Chronicle 01 19 2016

$12B FOR SUGAR No. 104436

TUESDAY JANUARY 19, 2016

Price: $80

(Vat Inclusive)

- but high cost, neglect See stories on pages 3 & 7

- force gov’t to close Wales Estate

Government will soon move to close the Wales Sugar Estate after it has been projected to lose some $1.9B in 2016

Linden 7 woman stabbed to death Page

Cops hunt men who impregnate 9 teens Page

2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday January 19, 2016

Harmon trashes Guyana Times’ ‘malicious’ report

THE Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP) has described an article appearing in yesterday’s Guyana Times as deliberately misleading, if not malicious.

The MOTP notes that the article, headlined “Nagamootoo still insists PM was not “stripped”… President says otherwise”, perpetuates the Guyana Times’ misinformation contained in the Sunday edition of the newspaper in an article headlined “Nagamootoo stripped of all

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, in an invited comment, called the report in the Guyana Times “distasteful” and “almost libellous”. He added that the newspaper has

President David Granger ‘line responsibilities’…”

Minister of State Mr Joseph Harmon The MoTP, in a release, said it notes with great concern the continued perpetuation of this misinformation.

The MOTP said President Granger himself, in a brief comment, had described the publication of the article as a “malicious falsehood” and had added that the Prime Minister’s functions have actually been enhanced, and he is First Vice-President in every respect and cannot be subordinate to any other

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo minister.

Further, in the Official Gazette published on Wednesday, January 6, 2016, the Prime Minister’s portfolio was expanded to include these additional responsibilities: Government and Parliamentary Business, Constitutional Commissions, Constitutional Reform and Governance.

The Prime Minister also maintains responsibility for Public Information, making him responsible for the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority, the National Communications Network, Guyana National Newspapers Limited, and the Government Information Agency.

MEET Cecily Jackman, or just ‘Donna’ to close friends and acquaintances. At 51, Cecily is still a youth leader at heart.

A devout Christian and former president of the Georgetown Youth Leaders Council, Cecily lists as being among her hobbies going to church, working with youths, and playing circle tennis.

Such is her love of the game, she hopes to one day get circle tennis back into schools, and with correct rules.

sunk to a new low in regard to journalistic ethics, and seems to have thrown truth out of the window.

Please turn to page 8 ►

3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday January 19, 2016

$12B FOR SUGAR

By Svetlana Marshall in New York

TWELVE billion dollars have been set aside in Guyana’s 2016 budget to safeguard the ailing sugar industry.

This was on Sunday communicated to a large and attentive audience of diaspora Guyanese gathered at Naresa Palace in Ozone Park in New York City, USA, by First Vice President and Prime Minister of Guyana, Mr Moses Nagamootoo, as he gave his audience an insight into the 2016 National Budget.

The Prime Minister said that under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) had suffered immensely and had accumulated a debt of $82B, but this has been trimmed by some $4B by the APNU+AFC Government in December 2015. The GuySuCo debt now stands at $78.6B, and Government has signalled its intention to further bail out the industry.

The Prime Minister said Government has put measures in place to further subsidise the sugar industry.

“Last year we put $12B, this year we are going to put another $12B dollars,” he said, as he noted that, despite the huge debt, the David Granger Administration will do all in its power to keep the industry afloat.

“We are going to try to protect the jobs of the sugar workers,” he declared.

Despite its many challenges, GuySuCo surpassed its projected target of 227,443 tonnes sugar in 2015, reaching

some 229,215 tonnes. During the second crop, four estates –- Skeldon, Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt – each exceeded their production target, with the Skeldon factory recording its highest output since its commissioning.

Turning his attention to the rice industry, Prime Minister Nagamootoo told his attentive audience that the industry performed exceptional amidst a few challenges.

“We have, last year, produced more rice than we have ever produced. We sold every grain of rice, but we had nine per cent less price for rice, but we had ten per cent more rice,” he reported, noting that the Government, through the Agriculture Ministry, has been providing farmers with additional pumps and has been addressing the issue of drainage and irrigation to assist the rice farmers.

RICE AND SUGAR “We are not going to allow the rice and sugar industries to sink because of the evils of the past, we are

going to try to resurrect our country’s industries and try to make production of sugar at an economical cost, so we can package sugar, package rice, and get better prices for (our) produce,” he said.

In addressing the developing oil and gas industry in Guyana, the Prime Minister told those present that, within two years’ time, oil and gas will be pumped offshore from Guyana.

“Today, as we are near to realising our dream of becoming an oil country, a rich country, the threat for our black gold is coming from our neighbour Venezuela. So, as we try to realise our dreams, we still have many challenges (from) those who are nearby, seeking to take away our wealth, and reducing us, once again, to the status of displaced people and slaves of other powers.”

He warned that, as Guyana marks its 50th year as an Independent nation, Guyanese must be “conscious of the fact that, if we are not careful, if we are not vigilant, if we do not stand up united as Guyanese, then even the dream that

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo addressing the gathering at Naresa Palace is before us could be snatched away by those who are greedy and obsessed about wealth and more wealth, power and more power.”

ENCOURAGING FIND Earlier this month, President David Granger had said that, despite developments still being in the exploratory stages, the prospects for U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil finding oil in Guyana in commercial quantities are very favourable. He made this comment subsequent to a high-level meeting with top executives of ExxonMobil at his office.

The company has been especially happy with the dis-

A section of the gathering at Naresa Palace, Ozone Park, New York

covery made in Guyana, and remains committed to advancing exploratory work here.

“Last year, we made a discovery offshore Guyana, and it is very promising… so we want to follow up with data collection to understand the size and the commerciality of the discovery. We want to acquire new data so that we can fully assess the potential of the Block offshore Guyana for the value that it will bring to Guyana and ExxonMobil in the future,” Stephen Greenlee, President of ExxonMobil Exploration Company has said.

ExxonMobil began oil and gas exploration in Guyana on March 5, 2015, drilling offshore in the Liza-1 well in the Stabroek Block.

On May 20, the company announced that its exploration drill ship, the Deepwater Champion, had made a sig-

nificant oil find in the Block, about 120 nautical miles offshore Guyana.

Last month, the company contracted the multi-purpose vessel Fugro Americas, which is designed to conduct high-resolution geophysical surveys and sea-floor mapping. This ship is expected to continue working in the area until March 2016.

Based on the developments unfolding within the various industries, the Prime Minister predicted that “in seven months… we are still crawling, we are still in diaper, but you can see the evidence of that change; you can see the new hope, you can see the dreams resurrecting, and you can see the people smiling once again, trying to overcome the troubles that beset our country.” (smarshall@ guyanachronicle.com)

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Forum spotlights rights of children in mining sector Businesses within the extractive sector of Guyana were on Monday urged to ensure firm compliance with the laws regarding the protection of the rights of children.

At a stakeholder event at the Cara Lodge in the city, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) organised forum saw deliberators reinforcing the requirements of businesses within the sector to uphold the rights of children.

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin was candid in his appeal to the players in the sector, a fundamentally private enterprise environment. “What we are concerned with today , is whether the activities carried out in pursuit of private interests are in keeping with the expectations of the society that regards as important the rights of our children”, Gaskin noted.

Speaking to an audience which included Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway and representatives of organizations relative to the mining sector, Gaskin questioned the position of the local society as regards the rights of children. “But are we such a society? Are we qui-

etly allowing or tolerating or simply ignoring activities that are a gross violation of all that underscores children’s rights in 21st century?” he asked.

He questioned whether the private enterprises were given a “free pass at the extent of our most precious asset”, that being children. Gaskin said that the industries within the extractive sector were significant contributors to the economy. As the private sector expands in size and influence, he said that it would inevitably have an impact on the lives of children. This impact, he said, should be positive, one which brings investment, enjoyment, opportunities and new services to communities. “This is what we wish to promote at the Ministry of Business”, Gaskin said.

He noted however, that there was a darker side to certain businesses which could not be ignored nor promoted.

According to Gaskin, the appeal “Guyana means business” is envisaged as lawful and wholesome business which can make a valuable contribution to the economic growth and development of the country.

He urged that the gold, bauxite, timber and quarry industries, among others, pro-

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin addressing the audience yesterday.

be targeted through legislative measures should they commit errors. These measures can ensure that they change practices which are harmful to children.

However, the informal businesses cannot be influenced by legislation and these require special measures to bring them into compliance.

In Guyana, Gaskin said that there existed geographical lines and when crossed, persons might disregard the laws and “travel back in time to Wild West practices.”

He posited that all of the businesses in the extractive sector may be located beyond those geographical lines. This he noted made the private sector a “high risk one “as regards upholding the rights of children. He called on those industries to ensure that proper monitoring for compliance with the laws of Guyana which protect the right of the child.

He said too that children were more vulnerable to localized environmental impact of the extractive industry due to their incomplete physical development. He called on communi-

vide meaningful contributions towards resolving the problems affecting children.

“Business must take individual responsibilities for their impact on children’s rights”, he said.

Gaskin pointed to an informal and formal economy, noting that the former outweighed the other. However, many ills occur in that sector, including the loss of taxes, exploitation of workers as well as a disregard for regulations.

“This is what we are seeking to reverse”, he said. While the formal economy may not have a clean slate, he expressed belief that the “most troubling and challenging violations resulting from business activities, reside within the informal economy.”

He explained that the businesses which operate on formal groundings can generally

DATE: 16/01/2016

E 05 07 25 18 11 27 12

18/01/2016

07

12

15

19

22

18/01/2016

05

ties near such operations to be protected in this regard and he expressed confidence that the Ministries of Social Protection and Natural Resources and their leadership would continue to forge ahead respect due to the rights of children.

Earlier, UNICEF resident representative, Marianne Flach told the packed room that extractive operations such as mining often occur in some of the most remote areas. She said that these can have profound impact on the lives on some of the most vulnerable children. She expressed hope that the conference would inform companies in the sector about the importance of actively integrating respect and support for children rights into their respective structures.

“What if it were my child? “, she asked.

Simon Chorley of UNICEF Canada said that the Canadian government had demonstrated its leadership on engaging mining companies on responsibilities. He pointed to one such priority being the future of children whom he

05

05

18/01/2016

noted are key stakeholders in world affairs since they occupy 1/3 of global population figures. At yesterday’s forum, Aleema Nasir , chairperson of the Rights of the Child Commission said that the body had ongoing engagements with the ministries of government and other stakeholders , including the University of Guyana , Tain Campus. This she noted was testimony of the efforts of the RCC in nurturing a national approach to addressing children rights. She said that it was no secret that the body seeks to involve the business community in its deliberations, noting that it has a critical role to play from safeguarding communities from child labour , trafficking in persons , child prostitution and environmental degradation among other issues.

Nasir also pointed to the fundamental role the State apparatus plays in promoting, monitoring and encouraging the business sector to observe its critical role.

