Chronicle 02 10 2016

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016

Price: $80

Goodbye, sole sourcing!

No. 104458

(Vat Inclusive)

Page 3

- Govt signals end to New GPC’s hold on drugs supply

Children’s Mash Contest rocks

Lead singer of Tutorial High School shows her class as the school clinched the 14-17 age category Calypso competition when the finals were held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Tuesday. The competition was part of the Ministry of Education’s Children’s Mash Contest (Photo by Samuel Maughn)

Forensic audits find:

Deliberate acts of corruption 3

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3 years for 23 chopping off man’s hand P.

Budget to drive youth entrepreneurship 3 -Henry

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Children’s Mash Contest rocks Crowd favourite Jemima Holmes doing her thing

14-17 One of the Dramatic Poetry winners

In a day of calypso and dramatic poetry, the National Cultural Centre was on Tuesday filled with pupils and teachers who came to cheer on their respective schools as the Annual Children’s Mashramani Competition entered Day 2.

Schools from across Georgetown, including the top secondary schools such as Bishops’, Queen’s and Rose’s, all showed their versatility at song, drama and poetry.

Perennial winners such as

Green Acres Primary, North Georgetown Primary and Winfer Gardens were also vying for the first place trophies.

At the Nursery level, winners in the Dramatic Poetry Category were Green Acres which placed first, Precious Jewels which came in second and South Road Nursery at third.

In the Calypso segment, Precious Jewels copped another prize when it placed third; East Street nursery took home second place, and Happy Arts Nursery claimed the coveted first prize.

In the primary school category, Smyth’s Memorial claimed third, Green Acres brought second and North Georgetown emerged the winner.

While exciting, the secondary schools segment was where the most drama and excitement happened.

The 11-13 age group segment was tightly contested with St Gabriel’s coming out victorious with first and Christ Church and Winfer Gardens claiming second and third place respectively in the Dramatic Poetry Category.

The Dramatic Poetry Category was filled with drama in the 14-17 Category. Crowd favourite Jemima Holmes from The Bishops’ High School with a self-written piece titled “Reclaim Your Crown Guyana” was only given second place by judges.

This came as a shock to supporters since her piece was well performed and in

addition to being well performed, she captivated the entire audience. First place went to E Morrison of St John’s College.

Also involved in drama was Queens College’s S Lewis, whose piece was perceived as spoken word and not an original piece.

Calypso in the 11-13 age group was the highlight of the day with T Gouveia of David Rose Special School claiming a well-deserved first place.

South Ruimveldt took both third and also second place in this category. In the 14-17 age group, Bishops’ showed their talent with a piece titled “Tek she life” where lead

singer Roshell Bynoe told the tale of suicide from the viewpoint of implements used such as a rope, knife and poison.

Spectators voiced their disapproval of the results which saw Tutorial High taking first place and Rose’s taking second.

Other outstanding performers were Brittany Eversley of Christ Church, who also spoke of suicide and Aliyah Moore from North Ruimveldt Multilateral whose energy impacted the crowd.

The competition continues on Thursday, February 11 at the Cliff Andersen Sports Hall from 09:00hrs.

Who’s on page two

By Daniel Haynes

HER name’s Alexis Nicole Leitch, but to close friends and her siblings, she’s simply ‘Lexi’ or ‘Alex’.

Just turned 24, this Aquarian lists among her hobbies singing, dancing, swimming, and reading.

She also has a way with children, and though she’s already a Registered Nurse, she hopes to one day pursue a degree in nursing and another in social work.

Her favourite quote is Shakespeare’s: “We know what we are, but not what we may be.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Goodbye, sole sourcing!

- Govt signals end to New GPC’s hold on drugs supply

By Svetlana Marshall THE Public Health Ministry will do away with the monopolistic procurement arrangement involving NEW GPC, Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings, said on Tuesday during her contribution to the budget debates.

She told the House that the APNU+AFC Government has inherited an “albatross” in the NEW GPC, the only supplier of drugs to the Health Sector. “Mr Speaker, that the previous Government would sell 90 per cent of its

shares in an entity it owned and controlled, only to turn back and buy drugs from the same entity -- which has become a private enterprise -- is imprudent as much as it is appalling,” she told the House.

“Now the Health Sector is burdened with buying drugs from a single source, because the procedure of prequalification was decidedly skewed in favour of that particular company,” Dr Cummings added.

She, however, assured that the procurement process within the Public Health Sector is being comprehensively reformed, with emphasis

on transparent procedures.

As such, the Public Health Ministry will shift into gear – moving away from sole sourcing to open, competitive bidding. “ M r S p e a k e r, o p e n competitive bidding is on the horizon. Sole sourcing of drugs, as we know it, will end very soon! This APNU+AFC Government will ensure that it does not water the hard earned taxpayers’ dollars on enriching the pockets of the undeserving,” Dr Cummings said firmly.

Cabinet had, in January, approved the sum of seven

Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings

hundred million dollars for the purchase of essential drugs and other pharmaceutical supplies for health facilities in all 10 administrative regions; but in approving $700M for fresh supplies, the Government had opted to implement a fair and open bidding process for all suppliers in the pharmaceutical industry to get an opportunity to secure contracts.

While in Opposition, both the APNU and AFC, which now form the six-party coalition, had declared that, when elected, they would have ended the discriminatory practice of sole-sourcing of medical

supplies.

The Ministry of Public Health has received support from the USAID to develop a new standard for an open, competitive bidding system.

A bidding document to this effect has been approved by the National Tender Administration Board, following which a pre-bid meeting with all potential bidders was held on December 16, 2015. A multi-billion-dollar pre-qualification sole-sourcing contract with the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC) was ended in October 2015.

Budget to drive youth entrepreneurship … Henry outlines micro-enterprise scheme

By Ravin Singh MINISTER within the Ministry of Education Nicolette Henry in defending Budget 2016 has announced that a permanent structure for entrepreneurship and micro-lending, geared to benefit youths, will be established.

Provision for youths, she said, is the first step towards empowering them.

Guyana has over the years, recorded high unemployment rates, which had been a trickle-down effect of school dropout and school absenteeism.

Just last year, a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) study revealed that youth unemployment in Guyana was hovering around 40 per cent.

And having touted youth empowerment heavily during the 2015 election campaign, Henry is of the conviction that this maiden full-year budget of the Coalition Government is geared towards supporting youths in all spheres of life.

“This budget provides the resources necessary to begin to utilise a holistic approach and to surmount the challenges faced by our young people,” the minister said.

It also provides for a pilot project in early childhood education.

This project will also provide valuable information which can be studied and used as the basis to support the launching of a national early childhood education programme.

of the education system is not limited to formal training, the Education Minister noted that the budget makes provisions for training and counselling of young people who have not benefitted from within or outside of the formal system.

Over the last two decades, many young people have fallen out of the formal education system.

Aside from this, she said a permanent structure will be erected for entrepreneurship and micro-lending for persons under age 30 through a special Youth Investment Fund.

This is expected to propel youths who are skilled to realise their true potential, thereby contributing meaningfully to their homes, communities and country.

The National Youth Policy will also soon be unveiled. The high-anticipated document which will aid in youth empowerment has been completed under the APNU+AFC Government.

But not limited to just this policy, the Government is working towards completing a National Youth Empowerment Action Plan (NYEAP), which will be crafted following broad-

based consultations with youths throughout Guyana.

Also in Budget 2016, some $60M has been allocated for the rehabilitation of the Coldigen workshop into a training centre.

In addition, $30M was allocated to improve the facilities at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre at Soesdyke. The Education Sector got $40M, the largest slice of Budget 2016.

Forensic audits find:

Deliberate acts of corruption Junior Education Minister Nicolette Henry Additionally, it will also provide the opportunity for young parents to go out and work, while being assured that their children will be well taken care of.

And while she hinted that early childhood education centres will be built, Minister Henry noted that these will be done to international standards.

“This, together with the reforms being undertaken in the education system, will go a far way in ensuring we produce the kind of youths this Government envisions,” she added.

But while the capacity

MINISTER within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma, has said that audits into agencies, projects and funds have indicated that there seems to have been deliberate, premeditated plans to engage in corruption under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government.

According to the Junior Finance Minister, Forensic Audits, the findings of which will soon be made public, have identified many instances in which the PPP Government would have violated the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act. He said there have been many instances of “dishonesty, deficiency, discrepancies; some of which were never highlighted in reports from the Auditor General and consequently the National Assembly…”

He added: “The people of Guyana never knew about the truth of the financial operations, mismanagement and excesses that were taking place in these entities.”

Addressing the National Assembly on Tuesday during Day Two of the 2016 Budget Debates, Minister Sharma said that based on the findings of the audits seen, he is of the opinion that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that premediated plans had existed to engage in corruption. He said the evidence would support charges in relation to deception, acts of fraud, misfeasance of public office, and political corruption.

Upon hearing this, PPP Shadow Finance Minister Irfaan Ali jumped to his feet, complaining that the Junior Finance Minister was quoting from document or documents that have not

been officially made public. Ali was particularly offended by the Minister’s suggestion that there were acts of political corruption under the PPP Administration, but Minister Sharma made it clear that he was only stating his opinion that persons could be charges for political corruption and acts of fraud, among other white collar crimes that had probably been committed.

In light of these challenges, the Junior Finance Minister informed the House that Government would soon be receiving support from the Commonwealth Secretariat to improve its system and structure for internal audit across the Government. This partnership, he said, would result in a robust public sector that would benefit from a strong system of internal control that would reduce mismanagement and corrupt practices.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday February 10, 2016

Budget Debates 2016…

The Speaker has it!

FOR the second time in less than a year, Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland, is presiding over a budget debate. Two days in, and he’s had his fair share of work to keep the House in order.

You’d like to think that Members of Parliament know the general rules by which to abide; most notably, sticking to the Standing Orders (the parliamentary rule book) and not maligning anyone’s character. Those not expert on parliamentary rules and practices have had two main complaints, and have used mainly Facebook to point these out. First, many are annoyed that speakers on both sides of the House read a speech during the debate, as opposed to speaking extemporaneously, which is the most acceptable form of public debate, when looking and listening to the speaker is more enjoyable, as he/she seeks to employ public speech qualities as eye contact and gestures.

Secondly, another annoyance is the fact that some presenters employ Creole expressions (with some seeming to have no real command of the English language taught in schools) during their presentations. This, however, was not a bother for the Speaker.

The Speaker was more concerned with the weightier matters, and so Opposition Parliamentarian Neendkumar was the first to be upbraided when he chose to refer to the current Coalition Government as “de facto.”

As he used the expression, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, objected to the way he was describing the Government. When the Speaker asked the Opposition Parliamentarian to correct his language, Neendkumar sought to justify his actions by pointing out that there is a petition engaging the attention of the court regarding the general elections which ushered the APNU+AFC administration into office.

Nonetheless, Dr Scotland urged Neendkumar to refrain from describing the Government in that manner. “It ought not to be uttered by you. Freedom of speech is enjoyed by

Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland

all of us in this Assembly. We cannot continue to pretend it is otherwise when it suits our purpose,” the Speaker declared.

However, after appearing reluctant to correct himself, the Speaker again ordered Neendkumar to correct his mistake. “If we make a mistake, is it so difficult to withdraw?

I do not understand the reluctance of honourable members in this House to acknowledge an error and put it right.”

In response, Neendkumar said, “Mr Speaker, I withdraw, right?”

On another point, the Speaker urged members not to refer to civil servants who could not defend themselves in the House, making reference in particular to the presentation by Opposition MP Cornell Damon. That issue arose more than once on Tuesday.

Opposition Parliamentarian Harry Gill accused Regional Executive Officers in Regions won by the PPPC of stymieing efforts of the Regional Chairmen.

A previous Opposition Parliamentarian, Alister Charlie, who had charged that only five gallons of fuel were being allocated to the Region Nine Chairman, accused the Government of discrimination. His statement was not objected to.

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, objected to Gill’s statement, however, referring the Speaker to his earlier admonition that reference should not be made to civil servants who cannot defend themselves in the par-

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liamentary chambers.

Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira wanted the Speaker to say under what Standing Order he was restricting members of the House from mentioning an officer without calling name. The Speaker did not directly answer Teixeira’s question, but maintained his earlier injunction that a member should refrain from addressing someone who can be easily identifiable from what is said, but that someone is not able to defend themselves in the House.

Opposition Parliamentarian Priya Manickchand had earlier sought to utilise the Speaker’s admonition for Parliamentarians to stick to the Standing Orders when Gov’t MP Jermaine Figueira referred to a Champion of the Earth hoodwinking the people. She protested that even though Figueira did not call a name, the statement was libellous towards Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, saying that Jagdeo was the only ‘Champion of the Earth’. The Speaker did not respond, but thanked her for her observation.

Things became testy also during another point in the presentation by Opposition Parliamentarian Gill, who sought to accuse the Government of racism in the use of public school buses in Region Five, saying that the buses seem only to be picking up children of Afro-Guyanese descent in villages that are predominantly Afro-Guyanese and are strongholds of the Coalition Government.

Government’s Chief Whip, Amna Ally, objected, and accused Gill of misleading the Assembly. She wanted the Speaker to ask Gill to withdraw his accusation. Opposition Parliamentarian Juan Edghill then protested Ally’s objection. He wanted to know if the views given by the community to Parliamentarians cannot be expressed in the House.

The Speaker noted that freedom to speak on the views of the people must be guided by “reliable” testimony. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo rose to add that since Edghill was objecting on a matter that related to content of presentations in the House, the same Standing Order to which he referred speaks to relevance of presentation, and as such, Gill’s statements had no relevance to the Budget.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Nagamootoo warns against ‘prophets of doom’

PRIME Minister Moses Nagamootoo has condemned the Opposition for its grim outlook on the $230B budget, saying that that party has “waxed to true form and assumed the role of prophets of gloom and doom.”

In a quick reaction shortly after PPP Region Six MP Adrian Anamayah had completed his budget presentation, Nagamootoo told the Parliamentarian -- who de-

scribed the $230B budget as “the final nail in the coffin of the Guyanese people”, and had likened the Minister of Finance to an undertaker: “If this was not said in seriousness in the National Assembly, you would be right to see it as a sick joke. But this is the negative, cuss-down politics to which the PPP has fallen since losing power last year.”

