Chronicle 12 03 2015

GUYANA

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

Army, police in major offensive No. 104391

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Members of the Guyana Police Force ‘A Division’ on Wednesday evening ushered in the festive season with carol singing and other activities in front of the Brickdam Police Station, Georgetown (Samuel Maughn photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, DECEMBER 3, 2015

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Army, police in major offensive

By Alva Solomon

A COUNTRYWIDE Joint Services operation that stretches until June 1 next year has been activated to combat crime, boost security during the holiday season, and take counter-terrorism measures.

During this time of the year, there is usually a hike in economic activities with a simultaneous increase in criminal activities, Minister of State Joseph Harmon told the media during a post-Cabinet press briefing yesterday, and all statutory security operations will be integrated into the wider security arrangement, ‘Operation Dragnet’, to address crime this year-end.

At the same time, government has recognised that Guyana is not exempted from the threat of terrorism, a global issue facing world leaders and so security on the country’s borders and

at ports of entries has been enhanced. The Guyana Police Force in a release stated that the Joint Services, comprising the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Prison Service and the Guyana Fire Service, will be conducting the operation throughout Guyana with the aim of enhancing national security.

“During this period, there will be increased movement of Joint Services personnel and the conduct of intensified security operations, both by individual Services and jointly, which may result in some inconvenience to members of the public,” the police said.

The force also advised citizens not to be alarmed, and called on their support for the operation.

Harmon told reporters that Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had briefed Cabinet on the important features of the operation. He explained that

Soldiers in a recent military exercise at Bartica

the operation centres on two areas: One being safety and economic considerations, given the increase in business transactions at this time of the year; and the other area is the threat of terrorism, a global problem.

ENHANCED NATIONAL SECURITY He said that public security bodies in coordination with other law-enforcement agencies will conduct inten-

Sheriff Street hit-and-run driver surrenders to police THIRTY-four-year-old Delon Duncan of Block ‘C’ Sophia turned himself over to traffic investigators at the Kitty Police Station yesterday morning in the presence of a lawyer.

He also admitted that he was the errant driver one week ago in that fatal accident on Sheriff Street that claimed the life of 17-yearold Travis Bollers.

He was, however, not fully cooperative with the ranks, as, on the advice of his lawyer, he refused to give the police an oral or written statement regarding the incident. What his lawyer failed to advise him was that he should not accompany the police to the scene of the accident.

Crime Chief Dion Moore confirmed that the errant driver did accompany ranks to the accident scene, and indicated to them the point of impact on the night of the accident.

Moore says that while the driver’s refusal to pro-

vide ranks with a written or oral statement in the matter could have resulted in the police having an uphill task to build a case against him, his accompanying the police to the scene and pointing out where he had actually struck the motorcyclist was as good as giving a statement, because it places him at the scene on the night of the accident.

Persons following the matter have expressed satisfaction on social media that closure might finally be forthcoming for survivors of the deceased as they prepare to lay him to rest.

On Tuesday afternoon, after an entire day of searching and acting on information, the police were able to recover the vehicle that Duncan was driving at the time of the accident. Duncan also admitted to the police that the vehicle, currently impounded at Traffic Headquarters, was indeed the one he had been driving on the night of the accident.

The vehicle, motor van PHH 5201, is registered to one M. Singh, who reportedly resides on Hadfield Street, and operates a hardware store.

Bollers and his cousin were last Thursday riding along Sheriff Street when they were struck from the motorcycle by the now recovered vehicle as it dashed out of Pike Street onto Sheriff Street.

The vehicle was recovered in North Sophia, beyond Pike Street.

Hours before the vehicle was recovered, Bollers’s relatives and friends held a picketing exercise, calling for justice for the young man, and for the killer to turn himself in.

Prior to that, said relatives and friends had taken to social media, pleading with persons to pass on any useful information they may have that could have led to the capture of the errant driver. (Leroy Smith)

E-Governance adviser for Microsoft training in the U.S. E-GOVERNANCE Adviser Floyd Levi will soon be travelling to Fort Lauderdale in Miami, USA to participate in a Microsoft training programme.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon told reporters yesterday that the training is aimed at highlighting the benefits of “cloud computing”.

The training programme is in keeping with Government’s commitment to deliver informa-

tion communication technology (ICT) services to all public agencies across the country, and will demonstrate how cloud computing can transform the workplace.

“The programme is fully sponsored by Microsoft, and we are of the view that it is very important for the development of that Unit (E-Governance),” Harmon added.

(Ariana Gordon)

sified operations throughout Guyana from this month.

“What that means is that all statutory security operations will be integrated into this Operation Dragnet with the end result that we will have [an] enhanced national security environment,” he noted.

At the level of the villages and communities, additional police ranks will be deployed to arrest any criminal activities there.

To this end, Harmon said that Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud has given assurances that all police ranks who are not engaged in core functions of the Guyana Police Force will be deployed to ensure an increased “robust” presence in the streets, towns and villages across the country.

At the business end, the Minister of State explained that at Christmas time there is always an increased police presence because of a rise in economic activities and cash transactions given the type of economy here.

He said that it was felt necessary that the businesses receive assurance that government is taking their

concerns “in putting some sort of action in place.”

ASSURANCE FOR BUSINESSES Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin has been asking for an arrangement to be put in place to address security at the level of the business community, Harmon added. He said that the crime situation was examined to ensure that “people feel safe in their homes, safe in their schools and feel safe in their communities.”

Noting that terrorism has no borders, Harmon said that the government has to ensure the safety of the population to avoid any eventuality. He informed that on the borders there will be an enhanced presence of forces and at the ports of entry across the country, there will be intensified security by immigration services.

“We are not to consider ourselves a territory that is exempted from the threat of terrorism,” Harmon noted.

He made mention of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, France, Mali’s capital Bamako and other territories including Russia.

Closer to the Region, Harmon said that there were concerns in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago about the influence of terrorists there.

“We are not immune from that [terrorism] and therefore it would be remiss of a government if it does not put into place arrangements which will secure its citizenry,” he posited.

BORDER PROBLEMS Meanwhile, Harmon noted that neighbouring Venezuela, whose relations with Guyana has been tested in recent times, will have its parliamentary elections this weekend. He said Guyana has to always be aware of the events regarding the border problems with the Bolivarian Republic as well as neighbouring Suriname .

“We have to take these things seriously and as your government it is our responsibility to ensure that the citizenry of this country are safe and that you can go about your business in a manner that is conducive to development and enjoyment,” he added.

Better water service in store for Berbice GUYANA Inc. (GWI) in an effort to vastly improve the water service in several Berbice communities held a meeting with residents on Thursday last.

The Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles told the meeting at Angoy’s Avenue and representatives of the Tucburg Cooperative Group, they wouldl soon benefit from potable water service after concerns were raised about no water supply in those communities.

Following concerns raised about the sections of Angoy’s Avenue that are without service, the CEO, in response, said the programme was being implemented in phases, and that by

early 2016, all sections of the water distribution network for the community should be completed.

He further committed to ensuring that contractors for the remainder of the programme would be sourced locally from Berbice. Dr. Van-West Charles also indicated that the labour required to complete installation of the distribution system will consist of skilled workers from Angoy’s Avenue and nearby communities to ensure that residents benefit from employment during the implementation of the programme.

Representatives of the Tucburg Cooperative Group indicated their approval after

the GWI Chief Executive explained that a similar programme will be implemented for the community.

In a similar meeting with villagers of Savannah Park Cooperative Group, Dr. Van- West Charles indicated that GWI would offer all residents a payment contract in order to assist with the installation of the water distribution network needed to supply the scheme with water service. “Residents will be allowed to pay for new service connections in affordable portions,” he said, adding: “Our aim is to provide for the many families in urgent need of water service.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

GGMC head sent home

Cabinet clears $1.4B in contracts

- cries foul

By Svetlana Marshall

THE Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Board of Directors has moved a No-Confidence Motion against the Commissioner, Rickford Vieira and several senior functionaries within the Commission.

The Motion was moved by the Board on Monday, November 28, 2015 following three thorough assessments.

On Tuesday, Vieira received a letter from Minister with responsibility for Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, indicating that he should proceed on leave due to the filing of the Motion.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, GGMC Board Chairman Clinton Williams explained that the Board of Directors reconvened in September, 2015 after a period of four months upon the instruction of the new A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government.

It was subsequently given three functions to execute, starting with assessing the performance of the Commission, based on decisions and actions taken by the Board.

In addition to rating the Commission’s performance, Williams explained that approval was granted by the Government to complete a System Management Review which had commenced under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration.

SYSTEM REVIEW The exercise, which commenced in December 2014, was designed to review the operations of the Mines Division, Land Management and Geological Services Divisions of the Commission to determine the coherence of the structures and functions, and the flow of its operations.

Additionally, it sought to identify systemic problems and other conflicts and deficiencies. The team of consultants was also required to investigate whether the activities of the specific departments and divisions were aligned to the overall strategic plan for the sector.

It was argued that any deficiency within the management framework and current practices could contribute to the non-fulfilment of the Commission’s objectives,

CABINET on Tuesday gave its no objections to several contracts totaling G$1, 490, 525, 07.

and could possibly lead to the presence or possibility of undesirable acts of malfeasance.

MOWASI ACCIDENT Thirdly, Williams said, the GGMC Board considered the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Mowasi Accident which left nine persons dead.

In May, 10 miners were buried alive when disaster struck at a mining pit at Mowasi, Konawaruk, in the North West District. Only one miner survived the tragic accident, subsequent to which the government had mandated the Minister with responsibility for Natural Resources to convene a CoI into the most recent casualties.

Reports indicate that some 25 persons have died in 16 accidents from June 2014 to June 2015, with 18 of them dying as a direct result of pits collapsing.

The Board considered those three reports, and subsequently passed a No-Confidence Motion against the Commissioner and some senior functionaries,” Williams told this newspaper.

He said findings from the three reports suggest that the aspects of the Commission have been somewhat dysfunctional, noting that there were cases where senior officials within the Commission have neglected their duties.

Based on the motion filed, a sub-committee of the board has been formed, and together with the Consultants will formulate a number of recommendations based on the files. “This is the stage we are at,” Williams explained. Upon completion, the sub-committee will submit the recommendations to the Board before the final submission is made to the Government.

But Commissioner Vieira is not going down without a fight. On Wednesday, he fired back at the Board, having received a letter from Minister Trotman indicating that a No-Confidence Motion has been filed against him, and as such he should proceed on leave.

According to him, the motion came as a “shocker” since he was never written to or cautioned by the Board.

“They never had reason to write me or caution me,” he said as he complained bitterly.

In fact, the GGMC Commissioner said the Board

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REGION 3: A TOTAL COST OF G$271,525,170: · Rehabilitation/construction of Hague Backdam, West Coast Demerara - MG$32,229,060 contracts awarded to BK International Inc. · Rehabilitation/construction of Vergenoegen sideline dam, East Bank Essequibo MG$13,537,500 - contracts awarded to Puran Bros. Disposal Inc. · Rehabilitation/construction of Mora farm, Leguan -MG$13,760,190 - contracts awarded to Eron Lall Civil Engineering Works · Upgrading of access roads & bridges, Parika public road to Ruby/Parika cross dam and to Parika primary school, an increase of MG$ 158,000,000 -additional works on contract awarded to Guyamerica Construction Inc. · Rehabilitation/construction of sideline dam, Fellowship, and main access road, Best village, West Coast Demerara - MG$24,174,420-contracts awarded to Compustruct Engineering Inc. · For the construction of a sluice at Waterloo, Leguan – an increase of MG$4,960,000 from MG$33,930,000 to MG$38,890,000- contract awarded to Roopan Ramotar Investments · For the construction of drainable pumps at Windsor Forest and Canal No. 1 Polder - an increase of MG$8,099,500 from MG$8,130,000 to MG $16,299,500- contract awarded to E & A Consultants Inc. · For the construction of sluice at Bagotville -an increase of MG$16,764,500 from MG$48,698,075 to MG$65,462,575 -contract awarded to Jainul Hossain Civil Engineering Contracting Services.

GGMC Commissioner Rickford Vieira should not have been given the authority to make such a ruling. “This Board is a Board from the former Government. It is not a professional Board. It is not a technical Board, they are not knowledgeable when it comes to the mining industry and so why should they be allowed to make certain decisions,” Vieira said..

He said the No-Confidence motion came at a time when GGMC under his watch would have accumulated significant funds despite many challenges.

“At the end of 2012 GGMC had $10B, 2013 -$15B, 2014 – $19B and at the end of November, 2015 we had $19B after putting $6B into the Consolidated Fund in September,” he pointed out.

“Every cent was generated by GGMC,” he further lamented.

Instead of supporting the work of the Commission, Vieira alleged that the Commission had been non-supportive, thereby hampering the work of GGMC. “In 2014 the Commission submitted a Strategic Plan 20142019 targeting safety in the sector among other things, it was given to them since October, and it was never approved.”

He added that approximately three years ago the Commission had expressed its intention to digitalize its operation, and as such had purchased the required equipment but the project came to halt due to a lack of support on the part of the Board. “We have been asking for space to set up the equipment, till now. So we are stuck with it,” he added.

Nevertheless, Vieira said he was waiting on Minister Trotman to make a substantive decision, but maintained that it should be the board on trial and not him.

