Chronicle 12 31 2015

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THURSDAY DECEMBER 31, 2015 Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

…as truck, car crash on Carifesta Avenue

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The distraught mother of Stacy Pyle speaking to the media last evening

ON HOLD …PSC halts police promotions 3 P.

Hughes to head new This coalition Communications must work Ministry 2 – Granger 2 P.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 31, 2015

This coalition must work – Granger PRESIDENT David Granger has urged all Members of Parliament (MPs) of the APNU+AFC coalition to continue to work hard in the interest of the nation.

The President made the statement during a meeting on Wednesday morning at the Ministry of the Presidency.

He charged the MPs to stay on course to ensure that the people of Guyana have maximum benefits.

The coalition, the President said, is bigger than party and individual politicians, and he accordingly urged all MPs to “take their responsibility to the people of Guyana seriously,” a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency quoted him as saying.

The Head of State added that each member must work hard to make the coalition work for the people over the next five years and beyond.

After winning the 2015 General Elections, the six-party coalition will, as a single unit, be contesting the first

to engage in national consultations to ensure the needs of the people are adequately addressed.

President David Granger during his address to MPs yesterday at the Ministry of the Presidency

Local Government Elections (LGEs) held here since 1994.

The President, who views the winning of the May 2015 Elections as an opportunity to change Guyana’s trajectory, reiterated his commitment to ensuring that LGEs are

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, during a meeting of coalition MPs at the Ministry of the Presidency

“We have to meet them; we have to find out what their needs are, particularly now at this time of year when, a month from now, we will present our second Budget. That Budget has to be reflective of the needs of our people for development. That can only be truly reflective if there is a process of consultation with the people, and (we get) a representation of their views,” President Granger said.

Minister of Public Secu-

held every three years, as is constitutionally required, so that Guyanese are actively involved in governance.

“This is a transformational event in Guyana’s political history, and we have to make it work; we have to do everything possible to demonstrate to the Guyanese people that this is the form of government

Chief Whip and Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally, speaking to coalition MPs yesterday at the Ministry of the Presidency

that could deliver to them that good life. It is not just a temporary electoral expedient, it is the way of the future. It is an inclusionary process that will give every community in Guyana -- hinterland or coastland --, of every ethnicity, of every religious group, of every social

class an opportunity to have their voice heard,” President Granger said.

Meanwhile, President Granger reminded the parliamentarians that the presentation of the 2016 Budget is less than one month away. He emphasised the need for them

rity and leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan, said that while difficulties and challenges will face the coalition, those must be overcome for a continued “unity of purpose”, the Ministry of the Presidency has stated.

Hughes to head new Communications Ministry

By Ariana Gordon TOURISM Minister Cathy Hughes has been tipped to head the new Communications Ministry which will oversee the telecommunications sector, sources close to the administration confirmed on Wednesday. Hughes will serve as subject minister for both ministries, the Guyana Chronicle understands.

President David Granger on Wednesday said that while cabinet will not be reshuffled, two ministries will be renamed. “There is not going to be a reshuffle…two ministries are to be renamed.

We now have 16 ministries and we will remain with 16 ministries but two ministries will be renamed.”

Asked to disclose the identities of persons to take charge of the renamed minMinister of Tourism Cathy Hughes

istries, President Granger opted to inform his “colleagues” first. He explained that members of government would be informed before close of business on Wednesday. The Public Telecommunications and Natural Resources MinisTurn to page 3 ►

ON HOLD

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 31, 2015

…PSC halts police promotions; says list came late

By Leroy Smith DAYS after Opposition spokesman Clement Rohee urged that the promotion of police ranks be put on hold due to a number of pending disciplinary matters, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has done just so, but is insisting that the list of nominees for elevation reached that constitutional body late.

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, in an immediate reaction, said the delay will impact negatively on the Guyana Police Force and its ranks.

Rohee had charged that, among other ranks, Assistant Police Commissioner David Ramnarine had pending disciplinary matters - a charge the police dismissed, saying they do not know what the former Home Affairs Minister is talking about. Rohee has a longstanding battle with Ramnarine, and observers believe that this might have influenced his call.

Persaud told a news conference on Wednesday at his office that a letter confirming the decision by the PSC to put on hold the promotions

Police Service Commission Chairman Omesh Satyanand

reached his desk late on Tuesday afternoon. He told reporters that the reason behind the move is unknown to the Guyana Police Force. The letter, according to the Top Cop, indicated that the promotion list would be announced on or before the 23 February, 2016.

The Commissioner could not immediately say how many names were submitted by the police to the service commission for consideration for promotion. Asked if the Force is looking to challenge

the service commission to release the promotion list at the traditional time, which is at the end of the year, the CoP reminded that the Police Service Commission is a constitutional body.

The media was told that the Police Service Commission started interviewing persons since in October of this year, and all sergeants and officers were interviewed.

He said he does not know the PSC’s reason behind the delay, but he was quick to point out that there are former senior officers of the Force who are also on the commission and who know very well how such a delay would impact on the morale of the Force.

Persaud also was not shy in expressing his disappointment at the delay, and also said he was confident that his ranks felt the same way also, as they would have preferred to know whether they had been promoted rather, than not knowing at all.

The Police Service Commission is responsible for promoting senior police officers from the ranks of Sergeant to that of Assistant Commissioner of Police. Persaud

Hughes to head new... tries will be renamed, the President told reporters, following the swearing in of two new commissioners of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) at the Ministry of the Presidency.

President Granger noted that while there would be no “structural adjustments,” his government believes that changing the names of the two ministries “would emphasise the thrust the government would be taking in those two major areas, information technology, largely and natural resources.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman will continue to head the Ministry of Natural Resources, his substantive post.

Sources close to government have disclosed that a junior minister will be transferred to the Natural Resources Ministry as a minister within that ministry.

FOCUS FOR 2016 Meanwhile, President Granger told the media that there are several areas that will inform government’s policy next year. First, is strengthening national uni-

said there are two promotion boards within the Guyana Police Force: One deals with ranks at the level of corporal to sergeants -- this board is referred to as the Junior Promotion Board; while the Senior Promotion Board looks into recommendation for promotion of persons from the rank of Sergeants to Assistant Commissioners of Police. And this board is headed by the Police Commissioner.

ROHEE’S CALLS Rohee, in his call for the PSC to place the promotion of senior police officers on hold, had stated that this was necessary as the commission was investigating several disciplinary matters, including one with Ramnarine.

Rohee had also spoken about former magistrate Cecil Sullivan heading some dubious investigating team. Asked if the Force was aware of Sullivan’s role, Persaud reminded that the responsibility for investigating police officers falls under the purview of the Police Complaints Authority.

“The only unit which investigates members of the Force is the Police Complaints

From page 2

Minister of Finance Winston Jordan

Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman

ty. He explained that the focus of Guyana’s 50th Independence celebrations will be on strengthening the country’s national unity.

“I would like to say with regret, Guyana was born a broken nation in 1966 … we were born under a state of emergency… the country was divided. I’d like to feel that the 50th anniversary would be an opportunity for us to come together again and strengthen national unity. That is the most important thing for me,” he said.

Also on the cards is developing the country’s national security. According to the President, during the first decade of the millennium, there were several threats to the country’s security. “As you know what happened during the troubles, at which time a lot of policemen were killed, citizens were killed, and many of those deaths are still to be investigated.

We are still seeing the aftershocks and we will be paying attention to security next year. We have also had

challenges to our territorial waters,” the President said.

Thirdly, President Granger said developing national infrastructure is critical to the development of the economy. “The third major area is national infrastructure. This country cannot develop economically unless we get infrastructure right… the road to Lethem… bridges and aerodromes in the hinterland to enable development and a faster transfer of goods and services all will come in for attention next year,” he added.

Additionally, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan in an invited comment on the 2016 budgetary allocations, disclosed that money will be allocated to strengthen the reach of the National Communications Network (NCN). “In terms of communication, we are trying to strengthen NCN, of course, so that their signals can be reached to the far reaches of Guyana and also improve radio and printing communication,” Jordan told the Guyana Chronicle.

Authority; I don’t know of any other. Former Magistrate Sullivan was appointed by I don’t know who. What he was doing is that the Police Service Commission is responsible for appointing and disciplining officers from Inspectors to Assistant Commissioners. Now, the law says that they can have the commissioners do that, or they can ask the Police Force to do so. Mr. Sullivan does not fit anyway in there,” the top cop stated.

Persaud said it was unfortunate that all these issues are now surfacing at a time when the promotions of the ranks are close, and that it was very disappointing.

NO CHARGE AGAINST RAMNARINE He did say, however, that based on the little he is aware of, Mr. Sullivan was conducting a disciplinary inquiry on behalf of the Police Service Commission “but the Force never received any information that a recommendation was put forward for Assistant Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine, to be issued with a charge sheet; and further checks with Ramnarine discovered that there is presently no charge sheet in his file.

“And on that behalf, I made the statement yesterday.

We are not aware that there is any pending disciplinary action. There might have been an investigation, but it did not result in any charge. There is no disciplinary matter, and it is unfortunate that it comes at a time when promotion is in the air, and then the former mister is also saying that the promotion should be delayed.

That only impacts negatively against the Police Force, and the Service Commission

played right into his hands,” the CoP explained.

Contacted for a comment on the issue Wednesday afternoon, Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Omesh Satyanand, confirmed that he had indicated to the administration of the Force that the promotional list would not be announced on January 01, 2016.

The chairman said that decision was taken on December 21 at a specially convened meeting with the commissioners after they had received the recommendation list for promotion from the Police Force.

In essence, the Police Service Commission is stating that its decision to announce the promotion of the officers was arrived at long before the statements made by Rohee.

It was also stated that on the same day that the list came from the police, the commission was having its statutory meeting, and, as such, that matter could not have been dealt with.

That date was given as December 14, 2015. The Commission Chairman, however, said it was not impossible for the commission to make the list ready by January 15, 2016, but its members just want to ensure that they have enough time to peruse the files of those police officers who are to be promoted, as the commission has to be mindful that the right persons are placed to fill the vacancies that currently exist within the Force.

Additionally, the chairman said the Police Service Commission wanted to ensure that the list that would be put out as the final product is clean and creditable, hence the need for the commission to take requisite time.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday December 31, 2015

No terrorist safe haven this!

By Derwayne Wills

“THIS nation must show that it sets its face against terrorism, terrorist acts, and terrorists,” he said.

“And everyone in this country and in this honourable House must provide a united front against extremism,” Attorney-General, Basil Williams told the National Assembly last evening before the passage of the Anti-Terrorism and Terrorist- Related Activities Bill.

In spite of the opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) insisting that the Bill be moved to a Parliamentary Select Committee for further consideration, the governing A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) last evening approved the Bill with its majority in the House, while the Opposition refused to vote.

The Bill, presented

by AG Williams, comes at a time when there have been heightened terrorist activities glob-

ally. “This Bill arrives in this honourable House at a time when terrorism stalks the world,” the attorney-general noted in his opening remarks, adding: “It is imperative that the nations, in comity, strive to implement measures, and to put measures in place to combat this new challenge.”

BROUGHT BEFORE This was not the first time the Bill was brought before the National Assembly. The coalition government was accused of hastily bringing the Bill before the House in November of this year, but after a public outcry, particularly from the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), which had made a number of recommendations including the setting up of a regulatory body, it was moved to public consultation then back to the House for approval.

The Bill forms yet another step in Guyana’s

move towards becoming an Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism regime.

Williams called out the previous PPP/C administration for failing to implement recommendations made by the CFATF (Caribbean Financial Action Task Force) some years ago, which later referred Guyana to the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

PPP Member of Parliament, Clement Rohee was first in the list of opposition speakers on the Bill.The others were MPs Gail Teixeira and Anil Nandlall.

Rohee, a former Home Affairs Minister in the PPP government, registered his concern that, “There is a challenge striking a balance between the legislation and the human rights of the individuals caught up in the matter.”

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guards to accompany the Bill in the “not-toodistant future.” Rohee said in the House he recognised the government has need to comply with international obligations, but challenged “Vesting in law enforcement certain powers which, when balanced against the criminal justice system, must be seen as a very delicate matter.”

Rohee went on to raise concerns about the implementation of the provisions of the Bill aimed at fighting terrorism, when Guyana’s borders are “porous” and can be easily infiltrated. He called the Bill “progressive and commendable,” but asserted that there are issues that require further consultation.

‘WICKED’ BILL Opposition MP Teixeira made similar remarks, calling for the “wicked” Bill to be referred to the Parliamentary Select Committee.

She acknowledged the importance of the Bill, but called for a balance among security, public safety and human rights.

SAFEGUARDS He called for safe-

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Teixeira went on to lash out at the administration for going beyond the international requirements to include particular provisions that her party saw as problematic.

Teixeira questioned the inclusion of the death penalty for some 14 offences in the Anti-Terrorism Bill that outranked Guyana’s century-old Criminal Law (Offences) Act with only two references to the death penalty.

Colleague opposition MP, Anil Nandlall, further expounded on this position. “I have not heard the Attorney-General tell us which requirement of FATF prescribe that we must have sanctions that carry the death penalty,” Nandlall said, adding that the Bill “goes beyond the scope of what we are being told about.”

Addressing the Speaker of the House, Dr Barton Scotland, Nandlall said: “If we pass this tomorrow, Sir, I don’t think we would be any better off than we are today.”

Noting that the Bill created 14 offences with the death penalty, he said there are other countries

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in the world that fight terrorism within invoking the death penalty.

And, challenging the argument put forward by Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, that the death penalty deters persons from committing offences punishable by death, Nandlall said there is “no scientific study; no empirical survey… that the death penalty has led to the reduction in crime.”

The Attorney-General, in rebuttal, used a 2010 article that quoted Nandlall as saying in the media that he supported the effectiveness of the death penalty.

For his part, Minister Ramjattan said, “Draconian times call for draconian measures.” This he said while underscoring the importance of preventing safe havens for terrorist activities in Guyana, whether in recruiting or training.

Ramjattan said the Bill denies terrorists a sanctuary in Guyana, since those persons tend to exploit “ungoverned areas” and ultimately challenge democratic values.He acknowledged the point made by the opposition on the concern for Guyana’s borders, but called for consensus from both sides in tackling the issue.

