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MONDAY 24th September, 2018

Get the voters out No.105407

–– GECOM CEO urges LGE contestants ahead of Nov. 12 polls 03 PAGE

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

Embrace 03 leadership PAGE

–– be positive agents of change in communities, Minister Norton tells youths

Kwakwani women agro-processors making impact 09 PAGE

–– with their ‘Made in Kwakwani’ brand of products

Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs representative Ovid Williams, listens carefully to this pupil of Genesis Primary School during a lecture on Indigenous culture and heritage as part of activities in observance of Indigenous Heritage Month observances (Vishani Ragoobeer photo)

Drunken firearm holder shoots miner 08 PAGE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Spotlight on spinal cord injuries By Telesha Ramnarine

THREE officers from the Ministry of Public Health will be representing Guyana for the first time this year at the Caribbean Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Congress. The congress, to be held under the theme, “Accessibility in Broader Perspective,” is being held at the Santa Barbara Beach and Golf Resort, in Curaçao, from September 28 to 30. Senior physiotherapist from the Palms Rehabilitation Department, Barbara Lawrence, told the Guyana Chronicle that the local team, comprising one doctor and two physiotherapists, are looking forward to the high-level presentations that will be made at the congress. The congress is divided into three areas, namely, accessibility to inclusion (pol-

icy); accessibility to appropriate health care (medical); and accessibility to a positive attitude (social). The target audience includes policy makers; service providers; insurers; disability and development actors; people with SCI and their families; media; donors; practitioners; academics and the Caribbean Community. The advocacy foundation in Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean, the “Fundashon Alton Paas (Alton Paas Foundation)” is working to bring awareness of this topic in the Caribbean for a better quality of life for people with spinal cord injury. Based on the possibilities for developments and the facts in growth of the population with spinal cord injury, ‘Fundashon Alton Paas’ and the Curacao Rehabilitation Centre have partnered together to organise the Third

Caribbean SCI Congress. The congress has the aim to unite the Caribbean islands and spotlight accessibility from a broader perspective. Its purpose is to share information about spinal cord injury in the Caribbean and how the islands can work together to raise living standards. Meanwhile, back in 2017, Lawrence and her team from the Palms Rehabilitation Department became aware that an entire month has been designated for spinal cord injuries. ROBBERY VICTIM Thirty-one-year-old Suzana ‘Suzan’ Da Silva experienced major life changes, when she was shot during a robbery back in 2014 that resulted in damage to her spinal cord and a life

of being in a wheelchair permanently. It was “devastating” to her when she realised the seriousness of her injuries, and after receiving therapy overseas and returning to Guyana, she decided that it was time for her to raise awareness among persons here who are suffering like her. It was then that she made contact with Lawrence who immediately organised an event at the Regency Suites Hotel to help Suzan’s cause. By the time Suzan contacted Lawrence, the month of September was already half gone, but Lawrence was nevertheless determined to do a workshop to help raise awareness. “She was the one who brought it to our attention, because we were not even

aware that there was a month designated for spinal cord injury,” Lawrence told the Chronicle. “She called and asked us if we can support her in terms of raising awareness, because a lot of persons have such injuries but are just hiding away at home,” Lawrence said. “At the Palms, we see spinal cord patients. Most of them will not walk again, but what we aim to do is help them get independent at a wheelchair level,” she said, noting that the forum provided a good opportunity for those affected to interact with persons like themselves. “It’s one thing for us to talk to them, because we have our two feet, but it’s a different thing for them to hear from each other,” Lawrence said, adding,

Senior Physiotherapist Barbara Lawrence “We have quite a few persons, but their morale is quite low, because they often can’t go back to work and so forth.”

Speeding caused E’bo fatal accident

SPEEDING was the main reason for the head-on collision last Friday at Jibb village, Essequibo Coast, that claimed the lives of Corwin Paul, 38; Tristiana Joseph,19; and her six-month-old baby Javon Joseph. A police source disclosed that community health worker Corwin Paul was speeding when he lost control of his car as he was approaching a bridge that separates the villages Jibb and Paradise. The driver of the motor

pickup was proceeding east along the northern side of the Jib Public Toad, while motor car PSS 2174 was proceeding in the opposite direction at a fast rate of speed. As both vehicles approached the bridge which separates Jibb and Paradise, the driver of the motor car lost control and collided with the front centre portion of the pickup on the northern side of the road. As a result of the collision, both driver and occupants received injuries; they were picked up by public-spirited

The vehicles that were involved in the deadly collision last Friday persons and rushed to Suddie Public Hospital. Corwin Paul, along with the six-month-old baby, was pronounced dead on arrival, while the mother Tristiana Joseph later succumbed to her injuries. She and her baby were said to be living at Dredge Creek, Lower Pomeroon River. Reports are that Paul

was taking Joseph to Charity when the tragic accident occurred. The bodies are currently at the Suddie mortuary awaiting a post-mortem. Meanwhile, the 80-year-old driver of the motor pick-up, Adam Barakat, is in police custody as police continue their investigation into the accident.

Get the voters out

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

–– GECOM’s CEO urges LGE contestants ahead on Nov. 12 polls

THE Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield, has urged candidates to encourage residents in the various constituencies to cast their vote during the Local Government Elections (LGE) on November 12, 2018. “We only run the elections, as far as numbers go, the parties, voluntary groups and individual candidates should bring out their constituency num-

bers,” said Lowenfield in an invited comment on Thursday, when candidates turned out in their numbers to submit their nominees for the upcoming elections. At the March 2016 LGE, approximately 507,633 persons were registered to vote for representatives of three political parties, 17 voluntary groups and 63 individual candidates in a mixed system of Proportional Representation and First-Past-the-Post. “They should make a Herculean effort to have the

constituencies out in large numbers this year,” he said, adding that GECOM is as prepared as it can be for the elections. Despite the “noises” about funding, he said the commission will be spending the money that is available to them to ensure that the elections are held smoothly. According to Lowenfield, GECOM is in good stead so far with conduct, notwithstanding money and issues before the court. One of the first major

phases of the LGEs, Nominations Day, was successfully completed and candidates expressed confidence in the process. “I think it is a good day, people have responded in their numbers....I think we are doing alright…the stakeholders are attuned to elections being run in a stipulated period, so it is good for GECOM,” said Lowenfield. The major political parties, voluntary groups and individual candidates will be contesting for a place at

the decision-making table within the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). On Thursday, a total of 61 political parties, voluntary groups and individuals were expected to submit their lists of nominees to the offices of returning officers within the LAAs. According to a list from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), there were only 33 independent candidates nationwide. The major parties reportedly dominated the submissions.

