Guyana chronicle 11 07 14

GUYANA No. 103885

FRIDAY JULY 11, 2014

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

GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

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Manickchand: Leaders have a duty to defend Guyana’s sovereignty

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––playing nice is not an option in face of ‘gross interference’

Minister Priya Manickchand

Vanessa Kissoon exposes Granger’s poor leadership - says he has ‘no power’ to suspend her Page

Tomb raiders have second thoughts 15 Page

––leave both body, casket intact

Lone gunman ambushes, 14 shoots Lusignan teen dead near her home Page

Dead: 19-year-old Ashminee Harryram

Missing Brooklyn Guyanese woman…

Champo’s relatives and police stand around the casket as they opened it to ascertain whether the body was intact (Photo by Leroy Smith)

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No confirmation body parts found in separate states are GT mom’s

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Consideration of Education Bill deferred ––against Subject Minister’s better judgement

SHADOW Education Minister and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Amna Ally indicated the Opposition’s desire to have the Education Bill, which was tabled in the National Assembly at the last sitting on June 19, deferred.

Ally contended that the Bill cannot be discussed in the absence

of accompanying regulations, and when the Bill came up for consideration yesterday,Education Minister Priya Manickchand moved that the Bill be deferred as requested.

The Education Bill, the first of its kind since Guyana gained Independence, is intended to repeal the Education Act; reform the legal framework for education in Guy-

ana; and provide an effective system of education relevant to the needs of the people.

In an invited comment, Ally said, “The Education Bill cannot be discussed without the regulations being put, and we are not prepared to deal with the Education Bill in the absence of regulations.

“I am waiting on the Minister to forward

the regulations, and as soon as that comes, we will deal with it.”

However, the Education Minister rejected this requirement as a solid basis for deferring the Bill. Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle, she said, “Nothing prevents us as a Par-

liament from studying the Education Bill as it is, making amendments; not making amendments and coming back to the House and deciding what we are going to do with it, which includes passing it so that it can become an Act.” According to the Minister, the regulations are usually some-

‘Nothing prevents us as a Parliament from studying the Education Bill as it is, making amendments; not making amendments and coming back to the House and deciding what we are going to do with it, which includes passing it so that it can become an Act’ – Education Minister, Priya Manickchand

thing that is subsidiary to an act, so regulations cannot be brought to the House and laid if they don’t have a parent law. She explained that Government was in possession of draft regulations, and would be happy to share those drafts with APNU; but she contended that passage of the bill cannot depend on the regulations.

The Minister stressed that bills are brought all the time, are studied without regulations, and are considered on their individual merit.

As such, she noted, “Nothing prevents us as a Parliament from studying the Education Bill as it is, making amendments; not making amendments, and coming back to the House and deciding what we are going to do with it, which includes passing it so it can become an Act.” The 126-page Bill includes legislative provisions for several first-time undertakings, and addresses several areas, ranging from administration of the sector to special-needs education. And in regard to the latter, the Bill outlines the determination of special educational needs, special needs appeals, and the establishment of a council on special education. (Ravin Singh)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Manickchand: Leaders have a duty to defend Guyana’s sovereignty ––playing nice is not an option in face of ‘gross interference’

By Vanessa Narine EDUCATION Minister Priya Manickchand yesterday, in the National Assembly, defended the stance she took against former United States Ambassador Brent Hardt for his “frequent” and “repeated” utterances that went against diplomatic protocol.

And she made it clear that leaders of Guyana have a duty to defend Guyana’s sovereignty, and do not enjoy the luxury of saying yes to the dangerous interference simply to avoid trouble or to please someone, including another country.

“A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’, merely uttered to please; or worse, to avoid trouble,” Manickchand said, in reference to a quotation made popular

by Mahatma Gandhi.

The Minister’s comments followed a statement made

by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Ms. Africo Selman, who claimed “personal grievance” over the tongue-lashing Hardt had received at a reception he hosted to mark the US’ 238th Independence Anniversary.

The former US ambassador has been one of the most vocal members of the diplomatic corps. He had repeatedly called on the current Administration to hold Local Government Elections, and had been vocal to the point where he flayed the Head of State, President Donald Ramotar, for “selectively” abiding by Guyana’s Constitution, even as the country awaits long overdue local government elections.

He’d also mocked PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee.

It was at this point that the Government decided that it had had enough; that Hardt had crossed the proverbial ‘red line’.

The end result was then Acting Foreign Affairs Minister, Priya Manickchand taking him to task at the US Independence celebration last Wednesday, where he repeated his call for the “restoration of effective elected local government” in Guyana.

Manickchand made clear that her position -- and by extension the position of the Government of Guyana -- was right and necessary, given not only the violation of diplomatic protocols, but the contravention of international conventions; namely, the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, as is explained by the Oppenheim’s International Law, 9th Edition.

“We are proud that we have done what we were mandated by the people to do, and represented Guyana against interference,” she said.

INSURRECTION CALL According to Manickchand, Hardt’s comments also

included dangerous undercurrents, as the former US Ambassador’s statements incited a call for insurrection.

At his reception last Wednesday, Hardt had referred to the move by Americans, pre-independence, to take up arms to challenge the positions taken by King George, the monarch of the United Kingdom (UK), who ruled what is today the United States of America (USA).

Hardt said, “He (King George) refused his assent to laws. He refused to pass laws for the accommodation of large districts of people. He dissolved representative houses repeatedly, and refused, for a long time after such dissolution, to cause others to be elected. “…in a short space of time, the loyal citizens of the colonies came to feel that their Minister Priya Manickchand unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness had been eroded, or even usurped.

“The ability to attend to their own affairs in their local legislatures had been suspended and not restored…. In taking this historic and courageous stand (the fight against King George) back in July 1776, the citizens of the American colonies came together to form what would be a great nation.”

According to Hardt, one of the core strengths of our nation has been the “vital role” that state and local governments have played in “giving people the opportunity to participate directly in their governance” – something that Guyanese could be able to do through the holding of local government elections.

“The American history we celebrate serves as a valuable reminder of the importance of respecting rights to local representation; for, among the American colonialists’ lament, we do well to recall that the elimination of local representative houses and the refusal, for a long time after such dissolution,

to cause others to be elected were the wellsprings of discontent that convinced once loyal British subjects to declare their independence,” Hardt said.

It is the latter comment, in particular, that struck discord.

“In that speech (last Wednesday’s speech) Government is of the view that it called for insurrection,” Manickchand said yesterday.

PRIOR DISCUSSIONS The Education Minister also stated that Government has repeatedly engaged Hardt on the matter of his breach of diplomatic protocols.

“We have said this repeatedly; and what is more is that neither Mr. Hardt nor any of his representatives has ever said the matter was not addressed behind closed doors,” she pointed out.

Manickchand called on Selman to apprise herself of the facts of the issue, given that the APNU MP, in her statement, pointed out that there were other avenues available for the Government to voice its concerns.

Minister Manickchand said she expected -- now that Selman and her party are aware that the Ambassador was indeed engaged -- that they would have no difficulty in calling for him to apologise for his repeated breaches and insult to Guyanese.

Additionally, the fact that Selman raised the issue as a point of personal grievance attracted some debate. The Government’s Chief Whip, Ms. Gail Teixeira, questioned under what point of order Selman was making her comments, since reference was made by her to her party’s position, a statement she later rephrased to cement her argument that the issue was a personal grievance.

Government MP Manzoor Nadir added his voice to the raging debate, noting that Selman’s comments caused him personal grievance.

However, the Speaker, Raphael Trotman, declined to entertain this, and allowed Selman to complete her brief statement, wherein she also called on Manickchand to apologise to the nation for an “undiplomatic” speech.

Opposition MPs were loud in their rejection of Manickchand’s statement, but the Minister was adamant, as well as emphatic, in maintaining her position.

This issue has been at the core of debates at several forums, particularly in social media and in the letter columns of the dailies.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Germany expels CIA official in US spy row

Man cuts off penis in restaurant (BBC News) A MAN cut off his penis with a knife in a packed London restaurant.

Police were forced to use CS gas to restrain the man when they entered the Zizzi restaurant in The Strand on Sunday evening.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said the man was aged between 30 and 40 and that his injuries were

(BBC News) THE German government has ordered the expulsion of a CIA official in Berlin in response to two cases of alleged spying by the US. The official is said to have acted as a CIA contact at the US embassy, reports say, in a scandal that has infuriated German politicians.

A German intelligence

official was arrested last week on suspicion of spying.

An inquiry has also begun into a German defence ministry worker, reports said.

“The representative of the US intelligence services at the embassy of the United States of America has been told to leave Germany,” government spokesman Steffen Seibert said.

where he continued to stab himself.

“This happened in a matter of seconds and was obviously extremely frightening and distressing for the many customers and staff in the restaurant at the time.”

She added: “Apart from the man, we understand that no-one else suffered any physical injuries.”

“nasty surprise” to the heavily-armed separatists who have dug in Donetsk, a city of 900,000 people, after being pushed out of their bastion in Slaviansk last weekend.

In a further success, military spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov said government forces on Thursday re-took the town of Siversk, east of Slaviansk, when separatists fled.

A separatist confirmed the government’s version saying it was “more or less correct”. “There was no sense in holding it and reinforcing it (Siversk) because there was a big risk of being encircled,” he said.

But casualties mounted on the Ukrainian side with the deaths of three more Ukrainian soldiers in two attacks on Wednesday night in different parts of the east, the military said.

One was killed in an ambush of an army convoy near Luhansk. Two others died when an armoured personnel carrier was blown up by a landmine in the village of Chervona Zorya near Donetsk.

Government forces guarding Donetsk’s international airport, scene of bitter fighting in late May, came under mortar fire on Thursday but the rebel attack was repelled, Seleznyov said.

In further diplomacy to end the worst Russia-West crisis since the Cold War, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Putin by telephone to “exert all necessary pressure on the separatists to bring them to negotiate effectively,” an Elysee Palace statement said.

They also asked him to use his influence to take concrete steps to ensure control of the border where, the Kiev government says, Russian authorities have been turning a blind eye to fighters crossing with weapons and equipment to help the rebels.

Coastal flooding has surged in U.S., Reuters finds (Reuters) - COASTAL flooding along the densely populated Eastern Seaboard of the United States has surged in recent years, a Reuters analysis has found.

During the past four decades, the number of days a year that tidal waters reached or exceeded National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration flood thresholds more than tripled in many places, the analysis found. At flood threshold, water can begin to

DATE: 2/07/2014 J

the Zizzi restaurant on The Strand, down the stairs to the basement restaurant area and tried to enter a kitchen.

“Members of staff stopped him, at which he ran into a second kitchen area.

“The man then picked up a kitchen knife and slashed himself across the wrist and groin areas before running back into the restaurant,

More Ukrainian soldiers killed; France, Germany press Putin (Reuters) - UKRAINIAN f o rc e s re g a i n e d m o re ground but sustained further casualties on Thursday in clashes with separatists, while two Western allies urged Russia’s Vladimir Putin to exert more pressure on the rebels to find a negotiated end to the conflict.

Government forces have recently gained the upper hand in the three-month conflict against separatists in the Russian-speaking eastern regions in which more than 200 government troops have been killed as well as hundreds of civilians and rebel fighters.

The Ukrainian military says it has a plan to deliver a

Claims that the US bugged Angela Merkel’s phone came from intelligence leaker Edward Snowden

self-inflicted.

The man was then taken to hospital in south London where his condition is stable.

It is understood surgeons were unable to reattach his penis.

A spokeswoman for Zizzi said the man was not thought to have any connection with the restaurant.

She said: “At around 9pm on Sunday, a man walked into

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pool on streets. As it rises farther, it can close roads, damage property and overwhelm drainage systems.

Since 2001, water has reached flood levels an average of 20 days or more a year in Annapolis, Maryland; Wilmington, North Carolina; Washington, D.C.; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Sandy Hook, New Jersey; and Charleston, South Carolina. Before 1971, none of those locations averaged more than five days a

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year. Annapolis had the highest average number of days a year above flood thresholds since 2001, at 34.

The analysis was undertaken as part of a broader examination of rising sea levels Reuters plans to publish later this year.

As many Americans question the causes and even the reality of climate change, increased flooding is already posing a major challenge for local governments in much of

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the United States.

“Chronic flooding is a problem our coastal managers are dealing with every day,” said Mary Munson, executive director of the Coastal States Organization, a Washington nonprofit representing 35 states and territories. “Flooding causes the quality of life in these communities to decrease along with the property values, while the flood insurance rates go up.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

IMF warns T&T: Tighten policies WASHINGTON—The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Wednesday warned that T&T remains vulnerable to a decline in energy prices, and called for structural reforms to diversify the economy and improve its growth potential.

The IMF said while it welcomed the improved growth outlook, and noted

the strong external position and limited fiscal vulnerabilities, it agreed, however, that the reduction in economic slack and the need for a durable consolidation of the fiscal position suggest that a tightening of macroeconomic policies may be necessary in the near future.

The Washington-based financial institution’s state-

ment came a day after Finance Minister Larry Howai said Government’s income had exceeded its expenditures in the first half of fiscal 2013/2014 and said he was hopeful of continuing upward trend. “From a fiscal point of view, we had a surplus even though we did have some late payments coming in,” Howai told re-

porters at an RBC cocktail event at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, on Tuesday evening.

Howai said challenges may come in the second half of the year but “we’re hopeful though that the fiscal results would be better than last year, and we continue to see the trend of improvement.” The IMF said that the

authorities in Port-of-Spain should stand ready to start tightening monetary policy in view of the reduced labour market slack and high consumer credit growth, and to prepare for the spillovers from the normalisation of monetary policy in the United States.

“Implementing this tightening, however, could be

complicated by banks’ excess liquidity and the weak monetary transmission mechanism,” the IMF said, suggesting that tighter prudential regulations could be considered. The IMF, which concluded Article IV consultation with T&T last month, noted that the economy is embarking on a sustainable growth path.

PM’s Brazil trip draws heat She’s entitled to vacation—Moonilal ( Tr i n i d a d G u a r d i a n ) HOUSING and Urban Development Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal yesterday defended a decision

by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to go on a private trip to Brazil with her grandson to see the 2014 Fifa World Cup final this weekend. Persad-Bissessar left for Rio de Janeiro on Monday evening and is expected to return home next week.

Moonilal was responding to Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley’s criticism of the visit at a time when there were many issues to address in the country, including the work disruptions at the immigration offices in Port-ofSpain and San Fernando. The workers have been protesting health and safety conditions.

Rowley said he was disappointed that the PM chose to leave the country “to watch football when there are tens

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of thousands of citizens who need to travel for a variety of serious, urgent and desperate reasons, who cannot keep their plans or conduct their business because the Government has failed to de-

liver the basic services of the immigration and passport offices.” But Moonilal said the trip was not hastily arranged but was planned in advance.

Accepting that there were pressing domestic

Sewage problems persist downtown Kingston KINGSTON, Jamaica -- RESIDENTS of Luke Lane and Charles Street, downtown Kingston are appealing to the authorities to address a major sewage problem which they say is causing health concerns in the commu-

nity.

Residents say that for months raw sewage has been running heavily along the roadway and despite calls for help they are yet to see the issue being addressed. “ Is for years it stay this way we need them to come

and address the problem before we have a outbreak of disease in the area,” said Sonia Ellis, a resident of the area.

She was supported by Paulette Henry who said the issue had left residents frustrated.

Drought conditions worsen in St Lucia THE St Lucia Water and Sewage Company has placed the entire island under a water emergency schedule as the drought worsens.

The emergency water schedule was initially confined to the north of the

island but managing director of the Water and Sewage Company Vincent Hippolyte says that there has not been sufficient rainfall to meet the demands of consumers.

He says as a result, the island-wide water rationing

programme will remain in effect and communities will experience periodic water outages.

The Water and Sewage Company says experts suggest that the drought may continue until the end of August.

matters affecting the country, Moonilal said: “In a way there will always be pressing domestic matters at any time, given the na-

ture of the job as Prime Minister and given the developments in the country. “Those matters are being addressed in a very

strong manner by acting Prime Minister Errol Mc Leod and his team.” He said those matters would be amicably resolved in time.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

EDITORIAL

Distrust is learned through betrayal TRUST is instinctive from the birth of a child, but distrust is inherited through betrayal. A child would try to grab at flames because of attraction to the colours, but it learns to fear those very beautifully flickering sparks when it gets burnt.

Adults become distrustful of their fellow humans and situations as a consequence of betrayals, moreso, betrayal that recurs – maybe several times. Eventually that distrust becomes endemic to the psyche, even to the point of paranoia. That phenomenon is a protective mechanism meant to shield the emotions and self against further pain from betrayal by fellow humans – much as a householder would put stronger locks on a door that has been kicked open by bandits, because the invasion and violation – of the emotions through betrayal, and of the mind through engendering fear of betrayal and home invasion; because both elicit distrust and necessitate requisite protective and coping mechanisms in efforts to prevent further violation of trust or home.

Leaders are placed in positions of strength and power by electorates – either within groupings or organisations, or in states or countries, through trust garnered by promises of honest endeavours toward the common good; and when that trust built on expectations and faith is eroded then it is difficult - sometimes impossible, to re-generate; and many times it creates acrimonious feelings which degenerate to

aberrant behaviour.

The PPP/C Government has been oftentimes betrayed by its own leadership cadre, many of whom became greedy and power-drunk from elevation to high positions – positions in which they have been placed to identify and address the needs of the citizens of the country; but which they abuse instead to garner personal wealth and enhancement of the welfare of selected members of a community, or even – especially friends and family members, to the detriment of trust-engendering relationships between citizenry and Government, which has many times created divisions for anti-developmental and unpatriotic elements of the Opposition to crawl into and find a niche through which they inject their poisonous rhetoric to subtly influence the betrayed and conflicted, to become dissident voices raised against the very Government.

This has been happening in the rice and sugar industries, as well as to individuals and maybe even entire communities.

The protest by rice farmers in the Essequibo, which became violent when a drunken AFC Councillor proceeded to block the road and engage in several illegal acts, would not and should not have occurred, except that for years, despite amendments to the Constitution to enable protection from exploitation, rice farmers – hard-working and committed to tilling the soil, have been exploited and robbed by millers and exporters.

GUYANA

Thus it was that the AFC Councilor, Naith Ram, even though ‘drunk’ at the time, could find a niche in the frustration and dissatisfaction of the rice farmers, who feel betrayed through the lack of enforcement of extant laws to protect them and restore their rights from exploitative situations and persons.

The normally peaceful rice farmers were led to believe the false promises of people who have nothing to offer them but false promises and much grief into aberrant behaviour alien to their nature because the destructive and amoral and proven immoral AFC councillor, who had been guided by the destructive, anti-national, anti-developmental, unpatriotic leadership of his party which has joined with the PNC/APNU to sow destruction and grief all over Guyana, had found a niche in the lack of trust of the rice farmers in a Government that they perceive has failed to protect them by enforcing the laws that could protect them from exploitation and consequential degeneration of their income and lifestyle.

People who feel their leaders have abandoned, neglected or betrayed them would no longer trust those leaders, and it is imperative that the core leaders of the PPP return to the people who provide the wind beneath their wings for their flight and fight to sustain what Father of the Nation, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, fought lifelong for, and what President Donald Ramotar is fighting for now – the peace, progress and prosperity of a united nation. The time is now, and the people’s patience is ebbing with the tide of distrust and frustration.

