FRIDAY 8th February, 2019
No.105542
CDB lauds 09 Guyana Natural Resources Fund PAGE
Cops closing in on ‘bomb scare’ pranksters 20 PAGE
‘Don’t rob the youths’
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… APNU+AFC in midday protest for house-to-house registration
… says eligible youths must not be disenfranchised … renews calls for cleansing of voters’ list
Coalition supporters picketing outside of the Guyana Elections Commission’s headquarters in Kingston, Georgetown on Thursday, demanding fresh house-to-house registration before any elections (Adrian Narine photo)
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Harmon appeals confidence-vote ruling … lawyer lists over 20 grounds where errors were made
ROYSDALE Forde, the attorney representing the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) General Secretary Joseph Harmon, listed more than 20 grounds on which the Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire may
have erred on when she delivered the ruling in the no-confidence cases. In the case Compton Reid v The Speaker, Charrandass Persaud and the Attorney General and the Opposition Leader, Harmon, who was added as a
respondent, told the appellate court that he disagreed with the chief justice’s entire decision. In the court application seen by the Guyana Chronicle, Harmon, through his attorney, said that Chief Justice George-Wiltshire erred
in law when she held that the no-confidence motion was a vote of confidence. He also rejected the CJ’s decision that the no-confidence motion was lawfully passed by “a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly” in accordance with Article 106 (6) of the Constitution of Guyana. That article requires a majority of all elected members of the National Assembly. “The learned judge erred in law when she held that the second named respondent, Charrandass Persaud, validly and lawfully voted in favour of the no-confidence motion despite having found that the said Charrandass Persaud was not capable of being lawfully nominated for election to the National Assembly,” Forde told the appellate court. He is also disputing the position of the chief justice that the no-confidence motion and Resolution 101 were constitutional. According to him, both were unlawful. “The learned judge erred in law when she did not find that the Constitution of Guyana conferred on the court the jurisdiction to ensure that votes by members of the National Assembly on a motion of no-confidence are in fact and law, made by validly elected members of the National Assembly,” he further told the court. The legal counsel is contending too that the judge’s reliance on the authorities of Elsroy Nathaniel Dorset v. Astaphan SKBC 2007/0259 and Attorney General of Grenada v. Peter Charles David were flawed
on the grounds that those authorities were decided in the context of Constitutions materially different to the Constitution of Guyana. “The learned judge erred in law when she construed the Fixed Date Application, as filed as a challenge to the election of the Second Named Respondent, Charrandass Persaud as opposed to a legitimate constitutional challenge to the casting of a vote by the said Second Named Respondent, Charrandass Persaud on the no-confidence motion when disqualified from the National Assembly,” he stated in the application. He told the court too that Justice George-Wiltshire failed to have regard the scheme of the provisions of the Constitution applicable to the disqualification of a person to be elected as a member of the National Assembly provided for in Articles 155 and 156 of the Constitution and the consequences of such disqualifications. Those were among the grounds listed in which Forde is asking the court to set aside the decision of the Chief Justice. In the case the Attorney General v the Speaker and Leader of the Opposition, Forde on behalf of his client told the Appellate Court that it is totally dissatisfied with the ruling of the chief justice on the issue of majority. “The learned chief justice erred in law when she failed to construe the word “vote” in the phrase “vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly…” in Article 106 (6) of the Constitution of Guyana,”
General Secretary of the APNU, Joseph Harmon Forde told the Appellate Court in his application. According to him, the CJ erred in law when she found that the principle in Hughes v. Rogers No. 99 and 101 of 1999 Anguilla, was only applicable where the Constitution of Guyana refers to the members in factional terms. He is also rejecting the position that an absolute majority is 33 as against 34. Attorney general on Tuesday filed his appeal in both matters. Like Forde, the attorney general rejected the decision in both cases and contended that the judge erred in law. He is contending too that the chief justice erred and misdirected herself in law when she ruled that Cabinet should have resigned with immediate effect upon defeat of the government in accordance with Article 106 (6) of the constitution. Williams is arguing that the decision was unreasonable and cannot be supported, having regard to the evidence. He wants the court to set aside her decision.
‘Don’t rob the youths’
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
… APNU+AFC in midday protest for house-to-house registration … says eligible youths must not be disenfranchised
… renews calls for cleansing of voters’ list By Svetlana Marshall “NO registration, No elections! My vote, must count!” chanted the supporters of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition as they swarmed the junction of Lamaha Avenue and Main Street, picketing the Office of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in Georgetown. The picketers, with the support of several ministers of government, called on GECOM to conduct houseto-house registration ahead of any elections as they reject the opposition’s call to fast track the electoral process. GECOM was allocated $3B for the conduct of house-to-house registration. NEW REGISTRATION NECESSARY At the height of the picketing exercise, Public Security Minister and Chairman of the Alliance For Change, Khemraj Ramjattan, said while GECOM will make the final decision on whether house-to-house registration would be conducted, it is his position that national registration is a necessary process that guarantees
all eligible Guyanese their right to vote. According to Ramjattan and the coalition’s supporters, if the old list of electors is used for the upcoming elections, thousands of young people, who have not registered but are eligible to vote, will be disenfranchised. They are also concerned that the current list is bloated with dead people whose names have not been struck off. But is Ramjattan’s call for national registration non-negotiable? No. “I never keep any door closed but I would prefer to ensure that all the young people who are not on the list (to) be there. I would like the list to be cleansed of all the dead people, and those who are not resident,” the AFC chairman told reporters. He added that thousands of Guyanese have relocated to various sections of the country but have not registered in the areas that they now live. “A lot of people have shifted, say from Port Mourant to Parfaite Harmonie, and they must be allowed to vote at Parfaite Harmonie instead of Port Mourant,” he posited. DELAYING TACTICS Ramjattan also rejected
claims by the opposition that the call for national registration is a delay tactic being employed by the governing coalition to push back elections. “We are not delaying any elections. We are ensuring that the list is pure. That same opposition, if when we win the elections with this list, they are going to say it is rigged elections,” he said. Adding his voice to the issue, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan said that the old list of electors is unacceptable. “We cannot have an acceptable list for the conduct and the holding of general and regional elections in the absence of house-tohouse registration,” Minister Bulkan said. National registration was last conducted in 2008 – some 10 years ago. “The current official list of electors, my understanding, is in the vicinity of about 600,000 names in a population of approximately 750,000. The list is bloated! We cannot have an acceptable election with the current list being used as the basis,” the communities minister said while maintaining that house-to-house registration is a prerequisite. Asked what makes the current list invalid when it
APNU+AFC supporters calling for house-to-house registration ahead of elections
Juaretha Fernandes and a section of the Youth for Change (YFC) team that picketed GECOM’s Office was months ago used for the holding of Local Government Elections, Minister Bulkan, in response, said the two elections are significantly different. “Local Government Elections and General Elections are two different animals. The lists used for Local Government Elections are individual lists for each of the Local Democratic Organs. What we are heading towards is a general election to determine who will be the next president of Guyana. We can’t go with this list, this list is way too bloated,” he contended while holding strong to the coalition’s position. Minister Bulkan is of the opinion that facilitation of “Claims and Objection” alone would not be sufficient to cleanse the list of dead people. However he, like Ramjattan, accepted that the final decision on the conduct of national registration lies with the elections body. Public Health Minister and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Chairperson, Volda Lawrence was also in support of the youths, who championed their right to vote. “It is there constitutional right to be given an opportunity whenever that five year comes around, once they are
eligible to be able to make their choice to say who they would like to govern them,” Lawrence said. The public health minister noted that the current list of electors will expire in April, and a new list should be compiled. That list, she posited, will see the removal of names of dead persons and the addition of new eligible voters. Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes echoed similar sentiments. According to her, there are many young eligible voters without identification cards (IDs) because they deem the current process of registration complex and frustrating. Houseto-house registration, she said, will make the process easier. City Councillor Akeem Peters said it is important for young people to be able to exercise their franchise. “You must give those eligible to vote an opportunity to vote. It is their constitutional and democratic right to do so, and we believe that all of the persons who are eligible to be on the voters’ list should be given the opportunity to vote,” he told the Guyana Chronicle. According to him, this is not a “party issue”, but one of national importance that affects the nation’s
young people. Nineteen-year-old Jamal Daniels of Sophia was among the picketers. The young man said he never obtained an ID and is in support of national registration on the basis that it would be easier for young people like himself to register. “On me behalf I feel I am okay about the house-tohouse registration. I would glad to get my ID card because it has been keeping me back from getting jobs,” he told this newspaper. Twenty-four-year-old Esron France, who is also of Sophia, said a new list reduces the risk of persons rigging the elections. “I think the houseto-house registration is essential to elections because you have to get a clean voters’ list to get a proper elections, in order to get an election where persons will not cheat the system,” France said. Juaretha Fernandes, who led the Youth for Change (YFC) to the picket line, said young people should not be cheated by the system. With supporters chanting “Youths vote, must count,” Fernandes told this newspaper that the house-to-house registration will give young See page 5
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
‘Don’t rob ...
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
From page 3
eligible voters a chance to exercise their democratic right to vote. “We strongly believe that it is necessary. It is our democratic right as young people to go out there and let our voice be heard. Our vote is our voice in an election. We have about 120,000 persons on the voters’ list that are deceased, and we have thousands of youths that are out there and are not registered. Are we saying that by going into a rush elections that we care more about persons that are dead than the youths who are the future of Guyana?” she reasoned. According to her, YFC, an arm of the AFC, strongly believes that national registration is the only way to sanitise the list. Another youth, Devin Sears, said he was pleased to see the great turn out of young people at the picketing exercise. Sears, who hails from Linden, said it is important that GECOM be allowed to carry out its functions effectively without interference. He said to fast track the process, eliminating key elements such as house-to-house registration, would be to interfere in a
democratic process.
DO NOT LOSE HOPE Junior Public Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson urged the supporters, a mixture of young and old persons, not to lose hope in the government. “Do not lose hope; do not lose faith in your government. Three years we have done tremendous things in the country to bring about the desired changes we all longed for,” she told the supporters. Minister Ferguson urged those present to vote for President Granger and his team to have a second term in office whenever the elections are held. An opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion has triggered the need for early elections but the government has turned to the courts to set aside the decision of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, which was upheld in the High Court. The matter is now at the Court of Appeal but in the interim GECOM is assessing its state of readiness for an early election. Regional and General Elections are constitutionally due in 2020.
Public Health Minister and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Chairperson, Volda Lawrence joined in to picket GECOM (Photos by Adrian Narine)
Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan addressing reporters
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Visionary and transformative leadership
ON May 16, 2015, a visionary and transformative leader was sworn into the office of President of Guyana. President David Granger, having served Guyana in numerous capacities – perhaps most notably, as head of the Guyana Defence Force – was prepared and ready for his role. As a respected soldier, successful entrepreneur, prolific author, noted historian, dedicated husband and father, one of Guyana’s most accomplished sons was chosen by the people to lead the country into a new era. The fact that David Arthur Granger would be indisputably included among Guyana’s most transformative and visionary leaders became evident almost immediately. Prior to being elected as Guyana’s ninth president, Brigadier David Granger had already demonstrated, through his published writings, a detailed understanding of Guyana’s history. He had proven the depth and breadth of his grasp of the nature of the challenges faced by Guyanese. And he had articulated the fact that a vision for overcoming those challenges and fostering development had not only been conceptualised
in his mind but also that he had pragmatic plans for their timely realisation. Visionary leadership and transformative management are different but related character traits that are usually present to varying degrees in the most effective leaders. Those traits are understood and precisely defined and described by experts. A visionary political leader is one who has a compelling vision for the country. He can see beyond the ambiguity and challenges of today to an empowering picture of tomorrow. A transformative manager is one who can identify needed change, creating a path to guide the change through inspiration, example, implementation, and execution. In simple terms, a visionary leader sees what is possible; a transformative manager is able to formulate a plan and implement the means to realise that vision. The fact that David Granger meets both of those criteria is beyond dispute. Perhaps a few examples are in order. President Granger has an extensive and detailed written record of his thoughts. He has articulated a vision of a self-sufficient nation which will prosper in harmony with
the environment, and develop hand-in-hand with an ever-changing global environment. He has, in other words, described a structure within which Guyanese will develop themselves, taking into account the dynamic nature of local and international realities. One example of this vision is President Granger’s Green State Development Strategy (GSDS). Basically, the GSDS is “The use of biodiversity and a decarbonised approach that endeavours to provide an inclusive and better quality of life for all Guyanese.” But it does not end with the vision; the transformative aspect of the matter is key to achieving the vision. In that category, the president has described and explained numerous initiatives and programmes intended to reach that goal. The multi-faceted, tailored approach to renewable energy-use is one example. The conservation of forests initiative, emphasis on inter-regional trade, development of village economies, protection of endangered species, and sustainable land use are all means to the attainment of the goal of a ‘green Guyana.’ There are numerous other examples of President Granger’s visionary+transforma-
tional approach to development and progress. His goal of closing the gap between hinterland and coastal living-conditions is accompanied by a 10-point plan to achieve that goal. The President’s objective of equal opportunity to educational opportunities goes together with the Guyana Education Sector Improvement Project (GESIP). His Excellency’s desire for equality for women is similarly based on a well thought out roadmap. In summary, vision is the ability to “see” a goal, and transformation is the way to reach that goal. Some leaders have vision, other leaders are transformational, but only a few leaders are both visionary and transformational. Guyana is blessed with such a leader as president. Arguably, currently, there is no other person in Guyana’s political arena who even comes close to having those innate qualifications, not to mention unquestioned academic accomplishments and a scandal-free history. One may comfortably say that the choice of leader is obvious because no one else is in David Granger’s league.