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

Embrace leadership –– be positive agents of change in communities, Minister Norton urges youths By Vanessa Braithwaite MORE than 100 youths are now in a better position to create change within their communities after graduating as the 16th batch of the Youth Leadership Training Programme, coordinated by the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport. Over a span of two weekends, the youths who hail from all 10 administrative regions and are from various professions and backgrounds, were exposed to topics that added to their portfolios as young leaders and to use same to impact other youths within their communities. Minister responsible for Youth, Dr. George Norton, said he is pleased that another batch of youths is now trained to spearhead meaningful changes in their communities, which he deemed as very important. He urged the youths to return to their communities and create the change they were taught over the past two weeks. “It is with this reason I am very pleased that our participants have come from all 10 geographical regions of this country, that is the inclusivity that the Ministry of Social Cohesion has set out to bring to Guyana…. whatever training you undergo, you must be able to impact the community that you are from, positively,” the minister said. This administration, he added, is taking the time to empower youths through a series of initiatives which include the leadership programme. “I have every confidence that being part of the programme has already enhanced your leadership capabilities and to improve the already admirable work that you have been doing within your respective organisations and communities.” They were urged to continue being

involved in community and youth development, since the country needs them to trample on barriers and create a way for unity among all Guyanese. GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS He also encouraged the youths to get involved in politics, more so as Local Government Elections are around the corner. Giving an overview of the programme was Deputy Director of Education and Training Ronald Austin. He related that the recruitment process saw youth officers going into various communities across the country and sifting out candidates by asking them pertinent questions, which gave the department a good grasp of the situation within communities and how best they can provide training on youth empowerment. The training lasted for two weekends at the Madewini Training Centre. It was participatory and not competency-based and reliant on intense interaction and practical experience which, once properly grasped, can be of much benefit. The topics included Leadership and the Qualities of a Leader; Management and the Management Process; Communication and the Communication Process; Effective Public Speaking; Problem Solving and Decision Making; and Group Dynamics and Team Building, among others. These topics added to the essential body of knowledge that is necessary for youth leadership. PATRIOTISM Austin noted that the curriculum comes in the form of practical experience in committees, the Mock Youth Parliament, and flag-raising ceremony which speak directly See page 10

Minister with responsibility for Youth, Dr George Norton

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Kuwait eyes closer economic ties with Guyana Two ministers from Guyana are in Kuwait to appeal for a possible writing-off of debt borrowed from Kuwait around 40 years ago. Finance Minister Winston

Jordan and Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson hope to get the much-needed relief from the Kuwaiti government. “We had borrowed around $10 million from Kuwait in

the 1970s. It was during a time when we really needed help and Kuwait was very generous to reach out and give the money we needed. But now, the amount has grown to about $70 million because of interest. This is the reason why we are here,” Jordan said. The two ministers visited Saudi Arabia before coming to Kuwait. Jordan lauded his country’s much-improved and long-standing relations with Kuwait. He also urged Kuwaiti businessmen to invest in his country’s growing economy and met the Deputy Chairman of Kuwait Chamber of Com-

merce and Industry Mohammad Al-Saqer in this regard. “For investors, we will give generous concessions. We are a country almost equal to the UK in terms of size, but not too many people (700,000 plus), so there are huge developmental challenges. We want investors that can help connect different parts of Guyana,” he said. Guyana is considered part of the Caribbean region and according to Jordan, the country is known as the “land of many waters” because it is surrounded by water. “My country is a melting pot of several races – a land surrounded

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with forest. I am also very keen to tell our brothers in Kuwait that the Muslim population in Guyana is the fastest growing – it is now about 12 percent,” Jordan said. He added the South American sovereign state offers ample opportunities for investment as a result of its large reserves of natural gas and water resources. Patterson also said Guyana is open and ready for business, especially for investors from Kuwait. “We are the only English-speaking country in South America, which is good for the business community. We are a rich country in terms

U.S. may aid Liberia in search for missing millions MONROVIA (Reuters) The U.S. government is considering helping Liberia track down more than $100 million in missing cash, an embassy spokesman said, in a case that has triggered a political crisis in the impoverished country. Several shipments of freshly printed Liberian dollars ordered from abroad by the central bank have been unaccounted for since they passed through the country’s main ports in November 2017 and August this year, Information Minister Eugene Nagbe said on Tuesday. Minister of Justice Frank Musa Dean said the government had sought U.S. help in investigating the whereabouts of the cash, equivalent to nearly five percent of Liberia’s GDP. Washington has worked

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of natural resources and minerals. We have abundant water, so agricultural businesses are thriving. Recently, we discovered that Guyana is also rich in oil – in fact in the next two years, the country expects to begin production. Despite this, we are committed to renewable energy and would like to power our country with renewable energy by 2025,” he said. Guyana’s Ambassador to Kuwait, ProfessorDr Shamir Ally welcomed visitors at the reception held at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Farwaniya. (Kuwait Times)

with the Liberian government on fiscal transparency and governance issues in the past. The hashtag #BringBackOurMoney is trending on social media and a new Hipco song - a Liberian form of hip-hop - called “Bring Our Container Back” is a popular request on local radio. While the investigation is ongoing, 15 people have been barred from leaving the country, including ex-Central Bank Governor Milton Weeks and Charles Sirleaf, son of former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. President George Weah, who took office in January after campaigning for economic reform in one of the world’s poorest countries, has yet to comment on the missing money.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Cuba’s new president makes first trip to old Cold War foe United States

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba’s new president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, arrived in New York on Sunday for his first trip to the United States, where he will denounce the decades-old U.S. trade embargo on his country at the U.N. General Assembly, state-run media reported. Tensions have heightened between the Cold War foes after U.S. President Donald Trump tightened the embargo last year following the resumption of diplomat-

ic relations under his predecessor, Barack Obama. Washington also alleged a series of health attacks had taken place on U.S. diplomats in Havana. The Cuban government has said no attacks occurred and that the Trump administration was using whatever did occur - if indeed anything did - as a pretext to escalate its hostile stance on the Communist-run island. Diaz-Canel, who took over the presidency from his mentor, Raul Castro,

Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Camel (Reuters File photo )

in April, will address the UNGA Nelson Mandela Peace Summit on Monday and the General Assembly on Wednesday, according to state-run outlet Cubadebate. At that session, Cuba will present for the 27th year running a resolution calling for the end of the U.S. trade embargo on the island nation. “We bring the voice of Cuba that above all comes to denounce the abnormal policy of the blockade, a policy that has already failed, that will continue to

fail, and that is the longest blockade in the history of humanity,” Diaz-Canel said on arrival, according to the Cuban Foreign Ministry. Diaz-Canel’s statements on the United States, as on other political matters, have so far largely echoed those of his predecessor, who remains head of the Communist Party until 2021. The non-binding U.N. resolution urges the United States to repeal the embargo on Cuba as soon as possible. Only the U.S. Congress can lift the full embargo,

put in place more than 50 years ago. Through the week, Diaz-Canel will meet with other foreign leaders, as well as New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, U.S. supporters of engagement with Cuba and members of the Cuban-American community, Cubadebate said. He will also speak on Wednesday night at New York’s historic Riverside Church. Diaz-Canel made his first trip abroad as president to Cuba’s main ally, Venezuela, in May.

FBI cannot find terrorist link to Trini student NEWSDAY - AGENTS of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who have been investigating the illegal boarding of an American Airlines Airbus by a Trini student early last Thursday morning, have been unable to link the student to any terrorist group or any illegal activities. The FBI officers who searched the apartment of Nishal Sankat, 22, did not

find any guns, explosives or any material in his computer to suggest that he had terrorist links. The FBI is expected to make contact with local law enforcement to carry out background checks in Trinidad as part of the ongoing investigation. On Thursday, Sankat was booked at Brevard County jail and charged with unarmed burglary of an occupied aircraft, grand theft and trespass on airport

property, according to jail records. CNN reports he was unarmed, and had no explosives. Relatives, friends and former classmates of Nishal, on Sunday expressed disbelief over the alleged action of the trainee pilot. Newsday understands that retired UWI St Augustine campus principal Prof. Clement Sankat was contacted by relatives living in Miami, who broke the news that his

son Nishal was arrested and charged. On Sunday, Prof. Sankat, who is reportedly working in Belize, told Newsday he was driving and could not say anything further on his son’s arrest. His voice appeared to be cracking as he spoke briefly on his mobile phone. A relative who asked not to be named, accused the foreign media of propagating fake news that Nishal had links to terrorism. The

relative flatly denied that. Nishal, who has a Florida driver’s licence, lived in Canada for some time and then moved to Florida and was attending the Florida Institute of Technology and it was his dream to become a pilot. “I am sure he did not go to steal that airbus. He just wanted to sit in the cockpit and pretend he was in control. He is not a thief, he is a good individual and all those

who know him could attest to this,” the relative said. On Sunday, principal of the Hillview College Leslie Mahase, said he could not comment on the arrest of a former student of the college because of the ongoing investigation. However, several teachers of the college who knew Nishal said he was a bright, energetic student who had a positive impact on his classmates.

Regional bodies monitor Tropical Storm Kirk TRINIDAD GUARDIAN - Tropical Storm Kirk is gaining speed in the Atlantic but would be on a direct path to Trinidad and Tobago, and could hit by the end of this week should it continue to gain strength and maintain its current path. The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, along with the 14 municipal corporations, are now closely monitoring its development. Minister of Rural Development and Local Gover n me n t K a zi m H o s e in said people must safeguard themselves and their property should an emergency strike. “We may not be affected by this tropical storm but we must do what we can to safeguard our loved ones and homes. I encourage people to take note of the Disaster Management Hotlines that are in place for emergency use, to keep monitoring the news to be

informed of further developments,” Hosein in a release. “It is also important to put together their emergency kits with reserves of water and other necessities in case they are needed. Along with the rest of the nation, I pray that we are not affected, and hope that the system weakens and veers away from the island chain altogether.” The various disaster management units are currently updating response equipment inventories and relief items to ensure that an organised and efficient effort can be launched if necessary. The T&T Meteorological Service (TTMS), in an update on Saturday, said that Kirk’s maximum sustained winds are near 65 kilometres per hour with higher gusts. It said some strengthening is forecast during the next day or two. It said too, that weakening is likely during the middle to latter part of the

week as it approaches the Lesser Antilles. However, the Met Office added that T&T is not under any tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning at this time. It also said that it had noticed that there are a few persons who do not fully understand the forecast track/cone graphic. It explained that the cone represents the probable track of the centre of a tropical cyclone. The Met Office says this means that it is possible for the centre of the cyclone to pass anywhere within the shaded/hatched region. It noted that the cone does not show the size of the storm or the extent of its wind field. The Met Office said it is also possible for hazardous conditions to occur outside of the cone. It said uncertainty in the forecast track increases with time, which is the reason for the gradual increase in the size of the cone.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Le Repentir Cemetery THE issue of Le Repentir Cemetery keeps coming up ever so often. The main issue is that the cemetery has been neglected over the years and whatever maintenance work was attempted was sporadically done. The result is that large trees had grown up among the graves, often damaging them and thick underbush had overtaken large parts of the cemetery. This neglect has made it very difficult and costly to carry out burials, even in family plots and some of the roads and paths have become impassable. Last month, at a statutory meeting of the City Council, the mayor exclaimed in disgust: “The cemetery is back to a jungle!” It pains residents of the city to witness the horrible condition into which the cemetery had been allowed to sink since at one time it was like a well-kept park. The cemetery

was once one of the estates of Pierre Louis DeSaffon, a Frenchman who had killed his brother in a duel and his grief was so overwhelming that he left Europe, banished himself to what he believed to be the most primitive and undeveloped part of the world, which he imagined to be British Guiana. In Guiana, DeSaffon became a wealthy man and owned several plantations, the most well known of which were La Penitence (Penitence), Le Ressouvenir (Remembrance) and Le Repentir (Repentance). The names of his estates reflect DeSaffon’s continuing sorrow. It should be mentioned that he was a great philanthropist and helped orphans. Saffon Street in Georgetown is named after him. Le Repentir was given over to the newly established Georgetown Town Council to be used as a cemetery. The