Ramjattan, an attorney-at-law, said the human rights issue would always come up when dealing with criminal offences, since even terrorists could demand justice.

“If, to secure the democracy and the human rights of the majority of the people of the country as against a few terrorists, we have to do this,” he said, “then let us do this!”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday December 31, 2015

Three dead in Carifesta smash-up

By Ravin Singh

DEATH struck just after 21:00hrs last evening as three persons were killed in a horrible two-vehicle smash-up involving a canter and a car on Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown.

Dead are Linden Eastman and the Pyle couple –- 26-year-old Stacy and her husband, Robert. Stacy Pyle, a nurse at the Davis Memorial Hospital, died while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Her husband

response of the police and fire service. The accident victims were reportedly pinned in their vehicles, and had to be freed by the efforts of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS).

The impact of the hit folded the bonnet of the car, while the canter had its front smashed in.

Both windscreens were ripped out of the respective vehicles and lay shattered on the roasway.

The upper half of Eastman’s body was left hanging over the front passenger seat while the lower half was still

The wrecked Premio car that was driven by Robert Pyle

The late Robert Pyle

The late Stacy Pyle

Robert, a Guyana Defence Force Sergeant, and the driver of the canter, Linden Eastman, died on the spot.

Eastman lived alone in P r a s h a d N a g a r, w h i l e the Pyles lived at Dazzel Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara.

This publication understands that Eastman, who was driving white canter number GSS 8563, was heading west along Carifesta Avenue when the vehicle collided with a speeding white Premio - PRR 9118 -- driven

by Robert Pyle. Efforts to save the trio proved futile despite the prompt

positioned in the driver’s seat. Bones from his legs pierced his skin and became exposed. As persons gathered around the canter to video and take photos of the horrific scene, the police and firefighters rushed frantically to acquire equipment to cut the vehicles and remove his body.

When Eastman’s mangled body was removed from the canter a few minutes later, it was evident that most of his bones had been broken.

At that point, some persons who were able to glimpse his face identified

Firefighters and members of the Police Force attempting to remove Eastman’s body, which was pinned in the canter

him as “Smallie”, who did “trucking business” in and around Georgetown.

One bystander remarked that Smallie had been a “hustler” outside the popular Courts outlet in downtown Georgetown, and would normally provide transportation services to people who purchase large household items.

With assistance from members of the Fire Service, the police were able to load Smallie’s body onto a pickup for transport to the GPHC. The owner of the canter is said to be Clive Primus of Lot 46 Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge.

Moments later, while efforts were being made to remove the two vehicles, one man, who failed to identify himself by name, claimed that the car, which was now ‘written off,’ was his.

Pacing back and forth evidently out of frustration, the man then began pounding away at the Premio with what appeared to be a spanner. This attracted the attention of police, who then escorted him away from the car.

It was then revealed that the car had not belonged to the couple.

The mother and cousin of the now dead woman were, up to press time, at the GPHC. Though she could hardly control her emotions, the distraught woman revealed that her daughter and husband had lived with her at Paradise, ECD, and Robert had been requested to report to Base Camp Ayanganna, which led to them leaving the house.

“He di off duty during the time, and they [GDF] called he and tell he to report. And is lef’ he lef’ to go after he get the call.

Stacy was on duty, though,”

the grieving mother said as she sobbed uncontrollably.

She explained that the couple has been happily married, and that they a re s u r v i v e d b y t w o

children, one three years old and the other six. The dead woman’s cousin embraced her grieving mother and tried to console her.

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams

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

Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday December 31, 2015

Bring the evidence, Mr Rohee

Dear Editor, REFERENCE is made to Clement Rohee’s letter of 30th December 2015, titled “A group is trying to push an extremist agenda on the administration” (SN), in which my name is mentioned as being part of this alleged group.

According to the Oxford E n g l i s h d i c t i o n a r y, a n extremist is “a person who holds extreme political or religious views, especially one who advocates illegal, violent, or other extreme action.” This term is chiefly used in a derogatory sense, and is today used to link one to terrorist activities or goaders of terrorist activities.

As such, I seriously object to Rohee’s statement, which is devoid of any evidence linking me to any extreme act -- be it in word or

deed. Even more dangerous in the attempt to so link me, a public figure, is that such association poses a threat to my safety, and to my free and un-harassed movement in and out of this country.

This statement is not to be taken lightly, nor can comfort be found in the proverb that the author of this statement is fittingly among “those whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad.”

We live in a dangerous world today. Ever so often, in the news, there are reports of the horror wreaked on lives and communities by persons engaging in extremist acts.

Rohee, who is a member of the National Assembly and is paid by the taxpayers of this country, including me, is engaging in a reckless act to place me on a terrorist watch-list, when, under his

watch as Minister of Home Affairs, state guns were turned on unarmed peaceful demonstrators in Linden on 18th July 2012, killing three and injuring dozens.

In 2009, Mark Benschop, Norris Witter and I were engaged in demonstrations in different parts of Georgetown, calling on the PPP government to respect the Laws of Guyana.

On 15th July 2009, we were thrown in the Brickdam lockups under Rohee’s watch as Minister of Home Affairs. The charges included one that, were we found guilty, would have made us serve prison time.

It is this reckless and oppressive conduct of the PPP, Bharrat Jagdeo and Rohee that saw Mark Benschop, Leonard ‘Junior’ Wharton, Major Bruce Munroe and his wife, CarolAnn Munroe, languishing

in prison for years under trumped up treason charges.

I hereby call on Rohee to provide the evidence (word or deed) of the extremist conduct I am being accused of. The media is being asked -- since it facilitated this unsubstantiated and dangerous attack on my character -- to facilitate the process of having the evidence produced.

Extremists are wreaking havoc on lives, livelihoods and the way of life of people around the world today, and given that Rohee has so placed me in this category, it has to be followed up with the evidence. Should anything happen to me, my property or loved ones, he’d be deemed an accessory.

Dear Editor, WHETHER you laughed, cried, celebrated, mourned; embarked on new ventures and projects; got married or got a baby; took over the reins of government, or gave up same, 2015 would go down as a very eventful year in Guyana’s history.

It would certainly be remiss of us to allow another calendar year to close without doing some introspection of our lives and all that has happened over the year, and shape better life choices for 2016.

Most notable, perhaps, is the change of government that came about as a result of the May General and Regional Elections -- the dawn of a new era, so to speak -- resulting in a wave of confidence, expectation and joy for a wide crosssection of the Guyanese people.

For the rest, there has been disenchantment and

dissatisfaction about the outcome, while many to this day only bring forth negativity in their daily outpourings.

Fear and fright were injected into the minds of many prior to, and just after, the new transition in government; but as many would see, rice flour has certainly not made a comeback. Instead, it is enlightening to watch a society try various new ways of doing things.

I am excited and would be keenly watching the decisions and policies that would be made in the coming year, starting with the budget in the next month.

I felt disenfranchised and pretty much robbed in 2015. People whom you trusted and in whom you had invested hope did not keep their words of promise.

After doing much work for the former administration and its political party, I and

at least one New Amsterdam television station with whom they partnered for hosting live programmes of government minister’s being interviewed during election time have still not been paid.

And those are people for whom I had stood up and eventually lost my job at the nation’s top- selling newspaper. That was a very sad day.

Today, the McCoys and Jaffarallys, even the Hassans of a certain state-owned media, are all silent about that meeting at the Office of the President last January in connection with these programmes in Berbice.

Several letters were also sent to the current administration -- the Ministry of the Presidency -- both to the Shariffs and the Harmons, but the letters have not merited a single acknowledgment or reply. I am surprised a t t h e m i n i s t e r ’s n o n acknowledgement of my letter, which enquired how I and the TV station would be paid, and by whom.

In 2015, I had to stop doing what I loved doing with all my heart. Even though I still write for a little newspaper in the Catholic Church, my journalistic pen has pretty much been put down for now. I feel sad as I flip the pages of my former newspaper today, as memories and efforts of a time that used to be flow again in my mind.

The clash of egos is destroying Guyana. Every person feels he or she is ‘too big’ for the other person.

At the top of the list are

our politicians, who make themselves very hard to be emulated. Let’s forget past hurts and move bravely into the coming year. Out with the old and in with the new, as they say, right? It’s never too late to start afresh. We have passed through a very tough election year, but we are heading into another year where there will be elections at the local level.

Let there be maturity and less mud-slinging.

Let there be talk about issues without personalities getting in the way. Guyanese cannot afford to be as divided and polarised as they are at the moment.

The current administration needs to strengthen its bonds with the section of the population that voted for the party which is currently in opposition.

These are my sanguine thoughts and sentiments as 2016 dawns. And before I go, please permit me, Editor, to recognize the veteran nursery educator, Berbician Ingrid Warner, who gave most of her life to nurturing young minds of Manchester, Alness and other nearby villages. Her inspirational story would never be told, because I was let go from the newspaper a few days after her interview.

These special persons among us bring the hope we all expect, and hope would inspire each and every one of us for 2016 and beyond.

Thank you. Happy New Year!

Here’s to a peaceful end of year Doing some introspection

AS 2015 draws inexorably to a close, and as Guyanese, in traditional style, see the year out -- literally with a bang -- let’s hope that this year’s end will not see what seems to be the norm: the excessive setting off of squibs, firecrackers and the like throughout this dear land.

In fact, in Guyana, the period beginning with Diwali and ending with twelfth night celebrations is usually marked by the sounds and sights of fire crackers and squibs. And this is not the controlled fireworks display at the National Park; this is the incessant, irresponsible use of squibs, which drives all forms of animal life crazy.

The effects of squibs and firecrackers on animal life are adverse and traumatic. These include physical injury to both animals and humans; people (usually children) losing fingers and eyesight; the onset of deafness; and severe burning. And those are just some of the injuries which humans can suffer from the effects of using squibs and firecrackers.

Research has shown that children are 11 times more likely to be injured as a result of squibs and firecrackers exploding. Dogs have been known to get disoriented, break free, jump fences, run out of their safe surroundings, and often get crippled and even killed on the roadways when faced with the continuous explosion of firecrackers and squibs. Many times, dogs also forget their way home.

Invariably, too, they eat remnants of firecrackers and suffer from digestion problems.

A dog’s ears are more sensitive than human ears, and the piercing sound of firecrackers or squibs exploding can permanently affect the dog’s acute sense of hearing; whilst the bright flashes and acrid fumes can inflict further damage on the animal’s eyesight and sense of smell.

And it is not only dogs that are affected. Birds have been known to fly away in fright, and sometimes cannot again find their own nests; fish ingest debris and die; and butterflies can get disoriented, injured and killed through the effects of firecrackers and squibs exploding.

Anyone who has lost a beloved pet as a result of fireworks can understand the dread with which pet owners approach the months of November and December. Stray dogs, too, are affected; and a sad but common sight is that of packs of dogs running away from these mini-explosions late at nights.

Every year, the GSPCA and veterinarians issue warnings about the effects of exploding fireworks on animals, and pet owners also have the responsibility to protect their animals from the harm which comes their way as a result of indiscriminate explosion of firecrackers But there is more to it than the dangers associated

with firecrackers. There is in existence a supply chain which starts from the importer of firecrackers and extends to the distributor, the vendor, and ultimately the purchaser of squibs. At issue is the wanton availability of these dangerous and annoying devices, and the ease with which they can readily be obtained. For far too long, squibs have been available for sale in plain sight, and it is almost common to see pushcarts and street vendors openly and vigorously selling these firecrackers. Squibs cannot be hidden from the police. Firecrackers can also be crafted by hand, and our young people need to be educated about the dangers of firecrackers and squibs.

So, all authorities -– police, educators, elders -definitely need to make a decisive effort to eradicate this particular scourge. We, as a society, must recognize that all of us are involved in this battle, and all of us are affected.

Oh for a peaceful, squib-free end of year!!!

Regards, LINCOLN LEWIS

Regards, LEON SUSERAN

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday December 31, 2015

PM meeting in Essequibo successful Dear Editor, THE long-awaited visit to Region Two by the First Vice President and Prime Minister of Guyana, the Honourable Mr. Moses Nagamootoo, took place on Saturday, 5th December, 2015. Of course he was accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Mr. Noel Holder; the Minister of Communities, the Honourable Mr. Ronald Bulkan; and a number or senior government officials from various ministries.

At the head table, also, were Regional Chairman Mr. Davenand Ramdatt and Regional Executive Officer (REO) Mr. Rupert

Hopkinson; and, as expected, the Regional Vice Chairman, Mrs. Juliet Coonjah, was there. The Anna Regina Multilateral School auditorium, the venue of the meeting, was full to capacity. But notable absentees were the Regional Democratic Councillors from the opposition Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) and other local government officials from the municipality and from the five Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).

It is important to say that, prior to the May 11, 2015 elections, when the

PPP held the administrative authority of the country, any such or similar visit by the President, the Prime Minister and/or ministers of the PPP government were always graced with the presence of opposition councillors from the APNU and the AFC, once invited, whether by way of the public address system or by way of a correspondence, or from the REO Office.

I am not sure if the councillors and other local government officials received any letter of invitation, but what I do know is that the public address system was used to invite residents of the entire region.

A gang is against us Dear Editor, G U YA N E S E s h o u l d b e d e e p l y concerned and troubled by the overbearing, vindictive and vengeful influence being exerted on the Granger administration by a group of known individuals who are bent on pushing the Granger administration to take extremist positions that can ignite a fire under the racial cauldron.

Regrettably, there are some in the APNU+AFC coalition administration who are sympathetic to this extremist ideology. At the fulcrum of their frustration and betrayal is their inability, thus far, to gain a tactical advantage over the Granger administration by pushing their extremist, vengeful agenda, even threatening the administration that “if they don’t act in the new year” their inaction can undo all their “excellent achievements.”

By this means, they seek to capture the public’s attention and rally support around their selfish, hostile game plan of playing on the antagonistic passions of the supporters of the APNU+AFC, and luring them into accepting their impoverished and divisive discourse as well as the supremacy of their perspective.

Tacuma Ogunseye, Clive Thomas, David Hinds, Lincoln Lewis and Eric Phillips are the most prominent and belligerent of the lot. They resemble an assembled posse who have set themselves the task of going after the jugular of a number of PPP/C persons whom they hate and despise for a combination of reasons; but fundamentally, for political and ideologically reasons.

