Chronicle 01 17 2016

Budget: January 29 No. 104434

SUNDAY JANUARY 17, 2016

Price: $140

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- will focus on job creation through micro-financing, micro-industries

Durban Park to become major public venue

RESCUED 13-yr-old mother, baby released from abusive home 8 Page

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Works underway to restore Durban Park (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

From Castries to Mahdia

Harris

– the GuyLu

See inside

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016 Work in Progress at Durban Park

Durban Park to become major public venue

President Granger and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, look over the plans for Durban Park during a visit to the site. At far left is Project Manager Mr. Larry London, and Ministerial Advisor, Diaspora Affairs, Mr. Basil Blackman PRESIDENT David Granger and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, made a brief stop at Durban Park on Friday afternoon to observe work ongoing to transform the area into a multi-purpose recreational facility. The Park, being devel-

oped mainly for the benefit of South Georgetown residents, is expected to have the capacity to host major national events.

During his stop, President Granger looked over plans and discussed the progress of work with Project Manager Mr. Larry London. The President

said he is looking forward to completion of Durban Park, which, equipped with an all-weather surface in some areas and flood lights, will become a major public venue.

M r. L o n d o n d i s closed that the first phase of work will be completed within five weeks, but a second phase will continue until mid-year. He said that with capacity to hold 30,000 persons, both seated and un-seated, the venue will be able to accommodate literary events, concerts, sporting activities and major public events.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016

Budget: January 29 - will focus on job creation through micro-financing, micro-industries

By Tajeram Mohabir BUDGET 2016 will be presented on January 29, and, among other things, will focus on job creation through micro-financing and supporting of micro-industries to ramp up economic growth.

Last year, the business community had complained of a slowdown in the economy, which was due to several factors, but principally the prorogation of Parliament and the subsequent hosting of Regional and General Elections. This year’s budget is expected to breathe fresh life into the economy.

President David Granger, without going into details of what Budget 2016 contains, told the Guyana Chronicle that strong emphasis will be placed on stimulating economy growth, increasing revenue collection, and reducing leakages through tax evasion.a Significant efforts will also be made to address non-compliance with the law as well as non-payment of contributions to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

Aside from these, the issue of unemployment has also been a cause for concern. Last year, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), in a report, estimated youth unemployment in Guyana to be around 40 per cent.

President Granger said his administration is aware of the problem, and Budget 2016 will contain measures geared at addressing the problem.

The budget will tackle employment through microfinance and micro-industries, and will give entrepreneurs, particularly young entrepreneurs, opportunity to participate in the economy.

Youth employment has not been the only challenge with youth. The number of school dropouts is also high.

“Until and unless we get more young people into the economy, we won’t be able to see the type of growth [the country needs],” President Granger said.

But encouragingly, he said, while Government’s social programmes have been consuming a lot of revenues, they are showing notable sign of success.

Notwithstanding the elections and the uncertainty that accompanied it, Finance Minister Winston Jordan, in his 2015 Budget, projected a 3.4 per cent growth for the year, but the economy was unable to achieve that target.

President Granger explained that Guyana does not exist in isolation, and depends heavily on the primary commodities of sugar, rice and bauxite. These have not been receiving favourable prices on the world market, he said, noting that this situation has caused the slowing of growth and revenues.

OPTIMISM But Guyana can look forward with optimism this year, he said. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in May 2015, reported that Guyana’s economy is expected to grow by 4.4 per cent in 2016.

However, the IMF noted that growth in the region is expected to make a modest recovery to two per cent, and it draws attention to the downside risks that could further complicate the outlook for Latin America.

The Fund said further possible weakness in commodity prices -– perhaps related to a sharper downturn in China –would increase pressures on South America’s net commodity exporters.

President Granger said that for Guyana to be competitive in the global arena, it cannot be business as usual. He stressed the need for education reform with strong focus on science

and technology.

“The education system has failed to produce the quality and number of scientists that we need to develop the country,” he said, while pointing out that the problem cannot be addressed overnight.

Knowing the problem, however, allows Government to tackle it head on.

And the President said his Administration will tackle that, along with poverty and unemployment, and strive to develop an economy that absorbs more young people and entrepreneurs than ever before.

“We expect that we will see some of those initiatives in the budget,” he said.

Finance Minister Jordan had told this publication that, in this year’s budget, billions of dollars will be pumped into infrastructure, crime and security, communication, climate change and resilience, health and education.

A major focus, he said, will be placed on “infrastructural transformation” aimed at bridging the gap between the coast and hinterland.

“We keep saying that the hinterland is where all the wealth is, but we have most of the people strung along a narrow strip on the coast. So we really want to bridge that gap. Whether the bridging of that gap be physical bridges, roads, boats, airstrips, communication…all those areas we are going to tackle,” he added.

Last year, Mr Jordan presented a $221B budget, and this year, he said will be presenting a bigger budget as Government wants to create a friendly investment climate.

“Proper infrastructure is crucial for attracting business, existing business to stay in business… linking our different parts of the country,” he said.

The Cabinet was engaged in finalising the 2016 budget, yesterday. (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, January 17, 2016

U.N. agency gives green light to lifting of Iran sanctions IRAN emerged from years of economic isolation on Saturday when the U.N. nuclear watchdog ruled the Islamic Republic had curbed its nuclear program under a deal with world powers, clearing the way for the lifting of crippling sanctions against Tehran.

In another sign of the easing of tensions between the West and Iran, Tehran and Washington announced an unexpected prisoner swap.

Iran will free five Americans including jailed Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and a Christian minister.

And in an unusual move, President Barack Obama pardoned three Iranian-Americans charged for violating sanctions against Iran, a lawyer for one of the men said, while prosecutors moved to drop charges against four Iranians outside the United States.

Sanctions on Iran by the

United States, United Nations and European Union will be lifted within hours or days.

Mostly imposed in the last five years, the sanctions have cut off the country of 80 million people from the global financial system, reduced oil producer Iran’s exports and imposed severe economic hardship on ordinary Iranians.

“Iran has carried out all measures required under the (July deal) to enable Implementation Day (of the deal) to occur,” the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement.

The strengthening of Iran’s economy could shift the geopolitical balance of the Middle East where Iran is the leading Shi’ite Muslim power and its allies are fighting proxy wars in Iraq, Syria and Yemen against those who back its main Sunni Muslim regional rival, Saudi Arabia.

Iran’s return to an already glutted oil market is one of the factors contributing to a global rout in oil prices, which fell below $30 a barrel this week for the first time in 12 years.

Tehran says it could boost exports by 500,000 barrels per day within weeks.

The sanctions deal is viewed with deep suspicion

by U.S. allies in the Middle East including Israel and Saudi Arabia. It is, however, supported by Washington’s European allies, who joined Obama earlier in his presidency in tightening sanctions as part of a joint strategy to force Tehran to negotiate.

The Obama administration says the deal reached last July offered the best possible prospect of ensuring Iran would not develop a nuclear weapon.

Iran denies its nuclear program was aimed at obtaining an atomic bomb.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukiya Amano and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini (front L-R) arrive at the United Nations building in Vienna, Austria, January 16, 2016. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, January 17, 2016

Petrobras says to speed up asset sales; bailout ‘last resort’ (Reuters) Brazil’s Petroleo Brasileiro SA is confident it can sell $15 billion in assets by the end of the year to pay off debt and limit further cuts to its investments as oil prices tumble to 12-year lows, executives from the state-led oil company said on Friday.

While the financial challenges facing the embattled company are daunting, Chief Financial Officer Ivan Monteiro said Petrobras, as the company is known, would consider a government bailout only “as a last resort.” No such request is currently under consideration, he added.

Monteiro met with reporters on Friday to explain Tuesday’s announcement of a 25 percent cut in fiveyear capital spending to $98.4 billion.

Itau BBA oil and gas analyst Diego Mendes, who was part of a group that met with Petrobras officials earlier on Friday, said the executives provided “sound explanations” for Tuesday’s cuts to capital spending and output.

He warned, though, that a revival in Petrobras’

stock, now near 13-year lows, will happen only when the company delivers on its promises.

“Although management is working hard to put the company back on track, the challenges are huge and we expect the market to price-in the potential improvements in the operations and in the profitability only when they show up in the result,” Mendes wrote in a note to clients.

Petrobras preferred shares fell 9.14 percent to 5.17 reais in late Friday trading in Sao Paulo, their second-largest one-day drop this year and their lowest close since Aug. 6, 2003.

Petrobras has cut its investment budget three times

in the last year as the price of benchmark Brent crude oil LCOc1 fell 40 percent.

A slide in the Brazilian real also drove up the local-currency cost of its foreign borrowing. At about $130 billion, its debt is the largest of any oil company.

Meanwhile, a corruption scandal has kept Petrobras out of most capital markets. On Friday, it canceled a domestic bond sale because it could not sell the debt at rates acceptable to both the company and investors.

If Petrobras cannot access capital markets and sell new debt, Petrobras’ cash position could slip by about 40 percent to as low as $15 billion in 2017,

Monteiro said.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, a former chairwoman of Petrobras’ board, told reporters in Brasília on Friday that she would not rule out the possibility that the government may have to pump more cash into the company if oil prices continue to fall.

She has previously said that there was no chance of a new Petrobras capitalization. As chairwoman, she helped plan the 2010 sale of $70 billion of new Petrobras stock in what was then the largest share sale in world history.

When the sale closed, the company’s market value rose to $221 billion.

The company today is worth only 10 percent of that.

With oil prices low, Monteiro and other executives consider asset sales the only way to keep up investments in new production needed to pay future debt. So far, Petrobras has sold only a small fraction of the $15.1 billion target for 2015 and 2016 in its latest strategic plan.

Monteiro said that if Petrobras delivers on the entire divestment plan, it will not need to borrow any money in 2016. He added that he did not think a proposed sale of stock in Saudi Arabian Oil Co [SDABO.UL], or Saudi Aramco, would reduce demand for Petrobras assets.

He said there was strong interest in buying a minority stake in fuels distribution unit BR Distribuidora as well as interest in the company’s fertilizer assets.

The company is also focusing on the sale and

leaseback of part of its large fleet of oil production and drilling ships as well as funding from international finance agencies such as national trade finance banks, Monteiro said.

Tuesday’s changes to the investment plan cut Petrobras’ outlook for 2016 oil output in Brazil by 1.8 percent to 2.14 million barrels a day (bpd) and its outlook for 2020 to 2.8 million bpd.

Solange Guedes, Petrobras exploration and production chief, said output cuts were small despite the capital budget cuts because the company has been able to “optimize” operations with a reduction in exploration spending, shorter drilling times and more efficient efforts at connecting production wells.

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams

Editorial: 227-5216; 227-5204 guyanachronicle.com wnigel10@hotmail.com gnnleditorial@gmail.com

Editorial

Restoring public confidence

IT IS not unreasonable to say the past unnecessary, divisive political actions have left Guyanese disillusioned and fedup with Government in its institutions. People have grown tired of politicians trading words merely for the sake of grandstanding and upmanship, as they look for an opportunity to move in for the kill rather than offer solutions and lend support where necessary; saying one thing and doing another, or doing the cartwheel on issues when the political table has turned, without seeing the need to inform the public what has informed the change of heart.

Many knit their brows in wariness, but some, who cared not for the rule of law, the nation’s resources and respect for the rights of its citizens, have today become crusaders of these virtues.

Equally, it is so for those who once championed these virtues and are now unmindful of them, or view them as hindrance to doing or getting what they want.

Institutions of state, such as the police force -- which the people once felt never served and protected them, but existed as enforcers for brutality, fear and division -- when today you see an almost 360 degree turn, it is not unfair to wonder what has resulted in the changed behaviour. Though crime -- blue and white collar -- remains a concern and the masses are living in anxiety out of fear they may be next, the heightened efforts and focus at crime solving cannot be ignored because people have seen alleged perpetuators identified and being placed before the courts.

On the other hand, the call for an end to corruption and holding persons accountable, the perceived slothful pace in making this a reality is lending to the feeling of a government ‘going soft,’ not having the evidence, or are friends of the accused. And this perception is understandable, given what this nation has witnessed within recent years. And though previous governments have denied these claims, international reports such as Transparency International bear testimony to what the masses know.

Civility, a feature badly lacking in the public sphere, has also led the masses to believe that those who are serving them, elected or appointed, are behaving as though the masses are their servants and are to be treated with contempt.

Stories about persons being forewarned that if they visit such and such person or go to such and such office they should expect to be treated as trash, be insulted or made to give a bribe, are not uncommon.

Watching the nation’s resources being given away to, or divided up among, friends and families of the connected; political connection determining eligibility for

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, January 17, 2016

Calling a spade a spade Dear Editor

I BELIEVE the time has come to call a spade a spade.

By this I mean that the nation of Guyana must understand that people of African ancestry (black people) have just as much ability as any other ethnic group to efficiently get involved in large scale business.