Nagamootoo had also slammed the PPP on Monday for what he described as de-

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

ceptive politics, even as that party sought to blame the Government for the slowing down of the economy. Nagamootoo, in an invited comment to members of the media, made outside of the Parliament chambers, said that the downward spiral of Guyana’s economy started under the PPP Government which was voted out of office last year May. Nagamootoo’s remarks were directed at claims by PPP/C front bencher Irfaan

Ali, who made the accusation during the opening day of the 2016 budget debate. “When you listen to Ali opening the debate, saying that the economy is in a slide and is weakening, he is quoting figures that have been invented by him. He is saying that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has fallen from US$363M in 2011 to US$125M in 2015. That is blatantly untruthful. Because when I checked in 2011, the FDI was US$165M. So where

did he get US$363 from?”

Nagamootoo, who is also Leader of the Government’s business in Parliament, queried.

He reminded that the APNU+AFC Government took office in the middle of 2015, and could not be held accountable for a slide that started in 2011. He said the administration will continue to work towards “creating jobs for the people of this country.”

Shooting at Jamaica Labour Mexican gang captives Party not politically-motivated freed by gas blast -- police say

POLICE say the shooting incident at Sunday night’s Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) rally that left three people dead was not politically-motivated.

Lawmen attributed the deadly gunplay to gang violence. Two of the three killed – 22-year-old Javin ‘Sparta’ Campbell and Nicholas ‘Chow’ Irving – were members of two feuding factions in the St James parish.

Six other people, including four women, were also injured in the incident.

According to the police, there was no evidence to suggest that politics had anything to do with the shooting.

At the same time, a senior lawman has urged Jamaicans to play their part to ensure that the campaign period leading up to the February 25 elections is not marred by violence.

“We are encouraging all Jamaicans to be peaceful throughout this political season, as we all have a constitutional right to choose our political directorate,” Assistant Commissioner of Police Winchroy Budhoo said.

Meantime, although usually on opposing sides, the JLP and the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) were united in their condemnation of the shooting.

Holness said the “terrorist-like attack” had left his heart “heavy.”

“I am terribly saddened by [this] unspeakable incident and my sympathy goes out to the families of those who lost their lives and my prayers are with those who were injured,” he said in a release on Sunday night.

Opposition Leader JLP General Secretary, Dr Horace Chang has written to the Political Ombudsman Donna Parchment Brown, PNP General Secretary Paul Burke, and Police Commissioner Carl Williams, requesting an urgent meeting regarding the shooting.

Campaign spokesperson for the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) Delano

Andrew Holness Franklyn said the incident was especially alarming in view of the appeal by party leader Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, at a PNP meeting the previous Sunday, for peace and calm during the election period.

He reiterated the call for peace and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

(Caribbean360)

DOZENS of migrants in the northern Mexican city of Reynosa managed to escape when a gas explosion ripped through the house where a gang was holding them captive.

Five Guatemalan migrants were injured in the blast, two of them seriously.

They told officials that they had been abducted a week ago.

Central American migrants trying to reach the US are frequently targeted by Mexican criminal gangs which force them to join their ranks.

Others are killed if their families cannot pay the ransom demanded by the gangs in exchange for letting them go.

Neighbours reported seeing as many as 60 migrants fleeing the house in Reynosa following the gas blast. Police are searching for them.

Reynosa, which is just across the border from the Texan city of McAllen, is a popular crossing point for migrants trying to reach the US. Tamaulipas state, where Reynosa is located, is being fought over by two powerful crime gangs, the Zetas and the Gulf cartel.

The cartels smuggle vast quantities of drugs across the border as well as extorting local businesses.

In 2010, the bodies of 72 migrants were found at a ranch in San Fernando, in Tamaulipas.

Authorities said they had been killed by the Zetas cartel after the migrants refused to work for the gang.

A year later, the bodies of almost 200 migrants were found in the same area.

Many of them had been abducted while travelling by bus to Reynosa. Officials said the Zetas cartel was also behind those killings. (BBC)

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

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

Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday February 10, 2016

GPOC apologises for mail delivery mix-up Dear Editor, THE Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) wishes to acknowledge Mr. Baliram Persaud’s letter in the February 7, 2016 edition of the Guyana Times newspaper, in which he alluded to the misguided delivery of

his mail.

Management of the GPOC wishes to sincerely apologise to Mr. Persaud for any inconvenience caused, and for the unacceptable remarks made by the officer in charge at the Suddie Post Office. An investigation has been launched into this com-

plaint, since such behaviour will not be condoned.

The GPOC remains committed to ensuring that services are delivered in an efficient manner and with the least inconvenience. Customers are encouraged to report all complaints to our Customer Services Depart-

ment -- on telephone number 226-3127 or email us at pro@ guypost.gy.

various sectors of society.

The Judiciary has a very important part to play, and in criminal matters, any person charged with an offence and brought before a court of justice is presumed “innocent until proven guilty”, so it is the person bringing the particular action who has to produce the evidence to establish the guilt of the person charged.

Here is where the lawyer comes in. His duty is to ensure that in the presentation of the case against an accused person, the legal rules are observed. If the legal rules are not observed, then there would be an unfair trial, and justice will not be done.

So a lawyer’s main duty is to ensure that the case is presented fairly. It does not matter if it is murder or any other wrongdoing, a person can be convicted only if the evidence available is properly presented in court.

That is exactly what Mr. Rex Mc Kay and his team are doing. Therefore, it does not mean that because he is representing a particular client, he is in agreement with what is alleged against her. All he wants is to see

that justice prevails.

A lot of people feel that a lawyer is a good lawyer only when he wins a case for his client; but the most important factor in legal representation is to ensure that justice is done.

So even if a lawyer loses a case because his client has been found guilty, once the case was fairly tried, he has ‘won’, because justice has prevailed. If one looks at the other side of things, where a rich person is charged with an offence and he uses his wealth to ensure that the evidence against him is not properly presented, he is as a result set free. Any properly thinking person in society would frown upon the fact that a rich man has been set free for an offence that everyone knows he committed. This is ‘injustice’, and this is what lawyers are there to prevent.

Lawyers are part of our social network, and their main duty is to ensure that justice is done, not to ensure that people with money can escape punishment for the wrong things they have done. This rule applies to both criminal and civil matters. In civil matters, the

primary function of the lawyer is to try and resolve the matter in dispute between the parties. On failure to resolve, the matter is taken to court, where a third person, the judge, listens to both sides then makes a decision.

Basically, once the matter is before him, a judge has the right to listen to both sides; he is obligated to hear that case. However, I find these days that sometimes efforts are made by some lawyers to have a matter dismissed because the procedure for bringing the action is incorrect.

Basically, under the British Legal System, which is what all our law is based on, judges are appointed to hear and determine issues brought before them, not to determine whether or not the correct procedure was used to bring a matter before them.

Justice is the important word in all legal matters, and that is why judges are called Justice and Chief Justice in the High Court.

Yours faithfully, TELESHA WHYTE Public Relations Officer Guyana Post Office Corporation

Black The role of the legal profession History Month Dear Editor,

THIS month, the USA and Canada observe Black History Month, in recognition of the contributions of Black people to the history of those countries. Although it is not an official observance in other parts of the African Diaspora, it has, over time, become informally accepted as such. Beginning as Negro History Week in 1925 as the initiative of African-American historian and scholar Carter G Woodson, it evolved to become Black History Month in the post-Civil Rights era in the late 1960s. In 1976 the US Government formally designated it as such.

From 1976 to the present, African-Americans and Blacks in the diaspora have become more and more part of the so-called mainstream of the societies they inhabit.

Despite continuing challenges, the group has made significant strides in our Caribbean. The crowning achievement was the rise of Barack Obama to the US presidency in 2008. That moment marked a more than symbolic achievement for Blacks; it was, for African-Americans, a tremendous blow struck for inclusion in formal structures -- a signal that real socio-racial equality was possible.

But for all the strides made, Blacks all over the world continue to suffer from the scars of a history of bondage. It is for that reason that Black History Month continues to have great relevance. It is a reminder to Blacks and the rest of humanity that emancipation and independence do not necessarily mean freedom; that the formal end of oppression is not logically followed by the end of the system that birthed that oppression.

What does Black History Month mean for us in Guyana? In our ethnically divided country, any reference to race is generally viewed with suspicion and open condemnation. Ethnic and racial identities are contested, and are often derided as false consciousness.

In such an environment, Black History Month elicits a polite nod from high and low. The notion of Black History flies in the face of a denial of ethno-racial identity.

After all, Black History arises out of the recognition of Blackness as a marker of identity. A proper discourse on, and celebration of, our ethnic diversity yet beckons; for it is only within the context of an acceptance of that diversity would we be able to respectfully observe the significance of Black History to all of Guyana.

Black History is pregnant with the inhumanity of slavery and the noble resistance that ensued. It is a pivotal period in Guyanese history, and has had a defining influence on our nation. It was the unravelling of slavery that led to a new migration to the then colonial outpost in the form of indentureship. The colonial regime which succeeded slavery really evolved as slavery

IT IS time that the people of Guyana, who claim to be living according to modern society principles, understand the role of the legal profession. I am forced to make this comment as a result of gossips that came to my ear concerning the legal representation of a prominent ex-PPP/C Minister. I was asked whose side Mr. Rex Mc Kay, SC, CCH is on; one time he is representing the Government side, and now he is representing the other side.

The mere thought of this enquiry is, to me, very disgusting, and it has demonstrated that there is a lack of understanding of what a lawyer’s role is in society. I say so to emphasise the fact that the main purpose of a lawyer is to ensure justice is done.

This is the primary role of a lawyer. In order for society to function properly, we, as members of society, have had to delegate responsibility to an organization, such as Parliament, which is responsible to supervise the overall running of the

without slaves, and, in the end, consumed all ethnic groups. The Black Village Movement was pivotal to the development of independent freedom spaces and organized communities, which we celebrate today as Local Government.

For the African Guyanese community, Black History Month could be a

time for sober reflection on the state of the community.

This is, of course, not a new call; it is repeated at every moment of Black observance. But it continues to be a necessary one.

Some African Guyanese leaders and organizations have been making this call for some time now. They have pointed to the drift in

the community, and have argued for a repair job to be undertaken by the group.

The very notion of learning Black History could be a starting point.

All Guyanese should learn Black History; it should find its place in our school curriculum. One remembers two books for children

Regards JONAS M.F. CODDETT written by the esteemed historian Dr. Walter Rodney — Kofi Baadu out of Africa, and Lackshmi out of India — and asks why those books are not required reading in our schools. African Guyanese, however, have a particular responsibility to lead the way in becoming steeped in Black History.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Unique Zika trap rolled out for pest control

Univar Divisional Account Executive, Raoul Persaud (standing), discusses the importance and benefit of the ‘In2Care Mosquito Trap’ with pest control officers at the Giftland Mall yesterday

By Rabindra Rooplall OFFICIALS from the Vector Control Unit and pest control officers yesterday met with a leading representative of a global distributor of innovative chemical and related products and services to discuss ways and measures needed to guard against the Zika virus.

One notable method that is to be implemented here is the ‘In2Care Mosquito Trap.’ Sessions were held with Univar Divisional Accounts Executive Raoul Persaud and 30 vector control officials at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, in addition to almost two dozen pest control officers at the Giftland Mall yesterday.

According to the Univar Representative, the In2Care Mosquito Trap is a unique mosquito control product that attracts mosquitoes that are ready to lay eggs, and uses novel and green alternatives to insecticides to kill them. It exploits the concept of “autodissemination” contaminating mosquitoes with larvicide powder, and using them to spread this killing agent to surrounding breeding sites. This is particularly effective for container-breeding Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes that can transmit Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika viruses,” he said.

He explained that the trap is made of durable and recycled polyethylene, and contains a floater that moves along with the water level and serves as the landing/resting site for mosquitoes. Gravid female mosquitoes are attracted to the trap by the attractive odours added to the water reservoir, and they land on the floater

gauze containing the bio-actives. These bio-actives target not only the mosquito (killing these within 10 days) and its larvae, but also the dengue virus inside the mosquito.

The unique mixture provides an environmentally-friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides, and combines active ingredients that individually are used in other mosquito products which are WHO-recommended and/or US-EPA approved. Trap impacts have been demonstrated and published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Underscoring that In2Care received research funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Persaud said the mosquito trap lends itself perfectly for use by pest control companies that offer mosquito control services to resorts, hotels, restaurants, etc.

It provides a low-cost tool to target Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes, and prevents outbreaks of Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya in a smart way, with minimal effort throughout the year.

According to Head of the Vector Control Unit, Dr. Horace Cox, the session with the Univar rep was essential in rolling out the In2Care Mosquito Trap, since support and training on vector control methods were a part of the informative session.

Dr. Cox noted that vector control would be meeting with the Univar rep at the end of the week to further implement a successful rollout of the mosquito trap in a systematic and viable manner.

The Vector Control Unit is intensifying its efforts at combating the Aedes Aegypti

mosquito, which is the carrier of the Zika virus that has been classed as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). This virus has, so far, affected only one individual here. More than a dozen samples have been returned as negative from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added Guyana and several other Caribbean countries to its travel advisory, asking pregnant women to avoid visiting because of the presence of the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Emergence of the first mass-based political organisation in British Guiana, and the General Elections of 1953

By Tota C. Mangar

COLONIAL British Guiana had, by 1950, witnessed an intensification of constitutional and political struggle aimed at ensuring a greater measure of democracy and the attainment of internal self-government.

In particular, the bauxite and sugar workers’ strikes of 1947 and 1948 had provided significant political exposure and organisational experience for the Political Affairs Committee (PAC).

This PAC had widened its range of membership and had streamlined its organisational capacity by 1949. As a consequence, it had awakened considerable political consciousness among the working people. So, increasingly, it began to consider with greater seriousness the formation of a political party to champion the cause of the unrepresented masses.

Another significant development was the return to the colony of Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, after successfully completing his law studies in England. While abroad, Burnham had served as President of the West Indian Students Union, and as a vocal member of the British Communist Party. The PAC felt that, with his oratory, charisma and leadership qualities, he would be an asset to a multi-ethnic party and to multiracial unity. So, in late 1949, Burnham journeyed to Jamaica to familiarise himself with the constitution, organization, structure and popular functioning of the People’s National Party (PNP). The aim was to adopt some of its key elements by the soon-to-be-launched local

mass-based party.

Eventually, the PAC dissolved itself and formally announced the establishment of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), on January 1, 1950, with its headquarters at Dr. Jagan’s Dental Surgery at 199 Charlotte Street, Georgetown. The Leader was Cheddi Jagan, the Chairman Forbes Burnham, and the General Secretary was Janet Jagan.

The initial issue of the Party’s organ, Thunder, published to coincide with the Party’s launch, emphasized the need for self-government, economic development, and the creation of a socialist society. It also pledged to win political independence for Guiana.

With establishment of this political organization, it was pellucid that the struggle to bring an end to colonialism had entered a new and decisive stage in British Guiana.