Oh Judgment! Thou has spread to brutish beasts and some men have lost their reason to be counted among us patriots I NOTE with much indignation, albeit disgust, that Regional Chairman, Region 8, Mr. Mark Crawford has been cajoled into joining the small group of protagonists who appear hell-bent on persisting in their personal attacks on one of the hardest working of our Cabinet Ministers, the Hon. Priya Manickchand, whose success story in Education over the relatively short period of her stewardship as Education Minister has incurred the envy of some from among Opposition elements.

The Regional Chairman‘s remarks could at best be described as reckless, devoid of the truth and nothing short of being unpatriotic.

‘Oh Judgment! Thou has spread to brutish beasts and

some men have lost their reason to be counted among us patriots.’ The Regional

Minister Norman Whittaker Chairman who seems to relish burying himself in innuendoes and character assassination, had previously made a similar representation, albeit this time with a few embellishments, and is now clearly emboldened by our failure to respond, so he repeats his untruths.

In a letter to the Stabroek News published on the 9th July 2014, the Regional Chairman repeated his Party’s misinformed and highly unpatriotic line that the acting Foreign Affairs Minister Priya Manickchand was out of order when she, speaking on behalf of the Government of Guyana, exposed the U.S. Ambassador for his tactless and undiplomatic attack on the President, Mr. Donald Ramotar, and PPP General Secretary, Mr Clement Rohee, and his call for an insurrection in Guyana.

The Regional Chairman’s sadly ill-informed and misguided line: a product of the Alliance For Change (AFC) party from which he emanated, has been answered by many but I do take the opportunity to refer the Regional Chairman to the in-

formed and wise writings of Justice Duke Pollard and Dr. Henry Jeffrey on the specific issues of what is diplomatic and what is not and how an

Education Minister Priya Manickchand Ambassador who crosses the line should be treated. These positions of law may, once read and understood serve to edify the Chairman. I believe they informed the statements made by the Minister who I am hasten to remind the

Chairman is a trained Attorney-at-Law. And while I am on the subject, I do wish to point out to the Regional Chairman that the Government has said that the U.S. Ambassador was spoken to behind closed doors many times but failed to adhere to that which is right and proper in Diplomatic Relations. It should be noted also that the Ambassador has never refuted the contention that he was addressed on this matter before. So now that the AFC Chairman and his party know this, I assume they will be calling on the now departed Ambassador to make an apology to the people of Guyana.

May I refer also to the Regional Chairman’s allegation which he keeps

repeating; that the Minister of Education at a meeting hosted by the Ministry of Local Government on the 13th and 14th February, 2014 at the International Conference Centre and which sought to provide opportunity for Local Government and other Sector Ministers to address issues and concerns affecting the smooth delivery of services in the 10 Administrative Regions, heckled him.

Several Ministers including the Ministers of Education and Health and their teams were invited so that Regional Officers could raise concerns with them and they with Officers.

The Minister of Education and her entire team were present and the

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Disrespecting women seems to be norm of Opposition collective MUCH has been said about the speech of the Hon. Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand at the U.S. Ambassador’s farewell reception on July 2, 2014.

Regardless of the opinion taken on the Minister’s comments and the related issues, please permit the Women’s Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security to urge that persons and organisations commenting on the issue refrain from the derogatory practice of name calling.

Specifically, the Bureau is appalled at the reference by an Alliance For Change (AFC) leader to the Minister as ‘Satira Gal’. The connotation of this phrase is disrespectful to all women, as it implies if a woman is vocal about her opinion or that of her interests, she is ill-mannered.

Had the message been read by a male representative of the Government, would the AFC’s choice of words be similar? It would seem that the AFC’s sentiments

about the Minister is premised on the fact that she is a woman and it certainly reflects the need for much more work to be done in Guyana to erode the barriers of gender inequality. It is hoped that the AFC would see the logic in retracting this insulting reference to the Minister.

WOMEN’S AFFAIRS BUREAU Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security

Support outreach programmes THE Caribbean Voice commends the local media for its focus over the last couple of months on suicide, domestic and sexual abuse, relationship issues and violence. We urge that alcoholism and substance abuse be added to the list.

Also, we still urge that the media focus include public service ads/announcements so that these issues remain on the front burner and redress begins to impact people’s consciousness.

Incidentally, while we are quite puzzled that the Guyana Chronicle and the Kaieteur News, with one exception, have chosen not to publish our letters, we are still at a loss to understand why none of the media provided coverage to recent anti-suicide activities by students in Black Bush Polder, on the Essequibo Coast, and in New Amsterdam.

We also commend the efforts of individuals and groups who have been helping to provide much needed services and interventions, dedicating time, efforts, finances to help give redress

to social pathologies and empower people. And we are aware that there are a number of individuals working on the ground voluntarily doing outreach and counselling. Thus, we strongly urge the media to support these individuals and organisations by highlighting their efforts, by providing information about them so that the public can access their help and by appealling to others to join and/or support them.

In previous letters we referenced the many past and present programmes and plans of the Government, which can create a national framework for redress, if centrally coordinated and expanded to encompass all corners of the nation. In this context, we reiterate our call to Rev. Kwame Gilbert and the NCF to see the cancellation of the Dr. Myles Munroe visit as a blessing in disguise that now allows them to employ the funds in conjunction with various umbrella religious entities – Guyana Council of Churches, Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Central Arya Samaj,

Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana and others - to help provide relevant clinical training for priests, pandits, moulvis, imams and selected individuals from churches, mosques and mandirs nationwide.

This would, in itself, create a national network of responders, enable referrals nationwide and ensure utilisation of local human resource for the long haul.

Thus, we urge those entities and individuals that have come together to fund Dr. Munroe’s visit, to recognise that his visit would be dwarfed by the reach and impact of umbrella religious entities. Surely a national effort to bring about redress to all the issues facing men and families is what this is all about. And in this process maximal reach and utilisation of resources is the key.

NORKAH CARTER DEVV-RAMDAS DANIEL JUDY DEVEAUX ANNAN BOODRAM BIBI AHAMAD COLLIS NICHOLSON

IAC calls for paradigm shift in light of population decrease THE Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) has noted that the preliminary census results, released recently, indicate that the population of Guyana has decreased from 751,223 in 2002 to 747,884 in 2012, a decrease

of 3,339 persons.

The IAC is extremely alarmed with these statistics because they indicate, unmistakably, a high net migration outflow of between fifteen (15) and twenty (20) percent of the current resi-

dent population of Guyana between 2002 and 2012.

The IAC has recognised that this trend can be traced back historically for several decades when the population stood at 701,718 in 1970;

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The uncouth violations attributable to this defiant Ambassador

IN wake of the remonstrations by the intrepid Secretary to the Cabinet, Dr Roger F. Luncheon, consequent upon the ill-advised interventions of the former American Ambassador, H.E. Brent Hardt, in Guyana’s internal politics, particularly its municipal affairs, the Opposition elements sought to chastise the Government on the pretext that they were sanctimonious enigmas of Constitutional safeguards and International relations.

However, their babble of papal, piety and diplomatic grace suffered a stinging rebuke in the form of a classical exposition of the principles of International law and Conventions by a most apolitical Guyanese elder, Professor Justice Duke Pollard, retired Justice of the Caribbean Court of Justice, referring as he did to “chapter and verse” from sources of unquestionable authority. Few, even among the non-cognoscenti, would dare doubt his exceptional credentials.

Surprisingly, support from an Ex-Cabinet Minister of Foreign Trade and International Co-operation, Dr Henry Jeffrey, has put the cat among the pigeon-headed malcontents whose nationalism was unwittingly compromised on the alter of political expediency, exposing their said state of pertinent learning and knowledge.

The Major Cabinet members, both visible and invisible participants of the appropriate reaction to the persistent demonstration of uncouth violations attributable to this defiant Ambassador, not the least prominent of which was his arrogant reaction to the Government’s position on the LEAD Project, must feel vindicated that their scrupulous defence of the principles of sovereignty was worthy of public articulation at a forum where others who may have, or may have been inclined to replicate this kind of invasive discourtesy, would not be obliged to recalibrate their public utterances.

The message was a clarion call for them to rein in their effusive interference in Guyana’s internal affairs and the current Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs should feel some measure of comfort that his learned advice to H.E. President Donald Ramotar and his Cabinet colleagues has met with approbation at such an esteemed judicial level.

It may also be a timely reminder to the persons whose commentaries reflect a deep-seated resentment for any and all actions of the current Executive Government, among whom is one who describes himself as a financial analyst/attorney-at-law, that in a previous Administration, two American Ambassadors, Roberts and Admiral Thomas, with whom he was known to be associated, had their tenures abbreviated for not dissimilar activities.

Incoming Ambassadors should therefore take warning, as the Rastaman is wont to say.

JUSTICE CHARLES R. RAMSON, A.C.O.R (Retired Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs)

Oh Judgment! Thou has spread to brutish beasts ...

From Page 6 Minister of Education was clear that the delivery of services in Education was de-centralised. Among issues raised were the timely delivery of exercise books, text books, results and improvements in examination results in the regions, effective placement of teaching staff, etc.

The Hon. Minister further raised as a matter, the politicising of education where children are harmed for it. The Minister said that the Ministry had only that same day received a letter, the content of which indicated, inter alia, that the Regional Chairman had gone into the female dorms at Mahdia at 02:00 hrs in the morning with a team from the AFC who was visiting the Region.

The Minister was not shy in opening a discussion around whether behaviour like that was healthy for the

children. The meeting moved on to address other issues, some that were raised by the regional officers and some that were raised by the education officials. That meeting was very productive and we have seen many changes since then in all regions that have and will ensure be to the benefit of the children of this country.

I am not sure if the Chairman fully understood the objectives of the meetings as, while he has never denied taking an AFC team into the female dorm at 02:00hrs, he keeps saying that that meeting was not the place for such a serious concern to be raised.

The meeting was precisely the place for the Ministry of Education to raise such issues; even as it was the place for the regional teams to raise with the Ministry of Education the issues that were raised.

We are grateful that the Ministry of Education and

particularly the Minister of Education is very prompt in their responses to concerns raised about education in the various Regions. We sincerely hope that the Regional Chairman would stop perpetuating this untruth that he was heckled. He was not heckled. He was told in no uncertain terms by the Minister and the Ministry of Education that he made a poor choice when he took a team of political agents into the female Mahdia dormitory at 02:00hrs in the morning.

All of us present at that meeting concurred with the Minister of Education that what the Regional Chairman did was illicit, ill-conceived, inexcusable and smacked of reckless and irresponsible behaviour.

I invite the Regional Chairman to apologise to the Minister and move on.

MINISTER NORMAN WHITTAKER, M.P./J.P.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

APA agenda is anti-Government I WISH to refer to Michael Rouse’s letter in The Guyana Times (Saturday June 28, 2014) under the caption ‘Guyana’s rate of illegal logging is a mere one percent’.

Permit me to state the following: I fully agree with the contents of the letter and it is my hope that the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), EuFlegt Workshops in the Amerindian communities are repositioned in compliance with Guyana’s EuFlegt road map to achieve the voluntary partnership Agreement (VPA) with the EU to tackle illegal logging, to enhance the sustainable management of Guyana’s forest sector and the ongoing success of the Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) to fight against global climate change.

But the APA, at its EuFlegt workshops in the Amerindian communities, seem to be focusing much attention on international laws instead of our national laws, which the EU and

Guyana acknowledge will be the basis for Guyana’s legality definition (LD) to arrive at VPA by September 2015. The APA’s problem in this regard is its total disrespect for the Amerindian Act 2006, which encompasses the principle of self-determination and the free prior and informed consent (FPIC), therefore, being consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Unfortunately, by its ignorance, the APA does not recognise this. This is why the APA’s workshops do not focus much attention and time on the Flegt legality definition, which is important for the VPA development. This, in my view - and I am subject to correction by the experts, that the APA’s plan, through its workshops, is to stifle, frustrate and kill the current EuFlegt process since it has been opposing Guyana’s LCDS since 2009; and mind you, the EuFlegt is an enabling activity of the LCDS. This is

where the diplomatic community, the NGOs, CSOs and CBOs need to raise their voices in condemnation against the APA’s plan to frustrate and stifle Guyana’s EuFlegt process.

The APA’s opposition to Guyana’s LCDS since 2009 is definitely not strange, which is evidenced by its blatant refusal to accept former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s invitation to sit on the multi-stakeholder steering committee (MSSC) of Guyana’s LCDS to give input for the development of the LCDS. Also, the AP’s public statement (March 8, 2010) and its letter to the Norwegian agency for development cooperation (March 10, 2010) are all evidence of the APA’s hostility against the LCDS. But instead of supporting the LCDS, the APA prefers to shout against it in the wilderness, just to attract funding for its agenda to deprive Guyana’s indigenous people of benefits from national projects such as the LCDS. The APA,

in this regard, failed miserably and will fail where Guyana’s EuFlegt process is concerned.

The APA’s agenda to frustrate and stifle Guyana’s EuFlegt process is linked to its own December 2013 communication on Guyana’s draft legality definition on legal timber, where it disregards Guyana’s legality matrix in preference for international laws for the achievement of Guyana’s Flegt VPA with the EU. This is absolute ignorance, anti-national, unpatriotic and anti-Government.

My recommendations, therefore, is for the APA’s EuFlegt workshops in the Amerindian communities be suspended until Guyana and the EU appoint an international panel to monitor and evaluate the APA’s Flegt workshops and not excluding the carrying out of an examination of its workshop material to ensure consistency with Guyana’s EuFlegt road map.

PETER PERSAUD

IAC calls for paradigm shift in light ...

From Page 7 759,567 in 1980 and 723,673 in 1991. These figures indicate that migration outflows since 1970 probably, cumulatively, equal or surpass the total amount of persons now resident in Guyana in 2014.

The IAC, in light of statistics published by reputable international organisations, which place Guyana’s brain drain among the highest in the world, if not the highest, recognises that the current census figure strongly suggests that the brain drain from Guyana continues unabated in spite of the strength of Guyana’s economy which has witnessed fourteen (14) consecutive years of economic growth according to GDP per capita statistics published by the International Monetary Fund: US$1,417 in 1999; US$1,512 (2000); US$1,513 (2001); US$1,544 (2002); US$1,582 (2003); US$1,654 (2004); US$1,729 (2005); US$1,915 (2006); US$2,279 (2007); US$2,509 (2008); US$2,630 (2009); US$2,904 (2010); US$3,263 (2011); US$3,581 (2012) and US$3,729 (2013).

The IAC is alarmed that

despite this prolonged period of economic growth, the migration outflows continue unchecked, and is of the opinion that Guyana’s post-independence economic history must be understood so as to place this population stagnation and decline in perspective.

The IAC believes that comparative analysis of the respective economic growth patterns of Guyana and Singapore will shed much light on Guyana’s current predicament.

According to IMF Statistics, the GDP (nominal) per capita in 1960 for Guyana was US$304 while that of Singapore was US$395.

In 2013, the values were US$3,729 for Guyana and US$54,776 for Singapore.

Comparison of the GDP (nominal) per capita between Guyana and Singapore illustrates that: (1) In 1975, Guyana was where Singapore was in 1968 (2) In 1985, Guyana was where Singapore was in 1968 (3) In 1992, Guyana was where Singapore was in 1969

(4) In 1993, Guyana was where Singapore was in 1971 (5) In 2006, Guyana was where Singapore was in 1973 (6) In 2013, Guyana was where Singapore was in 1979 Between 1960 and 2012, the population of Guyana increased by a factor of 1.34, while that of Singapore increased by a factor of 3.22.

The IAC recognises that in relation to Singapore, which had almost continuous economic growth between 1960 and 2012, the economy of Guyana stagnated between 1975 and 1992 and grew slowly between 1993 and 2006.

The IAC has computed, using statistics obtained from the IMF database, that to arrive at where Singapore’s economy stood in 2013, it would take Guyana 254 years (from 1960) or another 200 years from today.

This reality should be a cause of urgent action. The IAC, therefore, calls upon all political parties, all trade unions, all religious bodies, all cultural organisations,

all NGO’s and all of civil society to study these facts presented to them by the IAC and, taking the example of the people of Singapore, join together to combat divisiveness, feelings of insecurity and to combine intellects and to plot a fresh approach for Guyana’s where people feel safe and want to make the country their home.

The IAC strongly feels that the time has come for a serious re-examination of Governance initiatives which will enhance a feeling of inclusiveness and togetherness by all ethnic groups.

This is absolutely necessary to address the deleterious effects of brain drain and if increasing levels of crime are to be effectively combatted and result in a significant reduction of the unacceptably high levels of insecurity present in the Guyanese society today.

The IAC will continue to engage other likeminded partners in the diverse cultural landscape so as to foster deeper national unity and a sense of belonging.

INDIAN ARRIVAL COMMITTEE

Destructive alcohol industry THE alcohol industry has great power in the way it uses Sport to market a product that is destructive to many persons.

One of the side stories about Brazil’s hosting of the World Cup Football is that Brazil had to lift an 11-year ban on alcohol sales in its stadiums - causing violence.

Budweiser is a sponsor of the football. There are no reports available of any of the violence, but last week in Brazil, FIFA’s Jérôme Valcke reportedly told a media outlet that he was unhappy with the amount of alcohol in football grounds.

“I was amazed by the number of people who were drunk and the level of alcohol. It’s a surprise.” This apparently must be good for Budweiser and others because Brazil also has to waive the taxes on the alcohol sales for the Partners.

And in Guyana, Limacol CPL management tells us that ‘The LimacolCPL is the Biggest Party in Sport’, and you can’t have a party in the Caribbean without rum! (Guyana Times, June 11, 2014) and we are told again that DDL/El Dorado Rum will be an integral part of the CPL. In 2011, Minister Priya Manickchand partnered with the alcohol industry to host her Feminition event. Since that partnership, there has been no aggressive campaign by the alcohol industry to stop the sale of liquor to children and there have been small prosecutions of persons without licences. There are no publicly-funded, easily accessible alcoholic rehabilitation programmes; and it is easier to access the alcohol industry than it is to access any rehab and perhaps it is that, since the alcohol industry thrives on alcoholism, there is an unwritten part of the partnership arrangement.

It can be no surprise then, in the partnership arrangements which the alcohol industry enters into, that even as Guyanese are encouraged to party with rum, we as a society continue to be overwhelmed by the violence, the destruction of livelihoods and the healthcare costs associated with legal drugs which apparently represent ‘the Spirit of Guyana’ (Kaieteur News, 6 July, 2014) But party with rum we must!

VIDYARATHA KISSOON

AFC troublemakers charged for illegal protest in Essequibo NAITH Ram and Tajpersaud Seecharran were listed as instigators of the protest and were charged individually.

The court must now get serious with these AFC troublemakers.

Government, if it has any influence, must do it right this time and get investigators to see if these two instigators were told by Khemraj Ramjattan or Moses Nagamoottoo to do what they did, and if they did, then they (Ramjattan and Nagamootoo) are truly the real instigators.

They must pay for all damages incurred, and police ranks who were injured must be allowed to sue them personally.

You bet they won’t do this again. They watch PNC march and protest for anything and everything and want to do same.

I hope the next time they protest, their instigators will be brought to trial too.

PPP, if it has any influence, must do it right this time and get investigators to see if these two instigators were told by Ramjattan or Nagamoottoo to do what they did, and if they did, then they are truly the real instigators.

TED KING

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Old Kai: Chronicles of Guyana…

The AFC should be the last to talk about treatment of women in Guyana … has a history of targeting East Indian females

OLD KAI is pleased that the Government, through one of its spokesperson, Madam Gail Teixeira, has come forward and called it as she sees it, with regard to the AFC’s penchant for undermining and attacking independent, professional, strong willed females, all of whom share a similar commonality in their ethnicity.