Yesterday’s forum included a number of presentations and discussions , including the measures put in place to address children and mining, prioritizing current impacts on children as well as the interventions of companies in the sector.

01

07

10

11 13 14

17

5

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday January 19, 2016

GECOM still has vacancies Linden pensioner killed for Elections Day staff by speeding car

By Ariana Gordon

WITH the date fast approaching for the hosting of Local Government Elections (LGE) -- March 18 -- the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) says it is doing all it can to attract persons to fill vacancies for Elections Day, even as the Commission continues countrywide training.

Speaking at a media briefing yesterday at the Commission’s office, Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield said that while GECOM continues to host countrywide training of staff, the entity is still in need of Elections Day staff for several communities within the 71 Local Authority areas.

“At this point, we continue to have a shortfall in the numbers, specifically in Georgetown, for the nine NDCs on the East Coast, and in Region 2 and Region 6,” he said.

Accordingly, the Commission is seeking to recruit persons from within the various Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) and municipalities to serve as Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers, and the like.

“As far as (is) practicable, what we are striving to ensure is that the presiding officers and team… are organic to the communities, NDCs or municipalities to which they reside.

“We are saying that if we are talking about Rose Hall, we want people from that municipality to be engaged, as against going to Fyrish or Port Mourant or Tain; and so that is the thrust, and as far as practicable, we have not satisfied that guideline as provided by the Commission, and we are still working assiduously.”

Lowenfield added that, in the case of Georgetown, there is a serious shortfall of staff, but he quickly pointed out that the Commission would see a dramatic change in circumstance as time draws near for the elections. As such, GECOM anticipates that many applications will be flooding the entity closer to March 18.

“Our training will continue every weekend until we would have satisfied that arrangement.

Georgetown, at the 11th hour, then the residents of the City would indicate they have an interest.

“Ads are out and we are still seeking persons to apply and be part and parcel of the process,” said the CEO. Some 103 symbols representing political parties, voluntary groups and individuals have been approved

by GECOM, and some 71 Returning Officers have been employed across the Local Authority Areas, and are receiving additional training to ensure that all stakeholders have sufficient information.

GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally was confident that the Commission will

receive its full complement of staff before Elections Day. “I have no doubt about that,” he said.

The Commission noted that, in some regions, there is an overage of staff, but insofar as sticking with its mandate to

GECOM Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield ensure that those appointed are “organic” to their Local Authority Areas and constituency, GECOM “cannot capitalise on the total number that we have.”

EDUCATION Additionally, the Commission admitted that not every stakeholder is au fait with the LGE processes, and as such, efforts are being made to ensure that all stakeholders become apprised of the processes.

Deputy Chief Elections Officer Vishnu Persaud told the media that the Commission recognises there are different categories of stakeholders that need to be informed, especially those at the grassroots levels who simply have no access to the various forms of media.

“It is for that reason we have, since September last year, been preparing specific flyers relating to different components of the electoral processes, like what the electoral system is about, requirements, qualifications for

contesting.”

Persaud told the media that GECOM has been arranging interactive meetings in all of the Local Authority Areas.

Those meetings, he said, were publicised through the use of flyers and PA Systems.

AN elderly woman died yesterday after she was struck by a speeding car in Linden whilst making her way across a pedestrian crossing.

Seventy-four-year-old Henrietta Cadogan of 572 Canvas City, Wismar Linden was allegedly knocked down by motor car HC 5603 driven

GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally The results of those meetings, however, were not favourable.

“I can say that the response to these meetings was less than expected,” he said.

Letters, he added, were sent to some 96 civil society organisations across the regions. These consist of local authority areas, and the letters were to arrange meetings of their membership and by extension the public, so that those persons could be educated about LGE. “Till now, we must have had five of them responding favourably, and we have had meetings with them. We are hoping that, as we move forward, the interest would develop, as we ourselves would intensify our efforts in terms of getting our message out there, and then we would more than likely see less negative comments coming as it relates to people understanding the LGE process, systems and everything else that goes with it,” Persaud added. (agordon@ guyanachronicle.com)

Henrietta Cadogan

by Wendell Smith, 35, who, according to police reports, was heading north along the Winifred Gaskin Highway on the western side of the road, and was travelling at great speed when he collided with the elderly woman as she was making her way across the pedestrian crossing.

An eyewitness who asked to remain anonymous said the elderly woman was flung in the air and landed some distance away

from scene of the accident.

She was heading home after visiting a shop in the vicinity to buy some vegetables to prepare lunch.

The eyewitness said the driver drove away without rendering assistance to the woman, who lay helplessly on the road. Another driver took her to the hospital, where she succumbed an hour later.

“Blood was coming out she ears when we reach on the scene, and the car just drive away,” the eyewitness related.

The driver of the vehicle returned to the scene and was taken to the hospital by the police, after which he

was taken into custody to assist with investigations. The woman’s relatives flocked the Mackenzie Hospital, and pandemonium ensued after they learned that she had died.

They were very angry that the driver had not rendered her assistance after the accident.

“He drive away and leave she like she is a dog; he didn’t even stop to help!” exclaimed one of Cadogan’s daughters in tears.

The elderly woman leaves to mourn seven daughters and many grandchildren. She had been living with one of her seven daughters.

6

Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams

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

Editorial

Lifting Iran sanctions and US$20 a barrel

ON MONDAY, 18th January, Iran returned to the fold of the world economy. The P5+1 group of world powers -United States (US), United Kingdom, France, China and Russia, plus Germany -- reached with that country a deal which has been touted as a landmark. This deal has seen the lifting of crippling economic sanctions which arose out of concern that Iran was moving towards building nuclear weapons.

With personnel from the United Nations’ (UN) global nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), having had access to Iran’s sites and laboratories, and having certified them as restricted in sensitive nuclear activities, the green light was given for sanctions to be lifted. The ban has, however, not been lifted on importation of ballistic missile technology, and it remains in effect for up to eight years. The weapons’ embargo still remains, and will so remain for at least another five years, unless the IAEA decides that the nuclear programme is entirely peaceful.

Under what is called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran will, for 10 years, be limited to installing no more than 5,060 of the oldest and least efficient centrifuges at Natanz.

Research and development will take place only at Natanz, and not for more than eight years.

There will be no enrichment permitted at Fordo for 15 years, and the underground facility will be converted into a nuclear, physics and technology centre.

The 1,044 centrifuges at Fordo will be used to produce radio isotopes for use in medicine, agriculture, industry and science.

And over the next 15 years, Iran’s uranium stockpile will also be reduced by 98% to 300kg (660lbs), while the country will be committed to keep enrichment level at 3.67%.

Under the JCPOA, Iran will also redesign the Arak reactor, which would make it unable to produce any weapons-grade plutonium, and will not be permitted to build additional heavy-water reactors or accumulate any excess heavy water for 15 years.

This deal has been sealed with IAEA’s inspectors being allowed access to any site once suspicion arises. With this comes the ironclad guarantee that, over the next 15 years, Iran will have 24 days to comply with any request; and if it refuses, an eight-member Joint Commission -- including Iran -- will rule on the issue, which will determine the punitive steps, including the re-imposition of sanctions, and where a majority vote will hold sway.

It ought to be said that should any part of the deal be compromised, automatic reinstatement of sanctions by the UN will follow, with those sanctions lasting for a minimum of ten years and extending to as much as 15 years.

This deal is not only good for Iran and the countries that signed it, but for the entire world. The threat of nuclear build-up -- even as efforts are being made to tie down existing ones, consistent with the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty in a world where terrorism is of rising concern -- should any nuclear weapon get into the hands of the intolerant and intemperate, carries dire consequences for man and the environment.

With that being said, the lifting of sanctions has returned Iran to the global economy. With Iran having the possibility of stabilising its economy and relieving deprivations

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Guyana Cricket will die a natural death

Dear Editor,

PRIOR to 2011, I was of the firm view that, in Guyana, “Justice was for all”, to the extent that even if one could not afford to pay for a defense lawyer, the state would provide such legal assistance.

However, since the ruling of the then Chief Justice (ag) in the Angela Haniff vs the GCB matter in 2011, I have been shocked by the interplays within our judicial system, causing me to feel that justice in Guyana is more for the lawless than for the lawful!

In reflecting on the ninepage ruling, I recall that Chief Justice (ag) Mr. Ian Chang discharged that injunction on the grounds that the Cricket Boards/Associations were all legal non-entities, and could not sue or be sued.

The learned gentleman also, in his ruling, recommended that since there was a Ministry of Sports and a Minister responsible for Sports, the Minister should put in place an Interim Management Committee (IMC) as an immediate relief to the ongoing cricket problems, while instituting legislative remedy as a permanent longterm solution.

I did have the opportunity to speak with quite a few lawyers, most of whom disagreed with the CJ (ag) on the issue of legal non-entities; for, after all, there were many applications/injunctions / orders granted for and against Cricket Boards/Associations, even by the very Chief Justice (ag) prior to and after the ruling; however, not a single lawyer challenged the ruling!

As a consequence to the recommendation of the

Chief Justice, the Minister responsible for Sports established an Interim Management Committee (IMC) as a temporary measure, and the Cricket Administration Bill was tabled in Parliament as a permanent measure for bringing order, accountability and fair-play back to our cricket.

The Cricket Administration Bill was sent to a Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC), and was passed into law unopposed after 20 meetings. Certain elements from the current illegal Guyana Cricket Board attempted to injunct the Speaker of the National Assembly from the reading of the Bill, but failed; and the Guyana Cricket Administration Act 2014 was passed into law.

The very elements then proceeded to file a High Court action to halt the work of the well respected historian, Dr. Winston Mc Gown, the Cricket Ombudsman, who was appointed by the Minister, as prescribed by the Act. His job basically was to ensure that free, fair and transparent elections of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and its members were held. This action was subsequently dismissed by the Chief Justice (ag).

In another bid to hold on to power, the very elements challenged the Act via High Court action 2014-HC-DEMCIV-CM-106, and this matter also came up before the Chief Justice (ag). I hold the view that the challenge to the Act is frivolous and riddled with blatant inaccuracies in an apparent attempt to mislead the Court. For example, Lalta Digamber (one of the applicants in this matter) purported to be the Secretary of the Demerara Cricket Board when

among its citizens, there exists the possibility that oil prices will be further reduced. At home, this may be of a more intimate immediate interest. According to Iran, the fall in oil exports was costing it between US$4B and US$8B every month. With its return to the world stage, Iran’s production will surely impact on prices at the market, given that it has unfettered access to sell its product.

Its plans to ramp up supply, which is an effort to make up for lost ground, has seen crude oil already being traded

he was never elected to that position. Isn’t this perjury?

While the Ombudsman is now free to call elections, these elements again approached the Court, and the Chief Justice (ag) granted an Interim Order to stop all elections until the substantive matter was heard (2014-HCDEM-CIV-CM-106). The defendants in this matter are the Hon. Minister of Sports and the Hon. Attorney General.