council laid out the cemetery and burials began there. Each year, the council made improvements until, by the beginning of the 20th century, it achieved the status of a wellkept park. The main east to west and north to south roads were built of red clay brick, which gave a lifting colour. The east to west road which began in Broad Street was created into a tree-lined avenue tailing off into the backdam into an avenue of majestic Royal Palms, some of which are still standing today. The north to south road ran from Louisa Row to Sussex Street and the parapets were planted with various flowers such as marigolds, forget-me-nots, hibiscuses, bluebells, roses and so on. The administrative offices were near the Louisa Row entrance. The internal drains and the trench around the cemetery were always kept clean and flowing. Though the neglect and

decline of the cemetery began after independence, the pace became faster from the 1970s. Until then, an undertaker had always served on the council and for several decades, the country’s two most prominent undertakers, Messrs Claude Merriman and Mr George DeSebastiani, served. The presence and influence of these men ensured that the cemetery was kept in good condition. Then, for the last 25 years, the cemetery was neglected until in the last several years when there was a great public uproar and the City Council was forced to turn its attention to it. At the end of last August, City Hall’s spokesperson declared, “We spent $240 million in the past and still had to go back shortly after and do maintenance work.” The council also declared that it would spend $100. million each year to keep Le Repentir in good order and has includ-

ed a maintenance clause with Chung’s Global Enterprise. In the past, when the city engineer was responsible for keeping the cemetery in good order, about 12 weedmen cum drain cleaners were employed and about five wardens. Since the vegetation in the cemetery would have been under control, the maintenance work was routine and not strenuous; the wardens used bicycles to ride about the cemetery. It should be mentioned that around the periphery of the cemetery, hundreds of coconut palms were planted The roots of the these palms prevented slippage of earth into the trench which surrounded the cemetery, added to its aesthetics and provided the then council with income from the sale of coconuts. If the city engineer’s office were once again to be responsible for the maintenance of the cemetery rather than outsourcing, $100.

million per annum would be far more than adequate to keep the cemetery in order and also to be extended it when necessary. Notionally, they could allocate $40.million for weeding machines, shovels and road repair and $60 million for wages. If 40 persons were employed as cleaners and wardens, their average salary would be $1.5 million per year or $125,000 per month, which such labouring categories would be most happy to receive, since such a wage would be better than what most clerical workers receive. It is our view that if City Hall and its technical staff have the commitment, will, knowledge and imagination to keep the cemetery in good order as past Town Councils had done; they could regain the reputation of Le Repentir being the best- kept cemetery in the Caribbean. .

Conflict management in labour relations Dear Editor WHEN an employer recognises a trade union as the sole bargaining agent of the workers in any undertaking, the parties usually sign a collective agreement for recognition and avoidance and settlement of disputes. Embodied in that recognition agreement is the grievance procedure in which the various stages through which a grievance/ dispute can be processed are outlined. In most cases, if not all, it provides for arbitration as the final stage for the resolution of disputes. But there are, within industrial relations practice, several means by which the stage of arbitration could be reached

In dealing with dispute-settlement machinery, approaches to conflict management must be taken into account by the involved parties. These approaches generally tend to fall into one of four possible categories, and are often considered in the following: * Avoidance approach failure to deal with conflict; settlement by chance. Avoidance in dealing with disputes should be avoided. * Power approach - coercion to force the other party to do what it wants; settlement by force of industrial actions – strikes, lockouts etc. * Rights approach - independent standard of right or fairness to resolve the

conflict; settlement by an outside party such as a tribunal, arbitration, labour court. * Consensus approach - endeavours to reconcile, compromise or accommodate positions of the other party or the underlying needs of the other party; It is resolution by parties themselves through negotiations, conciliation / mediation; Ideally, the approaches to managing conflict should be considered in this order: i) consensus, ii) rights, iii) power, iv) avoidance. Effective conflict management involves making a strategic choice of which approach to conflict management would be adopted – consensus, rights, power or avoidance. The climate of labour and industrial relations has

a direct impact on economic and social development. It requires a conducive and enabling environment in which to conduct labour and industrial relations in an orderly and disciplined manner, within the norms of applicable international labour standards, relevant labour legislation, and agreed established procedures at the enterprise and national levels. This, no doubt, would require adequate institutional and procedural arrangements, and resources to enable the system of industrial relations to function effectively. The important question impinging on industrial relations in the state/public sector is the extent to which public corporate manage-

ments are authorised by the government to take decisions committing the employer (the government). The margin of decisions, in the context of structural adjustment-type measures may be fairly limited on the question of remuneration and conditions of service. This poses some problems in terms of collective bargaining negotiations, which imply increased costs to the public treasury. Governments as owners and employers, may see it as their responsibility and not wish to give full independence or autonomy to the management of the public service and state enterprises in labour and industrial relations matters. Governments, some argue, are politically respon-

sible for the way public entities are managed and that may influence their determination to maintain control and supervision, and retain certain decision-making powers. Collective bargaining, which places employers and unions on an equal basis at the bargaining table, may be considered incompatible with governmental powers of decision. To achieve other policy objectives, the government may consider that it would be necessary to intervene in industrial relations, since the latter are seen as part of, and not separate from other aspects of governments’ economic policy for national development. Regards Samuel J. Goolsarran

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Global hunger continues to rise For the third year in a row, there has been a rise in world hunger. The absolute number of undernourished people, i.e. those facing chronic food deprivation, has increased to nearly 821 million in 2017, from around 804 million in 2016. These are levels from almost a decade ago. The share of undernourished people in the world population – the prevalence of undernourishment, or PoU – may have reached 10.9 percent in 2017. Persistent instability in conflict-ridden regions, adverse climate events in many regions of the world and economic slowdowns that have affected more peaceful regions and worsened the food security, all help to explain this deteriorating situation. The situation is worsening in South America and most regions of Africa. Africa remains the continent with the highest PoU, affecting almost 21 percent of the population (more than 256 million people). The situation is also deteriorating in South America, where the PoU has increased from 4.7 percent in 2014 to a projected 5.0 percent in 2017. Asia’s decreasing trend in undernourishment seems to be slowing down significantly. The projected PoU for Asia in 2017 is 11.4 percent, which represents more than 515 million people. Without increased efforts, the world will fall far short of achieving the SDG target of eradicating hunger by 2030. Overall, there has been some progress regarding stunting and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. The number of stunted children has decreased from 165.2 million in 2012 to 150.8 million in 2017, a 9 percent decline. Yet, the number is still unacceptably high and the road to reaching the 2030 target is still long. In 2017, 40.7 percent of infants below six months of age were exclusively breastfed, up from 36.9 percent in 2012. Rates of exclusive breastfeeding in Africa and Asia are 1.5 times those in Northern America where only 26.4 percent of infants under six months receive breast milk exclusively. Conversely, anaemia among women of reproductive age is not improving. The prevalence of anaemia among women of reproductive age has risen incrementally from 30.3 percent in 2012 to 32.8 percent in 2016 with no region showing a