GECOM must be guided by its professional mandate Dear Editor, NOT so long ago, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had been accused of employing staff along racial lines. Scurrilous in content, with the intention to undermine the important functions of this most important of state constitutional bodies, such an accusation, without foundation, had been designed to incite national disaffection, thus bringing the institution into disrepute. There was even a prior accusation, of laying the groundwork for election rigging, equally defamatory, when President David Granger decided to appoint retired Justice James Patterson as Chairman of GECOM. This was after a lengthy, but contentious process when he found three lists of candidates unsuitable. He exercised his option of appointment in accordance with the constitution. For all of the vituperation, slander, and personal attacks hurled against the person of the Chairman, especially, he and the GECOM staff prepared for, and administrated, the proper/ successful conduct of the 2018 Local Government Elections (LGE), in the most professional and efficient of
manner. It is instructive that there were no adverse complaints from the direction of the political opposition-- the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)-- that had been the vehicle for all the misleading information and unsubstantiated allegations against the national electoral body and its policies. It was a case of attempting to oust the Chairman, but such subterfuge failed. He stood tall in the pantheon of propriety. A national electoral administrative body is the vehicle tasked with the holding of national elections in a particular jurisdiction. It has to be constitutionally sanctioned, and therefore empowered to plan and execute this most democratic of citizens’ rights – the exercising of the franchise which allows for the choice of a government and political leaders of one’s choice. It is a fundamental principle which underpins any true democracy, with the end result being that the sum total of its preparatory and administrative actions must be reflected in results that are transparent and undisputed. For any such body to be successful and efficient in its delivery task, it has to rigidly adhere to its mandatory rule book, one of which is to ensure a national voters register/list that has been properly compiled
within a reasonable time that allows for each would-be voter to be registered for the right of participation in the national electoral process. There can/should be no deviation from this most cardinal of democratic practices, since its denial to any citizen amounts to a flagrant refutation of one’s human rights. At the moment, GECOM is being asked to provide a timeline for national elections at a time and within a particular time frame, for which it is not really prepared, or did anticipate. It is a situation which has been engendered by an act of treachery by a particular political collective whose daily shouts about having elections within the constitutional time frame, following the no-confidence motion, conveniently ignores its pivotal role in a sordid situation which by its own devious hand, it has created and foisted on to the nation’s shoulders. It is wholly deceptive for those to now accuse the government of delaying tactics, or pressuring GECOM into holding elections, when it is the latter that has to advise the former as to its state of readiness. It is even extraordinarily misleading, and a national lie, for the political opposition and its forces to accuse the government of
not adhering to constitutional timelines. Though it is recognized that constitutions do govern the manner of governance of a state that has such a seminal document, it does not/will not support the degradation of the rights of citizens, influenced by acts that are definably dishonest, with the portents for destructive and inimical to a functioning democracy. There are those whose actions are designed to rush GECOM into a head-on collision with the nation – its citizens, proper. GECOM must not allow this to happen. For it must remember that it is ultimately responsible for the administration of free and fair elections that are to the satisfaction of the collective citizenry of Guyana, and not satisfy the convenience of those with personal ambitions and other selfish motives. GECOM must be guided always, that the very groupings that are now making such unreasonable demands of its functions will be the first to publicly hurl criticisms, should it not be professional and transparent; self- seekers and hypocrites that they are. Regards Earl Hamilton
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
In three years the coalition has done more to ease Guyanese pains, more than any other Dear Editor, AFTER the passing of the no-confidence vote on the 21st of December in favour of the opposition PPP petition, their leader, with the wind in his sails, vowed at a rally on the Corentyne on the 29th of January, “to take our country back.” He was telling his people at the rally that the other people who are the usurpers should not be there, therefore, they want their country back. The adjective “our” relates to or belonging to us, and to “take back” means reclaiming what was lost or stolen. Now, since this was spoken by the leader of the opposition, it actually meant that this country, Guyana, belongs to them and only them. This, of course, is not the first time words and action to this affect was used here. Back in 1919, two professional Indian men petitioned the English Legislature and the Indian Legislature requesting that British Guiana be made into an Indian colony in South America. These learned gentlemen saw a need to have a colony made
up of Indian people here in South America. The people who they met when they came, the people who tamed the land were not evident or important. They saw what they saw and were justified in their decision, “we want our country back,” from them. In a country where social cohesion, shared governance and inclusionary democracy are bandied about ad nauseam, I have not read anything from the numerous letter writers, and the knowledgeable scribes who get favourable ink in the dailies, condemning Jagdeo’s utterances. Maybe they agree with him. Silence, as they say, is acceptance. Instead of making Jagdeo explain his comments, after the very bold headline given him by the Stabroek News to air his thoughts, a scribe who is a closeted Trojan Horse, thinks it was better to question the integrity of the coalition, over the no-confidence result, he writes: “Leaders that do not want to give up power, can we TRUST them to accept the results should they lose.”
You get the inference? Another consistent oracle of all things Guyana suggest that Mr Bulkan, “should prepare for the attendant physical and psychological pain and suffering of losing the election. “As an oracle, his prediction of the future are spot on; he gloatingly sees victory at the polls for his kind. Where was he during the reign? Your guess is as good as mine. The constitution of Guyana that has been treated like a step child during the PPP’s twenty-three-years terror campaign, is now being comforted and consoled. From everywhere they are coming, bringing frankincense and myrrh for our beloved constitution that is being abused by the President David Granger coalition. The EU thinks that they have prerogative to pontificate on our affairs. My advice to the EU is to clean up your own backyard before giving us advice that is definitely needed in your part of the world. Remember its “Old Europe,” according to Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense in the Bush administration, who
Guyana will not be surrendered to a select few friends who monopolised local industries Dear Editor, RECENT campaign rally by the PPP, featured in the headlines, quoted Bharrat Jagdeo and presidential hopeful, Irfaan Ali, saying that they will “take our country back”. Take back our country? From who? No foreign invader has seized our dear land nor was it lost to any domestic tyranny or terror; in fact, it is in the hands of the Guyanese people through a duly, democratically elected government at the national, regional and local government level. Something we could not say to be true of the PPP government under the presidency of Mr. Jagdeo. Mr. Jagdeo and his recently selected presidential candidate are at it again with their race-bating for political gains as surely his comments were a reference to the ethnic make-up of the PPP and the larger coalition government partner (PNC/R). [During the] last election campaign, Mr. Jagdeo said that if the PPP wasn’t returned to power, the GDF will be used to kick down the doors of PPP supporters’ homes and do unspeakable things. “When they link up with the Military and come into your homes and start kicking the doors down and when they come after you, who is going to be there…?” (Kaieteur News April 20, 2015)
None of which ever came to past. Guyanese are more involved in the running of this country than ever before, as the press is truly free, freedom of speech is guaranteed (no calypsos bad-mouthing government banned) and access to information greatly improved with projects such as the commissioning of Radio Ishalton. So, to cast aspersions that Guyana is in the hands of anything except Guyanese is a fallacy. Allow me to further dispel the fallacy propagated by the PPP duo with their “take our country back” comment. Current PPP campaign has the slogan “Defend Your Democracy” which, when taken into account, the history of the PPP as against their coalition opponent is beyond ironic. Democracy is the velvet glove that hides the iron fist of the autocratic elitist nature of the PPP in its current form. Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali are willing to disenfranchise scores of young people in their thirst for power by their unwillingness to allow house-to-house registration and a proper cleansing of the voters list. It is in their power to allow house-to-house registration with a two-thirds majority parliamentary support to hold elections after GECOM is fully ready. This is the party that, by lip service, claims to be champions of the cause for See page 8
characterised it thus. Everyday, RT exposes Europe for what it is-- a poodle for the USA. The EU has no standing, no integrity. As for the Public Service Commission (PSC), these jokers were as quiet as a church mouse during the twenty-three-years reign, why? Because they were enjoying the largess. None of their loved ones was being jailed or killed; they were not living here. They were enjoying life in other people’s country. Jagdeo’s rant means nothing to the scribes and letter writers, as far as they are
concerned, they see the coalition as toast, and they are chafing at the bit for elections day. In three years, the coalition has done more to ease Guyanese pains, more than any other. I am not making a comparison, because to do that would be casting pearls before swine. The coalition has been begging for a meeting of the minds, but the opposition don’t want that; there ambition is to rule. Unfortunately for them, however, the elections will be held when GECOM decides, not a day before or a day after. All the wailing and gnashing
of teeth from all and sundry will change nothing. It is the coalition prerogative and constitutional right to appeal the past verdict. If they lose, then “YES”, they will abide by the decision. You hypocrites can call it what you like-- stalling, playing for time, whatever. It will be GECOM’S decision. By the way, I witnessed the protest on Tuesday 5th, and I saw one type of people, those who want their country back. Regards Milton Bruce
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Westminster Scheme to benefit from new secondary school
MANY residents are giving thought to the likely positive impact the construction of the new Westminster Secondary School will have on the Westminster and Parfaite Harmonie areas. The contract was signed last October with R. Bassoo and Sons, to the tune of
$1 billion (US $4,795,595). According to the contractor’s representative, Jonathan Mohal, the project which began on October 15, 2018, has created several employment opportunities for residents in the area. “The construction of the school has a positive feedback from
the community. They are happy and pleased with the work being done”, he added. Approximately 16 residents of the scheme are employed on the project and double the amount is expected to gain jobs in the future, as the construction progresses. In a recent visit to the
site, the Guyana Chronicle observed the ongoing works on the foundation. The construction, which is funded by the World Bank, is projected to run for a period of 15 months. Some 1000 students will be accommodated when the school is completed. This plan aims to boost
the number of students with readily access to secondary schools and increase the number of students in schools, with new and improved teaching resources and conditions in specific areas. The size of the school will cover 3.45 acres of land, measuring 384 by
384 square feet. Apart from the many students who will benefit, many vendors look forward to an imminent revenue earner. Westminster Secondary school is expected to be completed by January 2020 and is among one of the many school projects being undertaken.
Guyana will not be surrendered to a select few friends ... From page 7
young Guyanese. From 2015 to date, 14 and 15-year-olds would have come to age where they would have been constitutionally guaranteed a democratic right to one vote for the party of their choice. Jagdeo, Irfaan and the PPP would deny that right to young people to cast their first ever vote if it means a shot at power and that calls into question their motive for seeking office. The PPP, maybe the larg-
est mass-based political party in Guyana [had] a wonderful opportunity to prove their commitment to democracy, was afforded to the party when it came time to elect and not select a presidential candidate. By modest estimations, the PPP has 14,000 registered members of which 13,965 voices were silenced, only allowing for 35 to have a say in who represents the party as its presidential candidate. Not counting out those who by unofficial reports were pressured to withdraw or votes bought by Mr. Jag-
deo. So, in reality, the democratic enfranchisement of 14,000 PPP members was sacrificed for the will of just one (Mr. Jagdeo). A seat in the National Assembly is afforded by about 7,000 votes and those who occupy those seats do so on the basis of representative democracy and, as a result, do not represent themselves, but the 7,000 votes that put them there. On the 21st of December, 2018, 7,000 voters had their democratic will subverted with the help of PPP opera-
tives (Peter Ramsaroop and car full of friends) when Charrandass Persaud voted with the opposition. A vote that, contrary to Mr. Persaud’s claim of one of conscience, is reportedly to have been procured for US$1 million and given who the vote benefits and his company on the said night strongly hints his buyer to be agents of the PPP. Not even the democratic rights guaranteed under the constitution is safe under a Jagdeo-led PPP government, as he denied the country’s
local government elections so that hand selected interim management committees (IMC) that bent to his will did his biddings. So no, Guyanese will not give back this country to the cabal of Jagdeo or his cohorts. Guyana will not be surrendered back to the hands of a select few friends who monopolised local industries such as the telecommunication to their selfish benefit, the streets and the lives of young men will not be sold over again to drug lords to do with as they wish and
Guyana will not see ministers and friends create another ‘Pradoville’. Guyana currently rests safely in the hands of Guyanese benefitting Guyanese! Take back our country? We have already taken it back through free and fair elections overseen by a PPP government and we will keep our country with another free and fair elections whenever it comes. Regards Kenny Valladares
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
CDB lauds Guyana Natural Resources Fund … says facility conforms to transparency, accountability, good governance By Lisa Hamilton in Barbados THE Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has lauded the Government’s Natural Resource Fund as a positive step in the right direction towards protecting Guyana from the ‘resource curse’. At the CDB’s 2019 Annual News Conference in Barbados on Thursday, CDB Director of Economics, Dr. Justin Ram, spoke extensively on the fund being set up to manage the country’s large expected flow of oil revenue. “I think that the proposals from the government are sound with respect to the Natural Resource Fund, whereby, the revenues go into the fund first and then there are applications by the government to spend those resources. That, I think, is critical and can help with mitigation so
that the ‘Dutch Disease’ or ‘Resource Curse’ does not happen in Guyana,” he told this newspaper. The Natural Resources Fund Bill 2018 was passed on January 3, 2019, in the National Assembly with no objection. The bill, which will cater for funds from oil production in 2020, was passed with minor amendments. Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, in moving the second and third readings of the bill, stressed that a Public Accountability Oversight Committee, as catered for in the bill, will be appointed. Jordan said that the Public Accountability Oversight Committee will not feature any representatives from the government or any ministry or the Opposition side of the House. Even as things progress, Dr. Ram commended the Fund for its conformation to the Santiago Principles
CDB Director of Projects, Daniel Best
which promote transparency, accountability, good governance and prudent investment practices. “What this means is that the resources will go into the fund and so the priority is to save first and then to spend. That, I think, has to be prudent because, remember, the oil resources in the ground, once it comes out of the ground, it’s gone forever. And those oil resources belong to current generations as well as future generations, so it’s important that Guyana either invests some of those resources in other productive industries or save it for a rainy day and for posterity,” he advised. Dr. Ram listed a number of Guyana’s productive industries such as manufacturing, gold and agriculture and projected that the country has significant potential to develop a diversified economy if it injects its
oil revenues to these areas. IMPROVE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT However, he warned that where Guyana runs the risk of losing its footing is if it allows oil revenues to pour into the country and inundate the economy. “You don’t want a situation where too many oil revenues come into the system. It leads to an overheating economy, it leads to inflation which means that other employees in the rest of the economy are now seeking higher wages and those higher wages tend to put a drag on the competitiveness of those sectors, leading those sectors to decline. That’s the ‘Dutch Disease’ which you really want to avoid,” he explained. Should Guyana continue along the track of avoiding this, Dr. Ram said that See page 21
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‘No Registration, No Elections’
GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
–– Gov’t supporters widen protests to Linden, Essequibo calling for house-to-house registration
By Venessa Braithwaite and Indrawattie Natram HOLDING placards with signs “No Registration, No Elections” and “Give the youths a chance to vote”, scores
of government supporters in Linden, Essequibo and other areas took to the streets on Thursday, calling on GECOM to hold house-to-house registration before elections. Around the country, groups picketed GECOM
offices in a bid to enforce the notion that free and fear elections can only be done after house-to-house registration is completed. The current voters’ list has thousands of dead names and the youths who are now eligible to vote,
cannot do so, since they have not been documented. Member of Parliament (MP) Jermaine Figueira, who was at the forefront of the protest, said the government is in no way afraid of elections, but it must be done the proper way. “The position that GECOM must hold houseto-house registration is a position that we in Region 10 strongly support because young persons’
it’ before any election.” Another picketer, Anthony Robert, said the call for a thorough census to be done is far from the accusation that the government is not upholding the Constitution. “I think we should allow GECOM to do the proper work and then we will hold the elections whenever the time arises and I believe the best time is 2020,” he said Another vocal picketer, Dolores Gibbons, said: “We cannot have elections
said. Guyana’s Constitution provides for elections to be held three months after a no-confidence motion has been passed against the government. While the Opposition recently protested that the elections should be called at this time, GECOM commissioners have opined that it is impossible for houseto-house registration to be held and to meet the March deadline. In Region Two, a sim-
Picketers in front of the GECOM office in Linden names, in particular, are not yet on that voters’ list and, moreso, persons who are deceased are still appearing on the list,” he said. The MP added that the 2019 budget has catered for house-to-house registration and when it was tabled in the National Assembly, there was no objection and the sudden rejection by the Opposition for house-to-house registration is most unbecoming and irresponsible. Protestor Noel Perry said it is imperative that a clean list be put together before elections are called. “People die, people are just out of school, and people would like to know that the list is put together the right way before elections are called, so matters-not-what the Opposition is saying, we are holding out to say ‘correct
