Guyana chronicle 8 02 14

GUYANA No. 103907 SATURDAY AUGUST 2, 2014

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

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President Ramotar refutes Granger’s human development crisis charge

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-Gov’t policies, programmes improving livelihoods

President Ramotar gets rousing welcome at Emancipation Day celebrations at National Park

Eight-year-old Linden boy drowns in Katapuli Creek Page 9

Golden Arrow Airways launches daily flight to Page 2 Kaieteur Falls

President Donald Ramotar receives a warm welcome from this young lady at the National Park yesterday as he joined thousands gathered to celebrate Emancipation Day in the traditional Guyanese style (Cullen Bess -Nelson photo)

Stabroek news flagrantly ignores concerns of the PPP/C Government, that 10,000 voters will be disenfranchised if local government elections are held now!

Sowing of rice crop 100% complete: Page 8 projected target 310,000 tonnes Husband who allegedly infected wife with HIV gets thrashing Page 11

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

Golden Arrow Airways launches daily flight to Kaieteur Falls

By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally

GOLDEN Arrow Airways (GAA) announced on July 30 the launch of its inaugural daily Guided Tour to Kaieteur Falls which began on Friday.

On April 25 GAA moved to gain certification to begin domestic flights across Guyana with its demonstration flight to Hampton Court, Essequibo Coast.

Nirvana Mahase, Co-owner of GAA, related that this tour will entail a daily scheduled flight, which will depart from the Ogle International Airport with an estimated travel time to Kaieteur of approximately one hour. She added that passengers can expect a guided tour to the Kaieteur Falls and its neighbouring environment by the Kaieteur Parks Commission.

“At the moment GAA flies weekly to Matthew’s Ridge, Yakishuru, Konawaruk and Baramita; and intends to fly to more

tourist destinations in the near future, but the launch of this daily flight was prompted by the increasing demand from tourists and other Guyanese returning on holiday” Mahase indicated.

GAA is currently operating a Trislander aircraft which is powered by three engines and comfortably seats 17 passengers and operates out of Caribbean Aviation Maintenance Services Limited (CAMSL) Hangar at Ogle and it is piloted by Captain Learie Barclay which is the only triple-engine aircraft in Guyana operating in the industry. This triple-engine feature offers enforced safety and reliability; and meets most international insurance standards which prove favourable for tourists.

Golden Arrow Airways also feels that this promotion will encourage local Guyanese to have an opportunity to enjoy one of the majestic features of their country.

Golden Arrow Airways

Agriculture Ministry exploring use of distance learning to boost farming practices RECOGNISING the importance of training towards improved farming practices, the Ministry of Agriculture is working on a project whereby courses could be offered

in the various administrative regions dealing with specific issues such as control of acoushi ants.

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy explained that not everybody is in the position to return to school to obtain a diploma, and as such, the Ministry is working to reach out to communities via distance learning.

This project can be implemented in areas where state farms/nurseries already exist such as in Hosororo, Kairuni, St. Ignatius, and No. 63 Village on the Corentyne coast.

Ramsammy said that students undergoing the distance

learning programmes can be attached to those centres where they can be exposed to the practical aspects.

With regards to the question of decentralising the services of the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), the minister said that while the setting up of a campus in every region may not be feasible, these distance learning programmes can go a far way.

GSA has traditionally been a residential learning institution; however, the board is currently considering the possibility of allowing students who live within its vicinity, to come to the institution for their classes so as to create space to accommodate more students, particularly those from the hinterland.

GSA has seen an enrollment of 164 new students and 89 continuing students for Minister of Agriculture the 2013-2014 academic year Dr. Leslie Ramsammy (from both the Mon Repos and Essequibo campuses) studying courses such as: Diploma in Agriculture, Diploma in Animal Health & Veterinary Public Health, Certificate in Agriculture, Certificate on Agro-Processing, and Certificate in Forestry.

For the new academic year, a one-year certificate programme in Agro-Processing was introduced as well as procedures for tractor operations (practical and theoretical aspects), and two short-term skills training courses: * Operation, repair and maintenance of small equipment * And urban agriculture techniques – grow box/hydroponics.

Last week, GSA graduated another batch of 120 persons, including 55 females who completed courses at the Mon Repos and Essequibo campuses with diplomas and or certificates. This is in keeping with priority 15 of the Ministry of Agriculture’s 2013-2020 National Strategy, which aims at securing an agricultural workforce through human resource development. (GINA)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

President Ramotar refutes Granger’s human development crisis charge -Gov’t policies, programmes improving livelihoods

By Vanessa Narine EACH one of the current administration’s policies and programmes have central to it, a focus on eliminating poverty and improving the standard of living for the Guyanese people.

This was according to President Donald Ramotar, when asked to respond to comments made by Leader of the Opposition and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Brigadier (rtd.)

David Granger, at the party’s 18th Biennial Congress.

“Guyana is facing a human development crisis as a result of the PPPC’s chronic maladministration.

PPPC’s mismanagement of public health, public security, public works and public schools.

Guyana, in the new millennium, has become more unsafe and more unstable than ever before, owing to the high rate of crime and the low quality of life,” Granger said.

The Head of State dismissed these comments, noting that the Opposition Leader was clearly pandering to a partisan crowd. “ W h e re a re t h e facts relating to what he is saying?” Mr. Ramotar questioned.

LOOK AT THE FACTS He added that major institutions like the World Bank, and m o re re c e n t l y t h e United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which produced the 2014 Human Development Report (HDR), have pronounced on Guyana’s progress under consecutive People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Governments.

The HDI is a summary measure for assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human

development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living.

per capita increased by about 173.9 per cent between 1980 and 2013.

The report which presented the HDI (values and ranks) for 187 countries and UN-recognised territories also

students; and housing, through reduced interest rates and considerations for low income earners, among the many ongoing initiatives.

Mr. Ramotar also pointed to a menu of

‘There are more possibilities.

Guyanese have a choice of more and more possibilities and we are working to broaden the possibilities we are offering our people.’ – President Donald Ramotar

President Donald Ramotar According to the report, Guyana has been on a trajectory of steady improvement in the areas reviewed by the UNDP. Between 1980 and 2013, Guyana’s HDI value increased from 0.516 to 0.638, an increase of 23.6 per cent or an average annual increase of about 0.65 per cent.

“A look at the figures will tell what the real story is. Take for example poverty; when we came into Gov ernment, poverty was over 80 per cent, now it is slightly over 14 per cent. This is what we call progress. We are actually bringing up the standard of living,” the President said.

Between 1980 and 2013, Guyana’s life expectancy at birth increased by 5.7 years; the mean years of schooling increased by 2.7 years and expected years of schooling increased by one year.

Guyana’s Gross National Income (GNI)

includes the Inequality-adjusted HDI for 145 countries, the Gender Development Index for 148 countries, the Gender Inequality Index for 149 countries, and the Multidimensional Poverty Index for 91 countries.

It also revealed that Guyana is currently listed at 121 out of a total of 187 countries and territories. The position of this country is also shared by Vietnam, and is considered a medium human development category on the international stage.

Guyana’s 2013 HDI of 0.638 is above the average of 0.614 for countries in the medium human development group.

INCREASING POSSIBILITIES The Head of State stressed that his Government is currently moving to increase the “possibilities” for improved livelihoods for all Guyanese.

He referenced support for: education, through the $10,000 grant, school uniforms and loans for University of Guyana (UG)

measures introduced in this year’s national budget as evidence of consistent efforts to continue to improve the lives of the Guyanese people, as the country’s economic performance improves.

This year no new taxes were introduced; old age pensions would be increased from $12,500 to $13,600 – up from $3,500 in 2006; old age pensioners

would receive an annual electricity assistance of $30,000, an increase from $20,000; Among other measures announced werethe allocation of $3.2B to meet the cost of maintaining the electricity subsidy in Linden and Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice) the allocation of $100M to advance technical and other assessments for capital works to Port Georgetown; and $1B for rehabilitation of critical interior roads,

David Granger

including the Linden to Lethem road.

Allocations to other major sectors saw an increase in this year’s National Budget and include: $3.7B to the Guyana Power and L i g h t C o m p a n y, t o support critical capital expenditure and avoid increased tariffs for consumers; $1B for rural enterprise development; $6B for the sugar sector, to achieve a badly needed reversal of fortunes; an injection of $500M into the rice sector to support efforts to increase competitiveness and resilience; $200M for advancement of efforts in other agricultural areas; and an investment of $800M into the tourism industry for the establishment of a Hospitality Institute.

“There are more possibilities. Guyanese have a choice of more and more possibilities and we are working to broaden the possibilities we are offering our people,” the President concluded.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

Experts recover human remains at Ukraine crash site despite new fighting

By Natalia Zinets and Gabriela Baczynska (Reuters) - INTERNATIONAL experts found the remains of more victims of the downed Malaysian airliner in east Ukraine on Friday but fighting nearby between government forces and pro-Russian rebels renewed security concerns around the wreckage.

The expert group, which Ukrainian authorities said numbered 101 people, was the largest to access the wreckage since Flight MH17 crashed in rebel-held territory on July 17. All 298 people aboard were killed.

Roads had for days been too dangerous to use because

of heavy fighting, frustrating efforts to recover all the victims’ remains and push ahead with an investigation.

“The team has finished its work for today. They found and recovered human remains. They will... be brought back to the Netherlands for identification,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in the Netherlands. “The security situation at the site is unstable and unpredictable.”

In the latest clashes, separatist forces killed at least 10 Ukrainian paratroopers in an ambush after midnight near Shakhtarsk, one of the closest towns to the wreckage site, the Ukrainian military said.

Members of a group of international experts inspect wreckage at the site where the downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed, near the village of Hrabove (Grabovo) in Donetsk region Credit: REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Gaza truce over, Israel soldier captured, 70 dead in Rafah shelling

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeffrey Heller (Reuters) - ISRAEL declared a Gaza ceasefire over on Friday, saying Hamas mil-

itants breached the truce soon after it took effect and apparently captured an Israeli officer while killing two other soldiers.

Renewed Israeli shelling killed more than 70 Palestin-

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ians and wounded some 220, hospital officials said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called his security cabinet into special session and publicly warned Hamas and other militant groups they would “bear the consequences of their actions.”

The 72-hour break announced by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.N. Secretary-General Ban

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Ki-moon was the most ambitious attempt so far to end more than three weeks of fighting, driven by mounting international alarm over a rising Palestinian civilian death toll.

U.S. President Barack Obama called for the Israeli soldier’s unconditional release and said that after the day’s events it would be tough to reinstate a truce.

