Guyana chronicle 16 05 14 by Guyana Chronicle

GUYANA No. 103829

FRIDAY MAY 16, 2014

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

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Culture Minister reiterates call for National Reparations Committee Page

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Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony

NGSA marking completed House approves

– systems in place for release of results by June 27 Page 11

3 new demerit system to improve road safety Page

- among other changes to Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand visits a school at the commencement of the NGSA exams

Cabinet Secretary slams Page 12 Mayor over ‘contempt of public opinion and bullyism’

CABINET Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon

Natural Resources Minister Census 2012 data to be 8 defends GGMC involvement made public in June 2014 2 – Finance Minister Dr. Singh in Del Conte road Page

Page

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

Natural Resources Minister defends GGMC involvement in Del Conte road By Derwayne Wills

THE design, execution and maintenance of hinter-

land roads have long been supported by the Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), as the regulatory

agency of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, according to subject Minister Robert Persaud. He was responding to questions by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), MP Joseph Harmon regarding the proposed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Del Conteâ&#x20AC;? Road project from Parika, Region 3 (Essequibo

Islands-West Demerara) to Goshen, Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Upper Berbice). The APNU MP inquired about the mechanisms used to declare the road suitable for GGMC funding, and the role of the GGMC, as well as the Ministry of Public Works in the process. He also queried what discussions there were with stakeholders.

Minister Persaud responded by highlighting the dependency of the mining sector on suitable infrastructure, and noted that Government has been working along with relevant stakeholders in exploring projects for the reduction of transportation See page 3

Minister Robert Persaud

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

House approves new demerit system to - among other changes to Motor improve road safety Vehicles and Road Traffic Act By Vanessa Narine THE National Assembly yesterday unanimously passed the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2014 which, among other provisions, pioneers the implementation of a demerit system as a means of sanctioning errant road users and improving road safety. The Bill is intended to amend the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act with seven changes that address issues such as the definition of owner and the creation of an offence where the registered owner of a motor vehicle that has been lost or stolen fails

to make a report to a police station within seven days from the loss or theft. Members of Parliament (MPs) lauded the provisions of the new legislation, more so the benefits of the demerit system. Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, who tabled the Bill in the House in February, told MPs yesterday that the new system, as a sanction system, is employed in many countries across the world and is a system that has been met with much success. He underscored the need of the new system, particularly considering

the high incidents of vehicular accidents, which result in hundreds of fatalities. “I don’t think that anyone can seriously dispute this. The carnage takes place with alarming frequency,” Nandlall said. He added that the new system is part of Government’s focus on improving public safety, of which road safety is an important component. The AG explained that the new system applies to a number of offences, to which p o i n t s a re a p p l i e d based on the commensurate magnitude and gravity of the offence and include appro-

Natural Resources Minister ... From page 2 costs into main mining communities. He said that all works on the conceptualization and preparation of the various documents, leading to the call for proposals for the project, were guided by the Hinterland Infrastructural Committee (HIC). Persaud reiterated also that in his view the project will undoubtedly enhance access for miners. He said that the Hinterland Infrastructural Committee (HIC) was established in 2012 and comprises a number of stakeholders namely: the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Guyana Forestry Commission, and the Ministry of Public Works. This Committee, Persaud informed, has been tasked with reviewing and making recommendations

for improvements of institutional arrangements for infrastructure management and development in the hinterland region. Additionally, the Committee will make recommendations for improving operational and procedural arrangements for a national infrastructure plan with specific emphasis on forestry and mining. The project which will essentially see the reduction of transportation costs comes at a most opportune time considering the fluctuations in gold prices and the need for reduced operational costs, Persaud added. Mining continues to play a significant role in Guyana’s development and is now the leading exchange earner. While the sector is faced with a number of challenges, one of the key issues continues to be the inability of miners to access the various locations

in the shortest and safest possible manner. PARIKA-GOSHEN ROAD The Parika to Goshen Road which has been under consideration for many years offers a solution to a major concern of the mining sector. It would also result in the opening up of additional agricultural lands in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). The purpose of this intervention is to increase the productivity and competitiveness of Guyana’s extractive sector. The Del Conte road will see miners no longer depending solely on the Linden-Mabura Road to access the interior. President Donald Ramotar in 2013 had announced, in a public address to the nation, the construction of the Parika-Goshen Road.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall in the National Assembly yesterday priate sanctions, such as the suspension of drivers’ licences for as many as 12 months. FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE A d d i t i o n a l l y, h e noted that the new legislation includes provisions that cater to the principles of fairness and access to justice, whereby a driver could write to the licensing authority to seek redress, and if that process fails, there is the option of making an appeal at the level of the High Court. In event of the latter, the demerit system would not apply unless the conviction is upheld. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)

MP, Winston Felix, in his contribution to the debate on the Bill, commended the demerit system, but called for the implementation of a system for remedial training for drivers, which is paid for by the errant road users, to ensure the period during which the licences are suspended is used to effect change. “We are aiming as a nation to save our people from carnage on the road…I commend this Bill, but training (has) to be instituted,” he said.

This recommendation was taken on board by the AG, who added that as a matter of policy, it could be implemented. Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, in offering his party’s support for the Bill, also made a call on Nandlall. He underscored the need for the scope for change to be recognised and addressed by further amendments. “We are going to see that the existing law will have difficulties to address future change,” Ramjattan said. Nandlall accepted this point and acknowledged that as circumstances change, legislation must correspond, as it has been doing, given that law making is a continuous process. He also welcomed the comments and support from his colleague MPs. “It (the Amendment Bill) addresses broad and fundamental issues…the Bill addresses the resultant issues arising in relation to lacuna in the principal Act,” he concluded. Also speaking during yesterday’s debate were APNU frontbencher Basil Williams and Government MP Dharamkumar Seeraj. After the debate, the Bill was considered by the Parliamentary Committee of the Whole and the amendments were accepted before being passed by the National Assembly.

GUYANA CHRONICLE FRIDAY May 16, 2014

Speaker extends National Assembly’s condolences on death of ‘Uncle Basil’ By Vanessa Narine

SPEAKER of the House, Raphael Trotman, extended the National Assembly’s condolences to the family and friends of the late Basil Cuthbert Rodrigues, who was fondly called ‘Uncle Basil’. The Moruca native, the brother of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, was laid to rest on Wednesday. He married Delores and together they parented four children, two sons - Wally, who is a malarial microscopist at Aishalton; Curtis (attacked and killed by a tiger

in the Marudi Mountains) and two daughters, Beverly and Kay. As a teacher, Rodrigues used both music and sport to help build the students’ confidence and was so successful that his school Shea Primary had the best drama and cricket clubs for years. Although he was a school teacher, he was also given and accepted roles as counsellor and community leader. In 1992, with the intention of retiring, Rodrigues was nevertheless invited to rejoin the teaching service and taught in the local Santa Rosa Primary School. In recognition of his

work in the Rupununi, Rodrigues was awarded a Medal of Service (MS) twice: in 1989 and 1994, by the Government of Guyana for his dedication towards the development of education, culture and community work. He was also awarded the Arrow of Achievement (AA)

in 1998 for his teaching and musical endeavours. In 2003, Rodrigues also received the Wordsworth McAndrew Award for his outstanding contribution in culture and in 2013 he was honoured by the Amerindian Affairs Ministry for long

and dedicated service. He was also honoured by Pope John Paul II for his work in the Church in Guyana’s hinterland. ‘Uncle Basil’ was also the author of ‘An Arawak Biography’, which is available at the Walter Roth Museum

and he also had a key role in the preservation and promotion of the Arawak culture through songs, poems, plays and dances. Since his passing a series of tributes have lauded Rodrigues’ work and life over the years.

Two cops accused of killing youth outside fish shop freed - Illegal possession of ammunition, manslaughter charges for third rank By Leroy Smith TWO Tactical Services Unit (TSU) policemen were last week freed of the manslaughter charges brought against them for the shooting to death of West Bank resident, Dameon Belgrave in 2012 outside a fish shop in Georgetown. Corporal Shurland Williams and Constable Errol Williams had their matter discharged last Thursday by Magistrate Ann McLennan after it was discovered in the trial that the bullet which was extracted from the body of the teen did not come from any of the two ranks who were charged with his killing. The court also heard that the bullet was fired from the weapon of another rank, who was also with the patrol on the night that Belgrave was

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fatally shot. The third rank was identified as Corporal Fraser and the police have been directed by the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge him with manslaughter and illegal possession of ammunition. The court heard that both of the two ranks who were initially charged with manslaughter did fire shots on the night in question but they indicated to the court that they fired shots into the air. Fraser who also fired shots that night was able to reload his weapon. The ammunition which he reloaded his weapon with was not officially issued to him; therefore the DPP instructed that he be charged with illegal possession of ammunition. The test which was carried out on the round which was retrieved from Belgrave’s body was consistent with the rounds which were fired by the weapon that Fraser was carrying at the time. In 2012, acting Commissioner of Police, Leroy Brumell promised the mother of the dead teen that justice would be served and the ranks who were responsible for the shooting would be disciplined. Following this recent case, persons are questioning the professionalism of the police in putting two persons through the process of the court while being aware that the round which was fired failed to match the weapons any of the two ranks had at

the time. However, it is not clear if Corporal Fraser is still in the police force or how soon he will be charged and placed before the court on the manslaughter charge which was directed by the DPP. On the night in question two years ago, Belgrave was accidentally shot by TSU ranks who were pursuing the occupants of a vehicle in the vicinity of the White Castle Fish Shop in Hadfield Street. He would have celebrated his 22nd birthday the following day. The ranks who were in the patrol at the time breached the standard oper-

ating procedures of the force when they trailed the vehicle out of another area of the city without communicating with the operations room for backup. When the shooting occurred they were operating outside their jurisdiction. After the teen was shot they picked him up and dumped him off at the Georgetown Public Hospital and left. Yesterday the mother of the youth told the media at a press conference that she believes that the promises of justice being served by the former Commissioner of Police, Leroy Brumell were just a bluff.

Bel Air miner remanded on firearm, ammo charges A MINER of Lot 19 Bel Air Village, Greater Georgetown, was remanded to prison by Magistrate Judy Latchman yesterday on firearm and ammunition charges. Ewart George, 22, pleaded not guilty to the charges, one of which said on May 13 at Bel Air Village, he had in his possession one .38 revolver without being the holder of a firearm licence. Particulars of the other offence stated that on the same day, he also had in his possession three live rounds of.38 ammunition. Police Inspector Joel Ricknauth, prosecuting, told the court that on the day in question police were on patrol when they stopped motorcar HC 2240 and requested to carry out a search. At the time, the defendant was seated at the front left side passenger seat and when checks were made the weapon was allegedly found on the floor of the defendant’s seat. He was told of the offence and was arrested and charged. The prosecutor maintained his objection to bail, citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. The case will be called again today.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE FRIDAY May 16, 2014

Brazil to compensate rubber workers from World War Two

Thousands of Brazilians worked on Amazon rubber plantations, but many died from harsh conditions

(BBC News) THE Brazilian Congress has approved a plan to compensate workers sent to rubber plantations in the Amazon during World War Two. Some 55,000 mostly poor Brazilians left for the rainforest to supply the United States with rubber used in making weapons and vehicles during the war. The conditions in the Amazon were harsh and a large number of them died from malaria, hepatitis and yellow fever. Some 6,000 survivors will now be paid in recognition of their wartime effort. Seventy years on, the former workers, who are now in the 80s and 90s, will receive a oneoff payment of 25,000 reais ($11,300, £6,700). About 7,000 descendants of deceased workers will also be compensated. “Congress lives up to those who spent years of their life doing their national duty during the Second World War to help those who wanted to live in a free world,” said Congressman Marcio Bittar. Senator Anibal Diniz called the workers “national heroes” and urged the Brazilian planning ministry to pay them before the end of the year, the AFP news agency reported. In 1943, the US turned to Brazil to provide a reliable source of rubber after the main rubber-producing country at the time, Malaysia, was occupied by Japan, an enemy to Allied forces. Mostly impoverished Brazilians from the north-east joined their government recruitment campaign to look for what they thought would be a better life in the Amazon. They became known as the “rubber soldiers”. But thousands of them died from tropical diseases and rampant violence, or from attacks by wild animals such as jaguars, alligators and snakes.

