Guyana chronicle e paper 02 15 2018

Gov't tackles low birth 20 registration in Region One PAGE

‘We’re with you’ No. 105186

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018

Price: $80 (VAT Inclusive)

…Commonwealth reiterates support for Guyana’s sovereignty …lauds UN decision to send border controversy to ICJ O3 PAGE

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland

Lindo Creek inquiry opens today 08 PAGE

Rafiq Khan appointed Justice of Appeal 09 PAGE

Teen busted with cocaine at CJIA 08 PAGE

The parcel of cocaine which the passenger was carrying

Cabinet discussing 17 Exxon contract …President says no immediate PAGE

intention to review it

Man gets 25 years for killing great aunt 08

More carjackers held

PAGE

…four vehicles seized

PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

…PNCR executive concerned about mayor’s conduct

crisis; we lurch from scandal to scandal, the latest being the Bel Air Park and Farnum Play Grounds.”

Duncan said the things which should occupy the council’s attention such as: the President’s brilliant vision for capital towns as engines of growth for their regions; the Sustainable Urban Transport Project for Georgetown; the National Integrated Solid Waste Management Strategy and allied projects never find their way into council discussions. “From the revulsive document called a parking meter contract to the active plans to build houses for senior members at City Hall, including the mayor and town clerk, and all the

Calls grow for King’s removal CALLS are growing for the sacking of Town Clerk Royston King and the matter was discussed at last weekend’s General Council of the People’s National Congress Reform.

Only on Wednesday, former Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan said he intends to move a no-confidence motion against King. Similarly, PNCR firebrand in the Sophia area, Andrea Marks, who is also a city councillor, warned King at Monday’s statutory meeting about a no-confidence vote. In a correspondence seen by this newspaper, Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan told Chase-Green that at a Central Executive Committee meeting on February 7, 2018, concerns were expressed about her public conduct. “Madam Mayor, on 2018.02.07 at a meeting of the members of the Central Executive Committee of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), be informed that concerns were expressed about your public conduct generally, with specific reference to your public utterances which may be construed only as confrontational to the office and / or the person holding the office of the Minister of Communities, and the effects and implications of such conduct,” Bulkan wrote the mayor.

Further, on 2018.02.10 at a meeting of the General Council of the PNCR, a delegate and councillor called

Town Clerk Royston King

Mayor Patricia Chase-Green

for the removal of the town clerk (TC) of the City of Georgetown. That call was premised on the opinion of the delegate that the TC’s conduct, deportment, and actions constitute an embarrassment to the administration,” Bulkan told Chase-Green in the letter.

Regarding King’s conduct, Minister Bulkan made reference to a missive penned

by Deputy Mayor Lionel Jaikaran, which informed him that he was unaware that an appeal of the court order by the town clerk had been undertaken regarding the Bel Air Park fiasco. “Mr. Jaikaran stated too, that he was similarly taken aback by the decision which predicated the court order, namely, the use of the Bel Air Park playfield for housing, as neither of those matters were decided nor even discussed by council. He made clear his disapproval of such practices,” the Commu-

nities Minister said.

Minister Bulkan also called on the mayor to provide information pertaining to business transactions made by the council. “Be informed that I require the following: a complete list of all contracts, leases, sales, and any other transactions involving assets (real estate, equipment, etc) under the control of council, between the date of assuming office in April 2016 to the present,” the letter stated.

Chase-Green has recently accused Minister Bulkan of interfering with the work of the council, a charge he has dismissed. The mayor and town clerk have been receiving criticisms for several months from various stakeholders regarding their conduct, including their role in the Smart City Solutions parking meter project. That matter is engaging the attention of the courts. Meanwhile,

Duncan has signalled his disapproval of King’s conduct and wrote in his letter to the editor of this newspaper that: “The Council is no longer in charge at City Hall, the Town Clerk is in full command.”

Duncan says the longer he listens to King, the longer he contemplates his actions, “the more I am convinced that we can no longer countenance his brand of administration over the capital city, Georgetown.”

The former deputy mayor said when the APNU+AFC Government was elected in 2015, “we had high hopes that the government we were electing would give us a clean break from the past. It was the mandate and expectation carried in the expressions, “It Is Time!” and “Vote for Change”. The hope of change buoyed us. It was the deep desire shared by the majority of Guyanese and precipitated regime change. It was a new dispensation which unleashed local government elections in 2016. Yet, events since the election of the “new” City Councillors have caused the reasonable man to conclude that at the local government level, we were not to have a change but an exchange.”

According to Duncan, local government elections were an opportunity for the promise of democratic renewal to be made real, yet it was not to be in full measure or any meaningful way. “Our city is managed from crisis to

major issues in between which never meet the level of council for approval as they should, Her Worship continues to squander the tremendous opportunity given to her to transform our city, while the town clerk continues with his rogue actions, unchecked.

Editor, if the cries emanating from the people continue to go unanswered, we will have to apologise to the PPP for our indictment of this management of the capital among other issues and be not worthy of that sacred act of the people in their ballots cast and their vote. With this letter, I therefore signal my intention to move a vote of no-confidence against the town clerk,” Duncan said.

Suspect in rape of 3-yr-old arrested

POLICE have arrested a 24-year-old man for the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl.

The man’s arrest came days after the incident occurred.

According to information, on Friday last the child was left in the care of the suspect’s mother, after the child’s mother left for her routine work on a farm located in the Backdam of a community along the Corentyne Coast. It was during that time, while the child was left unattended, that the man allegedly committed the act.

This newspaper understands that when the mother of the child returned and collected her daughter, the girl complained about pain in her private parts. She then revealed the disturbing details to her mother. A report was made to the police and a medical examination was conducted, confirming that the child was sexually abused. According to a police source, the suspect remains in police custody as the investigation continues.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

Commonwealth stands with Guyana …SG lauds UN decision to send border controversy to ICJ COMMONWEALTH Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has welcomed the decision of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Gutteres, to refer the long-standing border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

In a statement posted on its website, the Commonwealth SG recalled that at the September 2017 meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana, ministers noted Guyana’s concern that this long-standing controversy has impacted the country’s economic development.

The secretary-general further recalled that at the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in November, 2015, the leaders noted that “the Geneva Agreement of 1966 between the Parties provides a range of mechanisms for an expeditious solution to the controversy arising from Venezuela’s contention of invalidity of the 1899 Arbitral Award. The Heads expressed their full support for the United Nations Secretary-General to choose a means of settlement in keeping with the provisions of the Geneva Agreement 1966, to bring the controversy to a

definitive end.”

According to the statement, the secretary-general reiterated the unequivocal and collective support of Commonwealth member governments for the maintenance and safeguarding of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Gutteres in referring the matter to the ICJ, had said that the controversy arose as a result of the Venezuelan contention that the Arbitral Award of 1899 about the frontier between British Guiana and Venezuela is null and void. In the Geneva Agreement of 1966, Guyana and Venezuela conferred upon the secretary-general the power and responsibility to choose a means of peaceful settlement from amongst those contemplated in Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations. The Geneva Agreement also provides that if the means so chosen does not lead to a solution of the controversy, the secretary-general is to choose another means of settlement.

“Former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon communicated to the parties on 15 December 2016, a framework for the resolution of the border controversy based on his conclusions on what would constitute the most appropriate next steps. Notably,

he concluded that the Good Offices Process, which had been conducted since 1990, would continue for one final year, until the end of 2017, with a strengthened mandate of mediation. He also reached the conclusion that if, by the end of 2017, his successor, Secretary-General António Guterres, concluded that significant progress had not been made towards arriving at a full agreement for the solution of the controversy, he would choose the International Court of Justice as the next means of settlement, unless the Governments of Guyana and Venezuela jointly requested that he refrain from doing so,” the UN statement read.

It added that in early 2017, Secretary-General Guterres had appointed a Personal Representative, Mr. Dag Halvor Nylander, who engaged in intensive high-level efforts to seek a negotiated settlement to the controversy. “The secretary-general has carefully analysed developments in 2017 in the Good Offices process and has concluded that significant progress has not been made toward arriving at a full agreement for the solution of the controversy. Accordingly, the secretary-general has fulfilled the responsibility that

‘No compulsion’

By Svetlana Marshall PRESIDENT David Granger, while stating that the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is committed to coalition politics, said the decision to review the Cummingsburg Accord lies with the Alliance For Change (AFC), but noted that there are several available options, one of which is to let the agreement continue until 2020.

But the AFC Leader, Raphael Trotman expressed the view that it would be “healthy” for the coalition to review the accord to determine strengths and weaknesses with a view to strengthening it. “The AFC’s view is that yes it allows for; it was designed for a review and that it should be reviewed because no doubt there are areas that need refashioning, there are areas that need re-strengthening,” Trotman, who is also the Minister of Natural Resources, stated.

President David Granger speaking to reporters on Wednesday at State House on the Cummingsburg Accord

Wednesday February 14, 2018 marked three years since the APNU and AFC signed the Cummingsburg Accord to contest the 2015 General and Regional Elections as a single coalition.

Speaking to reporters at State House on the 3rd Anniversa-

has fallen to him within the framework set by his predecessor in December 2016, and has chosen the International Court of Justice as the means to be used for resolution of the controversy.

In reaching this decision, the secretary-general has also reached the conclusion that Guyana and Venezuela could benefit from the continued good offices of the United Nations through a complementary process established on the basis of the powers of the secretary-general under the Charter of the United Nations. The secretary-general, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations, remains committed to accompany both States as they seek to overcome their differences regarding this border controversy,” the statement ended.

President David Granger has said that the decision by Guterres should be respected by both countries.

A week ago, distinguished Guyanese diplomat Sir Shridath Ramphal said that the final judgment handed down by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Guyana/Venezuela territorial controversy will be binding.

Speaking to reporters on the matter on the margins of the just concluded Guyana International Petroleum

Business Summit (GIPEX) at the Guyana Marriott Sir Shridath, who was present at the signing of the Geneva Agreement on February 17, 1966, said Guyana will be moving to the ICJ to have the age-old controversy settled.

The World Court’s decision, he said, will be obligatory in nature, while making it clear that it will not be simply an opinion as suggested by some political analysts here.

“The decision of the court will be binding… it is not going to be in an advisory capacity…. Unfortunately, some pretty wild things have been said in Guyana which are far from legally accurate,” Sir Shridath said. It was explained that the ICJ’s ruling will be made under the 1966 Geneva Agreement and Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations. It was under the Geneva Agreement that Guyana and Venezuela had conferred upon the UN Secretary-General the power and responsibility to choose a means of peaceful settlement from amongst those contemplated in Article 33 of the Charter.

In moving forward, Sir Shridath said it is important that the country approaches the matter with some degree of caution and professionalism. “I think that it is very important that we are modest, we are not celebratory, [and] we

are not triumphalist. We are going to be modest, serious, and professional and move forward.” The Guyana Government has disclosed that US$15M has been set aside for legal fees. Legal expenses, Sir Shridath said, is necessary for the process, but pointed to the fact that a lot is at stake. “If you go to the court there must be some legal expense, but what is at stake for Guyana is everything, so legal expenses are minuscule to what is at stake and what I think we are likely to do is reassemble the team that was successful in [the] Suriname [matter] and this is not about discussing those details, but they will be released in due course,” he told reporters. Foley Hoag was the law firm that successfully spearheaded the case for the Government of Guyana in the maritime boundary dispute with Suriname. The Government of Venezuela, in a public statement, rejected the UN Secretary- General’s decision, stating that it remains firm its historic position – that the matter be resolved at the level of the Good Offices. But Mr. Guterres, in making his decision, concluded that no significant progress had been made at the level of the Good Offices process.

…President says Cummingsburg Accord can expire in 2020 ..AFC says review healthy for the coalition

ry of the Accord, President Granger said he has not received a formal request from the AFC to discuss the life of the Cummingsburg Accord, but noted that APNU is open to discussion.

“What I can assure you is that the A Partnership for National Unity which I lead has had several meetings and in the event that the Alliance for Change would like to meet to discuss, we are quite prepared,” President Granger told reporters.

However, he noted that a review of the Cummingsburg Accord at this time is not compulsory. “All I can say at this point in time is that there is no compulsion that the accord be reviewed because…the shortest period is three years, that is from 2015 to today, and the longest period is until 2020,” he explained. According to him, the AFC has several options to consider.

“It can allow the accord to proceed as it is proceeding

at present, it can allow it to expire at 2020 or it could make request for the meeting.

The A Partnership for National Unity is committed to coalition politics and I would say that the advent of the coalition into Government has been good for Guyana, we are better together and we would like to see the accord continue,” President Granger said.

In May 2017, the AFC appointed a special Cummingsburg Accord Review Committee (CARC) which was tasked with studying the Accord and identifying areas which may require strengthening and updating along with discussion and negotiation with coalition partner – APNU. AFC has repeatedly said that the accord is a sunset agreement which requires early review with a view to the Local Government Elections of 2019 and General and Regional Elections in 2020.

Shortly after President

Leader of the Alliance for Change, Raphael Trotman

Granger spoke to the media, AFC Leader Raphael Trotman, in a separate interview, said the 3rd Anniversary of the Cummingsburg Accord presents a “golden opportunity” to strengthen it for the future. He, like the President, pointed to the fact that the Cummingsburg Accord should have a minimum life of three years and a max-

imum of five years. “The framers of the accord, they themselves contemplated that at the end of three years, which actually would be today, there would be some kind of opportunity for a review. So while there may be no need for it, I believe that those who crafted it and put it together and had signed, wanted some discussion…

Retrospection and introspection are always good to do,” Trotman said.

The AFC Leader, who is the Minister of Natural Resources in the coalition Government, expressed the view that it would be “healthy” for the coalition to review the Cummingsburg Accord to determine strengths and weaknesses with a view to strengthening areas of weaknesses.

According to the AFC Leader, the alliance is vindicated in its decision to enter into an accord, and should it not shy away from or pretend Turn to page 5 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday February 15, 2018

Zuma resigns Jacob Zuma has quit as President of South Africa, finally succumbing to a slew of corruption scandals that have drained support from his ruling African National Congress party.

“No life should be lost in my name and also the ANC should never be divided in my name,” he said during a nationally televised political address Wednesday. “I have therefore come to the decision to resign as President of the republic with immediate effect.”

The announcement came after the ANC took the ex-

traordinary step of calling for a no-confidence vote in the leader on Wednesday, a day after it publicly demanded his resignation. Party officials on Tuesday decided to issue a “recall” notice after failing privately to convince Zuma that he should step aside. After his resignation announcement, Zuma said he disagreed with the decision of his political party and that he has always been a “disciplined member of the ANC.” “As I leave I will continue to serve the people of South Africa as well as the ANC, the organization

I have served all of my life in,” Zuma said. Zuma, 75, survived multiple attempts by opposition parties to oust him during his more than eight years in power, earning him the nickname of the “Teflon president.”