From the inception, the conservative press, influenced no doubt by the pro-socialist sentiments and anti-colonial policies espoused by Jagan and Burnham, labelled the Party as communist. Nevertheless, under leadership of Jagan and Burnham, the PPP mustered a formidable group of political aspirants, who were all intensely committed to the anti-colonial struggle.

Apart from the PPP, there were five other parties campaigning for the 1953 General Elections under the new constitution. These were the National Democratic Party (NDP), The Peoples National Party (PNP), The United Farmers and Workers Party

(UFWP), The United Guyanese Party (UGP), and the Guyanese National Party (GNP).

The NDP had the most experienced candidates, as several of them had served in the old legislature and in the Executive Council. The NDP was closely allied to the League of Coloured People, and appealed to urban sentiments. The PNP had splintered from the NDP as the Independent Socialist in 1952, and then announced, in February 1953, that it would contest the elections as PNP. The GNP was perhaps the most unusual of the parties in the 1953 elections. While members campaigned as a party, they contested seats as independents. The UFWP was formed in September, 1952, and it fielded just three candidates.

The extension of the franchise under the new constitution produced a list of 205,296 registered voters in the 24 constituencies, and from all accounts, the election campaign was characterised by unprecedented enthusiasm countrywide. At the same time, the Christian Social Council, representing Anglican, Roman Catholic, Church of Scotland, Methodist, Congregational, Lutheran, Moravian, and Canadian Presbyterian bodies, adopted an anti-PPP stance largely because of its anti-colonial militancy.

The Editorial of the Sunday Chronicle of April 5, 1953 was emphatic when it called upon all loyal Guyanese to vote for the candidates who are determined to eliminate reactionaries, Communists, self-seekers,

agitators, parasites, and politicians of the baser sort.

There was a relatively high voter turnout, as 74.8 per cent cast their ballots, and to the surprise of many and utter dismay of quite a few, the PPP secured a convincing victory, winning 18 of the 24 seats. There was much

rejoicing countrywide, but Mr. Burnham, in his victory speech, signalled the way forward. He noted that this achievement can hardly be called the end of the beginning.

“We are still a colonial people. We are still shackled by our Colonial chains…our

ultimate aim is to usher in self-government and independence,” he said.

First there was the development of a popular consciousness, then there was the nationalist militancy; and with this emphatic victory, the people had secured fulsome political leverage.

This Week

50 Years Ago

38 more GDF men pass out

On February 10, 1966, then Prime Minister Forbes Burnham took the salute at the passing out parade of the fourth platoon of the Guyana Defence Force.

Second Lieutenant Carl Morgan was in charge of the colourful parade, at which scores of people attended

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

President urges new GDF officers to be loyal COMMANDER-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, President David Granger on Tuesday presented 14 officers with the Instruments of Commission and commanded them to be exemplary leaders in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

“I encourage you to continue to study, to be disciplined, to be dignified and to be loyal to our country,” President Granger told the officers, while addressing them at the Ministry of the Presidency.

The graduates of the Standard Officer Course No. 48, two of whom are females, were presented with the Instruments of Commission, and as such, were inducted into the Officer Corps. This gesture is in keeping with the Defence Act of Guyana, the President pointed out, noting that 2016 marked 50 years since he was presented with his Instrument of Commission as a GDF Officer. “From 1966 to 2016 have been 50 very important years of life,” he posited.

“ Yo u r c o m m i s s i o n s , however, are not merely certificates of accomplishment; they are the lawful authority which you have to function as officers of the GDF,” the President said.

He also reminded the officers of the oath taken to bear true faith and allegiance to the State of Guyana, and the need to execute their duties without fear or favour.

“These are heavy words, to operate without fear or favour, even when you come against a ferocious enemy, you should be fearless, or even if you have to deal with relatives in a community where you grow up, you cannot show them special favour.”

He warned that a time would come when they would be tested to act without fear or favour. “Your duties entail that you have an obligation to obey the constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, you have an obligation to comply with the Defence Act and you have an obligation to practice

Best graduating student of Standard Officers Course No.48, Second Lt. Cleveroy Patrick, reciting the Oath of Allegiance the values and standards of the Guyana Defence Force,” he added.

The 14 officers who

were recipients of the Instruments of Commission are: Cleveroy Patrick, Jermine Nedd, Mark Bagot,

Jermis Batson, Corenna Van Lewin, Althea Rodney, Dwight Bonus, Daniel Phillips, Jeremy Basdeo,

Quason McAndrew, Rawl Lord, Joel Amsterdam, Garvon Douglas and Stephion Gordon.

From L-R (front row) Colonel Cargill Kyte; Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Mark Phillips; President David Granger; Colonel George Lewis, and Major Eon Murray.

The newly commissioned officers are standing at the back

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Queenstown residents miffed over sliding alley gate

By Shauna Jemmott A SLIDING gate in the midst of an alley between Crown and Laluni Streets in Queenstown, Georgetown has caused some disquiet in the neighbourhood, with some residents accusing a businessman of building the structure across land belonging to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC).

A resident telephoned this newspaper to complain that the gate, constructed by city businessman Neil Sooklall, is blocking an alleyway through which persons pass to go from one street to another. The resident was calling for its removal.

The Guyana Chronicle visited the area and spoke with another resident, who said he had lodged complaints with the M&CC over the building of the sliding gate and two concrete bridges, which will pose difficulties for the cleaning of drains.

He said his yard floods easily because of the structure constructed across the small drain.

When the Guyana Chronicle visited the area, the gate was slid across the alley, preventing access through the narrow passageway. Later, it was slid open to allow access. The businessman explained that he owns the land on Crown Street, which houses his business place, as well as the neighbouring land on Laluni Street. The narrow passageway separates the two parcels of land, and he constructed a bridge linking the two plots of land.

The Crown Street land is an empty lot, but is temporarily being used as a playground for children in the Queenstown area, who would play cricket and use a trampoline which he placed there for that purpose. He said the trampoline was at the front of the yard, but one day, when the children were playing, a neighbour reported to the M&CC that some children were making noise, and it was a nuisance, so he moved it at the back of the yard.

Sooklall explained that more complaints reached the M&CC after he had moved the trampoline, so he installed the sliding gates to the front and back of the empty lots to protect his property from loiterers and burglars.

“It’s a sliding gate. We put the gate because you got vagrants, junkies around here…. They jump, they thief pump, they thief all kinda thing! And we have a trampoline which some children use. It’s a temporary sliding gate; it’s open; it don’t carry lock.”

He said he was never confronted by any neighbour about the issue, and thought that anyone could have approached him if what he had done was affecting them. He has lived there for six years and has never had problems with anyone.

A resident has, however, said the gate blocks the entire passageway which some persons use to gain access from one street to the next. He said he even complained to the M&CC, but nothing has changed.

“The person that buy over there blocked the entire alleyway. It’s affecting me so much I even had to call the mayor, but I know the mayor is so busy. This thing is a nuisance, man!

Even outside there, why can’t they break it up? the muck is under there. I don’t understand why nobody can’t come and tell him that he has to break down there.”

The man said that if he were to follow suit, the council would then have a problem.

“That belong to the Mayor and City Council, so how can one just block off like that and nobody ain’t doing anything

about it? I talked to so many people; I spoke to the Mayor, but he was so busy, he said I gonna look into it… but nothing isn’t happening!”

“I don’t think it’s fair to nobody around here for somebody to do something like that, and nothing is being done about it.

I reported this matter to the Mayor and nobody ain’t doing nothing about it. Look in front there! Look how that place is…cement right through! So when the people come to clean, nobody can’t get the gutter; and when rain falls I get flood,” the man complained.

The M&CC had recently cleaned the area, using the sliding gate to gain access to the narrow drain and to clear the passageway. The bridges were designed with large holes of the size of the manholes attached to the sewerage system found along the pavements of Georgetown. These holes, Sooklall explained, give easy access to city workers for cleaning of the drains, which were recently cleared right through.

Attempts by Guyana Chronicle to reach M&CC Public Relations Officer Debra Lewis yesterday proved futile.

The offending passageway which neighbours say is being blocked by a sliding gate

The blue sliding gate at the centre of the controversy (Photos by Samuel Maughn)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Valentine’s Day and the right to be gay

By Akola Thompson

IN FOUR days’ time, we will be celebrating Valentine’s Day. I have always been fond of Valentine’s Day, not because of its connotations, but because of what it brings out in others.

That being said, I am particularly looking forward to this year’s celebration.

Given President Granger’s recent promise to respect LBGT rights, I do believe that at least some persons belonging to the LBGT group will celebrate this holiday with an easier mind.

Guyana is the only South American country in which homosexuality is still illegal, and by not changing the archaic laws, Government is not only encouraging bigotry but also shamelessly violating minority rights.

I know that most people are against homosexuality for the sole reason of religion, and my penning an article is not going to change that.

However, call me idealistic,

but I have hope that most people are capable of both critical thought and the respecting of views and lifestyles outside of their own.

Many believe that marriage is a sacred union between man, woman and God. They also believe that samesex marriages are unnatural, and will affect heterosexual couples. Unfortunately, these arguments are among the weakest against same-sex marriage and relations.

Marriage is a societal construct, which means that it is defined by what society thinks it should be. As such, the concept of marriage is constantly being redefined.

I must point out also that marriage predates many religions, including Christianity, as it dates back to the Code of Hammurabi 1790 BC. So while one is free to imply that same-sex unions are a threat to the construct of marriage, the fact remains that marriage existed long before Yaweh became a word you weren't allowed to say.

While homosexuality

may not be the predominant sexual orientation, labelling it as unnatural is inaccurate. Homosexual behaviour has been documented in hundreds of species, from fishes to humans.

Given the wide range of homosexuality within both the animal kingdom and that of Man, homosexuality is, by definition, a natural occurrence. As for how homosexual couples affect heterosexual couples, I do not even know how to begin tackling this view, due to its inanity.

Then, of course, follow the other arguments: that children “would not be here had their parents been of the same sex”, as stated by one letter writer, Reverend Gideon Cecil. Unless there is a pandemic wiping out heterosexual couples, I fail to see how same-sex marriage can lead to a world devoid of children. By trying to equate marriage with procreation, one is just making excuses to discriminate against LBGT persons.

On the topic of procreation and marriage, I know of several heterosexual couples who are infertile, or do not want children. Why aren’t these people barred from being married?

Being an atheist, I am one of those persons whom Cecil says “are trying to corrupt the morals of the world.” As such, I am a bit murky on the Bible, but granted that God killed Onan for spilling his seed on the ground, we really should look into banning these “non-procreating” persons from getting married.

Finally comes the other two most popular arguments against homosexuality: The slippery slope, and, according to Cecil, the “insult to God.” Let me address the insult to God first. If the God one prays to expects hate and intolerance against minority groups such as the LGBT, then maybe it is time to reconsider your religious ideology.

Now, back to the slippery slope theory, which states that legalization of same-

sex marriage will lead to marriages between persons and animals, and children and inanimate objects. Seeing that children cannot consent to marriage, and the fact that neither can animals nor my laptop, I can only hope that persons would stop scraping the bottom of the barrel as they search for justifications for their bigotry.

Most, if not all, of the objections to homosexuality are rooted in religion, whose convictions are based on faith, and not logic. Just as there were no logical arguments against miscegenation between blacks and whites and against gender equality, there are no logical arguments against homosexuality.

Asking for gay marriage and equal rights is not an issue of the minority trying to impose their lifestyle on the majority. This is about the minority’s civil rights, and the right to love and marry whomever they choose being respected. Many don’t see the reason behind fighting for LBGT rights; but that’s only

because they have been privileged to grow up in societies in which their heterosexual orientation is considered normal; and as such, they have not had to fight for their rights.

Guyana, as a secular State, has been pandering to the religious sector for way too long on this issue, and while I know those in office are hindered by their own religious views, their religious convictions should not supersede the secularity of the State as defined by the Constitution.

As I close, I find it interesting to note that a lot of the arguments being used against homosexuality today were used against miscegenation yesterday. Below is a quote which I find interesting because it encapsulates one such argument: “The underlying factors that constitute justification for laws against miscegenation closely parallel those which sustain the validity of prohibitions against incest and incestuous marriages.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Scott takes aim at ‘masquerading’ cooperatives - says movement will be rebirthed

SOME $445.301M have been allocated for the restructuring and reorganisation of cooperatives, as Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Keith Scott, vows to go after ‘masquerading’ organisations.

Rising to make his contribution to the 2016 debate, Minister Scott said co-ops had been paralysed under the former administration, but this Government will put an end to the years of neglect.

“A small team of individuals with an aggregate of over 100 years of experience in co-operatives and the management of co-operatives has been put in place, with effect from February 1, to conduct a forensic audit of the co-operative function throughout the country,” he said.

The minister is convinced, inter alia, that the audit will advise on the crafting of policies designed to repair the numerous breaches and create an entity capable of advancing national devel-

Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Keith Scott opment. A key and critical aspect of the aforementioned audit is a determination of the number of active and functioning co-operatives in existence.

“We believe that there are certain organisations out there (that are) masquerading as co-operatives when in fact their main purpose is the given efficacy to illicit activities within the realms of money laundering. Indeed, sir, we have recently commenced,

and intend to continue, training; and conduct awareness sessions in anti-money laundering and countering financing in terrorism for personnel in the co-operative sector,” he said.

During the latter half of 2015, a total of 65 such sessions were held, not only centrally and in Region 4, but in other regions as well.

Mr Scott told the House that it was for this reason that the new focus will include the decertification of non-functional co-operatives, astute monitoring of those functional, and “arbitration in disputed cases, all in compliance with relevant legislation, including the Anti-Money laundering Act.” He reported that, just two weeks ago, officers in the Labour Department attended an in-house seminar, the facilitators of which included a competent attorney-at-law and the Chief Executive Officer of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU), who sensitised

the participants on their roles in the protection of the State.

In addition, he said, the Ministry will work with the Board of Industrial Training, the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Council, Kuru Kuru Co-op College and the Critchlow Labour College to position co-operatives on the front burner, where it will once again play a meaningful part in the grand scheme of national development.

The refurbished Cooperatives Department will ensure the formation of co-operatives as serious economic and business entities in all ten administrative regions.

“Even in the remotest parts of our country, co-operatives will once again emerge and breathe afresh again,” Minister Scott opined.

The department will also explore and take every advantage of any opportunity to engage strategically with the Ministry of Business for marketing services and other economic purposes; work closely with the Lands and Surveys Department so that the access to lands for economic ventures can be pursued; and resuscitate the thrift societies in schools.

