Guyana Chronicle E-paper 1-18-2020 by Guyana Chronicle

SATURDAY 18th January, 2020

' No.105883

ERC probing 12 complaints of discrimination

Guyana welcomed the start of first oil with fireworks at the Kitty Seawall on Friday night (Vishani Ragobeer photo)

…received 61 in 2019; some matters before DPP, police

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GFC to advertise revoked, surrendered concessions 17 PAGE

Sharma Solomon wows Amelia's Ward residents -- new health centre soon to be commissioned there

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Guyana celebrates first oil SEE PAGE 03

–– first one million barrels of crude from Stabroek Block leaves Guyana this weekend

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, January 18, 2020

ERC probing 12 complaints of discrimination …received 61 in 2019; some matters before DPP, police

A TOTAL of 61 complaints in relation to racial or eth-

nic and religious discrimination have been received

by the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) in 2019

and 44 of these have been brought to a closure. At a press conference at the Cara Lodge on Friday, it was noted that 12 of these complaints are still being reviewed by the commission’s sub-committee; five remain active and some are presently before the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the police. The commission did not state whether the matters before the police and the DPP are in relation to remarks or actions made on the political campaign trail. However, Commissioner Norris Witter assured the media that of the 44 complaints already dealt with, none has met the level for which prosecution is warranted and the ERC would not hesitate in the case that any such arises. “We have not and will not avoid proceeding to prosecution if any complaint before us, having been thoroughly investigated, suggests that it is of that gravamen that it requires prosecution,” he stated firmly. In remarks to the gathering, ERC Chair, Dr. John Smith, established that the commission remains concerned about the use of language which can be considered as “combative and disrespectful” and, in some cases, even threatening. Article 212 (d) of the Constitution arms the commission with the authority to

function as a body which regulates equality of opportunity amongst the different races and promotes harmony and good relations among people. With the first quarter of 2020 being one which will be politically charged, Dr. Smith said that the commission, through its Monitoring Unit, will continue to monitor various public meetings and related media coverage. He reminded that some actions and utterances can constitute as offences under the Representation of the People Act and the Racial Hostility Act, and will not be taken lightly by the commission. “The ERC firmly believes that those actions and utterances are counter-productive to the valiant efforts being made to foster unity and harmony. Those have no place in our society and restraint from all sides is urged while tolerance and respect for each other are encouraged,” he stated. Just recently, the commission has publically accepted the apology of University of Guyana (UG) Student, Brian Kayume, for his use of racist slurs against the Afro-Guyanese community back in November. The acceptance came subsequent to Kayume being summoned by the ERC for a meetings and his apology through the media to those he would have offended.

Local Christian Disc Jockey (DJ), Kester Deane, was also made to meet with the ERC and publically apologise in December 2019, after he made a social media post which suggested that Hinduism was somewhat responsible for a number of social issues plaguing the country. In its efforts to encourage tolerance and mutual respect, the commission has long embarked on a sensitisation campaign which includes the recent launch of its movie, ‘I am Us’ and its ‘Let Harmony Come In’ song, both which encourage Guyanese to live in unity. Over the year, the commission has also visited several regions of the country, engaging various communities and stakeholder agencies to ascertain the unique issues which affect them. A total of 1,544 persons were engaged by the ERC in 2019 and 602 in 2018. Moving forward, the commission has promised to work with all stakeholders to deliver on its mandate even as it encourages members of the media and public to do their part by inspiring national harmony and good relations amongst all peoples.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday January 18, 2020

Guyana celebrates first oil --first one million barrels of crude from Stabroek Block leaves Guyana this weekend

THE Yannis P, a Marshall Islands-registered crude oil tanker will this weekend lift the first one million barrels of crude from the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, according to Liam Mallon, President of Exxon Mobil upstream oil and gas. He made this disclosure on Friday night at a cocktail party at the Marriott Hotel to celebrate ‘first-oil’. Guyana’s official celebration of first oil coincides with the first lift from the Liza Destiny. Mallon said that along with the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, there are four more drilling vessels drilling, and a fleet of 20 vessels supporting them. He gave credit to everyone involved in the process. “One of these drill ships, they are about the size of a football field, or in Guyana, a cricket field. They are huge, and the bridge is a hi-tech area where they keep this drill ship positioned at 2,000 meters to within the circle of probably a couple of meters. But we were up there, and we were talking to the crew, and they said that was the most absolutely stunning thing to them. And this crew has been here for four years,” Mallon said, adding: “They said four years ago when we looked at the radar, we would see maybe every now and again a ship going past. But now, it’s like a city lit up at night; it’s incredible.” The senior Exxon official said that after 35 years of

Acting Prime Minister Khemraj Ramjattan; ExxonMobil Country Manager, Rod Henson; and Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman at the first oil cocktail at the Marriott Hotel

Liam Mallon, President of Exxon Mobil upstream oil and gas addressing the gathering at the Marriott Hotel

being involved in the oil and gas sector, it is an emotional event. “To see our people in action, to see what they do every day, to observe how they do it, and the incredible way they do it with such passion is for me inspirational,” Mallon said. He said one has to be extremely lucky to be part of the oil and gas industry. “I just can’t express what it’s like to have the opportunity to be a part if this. But the people of this country, with the partners, with our contractors, with our employees, this is a unique opportunity. And I would seriously encourage you to dwell on it as that. And it’s the first ever of many to come in the country,” Mallon said. Exxon’s performance in Guyana, he said, was above the

average industry performance. “The average time in water of this depth, from discovery to first oil, is nine years. This was done in five,” Mallon said, adding: “Not only was it done in five, and those benefits directly accrued to the people of Guyana and the government and those in partnership. But it was done safely, and it was done below the cost we expected when we first started.” GREAT PARTNERSHIP The success, he said, resulted from a great partnership with all stakeholders. “I have never seen a team that has pulled together like this,” he said. The project team was compelled to initiate first oil within a specified framework, although the industry

benchmark was double. “But if we put people on the moon; we can put first oil in Guyana in three years. You got to set an aspirational goal, and this team has more than stood up to that aspiration,” Mallon said. He said this is only the first of many exciting milestones to come. Acting Prime Minister Khemraj Ramjattan said first oil in Guyana is a moment of great national pride. “It is a time for deep reflection and serious leadership,” he said, adding: “Up to this moment and beyond requires tremendous investment from everyone involved. We Guyanese must rise to that challenge by working collaboratively with world-class companies like Exxon and partners.” He said that very few nations will have the opportunity to witness and experience what Guyana will have now and in the future. Guyana has passed 11 pieces of legislation and regulations to prepare for first oil. “These important documents of policy and law support all stakeholders, in order to realise certainty and the best value for the people of this great nation in the shortest possible time, Minister Ramjattan said. “Undoubtedly, we could not be celebrating first oil without a truly herculean effort of all involved,” he added. Dr. Mark Bynoe, Director of the Department of Energy, said that ever since 1750, Dutch explorers have sought to find petrochemicals in Guyana, and after generations of Guyanese and 20 companies looking for oil, that “dream” has been finally realised. President and General Manager of ExxonMobil’s Esso Exploration and Production Guyana, Rod Henson said that reaching this milestone of production is the culmination of strong partnerships working together. “With 15 discoveries to date, and ongoing exploration and development, we are continuing to partner with Guyana to develop its oil and gas resources in a responsible and mutually beneficial way, so that our activities have a positive impact on the people of this country,” Henson said. ExxonMobil initiated oil and gas exploration activities in 2008, and in May 2015, the company announced it had discovered oil in commercial quantities at the Liza 1 well.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

Clinton prosecutor Ken Starr to defend Trump in impeachment (BBC) US President Donald Trump’s defence team in his Senate trial will include special prosecutors from President Bill Clinton’s impeachment. He will be represented by Ken Starr and Robert Ray, who investigated Mr Clinton, and Alan Dershowitz, whose past clients include OJ Simpson. White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Mr Trump’s personal lawyer Jay Sekulow will lead the team. Opening statements in the Trump impeachment trial will begin next week. Who are the Clinton prosecutors? Mr Starr was the US Department of Justice indepen-

dent counsel who investigated the Whitewater affair, a scandal-plagued mid-1980s land venture in Arkansas involving Bill and Hillary Clinton. The inquiry ultimately uncovered unrelated evidence that Mr Clinton had been having an affair with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. The investigation culminated in the Democratic president’s impeachment by the US House of Representatives in 1998. Mr Clinton was acquitted by the Senate. Mr Ray succeeded Mr Starr as the independent counsel. Ms Lewinsky tweeted on Friday shortly after Mr Trump’s team was announced: “This is definitely an ‘are you kidding

Ken Starr, Pam Bondi and Alan Dershowitz have joined the president’s defence team

me?’ kinda day”, though she inserted an expletive. In 2016, Mr Starr was forced out of his position as president of Baylor University after an inquiry found the school had mishandled rape accusations against its football players. He later also resigned from his roles as chancellor and law professor at the university. Who is Alan Dershowitz? Mr Dershowitz is a retired Harvard University law professor and constitutional law

expert whose past celebrity clients have also included boxer Mike Tyson. He told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that he had spoken to the president on Wednesday about the impeachment case. “I agreed to do it as an independent constitutional scholar,” Mr Dershowitz said. “I take no position on the politics - just on the constitution.” He added he was “very, very concerned” about the precedent this impeachment could

SATURDAY JANUARY 18, 2020 - 12:00hrs

establish. “It could weaken the presidency and weaponise impeachment as a partisan tactic,” he said. Mr Dershowitz said in a statement that he had also opposed Mr Clinton’s impeachment, and voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. The president sought Mr Dershowitz’s advice, too, during the 2017-19 special counsel investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US presidential election. Mr Dershowitz and Mr Starr both represented disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein during his 2008 abuse trial. Axios reported that some White House officials were against Mr Dershowitz joining the team, given his ties to Mr Epstein. On Friday, the president shared Mr Dershowitz’s comments criticising a Government Accountability Office ruling that the White House had broken the law by withholding aid to Ukraine. Who else is on the legal team?Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has also been asked to join the team. Mrs Bondi, a longtime Trump ally, joined the White House communications team last November to focus on “proactive impeachment messaging”. The president’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, a central figure in the Ukraine investigation, had also hoped to

join the defence, but he did not make the cut. Mr Giuliani told CBS he might be called as a witness in the impeachment trial and “understood this may happen if I uncovered the 2016 Ukrainian corruption”. He was apparently referring to a discredited theory that Ukraine intervened in the last White House election. One of Mr Giuliani’s associates, Ukrainian-American businessman Lev Parnas, has said he went to Ukraine to pressure local officials on behalf of Mr Trump and Mr Giuliani. Mr Trump’s allies have rubbished Mr Parnas’ claims, pointing out that he is facing unrelated campaign finance charges. Why was Trump impeached? Mr Trump was impeached by the US House of Representatives last month on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Democrats have accused him of withholding military aid to Ukraine to pressure the country into investigating his political rival, former US Vice-President Joe Biden. Mr Trump denies the claims, and calls the impeachment proceedings a partisan “hoax”. The Republican president now faces a trial in the Senate, which must decide whether to remove him from office. As his Republican party holds a majority in the upper chamber, he is expected to be acquitted.

Saturday January 11, 2020

06 11 12 19 25 27 15

January 17, 2020

8 11, 14, 23, 12, 24

2, 0, 6

1, 8, 5

03, 05, 10, 15, 16

10 12 13 15

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

Brazil’s culture minister fired after echoing Goebbels (BBC) Brazil’s culture minister has been sacked after using parts of a speech by Nazi Germany’s propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels in a video, sparking outrage. In the clip posted on the ministry’s Twitter page, Roberto Alvim detailed an award for “heroic” and “national” art. Lohengrin by Wagner, Hitler’s favourite composer, played in the background. Earlier, Mr Alvim said the now-deleted video was a “rhetorical coincidence”. Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro said the speech had been “unfortunate”. “I reiterate our rejection of totalitarian and genocidal ideologies, such as Nazism and communism, as well as any inference to them. We also

The minister said his speech was a “rhetorical coincidence”

express our full and unrestricted support for the Jewish community, of which we’re friends and share many common values,” the president said on Twitter. In the six-minute video detailing the National Arts Awards, Mr Alvim said: “The

Brazilian art of the next decade will be heroic and will be national, will be endowed with great capacity for emotional involvement... deeply linked to the urgent aspirations of our people, or else it will be nothing.”

Parts of it were identical to a speech quoted in the book Joseph Goebbels: A Biography, by German historian Peter Longerich, who has written several works on the Holocaust. “The German art of the next decade will be heroic, it will be steely-romantic, it will be factual and completely free of sentimentality, it will be national with great pathos and binding, or it will be nothing.” Goebbels led the Ministry of Enlightenment and Propaganda, designed to brainwash people into obeying the Nazis and idolising leader Adolf Hitler. Its methods included censorship of the press and control of radio broadcasts, as well as control of culture and arts. In a post on his Facebook page, Mr Alvim, a theatre di-

rector who was appointed to the ministerial post last year, said “the left was doing a fallacious remote association” between the two speeches, and that “there was nothing wrong with his sentence”. “The whole speech was based on a nationalistic ideal for the Brazilian art and there was a coincidence with ONE sentence of a speech by Goebbels. I didn’t quote him and I’d NEVER do it... But the sentence itself is perfect.” Later, in a second post, he said “the speech had been written from various ideas linked to nationalist art that had been brought by his advisers”. He did not comment on the music that played in the video in any of his posts. Among those who called

for him to be fired was the Speaker of the lower house of Brazil’s Congress, Rodrigo Maia, who said Mr Alvim had “gone beyond all limits” with an “inacceptable” video. The Brazilian Israelite Confederation said: “To emulate [Goebbels’] view... is a frightening sign of his vision of culture, which must be combated and contained.” It called for Mr Alvim’s immediate removal, adding: “Brazil, which sent brave soldiers to combat Nazism on European soil, doesn’t deserve it.” Mr Bolsonaro, a former army captain with a conservative social agenda, has frequently accused Brazil’s artists and cultural productions including schoolbooks and movies of “left-wing bias”.