Last year, South Africa’s Constitutional Court ordered him to repay millions of dollars in public funds spent on refurbishing his private homestead. He also faces more than 783 allegations of corruption relating to a 1990s arms deal. Zuma denies all the corruption allegations against him. The ANC had

Jacob Zuma

been trying to push Zuma out for months. It dumped him as party president in December, narrowly electing Cyril Ramaphosa, a millionaire

former union leader, over Zuma’s preferred successor, his ex-wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Ramaphosa said Sunday that the uncertainty over Zuma’s future had damaged the ANC. But despite signs that the party was losing electoral support over the protracted drama, internal divisions forced Ramaphosa to tread cautiously. For years, the ANC -- which led South Africa out of apartheid -- put party unity first, even as it became apparent that Zuma was an electoral liability.

The ANC said it wanted to “salute the outstanding contribution he has made and express its profound gratitude to him for the role he has played in the African National Congress spanning over 60 years of loyal service.” It acknowledged mistakes were made but praised his “legacy of delivery.”

The party said it was accepting his resignation and expects each ANC member to cast a vote for Ramaphosa as its candidate for president. (CNN)

dent Robert Mugabe. He had been beaten and imprisoned numerous times.

Announcing Mr Tsvangirai’s death, Mr Mudzuri said on Twitter that the MDC had “lost our icon and fighter for democracy”. Mr Tsvangirai founded the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) in 2000, repeatedly challenging Mr Mugabe during the ex-president’s long grip on power.

Brave and charismatic Joseph Winter, BBC News online Africa Editor said Tsvangirai was an incredibly brave man who risked his life to stand up to the authoritarian rule of Robert Mugabe. He did not succeed in ousting Mr Mugabe - due to the intimidation of his supporters and some blatant rigging - but he did at least live to see the downfall of his long-time rival. Although he was obviously very sick, he even travelled home from South Africa, where he was being treated, for the occasion.

But in purely political terms, Mr Mugabe always managed to get the better of the charismatic former union leader - especially when he was prime minister and they were supposedly sharing

power.

Some of his ex-comrades in the MDC, which he founded, accused him of dictatorial tendencies and the party split several times. Now, the MDC will have the formidable task of trying to unite and mount a credible challenge to Mr Mugabe’s successor Emmerson Mnangagwa in this year’s elections.

In the 2008 election, Mr Tsvangirai gained the most votes in the first round but not enough to win outright.

Before the second round of voting, Mr Mugabe’s security forces carried out a campaign of violence against opposition supporters, and Mr Tsvangirai withdrew.

Mr Mugabe was declared the winner, but an international outcry over allegations of violence and vote-rigging led to a power sharing agreement in which Mr Tsvangirai would serve as prime minister.

Mr Tsvangirai ran against Mr Mugabe again in 2013 but lost by a landslide. The MDC is said to be divided over who should lead it into elections later this year against the governing Zanu-PF party, led by Mr Mugabe’s successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai dies aged 65

Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has died in South Africa, a senior official in his

MDC party has said.

Mr Tsvangirai, 65, a former prime minister, had reportedly been suffering from

colon cancer. “He died this evening. The family communicated this to me,” MDC vice president Elias Mudzuri told

Reuters.

Mr Tsvangirai’s career was marked by a long political struggle against former Presi-

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

Hindus observe Maha Shivratri HINDUS in Region Two converged at various temples along the Essequibo Coast to observe the auspicious Hindu occasion of Maha Shivratri on Tuesday.

The devotees were seen very early at the waterside drenching their bodies in the holy water of the Atlantic (Ganga). During their visit, they made offerings to the water and recited special prayers in the name of Lord Shiva.

Many of them kept fast and during the night they sang, performed hawan (religious ceremony) and made offerings at intervals.

At visits to various temples, including Golden Fleece, Anna Regina, Cotton Field, Perseverance, Sparta and Hampton Court, this newspaper observed persons were busy observing the

Basil Petra leaves and flowers offered during worship

day. Most of the mandirs prepared seven curries and sweetmeat.

At various temples, pandits and religious educators informed the gathering about the significance of the day.

Hindus were reminded about the power of Lord Shi-

va and what they can attain from observing the great day of Maha Shivaratri (Great night of Shiva).

They were reminded that no matter how many mistakes they made in their lives, if they are strong devotees to the Lord, their sins

‘No compulsion’ that it does not exists. “We should be proud of what we have. We should be able to like anything in a home, you take it out on an anniversary date, you shine it up and you put some polish on it and you ensure that it is shining brightly, and if there is a little chip here or there, you ensure that it is repaired and it is strong,” he posited.

Trotman said while he would like to see the accord continue, it should also be strengthened following a review process among the parties involved. “As we begin to go into the second historic Local Government Elections in this country, in a few months; historic because this Government was able to restore Local

Government Elections after two decades of the absence of them, one of the glaring absence in the accord is the fact that the specifics for Local Government Elections are not taken care of,” he explained.

It was explained that at the time of signing the accord, the focus was on General and Regional Elections and not Local Government Elections. Trotman made it clear that AFC has no regrets entering into the accord, and maintains the view that President Granger was the best person to lead the coalition.

“We continue to believe in him as a leader, we just need to ensure that the coalition is strong. There are parties within the coalition--the

From page 3

PNCR just being one. The WPA, they themselves have expressed some concerns, and we believe that it is not just the AFC that would wish to have the review and that all of the party should have a summit meeting,” he said.

According to him, a proposal was made to the President to have a summit for all parties of the coalition, during which they all can produce a mandate from their executives.

On February 17, 2018 when the AFC meet, a decision would be made on the way forward, Trotman posited, but noted that “a letter is in draft” and the executives are just waiting to determine its content.

will be washed away.

References were made to the popular legend, when a hunter could not find anything to kill for his food in a forest and he waited on the branch of a Woodapple (Bailpatra) tree.

In order to attract deer, he started throwing the leaves of the tree on the ground, unaware that there was a Shiva Lingam (symbol of Lord Shiva) beneath the tree.

Pleased with the Woodapple (Bailpatra) leaves and the patience of the hunter, Lord Shiva appeared before the hunter and blessed him with wisdom.

From that day onwards, the hunter stopped eating meat.

Another legend has it that after the Earth was faced with an imminent destruction, Goddess Parvati pledged with Lord Shiva to save the world. Pleased with her prayers, Lord Shiva agreed to save the world on the pretext that the people of the Earth would have to worship him with dedication and passion.

From that day onward, the night came to be known as Maha Shivratri and people began worshipping Shiva with great enthusiasm.

Student suffers broken jaws during fight at school A STUDENT of the Aurora Secondary School in Region Two is currently nursing severe injuries to his face and head after another student reportedly dealt him several heavy punches during a fight.

Ruel Connor has to undergo emergency surgery to his jaws. An X-ray revealed that both his jaws are broken. Conner was rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital Friday last after he was discovered lying in a pool of blood by teachers.

He had to be immediately transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital due to the severity of his injuries.

Friday’s fight stemmed from a “texting match” between Connor and his attacker during which the two insulted each other about their mothers and sisters with text messages.

This spilled over into a heated confrontation which led to the fight.

Parents of the injured Connor are now questioning why the headmistress

sent home their son’s attacker, who was seen escaping to Caria Caria after the incident.

The police were called in and an investigation has been launched. The School’s Welfare Department is also investigating the matter. Parents from the Aurora PTA are however contending that the acting headmistress should have launched an investigation into the matter before releasing the attacker. The Guyana Chronicle was unable to make contact with the acting headmistress.

Meanwhile, this newspaper was told that the attacker has a history of bad behaviour at school and despite several complaints, nothing has been done. His parents were called in several times to the school because of his behaviour. Reportedly, he was also recently called in for having a sexual relationship with a younger female in the dormitory.

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday February 15, 2018

The APNU+ AFC alliance WEDNESDAY marked the third anniversary since the APNU and the AFC signed the historic February 14 Cummingsburg Accord, which created the APNU+AFC Coalition.

Three months later, the coalition would dethrone the PPP at the General and Regional elections. It was an unlikely victory largely because of our historic ethnic voting patterns, which had hitherto given the PPP the electoral advantage.

Many analysts have concluded that the coalition won the elections not because of any change in those voting patterns; rather, they emerged the victors in spite of the ethnic voting patterns. The critical element was the emergence of the coalition, which served as a potent mobilising tool for the traditional and potential supporters of the constituent parties.

The road to the Cummingsburg Accord was not a smooth one—there were numerous obstacles in the way. The process began as far back as the 2006 elections, when a group of parties, convinced that no single opposition party on its own could defeat the PPP, attempted to put together a Third Force to break the monopoly of the two major parties. Critical to that initiative was the newly formed Alliance For Change (AFC), which came into being with the expressed intention of carving out an independent space based on non-alignment with the two older parties. The Working People’s Alliance (WPA), which was once the leading Third Party and which like the AFC had championed the non-alignment approach, seemed more open to an All-Opposition Coalition that included the PNC. Inevitably, the initiative fell apart on that very issue. The AFC contested the election on its own and did surprisingly well by drawing support from the PNC’s traditional base.

By the time of the 2011 elections, the matter of an All-Opposition alliance was again put on the agenda. This time the WPA was even more forthcoming, but the AFC remained adamant that it would not enter into an alliance with the

PNC. For that party, the policy of non-alignment had become a dogma. The PNC, the WPA and a group of ex-military personnel loyal to David Granger along with some smaller parties entered into an alliance that came to be known as the APNU. In a three-way race, the APNU and the AFC were able to garner a majority of the popular vote to take control of the Parliament. The PPP, however, maintained control of the presidency and the Executive Branch with its plurality of the votes. The AFC, which was joined by the popular Moses Nagamootoo just before the elections, maintained its share of the votes, but this time its overwhelming support came from the PPP’s support base. It was obvious that this latter development was the major factor behind the PPP’s loss of its accustomed majority.

Despite their uneasy relationship in Parliament, the APNU and the AFC managed to maintain a united front against the PPP. But the AFC still stuck to its dogma of no alliance with the PNC. This was reflected by the party’s unilateral move to a vote of no-confidence against the government. The APNU was never full-throttled in its support of the motion and preferred its own agenda, which centred on the demand for local government elections.

Then out of the blue, at its Members Conference in December 2014, The AFC leader urged his party to drop its non-alignment stance and embrace an alliance with the APNU. From all reports, the initiative was not initially embraced by a majority of the leadership, but as with these matters, once the top leadership was on board, it was a done deal. The APNU, for its part was caught by surprise, but even so there was not much enthusiasm for the coalition.

However, the two sides proceeded to negotiations. The AFC, it seemed, bargained aggressively; it demanded the presidential candidate, along with a substantial portion of the slate, parliamentary seats and in the event of victory, the Cabinet.

There was much debate in the media over the top spot on the ticket with many arguing in favour of one candidate over the other. In the end, the two sides arrived at an agreement with the APNU leader as the presidential candidate. The AFC was able to get almost every other demand. After some debate by supporters of the two sides on the merits and demerits of the Accord, the campaign began in earnest and the rest is now history.

Since assuming office, there has been much speculation that the APNU has violated the Accord, particularly as it relates to the functions of the prime minister. There is no doubt that the coalition has brought renewed optimism in the country about the political process. While it does not come close to being a government of national unity, the coalition shows what can be achieved on that front if political leaders and parties are prepared to compromise.

Coalitions by their very nature are tenuous. The experience in our sister CARICOM country, Trinidad and Tobago, tells that story. Two unity governments in the last 30 years have both lasted a single term in office. The National Alliance for Reconstruction government 1986-91 literally imploded, while the People’s Partnership 2010-15 suffered from domination by the big party and never gained traction. These are lessons to which the APNU+AFC Coalition should pay close attention.

KN in vain attempt to mislead readers

Dear Editor

THE Ministry of Natural Resources notes attempts by the publisher of the Kaieteur News to mislead its readers on the Production Sharing Agreement between the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and ExxonMobil and its joint-venture partners.

An article in the February 14 edition of the newspaper headlined, “Oil contract reveals …

Guyana agrees to not go after ExxonMobil’s hidden financial records regarding operations

here” is nothing short of disingenuous. First, the right and responsibility of the Minister of Natural Resources in relation to having regular audits of ExxonMobil’s operations in Guyana would have been reported on by Kaieteur News and other media. To state in a headline that Guyana agrees to not go after financial records of the company could only be construed as disingenuous.

Clear contradictory statements contained in the article can be credited as either mischief or careless editing. In one paragraph the article states, “…the Government of Guyana

agreed to relinquish all rights to go after documents in relation to operations here,” while the following paragraph states, “The Government of Guyana has agreed to limit the scope of any audit it may pursue…” These two statements are inconsistent and shows the incongruity of the arguments put forward in the article.

Annex C of the PSA, “Nothing herein shall entitle the Minister or his auditors to have access to data and records which: I) are subject to statutory restrictions on disclosure or ii) do not relate to petroleum operations; or

iii) are not customarily disclosed in auditing practice in the international petroleum industry…” is clear and Kaieteur News should explain the exact complaints with the quoted section.

The ministry welcomes scrutiny and calls for transparency, but these need to be tempered by objectivity.

Regards Johann Earle Public Affairs and Communications Officer Ministry of Natural Resources

Can a leopard change its spots?

Dear Editor VINDICTIVENESS as a human, emotional response had been the weapon used by the former People’s Progressive Party PPP/C government, against those who dared criticise its unfair policies. They utilised phantom letters within the print media; verbal cuss outs in the public domain and other acts that brought sore grief to many other persons: vindictiveness was the essence of such abysmal descent.

And who best epitomised this well-known derogative during those

days, and still does? We all know the answer. Since examples of such spite are well known, I will not repeat them here. But I must comment on another attempt by Bharrat Jagdeo to transfer this ugly characteristic to the coalition A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

This is one of the known mastheads of the vile PPP/C propaganda.

Editor, Jagdeo is accusing the coalition government of vindictive behaviour towards sugar workers, because of the segment that did not receive their full severance pay. In fact, this accusation encompasses

even the belief, held by him and the PPP/C, that GuySuCo should still be accommodating all the sugar workers.

But such thinking is by his brand of economics. This is cheap but, very nasty propaganda, of course designed for political mileage.

The leader of the opposition must be asked what is so vindictive about the government’s programme that is seeking to salvage whatever can be, from the wreckage of a once proud industry, caused by the selfish dictates of himself and the PPP/C ?

What is so vindictive about the government, which had given $32B

in order to keep the sugar industry afloat, with $8B being paid on the very first day when its director cried: “GuySuCo is broke!” What is so vindictive about government’s livelihood programmes that offer sugar workers a post-sugar life, with an array of vocational skills and entrepreneur training? Even the sugar communities, mindful of the impact of the affected workers are part of a livelihood sustenance programme. And what is vindictive about the above strategies that are designed to assist sugar workers, long after termination?