Young rape victims getting ready for school

By Shauna Jemmott TWO girls who were rescued from the North West District are in the hands of the Child Care and Protection Agency, and will be returning to school as soon as possible.

One of the girls, a 13-year-old, is the mother of a newborn baby, while the other, a 12-year-old, is pregnant and awaiting delivery of her child. They were brought out of the area by the Ministry of Public Health, which worked in a collaborative effort with the Guyana Woman Miners Organisation (GWMO) to ensure they received the necessary care.

Director of Child Care and Protection Agency, Ann Greene, told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday that the two girls, along with the baby, were in foster care and were receiving counselling from social workers attached to the Ministry of Social Protection. They are also receiving medical care from the Ministry of Public Health.

The children were transported from the Port Kaituma backdam on the recommendation of a Medex who discovered that their respective

blood pressure was dangerously low.

Greene said the girls were also assisting police with investigations, since they were both victims of statutory rape.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that while the 13-year-old is a victim of statutory rape, the 12-yearold gave to the GWMO statements suggesting that she was a victim of Trafficking in Persons (TIP).

The 12-year-old is one of the children the organisation had expressed concern about since last October, after the father had reportedly raped their mother (his wife) just after she had a Caesarian delivery, and dragged her in their yard after she began to haemorrhage. The children tearfully watched their mother die, and were robbed of attending her funeral.

The story was first reported in the October 23, 2015 edition of the Guyana Chronicle. GWMO President Urica Primus has since been concerned about the children being exposed to the man, whom residents had deemed as “abusive.”

“She was dragged into the sun and left to die in the yard. Her three young children attempted to drag her back into the house, and it was their cries that alerted neighbours of her plight.

Unfortunately, by the time they were able to get her to ‘False Top’ en route to Port Kaituma hospital, she died,” the report said.

Reports had also indicated that the children were put into the custody of their grandmother and aunt, but the newspaper is unclear as to how they returned to their father.

The organization has since expressed concern that the man has not been arrested, and with this new development, is calling on police to make the necessary arrest.

Reports are that the pregnant pre-teen told the organization that her father took her and her 10-year-old sister to different mining camps and logging sites, using them as sex workers just to acquire groceries and money.

“A small bag of groceries,” the GWMO President said, “was given in exchange for a sexual session with each child by adult men.”

Police and the Trafficking Department within the Ministry of Social Protection are investigating the matter, the Guyana Chronicle understands.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Ramjattan: Fruits of ‘Operation Dragnet’ being realised IN A brief review of the ongoing Joint Services’ “Operation Dragnet”, which the Government launched last December, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has reiterated that the fruits of this operation are being realised.

He told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday that most of the operations that the security forces have gone on through Operation Dragnet have been successful.

According to the minister, the operations are also seeing mock exercises to deal with potential terrorist threats and other acts that have the potential to destabilize the country.

And specific emphasis is being placed on the operations of the security forces in the city, and how they need to operate should there be a terrorist attack in the capital.

Ramjattan explained that the monitoring of border controls and surveillance operations of the Atlantic Coast continue to be

the security forces, as funds have been earmarked for the purchase of vehicles; and once the budget is passed, the tender process will be engaged to acquire the vehicles.

He reiterated that the crime situation in the country has decreased, particularly serious crimes, and this is credited to the work of ‘Operation Dragnet’, which has been seeing Public Security Minister, a greater level of netKhemraj Ramjattan working between the a top priority of the forcpolice, army, prisons, es involved in ‘Operation fire service and other agenDragnet’. cies.

“And so the fruits of MORE PATROLS this ‘Operation Dragnet’ are Ramjattan disclosed being realised,” the Public that the Guyana Police Security Minister noted. He Force and the other agen- reminded that he has been cies of the Joint Services briefing the Cabinet on the that fall under the Min- crime situation on a weekly istry of Public Security basis, and ideas are being would be boosted with ve- shared. hicles and other resources Amid continuing conto function more effec- cerns about crime, the tively, based on finance G o v e r n m e n t h a d a n allocated to his ministry. nounced that the Joint He said that more patrols Services will be conductwould be undertaken by ing an operation with

the aim of enhancing national security. A release had stated that the Joint Services, comprising the Guyana Defence Force,

the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Prison Service and the Guyana Fire Service, will be conducting ‘Operation Dragnet’

between December 01, 2015, and June 01, 2016, throughout Guyana with the aim of enhancing national security.

Wednesday February 10th, 2016 - 05:00 hrs Thursday February 11th, 2016 - 05:00 hrs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Chief Education Officer Mr. Olato Sam (left) and other key functionaries of NCERD/Ministry of Education, past and current, as they celebrate NCERD’s 30th Anniversary. Seated second right is the Rev. Raymond Coxall (Photo by Delano Williams)

NCERD: The lynchpin of the education system

By Shirley Thomas THIRTY years and continuously moving from strength to strength, the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) has been described by Chief Education Officer Mr. Olato Sam as the engine that drives the education system.

And, noting that NCERD has been blessed with tremendous human capital, Mr. Sam posited that the education system cannot progress unless NCERD causes it to do so.

This confidence reposed in NCERD by the Chief Education Officer was made known as he addressed the entity’s 30th Anniversary Service last Monday at its headquarters on Battery Road, Kingston, home of the former Cyril Potter College of Education.

Acknowledging that it has designed a curriculum appropriate to the needs of our children, Sam said NCERD has assembled some of the finest minds in education, and as a consequence is producing the building blocks for the education system.

He, therefore, called on the Ministry of Education to support the entity and maximize its potential.

With respect to aspects of the curriculum designed by NCERD, Sam said the system already has the benefit of tremendous resources, which could service the nation well for the next 30 years.

He said it is imperative that NCERD be the hub of innovation, a state of affairs that must be complemented by specialists who are on the cutting edge of education delivery, “always pushing the envelope and not managing the status quo.”

Meanwhile, he called on those educators in the audience to also ensure that NCERD continues to be the

repository of the data that forms the empirical basis for all of our policy decisions.

He, however, noted that there are still situations where educators in the system are starved for resources; people like education managers who are still desperate for guidance and are really grappling with ways to become the strong managers that the system needs.

He noted, too, that there are situations where “our children are screaming out for better life skills,” which led him to admonish the gathering to define for themselves the pathways through which such knowledge is systematically being introduced to the system.

In concluding his presentation, Sam thanked NCERD for the solid foundation it has laid for our education system, noting that it is with great enthusiasm and a lot of forward thinking that we look to the impact NCERD will have over the next 30 years.

Former NCERD Director, Mr. Mohandatt Goolsarran, who served from 2001 – 2012, reflected on past achievements, and looked at some of the innovative programmes the entity initiated over the las 30 years.

Goolsarran recalled that NCERD embarked on a number of initiatives, particularly in the area of curriculum development.

“We examined with consultants from overseas, some locally, to look at the structure of our curriculum,” he said, adding, “It was under the guidance of Professor Dennis Craig that we had the resource guide.

“And as we developed, we looked at the involvement of the various units mentioned within NCERD, but the hub of all those units is really the curriculum.”

Initiatives taken include: • A process of de-

mocratization of curriculum delivery in schools, involving parents, social groups, while establishing a Curriculum Advisory Committee.

• Management of curriculum development and an education management course borrowed from South Africa and refashioned for our local context. That course was aimed at helping education managers see through the management of the curriculum. It started in 2002 and was conducted with the support of many of the educators attending the selfsame Thanksgiving Service, Goolsarran said.

• The expanding of teacher training across the country, with NCERD teams travelling outside of Georgetown and into the regions to deliver quality training to the teachers. Goolsarran acknowledged the commitment of the NCERD team to reaching out to the needs of teachers outside of Georgetown.

• And more essentially, the ‘Non-Graduate Certificate’, considered as having a phenomenal impact on Teachers who were not graduates of the CPCE Teacher Training Programme. Goolsarran outlined that it was introduced in response to critiques on the relationship between teacher quality and educational outcome.

• Non-graduate courses in Mathematics, Science and English were developed, with certificates being awarded after rigorous training both by distance and face-toface interaction, coupled with examinations.

“We carried out a level of marketing strategies t o g e t m o re t e a c h e r s involved. Initially we had over fifty teachers on the programme,” he said, adding that it was the hope that the Teaching Please turn to page 17 ►

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Hinterland Housing Project to cost US$3.1M

By Svetlana Marshall THE Ministry of Communities will implement a Sustainable Housing Programme under the Hinterland Project using a US$3.1M loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Patterson, who has responsibility for Housing, made this disclosure on Monday.

“Based on the lessons learnt from the Hinterland Housing Pilot, implemented 2009-2015 under the Second Low-Income Settlement Programme, the Ministry of Communities will implement the Sustainable Housing in the Hinterland Project,” she told the House.

It was explained that this programme would improve the livability of low-income families of the hinterland through better access to housing, potable water, sanitation, and the promotion of women’s empowerment.

Under this multi-million-dollar project, 12 communities in Regions One and Nine are lined up to benefit significantly from the delivery of full house replacement subsidy. The four communities in Region One are: Whitewater, Kamwatta, Haimakabra and Sebai; while the eight communities in Region Nine are: Katoka, Kwatamang, Massarra, Karaudarnawau, Haiowa, Karasabai, Potarinau and Sand Creek.

The housing solutions include “full house replacement” and/or a “roof replacement”. A full house replacement means that families will be provided with a one-storey elevated timber building (Region One), or flat burnt-brick building (Region 9) measuring 500 sq. ft., with four rooms and front and back stairs; with zinc roof, guttering, a 400-gallon water tank and a pit toilet.

Under roof replacement, they will be provided with zinc sheets for their houses, measuring no more than 5000 sq. ft., complete with guttering, fittings and a 400-gallon water tank.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan, in his 2016 Budget presentation, had indicated that the Government would this year spend more than $644M to expand the Hinterland Housing Project, which would provide subsidy for the construction of houses and the replacement of roofs in Regions One and Nine.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

24 work place fatalities in 2015

SOME 492 work place accidents were recorded last year, resulting in 24 fatalities; but only 201 of these cases were investigated.

Minister with the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott, reported that all the fatal accidents were investigated, and corrective recommendations were submitted to the relevant authorities. However, he said the shortcomings of the Department of Labour Administration in regard to its inability

to monitor for preventative purposes continue to prevail.

The department comprises the Industrial Relations and Occupational Health and Safety units. The two were merged in 1997. According to Scott, the merger did not only make specialists into generalists, but also caused a serious decline in the effectiveness with which services were delivered to the public, and even to the State.

Minister Scott said the constraint to monitor for

preventative purposes is as a consequence of a lack of resources, including financial and material resources.

Most of the fatalities, he said, occurred in the hinterland, in the mining sector, which is not easy to access.

“Even though we have been greatly assisted by the GGMC [Guyana Geology and Mines Commission], and we are grateful to them, our ability to effectively monitor work places in the hinterland regions is limited. Further,

the fact that the department is now staffed by generalists rather than specialists (makes) the short comings even more manifest. This situation can, and must, be changed,” Minister Scott said.

He added: “Mr Speaker, the department’s performance, over the years under the merger, has never been impressive. We have been unable to meet our inspection targets, and were also not able to resolve enough complaints in a timely manner. We believe that, in order to reverse these unfavourable trends, the departments should be separated or delinked.”

The minister informed the House that the Social Protection Ministry has been contemplating delinking the units for quite some time, and is taking incremental steps to make it a reality.

CORRECTING FLAW For starters, the delinking is intended to give rise to the development of specialist officers who are capable of delivering a better quality of service. In addition, they

would be exposed to professional training in both the local and international environments.

“It is anticipated that a positive outcome of these initiatives would be a manifestation of a higher level of compliance by many employers who, at the moment, exhibit a high proclivity for observing our labour laws in the breach,” Minister Scott informed the House.

He also said that the maintenance of a calm and stable industrial relations climate that is conducive to investment is a main function of the Labour Department, but added: “I need not comment on the economic cost of strikes. Suffice it to say that they have a negative impact on the national coffers, particularly when they occur in any of the industries which significantly add to national gross domestic product (GDP).

“In 2015, a total of 191 strikes were recorded, consuming some 71, 591 man days, compared to the 197 strikes registered in 2014 that accounted for 32,064 Man

days. An analysis of these figures means, Sir, that while in 2015, there were fewer strikes, the duration of those strikes was much longer, and that is a cause for concern.

“For example, the approximate man days lost per strike in 2014 was 163; while, in 2015, the average man days lost per strike was 375. This is just another way of saying that, in 2015, striking workers were more than doubly resolved than they were in 2014,” Minister Scott said.

He told the National Assembly that Government takes no comfort in such situation, and is currently examining the traditional Early Warning System with a view to strengthening it where possible, and introducing it to other areas for the first time.

“This, in our opinion, will help in monitoring the conditions which are likely to give rise to strike action.

Once these are identified, they will be controlled or eliminated, thereby allowing a healthy industrial relations climate to emerge and prevail,” the minister said.

Florida confab to assess Caribbean business climate THE Caricom/Cuba/Florida Trade and Investment Conference which is to be held in Florida, USA tomorrow will assess the climate for conducting business with, and in, countries in the Caribbean, including Cuba.

According to organisers of the event, several presentations and panel discussions will examine the opportunities and challenges of investing in, and expanding trade with, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states and Cuba.

The conference, to be held at the Miramar Cultural Center, will be declared open by Ambassador Bayney Karran of Guyana, Dean of the CARICOM Diplomatic Corps in Washington, DC; while the keynote address will be delivered by the Honourable Rafael Contreras, Minister of Trade and Investment of Belize.

A presentation by Captain Gerry Gouveia, former chairman of the Guyana Private Sector Commission, will focus on the investment climate in the Caribbean, with special reference to Guyana; while a team from the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CAR-

DI) in Trinidad and Tobago, headed by Executive Director Barton Clarke, will present on available investment and trade opportunities in the region in the agriculture and related sectors.

A presentation on the various free-trade and partial-scope agreements which the Caribbean region enjoys with other countries and regions of the world will be delivered by Dr. Mark Kirton, Director (ag) of the Institute of International Relations at the University of the West Indies (UWI).

A high-level panel of experts will look at doing business with Cuba, while another will address sources and procedures for attracting financing for investment and trade.

According to Director of CARICOM Outreach Programmes at Outreach Aid to the Americas (OAA) and chair of the conference, Wesley Kirton, “The event is intended to provide a forum for sharing updated information perspectives, and strategies designed to provide participants with the knowledge and hands-on guidance they can use as entrepreneurs to take advantage of trade and investment opportunities

among CARICOM, Cuba and the United States, especially Florida.”

Kirton said the US Government is making available officials from the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to be part of the discussions on financing investment in the region in specific sectors, including ‘green’ energy.