This group is exerting every effort to utilise the coercive apparatus of the state to achieve their vengeful and vindictive ambitions. Posturing at the same time as consummate apologists for the Granger administration, they claim that “The PPP/C administration left major challenges for the new government to resolve”, and that “Most of the challenges are grave and are impossible for any new government to resolve in the short term.”

Introducing a plethora of anecdotal generalizations and impervious to evidence, Ogunseye, for his part, sought to impose as factual and truthful his

group’s single-valued interest as a public interest. He offers not a single shred of scientific evidence or statistical data to corroborate his call for the Granger administration to pursue his vendetta.

For example, Ogunseye claims that the APNU+AFC coalition came to power “at a point in the country’s history of unprecedented social, economic and political crisis.” But Ogunseye should be reminded of the McIntyre Report, which analysed Guyana’s economic decline during the 1985-1991 period. That Report stated: “Real GDP had declined by an average ten percent in 1982-1983 as a result of sharp contractions in the bauxite sector and decline and stagnation in most other productive sectors.

“Economic decline eased up in 1984, but the economy remained stagnant through 1987, with a per capita gross domestic product of only US$500.

Guyana was one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.”

The report added: “There was a steep increase in commercial arrears, and the total public sector external debt reached almost US$1.9 billion by 1989, or more than twice its level at the beginning of the 1980s. Measured by the usual indicators of debt-to-GDP and debt-to-exports, Guyana became one of the most heavily indebted countries in the world.”

Is this the “crisis situation” Ogunseye refers to when the APNU+AFC attained office in May 2015? The red herrings Ogunseye threw into his “analysis” through his foolish assertion that the PPP/C mobilized its “supporters to squat on government lands on the East Coast”; “encouraged sugar workers to down tools”, and is “exploiting historic racial insecurity” is aimed at justifying his call for the Granger administration to “take appropriate action in the New Year….”

Ogunseye ‘calls’ on the Granger administration to: “Bring an end to the retreat in its publicly stated policy to bring justice to wrongdoers of the previous regime.” He goes on to dictate to the Granger administration to “charge and prosecute PPP wrong- doers” But Ogunseye doesn’t stop there.

He demands “A mental boost for APNU+AFC supporters who are outraged and angered by the apparent reluctance by

I strongly believe that the aforementioned officials should have been there, especially when the subject minister for the RDC, NDC and municipality, the Hon. Mr. Ronald Bulkan, was slated to address the gathering.

However, the above being said, the Prime Minister was his usual self; he did not disappoint, but touched on every aspect of the people’s life in the region, the rice industry, education, health, transportation; and when he spoke about the contentious and ridiculous claim made by Venezuela to our Essequibo, and the illegal

and provocative attitude they are displaying towards us, the crowd stood up and applauded him, because we know it was because of envy and greed and bullyism that claim was made.

The Hon. Minister Ronald Bulkan touched on every area of local government, including importance of the elections to be held on March 15th next year.

The Hon. Minister of Agriculture also addressed the gathering and assured them that, despite economic sabotage perpetrated against u s b y t h e Ve n e z u e l a n Government, the rice industry, with the passage of

the APNU+AFC government to bring the PPP/C wrongdoers to justice.” He claims that APNU+AFC supporters view the non-action by the Granger administration as an indication of “political weakness” because they had been led into believing that “justice would have been dispensed swiftly and fearlessly.”

Consequently, Ogunseye laments that the APNU+AFC supporters are “deeply disappointed that this has not been the case, and find it hard to understand why government is taking no initiative in this direction.” He therefore goes on to advise the Granger administration that they had better “protect (their) self-interest by going after the PPP/C wrong-doers”.

There is no other way out of this growing political dilemma”, he warns.

Assuming the role of an ideological mentor for the Granger administration, Ogunseye pushes the administration to lead a posse in the role of a Clint Eastwood, and to “hang em high” for “crimes” committed, but for which no evidence exists.

O g u n s e y e u rg e s t h e G r a n g e r administration to engage in political stalking, and to round up those “found guilty” by his group. As far as he is concerned, forget about a court of law, just unleash a series of political trials.

He sees no role for the criminal justice system, and rejects the time-bound principle that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty (not by Ogunseye or Clive Thomas or a section of the media, but by a Court of Law).

Ogunseye must realise that political trials have grave political implications, particularly for a political party with thirty-two seats in the National Assembly, controlling seven of the ten regions, and having mass support and are convinced that GECOM, acting in consort with operatives in the APNU and AFC, cheated their party out of office.

Hundreds of thousands in this country will have no difficulty believing that Ogunseye and his ilk have found their special purpose in life; which is, to throw gasoline on a fire. David Hinds and Tacuma Ogunseye are singing from the same hymn sheet. After all, they are both members of ACDA and the WPA, which is part of the APNU. Hinds, for his part, commenting on the recent huge salary increases gifted to government ministers, said: “Government misread the feelings of its supporters, and this is worrying”. This he

time, is going to become both viable and more profitable.

I now say that all the utility service providers were fully represented at the meeting, as were also all the various ministry representatives.

The Honourable Prime Minister, Mr. Nagamootoo, gave us the assurance that more of this type of meeting would be held frequently, and I am sure that, again, he will not disappoint.

ARCHIE W. CORDIS Former AFC Councillor Region # 2

claims, “Show that government is out of touch with realities on the ground.”

His colleague Ogunseye echoes similar sentiments but in the context of the need to “bring to justice the wrong-doers of the PPP/C government.”

In this connection, Ogunseye claims that “APNU+ AFC supporters are angered by the apparent reluctance of the government to respond in kind (to the PPP’s aggressive politics). He then asserts: “It would be a grave political mistake for the APNU+AFC leadership to underestimate its supporters’ demand for justice on behalf of the nation.”

What influence these two individuals have on the Granger administration and on Granger himself is anybody’s guess. They both want to achieve the same objective, but from two different perspectives. This political extremism germinating within the APNU+AFC must be rejected.

Ogunseye is correct when he said “there is need for a correct assessment of the balance of the social and political forces in the country.” The truth is, were this analysis to be done on a scientific basis, it would certainly not give him much comfort, nor would its outcome be supportive of his extremist, intolerant views. I strongly recommend that Ogunseye and his ilk view the movie ‘V’ for Vendetta. Others who care to should do so. Produced and directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski, the moral of the movie is that unless people speak out and hold government accountable, nothing is done to stop theft of their civil liberties.

The PPP will never allow the APNU+AFC government to strip the Guyanese people in general, and the leaders, members and supporters of the PPP in particular, of their civil and political rights. Having had their fundamental right to elect a government of their choice stolen from them once again, the PPP will not now, or ever, allow the APNU+AFC nor the extremist elements within and outside the coalition to deny it its constitutional rights. The PPP fought too long and hard to now allow this travesty to come to pass.

Yours sincerely, CLEMENT ROHEE General Secretary People’s Progressive Party

8

‘Reasonable bail’ for stealing cheese, milk TWO Bourda Market vendors yesterday made an appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and were granted $75,000 bail each for allegedly breaking into a city supermarket and carting off more than $2.2M in goods.

Vickram Nauth, 42, of Sandy Babb Street, Kitty and Wazim Bacchus, 35, of Golden Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara pleaded not guilty to the

charge which detailed that between December 26 and 27, 2015, they broke into the building of Guyana Green Grocer and Supermarket and stole 40 boxes of cheese, 40 sacks of milk, and other articles to the value of $ 2.2M, property of Mohammed Jafar.

Bacchus’s lawyer, Mr. Adrian Thompson, made application for reasonable bail for his client, pointing out that the police had no

compelling evidence and that Bacchus’s push cart might have been seen by the store surveillance footage, but not his client.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones made no objection to bail, but disclosed that none of the stolen articles had been recovered. The Chief Magistrate granted the duo bail and adjourned the matter until January 20 before Magistrate Fabayo Azore.

Break-and-enter accused allowed bail AN East Bank Demerara resident accused of breaking and entering to commit larceny was yesterday placed on $25,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Dale Bobb, 39, of 1232 Diamond Housing Scheme,

pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on December 26, 2015, at Diamond Housing Scheme, he broke and entered the storage bond of Kevin Gonzales and stole six buckets, three spades, one shovel, four sacks of cement and a pound

of nails, together valued at $35,000.

Police prosecutor Deniro Jones did not oppose bail, but informed the court that a sack of cement had been recovered.

The magistrate granted bail, adjourned the matter until January 22, and transferred it to the Providence Magistrate’s Court.

‘Weed’ was for personal use CITY Magistrate Alex Moore yesterday fined Fitz Hooper $15,000, with

an alternative of a threemonth term of imprisonment for narcotics pos-

Thursday, December 31, 2015 - 05:00 hrs Friday, January 1, 2016 - 10:00 hrs Saturday, January 2, 2016 - 11:30 hrs

session.

Hooper, of 3282 South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, pleaded guilty to the charge which read that on Tuesday, December 29, in Georgetown, he had in his possession five grammes of cannabis, which he claimed was for personal use.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 31, 2015

Gibbons, Sooklall named GNNL ‘Employees of the Year’

Senior Chronicle staffers (front) share a moment with the awardees

DESPITE financial constraints, the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL) yesterday expressed tangible appreciation to workers who excelled over the past year in their respective departments by awarding them cash incentives.

This year, due to the commitment shown by the workers, management was tasked with electing two persons as Employees of the Year.

Kimsel Gibbons and Yogeeta Sooklall were so elected, while Regina Paul was selected second runner-up.

Also receiving cash awards were Sarah Boyce,

Yatesh Chowbay, Shelly Haul, Edward Jordan and Rawle Toney.

Speaking at the ceremony, yesterday at the company’s Lama Avenue offices, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Jean LaRose, called on staff to put their best foot forward in the new year, while congratulating those who had executed their work diligently and efficiently in order to become awardees.

Chairperson LaRose also noted that “despite the financial struggles to sustain the company, we were still able to execute all that came our way this year, especially

when it came to the conclusion of 2015.”

LaRose said that both the Board and management are working to adjust the financial constraints, so that there can be a better environment for employees.

Moreover, she said that, with the support of the staff, the board will be able to overcome the struggles and accomplish tasks they had out to achieve.

Also congratulating the employees was Acting General Manager Mrs. Moshamie Ramotar, who encouraged them to work harder and to look forward to a better New Year.

Buggery accused granted $1M bail on appeal

By George Barclay BUSINESSMAN Kevin Jordan, 56, who was sentenced to jail after a Demerara Assizes jury found him guilty on a majority verdict after 70 minutes’ deliberation, is on $1M bail.

On appeal out of time, lawyers for Jordan, Mr. Rex

Mc Kay, S.C. and Mr. Neil Boston, successfully argued before Justice of Appeal B. S. Roy that the majority verdict before two hours of deliberation should not have been accepted by Presiding Justice Dawn Gregory, since it was in breach of Sections 158 (b) of the Criminal Law (procedure) Act, Chapter 10:01.

Counsel are contending that as such, the conviction of Kevin Jordan was a nullity.

The prosecution arguing the case for the DPP could not have satisfied the Court that the jury departed from the minimum of two hours before they delivered the majority verdict.

It was pointed out that only in exceptional circum-

stances, when an appellant is likely to succeed with his appeal, that such appellant is likely to be granted bail, pending the hearing of his appeal.

On the 11th day of December 2015, Justice Roy, sitting as a single judge in Chambers, granted the petitioner leave to appeal out of time.

Last Monday, Jordan was admitted to bail in the sum of $l,000,000 by the Court of Appeal, constituted by Justice of Appeal B. S. Roy in Chambers.

Defence lawyers submitted to the Court that the verdict of the jury was unlawful, and the trial judge should have rejected it.

Six months for stolen handbag A VRYHEID’S Lust resident was yesterday sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by City Magistrate Alex Moore for stealing a Chinese National’s handbag on Christmas Eve. John Harding pleaded guilty to the simple larceny charge which alleged that on Thursday, December 24, at

Regent Street, Georgetown, he stole from the Wang Changmin Store one ladies’ handbag valued at $5000.

Previously convicted for a similar offence, Harding told the court he had intended to sell the bag to buy medication, as he was unwell. The fact that he is a repeat offender earned him the six-month sentence.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 31, 2015

Education woes hit Riverview SELL-OUT

By Vanessa Braithwaite

PARENTS, especially the mothers of Riverview, have voiced several concerns to Regional Chairman Renis Morian and a team of the Regional Democratic Council of Region 10 who visited the hinterland community last Monday.

Scores of residents turned out to meet the team, as the members deemed the visit a long-awaited one. According to Toshao Elvis Williams, “It has been three years since any governmental official visited the community in an effort to engage the residents on issues that are of concern to them.”

The Regional Chairman visited the community following the mandate of President Granger to visit all hinterland communities to have a more cohesive interaction with the residents and be able to ascertain what are their needs, so that sufficient allocation can be made in the upcoming budget to address those needs.

One of the main issues heard by the Regional Chairman was that of the high transportation cost which is being faced by parents who have to send secondary school children to Bartica on a daily basis.

According to the parents, it costs them $1000 per day

to send a child to Bartica, and this excludes other expenses, such as lunch. With the absence of a school boat, the parents are finding this very unbearable, as the round trip cost on the speed boat from Riverview to Bartica is $600.

Then, upon entering Bartica, the students have to pay additional bus fares to their respective schools.

It has been revealed that, in the past, a school boat was provided by the previous Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. However, that service was discontinued after the completion of a school dorm in Bartica. According to one parent, the previous Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, had requested that parents have their children stay in the dorms, which would eliminate the daily travelling from Riverview to Bartica. With the response being very negative, the boat service subsequently stopped.

Parents are hesitant to send their children to stay at Bartica, which is approximately three miles away, and five to seven minutes’ boat ride from Riverview.

“We can see Bartica from here, so why must we send our children there to live?” argued one parent. “We want our children home so that we can monitor them and to help them with their school work, because children go in the

dorm and break out, and we do not want our daughters to get pregnant,” she added.

The Regional Chairman guaranteed that the parents would get a school boat, as the President is presently making boats available to hinterland communities, since he does not want transportation to be the responsible factor for students not attending school.