DOMA on Seetahal‘s murder probe: Give cops the reward

(Trinidad Guardian) GIVE the hand-picked team of officers assigned to investigate the assassination of Senior Counsel Dana Seetahal the $3.5 million reward being offered in the case and you are bound to get results. The proposal was made yesterday by secretary of the Police Second Division Association, Insp Micheal Seales, after a similar suggestion by the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA). DOMA made the suggestion as it said it was tired of hearing excuses in dealing with the crime scourge, noting that any incentives given could help in solving Seetahal’s killing but the overall crime problem as well. But Seales had a caveat: If the team does not solve the crime it would “be a failure on the part of the Police Service and its leadership. “Seetahal’s murder was not ‘ordinary’ but rather was an act to terrorism and a threat to the country’s democracy,” Seales said. He added: “You have to treat the police as professionals and we are saying give us the $3.5 million instead because it requires a certain level of knowledge and technology among other factors.

It goes beyond the scope of ordinary policing. “The association wants this murder to be solved and we have to look at it through the eyes of the man in the street, who have already given the Police Service a big “F” and if they do not solve this murder then the Police Service deserves the big “F.”

Despite repeated assurance from National Security Minister Gary Griffith and acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams that the investigating officers are diligently working on bringing the perpetrator/s of the crime to justice, there have been no arrests in Seetahal’s May 4 murder to date.

For Friday May 16, 2014 -05:00hrs For Saturday May 17, 2014 -05:30hrs For Sunday May 18, 2014 -05:30hrs

Hand-picked police investigating the Seetahal assassination

GUYANA

EDITORIAL

Justifiable calls for an IMC

THE calls of Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Mr Norman Whittaker, and the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party for the introduction of an Interim Management Committee at the Georgetown City Council are being echoed by Guyanese throughout the country, and in the wider Guyanese Diaspora. The PPP recently expressed their concern over the state of affairs at the Georgetown City Council and recent acts of illegality perpetrated against the administrative branch of the M&CC. The party further noted the attempts by Georgetown Mayor, Mr. Hamilton Green and his cabal to oust the legitimate and legally appointed Town Clerk, Ms. Carol Sooba from office, via illegal and backdoor manipulations. Minister Whittaker noted that his ministry is guided by the Cabinet, and asserted that if and when the decision to have an Interim Management Committee as a replacement at City Hall is carried by Cabinet, the ministry will concur. The ruling party, in a statement released earlier this week, condemned the act of desperation by the Mayor and his cabal, who, according to the PPP General Secretary, have brought the City Council into disrepute by their actions which smack of “racism and political bullyism.” The PPP, therefore, demanded the removal of Hamilton Green and the entire City Council and their being replaced by an Interim Management Committee to foster hope for a better run City Hall. Green has, over the last few months, transgressed in a multiplicity of ways in actions inimical to the welfare of the city, and has been severely condemned after he sabotaged the revenue collection on Easter Monday; illegally removed the keys of a motor vehicle on the said day; illegally appointed PRO Royston King as Town Clerk among other infringements. King, too, has been delinquent after he allegedly signed City Hall tax waivers as Town Clerk before illegally assuming the post of Town Clerk, both fraudulent acts punishable by the laws of the land. But while the Mayor and his minions are fiddling away at their own lewd music, the capital city is drowning, literally and figuratively, in filth. For decades, quite apart from the taxes, in which the Burrowes Commission of Inquiry and consultant Ramon Gaskin discovered massive discrepancies and outright acts of fraud, the Government has been pouring billions of dollars into City Hall in hard cash and resources, with everything seemingly falling into a bottomless pit. New garbage trucks and other equipment are provided, and they break down within months, a phenomenon that has been ascribed to parts being exchanged with worn-out rejects, and the new ones sold to private contractors. So, the new trucks and other equipment are parked and become white elephants.

GUYANA CHRONICLE FRIDAY May 16, 2014

The true version of the events will withstand all scrutiny CITY Magistrate, Ann McClenan, recently freed two policemen accused of the shooting death of Dameon Belgrave at the White Castle Fish Shop on Hadfield Street. This decision by the magistrate was an expected end to an otherwise simple case. I say simple case because the telltale facts of the events went contrary to that given by those who blindly oppose the actions of law enforcement when apprehending criminals. Theirs is the highly tainted view that policemen have no right; and I say absolutely no right going after, far less apprehending a criminal. In this regard, testimony coming from those quarters is bound to be peppered with opinions and flat-out hearsay allegations. The long and short of it is that their version of the events will be a political account. This concept is ever so pervasive in Region 4, Georgetown in particular, that most, if not all, of these cases of police brutality will meet a similar fate. Right now, two cases are engaging the attention of the Police Complaints Authority: One involving Colwyn Harding, and the Alex Griffith “shot-in-mouth teen.” I am certain these two will meet a similar end, that is, if they get to the courts. Because I guarantee you the version that is so hyped up by the criminal crowd out there is so far removed from reality that one has to stop and ponder. So, the brutality music plays on. I would not dwell much into the Dameon Belgrave story, because that has already been dealt with in detail by an astute magistrate, but suffice it to say the true facts of the case runs contrary to the ‘hocus-pocus’ given by the so-called eyewitnesses. Their testimony suggests an out-of-control police who descended on the scene firing indiscriminately at “innocent” civilians. Well, the facts reveal a totally different story, and tell of the police turning up at the scene where they were engaged in a shootout with criminals; and there, Dameon Belgrave got the worst of it. That version of the events was concretised with the ballistics record, which shows that warheads found at the scene did not match those coming from the police; a story reminiscent of the Linden attack. So, in the face of mounting evidence against them, the magistrate had no choice but to free the accused. This prompted Cathy Hughes to cry foul at Magistrate’s McClennan’s ruling, with her thinking that this is another Linden. You see, Hughes still has the Linden fiasco riveted in her mind, where the rebels were rewarded for their outrageous behaviour. But I will caution Cathy that this is not Linden; neither is it a commission of inquiry, so there will be no blood-money compensation. Even if we are to entertain that thought, Linden’s ruling by the Commission could have been quashed in a court of law if the Government had persisted, because the foreign expert they brought gave the same results as the findings of the local expert. The Government was hungry for peace, hence their acceptance of the Linden COI’s ruling. In fact, as Cathy Hughes is touting a cover-up by the police, then she is free to call in foreign advice on the matter; like the Linden case, she can bring in a foreign ballistics expert. I doubt whether that would happen, because they would not want to be further embarrassed. The point I am making is that these cases of police brutality are turning out to be a public relations and money-making

stunt by the Opposition criminal fraternity, and they are turning out to be costly ones at that. I believe the authorities should pay keen attention to these alleged cases of brutality, with a view to separating fact from fiction before proceeding with these spurious matters. Because the way things are going, if this is not done, Government might very well go bankrupt. I am making a renewed call for the DPP, Ms. Shalimar Hack to be more vigilant; be on the alert; and put a stop to this masquerade. NEIL ADAMS

The massive and widespread acts of theft and fraud from the city, such as the one King recently perpetrated by signing off waivers to the tune of billions of dollars -- most probably with substantial rewards of cash or kind -- and the absolutely ill-managed affairs of the city has kept the municipality in the red for decades, with employees of the city many times denied their salaries until a bail-out by the Government, Today, Town Clerk (ag), Ms. Carol Sooba has scuttled most of the avenues for thefts, and for the first time, city workers are receiving their salaries in a timely manner. So, no wonder Hamilton Green and his cabal at City Hall are desperate to eject Ms. Sooba from her current position, and install someone who would be amenable to the continuation of the irregularities and mismanagement of the municipality. In 1994, the newly-elected PPP/C Government ejected just such “a bunch of rascals,” as described by Dr. Cheddi Jagan, and appointed an Interim Management Committee, which comprised Chairman, Dr. Rose, and a membership among whom were Bert Carter and Bish Panday, mere months before Local Government Elections.

Within those few months, the city assumed a new look, with the Augean stables in Georgetown being cleaned for the first time in decades, and the city left in the black, a phenomenon not experienced ever since the PNC took control of City Hall. Today, the beautiful structure left to Guyanese by the colonials is a decaying sore on the city landscape, and replicates the filth overwhelming the natural beauty of what was once called “The Garden City”. Georgetown is truly reflective of a microcosm of the capital city of Guyana under the stewardship of the PNC. If the PPP/C Government could do it, then it could certainly do it now: Install an Interim Committee to clean up the city and its affairs, and rid City Hall of the vermin that are undermining the effective management of the affairs of the Georgetown municipality. This current City Council’s term in office has been up long since, and whether there are local-government elections or not, they are illegally occupying the offices of the Mayor and Councillors of the city, and should be booted out forthwith.

People all across Guyana suffering from noise ONE Pearl Lewis, who wrote a letter headed “Pure hell in Seaforth Street” is begging for relief, not only for herself, but also for all Guyanese who suffer from this plague of loud music, be it from business or entertainment sources. This is because of some police who are on the payroll of the perpetrators, causing this to continue. Those in authority must ask themselves if they have a sick family member, especially a terribly sick child, if they would condone this plague. It is time for all citizens to fully understand and respect the law. The lawmen must remind citizens that music is not banned from Guyana, but music must be played for only the one who wishes to hear it. Even when, after citizens report to the police and the police show up and ask that the noise be toned down, after the police are gone, the noise gets louder and the police have to return a second time. When this happens, the police must be given the power to seize the music set on the spot, arrest the noise polluter, and bring him/her to the court of law. If citizens report and police show up and give out warnings and the noise gets louder for the police to return and the police do nothing because the music is turned down while the police is there a second time; but the noise gets louder after police leaves a second time, then the police must be charged, since it is apparent that bribe is passed for aiding and abetting the offenders. Imagine what happiness is for some folks could be so deadly for others, and there is not a thing that could be done to stop it once and for all.

