Chronicle 12 16 2015

Exxon pumps up oil exploration No. 104403

WEDNE SDAY DECEMBER 16, 2015

Price: $80

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Shoes galore

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Female cop stops drug trafficker 10 Page

First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger examines one of the shoes as Mr. Ernie Ross, Guyana’s Honorary Consul to Trinidad and Tobago, makes a point while Mr. Dion Inniss, Caribbean Airlines representative, and another invitee look on

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City police taking Better days for police fight to criminals ahead - Granger Page 12

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

Exxon pumps up oil exploration GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

By Alva Solomon

UNITED States oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil is increasing its oil exploration momentum here as the firm has contracted geophysical survey company Fugro Geoservices Inc. to survey the sea floor off the coast of Guyana, starting today.

The exercise will commence at high tide when the relatively new survey ship, the Fugro Americas, fans out into the Atlantic with a technologically equipped autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), which can carry out deep water activities utilizing highly digitalised still cameras, among other equipment.

The submarine gives accurate illustrations of the

sea bed, profiles of the floor, and marine activities, among other forms of data.

The survey will be undertaken over the next three months, ending in March, and will take place some 95 nautical miles off the coastline, Fugro’s Project Manager, Connie Landry, told members of the media during a guided tour of the ship yesterday at the John Fernandes Wharf.

“PRE-DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY” Coming on the heels of the Liza-1 well discovery in May this year, the planned survey has been described as “pre-development activity”

by ExxonMobil, and also entails a detailed survey of the A crew member onboard the Fugro Americas explains the operations onboard the ship

sea floor as well as a visual check of any hazards at the bottom of the sea.

Landry said that, providing all arrangements at Port Georgetown are completed in time, the ship will leave the John Fernandes Wharf with its 32-member crew for sea.

The team will spend Christmas at sea and return to shore on December 29, when it makes a scheduled crew change.

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A crew member of the Fugro Americas stands near the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) or submarine at the stern of the survey ship

GEO-TECHNICAL PHASE He said that the project will stretch until March 2016, but the bulk of the offshore duties will end around February. In that month, a geo-technical phase of the project will be activated, whereby additional equipment will be installed on the ship. This includes refrigeration equipment which will hold samples retrieved from the sea for additional testing. Those tests will be carried out over a threeweek period.

During the tour of the state-of-the-art ship, crew members spoke of its advanced capability in offshore operations. The ship, which was built and constructed within the past 18 months, was officially waterborne in April this year.

According to the firm, the ship was immediately mobilised to the Caribbean for a highly successful geo-

chemical coring campaign.

Measuring 193 feet in length, the company said, the multi-purpose vessel is well suited for high-resolution geophys-

ical surveys and seafloor mapping, and is permanently mobilised for rapid deployment to locations Please turn to page 10 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday December 16, 2015

Los Angeles schools ordered shut --over email threat

LOS Angeles schools have been closed due to a threat emailed to the school district two weeks after the deadly attacks in California.

The shutdown closed more than 1,000 schools attended by 640,000 students across the city and beyond.

A school district spokesman said it involved rucksacks, and they were exercising “an abundance of caution.”

New York City officials said they received a similar threat, but it was so “outlandish” they ignored it as a hoax.

Congressman Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said the Los Angeles email was also deemed a hoax.

New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton said the emailed threat came from overseas, purporting to be from jihadists, but was not considered credible.

He said he thought Los Angeles officials overreacted.

But LA Police Chief Charlie Beck responded by saying it was “irresponsible” to criticise when you didn’t have the responsibility of safeguarding three-quarters of a million lives.

The threat came less than two weeks after 14 people were killed by a radicalised Muslim couple in San Bernardino, 60 miles east of Los Angeles.

“Earlier this morning, we did receive an electronic threat that mentions the safety of our schools,” said Steven Zipperman, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department.

“We have chosen to close our schools today, until we can be absolutely sure that our campuses are safe.”

An unnamed police official told Associated Press news agency the email sent to New York City threatened an attack on “every school in the city” with pressure cooker bombs,

Police turning away parents dropping the kids off to school yesterday

nerve gas agents, machine pistols and machine guns.

In Los Angeles, the threatening email described an attack specific to the Los Angeles Unified School District, with assault rifles and explosive devices, said Mr Beck.

In a reference to the San Bernardino tragedy, District

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Superintendent Ramon Cortines said: “I think it’s important to take this precaution, based on what has happened recently, and what has happened in the past.”

Officials notified parents to keep children at home or pick them up.

Lupita Vela, parent of an eight-year-old daughter who attends school in the district, told the AP news agency she was “terrified” getting the announcement, especially following the San Bernardino attacks.

She wants her daughter to feel safe at school, she said.

Another parent of a LAUSD student, Elinor McMillan, said she’s “a nervous wreck”.

In a separate incident, classes were also cancelled at San Bernardino Valley College yesterday due to a bomb threat made on Monday afternoon. (BBC News)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday December 16, 2015

Barbados to drop Queen Elizabeth as head of state in 2016

QUEEN Elizabeth II is about to lose another realm, as Barbados has announced it will ditch her as head of state in time for the 50th anniversary of its independence.

Although the island nation has been contemplating a republican government for some time, it was only this week that the country set November 30, 2016 as the last day in which Barbadians will pledge allegiance to a non-resident monarch.

“It’s a little awkward in the year 2015 to still have to stand up, and instead of pledging allegiance to Barbados, to be pledging allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen,” Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart was quoted as saying by the Caribbean News Service.

November 30 will mark the 50th anniversary of Barbados’s independence from the United Kingdom. The country’s transformation into a republic, which is still pending a constitutional change, would make the country of 300,000 the 16th member of the Commonwealth to eschew Elizabeth II’s rule since her 1953 coronation.

As has been typical in these cases, the Queen has remained officially indifferent over whether her portrait hangs in the former colony.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson told Barbados media, “It is a matter for the government and people of Barbados.”

Barbados will join Caribbean neighbour Trininad and Tobago, which became a Republic in 1976.

Nevertheless, the former British Empire will continue to have a strong hold on the region. Citizens will continue to swear allegiance to the Queen in Jamaica, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

First settled by the British in the early 1600s, Barbados is occasionally referred to as “Little England”, for having held much closer ties to the Mother Country than other former colonies.

Vehicles are driven on the left side of the road, and the island retains a culture of polo and cricket.

Queen Elizabeth has been to Barbados four times, most recently in 1989 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Barbados Parliament.

Canada has occasionally flirted with severing its ties to the British monarchy and replacing the governor-general with a ceremonial president.

While monarchist sentiment has rallied of late, with the 2011 marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, it remains on shaky ground.

A May poll by Forum Research found that 39 per cent of Canadians favoured cutting ties with monarchy upon the death of the Queen, while 54 per cent said they did not want to see Prince Charles become King of Canada.

Australia took the issue to a referendum in 1999, although 55 per cent of voters rejected the prospect of making the country a republic. (The National Post)

Early morning quake rocks ‘Bim’

AFTER a month of reduced seismic activity, an earthquake was recorded off the northeast coast of Barbados yesterday morning.

According to information provided by the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, the 4.0 magnitude tremor was recorded at about 1:51 a.m. some 136km to the northeast of Bridgetown.

It was at a depth of 10km at Latitude 14 degrees north, and Longitude 58.76 degrees west. The last earthquake in that general area was around November 9, when a 4.0 magnitude was recorded at the same depth.

On November 11, a 4.1 was recorded to the east southeast, between Barbados and St Vincent. (Barbados Nation)

Pusey stands firm SENIOR Corporate Area Magistrate Judith Pusey caught fire on the weekend from fellow members of the judiciary over what they say is her penchant for offering bail that is too low.

The criticism came during a seminar held for judges, and could well be prompted by the continued outcry of Jamaicans over the high crime rate and the fact that crimes are also being committed by people who are out on bail.

But some senior attorneys told the Jamaica Observer yesterday that the hierarchy of the judiciary has “had it out” for the magistrate, who is widely revered by the public, including even those she has sent to jail.

Yesterday, Pusey spoke of her chastisement while

dealing with a matter before her in which an accused man had asked for his $100,000 bond to be reduced, because he could not take up the bail offer. She eventually reduced his bail to $40,000. The magistrate also reduced the bail of another accused who could not afford to take up his offer.

The colourful magistrate, whose comments regularly capture newspaper headlines, said she was “chastised” over giving “minuscule bail” and said many “other adjectives” were used to describe her bail offers.

“But I think I defended myself [sufficiently],” Pusey noted in relation to her response to the criticisms.

According to Pusey, she had to tell her critics that she works in Kingston, but

Cave Hill to provide day-care next year STUDENTS OF the University of the West Indies who are parents may soon have the option of having their children looked after on campus.

By August next year, the Cave Hill campus should have a working day-care facility. Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education, Dr Jennifer Obidah, said the estimated BDS$2M facility would also provide training for those interested in early childhood education. “We will be establishing an early childhood day-care and training development centre here on campus. We are going to be training the next generation of early childhood educators, but we’re also going to be providing day-care services for our students, so that as parents come to better themselves through education, their children will be cared for right on campus,” she said.

Obidah was speaking after a signing between the Caribbean Development

Bank and the Cave Hill Campus at the 3Ws Pavilion to fund research in Curriculum Development and Training in Gender Socialisation for Early Childhood Development Practitioners. She said they were currently in the process of ensuring that all the relevant permissions and training were in order, and were also seeking business partners for the venture. (Barbados Nation)

not uptown.

“I can’t offer a man earning minimum wage bail of $1 million. If you are going to give him bail, then give him bail; if you are not going to give him bail, don’t give him,” Pusey said yesterday.

“Who are you trying to appease? Your conscience or someone else’s?” she asked rhetorically.

The Observer has been informed that the magistrate has, in the past, been criticised by members of the judiciary for various things, including communicating with accused persons who appear before her in the native vernacular.

“They really have it out for her,” said one senior attorney, adding that, from his knowledge, Pusey has been frowned upon by her

colleagues on the bench.

In relation to the issue of bail, another senior attorney explained that the Bail Act says that if someone is being offered bail, it must be a genuine grant.

“If you look at a little peasant and tell him bail is $4 million or $5 million for an offence for which he should be given bail, in essence he wasn’t given bail,” said the lawyer, who has extensive experience in the criminal courts.

On the other hand, he said, the offer shouldn’t be too low.

“I think she tends to balance the scale,” he said of Pusey. “There are some persons who she will not give bail, instead of giving them an ‘artificial bail’.” (Jamaica Observer)

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams

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

Editorial

A breath of fresh air

THE development of any society is contingent on its most vital and valuable resource -- its human capital.

Workers and employers share a symbiotic relationship wherein, without the input of the former, the wheels of production, distribution and consumption grind to a halt, and the latter -- with their goods and services -- are compromised; and even breaking-even, much less being profitable, becomes daunting.

As such, a stable industrial environment redounds to the benefit of the employer, worker, and society as a whole; and in pursuit of a nation’s holistic development, it becomes incumbent upon government to foster and maintain that conducive environment.

Yet, within recent years, there has been serious breakdown in the worker/employer relationship, evident in instances wherein workers were not paid the stipulated national minimum wage; or were not paid at all for their labour; or were deprived of holiday, sick and vacation payments; or were fearful to speak out, lest they be fired; or were forced to sign in wage books for amounts greater than what they had received; or had NIS contributions deducted from their emoluments and not paid over to the Scheme; or were made to work under hazardous and unhealthy conditions; or were occasionally forced to work in conditions that were hostile to stipulated legal requirements.

Thus recent revelations from ongoing visits by the Labour Department not only confirm these violations, but lay bare the prevalence of their unabashed praxis.

It is no exaggeration to say that these conditions are heart-rending in the 21st century. More importantly, it is a stain on the nation, given that modern-day society emerged out of the struggles of workers for the right to self-determination and enjoyment of improved working conditions and standards of living.

A nation that has on its statutes clear and defined conditions under which workers ought to give of their labour should, in no way, witness the horrors being seen.

It is troubling when workers are made to labour for a longer period than the stipulated eight-hour work day without being paid overtime, as required by law; or are denied their legally mandated break period. In addition to being denied their constitutional right to join a trade union of their choice or to engage in collective bargaining, workers in the bauxite industry are further violated when signed contracts impinge on their fundamental rights and freedoms.