Here is a government, which

actions are definably Guyanese in essence and not influenced by any consideration of ethnicity, as it endeavours to give hope to a group of the nation’s workers, their families and communities. This is the only game in town that Jagdeo and the PPP/C knows – the fear factor and race, with a view to keeping their support base in line. This is shamelessly unpatriotic and anti-national on the part of any national, inclusive of a former president. But after all, can a leopard change its spots?

Regards Earl Hamilton

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday February 15, 2018

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Our religious leaders must lead by example

Dear Editor,

THE recent news captioned: "Rosignol Pastor gets 40 years for raping minor" was very shocking and disturbing, since the rise and fall of our so-called pope among other religious leaders in the Christian community who remind me of the Rev Jim Jones who killed 918 innocent souls in the name of God. The current news of a pastor getting a 40-year sentence for raping a minor sets a bad example to the Christian community as well as other religious communities. Men and women falling into sexual sin is an old disease that plagued the church since the beginning of time. As a reverend and religious leader myself, I wish to admonish all religious leaders from every religion to be very watchful, also political leaders and leaders of government and private institutions. When I attended Bible College or Seminary, I was taught a course called “Ministerial Ethics” and over a dozen courses on the "Princi-

ples of leadership." I was taught that the three principles or weapons used

by Satan to destroy men are: "Power, Sex, and Money". In the Bible, King David, a very powerful man used his power to take away and seduce a next man's wife, Bathsheba, when he discovered the man called Uriah was a soldier in his army. He then got him killed by putting him in front of a battle line. King David used his power to corrupt his own life, but he did not escape the harsh judgement of God. His son Solomon also fell into sexual transgression.

We also see many modern-day preachers and money-hungry con men falling from grace, even going to jail, now we see them in Guyana. Many of these guys who have churches bigger than cinemas just try to deceive and swindle uneducated followers for money all in the name of Christ and God. Now with this pastor going to jail for 40 years brings a very bad name to the church of Christ. What one minister does can impact the ministry of many others,

even though they may not serve in the same church denomination and that will also include imams and pandits from their religions too.

From the course I did, "Ministerial Ethics," I learnt that a minister of religion should not counsel a woman alone, be alone with a woman in a closed office, have a woman alone in his car, eat with a woman alone at a restaurant and the same goes for the female ministers of religion. Today we have seen the opposite one sentence in the Lord's Prayer when Jesus said: ''And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil''. Ministers of Religion need to set a better example to the church, community, society and nation. Even today, we have a lot of so-called pastors and church leaders who never went through any training for ministry but call themselves Apostles, Prophets and Bishops, many of whom can barely read at a very competent level. Saint Paul told young Timothy "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly

dividing the word of truth," meaning, to study and rightly interpreting the Holy Scriptures and Paul himself was a literary scholar and lawyer, also an orator and linguist.

What is important in ministry and every capacity of leadership is our morality, character, integrity and respect from others. It's not how nice we dress, it’s how much morally upright we must be. Good character is the leadership quality that distinguishes great leaders. It is the quality that most people admire. Leaders of good character have integrity, courage and compassion. They are careful and prudent. Humble in their awareness of their own limitations, they seek out the knowledge and counsel of others.

They constantly learn and others want to learn from them. Their decisions and actions inspire employees to think and act in a way that not only improves the bottom line, but that contributes to the well-being of the organisation and society.

The love of God in our hearts will give us the ability to love our wives,

husbands, children and the human race. No amount of wealth can replace the love of God. What we need in Guyana is God’s love as the cure for all our social problems. Ministers must see their own daughter in a next man's daughter, they must see the mothers, sisters, aunts as their own, because they must have the love of God in their hearts and don't see members of the opposite sex as sex objects and rape objects, because we will reap what we sow. Ministers of Religion are not angels and no man or woman is perfect and no sin is too big for God to forgive; we can learn from our mistakes.

My heart was broken when I read of the bad news in the press, but life must go on and the church will continue to grow. One man's sin or failure will never affect the whole body of Christ.

I advise all ministers of religion and all other leaders to live a life of morality and integrity and above all, love your neighbour as yourself.

Regards Rev. Gideon Cecil

Unscheduled water disruptions in Region Five Dear Editor, FOR the past two plus years since I have been residing in Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice, in Region Five, consumers have been suffering from water stoppages at least twice daily, from between noon and 1pm every day for a few hours, then the water cuts off from about 8.30 pm every night for the entire night until 5 am the next day.

Once I was told that water had to be conserved during the dry season. But we have not had a dry season here for a very long time, and even during the rainy season the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) still cuts off water to consumers during critical hours of the day. In addition, every time we have a blackout, which is often, the water cuts off until the power returns. This is totally unacceptable. I just

called the Customer Service Department at Onverwagt, and the young lady who answered the phone was very much in the dark. She was not aware of any water stoppage in the area.

She took my phone number and promised to return my call.

I then called the only manager listed for Region Five on the GWI’s website, Mr Loiden Henry. He was on his way to the office and was not aware that water was cut off from consumers in the Cotton Tree area. He said he would have to check with the GWI engineer and call me back. When asked why it is necessary to deny consumers the use of water twice daily, he apologetically explained that GWI is now working to provide a 24-hour service in Region Five, similar to what was done recently in New Amsterdam. After a few minutes, he returned my call and explained that GWI was

experiencing power outages from GPL and that they were using their own generators to pump water back into the tanks.

Editor, Guyana is a country where the annual rainfall averages 200 centimetres in the Berbice area. There are no other reasons other than incompetence and mismanagement, why the residents of Region Five should not be getting 24-hour access to potable water from GWI. The quality of service provided by the Guyana Water Inc. in Region Five is very poor, and the Customer Service Department at Onverwagt is beyond lousy, it is simply nonexistent. If there is a problem in the field as is the case here, the engineer needs to inform the customer service representative, so that a proper explanation could be given to the paying consumer whenev-

er they call in. If the customer service representative is not armed with this information and therefore cannot satisfy the consumer with a proper explanation of the problem, it not only exposes the incom-

petence of the system, but it also restricts the functions of that employee to answering incoming telephone calls only. It is now 11.00 am on Saturday, February 10 and the water has been turned off since 9.30

am. I’m still awaiting a return call from the customer service representative at Onverwagt.

Regards HARRY GILL PPP/C Member of Parliament

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Lindo Creek CoI opens today PUBLIC hearings of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Lindo Creek massacre will open this morning at the CoI Secretariat, Ministry of the Presidency, Department of the Public Service, Waterloo Street, Georgetown.

The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) has been established to enquire into the circumstances surrounding the killings of Cecil Arokium, Dax Arokium, Horace Drakes, Bonny Harry, Lancelot Lee, Compton Speirs, Nigel Torres and Clifton Berry Wong, on or about the 21st day of June, 2008 and to report its findings and recommendations to His Excellency Brigadier David Granger, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. Commissioner Justice Donald Trotman CCH, will engage stakeholders on the following dates: February 15th , 19th to the 22nd of February, 2018.

The CoI was established:- to investigate and make findings of fact on all matters in relation to the killings of the eight miners in the Upper DemeraraUpper Berbice region on or about 2008.06.21. It will also make recommendations on actions to be taken against all persons and / or organisations that are deemed responsible for the deaths of those persons.

The commission will be accepting original and follow-up statements from interested parties during its life and will be setting subsequent hearings, to fa-

Justice Retired Donald Trotman

cilitate the attendance of witnesses.

According to a notice from the secretariat, all persons wishing to testify are asked to submit statements of their intended testimonies in writing to the commission prior to their appearing before it.

Persons who wish to testify, but may need assistance in composing their witness statements will be assisted by the Commission’s Secretariat and are invited to contact the secretariat at the email address and/or telephone number lindocoi@ dps.gov.gy or 227-2292 Justice Trotman brings to the Commission of Inquiry a vast range of relevant experience in the international legal arena at the highest levels. He had headed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Grenada ,working closely with the Truth and Reconciliation

Commission of South Africa. Other key positions held by Justice Trotman include: UNESCO Rapporteur on the legal and international implications of Satellite broadcasts in the Caribbean and Latin America; Visiting Professor of International Law at the University of Baghdad; Amnesty International – British Lawyers’- Coordinator for Campaign against Torture and for African Affairs; United Nations Human Rights travel fellowship/ Assignment on Human Rights in the Administration of Justice in Canada and Nigeria, and attachment to the UN Human Rights Division at UN Headquarters, New York; Attachment to European Commission on Human Rights ;Carnegie Endowment fellow of the Hague Academy and Hague Centre for International Law and International Relations, Netherlands; Rapporteur and presenter, International Symposium on Regional / Integration in the Centre for Arab Gulf Studies, and of Iraq and Kuwait ; Member of the Panel of Experts and Chairman of the Human Rights section of the Washington-based World Peace Through Law Centre; Caribbean coordinator and presenter, Carter Center’s hemispheric symposium on human rights at Emory University USA; Member of Board of Advisers, MDG Global Watch.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

Man gets 25 years for killing great aunt A 30-year-old man was on Wednesday jailed for 25 years after pleading guilty to the killing of his aunt back in 2015 at Hopetown, West Coast Berbice.

Devon Griffith had killed Vida Britton in the course or furtherance of a sexual offence of rape.

Griffith was initially indicted with murder, but confessed to the lesser count of manslaughter after telling Justice Sandil Kissoon that the decision to offer a plea of guilt was of his own free will and that he was aware that he would have to serve a period of imprisonment.

State Prosecutrix Ms Tuanna Hardy related that it was during the night of October 3, 2015, that Griffith went to the home of his great aunt at Hopetown Village, West Coast Berbice. At the time of his visit, the elderly Vida Britton was viewing television with her grand-daughter Jonica and Griffith indicated that he was there to spend the night.

Subsequently, the victim and her grand-daughter retired to bed. During the night, Jonica, awoke

and saw her grandmother lying motionless on the bedroom floor. She observed in the darkened room, that someone was standing over her and as she screamed, the now convicted man turned on the bedroom light. He slapped her on her mouth and on her left leg, whilst demanding that she assist him to lift the victim on to the bed. Jonica cried as she complied and continued crying until she fell asleep.

The next morning, a neighbour who heard the crying enquired as to what had transpired and later discovered the motionless woman in her bed. A subsequent post-mortem revealed that Britton died from asphyxiation due to compressed injuries to neck, compounded by suffocation.

The pathologist recorded that there was evidence of sexual penetration. In handing down the sentence, Justice Kissoon said he will start with the basic 60 years with an additional 10 years for the aggravated assault. He deducted 35 years for the plea of guilt,

10 years for the plea of mitigation, resulting in a term of imprisonment of 25 years. However, he issued a directive to the director of prisons to deduct the time of one year 10 months for the time spent as a remand prisoner.

Earlier, state-assigned Defence Lawyer Ms Sasha Roberts told the court, that her client was placing himself at the mercy of the court.

He has taken full responsibility for the act and he chooses not to waste the court’s time .Your Honour, I would be grateful as you impose sentence that you take into consideration that when he is released he can make a meaningful contribution to the society’, Roberts informed the court. Further, the Legal Aid Attorney informed Justice Kissoon that her client has no previous offence or charges before any court and “while I plea for mercy, I am aware that justice must be done for the victim as well,” the attorney said.

Labourer crushed by concrete wall at Good Hope

A LA BONNE Intention (LBI) labourer died on Wednesday afternoon after a wall he was dismantling fell on him.

Dead is Doonauth Rampersaud called Dilip, 28, of Lot 30 , LBI , East Coast Demerara.

The man and another worker were breaking a wall at a bond at Good Hope when it fell on him. He was picked up by his employer “Ally” and others and was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Electronic Single Window Workshop Teen busted with cocaine at CJIA for next week A 19-year-old female outgoing passenger to the United States was on Wednesday busted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with cocaine concealed in her handbag.

Ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit have since arrested her mother and another relative. In a release, CANU said ranks conducted a search on the woman who was scheduled to travel to the USA. They found a quantity of suspected cocaine concealed in her handbag.

The teenager resides on the East Coast of Demerara

The cocaine that was seized from the teenager

and was accompanied to the airport by her mother and family members, the release stated. The total weight of the suspected

narcotics is 2.660 kg. The young woman, her mother and the relative are currently in custody assisting with the investigation.

THE Ministry of Business, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will host a one-day Electronic Single Window Workshop here next Wednesday at the Pegasus Hotel.

The theme of the workshop is “Developing a Roadmap to Electronic Single Window in Guyana’ According to a Ministry of Business release, the main objective of the Workshop is to identify and analyse conceptual models, challenges for implementation and global best practice for an Electronic Single Window in Guyana. It is expected that the information shared and exchanged

will lead to a determination of the best route for ESW development in Guyana.

Participants who will be engaged in this Workshop are institutions that will be a part of the effort of developing and implementing the Electronic Single Window, including regulatory agencies like the Guyana Revenue Authority, Guyana National Bureau of Standards, private sector representatives and relevant public-sector agencies. This initiative is being led by the Ministry of Business as part of its Strategic Action Plan for 2016-2020.

According to the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic

Business (UN/CEFACT) Recommendation 33, a Single Window is defined as “A facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single-entry point to fulfil all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements. If information is electronic, then individual data elements should only be submitted once.”

The Single Window aims to expedite and simplify information flows between trade participants and the Government, bringing meaningful gains to all parties involved in domestic and cross-border trade.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

AG’s advice to determine way forward – following Jagdeo’s rejection of nominees for chancellor, chief justice posts

By Svetlana Marshall AN advice from the country’s Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams could determine President David Granger’s next move on the appointment of a substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary and Chief Justice after his proposed nominees were rejected

by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

Justice Kenneth Benjamin and Madam Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards were selected and recommended to the President by a panel comprising former Justice of Appeal, Claudette Singh, Justice James Patterson, and Professor Harold Lutchman, for the positions of Chancellor and Chief Justice respectively, but the Opposition Leader, in exercising his Constitutional

Justice Kenneth Benjamin

right, rejected the nominees.

Presently, Justice Cummings-Edwards is the acting Chancellor and Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire is the acting Chief Justice, but President Granger is hoping to have substantive appointments made.

“We cannot be without

Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards

a Chancellor and a Chief Justice, and right now, two persons are acting and I had hoped that we could have moved forward by having substantive or fulltime appointment agreed, but this has not happened and the Constitution requires me

to await the approval of the Leader of the Opposition and this hasn’t come, so I will have to depend on legal advice and make sure the courts continue to function,” President Granger said.

He added: “It is not desirable to continue the practice as acting which existed for several years and I would like to have a substantive appointment.”

The President made it clear that he would not allow the work of the judiciary to be stymied by a single person.

“It is a question of necessity; it is a question of necessity. The courts cannot be paralysed by the behaviour of one person. After the first meeting, I waited nearly a month and I was, I would say, disappointed at the final outcome but that is his constitutional decision,” he said.

Though Jagdeo rejected Justice Benjamin and Justice Cummings-Edwards for the posts of Chancellor and Chief Justice respectively, the Constitution provides for the President to appoint them in acting capacities after consultation with the Opposition Leader.