Amazingly, to me, this Interim Order was granted over a year ago, and has effectively stopped all elections, thereby allowing the very group to continue to govern illegally and with impunity.

To date, the substantive matter is still to be heard, and the group has continued to impose itself illegally on the administration of our beloved sport, cricket.

It must be made known that the applicants in this matter are Anand Sanasie, Lalta Digamber, Fizul Bacchus, Rohan Sarjoo and Jonny Azeez, all of whom are either purported executive members of the embattled Guyana Cricket Board, or are directly related to it. They have filed this action by using the names of three boards, an association and a club to make it appear as though it is a majority of the cricketing fraternity, when it is not.

What is remarkable and of great importance is that the East Bank Cricket Association, the West Demerara Cricket Associations and the Essequibo Cricket Board, managed by these individuals, have played little or no cricket; and shamefully, have not produced a cricketer for Guyana for the past fifteen years or so.

So we have a situation

where the genuine administrators who have been producing all the cricketers for Guyana for the past fifteen years, including the Berbice Cricket Board, the East Coast Cricket Board, and the Georgetown Cricket Association, are now effectively and unceremoniously disenfranchised by an Interim Order of Court.

I am not a lawyer, nor do I pretend to be one, but I am confused and extremely perplexed that our legal system could, for five (5) years, embrace such obvious illegality.

As a layman, it seems to me that Justice in Guyana is for the lawless, and not for all.

Decent, law-abiding citizens cannot seem to find any refuge within the current legal system. Maybe that is why there is so much crime in our society presently.

I therefore take this opportunity to congratulate the newly appointed Chief Justice (acting), and wish her every success in what is undoubtedly an extremely challenging period. Since she is of the fairer sex, I expect that she would characterize her tenure with fairness and diligence, paying urgent attention to the grave injustice directed towards the law-abiding people of this country, especially bona-fide local cricket administrators, our young cricketers and cricket itself.

The existing acrobatics that pervade our legal system is unacceptable, and must be eradicated urgently. Indeed, it is time for a change of attitude and effect in administering justice in our beloved country.

Regards CLAUDE RAPHAEL

on the open market below US$30 a barrel.

What the new deluge means -- even as world crude oil revenue is projected to quintuple in 2016 and some wonder if Iran is sitting on an ocean of US$1-per-barrel-oil -- is that as Guyana is preparing to enter this market, it will require shrewd planning and management. As such, the country will have to pull together a competent team that understands the industry and the nexus between our development and the role the industry ought to play.

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Wales Estate forced to close – after years of neglect, high loss projection THE Government yesterday announced the closure of the Wales Sugar Estate, which is projected to make losses of between $1.6B and $1.9B in 2016, and require extensive repairs to remain operable after years of neglect.

Through the Government Information Agency (GINA), the Ministry of Agriculture revealed yesterday that the investment required to refurbish Wales Estate remains significant, and the finances

are simply not available.

“Diverting funds from the other estates to keep Wales afloat would seriously jeopardise the future of these estates. This cannot be allowed to happen,” the statement noted.

The statement further added, “It is impossible to make sugar production at Wales viable. This is made worse by the gloomy outlook for sugar prices for the foreseeable future. Wales Estate is projected to make a loss of

(between) G$1.6B and $1.9 B in 2016. This, coupled with the extent of refurbishment needed, renders this estate prohibitively costly to maintain.”

NO ALTERNATIVE To protect the other estates, the Corporation said, it has no alternative but to take the following course of action with immediate effect: No further land preparation and planting; as the estate’s cultivation is harvested, the

Linden woman stabbed to death – daughters escape attack

By Vanessa Braithwaite A MOTHER of six was brutally stabbed to death by her reputed husband early Monday morning, rocking the Linden community of Wisrock.

Dead is Leolyn Sulivan, 34, of Phase 1, B Wisrock, who was allegedly stabbed 21 times by her reputed husband, Plarence Carter, 51, at about 2:00hrs on Monday.

Police report that the woman sustained stab wounds to her neck, four to her shoulder, one to her right breast, and 10 to her upper back.

Plarence Carter also reportedly stabbed his foster daughter Shemeka Campbell to her neck and upper right hand in an attempt to kill her.

His other foster daughter, Saskeya Campbell, was attacked, but managed to escape the ordeal by running over several furniture in the home before getting through the door. Both siblings were admitted to the hospital, but she is said to be in a stable condition.

Plarence Carter was also admitted to the hospital, to be treated for superficial wounds that are said to be self-inflicted and inflicted by the deceased in an attempt to defend herself.

He was treated and released and is currently in custody at the Mackenzie Police Station.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Saskeya Campbell related the bloody ordeal as she tried to compose herself. She said her mother had returned home at about 02:00 hrs the said morning, after spending the weekend in Georgetown. Her stepfather started to accuse her of infidelity, because she had promised to return home on Friday evening. He subsequently dealt her two stabs, to her neck and arm.

“I was asleep when I hear a big slamming down, so I came off my bed to check and see what happen. And when I check, me stepfather hold me mother and he had a knife

Family members of Plarence Carter and Leolyn Sulivan at the Linden Hospital Complex

in his hand and ask mommy ‘how you could do this to me?’” she related.

According to Saskeya, he stabbed her mother, and her older sister rushed to part them, but she also was stabbed.

“She push me and run in the bedroom and tell me, ‘Saski, help me! Me ain’t breathing properly, but go and see what happen to mommy’,” Saskeya said.

MERCILESS Her stepfather then returned to her mother and continued to stab the woman about her body. At the same time he placed his attention on her and began to chase her around the house. “He start running me around the house, and I jump on the wardrobe and get away through the door, and mommy jump through the window to help me,” said a terrified Saskeya.

She and her mother attempted to seek the assistance of the neighbour by running away, but the stepfather overtook her mother.

“I begged her to run faster as we were being chased by my stepfather. I pass me mother and I look back and I say ‘mommy, run lil mo, he

coming’, and I open the gate to call the neighbour and he reach up mommy and start stabbing she up mo, saying that ya gah fuh dead! Ya gah fuh dead!

Plarence allegedly returned home in an attempt to kill himself, while Leolyn was rushed to the Linden Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

The couple had shared a common-law relationship for about five years. Two children wer born from it, aged three and seven. Saskeya said that even though she had never seen her stepfather hit her mother, they argued a lot, and most of the time it was about him not adequately providing for the family, since he was a carpenter by trade and was seasonally employed.

“My mother use to tell he wah kind a man is he, because he does hardly work,” she articulated.

A close friend of the deceased told the Guyana Chronicle that the relationship was very abusive, and her friend was on the verge of ending it.

Leolyn was a vendor at the Mackenzie Market, and was described as a hard working person. She leaves to mourn six children.

land would be retired and held for other diversification ventures; the Wales factory would operate throughout 2016, milling both the estate’s and farmers’ cane. It will be closed at the end of the 2016 second crop; with effect from 2017, farmers’ canes will be milled at the Uitvlugt factory. During this year, the routing of the farmers’ cane to Uitvlugt would be determined to ensure the least additional cost; agricultural workers at Wales will be absorbed by Uitvlugt up to the extent of suitable vacancies on that location. Surplus labour would have to be made redundant; and the same principle would apply to the other departments.

According to the Government release, it was felt for many years -- moreso over the past 10 years -- that the Corporation was diverting scarce resources from the estates to assist with the financing of the new Skeldon project.

Additionally, the Corporation said, GuySuCo was denying the high productive estates funding as it propped up the poor performing estates. The result was a general decline in performance, production and finance across

GAWU President Komal Chand

the industry.

The practice of diverting scarce funds from the good estates to keep the poor performers in operation can no longer be tolerated, as the survivability of these estates could not now be guaranteed.

RUN DOWN Wales is by far the estate in poorest shape. The details of its performance include 60 per cent of its D&I infrastructure is run down; 75 per cent of the bridges are in poor shape; the cultivation is also in poor condition; and the factory is old and in need of major investment.

It was noted that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) will be exploring the feasibility of alternative

ventures utilising the lands at Wales.

“The important criteria for such projects would be wealth creation and employment generation. It is hoped that the first of such projects could commence by October 1, 2016,” the release said.

It was further noted that such a course of action has nothing to do with the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the sugar industry, though the CoI report does make reference to the Corporation’s plans for 2016.

Contacted by the Guyana Chronicle, Head of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), Komal Chand, disclosed that the union was aware only of the declaration made by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on December 23, 2015, that the cane from Wales will be transported to Uitvlugt.

Nevertheless, Chand highlighted that the union is awaiting a meeting with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) on Wednesday to hear if what it has heard is true, and what is the position with the factory and field workers, who number approximately 1600; and also whether or not GuySuCo would still have the cultivation in operation.

8

2 lbs of cocaine – no bail TWO CLOTHES vendors who were allegedly busted with over two pounds of cocaine were yesterday refused bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Thirty-one-year-old Shemroy Robertson of 101 Mandela Avenue, and Odinga Chase, 29, of 169 East Ruimveldt, Georgetown were not required to plead to the indictable charge of trafficking in cocaine. Particulars of the charge stated that on Friday, January 15, at Princes Street, Georgetown, they had in their possession 1.15 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

The duo was represented by Attorney-at-law Mark Conway, who requested that both defendants be released on bail since they had fixed places of abode and neither posed a flight risk.

Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Ms Kunyo Sandyford-Thompson strongly opposed bail. She said that such an offence required special reason in order for bail to be granted.

Additionally, the Prosecutor noted that the investigators were unsure of the address given by Robertson, since there were witnesses available who could testify that Robertson never lived at the address he gave to the police.

The CANU prosecutor also informed the court that, in the latter part of 2015, persons arrested at JFK Airport had given signed statements that their facilitator was Robertson.

The men were refused bail and were remanded to prison whilst the matter was adjourned to February 15.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday January 19, 2016

US supports Lighthouse restoration

THE Minister of Public Infrastructure, as well as his junior Minister within that ministry, yesterday met with United States Ambassador to Guyana Perry Holloway for a tour of the Georgetown Lighthouse with the hope of partnering for the restoration of the historical landmark.

The tour was a part of the U.S.’s commitment to the preservation of historical sites in Guyana, under the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.

During the tour, Ambassador Holloway, accompanied by the ministers up the lighthouse's 138 steps, expressed pleasure with the landmark and marvelled at its ingenuity and resilience. He also had all of his questions answered by Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) Harbour Master Michael Tennant and MARAD Director General Claudette Rogers, who were also present.

Ministers Patterson and Ferguson shared that they were “quite pleased” with the Ambassador’s interest in restoring the Georgetown Lighthouse and said that they were excited to see where the partnership would head.

The Ministers had initially met with Ambassador Holloway last week where proposed designs for the upgrade of the lighthouse were discussed.