The right to work in an environment where safety and health are assured is enshrined in the Occupational Safety

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday December 16, 2015

WANTED:

A more comprehensive approach to fight crime Dear Editor, REFERENCE is made to your editorial, ‘Crime Wave in perspective’, appearing in the Guyana Chronicle edition of 12/14.

Given the current debate about the nature of the crime situation in Guyana, the editorial offered some interesting perspectives about genesis and causation.

According to the editorial, two central features/drivers contribute to the current crime situation in Guyana.

Firstly, socio-economic, or what are known as macro factors, are responsible for the existing levels and frequency of crime in the society. Secondly, the role played by endemic corruption in fostering criminal wrongdoing in the society.

Some reference was also made to glorification of criminal actors and its resultant effect on overall criminal activities.

The above referred factors are by no means

unique to Guyana; and, by and large, reflect the modern-day challenges confronting security and criminal justice officials around the world. It is due to the referred and other challenges that policy makers design and execute new paradigm shifts in policing policies in some societies.

However, when one examines the Guyana context and reality, there are some instructive features that are worthy of careful scrutiny.

Taken together or in isolation, corruption and socio-economic factors, if not addressed, contribute to spiralling crime rates and deviancy. So, even if one were to address those factors in order to bring about change, there are some prevailing deficiencies that equally contribute to the crime condition.

The operational posture and performance of the Police Force is critical to any successful crime strategy in any society. Interestingly, that is located within the

and Health Act, whose stipulations include responsibility of the employer to provide safe working conditions; which include, where necessary, safety gear such as goggles, safety boots and respirators. The rights to join a union of choice and to engage in collective bargaining are protected in Article 147 of the Guyana Constitution. The responsibility of the employer to deduct and, in a timely manner, pay over NIS contributions for workers is clearly stated under the NIS Law; yet this nation keeps witnessing numerous cases wherein those laws are violated with impunity.

Further, violations such as trafficking in persons (TIP) pose dire consequences for this country’s development.

International institutions, inclusive of developmental organisations like the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), regard TIP so negatively that a country wherein it is practised can be cited or treated negatively.

As a member of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Guyana has ratified a number of conventions. Ongoing violations of workers’ rights and employers abrogating their responsibilities are more than passing concerns.

These violations, which evidently have been ongoing for years, could not have happened without the tacit support of government, which has primary responsibility to police the laws to safeguard the people and society.

A country cannot trade and develop if its activities are not conducted within its prescribed laws and international

framework of how the Police Force sees its mission.

If its mission is centred on an operational strategy and posture of crime control, that very mission is restricted and narrow.

The crime control approach is centred on reacting and suppressing crime. The goal is to go after bad actors and/or deal with criminal activity as it occurs. Yes, there can be some success, but such an approach does not deal holistically with causation.

Additionally, if a police force is not properly trained and equipped, it is likely that that will impact on the nature of operational success. Here, training is not limited to use of equipment and technology. New policing strategies and methods of crime prevention are necessary tools within a comprehensive approach to crime.

Finally, if a society is to successfully address its crime problems, it is

necessary that the administration of justice stands as a certain and predictable dispenser of justice. Where ambiguity and uncertainty exist, prospective and motivated criminal offenders are likely to engage in their pursuits, mindful that punishment and justice are not often certain outcomes.

Where criminal prosecution does not follow the norm, and is retarded by an inefficient and corrupt judicial process, criminal deviancy will flourish. So if we are expecting significant levels of success in confronting crime, it is necessary that a more comprehensive approach is implemented.

Thus far, we seem content on taking small, symbolic steps. Such an approach is limited in nature, and will naturally yield only some measure of short-term success, if any at all.

Regards LEROY NELSON

standards. Its citizens cannot feel valued -- neither would they want to give of their labour for the nation’s development -- when they are treated as second-class. Every agreement, be it regional or international, carries a basic requirement that all productive activities must be conducted within minimum acceptable international standards – the bedrock of Guyana’s laws.

For instance, the Trade Agreement between CARIFORUM and the European Union stipulates that the Region will produce its products respecting ILO Core Labour Standards. These standards include no forced labour, no child labour, safe working conditions, the right to collective bargaining, and freedom to join a trade union of choice.

These tenets are enshrined in local laws, and violation of any carries consequences of Guyana being citied and our products facing rejection in the international market.

Thus it is a breath of fresh air that the Labour Department, under the leadership of Minister Simona Broomes, is taking the proverbial bull by the horn to create a just and stable industrial environment. Through implementation, this policy decision will redound to the workers’, employers’ and government’s respective benefit; and to the country’s image. The department’s interactive and educational/training approach with management and/or workers, to ensure compliance with the laws and honouring of responsibilities by both groups, is a step in the right direction, and will ensure that Guyana upholds its international obligations.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday December 16, 2015

No bail for man who lied to the court

A BUSINESSMAN was remanded to prison after he was slapped with the charge of fraudulent conversion, when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday.

Carlos Singh had initially entered a guilty plea to the charge, which alleged that on November 9, 2015 in Georgetown, he was entrusted to sell 12 portable DVD players, 30 Mac lights, a quantity of 4GB flash drives, along with 2 Samsung cellular phones, 24 panties and 7 pairs of socks –total value $585,000, - property of Larry Gosarian.

However, despite Singh’s

guilty plea, he requested an opportunity to pay the virtual complainant restitute in raw gold and return some of the items which he had at his home. As such, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan adjourned the matter for a few hours.

However, upon the matter being re-called, Singh showed up in court with a lawyer, and changed his plea. The court heard that no raw gold was found while 11 DVD players, 2 cellular phones, 8 flash drives along with 2 pairs of socks were recovered.

“You came this morning and lied to the court. I’m not

going to grant you bail. You have proven to be a dishonest man.” Those were the words of the Chief Magistrate as she accepted his change of plea. He was refused bail and ordered to return to court on January 13.

Police Corporal Deniro Jones, in presenting the prosecution’s case, explained that Gosarian was a known importer and had given the items to Singh, who has a shop in the interior. The defendant took the items and the importer’s money and never returned. But one day the victim saw the accused in the Bourda area, and made

Contempt of court motion filed against city businessman

By George Barclay SHIVANGALI Nedd and Lalta Edwards of Meadow Brook Gardens, Georgetown have filed contempt of court proceedings against businessman Lloyd Singh of Camp Street, Georgetown, asking that he be imprisoned for his contemptuous behaviour in failing to carry out an order given

by Justice Franklin Holder on October 27, 2015 “to release motor lorry GSS 1860 forthwith to the applicants.”

The memorandum of the motion, which has been filed

in the Supreme Court Registry by attorney-at-law Savitri Parag for the plaintiffs, declared that since service of the said Order, on October 27, 2015, the defendant has refused to comply with same, and continues to unlawfully detain the said motor lorry, causing hardship to the applicants, who utilize same as a source of income.

They contend that the defendant is contemptuous of the injunction compelling him to release the vehicle, thus they are praying that the Honourable Court would grant the reliefs prayed for in the Notice of Motion.

The applicants (plaintiffs) are saying that when the defendant unlawfully detained motor lorry GSS 1860 on September 1, 2015, all its parts, including the tyres, were intact; but on November 7, 2015, when they accompanied the Supreme Court Marshal to the defendant’s premises in order to effect service of this motion, it was clear that the said motor lorry had been deprived of its wheels and battery.

The hearing is fixed for January 4, 2016.

A thesis of our late eminent poet Martin Carter

AS WE commemorate another death anniversary of our late National Poet Martin Carter, it is my firm conviction that his poetry and those of many of our literary greats should be taught in schools and private educational institutions in our country today.

I give below a thesis of our late eminent poet Martin Carter which I believe would be of great interest to our country and to educational institutions around the Caribbean. For our younger generation, Martin Carter may be just another name listed among our National Heroes. Since literature died a long time ago in our poor system of education, it’s about time our educators reintroduce the poetry of Martin Carter and many other Guyanese writers into our education system.

On October 22, 1963, Carter made a very mind-boggling prediction about the publishing of poetry in Guyana, which is as follows: “Publishing poetry in this country is like lending books to corpses. Few read, and those who do are not equipped either by curiosity or sensibility to understand what is confronting them.”

This prophetic statement was fulfilled in our nation because very few read poetry, and many are not equipped

with a background in literature to comprehend poetry. Many may ask these questions: Who was Martin Carter? What was his role in the history of Guyana? Why was his poetry important to this nation?

Martin Wylde Carter was the greatest poet Guyana has produced. He was one of the Caribbean’s greatest intellects, and was a distinguished literary personality whose creative imagination left an indelible mark on the English-speaking Caribbean and the Western Hemisphere. He ranked among literary exponents like Derek Walcott, V. S. Naipaul, Wilson Harris, Ian McDonald, A. J. Seymour, and Kamau Braithwaite.

He was an important figure in the National Independence Movement, and was very active in the struggle to liberate Guyana from British Colonialism, which was won when we gained Independence on May 26, 1966. He lived to the mature age of 70 years, devoting 40 of those years to his country and literary pursuits that will remain in the annals of Guyanese history and that of the wider Caribbean. His literary works are now being studied at Caribbean and British universities and in the wider world.

Dr. Gemma Robinson from the University of New-

castle-Upon-Tyne in England wrote her PhD dissertation on the life and writings of Carter. Carter’s poems can be compared to those of Tagore, T. S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, W. H. Auden and W. B. Yeats.

He was a great teacher of mankind and an ardent seeker of truth. His poems are rich in symbolism, philosophy, theology, and some very profound and complex imagery.

From his poem ‘Looking At Your Hands’, he can be widely remembered for the verse below: “And so if you see me looking at your hands/ listening when you speak/ marching in your ranks you must know/I do not sleep to dream but dream to change the world…”

One of the delights of Carter’s poetry is its rendering of profound philosophical thoughts locked in magnificent imagery. Here we see the poet present his vision of optimism as a dream to change the world. As we restudy his work, we will see Carter as the Guyanese National Poet, the revolutionary poet, the political poet, the disillusioned poet, the metaphysical poet, and the spiritual and theological poet.

The classic selection of his poems ranges from those that express moral anger and outrage at corruption to poems that are deeply introspective and metaphysical.

His political poems of re-

sistance registered social and political protest engendered

by British colonialism, and they speak out against the stark poverty, injustice, dehumanization and degradation of human existence among the masses.

From his poem the ‘University of Hunger’, he cried out: “Is the University of Hunger the wide waste? Is the pilgrimage of man the long march? The print of hunger wanders in the land.

The green tree bends above the long forgotten……”.

Here, we see the poet explore the relationship between himself and an individual in a land of poverty, oppression and corruption. He gave Guyana and the world a new sense of hope and promise of change through his poems.

We see him again clamouring for political unity in the poem ‘You Are Involved’.

These are the most quoted lines in Guyana, and have been quoted time and time again: “All are involved/all are consumed…”.

We have seen an ever widening philosophy in this line, calling for political unity like a Gandhi trying to bring political stability in Guyana. This prolific line is not only applicable to Guyanese, but to the wider world, because here is poet alive and well in his immortal words, dreaming to change the nat-

ural world from the spiritual world.

We can see his autobiography in most of the poems he has written, because he writes from personal experience, not only from creative imagination.

In Carter’s best known theological or metaphysical poem: ‘Death of a Comrade’, he sees death as eternal and not something that is just a natural phenomenon, like most poets and philosophers in the modern age see it.

We shall never know how deep a Christian Carter was, but his religion can be seen in many lines of his writings, like Dante and Shakespeare, informing us that death is not the end.

In the last stanza of ‘Death of a Comrade,’ he writes: “Now from the mourning vanguard moving on, dear comrade, I salute you and say Death shall not find us thinking that we die”.

We may ask the question: How can a dead man think after he has been dead? If a man dies, will he live again?

Job asked this question in the Bible. Jesus answered Carter and Job by saying: “He who believes in Me shall never die”.

Because Carter knew the soul and spirit in man shall never die, he was able to inform us that we must prepare to die in this life by living a

God-fearing life. He is like Tagore when Tagore writes: “On the day when death shall knock at my door, what will I offer to him”. For many critics, his eternal line “death shall not find us thinking that we die” means very little to them. For the spiritual mind, that’s a very profound statement, because we must not die in regret when we enter into hell. It’s like Dante in the ‘Divine Comedy’, teaching us the way of heaven and hell.

