Guyana chronicle 31 05 14 by Guyana Chronicle

GUYANA No. 103844

SATURDAY MAY 31, 2014

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

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AFC says 72 hours, APNU says 48…

Page 8

President says AML/CFT Bill can be passed in 24 hours Central Bank Governor: ‘Blacklisting carries an enormous cost’ Page

Dr Gobind Ganga, Bank of Guyana Governor

Guyanese security guard wins US$3M New York 6 lottery jackpot

Gouveia decries Guyana’s referral to FATF Page

––– says the economy is no ‘political football’

Capt. Gerry Gouveia

PSC Chair says...

7 Guyana’s blacklisting will put a spoke in Private Sector’s wheel Page

Page

Mr. Ramesh Persaud, Chairman of Private Sector Commission

Evil spirit forces Guyanese family out of St. Lucia home

Page

Rafik Sulaiman with his cheque (NBC photo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

After waiting until the hammer has fallen…

APNU, AFC now pretending to ride in like knights in shining armour - to save Guyana from the very disaster which they put country in By Vanessa Narine THE main Opposition coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), yesterday took a position similar to the one expressed by the Alliance For Change (AFC) on Thursday:- that the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Amendment Bill can be passed in a matter of hours. Opposition Leader David Granger told the media at a press conference yesterday that the Bill can be passed in 48 hours. Granger is adamant that in order to get Opposition’s support, the Government must accede to the Opposition’s several demands! The Alliance For Change (AFC) party on the other hand, said 72 hours is enough for the Bill’s passage, but restated that the Public Procurement Commission must be established. Commenting on the positions of the two parties, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall MS. GAIL TEIXEIRA said: “I am happy that the parties have finally arrived at this position; but, as they did with the Amaila Falls, they waited until the hammer has fallen on Guyana and then they are now pretending to ride in like the knight in shining armour to save the country from the very disaster which they have put us in. “In any event, I am not impressed by anything the AFC or the APNU says in terms of political commitment. My personal experience has been that the combined Opposition has violated and disregarded every

political accord they have struck with the Government since November 2011. “I am therefore not impressed with this newfound political magnanimity on the part of the AFC,” AG Nandlall said. OPPOSITION’S DUPLICITY EXPOSED Ms. Gail Teixeira, Chair of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee, where the Bill has been languishing for more than 12 months now, also questioned the genuineness of the combined Opposition’s assertions, given that the Committee’s meetings were delayed because of their unavailability to meet. Prior to meeting on May 22, the Committee had not met since April 30, because of the unavailability of members from APNU; and Ms Teixeira has said that with the significant lapse of time, the positions expressed by the combined Opposition should have been their position before the situation had reached the point where Guyana had to miss the May 26 deadline and ANIL NANDLALL had to be referred to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). “If this was their view, then why didn’t we meet?” she asked. DIFFERENCE IN POSITION Both parliamentary Opposition parties now contend that the AML/CFT (Amendment) Bill can be passed in a matter of hours, with the AFC having

relaxed the conditionality it had doggedly held on to previously -- that its support for the enactment of the critically important legislation was premised on establishment of the PPC, which the Government had agreed to, provided that Subsection 54 was amended to maintain Cabinet’s no-objection role. For more than 12 months, this latter conditionality required by Government had been rejected by the AFC. In a statement issued on Thursday, the AFC said it was willing to compromise by amending Section 54 of the Procurement Act, so that Cabinet’s right to raise an objection on the award of contracts is enshrined. The Procurement (Amendment) Bill 2013 was read for the first time in the National Assembly last November. It aims to amend the 2003 principal Procurement Act by deleting Subsection Six of Section 54, effectively restoring Cabinet’s no-objection role. If the PPC had been established without the Procurement (Amendment) Bill 2013, Cabinet’s See page 8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Central Bank Governor: ‘Blacklisting carries an enormous cost’ By Ravin Singh

GOVERNOR of Guya n a ’s c e n t r a l b a n k , Bank of Guyana (BOG), Dr. Gobind Ganga, has warned that the blacklisting of Guyana will have dire consequences for the country’s financial sector. “Blacklisting carries an enormous cost,” he told the Guyana Chronicle in an invited comment yesterday. He said the negative review by the regional watchdog body, the Ca-

Dr Gobind Ganga, Bank of Guyana Governor

ribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), and Guyana’s referral to the European-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will result in a trickle-down of impacts for all other sectors. “International blacklisting will not only result in a major cost to the Guyanese economy, but it will result in adverse effects, including a slower financial process,” Dr Ganga said. “These include making payments, remittances to families, and receipts from

exporters. One issue which is likely to occur is an undue delay, particularly in receipts,” he said. He said too that the efficiency of financial engagement for businesses will be stifled. “We are already feeling the adverse effects with this blacklisting,” he said. “It is not only posing problems in the Banking industry but the business sector also, which plays a vital role in economic growth.” CFATF, in its pronouncement on Thursday,

detailed the counter-measures that can be taken by its members to protect their financial systems from the ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks emanating from Guyana. These include the requirement of enhanced due diligence measures; introducing enhanced reporting mechanisms or systematic reporting of financial transactions; refusing the establishment of subsidiaries or branches or representative offices in Guyana; and

taking into account the fact that financial institutions from Guyana that do not have adequate AML/ CFT systems and limit the business relationships or financial transactions with the country. In November 2011, Guyana was first blacklisted at the regional level, when CFATF brought to the attention of its members certain jurisdictions, Guyana among them, with significant strategic deficiencies in their AML/CFT regime.

Gouveia decries Guyana’s referral to FATF

––– says the economy is no ‘political football’ By Ravin Singh PROMINENT businessman, Capt. Gerry Gouveia, has bemoaned the fact that Guyana has been effectively blacklisted internationally after being referred to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) noting that this was a threat made by this country’s parliamentary Opposition. Capt. Gouveia, who is Chief Executive Officer of Roraima Group of Companies and also former Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, expressed his extreme disappointment at the Opposition’s move to hinder economic development noting that this national issue is also one of major concern to the Private Sector. He said the move by the Opposition was a reckless and irresponsible one stressing that when politicians play with a country’s economy and foreign investments, they jeopardize investor’s confidence in Capt. Gerry Gouveia the country. This he reiterated is an “irresponsible, inexcusable, reckless” move by the combined parliamentary Opposition, comprising the APNU and AFC. “It is mind bugging and I cannot understand how anyone can hold this Bill at ransom. I am extremely disappointed because they (the Opposition) are playing politics with a country’s economic development,” Gouveia declared. He also emphasised that the threats which were made by the Opposition not to pass the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill were stuck to, and their actions constitute to a hindrance in job creation especially for young people who the AFC and APNU claim they are concerned about. “Job creation which will diminish poverty and provide opportunities for our young people to live healthy lives are being tampered with,” Gouveia lamented. He underscored the importance of having religious, political and other leaders engaging in creating an environment which is economically friendly and where growth can be encouraged. “Anyone doing otherwise are depriving economic growth, investor’s confidence and limiting job availability for our younger generation,” Gouveia stressed. He also pointed out that by blocking the passage of this

CFATF-compliant Bill, it shows the “blackmail politics” the Opposition is engaged in. “Every man, woman and child will be affected in this manner. Remittances will also pose a problem as persons will find it more difficult to receive money from family abroad,”

“The economy is not a political football to play games with…the Opposition have made threats and stuck to those threats” – Capt. Gerry Gouveia he posited. At the end of its five-day meeting, on Thursday, CFATF issued a missive advising its members to consider implementing “further” counter-measures against Guyana, some

counter-measures having already been implemented after November’s blacklisting, to protect their financial systems from the ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks emanating from Guyana, as described below. The regional body made it clear that Guyana has strategic Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) deficiencies, and has not made sufficient progress in addressing these. According to CFATF, in a public statement, “As a result of not meeting the agreed timelines in its Action Plan, the CFATF recognises Guyana as a jurisdiction with significant AML/CFT deficiencies, which has failed to make significant progress in addressing those deficiencies, and the CFATF considers Guyana to be a risk to the international financial system. “Members are therefore called upon to implement further counter measures to protect their financial systems from the ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks emanating from Guyana. Also, the CFATF has referred Guyana to the FATF.” FATF’s next plenary meeting is slated for June 23 to 25, 2014 in Paris, France.

Marijuana convict jailed for three years, fined $100,000 By Geeta Rampersaud TAXI driver Leron Yarris (no address given) was sentenced to three years imprisonment on a drug trafficking charge yesterday. The 34-year-old man was found guilty as charged for the offence by Magistrate Judy Latchman and was also fined $100,000. On his previous appearance, the convict had pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleged that, on May 13 in Albouystown, Georgetown, he had six and a half grammes of cannabis (marijuana) for the purpose of trafficking. The Prosecution facts are that on the day, around 12:45 hrs, a Police patrol stopped the defendant who was riding a bicycle and requested to carry out a search on him, but before they could do so, he threw a plastic bag in a nearby yard. The bag was retrieved and found to contain seven small ziplock bags with the illegal substance and, under caution, the defendant accepted ownership of the prohibited substance and was subsequently arrested. Yarris was represented by attorney-at-law Ms. Natasha Vieira, who told the Court that the Police did not find the drug on her client. She said he is a taxi driver and the sole breadwinner of his grandmother.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Charlestown, Dolphin Secondary Schools students engaged in behavioural change training

THE Ministry of Education Schools Welfare Department has embarked on several weeks of behavioural change intervention sessions with selected groups of students from the Charlestown Secondary and Dolphin Secondary Schools. The intervention sessions follow reports of frequent fights among students from the two schools. The continuous quarrels prompted the department to engage the police who now patrol the areas frequently and as a result, the fights and quarrels have since declined.

A group of students in a behavioural training session with an instructor The ongoing sessions provide opportunities to teach the children about the importance of respect, conflict management, communication skills and values, among other areas.

Chief Schools Welfare Officer, Ms. Glenna Bailey-Vyphius has said that sessions at each school will run for six weeks. The Education Ministry will issue a certificate of participation to

each child at the end of the behavioural change training. Ms. Vyphius said that her department intends to take the same programme to other schools in the new school term.

Security guard remanded after $3.6M burglary By Geeta Rampersaud SECURITY guard Rudolph Mangal (no address given), who is accused of stealing a quantity of milk powder was remanded to prison yesterday by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. He pleaded not guilty

to the offence, particulars of which said, between May 25 and 26, at Industrial Site, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he broke and entered the bond of Subramani Ramdhani and stole 120 bags of Grandmelo milk powder valued $3.6M. Police Corporal Bharat Mangru, prosecuting, said the defendant was em-

ployed by the virtual complainant as a security guard, and that he placed a plastic bag over the surveillance camera but it fell off and he was seen inviting his sons to raid the bond. The Prosecutor successfully objected to the grant of pretrial liberty for the defendant, on the grounds that investigations are on-

going and Mangal is likely to face more charges. He has to be back in Court on June 6.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Evil spirit forces Guyanese family out of St. Lucia home APPARITIONS of a black male figure, scratching and tapping sounds, a croaking frog, doors opening and closing, whispers and knocking all sound like scenes from a Hollywood horror movie, but this scenario is happening in St. Lucia.

told the family that the evil entity was “planted” at the residence by someone or some persons. Adolphus, who now lives in Massade, Gros Islet, said she did not know much about spirits, but based on past and current experiences in St.

vive out of water for some time. According to various sources, when migrating, eels will cover long distances over land if they have to, and conditions are suitably wet. However, Adolphus said when the creature was discovered, the land was “dry and cracked”, and there are no wetlands nearby. She said her husband poured gasoline on the “eel”, burning the creature’s “legs”. Later that evening,

was very strange: My son woke up the morning, the middle of the night actually, and he said, ‘He’s coming and get me, he coming, he coming’, and he (my son) start crying. So we ran to his rescue, and actually, his neck was going around, so we grab on his neck and we tried to stabilise it, so he said, ‘Mommy, he want to break my neck’. I say ‘Who want to break your neck? They have noth-

Adolphus peeps inside the unoccupied house after she and a reporter heard strange sounds coming from it

body was just joking, and they had nobody there. “I went downstairs and I tell them, ‘Well, let’s go, because something just tapped my ears. “Eventually, we heard a frog in a very funny sound, so I tell them ‘A frog in the toilet.’ So, they laughing and say how frog reach in the toilet, but we just joke about it and leave it like that. “Eventually, it wasn’t so; it was more than that. And why? Because the frog eventually became a miserable something; the house, you start hearing the roof, things hitting and pelting on the roof, the doors locking and

Paullet Adolphus is clueless as to why anyone would do harm to her family

About three weeks ago, a Guyanese family was forced to flee their unfinished threebedroom house in Bisee, Castries, by what they describe as an “evil spirit”, which has not only possessed their 16-year-old son, but has no intention of leaving until all members of the family are killed. In an exclusive interview with St. Lucia News Online (SNO) Thursday (May 29), 36-year-old Paullet Adolphus said religious leaders have

Lucia, she is now a strong believer. Signs of evil showed itself not long after the family – Adolphus and her boyfriend and two children (now ages 16 and 13) – bought a piece of land in the hills of the Castries community two years. Adolphus said a large, eel-like creature was discovered while they were digging to create a septic tank (pit) on their new property. Eels are not amphibians – they’re a type of fish – but can sur-

American woman remanded after cocaine in fish bust By Geeta Rampersaud A UNITED States (U.S.) citizen, Joyce Ram De Cunha, 53, of Lot 55 East, Apartment 13, New York, was remanded to prison on Thursday by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. The defendant, who was busted with a quantity of cocaine concealed in fish at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on May 28 at the CJIA, Timehri, East Bank Demerara, she had possession of 3.498 kilogrammes of the narcotic for the purpose of trafficking. Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Oswald Massiah told the Court that De Cunha came to Guyana on April 9 and was an outgoing

passenger on a Caribbean Airlines flight destined for New York. Massiah said relative information was received and the woman was contacted when on-duty officers requested to carry out a search on her luggage. She was told of the offence and, subsequently, arrested and charged after she was taken into CANU custody for further investigations. During questioning, it was revealed that someone called ‘Fine man’ gave her the parcel to take to a man in New York and another was supposed to uplift it at the airport. The prisoner was unrepresented and the case has been transferred to Providence Court, on the East Bank of Demerara, for June 2.