T. KING

GUYANA CHRONICLE FRIDAY May 16, 2014

Culture Minister reiterates call for National Reparations Committee By Derwayne Wills MINISTER of Culture Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony yesterday reiterated the call for a National Reparations Committee, as he addressed questions raised by A Partnership for

National Unity (APNU) MP Vanessa Kissoon, who had queried the establishment of the Reparations Committee of Guyana. And Dr. Anthony underscored this position by referring to former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s address

in 2011 at the launching of the celebratory activities marking the Year of People of African Descent, who had said: “The international community was quick to recognise the Jewish holocaust, rightfully so. They must also now recognise that there was

Social issues and our youths today YOUTHS today often find themselves in situations they don’t really want to be in, but somehow or the other they end up being there. A lot of youths today are victims of peer pressure, domestic violence, drug abuse, suicide, teenage pregnancy, just to name a few. A lot of these factors affect the lives of youths tremendously and cause a major breakdown in their life, physical and mentally. Due to this, a lot of youths become school-dropouts, drug addicts etc. Peer pressure is one of the leading factors affecting most youths of today, which also leads to other issues, including suicide and drug abuse. When youths today involve themselves with other youths of their own age group, and they want to be like every other member of the age group, they would do everything to get there. For example, if the particular group is involved in drug use, and there is a newcomer, everyone else in the group would force their group activity unto the newcomer, and this is where peer pressure comes into play, changing the life of that one youth who is new in the group. Suicide is yet another issue that affects youths today. Suicide comes from various leading factors, for instance, domestic violence, peer pressure, teenage pregnancy, drug abuse etc. The rate of suicide is very high in our society today. As we all know, suicide is very prevalent in Guyana, especially amongst our youths. A close friend of mine was asking me one day, and I quote, “What’s up with the suicide rate in Berbice; why so many youths killing themselves?” My reply to that was “Why do you think it’s a Berbice thing? Youths from many different areas in Guyana are killing themselves.” This goes to show that persons are only looking at the areas where suicide is at its highest, but I don’t think we should look at it as that. We should look at it as our country and our youths, and we should ask ourselves, “What are we doing to prevent all of this? What are we doing for the youths of Guyana? Are we doing enough to help prevent these social issues from affecting the youths?” Well, in my perspective, we are not doing enough, and we should step up our game and do whatever we can. The little we do today can benefit a lot of youths, and even our country, tomorrow. Let us all join hands and fight against these social issues affecting our youths and country as a whole. S. SOMWAR

Open letter to Brent Hardt Ambassador Brent Hardt, I’m a little curious, but my inherited love for exploration didn’t allow me to get confused without seeking explanation. So, is it possible for us to take yet another walk, but this time on a road? However, this will not be a walk on the four-lane roads that the Government has constructed, but on the road of controversy and enlightenment. Based on what I saw in a photograph, and based on your pronouncement, am I to assume that the information that you’re putting in the public domain is gathered by the people that you’re associated with? And I have noticed that you have been associating with a lot of people, including two well-known anti-government critics and activists, one of whom is CN Sharma, and the other treason accused, Mark Benschop. Firstly, Mark Benschop is a known political activist whose hatred towards the PPP Government over the years has been blatant and disrespectful. Secondly, CN Sharma is the CEO of yet another free and functioning private media entity in Guyana; he is a vocal critic of the PPP government and, along with his son, is an Opposition member. CN Sharma is currently facing charges for statutory rape. So, Mr. Ambassador, in Guyanese parlance, we say one’s company speaks of his/ her disposition. Am I to believe that by your close association with these two persons, the American Government is condoning the type of things that these men have been accused of? LANCELOT ADAMS

an African holocaust.” Support for reparations in Guyana, according to Dr. Anthony, was reflected by President Donald Ramotar, who in 2013 launched the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Slavery Museum in Guyana in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the 1763 Berbice Rebellion. He recalled that it was President Ramotar in 2013, who had ordered the establishment of a National Reparations Committee to collaborate with regional bodies in advancing the case for regional reparations. The Culture Minister also noted that the National Reparations Committee was formed in February 2014, modelled after the Jamaica Reparations Committee after its five-year record of being well represented. Anthony reiterated the sentiments of the then President Jagdeo who had declared, while addressing a commemorative ceremony for the bicentenary of the

abolition of the transatlantic trade in captive Africans, that the condemnation of slavery by metropole nations had been “mere lip service”. Jagdeo had demanded that some members of the international community, in recognising their active role in this despicable system, should move one step forward to further support the call for reparations. The Minister of Culture noted that the then President had supported the call made by Guyana’s African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA), by urging the Government sponsorship of a resolution in parliament which was similar to that of Jamaica. Minister Anthony observed that the inclusivity of the Committee is guaranteed by its membership comprising a wide cross-section of Guyanese society including Pan African Groups, the Rastafarian Community, Historians, the Indigenous Community, the Christian Community, Youth Organisations, Gender Represen-

tatives, the Legal Fraternity, an Economist and Social Scientists. The terms of reference of the national Reparations Committee include the development and implementation of a national strategy to pursue reparations through the development and recommendation of diplomatic strategies to multilateral institutions, namely the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), and the Community of Caribbean and Latin American States (CELAC), with key focus on other supportive governments. The Committee will further address the economic, social, cultural and psychological and educational residues of the slavery system on indigenous descendants, as well as descendants of former enslaved Africans. Anthony said, however, that the national Reparations Committee has made no formal representation to the CARICOM Reparations Commission, but instead is expected to present the Guyana Case for Reparations in June 2014.

Local stations could block inappropriate content, similar to BBC mechanism – Culture Minister By Derwayne Wills CENSORSHIP could be perceived as an attack on the right to free expression, according to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, but there is caution currently displayed with respect to creative licenses in Guyana. He was responding to a

Minister Frank Anthony in Parliament yesterday

question posed by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) MP Annette Ferguson regarding the establishment of a censoring system for music. He suggested that local stations should adopt the censor mechanism which blocks out inappropriate content, a mechanism similar to that implemented by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Dr. Anthony noted that the law of the land censures indecent, lewd and explicit language, and the Guyana National Broadcast Authority is provisioned to treat with lewd and inappropriate language on the air. According to him, provisions in the Postal and Telegraph Act may also be equipped to censure language that is considered gross and unacceptable. He said that at the moment there is no censor board in place since former cen-

sor boards were exclusively concerned with the monitoring of cinema content and with the disappearance of cinemas, the Censor Board would be unnecessary. The Minister observed that there is a strong school of thought suggesting that Governments should not be allowed to censor lyrics of violent or explicit songs, because such a mechanism would bring the question of selective implementation or enforcement. He maintained, however, that the more plausible option would be to interject through the industry standard warning labels which would inform parental units of possible explicit content of CDs. Minister Anthony stated that if there is such persuasion that censorship of local music is a priority, then the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport would be prepared to adopt any and all appropriate measures in response to strong public sentiments.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

Census 2012 data to be made public in June 2014 – Finance Minister Dr. Singh By Vanessa Narine

FINANCE MINISTER, Dr. Ashni Singh has said that the Bureau of Statistics is the sole custodian of the database generated from the 2012 Census, as obtained with previous such processes. And data from the census is disseminated only in summarized and aggregated formats, as is required by law. As such, no officer from the Ministry of Finance has access to any data of the 2012 census. His comments followed questions from the Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament (MP) Cathy Hughes, who was enquiring whether the Finance Ministry or any of its officers had been given access to any of the data from the 2012 National Census; and when the results of the 2012 Census would be released. PRELIMINARY REPORT Minister Singh added that the Bureau’s preliminary report on the 2012 census is expected to be released by June. He explained that the report will include the preliminary population count; the country’s gender distribution; the population distribution by coastland and hinterland distribution; the regional population density; the number of households, and average household size by region; the number of business places by region; and the regional population growth rates, among other details. “The more detailed analyses on such parameters as the age distribution of the population, ethnicity, educational levels, economic activities and labour force will follow in a larger and final report, which is expected to be completed in December 2015,” he said. In a prior comment on the matter, the Finance Minister had made it clear that the extraction of data from the “comprehensive” questionnaires is currently being done, in addition to tabulation and analysis. The national census has been hailed as not only of importance to the country itself, but to the Caribbean Region as well. Member countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are participating in the World Population and Housing Census programme, and data from it is one of the wide ranges of statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics and other agencies in member states that the CARICOM Secretariat collects. These statistics are compiled in regional databases and then disseminated to users regionally and internationally, and the Secretariat would partner with international

Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh in the National Assembly yesterday agencies such as the European Union (EU) and the Inter-American Development Bank, among others, to seek to build capacity in member countries to produce statistics required for policy formulation and the strengthening of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). MASSIVE EXERCISE Because of the massive, demanding and costly nature of the Census exercise, this activity is held just once every 10 years in most countries. Guyana has traditionally organised its censuses with the rest of the other CARICOM countries under the coordination of the Statistics Division of the CARICOM Secretariat. Additionally, Guyana’s Census is part of the Global Round of Population and Housing Censuses for the current 2010 Round, whereby almost all countries which are Members of the United

Nations have conducted and completed their national censuses during the period, which commenced in 2005 and concludes in 2014, the demarcated period for the 2010 Round of Censuses. The Census is the only national exercise in which every building is counted; and every household within every building, or any economic activity within each building is enumerated and/or recorded at the same period in time. The Census is, and has always been, much more than a headcount; it is a check and evaluation of the following: changing size, composition, quality of life, economic activities, maternal health, fertility rates, housing stock, qualification and education levels, foreign-born population, and access to basic social services, just to name a few. The plethora of information that would be collected is also expected to assist policy makers to determine whether Guyana is on track to achieve several of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In his 2012 budget speech, the Finance Minister had said, “This Government has long recognised the critical importance of every country executing a census of its population and housing facilities every ten years, as is the global standard; and in keeping with this cycle, censuses were conducted in 2002 and previously in 1991. Another decade has now passed, and the 2010 Round of Global Censuses, which runs until 2014, is now in its final stages. Guyana continues to be a part of the regional approach to census-taking coordinated by the CARICOM Secretariat. “The size, composition and dispersion of our population are also matters of national security, and it is for these reasons and more that all countries -- and Guyana is no exception - recognise the critical importance of the census exercise to human and economic development, evidence-based policy making, and ensuring the security of their citizenry. Government now intends for the next national census to be executed in the second half of 2012…” On signing the Census Order and Regulations, Dr. Singh had said, “Census 2012 represents our latest efforts to update the vast array of data we compile on national life to inform policy-making by Government and decision-making by other stakeholders such as the business community. I have no doubt that the 2012 census will prove equally valuable in this regard, and I wish the Bureau of Statistics every success in executing this important national activity.” In Census 2002, the last census in Guyana, the nation’s resident population was 751,000; and in April, some $327M were allocated in the 2014 Budget to the Statistical Bureau and approved by the National Assembly, an increase over the $246M in 2013.

GTA facilitates Spanish Language workshop at CJIA THE Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), in attempting to bridge the language barrier in anticipation of an influx of Spanish speaking passengers travelling to Guyana, recently facilitated a five days basic Conversational Spanish Language Training Programme at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri. It began on May 6 and customer service representatives, taxi drivers, red cap porters, Customs and Immigration Officers, airlines counter staff and aviation security officers participated in the interactive sessions. The 220 participants who

interact directly with passengers were trained in basic Spanish as part of the CJIA’s mandate to offer the best quality service to all visitors. This training, that will reduce the processing time a passenger spends at Immigration and Customs, was conducted by Ms. Gemma Wenner, who has extensive background in various relevant areas, including Spanish Language. THEIR APPROACH At the launch of COPA Airlines in January 2014, Acting Minister of Tourism, Mr. Irfaan Ali reaffirmed that “our front line staff

from immigration, customs, GTA, among others, would have to change their approach and the first order of business, which started in the Ministry of Tourism and GTA, is to ensure that the staff can speak and understand Spanish.” This is essential as “we expand into new markets and bridge the language gap which, over the years, has caused many barriers between Guyana and Latin America,” he pointed out. GTA Director, Indranauth Haralsingh told those at the workshop that it was designed to facilitate Spanish speaking visitors, as well as,

Indranauth Haralsingh, Director of GTA and Ms. Gemma Wenner- Spanish Facilitator interacting with participants promote Guyana’s tourism and hospitality. “We have to bridge the language barrier, after all we are a customer service corporation and the passengers are our first pri-

ority, the training could not have come at a better time now that Venezuelan airline, CONVIASA, is already operating in Guyana and COPA – a Panamanian airline – will begin its op-

erations at Timehri in July 2014,” he said. He congratulated the participants on a job well done and for being the first to be trained in Spanish by the GTA.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

Old Kai: Chronicles of Guyana ...