Panama: Seven people found dead after suspected exorcism (BBC) The bodies of seven people have been found in a mass grave in an indigenous area of Panama where members of a religious sect were believed to be performing exorcisms, officials say. The victims included a pregnant woman, 32, and five of her children, aged one to 11. The sixth was a neighbour, 17. Fifteen other people were freed. Ten people have been arrested on suspicion of murder. The suspects and all victims were thought to belong to the Ngäbe-Buglé indigenous community. The grave was discovered after three villagers escaped and made their way to a local hospital last weekend, prosecutor Rafael Baloyes said. They then alerted authorities about several families being held by an indigenous-run sect. On Wednesday, police raided the community, located in a jungle region in north-west Panama some 250km (155 miles) from the capital Panama City. “They were performing a ritual inside the structure. In that ritual, there were people being held against their will, being mistreated,” said Mr Baloyes. “All of these rites were aimed at killing them if they didn’t repent their sins”. nside the makeshift church, officers found a naked woman, machetes, knives and a ritually sacrificed goat, Mr Baloyes said. The site was controlled by

a religious sect called the New Light of God, believed to have been operating in the region for about three months. According to Mr Baloyes,

controversial, in part due to its depiction in popular culture and horror films. In an article about exorcism for The Conversation academic

Paramedics evacuate one of the 15 people who were rescued

the kidnapping and torture started last Saturday after one of the members claimed to have received “a message from God”. The victims were then kidnapped from their homes, beaten and killed. The suspects, who include a minor, are expected to appear in court on Friday or Saturday. One of them is the father of the pregnant woman found in the grave, located some 2km from the makeshift church. Those rescued had bodily injuries and reportedly included at least two pregnant women and some children. What is exorcism? Exorcism is a religious or spiritual ritual carried out to supposedly cure people of demonic possession. It remains

website, Helen Hall, a lecturer at Nottingham Law School,

says the practice “signifies freeing a place, person or even object from some form of negative spiritual influence”. Beliefs and rituals of a similar description “are found in almost all cultures and faith traditions”, writes Ms Hall, who is also an Anglican priest. Exorcism, meaning “oath” in Greek, is still widely practised today, most frequently in Christian and Islamic settings. It has “proved to be a dark yet enduring feature of Catholic culture”, Francis Young writes in A History of Exorcism in Catholic Christianity. In 2018, about 250 priests from 50 countries attended the Vatican’s annual exorcism course amid increasing

demand for exorcisms among some of the world’s Catholic communities. In the Catholic Church, exorcisms are performed by trained priests who recite prayers and excerpts from the Bible intended to drive out demonic entities. Catholic Online says a possessed person may be bound as the priest traces the sign of the cross over them and sprinkles them with holy water.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

Chairmanship of G77… FOLLOWING the election of the administration led by Brigadier David Granger in 2015, it has become evident that there is increasing confidence in the APNU+AFC coalition’s ability to administer Guyana’s affairs. This fact is beyond any doubt. Local entrepreneurs are investing in new business ventures; existing businesses are expanding, and as a result, jobs are being created. Guyanese in the Diaspora are expressing interest in returning to these shores, and, maybe, have already started to come back to the country of their birth. Perhaps, more significant is the fact that the international community has clearly started to recognise Guyana as a respectable, responsible, and capable participant and leader on the world-

stage. This is a new, positive development, of which all Guyanese should be proud. Most recently, Guyana has been elected to the chairmanship of the United Nations (UN) Group of 77 (G77). This is a remarkable accomplishment, and a clear and unequivocal demonstration of the confidence that the international community now places in our country. The G77 is a UN-based organisation which was established in 1964 by a group of 77 developing countries, hence the organisation’s name. Since then, additional countries have joined the group, of which there are currently 134 official members. China, which does not consider itself an official member, nevertheless, fully supports the objectives of the G77, and renders significant

Growing confidence in Guyana

assistance in various forms. As such, the organisation is usually referred to as the ‘G77+China.’ The G77 is an important organisation which was formed and designed to promote its members’ collective economic interests, and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the UN. The G77 supports global disarmament, and is working to foster and promote a ‘new international economic order.’ That economic order has as its core value the eradication of poverty. Obviously, chairmanship of such a vital organisation is quite a tribute to any country. And that tribute was bestowed upon Guyana on January 15. The chairmanship of the G77 is rotated annually. The previous Chair, Palestine, represented by that territory’s

Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister Riyad al-Malki, passed the chairmanship of the Group to Guyana for the year 2020 at a ceremony held at the UN Headquarters in New York. Guyana was represented at the ceremony by Prime Minister Mr. Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Karen Cummings. In attendance was United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. In a public statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “For Guyana’s part, during its chairmanship, which coincides with the United Nations 75th anniversary and its National Republic Jubilee, the country is committed to endeavour to strengthen multilateralism for the benefit of all developing countries, including

by presiding over global sustainable development and climate change negotiations, and efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation.” There are numerous other examples of increasing confidence in the David Granger government, in Guyana generally, and the administration’s economic management specifically. Another example is the fact that a delegation of 16 companies from Jamaica will be coming to Guyana from this month, with the aim of forming business-to-business connections with local companies. President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer, said that the visit is being organised by GCCI, with the assistance of CARICHAM, a private sec-

tor-led Caribbean Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, GCCI is expecting a delegation from Finland, which also has similar interests in the private sector or diplomatic missions. Clearly, the David Granger administration’s work and reputation has elevated Guyana’s local and international status, and raised the perception and reality of our country’s reputation. We are now respected worldwide. Of course, all right-thinking Guyanese would want that respect to continue and be enhanced, and the only way to ensure that is to allow President Granger to continue his work, as we work hand-in-hand with the government to achieve our developmental goals.

Nascimento is tendentious, cunning and calculating Dear Editor,

CHRISTOPHER “Kit” Nascimento is still trying to bully NCN to prove his case. He has sent another letter, published on January 17, 2020, on what he called the matter of media broadcast coverage, particularly NCN. Christopher “Kit” Nascimento is tendentious, cunning and calculating. You only have to look at the timing of the letters. His colleagues will pen other letters, perhaps even on the tone of my response and what a media entity ought to do. I reject that the letters

were on media broadcast coverage in general. They were all directed to and focused on NCN and me. “Kit” even called a newspaper editor, demanding why I was allowed to respond to his letter before it was published. This Pharaoh of Fairness does not realise that, like Sisyphus, he’s pushing the boulder up the hill, and it’s really punishment. He is such a good Public Relations czar, though he probably thinks he’s doing a good task. Once again, “Kit” displays his contemptuous approach, indicating what he thinks the Chairman of NCN should say on the issue. Af-

ter all, “Kit” has positioned himself as the national arbiter of all matters of communications and information. He goes on to condescendingly refer to how he regards me as a “professional”, but, note the language used “both when he (Woolford) worked under me (Nascimento) and since”. As Chairman/CEO of NCN, Capitol News and before that, no one works “UNDER” (my emphasis) me, they all work WITH me. In his response, he continues to use various adjectives to describe what he thinks is a particular type of coverage with which he is more familiar. Remember, I worked

with Kit; he never got under my skin. Not then; not now. NCN, as media entity, has maintained a completely different line from Nascimento’s time in the field. NCN’s coverage over the last four years is different from the past. Nascimento says NCN must prove how it covered events. Mr. Nascimento “He who alleges, must prove!” Recall the days when Mr. Nascimento released word and column inch counts, broadcast duration counts. Mr. Christopher Nascimento has finally admitted what his real intention was, attention, specifically the attention of the “International

Community” and “Observers”. Just like how I know Mr. Nascimento, the International Community knows, and Guyanese have known Kit Nascimento going all the way back to February 16, 1962. Mr. Nascimento’s perception is not my or NCN’s Reality, or the Reality of the rest of the world for that matter. NCN’s coverage of the one event of the President making a speech was fair. It is not for Kit Nascimento to decide what “vests” the President with the authority to deliver the speech, or whether NCN should cover the President. Kit Nascimento was un-

aware that his reference to a 1949 Fairness Doctrine, abandoned more than thirty years ago in another jurisdiction, was not even applicable here in Guyana. The Contempt is clear. Christopher “Kit” Nascimento thinks that he has some divine right of a deity to invite GNBA or NCN to be at his beck and call. Oh the Apotheosis of Arrogance is patently on display. Regards, Enrico Woolford

It matters not whether this is conducted through the means of public broadcasting on the airwaves or network streaming Dear Editor, IN responding to both Tony Vieira and myself on the subject of broadcast coverage of the political parties contesting the elections, Mr. Enrico Woolford has indulged in ad hominem attacks on Vieira and myself, attacking the messenger rather than the message.

I suppose that this will impress the party faithful but it does not address the issue at hand. Tony Vieira, Kit Nascimento and Enrico Woolford are not the issue. The issue is that both of the state-owned and operated media, the National Communications Network (NCN) and the

Guyana Chronicle, are being used by government for political propaganda purposes and this is patently obvious to even the casual observer. In the period of a general election this is particularly pernicious. In the case of broadcasting which is supposed to be regulated by the Guyana

National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) to serve the public interest and convenience, it is particularly offensive and is in violation of the licence under which NCN is governed. As I have stated in my letter, “a general election would be neither free nor fair if a contesting party is unfairly

denied access to the broadcast media…or a particular party is favoured access to the broadcast media.” The fact remains that the assets of NCN are being used to favour coverage of the APNU+AFC political rallies by comparison with the PPP/C. It matters not whether this is conducted through the means of

public broadcasting on the airwaves or network streaming. It is wrong, it is indefensible and it should attract the attention of the GNBA and GECOM who are ultimately responsible for the conduct of a free and fair election. Regards, Kit Nascimento

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

Grand corruption under PPP stagnated Guyana’s development for 23 years ??Dear Editor, Dr. Sam Sittlington, the British former adviser to SOCU in an invited comment to Kaieteur News on the issue of grand corruption is reported to have said that from his experience in working with SOCU and interacting with other crime fighting agents that key records that are needed to support the allegations of corruption are either locked away, burnt or missing. I am a medical doctor by training hence in no stretch of my academic learning would I consider myself a specialist in this area. As a result, to compose this letter, I did some research and reading to develop a better but in no way specialist, understanding of it. In Guyana, the nebulous term corruption is frequently used. The fact is that corruption is just an umbrella and ambiguous term used by many since corruption can present itself in many forms. For example, the police officer who may take a small bribe to turn blind eye to a crime isn’t in any shape or form grand corruption. For all intents and purposes, that is petty corruption. On the other hand grand corruption can be looked at as corruption occurring at the highest levels of government which has implications politically, legally and economically. Such corruption is commonly in countries with authoritarian

governments but also in those without adequate policing of corruption. To explore this in a little more detail, I will attempt to explain with my understanding of the subject matter, the concept we call government. In Guyana, like most countries, the government is divided into legislative, executive and judicial branches. In the ideal world, these branches should work independently with mutual oversight to reduce the chance of corruption. Basically, it is like three brothers keeping an eye on each other to ensure the cookie jar is not violated. Grand corruption also comes under the umbrella term white collar crimes. White collar crimes are notoriously difficult to successfully prosecute because of the nature of the perpetrators who are invariably highly intelligent, very powerful and know how to conceal the evidence. Therefore investigation of grand corruption requires specialist investigators that are not readily available in most third world countries including Guyana. Even in first world countries, like Britain where all of the skills are available, investigating and successfully prosecuting of grand corruption is very difficult. In third world countries like Guyana, this is nigh impossible since the evidence is either locked away, burnt or missing as alluded to by Dr. Shillington along with the absence of the

prerequisite investigatory personnel. As a result what Dr. Shillington was describing is not unique to Guyana. So Jagdeo, cockily boast of no successful prosecution of corruption, that does not mean the crimes were not committed. To use the common cliche, the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. The proceeds of corruption are there for all to see. Irfaan Ali’s mansion and swimming pool after being a Government minister for only two years. Jagdeo’s Hollywood type mansion. The mansions of former PPP ministers in Pradoville 1 and 2. And many more. This is the face of corruption. They live in mansions with swimming pools, sport bars and gyms while you live in shacks in shantytowns. As a result, grand corruption should concern us all since it will impact all of us. When fraudulent Ministers and Presidents siphon off and hide billions of dollars to secret bank accounts then that is billions that could have been spent to build roads, to build schools, to build bridges, to provide a meal for less fortunate kids in school, to build hospitals, to invest in hospital service, to employ more health care professional, to buy desperately needed pharmaceutical, to provide wage increases for staff ect. No government is perfect. All countries will have some degree of corruption. The key is to take steps to address and