In Carter’s lifetime, he was a man of wisdom and wit, a gracious and elegant personality, a unique and fascinating figure. The quality of his poetry will be remembered. As we remember him, let us now see him as the poet-philosopher from his intricate lines below: ‘Wanting to write another poem for you I searched the world for something beautiful The green crown of a tree offered itself Because its leaves were combed just like your hair’.

Let’s comb through his words of truth and life and remember his words ringing in our ears like the rains singing in the wind in the placid night.

Regards, Rev. GIDEON CECIL

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

Shoes galore …30,000 pairs of shoes for hinterland students

FIRST Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger, in collaboration with the ‘Rethink’ Organisation, the Ministry of Social Cohesion, and Caribbean Airlines, on Tuesday presented over 1500 pairs of shoes to students from the hinterland regions who are currently studying in Georgetown.

At a simple ceremony held on the lawns of State House, the First Lady pre-

children, regardless of their location, are able to attend school. This is the first batch of a total of 30,000 shoes which are expected to be given to all students in the hinterland regions of Guyana over the coming months.

Minister of Social Cohesion, Mrs.Amna Ally, in brief remarks, said the President has a passion for education and seeing every child in school, and the project is

child had on school shoes, and it struck the President and the First Lady; and so I have no doubt that because those were witnessed at first hand, a project like this one has come into being,” Minister Ally said.

In explaining the genesis of the project, the First Lady said the shoes, called “the shoes that grow” are specially designed to ensure they fit the children

[Being] a mother, I know you buy shoes and in six months their sizes change.

So we thought this was the best for the children, since it can still be worn as they get older; and we approached the company,” Mrs Granger said.

I n h i s a d d r e s s , M r.

Ross said that during a meeting with the President he mentioned that he was saddened at the fact that

ed that the Government of Guyana will not be asked to provide any financing for the project. “Each one of these shoes cost US$15, but we are not burdening the Government of Guyana with this responsibility. We are seeking sponsors to carry the programme forward so we are not going to rest until every child has been given a pair of shoes in every community,” he said.

ner with the stakeholders in making the initiative a reality. He also committed the Airlines’ cooperation to undertake similar projects in the future.

“We are happy to be a part of this initiative in bringing the footwear over to Guyana free of freight [costs] as part of our social corporate responsibility.

We would like to continue to partner with not just

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger; Ms. Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Junior Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs; Dr Karen Cummings, Junior Minister of Health; Mr. Dion Inniss, Caribbean Airlines representative and other officials pose with the students who proudly displayed their new shoes sented the shoes to the students in the presence of Junior Minister of Health, Dr. Karen Cummings; Junior Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe; and Mr.Ernie Ross, Guyana’s Honorary Consul in Trinidad and Tobago.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, the shoes were donated under the ‘Rethink Initiative-Kind Soles Project’ started by Mr. Ross in support of the President’s initiative to ensure that all

a supplement to his ‘Boats, Buses and Bicycles’ (‘three Bs’) initiative to realise this objective. “He believes that every child must be in school. He believes that, there must be no barrier for our children to have access to education. He believes that not because of poverty, our children must not have access to education…During our campaign; we saw a lot of difficulties which are being faced by the children, especially in the hinterland communities. We saw instances where not a single

even as they age, since the shoes are expandable. “I had a discussion with Mr. Ernie Ross, after he had seen a picture of the hinterland children barefeet, and he said he wanted to provide some shoes for them. Well, I had seen a programme on BBC where a charitable organisation working in Africa had recognised the need for shoes for the children that can protect them from cuts and infections and so on, and so they developed this shoe called “Shoes that grow”.

children in the remote areas were going to school bare feet. The Honorary Consul related that it was at this time that he decided that something needed to be done to address the situation. “This is much the genesis and thinking of the First Lady and the President in meeting the needs of these children. We are merely the conduit to getting the programme put together,” he told the gathering. The Honorary Consul, who was instrumental in procuring the shoes, not-

An arrangement was put in place and the First Lady then worked in tandem with the Minister of Social Cohesion and the Honorary Consul to ensure that the shoes would be delivered here for distribution. Caribbean Airlines agreed to ship the shoes to Guyana at no cost to the stakeholders. Dion Inniss, Sales Executive of Guyana and Suriname, Caribbean Airlines, in his remarks, commended the project noting that Caribbean Airlines was delighted to part-

[the First Lady’s Office] but other agencies, which place emphasis on youths in Guyana,” Inniss said.

The Junior Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs also expressed gratitude to the organisation and stakeholders for the efforts to ensure that the children in the hinterland regions are not left behind. “They would really appreciate this. It is such a wonderful gesture and on their behalf, I say thank you very much,” Minister Garrido-Lowe said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

Saw sees the light

President David Granger addressing the Senior Officers and Division and Branch Commanders at the Guyana Police Force’s traditional Christmas breakfast yesterday morning. At left is Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud, and first and second right are Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo respectively

Better days ahead for cops …Granger tells police breakfast PRESIDENT David Granger yesterday morning announced a contribution of $1M to the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Fallen Heroes Foundation and another $1M to the Force’s Scholarship Fund.

The President, who himself benefited from a GPF scholarship to attend Queen’s College, made these announcements at the GPF’s traditional Christmas breakfast at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.

The breakfast was hosted by Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud and attended by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Attorney General Basil Williams, Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips; members of the National Security Council, senior officers and divisional and branch commanders of the GPF.

‘We have great plans for Guyana but those plans will not bear fruit unless Guyana is a safe place and the Police Force is central to the safety of our citizens and the security of our nation’ – President Granger ‘TURNED THE CORNER’ President Granger also used the opportunity to declare that while the Force has faced significant challenges, it has ‘turned the corner,’ and government will continue to ensure that adequate resources are provided to ensure the security and safety of Guyana.

“I would like to say, without hesitation, that the Police Force has faced tremendous challenges; but right now, on December 15, as we look back, I would say that the Police

Force has overcome the most severe challenges, and I think that better days still lie ahead. Let us put the past behind,” he said.

The Head of State noted that the formation of the National Security Council has been instrumental in ensuring that government is heavily involved in supporting and working with the GPF to ensure that the crime situation in the country is arrested.

He said, “The Minister of Public Security is obliged to report to Cabinet every single Tuesday morning on the state of the Police Force and on the success in overcoming the crime problem. That’s how seriously we take it. We haven’t ignored it. We haven’t told the police you are paid to do a job, go ahead and do it. We sit down and plan and strategise to make sure that Guyana can become a safe country for all of our citizens.”

SECTOR REFORM The President also said that the Police Force will be given the resources it needs to enable it to make this country safe. Moreover, government is working to have the Security Sector Reform Plan offered by the British Government back on the table.

“We have great plans for Guyana, but those plans will not bear fruit unless Guyana is a safe place; and the Police Force is central to the safety of our citizens and the security of our nation,” the Head of State said.

MOTIVATED Commissioner Persaud, in his remarks, said the new administration has created a lot of hope in the GPF that their resource and welfare issues will be addressed. “I wish to say today that we are very motivated. Our investments in capacity building…particularly this year, have been paying dividends. We see the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and crime intelligence working together and [they] have been adequately addressing a lot of the high profile crimes that we see in our streets,” he said.

The Commissioner added that Operation Dragnet, which was launched on December 1, is already demonstrating some success.

WELL the dancehall sector has been shocked into disbelief with the news that one of their members was struck down on the Road to Damascus. We are talking about popular Jamaican singer, Lady Saw. “After painting the planet with their madness, they always end up in an extreme state of mental fixation.... There are two main recruiting portals in Christianity, the jails and the mental institutions. I'm happy to report that I've never purchased directly or indirectly any merchandise associated with her madness,” one man commented on the news of Saw giving her life to Jesus. Another person retorted: “To God be the glory. Jesus came for the sinners as they are no saints. We are all sinners and fall short of His glory. Those without sin cast the first stone…” There were very many comments about the singer being baptised and though some of the remarks were cynical, Facebook was in agreement that Saw has finally seen the light.

Good job…kind of…

LEADER of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo made his famous passive aggressive move to commend and condemn the government all at once. Jagdeo in a statement called the government’s $50,000 bonus to public servants a “welcomed disclosure” but in the same breath stated that despite this bonus, the public servants still did not benefit from the retroactive annual salary increase as was done in previous years (by the PPP of course) which therefore leaves them in a worse position. He implied that this move also trumps the claims by the APNU/AFC government that the PPP left the country bankrupt. More disappointment followed in his statement about the government not supporting the rice farmers, gold miners, and denying sugar workers annual salary increases. Following all this, a reader may even forget that the initial statement began with a halfhearted compliment. Nevertheless, they did say that the move was “welcomed”, right? (In a notso-welcomed kind of way.)

No news is old news

SURPRISINGLY, one of the day’s trending topics was news that was not that new in the first place: the arrest of a Guyanese man who kept his dead wife’s body in their Brazil home to perform a “smoking” ritual. Though this story was reported first by GT Mosquito more than a week ago when the woman’s body was found, a recent post on Gordon Moseley’s page revitalized the public’s interest.

Though cringe-worthy, some respected the man’s deeds, deeming it his “religious right” as the report suggested.

Others were downright shocked. I would be too, honestly- I immediately imagined the corpse turning on a stick over the fire…but according to the article it was more “tastefully” done.

King Khem

AND the comedic shout out goes to Javin Singh, who managed to mix his snarky humour with some good ol’ Coming to America nostalgia by plastering Minister Khemraj Ramjattan’s face on the shoulder of James Earl Jones’ iconic King Jaffe Joffer character who was famously seen in the film walking with the head of a lion on his shoulder. Ramjattan- who Singh hilariously renamed King Khem “Jaffe” Raj Ramjaguar- instead bore the hide of a Jaguar around him while the smiling face of Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes hung in the background. This meme garnered many shares and induced much laughter among the locals and comes at a time when it has been reported that Ramjattan still sports the hide of Guyana’s national animal on the wall of his office- a move which Guyanese have found very disrespectful. Careful Javin, you don’t want to step on a king’s toes.

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Misunderstanding leads to injury LAWRENCE Jordan, of 664 West Rumiveldt, Georgetown, was yesterday placed on bail after he appeared before City Magistrate Faith McGusty to answer a charge of unlawful wounding.

The police report stated that on December 4, the injured man, Leroy Ford, and Jordon had a misunderstanding, which resulted in the virtual complainant being wounded.

Jordan was placed on $20,000 bail, and the matter is expected to be back in court on January 12, 2016.

Court warns...

Keep away from accuser A 24-year-old porter attached to the Guyana National Industrial Company Inc. (GNIC) was yesterday released on $75,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan pending a wounding charge.

Nico Shawn Thomas of 17 Broad and Lombard Streets, Charlestown pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleged that he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Orlando Klass.

Police prosecutor Deniro Jones did not relate the facts to the court. However, Klass who was present in court, had a bandaged head and strips of plaster along his left hand.

The Chief Magistrate granted the porter bail, and ordered him to keep a distance of more than 50 feet from the victim. He is scheduled to return to court on January 15 for statements.

Exxon ups ... ◄ From page 3 throughout North and South America.

AUV One of the most important pieces of equipment onboard the vessel is the AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle), a submarine made of hardened carbon fibre material, and capable of reaching a depth of 3,000m (9842 feet).

Members of the tour, which also included employees of the Guyana Geology and Mine Commission (GGMC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), were afforded an opportunity to see the AUV being launched from its holding facility on the ship’s lower deck.

The vehicle, which is monitored remotely from the ship, is equipped with cameras, and can be monitored from the surface, using remote technology.

“We do all of the mission planning on board, and it does what it supposed to do,” onboard staff, Erik Long said during the tour.

Running on three high-powered lithium batteries, he said that the AUV is meticulously capable of following instructions inputted from the ship. While underwater, it floats within 100m of the ship, and can reach low depths in the vicinity of 8m (26 feet) from the sea floor.

The precise operations are undertaken through close collaboration between the crew onboard ship, and the geophysical team stationed at the lower deck of the ship.