The AFC’s recent derogatory reference to Education Minister Priya Manickchand as ‘Sitira gyal’, the character of a folk song who is always found on a dam and then proceeds to lift up her clothes and behave in an unbecoming manner, is rather a more apt description of their Region 2 councillor who, according to the Police, was intoxicated recently when he stripped himself and began posing for the cameras.

But this is not the first time they have launched an attack against a female, as we will all recall the fate which befell Mrs. Gaumatie Singh, a former founding member of the AFC. She was promised a Parliamentary seat after the 2006 elections, only for the leadership to renege on its promise. Mrs. Singh had provided evidence to the media in support of her claim, via several e-mail correspondences.

This is what she was quoted as saying in November 2011 in reference to the entire episode, “You know what they did to me... I was just one woman who wanted to

serve my country... I was attacked and burnt with corrosive acid months after I spoke out against the AFC and their dishonesty.” She had described the current AFC cabal as “… deceitful, disrespectful, and dishonest.”

But, Mrs. Singh and Minister. Manickchand are not the only females who have come under attack by the AFC leadership. In March last year, an executive member of the party publicly attacked Dr. Vishavla Sharma, the Medical Superintendent of the New Amsterdam Hospital, in a most heinous manner. The AFC official, speaking at a public meeting. mocked Ms. Sharma weight and used this to suggest she was not effective in her job.

Apart from Mrs. Singh; Mrs. Manickchand and Ms. Sharma, there was another Mrs. Singh, whom the AFC launched an unrelenting campaign against to remove her from her job in the public service.

Old Kai is referring to none other than Mrs. Geetangli Singh of the Auditor General’s office. Their excuse was grounded solely on the fact that she was the wife of Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, and all manner of attempts were made by the AFC to intimidate and humiliate this qualified young woman so as to evict her from her job, where she was employed long before her marriage to Dr. Singh.

But apart from Mrs. Gaumattie Singh, Mrs. Priya Manick-

chand, Ms. Vishavla Sharma and Mrs. Geetangli Singh, there was also another Mrs. Singh who came under sustained attack from the AFC. Mrs. Geeta Singh-Knights, formerly of CLICO and a Board Member of GuySuCo, who was also well qualified for the positions she held, was constantly harangued and vilified in the media by the AFC, with their leadership demanding that the then Head of State fire her from her job.

The trend is clear and unmistakable, they cannot hide nor can they run from it. Mrs. Gail Texeria was clearly onto something when she revealed that the AFC was carrying out a racist and sexist campaign against East Indian females in society. The evidence is there, they cannot dispute this fact.

What they need to do is offer a sincere apology, not only to the victims of their attacks, but also to all women in our society. When they attacked and ridiculed Priya Manickchand and referred to her as ‘Sitira gyal’, they are not only attacking and ridiculing the females whom she represents in the PPP/C, but all of our womenfolk, as she is a national leader and represents our entire nation.

It is time our women stand up and demand that this barbaric mentality the AFC leadership has towards females in society cease immediately.

The will of the people

By Hydar Ally THE SEARCH for a governance model that reflects the will of all citizens has a long history dating back to the early days of Greek city states However that search is still continuing, without any real solution. For so long as people exist in the current mental state, there will never be a governance mechanism that could be satisfactory to the population as a whole.

Perhaps the most extreme of that governance model was in the city of Athens, way back in time, where an assembly was drawn up from all the different ethnic groups who were represented in equal numbers to form the governing council. The council would then elect a President whose term in office was limited to one day without any possibility of re-election.

Such a mechanism would not easily lend itself to modern day political systems which are based on stability, continuity and change. The quest for a governance mechanism that would ensure the greatest good for the greatest number of people has always engaged the thinking of philosophers and political analysts with varying degrees of success.

Plato, the early Greek philosopher, came up with the idea of the ‘philosopher king’, who was supposed to be trained at an early age to assume leadership roles. The belief was that a leader should be trained to conduct the affairs of state in addition to being wise. This combination of wisdom and knowledge was considered by Plato to be integral to good governance and leadership.

Later, philosophers such as Hobbes, Burke and Rosseau sought to find the right balance between individual freedoms and ensuring that such freedoms were not used to encroach on the freedom of others. The idea of a ‘social contract’ was seen as a way of ensuring that balance in which citizens agree by way of a social contract to give up some of their freedoms to a sovereign power in exchange for security of person and property.

Modern democracies are based on the will of the majority as the basis for governance. The will of the majority is expressed in periodic free and fair elections in which

citizens freely elect individuals to govern them within the framework of the rule of law.

Finding a governance mechanism acceptable to all continue to remain a challenge to democracies all over the world.

This is especially so in ethnically diverse societies such as ours, where voting behaviour is often clouded by considerations that have little to do with programmes and policies, but more to do with sectional interests such as ethnicity and race.

In the United States of America, there is the issue of class interests where the vast majority of Blacks and coloureds tend to vote for the Democratic Party which is perceived to be more pro-labour in its programmes and policies. And since the vast majority of Blacks and coloureds, including a sizeable number of immigrants, are from the lower end of the social ladder, there is a convergence of race and class which, as the last Presidential elections in the United States have demonstrated, had worked in favour of the re-election of President Barack Obama.

In Guyana, the PPP has always embraced a pro-labour policy from the time it assumed the mantle of political governance in the first democratic elections under universal adult suffrage in 1953. The PPP however was removed from office in less than six months because of the working class orientation of the then regime led by the charismatic Dr. Cheddi Jagan.

The PPP has never departed from that working class orientation which it embraced some sixty-four years ago. In that regard, the PPP remained the only mass-based political party that has won power in three distinct periods of our preand post colonial history, all on the basis of a working class platform.

It won elections in 1953 by a landslide victory; but as pointed out earlier, that victory was short-lived because of a perceived fear that the policies of the government was too labour-oriented, and therefore posed a threat to big business.

The PPP again won elections in 1957 and 1964, winning a parliamentary majority in all of the elections until 1964, when the constitution was changed to allow for a change of the electoral system from first past the post to that of proportional representation.

The point I am seeking to make is that the PPP, with its

Hydar Ally pro-labour policies, has always won free and fair elections, and because of the universalistic values embraced by the Party, was able to draw support from a wide spectrum of the Guyanese population.

However, in an attempt to weaken the Party and prevent it from winning elections, race and ethnicity was exploited and manipulated by reactionary elements which resulted firstly in the split of the PPP in 1955, and later on in the removal of the PPP from the seat of government in 1964 under what was described by former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson as a ‘fiddled constitutional arrangement’ This year marks fifty year since the PPP was manipulated out of office by way of an imposed electoral model of proportional representation. In a way, history is repeating itself with the current political configuration in Parliament, where attempts are once again being made by the combined Opposition to use their parliamentary majority to bring down the PPP/C administration through constitutional means.

It remains to be seen how the Opposition would react to their intention to move a no confidence motion against the current PPP/C government.

One thing is certain, and that is that the Guyanese people are much wiser politically today and are therefore much more unlikely to be misled by those who are seeking to turn back the clock of history.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Greenidge tables Motion to bring Finance Minister before Privileges Committee

By Vanessa Narine

SHADOW finance minister, Mr Carl Greenidge, yesterday moved a Motion seeking to bring Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh before a Parliamentary Privileges Committee.

Greenidge claims that Minister Singh violated the law by spending monies disapproved by the Combined Opposition during the 2014 Budget debates, as reflected in a $4.6B Statement of Excess he has tabled in the National Assembly on June 19 last.

The fourth Statement of Excess since the start of the 10th Parliament, Financial Paper 1/2014, tabled in the National Assembly on June 19, is yet to be considered by the House at the next sitting.

It reflects spending from January 1, 2014 to June 16, 2014.

Finance Minister Greenidge says that a Dr. Ashni Singh “constitutional crisis” is being created by the Finance Minister’s use of public funds because the sums included on the $4.6B Statement of Excess represent expenditure not approved by the National Assembly. The APNU Member of Parliament was emphatic that the issue is an important one, hence the move to have Dr. Singh appear before a Privileges

Committee to face sanctions.

The Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman, noted that the Clerk of the Assembly, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs, has received a copy of the motion signed by Greenidge and co-signed by Leader of the Alliance For Change, Mr Khemraj Ramjattan.

LEGAL SPENDING The Finance Minister, who was granted leave of absence from yesterday’s sitting of the House, has repeatedly defended the legality of spending authorised by him. At his most recent press conference, he said Statements of Excess do not reflect spending from the Contingencies Fund.

Section 218 (3) of the Constitution states that: “If, in respect of any financial year, it is found: (a) that the amount appropriated by the Appropriation Act for any purpose is insufficient, or that a need has arisen for expenditure for a purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by that Act; “Or (b) that any moneys have been expended for any purpose in excess of the amount appropriated for that purpose by the Appropriation Act, or for a purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by that Act, a supplementary estimate or, as the case may be, a Statement of Excess showing the sums required or spent, shall be laid before the Assembly by the Prime Minister or any other Minister designated by the President.”

According to Dr. Singh, given that the law states that spending from the Contingencies Fund has to be “urgent, unavoidable and unforeseen need for expenditure,” the Statement of Excess cannot reflect monies spent from there.

He noted that the Statements of Excess are indeed spending from the Consolidated Fund.

To date, in the 10th Parliament, four Statements of Excess have been tabled, 58 per cent of which has been approved by the combined Opposition.

Dr Singh also referred to the Parliamentary Standing

Order 78 (1), which deals with supplementary estimates of expenditure and statements of excess. The Order states that: “If in respect of any financial year it is found:- [a] that the amount appropriated by the Appropriation Act for any purpose is insufficient, or that a need has arisen for expenditure for a purpose for which amount has been appropriated by that Act; or [b] that any moneys have been expended for any purpose in excess of the amount appropriated for that purpose by the Appropriation Act, or for a purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by that Act; or [c] that advances have been made from the Contingencies Fund for expenditure for which no other provision exists, a Minister may present a Paper with the Supplementary Estimate or, as the case may be, the Statement of Excess, showing the sums required or spent; and that Paper shall be ordered to be printed and shall stand Mr Carl Greenidge referred to the Committee of Supply without question put, and shall be appointed to be considered on a day to be named by the Minister presenting the Paper, but not earlier than one (1) day after that on which the Paper was presented.”

The Finance Minister maintains his contention that all public spending advanced by the current Administration has been done within the stated legal parameters, and can withstand any level of scrutiny.

Jury hung in Paul Lohing Ex-cop goes on trial girlfriend murder trial

THE mixed jury trying accused Paul Lohing for the alleged murder of his girlfriend Shoala Gilgeous who died from manual strangulation disagreed yesterday on a verdict.

Consequently, Lohing who had pleaded not guilty was again remanded to prison to await a new trial at a future session.

The prosecution’s case was based on circumstantial evidence and although no one actually saw the killing, one witness testified about hearing noises coming from the couple’s flat. When she did go to the house, she saw Shoala on the bed and believed she was sleeping.

She testified that she later learnt that the girl had died and was not in fact sleeping.

Government Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh who performed the post-mortem examination disclosed that death was due to manual strangulation.

After deliberation for three hours yesterday, the jury returned to the presiding judge, Justice Insanally for further directions. They later returned with a disagreement in the proportion of nine to three.

The murder accused was defended by Attorney-at-Law,

Mr. Huckumchand.

The judge discharged the jury and told the accused that he would be remanded to prison to await a new trial at a future session.

Judge orders probation report ––before sentencing child sex offender GAVIN Nero has pleaded guilty to the charge of engaging in sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16 years on the 20th day of February, 2012.

Justice Rishi Persaud has ordered a probation report on the accused. The report will be made available to the court on July 24th when sentence will be passed.

Prosecutrix Miss Mercedes Thompson is prosecuting for the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

for sex act on child

FORMER policeman Shawn Edinboro, called ‘Christopher’, appeared yesterday before Justice Rishi Persaud at the Demerara Assizes and pleaded not guilty to the sex charge involving a child of tender years.

The offence is said to have been committed on the 22nd day of April, 2012 at Drysdale Street, Charlestown.

A jury was empanelled to try the former policeman of the offence.

Prosecutrix Mss Mercedes Thompson is expected to deliver her opening address to the jury this morning and call witnesses in support of her case.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

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Opposition rejects Motion to debate, pass Customs (Amendment) Bill --puts Guyana at considerable disadvantage regionally

By Vanessa Narine THE combined Parliamentary Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), yesterday rejected a Motion moved by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds to suspend several Standing Orders to allow the second and third readings, and eventual passage, of the Customs (Amendment) Bill.

The Bill seeks to amend the principal act of 1995, which imposed an environmental tax only on taxable goods imported into Guyana.

The amendment would have seen extension of the tax to goods imported for the manufacture of items, which tax is payable at the time the importer, upon entry of the goods, furnishes the Guyana Revenue Authority with an import declaration. Taxable goods, in this instance, means every unit of non-returnable resin, metal, plastic, glass containers containing any alcoholic beverage or non-alcoholic beverage.

The Motion was necessary, given that the Bill was defeated last year, and according to the National Assembly’s Standing Orders, it cannot be brought again during the same Parliamentary session without the suspension of said Standing Orders.

BREACH OF INTERNATIONAL LAW The Prime Minister noted that the Bill will also address Guyana’s current breach of international agreements brokered by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

The latter was the basis for the recent award against Guyana by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), in which Rudisia Importers won a US$6M judgement against Guyana for the imposition of an environmental tax.

Rudisia, a Suriname-based company, produces and sells beverages in non-returnable containers. Caribbean International Distributors Inc. (CIDI), a locally owned subsidiary of Rudisia, imports and sells the beverages in Guyana.

The company alleged that the imposition by Guyana, in 1995, of an environmental levy or tax of $10 on all imported non-returnable beverage containers imported into Guyana was discriminatory, and amounted to a violation of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) passed into Guyana law in 2006.

Mr. Hinds made it clear that the Bill will allow Guyana to “right itself” with the CCJ. Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Legal Af-

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds

fairs, Anil Nandlall, in his contribution to the debate on allowing the Motion to be passed, stressed that the CCJ judgment is not something the Government will have to pay, but rather the Guyanese taxpayers.

Citing sections of the judgement, he told the House that Guyana will have to report on its compliance to the CCJ, and non-passage of the Bill could lead to additional punitive measures.

He disclosed that prior to the CCJ’s ruling, the Court had adjourned its meeting for several months to allow for the enactment of the Bill, with the understanding that Guyana’s non-compliance was a legislative issue.

Having been unable to pass the Bill last year, the CCJ pronounced in favour of Rudisia.

“I believe we should comply with the Order of the court,” Nandlall said.

REJECTED OPTIONS

APNU’s Shadow Finance Minister Carl Greenidge argued that the Bill is not one that ought to address the attention of the House until its impacts on the local private sector are known.

He said the main Opposition will not support the imposition of taxes on Guyanese.

Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan, pointed out that last year there was a lengthy debate on the issue, and he expressed his party’s concern over the end impact on local consumers.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett acknowledged these positions, and offered the suggestion that the motion be supported and when the Bill is read a second time it could be send to a Parliamentary Select Committee, where the Opposition is free to make amendments. She called for support on this basis, and reiterated the importance of the Bill’s passage to bring Guyana in line with international laws.

“We can negotiate in the Select Committee,” Rodrigues-Birkett offered.

APNU MP Basil Williams reiterated his party’s position of non-support, despite the Foreign Affairs Minister’s suggestion on the basis that Guyanese manufacture will have an added tax burden.

Despite objections to the motion to have the Bill read a second and third time, the

combined Opposition agreed that Guyana needs to act to bring itself into compliance with international laws.

The Prime Minister, on this note, pointed out that Government and Opposition seem to agree on the need for compliance with international law, but differ on the approach. To this end, he reiterated the suggestion made

by Rodrigues-Birkett for the motion to be supported and the Bill be sent to a Parliamentary Select Committee.

This was rejected once more, and the end vote saw 33 opposing the motion and 28 favouring it.

After the vote, House Speaker Raphael Trotman indicated that the rejection of the bill has not rendered it a “dead” bill, as there are other avenues that can be explored to have it move forward for consideration by the National Assembly.

He explained that the practice has been that the mover of the Bill refers the Bill to a Parliamentary Select Committee, and he referred to the relevant standing orders.

APNU’s Greenidge rose to make clear that even if the Bill were to be moved to a Select Committee, the APNU will not support it.

Government Chief Whip Ms. Gail Teixeira then said,

“Having heard members expound in the press, expound on what this Bill can be and should be…once it goes to Select Committee, these changes can be made, unless the Opposition wants to kill the Bill.

“We are putting forward a reasonable proposal, and the Opposition can make changes in the Select Committee…we are appealing to the reason of this house.”

AFC’s Ramjattan added that the problem can be solved with a withdrawal of the current Bill and move to repeal Section 7 of the principal act.

The Speaker then intervened to make clear that the Bill’s consideration can wait until consensus on the way forward is reached.

Lamenting the state of affairs in the House, the Prime Minister moved a motion to refer the Bill to a Select Committee, in the interest of the importance of complying with international standards.

Given that there is no vote on the referral of the Bill to the Select Committee, the Speaker put the Bill’s referral to a vote, and the Opposition voted down the referra also.

Teixeira pointed out that this was a first for the Assembly; a point the Speaker acknowledged, but stated that rules allowing such a vote are clear.

‘Walk the talk’ and invest in agriculture

By Clifford Stanley MINISTER of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has urged Caribbean leaders to “walk the talk” when it comes to investments in agriculture, Caribbean integration, and making the Region self-sufficient in food.

“If they’re going to talk the talk, they must walk the talk. They must walk it like they talk it,” he stressed, noting that food imports in the Caribbean amounted to US$5.2B in 2013, while most of these foods could have been produced in the Region itself.

UNACCEPTABLE He said that he found it unacceptable that the investment in agriculture in countries in CARICOM, outside of Guyana and Belize and to some extent Suriname and Dominica, is less than 2% of the Region’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He said that in this context many were hypocritical about the real reasons for poverty in the Region.

“Many of us are poor because we eat too much of what we do not produce.

In importing food much of our hard earned currency is supporting jobs and supporting entrepreneurships and supporting the economies of other countries,” Dr Ramsammy emphasised.

He said that there is a

--Dr Ramsammy urges Caribbean leaders programmes.

“We know what has to been done, but we just talking.”

He noted that most of the imported foodstuff that CARICOM countries spent US$5.2 billion on last year

be looking for markets in Africa for its rice.”

TILAPIA H e s a i d t h a t Tr i n idad annually buys some US$500M worth of tilapia from China which Guyana can provide.

He said that there may be real problems why certain food items cannot move around the Caribbean but the leaders have to work on resolving these issues.

“This is what real integration is about… We haven’t learnt yet what integration means.”

He said: “We the leaders need a paradigm shift in this Region, because the money that we spend on importing food into this Region can create the economic stability and the economic growth and the environment for our people and our children so

‘Most of the imported foodstuff that CARICOM countries spent US$5.2 billion on last year can be produced right here in the Caribbean’ – Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy Caribbean Agriculture Policy and there is the Jagdeo Initiative and there is much loud talk about the benefits of these plans but there has not been much investment since at the moment most of the Ministries of Agriculture in the Caribbean have no Jagdeo Initiative-type

can be produced right here in the Caribbean.