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REGION 4: A TOTAL COST OF MG$327,943,436: · Rehabilitation/construction of Third Street, Caneville, East Bank Demerara- MG$34,945,625 -contracts awarded to H. Nauth and Sons. · Rehabilitation/construction of Fourth Street, Caneville, East Bank Demerara, MG$32,980,900 -contracts awarded to A & S General Contractors Inc. · Rehabilitation/construction of Diamond Special Needs School Street, Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara, - MG$9,662,740 - contracts awarded to Compustruct Engineering Inc. · Rehabilitation/construction of Burial Ground Street, Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara - MG$8,225,100 - contract awarded to Puran Bros. Disposal Inc. · Rehabilitation/construction of Wadja Street, Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara MG$8,396,500 - contract awarded to Courtney Benn Contracting Services Ltd. · Rehabilitation/construction of Sideline Dam, Land of Canaan - MG$17,173,300 - contract awarded to V. Dalip Enterprise · Rehabilitation/construction of Marfriend road, Friendship-MG$16,367,311 -contract awarded to Courtney Benn Contracting Services Ltd. · Rehabilitation/construction of Better Hope, South Road Network, East Coast DemeraraMG $24,720,450 - contract awarded to K. B & B Contractors. · Rehabilitation/construction of Goedverwagting housing scheme road network, East Coast Demerara - MG$34,945,625 - contract awarded to H. Nauth & Sons. · Rehabilitation/construction of Vigilance South main access and Graham Street, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara -MG$33,171,550 - contracts awarded to Handel Garnett Construction Firm. · Rehabilitation/construction of continuation of ‘D’ Field Sophia main access and Enterprise Gardens, East Coast Demerara - MG$92,047,845 - contract awarded to Eron Lall Civil Engineering Works. · Rehabilitation of Hope Pump Station – an increase of MG$6,306,490 from MG$13,005,880 to MG$19,312,370 - contract awarded to Khan’s Construction Services REGION 5: A TOTAL COST OF MG$141,921,001: · Rehabilitation/construction of Burma road - MG$72,216,640 -contract awarded to Associated Construction Services. · Rehabilitation/construction of Mahaicony Branch road - MG$69,704,361 -contract awarded to K.P. Jagdeo. · Construction of sluice at Profit, Abary - an increase of MG$6,288,102 from MG$139,568,377 to MG$145,856,479 - contract awarded to Courtney Benn Contracting Services.

Construction of potable Water wells. · Lot 1 – Construction of potable well at Port Mourant Region 6 at a cost of MG$67,432,040 - contract awarded to Nabi Construction Inc. · Lot 2 – Construction of potable well at Sophia, Region 4 at a cost of MG$52,999,804 -contract awarded to S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies & Construction Services see page 11

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Cuba reinstates controls on doctors travelling abroad

CUBA has reinstated restrictions on doctors leaving the island to work in the United States and other countries.

Doctors will now have to apply for a special permit before going abroad.

Cuba’s health services have been “seriously affected” by the large number of doctors who have moved abroad since controls were eased in 2013, the authorities said.

The government also criticised a US policy aimed at recruiting Cuban doctors and other health workers.

“It must be recalled that the United States government has historically used its migratory policy as a weapon

against the Revolution, and has, for political reasons, encouraged emigration from Cuba,” says a government statement published in the official newspaper, Granma.

The US and communist Cuba restored relations earlier this year after more than 50 years of hostilities, but the US trade embargo remains in place.

TWO weeks ago, 23-yearold Jovon “Seggy” McGill told relatives he would not live to see the end of the year. This self-fulfilling prophecy came true on Sunday morning when his body was removed from down a precipice in Morvant.

Speaking with the media at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, Monday, a female relative of McGill, who did not want to be identified, said he told her that he dreamt he was walking with his parents, both deceased.

She said he also told other relatives that he did not believe he will live to see Christmas. McGill, she said, began having the dreams around the time he began his part-time job at the National Flour Mills.

According to the police, McGill’s body was found at Poinsetta Drive, Morvant, around noon on Sunday after he left his Dorata Street,

Laventille home Saturday afternoon.

Police said McGill may have been killed as a result of another murder that took place in the area on Friday.

Police say there is an ongoing war between Morvant and Malick, Barataria. The other murdered man, Lorenzo Phillip, lived at Malick, Barataria but was killed in Morvant.

Also speaking to the media at the centre Monday was McGill’s girlfriend, Natalie Brown, who said the father of one was a quiet person who kept to himself.

“I don’t know why he was there (in Morvant),” Brown said before being interrupted by another woman who said McGill received a phone call before leaving his home to meet someone.

Brown said: “He was home Saturday evening with his daughter, and he got a phone call. And it was so strange that whoever called him, he tell them hold on he

‘ W E T- F O O T- D RYFOOT’ A huge number of qualified health professionals have left Cuba over the past two years. Most of them try to reach the United States, which has a special immigration policy for Cuban citizens, known as “wet-foot-

dry-foot”. Cubans who reach the US by land are offered automatic residency.

Some 3,000 Cubans are currently stranded in Costa Rica, having abandoned Cuban health missions in Latin American countries.

“The Government of the Republic of Cuba has expressed its concern, and has maintained contact with the countries involved in the search for a rapid, adequate solution,” reads the government statement.

Since Raul Castro took over from his brother, Fidel, in 2008, his main policy has been to ease strict economic and travel restrictions in place for decades.

In September, Havana

announced it would welcome back doctors who deserted while working abroad on programmes sponsored by the island’s communist government. Doctors would be offered their jobs back, and incur no punishment or loss of status.

The Cuban government says it has some 50,000 health workers engaged in health projects in 68 countries. Half of them are doctors.

Critics say the highly-trained professionals are underpaid, while the Cuban government charges other countries for the service and makes significant profits. (BBC News)

coming now.

“I find it strange, because, normally, he don’t leave home at those hours or walk down the road; cars always picking him up home and dropping him back.”

Police reports stated that around 5a.m. Friday, Lorenzo Phillip, 27, of Seventh Avenue, Barataria, was found murdered and naked at Poinsettia Drive, Morvant, not too far from where McGill’s body was found.

Police said residents heard gunshots and later found his body. Police believe that Phillip was killed as a result of an ongoing dispute over the ownership of a house and land in the Morvant area.

The killing of the

two men have taken the murder toll to 380 for the year, five more than the corresponding period last year. (Trinidad Guardian)

Man murdered after prophecy

Parents protest ‘freight container’ school

FRUSTRATED parents of children attending the Penal/Quinam Government Primary School met with Ministry of Education officials Monday, trying to find out why a new school building has remained closed despite being completed months ago.

The parents staged a peaceful protest outside the Ministry of Education building on St Clair Street, Port of Spain to show their dissatisfaction with the limited response by the Ministry.

According to a vice-president of the Parent/Teacher Association, Melina Mendoza, the parents met an advisor to the Minister of Education Anthony Garcia. Mendoza said no concrete answers were given concerning the school.

Since 2013, the pupils and staff have been utilising seven freight containers as their classroom, washroom and staff room. And the local community centre has been transformed into make-shift classrooms to accommodate the school population of 94 pupils and staff.

The school was advised by officials that after the construction of the new school, they would be able to occupy the new building. However, the new school remains closed.

A Ministry of Education official told the Express that the school was 90 per cent complete. However, the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL) stopped construction works in June this year, without an explanation.

The official said an investigation is being launched to query the reasoning behind this works being stopped. (Trinidad Express)

Thursday, December 3 Friday, December 4 Saturday, December 2

- 11:30 hrs - 12:30 hrs - 13:30 hrs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

The Betrayal of “Durdy” Butts!

Dear Sir,

EDITORIAL

The death penalty PEOPLE generally view justice on the side of emotion, rather than the side of reason, and hold strongly to the position that persons who commit a wrong must be ‘appropriately’ dealt with.

In the dispensation of justice, there is some form of punishment, and rightly so, since it serves as a deterrent to a recurrence of the crime committed. Important in all of this is the need for reform -- to get perpetrators to understand their wrong. With this in mind, the extent of the punishment, mainly the application of capital punishment, was questioned by the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) at a recent forum here.

Both have called for the abolition of the death penalty in Guyana, as well as in other Caribbean states which still have it on their statute books. Guyana inherited the death penalty law on gaining Independence from Britain in 1966, and has since kept it. However, about five years ago, Guyana made some efforts at reform by amending the Criminal Law Offences Act, removing the death penalty as a punishment for murder.

Guyana last utilised the law in 1997, and has ever since adopted an unwritten moratorium on the death penalty. One suspects that the administration might be interested in a gradual abolition; but even if it intends to go this route, it will most likely be met with opposition from the masses.

And there is more to this. The crime situation has been a cause of much unease, and any move to abolish the death penalty would likely be seen as the governing coalition, which enjoys a slim majority over the opposition, bowing to foreign pressure. Such a development now will provide the Opposition, which appears to still be in elections mode, much fodder to go after the government, as it has before accused members of the government of sheltering criminals.

But these issues aside, there is a mountain of evidence to prove that the death penalty does not deter murder, and there is ample evidence to show that countries which have the death penalty actually have higher murder rates than countries which have abolished it. The argument has been advanced that, every time a murder has been committed,

APART from Kaieteur News Columnist “Fearless” Freddie Kissoon in his daily column of 24.11.15, captioned “Wonder who Vibert Butts voted for?” , the Judicial System more than often leaves the ordinary man/woman -- penniless and powerless, devoid of legal representation -- to the mercies of some magistrates ahead of sentencing.

Suffice it to say that the draconian laws as they relate to “ganga” mete out sentences for offences ranging from consumption to possession and to trafficking.

Mostly some magistrates and prosecutors, either in cahoots, collaboration or conspiracy, defy all logic or sanity. (More on this later).

Nevertheless, it remains a burning shame that no sports

journalist; member of the football fraternity, consisting of administration, coaches and former national players of Durdy’s era, along with those of his former club, Pele, saw it fit to offer Durdy words of comfort.

Additionally, they should express utter dismay at the Judicial System, which, in the 21st Century, still finds it reasonable to imprison an individual for three (3) years for a spliff!

The whole affair seems to be utter nonsense!

Editor, Vibert “Durdy” Butts was a fearless striker in his heyday. He has already gone down in history, scoring our nation’s first World Cup Goal. This occurred almost forty years (40) ago, back in 1976 at the GCC ground, Bourda against Suriname, en route to Guyana’s 2-0 victory.

This occurred ten (10) years

the death penalty fails, but some have disagreed with this proposition.

The counter argument put forward is that if this is so, when a murder has not been committed, capital punishment passes with flying colours. And if a comparison is made of the failures and passes, the passes will, without a shadow of doubt, prevail hands down.

This sort of argument is an alluring one, but needs to be examined with broad considerations. The question that one has to ask is what is expected of society? And what does society hold to be the norm? Certainly, society expects its citizens to behave in a rational manner, not to steal, not to abuse, and not to commit murder. So the argument that when a murder is not committed the death penalty law passes does not reflect the totality of the situation, since members of society are not expected to commit such an act in the first place; because, naturally, it is not a norm of society.

On a different note, in any justice system, there are cases wherein convictions, when thoroughly examined, were found to be unfair.

But, more importantly, the majority of condemned convicts are people of the lower strata of society, some of whom were paid to commit their heinous crimes. But those with money seem slippery to the net of justice. And it does not end here. Recent sentences handed down by local magistrates and judges -- which range from 50 to 100 years -- have brought into question the relevance of the death penalty. These are matters which should be considered by politicians and be widely discussed with their constituents.

But aside from this, and perhaps equally important, the element of prison reform has to be an integral part of the conversations for a progressive justice system.

prior to the implementation of the draconian law by the late Desmond Hoyte, former President in 1986.

While our nation is on the verge of celebrating fifty years (50) of Independence next year (2016), one is left to wonder what decolonisation has offered in relation to the afore-mentioned.

Why could he not be sentenced to forty-six (46) days of voluntary coaching in the hinterland, with the GFF providing accommodation, meals and transportation?

By the way, why is there a deafening silence from the GFF administration, which “Durdy” publicly endorsed “Team Integrity” as his choice to govern the nation’s football for the next four years? Moreover, why was the brethren unrepresented in court when that administration has a legal practitioner on its Executive, Miss Thandi McAllister?

Editor, I may be wrong, and therefore subject to correction, but had “Team Unity” won and “Durdy” was in that predicament, upon pledging his support for the latter, Nigel Hughes or Mark Waldron, or a combination of both, would have offered their services in legal representation pro-bono!

By the way, does the judicial system have a “Ganga Connoisseur” and mathematician to determine the price of the commodity based on its quality? How come the inability to pay a fine of $69,000 (46x$1,500) results in an additional one (1) year imprisonment?

Editor, $1,500 a gram is definitely high grade, translating into $45,000 an ounce and $720,000 a pound! Is it a Creeper, Red Beard, or Sensimalia from the Berbice River, organically grown

devoid of chemicals? Can our local economy sustain that price factor? If not, the magistrate and the prosecutor should be put on trial for misleading the public. Is it the “Santa Marta Gold” from Colombia, Red Hill from Jamaica, or Vincy from St. Vincent?

In the final analysis, I am of the humble opinion that “Durdy” has been betrayed by the sport’s hierarchy and by a brutal political system which continues to display inter-dependence in observing the laws of the colonial masters, who have since moved on with research, taxation and decriminalizing of “ganga”! Isn’t turning its back on “Durdy” and pledging to clean up the lawlessness advocated by the GFF President not an act of betrayal?

