Guyana chronicle e paper 10 11 2017

Burger King coming to Guyana Page 11

–– first branch to open in six months, thanks to Corum Group Guyana

Too early to say No. 105062

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017

Price: $80 (VAT Inclusive)

–– ExxonMobil still to quantify recent oil find

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With the capture of ‘Smallie’ who gets the $10M reward ?

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16 more return

–– from hurricane-torn St. Maarten centre

Minister of State Joseph Harmon welcoming the evacuees upon their arrival at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle (Photo by Delano Williams)

Gov’t collects $900M in taxes for oil and gas activities

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Vendors to be removed from under Demico House Page 19

Six teachers from Rose Hall honoured Page 14

–– $350,000 in prizes given out

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Radio Mahdia 95.1FM hits the air – three more regional stations to be commissioned before year-end

By Navendra Seoraj A NEW spectrum of opportunities was opened to the residents of Mahdia and surrounding communities in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), when the Government commissioned Radio Mahdia 95.1FM last Sunday. Residents were so excited that they even brought their radios to test the quality of the transmission, which Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo said was good. The excitement was however not just focused on the transmission and signal, but also the opportunities that the new source of communication has brought to residents of the communities in that area. Prime Minister Nagamootoo said for many years, people from the hinterland regions had been isolated from information about

their own country so a radio station was an important asset of any region. “It is important not only for entertainment but also news, sports, culture and language…it is also important because it helps persons to learn about dangers and know that your country is doing all that is possible to make life better for everyone,” said the prime minister. Over 100 large and small mining camps in the area will have access to the radio station. They will now be warned about the weather, diseases and what they can do to improve their mining practices. Nagamootoo also made reference to how residents of Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) benefited from their local radio station during the rainy season earlier this year. Persons were warned

through the radio programmes that the bank of the river was overflowing so they needed to get into a safe zone. They were also told to keep students out of school for that period because snakes were in abundance because of the flood. Prior to receiving their radio station last year, they would usually wait for information to be filtered down to them from the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). “A radio station is therefore an important part of developing the consciousness of Guyanese so that they can safeguard themselves and the country,” said the prime minister. Informative programmes such as the learning channel and other national programmes will be broadcast so that persons in Mahdia and other communities such as El Paso and Campbell Town will remain informed. Persons, particularly those of indigenous ethnicity, will be trained by professional broadcasters so that they can eventually have their own programmes.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Mrs. Sita Nagamootoo and Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, unveil the Radio Mahdia plaque. (DPI Photo) The prime minister even hinted to the need for an indigenous language station which will be used to promote the culture of the indigenous people. Regional Chairman of Region Eight, Bonaventure Fredericks, shared similar sentiments but expressed his gratitude to the Government

for the initiative, saying it would benefit the business community, students and the residents. Veteran broadcaster and the Project Coordinator, Rovin Deodat, explained that the Radio Station was state-of-the art and cost the government between $21

million and $28 million to build. Deodat said the government intends building similar radio stations in every region across the country.

THREE MORE STATIONS Before December, the government will commission radio stations in Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), Orealla, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Aishalton, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). When those are established, persons will benefit from programmes such as Voice of Guyana, news, current affairs, sports and national events, said Deodat. Each of the stations will however move progressively because persons will be trained to operate Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo being interviewed by Broadcaster Merrano the equipment and become broadcasters. Issacs for the first live interview on Radio Mahdia. (DPI Photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

––ExxonMobil still to quantify recent oil find

GUYANA’S fifth oil discovery was announced last Thursday but knowing the actual resource size of the recent discovery will not be certain until 2018. Quantifying the barrel equivalent of Guyana’s most recent oil find at the Turbot-1 well by ExxonMobil will require further analysis of the data that was collected, Exxon’s Public and Government Affairs Director, Kimberly Brasington, explained to the Department of Public Information (DPI). Drilling of Turbot-1, which is located in the Stabroek Block, began in August by ExxonMobil affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited. A reservoir

of 75 feet (23 meters) of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone was encountered. “What our announcement indicated is that while drilling we encountered hydrocarbon. And so, because everybody is watching so closely now we didn’t want to wait,” Brasington noted. By the end of September, Turbot-1 was drilled to 18,445 feet (5,622 meters) in 5,912 feet (1,802 meters) of water. In fact, drilling of Turbot-1 is ongoing.” However, Brasington cautioned that data generated from Turbot-1 is not sufficient “to say with certainty the volume”, that is, oil equivalent barrels of this new field. “They’re already

looking at the data, but they are going to finish up at Turbot and continue to assess all the data they gathered from drilling this well. And then, we will come back in 2018 to drill a second well that will help us to calibrate and be in a better position to announce what we think is the estimated resource size,” Brasington explained. The company’s decision was similar during the exploration or the Liza and Payara fields. Announcements on the barrel equivalent of the hydrocarbon in those fields were made after the subsequent drilling of Liza-2 and 3 and Payara 2. The Liza and Payara fields together with the

Liza Deep and Snoek wells places the Stabroek Block gross resources between 2.25B to 75B oil equivalent barrels. As Exxon and its partners, Hess Corporation, and CNOOC Nexen, continue exploration in the Stabroek Block, “there is more unknown, uncertainty” in the geology on the ocean floor as exploration moves away from the Liza field Brasington said. Turbo -1 is located 30 miles east of the Liza Phase One project. Even the newest drill field, Ranger, is located further from the Liza, Payara groupings. “Ranger is exciting. It’s another unknown… the geology under the ground it looks different.

ExxonMobil Director of Public and Government Affairs, Kimberly Brasington. We’re optimistic and excited and our partners and everybody wants to continue exploring,” Brasington said.

Meantime, the Stenna Carron drillship is estimated to move to the Ranger field over the next two weeks.

Gov’t collects $900M in taxes for oil and gas activities THE MINISTRY of Finance has collected approximately $900M in taxes from “activities connected to oil and gas” for the first half of 2017. This was revealed by Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, during a press conference held in his Min-

istry’s boardroom on Monday. Minister Jordan was responding to questions posed by the media. Companies in the oil and gas industry have to pay withholding taxes. The tax is paid to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). It is a tax levied on income

(interest and dividends) from securities owned by a non- resident. Minister Jordan noted that the sum “might have been the resolution of one or two issues that were pending with some of the companies”. These taxes are in ad-

dition to the revenues that Guyana is expected to begin collecting when oil production commences in 2020. The government has a production-sharing agreement between Exxon and its partners and itself. Guyana will receive a royalty of two per cent on

gross earnings and benefit from 50 per cent of the profits from the sale of petroleum, once production commences in 2020. Meanwhile, the finance minister noted that the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) will be available for public consultation early next year.

He noted that his ministry is currently reviewing comments from partners before it is submitted to the Commonwealth consultant, who helped in the initial drafting of the legislation for the establishment of the SWF. (DPI)

Mental health issues lead to low productivity DRESSED in orange jerseys, scores of New Amsterdam nurses, students and members of the COFONA corps of drums, joyfully marched through the streets of the township before converging at the country’s lone psychiatric hospital at Fort Canje, where a rally under the theme,’ Mental Health in the Workplace’ was held to commemorate a week of activities held in honour of Mental Health Day which was celebrated on October 10. At the annual event, organised by the National Psychiatric Hospital, saw for the first time in recent years

participation by senior functionaries of the Ministry of Public Health, including the Director of Mental Health, Dr. Util, Richmond Thomas and Senior Psychologist, Balogam .O. Osunbiyi. Delivering the feature address on behalf of the Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence, Dr. Thomas, noted that smart employers would encourage positive mental well-being, as it was known that mental illness was common and could affect one in every five persons. It was noted that a vast percentage of persons suffer from depression and anxiety disorders which, she

said, has cost the World Health Organisation (WHO) $2.3 Trillion, and that, that sum was expected to triple before 2030. Depression, she pointed out, is the single leading mental health issue, which results in low productivity in the work place. ‘Persons with depression suffer from low energy, indecisiveness, hopelessness, no pleasure at anything while their creativity is at rock bottom. Persons conceal illness because attitudes will change in a negative way.They risk being stereotyped. Accordingly, the workplace must be a nurturing environment …

employers need to support persons with depression, isolations, and anxiety. Meanwhile adding his voice to the mental health issue, Mr Osunbiyi, told those gathered that while individually we are good enough, being good was not enough. ‘However, collectively we are excellent and it is the excellence which will make Guyana a better place, and which too has seen the country move from being number one to number three, on the list of the highest rate of mental health casualties. “We must make our contribution so as to allow citizens to live a better life. We,

collectively, can address the concerns of mental health, so by next year we would have moved from number three to number 30. Meanwhile, amidst poetic expressions, songs and dances, Medical Superintendent of the National Psychiatric Hospital, Dr V. Khirodhar, highlighted the warning signs of mental health issues which included, eating or sleeping too much or too little, pulling away from society, no desire to do anything, feelings of numbness [nothing matters], severe mood swings, drinking, smoking, excessive drug usage amongst several others.

Further, during her years of practice at the mental health facility, she has concluded that mental health is under threat, and has since issued a call to all personnel to stop criticising, while noting that persons react differently to stressful situations. The Director of Health Services, Mr Jevaughn Stephens, challenged his audience to evaluate themselves and be open to accept the care offered, while CEO of the New Amsterdam Hospital, Mr Colin Bynoe applauded the local mental health fighters, while also recognising the abilities of those institutionised

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Malawi under curfew --over ‘vampire’ killings

AT least five people have been killed in southern Malawi after they were accused of behaving like vampires. Malawian President Peter Mutharika has vowed to launch an investigation into the killings. A night-time curfew has been imposed by the government to prevent vigilante mobs from killing more people.

The UN says it has pulled staff out of two districts as the vampire scare swept the south of the country. The people killed were suspected of drinking human blood as part of magic rituals. The government-imposed curfew restricts movement to ten hours from 07:00 until 17:00 local time (05:00 to 15:00 GMT) . Meanwhile, the president’s office said in a statement: “This development has been of grave concern to the president and the entire government.” The UN said in a report that the vampirism rumours appear to have originated from Mo-

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zambique, and “spread across” the border to the Malawi districts of Mulanje and Phalombe. But, it said, it is unclear what sparked them. “Temporary suspension of UN activities in the area until the situation is normalised,” the report added. As one of the world’s poorest countries, many aid agencies and NGOs work in Malawi. Education standards are also low, with belief in witchcraft widespread, and the country regularly dogged by “vampire” rumours. A spate of vigilante violence linked to vampire rumours also erupted there in 2002. (BBC)

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IMF forecasts stronger global economic growth THE global economic recovery is strengthening, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF has revised its forecast for the global economy, and is now expecting slightly stronger growth. It now predicts growth of 3.6% this year, and 3.7% in 2018. The IMF’s forecast for the UK is the same as in its July report. It expects growth to slow from 1.8% in 2016 to 1.7% this year, and to 1.5% in 2018. Although the UK is an exception to the pattern of strengthening growth in the IMF’s assessment, for this year and next the growth projections are stronger than two other G7 economies, Japan and Italy. The IMF’s judgment on the UK’s prospects reflects weaker growth in consumer spending, because of the fall in the value of the pound and the impact that had on real, inflation-adjusted incomes. However, it

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does say it expects inflation to decline gradually to the Bank of England’s 2% target. For the medium term, the report says the UK’s growth outlook is highly uncertain and will depend, in part, on the new economic relationship with the EU and the extent of any increase in barriers to trade, migration and cross-border financial activity. The report says the global economy is experiencing a “welcome cyclical upturn after disappointing growth over the past few years.” Several countries have had their forecast upgraded - the largest changes this year are for Canada, Russia (partly because of stabilising oil prices) and Brazil, where the figures are still rather weak, but an improvement on the sharp contractions of the previous two years. There are a small number of downgrades as well, however, and they are substantial in the case of India, because of the lingering effects of a currency exchange last year and uncertainty associated with a new tax. That said, India’s economy is still expected to see robust growth - not far below 7% this year and above that level in 2018.