He said that Guyana has over 300,000 tonnes of rice to feed people with but people in the Bahamas are buying rice from the United States. “So also do the Jamaicans and the Haitians too, so Guyana has to

that they can live a lifestyle that is more in tune with the potential that exists.”

In a hard hitting style, he said: “But we only just talking.”

He stressed that it is high time that Caribbean leaders change the dispensation and ensure that rural women and youths in agriculture are as important and priority items in development plans not just when there is talk about agriculture but when there is talk about development, “period”.

He stressed that the Caribbean Region has the genuine opportunity and chance to be one of the first developing countries sub- regions not only to end poverty and end hunger but provide opportunities for entrepreneurship for even people who don’t have too much money.”

He said that the idea of replacing food imports in the Caribbean with local produce is not rocket science.

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

He said: “It’s what you and I and all of us know what to do. So I ask that we work together to change our current dispensation, to have a paradigm shift and for Caribbean leaders and Caribbean people to know that agriculture is still our vehicle to paradise.”

He stressed: “Paradise is not far away but we have taken a different road; we need to put the vehicle back on the road to paradise.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Vanessa Kissoon exposes Granger’s poor leadership -says he has ‘no power’ to suspend her FOLLOWING is an explosive statement released to the media yesterday ‘suspended’ PNCR Member Ms. Vanessa Kissoon, in which she made it clear that Opposition and PNCR leader David Granger has “no power” to suspend her, and that if she is to be made the “sacrificial lamb to uphold the Party Constitution” then she is prepared to face the consequences.

“God is in charge and I fear not,” she declared.

Following is the full text of Ms Kissoon’s statement to the media yesterday: H AV I N G s e e n t h e PNCR’s statement to the media today (yesterday, Thursday July 10th, 2014), I am given no other choice but to make public my side

of the story.

Mr. Granger, Leader of the PNCR, emailed me on 24th June saying that he has suspended my membership from the Party. This letter suspending my membership preceded the Central Executive Committee meeting held on 25th June, 2014.

I take this opportunity to say publicly what I said to the party privately - I do not have the keys to the Party’s office in Linden. This has been communicated to Mr. Oscar Clarke, General Secretary, several times before Friday 20th June, 2014 when I was assaulted at Congress Place. On Saturday 6th July, I advised him when he was in Linden for the Son Chapman’s commemoration event that I do not have these keys.

To date I have received no correspondence coming from the Central Executive

‘FIGHTING BACK’: PNCR Member Ms. Vanessa Kissoon

Committee. The issue I am suspended for is based on an incident that occurred on Friday 20th June, 2014.

The letter of 24th June further advised that I will be referred to a disciplinary committee. I was never asked by Mr. Granger what transpired on 20th June. My 28th June response to Mr. Granger’s letter expressed concerns about the violation of the party constitution and my rights under the said constitution in addressing the matter.

I am surprised that my party, under the leadership of Mr. Granger, has sought to release a statement that has no bearing to what lead to my suspension. The PNCR statement conflicts with the 24th June letter to me by Mr. Granger. As

such I am compelled to release the correspondence trail (seen by the Chronicle)

Opposition Leader David Granger

on this issue, starting with Mr. John Yates’ letter of 21st June, 2014, soliciting support for me to be disciplined, to my response today (10th July) to Mr. Granger’s letter of 8th July.

The Party Constitution, Article 27 INTERPRETATION CLAUSE ‘Under this Constitution’ (5) reads: “A power to appoint implies a power to suspend, dismiss or revoke.” I am a member of the PNCR and not an employee. The Leader of the Party did not appoint me and respectfully has no power to suspend me.

If I am to be made the sacrificial lamb to uphold the Party Constitution I am prepared to face the consequences.

God is in charge and I fear not.

APNU members unavailable to meet on AML/CFT Bill -but find time for other Parliamentary Committees

By Vanessa Narine

and hurried,” Granger said.

A PARTNERSHIP for National Unity (APNU) members represented on the Parliamentary Special Select Committee reviewing the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill (AML/ CFT) have been unable to meet for the last month.

However, several APNU members have been meeting in other Parliamentary Committees, according to records of the National Assembly.

In an invited comment yesterday, APNU Leader Brigadier (rtd.) David Granger said: “Many of the persons who are on the committees have functions to perform between now and Congress (the People’s National Congress’s annual meeting, scheduled for later this month).”

According to him, the Government has been taking “its own sweet time”, and APNU will not hurriedly complete its review of the Bill. “We will not be rushed

LENGTHY PROCESS This position has been expressed before, and on every occasion it has been rejected by the Government.

Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, in a prior interview, stated that the AML/ CFT (Amendment) Bill is a product of extensive consultation with the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).

He said that CFATF issued an advisory on the need for changes since November 2011, but pointed out that, with elections in the air, work on addressing CFATF’s request was deferred until after the elections had concluded.

Nandlall noted that after elections, CFATF officials: visited Guyana and examined the local situation; met with the Government, private sector, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders to examine the legislative framework; and made their

recommendations.

He added that formulating the legislation to give effect to the recommendations was another process that took time. “Each provision was sent individually to CFATF, examined by their specialist, and confirmed to have complied with the recommendations,” the AG said, “It was a very time-consuming process.”

According to the AG, the recommendations could have been made effective by legislation in a piecemeal manner, but the decision was to do this in a more comprehensive manner, particularly foreseeing challenges with passage in the piecemeal manner.

He said: “It is a big bill, but it is a comprehensive one that embraces all the recommendations…it was a long process.”

The Bill to meet CFATF’s requirements was tabled in the National Assembly in April 2013, but was referred to a Parliamentary Special Select Committee, and was

eventually voted down by the combined Opposition in November 2013.

The Bill was re-tabled in December 2013, and was again referred to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee, where it has since been languishing.

A

M AT T E R O F HOURS The Opposition Leader contends that there is no need for lengthy delays, since the passage of the Bill can be resolved within a matter of hours.

“We want this battle over with; it can be done in 48 hours,” he told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday.

Chair of the Committee, Ms. Gail Teixeira, told the Guyana Chronicle that if this is the position of the Opposition, efforts should be made to have a meeting to ensure that Guyana can pass the Bill as soon as possible.

She maintains that while Guyana is now subjected to FATF’s review over the next

four months, the country does not have four months to pass the AML/CFT (Amendment) Bill, which she maintains will help Guyana’s case during the review.

“We do not have four months (to pass this bill).

For one, the National Assembly goes into recess from August 10 until October 10, so that leaves us with about a month,” the Committee Chair said.

The last Select Committee meeting was in early June, and up to press time, there had been no confirmation of a date for the next meeting.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), in a letter dated July 9, 2014, officially confirmed on Wednesday its decision to commence a targeted review of Guyana prior to its October 2014 plenary meeting.

And the international watchdog made it clear that the purpose of this targeted review will be to examine the most significant deficiencies in Guyana’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework that pose a risk to the interna-

tional financial system.

According to FATF, its review will identify steps that should be taken to address those deficiencies through the development of an action plan.

FATF’s letter said, “This review will be conducted by the International Co-operation Review Group (ICRG), Americas Regional Review Group (ARRG), co-chaired

by Ms. Darlene Boileau (Canada) and Ms. Maria Fernanda Garcia-Yrigoyen Maúrtua (Peru). In our capacity as ICRG Co-Chairs, we now request your full cooperation in assisting the ARRG to conduct this work, including by providing upto-date information on your jurisdiction related to AML and CFT issues as requested by the ARRG co-chairs.”

Guyana, according to the letter, will be given an opportunity to review the draft targeted review, and to have a face-to-face meeting with the ARRG. At its next meeting on 20-24 October, 2014 in Paris, France, the FATF is expected to discuss the results of Guyana’s targeted review.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Missing Brooklyn Guyanese woman…

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No confirmation body parts found in separate states are GT mom’s LONG Island and New York City police are investigating whether human remains found in Bay Shore and Hempstead are that of a Guyanese woman who recently went missing in Brooklyn, according to sources.

The woman, Chinelle Latoya Browne, 27, who is originally from South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was reported missing to the New York City police, the sources said. Police in Suffolk, Nassau and New York are waiting for medical examiners to identify the remains, the sources said.

On Wednesday, a severed arm was found on the front lawn of a home in Hempstead, and

a source said authorities were trying to determine if it was related to a female body found Tuesday in Suffolk.

Hempstead police blocked off part of Webb Avenue near Washington Avenue with yellow crime scene tape Wednesday afternoon.

The Suffolk County police homicide commander, Det. Lt. Kevin Beyrer, was also seen at the Webb Avenue home.

The Nassau County police homicide squad and police K-9’s were also on the scene.

Jose Diaz, 56, a deli owner who since 1989 has lived at the home where the arm was found, said his wife’s brother, Noel Rivera, discovered what ap-

peared to be a human arm in their front yard about 2 pm Wednesday and called 911.

Diaz said the arm was on a grass and dirt area just inside of a white picket fence lining the front of the property.

“He almost passed out,” Diaz said, referring to Rivera. Investigators removed the arm and about an 8-foot section of the fence, which had some blood on it, Diaz said. Diaz said he does not have surveillance cameras outside his home, and while it was scary that a body part was found in his front yard, he was not surprised. “Anybody can pass by and drop anything,” he said.

Neighbours ex-

Missing Chinelle Browne, her husband and her four kids.

pressed shock at the gruesome discovery.

“It’s just shaken the whole community to see something like this,” said Jim Allison, 32, a labourer who lives across the street.

Suffolk police confirmed its investigators were involved and said the body part was sent to the Nassau medical examiner’s office. Suffolk police had said Tuesday they were investigating the discovery of the partially dismembered, unidentified female body in a weed-strewn lot

in Bay Shore. Beyrer had said two passersby called police after seeing the body as they walked to the Fire Island Ferries at about 6:50 a.m.

Police had no comment on the approximate age of the victim.

Beyrer said Tuesday that authorities were looking into missing-persons reports.

Browne went missing last Saturday in Brooklyn, New York, this newspaper understands.

Chinelle migrated to the United States

last year May and returned here April this year for two weeks and then went back to the US. However, she went missing last Saturday.

Her New York address was 346 Sumter Street, Brooklyn.

Browne has four children – three-yearold twins Ariel and Michaela, five-yearold Jonathan and seven-year-old Gabrielle Browne, and they all reside in Guyana with their father. (By Asif Hakim with credits to Newsday NY)

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Lone gunman ambushes, shoots Lusignan teen dead near her home

By Asif Hakim

––eyewitness recounts the incident

NINETEEN-YEAROLD cosmetologist Ashminee Harryram of lot 9 ‘B’ Lusignan Embankment Road, East Coast Demerara died yesterday after being shot to her head while walking home along the Lusignan Railway Embankment.

She had just disem-

barked from a bus after returning from Georgetown where she and her cousin went shopping.

Her aunt, Ms. Elo Alick told this publication that the teen and a female cousin went to Georgetown to purchase some cosmetology items as she usually takes orders to do people’s hair

Dead: 19-year-old Ashminee Harryram

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014 teen was approximately 70 meters away from her home when an armed man exited the vehicle and fired a shot to Ashminee’s head before

and nails. The aunt said that the two cousins had exited a bus from the Lusignan main road and were walking home.

H o w e v e r, a s t h e teens made their way, a burgundy car with the registration number blocked was parked on the left hand side of the embankment road. The Ashminee’s distraught mother at the hospital (Photos by Asif Hakim) snatching her phone and escaping in the car.

A woman who asked to remain anonymous said she was just exiting a friend’s gateway when she saw “a man of African descent exit a burgundy-coloured car and shoot Harryram to her head, grab her phone and drive off.”

The eyewitness wondered why the man shot the teen and took her phone but did not even harm her cousin.

“When I saw the man

drive off, I run to help the girl, but blood was rapidly flowing from her head. I tried my best to help her, but she wasn’t responding, her family members then came and take her to the hospital,” the eyewitness said.

Ashminee was a student of Beterverwagting Secondary School until 2012.

When this publication visited the hospital, Ashminee’s body had already been taken to the mortuary. Her mother, who was also there, was barely able to say that she can’t believe what had happened to her daughter.

Shortly after the shooting, the police issued a statement saying: “The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of cosmetologist, Ashminee Harryram, 19 years, of Lusignan, ECD, who was shot to her head at about 11:15h today, Thursday July 10, 2014, while she was walking along the Lusignan Railway Embankment.”

Besides other relatives, Harryram leaves to mourn her three sisters, a brother and her mother.

Ashminee’s relatives console each other after hearing of the shooting

The house where Ashminee lived

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Tomb raiders have second thoughts ––leave both body, casket intact

By Leroy Smith

AFTER a controversial burial and a family feud, relatives of 43-year-old Noel Champo got the shock of their lives when they received news that his tomb had been broken into and his casket left exposed to the elements in Le Repentir Cemetery.

The dead man’s uncle told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday morning that the man died two weeks ago of natural causes, and was buried on Friday last. However, he acknowledged that there was much drama between the deceased’s second wife and his mother, who were not seeing eye to eye on several issues.

The deceased, who had been hospitalised for almost a month, was the father of five children, including a one-yearold baby girl from his second marriage after his divorce.

Speaking with reporters at the graveyard yesterday, Champo’s second wife, Ashly Bacchus, said that she was at home when she got the news that the tomb was broken into.

Cops nab fleeing gunman after Mon Repos Market robbery ––Villain had stolen money on him POLICE in ‘C’ Division on the East Coast of Demerara came in for much public commendation yesterday after apprehending a fleeing gunman who had robbed a businessman of $4M in cash in the Mon Repos market.

Residents applauded the police ranks for their “quick and sensible policing”.

The police on mobile patrol yesterday morning were alerted to a robbery at Mon Repos market and gave chase after the suspect who had robbed a businessman of $4M in cash at gunpoint.

This publication was reliably informed that the businessman who entered the market place with a black bag containing the cash was approached by the gunman who snatched the bag of money while threatening to shoot him.

The businessman released the money and after the bandit was a safe distance away, the businessman raised an alarm and the police in the area responded promptly.

The police gave chase after spotting the bandit but on seeing the lawmen he threw the bag with the cash away but was unable to discard the firearm.

The police arrested the man who was found in possession of the firearm. The bandit who was unmasked and is said to be a male of African descent was taken into custody and will be charged and placed before the courts soon.

Meanwhile, businessman Rajdeo Tajpaul expressed satisfaction for the work done by the police while persons in the area praised the cops for arresting the man and bringing him to justice alive and without injury.

The Guyana Police Force has been working very hard recently to have its ranks carry out standard operational procedures and desist from utilising force except in extremely hostile conditions.

(Leroy Smith)

She said that she was also informed that the head of the man was taken off its body and was not in the casket but that later proved to be just a rumour.

Asked to comment on this situation, the woman said she had no idea who may have been responsible, but pointed to misunderstandings she had with her mother-in-law, Champo’s mother.

She said that robbery cannot be the motive, as the man was only buried in a suit, his glasses, dentures and $200 which a relative placed in his pocket. The woman recalled visiting the tomb for two consecutive days after the burial.

Asked why she did that, she explained that she was told by persons that when folks are buried in caskets, there are characters who would revisit the grave site, break open the tombs and remove the body from the casket and make off with it.

She said that after two visits and she realised that everything was alright with her husband’s casket, she ceased going and felt comfortable that the concrete had set enough.

Bacchus said that she and the mother-in-law have been at loggerheads since the woman wanted the death certificate and other documents of the man after his death, but she had refused to hand these over. She said that at the funeral, she

and the woman had a war of words over some activities which were to be done at the final resting place.

Ashly Bacchus related that since the man married her, her mother-in-law never showed any appreciation for her and made her life hard. However, Ashly Bacchus and the man’s first wife became very good friends.

She said that her mother-in-law believes that the man who had worked in mining left her a lot of material things and valuables. However, she said that the truth of the matter is that when he was placed in his final resting place, all he left her to contend with was an empty purse and a house which they recently bought but has not been paid for in full. She said that she spent all the money she had on the funeral, which amounted to more than $500,000.

The police visited the scene and instructed relatives to open the tomb to see if the man’s remains were there with all body parts intact. That was done and everything seemed to be normal.

Meanwhile, arrangements are being made to have the tomb remade and to place the man again in his final resting place, hopefully without any disturbance this time around.

APNU Councillor condemns blocking of Essequibo Coast public road by rice farmers

By Rajendra Prabhulall A PARTNERSHIP for National Unity (APNU) Councillor of Region 2 Regional Democratic Council, Mr. Wazir Latiff has condemned the protest and blocking of the Essequibo Coast public road by some rice farmers last Friday night.

Speaking at the statutory meeting of council on Tuesday, Mr. Latiff said the disgraceful and shameless protest and blocking of the public road at Three Friends and Land of Plenty should have never been allowed to take place.

The opposition councillor said he heard that the protest last Friday night was filled with vulgarity and disgraceful behaviour by some

APNU Councillor Mr. Wazir Latiff

farmers. He said farmers should have taken their protest to the millers who owed them large sums for their paddy rather than block the public road and behave in a disgraceful manner.

The APNU councillor said rice farmers have an option to take the millers to court for their money through the free legal service offered by Government at the Guyana Rice Development Board office but they do not want to utilize the service.

The councillor said that before a protest is allowed to go ahead it must be examined carefully to find out if there are other avenues to address the problems.

He said rice farmers had an option to take the millers to court free of cost through the GRDB rather than to protest and block the public road.

PPP/C Councillor Ms. Juliet Coonjah speaking at the meeting said AFC Councillor Mr. Naithram who behaved in a disgraceful and shameless manner and allegedly stripped his clothing in full view of the public during the Friday night protest is not fit to be a councillor on the Region 2 Regional Democratic Council. While speaking, she held up a copy of the Kaieteur News, Saturday 5th July, 2014 edition, which shows a picture of the naked councillor on the front page.

PPP/C Councillor Ms. Juliet Coonjah

AFC Councillor Mr Nathram at one of the RDC meetings. He was pictured naked on the front page of the Kaieteur News a few days ago

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Dynamic Airways suspends JFK-GEO service out of Guyana until August 8

By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally DYNAMIC Airways has announced that they will temporarily suspend their New York service out of Guyana until August 8, 2014, due to operational difficulties with securing time slots at JFK airport for the month of July.

“We are announcing temporary suspension of JFKGEO service until August 8th 2014,” Dynamic Airways stated in a release.

This suspension will allow the airline and its Guyanese partners, Roraima Air-

ways, to secure time slots at John F Kennedy (JFK) Airport, and also to organise better ground handling and check-in processes as well as secure schedule integrity which Dynamic Airways is well known for, the airline noted.

In a statement, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Roraima Airways, Captain Gerald Gouveia said, “Dynamic Airways will operate flights on July 8, July 11 and July 15, and transport passengers who already started their travel. We are currently protecting all passengers which started their travel and are impacted by this temporary suspension. All passengers traveling in the period July 17th to August 8th will receive full refund plus compensatory voucher for future purchase on Dynamic Airways network. All passengers will be contacted

by Dynamic Airways directly or by their respective travel agents.”

Gouveia had previously

disclosed that the airline will continue to use the Bradley International Airport, and that passengers will be shuttled by luxury buses to Terminal Four of the JFK International.

He explained that the distance from the Bradley

ments were initially in place, but after the sacking of the handling agent in the US, they had to reapply all over again.” This temporary suspension will allow us to secure time slots at JFK airport and organise better ground handling.

challenges.”

Gouveia emphasised that “All flights starting from August 8th are not impacted by this change and will be operated as displayed on our website and in our reservation system.”

Captain Gouveia also

have caused and thank you for your patience while we are processing refund requests and protecting our passengers impacted by this temporary suspension.”