Surely, I think so, since subservience to the government of the day, upon receiving the $4M Elite League first prize, comes a few days after Butts’ sentencing.

Why the obstinacy in non-inclusive governance, when former President, the late Janet Jagan, wanted to repeal the draconian law as it relates to sentencing? However, the former Opposition Leader, the late Desmond Hoyte, emphatically blurted out “NO”!

Editor, with 90% of those incarcerated/imprisoned for small amounts of Ganga being black people, Indo Guyanese still control the monopoly of ganga trade.

Where is the black monopoly? Are we still at the lowest rung of the social/ economic ladder, devoid of elevation of spiritual consciousness?

Respectfully yours, Lester Sealey.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Specialty Hospital contract for public scrutiny - Harmon

Minister of State Joseph Harmon India to cancel the LOC for the Specialty Hospital and to reallocate the balance of funds to a project to modernize three primary healthcare facilities.

But the Government of India (GOI) in its response, while indicating its no objection and support for the modernisation of primary healthcare facilities suggested that the GOG should consider salvaging the Specialty Hospital, as it will complement primary healthcare facilities in Guyana.

The Specialty Hospital.

Tax-free overtime restored for bauxite workers - gender equality proposed in industrial survivors’ benefits

By Ariana Gordon BAUXITE workers will once again benefit from tax-free overtime as they did in 1988, Minister of State Joseph Harmon announced at his post-Cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday.

Harmon explained that the “reinstatement of the tax-free overtime benefits to bauxite workers” is aimed at correcting what government believes was “a punitive exercise” for not supporting the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration.

“In 1988, bauxite workers were granted tax-free concession on overtime work. These concessions were enjoyed by workers until 2007 when they were arbitrarily taken away by the previous administration,” he told reporters.

The move by the PPP administration, he said, “adversely affected the earnings of

bauxite workers” from Linden and Kwakwani.

WELCOME MOVE Meanwhile, Lincoln Lewis of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) yesterday evening said he welcomed the move by government.

“This question of tax-free overtime was struggled for in the bauxite industry; workers struggled for that,” he said.

Lewis explained that taxfree concessions were granted to bauxite workers in 1988 following an inquiry by Edgar Heyliger. Subsequently, he said, sugar workers benefited from the tax-free concessions.

“What that government did when it came to power was to take it away. The Jagdeo administration took it away from bauxite workers but it remained in the sugar industry,” Lewis told the Guyana Chronicle.

He said too that “the argument put forward when it (tax-

free concession) was given to sugar is that it was the two main productive sectors (sugar and bauxite).” Lewis believes that it was a deliberate attempt by the PPP government to stymie bauxite workers.

“It was a deliberate act by the PPP government to take it away from people who they perceive not to be their supporters,” he said.

Notwithstanding the past actions of the PPP on the taxfree overtime concession, Lewis said he is “encouraged” by government’s move to reinstate tax-free overtime to bauxite workers. “I would be happy if the government sees it fit that it remains in the sugar industry,” he added.

Asked if he believes other sectors should benefit from the same concession, the GTUC leader said given the current reform of the tax system, “we have to seek ways and means to make sure that people are not overtaxed regardless of

what sector they are in.”

Asked about government’s position on unionizing the Bauxite Company of Guyana (BCBG) - Rusal - Minister Harmon said he couldn’t say as the matter was not considered at the level of Cabinet and so he was not in position to answer the question.

GENDER EQUALITY Meanwhile, Cabinet on Tuesday approved draft legislation to ensure gender equality in the award of industrial and survivors’ benefits under the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). “This by way of an amendment to the National Insurance Social Security Benefits Regulations will be laid in the National Assembly shortly for its consideration,” Harmon said.

He told reporters that the amendments to the legislation will guarantee equal industrial survivors’ benefits for both men and women under the NIS. Currently only men benefit from the facility.

WILLING PARTNER “GOG having examined the merits of the proposal began searching for a willing partner to complete the

Specialty Hospital using the remainder of the LOC. In the interest of time, government approached Fedders Lloyd – one of the original bidders – to explore the possibility of them completing the project.

Fedders Lloyd expressed continued interest and was prepared to complete and fully equip the facility,” the Finance Minister explained.

But despite the lengthy explanations given by the government, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic is still crying “corruption.”

The main Opposition political party yesterday said it stands ready to challenge the government’s decision legally.

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Police say Steals $1.3M worth of clothing football coach had ‘ganja’ in car A MINER was yesterday placed on $120,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a charge of break and enter and larceny.

Ariane Dookie, a 38-year-old resident of East Street, South Cummingsburg denied the allegation which read that between November 19 and November 20 at Georgetown, he broke and entered the shop of Loris Joseph and

APPEARING before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday was 35-year-old Colin John, the coach of a teen football squad in Agricola.

John, a resident of Eccles, East Bank Demerara denied that on November 29 at McDoom, he had 21 grams of an illicit substance for the purpose of trafficking.

Attorney Clyde Ford requested that his client be released on reasonable bail. He told the court that John was a father of two with no pending or previous matters.

The lawyer explained that at the time of the incident his client was the driver of a motor car and had just dropped off someone, when his vehicle was stopped and searched

by the police.

Police Prosecutor, Deniro Jones objected to the defendant being granted pretrial liberty citing the gravity of the charge. He told the court that on the day in question John’s car was stopped by the police and he was asked to exit. Jones said that the vehicle was searched and 11 transparent zip-lock bags were found containing a quantity of leaves, seed and stems suspected to be cannabis. The prosecutor said that the defendant was told of the offense committed and then arrested.

The Chief Magistrate upheld the prosecutor’s request to refuse bail on the ground that no special reasons were provided to satisfy the court. John will return to court on January 16 for report.

Regular thief shot, fined $80,000 A WOUNDED gold miner was yesterday fined $80,000 or an alternative of three months’ imprisonment, after he pleaded guilty before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Forty-year-old Deon Obermuller of Fifth Avenue, Bartica on November 29 at Croal Street, Georgetown stole a Power Master battery valued $60,000 belonging to Allister Parris, a licensed firearm holder.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones told the court that Obermuller is known to the police for committing similar crimes. On the day in question, Parris was informed that someone was on his premises.

On making a check, Parris saw Obermuller leaving with the battery in his hand.

Another man was with him and both of them

were armed with knives. The men advanced towards Parris with their weapons, and in defence, the firearm holder shot the convict on his knee.

The prosecutor told the court that the victim contacted the police and they apprehended Obermuller. The stolen article was recovered.

When asked if he had anything to say before sentencing, Obermuller explained that he was merely trying to help out the man whom he had met on Camp Street.

He explained that the man requested his help with something and he complied.

He recalled that the man took him to the yard and they removed the battery. However, Obermuller stated that when Parris opened firearm his partner in crime ran away.

stole a quantity of male and female clothing valued $1.3M. Prosecutor Deniro Jones stated that the articles were not recovered, and said that there were outstanding statements. Jones made no objection to the accused being granted his pre-trial liberty, and asked that substantial bail be granted. He will return to court on January 4.

Fined for waste disposal RAMKISHORE Samwani was yesterday fined by City Magistrate Alex Moore for disposal of waste in a public place.

The charge stated that on October 24, 2015 at Stabroek Access Road between Water Street and the Demerara River a public way, he deposited waste on the said street in a white plastic bag.

He was fined $15,000, which he has to

pay on or before February 12, 2016 or serve three weeks’ imprisonment by default.

The judgment was made in his absence, as he never made an appearance since the case was called on November 6, 2015. The constable informed the court that on the day in question, she was on patrol and witnessed the defendant depositing a white plastic bag on the street.

Fined $7,500 for obstruction

CITY Magistrate Alex Moore yesterday fined Mario Joseph in his absence for the Obstruction of a Public Way. Joseph is required to pay a fine of $7,500 on or before February 2016 or by default spend one week in prison.

The charge stated that on Thursday, August 20, 2015 at New Market Street, a public way

in the city of Georgetown, he caused an obstruction on the southern side of the said street.

He was expected to make his first appearance on August 22, 2015, but he did not present himself. He was found guilty by Magistrate Moore as the prosecutor made out a reasonable case against the absent defendant.

Debris on parapet costs $25,000 VISHUAL Shaw was yesterday fined in his absence by City Magistrate Alex Moore after he was charged for unlawful disposal of building material.

He was fined $25,000, or by default four weeks’ imprisonment if the fine is not paid

by February 26, 2016. He was absent from all his hearings.

The charged read that on Tuesday, October 2, 2015 at John Street, a public way in

the city of Georgetown, he deposited waste on the parapet a quantity of stones, brick, cement and pieces of wood.

The arresting constable stated that on the day in question, as she approached John Street on the southern side, she observed a large quantity of debris. She made inquiries about the materials and the defendant took ownership of the waste.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Giftland Mall lights up Christmas Tree THE sprawling Giftland Mall on Tuesday evening held its first Christmas Tree light-up during a well-attended ceremony at its Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown location.

The ceremony, which was attended by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Mexican Ambassador to Guyana, Ivan Robero Medel, drew a sizeable crowd as families converged at the Mall to get a glimpse of the night’s events.

The festive atmosphere was replete with music, food and performances synonymous with the Christmas season as staff shared snacks and drinks to those in attendance.

In brief remarks to the audience, Prime Minister Nagamootoo told the gathering that the event was a

timely one, with the Christmas season being one of enjoyment and merriment. He said that the mall will boost the country’s tourism sector while adding development to the area.

Excellent performances came from the School of the Nations choir, who gave hearty renditions of several popular Christmas songs.

Soon after, singing sensation Poonam Singh entertained the crowd with her angelic vocals, while the group, ‘Two Roads of an Amazing Story’, put in a creditable performance in front of the attentive crowd.

As time for the lighting of the tree drew closer, saxophonist Calvin Nelson delivered wonderful tunes, and then local rock sensation Gavin Mendonca delighted with his hit “Cause

is Christmas”.

Giftland’s Ian Ramdeo then shed light on the company’s “Give-Back” donation drive, a feature this year-end which will see monies being set aside for the needy. As the crowd fidgeted, security officers began moving to the stage area, a signal that the night’s feature was about to take place.

Prime Minister Nagamootoo then stepped up to the stage and as he was joined by the children, he flicked the switch to illuminate the decorated tree.

Giftland Mall has been a popular venue for many since its opening in July this year and during this Christmas season it is expected that Guyanese here as well as holiday visitors will flock the venue.

Man shoots mechanic for ‘parking bad’ POLICE are hunting for a man who shot 39-yearold mechanic Lawrence Moore in the leg over an argument about bad parking.

The argument reportedly stemmed from a pool of water lodged on Aubrey Barker Road in South Ruimveldt shortly after the downpour yesterday morning.

Police say that Moore, who is now hospitalised at the GPHC, was tending to a motorcar when a passing vehicle suddenly came upon the pool of water.

Moore reportedly left

what he was doing to park his personal vehicle on the roadway to prevent other vehicles from having the same experience as the previous driver.

This action effectively slowed traffic, thereby causing congestion, given the narrowness of the road.

As one motorist attempted to pass and realised that the badly parked vehicle was causing a build-up of traffic, he came out of his vehicle to confront Moore, and an argument ensued.

Moore removed the vehicle from the roadway and

parked it on his bridge, but the argument with the man continued.

The man then whipped out a firearm and shot Moore in the leg before returning to his vehicle and driving away.

The injured man was rushed to the hospital, and the police commenced their investigations into the matter. A senior detective confirmed yesterday that the shooter has not yet been located, but ranks are working on information that could lead to his capture. (Leroy Smith)

12 feared dead in California shooting POLICE are attending a shooting at a social services facility for disabled people in California.

Fire officials in San Bernardino said it was responding to a “20-victim shooting incident”, and it was working to clear the scene.

ABC News reports that there are 12 people dead, but police have not confirmed that number.

It is still a “very active scene”, and police are trying to secure the building, said a police spokeswoman.

There may be up to three gunmen, she said, and they were heavily armed and possibly wearing body armour.

The gunmen may have fled the scene in a black SUV. One man received a text from his daughter that said she was hiding inside the building where she works.

Terry Petit told reporters his daughter wrote him saying: “People shot. In the office waiting for cops.

Pray for us. I am locked in an office.”

President Barack Obama has been briefed on the shooting, White House officials confirmed.

A local reporter tweeted that people are being evacuated from the Inland Regional Center, a medical and health organisation.

The organisation administers help to people with disabilities like autism and other mental health problems.

The shooting is happening less than a week after a shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado left three dead and nine wounded.

People are seen being wheeled away on stretchers, with medics and police officers in attendance.

CNN reports that area hospitals are receiving patients from the shooting.

An employee of the centre told CNN that the build-

ing was holding an event for county personnel inside an auditorium when the shooting occurred.

Representatives from the FBI and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are on the scene.

No arrests have been made yet.

There are also unconfirmed reports of an explosive device at the scene.

Witnesses told CNN they heard rapid shooting coming from nearby the building.

Police confirmed a report that the suspects entered a conference room in the building and started shooting but had no further details.

There are three buildings on the campus with more than 600 employees total, said Kristin Myricks, an employee of the centre who did not go to work today.

The facility has had active gunman training in the past. Badges are needed to enter the facility.