Ambassador Holloway also indicated that the U.S. Government is also looking at other historical sites in Guyana for possible preservation and restoration.

The 31 metre (103 feet) high lighthouse was originally built as a wooden structure in 1817 by the Dutch, at its current site on Water Street. It was later replaced by the use of bricks by British engineers and commissioned in 1830.

Pensioners at Versailles/Crane books available PENSIONERS residing within the Versailles/Crane Neighbourhood, West Bank Demerara can uplift their books at the Phoenix Park Office, West Bank Demerara today at 09:00 hours.

Meanwhile, in order to facilitate shut-ins who cannot physically reach the office, officers will be visiting such persons’ homes to effect delivery at a later date.

In order to receive the new books, pensioners are asked to walk with their identification cards and/or old pension books, wherever possible.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, and Minister within the Ministry, Annette Ferguson, with United States Ambassador, Perry Holloway (first left), and Maritime officials following the tour of the Georgetown Lighthouse

Harmon trashes Guyana Times’ ...

From page 2

The contentious article was written by an ‘ethnic hand’ who also writes the column “Eyewitness”. He was the leader of a now defunct party. The author was, on numerous occasions, denounced by the PPP as a rabid Indian racist, but he was hired because the PPP saw his usefulness in the run-up to the May 11 Regional and General Elections.

Minister Harmon said, “[It], (the report) says to me and to all of Guyana that they seem to be carrying out the agenda of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), and it seems as if this newspaper has actually replaced the Mirror as the official organ of the PPP.”

WICKED The Minister rejected the notion posited by the Guyana Times that the Prime Minister reports to him. He described it as wicked and malicious, and called on all right-thinking Guyanese to rightly and roundly condemn the publishing of the article.

“There is nowhere in the Constitution or in our arrangement where a Prime Minister can report to a Minister. The Prime Minister is the First Vice-President. He is the acting President when the President leaves this country, and he has always performed those roles with distinction and with credit,” Minister Harmon disclosed.

The Minister added that publication of the article ap-

pears to be an attempt to attack the coalition government, but the body has never been stronger. He said the PPP recognises the growing strength of the coalition government, and this would explain the publishing of that article, which is bereft of truth.

“Every single day that we progress in Government, we are learning; and as we go along, we are actually getting much stronger. We are more a solid group, a solid block…to bring six parties together in a coalition and to get the type of unity or unison that we are having right now, I believe, is a tremendous achievement. We have actually brought people with diverse views [together], and we have now set a national programme which all of the parties in the coalition have actually bought into,” Minister Harmon said.

As with all Government decisions, the Minister noted, the change in ministerial responsibility was done through a process of consultations, as the members of the coalition operate as a cohesive body.

He said: “This was a result of extensive consultations between the President and the Prime Minister, and then a wider level of consultations between the partners in the coalition. The President does not get up one morning and says ‘change this’ and ‘change that’; these are all processes of consultation.”

SIGNIFICANT ROLE The Prime Minister himself plays a significant role in

overall Government decision making, Minister Harmon said.

“Every week, we meet as a Cabinet and make decisions in relation to the governance of this country. Every week, we meet as a National Security Council chaired by the President, and on which the Prime Minister sits as an integral part of it, to which all of the security forces report. Every month, we meet as a Defence Board, looking at defence matters; and the Prime Minister, the President and the security forces -- the Guyana Defence Force in particular -- they sit there and make decisions. So, at every decision-making forum, the President and the Prime Minister sit together and make these decisions,” Harmon revealed.

Minister Harmon said the Guyana Times is demonstrating a pattern of delivering misinformation to the Guyanese people.

He pointed to an article headlined “Justice Cummings-Edwards’ appointment premature – former AG”, published on January 17, 2016, and noted that with acting Chief Justice Ian Chang proceeding on leave, a vacuum was created, and hence Government moved within the Constitution to ensure that the functions of the office would not come to a halt. “[Justice Cummings-Edwards] was appointed to perform the functions of the acting Chief Justice. She wasn’t appointed Chief Justice. She is carrying out those functions, and we cannot leave the office vacant. Somebody has to carry out these functions. So that for Mr Ramson to make that a big story -- and this is the same newspaper carrying it -- it is intellectual dishonesty,” Minister Harmon said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday January 19, 2016

Cops hunt men who impregnate teens

By Alva Solomon POLICE at Port Kaituma are expected to return to a remote mining community in the Region One area today in search of several males who may be responsible for impregnating two underage girls from the community.

The police are also in search of a 10-year old girl, said to be a sibling of the pregnant 12-year old girl, amid reports that the two young ladies were being trafficked by their father.

The 12-year-old, who is in an advanced stage of pregnancy and a 13-year-old who gave birth two weeks ago, were brought to the city last weekend after they were rescued by members of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) group.

Yesterday, head of the GWMO Urica Primus told this newspaper that Region One Coordinator Stephanie Miguel is expected to return to the area, located some 6 hours away by road from Port Kaituma, along with the police today.

The police are expected to take a statement from the mother of the 13-year old, who delivered the baby. She said the young ladies provided at least six names to the police, one of whom is said to be a miner who was living with the 13-year old girl.

Miguel told this newspaper from Port Kaituma that the area is one which is poverty-stricken, since small scale mining activities subsided some time ago.

She said the Carib-speaking community depends on mining as an economic activity to supplement their incomes.

However, a prominent miner from the Coastland was granted permission to mine on concessions of land in the area, leav-

ing the men with little means of earning an income since all mining activities occur at the miner’s discretion.

She said that there are many children residing there and since the nearest school is 15-20 mile away, the children grow up with little or no exposure to the school environment.

Miguel recounted that when she visited the community last week, persons appeared tight-lipped as regards the identities of the persons responsible for impregnating the two girls. She said the terrain in the area is difficult and there is a challenge for the police in carrying out their work given the unwillingness of the community to interact with visitors.

A tip was given to the GWMO by a resident regarding the situation in the village, including allegations that the father of the 12-year old girl was collecting sums of money from miners in the area, as payment to sleep with the girl and her 10-year old sibling.

“We were told that he was even collecting ration from the men there as payment,” Miguel added.

SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES The mother of the girls died last year under suspicious circumstances, which were pointed at the father who is said to be abusive. The man was said to be making arrangements for his 10-year old daughter to live with a man in the area.

That arrangement fell through when the GWMO visited last week and the young lady and a younger sibling subsequently disappeared from the area.

Recounting the event, Miguel said the two rescued girls

9

were “very ill” when the team visited the community; the young mother appeared “white” while the pregnant 12-year old was complaining of pains about her body.

Since there is no health facility in the community, the team subsequently took the girls to the Port Kaituma Hospital and staff there advised that they be transferred to the city to seek further attention.

Primus said Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton visited the girls over the weekend and upbraided hospital staff to provide better care to them. He is expected to carry out follow-up visits. She said the 13-year old is experiencing a low blood count and Primus called on the authorities to relocate the girls to a socially effective environment. “We are asking that the two girls do not end up at the Amerindian Hostel,” Primus said.

The GWMO has been active in carrying out activities in the hinterland aimed at protecting children and preventing abuse of women. The organisation funds itself and Primus noted that its members utilise their own money carry out its mandate.

Yesterday, a workshop was held in the city to address child rights in the extractive sector and a number of presentations were aimed at highlighting the importance of the rights of children. Presenters agreed that children living in areas in proximity to extractive businesses are always vulnerable and Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin called on businesses to be aware of the rights of children and the malpractices which occur.

Canada donates Cdn$20,000 for LGE THE CANADIAN Government through its High Commission here and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday signed an agreement that will see Canada lending support to the Elections Commission for the hosting of Local Government Elections (LGE).

The agreement signed at GECOM’s Cowan Street Office will see GECOM benefiting from Cdn$20,000 to purchase equipment that will assist the Commission with LGE. Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Pierre Giroux told the media that the money would go specifically for the purchase of shredders, public address systems (PA systems), as well as the production of 2000 booklets that are to be distributed to help the Commission prepare for the elections.

“LGE are very important. They are part of a process that actually brings the government closer to the people. It fosters greater inclusion, civic responsibility, empowerment and participation. So we are committed, the Canadian government in the Americas, to support such processes and we are very happy this morning to make a small contribution to the process,” said Giroux.

He explained that the Canadian government was extremely pleased by Guyana’s move to host LGE while noting that the country is and has been “in real support of the electoral process” here. Elections will be held on March 18.

Coincidentally, the High Commissioner said Guyana and Canada were celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

When Guyanese head to the polls in March for the Local Government Elections, it will be the first time in over two decades that the local elections are being held. The last local government elections took place in 1994 under the previous government.

GECOM’s Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally thanked the Canadian envoy for the timely support and noted that GECOM had been doing lots of work to ensure that all persons were reached through its civic education programme for LGE. “It is true that we have a budget that covers matters,” but as things evolve there is always a need for more money. He said that the equipment that were to be purchased wouldl assist the Commission to present documents including manuals and the like to the political parties and other stakeholders in larger

quantities.

“It is like pulling teeth sometimes, having made a budget, having agreed on a budget and it is a bit shameful, embarrassing to go and ask for extras,” remarked Dr. Surujbally. With a general budget of $3.574B and $1.908B specifically allocated to conduct local government elections in the 71 Local Authority areas, does not anticipate that it will have to make amendments to its budgetary agreements.

Though much work is being done in the area, Dr. Surujbally said that much more will have to be done as many persons

Canadian High Commissioner Pierre Giroux (Right) and GECOM’s Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally (Left) sign an agreement on Monday at the Commission’s Kingston office in the presence of Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield (Extreme right). do not understand the information being presented to them.

LGE elections were last held in 1994 here.

“You would have noticed that many people are saying that they still don’t quite understand and they still don’t understand the local government system,” said GECOM’s chairman who explained that people were not accustomed to LGE but instead have much experience in General and Regional elections held every five years.

“It is taking a lot of efforts and all of these inputs do help no question about that,” he added. In light of the

Commission’s Education Programme, Dr. Surujbally noted that the entity’s new Public Relations Officer (PRO) and Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Vishnu Persaud will put together for the public what the entity has done on its civic and voter education.

“I think we have spent a lot of time and made a lot of effort explaining to the nation but…unfortunately if it is a nation that does not read or does not wish to be educated on the subject matter there is very little we can do.”

Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, thanked the Canadian government for the support, while stating that “no amount of support would be adequate”.

“We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for this significant contribution at this point in time… No amount of support would be adequate and therefore as the Chairman said earlier, we are very thankful. I trust that we can continue to do this in the future,” said Lowenfield.

Yesterday’s support is the second of its kind received by the Commission. Last week, the Indian Government donated $8.3M to GECOM for LGE. That contribution will be used to acquire ATVs to be used in hinterland locations.

Miner with two addresses remanded A 23-YEAR-OLD miner was yesterday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, charged with intent to commit murder.