DYNAMIC Airways was officially launched into the Guyana market on

International Airport is about a two-hour drive, but they are committed to ensuring that their passengers are well taken care of.

He also noted that all arrangements from Guyana’s end were tied up, but there was some “slack” at the other end. He explained that “all the necessary docu-

He agreed, during a previous press conference held on July 2, that they have rushed into the operations and it might have led to the challenges that they are faced with presently. He admitted that less haste might have been the appropriate recipe instead. “A little haste might have overcome the

expressed his sincerest apologies and thanks to the traveling public “We are very sorry for the inconvenience this change might

June 6, 2014. The company has partnered with Guyana’s Roraima Airways to bring the service to Guyanese.

Jehovah’s Witnesses three-day convention starts at National Park today JEHOVAH’S Witnesses are inviting everyone to attend their annual three-day convention at the National Park, Thomas Lands, Georgetown, beginning today and concluding on Sunday.

The theme of this year’s programme is “Keep Seeking First God’s Kingdom!”

The programme begins today, Friday, July 11, 2014 at 9:20 am and will conclude on Sunday, July 13. There is no admission fee.

Samuel Moore, a convention spokesman, said in a press release that, “People of many faiths pray for God’s Kingdom.

This convention will explain what that Kingdom is and how it can be a positive influence in our lives.”

He said further that a highlight of the programme will be the keynote address this morning, which will discuss how that Kingdom is benefiting people today.

He added: “A core belief of Jehovah’s Witnesses, based on Biblical and historical evidence, is that Jesus Christ began to rule as the King of God’s Kingdom in 1914. The convention programme marks this year as the centennial of that event.”

The programme will begin today, Friday, July 11, 2014, at 9:20am and will conclude on Sunday, July 13. There is no admission fee.

Jehovah’s Witnesses, the release said, have extended personal invitations to most persons within the country to attend the convention with them.

Conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses are supported entirely by voluntary donations.

Worldwide, there are over 7,900,000 Witnesses in more than 113,000 congregations. Related links: Annual conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses: http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahswitnesses/conventions/ Media Contact: Samuel Moore 229-6592 or 641-8451

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

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Hardt violated international laws ––says former minister, Dr. Henry Jeffrey

By Vanessa Narine

FORMER Minister of Foreign Trade, Henry Jeffrey, contends that former US Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt, has violated international law by becoming involved in the domestic affairs of Guyana.

In his regular column published in the Stabroek News, under the headline ‘The US/ Guyana debacle: Two wrongs, nothing right’, Jeffrey cited the writings of renowned expert, GR Berridge, who pointed out that major powers routinely conducted political operations in the countries they were based, as well as the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

In addition to the Vienna Convention, Oppenheim’s International Law, 9th Edition, at p. 1068, states that: “(It) is universally recognised that envoys (or other diplomatic agents) must not interfere with the internal political life of the State to which they are accredited. It certainly belongs to their functions to watch political events with a vigilant eye, and to report their observations to their home State. But they have no right whatever to take part in that political life, to encourage one political party or to threaten another.

It matters not whether an envoy acts thus on his own account or on the instructions from his home state.

If he does so, he abuses his position, and the receiving state will either protest, or, in a more serious case, request his home state to recall him and appoint another individual in his place, or, if his interference is very flagrant, dismiss Former Minister of Foreign him.”

Trade Henry Jeffrey Oppenheim, an authoritative publicist on international law, further stated: “A line must, however, be drawn between functions which it is proper that a diplomatic mission may exercise, and those which it may not, although it has to be recognised that it is not always easy to draw such a line.” (p. 1067). Ambassador Hardt was due to leave Guyana on July 6, 2014 on the termination of his assignment in this country.

BEYOND ACCEPTABLE “It appears to me then that when outgoing US Ambassador Brent Hardt in his speech at a Blue CAPS meeting publicly berated the president and government of Guyana for not implementing local government elections, being inconsistent in their reasoning for not doing so and suggesting that more voices should raise in protest,

he went beyond what is acceptable diplomatic behaviour,” Jeffrey said.

He acknowledged that there is a majority consensus regarding the need for local government elections; but makes it clear that Hardt’s position could not have gone without reprimand by the Government.

His comments followed the fallout after the former US Ambassador was upbraided last Wednesday for ‘crossing a red line’ with his comments. Hardt has been one of the most vocal in the diplomatic corps, calling on the current administration to hold local government elections. He has been vocal to the point where he flayed Head of State Donald Ramotar for “selectively” abiding by Guyana’s constitution, even as the country awaits long-overdue local government elections.

It was this comment that constituted a ‘red line’ for the Government and resulted in the then acting Foreign Affairs Minister Priya Manickchand taking Hardt to task at the Fourth of July event celebrating the 238th Independence Anniversary of the U.S., held at his Cummings Lodge residence, where he repeated his call for the “restoration of effective, elected local government” in Guyana.

According to Jeffrey, it was “out of line” for Hardt to “salve his conscience” by publicly berating the President and his Government.

“This is simply not his remit,” he stressed.

Acting Foreign Affairs The former Foreign Minister Priya Manickchand Trade Minister added that there were other means available to send messages to the current administration; rather than the way the issue was handled by Hardt.

“We should not confuse the role of the ambassador with that of his government.

My memory tells me that when, under the PNC, the US government wanted to publicly suggest a change in government’s policy, it did not do so through its ambassador. Presidents can send messages; special missions, which may or may not be public about the concerns of their governments, may be dispatched; legislators may be utilized, etc.,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Janus crafts Cultural Policy Initiative ––to sustain development in Guyana via culture

Ruel Johnson, Project Leader/Founder of the Janus Cultural Policy Initiative

THE Janus Cultural Policy Initiative (JCPI) project, which was initiated with the theme of ‘Culture and Development’ and which seeks to foster sustainable development in Guyana, has had an all-day pre-conference launch at the National Library Conference Room last Friday.

The JCPI project, which is based in Georgetown, offers editorial consulting

services, and publishing and public policy research and development. Project leader Ruel Johnson, speaking about the initiative, underscored that “culture, in all its dimensions is a fundamental component of sustainable development…” and by means of consolidation, there is refinement followed by the usage of arts and skills, which will then lead to creative industries. Hence there will be sustainable development in Guyana via culture and development.

Johnson further emphasized, sourcing from UNESCO, that this sector is one of activity via both perceptible and impalpable heritage, artistic industries, and various forms of inventive expressions, since culture is a dominant supplier to economic development, social stability and environmental

protection.

The conference accommodated various aspects on culture and development from prestigious speakers like Sara Bharrat, Ede Tyrell, Subraj Singh and Shameza David. They spoke on topics such as human and social development, culture and the environment, human rights and freedom in relation to culture, conflict and culture, and other scenarios that would enhance cultural development in Guyana in the most theoretical and practical ways.

The project seeks to focus on the cornerstone of culture, hence with ‘Culture and Development’ being conquered, and with the audience incorporating their perceptions, August will feature ‘Culture and Ethnicity’; September will highlight ‘Our Cultural Heritage’; Oc-

tober will focus on ‘Culture and Human Rights’; November will stress on ‘Cultural and Creative Industries’; December will aim to tackle ‘Culture in Education’; and finally, consultations will be accommodated in January 2015.

The principle behind creation of the JCPI assumes that Guyana’s political and other challenges in development have their basis specifically in cultural divisions and ethno-politicization. It is believed that in order to seek sustainable and effective cultural solutions to the socio-political and developmental dilemma, it is vital to establish a ‘proper cultural policy environment.’

Therefore, the prime objective of the project is to establish a comprehensive and functional national cultural policy regime in Guyana. (Shivanie Sugrim)

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APNU blames gov’t for high murder rate

By Ravin Singh

LEADER of the Opposition, David Granger has disclosed that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is blaming the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for the high murder rate during their twenty-twoyear long governance, a period during which APNU member Winston Felix was Commissioner of Police.

Granger was at the time making the statement at APNU’s weekly press conference last Friday at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.

According to the Opposition Leader, the PPP/C Administration has failed consistently to implement a comprehensive counter-crime strategy. He noted that “The twelve-year Bharrat Jagdeo presidency, most particularly, will be remembered in this country’s history for the extraordinary number of murders which occurred. The trend has continued to rise in the Ramotar presidency,” he said.

Granger noted that APNU re-asserts that it is the PPP/C Administration’s responsibility to protect the population Leader of the Opposition, David Granger from violent crimes.

He was also supported on this position by APNU Member of Parliament, Winston Felix who said that APNU have been advising the APNU MP and former government in parliament that there needs to be reform within the Guyana Police Force. “There Commissioner of have been shortcomings in the police force over Police Winston Felix

––during Felix’s tenure as ‘Top Cop’

this time whether in crime, drugs, or simple interaction with members of the public and the police” Felix said.

However, Felix served as Commissioner of Police for two years between 2004 and 2006 before departing on pre-retirement leave in July 2006. This was a period during the PPP/C Administration for which Felix blames the Government for the high rise in murder and crime rate.

Statistics however reveal that the one hundred and sixty-three murders occurring in 2006, under Felix’s stewardship as Commissioner, is the second highest murder rate between the period 2000 and 2009.

The fourth highest period was also the period during which Felix was commissioner - 2005. The statistics are as follows: Year: 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Murders: 133 125 142 206 131 142 163 115 158 117

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

The parade makes its way along Young Street on its way to Force HQ Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, Permanent Secretary Angela Johnson and Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud take the salute outside of the Home Affairs Ministry on Brickdam (Photos by Leroy Smith)

Police put on splendid performance th for 175 anniversary route march

By Leroy Smith THE drama of moving colours, captivating timbre of musical instruments and clip-clop rhythm of horse shoes unfolded on the streets of Central Georgetown last Saturday as the Guyana Police Force held a route march to mark its 175th anniversary.

The parade was under the command of Assistant Commissioner and ‘B’ Division commander Brian Joseph, who led close to one thousand police and police affiliates marching through the streets at 06.30hrs, promptly, from the force’s Drill Square at police headquarters, Eve Leary, in Georgetown.

Those participating in the march were ranks from all sections of the force affiliates such as the Scouts Association, Police Day Care Workers, Community Policing Groups, and Rural Constables, among others.

The march, unfortunately, did not draw as many spectators as in previous years but that did not prevent the parading ranks from performing their best march through the city streets for the few onlookers. And the parade got its largest viewing in the Stabroek Market area and Brickdam.

On Brickdam Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and Permanent Secretary Angela Johnson joined by Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud took the salute of the parading See page 24

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

First Lady addresses graduating class of Mc Gillivray Primary School

By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally

MC GILLIVRAY Primary School of Canal #1 Polder, West Bank Demerara held its 18th Annual Awards Ceremony Wednesday in very high spirits, since the school has produced a student in Guyana’s top 100 performers in the NGSA 2014 examinations, and has had a 25% increase in its overall performance.

Speaking to the large gathering of parents, guardians, teachers and well-wishers at the graduating exercise and awards ceremony, First Lady De-

olatchmee Ramotar urged that students take every step of their education seriously.

“This is only the beginning of your education.

All that you have learnt here will form the basis for your secondary education and life as a whole,” she confided.

She also emphasised: “If you are to be successful adults, it is vital to study and equip yourself with a good education. In fact, I am of the conviction that it is no longer sufficient to have a basic level education in this world; almost every job requires that a person have at least a first degree.”

The First Lady noted that she has seen, over the years, a lot of girls dominating in all examinations, and she urged the boys to take up the mantle to do better and be on par with the females of our country.

The First Lady also congratulated the teachers, parents and guardians on the great job they have been doing in regard to the children’s education, and urged them to continue to play a part in their children’s education, as this will give the children additional encouragement that would be needed for their success in life.

Also speaking at the awards ceremony, Region

First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar with parents and guardians of the students

First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar interacting with some of the graduating students.

3, Chairman Julius Faerber congratulated the students, and urged them to continue to be diligent where their education is concerned.

Head Mistress Vashti Paul announced that thirty-one students graduated from Mc Gillivray Primary, with thirty of them being awarded places in secondary schools.

She said the school recorded an overall 77% pass rate for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations of 2014, and Arian Ramdharie, who obtained 514 marks at the exams, was awarded a place at Queen’s College. She is Mc Gillivray Primary’s Top performer for 2014, and was also listed in the

Guyana Top 100 Performers at the NGSA. Ms. Paul congratulated the graduates on a job well done, and challenged the other students to better this year’s performance. Paul said that within her one year tenure at the school, she has much to be proud of, especially since one of the students has been placed within the top 100 students who wrote the NGSA 2014.

The Headmistress also related that, recently, one of the teachers on staff graduated from the Cyril Potter College of Education. “During the year, one teacher improved her qualifications, Ms. Onica Hinds; she is now a Class

One Grade One teacher.”

Ms. Paul also mentioned that a computer laboratory had been constructed in 2013, but the school has only now been able to furnish it with the necessary equipment.

She said also that other rehabilitation works were done to upgrade the school’s building and environment.

In brief remarks, top graduating student Arian Ramdharie thanked her parents, relatives, and teacher Ms. Onica Hinds for aiding in her success. She also urged her colleagues to better this year’s performance, and encouraged them to study and study hard.

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L-R Representative of the Ministry of Education Region #3; Headmitress of McGillivary Primary School Vashti Paul; First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar; and Chairman of Region #3, Julius Faerber with the graduating class of 2014.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Senior officers cheer those on the march as the Guyana Police Force celebrates its 175th anniversary

Police put on splendid performance th for 175 anniversary ...

From page 21 ranks, horses and dogs.

The procession then made its way back to Force Headquarters where, before gathering on the Drill Square according to customs and courtesies, the parade gave the eyes right salute to the Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud and other Assistant Commissioners of Police and Divisional Commanders.

Several of the persons taking part in the parade were doing so for the first time. Following the parade, participants were rewarded for their performance through the streets, and were judged by a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police and a retired Senior Superintendent.

While there were several areas of judging for the performances, the top three judging points were for the best male contingent, best female contingent and the overall best performer for the entire march.

Like last year, the Tactical Services Unit won the overall prize of cash and a trophy for their performance, while TSU Group 1 won the best male contingent, leaving the best performing female contingent to the Immigration Department.

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This week, amongst other things, we are celebrating our sexiest hotties, and talented souls, who are indeed taking Guyana to the next level in their every aspiration. But mark well, we cannot ever live with ourselves if we do not tease your readers taste buds or perk up your entertainment interests. There’s a lot inside that will fulfill you nicely, just like we do it everytime, so peruse the next three pages and send us your esoteric cogitations and Telephone Contact # 616 0301 or suggestions to email address spicekid235@yahoo.com Do enjoy the remainder of your weekend, and remember to 227 5216 return next Friday for an exciting serving of the mesmerising Entertainment Bombshell!!!

ABC’s ‘Rising Star’ showdown continues… Come on Guyana Raise that wall for our very own Lisa Punch on Sunday in search of a better life and with aims of further developing her musical career, and we must agree that she is definitely headed places.

This Sunday Lisa will faceoff in the duet round against the talented Alice Lee and folks knowing Punch, who loves a chalLisa Punch (right) and her competition, Alice Lee lenge and feisty competition, one, can only imagine IT’s not very often that our from a lineup of over 40,000 the sparks that will fly on local songstresses get to auditions across the US. that stage. One certainly make a name for themselves Lisa was selected with some has to give accolades to the internationally, but Guy- twenty nine other contesNational Communications anese Lisa Punch recently tants after And has successNetwork (NCN) for the created history when she fully made it into the second manner in which they have nailed a spot amongst the round of the competition. been supporting Lisa in ABC’s Reality Show in the Punch not so long ago mievery imaginable way. She USA for promising artistes grated to the foreign shores

Bombshell’s Most Provocative Babes…

Asha: The Indo-sista with the face and curves to die for

THIS hottie prefers to be called ‘Asha’, since that name best describes her sultry beauty and riotous Caribbean curves.

Whether at work, at lunch, or at play, the male species feel Asha’s presence like shockwaves; and even the females have reported receiving tremors.

This bombshell is intelligent, ambitious and very creative. She created svelte acronyms to describe her personality.

‘A’ as in “alluring” ‘S’ as in “sensational” ‘H’ as in “hot” ‘A’ as in “arresting” This beauty enjoys modelling, dancing, read-

of course was once a staff member at this entity.

My sincere hope is that all the other media houses inclusive of the KAIETEUR News, Guyana Times, Stabroek News and our many television stations will join forces in doing the same so as to create the buzz and stir needed here to promote this songbird as she so rightfully deserves to be.

Tune in to ABC on Sunday 13th July to watch our vocal queen and vote for #GUYANAPOWERHOUSE# TEAM LISA PUNCH #RISING STAR. Download your app and vote Guyana!!!

If you are in Guyana and you have an Android Phone, here is how you can dowload the APP…Go to www.1mobile.com Search for Rising Star ABC and click DOWNLOAD…You may be prompted to download the 1mobile APP also… Get It done and LET’S VOTE LISA PUNCH !!!

Here is How you can download the RISING STAR APP on your Iphone/Ipad Having trouble down-

loading the FREE but much needed Rising Star app to vote for our very own Lisa Punch on ABC? For those Ipad, IPod and Iphone users you would need to change your “account location” if you are outside of the USA, that’s the only way it will work. * Open App store, click on feature ( bottom left corner), scroll down to the bottom and select your Apple ID, choose view Account ( or View Apple ID), Change country/location to US, add a state and zip code and you are then able to download and register to vote. Remember you have to vote while she is performing…not before or after. NCN and HJTV will be airing the show live from 9pm Tonight. Tune in to ABC if you have a cable network.

You can vote through the app and vote via twitter, instagram and her fan page.

You can also follow her on those websites. Vote on all the sites Guyana!!! Vote for Lisa Punch and let’s create history!!!

Lisa Punch needs your votes to make it to the next

round. Come on Punchers and Team Punch, we can do this. Let us raise that wall!!!

ABC’s innovative new series “Rising Star,” which opens the gate to a new era in reality competition, kicks off its nationwide search for talent on Saturday, March 29th. The U.S. series is helmed by executive producers Ken Warwick (“American Idol”) and Nicolle Yaron (“The Voice”).

“Rising Star” completely reinvents the traditional singing competition as--for the first time ever--the audience has the final say in real time. The show follows a group of aspiring singers as they perform live.

During the performances, viewers vote in real time via an App to determine if the singer will advance in the competition. If the voting reaches a certain threshold, the performer moves on.

In addition, the performer can see how the voting is going throughout the performance, so the feedback is immediate and dramatic.

Bulletin!!! Bulletin!!! Bulletin!!!

‘Asha’ the humble beauty queen with a difference a number, because Asha ing, cooking, travelling, and did not leave any. She is interacting with intelligent not looking for a mate; she is just here to add glitz and individuals.

Well guys, don’t ask for dazzle to our pages.

A new and prestig ious entertainment entity owned by a Trinidadian-based Guyanese is seeking very attractiv e male and female dancers for weekend gigs of a lifetime.

Dancer s would be expected to create their own sizzling and sensual choreography for weekend shows at this newly opened nightclub, and interested persons are asked to call telephone number 677-3191 for more Here’s your chance to shine, folks… information.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

The captivating Miss Jamzone Jamaica, Joanna Sadler

GUYANA is readying yet again for a mega event that has become a ‘must have item’ on its entertainment calendar.

With Jamzone 2014 just around the corner, hosts Hits and Jams Entertainment are pleased to announce that a dazzling bevy of beauties

from around the world is more than ready to compete for this year’s coveted crown.