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South Africa also gets a hefty downgrade, with subdued growth because of the impact of political uncertainty on business and consumer confidence. PRODUCTIVITY WORRIES The report also warns that the global recovery is not complete and faces risks. Inflation is too low in many countries. That means that central banks have little room to respond to future economic weakness by cutting interest rates as they are already so low - because price rises are so subdued. The IMF has persistent concerns about weak growth in productivity, which impairs prospects for rising living standards. The rapid expansion of credit in China increases the risk of sharp slowdown there and the IMF says the government needs to intensify its efforts to head off that danger. There’s also a hint of concern about the administration of President Trump when the report says that “uncertainty about policy is more of a concern than usual reflecting, for example, difficult-to-predict US regulatory and fiscal policies.” (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Famous St Maarten airport reopens SINT Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport re-opened on Tuesday, one month after Hurricane Irma ravaged the island. The first flight out was from the national carrier, Windward Islands Airways International (WINAIR), to St. Eustatius, while the first international flight was from Delta Airlines, which landed at around 13:50hrs. Located on the Dutch

side of the island, the airport

also services travellers and

The world famous Princess Juliana Airport on Sint Maarten

Scientist warns of ‘warmer, dryer Caribbean’ --as weather takes toll on region’s water sector

DEPUTY Director of the Belize-based Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), Dr. Ulric Trotz says climate change has taken a toll on the water sector, which remains one of the most vulnerable sectors in the Caribbean. Dr Trotz, who is also the Science Advisor at the CCCCC, said that the region is grappling with two realities, one of which is water scarcity. The other, he said, is the threat to water supplies in the wake of natural disasters. “Some islands have already been designated as water scarce: Barbados, Antigua, from our projections from the climate models we are using, we are going to be living in a warmer and dryer Caribbean,” Trotz said. The CCCCC is overseeing the implementation of Salt Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) Plants in various countries to aid in the security of water sources. “We started with a pilot in Bequia in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where, during the dry season, water had to be barred from the mainland to Bequia,” he said, noting that integral to SWRO plants is cost-saving energy measures. “A lot of us don’t seem to realise that the biggest cost for producing water is power; the energy costs are high,” Dr Trotz said, adding: “We put in a salt water re-

verse osmosis plant, which, as you know, is very energy- intense, but we have put in with that plant a photovoltaic system that runs the whole SWRO plant.” The CCCCC has installed SWRO plants in Carriacou, Petit Martinique, Caye Caulker and Barbados, and in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria-affected countries continue to grapple with massive losses and devastation as Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit outlined recently to the United Nations General Assembly. “Our homes are flat, our buildings roofless, our water pipes smashed and road infrastructure destroyed. Our hospital is without power and schools have disappeared beneath the rubble, our crops are uprooted,” Skerrit said. Power loss and landslides in the wake of natural disaster remain major threats to many of the islands’ infrastructure. In St Lucia, pipe distribution lines were disrupted by strong winds following Hurricane Irma, leaving hundreds of residents without water. President of the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association’s (CWWA), Alphonsus Daniel, said that many of the hurricane-ravaged countries have experienced levels of devastation never seen before, adding that the water sector in many

have been badly hit. “We have on-the-ground reports of the collapse of major water intakes, of broken infrastructure, damaged storage facilities and deteriorating water quality,” he added. The CWWA, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, has been coordinating support to many of the affected countries, according to Daniel. This support includes dispatching water experts to assist with the repairs in many of the affected countries. The impact of the hurricanes on the region will form part of the discussion at the upcoming weeklong CWWA 26th Annual conference which begins here on Monday. “The High Level Forum of the Ministers responsible for water is dedicated to discussing climate resilience in the context of our water utility companies and water resources agencies and how they organise their governance arrangement to build and sustain resilience.” Daniel said. The opening plenary of the HLF is expected to focus on discussing innovative and creative strategies and approaches that the water sector can and must embrace in order to address the impact of climate change. (CMC)

residents on the French, Saint Martin, side. St. Maarten’s Director of Tourism, Rolando Brison announced the reopening on Monday while speaking at a media briefing during the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO)’s “State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC)” in Grenada. Speaking via Skype, Brison said all airlines have indicated that they will resume operations. “The people of SXM airport have worked very hard to get it done, and I’m very proud we’re able to reopen,” Brison said, adding: “We are not quite yet ready for night operations

yet, but, traditionally, 80 per cent of the traffic comes in the daytime, so we are just making adjustments to the night.” Brison also said the island sustained varying levels of damage to 70 per cent of its hotel stock, but repair works are underway. “The big blow to the island is the larger properties, Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Westin Dawn Beach Resort, which were hit very hard,” he said. “Between those two properties, we have over 800 rooms. Sonesta has recommitted to opening partially by the end of this year, while Westin Dawn will reopen

sometime next year.” Also speaking through Skype to the CTO’s media briefing was French St. Martin’s First Vice-President, Valerie Damaseau, who said, “One month after the hurricane, there are clear signs of recovery, and some restaurants and bars have reopened for business, while the others are working assiduously to get back on track.” Damaseau noted that tourism is a major source of income for the Island, so they are reorganising in order to provide to the tourist who looks forward to coming to the French side of the island, St. Martin. (Newsday)

Haiti writes US gov’t --seeking more time for its nationals

WASHINGTON, CMC – Haiti has formally written to the United States government seeking an extension of the temporary protected status (TPS) for its nationals residing in the North American country. The request, coming seven years after the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country was devastated by an earthquake, is contained in a letter sent to the Department of Homeland Security last Friday. Port au Prince said the island has not fully recovered from the 2010 earthquake that killed an estimated 230,000 people and left more than a million others homeless. In addition, Haiti has pointed to the extensive damage caused by the passage of two hurricanes in recent years. Haiti estimates that at least 60,000 of its nationals are living in the United States under the TPS, Haitian Ambassador to the

United States Paul Altidor wrote telling Acting DHS Secretary, Elaine Duke. “The detrimental impacts of the recent hurricanes have complicated our ability to recover from the 2010 earthquake, resulting in major disruptions of living conditions in the short term,” he said. A TPS designation grants a temporary immigration benefit to certain nationals of designated countries, allowing them to live and work in the U.S. for a limited time period. TPS is typically granted to citizens of developing countries affected by natural disasters. In May, the then DHS Secretary, John Kelly, approved a six-month extension of TPS for the Haitian refugees, the fifth such extension since the original designation following the earthquake. Kelly urged Haitians living

in the US without another immigration status other than TPS to “prepare for and arrange their departure” before the revised expiration on January 22, 2018. “This six-month extension should allow Haitian TPS recipients living in the United States time to attain travel documents, and make other necessary arrangements for their ultimate departure from the United States, and should also provide the Haitian government with the time it needs to prepare for the future repatriation of all current TPS recipients,” he said in a statement announcing the extension. But the Jovenel Moise administration says it is unable to handle the repatriation of its citizens, largely because of damage and flooding caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The DHS is expected to make a decision on TPS for Hatians in November.

Editorial

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Black, Green and Orange LAST week, in the second such event in the past four months, Exxon made yet another discovery of oil in Guyana’s territory, the fifth by the company overall. One online article captures the excitement caused by the discovery, focusing on an industry analyst firm, Woodmac’s reaction: “Worth noting, in a podcast shared by Woodmac, Medina, said the whole Exxon-Guyana story was one of the most interesting, at least when it comes to the deep-water segment, given the number of discoveries in a small portion of the giant block. Also, Medina said that the 2 – 2.5 billion barrel mark estimated by Woodmac comes only from oil. If available gas is taken into consideration, the barrel of oil equivalent number could rise to 3-4 billion barrels.” There are two perspectives on this. The first is that Guyana is finally destined to move up the economic ladder with the infusion of revenue from our natural resource. The problem here is that we have always had an abundance of resources that could have easily translated into wealth decades ago. When President Granger spoke recently about the curse of the six sisters, our

traditional sectors, that particular hex that has faced us has been a combination of hyper-dependency on these sectors with little attention paid towards diversification, accompanied by the dysfunction generated by our ethno-political divisions. This dynamic continues to pose a far greater threat to our development than the new buzzword term, “Dutch disease,” that has risen in the wake of the oil discovery. Where the discovery of oil becomes even more complex with regard to our strategy for national development, regards our integration of the black economy as it were into the government’s green-state development initiative. A key example of the potential conflict would be the recent situation wherein some US $80 million in Norway International Climate and Forest Initiative funding was held back by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) due to Guyana’s inclusion of natural gas, sourced from our oil fields, into government’s green energy transition plan. In this complex discourse surrounding black (the oil sector) and green (environmentally sustainable economic development), too little attention continues to be paid to another colour –

orange; meaning the orange economy, the collective title for economic activities that primarily involve cultural activities and the creative arts. For example, Guyana’s plans for “achieving green and inclusive structural transformation,” according to the Green State Development Strategy, rests upon four main pillars: resource extraction for sustainable development; sustainable, productive, climate-resilient and diversified agriculture; green, inclusive, high value-adding industrial development; and [an] enabling business environment. There is nothing there that speaks to creative and cultural economic activity. This is an unfortunate exclusion on several fronts. The first is that in economic terms, the orange economy is a burgeoning sector, with growth of 134% between 2002 and 2011, globally. According to the IDB, “While oil exports as reported by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) contracted 40% in 2009, creative goods and services only suffered a reduction of 12%... The supply of creative goods and services – particularly the latter – isn’t subject to the same natural scarcity restrictions

of oil. Price volatility is not a major concern for Orange Economy growth.” Moreover, the orange economy is one in which there are no significant intrinsic conflicts with the green economy. Indeed, planned well, a creative economy lends itself easily to environmentally sustainable development efforts. Some territories, for example, promote low environmental impact film-making as a strategy to both create revenue streams as well as to promote eco-tourism. Perhaps, most importantly, the creative industry sector offers self-sustaining solutions for social cohesion, the absence of which has been the main hurdle to our development. Books, films, dance, the visual arts, photography and, increasingly, videogames do not simply work as economic products, but are in themselves critical tools in engendering dialogue and healing divisions, as well as promoting respect for the environment. Whether it is Picasso’s graphic and disturbing representation of the horrors of war in his masterpiece Guernica or the film Arrivals examination of the complex interplay between communication and conflict, creativity has always played a central role

in healing societies. In the past five years, stretching across political administrations, but particularly under the APNU+AFC government, there have been literally dozens of consultations on the oil industry. In contrast, there has been no government-funded or initiated consultation on creative industries development. Under the previous administration, within the period in consideration, there were two, both externally funded, creative industry workshops for which there was no follow-up. Copyright legislation, the basic pillar of the creative sector, remains unchanged 10 years after artistes were clamouring for its upgrade as we prepared for Carifesta X in 2008. There needs to be stronger political will and concrete action when it comes to true, comprehensive economic diversification in

Guyana. It makes no sense identifying the curse of dependency on existing sectors and then creating a hyper-dependency on another, while ignoring another vibrant and contextually relevant avenue. It doesn’t matter the number of barrels we discover – oil is a finite and volatile resource; creativity, however, isn’t; indeed, the IDB document report on the potential for the orange economy is subtitled, ‘An Infinite Opportunity.’ Going forward, the political machinery in general has to undergo a critical paradigm shift when it comes to mainstreaming culture and the creative arts into sustainable socio-economic development. If we’re going to be serious about uplifting our economy and creating a functional, cohesive, green society, orange has to be seen as the new black.

Girls assert themselves --assume roles of PM, Canadian HC to mark ‘Day of the Girl Child’

THE International Day of the Girl Child is a special day designated by the United Nations to raise awareness of girls’ rights around the world. In advance of the 6th International Day of the Girl Child, the High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Ms. Lilian Chatterjee, challenged the Honourable Prime Minister Moses V. Nagamootoo to join her in participating in Plan International Canada’s #GirlsBelongHere initiative. Prime Minister Nagamootoo rose to the challenge! On October 10, 2017, both he and Chatterjee shared their offices with two young women as

part of the global advocacy campaign to show that girls and young women belong in such key decision-making positions – and anywhere else they may set their sights on.