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Gazans were on the move once again on Friday, here fleeing Rafah as fierce fighting broke out mitment,” he told a news “I think it’s going to be conference.

Obama said he has been very hard to put a ceasefire back together again if Is- in constant contact with raelis and the international Netanyahu about the situcommunity can’t feel confi- ation, and added that more dent that Hamas can follow needs to be done to protect through on a ceasefire com- Palestinian civilians.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

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Argentina blames US mediator for debt default

(BBC News) ARGENTINA has blamed the U.S. for its debt default, calling the mediator in failed talks “incompetent.”

Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich said his country was considering opening proceedings at international tribunals in The Hague after it was declared to be in technical default.

The announcement came just hours after last-minute talks in New York with a group of bond-holders failed.

The bond-holders are demanding a full pay-out of $1.3bn (£766m).

Argentina says the

bond-holders are “vultures” using the South American country’s debt problems to make a big profit.

The investors are U.S. hedge funds that bought debt cheaply after Argentina’s economic crisis in 20012002.

They are also known as “hold-outs” because they did not sign up to a restructuring of debt which the majority of bond-holders agreed to in 2005 and 2010.

Under that deal, investors agreed to settle for about a third of what they were originally owed.

However, hedge funds

NML and Aurelius Capital Management bought up a large chunk of the remaining distressed debt at low prices.

They demand to be paid the full face value of their holding.

‘Shameful handling’ Mr. Capitanich said Argentina would denounce the “vulture funds” before the International Court of Justice at The Hague and the United Nations General Assembly.

He said the U.S. was to blame for its “shameful” handling of the funds’ case against Argentina.

Guatemala’s Ixil Mayans bury victims of 1982 massacre (BBC News) THE remains of 31 indigenous Ixil Mayans, killed at the height of the Guatemala civil war, have been buried in the country’s north-west.

Hundreds of people attended the ceremony in Nebaj, Quiche province, singing hymns and burning incense.

The army attacked the village of Xecax in 1982, accusing locals of supporting a left-wing insurgency.

An estimated 200,000 people were killed in the 1960-1996 civil war, the vast majority of them indigenous

Mayans.

The bodies of many of those killed had been burned and dumped in mass graves.

The remains were exhumed four years ago.

Forensic experts have succeeded in identifying only eight of the 31 Xecax victims.

Diego Rivera, head of the North Quiche Victims Association, said it had been difficult to identify the remains because many had turned to ashes.

Guatemala’s former military ruler, Efrain Rios Montt,

is accused - among other charges - of ordering the deaths of 1,771 people of the Ixil Maya ethnic group during his time in office in 1982-83.

He has denied any responsibility.

Gen Riot Montt, 87, was convicted of genocide and war crimes in May 2013.

However, the conviction was overturned by the constitutional court, which argued he had been denied due process.

A retrial is scheduled for January 2015.

Hundreds of people turned out to the funeral procession

Mr. Capitanich called U.S. mediator Daniel Pollack (pictured) “incompetent”

FORCED TO QUIT

(Trinidad Express) IN the midst of a raging controversy over the LifeSport programme, another Cabinet minister has been removed from the People’s Partnership Cabinet.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said on Thursday she had accepted the resignation of Minister of Sport, Anil Roberts. And she has advised acting President Timothy Hamel-Smith to revoke Roberts’ appointment with immediate effect.

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Rupert Griffith has been assigned the responsibility for the Sport Ministry in addition to his present duties, she said. Persad-Bissessar made the statement at the post-Cabinet media con-

Former Sport Minister Anil Roberts ference, held on the 18th floor of the San Fernando

Teaching Hospital, Chancery Lane, San Fernando.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

EDITORIAL

GUYANA

Chief Justice’s ruling underlines Finance Minister’s procedurally correct conduct THE 2014 National Estimates of Expenditure was the first Budget delivered after the final ruling of the Chief Justice that was rendered on January 29, 2014, where the Chief Justice confirmed his earlier edict that the Opposition has no power in law, or under the Constitution to cut the National Estimates presented by the Minister of Finance.

However, breaching the Constitution, in direct contravention of the Chief Justice’s ruling, the joint Opposition spitefully, maliciously, without care for the many lives and living of Guyanese citizens – many of them their own supporters, that would have been negatively affected, wielded a murderous axe that simultaneously truncated the Budget and the living and transformational developmental projects in one blow.

The Government, with the mandate to govern the country and look after the welfare of all its citizens, heeded the ruling of the Chief Justice and gave the Finance Minister sanction to do his job and take care of the nation’s business so that the lives of the ordinary citizens would no longer be dislocated as a result of the intransigence of the joint Opposition.

For this the joint Opposition’s vociferous denunciation and attempts to sanction the Finance Minister, using various ploys, denotes the normal recklessness and lack of respect for the Laws of this land: But the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, in his 2014 Budget Speech, obviated the legitimacy of any sanction against the Finance Minister for heeding the Chief Justice’s ruling and exercising his mandate, as empowered by the Constitution.

The AG, in his 2014

Budget speech, said: “Recall, the Opposition had cut the 2013 Budget although the Chief Justice had rendered a preliminary ruling that they had no power to do so and, accordingly, the budget cuts were, in effect, declared to be unconstitutional. The reason advanced by the Opposition, then, was that they are not bound by the Ruling since it was preliminary.”

The AG continued: “When the final ruling came, however, both Opposition parties signalled, publicly, their intentions to cut the Budget, clearly disregarding the ruling of the Court. Right here in this House, repeated references have been made of an intention to cut the budget with an axe, with a scissors and with a hatchet in clear disregard of the Chief Justice’s order and in violation of the Ruling. Therefore, the majority of the members of the National Assembly are essentially, by their words and their conduct, declar-

ing a clear and unequivocal intention to disobey, ignore and defy rulings emanating from the Judiciary.

“As Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, I say that this is legally and constitutionally reprehensible. It is a most calculated and callous abrogation of the Rule of Law and an assault on our constitutional democracy.

“I am aware that an appeal has been filed. However, it is the common law of this land that, until and unless an Order of a Court is set aside or overruled by a Court of competent jurisdiction, that Order must be obeyed, irrespective of how wrong we may feel it is.”

And then the Honourable AG addressed the crux of the matter: “We expect the ordinary man to obey the laws of the land. We expect the ordinary man to obey the Orders of Court. As leaders and lawmakers in this House, we are

held by an even greater and higher standard. I dare say that one day we will regret our conduct in this House of trampling upon the Rule of Law and the Constitution of this land, which we swore an allegiance to uphold in this House. The Rule of Law is that fulcrum that maintains that pivotal balance between civility and anarchy in any society. When we flout the Rule of Law, we are undermining the integrity of that crucial equilibrium and can cause this society to slip into that abyss of lawlessness where the laws of the jungle shall prevail.

“The Opposition parties, therefore, have lost the moral authority to challenge any executive actions in this House, on the basis that it is unlawful or unconstitutional.”

But how does the Attorney General, or the nation for that matter, expect adherence to the laws of the land by ostensible political leaders, who are supposed to be framers of the National Constitution, when they cannot respect their own internal party constitutions, as is demonstrated at their every successive congress?

Whatever the reconstruction of the names of their parties, their conduct is expressive of their nature individually and collectively; and the nation can only hope that the Government continues on the pathway of progress, notwithstanding the actions of the joint Opposition that seems intent on taking the country on a retrograde pathway.

Allegation of discrimination against Muslim community erroneous

THE charge of marginalisation of Guyana’s Muslims

by Shabnam Alli and Ray Chickerie, in their letter: “Muslims are marginalised in Guyana,” (SN, 28/7/2014) can be easily addressed by the state which, by implication, at least for the two writers, is culpable. Simply publish the information on Muslim representation in every department of the state. The CIOG also should be in a position to address the charge. They should have the facts.

Among the examples of under-representation of Muslims in different state agencies, the writers have lamented that the Government is yet to appoint a Muslim representative to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which Guyana joined in 1998. In addition to Suriname, Guyana is the only other country

in the western hemisphere to be a member of this outfit.

Far from arguing for the appointment of a representative, I do not feel that Guyana should have joined this group in the first place, which is the home of some of the most brutally repressive and undemocratic regimes in the world today, and which have little or no regard for fundamental human rights as are contained in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It has to sicken the soul of any human being to have to sit among the likes of Saudi Arabia, Sudan and others where the penalty for a person who leaves Islam or who is accused of blasphemy is death, which if not carried out by the states themselves, is ensured by hoodlums who pose as the defenders of faith.

Membership of the OIC,

according to its revised 2008 charter is premised on accepting Islam’s supremacy and on the need for member states to engage in the active propagation of Islam as the only true faith. According to our constitution Guyana is a secular and democratic state and cannot be seen as favouring any one religion over others, but this is exactly what membership to the OIC requires.

The hope of oil money, that many find alluring, must not be the reason to be part of this group. When one takes into consideration, that oil money has not helped poor Muslim nations, some of the poorest in the world, why should we assume it would flow in our direction?

It would be blood money anyway!

It should be noted that Housing Minister Ali who attended the last OIC meet-

ing in Saudia Arabia, and who some speculate is a person with presidential ambitions, spoke at the conference and among other things committed Guyana to the fight against “Islamophobia.” The goal here, it is observed, is not only to fight against “intolerance” and “discrimination,” but to insulate Islam and Muslim practices from any kind of criticism whatsoever, no matter how mild and inoffensive. This was exactly the intention of OIC members in urging the United Nations to accept their “defamation” of religion resolution that they attempted to have the world body pass.

The question which I asked a while ago in these columns as to why Islam is so universally misunderstood and misinterpreted by so many of its followers across the world could not

be asked in any of the OIC states, and would invariably be seen as “Islamophobia,” with the potential of a death penalty.

Guyana’s constitution proclaims our secular and democratic status. However imperfectly we realise these values in our day to day lives, they are our lifeblood and are worth the ultimate

sacrifice defending. Being a member of the OIC, where among many of its members, a bizarre cult of death is glorified, compromises these values.

Guyana, therefore, has no business in the OIC. Let us get out now.

SWAMI AKSHARANANDA

Day by day Guyanese are giving up THE news that the alleged PNCR Congress shooter has been placed on a threatening behaviour charge and released on self-bail, even though he is alleged to have discharged an illegal firearm with intent is a stunner, but comes as no real surprise.

How can anyone blame Guyanese for wanting to walk away from Guyana?

TED KING

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Vanessa Kissoon reprimands Granger AGAIN, through the media, I am advised that my party Leader, Mr. David Granger, had lifted the suspension he imposed on me on June 24 for 12 hours to allow me to participate in congress.