First, I want to point out that after slavery was abolished in 1834, the then slaves, who were all black people, had money, which they put together to purchase land. The history of land ownership in Guyana supports this contention, and the money which the former slaves had owned was obtained from throwing ‘box hand’.

However, black people were not able to succeed in farming because they were not able to get proper drainage and irrigation. The reason for this is that the owners of the sugar estates, who were close to the colonial government at the time, deliberately did not want these people to succeed in farming, since they had left the sugar estates and Indian labour had to be imported.

Black people have always been intelligent people, and so they decided that, instead of farming, they would encourage their children to become educated, and in doing so, many became teachers, some professionals, and others civil servants. This resulted in black children leaving their villages to live in the

city and elsewhere, wherever they were employed.

Over the years, the land of their foreparents became abandoned, and up to today, this younger generation is trying to regain title to their inheritance.

I say all of this so that young black people could understand why their parents are not in big business. It is not because of their inability to do business, but because of a deliberate effort in earlier years to prevent them from succeeding.

Now that we have a coalition government, which is striving to achieve good for all the people of Guyana, I hereby encourage young black men and women to become focused and concentrate on getting involved in

business activities.

In 1947, when I was still at primary school in New Amsterdam, Berbice, I can recall several religious folks from India visiting Guyana and encouraging their followers to own land. When you own land, you own the country.

As I travel to work each day, using public transportation, I can hear people talk that because there is a new government, things will get better. However, I want to point out that you better start to own businesses and land. We must stop pulling down one another.

Regards, JONAS M.F. CODDETT

Suicide prevention should be pragmatic Dear Editor, WE are all deeply saddened by the scourge of suicide, which has reached pandemic proportions in our country.

Region Two alone has had about nine suicides and two attempts since the beginning of 2016, while other regions had lesser amounts.

Whether the number is large or small, we, as a country, need to deal with this plague in proactive ways.

It is of little use to be fiddling, theorising and lamenting if we do not find pragmatic ways of curbing this crime. We have to identify and implement practical ways. All stake-holders -- and this means literally everyone

-- have a vested interest in preventing suicide; and therefore all should be involved at various levels in preempting it.

Having said that, I would now outline my suggestions to drastically reduce, if not completely eradicate, suicide. I will focus on a three-pronged approach —schools, home and community -— which by no means is exhaustive.

SCHOOLS Since most suicides are committed by young people, schools should be totally involved in tackling the situation. Ideally, each school should have a trained counsellor. In the absence of this, the available counsellors,

employment/economic opportunities, as against qualifications/ competence; millions of taxpayers’ dollars being wasted in projects such as roads and schools that are overpriced and poorly constructed, have been features that proliferated the landscape.

Workers who, while required to do a fair day’s work are not being given a fair day’s pay, become frustrated that their rights are trampled upon at the workplace, and they find it hard to eke out a daily living, given the insurmountable bills they have to pay. In the face of this, those who enjoy the favours of the establishment, or are in the establishment, have moved from rags to riches overnight, openly flaunting and shamelessly justifying their ostentatious lifestyles.

Recounting these events sounds like a fairy-tale, yet this has been the life of the average citizen for too many years. It is a life from which citizens desire a clean break. And though it is understood that some situations will take time, given the need for careful planning and execution, it is not unfair for the masses to expect that where changes can be made without having to go through any long processes, they should be made immediately.

psychiatrists, social workers and psychologists, religious and other leaders (who can be considered as role-models) should visit schools regularly and deliver motivational talks to the student body.

Also, these professionals and leaders should educate the staff at staff meetings on how to detect students who may be prone to suicide. Certain signs and symptoms should send warning signals that all is not well. For instance:

Signs of bruises, cuts, welts and other marks; wearing long-sleeved shirts, buttoned up possibly to cover marks of violence; neglect of neatness and appearance.

1: Behavioural Changes.

Changes in mood from jovial to sad; sociable to withdrawn and becoming a loner; full of life and active to loss of interest in activities, etc.

These and other signs and symptoms should raise red flags which should be obvious, but are oblivious to an untrained, casual observer, who looks but does not see.

2: Physical Changes.

3: Economic Changes.

Economic abuse, when the breadwinner shortchanges dependants, usually results in poor quality of food or no food at all; lack of school supplies, and low self-esteem.

See page 7

As a matter of immediacy, leaders in Government and Opposition can begin to respect the Laws of Guyana, treating citizens with deserving respect, activate ethics training in the public service, implement some of the numerous recommendations on police reform in areas such as respecting human rights and improving community/police relations, and let the days of nepotism remain in the past, to name a few things.

The people, regardless of political persuasion, will support any Government, or be compelled to see the wisdom of any Government or Government institution that treats them as human beings, operates in a judicious manner, and manages their resources to the benefit of all. Though at times persons may be prone to thinking and acting from baser instincts, residing in every one of us is the desire to see improvement in our lives and surroundings, and in the well-being of those around us. Guyanese want to breathe again, hope again, and would rather live here than elsewhere.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, January 17, 2016

Gov’t pushes ahead with e-governance project

THE government’s re-activated e-governance project will encompass the creation of a data centre in the city which will hold most government applications.

Minister of Telecommunications and Tourism, Cathy Hughes, speaking at her first public engagement under the telecommunications portfolio, told those gathered at the opening of the Teleperformance call centre in the city on Friday that creation of the centre to network government agencies is the

second aspect of the project.

“At the end of the day, the objective is to improve the quality of our social services to fight crime, to boost the standard of education, to promote digital literacy,[and] provide an ICT path,” Hughes said. She said the plan is part of government’s plan to generally foster development and a higher-based knowledge society.

According to the minister, activation of the e-governance programme increases government’s and the country’s

capability to make Internet connectivity available to all citizens in the city, other parts of the coastland and inland communities. The E-Governance Unit is currently geared in this direction.

According to Hughes, after the preparatory work has been completed, a fibre-optic cable connecting Georgetown to Moleson Creek, Linden, Anna Regina, Linden and Lethem will be run. Wireless sites will be constructed and activated along these national corridors utilising 4G tech-

nology, aimed at providing connectivity to all of the socio-economic services and facilities across the country.

Hughes said that not only do few people know about the information super highway, “It is a new way of life, connectivity adds development,” she noted. The minister added that government unreservedly supports the position that access to the Internet and utilisation of ICT will aid its ability to develop critical services and provide effective cost-cutting support

Suicide prevention should be...

From page 6

5: Test for illegal drug Therefore, what should be use, with the consent of parents, with the aim of interoverseen is overlooked. vention, Additionally, schools 6: Have a Parents’ Day should do the following: 1: Have a zero tolerance each term/semester to edto bullying, which can lead ucate parents on parenting to depression and psychotic skills and best practices.

issues. The rules should be PARENTS clear, emphasised often, and Children spend more time strictly implemented. with their parents, who are 2: Abolish corporal pun- the first ones to socialise ishment, which is archaic and them. Therefore, they are can lead to serious problems moulded by their parents in if a child is already abused their formative years. This at home — physically, psy- kind of conditioning can have chologically, economically, lasting effects on the chilverbally and otherwise. Use dren. My advice to parents is: 1: Show love to your chilalternative forms of discidren; they did not ask to be pline. born.

3: Schools should raise 2: Don’t beat your chilfunds and have school-feeding programs for the deserv- dren. Use other forms of disciplining — grounding ing students. (taking away certain privileg4: All schools should es temporarily), giving extra have vibrant clubs — sports, chores, etc. Do not starve you drama, poetry and writing, children as a form of disciart and craft, newspaper, plining them. yearbook, gardening, and so 3: Monitor your children’s on — to bring out students’ potential, keep them occupied activities, and make sure they constructively, and boost keep the right friends and do the right things, watch approtheir self-worth.

priate TV programmes, and listen to good music. (The generation gap may cause difference of taste, but you should recognise moderate from extreme)

something into the community from whence they accrue their wealth. They should provide scholarships, provide supplies for school-feeding programmes, contribute to the building and upgrading 4: Spend quality time of parks, and assist the powith your children, ask them lice and medical clinics with probing questions about equipment. school, about activities and friends. Go to church, parks, 2. The Education Departresorts and other places with ment should employ Truancy them.

Officers to monitor absenteeism. These officers should COMMUNITY seek out school-age children In the modern world, it at home and on the streets, is no longer our business, and liaise with the parents like before, what others do and other authorities. The in public. However, we can Neighbourhood Police can still be Good Samaritans and assist in this. be our brothers’ (and sisters’) keepers. If our objective is to 3: We can all help people have a good quality of life truly in need, whether finanand prevent suicide, we all cially or emotionally, by cash can contribute to the better- or kindness, ment of others. (do not provoke differently-abled, the mentally ill MY TAKE: or physically infirm just to 1: Businesses, especially have a kick) so that their lives big ones, should put back can be worthwhile; for we do

to all productive sectors. In addition, it will facilitate the development of ICT as a sustainable, highly profitable productive sector, she noted.

The multi-million-dollar e-governance project was rolled out under the previous administration with the aim of creating a network linking government and other State agencies throughout the country. The project hit controversy when the fibre-optic cable that was supposed to link the coastland to Brazil was scrapped as a result of

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technical faults.

In October last year, government commenced testing its pilot phase of the project through partnership with the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) network. The company provided bandwidth coverage, and according to Advisor on E-Governance, Floyd Levi, GTT has given government a favourable price for the purchase of bulk bandwidth.

He said plans are afoot to roll out services throughout all government agencies.

not know what karma has in can be. store for us as the world goes

around.

Editor, I do hope that the people read, digest 4: Crimes are committed and implement these ideas, because of means, motive and which I accumulated from opportunity. We should not years of being in schools only get rid of the motive, but in five countries and from also of the means and oppor- decades of training in edtunity. Poisonous substances ucation and counselling. such as Gramoxone, as well While we may not be able as all medication, should be to save everyone, as crimes secured with locks. Better yet, of passion can be sponthe location of poisons should taneous, it is my fervent not be disclosed to everybody. hope that this scourge will Parents are culpable for care- come to an end sooner, lessly placing these substances rather than later. where everyone can easily access them. Also, pharmacies Thank you. should not dispense certain Sincerely, drugs without prescription.

KARAN CHAND While overdose cannot be Educationist easily monitored, accessibility Region Two

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016

13-yr-old mother, baby released from abusive home

MEDICAL authorities in the city are currently monitoring the condition of a 13-year-old girl who delivered a baby 10 days ago at a remote North West District community, and a 12-year-old girl from the same location who is in an advanced stage of pregnancy is also being closely monitored.

The girls were rescued by members of the Guyana Women Miners Organization (GWMO) on Friday. According to the GWMO, once it received report about the rape of the girls, it immediately dispatched its Regional Coordinator to the remote location, situated some 6 hours by road further inland from a prominent North West District community.

Both girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by a relative, and it was later discovered that they were pregnant. One of the girls is said to be the daughter of a woman who died last October after being allegedly raped and beaten by her husband at the Region One location.

GWMO head, Urica Primus, told this newspaper yesterday that a team from the organization returned to the area in search of a 10-year-old sister of the rescued 12-year-old girl, and is also trying to ascertain the whereabouts of other siblings of the girls.

Primus said Divisional Commander Rabindranath Budhram has been informed of the situation, and he has given his support to the team’s mission. To this end, police officers stationed at a Region One mining community were expected to accompany the GWMO team on its lengthy trip.

Speaking on the rescue of the two girls, Primus explained that the organization responded to a report from a resident of the community, and persons in the region were immediately mobilized. She said the team left its base on Friday morning for the journey. After finding the girls, the team took them out of their home and returned to its base on Friday evening.

The girls were immediately taken to the nearby hospital for medical attention.

The girls and the baby were subsequently flown to the capital yesterday, to undergo further medical attention. Primus said the 13-year-old mother was in a serious condition, since her blood count was low. At the moment, the GWMO is providing care and attention to the two young women and the 10-day-old baby.

Police ranks were reluctant to accompany the team on Friday, and as such, Commander Budhram was informed of the team’s plans to return to the area on Saturday, Primus noted. Budhram pledged his support, and mobilized ranks to accompany the team.

According to Primus, the event was the first for the GWMO this year, and she called on the authorities to strengthen their network in the outlying areas. “Child Protection needs to increase its network in those areas, because there is a surge of social ills in those areas which people there have become accustomed to,” Primus said.

She called on the Ministry of Social Protection to consider placing child protection officers in communities where the issue of sexual abuse of young girls is prevalent, as well as other areas, as a preventative measure.

She said there is also need for follow-up care by the authorities, since some children are sometimes left at a disadvantage where assistance is concerned. Primus reiterated the need for support from the police on the issue, adding that some police ranks ignore the situations they encounter.

Last October, this newspaper reported on the realities of death and social dysfunction within three hinterland communities -– Port Kaituma, Arakaka and Baramita -- which

were brought to the surface as residents readily complained to officials from the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, the Ministry of Social Protection and the GWMO during a weekend visit to the North West District.