without house-to-house registration, we have a lot of dead people on the list, we have a lot of eligible youths that come out of school that have to vote, so we need house-to-house registration.” One youth, who has reached eligibility status, said he has perused the list in his constituency and his name is not on the list and he strongly believes he has a right to vote at the next election. WANT MY VOICE HEARD “I think youths should vote because we need more opportunities and I want my voice to be heard. Also at the last election, youths came out and voted like a boss, to put the government in power, so we need to do the same again,” Dwight Bennett
ilar protest was held. The chant “No house-to-house registration, no elections,” was loud in front of the GECOM branch office in Anna Regina. Armed with placards, youths shouted for GECOM to begin house-to-house registration. “We need our vote to count, I will be eligible to vote this year, and as such, I want to go on the list,” a young voter told reporters. Other youths who joined the protest are advocating for the chairman of GECOM to thoroughly go through the list before a date is announced for elections. Abdraka Perscott, 21, believes young people should be given a chance to vote. “We really can make a difference, and as such, those who didn’t vote in See page 21
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Region 10 used up 2018 budget … REO promises to accelerate work programme this year
IN his budget presentation to the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) at February’s statutory meeting, Regional Executive Officer Orrin Gordon, revealed that for 2018, the region expended 99 per cent of the budgetary allocation across the four programmes: Education, Health, Public Works and Administration. This however, does not exclude the fact that there have been hiccups along the way and because the RDC has learnt its lesson, he foresees 2019 to be a year, where the residents of Region 10 will see value for their money. Despite experiencing human resource inadequacies, particularly in the works department, Gordon said that the RDC did perform remarkably well. Figures show that for administration $211,191,887 was expended; for public works –$221,496,945; for education – $215,852,000 and health saw $577,009,929. These in totality, represent spending of over 99 per cent in each individual programme. The total budget for 2018 was $3.4B. Gordon also noted that 95 per cent of projects executed under maintenance and capital projects totalling $830M, were awarded to contractors based in Region 10. Region 10’s budget allocation for 2019 is $3.9B; this represents an increase of over $500M. While the RDC has
REO of Region 10 Orrin Gordon already established its capital budget for all projects for 2019, there are 38 roll-over projects from 2018. These projects include the consultancy for the construction of the Bamia Nursery and Primary Schools. The RDC is looking at 100 per cent expenditure in 2019 and is putting systems in place to fill the loop holes which blocked the expediency of projects in 2018. This includes utilising auditor services to push the time line and improve the general output at the RDC, the filling of pertinent vacancies and the utilisation of the regional tender board. “We have learnt our lessons in 2018 and therefore it is incumbent on us to execute very early, hence it would have been seen that
tenders were out for at least 35 projects, 20 being capital – and these are expected to be awarded by the end of February. That means we are in a better position than we were in last year, when our first award was made in April and having made your first award in April, it meant that you were playing catch up all the time, we are now having a chance to execute better because we are starting earlier and there should be no reason why we shouldn’t complete our capital projects before the end of the first half,” REO Gordon said. Some of the capital works Region 10 will benefit from in 2019 include the construction of two new schools; land and water transport for the health sector, including a refrigerator truck, furniture and equipment for schools, the upgrade of the Upper Demerara Hospital etc. Since the main concern of residents is roads, several roads are on the budget to be completed this year. These include Victory Valley access road, the second half of Main Street, Kara Kara access road etc. Attention will not only be given to Linden, as 14 capital projects will be completed in the riverine communities especially down the Berbice River. Agriculture is a new programme head that is added to the RDC and $22.7M has been allocated. Priority will be given to the establishment
Drunken argument leaves labourer dead A MAN stabbed his friend in the neck and left him to die after a drunken argument ensued between the two in the wee hours of Thursday morning at Foulmouth Landing, Essequibo River. Dead is Cedric Williams, 32, a labourer of Foulmouth Village, Essequibo River. He was allegedly killed by a 33-year-old man of the same address. The suspect is being sought by police. Investigations revealed that Williams, the suspect, and his sister, were
imbibing at the landing when an argument erupted between Williams and the suspect over a criminal act the suspect committed in 2009. As a result, the suspect became annoyed and fatally stabbed Williams to the neck with a knife and fled the scene. Williams was taken to the Bartica Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The body is presently at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.
of shade houses, seven of which will be established in secondary schools. The main objective is to increase agricultural production and out-
put within the communities. “There is much work to be done, by the first half we should be able to complete what we want to com-
plete and the organisation, though still struggling with technical staff, we will really have to push ourselves,” REO Gordon said.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Nations principal leaves for treatment in US By Tajeram Mohabir
SCHOOL of the Nations Principal, Dr Brian O’Toole, has winged out to the US for further treatment following the attack by a lone gunman at his Bel Air Promenade, Georgetown home about two weeks ago. Dr O’Toole, who was warded at the Woodlands Hospital, suffered a shattered bone and artery in the left hand during the shooting that occurred just as he was about to enter his home. Prior to his shooting, a student was expelled after he threatened to shoot-up the school. Several persons have been questioned as police continue their hunt for the shooter and the persons behind the shooting. On Tuesday, the school’s Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA) demanded that the Guyana Police Force update the nation on the progress made in investigating the threats of destruction that have rocked the school and other educational institutions in recent days. Standing a short distance away from the Ministry of Public Security, four parents led by the PTA’s President, Anna Lisa Fraser-Phang, pleaded for answers from the authorities, in particular the Guyana Police Force. To assist with the investigation, the small group of parents is offering a $1M
reward to person(s) who may have credible information that may lead to the capture of the perpetrators. Threats have also been issued to students at Queen’s College and Bishops’ High School and in recent days, the University of Guyana (UG). These institutions, like Nations, were forced to beef-up security on and around their premises. UG on Thursday announced that it will close its Turkeyen Campus until Monday. “Officers of the police force and fire service conducted a thorough search of the campus on Wednesday afternoon, February 6. No explosive of any kind or suspicious object was found during this search. The closure of the campus will enable the administration, staff and student leaders to review the situation and enhance preventive and responsive measures for such threats. Classes and full operations will resume on Monday, February 11, 2019,” UG said in a statement. THANKFUL O’Toole on Thursday expressed gratitude to the doctors at the Woodlands Hospital who cared for him, as well as the police investigating the shooting. “I want to thank the police for all their efforts to date. Every day they must do so much for us all – and yet, of necessity, we remain un-
aware of all that they are doing. It must surely be a very thankless job,” said Dr O’Toole, who has received more than 550 messages of support from families, friends and well-wishers from around the world. Putting the shooting and threats into context, he told Guyana Chronicle that in today’s society, the breakdown of the old world order is evident on a daily basis, and should be addressed. “Our only response can be to play our part in building a new world order based on very different values. I have no doubt at all that Nations, and indeed our sister schools around Guyana, will come out of this situation far, far stronger. “For almost two years now at Nations, we have been working on a moral leadership programme that tries to look at some of the challenges facing our youth – depression, isolation, anger, feelings of helplessness, drugs – and the list can go on. We, at Nations, are in the process of greatly expanding this programme. We are more than delighted to open this programme to youth from outside Nations – anyone interested should contact the Nations office. The sessions are on Saturdays,” he said. Dr O’Toole also noted “the power” and “very real dangers” of social media, pointing out that this will be a focus of the training to help
Suspect in Barima farmer’s murder arrested
THE suspect in relation to the murder of Orlando Joseph, a farmer of Koriabo Village, Barima, North West District, who was killed on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, is in police custody assisting with investigations, police confirmed. According to the police, it is alleged that 26-year-old Joseph was killed in Koriabo Village, Barima, North West District by the suspect,
who lives in the community. An initial investigation revealed that, at about 15.30 hours on Tuesday, Joseph and the suspect had a misunderstanding and the suspect armed himself with a bow and arrow and shot Joseph in the upper region of his body. Joseph was taken to the Mabaruma Public Hospital where he was treated and admitted but later succumbed to his injury.
youths to see how the word can be a smoldering fire that ignites passion and destroys reason. “People of my generation were never faced with such challenges but we
must now struggle to appreciate the dangers this form of communication, once wrongly used, faces for our children and youth,” he told the Guyana Chronicle.
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Nations Principal, Dr Brian O’Toole
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Jagdeo shrugs off claims his rhetoric stirring up instability
THE sudden escalation of threats (bombs and otherwise) to educational institutions including the University of Guyana, has raised questions in some quarters about its genesis. This comes as the PPP ratcheted up calls for protest action as it presses for the holding of general elections within 90 days as mandated following the passage of the no-confidence vote in the National Assembly.
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, asked about a possible connection, brushed aside concerns saying that the “PPP was taking the high moral ground”. The PPP’s general gecretary said that his party was not preaching violence or polarisation, “That is where we will always stand.” Jagdeo further urged support for racial harmony, calling on all to support the Ethnic Relations Commission’s (ERC) website which
purports to support the aforementioned issue. Some have wondered about a possible connection between the opposition’s calls for increased protetsts, reports of shooting threats against a top Georgetown school and subsequent bomb threats made against UG, the latter of which has been closed until further notice. Jagdeo on Tuesday threatened that there would be no business as usual if his
party’s demand for elections by March 19 this year is not met. Jagdeo had made similar threats when President David Granger found his nominees to for the post of chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission ‘not fit and proper.’ Tuesday, on the picket line outside GECOM, he declared that he will be “ratcheting up” his action. While Jagdeo was making his threats, parents of children attending
School of the Nations were outside of the Ministry of Public Security protesting alleged threats made against that institution and over at the University of Guyana, classes were cancelled owing to a bomb threat. In the aftermath of the no-confidence vote, civil society and the diplomatic community have been urging all parties to remain calm and not to provoke the peace, but Jagdeo on Tuesday told supporters at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre (Red House) that the party would “ratchet up the pressure” against GECOM and the government. Back in 2018, following President Granger’s appointment of Justice James Patterson as the Chairman
of GECOM, Jagdeo had threatened: “If they think they can rig the elections and have the kind of peace that we have now…they are wrong…they are very, very wrong.” He further added, “I hope they are not thinking that in their calculations and it is not coded language.” The former president has been criticised over the years for being intemperate. He had used similar language in March 2015 at a Babu Jaan rally when he told his successor, Donald Ramotar: “The past three years must have been a nightmare to Ramotar…Sometimes we need to administer something else, some kicks up the asses,” the former president had said.
Massive road improvement works for Region 5 this year – REO COMMUNITIES in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) will benefit from an unprecedented number of new and upgraded roads this year, Regional Executive Officer Mr. Ovid Morrison said. Morrison said the RDC itself will execute some 21 such road constructions and upgrades at a cost of close to $200M, while the Ministry of Public Infrastructure will construct an additional nine roads – at least two of them are major roads – within the region, and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) – one major farm-to-market road. A grand total of 31 such infrastructural improvements within the region, he said. The community roads and farm-to-market roads to be done by the Region will be done at an average cost of about 12 million dollars each. The Region last week awarded contracts for 13 of these roads for works ranging from the upgrading of earthen dams in communities, to crusher-run surfaces and construction of new asphaltic surfaces in others. Morrison said that contractors who won the awards are beginning to mobilise for execution. Meanwhile, two of the nine roads to be done in the region by MPI will be major roads. These are the construction of an access road at Trafalgar, West Coast Berbice (WCB) to the tune of $53.6M and the construction of the main access road to the sea dam and side dam at Number 22 Village WCB to be done at a cost of $48.2M. The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) has already awarded contracts for these two major MPI projects. The road to be done by the NDIA will be an extension of the farm-to-market access road at Onverwagt, WCB at a cost of $80M. This section of the road presented problems for rice farmers during the last rainy season because it had become impassable due to deterioration of the surface. This section measuring 1.8KM is to be upgraded to an asphaltic concrete road from where it currently ends, up to the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) Irrigation Regulator Number Three (IR 3). A source at the ministry of Agriculture, disclosing this last week, said that funding has been acquired. Bids will be invited from contractors this month and following the opening and evaluation of tenders, a contract will be awarded for work on this section of the road and this will be of immense relief to farmers, rice farmers in particular, the source said. It is intended that construction of this road extension start in April.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Several testify in ‘Smyth Street’ murder trial
AS the ‘Smyth Street’ murder trial continued in the Demerara High Court on Thursday before Justice Navindra Singh, several witnesses testified. According to the indictment, it is alleged that on March 19, 2016, in the county of Demerara, Morris Prince murdered Oriley Small. Upon the presentation of the indictment, the accused, Morris Prince, pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and, as such, a trial commenced in which 19 witnesses are expected to testify. On Thursday, Detective Sergeant Rodwell Sarrabo took the stand and testified that he assisted in the investigations. He told the court that on the day in question, he was on duty at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Brickdam, and relative to a report at 13:00 hours, he received certain information and instructions, after which he contacted the accused. Sarrabo said that he put the allegation to Morris Prince which stated that, on the day in question, he, in the company of others, armed with dangerous weapons, murdered Oriley Small. The accused was, however, cautioned and, in response, denied any involvement while the police witness said the accused did not make any statement to the police under duress. Meanwhile, under cross-examination by defence attorney, Mark Waldron, the police witness admitted that he was the second- in-charge of the investigation. He stated that ex-cop Derwin Eastman was the first rank on the scene on the day in question. Responding to questions posed by Waldron, Sarrabo added that on the day in question, he visited the crime scene. He stated that he knew the deceased because the police were familiar with him since he was a person of interest to law enforcement. The police witness told the court that he was aware that the deceased was shot before his demise and he had personally arrested him on several occasions.
based on the location of the gun powder residue which was found on both the jacket and tee-shirt. The next witness, Inspector Shivram Mordyal, testified that in March 2016, he was stationed at CID Brickdam and he assisted in the probe. He visited the crime scene where he saw a motionless body lying in the passageway of the yard, loThe accused: Morris Prince at the Demerara High Court In relation to the matter, when questioned by Waldron, Sarrabo said he interviewed several persons, including the sister of the deceased and took statements. Sarrabo admitted, under questioning, that there was no eyewitness to the fatal shooting of the deceased but the sister had told police she saw a man dressed in a ‘hoodie’ leaving the yard, on the day in question but she could not identify the man. It was put to Sarrabo by Waldron that there was no evidence linking the accused to the murder since no gun was found, and he agreed. The next witness to testify was Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, who gave the cause of death as multiple gunshot injuries. He told the court that all nine gunshots exited the body. Senior Superintendent Philip Azore took the stand and said that, in March 2016, he was stationed at CID Forensic Lab, Eve Leary, as a forensic analyst. This witness was then deemed an expert in trace evidence and forensic analysis after the application made by the state was granted by the trial judge. In his evidence-in-chief, he told the court that on March 26, 2016, he received several sealed evidence bags containing exhibits from Constable Rockliffe. He related that all the evidence which included a black jacket, a pair of pants, a tee-shirt, and two cotton swabs, were all tested for the presence of gun powder residue, but only the black jacket, the tee-shirt and the two swabs tested positive. Azore opined that the shooter was right-handed,
cated at Lot 2 Smyth Street, Werk-en-Rust. He told the court he made checks to the building, observed that a glass window was broken and retrieved a warhead (component of a bullet). He also collected metal objects and spent shells from the crime scene. Mordyal said on March
21, 2016, he was on duty at about 13:00 hours when he was contacted by detective Sergeant Rodwell Sarrabo and he told him ‘something’. He added that when he put the allegation of murder to the accused, the latter said, “yall can’t find no gun powder residue on me because I ain’t fire no gun.” At this point in the trial,
a voir dire (a trial within a trial) was called to determine the admissibility of evidence in the case. More witnesses are expected to take the stand on Friday (February 8, 2019). The state is being represented by prosecutors Tuanna Hardy and Abigail Gibbs while the defence attorney is Mark Waldron.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
PI into father, son murder set for Feb. 20
THE Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of the Craig Street, Campbellville father and son, who were killed at their home last July, is set to continue on February 20, before Principal Magistrate Judy
Latchman at the Providence Magistrate’s Court. Orlando Douglas, 30, also of Campbellville, is currently on remand for the murder of 61-year-old Deonarine Liliah and his 28-year-old son, Omkar, during the course of
Orlando Douglas
Omkar Liliah
Deonarine Liliah a robbery between July 7, 2018 and July 10, 2018. Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves is leading the evidence in the PI while Douglas is being represented by attorney-at-law, Melville Duke. The Guyana Chronicle had reported that the father and son were last seen alive on July 7, 2018, at their Campbellville home, but after a foul stench started to
emanate from the premises three days later, their tenant called the police, and that is when their decomposing bodies were discovered. Police managed to recover CCTV footage which showed an unidentified male jumping the western fence and entering the home. A post-mortem report revealed that the victims had been stabbed a total of 66 times.