This is no longer a suspension, this has become a detention. I take personal offence to this new development. In addition to not being told of this decision by the party, I am not a juvenile, nor is the PNCR a correctional institution.

This is not the 18th century when women had to know their place and decisions were made for them without their involvement or knowledge.

The last correspondence I received on the suspension issue was from Mr. Allan Munroe on July 20 informing about my non-submission of a statement and that his committee will proceed

with hearings on July 22 on my non-appearance. I was most surprised to learn from the media that, in a press briefing last Sunday evening, my party leader said the suspension was lifted for 12 hours to enable me to attend congress. Congress was a three-day event and I was present every day.

My attendance at congress was consistent with Rule 15 of the party constitution and under which I was accordingly accredited. It was not a concession granted. Ms. Kissoon needs no concession; Ms. Kissoon needs her rights respected consistent with the party rules. Ms. Kissoon wants no favours or concessions.

If party members follow the party constitution and govern consistent with the constitution there will be no need to grant concessions.

While the leader seems willing to execute discipline

Misleading road signs in Berbice

AMONG others, I have been writing about the crazy, nonsensical and misleading road signs in Berbice with the hope that the responsible authorities will take the necessary corrective actions.

Unfortunately, to date there has been no noticeable action, except that the traffic policemen and policewomen have apparently become more zealous in extracting fines from the hapless drivers.

One of the latest hunting grounds for the traffic police in Berbice is the stretch of road between New Amsterdam and Palmyra, where they surreptitiously pounce upon motorists who supposedly exceed 50 km per hour.

In this regard, can the Traffic Chief please enlighten the public which one of the following two signs erected just six feet apart at the ‘West to East’ entrance to Palmyra Village must be observed?

The first speed sign indicating “50 km per hour” is at the bottom, left-hand corner of the large Pepsi Cola signboard announcing entrance into Palmyra Village; the second speed sign, erected a mere 6-ft jump away on a typical official-style speed sign clearly reads: “80 km per hour.”

These two signs present an obvious dilemma for the drivers who, it would appear, disregard the lower limit indicated on the first Pepsi signboard in favour, obviously, of the upper limit allowed in the second Government signboard.

Under normal circumstances one might ignore the craziness described above; however, our over-zealous traffic police insist on motorists observing the lower speed limit written on the Pepsi sign while ignoring the upper limit printed on the government sign, which is, I believe, more than a sign of ‘opportunistic’ policing.

NOWRANG PERSAUD

he must be just as willing to do it in an even-handed manner. Mr. Aubrey Norton has complained that Mr. Granger’s driver had abused one of his supporters during the congress. Mr. Granger told the media he will investigate the matter then act accordingly. I have not been given similar right and respect. As a woman of the 21st century I am beginning to believe sexism and favouritism are at work here.

The leadership of my party is asking that members keep and settle their disagreements in-house. But the very leadership that is demanding compliance from the ordinary members is not prepared to adhere to the same directive. I continue to be kept abreast with the moving parts of my matter, from the leader, through the media. There are mechanisms in the party for members to discuss concerns and objections in-house and when these avenues are closed off, two choices are left, 1) stay silent or, 2) be heard from outside of the party.

I am a disciplined party member. By this I mean I am committed to obeying the Party rules. The rules of my party protect and allow me

the right to expression, due process, and involvement in anything that affects me in the organisation.

The party rules do not allow for a person to be placed on detention, that is lifted for a period, then reinforced.

Not even for the 14-year-old GYSM member is this disrespected. The PNCR is a civilian organisation guided by its own rules and these rules must be used to unite and position the party as the country’s best political alternative.

Every man, woman and child must feel that they will be treated equally and protected by the party. As a member of the PNCR I continue to give and expect no less.

The reports that Linden protested against the congress is inaccurate. The placards Lindeners carried illustrated photographs and quotes of the three former leaders which resonated with us. This expression was an act of making known the visions of our former leaders, which are still relevant.

None of the placards was anti-party. Contrary to the views of some, the red, black and white attire and green arm bands worn by Lindeners during the three-day event were done to display

Alex Wayne fails to credit words, quotes to David Hinds

SOMEONE drew my attention to a feature on Buxton which appeared in the July 26 edition of your newspaper.

I am a Buxtonion and fairly well known as a political activist. Over the years I have been subjected to the worst kind of political abuse in your pages. My frequent letters to the press have long been ignored by your newspaper to the point where I have ceased submitting them. So I was stunned when I read my words in the section of the feature that highlighted Mr. Eusi Kwayana. In fact the entire section was taken from a biographical sketch of Mr. Kwayana that I wrote a few years ago. The sketch is on my website guyanacaribbeanpolitics.com and is reproduced and quoted widely online and offline.

The problem with your newspaper’s feature by Alex Wayne is that my words were not quoted and credited to me; they appeared as the reporter’s words. I hesitate to charge the reporter with plagiarism for it may not be fair to him or her. Perhaps he or she assumes it is okay not to credit sources; I notice another author’s words were used or misused in similar manner in the said feature.

DAVID HINDS Buxtonion EDITOR’S NOTE-We agree that Alex Wayne should have acknowledged the source of his information.

We sincerely apologise and regret any inconvenience.

the party and national flags.

Lindeners chose to use these colours to help persons to re-identify with the party colours and heroes since these are observed to be undermined in the party.

No organisation can grow and develop without a solid foundation. The current leaders and members of the PNCR are here because of the foundation built by previous leaders and members and we saw it fitting to make acknowledgement. Linden party members are offended that in their continued fight for their rights from the government and within the party they are being accused of being PPP redcoats.

In the meantime, Mark Archer of the PNCR/APNU Public Relations Department has taken to social media (facebook) to demonise Lindeners and their leaders and mischaracterise

events surrounding Linden, as Ronald Bulkan and Volda Lawrence have called us names. If Mark Archer as the public relations person is speaking for or on behalf the leadership of the party this is unacceptable. If Bulkan and Lawrence think calling us names is ok we’d like them to know this too is unacceptable. Lindeners will not accept this treatment. As leaders, better is expected and an end should be put to the silly season.

Members of the PNCR have a party to strengthen and national elections to win. All members are equally important and as the Founder Leader Mr. Forbes Burnham said “there is no better way to lead than by example.” This was one of the placards Lindeners carried during the congress.

VANESSA KISSOON

THE ATMA

Birth and death to the body pertains Not to the self, eternal in all beings, So sang Shri Krishna, Universal Teacher To Arjuna in sacred Bhagavat Gita

A clear distinction between spirit and matter To awaken us from long – suffering deep slumber, That we may know our real nature As Atma, indestructible, imperishable, immutable Then with the Atma’s most wondrous light as our guide The road to beauty, freedom and happiness we march And at the very start, to ignorance and fear a fatal blow is dealt As also to putrid selfishness, lust for power and greed for wealth In peace and equipoise we serenely move and dwell With love and compassion to no being withheld Sad that of the Atma there is hardly any discussion Scholars and pandits do scarcely mention, Its stupendous glories and immeasurable dimensions, That but a little understanding therein Cuts deep at the bonds of Karma, Keeping us firmly rooted in truth and dharma.

Matters not whether rich or poor Live in stately mansions or on the streets bitter life to endure, This simple truth not to be ignored Lacking knowledge of the self, the Atma, Like a rudderless ship we become Tossed on the turbulent seas of life Or more like a grounded eagle Thinking it cannot fly, When it was born to soar the heavens in skillful flight.

Now more than ever our spiritual heritage to reclaim And aspire to heights free and unencumbered, For we are the Atma CECIL RAMKIRATH Bayonne, NJ, USA

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

Sowing of rice crop 100% complete: projected target 310,000 tonnes

By Sandy Agasen

SOWING of the second rice crop is 100 per cent complete in the five rice producing regions of Guyana - Region 2 (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara), Region 4 (Demerara/Mahaica), Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) and 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne).

Some 225,000 acres of rice have been cultivated with a projected target of 310,000 tonnes.

General Secretary Guyana Rice Producers’ Association (RPA), Mr. Dharamkumar Seeraj, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, said the second crop is proceeding very well, notwithstanding the recent payment challenge in the industry.

Seeraj addressed the issue of weather also and said it is has been good so far for the industry. “The weather is expected to be dry; rice does well in dry conditions… we may have to do some work in the area of drain- RPA General Secretary, age and irrigation, but we Mr. Dharamkumar Seeraj are not expecting any major problems,” he said.

EXPORT MARKETS According to the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy at a meeting last month with the farmers on the Essequibo Coast to address the issue of delayed payments by millers, said that the Government is in the process of negotiating with markets in Central America and Africa.

Only last week, an invitation was received to send a team to Africa to negotiate terms for purchasing rice from Guyana.

In an invited comment on this subject, Dr. Ramsammy said that they are working very hard to finalise Africa as a buyer of Guyana’s rice, which will be a good possibility of expanding Guyana’s export market. He said: “That party has expressed interest in buying rice from Guyana.”

That aside, he said shipments to Venezuela, Europe and Haiti are continuous. Shipments to Belize and Panama (Central America), a new market acquired last year, have been continuous.

Seeraj noted that to date, 240,000 tonnes of rice and paddy have been exported. “Last year July, the rice and paddy exported was approximately 190,000 tonnes. Meanwhile this year we saw 240,000 tonnes being exported. This is as a result

of the increased production in the first crop.”

The first rice crop brought in a record-breaking 315,000 tonnes, which is not only the largest single crop, but also surpassed the annual targets made by the industry prior to 2000.

PAYMENTS TO FARMERS Millers are continuing to make payments to rice farmers across the rice producing regions and to date, of the $23.3B worth of paddy produced, over $21B has been paid out.

“The monies paid are in excess of 80 per cent of the amount of what was owed, so a small percentage is still to be paid,” he said.

The RPA head added that farmers want, and rightly so, to be paid on time and the Government is working closely with both farmers and millers to ensure that this issue is addressed.

He added that, currently, Leguan is receiving attention, since farmers are still experiencing problem with payments.

them.

According to him, export packaging is already being done in the rice industry.

He explained that another value-added product, thus far, in the industry is its specialty rice, which is similar to the Indian Basmati rice line.

Guyana’s aromatic rice, the Bengal Aromatic Rice, was introduced in late 2013, and was developed after years of experimentation at the Agriculture Ministry’s rice research facility at Burma in Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara.

Guyana’s aromatic line of rice was researched and developed by a local group of rice researchers led by Dr. Mahendra Persaud at the Guyana Rice Research Centre. The team took about four years to develop the line before allowing the first commercial production.

