Guyana chronicle 31 03 14

GUYANA No. 103784

MONDAY MARCH 31, 2014

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

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Put Guyana first, says Finance Minister of Gov’t committed Privatisation the sugar to press freedom industry is not Page 2

… as Budget debate commences

Minister Dr. Ashni Singh

Page 8

…President Ramotar at launch of Little Rock radio station

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the way to go

–says Agriculture Minister

10-yr-old attempts suicide by hanging 2

Page

…ill-treatment might be the cause, some say

Rockcliff Christie, Pearl Christie, President Donald Ramotar and Naomi Christie in the transmission studio of Little Rock Radio 88.5FM

Breach-of-the-peace accused claims Page sibling stripped 11 and ask for sex

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

Put Guyana first, says Finance Minister … as Budget debate commences

AS THE National Assembly once again prepares to convene today for the General Policy Debate of Budget 2014, I call on all parties involved to keep in their active

consciousness the purpose of their seat in the Parliament and their responsibility to the people who have placed them there.

This call came last eve-

REMEMBERING CHEDDI Such a development strategy must combine good governance, internationally, regionally and nationally. With North/ South partnership, cooperation and solidarity; a national-democratic state of all classes and strata with the working class not being dominated, exploited and marginalised; the mobilisation of physical, natural and social capital; and self-help and self-reliance.

Hemispheric Summit on Sustainable Development Bolivia, December 7-8, 1996

ning from Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh Minister Singh continued, “I appeal to my colleagues in the National Assembly for serious and civil debates of Budget 2014. This should not be treated as a stage for political grandstanding. This third budget of the 10th Parliament, like previous budgets, is another opportunity for our elected officials and leaders to demonstrate to their constituents and all people of Guyana that they can, and will, work in the interest of the nation.

“Since the presentation of Budget 2014, a week ago, civil society groups and stakeholders have added their voices, shared their concerns and expressed overwhelmingsupport for the measures in Budget 2014.

“These are the voices that the members of the august Assembly are ultimately representing. Let us act prudently, responsibly and intelligently in the interest of these persons whom we are elected to represent.

“Let us ensure that the single mother who commits dili-

Minister Dr. Ashni Singh gently to sending her children to school receives government support via the National School Feeding and Uniform Programmes; the cottage farmer who depends on electricity to grow his business is provided with affordable and accessible electricity; the

health care providers in our hinterland communities who depend on accessible roads and bridges to deliver vital medications, that our future generation of children have a clean, health environment because of initiatives like the Low Carbon Development

Strategy.

“Herein lies another opportunity for the National Assembly to demonstrate that, despite our political differences, we are a people who can work together in the interest of moving our country forward, in unity, and with unquestioning resolve.

“Budget 2014, like those before under the PPP/C Government, is a reflection of its policy to foster economic, social and infrastructural development throughout all sectors.

This PPP/C Government has repeatedly and consistently demonstrated its commitment to the people of Guyana with each year’s budget being larger than the previous one.

“Each and every Guyanese has a role to play in developing this nation, members of the National Assembly no less.

‘Let us demonstrate from this high office of the National Assembly, that we will not play political football with another year’s budget. Let us demonstrate that we can work together from the hallowED chambers of the National Assembly to build a Better Guyana for all Guyanese,” the Finance Minister concluded.

10-yr-old attempts suicide by hanging …ill-treatment might be the cause, some say

By Asif Hakim A TEN-YEAR-OLD boy of Downer Canal, North Sophia, Georgetown was found hanging on the verandah of his parent’s home at about 10:00hrs yesterday. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), and is battling for his life in the accident and emergency unit.

When this publication visited the hospital yesterday, the boy’s mother, who had discovered him hanging, was being taken into custody to assist police with their investigations, but other family members refused to speak to this publication, and were being secretive about the incident. Residents of North Sophia speculate that the child is often ill-treated by his

step-father.

A close family member reluctantly told this publication that the hanging incident might have been an accident, because he does not believe that the boy would want to commit suicide, knowing that his family members love him.

That relative said he had earlier seen the boy playing in the yard, but moments later, he had heard the boy’s mother calling him for breakfast and saying he was nowhere to be found. A few minutes later, the boy started to scream at the top of his voice, and he was seen hanging from the laundry line on the verandah.

Neighbours and friends of the boy’s family assisted in cutting him loose and rushing him to the GPHC; and a reliable

source told this publication that the boy’s stepfather usually illtreats and badly brutalizes him, and this may have triggered his decision to commit suicide, since he allegedly could not cope with the situation.

The source said he heard someone screaming, and when he peeped outside, he saw the boy hanging and his family members trying to keep him alive. The source said the boy had placed a belt around his neck and had tied it to the clothes line on the verandah, before jumping from the verandah to be left hanging in suspension.

The source pointed out that the boy’s father had died sometime ago in a shootout with police and bandits, and that the boy has since not been faring well.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

Gov’t committed to press freedom …President Ramotar at launch of Little Rock radio station

PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar Saturday reminded a large audience of mostly Berbicians of the gains made in press freedom since 1992, and stressed government’s commitment to maintaining this status as he delivered the feature address to mark the launch of Berbice’s first radio station.

President Ramotar said that the proprietors of Little Rock Radio 88.5FM, Rockcliff and Pearl Christie, must be congratulated for what he described as their “pioneering role” with the multimillion dollar investment.

Stating that he felt very comfortable with the ownership of the new station, President Ramotar said that radio must have a developmental role, as Guyana is a developing country. He stressed, however, that while radio can be used for good purposes, it can also be used negatively.

Government has opened up the broadcast frequency with several radio and television stations granted licences. Among the new radio stations are NTN 89.1FM, RGI, Telecor and Cultural Broadcasting Inc., and Hits and Jams Entertainment, among

President Donald Ramotar unveiling the plaque at Little Rock Radio in Berbice. He is flanked by owners Rockcliff and Pearl Christie

President Ramotar shares a DJ moment with owners of the business entity.

others.

He highlighted the role of radio in the genocides of Rwanda a few years ago, and its use by the Nazis in Germany during World War 11, and urged that such situations must always be guarded against. Several key issues such as Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project, Budget cuts and even the Anti-Money Laundering Bill which were adversely affected by the political Opposition’s stance were noted by the president, who said that radio must be used to keep persons informed.

“More information is needed to ensure persons are aware of the misinformation being spread by those who want to distort the truth”, he said.

Deputy Mayor of New Amsterdam, Harold Debydeen, stated that “self-motivated and self-confident” are the words he would use to describe the owners of the new station. He urged

them to not only be entertaining, but also educational, as he offered congratulations on behalf of all Berbicians.

President of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mark Roopnarine, said that it was with great pride that he too congratulated the Christie family whom he described as a “transformational force in the community”. He added that they are poised to take the Little Rock brand to greater heights in the community, as they transform lives by more than just educating and entertaining people through their programming.

Congratulations were also given by Region 6 Chairman, David Armogan, who lauded their pioneering efforts in various businesses throughout the years.

The sharing of information, he noted, is vital, and mention was made of the fact that oft

times, events are reported by various media before public officials responsible for the affected areas are even officially informed.

Giving a brief history of the Little Rock business operations, Naomi Christie, daughter of the proprietors, said that the company’s initial radio licence application dates back to the early 1990s, followed by a re-application in 1997. The radio station began testing on February 23 this year with feedback being garnered from the local listening audience. The station covers the entire Berbice area and extends to the East Coast of Demerara. It is also streamed online.

The Little Rock Company began operating in the 1980s with a hotel, then expanded in 2005 with the Little Rock Suites on the Main Street of New Amsterdam. It currently employs 60 persons.(GINA)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

Long search looms for Malaysia jet, families renew protests (Reuters) - THE search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 could take years, U.S. Navy officials suggested on Sunday, as search and rescue officials raced to locate the plane’s black box recorder days before its batteries are set to die.

Ten ships and as many aircraft are searching a massive area in the Indian Ocean west of Perth, trying to find some trace of the aircraft, which went missing more than three weeks ago and is presumed to have crashed.

The chief of the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center, He Jianzhong, told the Xinhua state news agency no objects linked to the plane had been found on Sunday, and that Chinese vessels would expand their search area.

Numerous objects have been spotted in the two days since Australian authorities moved the search 1,100 km (685 miles) after new analysis of radar and satellite data concluded the Boeing 777 travelled faster and for a shorter distance after vanishing from civilian radar screens on March 8. None has been confirmed as coming from Flight MH370.

U.S. Navy Captain Mark

Matthews, who is in charge of the U.S. Towed Pinger Locator (TPL), told journalists at Stirling Naval Base near Perth that the lack of information about where the plane went down seriously hampers the ability to find it.

“Right now the search area is basically the size of the Indian Ocean, which would take an untenable amount of time to search,” he said.

“If you compare this to Air France flight 447, we had much better positional information of where that aircraft went into the water,” he said, referring to a plane that crashed in 2009 near Brazil and which took more than two years to find.

The U.S. Navy cannot use the pinger locator and other sonar used to listen for the beacons on the aircraft’s flight data and cockpit voice recorders until “conclusive visual evidence” of debris is found, U.S. Navy spokesman Commander William Marks told CBS’ “Face the Nation” program.

If no location is found, searchers would have to use sonar to slowly and methodically map the bottom of the ocean, he said. “That is an incredibly long process to go through. It is

possible, but it could take quite a while,” he said.

Among the vessels to join the search is an Australian defense force ship, the Ocean Shield, that has been fitted with a sophisticated U.S. black box locator and an underwater drone.

Australia, which is coordinating the search in the southern Indian Ocean, said it had established a new body to oversee the investigation and issued countries involved in the search a set of protocols to abide by should any wreckage be found.

Malaysia says the plane, which disappeared less than an hour into a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was likely diverted deliberately. Investigators have determined no apparent motive or other red flags among the 227 passengers or the 12 crew.

Ukraine crisis: US and Russia ministers in Paris talks Putin phoned President Barack Obama on Friday.

Russia has annexed Crimea and there are reports of thousands of Russian troops massed close to Ukraine’s borders.

Earlier Mr Lavrov set out demands for a neutral and federal Ukraine, an idea Kiev called “full capitulation”.

However, Mr Lavrov has categorically denied any plans for an invasion.

But he has stressed Moscow will protect the rights of ethnic Russians and Russian

(BBC News) RUSSIAN Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry have arrived in Paris for crisis talks on Ukraine.

The meeting was hastily arranged after President Vladimir

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Chinese relatives of passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 hold China’s national flag during a news conference at The Holiday Villa in Subang Jaya March 30, 2014. Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha

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speakers, after pro-EU protests in Kiev led to the ousting of Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych. He had faced months of protests after pulling out of an association deal with Brussels.

On Sunday the US ordered its top general in Europe to return early from a trip to Washington.

Gen Philip Breedlove, Nato’s supreme allied commander Europe, had been due to testify to Congress, but a Pentagon spokesman told Reuters his

return was prudent “given the lack of transparency and intent from Russian leadership about their military movements across the border” Hours before the Paris talks were due to take place at the Russian ambassador’s residence, Mr Lavrov told Russian state TV that Ukraine should come up with a new constitution “providing for a federal structure” and neutrality.

The Russian foreign minister said Moscow, the US and European Union should act as a support group for Kiev to begin a nationwide dialogue that did not involve the “armed radicals”. Moscow claims that fascists have taken power in Ukraine, jeopardising the safety of Russian speakers.

In an interview on Saturday, he said Russia had been deceived after being promised “there would be no movement of Nato military infrastructure closer to our borders”.

The Ukrainian foreign ministry said it deeply regretted Mr Lavrov’s “patronising” remarks.

“At the point of its automatic rifles, this aggressor demands only one thing Ukraine’s full capitulation, its split and the destruction of Ukrainian statehood,” said a statement carried by Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

14 Muslim women, children return from Venezuela

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Brazil forces occupy favela ahead of World Cup

…eight men still in Caracas facing tribunal (Trinidad Express) AFTER being detained for over a week in Venezuela, 14 local Muslims—six women and eight children—returned to this country late Friday night.

The 14 detainees arrived at the Piarco International Airport from Caracas around 7.20 p.m. via a flight through Margarita.