The mission was in the form of an outreach to residents of those communities, pre-arranged by the GWMO as the organization intensified its fight against exploitation of women while seeking to improve conditions for them in all sectors.

Child abuse and sexual exploitation of young women has been a thorny issue facing the authorities over the years. Last June, the Government stated that it would be embarking on a holistic programme to promote much-needed measures that would support persons who are faced with challenging situations. Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, told the National Assembly at the time that the Social Protection Ministry was embarking on a process of restructuring and strengthening the various departments, filling long outstanding vacancies and prioritising all programmes.

According to its website, the Country Office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), over the period 20122016, is geared to implement evidence-based programmes of action. These programmes support the rights and development of children and women, and contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the areas of eliminating poverty and hunger, universal education, gender equality, maternal and child health, and HIV/AIDS, with a key emphasis on equity.

According to UNICEF, particular emphasis is being placed on increasing the impact of these programmes on children living in Guyana’s hinterland areas, since they have been identified as one of the most vulnerable groups.

Youth ambassador on anti-suicide initiative YOUTH ambassador Dr Astell Collins will be leading an anti-suicide initiative on a two-day tour across the country, and schools and other national organisations will be addressed on the growing issue.

A release said the move is made possible through partnership between The President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (M.S.) programme and the Better Defined One (BD1) body, and is aimed at strengthening the capacity to assist young people in depressed situations.

Dr Collins, of BD1, informed that since returning to these shores, he has been responding to young people through inspirational lectures and his seminars.

His response to a “national outcry” “saw his immediate participation in the anti-suicide initiative. He will speak to 600 secondary school students during his tour across Guyana, and the sessions will also include addresses to the military, police, fire service, religious and support organizations that would assist in addressing the issue.

The initiative commenced at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway with 250 students in attendance. There, he called on the need for the young people to know themselves and have a plan for their lives.

Collins said that his programme, which operates across nine administrative regions in Guyana, includes a social responsibility aspect to assist the needs of youths and seek alternative activities to rid them of idle and dangerous activities.

His partners across Guyana have welcomed the initiative, and have, with the aid of the Regional Education Departments and the Regional Democratic Councils, put in place all the logistics for the lectures.

It is expected that with this programme and initiative and collaboration between BD1 – PYARG (M.S.), lecturers will follow activity areas, the release said.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016

Human Trafficking THE Honourable Minister of Public Security has come down hard on human trafficking. The move is excellent and timely, and if the policy is implemented efficiently, we should see a dramatic decrease in this serious crime.

We ought always to bear in mind that any well-designed policy should contain strategies of coherent and coordinated implementation -- action!

It is not infrequent to read or see or hear about underage girls being lured or taken to far-flung places on the pretext of getting jobs as waitresses, cooks, and so on.

They end up being victims of crimes of rape, being bought and sold. The inverse is also true: young girls from the interior (especially Amerindian girls) being lured out to the coast on the pretext of "jobs."

This governmental initiative should put an end to those kinds of human trafficking.

Victims should be provided relief (safe housing, food, educational opportunities, jobs), and the perpetrators should face severe penalties.

There is another and more insidious form of human trafficking as well: the "matrimonial" selling of underage girls, especially to boys or men of legal age.

This is done in the full face of often unquestioning society. There are ceremonies held upon this trafficking, and the sale of young girls is final and forever. All of this yields a lifetime of misery and enslavement, and all is done in the name of some tradition or religion, or some other oppression.

How many times do we have to witness, and how much genius must we have to see, the damage -- girls ripped out of schools by the

same men to whom they are sold like cheap beef? And we, like the spawn of Sodom and Gomorrah, wonder why suicides happen in these circumstances. There have been several suicides recently that are linked to "romantic" relationships. Many involved underage girls. There are so many girls who are pregnant at twelve! Some fellow kills himself. It is all horrible, but the relationship has had the "approval" and "permission" of "parents" to be "together."

But this "permission" and "approval" is given by parents for a child to be a victim of statutory rape!! Who, then, is culpable and thusly comes under the firm hand of the law?

Why is it that no one seems to see the warning signals to murder and domestic violence and marital rape? And the end is either suicide or irreversible psychological damage. We could build a million psychiatric hospitals, but, as a nation, we need to root out this disease, which begins with the low premium to which we hold our girls and women. Pills and feeble chats will not do it, especially when the victims are taken to these hospitals by the very people who are the culprits in the first place.

No parent should be allowed to sell children! No man should be allowed to buy a child. The law must take its

firm grip and handcuff these criminals.

Incidentally (or not so incidentally), I have been

floating the idea of a Special Victims Unit since 2010.

Various ministers and senior officials have taken

this up with words at various forums, but we need concrete action in more rapid fashion.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016

Renowned artist Desmond Alli assaulted

RENOWNED Guyanese artist Desmond Alli is calling on the police to speed up their investigations into an attempt on his life by a relative, who sent a gang to maim him at his home several days ago.

Currently working on art pieces in time for this year’s Golden Jubilee Independence celebrations at the invitation of President David Granger, Alli told this newspaper that, on Wednesday last, he was at home in East Ruimveldt with his son and elderly mother when several men came to his yard in a pick-up bearing the name of a plumbing company and informed him that they were there to carry out electrical works.

After entering his yard, one of the men told him that he had to remove from the property, a small building he has called home for the past 35 years. The man turned out to be a relative.

According to Alli, the man and his heavily-built “thugs” ordered him to remove from the house with his belongings, including art pieces he is currently working on as well as mementos.

He said he told the men that the house belongs to his father who died some 30 years ago, and that he has been paying the rates and taxes on the property.

Alli said he suspected the man was working on orders of his (Alli) sibling with whom he had sour relations when she migrated to the United States some seven years ago.

Alli said that after informing the men that he was not moving from the house, his relative reportedly held onto him while one of the men dealt him severe blows to the head with a hammer. He said he collapsed, and his son came to his aid, as the men left, making several threats.

“They said that they will return, and even called the following day with the threats,” Alli said.

According to the artist, he reported the matter at the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost and then sought medical attention.

The police are still to visit him to address the medical report.

He said he received 18 stitches for the wound to his head.

“These men came to kill me,” he said yesterday as he noted that he was fearful for his life, the life of his family members and that of his 91-year-old mother.

He said he has been living at the family house ever

DESMOND Alli sits with his bandaged head with one of his pieces at his East Ruimveldt home following the incident since he returned to Guyana some 35 years ago. He noted that the house was on sale at the time, and while he pays the rates and taxes among other fees, he never received the transport, which is in the name of his late father Ivan Alli.

He said that he nevertheless ensures all the documents for the home are in order.

“This was not expected, not at all! Because we are family,

Container of ‘flag poles and accessories’ to be disposed of by GRA - brought in by “Bobby” Ramroop

A forty-foot container of goods, consigned since 2011 to businessman Bobby Ramroop, is expected to be disposed of by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

By notice in the Official Gazette of January 13th, GRA gave notice of its intention regarding the container, which arrived on the vessel CONEAST

V-016 on the 24th of October 2011. The goods are described as “Flag Pole and Accessories”.

The container is presently stored at the Demerara Shipping Company Limited’s Wharf and the goods within will be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of Section 90 (2) of the Customs Act, Chapter

82:01, GRA stated in the notice.

The notice, which was signed by acting Commissioner-General Ingrid Griffith, stated that anyone having lien on the goods must forward claims to the Office of the Commissioner-General not later than one month after the publication of the notice.

and for them to do something like this to me at this time is very surprising,” a traumatised Alli noted.

He said this year is a special one for him, since he, along with the group Guyana United Artists, is in the process of creating art pieces for this year’ 50th Independence celebrations.

Alli said he was called last December to meet with President Granger at the Office of the President to discuss what contributions he can make to the Independence celebrations in the arts field. He said the President shared his ideas with him, and after the discussions, he immediately started working on his pieces.

“I have a sketch and some mahogany pieces, but there is the bigger project which will have the national symbols and pictures of the leaders, the Late President Burnham included, when the country received Independence,” Alli noted.

He said he is creating a model which will be submitted to the cultural authorities, after which materials will be provided

by Government to complete his project in time for May 26th.

Alli said he remains in pain, and according to him, the doctor advised that, at age 62, he may be affected later by the head injury he sustained. He said that he has been trying to gain much needed rest over the past 3 days since the incident.

He said the home belongs to his family, and he does not have any plans to vacate the premises anytime soon.

“I wish the police can do their work,” he noted.

Alli has been credited with numerous pieces of art which have stood on these shores as well as overseas. One of his creations stands near Castellani House, the National Unity/ Regional Integration Monument, which was built in memory of the late Dr Walter Rodney.

He has won numerous awards for his work, which has been on display here and overseas. His pieces on the Aztec world were chosen to be a part of the exhibitions at the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris.

Some of his powerful pieces are on permanent display in the United Nations headquarters in Washington DC, in the United States.

Woman’s lover arrested after body found in Mahaica canal THE post-mortem conducted on the partially decomposed body of 28-year-old Haffeza Rohoman, which was fished out of a canal at Helena Number 1 Mahaica, East Coast Demerara on Sunday last, has revealed that she died from blunt trauma to the head and asphyxiation due to drowning.

Reports reveal that her 22-year-old lover was recently arrested and is in police custody. Charges are likely to be implemented this week. Police sources disclosed that the woman’s lover alleged that he was towing her on his bicycle when they got into an argument. He claimed that Rohoman jumped off the bicycle and struck him with the bar. He alleges that, during a scuffle and while in a drunken state, he struck her twice on the head and she fell into a trench.

According to relatives, the mother of four had reDead: portedly walked out on her husband and children four Haffeza Rohoman months ago, and had gone to live with another man.

Her children — aged five, eight, 10 and 14 — were being cared for by her sister and grandmother when she abandoned her previous place of abode at Tranquility Hall, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara.

Relatives had suspected foul play in her death, since Harinarine, who was described as an alcoholic, would imbibe with the deceased regularly. However, the man was also in the habit of beating the woman whenever he was drunk.

HINDS’SIGHT

SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016

11

Education, National Vision and our Independence:

Dr David Hinds

when there is no national vision the society, including its education, rots and stinks

TWO weeks ago I was invited by the Pan African Movement-Guyana to be part of a panel discussion on the topic, “The crisis in Education in Guyana and its impact on African Guyanese.” The event was organized to mark Africa Civilization day. I intended to do last week’s column on my remarks at that event, but Chris Gayle intervened. In a sense, it turned out not to be a diversion from the theme of education, for the Gayle issue reflects in a real sense the crisis of education in the Caribbean.

Here I am talking about education in its broadest sense to include identity, history and culture.

Often the discourse on education in Guyana tends to understandably focus on the education system and practice.

As helpful as that discourse is, it invariably ends up as a blame-game—teachers blame parents, parents blame teachers, teachers blame students and teachers and parents blame the Education Ministry. In the end nothing meaningful comes out of those exchanges.

Shortly after taking office, I had, with the blessings of the Minister of Education, volunteered to organize “Education Groundings” in the communities to facilitate frank exchanges between the Minister and parents, teachers and students. My objective was two-fold—fact-finding by the minister and putting in place the building blocks of a broad education conversation going forward. Unfortunately, after three such groundings—in Dartmouth, Buxton, and Stanleytown WBD, they were discontinued. Suffice to say I am still keen on continuing that exercise for I think such interventions represent the essence of a democratic culture.

But back to my comments at the Pan African Forum. My central argument is that what we are referring to as a crisis in education is really the consequence of a crisis in the larger society. We keep trying to solve our problems in education within the narrow confines of the education system. But the problem is that there is no overall direction in our education system. We keep cutting and pasting; digging holes to fill holes. Even when we take forward- looking initiatives, these are not linked to a holistic praxis.

If, for example, you repair the buildings at UG but do nothing to improve the quality of students entering the institutions, upgrade the curriculum, better equip the lecturers with the necessities to effectively do their jobs and have an up-to-date library, then you are back to square one. If you reintroduce music to the public schools but do not twin that with a robust civic education aimed at creating a purposeful enabling environment for effective learning of the so-called academic subjects, then you are back to square one.

My humble view is that we need an overall vision for education going forward. But that vision has to come from a larger vision for the society. Education, like the economics and the politics, has to be grounded in that larger national vision. I am arguing that for the last 30 years of our independence, we have existed without a national vision. We surrendered our Independence vision to the dictates of

Structural Adjustment and Globalization, coupled with our narrow internal politics of domination. In the end our society became rudderless. We can trace the root of our decline in education standards and output to the transition in the 1980s away from our Independence vision.

Yes, we did have an independence vision; we had no choice. We were rejecting and overcoming the colonial vision of inequality and inhumanity. Hence the independence vision of a society grounded in equality of opportunity and outcome; a society that privileged our collective humanity.

Colonial vision meant that we were not fit to govern ourselves; we could not exist in a state of freedom. The Independence vision, therefore, was grounded in community and nationhood—self-determination. It is out of that vision came the education praxis of the first two decades of independence.