minimise it e.g money laundering laws that this Government introduced. President Granger’s Government, like all world government is not perfect. Having said that, the evidence is there for all to see, on the steps this government has taken to address the cancer of grand corruption which was pervasive under the PPP Government. Under this Government Guyana’s has risen to it’s highest ranking in the corruption index. Moving from the mid 130’s to the mid 90’s in four years. A record climb since the corruption index was first introduced. Also the international community is glowing in the praises of Mr. Granger on his Government work to reduce corruption. Even the EU is getting into the act and moved Guyana from the blacklisted countries. The product of this reduce corruption is being enjoyed by you. Public servants have recently enjoyed a 75% increase in their wages. Minimum wage has nearly doubled in four years. A record number of infrastructure projects which I will address later. The hard fact is that under the PPP the corrupt ministers were taking your money out of your pockets and bank accounts. It is for this reason that I will now outline the second instalment of 20 projects completed by this Government in 2019. My first instalment covered regions 1&2. This instalment will cover regions 3&4. Remem-

ber our magic number is 100 completed projects in 2019. It is my wish that you peruse them to determine if the APNU-AFC Government is working for the whole of Guyana with everyone having a slice of the small pie. Second 20 completed projects in 2019 21. New sea defence to protect Leguan($627M) 22. Over 8,000 lots to be handed over to local authorities 23. Massive roadworks in Wakenaam($60M) 24. Land and Surveys Office for Region 3 ($37M) 25. Hubu water woes over($2M) 26. Parika drainage canal excavated($11M) 27. Pump station to alleviate flooding at Den Amstel(230M) 28. Police Station for La Parfaite Harmonie($65M) 29. Schoonord Learning Center($28.5M) 30. Westminster Secondary-a flagship institution for Region 3( $1Billion) 31. Security Command Centre($84M) 32. New central supply medical bond($539M) 33. Annex for Diamond MMU($161M) 34. Dormitory for Tertiary Hinterland students open($186M) 35. CPCE science lab upgrade($50M) 36. Golden Grove Secondary overhaul($170M)

37. E-library at North Georgetown Secondary($10.5M) 38. Children and family centre to protect the vulnerable($220M) 39. Potable water for Timehri North($43M) 40. New homes for Broad/Lambert street residents I will repeat. Corrupt politicians take monies out of your bank account and pocket. They deprive your family and your kids. It is critical that you factor this into your equation when casting your ballot. The choice is as clear as day. Do you wish to have another corrupt PPP government or an APNU-AFC government that will continue to drain the swamp of PPP corruption? Regards Dr. Mark Devonish MBBS MSc Med. Ed FRCP (Edin) FRCP(UK) Consultant Acute Medicine Nottingham University Hospital UK

ment for political propaganda purposes and this is patently obvious to even the casual observer. In the period of a general election this is particularly pernicious. In the case of broadcasting which is supposed to be regulated by the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) to serve the public interest and

convenience, it is particularly offensive and is in violation of the licence under which NCN is governed. As I have stated in my letter, “a general election would be neither free nor fair if a contesting party is unfairly denied access to the broadcast media…or a particular party is favoured access to the broadcast media.” The

fact remains that the assets of NCN are being used to favour coverage of the APNU+AFC political rallies by comparison with the PPP/C. It matters not whether this is conducted through the means of public broadcasting on the airwaves or network streaming. It is wrong, it is indefensible and it should attract

the attention of the GNBA and GECOM who are ultimately responsible for the conduct of a free and fair election. Regards, Kit Nascimento

PANCAP to host major confab in Guyana THE Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) is set to host the first meeting of the PANCAPCVC-COIN Technical Advisory Group for the Multi-Country Caribbean Global Fund on January 28. Under the theme “Sustainability of services for Key Populations in the Caribbean,” the meeting will take place at the CARICOM Secretariat, here in Guyana. In a statement on Thursday, PANCAP explained that the US$6.5M grant commenced on October 1, 2019, and is intended to provide sustainable HIV prevention, treatment and care services for key populations in the Caribbean Region. These populations include men who have sex with men (MSM), Sex workers and Transgender people, who are direct beneficiaries of the grant which will be shared by the following counties: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. “The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) is a regional, multi-sectoral body with a mandate to provide oversight to the PANCAP/CVC/COIN Global Fund Grant. That oversight includes ensuring that the implementation of the grant is focused,

efficient and flexible, i.e. the TAG ensures that the execution is focused on the right activities, for the right populations and in the right places, in accordance with the performance framework of the PANCAP/CVC/COIN Global Fund Grant,” PANCAP explained. According to Director of PANCAP, Dereck Springer, the upcoming meeting will provide TAG members with the opportunity to be oriented to the governance of the TAG, updated on the management of the grant and the implementation of activities including programmatic updates and information on disbursements. “Members will also elect a Chair and ViceChair who will be responsible for ensuring that the TAG fulfils its mandate,” the Director said, while adding that “bold and decisive leadership is needed to ensure that the implementation of the grant adequately addresses the sustainability of services for key populations.” The Director further underscored that the success of the grant is crucial to the Region’s HIV response as it aligns with PANCAP’s vision of an AIDS-free Caribbean, one in which Caribbean people are empowered to fulfil their potential and live happy, healthy and peaceful lives.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday January 18, 2020

Disability not a hindrance By W. Davidson

THERE are some people who are born with a disability while there are others who, due to some tragic accidents in their lives, are left disabled. But, for many of them, these challenges have only made them stronger. According to Stephen Hawking, “Disability needs not be an obstacle to success,” and a living testimony of the words is Noelle Ferreira-Hinds, 40, who the Guyana Chronicle encountered during a recent visit to the Moruca sub-region, in Region One (Barima-Waini). Noelle who lost her left leg in a vehicular accident in neighbouring Venezuela, can be seen daily hobbling along with her two crutches the sometimes steep inclines of the streets in Kumaka and Santa Rosa, with her partner, a national of Venezuela, selling pastries - pine-tarts, butter-flaps and coconut buns - earning a living. A mother of two children, ages 10 and eight years, Noelle told this publication that she cannot allow her disability to deny her from earning “a dollar”, since, in addition to maintaining herself, she has to care for her two children who live with her. She, like many other Guyanese, had been forced to flee neighbouring Venezu-

Noelle Ferreira-Hinds and partner display some of the pastries normally on sale

ela, some years ago, where she had a comfortable life, and return to her homeland, due to the economic hardship that country now faces. Noelle related that she first left Guyana when she was about five years old with her mother, Elizabeth Perreira, who was then a teacher at the Santa Rosa Primary School. She fondly remembers visiting Guyana when she

was 12 years and 17-yearsold, returning to Venezuela at age 18. However, misfortune met her when she was involved in a car crash in Venezuela. Noelle has been in the country of her birth about eight months now, and according to her, an uncle has offered her accommodation until she ‘gets back on her feet’. It is another reason why

she needs to earn some money, and, honestly too, she emphasised, adding that she was grateful that her children have been able to be integrated into the school system. Noelle who displays a pleasant disposition said, “the absence of a prosthetic leg and the terrain here make it hard work for me, but by God’s grace I will overcome.”

CARICOM Secretariat HQ going solar THE CARICOM Secretariat is moving towards 100 per cent renewable energy for its Headquarters Building in Georgetown Guyana, with construction of a Photovoltaic Power Generation System set to commence on Monday January 20, 2020. The project is part of a wider initiative called ‘The Introduction of Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation System in Guyana and CARICOM’, being financed by the Government of Japan, the secretariat said in a release Friday. The Project will include the installation of a 400-kilowatt solar photovoltaic power generator to provide electricity to the secretariat building; a battery and power conditioning system for energy storage and power quality regulation, and an advanced building energy management system to, among other things, provide air conditioning controls, track energy efficiency and indoor air quality. The implementation phase is set to run from January to August and commissioning is scheduled for September. On completion,

the secretariat expects its headquarters building to derive 100 per cent of its energy from solar-based sources on a majority of its operating days. The project design is linked to the CARICOM Energy Policy and the regional strategy for sustainable energy. It’s expected that the project will be a forerunner to the type of transformation that will happen in Member States, as part of the energy transition. Monday’s Ground-Breaking Ceremony will feature remarks by CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque; Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings; Japan’s Ambassador to Guyana and CARICOM, H.E. Mr. Tatsuo Hirayama; Japan International Cooperation Agency’s Chief Representative to the Caribbean, Mr. Tsutomi Kobayashi, and CARICOM’s Deputy Secretary-General and Chair of the CARICOM Secretariat’s Energy Committee, Ambassador Manorma Soeknandan.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday January 18, 2020

Reg. Five completed work programme before end of 2019 - REO Morrison --In spite of opposition non-cooperation

THE Region 5 (Mahaica-Berbice) administration has completed its work programme for 2019, even in the face of attempts to stymie the developmental projects. According to the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Ovid Morrison, they were able to ensure that services were more accessible to residents while maximising the resources available. “The Mahaica-Berbice Region ought to be tremendously proud of what we achieved because the entire opposition section of our region has opposed every single programme that we brought forth and had it not been for the people from the 10 NDCs and the populace of the region we would not have been able to achieve what we did in 2019,” Morrison revealed. He added that having completed its work programme the regional administration also embarked on other projects with savings garnered from the budget. “We established two new cottage facili-

ties, what you would call health centres with modern facilities. We were able to modernise the Mahaicony Hospital where we can now deal with emergencies and even after-surgery care while at the same time we are in a position to stabilise the person before we take them to the respective wards.” In the education sector, the renovations were done to the Bygeval Secondary School at the cost of $11Million and the Belladrum Secondary School at a cost $12Million. Concerning the work of the local government bodies in the region, the REO explained that the regional administration assisted the NDCs with roads in their respective areas. “Through capital funding, the regional administration was able to acquire the equipment necessary to assist with road maintenance. So, during 2019, we asked the NDCs from their subventions to purchase the stone, asphalt or the tar and we will send the equipment and the technical people to help in repairing the

respective streets in the area.” Meanwhile, in the agriculture sector, the region’s model farm had set the benchmark in terms of its production capacity and overall benefits to the Mahaica-Berbice area. Region 5 has been a major supplier of produce to other regions while remaining self-sufficient. Additionally, other persons involved in cash-crop farming or maintaining kitchen gardens were continually engaged through the model farm project Morrison said. He disclosed that “….Also, we go beyond that; we try to teach through our farm project how we can actually utilise the produce that cannot be marketed, signalling the implementation of our pig industry. So those items that cannot go to the market, the piggery would utilise that.” Morrison said the 2019 budget of $3.7Billion was fully utilised and they were looking ahead to continued progress in the region. (DPI)

Regional Executive Officer, Mahaica – Berbice, Ovid Morrison

Aranaputa farmer unfazed by his disability THIRTY-FOUR year old Rocliffe Rodrigues lost one of his legs several years ago but the father of three still climbs onto his horse and leads his cattle, sheep and other animals to their pens. The young man was enrolled in the Hinterland Employment Youth Service (HEYS) programme of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs in 2019, and, with the support of his wife, he was able to expand his farm. Rodrigues and his wife own a growing animal farm in Aranaputa, North Rupununi. They possess 7 heads of cows, 106 sheep, 20 pigs, a duck farm and several horses. According to the ministry, the young man says he’s proud of all his accomplishments since participating in the youth program in 2019.

He was able to defy the odds, and, together with his wife, the man has created a sustainable livelihood for his family. The enthusiastic farmer revealed that, in the earlier stages of getting his business off the ground, the business faced its fair share of challenges, but with support, he was able to come this far. He said his biggest fear was the fact that he has one leg which caused great uncertainty as it related to his ability to grow his business since the negative forces were prevalent, compounded by an illness that was plaguing his animals, proper housing and fencing for protection. Credit he says, must be given to a villager who saw his potential and kept encouraging him to continue and not give up. “I wanted to give up, sheep getting sick, some going to people house and eat up deh

Aranaputa, North Rupununi farmer Rocliffe Rodrigues at his farm recently.

things, so I decided to sell out and kill and sell and done with dah, but I reach this man and he told me to never give up and to this day he always tell me that. It was very hard but I still coming through and I am proud of myself because I have my own farm,” he said confidently. He added that he realised that “life doesn’t end there, you got to do what you got to do, do it like a man so not because I got a one foot I can’t do it, I never giving up.” He said “in the next ten years I see myself as a big, big businessman I want no less than five thousand sheep, my own butcher shop, couple hundred heads of cows you know, I have to know how to set myself.” Rodrigues also revealed that only last year, he was able to dig a well on his farm and it will ensure his animals have enough water all year round. Speaking about the opportunities HEYS has afforded him and hundreds of others countrywide, Rodrigues posited that “the HEYS program was more than just a stipend, today plenty

people out there want this opportunity and can’t get it. Plenty of them from here fall away and them well and strong and watch at one foot.” On the other hand, he said his personal development also comes with its fair share of challenges since “some people vex that I making it now you know, even some of my own friends they saying one foot getting rich and now he turning a snitch, but I doing what I got to do, that is my first priority.” He said he is thankful for the support he continues to receive from his wife and the wider community and more so “the government for giving us this opportunity.” Like Rodrigues, the HEYS program also provided opportunities to the differently abled across the hinterland and many have shared life-changing testimonies on the positive impact the program continues to make in their lives. The HEYS Program which is now deemed a movement, has seen close to four thousand youths benefit, and there are already plans for a third cohort in 2020 which will target four thousand youths.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday January 18, 2020

Aruwai GM under Police speed guns, breathalysders to be verified in 2020 – GNBS investigation THE 29-year-old General Manager of Aruwai Resort is currently in police custody, for allegedly swindling the company of over $1.8 million dollars. Lucresha Charles of First Ally Hill Foot, Wismar, Linden, while being a clerk or servant of the resort at Track ‘A’ Buck Island, Mazaruni River, allegedly stole $1,816,190, between September 17, 2018, and December 19, 2019. Enquiries disclosed that Charles was hired to work as the general manager at the resort on September 17, 2018. It is alleged that Charles, while employed there, was authorised to void bills using an account only she had access to. On 17th December, 2019, the owner of Aruwai resort, Mr. Baboolall, authorised an audit be done at his establishment and sent Charles on administrative leave, for two weeks, pending investigations. The audit revealed that Charles had voided a total of 271 bills which valued over $1.8M. The Managing Director and Consultant at Aruawai resort, Mr. Dax Singh, contacted Charles on January 11, 2020, via email requesting an explanation for the voided bills and money not accounted for. The next day, Charles responded and explained why she voided the bills and stated that she had not stolen any money. On January 15, 2020, Charles was contacted by a police at Aruwai Resort where the allegation was levelled against her, and, under caution, she denied. Charles was escorted to Bartica Police Station where she was placed in custody pending investigation.