Inside the AUV’s holding room, geophysical staff informed guests that the sides of the submarine are sonar-equipped and can give accurate pictures of what the sea floor looks like through highly developed cameras which are attached to the front and back of the submarine. It gives an idea of the layers and the sediment at the bottom of the sea, they explained

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

Fined, placed on bail

A 28-year-old customer service representative of Qualfon was yesterday fined and placed on bail after he appeared before city magistrate Faith Mc Gusty to answer several charges.

Kevin Smith of 26 Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara pleaded guilty to the charge of abusive language towards Francina Chase, He was fined $10,000 on that charge.

He was also charged with damaging the car window of Ms. Chase, and the unlawful assault of Ms. Chase and Tamika Thomas. He said he was not guilty and was placed on $40,000 bail.

Twenty- five year old Francina Chase of North Road, La Penitence also appeared before magistrate Mc Gusty to answer to the charge of abusive language and threating language towards Kevin Smith, which also occurred on the said date. She pleaded not guilty and was placed on bail of the sum of $20,000.

The two are expected to return to court on January 11, 2016.

Seaman claims boat parts

APPEARING yesterday before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan was a 54-year-old seaman who is accused of the theft of boat parts, valued $800,000.

Clyde Flu was released on $50,000 bail after denying that he stole four propellers, a shaft and other items from a fishing vessel belonging to Searam Bishwah.

The seaman who resides at Sideline Damn, East Coast Demerara, was represented by attorney-at-law Paul Fung-aFat who explained that the boat was given to his client over five years ago and he had receipts to prove that the boat and the articles were Flu’s property.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones made no objection to bail nor did he relate the facts to the court. Flu will return to court on January 14 before City Magistrate Dylan Bess.

INTELLIGENT DEVICE “It’s a very intelligent device, it is very automated, and so it can drive itself. It has sensors on it to allow it to carry out its functions properly,” Landry said.

Typical turnaround time during missions at sea, runs for 4-10 hour periods and the information retrieved is downloaded on a computer in the holding room. The batteries of the submarine are the main pieces of equipment which has to be changed on return to the water surface.

Landry said that so advanced is the submarine, that a sister AUV is currently working in the Indian Ocean in search of the Malaysia Airlines MH370 jet which disappeared from radar screens last March en-route from Malaysia to China.

In May this year, Exxon Mobil announced that the Liza-1 well encountered more than 295 feet of high-quality oil-bear-

Female cop stops drug trafficker ON Friday, December 11, 2015, a female Detective Constable was in a mini-bus on the Corentyne, Berbice, when she got the scent of cannabis sativa (marijuana) in the vehicle.

She requested the driver to drive the vehicle into the Springlands Police Station Compound, whereupon the suspect attempted to exit the vehicle. As a result, the Detective Constable was forced to physically restrain him from doing so.

Police say that the man, who was later identified as Sheldon Simon, 45 years, of Sheet Anchor, East Canje, Berbice, was arrested, and five kilograms and 470 grams of marijuana were found in his possession.

He was charged with trafficking in narcotics, and appeared at the No. 51 Magistrate Court, where he pleaded “not guilty” and was remanded to prison until December 29, 2015. ing sandstone reservoirs.

The oil discovery on the Stabroek Block, located approximately 120 miles offshore Guyana, subsequently led to strained diplomatic relations between Guyana and Venezuela, with the Bolivarian republic renewing claims to the county of Essequibo.

In June this year, a Guyana Chronicle report stated that ExxonMobil had expressed confidence in exploration activities here and the company planned to deploy further resources in this regard. The announcement was made by Minister of State Joseph Harmon following meetings with executives of the oil giant.

Yesterday afternoon , a team of government officials, including Minister of Governance, with responsibility for Natural Resources and the Environment, Raphael Trotman, was expected to tour the Fugro Americas.

Staff of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) pose with ExxonMobil staff in front of the survey vessel

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday December 16, 2015

GTUC welcomes $50,000 bonus

THE Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) says government’s decision to offer a one-off tax-free $50,000 bonus to public servants was welcomed, but since it was done without consulting trade unions, it is a violation of Article 147.

The GTUC said yesterday that this decision has created a loophole within the system for public servants to benefit from the annual bonus.

“The payment of this bonus in the absence of an engagement and concurrence with the trade unions that represent public sector workers, is another act of violating Article 147 of the Guyana Constitution and Trade Union Recognition Law Section 23 (1) and transgressing the

rights of workers,” GTUC said in a press statement.

Though the year-end bonus is welcome, from the standpoint that workers are still struggling for a decent wage, GTUC said it should not have been done in breach of the law.

This breach in the country’s Constitution now leaves government between “a rock and a hard place,” with the union now demanding that the bonus be an annual feature.

“The government is advised that, consistent with industrial relations principles, this bonus is now part of the condition of employment for public servants. For while an employer can choose to put something in place, that

employer has no authority under the law to remove it,” GTUC said.

As such come 2016 and onward, the union said, workers shall be entitled to their year-end bonus unless the unions agree otherwise.

PRECEDENT In emphasizing that there is an established precedent, GTUC pointed to GuyConstruct, a former state entity that paid benefits to workers in Region 6 without receiving the union’s support.

The management had subsequently taken a decision to arbitrarily dispense with the benefits, but this decision was challenged by the union.

“The Ministry of Labour, through Chief Labour Officer

Norman Semple, made it very clear that while management may have arbitrarily put the bonus in place, it became a condition of the workers’ employment and it cannot be removed without consent by the parties i.e. trade union and management.”

GTUC said Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo’s comment that he is satisfied with the bonus offered comes as no surprise, since he would have broken all the labour laws of the country.

“There is no doubt, given the labour militancy of his party, that he would have been advised that this action is a violation of the tenets of collective bargaining,” GTUC posited.

“In a society where it

seems as though political action is driven by who is less bad than the other and who can get away with violating laws and transgressing rights, his support for this action is premised on what can be deemed assent to his conduct as president and collusion of a pattern of behaviour by government officials,” GTUC added.

RULES AND LAWS The union made it clear that industrial relations is not about gut feeling, but is guided by a body of principles, rules and laws.

It is therefore calling on the government to be shrewd in its decision-making at all times. GTUC warned that while this and many other

acts may be well intentioned, the government has to be mindful that the process it engages in does not undermine good intentions and bring disrepute to its stewardship.

“Every aspect of collective bargaining must be embraced by the government, which is not only consistent with the laws, but also commitment given to workers during the elections campaign. Further, statements made to the effect that Guyana is moving towards a Green Economy have to see actions consistent with same. For a Green Economy is not only about planting trees and removing the garbage, it is grounded in time-honoured principles, rules and laws.”

GPSU, GPL at odds over pay hike

By Rabindra Rooplall SENIOR and junior staff members of the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) are yet to receive the 5 per cent salary increase announced in the 2015 Budget, and they view this as a worrying development, according to the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU).

At a press conference at its Regent Street Headquarters on Monday, the GPSU said this issue comes on the heels of public servants who make less than $500,000 a year having an expectation to receive a $50,000 taxfree bonus at the end of this year.

“The union’s position is that this should be added to the workers’ salary for the year 2015, and the union is representing (a position) that the money should be added to the workers’ current salaries and not be paid as a one-off payment, as management feels should happen,” First Vice President of the GPSU, Mr Mortimer Livan, declared.

“As it relates to increases in meals’ allowances, the union proposes that employees be paid $1,500 instead of $1,000,” Livan said, adding: “A meal allowance must be able to purchase refreshments plus a meal.”

“Travel allowance is also inadequate for employees who use their vehicles to

execute their duties,” Mr Livan said. “The union wishes to emphasize the pivotal and critical role played by employees of GPL, and the need for urgent attention to be given to remuneration.”

The union is also claiming that management of the utility company is “procrastinating in dealing with a

In a November 11, 2015 letter sent to Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, who has oversight of GPL, the GPSU stated: “…employees have not benefited from any increase in remuneration nor from the interim payment made to public sector employees of five per cent and $5000,

pointed out that “the proposal (was) not a true reflection of what was told to our delegation when we met on November 18, 2015.”

As such, the union rejected the GPL offer to pay a two per cent across-the-board salary increase to workers and counter-proposed 5 per cent across-the-board with

multi-year agreement first submitted (to it) in 2013.”

This delay is now particularly troubling to the union, as the period for the 2013/2015 agreement comes to an end in a few weeks’ time without the parties involved having completed negotiations.

Livan added: “A change of attitude was expected with a change in government, but instead, the same old behaviour patterns prevail.”

as approved in the National Budget of 2015.”

Divisional Director and Human Resources Manager of GPL, Bal Persaud, had, on November 23, sent a letter to GPSU proposing a salary increase of 5 per cent for calendar year 2015, including a two per cent acrossthe-board increase and 3 per cent in scale increment, this newspaper was told.

The union, however,

respect to the one-off payment of $120,000 offered to senior and junior managers of the power company.

The union’s proposal was that, with effect from January 2015, the $120,000 be added to the current annual salary of senior and junior managers, and not be treated as a one-off payment.

Further contending that GPL employees were not benefiting from necessities

such as meals and travel allowances, in keeping with the proposal, and considering the frustration of the union, Livan was quizzed on the possibility of the union taking industrial action, but he said that such a decision would have to be decided by union members.

“Any action can be taken -- from a sickout to a full strike; the members will decide,” he declared, as he disclosed that GPL is the only state-owned entity whose employees’ remuneration had not been increased.

Management of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) yesterday categorically refuted the GPSU claims that GPL had caused undue delay in commencing negotiations for increases in employees’ salaries and allowances for 2015.

In a press statement, the power company said: “On November 16, 2015, GPL formally invited the GPSU to begin negotiations on Wednesday, November 18, 2015, following on advice received from the Ministry of Finance on the applicability of the 5% and the $5,000 salary increase announced earlier by the Government.”

GPL said that at this meeting it made an offer of a 5% salary increase (comprising 2% across-the-board and 3% in scale increment)

and a $10,000 monthly addition ($120,000 for 2015) as a one-off payment, both with effect from January 1, 2015.

GPL also proposed an increase in the mileage allowance for use of personal vehicles from $135 to $150 per mile, and an increase of $100 in meals allowance for overtime work, both offers with effect from January 1, 2015.

GPSU responded to the company’s offer by requesting a 5% across-theboard increase, a $200,000 ($16,660 per month) payment to be included in salaries for 2015, an increase in the meals allowance by $500, and a mileage allowance of $220 per month.

“The union then wrote to GPL, on November 30, 2015, rejecting the company’s offer; propos(ing) a 5% across-the-board increase, and request(ing) that the company’s offer of $120,000 for 2015 be added to the current annual salary with effect from January 1, 2015.

“On December 8, 2015, the company revised its offer, accepting the union‘s proposal for the 5% increase and restating its offer of a $120,000 one-off payment, along with its initial offer of increases in meals and mileage allowances. Regrettably, to date, the union has yet to formally respond to GPL’s revised offer,” GPL underscored.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

City police taking fight to criminals

By Svetlana Marshall

The Mayor and City Council Chief Constable, Andrew Foo, is flanked by Public Relations Officer Debra Lewis and Director of Solid Waste Disposal, Walter Narine

THE City Constabulary will be beefing up security in Georgetown in light of the impending Christmas Season, and this is despite being grossly understaffed.

Approximately 189 constables are on staff, but only 90 will be deployed in the main shopping areas of the city in pursuit of persons who are bent on breaking the law. The other ranks will be manning the minibus parks, guarding city buildings, and conducting escort.

In addition to being fully uniformed, Foo said, the Constabulary has successfully acquired communicative devices that would allow ranks to call for assistance if needed.

An additional 127 ranks are needed to effectively execute the mandate of the Constabulary, but despite its shortcomings, Chief Constable Andrew Foo told the press on Tuesday that the City Constabulary will be heightening security in the City, primarily in the market places and along the main commercial streets of Georgetown, in keeping with its mandate.

He said there will be additional foot, bicycle and vehicular patrols in the city.

According to Foo, the constables will be on the lookout for repeat offenders. “We are not going to wait for something to happen, we will be proactive in the execution of our duty… and so we are going to have persons looking out for those we consider to be known characters,” the Chief Constable said while addressing reporters at City Hall.

LITTERBUGS Ranks will also be on the lookout for litterbugs, Foo added, noting that the Council’s anti-litter team is still in full operation. He said that, on average, 10 persons are apprehended daily for littering; and in keeping with the Municipal and District Councils Act, offenders, once caught, will be placed before the courts. He explained that if litterbugs fail to heed the warnings issued, they would face prosecution.