PM FOR A DAY Prime Minister Nagamootoo has the portfolio of governance and human rights and has noted that globally, the rights of girls and women have not always been respected. He remarked that “the right to information and the right to be part of the decision-making process at the highest levels are important factors for all women and for society as a whole. Therefore,

the opportunity to bring recognition to the importance of girls in society is one to fully embrace.” Prime Minister Nagamootoo shared his office with 19-year-old Martina Nedd. Ms. Nedd is currently interning at the Office of the Prime Minister as part of the practical application of her studies at the Bertram Collins College of the Public Service and aspires to work in the field of finance. She called her surprise role as prime minister for a day an exciting opportunity that she will remember for the rest of her life. The prime minister shared that he believes Guyana is moving well with

regard to representation of women in Government, at the Parliamentary and Cabinet levels, but that there is still much more room for growth. HC FOR A DAY The High Commission organised a social media competition to highlight Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy asking interested candidates to explain how a feminist approach to development could help girls overcome existing barriers to success. High Commissioner Chatterjee shared that it was a tough decision, as the submissions were quite remarkable. Ultimately,

however, there could only be one winner: Ms. Sherry Anna Balkaran. High Commissioner Chatterjee believes that achieving gender equality requires transforming unequal power relations and challenging social norms that limit opportunities for women and girls and restrict men and boys to specific roles. “Everyone has a role to play in making gender equality a reality,” she told Balkaran in her hand-over meeting Tuesday morning. Twenty-year-old SherryAnna Balkaran hails from Paramakatoi and just last week won the Heritage Pageant crown 2017. Referring to Canada’s Feminist Inter-

national Assistance Policy, Balkaran said, “I must commend the Canadian Government for adopting such a policy and recognising that we, women, have rights as well. Universally, women are being suppressed. I’ve noticed it first-hand in the indigenous communities that I’ve visited and so, I hope to make a difference in the world. I hope to encourage others to do the same.” In their respective roles as high commissioner and prime minister for the day, the young ladies met with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Honourable Dr.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Girls assert ... Barton Scotland and the UNICEF country representative, Ms. Sylvie Fouet. Balkaran “hosted” a tea at the Official Residence of the High Commissioner for all the young ladies who had submitted entries as well as Prime Minister for a Day, Ms. Nedd. They discussed current issues affecting girls and young women in Guyana today. However, both Balkaran and Nedd agreed that the best part of the day was a visit to Cabinet and meeting His Excellency, President David A. Granger.

Continued from page 6 On welcoming the young ladies, President Granger stated “We are all very happy to have you here and I will say without fear of contradiction that we endorse everything that you have said. Our respect for our girl children, our respect for each other, our respect for diversity in our community and we hold gender rights as being one of the key in our pursuit of social cohesion and equality.” Canada led the call for an International Day of the Girl Child at the

United Nations to help raise awareness of the discrimination girls face, as well as their tremendous potential. The #GirlsBelongHere initiative is part of a global mass initiative led by Plan International. Prime Minister Nagamooto joins the Prime Minister of Canada, Prime Minister of Finland, Vice Prime Minister of Belgium, the Canadian Minister of Defense and others in enabling more than 500 girls in 60 countries to step into their dream roles.

Sherry Anna Balkaran (second right), winner of the social media challenge to highlight Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy sharing office with Canadian High Commissioner, Ms. Lilian Chatterjee (second left)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

CANU to find safer way to dispose of cocaine THE Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), this morning disposed of just over forty-four kilograms of cocaine, however, the unit was forced to abort its mission due to health emergencies faced by its crew. Initially, the unit embarked on destroying just over 318 kilograms of cocaine which were seized between November 2013 and January 2017. Deputy Head of CANU, Lesley Ramlall, speaking to the Department of Public Information (DPI) said, that while carrying out the mission, ranks began vomiting and were complaining

Deputy Head, CANU, Lesley Ramlall of upset stomach and dizziness. This led the mission being aborted. Upon returning to

A sample of the narcotics being tested by a scientist from the Forensic Laboratory to ensure that it is cocaine.

Cocaine being broken up before disposal at sea. CANU headquarters, the narcotics were re-weighed by ranks of the unit, in the presence of media and representatives from the National Forensic laboratory. “What we found was a total of 44 kilograms 584 grams was disposed, therefore, giving us a difference of 273 kilograms 502 grams of narcotics and that being

cocaine returning to the stores, here at headquarters at CANU”, Ramlall explained. The remainder of the narcotics, Ramlall assured, will be disposed of at a later date. However, before execution, a decision will have to be made by his superiors on the way forward.

It was highlighted that CANU last disposed of narcotics in 2013, however, its last disposal by sea was in 1999. Ramlall stated that “before that, we burnt and maybe we would have to revert to that; the burning of the cocaine but as I said, no decision has been made at this time, that will be communicated to me by my

superiors.” However, before reverting to burning the narcotics, a suitable location would have to be decided upon, due to health risks. The street value of the initial cocaine to be destroyed was over $319M. However, if it had reached its destination, the value would have amounted to over $2B.

‘Structurally sound’ –– Linden Mayor gives Wismar Bridge clean bill of health

LINDEN Mayor, Mr Carwyn Holland,on Tuesday put paid to the ongoing debate over the Wismar Bridge, saying there’s nothing wrong with it; that it’s “structurally sound”. Talk around the mining town is that the 49-year old bridge, which links the Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) communities of Wismar and Mackenzie, is in such a deplorable state and it ought to be condemned. But as Holland told media operatives Tuesday during a meeting at the Linden Town Council, based on the reports that he’s received from engineers in the region, all that the bridge lacks is “some maintenance”. This being the case, he said, the Ministry of Public

Traffic on the bridge Tuesday Infrastructure will, in addition to sandblasting it to spruce it up a bit, be carrying out some repairs to the wooden deck area atop the bridge. He said, too, that from here on, the Town Council will be taking responsibility for the upkeep of the bridge,

and using the revenue earned from bridge tolls for its maintenance and other community development projects. “We look forward to caring it better. This community has been paying for that bridge for decades, and it is time that the bridge returns

The underside of the Wismar Bridge (Photos courtesy of the DPI)

something to the people of Linden,” Holland declared. He, however, indicated that plans are afoot to construct a new bridge, and that discussions are underway. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure had earlier announced that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) was to have funded a feasibility study to the tune of US$800K for the Wismar Bridge, but that plan has since been shelved, as the money has been diverted to other projects. Holland, however, quoted the MPI as saying that Budget 2018 will cater for the study, and possibly look at the relocation of the bridge. But in the meantime, he said, residents will need to monitor the weight going over the current bridge, so as not to put undue pressure on it.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

With the capture of ‘Smallie’ who gets the $10M reward?

SINCE the incident-free capture of Guyana’s `Most Wanted Man’ by the police on Monday night at Weldaad Public Road, West Coast Berbice (WCB), the question on everyone’s mind is who will get the $10M reward which was being offered by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for information which would lead to the arrest of the escapees. Crime Chief, Paul Williams, told the Guyana Chronicle that Mark Royden Williams called “Smallie” was indeed captured by the police but he was unsure as to whom in terms of the Joint Services or civilians would benefit from the reward offered. However, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan yesterday said it was a confidential matter which would not be disclosed for security reasons. Williams, following shrewd intelligence gathering, was arrested around 20:00hrs on Monday night on the Weldaad Public Road, West Coast Berbice. At the time, he was in a passenger minibus, had shaved off his dreadlocks and was clad in trunks and a tee-shirt. He was also unarmed, did not resist arrest, the police reported. According to the Director of Prisons (ag), Gladwin Samuels, the re-captured prisoner was handed over to prison authorities on Monday night following his arrest. Williams, who was deemed as Guyana’s `most wanted fugitive’, had escaped from lawful custody from the Camp Street Prison

on July 9, last, when fire which was allegedly set by prisoners engulfed most of the wooden buildings which had then housed more than 1,000 condemned and remand prisoners. Williams, who is on death row and also has other matters in the High Court burned and shot his way out of Camp Street Prison and has been on the run for three months. On August 31, he eluded a Joint Services intelligence-led operation at Amelia’s Ward, Linden but another escapee, ex-cop Uree Varswyck a/k Malcolm Gordon, who was with him at the time, was shot and killed. The Joint Services were then acting on reports they had received that Williams and Gordon seen in the Central Amelia’s Ward area. The death-row inmate, is one of several prisoners who had escaped from the Georgetown Prisons and who is wanted for murder and escaping from lawful custody,and has other pending matters in the Georgetown High Court. The condemned prisoner was jointly charged with Michael Caesar for the murders of Fazil Hakim called “Boyie” and Rajesh Singh called “Rabbit” at a liquor bar at Lot 82, Agriculture Road, Triumph, East Coast Demerara in December 2007. He was also convicted for his involvement in the February 17, 2008 Bartica Massacre in which the lives of Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne. Edwin Gilkes, Dexter

Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas, and Baldeo Sing, were ruthlessly snuffed out. At the trial he was convicted of eight counts of murder and four counts of

In custody: Mark Royden Williams manslaughter and was sentenced to death by Justice Roxane George, S.C now Chief Justice (ag). Additionally, as it relates to the Bartica Massacre, Williams has a second indictment for terrorism and three counts for break and enter and larceny. Following his conviction in Bartica Massacre, he subsequently filed a notice of appeal and appeared before the Court of Appeal, but the decision is pending. Williams, whose last known address was listed as Friendship, Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was also tried for the Lusignan Massacre and was

acquitted by a 12-member jury in the Georgetown High Court. Williams before his re-capture was wanted by

the police for murder and escaping from lawful at the Georgetown Prison, Camp Street. Meanwhile, two other

escapees, Cobena Stephens called “OJ” and Paul Goriah, both of whom bolted from the Lusignan Prison, remain on the lam.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

For Thelma: A woman whose strength will be remembered By Akola Thompson

NEIGHBOURING Brazil holds the world record for hate-based LGBT murders. In 2016, over 300 hate killings were recorded. That roughly translates into one LGBT person being put to death approximately every day. One of those persons was Dandara dos Santos, a trans woman who was tortured and killed on video. In Chechnya, LGBT persons are abducted, tortured and killed by the police and other citizens of the state.

In the U.S. last year 49 persons, a large number who identified as LGBT, were shot and killed in the Pulse nightclub. As of August 2017, there have been 33 hate-violence-related homicides of LGBT people, according to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence. In Pakistan, LGBT persons are killed tortured or thrown out of their homes if they are even suspected of being gay. According to Trans-Action Alliance, close to 50 transgender persons have been killed in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area

over the last few years. Just last year, a trans woman was raped, filmed and then shot nine times, at point blank range. She was taken to a hospital but would later die, since she was refused treatment for over 17 hours due to her being trans. In Jamaica, LGBT persons, particularly trans women are frequently killed. Just this last month Dexter Pottinger, a designer and Jamaica’s ‘face’ of LGBT pride was murdered in his home. Shortly after, three LGBT persons were shot in New Kingston; one of them

was a trans woman. That trans woman was 32-year-old Thelma, who was thrown out of her home by her mother when anti-LGBT community members demanded that Thelma leave the community or her mother’s house would be burnt down. Thelma would leave and would later become a vendor in the Coronation Market where she would also be forced to leave when anti-LGBT persons became aware of her gender identity. Thelma along with other LGBT persons would

make the New Kingston Garage a place in which they felt some semblance of home and community. They would sleep there and ply their trades along the streets. However, drug dealers warned them that they should move or be killed, but they didn’t move. When the drug dealers first came, Thelma wasn’t around. Two persons were shot, one escaped with just an injury. Despite knowing of the threats of the dealers and the shooting that happened just a few days earlier, Thelma would

return to her spot, brave in the face of certain death, to prove that she had a right to be there. Thelma had reportedly shirked at advice that she should not return to the spot to sell her wares; confident in herself and identity, she did not want to be a coward and to the last breath, stood up for the equal rights she knew she had a right to. Amongst the LGBT community of New Kingston Garage, Thelma was known as someone who See page 11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

For Thelma: A woman whose strength ...