The rice was harvested by a farmer in Bengal Village, Corentyne who has 60 acres of land, and was packaged by the Ministry of Agriculture. Seeraj also indicated that RPA and the Ministry are aiming to increase both parboiled

Rice Cultivation “We are working closely with millers to improve this situation… what we are doing is working to ensure that mechanisms are in place for the millers to access the funding they need to make the payments to the farmers, since the paddy they purchase are not exported right away, but done in tranches,” Seeraj said.

VALUE ADDED Another of Guyana’s major undertaking to ensure expanded markets is focusing on value- added rice, Seeraj said. He said the millers have indicated their desire to go into packaging, which the RPA is closely discussing with

rice and packaging.

COST OF INPUT Seeraj also indicated that RPA extension services also cater to the improvement of theoretical knowledge of the basic business skills needed for the success of the farmers.

The RPA head also addressed the issue of the high cost of inputs for the farmers, which is an ongoing matter. He noted that a year and a half ago, the RPA found sources for urea fertiliser at a reduced price. Likewise, another objective of the extension programme, currently, is seeking different supply sources of the other inputs.

All sugar factories to be operational by next week – CEO THE second sugar crop has started with five factories in operation and the other three to become operational by next week.

This is according to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Raj Singh, “Rose Hall, Enmore, Wales, Blairmont and LBI (La Bonne Intention) are up and running.” “We expect Albion and Uitvlugt to be operational by Saturday. Skeldon will begin grinding next week,” he said.

The corporation’s operations cover several estates on the East Coast, West Coast and West Bank of Demerara and Berbice.

According to Singh, the weather conditions, a major variable that affects the industry’s production, has been fair over the last few weeks and the mechanical harvesters, in addition to the Bell loaders, have been put to use.

Singh also told the Guyana Chronicle that to date the labour force turnout is not what was expected, but

expressed the hope that as the season picks up, so would the labour force turnout.

Labour is one of the other major factors, among several variables, which affect the industry’s production.

“There are several factors affecting production, but as it stands we are working hard to meet the industry’s target for 2014,” the CEO said.

Sugar production came in at a dismal 186,500 tonnes for 2013 but this year’s target has been set at 219,000 tonnes with the first crop production being about 80,000 tonnes, surpassing its 75,000 tonne target.

Guyana has been taking steps to turn around the sugar industry and hopes to meet the 300,000 tonne-target soon, with a projection that the sector will reach its 400,000-tonne goal by 2020.

Additionally, a $6B allocation, in the 2014 National Budget, for GuySuCo was approved by the National Assembly. The $6B is expected to cover

expenditures that include mechanisation, through the conversion of 2,500 hectares of land to be suitable for mechanical operations, which will be done at a cost of $1.1B, tillage and replanting of 9,200 hectares, both efforts being consistent with improving cane production and yield, which will be done at a cost $1B, factory upgrading of all sugar estates, including Skeldon, at a cost of $2B and works to field infrastructure to improve field to factory access and purchasing of equipment, excavators, bell loaders, tractors, etc. to account for the remainder of the allocation.

Despite its challenges, the industry, according to Government, remains relevant to the health of the national economy. In 2013, sugar exports accounted for 8.3 per cent of total exports valued at US$112.2M and the industry contributed 3.9 per cent of the country’s GDP. (Vanessa Narine)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

Eight-year-old Linden boy drowns in Katapuli Creek

By Asif Hakim EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Kasszel Harlequin of 2409 Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden perished yesterday in the Katapuli Creek in Bucktown, Linden during an Emancipation Day outing with his mother, Alice Harlequin, and other relatives.

Reports are that the child was playing with other children in the shallow part of the creek,

A view of the Katapuli Creek where the boy drowned but somehow ended up in the area of deep waters. A family member got him out of the water and he was rushed to the Wismar Hospital in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice), but was pronounced dead on arrival there.

A senior police official confirmed that the child died by drowning.

The child’s mother was so traumatised by the turn of events that she could hardly speak, but a family member told the Chronicle that: “When I heard he drowned, I started to feel weak. His mother did faint; she, too, could not have believed. We thought that the children would have stayed at the shallow part of the creek, but apparently the wave must have pushed him to the deeper part,” the family member said.

Motionless body on C/tyne H/way…

Post-mortem finds lad died from cerebral haemorrhage, other injuries

By June Bailey Van-Keric THE orphaned 17-year-old Haresh Roth, whose motionless body was found along the Number 66 Village thoroughfare on Tuesday, succumbed as a result of cerebral haemorrhage and multiple injuries, according to the findings of an autopsy conducted by Dr Vivikanand Brijmohan at the Skeldon Hospital on the Upper Corentyne Coast in Berbice.

Roth’s body has since been handed over to relatives, and burial took place yesterday at the Number 66 Cemetery.

His uncle, Anand Punwasie told the Guyana Chronicle that Roth’s family members are very grateful to the general public

for the financial assistance received, because it afforded the teenager the opportunity to get a decent burial. However, he is still pleading for a thorough police investigation into the lad’s demise, as he is of the opinion that his nephew was murdered.

Incidentally, in 2003 Walter Roth, father of the deceased, was murdered a short distance from where his son’s body was found, and nobody was ever held culpable for the offence. Besides that, his mother Hemwattie set herself ablaze a year after her husband’s death, probably because she had been unable to deal with the challenges of raising her five children alone.

On Monday July 28 last, while Punwasie was on his

way to the Number 66 Fishing Complex to purchase fish, he was drawn to the large crowd that had gathered on the roadway. He subsequently discovered that the crowd had surrounded the motionless body of a male of East Indian ancestry. A closer look resulted in him identifying the individual as his nephew, Haresh Roth. His bloodied face was turned downwards, a shirt was tied around his neck, and his pants had been pulled below his knee.

“My nephew had severe inThe late Haresh Roth juries to his head, neck and abdomen,” recounted Punwasie.

Roth, who leaves to mourn four siblings, had last been seen on Monday evening at his Number 69 village home, which he had left to visit a nearby shop.

Investigations are continuing.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

GECOM operations at Corriverton boosted with acquisition of new building

The GECOM permanent office at Corriverton, Corentyne

By Michael Khan STAFFERS at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) office on the Upper Corentyne, now have access to a conducive working environment in which they can offer quality service to residents in the Number 52 Village/Corentyne River district.

On Friday July 25 the refurbished building at Corriverton, Corentyne, was officially opened by Chief Elections Officer (C.E.O) Keith Lowenfield in the presence of People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP) - Faizal Jaffarally and, GECOM staff members from the New Amsterdam, Kildonan, Fort Wellington, Mahaicony; North Georgetown, South Georgetown and, East Bank Demerara registration offices.

The Corriverton staff has faced many constraints over the past nine years and, with the acquisition of the building, which was once occupied by the Springlands Immigration Department, they are now able to function at their full potential.

“We want to ensure that we have a permanent presence to serve every community,” Lowenfield stated, adding: “We strived and achieved a building, but it is important that our staff understand the value of this acquisition and serve the public efficiently ... we provide a critical service to the democratic process of elections.”

Lowenfield pointed out that in the near future, each permanent office will be constructing ramps to cater for differently abled persons.

GRATITUDE The Registration Officer (RO) in charge of the Corriverton office - Delon

Clarke told the gathering that in the past they worked under severe constraints and still managed to get their job done in a timely manner.

“I remember well that, we came to Corriverton at the old DC (Neighbourhood Democratic Council) office and we had eight members of staff; it was always our dream to have our own office and today, that dream has been realised,” he declared, while adding: “We had faith and belief that one day, we will get our own office and, we are grateful to Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha (former Chairman of East Berbice/Corentyne) for assisting us with this acquisition.”

Meanwhile, MP Jaffarally in delivering impromptu remarks said that the PPP/C government is hoping to allocate buildings for every GECOM office within the next five years and, as parliamentary representative of Region 6, he will be lobbying for the refurbishment of the Kildonan office in the near future.

“As a government we believe that people should be comfortable and the environment conducive for proper delivery of service,” he stressed.

The MP then made a call on the Corriverton staffers to give of their best in ensuring that every citizen has the right to exercise their franchise during the elections.

“We (the Government) hope that you will be able to provide a very courteous, effective and reliable service to the Region 6 community,” he implored.

Members of the Christian, Hindu and Muslim communities graced the occasion and invoked the presence of God to offer guidance to the service providers at the GECOM facility.

The Corriverton staff with C.E.O - Keith Lowenfield

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

Husband who allegedly infected wife with HIV gets thrashing A FATHER of two young children on the Essequibo Coast was recently given a sound trashing by his brother-in-law for allegedly inflicting his 21--year-old wife (the assailant’s sister) with the deadly HIV/Aids virus.

Reports are that the young couple, parents of two little children, is currently suffering with poor health and cannot work because of the disease. The husband, who is very weak, was recently subjected to a severe thrashing at his home by his

brother-in-law who, according to reports, stamped him several times in his frail chest during the beating, while several residents of the area watched helplessly.

The assailant is reportedly claiming that his sister was infected with the deadly disease by her husband. Residents in the area are calling for the police to launch an investigation into the sick man’s assault, and for help to be given to the young couple and their two little children.

Voice of Faith Miracle Ministries churches to hold Int’l Convention in Suriname THE Voice of Faith Miracle Ministries Churches in Guyana (VoFMM) and Suriname will hold their international convention this year in Nickerie, Suriname.

Proceedings will run from August 23 to 31, under the theme “Prophetic visions in dark places.”

According to a release from the VoFMM church at Devonshire Castle on the Essequibo Coast, more than sixty persons, including scores of young people, are expected to attend from Region 2 and from Moruca in the Barima-Waini Region 1 area. The release said another group of church members from the Mongrippa Hill church and from River’s View (opposite Bartica) would also attend the one-week, Holy Ghost filled convention.

Pastor Rocky of the Devonshire Castle church (Rajendra Prabhulall) said several persons who are not members of the Voice of Faith church but are standing Christians in other churches have asked to attend the convention and have being given a great welcome to be part of God’s family.

Pastor Rocky, who is listed to speak at several sessions of the God-fearing convention, has said that the Ministries, through the faith of God, will be providing free food, water, soft drinks and accommodation to all persons attending the convention. He said scores of persons are expected from Orella and Siparuta, Amerindian communities in the Corentyne River, and from Apura Town, also on the Suriname bank of the river.

Pastor Rocky said the annual convention, which can be compared to the overflowing of a river, is an occasion when Christians can get in the overflow and enjoy the great blessings of God. It’s a time of refreshing and great joy, and the Ministries are making sure that everyone with a great desire to get in the overflow attends the convention, he declared.