This year around, the divas have all vowed to put on a show like never before, and Bombshell takes pleasure in showcasing these hotties and all the Jamzone sizzle they are

The Jamzone Fever is here again… bringing to the local shores.

Let’s meet the delightful delegates.

H AT S O F F T O T H E SUAVE MISS JAMZONE JAMAICA! At 23 years old, Joanna Sadler holds an admirable position as a Real Estate Agent while still pursuing studies.

She boasts that her proudest moment was graduating with Honors with her Bachelor’s Degree in Architectural Studies.

Sadler says she would like to see Jamaica draw more from the culture of its people, rather than focus primarily on promoting the beauty of its environment.

She opines that Jamaicans have a unique way of life, which is very vibrant and worthy of being translated into a product for tourists.

She disclosed that she is intensely proud of her ‘Jamaican brothers and sisters’, whom she thinks can achieve anything with the right mindset.

“There are so many famous Jamaican actors/actresses, musicians, artistes, athletes, inventors and scientists…and they all make me proud to be Jamaican,” she said as she gave due recognition to Usain Bolt, Tessanne Chin, Bob Marley, and Professor Louis Grant, among others.

Presenting the sultry Miss Jamzone St. Vincent and the Grenadines APHESHA Matthews, 22, is currently a full-time student pursing an Accounting career, but she has a passion for pageantry!

She said she was drawn to the Miss Jamzone Pageant because it is a tourism-based competition and, being a Vincentian, she knows the talent which exists in these parts, although they have no platform to be showcased.

In this regard, she said, she would like to see development within the tourism sector of her country.

“I would like tourism to develop an avenue to accommodate those individuals. In return, tourists can see that we have more to offer than just our festival celebrations,” she pointed out.

Ms Matthews noted that her country is one of the most historic islands in the Caribbean, and she plans on using this to her advantage come pageant night.

In her spare time, Miss St. Vincent & the Grena-

The delightful Miss Jamzone St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Aphesa Matthews dines enjoys a good game of netball, football, or cricket with her friends;

or she might prefer to just listen to her favourite genre of music, soca!

tion.

The event was hosted at Punter ’s Place in Ann’s Grove, and this is the ninth year since Havecone has been staging the event, which seems to be getting progressively better with each staging. In a brief i n t e r v i e w, H a v e r c o n e told Bombshell that the initiative takes intense planning way ahead of execution, and that he does everything to ensure competing teams

are pleased with their prizes and his efforts.

Havercone is also the founder of the massive annual Buxton/Foulis Mashramani Road Parade and Show, which is quite a top notch event in the countryside. He is also popular for giving back to society, and would customarily make donations of cash and kind to schools and other institutions along the East Coast Corridor after hosting his many entertainment ventures.

Flashback!!!

Father Moey’s 2014 ‘Queen of Queens Maypole Showdown’ was unqualified success Ian ‘Father Moey’ Havercone.

POPULAR East Coast Demerara promoter Ian ‘Father Moey’ Havecone has done it again, staging one of the biggest and most impacting ‘Maypole Queen of Queens’ event at Ann’s Grove (East Coast Demerara) on Sunday last.

That event showcased maypole teams from Buxton, Bare Root, Haslington and Ann’s Grove.

Missing without explanation from the lot were teams from Belladrum, Central Mahaicony, and Enmore villages.

What started off as a somewhat sombre event because of inclement weather soon blossomed into a maypole stampede

at around 21:00 hrs when patrons came out in huge numbers to see their favourite teams battle for supremacy in the Maypole Danceoffs, Punctuality Showcase, Plaiting Contest, and Battle of the Queens segments.

The competition in each category was electrifying, since each team was well trained, and brought their ‘A’ Game to the forum. And the teams must

certainly be commended for their creativity, which was showcased in their colourful costumes and choreography.

In the end, it was the intelligent and beautiful Miss Beterverwagting who won the coveted ‘Queen of Queens’ title, with Buxton Village taking the prizes for Best Maypole Plaiting and Best Outfitted Team, while Bayroot took home the Punctuality Prize and the prize for Best Choreographed Dance presenta-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

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E-Networks Emerging Voices Grand Finale on Tonight!!

Artie Sookhai

THREE talented ladies from Berbice, Artie Sookhai, Gail Ann Singh and Vishalie Sukram, will compete to be E-Networks

Emerging Voice of 2014 in the Grand Finale of the series which airs tonight on E-Networks Channel 1 and LRTV at 7pm.The show will be rebroadcast on NTN on Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm and MTV on Wednesday at 6pm. It will also be posted to Youtube.

The competition among the three talented ladies has been intense thus far with each of them delivering outstanding performances throughout the competition which ran over the last 12 weeks.

Fans have been rallying behind their favourites and

social media is filled with good wishes and words of advice for the finalists.

The tough decision as to who will be the winner

Gail Ann Singh

rests with celebrity judges Jeffrey Iqbal, Dr. Vindhya

Don’t Do That!!!

Consumers should buy fruits from responsible vendors, not ‘vendazs’ I PERSONALLY think that fruit and vegetable vendors are allowed to get away with murder in Guyana.

And who’s to be blamed? Obviously it’s those careless housewives and others who come to the roadside markets on weekends to purchase items sold in just about any fashion.

Take, for instance, the other day when I was passing by the weekend market that stretched almost from the Ruimveldt Police Station to the vicinity of Saffon Street in Charlestown. My good readers, I was appalled at what greeted my eyes there. There were the buxom female vendors shouting, “Come get yuh fresh fruits and vegetables!” which of course was a cheery sound to the ears. But when my eyes darted around looking for the ‘fresh” items, I was aghast to find that pineapples, boulangers and other items had been placed flat on the road surface, which was wet and muddy from torrential downpours the night before.

And that’s not all: Everyone knows that this area is always filthy with the amount of garbage that builds up there, whether it’s market day or not. While junkies adore this fact, one must be wondering what the authorities responsible for cleaning are doing, since the garbage accumulation there is always alarming.

And if yuh see how dem silly housewives buying dem pineapples and vegetables dat deh pon dah dutty, muddy road. No wandah suh much ah dem getting sick nowadays, nat tuh mention deh children also.

Who knows what dangerous diseases have accumulated on the items sold there; and alarmingly, some people never wash their items before eating!

Readers, just picture the situation and the consequences of an outbreak of some dangerous diseases in our midst. Remember the song ‘Mind Jah lick yuh with diseases’?

Well, I think that the Ministry of Health should send out inspectors at all these market places, and penalise vendors found guilty of carelessly plying their trade in such an unhealthy environment. Maybe the situation warrants some drastic action to be taken against those who play Russian roulette with our health.

Perhaps the time has come when the authorities should begin removing all vendors involved in displaying items for sale on the ground in an obviously dangerous and unhealthy practice, until they learn to be responsible and considerate of the well-being of the loyal customers that support them.

OMG!!! Look how dem vendazs ah sell dem fruits flat pon ah dutty roadside!

Persaud and PurnashDurgaprasad.In addition to a song of their choice, the three finalists will be required to perform a standard test piece which was selected for them by the judges.Music for the show is provided by the E-networks band which has been wowing viewers with its versatility.

The band is made up of musicians from India and Guyana.

Also performing on the Grand Finale will be judges Jeffrey Iqbal and PurnashDurgaprasad and the Dharmic NrityaSangh. It promises to be action packed.

With a first prize of one million dollars up for grabs, the competition has been intense thus far with the artistes pulling out all stops to present their best.

An added bonus for all the participants has been the

Vishalie Sukram

training provided byBollywood playback singer Jeffrey Iqbal and Guyanese born outstanding singer PurnashDurgaprasad, who have worked long hours with the contestants to ensure that quality performances are delivered.

The show is hosted by the beautifulZahrahAlliofNayaZamanafame.

E-Networks launched the reality television se-

ries “Emerging Voices” in an effort to unearth good voices, fresh talent and energetic young performers who will give a boost to Guyana’s budding music industry. Focusing on Hindi and Bollywood Music,auditions were held countrywide following whichtwenty-two persons were selected by judges Jeffrey Iqbal, PurnashDurgaprasad and Dr. Vindhya Persaud to take part in the series.

It is noted that, in addition to the prizes announced, the top two contestants will have an opportunity to visit India for musical exposure and training. E-Networks has been supported in this venture by Torginol Paints, Sujata Curry Powder, NTN Television and King’s Jewellery World.

Photo of the Week Shivanie Sugrim

SOME girls just possess a wild, unmatched, adventurous sexiness, and it often comes to light when they come face to face with Mother Nature. Here in photo, our very own Shivanie Sugrim unleashed her desirable side when she became enveloped in the throes of the tropical

fever conjured by the mysterious Rupununi Savannahs (Guyana).

While there, the heat of the wild tropics took to her soul, and she just exploded like never before. She bared a little skin, galloped in the savannahs, and just exhaled like she never did before.

The Bombshell cameras followed her every move,

and we are more than elated to have her featured on the back of a pretty horse with which she took an instant fancy.

Don’t be afraid folks...

Let go of you inhibitions and you, too, may be caught doing the things you adore by the roving Bombshell cameras.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Let’s tell it like it is...

Is whea de people pageant money deh?

WELL, I can’t believe that people in this beautiful land of ours keeping big time pageant and, months after, the beauty queens still can’t collect their money.

Well ah certain big time promotah done host a pajjant several months now, and till now neidha de queen nor dem runners-up can get deh prize money and adda lucrative perks yet! Well, yestaday, we was lucky to talk to dem gyals, and one ah dem even crying, cause she gon soon hand ovah she crown to de

next queen and she ain’t collect nothing as yet. Like she “collect” spell “colic” And de most annoying thing about it is dat de promotah ain’t even badderin fuh gie de gyals ah prappah explanation as to wheah de prize money deh!

Well, I can’t undastand why some people do even bother to keep the big time pageants when they know they have not accumulated the prize money.

Ah mean, people, what in heaven’s name can create such ah prolonged delay in distributing prize money to

the winner!? Ah mean, if yuh tek ah week or so fuh give out de money, people can undastand. But months afta?

Ah wha ah guh awn, eh??

That is just downright terrible!!!

Ah mean, when yuh wuk, obviously yuh looking out fuh get yuh pay. Is wha dese people really hear seh, eh?

Even dem lil stupidie pageant promotahs does mek sure dem gyals receive dem prize money de same night.

Suh tell me why, in a much bigger pageant, dem contestant got fuh wait suh lang?

Look how dem gyals crying fuh dem money, eh? Is advantage!!

Shame! Shame!! Shame pon dem promotahs!!!

Well, dem gyal terribly afraid fuh talk out tuh, becawz dem afraid dem get victimize. Suh dem run tuh de Bombshell fuh help dem.

But honestly, although we get de facts, Bombshell ain’t gon tumble out de green guava out ah de basket at all.

Not me folks, not me!!!

But I ain’t afraid tuh she dat when people wuk

dem must get pay; or in adda words: Don’t keep no pageant at all! Read through de lines people.

Hope by the end ah dis wek dem gyals get pay as dem rightfully deserve.

Westside to come alive with ‘Champion of Champions Vehicle Sound Off’ tomorrow IT has now been confirmed that the 2014 ‘ We s t s i d e C h a m p i o n of Champions Vehicle Sound Off’ is set for tomorrow at the Goed Fortuin Community Centre Ground, West Bank Demerara.

‘Promoter Benjie’, o f B e n j a m i n ’s E n t e rtainment, has said that close to 25 participants have so far signed up to participate in a venture that will see SUVs,

cars, vans, bikes and m i n i - b u s e s f a c i n g o ff in a ‘boombastic sound clash’ to determine which vehicles are fitted with the hardest, loudest, and cleanest sounds.

This competition will see steamy clashes between contenders vying for top honours in the twelve- and eighteen-inch speaker categories.

The top finalists will be awarded lucratively from a whopping prize package

of over $250,000. Parents are urged to bring out the kids to witness this fantastic event, since it will also feature a merrygo-round, bouncy castle, trampoline, and more for the family. Hot, spicy bar-b-que will also be on sale.

Amongst the many attractions are guest appearances by the 2013 Miss Bootilicious Lingerie Divas.

Music will be supplied

by Stereo Sonics and TRS Sounds alongside Entertainer Ras. Admission is easy.

‘Chow Pow’ blazing Guyanese comedy throughout the Caribbean GUYANA’s most popular comedian, Kirk “Chow Pow’ Jardine, has of late been flying the Golden Arrowhead high on stages in Barbados and St. Maarten, where he has carried his comedian role with great success.

‘Chow Pow’ began his stand up career in 2005 at the Guyana Upscale Restaurant, and has since been performing throughout the length and breadth of Guyana.

He first wooed the Barbadian audience on June 8, 2014 when he performed at the ‘Laugh Out Loud’ Caribbean Comedy show at the Sir Garfield Stadium in Barbados alongside the likes of Errol Fabien, Trevor Eastman, ‘Ity’, ‘Fancy Cat’ and Mc Fingal. Reports from the ‘land of the flying fish’ dictates that ‘Chow Pow’, as he is more popularly known, delivered a twenty-five-minute performance that left the Bajan audience wanting more; they just couldn’t get enough of him.

Chow Pow then moved with his ‘funny stories’ to St. Maarten on June 27 & 28 for the ‘Laff Til Yuh Belly Bust’ Comedy festival, which featured world renowned comedian/actor Eddie Griffin; ‘Trixx’ of Canada; Tom-

my Joseph; the ‘Saint’ of Trinidad; ‘Elva’ of Jamaica; ‘Felicity’ from London; and ‘Miranda’, who represented St. Lucia.

The talented local stand-up comedian stated that his recent gig was actually the biggest stage that he has performed on to date. Not only was the show attended by Government representatives in St Maarten, but he was highly commended for his performance.

The following Monday, the Daily Herald newspaper of St Maarten headlined that Chow Pow had set the tone for the show on the first night, and was one of the best alongside Trixx of Canada. He afterwards received the headline spot on the final night of the festival.

“This just proves that we here in Guyana are the best kept secret of the Caribbean,” Chow Pow said. What’s next for the ‘Pow’? “Well, I am not sure, but some guys from Jamaica, Antigua and Montserrat have made contact with me, but nothing has been finalized; so, until then, me and my team will be heading to Berbice for shows there,” the ‘Pow’ disclosed.

Talented Guyanese comedian Kirk ‘Chow Pow’ Jardine

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Aries March 21 - April 19

The prospect of failure is not one that you acknowledge. Where other people see risk, you see an opportunity just waiting to be grabbed. This attitude could bring you a lot of success at this time. Friends and colleagues may wonder how you get the guts to do the things you do. It’s fine if you take pride in it -- but don’t ever ask people why they aren’t willing to take such risks themselves. Remember, it takes all kinds ....

Taurus April 20 - May 20

If you’re spending time with strangers or acquaintances, a getting-to-know-you session might be in order. A sweet, self-effacing approach is twice as likely to succeed as a bold, bulldozing one. Even if something’s old news to you, it might be best to pretend that you’re somewhat surprised. That way, other people won’t feel silly. Remember, every little niche in society is different; people from other parts of the globe will not have the same frame of reference you do. Sometimes these differences can be assets.

Gemini May 21 - June 21

You may feel as though you’re writing and starring in your own personal soap opera today.

This might be one of those times when a romantic relationship becomes so complicated and dramatic that it blocks out every other aspect of your life. Remember that you can direct it as well. There isn’t as much involved as you would think. Decide what you want the ending to be like, and make it so. When things start to get too crazy, a good dose of humour will really help.

Cancer June 22 - July 22

It’s easier to solve other people’s problems than your own -- but you have to start looking at what’s right in front of your nose. That’s why it’s a good time to forget about everyone else’s dilemmas and special needs. You didn’t sign up to be everyone else’s psychotherapist -- you have your own problems! Does it really make you feel that guilty? Or are you just a little less than enthusiastic about facing up to the problems in your own domain?

Leo July 23 - August 22

Make sure everyone around you has plenty to talk about for the next week or so. You’re out to have fun today and you won’t be stopped by any petty-minded peons or frowning naysayers. You’re liable to attract quite a fun and lively crowd. You don’t need to find the party -- you can start one all on your own. Send someone a surprise striptease or a certain cutie a huge bouquet of balloons. Turn the tables. Break the mold.

Virgo August 23 - September 22

You may be forced to pass on an exciting event due to family or work obligations. While everyone else compliments you on your oh-so-responsible attitude, you might be gritting your teeth and wishing you could throw responsibility out the window. Sadly, you’ve embraced it too tightly for too long; now you’re all tangled up. Maybe you should think about pulling back gradually from your duties. That way, you can be spontaneous without dropping the ball. If you think you can rearrange things on short notice, go for it.

Libra September 23 - October 22

It’s a good time to assess your progress at work or your vocation. You’ve made great strides, and with any luck, some good connections as well. What is the next step going to be? Maybe you want to expand operations, either for yourself or for an entire organisation.

Definitely get other people’s opinions, no matter what you’re up to. Friends, colleagues and respected acquaintances have a lot to add. Plenty of questions will probably be asked and answered.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21

Some of your more materially minded friends might convince you to make a huge purchase. Are you suddenly a status shopper? This may entail more of a financial commitment than you want to make. It’s easy to grab at the latest clothing trend, cool car and chic vacation spot. The overhead, however, might be a lot more than you can handle.

Just because everyone else is mired in credit card debt doesn’t mean you have to be. Break free of the buy-it-now mindset.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21

Very little could put a damper on your high spirits today -- in fact, it’s more than likely you’ll bring other people’s energy up. You know just the right thing to say to make someone feel better about whatever. Most of what you say is sincere, too. No wonder you’re at the top of everyone’s social lists. Check your email and voicemail often -- you’ll probably get a steady stream of messages. A happy surprise may be on its way.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19

From the starting point, the finish line looks far, far away. However, once you hit your stride, you’ll eat up the distance like it’s nothing. It doesn’t matter whether you’re working out, taking on a new business project or changing your entire lifestyle. The same rules apply: Concentrate on the moment. Put every ounce of energy into the task at hand. You’ll be exhausted when you finish -- but you’ll finish far sooner than you might expect.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18

Join an activity group or a professional organisation. It’s a good way to meet people with similar interests -- especially when you’re in the mood to get out and mingle with likeminded people. It’s all well and good to be independent and self-sufficient -- just not all the time. Romance may have to take a back seat to camaraderie. Dating games are just not nearly as interesting as good conversation.

Pisces February 19 - March 20

Don’t give advice unless someone asks for it specifically. If you can manage to keep a low profile, the office hothead will probably sweep right by you without a second glance. That may prove difficult, if only because you’re in the mood to call out the bully and fight them on their own turf. A noble desire, to be sure, but perhaps not the wisest one in the long run.

Let the boss solve the problem -- that’s what she gets paid for!

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

LCPL to kick off in style in Grenada - Biggest Party in Sport to get even bigger, according to players, coaches and legends ST GEORGE’S, Grenada - Excitement is reaching fever pitch across the Caribbean in anticipation of the 2014 Limacol Caribbean Premier League, which begins today on the beautiful Spice Isle of Grenada.

Speaking at yesterday’s launch event for CPL 2014, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Damien O’Donohoe, captains, coaches and legendary West Indies mentors, all spoke of their excitement for the competition, and promised an even bigger, better and more exciting spectacle than last year’s tournament, which thrilled sell-out crowds across the region, earning the nickname ‘The Biggest Party in Sport’.