Traffic Chief makes strong appeal for caution on the roadways The Giftland Christmas tree aglow with lights

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo switches on the Christmas tree lights

IN light of the road culture displayed by some drivers on our roadways, more so within recent times, it was noted that it is not in keeping with good road safety practices.

In this respect, Traffic Chief Dion Moore yesterday appealed for all road users to be mindful of each other since the traffic department has employed the full use of the closed-circuit television cameras mounted at various sections of the city and atop traffic lights to assist in the apprehension of defaulters.

Moore told this newspaper yesterday that the CCTV footage has enabled them to locate the vehicle and the driver who had fled the scene of a fatal hit-andrun accident on Pike Street, Kitty over the weekend.

He explained that they reviewed the footage, and were able to apprehend the

driver days after, and he is in custody assisting with investigations. A pillion rider was killed after the motorcycle he was on collided with the open-back pickup.

STATISTICS Moore said that so far, police statistics have revealed that Guyana has recorded a decrease in fatalities and road accidents.

He disclosed that for this year, they tallied 95 road accidents with 112 deaths, while for the corresponding period last year, they had 121 road accidents with 130 deaths.

The senior officer appealed to drivers to adhere to the basic road safety practices, considering the wet conditions of the roads during the rainy season which is upon us.

He advised that road users take the necessary precaution by reducing their speed to avoid and

Traffic Chief, Dion Moore

reduce road accidents, and at the same time watch out for pedestrians, pedal cyclists, motorcyclists and others who are competing for space on our roadways, especially in the city during this busy festive season.

Moore also encouraged members of the public to drink responsibly during this season, and desist from drinking and driving. He also asked that they, too, also strive to promote road safety.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

By Navendra Seoraj

and future generations.

The minister urged participants to take full advantage of the training opportunities presented by the “One Health” leadership series and contribute to the improvement of the health, environmental and agricultural systems in their respective countries.

Cummings lauds ‘One-Health’ approach to cross-sectoral issues

MINISTER within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings has lauded the “One Health” approach which is designed to enable and empower professionals from the health, agriculture and environment sectors to play leadership roles in cross-sectoral issues in Caribbean countries.

Speaking on Sunday at the opening of the third module of the ‘One Health’ leadership series at the Pegasus Hotel, Kingston, she said that health, agriculture and the environment reflect a very important three-in-one development indicator to the people and government of Guyana, and all efforts must be made to address issues relating to these interrelated sectors.

Therefore, the ‘One

A section of the gathering at the opening ceremony of the third module of the ‘One Health’ leadership series

Health’ approach being utilised to address human, animal and environmental health is laudable,” Dr. Cummings noted.

WORLDWIDE STRATEGY The minister pointed out that the “One Health” concept is a worldwide strategy for expanding interdisciplinary collaboration, and communication in all aspects

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings delivers her remarks at the opening ceremony of the third module of the ‘One Health’ leadership series

of healthcare for humans, animals and the environment.

She noted that “it is also strongly believed by contemporary public healthcare professionals that the synergism achieved as a result of the ‘One Health’ concept will significantly advance healthcare for the 21st century and beyond by accelerating biomedical research discoveries, enhancing

public health efficacy, expeditiously expanding the scientific knowledge base, and improving medical education and clinical care.”

When properly implemented, Dr. Cummings believes that this project will help protect and save untold millions of lives in present

Guyanese on ID snag gives robbery accused sexual molestation freedom charge in BVI BVI-based, Guyanese Oliver Lewis, who is accused of performing sexual acts on a 13 year-old boy, will know his fate later this week.

Charged with eight counts of indecency with a child, Lewis reappeared in court on Monday expecting that the decision on the case would have been handed down. However, Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste-Dabreo indicated that she was in a position to render her decision, but the prosecutor noted that she has an application to make and she does not foresee any objections coming from the defence.

The magistrate said she will let her decision be known later in the week. Lewis, 35, a native of Guyana and a Computer Technician, is also accused of influencing the minor to perform sexual acts on him. Lewis is on bail and is represented

by Attorney-At-Law Stephen Daniels. It is alleged

Oliver Lewis at court December 1, 2015 (Photo

by BVI Platinum News)

that the incidents took place between April and June 2013 at Lambert and Mount Healthy where Lewis performed the sexual acts, including oral sex on the high school student.

He also allegedly influenced the boy to perform oral sex and other acts on him (Lewis). The teen had also testified during the trial. (Virgin Islands Platinum News)

TWO men on Monday walked to freedom from the courtroom of city Magistrate Judy Latchman after an armed robbery charge was dismissed against them on the ground that their ID Parade was not conducted properly.

Keon Simon, 19, of Chapel Street Charlestown and Akeem Marshall, 21, of Albouystown, had spent the last nine months on remand after being accused of robbing Inez Hope, at gunpoint, of one gold bracelet valued $120,000, US$530 among other items on January 2, 2015 at Palm Street, Georgetown.

The pair was also alleged to have robbed Yvonne and Christopher Langerbine of cash and jewellery, all to the value of $6M. At Monday’s hearing, Magistrate Latchman, in her address to the court, explained that she was not satisfied with the evidence given by a witness of the prosecution. That witness resided next door to where the alleged robbery occurred.

Police Corporal Kerry Bostwick, presenting the

case of the prosecution, had brought a witness who testified to having seen Marshall and Simon for about eight seconds; this was before and after the men had left the premises.

However, Magistrate Latchman stressed that the time-span was insufficient for the witness to remember the physical features of the men. As such, she placed no weight on that piece of evidence.

The two charges were dismissed after the prosecution closed its case. After the magistrate’s ruling, the two men hurried down to the court outpost, with one shouting: “Boy, ah going home! Ah free!” while running out of the compound.

Earlier this year, the men had two charges of robbery under arms dismissed against them. They were accused of robbing two persons of a quantity of gold jewellery.

Also, in June, the men were convicted on an armed robbery charge by a city Magistrate and were ordered to pay a fine of $75,000 each.

EVERYONE’S BUSINESS Dr. Cummings stressed that the health of a nation is everyone’s business and ensuring that a population

is healthy is not a task that a government can carry out alone.

“Therefore, collaborations with communities, donor partners, civil society, technical partners, private sector agents and other stakeholders is critical to the process,” she stated.

The minister gave the assurance that the government, through the Public Health Ministry, is committed to working with all of the relevant partners to improve the health of the nation.

Chronicle parts ways with Ramotar, Gordon

Michael Gordon

THE Board of Directors of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL), publisher of the Guyana Chronicle and Sunday Chronicle, at a meeting on Tuesday December 1, 2015 took a unanimous decision to discontinue the services of General Manager Mr. Michael Gordon and Editor Mr. Mark Ramotar.

In a statement, the board said that it has taken these two decisions with a view to strengthening both the administrative leadership and management and the editorial department, as the newspaper seeks to rebrand and reposition itself as a credible national newspaper.

“GNNL and the Chronicle newspaper have been suffering from weak management and circulation numbers have been steadily declining. The Board of Directors is of the view that fresh and competent leadership is needed administratively and new editorial direction and support are required.” “The Board of Directors thanks Mr. Gordon and Mr. Ramotar for their services to GNNL

Mark Ramotar

and wishes them both the best in their future endeavours.” Meanwhile, Mr. Godfrey Wray, the Editorial Consultant, will serve as acting editor in support of Mr. Nigel Williams, Editor-in-Chief and Mr. Neil Marks, Sunday Editor.

Mrs Moshamie Ramotar has been appointed Acting General Manager for the period of three months. “GNNL will immediately commence the search for a substantive General Manager following the decision to discontinue the service of Mr. Gordon. The post will be publicly advertised and an appointment made following successful completion of the process,” the Board said. “The Board of Directors thanks Mr. Gordon for his service to GNNL and wishes him the best in his future endeavours. The Board further expresses its confidence in Mrs Ramotar in taking up the mantle of administrative leadership during this period of transition. Mrs Ramotar is the substantive Finance Director of GNNL.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

‘Carry-on’ with cocaine lands Guyanese man in U.S. jail

A THIRTY-THREE-yearold Guyanese is now an inmate of the Brooklyn Metro Detention Centre after his carry-on luggage was discovered with three pounds of cocaine at the John F. Kennedy International Airport.

According to reports, Customs and Border patrol agents noticed that the man, identified as Broderick Owen Layne, had a ‘carry-on’ that appeared bulky. Upon closer examination, the authorities discovered that the small suitcase had a false bottom, where the illegal substance was found.

The Georgetown resident touched down at the U.S. airport on November 22.

During the examination of his luggage, he replied in the affirmative that he packed the bags himself, and was aware of all that was inside. Nothing illegal was discovered within his other suitcases.

Police immediately arrested Layne after the dis-

covery, while he was told of the offence and subsequent chargeD. He is being represented by a public attorney.

LOCAL RECORD Last month, a 26-yearold Guyanese hairdresser was also arrested after it was found that she had swallowed a total of three pounds of cocaine pellets as a narcotics ‘mule’ out of Guyana. Sources close to Guyana’s Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit said she had “set a local record for swallowing such a large number of pellets.”

And September last, another Guyanese, Cleveland Charles, was nabbed trying to smuggle a ‘rum-and-coke’ drug cocktail in his luggage at the John F Kennedy International Airport.

Additionally, in August two more Guyanese citizens were busted separately trafficking cocaine into the United States. Hilary Shepard arrived at the JFK Airport on a Caribbean

Busted: Broderick Owen Layne

Airlines flight from Trinidad and Tobago when Customs and Border Protection found over seven pounds of cocaine in his suitcase. In the same month, 22-yearold Alisa Peters was caught with drugs in her possession after arriving at the JFK Airport from a Caribbean Airlines flight. The cocaine was sealed in wooden planks inside her suitcase. She reportedly admitted that she was to be paid US$8,000 to transport the illegal drugs into the United States.

Help on the way for coconut industry – gov’t approves $49M to combat pest outbreak

By Alva Solomon COCONUT farmers across the coastland will soon benefit from government’s assistance in combating the infestation of the palm plant by the red palm mite pest.

The issue has been a major setback for farmers, particularly those in The Pomeroon, and Minister of State Joseph Harmon told the media at a post-Cabinet briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday that a sum of $49M has been approved by the administration to tackle the problem.

He said that the sum will be expended on the purchase of chemicals, equipment and safety gear for distribution to coconut farmers at a subsidised cost to assist in combating the outbreak.

TECHNICAL TEAMS He said that Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder had informed Cabinet that farmers in the coconut industry, particularly in Regions 2 and 3, have been primarily affected by the red palm mite pest. He said, too, that technical teams have been deployed to those areas to assist farmers in confronting the problem.

The red palm mite pest, also known as the raoiella indica, was known to affect only plants in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and African

Cabinet clears $1.4B... ● Construction of the North Eastern Stand of the Synthetic track & field facility – Leonora, Region 3 at a cost of MG$57,717,120 contract awarded to Builder’s Hardware & General Supplies ● Construction of Tower foundation Electrical foundation, electrical building and transformer pad – Synthetic track & field facilities - Leonora, an increase of MG$3,041,387 from MG$12,961,786 to MG$16,003,173 - contract awarded to Cummings Electrical co. Ltd. ● Construction of Clubhouse/Pavilion – Synthetic track & field facility – Leonora, an increase of MG$3,089,897 from MG$54,420,784 to

From page 4

Construction work in progress on the West Coast Demerara

MG$57,510,681 Procurement of electrical line hardware materials for the central housing & planning authority Lot 1 – Supply of electrical line hardware at a cost of MG$12,140,435 - contract awarded to Tel’s Engineering Inc. Lot 2 – Supply of trans-

formers at a cost of MG$15,505,910 - contract awarded to SPR Enterprise Lot 3 – Supply of conductors at a cost of MG$57,596,025 contract awarded to Ramoutar & Sons Lot 4 – Supply of pole steps at a cost of MG$31,515,750 - contract awarded to Ramoutar & Sons

To t a l c o s t $116,758,120

of

MG

REGION NINE ● Construction of GECOM Registration Office – Annai Village – Region 9 at a cost of MG$20,673,344 - contract awarded to JPM General Construction & Engineering Services

countries. However, the pest was observed in the Caribbean islands in 2004.

The pest moves through wind currents, following which it settles on plant leaves and after a period of time, the leaves begin to lose their colour. The pest feeds by inserting themselves into the plant tissue and removing their cells, leaving the leaves with a yellow-brownish colour. The mites live for a period of two to three weeks and the plants begin to rot soon after being affected.

The pest also thrives on plantains, bananas and ornamental plants and some reports indicate that the pest has also infected those plants in parts of the country.

While the use of chemicals is a primary means of addressing the issue, it is considered impractical for coconuts, given the size of the palm plants. To this end, biological control has been utilised in parts of the world whereby beetles and predator mites were embedded within the plants to feed on the red palm mite.

COCONUTS Coconuts have been one of the major non-traditional agricultural products exported and sold locally for decades. In May this year, the Guyana Chronicle reported that coconut producers and agricultural organisations as well as Agriculture Ministry GEORGETOWN PUBLIC HOSPITAL Purchase of two Mobile Universal Operating Tables & Accessories at a cost of MG$22,888,723 contract awarded to Medifa ● Procurement of two Anesthesia Systems at a cost of MG$21,000,000 - contract awarded to KD Enterprise ● Procurement of two Puritan Ventilators at a cost of MG$19,000,000 - contract awarded to KD Enterprise Total cost MG$62,888,723 ● Construction of new operating Theatre & ICU, Ambulatory Care & Diagnostic Centre – Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation an increase of MG$12, 690, 300 from MG$33,101,783 to MG$45,792, 083 TEXT BOOKS ● Procurement of textbooks from publishers – Ministry of education

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

officials met to discuss the future of the industry.