Pastor Rocky said the Voice of Faith

Miracle Ministries church in Suriname, which is headed by Pastor Norman Felix, is currently making all the preparations in Nickerie for the convention. He said the great Holy Ghost convention will have a morning session each day, lasting from 09.00hrs to 12.30hrs and a night session from 19.00hrs to 22.30hrs.

Pastor Rocky also said there will be special sessions for youths to give them guidance in terms of their teenage life and the Word of God, the dangers of drugs, living a blessed and holy life before the Lord, teenage pregnancies, suicide, and the danger of HIV/AIDS. He said sessions will also be held for husbands and their wives, and special counselling will be done with persons experiencing marriage problems with broken homes and fractured relationship.

The Ministries are also appealing to persons/businesses in Guyana that might want to contribute in some way to help in this great convention, or persons who are in need of help in their lives to overcome sickness and/or depression and/or frustration and/or abuse and/or being rejected by families etc and might be interested in attending the life changing convention. The Ministries are asking such persons to please call on telephone # 693- 4394 or 771-5132 for more information.

Pastor Rocky said that, at the convention, the membership would be praying for the continued development of both Guyana and Suriname. Prayers would also be made for the respective Government, Members of Parliament, the Army, Police and their agriculture and mineral industries, among other things.

The flags of both countries will be on the International convention stage.

Reports are that persons from across Suriname, its capital Paramaribo and neighbouring country French Guiana, are expected to attend in large numbers.

ESSEQUIBO COAST MATTERS With Rajendra Prabhulall

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

GECOM announces start of Claims and Objections period -Rohee expresses concerns regarding the process

By Ravin Sigh

THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has announced the start of its claims and objections period from Monday August 4, following the end of its sixth cycle of continuous registration.

However, the General-Secretary of the ruling party, Mr. Clement Rohee, has expressed concerns regarding the process.

According to him, on Monday last at a news conference held at Freedom House, stated that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will be studying the constitutional ramifications of GECOM’s announcement, in the absence of any official indication from the President for a national elections or the Minister of Local Government for local government elections.

“GECOM as provided for in the Constitution manages elections; it does not have the mandate to summon an election,” Rohee stressed.

He added that prior to the closure of the sixth cycle of continuous registration the Party had formally registered its concerns to GECOM over the number of persons still to do transfers and sought an extension of the cycle to allow these persons with more time to do these transfers.

“However, surprisingly GECOM denied this request,” Rohee said.

He added: “In this regard the issue of the qualifying date of October 31, 2014 for any citizen who is 18 years of age begs the same question.”

The General-Secretary stated too that also disturbing is that no one is clear, exactly a week before the commencement of the GECOM Claims and Objections period, whether this activity is in anticipation of a general and regional elections or local government elections.

“This issue is of critical importance and GECOM’s silence

is deafening. The reasons for the PPP’s concerns are obvious.

Local government elections will only involve residents of voting age in the six municipalities and 65 NDCs (Neighbourhood Democratic Councils). In this situation the concerns of the PPP-nominated Commissioners on the GECOM and the PPP that 37,000 voters still have to be placed in constituencies demands to be publicly answered,” he said.

Rohee made it clear that if the Claims and Objection period is in anticipation of a general and regional elections, the requirement of residency is not as stringent and absolute as in the case of local government elections, where voters must be registered and placed in a specific constituency.

“Failing this, they will be disenfranchised both as voters and as potential candidates for an NDC or Municipality if they so desire,” he said, “Recent correspondence from GECOM in fact, makes the issue more confusing as the correspondence speaks of both.”

The General-Secretary stressed that the PPP is deeply concerned about information it has received with regards to the manner in which staff for the Claims and Objections period in the regions have been hired with no public advertisement.

“This is a complete departure from the manner in which registration and election staff have been hired. The PPP calls on all Guyanese in this situation of uncertainties to take nothing for granted. The right to vote at free and fair elections was a long struggle and one that must be preserved at all costs,” he said.

Rohee was emphatic in underscoring the fact that notwithstanding the party’s concerns, all citizens of voting age should take full advantage of the period of Claims and Objections to check the Preliminary Voters’ List and ensure their particulars are correct and placed on the respective divisional list.

He said: “The PPP calls on all citizens of voting age to take full advantage of the period of Claims and Objections

period….all persons who have migrated from one community to another and who did register previously must go in to the nearest GECOM office and make the necessary transfer.”

GECOM has, since the announcement, explained that the first 21 days from August 4, 2014 will be assigned for Claims, while eight days including August 4, 2014 are for Objections. Objections can be made for persons who died.

The Claims period will allow persons to do the following business, if needed: General-Secretary Register as a New Registrant, Clement Rohee if he/she would be 18 years old or older and if his/her name is not on any of the GECOM’s Preliminary Voters’ Lists; Make changes and corrections to the information which is on the list for him / her; Move his/her particulars from one List to the List for the area where he/she is now living; Apply for a New ID card to replace the one which was lost or misplaced; and Collect one’s National Identification Card if this has not been done as yet from the nearest GECOM office.

“The importance of this exercise cannot be overemphasised since the revised voters’ lists will be developed from the information gathered during this process… the PPP, in closing, reiterates that all Guyanese voters’ must be vigilant and take this period of Claims and Objections seriously, failure to not do so can result in persons being disenfranchised,” Rohee concluded.

Additionally, GECOM has advised that its Preliminary Voters’ List (PLE) will be placed at strategic public locations within communities.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

(Cullen Bess-Nelson photos)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

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Celebrating Emancipation Day in Guyanese traditional style

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

CCCC, Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh acknowledge Berbice top NGSA performers

By Michael Khan

President Ramotar flanked by the six top students

THE Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) acknowledged the efforts of the 2014 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) students, by awarding the top six performers in Berbice.

On Friday July 25, Joel Persaud (Cropper Primary), Simeon De Abreu and Kayla Vanderstoop (All Saints’ Primary); Grace Etwaru (Rosignol Primary), Fawaaz Haniff (Rose Hall Primary) and, Kishan Yashwardeo (Cumberland Primary), received a gift, dic-

tionary and trophy each at the opening ceremony of the 10th annual Berbice Expo and Trade Fair, at the Albion Sports Complex, Corentyne.

The presentations were made by President Donald Ramotar on behalf of the donors - Peter Lewis (Associated Construction Services), NPG Packaging, Nand Persaud Group of Companies; Lekha Rambrich and, Imran and Daughters Variety Store.

Attorney-at-Law Adrian Anamayah of the CCCC noted that: “It is important that we recognise excellence ... we need to encourage our future

straight year in recognising the good performances of the pupils from East and West Berbice.

At a simple but significant presentation ceremony which was held at the New Amsterdam Lions’ Den, Vryman’s Erven on July 19, Dr. Singh presented 15 of the 25 honourees with care packs and, stationery supplies, to assist them in their preparation for secondary school.

Eighteen students from Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) and, seven from Region 5 (Mahaica/West Berbice) were selected for the awards howev-

Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh and N/A Lions’ club members pose with the top performers

leaders, entrepreneurs and public servants; congratulations to them.”

Persaud, De Abreu and Etwaru were tied on 518 marks, while Haniff secured 517 and; Yashwardeo and Vanderstoop were locked on 515 marks each.

OVERSEAS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Meanwhile, overseas-based Guyanese Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh continues to demonstrate his interest in the education sector by honouring the top twenty-five students, who were successful at the NGSA. The Berbician who resides in Texas, USA, collaborated with the New Amsterdam Lions’ Club for the second

er; the West Berbicians did not attend the event but nevertheless, will receive their gifts at a later date.

Prior to the presentation, Dr. Singh told a gathering of students, parents and, well wishers that he is delighted at being able to recognise the top NGSA performers and hopes to continue his collaboration with the New Amsterdam Lions’ Club, in giving back to his home county.

“You are our future doctors, lawyers, teachers ...... even community leaders, it is with great pride that I take this opportunity to mingle among you and, reward you in a meaningful way for your outstanding performance,” Dr. Singh stated. (Michael Khan)

Saturday Aug 2, 2014 - 08:30hrs Sunday Aug 3, 2014 - 09:00hrs

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Prime Minister Hinds declares IGG Inter-Guiana Games open

By Tamica Garnett

PRIME Minister Samuel Hinds yesterday emphasised the importance of personal interaction in strengthening unity, as he declared the Inter-Guiana Games open at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Homestretch Avenue.

Athletes from Suriname, French Guiana, and Guyana will for three days compete in the sporting disciplines of swimming, track and field and basketball, and in an encouraging address Hinds implored the athletes to give of their best and play fair as they vie against each other.

“I want to emphasise that it is important that each athlete does his best and goes out to win but that is not all, we are working here also to develop friendship, and it is important that we compete fairly and I hope that we have an incident-free Inter-Guiana Games 2014.

“It gives me great pleasure therefore to declare the Inter-Guiana Games 2014 open,” Prime Minister Hinds said.

Mentioning that ties between the three countries have developed over the years, Hinds said that it is more than just competing to see who had the best athletes. The annual Games is about creating an opportunity for bringing the three countries together through personal interactions.

“These games are important for creating the opportunity, the occasion, for contact between our young people in our high schools.

“We want to come together in these Guianas but in order to come together there must be more and

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more personal contact, and these games are important in creating those opportunities. We have been building relationships and we can look forward to even greater relationships in the years to come,” Hinds continued.

The opening ceremony, which also included cultural displays, featured remarks from Director of Sport Neil Kumar as well as from representatives from each of the three countries.

Kumar, a member of the National Sports Commission which organised the hosting of the Games, also noted the important role that the Games has played in bringing the countries together, adding how heartening it was that the countries could travel to Guyana to be a part of the event.

Representatives from Suriname and French Guiana, through translators, expressed how happy they were to be a part of the Games, also noting how the Games has worked to help to bring the three countries together, with hopes that the Games would develop in the future.

Competition in the Games began yesterday morning when the swimming segment got under way at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, where Guyana netted a number of medals.

Following the opening ceremony the Games continued with basketball matches.

Basketball and swimming will continue today at their respective venues while athletics will take place at the Guyana Defence Force ground.

The competition ends tomorrow.

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10:35 hrs Quick Glance

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Saratoga Race 1 Leroy Jr.