The family currently lives here at Massade, Gros Islet but strange activities continue to haunt the family and not the house necessarily

she claimed her boyfriend complained about feeling a burning sensation on his legs, and the family joked that it was because of what he did to the eel. But when the family moved into the house, strange things began to occur. She gave an account of a series of events she believes were caused by the evil entity. “Well, the first thing that

ing in there to break your neck; what happen to you?’ He said, ‘The jumbie, the jumbie (evil spirit).’ So my boyfriend hold him, and just as he hold him, the thing tried to possess him too.” She continued: “The morning I woke up and we tell him, ‘Well, we have to go to church.’ So, while going down, before I go downstairs,

The house is unfinished because the construction workers have abandoned the job after hearing the horror stories

I feel something tap my ears, so I said, ‘That’s funny; nobody in the house (upstairs); who tap my ears?’ So I was looking around to see if any-

open, the doors knocking. In the night, somebody would come and do that? I don’t think so.” (stluciaonline)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

EDITORIAL

GUYANA

Criminals’ playground JAMAL Cromwell is twenty years old but his rap sheet is an indication of a murderer in the making, if he has not already done so in one of his criminal forays. He was previously slapped with several robbery charges, among which were discharging a loaded firearm and attempting to commit two felonies; yet, on Tuesday last, he was sentenced to a mere additional jail term of eighteen months in prison. The convict had accepted two charges of attempting to commit a felony and discharging a loaded firearm, but was only sentenced by Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry to 18 months imprisonment on each of the three charges,

which will run concurrently, so for all these heinous, life-threatening crimes he would serve, approximately, a year in prison. On Saturday November 23, 2013 Cromwell attempted to rob Joel Sukra and Sarah Bisoondyal while being armed. On the same day he also discharged a loaded firearm at Police Constable 18438, Praim Narine with intent to maim or disfigure or cause him grievous bodily harm. The cop, in response, returned fire and hit the accused who then escaped on a motorcycle which was driven by an accomplice. Cromwell was later apprehended at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was admitted because

Guyanese security guard wins US$3M New York lottery jackpot

Rafik Sulaiman with his cheque (NBC photo)

(NBC 4) – A U.S.-based Guyanese working as a security guard at the Rockefeller Center in New York, who bought a scratch-off lottery ticket on his lunch break, has won the US$3 million jackpot. According to an NBC news report, lottery officials said Rafik Sulaiman, a 58-year-old father of three and immigrant from Guyana, bought the US$10 ticket from a vending machine at a Pronto Pizza on 48th Street in Manhattan, New York. He is one of eight winners who were presented with prizes by New York Lottery representatives on Thursday. Sulaiman said he bought the only ticket in the vending machine and took it back to work, where he scratched it off to find he had won the jackpot. “I went back to the guy to verify,” NBC quoted him as saying. Sulaiman, who lives in Astoria, finished his work day and went home as usual. He said he has not decided what he will do with his winnings, a lump sum payment of more than US$1.5 million. He isn’t quitting his job, though. “I’m just going to hang low,” he said.

of the injuries he had sustained. Subsequent to him being discharged, he was charged and taken before the court on seven charges. He was recently sentenced by Magistrate Judy Latchman on another robbery under arms charge. He first appeared before the Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on November 28 last year at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The charge to which he admitted stated that on October 12 last, at Thomas Lands, while being armed with a knife, he robbed Javed Barakat of his iPhone valued at $160,000 a n d Ty r o n e M a r o k ’s BlackBerry Curve valued at $45,000 while he was

riding a bicycle. Cromwell brandished a knife, placed it on the victim’s neck and relieved him of the iPhone and BlackBerry and later escaped on his bicycle. Magistrate Azore said that before sentencing Cromwell she had considered both the mitigating and aggravating circumstances. Azore said that she considered that a knife was used in the commission of the crime but thought was given to his age, the fact that he did not waste the court’s time as well as the fact that he has one minor child. As such, Magistrate Azore imposed a jail term of 18 months. On Tuesday, in mitigation, he asked the Chief

Magistrate to be lenient in her decision since he is already serving a sentence and is the father of a oneyear-old. This criminal began his career on a bicycle while armed with a knife which he placed against the victim’s neck; then he graduated to using a gun while escaping on a motorbike, next it will be a motorcar and someone will be murdered. The foregoing are only the crimes that he was caught committing; and it would be foolhardy to

Can the AFC be trusted? WHAT a party and its collective; the Alliance For Change (AFC)! As a citizen who has been following this party’s journey from the time of its birth, I can only conclude, and with all good justification, that the party has disappointed the many thousands of persons who believed in their announced platform of representing a new political ethic where principle and morality would have become the new guiding light of local politics. However, unfortunately, what can be described as the biggest hoax in the history of this nation has been perpetrated on the innocent followers of the AFC, and in the process, the nation. Those in the latter quantity have been cruelly betrayed by a collec-

tion of unprincipled persons, sheltering under the guise of ‘Peoples Representatives.’ These acts have since been protested by a wide cross section of Guyanese, expressing their great disappointment and anger in the direction of the senior chieftains, Khemraj Ramjattan, Moses Nagamootoo, and Nigel Hughes, especially, who have been tainted because of alleged dubious acts that were ascribed to their individual actions. And how shameful these were, exposing the duplicity that had, from the inception, began to characterise the leadership as unprincipled. Thus, it should not have been a surprise when the AFC, really a political cub masquerading as a heavyweight, announced that it

would support the Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, provided that the government agrees on the introduction of the Public Procurement Commission Bill. Well, one recalls the AFC’s vehement objections to the AML/CTF Bill during the government’s valiant battle to have it legislated, because of what this bunch of charlatans, that along with the A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) had characterised as severe shortcomings. Such a 360 degree turn, certainly signaled that there was really no fault with the Bill in its original presentation and that the AFC, and by extension, the APNU, ought to have

believe that he had not committed many more such crimes – maybe with dire consequences for his victims without getting caught. What has him having a child to do with the crimes he has committed? The country’s courts are seemingly playgrounds for criminals and their lawyers. Something is seriously wrong with Guyana’s justice system, and it is reflected in the sentencing policies of the presiding judges and magistrates.

given their unanimous and unqualified support for the Bill’s legislative passage. E d i t o r, a n y r e a s o n a b l e mind will accept the logic of my summation. Then, if such a pronouncement had not been enough, it was followed by yet another numbing, even contradictory statement by that party, that it supports all the demands that its cohort APNU has been demanding before support for the Bill is given! Get the picture, editor? Is it not clear as to the modus operandi of this party, that with their own attempt to play politics with the propriety and good name of the nation‘s existence – their ignorance and gross stupidity have been exposed? Can one trust such a party? The answer is left for the judgment of its many disappointed followers and supporters. TRENTON WILLIAMS

Launch of ‘Guyana Shines: Keep Guyana Beautiful’

UNITED States Ambassador, Mr. Brent Hardt, will officially launch the next chapter of ‘Guyana Shines: Keep Guyana Beautiful,’ to be followed by a clean-up exercise, tomorrow morning at G Bent Street (off Brickdam Road) in Wortmanville, Georgetown. A Govern-

ment of Guyana representative from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment will also provide brief remarks. Together with the NGO, Youths for Guyana, and private sector partners including ExxonMobil, Republic

Bank, Caribbean Containers Inc., and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ‘Keep Guyana Beautiful’ forms a new and innovative chapter of the U.S. Embassy’s Guyana Shines environmental awareness, education, and action project.

Guyana Shines has been active throughout Guyana over the past two years in encouraging and mobilising members of Guyanese communities and schoolchildren to maintain a clean environment and address the serious littering challenge through education and action.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

PSC Chair says...

Guyana’s blacklisting will put a spoke in Private Sector’s wheel By Vanessa Narine CHAIRMAN of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Mr. Ramesh Persaud minced no words yesterday when commenting on Guyana being blacklisted internationally as a result of its referral

Mr. Ramesh Persaud, Chairman of Private Sector Commission to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) by the regionally-based Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). And he made it clear that the progress made in the last 10 years by the local private sector, the engine of Guyana’s phenomenal economic growth, will see a significant reverse. “The counter-measures called for by CFATF as a result of the non-compliance to inter-

bers to protect their financial systems from the ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks emanating from Guyana. These include: * The requirement of enhanced due diligence measures; * Introducing enhanced reporting mechanisms or systematic reporting of financial transactions; * Refusing the establishment of subsidiaries or branches or representative offices in Guyana; and * Taking into account the fact that financial institutions from Guyana that do not have adequate AML/CFT systems and limit the business relationships or financial transactions with the country. Persaud said the counter-measures called for by CFATF, once fully implemented by countries that are trading partners with Guyana, can significantly weaken our economy

and reverse the gains made in poverty reduction. DECLINING INVESTMENT Guyana was already

blacklisted regionally in November 2013, and according to Persaud, there is already evidence of a decline in investments in the private sector. “Loans and advances to the private sector by the commercial banks,” he said, “is one of the reliable indicators

Sector Commission, he said. COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED Noting that the situation could have been avoided, had the country’s elected officials, as represented in the National Assembly, acted in the interest of the country rather than

‘Legitimate, law-abiding businesses are going to feel the consequences even more, as money launderers and financiers of terrorism will continue to find sophisticated methods of by-passing the system…’ the investments made by the private sector. “This is linked to a lack of confidence and a high level of skepticism by private enterprises in the economy due to the uncertainties brought

‘The counter-measures called for by CFATF as a result of the non-compliance to international AML/CFT standards will reverse the progress made by the Private Sector over the last 10 years’ – PSC Chairman, Ramesh Persaud

‘It must be clearly understood that the classification of Guyana by CFATF and the referral of Guyana to FATF lumps both legitimate and illegitimate businesses of Guyana into the same high risk category’ – PSC Chairman, Ramesh Persaud national AML/CFT standards will reverse the progress made by the Private Sector over the last 10 years,” Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle in an interview. CFATF, in its public statement to members on Thursday, detailed the counter-measures that can be taken by its mem-

of private sector growth and investments. This was $40.8B in 2004, and rose to $128.2B at the end of December, 2013. “At the end of the first quarter of 2014, the balance dropped to $127.5B, and has been stagnant for the last three months. This is a sign that there has been a decline in

about by the possibility of sanctions.” Noting that the classification of Guyana by CFATF, and the referral of Guyana to FATF lumps both legitimate and illegitimate businesses of Guyana into the same high-risk category, Persaud said: “Legitimate, law-abiding businesses are going to feel the consequences even more, as money launderers and financiers of terrorism will continue to find sophisticated methods of by-passing the system, as they are good at scheming and plotting; and they would not mind the extra cost associated with doing so. “However, legitimate businesses have no alternative but to comply with the onerous systems, and bear the extra cost. For this, the consumer will eventually suffer, as business models are built to pass on and recover costs fully.” This is “very disheartening” news for the many members of Guyana’s Private

in their own self-serving political agendas, Persaud said: “Guyana is already ranked poorly in many international indices, such as the World Bank Doing Business Report and the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report, and the referral to FATF only worsens this situation.”

Just last November, prior to the November 2013 CFATF blacklisting debacle, the PSC sent a petition to the National Assembly, which was voted down by the combined Opposition (AFC and APNU) and not read to the House. The petition at reference highlighted the serious economic implications if the AML/CFT Bill was not passed before the November 18, 2013 deadline, and had urged the Opposition to support the Bill in the interest of the nation. In a statement released after the petition’s rejection, the Commission registered its “deep disappointment” in the actions of Opposition MPs, and stressed that the Tenth Parliament will be accountable for any damage that may “accrue to the Guyana economy” going forward. The PSC maintained that the Opposition has effectively ignored the importance of the private sector as a stakeholder in Guyana’s development, by denying the body a voice in the National Assembly. The PSC said, “This action reveals an inexplicable

contempt for the stakeholders of this country and/or a lack of understanding of how the economy functions. “In a civilised world, on critical matters of economic and national importance, it is mandatory for leaders to rise above this petty and often retrogressive tit-for-tat disposition. “We expect nothing less from our elected representatives, who must understand that merit is the most important factor for the people of this country.” The Commission underscored the role of the private sector as a driver of the local economy, particularly given that it represents the entire economic spectrum of Guyana and provides majority of the employment opportunities – a fact noted in the petition to Parliament. Referencing this, Persaud issued an appeal for efforts to be made in the National Assembly to ensure that Guyana meets the legislative requirements of an effective AML/CFT regime before the June 2014 Plenary Meeting of FATF in Paris, France.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

AFC says 72 hours, APNU says 48…

President says AML/CFT Bill can be passed in 24 hours

PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar, last evening, said the Anti-Money Laundering and Coun- Commission must be established. the 39th Meeting of the CFATF held between tering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) On Thursday, President Ramotar issued a call May 26 to 29, 2014, in Miami, which saw Guy(Amendment) Bill can for the Opposition to unconditionally pass ana being the subject of a CFATF review, as a be passed within 24 the Bill, to limit the harm already done by result of the National Assembly not passing the hours to save Guyathe latest move by CFATF. AML/CFT Bill, and being referred to the Parnese from the hardDuring an address to the nation, the is-based FATF. ships of the conseHead of State said, “that in spite of reCFATF issued a public statement informing quence of the country gional, international and local voices, the the world that Guyana poses serious risks to the being internationally Opposition stubbornly refused to support international financial system, and called upon blacklisted. the passage of the rest of the world to take measures to protect The Guyanese Head a CFATF com- their systems from those risks. of State is of the view pliant Bill. In Measures that will be implemented against that it can be done on so doing, they Guyana include the requirement of enhanced due the premise that the have now put diligence; introducing enhanced reporting mechBill, currently languishin danger our anisms or systematic reporting of financial transing at the level of the country’s fi- actions; refusing the establishment of subsidiaries Special Select Commitor branches or representative offices in tee of Parliament, has Guyana, or otherwise taking into acbeen deemed compliant count the fact that the relevant financial by the Caribbean Finaninstitution is from a country that does cial Action Task Force not have adequate AML/CFT systems (CFATF). and limiting the business relationships President Ramotar or financial transactions with Guyana or said the Bill’s passage persons in our country, among others. can be achieved if the President Donald Ramotar The Government has done everyOpposition parliamenthing possible to pass the critically tary parties were to needed legislation through the Nation“show a sense of nationalism in the interest of al Assembly, and at the eleventh hour Guyana and Guyanese”. the Opposition proposed recommenOpposition Leader Opposition Leader David Granger told the dations. David Granger media at a press conference yesterday that the In February, CFATF Advisor Roger Bill can be passed in 48 hours. Granger is adaHernandez was invited to look at the mant that in order to get Opposition’s support, nancial system. Moreover, they Opposition’s amendments, and during the Government must accede to the Opposition’s have now endangered the very a meeting held of the Special Select several demands! welfare of all of our citizens”. Committee, Hernandez expressed the The Alliance For Change (AFC) party on the His announcement came on view that the Opposition’s amendments AFC Leader Khemraj other hand, said 72 hours is enough for the Bill’s the heels of the conclusion of were not CFATF compliant. Ramjattan passage, but restated that the Public Procurement

APNU, AFC now pretending to ride in like knights ... From page 3 no-objection role would no longer have been effective. Government’s position is that if Cabinet is clothed with the responsibility to be accountable to the National Assembly for public spending, and if Cabinet is generally held accountable for national spending, then Cabinet must have a role in the procurement process. The AFC had also endorsed positions adopted by the APNU; however, is it not clear if that endorsement still stands. Attempts by the Chronicle to contact AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan for comment proved futile. WILL NOT BUDGE The political coalition APNU, on the other hand, maintains the position it had adopted. At a press conference held yesterday, APNU leader Mr David Granger said the AML/CFT Amendment Bill will not be passed unconditionally, as was called for by President Donald Ramotar on Thursday. Guyana has effectively been blacklisted internationally following the country’s referral on Thursday to FATF. CFATF’s decision follows a review on Monday of Guyana’s progress with a local team headed by AG Nandlall. The review was in relation to the protection of the international financial system from money laundering and financing of terrorism risks, and the encouragement of greater compliance with standards.