In addition to Foo, the Public Relations Officer (ag) and the Director of Solid Waste Disposal, Walter Narine, were present at the press conference.

Besides boosting security in the City, the M&CC has established a schedule for collection of bulk waste. From today to Wednesday, December 23, the Mayor and City Council, with support from private contractors Cevons and Purans, would be uplifting bulk waste from East Coast/East Bank Demerara areas stretching from Cummings Lodge to Agricola.

Narine explained that large garbage receptacles will be placed in key locations across the town to allow for easy collection.

“To complement the efforts, too, I will have two garbage trucks and one trailer in each of the communities to collect the refuse,” he added.

Narine said the Mayor and City Council will be setting up a holding area for the disposal of garbage next year. A plot of land along Woolford Avenue in the vicinity of ACDA has already been identified, he noted. It was explained that due to the opening hours of the Haags Bosch Landfill facility, which is between 07:00h and 17:00h, the council is often unable to effectively collect and dispose garbage.

As such the holding area would allow for night collection to commence next year. The collected garbage which will be stored at the Woolford Avenue location will be transported to the Haags Bosch Landfill facility in the mornings, Narine explained.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

Taking a- withwalk down memory lane Guyana Prize laureate Maggie Harris

By Ariana Gordon AN AVID reader with an interest in art and the arts, Maggie Harris has overcome many challenges and is a proud recipient of the Guyana Prize for Literature 2014.

Though not her first award, Maggie cherishes the Guyana Prize she has won, for it symbolises her Guyanese roots.

Born in New Amsterdam, Berbice in 1954, Maggie remembers fondly her life growing up in the country. Though she migrated in 1971, she believes much of her talent was evident in Guyana.

“My father, James Harris, was born at Fort Nassau, Berbice River, and became a riverboat captain and then Commodore for the then Reynolds Metals Company, who managed the movement of bauxite from Kwakwani to Everton along the Berbice River. He was also an accomplished musician and carpenter, and played a Hawaiian guitar. My mother was of Portuguese and Scottish descent, her surname was Hawker. She was born in Buxton. After her mother died when she was just five months old, her aunt Angela took her and her brother to live with them at Williamsburg, Corentyne,” she told the Pepperpot.

Harris, who now resides in Wales, United Kingdom (UK), said: “As a child, I loved drawing and reading, inspired both by what I learnt at school, and my mother telling us stories.

As I grew older I would spend all my time reading, borrowing books from New Amsterdam’s well-stocked library, from friends, and when I could afford it, from the Graphic Book-Store. I read any and everything, from war comics to true life magazines.”

She explained that it was not only books that influenced her as a writer, but music and movies. She attended the Berbice High School, where she said she was provided with “an excellent education.”

“I got involved in Drama and produced drawings and poems for the school magazine. My art teacher at BHS was the esteemed Stanley Greaves. I also acted with the Berbice Arts Theatre in productions at New Amsterdam Town Hall,” said Harris.

INSPIRATION It was from those periods of inspiration that her writing evolved over the years. “I kept a diary from the age of 10, which proved useful when I was writing Kiskadee Girl, and I also had

39, where I won the TS Eliot Poetry Prize for Students, and achieved a BA in African and Caribbean Studies and a MA in Post-Colonial Studies, followed by a Leverhulme Research Abroad Scholarship to UWI in Bar-

FORTUNATE The Guyanese writer described herself as fortunate, as her work was initially published by Mango Publishing. Her first book, Limbolands, won the Guyana

Maggie Harris reading in Guyana at the Martin Carter Lecture at the National Gallery

many pen friends all over the world. My poems mostly began as songs, and apart from patriotic poems about Guyana, were mostly about love. I was quite a giddy teenager, and was always in love!”

Circumstances in her family prevented her from attending Art College in the UK but “Maggie,” as she is

Guyana Prize for Literature winner, Maggie Harris fondly called by those in her circle, said she participated in art exhibitions across the country. “One of my early pen-and-ink drawings is on the cover of my recent Guyana Prize-winning book of poetry, Sixty Years of Loving,” the writer said fondly, noting that marriage and motherhood intervened in her desire to do more in the field of art.

“As my children grew older, I began to write, and after Adult Education classes in Creative Writing, I went to Kent University at the age of

bados to research Performance Poetry.”

Harris explained that during and after those years, she became proactive in organising poetry readings in libraries, schools and theatres. She also ran writing workshops for children and adults, and organised literary walks and cross-cultural activities while collaborating with artists across genres, including music and dance.

“This interest led to my organising the first live Literature Festival, Inscribing the Island, in Thanet, Kent, and I was able to invite many Black, British and Caribbean writers to Kent, including Valerie Bloom, Zena Edwards and Jackie Kay. My posts included Creative Writing Tutor, Kent’s first Reader Development Worker, and International Teaching Fellow at Southampton University. I now work freelance,” she told the Pepperpot.

But her accomplishments did not come easy. Harris explained that her challenges as a writer were many. “It is not a career that provides an income, and many writers have to seek alternative employment. The challenge of getting published is only the beginning; having opportunities to share your work and to promote it, to cover travel expenses and hopefully sell copies, are ongoing difficulties. Getting books into bookshops is almost impossible, unless you are a famous novelist or are with a major publishing house,” she said.

Prize in 2000.

“Since then I have published more collections of poetry, latterly with Cane Arrow Press, two short story collections with Cultured llama Press, and my memoir with Kingston University Press and Hope Road Publishing.”

A new collection of stories, Writing on Water, will be published by Welsh Press, SEREN, in 2017. One of her stories, Sending for Chantal, was the Caribbean Regional Winner of The Common-

wealth Short Story Prize, 2013.

Asked how it feels to be a Guyana Prize Winner, Harris said, “Winning the Guyana Prize is a magnificent and overwhelming honour, and the fact that it provided me with the opportunity to return to Guyana after 38 years has been a significant and poignant occasion.”

On her visit to Guyana, Harris met other esteemed writers and was also able to visit her hometown, New Amsterdam. “All the writing I have done has been underlined by the fact of my being Guyanese and coming from a very special place.

Being Guyanese has made me what I am. That is not to deny the opportunities the UK has provided me with – a university education and the help of the Arts Council, which has supported me with some of my writing.”

Though she cannot speak to opportunities available to writers in Guyana, Harris said what has helped her over the years to become a writer was determination to create an opportunity where none existed.

“My determination to create opportunity where there was none; to organise literary events, bond with like-minded others to read together, collaborate with other performers, run workshops, support each other, walk and talk together, visit

exhibitions, produce pamphlets. Anyone can do that; that is how I built my poetry connections. I have besieged venues to use their space; run around in the days before email, putting up posters; written to newspapers and the radio; turned up when I promised to; and supported and encouraged new writers,” she said.

Secondly, she believes that Guyana needs to have a body like the Arts Council that exists in the UK, which supports writers to have time out to write, and helps to facilitate communication and collaboration between artists, and provides them with training and financial grants.

“I believe that, as artists, we are meant to communicate with others, not live in an ivory tower distanced from the community,” she added.

Harris said, she was pleased to see young writer Subraj Singh win the Guyana Prize. “I sent him heartfelt congratulations.

I was interested, seeing he is also involved in drama, something I myself believe helped me to become the writer I am - to be able to understand perspective and the other point of view.”

Maggie Harris won the Guyana Prize for Best Book of Poetry 2014, for her book, ‘60 Years of Loving’.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

54 Haitians rescued

by Guyana-bound ship

Wednesday December 16th, 2015 - 08:30 hrs Thursday December 17th, 2015 - 09:00 hrs Friday December 18th, 2015 - 10:00 hrs

AMERICAN geophysical survey ship Fugro Americas, last week rescued some 54 persons on a cramped vessel in the Caribbean Sea off the north-eastern coast of Cuba.

The vessel, currently in Guyana to undertake a two-month, underwater survey for united States oil company Exxon Mobil, is equipped with rescue boats and equipment, and made the Good Samaritan deed which lasted some 6 hours.

The incident occurred on December 8, and those rescued appeared to be Asians, Fugro’s staff noted.

The survey ship’s operation staff member Erick Long stated during a guided tour of the ship yesterday that he was manning the controls at the time when the small, packed vessel

was observed chugging along the rough waters of the Caribbean Sea. He said that as the Fugo Americas moved closer, the men on-

er vessel was in distress.

Initially, the men on board the smaller vessel indicated that they were ok and they also did not accept an offer

The vessel in distress with 54 persons on board shortly before the rescue mission commenced board the vessel appeared in distress.

Connie Landry, a project manager at Fugro , said that when the smaller vessel was spotted, the captain of the Fugro Americas used a megaphone and attempted to clarify whether the small-

of drinking water from the seismic ship.

Landry said the men then informed them that they needed to be rescued, and emergency procedures were put into action onboard the survey ship. The United States Coastguard

was subsequently notified and the Bahamian Navy was also contacted. The incident occurred closer to the Bahamas, Long said.

During the evening on the date of the incident, the men were subsequently transferred to the Bahamas navy vessel which came to assist. “We don’t know where they were going but they did have engine problems”, Landry said. He said that from a maritime perspective, one has a legal obligation to assist persons who are at sea and appear in distress. “And so we did our duty”. Landry noted.

The survey vessel is currently in Guyana to undertake geophysical surveys for oil company Exxon Mobil off the coast of Guyana. The vessel leaves shore this week and will not be at sea until December 29 when it changes crew.

‘Agri’ Ministry to the rescue FARMERS whose livelihoods were affected as a result of attacks from rats and acoushi ants have received assistance from the Agriculture Ministry.

As part of the Ministry’s countrywide outreach exercise, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder handed over chemicals to farmers during the mission to the Upper Mazaruni region, where he and a team held meetings with residents at Pariuma, Waramadong, Kako and Jawalla villages.

At the recent meeting at the Pariuma Community Centre Hall, several issues were raised with respect to firearm licences, the resuscitation of agriculture in the region, the incorporation of aquaculture, and wild animals damaging agricultural produce.

Minister Holder underscored the importance of agriculture and the need for villages to embark on organic agriculture production.

“Agriculture plays a vital role in ensuring food security. Efforts are now apace to ensure that the much-needed assistance is provided to the region.” the Minister said.

Ensuring that agriculture continues in the region remains an important pillar in the Ministry’s plan for agricultural development in hinterland areas.

At the meetings at Waramadong, Kako and Jawalla, similar issues were raised, with access to markets and employment opportunities taking centre stage, largely due to infrastructural limitations.

According to residents, oftentimes there is no access to markets for the produce. They made an appeal to the subject minister for assistance in marketing their produce.

The issue of firearms was also raised, as the residents complained that wild animals were a hindering factor to agricultural production.

According to Toshao Claude Hastings of Kamarang, wild hogs which attacked their farms during the latter half of the year destroyed 50 percent of their farms’ production.

The villagers made an appeal for a speedy decision to be made, noting that their livelihood was threatened.

Minister Holder assured the residents that their concerns would be raised with the subject Minister, Hon. Khemraj Ramjattan, and Hon. Sydney Allicock would be asked to look at ways in which their issues could be resolved.

The Minister was accompanied by Permanent Secretary Mr. George Jervis; Chief Executive Officer, Guyana Livestock Development Authority, Mr. Nigel Cumberbatch; Chief Fisheries Officer Mr. Denzil Roberts; Chief Executive Officer, National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, Mr. Freddy Flatts; and Head of the Rural Enterprise and Development Project, Ms. Nadira Edwards-Lee.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

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‘On the Fast-Track to end AIDS’

By Svetlana Marshall GUYANA has made significant strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings said yesterday as she launched UNAIDS 2016-2021 Strategy – ‘On the Fast-Track to end AIDS’.

With a universal agenda, firmly grounded in evidence and rights-based approaches, the strategy maps out the UNAIDS Fast-Track approach to accelerate the AIDS response over the next five years to reach critical HIV prevention and treatment targets, in addition to the achievement of zero discrimination.

In the presence of UNAIDS Country Director Martin Odiit, UN Resident Coordinator Khadija Musa, Guyana’s National AIDS Programme Manager Dr. Shanti Singh and PANCAP (Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS) Manager Dereck Springer, Minister Cummings said more than a decade ago, HIV in Guyana was viewed as a death sentence.