The toshao also put forth a long-term solution of having a secondary school constructed in Riverview, as he is of the opinion that there are sufficient students to qualify the community to have its own secondary school.

LOCAL TEACHERS NEEDED Parents also voiced concerns about the lack of teachers at the primary and nursery school within the community.

According to one parent, there are currently only five teachers to manage a primary school with six classes. In addition, the children are having difficulty understanding the accent of some foreign volunteers.

“They are sending the foreign teachers and the children cannot understand them, so we need our own Guyanese teachers that the children will understand,” said one parent.

In addition to this, the

sanitary condition of the school is in a deplorable state, as only two toilets are available for the entire nursery and primary school, which comprises 100 children and seven teachers.

The toshao deems this very unacceptable, as both male and female students, as well as teachers, are forced to share two toilets that are situated outside of the school.

The sanitary condition of the toilets is also deplorable, lacking water storage facilities and having a pressure pump that is in a state of disrepair.

There is also very little yard space for the children to play in and to participate in regular outdoor and extra-curricular activities, especially at the nursery level.

The toshao is requesting new playground equipment and larger yard space for the children.

Regional Chairman Renis Morian has promised to give these concerns immediate attention, as he stressed that education is important to the growth and development of the community. The residents are optimistic that, with the removal of these issues, the community could produce recognized personalities, such as the current Minister of Health, Dr George Norton.

Riverview residents want back their lands

By Vanessa Braithwaite

THE residents and Toshao of the community of Riverview on the upper Essequibo River are furious over the decision of the former Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai, who, according to Toshao Elvis Williams, without merit and logical explanation, drew a demarcation line on the community’s map.

The line serves as a distinction as to where Riverview ends, but, surprisingly, the occupied territory of the community, which spans 15 miles at the front of the Essequibo River, is no longer a part of Riverview, according to the demarcation and new map.

The issue has triggered much anger and concern among the residents, as their homes, farms, businesses and

public offices occupy these lands.

According to Toshao Williams, most of the residents do not possess a legal title for these lands, as Amerindians are accustomed to casually occupy lands. The area, in which the demarcation ends, is only occupied by one family and the majority of the land is used for farming, hunting and primarily logging.

This matter was raised at a recent meeting held by the Regional Chairman of Region 10, Renis Morian and a team who visited the community to hear the concerns of the residents.

This concern took precedence as it concerns the lives of the 1,440 residents residing there. The Regional Chairman was shown two maps of the community - one deemed the original, which

included all the land and has been the official map of the community for several decades. The second map, which shows the boundary line, removes the occupied territory from the map.

The main concern of the Toshao and residents is that since these lands are not titled, persons from out of Riverview can show up with titles for these lands on which the residents resided since the establishment of the community.

“I would like the relevant authorities to give us back these lands because it is from here we started living, working, fishing, farming, hunting and doing everything, and that line is very troubling because you are removing us from our homes,” stressed Toshao Williams.

The original map shows Riverview ending at the Es-

sequibo River, while the revised map shows Riverview ending behind all of the occupied lands facing the Essequibo River.

ENCROACHMENT These new developments have caused several loggers to take advantage of the situation and are logging on lands that are no longer identified as Riverview.

This too is of major concern to the residents as logging is their main economic activity and at present they cannot do anything about the situation as they are considered alien residents.

Regional Chairman Morian is expected to meet with President David Granger next Tuesday and has in his possession the two maps to highlight the issue and residents are anticipating a positive response.

SO I-News has new ownership -- owner of Guyana Times, Dr Bobby Ramroop. The announcement, which was a surprise to even the staff at I-News, was clearly the topic of the day, with the public seeing this as a strategic move for Jagdeo (Bobby’s best friend). As if having the Guyana Times on his side wasn’t enough!

Soon, both the Guyana Times and I-News will be slinging the same fallacies and misinterpretations, the public believes, and comments have been made by many that this is certainly a reason for them to unfollow the media entity on social media. The move even resulted in the laying off of some of its correspondents, and sparked the immediate resignation of its editor-in-chief. I don’t blame her. I would have run for the hills too.

Meanwhile, people are asking what’s happening with Robert Persaud. Why is he selling out all the things he owns these days? First was the radio station, now it’s I-News. He claims it’s the lack of ads, but others suspect that maybe he’s going somewhere… Let’s keep an eye out for more shady movements, shall we?

LET THERE BE LIGHT - ALWAYS

GPL may have finally figured out how to ensure that people always pay their light bills on time. The utility company announced that soon, in addition to a reconnection fee and the outstanding bill amount, customers who have been disconnected will also have to pay a security deposit equal to six times their average monthly bill. The first question on people’s minds was: Who in the world comes up with these things?

I’m not sure about the logic of this new plan, but one thing is clear: Either GPL plans on seeing half the country in darkness going forward -– since no one who gets disconnected will ever be able to get reconnected on those terms -- or everyone will buck up and ensure that whether they beg, borrow or steal, their electricity bill will always be paid. Last question though: If we do buck up and are consistent in our payments, will this mean less blackouts? Doubtful!

DISCIPLINARY MATTERS, CONTINUED

Could it be that Clement Rohee’s word has finally borne some influence? The Guyana Police Force announced that the police promotions have been suspended until February next year -- a move that had been suggested by Rohee a few days past. This certainly puts a damper on the year-end festivities of the GPF, and the Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, is none too pleased about it either. Persaud warned that such a move demoralises the officers and takes the Force back to the place that Rohee had it – which, of course, was not a good place.

Rohee must be grinning wherever he is. For once, someone listened to him. I’m sure he awarded himself an A grade for it too.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 31, 2015

Passenger traffic $10B spent by former grows by 6% in 2015 gov’t approved

PASSENGER demand continued its positive trend in 2015 with the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) – the country’s largest aviation hub - recording a 6 percent increase in traffic as at December 29, compared to the corresponding period last year.

In a release signed by the airport’s acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dursatty Mangru-Doodnauth, the CJIA said that, so far, 503,717 passengers were processed,

compared to 477,092 in 2014, “International passenger arrivals for 2015 are 249,241 or 6 percent higher than for the previous year, due primarily to more reliable service, additional seats availability, and increased flights to existing and new routes,” the acting CEO added.

In the recent past, the CJIA has seen increased airlift to several destinations, including New York City, Miami, Aruba, St. Maarten, Suriname, Jamaica, Panama and Curacao.

Meanwhile, imported cargo for the period under review amounted to 3,485,397 kilogrammes, compared to 3,295,977 kilogrammes for the same period last year. This represents a 6 percent increase in cargo traffic.

“Twenty two percent of the cargo is industrial supplies, while 20% is personal effects, 21 percent is for hatching eggs, and 13% represents other consolidated cargo,” Ms. Mangru-Doodnauth stated.

Digicel delivers on ‘Merry Mansion Reloaded’ promise

Digicel’s Head of Marketing, Ms. Jacqueline James, Advertising Manager Ramesh Rupchand, and Communications Manager Vidya Sanichara present prizes and cheques to those winners who were lucky to find both cash and appliances in the Merry Mansion

IT will be a very happy New Year for the first 10 winners of Digicel’s Merry Mansion Reloaded game show.

Digicel Guyana yesterday presented more than $5M in cash and prizes to the winners of the first Merry Mansion Reloaded game-show.

Customers participating in the gameshow instantly received $100,000 cash for spelling the word MANSION, in addition to the cash and prizes they won in the gameshow, according to a release from the mobile phone network provider.

Ten lucky customers who spelt the word MANSION were the first to search the Digicel Merry Mansion for millions and other prizes.

The lucky ones are Ronald Smith, who won $860,000; Elton David, $780,000; Lalman Bissoondeholl, $50,000 and Free Credit worth $20,000; Odetta Murphy, $335,000 and a DL910; Angelica Williams, $760,000, Free Credit of $10,000 and a six-month data plan; Poonam Baird, $95,000 and a DL 910; Gopaul Morgan, $160,000 and

a six-month data plan; Cindy Sampson, $440,000, a 55inch Flat-Screen Smart TV and an Ashley Sofa Set; Mahendra Sookoo, $570,000, a washing machine, and a Samsung S6; Ronda Lewis $420,000,a six-month data plan, 55’’ Flat Screen Smart TV, Free Credit of $10,000 and a refrigerator.

The Merry Mansion Reloaded promotion began on November 20, 2015, and will run until December 31, 2015, whereby every Digicel customer topping up their phones via scratch cards or electronically with $500 or more will collect letters to spell the word M-A-N-S-IO-N. Customers topping up with $500 or more electronically will receive a letter sent to their handsets, while customers who purchase the Merry Mansion Reloaded scratch cards of $500 or $1000 will get a letter printed on the card.

Once all the letters are collected to spell M-A-NS-I-O-N, customers will instantly WIN $100,000 cash and will stand the chance to be one of the lucky persons

who will search for millions of dollars in cash and prizes in the Digicel Merry Mansion.

Customers can collect a combination of letters both electronically and by using the scratch cards. The first 10 Merry Mansion Winners walked away with bigger bank accounts and brand new handsets and appliances for the holidays.

To qualify to search in the mansion, just top up your phones via scratch cards or electronically with $500 or more and collect letters to spell the word M-A-N-S-IO-N. Customers who top up electronically can text WIN to “1441” to check the letters they have collected.

Customers can also call into Customer Care by dialing 100 from their Digicel handsets to verify if they are actual winners. There will be a final game show after the qualifying period December 31st, which will be broadcast on NCN TV across the country.

Persons can keep checking Digicel’s social media sites for updates, the release concluded.

THE House yesterday approved close to $10B in supplementary funds that were spent under the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration but had been rejected by the then combined Opposition.

The APNU and AFC, which now form the government, had at that time commanded a majority in the National Assembly.

The sum was covered in two supplementary papers tabled by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who was grilled by members of both sides of the House.

Approved yesterday were Supplementary Appropriation Bill, Bill Number 1 of 2015, for the sum of $3.2B; and Supplementary Appropriation Bill, Bill Number 2 of 2015, for the amount of $6.5B. The sums were expended during the period December 31, 2012; December 31, 2013; and December 31, 2014.

The monies requested in both supplementary papers covered current and capital expenditures for the Office of the President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Public Service Ministry, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, and several other ministries and government agencies.

Notably, in the consideration of the estimates, Minister Jordan was unable to provide answers for nearly all the questions that were asked of him, but he promised to provide a response by the

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan

next sitting.

Notwithstanding, the situation made Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo uneasy. “When a supplementary paper is presented here, the ministers responsible would need to answer those questions based on advice from their technical staff.

Now, the government side can choose not to, can choose today to withhold its support for the supplementary papers; that is perfectly within their right, but to claim that they are not aware, in my view…it lacks preparation for Parliament, Mr Speaker,” he said.

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, however, pointed out that the spendings were done a long time ago, and some of the questions by the PPP would be better answered by their colleagues, as they were the ones who had spent the mon-

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

ies the government is seeking to approve.

He explained that the government bringing the papers to the House is merely to provide basic accountability for the monies that were spent, as required by the Constitution of Guyana. “The confusionists would want to give the impression that we are incompetent. We are only laying the record straight… on monies spent by them (the Opposition, who were in Government at the time).

Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, earlier said the situation with the papers is not normal but is extraordinary, as the government is asking to approve spending of the previous government.

“In fact, all of the answers reside in that side (opposition) of the House,” he also contended amid bickering in the House.

65-year-old remanded over nephew’s murder A FATHER of 10 children, 65-year-old Dennis Husain, was yesterday remanded until January 18 after he appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, charged with the murder of his nephew.

The accused was not required to plead to the indictable charge after it was read to him by the magistrate.

The court was told that on Sunday, December 27, Husain unlawfully murdered his nephew, 43-year-old Sheldon Richards, at the man’s home at Supply, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara following an argument.

According to the facts

presented to the court, the accused and the deceased were imbibing at the home, and when Husain was getting ready to leave, Richards asked him if he wanted to fight.

Richards then reportedly picked up a rolling pin and lashed Husain, who allegedly whipped out a knife and stabbed him to the region of the heart, and he collapsed on his bridge and died.

After the stabbing, Richards was reportedly left lying on the bridge for some time before being rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Dennis Husain

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 31, 2015

Union finally inks agreement with Oldendorff

By Clifford Stanley

WORKERS of Oldendorff Company Guyana Inc. (OCGI) have been unionised. The People’s United and General Workers Union (PUGWU) yesterday secured a recognition agreement with OCGI, which ships bauxite from mines located more than 130 nautical miles up the Berbice River.

General Secretary of the union, Micah Williams, disclosed that the company had signed on to a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the union, which says that it recognises it as the body with which it will negotiate and consult on employment terms and conditions of work for its 220odd workers.

PUGWU will represent these workers in discussions with the company on issues such as pay, annual leave, health and safety, and other related issues.

PUGWU had been seeking recognition for the past four years.

Officials of the PUGWU, the Ministry of Social Protection and Oldendorff at the signing in the Boardroom of the Ministry of Social Protection yesterday

The signing took place in the boardroom of the Ministry of Social Protection in the presence of consultant to the ministry, Mr. Francis Carryl, and Chief Labour Officer Mr Charles Ogle.

Mr Marlon Jaundoo, Finance and Admin Manager, and Mr Alvin Mingo, General Manager, signed on behalf of OCGI; and General President of PUGWU, Oswald Prince; Vice

President Jamal Gilbert and General Secretary Micah Williams signed on behalf of PUGWU. Oldendorff workers had been without trade union representation for the past four years.

The PUGWU had, in the past, accused the company of employing a large number of Guyanese workers on shortterm contracts of one month, three months, six months;

‘Food For The Poor’ frees non-violent offenders

Members of FFTP at the head table looking on at the freed offenders some time ago

CONTINUING its tradition of releasing a number of non-violent offenders from prisons worldwide, Food for the Poor (FFTP) has released a number of such offenders in Guyana and other countries for the holiday season by paying their required fines.

Earlier this week, 120 non-violent offenders in Guyana, Haiti, Honduras and Jamaica were released from their cells when their fines were paid by Food for the Poor.