Driver in fatal accident on $400,000 bail TWENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD Seon Adams, of Lot 355 Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara was on Thursday placed on a total of $400,000 bail after being involved in a fatal accident that claimed the life of a 31-year-old Success fisherman. Before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, the defendant pleaded not guilty to different charges, one of which said, on Monday May 26, at the Railway Embankment in the vicinity of Bel Air, Greater Georgetown, he drove motor car HC 2231 in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the death of Fizul Hussain. Another charge alleged that, the same day, being the driver of the said motor vehicle involved in an accident, he failed to report the accident to the Police within 24 hours of the occurrence. The third allegation is that having been in the accident, he failed to take the injured person to a registered medical practitioner or hospital for treatment. The last charge said, on the same day, being the responsible driver of the car, he failed to stop the vehicle after the accident had occurred. Police Corporal Bharat Mangru, prosecuting, said Adams was driving the

motor car west along the Railway Embankment Road in the vicinity of Bel Air Village when it collided with the pedestrian who is now dead. LOWER PARAPET FISHING The victim had been standing on the lower parapet, fishing when hit, and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The Prosecutor said, after investigations were carried out, the defendant was arrested. He did not object to bail but asked that it be substantial and conditions attached. Defence Counsel Lennox Hanoman requested that his client be admitted to reasonable bail, stating that he had been cooperating with the Police since the incident. Questioning why a person would want to fish at 04:00 hrs, the lawyer said, however, that the defendant is not a flight risk. Counsel said, based on his instructions, Adams heard a sound and stopped but did not see anything. The defendant was ordered to lodge his passport. Statements in the case are to be filed on June 20.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Old Kai: Chronicles of Guyana…

The combined Opposition is way out of its league - on issues of Economics in Guyana

(Continued from yesterday’s edition)

assured that they serve ALL type of dishes! This is a prime example of the deceptive nature of OLD Kai made a deliberate omission from yesterthe Opposition in Guyana. No doubt, were it functional day’s column which had the AFC smiling. They and we were tempted enough to go inside and order, we started to celebrate when they were graded 7 out of would be disappointed. This is the same way the PNC is 10 for potential economic performance should they trying to repackage itself as APNU, so that Guyanese will take on the reins of Government; what they will now be lured into their scheme and place them in Government, know is that the number was actually negative (-)7. only for us to be disappointed that we did not get what Now that Guyana has been further blacklisted and was promised. the effects will take hold on our As part of ‘all types of dishes’ we are economy over the next year or so, being fed ‘national unity’ with a sprinkling don’t expect their performance to It is now clear that the AFC is not willing to work in the interest of ‘jook fuh jook’ seasoning on the side by improve as they have continued to of the Guyanese people, and is putting up all manner of stumChef Granger and company. hold out along with the PNC=APIf the PNC/APNU cannot manage a simNU against supporting the AML/ bling blocks so as to escape blame and come out as the good ple restaurant and get it off the ground, how CFT amendment bill in the National guys. However, the continued free-fall of supporters indicates can they manage an entire country? Assembly. These people gifted themselves so that Guyanese are very much aware of those who are placing This is exactly what the AFC many State properties when they were the leader was warning a few years ago their future in jeopardy. dictatorship, now they have apparently when he told citizens that they will mismanaged their finances that they have become ‘collateral damage’ if the been forced to sell property after property Opposition did not get whatever it to raise monies. spent on giving this place a facelift. It appears that there are wanted. When one looks at the kind of bad investments they It is now clear that the AFC is not willing to work in attempts at a commercial activity in the form of a restaurant are continuing to make, such as the ‘all types of dishes’ the interest of the Guyanese people, and is putting up all and bar at the location but business does not seem to be go- restaurant, it is easy to see why they will need to sell a manner of stumbling blocks so as to escape blame and ing well as it has remained dormant for some time. It is easy to see why and at the same time confirm that the lot more properties in the future. come out as the good guys. However, the continued freeTheir net assets is being reduced daily, so how can fall of supporters indicates that Guyanese are very much PNC/APNU has not changed from its wily ways of the past we trust these people to take charge of an economy when the first thing that greets you on the outside is a sign, aware of those who are placing their future in jeopardy. which is experiencing record growth under successive The AFC leadership is now being seen by citizens as “Restaurant and Bar: ALL TYPES OF DISHES.” Now in all my travel around the world over a few de- PPP/C Governments in the midst of economic recession very conniving and untrustworthy. globally. But enough of this party. Let us move on to the cades, this is the first such facility which I have come across Therefore, out of a possible score of plus or minus PNC=APNU. There is a property at the corners of Public that serves, ‘all types of dishes.’ And yet some are ready to 10, the PNC = APNU emerges with a negative 11. Yes, Road, Kitty and Vlissengen road which is apparently ‘cuss’ Old Kai when he says David Granger and company that is how dangerous they can be to our economy. Do owned by the PNC. It would be interesting to establish cannot be trusted. Does this mean that I can order Chinese, Italian, Span- we want our future development to share the same how they acquired such a prime location in the first faith as their ‘all types of dishes’ restaurant? instance and know exactly how much they had paid ish, Indian, Mexican, Javanese, Japanese, Mediterranean, The answer is obvious. the State for the land. A section of the property houses Icelandic, Kazak, Amerindian…dishes at this place? We are a bust of their late dictator, Forbes Burnham, but my focus is the building. An image of David Granger is tucked away in the upper flat of the structure, which was falling apart prior to the last elections. Party members, especially donors who are concerned about how their monies are utilised and Guyanese in general who want to witness the current day mismanagement of the PNC/APNU leadership should check out this facility. They should enquire exactly how much money was

Kwayana tells COI under cross-examination…

Rodney wanted to remove PNC Gov’t from office - says Rodney had no propensity to violence By Telesha Ramnarine THE Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (COI), yesterday, heard that the deceased politician was resolute about his declaration of removing the People’s National Congress (PNC) Government, led

by Prime Minister Forbes Burnham, from office. When this suggestion was made by PNC Lawyer Basil Williams, Co-Founder of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and friend of Rodney, Eusi Kwayana, agreed under cross-examination.

Yesterday marked the fourth day in the second session of the COI that was ordered by President Donald Ramotar while the first four-day session ended earlier this month. The proceedings continued in See page 11

DR. WALTER RODNEY

EUSI KWAYANA

FORBES BURNHAM

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

CTO targeting Canadian investors during Caribbean Week in Toronto Sandra Ann Baptiste

MEMBER countries of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) have an excellent and timely opportunity to lay the groundwork for attracting new Canadian investment in the region’s tourism and hospitality sector at the CTO’s inaugural investment conference in Toronto next month. Senior Canadian government officials will be participating in the June 26 Forum along with Canadian companies that will be expecting Caribbean tourism destinations to make a solid case to lure more Canadian dollars to the region. At this event, one of the highlights of the annual Caribbean Week programme, Caribbean countries, upon request, will be afforded a one-hour window to pitch their projects to the Canadians. Director of the CTO’s USA operations, Sylma Brown Bramble, has stressed that potential investors are not always looking for mega projects and the drive to attract new investment should not be focused mainly on large hotels and infrastructure projects. One investment opportunity which she feels should be encouraged is more solar energy production, which could result in lower energy bills with the savings passed on to hotel guests. In promoting the investment forum, the CTO has been highlighting the Caribbean’s stable political climate. A Conference Board of Canada official told me that in addition to this, Canadian investors will be looking to see growth in direct airline seat capacity from the key source markets (United States, Canada and Europe), an increase in marketing budgets, attractive tax incentives and an enthusiastic local work force. Potential investors will also be looking for specific information on infrastructure, labour costs and the range, cost and quality of human resources available. CTO’s Chairman Beverly Nicholson-Doty, who is Tourism Commissioner in the U.S. Virgin islands, will be joined at the opening session of the investment forum by top policy-makers in the federal

government in Ottawa and the new provincial government in Ontario (elections are due on June 12). “The Canadian market is critical to the Caribbean region,” said

Richard Doumeng

Nicholson-Doty, noting that the region is working strategically to increase arrivals and revenues from Canada. CTO Secretary General Hugh Riley said the intent of the Toronto Investment Forum is to spread the word that the Caribbean is “open for business” with the message aimed at Canadian companies and entrepreneurs, the Canadian government, large financial institutions and the Caribbean Diaspora. Riley is also urging the organisation’s member countries to highlight investment opportunities in non-traditional tourism sectors such as sports and medical tourism, an area in which some Caribbean countries have made tremendous strides by attracting more overseas visitors for recuperative and cosmetic surgery. One area with tremendous potential for expansion directly linked to the tourism and hospitality industry is the agro-industry sector. The high level of food imports used by the region’s hospitality sector could be considerably reduced with expanded and diversified food production, which is often talked about, but much more investment

is needed especially in countries like Guyana. In this regard, the CTO Secretary General has underscored the importance of the Caribbean as a region producing enough to meet requirements of large-scale buyers and doing so consistently, with efficiency and to meet international standards. A regional project that would help Caribbean farmers not just to develop the skills and use new technology to improve production, but to be involved in marketing and management, is in the pipeline. The Toronto investment conference is timely since Canada and CARICOM are engaged in talks on a new trade and investment accord that will undoubtedly encourage more Canadians to invest in the region when it materialises. The CTO investment conference comes at a time of marginal, but continued growth in the Canadian economy. The International Monetary Fund has forecast that the

Hugh Riley

Canadian economy will continue to expand over the next two years, growing by 2.3 per cent this year and by 2.4 per cent in 2015. The CTO has projected that overall visitor arrivals to the region in 2014 will be between 2 to 3 percent. The CTO Secretary General noted that the tourism and hospitality industry was adversely affected by the bad weather during the winter which led to many flight cancellations. Curacao (25.7%), Anguilla (20.7%) The Bahamas (11.7%)

and St. Lucia (10%) registered significant increases in Canadian arrivals for the winter season while most CTO member countries saw marginal increases or declines in

Sylma Brown Bramble

Canadian visitors. St. Lucia (13.9%), Dominica (12.7%) and Belize (11%) recorded decent increases in U.S. arrivals. Several CTO member countries saw significant increases in visitors from Europe, including Belize (26.6%), the Cayman Islands (17.7%), Jamaica (14.9%) and Antigua and Barbuda (10%). As anticipated by CTO, many destinations experienced a healthy increase in cruise arrivals during the winter season, including Martinique (69.8%), Dominica (37.3%) and Belize (22%). The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is reporting that most of its member countries experienced a “respectable” winter season. CHTA President Richard Doumeng told me that even though occupancy might have been at the same level of the 2013 season, the Average Daily Rate (ADR) was higher and it was overall a “rate recovery” season. The main concern of CHTA members is adequate air seats. Some countries have felt the pinch of the loss of the American Eagle services to the region.

While the increase in the number of arrivals from Europe is welcome news, the CHTA notes that this is being compared to a period when there was a significant fall off in European visitors due to the British Air Passenger Duty (APD). The CHTA continues to be concerned about the “astronomical” energy costs, which hotels across the region face as they try to balance high operating costs with room revenue. In terms of attracting new investment into the sector, the CHTA President insists the region does not need more large hotels and mega attractions. Instead, existing properties and infrastructure need to be modernised and many destinations are in dire need of a “facelift”. Doumeng pointed to growing interest by visitors to the region in historical sites and unique culinary experiences as well as Caribbean spices and vegetables. He also advocated that more Caribbean countries promote sustainable projects and offer “green” incentives. Not surprisingly, the hotel executive said feedback from investors attending the CHTA’s annual Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit (CHICOS) is that there are too many agencies to deal with when pursuing investment projects. In particular, obtaining permits required to do business in many Caribbean countries is a major hassle as there are too many government agencies involved in the process. It is critical that governments in the region take steps to address these concerns including ensuring that investment agencies have the clout, financial and human resources to efficiently facilitate investors and to engage in effective international marketing. Jamaica (JAMPRO) and Barbados (Invest Barbados), which do an excellent job in both facilitation and international marketing, have highly trained investment promotion specialists with sector expertise, both at home and abroad, and significant marketing budgets. (Sandra Ann Baptiste is a Business Consultant and Specialist in Caribbean Affairs)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Rodney’s assassination…

Kwayana tells inquiry PNC cannot escape responsibility By Telesha Ramnarine CO-FOUNDER of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Eusi Kwayana, told the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the death of Dr. Walter Rodney, Thursday, that his core belief is that the People’s National Congress (PNC) was involved in the assassination. Under cross-examination by attorney-at-law Mr. Basil Williams, who is watching the interest of that political party, Kwayana said, judging from all of the circumstances, he was “convinced” that the then ruling party was involved, as it was in charge of State machinery, including the Ministry of Defence, and held responsibility for all other Ministries that were capable of giving directions to intelligence officers. “The PNC cannot escape responsibility,” Kwayana said, based on the remarks made by its Leader, Forbes Burnham, who had uttered death threats to the WPA. Furthermore, Kwayana pointed out that, following the murder of Rodney, vigorous investigation by the State was absent. The octogenarian had been called to the witness stand for the third time, yesterday, in the COI that was ordered by President Donald Ramotar last February. The proceedings continued in the Supreme Court Law Library before Commissioners Sir Richard Cheltenham, Seenath Jairam and Jacqueline Samuels-Brown. Kwayana was led by Lead Counsel to the Commission Glen Hanoman before being cross-examined by Williams. The witness testified that members of the WPA never sought to gain power but the focus was on improving

Guyana’s politics and resolving racial issues in the country. FIRST PUBLICATION He said ever since the PNC Government banned the WPA’s first publication of the ‘Day Clean’ newspaper, that was coming from Trinidad, he knew that the Government was hostile to the WPA. No one in Guyana would print it for fear of repercussions from the Government and so the WPA had tried to have it printed in Trinidad. According to Kwayana, there was a communication problem in the country as telephones were short. In fact, the WPA’s ‘Tiger Bay’ office had no telephone. “If favourite people wanted a line, they could get one overnight,” Kwayana recalled, but said often the answer, from the authorities, would be that there was none. Kwayana provided these details to show the usefulness of the ‘walkie talkies’ in those days. “The walkie talkie helped to cover spaces. Rodney had found a way of getting them and tuning them up for use.” From all the evidence available to him, Kwayana said his conviction is that Gregory Smith must be held responsible for Rodney’s assassination. “I don’t think he was acting on his own,” the witness said, adding that the entire operation showed State involvement. “He was under orders. He had to receive his orders from some person he was bound to obey.” Kwayana further testified that Brigadier Norman Mc Clean was heading the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at a time when the political system had been corrupted. “It was

not a normal state,” he asserted. He said Burnham became Commander-in-Chief of the Army in October 1980 but prior to then he was the Minister of Defence. The GDF was an institution that fell under this Ministry, Kwayana stated. Kwayana recalled that the collective leadership of the WPA included himself, Dr. Rodney, Dr. Clive Thomas, Dr. Rupert Roopnarine, Moses Bhagwan, Andaiye and Tacoma Ogunseye. EXTREMELY REMOTE In the WPA, he said the idea of violence was extremely remote and denied knowing of any effort to form a military wing in the party. He also denied knowing about any move to obtain weapons, though being aware that WPA members were formally accused of having. David Hinds, for instance, was convicted of having weapons. He was accused of bringing such into the country in a suitcase but the weapons were never produced during the trial, Kwayana swore. He said, further, that “Rodney had no propensity to violence” but was a student of social change. In February 1980, he remembered Rodney as saying that violence is always regrettable. He said all in the WPA felt threatened but this did not stop them from pursuing their goals. In fact, he remembered Rodney saying in a speech that if he should fall, people should use his body as a barricade. Kwayana said Rodney did nothing to warrant someone using violence on him.