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was unapologetically herself and encouraged others to embrace and love who they are. It is people like Thelma who have given me hope over the years and who continuously encourage me to love myself and all the queerness encapsulated within me. When you’re a queer person, struggling with things such as feelings of inferiority, gender dysphoria and self hate, you begin to look at those who are unapologetically themselves and you want to be as brave as them. You want to be able to wear what you want, say what you want and walk down the streets hand in hand with who you want. But there is always fear because the threat of violence is always around us. Many will look at Thelma’s killing and state that she could have avoided it, that she was wrong to return to a spot that was only two days before fired upon. I look at Thelma’s death and I see a tragic loss of life yes, but I also see a direct challenge to the establishment, a challenge to the belief that we will slink quietly back into closets when we are threatened and attacked. I see strength unmatched, strength I wish to possess within myself and I am proud of her. If anything, Thelma’s death should encourage us to stand firm in the face of hate, because no war was ever won by hiding behind doors and pseudo-identities. It will be hard and frightening and all those other adjectives, but it is necessary. As I think of Thelma and all the Thelmas of the world who are harassed, ridiculed and killed just for being different from the heteronormative status quo that plagues our societies, Grace Nichols poem, “Epilogue,” comes to mind. The poem is succinct but powerful and it goes- “I have crossed an ocean/ I have lost my tongue/ from the root of the old one/ a new one has sprung.” While we might have lost the proud voice of one brave woman, more voices will pop up to fill the void. We are many, we are strong and we want you to know that we are not going anywhere, even when the threats against us are real and apparent.

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Burger King coming to Guyana –– first branch to open in six months, thanks to Corum Group Guyana

BURGER KING, an American global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, will in approximately six months open its doors in the Land of Many Waters, thanks to the Corum Group Guyana. Known for having one of the country’s most exquisite night spots and restaurants, and most recently adding the Pizza Hut brand to their repertoire, the Corum Group Guyana according to Vice-President of Marketing and Sales Navin Singh, the first restaurant will cater for at least 30 new employees and additional restaurants will employ around the same number. Singh said Corum Group Guyana was happy to add the Burger King brand to its list of fast-food chains and is certain that the brand will be welcomed with opened arms by Guyanese. Corum Group Guyana is already looking to host a job fair to target new employees and begin training. Company directors are currently overseas attending franchise meetings and training. Thanks to Corum Group Guyana, the Pizza Hut brand was re-introduced to the local market and now operates at four locations, employing hundreds of Guyanese.

The Corum Group Guyana representatives and the Burger King mascot

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Three charged with murder of Bloomfield youth

THREE PERSONS, among them two teens, were jointly charged with the murder of 21-year-old Mahendra Ghanie called “Azad.”

Ghanie’s mutilated and burnt remains were found in two shallow graves at Number 55 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. Bharrat Ramsarwack

The two teens who have been charged for the murder of 21-year-old Mahendra Ghanie called “Azad”.

called “Bobby” (44), Mohanlall Sewsankar (19) and another teen (16), appeared before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Springlands’ Magistrate Court on Tuesday. The unrepresented trio were not required to plead to the indictable charge. The charge stated that between Monday, October 2 and Friday October 6, at Number 55 Village, the trio murdered Ghanie. According to reports, one of the men reportedly told investigators that they lured the young man to his employer’s home at Number 55 Village where they beat him and then dumped his body in a hole, before it was burnt beyond recognition. They then removed the partly burnt body from one shallow grave and dumped it into another where it con-

Bharrat Ramsarwack called “Bobby” (centre) tinued to burn, this time until it was reduced to ash. The employer, Bharrat Ramsarwack, told the investigators that the young man had stolen two goats from him. As the men made their way outside the courtroom, the family members of Ghanie were unable to contain their emotions. Fazil Ghanie, the father of Azad asked plaintively: “Which

one of y’all kill me son”? Without showing any emotion or remorse Ramsarwack shouted: “Is me kill he ! Is me kill he!” Another relative of Ghanie who was among the search party that discovered the remains of the murdered young man, was also threatened in the presence of police officers at the Springlands Police Station. The three men are ex-

pected to make their second court appearance on October 18, next. The teen has been sent to a juvenile holding centre while Ramsarwack and Sewsankar were remanded to prison. Meanwhile, the relatives of Ghanie are appealing for financial assistance to offset his funeral expenses. Persons desirous of assisting can call them on 602-3746 or 603-9349.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

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‘We’re all in this thing together’ –– Min. Hughes tells ICT stakeholders at launch of inaugural ‘Internet Week’

MINISTER of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes said it best Monday when she captured the spirit in which the event was organised in just one sentence. “What we’ve recognised is that we’re all in these silos, doing our thing, and so the ministry wants to bring everybody together,” she said. The occasion was the launch of “Internet Week”, the very first time such an event would ever be held here with the aim of bringing together all the local players

tion and capacity-building through learning and engaging. Meanwhile, Ministerial Advisor to the Minister of Telecommunications, Mr Lance Hinds posited that while the Internet plays a virtually omnipresent role in everyday life, many Guyanese are not aware of the policies and mechanisms governing the “back-end” of the process. This back-end of which he speaks, Mr Hinds explained, involves Internet security, integrity and maintenance. “If we’re going to participate in that

Minister of Public Telecommunications, Ms Catherine Hughes (centre) and her advisor, Mr Lance Hinds (second right) with representatives of the regional and international organisations here for ‘Internet Week’ under one roof to brainstorm how they could work collectively, yet still maintain their individuality. Aptly themed, ‘Building the Internet collectively!’ as the minister so wittily implied, the week-long event is being hosted by the Ministry of Public Telecommunications (MoPT), in collaboration with several regional and international organisations. As it was explained at the launch, the foregoing collaboration was necessary not only for the development of the local ICT sector by increasing the level of Internet penetration, but to also remedy the disparity in Internet access here in Guyana, as can be seen in the “digital divide” that seemingly favours coastal over hinterland residents. Said collaboration was also deemed necessary to promote ICT solutions across all sectors such as education, entrepreneurship, health and agriculture, and understanding and improving the foundation of how the Internet works. Among regional and international organisations that responded favourably to the invitation to be a part of the event are: The Latin America and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (LACNIC); the Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG); the Internet Society (ISOC); the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN); and the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU). The representatives of these organisations, during brief introductory statements, reiterated the minister’s call for collabora-

Internet space,” he said, “it is critical that we understand how that works; how that’s governed.” And given the mandate to foster social and economic growth through this ICT sector, he said, it is imperative to be part of all the conversations regarding policy creation for Internet governance. But unfortunately, he said, that is easier said than done, as Guyana, like many other regional nations, are left out of these conversations entirely. A case in point, he said, was the decision that if Guyana wants to have ‘.guyana’ as a domain name, it would cost us around $10M. “Now I make this case,” Hinds said, “because that price was arrived at without any intervention or conversation with us; we simply weren’t in the room when the decision was being made to charge that type of money.” As such, the objectives of this week are to learn and share the policies and mechanisms of governance so that Guyanese would be able to participate in these decision-making forums. In keeping with this focus, Senior Stakeholder Engagement Manager for the Caribbean, ICANN’s Albert Daniels, related to the Guyana Chronicle that one of his presentations will be made on the processes for policy development. Overall, the event, which ends Friday, will focus on cyber-security, digital responsibility, internet governance and internet resource management.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Six teachers from Rose Hall honoured –– $350,000 in prizes given out

SIX outstanding teachers from the primary and secondary levels were on Thursday last honoured as Region Six Teachers of the Year Awardees when the nine cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS, and Demerara Mutual Life As-

surance Society (DMLAS) hosted their first event “Region Six Teacher of the Year Programme.” Three of the awardees were honoured for teaching the top three Grade Six Students in Region Six, while the remaining three were recognised for their tutoring

of secondary school students at the 2017 CSEC Examinations. Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club Secretary/ CEO Hilbert Foster hailed the event as another historic moment in the outstanding history of the club and disclosed that over the last 27

The six teachers pose with Mr. Clarence Perry of DMLAS and Mayor Vijai Ramoo years no other NGO or sports club has impacted the lives of youths like the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club. Teachers, Foster stated, are the unsung heroes of the education system because the emphasis is always on students. The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, he noted, has always honoured outstanding teachers with programmes such as the Bank of Nova Scotia Tribute to Teachers, Tribute to Retired Teachers, the Ansa Mcal Award of Excellence and Tribute to Head Teachers among others. The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club contribution to education also includes education scholarships, sponsorship of educational competitions, distribution of schoolbags, exercise books, footwear and uniforms to less fortunate students, assistance to schools, Outstanding Students Award Scheme, Television Commercials, Summer Camp, Youth Review Magazine and Youth Information Booklets. The long-serving Secretary/CEO stated that the objectives of the RHTYSC/ DMLAS award scheme were to identify and honour outstanding teachers, to inspire teachers in Region Six to aim for the highest standard and to provide role models for younger teachers. The six awardees were selected by the Region Six

Ministry of Education. The top teachers at the Primary Level were Yamanie Jaiprasad of Belvedere Primary with Karamand Ramash of Sheet Anchor Primary and Kamlawattie Sooknanan of All Saints Primary as the first and second runners-up. Ms. Malini Dilraj of Tagore Secondary copped the Best Secondary School Teacher Award with Shenelly Kendall and Cordicia Grimmond of Berbice High School as the runners-up. Foster urged all the teachers to uphold their high standards and to be the best role models to their students. He also disclosed that the event would be an annual one with plans to include a Nursery School Award Programme, while the top teachers will be featured in a special television documentary. Mayor of Rose Hall Town, Vijai Ramoo, praised the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club for the outstanding work it was doing and urged the large gathering of students to be respectful to their teachers. Regional Educational Officer Ms. Volita Jaikishun hailed the award scheme as a great incentive for teachers and noted that teaching is the profession that creates other professions. She hailed the visionary planning of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club and its cricket teams and the financial sup-

port of Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society. Marketing Manager of Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society, Mr. Clarence Perry, stated that the company enjoys a large amount of business with teachers and as such was delighted to be associated with the programme. Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society, Perry noted, strongly believes in education as the foundation of a successful life and as such, it is always important to honour those who educate our youths. The insurance company would work along with the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club to expand the programme in 2018 and he praised the club for the role it is playing in making a positive difference in the lives of others. The winners of both categories received $100 000.00, the first runner-up $50 000.00 and second runner-up $25 000.00 each. Each of the awardees also received a trophy, a Medal of Excellence and a Framed Certificate of Honour. The nine cricket teams arranging the event were Poonai Pharmacy Under-13, Farfan & Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate, Metro Females, Gizmos & Gadgets Under-21 and First Division.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Bosai hosts ISPF training exercise – all port facilities around the country involved

BOSAI MINERALS Guyana Group Incorporated (BMGG) on Tuesday collaborated with the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and other relevant players to host an International Ship and Port Facility (ISPF) programme code-named ‘exercise distraction’, to equip these with the needed skills to properly respond to any emergency situation on the port and to mitigate any maximum damage, while putting measures in place to minimise undesired series of events. These include terrorism attacks, bomb threats, theft or drug-related offences.

The respective agencies that participated include the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Fire Service, the Linden Hospital Complex, St. John’s Ambulance Brigade, the Guyana Revenue Authority, Delmur Shipping Agent and the Linden Community Policing Group. The representatives were tested on the evacuation procedure, the efficiency of internal, external and back-up communication, the effectiveness of area monitors and the emergency coordinators, crowd control and security procedures. According to Bosai’s Port Facility Officer, John Domer, international ports

‘Short Man’ takes manslaughter rap ERROL Williams called ‘Short Man’ on Tuesday changed his plea from not guilty of murder to guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and will return to the Georgetown High Court before Justice James Bovell-Drakes on October 24, 2017 at 09:00hrs for a probation report followed by sentencing. However, the state has accepted his plea. According to the state’s case, Mandel Moore told the court that on September 15, 2009 at Lot 99 Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara, the deceased, Patrick Daly, was in the outdoor toilet in his yard when the accused Errol Williams and two other men living in the same yard and armed with cutlasses and other weapons, began banging on the toilet door. He related that eventually the men wrenched open the toilet door and the deceased ran out after which the accused and the two other men went after him and the accused started to chop the deceased about the body with a cutlass. Moore stated that the accused then ran away from the scene, but was subsequently arrested about six years later

in June 2015. The prosecutor told the court that the body of Patrick Daly bore seven incised wounds, six to the left side of the body and one on top

Errol Williams of the head which was caused by a sharp, heavy instrument. The cause of death was given as haemorrhage and shock due to multiple incised wounds. According to defence attorney Maxwell McKay, the accused was 34 years old and had no previous convictions. Justice Bovell-Drakes then instructed the 12-member jury to return a not-guilty verdict for the offence of murder, after which they were discharged.

across the world are mandated to be compliant with the ISPF code. “There is stipulation to check on communication, access control, the response by designated authorities and other law-enforcement agencies such as drug enforcement, the Guyana

Revenue Authority and so forth,” Domer said. Since Bosai is deemed an international port, given the fact that the company exports more than 500 tonnes of bauxite per ship, according to the ISPF code, Bosai must be ISPF-compliant. Involved in the train-

ing were all port facilities across the country including John Fernandes Shipping, the Guyana National Shipping Company, as well as the Guyana Power and Light and about 16 others. The ISPF code, he said, was formulated in 2002 and came into effect in

2004. The ISPF compliance came after the September 11 terrorism attack in New York City. Domer said that Bosai has been in compliance since 2008 and this was the third consecutive exercise at the port since 2015.