INCREASED PRODUCTION At the time, Permanent Secretary within the Agriculture Ministry George Jervis had reported that local coconut production had risen from 5 million tonnes in 2005 to approximately 10 million tonnes in 2014, with exports going to all the major coconut-importing nations.

Other officials, including those from the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) among others were at the meeting which centred on the establishment of a roadmap to improve the sector’s productivity and long-term sustainability. ● Oxford University Press £41,464.89 ● Macmillan Distribution £45,919.71 ● Holder Education International - £80,482.21 Total £167,866.81 Mohamed’s Book Store Associates Ltd. US$342,453. ● Provision of security services for Regional Buildings & Offices – Region 5 – Ministry of Communities at a cost of MG$279,079,296 contract awarded to Home Safe Security & Domestic Services ● Rehabilitation of the Mounted Branch Stables – Guyana Police Force at a cost of MG$39,892,335 contract awarded to PD Contracting ● Construction & rehabilitation of road from Brian Sucre junction to Mahdia – Region 8 at a cost of MG$32,873,100 contract awarded to V. Dalip Enterprise (Government Information Agency)

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Baby Heart Foundation Region 10 Bus Association successfully completes divided over line system – some six more to go – drivers labelled covetous, uncooperative 12 surgeries THE Baby Heart Foundation has so far successfully completed 12 open-heart surgeries on children affected by various heart complications.

Eighteen Guyanese children have been identified to undergo open-heart surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) during the team’s November 21 - December 5 visit, and as of December 1, 2015, 12 surgeries have already been completed.

This is the Baby Heart Foundation’s third visit to Guyana, having made visits in May and June of this year, when 14 and 12 surgeries respectively were completed.

Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton, on Monday visited the children scheduled to undergo open-heart surgery at the GPHC through the International Children’s Heart Foundation, also known as the Baby Heart Foundation.

Dr Norton met and interacted with the 15 volunteers and three staff members who comprise the Baby Heart Foundation’s medical team, as well as the parents of the children, in the Surgical Paediatric Ward of the GPHC. The team, comprising a perfusionist, surgeon, cardiologist, nurses and a respiratory

Minister Norton speaks with one of the children as two members of the medical team look on

therapist, hopes to complete between 15 to 18 open-heart surgeries by the end of this visit.

In addition to performing open-heart surgeries, the Baby Heart Foundation has also been helping to build the capacity of the GPHC to cater to paediatric cardiac patients. This includes the training of local personnel such as nurses, paediatricians, anaesthesiologists and surgeons. (Navendra Seoraj)

Dr Norton speaks with one of the team members of the Baby Heart Foundation

A member of the team in discussion with Dr Norton

EXECUTIVE members of the Region 10 Bus Association are seeking the intervention of the government through the Interim Management Committee and the Police Traffic Department of ‘E’ Division as bus drivers are failing to adhere to the procedures that stipulate the proper functioning of the line system.

This seven-month-old dispute has spiralled out of control, and the opposing drivers are reaping the majority of passengers, while those operating in accordance with the line system are bearing the bitter end of their legitimate stand.

These mini buses which run the #43 route of Linden to Georgetown have attempted implementation of the line system twice before, but as currently occurring, the system is not lasting a week.

In this instance, it lasted for only two days.

The Region 10 Minibus Association, formed on January 20, 2015 aims to create a forum in which all bus drivers and conductors can earn equally after a day’s work. It has always been noted by members of the public, especially passengers of this route, that travelling with these mini-buses can be the most distasteful and uncomfortable experience.

The aggressive soliciting of passengers (touting) and the reckless driving as well as the continuous increases in fares are just some of the complaints that are being voiced. In addition to this,

the “random filling system” is advantageous to some drivers who are known as the “elites” or popular drivers, while the other drivers are unable to make more than one trip per day. Taking these factors into consideration, the line system was implemented as the disorderly behaviour of touts was shunned and it was not good for tourism, according to the secretary of the association, Eon Lorrimor.

The association was launched and several engagements were held with the Interim Management Committee as well as with the Commander of ‘E’ Division to embrace this line system by enforcing stringent measures to prosecute anyone who fails to adhere to the policies enacted. The association was given all assurance by these authorities that the park would be kept in check for persons failing to adhere.

Permission was granted to demarcate the park and to set up boulders to institute the system. On Monday, March 10, the line system commenced and everything went with decency and order.

On the first day of April, a percentage of the drivers called the “elites” who were accustomed to reaping from the “random filling system” called a strike, even after being present at the meetings and voting for these changes.

There was a total withdrawal of the police and when the commander was confronted by the proposers of the line system, he affirmed that he was given orders to

stop harassing the bus men by higher authority; hence it was out of his power to prosecute the men. With this being said, the “elite” drivers started loading their buses out of the line, much to the loss of those who stuck with the system. “ When one man making two and three trips out of the line, another man punishing whole day to make one in the line,” lamented one bus driver who wished to remain anonymous.

The secretary of the association, who has been taking the plight being faced by the bus drivers to the Ministry of the Presidency, was finally invited to a meeting with Minister Annette Ferguson who made several promises to change the situation. To date, these changes have not been made and the disorderly drivers continue to ignore the line system, continue to solicit passengers aggressively with the use of touts and continue to reap the majority of the passengers by making several trips daily. The Office of the Mayor and Town Council has not taken up its authority of controlling the activities that take place at the park. The traffic police mentioned that they were responsible for what occured on the road and not at the Park, hence the drivers who were desirous of making this system successful were on their own and are now calling on the government to intervene.

Gov’t, BBCI still in talks on toll reduction – agreement expected soon THE Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) said yesterday that an agreement for the reduction of tolls is still being brokered with the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI).

In November 2015,the MPI sent its draft agreement to the BBCI for review in relation to toll reductions; another copy of the proposed agreement was sent to the BBCI on

Monday, a media release from the MPI said yesterday.

The ministry has been informed that this document is currently engaging the attention of BBCI’s lawyers, the release noted.

$40M FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Once the MPI receives a favourable response from the BBCI, the $40M allo-

cated for subventions will be available for immediate release. The toll will also be immediately implemented, once the agreement has been signed by the BBCI. The ministry had estimated that the toll reduction would be implemented by December 1, 2015.

However,the MPI is optimistic that an agreement could be reached shortly with the BBCI, the release concluded.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

RBI Chairman...

Region 10 to have own TV channel soon

By Rabindra Rooplall

THE Region 10 Broadcasting Inc. (RBI), set up for the purpose of applying for licence to broadcast in Linden and surrounding communities, is hoping to have its regional television channel soon, according to Chairman of the RBI Board, Sharma Solomon.

In a tripartite meeting convened last July by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who holds the information and telecommunications portfolios, Head of the National Frequency Management Unit, Valmiki Singh, advised Solomon that the RBI could be assigned a channel for use as a regional television channel.

In an earlier agreement, the previous administration had promised to let Region 10 have its own television channel. In anticipation of being granted a licence to broadcast, the RBI had purchased the requisite equipment, only to have the government renege on its promise.

Singh has undertaken to make an assessment of the RBI’s transmission equipment.

When contacted, Solomon said the matter is with

the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), which had its first board meeting on Thursday last.

LONG DELAY “So that is one of the main reasons why this matter was held up so long, since Region 10’s matter is top priority with the GNBA….

Outside of the application which they (GNBA) would have reviewed on Thursday, there is an amendment which includes additional UHF frequencies; because, as it is, we are able to transmit as far as Ituni and close to Rockstone, and with two more frequencies, we can be able to service the Kwakwani area, the Berbice River area, and along with Anarica, and moving closer to Region 7 in Bartica,” Solomon explained.

Solomon said that along with the region’s interest, there are plans to work closely with the board of NCN to have access to building facilities. As such, the RBI Board met to recruit someone who could provide both technical and administrative skills to assist with development of the RBI operations.

“Outside of the infrastructure which has been put

Chairman of the RBI Board, Sharma Solomon

Chairman of the GNBA Leonard Craig

together since 2014 -- which includes the area where the dish is and the construction of the technical building and the acquisition of the technical equipment -- we would also want to hire someone who could provide technical services and also administrative management, which will be outsourced,” Solomon emphasised.

with Mr. Virgil Harding who manages the operations of the Annai-based community radio station Radio Paiwomak.

Those discussions included efforts to strengthen the operations of Radio Paiwomak along with extending the broadcast range.

The Prime Minister has indicated that discussions have commenced with regard to extending NCN Television’s range beyond Linden to hinterland communities.

Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), Leon-

DISCUSSIONS Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Director of Information, Imran Khan, had earlier held discussions

ard Craig, has said that the licensing of Linden TV is based not only on the decision of the GNBA, but as a government policy to give the mining town a television station.

“It is a policy to do that, and as such, we have to respond to a policy of the government. We have not addressed that application specifically, but as an authority we are in sync with the policy. The reason for not yet addressing specifically Region 10’s applications is because they still have some maintenance work to do, and one such is to have NCN rent space, and (have) Channel 13 (returned) to Linden; but a specific agreement has to be made, and when that agreement is made, the GNBA will respond appropriately,” Craig said.

He explained that the matter would be dealt with at a sub-committee level and be reported back on December 10, 2015.

GIFT Back in the 1980s, Green Construction had donated the first TV station, Channel 13, as a gift to the bauxite

workers and the residents of Linden.

The operations were managed at the time by Guymine, which, some years later, put a second channel, Channel 8, into operation under Linmine.

Later when bauxite was experiencing a downturn, there was an unbundling process which saw the two channels being placed under the management of a board supervised by BIDCO. During that time, the TV operation was receiving an annual subvention from the government.

With the establishment of the National Communications Network (NCN), the two channels were transferred to that entity.

Lindeners have, for years, been lobbying for the provision of other TV stations to be allowed to operate in the town. Their contention is that they have been subjected to biased television coverage. Similar claims have been made by residents of Ituni and Kwakani.

Van-West Charles roasts Rohee Fraud accused – for daring to question his credibility on self-bail RECENTLY-appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Dr. Richard Van-West Charles, has lambasted People’s Progressive Party General Secretary Clement Rohee for alleging he is unqualified for the position.

Rohee said Monday at his weekly press conference, “Van-West Charles lacks the qualifications and experience to address GWI’s distribution and porous water system due to leakage and theft.”

Taking umbrage at Rohee’s cheek, Dr Van-West Charles fired back by way of a telephone interview with the Guyana Chronicle Tuesday, “Rohee hasn’t got the competence, the judgment, nor the academic capabilities to make that disclosure!”

Having gotten that off his chest, Dr Van-West Charles said that Rohee needn’t worry, as he knows he is well qualified for the job, and as

GWI CEO Dr. Richard Van-West Charles

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee

such does not wish to get into any “cross-talk” with him.

“I am doing what I am charged to do, and I will do it in an excellent manner; and along with my technical staff, who have significant knowledge and competence, we will do our jobs efficiently and reliably,” Dr. Van-West Charles declared.

At Monday’s press conference, Rohee, besides questioning Dr Van-West

Charles’s suitability, had also highlighted the water woes affecting huge swathes of residents in rural communities across the country.

“Since his assumption of office,” he said, “Van-West Charles has been visiting various communities, parading the virtues of his new responsibilities. Of noteworthy importance is the selected and discriminatory manner in which he is going about

his business of ‘fixing’ long outstanding water woes, especially at private housing schemes, while neglecting a number of villages around the country, which continue to be without a drop of water.”

However, when asked about this, Van-West Charles said the water company is already on top of the situation, having embarked on several outreach programmes in various neighbourhoods and communities across the country.

“Over the past few weeks,” he said, “we have made agreements for providing water to places which were experiencing shortages for years now; for instance, in places like Ann’s Grove and Savannah Park, while works are continuing in some other communities.”

He also said that after looking at some queries last Sunday, he has since scheduled meetings with residents at Mocha-Arcadia, Kuru Kuru, and Friendship, but that are ongoing at Mahdia and Bartica.

THIRTYthree-year-old Ronita Roberts of 33 Joseph Pollydore Street, Georgetown, was on Tuesday placed on her own recognisance after she was charged with fraudulent conversion before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The charge read that between August 1 and 31, 2015, being solely entrusted

by Askari Ferrier with one Samsung Galaxy S5 cellphone to keep and deliver same, fraudulently converted the said item to her own use and benefit.

The facts of the matter were not stated by the police prosecutor.

Defence counsel requested that the court take

his client’s circumstances into consideration, as he was applying for her to be placed on self-bail. He stated that the two parties once shared a relationship which they have a child from, and that she was currently unemployed. She also has custody of the child.

Her lawyer stated that his client and the virtual complainant were in a “box hand,” which was worth $200,000. Ferrier collected the money and went to Suriname, and after he returned, he gave Roberts $30,000, but still owes her.

The magistrate placed the defendant on self-bail.

The matter has been adjourned until December 14.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Girls, LGBT community most vulnerable to HIV – new study calls for renewed effort to end discrimination ADOLESCENT girls and young women, gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers and prisoners have been identified as vulnerable groups that require intense investment and efforts to dramatically reduce new HIV infections and deaths due to AIDS. This is according to a new global HIV report released yesterday ahead of World AIDS Day titled “Focus on Location and Population”.