Rodney wanted to remove PNC ... From page 9 the Georgetown Supreme Court Law Library. Kwayana, 89, who now resides in San Diego, California, United States (U.S.) maintained that Rodney had no propensity to violence, even as Williams continued to make this suggestion to him. Williams quoted several parts of ‘The Struggle Goes On,’ a speech by Rodney on July 20, 1979. “There is no way out under the present system so we have got to make up our minds what we are deciding now within the WPA. It is not that they must reform. It is not that they must hold another election and win it all up. We finish with all that. They must go. The PNC must go. And they must go by any means necessary,” Williams recited. He then asked Kwayana if those words did not suggest clearly that Rodney was speaking about the recourse to violence. But Kwayana responded that he didn’t believe this was the only inference.

believe it was personal on Rodney’s behalf and that it was a matter of a political disagreement and, probably, a rejection of the whole ‘Burnham’ regime. About what the prized exhibit referred to, Kwayana said the same Prime Minister Burnham. Continuing to quote from Rodney’s speech, Williams

KING KONG Quoting another section, Williams read: “Brothers and sisters, I am aware of the preferred mode of transportation of King Kong. But you see, King Kong has decided he wanted to build a palace to his ego and a monument to his own stupidity so that he could sit inside and be a monument inside a monument. “One of the brothers in the audience, when we were at Grove yesterday, suggested to us that what was required was to extend the zoo to take in the residence. And then, we would have one of the most prized exhibits of any zoo in the world. People would come from all over the world and pay money to see King Kong.” Asked if those words didn’t translate into hatred for Forbes Burnham by Rodney, Kwayana said he did not

read: “The other evening, speaking at another site, I have to draw the analogy to say that if there ever was such a thing called the Midas touch, which was the touch that made everything turn into gold, then we would have a new ration in this society-the Burnham touch, where everything he touches turns to shit.”

“…if there ever was such a thing called the Midas touch, which was the touch that made everything turn into gold, then we would have a new ration in this society-the Burnham touch, where everything he touches turns to shit.” – Dr Walter Rodney

PERSONAL HATRED Williams again asked Kwayana if he didn’t think this statement was motivated by personal hatred and Kwayana, once more, responded in the negative. But he did agree with Williams that from those extracts, Rodney was resolute about his declaration of putting the PNC out of power. Meanwhile, Kwayana had earlier testified that the PNC of the 1970s arranged for a more “hospitable scene” by remov-

ing armed guards and a mobile police outpost around the prison area where Rodney was assassinated. According to Kwayana, he was at his Buxton, East Coast Demerara home when he got the “terrible news” of Rodney’s death in the middle of the night from other party member Rupert Roopnarine. Following this, he said he, along with a team of more party members went to the Camp Street Prison block in Georgetown and interviewed residents and businesses about Police presence in the area during the days leading up to Rodney’s death. He explained that the team found out that four armed guards were stationed at this location, one at each corner of the prison. Kwayana said residents reported that there was also a mobile Police outpost that was usually in Bent Street. In the days leading up to Rodney’s death, though, Kwayana said all of the guards, as well as the Police outpost had been removed. Elements of the State and the security forces, therefore, were in expectation that something was about to happen, Kwayana said. “If this was true, then this tied the State in to the crime because the State had been instructed to arrange a more hospitable scene, to make it more inviting for the bombing.” Kwayana had said, too, that there was spite, fear and hostility towards Rodney even before he returned to Guyana. In fact, he said the PNC was setting the scene to paint Rodney as a troublemaker even before he landed in Guyana. Behind this was a spirit of ethnic insecurity, political bankruptcy and no real respect for the right to life, Kwayana claimed.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

GUYANA CHRONICLE SATURDAY May 31, 2014

Chairman-elect Private investment commended urges faster CDB on jobs creation, economic growth action as catalyst for change By Derwayne Wills

CHAIRMAN-elect of the people in each of the borCaribbean Development rowing member countries,” Bank’s Board of Gover- Dr. Douglas said. nors, Prime Minister Dr. At the same time, the Denzil Douglas of St. Kitts St. Kitts prime minister and Nevis, is urging the welcomed Suriname as a Bank to act as a greater catalyst for faster change and adaptation in the Caribbean Region, given developments across the world. Delivering the closing address at the end of the 44th Annual Meeting of the CDB’s board of governors in Georgetown, Guyana, the St. Kitts Nevis Prime Minster said the successful economic recovery of his own country was in many ways, the result of change, creativity and innovation of the CDB. “The performance of the Bank is central in tackling the major issues related to Dr. Denzil Douglas, competitiveness, to renew- Prime Minister of St. able energy and high elec- Kitts and Nevis tricity costs, to the increasing threats posed by climate full member of the bank change, achieving sustain- noting that it holds a great able growth and arresting promise for expanding high unemployment,” he business and partnersaid. ship, but suggested that Dr. Douglas urged the the CDB should move to Bank to seize present and develop a strategy for exemerging opportunities to panded membership. expand the use of the policy-based loan and guarantee instruments, and to develop new products tailored to the needs of its members and their peoples. The Prime Minister added that the CDB is a trustBy Leroy Smith ed partnership for member countries and this should be GUYANA is getting more put to work alongside the financial assistance from many other strengths of the the United States (U.S.), Bank. through the Caribbean Referring to the Bank’s Basin Security Initiative improved credit rating, Dr. (CBSI). Douglas said this is the diLast Thursday, Minister rect result of hard work and of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn focused attention. Rodrigues-Birkett, and U.S. “I am indeed encouraged Ambassador, Brent Hardt, by the strides the Bank has affixed their signatures to a made over the past sever- Letter of Agreement which al months to implement forms part of an amendment the reform agenda. More to an earlier pact between the specifically, I find it most two countries. pleasing to learn of the imThe documentation repproved credit rating of the resents a US$850,000 investBank, a direct result of hard ment by the U.S. Government work and focused attention. which will address the issues The truth is that the reform of narcotics control and law agenda has been set for enforcement. some time now and it is time Speaking at the signing for delivery. There is no at her Georgetown Ministry, shortage of good plans and Minister Rodrigues-Birkett good intentions. However, noted that with the aid given we must not lose sight of the by the U.S. to countries in prize, that is, the opportunity the Caribbean Region, it is to deliver on the mandate of clear that the donor underthe Bank, to make a lasting stands help is needed by the impact in the lives of the

FINANCE Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, on Wednesday commended the Private Sector Commission (PSC) for what he called the “tremendous expansion” in private investment that has seen the creation of jobs, increase in aggregate

in Guyana, like the National Competitiveness Council, that brings together labour, private sector leadership, and Government.” Singh said that Council, chaired by President Donald Ramotar, stands as the ideal forum through which issues of shared interest on the competitive environment for doing

At GMSA’s business luncheon Wednesday. Seated, from left, are Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Mr. Ramesh Persaud; President of Caribbean Association of Industry & Commerce, Mr. Ramesh Dookhoo; Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh; Prime Minister, Mr. Samuel Hinds; and Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development, Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie (Photo by Adrian Narine) output and uninterrupted economic growth. He was speaking at the Guyana Marketing and Services Association (GMSA) business luncheon, where the Trinidadian Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development, Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie, invited interested members of the business sector to the VIII Americas Competitiveness Forum (ACF) to be held in Trinidad and Tobago in October 2014. Minister Singh said, while the Government pledges to do as much as possible to ensure that the macroeconomic fundamentals remain strong, collaboration with the leadership of the Private Sector and that of organised labour is absolutely critical. According to him: “We have established mechanisms

business in Guyana are addressed. The Minister continued: “I remain convinced that this Competiveness Council has served an extremely useful purpose.” He added that the contribution of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) must be acknowledged in implementing and supporting an extremely ambitious national competitiveness programme out of which the Council was established. Minister Singh said the Guyana Government will remain engaged with the private sector and labour, focused as a leadership on ensuring the preservation of an environment that is conducive to private investors.

Through US$850,000 agreenent ...

Guyana gets more U.S. assistance to fight crime recipients in the fight against crime. She added there is no doubt that the countries of the region also understand that there can be no success if any of them believes or tries to run away with the idea that the fight against narcotics and the challenges of crime can be fought and won as a one man show. There must be collaboration, she maintained, lauding the U.S. Government for recognising the need to cooperate. NEW FACES According to the Minister, with the new faces of criminal activities and emerging methods being employed by those bent on being part of the other side of the law, the necessity for collaboration must at all times be taken seriously. She emphasised that there is and will always be that group who will seek to outdo

and outsmart the law enforcers in an aim to have their unlawful activities flourish. Rodrigues-Birkett reminded that, while the CBSI has a bilateral component, it is a regional initiative between the U.S. and Caribbean Governments. She tendered her appreciation to the U.S. on behalf of Guyana and pointed to the many areas of assistance and successful ventures from which this country benefited since the signing of the CBSI Initiative several years ago. Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said, based on checks, the CBSI initiative is not only proving to be successful in Guyana but several other counties within the Caribbean. In his remarks, Ambassador Hardt said the arrangement is another building block in the cooperation between Guyana and his country. He said that the agree-

Affixing their respective signatures to the agreement are U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Brent Hardt (right); and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett (second right) ment will see an even broader and meaningful support for the rule of law programmes that would, eventually, boost enforcement effectiveness and increase Police capacity in fighting crime. The diplomat spoke specifically to the agreement which he says will see the

support of several existing and new programmatic activities, including the bringing into full operation the recently constructed forensic laboratory while helping to establish fully vetted counter narcotic units and fully developed case partnership programmes with the U.S.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Education Ministry unearths irregularity in conduct of NGSA exams at Region 1 school By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally THE Ministry of Education (MoE) has announced its awareness of irregularities being perpetrated in the conduct of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations in a particular school in Region One. The Ministry has said that the integrity

of that school’s NGSA results has been affected by the report it has received. The MoE has issued a release declaring that it is actively considering various options to address the emerging situation, and has promised that its interventions would reflect its paramount consideration, which is what is in the

best interest of the affected students. In recent years, The Ministry of Education has established a number of quality assurance mechanisms to ensure that examinations and their subsequent results are of the highest integrity. Those measures allowed the MoE to identify this emerging problem in the affected area

and school. No other irregularity has been found in any of the other schools in Guyana; and the MoE assures all stakeholders and members of the public that this irregularity will

Roads in Regions 3 – 6 to see marked improvement

--through the implementation of a $417M CRIP project

From left to right are Project Coordinator of CRIP, Ms Karen Roopchand; Housing & Water Minister, Irfaan Ali; and representatives of the various construction companies that have been retained to execute the CRIP project who had each been awarded By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally roads, rehabilitated un- a contract under the CRIP der the Community Roads programme yesterday offiRESIDENTS of Regions Improvement Programme cially signed their documents Three, Four, Five and Six (CRIP) in 2014. to commence work in their will benefit from an exAt the Boardroom of respective areas. penditure of $417M to- the Ministry of Housing on Project Coordinator of wards provision of quality Brickdam, five contractors CRIP, Karen Roopchand,

outlined that the new contracts signed are extensions to the existing CRIP, and she said that the bids had been advertised through tenders, and their evaluations were done on April 29. “Cabinet’s ‘no objection’ was then granted, and the contracts were awarded to Region 3 – Barden Construction Service Ltd; Region 4 – Guy America Construction; Region 5 -- Erin Lall Civil Works; Region 6, Lot 1: KP Jagdeo General Construction; and Region 6, Lot 2 -- H Nauth & Sons Construction,” she disclosed. Ms .Roopchand noted that the construction companies are expected to deliver these works in a timely manner, with quality assurance being pivotal, so as to have the communities benefit from the roads’ rehabilitation. Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali explained that the ministry is exultant to move forward with

not be allowed to affect either the integrity or the timely release of the NGSA results. The MoE has committed to updating the public with additional information at conclusion of investigations

into the identified irregularity. The MoE has begun investigating the matter, but the NGSA results are set to be released nationwide on or before Friday, June 27, 2014.

the CRIP programme, even though presently the ministry is doing a lot of work in new schemes and upgrading hundreds of roads in new and existing housing schemes. “Under the CRIP programme, we are focusing more on old housing schemes, old settlements, and old areas, because these are areas that also require infrastructure intervention,” Minister Ali said. Ali noted that the accumulated value of the contracts signed yesterday is $417M, and he said the works to be effected would directly benefit 15,685 persons. The contracts will cater for 15 main access roads being rehabilitated into asphalt or concrete surfaces, and there will be provision of safety features such as signage, road markings, and speed humps. “These have become necessary in these areas, and have been added to the contracts because of the disgusting behaviours of today’s motorists” Ali lamented. The works detailed in the contracts should be completed within three months, some at the end of August, and the remaining few at the end of September 2014. “There will be no toleration

of any excuse to vary the completion date”, Ali noted. He explained that contractors were made aware when bidding that they are to cater for the change in weather, are to utilise all working hours, and are to ensure that they have the facilities to work in the night, should it become necessary. “From the time the contract end date comes up and work has not been completely liquidated, damages will be charged; and we HAVE been charging existing contractors,” Ali emphasised. He indicated that the ministry is in the process of documenting contractors who have given poor performances and that document will be submitted to National Tender and Procurement Administration (NPTA). The CRIP is a multi-million-dollar road project being implemented by the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and the Ministry of Housing and Water. It is aimed at improving access to housing, education, health and other social infrastructure through improvement and upgrading of roads in exist-