Free education from nursery aimed at actualising the larger vision of equality; a Guyanese and Caribbean education grounded in our own history and reality aimed at engendering a sense of national pride.

It is out of that education praxis that came the men who conquered the cricketing world for our Caribbean, the many academics and artists who have gone on to contribute to world civilization. It is that education that made it possible for little boys and girls from poor villages to go to school in those spaces and get the same education as the mostly rich boys and girls at Queens College and Bishops. Free education from nursery to university democratised education in Guyana.

It was education in the service of a larger vision. The teachers were recruited from a nation steeped in a broad consciousness of our Guyanese and Caribbean selves. The students came from homes and communities brimming with the independence logic. Parents knew that education meant escape from poverty and freedom from want.

We surrendered that praxis beginning in the 1980s in the name of the MARKET. The market vision of individualism as a substitute for community and nation took root. Is there any surprise that our teachers became petty money-makers rather than educators? Is there any surprise that our governments, bowing to the dictates of the IMF-World Bank imperatives, no longer invested in education as national development? They invest in buildings and not in children. Is there any surprise that the schoolroom is not seen as a space of upward mobility? Our young people drop out of schools and take up residence in the dance-halls from which they seem to derive their sense of purpose. Is there any surprise that Chris Gayle said what he said?

Is there any surprise that in the last three decades we produced the most obscene government in our independence experience? What is not always said is that the offending PPP government succeeded in getting most of the nation to support or accommodate its obscenity. When there is no national vision the society, including its education, rots and stinks.

I have been calling for an address to the nation by

the president on his vision for Guyana. His address to parliament on Thursday came closest to doing that. But his restatement and upgrading of the Independence vision in his address to parliament on Thursday went almost unnoticed. Not surprising—we have become a nation that is impatient with “too much talk.” His address should be mandatory study for all Guyanese, starting with his ministers. It should be discussed in the communities. I suggest that copies of it be put in the hands and heads of each teacher and that the ministry go back to the drawing board and begin to craft an education praxis based on the president’s vision. Is anybody listening?

More of Dr. Hinds’s ‘writings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his website www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.com.

Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com

Sunday January 17, 2016 - 10:30 hrs Monday January 18, 2016 - 12:00 hrs Tuesday January 19, 2016 - 13:00 hrs

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016

Change is not about changing faces, but about upholding laws and respecting rights

THERE continues to be the trumpet call for change in governance. Change from the violations of laws and principles and the transgression of rights to one where laws are upheld and rights respected as features of everyday governance.

Behind this backdrop, and given the PPP’s track record for lawlessness and contempt for the people and their institutions, persons moved to the polls in 2015 in their numbers to register their dissatisfaction with the status quo.

On the ascension of the

APNU+AFC to office, a clear message was sent by its leader, President David Granger, that the administration will conduct the nation’s business in accordance with the rule of law and respect for the rights of all. We were assured this administration will govern in the interest of all, and not some.

The trade union community, at a conference at the Critchlow Labour College on January 30th, 1993, came out against the manner in which workers were treated by the new PPP government. We supported the Guyana Public

Service Union in its quest to repel what was considered as transgressing of workers’ rights and violations of time-honoured principles and laws. The opposition, under Desmond Hoyte, called for respect for these tenets as an element of good governance.

Twenty-three years later, the country is once again being challenged with the same behaviour.

Change must come, and it must happen now. In the workplace, it matters not whether you are the Chief Executive Officer or the cleaner, in that your rights

are secured under a single body of rules governing conditions of service, starting from employment to termination. Inherent in these rules is the right to be heard when accusations are made against you. This is a fundamental right.

In 1992, when the PPP assumed office, a number of government workers were asked to demit office, hounded out, career foreign service officers were recalled or dismissed, some turned up to work only to see that other persons had occupied their desks. This behaviour also carried racial overtones.

In the Custom and Excise Department, officers were indicted, placed before the courts, and even though exonerated, they were left to languish rather than be allowed to return to their substantive jobs.

Today the PPP is in opposition and is accusing the APNU+AFC government of engaging in witch-hunting of workers based on their political persuasion and/or race.

In order for this claim to be seen as credible and not political grandstanding, it must be supported by evidence, and the PPP is called on to provide this evidence.

In the administration’s embrace of the Green Economy as its model for development, it ought to be recognised that a principal tenet is the respecting of international conventions, charters, laws and human

rights. It must be said that the conduct of the business of the state and any of its institutions has to be guided by a body of rules and laws, not how one who has been placed in the position to administer those tenets feels.

In our common law system, one is considered innocent until proven guilty. More so, it is expected that justice will be dispensed at all times in respecting the rights of everyone that is being accused.

There are a few cases in this society where persons who are employed in state institutions are being sent on annual vacation leave, but yet at the same time are being treated as though they are accused and charged for some infraction they have committed.

Wrong is wrong, regardless of who may have done it.

In simple administration and industrial relations practice, if it is perceived that one has committed an offence and it is required for an enquiry to take place, that individual is expected to be sent on administrative leave based on his/ her level in the organisation.

When one is sent on annual vacation, the services and benefits accrued to the person continue as if that person is on the job. To ask or demand of persons while on annual vacation to return items belonging to the organisation or cease paying attention to anything taking place within that organisation is wrong.

Such activities/benefits are derived through custom and practice, provided that the law is not broken and the policy and time-honoured principles are not undermined.

In some instances, having the privilege to work from and access an institution’s record at home comes with the position held in the organisation. Being entitled to have access to record in a physical space is no different from having access to same in cyber space. Also, vehicles and equipment assigned to that worker may have come as a result of the employee’s benefits package, and while on annual vacation, unless stated otherwise in the contract or policy.

Justice cannot and must not be pursued through unjust processes. This administration needs to guard against such tendency; and more importantly, actions must not be guided by feelings of anyone or group, but only by the rules operating within the confines of the laws, which would ensure respecting the employee’s fundamental rights.

Citizens are not inclined to question the intent to restore law and order, but any process being applied in pursuit of same must not depart from upholding fundamental rights.

This nation needs to guard against a continuation of the PPP modus operandi when that party assumed office in 1992. Members and supporters of this administration need to guard against temptation and action to goad on and support what is wrong. Such behaviour helps the PPP to make the case that 11th May 2015 was not about our desire for change to bring about good governance, but a fight to control the levers of government which they think they are entitled to hold.

In order for citizens to realise the change they invested in, it carries a corresponding responsibility to hold our elected officials and those placed in positions of privilege accountable to manage our affairs consistent with universal principles.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016

Republic Bank seeks to boost image

REPUBLIC Bank is looking to make its brand more visible across the Caribbean. Towards this end, its communications team, based in Trinidad, headed down to Guyana last week to engage the local media, and will soon visit other Caribbean territories.

The visit comes as the Bank looks to highlight its services and social programmes locally, particularly its support of the 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations. General Manager of Group Marketing and Communications (Trinidad), Ms. Michelle Palmer-Keizer, pointed out that the key objective of the Communications team, from a group perspective, is to maintain, strengthen, enhance and deepen relationships with the media throughout the length and breadth of the region, and even more so in the territories where Republic Bank is visible.

“Strengthening is not only important from a local perspective, but is also as important from a regional perspective. We want to develop relationships with you that give each of you the comfort to reach out to the Communication Team in Trinidad to discuss matters relevant to the Republic Bank Brand, whether from

a Caribbean territory or our African subsidiary, HFC Bank in Ghana,” Ms. Palmer-Keizer made these remarks to media representatives at an event Friday evening.

She said her team remains committed to charting the course expected of the Caribbean financial institution of choice – a course with many new directions, one direction being the formation of the bank’s Holding Company, Republic Financial Holdings Ltd., in December 2015.

That company, she said, was created to bring the structure of Republic Bank Group in line with international best practices, to facilitate future growth and sustainability.

She outlined some ground-breaking achievements made by the Group for the year ended September 30, 2015.

Ms. Palmer-Keizer observed that a bank, or any financial institution, cannot function on its own. She added, “Our great achievements could not have come about without the support of our various stakeholder groups across the region”. One of those groups, she said, is the media.

“Having a solid relationship with you all is, for us, as critical and effective as a light in the darkness. Getting

to know you and working with you, that is how our societies are made aware of the resources available to them, financially and socially”.

She outlined that, at the heart of everything the Bank does, lies the aim of building successful societies. “We don’t just enter a territory and open our doors and ‘take your money’,” as they say. When we enter a society, we look at what we can do to better it,” she affirmed.

And attesting to this, she said that on Thursday the Group launched its ‘Power to Make a Difference’ programme with Guyana’s neighbour, Suriname, just four short months after entering that market.

Meanwhile, Mr. Richard Sammy, Managing Director of RBL Guyana, shared some of the Bank’s plans for 2016, as it renews some of its commitment to continued mutual relations in the communities served in Guyana.

Unveiling plans, he announced first and foremost that: * Republic Bank Guyana will be integrally involved in Guyana’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, both at a national level and through its branch network, with activities for its staff, customers and the communities they

serve.

awareness in Guyana.

* In 2016 the Bank’s Power to Make a Difference” Social Investment programme will be extended to include environmental literacy and addressing the issue of teen pregnancy.

* The Bank is moving apace with expansion and upgrades, with plans for a new Banking facility at Triumph, East Coast Demerara to further enhance customers’ access to the Bank’s suite of products and services.

* The Bank will continue its focus on youth development, strengthening Guyana’s rich cultural heritage through music and the performing and visual arts, and being a voice for autism

* It will continue to play its part in maintaining the standard of excellence in financial services that earned Republic Bank the coveted Latin Finance Caribbe-

an Bank of the Year Award 2015.

Meanwhile, through its vibrant Staff Volunteerism movement, the Bank is keenly engaged in several community projects.

Mr. Sammy said that RBL Guyana looks forward to sustaining and growing its engagement with the media, which in turn will offer the general public a clearer understanding of Republic Bank’s vision for its customers and the nation.

AT Republic Bank’s Media Reception: From left: Ms. Michelle Johnson, Manager, Marketing and Communications, RBL Guyana; Mr. Richard Sammy, Managing Director, RBL Guyana; Cathy Hughes, Minister of Telecommunications and Tourism; Ms. Michelle Palmer-Keizer, General Manager, Group Marketing and Communications (Trinidad)

Queen’s College students join fight against trafficking in persons GOVERNMENT, through the Ministry of Social Protection and other agencies working collaboratively, will up the ante in its ef-

forts to stamp out human trafficking, Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, has said.

Yesterday, she joined stu-

dents and teachers of Queen’s College in a support and awareness drive aimed at stopping the crime of human trafficking.

Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, (centre) with Queen’s College students during the awareness session on #BurnThePriceTag, an anti-TIP campaign

Lawrence has said that Government recognises the negative impacts of human trafficking, and will take proactive measures to address this scourge by putting in place a system that is aimed at its eradication.

After congratulating all those who organised the event, especially Gabrielle Bacchus and the student body of Queen’s College, Minister Lawrence said she was heartened by the response from young Guyanese to this call to come out and support the awareness drive aimed at stopping the crime of human trafficking.

“There is power in numbers, and I believe that your presence here today sends a strong message for human vultures who prey on the innocence and vulnerability of persons seeking better economic opportunities.

“We will not condone exploitation and trafficking of persons. We are free beings, who should not be coerced into sexual arrangements

and exploited for the material gains of others. There is no price attached to humans.

Let’s burn the price tag,” Minister Lawrence said.

Adding that needs are infinite and resources finite, the Social Protection Minister said collaborations with young people is essential in addressing social issues.

“We believe that you have a greater role to play in the solution of many problems, and therefore (we) wish that you would continue to broaden your physical and social networks so that we can impact more lives.”

She said that among the challenges Government faces is removing the hinterland population from the periphery of national development.

“As you are aware, it is there that TIP (trafficking in persons) mostly occurs. We have to change this. We need to educate more of our people, especially your peers, to be suspicious of employment offers that seem too good to be true.

“What better place to start than in school, where we have direct access to the young population. Teachers, you have been influential in delivering the academic curriculum, we could use your help to ensure that students are empowered to deal with everyday issues as well.”

The Minister also noted that students are extremely important to stopping human trafficking.

“Speak to your peers about the dangers, and how they could say no. Look out for each other, to deter recruiters. I sit on the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons and I can tell you of the high level of commitment to persecute persons charged with the offence of TIP; and the commitment to rehabilitate and reintegrate victims into society.

“The Ministry is also working with NGOs to provided better services and facilities, but what we hope most to achieve is prevention,” she emphasised.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016

Gospel singer Miriam Edwards releases ‘Dare to dream’ “I’m just a conduit through which God can touch someone.”

By Alva Solomon DO YOU ever dare to dream big? Well, you can! From cassette to records, gospel songstress Miriam Corlette-Williams dares you to dream. She has risen above her challenges, piloted by the Spirit of God, climbing as far as the stage at New York’s Madison Square Gardens to minister in song with the best in gospel music.