THE Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), this year, plans to commence the verification of speed guns and breathalyzers used by the Guyana Police Force and to expand the verification of moisture meters used in the rice industry. This is according to GNBS Public Relations Officer (PRO), Lloyd David. Additionally, he said the GNBS intends to fulfil its new role in the Oil and Gas Sector by witnessing the verification of custody transfer meters on the FPSO. David explained that the bureau anticipates that the finalised Metrology Bill approval will eventually replace the 1981 Weights and Measures Act. Regulations. He said the enactment of a new Metrology Act and the Regulations would be vital for the effective execution of Weights and Measures activities in Guyana, thus, ensuring a measurement system that would protect consumers and ensure equity in trade. The bureau, in 2019, verified 45,589 devices and visited

7,109 premises to ensure devices in use are up to standard. David said new devices verified during last year totalled 508 scales, 1323 masses, and 31,593 electricity meters. “These were newly imported or manufactured locally. The continued importation and manufacture of devices indicated that there was increased usage of devices in the marketplace. Further, the influx of new devices in trade can also be attributed to the replacement of old and defective devices by vendors and shopkeepers,” he noted. For devices already in use at shops, markets, supermarkets, manufacturing companies, rice mills, hospitals, airlines, post offices and the petroleum industry, David said a total of 6,332 scales, 12,347 masses, 19 measuring rules and 2,038 electricity meters were verified. In addition, the GNBS public relations officer said a total of 145 weighbridge scales, 1, 839 petrol pumps, 33 storage tanks, 149 tanker wagons and 264 bulk meters were verified. He explained that surveillance activities which in-

The verification of fuel pumps

volved the inspection of devices used at shops and markets countrywide to ensure that they were stamped and were in acceptable condition, were conducted during specific periods of 2019. During surveillance exercises, he said 552 scales, 159 masses and 15 measures were seized and removed because they were either inaccurate, unverified or in a deplorable

condition. In 2020, he said the GNBS intends to further streamline and expand its Weights and Measures Programme and work to ensure weights and measures services are fully available in all administrative regions of Guyana. This is also necessary to adequately meet the demands of stakeholders.

Duo moves to Appeal Court to have conviction and sentence overturned TWO men, who are currently serving a 75-year sentence for the 2013 murder of Enterprise businessman, Kumar Mohabir, have moved to the Appeal Court to have their conviction and sentencing overturned. In 2015, Devon Thomas, 22, and Randy Isaacs, 26, were found guilty

by a 12-member jury for the murder of Mohabir on February 23, 2013, (Mash Day) at Vlissengen Road, Georgetown. The sentence was handed down by Justice Navindra Singh at the Demerara High Court. In their application for appeal, the duo is contending that the trial judge

Devon Thomas

Randy Isaacs

erred in law in imposing on them such an unduly severe sentence. Another ground stated that the trial judge erred in law by usurping the discretion given to the Parole Board when he stated, in his sentencing of the appellants, when they would be eligible for parole. According to reports, on February 23, 2013, the Mohabir family were enjoying the Mashramani festivities at

DEAD Kumar Mohabir

Vlissengen Road, when a gang of youths attacked Kumar Mohabir and killed him, under the pretext that he had “mashed” the feet of one of them. Navendra Mohabir went to his brother’s rescue and was viciously attacked and suffered five serious incised wounds to his right hand Police investigations that followed led to the two accused being arrested and charged with murder.

Middle-aged security guard accused of rape remanded A 45-year-old security guard was, on Thursday, January 16, 2020, remanded to prison for allegedly raping a 13-yearold school girl. Sandy Fraser called ‘Bull Dog Adolph’ of Two Friends Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court and was not required to plead to the

charge. Particulars of the charge alleged that, Fraser, between October 4 and December, 31, 2016, engaged in sexual activity with the child, who was under the age of 16. Fraser was remanded to prison until January 28, 2020 and the matter was transferred to the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, January 18, 2020

Bartica a step closer to tertiary-level education

THE Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) is in the process of re-establishing a branch in Bartica to afford residents access to tertiary-level education. The lack of tertiary-level education in or even near Bartica has always had an effect on the town as it has, to some extent, hindered development there. Some residents told the Guyana Chronicle that the small town is affected by brain drain every year when a new batch of students exit the school system, since they are forced to move on from their hometown to pursue higher education. Many of these youths do not return to serve their town. What was pointed out too is that those who remain there would suffer from grave disadvantages with regards to upgrading their academic career. And as a result, the growth of a business or organisation is somewhat stifled because the employees

only have the knowledge and skills at the secondary school level. This issue will now be a thing of the past, as IDCE has heard the cries of the people who are longing for the opportunities in their home town. Last week, a team from the institute engaged teachers, past teachers, regional officials and officers to bring them up to speed with their plans. Coming out of a follow up engagement this week, it was confirmed that the programmes that will be available, will not be limited to those online. In fact, IDCE plans to put the necessary things in place to facilitate face-to-face classes. Some of these programmes are certificate programmes in areas such as Industrial Relations and Management, Marketing Management, Early Childhood I and Early Childhood II. Other programmes that will be available are Super-

IDCE's first engagement with the Bartica team that will be assisting in facilitating classes

visory Management, Project Management, Social Work, Human Resource Management, Web Application Development, Mobile Application Development, and the list is by no means exhausted. The Bartica correspondent, Kenneth Williams, told Guyana Chronicle that the regional authorities would have already approved the usage of the Bartica Resource Centre for the classes. He explained too that IDCE will be training teach-

ers, past teachers, and other qualified persons from right within the township, to be course lecturers. A regional official also said a large percentage of school dropouts and persons have not passed Maths and/or English. In that regard, IDCE has the Academic Upgrading Programme which covers core areas, Mathematics, English, Principles of Business, Principles of Accounts, Chemistry, Physics, and Electronic Document Prepa-

ration and Management. After completing the Academic Upgrading Programme, persons can apply to do any course they please, including those at the University of Guyana. “I am elated that our youths, young adults, single parents and many others will be given an opportunity to build their academic capacity and in other areas, develop entrepreneur skills. His Excellency has spoken extensively about the decade

of development. We believe our best response to his vision is to build our people so they can build our country. Therefore, the introduction of IDCE to Barticans is one of many initiatives intended to positively impact our people. Very soon, the Carnegie School of Home Economics will also be making their programmes available to us. Education, we believe, is like a lit bulb in a dark room. The effects are readily seen. As a result, we welcome this initiative and will apply the necessary support to ensure the sustainability of the programme,” Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall, said. The next step would be sensitisation, which will be done in the form of a career fair sometime next week, Williams said. Students and residents in the township will be able to learn about the programmes that they have available to them and take the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skill set.

Bartica gets first junior mayor, deputy

-- council ready for action in 2020 AFTER a heated but peaceful election process by the Junior Council in the boardroom of the Town Council on Wednesday, Bartica got its first junior mayor and deputy mayor. Last week, 18 junior councillors were selected from the Grades Six and Seven classes from the primary and secondary schools in the township. These councillors were given a chance to make individual presentations and three candidates were selected by a panel to run for the post of mayor and deputy mayor, based on their delivery. These three pupils were Marecka Caesar, Michael Joseph and Ciara Dowding. Marecka Caesar from High Achievers Academy and Michael Joseph of St. John the Baptist Primary, went neck to neck with votes, but Caesar outran Joseph by four votes, and was declared Junior Mayor of Bartica. Patterning the same process as Local Government Elections, the junior councillors voted using the secret ballot box. The process was repeated for the post of deputy mayor, of which Joseph and Dowding were the two options left, and Joseph was favoured and declared junior deputy mayor. It was a new and exciting experience for the children, one in which they handled like real politicians. These junior councillors are from

different schools, so most of them are not known to each other, as such, prior to the voting process, the candidates, particularly Caesar and Joseph, were seen working the room, engaging the other junior councillors, trying to win their vote. Witnessing this election

an early age. The new junior mayor, in her address, said that she will train to work along with the mayor and his staff to make Bartica a better place, including the schools. "I wish to let you know that I would like to live up to my school motto which

Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall, and Deputy Mayor, Arita Embleton, with the new junior mayor and deputy junior mayor

were Mayor, Gifford Marshall; Deputy Mayor, Arita Embleton; Town Clerk, Phebe Wallerson; Regional Education Officer (REO), Akbar Chindu; Assistant REO, and a few teachers, all of whom spoke highly of the initiative to involve the youths in local governance and democracy at

says, 'With God's love, I will always do my best'," Caesar said with much vigour. The town clerk said that the junior mayor and her council will receive their own budgetary allocation of which they will use to execute projects that they believe are needed in Bartica. Under the

Junior Mayor of Bartica, Marecka Caesar (right) with Junior Deputy Mayor, Michael Joseph

guidance of the mayor and his council, they will work together to execute these projects for the further enhancement and development of Bartica. Explaining the project and its aim, she said President David Granger’s vision is to have youth participate at the local level and be aware of the local government system. TURN TO PAGE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, January 18, 2020

‘ERC to ramp up monitoring’ …warns parties against sowing seeds of division’ …says code of conduct yet to be signed on to

By Lisa Hamilton THE Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has warned political parties contesting the 2020 General and Regional Elections against being “mechanisms for division” as, in the worst case, this could see them being charged and placed before the courts. As March 2, 2020 rapidly approaches, local political parties are climbing a steep ladder towards the peak of political campaigning of what has been dubbed the “mother of all elections” for the country. Ahead of the date, the ERC has deployed its Monitoring Unit which will be closely monitoring the media and will go as far as to attend public meetings. The commission has also asked parties to sign on to a Code of Conduct set to guide their behaviour but the initiative has not yet received the expected response.

On Friday at the Cara Lodge, the ERC held a press conference which updated the media on the incidents reported thus far, concerns of the commission and the steps it will take to address them. “As the campaigns for the various political parties continue in the run-up to the March 2, General and Regional Elections, the Ethnic Relations Commission remains concerned over reported incidents of intimidation and abuse meted out the party officials while they were engaged in activities to sensitise on political messages reflective of the parties they represent,” ERC Chairman, Dr. John Smith, said. “The commission is also concerned about the use of language that can be considered as combative and disrespectful to the point of even being threatening in some instances…the call for the upcoming elections to be transparent, free of hate, vio-

lence and racial or any other forms of incitement, is firmly reiterated.” He reminded the general public that the freedoms enshrined within the country’s Constitution allow each Guyanese the democratic right to freely associate with a political party of his/her choice. Meanwhile, ERC Commissioner, Norris Witter, told media operatives that the breaching of the Representation of the People Act and the Racial Hostility Act could result in fines, imprisonment and could even see a political party being removed from the political process by recommendation to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). However, the commissioners established that the current political situation is not at such a poor level, even as Witter reminded that whether mediation or prosecution is applied depends on the seriousness of the

complaint. Explaining this further, Commissioner Major-General (Ret'd), Norman Mclean said: “Our approach is that we want to resolve everything by mutual agreement. We don’t want prosecution as the main course of action so that everybody who does – however small a violation –that we will prosecute. We are looking to find peace, good order and harmony.” To re-establish its message, the commission has corresponded with the 11 political parties contesting in the elections, requesting that they give their input on a draft Code of Conduct crafted or sign-on if no objections exist. “We, as the Ethnic Relations Commission, have crafted one [a Code of Conduct] which we’ve sent to all the parties and I believe we only had one response. We’re still waiting [and] it’s still a work in progress in that regard,” Mclean said. “Certainly we have en-

Commissioner Major -General (Ret'd), Norman Mclean (Delano Williams photo)

ERC Commissioner, Norris Witter (Delano Williams photo)

gaged them and asked for them to be reasonable to understand that we don’t want confusion and we want to have tolerance; we want to have good, harmonious relations.” The commission is awaiting the outstanding responses at least by Monday, January 20, 2020. Meanwhile, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM); the Guyana National Broadcasting Agency (GNBA) and ERC had expressed plans to join efforts to monitor the country’s airways during the elections period. However, Sub-committee Chairman, Neaz Mo-

hamed Subhan updated that the ERC has engaged both agencies in this regard but there is yet to be a formal structure put in place. The ERC’s Code of Conduct is therefore separate from the pending collaboration. Questioned about the number of monitors at the ERC’s disposal, Subhan said that the figure is “adequate” and that these individuals are constantly being trained for improvement. Added to this, the ERC has applied to GECOM for accreditation as a local observer to monitor the Election Day process.