Adrian Robertson of Kaituma Water Front, North West District, was not required to plead to the charge which alleges that he wounded Herilall Bess with intent to murder him on January 12 at Diamond New Scheme.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones objected to bail on ground that the accused had given an address that differed from the one stated in court.

The miner was refused bail, and will make his next court appearance on February 18.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday January 19, 2016

A mother cries for justice

A MOTHER is crying out for assistance and knocking on all relevant doors as she attempts to get justice for her 14-year-old daughter who was reportedly raped by a police constable last year.

The policeman is yet to be charged, even as he has been transferred to the Tactical Services Unit as the investigation continues.

Since this publication broke the story last October, the mother of the young lady has been seeking to be updated on the matter. She has visited the Guyana Police Force hierarchy, the Childcare and Protection Agency, and even the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecution for an update, something she said is sometimes hard to come by.

Although this reporter had indicated to this mother that some investigations, particularly rape, take a lot of time for a proper case to be built in order to ensure successful prosecution, the mother is of the view that the system is taking way too long, and she said her child is gradually losing all hope and faith in the system.

Each time the mother of the child visits the newsroom of the Guyana Chronicle to speak of the slothfulness with which the matter is being addressed, she breaks

down in tears. She would often say that while her child might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, the lawman who allegedly took advantage of her ought not to have done so, since she had gone to him for protection when the incident occurred.

Last October, the private school student went missing from her home, and the police later arrested several persons for her disappearance.

The child indicated to the police and social workers that while she was away from her home, with a friend who had promised to take her into the interior and provide her with a smart phone, house and cash, that individual did not touch her inappropriately.

From all indication, the individual was attempting to traffic the young lady into the interior, a practice with which he has been associated with young ladies from the East Bank Corridor.

The child claimed that she was being held against her will by that individual and her friends, when she managed to escape from a vehicle. She then made her way to the home of the policeman, who lives along the East Bank Demerara.

According to her, she is familiar with the policeman and went to inform him that

she had been abducted and held against her will.

SICK ACTION Instead of assisting the young lady, and doing the lawful thing by reporting the matter to the police station, the policeman reportedly had sex with the young lady at his home.

While investigating the matter of abduction of the teenager after she had resurfaced, the police stumbled on information that placed a policeman from the very police station which was investigating the matter at the centre of it all. The rank was arrested, made to give a statement, placed under close arrest, and then subsequently transferred to the Tactical Services Unit, where he remains to this day.

Yesterday, the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecution confirmed that the file pertaining to the matter of rape of the 14-year-old girl was indeed engaging the attention of the DPP. The file was sent by the police for the DPP’s perusal and legal advice, but has not yet been returned to the police. The

Wednesday January 20th, 2016 - 14:00 hrs Thursday January 21st, 2016 - 14:30 hrs

travel as he vowed to ensure that justice is served for his daughter before he leaves the country.

and was informed that the file was not there, and that the police were the ones looking at the file.

What is unclear, and what this publication sought to clarify in vain yesterday, was whether the police were investigating a case of abduction of the teenager. The initial investigation involving the teen started with a case of investigating her abduction, as she was reportedly being held against her will; but when the matter of the alleged rape committed by the policeman came up, there was no more mention of the investigation into the abduction, which was being

CONFUSED The woman also claimed that when she visited the police at Brickdam, she was told that the file was sent to the DPP Chambers. Comments and information of this sort have placed the woman in a state of confusion.

The child’s father, who is scheduled to leave Guyana, reportedly cancelled his

conducted by the Timehri Police Station.

Days after the policeman who reportedly raped the girl was picked up and placed under close arrest, his sister, who works as a doctor at the Georgetown Public Hospital, reportedly approached the mother of the teenager to settle the matter.

This sister’s approach was to have the teenager return to the police and lie to contradict her initial statement, as she had instructed the mother of the child to tell the police that she lied about the whole story involving the police, and that she is a child who had made up the entire story against the cop.

That conversation was caught on tape and provided to this publication. The mother of the child was advised by the Childcare and Protection Agency to report that aspect of the unfolding events to the police at the Brickdam Police Station, so that charges could be laid against the doctor, but it is unclear also if the woman ever made a move in that direction, and what is the status of that aspect of the entire ordeal.

PPP wants robust fight against Zika THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is not at all happy with the way the Ministry of Public Health is fighting the Zika virus, and feels Guyana’s best bet is to call in the experts.

“The Government should immediately request a team of PAHO/WHO experts to visit Guyana soonest, to assess the current state of affairs with respect to the existence of the Zika virus in our national territory, and the

Tuesday January 19th, 2016 - 13:00 hrs

mother of the child came to this publication in tears several days ago, saying that she visited the DPP’s Chambers

potential for its spread countrywide,” said Party General Secretary Clement Rohee yesterday.

He told a press conference: “Concerns have been raised about the health sector’s capacity to cope with the detection and potential spread of the virus throughout the national territory.”

While alleging that the issue is compounded by the lack of testing facilities in Guyana for persons suspected

to have contracted the virus, Mr Rohee said Guyana’s having to send blood samples overseas for testing is a clear indication of the country’s lack of laboratory capacity to detect and ensure accurate clinical diagnosis and treatment for patients, and to track the whereabouts of the mosquito that causes the virus.

The incident at reference, he said, occurred on January 4, 2016 when a blood sample was sent to Trinidad. The result, he said, did not come back until some eight days later -- on January 12, 2016 to be precise. But what is seemingly even more troubling for Mr Rohee is that it was not until January 14 that the National Assembly was informed of the occurrence.

Said Mr Rohee, “It is to be noted that long before the detected case in Guyana in January, it was known by the Granger Administration that the virus was present in the national territories of all of Guyana’s neighbouring countries, with 3,500 suspected cases in Brazil alone; thousands in Suriname; and large numbers in Venezuela.”

Claiming that the development should have alerted the Government to fear the worst in the event of the virus getting into Guyana, Mr Rohee said that while pregnant women are the persons at greatest

risk, “no public information whatsoever is available as to whether special detection and preventative measures are in place at both private and public ante-natal clinics in Guyana to cater especially for mothers-to-be.”

Mr Rohee also criticised the fogging exercises as being sparse and inconsistent.

He added that no geo-scientific methodology is being applied to conducting these exercises, apart from the fact that there is no publicised schedule of fogging in the electronic or print media for the information and guidance of the general public.

In addition, information about quarantine measures and facilities, he stressed, is lacking. The public must be advised whether this is in place, and the widest publicity must be given to educational programmes, household inspections and recommended preventative exercises that should be taken by residents in both town and country.

In the circumstances, he is calling on the relevant authorities to secure assistance from the Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOHRA) in the areas of institutional strengthening and capacity building to detect the whereabouts, circulation, monitoring and surveillance of the Zika virus in Guyana.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

TUESDAY JANUARY 19, 2016

11

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday January 19, 2016

‘We got to crush rac

- no one group is bigger than Guyana, says PM N

By Svetlana Marshall in New York WHILE Guyana has made laudable strides since Independence, it still faces a number of challenges, and there is great need for a united effort to crush racism and petty political differences that have divided Guyana for far too long.

This position was articulated by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on Sunday in his address to the Guyana diaspora in the USA during a cultural forum at Naresa Palace in New York. The Prime Minister said it is time Guyanese bury their differences.

As he reflected on the lives of Guyana’s late former Presidents Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham and Cheddi Jagan, who, in their early political lives, had fought vigorously for Guyana’s Independence, the Prime Minister said: “…on May 26, 1966 (at) the National Park, two friends, two comrades who had then become enemies as it were, buried their differences, buried their hatreds and embraced each other because, at last, Guyana was free!” he recalled.

He said the determination of Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham to transform Guyana into an Independent nation, despite their political differences, showed that Guyana was in deed bigger than their internal issues.

GUYANA COMES FIRST “Guyana is bigger than all of us! So don’t allow the change of Governments and the change of relationships between comrades to set us apart and to make life difficult for us to transcend our differences and move to the future,” Prime Minister Nagamootoo said, even as one member of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) cried discrimination as he accused the PM of betraying his own.

The Prime Minister had toiled under the PPP/C as a

The after-event party at Naresa Palace, Ozone Park, NY

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo sharing a light moment with US Senator Roxanne Persaud

long-standing member before breaking away from that party ahead of the 2011 General and Regional Elections to join the Alliance For Change (AFC) before A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and then AFC merge on February 14, 2015. Mr Nagamootoo departed that party reportedly due to entrenched corruption and nepotism in the PPP. Several Jaganites were also forced out by the Jagdeo administration.

With the exception of the AFC, the PPP/C and the APNU, of which the People’s National Congress (PNC) forms a major part, have attracted criticism of being dominated by Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese respectively.

“When I see the Opposition resorting to protest, picket and petition, I am sad because the three Ps are associated with those activities, because they perceive that one race and one ethnicity must transcend all other ethnicities and all other nationalities in Guyana,” the Prime Minister disclosed. But, the Prime Minister said, Guyanese do not gain their greatest respect because of their ethnicity, but because of their citizenship.

“For when people used to put us on the bench in Barbados to sit and do not accept us in Trinidad, it was not your race that made you sit on the bench; it was our nationality, it was a Guyana bench,” he explained to his audience.

Prime Minister Nagamootoo’s comments on the issue

First Vice President and Prime Minister, Moses Nagamoo Park, NY of race come at a time when the APNU+AFC Government, after just seven months in office, has been accused of racial discrimination and ethnic cleansing. But this allegation, the Prime Minister said, is baseless. “My Government does not practise ethnic discrimination,” he said, while pointing out that none of the staff who served under the PPP/C regime was fired by him.

“The persons who were there as the staff of the former Prime Minister, they are my staff. None has been dismissed.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, (who) was the Permanent Secretary of Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar, he remains the Permanent Secretary of Moses Nagamootoo, the Prime Minister of Guyana, and he is Indian.”

It was further pointed out that the Secretary and Protocol Officer, both of whom worked under the former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, are still on staff. The same is true of President David Granger, the Prime Minister said, noting that President Granger has not removed a single hair from any of the staff that he inherited from Jagdeo and Ramotar.

James Richmond presenting Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo with a copy of his poem, “Golden Jubilee”

RACISM “So this claim of racial discrimination in Guyana or political discrimination in Guyana is not founded in fact, it is founded and rooted in racism!” the Prime Minister said. He warned thus: “We have to be clear, when we bandy around ethnicity, that we do not do greater damage

The Prime Minister embracing Ewart Marshall, one of the awardees

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday January 19, 2016

cism’

Nagamootoo

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo sitting among senior functionaries of the AFC in the US

otoo, addressing Guyanese at the Naresa Palace, Ozone to our country, that we do not make allegations of ethnic cleansing when there is no evidence at all that there has been a purge of one race by another.”