After a five-year break from creating albums of her catchy gospel singles, Williams, of the “We can Stop the Hate” fame, is back with a fresh new album, titled “Dare to Dream.” It’s a 10-track compilation of songs which will leave a lasting impression on the listening ear.

The album features the lead single, Dare to Dream, featuring Courtney Fadlin. Carrying the album’s name, the inspirational single gives the listener a powerful reminder that one can fulfill one’s dreams, no matter where one is from or what one’s circumstances are.

“When I wrote the song, it was actually like a poem for my son’s graduation,” Miriam said, adding that it was all about the inspiration her children provides that God has given her an ability to rise above the challenges. After writing the lyrics, she said, she found the melody thereafter, and the song has been one of the more inspirational tracks on the album.

Miriam Edwards

The album features other tracks, including “Language of Love”, “Need you Jesus” and “Season is Changing”.

As one peruses the album, the single “Rise Guyana” hits the ear. It was the single she sang at the inauguration of President David Granger. With lyrics such as “Guyana will rise from the ashes,” Miriam said the single is one of her favourites; it is a vision she had after the pastor at her church called her to pray for Guyana several Sundays before the May 11, 2016 elections.

“I saw Guyana rising from the ashes like a phoenix or an eagle, and it became as great as the highest mountain,” she recalled. “God gave me a prophetic song that came as a result,” she added.

She said that the prophetic declaration over the nation is that a change will come. “Our nation will be great again, and within five years this will be the place to be,” she added.

She said that the resources of the earth will come to the surface and the people will return like Nehemiah did in Israel to rebuild the walls.

A staunch Christian, Miriam is no stranger to the music world. She has been singing almost all her life. Back in 2000, her hit “We can stop the hate” created a stir locally and overseas. A product of the Kross Kolor Studios, the hit was created to calm the nerves and instill love and unity at a time when the tensions were high around Guyana.

Miriam has been singing ever since she discovered her vocals were angelic and serene. That was 33 years ago. She has since produced four albums, including her first, which she

laughingly recalled was on cassette. That was back in 1998, when she released “Vision of Excellence.” In 2000, she added two songs to the cassette album, and released “Bring back the Glory.” She continued to chart a course through the local music scene, and in 2010, she launched “The best of me”, featuring the single “God got ya back.” In 2011, she went back to the studio and created “Step out in Faith”, and for a while she was focused on other singles as well as tours across the Caribbean and the United States.

Then in September she had a crowning moment when she appeared among a cast of gospel singers from the Caribbean and the United States at the “New York Empowerment Summit,” a Labor Day event at which she sang with the likes of Kevin Downswell, Yankee B, Natalie Evans, Uche Agu and her countryman Eddie Neblett. The event was a humbling one, and Miriam believes it was the highlight of her career.

She said singing has residual effects, and singing for over 30 years is a lifetime. She said it’s not always about the money,

but she acknowledges that there are costs attached to making music. She said, too, that exposure of local music on our very own radio stations is something which Guyana can improve.

She said that she has been assisting her fellow countrymen and women in honing their skills in the art form, and she believes that the best singers are among our midst. “It is for us to find them and put them out there as our own”, she said.

Miriam wishes to thank the producers who worked with her on the latest album, as well as those before, and everyone who assisted her in her music career over the years.

A humble mother of five, Miriam says she plans to continue perfecting her skills as a singer. For her, there is more to music than financial rewards. “While I was on tour, there was this girl who was on the verge of committing suicide, and then I stopped in the middle of the song and asked everybody to go around and hug each other”, she said, noting that such moments are priceless.

“I’m just a conduit through which God can touch someone”, she added.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016

First Lady calls on NGOs to redou to reach the vulnerable, tackle AN EDUCATED population is not only a vital force for development, but provides a sound foundation on which a stable society can be built.

This sentiment was expressed by First Lady San-

dra Granger, who was on Friday evening inducted as Patron of the Guyana Foundation.

That event was held at the Savannah Suite of the Pegasus Hotel.

“An educated population is a tolerant popula-

tion. It reaches out to help those less fortunate among us. It seeks ways to feed the children who cannot study or learn because their bellies are empty….

It does not point an admonitory finger at adolescent mothers, who may

have been victims of trafficking or rape or incest,” the First Lady said.

She called on the Guyana Foundation and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to play a greater role in addressing the scourge of suicide,

LADY Mrs. Sandra Granger (centre) is flanked by Gu (second from right) and Managing Director Anthony Ou and noted the need for all sectors in society to get involved in arresting the root causes of the issue.

In her address at the installation ceremony, Mrs. Granger said, “In the context of mental health, it is vitally important that our country addresses urgently, effectively, and in a coherent manner the

alarmingly high incidence of suicide, particularly among our youths.”

Pointing to the fact that Guyana, with its comparatively small population, has an alarmingly high rate of suicide, Mrs. Granger said the nation cannot afford to lose its human capital to suicide, and efforts must be made

Baptist Youth Leader hol

THE Baptist Convention of Guyana, over the weekend, held its Annual Youth Leaders Retreat at the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth & Sports’ Madewni Campsite, under this year’s theme, “Servanthood.”

Better Defined One (BD1) Chief Executive Officer Dr. Astell Collins was invited to speak to over 50 leaders drawn from Baptist churches across Guyana.

Christian Education Director Mr. Gifford Marshall and Pastor Roy Mc Garrell, who coordinated the weekend programme, expressed their delight at the response of the youths who participated in the activities.

Dr. Collins outlined the definition of leadership and responsibility, and noted that it was time that young people commit themselves to a more responsible lifestyle as he showed present day examples of situations of life.

He explained that one is free from one’s choices but not free from the consequences of one’s choices, and thus one must be very careful in choosing.

Collins, who was the late Dr. Myles Dr. Astell Coll Munroe’s Youth Ambassador and who presentation to Annual Youth L

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016

uble efforts e suicide

uyana Foundation Founder Ms. Supriya Singh-Bodden utar, volunteers and other members forthwith to find the causes of the scourge and provide the victim with professional help.

Welcoming the Foundation’s attempts to help curb this epidemic, Mrs. Granger also noted that the group has, to date, already signalled its willingness to participate in a national conversation on suicide

prevention, and to make available its resources.

She praised the Foundation’s work with at-risk groups.

“When we educate our children, our women, our citizens with special needs, our seniors, we help vulnerable sectors of our population not only to be positive about them-

lds retreat on leadership

now does leadership seminars in Dr Munroe’s honour, shared his experience of having the opportunity to live in South Africa for four and a half years, during which he conducted a number of motivational presentations to a wide cross section of South Africans and earned South Africa’s highest youth award as a non-national.

lins demonstrating the power of the people in his o the youths at the Baptist Convention of Guyana’s Leaders’ Retreat

selves, but to recognise their intrinsic value [as individuals and], as members of our society [and reinforce] the belief that they can contribute,” Mrs. Granger said.

The First Lady said she is pleased to be associated with such a noble organization as the Guyana Foundation. She said it was particularly commendable that The Guyana Foundation has continued to have an expansive reach, and offers programmes in communities beyond Georgetown and the Coastland, as it had been doing since its establishment in 2013.

“Recognising that the

Guyanese people and their diverse cultures are our greatest wealth, the programme of The Guyana Foundation has focused on the most vulnerable sectors of our population,” Mrs. Granger said.

Vulnerable groups, including those that are poverty-stricken, women and youths, are direct beneficiaries of Foundation projects, which are aimed at improving mental health, empowerment through literacy programmes, and emotional support through community renewal engagements.

Last October, following a meeting between the First Lady and Founder of

the Guyana Foundation, Mrs. Supriya Singh-Bodden, Mrs. Granger had expressed that there are significant areas of synergy between her work programme and the work of the Foundation.

The Foundation is a charitable trust that has as its mandate to contribute meaningfully to the rebuilding of Guyana.

Mrs. Singh-Bodden, who adorned the First Lady with a pin to signify her induction as patron, thanked her for accepting the invitation, even as she pledged to continue the Foundation’s work.

Mrs. Singh-Bodden further noted that, from

its inception, the Foundation had attracted individuals, both locally and from across the world, who have stepped forward to share ideas, develop projects, and raise funds to assist vulnerable populations.

The Foundation’s work is propelled by Mrs. Singh-Bodden’s conviction that great change can be made by people who are encouraged and supported. As such, it has conducted large and small-scale projects countrywide in an effort to restore hope and purpose, rebuild lives, and create a better future for all Guyanese.

18

Winners receive prizes from Elegance Jewelry and Pawn Shop

The winners proudly display their prizes

ELEGANCE Jewelry and Pawn Shop held its fifth annual promotion yesterday, and 14 lucky persons benefitted from gifts worth $2M in total.

The presentation was held at the company’s head office in Durban Street, Georgetown, after the drawing was held last Friday.

The first prize winner was Yonette Rodney of Triumph, East Coast Demerara. She won herself a Jialing motor cycle, while the second prize winner, Douglas Isle of Alexander Village, won a refrigerator.

Don Fraser of Bartica won a washing machine (third prize) and Dharemendra Deodat of Houston won himself

SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 17, 2016 a gas stove as fourth place winner.

The consolation prize winners were Lionel McFarlane, Julette Gomes, Dennis Adams, Chad Jarad and Dhaneshwar Singh. They took away toasters, bicycle, flat screen TV, blender, and a DVD player In addition, five lucky winners each won $5,000 in cash.

According to the proprietor, the promotion started in 2004. He explained that persons could have entered the competition by spending at least $2,000.

He stated that the promotion is a way of giving back to customers.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, January 17, 2016

Man City back on top, Chelsea salvage last-gasp draw

By Alan Baldwin LONDON, (Reuters)-Sergio Aguero scored twice to help Manchester City go top of the Premier League on goal difference yesterday while champions Chelsea pulled off an extraordinary escape in a 3-3 draw at home to Everton.

Argentine striker Aguero, last season’s top scorer back in full flow after returning from injury, proved more than a handful for Crystal Palace as City romped to a 4-0 home win at the Etihad Stadium.

City leapfrogged leaders Arsenal and Leicester City, with the top three all level on 43 points. Leicester were playing bottom side Aston Villa in the late kickoff while Arsenal travel to Stoke City on Sunday.

“Was it comfortable?

No, because you never know in this game,” Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini told the BBC. “The first half, the two goals gave us more space

as they’ve had to go for the draw. That allowed us to use that space and score two more.”

Aguero scored in the 41st minute, after Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey failed to prevent Fabian Delph’s long-range shot squirming under him in the 22nd, doubled his tally in the 68th and then set up David Silva for a late fourth.

John Terry netted for both sides as Chelsea pulled off an escape worthy of Harry Houdini, the veteran defender equalising in the dying seconds, despite looking suspiciously offside, to atone for his 50th-minute own goal.

All the goals at Stamford Bridge came in the second half, with Chelsea battling back from 2-0 down before substitute Ramiro Funes Mori put Everton back in front as the game entered stoppage time.

UNBEATEN RECORD Chelsea manager Guus

Hiddink, whose unbeaten record remained intact, conceded that the goal looked offside: “I like always to give a fair comment on the positive side and negative side,” he told Sky Sports.

“I have watched it and I can agree.

“In the last minutes we sent our two central defenders on top and it was all or nothing, and at the end it paid off. I think the team in their effort deserved it.”

Fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur closed the gap on the leaders to four points with a crushing 4-1 defeat of struggling Sunderland in the lunchtime match at White Hart Lane.

Danish international Christian Eriksen struck either side of halftime after Sunderland, mired in the relegation zone, had taken an early lead through Patrick van Aanholt.

While Spurs reignited their title challenge, fifthplaced West Ham United’s push faltered with a 2-1 de-

feat at Newcastle United.

Newcastle’s victory lifted them out of the bottom three while troubled Swansea, who entertain Watford tomorrow, dropped to 18th and a point ahead of Sunderland.

The Magpies’ new 12 million-pound ($17.1 million) signing Jonjo Shelvey enjoyed a fine debut, contributing to both his side’s goals.

“In the second half, we improved a lot. In the end we could have nicked a point when we had a great chance to equalise. But, overall, they deserved to beat us,” said Hammers manager Slaven Bilic.

On a lively winter’s afternoon for south-coast sides, Southampton beat West Bromwich Albion 3-0 for their third successive home win and Bournemouth overcame Norwich City by the same scoreline.Liverpool, ninth, and Louis Van Gaal’s sixth-placed Manchester United clash at Anfield today.

From Backpage

Saunders took his spot in the finals after beating off Shavin Greene (3-2), while Romain beat off Kaysan Ninvalle by the same margin.

On the ladies U-21 front, Chelsea Edghill finished atop the rankings with four points, while Selenas Jackman finished second and Aneka Phillips third. (Stephan Sookram)

FIFA presidential Britton, Edghill candidates to address CFU to clash in ...