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Goodwood

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09:40 hrs Kings Fete 10:15 hrs Venus De Milo

10:10 Chartshrs Off The 10:45 hrs Spryt

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11:20 hrs Initial

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

Ansa McAl Lucozade outfits Team Alanis

By Calvin Roberts WHEN CYCLISTS attached to Team Alanis take to the West Demerara carriageway tomorrow to battle for supremacy in this year’s 10th annual Regan Rodrigues Memorial 50mile road race, they will be doing so with broad smiles, thanks to the generosity of beverage distribution giant Ansa McAl. This was after Divisional Manager of Ansa McAl, Sunesh Maikoo, on behalf of his company and in the presence of Public Relations Officer Darshanie Yusuf, handed over a set of uniforms to Team Alanis which is headed by Paul Choo-WeeNam and has among its membership, former Caribbean junior champion Paul DeNobrega and the vast-improving

Cleveland King.

Prior to making the presentation, Maikoo said his company was pleased to be associated with Team Alanis, adding that they saw it fit to use the Lucozade brand for such purposes, since the cyclists will be using up lots of energy during their races and needed to be re-energised.

“Lucozade is growing and this event provides a perfect opportunity for us to showcase the product,” said Maikoo who pointed out that the cyclists are talented and when their talent is combined with such a great product as Lucozade it makes for a perfect combination.

Choo-Wee-Nam showered praise on Ansa McAl for its support, saying “The cycling fraternity is in need of this kind of support to

move forward and I’d like to thank Ansa McAl for this corporate intervention while imploring similar support from other business entities.”

Apart from Choo-WeeNam and DeNobrega, other members of Team Alanis who were present for the presentation included Andre Abdool, Cleveland King, Jaleel Jack-

Captain of Team Alanis Paul Choo-Wee-Nam (3rd from right), proudly accepts one of the Ansa McAl/ Lucozade team jerseys from Divisional Manager Sunesh Maikoo, while his teammates display theirs

Pollard late flourish breaks Zouks hearts GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) – Inspirational captain Kieron Pollard lashed the winning runs as Barbados Tridents won a last-over thriller here late Thursday night, condemning winless St Lucia Zouks to their fifth straight loss in the Caribbean Premier League.

Chasing 168 for victory at the Beausejour Cricket Stadium, Tridents overhauled their target with two balls remaining, with Pollard providing a late flurry to finish unbeaten on 37 off 22 balls.

The game remained open once Tridents entered the last over requiring 15 to win. Left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir sent down a wide first ball to hand the advantage to Tridents and Pollard clobbered the first legitimate delivery over mid-wicket for six, to reduce the equation to eight runs from five balls.

He gathered a couple off the next delivery and scrambled two byes off the third, leaving the Tridents with the straightforward task of getting four runs from three deliveries.

Pollard, who has been short of runs in the tournament, left nothing to chance, however, as he smashed Tanvir to the mid-wicket boundary to seal victory and spark celebrations among the visiting Tridents side.

The win was Tridents’ fourth and it put them on eight points alongside title-holders Jamaica Tallawahs and last year’s losing finalists Guyana Amazon Warriors. However, the Bridgetown-based franchise sit fourth in the table on net run rate.

Overall, Pollard crunched two fours and three sixes, and put on a crucial 38 off 23 balls for the seventh wicket with Kyle Mayers who made 13.

His captain’s innings was required after Tridents, cruising at 85 for two

Kieron Pollard

in the ninth, suddenly lost four wickets for 30 runs to lose their way.

Man-of-the-Match Jason Holder

punched a top score of 48 after being promoted to number three while Shoaib Malik chipped in with 22, as Tridents made a strong start.

Talismanic opener Dwayne Smith hammered a four through long on off the first ball of the run chase but succumbed to the third ball of the over from fast bowler Tino Best, trapped in front with the score on ten.

Holder and Dowrich then added 56 for the second wicket to repair the innings, with Holder striking five fours and two sixes off 30 balls and the diminutive Dowrich getting just nine.

The right-handed Holder provided a glimpse of his batting talent, with two back-to-back off-side sixes off pacer Ray Jordan’s first over, the fifth of the innings.

Jordan finished with three for 39.

Dowrich perished in the sixth over, top-edging a pull to Henry Davids at mid-wicket off Tanvir and Holder and Neil McKenzie (0) followed in successive deliveries in the ninth over from Jordan, to set up a tense finish.

Earlier, opener Johnson Charles and Tanvir both scored even fifties as Zouks rallied to 167 for seven off their 20 overs, after choosing to bat.

Charles faced 40 balls and struck four fours and three sixes while Tanvir provided a blinder at the end, lashing six sixes in an unbeaten innings off a mere 19 balls.

Liam Sebastien weighed in with 33 from 39 balls while Pollard (2-30) and Mayers (2-39) were the other wicket-takers.

son and Christopher Griffith, who all expressed their eagerness to don the orange and black outfit tomorrow.

Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club’s Robin Persaud is the defending champion for tomorrow’s meet, having won last year’s race in a time of 1h. 57 min 27secs and is almost certain to make a successful defence of that title since five of the country’s current top performers are on national duty in Glasgow, Scotland where they are attending and competing in the XX Commonwealth Games.

The late Rodrigues is a former cyclist who served as president of the Guyana Cycling Federation for a number of years and was also president of CWCC, which is now headed by

Hassan Mohammed, the organiser of tomorrow’s event.

Prior to his death on August 4, 10 years ago, Rodrigues was also a racing car champion and dominated the South Dakota Circuit for a number of years before retiring, while he also headed the Ricks and Sari Group of Companies and Agro Industries and sponsored a number of local races both in the National Park and on the roadways of Guyana.

He was known for his generosity, not only to cycling and cyclists, but also to other sport disciplines and at the completion of tomorrow’s race, which will cover a distance of 50 miles, his wife Dianne and other family members will present the prizes to the respective winners.

Anderson and Jadeja found not guilty by ICC

Ravendra Jadeja and James Anderson (REUTERS) - England fast bowler James Anderson and India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja have been found not guilty of breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) code of conduct and are free to play in next week’s fourth Test.

The ICC made the announcement after a six-hour video-conference hearing yesterday into an alleged incident during the first Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

“Witnesses, including some Indian and English players, provided evidence and were cross-examined by the respective legal counsel,” world cricket’s governing body said in a statement.

The ICC added the hearings were also attended by

the two team managers, representatives of the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the governing body’s ethics and regulatory lawyer.

Anderson and Jadeja were involved in a verbal altercation at Trent Bridge and media reports suggested the dispute continued when they left the field.

Jadeja was initially fined 50 percent of his match fee but that punishment was dropped.

Lancashire paceman Anderson, the leading wicket-taker in the series with 16 victims, is now free to play in his home Test at Old Trafford, Manchester that starts on Thursday.

The five-match series is level at 1-1.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

25

Barbados trounce Leewards after spinners shine GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – Barbados produced an incisive bowling performance to wreck Leeward Islands and pull off a convincing eight-wicket victory at Enmore here yesterday.

After claiming a slim three-run lead on first innings, Barbados then bundled out the Leewards for 119 in their second innings, setting themselves a target of 117.

Kacey Carty top-scored with 29 while Jaeel Clarke chipped in with 27 but left-arm spinners Matthew Jones, with three for 29 and Chad Williams, three for 35, destroyed the in-

Nicholas Kirton

nings.

Nicholas Kirton then stroked an unbeaten 49

and Jonathan Drakes weighed in with 30, as Barbados cruised to their target to claim victory on the final day of their third round match in the Regional Under-19 Championship.

Resuming the day on 254 for six, Barbados finished on 295, with Shamar Springer carrying his 118 not out overnight to 128 before being dismissed.

Seamer Jeremiah Louis was the best bowler with four for 33 while off-spinner Shaquille Martina (2-44) and pacer Asharn Hodge (2-50) both finished with two wickets apiece.

The Leewards found themselves in early trou-

ble when they lost Saeed Williams for eight with the score on nine, and Jones then ripped through the top order to reduce the innings to 61 for six.

Clarke then propped up the innings in a defiant 43run, seventh-wicket stand with Martina, who scored 14, to frustrate the Barbadians. Once they were separated, however, the innings folded quickly.

Kirton and Drakes put on 56 in an opening stand to lay a solid foundation for the run chase before Kirton added a further 51 in an unbroken third-wicket stand with Jefari Toppin, who scored 22, to see Barbados home.

Pope plays pivotal role to earn Windwards draw GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – A handy all-round performance from Gidron Pope allowed Windward Islands to overcome a late Jamaica victory charge and earn a draw in the Regional Under-19 Championship here yesterday.

The left-handed opener hit the top score of 44 and was the only batsman to pass 20, as Windwards were bowled out for 147 in their first innings about 35 minutes after the rescheduled tea break following rain on the final day of their third round match.

Jamaica and incumbent West Indies Under-19 captain Ramaal Lewis, bowling his off-spin, was his side’s most successful bowler, taking four for 41 from 30 overs, finishing with match figures of 11 for 98.

Fellow off-spinner Ryon Burnett collected two for 23 from 13.3 overs to help wreck the Windwards second innings.

Vincentian Pope then returned to grab three for 25 from six overs with his steady off-spin, as Jamaica reached 95 for five in their second innings, chasing 111 for victory, when overs and time expired on them at the Guyana National Stadium.

Odaine McCatty was not out on 46 and fellow opener Leroy Lugg, a century-maker in the first innings, scored 31 to lead Jamaica’s push for victory.

Once Lugg was runout following an opening stand of 78 with McCatty, the Jamaicans ran out of steam.

Earlier, Jamaica, resuming on 272 for six, were bowled out for 289, about 20

CRICKETQUIZ CORNER (Saturday August 02, 2014) Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 225-6158; 223-6055) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 63 balls; 5 fours & 10 sixes (2) Andre Russell Today’s Quiz: (1) Who has made the highest score in LCPL cricket without hitting a six?

(2)Who is the first Guyana Amazon Warriors batsman to be dismissed ‘run out’ in LCPL 2014?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

minutes after the start to gain a first-innings lead of 37.

None of the remaining batsmen made a significant contribution, as Pope ended with four for 70 from 28.4 overs and Deron Hypolite finished with three for 66 from 28 overs.

The result meant that Jamaica earned 8.3 points from the match, not enough to allow them to regain the title they won last year, and

they finished fourth, while Windwards collected 5.1 and finished one place behind.

The two teams like all the rest will turn their sights to the 50 overs-a-side competition which begins on Monday.

Windwards have drawn a bye in the first round, but Jamaica meet Barbados at Bourda Oval, the former international venue here.

Spinners bowl Guyana... From back page Both Solozano and Jangoo started their team’s second innings positively yesterday morning, with Solozano punching Paul through cover point for four, while Jangoo hit Sankar’s second delivery of the day for six, followed by a four, back along the ground.