No cause for alarm, maintain your vehicles properly says fire chief GET your vehicles fixed by certified mechanics and keep a small extinguisher on board. This warning came from Fire Chief Marlon Gentle, in wake of the three vehicle fires in two days. The fire chief explained in an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, that the first two vehicle fires were investigated. Fire service investigators found that one vehicle was modified in such a way that caused fuel to spill from the lines onto a part of the electrical circuit, causing combustion. The other vehicle was also modified after initially suffering from a fuel starvation problem. This was led to fuel spilling on the hot exhaust, resulting in combustion. Noting that the third vehicle fire on February 7 is still under investigation, the top fire service official said that too many times persons modify their vehicles, without thought for the consequences if something goes wrong. Gentle is reiterating his call for motorists to only have their vehicles repaired according to the manufacturer’s specifications and equip their vehicles with a small fire extinguisher for any similar emergencies. These can be purchased at suppliers of safety equipment for a reasonable sum. A sum he stated which would be much less than the cost of repairing or replacing a vehicle destroyed by fire. On Wednesday morning at Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, a Toyota Carina burst into flames after the driver parked it immediately when he noticed smoke emanating from it. Firemen responded quickly and managed to contain the flames. A Guyana Power and Light (GPL) contracted minibus also mysteriously went up in flames on Sheriff Street on Wednesday morning. The driver said he and his supervisor observed the smoke under the driver’s seat. They could only stand helplessly as the entire vehicle was eventually destroyed by the flames. A Route 32 Minibus which was heading to Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, crashed into a utility pole and burst into flames at Hague on Thursday, around 14:00hrs. This accident is under investigation.
GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Repositioned Barama Company hails gov’t intervention
MINISTER of Finance, Winston Jordan, says the government will be examining the provision of more concessions for the local manufacturing industry. While the administration has already made significant inroads in this regard, he said there is still more that could be offered. The minister made the announcement to employees of Barama Company Limited, during a tour of the new operations earlier on Thursday. The Malaysian-owned company, which officially ceased operations in Guyana back in October 2016, is now under the management of Guyanese, however, with a much smaller workforce. The pullout saw some 600 workers being retrenched. Today, the company has been “repositioned” and has a new “paradigm shift”, according to General Manager, Mohindra Chan. He said, instead of forestry and logging, the manufacturing company
Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan speaks with Manager of Barama Company Limited, Mohindra Chan, during a tour of the company’s facility at Land of Canaan (Samuel Maughn photo) is now focused on the production of plywood, adding that the company remains the largest in the Caribbean. Chan said the intervention by the coalition government has made things easier for companies involved in the
manufacturing industry and for that, he was sincerely grateful. “Minister Jordan, you are the minister that has listened to our concerns through the GSMA, and today we have a situation where we do not have to pay VAT
on logs, and we do not have to charge VAT on plywood.” He said it was the finance minister who also saw the need to establish a consolidated stockyard, where $50 million was allocated last year. While he is disappointed that
other industries did not take advantage of it, Barama has made a proposal of how it could make use of the money. Another intervention by the government he said was the $120 million for forest enumeration. Chan said while
Barama is no longer involved in logging, there is still much to be discovered in the industry. He said the minister also spearheaded the increase of the Common External Tax to be increased in lumber, which has been very effective, as there has been a regrowth in the lumber market. Chan also praised the extensive work done by the administration on the roads in the interior. He said the inconvenience experienced in the past is no longer there. According to Chan, going forward with new management, the company hopes to increase its revenue base and re-attract investors. “We see the opportunities to improve the efficiencies and reduce the cost of the operations by the introduction of more modern manufacturing equipment, acquiring of other support equipment and improving waste utilisation,” he said.
Inaugural Sophia Community Dialogue slated for Saturday THE Sophia Community Development Association (SOCDA), with its mission to promote youth empowerment and reduce the prevalence of crime and violence in the Sophia community and its surrounding environs,
will be hosting an Inaugural Sophia Community Dialogue, at the Sophia Training Centre, Sophia, on Saturday February 9, 2019, commencing at 15:00 hours. The Sophia Community Development Association
(SOCDA) has been awarded a grant from USAID, under its Local Capacity for Local Solutions Programme (LCLS), which is geared at building the capacity of SOCDA’s executive, in strategic planning, financial management and
communication and visibility, among others. The dialogue is the first major event under the LCLS grant and it is expected that some 60-80 community leaders, residents and students, will exchange views on issues
affecting the development of the Sophia community, particularly ‘C’, ‘D’ and ‘E’ Fields and their environs. Following the community dialogue, there will be a retreat aimed at creating a five-year strategic plan
for SOCDA by May 2019. The rationale of the progamme is to solicit and document the socio-economic developmental needs to be addressed and the solutions that will be suggested by residents.
GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Mahdia miners bemoan slothful process of court cases
GOLD miners residing in the Potaro-Siparuni Region are calling on the officials of the judiciary to handle matters before the courts dealing with land claims and ownership in an expeditious manner, since the continuous holding-up is costing them tremendously. This concern was an important one raised at an open-day session hosted by Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, in Mahdia on Wednesday. Broomes also called for the matters to be dealt with expeditiously. In tears, female miner Lucille Austin said that a matter for her concerning double claim for four plots of land is before the courts since 2016 and she continues to suffer tremendously because of the hold up. She noted that because she cannot work the land, pending the court hearing, she is unable to earn, but the lands are being raided daily by intruders who are reaping the gold, that legally belongs to her. She has all verification documents issued by The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). Lucille Austin said that the matter is so frustrating that her husband died as a result of the stress relating to fighting the case. “Today I am without a husband because of this, it is unfair that it is my land and I cannot work my own land, and everyday persons are raiding the land,” she said, trying to hold back her tears. Another pork knocker, Kendrick Roberts, also bemoaned the back logging of cases and while he acknowledged that the government has no control over the judiciary, he said that government officials are fully aware of the crises befalling miners, and
they are the only ones miners can turn to for help. He said that it is unbelievable to see that lands have several owners, as soon as a significant amount of gold is found on it and all of these owners show up with legal documents, issued by GGMC. This is the underlying issue that is triggering the overwhelming cases in the courts and he is also calling on the requisite officers at GGMC, to be more prudent in the process of land issuance. He said that as a result of outstanding court cases, and not being able to ply his trade on lands, he lost two relationships, because of not being able to sustain his family. “I already lost two relationships because of this, because of not being able to sustain the home...we need officers at GGMC with integrity as well as magistrates who will not drag out the cases, sometimes years gone by the and case not called as yet,” he said. While he is only a small pork knocker, Roberts described his losses as minimal since all mining requires investments, but for large scale miners, he said their investments are in the million, which gradually turn to millions, following dragged out court cases. Minister Broomes says she in indeed aware of what miners are experiencing in this regard and it pains her to see how miners are affected, especially the issue of Mrs Austin, since she is a woman and a widow. While the cases are not under her jurisdiction, she is hoping that the courts expedite its dealing with miners, since it is a bread and butter issue. These unwarranted delays, she said, are causing tension among miners
disputing the cases and can result in a regrettable situation. She also alluded to the millions of dollars in investment that goes down as losses, pending these court cases.
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Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes and team, listening to Mrs Lucille Austin who has a long standing matter before the courts
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Cops closing in on ‘bomb scare’ pranksters By Vishani Ragobeer
POLICE have reported that the two recent bomb scares at the University of Guyana (UG), Turkeyen Campus are “no significant threat”, even as they call on the perpetrators to desist from disrupting the calm in society. On Tuesday and Wednesday, threats were made to UG, forcing the
cancellation of classes. “... from our investigations, there is no significant threat [and] our investigations have revealed so far that students, either by themselves or with other persons, decided to be mischievous and endeavoured to disrupt the existing peace and calm in society and specifically in the education sectors,” a police release said.
The police force, through its commissioner, deputy crime chief and a team of officers, met with members of the UG administration to assess the situation and keep the administration abreast with the investigations. “[Members of UG’s administration] were advised that the situation arose from mischievous students, either by themselves or other
Police presence at UG’s Parking Lot following the threat on Tuesday (Vishani Ragobeer photo) persons, therefore, there is no need for panic or any undue concern,” the release stated. However, the police force also related that investigations will continue and the arrest and detention of persons is “very much imminent”. Further, the Force urged that persons desist from disrupting the education sector, and by extension the calm of society, lest they face arrest and criminal charges.
rector was shot shortly after. Parents from Nations have since called on the police to make available to the public, the information they have gathered from their investigations thus far. They have also offered a $1M reward for the location and arrest of the perpetrator(s). On Thursday, the Education Ministry said a group of persons have been visiting homes under the guise of investigators looking into the recent threats against
Fire officers on campus combing through the buildings for explosives on Tuesday (Vishani Ragobeer photo) Following the second threat, the university closed the campus until Monday, when classes and full operations will resume. “The closure of the campus will enable the administration, staff and student leaders to review the situation and enhance preventative and responsive measures for such threats,” a notice from UG said. The threats against the university follow a string of online threats directed at several city schools. These threats were initially made against the School of the Nations and the school’s di-
city schools. “The group of con men are moving around in a white minibus and are pretending to be ranks attached to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Guyana Police Force,” the ministry said in a statement. It added: “The public is hereby asked to operate with extreme caution if ever faced with such a situation. You are advised to make immediate contact with the nearest police station and do not allow these persons into your yard or property at any time.”
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
CDB lauds Guyana ... ‘No Registration ...
From page 10
From page 9
another important step the country will need to take is to improve the business environment for its sectors. “[You need to look at] what aspects of the value chain in Guyana should be improved. Perhaps government regulations making it easier --digital [technology] can help with that; improving the in’s and out’s with respect to the port facilities, so it’s easier to export goods and perhaps import what the country requires. You want to reduce the overall cost of doing business and I think that is what Guyana needs to focus on right now,” he said. Ram also recommended that Guyana take a look at its energy supply which, being intermittent, can result in higher costs for doing business. “One area the government needs to look at improving overall is the energy structure to ensure that there can be continuous and reliable, 24/7 supply of electricity in Guyana,” he suggested. “That can also mean the utilisation of renewable energy because climate change is a real issue and we want to ensure that all of our borrowing member countries, even those who are exploiting hydrocarbons, can move to more sustainable future.” GREEN ECONOMY Guyana has been forging ahead in its 2030 Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) which will see the country seeking out greener economy pathways which include transition to renewable energy and greater energy independence.
When questioned about opportunities available to Guyana in this regard, Director of Projects, Daniel Best, said that the CDB has supported a number of its Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) in energy initiatives and Guyana will be no exception. “We have been able to mobilise very concessional resources for the development of renewable energy interventions,” Best began. “Guyana is certainly a Caribbean territory and a member of the Caribbean Development Bank, so access to solar resources, wind and, of course, hydro, which would be big in Guyana, we have the resources to support the development of all of these.” He also encouraged the energy efficiency of government buildings, a direction Guyana has already embarked upon with over 70 government buildings equipped with solar panels as of 2018. Both Best and Dr. Ram commended Guyana for its recent successes regarding fossil fuel finds. Earlier this week, United States (US) oil giant, ExxonMobil, reportedly discovered oil in two of its recently drilled wells which would now add to its record of five billion oil-equivalent barrels already. Leaving words of advice, Dr. Ram said: “For citizens of Guyana, be happy that you have these revenues and be happy that the government has taken the right steps towards trying to avoid that...I think for us at the Caribbean Development Bank, what the Guyana government has signalled about how it intends to manage the resources coming from the oil sector is good and should hopefully avoid the Dutch Disease or the resource curse effect.”
the previous elections should be given a fair chance this year to exercise their democratic rights,” she said. Sheria Peters was of the view that GECOM has a lot more work to do, especially in getting young voters registered. Coordinator of the protest, Naithram, said it is an opportune time to call on GECOM to have a clean list of voters. He said young people, too, have a say in
the country’s development, and as such, GECOM should commence the registration process. Joining the protest also was Government Member of Parliamentarian Haimraj Rajkumar. He echoed sentiments expressed by Naithram. The protests have come days after the Opposition protested in front the GECOM Georgetown headquarters, calling for elections to be held before March 19.