Is the Opposition now encouraging the PPP/C Government to politically interfere with the internal functioning of the Guyana Police Force? OLD Kai has found it necessary once again to remind the public of the Opposition’s two-faced approach to politics in Guyana. It is important, as it further exposes the fact that, depending on which way the wind blows today, you will surely find our Opposition moving in that direction. It unearths their fickle mindset; it shows that these are not leaders of conviction who you can depend on in a moment of need; they will say what is popular today, and readily abandon that tomorrow in favour of what is trending. The latest episode of their two-faced approach involves the Guyana Police Force. Surprise! Surprise! The GPF has been a favourite punching bag of theirs. They have never passed up on an opportunity to accuse the PPP/C Government of attempting to politically interfere in our nation’s civilian law enforcement body. How ironic that former Commissioner of Police turned APNU Member of Parliament, Winston Felix, would now turn around and constantly accuse the Government of political interference. This is the very individual who, when he was Commissioner, was overheard on a leaked telephone recording taking orders from the Chairman of the PNC to plant drugs on a Congress Place employee, and divert attention from the real perpetrators of the Agricola massacre. But it appears that his official ‘coming out’ or ‘political baptism’ has seen this reborn politician having no memory of his past deeds, so he can stand up like a moral heavyweight and point down and lecture his successors on professionalism, while condemning the PPP/C Government for non-existent acts of political interference. Taking directives, and illegal/unlawful ones at that, is not an act of political interference in his eyes. How more hypocritical can one get? This accusation has also been parroted by the AFC; after all, they have become the ‘Minnie-me’ of the APNU for those of you who are familiar with the cinematic Dr. Evil and his minion trilogy. An example of this position by the rapidly fading

political party is its statement on October 2, 2013, which says, “the AFC has repeatedly called for a highly trained, professional police force, free from political interference...” Certain ‘independent’ media houses have also taken up the accusation, as is evident in a feature by the ‘Once-Upona-Time’ newspaper in 2012, titled ‘Politics and the GPF’. However, it appears that the joint Opposition has for the moment put aside their accusations of interference in the GPF by the Government, based on two recent episodes, the first, in no particular order, being the AFC’s announcing on May 14, 2014 that the Minister of Home Affairs should be held accountable for the lapses of the Guyana Police Force, with specific reference to the Damien Belgrave matter, where charges were dismissed by the Court against two ranks accused of firing a shot which killed the man outside a fish shop. The Opposition cannot have it both ways; they cannot on the one hand maintain that the minister must stay out of the internal functioning of the GPF, and then on the other hand, hold him accountable when an issue arises. The second episode occurred during the evening on May 13, where a group with known Opposition elements egging them on in the background staged a picketing action outside of the Head of State, President Donald Ramotar’s residence over the shooting of a 15-year-old youth allegedly by a police rank. Old Kai is at a loss to think that, by their action, they are now calling on the Head of State to intervene in the GPF, the DPP’s office, and quite possibly the Judiciary to bring, as they say, a ‘quick justice’ for the aggrieved picketers? Again, some of these very individuals are the ones to accuse the Government of interference in the GPF, but now they have apparently changed their position. It appears that the new mode of operation by the Government will be to interfere in the Police Force only when it is convenient for the Opposition, and then the world will make sense again. These people need to be reminded that the Government can only issue policy directives to the GPF, and cannot interfere with its internal operations. The Director of Public Prosecutions office is independent; so too is the Police

Complaints Authority and the Judicial arm of the State. We live in a functioning democracy; not an autocracy, and it should be noted that even the Head of State himself is on record as expressing concern at instances where, in almost clear-cut cases, the accused were able to walk free from justice. Old Kai is certain that being the type of President he is, Mr. Ramotar would have already tried to find out about the progress of this case involving the 15-year-old; we would expect no less from our Head of State. But, contrary to what the Opposition now wants, the President cannot and will not interfere with the due process of the law. The Police Force has already explained that because the lad was hospitalised and unable to speak initially, this had stalled their efforts at interviewing him, and, as a result, the overall investigation. The Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority is also on record as saying that it is impossible for the issue to be “swept under the carpet.” Knowing all of this and still showing up at the residence of the President confirms that ‘the usual suspects’ are trying to turn this incident into a political issue. The pronouncements by the AFC and APNU have confirmed this which is unfortunate. They are trying to exploit this issue to attack the Government for being somehow responsible and at the same time want the very Government to intervene to achieve their desired result. The Government cannot be responsible and at the same time they are asked to intervene, it further undermines the Opposition argument and underlines the fact that they are the equivalent to a leaf ‘blowing in the wind’ with no sense of understanding as to where they are really going. These are the people who want to lead this nation. Old Kai has one query though. Why is it we have never seen this group of ‘concerned Guyanese’ picketing against instances where criminals have killed innocent citizens? Is it ‘selective outrage’?

GINA ads on Rodney’s COI not intended as Kaieteur News purports THE Government Information Agency (GINA), having noted the Kaieteur News front page headline, “GINA pays for ‘distasteful’ ad campaign to smear PNC,” in the May 15, 2014 edition, wishes to state that it is another attempt by the newspaper to deliberately mislead, and is demonstrative of its engrained proclivity to sensationalise. GINA is not unmindful of the overt intentions of the Kaieteur News in its quest to besmirch the agency. That said, GINA wishes to state categorically that the placement of the advertisements was never intended for the purpose as articulated by the Kaieteur News and resolutely rejects the newspaper’s reckless assertions. GINA is cognisant of its ethical and constitutional responsibility on behalf of the government and the State of Guyana to disseminate information in an objective, accurate and fair manner, and to avoid at all cost the incitement of racial, ethnic and other hostilities. It must be made pellucidly clear that the content of the advertisements was not fabricated but was derived from what was said for public consumption during the hearings of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the death of Dr. Walter Rodney. The media, including the Kaieteur News, weeks before the placement of the advertisements, reported many related and revealing stories. It is therefore mind-boggling that the Kaieteur News,

having reported previously on the revelations of the said COI, would now sensationally state that GINA is trying to smear the PNC and promote racial violence based on the same information emanating from the hearings. In the Wednesday, April 30, 2014, edition of the Kaieteur News, the paper carried a front-page headline, “PNC Govt. killed Rodney-Karen De Souza,” with the details on page 15. A quote, as carried in this said article, constituted an advertisement in the Tuesday, May 13, 2014, edition of the Kaieteur News. In the same edition of the Kaieteur News, a page three story, “Brother testifies alleged killer linked to ‘House of Israel’ cult-claimed Police turned a blind eye to acts of intimidation, beatings,” contained details of testimony given by Mr. Lawrence Rodney. The said article alluded to some of the intimidatory tactics used as explained by Mr. Lawrence Rodney and of which a part was used as a quote that constituted the advertisement placed in the Kaieteur News on Tuesday, May 13, 2014. The Kaieteur News published at least eight stories related to the Rodney COI including Ralph Seeram’s column captioned, “Rodney COI opening a ‘can of worms’ for the PNC,” on page 53 of the May 04, 2014 edition. The question must be asked, how is it that when the Kaieteur News reported on the said issue of the COI with related columns, its editors and

publisher did not consider those articles as smearing the PNC? If it is that the Kaieteur News since having received the order to place the advertisements and having grave concern over what it considers as “smearing” the PNC, professionally it could have sought clarification from GINA. Further, if the Kaieteur News believes that the advertisements were inciting, then what’s its editorial policy for allowing the publishing of such material? This clearly must bring into question the newspaper’s professionalism through responsible reporting. It should be noted that Mr. Gary Eleazar of the Kaieteur News called the Director of GINA, seeking an “off the record” comment, not necessarily pertaining to the actual advertisements in question, but regarding who was the “architect” of the process since he (Eleazar) believed it was not initiated by the Agency. If the expression of his sentiments were to be believed, then it is incomprehensible in the realms of professional journalistic ethics that the caption mentioned in the opening paragraph would even be contemplated. With regard to the claim that the placement order was not signed by the GINA Advertisement Coordinator, the Kaieteur News would best be informed to check with its own advertising department. The practice as dictated to GINA by the Kaieteur News advertising department is for orders to be e-mailed. As such the need for a signature is not prerequisite.

Cabinet slated for countrywide fan out on Independence Anniversary HEAD of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, yesterday informed that several Cabinet members would fan out to important locations in the country’s ten administrative regions on our Independence Anniversary. Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn would be at the Mabaruma Recreation Park in Region 1 (Barima/ Waini); Presidential Advisor, Gail Teixeira would be at the Anna Regina Centre Ground in Region 2 (Pomeroon/Supenaam) and at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Compound, Triumph in Region 4 (Demerara/ Mahaica). Public Service Minister, Jennifer Westford, would be at the RDC Compound in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara). Human Services Minister, Jennifer Webster would be at the RDC Compound in Fort Wellington, Region 5 (Mahaica/ Berbice); Education Minister, Priya Manickchand at New Amsterdam State House in Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne); Presidential Advisor, Odinga Lumumba at the Transport and Harbours Department premises in Bartica, Region 7 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni); Local Government Minister, Norman Whittaker in Region 8 (Potaro/Siparuni); Foreign Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues in Region 9(Upper Takutu/ Upper Essequibo); and Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/ Upper Berbice).

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

Sukhai highlights Guyana’s priority on rights and development of indigenous people at UN forum By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally MINISTER of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, recently told the 13th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at UN Headquarters, New York, that the Guyana Government places emphasis on pursuing the principles and practices of good governance, and places priority on the rights and development of indigenous people. Minister Sukhai was making a presentation on Guyana’s experience as it relates to “Principles of good governance consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”. She noted that Guyana continues to effect and uphold compliance with Articles 3, 6 and 46 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

The enactment of the Amerindian Act of 2006 clearly states: “An Act to provide for the recognition, and protection of the collective rights of Amerindians, the granting of land to Amerindians, and the promotion of good governance within Amerindian Villages and Communities”. The Act also outlines the functions of the Village Councils - the Village Council has the right to freely determine the direction of their village with regards to social, economic and cultural development, and their rights, and responsibilities for overall development. In Guyana, Amerindian peoples are free to pursue their political status with any of the national political parties and they so exercise this right, without interference, Minister Sukhai declared. And article No. 6 of the UNDRIP states that “every indigenous individual has a right to a nationality” and the Government has established an effective system that ensures that every single birth is registered. Amerindian peoples, in the most remote villages and communities, have opportunities to register

birth at health centres and in instances where failure to register a birth occurs, a programme of late registration funded by the Government is available in each indigenous village and facilitated by the village leaders, the Amerindian Affairs Minister told the UN forum. Sukhai said further that “Referencing Article 46 of the UN Declaration, the Government of Guyana has put in place special measures to address the issues affecting Amerindian peoples - for example the establishment of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. Our mandate is to support the enhancement of the quality of life of Amerindian people in Guyana through the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes consistent with FPIC (free, prior and informed consent), thus enabling the full inclusion and participation of the indigenous people, respectful of their traditional cultural, social and economic development practices. Constitutional, sectorial, legal measures are in place to promote equity for advancing the rights of Amerindian peoples”.

“The bold commitment by the Government of Guyana to address the legitimate needs, challenges and rights of Amerindians, fully conscious that Guyana is a land of six peoples, and mindful that the human rights and fundamental freedom of all Guyanese should be uphold and respected. Notwithstanding, special measures to enforce and safeguard the rights of the Amerindian peoples are in place to address the remaining gaps and challenges which faces Amerindians in this current period” Minister Sukhai said. In concluding, Sukhai reiterated that the Government of Guyana believes in equality, non-discrimination and good governance and assured that under the new political dispensation as a minority government in Parliament, “we continue to be responsive to the 10 percent of indigenous population which forms part of our ethnically diverse nation and the promotion of good governance which we believe will further enhance the rights and development of our Amerindian peoples in Guyana.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

NGSA marking completed – systems in place for release of results by June 27

By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally

IN an effort to ensure the timely release of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) results, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has released an update for parents, indicating that the marking of all the NGSA papers has been completed. Currently, the marked examination scripts are being processed nationally, and all systems are in place and functioning optimally to guarantee the release of the results as promised by the ministry, by Friday, June 27, 2014. This marks the second consecutive year that the MOE will be releasing the NGSA results promptly as indicated, through the continued enhancement of the overall quality management processes of the examination. Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand on April 16 disclosed that the NGSA

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand during her visit at the commencement of the NGSA exams results will be made available on June 27 this year. “We are in a far better place than we were and this year even before the children started their exams they already know when results will be issued. This was something our sector needed to standardise and we did, so

it’s in now, within our calendar and it’s the first time also that we have done this.” Manickchand related during an invited comment that the ministry is expecting to see results like they have been receiving for the last few years since the sector has now been able to distrib-

ute services across Guyana. She said that schools outside of Georgetown are now able to compete with Georgetown and “this is because of our conscious efforts to equitably distribute services throughout the country - that is if we have textbooks in George-

town, we have the same in Berbice, Essequibo and elsewhere.” NATIONAL GRADE TWO ASSESSMENT The ministry also wishes to inform parents that the National Grade Two

Assessment commences on Monday, June 9, 2014, and concludes on Friday, June 20, 2014. Parents are urged to note that this assessment is conducted in two parts oral and written - and are asked to ensure that they help in the preparation of their children for this very important assessment. Parents of Grade Four students are also being reminded that the National Grade Four Assessment will take place on Wednesday, June 18 and Thursday, June 19, 2014. The National Grade Nine Assessment will commence on Tuesday, June 17 and conclude on Thursday, June 20, 2014. In 2013, for the first time, the earliest release of the NGSA results was promised by Minister Manickchand. This year 15,500 students wrote the NGSA exams which were held on Wednesday, April 16 and Thursday, April 17, 2014 at centres across Guyana.