The flight was originally scheduled to arrive at Piarco around 5.50 p.m. However, it was delayed twice, according to the flight/ arrival information board in the airport.

Shortly after 7.20 p.m., the information on the board indicated the flight had arrived, and people who gathered in the departure area, anxiously awaited the return of their loved ones.

When about an hour passed and none of the women or children were seen, their relatives were becoming visibly anxious.

The situation became more worrisome for relatives when passengers on the same flight which brought the 14 detainees, were seen exiting the departure area and meeting friends and family.

A little before 10 p.m., the 14 women and children were seen collecting their baggage and talking to Customs officials inside the airport and a short while later, they came out to the flashing lights of photographers and cameramen, as reporters attempted to speak to the them.

However, most of the women ignored the media and hustled the children into a waiting silver panel van saying only, “Not now.”

They said they were “treated fine” while they were detained in Venezuela.

Relatives of some of the families who were waiting told the Sunday Express under the condition of anonymity that the women were instructed not to engage with the media, as it was feared by National Security officials they may say something which could negatively affect the ongoing tribunal in Caracas against eight Trinidadian Muslim men, including three imams.

The Sunday Express was also informed the women told officials that they had been “fed and given basic treatment”, during their stay.

At the airport, a group of Venezuelan nationals gathered at the departure gate holding several signs, showing their support for the 14 detainees.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Ruth Albonoz, noted the decision was made to come to the airport to stand in solidarity with the detainees, as they believed they had unjustly targeted and held them against their will.

“We came out today to show our support for these people who were held against their will and we are saying very clearly that the Venezuelan government has violated your rights, your rights as people, as Trinidadians, who were there for your own reasons.

This is what we are claiming that the Venezuelan government is doing to its people right now. They are taking everybody and anybody they want and doing so many wrong things. So we are here supporting these mothers and children and we know when they come we are going to respect them as human beings.

“We know that there are still eight men who are being held there for further investigations, and we are hoping that the Trinidadian Government takes this very seriously and gets involved because, according to Venezuelan law, I am advised, the sort of tribunal they are reportedly in it lasts for about 60 days.”

The security forces moved into the Mare slum at dawn

Health minister tells of ‘worrying’ school statistics in obesity, diabetes

(Trinidad Express) HEALTH Minister Dr Fuad Khan has told a two-day conference in Port of Spain that the Global Health School survey completed in 2011 showed 30 per cent of teenagers between the ages of 13 and 15 were overweight.

He said in this country, the figure was 17 per cent with 15 per cent obese and more than 40 per cent having at least one risk factor of developing diabetes.

Khan said these were “worrying statistics” and that 40 years ago, Trinidad and Tobago had been warned that diabetes would be a problem and that many affected people were undiagnosed.

“At that time, diabetes was rare in those younger than 20 years old, but this trend has changed markedly in the past decade,” Khan said, noting that Trinidad and Tobago now has a diabetes prevalence of more than 12 per cent in those under 20 and growing numbers of young people being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and pre diabetes.

He was speaking at the Second International Conference on Non-Communicable Diseases of Children and Adolescents in Port of Spain earlier this month.

In June 2012, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) launched a report on the links between diabetes and climate change.

The report noted that the two are urgent challenges in the 21st century that were rapidly accelerating, fuelled by changes in the way people live and work, predicting they will have intergenerational effects on health, wellbeing and security.

The report noted that the

human and financial costs of diabetes and climate change were staggering and that as many as half a billion people will suffer from the disease by 2030.

“Many of the drivers of the non-communicable disease (NCD) epidemic are very much linked to what’s causing and driving climate change,” said Katie Dain, executive director of the Geneva-based NCD Alliance, a global network of civil society organisations working collectively to transform the fight against NCD.

(BBC News) BRAZILIAN security forces have moved into a slum near Rio airport, as part of efforts to drive out drugs gangs before this year’s football World Cup. The vast Mare favela is considered to be one of the most dangerous drug-trafficking areas in the city.

Authorities have been carrying out a slum “pacification” programme aimed at making the city - which also hosts the 2016 Olympics - safer.

Large quantities of weapons were reportedly seized in Sunday’s raid.

It began before dawn, when more than 1,000 police backed by soldiers and armoured took up position in Mare, one of Rio largest shantytowns.

The area - close to Rio’s international airport - is home to about 120,000 residents.

The BBC’s Julia Carneiro in Sao Paulo says it has become a hub for drug traffickers who have been pushed out of other communities by the pacification programme.

The authorities said the whole area was occupied within 15 minutes.

Police seized “large quantities of drugs and weapons” hidden near the Olympic Village, GloboNews reported.

The favela pacification programme was launched in 2008, when Rio launched a successful bid to host the 2016 Olympics.

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GUYANA

EDITORIAL

Let good sense and patriotism prevail in the National Assembly ATTORNEY-GENERAL Anil Nandlall has expressed confidence that the 2012 Budget-cut appeal notwithstanding, the Chief Justice’s ruling that the National Assembly and its Committee of Supply do not have the legal and constitutional mandate to amend or reduce the Estimates of Revenues and Expenditure of Guyana for any given year will prevail.

The court has ruled, inter alia, that “…the amendment and reduction of the Estimates of Revenues and Expenditure of Guyana for the year 2012 by the National Assembly, through its Committee of Supply, was an abrogation of the doctrine of separation of powers, and hence, unconstitutional, unlawful and void because the National Assembly, by such reduction and amendment, was encroaching on the function of the Executive as exercised by the Minister of Finance.”

The joint Opposition had vengefully and wantonly slashed the 2012 National Budget by some $20.8B on the grounds that it was in contravention of the laws of Guyana, which created havoc with major transformational development projects that were either on stream, or due for near immediate implementation, as well as threatened the livelihoods of thousands of Guyanese.

The Government was forced to take the matter to court, and on January 29 of this year, Chief Justice Chang ruled that the National Assembly has no authority to cut the National Budget, which was a repeat of a preliminary ruling he had made in June 2012, when he had determined that the National Assembly merely had the mandate to either approve or disapprove of the National Estimates, not to amend them.

Following the ruling, Parliament Office issued a statement that affirmed, quoted here in parts: “The Ruling of the Hon. Chief Justice, Mr. Ian Chang, C.C.H., S.C., of January 29, 2014, provides an interpretation of the Rules and Standing Orders of the National Assembly relative to their conformity with the Constitution of Guyana,…..Article 171 of the Guyana Constitution is the same as those provisions in the Constitutions of all Commonwealth nations as the Standing Orders and Rules of the Parliaments of Commonwealth Nations…The doctrine of the separation of powers is the foundation of Guyana’s, and all parliamentary democracies, which recognises that the rule of law must be respected and upheld. The principle of comity dictates that the three branches of government — the Executive, the Legislative and the Judicial — are all separate and equal, and are to respect the rights and authority of each other.”

Despite the AG’s optimism, however, in the ‘new dispensation’ shaping the Tenth Parliament, the joint Opposition has played many games with the nation’s welfare, using the National Assembly as a chessboard, with the Guyanese people as pawns, and the nation is holding its collective breath that the general good becomes the primary consideration of MPs as they prepare to debate the Budget this afternoon.

This period is one of hope and renewal of all the main religions in Guyana; and the great hope of the people is that good sense and amity prevail over egos and power-hunger so that the entire nation can benefit.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

A shameless bunch

I READ with some hilarity, but with great concern an article penned by (I don’t know what is his political affiliation now) Tacuma Ogunseye on the Walter Rodney issue. At the time he was backpedalling on an earlier interview he had given. In that interview with a Guyana Times journalist he stated emphatically that “The WPA has evidence that Rodney was assassinated,” and that the evidence and knowledge of what took place that fateful night was fresh in his mind then. However, soon after that interview Ogunseye has suddenly lost his mind - possibly after some threats from his new-found friends in the PNC/APNU. He now has a change of heart, which has caused him to refute claims made in that previous article. Ogunseye has become amnesiac and practically denies all previous statements made in the press He did some fancy footwork with words such as “what he actually said and what was actually reported was (were) not one and the same” - all semantics, which was meant to muddle the real facts of this case. So what did he say, and what did he mean to say? This is a set of foolishness that characterizes these shameless people.

The same letter penned in the Stabroek News better explains his vacillating position when he states that the information he gave in that interview “was not for publication.” Why would a person who considered himself a “friend or close associate of Rodney” want his interview to be a private affair? Why does he want secrecy on a matter of such great national importance? Was I a friend of Walter’s I would be the first to shout it from the roof tops as I went about identifying the murderers. I would not be silent on this matter: But here we have a set of guys who have no shame. In the first place he refuses to testify at the COI set up to look into Walter’s death, now this shocking display. Ogunseye and others, whom I would consider staunch - or at least so it seemed - members of the WPA have abandoned their leader? This is a traitorous act which I would like to see exposed for all it is worth. Walter would be turning in his grave to hear such utterances coming from some of his trusted associates. In like manner Walter’s wife and brother would stand aghast at this 180 degree turnaround from these one time followers.

The shameless Ogunseye was in essence denying any association ever with Brother Walter. It was as if the name Dr. Walter Rodney did not exist or he was some passing vagrant whose name should be blotted out of the landscape of Guyanese history. This is preposterous!

And this is exactly what Burnham in his murderous plans wanted - a people who would deny that an assassination did take place and the people who carried it out. But, try as these shameless bunch would, that is not going to happen. We would get to the bottom of this and the world will know how devious these people are. Rodney was and still is a national hero - a name that would be forever etched in our memory for standing up to PNC thuggery.

Over the years I have come to understand the true meaning of the term “politics make strange bedfellows.” We are now looking on to a classic case of this. These guys are a heartless, shameless bunch of opportunists who cannot openly say that they are out to sabotage the COI of the dead intellectual. So they are doing the Burnham thing when they are faced with the truth “pretend that it did not happen.”

But try as hard and as long as they could they cannot derail what we as a people all know; that is, our brother Walter was brutally killed by a hired thug of the day. The shedding of innocent blood would Guyanese are above all a religious people, and as we celebrate Navraatri and Easter festivals, with the common messages of peace, love and God’s overarching love for the family of humanity prevailing, as a nation we need to reflect on the underlying messages that are the thread work of each religion in Guyana and then decide on our focus for the future, for ourselves as individuals, and also as responsible citizens of this nation whose foremost priority is the upward mobility of national developmental graphs which could only be sustained if there is unity in the land, and a recognition that fighting between ourselves is retrograde at every level of national development .

In local parlance, ‘it takes two hands to clap’, and while the government can make monies available and create synergies and policies for development, this cannot eventuate optimally if there is constant bickering in the National Assembly by national leaders and strategies formulated to impede the development momentum that will catalyze Guyana on a trajectory that will lead to faster and expanded economic growth and greater social development.

Many Guyanese will be attending temples and churches during this festive season that yet impels need for reflection on the spiritual aspect of these celebrations; and one wonders whether this customary attendance at houses of worship during this season are prompted by merely ritualistic adherence to the mores of tradition, a fashion parade, a social outing, or whether the actual spirit of the season will be observed with the solemn consideration of the uplifting connotations inherent in the observances of these significant holidays, or holy days.

If the latter is the dominant reason for worship then, with such a collective voice raised in supplication to the great and merciful Father of the Universe, then our Lord is bound to bestow his blessings and beneficence on our nation and lead us onto a pathway of peace, progress and prosperity.

May God guide the considerations of the National Budget in Parliament to a conclusion that is satisfactory to all stakeholders in the national construct.

forever stain that party and no amount of denial can wash it away.

But all of this was expected ever since Roopnarine crawled out from under that rock he was hiding with the statement that “Walter Rodney was building up an arsenal of weapons to fight the Burnham regime.” I was never again in any doubt as to where they stand. That statement solidified what I feared that these guys were out to erase the hard work done by the brother to restore democracy to this battered nation. Roopnarine and others of his ilk would deny reality for a mess of political pottage.

A shameless bunch of losers!

NEIL ADAMS

Pioneer of wedding expos in Guyana NOT sure about Guyana’s current progress within the tourism sector, but I sincerely wish the sector well.