The Constitution also requires that the nominees for the two top judicial positions be appointed by the President, after agreement with the Leader of the Opposition.

A consultative meeting was held on January 3, 2018, and President Granger had furnished the Opposition Leader with the curriculum vitae of the nominees, while outlining the process for selection. But after requesting a month to analyse the curriculum vitae of the two nominees, Jagdeo rejected them.

According to Article 127 of the Constitution of Guyana, “the Chancellor and the Chief Justice shall each be appointed by the President, acting after obtaining the agreement of the Leader of the Opposition.”

Guyana has been without a substantive Chancellor since 2005, when the then Chancellor, Desiree Bernard, retired and took up the post as judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) the same year.

The non-appointment of a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice is a result of the government and opposition sides not agreeing to the candidates for the post. President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Sir Dennis Byron, during the Bar Association dinner in November, had underscored the importance of having a substantive chancellor of the judiciary and chief justice in place soon.

Senior Counsel Rafiq Khan appointed Acting Justice of Appeal SENIOR Counsel Rafiq Khan was sworn in as Acting Justice of Appeal by President David Granger during a simple ceremony at State House on Wednesday.

The six-month appointment, which is in accordance with Article 128 (2) (D) of the Constitution of Guyana, took immediate effect. President Granger, in delivering remarks, said the appointment was necessary to preserve and protect the rights of citizens to equal protection and benefit of the law. “The Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana is committed to ensuring equal protection and benefit of the law through its support for access by all to justice and the efficient and timely dispensation of justice by the courts. Equality before the law can exist only where there is access to the law. The absence of such access deprives citizens of equal protection and benefit of the law,” the President said.

He said that an efficient and independent judiciary must include a full complement of legal officers, magistrates and judges, which enables judicial efficiency, to ensure that citizens’ cases are heard expeditiously.

Such an effective judicial system would enhance public confidence in the rule of law.

Justice Khan, who was

of Guyana for about three years, served on the Rows Committee for 10 years and the Legal Practitioners Committee for 15 years.

Last month, President Granger appointed Attorney-at-law Dr. Arif Bulkan as an acting Judge of the Court of Appeal.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams; Minister of Public Affairs, Dawn Hastings-Williams; Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings-Ed-

wards; Acting Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire and Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, were also present at the swearing-in ceremony.

In a demonstration of its commitment to judicial independence and efficiency, the current Government passed the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Act of 2015 to pave the way for the financial autonomy of the judiciary. Additionally, an acting Chancellor and Chief Justice were appointed after

consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and several judges were appointed to both the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Moreover, the Government has appropriated adequate resources for the establishment of new buildings for the Land and Commercial registries and a new wing for the High Court and has committed to continued compliance with decisions made by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and court rulings.

Senior Counsel Rafiq Khan taking the Oath of Office as Acting Justice of Appeal

elevated to the status of Senior Counsel in 2017, said that he was interviewed for the position by the Judicial Service Commission in July, 2017. “What I think I can bring to the table is vast experience in civil procedures. When you come out of private practice and you go unto the Bench, you bring a different perspective,” Justice Khan told reporters.

In giving a synopsis of life in the profession, the Senior Counsel noted that he has been practicing Civil Law for most of the 30 years he has been in the field. He also taught at the University

Attorney General Basil Williams, Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards, President David Granger, Justice Rafiq Khan, Acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Minister of Public Affairs Dawn Hastings-Williams (DPI Photos)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday February 15, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

UG unions object to govt’s method of selecting council members THE University of Guyana unions are objecting to the method being used by government to select persons to sit on the institution’s council. “…[we] wish to state in the strongest possible terms our objection to the method being used by the Cabinet to form the next University of Guyana Council as outlined in statements recently made

by Minister of State Joseph Harmon and reported in the media on Friday 9th Febru-

ary 2018,” the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and the University of Guyana Workers’ Union (UGWU) said in a letter dispatched to Education Minister, Nicolette Henry.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon at his Post Cabinet media briefing last week disclosed that Cabinet discussed the composition of the Council at its last meeting but has still to identify two members.

He explained that there were concerns about identifying

suitable representation of women’s interests and of indigenous interests with the relevant subject ministers having been asked to make recommendations.

“This is a retrograde step that does not augur well for the proposed governance reform process currently underway within the university which requires the support of the government. That process proposes minimising the government’s role in the appointment of the UG Council.”

The unions noted that in their letter to the press published on Sunday 14th January, they highlighted the way in which the previous Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine allowed organisations to select their representatives for the Council in 2015. “We also said that we hoped that a similar approach would be adopted in forming this new Council. We are extremely disappointed to learn that the government has chosen

to abandon its previous approach.” “We have long said that the university’s progress is being severely hampered by the politicisation of its Council. We are not alone in this observation: several consultants have come to the same conclusion.”

According to the unions, the country’s leading tertiary institution has for too long been a political football. “We need persons of integrity and fair-mindedness to serve on our

Council – persons who will not place loyalty to any political party before the needs of the institution and the country. We ask you to convey to your colleagues our request that they rethink their approach to the formation of the Council, and return to their 2015 stance. We call on them to allow organisations to nominate representatives who will truly speak,” the union told Henry in their letter.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

Second person charged for ‘cocaine in fish’ AS a result of a deeper investigation into the discovery of over 20 pounds of cocaine in frozen fish at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) cargo area, a 32-yearold canter truck driver was on Wednesday charged and remanded to prison.

Ranks from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) were able to arrest Baldeo Persaud called ‘Denish,’ after

reviewing telephone records from alleged mastermind Amair Ally, who is already on remand for the offence.

Persaud appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday and denied that on February 6, 2018, at the Laparkan Cargo Shed, he trafficked 9.366 kilograms of cocaine.

His attorney Bernard DeSilva told the court that

the drugs were not found in his client’s possession, since Persaud was the driver of the vehicle which transported the shipment of frozen fish.

CANU prosecutor, Kunyo Sandiford, told the court that following an ongoing investigation regarding the cocaine that was found in frozen fish at the airport, Persaud was initially held and released after the shipper Ally was arrested.

However, CANU investigations were able to uncover from Ally’s cellphone incriminating conversations between him and Persaud.

Sandiford noted that on February 11, Persaud give a confession statement to CANU ranks.

The magistrate after considering the objection raised by the prosecutor, remanded Persaud until March 7.

Amair Ally

Baldeo Persaud called ‘Denish’

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday February 15, 2018

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Lodge fire leaves pensioner, others homeless INVESTIGATORS from the Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Police Force are probing the circumstances surrounding the destruction of a four-apartment home at Lot 59 Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge, Georgetown on Wednesday.

The fire which started at around 01:30hrs on Valentine’s morning, has caused one of the occupants, a pensioner, to be warded at a city hospital after she fell ill, watching her dwelling quarters go up in flames.

The woman, identified as Ingrid Barry, told investigators that she was in one of the rooms in the upper-flat of the building when she heard a shattering sound.

According to her, when she went to investigate, she observed smoke emanating from one of the rooms in the house and immediately took evasive measures by exiting the building through a rear entrance.

At the scene early Wednesday morning, firefighters were busy battling to prevent the blaze from spreading to two nearby buildings.

It was while on the scene, this publication observed emergency medical responders attending to Barry, who was experiencing difficulty

in breathing.

Residents told firefighters that the property gutted was also at the centre of a family dispute. The two-storey home is divided into four apartments.

The lower-flat was occupied by a security guard who was not at home when the fire started and by the time she arrived, the building was already engulfed in flames.

Persons at the scene say that the Guyana Power and Light Company took too long to arrive and disconnect the power supply to the area, and that hampered the work of the firefighters.

Added to that, there were no fire hydrants or other sources of water nearby.

Residents related that in 2013, the badly decomposed remains of Barry’s son was found at a West Bank Demerara location, and ever since that incident, the woman hardly sleeps at night.

It was reported that she would normally be on her veranda looking out for her son and would even mistakenly identify passing males for him.

Persons in the community related that the woman had just retired to bed when an object was reportedly tossed at the house.

Three years for attempting to bribe CANU officer PRINCIPAL Magistrate Judy Latchman on Wednesday sentenced a 46-year-old Canal No.2, West Bank Demerara farmer to three years’ jail along with a fine of $30,000 for attempting to bribe a Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officer for his release from a drug trafficking charge.

Rajesh Kissoondyal known as “Paddle” confessed that on January, 5th 2018 at Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, he offered Lyndon Thompson, a CANU Officer, the sum of $1, 495,000 to forego a drug-trafficking charge.

He was charged jointly with his cousin, Shamkumar Hariprashad, but he took the rap and the charge was dismissed against his relative.

CANU prosecutor, Kunyo Sandiford explained that on January 5, 2018, Kissoondyal was arrested for allegedly trafficking 48.554 kilograms of cocaine in sheets of plywood between 1st April 2016 and the 21st April

Rajesh Kissoondyal known as “Paddle”

2016 at Lot 37 Yarrowkabra, Linden Soesdyke Highway, East Bank Demerara.

The prosecutor noted that Kissoondyal told the arresting officer “give me a chance na. ... I gon give you a million dollar”. He was then taken to CANU headquarters at Homestretch Avenue.

It was disclosed that Kissoondyal made a call to Hariprashad to bring the money in a black plastic bag to CANU headquarters and hand it over to Thompson.

Magistrate Latchman considered Kissoondyal’s early guilty plea and sentenced him to three years’ jail, along with a fine of $30,000.

The Lot 59 Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge house that was destroyed by fire early Wednesday morning

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday February 15, 2018

Sugar workers want ministers to visit them, ‘speak their language’ ...call for reopening of estates

By Lisa Hamilton RETRENCHED sugar workers are calling on the government to re-open the sugar estates on the basis of no job opportunities, worsening societal conditions and the daily shrinkage of severances as they struggle to support their families.

They are also clamouring for direct visits by ministers of government and urged that they use language that they will understand.

A group of 13 addressed

difficult.

In addition, due to low financial streams, the workers say their families are being torn apart as wives leave their husbands, while some individuals are considering arranged marriages for their daughters. One ex-employee of Rose Hall estate, Glen McCloud, said that workers who received only half of their severance payments cannot utilise the amount to support their families but for a few months. “Our little monies we have are reducing steadily

Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo), Corleen Lewis, former employee of Skeldon estate, said: “Two weeks back they came at Skeldon Community Centre and indeed they engaged us concerning ideas about how we should use our severance…but, what I’m saying is, even if we invest the money, it wouldn’t last long…who will buy from who? Because business is low, everybody is crying out right now at Skeldon.”

When asked whether the job fair held at Patentia on Jan-

President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) Komal Chand, responds to matters highlighted by the workers. ( Photo by Samuel Maughn)

Sugar workers at the GAWU, office raising their concerns with the media (Photo by Samuel Maughn)

the media at a press conference held at the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) on Wednesday, 14 February, to tell of some of the challenges they were facing. One main concern came from older workers who said that businesses continue to refuse them employment due to their ages and those among them who possess secondary and technical education have also found the process

and surely and [sic] our severance pay cannot last very long. We want to work, to produce and to earn,” he said.

“We are calling on them strongly, so that they can rethink their decision and open back the factory so that people can start getting work,” another added.

When questioned whether ex-workers were exposed to the ‘Business, Financial and Investment Forums’ hosted by the Guyana Sugar

uary 31, 2018, when over 500 sugar workers were hired was capitalised upon, some of the ex-workers said they had been unaware of the event, while others said they did not possess the necessary qualifications for the jobs. “They went ‘round the other day by we side in Wales…when I been to the job you have to have over two subjects, three subjects to get a job and majority of we don’t have no subjects,” said Mark Solomon.

Young robbery accused remanded A VENDOR was yesterday charged with two counts of robbery and remanded to prison.

It was alleged that on February 11, 2018, on the Seawall Road, Nicholas Smith was armed with a gun and in the company of two others, robbed Dexter David of one gold chain worth $60,000, one Samsung phone worth $62,000

and $1,000 in cash .

It was further alleged that on that same day, Smith robbed Kevin Ramlall of one gold chain, one phone and one wallet worth $3,000.

The 22 -year-old man pleaded not guilty to both charges, but he was refused bail by Magistrate Fabayo Azore and remanded to prison.

VISIT US The workers are calling on ministers of government to take a closer look at the situation by personally visiting affected communities and by utilising common language during interactions. An additional issue was raised with regard to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Old Age Pension, which some of the representatives said they would not receive because they did not meet the required minimum of 750 contributions.

“It’s very heart-rending to know that you work all these years and you have just about 60 more contributions to make your NIS to get your pension but you’re being denied that,” one of the men said. “Right now I go the whole of town to look for job, when I go and tell them me age they said ‘no’, they don’t want me, I too old, so I can’t get to pay me contribution,” another said.

A few Non-Governmen-

tal Organisations are making arrangements to help the workers, the media were told, but the representatives recommend school feedings and the handing over of farming lands promised as present efforts are not enough.

President of GAWU, Komal Chand, said that it is good the ex-workers were allowed to speak out and the union is currently advising and encouraging the workers not to act negatively on feelings of depression, but rather to “stand up and face the challenges”.

Chand said the union believes that there is a chance the estates will operate once again. “I heard from Mr. Minister Harmon…that they have 70 persons who have expressed interest and that is a testimony to the fact that these estates are profitable,” he said.

Chand said that GAWU is not “unconcerned” about the situation and is not only looking for more ways to

defend its workers, but also to sustain them beyond the capabilities of the union.

When asked about the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund, he said that GuySuCo owes a lot of money to the fund, which caters for loans, but only to active sugar workers as workers would be expected to repay a weekly amount. On the topic of the NIS, Chand said the union would be encouraging retrenched workers to make voluntary contributions before the usual oneyear grace period passes: “We are encouraging them to do that and in our next union paper, we’re going to inform them about this.”

Finally, Chand said that the case of the Wales sugar workers is yet to be heard, while the case to revoke the closure of the sugar estates is set to be considered by the union’s Executive Committee on whether it will be taken to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

Magistrate has mercy on ‘clean-up’ man

A SINGLE father of two appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore on Wednesday, charged with simple larceny.

It is alleged that on September10, 2017 at Durban Street, David

Booker stole one Samsung Galaxy phone worth $20,000, an electrical drill worth $16,000 and a grinder worth $50,000, all the property of one Phillips.

After Booker pleaded guilty to the charge, he

explained to the court that he stole the items because his children had nothing to eat at the time.

The prosecutor’s facts stated that the accused was at the mechanic shop where he assisted in clean-

ing up. That was when he seized the opportunity and stole the items.

The 24-year-old man was fined $50,000, but failing to pay will cause him to be imprisoned for three months.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday February 15, 2018

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10 families receive new homes -- compliments of St. Francis Community Developers and Food For The Poor

St. Francis Community Developers, through Food For The Poor Guyana Inc (FFTP) on Tuesday handed over homes to 10 families and approved contracts for the construction of six new houses for six families in East Berbice, Corentyne.