LIFE-SAVING MEDICINES However, she said, with the backing of international partners, Guyana has made leaps and bounds, and as such Guyanese now have access to life-saving medicines.

“The AIDS response has been like no other. From the start, it has put the focus on people and put their needs first. It has been a turning point for the recognition of health as a human right. And it has brought extraordinary results on treatment and prevention alike,” the Health Minister said.

At the end of 2014, a total of 5,041 persons (55.8% females and 44.2% males) were listed on the register in the care and treatment programme. Of the total, 4,295 were receiving antiretroviral treatment and had utilised the 22 treatment sites that are spread across the 10 Administrative Regions of Guyana. The stats show that there has been a decline in the prevalence of HIV. “Reported HIV cases under one year old have remained below five since 2008. Within the national cohort of people on ART, the survivability at 12-month is over 80% while survivability for 24, 36 and 60 months are reported at 75%, 72.4% and 63% respectively. This indicates that people living with HIV are generally living longer and healthier lives,” she said.

However, she noted, the “business” is not yet over, positing that in an effort to achieve the 90-90-90 treatment target, countries must refocus their response to those who are being left behind.

UNAWARE OF POSITIVE STATUS “There are many out there who still do not know their positive status and who are not yet accessing treatment. At the current pace, we shall not end AIDS as a public health threat… (But) our experience shows that together we can set ambitious, even aspirational goals, achieve them and then reach for more.”

FAST-TRACKING Turning her attention to the 2016-2021 Strategy, Minister Cummings said fast-tracking the response will rely on front-loading investments and accelerating rights-based action in the coming years.

“Quickening the pace over the next five years is pivotal to global prospects for bringing the AIDS epidemic to an end. Continuing at the current pace will mean continuing to leave people behind, exacerbating inequalities, unsustainably expanding costs and compromising social justice. An ambitious global strategy is required to take us forward – one that mobilizes political commitment, focuses resources and accelerates progress,” the Minister said.

Meanwhile, UN Resident Coordinator Musa, in delivering her remarks, said the strategy comes at a critical time in the history of the HIV epidemic and response, adding that it is a result of a highly consultative process that involved thousands of stakeholders.

Musa said also that in addition to the Sustainable De-

velopment Goal (SDG) 3 which focuses on health, the new strategy, in its eight results areas also focuses on other SDGs. There is the inclusion of SDG 5 – Gender Equality, SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 17 – Partnership for the Goals; she pointed out, noting that these SDGs have targets that impact the AIDS response.

“Important to note is the prominence of human rights issues in the new strategy. In order for there to be progress issues such as sexual and reproductive health and rights, and comprehensive sexuality education must be addressed,” the UN Resident Coordinator emphasized.

As the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS gears up to implement the 2016-2021 strategy, Musa said that the entire United Nations Country Team stands ready to provide the necessary support.

At the 70th UN General Assembly in New York in Sep-

tember 2015, Heads of State endorsed the SDGs agenda in which one of the targets is to end AIDS by 2030.

Subsequently, at its 37th meeting, the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board adopted the new strategy to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.

UNAIDS Country Director Odiit, in introducing the strategy, said it is the first in the United Nations system to be aligned to the SDGs. The strategy, he explained, is an urgent call to front-load investment, thereby increasing focus and financing for HIV prevention and simultaneously protecting the health of the 22 million people living with HIV but are not yet accessing treatment.

Additionally, it was designed to guide and support locally tailored responses across the globe while fostering new forms of leadership and accountability – especially at the regional level.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

Differently-abled targeted in ICT push

By Alva Solomon

Two long-serving members of staff assist NFMU Managing Director Valmikki Singh (right) with cutting the anniversary cake

THE National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU), in its quest to make the differently-abled information and communication technology (ICT) savvy, has chosen the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre to pilot the initiative.

This was one of several areas of focus identified by NFMU Managing Director Valmikki Singh when

the telecommunications and broadcasting body celebrated its 25th anniversary with a dinner at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston on Sunday evening.

In 2007, Guyana signed on to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and ratified the treaty in 2013.

It is cognisance of the foregoing commitment, as well as in keeping with the thrust of the world’s ambitious Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Singh said, that the NFMU has been examining how best it can connect ICT with the differently-abled.

The rationale behind this line of thinking, he said, is that given that ICT is a developmental tool, it can be of help to those members of society who

as well as private entities on providing opportunities in the sector for females.

Among other activities being undertaken by the body are consultations on the transition from analog to digital television broadcasting.

NFMU has also been maintaining its collaboration with bodies such as the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and other public agencies.

‘BIG BROTHER’ Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), Leonard Craig, in brief remarks, congratulated the NFMU on its anniversary. He said the body is “the big brother” of broadcasting in Guyana, and

Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), Leonard Craig, presents an award to a long-serving NFMU employee are differently abled, or who may not be properly represented.

IN DISCUSSION Discussions have already begun with the Ptolomey Reid Rehabilitation Centre, and together they have been discussing ways in which ICT applications can be best used to assist persons there.

The participation of females in the ICT sector was also taken into account as an important aspect of the NFMU’s programme of activities.

Noting that as far back as 2010, it was recognised that females were “unrepresented in the field,” Singh said this does not only hold true for Guyana alone, but for the world at large.

“In Guyana,” he said, “we do not have many females in the sector; and like everything else, women want to be equal.”

Some four years ago, he said, the NFMU started collaborating with its partners

has set the stage for the development and enhancement of the sector.

Meanwhile, NFMU’s head has identified the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector as being essential to the future. “It is somewhere in the future. Most of us are hoping it’s sooner rather than later,” Singh said, adding that it will be to the benefit of everyone.

Should this occur, he said, a new regulatory agency will be formed, and take over the functions of the NFMU. The efforts made by long-serving staff members and their contributions to the organisation were also highlighted on Sunday night.

Special awards were presented to these employees, and among those who were rewarded for their years of service were librarian Audrey Francis, who has served the agency for 22 out of the 25 years it has been in existence.

The NFMU was established in 1990.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

Gov’t reviewing BBCI draft agreement for toll reduction

THE Berbice River Bridge Company (BBCI) has submitted a draft agreement to government with regard to the proposed reduction in the bridge toll, according to the Public Infrastructure Ministry.

The document is currently being reviewed, and if there are no contentions, the government will sign the

agreement.

Cabinet has been informed by Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, that the BBCI has submitted a draft agreement relating to the proposed reduction in the bridge toll.

In November 2015, the Public Infrastructure Ministry sent its draft agreement to the BBCI for review in

relation to toll reductions, while another copy of the proposed agreement was sent to the company recently.

Attorney-General Basil Williams and Minister Patterson were mandated to ensure that the agreement concurs with government’s needs and intentions, and to conclude this arrangement

with the bridge company expeditiously.

Government had proposed a $40M subvention to the bridge in order that it reduces the toll. It had proposed that the rate for passenger cars and buses

be reduced from $2,200 to $1,900, while all other commuter types would enjoy a 10 per cent reduction in fares.

Government was hoping that the reduction would have kicked in by

December 1, but in the meantime, the administration introduced river taxis to ease the burden on commuters, and this measure was highly appreciated and utilised by thousands of people.

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Yesterday’s Results

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday December 16, 2015

Crossword

Sudoku

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday December 16, 2015

ILO...

Universal health coverage saves lives, alleviates poverty THE International Labour Organization (ILO) has estimated that, in 2015, more than 90 per cent of the global population living in low-income countries has no health protection, and more than half of the global rural population does not have access to needed health care.

Only a fraction (5.6 per cent) of the world’s older population benefits from universal health and longterm care, ILO has said.

“Health protection is a source of employment opportunities,” says ILO Director-General Guy Ryder.

“Let’s make Universal Health Coverage a reality for all.”

According to the ILO, the unacceptable reality is that gaps in health protection result in preventable pain and the deaths of mil-

lions of women, men and children. Those gaps also push countless people into poverty when they have to pay for their or their family’s care. Yet, people are merely seeking that which should be available to all -- the right to social security and the right to health protection and equitable access to needed care, without discrimination.

Well-designed universal health protection, in conjunction with national social protection floors, alleviates the burden caused by ill health. Health protection coverage also reduces the indirect costs of disease and disability, such as lost years of income due to short- and long-term disability, care of family members, and the impaired education and

social development of children due to sickness.

“Quite apart from the immediate results in improving health and reducing poverty, we know that healthier workers have a higher productivity, and labour supply increases if morbidity and mortality rates are lower,” the ILO noted.

The ILO estimates that the world is short of some 10.3 million health workers. Filling this gap has the potential to provide decent jobs and stimulate economic activity in related sectors.

Universal health coverage will improve the lives of millions and contribute significantly towards achieving the goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the ILO has said.

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Bolton optimistic as GFF wraps ... Team to be encamped in January up Futsal trials TECHNICAL Director Claude Bolton says that he is enthused about Guyana’s chances at next year’s CFU Futsal Tournament, set for January 22-26 in Cuba, as the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) wraps up trials for team selection.

Approximately 30 players gathered at the National Gymnasium for the threeday trials, conducted by Bolton with assistance from former men’s National team

head coach Denzil Thompson.

Bolton, who also served as the head coach for Canada’s National Futsal team, explained that the squad will now be trimmed to between 16 and 18 players. The players will be part a minicamp from January 9 to 11.

“It was unfortunate that with the zeal that was represented on the field that we can’t take everyone and invite them into camp, because

all exhibited the enthusiasm that you would want a player to have for the game” Bolton said, when asked to comment on the talent displayed and team selection.

Guyana will be placed in Group ‘A’ with Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and Haiti, while in Group ‘B’, hosts Cuba will be joined by St Maarten, Costa Rica and Guadeloupe.

The top two teams from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tournament

will advance to the CONCACAF Futsal Championship. The 2016 CONCACAF Futsal Championship will be held in Costa Rica in May. “We have a far way to go in Futsal,” Bolton said, while adding “but in our understanding of the small-sided format and the skill level, the skill displayed was a level of commitment.”

Bolton pointed out that the team is expected to have “some sort of competition” prior the Caribbean Foot-

ball Union (CFU) event, but much depends heavily on the funds available.

“Guyana participating in this tournament has a lot to do for us (the GFF) seeing where we are in Futsal, since we’re attempting to develop all areas of football. We’ve planned that this will grow in years and will also help the Futsal programme as we move forward,” said Bolton.

Same as previous editions, the CFU Futsal tour-

nament acts as the CONCACAF qualifiers for the FIFA Futsal World Cup. The top four teams of the tournament will qualify for the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Colombia as the CONCACAF representatives.

Guyana last participated at the CFU Futsal Tournament in 2008, finishing fourth behind winners and hosts Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti (second place) and Suriname (third place).

GFF, FIFA ready to move ahead with Goal Project

... Conceptual design approved THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and world governing body FIFA are ready to move ahead with the establishment of Guyana’s first Goal Project.

Under the Normalisation Committee, the GFF and the Eccles/Ramsburg

ENGLISH RACING TIPS Lingfield 08:00 hrs Matraash 08:30 hrs Rahyah 09:05 hrs Snow King 09:40 hrs Rigoleto 10:15 hrs Siren’s Cove 10:0 hrs Celestial Bay 11:20 hrs Candella NEWBURY 08:10 hrs Clan Des Obeux 08:40 hrs Gentleman Jon 09:15 hrs Wait For Me 09:50 hrs Allow Dallow 11:00 hrs Charmix 11:30 hrs Little Miss Poet LUDLOW 08:20 hrs Le Prezien 08:55 hrs Skylander 09:30 hrs Sir Valentino 10:05 hrs Scales 10:40 hrs Handy Andy 11:10 hrs Rene’s Girl 11:40 hrs Rather Be IRISH RACING TIPS Clonmel

Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) signed an agreement that saw the local governing body for the sport receive a 30-year lease for the 8.5 acres Providence Community Centre ground.