Guyana-US engagement on LEAD project being undertaken in good faith - HPS HEAD of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon and U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt have continued to meet and the engagement is one that is being undertaken in good faith. Dr. Luncheon said so yesterday at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President, in Georgetown. The $300M United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) project has been halted to facilitate talks, aimed at reaching a consensus between the Guyana Government and the United States Embassy in Georgetown. The announcement was made last week during a press conference at which the two parties issued a joint statement. The statement said: “The Governments of Guyana and the United States of America have agreed that the implementation of the activities of the USAID LEAD project would be put on hold, temporarily, during the re-engagement on the design of that project the two sides have agreed would commence immediately.” At the end of the meeting, the two parties had agreed to continue discussions with a view to charting a way forward for the benefit of Guyanese.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

Cabinet Secretary slams Mayor over ‘contempt of public opinion and bullyism’ ures,” Luncheon said. He was speaking at his usual post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President, in Georgetown.

By Telesha Ramnarine CABINET Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, yesterday observed that Georgetown Mayor, Hamilton Green’s long-term association with failure has apparently not prompted any disinclination on his part to abandon his “recklessness.” “That his recent and ongoing eruptions will achieve little is a certainty…being one of repeated bouts, confrontations, reversals and indeed more abject fail-

CABINET Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon

INESCAPABLE FACTS “There are certain inescapable facts surrounding the situation at City Hall. Some of them include the following: the service offered, the services provided to the residents and taxpayers are, to put it mildly, unacceptable, and to go further, atrocious. “The level of incompetence, the specter of corruption that is uncovered, serial investigations and reports is of an alarming proportion.

“The Government and the government’s bailout have over the years been consistently providing and have gone beyond the notions of a subvention. Recently, the budget measures revealed government’s intention to make as much as five hundred million dollars available for urban measures to deal with the garbage problem. Luncheon also noted, “The Mayor and his utter contempt of public opinion and sadly, his apparent difficulty with recognising the rejection of Guyanese of his own time, PNC brutal, brutism, bullyism and intimidatory behaviour and practices.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

Environmental tax legislation to be returned to Parliament for rectification - Dr Luncheon

By Telesha Ramnarine FACED with the threat of litigation from the Surinamese firm, Rudisa Beverages over the application of Guyanese environmental

the Government’s intention in being implemented. Sadly, today, Guyana has to face a CCJ (Caribbean Court of Justice) ruling on this matter,” Luncheon said

Gov’t expects Opposition this time around….to act sensibly, however belatedly – Dr. Luncheon tax legislation, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic administration had approached the Tenth parliament in 2013 to remedy the situation legislatively. The Bill that was introduced sought to correct the offending provision in the Guyanese tax legislation and to remove the discriminatory application of the Guyanese tax legislation, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon recalled yesterday. “Sadly, and incomprehensibly, the Opposition’s ultimate stance was to reject the Bill and indeed prevent

while addressing his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing. Speaking at the Office of the President, in Georgetown, Luncheon said a series of orders accompanied the ruling of the CCJ, a ruling that was not in Guyana’s favour. “Now we have to deal with the tendency of the Opposition parties, both APNU and AFC, to decline to accept responsibilities for this situation. They would have us believe, ‘don’t blame us’ and even more absurdly, blame the Government.” Luncheon said the CCJ

was supportive of the Government of Guyana’s efforts to comply with its treaty obligations and this was in concert with the principles of the Surinamese firm. “We are confronted with the ruling today but in answering this resort of the Opposition to reject responsibility for this sad situation, the acid test would soon follow. “Government, Cabinet has agreed that this Bill would be reintroduced as we have done with other pieces of legislation, and did not find favour with this one-seat parliamentary Opposition. “We have decided to have this piece of legislation returned to the Tenth Parliament for reconsideration and essentially for the Opposition this time around….to act sensibly, however belatedly.” The CCJ last week ordered the Govern ment of Guyana to repay to Rudisa Beverages US$6,047,244M (G$1.2B) for charging an environmental tax on its imports of beverages into Guyana which are distributed through CIDI Distributors Inc., the other co-claimant.

… after Opposition ‘sadly and incomprehensibly’ rejected the Bill

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

Jumo ‘Rubber Waist’ Primo releasing new video weekend

GUYANESE singer/entertainer Jumo Primo will release a new video and song titled ‘No More Love’ this weekend. He told the Guyana Chronicle it was written by him some time ago but he, only now, decided to make it public. The video was produced by another Guyanese, Brian Roberts, in association with Honest Illusions and Company, while the sound track was done by Ernie Windfall, also Guyanese, operating out of Canada. The song is of reggae genre and speaks of the violence in Guyana and the seemingly less regard for lives, the lack of justice, among other ills of society, Primo said. He added that it also talks of situations in life faced by a lot of people and, since the death of his brother, who suddenly took ill and succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), he was even more motivated to release the publication.

JUMO PRIMO

Primo noted that people do not want to talk out problems but choose to take matters in their own hands and act, often resulting in the loss of lives through tragic incidents. Well-known for the way he can move his waist that gained him the monicker ‘Rubber Waist’, Primo said the new song is the second he is releasing this year, following his ‘rev-up’ for Mashramani in February. Still active with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires Band, Primo said he is confident that his latest release will be an instant hit. He won the Soca Monarch Competition twice and is the one-time winner of the local Groovy Soca Monarch contest. Next week, Primo said a video shoot is scheduled for Riddim ‘Screw face’ featuring Jory, Fojo, Kwasi Ace Edmondson, Alabama, Adrian Dutchin and himself. He said that song is a medley slated for release shortly.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

Apology THE Guyana Chronicle, in a May 15, 2014 article headlined ‘GECOM: Local Govt. elections funds will be released, once date is set’, inadvertently, attributed the following paragraph to Public Relations Officer (PRO) ,VishnuPersaud: “…that a budgetary allocation of $3.3B for the agency’s administrative and other related costs were approved by Parliament during its considerations of the National Budget.” The Guyana Chronicle apologises for any inconvenience caused by the report.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

Lover accused in septic tank murder trial says kindness got her into trouble By George Barclay MURDER accused, Desiree Jeffers who is facing trial for the murder of her ex-policeman lover, Igris Bobb Blackman, began her defence yesterday with an unsworn statement that she got into trouble

because she was kind. Asking the jury to find her innocent for the death of Blackman whose body was fished out of the septic tank at her residence at Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, she said she got to know him in 2006 when she rented him a room at her home, after he was put out of his uncle’s home. He could not have paid the rent she charged him so she gave him the room free of charge, so that he would be able to take care of the property when she was out of the country. She said that because she was kind they became intimate friends but she related incidents to the jury, citing one occasion when his sister phoned her enquiring about Blackman, who is also known as David. She also told about contacts with the police who entered her home in search of the missing

Blackman. According to her, the police conducted a search at the home but found nothing. However, she said that in a septic tank outside, they found Blackman wrapped in a carpet and tied with a rope. She declared that when she was taken to the septic tank, she said: “Oh my God, I am not responsible for this.” Despite this denial, she said that Assistant Superintendent, Paul “looked at me and said, “I have reason to believe that you know about this murder.” He then arrested me. The accused added: “I have never threatened anyone and am not responsible for Mr. Blackman’s demise.” Her lawyer, Mr. Peter Hugh, who is appearing in association with Miss Latchmie Rahamat, told Justice Dawn Gregory that he would be calling his first witness this morning.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

GUYANA CHRONICLE FRIDAY May 16, 2014

Well, I could hardly wait to greet you here again my fans, and I trust you had quite an enjoyable week. Today, folks, we are going to touch a few buttons on our pages, because some person really misbehaved... Which leaves me no alternative that to tell it like it is. That aside, you can rest assured that we have mustered some juicy tidbits for you that will have you doubling over with laughter, rigid with shock, or otherwise just melt and appease your wildest entertainment desires. Be sure to persuse this and the next three pages, and enjoy a blissful journey as the Entertainment Bombshell again takes you on yet another wild ride, allowing you to ignite and appease your reader’s fantasies. Have a ball, folks...

Telephone Contact # 616 0301 or 227 5216

Bombshell’s Most Provocative Babes…

The explosive songbird with talents to die for

Teneica De Freitas: a fiery lass with honey-toned vocals and sensual moves that electrify TALK about saucy and explosive!!! This damsel certainly reeks of an erotic fire that is evident in her sensual aura and electric dance moves; and there are those throbbing honey-toned vocals that are such a rare treat in the world of music today. We did not mention the fact that she possesses a body to match her other womanly assets. What mystifies about this lass is that she can evolve from coy to captivating; shy to sensual; and from demure to promiscuous, and each

time she is almost irresistibly provocative. How she does that only she alone can tell; what I know for sure is that she creates a ‘sensual stampede’, so to speak, amongst the male species the minute she enters a venue. She is a Caribbean fire fox with her girlish dimples and pearly while teeth; twinkling, suggestive glances; pouting cherry lips; show stopper cleavage, and that downright saucy attitude

that can cause involuntary contractions of muscles in embarrassing locations. She steps like a diva, accentuating her arrival with that inimitably sexy swishing of the hips that tells the story of primitive womanly pleasures. Being one of Guyana’s more celebrated young songstresses, Teneica De Freitas naturally enjoys singing, dancing, modelling, travelling, and exploring.

A woman of great confidence and jaw dropping sizzle, she declares: “Since you are blessed with those assets, why not flaunt them? However do so smartly; you certainly do not want to attract the wrong species”. We l l , w e l l … l e t m e see…. There is no contact number here, so maybe she is not looking. From what I know, she has already been spoken for by someone who is crazy for her. Sorry guys; better luck next time!

ou s: y eita erb r F p De so su eica Ten and oh h fres

ng,

GUYANA CHRONICLE FRIDAY May 16, 2014

Mahaicony comes alive with riveting May Fair and Dance

Who will take home the top prize in the Maypole Plaiting Showdown?

THE excitement is certainly riveting, and it’s soaring all the way to Central Mahaicony (East Coast Demerara), where Julius Joe’s Entertainment Agency, in collaboration with Abilola’s Promotions, readies again to host the smashing ‘Mahaicony May Fair and Dance’. This ‘must have venture’ for Mahaicony residents will be hosted at the Central Mahaicony Community Centre Ground tomorrow. The event kicks off at around 11.00 am, when youths of Mahaicony take to the streets for the customary bicycle and bike races. After that segment, patrons will congregate at the venue for village interaction and great entertainment. Promoters are urging families to come out in their numbers, since there will be Go-Cart rides, ring games, and lots of other attractions for the kids. A trampoline and a Merrygo-Round will also be in attendance. The district is already abuzz in anticipation of the firy clashes the plaiting of the Maypole would engender amongst groups from Mahaicony, Buxton, Belladrum, Enmore, Paradise, Perth Village and other areas. Then, as night falls, patrons will congregate for a night of wild revelry, when they would gyrate in wild abandon to pulsating sounds from the popular Slingerz Sounds, with Gold Rock passing through, of course! Admission to the event is set at $500. This mega event will be covered by the Entertainment Bombshell (Guyana Chronicle Newspapers), and other media entities.