I just read Guyana Times’ report “Glitzy sixth wedding Expo launched”, dated March 30, 2014, and there was a particular statement attributed to Capt. Jerry Gouveia (CEO, Roraima Group of Companies) and I quote: “Gouveia had previously said the idea of a local wedding expo was taken from similar expos in Jamaica and other Caribbean Islands.”

Before I proceed, I am also not sure of the accuracy of this report by the journalist and newspaper, but to the best of my knowledge, there was once a company called “The Embassy Club”, which closed its doors for business in 1997 (I think) and the Company Directors were Mr. Nafis Khan and his wife Mrs. Sarita Khan, who had relocated from Jamaica and started the company. I vividly remember that it was this company which is the “Pioneer” of Wedding Expos in Guyana. I think the Wedding Expos that were hosted on the premises of the Russian Embassy might have been two annual shows.

I just thought I would interject with my 2 cents.

T. PEMBERTON

Nava-raatri is a call for spiritual awakening HINDUS are currently observing one of our very and perhaps most sacred and auspicious festivals — Nava-raatri. In its literal sense, it is nine nights of worship, prayer, introspection and scriptural recommitment.

Religious observances and traditional worship have, at times, multiple significance: Apart from them being the adoration of the Divine, they are commemorative of thrilling bygone events, allegoric when interpreted from the occult standpoint, and are significant pointers guiding man on the path of God-Realization.

Nava-raatri is one such event. Outwardly, the nine days of worship are featured with wide performances of ritualistic worship. It is dedicated to worship of God as Mother—the feminine aspect in three prominent names, viz, Durgaa, Lakshmee and Saraswatee.

However, underlying all outward engagements during this occasion, there must be a more sublime and profound inward transformation of life, that every spiritual aspirant seeks to undergo.

This deeper purpose of Nava-raatri is captured in its division of three sets of three nights each, to which the spiritual aspirant in his life of spiritual pursuits adore the different aspects of the Supreme Goddess. This has got a very sublime, yet thoroughly practical truth to reveal. In its cosmic aspect, it epitomizes the stages of the evolution of man into God, from manhood to Godhood. In its individual import, it shows the course that his spiritual pursuits should take.

The central purpose of existence is to recognize your eternal identity with the Supreme Spirit. It is to grow into the image of the Divine. The Supreme One embodies the highest perfection.

It is spotless purity, “Niranjana”. To recognize your identity with That, to attain union with That, is verily to grow into the very likeness of the Divine. The spiritual seeker has, therefore, as the initial step, to get rid of the countless impurities and the un-divine elements that have come to cling to him in his embodied state. This transformation is to be had during the first three nights (first section of Nava-raatri), where the Supreme is worshipped as Mother Durgaa. Then he has to acquire lofty virtues and auspicious divine qualities. This happens in the second three nights of the season, wherein the Goddess as Lakshmee is adored. Thus purified and rendered full of purity and goodness, Knowledge flashes upon him like the brilliant rays of the sun upon the crystal waters of a perfectly calm lake.

This is to be had in the final section of Nava-raatri in which (PLEASE SEE PAGE 7)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

Late President Janet Jagan’s vibrancy remembered in Essequibo --at wreath-laying ceremony to mark fifth death anniversary

THE LATE Janet Jagan, former President of the Republic of Guyana and President of the Progressive Women’s Organisation [WPO], was remembered as “mother of the nation” at a moving wreath-laying ceremony to mark her fifth death anniversary at the Cheddi Jagan Children’s Park at Anna Regina on Friday.

Chairman of Region 2, Mr Parmanand Persaud, in an address to scores of party members at the commemorative service, said the late Janet Jagan played an important role in the development of Guyana. The chairman said Janet, who was born on 20th October, 1920 in Chicago, USA, came to Guyana in December of 1943 with Dr, Cheddi Jagan, whom she married and worked alongside to develop the country and free Guyanese from colonialism.

The chairman said Janet was also co-founder of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) and founding member of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP). Moreover, she was General Secretary of the party, and served as International Secretary, communicating with political movements and women from around the world.

Mr. Persaud said Mrs Jagan also formed the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) by which she mobilised women across the country and expressed the importance of women in the struggle. He also

WPO members at the monument after laying flowers pointed out that Mrs Jagan did lots of work in the sugar industry, and worked among the youths to bring betterment to the country and its people.

Former Member of Parliament and stalwart of the PPP, Mr Isahack Basir, said Mrs Jagan fought for the development of Guyana, including the Amerindian communities. Mr. Basir, who worked very closely with both Janet and Cheddi Jagan, said Mrs Jagan loved Essequibo, and had a weakness for the county. According to

Mr. Basir, Mrs Jagan was not only a national hero, but was an international hero who travelled extensively across the world.

Executive member of the Women’s Progressive Organisation, Mrs Juliet Coonjah, said the late Janet Jagan encouraged women to become more educated so as to educate their children. According to Mrs Coonjah, no other woman before Mrs Jagan had ever championed the cause of women in Guyana. She said Mrs Jagan had formed the WPO on the basis of her vision.

Businesspersons at Charity accused of dumping garbage in Pomeroon River --practice deemed hazardous to life and limb

BOAT operators in the Pomeroon river are calling on both the Maritime Division of the Ministry of Transport and Hydraulics (MARAD) and the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] to look into the careless dumping of plastic bags into the Pomeroon river.

Reports are that plastic bags pose grave danger to operators of outboard engines, and can cause serious accidents and concomitant loss of innocent lives.

One farmer who drives his own outboard engine said the plastic bags float just under the surface of the water and cannot be detected by operators driving in the river. These bags, he said, can easily become entangled with the spinning propellers of the engine, and the resultant sudden impact can cause boats to flip over. The farmer said hundreds of boats, some powered by big outboard engines supplying from 150 to 200hp, use the Pomeroon river every day.

Some business owners and vendors at Charity reportedly dump garbage, which includes plastic bags, bottles and disposable cups, into the Pomeroon river, forgetting that it is also a port of entry and connects to the Atlantic Ocean. (Rajendra Prabhulall in Essequibo).

Garbage that has been dumped into the Pomeroon River

Wreaths were laid at the foot of the monument built in memory of Mrs Janet Jagan by Region 2 Chairman Mr. Parmanand Persaud, Vice Chairaman Mr. Samaroo, PPP Branch Office at Anna Regina, GAWU, Rice Producers Association, the PYO, WPO, and by Lima and Pomona WPO groups.

The programme featured poems and songs on the life and work of the late Mrs Janet Jagan. (Rajendra Prabhulall in Essequibo.)

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Nava-raatri is a call for ...

(FROM PAGE 6) Saraswatee is worshipped.

This arrangement has also a special significance in the aspirant’s spiritual evolution. It marks the stages of evolution which are indispensable for every seeker of spirituality, through which everyone should pass. One naturally leads to the other, and to short-circuit this would inevitably result in a miserable failure. Nowadays, many ignorant spiritual seekers aim straight at the appropriation of Knowledge without the preliminaries of purification and acquisition of divine qualities, and complain that they are not progressing in the path. How can they? Knowledge will not descend till the impurities are washed out and purity is developed. The pure and good plant can grow on no impure soil.

Therefore, Nava-raatri if observed as pointed out above brings man to realize his higher self and to feel the Supreme Spirit within— all of which helps in the journey of realizing the Ultimate Goal—to merge with the Supreme. There are two birds on the same tree. One is perched at the top and the other below. The bird which is sitting on the top is perfectly serene, silent and majestic at all times. It is ever blissful. The other bird, which is perching on the lower branches, eats the sweet and bitter fruits by turns. It dances in joy sometimes. It is miserable at other times. It rejoices now and weeps after some time.

Sometimes it tastes an extremely bitter fruit and gets disgusted. It looks up and beholds the other wonderful bird with golden plumage which is ever blissful. It also wishes to become like the bird with golden plumage, but soon forgets everything. Again it begins to eat the sweet and bitter fruits. It eats another fruit that is exceedingly bitter and feels very miserable. It again tries to become like the upper bird. Gradually, it abandons eating the fruits, and becomes serene and blissful like the upper bird. The upper bird is God—the Supreme Spirit within. The lower bird is the individual who reaps the fruits of his deeds, viz., pleasure and pain. He gets knocks and blows in the battle of life. He rises up and again falls down as the senses drag him down. Gradually he develops dispassion and discrimination, turns his mind towards God, practices meditation, attains self-realisation and enjoys the eternal bliss of God, which is the end goal of life.

Nava-raatri must foster and help in meeting this end. Nava-raatri observances will begin today and conclude with the celebration of Ramnaumi on Tuesday April 8.

In essence, Nava-raatri is a call for spiritual awakening.

Pandit Charranlall Nandalall Secretary of Sanatan Vaidic Dharma Pandits’ Sabha, Region 3

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

Privatisation of the sugar industry is not the way to go

–says Agriculture Minister

should be undertaken strategically. He said, “It has to be done in a clear framework and strategy. If you can attract investors that can produce sugar at a cheaper and faster rate, then you privatise some of the estates, or sell them to a private firm looking to invest in other things, commodities.”

GuySuCo’s eight estates are at Wales and Uitvlugt in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara); Enmore and La Bonne Intention (LBI) in Region Four (Demerara/ Mahaica); Blairmont in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice); and Rose Hall, Albion, and Skeldon in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).

By Vanessa Narine THE outgoing President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Mr Clinton Urling, called last week for the gradual privatisation of underperforming sugar estates.

This is his recommended solution to addressing the industry’s problems.

But Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has made it clear that this is not the way to go.

In an invited comment yesterday, the minister said, “I am confident that the challenges GuySuCo (the Guyana Sugar Corporation) faces will be addressed. We must continue to implement the plan to surpass 400,000 tonnes of sugar and value added.

“The investment is significant, but the rewards exceed the sacrifice. It makes business sense to stay the course.”

Urling acknowledged the necessity of the $6B allocated to the industry in this year’s Budget, but contends that making annual allocations to GuySuCo is an unsustainable strategy. He said, “The Agriculture Ministry must get serious with GuySuCo and initiate steps for it to become an effective agency….

“Every year, you can’t keep running back to the Parliament or the national coffers for $6B. Underperforming estates can be sold or offered at concessionary rental to multinational firms looking to invest and set up their manufacturing and industrial operations here. This would absorb any employment that is lost as a result of the estates’ closing.”

The outgoing GCCI President maintains that privatisation

Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

RECKLESS ACTION The Agriculture Minister made it clear that GuySuCo is too important to Guyana’s economy and to the lives of thousands of people for reckless action to be taken in handling its affairs.

He said, “(We cannot) act recklessly and not ensure that GuySuCo is able to overcome the difficulties that it has been facing for some time now. The PPP/C (People’s Progressive Party/ Civic)

Government will stand firm with the sugar workers, the union and the corporation in ensuring that sugar continues to play a positive role in our development.”

Dr Ramsammy pointed out that the welfare and livelihood of more than 18,000 employees and about 120,000 persons generally are at stake. He said, “The PPP/C Government will not be so uncaring and so reckless as to not consider the welfare of the industry and the people who directly and indirectly depend on the sugar industry.

“In spite of the growth of the economy as a whole, GuySuCo still is one of the largest components of Guyana’s economy, contributing about four per cent of the overall economy.

“Any responsible government or political party will need to provide critical support that GuySuCo requires at this time, Clinton Urling not only for the sake of GuySuCo, but also for the sake of the overall economy.”

In the past, GuySuCo alone contributed almost 15 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Guyana. The Corporation’s monthly payroll amounts to about $500M, and almost $25B per year.

Venezuela rice market assured –officials working to conclude logistical arrangements

By Vanessa Narine THE Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the rice importing authority in Venezuela are working to conclude purchase orders and shipping schedules so that Guyana can begin shipping rice to Venezuela as soon as possible.

Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said: “The long wait to begin the 2014 shipment of paddy and rice to Venezuela is almost over.

“Guyanese representatives from GRDB and the Guyana Embassy in Caracas have worked diligently with officials from various Venezuelan agencies to conclude arrangements to begin shipment of paddy and rice to Venezuela…all arrangements are expected to be completed in the coming week.”

Minister Ramsammy said Guyana hopes to begin shipping consignments of paddy and rice to Venezuela within the next two weeks, depending on availability of ships and

arrangements with Venezuelan authorities.