Essequibians joined the protest action
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
LGC not yet on constitutional agency register … gets subvention from Ministry of Communities
THOUGH the Local Government Commission (LGC) is essentially supposed to be a constitutional agency, it has not yet been placed on the country’s constitutional agency register, which means that it still falls somewhat within regulations of the Ministry of Communities (MoC). This is the issue at the heart of the current lack of payment of salaries to the commission, where the eight Commissioners and 27 administrative staff members have not yet been paid their January 2019 salaries. Since the commission is not a registered constitutional body, its budgetary allocation is allotted as a subvention under the Ministry of Communities as opposed to be being paid directly from the treasury. On January 21, MoC Permanent Secretary Emil McGarrel, wrote to the LGC advising it that it was not a constitutional body, and enquired what was the extent of its salary expenditure. According to Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, while the issue at reference is a matter of technicality, it leaves his ministry in a rather unfortunate position, since the MoC is responsible for ensuring that whatever money has been allocated to the agency is spent within certain financial accountability restrictions, while at the same time being unable to direct how the money is spent. “We’re unfortunately caught in the middle, when we really have no desire to be in it,” Minister Bulkan said. Adding: “We’re a very reluctant partner in the whole equation, because, at the end of the day, the ministry is committed to the local government agenda, and to the authority and autonomy of the LGC, but there is a commensurate fiduciary obligation and responsibility that the ministry cannot knowingly contravene,” as the Ministry of Finance placed them not as a constitutional agency, but as a subvention agency under the MoC, so the accounting officer of the ministry has to satisfy himself that the expenditure that we’re signing off on is in accordance with the provisions in the financial regulations.” The MoC is contending however, that it is unable to sign off on salaries for the commission because, from all appearances, at the current rate, after paying
Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan salaries, the LGC does not appear to have enough money remaining to cover its other operational expense, which would see the commission being overdrawn if continued. The LGC was allocated some $124M in the 2019 budget. The MoC is contending that given that the January 2019 salary being requested is for 12 months, the LGC salary allocation would amount to 91.12 per cent of the LGC’s overall budget, thereby bringing the total to some $113M. The MoC is therefore requesting from the LGC that they show that the remaining $11M could cover their remaining operational expenses for the 12-month period, before the January salary amount requested could be released. “The ministry is awaiting a response from LGC essentially to demonstrate that their 2019 allocation for operating expenses including the payment of salaries is sufficient for the entire year. Right now currently the request for January salary multiplied by 12 will take us to the sum of approximately $113 million and the entire allocation is $124 million so it means then that there is insufficient money for other operating expenses so clarification is being sought to satisfy the ministry that the remainder is sufficient to take care of the other operational expenses and in the absence of that information, the ministry cannot sign off on the request for January salaries because it would knowingly be participant in a situation that would result in the expenses not being sufficien. It would be an unauthorised commitment,” Bulkan further explained. Nonetheless, Bulkan maintained that it is not his ministry trying to direct see page 23
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
PI into De Florimonte murder continues
THE Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of Jason De Florimonte, who was shot and killed by the Tourist Villa Hotel and Bar proprietor, Erwin Bacchus, continues at the Providence Magistrate’s Court. Bacchus, 46, is currently on remand for the capital offence which alleged that on August 4, 2018, at Fifth Avenue Subryanville,
Jason De Florimonte Georgetown, he murdered De Florimonte, 30. The PI is being presided over by Principal Magistrate Judy Latch-
standing at the hotel’s gate, intervened. In the ensuing ex-
Erwin Bacchus man with evidence being led by special prosecutor, attorney-at-law Dexter Todd. The defendant is being represented by attorneys-at-law Nigel Hughes and Glenn Hanoman. The accused, Bacchus, was initially charged with manslaughter, but on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), he was charged with murder. According to reports, on the day in question, at about 01:30 hours, De Florimonte had a misunderstanding with his girlfriend in front of the hotel when Bacchus’ handyman, who was
LGC not yet ...
From page 22
the LGC how to do its work or how to pay its staff. “The accounting officer of the ministry, which is the permanent secretary, cannot knowingly commit government resources to a situation that is essentially tantamount to breaking the regulations. So it is unfortunate that the ministry is being seen as a stumbling block in this situation. There is a given allocation and the subvention agency has to live within that allocation and the accounting officer has to be satisfied that the arrangements that are in place reach this end. That can only be changed if the Ministry of Finance gives instruction to the contrary,” Bulkan further explained. Bulkan maintained that the LGC is still an autonomous agency and the MoC cannot direct them on how the money can be spent. “That is for them to decide we can’t dictate for them what they can do, they have internal autonomy. All they have to do is live within the allocation that was made by Parliament. We don’t have any scope or leeway to either adjust or direct them on what they can do,” Bulkan affirmed. Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, LGC Commissioner Marlon Williams put out a plea for the “necessary authority” responsible for having the LGC registered at a constitutional body do so. “The commission has had some issues because it is not on the register. Though it is expected to be on that register, it is not on that register and it has been the subject of actions of the permanent secretary of the MoC and we would like to see those issues resolved. All of this stems from the LGC not being registered as a constitutional agency as yet, so it is absolutely imperative that this is done immediately,” Williams said. Williams noted that he would not name the agencies responsible for putting the LGC on the constitutional agency register, nor could he confirm the scale of salaries being paid at the LGC.
change between the two men, the handyman reportedly ran into the ho-
tel compound with De Florimonte in hot pursuit, whereupon Bacchus, a
licensed firearm holder who was on the premises at the time, shot him dead.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Culture and politics from my experience
E
VAN Ellis, an American and an associate at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies [CSIS] in Washington threw a gauntlet at us when he indicated that Racial Division is as great a threat to Guyana as the Venezuelan aggression. The [my] home-grown opinion agrees in principle, but points to another conditioning, based on personal and rational experiences, on difficult to dispute facts, to initiate a discourse. I express a conclusion derived from experiences that ‘I am’ more than just an ethnic religion and deified political leader, which I found among the youth of my youth, whom I engaged whose parents were PPP supporters while growing up with my god parents at Mahaica. To engage their phenomenon with optimism constituted rules that I would have to surrender and express contempt for what I was ethnically and culturally.
featured the Mighty Sparrow, and I had included the creole term ‘Gift Child’. This had prompted a call from a Canadian of Indo-Guyanese origin named Azeem. He liked the article and had come home to develop a music studio. He invited me to his home which I visited in Bel Air, I had accompanied him to a meeting with some people of the new government and we parted. I saw him two days later and he blew my mind, he was returning to Canada, he gave me an ominous warning “These people will break up this country”. This very warning was made by Roy Shaw who spoke to an audience some weeks before at the USIS building on Main Street, I was there. We [Azeem and I] communicated by Christmas cards and letters after that. Next was the news that Madam Texeira was recommending the closure of the Burrowes Art School, Denis Williams was still alive and it was resisted. The same Madam wanted to know why Africans had a museum, until
ical homage to the party, and to be used as public references of political benevolence. What was at play with the PPP and PNC was cultural and philosophical incompatibility, not as much Indian against African, but that cultural dictate with the PPP that demanded control from the position of political god on earth, borrowing from the caste system, versus the PNC’s tribal egalitarian structure that permitted performance on the pretext that ‘from his deeds shall a man be known’ thus criticism of leaders and open disagreement. With the PNC, the conceptualising arts were permitted and allowed the expression of ethereal imagination becoming form and an icon interpreting anew the sacred and the mundane, in defiance of the fossilised. The arts in Guyana after Independence, in comparison, flourished under Forbes Burnham. CARIFESTA, The Burrowes School of Art, National Dance Company, National Cultural Centre,
The PPP and I were from my early teen’s incompatible, they represented no values that I could culturally identify with; though, I must stress that it’s a myth that the PPP envelops all ‘Indo Guyanese’ as easy stereotyping would imply, and I implore the reader to separate your thoughts from Indo-Guyanese and the PPP in this article. I have had lifelong friends that none of the mentioned were important enough to possess them. This is a ethno-cultural dialogue that needs to be explored. Read this article before you judge me, and honestly point to where you find me wanting. I met the late Dr. Jagan sometime in 1988/89, at NBIC, we were both viewing the exhibition of the competition challenge on paintings capturing the mythical city of El Dorado. I asked him after exchanging introductions what he thought about the exhibition, he brushed it aside with a hand movement and said “All this is fantasy” I tried to debate that fantasy heralded many a great idea, it didn’t work, and we both moved on to mingle elsewhere. The year 1992 started for me as an opportunity high end, I had self-published ‘The Shadow of the Jaguar’ as a comic book trilogy from 1988, and had written the play as requested by Archie Pool. Norman Beaton came home to do the role as ‘Manoa’, the comic book was featured in the Sunday Chronicle. The elections came in Oct, 1992 and went, the PPP became the Government, and before January 1993 the Jaguar was kicked out of the newspaper, labelled as a Black Super Hero. Plans to take the play abroad, with the support of then Minister of Education Derek Bernard in collaboration with R.A.A.P, a UK group, fell apart with the new government Minister of Education who declined any support. I had unknowingly begun two decades of struggle. One of the last articles I had done in the Chronicle in 1992
she was informed that Dr Nicholson had dedicated his home and his extensive collection of African art and books before his demise, to be that museum. Guyana was experiencing a rush of TV stations from the mid 80’s they were mainly supported by pirated content. The cinema owners appealed to the new government for some regulations to protect them from the piracy of the TV stations. I assumed that since Freedom House was situated in Robb Street opposite the Metropole cinema, that they would know that the cinema was a source of employment, that it served as a vaudeville stage for talents back in the day, that famous artistes like Mahalia Jackson, King Floyd and Sam Cook visited BG as cinema stage acts. The government did nothing, the cinemas finally died after their final group appeal in 2001. Guided by their consultant the late Kester Alves, the cinema workers even protested the Office of the President, but the indifference and ineffectiveness of the State to the arts prevailed. The most insensitive symbolic cultural violation was the attitude of the after 1992 government to the 1969 naming of the old 1940’s Atkinson airport to Timehri Airport, in honour of the Amerindian peoples and the Amerindian legend of the creator God ‘Amalivaca’, whose legend is the author of the Timerhi rock petroglyphs. Brushing all cultural symbolism aside, the PPP renamed the airport after Cheddi Jagan, though Dr. Jagan had nothing to do with the airport. I loathed this, and came to understand the PPP’s disdain for the arts as a sickness contracted from the experimental Stalinist cloak they wore, after I read ‘Stalin’s Dialectical and Historical Materialism’, and like the Russian oligarchy, the PPP’s materialism and corruption is evident, and the attitude that every natural state service extended to a citizen and must be rewarded by polit-
and based on the activities of creating a local film industry and the lobbying of pundits like Hamely Case, Len Beharry and Freddie Sanichari, the current NCN was born. The business of the arts and the political ideology of the day were however incompatible. I cannot reconcile with the PPP’s contempt of the livelihood of Guyana’s artists, I am constantly reminded by Sam Hinds statement “we cannot engage copyright; too many of our constituency own their livelihood to piracy”. Guyana is the only country in South America and the CARICOM states that have denied their creative people this ‘Human Right.’ Any political party that advocates plagiarism, an existence of a parasitical means to an end, a permanent provincial hegemony world view with itself as deities, is detrimental to the well-being of that nation. I remember sitting on the other side of Carl Blackman [Editor of Chronicle] in the early 80’s, with my not too stateof-the-art illustrated story as he looked at me and remarked, “we’ll give you a chance to do some corrections and we will publish you, Mr. Burnham wants the cockroaches to crawl from under the bridge and become men.” I looked at him with hostility for a while, on the ‘cockroach bit’, but there was no mockery in his expression and that youth came to understand metaphors much later. The PPP, except for family and chosen sycophants, would make the metaphoric cockroaches permanent insects then worms, with their sinister hostility to the copyright law and any principled creative procedures of development to emerge without bungling interference. “On a recent meeting with the Opposition Leader, he proposed changing the mindset of his party, who knows?
GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
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Machel ‘Mash Up’ Stabroek All hands, rags and flags in the air as Machel took the stage [Vishani Ragobeer photo]
Machel vibing with Guyanese he called on stage [Vishani Ragobeer photo] Soca giant Machel Montano poses with local girls dressed in their carnival outfits [Adrian Narine photo]
By Vishani Ragobeer
I
T WA S ‘ S t a b ro e k Kingdom’ on Wednesday as ‘Dr. Mash Up’ and the undeniable King of Soca, Machel Montano descended on Stabroek Square to energise Guyana for Mash and Carnival. Regional carrier Caribbean Airlines launched its newest corporate campaign, “The Caribbean Identity”, through which it intends on
highlighting the rich and diverse Caribbean culture. At the Guyana launch, Machel Montano, a usual favourite of Guyanese, came to remind what some of the Caribbean culture really entails. Of course, Guyana’s own Timeka Marshall, the lady in pink, had to christen the stage before the “G.O.A.T. Miss Tiney Winey”, got in few of her recent soca songs. But it was her unplanned “Whining Pro” that got the crowd whining on the ground and turning
it around. And, just when patrons thought the `Monk’ would take the stage after Marshall, there was DJ Shizzle only hyping the crowd with Machel’s music, before the he finally came on. You know how in Guyana loudness is usually compared to market vendors? Just know that having the Stabroek Market as the venue for this concert could not have been more fitting, because when Machel finally
took the stage, you couldn’t have heard your own voice. And, all cellphones were in the air either going live or videoing the performance to enjoy until Mashramani. Naturally, Montano began his 40-minute long performance with the Caribbean Airlines new theme song, but that was just a temperate start to his onslaught of hype. The trumpets from his “Like ah Boss” pierced through the cacophony, so much so that the DJ could’ve easily transferred his Road March contender “Release”.
But those songs did nothing to the crowd compared to when Famalay began blasting. Dr. Montano himself could not contain the surge of energy that enveloped Stabroek and began ‘palancing’ on the stage in time to the “Famalay-lay-lay-lay-laylay-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay”. Last year, Iwer George’s pace and power song “Savannah” was ready to take the title for the Road March at Trinidad’s carnival, but Mr. Fete himself sneaked in a massive collaboration with veteran “Super Blue” and
took the title with his “Soca Kingdom”. In the Soca ‘sesh’ scene this year, both Iwer and Machel have been throwing shade at each other with their music releases. It was clear that Machel is strongly supported by Guyanese as his response song “Dr, Mashup” was sang word for word. And of course, Machel had to remind everyone why this song took the cake last year, as he mellowed down his performance with Soca Kingdom, which, by the way, became Guyana Kingdom!
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Newcomers sizzling at this year’s Carib Soca Monarch
O
F the 17 persons taking to the stage this Saturday in Linden for the Carib Soca Monarch Semi-finals, a whopping 10 of them are newcomers, but that in no way means that the other seasoned Soca performers in the competition are going to be having it easy. Coordinator of the competition, Nigel Worrell says newcomer or not, the competition is tough this year, and the win could go to just about anyone, and he wouldn’t even be that surprised if that someone is a newcomer. “It could very well be a new winner this year, and it might not necessarily be one of the veterans because all of the newcomers have pretty good songs and could upstage the so called ‘big boys’,” Worrell told The Buzz. Worrell says the singers have really pulled out the big guns for this one this year, adding “this is probably one of the best years in the competition in terms of the music. This year’s competition is expected to be a lot more exciting.” This year’s Soca monarch has seen a healthy increase of entries compared to last year, and defending champion, Brandon Harding, will have to pull out all the stops if he’s looking to pull off a back-toback win. Harding say he’s looking forward to the competition.