The conference is an initiative of Outreach Aid to the Americas, Inc. in conjunction with CARDI; the City of Miramar, whose Mayor, Wayne Messam, will address the conference; the Greater Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce (GCACC); the Barbados American Chamber of Commerce (BACC); and the newly-formed Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce (GACC).

Among sponsors of the conference are Remix Industries; Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL); SeaFreight Agencies; Destination Management Corporation (DMC); Joy Agness Events Inc; the Highland Agency; Six World Shipping; TM Cell; AA Halaal Distributors; Laparkan Shipping; and Dr. Sabriya B. Ishoof (OBGYN).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Fmr. Health Minister Blackman on ‘prescription drugs’ charges in NY FEDERAL authorities have arrested the former Guyana Health Minister, Dr. Noel Blackman, who has been charged in relation to illegal prescription of painkillers. He was arrested on Sunday.

He is suspected of having illegally prescribed vast amounts of oxycodone, 365,000 pills in 2015, in a drug-dealing enterprise spanning three States.

According to a report carried by the New York newspaper, Newsday, agents took Blackman, 68, into custody after they ordered a Guyana-bound jet taxiing for take-off at the Kennedy Airport with Blackman aboard to return to an airport terminal.

Newsday reported that federal agents were tipped off that the Long Island, New York doctor, a Guyana native, had planned to leave the country permanently.

Blackman, who was recently appointed Dr Noel Blackman Chairman of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), is also a partner in the local television station HBTV Channel Nine, and had served as Health Minister under the People’s National Congress administration of then President Desmond Hoyte.

According to the Newsday report, officials say US$30,000 were stashed in the Far Rockaway doctor's luggage.

Blackman was arraigned on Monday in Central Islip on a charge of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.

The report noted that records show he wrote 114 prescriptions in 2014 for about 3,800 oxycodone pills, and nearly 2,500 prescriptions for about 365,000 pills last year.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that efforts are being made by the Ministry of Public Health to replace Blackman.

NCERD: The lynchpin ... ◄From page 14 Service Commission, after a number of persons would have graduated from that training programme, would have used that qualification as the standard for nongraduate teachers to be appointed as head of a Mathematics, Science or Language Department.

“If you are a non-graduate, then you must at least possess the non-graduate certificate.

I think that is still in the making,” Goolsarran said.

Another major initiative embarked on was the Learning Channel. “The Learning Channel is out of early experiences with promoting distance education through television.

That initiative started in 1996 and because of popular demand for the sponsorship, we have established the basis for establishing a 24 hour learning channel. We had strong support from Dr. Sita Roth who was very instrumental in leading the way forward. Local content was used as far as possible, with support from the international arena and brought on television programme for other grades in the secondary school.

Goolsarran said that in further attempting to democratize the education system NCERD walked through the process of the evaluation aspect of the curriculum and in that process, invited teachers across to help develop test items.

“We had training programmes to guide them in test construction, in service of evaluating, marking and grading.

Regions sent representatives to help in the whole process of marking, setting and grading. In that way we found that

children across the country started to perform equally, like children in Georgetown. And we felt good, and that is something that we need to press on. That is where we are going to really influence the teaching – both within the home and at school,” Goolsarran said.

He stressed that based on NCERD’s interaction with teachers, learning resources were identified to help both students and teachers. Additionally, many of the earlier versions of their text books were subject to review to bring the content in line with what’s happening within the Caribbean Region and even wider afield.

Other speakers included: Ms. Jennifer Cumberbatch, Director, NCERD; Ms. Inge Nathoo, Secretary General , UNESCO; Ms. Florine Dalgety, Former Director of NCERD; Rev. Raymond Coxall and Ms. Delma Nedd, Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Education.

According to current Director of NCERD, Ms. Jennifer Cumberbatch, NCERD was established in October of 1986 and was a joint venture between the Ministry of Education and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The Thanksgiving service, richly spiced with musical entertainment provided by teachers of CPCE and a steelpan solo by Vijay Sharma, a student of Queen’s College, was hosted to celebrate 30 years of commitment to providing resources and training for the nation’s children and teachers, according to Ms. Cumberbatch.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday February 10, 2016

New Year’s Day 2015 accident victim succumbs

By Shirley Thomas SIXTY-FIVE-year-old Brian Aubrey Anthony Devine, who survived the New Year’s Day 2015 fatal accident that claimed the life of his 61-year-old friend George Barker on Cemetery Road, East La Penitence, Georgetown, has succumbed.

He breathed his last at 15:10hrs on Monday at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he has been a patient ever since being struck down by an out-of-control motor car.

At around 06:00hrs on New Year ’s Day, 2015, Barker and Devine had set out to buy newspapers at the popular ‘fruit stand’ on Cemetery Road, in the vicinity of the Liana Nursery School, Hospitalised accident victim Brian Devine, when a speeding motor car who succumbed at 15:10hrs on Monday, one hit a speed hump, demolyear after he was knocked down on New ished the fruit stand and Year’s Day 2015

ploughed into them. Baker, who had been trapped under the motor car, ended up in a nearby ditch, and was pulled out by civic-minded citizens.

He had managed to give his name, but died on his way to hospital. Devine, meanwhile, had suffered multiple life-threatening injuries in such places as his head; legs, both of which were broken; spine, ribs and back. His left eye was also injured, and his left jaw was broken. On top of all this, he had on his right leg a cut that carried 30 steel clamps, and he subsequently became paralysed in his right hand.

For the duration of his stay in hospital, Devine was

confined to bed, and was able only to use his left hand.

Initially, he was constantly in and out of the theatre, but was never discharged from hospital.

Devine had claimed that the investigating rank had never visited him in hospital to take a statement, and this only came to light during a visit by the then Police Traffic Chief (ag.), Dennis Stephens, during Road Safety Week. Stephens, who spoke with Devine at length, had promised to investigate the matter; and indeed, he had kept his word.

WITNESS, NOT VICTIM Within weeks, the matter was brought up in court for

trial, in January this year.

However, the shocking revelation was that, for one full year, Devine had remained listed in the police statement as a witness and not as a victim of the accident. Therefore, the motorist had been charged only for causing the death of George Baker by dangerous driving, and not for causing injury to any other person.

All this happened while Devine languished on a hospital bed. However, about three weeks ago, the defendant was slapped with an additional charge for the injuries caused to Devine, and this matter is ongoing.

GPL Board urged to expand reach

Minister of Public Infrastructure, Honourable David Patterson (second, left), and Minister within the Ministry, Honourable Annette Ferguson (right), with GPL Chairman Robert Badal (left) and GPL Board Member Komal Ramnauth (second right) THE BOARD of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) continues to expand, and its Chairman, Robert Badal, and member, Komal Ramnauth, were officially instituted by the Ministers of Public Infrastructure, Honourable David Patterson and Honourable Annette Ferguson.

The inductions took place on February 5, 2016, and both men were urged to deal with the pressing matters facing GPL as quickly as possible. During the simple ceremony, Minister Patterson expressed hope for an early board meeting. He further indicated that important matters, including procurement and loss reduction, must be at the top of the agenda. He added that loss reduction was one of the complaints the company faced most.

Minister Patterson further said that the new board must guard against emergencies, and must focus on better plan-

ning and execution of tasks.

In response, Chairman Badal emphasised that stringent steps must be taken to increase the company’s efficiency. Those steps, he said, must include the stamping out of corruption from within. “With a new vision and culture, everyone will fall in line,” he said.

Ramnauth added that the board would work on fostering better relationships from the top down.

Meanwhile, Minister Ferguson urged the board to look into electricity theft. “Come up with innovative ideas; come up with a plan,” Minister Ferguson stressed. She continued, “Internally, we must do better.”

She further emphasised that “at the end of the day, not only GPL must win; both customers and GPL must benefit.”

Additionally, both Min-

isters urged the men to create policies to tackle areas not served and to expand GPL’s reach. The Ministers added that GPL must focus on bearing the cost of those expansions since it had a responsibility to the people of Guyana. They stressed that, in this modern age, persons should not be living without electricity.

“We must have an expansion programme; GPL has a national responsibility to the people,” Minister Patterson stressed.

Badal and Ramnauth’s inductions came a few days after other board members of GPL were officially instituted. Ramnauth was nominated by the Private Sector Commission (PSC). The other members are Denise Simmons; Leslie Ramalho; Abiola Wong-Innis; Morsha Johnson-Francis; Tara Singh; and Dr. Mahender Sharma.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

GTT sponsors Jubilee Children’s Costume Parade

G

TT IS onboard with the Jubilee Children’s Costume Parade set for Saturday, February 20.

The company, under its new “DOMORE” brand, on Tuesday unveiled its partnership with the Ministry of Education to host this year’s Children’s Costume Parade.

Marketing Manager Anjanie Hackett presented a sponsorship cheque of $4M to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Ms Delma Nedd, at GTT’s Brickdam Head office.

Ms Hackett said GTT is excited to be part of this year’s celebrations, especially since it forms part of the Jubilee celebrations.

The lead band in the costume parade will have 62 Revelers from St Sidwell’s and Enterprise Primary schools, decked out in bright, vibrant artistic costumes created by Derek Moore under the theme “Spectrum: Generation Next.”

The theme is very topical, since the telephone company is looking forward to the granting of spectrum to offer 3G/4G network service to its customers. This will be creatively depicted by the lead Queen Costume and the individual costumes.

According to a release, more than 3,000 students from the 11 education districts are expected to participate in this year’s parade.

Ms Nedd expressed gratitude to GTT for being onboard with the parade for the 6th year, and promised that it will be a fun, exciting and colourful event that parents and children can look forward to.

The Designer explains the concept of Spectrum: Generation Next

GTT marketing team presents the sponsorship cheque to their counterparts from the Ministry of Education

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

T&T lawyer admitted to Guyana Bar HIGH Court Judge Jo-Ann Barlow yesterday admitted Trinidad-born lawyer Ria N. Mankee-Sookram to the Guyana Bar as the new lawyer set out on a journey to practise her profession throughout the Caribbean.

The 34-year-old lawyer was called to the Bar in Trinidad and Tobago in 2012.

Justice Barlow told the young woman: “The profession is both challenging and rewarding, and many tests lie ahead of you. You may prepare and prepare well and find results that are in your favour, and with equal preparedness, results in another case may go another way.

“Never let the success or failure of any matter guide your conduct in any matter, except to cure mistakes. Always strive to do your best; then, whatever the result, you will find it a rewarding exercise.”

Attorney-at-law Mrs. Simone Morris-Ramlall, who presented the petition of Mankee-Sookram, said the new lawyer was the second of three daughters born to Sanora Mankee-Sookram and Michael Sookram. Her older sister is an embryologist, and the younger one is a petroleum geo-scientist.

Ms. Mankee-Sookram’s mother was a sales attendant in a family fishing business, and her father was a customs manager. Both parents are now enjoying their retirement and basking in the satisfaction of their children’s achievements.

After completing her studies, Mrs. Morris-Ramlall told the judge, in presenting the petition, “Your petitioner decided to pursue a Law degree with the intention of later burrowing into oil and gas law. She attended the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, where she received a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2010, and then graduated from the Hugh Wooding Law School with the Legal Education Certificate in 2012. Your petitioner is currently pursuing a post-graduate Diploma in Petroleum Engineering and Management at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, and is expected to graduate in December 2016.

“Your petitioner seeks to be admitted to practise in the courts of Guyana, as she wishes to contribute to developing a robust Caribbean jurisprudence. This is commendable, in my estimation, Your Honour, as it demonstrates a willingness to share her wide range of expertise and skills with her Caribbean neighbours.”

In her reply, Ms Mankee-Sookram thanked the Judge for her words of guidance, and Mrs. Morris-Ramlall for presenting her petition. She added, “Today, for me, represents a journey to be part of a regional jurisprudence.

“Guyana made the fearless leap and took the Caribbean Court of Justice as its final court of appeal; and that is something I hope that other Caribbean countries, including Trinidad and Tobago, would get on board with. It is certainly, I think, one way of developing a regional jurisprudence.”

Following the Admission Ceremony yesterday, Justice Barlow entertained, in court, the new lawyer, Ms Ria Mankee-Sookram, and her friends.

Left to right are Madam Justice Barlow, Mrs. Ramlall, Miss Ria N. Mankee-Sookram, and Miss Wanda Fortune

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Accused of stealing two cell phones A CONSTRUCTION worker was yesterday remanded by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he appeared before her charged with robbery with aggravation.

Carl Hilliman, 27, of Regent Street, pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that, being together with others on February 6, 2016 at D’Urban Street, he robbed Larry Josiah of two cell phones valued $53,000.

According to the facts presented by Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones, the virtual complainant was at his friend’s work place in D’Urban Street when the defendant and others approached him and demanded his phone. He resisted and the accused sprayed a substance in his face while threatening to shoot him. The phones were then taken from him.

The incident was reported to officers on patrol, and they subsequently spotted the defendant standing outside Demico House in the Stabroek Market area.

The Prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that the suspect was charged with a similar offence last November, and the fact that there was a threat to shoot Josiah.

Magistrate McLennan did not overrule the prosecution’s objection, and the accused was remanded. His next court appearance is tomorrow.

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From left are Deputy Chief Election Officer, Mr. Vishnu Persaud; Executive Director of Youth Challenge Guyana, Mr. Dmitri Nicholson; President of Guyana National Youth Council, Ms. Tricia Teekah; Executive Member of Guyana National Youth Council, Mr Francis Bailey; and Chief Election Officer, Mr. Keith Lowenfield (Photo courtesy of GECOM)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

GECOM to support ‘Voter Education Project’

OFFICIALS of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will be providing support to Youth Challenge Guyana, the National Coordinating Coalition, and the National Youth Council in their bid to ensure that all voters are educated.

Representatives of those three organisations visited GECOM on Monday to discuss facilitation of training and support for their ‘Voter Education Project’, a GECOM statement has said. The project, funded by USAID through Counterpart International, is aimed at lending support to the electorate as well as candidates.

Counterpart International is a non-profit organisation headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. According to its mission statement, "Counterpart partners with local organizations formal and informal - to build inclusive, sustainable communities in which their people thrive."

The project targets youth primarily, and focuses on women and special-interest groups.

GECOM’s Chief Election Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, has indicated that because of the lengthy interval between Local Government Elections (LGE) held here, persons may be of the view that the elections are unimportant.

“I am very happy with this initiative, and we are willing to provide guidance on information accordingly. We can aid in providing trained personnel to offer guidance and information to your representatives,” he said.