Digicel contributes to David Rose School skip-a-ton DIGICEL Guyana became associated with the David Rose School Special School by way of sponsorship last May 22. On that day, the students did the opening sequence for the annual skip-a-ton which was made possible by Digicel’s contribution for the first time. According to the hear-

ing impaired lecturer at the school, Ms. Janel Bishop, it was very entertaining for the children to be part of the competition. “They were accustomed to sitting and watching the festivity, but to actually be part of the activity was very exciting. Some of the students are still dancing. We would

like to thank Digicel for making it possible for us to participate in this event,” she said. Digicel supports the promotion of physical activity by students since it stimulates growth and leads to improved physical and emotional health, the company said. (Michel Outridge)

Receiving Cheque from Digicel’s Advertising Manager Alexis CrawfordLanghorne is Snr. Mistress (ag) Karen Jackson-Lindie with students

GUYANA CHRONICLE SATURDAY May 31, 2014

Rodrigues-Birkett reiterates Government readiness to establish American DEU By Leroy Smith

THE Government of Guyana is ready and willing to support any effort by the United States (U.S.) Government to establish a Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) in this country, Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett reiterated on Thursday. She repeated the commitment following remarks by U. S. Ambassador Brent Hardt, who disclosed one of the main reasons the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has not readily moved to establish an office in Guyana. Rodrigues-Birkett assured that Guyana is ready and willing to do all the necessaries which must to be done and which will facilitate the establishment of the office locally. The U.S. still has an interest in establishing a DEU on these shores but there are conditions which have to be met and must satisfy the American authorities. The Ambassador said, be it the Customs Anti- Narcotics Unit (CANU) or some other special force or branch of the Police, those who are selected to work along with the DEA have to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;fully vetted.â&#x20AC;? According to Hardt, the persons must be tested in such a way that the DEU personnel in the U. S. can feel free to share sensitive information with them and be comfortable that it will remain top secret, private and confidential in the interest of the job and the objectives of the unit. He added, too, that already as part of a US$850,000 Letter of Agreement under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI),

monies have been available for the vetting of units which will be selected to work with the DEA of the U.S. The Letter of Agreement was signed by Rodrigues- Birkett and Hardt on Thursday and he said the selection and vetting of a unit to work with the DEA will see an elevated partnership with respect to the fight against the drugs. RIGHT DIRECTION Hardt indicated that things seem to be moving in the right direction for the establishment of the DEA Office in Guyana and, very soon, there will be more pronouncements on the efforts being made. The Government of Guyana has long expressed an interest in having a DEA presence in this country that will assist with the information and other intelligence gathering on combating the drug trade. Last year, President Donald Ramotar, while addressing the Annual Police Officers Conference urged the ranks to start going after the big drug lords and their safe havens rather than just focusing on the smaller fishes. He said that the issue of drugs within the society has been reaching its fabric and the recruiting of young males as couriers and other agents of drug lords needs to be addressed. CANU is the leading drug fighting agency in Guyana which, with the help of the Police, gathers information and carries out surveillance on persons suspected to be operating in the drugs underworld.

GUYANA CHRONICLE SATURDAY May 31, 2014

Causing-death charge likely for last week’s fatal By Leroy Smith TRAFFIC ranks at Brickdam Police Station are moving to file a causing death by dangerous driving charge against a CCS Guyana Limited driver who was involved in a fatal accident last week Thursday. The victim, a father of five named Carl Soso, known as ‘Blackie’, was struck by a speeding vehicle on Regent Street, Georgetown, and succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday morning in the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation(GPHC). One of the eyewitnesses to the occurrence said the ill-fated cargo minibus, GRR 1667, was heading west along Regent Street when the fatality occurred at Regent and Albert Streets. A woman said that Soso and a friend were sitting on a stand at the corner when they saw the minibus approaching at a fast rate and out of control. She said another minibus had stopped at the junction to give way to a car that wanted to cross Regent Street, but the speeding CCS bus attempted to pass a passenger bus from behind. In the attempt, that driver realised that the other bus had stopped to give DEAD:CARL SOSO way to another vehicle and, to avoid slamming into the car, the man at the wheel of the CCS bus tried to take evasive action, but ended up crashing into the pavement where the now dead man and his friend were sitting. TRIED TO RUN The Guyana Chronicle was informed that, as the two men on the pavement saw the bus coming, one rolled under a table, while Soso got up and tried to run, but the bus had already breached the pavement and struck him unconscious. Soso was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by persons who work at a nearby mechanic shop. He remained a patient there until the time he died on Tuesday morning. Family members of the deceased said that the Police arrived at the scene and took the errant driver into custody, but he was released subsequently. Police said as soon as the post mortem examination is performed and the results confirm the man died from injuries he suffered in the accident, the errant driver will be charged. Meanwhile, also on Thursday, Shameer Hussain, one of the Directors of CCS told this newspaper that the company has already launched an internal investigation into the matter. The director said, while not admitting liability, in the absence of the driver being prosecuted, the company has committed to assisting the family with some funeral expenses and any other interim assistance that will ease their financial burden at this point. He expressed the sympathy of the company to the relatives of the dead man and said the managers did meet with them.

BK launches training for 20 youths in mining and construction THE BK Group on Wednesday commenced a training programme for twenty youths under the Skills and Knowledge for Youth Empowerment initiative (SKYE), the third consecutive year of the company’s support for this initiative. In 2013, ten youths from SKYE project were a part of the BK Group Apprenticeship Programme. This year, the apprentices will be part of a six- month

access to the company’s club and entertainment facilities located on site. Before leaving for the BK Quarries in the Mazaruni, the apprentices met with the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Brian Tiwarie, at BK’s Kingston Head Office. The group was also briefed by BK Group Marketing & Sales Director, Briony Tiwarie. “The BK Group is pleased to be part of such a ben-

SKYE apprentices with BK Group Marketing and Sales Director, Ms. Briony Tiwarie (centre), at BK International’s Kingston Head Office before leaving for the quarries in the Mazaruni programme at the company’s quarries for training in various fields, including heavy duty equipment operators, mechanics, welders, carpenters, and general construction workers. The SKYE project supports the goals of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) which seeks to combat the core causes of crime and violence, enhance public safety and security while offering job skills and training to at-risk youth in Guyana. The apprentices will be paid a monthly stipend, at the minimum wage, and will be provided with all meals, accommodation, and laundry services. In addition, while on the training programme, the apprentices will have full

Old Age, NIS pensions0 payable June 2 THE GUYANA Post Office Corporation (GPOC) yesterday advised that for ease of comfort, Old Age Pension vouchers would commence being encashed on June 2, 2014 beginning at 08:30 hrs. Also, encashment of the National Insurance Scheme vouchers would commence on Monday, June 2, 2014 at 08:30 hrs.

eficial initiative. It is our belief that the apprentices will receive a wealth of knowledge while at the quarries,” said Ms. Tiwarie. Ms. Tiwarie also noted that much focus will be placed on the apprentices to ensure that they become positive and creative individuals in order to make meaningful contributions to society. Tiwarie added: “Over the years persons who received training from BK have gone on to earn significant sums in the mining and construction sectors, both with BK and other companies. As such, we believe that the best way we could help improve society is by providing useful and valuable training to young people at our facilities.” SKYE Project Officer, Tomaisha Hendricks, speaking after the briefing said: “We are very excited about this programme. The BK Group has been working with us from the very inception. The company has been one of the few to sign up and provide the opportunities for training that many of these young people would not otherwise be able to access.” Hendricks added, “We are also happy that while we are able to provide training for our young people, BK is also able to meet some of its manpower needs as the apprentices complete the programme and enter the workforce.” The SKYE programme supports youths who are secondary school dropouts, youths who have completed formal education but require additional skills in order to gain employment, and youths caught up in the criminal justice system. The SKYE project is funded by USAID through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative and is implemented by the Education Development Centre (EDC), based in Boston and Washington in the USA. (Asif Hakim)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Patrica Poonai is the new bursar MS. Holda Patricia Poonai, Guyanese by birth and a UG alumna, assumed duty as Bursar on Friday, May 2, 2014. She is the holder of the BSc in Accounting and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) certification. She is also an affiliate member of the Association. She credits her ten-year experience as a part-time accounting teacher to keeping her abreast with changes in accounting standards. The new Bursar recently served as finance manager at the National Agri-

Ms. Holda Patricia Poonai culture Research Institute (NARI). She brings to the

job a wealth of experience and careful stewardship in finance management having served in various financial management capacities at NARI since 1994. Ms. Poonai served at a time when “financial resources were limited but with stringent control of expenditure the Institute was able to achieve its objectives.” Prior to working with NARI she worked as an Accounts Clerk III at the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA). Speaking about

Lecturers win award for poster presentation DIRECTOR of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Dr. Paulette Bynoe and Ms. Denise Simmons, lecturer, were winners at a Poster Presentation Session at the International Food Security Dialogue Conference held recently at the University of Alberta. The UG team received the award for their “Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF) CARICOM project” research on the Use or Mis-Use of Pesticides: Analysis of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Farmers in the Caribbean. According to Leroy E. Phillip

from McGill University, “the work was cited for its scientific content, clarity and impact of its message.” The Dialogue on International Food Security 2014 was held under the theme: Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World at the University of Alberta, Canada. The Dialogue saw the coming together of professionals from at least ten countries in Africa, four countries in Asia, three countries in Latin America, the United States and Canada. According to Conference Chair, Brent Swallow, Professor, Department of

Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, University of Alberta; support for the Dialogue was the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF), funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Foreign Affairs Trade and Development Canada (DFATD). For the last 3-4 years, CIFSRF has been supporting applied research-for-development projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East. A new phase of CIFSRF will begin later in 2014.

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry to offer fisheries science THE Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry recently hosted the first partnership meeting on the PESCADO (Progress in Education for Sustainability and Development Opportunities for Aquaculture in the Caribbean) project funded by the European Union. The PESCADO project is executed by the ISA University, Dominican Republic, as lead partner. The other partners are the University of Guyana (UG), the University of Stirling, UK, and IPI (Investment Professionals Inc), a management firm which will work with the universities to execute the project.

The purpose of this project is to create both a BSc at UG and a MSc at ISA in Fisheries Science. According to Professor Raphael Martinez from ISA University, “The project also aims to establish the foundation for a Virtual Institute of Aquaculture & Aquaponics (IAA) in the Caribbean region for fish farmers, producer groups and academia to integrate technical know-how with entrepreneurship.” Dr Pat Francis, local coordinator and former Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, said that the university will benefit from the development of the curriculum for

the offering of the bachelor’s degree in aquaculture by 2016, and from training in various aspects of aquaculture and fisheries studies. She further stated, “It is envisaged that UG’s faculty and students will also benefit from access to specialised laboratory equipment and joint MSc programmes at ISA.” The university will also be working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Guyana School of Agriculture on this project. Another important element of the project, according to Dr Francis, “is the establishment of an incubator to provide technical support and assistance to young entrepreneurs in the field of aquaculture.”

her new appointment Ms. Poonai said, “The job is indeed challenging and so far I am getting the full support of the Bursary staff and everyone with whom I have come into contact”. She further stated: “My priority at present is to work with staff to reduce the operational costs of the university. A system review will also be done with the aim of improving the overall financial and management accounting at the institution.” The new Bursar is married to Mr. Chaman Lall Poonai and they have three sons. The University welcomes Ms. Poonai, the first female to be appointed Bursar at the institution, and wishes her well in her new position.

Bringing university education to your home THE university will soon launch the Open/Distance learning initiative with offerings in four areas: BSc Mathematics and Physics, BS Environmental Management & Technology, BSc Criminology & Psychological Studies and BSc Computing and IT Commuter Science pathway. The programmes will be delivered through distance offerings for qualified persons who are constrained by distance from UG Campus and/or work and family obligations but have the desire to gain tertiary qualifications. Tutors will be available to registered students at Regional centers throughout the country. For registration and further details visit the “Online Services” section on the university website: www. uog.edu.gy or call: 222-2097.

Turkeyen Library receives eight donation from benefactors North Carolina. Dr. GUYANESE born, ProfesMaryann Renee Beesor/CEO/Financial Consulbe Ally, M.B.A., is a tant/Educator/PhilanthroMarketing Executive pist, Dr. Shamir Andrew at a Global PharmaAlly, his wife, Dr Maryann ceutical Company. Renee Beebe Ally of North Both are members of Carolina, U.S.A., recently the Indian Trail Lions made their eight donation Club, District 31-E, of textbooks, CD-ROMs North Carolina. and videos to the UniverAs the University sity of Guyana Library. celebrates its Golden The donation covers a wide range of disciplines includ- Dr. Shamir Andrew Ally and Jubilee, the Univering Managerial Account- wife Dr. Maryann Renee sity wishes to thank “one of the library’s ing, Management, Lead- Beebe Ally. most outstanding ership, Languages, and and consistent donor He is the President/ Health. According to Dr. and friend, who is a son of Chief Executive Officer of Ally, the items have an estithe soil dedicated to giving his company, Internationmated value of G$1,605,600 back to his country.” al Consulting Services in (US $8,028). Mr. and Mrs Ally made their first donation to the University Library in 2006, and to date, the Library has benefitted from a total of 1,458 textbooks, CD-ROMs and videos with an estimatTHE Faculty of Technology of industry for technicians ed value of G$19,115,400 is inviting applications for trained in both electrical and (US $95,577). the one year Certificate promechanical engineering and LAPARKAN Shipping, gramme in Industrial Engiprovide specialist training New York, was instrumental neering commencing in Sepfor certain industrial and in shipping all of the donatember 2014, which would be engineering processes.” tions to Guyana at reduced followed by a one-year DiploThe cost of tuition for the costs. ma programme in Industrial programme is $250,000 per Dr. Shamir Andrew Ally, Engineering commencing year. formerly of Herstelling and September 2015. Online applications for According to the Dean of Public Road, Providence, this programme commenced the Faculty of Technology, Ms East Bank Demerara, mion May 26 and will end at .Elena Trim, “These part time grated to the United States midnight on July 14, 2014. programmes in Industrial Enof America in 1979 to furPlease visit the university gineering are being introduced ther his education. He comwebsite: www.uog.edu.gy. to provide formal training for For further details please pleted his BBA, MBA, and technicians already working call the Faculty of TechnoloPhD Degrees in the U.S.A. in industry, meet the needs gy: 222-5491.