decline. Shamefully, one in three women of reproductive age globally is still affected by anaemia, with significant health and development consequences for both women and their children. In 2017, 7.5 percent of children under five – 50.5 million – were affected by wasting (low weight for height) consequently putting them at a higher risk of mortality. An analysis from 2013 indicated that 875 000 deaths (or 12.6 percent of all deaths) among children under five years of age were related to wasting, of which 516 000 deaths (7.4 percent of all deaths among under-fives) were related to severe wasting. Since 2012, the global proportion of overweight children remains relatively stagnant, with 5.4 percent in 2012 and 5.6 percent (or 38.3 million) in 2017. Of these 38.3 million overweight children, 25 percent live in Africa and 46 percent live in Asia. Adult obesity, on the other hand, is worsening. Adult obesity rates continue to rise each year, from 11.7 percent in 2012 to 13.2 percent in 2016. This means that in 2017 more than one in eight adults, or more than 672 million, in the world is obese. The prevalence of obesity among adults in the world has been increasing steadily between 1975 and 2016 – and at an accelerated pace over the past decade. Adult obesity is highest in Northern America and the rate of increase in adult obesity is also the highest there. While Africa and Asia continue to have the lowest rates of obesity, an increasing trend can also be observed. THE MULTIPLE BURDEN OF MALNUTRITION As mentioned before, levels of childhood stunting and wasting persist across regions and countries; yet, simultaneously, there has been an increase in overweight and obesity, often in the same countries and communities with relatively

high levels of child stunting. This coexistence of undernutrition with overweight and obesity is commonly referred to as the “double burden” of malnutrition. A large proportion of the world population is also affected by micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) deficiencies, often called “hidden hunger” because there may be no visible signs. Iron deficiency anaemia in women of reproductive age is one form of micronutrient deficiency. Many countries have a high prevalence of more than one form of malnutrition. This multiple burden of malnutrition is more prevalent in low-, lower-middle and middle-income countries and concentrated among the poor. Obesity in high-income countries is similarly concentrated among the poor. The coexistence of multiple forms of malnutrition can occur not only within countries and communities, but also within households – and can even affect the same person over their lifetime. PATHWAYS FROM FOOD INSECURITY TO MALNUTRITION Poor access to food and particularly healthy food contributes to undernutrition as well as overweight and obesity. It increases the risk

of low birthweight, childhood stunting and anaemia in women of reproductive age, and it is linked to overweight in school-age girls and obesity among women, particularly in upper-middleand high-income countries. There are several pathways from inadequate food access to multiple forms of malnutrition. Food insecurity (unreliable access to food) can contribute to child wasting, stunting and micronutrient deficiencies by negatively affecting the adequacy of food consumption. A diet characterized by insufficient intake of calories, protein, vitamins and minerals will impede foetal, infant and child growth and development. Such diets contribute to maternal undernutrition and consequently to higher risk of low birthweight, which in turn are both risk factors for child stunting. The stress of living with food insecurity can also have a negative effect on the nutrition of infants by compromising breastfeeding. Although it may appear to be a paradox, food insecurity can also contribute to overweight and obesity. Nutritious, fresh foods often tend to be expensive. Thus, when household resources for food become scarce, people choose less expen-

sive foods that are often high in calories and low in nutrients. This is particularly true in urban settings and upper-middle and high-income countries, although the negative effect of food insecurity on diet quality has been documented in low-, middle- and high-income countries alike. There are also psychosocial factors that link food insecurity to obesity. The experience of not having certain or adequate access to food often causes feelings of anxiety, stress and depression, which in turn can lead to behaviours that increase the risk of overweight and obesity. These include patterns of binging or overeating when food is available (and continued availability uncertain), or choosing lowcost, energy-dense “comfort foods” rich in fat, sugar and salt. Such foods have been found to have physiological effects that reduce stress in the short term. Disordered eating patterns and food deprivation are another component linking food insecurity to malnutrition. “Feast-andfamine” cycles cause metabolic changes that have been associated with an increase in body fat, decrease in lean muscle mass, and more rapid weight gain when food becomes plentiful. In addition, maternal and infant/child food deprivation can result in foetal and early childhood “metabolic imprinting”, which increases the risk of obesity and diet-related on-communicable chronic diseases later in life. Maternal undernutrition – as well as overweight– caused by lack of stable access to adequate diets can cause metabolic, physiological and neuroendocrine changes in children, fueling intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. The coexistence of multiple forms of malnutrition means that the two pathways described above do not work in isolation but rather impact each other. In this way, the undernutrition linked with food security might at the

same time be linked with overweight and obesity. As described, food insecurity is associated with low birthweight in infants. Low birthweight is a risk factor for child stunting, which in turn is associated with overweight and obesity later in life. According to WHO, “Children who have suffered from undernutrition and were born with low birthweight or are short for-age (stunted) are at far greater risk of developing overweight and obesity when faced with energy-dense diets and a sedentary lifestyle later in life.” It is also worth noting that children who are stunted have a higher risk of being simultaneously overweight. WHAT CAN BE DONE? There is a need to implement and scale up interventions aimed at guaranteeing access to nutritious foods and breaking the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. The 1 000 days between conception and a child’s second birthday is a window of unsurpassed opportunity to both prevent child stunting and overweight and promote child nutrition, growth and development with lasting effects over the child’s life. Exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months and adequate complementary foods and feeding practices up to two years of age are key to ensuring normal child growth and development during this crucial window of opportunity. Access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food must be framed as a human right, with priority given to the most vulnerable. Policies must pay special attention to the food security and nutrition of children under five, schoolage children, adolescent girls and women in order to halt the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. A shift is needed towards nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems that provide safe and high quality food, promoting healthy diets for all. (FAO)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Guyana to host int’l robot competition next year STEMGuyana has signed an agreement with the International Youth Robot Association (IYRC) to be the prequalifying body responsible for organising the annual qualifier national robot competition among local students to represent Guyana at the international competition.