According to a press release from the NGO, Food for the Poor has secured the release of another 45 nonviolent offenders from prisons in northern Haiti. In Fort-Liberté, 23 men and one woman were liberated; while 15 people, including a mother and daughter, were freed in Port-de-Paix, and six more in Grande Rivière.”

The freeing of 45 men and women in northern Haiti

brings the total to 165 nonviolent offenders who will be home for Christmas. Many had been incarcerated for several years because of their inability to pay their country’s required fines.

“It is a Food for the Poor tradition to release nonviolent inmates twice a year, during the Easter and Christmas season. The Prison Ministry Programme is based on the scripture: “When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?” (Matthew 25:39).

We do this because we’re following Jesus’s example in the Gospels – it is the right thing to do,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food for the Poor.

Since the inception of Food for the Poor’s Prison Ministry Programme in 1998, the charity has assisted in freeing, training and reintroducing nonviolent prisoners back into their communities as productive citizens.

“Many of these people

are sent away to prison for stealing to buy food to feed themselves and their families. Putting these people who have committed nonviolent crimes in the same cells with rapists, murderers and hardcore criminals isn’t the answer,” said Mahfood.

Food for the Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organisations, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America.

This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 95 percent of all donations going directly to programmes that help the poor, the release added.

and even after many years of service, many are still not permanently employed.

The union, in its agreement on Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), provides for all workers to be permanently employed after serving a three-month probationary period with

satisfactory performance, among other agreements.

Oldendorff Carriers commenced operations in Guyana in 2006 under a 11-year contract with one of the carrier’s long-term customers, RUSAL, via its affiliate, Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI).

The operation forms a complete logistics solution facilitating barging, offshore loading, and ocean transportation of around 2.0-2.5 million tonnes per annum of bauxite from mines located some 131 nautical miles up the Berbice River.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 31, 2015

Providence man on the run – after domestic quarrel turns ugly

By Clestine Juan

A RESIDENT of Providence, East Bank Demerara is on the run after dousing his home with gasoline and discharging a loaded firearm at his reputed wife in an incident that reportedly occurred at about 18:05hrs yesterday during a heated argument that became blown out of proportion.

Shawn Thompson and his reputed wife, Fiona, according to reports, lately moved into the neighbourhood, but have been arguing a lot lately over issues of infidelity. Neighbours say they were at it up to Christmas Day, when she confronted him about having an affair.

Not content with physically assaulting her, causing her to run out of the house in search of help, Thompson reportedly jumped into his car and went after her, attempting to run her over as she ran down the road. Neighbours say it was the third such time he’d done so since moving into the neighbourhood.

Things apparently came to a head again yesterday, as Thompson, after beating Fiona almost to a pulp and threatening to burn the house down with her inside, fired a loaded firearm behind her. Luckily for her, his aim was bad.

Neighbours say that although they had seen the whole incident, they were afraid to go to the woman’s aid for fear of being shot themselves.

Thompson, who reportedly always carries a gun, was later seen running away from the house; and after getting into his Toyota Carina 212, made good his escape before the police arrived on the scene.

When the police did arrive, Fiona was inside the house, which was a mess and was dripping gasoline. She was later taken away to the police station to assist with investigations.

Cuban Institute of Friendship observes 55th anniversary THE Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples commemorated the 55th anniversary of its constitution with expressions of friendship and solidarity yesterday.

President of the Guyana-Cuba Solidarity Movement (GCSM), Haleem Khan, said the occasion was to bring up-to-date what has been done with great effort and under unbelievable challenges, but always with support of thousands of friends who share the same dream that a better world is still possible.

He noted that uncountable actions carried out by the Solidarity Movement during all these years have grown, and solidarity groups have played an outstanding role in the struggle, particularly for the freedom of the Cuban Five and the claim for an end to the economic, financial and trade blockade imposed by the USA, which has remained unchanged for more than a half century.

He said that the Cuban Institute has the purpose of promoting and explaining to the peoples of the world relations of solidarity that sparked

the Cuban Revolution.

It is the vehicle to reach around the globe to people who are in solidarity with Cuba, delivering a strong message that solidarity not only benefits Cuba, but the peoples of the world who are aspiring to promote the idea that a better world is possible for all.

“Now, more than ever, solidarity becomes a struggling banner in a world threatened by a complex context of political, economic and social crises, environmental disasters and wars… Our institute reassures its principle to move forward along with the goal of making even more friends, in favour of the just causes, not only for Cuba, but also for the peoples who need it,” according to the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples.

“We can proudly say that… we will never betray our brothers and sisters who have supported our revolutionary process. Let us go forward with the idea to look towards the future that we want to build, with well-being and prosperity in this Caribbean Region that keeps us together forever.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 31, 2015

Pregnant women being guarded from Zika

By Svetlana Marshall WITH health authorities in Brazil linking the Zika fever to birth defects, the Public Health Ministry here in Guyana is taking precautionary measures to safeguard pregnant women.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Zika fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused

by Zika virus (ZIKV), consisting of mild fever, rash (mostly maculo-papular), headaches, arthralgia, myalgia, asthenia, and non-purulent conjunctivitis, occurring about three to 12 days after the mosquito vector bite.”

It was explained that one out of four people may not develop symptoms, but the affected often experience mild symptoms that can last between two and seven days.

Its clinical manifestation is often similar to dengue, also a mosquito-borne illness.

But though the symptoms appear minute, the Zika virus can result in life-threatening defects. Late November, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) reported that, in Brazil, the Zika fever was linked to a spike in cases of micro-encephalitis -– an inflammation of the brain contracted in the first months of pregnancy.

The Brazilian Health Ministry had said that doctors had found Zika virus in the blood and tissue of a baby with micro-encephalitis in the north-eastern state of Ceara.

This disease can stunt the growth of the foetus’s head.

Here, in Guyana, it is becoming a cause for major concern. In an interview with Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, Public Health Minister Dr. George Norton expressed

Children in Africa who have developed the micro-encephalitis

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are carriers of the yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses

concern that the virus could result in the development of micro-encephalitis.

“It is important for pregnant mothers to protect themselves from mosquitoes that spread the Zika virus,” Minister Norton said. The virus is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are also carriers of the yellow fever, dengue and chikungunya viruses.

In its quest to help pregnant women protect themselves from being bitten by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the Public Health Ministry has commenced distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets along the coastlands

of Guyana.

According to Dr. Norton, the Public Health Ministry has recently taken a decision to distribute the insecticide-treated bed nets at health centres across Guyana. “So when pregnant women attend their regular clinics, they will be given the treated mosquito nets, so they can use within their homes,” the Public Health Minister explained.

Additionally, the Public Health Ministry will spearhead fumigation, commonly known as fogging, in and around Georgetown. Fumigation is a method of pest control that completely fills an area with gaseous pesti-

African Civilisation Day on Sunday THE Pan-African Movement (Guyana Branch) is inviting interested members of the public to join in celebrating “African Civilisation Day 2016” at a forum on children and parenting on Sunday at the Pan-African Gardens at Merriman Mall, Albert Street, Bourda, starting at 15:00 hrs.

The theme of the forum is: “Crisis in Education among the Youths of Guyana and the Caribbean”; and the forum will be addressed

by Dr Kenrick Hunte, Walter Alexander and Leslyn Elliot.

This forum promises to be culturally rich and exciting, with an explosion of African songs and drumming by the African Warriors of Buxton. There will also be Negro spirituals rendered by Gem Rohlehr-Vogt and Paul Lespoir.

Sweet meats and ice-cream will be among delicacies on sale.

cides — or fumigants — to suffocate or poison the pests within the area.

Although not as deadly as Chik-V, ZIKV can cause significant illnesses in severe cases. In some cases, co-infection of ZIKV and dengue can occur in some patients. It may lead to autoimmune diseases, wherein the immune system turns on itself and starts destroying different cells, leading to possible nerve and bleeding disorders. However, most persons affected with ZIKV will have only a mild course,

Public Health Minister, Dr. George Norton

with symptoms similar to dengue, and will recover in a few days’ time.

According to the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, there is no vaccine or specific treatment for the Zika virus infection. It was explained that treatment was mainly symptomatic, thus support -- including rest and the use of acetaminophen and paracetamol to relieve fever and pain -- can be useful.

Antihistamines can also be used to control itching.

“Using aspirin is not ad-

vised, due to risk of bleeding and developing Reye’s Syndrome in children under 12 years.

At the same time, patients are advised to drink plenty of fluids to replenish loss from sweating, vomiting, and diarrhoea,” he explained.

The Zika virus was first isolated in 1947 in the Zika Forest of Uganda in a Rhesus monkey during the transmission of wild yellow fever.

The virus was first isolated in humans in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania. Further, in 1968, the virus was detected in human samples in Nigeria.

In 2007, the first major outbreak of Zika virus fever occurred on the island of Yap in Micronesia, where 185 suspected cases were reported. In October 2013, approximately 10,000 cases were registered in an outbreak in French Polynesia.

Brazil confirmed its first case of ZIKV in May 2015.

Recent outbreaks of the virus in different regions of the world demonstrate the potential of the spread and outbreak of this arbovirus in regions where the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are present.

PRIVATISE GUYSUCO

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday December 31, 2015

––CoI says PPP nearly ruined industry

By Ravin Singh and Tajeram Mohabir

THE Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the ailing Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has recommended privatisation of the corporation as early as is practicable, with an aim to complete the process in three years.

The long-awaited report, laid yesterday in the National Assembly, is also urging that the State divest itself of all assets, activities and operations currently associated with GuySuCo. “In the interval, as the privatisation process is awaited, the new management of GuySuCo must focus on basic essentials to

rehabilitate the fields, factories and infrastructure of GuySuCo. There should be no accommodation for new projects, which will create demands on the limited funds. This is aimed at making the estates more saleable and attractive to investors, both local and foreign,” the report recommended.

It said a few expressions of interest, both formal and informal, have been received. While the ongoing process of amalgamating estates for obvious economies of scale may continue, the CoI does not recommend the closure of any estate at this time. Financial support will be needed in the short term, and this should be provided by the

government on a timely basis, the report said. It is hoped that the recommendations will be implemented at the earliest possible time.

“The management of GuySuCo must immediately direct its attention and focus on reducing operational costs, especially that of employment; returning to basic agronomic practices, rehabilitating its factories, and strengthening Agriculture Minister supervision,” the list of Noel Holder recommendations concluded.

T h e c u r r e n t p o o r, unacceptable state of GuySuCo was engendered by several major issues, all of which were highlighted in the report.

MISMANAGEMENT Among the issues highlighted were mismanagement of human, financial and material resources; absence of motivational and effective leadership, and lack of business acumen; unavailability of financial resources to fund, on a timely basis, essential capital and routine works; and a dearth of relevant experience and knowledge relating to the uniqueness of the sugar industry, notwithstanding some notable exceptions.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU)’s insensitivity to the realities of the sugar industry, especially its deteriorating financial position and other challenges, was also listed as one of the main features which led to the current state of the corporation.

Sugar production began to decline in 2005. It dropped from 325,318 metric tonnes in 2004 to 216,358 tonnes in 2014. To cushion the trickle-down effect of this loss in production, the then PPP government poured billions into the corporation through subsidies. This year, GuySuCo received a $12B subsidy from the 2015 Budget.

But despite pumping 100 per cent of its revenue into wages and salaries for workers, the corporation, in the last month, has managed to reduce its $82B debt by some $4B. BITTER-SWEET The situation with sugar in Guyana was recently described as “bitter-sweet” by Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder. His sentiments were grounded in the fact that, despite the years of failing, the industry, with considerable and prudent management in the past few months, has been able to surpass its production target of 227,443 tonnes this year. It has recorded a year-end production of 229,215 tonnes.

Minister Holder reminded the National Assembly yesterday that, prior to the inquiry, the sugar industry, for the past several years, had been producing less and less at greater and greater unit and total costs. Some 17,000 persons are directly employed by the industry, while another 60,000 are dependent on it. Sugar is a major source of foreign exchange for the Guyana economy.

Holder pointed out that the rising output costs and poor management threatened to position GuySuCo on the path of no return. To keep the industry afloat, the then People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government regularly doled out billions into the corporation, a practice which in the long run would have been unsustainable.

But the problems were many, Holder told the House.

Sugar prices, particularly from the European Union (EU), have declined. Production, productivity and skilled

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday December 31, 2015 labour also suffered; and together with ballooning costs, the Agriculture Minister said, the industry was made a “chronic loss maker,” dependent on government bailouts to survive.

EFFORTS REJECTED Going back as far as 1994, there were efforts to diversify the sugar industry, but those were given no heed by the then government. And with the closure of the Diamond and Leonora Estates, coupled with the quagmire the industry has found itself in under the PPP, the industry has come full circle since the 1980s, Minister Holder informed the House.

But, he said, the David Granger administration has faith in sugar, and will, through wide consultations involving all stakeholders, develop a plan to return sugar to profitability, while ensuring its long-term sustainability.

On June 4, 2015, the new government appointed an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to steady the affairs of GuySuCo, and has since made a number of observations.

It has found that low morale pervaded the industry; staff felt threatened and insecure, as there existed an environment of fear in the industry; uncertainty between right and wrong prevailed; and the dominant atmosphere was “do what you were told or find another job.”

Holder told the National Assembly that the excessive control and less-than-competent management springboarded operating costs right through the roof.

POLITICAL DABBLING This, he said, was allowed to happen as greater attention was paid to political pandering rather than sound decision-making.

“The corporation was suffering from poor marketing decisions by the then Chief Executive, who forwent a threeyear agreement with Tate and Lyle for a one-year duration at a time when prices were declining…. It left the corporation exposed to the vagaries of world market prices,” Holder said.

Worse yet, he said, personnel at both the managerial and non-managerial levels had their services terminated, while others with years of experience were transferred in moves that smacked of vindictiveness.

“The procurement system was blatantly corrupted by the leadership. The West Demerara Estate was run down,” he said, pointing out that the situation with the others was no less foreboding, due largely to political interference.

In addition, agricultural research was marginalised, materials and skilled workmen were in short supply, and management and workers relations were adversarial to each other.

According to Holder, the appointment of the IMC has brought a great sense of relief to the GuySuCo management team. He said managers meet regularly, participate meaningfully in decision-making, and also meet with workers and their unions.