THREE FIFA presidential candidates are using this weekend’s Caribbean Football Union (CFU) general meeting in Antigua as part of their campaign mission ahead of next month’s elections.

Switzerland’s Gianni Infantino, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, of Jordan, and Frenchman Jerome Champagne have been given presentation slots between yesterday and today during the regional body’s meeting to canvass for votes ahead of the FIFA general elections of February 26.

The draw for the 2016 Scotiabank Men’s Caribbean Cup is also on the agenda but the presence of the three aspirants for FIFA’s top post is certain to unseat any other issue for prime news here this weekend.

Bahrain’s FIFA vice-president Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, widely regarded as a front-runner in the presidential race, will not attend. He has submitted a letter to be shared at the CFU session after organisers saying his schedule “did not permit his presence” at the meeting.

UEFA general secretary Infantino, Prince Ali, a former FIFA vice-president and Champagne, who previously served as a FIFA deputy secretary general, will grab the opportunity to proclaim their world football plans to CFU member associations.

The Caribbean region joins with North and Central America to represent CONCACAF which is seen as a pivotal Confederation for votes in FIFA. Only the African confederation, UEFA, and the Asian Confed carry more votes than CONCACAF to FIFA’s election platform.

FIFA has been wallowing in controversy and corruption allegations in recent years and on February 26 in Zurich the football voters will decide who replaces disgraced longtime former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter.

The 79-year-old Swiss presided over the organisation from 1998 until his suspension in October 2015.

Miguel Wong.

Jody Ann Blake was pitted against Nicholas Romain, while Brad Belle and Elishaba Johnson were in the fourth quarter-final game.

In the ‘C’ class, Nicholas Romain will play Tyriq Saunders in the finals.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, January 17, 2016

Inspired Broad bowls England to series win

By Mark Gleeson

JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters)-A venomous spell of fast bowling from Stuart Broad led England to an emphatic seven- wicket win over South Africa in the third Test yesterday to clinch the series.

Broad’s brilliant return of 6-17 on a lively wicket skittled the Proteas for 83 in their second innings on the third day.

England reached their modest victory target of 74 with relative ease as captain Alastair Cook (43) top-scored in guiding them to 77 for three from 22.4 overs under gloomy skies.

The tourists now have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series, with the final game to be played in Pretoria.

“Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad were exceptional as a partnership, it’s a privilege to captain those two.

It’s one of those days we will look back on for a long time,” Cook said at the presentation ceremony.

“It’s been a great tour, to come out here and beat South Africa in two test matches.

Stuart Broad produced one of his magic spells to dismantle the South Africa top order in Johannesburg on the third day.

There is more to come though, we should never be satisfied.”

South Africa bowled out England for 323 in the morning session for a slender first-innings deficit of 10 runs, but were no match for the bounce and movement of a rampant Broad.

After removing openers Dean Elgar (15) and Stiaan van Zyl (11), Broad grabbed the key wicket of captain AB de Villiers (0) when he induced an inside edge to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.

Hashim Amla (five) then clipped the ball to James Taylor

Champion Serena brushes off Australia Open injury concerns MELBOURNE, (Reuters)-Serena Williams brushed off concerns about her fitness yesterday Saturday and declared herself “at 130 percent” for her Australian Open title defense.

The 21-times grand slam singles champion has played almost no competitive tennis since the U.S. Open last September and pulled out of the Hopman Cup two weeks ago with knee inflammation.

Pictures of the 34-yearold taking a time-out during training circulated on social media yesterday, raising concerns she might not be fit to take on Camila Giorgi in the first round at Melbourne Park on Monday or Tuesday.

Williams, though, said the knee inflammation was no longer a problem -- “it’s actually really fine” -- and any issues she had on the practice courts were simply the result of her heavy training workload.

“I’m a little tired today.

I’ve been working so hard and doing so much work, so ... maybe I had a bad attitude out there,” the world number one and top seed told reporters.

“I’m at 120, 130 percent right now ... I actually wanted to have an easy day today. But to me in my mind ‘easy’ is just two hours of really intense working out.”

U.S. Serena Williams speaks during a news conference at Melbourne Park, Australia, yesterday. The Australian Open tennis tournament starts tomorrow. Reuters/Thomas Peter Williams said she would be relying on her vast experience to make up for her lack of time on court ahead of her 16th Australian Open, six of which she has won.

“I didn’t have the match play that I’ve wanted to have,” she said. “But after playing for so many years on tour, I should be able to focus on that and the fact that I have played a lot of matches.”

A shock defeat to Italy’s Roberta Vinci in the semi-finals of last year’s U.S. Open denied Williams the chance of a single season grand slam after she had won the Australian and French Opens as well as Wimbledon.

Williams said she was neither prepared to discuss that missed chance nor would she contemplate her chances of achieving the rare feat this year.

“I don’t think about it, I never thought about it really,” she said. “It was in front of me last year but it still wasn’t there, so ...”

Williams also brushed off any thoughts that she might be suffering more from nerves this year because of her lack of on-court action over the last four months.

“I don’t have anything to prove,” she said. “I have nothing to lose. I can only gain.

That’s kind of how I look at it right now.”

at short-leg, who showed excellent reactions to take a low catch, before Temba Bavuma was bowled for a duck.

Broad’s brilliant day was complete when he ended the innings with an excellent catch off his own bowling to dismiss Faf du Plessis (14) for match figures of 8-99.

Ben Stokes grabbed two scalps and there were also wickets for Anderson and Steven Finn. The latter has complained of tightness on his left-side and will be assessed on Sunday.

“They bowled exceptionally well, I haven’t seen a team bowl that well in a long time,” De Villiers said.

“The team will be motivated to finish the series on a high. There are not a lot of issues with the squad, we just need to play better cricket.”

Rabada, 20, had earlier claimed his first five-wicket haul in test cricket when he bagged 5-78 to limit England to 323.

It was a first home series defeat for South Africa against a team other than Australia since England won 2-1 in 2004-05.

SCOREBOARD

SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings 313 England 1st innings (Overnight: 238-5) A. Cook c Vilas b Viljoen 18 A. Hales c de Villiers b Rabada 1 N. Compton c Elgar b Rabada

26 J. Root c Vilas b Rabada 110 J. Taylor c Bavuma b M. Morkel

7 B. Stokesc&b M. Morkel 58 J. Bairstow c van Zyl b Rabada

45 M. Ali c Vilas b Morris 19 S. Broadb Rabada 12 S. Finnc Vilas b M. Morkel 0 J. Andersonnot out 0 Extras (b-1 lb-14 nb-3 w-9) 27 Total (all out, 76.1 overs) 323 Fall of wickets: 1-10 A. Hales,2-22 A. Cook,3-74 N. Compton,4-91 J. Taylor,5-202 B. Stokes,6-242 J. Root,7-279 M. Ali,8-309 S. Broad,9-311 S. Finn,10-323 J. Bairstow Bowling: C. Morris 15 - 1 - 71 – 1, K. Rabada 23.1 - 5 - 78 - 5 (nb-1 w-3), M. Morkel 20 - 1 - 76 – 3, H. Viljoen 15 - 0 - 79 - 1(nb-2), S. van Zyl 3 - 0 - 4 – 0.

SOUTH AFRICA 2nd innings D. Elgar c Bairstow b Broad 15 S. van Zyl c Stokes b Broad 11 H. Amla c Taylor b Broad 5 A. de Villiersc Bairstow b Broad

0 F. du Plessis c&b Broad 14 T. Bavuma b Broad 0

D. Vilas c Taylor b Finn 8 C. Morris b Stokes 1 K. Rabada c Bairstow b Stokes

16 H. Viljoen lbw b Anderson 6 M. Morkel not out 4 Extras(lb-2 nb-1) 3 Total (all out, 33.1 overs) 83 Fall of wickets: 1-23 D. Elgar,2-28 S. van Zyl,3-30 A. de Villiers,4-31 H. Amla,5-35 T. Bavuma,6-45 D. Vilas,7-46 C. Morris,8-67 K. Rabada,9-77 H. Viljoen,10-83 F. du Plessis Bowling J. Anderson 10 - 1 - 26 - 1 S. Broad 12.1 - 6 - 17 - 6 B. Stokes 8 - 1 - 24 - 2 S. Finn 3 - 0 - 14 - 1(nb-1) England 2nd innings (Target: 74 runs) A. Cook c Vilas b Morris 43 A. Hales lbw b Elgar 18 N. Compton c M. Morkel b Elgar

0 J. Rootnot out

4 J. Taylor not out 2 Extras (b-4 lb-2 w-1) 7 Total (for 3 wickets, 22.4 overs) 74 Fall of wickets: 1-64 A. Hales,2-68 N. Compton,3-71 A. Cook Did not bat: B. Stokes, J. Bairstow, M. Ali, S. Broad, J. Anderson, S. Finn Bowling: M. Morkel 5 - 2 - 7 – 0, K. Rabada 4 - 0 - 28 – 0, H. Viljoen 4 - 2 - 15 - 0(w-1), C. Morris 6 - 2 - 8 – 1, D. Elgar 3.4 - 1 - 10 – 2.

South Africa dethroned, India No. 1 Test team SOUTH Africa’s 0-2 defeat in their home series against England has pushed them off the top of the ICC Test Rankings. Now India, with 110 rating points, are the No. 1 Test team, with Australia one rating point shy in second place.

It has been over a year since South Africa last won a Test match and that was against the eighth-ranked West Indies. Even if they beat England in the fourth Test in Centurion, they won’t be able to improve on their current third position.

Since January 2015, South Africa have lost five out of nine games, besides Skipper Virat Kohli and his men have enjoyed a accumulating four draws. fine season of Test cricket in the subcontinent They have had a captain come to their shores in July nent. They broke a four-year stand down and the stand- 2016 for a four-Test series. drought without an overseas in unsure of his long-term England’s next assignment series win in Sri Lanka, comcommitment to Test cricket. in Tests though will be the ing from behind to beat the England, by virtue of three matches against Sri hosts 2-1 and then spun the winning away from home, Lanka in May. South Africans out at home. are in fifth place. They India, who beat South The 337-run victory in the played out a highly enter- Africa 3-0 in December, have Delhi Test was India’s largest taining drawn series against claimed the top spot for the in terms of runs in their 83New Zealand at the start of first time since 2011. But they year Test history. the summer, then regained might not hold it for long.

Australia, under Steven the Ashes with their fast Australia are scheduled to Smith, have been just as bowlers putting in a strong play two Tests against New prolific. They sealed the display, but suffered a 0-2 Zealand (ranked sixth) in Frank Worrell Trophy in defeat to Pakistan in the February 2016 and will go top seven days, prior to which UAE. of the table if they win 1-0. they won the inaugural England have the opVirat Kohli and his men Day-Night Test to cap off a portunity to redress that have enjoyed a fine season of 2-0 victory over New Zeascoreline when Pakistan Test cricket in the subconti- land.(ESPN Cricinfo).

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, January 17, 2016

Melbourne Stars beat Scorchers to reach BBL finals THE Melbourne Stars secured a home semi-final in dramatic fashion after thrashing the Perth Scorchers by 52 runs in yesterday’s BBL clash at the WACA Ground.

The Stars needed to win the match by 38 runs to secure a home semi-final.

That scenario appeared unlikely after the Stars were restricted to just 9-146.

But a dramatic Scorchers’ batting collapse turned the match on its head, with the home side bowled out for 94 in 19 overs.

The result means the

David Hussey top-scored for Melbourne Stars with 36.

Stars will host the Scorchers in next Friday’s semi-final at the MCG. Ladder-leading Adelaide Strikers will host either the Sydney Thunder or Melbourne Renegades in the other semi-final on Thursday night.

The Stars had their bowling unit to thank for the famous win.

Daniel Worrall (3-15 off four overs) and Ben Hilfenhaus (3-17) were superb, while spinner Adam Zampa (2-16) was also crucial.

And the cricket gods were definitely smiling on the Stars.

Scorchers import Michael Carberry was out for seven after the ball bobbled from his glove and body and onto the stumps.

Cameron Bancroft was then stumped when the ball rebounded off the wicketkeeper’s gloves and onto the stumps.

At 5-34 in the eighth over, the Scorchers were in all sorts of trouble.

Instead, reaching 109 – a total that would guarantee them hosting rights for the semi-final – became their sole focus.

WA skipper Adam Voges (46no) was the Scorchers’ main hope. But he was fast running out of partners.

At 8-85, Perth needed 24 runs off the last 18 balls to

reach the magical 109 figure.

But when Brad Hogg hit out and Matt Dixon was bowled, it was game over.

Earlier in the night, the Stars were lucky to reach 9-146 in their innings.

After slumping to 4-55 in the eighth over, David Hussey 36 off 25 balls) helped steady the ship.

But two dropped catches came back to haunt the Scorchers.

Evan Gulbis was on just one when Matt Dixon put down the simplest of catches at short third man in the 15th over.