“I am not taking anyone lightly. This is a competition and I thrive on competition. I know I am up against the likes of Jumo and Vanilla and Nesta, and there are some really good
Last year’s Soca finals featured some 10 artistes, but this year the war will be on between 15 persons. As defending champion Harding gets automatic entry into the
20 competitors, however last year’s third place finisher Diana Chapman pulled out of the competition, along with widely known Marlon Simon, best known by his stage name
The Carib Soca Monarch 2018 top four finalists (from left) Brandon Harding; Melisa “Vanilla” Roberts; Diana Chapman and Colwyn Blair (Adrian Narine photo)
songs and good talent who are in it to win it, however the only person who will beat Brandon is Brandon. I am the problem and the problem is me for Soca Monarch 2019,” Harding notifies.
finals, while the top 14 performers from this weekend’s semi-finals will move on to the finals, which is set for Durban Park on February 16. The semi-finals was initially set to be between some
`Blaze Antonio’. Also taking a premature exit is Jonathan “Lil Red” King. As usual the competitors will be judged based on diction, lyrics, stage performance, and crowd response.
20 to compete at Banks Calypso Monarch tonight
Onikha Joseph won the 2018 Banks Calypso Monarch (Adrian Narine photo)
T
HE final 10 contestants to make it into the Banks Calypso Monarch Competition will be decided this weekend when the 20 semi-finalists take to the stage, at the Union Number 53 Village, Community Centre Ground, in Berbice tonight. The top 10 making it into the
finals will battle it out against reigning champion, Onikha Joseph, a school teacher, who ruled the competition on her first time out in the game last year. Being the defending champion Joseph has an automatic place in the finals. This year, the onus is on the other newcomers to see if they can replicate Joseph’s feat. Another school teacher like Joseph, Ingrid Harris, from Barima Waini (Region One), is hopeful that she has what it takes. Though this will be Harris’ first year at the competition, she is not entirely new to the calypso arena. Matter of fact, within her region Harris is considered quite the leader in calypso. In her community she has won the Moruca Calypso Monarch competition for the past five years, and when the region started hosting the Barima Waini Regional Calypso Monarch, she also ruled the roost there. However, trying her hand at the national level is something she has always yearned to do. “I’ve been doing calypso for a number of years, but only at the regional level. Knowing that I’ve been doing that for a number of years, it’s actually a dream for me to enter this year, so I made it into a reality,” Harris said Aside from performing, over the years Harris would also help in writing calypso for the children from her region who would participate in the National Children’s Mashramani Calypso competition.
With the stage name “Lady Devotee”, Harris is entering the competition with a number called “Me Horrific Story”, which speaks out against the domestic violence situation in the country. Despite being well known for his singing skills, Kwasi “Ace” Edmondson is another newcomer to the Banks Calypso Monarch Competition. For him competing at the event is also something he’s always been longing to do. “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do being a fan of calypsonians such as `Rebel’ ever since I was a little boy. If you listen to how I write, even when I write Soca it’s storytelling, so it’s all kind of a calypso influence. So the calypso monarch is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Edmondson shared. Edmondson is entering the competition with a piece called “That Don’t Mek Sense” that has been very- well received, ever since he released it a few weeks ago. In defense of her title, Joseph is coming with a piece called “Side Chick” that speaks of a new social trend of women who get into relationships with married men. “I think it’s a fairly new topic, it’s what is going on in society today,” Joseph said of the song. Joseph hasn’t sized up all the competition in this year but from what she has heard, she thinks her fellow competitors have upped the
ante of the competition. “I haven’t really focused on anybody else from the competition but I think that the level of the competition has risen from previous years. I’m not underestimating anybody. I’ve heard some good songs out there. There’s some other newcomers and so on. But I feel that I have a fairly good chance. I know that I have a good song, but I know that it will depend on what we do on the final night of the competition,” Joseph said. Coordinator of the Calypso competition Sean Bhola says that patrons can come out and expect the competitors to deliver, because they will. “One can expect interesting music, very interesting music. It’s social commentary, wide variety of topics. This year will be interesting. We have great competition in terms of the music. The festival band will also be performing. The highlight of the night will be intense competition between the 20 contestants. We can say that we’ve enjoyed improved standards this year in terms of the entry sent in. The calypsonians have definitely up the ante,” Bhola noted The Banks Calypso Monarch Finals is set for the National Park on February 15. The winner will walk away with $1M, while $600,000 will go to second place awardee, with $400,000 and $200,000 going towards the third and fourth place winners, respectively.
With a $1.5 million top prize, the competitors have quite the motivation to hunt down that win. Second place, however, will walk away with a nice $750,000, while there’s a $500,000 for third and $250,000 for fourth. There’s also the $100,000 `Best New Comer’ prize going to the top novice. Last year’s best newcomer, Colwin Blair, who had finished fourth, is back this year performing his song called “Powder and Water”. Newbies Shaima “Sexy Berry” Muna and Euclid “Uclef” Samuels have been hard at work promoting themselves on social media and on the radios. Muna is coming through with “Nah Tiyad Yet”, while Samuels is paying homage to the national flag with his “Arrow Head Stand Tall” song. “I Come to Badder Bamba” from Quincy Boyce, has a catchy beat that you know you’re going to want to be jamming to come February 23, when you’re down the road in the Mashramani Costume and Float Parade. Boyce, who is going by the stage name “True”, warns that when he touches down in Linden this weekend no “bam bam” will be safe. “I have to do what the song says to do, so Saturday in Linden, I’m going to bother, bother all the bumpers, nah hold back,” Boyce says.
“I’m going out there to put out my best, God knows it, and my fans know it too, and my song is a really vibing song.” Another song one to watch is “Ah Feeling de Vibez” from Stephen Ramphal. Though it’s his first year entering the Carib Soca Monarch competition, Ramphal is no newcomer to singing soca. He’s also a chutney veteran and is in the running for the crown in the Chutney Song Competition. Twenty-two-year-old Melissa Pestano, with the stage name “Ms. Finesse”, is enjoying her experience as a first-time Carib Soca Monarch contestant. “It has been a very excited experience for me and I’m enjoying myself a lot, and I just want to let everyone know I will be bringing a lot to the stage. Not only will I be singing but I will be performing a dance too, there’s a lot that persons can expect from me when it comes to entertainment,” she shared. Aside from the newcomers, three time Carib Soca Monarch champion, Jumo “Rubber waist” Primo, has a solid entry with his song “Tribute”, another Mashramani anthem. There’s also last year’s third place finisher, Melissa “Vanilla” Roberts, who is hoping to finish with the win this year. Her entry “One Voice” is another patriotic number.
It’S time for the weekend again, people… and it’s a Mash-focused one. Action in the varying Mashramani competition heats up this weekend with the semi-finals in the Carib Soca Monarch, Banks Calypso Monarch and Chutney Song Competition, all going down this weekend at varying locations across the country, along with a few other Mash-themed events. Pulse is also gearing you up for Valentine’s Day as they celebrate their anniversary. So don’t stay cooped up at home.
Today The Banks Calypso Monarch Semi-finals is set for Union, Number 53 Village Community Centre from 8pm. Head out and see who will make it into the finals. Tomorrow It’s 17 artiste, one night, on one stage when the Carib Soca Monarch Semi-Finals goes down at the Georgetown Bus Park Linden. Showtime is 8pm. Come rep for your favourite artiste, celebrate your favourite song, or just come for a totally fun-filled night. Who will be in the finals, who will take the crown? Head out and see. Pulse Entertainment wants you to help them celebrate their 10-year Anniversary at their signature Valentines Party “Cupid’s Chokehold” at The Strip, Giftland Mall. Let’s celebrate relationships, let’s celebrate Love. Enjoy exotic dancers and day beds. Cost: $2500, $3000 (includes Pulse 10-Year Anniversary merchandise coupon redeemable at all Pulse 2019 events) Selfie Boss Presents “Choices Movie Screening and After Party” at Barbacoa Grill and Bar, Station Street Kitty. Special appearance by Stitchie One Man Band. Admission: $1000 Unruly Entertainment presents “Whine Fah Hold Yah Man” at the Mocha Community Centre Ground. Music by Notorious Sound; One Voice Family; Assassin Sound and Determined Sound. Admission: $1000 (More at the gate) The Vintage Wine Bar and Restaurant presents “Atmosphere” where you can enjoy the best of house, soca and eletro music. Music by DJ Tario Dakhil and guest DJs. Sunday The Chutney Song Competition Semi-finals is going down at the Bath Settlement Community Centre Ground. Head out and see who will make it into the finals.
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Naya Zamana promises spectacular dance, drama, music - Show #22 for NCC this Sunday as an important factor and is a firm believer in solid classical training. “All of the students who are on stage have learnt classical dancing and they start from as early as six years old, so they would have grown up in Naya Zamana. I believe in things like body control, proper form, understanding the stage; and I am passionate about synchrony and precision. They have grown up with me and know that discipline is a big thing. I am never satisfied with mediocrity, and they know this.”
By Telesha Ramnarine
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ANCERS and actors trained by the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha are never allowed to step on stage without first achieving perfection. Perhaps this helps to explain why each ‘Naya Zamana’ show, put on annually by the organisation, wows its audiences to the point where even hold-overs are sold out. Naya Zamana, meaning “New World” or “New Generation,” started in 1994 when a group of young people, headed by Dr. Vindhya Vasini Persaud, decided to put on a dance show at the ‘Dharmic Kendra.’ The response was so encouraging that the friends thought of putting on another show; this time at the National Cultural Centre (NCC). “We realised right then that there was a demand for this kind of thing. The Kendra couldn’t hold the number of persons who came to see the show, so we thought why not try it at the NCC?” Dr. Persaud recalled during an interview with `The Buzz’. Speaking from her Camp Street office, Dr. Persaud, now the director, choreographer, producer and script writer of the show, also recalled that the first
Dr. Persaud (at forefront) has trained many youths, from as young as six years old.
NCC show was good enough to win it that year’s ‘National Theatre Award’ and ‘Best Dance and Costume’ Award. Each year, Dr. Persaud aims to add fresh choreographies and different energies to make the show more appealing. As the show continued to progress, she noticed that more and more young people were becoming interested, and she couldn’t be happier at this fact. “I think it’s important for young people to be exposed to theatre and to the arts; to something like Naya Zamana
that’s so youth centric. Young people get caught up in so many negative activities, so if parents take their children to this kind of thing, they can use their energies in a direction like that, and it can help to combat some of the negatives we have in society,” Dr. Persaud expressed. So far, she said she has been able to find some young people with amazing talent from all across Guyana. “I teach them from scratch and when we notice potential, we hone it until they get to that
Chutney finals set for Anna Regina Centre ground February, 17
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SSEQUIBIANS and Chutney lovers are up for a treat come February 17 when the National Chutney competition will be held at the Anna Regina Community Centre ground. The semi-final is slated for Bath Settlement Community Centre ground on Sunday, February 10. Thus far, plans are progressing well by the Regional Mashramani Committee in Region Two, for the competition which is intended to crown a 2019 Chutney Monarch. `The Buzz’ has learnt that 12 artistes are already geared up for the semi-finals of the chutney monarch competition. Reigning Chutney Monarch Bunty Singh will be defending his title, and according to him, he is confident that he will regain the title. He is set to perform ‘Mashaaraani and She Polaures’. Former Chutney Monarch, Pooran Seeraj has said that he’s coming even stronger this year with his song ‘GT Ladki’, while another seasoned Chutney singer, Steven Ramhall, will be singing his piece titled “Rang ke bare”. Some of the other artistes participating are Arijit Singh, who will sing ‘Ring on on the lukanee’; Parsasram Singh, also known as “Vicadi Singh” with ‘Mr Rajput’ and Sasnaayan Hitnarayan, also called “Prince HTN” with `Love and Unity’.
TERE BIN This year’s show is called ‘Tere Bin,’ meaning “Without
The others who are competing for the title are Chandarpaul Nathoo who will be performing ‘Mash 49’; Goonwattie Harrynarine, also called “Amrita” with ‘Dulaha Dulahin’; Hamesh Rhyna, called “Entertainer V Star” with ‘My dreams’; Deonarine Balkissoon, also called “Nishal B”
with ‘I Proud to be a Guyanese’; Satish Udairam with ‘Mash up Guyana’; and another Berbician, Christopher Ramphal with ‘Sundar Larki’. Back-up music for the singers will be provided by the Shakti String Orchestra. The competition is all part of the Mashramani activities.
point where they are ready to go on stage. When they step on stage, you will swear you are somewhere else.” She said she views training
You.” “No one can say in their life they’ve done it all alone. There’s always someone at some stage of your life who would have contributed
to where you are, and it’s a reminder of that; that no man is an island. And that when you’re moving up in life, you shouldn’t forget those who contributed.” Tere Bin, with its cutting edge choreography, will also speak to love, lost, betrayal, and romance. Modern and ‘evergreen’ songs of Bollywood are also to be prominently featured. Naya Zamana evolved from a purely dance show to one that now features drama. “Every year, we try to add a different storyline and keep the stories fresh; keep the element of Bollywood films. There’s also a good message in the story lines,” Dr. Persaud explained. It features modern and even historical stories, with sometimes the old romantic tales being merged with modern storylines. “Zaya Zamana uses music from all genres, so it appeals to every age, every taste. It comes together nicely with dance, drama and music.” All of the costumes used are made by Dr. Persaud’s sister, Trishala Persaud, who together with a team puts them together. Naya Zamana was taken to New York twice with almost sold-out audiences. Tickets for this year’s threehour long show will be available at the NCC on the night of the show, which is to begin at 6 pm.
Cineffx set to boost local creative sector By Vishani Ragobeer
HE Arthur Chung Convention Centre will transform into a massive hub for every enthusiast of the creative, as the Cineffx Photography and Film Expo takes shape from March 8 to 10. The expo is one of the first in Guyana, and is being built by local minds for persons interested in photography, filmmaking and even fashion and the arts.
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and in-depth training in photography. So, in his own time and space, he began teaching himself through the use of the YouTube. And eventually, about two years later, he was able to understand many of the intricacies of the art form. Cognisant of the growing number of enthusiasts in the creative field, coupled with the lack of educational avenues, the three days of the expo, will feature about 15 workshops on a host of topics, ranging from photography, cinematography,
Kojo McPherson and Denise Harris, alongside many other local and foreign creatives. “Photographers and filmmakers would have their works on sale,” Anthony noted and explained that there will be live demonstrations of photographers doing their thing. Another highlight of the three-day expo would be a symposium that will be held to facilitate a conversation on how to build the local industry. “The intention is to use the comments and questions
Cineffx is the brainchild of local creative mind, Jason Anthony. Speaking to `The Buzz’’, Anthony noted that the expo was created with amateurs, hobbyists and professional creators in mind. However, according to him, “It’s not just an expo, it is a learning experience.” From his own personal experience, he related that it was difficult to find places in Guyana that would offer detailed
directing, storytelling and so on. The aim of this, according to Anthony, is to allow much of the younger generation to ‘fast track’ their learning process. The expo intends to also spotlight the local photography and filmmaking field, by showcasing the work of the many faces behind the camera.There will be likes of Saajid Husani, Fidal Bassier, Michael Lam,
from the audience and take them into context to better move forward the industry,” Anthony said. And finally, to cater for the fashionistas and their side of the creative field, there will also be a complete fashion production. Not to mention, the fashion and portrait photographers and videographers will get to show off actual work in the field, Anthony added.