DISAPPOINTED Based on the agreements Guyana and Venezuela have concluded on the amounts of paddy and rice to be shipped and the prices to be paid for each commodity, Guyana expects to ship close to 200,000 tonnes of each commodity at prices that are similar to last year’s prices.

Dr Ramsammy has, however, expressed disappointment at the approach of some millers relative to the delayed shipments. He said, “I had personally assured them that the Venezuelan market is secure for 2014.

I assured them that the political and administrative prerequisites for resumption of shipment of paddy and rice were concluded, and that logistical arrangements were the only outstanding issues to be agreed on.

“In such circumstances, I had asked that millers be fair in their pricing arrangements with farmers.

“I met with them collectively, and my staff spoke

with many of them in person and on the phone. I met many of these millers in person and spoke with them.

I made public statements urging millers to be fair to farmers in terms of pricing for paddy.

“I am grateful to those millers who responded to my urgings. I again state clearly that I have asked GRDB to ensure that access to the Venezuelan market is prioritized for millers who are fair to farmers. I do believe that prices below $3,500 for acceptable grades are unfair to farmers, and I will ensure that the GRDB gives priority to those millers who pay prices that are consistent with this view.”

ANOMALIES FOUND The minister explained it was discovered that incorrect practices were being utilized in implementing the Rice Factories Act to calculate the number of bags of paddy, after weighing and taking into consideration moisture and dockage (extraneous

matter).

He said, “I also have instructed the GRDB to work closely with the Bureau of Standards to regularly test the calibration of scales to ensure that farmers’ paddy (is) being weighed accurately.

“In addition to certification from the Bureau, random testing of the validity of the weights will be conducted without notice. Such random testing has already begun. Where anomalies are found, we will request remedies to be put in place…this is an important issue, since it affects the total payment to the farmers.

“I have asked for a 100 per cent audit of all factory slips to ensure that proper calculations are being used.

Where anomalies have been found, the GRDB will force corrections to be made in accordance with the law.”

“Warning letters requesting corrections are also expected to be issued, and where corrections are not made within 48 hours, license will be suspended until corrections are made.

“While I remain under-

standing and flexible (on) all issues challenging the rice industry from both the farmers’ and millers’ perspectives, I believe we must all act in good faith and with fairness,” Dr Ramsammy said, as he stressed the need for millers to adhere to the laws of Guyana in terms of payments for farmers.

“The Rice Factories Act clearly establishes the rules of payment to farmers,” he said. “I expect that these rules will be adhered to. I am ready to work with both the farmers and the millers to ensure that the rice industry continues to develop, and that the risks and vulnerabilities within the rice industry are borne fairly and equally by all stakeholders.

“I believe that all stakeholders need to accept that there is a single rice industry, and that we must respect and be fair to each other. I will be fair but firm in ensuring that no stakeholder takes advantage of another stakeholder.

“Farmers have ensured that they invest in a significant way. Farmers will invest almost $28B this year in the rice industry. These are

mostly small-scale family farmers, and this is a significant investment made by ordinary citizens. They operate as private sectors and are not big business, but their collective investment is on the level of big business.

They provide self-employment and employment for family members and rural community members. They must, therefore, be treated fairly.

“There are about 75 millers -- small and large. They also make investments. It is only right and proper that their investments are recovered. Whether it is millers or farmers, they are all business entities, and each is entitled to a fair profit.”

Dr Ramsammy has assured that where unfair practices are identified, whether these are deliberate or not, corrective actions will be taken. “These actions are not intended to be coercive, but merely to keep the playing fields level. I wanted, therefore, to make my position clear, and give notice to all that I will act with fairness but with firmness,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

Ruel Johnson dons AFC political hat RUEL JOHNSON has emerged as one of the early critics of Budget 2014. Of course, critics of government measures, in any country, there will always be, particularly on such important issues as budgetary allocations. Such an exercise is seen to be a healthy manifestation of the democratic process, as it allows for constructive discourse. But when such a public dialogue has participants with defined political agendas, the expected path of objectivity, fairness, and balance of views are often inundated in the pool of bias and prejudice. Political grinding of the axe, far supercedes the necessity of reason.

This has to be applied to Johnson, better known as a literary personality with two Guiana prizes to his credit. One would have thought that he would have been able to apply the rational skill of his vocation to his attempts at understanding what the measures contained in Budget 2014 mean for its beneficiaries.

Attempting to explain to, and convince, the readership that the Budgetary measure of $10,000 per year for each school child is wholly inadequate because of the absence of a needs-assessed basis; and not really providing any level of disposable income, as the Honourable Minister of Finance had announced during his budget presentation.

Immediately, this is such an erroneous interpretation/ perception of such measures, that Johnson is guilty of not understanding the larger picture. If he had, he would have known that such an intervention is another initiative, incrementally instituted, that brings further relief to the tens of thousands of Guyana’s families that have schoolaged children. In fact, he should be reminded of the National School Feeding Programme that benefits more than 63,000 students, and the National School Uniform Assistance programme that caters for in excess of 200,000. Both these measures, in progress for over three

years, have a tag price of billions of dollars. Further, in deciding who should benefit, government did not employ a means test as the former PNC government, with regards eligibility for old age pension at that time.

All categories, irrespective of family status, have been benefitting from such measures. This has been the unerring consistency of the PPP/C administration, to the extent where Johnson, in a bizarre act of dishonesty, is seeking to level assumptions of possible “widespread corruption” in the management of such an enterprise.

But since this writer has donned the political hat of the Alliance For Change (AFC) party, then one has to understand his motive in seeking to find fault with every conceivable project/initiative that government has implemented for more relief from the daily socio-economic challenges.

Towards another MDG ...

Critical Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey launched

By Michel Outridge A DATA Collection campaign, the ‘Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS)’ was launched at the Guyana National Bureau of Statistics (GNBS) in Fort Street, Kingston, Georgetown.

The MICS Coordinator, Ms. Florence Younge said that it is a study to look at the welfare of women, children and men because, previously, no such information was collected, but this time, statistics on men’s health are being gathered.

She said, once garnered, the facts will be used by the Government in planning for the health of the population.

The project is being funded by the Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

So far, 122 persons have been trained and 98 will be out in 14 teams in the 10 administrative regions where they will collect data via a questionnaire.

The process will be completed by the end of June this year for which it will be updated and stored for relevant use.

UNICEF Representative in Guyana and Suriname, Ms. Marianne Flach explained that the MICS is a household survey developed by the agency in response to the World Summit for Children, held in 1990, to measure progress towards an internationally agreed set of goals for children.

She added that, since the inception of MICS, four rounds have been completed in 1995, 2000, 2005-6 and 2009-10. The first was conducted around 1995 and although Guyana did not participate, it was one of the 65 countries involved in the second round of global surveys conducted in 2000 and participated, again, in 2006.

This has given the country, its decision makers and its donors, quality data that has started to map out development trends for the country.

OTHER GOALS Flach stated that, while Guyana has either achieved or is well on course to achieving several of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including those related to hunger, primary education, gender equality and environmental sustainability, other goals are proving to be more elusive and costly to attain.

She said among those is the goal of reducing infant and maternal mortality, but while it has made significant progress in reducing that under five years through better vaccination coverage and management of childhood illnesses, neonatal mortality is still a critical issue.

Too many children still die from preventable causes within the first month of life but MICS can provide the information needed to identify these trends and plan effectively to address them, Flach pointed out.

She maintained that MICS is an important monitoring tool for assessing the well-being of children, women and their families, as it gathers facts for over 20 of the 48 MDG indicators.

The MICS is the largest international household survey to collect information on so many MDG indicators in such a short period and for Guyana to continue making progress as a lower-middle income country, sound information on child rights indicators is crucial for formulating and revising national and sub-national policies and for monitoring to ensure the country’s progress toward the achievement of the MDGs and other global commitments aimed at promoting the

welfare of children.

Flach said gaps in data often impede Guyana’s efforts to formulate effective policies and programmes and can present a challenge when channelling the country’s limited resources to those most in need.

Guyana is poised to address the current data gaps through MICS Five and she advised that, for children, this means that they will be better able to identify the critical areas which need to be addressed and ensure that they are protected, have better access to quality health care and education and make better life choices so that they will have a sustainable future as they grow into adults.

The diplomat pointed out that the survey done in 2000 provided Guyana with a baseline for measuring progress and data collected in 2006 allowed for measurement of the improvements up to that point.

EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY Flach said the MICS Five is, therefore, an excellent opportunity to take stock of how far Guyana has progressed since then and identify priority areas for action through the collection of more data.

She insisted that data generated from MICS (and other nationally representative household surveys) will be critically important, especially for the United Nations Secretary General’s Final MDG ‘Progress’ Report, which will be launched in September 2015.

Flach said the upcoming MICS will also provide an opportunity for the inclusion of new indicators like those on life satisfaction and subjective well-being, alcohol and tobacco use, men’s health, chronic diseases and access to media and technologies.

MICS is now structured to offer more information than before about children and women, adolescents and young people, thereby

making it one of the few surveys of its kind to capture such in-depth disaggregated data on these groups.

Flach said, through the leadership of the Bureau of Statistics and with support from the Ministry of Health, Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), UN Population Fund, UNAIDS and other development partners, they are very pleased to have reached this point in the surveying and were able to stay on schedule.

“We will now begin collecting data for this survey and expect to complete the data analysis by Summer 2014. However, there must be sustained commitment and traction to ensure the greatest returns for efforts and the most efficient use of the available resources.

Each team member must have a clear sense of the mission and this must be a shared priority. Based on the tight timelines, it is critical that all possible delays are avoided.

DEEMED CRITICAL “As previously done with great success, implementation of MICS 5 will be guided by a National Steering Committee comprising Government agencies, the National Bureau of Statistics, UNICEF, civil society and other UN bodies which are deemed critical in the area of promoting the rights of children and women.”

Speaking on behalf of the Guyana Government and the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud lauded the efforts of the stakeholders in the implementation of the project which will aid in the development of the sector.

UNICEF Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist in Guyana, Mr. Michael Gillis spoke about the journey of MICS while Chief Statistician at the Bureau of Statistics, Mr. Lennox Benjamin made brief remarks, too.

Man sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for assaulting wife

By Jeune Bailey-Vankeric ALVIN Kamlasaram of Lot 563 Ordinance Fort Lands, East Coast Berbice was found guilty of assaulting his wife, Mohanani, so as to cause her actual bodily harm.

Prosecuting, Inspector Grace Bristol informed the court that on August 21 last, the defendant assaulted his wife twice, resulting in her seeking medical attention at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

And the virtual complainant brought to the court’s attention the fact that her husband had been charged for a similar offence in April 2013, and that the presiding magistrate had ordered a probation report before placing the defendant on a year’s bond.

The woman said that counselling sessions ordered never saw her partner’s attendance, thereby breaching the bond.

Inspector Bristol urged the magistrate to impose the maxi-

mum sentence on the defendant, in order to signal that the offence is a domestic violence matter, but Attorney-at-law Kumar Doraisami, in a mitigating plea, urged the court to impose a fine and a bond, which he opined was enough, instead of a custodial penalty.

The lawyer noted that a fine could be imposed on his client for all the charges he faced, as the man was presently looking for a job.

“He has to pay maintenance. He is remorseful, as he did not expect the matter to go this far. Your Worship, exercise leniency and he will turn out to be a model defendant; he will never be back in court again,” the lawyer admonished.

However, despite the plea in mitigation, Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus sentenced the defendant to six months’ imprisonment, while expressing hope that he would have learnt his lesson.

Following the sentencing, Attorney-at-law Mursulene Bacchus signalled his intention to appeal the conviction.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

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Breach-of-the-peace accused claims sibling stripped and ask for sex

By Odella Patterson GARFIELD Dick, a cobbler who was accused of provoking the peace was, on Thursday, March 27, granted bail when he appeared before Vigilance Magistrate Sueanna Lovell charged with knowingly using abusive language towards his

sister Shoundell James on Sunday, March 23, at Golden Grove, East Coast of Demerara.