Construction of the new homes began on Wednesday.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony at the headquarters of St.Francis--Portuguese Quarters--FFTP Senior Project Manager, Andrea Benjamin said the housing programme brings comfort and security to poor families.

She noted that 16 families, 34 adults and 91 children will have access to adequate housing and pointed out that in 2017, of the 100 houses built by FFTP, more than 30 were built in Region Six. The wooden houses are outfitted with two bedrooms, 20 by 15 spacing, coupled with internal sanitation facilities and a water component.

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) representative, Reuben Robertson praised the work of FFTP in helping the poor to own their own home.

“Poverty is not a crime.

It is sometimes caused by circumstances outside of our control and when that happens it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure persons have access to housing and food. They are fundamental human rights and so I think

Philanthropist and President of St.Francis Community Developers, Alex Foster with the recipients who received keys to their new homes. Standing next to Foster is Abigail Archibald

it’s fitting to us to recognise the work FFTP is doing to ensure that human beings who are our colleagues, who are our own, live a life of dignity by having their own home.”

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Mikoko Tanaka, who was on her inaugural visit to the region and St. Francis Community Developers, said community development is the foundation for a better society.

Tanaka, during her visit, made stops to several notable places in the region, including the New Amsterdam Psychiatric Hospital, the New Amsterdam Prison, GuySuCo Apprenticeship

College, the Felix Austin Police College and several partnering agencies that fall under the umbrella of St.Francis.

Each recipient has a different story and each family is well-deserving of their new home, Alex Foster, philanthropist and president of St.Francis, said.

Among the families who received keys to their new homes was Abigail Archibald, mother of the late Leonard Archibald who was sodomised and murdered on September 17, 2017, on the East Bank of Berbice (EBB).

The Archibald family moved into their new home and into a new community at Chesney Village, Coren-

GTT technician knocked off utility pole …in critical condition in GPHC Burns Care Unit A GUYANA Telephone and Telegraph Company technician, who has been identified as David Kunath, was flung from the Guyana Power and Light Inc.(GPL) utility pole he was on when he reportedly came into contact with a transformer.

Due to the incident, the man is said to be in a critical condition nursing severe burns about his body and is a patient at the GPHC Burns Care Unit up to press time.

The incident reportedly happened in the Queenstown area at about 09:00hrs on

Wednesday morning. There was a loud explosion, as well as heavy sparks, according to residents.

Soon after they saw the GTT employee on the ground with what appeared to be smoke emanating from his entire body; he was said to be groaning as if in great distress.

He was transported to the GPHC for medical attention.

Meanwhile, GTT in a statement said that there was an unfortunate incident involving one of their technicians on Wednesday morning. The telephone company

added that they are still gathering information and will release same as it becomes available.

GTT said that presently, their primary concern is the health and wellbeing of their colleague and his family members.

The Guyana Power and Lights Inc. in its statement wished Mr Kunath a speedy recovery. The GPL said following the completion of ongoing investigations, both companies will further update the family of Mr. Kunath and the general public.

tyne during the Christmas Holidays.

Another beneficiary, Caroline Ramsay of Light town Village, EBB, offers temporary foster care for children and Satie Ramotar of Kilcoy Settlement, a single mother of seven, who also supports her daughter, along with three grandchildren.

The recipients expressed profound appreciation to all, especially FFTP and St. Francis for allowing them the opportunity to lead a comfortable life in a new home.

Regional Chairman David Armogan said the region is prepared to work with St. Francis to bring help to the people of the region.

“As you know, at this time, we facing a grave crisis when it comes to employment in our region.

Two major sugar producing estates have now been closed which means that over 3000 workers are now on the breadline, so every activity that can contribute to the creation of employment in the region, we are prepared to work with any agency and any

organisation to bring economic development in our region to ensure we can be able to take care of those 3000 workers who are now looking for employment,” Armogan said.

Foster told the gathering that the FFTP is working to enhance the housing programme and he has been able to identify a land for the construction of a village of homes in Berbice.

He also noted that several stakeholders have committed their resources to assist in the initial phase of construction.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday February 15, 2018

NAREI monitoring effects of erosion on coastal mangroves

THE National Research & Extension Institute, Mangrove Department is currently monitoring the effects of erosion on coastal mangroves in Regions Three, Four and Six, the research agency said in a release on Tuesday.

The erosion process, which occurs in 20-30 year cycles, is impacting several naturally regenerated and planted restoration sites at Hope Beach, Wellington

Park, Greenfield, and several villages along West Coast Demerara.

In the release, NAREI described the coast of Guyana as part of a 1600 km-long muddy coastal system dominated by massive mud banks that migrate from the mouth of the Amazon River to that of the Orinoco in Venezuela.

A study completed by Professors Antony and Gardel in 2013, stated that the dynamics of the Guyana

coastline are strongly hinged on pulses of mud abundance or scarcity embedded in multi-year cycles of mudbank activity and inter-bank phases. Also, that the cyclic mud-bank phases regulate mangrove regeneration by providing a substrate for extremely rapid and large-scale colonisation from older mangrove colonies and vigorous tree growth.

According to Ranata Robertson, Coastal Engineer

at the University of Guyana, erosion can be caused by this natural process and by human or man-made interventions.

Cited as an example is the building of structures beyond the seawall or within the sea defence area which alters or disrupts the natural movement of sediments, hence, resulting in erosion.

Robertson pointed out that it is important for Guyana to conduct ongoing research to determine

the movement of these mud banks and the associated erosion cycle. Also, that studies to the map and model coastline retreat and advance are critical areas of research that needs to be integrated into a long-term coastal zone management programme. Collaborative studies have been ongoing with the University of Guyana Civil Engineering Department, NAREI’s Mangrove Restoration Programme and the Sea & River Defence Division (SRDD) to better understand and model this cyclic process, she added.

Robertson related that mangroves are considered as primary sea defence. The role of coastal mangroves in Guyana is to dissipate or reduce wave energy along the coastline. They not only complement hard coastal defence structures but help with the environmental conservation and cost of maintaining hard structures.

NAREI said while mangroves are subjected to cyclic erosion, studies conducted on Guyana’s coastal mangroves have proven that a mangrove bandwidth of 50 to 80 metres is required to reduce a three-metre-high wave to approximately 0.01metres. In the areas where mangroves are not present, severe over-topping occurs (along Kingston and Sheriff Street), which results in increased cost for maintenance works over a period of time, Robertson added.

According to Kene Moseley, head of NAREI’s Mangrove Department, erosion of the shoreline is a natural process that affects mangrove forests. However, once the forest has adequate width, the mangroves have the potential to naturally restore itself when the cycle changes and there is accretion and deposition of sediments. This natural regeneration is, however, only possible provided that there is no other stress on the system.

The most recent example of the effect of erosion on mangroves was noted along of the West Coast Demerara, Region Three shoreline.

NAREI said that it started monitoring the erosion along this stretch of shoreline in 2014 to assess the changing conditions and the impact on

the status of the mangrove forest.

Moseley pointed out that during that period the monitoring team had observed and documented extensive rapid erosion along the shoreline.

Windsor Forest, Ruimzeight, Rotterdam and Crane were areas regarded as critical.

Also, that the erosion had totally cleared mangroves from sections at Windsor forest, while the remaining sections of the forest continued to thin as trees were uprooted.

Last Thursday, NAREI and the SRDD representatives met with the La Jalousie/Nouvelle Flanders Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). The discussion centered on the loss of mangroves within the NDC and the current rip-rap sea defence project being constructed by then Ministry of Public Infrastructure. Moseley presented an overview of the monitoring conducted

by NAREI since 2014, and showing the extent of the erosion and impact of the loss of the mangroves.

She noted that the situation was also further impacted by excessive garbage dumping and harvesting of the mangrove trees by fishermen to be used as fishing poles. SRDD District Engineer, Mr. Dennis Ramsingh who briefed the NDC councillors on the status of the rip-rap project, reassured them that the works are being done to reinforce the sea defence due to the loss of the mangroves.

The nature of the works entailed the clearing of the remaining mangroves to facilitate the placement of boulders. NAREI, meanwhile, said it will continue to work with the SRDD to monitor changes in the cycle and elevation along this particular stretch of coastline.

With respect to the other sites, Moseley noted that this is the first time that Hope Beach is experiencing erosion since the mangroves were restored in 2010. Meanwhile at Greenfield, the erosion of the mangrove forest is also being monitored and research is being conducted on the implementation of engineering projects that may reduce the impact of the erosion and save the remaining forest.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

Cabinet discussing Exxon contract … President says no immediate intention to review it

AMID calls for a review of the Petroleum Agreement between ExxonMobil and Guyana, President David Granger on Wednesday said that contract is currently being discussed at the level of Cabinet.

“These matters are before Cabinet and it depends on the determination Cabinet arrives at. But the contract is an agreement between two parties and these things have to be approached very carefully. There is no prospect at the present time, it is the intention of Cabinet to review it, but as I said it is before Cabinet,” President Granger told reporters.

At the time, he was speaking on the sideline of a swearing in ceremony at State House on Wednesday. Under the present contract, which was entered into by the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Administration, Guyana will receive 50 percent of the profits as an equal partner in addition to a 2 per cent Royalty.

Meanwhile, Minister of Natural Resources, Mr. Raphael Trotman, in an invited comment told the Ministry of the Presidency Public Relations Department that the Government is committed to receiving the best possible advice as it works to develop the oil and gas sector, noting that the administration is in receipt of support from a number of agencies. While there

is a lot of commentary on the matter, Minister Trotman said that Government is receiving a broad range of advice from qualified sources, adding that the Ministries of Natural Resources, Finance, Public Infrastructure and other sector agencies have been working with international organisations such as the Commonwealth, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Mexican Petroleum Institute and the Chatham House.

“In addition to [Advisor to the President on Petroleum], Dr. [Jan] Mangal’s advice, we have, over the last two years, been steadily building capacities and we have to start with the Energy Government Capacity Initiative, which is coming through the US [United States] Government. They have been here working with both Ministries of Finance and Public Infrastructure and to some extent the Ministry of Natural Resources. That is an ongoing project. We have Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs and they have held several seminars and have been providing support and advice to us on all aspects of the industry.

We have a [Memorandum of Understanding] signed with the Government of Mexico and the world famous Mexican Petroleum Institute, which has been providing support, advice and even some scholarships to Government. We also have

support coming from Government of Canada, UNDP; we are in talks with Trinidad and Tobago to lend some support.

We are also receiving support from Brazil so there is no end of experts,” he said.

Support at the national level also includes the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), as well as, the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “In particular we have the Commonwealth Secretariat drafting Laws for the last few years. We have completed drafts for the Petroleum Commission to be established, a review of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act and we have regulations, which we have sent out to the various Ministries. There are a host of advisors all of who are working overtime. We also have teams from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Government is receiving support and advise from a range of sources and not necessary from one person or one entity. These are all ongoing engagements,” he said.

Minister Trotman also reaffirmed Government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the sector, noting that the administration is cognizant of the need for accountability to the Guyanese people. “It was this Government that decided to take us into membership of the Ex-

tractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI). In September 2017, we became the 53rd member of the EITI and that shows that we are not just talking but that we are making moves and it was in record time that we were accepted. We have also attended conferences for the Open Government Partnership. We are in the process of releasing the other contracts from this weekend. The people can see what obtained in the past and what obtains now,” he said.

Last week President Granger made it clear that it is Government that has to assess the advice it receives and balance those against national priorities to define policy for the good of all Guyanese.

Under the contract with ExxonMobil and its partners, Guyanese are expected to benefit from “preferential treatment” in the provision of goods, materials and sub-contractual arrangements with ExxonMobil’s petroleum operations here. Article 18 of the Agreement states that the operator of the contract Exxon’s subsidiary–Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) shall give preference to the purchase of Guyanese goods and materials.

This is providing that such goods and materials are available in a timely manner and of the quality and quantity required by the company and at a competitive price. In addition,

preference shall be given to the employment of Guyanese sub-contractors “insofar they are commercially competitive and satisfy the Operator’s financial and technical requirements “and meet conditions of time, quality, quantity and competitive pricing.

According to a section of the agreement, within a sixty-day period prior to the commencement of a calendar year, Esso and its partners CNOOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana and Hess Exploration Guyana Limited which hold interests in the Stabroek Block , and the subject minister shall provide a yearly plan for the utilisation of qualified Guyanese personnel for the upcoming year. Both parties shall then meet to discuss the plan’s effectiveness.

Additionally the oil company is required under the agreement to provide the subject minister, within a month after the end of each half-year, reports outlining the company’s achievements in utilizing the services of qualified Guyanese personnel. Appropriate adjustments are also required to be made to better accomplish the goal of increasing the number of qualified Guyanese available for use by the oil firm in its petroleum operations and entities performing petroleum operations in Guyana.

CRITICISMS However there have fierce criticisms of the con-

tract by both civil society and the political opposition. The Private Sector Commission (PSC) in a statement back in January said much more should have been done to incorporate local content and greater benefits for businesses here in the petroleum agreement between the government and ExxonMobil’s subsidiary. It stated that though the cost of energy is currently the primary limitation to the expansion of business and growth in Guyana, there is nothing in the agreement to indicate that Guyana owning such large oil reserves would translate into reduction of the costs of energy to Guyanese. “The business sector and general populace of Guyana deserve to benefit directly from the abundance of oil at its disposal and we look forward to seeing future Agreements for other blocks offshore include provisions with greater benefits to Guyana and its people,” the PSC said, adding that it expects that for all other blocks offshore, the Agreements with operators/contractors will consist of provisions that will ensure Guyana receives more royalty, rents, training and development for Guyanese and better local benefits for all Guyanese.

Ex-student arrested after 17 shot dead at Florida high school PARKLAND, Fla. (Reuters) - A 19-year-old gunman returned to the Florida high school where he had once been expelled for disciplinary problems and opened fire with an assault-style rifle on Wednesday, killing 17 people and injuring more than a dozen others before he was arrested, authorities said.

The violence erupted shortly before dismissal at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, a placid, middle-class community about 45 miles (72 km) north of Miami. Television footage showed images, increasingly familiar in America, of bewildered students streaming out of the building with hands raised in the air, as dozens of police and emergency services personnel swarmed the area.

Florida’s two U.S. senators, briefed by federal law enforcement officials, said the assailant wore a gas mask as he stalked into the school carrying a rifle, ammunition cartridges and smoke grenades, then pulled a fire alarm, prompting students and staff to pour from their

classrooms into hallways.

“There the carnage began,” Senator Bill Nelson told CNN. Senator Marco Rubio gave a similar account on Twitter.

A chilling cell phone video clip broadcast by CBS News showed a brief scene of what the network said was the shooting

in progress from inside a classroom, where several students were seen huddled or lying on the floor surrounded by mostly empty desks. A rapid series of loud gunshots are heard amid hysterical screaming and someone yelling, “Oh my God.” The gunman was arrested

later outside, some distance from the school in an adjacent community. CNN, citing law enforcement sources, said the gunman tried to blend in with students who were fleeing the school but was spotted and taken into custody.