Following a unanimous decision taken by

08:15 hrs Vroum Vroum Mag 08:45 hrs Gangster 09:20 hrs Indian Fairy 09:55 hrs Mic Milano 10:30 hrs A Toi Phil 11:05 hrs Baroque Style 11:35 hrs Just Get Cracking SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Greyville 08:25 hrs Across The Ice 09:05 hrs Great Rumpus 09:40 hrs Celtic Captain 10:20 hrs Killer Woman 11:00 hrs Lobelia AMERICAN RACING TIPS Aqueduct Race 1 Trapper Jane Race 2 Rose Quartz Race 3 First Spark Race 4 Uncle Duncan Race 5 Street Swagg Race 6 Riot Worthy Race 7 Rico Capote Race 8 Awesome News Race 9 Alaapatique

the (president) Wayne Forde-led Executive Committee to endorse the project, FIFA will now send out an International Tender for contractors for the installation of the artificial turf, and once identified, work is expected to begin and a timeline of five months of completion has been set from commencement.

Members of the Executive Committee recently met with Marcel Gaskin, architect of the conceptual design for the facility, where it was pointed out that the project will be completed in two phases with the first being the installation of the artificial turf.

The second phase will see infrastructure such as stands, lights, beach

and futsal training pitches, mini pitches and an administrative centre for the Headquarters of the Federation established.

FIFA’s contracted inspector Dr Stephen Baker visited Guyana on August 25, 2015, and conducted soil-testing where the Englishman looked at the sub-base and at the entire topography and reported to FIFA on what was needed in order to have the turf installed.

On December 5, Howard McIntosh, FIFA’s Development Officer also met with members of the GFF’s Executive Committee on his visit and conveyed FIFA’s satisfaction (with the conceptual design) and readiness to move forward with the Goal Project.

Guyana was actually earmarked by FIFA to pioneer its ‘Goal Project’

with then FIFA president Sepp Blatter making his maiden voyage in 1999 for the turning of the sod at the University of Guyana, but plans fell through after negotiations went sour with the Guyana Government.

In 2007 under former president Colin Klass, the GFF began work at Orangestein, on the East Bank of Essequibo, for what was supposed to be the location for Guyana’s first Goal Project.

Following Klass’ exit, F r a n k l i n Wi l s o n , h i s vice-president at the time (2013), had assumed the post of president (ag) and travelled to Zurich where negotiations with FIFA’s Development Committee brokered US$500 000 to be allocated to Guyana to help get the ‘Goal Project’ off the ground.

Wilson’s effort also failed to see the project

start, and then president Christopher Matthias upon taking office, abandoned the plot of land, already owned by the GFF at Orangestein, stating that the site was too remote and sought further negotiations with the Ministry of Sport for land behind the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora.

Things again didn’t materialise, since the-then government had offered only a little over three acres of land which FIFA said was inadequate for the Project to materialise.

The new Executive Committee of the GFF, however, believes that this project represents a tangible demonstration of a new era of football in Guyana and the change in governance structure to provide material evidence of development commitments by FIFA and the Executive Committee.

Pepsi Under-16 boxing Saturday THE Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) will on Saturday bring the curtain down on activity for 2015 with the hosting on the DDL Pepsi Under-16 tournament. The Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis Gym in Albouystown is the venue for the competition that will see gyms from across Guyana participate.

During the course of this year the GABA named the Under-16

competition after Guyana’s lone Olympic medallist Michael Parris.

The competition is known as the DDL Pepsi Michael Parris Under-16 tournament.

Parris won a bronze medal at the Moscow Olympic in 1980.

Saturday’s event will see clubs from Berbice, Linden, Georgetown and Essequibo battle for honours with over 40 boxers participating.

Expected back in the hunt for medals is the Pocket Rocket Gym which has recently shifted from New Amsterdam to Linden. Head coach Orland Rogers has been hard at work and only last Saturday organised a competition in the mining town.

The Demerara Distillers Limited has been the proud sponsor of nursery competition for the past four years.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

Blatter reasserts innocence ahead of FIFA ethics hearing

ZURICH, Switzerland (Reuters) - Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter again proclaimed his innocence in a corruption scandal gripping the world soccer body as he prepares to testify this week before the group’s ethics panel.

“I will fight on for my rights and present my view of things to the chamber with great conviction and a firm belief in justice,” he

told the Swiss newspaper Blick ahead of tomorrow’s hearing. “I am suspended but not isolated and not at all mute.”

FIFA ethics investigators called in November for sanctions against Blatter and European (UEFA) soccer chief Michel Platini, both of whom were suspended from their posts for 90 days on October 8 pending a full investigation.

Stokes, Taylor make centuries in England warm-up POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa (Reuters) - Ben Stokes and James Taylor smashed unbeaten centuries as England plundered 470 for five on the opening day of their warm-up match against a South African Invitation XI yesterday.

Facing an inexperienced bowling attack, Stokes smashed 158 from 131 balls and Taylor 114 from 152 before both retired to allow others practice time during the three-day game.

Their rally came after England had been in trouble against the new ball when openers Alastair Cook (two) and Alex Hales (eight) were out early to leave them teetering at 10 for two.

Batting at number three, Nick Compton staked a claim for a Test place with a neat 58 after Joe Root had scored 28, all in boundaries.

Jonny Bairstow (35) was bowled just before the close by the impressive Thandolwethu Mnyaka (three for 66) and Moeen Ali finished the day unbeaten on 33.

Each side may use 13 players in the game, which does not carry first-class status, and can bat for a maximum of 100 overs.

The first Test against South Africa starts in Durban on Boxing Day, to be followed by matches in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.

SEPP BLATTER

FIFA’s ethics panel is set to rule on the matter next week.

U.S. prosecutors have charged 41 people and entities in an inquiry into soccer corruption. Soccer bosses from throughout the Americas are among the defendants in a case that prosecutors say involves $200 million in bribes and kickbacks tied to the marketing of major tour-

naments and matches.

Blatter is also the subject of a criminal investigation in his native Switzerland.

The avalanche of corruption allegations prompted Blatter to say in June he would resign, only days after being re-elected to a fifth term. Blatter has not been charged with a crime.

His adviser, Klaus Stoe-

hlker, confirmed Blick’s report that Blatter would write his traditional endof-year letter to FIFA members, this time on his own stationery.

“It is the annual letter the president has written for 17 years to the now 209 members of FIFA,” Stoehlker said. “This was always a letter with strategic thoughts of the president.”

Dhoni to play for Pune in IPL MUMBAI, India (Reuters) - India’s limited-overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the first pick by the new Pune franchise while Rajkot chose batsman Suresh Raina at the Indian Premier League draft for the next two seasons yesterday.

The western Indian cities of Pune and Rajkot were named as home to two new franchises for the next two years, filling the void left by the two-year suspensions on the Chennai and Rajasthan franchises following an illegal betting scandal.

Players from the two suspended franchises were made available in the draft, allowing the two teams to pick five players each.

New Rising, a consor-

tium led by Sanjiv Goenka, chairman of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, bagged the Pune team while mobile manufacturers Intex made a successful bid for Rajkot in a reverse bidding process, the Indian Cricket board (BCCI) said last week.

Pune, having made the most successful bid, got the first pick and went for the 34-year-old Dhoni, who led Chennai in all eight previous seasons of the IPL. Australia captain Steve Smith, South Africa’s Faf du Plessis and India batsman Ajinkya Rahane and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were the other players selected by Pune.

New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum will play for Rajkot, who also

MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI added Australia all-rounder James Faulkner, former West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo and India’s spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

Both franchises will lose 390 million rupees ($5.82 million) from their total purse of 660 million for next year’s IPL auctions in which the remaining players from the suspended team will be added to the pool.

The Twenty20 league, with a $3.5 billion estimated brand value and boasting Bollywood stars and major conglomerates as investors, has been dogged by corruption allegations for years.

In July, a panel set up

by India’s top court recommended suspending the franchise owners of the two teams following an illegal betting and spot-fixing scandal surrounding the IPL, the ninth edition of which will be played from April 9 to May 29.

Cummins to replace Gabriel on tour of Australia MELBOURNE, Australia – The West Indies Cricket Board’s Selection Panel yesterday named fast bowler Miguel Cummins as the replacement for pacer Shannon Gabriel on the ongoing Test Series against Australia in Australia.

Cummins, 25, has taken 99 wickets at an average of 22.83 in 36 first-class matches. He has made one international appearance for West Indies – in an ODI against Ireland at Sabina Park, Jamaica in February, 2014.

The 27-year-old Gabriel suffered a stress reaction in his left ankle bone while bowling in the first innings of the first Test match at the Blundstone Arena in Hobart.

He will return to Trinidad in the coming days to continue his rehabilitation.

MIGUEL CUMMINS

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

Lamb baffled by de Kock omission ALLAN Lamb believes South Africa have made a “big mistake” by overlooking Quinton de Kock and naming AB de Villiers as wicketkeeper for the first two Tests against England. de Kock was not included in the Test squad for the recent 3-0 defeat in India after being dropped during the series against Bangladesh Dane Vilas replaced the 22-year-old left-hander, who has made eight oneday international centuries, but the duo missed out on a place in the squad for the upcoming Tests against England at Kingsmead and Newlands. de Villiers will take the gloves as the Proteas look to bolster their batting lineup following a miserable series in India, but former England captain Lamb thinks de Kock has been harshly treated.

He told Omnisport: “I can’t see why they’ve done that, because I think de Kock can play.

“He’s a bloody good little player and I think they’ve made a big mis-

take. They should definitely have had de Kock in.”

Lamb, who scored 14 centuries

QUINTON DE KOCK in his illustrious Test career, reckons England have every chance of securing

their first Test series win in South Africa since 2004-05.

He added: “South Africa come into it following a heavy defeat against India and I think that has given us a better chance. They are struggling with some of their batters not in form.

“But I think if they decide to use wickets that are going to favour their bowlers, I think we have the bowlers to compete with the South African bowlers.

“We’ve got a problem finding another opening batsman with (Alastair) Cook. (Gary) Ballance has come back; he may play better as he’s a back-foot player so he might do alright out there if they pick him.

“But I think it’s going to be an interesting series. South Africa are not going to be the way out favourites. Of course they’ll start off as favourites but England have definitely got a chance.”

The first Test in Durban starts next Saturday. (Omni Sport)

IAAF to consider Rio schedule change for Felix

By Gene Cherry (REUTERS) - American sprinter Allyson Felix’s pursuit of a rare 200-400 metres double at the Rio Olympics gained momentum yesterday when U.S. officials asked the IAAF for a schedule change to make an attempt possible.

“We did receive an official request today from USATF,” Paul Hardy, competitions director for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), told Reuters in an email. “This will be reviewed in the next few days.”

Felix, the Olympic 200m gold medallist and world 400m champion, is seeking to become only the third female to complete the double in the Summer Games.

“Allyson is the most decorated female athlete in IAAF history and should have the chance to go for a double, competing in what likely will be her fourth and final Olympic Games,” USA Track & Field (USATF) CEO Max Siegel said in making the request.

“Such an achievement would elevate the sport at the Games, and as a federation we owe it to her and to the sport as a whole to make the request.”

The current Rio schedule would make the double a daunting challenge. Felix, winner of 20 Olympic and world championship medals, would need to compete in the first

U.S. sprinter Allyson Felix round of the 200m 75 minutes before the 400m final.

“Adjusting the schedule in my opinion does not hurt anybody,” coach Bob Kersee told Reuters.

Only twice has a female athlete won both at the Olympics.

Kersee-coached Valerie Brisco-Hooks claimed the honour in 1984 and France’s Marie-Jose Perec won both in 1996.

The IAAF changed the schedule in 1996 so Perec and American Michael Johnson could attempt their double with Johnson breaking the world record in the 200m and winning the 400m.

“All our training is toward her doing both,” Kersee said. “We are going to double at our Olympic trials and try and make the team in the 4 and the 2.”

Felix, 30, has tried the 200400m double once on the global scene, finishing second in the 400m and third in the 200m at the 2011 world championships.

She wanted to attempt the double at the 2015 world championships, but decided the schedule would be too difficult.

Felix instead blazed to victory in the 400m with Dutch sprinter Dafne Schippers claiming the 200m in the fourth fastest time ever.

The two, along with Jamaican Olympic silver medallist ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce, likely will clash again in one of the highlights of the Rio Olympics.

Australia schedules more domestic pink ball matches SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - Flushed with the success of the inaugural day-night Test match, Cricket Australia has further embraced the innovation by scheduling another pink ball round of four-day Sheffield Shield matches for mid-February.

More than 123 000 fans passed through the gates at Adelaide Oval over the three days of last month’s experimental Test against New Zealand, a record for a non-Ashes match.