Police prosecutor Inspector John Singh objected to bail being granted Dick on grounds that the accused has had several prior charges of a similar nature pending, and was released from

Man who denied ‘spitting in his neighbour’s face’ granted bail

By Odella Patterson VIGILANCE Magistrate Sueanna Lovell heard on Thursday, March 27 that 35-year-old Clifford Peters assaulted Patricia Trotman on Tuesday, March 25, by spitting in her face.

Pleading not guilty, the young man said the virtual complainant (VC) had concocted that story because she wanted the Peters family to remove from the premises where they currently reside.

After listening to the accused, the magistrate decided that the matter may have to be tried.

Police Prosecutor John Singh had no objection to the man being granted bail, and Peters was placed on $10,000 bail before the matter was adjourned to April 15.

Rum shop taunting leads to felonious wounding charge VIGILANCE Magistrate Sueanna Lovell heard on Thursday, March 27 that 21-year-old Balwan Singh had unlawfully and maliciously wounded Lanchand, aka “Satesh”, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or cause him grievous bodily harm.

Particulars of the offence state that on Sunday, March 23, the defendant and the VC were drinking at a beer garden at Hope West, Enmore, ECD when an argument ensued and Singh chopped Lanchand to the shoulder with a cutlass.

The police prosecutor had no objection to bail being granted the defendant, but insisted that conditions be put in place by which the defendant would make himself available at the Cove and John Police Station once per week, pending the outcome of the matter.

Singh was subsequently granted $50,000 bail, and the matter was set for recall on April 15 for report.

prison prior to the current offence being committed.

He informed the court that Dick and the VC are continuously embroiled in a family dispute.

The 45-year-old accused, in his defence, told the court that on the day of the incident, he was at home when he tried to discipline his niece who was conducting herself in a disgraceful manner. He stressed that her mother, Shoundell

James, came up at the said time and accused him of wanting to have sexual relations with her daughter.

Dick lamented that, to add insult to injury, James allegedly took off all her clothing in the public view and told him he can have sex with her.

Dick was then granted $10,000 bail and was placed on a bond to keep the peace.

He is expected to return to court on Tuesday, April 15.

Serial thief begs for one month imprisonment but fined $25,000

By Jeune Baily-Vankeric

IMRAN ALI confessed to stealing $8000 worth of mangoes from the fenced yard of Deodat Singh in Adelphi Village, East Canje, Berbice. He said he committed the act because he was hungry.

Questioned on his record by New Amsterdam Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, Ali disclosed that he had previously served a four-month and a six-month sentence for praedial larceny.

“I can take a one-month, Madam. They does take advantage on me,” Ali suggested to the magistrate.

Replying, the magistrate questioned the thief as to why he had to be sentenced so often. She said it seems he was not learning from his experiences.

“I gon change dis time, Your Honour. I gon change,” was Ali’s reply.

Singh told the magistrate that he was at home when he heard a rustling of leaves and, looking through his window, saw the defendant perched on one of the branches of the mango tree with a bag containing the fruits.

Singh said he ordered Ali to get off the tree and leave the bag behind, but Ali fled the yard with the stolen items.

Singh said he reported the matter at the Reliance Police Station, and ranks subsequently apprehended Ali with the bag of fruits.

The magistrate eventually fined Ali $25,000, with an alternative of 50 days’ imprisonment.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

Price shocks in 2013 failed to shake investor North Ruimveldt man fined $1/2M and confidence in large scale mining for gold in Guyana sentenced to 4 years’ jail for possession of marijuana Assaulted wife favours counselling THIS YEAR, despite the more cautious response by the global markets to the price shocks, the prospects for large-scale

THIRTY-EIGHT-year-old Jeremy Stuffle, of Lot 3048 North Ruimveldt, Georgetown and his girlfriend Marcia James (no address given) appeared Friday before Magistrate Ann McLennan to hear her decision after their drug possession cases had been tried in that magistrate’s court.

Stuffle was found guilty as charged, and was fined $544,500 besides having a four-year jail term imposed on him, but the case against James was discharged.

Stuffle and James had first appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, and had pleaded not guilty to the charges, particulars of which said that on January 21 last, they had in their possession 605 grammes of cannabis sativa (marijuana) for the purpose of trafficking in narcotics.

The prosecution was led by Police Corporal Dinero Jones, and the duo was unrepresented. The prosecution had contended that on the day in question, police, acting on information, had conducted a search at Stuffle’s home. They had entered by the northern door, which was opened by James, and shortly thereafter, Stuffle had appeared from the bedroom, and the ranks had informed the couple that they had come to conduct a search for narcotics.

Two of the ranks searching the kitchen had noticed a hole in the wall. Further search yielded a transparent bag which contained a quantity of Ziplock bags with the illegal substance inside.

The police find had been shown to both accused, and during the caution, Stuffle had said the substance belonged to him, and not his girlfriend, whilst James had remained silent.

They were both taken to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, along with the prohibited substance, and during questioning, Stuffle had admitted that the drugs belonged to him, and that his girlfriend had no knowledge of it.

Magistrate Ann McLennan ruled that the prosecution has proved all the elements for the offence for which Stuffle was charged, and that the court was satisfied that he had knowledge and control of the illegal substance, with intention to traffick.

In regard to James, the court had found it was difficult to find her guilty of the offence, since the prosecution had failed to prove all the elements in the charge against her.

Therefore, she was found not guilty, and the case against her was dismissed.

The fine levied by the court was equivalent to the street value of $300 per gramme of cannabis multiplied by the amount of cannabis then multiplied by three.

mining for gold in Guyana are still very real, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh said during his presentation of the

to resolve domestic dispute

By Odella Patterson

HOUSEWIFE Anoila Williams, who had her husband Olwin Williams arrested and charged for assaulting her, informed the court that she would prefer to seek counselling to resolve the issue, rather than have her husband criminally prosecuted for domestic violence.

It was Thursday, March 27, and her husband was appearing before Vigilance Magistrate Sueanna Lovell, charged with unlawfully assaulting Anoila on Sunday, March 23, at Eastville in Annandale, East Coast of Demerara.

Particulars of the offence are that on the day in question,

at Eastville, Williams and his wife had an argument stemming from her returning home from Georgetown in an untimely manner. The accused confronted Anoila and pelted her to the face with a stuffed teddy bear before dealing her several slaps about the face. The matter was reported at the Vigilance Police Station and Olwin Williams was arrested and charged for the unlawful assault.

Admitting to the particulars of the charge, the 32-year-old was bonded to keep the peace for a year; and Magistrate Sueanna Lovell provided the necessary information to enable the couple to seek counselling before she dismissed the matter.

Clothes vendor caught when stolen phone rings CLOTHES vendor Jason DeNobrega of Fort Ordnance Housing Scheme in East Canje, Berbice was remanded to prison by Magistrate Ann McLennan for stealing a cellular phone when he appeared before her on Thursday last.

The 22-year-old defendant pleaded not guilty to the offence, particulars of which said that on Tuesday, March 25, in Georgetown, he stole from Natasha Dotson one Nokia cellular phone valued at $8,000.

Police Corporal Dinero Jones, prosecuting, said the defendant stole the cellular phone from the virtual complainant’s pants back pocket, but during investigations he was apprehended after a call was made to the phone.

DeNobrega was refused bail, and will make his next court appearance before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on April 9

2014 Budget on Monday.

He noted that, in 2013, the gold mining sector played an important role in the domestic economy, and delivered record-breaking production.

The industry remained resilient to price shocks, with growth only minimally affected, as evidenced from the retention of jobs and the attendant multipliers in economic activity.

With respect to the prospects for this year, he said, the Guyana Goldfields project at Aurora is advancing aggressively for a late 2014 start-up, which is earlier than originally projected, and Troy Resources (Pharsalus) in the Kaburi area is on stream for a late 2014 start-up, if not earlier.

The ETK/Sandspring project at Toraparu is also poised for further developmental works

geared to production start-up by 2015.

“Collectively, these injections of foreign direct investment are anticipated to increase production significantly, along with industrial and commercial linkages, which together bode well for Guyana’s economy on the whole,” Dr Singh said.

He said that what was also encouraging in the sector is that the adoption of innovative technology is unfolding to blunt the issues associated with mercury abatement, improve efficiencies in recovery to offset cost of production, and reduce threats to the environment.

The moderate 2014 target for gold is 484,562 ounces, a growth of 0.7 percent, reflecting the volatility of world market prices and their consequent impact on investment and production.

Mason who assaulted peace officer, nurse who obstructed officer on $15,000 bail each TWENTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Derrick Norton, a mason of Lot 146 Cooper Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, appeared last Thursday before Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer a charge of assaulting Police Corporal Mandela Cummings, a peace officer acting in execution of his duties, on Thursday, March 20, in Cooper Street.

Norton pleaded not guilty to the charge, and was placed on $15,000 bail.

And 24-year-old Dacia April of the same address, a nurse attached to the Palms, was also charged in relation to this matter. She pleaded not guilty to the offence of obstructing Police Constable Griffith, a peace officer acting in the execution of his duties, on the same day, place and time as stated in the offence for which Norton was charged.

Police Corporal Dinero Jones, prosecuting, did not object to the pretrial liberty of either defendant, so April was also placed on $15,000 bail, and the case was put off to April 8.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

Neighbour’s threats unnerve ma

By Asif Hakim

THIRTY-NINE–year–old Ricky Ramdannie claims that his two-year-old daughter is currently nursing injuries inflicted to her head during an altercation between himself and his neighbour, and that the police have failed to investigate the matter and make the necessary arrest.

The Golden Grove, East

Bank of Demerara man says he is now fearful for his life and that of his family following alleged threats made by his neighbour, especially in the face of previous attacks.

Ramdannie alleges that, at about 21:00hrs on Thursday, March 27, his neighbour from both sides, Paul Hendriques, Stephanie Wilson and Trevor, were talking on the road in a very loud manner, and Hen-

driques then told Wilson and Trevor to go and do whatever they have to do to Ramdannie, because he is there to protect them, Wilson and her son Trevor then came in front of Ramdannie’s house and started stoning the property, breaking the windows and injuring his toddler daughter in the process.

Moments later, Trevor allegedly jumped over Ramdan-

nie’s fence with a long sharp blade, with which he threatened to murder Ramdannie and his family. Trevor is alleged to have said: “Ricky! Ricky! I come to f**k you up! When I see you I gon kill your mother sk**t, you and your family! I gon rape them one by one when I see them on the road!”

Ramdannie said he called the Diamond Police Station, which is right behind his home,

and a female rank answered the phone, but when he asked for assistance, the rank rudely hung up the phone.

Ramdannie said he called back, begging the rank for assistance, and when the rank heard what was going on, she accepted the call and asked him his name, address and age.

Thirty minutes later, the police vehicle came with about two ranks, and when they saw

The window whic

The Diamond Station which allegedly refused to help Ramdannie (Photos by Asif Hakim)

Trevor with the sharp blade in his hand in front of Ramdannie’s house, the officers didn’t approach him. Ramdannie said that from the safety of his verandah, he pointed out to the ranks that that was the man who wanted to kill him and his family, but the officers did not do anything.

Trevor’s mother then told him to run, and Trevor ran up the road in the presence of the police. The police van went behind him, but came back empty-handed. When the police returned, they examined the Ramdannie house, noting the stones and the broken window before going back to the station, Ramdannie said.

The next morning -- Friday, March 28 – Ramdannie said, he went to ‘A’ Division Commander George Vyphuis and told the com-

F A p

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

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an as 2-yr-old is injured in attack

ch was allegedly broken by the neighbour mander about the incident, but the commander insisted that he should go to the Diamond Station, since it was correctly in the area where the incident occurred.

“I need help!” Ramdannie has said. “My family’s life is in danger.

I’m scared for my life. I’m even selling my property just to get out of this situation.

The police at the Diamond Station are not helping.

They need to be transferred, they are here to protect the citizens,” Ramdannie said.

Ramdannie and his family live in fear for their lives

First batch Berbice ’Health and Wellness’ volunteers graduate

By Michael khan

FOURTEEN volunteers attached to the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA) are now equipped with medical knowledge and practical skills to be of service to the Upper Corentyne community.

This first batch, known as the ‘Health and Wellness’ team, underwent

eight months of intense training by Dr. Haripersaud Chand and staff of the Skeldon Hospital Complex.