KEY INDICATORS The IMC has established key performance indicators for each of the estates, and they are all closely monitored on a daily basis. “This pressure was maintained throughout the crop,” Holder reported, pointing out that this was along with a renewed focus on cost control and cash management.

The meetings with the unions, he said, were aimed at building good relations with the workers’ representatives, and relative calm prevailed until the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) was motivated to call a strike last October, and another in November. On both occasions, GAWU achieved nothing, while the workers lost wages. The corporation has since started to communicate directly with the workforce, as it contends that GAWU could not be relied upon to provide reliable information to the workers.

Holder told the National Assembly that all matters affecting workers and the management of GuySuCo are now being handled in a fair and transparent manner, and a decision was made to bring back experienced professionals to aid in the turnaround of the industry.

“Staff is responding better to the new administration; morale is considerably better [and], the industry has achieved and surpassed its production target this year,” the minister said.

It has not done so in a long time, and, Holder said, sugar is too valuable for its future to be taken lightly.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 31, 2015

Better payment for aromatic rice

By Clifford Stanley FARMERS involved in planting aromatic rice in collaboration with Nand Persaud and Company Limited in Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) have been assured that they will be paid 20% more than the price paid for other varieties when the spring crop is harvested early next year.

Nand Persaud’s CEO, Rajendra Persaud, told the Guyana Chronicle that the company was convinced that the aromatic rice, named Maria’s Delight, launched by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) earlier this year, has great potential in the export market.

He said the company had recently exported a small amount of aromatic rice to overseas buyers, and those

buyers had expressed satisfaction with the rice, and have indicated a desire to purchase more when it becomes available.

“This reception to Maria’s Delight is what gave us a great deal of encouragement to go ahead and enhance the potential of this variety,” Persaud said. He said the company is starting from the spring crop with 500 acres that will be made

available by farmers to whom the company had given seed paddy for the cultivation of this crop.

“They have gone ahead and planted with the guarantee that they will be paid 20% more than the price paid for other varieties,” he indicated.

Additionally, he said, the company is starting on a small scale with production of the aromatic variety, but expects to expand as it ac-

quires more markets for this popular rice.

“We don’t want to go overboard and encourage everybody to plant Maria’s Delight and then find that we don’t have a market, or markets, to take off these large amounts (of rice).

“But we are starting small and, hopefully, will get bigger and bigger as the market expands,” he disclosed.

He also said he is hoping that a few glitches in the variety will be ironed out.

“There is a little challenge with the variety in the sense that there are times, most noticeably in the autumn crop, when the variety produces chalky grains. We have reported this to the GRDB’s research station, and they are looking at it. I just hope that, along the line, we can iron that out.”

Maria’s Delight was developed by the GRDB’s Burma Rice Research Centre (BRRC), and was launched in February last. During the launch, Dr Mahendra Persaud, the BRRC Chief Scientist, had reported that the aromatic rice was high-yielding, giving up to 45 bags per acre; that it was robust and

resistant to lodging; that it had excellent milling and cooking qualities; and that there was uniform expression of the aroma.

Most importantly, he said, aromatic rice is a highpriced item on the international market.

“We can very well say that the progress we are going to make in aromatic breeding, and how well we are going to market it internationally, could be crucial factors in how the industry performs in the coming years,” he said. According to him, the price of aromatic rice on the international market is usually more than double that paid for other varieties.

According to Rajendra Persaud, in preparation for the spring crop harvest of Maria’s Delight, the company is investing heavily in a new area for the receipt and drying of the aromatic rice, since this variety cannot be received in the same facilities as the other varieties.

“We are building a whole new rice mill to cater for the aromatic rice, so that it remains separate from the other varieties,” Persaud said.

Christopher Lee remanded on chopping charge A MINER was yesterday remanded to prison on a charge of unlawful wounding. He allegedly chopped off the hand of a man during a dispute.

Christopher Lee, 57, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleges that, on December 27, at Yarrowkabra, Linden Highway, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Devon Evans with intent to maim, disfigure or cause him grievous bodily harm Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones informed the court that the defendant and the victim had a disagreement when Lee severed the hand of the victim. He also revealed that Evans was still in the hospital receiving medical attention.

However, according to the miner, he was attacked by a group of men who were armed with cutlasses, when one of the men chopped him on his leg, and it was one of the same men who accidentally chopped his partner when he ducked to escape further harm.

Jones successfully objected to bail for the prisoner, citing the seriousness of the offence and the fact that the victim was still hospitalised.

Lee was remanded to prison until January 15, when he will make an appearance at the Providence Magistrate’s Court, as ordered by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 31, 2015

Better rice yield expected in 2016

AGRICULTURE Minister Noel Holder has said the new varieties of rice released to farmers countrywide earlier this year will contribute significantly to improving the productivity of that commodity over the next few years.

Having recently briefed the media on the Agriculture Ministry’s performance and achievements since the coalition government’s election to office, Minister Holder said it is expected that the GRDB 12 (Guyana Rice Development Board), GRDB 13 and GRDB 14 will continue to expand in acreage in 2016.

500 VARIETIES Meanwhile, the minister reported that the GRDB will be implementing a proactive programme to manage ‘red rice’. Comprehensive studies will be done on the paddy bug menace and its management to reduce losses. The ministry is expected to access at least 500 varieties of paddy from international research institutes and centres in 2016.

During 2015, the rice industry continued to perform favourably, despite marketing challenges. As at December 16, 2015, paddy production stood at 1,051,563 tonnes, equivalent to 683,516 tonnes of rice. This figure was 48,278 tonnes or 7.60% higher than the production of paddy and rice for the entire 2014.

2014 paddy production stood at 977,289 tonnes, the equivalent of 635,238 tonnes of rice. For the period January-December 16, 2015, exports stood at 510,807 tonnes, compared with 501,208 tonnes for 2014. Despite the increase in the volume of exports for this period, the value is 15% lower than the 2014 value.

For the period Janu-

ary to December 16, 2015, the value of the exports was US$211,834,746, compared to US$249,504,955 for 2014.

In the areas of research capacity, both the GRDB 14 variety and the aromatic variety were released, along with their production package for commercial cultivation by farmers in spring 2015.

Nineteen advanced breeding lines are currently being tested in advanced yield trials in four locations across the country. These candidate varieties will be tested in farmers’ fields, and if found suitable, will be released.

Sixty-five advanced breeding lines are currently being tested at the Rice Research Station at Burma.

Each season, over 4,000 breeding lines are studied by the team at the Research Station.

The Extension arm of the GRDB continues to give support to local farmers countrywide in areas of best practices, problem solving, management, and decision-making. Extension officers have been exposed to training in paddy bug management, cost of production, extension communication, organisation, leadership and management; as well as seed improvement and weight determination at mills.

With regard to the Farmers Field Schools, 58 such exercises were conducted in 2015, exposing farmers to best practices. Ten were held in Region Two; 16 in Region Three; 2 in Region Four; 16 in Region Five, and 14 in Region Six. With respect to quality control, 57 mills have been licensed as at November 2015, and 101 licensed graders are at present operating at mills countrywide.

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SUDOKU

Yesterday’s Result

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 31, 2015

CROSSWORD

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday December 31, 2015

Solid foundations laid for rebuilding Australia

By Ian Ransom MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - For a rebuilding Australia side ostensibly in the throes of a long and tricky transition, Steve Smith’s team has appeared remarkably settled during a successful home summer.

Following the confidence-sapping Ashes defeat in England, Australia lost a wealth of experience in the dressing room, with captain Michael Clarke, opening batsman Chris Rogers and Brad Haddin among a string of retirements.

Pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson then called time on his career after the second Test against New Zealand and his replacement Mitchell Starc was sidelined for the summer after the third Test.

However, under new captain Smith, Australia head in to the New Year celebrating two home series wins over New Zealand and West Indies, and victory in four out of the five Tests.

Australia face their first proper examination in February when they head to New Zealand for a two-Test series but selectors won’t have too much to ponder, according to coach Darren Lehmann.

“It’s pretty close (to being settled) I would think,” Leh-

mann, also one of the team’s selectors, told reporters in Melbourne yesterday.

“You’d have to speak to the (selectors’ chairman) more so than me at the moment. But from where I sit it’s all pretty good. It’s really just making sure they all get through it, seeing how they

MITCHELL MARSH perform in Sydney and then away we go.

“Our big challenge is to win away from home. That’s what we’re always saying.

We play pretty well at home but to play well away from home is pretty important.”

Australia play their last Test of the home summer at the Sydney Cricket Ground from Sunday, a dead rubber against West

Indies, and may look to experiment with a second spinner to accompany Nathan Lyon in preparation for slower pitches on a tour of Sri Lanka next year.

But Australia’s batting lineup is unlikely to be touched, with all of the top order scoring big runs in recent matches.

The replacements have slotted in with aplomb, with Usman Khawaja making the number three position his own, and Joe Burns, who succeeded opener Rogers, teaming well with David Warner.

Peter Nevill has also impressed with his glove-work in place of Haddin while fast-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has shown himself a valuable wicket-taker in the wake of Shane Watson’s retirement from Tests.

Lehmann gave Australia a mark of ‘7.5’ out of 10 for a year in which they won the World Cup but lost the Ashes, the series most prized by home fans.

“The pleasing thing is we’ve ticked every box we wanted to at the start of the year apart from obviously the Ashes,” he said. “(But) we won’t get to number one if we don’t win away from home. Simple as that.”

South Africa add two players to squad for second Test

By Mark Gleeson DURBAN, South Africa (Reuters) - South Africa added wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock and fast bowler Chris Morris to their squad for the second Test against England, which starts in Cape Town on Saturday, just minutes after being beaten in the first match in Durban yesterday.

Uncertainty over the fitness of world’s top Test bowler Dale Steyn has seen selectors add Morris while de Kock’s inclusion suggests that AB de Villiers might not be required to keep wickets again and will instead be allowed to concentrate on his batting. de Villiers had returned with the gloves behind the wickets for the first Test in Durban to allow South Africa to add an extra batsman in their line-up but the team

scored 214 and 174 in their two innings.

Steyn suffered a shoulder

Wicketkeeper Clinton de Kock spasm in the second innings and his absence was keenly felt as the home team lost by 241 runs to England.

South Africa had originally named a 13-man squad for the first two Tests because of the quick turnaround between the matches.

“Following our performance and injuries in the first Test, we have recognised the need to bolster the squad,” said Linda Zondi, Cricket South Africa’s convener of selectors.

“This will provide us with more selection options for the second Test match at Newlands.”

Squad: Hashim Amla (captain), Kyle Abbott, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, Stiaan van Zyl

GFA/Banks Beer KO Football Cup

Riddim Squad, Western Tigers advance to GFA/ Banks Beer final TOURNAMENT favourites Western Tigers and Riddim Squad have advanced to the final of the 2015/2016 Banks Beer Knockout football tournament, following semi-final action at the Georgetown Football Club ground, Tuesday evening.

Taking on New Amsterdam United in the first semi-final, the Western Tigers side looked to get on the sheets early on - something that placed the New Amsterdam defence as a target for the Western Tigers forwards.

Long balls were the order of the first half as the Western side attempted to pierce the opposition goal, with the few counterattacks coming from the NA side also proving futile.

The first breakthrough of the game came in the 72nd minute when Ryan Adolph found the back of the net after a fumble by the NA goalie.

That opened the floodgates as Dwayne Ali scored the second in the 82nd and Randolph Wagner completed the third in fine style when he slipped the two defenders and unleashed a masterful shot past the keeper.

Speaking after the game, Wagner contended, “We (are) looking to pull it off. We haven’t played football for a long time; we out there all the time working so we can’t put out hard work and don’t get results.”

Meanwhile in game two, Riddim Squad had to work for their final spot.

Santos FC opened the scoring early, after Jobe Caesar poached a pass just outside the box and utilised some fancy footwork to split two defenders and draw the keeper before tucking it into the left hand side of the box, out of the reach of the keeper who dove right.

However, Riddim Squad equalised in the 22nd minute after a foolish tackle from behind in the box by a Santos defender brought the attacker down and Sceyon Hope made no mistake in powering the shot home from the spot.

Both teams kept pushing for the equaliser with the second half and two periods of extra time only bringing unsuccessful close chances and whizzing shots.

It came down to penalties for the Riddim Squad team who managed to convert three of their five penalties while the Santos side had three blocked and only managed to score two.

Captain Hope after the match said, “We were hoping that we could recover but we lost two main players which kind of set us back but the coach implemented a defender and midfielder; they come in the game with a positive but it could have been better if the two players had been on the field.”

Tomorrow’s final will begin at 20:30hrs and will be preceded by the third-place playoff between Santos and their New Amsterdam counterparts.

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday December 31, 2015

Clinical England beat South Africa by 241 runs

By Mark Gleeson DURBAN, South Africa (Reuters) - Moeen Ali took three wickets yesterday as England made quick work of securing victory in the first Test by bundling out South Africa for 174 before lunch and ensure a 241run win on the last day at Kingsmead.

It was only the second triumph in the opening Test of a series for England in 11 years as South Africa’s status as the top-ranked Test nation looked distinctly hollow, extending their number of successive Tests without a win to seven.

England will take a massive morale boost into the rest of the four-Test series with a quick turnaround time before the second Test starts in Cape Town on Saturday.

“It was a pretty good Test match,” a smiling England captain Alastair Cook said afterwards. “It’s always nice to start a series well and to do

as well as we did was really pleasing.”

South Africa already

overnight, chasing an improbable 416 for a win, and their hopes of survival

England’s Moeen Ali (top) celebrates the wicket of South Africa’s AB de Villiers during the first cricket Test match in Durban. Ali was later named Man-ofthe-Match. (Reuters/Rogan Ward) had their backs to the wall at 136 for four wickets

Preparations in advanced stage for RSTC horse-race meet … Entries topping 60-horse mark

By Rajiv Bisnauth WITH entries topping the 60-horse mark, the principals of the Rising Sun Turf Club (RSTC) have already put most systems in place for the club’s horserace meet, scheduled for this Sunday at the club’s entity, Arima Park, West Coast Berbice.

Dubbed the Mohammed ‘Nankoo’ Shariff Memorial Horserace Meet, organisers have put together an impressive seven-race programme with all the big names to be on show for what is expected to be a competitive day of racing.