The report points attention to the value of targeting people and places with the highest HIV risk as part of an approach to dramatically reduce HIV transmission.

It emphasises that in order to dramatically reduce new HIV infections and deaths due to AIDS, the Region must rethink and renew efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination.

“Strategic efforts are required to reach those who are most vulnerable, where they are. The report identifies five groups relevant to the Caribbean that require intense investments and efforts—adolescent girls and young women, gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers and prisoners,” a UNAIDS release said.

During his mission to the Region earlier this month,

UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé, stressed the importance of addressing not only the prevention and HIV treatment needs of girls, but also the need for increasing social protection.

Education, keeping girls in school and addressing gender-based violence are all key ingredients to reducing the disproportionate HIV risk borne by girls.

UNAIDS said young women in the Caribbean are two to three times more likely to be living with HIV as young men.

EARLY DEBUT This is partially explained by the early sexual debut among young women in the Caribbean and the prevalence of intergenerational sex involving younger females and older male partners.

“We need to ensure that our programmes can reach girls where they are and address their concerns. That is not resolved with pills.

The problem is structural.

We need to have courage to remove boundaries… make sure people should no longer accept gender inequality or the social construction that if I am the man I can abuse women as I want,” Mr Sidibé said.

Targeted efforts are also needed to address key populations. HIV rates among men who have sex with men vary throughout the region but are well documented to be between six and 20 times higher than that of the general population.

“Those groups are very vulnerable,” he said. “We know that when we discriminate they will hide them-

selves and they will not have access to services. Some of them will have relationships with women and infection goes on to the general population. Justice for all is key if we want to achieve the goal of breaking backbone of the epidemic.”

Mr Sidibé urged increased investments and collaboration with civil society and the faith-based community aimed at reducing prejudice and providing services to hard-to-reach communities.

“It is very clear that the traditional service approach will not work. We need to bring all these partners around the table. We will never reach all people where they are if we do not reduce stigma and discrimination.

There is no way to do it without compassion… without realising that any life lost because people do not have access to services is unacceptable,” he ended MUCH HOPE Meanwhile, at the centre of the strategy is new science which shows that early and full HIV treatment reduces the risk of HIV transmission by 96 per cent.

The next five years present a window of opportunity to scale up HIV testing and treatment.

The new 2020 targets

adopted by the Region are known as 90-90-90. Specifically, countries will aim to ensure that 90 per cent of people living with HIV know their status; that 90 per cent of those diagnosed with HIV are placed on treatment and that 90 per cent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.

“Viral suppression” means that the level of HIV in the blood is so low that health outcomes improve while the risk of transmission dramatically declines.

The Caribbean can achieve these ambitious targets, UNAIDS said.

“Since 2000, new infections in the Region declined by 50 per cent. In the last 10 years alone, the Caribbean achieved a 61 per cent reduc-

tion in AIDS-related deaths.

Additionally, following the success of Cuba, several Caribbean countries are on track to be validated as having eliminated HIV transmission from mothers to children by 2016.”

All these gains, UNAIDS noted are linked to improvements in HIV testing and treatment.

Based on the new World Health Organisation guidelines for initiating patients on antiretroviral medicines immediately after diagnosis, treatment coverage for the region is 44 per cent for adults living with HIV and 36 per cent for children.

By scaling up efforts to test and treat, the 90-9090 targets are achievable, UNAIDS said.

Facts about HIV/AIDS in Caribbean

● In 2014, there were 280 000 [210 000–340 000] people living with HIV in the Caribbean ● In 2014, there were some 13 000 [9600–17 000] new HIV infections in the Region ● New HIV infections declined by 50 per cent between 2000 and 2014 ● In the Caribbean, 8800 [5700–13 000] people died of AIDS-related causes in 2014 ●Between 2000 and 2014, the number of AIDS-related deaths in the Region fell by more than half ●Haiti accounted for about half of all AIDS-related deaths in the Region in 2014 ● Treatment coverage is 44 per cent (33 per cent-54 per cent) of people 15 years or older living with HIV in Caribbean and 36 per cent (32 per cent-42 per cent) among children ● There were <500 [<500– <1000] new HIV infections among children in the Caribbean in 2014

EU pledges cash if Guyana abolishes death penalty DEPUTY Head of Division for the Caribbean European External Action Service Fernando Ponz Canto said the European Union (EU) is willing to give political and financial support to any country that abolishes the death penalty, including Guyana.

The EU has been the leading institutional actor and largest donor to fight against the death penalty.

Abolition of capital punishment is a precondition for candidate countries seeking accession to the EU. The union opposes the death penalty at all times and in all circumstances and sees it as cruel and inhumane.

“The EU supports the fight against the death penalty both politically and with financial means,” Mr Canto said, pointing that while he cannot go into detail, such support can be given to any Caribbean country wanting

Deputy Head of Division for the Caribbean European External Action Service, Fernando Ponz Canto (left, crop out the other persons)

to abolish the death penalty.

The EU believes that abolition of the penalty is essential for the protection of human dignity and for the progressive development of human rights.

The International Commission Against the Death Penalty is working to make

the Caribbean region free of the capital punishment, but also strengthening its justice systems.

The EU has approved a Citizen Security Strategy for Central America and the Caribbean which provides a range of support to countries in the region, including tack-

ling prison conditions and weaknesses in their judicial systems.

Mr Canto was at the time responding to a question posed by the Guyana Chronicle on what support the EU is prepared to give to Guyana should this country also abolished the death penalty.

Lord Navnit Dholakia, a member of the UK All Party Parliamentary Committee on Abolition of the Death Penalty, picking up from the top EU official, said a number of avenues are opened for Guyana.

Legal reform In the area of legal reform, he said Guyana can benefit from conferences on the criminal justice process that are open to countries the world over, and are attended by countries in the Caribbean.

The UK has a lot to learn from other countries as much as they have a lot to learn

from the UK, he said, contending that it is a process of moving forward by adopting good practices.

Guyana is the only country in South America that has not abolished capital punishment. Suriname was the latest country in South America to strike the death penalty law off its statute books. But though Guyana has the law, in practice, there is an unwritten and unspoken moratorium in effect.

For some decades, Guyana has not applied punishment by way of death.

And in 2010, through wide consultation, an amendment was made to the Criminal Law Offences Act, removing the mandatory death penalty for murder.

The courts in Guyana are empowered to examine the circumstances of the crime and apply different penalties.

Politicians have argued for keeping the death pen-

alty since it is a deterrent to murder, but Justice Institute Guyana Executive Malinda Janki disagrees with this proposition.

She told a recent conference on the death penalty that to end murder, governments have to look at who is doing the killing and why.

Murders have been linked to drugs, guns, and inequality in society among other factors.

“The death penalty does not stop people from taking drugs; it does not stop people from using guns; it does not enable the police to catch criminals and have them convicted. It does not make society more equal; the death penalty is actually the most murderous symbol of inequality. The rich don’t get hanged; only the poor and the marginalised. Capital punishment means that those with the capital don’t get the punishment.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Linden cars, buses in transport rivalry

By Vanessa Braithwaite

THE revolution of the Region 10 (Linden) transportation system has taken bread out of the mouths of many.

Cars are slowly gobbling up the industry.

Many Route 45 minibus drivers are considerably affected, as the transportation monopoly is now lost to car drivers.

The first set of drivers to share their market with car drivers were the short- drop buses serving persons in Amelia’s Ward and Wismar.

Approximately six years ago, both hire and private cars started to run the same route at the same price, and since many persons found this more convenient, the buses were gradually forced out of the market.

STIFF COMPETITION To date, only one bus has decided to take on the stiff competition and continues to work the route.

After several engagements with the Mayor and Town Council over the allocation of the Park, the short drop cars gained victory, and are now operating from the Park where the buses were previously operating from. With this new choice of transportation many bus drivers and conductors are left without a means of em-

ployment. Some of them are still in the process of paying loans for their buses. These drivers who have families to take care of, and bills to pay have been driving for years, and are not in possession of any form of trade or academic qualifications required for other forms of employment.

Former bus driver, Dale Fraser had to seek employment at a local Security Firm as the only thing he did for the majority of his life was taken away from him and there was nothing left to fight for.

“Them car man come and take over the wuk, and we just had to remove we self. We fight, we fight, we fight, but we lose in the end,” Fraser revealed.

He also said the cars had the support of the people, as they saw them as a more convenient option compared to the buses.

LINDEN TO GT Also losing their monopoly are the Route 45 minibuses which run from Linden to Georgetown.

About a year ago, a few cars started working the same route and capturing the attention of the passengers going to Georgetown. As it became more popular, the numbers increased, and to date there are over 50 cars making two and three trips from Linden to Georgetown daily. This has

been deemed a tremendous blow to the minibuses and big buses that run this route.

Cars accepting the same fee as the buses lure passengers to their services by promising convenience, comfort and safety. In addition, the cars commenced operations at the allotted short-drop park, therefore having the advantage of accessing the customers departing the short drop cars. They were taking tremendous business away from the minibuses.

“We just deh whole day not seeing we customers coming to the park until we realise that the car men them getting them before they could even come to the Georgetown Park,” mentioned one bus driver.

DEAF EARS Secretary of the Region 10 Minibus Association, Eon Lorrimor said that these cars

were illegally tolerated by the Mayor and Town Council to operate from a park under their management. This complaint fell on deaf ears however since the cars were paying a toll to the Municipality on every entrance into the park. “If these cars make three trips, is three times they paying the Town Council, and so they were benefitting from this operation,” Lorrimor said.

The Council, which titled these cars “route 45 passenger taxis”, suggested that since the cars were having the advantage of operating from the short- drop park, they should relocate to the Linden-Georgetown Bus Park.

The car drivers refused to honour this suggestion, and started to operate from the regular taxi park located at the boat landing.

At that park, the Municipality is not benefitting from any tolls. Even at this junc-

ture, they were not stopped.

The reduction of business for the minibuses has a ripple effect as not only the drivers, but conductors and touts depend on these buses to satisfy their daily needs.

MIXED RESPONSES When this publication spoke with several drivers on how this change has affected their livelihood, they shared mixed views on the issue.

Some of the drivers are of the opinion that this is retribution being paid by the innocent for the failings of the guilty.

Currently, the Association is divided over the instituting of the line system because of receiving several complains and remarks of dissatisfaction from the passengers as it relates to the aggressive soliciting of passengers.

Shanteal Alleyne, one passenger who travels to Georgetown daily to attend

the University of Guyana, said that is the main reason why she stopped travelling with the buses and is now supporting the car drivers. “Those bus drivers make travelling uncomfortable. The harassment you have to go through just to enter into a bus is very discouraging,” she said.

According to one driver, who asked to remain annonymous, “These rebel drivers who do not want to support the line system and are continuing to harass passengers all because of covetousness is the reason that we are in this situation today.”

He said that it was unfortunate that all of the drivers had to pay for this selfish attitude. Many of these drivers recently invested in buses and have obligations to banks and loan agencies. They have families to feed and are affected tremendously by this situation.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Labour to investigate alleged exploitation at another mining operation SEVERAL employees attached to the K & B Mining Company operating in the interior are complaining of exploitation by their employer.

Some employees who were paid last Friday by the company reported that they were aghast to find varying amounts had been deducted from their salaries without an explanation.

Some said that they collected their salaries and noticed that 15% was taken out without any explanation.

The men also charged that the company sells them groceries and other items at alarming prices, even though VAT had been removed from several items.

A few men who are attached to the dredge camps said that they are made to purchase powdered milk, which they were initially told would have been given to them free of charge.

NO PAYSLIPS They also reported that they were surprised at not being given pay slips with their salaries.

According to reports from employees in the interior, some persons are made to work 12-hour night shifts and are paid $1,000 for every ounce of gold produced, although upon taking the jobs they were promised $2,000.

Some employees said they are made to pay $1,500 for a pound of powdered milk even though VAT has been removed from that item. According to the employees, a small tube of Colgate toothpaste is being sold for $500, while a small bottle of water costs them $500, a good $400 more than what they pay in town.

A roll of toilet paper costs $500; so too a bar of Lux bath soap, a toothbrush, and a bottle of Smalta. In addition, some employees complained that the dire conditions under which persons operating the pits have to work are hazardous to their health.

10% TRIBUTARY TAX When the company was contacted yesterday at their Industry, East Coast Demerara office, their accountant said that regarding deductions from the workers’ salaries, the company was contacted by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) with a directive to deduct a 10% tributary tax from the earnings of all employees. The accountant added that the company will do all it can to ensure that the employees are briefed about the new deduction to avoid any disagreements.

The tributary tax deducted is sent to the GRA, according to the accountant.

He further stated that their pits were in ‘tip-top’ shape and K & B Mining would welcome any routine inspections by the relevant authorities at anytime. Commenting on the overpricing of items, he said that it is expensive to transport goods to the interior and so they are forced to hike the price on items. However, he did not comment on whether dredge camp workers were promised $2,000 instead of the $1,000 they are being paid on every ounce of gold.

When contacted Tuesday, a representative of the Ministry of Social Protection’s Labour Department said the ministry is very concerned with exploitation of workers by employers and will therefore investigate the matter.

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I will lead athletics out of abyss, says embattled Coe

By Justin Palmer LONDON, (Reuters)-IAAF President Sebastian Coe said on Wednesday he was the right person to clean up athletics and make it responsible and accountable in the wake of a doping crisis that has embroiled track and field.