‘CANDIDATE HUBS’ The representative organisations thanked the Commission for its willingness to assist, and noted that the project will establish across the country ‘candidate hubs’ where trained personnel will be answering questions relative to LGE. Additionally, youth-friendly publications will be produced to strengthen awareness.

Meanwhile, GECOM’s Deputy Chief Election Officer, Vishnu Persaud, said the Commission can provide the groups with literature, and check the materials produced to ensure the information being disseminated is accurate.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

‘Skype’ witness says he recognised murder accused

AS THE murder trial of 43-year-old minibus driver, Balram Teekaram continued in the High Court yesterday before Justice JoAnn Barlow and a 12-member jury, his two sons, who reside overseas, testified via Skype.

According to the indictment, Alvin Semple on April 16, 2011, in the County of Demerara, in the course or furtherance of robbing Balram Teekaram, murdered him.

Davindra Teekaram, the youngest son of the deceased, who was 16 years old at the time of the incident which took place at their former Anna Catherina Sea View, West Coast Demerara home, in sworn testimony, told the court that he was alone with his father when bandits struck.

The youngest Teekaram

said he resides in Orlando, Florida and his father was a minibus driver and he got home from work and saw his father watching television at about 8:30pm.

Balram Teekaram He stated that his dad told him that he was not feeling well and he secured the house and they both retired to bed and sometime after 1a.m. he felt something cold to his head and jumped out of his

sleep.

Davindra told the court that he saw two men in his bedroom and one of them was pointing a gun in his face. He heard tumbling in his father’s bedroom which was next door and surmised that there was a third person present with his father.

He noted that the two men asked him for the money and jewelery and he told them where he kept his silver chain and they took his cell phone from his bedroom as well.

Davindra added that at that point the rag which was tied around the face of one of the two bandits fell off and he recognised the man whom he knew about five years prior to the incident.

He stated that they usually played cricket in the community and he used to ask him questions about whether

his father had a gun or not.

The witness said the other man with Alvin Semple was fair-skinned and squatty. He held him at gunpoint and told him to ‘shut up’ after which a pillow was thrown at him to block his view while he was lying in the bed.

Davindra said the light in his room were not on but there was adequate lighting from the bulb in his father’s bedroom which was mounted between both rooms.

The witness recalled being so afraid when he recognised Alvin and called out his name and pleaded with him not to harm them since he had handed over everything.

Davindra added that the fair-skinned man went over to his dad’s room while, Alvin stayed with him and he recalled hearing a ‘lashing’ sound then the man returned

to say he had shot his father.

He told the court that he told the men not to hurt them but to take everything and leave.

In response he was asked whether he wanted to go and see his father but he declined, after which the men left and he jumped the wall and saw his father lying with blood spilling out his eye.

Davindra said he tried picking up his dad but he could not, and went over to the neighbour and told them his father had been shot and they telephoned his relatives, who arrived and took the injured Teekaram to Leonora Hospital.

He was later transferred to the GPHC where he succumbed three days later without regaining consciousness.

The other son of Balram Teekaram, Yougindra, testified also from his New

Jersey home that the night of the incident in which his father was shot he was at his grandmother’s Best Village residence.

He told the court he learnt of the incident after they received a telephone call and went to the scene with his uncle, who assisted in taking his father to the hospital.

Balram Teekaram’s brother-in-law, Shirram Talmakoon, also testified that he assisted in taking the deceased to the hospital.

Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh is expected to testify tomorrow at 1pm.

The State prosecutors are Shawnette Austin and Tamieka Clarke, while the Defence Counsel is Madan Kissoon.

The robbers reportedly took away $700,000 in cash, a silver chain, a cell phone, some other jewelry and an Ipod.

Motorist dies following Three years jail for chopping off Lima Sands accident man’s hand A CONSTRUCTION worker who is employed in Brazil was yesterday sentenced to three years’ imprisonment by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he admitted to unlawful wounding.

Richard Martin, 47, pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on January 5, 2015, at Central Rupununi, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Sherlan Kissoon, aka Coolie Dread, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or cause him actual bodily harm.

The facts are that on the day in question, the defendant and the virtual complainant had a misunderstanding, as a result of which the defendant took a cutlass from his pants waist and chopped the virtual complainant. The wound caused Kissoon to have his left hand amputated.

The defendant left the country after the incident, but was charged for the offence upon his return to Guyana.

Accused was returning horse, not stealing it A RUPUNUNI rancher who reportedly stole a stallion appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, charged with larceny.

Martin Scipio of Mocu Mocu Village, Rupununi pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that, between November 1 and December 30, 2015, at St Ignatius Village, Central Rupununi, he stole one brown stallion valued at $120,000, property of Bernard Simon.

Attorney Jed Vasconcellos, who represented Scipio, requested bail, stating that on the day in question, his client was returning the horse to its owner, and was not attempting to steal it.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones did not object to bail, but stated that the defendant, in the company of others, did attempt to steal the horse.

Magistrate McLennan granted bail to the defendant in the sum of $25,000. The case was transferred to the Lethem Magistrate’s Court for February 29 recall.

ONE of the two Essequibo motorists involved in an accident on the Lima Sands Public Road on Sunday has succumbed.

He is 28-year-old Lakeram Lall of Anna Regina Housing Scheme. He died at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) at 08:30hrs yesterday, after being rushed to the city along with the other injured motorist, Ganesh Lalbacchan, on Monday.

Lakeram Lall, a father of five, is said to have suffered severe head injuries and was rushed into theatre to be operated on, but remained unconscious to the time of his death.

The survivor, Ganesh Lalbacchan, 36, a rice farmer and father of three, has suffered a broken right leg and right arm, along with injuries to his right ankle and instep. Speaking from his hospital bed yesterday, he recounted the accident, saying that at about 11:30 hrs on Sunday, he was negotiating a bend at the Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI) Chinese Lock area on his motor cycle when the accident happened.

Lalbacchan said another motorist proceeding from the opposite direction on his motor cycle crashed into him, and they were both knocked unconscious, and lay on the roadway for some time until they were picked up by the driver of a passing minibus, who rushed them both to the Suddie Hospital, where they were placed in the Intensive Care Unit until the following morning when they were transferred to the GPHC. Lalbacchan’s wife, Drupattie Persaud, who along with other relatives travelled to Georgetown to help take care of her injured husband, though grieved over the injuries he has suffered, is thankful that he is alive. In the meantime, they are refraining from telling Lalbacchan that the other motor cyclist is dead.

“We cannot tell him now, until his condition is stabilized, because his pressure might go up, and we don’t want that,” Drupattie told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday.

Ganesh Lalbacchan was injured in a motor cycle accident

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Lady Jags full of optimism ahead of clash with Canada

By Rawle Toney in Houston, Texas

GUYANA’S National Female football team, popularly known as the Lady Jags, arrived in Houston Texas ahead of their CONCACAF Olympic Qualifier match against Canada at the BBVA Compass Stadium tomorrow, with the team brimming with optimism.

Canada, ranked #11 in the world by FIFA, and second behind world #1 USA in the CONCACAF Region, will be playing Guyana for the second time, doing so first at the 2010 Gold Cup in Cancun, Mexico, where they defeated the ‘GT’ women 8-0.

That year (2010) Canada won the Gold Cup. Guyana recently moved two places up the FIFA World Ranking to 89, but are still the lowest-ranked team in the tournament and, along with Puerto Rico, are making their debut at the event which will be used to select CONCACAF’s two representatives for the Olympic Games in Brazil.

Nonetheless, head coach Mark Rodrigues told Chronicle Sport that the ladies are full of optimism and welcome their ‘underdog’ status.

Clement Brown will serve as Rodrigues’ assistant; along with goalkeeping coach Richard Reynolds, Sheron Abrams as manager and physiotherapist David Lawrence.

“The legacy of the Lady Jags will continue to be written in Houston, Texas,” said the always smiling and humble Rodrigues.

Guyana have been placed in Group B of the tournament, along with Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala, while World Champions USA head the perceived ‘Group of Death’ that also includes rivals Mexico, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica.

By virtue of defeating Jamaica 2-1 to finish third in the CFU tournament (behind winners Trinidad and second-placed Puerto Rico) in the Twin Island Republic, Lady Jags have qualified for their second CONCACAF tournament, making them the country’s most successful football outfit, given the fact that our men’s national team are yet to play in a major confederation championship.

Rodrigues’ squad is made of up of players who were standouts in the USA and Canada collegiate system who have gone on to play professionally across North America and Europe.

Meanwhile, CONCACAF has officially released the roster for the eight participating teams in the tournament.

The CONCACAF Women’s Olympic

SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Greyville 08:25 hrs Killarney House 09:05 hrs Scarlet Rivera 09:40 hrs Olma 10:15 hrs Gumbi 10:55 hrs Seek The Summit ENGLISH RACING TIPS Southwell

Qualifying Championship Texas 2016 will qualify two teams directly for the 2016 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.

Toyota Stadium in Dallas will host all Group A matches, while BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston will host all Group B matches, the semi-finals and the final.

The Championship will be televised across the region, including coverage on NBC Sports in English and Telemundo in Spanish, in the United States.

GUYANA GK (3) – Derienne Busby (University of Evansville/USA); Ruth George (Lil Diva’s FC/GUY); Chante Sandiford (UMF Selfoss/ ISL); DF (8) – Briana DeSouza (Durham United FC/CAN); Kayla DeSouza (Durham United FC/CAN); Julia Gonsalves (University of Toronto/CAN); Kailey Leila (Unattached); Kelly Pelz-Butler (Unattached); Leah-Marie Ramalho (Toronto Rangers SC/CAN); Justine Rodrigues (Unattached); Bria Williams (Vaughan SC/CAN); MF (7) – Dana Marie Bally (York University/CAN); Mariam El-Masri (GS United/CAN); Olivia Gonsalves (University of Toronto/CAN); Alison Heydorn (Ann Arbor United SC/USA); Brittany Persaud (Unattached); Ashley Rodrigues (Tampa Bay Hellenic/USA); Ashlee Savona (Unattached); FW (2) – Otesha Charles (Unattached); Calaigh Copland (Woodbridge Strikers SC/ CAN); CANADA GK (3) – Sabrina D’Angelo (Western New York Flash/USA); Stephanie Labbe (Washington Spirit/USA); Erin McLeod (Unattached); DF (5) – Josée Belanger (Orlando Pride/ USA); Kadeisha Buchanan (West Virginia University/USA); Allysha Chapman (Houston Dash/USA); Rhian Wilkinson (Unattached); Shelina Zadorsky (Washington Spirit/USA); MF (6) – Jessie Fleming (London Nor’West SC/CAN); Ashley Lawrence (West Virginia University/USA); Diana Matheson (Washington Spirit/USA); Rebecca Quinn (Duke University/USA); Sophie Schmidt (FFC Frankfurt/GER); Desiree Scott (Unattached); FW (6) – Janine Beckie (Houston Dash/ USA); Gabrielle Carle (Dynamo de Québec/CAN); Nichelle Prince (Ohio State University/USA); Deanne Rose (Scarborough GS United/CAN); Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns FC /USA); Melissa Tancredi (Unattached)

09:10 hrs Sir Geoffrey 09:40 hrs Pass The Time 10:45 hrs Grey friarschorista 11:20 hrs Mystic Blaze 11:55 hrs Loud 12:25 hrs Eium Mac CARLISLE 09:50 hrs Dakota Grey 10:20 hrs Jonny Eager 10:55 hrs Miss Tiggy 11:30 hrs Mosco Me 12:35 hrs Captain

Redbeard AMERICAN RACING TIPS Gulfstream Park Race 1 Sanotifica Race 2 Almost an Angel Race 3 Brevard Race 4 Battery Race 5 J La Tache Race 6 Proud Lady Race 7 Money Illusion Race 8 Dakota Queen

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Olympic medals prospect Kenya causes stir in weighing Zika and Rio Games

By Drazen Jorgic NAIROBI, Kenya (Reuters) - Kenya, with its stellar medal prospects for the Rio Games, caused a stir yesterday when the head of its Olympics committee said the team might withdraw because of Zika, but officials said later it was too soon to decide on the impact of the virus.

The mosquito-borne virus, which is widespread in Brazil and has been linked to birth defects, has prompted concern among athletes and sports officials around the world as they prepare for the August 5-21 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) head, Kipchoge Keino, said yesterday the country would not “risk taking Kenyans there if this Zika virus reaches epidemic levels,” and that he was seeking reassurance from organisers.

But NOCK played down the comments, saying the East African country was monitoring the potential health threats from the disease and receiving regular updates.

“It is too early to make a determination on the status of the virus during the Games time which is six months away,” said NOCK’s chief of

mission for Rio, Stephen Soi. NOCK said Keino “may have been quoted out of context”.

Kenya’s sports minister Hassan Wario said yesterday the country has not yet decided whether to take part after meeting with health officials, according to the best-selling Daily Nation newspaper.

Kenyan athletes include some of the best middle and long-distance runners in the world and would likely be among the star performers in Rio. Zika has spread through most of the Americas, with Brazil the most affected country. The World Health Organization declared an international health emergency on February 1 over the virus, citing concern over a possible link with a rise in cases of microcephaly, a birth defect characterised by an abnormally small head that can result in developmental problems. However, a causal link has not been proved.

WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier, asked about travel advice for the Olympics, especially for pregnant women, said at a briefing in Geneva yesterday that the U.N. agency had no specific travel recommendations now. He added, “If you are pregnant, or wishing to get

pregnant, consult with your specific health authorities on specific country travel advice.”

The agency “is fully leaving it to national authorities to give out travel advice to the best knowledge and evidence they have available in the interest of their people,”

National Olympic Committee of Kenya head Kipchoge Keino he said.

Sports authorities are watching developments closely. In many countries the approach appears to be keeping informed and understanding that the decision to go to Rio will come down to individual athletes. Still, the suggestion that athletes might choose to skip the Games is

a worry for Olympic organisers.

The United States Olympic Committee told U.S. sports federations in late January that athletes and staff concerned for their health should consider not going to the Games. The message was delivered in a conference call involving USOC officials and leaders of U.S. sport federations, according to two people who participated in the call.

A u s t r a l i a ’s O l y m p i c Committee has said no athletes have indicated they intend to withdraw, but it would “totally understand” if they did. Similarly, New Zealand’s Olympic Committee has warned athletes and officials of the risks and a committee spokesman said any competitors who decided to opt out would receive the committee’s “absolute support”.

Australian tennis player and former U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur said fears over the virus would play no part in her planning.

“It’s not going to deter me from going,” she told Reuters. “But obviously there are a lot of precautions you need to take moving forward to be there, but the Australian Olympic team are very thorough.”