Miner charged with possession of marijuana remanded

ACTING Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, on Friday, January 17, 2020, remanded a 32-year-old miner to prison for possession of marijuana, for the purpose of trafficking. Lenox Jackman of Linden appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge, when it was read to him. Particulars of the charge stated that, on January 16, 2020, at Mabura, he had, in his possession, 658 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. Attorney-at-Law Stanley Moore, who represented Jackman, told the court that his client was walking when a truck drove up and he asked for a ‘drop’. There were also eight to nine persons in the said truck. Moore added that police stopped the truck, a search was conducted and nothing was found on his client nor in the haversack he was carrying. Police prosecutor objected to bail being granted to Jackman and told the court that, on the day in question, around 09:30 hours, a party of police were escorting prisoners and, while on the Mabura trail, Jackman was seen sitting at the roadside

Lenox Jackman

acting suspiciously. Minutes later, an officer confronted Jackman, when he was going to board the truck. The prosecutor added that a search was conducted on the haversack Jackman had in his possession and a blue t-shirt was found containing a black parcel with leaves, seeds and stems, suspected to be cannabis. Jackman was arrested and told of the offence. He admitted saying ‘officer is a lil hustle I doing’. Jackman was then taken to the McKenzie Police Station and was charged. Acting Chief Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus, after listening to the prosecutor and the lawyer, remanded Jackman to prison and adjourned the matter until January 27, 2020. The matter was transferred to the Linden Magistrates’ Court.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, January 18, 2020

Reputable companies among Jamaica trade delegation AMONG the delegation of companies from Jamaica coming to Guyana on a trade mission this month are companies specialised in banking and financial services, logistics, commerce, engineering and more. The companies will be in Guyana from January 26–31, 2020 and are being facilitated by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) with the help of CARICHAM, a private sector-led Caribbean Chamber of Commerce. On the team is the Jamaica Mortgage Bank

Stock Exchange. The Jamaica Gleaner reported in August 2019 that tTech’s unaudited after-tax profit stood at $15.7M for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019 – a 62 per cent increase compared with the corresponding period in 2018. The Jamaica Collection and Recovery Services Ltd. which presents itself as the largest debt collection or Credit Information Bureau operating in Jamaica, will also be present. The company offers debt collection, bailiffs, legal services, and

The Jamaica Mortgage Bank (JMB) (Development Bank of Jamaica photo)

(JMB) -- an agency of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation --- which was established in 1971 under the country’s Companies Act. It is mandated with the financing of safe and affordable housing for access to home ownership for all Jamaicans. Just in November 2019, Loop Jamaica reported that JMB experienced a 200 per cent quarter over quarter increase in its mortgage insurance activities since reducing premiums in March. Meanwhile, the Jamaica Observer reported on January 16, 2020 the success story of Developer, Denise Pitter, who had spearheaded the construction of an eight-room apartment complex through a $61.12M from the bank. Also coming to Guyana will be tTech, the first Jamaica-owned IT services company to be listed on the Jamaica

credit investigation services. Coming to Guyana from the commerce industry is the Manchester Chamber Of Commerce established since 1964 and the St. Ann Chamber Of Commerce and Industry, founded in 1955. Also expected is, M&M Jamaica Ltd., a civil and general engineering contractor company established in 1993 with a reputation as one of Jamaica’s premier engineering construction and project management companies. The company has worked on numerous housing developments in Jamaica; constructed schools, apartments and complexes as well as highways, bridges, water and sewage systems. In the area of logistics, BSmarte Logistics intends to scout out collaborations for the implementation of a global logistics hub and contribution to the global FROM PAGE

Bartica gets first junior mayor ... “This project is aimed at educating and developing students/pupils in the principles of local governance; cultivating among students, the interest and desire in the local decision-making process; and establishing a junior council that will be equipped to advocate for issues affecting them,” Wallerson had previously told this publication. Mayor Marshall said the establishment of youth councils and the election of junior mayors represent a step in the right direction, one that will strengthen local democracy. “By helping our youths to understand the importance of local democracy and also the importance of

us developing our communities and leading by example will strengthen us as a people and our democratic system. These children of course, will have the opportunity to form committees in their youth council, they will have an opportunity to debate issues and they will also be trained in leadership and capacity building at a very tender age. And this I believe will be a coveted position and a lot of young people will want to be part of the process. And by this, I believe the young people will better understand the local authority system and understand how best to serve the people,” Marshall injected.

supply chain industry. Bringing 20 years of experience in the dental community for the distribution pharmacy products will be Optimum Trading Ltd., while Charles O’Connor Consulting Network Ltd. comes with the aim to become the number one business services outsourcing firm in the Region by 2020. President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer, recently told the newspaper that during

tTech founder, chairman and CEO, Edward 'Teddy' Alexander (second right) with several directors of the company (Umaizi photo)

their time here, the companies will be introduced to various local businesses

with the help of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA); the

Private Sector Commission (PSC) and other Regional Chambers of Commerce.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, January 18, 2020

Councillor waiting on gov’t subvention -- for repairs to East Ruimveldt Market roof, better lighting

WHILE stallholders at the East Ruimveldt Market are grateful and happy for the road works that were recently completed inside of the market, they are now looking forward to a project that will see the roof being repaired and more lights being installed. Constituency Councillor, Trichria Richards, told the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday that when it rains, it is not business as usual for the vendors. In fact, there is no protection for them as the entire roof is in a deplorable state. Work of any kind has not been done to the market for years, hence the City Council sought to go after fixing the roads as first priority. The next major project, according to Richards, would be repairs to the roof and installation of more lights. The Ministry of Communities and the Finance Committee of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) would

ment to progress. “I refuse to take any credit for this,” Richards had said, adding, “Although I have been getting a lot of credit, this project shows that the local government system is working and it attests to government’s commitment to progress.” According to Richards,

AMIDST the growing concerns expressed by citizens, particularly the elderly, with regard to the conduct of minibus operators, the Ministry of Business, in collaboration with the United Minibus Union, is seeking to employ strategies aimed at curbing the ‘lawless practices’ of drivers and conductors. To this end, the Ministry of Business, in collaboration with the union has begun the process of training drivers, and enabling them to ply their trade in a professional manner, thus preparing them to operate at an international standard. President of the United Minibus Union, Eon Andrews, told the Guyana Chronicle that, so far, the Ministry has trained over 250 drivers in an effort to stamp out the ‘lawlessness’ and reduce the carnage on the country’s roadways. According to Director of Consumer Affairs of the Ministry of Business, Muriel Tinnis, the training began in June of 2019, just after the code of conduct for Minibuses was introduced. Tinnis told the Guyana Chronicle that the need for training was as a result of numerous complaints that the Ministry had received from

a decision was subsequently taken for speed humps to be installed. A height barrier was also agreed to keep certain heavy duty vehicles from entering the market. The councillor explained that since the state of the roads was priority, last year’s subvention was used to complete that project. In this

Constituency Councillor Trichria Richards

usually meet around November to discuss what help can be offered. But because there has been a stalling of budget preparations, Richards said the constituency will benefit from government subvention only after the elections in March. Meanwhile, a major road project inside the market, said to be the only drive through market in the Caribbean, has been recently completed and Councillor Richards lauded the government’s commit-

Focus to be placed on training drivers, minibus Operators

By Dillon Goring

the project for $39.5M included the road project with revetment. The main entrance to the market was paved and the four inner lanes were also done. A gate is in the process of being installed, along with a welcome sign. Residents, though, have raised concerns about the durability of the roads and

the travelling public about the way that passengers were treated and the general unacceptable level of disrespect and discourtesy that was shown to commuters. According to Tinnis, there was need for some semblance of order to be brought to bear, after the code of conduct was established. The Code of conduct for Minibuses in Guyana was established on April 8, 2019. The Director told this publication, that the Ministry collaborated with the Guyana Police Force, The United Minibus Union and the National Road Safety Council to map out the areas of training for the drivers. The Director further pointed out that the areas of training for the drivers included tyre safety, insurance, fire safety and hospitality. The training was, and will be, conducted during the off-peak period for minibus operation and particularly during the school-vacation periods. Director Tinnis added that the Ministry was working with the Police to ensure the non-renewal of licences of drivers who did not obtain training certificates.

The major road project that was recently completed inside the market

year’s allocation, other projects such as those mentioned above would be done. Vendors had complained in the past that the deplorable state of the roads in the market was preventing customers, especially those with vehicles, from going there to shop. The market houses more than 50 vendors, but many of the stalls were empty because drivers, especially, hesitated to use the roads. The East Ruimveldt Market, located on Vlissengen Road and the East Ruimveldt Front Road, was built by the City Council in 1978. The market, at one time, housed approximately 200 vending stalls, three public restrooms, and a City Constabulary office, and was said to have been attracting 2,000 customers daily. In 2016, repairs to the market’s main entrance commenced, which allowed for easier access to vehicular traffic.

Abrams Creek Primary School gets library, computer centre POMEROON Trading, a coconut growing and processing enterprise with operations on the Pomeroon River, officially opened a new library and computer centre at Abrams Creek Primary School on Wednesday. The project was coordinated and funded by Pomeroon Trading, a Guyanese company funded by investors from across North America and Europe. The company has a long tradition of running highly-impactful social outreach projects in the community, with previous programmes including building a dining room at Hackney Primary School and organising training seminars for female entrepreneurs in the Pomeroon. Speaking at the blessing ceremony, Tana Yussuff, Pomeroon Trading’s Community Development Coordinator, said, “the 15th January 2020 marks a leap forward in the educational development of the pupils of Abrams Creek Primary School.” She added, “Last year we set out to develop a community of readers in the Pomeroon. Today we are excited to open the first of two ICT labs at local schools and hope they inspire the next generation to develop their technology skills.” The project is a fruit of

private and public sector partnership. The Department of Education, Region Two, the Guyana Energy Agency and the Ministry of Telecommunications are the public

bean, “Every child should be offered the same educational opportunities in Guyana, regardless of location, and a key component of this is access to books and the In-

At left: Pomeroon Trading’s Community Development Coordinator, Tana Yussuff, in the new library and computer centre with pupils operating the computers

agencies that supported the project. The Guyana Energy Agency offered its support through the installation of a photovoltaic system and the Ministry of Telecommunications provided an ICT Hub. It is through the close collaboration of these organisations that Abrams Creek Primary School now has a fully-functional library and computer facility. According to Jared Kissoon, Pomeroon’s Chief Operating Officer for the Carib-

ternet. At Pomeroon Trading, we consider community service to be central to our vision and operations. We look forward to growing alongside the community in the Pomeroon.” Officer from the Department of Education, Region Two, Netram Doobay, welcomed the project and commended its immediate impact on the pupils. He encouraged the teachers, along with the pupils, to “read more and make full use of the computers and the In-

ternet facility, for this is important for the young minds to grow and develop in this fast-changing technological world.” During the blessing ceremony, guests were welcomed with songs and poems performed by the young pupils. The ceremony closed with Abrams Creek’s, Grade Five pupil, Kassandra Edwards, thanking the team for providing the school with the books and computers and the Parents Teachers Association for volunteering their time to build the shelves and paint the library room. Pomeroon Trading is a 700-acre estate in the Pomeroon River region of Guyana. The estate rehabilitation programme includes replanting with more efficient coconuts varieties, building a coconut nursery for seedlings and implementing an intercropping programme. Coconut water is one of the fastest growing consumer products and is estimated to become a US$8B market in 2023. The company is based at the Stoll Estate, one of the leading coconut estates in Guyana.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, January 18, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

Sharma Solomon wows Amelia’s Ward residents -- new health centre soon to be commissioned there By Vanessa Braithwaite AFFIRMING that his name does not have to be on a list to serve his people and rebutting claims that he would have left the community, former Regional Chairman of Region 10, Sharma Solomon, who is now hot on the campaign trail, delivered an electrifying speech on Thursday evening at an Amelia’s Ward, Phase Three community meeting. Solomon reminded those now residing in the newest scheme in Amelia’s Ward, that this could have only been possible with the establishment of a Ministry of Communities, as opposed to a Ministry of Housing, which was only responsible for undeveloped housing schemes, across Guyana. Residents were presented with shabby environs, with only bulldozed trails to access their house lots and they were forced to struggle to make it their own, through blood, sweat and tears as he recalled he himself having to do, 20 years ago. Post 2015, however, there was a complete change, Solomon said, which was only made possible with the formation of a Ministry of Communities and the will of the APNU-AFC Government, to raise the standard of living of Lindeners. “This government, in 2015, fundamentally changed that and gave to you a Ministry of Communities; let me give you its meaning. It means a total development of your lives, it means transformation of Amelia’s Ward, on how you should see living and life, not in just a shabby licking push down corner to find your life and find your living,” Solomon stressed. Another fundamental stride made by the government to ensure communities are built and residents are empowered, was the return of Local Government Elections, which ensured that residents have representation, even at the community level. “For 22 years, you were denied the opportunity of empowerment to identify leaders in your communities to represent those interest, so when you have those little shabby