Gossip!!! Gossip!!! Gossip!!! Gossip!!!

Some pastahs does mek dem chuch de devil’s playground

PEOPLE, dis story very shacking, and it gon mek you livvah tun ovah inside ah yuh if yuh is a Christian. Is plenty ah dem so-called pastahs wah does bring bad name pon de whole cancept ah Christianity. When Bombshell get de predicts on dis story ah was so shack, because I know dis pastah well and ah de always think he was a really good man. Well, too bad fuh me, I just waste a whole thawt. Dis pastah belang tuh ah certain church pon Norton Street, where ah lat ah dem highfadlootin, bigshat sistas does attend. He wife nevah know dat he does deh hustling dem young sistas and also pestering dem lil gyals at he wuk place. Imagine pasta demonstrating at de private classes he does guh to at a tertiary institution and showing positions how people does sex fuh de amusement ah he friends dem! Shame! Shame!! Shame!!! Well, lately, he start fuh pounce pon a certain sistah who wukking wid wan ah dem ministry. He texting she late in de night begging fuh sex videos and asking fuh sex positions and all ah dat. If you think dat is all, yuh sadly mistaken meh chile,

because dis pastah going pon porn site and checking out men having sex and enjoying it wid glee! He wife certainly gat fuh check he out. Eh-eh!…. Well, he deh molesting de sistah phone till he even mek she and she baifriend get wrang tuh. Well, dis pastah suh chupit dat he leff all he text in de phone, and he wife run de phone and find dem, and went after de sistah wid fyah and brimstone in she eyes. And guess wheah de big volcano erupted? Upstairs ah de church in de middle of a Wednesday night prayer

meeting!!! People, can yuh believe dis? But it ain’t surprise me, because I went tuh de church twice and I see dem sistas babbling and chattering during de sermon, and enjhaying biscuit and drink widdout a care in de world. Wha happen to de reverence we supposed to get fuh God? Shame on yuh all, and pon dis pastah tuh, fuh encouraging it… If yuh see how dis pastah wife wade into de sistah, blaming de poh gal fuh de whole thing, instead of attacking she husband fuh initiating dis episode of adultery. Well, she nah bin know

And this is the wife who should have known better...

dat dis sistah was a fireball tuh, suh she get caught in shakk when de sista let loose pon she like de Nile Rivah. It wuz wan big dutty cuss out in de chuch, and de whole prayer meeting bruk up right deh! Dem adda sistahs couldn’t ah catch deh breaths, and muzzy still traumatized by de whole explosion. De pastah wife call de sistah a ‘Flat Batty Jezebel’, and de sistah call she ‘Ah gigantic tub ah Egyptian lard’, and is suh de two ah dem let loose at each adda! De sistah eventually storm out de chuch wid she weaving flying, leffing de pastah wife snorting, heaving and weezing behind. What a shame and disgrace pon de house ah worship. Dis pastah gat a lat fuh tell de Creator if he don’t change he dutty ways. Hey, pata, ah mean pastah, yuh know yuhself! Get on yuh knees and pray fuh change! Yuh dutty ways driving more souls to hell instead of heaven… Yuh lucky we spare yuh and ain’t call de name ah yuh chuch. Pull up yuh socks, bossman!!!

The fiery sistah: Oh gracious me!!! Look at the jewellery, wig and fake lashes

Pastah, yuh ain’t get no shame? Come on moms....Bring out the kids to have some fun

Adrian Dutchin on the Wawan Riddim STADIC STUDIO Productions brings its new smash compilation, the Wawan Riddim. It will be available worldwide from all major digital retailers from May 27, 2014, with pre-order from FOX FUSE available now. Produced by Kevin “KC” Charles for the St. Vincent and Trinidad-based production house, Wawan Riddim turns on the heat with a fusion of flavours from Trinidad, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines – the signature sounds for Stadic Studio Productions. Wawan Riddim features eight (8) sizzling singles, including Guyanese Chutney Monarch Fiona Singh with her hit “He Wah One,” Adrian Dutchin with “Wining Today,”

Shelly G with “Wine Up,” Banco with “Wine Go Down,” Icon with “Tun Up,” Valene Nedd with “Nah Fight,” Jomo with “Drop,” and Fojo with “Work It.” This compilation marks several new international releases from the Stadic Studio Productions catalogue, as the label continues its global debut after having recently signed a worldwide digital distribution deal with FOX FUSE. “I am elated that FOX FUSE has taken such an interest in the promotion and distribution of our music on a global scale,” states Charles. With releases such as the Wawan Riddim, this is only the tip of the iceberg for hit productions from the budding label, and it is a sure treat for music fans everywhere.

ADRIAN DUTCHIN

Miss World Guyana 2014 Update

GUYANA CHRONICLE FRIDAY May 16, 2014

Bombshell’s Hottest Dudes… The ladies soliciting corner…

Contestants in the Miss World Guyana 2014 pageant commenced competition on May 12th with the Beach Beauty photoshoot. This event is one of five specialized segments that will allow the contestants to earn bonus points toward their preliminary scores. The contestants, donned in swimsuits designed by Roger Gary, Marcie De Santos, and others, displayed their creativity in positioning at the Pegasus. Photographer Keron Bruce, with photo direction from Roger Gary, captured the girls in the natural environment of the garden and pool side at the Pegasus. The glam squad for this event comprised of make up artists Andrew Harris, Tenisha Garnett, and Renee Thompson; hair stylists from Rebecca Cox’s Hair and Nails salon; and

Michael Moore raves that he has the ultimate ladies’ package

Michael Moore will have the ladies desiring “Moore!”

The 2014 Miss World Guyana delegates during their swimsuit showcase

lashes by Lowena’s Novalash Nail Spa. Remaining areas of competition for the pageant are the interview, the fitness challenge, talent, beauty with a purpose (humanitarian project), and top model. The Grand Coronation Show, which will be held on May 26th at the National Cultural Centre, will feature the final talent, swimsuit, and evening wear. Preliminary scores for the interview and special skills competition will be added to the final round. Rebekah London, Gericia Francis, Rafieya Husain, Cherese James, Denicia Williams, Atisha Gaskill, Ayana Whitehead, and Tiffany Megnath are the contestants competing for the Miss World Guyana 2014 title. Tickets are available at the National Cultural Centre and cost $2,500, $2,000, and $1,000.

THIS WEEK, we are not only teasing your taste buds, ladies; but we are also giving you the ultimate challenge of genuinely netting a dashing young man who is normally ‘hard to get’. Whilst he is not invincible, he just loves the thrill of having the ladies chase after him. But don’t be discouraged, girls, he happened to mention this secret: “Once this stallion is captured, the captor is in for the thrill of her life”. From what I heard, he is captured already. Ooooooops!!! This mouth of mine…!!! Michael Moore enjoys working out, participating in athletics, and playing basket ball. He is also one of Guyana’s most talented dancers, and is a former runway model. His preference is for a lady with an adventurous side. He admits to being a bit Narcissistic, and says he takes great pains to always present his most presentable side for public viewing. Well, I know my female followers are looking for that phone number. Sorry, dearies; search for, and you shall find, him…. When you do, he has something else to tell you.

HJ begins hunt for a new Jamzone Queen

The reigning Miss Guyana Jamzone, Alicia Bess.

HITS AND JAMS Entertainment has commenced its drive to find the most suited Guyanese woman to take on the quest of being the nation’s beauty ambassador to contest the Miss Jamzone International crown. Last year, Alicia Bess was selected from a lineup of three, and she did Guyana proud placing as first runner up, but she was not strong enough against the Caribbean bevy to keep the crown in Guyana. Now, according to sources from the HJ Camp, the search is on for the ideal lady who could finally seal the deal for Guyana to get its hold of the crown and the title. The ideal candidate must have the charm, beauty, and soundness of a good head on her shoulders to represent Guyana against the best from around the Caribbean region in the upcoming Miss Jamzone International Pageant. This year’s quest has started early, and it’s open to interested hopefuls aged between 18 and 25 years old. The international pageant is slated for August at the National Cultural Centre. Thus far, Jamaica has won the title twice, and so has Trinidad & Tobago. Whoever wins the title this year will take on international delegates for a chance at the coveted crown and the lucrative prize purse of US$10,000. Guyana’s past queens who have each taken a shot at the international crown thus far are Nikita Archer, Ayanna Harris and Jovan Wilson. Entry forms can be uplifted from the Hits and Jams Headquarters at Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, or can be downloaded from www.hitsandjamsentertainment.com

Photo of the Week

STARTING this week, we will feature very interesting and eye-catching photos of our most celebrated hotties caught on camera strutting their stuff, clubbing like crazy, or just flipping it up for the Bombshell cameras. To jumpstart things, we just could not resist flashing these three beauties, who stood out distinctly at a recent mega-entertainment event as they strolled around, much to the delight of the male species. Be sure to dress to kill, and strive to look your best whenever you step out. The Bombshell cameras are always whirring, and you never know when we are headed your way.

Red hot damsels from the countryside

GUYANA CHRONICLE FRIDAY May 16, 2014

Katherina Roshana served as one of Guyana’s better beauty ambassadors IT’S ALWAYS a sad moment when a deserving beauty queen is called upon to hand over the royalties to a successor, and many do so with great emotion, and sometimes even tears. But just recently a queen of all queens did so with a satisfied smile that mirrored her deep content at having marketed her country excellently on the international front. She doubtlessly put Guyana on the map as another almost undiscovered exotic location with great potential for tourism development. Just recently, Miss India Guyana 2013, Katherina Roshana, handed over her crown and title to the radiant 25-year-old Divya Sieudarsan, and she did so with content written on her face at having served Guyana fittingly during her reign last year. Roshana, who won the Best Skin title at the international leg of that pageant, created quite a stir amongst the other contestants when she competed. But all did not end there for her... Not long after she demolished the competition to win the 2013 Miss Guyana Universe Pageant despite the crude and very inhumane remarks pelted her way by haters and persons who were just narrow-minded and empty-headed to allow the evil tentacles of ethnic differences to mar their good sense of reasoning, and ability to be ‘fair and square’, at least for once. Katherina did not allow this to deter her, and did everything in her power to make Guyana proud when she competed at the Miss Universe 2013 Pageant amongst some of the most elite beauties around the world. As expected, her sensual beauty, intelligence and natural charisma created quite an impact, and left a certain lasting impression on all with whom she came into contact. At that pageant, she was often dubbed as the ‘Best Dressed Contestant’ when she attended functions running up to pageant night, and marketed her country in a manner that left persons staring with bulging eyes that mirrored their pleasant wonder. Though she arrived with almost no time to spare before plunging into photo shoots and everything else that came with pageant preparation, she threw jet lag and fatigue aside and shone remarkably, like the diamond she is. It was not surprising that she won the Miss Best Head Shot Prize from amongst over eighty other contestants, and won herself more friends and fans that she ever imagined she would have fostered. When she returned to the local shores, with not only a wealth of experience, but also intense satisfaction at doing her best, she did not hesitate to give her love and care to the underprivileged, the poor and the needy. Just recently this amazing beauty ambassador took her leave as Miss Guyana India 2013 with an earnest plea that Guyanese must be true to their own and support our queens regardless of race and creed, since each queen is on the very difficult journey of placing the country on the map in the positive manner expected. She was deeply thankful to all her sponsors; family members and supporters; the media fraternity; and to Miss Guyana World 2013, Raquayyah Boyer, who also passed on experience that might have propelled her on her journey. Earlier this year, Katherina Roshana won the first ever media award as ‘Woman of Substance’ from amongst a selected lineup of beauties. Entertainment Bombshell applauds this diamond of a beauty, and wishes her all the best in her future endeavours.

