31 from 33 balls, to give Barbados momentum at the end.

Off-spinner Vanessa Watts finished with four for 39 while seamer Roshana Outar claimed two for 50.

I n r e p l y, J a m a i c a reached 72 for one in the

23rd over but collapsed to lose their last nine wickets for a mere 46 runs.

Captain Stafanie Taylor led Jamaica with 47 from 61 deliveries and opener Natasha McLean hit 28 but they were the only two in double figures as the remainder of the batting withered.

Leg-spinner Keila Elliott was the main architect of Jamaica’s demise, claiming three for 17 while seamer Shakera Selman supported with two for 25.

The victory marked the second time in the tournament Barbados prevailed over Jamaica, following their 32-run triumph in the first round.

Opting to bat first, Barbados’ batting clicked yet again in the tournament to put Jamaica’s bowling under pressure. Matthews and Kycia Knight put on 93 for the first wicket with Matthews stroking a single four and Kycia gathering four boundaries.

When the partnership was broken, Kyshona Knight then anchored three successive crucial stands to ensure Barbados maintained their momentum.

The 23-year-old left-hander Winners Barbados celebrate with the Women’s Super50 trophy at the National Cricket

See Page 19

Centre. (Photo by WICB Media/Ashley Allen)

PPYC in the lead at Boyce & Jefford Track and Field Classic

By Tamica Garnett

Kevin Bayley

KEVIN Bayley overpowered Trinidad’s Ashton Gill and Winston George championed the men’s 200m in two of the many prominent performances produced by the Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC), which pushed the team in the lead throughout the day, at the Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic, in day two of competition yesterday, at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Linden.

It was another imposing win for the PPYC as the team maintained an impressive lead throughout the day and stood

with 108 points after only 7 finals.

As anticipated, Police’s biggest contenders were the Guyana Defence Force team.

However, after the seven finals, GDF stood 21 points behind while Mercury Fast Laners and Linden were battling for third place with 25 and 23 points respectively, after 7 finals.

With results from many events still coming in - the event went late into the evening - there was no telling how it would all end as night closed in in the mining town.

Lindeners turned out in their numbers for a day of riveting competition and got just that despite rain threatening the day’s event.

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

In the men’s 800m, Bailey did not get an easy time as he fought against not only Gill, but GDF’s Wayne Harlequin to win the race and retain his title.

Bailey clocked 2:05.8s, with Gill coming in at 2:07.9s. Third place went to Wayne Harlequin who ran 2:08.5s.

I n t h e m e n ’s 2 0 0 m , George, and Linden’s Compton Caesar, who clocked the fastest timings in the heat were the men to watch in the final, but with the race also including GDF’s Davin Fraser, Rupert Perry and Akeem Stewart, and Jamaica’s Nicholas Maitland, it promised to be an intense final.

I n t h e e n d G e o rg e showed that however intense, he could deal with any heat that came his way.

In a record-breaking performance George nicked out the 21.10 record for the meet that he himself had set last year and blazed to a 21.9 seconds finish.

In his wake Linden’s Caesar clocked 22.1 seconds to hold on to second place and Fraser worked his way to third in a time of 22.3 seconds.

Another sharp battle played out as GDF’s An-

See Page 19 MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2015