At a recent graduation ceremony in the boardroom of BRHA, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, Mr. Omar Sharief said President Donald Ramotar is committed to the devel-

The health & wellness volunteers pose with their certificates in the presence of Dr. Chand, CEO Dr. Mahadeo, PS Sharief and Mr. Allan Johnson (all seated).

opment of youths and the promotion of a healthy society.

And, by extension, the Government of Guyana continues to explore opportunities through which youths can be nurtured into becoming productive citizens.

“A vision is one thing but the implementation of it is important to ensure that our youths become productive,” he acknowledged.

Sharief also challenged the administrations of the New Amsterdam and Port Mourant hospitals to execute similar training programmes, that qualify youths to serve their communities on a voluntary basis.

He explained: “Volunteerism is important, since caring for persons, especially the elderly who can help our society gain knowledge based on their life experiences are going to be your guiding scholars.”

“So don’t miss the opportunity to care for them,” Sharief advised.

The volunteers, who are mandated to report on their activities to the BRHA, will be equipped with medical paraphernalia to become effective care givers.

BE RECOGNISED Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the BRHA, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo urged members of the Health and Wellness team to give of their best and be recognised as community health workers.

“We have over one hundred patients with chronic diseases in the Skeldon catchment area and each volunteer will be assigned to fifteen patients in the community,” he informed.

Mahadeo said, too, that he is confident the trained volunteers will contribute to the development of the Regional Health Care System.

“There are a number of persons out there with several complaints and our new team will also be required to visit patients upon their discharge from the Skeldon Hospital,” he indicated.

Dr. Haripersaud Chand, reporting on the training programme, said several persons dropped out of it. However, those who persevered will be part of the home-base health care scheme.

“They will be the ones to ensure that the elderly patients have access to medical supplies and remain in good health,” he stated.

The volunteers were afforded the opportunity of hands-on training among staffers at Skeldon Hospital.

The next course commences on April 18.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

Taxi driver escapes prosecution after wife refuses to testify against him THE assault charge against 39-year-old Olwin Fraser, a taxi driver of Lot 77 Meadowbrook Gardens, Georgetown, was Friday dismissed by Magistrate Ann McLennan after Fraser’s wife refused to proceed with the matter against him.

Fraser pleaded not guilty to the offence, particulars of which stated that on Tuesday, March 25, at Meadowbrook Gardens, he unlawfully assaulted Abigail McDonald-Fraser.

Police Corporal Dinero Jones, prosecuting, said the victim was in her bed when the defendant asked her a question, and when she did not reply, he cuffed her to the mouth.

McDonald-Fraser said she does not wish to offer any evidence against her husband. She said after the incident that night, she had called her brother to take her and the children to her mother’s place, where she is presently residing.

The woman said she does not want anything to do with Fraser, all she wants is the things in their home that she had bought.

Magistrate McLennan advised the woman to take out a protection order against the defendant.

Moreover, he was bonded to be of good behaviour for twelve months, defaulting which would earn him three months’ imprisonment.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

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‘Cooking with Olive’ has successful season one --season two in the making

Aries March 21 - April 19

You can cut to the chase in a way that few other people can match, and that sincere desire to speak (and hear) the truth helps you out in all sorts of ways right now. A flash of insight can lead to you clearing the way for a new path. You and a few close friends might not have thought it was possible, but go ahead and lead the way anyway.

Taurus April 20 - May 20

Someone is telling you to push, push, push, but your innately stubborn nature comes to your rescue and balks. You just go at your own pace, and you get where you’re going in your own sweet time. You know you’re absolutely right this time, so stick to your guns, no matter how frantic everyone else seems. Just because they’re in a panic, that’s no reason to join them -- you should soon see the wisdom of your choice.

Gemini May 21 - June 21

Ms. Olive Gopaul demonstrates to the youths how to prepare a healthy meal

Ms. Olive Gopaul and one of her chefs

For Monday March 31, 2014 -05:00hrs For Tuesday April 01, 2014 -05:00hrs For Wednesday April 02, 2014 -05:00hrs

By Asif Hakim ‘COOKING with Olive’, Guyana’s only high definition and high standard culinary programme, will soon see the end of season one, but season two would begin shortly.

Season one was a success, and had a lot of support, according to the organisers. The motto of the programme is “To be different, and to think outside the box”.

In an exclusive interview with this publication, Ms. Olive Gopaul, producer of the programme, said season one was successful and was an amazing experience, but she is looking forward to season two, which should be more fun and more interactive. She conceded, however, that more guest appearances and chefs from across the nation are needed on the programme.

The main objective of ‘Cooking with Olive’ is to encourage individuals to cook healthy and eat healthy, because a lot of illnesses are in the air.

Chefs who would like to be on the programme must use home grown ingredients and products of Guyana, since the programme aims to develop persons in a healthy way.

Broadcasting times are as follows: on Wednesdays at 10:30hrs on the state-owned NCN Channel 11; on Fridays, from 9:30hrs on TVG Channel 28; and on Saturdays from 14:30hrs on HBTV Channel 9. Folks who would like to eat healthy and live healthy can tune in on any of those days to be informed.

The producers and team of “Cooking with Olive” would like to thank the sponsors for making the programme possible. The sponsors are: Gizmoz and Gadgets, Ashmins Trading, Atlantic Mining, Integrated Security Service, and Rossignol Butchery, just to name a few.

Anyone wishing to be on the sponsor’s list can do so.

However, the producers of the programme are disappointed at not getting other companies to see the benefit of “Cooking with Olive”.

They, however, encourage those companies to recognise the value and impact “Cooking with Olive” will have on their products. They urge those companies to come on board and support the programme, since they will also be benefiting, as there would be a demonstration on how their products will be used, whether it is ingredients, soda or wine.

It’s hard to imagine how anything ever gets done without you to get things going. The universe has appointed you muckraker-in-chief right now. Your talent for instigating movements, starting discussions and bringing up important but ignored issues makes life much more interesting. Even if others balk initially, they are sure to thank you for your initiative by the end of the day.

Cancer June 22 - July 22

If someone close asks you how they look, they want to hear the truth. That means you need to really listen to what they’re asking -- and how they’re asking it. Something more is sure to be going on with their feelings, so treat even the most innocuous questions with care to avoid causing a ruckus by accident. Your delicate handling of all situations is rewarded by a relatively stress- and trouble-free day.

Leo July 23 - August 22

Spontaneity is your business, and today’s energy is pushing you to be a tycoon. You’re feeling frisky when it comes to social business, and even more talkative than usual (it can happen). Even better, you’re inclined to let bygones be bygones -- and to ignore incidents that otherwise would have caused you needless hours of apologies. Accept any invitations that come your way to celebrate your new energy.

Virgo August 23 - September 22

Give yourself props for a job well done, but make sure that you keep moving! There are always more goals to meet and even more to accomplish. Your recent flirtation with success should give you enough momentum to plough through everything you’ve got in front of you, as well as the confidence to be more assertive. It’s time to deal with all those situations you normally try to avoid.

Libra September 23 - October 22

You’ve got sass to spare, so if anyone feels the need to challenge your positions, especially if they’re just interested in grandstanding, they are in big trouble! With your energy levels running this high, you’re not about to hand over the reins to someone you know is less committed or capable than yourself. You should let them know in no uncertain terms. Focus on leadership above all else right now.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21

Some bossy types might be in the mood to teach you a few so-called valuable lessons, but remind yourself that they mean well. You know how to confidently hold your ground without turning it into trench warfare. Normally, you have no fear in staking your claim and speaking truth to power, but things could get quite heated today, so try instead to agree to disagree.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21

Some people may try to stereotype you as overly concerned with fun and games, but they don’t realise that all your clowning serves a much higher purpose. For you, especially right now, it’s not about just having a good time -- you’re seeking ways to a higher sense of joy, one that includes both pleasing yourself and working for others. If anyone can find the right path between those two impulses, it’s you.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19

Try a fresh approach with an old problem. It’s important for you to apply wild, untried methods to solving this current conundrum -- after all, if it’s back in your life, the old techniques must not have worked too well the first time! Talk to strangers, go online or try randomly picking strategies to get you out of your current mindset and pick up a fresh outlook on whatever it is you’re grappling with.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18

You’ve never been all that afraid to be different, and it’s just that quality that helps you ensure that your radical ideas are implemented. Others are afraid to change, but you’re a visionary who can see which way the tide is turning before almost anyone else. It’s time for you to stand apart from the pack and rely on your ability to think ahead and consider what can make things better in the long run.

Pisces February 19 - March 20

Your usual selflessness is nudged aside (for the moment) by some very inward-directed instincts. Why not just go with it? When you get tired of being there for everyone else and feeling a little neglected, you need to say so. Your honesty can really cut through any residual feelings of resentment or frustration. Believe it or not, people are much happier to hear what you really feel.

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English Hexham 09:10 hrs Volcanic 09:40 hrs Robbers Roost 10:10 hrs Samson Collonges 10:40 hrs Persian Herald 11:10 hrs Bollin Fiona 11:40 hrs Forestside 12:10 hrs Dreamisi Kempton 09:30 hrs Arab Spring 10:00 hrs Posh Boy 10:30 hrs Adiynara 11:00 hrs This Charming Man 11:30 hrs Dutiful Son 12:00 hrs Ordensritter South Africa Racing Tips Flamingo Park 08:20 hrs Sudden Surprise 08:50 hrs Authenticated 09:20 hrs Stone Reeves 09:50 hrs Wind At Your Back 10:20 hrs Black Platinum American Racing Tips Aqueduct Race 1 Rodinia Race 2 Pete’s Fleet Race 3 Star Empress Race 4 Very Cherry Candy Race 5 Mi Hijo Race 6 Groomedforvictory

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

HRC Bodybuilding/Ms Figure/Ms Bikini contest rocks NCC

By Alex Wayne

LAST SATURDAY evening the National Cultural Centre sizzled with ‘static electricity’ as supporters and fans gathered to view the happenings at the 2014 Hugh Ross Classic Bodybuilding, Ms Figure, and Ms Bikini competitions.

However, after some captivating muscle flexing and mind-boggling poses it was Kerwin Clarke of Buddy’s Gym who demolished his male competitors to take home the coveted HRC Overall title which was a prestigious position hoped for by all the male competitors.

Raking in the second spot in this segment was Devon Davis of the Guyana Defence Force Gym while Sylvester Andrews (Total Fitness Gym) and Marlon Bennett (X-treme Fitness Gym) placed third and fourth respectively.

After opening remarks by Hugh Ross and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony, 37 athletes, including 11 females who were participating in the Ms Bikini and Ms Figure contests, paraded on stage as they were introduced to the audience.

The show opened with scorching guest poses by Rawle Greene of the Bally’s Gym of New York, and by the time he left the stage to wild applause, the audience was on fire for what was to come after.

Taking the stage in the Male Bantamweight category (143 lb) were Davis, Buddy’s Gym Sohail Hussain (124.8 1b) and

Eybo Orford (142.4 lb) and Windero Gym’s Sheed Tolaram (121 lb).

The crowd whooped in delight as the men showed off rippled bodies, battling fiercely for supremacy, with sinewy muscles glistening and bulging as they posed for Front Double Biceps, Side Chest routine, Double and Side Triceps, and Abdominals and Thighs.

The competition was intense, but none could outshine the likes of Davis who eventually took the top honours with second place going to Orford while Tolaram and Hussain placed third and fourth respectively.

In the Lightweight category (144-154 lb), there were only two competitors and they both put on an exciting show for the audience and judges, but Casey Vickery (147 lb) of Fitness Paradise Gym was no match for Bennett who took the top spot in this area.

Next to come was the Ms Physique category, but sadly this was contested by just two athletes from the GDF Gym, with Alicia Fortune being the better as she took the top spot ahead of Kascia Beaton.

The Welterweight division (155-165 lb) saw an exciting faceoff between Andrews of Total Fitness Gym, and Interline Fitness’s Alfred Jordan (165 lb) who tried his best, but could not outdo the chiselled Andrews.

Then a time bomb exploded as the ladies took stage to compete in the Ms Bikini contest.