And next ball, Carberry dropped what would have been a one-handed screamer on the boundary.(AAP)

Hassan, Saha guide Bangladesh to 16-run win over Windies U-19

SAIF Hassan struck his second Youth ODI century before offspinner Sanjit Saha picked up his second five-wicket haul, to help Bangladesh U-19 to a 16run win against West Indies U-19s in Chittagong.

The victory also gave Bangladesh a 3-0 series win.

Bangladesh managed to put up 235 for 7 on the back of Saif’s contribution.

He hammered eleven fours and three sixes in his 147ball 107, and batted out the entire 50 overs. He added 87 runs for the fifth wicket with Shafiul Hayet, who struck 61 off 69 balls, with nine boundaries.

In reply, West Indies

Saif Hassan got off to a good start as smashed 11 fours and a six. the openers - Tevin Imlach Saha cut through the (38) and Gidron Pope (57) - middle order with figures compiled 82 in just 78 balls. of 10-3-21-5 as West Indies However, the bowlers made were bowled out for 219 off regular breakthroughs after the penultimate delivery. the dismissal of Pope, who (ESPN Cricinfo)

Budhan Memorial Turf Club meet set for today

All is set for the grand one day horse race meet organised by the Budhan Memorial Turf Club set for today at the club’s Track at No 66 Village Corentyne , Berbice.

The seven race meet has attracted over 50 horses with a number of the country’s top thoroughbreds will compete for millions in cash and trophies from noon.

Seven highly anticipated races are carded for the day with the feature event being the J1 and Lower.

That race will fetch the highest first prize of $200 000 and horses Red Jet, Lady Secret, De Gump, Little, Affinity, Red Regent among others will vie for the first prize.

Other races set for the day include: J3 and Lower, K2 and Lower, L1 and Lower, L2 and Lower, Three-Year-Old Guyana-bred and the unclassified.

According to information the track is in the best of condition and turfites are expected to turn out in large numbers to be a part of the day’s action. Race time is 12:30 hrs.

The one-day event will be run under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority(GHRA).

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, January 17, 2016

Edwin Seeraj... The Inside Edge

A Batsman’s Dream-A Debut Double WHENEVER the glorious game of cricket is being played, particularly on the playfields of the 10 Test-playing nations, there is no doubt that numerous l a d s h a v e d re a m t o f representing their countries at the highest level and excelling on their Test debut.

In 138 years of Test cricket, and with some 2198 Test matches played to date, involving 2726 players,the world has seen and read about those who had disastrous debuts, decent debuts and distinguished debuts.

Today’s column seeks to feature the five men who stood tall in their first Test by fashioning double tons.

The first to do so was the Englishman Reginald Erskine ‘Tip’ Foster against the Australians in the Sydney Test of the 1903-04 series. The polished righthander, batting at five in the order, compiled a carefully crafted 287 before he was last man out, having put on 192 with Len Braund for the fifth wicket and 130 for the 10th, with the legendary Wilfred Rhodes.

His innings spanned seven hours and was spiced with 37 fours. One hundred and twelve years after it still remains the highest individual score by a player on debut and the best by an Englishman in Australia.

Foster entered his maiden Test, at age 27, with creditable credentials, having played for Worcestershire with a fair degree of success. However, it was at Oxford University that he made his early mark registering a high-quality 171 against Cambridge in 1900 and following up a few days later with twin hundreds (102 not out and 136) for Gentlemen against Players at Lord’s.

With such a fantastic debut and being captain against South Africa in 1907, one would

have thought that Foster would have played more than the miserly eight Tests that made up his career. A combination of business commitments and illness was responsible for his few appearances and he died in 1914 at age 37.

He was also a brilliant footballer, representing his country at the top level on six occasions, and still `remains the only man to captain England in both Test cricket and football.

The world then had to wait for almost 70 years to witness another double century on debut. The player, right-handed like Foster and an exquisite timer of the ball with shots all around the wicket was the West Indian Lawrence George Rowe.

Just prior to making his debut on his home ground Sabina Park in Jamaica against New Zealand in 1972, Rowe eased to a big hundred against Guyana in the Regional Shell Shield tournament and a classical 227 for his native Jamaica against the tourists at the scheduled First Test venue.

Rich in form, the 23 year old who had taken the place of batting ace Rohan Kanhai in the side was ready to show off his craft.

He entered the fray on the first day when the opener Joey Carew was dismissed at 78 and he proceeded to compile a huge second-wicket stand of 269 runs with the late Roy Fredericks, whom he partnered to his own maiden Test century (163).

Rowe recorded a rich, cultured 214 in 427 minutes, caressing the ball 19 times to the fence in front of ecstatic spectators. He had beaten the record of the highest score by a West Indian on debut set by his fellow Jamaican, the batting maestro of the 1930s, the late George “Atlas” Headley, who had made 176 against the English in Barbados in 1930.

It is unfortunate that in-

jury, illness and loss of form curtailed Rowe’s career and he ended up playing only 30 Test matches in eight years.

He was good enough to reach three figures on seven occasions, including a fighting hundred against the rampant Australians at Brisbane in 1975-76 and undoubtedly the best of all, a supremely sublime and flawless triple-hundred against England in Barbados in 1974.

He also stroked an impeccable 175 for West Indies against Australia in Kerry Packer’s World Series cricket in 1979-80, but was omitted from the official West Indies squad to England for the 1980 summer tour due to injury.

Disillusioned that he was finding it difficult to force his way back into the team, Rowe turned his back on official West Indies cricket and led a “rebel” team to South Africa, thus incurring the wrath of the Region, especially his fellow Jamaicans who were in the forefront of the anti-apartheid struggle.

Fifteen years later, the venue switched to Colombo in Sri Lanka where the home team took on the New Zealanders. Brendon Kuruppu became the first opener and wicketkeeper to make a double hundred in his first Test – a record he still has intact- even if it were a painstaking effort.

He opened the batting with the seasoned Roshan Mahanama and by the time the innings was closed at 397 for nine wickets declared, he had batted for a marathon 777 minutes (just under 13 hours), faced a whopping 548 deliveries and reached the boundary 24 times for an unbeaten 201- the slowest double hundred in first-class cricket.

However, in fairness to Kuruppu, it was his maiden first-class century and he held the innings together as Ranjan Mudugalle’s 60 was the next best score.

Astonishingly, the record-holder played only three additional matches in his career-one against the

Australians later in 1987 and two others against England in 1988 and 1991.

On a lighter note, Kuruppu (as batsman and wicketkeeper) on debut had the pads on for the duration of the match.

New Zealand, on the receiving end twice, turned the tables some 12 years later when, ironically, against the West Indies, Matthew Sinclair duplicated Rowe’s effort 27 years earlier when he stroked exactly 214 in his first Test at Wellington in 1999.

Brimful of confidence and batting at the pivotal number three position, he blossomed after a tentative start to dominate the innings. By the time he was bowled by pacer Reon King, his team had taken a stranglehold on the game and were well on their way to completing an emphatic innings victory.

He was born in Australia, but his mother moved to New Zealand after his father was killed in a car crash when he was only five. He possessed the fight and determination of the average Australian and in his first 12 Tests he recorded three centuries, including two double tons as he averaged a commendable 52.55 runs per innings.

A sudden loss of form

Edwin Seeraj

and confidence resulted in his inability to command a regular place in the team and his last 21 Tests produced a topscore of 76 and a paltry average of 20.87 each time be batted. His final game was in March 2010.

The final “doubler” performed the feat for South Africa when they met Bangladesh at Chittagong in 2003-04.

Jacques Rudolph, batting at number three, shared a staggering 429run partnership with Boeta Dippenaar (177 not out), taking the score from the insecurity of 41 for two to 470 for two wickets declared. The classy left-hander carved a superb, unbeaten 222 against the hapless Bangladeshi attack giving him great satisfaction over two incidents that caused him not to debut twice just a few months earlier.

In the early part of 2003, he debuted in what turned out to be an “Unofficial Test” when South Africa and India met at Centurion Park at the height of the “Mike Denness Affair.”

Denness, as Match Referee, had reprimanded several

Indian players in the previous Test and the Indian authorities had requested of the International Cricket Council (ICC) that he be replaced for the Centurion game. When the ICC stood its ground the game went on, but without Denness and it was subsequently relegated to unofficial status.

Two months later, Rudolph was named in the team to face Australia at Sydney, but the then United Cricket Board (UCB) President, the late Percy Sonn, vetoed his selection on the grounds of racial discrimination based on South Africa’s quota system. He had to make way for Justin Ontong to play his first Test. For Rudolph the wait was not in vain.

After 35 Tests with five centuries and being in and out of the South African team, he opted to move to Yorkshire in January 2007 on a three-year Kolpak deal in order to develop his game. He then extended his contract to 2011 and there was talk about him turning out for England.

However, he returned home and dominated the domestic competitions, earning himself a recall to national colours in the process.

He contested an additional 13 Tests and produced another hundred, but when the Australians gave him a torrid time in 2012 he was omitted for good.

Who will be the next member of the famous “Debut Double” club is anyone’s guess.

Lawrence Rowe

30

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, January 17, 2016

Smith’s MVP performance leads Guardians 77 – 76 win over Colts

By Rawle Toney PLAISANCE Guardians and Republic Bank Nets drew first blood in their respective divisions, as the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) division one and two ‘Best of Three’ finals got under way on Friday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

In the division-1 title chase, Plaisance Guardians clinched a 77 – 76 win over Colts, while Republic Bank Nets got the better of their arch-rivals Pepsi Sonics 64 – 58 to take a 1 – 0 lead in the three-game series of the division-2 championship.

Of the two games played at Guyana’s premier indoor facility, it was the division-1 championship finale which kept the handful of fans on the edge of their seats through the four periods.

Nikkoloi Smith scored a gamehigh 23 points for Plaisance Guardians.

Nikkoloi Smith, who enjoyed a fruitful season with the Guardians, turned in one of the best performances so far, scoring a game-high 23 points, including some clutch baskets to help lead his team to the important win.

Smith’s back-court partner Enoch Mathews,

was also instrumental in the East Coast Demerara-based team’s win, pouring in 21 points of his own.

The game between the Colts and the Guardians went down to the wire, since it took the closing seconds of regulation time to decide a winner.

Forward Trenton Woolford’s block shot on Colts point guard Dave Causeway with five seconds remaining saved the day for the Guardians.

Colts’ Kurt English was fouled and sent to the line to shoot two shots. With his team trailing by one point (76 – 77), English had a chance to either tie the game or send it to over-time; neither happened.

English would miss both of his attempts and when Causeway grabbed the rebound with a good look at the rim, Woolford, the lanky Guardians forward,

Nets take game 1 of ‘best of three’ finals used his long limbs to pull off a game-winning block shot.

Causway was his usual self from the floor; an efficient point guard, virtually unstoppable at times, but his team-high 22 points wasn’t enough to inspire Colts to a win.

Colts’ “big man” Shane Webster was good at both ends of the paint and scored 21 points in the loss. English (16 points) was the only other Colts player in double digits.

The two teams ended the first quarter tied on 17 points apiece, but in the second quarter, the Guardians outscored the Colts 23 – 12 to hold an 11-point lead (40 – 29) at the halfway mark.

However, behind Causway and Webster, Colts

scored 29 third-quarter points, as compared to 12 scored by the Guardians to lead 58 – 52 heading in the final stanza.

But Colts, with Smith leading their attack, rallied to a 25 – 18 points blitz and closed the game 77 – 76.

Meanwhile, an all-round team performance by the Republic Bank Nets saw them taking the one-game advantage over the Pepsi sponsored Sonics basketball club.

The usually dependable Jason Squires had a miserable night on the floor.

He scored a game-high 18 points from 36 attempts.

Teammate Earl O’Neil had 14 and Kerwin Jackson netted 12. No other Sonics player reached double digits on the score sheets.

For the Nets who shared

the ball well, Mortimer Williamson scored a teamhigh 16 points and Dorian Lewis had 12.

Nets led at the end of every interval, first leading 15 – 14 at the end of the first period, 32 – 30 at half time and heading into the fourth quarter, the Republic Bank-sponsored team led 49 – 45.

The tournament continues tonight at the same venue with a triple-header. Game one from 18:00 hrs, will see game two of the U-23 finals with Eagles looking to close out Pacesetters after winning game one.

Nets will also aim to close their division-2 series against the Sonics and so will Plaisance Guardians against Colts in the division-1 Finals.

Guyana Jaguars battle CCC Marooners for Group B top spot today

By Brij Parasnath THE Guyana Jaguars will be seeking to cement their place at the top of Zone B standings of the NAGICO Super50 competition when they do battle with the Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners in their final-round encounter scheduled for the Warner Park Complex, St Kitts from 13:30 hrs today.

The Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners proved their worth and registered a crushing 91-run win

over the high-flying Windwards Volcanoes in their Zone B second-round match at Warner Park on Friday evening.