He was identified as Ni-

A man placed in handcuffs is led by police near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School following a shooting incident in Parkland, Florida, February 14, 2018 in a still image from video. WSVN.com via REUTERS

kolas Cruz, who previously attended the high school and was expelled for unspecified disciplinary reasons, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said at a news briefing hours later.

Officials spelled his first name differently earlier in the day before correcting themselves.

As a high school freshman, Cruz was part of the U.S. military-sponsored Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corp program at the school, according to Jillian Davis, 19, a recent graduate and former fellow JROTC member at Stoneman Douglas High.

SUSPECT RECOUNTED AS TROUBLED YOUTH In an interview with Reuters, she recalled his “strange talking sometimes about knives and guns,” adding, “no one ever took him seriously.”

Chad Williams, 18, a senior at Stoneman Douglas, described Cruz as “kind of an outcast” who was known for unruly behavior at school, including a penchant for pulling false fire alarms, and was “crazy about guns.”

The gunman surrendered to

police without a struggle, Israel said. He was armed with an AR-15-style rifle and had multiple magazines of ammunition.

“It’s catastrophic,” Israel said. “There really are no words.” Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie called it “a horrific situation,” Twelve of the dead were killed inside the school, two others just outside, one more on the street and two other victims died of their injuries at a hospital, Israel said. He said the victims comprised a mixture of students and adults.

Authorities at two nearby hospitals said they were treating 13 survivors for bullet wounds and other injuries, five of whom were listed in critical condition.

The Valentine’s Day bloodshed in the Miami suburb of gated communities with palm- and shrub-lined streets was the latest outbreak of gun violence that has become a regular occurrence at schools and college campuses across the United States over the past several years.

(Reuters)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday February 15, 2018

Two more arrested, four vehicles seized -- as police intensify investigation into carjacking ring

TWO more persons have been arrested and four vehicles suspected to have been stolen were seized during a police operation at Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke/Linden Highway on Wednesday.

The police reported that acting on information, a party of cops commanded by a senior officer proceeded to a location at Yarrowkabra and

found a black Toyota Premio, PMM 6979, which is suspected to have been stolen.

Shortly after, the police went to another location in Yarrowkabra and arrested a 39-year-old taxi driver on whose premises two ‘dirt’ bikes (a red and black Honda Tornado and a CRF Honda 150) suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained, were found.

As the search continues, a 22-year-old taxi driver of Chand Sand Road, Timehri, was apparently alerted to the police’s operation and quickly handed over to the police at Timehri, a beige Toyota Spacio motor car, PPP 82, which he alleged was given to him to work as taxi since last Thursday by a named individual.

That person is now in

police custody, along with the taxi driver. The vehicles are lodged at the Brickdam Police Station as investigations continue.

Earlier this week, police ranks in ‘A’ Division during a 10-hour operation which concluded at 03:00hrs in the morning at Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, and six persons were arrested.

Two motorcars, along with a canter truck which is registered to a Barr Street, Kitty resident, loaded with the shell of a silver-coloured Toyota Spacio and a quantity of vehicle parts, suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained, were also seized and lodged.

The suspects are reportedly employed by an ex-policeman, who is in custody along with others assisting with the investigation.

On Friday last, a former policeman, a husband and wife and four women, were taken into custody following the discovery of several suspected stolen vehicles and parts at North Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara and Monument Hill, Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

It is believed that the vehicles might have been hijacked and stripped of their

Composite photo shows one of the motorcycles and two cars recovered by the police

parts which are being sold.

Police ranks from the Major Crimes Investigation Unit swooped down on the North Vryheid’s Lust premises occupied by a 29-year-old taxi driver and his 25-year-old wife and found several car mirrors with engraved licence plate numbers, doors, lights, wipers and other vehicle parts for Toyota Allion, Spacio and Premio motor cars.

As a result, the couple was taken into custody after the husband provided the police with conflicting sto-

ries as to why the suspected stolen vehicle parts were stockpiled at his residence.

Meanwhile, on the aforementioned day, the ex-policeman and four women were detained after police ranks in ‘A’ Division went to a property at Monument Hill, Kuru Kururu, and conducted a search, during which a quantity of vehicle parts and several vehicles suspected to be stolen or unlawfully obtained, were found.

The items have been lodged at the Timehri Police Station.

Pensioner found hanging in home A 74-year-old pensioner was found hanging in his South Cove and John, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home on Tuesday morning.

Dead is Kemraj Ramadar. Enquiries disclosed that the pensioner lived alone in a two-bedroom home and that he suffered from a stroke for which he was being treated by a doctor in

Enterprise, ECD. According to his son, Ramadar was last seen by the doctor on Saturday February 3, 2018 and he was last seen alive on Monday.

However, when the son visited his father on Tuesday morning, he discovered him hanging in the patio area.

The pensioner was clad in a brown striped shirt

and brown pants. Police were summoned and the house was checked and according to his son there were no valuables missing. However, a red substance which appeared to be blood was found on the edge of a cabinet in the room. Statements were taken as the investigation continues.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday February 15, 2018

19

Public Health Ministry partnering with PAHO/WHO on safe medicines On the panel to facilitate discussions at the regulatory system meeting are: (from left) Ministry of Public Health Deputy Permanent Secretary, Glendon Fogenay; Advisor of the Regulatory System for PAHO/WHO-Trinidad, Charles Preston; Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Karen Boyle and PAHO/WHO Representative, William Adu-Krow (Photo by Samuel Maughn)

A large turnout of drug/medicine suppliers and other stakeholders at the Roraima Duke Lodge on Tuesday (Photo by Samuel Maughn)

THE Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is partnering with the private sector, the Caribbean Regulatory System (CRS) and PAHO/ WHO to ensure that medication imported to Guyana is effective, safe and affordable.

As such, representatives of the MoPH, PAHO/WHO, CARICOM and Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GAFDD) met with suppliers and other stakeholders to address drug procurement guidelines and strategies for importation.

The meeting was entitled, ‘Strengthening Function and Regulatory Capacity utilising the Caribbean Regulatory System in Guyana’ and was hosted at the Roraima Duke Lodge on Tuesday, 13 February.

Presenting opening remarks on behalf of the Public Health Minister, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Karen Boyle said that even as the government encourages private sector investments it must ensure that the drugs provided to its citizens are tested and safe.

“We recognise that we don’t have the capacity, the skills to do the drug testing ourselves and so we welcome the initiative of the Caribbean Regulatory System that provides those services for us and other territories within the Caribbean because without that, it will become very difficult for us to ensure or guarantee that the meds that people are using are indeed safe,” she explained.

Boyle said, too, that if unregistered and untested drugs are let into the local market they can pose to be fatal when they misrepresent the right dosage or prove to be of poor quality.

“If we’re importing substandard drugs, if we don’t have this regulatory system,

drugs could be imported by the private sector that are not standardised and not of a certain quality and that could indeed jeopardise the outcome of those patients,” Boyle said, adding: “This is our way of ensuring that we keep our population safe and that we ensure that whatever drugs are provided are good and wholesome.”

Addressing the gathering, Director of the GAFDD, Marlan Cole, spoke on the importance of drug registration and said that he was pleased to see that Guyana has positioned itself to benefit from the regulatory system through partnership with PAHO. “The system is very reinsuring in its objective, the system is very fair and transparent because ultimately what we want to ensure is that the drug that are on our local market are safe medications and are accessible to all,” he said.

COMPANIES MUST REGISTER WITH GA-FDD The meeting also served to advise suppliers on the procedures and new regulations for the tendering process which will ensure that their products and companies they partner with are registered with the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department.

Director for Materials Management Unit at the MoPH, Cecil Jacques, told those gathered that the Ministry of Public Health is working to win the battle against drug shortages as it aims to provide the best quality drugs to its citizens.

The health ministry is responsible for forecasting quantifications of drugs for all 10 regions and has over 3.5 billion dollars worth in drugs stored to do busi-

ness. The drug is supplied through the national budget and other programmes.

With these available finances, the director says that cost takes the backbench while evaluation criteria such as quality, availability and responsiveness, which have been lacking in some suppliers, take the forefront.

Jacques explained that in times past the MoPH has taken the blame when suppliers failed to fulfill on arrangements resulting in the country’s medicine demand surpassing its available supplies.

“If your batch for some reason has been recalled by the manufacturer, if your batch arrives out of ‘cold chain’ and we believe it has lost its integrity, you have to be responsive to replace them…cost is the least important to us at this time,” he stressed.

The director also reminded suppliers to secure a copy of the Primary Healthcare (PHC) Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs); ensure that they register with the GA-FDD and cautioned that the ministry will only procure medicines on its Essential Medicine List.

In-between sessions, ANSA McAl Pharmaceutical Manager, Sunesh Maikoo, told the newspaper that the information relayed at the meeting makes the job of suppliers easier and allows for equal opportunity.

“I think it is an eye opener for many suppliers because I don’t think they were aware, and, to know that NPTA has everything on the website is even better,” Maikoo said, adding: “It’s the way forward for the procurement of cost effective and efficacious pharmaceuticals. As an importer I’m very happy about this that everyone is on a level playing field.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

Gov’t tackles low birth registration in Region One A FOUR-PERSON team from the General Registrar’s Office (GRO), which falls under the purview of the Ministry of Citizenship, guided by Member of Parliament Mr Richard Allen and assisted by local community leaders, registered over 170 Guyanese for birth certificates over the past two days in Region One,

(Barima-Waini) The new registrations were made during the first two days of an outreach to the region, the Ministry of the Presidency said in a release. The GRO has conducted a number of outreaches to hinterland areas in recent years to make sure that no Guyanese is left behind when it comes to documentation, the

most recent being to Mahdia, Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight) last month. The week-long outreach to Region One, the second of its kind for the year, specifically targets persons who have never had, have lost, or wish to make changes to their birth certificates. Up to Wednesday, the team had completed registrations for resi-

Representatives of the General Registrar’s Office (GRO) help citizens register for their birth certificates during a week-long registration outreach based in Port Kaituma, Barima-Waini (Region One)

dents of Port Kaituma and Falls Top. In the coming days, the team will visit Four Miles and Sebai before returning to Port Kaituma for a final registration session on Friday.

Searcher and Transcriber at the GRO, Ms. Lavern Small-Khan, spoke about the importance of the outreach, emphasising that a birth certificate is an important foundational document that allows for better opportunities for all Guyanese. “The outreach is very important to those persons [because] we’re helping them to get a birth certificate for the first time… A birth certificate [is] not only for school, but [also] your ID card [and] your passport. To do everything you’d need your birth certificate, because that’s [first] proof [that] you are… Guyanese… Your birth certificate would say that you’re a citizen of this land…

Every [piece of] information on that certificate is very, very important,” she said.

Underscoring the importance of government putting adequate systems in place, such as the current outreach, Ms. Small-Kahn also said that low registration rates in hinterland areas are due to both practical and education challenges.

“Being out in the field… you kind of see the challenges these people have in terms of the distance they have to go [to] register these children. I’m not saying… that they ought not to go, but it’s challenging for some of them because… they have to walk to get to these places… It would take [some of] them days to get there… I don’t think they see the importance of [registration] and, a lot of them… [their] parents [are] not [literate] and it [passes on] to the generations to come,” she said.

Mr. Allen said that the task of registering all Guyanese is great and although achievable,

These smiling citizens travelled via bus from Big Creek to Falls Top to take advantage of the relatively speaking, nearby registration services.

it cannot be done overnight.

“We’ve been looking at registrations of children and adults across the country… We’ve been working in collaboration with the Ministry of Citizenship, which [has] a mandate to ensure that all citizens are registered… If we have staff that is working directly with GRO… We’ll be able to work systematically and get it done, but it’s going to take some time.

It will take a period to get people registered and that is where my heart is; seeing the residents be registered,” he said.

There to help track down accurate birth records, Senior Midwife at the Port Kaituma Hospital, Ms. Genevieve Hernandez, spoke about the education initiatives in place to help combat the late registration rates. “We do have [classes] and registration of births is one of the topics… We enlighten them… We [also] have quite a few hand-outs we’ll be able to share and I would explain to them the importance [of registration]… Some didn’t understand, but as the child grows… the school would call [the parents] and tell them that it’s a must… [Then] they see it as something very important,” she said.

While the government

continues its assessment on the placement of permanent offices, Social Worker at the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Ms Farina James, said that while the outreaches do help a lot, there is still need for more permanent registrars in the area. “We really need people, even if someone could be permanent because it’s costly [for residents]… If they don’t have their birth certificates they can’t do [anything], even get their [Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)]. The [outreaches] are helping out a great lot.

People are eager to come out and get registered,”she said.

The GRO is unwilling to let any Guyanese be left behind when it comes to documentation. Registration outreaches like these are crucial to achieving the Ministry of Citizenship’s goal of a 100 percent registration rate. This outreach team, comprising Searcher/Transcriber, Ms. Lisa Major; Searcher, Ms. Arianne Williams; and Transcriber, Ms. Diana Allicock, have identified Region One as the largest area of need in Guyana. Residents of the surrounding villages, Baramita, Big Creek, and Matthews Ridge, participated in the Falls Top registration session.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

Teams briefed, balls presented ahead of third Petra Futsal THE 24 teams in this y e a r ’s a n n u a l P e t r a Futsal football tournament were on Tuesday evening briefed on the rules of the tournament which begins on February 24.

At the Brandsville Hotel in Campbellville, the organisers (Petra), with the aim of having a smooth tournament, briefed the teams on the rules and regulations of the event which will run in conjunction with those of the GFF (Guyana Football Federation) and FIFA. Head of the GFF referees’ department, Stanley Lancaster, who recently was part of the GFF/Petra referees’ re-

fresher course, was on hand to bring the player representatives from the various teams in the tournament up to speed with the relevant rule changes and new rules in Futsal.

The tournament which carries a total prize purse amounting to over $2M will kick off on February 24. The winners will pocket a $600 000 cash prize, runners-up $300 000 and third-placers $150 000.

Meanwhile, as incentives for teams in the group stage, the top finishers will get an additional $40 000, second-placers $30 000, third-placers $20 000 and fourth-placers $10 000.

In addition, the tour-

nament is giving away a motorbike to the MVP of the tournament and to a lucky patron.

The tournament, which is expected to culminate with a grand final on March 31, will feature Alpha Warriors, Pro Kleaners Campbellville, Showstoppers, Mocha, Agricola, Plaisance, Sparta Boss, Old School Ballers, Leopold Street, Albouystown, Kingstown, North East La Penitence, Back Circle, West Front Road, North Ruimveldt, Tiger Bay, Broad Street, Channel 9, Bent Street, Tucville, Alexander Village, Future Stars, NK Ballers and Sophia.