It is for these reasons that Solomon urged the residents to not chance their future by voting for the PPP administra-

The spanking new community centre to be commissioned soon at Amelia’s Ward, Phase Three

Former Regional Chairman, Sharma Solomon delivering the feature address at the meeting

A section of the audience at the Amelia’s Ward Phase Three community meeting

corners to live in and to have blood, sweat and tears to live in, no one was there to represent you. Now you have councillors that you would have identified, Amelia’s Ward, to represent you,” he said to loud cheers. Communities are no longer plagued with run-down infrastructure, collapsing roads, etc., but are experiencing physical transformation through massive infrastructural development. Case in point is the Linden Soesdyke Highway, which is now being outfitted with lights, by the present administration. Solomon said as regional chairman, he made representation

for this to be done and former Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, completely turned it down. “This is quoted words, by our then Minister of Public Works, that Linden is a low-volume highway; that is the value of your lives in this community to that government. Today what we have, we see lights going up, in less than five years, we see lights going up on the highway. There was no miracle and that was only will and that government before was unable to do for you the residents, show the will to ensure you live decent lives.”

you, your definition is willingness to show service to your people. I have always been here Amelia’s Ward and I will

tion and though the coalition has fallen down, it has gotten up many times and this is the government, truly deserving of a second chance to continue along the good path. The former regional chairman said he will work hard on the campaign trail to ensure victory is returned to the coalition and urged all other politicians, whether they were enlisted as a candidate or not, to do the same thing. “You don’t need to be on a list to be a politician, if that is what defines you, you should get out of this profession, your definition is not what defines

continue to be here.” STIFLED US ECONOMICALLY Giving a broader picture on how the former administration stifled the mining town economically, was former Regional Councillor, Charles Sampson, who alluded to the suppression of the bauxite industry. The veteran bauxite worker said he sat at many negotiation tables and can say first hand, that the PPP, never had Lindeners at heart and looked at key areas, such as its main economic activity, to destroy the town. The first decision was to remove the no tax on overtime from bauxite workers, a privilege that was initiated by former President Desmond Hoyte. Hoyte, he said, also gave the same privilege to sugar workers; which stipulated, that tax must only be paid on 40 hours of their wages. The PPP, however, took this away from bauxite workers and this stifled the township even further. “That impacted seriously on individuals, it impacted on businesses because there was not enough money to be spent on businesses since workers were now taking home about $9,000 less, so that was economic pressure from the PPP Government and from Jagdeo,” Sampson said, contending that it happened all because the town supports the PNC. It was this government that

brought back the no tax on overtime in 2016, much to the satisfaction of bauxite workers at Linden and Aroaima. “Everybody started to smile because on average, they were taking home $36,000 per month but do the maths, for 10 years and you will see how much money would have been lost because of that move by the PPP. They have never been interested in the economical development of Linden.” The PPP Government then pushed for little or no investment to come to Linden, despite the plethora of advantages this would attract, such as cheap power. The next move was to remove this main advantage of investment from the township by dictating that the electricity rates be hiked. Lindeners; however, strongly protested this decision, resulting in the 2012 struggle and the loss of three lives. It is for these and many more reasons that the former bauxite worker urged residents to not have them return to power. Amelia’s Ward Constituency Representative, Lawrence Simon, said the APNU+AFC Government is a government for all. For Amelia’s Ward, there has been tremendous transformation in all sectors. In education, two new schools are being constructed in the community. Socially, the first-ever community centre was constructed which will provide for programmes to benefit youths, women, the elderly and even the differently-abled. In health, the Amelia’s Third Phase community now boasts a spanking new health centre that will cater for residents who have been added to the community’s population. This will alleviate the burden of having to travel all the way to the health centre at the old housing scheme and will create jobs for residents. The health centre will be commissioned in a matter of weeks as only final touches are being done to the structure.

Real perpetrators in newspaper vendor’s murder arrested

THREE young men, including two brothers who were charged and remanded to prison on Wednesday, are likely to be recalled from the jailhouse to assist police in their investigation into the murder of newspaper vendor, Sham Mannilall. Mannilall of Essequibo Coast, Region Two, was killed in a home invasion. Guyana Chronicle was told that the police may have inadvertently charged the three wrongfully with murder while the persons who actually committed the act are still roaming the community. Police investigators from Essequibo had initially arrested

four persons for the crime based on information they received. However, force headquarters took a decision to send ranks from the Major Crimes Investigation Unit to Essequibo. Once there, the MIC ranks conducted preliminary investigations and then took a decision to release the four persons who were initially picked up and then arrested three persons who they later sought and got legal advice to charge. The three men appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for the murder of the vendor during a robbery. They were remanded to prison until January 29, 2020.

Police subsequently learnt that on the night of the murder, one of the men who was arrested on Friday, went to his friend to borrow a helmet but never returned same. The bandits who invaded the home of Mannilall concealed their identities by wearing helmets. This publication was told that when the young man requested his helmet from the young man he lent it to, the man told him that he returned the helmet by placing same on the fence. That prompted the young man to make a police report about the helmet. The police

then questioned him about the helmet and when he was shown a helmet which was lodged at the station, he then identified the helmet to be his. The detectives then went and rearrested the four persons who were picked up on the night of the crime and they confessed to the crime. The Guyana Chronicle was told that at the level of the prisons, no production order has yet been made to have the three young men brought out of prison to assist the police in their probe. While the persons who were charged did not carry out the actual act of murder, they

nevertheless played various roles such as planning and acting as lookouts as the robbery was being carried out. From all indications, one of the men who appeared in court on Wednesday, was celebrating a nine-day event for his new-born child at his home and it was reportedly there that the blueprint on how the robbery was going to be done was planned. Police sources indicated that the daughter of the deceased, at one time, dated one of the suspects of the crime but that relationship fell through after her now dead father became involved and had a physical

confrontation with the young man. During that relationship, the young lady reportedly stole money from her father and would give it to the young man. Her father, at the time, was operating a poultry business which is now closed. Recently, the young man and the young woman again began communicating and it is reported that she reportedly told him of her father’s plan to restart the poultry business. She also reportedly told the young man that her father secured a loan from the bank which was more than $1M for the business.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, January 18, 2020

DoE, ExxonMobil unveil national oil exhibition

Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton; Country Manager of ExxonMobil, Rod Henson, and Director of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe, share a light moment with others after the unveiling of the exhibit (Carl Croker photo)

WHILE the business of oil and gas is highly complex, technical and ever-evolving, the Department of Energy is keen on ensuring that the public is able to understand and experience, firsthand, many aspects of the oil and gas sector. The production of oil is being done miles offshore Guyana, but the Ministry of the Presidency, Department of Social Cohesion, Culture Youth and Sport, the Department of Energy, ExxonMobil and the University of Guyana, sought to give the average Guyanese a closer look at the sector, through the launch of a National Oil Exhibition at the National Museum. “This is a significant moment, since the exhibit does not only contain the first oil exhibit but makes available to the public, the actual model of the Liza Destiny, the first of at least five FPSOs expected to operate in the Stabroek Block, over the next 40 years,” said Director of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe, during the launch of the exhibit on Thursday. Dr. Bynoe said the department and its stakeholders could not have thought of any better way to share what is happening with everyone, than by a permanent exhibition in the national museum, which is free and open to the public. The director, in expressing his appreciation for the exhibit, said: “it is a proud moment so every Guyanese should stand tall and hold their heads high…the exhibit is free, it is gifted by ExxonMobil and its partners…so we wish to express sincere appreciation to them.” Since 2016, there have been “exciting” new discoveries now on a quarterly basis and it has been creating unprecedented interest

Director of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe, shows the crowd how to take a proper ‘selfie’ as they prepare to enter the selfie competition (Carl Croker photo)

in Guyana. After 15 petroleum discoveries by ExxonMobil, with an estimated recoverable barrel of oil in excess of 6.6 billion, Dr. Bynoe believes that everyone needs to be excited about this and think about how to make the most of the opportunity that is opening. “Already, this sector has brought in Foreign Direct Investment in excess of US$500 million; created over 1,7000 jobs directly related to the sector; create benefits derived from over 600 service providers and promote the establishment of over 70 joint ventures, alliances and partnerships, which will continue to increase,” said the director. Dr. Bynoe said he wants to leave no stone

unturned in ensuring that every Guyanese benefit and every aspect of national development has an opportunity to be powered by the oil and gas industry. The director was optimistic about the future and he even believes: “if all goes well, there will be opportunities in the near future…people in the government sector and other sectors are expected to see exponential growth…oil could be a blessing or a curse, but all Guyanese and the operators must commit to ensuring that it is a blessing.” Country Manager of ExxonMobil, Rod Henson, believes the national oil exhibition will grow as the industry grows and will serve as an element to ensure Guyanese remember

the blessing and the milestone of achieving oil and gas. Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton, echoed the sentiments of Dr. Bynoe and Henson, noting that Guyana is poised to become one of the richest countries in the world and by then, he hinted that the country could even look at building its own oil and gas museum. The oil exhibit will be open to the public from Friday, January 17, 2020. There will also be a firework display by the Guyana Defence Force supported by ExxonMobil on Friday night at 22:30hrs at the seawalls at the Kitty foreshore. The public is invited to attend both events and to include themselves and their loved ones into this historic moment with a selfie competition which will run from January 17 till February 11. Persons will have a chance to own one of 10 first-oil collectors’ vials of oil, as well as many other prizes if they compete and win a “selfie competition,” which is organised by the Department of Energy. According to the department, in order to enter the competition, persons have to snap a ‘selfie’ or photo of themselves or group of friends and family in front of any part of the first oil exhibit or during the fireworks display and post to their Facebook page and tag it to the Department of Culture and the Department of Energy. The photos with the highest number of likes or shares, will win. There will be up to 500 prizes available for grabs. The prizes include caps, t shirts, bottles, books, and folders. Winners will be notified, and prizes will be handed over at the museum on Feb 14, 2020.

GFC to advertise revoked, surrendered concessions

THE Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) said it intends to advertise and receive applications for the allocation of State Forest Authorisations (SFAs) and State Forests Exploratory Permits (SFEPs) for several conces-

sions it has repossessed. These areas were formerly held by Kwebanna Wood Products Inc, Woods Associated Industries Company Limited, Baishanlin International Inc, Puruni Wood Products Inc and Haimorakabra Logging

Company Inc. “The decision to advertise these areas is premised on the fact that the GFC had revoked the above forest concessions because of serious breaches of the Forests Act 2009 and in the case of Barama Company

Limited the forest concession was surrendered. These developments affected the revenue performance of the GFC, especially over the last three years,” the commission said in a release. The release noted that

the board of directors of the commission at its last statutory meeting held on December 30, 2019, by way of resolution, expressed its no-objection to the areas being advertised for re-allocation.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, January 18, 2020

Ming’s Optical presents spectacles to students In observance of world sight day 2020, Ming’s Optical, through the auspices of the Diamond – Grove Lions Club, provided screening to students from various schools. On Tuesday Jan 14, Immediate Past President of the Diamond-Grove Lions Club, Ms. Abiola Pellew and the Chairperson for Vision, Ms. Christina Webb, were on hand, for the presentation of spectacles to the students, at Ming’s Optical located at 6 Urquhart and New Market Sts., Georgetown.

Students, parents, representatives of the Diamond-Grove Lions Club and staff of Mings Optical

From left, Immediate Past President of the Diamond-Grove Lions Club, Ms. Abiola Pellew, Dr. Michele Ming and the Chairperson for Vision, Ms. Christina Webb

After the screening, some students were then referred for a comprehensive eye examination and were prescribed spectacles. Dr. Michele Ming present-

ed the completed spectacles to the students, as well as provided them with some basic eye and glasses care techniques.