Sultry toned legs, flat stomachs, firm calves and lush hips

... Buddy’s Gym Kerwin Clarke takes HRC Overall title

The ladies as they competed in the Miss Figure segment of the competition were the order of the night as Leshaun Morgan, and Shenell Warner of Home Gym, GDF’s Ashley Cameron, Kascia Beaton, and Letitia Myles , Buddy’s Gym Ulanda Liverpool, and Donelle Long of Body Max Gym flaunted their assets.

Rounding off the platter also were X-treme Fitness’s Denzelyn Clarke whose superb body and sexiness saw her cart off the top prize in this segment, with Long, Warner and Myles closely behind in the respective positions from second to fourth.

After very impressive physical demonstrations from the Guyana Judo Association, the ladies again took centre stage to battle in the Ms Figure competition.

However, in this field the competitors were Clarke, Myl-

es, Beaton, Fortune, Interline Fitness’s Nadina Taharally and reigning Miss Guyana Jamzone Queen Alicia Bess, with Taharally taking top honours, followed by Clarke, Myles and Fortune.

In the Male Light Middleweight segment (166 lb to 176lb), Kerwin Clarke (173 lb) Home Gym’s Carlos Patterson (174.6 lb), X-treme Fitness’s Delon Harlequin (175 lb), and Godfrey Stoby (173.2 lb) of Tower Gym battled for supremacy.

Clarke, Stoby and Harlequin were called out for comparisons which further heightened the suspense at the venue, but as expected, Clarke won this category, forcing Stoby, Harlequin, and Patterson to settle for the second, third and fourth places

Latiff hits ton as Regal upstage Challengers

… Industry Super XI stop Regal Masters

By Calvin Roberts THANKS to Richard Latiff ’s ton, reigning Guyana Telephone and Telephone Company nationwide 10/10 champions Regal XI defeated Challengers XI by 41 runs, when the two sides met in the Open category of the Trophy Stall-sponsored softball competition at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation ground yesterday.

Batting first, Regal XI compiled 225 for 7 from their 20 overs, with Latiff blasting 12 fours and six sixes in his even 100, receiving support from Ricky Sargeant 47 (6x4, 2x6) and Safraz Esau who chipped in with 29 that was decorated with three sixes and one four.

S. Jeewan took 3 wickets and Deosarran 2 for Chal-

lengers, who in reply reached 184 for 7 when their overs expired, with Suraj 46 (6x4, 3x6), Rooplall 27 (4x4, 1x6), Ravi 24 (3x4, 1x6), Jeewan an unbeaten 24 (3x4, 2x6) and Deosarran 23 (3x4) contributing to their total.

However, in the Over-40 category, Regal Masters failed to make it a memorable day for their side as they went under to Industry Super XI by six wickets in a fiercely contested fixture.

Asked to take first strike by their opponents, Regal Masters were bowled out for 166 with Mahendra Hardyal 38 (3x6, 1x4), Seeraj Satro 28 (2x6, 2x4) and Eric Thomas and Mahendra Arjune with 21 each, leading their batting with Thomas hitting two fours and a similar number of sixes while Arjune

Richard Latiff

Mahendra Hardyal

had two fours and one six in his innings.

David Harper, J. Persaud, D. Gangadin and R. Basdeo took 2 wickets each for Industry Super XI, who in reply raced to 169 for 4 from 17.1 overs, to complete the win,

thanks to an unbeaten 71 from J. Persaud which included seven fours and three sixes, Gangadin’s 61 (5x6, 2x4) and I Persaud who struck two sixes and one four in his 33, as Mahase Chunilall took 2 for 36 for Regal Masters.

respectively.

The Heavyweight division saw Windero Gym’s Alex Hamilton and Interline Fitness’s Andel Cameron give the audience quite a show, but it was Hamilton who came out on top, before Fortune took the Ms Physique category from Kascia Beaton.

The crowd came alive again when guest poser Jeffrey Beckham took the stage to display

to the local hit song ‘Wine Pon De Button’ by Guyanese ‘James Bond’ and his grace, suggestive hips and pelvic movements sent the females into wild bellowing, as they mouthed boldly the things they would like to do with him.

The show ended on a positive note with Ross thanking his supporters and sponsors who made the event possible.

England women secure World T20 semis spot

ENGLAND sealed their spot in the Women’s World Twenty20 semi-finals with a seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in yesterday’s Group B match at Sylhet Stadium.

Captain Charlotte Edwards (17) led England to their 86-run target with 24 balls remaining after Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat.

Sarah Taylor top-scored with 36 runs for England, who rolled over hosts Bangladesh by 79 runs in a one-sided contest two days ago as they moved top of the group - three wins out of four - yesterday clinching their place in the semis.

Heather Knight also got some runs on the board with a notch of 21 before losing her wicket to Udeshika Prabodhani.

Shashikala Siriwardene took the other two England wickets, those of Taylor and Edwards to finish with figures of two for 15.

Earlier, Siriwardene (38 not out) led the way as Sri Lanka posted a dire total of 85 for nine leaving England with a great chance to progress.

England bowler Anya Shrubsole impressed with figures of three for nine with Rebecca Grundy and Jenny Gunn claiming two wickets apiece.

Sarah Taylor top-scores with 36 runs in England’s victory.

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In-form India brush aside Australia

By Toby Keel (REUTERS)_India maintained their perfect record at the World Twenty20 with a thumping 73-run win over Australia in Dhaka yesterday.

Australia found out they were eliminated from the tournament just before the match, when Pakistan expectedly beat Bangladesh, but a terrible batting performance prevented them from gaining any consolation.

George Bailey’s winless side were bowled out for 86 - with Ravichandran Ashwin taking four for 11 - after India had been restricted to a reachable 159 for seven.

Yuvraj Singh’s 60 was the best of the Indian batting performance, after they were sent in to bat for the first time in the tournament.

India had already sealed their progress to the semifinals with three successive

India’s Yuvraj Singh plays a ball against Australia during their ICC Twenty20 World Cup match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka yesterday. (REUTERS/Andrew Biraj)

Hamilton storms to victory in Malaysia

By Carrie Dunn

LEWIS HAMILTON led from start to finish in Sepang as he completed a perfect weekend at the Malaysian Grand Prix yesterday.

Hamilton cruised to victory, leading from pole to podium and enjoying a sizeable 17.3-second margin over the field.

It was his first win since Hungary last year - and, with team-mate Nico Rosberg finishing second, Mercedes secured their first one-two since 1955.

Speaking on the podium after the race, Hamilton dedicated the victory to the victims and families of the Malaysian Airlines plane which went missing three weeks ago.

Lewis Hamilton

Sebastian Vettel’s thirdplace finish gave Red Bull some comfort on a disappointing afternoon for the team after Daniel Ricciardo had to withdraw three laps from the end.

Ricciardo had started very well, slotting into fourth place behind his team-mate and looking set to push him all the way, but technical problems were his undoing: a tyre was not affixed correctly following a pit stop, resulting in a ten-second stopgo penalty, and then he suffered a puncture courtesy of a broken wing.

That left Fernando Alonso clear to sneak a fourth-place finish in his Ferrari, with Nico Hulkenberg taking fifth for

Force India after his teammate Sergio Perez failed to start due to a technical problem.

Jenson Button took sixth for McLaren, and after an intriguing duel which saw Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas take seventh and eighth respectively for Williams .

The race had been prec e d e d b y a m i n u t e ’s s i lence in memory of missing plane MH370. After the race, Hamilton spoke to guest presenter Benedict Cumberbatch, star of TV’s Sherlock, and told him: “After such a tragedy three weeks ago, I’d like to dedicate this to those people and their families.”

‘Embarrassed’ captain Bailey laments Australia shocker (REUTERS) - A dejected and embarrassed George Bailey lamented Australia’s exit from the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, labelling the 73-run capitulation to India the worst batting performance during his tenure as captain.

Australia entered the tournament among the favourites in the wake of a comfortable series victory over South Africa, but were knocked out when Pakistan beat hosts Bangladesh.

Any thought of saving face was quickly extinguished as they crashed out for 86 when chasing a modest victory target of 160, prompting coach Darren Lehmann to storm off during their batting effort.

“I’d go so far as to say it’s the most disappointing game that I’ve led from this team, for three years,” Bailey told reporters in Mirpur.

“I’m disappointed for the team. I’m disappointed with

the way we batted. But I’m not embarrassed for anyone, apart from myself. If I was embarrassed I’d say it is with my own performance.”

Prior to the match, Lehmann said he felt three of his more senior players in Shane Watson, David Warner and Brad Haddin had failed to fire when needed.

Watson’s horror run continued yesterday when he was bowled for one, giving him a total of just seven runs in

three innings, while Warner, who scored 19 off 21 balls, also threw his wicket away when Australia needed him to buckle down.

The lefthander top-edged a sweep off Ravi Ashwin and was caught in the deep after he and Glenn Maxwell had combined for a promising 23-run partnership, which left Australia 44 for four in the eighth over from which they capitulated.

Australia’s final game is against Bangladesh on April 1.

wins, which relied on their top-order doing the bulk of the scoring, but they had to rebuild from 66 for four to set up the match.

Yuvraj did the majority of the recovery work, alongside skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (24), as they combined in an 84run stand from 42 balls.

Yuvraj hit four sixes and five boundaries in his 43-ball innings - to press his claims for a place in the semifinals - but he and Dhoni both fell inside the final two overs during which India only added 12.

With Australia’s powerful batting line-up that target appeared well within their reach, especially after their coach Darren Lehmann had criticised the top order in the lead-up to the match, but again they failed to fire.

This time it was a spectacular collapse which under-

lined why India are favourites for their second World Twenty20 title.

David Warner (19) and the in-form Glenn Maxwell (23) were the only batsmen inside the top six to reach double figures before Ashwin removed both to reckless strokes.

That was the story of Australia’s skittish batting as they were bowled out in 16.2 overs, among the collapse being Shane Watson (1) who failed again, bowled attempting to late-cut Mohit Sharma, to leave him with just seven runs in the tournament.

Watson was the leading runscorer at the previous World Twenty20 when Australia reached the semifinals and fittingly, Ashwin ended the match when he had young Australia leg-spinner James Muirhead caught behind by Dhoni.

Mohammed shines with double-century as T&T dominate PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) - Jason Mohammed struck his maiden first class double-hundred to power Trinidad and Tobago on the second day of their Regional Four-Day match against Combined Campuses and Colleges (CC) last Saturday.

The right-hander, unbeaten on 149 overnight, ended on a superb 220 as the hosts piled up 451 for eight declared in the fifth-round encounter at Queen’s Park Oval. CCC closed the night tottering on 142 for eight, still 309 runs adrift of their target.

Left-hander Raymon Reifer was holding the innings together with an unbeaten 49 from 138 balls in 171 minutes, with six fours, while leg-spin-

Shane Shillingford ner Imran Khan was their main destroyer with three for 24.

Earlier, Mohammed completed his milestone before he was eventually dismissed after facing 344 balls and hitting 24 fours and five sixes in an innings lasting seven hours and 40 minutes.

Reifer claimed three for 65 with his left-arm seam. Play resumes today at 15:00hrs for the final day’s play.

Summarised close of play scores on the third day of the fifth round of matches in the Regional Four-Day Championship yesterday.

Scores at Sabina Park:

Jason Mohammed Barbados lead by 381 runs.

BARBADOS 423 (Kirk Edwards 105, Shane Dowrich 102, Jason Holder 46, Ashley Nurse 40, Carlos Brathwaite 34, Kraigg Brathwaite 29; Nikita Miller 4-95) and 162 for two (Kraigg Brathwaite 91, Omar Phillips 48, Kirk Edwards 21 not out) JAMAICA 204 (Jermaine Blackwood 64, Nkrumah Bonner 50, Jon-Ross Campbell 31; Ashley Nurse 4-63, Jonathan Carter 2-15, Carlos Brathwaite 2-23) At Queen’s Park Stadium: Windwards won by 197 runs.