Anthony stars in cycling at the Linden Games

AT the inaugural Linden Games, held over the past weekend in the mining town, Michael Anthony shone the brightest in the cycling events.

In the 15-lap feature race of the Games, Anthony held off a quality field of cyclists to prevail. He stuck with the lead pack for the entire race and powered his way to first place with Silvio Innis coming in second.

Orville Hinds settled for third, Jornel Yearwood fourth, Oneil Rose fifth and Raphael Albert sixth.

Meanwhile, in the Senior Male eight-lap event Anthony recorded another win crossing the finish line ahead of Orville Hinds who was second and Silvio

Innis third.

Over in the Juniors event, also eight laps, Christopher Cornelius was first with a dominant ride while Denzil Huntley came second and Oneil Rose finished third.

Andy Spencer was the best veteran cyclist in that category’s eight-lap race while Nigel London settled for second place.

The Linden Games began with the table tennis championship (East vs West) last Friday at the

Mackenzie High School auditorium.

On Saturday the Bayroc Community Centre ground hosted the Male and Female (East vs West) cricket, while the East vs West basketball competition was played at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.

On Sunday the Watooka Pool saw action in the East vs West swimming competition while the cycling was contested within the Central Mackenzie Circle.

American Racing Tips Gulfstream Park Race 1 Ariel B Race 2 Body High Race 3 R Limo Joe Race 4 Jeremiah Jewel Race 5 Dreaming Of Aca Race 6 Love Nest Race 7 Adonis Creed Race 8 Raging Town

12:50 hrs Gold Town 13:25 hrs Los Barbados 14:00 hrs Hors De Combat

South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:45 hrs Dawn Flight 09:20 hrs Baahir 09:55 hrs Mademoiselle 10:25 hrs Great Shaka 10:55 hrs Flexible Fugitive Arab Emirates Racing Tips Meydan 10:30 hrs Mawahib 11:05 hrs Pinzolo 11:40 hrs Don’t Give Up 12:15 hrs Sir Maximilian

English Racing Tips Leicester 09:40 hrs Skipping On 10:15 hrs Grow Nasa Grow 10:45 hrs Creep Desbois 11:55 hrs Timon’s Tara 12:30 hrs Hazel Hill Kelso 09:55 hrs Sam’s Gunner 10:25 hrs Cyrus Darius 11:35 hrs Planet Nine 12:05 hrs Al Co 12:40 hrs Dr Hooves Fontwell 10:05 hrs Doctor Bartolo 10:35 hrs Distingo 11:45 hrs Minellatillmorning 12:20 hrs Shockingtimes 12:55 hrs Scorpion Haze

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

Beharry Automotive Ltd on board with LGC expansion programme

SA’s Rabada fined for Dhawan gesture

… to host first golf tournament on Saturday

By Rajiv Bisnauth BEHARRY Automotive Limited, more commonly known as B.A.L, part of the Beharry Group, announced its partnership with the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) and disclosed its intention to supply quality vehicles, spare parts and maintenance to the Guyanese public.

The partnership will support the Club’s 2018 expansion programme locally and will add to the LGC’s rich tradition of services.

The new agreement will see the business entity as the exclusive sponsor for Saturday’s Open tournament which is set to tee off at 12:30hrs.

Marketing Officer Ulex Smith yesterday presented a cheque for an undisclosed sum to the club’s newly-elected president Aleem Hussain in the presence of a number of media operatives at the business location on Wellington and Charlotte Streets, signalling the company’s commitment towards the sport.

Hussain, in brief remarks, thanked the business entity for the support, adding that the sponsorship will definitely go a long way in assisting the club’s 2018 expansion

programme.

Smith said the company is proud to be associated with the Lusignan Golf Club, an alliance that will continue way into the future.

Meanwhile, Hussain pointed out that apart from the regular prizes, the golfer who scores a hole-in-one on Saturday will win four new Yokohama tyres.

South African pace bowler Kagiso Rabada CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - South African pace bowler Kagiso Rabada has been fined after a demonstrative sendoff for one of his victims in Tuesday’s one-day international loss to India in Port Elizabeth, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said yesterday.

The fast bowler was fined 15 percent of his match fee and received one demerit point for his behaviour, when he waved at departing batsman Shikhar Darwan, pointing his way back to the change room and seeming to swear after the Indian opener was caught in the deep off his bowling He was charged by the match officials for using language and gestures that could have provoked Beharry Automotive Limited Marketing Officer Ulex Smith presents the cheque to the Lusignan Golf Club’s newly-elected president Aleem Hussain. (Adrian Narine photo)

GFSCA Male/Female finals set for Zeeburg ground on Sunday

Bayliss not rushing Stokes back into England ODI team (REUTERS) - England coach Trevor Bayliss has welcomed the return of Ben Stokes but said the all-rounder is unlikely to play the first one-day international of the New Zealand series.

Ben Stokes

Regal Masters hope to add another trophy to their collection.

THE Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA)/Nauth’s Motor Spares, Trophy Stall and Mike’s Pharmacy softball tournament will conclude on Sunday at the Zeeburg Sports Club ground on the West Coast Demerara.

Top softball action in three categories will highlight the day’s proceedings.

In the Male Open final, Speed Boat will play Success Sports Club with the winners set to pocket $100 000 while $25 000 will go to the runners-up.

In the Male Masters category, Wellman and Regal Masters will do battle for the $100 000 first prize.

The day will begin with semifinal action in the female category, with Trophy Stall Angels taking on Blue Divas and Wellwoman battling 4R Lioness before the

winners meet in the final for a purse of $50 000 and bragging rights.

Player-of-the-match in each final and MVP in each category will win $5 000.

The action begins at 09:30hrs and admission is free.

an aggressive reaction from the batsman. Rabada now has five demerit points on his disciplinary record. He was suspended last year when he reached four points and was barred from playing in the second Test on the tour of England.

If he reaches the next threshold of eight points within the next two years, he will be suspended again but this time for two Tests, or one test and two ODIs, or four ODIs and T20s, depending on which comes first.

The ICC said Rabada admitted the offence and accepted the sanction at the end of Tuesday’s match, which India won by 73 runs at St George’s Park.

India took an unassailable 4-1 lead in the six-match series after Tuesday’s victory.

Stokes indicated a plea of not guilty to a charge of affray at Bristol magistrates’ court on Tuesday and will join his England team mates this week in Hamilton ahead of their five-match series starting February 25.

Bayliss said Stokes, who will miss the Twenty20 game against the Kiwis on Sunday, needs to get back up to speed before he can feature in the starting 11. ”He hasn’t played for a while,“ Bayliss told reporters. ”It is not as if we can maybe bring him straight back for these T20s, for example.

”We have got to get him up to speed and hopefully during this one-day series we can get him back into the team.

“At this stage I’d have to say it was unlikely (he’ll play the first ODI). We’ll have to wait and see how he is with travel, with practice.”

Stokes, one of the world cricket’s most destructive batsmen, last played a competitive match for Canterbury in New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition last December.

His absence was not necessarily felt during England’s 4-1 ODI series win against Australia. However, that success has been followed by three consecutive T20 failures, with two losses against Australia and on Tuesday against New Zealand.

“Right throughout the summer we’ve been down to five bowlers, especially in the one-dayers and T20s,” Bayliss added.

“We’ve been able to have six bowlers before, which gives the captain plenty of different options. I think that’s what we’ve missed the most apart from his individual performances.”

Stokes is expected to feature in England’s two Tests against New Zealand at Auckland and Christchurch next month.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ West Demerara/East Bank Zone

ESPN set up dream final with defending champs Showstoppers

Defending champions Mumbai Indians to host CSK in IPL 2018 opener

By Michelangelo Jacobus

THE effervescent ESPN had a comfortable path to the final of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets” West Demerara/ East Bank Zone while Showstoppers also booked their spot in the final in emphatic fashion.

The quarter-finals and semi-finals were played on Tuesday in front of a capacity crowd at the Pouderoyen tarmac; ESPN took on Ballers Empire in the first quarter-final and found the going tough in the early stages of the game. However, Trevon ‘German’ Lythcott blasted in the only goal of the game in the 15th minute as his side held on to progress to the semi-finals.

In ESPN’s semi-final matchup against the Dream Team, goals from Pernell Schultz ensured the former a spot in the final. Schultz scored in the seventh minute before closing off the game with a ‘Guinness Goal’ which meant ESPN won 3-0.

The Showstoppers, on the

Mumbai Indians will host CSK on April 7. (BCCI)

ESPN will face defending champions Showstoppers in the West Demerara/East Bank Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ final tomorrow.

other hand, hit two late ‘Guinness Goals’ past Boom Bang to win their quarter-final 4-0. The goals came courtesy of Dexroy Adams and Stephon Jupiter in the 31st and 33rd minutes respectively.

Meanwhile, in the semi-final against the West Side Ballers, the Showstoppers ran riot with Marvin Josiah netting three ‘Guinness

Goals’ in the 32nd, 34th and 36th minutes to leave the final score line at 6-0.

In the other quarter-finals on the night, West Side Ballers beat Rising Stars 2-0 with Kevin Frank netting an 18th minute ‘Guinness Goal’ while Dream Team beat Hustlers via penalty kicks.

The final will be played tomorrow at the same venue

and the fans of the finalists will be eagerly anticipating what is deemed to be the best ‘Guinness Greatest of the Streets’ final in recent years.

Action begins at 20:00hrs with a number of exhibition matches which will be followed by the third place playoff and then ESPN will take on Showstoppers to determine the ‘Greatest of the Streets’.

Demerara-based businessmen support Kendall’s Union SC IN A kind gesture, five Demerara-based businessmen pledged their support for the Kendall’s Union Sports Club (KUSC), located on the Lower Corentyne Coast, Berbice to aid in the upgrading of the club.

The businessmen are Ramchand Ragbeer of Ramchand’s Auto Spares, Surendra Nauth of Nauth’s Motor Spares, Lalta Gainda of Gainmart and Bel Air RUBiS, Rickey Deonarain of 4R Bearings and Dharam Persaud of Ariel Enterprise, who contributed handsomely to help with the establishment of children’s corner in the No 19 Village cricket ground.

At a simple ceremony held recently, Albert Budhoo, president of the club, said that to keep the children away from idleness and get them involved in sports must to start at an early age.

As a result, he and his executives came up with the idea to locate the project in the cricket ground so as to encourage them not only to play on the slides, swingers etc., but also to fall in love with sports, cricket in particular.

Budhoo expressed gratitude to the donors and called on the general public to sup-

port these businesses so that they can continue to contribute to the development of communities across Guyana.

He also thanked Anil Beharry, who was born in that same village and started his cricket there, for his role in soliciting the donation.

Beharry in response said that he was pleased to be part of this very important project.

The former Berbice Cricket Board president thanked his Floodlights teammates for readily coming on board.

He called on overseas-based persons born

in the area, private citizens and Corporate Guyana to also come on board and make the project a reality.

Beharry said with this kind of vision, this community and all the communities in the country will produce better children for the future.

DEFENDING champions Mumbai Indians (MI) and the returning Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will kick off the 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on April 7 in Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium, it was announced yesterday. The final will be played at the same venue on May 27.

The first double-header will be held on April 8 with Delhi Daredevils hosting Kings XI Punjab in the first game, followed by a clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Eden Gardens.

Rajasthan Royals, also making their return after a two-year suspension, will play their first game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 9. The Jaipur-based outfit’s first home game, at

Kohli eyes World Cup glory after conquering South Africa P O RT E L I Z A B E T H , South Africa (Reuters) - India’s first-ever oneday international series victory in South Africa has laid a strong platform for the country’s hopes of a successful 2019 World Cup campaign, captain Virat Kohli said.

India captain Virat Kohli

Albert Budhoo (left) collects donation from Anil Beharry in the presence of KUSC players.

the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, will be against Delhi Daredevils on April 11.

Except for Kings XI Punjab, the other teams will play all seven of their home games at their traditional venues.

Kings XI are scheduled to play three of their home games against Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils - in Indore with the other four games in Mohali.

The Wankhede Stadium will also host the first qualifier on May 22 whereas the venues for the eliminator and the second qualifier - on May 23 and 25 respectively - are yet to be announced.

There was speculation regarding a change in match timings for the upcoming season, but that has been laid to rest with the usual timings being retained. (Cricbuzz)

“We are a team that always want to think of ways we can improve and after this tour we will look to be even stronger with the 2019 World Cup in mind,” he said after India took a 4-1 lead in the six-match series on Tuesday.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to have created some

history. The guys really got stuck in, with the bat and the ball and in the field as well,” he added after the Port Elizabeth triumph.

Success in the series has lifted India above South Africa in the International Cricket Council’s one-day rankings and they retained their number one status in Tests as well, despite losing 2-1 to the South Africans last month.

“For now, 4-1 feels amazing. Obviously the players put up some really good cricket to be in this position,” Kohli added.

The last match of the ODI series is in Pretoria tomorrow.

“We want to win 5-1 but there might be a scenario to give a few (other) guys a chance.” Kohli said, with the series won using only 12 of India’s 17-man squad.

The 2019 World Cup is being hosted by England and Wales, where India won their first global title in 1983 before adding a second on home soil in 2011.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

Russell century takes Somwaru will respect result of BCB elections, if he loses Scorpions past Kent …. says cricket must be AN unbeaten Andre Russell century saved the Jamaica Scorpions a few blushes in their Cricket West Indies Regional Super50 match against the Kent Cricket Club yesterday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.

Russell’s century cancelled out one from Kent opener Daniel Bell Drummond, 105 not out, after the English County side were sent in to bat and scored 239-5 from their 50 overs. The Scorpions replied with 240-7.

Kent were put in early trouble as the wickets of Zak Crawley 1, Sean Dickson 11 and Joseph Denly 1 left them reeling at 98-4.

Ninety-eight for four became 104-5 when Will Gidman was undone by Andre McCarthy for three, but a remarkable recovery was still on the cards.

Wicketkeeper Adam Rouse joined Drummond at that point to score a swashbuckling 75 not out from just 68 deliveries.

The partnership, worth 135, came off 123 deliveries and gave the Scorpions a few headaches.

Fabian Allen (2-35) was the best of the Scorpions bowlers, with Oshane Thomas 1-43, Pete Salmon 1-33, and Andre McCarthy 1-47 also getting among the wickets.

When the Scorpions re-

Andre Russell

plied, they got into early trouble, losing Steven Taylor for a duck, before Trevon Griffith followed for just three.

Chadwick Walton 22, McCarthy 18 and Fabian Allen two, made for a woeful looking top-order batting display. The Scorpions were, at one stage 57-5, and staring a second defeat to Kent in the face.

Brandon King’s 43 helped stabilise the innings. Along with Russell, the Scorpions put on 76 without any further disturbance, but when King went in the 35th over with the

score at 133-6, the game could have gone either way.

Salmon, 19, then stuck around with Russell in a partnership worth 71.