The race meet, the first for the New Year, will be held in memory of the late Shariff, who was a devoted horse owner, trainer, breeder, importer and promoter of the sport.

Over $4M in cash trophies and other incentives are up for the taking, and with the RSTC known for creating exciting and highly competitive race meets, the event is expected to attract all the country’s top race horses.

The feature event will be a 1400-metre classic for animals classified D and Lower for a first prize of $700 000 and a trophy.

The other races are the E and Lower 1400-metre event for a winning take of $500 000 and a trophy.

The G Class event has a winner’s purse of $300 000 and a trophy over 1400 metres.

There is an event for horses classified H2 and Lower with the winner set to take home $220 000 and a trophy.

The horses classified J and Lower will be racing for a winner’s cheque of $180 000 and a trophy, while the final two events are for animals classified J and Lower and K and Lower.

The respective winners will take home $150 000 and $100 000 and trophies respectively. Race-time is 12:30hrs.

rested heavily on AB de Villiers.

But the stumper-batsman lasted only three balls at the start of the final day and was out on his overnight score of 37. de Villiers was trapped leg-before-wicket to Ali and failed to overturn the decision on review with the television technology showing the ball would have grazed the leg stump.

South Africa had still not added a run to their overnight tally when Temba Bavuma was stumped by Jonny Bairstow off Ali’s bowling in just his second over of the day.

Nightwatchman Dale Steyn was bowled by Steven Finn, who had been the wrecker-in-chief late on the fourth day, and Kyle Abbott was also trapped lbw by Ali as England grabbed the first four wickets of the day for just seven runs.

Dane Piedt tried his best at stonewalling, going 27 balls without scoring before edging a ball from Chris Woakes onto his pads, which popped up

for James Taylor to catch at short-leg.

The last man out was Morne Morkel, leg-before to Stuart Broad for eight, leaving JP Duminy 26 not out as he held up one end for South Africa.

Finn finished with figures of 4-42, while Ali took 3-47.

“It was not a good

Christmas. We didn’t play half as well as we could and we’ve got a lot of work to do now,” said South Africa coach Russell Domingo.

The second Test at Newlands runs from January 2 to 6 with the two remaining matches in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND 1st innings 303 (N. Compton 85, J. Taylor 70; D. Steyn 4-70, M. Morkel 4-76) SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings 214 (D. Elgar 118 n.o.; S. Broad 4-25, M. Ali 4-69) ENGLAND 2nd innings 326 (J. Bairstow 79, J. Root 73; D. Piedt 5-153) SOUTH AFRICA 2nd innings (o/n 136-4; Target: 416 runs) D. Elgar c Root b Finn 40 S. van Zyl b Stokes 33 H. Amla c Bairstow b Finn 12 A. de Villiers lbw b Ali 37 F. du Plessis c Cook b Finn 9 D. Steyn b Finn 2 T. Bavuma stp. Bairstow b Ali 0 J. Duminy not out 26 K. Abbott lbw b Ali 2 D. Piedt c Taylor b Woakes 0 M. Morkel lbw b Broad 8 Extras: (b-2, lb-3) 5 Total: (all out, 71 overs) 174 Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-85, 3-88, 4-136, 5-136 , 6-136, 7-138, 8-143, 9-155.

Bowling: S. Broad 13-5-29-1, C. Woakes 10-5-25-1, S. Finn 15-6-42-4, B. Stokes 7-1-26-1, M. Ali 26-9-47-3.

Presidential candidate Salman wants to divide FIFA in two

By Simon Evans THE frontrunner in the FIFA presidential election, Asian football chief Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, says he wants to divide the organisation into two separate entities as part of a ‘turnaround’ plan for the crisis-hit organisation.

Salman, who is president of the Asian Football Confederation, said in a statement yesterday that FIFA’s governance and business functions would be separated if he took over the helm following the February 26 elections.

The Bahraini suggested dividing the organisation into a ‘Football FIFA’ that will be responsible for governance and running events and tournaments; and a ‘Business FIFA’ which would handle all commercial, financial and funding matters.

“Only by strictly separating the generation of funds and supervising the flow of all monies spent can we guarantee the rebirth of a new FIFA that is accountable and is a

good corporate citizen that deserves everybody’s respect,” Salman said in the statement.

FIFA’s 209 member-associations will vote for a new president at a congress in Zurich on February 26. Previous president Sepp Blatter was banned from football for eight years by FIFA’s Ethics Committee earlier this month.

United States prosecutors have indicted 27 current or former soccer officials, including eight ex-FIFA Executive Committee members and the current heads of both the North and South American federations, over allegations they ran bribery schemes connected to the sale of TV rights for soccer competitions.

Twelve people in sports marketing and two companies have been convicted.

Swiss authorities are also investigating FIFA and yesterday handed over the first batch of evidence to U.S. authorities after freezing around $80 million in assets in 13 bank accounts.

“FIFA must be restructured top-down in order

to remedy its present ills.

Nothing short of a complete organisational overhaul and the introduction of stringent control mechanisms will allow us to re-launch FIFA in its entirety,” Salman added.

Salman said he intended to bring in “external experts” to help with the process including a “top class executive who does not necessarily need to have a football pedigree but is someone who has the expertise of a turnaround manager”.

Salman also promised an in-depth review of FIFA’s senior management structure and vowed to listen to the organisation’s staff.

“FIFA is not those 40odd individuals who have been indicted, arrested or already convicted on various charges. FIFA is above all a 400-strong g ro u p o f e m p l o y e e s from 40 plus countries who have suffered from the mayhem caused by others only marginally linked to the organisation,” he said, noting that there have been no arrests or charges against

FIFA staff members.

Salman repeated his pledge not to take a salary if elected president and said he would have a non-executive role.

“I shall not be micro-managing the organisation nor will I play a role in day-to-day operations,” he said, adding there would be full transparency of financial accounts including “minute details”.

He said he would aim to win back sponsor support for the body.

“My focus will be to make FIFA deserving of corporate support by introducing structures and controls that generate the kind of trust we have lost in many quarters. Pretty PR talk will not remedy the failures FIFA has allowed to occur,” he added.

The other candidates for FIFA president are UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, former FIFA deputy general secretary Jerome Champagne, Jordanian Football Association president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein and South African politician and businessman Tokyo Sexwale.

25

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday December 31, 2015

Marsh, Klinger take Scorchers to record-breaking win PERTH Scorchers claimed the first 10-wicket win in Big Bash history against Melbourne Renegades thanks to Shaun Marsh and Michael Klinger.

Shaun Marsh put his Australia omission behind him by making an unbeaten half-century and Michael Klinger also starred again as Perth Scorchers secured the first 10-wicket victory in Big Bash history against the Melbourne Renegades.

Scores: Perth Scorchers 0 for 171 (Klinger 90*, Marsh 76*) beat Melbourne Renegades 170 for 4 (Finch 72, Gayle 41, Behrendorff 2-14) by 10 wickets.

Marsh was dropped for the second Test hammering of West Indies despite scoring 182 in the first Test in Hobart and the left-hander responded by making 76 from only 54 balls as the Scorchers claimed a second successive win at the Etihad Stadium yesterday.

Klinger’s impressive form continued as he made a brilliant unbeaten 90 in a record partnership for the Scorchers to ensure the two-time defending champions chased down the Renegades’ total of 170-4 with eight balls to spare.

Aaron Finch had smashed a scintillating 72

and put on 98 for the first wicket with Chris Gayle (41) in just 11.2 overs, but the hosts slumped to a second BBL defeat in three matches.

The powerful Finch took 14 runs off the first three balls of the second over from Joel Paris after the Renegades were put in to bat by Klinger.

Gayle then launched Brad Hogg for back-to-back sixes before being caught behind off the impressive Jason Behrendorff (2-14), who then got rid of Cameron White first ball.

Finch cleared the ropes three times and hit a further six boundaries, while

LABA Malta Supreme basketball

SHAUN MARSH Matthew Wade made a brisk 35 to ensure the Scorchers were set a challenging target.

But the outstanding Klinger and Marsh made light work of getting them home by dishing out punishment to the Renegades attack in a magnificent unbroken opening stand.

Klinger took just 34 balls to bring up his second successive half-century and deserved three figures, with Marsh matching his fellow opener’s tally of three sixes to take his tally against the Renegades to 281 runs in his last four innings.

Essequibo softball team on board ‘Unity Cricket’ train … Beharry confirms he will play for Berbice Masters AS THE Unity Cricket train gathers steam, it is moving towards its Guyana National Stadium, Providence destination January 30, with

ANIL BEHARRY the Essequibo softball team coming on board, making the softball competition a truly national event.

The day of fun and frolic for the entire country includes a fun park for children, being

organised by Legacy and 007 Promotions, who has collaborated with corporate sponsors and received support from the Guyana Cricket Board and Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA).

Vice-president of the (GFSCA) Ricky Deonarine confirmed that Essequibo had confirmed their participation in the open 10/10 category which also includes Karibee Boyz from Berbice and city sides Wolf Warriors and Regal.

Deonarine said that the entire Demerara team would be made of Wolf Warriors and Regal players and some very good players would be left out.

“These two teams are the best in Guyana so in realty these are Demerara ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams and are both good enough to beat the combined Essequibo team and the team from Berbice and we expect

that at least one of them will qualify for the final,” Deonarine added.

The final will be played under lights just before the feature event - a T20 contest, involving some of the best T20 players in the Caribbean, which commences at 19:30hrs.

The winners of the softball ‘open’ final will battle for $500 000 and a trophy in the five-match softball event.

Demerara will face-off with Karibee Girls from Berbice in a female game while Berbice Masters will take on Demerara Masters and Anil Beharry, who is now residing in the City, has confirmed that while he lives in Demerara he will play for Berbice Masters on January 30.

Beharry is the president of the Berbice Cricket Board and has represented Berbice in senior Inter-county hardball 50-over cricket as a big-hit-

ting, left-hander and left-arm spinner.

“Of course I will be playing for my home county and I encourage all Berbicians to come out in your

RICKY DEONARINE numbers and support the Berbice softball teams and the Berbicians in the T20 match,” stated Beharry.

Tickets will go on sale from the middle of next month.

Bulls defeat Royals 61-51 to join Raiders in final on Saturday NUMBER two seed Half Mile Bulls defeated No.3ranked Victory Valley Royals by ten points, 61-51, to reach the final of this year’s Linden Amateur Basketball Association Malta Supreme Christmas Open basketball final Thanks to their 10-point win, the Bulls will face No.1-ranked Retrieve Raiders in the final on Saturday at the tournament venue the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.

The win by the Bulls was formalised on Tuesday night when their semifinal game was completed after rain had intervened the previous night causing the delay.

The Bulls came from a 7-11 first quarter score in favour of the Royals to move ahead at halftime 33-20 and by the end of the third quarter were up 47-34, before staving off the efforts by the Royals who were able to knot the scores at 45.

However, the Royals could not sustain their drive towards a win with the Bulls being led by national guard Terron Welch who had 16 points and Dennis Niles eight.

The best Royals players on the night were captain Harold Adams and Marlon Pollydore with 14 points On the other hand, the Retrieve Raiders reached the final via a forfeited result against their opponents Amelia’s Ward Jets, who refused to continue their game Monday night in the second quarter where the scores were 21-10 in favour of the Raiders.

The Jets claimed that the conditions were not favorable for them to play and after being allowed some time to regroup and continue the game by the referees they failed to resume, leaving the officials no option but to award the game to the Raiders.

IRISH RACING TIPS Punchestown 08:05 hrs Pleasant Company 08:35 hrs Rolling Rocket 09:05 hrs Seabass 09:35 hrs Calin Des Ongrais 10:05 hrs Up For Review 10:35 hrs Oscar Sam 11:05 hrs Ice Cool 11:35 hrs Kilcomer ENGLISH RACING TIPS Uttoxeter 08:20 hrs Authorized Too 08:50 hrs Barista 09:20 hrs Vicky’s Charm 09:50 hrs Over Ny Head 10:20 hrs Rouquine Sauvage 10:50 hrs Capilla 11:20 hrs Postbridge LINGFIELD 08:30 hrs Spinning Cobblers 09:00 hrs Clodianna 09:30 hrs Broadway Icon 10:00 hrs Captain Lars 10:30 hrs Dougan 11:00 hrs Roy’s Legacy 11:30 hrs Justice First

WARWICK 08:40 hrs Rebekah Rabbit 09:10 hrs Battle Dust 09:40 hrs Bodega 10:10 hrs Leith Hill Legasi 10:40 hrs Katie Too 11:10 hrs Eaton Rock 11:40 hrs Mystical Knight SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Turffontein 08:15 hrs Earl Of Derby 08:55 hrs Post Grad 09:35 hrs Star Of Love 10:10 hrs Wensleydale AMERICAN RACING TIPS Aqueduct Race 1 Jazz Player Race 2 Jadam Race 3 Bustin the Bank Race 4 Mister Popsicle Race 5 Ranger’s Express Race 6 Touching My Toes Race 7 Doctor Demsey Race 8 Empire Dreams Race 9 Special Agent

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday December 31, 2015

2015 was kind to Hockey - GHB president

By Stephan Sookram

HOCKEY in Guyana has grown from strength to strength this year with several positives according to the Guyana Hockey board president Philip Fernandes.

During an interview recently, Fernandes said, “I think 2015 was a good year for hockey. We achieved several milestones that we thought were useful for the game,” as he rated the sport’s performance in 2015.

“First of all on the local scene with the local competition, we did not have as full a season as we had in recent time; the reason being that there were some renovations because the lights weren’t working and so on. Luckily that has been fixed and we have been

able to stage two fantastic tournaments.”

The outdoor season had been plagued by its own issues, of course the weath-

volved in the senior programme; nevertheless, we were able to run off the bounty farm one-day tournament which was a good tournament.

last year’s Farfan and Mendez tournament as well as the John Fernandes Insurance tournament.

The president of the International Hockey Fed-

was accompanied by the president of the Pan-American Federation. It has been about 25 years or more since the last person holding that post visited here.”

Flashback! FIH president Leandro Negre poses with hockey fans during a visit to Guyana. er and the unavailability of some players who were in-

He indicated that they were also able to complete

eration (FIH) visited for the very first time and he

The GHB boss added that their visit meant for the first

time in a long while, proper bilateral talks with regard to the setting-up an artificial turf was held with the international body committing their support to assisting in whatever way it can.