Two umpires banned, four investigated over corruption- ITF

By Martyn Herman LONDON, England (Reuters) - Two tennis umpires were banned last year, one for life, for breaches of the sport’s Code of Conduct for Officials, governing body the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said yesterday.

Four other umpires are under investigation by the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU), the London-based ITF said.

The sport is already reeling from revelations in a report by the BBC and BuzzFeed in January that 16 players who have been ranked in the top 50 had been repeatedly flagged to the TIU over concerns they had thrown matches.

Tennis authorities rejected allegations that evidence of match-fixing had been suppressed or had not been properly investigated over the past decade, although they recently announced an

independent review of integrity in the sport.

The spectre of match umpires possibly colluding with betting syndicates by manipulating live scoring data at low-ranking events, as alleged in Britain’s Guardian newspaper yesterday, is a further blow to the sport’s image.

The ITF said Kazakhstan’s Kirill Parfenov was banned for life last February for contacting another official on Facebook in an attempt to manipulate the scoring of matches.

Croatian Denis Pitner was suspended in August for 12 months after sending information about a player to a coach during a tournament and regularly logging on to a betting account from which bets were placed on tennis matches.

In 2014 French tennis official Morgan Lamri was banned for multiple breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption

Programme.

Explaining why the latest suspensions had only just been disclosed, the ITF said that its Code of Conduct for Officials did not require those sanctioned to be named, until the code was tweaked at the start of the year.

The ITF would not comment on the Guardian report that said umpires from Kazakhstan, Turkey and Ukraine were among those being investigated, saying that details of alleged offences would only be made public if they were found guilty.

It did respond to suggestions that a five-year deal worth a reported $70M with data company Sportradar had inadvertently exposed tennis to corruption.

Sportradar can pass on scoring data from umpires, even at bottom-rung Futures circuit tournaments, to ‘in-

play’ betting websites around the world.

The Guardian said that by deliberately delaying inputting the outcome of a point, umpires can help court-side gamblers to place bets knowing what was going to happen next.

“The ITF’s data contract with Sportradar for an official data feed provides regulation and control where previously there was none,” a statement said.

“Our agreement with Sportradar, like those in place with ATP and WTA, by creating official, accurate and immediate data, acts as a deterrent to efforts by anyone trying to conduct illegal sports betting and/or unauthorised use of data for non-legal purposes.

Sportradar is an excellent partner and shares with the ITF the goal of ensuring the integrity of our sport.

The disease, which produces no symptoms in most people who are infected and relatively mild illness in those who do show symptoms, is mostly viewed as a threat to pregnant women or women who might get pregnant, because of the possible link to birth defects.

While it is predominantly transmitted by mosquito, researchers are studying the possibility of infection through blood and sexual contact.

British Olympic Association Chairman Lord Sebastian Coe said none of the country’s athletes was reluctant to go. But British rower Andrew Triggs Hodge said his wife Eeke would not accompany him because of the “very real and frightening threat” posed by Zika.

There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, so combating the outbreak is focused on eradicating mosquito populations and preventing mosquito bites.

Brazilian officials and Olympic organisers have said that August is mid-winter in the southern hemisphere so the weather in Rio will be drier and cooler than usual, and less hospitable for the mosquito that spreads the virus.

But scientists say even if less active than in warmer

months, the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, never actually disappears.

‘NO NEED FOR PANIC’ German sports officials have sent a brochure to teams, coaches and medical staff containing information on the virus and basic precautionary measures.

The country’s Olympic Sports Confederation spokesman, Michael Schirp, told Reuters a specialist on infections would brief the German team’s medical staff in April.

“We found out that what we can do at this very moment is prevention. This whole situation is very dynamic at the moment,” Schirp said. “The brochure we sent ends fittingly with the phrase that there is no need for panic,” he added.

Many leading male golfers are among those determined not to miss Rio, when their sport returns to the Olympics after an absence of more than a century.

“We’re used to being in different climates and different areas with many different concerns, not just the Zika virus or whatever it might be, so we realise the dangers when we do travel,” said American world number 14 Brandt Snedeker.

Sri Lanka pacemen hand India five-wicket T20 defeat (REUTERS) - Inexperienced Sri Lanka fast bowlers Kasun Rajitha and Dasun Shanaka took three wickets apiece to bundle out India for 101 and set up a five-wicket victory in the first Twenty20 international yesterday.

Rajitha, making his international debut, dismissed Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane in the first over to give Sri Lanka a perfect start after they chose to bowl first on a green-tinged surface at Pune.

The paceman also sent back Shikhar Dhawan as India, top-ranked in the shortest format, continued losing wickets trying to play high-risk shots.

Shanaka, playing only his second match for Sri Lanka, sent back Suresh Raina and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in one over to dent India’s chances of posting a competitive total.

Ravichandran Ashwin top-scored with an unbeaten 31 to take India past the three-figure mark, which looked a distant prospect at one stage with the hosts struggling at 72 for eight.

Ashish Nehra picked up two early wickets to give India a glimmer of hope but a 39-run stand between captain Dinesh Chandimal (35) and Chamara Kapugedera (25) put the tourists back on course.

Sri Lanka, missing fast bowler and regular captain Lasith Malinga, all-rounder Angelo Mathews and spinner Rangana Herath in the series due to injuries, stuttered once again with off-spinner Ashwin picking up two wickets.

But Milinda Siriwardana hit 21 off 14 balls as Sri Lanka reached their target with two overs to spare.

The second match of the series will be played in the eastern Indian city of Ranchi on Friday.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

de Kock, Amla centuries help South Africa sink England PRETORIA, South Africa (Reuters) - Centuries from openers Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla guided South Africa to a seven-wicket victory over England yesterday that kept alive their hopes of winning the five-match series of one-day internationals.

Joe Root made a sparkling 125 as England, after winning the toss and electing to bat, piled up 318 for eight in 50 overs. de Kock (135) and Amla (127) then amassed 239 for the first wicket to lay the platform before South Africa reached the target with 22 balls to spare to cut their series deficit to 2-1.

Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla put on 239 for the first wicket.

England, seeking to become the first touring team to win a Test and ODI series in South Africa for 14 years, now bid to clinch overall victory in Johannesburg on Friday. de Kock, 23, was particularly brutal as he became the youngest player to record 10 ODI hundreds. He also made an unbeaten ton in the first game in Bloemfontein.

Amla cut and pulled his way to a 22nd ODI century, and third in a row at Centurion Park.

Earlier, Root eased to his seventh ODI century with a masterful display of power and placement, hitting 10 fours and five sixes.

Root added 125 for the second wicket with opener Alex Hales (65) and 82 for the fifth with Ben Stokes (53) before being run-out following a calamitous mix-up with

the latter.

Paceman Kyle Abbott took two for 50 and was the only South African bowler to keep his economy rate under six an over.

SCOREBOARD ENGLAND innings J. Roy run-out 20 A. Hales c M. Morkel b Rabada 65 J. Root run-out 125 J. Buttler c Duminy b Rabada 0 E. Morgan c Amla b Wiese 8 B. Stokes c Behardien b Abbott 53 M. Ali c Amla b M. Morkel 3 C. Jordan c Duminy b Abbott 3 D. Willey not out 13 A. Rashid not out 13 Extras: (b-4, lb-3, w-8) 15 Total: (for 8 wickets, 50 overs) 318 Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-161, 3-162, 4-187, 5-269, 6-284, 7-291, 8-291.

Bowling: K. Abbott 10-0-50-2 (w-3), K. Rabada 10-0-65-2 (w-3), M. Morkel 10-0-63-1 (w-1), D. Wiese 10-0-64-1, I. Tahir 8-0-56-0 (w-1), F. Behardien 2-0-13-0.

SOUTH AFRICA innings Q. de Kock c Root b Rashid 135 H. Amla c Buttler b Jordan 127 D. Wiese b Ali 7 F. du Plessis not out 33 A. de Villiers not out 0 Extras: (lb-5, nb-3, w-9) 17 Total: (for 3 wickets, 46.2 overs) 319 Fall of wickets: 1-239, 2-249, 3-311.

Bowling: D. Willey 5-0-40-0, R. Topley 6-0-46-0 (w-1), B. Stokes 8.20-54-0 (nb-1, w-2), C. Jordan 7-0-54-1 (nb-1, w-4), M. Ali 10-0-75-1 (nb-1, w-1), A. Rashid 10-0-45-1 (w-1).

Big European clubs support Holder sits out Infantino for FIFA presidency Volcanoes clash

By Julien Pretot PARIS, France (Reuters) - Europe’s biggest soccer clubs have backed UEFA interim chief Gianni Infantino’s FIFA presidential campaign, having worked closely with the Swiss through their umbrella European Club Association (ECA) group.

ECA vice-chairman Umberto Gandini announced the decision yesterday at a news conference during the general assembly of the organisation, which represents over 200 clubs including major ones such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Bayern Munich.

“We know Gianni very well. He has been instrumental in the creation of the relationship between UEFA and the ECA,” Gandini said. “We see his candidacy as a nice opportunity for him which hopefully will benefit football worldwide.

“He has the skills to perform very well,” he added ahead of this month’s vote at the scandal-plagued world governing body.

The independent ECA, which replaced the G-14 group of leading clubs in 2008, has two representatives on the UEFA executive committee but has no direct role in the presidential voting which is conducted by FIFA’s 209 members.

The other election candidates are Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, ex-FIFA executive committee member Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, former FIFA deputy general secretary Jerome Champagne

and South African Tokyo Sexwale, a former political prisoner who was jailed alongside Nelson Mandela.

UEFA’s Infantino and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) chief Salman are front-runners to win the February 26 vote at FIFA, which has been embroiled in a huge corruption

UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino scandal with 41 people and entities indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Salman has the backing of his own AFC and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), while 45-year-old Infantino, UEFA general secretary, has the support of his European organisation, along with the 10-member South American confederation CONMEBOL. The ECA also voiced its strong opposition to the possible expansion of the World Cup from 32 to

40 teams – an idea supported by Infantino.

“This is in the hands of FIFA and it will be in the hands of the new FIFA structure after the election,” said Gandini.

“We will expect to be at the table to discuss all the possible reforms and we will bring our contribution and our evaluation, which can only be negative today.

“We are not there yet (at the point where changes to the World Cup format would be made) but we are not now in a situation of supporting such an idea,” he added.

The ECA promotes its members interests on European club matters and aims to maintain a high level of involvement in the decision-making of the game’s governing bodies.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Test captain Jason Holder will sit out Barbados Pride’s sixth round clash in the Regional First Class Championship against Windward Islands Volcanoes at Kensington Oval this weekend.

The 24-year-old was not among the 13-man squad announced Monday for the contest, with the Barbados Cricket Association noting that he had asked to be excused from the game.

Holder, a steady seamer and powerful lower order batsman, recently led Pride to the final of the Regional Super50 in Trinidad and Tobago where they lost to reigning champions and hosts Red Force.

He recently led West Indies on tours of Sri Lanka

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday February 10, 2016) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 2264512)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Andy Ganteaume (WI) & Rodney Redmond (NZ) (2) Anthony Stuart (AUST)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) When & where did Alvin Kallicharran captain the WI in a Test for the first time?

(2) Against which team did Viv Richards contest an ODI for the first time?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

JASON HOLDER and then Australia before returning to play in the Regional Super50.

The Pride squad will be led by West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite and includes his current Test teammates Carlos Brathwaite, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope, Kemar Roach and Miguel Cummins.

Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, who also plays for West Indies, has been left out due to injury.

Pride lie second in the four-day standings, 22 points adrift of leaders and title-holders Guyana Jaguars.

Volcanoes are fifth on 29 points.

SQUAD – Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Carlos Brathwaite, Sulieman Benn, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Kyle Corbin, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope, Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach, Kevin Stoute.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

Anmolpreet, Sarfaraz fifties put India Under-19s in final

INDIA soared to the final of the Under-19 World Cup, for the fifth time, after their dominant 97-run win against Sri Lanka in the first semi-final in Mirpur.

India’s top order was tested by Sri Lanka’s pacers on a pitch with a tinge of green, but Anmolpreet Singh and Sarfaraz Khan added 96 together, and from there, there was no stopping India, as they eventually sealed the victory with 44 balls to spare.

This means that India now have a shot at winning the title for an unprecedented fourth time, as they await either hosts Bangladesh or West Indies who will clash in the second semi-final at the same venue, tomorrow.

Chasing 268, Sri Lanka were dealt an early blow when pacer Avesh Khan had Avishka Fernando leg-before in the first over. Kaveen Bandara, the other opener, was soon after run-out for four, following a mix-up between the wickets.

In the tenth over, Mahipal Lomror moved smartly to his left from mid-on to catch Charith Asalanka’s top edge, reducing Sri Lanka to 42 for 3. This left Kamindu Mendis and Shammu Ashan with a lot to do amid scoreboard pressure.

They batted slowly, sharing 49 in 13.5 overs, before Mendis was snapped up by Washington Sundar at short fine-leg off left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar. Lomror then injured his right ankle while trying to stop a drive, and limped off the field, three balls into his first over. He did

not bowl further in the match.

Ashan made 38 before India captain Ishan Kishan ran him out, with some sharp piece of fielding from midwicket. Vishad Randika and Wanidu Hasaranga exited in the space of three

Man-of-the-Match Anmolpreet Singh plays a pull shot in his innings of 72. overs, as Sri Lanka fell to 149 for 7. Dagar then came back and wrapped up the tail, finishing with figures of 3 for 21.

India ran into early trouble of their own when seamers

R&R Int’l back-to-back races for local cyclists this weekend NATIONAL cycle coach Hassan Mohamed has organised back-to-back cycle races for local cyclists this weekend. The races are being sponsored

by R&R International Limited and this will be the company’s 25th year of sponsoring the two events.

The first programme is scheduled for the inner circuit of the National Park and will consist of 11 races with the first event wheeling off at 09:00hrs.

On Sunday, there will be a 40-mile road race on the West Demerara beginning at 08:00hrs in the vicinity of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

S a t u r d a y ’s a c t i v i ty will see cyclists in a number of age groups battle for honours with the feature event being a 35-lap race which is open to schoolboys, novices and invitational pedal-pushers.

The defending champion is Hamza Eastman who unfortunately will not be defending his title, since he left Guyana last week for the United States of America (USA) to train and compete on the U.S. circuit.

Last year, Eastman registered one hour, 15 minutes .03 seconds in winning the 35-lap race and in his absence on Saturday, the

event will be wide open to attract a new winner.

Who that cyclist will be is anyone’s guess. Since the 2016 season started

Hamza Eastman will not be defending his title on Saturday. last month, there has been some scintillating performances by a number of cyclists including Romelo Crawford and Andrew Hicks of Berbice, Team Gillette Evolution’s Marlon `Fishy’ Williams, Orville Hinds and Raul Leal.