The players have already been getting into the swing of things ahead of the tournament, with a group of CPL stars, including Kieron Pollard, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle and Daniel Vettori, taking part in a beach cricket match with local youngsters in Grenada, experiencing first-hand the

excitement that people on the Spice Isle have for the arrival of the CPL. The tournament kicks off today at the National Cricket Stadium, Grenada, with the Guyana Amazon Warriors, captained by new West Indies Test skipper Denesh Ramdin, and featuring global T20 stars, Sunil Narine and Lendl Simmons, taking on Antigua Hawksbills, led by Marlon Samuels, coached by former Australia boss, Tim Nielsen, and mentored by the great Sir Viv Richards.

Tomorrow sees a mouthwatering double-header for the people of Grenada to enjoy.

First up, legendary former West Indies openers, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, go headto-head as team mentors, when the Red Steel, led by Dwayne Bravo, face off against Kieron Pollard’s Barbados Tridents.

The opening weekend draws to a close with Chris Gayle’s defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs, taking on West Indies T20

Chris Gayle captain Darren Sammy and the St Lucia Zouks.

O’Donohoe said: “After the huge success of the inaugural tournament, we’ve got a lot to live up to, but we’re confident this year will be even better. We’ve got some fantastic players, coaches and mentors on board, and you can expect bigger hitting, bigger crowds and an even bigger party!”

Chris Gayle, Jamaica Tallawahs captain, said: “There’s nothing better than playing in front of full crowds in the Caribbean. CPL is the Biggest Party in Sport and I’ve

already seen how excited everybody is for the tournament to come to Grenada, so I can’t wait to give the fans something to cheer about.”

Robin Singh, Barbados Tridents coach, said: “I’ve coached and played all over the world, but the atmosphere in the CPL is something else. The players are raring to go and we’re looking forward to putting on a good show for the people of the Caribbean.”

Sir Viv Richards, Antigua Hawksbills mentor, added: “Last year’s tournament was a massive success. The cricket was of a high quality, and it reignited local interest in the domestic game, so I’m looking forward to more of the same in 2014.”

The Limacol Caribbean Premier League runs from July 11 to August 16, with 30 matches taking place over 37 days.

In addition, the final week of the tournament, in St Kitts and Nevis, will host Beefy’s Bash, an all-star charity match featuring Sir Ian Botham, Brian Lara and Piers Morgan, as well as a concert by hiphop megastar, Rick Ross.

Jamaica humble T&T, Windwards win easily

SCARBOROUGH, Trinidad (CMC) – Titleholders Trinidad and Tobago produced a limp batting performance, to go down to Jamaica by seven wickets, in the second round of the Regional Under-17 Championship here yesterday.

Playing at Bon Accord, T&T could only muster 124 all out off 26.1 overs after choosing to bat first, and Jamaica easily overhauled the target in 26.2 overs.

Brandon Maharaj top-scored with 25 while captain Bryan Boodram got 22 and Keagan Simmons, 20 but it was Jamaica’s bowlers who took centre stage as they limited their opponents.

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Tyrone Daley snatched three for 21 and captain Michael Frew, three for 24, while Javelle Glenn (2-12) and Devaraine Rowe (2-13) picked up two wickets apiece.

Tottering at 88 for seven in the 21st over, T&T were in danger of being dismissed under 100 before Maharaj and Boodram arrived to add 32 runs for the eighth wicket and boost the innings.

In reply, Jamaica were reduced to 48 for three in 13th over after Kirstan Kallicharan (2-23) grabbed two early wickets. However, Frew and Glenn combined in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 77, to see Jamaica home.

Glenn top-scored with 40 from 49 balls with two sixes

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while Frew hit 32 from 36 deliveries with a four and two sixes.

At Shaw Park, opener Anil Matthews stroked a halfcentury to help Windward Islands defeat Leeward Islands by 36 runs.

Sent in, the Windwards tallied 162 all out off 34.3 overs thanks to Matthew’s 55 off 66 balls with nine fours. In reply, the Leewards were dismissed for 126 off 33.4 overs.

Matthew helped give the Windwards a strong start, adding 88 with Christian Charlery whose 36 came at better than a run-a-ball, and included three fours and two sixes, but the innings went into decline with only Emmanuel Stewart, batting

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at number three, showing any resistance with 35 from 58 deliveries.

Jaidel Richardson (2-7), Karima Gore (2-16) and Zubin Deyal (2-22) were the other wicket-takers.

The Leewards were then rocked by Daryl Cyrus who claimed four for 20 while new-ball bowler Ryan John claimed three for 12 after cruising at 53 for one in the 14th over but lost their last nine wickets for 73 runs, with Ross Powell topscoring with 29 and Dimitri Adams got 25.

At Louis D’or, rain forced the contest between Guyana and Barbados to be abandoned without a ball bowled.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Expect Realistic Expectations PRESIDENT of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), K Juman-Yassin, says that the nation can expect realistic performances from this year’s team of athletes who will be representing Guyana at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 3.

Yassin shared these sentiments at a press briefing held yesterday at the GOA headquarters, where he was joined by representatives of the seven sporting disciplines which will be representing Guyana at the event, adding that he ultimately expects the athletes to perform to their best.

“What we are doing we

President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), K. Juman-Yassin (at centre) is flanked by other heads and officials of the sport disciplines which will be representing Guyana at the upcoming Commonwealth Games. are sending the best we are giving them the exposure and we are hoping for the best. What we are doing is we are investing. We have been giving financial

contributions; we have taken teams to different games; that is what we can do. It is for the athletes themselves to do the best they can, and if they do the best they can

Guyana beaten 73-53 by St Vincent to end Group stage winless

By Rawle Toney GUYANA suffered their third consecutive defeat at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) championship for women yesterday, this time losing to St Vincent and the Grenadines 73-57 when the tournament continued in Tortola.

It was a much better performance from the Guyanese, unlike their two previous games where they were soundly thrashed by Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.

The starting team of captain Natasha Alder, Sonia Rodney, Shauna Chester, Ginelle Ifill and Shakeila Sampson did enough to give the Guyanese team a little hope of victory early in the game, ending the first quarter trailing 14-9.

Rodney, the diminutive point guard was fearless on the court as she took the game to her much larger St Vincent opponents and at one point was the one keeping Guyana’s scoreboard ticking. She ended the game with 13 points and four steals.

Ifill (six points, six rebounds and three blocks) was superb

Sonia Rodney on the court, but coach Ann Gordon’s mismanagement of the team could also be blamed for the Guyana’s loss.

Tamara Hunter was inserted in the game during the first half and she did well enough to score nine points and grab an equal number of rebounds but Gordon, even when the guard was tired and costing the team by not getting back on defence, still kept her (Hunter) on the floor.

Philomena George, daughter of legendary coach the late Phillip ‘One Foot’ George, made good use of the time she was given and scored 10 points and at halftime, SVG led 36-20 but Guyana came alive in the third quarter.

The Guyanese women, behind Rodney, outscored St Vincent 20-14, ending the penultimate period with a 10-point deficit, as the scoreboard read 50-40 in favour of the eventual victors.

Sampson ended the game with 11 and along with Rodney and George helped inspire Guyana to a good third quarter but then, the local ladies seemed to ran out of steam in the period that mattered the most, the final one.

Guyana did not defend well and allowed SVG to hammer them, especially in the paint, while Ifill, who was the rimprotector for Guyana in the first half, spent most of her time on the bench.

Sorayah Williams (16), Shavern Weekes (17) and Vasha Adams (10) were the women who carried the burden for scoring for St Vincent and saw their country pick up their first win of the tournament.

we really can’t complain,” Yassin said.

He conveyed that too often the nation has high hopes for the athletes prior to their performance without

proper justification for these expectations, then “we are disappointed when the athletes’ performances do not match up with impractical expectations.

“When we send our team we send the best that we have in Guyana; whether they medal or not it depends on the day that they perform; but you could gauge, even before they perform, what are their chances.

“If you look at the times of our (athletes) and compare them with the person who came first and the person who came last at the event, and we’re far behind that then you know we are in trouble.” Yassin expressed.

Picking up on the point was cycling enthusiast Hector Edwards, who noted that

when Guyana sends athletes abroad they are looking at future investments, since attendance at these events are all part of preparing the athletes’ future greatness.”

Guyana’s team, who will be participating in athletics, cycling, rifle shooting, swimming, table tennis, squash and boxing, will mark a few milestones with female table tennis and boxing, as young Theresa London will be competing in the 75kg category, as a debut participant.

Most of the team members are scheduled to depart Guyana on July 18, while several of the athletes on the team are currently overseas and will be travelling from their respective countries.

Openers miss out on New Zealand central contracts (REUTERS) New Zealand’s search for stability at the top of the order looks set to continue after Peter Fulton and Hamish Rutherford were dropped from the list of players awarded central contracts by New Zealand Cricket yesterday.

While both could still be included in squads in the next 12 months, the fact they had not been included in the 20-player list indicated NZC were preparing to seek alternative openers for the Test side.

New Zealand have struggled with a stable opening partnership for the better part of a decade, though Fulton and Rutherford hinted at potential against England last year when they put on 158 for the first wicket, with Rutherford scoring 171 on debut.

In the 11 Tests they have opened New Zealand’s batting since, however, they have combined for a total of 539 runs for the first wicket at a modest average of 26.75 and in seven of the 20 innings, their partnership scored less than 10 runs, while they have passed 50 just four times.

Six new players were handed central contracts, with young pace bowlers Adam Milne and Matt Henry the most notable inclusions as the selectors look ahead to the World

Cup, which New Zealand will co-host with Australia in early 2015.

Both Milne and Henry impressed earlier this year in limited overs matches, with the former reaching speeds in excess of 150 km per hour before they both suffered injuries.

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson had said Milne was someone who would need to be managed carefully as he continued to grow physically and develop his game.

“We’ll just have to pick and choose when we use him because we don’t want him to be someone that bursts on the scene and then we bust him and then we don’t see him for a couple of years,” Hesson told reporters earlier this year.

“So it’s something we’ve got to continue to manage.”

SPIN OPTIONS Spinners Ish Sodhi and Mark Craig were also given central contracts after both impressed in Test cricket in the past year.

Leg-spinner Sodhi is considered a development project by the team, though the emergence of offspinner Craig on the recent West Indies tour, where New Zealand won the Test series 2-1, has improved competition in the slowbowling department.

“While we accept that Mark and Ish are by no means the finished product, they are promising bowlers

that we want to invest time in,” chairman of selectors Bruce Edgar said in a statement.

New Zealand’s series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in November would also allow the team to take two specialist spinners into the Test matches, Edgar added.

All-rounder Jimmy Neesham was also given a central contract after he scored centuries in his first two Tests, while wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi, who has become a limited overs specialist, was also named on the list.

“Jimmy and Luke are both consistent members of our shorter form teams and they’ve recently been selected in our Test squad as well,” Edgar said.

Edgar added that Tom Latham was the only opening batsman awarded with a central contract, though it would not preclude other players from forcing their way into selection for matches.

Contracted players: Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Mark Craig, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling and Kane Williamson.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Cook fails again after India frustrate England Nottinghamshire’s chief executive.

“The idea that as a chief executive I would put pressure on to produce any sort of pitch is a bit silly, actually,” Lisa Pursehouse was quoted as saying by the BBC.

By Sam Holden (REUTERS) - Alastair Cook’s torrid form continued as England made a shaky start to their innings on the second day of the opening Test at Trent Bridge after India’s stubborn tail frustrated the hosts yesterday.

England’s under-pressure captain was bowled off his thigh pad for five as his side closed on 43-1 in reply to India’s 457, which included a 111-run partnership between Bhuvneshwar Kumar and number 11 Mohammed Shami - a last-wicket record for India against England.

Cook, whose team have lost six of their last seven Tests, has now scored only 606 runs in his last 13 Tests at an average of 24.24.

“Credit to the Indian pair they didn’t give us the last wicket,” Stuart Broad, who took two wickets for 53 runs, told Sky Sports.

“It was frustrating but we tried pretty much everything with the ball. It was 50

Mahendra Dhoni is run-out for 82 by James Anderson’s direct hit. overs old and it wasn’t doing much. In that session it was actually 90-4 but we walked off frustrated. It’s a good pitch to bat on. It could have been 600.”

After watching India post a healthy total on a battingfriendly pitch, Cook arrived at the crease determined to shake off his poor run, but his luck refused to change.

Looking nervous from the first ball, Cook was a little unlucky when he moved across his crease and Shami’s delivery deflected

off his thigh pad on to the stumps, but Sam Robson (20) and Gary Ballance (15) got England through to stumps without many more alarms.

England had prospered earlier in the day, taking five wickets either side of lunch to reduce India to just 346-9 after the visitors had begun the day well placed on 2594.

India were cruising towards the 500 barrier when they reached 342-5 at lunch with Murali Vijay having earlier

been out for 146 and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni 81 not out.

Two wickets for Ben Stokes, one for Broad and the brilliant run-out of Dhoni

by James Anderson shortly after the interval threatened to ruin India’s day.

It was a surprising turn of events on a flat, slow pitch that drew criticism and led to claims it had been designed to ensure the match goes the distance in order to maximise revenue, an accusation dismissed by

BLISTERING SPELL Opportunities were few and far between for the hosts’ bowlers but their patience paid off in a blistering spell at the start of the afternoon session as India lost four wickets for two runs.

Stokes, who had little reward for his efforts in the previous sessions, struck in the second over after the interval when Ravindra Jadeja (25) recklessly swung at a ball outside off stump and was caught behind by Matt Prior.

Dhoni fell soon after to Anderson’s direct hit and four balls later debutant Stuart Binny drove at a Stokes delivery and found the grateful hands of Joe Root.

Paceman Broad wasted no time in getting in on the act when he clattered the ball into Ishant Sharma’s stumps.

Any hope that England would finish off India quickly disappeared though as Kumar and Shami batted superbly to add more than 100 runs to the total, both registering their first Test 50s.

Spinner Moeen Ali, who had been targeted by India’s batsmen, finally made the breakthrough when Kumar chipped straight to Root at mid-on to end their innings.

The day had started well for the tourists and Vijay looked to be on his way to his third Test 150 but fell to a marginal lbw decision off Anderson, ending a 126-run fifth-wicket stand with his captain.

Replays showed the ball was bouncing over the stumps but with the series not employing the decision review system - India refuse to use it - the wicket could not be challenged.

Tour de France - Greipel wins stage six in Reims (REUTERS) - Germany’s Andre Greipel (Lotto Belisol) ended compatriot Marcel Kittel’s hot run in the Tour de France with an emphatic sprint victory in stage six at Reims yesterday.

The German national champion powered past Norway’s Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Frenchman Samuel Dumoulin (Ag2RLa Mondiale) after triple stage winner Kittel (Giant Shimano) was distanced inside the final kilometre of the sodden 194km stage from Arras.

It later emerged that Kittel had a puncture - not that this took the smile off Greipel’s face, the 31-year-old sprinter securing his sixth career win on the Tour and his first major scalp since returning from surgery on a broken collarbone earlier in the season.

“It was a really nervous day today and I’m really happy with my team who kept me near the front - particularly near the end with all those roundabouts,” said Greipel.

“I lost a lot of energy positioning myself but with two hundred and fifty metres to go I just went for it.”

Greipel denied that he has lost confidence following

Kittel’s run of three stage wins and his own succession of low finishes in the bunch sprints. “Yes, there was a lot of pressure on us but we finally got out win,” he said.

“We didn’t panic and it was a deserved win.”

With Mark Cavendish out of the race, Omega PharmaQuick Step looked to employ different tactics in the finale as Polish youngster Michal Kwiatkowski - the white jersey - burst clear of the pack inside the final kilometre.

Kwiatkowski opened up a sizeable gap before being reeled in by Europcar’s Kevin Reza, who believed he had team-mate Bryan Coquard on his wheel. When Reza slowed with 300m remaining the bunch sprint ensued and Greipel took his cue to dance on the pedals by turning those trademark ham thighs.

Milan-San Remo winner Kristoff was forced to settle for second place with Dumoulin, Australia’s Mark Renshaw (Omega PharmaQuick Step) and Slovakia’s Peter Sagan (Cannondale) completing the top five.

Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) finished safely in the pack to retain his twosecond lead over team-mate Jakob Fuglsang in the overall

Lotto-Belisol team rider Andre Greipel of Germany celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 194 km sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race from Arras to Reims. (Reuters) standings and he (Nibali) praised his Astana team for keeping him safe from a succession of crashes and crosswinds that wrecked havoc on the peloton.

What had been a rather routine and transitional day in the saddle was turned on its head by a spate of crashes either side of the intermediate sprint at Pinon as the pack chased down a four-man break that rolled along a couple of minutes ahead.

Riding fast on the sweeping descent of the first of two category four climbs, the peloton was split by a pile-up that saw Spaniard Xabier Zandio (Team Sky) abandon with a suspected broken collarbone along with the Russian Egor Silin of Katusha. French national

champion Arnaud Demare (FDJ) was one of a dozen riders also involved.

Moments after Sagan picked up the maximum remaining points at the intermediate sprint to consolidate his lead in the green jersey competition the Slovakian lost control on the slippery tarmac. Sagan was receiving treatment on his left arm and leg from the medical car when another pile-up ensued on the long, exposed ridge of Chemin des Dames.

Frenchmen Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) and JeanChristophe Peraud (Ag2RLa Mondiale) hit the deck with a cluster of riders, with Spaniard Jesus Hernandez - a team-mate of Alberto Contador at Tinkoff-Saxo becoming another casualty of the race on a day which

also saw Argentina’s Max Richeze (Lampre) fail to take to the start.

Crosswinds and some fierce pace-setting by Omega Pharma-Quick Step created more splits in the peloton, with Sagan, Demare and a raft of other riders who had been caught up in the crashes, riding a minute off the pace. With the breakaway’s lead reeled into less than a minute, the pace slowed and Sagan was allowed to fight back on before the run-in to the finish.

Richie Porte - elevated to Team Sky’s protected rider following the withdrawal of defending champion Chris Froome during stage five - described the day’s racing as both “stressful” and “horrible”. But after finishing safely in the pack, the Australian promised fans that Sky were “here to fight” despite another hefty setback in the loss of Zandio.

Spain’s Alberto Contador also lost a key Spanish lieutenant after Hernandez crashed and suffered concussion. “It’s very hard for me. I had a lot of confidence in him and I’m hoping he’ll be ready for the Vuelta,” he said.

FOUR-MAN BREAK Dutchman Tom Leezer

(Belkin), Spaniard Luis Mate (Cofidis) and Frenchmen Jerome Pineau (IAM Cycling) and Arnaud Gerard (Bretagne-Seche) formed the day’s main break shortly after the start in Arras, quickly building up a maximum lead of over four minutes before Giant Shimano started to lead the chase.

Already part of the breakaway in Tuesday’s fourth stage, Mate crested the summit of both Cat.4 climbs of the day to protect the polka dot jersey of his team-mate Cyril Lemoine.

The escapees saw their lead whittled down to just 35 seconds following the intermediate sprint before stretching out the gap back above the minute mark.

But there was only ever one script for the day - a mass bunch sprint with a German winner - and the plucky riders were swept up by the peleton inside the final 15km.

Mate and Peraud persisted out in front for a few futile kilometres before the Cofidis man finally threw in the towel with 10km remaining - just as a split in the peloton saw French national champion Arnaud Demare (FDJ) distanced with around 30 other riders.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Ramnaresh Sarwan’s future unclear (BBC SPORTS) - Eight Leicestershire players have signed new deals, but overseas player Ramnaresh Sarwan’s future is unclear.