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Linden Mayor condemns Jagdeo’s visit to Linden – says it was fraught with mischief By Vanessa Braithwaite

MAYOR of Linden Carwyn Holland on Tuesday made an official statement to the media, condemning last Wednesday’s (October 4) visit of former President and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to the mining town with a delegation of PPP executives, including Opposition Member of Parliament Nigel Dharamlall and former Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn. Jagdeo was initially greeted by regional PPP representatives after which he and his delegation did a walk-about the Mackenzie Market arena where he was greeted by vendors, taxi drivers, barbers and regular shoppers. Holland said that the visit was not only fraught with mischief, but was well calculated, since it was done on the eve of the United Nations Working Group of Experts of People of African Descent visit to Linden. Jagdeo’s visit, he said, was a veiled attempt to either incite conflict or dissension or to appear as the benevolent leader he failed to portray during his tenure as President. “Regardless of the motive, I wish to affirm, that the people of Linden cannot be duped by what can only be perceived as a farce, since the previous administration engaged in a concerted effort to marginalise the people of this town,” Holland posited. Despite the fact that some residents took the opportunity to speak out about the economic situation in Linden, Holland said that Linden was optimistic that under the coalition government, there has been a gradual progression towards the greater socio-economic prosterity for the town and country at large. Despite the coalition’s efforts, Holland said that there was much to overcome due to years of depravity under the past administration. “Given the new development trajectory that Linden is on, Linden cannot afford distractions that seek to rile emotions or create tension. Linden is pressed to advance and fortify its infrastructure which was left to decay under Jagdeo and the PPP administration.” He alluded to the school system which suffered a direct political assault, the health care system which was left to deteriorate, deplorable roads such as the one linking Linden to Kwakwani, the high unemployment rate that the town suffered for many years, the youths who were forgotten and the bauxite company that was abandoned. “Mr. Jagdeo has no intention; as evident during his time of President, to add value to our efforts, therefore, we can do without his side show.” To those who greeted the former president, Holland described them as a ‘handful of sympathisers’, and to have certain questionable characters purportedly in his entourage, he said, brought back memories of the phantom days. He said that Jagdeo was however free to visit in an effort to confess his sins to this religious community and urged citizens to hold him accountable for the things that he had deliberately done in marginalising the town of Linden and the wider society. Jagdeo’s visit was the first to Linden since the PPP demitted office in 2015. After doing a walk- about, the team went to the community of Coomacka and Old England where they met with residents. Before heading back to Georgetown, he hosted an outreach at the party’s office where he was welcomed by PPP supporters and some residents.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Vendors to be removed from under Demico House

TOWN Clerk Royston King has given vendors who do business under Demico House an ultimatum to remove from the vicinity by midnight on Tuesday, October10, 2017. A City Council press release stated that vendors who operate in that area were served with notices by the Town Clerk indicating the decision to have them removed. The Council had expressed concern about the regular occurrence of various illegal activities in that vicinity. At a statutory meeting held on August 5, 2017, Councillors Bisram Kuppen and Carlyle Goring said persons who are involved in such activities should be removed and replaced with law-abiding citizens who are willing to adhere to the laws of the country. The Council had received information also from ‘A’ Division Commander Marlon Chapman which

The surroundings of Demico House in the Stabroek Market area after a cleaning exercise. indicated that robberies and other forms of criminal activities were on the rise in that area. Recently, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) deployed workers to clean the drains in the area and it was appalling that employees

reportedly had to remove among the debris, human excreta. The Council constantly expends monies to clean the drains but very quickly they become clogged with litter. Meanwhile, the Management of Demico House has

written to Mayor Patricia Chase-Greene expressing concern for the safety and health of their staff and patrons. The area currently poses both a health and security risk for citizens, the release concluded.

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Fugitive ex-Timehri baggage handler remanded over cocaine trafficking A FORMER baggage handler at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport after being on the run from the police since 2016 was on Tuesday remanded to prison over his alleged involvement in trafficking 1.3 kilos of cocaine found aboard a Dynamic Airways flight at the JFK International Airport in New York. Kennard De Jonge, 34, who was attached to Roraima Airways appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and denied that between February 1 and February 2, 2016 at Timehri, he conspired with persons known and unknown to traffic narcotics. The unrepresented defendant was remanded to prison until October 19. Currently, immigration officers Oral David, 29, Orin Parris, 24, Raduskie Wright, 24, and security officer Diane Jackson, 31, are on trial before City Magistrate Leron Daly for the said offence. According to reports, a package of cocaine was unearthed in the baggage hold of the Dynamic Airways flight after it landed at JFK on February 2, 2016. The cocaine was reportedly placed in the baggage hold by a local handler and was unearthed by handling staff while clearing luggage from the aircraft upon its arrival in the USA. In light of the discovery, Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) launched investigations which led to the arrest of the three immigration officers and the security guard. The police had issued a wanted bulletin for De Jonge’s arrest in February 2016 but he was only recently arrested by police.

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16 Guyane from hurricane-torn St. Maarten

SIXTEEN Guyanese returned home from the hurricane-ravaged island of St. Maarten late Tuesday night on a Trans Guyana Airways aircraft. Minister of State Joseph Harmon welcomed the evacuees upon their arrival at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle. He was accompanied by Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix and Director General of the Civil Defense Commission (CDC), Colonel (retired) Chabilall Ramsarup. In a brief interview with reporters, Minister Harmon noted that this was the first batch of Guyanese who have arrived from St. Maarten. “This is the first of several flights that will be going to St. Maarten to bring home those persons who are affected by Hurricane Irma and Maria,� Minister Harmon said. He reiterated that the move to bring Guyanese home from hurricane affected countries was a joint effort involving the Government, the Private Sector and the CDC and public spirited citizens. Shortly after providing immigration officers on the ground with the requisite information, the affected Guyanese said they were pleased to return home, noting that the hurricane was simply devastating as it swept through St. Maarten destroying everything in its path. On Monday, the first batch of 10 Guyanese nationals returned to Guyana after suffering heavy losses when Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc on the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

ese return GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

In the photos above, the returning Guyanese can be seen interacting with Government officials, Immigration Officers and media operatives shortly after their arrival at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport.

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Hinari training could speed up data collection in health sector –– improve evidence-based decision-making, says Bess By Svetlana Marshall

A HINARI Internet Resources Workshop for researchers opened on Tuesday at the Guyana Marriott Hotel with the

Public Health Ministry’s Deputy Permanent Secretary, Shellon Bess describing the training as critical in the process of accelerating data collection in the health sector.

“I strongly believe that this workshop is relevant and opportune, and will accelerate the process of capturing health-related data with the view of improving evidence-based deci-

sion-making and to ensure that the right information is provided to the right person at the right time and at the right place,” Bess told the researchers. The researchers, par-

Public Health Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary Shellon Bess

Participants at the Hinari Internet Resources Workshop (Photos by Delano Williams)

ticipating in the four-day workshop organized by Hinari (Research in Health) in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Country Office, were drawn from the Public Health Ministry, the University of Guyana (UG) and non-governmental health organisations. Hinari – Health Inter-Network Access to Research Initiative – was set up by WHO together with major publishers, and enables low-and-middle-income countries to gain access to one of the world’s largest collections of biomedical and health literature. The Health Ministry’s Deputy Permanent Secretary noted that the Hinari Training is a welcome initiative, and comes at a time when the ministry is engaged in strengthening its Health Information System. She said too that for too long, health data has been collected and retrieved through manual means, resulting in the laggard pace of the dissemination of such information. Programmes like the one offered by Hinari play important roles in the delivery of quality and efficient healthcare services. According to Bess, training in Information Technology and Communication-based (ITC) research would not only allow for access to information but will widen the scope for information sharing among health professionals and institutions as well as local authorities and civil society. “In the long-term, this workshop will be strategic in strengthening capacity in health research and creating a conducive research culture, thus creating a positive research environment from which all stakeholders will benefit,” the Deputy Perma-

nent Secretary posited. PAHO/WHO Country Office Advisor for Maternal and Child Health, Dr. Janice Woolford explained that Hinari was launched in 2002 in response to a call by former United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan. Managed by WHO, Hinari was launched with 1,500 journals from six major publishers. Since then, the numbers of participatory publishers, journals and other full text resources have grown continuously, Dr. Woolford said. Today, it has over 150 publishers with more than 7,000 information

Professor Leonard Rhine sources. In 2006, PAHO integrated Hinari into the regional programme. “In Guyana, given that Hinari provides the most current information, an agreement was reached between Guyana Medical Association and PAHO/WHO to use Hinari as the main research tool,” the PAHO/ WHO Advisor noted. She said that a mission from the Knowledge Management and Communication Area of PAHO, Washington, DC in collaboration with PAHO Guyana Country Office has conducted extensive training for medical professionals here. In Guyana, UG was chosen as the focal point for Hinari. Professor Leonard Rhine, who is among the facilitators who hail from the Librarians without Borders/ Medical Library Association, USA, said it is a pleasure to be here in Guyana. Optimistic about the training programme, he said it is being done at a strategic time, and Hinari is glad to assist. “Everyday we will give you skills and resources that you can use,” he assured, noting that hands-on exercises will be carried out during the duration of the training.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