That far outstripped the paltry crowds for the Test against West Indies last week at Bellerive Oval in Hobart, as well as the Brisbane and Perth matches against the Black Caps -- all played in more traditional daylight hours.

Round seven of the interstate Sheffield Shield championship will now take place under lights with the WACA in Perth, the Gabba in Brisbane and Adelaide all hosting daynight matches starting on February 14.

“The public’s response to the first day-night Test was overwhelmingly positive and we’ve now had some time to evaluate feedback from everyone involved in the match,” Cricket Australia’s Sean Cary said in a news release.

“As we look ahead to future international seasons and the prospect of playing more Test cricket under lights, we want to give our players more opportunities to play with the pink ball.

“These matches will be used as part of our work to keep refining the ball in close consultation with Kookaburra.”

Australia and New Zea-

land players reported that there was more movement from the pink ball under lights in Adelaide, while concerns that it deteriorates more quickly than the red ball have also been expressed.

CA chief executive James Suterland Such reservations look like doing nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of supporters of day-night cricket for an innovation they see as a potential saviour of the longest form of the game.

Chief among those supporters are Cricket Australia and its chief executive James Sutherland, who has suggested that two Tests could be played under lights when Pakistan and South Africa tour next year.

There has also been widespread support from around the world of cricket with International Cricket Council chief David Richardson and India skipper Virat Kohli among those backing the concept.

Round one of Sheffield Shield in October was also played under the lights with matches at Adelaide Oval, Melbourne Cricket Ground and at Bellerive Oval.

NOTABLE DATES

TERRENCE Alli was a 22-year-old on a mission when he collided with Mexican Primo Ramos on December 16, 1982. The quick-fisted and talented fighter from Mahaicony challenged the Mexican in Atlantic City, New Jersey and came away the winner via a second-round knockout.

The bout was the second in the United States and fifth in North America for Alli who was a lightweight at the time. Alli and Ramos would meet again almost 10 years later. In May 1992 the two fought in France with the Guyanese again winning the contest, this time by points.

Alli won the NABF junior welterweight title in January 1991 and returned home in 1992 to fight Steve Larrimore. The fight was held at the world-famous Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground on June 14, 1992 and drew one of the largest crowds ever to witness a boxing event in Guyana.

Alli pleased his adoring local fans with a dazzling display of foot and hand speed that produced a fifthround knockout of Larrimore, a former Commonwealth junior welterweight champion.

The three-time world title challenger again returned to Guyana in September 1996 to battle rising star Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis who won via a second-round KO.

30

Golden Girl Britny Mack inspires females everywhere

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

Mack attempts a deadlift at the CPC.

By Stephan Sookram

Britny Mack and her father Osmond

Holding blasts WICB as ‘dysfunctional’ and ‘untrustworthy’ K I N G S TO N , J a m a i c a (CMC) – Cricket legend Michael Holding has blasted the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) as “dysfunctional” and “untrustworthy” and cautioned that the game is in danger of further deterioration if

MICHAEL HOLDING changes are not made.

Holding’s public rebuke of the Dave Cameron-led WICB comes amid reports of defiance at the board’s quarterly meeting in St Lucia on Saturday.

The WICB says it has retained the services of Dominican lawyer Anthony Astaphan to provide advice on the recommendations of the CARICOM report calling for the dissolution of the board.

A WICB release quotes Astaphan as saying that the way forward is for the board and CARICOM to work together to improve the game in the region.

“As for the state of West Indies cricket, that will only get worse as long as this current crop of board members remain there and the structure and culture remains the same,” Holding told Fairfax Media.

“You cannot have a healthy productive employee workforce while the employer is dysfunctional, untrustworthy and not liked by the employees.”

West Indies cricket has been marred by a turbulent relationship between the board and the players and last year the team abandoned a tour of India leading to a US$42 million lawsuit from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The latest humiliation for the former world-beaters came on the weekend when they crashed to an embarrassing innings and 212-run loss to Australia inside three day in the opening Test.

AS WE embrace the move to gender equality, the sport sphere is not going to be left behind and testimony to that is 16-year-old powerlifter Britny Angela Mack.

The student and daughter of renowned powerlifter Osmond Mack says that she commenced her career after being inspired by a female lifter, Maranda Chambers whom she encountered while touring with her dad.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport, she said, “I began this sport in August of 2014 after being inspired by a strong, 14-year-old young lady whom I met at the Caribbean powerlifting competition.”

“She told me to always aim for what you want and don’t give up and also said she’s expecting to see me where she currently is (a record-holder),” continued Mack.

Using that as a spring-

board, Mack took to competition earlier this year for the first time at the Guyana Amateur Power Lifting Federation’s Novices Championship where she picked up the Best Female Lifter trophy.

Her father, she noted was a major supporter.

“He was more excited than I was when I told him I wanted to start. He never left my side. He saw potential in me. He encouraged me. As a coach he was very strict and harsh at times but if he wasn’t like that then I won’t have been where I am.”

She moved on to intermediate competition where she also produced a hair-raising performance

to take the top spots.

Following that the 52kg sub-junior female was selected to compete internationally in September of this year in Brazil at the Pan American and South American Championships where she achieved both gold and silver medals.

No stranger to international competition by this time and filled to the brim with confidence, the North Georgetown student moved on to the big leagues, the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship in Canada where she also dominated the class.

She squatted 110kg, benched 45kg and deadlifted 102.5kg.

Admitting to Chronicle Sport that she has a few areas to work on, she continued by saying, “I am honoured to be the first local female sub-junior powerlifter to compete internationally and bring home gold.”

In a message to young females, Mack said, ‘I would just like them to know that it gets challenging, but the feeling you get after achieving it all is so worth it. After you’ve achieved one goal, aim for another. Nothing is impossible unless you see it so and lastly, you’re better than you think you are.

“Oh and we need more female powerlifters. Try something different,” she concluded.

Spurs account for Jazz, Clippers down Pistons in OT

THE San Antonio Spurs made light work of the Utah Jazz, while the Los Angeles Clippers outlasted the Detroit Pistons in overtime.

The San Antonio Spurs barely raised a sweat as they preserved their perfect home record with a 118-81 win over the Utah Jazz in the NBA on Monday.

San Antonio improved to 13-0 at AT&T Center in a game the Spurs never trailed.

Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs with 22 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker contributed 18 points apiece.

The result also saw coach Gregg Popovich (1,043) move eighth on the all-time wins list, surpassing Rick Adelman. Derrick Favors was the pick of the Jazz players with 16 points.

The Los Angeles Clippers edged the Detroit Pistons 105-103 in overtime thanks to Jamal Crawford’s late heroics.

Crawford (14 points) nailed a three-pointer with 12.4 seconds remaining. Pis-

tons star Andre Drummond (20 points, 15 rebounds) had two opportunities to level the contest but he missed the tip-in.

Suns.

The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Washington Wizards 112-95 thanks to double-doubles from Marc Gasol and Mike Conley.

Gasol scored 24 points and collected 12 rebounds, and Conley finished with 18 points and tallied 11 assists.

The Denver Nuggets held off the Houston Rockets 114-108, the Miami Heat

stunned the Atlanta Hawks 100-88 and the Orlando Magic accounted for the Brooklyn Nets 105-82.

Elsewhere, the Chicago Bulls were 115-96 winners over the lowly Philadelphia 76ers, the Toronto Raptors lost 106-90 to the Indiana Pacers and the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 105101. (Sportsmax.com)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday December 16, 2015) ANDRE DRUMMOND Chandler Parsons helped the Dallas Mavericks top the Phoenix Suns 104-94.

Parsons posted 15 of his 17 points in the second half as the Mavericks snapped a three-game skid at home.

Deron Williams led the Mavs with 18 points, while Eric Bledsloe had 23 points and seven assists for the

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

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Alvin Kallicharran & Basil Williams (2) Sir George Headley

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Which WI player was called ‘Black Diamond’?

(2) How many Test matches Sir Gary Sobers played against Australia?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday December 16, 2015

Gayle hopeful of Test return in 2016 WEST Indies batsman Chris Gayle has said that he was not fit enough to play the ongoing Test series against Australia, but hopes to make a return to Test cricket next year.

He also urged fans to give more time to the struggling West Indies Test team and allow youngsters to develop their game.

Gayle, who played the last of his 103 Tests in July 2014, said he was trying to get back into the groove after undergoing surgery on his back in July. He recently made a return to competitive cricket in the Bangladesh Premier League and will

now play for Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.

“If I wasn’t (recovering from a back injury) I would definitely. I haven’t retired from the game,” Gayle told the Daily Telegraph.

“I’m just trying to get back into the groove. Next year, hopefully Test cricket is on the agenda. I haven’t batted for such a long time.

I scored 92 in a game and the next day felt like I’d been hit by a bus. The body will actually take time to build up gradually.”

Gayle has scored 7 214 Test runs at an average of 42.18, but has played only

four of West Indies’ 16 Tests since January 1, 2014. His last Test appearance was in the first match of the home series against Bangladesh in July. He subsequently missed Test series in South Africa and Sri Lanka, and home series against England and Australia due to fitness issues.

Gayle also stressed that a young West Indies team needed time to develop in the longer format. West Indies have lost seven of their last ten Tests. On the current tour of Australia, they suffered a ten-wicket loss in a tour game against a Cricket Australia XI side that fea-

Chris Gayle has played only four of West Indies’ 16 Tests since January 1, 2014.

tured six players making their first-class debuts. This was followed by a listless performance in the Hobart Test, which they lost to Australia by an innings and 212 runs inside three days.

“If you want to bash the cricket, you bash me basically,” he said. “We are loved around the world. We might not be playing good cricket but … it’s a young team so we have to definitely give them time rather than being so harsh on West Indies’ cricket all the time.

Some young players are coming through the ranks.

We have to give them time.”

(ESPN Cricinfo)

WICB approves Bowling Review Committee GROS Islet, St Lucia – The Board of Directors of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) yesterday approved a bowling review committee to look closely at the players who have been reported and/or suspended for illegal bowling actions in international games.

The committee will review, assess and make the relevant recommendations of all the international players before they are allowed to bowl in domestic competitions. The announcement, was made by president Dave

Cameron at the end of the two-day meeting held in St Lucia (Saturday and Sunday), December 12 & 13.

Among the other decisions which were approved by the directors were the adjustments to the cricket year, which will run from May 1 to the end of April.

Fitness standards were also revised and approved. President Cameron noted that these “new and improved standards are intended to improve the performance of the teams and will be put into effect immediately.”

As was reported at the end of day one, the WICB

WICB president Dave Cameron

has acquired the services of Anthony Waddy Astaphan, noted senior counsel, to look at the recommendations from the CARICOM, - final report on the governance of cricket.

Astaphan made a presentation to the directors and will prepare a paper recommending a pathway “for both organisations for the benefit and improvement of cricket on and off the field.”

The president also announced the release of the third running of the NAGICO Super 50, the region’s premier one-day tourna-

ment now set for venues in Trinidad and Tobago and St Kitts, and scheduled to start on January 7.

The tournament will have eight teams and will include the six regional teams, the Combined College Campuses and newcomers ICC Americas.

The president took time out to recognise defending champions Guyana Jaguars, leaders of the Professional Cricket League (PCL) now on, and wanted to highlight a summary of good performances up to Round 5 which

ended Monday. He noted that to date, eight centuries have been scored.

Additionally, the president revealed that the Board will shortly announce an important sponsorship deal, thanks to the work of top sport marketing firm, Pitch International LLC. “The audited results for the year ended September 30, 2015 will be prepared by December 31, 2015, and will be laid before the shareholders at the annual general meeting to be held in Antigua in March 2016,” said the president.

Pepsi Under-16 boxing Saturday See story on page 27

MICHAEL PARRIS

Bolton optimistic as GFF wraps up Futsal trials See story on page 27

... Team to be encamped in January

Technical Director Claude Bolton caught in action during the GFF trials for the National Futsal Team. (Delano Williams photo)

Golden Girl Britny Mack inspires females everywhere

See story on page 30

GFF, FIFA ready to move ahead with Goal Project ... Conceptual design approved See story on page 27

Mack attempts a deadlift at the CPC.

The conceptual design for Guyana’s FIFA Goal Project, done by architect Marcel Gaskin Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2015