KR Benjamin Entertainment to present ‘Champion of Champions Vehicle Sound Off’ -over $250,000 in cash and prizes to be won

THE BUZZ and excitement generated over the prospects of a very top-notch event is certainly getting to the senses of the ‘entertainment dare devils’ and the adventurous at heart. While many are eagerly anticipating the coming of this event, ‘Promoter Benjie’ of the KR Benjamin Entertainment fraternity told Bombshell yesterday that all plans are in place for the 2014 staging of the ‘Westside Champion of Champions Vehicle Sound Off’, slated for the Goed Fortuin Community Centre Ground, West Bank Demerara, on June 07, 2014. This venture will see SUVs, cars, vans, bikes and mini- buses facing off in a ‘boombastic sound clash’ to determine which vehicles are fitted with the hardest, loudest, and cleanest sounds. Entrants will compete in the ten-, twelve-, and eighteen-inch speaker categories to determine the eventual winners, and the top finalists will be awarded lucrative prizes from a whopping prize package of over $250,000. Parents are urged to bring out the kids to the event, since it will also feature a Merry- GoRound, Bouncy Castle, Trampoline and more for the family. Hot, spicy bar-b-cue will also be on sale. During the evening, the adult will be treated to a thrilling dance sequence and guest appearance from the 2014 Miss Bootilicious Lingerie Divas. Music will be supplied by Stereo Sonics and TRS Sounds, alongside Entertainer Ras. Admission is easy... Persons interested in competing are asked to call the promoters on phone number 677-8101 or 694-0551. This event is sponsored exclusively by Carib.

Well done, Katherina; we are all proud of you

GUYANA CHRONICLE FRIDAY May 16, 2014

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

Racing Tips English York 08:45 hrs Don’t Tell Annie 09:15 hrs Arab Spring 08:45 hrs Gospel Choir 10:15 hrs Radiator 10:50 hrs Piazon 11:25 hrs Tight Fit 12:00 hrs Latin Charm Newmarket 09:25 hrs True Course 09:55 hrs D’avignon 10:25 hrs Burtonwood 11:00 hrs Tigers Tale 11:35 hrs Swan Lakes 12:05 hrs Angelic Upstart 12:40 hrs Drawnfrom the past Newbury 08:30 hrs Silver Quay 09:00 hrs Hadaatha 09:35 hrs Able dash 10:05 hrs Kastini 10:35 hrs Spirit Of Xian 11:10 hrs Personal Opinion 11:45 hrs Musical Comedy 12:15 hrs Mystery Drama Irish Racing Tips Dundalk 13:15 hrs Johann Strauss 13:45 hrs Royal Focus 14:15 hrs Mezogiorno 14:45 hrs Six Silver Lane 15:15 hrs Rayna 15:45 hrs Our Manekineko 16:15 hrs Seeyouallincoppers South Africa Racing Tips Greyville 10:35 hrs Heart Of Winter 11:15 hrs Seven Carat 11:55 hrs April Rock 12:35 hrs Fly Peggy Fly 12:15 hrs Singing River 12:50 hrs Futura 13:25 hrs Punta Arenas 14:00 hrs Innate Quality 14:30 hrs Ice Pack French Racing Tips Chantilly 08:20 hrs Tristesse 08:50 hrs King Naaqoos 09:20 hrs Tres Solid 09:55 hrs Robin Du Nord 10:25 hrs Quatuor 10:55 hrs Bijou Bijou 11:25 hrs Contesurmoi American Racing Tips Pimlico Race 1 Love Heart Race 2 Eddy Gourmet Race 3 Big Lute Race 4 Concise Race 5 Munnings Sister Race 6 Alkazan Alkazan Race 7 Spanish Pipedream Race 8 LonesomeTown Race 9 Ben’s Cat Race10 Stopcharging maria Race11 Jojo Warrior Race12 Revolutionary

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

Brazilians protest World Cup spending, call for better services SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) Road blocks and marches hit Brazilian cities yesterday as disparate groups criticised spending on the upcoming World Cup soccer tournament and sought to revive a call for better public services that swept the country last June. Less than a month before the tournament kicks off, and four months before a presidential election, yesterday’s protests will gauge the ability of demonstrators to once again rally frustrated Brazilians and the competence of police to manage unrest that occasionally escalated over the past year into violence and vandalism. A main thoroughfare was blocked with burning tyres in Brazil’s biggest city of Sao Paulo and protesters stormed a building in the capital Brasilia. Looters also took advantage of a striking military police force in the northeastern city of Recife, a World Cup

A boy holds up a banner as children sit at what is meant to represent a public school classroom, during a protest against the 2014 World Cup, organised by non-governmental organisation (NGO) Rio de Paz (Rio of Peace) at the Jacarezinho slum in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday. (Credit: Reuters/Sergio Moraes)

venue, where security has been handed to the army until the police return. Groups, including the Homeless Workers Movement, marched towards a World Cup stadium in Sao Paulo, site of the tournament’s kickoff that has become a target because of families displaced by its construction.

One banner carried by demonstrators read: “The cup without the people, all to the streets again!” In Brasilia the Homeless Workers Movement entered the headquarters of Terracap, the state company that manages the city’s 1.4 billion reais ($630 million) stadium - the country’s most expensive. Protests are planned in up

to 50 cities throughout the day, as demonstrators hope to rekindle momentum that led to millions of people hitting the streets last year during the Confederations Cup, a two-week World Cup warm-up. Last year’s demonstrations prompted President Dilma Rousseff, who faces a bid for re-election in October, to address the nation and acknowledge deficiencies in public services and investment in everything from education and health care to transportation and security. After a near-decade of steady growth before she took office, Brazil is now struggling with a sluggish economy, persistent inflation, rising crime rates and lacklustre investment. Yesterday’s protests come in a week which has already seen widespread strikes from dissatisfied labour unions across Brazil, from bus drivers in Rio de Janeiro to military police in the northeastern city of Recife.

African teams can make World Cup impact, says Eto’o

Samuel Eto’o

(REUTERS) - African nations have the ability to be a competitive force at next month’s World Cup in Brazil despite not getting the respect they deserve, Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o said yesterday. African teams have often struggled at World Cups, with Cameroon becoming the first side from the continent to reach the quarter-finals in 1990. Senegal and Ghana have since matched that feat and Eto’o believes the improving quality of players like Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure means the five African nations can make a major impact in Brazil. “People think Africa are just there for the show,” Eto’o, who is in line to play in his fourth World Cup finals, toldafricanfootball.com. “It is because football

leaders don’t respect us that our opponents don’t respect us. “Africa must fight to get as far as possible and why not, win the World Cup. “Look at the main European clubs where a lot of Africans are shining. Take Manchester City as an example, and look at the goals scored by Yaya Toure. If it was (Lionel) Messi, we will be talking about it for three years.” Cameroon have been handed a difficult World Cup draw and will play Croatia, Mexico and hosts Brazil in Group A. But Eto’o, who has made 116 appearances for Cameroon and scored 55 goals, is relishing the prospect of meeting Luiz Felipe Scolari’s muchfancied Brazil side. “I have never been afraid,” he added. “If you are scared,

don’t become a football player. “It is going to be difficult, for sure, but in football everything is possible. We will have our chances, and we need to take them.” The 33-year-old Eto’o looks to be on the hunt for a new club after his contract at Chelsea expired, but the former Barcelona striker has not lost his hunger for the game and is adamant he will be good enough to play at the next two World Cups.

“Some believe I am going to retire in the United States or in the Middle East,” added Eto’o, who scored 12 goals for Chelsea this season. “I am going to go to this World Cup and to the next one when I will be 37. Some did it at 42, so I can still play in two more World Cups.” Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Algeria and Ivory Coast are the five African teams who have qualified for this year’s World Cup.

Spurs overcome Parker loss to beat Blazers, move on to West final THE Sports Xchange - The San Antonio shrugged off the loss of Tony Parker to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 104-82 and win their Western Conference semi-final series 4-1. Parker left with a tight left hamstring early in the second quarter but the Spurs got timely contributions from Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, who each scored 22 points. Green led the Spurs with nine rebounds,

and Leonard had a gamehigh five steals. Patty Mills, filling in for Parker, scored 18 points and made three steals. Tim Duncan added 16 points and eight rebounds. LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Blazers guard Damian Lillard scored 17 points and handed out 10 assists, but hit just seven of 18 shots from the floor.

Dwayne Bravo, Roach, Taylor back in Windies training squad for NZ tour ALL-rounder Dwayne Bravo is among five T&T players who have been called up in a squad of 20 players to prepare for the upcoming West Indies versus New Zealand Test series. Bravo will be joined by newly-elected West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin, his half-brother Darren, fast bowler Shannon Gabriel and mystery spinner Sunil Narine. The squad of 20 was chosen by the regional selection panel headed by Guyanese Clyde Butts and will move to Barbados on June 1 for a camp, then to

Jamaica for the opening match against the Kiwis. The 20 players called to prepare are: Denesh Ramdin (captain), Chris Gayle, Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kirk Edwards, Jermaine Blackwood, Sunil Narine, Shannon Gabriel, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn, Shane Shillingford, Kenroy Peters, Shane Dowrich, Ashley Nurse, Jason Holder and Kemar Roach. (Wicricnews)

From back page

`We never banned... The teams were locked out of the facility on Wednesday evening but a visit to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall by this publication revealed the players all going through their normal paces at practice. In an invited comment, Hinds said that it was after a series of telephone calls and discussions with the Sport Director, that the players

were allowed access. “We turned up and the gates were locked, asked the guard who I was told has a key to the venue, and he stated the he doesn’t know anything about having a key. But when we eventually got on to Mr Kumar, the same security got up and opened the venue. This can’t continue happening and it ends now,” Hinds said.

From back page

Williams, Hinds raring... Hinds entered his first three-stage race four years ago and his best placing was a third-place finish last year. Williams, on the other hand, entered his first three-stage event at the age of 13. The now 22-year-old cyclist’s best placing was his secondplace finish last year. According to Williams, he participated in quite a few criterium races while in the U.S. lately. He said the season started in February, but he went back from Guyana to the U.S. in March, hence he started late but managed to finish the season 16th overall in the Open category and second in the Under-25 age group. The overall record holder for the event is Ivan Dominiquez of Team Coco that is based in Miami, USA. Dominiquez’ time for the event is six hours 44 minutes 55 seconds which

he registered in 2012. This eclipsed the six hours 45 minutes 54 seconds that was recorded by Godfrey Pollydore in 1998. Dominiquez’ team mate Yasmani Pol holds the record (one hour 38 minutes 31 seconds) for the first stage, this was registered in 2011, the very year he registered a new record (two hours 15 minutes 31 seconds) for the second stage. Dominiquez holds the record (two hours 42 minutes 39 seconds) for stage three. This was done in 2012). Meanwhile, the cyclists will leave Georgetown at noon today for Berbice. Transportation leaves the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport office, Main and Quamina Streets and all cyclists are asked to assemble at 11:30hrs for a briefing and a send-off by Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

BBCI supports Kennard’s Memorial Club May 18 horse race meet BBERBICE Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) yesterday sponsored the first prize in the J3 and Lower class for this Sunday’s Kennard Memorial PreIndependence Horse Race meet. Upon presenting the $150 000 first place prize to Justice Cecil Kennard for the race, which will be run over a distance of five furlongs, BBCI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Omadat Samaroo pointed out that his company is a regular supporter of the sport, especially the Kennard Memorial Turf Club. “In 2013, the company sponsored three events and will continue to sponsor other events and is looking at a wider cross-section of sports.