ARIES Responsibilities call and you have little choice but to do what is expected. People have no patience with you now, especially if you offer excuses rather than making good on your promises. Although thinking about completing a project may be overwhelming today, you can use the cosmic energy to your advantage. Listen to action-oriented Mars as it travels through your 6th House of Details, reminding you to take progress one small step at a time. Inch by inch, it’s a cinch; yard by yard, it’s hard. TAURUS Your desires are running wild today, and you wish you were free enough to follow every whim. However, you may feel energetically stifled, even if you know what you want out of life. Although circumstances beyond your control seem to be working against you, you’re not in any mood to accept no for an answer. However, taking a shortcut will only stir up additional friction. Adopting a conservative plan that doesn’t push other people’s limits too far is a sensible strategy. It’s never wise to rush things that need time to grow. GEMINI You may be operating with caution as you sink into a defensive mode today, triggered by the red lights around you. Others may be fooled by your lack of enthusiasm but they would be wrong to write you out of the game. You’re no less excited about the prospects for your future; it’s just that you’re frustrated by other people’s negativity. Flaunting your optimism could rile someone’s ire -- and arguing with them now is a waste of your energy. Focus on your goal and don’t look in any direction but ahead. CANCER You want to be judged in a positive manner by your co-workers today. Unfortunately, they might be stressing you out with too many demands, making it difficult to do your job successfully. Although there is a lot on your plate, you may also be overly sensitive now that the moody Moon is back in your sign. Don’t get side-tracked by self-judgment since it sets up a negative dynamic between you and everyone else. Establish realistic goals for the day and progress steadily toward them without worrying about what others think. Let your work speak for itself. LEO Managing your feelings of jealousy isn’t always as simple as you wish, especially if someone is giving you the cold shoulder. Your goals are pretty straightforward now, yet your attempts to fulfil your emotional needs may appear blocked. Although it could seem that the problem originates with someone else, it might actually be your unexpressed fears that are influencing others. Instead of blaming anyone else for your lack of satisfaction today, take responsibility for your own emotions. Happiness blooms from within. VIRGO Your impatience can get the best of you today, but a little self-restraint works wonders. Impulsive Mars in your sign encourages immediate action but its square to karmic Saturn requires you to consider the possible adverse consequences, too. However, it’s a mistake to assume that your imagined worst-case scenarios will automatically manifest. Nevertheless, there are plenty of alternatives now, and one of them may be more productive than your first selection. Author Rick Riordan wrote, ‘The right choice is hardly ever the easy choice.” LIBRA You might feel as if you have worked yourself into a corner today, but giving up is not an option. In fact, the message you are receiving from sobering Saturn now is a wake-up call that reveals where your plan needs more work. Instead of struggling to escape from the current situation, acknowledge your role in creating the restrictive circumstances and consider what you can do to change your long-term trajectory. A setback is not a failing grade; it’s a clarification of lessons you have yet to learn. SCORPIO Awesome possibilities are appearing everywhere you look now, but they all seem to be just beyond your reach. You might overreact and try to grab an opportunity anyhow, only to miss your chance because your imagined sense of urgency disrupts your balance. You could work yourself into a state of frenzy today, especially if you fear the potential of the moment will pass you by. Fortunately, you can shift the energy by simply allowing yourself more time to respond. Just breathe; life goes on. SAGITTARIUS External circumstances seem to be leaning on you in a way that makes you uncomfortable now. For example, you may be reluctant to participate in a new work project today, and end up pushing back in order to establish your boundaries. Unfortunately, you might ultimately be required to join the parade anyhow, even if you’re ambivalent about its purpose. It’s more important to keep the peace than to create a conflict over an issue that won’t matter in the long run. Author Fredrik Nael wrote, “It takes both sides to build a bridge.” CAPRICORN Decision-making could be a piece of cake today, especially if you are clear about your goals. Although you might have very strong opinions about a particular situation, it’s challenging to connect them with the bigger picture. In fact, you may follow your instincts now, only to later realize that you’ve complicated your work. Nevertheless, don’t succumb to fear; your concerns about self-sabotage are unwarranted. Do what feels right in your heart and deal with the consequences as they manifest. It’s better to keep your options open than your eyes closed. AQUARIUS A disagreement with a partner won’t be solved today by putting a bandage on it. You need to re-examine your beliefs and possibly modify your position on a complex matter of mutual interest. Money or shared property may be at the root of the current conflict as a delay prompts you to blame the other person. Unfortunately, there will be no winner if either of you feels like a loser, so you must take the high road by seeking a solution that works for everyone. Author Jonathan Lockwood Huie wrote, “Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.” PISCES You may be handed a specific list of unfinished tasks today without any warning. Unfortunately, you don’t know what to do because you can’t spread yourself any thinner. Nevertheless, you run the risk of eliciting an angry response if you just say no. A delicate situation requires your finesse in order to avoid an unproductive and unnecessary conflict. Expressing your support for another person’s goals doesn’t mean you must adopt them as your own. Columnist Irma Kurtz wrote, Givers need to set limits because takers rarely do.

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Behrendorff, Henriques see Guyana South American Youth Games team returns Aussies level T20 series

A SENSATIONAL spell from Jason Behrendorff laid the foundations and Moises Henriques finished the job as Australia forced a decider in their Twenty20 international series against India with a brilliant eight-wicket victory at Guwahati. Behrendorff ripped through the hosts’ top order as he became the first man to take four wickets in a T20I for Australia against India, returning figures of 4-21 in a hugely impressive stint. After bowling a single over on debut in the nine-wicket loss in Ranchi on Saturday, the 27-year-old produced a display that could well catch the attention of selectors ahead of the Ashes. Henriques put on an unbeaten 62 as part of an unbroken 109-run union with Travis Head (48), as Australia recovered from early losses to earn a chance to make up for their defeat in the ODI series in the final T20I at Hyderabad. After seeing two of his first three deliveries sent to the boundary by Rohit Sharma (8), Behrendorff trapped him leg-before with an inswinger and had two wickets before the end of the over. The left-armer became the first man to remove Virat Kohli for a duck in a T20I when he caught and bowled the India

Jason Behrendorff begins the match with a wide full toss for four and finishes with 4 for 21. (BCCI)

skipper off an almost identical delivery. Manish Pandey (6) slashed an outside edge to Tim Paine before a stunning catch from the backpedalling stand-in captain David Warner secured Behrendorff’s fourth wicket of the match. Kedar Jadhav (27) and Hardik Pandya (25) were the only players to surpass 16 as India were restricted to 118, Adam Zampa taking 2-19 and claiming the scalp of MS Dhoni (13) while some brilliant fielding from Paine saw him sling down the stumps to run-out Jasprit Bumrah (7). The hosts were not going to make the chase easy for

Australia and Kohli let out a huge roar after catching Warner (2) at cover off Bumrah (1-25), the skipper then taking Aaron Finch’s (8) attempt to slap Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-9) through the same area. However, spinners Yuzvendra Chahal (0-29) and Kuldeep Yadav (0-46) failed to make further in-roads as Henriques and Head found the boundary with punctuated regularity. Henriques launched four sixes – two in succession off Kuldeep in the penultimate over – and fittingly got Australia over the line by finding the ropes with a shot down the ground with 27 balls to spare. (Omnisport)

South Africa’s troubled T20 Global League ‘postponed’ JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) troubled T20 Global League has been postponed to 2018 in an embarrassing climbdown for the organisation which launched the tournament amid great fanfare in London in June. Failure to secure a suitable broadcast package and Haroon Lorgat

a title sponsor meant CSA stood to lose about $25M (£18.95M), representing roughly half of the organisation’s cash reserves. ”We have not come to this decision lightly,” acting CSA CEO Thabang Moroe said in a statement yesterday. “Having discussed it with all our stakeholders including the franchise owners, we

believe that the interest of the league should be our first priority. We have re-assessed our strategy and believe that postponing the first edition of the T20 Global League to next year will serve us well.” A number of top international players had been signed for the 2017 competition, including England one-day captain Eoin Morgan and former England batsman Kevin Pietersen. The six-week tournament, due to feature eight teams, was scheduled to run from November 3 to December 16. Former CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat left his job suddenly last month, citing a clash with the organisation’s board, widely reported in South African media to be about his role in setting up the T20 Global League.

THE Guyana team who represented the country at the just concluded South American Youth Games in Santiago, Chile, returned to home turf yesterday afternoon and were met with a warm welcome from friends, family and supporters. None on the team was happier than the medallists Kenisha Phillips, Deshanna Skeete and Jermaine King, who could not stop beaming from ear to ear as they were continuously congratulated by well-wishers when they arrived in Georgetown at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The second edition of the South American Youth Games wrapped up last Sunday with Guyana securing four medals, all in the discipline of athletics. “I just feel proud of myself and glad that I can make my country and my club and my mother proud,” Skeete remarked yesterday. On her first outing at an international event Skeete landed a gold medal - Guyana’s highlight at the Games as it would be Guyana’s first gold in the history of the event, and the team’s only gold medal this year. The Mackenzie High School (MHS) third former clocked 57.28 secs to win ahead of Brazil’s Jessica Moreira who ran 57.54 seconds in the event. “It was very challenging at first when I got into the blocks I wasn’t feeling right, the place was very cold. But overall I felt good, the experience was very good but it was very cold,” she noted.

Phillips also noted that though the cold was overwhelming at times, her determination led her through it all. Phillips won silver in the Girls’ 100m and 200m, her first silver at an international event of this magnitude. “The air was very cold but I was able to manage. Because I trained very hard, my coach made sure I did. I knew to myself that I was going to medal, I checked up the timings and compared their times to mine and mine was the best. Even for the semi we had to run it in the rain. But it was okay because I was accustomed to rainy weather,” said Phillips, who will now be turning her focus to landing a spot at Nationals. Phillips had big praise and thanks for her coach, her sponsor, Colin Ming, and all her family and friends who supported her performance at the event. The other medallist, King, returned home with a silver, having finished second in the Boys’ 100m. However, also smiling despite much adversity was boxer Keevin Allicock. Chef-de-Mission for the team, Godfrey Munroe, noted that despite Guyana not medalling in the other sports he was still satisfied that the athletes gave of their best and gained experience. “I would like to focus on the positives. We wanted to ensure that the athletes were competitive and they were competitive. I’m happy by the competitiveness from the athletes,” Munroe said.

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Sri Lanka seal series win as Shafiq century proves in vain SRI Lanka consigned Pakistan to theirfirstseriesdefeatin theUnited Arab Emirates, prevailing by 68 runs as Asad Shafiq’s century proved in vain in the second Test in Dubai. After conceding a first-innings deficit of 220, Pakistan looked certain to fall to a heavy loss but they dragged themselves back into contention by

bowling out the tourists for 96 before Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed (68) put on a record sixth-wicket partnership on day four. That same duo came to the crease yesterday with 119 still needed, but Sri Lanka remained patient, Dilruwan Perera’s 5-98 helping to secure the series 2-0 after a similarly engrossing 21-run success in the

opener in Abu Dhabi. After Sarfraz fell early, Shafiq - whose previous highest score this year was 39 - represented the Pakistan’s last vestige of reaching their victory target of 317. But when he fell for 112 to an excellent Kusal Mendis slip catch, Pakistan were nine down with 73 still needed and it was left to Rangana

Sri Lanka cricketers celebrate after sealing a 2-0 series win over Pakistan. (Getty Images)

Herath to finish off the home side for 248 and wrap up a ground-breaking series win - a first for a touring team since Pakistan moved from playing Tests on home soil. It was tough on Shafiq to finish on the losing side, the batsman hitting his first ball of the day for four to bring up the 150 partnership and see his team past the 200 mark. A paddle to fine leg for a single brought up his 11th Test hundred, before he was dropped from his next

delivery by Dimuth Karunaratne at slip off the bowling of Dilruwan, whose disappointment was soon alleviated as Sarfraz top-edged a sweep and was well held at fine leg by Nuwan Pradeep. Dilruwan trapped Mohammad Amir lbw for four, the batsman unsuccessful with his review, but Pakistan had more joy with the use of DRS in the following over, as Shafiq managed to overturn Nigel Llong’s decision after debutant Lahiru Gam-

age nipped one back into his pads. Yasir Shah (5) was next to go, Herath luring him out of his crease allowing Niroshan Dickwella time to juggle before effecting the stumping. Two balls later, Shafiq edged Suranga Lakmal to Mendis and the last word went to Herath as Wahab Riaz (1) skied one to captain Dinesh Chandimal, who led the raucous Sri Lanka celebrations. (Omnisport)

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA 1st innings 482 (D. Karunaratne 196, D. Chandimal 62, D. Perera 58, N. Dickwella 52; Y. Shah 6-184) PAKISTAN 1st innings 262 (A. Ali 59, H. Sohail 56) SRI LANKA 2nd innings 96 (W. Riaz 4-41) PAKISTAN 2nd innings (Overnight: 24810; Target: 317 runs) Shan Masood c Dickwella b D. Perera 21

Sami Aslam c K. Mendis b Gamage 1 Azhar Ali c K. Silva b Pradeep 17 Haris Sohail c Dickwella b D. Perera 10 Asad Shafiq c K. Mendis b Lakmal 112 Babar Azam c K. Silva b D. Perera 0 Sarfraz Ahmed c Pradeep b D. Perera 68 Mohammad Amir lbw b D. Perera 4 Yasir Shah stp. Dickwella b Herath 5

Wahab Riaz c Chandimal b Herath 1 Mohammad Abbas not out 3 Extras: lb-1 nb-5) 6 Total: (all out, 90.2 overs) 248 Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-36, 3-49, 4-52, 5-52, 6-225, 7-230, 8-244, 9-244. Bowling: Suranga Lakmal 14-4-35-1, Lahiru Gamage 16-5-29-1(nb-3), Rangana Herath 22.2-357-2, Nuwan Pradeep 113-21-1 (nb-1), Dilruwan Perera 26-1-98–-, Kusal Mendis 1-0-7-0 (nb-1). 10:50 hrs Pillaroftheearth 11:25 hrs Seeking Gold