Certificate in industrial engineering now available

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Sehwag’s power-packed 122 puts Kings XI Punjab ... From Backpage the second batsman this season to score a century after Mumbai Indians’ Lendl Simmons, who had scored an unbeaten 100 against Punjab only. And this is not the first time Sehwag has scored a hundred in IPL, his first coming in 2011 for Delhi Daredevils against Deccan Chargers. Punjab will now fight it out for the title with Kolkata Knight Riders tomorrow in Bangalore. No team had ever chased a 227-run target in T20 history but Raina came up with an extraordinary knock which stunned the Punjab side and turned the match on its head. Raina raced to the second fastest fifty in IPL in just 16 balls when he lifted Sandeep Sharma over covers for a six. In six overs, CSK were placed at 100 for two with Raina hitting 87 of those from 25 balls with the help

of 12 fours and six awe-inspiring sixes. However, Raina was runout in the first ball after the power-play overs. Brendon McCullum called for a run but George Bailey found Raina short of the crease with his direct hit. One of the most regal innings in T20s met with a tragic end but it opened up the game and Chennai were back in the match after a forgettable effort with the ball. Raina’s dismissal though opened up the gates as wickets starting tumbling. Brendon McCullum (11) met with the same fate as that of Raina and Ravindra Jadeja (27) was caught brilliantly by Mitchell Johnson off Parvinder Awana. David Hussey (1) fell in that same Awana over, leaving his skipper Dhoni with an unenviable task of scoring 84 runs from 42 balls. Dhoni has been an incredible finisher for his side but yesterday

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his unbeaten 42 was not enough. Earlier, it was not the first time that Punjab tormented the CSK bowlers like this, since their previous highest score (231-4) had also come against the Dhoni-led side and it is the third time they have beaten CSK. Sehwag put on 110 runs for the first wicket with Manan Vohra (34) and flattened the Super Kings bowling attack, which has conceded a score in excess of 200 for the third time in the season to the same opponents. The swashbuckling opener’s pyrotechnics, when everyone expected Glenn Maxwell as the bigger threat, caught the twotime former champions by surprise. No one was spared by the bespectacled Sehwag who looked unstoppable and completed his ton with a single in the 16th over off only 50 balls, the

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fastest hundred by any batsman in this IPL season. S u c h w a s S e h w a g ’s domination of the Super Kings bowling that the smart knocks of Vohra, who hit 2 sixes and a four in 31 balls, and David Miller (38 in 19 balls) went into the shade. Super Kings bled runs as their two lead spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja conceded 44 and 48 runs respectively. Paceman Ashish Nehra was the costliest by giving away 51 runs for the wickets of Sehwag and George Bailey. Mohit Sharma gave away

46 runs while Ishwar Pandey was the only bowler to concede under 40. Kings XI got off to a blazing start after being asked to bat first on a good batting track. Both Vohra and Sehwag played shot after shot as the 50 was raised in just 26 balls before the scored jumped to 70 in six overs of power play. In the next over by Ashwin, the discarded India opener swung the off-spinner for a huge six over long on before completing his second half-century of the season in 21 balls. (Indian Express)

Coach Richards - HPC intimidated Bangladesh-A BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Bangladesh A coach Corey Richards has said that his side was ‘mentally intimidated’ by the ‘tall West Indian High Performance bowlers’ against whom the second-string Bangladesh side crashed to an ‘embarrassing’ 351-run defeat within three days in the first four-day match. He further described the result as a warning for the national team, which will be touring the West Indies later in August. “I thought the pitch was fine and (it was) really good conditions to play cricket but at the end we were just not good enough. They intimidated us with the ball, they got some tall bowlers who bowled in the 140s and were quick and short. We were not good enough to handle it. “The top six of our team have made one Test hundred each in international cricket. For them to be intimidated and play the way they did, that was quite embarrassing. These players have to play for a long period and if they can’t adapt to different conditions then they won’t last long,” said Richards when speaking about the dismal performance that saw the second-string side get bowled out for 140 and 152. “It’s a warning absolutely, because most of these guys will be coming back here in August. Hopefully this was just a one-off but at the end of the day if the players are not prepared to bat through long periods, the same thing will happen to us in the second game,” he added. Rather than unfamiliar conditions, Richards thought that work needed to be done upon the players’ ‘mental strength’, shortcomings in which have its roots in the domestic setup. “We practised well both here and back in Dhaka. We had a lot of grass on the practice pitches and over here we instructed the ball boys to bowl short. We did everything we could to prepare, “It’s time to look at things differently in the domestic cricket setup. Anyone can get hundreds on flat wickets but when you’re put up against good international cricketers, it’s a different game,” said Richards. Amongst the regular national players the A team includes Nasir Hossain, Mominul Haque, Imrul Kayes, Shamsur Rahman, Naeem Islam and Robiul Islam. The second-string side will play another four-day game against the High Performance team after which they will play three 50-over games against the same opponents.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Townsend’s amazing week in Paris ends in third round By Robert Woodward PARIS , (Reuters) - American Taylor Townsend’s “amazing week” in Paris ended in defeat yesterday when she was knocked out of the French Open by Carla Suarez Navarro. Townsend, 18, was the youngest player since 2009 to reach the last 32 in Paris and, after a slow start, she went out all guns blazing against the 14th seed from Spain who won 6-2 6-2 in just over an hour. “ I t ’s t h e m o s t f u n I’ve had. I couldn’t have asked for anything better,” Townsend told reporters. “I really learned a lot this week. I’m so happy and fortunate I had this opportunity. “I have a lot of weap-

Taylor Townsend ons, and I have a lot of gifts and talents that not many people have, that I have to believe in.” Mats Wilander, the former No.1 and threetimes French Open champion, praised Townsend to the skies in a French newspaper column on Friday, even comparing her court instincts to those possessed by Roger Federer and John McEnroe. Against Suarez Navarro, a claycourt specialist, she worked the angles and

hit the ball cleanly. But she wasted a lot of the good work by shooting for the lines – and often missing – when playing the percentages would have earned the point. She made 33 unforced errors to her opponent’s seven. Sanchez Navarro called Townsend’s style “a bit anarchical” but agreed the American was very talented, saying her forehand and serve made her particularly difficult to play. Townsend took time to settle, losing her first two service games to go 4-0 down to the claycourt specialist who won the Estoril title last month. Townsend broke back for 4-2. But the Roland Garros wildcard fired wide and long, and netted a

volley to give her opponent set point before hitting a return of serve long to go one set down after 24 minutes. The American wasted four break points in the fourth game of the second set by not playing it safe and was broken to love in the next game. Suarez Na-

varro’s first serve was the match’s most potent weapon and Townsend returned serve long to give the Spaniard victory her third match point. But her experience has convinced Townsend that she made the right decision to turn professional. “I realised that I do like

big stages, I like big courts, I like playing in front of a lot of people,” she said. “It means the world for me to be here, and to have this opportunity and capitalise on it, and I’m looking forward to it continuing in the future, and hopefully I can keep this going.”

Dhoni criticises ‘irresponsible’ seniors THE second qualifier was the third occasion that Chennai Super Kings had conceded over 200 runs to Kings XI Punjab this season. They lost each time. A refreshingly familiar century from Virender Sehwag set up a target of 227, but it looked in considerable danger as Suresh Raina produced a breathtaking 25-ball 87. The highest successful chase in T20 history was in Super Kings’ grasp as they became the first side to post 100 runs in the Powerplay. MS Dhoni, their captain, had believed all the ingredients had been in place for their progress into the IPL final. “I think definitely it was something we could have achieved, the reason being Suresh [and] the way he batted,” Dhoni said, “I think in the middle overs there was some very irresponsible cricket by some of the most experienced international cricketers, so I think definitely we need to have a look, in a game like this when the stakes are high, you can’t really commit mistakes.” Raina’s blitz had allowed the other batsmen to play a normal T20 chase. The equation had mellowed down to 127 from 83 balls, with eight wickets in hand. Coupled with their batting riches, Super Kings are also a big-game team, having made five IPL finals. That they would stumble as badly as losing four wickets for 33 runs between the 12th and 17th overs contributed to Dhoni’s disappointme He also had stern words for a weakness that has trailed Super Kings across seasons. While most times their slower bowlers would mend the perception of a weak bowling attack, this season they had received quite some tap and it continued on Friday night.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Federer, Djokovic struggle through in Paris By Julien Pretot

frustration against Cilic. He seemed in complete control when his 25thseeded opponent forced a tiebreak that the six-time grand slam winner lost 7-2. Djokovic regained control, however, and sealed victory when Cilic double-faulted. “Physically, I had to work very hard, because he was very aggressive, and I could expect that,” said Djokovic.

PARIS, France , (Reuters) - Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic ran into a spot of bother at the French Open yesterday, dropping a set each and needing over three hours to reach the fourth round. Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska was knocked out 6-4, 6-4 by Croatian Ajla Tomljanovic, becoming the latest victim of a new generation of talent sweeping through the women’s draw. But seventh seed Maria Sharapova inflicted the first double bagel of the tournament to remain the big favourite. Seventeen-time grand slam champion Roger Federer saw off Russian Dmitry Tursunov 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-4 and Serbian second seed Djokovic, chasing the only grand slam title to elude him, Roger Federer beat Croatian Marin Cilic “In important moments I 6-3, 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4. held my nerve and, you “I am relieved and happy know, I’m very happy that I to be through to the next went through.” round,” said fourth seed His next opponent will be Federer, who wasted 17 local favourite Jo-Wilfried break points. Tsonga, the 13th seed, who Tursunov, the 31st seed, defeated Polish 22nd seed played boldly but needed Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. treatment on his leg in Sixth seed Tomas Berdych the third set and Federer of the Czech Republic also triumphed to set up a meeting needed four sets to progress, with Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis, beating Spanish 27th seed who is rediscovering his best Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, form after a freefall in the 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-4. rankings. Djokovic, one of three men SENT PACKING to have beaten eight-time In the women’s draw, the Roland Garros champion top three seeds have all been Rafael Nadal on clay this sent packing following the season, showed signs of first-round exit of Chinese

Li Na and the second-round elimination of defending champion and world No.1 Serena Williams. It was the first time since tennis turned professional in 1968 that the top three seeds in the women’s draw have failed to qualify for the fourth round of a grand slam. “After seeing the two first seeds go out, you kind of feel you can do this too,” said the 21-year-old Tomljanovic, who will next meet Spanish 14th seed Carla Suarez Navarro who ended the run of American teenager Taylor Townsend with a 6-2, 6-2 win. “I grew up with these girls who are beating them. I went into the stadium for the first time, and she (Radwanska) kind of feels like home there, because she’s been there a lot more than I have,” said Tomljanovic. “I went out there and inside I really thought I could win. I think that showed and it is why I won.” Radwanska’s defeat was another boost for 2012 champion and last year’s runner-up Sharapova, who beat Argentine Paula Ormaechea 6-0, 6-0 in less than an hour on court Philippe Chatrier after rain briefly interrupted the match during the first game when the Russian had to save three break points. “The first game was a little bit tough, I felt a bit nervous at the beginning but I felt really good throughout, especially at the end,” Sharapova said. Tomljanovic was joined in the

Flintoff back from retirement to play T20 for Lancashire

(REUTERS) - Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is coming out of retirement to play domestic Twenty20 cricket with Lancashire, it was announced yesterday. The 36-year-old retired in 2010 after the previous year’s Ashes series success against Australia, having played 79 Tests, 141 oneday internationals and seven T20 matches. He made 80 first-class appearances for Lancashire, and has been training with the county since the northern winter. “I’m really honoured to be part of Lancashire once

again,” Flintoff said in a statement on the county’s website (www.lccc.co.uk). “It is something that I never thought would happen but after training with the squad over the last few months I am really happy that they have invited me to play. I have worked really hard to get back to my fittest and I hope that we have a successful summer. I’m just glad that I can be part of it.” Flintoff could play against Yorkshire at Old Trafford next Friday. “We are delighted to have Fred involved once again at the club. He is Lancashire through and through and

his record for both club and country speaks for itself,” Lancashire cricket director Mike Watkinson said. “Fred has been back at Emirates Old Trafford under his own steam since the winter and has been working with the Academy and in the nets with some of the other players,” he said. “Over a period of time he has picked up on his physical conditioning and this continues to improve. He has shown in practice that he still has plenty of class with bat and ball, and will be a great addition to the NatWest T20 Blast squad.”

fourth round by former finalist Samantha Stosur of Australia, who beat Slovakian ninth seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 6-4. Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, who knocked out Serena, backed up her achievement with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Anna Schmiedlova, the Slovak who eliminated Williams’ sister Venus.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Blatter repeats he is ready to stand for a fifth term (REUTERS) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter repeated yesterday that he was ready to stand for a fifth term and appealed for a truce in armed conflict around the world while the World Cup was being played in Brazil. “During 32 days, the world actuality (news) will be with football and I hope during this time all belligerent activities in the different corners of the world shall stop and then I would say King Football shall reign,” he said. The tournament kicks off on June 12 with the final taking place on July 13 at the Maracana Stadium. Blatter, who originally said his current mandate would be his last after being

FIFA president Sepp Blatter (C) speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem, last Tuesday. (Credit: Reuters/Ronen Zvulun)

No.72 Cut and Load through to Tenelec Under-15 quarter-finals … Ali bags 11-wicket haul for Albion

NUMBER 72 Cut and Load have become the first team to reach the quarter finals of this year’s Berbice Cricket Board/Tenelec Inc. Under-15 cricket competition, after they took first innings points from Skeldon Community Centre in their Zone D (Upper Corentyne) group match, earning enough points to end as winners of that zone. Spearheading them to the top spot was Khemchand

Chatterpaul, who firstly topscored with 36 to lead them to a first-innings total of 189, then, bowling his off-spin, took 5 for 30 to restrict Skeldon to 108 in their first innings. Medium pacer Nazim Ali returned bowling figures of 6 for 5 from 3 overs and 5 for 1 from 5.2 overs to end with match figures of 11 for 6 runs from 8.2 overs to help Albion Community Centre bowl out Big Star for 16 runs in both of their innings, after

Big Star fast bowler Kevon Hooper had taken 7 for 52 in Albion’s lone innings of the match. In scores from the matches played: At Number 72, Number 72 Cut and Load 189 all out with Khemchand Chatterpaul 36, Vickram Laljit 30, Dineshwar Boodhoo 29, Suraj Deochand 20; Mahendra Chaitnarine 3 for 30, Rudy Jamalodeen 2 for 41 and 133 all Chaitnarine

3 for 47. Skeldon Community Centre 108 all out, Totaram Shivardar 46; Chatterpaul 5 for 30, Boodhoo 3 for 25, Uresh Latchman 2 for 8. At Albion, Albion Community Centre 144 - Stephen Kalamudin 39, Renaldo Rowe 37; Kevon Hooper 7 for 52, Lyndon Lovell 2 for 35; Big Star 16 - Nazim Ali 6 for 5, Kalamudin 2 for 4 and 16 all out. Ali 5 for 1, Karran Arjpaul 2 for 5.