The head of athletics’ world governing body was quizzed about doping by Britain’s Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport select committee, said failures had been made but he would fix them.

“I have the experience to do that and I have the support of the sport. Have there been failures? Yes. Will I fix them? Yes,” Coe, himself a middle-distance Olympic gold medallist, said when asked if he could lead athletics out of the mire.

“If I don’t do that I know there will be no tomorrows in our sport. I want a responsible and accountable sport.

I want a sport people can trust,” said Coe, a former MP and now a member of the House of Lords.

Athletics was plunged into crisis last month over a report by the independent commission of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) detailed systematic, state-sponsored doping and related corruption in Russia.

The IAAF has since voted overwhelmingly to suspend Russia from the sport - potentially casting one of track and field’s most successful nations out of next

IAAF president Sebastian Coe year’s Rio Olympics.

The IAAF itself has also been beset by corruption allegations regarding the taking of bribes to cover up doping. The retired Lamine Diack, who Coe succeeded as president, was last month placed under formal investigation by French authorities on suspicion of corruption and money laundering.

The 82-year-old Senegalese is alleged to have received more than 1 million euros in bribes in 2011 to cover up positive doping tests of Russian athletes.

Diack’s family has dismissed what they called the “excessive and insignificant accusations”.

Coe has steadfastly denied that the governing body of athletics had been complacent in its handling of doping cases and rebuffed criticism that he, as Diack’s deputy since 2007, must have known the extent of the problems in the sport.

“My vice presidency role is non-executive. It was about 10 days a year.

We have a clear separation between anti-doping and non-executive committee,” he said. “I was aware that we had a problem but not the specific numbers.

“If you’re asking specifically about names and numbers, I would not have known that.”

LONDON OLYMPICS Coe was widely criticised for describing German broadcaster ARD and Sunday Times’ August allegations that the IAAF had ignored widespread blood-doping as a “declaration of war on our sport”.

Journalists had obtained a database of athletes’ blood

tests over an 11-year period and concluded, after an examination by two experts, that it contained hundreds of suspicious results that the IAAF should have acted on.

The committee called Coe to appear as it explores the allegations.

Caption: IAAF president Sebastian Coe Coe, who last week stepped down from his ambassadorial role with Nike after facing repeated questions about a potential conflict of interest, said he stuck with the sentiment but could have chosen his words differently.

“It probably expressed my frustration and anger at the time,” said Coe. “I was being contacted by clean athletes and coaches at how they were having their reputations imperiled.”

“The issue I took exception to was very selective use of data that could not be used to prove positive tests.

Just putting data out into the public domain as raw data is not good for clean athletes,” he said.

Coe, 59, had a glorious career on the track and then a varied one off it. As being a politician, he is a hugely successful businessman and headed the bid for and delivery of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Asked if there is an acceptance within the IAAF that doping was tolerable, Coe dismissed that accusation.

“If I go back to the immediate challenge we have there is Russia’s ban and allegations made about some people in the IAAF. “If you say IAAF has acceptance that doping is acceptable, I don’t accept that.”

Andy recommends ...

From backpage for at least two or three years, because you have to repeat all of those deliveries so he can get accustomed to doing it.”

Narine was suspended from bowling in international cricket, with immediate effect, after his action was found to be illegal.

An independent assessment revealed that all variations of his deliveries exceeded the 15-degree limit.

Narine’s action was reported earlier this month during the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.

But, according to Sir Andy, the player’s future in international cricket depends largely on how seriously he approaches the recovery process.

“I think that once you have a suspect action, if you are prepared to do the hard work to straighten it, then

you would succeed. But he is going to have to lose a number of his wicket-taking deliveries like the doosra and he has a problem with his off-break, so that’s a big problem,” he said.

Narine was playing against Sri Lanka after a gap of more than a year in international cricket, and finished with four wickets from three ODIs at an average of 18. He is currently the No 1 ranked bowler in the ICC rankings for ODIs and T20Is. The Trinidadian is currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League for Comilla Victorians, and this suspension means he won’t be allowed to bowl in the BPL either.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said that Narine would receive its full support as he works on correcting his action.

(Antigua Observer)

FIFA President congratulates ..

from page 32 ball Club on their STAG Elite League (Genesis) title, won on Sunday last at the Leonora Stadium.

Slingerz FC defeated rivals Alpha United 3 – 2, thanks to a double from their Dominican striker Julian Wade, and a match-winning header from Devon Millington. The win saw the Javid Ali owned club pocketing $4M, while Alpha United had to settle for $2M. “It gives me great pleasure to send my heartfelt congratulations to Slingerz FC and their indomitable team on this great achievement,” Hayatou said.

According to the 69 year-old Cameroonian, “This title is the result of the determination of everyone involved, and my congratulations go to the players, the coach, the entire technical and medical staff and the fans.”

Hayatou thanked Slingerz FC and the GFF for “helping to spread the positive message of football”.

English Racing Tips Doncaster 08:15 hrs Bold Conquest 08:45 hrs Dragon City 09:20 hrs Voix D’Eau 09:55 hrs Iniciar 10:30 hrs Charbel 11:05 hrs Wild Bill 11:35 hrs Chase End Charlie Newbury 08:25 hrs Copain De Classe 08:55 hrs Colin’s Brother 09:30 hrs Sykes 10:05 hrs Actival 10:40 hrs Top Gamble 11:15 hrs Champers On Ice 11:45 hrs Wait For Me Musselburgh 08:35 hrs Touch Of Steel 09:10 hrs Verona Opera 09:45 hrs The Backup Plan 10:20 hrs Round Tower 10:55 hrs Castlelawn 11:25 hrs Kalanti South Africa Racing Tips Fairview

08:35 hrs Badger’s Bell 09:10 hrs Quebiango 09:45 hrs Dogmatism 10:25 hrs Distinguished 11:00 hrs Global Express 11:35 hrs Kumiko Irish Racing Tips Dundalk 13:35 hrs Victorious Secret 14:05 hrs Danz Gift 14:35 hrs Bittern 15:05 hrs Artiste Celebre 15:35 hrs War Room 16:05 hrs Ebadan 16:35 hrs Pick Your Battle 17:05 hrs Chestnut Fire American Racing Tips Aqueduct Race 1 Autumn Squall Race 2 Memory Keeper Race 3 Mo for the Money Race 4 Llanita Race 5 Shaken Not Stirred Race 6 Stone Supplier Race 7 Hoon Race 8 Taris

29

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Wolf Warriors, Regal Masters, Trophy Stall Angels take Petama Enterprise/ Motor Trend softball titles WOLF Warriors defeated Regal by 30 runs on Sunday last to take the Petama Enterprise and Motor Trend softball tournament’s open finals when the tournament was contested at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC).

Batting first, wolf posted 204-4 from their allotted 20 overs thanks to Safraz Karim (82) and Amit Rai (39), while bowling for Regal, Richard Latiff, P. Motielall, D. Perreira and S. Budhu who each took a wicket.

In response, Regal fell at 174 All Out in 19.5 overs with Latif’s 4 1 being the highest.

MVP Mark Harold 4-18, Wazim Hussain 1 for 30 and Narine Bailey 1 for 31, were

The Regal Masters team show off their trophy

Looknauth’s half century steers Tamarind Root into play-offs.

TAMARIND Root Cricket Club of Hampshire, Corentyne, completed a clean sweep of the Zone J preliminary rounds when they beat Rose Hall Town Bakewell B to end as winners of that zone to earn their place in the last 16th play-offs of the 2015 New Building Society Second Division 40 Overs Cricket Competition in Berbice.

In the match, former off-spinner Adrian Niroj Singh and left-arm spinner Kunal Mangal each took 3 for 17 to bowl out Rose Hall for 120 in 29.1 Overs.

Then opening batsmen Avinash Looknauth scored 54 N.O (3 fours and 4 sixes) to steer them to an easy 7-wicket win.

In another match, Berbice Under-15 batsman Alex Algoo slammed 86 (9 fours and 1 six) and former Berbice all-rounder Balram Samaroo 56 (3 fours) to guide Fort Canje Warriors to 252 for 5 in 35-Overs against Cane-

field, and which team was then bowled out for 116 in reply with Warriors off-spinner Charran Singh taking 5 for 25 from 7-Overs.

Also scoring half-centuries were former Berbice Under-19 batsmen Hakeem Hinds of Tucber Park and Sanjay Badal of Canje Pathfinders.

Meanwhile, over at Cumberland, Fort Canje Warriors beat Canefield by 136 runs.

Batting first, Fort Canje Warriors made 252 for 5 in 35-Overs with Alex Algoo 86, Balram Samaroo 56, Royden Phil 33, while Satesh Rupai snagged 3 for 21.

MELBOURNE,(Reuters)The retirement of Mitchell Johnson, coupled with the injury cloud hanging over Mitchell Starc, will force Australia to dig deep into their pace reserves during the home summer but ready-made left-arm replacements are in short supply.

Australia head into next week’s series opener against West Indies without a leftarm paceman for the first time since August 2013, when they were beaten in the fourth Test of the Ashes at Chester-le-Street.

Finding the last time Australia won a test without a left-arm quick requires a scan back to April 2012, when they defeated West Indies on tour in Bridgetown with a pace attack featuring Ben Hilfenhaus, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle.

The variation brought to the table by Johnson, and more recently Starc, has been a key weapon in Australia’s arsenal but right-armers may have to shoulder the burden through to the end of the twotest tour of New Zealand in February.

Siddle and Josh Hazlewood, man-of-the-match in the third Test win over New Zealand in Adelaide, are virtually assured of lining up against West Indies in Hobart from Dec. 10, with James Pattinson expected to replace the injured Starc.

Nathan Coulter-Nile has been called up to the squad, with fellow uncapped

right-armer Scott Boland in reserve.

Top class left-armers are in short supply, however, and chief selector Rod Marsh joked that he had mulled telephoning Johnson to see whether he might like to come out of retirement.

“You’ve got to respect a bloke when he retires,” Marsh told reporters in Adelaide. “It would have been nice, wouldn’t it?”

Doug Bollinger has been the pick of the southpaws over the past two seasons of Sheffield Shield cricket, but the 12-Test paceman is 34 and played his last Test five years ago.

Jason Behrendorff would have shaped as a strong candidate for the West Indies series but has broken down with a back injury and the Western Australian could yet be sidelined for the rest of the domestic season.

Marsh earmarked Joel Paris, another Western Australian, as a left-arm talent to watch but the 22-year-old just completed his first-class debut against Victoria.

“He’s one that we’ll be keeping our eye on for sure, because he’s very tall and he swings the ball and he had a brilliant junior career,” Marsh said. “(Right-armer) Billy Stanlake is another one, from Brisbane. We’ve got two youngsters who I think, going forward, will be very good fast bowlers for Australia.”

In response, Canefield could only muster 116 in 33-Overs with Rayon Sunthgolam 33, Charran Singh 5 for 25. Balram Samaroo had 2 for 7.

At Edinburgh, Tucber Park beat Angoy’s Avenue Achievers by 57 runs while at Goed Bananen Land, Canje Pathfinders beat Betsy Ground Strykers by 5 wickets.

Not much left in Australia’s pace stocks

The Mike’s Wellwoman side after taking the ladies crown

Wolf warriors cart off the Petama/Motor Trend open title

the chief destroyers.

In the Masters division, Regal Masters made like work of Parika Defenders, beating them by 39 runs.

Regal piled a 223-3 total off their required 20 overs, thanks to Mahesh Chunilalls 113 N.O, M. Arjune 35, and R. Bakers 27 N.O while the defenders, D. Kannan & K.

ed Mike’s Wellwoman by 8 wickets.

Batting first, Wellwoman posted 79-2 from 10 overs with Zola Telford 26 N.O leading the charge.

However, the Trophy Stall Angels manged to overhaul that total, making 84-2 in 8.2 overs with MVP Roxanne DeMonick 39* & Kavi-

Persaud, each took a wicket.

In chase of the total, the Parika side faltered on 1847-20 overs with O. Chandler (48), A. Ahmad (24) and D. Hanaman (52*) being the lead totals.

Satrohan Seeraj bagged 2-13.

In the women’s category, Trophy Stall Angels defeat-

ta Yadram 24*.

Player of the series for Open category was Richard Latiff, while Rudolph Baker who scored 334 runs in the series won the award in the Masters category.

Matana Cambridge of 4R Lioness took the MVP of the series in the female category.

Smith, Boult feature in ICC Test and ODI teams of the year

By Amlan Chakraborty NEW DELHI, (Reuters)-Australia captain Steven Smith and New Zealand paceman Trent Boult made the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) test as well as one-day international team of the year announced on Wednesday.

England skipper Alastair Cook was named captain of the Test side while South Africa’s AB de Villiers was put in charge of the one-day team by a special panel headed by former India captain Anil Kumble.

Currently the top-ranked team in the five-day format, South Africa had no representative in the test squad, while Kiwi batsman Kane Williamson was left out of

the ODI side despite being the leading run-scorer in the qualification period.

“Testament to the quality of cricket played is the calibre of players to have missed out on selection,” Kumble said in an ICC statement.

“While selecting these squads, the selectors considered various combinations and took into account several factors in overall performances,” added the former leg-spinner.

Australia, England and Pakistan had three players each in the Test squad while New Zealand had two in Boult and Williamson.