English Racing Tips Catterick 08:30 hrs Palmer 09:00 hrs W G Grace 09:35 hrs Poet’s Dawn 10:05 hrs Anne’s Valentino 10:35 hrs Short Work 11:10 hrs The New Pharaoh 11:40 hrs Percy’s Princess 12:10 hrs Lady Joanna Vassa Leicester 08:50 hrs Just In Time 09:20 hrs Rita’s Man 09:55 hrs Cuban Heel 10:25 hrs Gorham’s Cave 10;55 hrs Blakeney Point 11:30 hrs Storm Melody

12:00 hrs Desperados Destiny 12:30 hrs Spun Gold Brighton 09:10 hrs Everkyllachy 09:45 hrs Wilson 10:15 hrs Lexington Place 10:45 hrs Sherzy Boy 11:20 hrs Buzz Lightyere 11:50 hrs Broughtons Story 12:20 hrs Esspeegee South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:30 hrs Greek Fire 09:05 hrs Wings Of Charne 09:40 hrs Diamond Dancer 10:15 hrs The Shredder

Irish Racing Tips Galway 09:25 hrs Poli Roi 10:00 hrs Mischievious Max 10:30 hrs The Irregular 11:00 hrs Call The Taxie 11:35 hrs Bel Ami De Sivola 12:05 hrs Coeur Joyeux 12:35 hrs Jonnigraig American Racing Tips Philadelphia Park Race 1 Ultimate Challenge Race 2 Talented Zealous Race 3 Miss Al Dila Race 4 El Mundo Race 5 Pronise the Sky Race 6 Hasta Ahora Race 7 Siralfredthegreat Race 8 Five Star Rampage Race 9 Castaway

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Sir Bobby Charlton turns 80 … a moving tribute to Britain’s greatest football hero By MichaelHogan THERE are few sights more thrillingthroughoutthehistoryoffootball than Bobby Charlton galloping through midfield, unleashing his ferocious shot from 30 yards and the crowd erupting in ecstasy as the net bulges. “We got to savour plenty such moments during tribute documentary Sir Bobby Charlton at 80 (BBC One). I’d like to think an apt 80 goals were shown but I was enjoying it so much, I lost count. The first gentleman of the beautiful game becomes an octogenarian today,hencethisclassyfilmcelebrating his incomparable career. The emotional hearts of its narrative were the two contrasting events which shaped Charlton’slife–indeed,shapedBritish football. First, he witnessed tragedy. Charlton’s voice cracked with feeling as he described surviving the 1958 Munich air disaster which

killed 21 people – including eight of his young teammates, poignantly dubbed ‘the Busby Babes’. Goalkeeper Harry Gregg evocatively described the crash: “There was daylight and darkness, banging and sparks, things hitting us in the head.” Gregg pulled Charlton from the wreckage by his trousers. Charlton woke up 50 yards away the plane, still strappedintohisseat.Theseinterviews were simply shot in intimate close-up. You could see lips wobbling and tears in eyes. As the archive clips turned from black-and-whitetofullcolour,Charlton became a crucial figure in the club’s recovery.Turningdespairintotriumph, heledarebuiltteamtotwoleaguetitles and the European Cup. He was the talismanic connection between United’s two fabled eras: the Busby Babes and the Best-Law-Charlton team. As player-turned-pundit Gary Neville put it:“HedefinedManchesterUnited’s principlesandvalues.He’singrained

in the fabric of the club. He’s our hero, ourbeacon, ourlight.” The second key event, of course, was the 1966 World Cup. Charlton was the lynchpin of the England team thatwonthetrophyonhomesoil.More than half a century later, it was a treat to hear him talking us through his three goals in the tournament, like a modern-day Match of the Day interview. “It was paradise,” Charlton recalled, misty-eyed. ‘Magic’. Charlton remains a pivotal figure at Old Trafford as a club director,ambassadorandcloseconfidant toasuccessionofmanagers.He’sstill workingawayasheapproacheshis milestone birthday, devoting much of his time to his landmine charity. Illustrious talking heads including Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Geoff Hurst, DenisLawandGordonBanksqueued up to pay tribute to the man they simply call ‘Sir Bobby’ – or, in the case of his brothers Jack and Tom, ‘Wor Bob’. Several remarked on how well-

known he is worldwide. Even when people can’t speak English, they can excitedly shout, “Bobby Charlton! Bobby Charlton!” Such is his exalted status that only last week, he was guest of honour at St George’s Park, where the FAnamedEngland’strainingpitch afterhim.CharltongaveaninspirationaltalktothecurrentThreeLions squad. In return, they gave him a shirt with number80 on the back. Despite the fame and silverware, Charlton remained self-effacing to a fault - just a down-to-earth family man from the mining village ofAshington. He held goal-scoring records for both England and United until recently, yet you wouldn’t know it from the modest way he spoke about his career. He met triumph and tragedy and treated those two impostersjustthesame.We’llnever see his like again. Charismatic French favourite Eric Cantona – bushy-bearded and heavy-browed, resembling a grizzled

Bobby Charlton receives his 80 shirt from Gareth Southgate. (Credit: PA)

Galliclion–gotthefirstandlastwords: “He was a legend for all of us. All around the world, they respect Bobby Charlton. No-one will forget him. That’sthedestinyofgreatmen.Hislife

is like the script for a movie and I can’t understand why they don’t make it.” Well, here they sort of did. Happy birthday, Sir Bobby! (The Telegraph)

South America’s crucial World Cup qualifying clashes By Paul Sarahs

WITH European qualification – playoffs aside – all but done, attention turns to South America where, with one match day remaining, there’s still plenty to sort out. Traditionally the toughest confederation to qualify from, with 90 minutes left to play, only Brazil have already confirmed their place at the World Cup next summer in Russia, with heavyweights Argentina, Chile and Colombia along with Paraguay and Peru still in the hunt for two automatic qualification spots and one playoff berth. Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela are the only sides already eliminated after 17 rounds of matches. Argentina’s issues have

been well documented throughout the qualification process – they have failed to score in over 400 minutes and only Lionel Messi has found the net for La Albiceleste in almost a year, despite Jorge Sampaoli’s men having a raft of quality attacking players at his disposal – Dybala, Aguero, Higuain et al. The permutations are complex, as to be expected with so many still able to make it to Russia. The scenarios: Uruguay: Currently second in the table, two points ahead of Chile and Colombia, three up on Peru and Argentina. They would have to lose at home to Bolivia, Colombia to beat Peru, Chile to win in already-qualified Brazil and Argentina to win in Quito

Lionel Messi and Argentina could well risk missing out on Russia 2018 qualification.

against Ecuador while overturning a goal difference of ten for Uruguay to drop into a playoff spot. See? Told you it was complicated. Argentina: There is a real risk Argentina will miss out on qualification altogether or have to contest a cross-con-

tinental playoff – or even make it through on the night. To do so Argentina need to win as well as Brazil to get a result against Chile at home and Peru drawing with Colombia or beating Los Cafeteros by a scoreline less than Argentina. The main issue for Argentina is

ensuring they give themselves a chance of automatic qualification with a victory in Quito. Easier said than done, though – they’ve won just once in their last 6 visits to the rarified air of the Ecuadorian capital. Chile: Twice reigning South American champions Chile will qualify with a win in Brazil. A draw may be enough for La Roja if Colombia and Peru draw or Ecuador get a point or more against Argentina in Quito. Colombia: Qualification is relatively straightforward for Los Cafeteros. A win and they’re through but will still qualify if Chile lose to Brazil or Argentina fail to beat Ecuador, whatever their result in Lima against Peru. Peru: Los Incas will qualify

with a win in Lima over Colombia. Peru will also qualify directly with a draw should Chile lose to Brazil by a scoreline of two or more. If Argentina fail to beat Ecuador and Paraguay don’t beat Venezuela, a draw will also be enough for Los Incas. Paraguay: Paraguay need to win and for Chile to lose in Sao Paulo to Brazil and for Ecuador to get at least a point against Argentina. With the permutations so complex and so much at stake for so many, the last round of qualifiers in South America promises to entertain as only South America can. We are in for an incredible night of CONMEBOL football, however it plays out. (Yahoo Sport)

Giroud scorpion kick shortlisted for FIFA goal award (REUTERS) - Olivier Giroud’s scorpion kick strike for Arsenal against Crystal Palace last season was shortlisted for FIFA’s goalof-the-year award on Monday, alongside efforts from Venezuelan teenager Deyna Castellanos and goalkeeper

Oscarine Masuluke. Giroud scored with an improvised volley in the Premier League match on January 1, producing an acrobatic flick with his left heel to convert Alexis Sanchez’s cross into the net off the crossbar while tumbling forward. Arsenal won the match 2-0 and Giroud, who admit-

ted afterwards that he had a bit of luck with his connection, said it was the best goal he had ever scored. The 31-year-old is the seventh Frenchman to be nominated for the award but the first to make the final shortlist of three, world soccer’s governing body said on its website. (www.fifa.com)

Castellanos is the second Venezuelan woman in successive years to make the final three and was nominated for her strike from the halfway line against Cameroon at the U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan last year. The 18-year-old follows in the footsteps of compatriot Daniuska Rodriguez, whose

goal made the final three for last year’s award but lost out to Malaysian Mohd Faiz Subri’s spectacular 35-metre, swerving free-kick. South Africa’s Masuluke is the first goalkeeper as well as the first player from Africa to make it to the final three for his last minute bicycle-kick equaliser for Baroka

FC against Orlando Pirates last year. The winner of the award, named after the late Hungary captain Ferenc Puskas, will be decided by the public and announced at FIFA’s annual playerof-the-year ceremony in London on October 23.

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Associations receive trophies for GFF/NAMILCO U-17 tournament THE nine representatives of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Regional Member Associations (RMAs) received trophies for the GFF-NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National U-17 Intra-Association Tournament even as the tournament wraps up in some associations. This was done in the boardroom of the GFF by Federation president Wayne Forde and Marketing Consultant of the National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) Hafeez Khan. In brief remarks, while Forde acknowledged some of the challenges experienced by the Member Associations during the tour-

nament especially relative to the inclement weather, he pointed out that the construction of the GFF’s National Training Centre will help to address those concerns. Forde, however, emphasised the importance of the Associations executing the tournament in the established timeframe, adding “everything is connected to something. For example, the U-17 NAMILCO tournament connects to the CONCACAF U17 … it simply means that if you execute within the timeframe, your players will not be left out of the selection process. We want each and every one

of you to not be left out.” Khan, while noting NAMILCO’s contribution, encouraged the Associations to seek regional sponsorship to offset beverage and other minor expenses related to the tournament, stating, “when a community gives you money, you have to show what you did with the money, so that they can give you more. If you account for the money received from the community, your chances of getting more will increase. We, at NAMILCO, are looking for results. It is time you look at yourselves and what you can do in your community.” During the meeting, the representatives shared

Roberts declines position of BCB vice-president … says elections process was flawed

Dhierandranauth Somwaru (seated centre) is flanked by other executive members of the BCB after Sunday’s elections. Missing is Winston Roberts. THE elections of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) executives held last Sunday continued to attract criticism with secretary of the Upper Corentyne Cricket Board (UCCA) Mr Winston Roberts saying he did not accept the position of vice-president as was reported in the media. Roberts stated that he cannot accept any position on the present administration because the process to elect them in his mind was flawed and not in any form democratic. The hard-working UCCA secretary stated that he never agreed to accept any position and was not even aware that he was nominated, as he and the rest of the Upper Corentyne delegation had refused to be a part of the elections. He stated that it was another delegate who told him that he was elected vice-president after the Returning Officer, Mr Dru-

bahadur called his name. He immediately informed the Returning Officer that he was not interested in the position of vice-president and was therefore totally surprised that his name was mentioned in the daily papers. Roberts stated that he is supportive of the Hilbert Foster slate which he has confidence in to transform and correct the poor state of Berbice Cricket. Only twelve delegates voted in the elections out of 34. The only club sub-associations that participated in the elections were Albion, Port Mourant, West Berbice Cricket Association and the Berbice River Cricket. Mental Hospital, Mt Sinai Cricket Club, Rose Hall Canje, Kildonan and Guymine Cricket Club were denied their rights to vote while Blairmont, Police, Chesney and the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association declined to vote in support of their sister

clubs who felt they were unfairly denied their voting rights. The clubs were arguing that the BCB years ago voted to stop the payment of and even if they were willing to pay the dues, they could not have done so as the High Court had ruled that the Sonwaru-led BCB was illegal. The delegates of Blairmont, Upper Corentyne, Police and Chesney stated quite clearly that they did not pay any membership fees and were surprised at the announcement that they had paid. Members of the clubs were also surprised that the Berbice River Cricket Association, which has four votes, was allowed to vote as there is no record of any activities of this sub-association or information of elections held by them recently. The elections for Guymine, Mt Sinai, Mental Hospital and Kildonan Cricket Club were recently held and results published in the National Media.