“This year we’ve decided to come on board mainly due to the fact that horse racing has created a great attraction to Berbicians and also the profits generated from this meeting will be used to upgrade the facilities at the race track and for general improvements of horse racing in Guyana,” Samaroo said. “The BBCI not only plays a role of collecting tolls and facilitating vehicles crossing the Berbice River Bridge, but also discharges its corporate responsibilities and more importantly played an integral part in the development of education, sports, supports national events and made donations to charitable and noncharitable organisations in close proximity of the bridge or in Regions 5 and 6,”

BBCI CEO Omadat Samaroo (left) and Justice Cecil Kennard at yesterday’s presentation

Samaroo further added. The J3 and Lower class race will carry a second-place prize of $75 000, while third- and fourth-placers will pocket $38 000 and $19 000

respectively. $250 000 is being offered up for the day’s feature race – I and Lower – which will be raced over seven furlongs.

GCC, Police clash in Ansa McAl Carib Beer T20 final tomorrow THE final of the Georgetown Cricket Association/Ansa McAl Carib BeerT20 1st Division cricket competition will bowl off tomorrow between Police Sports Club (PSC) and Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC). The match to be played at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary, is scheduled to start at 13:00hrs. (13:00hrs). Police, who defeated the

highly-touted Demerara Cricket Club in one of the semi-finals last Saturday, will enter the final brimming with confidence but the youthful GCC team cannot be taken lightly, even though they will be without their inspirational captain Leon Johnson, who is away on West Indies High Performance Centre duties. The lawmen who will be appearing in their first final, will expect all-rounder

Ricardo Adams

Ricardo Adams to continue his fine form from the semi-final and lead them to victory, but GCC with Guyana Amazon Warriors’ latest recruit Robin Bacchus in their ranks would have other ideas. The umpires for the match are: Shannon Crawford and Yosef Yisrael with Zaheer Mohamed being the reserve. A keen and exciting tussle is expected.

Cooper shines as Rajasthan win to go third in IPL

AHMEDABAD, India (CMC) – Trinidad and Tobago all-rounder Kevon Cooper turned in an enterprising performance with bat and ball to help lift Rajasthan Royals to a 62-run win over Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League here yesterday. Sent in, Royals mustered 201 for six off their 20 overs with the right-handed Cooper blasting 32 from 16 balls. In reply, Delhi were

restricted to 139 for nine from their 20 overs, with Cooper producing a stingy spell, sending down three overs for just 19 runs and taking one wicket. The victory was Rajasthan’s seventh of the campaign and it kept them in touch with the leaders, in third on 14 points. Playing at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Ajinkya Rahane top-scored with 64 from 50 balls and put on 44 for the first wicket with Karun Nair

(19), and a further 49 for the second wicket with Cooper. Usually a lower order batsman, but promoted to number three for this game, the 25-year-old Cooper blasted two fours and three sixes, as Rajasthan found momentum up front. He announced his attentions off the second ball he faced, smashing left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem for a straight six and followed up in the bowler’s next over

by clearing long-off with another big hit. Cooper also clobbered JP Duminy for a straight six but in attempting another big stroke off the next ball, holed out to cover in the 11th over. Sanju Samson then hit 40 from 25 balls, to sustain the momentum for Rajasthan. When Delhi batted, they crashed to 58 for five in the tenth over and only Manoj Tiwary, with 61 not out, showed any enterprise.

GNA to host Regional Umpires Seminar beginning today THE Guyana Netball Association (GNA) will be hosting a Regional Umpires Seminar and Workshop, beginning today at 17:00hrs at the Guyana Olympic Association’s (GOA) conference room, High Street, Kingston. According to a GNA representative, the activity is the first major event on the Association’s calendar of events for the year 2014. The seminar/workshop, which is being sponsored by The Americas Federation of Netball Association (AFNA) is open to prospective umpires. The workshop will run from today to Sunday. Today, the session will begine at 17:00hrs while tomorrow it will commence at 10:00hrs and Sunday at 16:30hrs, but on Sunday also, it will move from the GOA Conference Room to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall’s Tarmac for practical and warm-up sessions. The facilitator of the activity is Ms Veronica Harris of Barbados who is a qualified Umpire/Trainee tester and who is also a member of the Umpires Advisory Panel of the AFNA. AFNA is an affiliate of the International Netball Federation (INF) formerly (IFNA) and it is responsible for netball development

in the Americas and the Caribbean. INF has five Regional Federations and was founded in 1960. The other affiliates are: Oceania Netball Association, Confederation of African Netball Association, Federation of Europe Netball Association and Asian Association of Netball Association. GOA vice-president Noel Adonis is expected to deliver the charge to the participants and declare the seminar open, while GNA president Lavern Fraser-Thomas is expected to make brief remarks. The association’s secretary Warren Wilson will chair the proceedings. According to the representative of the GNA, the purpose of the seminar is to hold a Regional seminar for beginners and ‘preliminary’ umpires who are interested in being trained as umpires or going on to their future development. Some of the topics that will be dealt with are: Umpires Protocol on becoming an Umpire, Starting the Game, Footwork, Substitution and Team Changes, Throw-In and Short Passes, Discipline and Setting Penalties as well as Contact and Obstruction.

CRICKETQUIZ CORNER (Friday May 16, 2014) Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market &The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 225-6158; 223-6055) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1)

Lasith Malinga-4/23 (MI vs KKR, April 16)

(2)

Varun Aaron (RCB vs DD, April 17)

Today’s Quiz: (1) Match these players with the IPL franchise they currently represent: Chris Gayle; Dwayne Smith; Sunil Narine; Kieron Pollard Chennai Super Kings; Mumbai Indians; Royal Challengrs Bangalore; Kolkatta Knight Riders (2) Prior to this year’s tournament, how many centuries were recorded in the IPL? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday May 16, 2014

GBL president attends inaugural World Baseball/Softball Congress

Reggae Boyz King given 18-month sentence for dangerous driving

… COMMITS MEMBERSHIP TO THE INTERNATIONAL SOFTBALL FEDERATION PRESIDENT of the Guyana Baseball League (GBL) Robin Singh has recently returned to Guyana after attending the historical World Baseball/ Softball Congress (WBSC) which was held in the African state of Tunisia. The inaugural congress of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) elected Italy’s Riccardo Fraccari to lead the world governing body as its first-ever sole president. Dating back to 2012, the 64-yearold Fraccari helped guide and deliver the birth of the WBSC as an interim co-president, alongside softball partner Don Porter. Now, Fraccari will serve as the lone WBSC president for an initial seven-year term that extends to 2021. The WBSC Congress, which took place over the weekend in the North African city of Hammamet, also elected its first-ever executive board, formalising a complex

GBL president Robin Singh

merger of baseball’s and softball’s two independent international sport federations; a process that took nearly four years of talks, legal consultations and planning to arrive at the day where only one official would lead as president. According to a release from the GBL, while in Tunisia, Singh attended a COPABE (Confederaciòn Panamericana de Béisbol) meeting to discuss developments in the region,

following which, he was tasked with heading a fact-finding mission to the English speaking Caribbean countries, with an aim to foster further development of the game in those areas. The GBL also committed to membership in the International Softball Federation with the aim of having the game introduced in schools throughout Guyana. Singh, the GBL release stated, made specific reference to baseball as a significant tourism product in addition to sport and culture, adding that “large groups have indicated interest in playing Recreational Baseball in Guyana as soon as we (GBL) have constructed our first field.” “Baseball and Softball are enjoying a surge in interest and participation and plans are proceeding apace for an extremely busy and productive mini-season during the school holidays in July and August,” the GBL noted.

Marlon King has been handed an 18-month jail sentence for dangerous driving. LONDON, England (CMC) – Former Reggae Boyz striker Marlon King has been handed an 18-month jail sentence for dangerous driving. The 34-year-old caused a three-car smashup on the A46 in Nottinghamshire last year April, which left one of the drivers involved nursing a broken arm. King, who pleaded guilty in March to the charge of dangerous driving, was also banned from driving for three years. “I do not regard your case as merely

impulsive or silly behaviour. It was aggressive. It was arrogant,” said Judge Paul Mann. The court heard that King had been weaving in and out of traffic before proceeding to overtake a VW Polo driven by Martin Beck, on the inside lane. King braked suddenly, forcing Beck to perform an emergency stop. A third car then slammed into the Polo. King drove off but was called back to the scene by a witness. Beck had to be cut from the car and air-lifted to hospital. Reports in the British media said Beck underwent surgery for a broken arm and spent three weeks in hospital. King is no stranger to the courts, having served an 18-month sentence in 2009 for sexual assault. He was also imprisoned in 2002 for handling a stolen vehicle. The front-man has played for Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Coventry City, Hull City, Leeds United, Middlesbrough and more recently, Sheffield United. He was released from Sheffield United in December last year and has not played since.

Sport CHRONICLE

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

Dwayne Bravo, Roach, Taylor back in Windies training squad for NZ tour See story on page

`We never banned anyone from using CASH’ – Neil Kumar … Teams resume training at facility PAGE 28 of the May 15 edition Stabroek News headlined ‘Kumar stops b/ball teams from training at CASH’. The revelations of the story saw Director of Sport Neil Kumar gain widespread criticism and condemnation, since it is under his National Sports Commission (NSC) control the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) falls. At present, the Sports Hall, the only indoor facility that could accommodate the sport of basketball, is being used by the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) to prepare their male and female National U-19 teams, as well as for practice sessions for teams preparing for the Inter-Association Championships. The report stated that the GABF was banned because of its president Nigel Hinds’ objection to having Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) being designated as the entity responsible for selecting Guyana’s National U-19 team to participate in July’s Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) between Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname. Kumar, when contacted, said that he never banned anyone from using the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and is surprised as to how such a report was made in the first place. “I have no position because to begin with, I never banned anyone from using the Sports Hall. I don’t know how they could say I banned when I never even hinted to that. Whoever it is that’s behind this whole thing have their own motive but I have no time with that. Tomorrow (Friday) I will issue a release to that effect,” said the Director of Sport. Turn to page 29

Youth coach Naylon Loncke takes some of the participants of last evening’s practice session through some drills. (Sonell Nelson photo)

NSC annual Three-Stage cycle road race

Williams, Hinds raring to go Geron Williams

UNITED States-based cyclists Geron Williams and the consistent Orville Hinds are raring to go when the National Sports Commission-sponsored

annual Three-Stage cycle road race gets under way tomorrow in Berbice. Speaking to Chronicle Sport, Williams who returned last Thursday from a sojourn in the U.S. said he thinks he is in good form at the moment. He, however, made no predictions if he is going for a win. “I’m looking forward to keen competition. The local riders have all been performing well since the

local season started, so I’m going into this race with an open mind and to do the best I can do,” Williams stated. Williams placed second overall behind Barbadian Jomal Eastman who returned a winning overall time of six hours 58 minutes 13 seconds. Eastman had won the first and second stages last year with Alanzo Greaves and Hinds finishing second and third.

Williams and Robin Persaud were second and third respectively in stage two. Hinds told Chronicle Sport he is prepared physically and mentally for the challenges he is anticipating. He said he is going into the race to win and nothing else. Hinds, like Williams, expects keen competition from the local cyclists as well as the regional and international cyclists, who will face the starter at

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07:00hrs at Corriverton, Berbice for the downward journey to New Amsterdam, a distance of 46.6 miles. The second stage begins at 14:00hrs tomorrow also and will wheel off from the Rosignol stelling and proceed to Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown for the finish, a distance of 60.4 miles. Stage three will commence 08:00hrs on Sunday morning from Kara Kara,

Orville Hinds

Linden Highway, and conclude on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, a distance of 75.5 miles. Turn to page 29

FRIDAY, May 16, 2014