However, the Prime Minister did not deny that certain senior Government officials who served under the PPP/C Administration had their services terminated. He said it was necessary in order to root out corruption and malpractice.

“We have replaced people who have been investigated and are being investigated for the loss of billions of dollars. It is not discrimination if you remove a Raj Singh from GuySuCo. He worked for $3M a month while he lived in New Jersey.

It is not discrimination if you remove Bharat Dindyal from the head of GPL [Guyana Power and Light] and the country was affected by widespread blackouts when he worked for $6M a month. If you remove him for incompetence, it is not discrimination,” the Prime Minister declared.

“And if you start to investigate the billions of dollars in NICIL and the billions of dollars missing from Government departments; and people chose to resign and people chose to go on leave; it is not discrimination, it is facilitating a process of investigation,” the Prime Minister said.

Poet and Pastor, James Richmond, performing a dramatic piece, “The Golden Jubilee” deserve Independence.

He noted that the country must be rescued from the evils of the past.

His remarks received overwhelming support from the masses. They especially applauded his message on the importance of nationhood and the need to foster an environment free of corruption.

The cultural forum, which saw Guyanese from home and aboard performing in music, song, dance and poetry, was organised by the AFC, and, as such, saw in attendance senior functionaries within the party, including Dr Rohan Somar, Professor Shamir Ally, Salaudeen Nausrudeen, Rudy Jadoopat and Ewart Marshall, among others. Notably, US-based Guyanese Senator Roxanne Persaud was present.

Two US-based Guyanese at the Prime Minister’s event at Naresa Palace, Ozone Park, NY During the forum, the Prime Minister presented a number of AFC members with certificates for their unwavering support. These included Asha Sobhan, Marlyn Jaikaran, Anita Jaikaran, Kamla Balbachan, Professor Shamir Ally, Ewart Marshall, Ron Alert, Mahendra Jagmohan, Derek Basdeo and Bernard Rollins.

The cultural forum, which served to welcome the Prime Minister to the USA, formed part of three events organised by the AFC. These included a Business Breakfast at Richi Rich Palace in Richmond Hill, New York, and a panel discussion in Brooklyn, New York on the abundant and critically important resource for Guyana’s economic development. (smarshall@guyanachronicle.com)

HURTING GUYANA The Prime Minister said that Guyanese who are bent on fostering racism and baseless allegations of ethnic cleansing are “wounding the soul of our nation”, because, indirectly, they are indicating to the outer world that Guyana does not

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo presenting a young US-based AFC Member with a certificate of recognition

US-based Senator Roxanne Persaud addressing her fellow Guyanese on her plans to return to Guyana for the grand Independence celebration in May

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday January 19, 2016

Accused of ‘picking’ handcuffs

TWENTY-ONE-YEAR old mason Keri Dick was placed on $15,000 bail yesterday by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for the offenses of smoking cannabis and escaping from lawful custody.

Dick of 15 Pike Street, Sophia pleaded not guilty to the charges, which alleged that on November 17, 2015 in Georgetown, he smoked cannabis. He also denied that on November 18 after being arrested and placed at Alberttown Police Station he escaped.

Police prosecutor Deniro Jones made no objection to bail, but explained that the accused while in police custody ‘picked’ his handcuffs and escaped.

Chief Magistrate granted bail and ordered him to return to court on January 26 to Court 10, where the matter would be heard by City Magistrate Alex Moore.

Remanded over cellphone CITY magistrate Annette Singh yesterday remanded Isaiah Daniel to prison after he appeared in court to answer to the charge of simple larceny.

The young man pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on Monday, January 18, 2016 on Croal Street he stole one BLU cellphone, property of Anthony Persaud.

Daniels is also charged with damaged to property, where it is alleged that on the same day and time he damaged one denim pants belonging to the said Persaud.

The Police Prosecutor objected to bail based on the fact that the accused could not give a proper address and she was not sure if he was going to return to court when he should.

The matter was adjourned until February 5, 2016.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

TUESDAY JANUARY 19, 2016

15

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

TUESDAY JANUARY 19, 2016

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

TUESDAY JANUARY 19, 2016

17

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

TUESDAY JANUARY 19, 2016

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

GCA/Trophy Stall/GISC/Star Party Rentals Cricket

Bacchus hits 153 to inspire GCC victory

‌ GNIC and DCC draw game LED by an attractive 153 from skipper, Robin Bacchus, Georgetown Cricket Club whipped the Transport Sports Cub (TSC) by an innings and 51 runs when their GCA-sponsored Trophy Stall, GISC and Star Party Rentals two-day first division game ended on Sunday at the Georgetown Cricket Club.

Scores in the match: TSC (179 & 70), GCC (301-6 declared).

Resuming day two on 108-1, GCC declared at 3016, a first-inning lead of 122, with Bacchus, who resumed on 53, batting with much comfort.

He shared a 117-run partnership with Winston Forrester, who made 48, and then 99 with Martin Pesta-

no-Bell, who contributed 46 for the third-wicket and 37 for the fourth wicket with Anthony Adams, who made 34.

Kevin Ross was the best bowler for TSC, with 4-89. After trailing by 122, TSC were bowled out for 70. Adams took 5-33.

Joshua Wade and Forrester supported Adams by taking two wickets each.

Meanwhile, in the other game, DCC and GNIC played to a tame draw.

Scores in the match: DCC (136 & 77-7 declared) GNIC (93 & 221).

Kimbia through to final

KIMBIA beat Ebini Ranch Raiders in their final preliminary match of the Berbice River Second division 40-over cricket competition to end up runners-up to Friendship Youngsters, and in the process they reached the final of the competition.

The aim of the competition is to promote the game in the area and was organised by the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) with balls provided by National Sports Commission (NSC).

Hosts Ebini Ranch Raiders decided to bat first, and were bowled out for 98 in 22 overs.

Kimbia’s opening bowler Martin Agard, who took the first four wickets, reduced the home team to 24-4.

However, Irving Lyte and Andrew Pearson stopped the slide by putting together 50 for the fifth wicket, but after Lyte fell for 28, Pearson found no other support.

Pearson was left unbeaten on 37. Agard ended with 4-15 from five overs, while Lance Gilliard supported with 3-16.

Kimbia, in respond, did not encounter many problems, and reached 99-4 in 18 overs, with Bevon Smith leading the way with 39. Lance Gilliard made 23. Peter Grant was the most successful bowler for Ebini Ranch Raiders, taking 2-30.

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

BCCI bans Ajit Dominant duo make hay in Chandila for life, Melbourne as fixing cloud gathers Hiken Shah for five years Australian Open tennis ...

By Nick Mulvenne

MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - It was very much business as usual for Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams at the Australian Open tennis yesterday, even if allegations of widespread match-fixing cast a shadow over the opening day of the year's first grand slam.

As the sun shone and more than 70 000 fans streamed through the gates at Melbourne Park, the great and the good of tennis offi-

cialdom filed into a room in the bowels of Rod Laver Arena to defend their record on battling corruption.

On the pristine blue showcourt only a few metres away, however, first Williams then Djokovic gave notice that they had no intention of relinquishing lightly the dominance they exerted over tennis last year.

Williams had not completed a set since her dream of winning all four grand slams in one year was dashed in the U.S. Open semi-finals in September,

yet she proved far too strong for Italian Camila Giorgi in their first-round match.

Dispelling any doubts about her fitness and form, the 34-year-old American moved freely on the troublesome knee that forced her to quit the Hopman Cup mid-match two weeks ago.

"It's great. It was an hour and 43 minutes and I didn't feel it at all," the six-time Australian Open champion said after her 6-4, 7-5 victory.

"Okay, I haven't played in a long time, but I have

been playing for 30 years ..."

Djokovic, who also won three grand slams last year, has been far more active than Williams in recent months but has not been beaten since August, a run that never looked like ending in his 115-minute clash with South Korean teenager Chung Hyeon.

ELDER STATESMAN The 28-year-old played very much the elder statesman after the 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory, complimenting his 19-year-old opponent on his game but advising him to come back and try again when he had more experience.

"A nice opening match with real Australian summer conditions," said Djokovic after embarking on his quest to match Roy Emerson's record of six Australian Open crowns.

"You try to stay composed, not get carried away by heat. Of course, there were some long exchanges that got both of us a little bit short on air.

"But I think physically I was really good on the court.

I managed to play the best tennis when I needed to."

Finding that extra gear when required is one of the factors that have helped Roger Federer to 17 grand slam singles titles but the Swiss barely needed to move out of first in his opening match against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili.

The 34-year-old's 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 victory set him on a path he hopes will end with a first title in one of the sport's majors since he triumphed at Wimbledon in 2012.

His next hurdle is Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov, who might as well have "tricky" appended to his name.

"Dolgopolov is a different player, a different level," Federer said. "He's got the fitness, the power, the speed, tennis IQ, all that. It's going to be a big challenge."

Maria Sharapova was the other former champion in first-round action yesterday and she too eased past a younger challenger, beating Japan's 21-yearold Nao Hibino 6-1, 6-3.

Over two-and-a-half years after he was arrested by Delhi Police for his alleged involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing, former Rajasthan Royals off-spinner Ajit Chandila has been banned for life from all cricket activities by the BCCI. Former Mumbai batsman Hiken Shah, who had been suspended by the cricket board for “making an approach” to a Ranji team mate to fix a game, was given a five-year ban.

The decisions were taken after the BCCI disciplinary committee comprising president Shashank Manohar, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Niranjan Shah met in Mumbai yesterday..

The committee gave the ex-ICC elite panel umpire from Pakistan Asad Rauf, who was allegedly in contact with bookmaker Vindu Dara Singh, “a final opportunity to

submit his written statement” before February 9.

The BCCI has a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards corruption and punishments for Chandila and Shah were in line with its efforts to clean-up the game.

A member of the disciplinary committee, however, bemoaned the transgressions made by the players. “Indian players are so well looked after. They are handsomely paid by the board/(IPL) franchises. It’s unfortunate that some of them still chose the wrong path. Maybe it’s down to greed.

Lack of proper education could be a reason as well but Hiken Shah looked to have a decent educational background when he appeared before the committee. I think it’s a mental problem,” said the committee member on condition of anonymity. (Press Trust of India).

Golden Jaguars drawn in Group 5 of... From back page

However, Shabazz’s men fell 2-0 to the Vincentians, defeated Guadeloupe 4-3 but in a game where they needed to win, Guyana played to a goalless draw against the Cubans, missing out on the Gold Cup on goal average.

Nigel ‘Powers’ Codrington was the 2007 CFU Caribbean Cup’s highest goalscorer with 11.

Codrington is Guyana’s alltime leading goalscorer, netting 18 goals.