STEMGuyana will work with public and private local partners to host the IYRC league pre-qualifier competition in Guyana in 2019. The competition is expected to attract more than 100 school teams, community centre clubs and other civil society organisations in the 7-12 years, 13-17 years and open

categories of the competition. Participation in the IYRC competition means that Guyana now participates in two global competitions, including the First Global competition in which Guyana sent two national teams to represent the country in 2017 and 2018. The 2018 IYRC will be

Children at work during a robotics workshop

held November 30 – December 1 at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, while the location of the 2019 competition in which Guyana will compete has not yet been announced. For the young people participating in the robotics league, the annual competition will be the culmination of months of preparation which will see students develop their technical skills while strengthening their communication, collaboration and critical-thinking skills. Co-Founder of STEMGuyana, Karen Abrams, said Guyana’s participation will, for the first time, allow primary and secondary schools students and out-of-school youth in Guyana to join more than 100 nations in the world, whose youth are able to benefit from participation and exposure to robot-building and programming activities

at the global level. “Our young people will gain the confidence and expertise needed to excel at the global level and the early exposure will ultimately benefit student Maths and Science performance,” said Abrams. “Our major challenge is to ensure that young people from all walks of life are able to participate -- not just those whose parents and schools can afford robots, “said Abrams. To that end, she is asking private sector organisations to sponsor robot kits for clubs and schools in the communities in which their customers live. “We also thank the Office Of The First Lady, GTT, the diaspora, the Department of Youth, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Telecommunications for their support in making the programme possible,” said Abrams.

Abrams went on to note that the STEMGuyana plan for 100 STEM clubs in 2019 was ambitious. However, with the support of the public and private sectors and the diaspora, she is confident that everyone would work together to ensure that Guyanese youth are allowed the same opportunities to prepare for the future that children in wealthier countries are given. STEMGuyana will certify more than 50 STEM club coaches in October 1- 4, 2018 and plans a second session of another 50 potential coaches for the following week. Schools and clubs interested in participating in the national league in 2019 are encouraged to call STEMGuyana at 592-616-4454 or email stemguyana@gmail. com to register for the October 8-9, 2018 training programme.

Contractor, computer technician robbed in separate incidents TWO bandits reportedly robbed a D' Urban Street, Georgetown resident identified as Olsen Koala, 36, of his cash, jewellery and cellphone on Saturday night. At the time of the robbery, he was walking on D' Urban Street, on his way to visit a friend. Reports indicate that as he was walking, he noticed the two men riding on a motorcycle. They subsequently rode up in front of him and the pillion rider dismounted and held him at gunpoint. He was then robbed him of his cellphone, a gold chain and cash, to the total value of $80,000.

The bandit then discharged a round in the air before joining his accomplice on the motorcycle and making good his escape. Police are investigating the incident. Also on Saturday, another gunman attacked and robbed a computer technician and a woman who were conversing at D’Andrade Street, Newtown, Kitty, Georgetown. The victims were identified as Michael Francois-Johnson, 34, and Dasha Cummings, 36, of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara (WCD). They were robbed at around 22:00hrs. Reports indicate that the

duo were standing on the northern side of D’Andrade Street when the lone gunman approached them from behind and held them at gunpoint. The man who was unmasked, demanded that they hand over their valuables and being fearful for their lives, both Johnson and Cummings complied. They reportedly handed over to the robber one Samsung phone valued at $60,000; one gold band valued at $100,000; two gold chains valued at $210,000; one pair of gold rings valued at $6,000; and $80,000 in cash.

Drunken firearm holder shoots miner at Mahdia A MINER was shot at a bar at Mahdia Landing early Sunday morning by an intoxicated licensed firearm holder, with whom he reportedly had an argument. The miner was identified as 27-year old Shahonan “Biggs” Monderson of 10 Felicity Village, West Coast

Demerara. He was reportedly shot in his left shoulder and knee and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted. His condition is listed as serious, but stable. Investigators were told that Monderson took away the handgun with 15 live rounds from the assailant

and promptly handed it over to the police. The suspect was arrested. The perpetrator was identified as Simon “Kenno” Hussain, a driver, who resides at Second Avenue, Bartica. He was arrested and is assisting with the investigation.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Getting the entrepreneurship juices going

–– with Nathelyn Benn-Dequoy and her band of women agro-processors

By Venessa Braithwaite IT might be a small community, isolated somewhat from urbanisation, but that does not mean that residents should just sit back and seek handouts when there are opportunities to empower themselves right at hand-reach. Nathelyn Benn-Dequoy is the pioneer of agro-processing in Kwakwani and the strides she has made since commencing three years ago have encouraged other women to do the same. Realising that communal entrepreneurship is more beneficial to the development of the entire community, Dequoy did not selfishly keep her skill to herself, but opted to share it with others, making it a women’s empowerment movement. Dequoy processes fresh ‘seasoning’ and pepper and bottles them and today, her products are in more demand than she can supply. ‘Nathelyn Green Seasoning and Peppers’ are carefully and uniquely prepared by hand to keep every housewife wanting more.

She makes five gallons of ‘seasoning’ within days, as a large quantity is also pre-ordered. While similar bottled ‘seasoning’ can be found in grocery shops, Dequoy said that residents love her ingredients and the high quality of her product. She said that because it is in such high demand, she’s invited other women to commence agro-processing to keep the market going, and moreso to attract customers in neighbouring communities and soon, export to other regions. “It was always my heart’s desire to see this movement in my community, and I have encouraged and taught other women to do the same business, because when I am not around, other women can be able to fill in and keep the customers supplied,” Dequoy said. One of the women she taught and who now processes her own bottled ‘seasoning’ and peppers is Lavern Padmori. She started agro-processing two years ago and has since seen her business grow and expand. She said that it is a good thing Dequoy start-

community continue to be determined, they can get there one day. In the meantime, she is calling on institutions that specialise in financing small businesses and the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) to visit Kwakwani and hold consultations with agro-processors on the way forward. TRYING OTHER THINGS Meanwhile, after realising that agro-processing has so many benefits, Dequoy has commenced making local fruits by utilising all of the fruits in the community that are wasted. “Kwakwani is a place you rarely find certain fruits selling, like five finger, and so they are wasting,” she said. “But I decided to take those very same fruits and process them. Today, I send over 400 pounds of local fruits to New Amsterdam to sell; I send to Canje, East Coast and neighbouring villages, such as Aroaima.” She, like Padmori, will continue to perfect her art,