Jigar Naik, Rob Taylor, Tom Wells, Rob Sayer, Ben Raine, James Sykes and Lewis Hill will stay until the end of 2015.

Left-arm fast bowler Atif Sheikh has also agreed a deal after a successful trial against the Indian tourists, but Sarwan’s deal runs out this summer “Talks with Ronnie (Sarwan) are ongoing,” director of cricket Phil Whitticase told BBC Radio Leicester.

The West Indies batsman has only played five Championship games so far this summer, scoring 184 runs at an average of 18.4 and has made just one appearance in the T20 Blast, while he has played

87 Tests, 181 one-day internationals and 18 T20 games for West Indies, but none since June 2013.

“It has been a bit frustrating for everybody that Ronnie has had that back injury and that has led to his not being on the field as often as we would have liked him to have been,” said Whitticase.

“I think that has also affected the performances he has put in when he has been on the field so those are discussions that we are having.”

Leicestershire are also talking to other first-team players, including Josh Cobb, Nathan Buck, Ned Eckersley and Angus Robson.

Whitticase says the club has received approaches for some of its out-ofcontract players, but is ready to offer them terms.

Ramnaresh Sarwan

Prepared Junior CASA team leaves today A well prepared team of 17 young squash players are scheduled to depart local shores in the earlier hours tomorrow [FRIDAY] morning for Bermuda where they are scheduled to represent Guyana’s efforts at this year’s Junior Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Championships which will be held from 13 – 19 July.

The team of nine boys and eight girls will be travelling alongside national coach Carl Ince, and team manager Garfield Wiltshire, and Ince believes that the reigning champions are as ready as they will ever be to give a good show for themselves at the prominent event.

Notwithstanding the prospect that the other countries have been training just as much as, or even more than, the Guyana side, Ince believes that Guyana stands a very good chance of retaining their title.

“Yes, they are well prepared.

Each year when we go in thinking that we didn’t train as many times as we want to, because of commitments, we tend to forget that the other countries also face some of the same challenges. If they all play to the best of their abilities I think we stand a very good chance.” Ince

conveyed yesterday.

Guyana will be entering the competition as the team to beat having a stronghold nine consecutives win of the overall team title at the annual event. Guyana also stands with the boys and girls team titles. The Guyana’s girls’ team has an imposing eight consecutive wins of the girls’ team title, while the boys had alternating wins over the years prior to last year’s win.

Before the players are given the chance to fight it out for the team titles, the competition will open with play in individual categories where the players will fight for the boys’ and girls’ under 19, under 17, under 15 and under 13 titles.

On the Guyana side, Nyron Joseph will be the only current title holder.

However, the three time Caribbean junior champion will not be able to defend his title after having advanced out of the age category.

Joseph, who last year won the boys’ under 17 title, will this year be playing in the boys’ under 19 category alongside compatriot Jean Claude Jeffrey.

Joseph is not the only player who will be experiencing a new level of competition after aging into a new category, something that

Ince believes will also be a challenge for the players, when they participate in the individual categories.

“When you move up to a category you meet stronger opponents and most of them move up so it’s a challenge for the players, but team wise we stand a much better chance.” Ince said.

Benjamin Mekdeci who played in the boys under 15 last year will be in the under 17 category this time around, also moving up a category are Akeila Wiltshire and Gabrielle Fraser who have moved into the girls under 19 category, this year, after having played in the girls under 17 category last year.

However the Guyana team has been known to face such challenges in the past and has always managed to rise to the occasion.

Other members on the team include Alec Melville and Matthew Phang in the boys under 17 category, Alex Cheeks in the boys under 15 and Shomari Wiltshire, and Danielle and Anthony Islam in the boys under 13 category.

On the girls side Wiltshire and Fraser will be joined

by Victoria Arjoon in the girls’ under 19 category, Lorissa Wiltshire and Taylor Fernandes will be in the girls under 17 category,

Rebecca Lowe and Sarah Lewis in the girls’ under 15 and young Makida Harding will be Guyana’s sole competitor in the girls’ under 13 category.

RHTYSC congratulates club members on National selection THE PATRON Beverley Harper, president Keith Foster and management of Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) would like to offer congratulations to eight of its members who recently gained selection on three different Guyana junior cricket teams.

Those selected are: Brandon Prashad of the Rose Hall Town Bakewell Under-17 team, Askay Homraj of the Rose Hall Town Pepsi Under-19 team and Plaffina Millington, Erica Batson, Taneisha Cort, Christine Quintyn, Shauna Vanderstoop and Shabike Gajnabi of the Rose Hall Town Metro Female Under-19 team.

Secretary/CEO of the RHTYSC, Hilbert Foster, in addressing the young cricketers at a farewell function urged them to be proper ambassadors of the Club, Berbice and Guyana.

He challenged them to always be disciplined and to strive at all times to develop a culture of determination, commitment and be respectful to every

person they meet, noting that it is a special privilege to represent your country at any level. He urged the eight young cricketers to always strive for excellence.

The RHTYSC, since its formation in 1990, has produced a total of 45 players for Guyana at all levels and the veteran Secretary/CEO challenged the present crop of players to follow in the high standard that players like Neil Williams, Shawn Grant, Assad Fudadin, Shemaine Campbelle, Royston Crandon and others had set in the past.

Foster also expressed gratitude to the club’s official cricket sponsors – Bakewell, Farfan and Mendes Ltd, Pepsi, Metro Office Supplies and Gizmos and Gadgets for their continued investment into the carriers of its membership.

Captain of the female National Under-19 female team Phaffiana Millington, speaking on behalf of the cricketers, pledged to perform to the best of their abilities and to make the RHTYSC proud.

WICB Under-19 Championship to remain in Guyana ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – The Regional Under-19 Championship will go ahead in Guyana as planned, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has assured, after doubt had surrounded the staging of the region’s premier youth tournament in that country ever since the WICB and the Guyana Government became locked in an impasse last month.

However, WICB president Dave Cameron said he expected the current standoff to be solved amicably and as such, there would be no need to relocate the tournament.

“We are confident that all matters pertaining to cricket in Guyana will be suitably resolved to the satisfaction of all

stakeholders and this will allow for the Under-19 Tournament to proceed as originally planned,” Cameron said in a statement.

Guyana was axed as a venue for the recent third Test between West Indies and New Zealand, after parliament there passed the controversial Cricket Administration Bill.

The WICB slammed the legislation as “undesirable and inconsistent with International Cricket Council tenets”, and argued it was tantamount to government interference in the Guyana Cricket Board.

Subsequently, the Board asked President Donald Ramotar not to sign the bill into law but with no assurance forthcoming, moved the Test to Barbados

late last month.

However, a WICB delegation headed by vice-president Emmanuel Nanthan recently met officials of the Guyana government, the GCB and opposition parties in a series of meetings in Georgetown, in an attempt to resolve the issue.

According to the Board, these discussions “paved the way for the anticipated resolution to all outstanding matters with a Memorandum of Understanding to be signed pending approval of the parties.”

The tournament is set to run from July 20 to August 10 and will feature Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Windward Islands and ICC Americas.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Universal Solutions honours DCB Women’s Deonarine on Under-15 selection Trials pushed back CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of Universal DVD Club and Universal Solutions Vicram Seubarran, yesterday made a tangible donation to Universal Solutions Bermine Steve Deonarine, who was recently selected to represent Guyana in the West Indies Cricket Board Under-15 Regional tournament in Jamaica.

“As sponsor of Universal Solutions Bermine Cricket Club, we saw it fit to show our appreciation to young Steve Deonarine, who has been performing for the club creditably. We would like to see him grow in the game and with that we wish him best of luck in Jamaica.

“We hope also that his

selection will serve as a boost to his peers, encouraging them to do their best for their club, so that they can be selected for the Interzone, Inter-county and later Guyana, even as we wish Deonarine best of luck, even as we are prepare to do the same for any other member of the club in the future,” said Seubarran.

In appreciation of his selection and generosity, which saw him receive of a pair of pad, boots and gloves, along with a bat from Seubarran, Deonarine vowed to go and be a good Ambassador for his club, county and country, doing his best to ensure Guyana bring back the bacon.

to tomorrow

Supervisor of Universal Solutions of New Amsterdam, Berbice Christopher De Souza (right) makes the presentation to Steve Deonarine, on behalf of his Chief Executive Officer Vicram Seubarran.

DUE TO inclement weather which left the Everest Cricket Club ground under water, the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) trials to select a female squad to represent the county at the Guyana Cricket Board Senior Inter-County Competition, have been pushed back to tomorrow and Sunday at the same venue.

The Trials were initially set for yesterday and today and the DCB is calling up 30 players to take part in the Trials starting at 09:00hrs each day.

The players are: Akaze Thompson, Kavita

Yadram, Tracy Glasgow, Nikita Madramootoo, Renika Isaacs, Nalini Sumintra, June OgleThomas, Leana Harris, Zola Telford, Heema Singh, Hasena Mohamed, Jonell Joseph, Latoya Smith, Satyattie Sigrim, Nichola Leacock, Donette Ritchie, Abiola Jacobs, Shomate Cort, Diane Prescott, Angela Waldron, Prudence Williams, Jeameite Daniels, Chandaine Mahadeo, Gangadai Singh, Roshana Harper, Mantara Cambridge, Alana Hirlall, Sharon Brown, Monique Benn and Joanne Vansertima.

Successful NACRA 15s rugby team treated at reception

Nascimento calls for national support and funding for the GRFU

The happy Guyana 15s Rugby Team pose for this Delano Williams photo at their reception last Wednesday, at Duke Lodge. Photo Name: Rugby Reception

By Rawle Toney AFTER COMING from being down 24-8 against USA-South, Guyana, like true Jaguars, clawed their way back to secure an emphatic 30-27 victory in extra time which saw them win their first North American and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) 15s title.

Guyana is popularly known around the world as one of the best Sevens Rugby nation in NACRA with a track record that’s unmatched by any, but claiming the 15s title is said to be the Guyana Rugby Football Union’s (GRFU) biggest accomplishment to date.

At a reception hosted by former president of

GRFU, Christopher ‘Kitt’ Nascimento, at Duke Lodge last Wednesday evening, it was noted that the time had come for both the private and public sectors and even the Government of Guyana to put the sport at the forefront of their plans to help in its development.

“Great national teams in any sport don’t happen overnight. They are built

from the ground up. They result from planning, hard work, commitment from the sports administrators, the players, the officials and the GRFU and their teams, over the past eight years, have delivered, by far, the most successful performance in any sport in the country. Yet they continue to struggle for national recognition

and national funding,” Nascimento said.

“What more does rugby have to do to earn and deserve full, unqualified national support and funding?” asked Nascimento, adding “Guyana’s rugby achievements have put Guyana on the international sporting map, competing at a world class level that no other sport has achieved.

But, competing at world class levels has world class costs attached to it” It was noted that the GRFU in 2013, without government support, founded itself virtually bankrupt and was unable to meet the cost of participating in the NACRA 7s Championships, a tournament it would probably have won, and was disqualified from participation.

“As we speak, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago rugby 7s teams regularly beaten by Guyana, are representing the Caribbean at the Commonwealth Games. Surely now our government and corporate Guyana will reward the players for the hard work, dedication and talent they have committed and give them the support they have earned,” said Nascimento.

Meanwhile Peter Green,

who now heads the GRFU, recognised Nascimento’s work done while being at the helm of the sport, and echoed the sentiments the aged sport enthusiast expressed in his speech.

Green said that presently, Guyana’s rugby only lack funding and credited the players for their continued dedication and playing under constraints sometimes not conducive or accepted.

Former president of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and owner of German’s Restaurant Clinton Urling, who Nascimento said has help in coordinating the reception, spoke profoundly of the team’s track record and also insisted that they should be supported.

Urling stated his ignorance of the game but said the team has been able to not only compete at the highest level, but is one of Guyana’s most successful sport teams “There must be something that they are doing, even without proper funding and the time has come for these young men to be recognised and to receive the fullest support from the corporate sector,” stated Urling.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday July 11, 2014

Director of Sport pleased with performance in first half of year … Optimistic of second half

By Calvin Roberts “THE FIRST six months as it relates to sports in Guyana, was an interesting one, in the sense that the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) programmes were highly successful.”

Those were the words of Director of Sport within the NSC, Neil Kumar, during an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport yesterday morning at his Middle Street, North Cummingsburg office, where he spoke on all the positives that occurred through sports in Guyana for the first six months of 2014.

“The Guyana Table Tennis Association’s programme was a highly successful one, with over 150 students passing through this programme, coming from all three counties, while a look at the three-stage cycle race that was held, you will see another success story.

“Prior to the hosting of this event, they were close to 15 races being held, so you can safely say that the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), with whom the NSC works very closely, was on stream with their plans and execution as well,” said Kumar.

He added, “We also had a wonderful first six months in volleyball, with both the Berbice and Demerara subassociations teaming up with the NSC and we had favourable development in volleyball for the first half of the year.”

Kumar said he chose to speak on volleyball and cycling with an enthusiastic heart, as these two disciplines are part of the Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) which will be held again this year, with basketball also playing an important role in the fostering of camaraderie at the IGG. “I must say that I appreciate deeply, the unison between the NSC and Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG), who organises basketball festivals for schools, as the YBG is the only nursery for basketball in Guyana, ensuring the success of the sport while serving as a feeder for the clubs and

Director of Sport Neil Kumar is positive that His Excellency President Donald Ramotar will assent to the CAB. country.

We have been working very closely to develop basketball in the schools and from this we use the YBG school programme for the selection of the Guyana male and female teams to compete at the IGG, so I must give kudos to Chris Bowman of the YBG,” stated Kumar.

He reminded that Guyana entered this year’s IGG basketball tournament as the defending champions in the female category, adding that a lot of attention will be paid to the development of female basketball and, in general, female sports in Guyana.

According to Kumar, a very successful meeting was held among Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, as it relates to this year’s edition of the IGG, which will see Guyana hosting the first leg at the end of this month, with athletics, swimming and basketball.

ATHLETICS “This year, our athletes who competed at the Junior Carifta Games in Martinique really excelled. Both Casey George and Kadecia Baird churned out exemplary performances and we are proud of them; it was good to see them capture those gold medals.

“I see also a genuine interest by the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) to have meets and to prepare for the IGG and I am very confident that with these systems being put in place early, the athletes will be doing better this time around.”

SWIMMING Kumar said the NSC enjoyed an exceptionally good swimming programme for the first half of 2014, especially during the Easter school holidays where over 100 students between the ages of 6 and 10 were taken through their paces and will be taught more at the Summer Programme which starts next Monday at the National Aquatic Centre (NAC).

“At least 100 children have advanced to swim at the NAC, so we will be seeing maximum benefits of this programme and we have been sitting with the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) to ensure they

Director of Sport Neil Kumar have a planned programme for the development of our swimmers,” said Kumar.

BOXING He also extended congratulations to the Steve Ninvalle-steward Guyana Boxing Association, with whom the NSC shares an excellent relationship.

“They held three programmes for the year, while they are working closely with corporate citizens, particularly Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and I have all confidence that they are working also on the Road to Brazil 2016 Olympics.”

CRICKET With the passing of the Cricket Administration Bill (CAB), coupled with the recent developments which saw the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) win their latest court matter, Kumar is very optimistic about the sport.

“The CAB was passed in Parliament in agreement with the Government and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and I have strong reasons to believe

Flashback! Guyana’s national 15s rugby team strike a pose following their emphatic win over nemesis Trinidad and Tobago at the National Park last month. They went on to defeat defending champions USA-South, to claim the NACRA 15s title. (Photo by Sonell Nelson) that President Donald Ramotar will assent to the CAB and the cricket issues will be resolved. I welcome the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to Guyana and I am following very closely the differences between the Guyana Cricket Board and the cricket fraternity which seem to be heading to a resolution to solve those problems and I am hoping that cricket can take off in a much better way.”

He said the Government of Guyana is working to see this happen, along with our local legend Clive Lloyd, adding that the NSC is working closely with all sections of the sport to see a positive spin-off, following all the debacles they experienced.

FOOTBALL “I am a little worried with the football situation and unhappy with what is happening in the sport, but I am hoping that good wisdom will prevail and Guyana will once again return to doing well.

However, I see Alpha have been dominating in their bid to win the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) championships, with their manager Odinga Lumumba writing me for some assistance as it relates to a venue to continue preparing his team and we will respond positively to his application,” stated Kumar.

Looking at the activities that are being staged at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and National Gymnasium, namely hockey and volleyball, we feel comfortable that these facilities are being used well and at the moment they are heavily booked, which is a good sign.

“In addition to that, we have

the Racquet Centre where we see much more lawn tennis and squash being played, which is also a good sign for that facility and the two disciplines as well, while I must give kudos to the Guyana Squash Racquets Association, which has also enjoyed a successful first half of the year, backed by its long-serving sponsor Digicel.”

He said the NSC will be having a meeting shortly with the Grace McCalmansteward Guyana Tennis Association, as it relates to their hosting the IGG lawn tennis tournament, something that is not with the NSC but the GTA, but will see the NSC offering their unwavering support.

“One of the most significant things in the first half of the year was the hosting of the Sports Administration Seminar, which I think was really a resounding success to have Jamaica’s Grace Jackson and Trinidad and Tobago’s Ato Boldon here.

The quality of the seminar and the people who attended were very good. They were very content and the future of young sports administrators looks good.

Both Dr Frank Anthony and I worked very close to see how we can help develop the human resources in sports in Guyana,” said Kumar.

He added, “The seminar, which had those two former Olympians as facilitators here in Guyana, really brought a lot of life into athletics and to the development of sports in particular, exposing our people to what the good knowledge of Sports Administration can be.

It will help us to have strong club structures, leading to strong club associations and with that, stronger national

associations which will work to make sure that sports in particular, be developed stronger in Guyana.”

He cited as examples, the building of the NAC, Guyana National Stadium at Providence and the synthetic track, whose lanes are being marked at the moment, adding that it is heartening to see the completion of the track, which will further assist with the development of athletics in Guyana.

Kumar placed as the icing on the cake for his summary of sports in Guyana over the first six months of 2014, the success of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) 15s team, who defeated defending champions USA-South to take the NACRA title.

“While the win over Trinidad and Tobago, two weeks prior to them defeating USA-South was a strong testament of their will to succeed, I believe that such a will was further underlined when they defeated USA-South, the defending champions, to take the title.

It further underlined the hard work put in by GRFU president Peter Greene and his team of executives and we at the Government of Guyana and NSC tip our hats off to them for their success story, making the nation proud with their win,” said Kumar.

In closing, he applauded all the Sports Associations for their hard work put in over the first six months, congratulating them on their success however small it may have been, while he remained optimistic that the second half of the year would reap more success for Guyana in sports.

Sport CHRONICLE

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

Sunil Narine

Nascimento calls for national support and funding for the GRFU See story on page 42

Flashback! Guyana Amazon Warriors’ Denesh Ramdin uproots the stumps to complete a run-out during the fourth match of the 2013 Limacol Caribbean Premier League between Guyana Amazon Warriors and Jamaica Tallawahs at the Guyana National Stadium on August 2, 2013 at Providence, Guyana.

See story on page 38

LCPL to kick off in style in Grenada Flashback!

Krishmar Santokie and his fellow Guyana Amazon Warriors teammates celebrate the fall of a Jamaica Tallawahs wicket, during the fourth match of the 2013 Limacol Caribbean Premier League between Guyana Amazon Warriors and Jamaica Tallawahs at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

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Friday, July 11, 2014