Elderly man remanded on drug charge

Alexander Braithwaite

ACTING Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, on Friday, January 17, 2020, remanded a 63-year-old miner to prison for possession of cocaine, for the purpose of trafficking. Alexander Braithwaite of west Coast Demerara appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and denied the charge, when it was read to him. Particulars of the charge stated that, on January 14, 2020, at Arakaka, in the North West District, he had, in his possession, 164.5 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Attorney-at-Law Jerome Khan, who represented Braithwaite, asked that his client be granted reasonable bail and told the court that his client was in a Hotel in Arakaka, sleeping in his hammock, when police woke him in the wee hours of the morning asking for the owner of the place. A search was conducted on his client and nothing was found. Khan added that the police continued to search the area and said they found the narcotic and Braithwaite denied it. The officers then took him to the station where Corporal McGregor started to question him about Basdeo Francis who was allegedly

involved in the Matthew’s Ridge robbery. Khan stated that the corporal wanted to know if Francis had guns, gold or drugs and that was after Francis had made a complaint that the same Corporal McGregor stole couple ounces of gold from him. Braithwaite then explained to the corporal that he didn’t work with Francis, but his brother. Police prosecutor objected to bail being granted to Braithwaite and told the court that, on the day in question, at about 06:00 hours, ranks, acting on information, went to the compound of the Hotel where they met Braithwaite. A search was conducted and a blue, black and gray haversack was found containing a transparent plastic bag with a solid creamy substance inside, suspected to be cocaine. Braithwaite was told of the allegation and he admitted that it belonged to him. He was arrested and taken to the Arakaka Police Outpost and was later charged. Acting Chief Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus remanded Braithwaite to prison and adjourned the matter until February 3, 2020. The matter was transferred to the Matthew’s Ridge Magistrates’ Court.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, January 18, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

Rabada ban is cause for concern - coach Boucher

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South Africa bowler Kagiso Rabada celebrates after bowling England batsman Joe Root during Day One of the Third Test against England at St George’s Park on Thursday in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

(REUTERS) - SOUTH African coach Mark Boucher said he was concerned about the disciplinary regulations in cricket which led to fast bowler Kagiso Rabada being handed a one-match ban due to his over-exuberant celebra-

tion during the third Test against England. Rabada was fined and handed a demerit point as he was deemed to have been provocative as he loudly celebrated Joe Root’s dismissal on the first day of the third Test. The demerit point was the fourth he had accrued over a two-year period, hence it triggered an automatic onematch ban - which means Rabada will be absent from next week’s contest in Johannesburg. “I am concerned; to be honest ... you don’t want to take all the aggression out of Test cricket. You’ve got two countries playing hard cricket against each other,” former wicketkeeper Boucher, who played 147 Tests, said. “There are heated situations, the guys are trying really hard and sometimes their emotions overflow.” Boucher said he was concerned the rules and regulations did not take into account the intensity of the Test arena. “I understand where the ICC are going with it and hopefully they find a balance that they don’t take the emotion out of the game because I think there is still a big part for that in the game

of cricket.” Boucher said he did not think there was anything wrong with Rabada’s celebration, during which he stormed down the wicket and bellowed at the ground under Root’s nose. “I wasn’t aware about all the demerit points and how it quite works,” said Boucher, who took charge of the team last month. “It’s tough because he wasn’t even looking at the batsman but he was in his space. “The bottom line is that ... the match referee has made up his mind. “In his eyes it was a misdemeanour and a level one charge, which is almost like a slap on the wrist, but because of previous demerits he won’t be playing in the next Test. “In our days we didn’t have to deal with this stuff. We could pretty much say what we wanted and get away with it.” Boucher admitted that losing Rabada for the final Test against England is a “massive blow” for South Africa. “He’s a world class performer especially at the Wanderers where he will be very effective. It’s very disappointing,” said Boucher.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

Stokes, Pope score tons to push England (REUTERS) - BEN Stokes and Ollie Pope both scored centuries as a dominant England took a firm grip on the third Test against South Africa, declaring on 499 before reducing the hosts to 60 runs for two wickets at the close of the second day yesterday. South Africa trail by 439 runs and will need to bat for much of the weekend to stay in the contest and avoid going 2-1 behind in the fourTest series. Dean Elgar, 32 not out, and nightwatchman Anrich Nortje will return today, chasing down Englandâ€™s first-innings score of 499 for nine declared, after spinner Dom Bess removed opener Pieter Malan (18) and Zubayr Hamza for 10 in fading light and left South Africa in a perilous position. An unbeaten 135 from 22-year-old Ollie Pope, his maiden Test ton, and 120 from Ben Stokes helped

Ben Stokes of England celebrates reaching his century during Day Two of the Third Test between England and South Africa on January 17, 2020 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. (Photo by Philip Brown/Popperfoto/ Popperfoto via Getty Images)

England achieve the fourth highest Test innings score at Port Elizabeth, the oldest Test venue in South Africa. Pope displayed his potential as he came in at 39 not out overnight, sped to his 50, survived two scares before getting to 100 then put the South African bowlers to the sword.

Ollie Pope of England celebrates reaching his century during Day Two of the Third Test against South Africa yesterday in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. (Photo by Philip Brown/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

He and Stokes put on 203 for the fifth wicket, while Pope also featured in a 59run stand with Sam Curran and a 73-run partnership for the ninth wicket in just 52 balls with tail-ender Mark Wood. Just two days after being named the worldâ€™s best cricketer, Stokes underlined his talismanic role for England with a typically flourishing century, before being caught off the bowling of debutant Dane Paterson. In the process, Stokes passed 4 000 runs to become only the seventh Test cricketer to reach that figure and take 100 wickets, achieving the milestone in fewer Tests than England great Ian Botham. England piled misery onto their hosts as 21-yearold Curran bashed his way to 44 off only 50 balls and number 10 batsman Wood hit five sixes in a taunting 42 off just 23 balls. Keshav Maharaj took 5-180 in a marathon 58 overs after South Africa began the day with the demoralising news that top bowler Kagiso Rabada would be suspended for the last Test of the series. Rabada was given another demerit point by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for robustly celebrating the wicket of England captain Joe Root on Thursday.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

Smith’s 98 in vain as India level series

(ESPNCRICINFO) - For the second series in a row, India stayed alive having fallen 1-0 behind and lost the toss in the second, thanks again to batting full of intent that gave their bowlers a total they could defend. In doing so, they might even have found a solution to their biggest problem in ODI cricket post-Yuvraj Singh: middle-order batting. India began the series looking to find space to squeeze KL Rahul in the top order. Instead, batting at No. 5 with that experiment lasting only one match, Rahul responded with a 52-ball 80 to take India to 340 after they threatened to end up with little over 300 despite fifties from Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli. India lost wickets in two braces, which reduced them

to 198 for 3 and 280 for 5, but Rahul played a part in pulling India out of strife on both occasions. If it was Adam Zampa’s analysis of 3 for 50 kept India in check, India’s spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav rocked Australia in the middle overs with two big wickets each. Jadeja kept India in the contest with tight overs and wickets of Aaron Finch and Marnus Labuschagne, and Yadav ended the chase with the strikes of Steven Smith and Alex Carey in the same over. It helped that there was no dew, something Kohli had predicted at the toss. Smith missed out on a hundred by two runs. He wasn’t the only man to fall in the 90s. Like the openers did in the must-win match against West Indies, it was Dhawan who made India’s

Steven Smith is simply prolific on the leg side. (BCCI)

intent clear with a 90-ball 96.

He started with a lovely

straight-driven boundary first ball, and cared more about the team’s scoring rate than his century. He had scored 35 off the last 18 balls when he went to hit another boundary but managed a top edge to long leg off a Kane Richardson short ball. As he had done when setting up India’s win against Australia in the World Cup, it emerged he had batted on with a serious injury, this time a blow to the unprotected ribs. He is expected to be okay for the final game tomorrow. Intent was apparent from the other end too with Rohit Sharma not shying away from hitting in the air early on in the innings. India raced to 55 for 0 in 10 overs, and kept the run rate around six despite Sharma’s fall to Zampa. This was despite Australia looking to attack, using up Pat Cummins’ seven overs in the first 17. Kohli made an effortless run-a-ball start to his innings, but Dhawan found a bit of a lull with the run rate dropping below six after the 20th over. In the 25th over, Ashton Agar bowled two successive dots to Kohli, but he was in

no mood to take risks this early. Dhawan, though, had decided this was time for him to go. A slog sweep, a reverse sweep, and India had found the momentum again. Dhawan’s wicket brought about a scratchy innings from Shreyas Iyer, promoted ahead of Rahul. It ended with an ugly hoick against a full Zampa delivery, putting India under pressure. Australia looked to push on, going to their wicket-takers, but Kohli and Rahul hit two boundaries each off Cummins and Mitchell Starc’s overs. Rahul soon began to dominate, scoring 42 in the 78-run partnership with Kohli. In the 44th over, when Kohli looked to hit the next gear, hitting in the air for the first time in the match, he mis-hit Zampa to long-off for a relay catch. Manish Pandey’s soft dismissal left Rahul with only Ravindra Jadeja as a recognised batsman and six overs to go. Many a time India have gone wrong from there, but Rahul unfurled some attractive shots against the best bowlers Australia had to offer. The highlight was an inside-out flat six off Starc, who was consigned to his second-worst analysis in terms of runs conceded and his first wicketless match in 15 outings. The significance of Rahul’s innings shows in how this was the first time since 2013 that an Indian, batting at 5 or lower, had scored a fifty at a strike rate of over 150 when setting a target. Between two such efforts by India, 67 batsmen have done it overall. The last man to do it for India was MS Dhoni. Rahul further emulated Dhoni with a quick stumping to dismiss Finch.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

West Indies U-19 ready for world cup – head coach

(CMC) - WEST Indies U-19 head coach Graeme West is backing the young team to show the qualities they have developed in the last year, when they bowl off their ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup campaign today. The regional side play against three-time tournament winners Australia in Zone B at the De Beers Diamond Oval in Kimberley. The players are gaining confidence after wins in the

two warm-up games against Canada and Scotland. All 15 players are fit and available for selection as the team begin their preparations for the opening group game against Australia. West gave a detailed account of the team’s work as they prepare to start the ICC U-19 World Cup which West Indies famously won in 2016. “The two warm-up games were certainly competitive and provided all squad members with opportunities to

demonstrate their skills and show that they had made the necessary adjustments to the conditions and wickets to be effective,” said West to CWI Media. “The Scotland performance was an improvement on the Canada game when Nyeem Young and Antonio Morris batted superbly to turn the game around. West continued: “The bowling unit was slightly below par against Canada given how well they have

performed since the Tri Series in December, but on Wednesday against Scotland we were far more controlled and disciplined. “The most pleasing aspect of the Scotland game was the contribution from the top four batters who needed some time out in the middle, Kevlon Anderson’s hundred was well paced, as he mixed good strike rotation with some power-hitting. Captain Kimani Melius and Leonardo Julien have

set the tempo for the innings with run-a-ball half-centuries on a wicket that was well suited to their stroke play and positive intent. “We are well aware of the quality Australia and England possess and both games will provide great opportunities for our players to demonstrate the learning that has taken place over the last year. We know we will have to produce a perfect performance to beat both sides. West urged the West In-

dies fans to support the young team as they seek to emulate the title-winning class of 2016. “They know the importance of the tournament and the stage they are about to perform on and we would love to have everyone supporting and following us. The boys will be doing everything they can to make their friends, families and all the Windies Cricket fans proud.”

Ghafari’s ‘six-for’ blows away South Africa (ESPNCRICNFO) - The sign of a menacing spin bowler is how he takes his wickets. In today’s age of whiteball cricket, too often wrist-spinners are given the leeway of going for runs, just as long as they can get batsmen to eventually miscue an attacking shot. But on the opening day of the Under-19 World Cup, Shafiqullah Ghafari’s spell of 6 for 15 reminded us all what quality leg-spin is all about, by putting a chokehold on his opposition and forcing them to tap out after a brief struggle He attacked the stumps and pegged them back four times. On the other two occasions, he trapped one batsman lbw while one edged a soft push to first slip. None of his wickets needed the help of any outfielder and each of his wickets was taken off

Shafiqullah Ghafari takes off in celebration. (Getty Images)

batsmen who were simply looking to defend. What does that tell us? It tells us how wary teams are of Afghanistan and their spin contingent. And as they continue to produce wrist-spinners who take the world by storm, the latest to raise his hand is Ghafari, who fell in love with the art of leg-spin watching videos on the internet. “When I started playing

cricket, all the time I was watching Shane Warne videos online,” Ghafari said after the match.” So I was inspired from him how to bowl legspin. “Six wickets in a World Cup first match; it’s a dream. It has given me confidence for future matches as well. I knew if I bowled in the right areas, then everything would work out.” He wasn’t supposed to

be the star of the team. For that, there was Noor Ahmed, the left-arm orthodox spinner who recently made heads turn by becoming the youngest person - at 15 - to participate in an IPL auction. But sometimes it helps to lurk in the shadows. There isn’t much footage of Ghafari floating on the internet, so when he was introduced to bowl in the 14th over, South Africa didn’t know what to expect. In his second over, Ghafari got his googly to turn from a length, and bowled Levert Manje for a duck. Next over, he came around the wicket to trap left-handed Jack Lees lbw for 0 too, and when he was given a shot at dismantling the South African tail, you didn’t need to be a soothsayer to know what was to come. A ripping wrong’un from outside off stump went

through Khaya Cotani’s defences to hit the timber. Tiaan van Vuuren then looked to defend what he thought was a googly to the on-side, but instead the leg-break turned past him, took the outside edge and found the fielder at slip, and he got his five-for in classical wrist-spinner’s style, getting the googly to turn so sharply that Achille Cloete was trying to defend outside off stump, but the ball went through him to clip middle. The cherry on the top was Ghafari’s sixth - the wicket of big-hitting Gerald Coetzee - which turned in so sharply to go through him that the batsman was left on his knees wondering what just happened. Amid all this, he conceded just the one boundary in 55 deliveries, of which 40 were dot balls, and helped his side bowl South Africa out

for only 129. He effectively won the game for Afghanistan even before their batsmen had to pad up. “When I bowl in tandem with Noor, our focus - all the time - is to bowl dot balls,” Ghafari said. “We want the batsman to make mistakes. We never think about who is taking the wicket. Both of us want to bowl dot balls, keep the economy under three, and the wickets just follow.” So in the land where fast bowlers dream to bowl, a spinner ruled Kimberley. Ghafari reminded us that classical leg-break still has a place in the sport. And he also showed while India produces batsmen by the dozen and Pakistan is the breeding-ground of pacers, it’s the Afghans who are well and truly the world’s best exporters of spin bowlers.