The GHB boss noted, “The new Director of Sport has been very encouraging.

He has had several meetings with our federation and we have been talking about some possibilities where Guyana could finally have an artificial surface.

“Those discussions were focused on location and where land is available,” He added.

In closing, Fernandes thanked the sponsors that were on board with hockey in 2015 whether it be grassroots or at the senior level and reminded them that their contributions were invaluable.

CPL ensures greater excitement with new draft format for 2016

… Franchises permitted one ‘marquee’ player signing pre-draft THE Hero Caribbean Premier League has announced a number of changes to its player draft format for 2016 which will once again see some of the world’s greatest T20 players join the ‘Biggest Party in Sport’.

The new rules have allowed the six franchise teams to sign one ‘marquee’ player as a free agent before the draft process begins. Over the last two months the teams have been in negotiations with the best players in world cricket and will be announcing their marquee stars in the first few weeks of the new year.

The number of players that the franchises can retain before the player draft has been reduced from four to three whilst the squad size increases from 16 to 17 for the new season.

Further changes to the rules include the

number of players who must live in the franchise territory being reduced from four to two, whilst the limit on overseas players has increased from four to five. 2015 also saw the introduction of ICC Americas players, with two being selected for the Tridents and Patriots squads. In 2016, at least six ICC Americas players will be guaranteed a contract.

Overall the salary cap for each team has increased to US$780k from US$600k.

Commenting on the changes to the format, Tom Moody, International Director of Cricket for CPL said; “Our aim each year is to make CPL even bigger and better so that we can attract the best T20 players in the world and make it as entertaining as possible for the fans.

Over the past few months we’ve worked alongside the franchise owners

to make sure that the 2016 player draft is open and competitive so that the buzz and excitement of CPL will start building from January right through to the tournament launch in the summer.

From early January 2016 we’ll start to reveal the franchise marquee players and

the retained players so that by the time the draft comes around in February fans will already have plenty to talk about.”

The 2016 Hero CPL Player Draft will take place in February 2016 with further announcements due in the coming weeks.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday December 31, 2015)

Langer to step in for Lehmann on West Indies tour

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

MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) Australia coach Darren Lehmann will step aside to allow Justin Langer to guide the team during a one-day tournament in the Caribbean next year.

Western Australia coach Langer has long been favoured to take over the top job eventually and Lehmann said the June tour would give the former Test batsman some valuable experience while giving himself a break from the rigours of the job.

“He’s in charge. I won’t be saying what he can and can’t do,” Lehmann told reporters at the Melbourne Cricket Ground where Australia are playing West Indies in the second Test.

“He’ll bring his own ideas and I think that’s good for the players, having some fresh ideas occasionally.

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) 31 Tests (2) Ritchie Richardson (9); Larry Gomes (6); Rohan Kanhai (5); Gary Sobers (4)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Explain the cricketing term ‘a king pair’?

(2) Which two failed to take a wicket in their very first Test?

Andy Roberts; Malcolm Marshall; Michael Holding; Ian Bishop; Wayne Daniel

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

By Ian Ransom

“It’s just a chance to get JL into the system and let him have the reins for a trip ... He’ll do a great job.”

Australia will play South Africa and West Indies in the 10-match tournament starting June 6 in Guyana. The final will be played in Barbados on June 26.

Lehmann said he had no plans to retire any time soon and hoped to guide the team to victory in the Ashes in England in 2019.

Australia lost the Ashes 3-2 in England earlier this year after being favoured to win.

“We let ourselves down this year.

2013 was a different scenario, we were changing the whole setup,” he said.

“I’d love to have another crack at that. But you’re guided by results along the way; you can’t look that far ahead.”

With Australia batsmen performing

well in the 2-0 series win over New Zealand and the current series against West Indies, Lehmann said he felt the batting order in the rebuilding side was settled under new captain Steve Smith.

“The top five is pretty settled,” Lehmann told local broadcaster Fox Sports.

“We’re really happy with the way the batting group has come together over this summer and made some big runs.

“We obviously play the conditions really well at home.

“But the challenge for the group is to finish the summer off really well and then play that way away from home.”

After the Melbourne Test, Australia play West Indies in the third and final Test in Sydney before heading to New Zealand for two Tests in February.

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday December 31, 2015

Smith, Williamson and Root a class apart

IN THE end Joe Root did not manage to score the 103 runs more he needed to take him past Australia’s Steve Smith as 2015’s most prolific batsman in Test cricket.

The Englishman had started day four of this first Test against South Africa unbeaten on 60. It was the 13th time he had passed 50 in Tests this year. However, he had failed to convert nine of those scores into three figures.

Root, who celebrated his 25th birthday yesterday, added 13 more to his overnight score before an errant cut to Kyle Abbott saw him caught at first slip.

Unlike the other nine occasions Root had failed to make it to a hundred when set, this time there was the mitigating factor of the Yorkshireman putting himself before the team as England looked for quick runs and a declaration.

Root’s 1 385 Test runs in 2015 were the second most by any Englishman in a calendar year, behind only the 1 481 Michael Vaughan scored in 2002 – the year that bisected his golden Australian Ashes summer when he somehow won the man-of-the-series award despite England getting walloped 4-1 by Australia.

Still, though, Smith seems to be enjoying an endless golden summer, his 1 474 runs over the past 12 months putting him top of the Test tree.

Australians might argue that Smith is currently the finest batsman in the world across all formats, and not without good reason. But it’s a point that would be disputed fervently in the pubs and clubs of London and Leeds.

Because for England, Root really is the best batsman seen in living memory.

There was outrage among the cricket community when he was recently left off the ten-man shortlist for the BBC Sports Personality-of-the-Year award, in an Ashes-winning year no less.

The thing that makes Root so special to English eyes is the fact he is the first truly great multi-format batsman the country has produced.

Alastair Cook, for all the records he has broken in Test cricket, has never been a limited-overs master. He is very good at what he does – batting for long periods of time in Tests and passing landmark after landmark in the format.

Root, though, seems to be able to switch gear almost immediately regardless of the format or conditions. Whether it’s a Test in Antigua, a Twenty20 international at Old Trafford or an ODI at Lord’s, Root, this year at least, always seems to have scored runs.

Across all three forms of the game this year, Root has amassed 2 228 runs. It’s a phenomenal figure. But it is still a figure topped by Smith, who sits on 2 279.

Both players are special talents who look as though they will dominate international attacks for the foreseeable future.

Yet they are not alone. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson has not only tracked Root and Smith every step of the way this year but has comfortably outscored both across all forms of the game – scoring an incredible 2 633 international runs in 2015.

The remarkable thing is that Smith, Root and Williamson were all born within 18 months of each other from June 1989 (Smith) to December 1990 (Root).

From left: Kane Williamson, Steve Smith and Joe Root - a holy trinity of prodigious young batsmen - set Test cricket up for an enthralling future.

There’s no doubt this holy trinity of modern batsmen is currently a class apart from anyone else in the game.

Indian fans will argue Virat Kohli should be in the same grouping but his figures across all formats in recent years just don’t stack up.

But rather than get into petty arguments drawn across nationalistic lines, let’s just appreciate Root, Smith and Williamson for the immense talents they are.

STEVE SMITH’S STAGGERING YEAR 1 474 Test runs at average of 73.70 with six tons Awarded ICC cricketer-of-the-year and Test cricketer-ofthe-year

Captained Australia to Test series wins over India, New Zealand and West Indies at home Australia’s leading run-scorer in successful ODI World Cup campaign Maiden double-ton, which came at Lord’s in second Ashes Test Man-of-the-match in Tests at SCG, Kingston, Lord’s and The Oval Declared at 70 n.o. in Boxing Day Test. Could have become the third Australian to score 1 500 Test runs in a calendar year Was one ton short of equalling Ricky Ponting’s Australian record of seven Test tons in a year.

Grove Hi Tech down Victoria ...

From back page in the dying stages of extra time were able to put the game away.

Romel Matthews found the go-ahead goal in the 103rd minute, the second period of extra time and the Kings’ concentration which was being severely tested, finally began to wane.

Poor work by their custodian, who went after the ball before realising that he was out of his area, and subsequently poor covering work by the defenders allowed Matthews to latch on to the ball and finish for the side’s second goal.

It was exactly what the doctor

ordered to restore some energy to the legs of the Grove players.

The pressure was turned up and in an effort to clear the ball away from another offensive manoeuvre from Grove, Kings scored against themselves in the 105th minute.

Reuben Morris’ attempted clearance was sliced over the head of goalie Rawn Collins and eased into the back of the net, agonisingly sealing the fate of Victoria Kings and leading Grove Hi Tech into the final on New Year’s Night, January 1, 2016.

Mahaica Determinators played the

game of their lives to keep the score 0-0 against Ann’s Grove after regulation and extra time. Mahaica started their kicks disastrously before getting back on track as the experienced Ann’s Grove lost focus and subsequently, the target, missing their third and fourth kicks.

Mahaica prevailed 4-3 from the spot and were admirably led by their captain Shameer Nazir, who also scored from the spot to set up a date with Grove Hi Tech in tomorrow’s final at the Golden Grove ground from 21:00hrs. Ann’s Grove and Victoria Kings will face off in the third place game from 19:00hrs.

WICB refuses CARICOM dissolution plan THE West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has flatly said no to the CARICOM proposal regarding dissolution of the entity.

CARICOM had earlier this year appointed a sub-committee to review the governance of West Indies cricket. That sub-committee, as one of its proposals, suggested the disbanding of the WICB as being important to bringing about changes in the fortunes of the regional cricket side.

However, the WICB, after meeting with lawyer Anthony Astaphan and the board of directors, believes that the process of the review forced

flawed results.

According to the WICB, the interviews the sub-committee conducted as part of their review were limited in scope.

The limitations of the interviews, the WICB contends, became evident by the fact that no member of the territorial boards was contacted.

“Additionally, none of the independent directors was interviewed by the panel.

This failure to consult with a representative of local cricket administrators and operators meant, or had the consequence of, denying the panel

a full opportunity of ascertaining the key facts. This has

Dave Cameron is the WICB president

caused or triggered findings and recommendations by the panel which are not supported by the facts,” a part of the WICB response read.

The WICB went on to point out that despite the organisation’s dismissal of the dissolution proposal, the need for changes is agreed upon.

There are five such changes the WICB has agreed to make.

1. Appoint a subcommittee, to include independent directors, to review the few recommendations from the Lucky, Patterson and Wilkin reports which the WICB has

not already implemented.

2. Thereafter, to appoint a change management expert to review the recommendations of the subcommittee; the present structure and management system; and the Committees of the WICB and TBs. The expert will also advise on recommendations which ought to be considered by the Board to improve the governance, management and administration of cricket.

3. Take immediate steps to improve communications through various media and methods including direct communication with share-

holders, Governments, stakeholders, legends and former West Indies cricketers on matters concerning governance.

4. Take steps to initiate discussions with stakeholders on and to assist with the development of cricket in the territories especially at the school level.

5. Take steps to ensure the wide public distribution of audited financial statements and other reports, once approved by the Annual General Meeting and in so far as other reports are concerned, by the Board. (Sportsmax.com)

Smith, Williamson and Root a class apart

See story on page 27

GFA/Banks Beer KO Football Cup

The three Western Tigers scorers Ryan Adolph, Dwayne Ali and Randolph Wagner. (Cullen Bess-Nelson photos)

Riddim Squad, Western Tigers advance to GFA/Banks Beer final See story on page 23

Riddim Squad goalkeeper Ron Liverpool runs off in celebration after successfully blocking a Santos penalty shot.

Grove Hi Tech down Victoria Kings, Mahaica upset Ann’s Grove on penalties to reach final IT WAS another intense night of exchanges at the Golden Grove ground on Tuesday evening in the semi-finals of the STAG Super XVI knockout competition involving three East Demerara and one East Bank teams.

Defending champions and the only non-East Demerara team, Grove Hi Tech endured a torrid test from 10man Victoria Kings before taking it home and booking their second successive place in the final with a grinding 3-1, extra time win.

The first semi-final produced another gruelling encounter between Mahaica Determinators and Ann’s Grove United which ended with a huge upset; Determinators prevailing 4-3 on penalty kicks following a 0-0 regulation and extra time stalemate.

Many fans felt that the

Grove Hi Tech scorers Romel Matthews (left) and Dexter Archer second semi-final between Grove and Victoria was a final in many ways as the two sides battled using the preverbal term – tooth and nail. Having kept a clean slate as regards goals against, the Kings would have been under pressure to maintain that record

against a side that have proved their offensive exploits.

With just eight minutes into the match, the Kings conceded their first goal of the tournament when Dexter Archer scored a well put together goal as Grove Hi Tech cantered into the lead.

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The Kings though, has been a side to never lie back and allow any opposition to dictate to them.

They went on a successful period of domination and exactly eight minutes after conceding, equalised from a cross into the box from the right side that was clinically drilled past goalkeeper Michael Matthews in the 16th minute.

The game was now tied at 1 and well and truly on. The fans, out in their numbers to support from the villages along the East Coast corridor and East Bank among other areas, were being treated to some exciting ball play from both teams but it was the home team who enjoyed the better of the exchanges.

Grove Hi Tech seemed unable to counter the flank plays from Kings, with crossed balls into the area posing all sorts of challenges

for Grove. The Kings did not help their cause, however, as on the stroke of halftime, Shawn Samuel was red-carded for violent conduct towards a Grove player, Alex Sinclair whom he punched in an off the ball incident.

The referee would have none of that and with help from the assistant referee had no choice but to issue marching orders to Samuel.

As a matter of fact, the initial card was issued to the wrong player and had to be rescinded and issued to the real player at fault. The decision did not go down too well with players and fans.

Grove were now enjoying the advantage in terms of players on the field but the ensuing second half saw the Kings play out of their skins as they enjoyed good periods of domination. The one-player advantage by Grove was not even evident.

Mahaica Determinators captain Shameer Nazir Such was Kings’ resilience that they pushed the game into extra time as Grove could not find the go-ahead goal while looking susceptible at times.

But the defending champions held their nerves and See page 27

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2015