DCB withholds authentication of any UDCA elections THE Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) wishes to place on record its strongest objections to the recent announcement of an elections purported to be that of the Upper Demerara Cricket Association (UDCA). More than once, the DCB had warned the authors of this ill-fated Cricket Administration Bill that the passage of the Bill in its present form will not

solve the problems that have engulfed cricket administration ever since January 2011 when a few disgruntled persons branched off and held an illegal and parallel AGM of the DCB. The DCB has always maintained that the crux of this entire manufactured controversy lies in the thorough investigation of the events leading up to this parallel AGM. The DCB had video-

taped the Executive Committee Meeting that was held in January 2011 that fixed the date and venue for its 2011 AGM and this evidence was publicly aired on national television. Failing to adhere to these rudimentary aspects of natural justice will only create more confusion and controversy, which seems to be the hallmark of this grouping of disgruntled

administrators. More so, there is a legal action and interlocutory injunction that currently exists against the perpetrators of this action, namely Bissoondyal Singh, Roger Harper et al, which is still pending in our judicial system and needs to be allowed to have its natural progression throughout that process. DCB is also aware that UDCA also has an injunction against that body.

re-elected for a fourth term in 2011, said he would tell the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo next month that he was willing to stand again, if wanted. “I’m not a candidate for the time being,” he said in an interview on FIFA’s website (www.fifa.com). “My mandate will come to an end in 2015 but my mission is still going on. “A mission is never finished, and I am available to go on with the mission and I will announce that I’m available, but the Congress must say yes or no. “I’m not going there to say: ‘I’m yours!’ No.” “But, in this context, we must have the unity of

FIFA and if the unity is going well with the same person, then they may express it during this Congress.” The 78-year-old also talked about his suitcase-packing habits. “It will be easy for me because I’m used to travelling and this will not be a problem. I always do my luggage myself.” “It will be the tenth (World Cup) in a row, my fifth as president, but I have the same feeling as an actor going on the stage and it will be a great World Cup. “It’s something very special, because we are back in the country where the real football is played, big football is played.”

Match-fixing claims absurd, bizarre, scary, says Cairns

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Reuters) - Former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns reiterated yesterday he was innocent of any involvement in match-fixing and described the accusations against him as “absurd, bizarre and scary”. Cairns read out a statement at Auckland airport after returning from London, where he was interviewed at his own request by London police, English cricketing authorities and the anti-corruption unit of cricket’s world governing body, the ICC. “I have never match-fixed, sought to have others match-fix, or otherwise play the game of cricket in anything other than the spirit it so richly deserves to be played in,” he said. “Knowing what I now know of these allegations against me, I find the situation truly absurd, bizarre and scary. “I now wait to see what happens next. Whatever happens, I am hopeful that proper process will be followed and that I will be cleared of these allegations.” The 43-year-old said former New Zealand cricketer Lou Vincent, who has admitted corruption and is assisting the ICC probe, had “betrayed” his friendship and the allegations he and his ex-wife had made against Cairns were “despicable lies”. He also hit out at New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, saying it was “misleading” to say he had reported an alleged approach by Cairns about match-fixing in a “timely fashion” given he made the allegation in 2011, three years after it was supposed to have taken place. McCullum’s evidence to the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Security Unit (ACSU), where he described being twice approached by a ‘Player X’, was leaked to a British newspaper earlier this month. Cairns later said he thought he was ‘Player X’ but completely denied the allegations. The ICC has said that McCullum is not under investigation for match-fixing and has commended his conduct in coming forward to give the evidence. Cairns also said none of the three cricketers who were allegedly told by McCullum of the approach - Stephen Fleming, Daniel Vettori and Kyle Mills - had made “a direct accusation” against him. The involvement of London police results from a 2012 libel trial in the British High Court, when Cairns won damages from Indian cricket administrator Lalit Modi over accusations of corruption. Cairns said that after his London trip he was confident there were no allegations that he had “received any monies for my alleged activities, nor paid any monies to any person”. “Over the last few years I have felt the influence of nameless, faceless people casting aspersions about me through the world of cricket and perhaps beyond,” he added. “I have a small team of people in my corner who have believed in me throughout and are helping me now.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Donald Sterling to sue NBA after wife’s Clippers deal By Eric Kelsey LOS ANGELES ,(Reuters) - Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, under fire for racist remarks, will sue the National Basketball Association (NBA) for $1 billion in damages for terminating his ownership of the team, his attorney said on Friday. Attorney Maxwell Blecher told Reuters that Sterling would file the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The move came a day after Sterling’s estranged wife, Shelly, struck a record $2 billion deal with former Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer to sell the franchise under orders from the league. The NBA said earlier on

Friday that it would go ahead with a vote on Tuesday on terminating Donald Sterling’s ownership of the Clippers, although it signaled that his wife’s proposal to sell the team was its preferred outcome. A source with knowledge of the situation told Reuters that Shelly Sterling is now sole trustee of the family trust that controls the Clippers after her 80-year-old husband was deemed by physicians this month as having Alzheimer’s disease. Blecher did not respond to phone calls or emails seeking comment on Donald Sterling’s health. But in a statement to CNN, he called reports that Sterling was mentally incapacitated a “vast overstatement” and said

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling (C), his wife Shelly (L) and actor George Segal attend a NBA basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Sterling had a diagnosis of a “modest mental impairment.” The NBA said it was still awaiting necessary documentation from Shelly Sterling on the deal with Ballmer and that it planned to proceed with Tuesday’s hearing before its Board of Governors

on whether to strip Donald Sterling of ownership for his racist remarks. “Commissioner (Adam) Silver has consistently said the preferred outcome to the Clippers proceeding would be a voluntary sale of the team,” the NBA said in a

Tonight is final night for preliminary round action knockout basis. He warned the regular teams in Georgetown to expect some strong challenges from their out-of-town-based opponents. “This year, I have decided to include teams such as Victoria, Vryheid’s Lust, Plaisance, Beterverwagting, Melanie and La Parfaite Harmonie, just to name a few, in the lineup and as you are aware some of the East Coast-based teams are coming off the back of a similar tournament. “This means they are coming fit and have already presented a strong challenge to the other teams, so I am calling on the teams to be fit in order to ‘Keep Your Five Alive’,” said Adonis, who emphasised on winning as there will be no second opportunities. Teams are asked to note carefully, that only those who have been registered on the registration form provided will be allowed to compete, with no alterations being allowed during the course of the tournament, only in the case of injury which must occur during the playing of the competition. “In addition to the tournament, there will be an Axe halftime show compliments of that product’s main distributor in Guyana, DeSinco Trading, which is being dubbed the ‘Take and Shoot’ competition, for which fabulous prizes will be up for grabs, along with the regular Mackeson giveaways,” said Adonis. Apart from Ansa McAl and DeSinco Trading, some other sponsors of the tournament, which has three playing days remaining after tonight, are: Colours Boutique, Clairan’s Boutique, Clear Water, Star Party Rentals, White Castle Fish Shop, and HJTV and its 94.1 Boom FM, just to name a few. (Calvin Roberts)

“I am delighted that we are selling the team to Steve, who will be a terrific owner,” Shelly Sterling said in a statement announcing the sale early yesterday. The source said language in the Sterling trust indicated that if Donald Sterling was unable to handle business, then the controlling stake would be given to his wife. Ballmer, 58, who retired as Microsoft CEO in February, outbid a group led by media mogul David Geffen that included Oprah Winfrey and Oracle Corp Chief Executive Larry Ellison, as well as a group of Los Angeles investors. Blecher has said that Donald Sterling would have to approve any sale of the franchise.

DCB Inter-Association U-17 second round action bowls off today

4TH MACKESON ‘KEEP YOUR 5 ALIVE’

PRELIMINARY round action in this year’s fourth annual Mackeson ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ Futsal tournament, which is being played under the theme ‘Your Five, Your Style, Your Stout, Mackeson Keep Your Five Alive’, will kick off tonight at the Albouystown hard court at 20:00hrs. Five more matches will be contested tonight, from which the winners will move into next Saturday’s round of 16 clashes scheduled for the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) tarmac. Tonight’s opening action will pit the hardworking Alexander Village against Vryheid’s Lust Champs in the opening encounter, followed by Upsetters of West Ruimveldt taking on King Street Ballers. The third game will be an East Coast versus Georgetown affair, when Melanie who had a creditable showing in the East Coast Guinness ‘Greatest of de Streets’ competition in which one of their teams took home the top prize and another place third, will face Rasville, who will be coming to upstage their more illustrious opponents. Charlestown and North East La Penitence will square off in the fourth fixture for the night, before Albouystown and Laing Avenue renew their rivalry in the final fixture. Already, defending champions Sparta Boss, Sophia, Albouystown ‘B’, Broad Street, La Parfaite Harmonie, Back Circle, Tiger Bay ‘A’, Leopold Street, Texas and West Front Road, have all booked their spots in the next round. The tournament’s coordinator Kevin Adonis is charging all teams, including defending champions Sparta Boss, to keep fit since the tournament will be played on a

statement. In his first major test since becoming NBA commissioner in February, Silver has taken a strong position on punishing Sterling by banning him for life from the league. But Silver has also signaled that the NBA wants to avoid a prolonged fight in a case that has brought shame on the league. The NBA also fined Sterling, the controlling owner of the Clippers for 33 years, $2.5 million after TMZ.com posted an audio recording of him criticizing a female friend for publicly associating with black people. A sale of the team, as well as the termination of Sterling’s ownership, must be approved by NBA team owners.

… Final round set for tomorrow Darren Sammy

Sammy takes Glamorgan to last-ball victory CARDIFF, Wales (CMC) – Deposed West Indies Test captain Darren Sammy made a winning start to life at Glamorgan when he helped the Welsh county to an exciting five-wicket victory over Sussex in the English Twenty20 Blast here yesterday. Set 179 for victory, Glamorgan levelled the scores with three balls left in the game, with Sammy on strike. However, fast bowler Yasir Arafat kept the Windward Islands all-rounder scoreless off the next two balls with brilliant yorkers to bring the game down to the last ball. Sammy then kept his composure, skying the last ball into the offside and scrambling two runs with Chris Cooke, to take Glamorgan over the line. He finished on nine not out from as many balls while Cooke secured manof-the-match honours for his superb unbeaten 65 off 31 deliveries, with 11 fours and a six. The pair added 37 from 21 balls for the fifth wicket. South African opener Jacques Rudolph had earlier stroked 50 from 44 balls to set the tone for the run chase. Sent in at the SWALEC Stadium, Sussex got joint top scores of 39 from captain Ed Joyce and England wicketkeeper Matt Prior, to boost their innings. Sammy produced a tight three-over spell, conceding just 18 runs. At Headingly in Leeds, Leeward Islands left-hander Chesney Hughes failed with 11 as his Derbyshire side went down by eight wickets to Yorkshire.

SECOND-round action in this year’s Demerara Cricket Board (DCB)organised and sponsored Inter-Association Under-17 competition will commence today with two matches being played simultaneously at the Demerara and Everest Cricket Club grounds. At DCC, East Bank, who will have in their lineup players of the calibre of Sagar Hetheramani, Ronaldo Singh, Dextroy Williams and Ershad Alli, will face a strong Georgetown unit comprising such players as skipper Raymond Perez, Shurfane Rutherford, Xaviee Smith, Ronaldo Ali Mohammed and Timothy McAlmont, just to name a few. At Everest, Travis Persaud, who will lead Richie Looknauth, Nicoli Reddy, Ewart Samuels and Malcolm Hubbard and others in the West Demerara unit, will seek to further underline their status as champions when they go up against East Coast, for whom national Under-15 skipper Bhaskar Yadram, Suresh Jainarine and Motilall Chatura will be making an appearance. The third and final round will be played tomorrow, with Georgetown taking on West Demerara at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, while East Bank will meet East Coast at DCC and the final 11 for all teams for both games will be chosen from: East Bank: Devon Singh, Akeem Hopkinson, Stephan December, Dextroy Williams, Sagar Hetheramani, Daniel

Scott, Abdel Bacchus, Ronaldo Singh, Joel Ganesh, Mark Ramsammy, Bhojnarine Singh, Christopher McLennan, Ershad Alli, Anthony Antonio, and Navindra Persaud. The coach is Mr. Edwards and the manager is Mohamed Khan. West Demerara: Travis Persaud, Richie Looknauth, Kelvin Sewpersaud, Nicoli Reddy, Malcolm Hubbard, Ewart Samuels, Looknauth Chinkoo, Neal Mclean, Keshram Seyhodan, Ronaldo Renee, Mark Jeffers, Vickram Talmakund, Ganesh Jitlall, and Mahesh Persaud. Mohamed Khan is the manager and coach. East Coast: Vishwanauth Ramlakhan, Ramnarine Chatura, Gavin Boodwah, Kedar Amsterdam, Bhaskar Yadram, Stephen Mangal, Shanerick DaSilva, Motilall Chatura, Akeem Hiles, Shaquille King, Madan Mohan, Kevinash Kumar, Suresh Jainarine, Afzal Rahaman, Rajpaul Gopaul. The coach is Gavin Latchman Yadram and the manager is Gavin Moriah. Georgetown: Raymond Perez, Sherfane Rutherford, Darshan Persaud, Timothy McAlmont, Ronaldo Mohamed, Jaddel McAlister, Samuel McKenzie, Xaviee Smith, Andrew Clifford, Stephon Campbell, Ashmead Nedd, Romaine Muniram, Shamar DeSouza, and Christopher Naipaul. The manager is Gavin Nedd and the coach is Clive Grimmond. (Calvin Roberts)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Narine opts out of Windies Test squad

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Off-spinner Sunil Narine has advised the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) that he has opted to remain in India to participate in the final of the Indian Premier League and consequently will not join the West Indies training camp in preparation for the Test Series against New Zealand by June 1, as is required by the WICB. Narine had been in discussion with the WICB and was required to ad-

… will be considered for T20s v New Zealand

Sunil Narine vise the Board by May 24 whether he will join the squad currently in training

in Barbados on June 1. Narine had indicated by the May 24 deadline that he will join the squad on June 1 as required. Narine subsequently advised the WICB on May 28 that he would not be able to meet the June 1 requirement. Narine’s decision not to join the camp by June 1 will result in his not being

considered for selection to the West Indies squad for the Test Series v New Zealand (June 8 to 30). Narine will be considered for selection to the squad for the two Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand on July 5 and 6 in Dominica. WICB Director of Cricket Richard Pybus explained that the guiding principle

of the Windies First Policy which was recently approved by the Board of Directors requires players to make themselves available for team preparations. “The onus of the WICB is to protect the integrity of international cricket at all times. International cricket, and specifically Test cricket, is priority and requires dedicated prepa-

ration which is integral to team success. The WICB policy requires players to commit to sufficient preparation leading in to a series as part of a culture of excellence,” Pybus said. The WICB appreciates the discussion with Narine and his representative on his availability to West Indies cricket.