NAMILCO Marketing Consultant Hafeez Khan presents trophies to Carmel Williams (Bartica FA) in the presence of GFF president Wayne Forde

their feedback, including positives, about the tournament’s execution and generally expressed that they have seen significant improvement in the quality of football over the duration of the tournament. They expressed that the Intra-Association league model is a great feeder for the national programme. The GFF-NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National U-17 Intra-Association Tournament is an on-going tournament, which seeks to, among other things, develop youth players as part of the player development pathway to the senior national team.

Persaud leads Bacchus SC to emphatic win over North Essequibo

IN the fifth round of the NECC T20 competition played last Sunday at the Imam Bacchus Sports Complex ground, hosts Bacchus SC secured a comprehensive 113-run victory over Charity SC. Winning the toss and batting first, Bacchus SC raced to 175-3 in 16 overs with former national Under-19 batsman Nathan Persaud leading the way with a brilliant 85 including 7x4s and 4x6s along with consistent opener Navendra Persaud supporting with a composed 48 with 4x4s and 1x6. The match was reduced to a 16 overs affair due to early morning rain. Medium fast bowler Nicholas Evans took 2-30 from 3 overs. In reply, Charity SC struggled to 62-8 when their overs expired, as only Ryan Tang with 29 (3x4) showed any resistance. Spinners Kulraj Persaud (3-13) and Rodwyn Gordon (23), along with fast bowler Lallbachan Narine (2-9), combined to produce a formidable win for Bacchus SC. In the second game which was also reduced to 16 overs, Young Achievers humbled Police SC by 66 runs. Batting first, Young Achievers reached 150-3, Chevraj Boodram top-scoring with 45 inclusive of 3x4s and 1x6 while Tamesh Dhanpaul contributed 35 and Carlos Yhap 28. In reply, the lawmen were bundled out for 84 in 15 overs with Latchmikhant

Narine striking 26 (2x4, 2x6). Outstanding figures of 5-18 from off-spinner Kishan Jaikarran ensured that his team arrested Police and win by a comfortable margin. Meanwhile in the other games played at the Walton Hall ground, hosts Walton Hall defeated Sparta by 44 runs after amassing 168-5 from 15 overs, to which Sparta in reply were all out for 124 in 14 overs. In the other match at the same venue; Gunners narrowly overcame Devonshire Castle after claiming victory off the final delivery. Devonshire Castle batted first and posted 153 all out in the 18th over to which Gunners replied with 154-7 off the final delivery of the 18th over when 2 runs were required. The next round of matches will continue this weekend with the top four teams qualifying for the playoffs. (Elroy Stephney)

Nathan Persaud

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday, October 11, 2017) 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) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 8 Tests (2) Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain, 2000 Today’s Quiz: (1) Which WI has scored most Test runs against ZIM to date? (2) Which ZIM player has scored most Test runs against the WI to date? ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

39

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 11, 2017

GFF establishes new safety guideline for movable goal posts

Sixth Digicel Breast Cancer Awareness cycling race set for October 22

From left: Keith Fernandes, Dr Syed Ghazi, Digicel’s Marketing Manager Ramesh Roopchand and Communications Director Vidya Bijlall-Sanichara

DIGICEL Guyana will once again team up with Evolution Cycle Club to host their annual Breast Cancer Awareness cycling race on Sunday October 22. The event, now in its sixth year, has since grown to become one of cycling’s signature events in Guyana, and with Digicel investing over $900 000 during their third time partnering with Evolution Cycling Club, fireworks are expected when the country’s top riders compete. Ramesh Roopchand, Digicel’s Marketing Manager, said, “Last year was a great success. We’re basically urging everyone to come out,

support these cyclists. It’s for a cause and basically the registration fee we get from that we’re going to match it as a company and make that contribution to the Cancer Institute of Guyana.” “The race is going to be held at the outer circuit of the National Park, where it basically heads north towards Carifesta Avenue, west towards Camp Street, south along Camp Street and then we turn east again unto Thomas Lands and back to Irving Street,” explained Keith Fernandes, president of the Evolution Cycling Club. “So the first race is going to start quite early; we’re

going to start with the Digicel staff race and they will be going for bragging rights. For the second race, we have the Novices and Mountain Bikes to go for five laps. They will be racing together. Then the other race we’re going to have the seniors, the juniors, and they’re going to go for 35 laps and the Over45 are going to go 20 laps,” said Fernandes. The event was given the usual blessings of the Cancer Institute of Guyana, represented by Dr Syed Ghazi at yesterday’s press conference at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground pavilion. Dr Ghazi called the event

“significant”, since it helps to bring awareness to a disease that is plaguing not only women in Guyana, but also globally. “I’m very thankful to Digicel, who for the last three years has been supporting the Cancer Institute. Look when I go to speak on cancers one thing which I tell people how to decrease the risk factor is exercise. Good nutrition and exercise, and cycling is nothing but exercise so it’s a good combo,” Dr. Ghazi said. The organisers are expecting the country’s full complement of cyclists, and are urging the public to come out and support.

‘Joelyn’ Joseph second at UCI World Masters Cycling Championship TWO-TIME Olympian James ‘Joelyn’ Joseph, one of Guyana’s top cyclists from yesteryear, is still flying the Golden Arrowhead overseas, having copped a second- and a third-place finish at this year’s UCI World Masters Cycling Championship in Los Angeles, USA. Joseph, who hails from

Linden and represented Guyana at the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games, competed with some of the world’s most outstanding cyclists, some of whom he would have been familiar with throughout his illustrious career on the saddle. Reports emanating from LA state that on Sunday, Joseph was second in the

20-lap scratch (bunch), in a race where the winner broke away and lapped the field. James, according to reports, rode a masterful race which saw him break away with twelve to go in pursuit of the eventual winner but did not connect with him. On Monday, Joseph, racing in the 500m time

trials, clocked 36.088 secs which was good enough for the third spot on the podium, behind USA’s David Wilmott (35.915 secs) and winner, American Kurt Sato (34.936 secs).

GFF president Wayne Forde makes a monetary contribution to the mother of Glensean Skeete.

FOLLOWING the death of six-year-old Glensean Skeete, who met his demise tragically on September 28 when a goalpost collapsed and fell on him at the Plaisance Community Centre ground, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) established new safety policies relative to the establishment of movable goal post. Skeete, a student of St Paul’s Primary School, was at the time in preparation for his school’s Inter-house sports when the incident occurred. The guidelines were communicated to the Regional Member Associations (RMAs) in a correspondence dated October 4, as the GFF seeks to ensure the safety of its stakeholders including students. Among the guidelines outlined for the safe use of the equipment, all goalposts must be

AIBA president Wu suspended by amateur body (REUTERS) - The International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) Taiwanese president Ching-kuo Wu has been provisionally suspended by a disciplinary commission, the Olympic sport’s governing body said in a statement yesterday.

executive committee who failed to remove him through a vote of no-confidence tabled in July. AIBA said on their website (www.aiba.org) that the 70-yearold was served on Monday with a provisional and immediate suspension from duties pending

AIBA president Ching-kuo Wu

Guyana’s James ‘Joelyn’ Joseph (first from left) on the podium after his second-place finish at UCI World Masters Cycling Championship in Los Angeles, USA

securely fastened to the ground, by any means possible, during and after use. A “do not swing/climb onto any goalpost” sign of warning must be erected, and players must be warned of the dangers associated with the misuse of goalposts. The GFF guidelines also states that children must not be permitted to play unsupervised under and around goalposts and, also, all goalposts must be inspected regularly to ensure they are structurally sound. Meanwhile, following the announcement of Skeete’s death, president of the GFF, Wayne Forde, visited the parents of the child, Tracey and Glenroy Skeete, and offered a monetary contribution and words of encouragement. The mother expressed her appreciation for the visit.

The Switzerland-based organisation has been riven with in-fighting for months, with Wu pitted against most of the

the conclusion of a complaint against him. It said the complaint was made by 11 AIBA executive

committee members on October 1 who alleged that Wu had “violated and continues to violate various provisions of AIBA’s Statutes and Codes” and demanded his suspension. “The Chairman of the Commission and the Commission panel assigned to this matter believe that the situation is urgent and require immediate provisional measures be ordered,” the statement added. There was no immediate comment from Wu and AIBA officials, including executive director William Louis-Marie, who did not respond to telephone and email approaches by Reuters. Wu, who was elected AIBA president in 2006 and is a member of the International Olympic Committee’s executive board, has rejected claims of financial mismanagement and accused opponents of “political manoeuvrings” as part of a power struggle.

AIBA president Wu suspended by amateur body n

o tory See s e 39 pag

WIFBSC/GuyanaNRA 150th Shoot

Shooters take their mark at the 900-yard bank of the Timehri Rifle Ranges yesterday. (Stephan Sookram photo)

Fullbore captain Persaud stays ahead despite shaky day By Stephan Sookram

Fullbore captain Mahendra Persaud holds a slim lead heading into today’s third day of the WIFBSC/GuyanaNRA 150th Anniversary shoot. (Stephan Sookram photo)

FULLBORE captain Mahendra Persaud can afford no mistakes today when the final day of the Individual competition in the West Indies Full Bore Shooting Council (WIFBSC) Championships and GuyanaNRA 150th Anniversary shoot recommences at the Timehri Rifle Ranges. The local ace leads the overall aggregate for the X class shooters after two days by one point with 264 points and 27 Vs over Ireland’s David Calvert with 263 and 24 Vs and second

day winner and Irishman Alexander Gill. Gill shot a possible 135 and 11 Vs over the three ranges of 500, 600 and 1000 yards to draw level with Calvert at the end of the second day yesterday. Persaud was a sneeze shy of Monday’s performance, finishing with a total of 130 and 13 Vs to Calvert’s 132 and 14 Vs and Gill’s possible. At the 500-yard range it was Andrew Paul William Daw of England who took the top shot with 35 and Vs. Calvert, England’s Bruce

Joseph Winney and Persaud finished second, third and fourth on countbacks after each man fell just a V short. Gill finished one V bull short. Onto the 600 and Gill shot a 50 with 4 Vs ahead of Canada’s Gary Cassidy who posted a 49 with 4 Vs while Guyana’s Lennox Brathwaite finished third just two Vs behind. Calvert with a 48 and 6 Vs was fourth with Charlotte Alice Staples of England fifth with Persaud finishing 46 with 4 Vs down the order at 10th. At the 900-yard ranges, National vice-captain Dylan Fields

made the best use of the tricky Timehri ranges to come out on top with a 50 and 7 Vs. He pipped Jack Alexander of Ireland who was just one V short (50, 6Vs) with Gill (50, 4Vs) third, Phillip James Chapman-Sheath of England fourth (50, 1V) and Persaud fifth (49, 5Vs). In the O class, Trinidad’s Varma Rambarran leads the way with 251 and 17 Vs while Roberto Tiwari sits second with 248 and 10 Vs The third day starts today at 09:00hrs at the 300-, 600and 1000-yard ranges.

Guyana South American Youth Games team returns See page 35

The Guyana team who represented the country at the South American Youth Games after arriving at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport yesterday. (Delano Williams photo) Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017