WINDWARD ISLANDS 292 (Romel Currency 76, Devon Smith 47, Sunil Ambris 53, Keddy Lesporis 30, Mervin Matthew 30, Tyrone Theophile 27; Kieran Powell 3-38, Gavin Tonge 2-46, Anthony Martin 2-62, Yannick Leonard 2-74) and 238 (Devon Smith 77, Keddy Lesporis 42, Tyrone Theophile 27; Anthony Martin 5-58, Gavin Tonge 3-55) LEEWARD ISLANDS 171 for nine decl. (Devon Thomas 44, Orlando Peters 41, Tonito Willett 27, Kieran Powell 26; Shane Shillingford 5-60, Orlando Peters 2-19, Nelon Pascal 2-36) and 162 all out (Kieran Powell 54, Tonito Willett 41; Liam Sebastien 7-49).

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

Suarez breaks record in another Liverpool rout of Spurs

By Liam Happe

LUIS SUAREZ made Liverpool history as the titlechasing Reds went top of the Premier League table with a 4-0 win over Tottenham

yesterday.

Tim Sherwood’s visitors didn’t look anywhere near up for the prospect of exacting sweet revenge on their hosts for the 5-0 pounding they suffered in December at White

Hart Lane.

And defensive errors littered their performance, with Liverpool’s very first attack of the match culminating in a Younes Kaboul own goal after one minute and 38 seconds.

Suarez doubled the advantage on 25 minutes, preying on confusion amongst the Spurs back line after Jan Vertonghen was forcibly replaced by Michael Dawson to become the highest-scoring Liverpool

de Villiers hopes South Africa peaking at right time (REUTERS) - South Africa hero AB de Villiers feels his side might be peeking at the right time after qualifying for the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.

His comments followed a dramatic three-run win over England last Saturday in which de Villiers thrashed 69 not out to help South Africa reach the final four.

They had started the competition with defeat by Sri Lanka and forced narrow wins over New Zealand and the Netherlands but de Villiers suggested

yesterday the tide might be turning.

“It’s always important in tournaments like this to show form at the right time and to get a bit of confidence and momentum on your side,” he said in an interview released by Cricket South Africa.

“We have probably been guilty of not getting that right and peaking a bit early. We are looking good and it’s up to us to play another good game later this week. It was nice for us to click and play a decent game of cricket heading into the knockout stages.”

de Villiers’ 28-ball 69 proved the difference in Chittagong as the 30-year-old came to the crease to turn the match in South Africa’s favour including smashing 26 off the 18th over bowled by Jade Dernbach.

“I’m not sure it’s about the position that I’m batting in, I came in after the 10th over, that is what made the difference,” de Villiers said when asked about his success at number three.

“The coaching staff enjoys me batting in those kind of situations and that is probably why they are leaving me at

four so that when I come in I can capitalise on the situation.

I was motivated to do well no

player in a single league season.

Though Tottenham had occasional spells of decent possession, they did little more than underscore how impotent they were in the final third, other than perhaps remind the Reds not to get complacent.

Phillippe Coutinho’s lovely low drive and Jordan Henderson’s deceptive free-kick ensured there would be no

repeat of the late drama in the win against Sunderland and put Brendan Rodgers’ side top of the table at the end of the weekend.

It’s now one win down, six to go in the very clear mission if Liverpool are to end their lengthy league title drought: win every remaining fixture and make it 14 victories in succession, and they will be champions.

AB de Villiers matter what position I batted in and to build a good platform for the game.”

Liverpool’s Luis Suarez reacts ahead of their English Premier League soccer match against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England yesterday.

Shehzad hits century as Pakistan crush Bangladesh (REUTERS) - Ahmed Shehzad became the first Pakistani batsman to hit a Twenty20 International century as the 2009 champions crushed Bangladesh by 50 runs in a Group Two match to keep alive their semi-final hopes in the World Twenty20 yesterday.

The right-handed Shehzad remained unbeaten after a sparkling 111 off 62 balls to fire Pakistan to a commanding 190 for five before they returned to restrict Bangladesh to 140-7 for a win, a result which meant

AHMED SHEHZAD

hosts Bangladesh and Australia have no chance of progressing any further in the tournament.

The winner of tomorrow’s key clash between Pakistan and defending champions West Indies will grab the second semifinal spot from Group Two after India qualified for the last four with a hat-trick of wins.

Bangladesh’s chase never took off. Tamim Iqbal (16) added 30 quick runs in just over three overs with Anamul Haq (18) before being castled by Umar Gul (3-30) and triggering a top order collapse.

Pakistan spin trio Saeed Ajmal (2-20), Shahid Afridi and Zulfiqar Babar struck in quick successions to deny Bangladesh any momentum.

Shakib Al Hasan (38) hit Babar for two consecutive sixes and played with natural flair in his 32-ball knock but it did little beyond injecting some temporarily excitement in the Sher-eBangla National Stadium where the crowd had gone silent.

Shehzad, 22, hit Mashrafe Mortaza for three successive boundaries and a six in the third over to signal his intention and it took him only 30 balls to race to his half-century after Pakistan had opted to bat first in their must-win match.

Cruising at 43 for no loss in the fifth over, Pakistan lost three quick wickets to slump to 71 for three but Shehzad was unperturbed as well as unstoppable.

Boundaries continued to flow from his blade and he took a single off Shakib to bring up the second century of this year’s tournament, celebrating the feat with his fifth six as he and Afridi (22) plundered 24 runs off that productive Mortaza over.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 31, 2014

27

GCA/HADI’S MALL INC. 1ST DIVISION

Rutherford, Lyght blazed half-centuries for DCC … GNIC, MSC play to draw

By Calvin Roberts

HAVING struck his maiden first division ton in his team’s first innings, 15-yearold Shurfane Rutherford returned yesterday afternoon to blast his way to an unbeaten half-century, which placed Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) in the driver’s seat of their drawn encounter against their hosts Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC).

The two were meeting in a Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)-organised, Hadi’s Mall Inc.-sponsored two-day first division contest at the GCC ground, where the home team who began their first innings on their overnight score of 33 for 0 in reply to DCC’s 393 for 5 declared, were bowled out for 230.

This was mainly due to Paul Wintz’ 5 for 61 and Antonell Atwell’s 2 for 50 which rocked their hosts’ batting after they were 135 for 3 at lunch, having lost Wasim Haslim (14), Robin Bacchus 43 (7x4) and skipper Leon Johnson, who was caught at short midwicket by Jamal

Well done, Shurfane! Demerara Cricket Club skipper Christopher Barnwell (forefront) heads to the pavilion after congratulating 15-year-old Shurfane Rutherford on his unbeaten score in the second innings.

Hinckson off Atwell, when well set on 27 that included two fours and six.

After the break, Martin Pestano-Belle 33, Ellon Fernandes 26, Ricardo Mohammed Ali 21 (4x4) and Treon Forde 20 tried to offer resistance to the bowling of Wintz, but failed to do so, enabling DCC to take a firs-innings lead of 163 runs, which they increased to 367 in their second innings when bad light stopped play.

Rutherford, who had struck 14 fours and two sixes in his first-innings score of 111, belted the home team’s bowling around the ground hitting nine fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 79, w h i l e A n d re w Ly g h t J r. struck six fours and two sixes in his 64.

National all-rounder Christopher Barnwell was also in a pugnacious mood, following up his unbeaten 150 in the first innings, with an authoritative and unbeaten 38 n the second, decorated with six fours and

Paul Wintz’ one six, hitting three fours and the lone six in one over from Bacchus, just before the close.

At the Malteenoes Sports Club ground, the home team lost first-innings points to the visiting Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) lineup, having won their previous game against Transport Sports Club at the same venue last weekend.

Batting first on the invitation of their hosts, GNIC

scored 202 all out with Dexter Solomon 37 (3x4, 2x6), Troy Thompson 31 (2x4), Jermaine Grovesnor 28 (3x4) and Alistair Ifill 22 (3x4) leading their batting.

MSC skipper Kellon Carmichael took 4 for 35 and Shaquille Williams offered support with 3 for 42, but their team were bowled out for 134, after being 53 for 3 overnight, with Jamal Norton topscoring with 37 (5x4) and Carmichael hitting seven fours in his 32.

Ifill returned with the ball to take 3 for 30 and got support from Desmond Butts (2 for 9), Royston Simon (2 for 30) and Collis Butts 2 for 34, who all bowled a tidy line and length for GNIC, who scored 110 for 7 declared in their second innings, with Ejaz Mohamed hitting 51 (5x4, 1x6) and Ranole Bourne an unbeaten 44 (6x4, 1x6).

Cordell Mars took 4 for 52 and Williams 2 for 24 for MSC who were 31 without loss at the end of the contest.

GCB/IGLOO U-15 INTER-COUNTY

Hetheramani and Persaud place Demerara in driver’s seat against President’s XI … Berbice lead Essequibo

By Calvin Roberts SPINNER Sagar Hetheramani snared 5 for 11 before opener Joshua Persaud struck a robust ton for defending champions Demerara, who were large and in charge in their Guyana Cricket Board organised, Igloo Ice-cream-sponsored Under-15 Inter-county contest at the end of the first day yesterday.

Playing at the Demerara Cricket Club ground, President’s XI won the toss and chose to bat first, reaching

57 for 4 off 29 overs at lunch before being bowled out for

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

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 Saturday’s quiz: 18 teams South Africa and New Zealand Today’s Quiz: How many sixes were struck in the first round of the current ICC T/20 World Cup? Which two teams appeared in the very first T/20 World Cup competition but are not part of the current tournament?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

72, 6.4 overs after the break as Hetheramani finished with 5 for 11 and received support from Ashmead Nedd who took 4 for 28.

Robin Williams 14, Chandradat Veerasammy 11 and Stephen Wilson 10 were the principal scorers for the Rest XI, who lost Anil Singh (9), Williams, Christopher Campbelle (8) and Wilson before the lunch period, at which point Hetheramani had figures of 2 for 7 and Nedd 1 for 24.

In their reply, Demerara raced to 235 for 4 from 39 overs, thanks to Joshua Persaud’s 105 which was decorated with 15 fours and three sixes and was backed by a solid 56 (10x4) from skipper Bhaskar Yadram and an unbeaten 41 from Alphius Bookie that included four fours.

Yadram and Joshua Persaud added 103 for the second wicket, after Demerara lost Paul Harris (0) who was bowled by Junior Phillips (1 for 56), while Persaud went onto add the same number of runs for the third wicket with Bookie, posting his ton in the process before being

This President’s XI player has his stumps castled first ball of their second innings by Demerara’s Bhojnarine Singh. (Photos by Adrian Narine) dismissed.

Faced with a deficit of 164, President’s XI started and finished their second innings disastrously, losing a wicket off the first and final deliveries of the day’s play to be 37 for 3 from 11 overs, with Campbelle unbeaten on 19 that included four fours, while Wilson, who was bowled off the final delivery by Hetheramani, made 15 which included two fours.

At the Everest Cricket Club ground, Essequibo won

the toss and chose to bat first in slightly overcast conditions which became sunny as the day progressed, after both sides were met by GCB president Drubahadur and scored 124 all out off 38 overs, with Joshua Jones topscoring with 30 (3x4, 2x6).

Darshanand Indar and Arnold Adams offered support to Jones, contributing 15 and 13 to their team’s score, while Kevin Sinclair, Junior Williams, Kris Ramnarine and Stephan Kamal-

Steven Deonarine of Berbice raises his bat, following his innings of 44 against Essequibo at Everest yesterday. deen took 2 wickets each for 1, 9, 27 and 41 runs respectively for Berbice who reached 194 for 7 off 38 overs at the close, for a lead of 70 runs, heading into today’s final day.

Steven Deonarine 44, Kevin Sinclair 34, Surendra Budhoo 20 and Williams and Haifa Walters with 18 each were the principal scorers for Berbice, while Govindra Gobin took 2 for 25 for Essequibo, who will begin their second innings this morning.

Sport CHRONICLE

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

Rutherford, Lyght blazed half-centuries Page for DCC 27

Shurfane Rutherford

Mr. HRC Overall Champion, Kerwin Clarke receives his prize from Hugh Ross

HRC Page 24 Bodybuilding/Ms Figure/Ms Bikini Contest rocks NCC!!!

Guest Poser Jeffery Beckham set the crowd on fire with his theatrics.

Hugh Ross

-Buddy’s Gym Kerwin Clark takes HRC Overall title

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MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014