Bravo century underscores Trinidad’s dominance (CMC) – TEST left-hander Darren Bravo carved out his 12th first class hundred as Trinidad and Tobago took firm command of their secondround encounter against Leeward Islands Hurricanes here yesterday. Resuming the second day on 36, the 30-year-old hit a polished 133 to propel Red Force to 337 for four at the close at the Brian Lara Stadium – a lead of 151 runs heading into today’s third day. Bravo faced 227 deliveries in

Darren Bravo struck 133. 5-½ hours and struck 14 fours and three sixes. He featured in

nearly every major partnership of the innings, putting on 75 for the second wicket with Keagan Simmons (36), adding 160 with Jason Mohammed who made 66 before combining in a 34-run, fourth-wicket stand with Joshua DaSilva, who was unbeaten on exactly 50. With a half-century in the previous round and nearly 500 runs in last November’s Super50 Cup, the innings was yet another confirmation of the player’s return to top form. Resuming on 74 for one, T&T

suffered an early blow when Simmons departed in the second over of the morning, brilliantly caught at square leg by Trinidadian Amir Jangoo, off lively seamer Sheeno Berridge who finished with three for 63. However, Mohammed joined Bravo to dominate the Hurricanes attack and take Red Force to lunch on 175 for two. Mohammed, who faced 132 balls in just over 2-¾ hours and counted eight fours, eventually departed when he drove uppishly at off-spinner

Jacques Taylor and was taken at cover but the 21-year-old DaSilva then featured in two partnerships to keep Red Force in the driver’s seat. His stand with Bravo was relatively short-lived – Bravo perishing lbw to Berridge – but he then put on 65 in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand with Yannic Cariah (27 not out) as Red Force dominated the final session. DaSilva, who scored his maiden hundred in the last round, has so far struck six fours off 88 balls.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

PM Mitchell fetes West Indies cricketers BCB/Ivan Madray Memorial T20 Tournament

(CMC) – Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has welcomed the return of veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo to the West Indies Twenty20 squad, following a threeand-a-half year break, and believes the Caribbean side are beginning to make strides based on recent performances. Mitchell recently hosted the Windies team during a special dinner event on the

Spice Isle earlier this week for the third and final OneDay International and the opening Twenty20 International at the Grenada National Stadium. “I am happy to have you here on my beautiful island of Grenada, and I want to wish each and every one the very best,” Mitchell told the Caribbean side during the gathering. “You’re doing a great job

of representing the people of the West Indies. I urge you to keep up the good work. We are seeing the signs … we are seeing improvement, we are seeing more successes … you are growing as a team and as individuals.” Mitchell, an avid cricket fan, gave a special welcome to the talismanic Bravo, who turned out in Wednesday’s first T20 International against Ireland which the home side

narrowly lost by four runs. Speaking during last Sunday’s ODI, Mitchell said Bravo’s presence would be good for the unit, especially with the experience and personality he possessed. “You can’t go wrong with having the experience of Dwayne Bravo, (Kieron) Pollard and all the guys,” said Mitchell, a former chairman of CARICOM’s Prime Ministerial sub-committee

on cricket. “Even the guys like (Darren) Sammy and the others who may not necessarily be playing, but being involved in the cricket matches and helping the younger players is such an important aspect of possible success for West Indies cricket. “Dwayne is a motivator. He loves the game, he loves what he’s doing and I think he has a passion for West

Indies cricket. I think having these guys coming back to the fold is a clear demonstration (of a change in West Indies cricket). The dinner event was organised by Rawl Lewis, the West Indies team manager and former Grenada national team captain. Sammy, the two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain, was also in attendance.

Russell’s cameo helps Royals to BPL title (CMC) – WEST Indies all-rounder Andre Russell struck a cameo and grabbed a brace of wickets to help Rajshahi Royals capture the Bangladesh Premier League title, with a 21-run victory over Khulna Tigers here yesterday. Sent in at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Royals tallied 170 for four off their 20 overs with wicketkeeper Irfan Sukkur top-scoring with 52 off 35 deliveries and Mohammad Nawaz hammering a 20-ball unbeaten 41. Russell joined in with an unbeaten 27 from just 16

Andre Russell struck 27 not out and snatched two key wickets.

balls while opener Liton Das gathered a patient 25 from 28 deliveries.

In reply, Russell picked up two for 32 from four excellent overs, as Tigers were

restricted to 149 for eight off their 20 overs, to come up short in their run chase. Shamsur Rahman stroked 52 from 43 deliveries, South African Rilee Roussouw got 37 and Mushfiqur Rahim, 21, but Russell combined with fellow seamers Mohammed Irfan (2-18) and Kamrul Islam (2-29) to hurt the innings. The victory compensated for Russell’s heartbreak last season when he was part of the Dhaka Dynamites side who lost the 2018-19 final to Comilla Victorians. Yesterday, Royals were

set back early when they lost Afif Hossain cheaply for 10 in the third over but Sukkur and Das combined in a 49run second-wicket stand to settle the innings. The left-handed Sukkur, who blasted half-dozen fours and two sixes, put on a further 31 for the third wicket with Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik (9) before he was dismissed in the 15th over. At that stage, Royals were labouring at 99 for four and in need of a boost and got it through fireworks from Russell and Nawaz who added 71 off 34 balls in an unbroken

fifth-wicket partnership. While Russell clobbered three sixes, Nawaz counted six fours and two sixes as Royals finished strongly. In reply, Tigers were floundering on 11 for two in the second over before Shamsur and Roussouw pulled the run chase around in a 74-run second-wicket stand. Shamsur struck four fours and two sixes while Roussouw notched a four and a six but once their stand was broken, Russell made key strikes to put the contest in Royals’ favour.

Windwards press on despite Palmer half-century

(CMC) – Paul Palmer notched his sixth straight score of over fifty to prop up Jamaica Scorpions, but Windward Islands Volcanoes pressed home their advantage to continue their enterprising start to the new Regional Four-Day Championship here yesterday. Replying to Volcanoes’ first innings of 387, Scorpions stumbled their way to 203 for seven at the close at Sabina Park, still 184 runs adrift of their target. At one stage, the hosts were tottering on 57 for four but Palmer stepped up with 54 while lower order batsman Derval Green chipped in with a precious unbeaten 50, to help rally the innings. Most of the damage was

Left-hander Paul Palmer. (File photo)

done by the fast bowling pair of

man Lewis (2-52) - spells which

on the game. Emmanuel Stew-

Josh Thomas (2-34) and Sher-

gave Volcanoes a stranglehold

art had earlier made 50 – his

second half-century in three outings – while Keron Cottoy made 47 as Volcanoes lost their last five wickets for 73 runs. The pair extended their sixth-wicket stand to 90 before they were separated when Stewart, on 46 at the start, was bowled by fast bowler Marquino Mindley (2-87). Shane Shillingford then entertained with a couple of fours and sixes in a 34-ball 27 in a 30-run, partnership with Cottoy, to push Volcanoes up to their eventual score. Left-arm spinner Patrick Harty (3-65) and pacer Green (3-73) finished with three wickets apiece. Scorpions benefitted from a 28-run opening stand between captain John Campbell (19) and fellow left-hander Assad Fudadin (7), before losing

three quick wickets for three runs in the space of 19 balls. Palmer, who faced 103 balls in just under 2-½ hours and counted eight fours, then put on 26 for the fourth wicket with Nkrumah Bonner (11) before posting an important 60 for the fifth with Aldaine Thomas (12). When both fell in the space of four balls with a single run added, Green rescued the innings first in a 41-run seventh-wicket stand with Jamie Merchant (21) then in a 44-run, unbroken eighth-wicket partnership with Mindley (13 not out). Green has so far struck six fours in a brisk 69-ball innings.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

Keanu Marsh-Brown moves from English League Two to the USL

MEMPHIS 901 FC, through their Sporting director Tim Howard and head coach Tim Mulqueen, yesterday announced the signing of Guyanese midfielder Keanu MarshBrown, pending league and federation approval.

The former Newport County player graduated through Fulham Academy in 2009 and signed to stay with the club until 2013. During that time, he went on loan to MK Dons in League One. Since signing, MarshBrown has played in 250

professional matches in the U.K, with 49 League One appearances. Internationally, MarshBrown has four caps for England U-16 and 11 caps for England U-17. On March 23, 2019 Marsh-Brown made his international de-

but for Guyana where he claimed an assist for the second goal in a 2-1 win against Belize. During his professional career in the U.K. MarshBrown has scored 49 goals and collected 37 assists, while playing with clubs

such as Dover Athletic and Barnet. Memphis 901 FC hopes to build on a successful inaugural season where they averaged over 6 500 fans per game - the ninth highest attendance in the league, second among expansion

teams. Memphis 901 FC is an American Professional football team embarking on its second season in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship.

LABA/YBG U-19 Club Championship

Unbeaten Royals face Raiders for top honours tonight VICTORY Valley Royals and Retrieve Raiders will tonight battle for top honours when they meet in the Linden Amateur Basketball Association/Youth Basketball Guyana (LABA/YBG) 2019 Under-19 Club Championship final at the Mackenzie Sports

Club hard court. The final was decided last Saturday when the unbeaten Victory Valley Royals romped past Kings 78-43 and Retrieve Raiders stopped Amelia’s Ward Jets 57-50 in semifinal action. The Raiders led 18-15 at the end of the first quarter in their

semifinal clash but the scores were locked at 27 when the first half ended. The third quarter did not separate the two as the scores were locked at 46, but the Raiders were able to record a 57-50 final score when the game ended.

Kareem Roberts had the top score of 19 points for the Raiders while Joshua Grannum and Stephan Duncan each netted 12 points for the winners. The best shoots for the Jets came from Leon Benjamin who got 19 points for the Jets as Gavius George added 14 and

Jennis Benjamin got 13. In the other semifinal, the Royals were led by a 33-point top score through Immanuel Larose, with Shemar Henry getting 13 and Kobe Tappin 12 for the Royals while T. Thomas had eight for Kings and T. Arthur got seven points.

The final tonight between Royals and Raiders will be contested from 20:30hrs while the first game for third-place spot

between

Amelia’s

Ward Jets and Kings starting at 18:30hrs.

Carter causes further trouble for Guyana Jaguars (CMC) – JONATHAN Carter’s unbeaten half-century underlined a steady Barbados Pride response as Guyana Jaguars found themselves slipping further behind heading into the penultimate day of their second round contest today. Replying to Jaguars’ 209 all out, the hosts reached the close on yesterday’s second day on 239 for three with the left-handed Carter unbeaten on 61. Left-handed opener Shayne Moseley scored 46, captain Kraigg Brathwaite chipped in with 40 while

Left-hander Jonathan Carter

in-form left-hander Kyle

Guyana’s bowlers strug-

Mayers was eyeing another

gled, however, as the home

half-century on 36 not out.

side batted in partnerships,

and were already 30 runs in arrears. Pride clicked from the start of the day at Kensington Oval when fast bowler Chemar Holder picked up the last two wickets to finish with two for 39, as Jaguars failed to add to their overnight 209. Left-handed Tagenarine Chanderpaul was left unbeaten on 66 which required a marathon 6-¾ hours off 280 balls. Moseley and Brathwaite then posted 69 for the first wicket to deny Guyana any success in the first session and take the hosts to lunch on

51 without loss. Brathwaite faced 80 balls and struck six fours in two hours before becoming the first casualty, caught at gully fending a short ball from fast bowler Niall Smith. Test batsman Shamarh Brooks put on a further 27 for the second wicket with Moseley but perished for just 10, caught low down at first slip driving at left-arm pacer Raymon Reifer. Moseley batted slowly, facing 158 balls in 3-¾ hours and hitting two fours before being forced to retire hurt, but not before he had added

37 with Carter. Unbeaten on 17 at tea with Pride on 132 for two, Carter carried his side in the final session, posting a further 41 for the third wicket Shane Dowrich (25) and 65 with Mayers in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand. Carter has faced 159 deliveries in just over three hours and counted eight fours while Mayers, who hit a hundred in the first round, has stroked five fours and a six in a breezy 59-ball knock.

Colours Boutique supports ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Championship WITH the 2020 season of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Championship set to kick off on Friday, January 24, Colours Boutique, a longtime supporter of the event, yesterday aligned themselves

with the country’s biggest street football tournament. At a simple presentation at the entity’s Robb Street location, Marissa Williams, emphasised that the business is happy to once again be part of the cham-

pionship, as Lee Baptiste, Guinness Brand Executive thanked Colours for its invaluable contribution throughout the years. Colours Boutique will once again provide

branded uniforms for the tournament that will get on the way in Linden on January 24, and will continue on February 7 and February 8. Sixteen teams will participate in the championship.

Guinness Brand executive Lee Baptiste (right) receives the branded kits from Colours Boutique representative, Marissa Williams.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, January 18, 2020

PM Mitchell fetes West Indies cricketers PAGE

Players and management of the West Indies team with Grenada Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell.

Keanu Marsh-Brown moves from English League Two to the USL

West Indies U-19 ready for world cup â€“ head coach

PAGE

Kevlon Anderson in action during his 102 versus Scotland

Carter causes further trouble for Guyana Jaguars 31 PAGE

Keanu Marsh-Brown in action for Guyana against Trinidad & Tobago during the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup 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

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2020