The seven-group Round 1 is as follows:-

Group 1 Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis and Aruba Group 2 Grenada, St Maarten and United States Virgin Islands (USVI) Group 3 Cuba, Bermuda and French Guiana Group 4 Barbados, Curacao and the Dominican Republic Group 5 Guyana, Puerto Rico and Anguilla Group 6 Guadeloupe, St Martin and Suriname Group 7 Martinique, British Virgin Islands and Dominica.

Calvin Ming storms into Barbados...

From back page

Guyanese to join the chapter, following the introduction of Mark Vieira last year.

Barbadian Sean Maloney won the inaugural series with 319 points while countryman Mark Maloney (313 pts) finished second, Stuart Maloney (303 pts) third and Vieira (244 pts) fourth.

Other newcomers this year include Trinidad & Tobago’s David Coelho, Suleman ‘Sol’ Esuf, as well as England’s Brian Caudwell, David Frankland (Double D Racing), Bill Henderson (Air Images Racing) and Jack Manchester.

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Federer wants names in match-fixing allegations MELBOURNE, Aaustralia (Reuters) - Roger Federer called for 'concrete' facts while Novak Djokovic spoke of his team once being offered $200 000 (£140 361) to fix a match as the multiple grand slam champions reacted to claims of widespread match-rigging in tennis yesterday.

The opening day of the Australian Open was overshadowed by reports in the BBC and online BuzzFeed News accusing tennis authorities of failing to deal with 16 players repeatedly flagged up to the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) over suspicions of matches being thrown.

Both Federer and defending champion Djokovic strolled through their opening matches in Melbourne, but were inevitably asked about the story rocking the sport.

"I would like to hear the names," 34-year-old Federer told reporters when asked to comment on claims that grand slam champions were

among the players involved and that eight of them were playing in the Australian Open.

"I would love to hear names. Then at least it's concrete stuff and you can actually debate about it.

"Was it the player? Was it the support team? Who was it? Was it before? Was it a doubles player, a singles player? Which slam?

"It's so all over the place. It's nonsense to answer something that is pure speculation."

Federer, the most successful male player of alltime with 17 majors, said it was "super serious" for the sport, but said he would be surprised if top players were involved.

"So how high up does it go? The higher it goes, the more surprised I would be, no doubt about it," he said.

"We've got to do everything to keep the sport clean. It's vital, there's no doubt about it."

World number one Djokovic said he doubted whether match-rigging was

Roger Federer

taking place in the higher echelons of the game but said his team had been approached in 2007 to throw a match.

"I was approached through people working with me," he told reporters.

"Of course, we threw it away right away. It didn't even get to me.

"From my knowledge and information about match-fixing, there is nothing happening at the top level, as far as I know.

"At challenger level, maybe, maybe not. But I'm not entitled to really talk about it. I can give my opinion."

Sarfraz Photo Studio and Video Recording Centre on board THE popular Sarfraz Photo Studio and Video Recording Centre has come on board to support the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) Mashramani Cup, a cricket tournament that will take place on February 21.

The one-day tournament is fixed for the Number 69 Vikings ground, and will feature 10 teams from the Upper Corentyne area in a 5/5 encounter, starting promptly at 09:30hrs.

At a simple presentation ceremony, Sarfraz Gaffor, proprietor of the business entity, said he is pleased with the work of the UCCA, and is always willing to support cricket development, not only in Upper Corentyne, but Guyana in general.

Sarfraz Photo Studio and Video Recording Centre was a major sponsor in 2012, when the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) organised the first T20 cricket competition in the Upper

Sarfraz Gaffor, proprietor of Sarfraz Photo Studio and Video Recording Centre of Corriverton hands over his sponsorship to UCCA president Dennis De Andrade.

Corentyne area, after the UCCA was resuscitated.

President of the UCCA, Dennis De Andrade thanked Gaffor for the assistant, and at the same time called on corporate Guyana for further assistance.

The UCCA has promised an action-packed day, noting that it will be used as a fundraiser for the Association.

Proceeds will go towards cricket development in the Upper Corentyne area, the UCCA said via a press release.

Tickets cost $200 per person, while children under 12 years will be admitted free. Several gate prizes will be up for grabs while there will be entertainment beyond the boundary.

NBS 2nd Division cricket ...

Fighting Marines, Tucber Park and Young Warriors advance NUMBER 64 Fighting Marines, Tucber Park and Young Warriors have all advanced to the playoffs of the New Building Society (NBS) Second Division 40over cricket competition in Berbice.

Number 64 Fighting Marines ended their preliminary games tied with Number 48 Challengers, but due to having a superior net run rate, they have earned the right to advance to the last-16 playoffs of the competition in Zone M. Tucber Park emerged as winners of Zone E, thus moving forward to the playoffs, while Young Warriors, who gained a walkover from Betsy Ground Strykers emerged winner of Zone F. Below are the summarised scores from the games played.

At Number 59: Number 64 Fighting Marines beat Number 59 by 13 runs. Number 64 Fighting Marines 1835 in 20 overs Jason Itwaru 73, N.S. Kumar Chand 26.

Number 59 scored 171 in 19 overs Rajin Persaud 73; Ramesh Ayana 5-10).

At Cumberland: Tucber Park beat Fort Canje Warriors by 29 runs. Tucber Park 1847 in 40 overs Hakeem Hinds 67; Linden Austin 2-18, Royden Phil 2-45. Fort Canje Warriors 155 in 37.4 overs.

Balram Samaroo 73, Dion Sinclair 2-19, Nial Smith 2-25).

At Rose Hall in Canje: Police beat Canefield by 188 runs. Police 242-8 in 30 overs. Wayne Richards 85*, Robert Barrington 44, Kevin Sinclair 25; Vijay Balgobin 4-25) Canefield 54 in 18

overs. Kevin Sinclair 5-6, Martin Singh 3-6, Michael Campbelle 2-17).

At Lochaber: Guyana Eagles beat Angoy’s Avenue Achievers by 196 runs. Guyana Eagles 215-9 in 30 overs.

Jorm De Freitas 75, Kellon Henry 41, Mark Barker 3-, Jamal Rose 2-40. Angoy’s Avenue Achievers 109 in 21.4 overs (Chris Sulker 33, Glendon DeCunha 27; Fiaz Latif 3-17, Michael West 2-2, Andy Hidar 2-17).

At Number 48: Number 48 Challengers beat Number 43 Scorpion by 110 runs. Number 48 Challengers 184 in 22.4 overs.

Monesh Kalu 44, Balram Persaud 30; Satesh Baldeo 2-38, Devin Singh 2-50.

Number 43 Scorpion 84 in 16.5 overs. Balram Samaroo 2-14, Balram Persaud 2-16.

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Republic Bank Nets, Gayadin wins Safeway Eagles make clean Security golf tourney sweep of championships

... Colts even Division-1 series with Guardians

VETERAN golfer Mike Gayadin was in fine form as he outperformed his counterparts to capture the top prize in the Safeway Security-sponsored golf tournament on Saturday.

Gayadin cleared the friendly rivalry of brothers Roy and Andre Cummings, who spaced second and third respectively, at the end of the day.

Scores were as follows: Gayadin 15/80/65; R. Cummings 11/79/68; and A. Cummings 16/85/69.

Best Gross (79) also was delivered by Roy Cummings, and Nearest to The Pin (about 10 ft) was won by Club vice-president, Patrick

Prashad.

Eon Caesar, Managing Director of Safeway Security, whose motto is ‘Security with you in mind’, was on hand to distribute prizes while congratulating the winners.

In his brief remarks he declared that he was happy to be starting the tournaments this year for the LGC, and again pledged the support of his company to the LGC. He also mentioned that he was looking forward to seeing many youths and more adults involved in golfing in Guyana.

Golf Club president, Mr Oncar Ramroop, noting that the condition of the access

road would have prevented some persons from coming to the Club, appealed for those present to see how they could garner assistance to get the road repaired urgently.

Efforts via the Regional Development Council and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council had not yielded fruit so far, but the road is in need of urgent attention.

Ramroop also expressed gratitude to Caesar for the good support of the Golf Club, and also extended New Year greetings to all club members and their families, wishing them lots of golfing in 2016.

The victorious Eagles basketball club after securing the GABA U-23 basketball title

By Rawle Toney WHILE Republic Nets and Eagles basketball clubs were able to make a clean sweep of their respective Championships, Colts and Plaisance Guardians will have to play one more game to determine who will be crowned the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Division-1 Champions.

Republic Bank Nets won the Division-2 title after picking up their second consecutive win in the ‘best-ofthree’ series against Pepsi Sonics 54-42, while Eagles soared to an 81-75 points win in game two of their series, to lift the Under-23 title at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last Sunday.

However, Plaisance Guardians were hoping

to replicate or better their 77-76 game-one win, but Colts, behind another allround performance from point guard Dave Causway, rebounded to seal an entertaining 77-74 points win to send their series to a ‘game three decider’.

Nikkoloi Smith’s missed three-point shot with three seconds remaining could have sent the game into overtime and would have put a cap on the Guardians’ fourth quarter splurge where they outscored the Colts 26-12.

It was déjà vu for Kurt English, who was guilty of missing two free-throws in Game one that would have either tied the game or hand Colts the victory.

English missed shots resulted in the Guardians being given a second chance

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Tuesday November 03, 2015) COMPLIMENTS OF: THE TROPHY STALL Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE 176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Darren Bravo-108 (2) WI vs AUST, Adelaide, 1960-61 (L. Gibbs-hattrick; R. Kanhai 117 & 115) Today’s Quiz: (1) How many Test matches the WI and Australia have now played against each other?

(2) Which two did not open the batting with Roy Fredericks in the Test series WI/AUST, 1975-76?

Viv Richards; Bernard Julien; Deryck Murray; Alvin Kallicharran; Leonard Baichan Answers in tomorrow’s issue

after Colts had outplayed the East Coast Demerara team for three periods.

Colts led 27-16 after the opening period then scored 21 points to Guardians’ 19 to lead 48-35 at the halfway mark.

The Colts good run was carried over to the third quarter which they won 1713 and had a 17-point (6548) lead heading into the final period of play.

Plaisance Guardians’ dramatic comeback in the fourth quarter was led by Smith and forward Trenton Woolford, who combined to pull their team within six points of Colts (67-61) with five minutes left in the game.

Smith’s clutch three-pointer with 15 seconds to play that had the Guardians within striking distance was not enough to see them over the hill.

The Colts’ outstanding backcourt once again led to their success with Causway scoring 21 points and Shelroy Thomas scoring 14.

Centre Shane Webster’s consistent play in the paint saw him claimt 17 points in the Colts win.

Woolford had a gamehigh 25 points while Smith had 18 and Nitzkeel Yisrael 12.

The Colts and Guardians will battle in the ‘must-win’ final game tomorrow night at the same venue.

Eon Caesar and Oncar Ramroop pose with the respective winners.

Ricks and Sari Agro Industries 11-race programme set for Saturday AS the 2016 cycling season rolls into gear, national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed has organised an 11-race cycle event for Saturday around the inner circuit of the National Park beginning at 09:00hrs.