When Solozano paddled-swept Sankar for four through backward square-leg the Trinidadians must have felt comfortable with the scorecard reading 60 without loss after the first hour’s play, but disaster, in the form of Sankar, struck immediately after the drinks break Solozano was outfoxed by a quicker googly and was bowled, while Jangoo picked out Shimron Hetmyer at mid off, when he looked to clear that area off Waldron and, following the quick demise of Brian Christmas (0), Brandon Jaggernauth (1), Camilio Carimbocas (13) and Justin Joseph (1), T&T took the lunch break with their scorecard reading 80 for 6.

That soon became 104 for 9, 38 minutes after the interval, when Anderson Phillip (3), Samuel Roopnarine (10) and Jessie Bootan (4) were dis-

missed, with Ramcharran accounting for Phillip who was well caught by Ashkay Homraj at long on while Paul removed both Bootan and Roopnarine.

Manniram in partnership with his number 11 Akeel Seetal (14*) fought fire with fire by adding 48 for the final wicket, with both batsmen hitting Balchand Baldeo for six, while Manniram also counted three fours in his innings.

However, in his attempt to his Ramcharran back over his head, Manniram, who batted for 85 minutes and faced 69 balls for his 39, struck one low back to the lanky Ramcharran, who bent and took same one handed to his right, to spark off celebrations among his teammates on and off the field.

Several members of the victorious national Under-15 team, who 48 hours earlier had claimed the Regional championships in Jamaica, along with West Indies middle- order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Guyana Cricket Board president Drubahadur and secretary Anand Sanasie, also witnessed and joined in the championship celebrations with the team.

REGIONAL UNDER-19 SCORECARDS GUYANA vs T&T GUYANA 1st innings 310/9 decl.

T&T 1st innings 117 T&T 2nd innings J. Solozano b Sankar 22 A. Jangoo c Hetmyer b Waldron 35 B. Christmas stp. Savory b Waldron 0 C. Carimbocas c wkp. Savory b Sankar 13 B. Jaggernauth b Sankar 1 J. Joseph c Chanderpaul b Ramcharran 1 J. Manniram c & b Ramcharran 39 A. Phillip c Homraj b Ramcharran 3 S. Roopnarine c wkp. Savory b Paul 10 J. Bootan b Paul 4 A. Seetal not out 14 Extras: (nb-6, w-1, lb-2, b-1) 10 Total: (all out, 54.4 overs) 152 Fall of wickets: 1-62, 2-62, 3-65, 4-66, 5-77, 6-77, 7-81, 8-98, 9-104.

Bowling: Paul 6-0-32-2, Morris 2-2-0-0, Baldeo 7-030-0, Ramcharran 12.4-7-253, Sankar 18-7-42-3, Waldron 9-1-20-2 Points: Guyana 17.4, T&T 2.2.

WINDWARDS vs JAMAICA WINDWARDS 1st innings 252 JAMAICA 1st innings (o/n 272 for six) L. Lugg c & b Hypolite 109 O. McCatty c Cato b Pope v 70 N. Walters c & b Lewis 34 S. Crooks c & b Edward 14 R. Morris lbw b Pope 6 R. Lewis c Lewis b Hypolite 19 M. Parchment c Lewis b Hypolite 2 R. Burnett not out 12 O. Smith b Pope 0 G. Henry lbw b Pope 6 A. Mansingh injured – Extras: (b-5, lb-4, nb-8) 17 Total: (all out, 103.4 overs) 289 Fall of wickets: 1-133, 2197, 3-233, 4-244, 5-250, 6-254, 7-277, 8-281, 9-289.

Bowling: Lewis 8-3-23-1, John 11-2-40-0, Hamilton 9-3-19-0, Hypolite 28-7-66-3, Edward 13-1-37-1, Pope 28.4-9-70-4, Cato 1-0-3-0, Hooper 5-0-22-0 WINDWARDS 2nd innings M. Gordon c Lugg b Smith 0 G. Pope Lugg b Lewis 44 T. Simon c Crooks b Lewis 11 S. Hooper c wkp. Morris b Burnett 0 R. Cato b Henry 15 A. Latchman c Walters b Lewis 8 R. John lbw b Walters 19 D. Edward lbw b Walters 16 D. Hypolite not out 17 S. Lewis b Lewis 7 K. Hamilton c Walters b Burnett 0 Extras: (b-4, lb-3, w-3) 10 Total: (all out, 67.3 overs) 147 Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-27, 3-28, 4-48, 5-81, 6-99, 7-118, 8-125, 9-146.

Bowling: Smith 8-1-23-1, Henry 7-1-23-1, Lewis 30-1541-4, Burnett 13.3-4-23-2, Walters 8-3-24-2, Crooks 1-06-0.

JAMAICA 2nd innings (target: 111) L. Lugg run-out 31 O. McCatty not out 46 N. Walters b Pope 7 S. Crooks c Hooper b Pope 0 M. Parchment lbw b Hypolite 0 R. Morris c Cato b Pope 2 R. Burnett not out 1 Extras: (b-1, lb-2, w-1, nb-4) 8 Total: (5 wkts, 19 overs) 95 Fall of wickets: 1-78, 2-88.

Bowling: Lewis 6-0-29-0, John 6-0-34-0. Pope 6-0-25-3, Hypolite 1-0-4-1.

Points: Jamaica 8.3, Windwards 5.1 BARBADOS vs LEEWARDS LEEWARDS 1st innings 292 BARBADOS 1st innings (o/n 254 for six) J. Drakes b Martina 12 N. Kirton b Louis 4 A. Greenidge b Martina 59 J. Toppin c Carty b Hodge 8 L. Boucher c Bussue b Hodge 4 S. Springer b Louis 128 M. Jones b Joseph 8 C. Williams b Louis 23 N. Persaud not out 5 T. Shorey c Hodge b Louis 15 L. Gaskin absent ill – Extras: (b-14, lb-6, w-5, nb-8) 33 Total: (all out, 74.5 overs) 295 Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-43, 3-52, 4-52, 5-176, 6-196, 7-270, 8-279, 9-295.

Bowling: Joseph 15.4-3-57-1, Louis 12.5-4-33-4, Martina 15-3-44-2, Hodge 13.2-0-502, Bussue 8-0-31-0, Wadwha 5-0-23-0, Powell 3-0-23-0, Carty 2-0-14-0 LEEWARDS 2nd innings R. Powell c Greenidge b Jones 8 S. Williams c Greenidge b Shorey 8 K. Carty b Persaud 29 A. Hodge lbw b Jones 5 M. Hingorani b Jones 0 J. Louis c Jones b Drakes 6 S. Martina lbw b Williams 14 J. Clarke c Toppin b Williams 27 T. Bussue lbw b Drakes 2 A. Joseph c Jones b Williams 12 M. Wadwha not out 0 Extras: (b-8) 8 Total: (all out, 55 overs) 119 Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-29, 3-35, 4-35, 5-59, 6-61, 7-104, 8-105, 9-115.

Bowling: Shorey 5-2-13-1, Jones 16-7-29-3, Williams 155-35-3, Persaud 10-3-18-1, Drakes 9-1-17-2.

BARBADOS 2nd innings (target: 117) J. Drakes run-out 30 N. Kirton not out 49 A. Greenidge run-out 4 J. Toppin not out 22 Extras: (b-10, w-2) 12 Total: (2 wkts, 17.3 overs) 117 Fall of wickets: 1-59, 2-66.

Bowling: Joseph 3-0-17-0, Louis 2-0-18-0, Martina 5-022-0, Hodge 3-0-23-0, Bussue 1-0-7-0, Wadwha 2-0-13-0, Powell 1.3-0-7-0 Points: Barbados 17.2, Leewards 6.7

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

Bolt helps Jamaica reach Glasgow 2014 4x100m relay final

By Tom Fordyce

SUPERSTAR sprinter Usain Bolt anchored the Jamaican 100m relay squad into today’s final despite a scare. He insisted again that he was delighted to be in Glasgow.

Bolt has been forced to deny reports that he made a disparaging remark about these Commonwealth Games, but his long-awaited appearance was almost ruined by injury rather than controversy.

Jamaica’s lead-off man Kimmari Roach appeared to hurt his thigh midway the first leg of their heat but managed to get the baton to second man Julian Forte before Nickel Ashmeade and then Bolt took the team home.

Bolt admitted afterwards: “I looked round and thought something was wrong.

“I was kind of worried but

Kimmari got the baton round, and that is a sign of a true champion. My coach always taught us to run with pain.”

O n We d n e s d a y t h e Times newspaper claimed that Bolt had described the Games in negative terms and on Thursday published a transcript of his exchange with their reporter.

But Bolt told BBC Sport: “I can’t believe they actually said that. I would never use that word. I love competing and I am here because of the fans.

“It’s wonderful, just like the London Olympics. The crowd is great. I have heard it throughout the championships and watched it on the television.

“I am enjoying it. The people have been good to me and I would never say that.

“Everything’s been good for me. It’s just the weather.

It’s got cold. But I am happy

Jamaica’s qualifying time for the final was only the fifth fastest of the three heats. to be here and I am enjoying what’s going on.

“I would never say that (the Games are rubbish)..

When I come to the Games, I always look forward to it.”

Even without performing Bolt has still managed to dominate the last week of these Commonwealths.

An hour after landing he was being mobbed at a news conference in the city,

French Girls thump Suriname 62-41 to take opening IGG Basketball Game

Part of the action last evening: French Guiana about to score as match referee, Chronicle’s Rawle Toney, absorbs the action.

THE French Guiana girls took full advantage of poor defence and led the points table from the first quarter to hand Suriname their first defeat in the opening basketball game in this year’s IinterGuiana Games at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last evening.

In front of a small but vocal crowd, the Suriname girls were made to work

hard. But a small lead in the first quarter eventually increased to 17 points at the end of the second quarter but they never recovered.

Catherina Desir #11 made the job even harder for Suriname as she scored 17 points, while team mate Elyne Cretus #4 who was just as good finished the game on ten points.

Jemine Tuart #8 and Agida Eersteling #5 were the

only two Surinamese ladies who managed to salvage some amount of pride, scoring 11 and 8 points respectively.

Basketball action will resume at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall this evening starting at 18.00hrs with Guyana Girls challenging Suriname Girls, after which Suriname males clash with French Guiana.

fielding questions about the Gaza crisis and Scottish independence.

Even before the headlines over his reported comments he has been a prisoner of his own room in the athletes’ village, sending a team-mate down to the canteen to bring him meals rather than risk being mobbed on his own.