ECB forced to apologise to Pietersen THE ECB and its managing director, Paul Downton, have been forced to apologise to Kevin Pietersen for making comments in a radio interview last week about Pietersen’s attitude during the Sydney Test that were “in breach of the settlement agreement” between the two parties drawn up after his sacking. Speaking to the BBC’s Test Match Special programme during the first one-day international at The Oval, Downton said he had never seen anyone as “disinterested or distracted” as Pietersen was in Sydney, claimed there was not one person within the team that he spoke to who wanted Pietersen to stay and “the accusation made was that he had too many different agendas and was not 100% focused on playing for England.” Downton also said it was Pietersen who wanted his central contract ended, pinpointing the proximity of the IPL. “It was a week before the IPL auction,”

Downton said. “KP wanted the freedom to play where he wanted to play and he won a big contract because of it.” Pietersen reacted angrily to Downton’s comments through a statement on his website last week, calling them “wholly untrue”. The last line of his statement said: “I will continue to abide by the confidentiality provisions contained in my settlement agreement, which I believe applies to both the ECB and myself.” The ECB apology, issued late yesterday evening, did not state there was any issue with what Downton actually said. Downton previously, on the day Peter Moores was named coach, said he had never seen anyone as “disengaged” as Pietersen. “On May 22 during an interview on BBC Test Match Special, Paul Downton of the ECB made a series of comments about Kevin Pietersen with which Kevin takes issue including the

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Saturday May 31, 2014) Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 225-6158; 223-6055) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: Jacques Kallis-KKR 22 wickets Today’s Quiz: Who is the first player to make a hundred in an IPL game? How many games were scheduled for the last IPL? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Paul Downton (centre) provokes an angry reaction from Kevin Pietersen by his radio interview.

comments he made regarding his perception of Kevin’s attitude during the Sydney Test on last winter’s Ashes tour. Some of those comments were made in breach of a settlement agreement between the ECB and Kevin Pietersen which was concluded at the time Kevin’s central contract was terminated earlier this year. “Paul Downton and the ECB both apologise to Kevin

Pietersen for those comments made that were in breach of the settlement agreement and have confirmed that they will abide by its terms moving forward.’’ Pietersen’s return to an English cricket pitch was delayed after a finger injury prevented him playing for Surrey in the NatWest T20 Blast against Middlesex but he is expected to appear for them next Friday. (ESPN Cricinfo)

England enjoy win over Peru in last home warm-up By Mike Collett LONDON, England (Reuters) - England overcame some stubborn resistance from a well-organised defensive Peru side before sealing a comfortable 3-0 win in their last home World Cup warm-up match at Wembley yesterday. England head off to their final training camp in Miami, boosted by an excellent opener from Daniel Sturridge after 32 minutes which lit up a lifeless first half. Two second-half goals from set-pieces by central defenders Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka gave England a deserved win in the first match between the two countries since they last met 52 years ago just before the 1962 World Cup in Chile. Peru, who failed to reach this year’s finals in Brazil after a poor campaign in the South American qualifiers, defended well and Jean Deza stood out in midfield with a solid performance, forcing England goalkeeper Joe Hart into two good saves. He also had a 40-metre

shot that swirled and dipped and just went over the bar. “It was a wonderful send off to the World Cup by a quite incredible crowd,” England manager Roy Hodgson told ITV. “We had to be patient but we were dominant throughout. It is the perfect end to a perfect two weeks. I am delighted that 85 000 fans came here to wish us well on our way. “When you play against teams with 10 men behind the ball you have to be patient but I had no doubt we would win. “They would tire and 3-0 is the minimal acceptable achievement. It was also good for some of the young players to get out here at Wembley.” STURRIDGE CURLER England, playing the first of three warm-up games before opening their Group D campaign against Italy in Manaus on June 14, took time to find their rhythm. Sturridge, playing as the lone central front man, failed to make much impact until his goal when he cut in from the right just after the half-hour

mark and sent a perfectly struck left-foot curler wide of goalkeeper Raul Fernandez. It was an outstanding strike from the in-form Liverpool striker who was named man-of-the-match and told ITV: “It was difficult because Peru defended well, they were very compact. “We have worked very hard in the week and there wasn’t the match sharpness as we would have liked. It was a hard week in training.” Looking ahead to the World Cup, he added: “We don’t want to make the numbers up, we are winners. That doesn’t mean we will win the World Cup but we are winners and we will do our best.” England dominated possession without a great deal of pace or invention until the latter stages, although skipper Steven Gerrard, winning his 110th cap on his 34th birthday, continually found the front men from his deeper midfield role. NEAT FLICKS Wayne Rooney, playing behind Sturridge, also attempted some neat flicks and lay-

offs, and England finally added to their one-goal tally with later strikes from set-pieces. Both goals came from Leighton Baines corners, with Cahill powering in a header after 65 minutes and Jagielka firing home five minutes later after keeper Fernandez dropped the ball when he clattered into his own defender Alexander Callens. Most of the crowd entertained themselves by throwing paper aeroplanes on to the field, although the final quarter of the match was more lively than the rest of the game. The increase in tempo came after England coach Roy Hodgson introduced some of his younger substitutes like Raheem Sterling and Ross Barkley, plus teenage defender John Stones who came on to earn his first cap. England now fly to Miami where they continue their build-up with friendlies against Ecuador on Wednesday and Honduras next Saturday before their World Cup games against Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday May 31, 2014

Inter-Association basketball

Linden pursuing rare double, as they face Georgetown, Berbice tonight

By Joe Chapman PERHAPS history will be created when the Berbice Under-19 boys’ and men’s teams and the Georgetown female team journey to face their Linden counterparts in a triple-header card set for this evening in the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation’s Inter-Association Basketball Championship. The historic clash at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court will also bring the curtain down the championship. It is the first time in

Dwayne Roberts recent memory that such a card has been arranged

and the question is: “Can the visitors secure wins in the backyard of their hosts, who are set to be crowned male and female inter-association champions in front of a partisan home crowd”? In fact, the home sides are highly favoured to win all three matches, barring upsets and the inclement weather, leaving one to wonder perhaps the margin of wins. Linden will be squaring off at 18:30hrs against the Berbice Under-19 boys. This will be the game of

Former Guyana and West Indies players confirm participation for Guyana Festival SEVERAL former Guyana and West Indies players have confirmed their participation for the Guyana Festival cricket match between a Masters Team and a President’s XI, to be held at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, on August 9, 2014 from 16:00hrs to 18:00hrs. Players joining the teams include former Guyana and West Indies players Alvin Kallicharran, Faoud Bacchus, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Travis Dowlin, Neil McGarrell, Clyde Butts and Clayton Lambert. Also participating will be former Guyana player Dereck Kallicharran, younger brother of Alvin Kallicharran. This event will be held on the second day of the Festival, which will run from August 8 to 10. Other activities planned for that day include a football match. Guyanese across the world share the passion for cricket which is played throughout the English-speaking Caribbean. Football, basketball, boxing, and table tennis also are played while squash has also gained a following. This exciting competition, which will see the Masters team come up

Alvin Kallicharran against the President’s XI, forms part of the Guyana Festival Games which will also include a thrilling football match. The Festival officials have assured that spectators will be entertained as Guyana’s past and present ‘greats’ in the cricketing fraternity meet on the pitch. Speaking to this newspaper only recently in an exclusive interview on the developments and progress the Festival is making, Indranauth Haralsingh, Director of Guyana Tourism Authority and Marketing Coordinator of the Festival, explained that the Festival is receiving tremen-

dous support both locally and internationally. Only recently COURTS Guyana donated $2M and CARICOM Bottling Inc donated $3M. The Guyana Festival Passport, at a cost of US$15, will be available to mark this event and will contain discount coupons from the sponsors; autographs from Clive Lloyd, Dave Martin and other stars as well as President Donald Ramotar. A Festival coin will be available at King’s Jewellery World. There are other branded memorabilia available for purchase both locally and internationally and will be available soon. (Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)

unknown quantities since neither side have played competitively and this game is being used as a yardstick to select players for trials for the Inter-Guiana Games, set for Suriname in July. The second game at 20:00hrs should be of interest since the Linden women are looking to dominate their Georgetown counterparts after winning the first game at this very venue 59-44. Linden will be led by Nichola Jacobs while Georgetown will be spearheaded by Natasha Alder.

The third game is between the Linden and Berbice male teams and this is one game that Linden should win and crown themselves GABF Inter-Association champions for 2014, having won against Georgetown 58-50 and lost 70-71 in the return leg, while Georgetown blasted the challenge of Berbice 116-42 when they met. Linden are set to pin their hopes on players like Shane Webster, Dwayne ‘Brown Sugar’ Roberts, Keon Cameron and Chris

Williams to s ee th em through. Berbice, on the other hand, are expected to field a team inclusive of players of the calibre of Randy Richardson, Carlos Crandon and Keron Emmanuel. The federation is hoping that these clashes will present the basketball selectors with the best opportunity to select the top players, who should be called to trials for play in the Caribbean Basketball Championships for Men and Women in the British Virgin Islands in July.

New Zealand open their Caribbean tour with a draw

FALMOUTH, Jamaica (CMC) - The New Zealand cricket team opened their tour of the West Indies with a draw against a Jamaica Select X1 on the second day of their twoday warm-up match at the Trelawny Multiplex here yesterday. Two late-innings partnership helped the Jamaicans to recover from a batting collapse, allowing them to surpass the visitors’ first innings total of 112 for six declared at tea on the first day. Resuming from their overnight score of 94 for five, the home side recovered to declare at 171-9, 59 runs ahead of the Black Caps first-innings total. Kenar Lewis added nine runs to his overnight score of 31 to finish with the top score for Jamaica while teaming up with Fabian Allen in a crucial seven-wicket stand that yielded 27 runs. Allen also played a significant role in pushing the total along and contributed 31 before he was trapped lbw to Ish Sodhi. Ramaal Lewis who was unbeaten on 17 and

Odean Christopher Powell played equally important roles as well in an eight-wicket partnership that further lifted the local side by an additional 27 runs. It ended when Powell was caught behind for 17, one of Neil Wagnar’s five scalps during an impressive bowling display in which he clean-bowled Lewis, Delbert Gayle for four and Aldaine Thomas for a duck. Wagnar topped the bowling with five wickets for 38 while Mark Craig picked up three for 17 on the first day before he was rested yesterday with a tight quadriceps muscle.

Brown With the bat in the second innings, BJ Watling had some solid time in the middle to top score with 50 as did Luke Ronchi (40 not out). Black Caps captain Peter Fulton scored 30, including two sixes as New Zealand were 210-6 at stumps. Odean Brown was the leading wicket-taker with three for 56 while Gavon Brown grabbed two for 57 for Jamaica. New Zealand’s next match is against a Jamaican XI, a three-day warmup fixture in Trelawny starting on Monday.

Sport CHRONICLE

Linden pursuing rare double, as they face Georgetown, Berbice tonight

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

(See Story on page 33)

More trouble brewing in football

… GFF Congress reconvenes; no-confidence motion to be passed on GFF president By Rawle Toney

GFF president Christopher Matthias is unaware of a reconvening of Congress today.

THERE could be more trouble brewing in Guyana’s football as two-thirds of the country’s highest decision-making body move ahead with the reconvening of what might be a controversial General Congress today from 10:00hrs at the Water Chris Hotel in Georgetown. Selective affiliates of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) namely, Georgetown Football Association, East Bank Football Association, East Demerara Football Association, National Association of Women’s Football, Guyana Football Referees Council and Guyana Football Coaches Association, who attended the GFF Congress of April 26, have all agreed to re-convene the congress within the stipulat-

ed 45 days deadline. The deadline was brokered by an agreement that included CONCACAF representatives and agreed to by the Delegates and Executives of the GFF and the bona fide Delegation at the GFF Congress, in accordance with the understanding and decision taken at that Congress. According to a release sent by the aforementioned GFF affiliates “the GFF president, all the members of the GFF as well as FIFA, CONCACAF and CFU have been duly notified of the date, time and venue for the Congress which will be held at the Water Chris Hotel from 10:00hrs on May 31, 2014” But speaking to Chronicle Sport via telephone last evening, GFF president Christopher Matthias said that he’s unaware of a reconvening of Congress

today and noted “the GFF has not set a date or venue for Congress and when we do, the entire nation will be informed, including FIFA/ CONCACAF/CFU. This will be done in accordance with the Constitution” The April 26 Congress came to an abrupt end after a heated exchange between members about the voting rights of the Linden and Georgetown Associations since the two are being run by an Interim Management Committee (IMC). But the selective members of Congress said “as guided by the CONCACAF delegation that observed the aborted Congress, that the affiliates of the GFF meet and seek to resolve outstanding issues affecting them that resulted in the aborted Congress. Members met with the GFF president in the GFF

boardroom on Thursday May 15, 2014 but the meeting was not fruitful in dealing with issues including the illegal voting of IMCs”. “The meeting with the GFF president came to an abrupt end due to the GFF president’s persistence in holding the view that the IMCs were legitimate in voting; this position is contrary to the GFF Constitution,” the release said, adding that the “GFF president held this position in order to sidestep the Motion of No-Confidence brought against himself and Executive Committee Member, Mr Keith O’Jeer. Today’s Congress will see two/thirds (2/3) of the voting members of Congress move motions to get rid of both GFF president Christopher Mathias and his Committee member Keith O’Jeer.

Sehwag’s power-packed 122 puts Kings XI Punjab into IPL final

(See Story on page 26) Virender Sehwag pummels the ball down the ground in his 58-ball 122. He became only the second batsman this season to score a century after Mumbai Indians’ Lendl Simmons. Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

TURNING the clock back, Virender Sehwag showed his vintage best with a power-packed century as Kings XI Punjab humbled Chennai Super Kings by 24 runs to reach the IPL final for the first time, in Mumbai yesterday. Sehwag flattened the CSK attack with a 58-ball 122, which propelled his side to an imposing 226 for six after being invited to bat on a batting paradise at Wankhede stadium. The Punjab side then survived carnage from Suresh Raina, who responded with a majestic 25-ball 87, as CSK managed 202 for seven in

their chase. The hand-eye coordination, which has got Sehwag thousands of runs in international cricket, was at work again as he punished the hapless CSK bowlers with utter disdain, smashing his way to the highest individual score of this season. CSK skipper MS Dhoni shuffled his bowlers around but there was no stopping Sehwag, who entertained the Wankhede crowd with eight sixes and 12 fours. Sehwag became only

(See page 33)

SATURDAY, MAY 31, 2014