When Salmon lost his head in the 46th over, Russell and Odean Smith stepped on the gas, to score the last 36 runs required from just 21 balls.

By that time, Russell had brought up his 100 and the Scorpions had overtaken Kent in the standings to hold on to one of two qualification spots for the semi-finals with two games to go. (Sportsmax)

SCOREBOARD

players in a group and priority will be given to groups of 4 players.

If there are 5 or less players, the event will be played as a round-robin without knock-out.

Two players advance from each group to the second stage which will be played in a knock-out format.

The numbers of groups will be decided by the Tournament Director and the referee in cooperation with the organising committee.

If the number of groups in an event is decided not to be a multiple of 2 (e.g. 2, 4 or 8 etc.), winners from the groups with the highest ranked seeded players shall have byes in the first round of the second stage, in ranking order.

All matches will be

By Rajiv Bisnauth

THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) presidential election is shaping up to be a two-man contest between former president Dhierandranauth Somwaru and Director of Regional Health Services in Region Six, Jevaughn Stephens, but with the current state of affairs of the game in the Ancient County, the result could go either way.

KENT innings D. Bell-Drummond not out 105 Z. Crawley c Taylor c Thomas 1 S. Dickson c Thomas b Salmon 11 J. Denly c & b Allen 1 A. Blake c Smith b Allen 14 W. Gidman c Allen b McCarthy 3 A. Rouse not out 75 Extras: (lb-3, w-25, nb-1) 29 Total: (5 wkts, 50 overs) 239 Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-57, 3-61, 4-98, 5-104.

Bowling: Lamont 10-1-27-0, Thomas 6-0-43-1, Salmon 7-0-331, Allen 10-1-35-2, Smith 7-0-51-0, McCarthy 10-1-47-1.

SCORPIONS innings S. Taylor c wkp. Rouse b Thomas 0 T. Griffith c Riley b Denly 3 C. Walton c Riley b Denly 22 A. McCarthy c wkp Rouse b Haggett 18 F. Allen lbw b Denly 2 B. King c wkp. Rouse b Thomas 43 A. Russell not out 108 P. Salmon c Blake b Grant 19 O. Smith not out 12 Extras: (lb-5, w-8) 13 Total: (7 wkts, 49.1 overs) 240 Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-28, 3-39, 4-45, 5-57, 6-133, 7-204.

Bowling: Thomas 8-0-51-2, Grant 9.1-0-44-1, Denly 10-1-53-3, Gidman 10-2-18-0, Haggett 9-1-49-1, Riley 3-0-20-0.

NSC Mash table tennis tournament to kick off tomorrow RACQUET-wielders will be in action this weekend when the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) serves off its NSC Mash table tennis tournament from tomorrow.

Set for the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, the event is expected to see 15 classes of action starting with the Boys and Girls 9 years-and-under singles tomorrow afternoon at 16:00hrs.

According to the GTTA, the tournament will attract a nominal fee of $300 per entry to each class with entries being submitted to the treasurer Mrs Deirdre Edghill no later than today.

The tournament’s first stage will be played in a round-robin basis in groups of even number of players but there shall not be less than 3 and not more than 5

the ultimate winner

played to the best of 5 games and best of seven for Finals and Semifinals as determined for events by the technical committee.

The tournament technical committee meeting and draws will be held today.

THE PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS: Boys and Girls 9 Years and Under Singles: Friday February 16 2018 (16:00hrs- 19.30hrs) Boys and Girls 13 Years and Under Singles: Friday February 16 2018 (17:00hrs18:00hrs) Continuation of Novices Boys and Girls Singles: Saturday February 17 2018 (09:00hrs-12:00hrs) Continuation of Boys and Girls 9 Years and Under: Saturday February 17 2018

(09:00hrs-12:00hrs) B o y s a n d G i r l s 11 Years and Under Singles Groups: Saturday February 17 2018 (09:00hrs12:00hrs) Continuation of Boys and Girls 13 Years and Under: Saturday February 17 2018 (11:00hrs-15:00hrs) Opening Ceremony: Saturday February 17 2018 (13:00hrs) Boys and Girls 15 Years and Under Singles Groups: Saturday February 17 2018 (11:00hrs-15:00hrs) Boys and Girls 18 Years and Under Singles: Saturday February 17 2018 (13:00hrs-19:00hrs) Continuation of matches all categories and Finals: Sunday February 18 2018 (09:00hrs-19:00hrs) Juniors Doubles: Sunday February 18 2018 (09:00hrs-12:00hrs)

Dhierandranauth Somwaru

However, many observers in that County are of the opinion that Somwaru faces an uphill task in garnering a comfortable majority. In fact, the observers are maintaining that Berbice cricket needs a fresh mind with new philosophies.

To this end, Chronicle Sport spoke with Somwaru, who pledges to respect the final election results, adding that cricket must be the ultimate winner.

“I will definitely accept the result and move on. If I win so be it, if I lose so be it, but at the end of the day, as I said before, cricket must be the ultimate winner,” the

65-year-old said.

Somwaru, who was elected president on October 8 last, had his term shortened after a majority of the clubs and sub-association members had filed legal proceedings, claiming widespread irregularities during the election process.

They had also claimed that the elections were not held in keeping with the Cricket Administration Act. This led High Court Judge Navindra Singh to order new elections on December 18 last after the result of the October 8, 2017 elections was annulled by the Court.

“I respect the Judge’s ruling, so come Sunday I just hope that a smooth and fair election will be held according to the Judge’s order. Whoever wins I just hope cricket is looked at in a holistic approach,” Somwaru revealed.

The former president of the Guyana Cricket Umpires Council (GCUC) made it quite clear that should there be any differences this time, he would not be seeking any position at the board in the future neither would he be part of any legal proceedings.

Sunday’s elections could be seen as the most vital elections in the history of the BCB since election for the top post is creating widespread interest in the cricketing fraternity.

This has come against the background that the administration of the game in the Ancient County has been thrown into turmoil, ever since the board’s 2014 elections.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday February 15, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 22.12m (22 yards) (2) 3.05m (10 feet) Today’s Quiz: (1) What is another name for the ‘batting crease’?

(2) What is the width of a cricket wicket?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 15, 2018

Minister Norton anticipates speedy Windies-A hold on for two-wicket passage of horse racing legislation win over England Lions

By Rajiv Bisnauth

HORSE racing in Guyana is big business where it provides a significant boost to the country’s economy, but the lack of a critical piece of legislation that will legitimise its operations is responsible for the sport not being a bigger success story locally.

However, while a concerted effort is being made to have the sport run in the most effective way as possible, the passage and necessary enactment of the horse racing legislation is taking too long and by the time it comes to fruition, much irreparable damage could have been done to the sport.

To this end, Minister with the responsibility for Sport, Dr George Norton anticipates a speedy passage of the much-needed horse-racing legislation.

“If the legislation is there for parliament and must be assented to, then we have to do so, we should not have it waiting at the Attorney General Chambers.

“It’s not the first legislation to be formulated later than that and has become law, so I see no reason we should wait, because there is need for it, and if there is need for it everything possible must be done to make it a reality,” Dr Norton opined.

Minister Norton added, “It shouldn’t be rocket science for Guyana to have a legislation in place, let’s bring it to parliament and debate it, I can tell you right now we are working on an animal protection bill in

a parliamentary select committee and it’s amazing what will happen when that bill becomes law in terms of the way animals will be protected by that bill and we must take that into

implementing a two-year term for members of the Authority.

The legislation, which was championed by former GHRA president Justice Cecil Kennard, will also give the GHRA

step to regularise the sport was taken when the-then Legal Adviser to the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA), Rajendra Poonai, handed over draft legislation on the sport to

Rahkeem Cornwall sees Windies-A to a narrow victory.

Flashback! A still from a video shows one of the race horses colliding with some spectators who had encroached on the track at the ninth annual Guyana Cup. (Kaieteur Sports photo)

consideration in the drafting of our legislation.”

The draft, Guyana Horse Racing Authority Act, which will allow the sport to run more effectively and to deal with violators, includes: increasing the membership of the Racing Authority from nine to 15; including the Bush Lot United Turf Club as a member of the GHRA and

the power to schedule race dates for race meetings in the event that a club is unable to run off a race meeting.

Dubbed the ‘Sport of Kings’, horse racing, since its resuscitation locally, has been operating under a legal document that was registered under the Miscellaneous Deeds Act. But back in 2014, a key

then Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony.

Nothing much was done by the previous administration with regard to the implementation of the legislation.

However, the present Government cannot escape some criticism since a copy of a horse racing legislation has been with the government since late 2015.

Linden footballer departs for tryout at Bryant and Stratton College LINDEN football player, Kellon Major, has been granted the opportunity to prove his abilities in the sport, at the Bryant and Stratton College in the United States of America.

On Tuesday the youngster of Mora Street, Mackenzie, Linden was handed his trial documents by member of the Linden Youth Leaders Committee, Wonder Richmond.

The opportunity for Major to have a better future in football was spearheaded by Garth Nelson along with the Linden Youth Leaders Committee and the No Woman No Cry group.

At the handing-over Mayor of Linden, Carwyn Holland, stated that they will be considering to facilitate more engagements such as this one in the future, since there are many other young footballers in Linden who

deserve a shot.

Holland thanked the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) for playing a pivotal role in ensuring

In addition, he charged the young man who plays for the Silver Shattas Football Club to perform to the best of his ability and to be

Kellon Major receives his trial documents from Wonder Richmond, a member of the Linden Youth Leaders group

that football development continues in the mining town of Linden.

an ambassador for his home town and country.

“I just want to encourage

you to go out there and do your best and to be serious.

Opportunities don’t come every day in here but when you get it, you have to make the best use of it,” Holland told the young man.

Major, who has been playing football for 13 years, wishes to thank everyone who made the opportunity possible, adding, “to be honest this is my dream and this is the dream I want to follow all the time.

The 20-year-old left yesterday for his threemonth tryout at the Bryant and Stratton College, located in Syracuse, New York.

Based on his performance within the next three months Major may obtain a scholarship to play football and study at the College, which competes in Division One of the United States Collegiate Athletics Association (USCAA)

FLORENCE HALL, Jamaica (CMC) – West Indies-A nearly squandered what should have been an easy win, losing a hatful of wicket before limping over the line, to win the opening four-day ‘Test’ here yesterday.

Resuming at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium on 31 for one with a mere 75 runs required for victory, the hosts made their way safely to 51 without further loss, before suffering a sudden capitulation to lose seven wickets for 47 runs.

Suddenly tottering on 98 for eight and with defeat a real possibility, Windies-A were rescued by all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall who held his nerve to end on 14 not out and see them to a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Captain Kieran Powell, unbeaten on 16 overnight,

top-scored with 30, and while Vishaul Singh (18) and Shamarh Brooks (16) got starts, they failed to carry on, leaving the innings compromised.

Brooks and Vishaul Singh put on 23 for the fourth wicket which took Windies-A to 80 for three but their dismissals triggered a slide that saw five wickets fall for 18 runs.

Left-arm spinner Jack Leach was the main destroyer, adding four wickets to his one from overnight to end with five for 26 while leg-spinner Liam Livingstone picked up two for 55.

Left-arm spinner Jomel Wa r r i c a n w a s n a m e d man-of-the-match for his eight-wicket match-haul and unbeaten 71, batting at number 10 in the first innings.

The second ‘Test’ bowls off Sunday at Sabina Park.

SCOREBOARD LIONS 1st innings 252 WINDIES-A 1st innings 279 LIONS 2nd innings 132 WINDIES-A 2nd innings (target: 106 runs) (o/n 31 for one) K. Powell c Gubbins b Livingstone 30 J. Campbell c Livingstone b Leach 15 J. Blackwood b Leach 4 S. Brooks lbw b Leach

16 V. Singh c Porter b Leach 18 S. Dowrich b Leach 3 R. Reifer c Hameed b Livingstone 3 R. Cornwall not out 14 J. Warrican c & b Crane

0 J. Louis not out

1 Extras: (b-3, nb-1)

4 Total: (8 wkts, 29.5 overs) 108 Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-51, 3-57, 4-80, 5-86, 6-91, 7-97, 8-98.

Bowling: Porter 2-0-11-0, Livingstone 12-1-53-2, Leach 13-2-28-5, Crane 2.5-0-13-1.

Man-of-the-Match: Jomel Warrican.

Linden footballer departs for tryout at Bryant and Stratton College

See Page 27

Teams briefed, balls presented ahead of third Petra Futsal See Page 23

The players that represented their teams at the meeting on Tuesday evening, ahead of the Petra third annual futsal tournament

Sir Viv Richards bestowed Anthony stars in cycling GFF Elite League to restart with life-long gov’t benefits at the Linden Games tomorrow at the GFC ground THE restart of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League is now scheduled for tomorrow at the GFC ground. Unplayable conditions after inclement weather over the weekend had caused the postponement on Sunday.

The league, which is now in its third season, will restart with a double-header. Defending champions Guyana Defence Force (GDF) will come up against current point-leaders Den Amstel FC at 19:00hrs and Western Tigers FC will face a new-look Fruta Conquerors at 21:00hrs.

Also, following the delayed start, Sunday’s fixture will now bring together Cougars FC and Ann’s Grove from 14:00hrs and in game two, Victoria Kings will clash with the home side Buxton United from 16:00hrs.

The third double-header – NA United FC vs Ann’s Grove FC and GDF FC vs Milerock FC – will be played on February 21 at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) from 19:00hrs and 21:00hrs respectively.

After Guyana’s Republic Day celebrations, the tournament will resume on February 24 at the #5 ground in Berbice, where Linden’s Milerock FC will face Cougars from 18:00hrs, and New Amsterdam United will play Den Amstel at 20:00 hrs.

Admission to all matches is $500.

SIR Vivian Richards, one of the greatest batsmen ever, is to be honoured with tax exemptions, a monthly pension and other benefits by the government of Antigua and Barbuda.

Sir Viv Richards played in 121 Tests for the West Indies.

Richards, who will turn 66 on March 7, played 121 Tests for the West Indies between November 1974 and August 1991 and scored 8 540 runs at an average of 50.23. He scored 24 centuries and 45 half-centuries in his brilliant Test career.

He was knighted on February 28, 2014, and now the

grateful government is planning to do more.

“The promise to treat living National Heroes with a high degree of respect is fulfilled.

Sir Vivian Richards will also remain an Ambassador for Antigua and Barbuda,” Chief of Staff Lionel Max Hurst was quoted as saying.

According to antiguanewsroom.com, Sir Vivian will now be paid a monthly pension that’s equal to the amount now paid to Ministers of State within the Antigua and Barbuda Government.

He will also be exempt from duties and other charges on the importation of personal items.

The Master Blaster will also not be required to pay property taxes on the house he owns and will be allowed a duty-free car every seven years.

If needed, he will be provided a driver and a home helper to be paid by the Treasury. (Sportsmax)

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

See Page 23

Michael Anthony cops two first-place finishes at last weekend’s Linden Games.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018