Nathelyn Dequoy with some of her bottled peppers She manually processes onions, garlic, various green, leafy herbs such as thyme, eschalot and celery with a dash of pepper, ginger, salt and already packaged powered seasonings to make her one-of-a kind ‘Made in Kwakwani’ bottled green seasoning. She started on a very small scale, so as to get a feel of the market and how residents would react to it, but today her products are sometimes sold out the very day they are brought to the stall.

ed and believed that if others pick up on it, it will benefit the community. She is, however, worried about it remaining smallscale since after two years, no strides have been made in terms of better packaging and branding. She primarily uses recycled and sterilised Eldorado Rum bottles and other plastic bottles to package her stuff, but she is well aware that much more needs to be done to venture into other markets. However,she believes that once the women in the

so that it will be the first product to be branded ‘Made in Kwakwani.’ Dequoy believes that this agro-processing venture can also be the answer to social ills in the community such as teenage pregnancy, dropping out of school and unemployment. As such, she is calling on the relevant authorities to initiate some form of training in the community, where young girls can learn similar skills in agro-processing which will enable them to empower themselves.

Lavern Padmori showcasing her bottled pepper and all-purpose seasoning

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

In a child’s best interest

THERE are so many stories that could fill the columns on this page today. Stories that will leave you astounded and even annoyed by the contents and all of them concern children. The average person is usually horrified, emotionally upset and/or disgusted by the things that are done to children by some thoughtless or low-minded adults. But our emotional reactions cannot prevent child abuse and children continue to be hurt, neglected and damaged. Sometimes parents are not directly responsible: it is simply a matter of circumstance or a lack of knowledge that puts children in a vulnerable position or places them ‘at risk.’ The stories are as variable as they are plentiful, but the bottom line remains the same, children suffer because of adults and the scars they endure during childhood can have a negative impact on their personality and ability to function ‘normally,’ when they are grown. If there is a way or means for intervention or a possibility that a situation can be fixed or averted, then it is only right that the chance should be taken. That is what we do at the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA). Every day CPA officers work in the best interest of children to give them a chance to succeed. The long-term goal is to give every abused child the opportunity to strive to the best of their

ability. Recently, an 11-year-old boy was brought to our attention. Up until then, the boy had been living a hand-to-mouth existence and was being made to do all ‘types of things’ in order to survive. When he was rescued and taken to the Sophia children’s home, the house service supervisor, after their initial introduction, took him into the dormitory type room and, pointing to a bed, she explained, ‘This is where you will sleep, and here is a towel for you, a flannel, soap, toothbrush and some slippers. The basket over there is for your dirty clothes.’ The boy looked at her incredulously and asked, ‘All these things for me Miss…all these things for me? I never sleep pon a bed, I always sleep pon cardboard.’ The good news is, that boy, who is now 12 years old, is learning to read and write and there is a good chance that he will make it. With a little counselling and some care and attention, he could find a sense of direction in life and grow into a valuable member of society. Although his past cannot be undone, the positive side of his existence can now begin, as he is given the opportunity to strive and advance in an environment more suited to his development. Amidst all the negative stories that exist, there are many positive ones and everyday, although there are more children receiving much- needed

help, we still need the public’s involvement. If you want to find out more about child protection and preventing child abuse, then all you need to do this week is look around you. This week is CHILD PROTECTION WEEK (23rd – 29th September) and there are many activities planned in different regions of Guyana, to enlighten the public about what is being done, and that which still needs to be done, for our nation’s children. In the centre of this newspaper, you will find a four-page pull-out, packed with information for you to keep. Today is open day at the Childcare and Protection Agency, 7 Broad and Charles streets, Charlestown, where the public are invited to come in and look around, speak to staff and observe ‘a day in the life’ of a CPA officer. As part of child protection week, we are also holding a RALLY in STABROEK SQUARE on WEDNESDAY, 26th SEP-

TEMBER, 4 -6 pm, (Breaking the Silence on Child sexual abuse). All are invited to come along and enjoy the music and messages, the comedy and drama, while embracing and learning about the seriousness of child abuse. We are holding a FUN DAY for children at the Botanical Gardens on Saturday 29th September, from 2pm; come out and bring the family. The Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ali, will be launching two child protection radio advertisements today, especially produced for people in the hinterland who speak Wapishana and Machushi. The ads can be heard in the North Rupununi, Central Rupununi, South-Central Rupununi, and South Rupununi areas as well as locally. All this and more to enable us at the CPA to pass on a very important message, which is: WE MUST PROTECT THE NATION’S CHILDREN.

Embrace ...

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to the issue of patriotism. “The intensity of this hands-on practical exposure makes up for the time which is relatively short in the context of training.” Youths from the first batch of the youth leadership training programme were selected to represent Guyana and the United Nations Summer Youth Assembly, while youths from the second batch were sent to represent Guyana at the very top of global youth leadership. “The international component of the youth leadership programme is now a permanent feature and we are very proud of this milestone,” he said. Receiving the special prize for leadership best exemplified were Launstan Choy and Patrice Douglas. Hemwant Narine and Dr. Re-launya Amsterdam

received prizes for the Most Outstanding Personalities. Launstan Choy from Region Six hailed the leadership programme as helpful and informative. “It is something that is necessary, that is needed for young people, because we are the leaders of today and the leaders for tomorrow, so this programme would have equipped us and empowered us to go out and lead our youth organisations and be leaders within our community with the hope of one day being national leaders. Choy, who represented the Rotaract Club of New Amsterdam, said he feels more ecstatic that his fellow graduates saw the leadership qualities in him to vote him as leader best exemplified,” he said.