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Scorpions battle to 320-8 on opening day By Rajiv Bisnauth DERVAL Green and Dennis Bulli combined for an unbroken 90-run ninth-wicket stand, to put the Jamaican Scorpions in a comfortable position at the end of the opening day of the seventh round Cricket West Indies Regional Four-day encounter against the Guyana Jaguars here, yesterday. Green struck his highest first-class score, to remain unbeaten on 59 while all-rounder Bulli is on 30, as the visitors closed on
320 for eight. Several other Scorpions batsmen got starts but failed to carry on. Stroke-maker Brandon King produced a fighting 51, while former West Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood, Kenroy Williams, Paul Palmer and Assad Fudadin, all gathered scores of 44, 33, 29 and 23 respectively but the visitors proved their own worst enemy, squandering the advantage every time they looked poised to take early control of the innings. Medium pacer Sherfane Rutherford was impressive, leading the fourtime defending champions’ attack with three for 52 while left-arm spinners Veerasammy Permaul had 2-52 and Gudakesh Motie 2-70. Pacer Romario Shepherd was the other successful bowler with 1-55. At the start of the day’s
play, a chilly, overcast weather had prompted the Jaguars captain Leon Johnson to make first use of the favourable bowling conditions after winning the toss. The innings was delayed by two stoppages due to rain but Jaguars bowlers, especially Shepherd made full use of the overcast conditions, bowling an impeccable line and length to extract some movements off the pitch. Oraine Williams, playing in his sixth first-class games, was the first to go when he was lured into a full-length delivery from Shepherd that moved off the seam and edged a comfortable catch to Johnson at first slip for ten, at 13-1. Chadwick Walton, in a cautious start, was then joined by King, and the duo took the score to 48 during another testing passage of play. Per-
maul checked their progress, by dismissing the right-handed Walton for 14, caught off an outside edge by Johnson at first slip, before rain forced the players off the field for an early lunch. Upon resumption, King, the 24-year-old, and Blackwood battled with ease during their 46-run stand. The right-handed King reached his eighth firstclass half-century off 84 balls, counting eight fours and a six off Motie. However, the game then changed decisively in the hosts’ favour with four quick wickets. King’s patience waned as Rutherford, coming for a first spell, bowled him with a beauty to end his resistance. Rutherford then followed with the dismissal of Guyanese Fudadin, who now ply his trade with the Scorpions.
The left-hander struck five sweetly-timed boundaries in his 23 before he lobbed a simple catch to Shepherd at mid-off. Blackwood, who faced 65 deliveries and struck six fours, then gave Rutherford his third wicket, edging to the slip corridor. Permaul removed Rovman Powell (17), and by tea, the visitors were 193-6. The partnership between Palmer and Williams continued for a short period into the afternoon session, as they staged a 56-run, seventh-wicket stand before both were taken at the wicket off Motie. To w a r d s t h e e n d , Green and Bulli played positively, taking their team past the 300-run mark with the right-handed Green reaching his third fifty at this level from just 48 balls with four fours and two sixes.
Body from plane wreckage identified as footballer Sala - UK police LONDON (Reuters) - A body retrieved from the wreckage of a crashed plane in the English Channel has been formally identified as Cardiff City’s Argentina-born football player Emiliano Sala, British police said on Thursday. Sala, 28, had been flying from his previous club Nantes in western France to Wales on Jan. 21 to make his debut for the Premier League team when the single-engined Piper Malibu aircraft disappeared over the sea. Wreckage was found on Sunday following a privately-funded underwater search and a body recovered on Wednesday and taken to southern England. “The body brought to Portland Port today... has been formally identified by HM Coroner for Dorset as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala,” the police statement said. “The families of Mr Sala and the pilot David Ibbotson have been updated with this news and will continue to
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be supported by specially-trained family liaison officers. Our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time.”
thoughts,” the Welsh club said. Sala had agreed to join relegation-threatened Cardiff for a club-record fee of
General view of tributes left outside the stadium for Emiliano Sala (REUTERS/Stephane Mahe)
Cardiff posted the statement on their website under a picture of the player. “We offer our most heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the family of Emiliano. He and David will forever remain in our
15 million pounds ($19.43 million) from French Ligue 1 club Nantes. Police said an investigation into the circumstances of the death was continuing. Efforts to recover the aircraft wreckage have so far been unsuccessful due
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to poor weather conditions. Body recovered at sea in search for Sala is brought back to mainland Britain The plane had been cruising at 5,000 feet (1,525 m) when the pilot requested to descend to a lower altitude on passing Guernsey. It then lost radar contact at 2,300 feet. Argentine newspaper Clarin last month published a voice message that Sala, who had played in France since 2012 and scored 12 goals for Nantes this season, apparently sent to friends while in the air. “We’re up in the plane and it seems it’s about to crash,” said the message, which Clarin said was verified by Sala’s father, Horacio Sala. “If you have not heard anything from me in an hour and a half, I don’t know if they’re going to send someone to find me, because, you know, they’re not going to be able to,” the message said. “Dad. I’m really scared.” Race 5 Box Of Gold Race 6 Day By Day Race 7 Vincero Race 8 Pay Any Price Race 9 Roddick Tampa Bay Race1 Mi Tia Christina Race 2 King Daddio Race 3 Best Offer Race 4 Vital Race 5 Cool Eddie Race 6 My Macho Race 7 Leading You On Race 8 Caruca
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
Dottin hurts Pakistan with all-round heroics DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC) – Player-ofthe-Match Deandra Dottin narrowly missed out on a second One-Day International hundred as West Indies clobbered Pakistan by 146 runs in a one-sided opener of the three-match ICC Championship series here yesterday. Opting to bat first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Windies overcame a stumble at the start to post 216 for five off their allotted 50 overs, with the right-handed Dottin stroking 96 off 139 deliveries. Captain Stafanie Taylor, returning to the squad after opting out of the preceding Twenty20 Internationals in Karachi, scored 58 while Shemaine Campbelle chipped in with an unbeaten 26. Seamer Kainat Imtiaz led the hosts’ attack with three for 49 from her nine overs. In reply, Pakistan never challenged as Dottin returned with her sharp medium pace to take three for 14 while leg-spinner Afy Fletcher grabbed three for 17, to send the innings tumbling to 70 all out in the 30th over. Nahida Khan top-scored with 23 before retiring hurt at 46 for one in the 17th over and her departure saw Pakistan collapse quickly, with number 11 Aiman Anwer
also unable to bat because of injury. Dottin had earlier taken centre-stage with her 19th oneday fifty as she and Taylor set up the innings nicely for the visitors. Left-handed opener Kycia Knight laboured 18 balls at the crease without scoring before she was bowled by veteran off-spinner Sana Mir in the sixth over with 12 runs on the board. But Dottin and Taylor combined in a 143-run second-wicket stand which clinically took the game away from the hosts. While Dottin punched eight fours and two sixes, Taylor counted four fours in a 97ball knock before she perished in the 40th over, becoming the first of Kainat’s three victims. Dottin followed in the 46th over, agonisingly short of three figures but Campbelle struck two fours in a breezy 30-ball knock to keep the innings ticking at the end. Fast bowler Shamilia Connell then struck early in the second over to give Windies the upper hand, when she had Sidra Ameen caught at the wicket without scoring. Nahida propped up the innings in a 44-run, second-wicket stand with captain Javeria Khan (21) before she was stretchered off after tak-
ing a blow to the helmet from Dottin. Pakistan were further set back when Dottin knocked over Umaima Sohail first ball and the innings never recovered as wickets fell steadily. The second match of the series is on tomorrow at the same venue.
RHTYSC/GBTI Inter-Secondary School U-19 cricket bowls off today
Deandra Dottin missed out on three figures with 96.
SCOREBOARD
WEST INDIES innings Kycia Knight b Sana Mir 0 D, Dottin c Nahida Khan b Kainat Imtiaz 96 S. Taylor c Sidra Ameen b Kainat Imtiaz 58 S. Campbelle not out 26 N. McLean lbw b Aliya Riaz 3 C. Nation b Kainat Imtiaz 1 C. Henry not out 18 Extras: (lb-2, w-12) 14 Total: (5 wkts, 50 overs) 216 Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-155, 3-181, 4-187, 5-192. Bowling: Aiman Anwer 5-0-14-0, Sana Mur 9-1-31-1, Nashra Sandhu 8-1-25-0, Nida Dar 9-2-38-0, Umaima Sohail 3-0-19-0, Aliya Riaz 7-0-38-1, Kainat Imtiaz 9-0-49-3.
THE Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC)/GBTI Inter-Secondary School U-19 cricket tournament will bowl off today with seven matches in Berbice. Fourteen of the 17 teams will be in action on the opening day, since Tutorial Academy drew a bye and the clash between Black Bush Polder and the Corentyne Comprehensive High School has been rescheduled to a later date. Tagore Memorial will host the Skeldon High School, while Central Corentyne High will meet Line Path Secondary School at the No 73 ground. Lower Corentyne Secondary will battle Winifred Gaskin at the Tamarind Root ground, while J.C Chandisingh Secondary will come up against Manchester High at the Albion Community Centre ground. In the other clashes, BHS will host Vryman’s Erven Secondary, Port Mourant Secondary and Canje Secondary will battle at Cumberland and New Amsterdam Secondary School will face Berbice Educational Institute at the Canje ground.
R&R double-header cycling meet set for this weekend
PAKISTAN innings Nahida Khan ret. hurt 23 Sidra Ameen c Kycia Knight b Connell 0 Javeria Khan b Taylor 21 Umaima Sohail lbw b Dottin 0 Nida Dar lbw b Fletcher 3 Aliya Riaz lbw b Fletcher 2 Kainat Imtiaz c Selman b Dottin 0 Sana Mir st Kycia Knight b Fletcher 8 +Sidra Nawaz c Taylor b Dottin 1 Nashra Sandhu not out 0 Aiman Anwer absent hurt 0 Extras: (lb-2, w-10) 12 Total: (all out, 29.5 overs) 70 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-46, 3-51, 4-54, 5-56, 6-57, 7-69, 8-70, 9-70. Bowling: Selman 6-0-14-0, Connell 8-0-21-1, Dottin 6-0-14-3, Fletcher 8.5-1-17-3, Taylor 1-0-2-1. POINTS: WEST INDIES 2, PAKISTAN 0.
Australia’s Starc ruled out of India ODI series MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the one-day international series in India after sustaining a pectoral muscle injury during the second Test win over Sri Lanka, Cricket Australia said yesterday. Kane Richardson will take his place in the 15-man squad for the tour, which starts with two Twenty20 matches later this month and is being used as warmup for their World Cup title defence in England. “Unfortunately, scans have revealed that Mitchell Starc sustained a substantial tear to his left pec muscle while bowling on the final day of the Test match in Canberra,” selector Trevor Hohns said in a statement. “This means he will be unavailable for the tour of India, but we will instead target a return to play for the ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE in March.” The left-armer’s absence means Australia will head to India short of bowling experience, with fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood already sidelined through injury. South Australian Rich-
ardson, who shone for the Melbourne Renegades in the domestic Big Bash T20 league, is recalled for his first international series since a depleted Australia were whitewashed 5-0 away to England last year.
Mitchell Starc ruled out of India tour.
“Kane not only has experience playing ODI cricket for Australia, but he’s also performed well for his country when given the opportunity,”
said Hohns. Selectors have included Western Australia’s Ashton Turner after the spin-bowling all-rounder’s impressive form for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash. There is no place in the squad for all-rounder Mitchell Marsh or Peter Siddle, however, with seamer Nathan Coulter-Nile recalled after missing out on the recent 2-1 home series defeat against India. Fast bowler Billy Stanlake has also been omitted from the squad that lost to India. In Hazlewood’s absence, paceman Pat Cummins has been promoted to vice-captain under regular skipper Aaron Finch. Wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey is the second vice-captain in the squad. Western Australia opening batsman D’Arcy Short has been included in the squad as cover for Shaun Marsh, who is recovering from a hamstring strain and is not expected to be available until the third ODI in Ranchi on March 8. Australia head to India hoping to reverse a dreadful run of form, with the
world champions having lost their last six ODI series since beating Pakistan at home in January 2017. After India, they will play Pakistan in an away ODI series before heading to England ahead of their World Cup opener against Afghanistan on June 1. SQUAD: Aaron Finch (captain), Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Turner, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa, D’Arcy Short .
AUSTRALIA TOUR OF INDIA ► First T20: February 24, Visakhapatnam ► Second T20: February 27, Bengaluru ► First ODI: March 2, Hyderabad ► Second ODI: March 5, Nagpur ► Third ODI: March 8, Ranchi ► Fourth ODI: March 10, Mohali ► Fifth ODI: March 13, Delhi
Hamzah Eastman copped last year’s double-header.
CYCLISTS will return to action this weekend in the annual R&R International cycling double-header. First they will compete in the 11-race cycling meet at the inner circuit of the National Park before heading to the roadways of West Demerara to cover the 46-mile distance. Hamzah Eastman became the first cyclist to claim the double-header, last year, after impressive performances at both meets landed him the winner’s trophy. However, it is unclear whether Eastman will be present to defend his titles. Eastman completed the 46-mile route in a time of one hour 43 minutes 14
seconds (01:43:14) to cop top spot. He had to fend off fierce competition and heavy rain but did so just ahead of Paul De Nobrega (Team Evolution). We Stand United’s Deeraj Garbarran finished third while Trojan’s Romello Crawford clocked in fourth and Jamual John (Coco’s) and Christopher Griffith (Evolution) completed the top six in that order. Meanwhile, following this weekend’s action, next Sunday (February 17) will see the LFS Burnham Memorial 48 Miles Road Race (Corriverton to New Amsterdam) pedal off.