Neither has he enjoyed any sort of normality in his preparations. Injury means

he only began training six weeks ago, but such is the allure of the fastest man in the world that even a Bolt rusty and out of practice draws a capacity crowd.

As he walked out onto the top bend in black hooded top he drew a cheer that almost matched the reception given to Scotland’s Lynsey Sharp as she won 800m silver a few minutes earlier.

A relay does not give Bolt

quite the same stage for his usual clowning.

But there was a little dance to the music played over the public address system and a fist-bump with the girl designated to carry his kit, the Hampden Park crowd seemingly delighted to have witnessed firsthand the greatest athlete of his era.

He said: “I was never worried about the reception tonight. I am all about the fans and for me this was dream. I am happy.

“We told each other just to get it (the baton) round and not to stress too much about this one.”

England’s quartet of James Ellington, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Richard Kilty and Andy Robertson qualified in first place from the third and final heat, their 38.78 secs faster than the Jamaican quartet’s 38.99. (BBC Sport)

Noble House Goals Galore Indoor Competition

Four junior teams tied on points, Pepsi Hikers lead senior category WITH competition so desperately close, four teams emerged tied on points for the lead at the end of the pool round in the junior division of the Noble House Goals Galore Indoor competition currently under way at the National Gymnasium.

Surprise of the tournament, Old Fort Shooting Stars, share a seven-point haul with Revelation, Spartans and newcomers Under-19 Mix. The senior division sees top seed Pepsi Hikers at the helm with 10 points while Kingston Hockey have turned in some impressive performances to secure nine points and GCC remain in striking distance with six points.

T h u r s d a y e v e n i n g ’s matches saw a determined GCC (+3) duly reel in the Old Fort Gladiators (+8) reducing the five-goal deficit to draw even by the half.

Kevin Spencer, who has been quiet throughout the tournament, came alive to lead the first-half scorers with a double followed by singles from Trevon Smith, the energetic Damon Woodroffe and national striker Mark Sargeant.

The second half saw GCC’s Smith add a second, Stephen Xavier score a penalty corner and captain Devin Hooper close off the opposi-

tion with a double in the final minutes to leave the score at 12-8 for GCC. The Pepsi Hikers were in their usual unstoppable form although Saints held them to just three goals in the first half of play with the third on the buzzer. The Hikers were all business in the second half as they poured in eight more goals while Saints could only muster a double.

National striker Aroydy Branford led the scorers with a four-goal haul while teammate Jamarj Assanah continued to deliver for the Hikers, turning in a hat-trick.

A Reggie Harper double and singles from George Melville and Colonel Heywood rounded out the goals for the victors. Saints managed two goals through Hilton Chester in addition to their five handicap goals, leaving the final score at 11-8 for the Hikers.

The Spartans faced the Under-19 Mix for the first time ever with the two sharing the top spot in the junior division. The Spartans needed to make up a six-goal deficit on the Under-19s to draw even at the start and they began their goal tally in the fifth minute through a Dacia Woodroffe penalty corner.

Aliyah Gordon was in form for the Spartans as she slammed home a hat-trick which was supported by sin-

gles from the team’s leading scorer Marzana Fiedtkou and Alysa Xavier. Time was the enemy of the Spartans however, as they managed only to draw even by the final buzzer, leaving each team with a point in their 7-7 draw.

The GCC Tigers zero handicap seemed too much for them to handle as they failed once again to secure their first win of the tournament.

In last night’s clash against Saints (+6), the Tigers fought bravely and scored seven goals before full time but Shemar Boston and Myron Phillips spoiled their victory party with a goal each for Saints, ending the match in their favour at 8-7.

Tiger Ashley DeGroot remained the competition’s top scorer by adding five goals to her tally while Tiffany Solomon and Ulrica Sutherland added one each in their losing effort.

The GCC Pitbulls secured a surprise victory over the Hikers ladies making use of their three-goal handicap at the start. The Hikers managed to close the gap with three goals of their own but could not catch the Pitbulls who remained one step ahead, finishing at 6-5.

Matches continue tonight while the final will commence at 18:00hrs tomorrow.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday August 2, 2014

27

Simmons and van Lange net Guyana’s first IGG gold medals

By Tamica Garnett O LY M P I A N B r i t a ny van Lange and Soroya Simmons yesterday collected Guyana’s first gold medals at the 2014 I n t e r- G u i a n a G a m e s , when the multi-sport event started off with the swimming segment at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal.

Guyana ended with five individual medals – two gold and three silver - and two relay medals by the end of yesterday’s competition, where Guyana totalled 39 points, trailing behind French Guiana who ended with 47 points while Suriname were leading with 52 points.

Goodwill Swimming Championship gold medallist van Lange picked up her gold medal in the Girls’ 200m IM (Individual Medley), touching the wall in 2:43.02s to outdo Suriname’s Anjali Rahan,

28.65 seconds.

Simmons, who rep-

Number One! Guyana’s Britany van Lange receives her gold medal yesterday at the IGG.

who managed to hold onto second place after swimming 2:48.67s. French Guiana took the next two positions in the race. Not done yet, van Lange went on to pick up one of the day’s bronze medals in the 50m freestyle.

Coming in behind two Surinamese van Lange

clocked 28.65 seconds in a race where the top four finishers all achieved below 29 seconds. The ultimate win of the race went to Gabrielle Breidel who had a 28.26 seconds finish, while Chantell Peiter also managed to slide in ahead of van Lange after she touched the wall in

sition, picking up three points for team Guyana

Gold medallists Soroya Simmons (left) and Britany van Lange at the National Aquatic Centre during yesterday’s IGG.

resented Guyana along with van Lange at the C A R I F TA S w i m m i n g Championships earlier t h i s y e a r, t o o k a c o m manding win in the Girls’ 100m backstroke clocking 1:14.16s to relegate French Guiana’s Leane Lopez’s 1:16.46s finish to second place.

In the race Guyana’s Accalia Khan w as jus t outside of podium po-

as she finished fourth in a time of 1:19.46s.

Khan, Simmons and van Lange were joined

by Jamila Sanmoogan to take on the 50m medley relay. They earned silver for team Guyana in 2:17.19s. The win went to team French Guiana, whose girls clocked 2:15.27s.

Sanmoogan was also among the day’s individu-

al medal-takers as well, as she worked her way up to a third-place finish in the 50m breaststroke. Gaelle Tarcy took the race for French Guiana in a time of 35.03 seconds, while Suriname walked away with another silver medal thanks to Peiter ’s 39.83 seconds finish. However, Sanmoogan’s 40.89 seconds ensured Guyana shared in the hardware.

The Boys were not left out of the medal takings, with Dylan Nurse taking a bronze in the 50m breaststroke in a time of 37.53 seconds, while the team finished third in the 50m medley relay in a time of 1:57.52s.

Competition in the swimming segment of the Games, which also involves completion in basketball and track and field, will continue today at the same venue beginning at 09:00hrs.

The Games wraps up tomorrow.

GCB president welcomes victorious Guyana U-15 team home PRESIDENT of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Drubahadur welcomed home the victorious Guyana U-15 team in the wee hours of yesterday morning at the Cheddi Jagan International airport.

Speaking to the players upon their arrival, the president proudly congratulated them for their outstanding performances in Jamaica.

He stated that at such a tender age they have demonstrated true professionalism, bravery and resilience by overcoming several hurdles and challenges during the last few weeks away on tour in Jamaica.

A major challenge for the players last weekend and, especially for Sagar Hetheramani, was when he learnt of the unfortunate passing of his mother.

The president and executive of GCB wish to take this opportunity to extend their heartfelt sympathies

The victorious Under-15 cricketers display their trophies, with GCB president Drubahadur standing at right. to this young cricketer, his family, relatives and friends at this time of bereavement and to urge him to use this solemn occasion to motivate himself to rigorously pursue his chosen professional career path in cricket and make his mom proud of this and his future achievements.

President Drubahadur noted that the executive and members of GCB are especially pleased with the team’s overall effort since the Board had placed a lot of investment into their encampment and general preparation for this tournament.

Chairman of the Competitions Committee, Colin Europe, who accompanied the president, pointed out that after 16 years Guyana have now won the U-15 Tournament again. He said such an achievement is history and worthy of widespread praise and acclamation. He lauded

the team and urged the players to continue working hard and aim higher as they pursue their individual careers in cricket.

N a t i o n a l U n d e r- 1 5 manager Andy Ramnarine expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the president and the Compe-

titions Chairman for recognising the importance of the achievement and choosing to personally welcome them home at the airport.

He pointed out that Guyana’s success was mainly due to competing as a team, their support for each other on and off the field, and even those who did not make the final 11 shared in every sadness and happiness of the touring squad.

The players are ecstatic about the victory and are overwhelmed about the accolades and commendations they are receiving for their effort.

They won four out of their five matches in the tournament. Kevin Sinclair was the best bowler of the tournament with 11 wickets and Joshua Persaud was Guyana’s highest run-scorer and the fifth of the tournament. Also, Guyana were the most disciplined team in the competition.

Sport CHRONICLE

Simmons and van Lange net Guyana’s first IGG gold medals

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

See Story on page 27

Prime Minister Hinds declares IGG Inter-Guiana Games open

.Let the Games Begin! Teams from French Guiana (left), Guyana (centre) and Suriname at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall during the opening of the Inter-Guiana Games yesterday.

(Sonell Nelson photo)

2014 WICB Regional Under-19 C’ships

Spinners bowl Guyana to three-day championship title … following innings victory over T&T

By Calvin Roberts LED BY their three frontline spinners vice-captain Shiraz Ramcharran, leg-spinner Steven Sankar and Damion Waldron, hosts Guyana defeated Trinidad and To-

West Indies middle order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul (extreme left) and Guyana Cricket Board president Drubahadur (right) join the national Under-19 team and their coach, who proudly display the Golden Arrowhead, following their innings victory over Trinidad and Tobago yesterday.

bago by an innings and 41 runs yesterday in their final round West Indies Cricket Board Under-19 three day fixture at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, to claim that version of this year’s championships.

When play began yesterday, T&T, who

were bowled out for 117 late on the previous day, needed to score 193 to avoid an innings defeat, and despite some resilient batting from Jameel Maniram (39), Amir Jangoo 35 (2x4; 1x6) and skipper Jeremy Solozano 22 (3x4), they were bowled out for 152 at 13:54hrs.

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Ramcharran took 3 for 25, Sankar 3 for 42 and Waldron 2 for 20, even as fast bowler Kemo Paul contributed well to take 2 for 32, after the visitors were comfortably placed at 62 without loss just after lunch.

Turn to page 25 SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014