The programme, which is being sponsored by Ricks and Sari Agro Industries, will have as its feature event, a 35-lap race for schoolboys, novices and invitational riders and this promises much excitement, as most of the country’s top cyclists are expected to face the starter, including the likes of Geron Williams, Guyana’s only professional rider, along with Marlon `Fishy’ Williams, Raynauth `Obeahman’ Jeffrey, Orville Hinds, Raul Leal, Andrew Hicks and Romelo Crawford.

The winner of the event last year was Marlon Williams who returned one hour 20 minutes 11 seconds.

There will also be a 10lap race for juveniles and with many cyclists in this category already firing, judging from their performances over the past three weeks when they participated in road races in Berbice, this race will also generate much interest.

The defending champion for this event is Berbician Romelo Crawford who clocked 25 minutes 52.50 seconds last year. He will, however, have to be wary of fellow Berbician Andrew Hicks.

Junior Niles is the defending champion of the veterans Under-50 years of age five-lap event and he should make a successful defence of his title. His time last year was 11 minutes 59 seconds.

Rakeem Blair will be out to defend his boys and girls three-lap title. His winning time last year was seven minutes 57.55 seconds.

Shawn Boodhram is the

Marlon `Fishy’ Williams

defending champion of the three-lap race for mountain bikers.

There will also be two and three-lap races for BMX boys and girls, six to 12 years of age as well as a five-lap event for veterans over 50 years of age.

A representative of the sponsor will be on hand to witness the day’s activity as well as to assist with the presentation of prizes to the respective winners.

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 19, 2016

4th Petra Organisation/Milo Schools football tourney to kick off on Saturday

By Rawle Toney THIRTY-two schools, drawn from around Georgetown, will begin the battle for supremacy on Saturday, when the Petra Organisation, Milo-sponsored Schools Football tournament kicks off at the Ministry of Education ground.

This is the fourth edition of the championship which was won by Chase Academy last year, and the organisers and sponsors are eagerly anticipating another successful tournament.

At the Championship, which was launched at Beepat’s Sophia headquarters, Nestle Caribbean’s Business Development Manager Sudesh Mahase, expressed his delight and that of his company, for once again being the title sponsors of a football tournament which he says has helped to shape the lives of young Guyanese.

The Trinidadian Mahase reflected on when the company (Nestle) was first approached by Petra Organisation four years, the champion-

ship was looked at “as a perfect alignment of our brand and what was the objective of the whole programme and really giving back to the community in Guyana, for the support for our business through Beepat’s”.

Nestle Caribbean’s Business Development Manager pointed out that while the championship was a ‘sizeable’ investment, it was a “perfect alignment, creating shared value”.

“Part of the programme this year is where we want to have sessions on different aspects on lifestyles and the steps to healthy living and in terms of education for nutrition,” Mahase said.

The tournament has received full support from the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), whose third vice-president Thandi McAllister said the Federation is happy to not only give sanction to the event, but to also work closely with Petra Organisation in ensuring that it is properly administered and the games are played according to the rules and laws of football.

Petra Organisation’s

Petra Organisation’s Troy Mendonca, receives the championship trophy from Nestle Caribbean’s Business Development Manager Sudesh Mahase, while other others from the Ministry of Education and the GFF look on.

(Rawle Toney photo)

co-Director Troy Mendonca thanked Nestle for once again trusting in their ability to once again run off what is now known to be a tournament that is seen a ‘must-win’ for the participating schools over the last four years.

Mendonca said that his organisation is anxious about

the start of this year’s championships, especially after seeing how keenly contested last year’s event was.

According to the former National football player, Petra Organisation will also be using the championship to do sessions with the participating teams about suicide and

preventative measures.

The Annual Milo-sponsored U-20 Schools football tournament, featuring 32 high schools in Georgetown who will vie to not only dethrone defending champions Chase Academy, but also to pocket the tournament’s first prize of $500 000, which will go to

CFU will regroup to mull proposed Alex Bunbury’s football clinic sees largest attendance in Linden FIFA/CONCACAF Reform Statutes THE Caribbean Football Union (CFU) ended the two-day General Meeting in Antigua on Sunday with a commitment to regroup in the coming weeks, ahead of the CONCACAF Extraordinary Congress on February 25 and the FIFA Extraordinary Congress a day later.

The next CFU general meeting was occasioned by a motion from the floor on Saturday, which had the support of the membership, for a meeting to consider the draft of the FIFA/CONCACAF Statute Reforms to ensure that the membership comprehends the proposals and to seek consensus.

This came after a discourse and robust debate on aspects of the proposed

their school.

The schools finishing second through fourth will win $300 000, $200 000 and $100 000 respectively.

South Africa Racing Tips Turffontein 08:25 hrs Smartifact 09:00 hrs Honeybush Tea 09:35 hrs Buckland 10:10 hrs Silver Class 10:45 hrs Var Bay 11:20 hrs Matsuri English Racing Tips Ayr 08:55 hrs Conquer Gold 09:25 hrs Infrontofthejudge 10:00 hrs Lake View Lad 10:35 hrs Un Noble 11:05 hrs Willie Hall 11:40 hrs Blue Kascade 12:15 hrs Discoverie

CFU president Gordon Derrick listens as CONCACAF Acting General Secretary Ted Howard makes a point during the CFU General Meeting held in Antigua last Saturday.

reformation. CFU president Gordon Derrick later said, “The CFU is in support of the reforms. We want that to be clear. It is just one or two specific areas with which we have questions, and we will meet and discuss amongst our membership how we will

address these.”

The January 16-17 meeting in Antigua also heard from three FIFA presidential candidates, Jérôme Champagne and Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein on Saturday, and Gianni Infantino on Sunday.

Coaches and participants of the Alex Bunbury football clinic at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground in Linden yesterday.

ALEX Bunbury’s football clinic in Linden attracted over 90 participants of all ages, including females, when the Guyanese/Canadian football legend visited the Mining Town yesterday.

After successfully hosting clinics in Berbice, Georgetown and in his hometown Plaisance, the Canadian Hall-of-Fame forward took his team of coaches to Upper Demerara River community

where he had the largest attendance of his previous clinics, at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.

Meanwhile, Bunbury and several of his business partners, who all arrived in Guyana yesterday, will now be meeting with several Government officials, including President David Granger, to further discuss his proposed ‘Alex Bunbury Sports and Academics Academy’.

Southwell 09:10 hrs Boolass 09:45 hrs Thello 10:20 hrs Kemsing 10:50 hrs Undertow 11:25 hrs Crosse Fire 12:00 hrs A Little Bit Dusty American Racing Tips Mahoning Valley Race Course Race 1 Ride This Train Race 2 Johnny Utah Race 3 Bears Grace Race 4 Rising Creek Race 5 Real Luck Race 6 Awesome Swirl Race 7 Love the Minister Race 8 My Stars

20 BCCI bans Ajit Chandila for life, Hiken Shah for five years Gayle smashes 12-ball fifty to equal world record P.

Golden Jaguars drawn in Group 5 of 2016/17 CFU Caribbean Cup

By Rawle Toney GUYANA’S Senior Men’s National Football team, more popularly known as the Golden Jaguars have been drawn in Group five of the 2016/17 CFU Caribbean Cup tournament.

The competition, which is scheduled to take place during officially-sanctioned FIFA international match periods giving Member Associations the opportunity to select their best possible teams, will kick off in March (21-29) with all of the countries except Haiti, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, who are all still participating in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

The Golden Jaguars were drawn alongside Puerto Rico

Veteran sports broadcaster Lance Whittaker was assisted with the Round 1 draw by CFU executive member Sonia Bien-Aime.

and Anguilla, in the 26-team Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tournament which is being sponsored by Scotiabank.

Round two of the Championship is scheduled for May and Round three in October. The 5th Place playoff will take place in November

Calvin Ming storms into Barbados Suzuki Radical Series

and the finals in May 2017.

The top four teams will qualify to the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Since their 2018 World Cup qualifier against the ‘Vincy Heat’ (St Vincent and the Grenadines), the Golden Jaguars were dormant and now, head coach Jamaal

Shabazz will reassemble his troops to better their 2007 showing at the tournament, where Guyana narrowly missed out on a spot in the semi-final and ultimately the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The 2007 edition of the tournament which started in 1989, was said to be Guyana’s best showing, with the Charles Pollard-captained side playing undefeated in Group I with wins over Antigua and Barbuda (6-0), Dominican Republic (2-0) and Guadeloupe (3-2) in French Island of Martinique.

In the final group stage which would have determined the CFU’s representatives at the 2007 Gold Cup, Guyana were placed alongside Cuba, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Guadeloupe.

Turn to page 20 ►

Off-spinner Ajit Chandila was handed a life ban

by BCCI.

MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - West Indies batsman Chris Gayle smashed fifty from 12 balls for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League yesterday to match India's Yuvraj Singh's record for the fastest half-century in Twenty20 cricket.

Left-hander Yuvraj achieved the feat against England in a group match at the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 in South Africa, smashing fast bowler Stuart Broad for six sixes in one over.

Opening batsman Gayle plundered 21-year-old Adelaide Strikers bowler Greg West, playing his second T20 match, for 27 runs in the first over and hit the last four deliveries for six.

His seventh maximum took Gayle past his half-century as he deposited spinner Travis Head over the long-on boundary.

Head dismissed him five Chris Gayle smacks one deliveries later for a 17-ball 56 with Gayle caught by wicketduring his 17-ball 56 against Adelaide Strikers keeper Tim Ludeman from a in Melbourne, yesterday. top edge.

By Stephan Sookram

Calvin Ming in his newly acquired Suzuki SR3 Radical.

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

OVERSEAS-based Guyanese Calvin Ming is entering the Suzuki-powered Radical SR3 RS class of the 2016 Suzuki Challenge Series season which begins in Barbados this weekend.

Ming, the Formula 4 driver who resides in Florida, is one of six new entrants to the series which commenced last year in Barbados and he has set his eyes on the ultimate prize in the championship.

Chronicle Sport spoke to the lead driver of team C.M Racing who confirmed that he will pull both the Radical Series and the NACAM (Norteamérica,Centroamérica, Caribe y Norte de Sudamérica) F4 Championship Championships once the dates do not clash.

“It’s all about taking the experience and incorporating it. I’m really excited about this weekend though I haven’t driven the car as yet, I’m still pretty excited. I like any form of racing,” said team C.M’s lead driver.

He added, “I’ve seen them race before when I kart in the North America so I’m really excited to be trying it out,” confessed the 19-year-old.

Ming, a former shifter kart champion locally as well as a North American competitor, will shift his focus this weekend from the Monocoque setting of his f4 machine to the SR3 spaceframe Le Mans Prototype (LMP) chassis of the Radical SR3.

He is the second Turn to page 20 ► TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016