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Rawle Marshall, Delroy James Northants sign Windies captain Jason Holder for start of 2019 season among 22 called for 2021 FIBA AmeriCup pre-qualifiers By Rawle Toney THE Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) yesterday announced a list of 22 players both local- and overseas-based, who will vie for spots on the team to represent Guyana at the 2021 FIBA AmeriCup pre-qualifiers tournament. Guyana will be the Caribbean’s representative at the tournament which, after the 2017 edition, will be played every four years, following their historic performance at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championship where they won, for the first time, the ‘John Yates Trophy’ and earned the right to be called ‘Caribbean Champs’. T h e J u n i o r H e rc u les-coached side will play in ‘Pool B’ of the February 22-24 qualifiers in Tunja, Colombia, where they are
Rawle Marshall
Delroy James
expected to face the home country (Colombia), Paraguay and Bolivia. Former Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers guard Rawle Marshall, first Guyana-born NBA player, was called upon by coach Hercules after he had signalled his intention of returning to the National team. Marshall, CBC MVP
awardee Stanton Rose, Anthony Moe, Sean Duncan, Kevon Wiggins, and Delroy James are the overseas players named in the shortlisted team. James, 31, a 6’8” power forward (whose older brother, Gordon, represented Guyana at the CBC tournament in 2015) had a successful 2017/2018 season with Greek
side AEK Athens, where he was instrumental in the club’s winning their first FIBA Basketball Champions League (BCL) title, following a 10094 points win over French side AS Monaco Basket. The other players called to trials are: Harold Adams (Royals), Orlon Glasgow (Royals), Shaine Webster (Colts), Dave Causeway (Pacesetters), Yannick Tappin (Royals), Tyrone Hamid (Ravens), Akeem Crandon (Guardians), Kevon Emanuel (Berbice), Travis Belgrave (Eagles), Travis Burnett (Cobras), Carlos Edwards, Jamal Gilkes (Colts), Leanard Primo (Royals), Dominic Vincente (Royals) and Adrian Webster (Jets). The trials will take place on February 9 (07:00hrs – 09:00hrs) and February 10 from 09:00hrs to 17:00hrs at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
British horse racing shutdown extended after equine flu outbreak
Doncaster was one of the fixtures called off yesterday.
(REUTERS) - Horse racing will be postponed in Britain until at least the middle of next week because of an outbreak of equine influenza, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) said yesterday. Racing was initially cancelled yesterday after three cases were identified in vaccinated horses from an active yard. Horses from the infected yard competed at Ayr and Ludlow on Wednesday, potentially exposing others from yards across the country and in Ireland, the BHA said in a statement. Yesterday’s fixtures at Huntingdon, Doncaster, Ffos Las and Chelmsford City were cancelled. The BHA said racing would not resume until February 13 at the earliest. “This precautionary approach is intended to ensure we put the health of the horse population and control of the virus first, and avoid any unnecessary risk that might come from returning to racing too quickly,” the BHA said.
“We appreciate the impact that this may have on the sport commercially, but disease control in order to mitigate the risk of further disruption to the sport - and safeguard the health and welfare of our horses - must be a priority.” Trainer Donald McCain confirmed the three infected horses came from his stable. “Their welfare is at the front of our minds, so at my request our veterinary surgeon has examined them regularly and we have followed his advice on testing and treatment,” he told the BBC. The BHA said it was working with the Animal Health Trust and would inform potentially exposed yards to ensure quarantine and biosecurity measures. The outbreak could not have come at a worse time with the prestigious Cheltenham Festival little more than a month away.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE have signed West Indies captain Jason Holder for the first month of the 2019 county season. The all-rounder, 27, can play in Northants’ first two Division Two games and opening six One-Day Cup matches.
Jason Holder is ranked the best all-rounder in Test cricket by the International Cricket Council.
Holder led his country to a series win over England this winter, but is banned for the third Test because of his side’s slow over-rate in Antigua. “I’m grateful to Northamp-
tonshire for the opportunity which I am really looking forward to,” he said. “England is somewhere I’ve wanted to play for a long time and I’m looking forward to the experience of county cricket and testing myself in the different conditions.” In 37 Tests, Holder has scored 1 783 runs at an average of 33.64, and has taken 93 wickets at 27.69. He was named man-of-the-match on his home ground in Barbados after making an unbeaten 202 and taking two wickets in their 381-run win in the first Test. His move is subject to a ‘No Objection Certificate’ being issued by Cricket West Indies (CWI), and will see the fast bowler play in England for the first time before this summer’s World Cup. “He is a quality bowler, match-winning batsman, catches well at slip and his leadership experience will also be important,” said Northants head coach David Ripley. (BBC Sport)
GMR&SC AGM on this evening
Rameez Mohamed
THE election of office-bearers for the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) will take place this evening. According to information from the club, there is only one slate submitted up to news time yesterday and there is no likelihood that a second will be added before tonight’s vote. The executive is also expected to present its financial report to the members including the latest figures for the extension of the South Dakota Circuit. Plans for the construction of a full quarter-mile strip, complete with a Launchpad, is also to be discussed by the membership moving forward. The AGM is set for 19:00 hrs.
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Could the Bosses stop the Show tonight? … West Side fans expected in large numbers
THE question as to whether the Bosses could stop the flow of the Show will be answered this evening when reigning champions Showstoppers and Up Top Bosses square off for a place in the final of this year’s West Demerara/East Bank Demerara Zone of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ competition, at the Pouderoyen Market tarmac. The champs have looked in ominous form since the start of the tournament and their latest victory in the quarterfinals against inaugural champions West Side Ballers confirmed why they are regarded as the best team on the West Side - a label they are hoping to retain. In their clash against West Side Ballers, the defending champions seemed to employ a strategy of having all their players behind the ball in the hope of getting to a penalty shootout and the plan appeared to be working perfectly, before a defensive lapse accounted for the opening goal.
Part of quarter-final action in this year’s West Demerara / East Bank Demerara Zone of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ competition.
It came in the 26th minute of play courtesy of Stephon Jupiter, who lashed home from close range following an interception.
Two minutes later, the prolific Marvin Josiah, who had been kept quiet all evening, blew past two players and fired into an empty goal
for a Guinness goal that sent their supporters into wild celebrations. Earlier, Up Top Bosses came from behind to beat
Jetty 2-1, thanks to goals from Amuniki Buntin who got the equaliser one minute before halftime, while Dellon Lanferman netted the winner in
the 26th minute. In the second game of the night, Brothers United survived in sudden death penalty shootout against Bagotstown Warriors after regulation time ended 0-0. The upset of the night saw one of the tournament favourites ESPN exit via a penalty shootout loss against Ballers Empire, following a goalless draw in regulation time. Ballers Empire will now face Brothers United in the other semi-final for a place in the championship game scheduled to be played on February 15, at the same venue. Cash prizes totaling over $1.1 million re up for grabs with the winners set to receive $500 000, runner-up $250, 000, while third and fourth place finishers will take home $200,000 and $100,000 respectively along with trophies. Also on board as a major sponsor is Colours Boutique on Robb Street. Meanwhile, the four quarter-final losers will play in the Plate section for $60,000 winner-take-all.
Hetmyer could be once-in-a-generation Simmons, Mohammed centuries talent, claims former coach Law put Red Force on top
Guyana and Windies batsman Shimron Hetmyer
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Friday, Febrary 01, 2019)
COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) (1) 1988) (2) (1) (2)
ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: Gordon Greenidge & Imran Khan (WI vs PAK, Bourda, 207 runs TODAY’S QUIZ: Who were the players that were a part of the first Test but were not involved in the second in the ongoing WI/ ENG series? Put these in order beginning with the man who has played most Test matches against England: Gordon Greenidge, Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, Rohan Kanhai
ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE
FORMER Windies coach Stuart Law has tipped rising star Shimron Hetmyer to be a once-in-a-generation talent once certain kinks in his approach to the game are worked out. The 22-year-old Guyana and Windies batsman, who made his debut against Pakistan last year, has caught the attention of pundits and fans alike with his impressive array of stroke play. His vast potential recently saw the player secure a lucrative IPL contract. Law expects there to be plenty more opportunities for the former Windies U-19 World Cup captain. “He (Hetmyer) could be a once-in-a-generation cricketer,” Law told the Wisden Cricket Weekly. “If he understands tempos in different formats of the game, he’s got one-day cricket now, he’s started to work that out; T20 cricket he’s not quite understanding, and Test cricket he’s getting better. The more he plays, the better he’ll get,” he added. “He’s one, when I was with the West Indies, we said: ‘You’ve got to persist with him. If we persist with him, he will learn’. He will understand that you can’t just go out and try and hit Trent Boult back over his head for six every second ball. That’s what he tried to do when we were in New Zealand.”
B R I D G E TO W N , B a rbados, (CMC) – Former West Indies batsman, Lendl Simmons, struck a superb hundred on his first appearance in first class cricket in just over two years, as Trinidad and Tobago Red Force flourished against arch-rivals Barbados Pride, on the opening day of their seventh round match here Thursday. The 34-year-old, who last played for West Indies 21 months ago, slammed 138 while Jason Mohammed continued his return to form with a brilliant 121 as Red Force reached 316 for eight at Kensington Oval. Opting to bat first, Red Force found themselves in early trouble, slipping to 69 for three as the hosts dominated the morning session. They suffered two early blows in the first hour courtesy of Jamaican pacer Marquino Mindley (3-56) who removed both openers cheaply – Joshua Da Silva caught at gully for seven and Jeremy Solozano caught at the wicket for 12. On 83 for three at lunch, Red Force made an excellent recovery through Simmons and Mohammed who staged a 182-run fourth wicket stand which saw the visitors reach tea at 223 without further loss. Simmons’s knock was
typical up tempo one, stroking 16 fours and five sixes off just 152 deliveries in a shade over four hours. The hundred was his 11th at first class level but first in six years, with his last ironically coming against Barbados at the same venue.
Red Force then lost wickets at regularly with the last three wickets going down for eight runs. At Windsor Park, there were half-centuries for opener Montcin Hodge (61) and Keacy Karty (54) as Leeward Islands Hurricanes batted all day to reach 229 for five.
Lendl Simmons … struck his 11th first class hundred.
Mohammed, who has struggled this season but broke out of his rut with 83 last week, hit 20 fours off 206 balls in 248 minutes. It was his first eighth first class century. The partnership was eventually broken when Simmons hooked at medium pacer Kevin Stoute (2-38) and was caught at fine leg, in the fifth over after tea.
Hodge put on 66 for the first wicket with captain Kieran Powell (29) before adding a further 66 for the second wicket with Carty. When Hurricanes stumbled with cheap wickets at 138 for three, Carty and Jahmar Hamilton added 51 to further stabilise the innings. Fast bowler Ray Jordan was the best bowler with three for 45.
GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 8, 2019
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Gayle, Lewis return to Windies ODI squad to face England … Pooran set for debut but no Russell
ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Veteran opener Chris Gayle has made a return to the one-day squad for the first time in seven months after being named yesterday in a 14-man West Indies squad for the first two One-Day Internationals of the five-match series against England starting later this month.
helps the coaching staff to fine-tune their game strategy. “We welcome the return of Chris Gayle who missed the last two series and Ashley Nurse from injury. We are pleased to introduce Nicholas Pooran to the ODI cricket for the first time. He is clearly a young player with undoubted talent and we believe he can
Nicholas Pooran set to make his ODI debut
The 39-year-old is joined by opening partner Evin Lewis who has also been included following a similar length of absence, while uncapped attacking left-hander Nicholas Pooran is set to make his debut after finally getting the attention of selectors for the 50-overs format. Off-spinner Ashley Nurse is the fourth change to the squad that toured Bangladesh last December, returning to the lineup after recovering from injury. Chandrapaul Hemaj, who scored 12 runs in two innings against Bangladesh, has been dropped along with fellow batsmen Kieran Powell and Sunil Ambris, with all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite also left out. Veteran right-hander Marlon Samuels has been omitted due to injury. The series is the penultimate one before the ICC 50-overs World Cup starting in May and chief selector Courtney Browne said it would provide an ideal gauge of the squad’s preparation. “As we continue our Cricket World Cup preparations, the upcoming series against the top-ranked ODI side is a great opportunity for us to gauge where we are as a team,” Browne said. “This allows us to identify any areas that need addressing relating to selection and also
add value to our middle order.” Gayle and Lewis featured in the three-match home series against Bangladesh last July but missed the tours of India and Bangladesh in the latter part of the year. Both have continued to play in various Twenty20 leagues, however. Pooran, meanwhile, forced his way into the squad with prolific scoring in the Super50 last October when he averaged nearly 49 for Trinidad and Tobago Red Force. He has also scored heavily in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League to follow up his decent form against India and Bangladesh last year. All-rounder Roston Chase, meanwhile, has been retained despite gathering just 49 runs in three innings against Bangladesh last December. There is no room for explosive all-rounder Andre Russell who missed the tours of India and Bangladesh but is currently plying his trade in the Bangladesh Premier League, while off-spinner Sunil Narine remains on the sidelines after playing his last ODI over two years ago. West Indies take on India in the first two ODIs at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown on February 20 and 22.
SQUAD – Jason Holder (captain), Fabian Allen, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Chris Gayle,
Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran.
Chris Gayle missed the last two ODI series
Lennox Allen anxious for World title ... to fight American Derrick Webster on February 15 By Rawle Toney GUYANA’S Lennox ‘Too Sharp’ Allen is just one week away from his title fight, something he told Chronicle Sport he’s been waiting for his entire career. Allen, 33, will attempt to add his name to illustrious company when he faces Derrick ‘Take it to the Bank’ Webster for the Interim World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Middleweight Title on February 15 at the Grand Casino Hinckley in Minnesota, USA. “I see this as the opportunity of a lifetime,” Allen said in an exclusive interview, adding “I feel like this is what I’ve been working all these years to achieve and the time is right now. I just have to stay focus.” The former Guyanese Super Middleweight champion picked up his 21st win in the ring after a third-round TKO victory over American Willis Locket in their Light Heavyweight contest to remain unbeaten in his professional boxing career. With the victory, Allen lived up to his alias ‘Too Sharp’, with Willis becoming the 14th victim of Allen’s deadly right hand, while the ‘GT’ fighter’s only blemish was his draw against American Darnell Boone in 2010. Since the announcement of his title shot, Allen noted the love he has been receiving from the Guyanese community, stating “the love from the Guyanese fans has been fantastic, whether it’s on social media or random fans popping up at the gym to show love.” Allen’s opposition holds a ring record of 28 wins; 14 coming by KOs, and his only defeat came against Arif Magomedov when he lost the vacant World Boxing Organisation NABO Middleweight Title in 2015 by Unanimous Decision. Webster, 36, is the United States Boxing Organisation Super Middleweight champion, as well as the World Boxing Foundation International Super Middleweight and American Boxing Federation Continental Americas Super Middleweight champion. Meanwhile, Allen is now fighting under DiBella Entertainment, which is owned by Lou DiBella, who currently promotes world-rated fighters like Regis Prograis, Tevin Farmer, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Ivan Baranchyk, Richard Commey, George Kambosos Jr, as well as rising prospects Oleksandr Teslenko and US Olympian Charles Conwell. The Guyanese fighter had recently told Chronicle Sport that fighting under DiBella Entertainment is a step in the right direction for his career.
Lennox ‘Too Sharp’ Allen (left) during a recent training session ahead of his February 15 fight against American Derrick ‘Take it to the Bank’ for the Interim World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Middleweight Title.
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Kenroy Williams hit six boundaries in his 33 before he was dismissed by Gudakesh Motie. (Photos by Adrian Narine)
Romario Shepherd bowled an impressive opening spell.
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2019