De Villiers has two compatriots in the ODI squad -- batsman Hashim Amla and leggie Imran Tahir -- which also included recently retired

Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara as the wicketkeeper.

Bangladesh’s growing ODI reputation was reflected with 20-year-old leftarm pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman becoming the first player from his country to make the ODI team.

ICC Test Team of the Year: David Warner (Aus), Alastair Cook (Eng-captain), Kane Williamson (NZ), Younus Khan (Pak), Steven Smith (Aus), Joe Root (Eng), Sarfraz Ahmed (Pakwicketkeeper), Stuart Broad (Eng), Trent Boult (NZ), Yasir Shah (Pak), Josh Hazlewood (Aus); 12th man: Ravichandran Ashwin (Ind) ICC ODI Team of the Year 2015: Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL), Hashim Amla (SA), Kumar Sangakka-

Steven Smith ra (SL-wicketkeeper), AB de Villiers (SA) (captain), Steven Smith (Aus), Ross Taylor (NZ) Trent Boult (NZ), Mohammed Shami (Ind), Mitchell Starc (Aus), Mustafizur Rahman (Bang), Imran Tahir (SA); 12th man: Joe Root (Eng)

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Klitschko wants heavyweight rematch with Fury (REUTERS)-Vladimir Klitschko wants a rematch against Tyson Fury to try to regain his world heavyweight boxing titles, he said yesterday.

The Ukrainian-born former IBF, WBA and WBO title holder has exercised his right to request a second meeting with the Englishman, who defeated him in a unanimous points victory in Duesseldorf on Saturday.

He announced Boxing Wladimir Klitschko v Tyson Fury WBA, IBF & WBO Heavyweight Title’s - Esprit Arena, Dusseldorf, Germany - 28/11/15Tyson Fury in action with Wladimir KlitschkoAction Images via Reuters / Lee SmithLivepicBoxing - Wladimir Klitschko v Tyson Fury WBA, IBF & WBO Heavyweight Title’s - Esprit Arena, Dusseldorf, Germany - 28/11/15Tyson Fury in action with Wladimir KlitschkoAction Images via Reuters / Lee SmithLivepichis intentions on his website (www.klitschko. com) and in a statement on his Instagram account.

Tyson Fury in action with Wladimir KlitschkoAction Images via Reuters / Lee SmithLivepic The 39-year-old Klitschko said: “I have a pre-season Christmas gift for Tyson Fury and all boxing fans around the world: I will be making use of my contractual option for a rematch against Fury. So... the fight of 2016 is in the making.”

He said on his website

that he felt “really frustrated” immediately after Saturday’s fight but added: “After some short nights, I now know that I want to show that I am much better than my performance on Saturday. Failure is not an option.”

Fury’s trainer and uncle,

Peter Fury, told Sky Sports television that his camp were happy with the rematch. “It’s in the contract. We’re very happy to take it.”

Details have still to be worked out but the trainer said London’s Wembley Stadium next year was a possibility.

Two prominent apparel establishments on board for Flex Night THE Flex Night 2015 event has definitely excited the attention of a number of business interests. This year Axe Apparel - retailers of sports and fitness apparel, and Colors Boutique – retailers of modern, trendy attire, have both joined a still growing list of business establishments throwing their corporate weight behind the Flex Night 2015 event.

LABA Christmas football tourney starts on Saturday with double-header

THE Linden Amateur Basketball Association’s (LABA) Christmas year-end basketball championship bounces off on Saturday with a double-header at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.

A release from the LABA to the participating clubs informed that they are about to finalise plans with a beverage giant company for the Christmas tournament.

The opening games are on Saturday between Half Mile Bulls and Block 22 Flames at 19:00 hrs and the other game brings together Retrieve Raiders and Bankers Trust Falcons.

The round robin initial play will conclude with the best four clubs advancing to the semi-finals before the final.

The ten playing dates are December 5, 7, 11, 12, 16, 17, 19 and 29 when the semi-finals are to be played and the grand final on January 2, 2016.

The next playing day is Monday when the first game is between Block 22 Flames and Retrieve Raiders at 19:00 hrs and the second at 21:00 hrs when Amelia’s Ward Jets pit against Victory Valley Royals at 21:00 hrs.

LABA will unveil the full fixture of the championship tomorrow when representatives, captains and coaches for the six participating clubs Half-Mile Bulls, Retrieve Raiders, Block 22 Flames, Victory Valley Royals, Amelia’s Ward Jets and Bankers Trust Falcons attend a meeting at 17:30 hrs at the tournament venue, Mackenzie Sports Club.

Real face Cup disqualification for fielding ineligible player

BARCELONA ,(Reuters)-Real Madrid could be thrown out of the King’s Cup for playing Denis Cheryshev against Cadiz in their last-32 tie on Wednesday when he should have been suspended, Spanish media reported.

Cheryshev received a third yellow card playing for Villarreal against Barcelona in the semi-finals of last season’s competition but he has not served the resulting ban.

Breaking the Spanish federation rules would mean automatic elimination for Real, Radio Cope and As newspaper reported.

Cheryshev, who scored after three minutes against Cadiz, was taken off at halftime by Real manager Rafa Benitez.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

Donald Sinclair of Flex Night Inc. receives a contribution from Robeson Brotherson manager of Colors Boutique

Onai Vasconcellos of Flex Night Inc. receives sponsorship from Kathy Ten-Pow, proprietor of Axe Apparel

(Thursday December 03, 2015) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALLBourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE 176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) WI vs PAK, Bourda, 1988 (2) WI & PAK (1988) Today’s Quiz: (1) What were Alvin Kallicharran’s scores in his first two Test innings?

(2) Where and when was the first ODI game played in the Caribbean?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

Test match tour of England positive for Caribbean economy ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – With the increased demand for information regarding the value of cricket events to the Caribbean economy, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) commissioned an economic impact evaluation on the 2015 England tour of the Caribbean. The information garnered focused on the three islands where the Test Matches were hosted Antigua, Barbados and Grenada.

Following a comprehensive report done by REPUCOM, the figures show the positive impact the tour had on the host islands. The overall direct economic impact for the region was estimated at US$59.8 million at an average of US$5.1 million a day spend.

The tour attracted 34.3 per cent visitors (15,660) of the overall 45,640 spectators who attended the games.

The report also highlighted that the direct economic impact of spectator spend was US$50.1 million. Antigua boasts the highest economic impact estimated at US$22 million, followed by Grenada with US$21.9 million and Barbados US$19.5 million.

The Barbados game although ending in three days had the highest spend with an estimated US$6.5 million a day. There was an average media value of $10 million per island which was generated by a cumulative audience of over 3.64 million viewers.

Grenada reported the highest total spend by spectators, largely due to the highest accommodation revenue generated, the report stated; while Antigua report-

WICB Chief Executive Officer Michael Muirhead ed the highest return on areas like ticketing, sponsorship and broadcasting. Notes in the report suggested that this was due to the fact that the WICB secretariat is based in Antigua.

The series which was drawn was a positive result for the home team with an exciting draw in game one in Antigua; in the second, England won by nine wickets, but home team won by five wickets in game three in Barbados in a three-day encounter.

The evaluation was done on five specific areas to include economic impact, social impact, event experience, sponsorship and media impact.

Some of the general feedback from the other areas suggest there is a recall of test sponsors; while socially 50 per cent of the parents said they were inspired enough to encourage their children to play cricket. As a destination the three host countries were given a 77.6 per cent ‘very good’ rating for the hosting of the games.

Reacting to the evalua-

tion, WICB Chief Executive Officer, Michael Muirhead stated “the report underscores the point we have consistently made that hosting events in the region has a positive outcome. We are always making every effort to improve the product. The drawn series was also a factor and fans for the last game were given a treat.”

Fans around the three islands were happy for the tour and noted that “the series showcased the countries, created a buzz and can be a catalyst to increasing tourism arrivals.”

As the regional tournaments continue with the Professional Cricket League (PCL) and the upcoming NAGICO Super 50, the CEO noted, “we are committed to increasing the amount of cricket being played in the region showcasing our best talent in the game.”

The next international series is scheduled for June 6 – 26, 2016 and will feature home team along with South Africa and Australia in a One Day International (ODI) Tri Series.

Bravo anchors West Indies on rain-affected day Darren Bravo’s unbeaten 46 helped West Indians reach 6 for 154 after Cricket Australia XI had reduced them to 5 for 83 on the first day of the tour game in Brisbane. Only 60 overs were possible, however, due to rain interruptions.

West Indies opted to bat and their openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Rajendra Chandrika were cautious at the start, adding 32 by the 16th over. The good work was undone, however when both men fell within six overs to seamer James Bazley.

Bravo and Marlon Samuels shared a 31-run partnership for the third wicket, but Samuels’ dismissal was followed by two more quick wickets. Jermaine Blackwood was caught off fast bowler Ryan Lees for 1 and Denesh Ramdin bagged a duck, courtesy medium-pacer Simon Milenko.

Bravo kept steady at one end and inched his way to 46 off 135 deliveries with six fours and a six. He shared a sixth-wicket partnership of 32 with Jason Holder and then added an unbeaten 39 runs with Carlos Brathwaite - the highest stand of the innings so far.

Apart from Milenko and Bazley, who took two wickets each, Lees and leg-spinner Cameron Boyce were also among the wickets.

WEST INDIESs 1st Innings K Brathwaite c Inglis b Bazley 21 R Chandrika LBW Bazley 10 D Bravo not out 46 M Samuels c Peirson b Boyce 19 J Blackwood c Carder b Lees 1 D Ramdin+ c Andrews b Milenko 0 J Holder* c Peirson b Milenko 26 C Brathwaite not out 25 Total: 154/6 (60 Overs) Extras: (lb 6) 6 Still to Bat: D Bishoo, K Roach, S Gabriel.

Fall of Wickets: 1-32 (Chandrika, 15.3 ov), 2-35 (KC Brathwaite, 21.1 ov), 3-66 (Samuels, 28.5 ov), 4-69 (Blackwood, 31.5 ov), 5-83 (Ramdin, 35.3 ov), 6-115 (Holder, 43.6 ov).

Cricket Australia XI 1st Innings Bowling: S Milenko 14-3-33-2, R Lees 13-9-10-1, J Bazley 10-4-27-2, C Boyce 12-1-43-1, M Short 7-1-30-0, T Andrews 4-2-5-0.

Cricket Australia XI: J Silk, J Carder, N Stevens, J Inglis, JJ Peirson*+, M Short, J Bazley, T Andrews, C Boyce, R Lees, S Milenko.

TTFA could be banned for failure to pay former coach FIFA Manager of Member Associations Luca Nicola has warned that Trinidad and Tobago may be banned from the qualifiers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar if it fails to settle an outstanding debt to a former coach.

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) is yet to settle a debt with former coach Even Pellerud, who was in charge of the team from 2008-2012.

In that respect, Nico-

la cautioned that a disciplinary ruling, issued on July 23 has given the TTFA around 120 days to settle the US$200,000 debt. The deadline for the payment had already passed.

“The TTFA has to understand that this debt has to be settled immediately.

The deadline passed on the 23rd of November, so the TTFA will have to find a solution and settle the debt with former national coach Pellerud as soon as possible

to avoid any repercussions on the World Cup qualifiers for Qatar,” he explained.

“As far as I was informed, the disciplinary committee said the deadline is set but the suspension for the qualifiers for 2022 will only take effect if coach Pellerud requires such.

The coach has not requested the disciplinary committee to take the measure of suspending T&T from the qualifiers for 2022,” Nicola said.

Sport

32

CHRONICLE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 3, 2015

FIFA President congratulates Slingerz FC on STAG Elite League Genesis title win

Acting President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Issa Hayatou, in a letter to President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde, extended congratulations to Slingerz Foot see page 28

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

Guyana’s top referees remain on FIFA list for 2016

Guyana’s eight leading football referees will remain on the FIFA list for 2016 with the World Governing Body for the sport conveying such to the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) recently.

Head of the GFF’s Referee Department Stanley Lancaster had submitted the eight names to FIFA and, after evaluation of primarily the International tournaments the group officiated in this year, the Guyanese officials were kept on the illustrious list.

Regarded as one of the best referees in the CONCACAF region, Sherwin Moore was listed by FIFA as the country’s Number One

Referee. Berbician Sherwin Johnson was ranked the Number Two Referee by FIFA. Venton Mars, Trevor Porter, Lenval Peart, Kevin Stephens and Kleon Lindey were the Assistant Referees.

It was no surprise that the top female referee in Guyana Maurice Skeete was given a nod of approval by FIFA, since she had officiated, with distinction, at several marquee Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and CONCACAF Women’s tournament this year.

Meanwhile, Lancaster noted that his department’s aim is to add more Guyanese officials to the FIFA list.

Referee Sherwin Moore

Issa Hayatou

Former national and West Indies fast bowler Sir Andy Roberts believes that spinner Sunil Narine should consider taking a hiatus from international cricket.

Sir Andy, also a former West Indies selector, suggests that the Trinidadian should think about taking at least two years off to correct his illegal bowling action.

“If you are going to overcome pelting, you can’t do it in 15 days, you can’t do it in two months, you can’t do it in six months because you have been playing cricket for the greater part of your life.

Narine is about 29 or 30, so he must have been playing from since he was about 18 or 19 and using the same action,” he said.

“I would say if Narine wants to come back then he has to forget about First Class cricket Sir see page 28 Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015