Team Coco’s Raynauth `Obeahman’ Jeffrey is yet to make an impression this season and hopefully he will be eyeing a victory on Saturday.

Apart from the above-mentioned names,

there are others who are likely to stamp their authority, come Saturday. There are the likes of Warren McKay, Geron Williams, Robin Persaud and Michael Anthony.

Other races on the card include a 10-lap race for juveniles with the defending champion being Jaleel Jackson who returned 22 minutes 55.11 seconds in winning the event last year.

There will also be fivelap races for veterans under and over 50 years of age as well as three-lap races for boys and girls 12-14 years old, three-lap races for BMK boys 9-12 years old, a three-lap race for mountain bikers and twolap races for boys and girls 6-9 years old.

Junior Niles is the defending champion for the five-lap race for veterans under 50 years of age. Last year he clocked 11 minutes, 27.56 seconds in winning the event.

Davenand Kapilnauth won the boys and girls three-lap event last year in a time of nine minutes 52.28 seconds while Shawn Boodhram won the threelap race for mountain bikers.

Jacob Rambarran Jr is expected to assist in the distribution of prizes to the respective winners.

Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara removed Rishabh Pant and Kishan by the tenth over.

Both openers struggled against pace and bounce, before edging away-going deliveries in a bid to break free.

Both catches were taken by wicketkeeper Randika, though the first one was deemed clean only after several replays.

Sarfaraz and Anmolpreet came together and rode out threatening spells from the pacers, especially Asitha. Sarfaraz and Anmolpreet found their bearings once Sri Lanka introduced their spinners. Sarfaraz struck four fours with cuts, slog sweeps and orthodox sweeps.

He even sent Damitha Silva over long-off for a six. Sarfaraz was dismissed when he miscued Asitha to mid-on in the 31st over.

Anmolpreet, who was reprieved on 32 at cover, cashed in, and reached his fifty off 69 balls with a wristy flick through midwicket. Anmolpreet then found good company from Sundar as India took the game away from Sri Lanka.

They kept India ticking before Anmolpreet attempted a ramp and was given out caught-behind, though replays suggested that it was deflected off the sleeve.

Sundar, too, was caught by Randika, after hitting 43 off 45 balls, including three fours. Lomror and Dagar then produced cameos as India took 49 from the last five overs.

(ESPN Cricinfo)

One slate submitted for GMR&SC presidency WITH the Annual General Meeting and Election of office-bearers for the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) set for tomorrow, up to press time last night, only one slate had been submitted.

According to club’s website, the one slate which sees Mahendra Boodhoo running for presidency is proposed by Cyril Angoy and seconded

by Mohamad S. Roshandin.

Boodhoo is a former vice-president of the club and is one of the main persons pushing to have the

MAHENDRA BOODHOO redesigned South Dakota Circuit become a reality.

The other hopefuls

include Chetram Singh as Vice President, Shane Ally as Secretary, Hansraj Singh as Treasurer, Peter Peroune Assistant Secretary Treasurer, Club Captain Harold Hopkinson and Technical Adviser Brian Ten Pow The slate also has Paul Jiwanram, Diana D’Ornellas, Rameez Mohammed, current president Jonny Carpenter and Irfaan Kalamadeen as committee members.

The election is set for 19:00hrs at the Club in Thomas Lands.

NOTABLE DATES HARD-hitting heavyweight Andre `Stone’ Purlette remained undefeated and picked up his 26th knockout victim when he crushed American Craig Payne in two rounds. The fight was held on February 10, 2001 in Miami, Florida and the result allowed the Guyanese to improve to 29-0.

Eight months and three fights and later the power-puncher was crowned the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) North American Boxing Organisation

(NABO) heavyweight champion following a second-round TKO of Jeremy Bates.

Referee Armado Garcia rushed in to wave it off at one minute and 29 seconds of the round. However, Purlette had his unbeaten run halted in his next bout. Cuban-born American southpaw was able to solve the Guyanese equation and crushed the `Stone’ via a fifth round knockout.

Purlette had three more defeats in the next 11 fights and finally quit

ANDRE PURLETTE the ring in 2009. His professional record reads 40 wins (35 KOs) and four losses.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 10, 2016

RHTY&SC gets support Sammy’s letter in full for 2016 Work Programme To all concerned at WICB

THE Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) has committed to completing 300 programmes/activities in 2016 under the sub-headings of sports, education, charity, youth and community development, employment, coaching, anti-crime, anti-suicide, among others.

The Club’s planned activities over the last week received a major boost with several corporate entities and individuals making contributions.

Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, Republic Bank (Guy) Ltd, Ming’s Product Service, Cameron and Shepherd, Modern Optical Service, John Fernandes Ltd, Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL), Goodwood Racing Service and 4R Bearings all made various contributions to the RHTY&SC 2016 list of activities.

The Management of Ming’s Products and Services donated a large quality of cricket balls to the Club’s cricket

development programme while Ansa McAl contributed 100 anti-suicide coloured T/shirts to its social awareness campaign.

Club secretary Hilbert Foster and executive member Mark Papanunah received financial contributions from the donors and expressed gratitude to them for their support.

Foster disclosed that the RHTY&SC, which in 2015 celebrated its Silver Jubilee anniversary with a record 302 programmes/activities, has committed itself to surpassing that figure in 2016.

Special emphasis would be placed in expanding the club’s highly successful ‘Say No to Drugs, Crime, Suicide and Say Yes to Education/Sports’ programme, its charity assistance programme to less fortunate families and NGOs, community-related projects and expanding its cricket development programme.

The RHTY&SC, Foster also disclosed, would be actively involved in Guyana’s Golden Jubilee Independence Anniversary by hosting at least three major programmes including a Rose Hall Town Night.

The long-serving Secretary/CEO and former National Sports Personality-of-the-Year Awardee reassured all of the donors that their contributions would be used for its intended purpose and all of the club’s objectives for 2016 would be achieved.

The RHTY&SC, he stated is currently undertaking an internal assessment of its operations to strengthen its ability to get things done quicker and have a greater impact on society.

Special mention was made of Nigel Hughes, Dr. Jose Da Silva, Chetram Singh, Ralph Ramkarran, Ricky Deonarine and the Fernandes family acknowledging their support of the RHTY&SC.

“I AM sending this as captain of the West Indies T20 side and as a collective representative of the 15 man squad selected for the upcoming T20 World Cup. We have collectively discussed the remuneration on offer to participate in the T20 World Cup. Considering that 14 out of the 15-man squad are not part of WIPA - and hence have not given authorisation to WIPA to negotiate on our behalf - and a large number do not receive any significant remuneration from WICB at all, we want the opportunity to negotiate fairly the financial terms within the contract.

The 2015 World Cup took place with the WI squad remunerated under the terms and conditions that had been in place for the World Cups previous - ie that 25% of income received by the WICB for participating in the tournament was distributed to the squad.

We do not understand - nor accept - just 1 year later being offered contracts to participate in a major ICC World Cup that show such huge financial reductions.

We want to represent the West Indies but the financials on offer we can’t accept.

Obviously I am not privy to exact numbers paid to the WICB from the ICC, but I understand US$8M will be paid to the Board.

Traditionally 25% has been paid to the squad. That would equate to US$2M/15 therefore approximately US$133 000 per player.

Worse case scenario the squad would earn $414 000 collectively under the terms of the contract offered by WICB to participate in the T20 World Cup 2016. That is just over 5%. A staggering difference, a near 80% reduction.

We want to propose we participate in the T20 World Cup 2016 under the same terms we have represented the West Indies in previous tournaments.

Please, can you address this urgently? The T20 World Cup is just a matter of weeks away.

DARREN SAMMY

Nigel Hughes presents donation to RHTY&SC assistant secretary Franklyn Ross.

Gill praises under-pressure Hetmyer

SHIMRON HETMYER

FATULLAH, Bangladesh (CMC) – Captain Shimron Hetmyer’s character has come in for high praise from team management following his half-century in a winning cause against Pakistan Under-19s in Monday’s quarter-final of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup. The Guyanese batsman, struggling with poor form, had come under tremendous pressure following the run-out controversy against Zimbabwe in the last group game, but hit an aggressive 52 to help propel Young West Indies to a convincing five-wicket victory over the Pakistanis.

“Hetmyer has been one of the leading players at the youth level for the last few years so he’s a player we felt would always come good and he came good when it really mattered,” team manager Dwain Gill told CMC Sports.

“He came in under a lot of pressure; as captain he came in for a lot of criticism but on the day we were confident he

would deliver and now we expect him to go from strength to strength.”

Hetmyer entered the World Cup as the Caribbean side’s leading batsman but prior to Monday, had managed only 23 runs from four innings.

However, he picked himself up, striking eight fours and a six in a breezy 42-ball innings to help lay the foundation for the Young Windies victory.

Gill said Hetmyer, having got a start, should have carried on and made a bigger score but hopes the innings can be the start of a run of form.

“This is just one innings and we are disappointed he couldn’t have finished the match,” Gill noted.

“He should have been there at the end but having said that he really took the attack to the bowlers. We’re glad he’s come to the party and we’re looking for more leadership for him.”

West Indies face Bangladesh in the second semi-final tomorrow.

LABA’s Hamid to hold meeting with coaches, referees and captains today FORMER national coach and player Abdulla Hamid has been appointed to head the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA), coaches and referees committee and will meet the coaches, captains and senior players of the association at a technical meeting this afternoon at the Mackenzie Sports Club pavilion at 17:00hrs.

LABA president Larry Simon will introduce Hamid to the coaches, captains and senior players and explain the purpose of the meeting as the association prepares to hold its first tournament for this year, the LABA/104.3 Power FM Mash Open Championship, which starts on Friday at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.

Secretary of LABA, Joseph Chapman, explained that based on the negative reports from some quarters regarding the standard of officiating, the decision was taken at the Annual General Meeting that there is need to address those reports. In addition, Hamid had offered the association his services to assist in the refereeing and officiating aspects of the game and the association has now taken up that offer.

Hamid will have a team of coaches and referees who will give a report to the association and seek ways to increase and improve the standard of officiating. Hamid will be assisted by referee Ashton Angel (Jr), coach Kevin Joseph, LABA organising secretary Christopher Pollydore. The resource person is FIBA referee Sherwin Henry.

All the clubs have been asked to send their coaches, captains and senior players to today’s meeting so that issues can be discussed and looked at for the improvement of the game ahead of the start of this new tournament on Friday.

Sammy’s letter in full See story on page 35

Lady Jags full of optimism ahead of clash with Canada See story on page 33

See story on page 34

Some members of the Lady Jags squad after they arrived in Houston Texas on Monday

Contracts crisis threatens Windies on eve of World Twenty20

By George Dobell WEST Indies cricket is facing the prospect of a player strike on the eve of the World Twenty20 after the 15-man squad appeared collectively to reject the contracts on offer from the WICB. Darren Sammy, captain of the West Indies T20 side, has written to the board stating the players “can’t accept” what they perceive as “huge financial reductions” in the terms compared to previous global tournaments which, he says, amounts to an 80% cut.

Sammy also stated that 14 of the 15-man squad are not part of WIPA (the West Indies Players’ Association) and therefore had not given the organisation the authority to negotiate on their behalf.

Though Sammy himself stopped short of threatening to withdraw from the tournament, ESPNcricinfo understands that other squad members have not ruled out the possibility. He made it clear that the players would not accept the current offer and called upon the board to “address this urgently”.

“We want to represent the West Indies but the financials on offer we can’t accept,” Sammy wrote.

“Obviously I am not privy to exact numbers paid to the WICB from the ICC, but I understand US$8M will be paid to the Board.

WICB chief executive officer Michael Muirhead “Traditionally 25% has been paid to the squad. That would equate to US$2M/15 therefore approximately US$133 000 per player.

“Worse case scenario the squad would earn $414 000

collectively under the terms of the contract offered by WICB to participate in the T20 World Cup 2016. That is just over 5%, a staggering difference, a near 80% reduction.

“We want to propose we participate in the T20 World Cup 2016 under the same terms we have represented the West Indies in previous tournaments.

“Please, can you address this urgently. The T20 World Cup is just a matter of weeks away.”

But the premise of Sammy’s argument was quickly dismissed by Michael Muirhead, the CEO of the WICB. He insisted that the sums mentioned in Sammy’s statement were “totally incorrect” and reminded the team that WIPA remains the “recognised collective bargaining representative of West Indies cricketers and therefore negotiates the remuneration between WICB and each West Indian player, whether such player is or is not a member of WIPA.” “We are not sure where you obtained this information, but assure you it is to-

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9

tally incorrect,” Muirhead stated in connection with the $8M figure.

“As a result of the ICC revamp which was agreed on 8th February 2014, the ICC has changed the manner in which distributions to Full Members in relation to ICC events are paid - starting from the ICC WT20 2016. These payments are now spread out and distributed over an eightyear cycle, rather than being paid out in a lump sum and attributed to any one event.

“It is therefore not possible to identify a particular sum which will be paid to the WICB by the ICC in respect of the WT20 2016.

“While it is true that WICB has previously calculated compensation to the ICC event squad members as a percentage of the ICC distribution received in relation to the particular event; because of the reason outlined above, it is not possible to calculate a percentage to be paid to the Squad, as the ICC distribution is no longer being made in the traditional manner.

“The WICB, in recognition of this, and in an effort at fairness and transparen-

cy, allocates 25% of WICB revenues estimated over a four-year period - including ICC distributions - to players, through a guaranteed minimum revenue pool, out of which player payments are made.

“Anything in excess of

West Indies World T20 captain Darren Sammy this minimum over the relevant four-year cycle, will be divided solely among the international players, as agreed with WIPA. “The remuneration to the players for the WT20 com-

prises an agreed match fee of three times the usual fee, plus 50% of the net proceeds of any sponsorship for the event, and 80% of any prize money earned by the team. Note that for this tournament, the prize money has increased substantially from the previous WT20, moving from a gross total of US$3M to US$5.6M, of which the winner will receive US$1.6M.” Muirhead signed off his reply by making it quite clear the WICB was not prepared to compromise.

“We are unable to move the deadline of 14:00hrs ECT on 14th February 2016 for receipt of the signed player contracts for the WT20 2016.”

West Indies won the 2012 version of the tournament and recently returned to the top of the ICC T20 rankings. They are currently rated as the world’s second-best international T20 side.

But as so often in recent years, it appears the toxic relationship between the board and the players threatens to undermine the team’s progress. (ESPN Cricinfo) WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2016