The Windwards outfit had secured a thrilling one-wicket victory over the Guyana Jaguars in their second-round clash two days earlier and moved to top of the Group standings on 14 points.

But the CCC Marooners created a major upset by bombing out the Windwards Volcanoes for a meagre 66 runs in 23 overs, after having compiled 157 when they batted first in the

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday January 17, 2016) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall ( Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Jeffery Stollmeyer (1955) (2) Greg Matthews (AUST vs IND, Madras, 1986-87) Today’s Quiz: (1) How many nations have now played Test cricket?

(2) How many teams have now played Test cricket?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

day-night fixture.

However, the Windwards latest debacle and massive defeat allowed the Guyana Jaguars to climb back to the top spot by virtue of a better net run-rate, although both share similar amount of points.

The Guyana Jaguars impressive seven-wicket win over the Leewards Hurricanes on Friday gives them the advantage of 0.604 compared to Windwards’ -0.479.

Marooners moved to nine points and have a very slim chance for a berth in the semi-final should Leewards Hurricanes create a similar upset against Windwards in their final double round-robin fixture today.

Left-arm seamer Delorn Johnson and swing bowler Mervin Matthew had the Marooners under a shell-shocked spell, and it seemed as if they would have collapsed to a record low score and suffer the ignominy of a crushing defeat, when they were quickly reduced to 27 runs for the loss of their six frontline batsmen.

But Jamaica-born franchise players Rovman Powell and Akeem Dewar fought back bravely and revitalised their innings.

Together they featured in what turned out to be the match-winning seventh wicket partnership worth 93 precious runs.

Powell was the aggressor and made an attractive 71 that was embellished with three sixes and five fours off 116 balls while Dewar, the supportive partner, counted two fours off 67 balls for his invaluable 35.

Johnson had knocked over Mark Deyal (0), Anthony Alleyne (5), skipper Chadwick Walton (0) and former West Indies and Barbados Test player Ryan Hinds (4), while Matthew prised out Vikash Mohan (4) and Cassius Burton departed via the run-out route.

Vincentian Johnson returned to the attack and dismissed the rampant Rovman Powell and Trinidadian Jovan Ali (7), to finish with the impressive analysis of 9.5-0-37-6. Matthew ended with figures of 9-0-22-2 after he scalped Christopher Powell (11); while Kyle Mayers (9-1-38-1) was the other wicket-taker.

The drama that unfolded left the Windwards Volcanoes players gasping for breath and sanity with the devastation they suffered

at the hands of the Marooners, whose bowlers wreaked havoc with only two batsmen reaching double figures.

Johnson Charles and Devon Smith made 10 each, while Andre Fletcher (3), Miles Bascombe (0), Tyrone Theophile (1), Sunil Ambris (8), skipper Liam Sebastien (8), Mayers (8), Keron Cottoy (1), Matthew (6) and Johnson (0) all finished with single digits to their names.

Surprisingly, Mr Extras emerged as Windwards topscorer with 11 runs to his credit, made up of four byes, two leg byes and five wides.

Chemar Holder was the Marooners most destructive bowler and had figures of 6-0-22-5. He was well supported by Christopher Holder 6-0-19-2, Ryan Hinds 3-1-8-1 and Vikash Mohan 8-1-11-1 as they sparked their team to an overwhelming 91-run victory.

Chemar Holder was voted “Man of Match”.

In today’s final-round clash, Guyana cannot afford to be complacent against the Marooners who seem bent on fighting for a semi-final berth should Hurricanes do them a special favour and beat arch-rivals Windwards

Volcanoes in their clash at the St Paul’s Complex (starts at 9:00hrs).

Meanwhile, defending champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force will seek to maintain their winning ways when they take on a much stronger Barbados Pride in the Zone A fixture at the Queen’s Park Oval from 13:30 hrs. Barbados have been strengthened with the inclusion of several of their West Indian players. The Red Force will also be strengthened with the return of Darren Bravo and Denish Ramdin, whose presence will add more excitement in what should be the most absorbing contest for the final-round matches.

On the other hand, the Jamaica Scorpions would be aiming to beat the ICC Americas by a huge margin and be able to up their overall net runrate. They would also be hoping and praying earnestly for the Red Force to prevail over Barbados Pride and allow them the opportunity to clinch the Zone A second spot and sneak into the second semi-final carded for next Thursday at the QP Oval at 13:30 hrs.

31

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, January 17, 2016

NSC database-Injury rehab; scholarships among major benefits

By Stephan Sookram A BOLD new move by the National Sports Commission (NSC) to establish a national database for athletes and associations could result in major spin-off benefits for athletes and associations.

The NSC is in the process of building the database and weighing the option of having it kept and updated internally, as against outsourcing the work and essentially just providing the information needed to keep the database updated.

According to Director of Sport Christopher Jones, he has received a proposal from one local company to build and upkeep the database with another proposal expected to be submitted in the new week “One of the submissions I’ve gotten so far is that this company is actually taking it a step further. Outside of having the database in terms of the information for the athletes, they will have information from the associations and clubs and federations that will aid them in promoting their respective disciplines,” said Jones.

He noted that this particular company (which was not named) can send out messages informing the public of upcoming events and even provide in- game updates as

to offset his expenses.”

Students like the ones shown above can have a chance at a scholarship under the new database that the SOP (Standard Operatwell as athlete-by-athlete statistics during games and even a brief history on said athlete.

However, this feature would be reliant on the associations providing information on their athletes.

ATHLETES REHABILITATION Another spin-off effect of the database being in place is assistance from the government for the rehabilitation of athletes who suffer injuries during associations-sanctioned tournaments or national duty.

According to Jones, the NSC is working on a partnership with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) to assist in the offsetting of medical expenses of those athletes who are injured.

“This has to be twinned with the Ministry of Health to have a collaborative effort, so

Notable Dates

THE year 1998 was a highly successful one for `Vicious’ Vivian Harris.

During the 12-month period the Guyanese-born junior welterweight boxer fought a total of nine times. It remains the most active period of the former world champion’s career.

Harris would remain undefeated through the aforementioned period.

He started out the year with a bang after knocking out Ahmed Lamb in the first round of a fight hosted on January 17 at the Convention Hall in Atlantic City in New Jersey.

The orthodox boxer would follow that up with six more stoppages and one Unanimous Decision victory before the year came to a close.

Harris turned professional in 1997 and was crowned WBA welterweight champion in October 2002 following a second round Technical Knock Out of champion Cuban-American Diosbe-

Vivian Harris

lys Hurtado. He would have three successful defences but was then dethroned by little known Colombian Carlos Maussa via seventh round knockout.

Harris would secure three victories before unsuccessfully challenging Junior Witter of England for the WBC junior welterweight title. Of the four male Guyanese to have won major world titles, Harris, who will turn 38 in June, is the only one still to have a professional fight at home.

that in the event that these athletes that we have within this database gets an injury, that the Ministry of Health is there to take care of the needs of that individual,” contended the director.

He stated that the associations too have to do their part in ensuring that their strategic plans cover the long-term development of athletes, including insurance to ensure that they are properly rehabilitated.

“What happens when an athlete gets injured, what role does the association play and all of that we are hoping that they can submit to us, so we can know that they are looking to the future (of athletes),”adumbrated the director.

He used the example of boxer Clive “The Punisher” Atwell who had suffered a twisted ankle during a recent boxing card saying, “We note

ing Procedure) should be that insurance for example before someone steps into the ring should be taken out for that individual. Currently, Mr. Atwell is in the process of seeking assistance from the government

SCHOLARSHIP AND ACADEMIC ENHANCEMENTS The third benefit of the database being a reality according to Jones would be to ensure that young athletes have the chance to get an academic life as well, in an attempt to develop well-rounded individuals capable of functioning off the field as well.

This, Jones noted, is already in the pipeline and will include the obvious help of the Ministry of Education, adding that “We would want to have in that database all of the athletes that we have on register, their

achievements and so forth.

“For example, if a young athlete started out at age 13, five years from now he/she obtains the age of 18 and they are ready to pursue their education, then the Ministry of Education can provide for them a scholarship to attend the University of Guyana,” said the director.

He noted that if the NSC’s plan as it relates to athletes but was quick to point out that, “of course, the associations and the federations, which are essentially the frontline people that deal with the athletes, those are some of the plans we want to see coming from them, not only tournaments.”

Clive “The Punisher” Atwell is treated after being injured during his Brawl at the Mall headline fight against Dexter Gonzalves.

Trevor Williams is new Demerara Volleyball Association president THE Demerara Volleyball Association (DVA) held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Elections yesterday and the clubs affiliated unanimously elected former Alliance for Change (AFC) Parliamentarian Trevor Williams to serve as president.

National Coach Ian Wills will serve as vice-president while, Jana Edghill (Secretary), Alistair Griffith (Treasurer), Odile Broomes (Assistant Secretary Treasure) and Allana Bese (Public Relations Officer), were the other executives elected to serve the DVA for the next year.

Williams, during his remarks thanked the clubs for their support and promised to play the role needed for the expansion of the sport across Demerara.

He made special mention of Linden, which he said had a huge amount of potential and the DVA will be placing special emphasis on

Newly elected president of the DVA Trevor Williams (third from right) along with some members of the new Executive Committee following yesterday’s AGM and elections. electoral process at the the mining town for 2016. The association will serve Guyana Defence Force’s Also high on the new DVA off their 2016 season within ( G D F ) C o a s t G u a r d s executive committee is the two weeks with a mini tour- Boardroom yesterday, said he is thoroughly satishosting of a National Vol- nament. leyball Schools’ ChampiPresident of the Guy- fied with the outcome and onship and to also see the ana Volleyball Federation hoped this new chapter will expansion of the game and (GVF), Commander John create a better atmosphere new clubs being formed. Flores who witnessed the for the sport of volleyball.

FIFA presidential candidates to address CFU See Story on Page 26

FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein

Bolt shocked by IAAF reports, against wiping records

By Kayon Raynor

K

INGSTON, Jamaica, (Reuters)-Six-times Olympic champion Usain Bolt said he felt shocked and let down by the scandal-hit IAAF, but the Jamaican sprinter was against resetting athletics world records as the sport attempts to move on from the doping crisis.

Thursday’s second installment of a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report slammed the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), accusing its former head, Lamine Diack, of running a clique that covered up organized doping and blackmailed athletes as senior officials looked the other way.The

first part of the report by independent investigator Dick Pound, a former head of WADA, in November led to athletics superpower Russia being banned from competition for state-sponsored doping.

Jamaican sprint king Bolt, the biggest name in athletics with a plethora of titles, records and commercial deals, said the IAAF had failed their athletes.

“When I heard it was quite shocking for me to hear that because as far as I was concerned I think they were doing a good job to clean up the sport,” Bolt told Reuters in Kingston after collecting his sixth National Sportsman of the year award.

“So for me to hear something like this was quite shocking and you feel let

down as an athlete to be wanting to actually help clean up the sport, and then

thing, but we’ll see what happen (with the investigations).”

Six-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt something like this to come up about the body.

“It’s kind of a letdown, so hopefully there’s no such

Diack stepped down last year after 16 years leading the IAAF and was replaced by Briton Sebas-

tian Coe. The Senegalese is already under formal investigation in France on suspicion of corruption and money laundering linked to the concealment of positive drug tests in concert with Russian officials and the blackmailing of the athletes to allow them to continue to compete.

The reports noted that Diack “sanctioned and appeared to have had personal knowledge of the fraud and the extortion of athletes carried out by the actions of the illegitimate governance structure he put in place”.

UK Athletics (UKA) released “A Manifesto for Clean Athletics” on Monday, calling for world records to be wiped clean and drug cheats to be banned

for at least eight years in radical proposals aimed at heralding in a new era for the sport.

The 29-year-old Bolt, who set the 100 meter and 200m world records of 9.58 and 19.19 seconds in 2009 and shared in the 4x100m mark of 36.84secs in 2012, was against the proposal.

“As far as I’m concerned it’s really pointless,” he said.

“What’s done is done, you have to just move forward and try to make the upcoming championships and Olympics and the next (world) records as best as we can and just look forward to the future,” added the 11-times world championship gold medalist.

“You can’t worry about the past, but try to build on the future.”

GTTA Senior National Championships...

Britton, Edghill to clash in Under-21 final

SHEMAR Britton will take on Kyle Edghill today in the final of the Under- 21 male division in the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) Senior National Championships currently in progress at the National Gymnasium.

During yesterday’s knock-

out, Britton beat off Elishaba Johnson four games to one for his final spot, while Edghill beat off Kevon Corbin by the same margin.

Today’s final will pit two of the best players in the division against each other in an all-out clash to de-

termine the best Under-21 player.

In the ‘B’ class open, up to press time the quarter- finals were yet to be contested.

Kyle Edghill was pitted against Alec Hopkinson in the first game, while Kevon Corbin was expected to play

’See Page 26

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216.

Round of 16 action in the Under- 21 class of the GTTA Senior National Table Tennis Championships.

(Delano Williams photo)

SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016