Graduates of the 16th batch of the Youth Leadership Training Programme

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Tourism takes off at Kwakwani –– as ‘White Cliff Destination’ beckons

By Vanessa Braithwaite KWAKWANI’S tourism potential is being exploited with its first-ever nature resort, ‘White Cliff Destination’, which aims at providing outdoor relaxation at affordable rates to both local and foreign guests as they explore the community’s picturesque beauty. ‘White Cliff Destination’ is an outlet of ‘Places to Stay’, which is an international tourism hospitality company, providing affordable accommodation to persons travelling on low budgets, such as students. This is a 30-year-old venture of some New York-based Guyanese known as LIZSTAFAM. In Guyana, there are three locations, the third of which is being established in Kwakwani. Lewis Robertson is a member of LIZSTAFAM based in Kwakwani, and is

Mr. Lewis Robertson of ‘White Cliff Destination’ pushing for the realisation and expansion of ‘White Cliff Destination’ in the community, more so because it is the first of its kind in the Upper Berbice region. He noted that Kwakwani and its environs have a lot of untapped beauty, that if marketed and advertised in a unique way, can be a big boost for the community. “This is all natural stuff; you get to rent a hammock instead of a

bed. Not everyone wants to sleep inside,” Robertson said. “You get to take in the black water, and the beautiful white sand while you swing in a hammock. So we are offering what people are looking for.” He said the project is also targeting tourists, so that they can come into the region and spend their currency. It is, however, designed in such a way that locals should not feel left out. “The tourists must come and leave some of their money here, not take everything back,” he said, adding: “They must be able to give back to the community in some way; to develop the community.” He noted that Kwakwani residents also have a role to play in keeping their environment beautiful by desisting from dumping their garbage in the river and on the beaches. He is also calling on

A view of the Berbice River from ‘White Cliff Destination’ (Photo courtesy of the Department of Public Information) the authorities to make access to the community easier by investing in a proper access road, since no tourist would want to travel for hours on a bumpy, uncomfortable ride. He is also calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to

hold sensitisation forums in the community on the importance of desisting from environmental and river pollution. A few weeks ago, Minister of Business with responsibility for Tourism, Dominic Gaskin, visited ‘White Cliff Destination’ and held talks with Robert-

son on how best his ministry can lend assistance to the success of the project. Minister Gaskin said that he is indeed optimistic at the prospects, sees the natural product as quite attractive and therefore has the potential to attract tourists and visitors.

Councillor Marks in LGE race

ANDRIEA Marks, who currently serves as councillor for Constituency Six, Georgetown, has decided that she can do more as constituency representative and will be contesting in the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs). Marks who has been PR constituency “rep’’ for the past two years, told the Guyana Chronicle: “I told myself that this go-around I should run as the constituency “rep,” so that I can sit down and interact with other officials to get things done in Sophia.” She will contest for this position under national party: A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). She noted however that during her tenure in office, the council had made some strides, particularly in infrastructural development. These include the development of the ‘Black and White’ road in Sophia and four cross streets.. To this end, she con-

Party Representative (PR) Councillor for Constituency Six, Georgetown, Andriea Marks ceded, “I know that a lot of residents would not be pleased with what we did as a council in the past two years, but what we assure them is that on the next goaround, we’ll try all our best

to see what more we can achieve as a council.” She explained that in her personal capacity, as a single councillor, she has always tried to put the constituency first. She gave the

examples of the work done on the Lamaha Canal -- for which she had oversight -and the instance when she used $5M garnered from the government to clean up the major drain from ‘C’ field to

‘D’ field, Sophia. More than that, under the drainage project, she saw to it that young men in the village were hired instead of contracting a big company. “[The] young people were not getting work and I look at it as an opportunity [for them] to get some money to send their children to school.” With the welfare of her people in her constituency at the heart of her every thought, she expressed much satisfaction that she was able to streamline many projects to foster their development. This includes establishing ties with the USA through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to get skills training. In fact, only last week it was agreed that 20 young people will pursue studies at the Government Technical Institute (GTI) in civil engineering, mechanics and computer training. However, it does not stop there. The community -- through Marks’ endeav-

ours -- has been able to harness a greenhouse through an initiative from First Lady Sandra Granger, whereby vegetables are cultivated and sold. There are also evening classes at the Sophia Community Centre. With all this under her belt, Andriea noted that she is far from content. “I think in all what I do for the two years, I didn’t get to achieve what was expected,” she said starkly. At the same time however, she assured, “I will try all my best to make sure that Sophia be on the map. I have a passion for my community and everybody knows that and that’s why I will go down fighting for that.” With the elections just on the horizon on November 12, Marks stated: “I know everybody’s cries and everybody’s tears; I have feelings for each and every one and I will try my best as a councillor to go there.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Indigenous lectures in schools seeking to dispel misconceptions THE Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs has engaged children from several schools in an attempt to eradicate the plethora of misconceptions of the indigenous culture still pervasive among many. Representative from the Ministry, Ovid Williams, explained to the Guyana Chronicle, “These lectures are just to showcase our culture and to clear misconceptions about our culture and heritage.” These lectures, conducted in schools, started some three years ago according to Williams. He said the ministry found that tapping into the younger demographic would be a good way to let young people “know about the culture.” “It starts with the young people,” Williams posited, “There are lots of misconceptions about the indigenous people, so we target some schools.” And while this has been successfully ongoing for the few years, this year the ministry decided to employ a different tactic to get schools involved. This year, the ministry did not approach the schools as per the norm. Instead,

been magnificent.” A few of the schools visited include the Genesis Primary School in Canal Number One; the Plaisance Secondary; The Valmiki Vidyalaya Primary School; and the Business School, among others. The Guyana Chronicle accompanied Williams to one of the lectures -- at the Genesis Primary School -- and it was quite evident that Williams’ talk of these misconceptions was no fallacy. The children were brimming with enthusiasm to learn much more about the heritage and culture of Guyana’s first peoples and paid keen attention to every word uttered by Ovid. They were simply overjoyed when he brought out indigenous artifacts and craft to show them. As enthusiastic as they were, they also had many questions which were structured around misconceptions they might have had. They asked if Indigenous peoples had access to utilities and modern technologies, and they questioned their simplistic dress and lifestyle. Nevertheless, Williams was able to address each

Ovid Williams addressing students at the Genesis Primary school (Vishani Ragoobeer photo)

great [and] encouraging,” he further stated. The month of September is designated as In-

Ovid Williams showing the children at the Genesis Primary School a poison dart used by the Indigenous people for hunting (Vishani Ragoobeer photo)

an ‘open letter ’ was issued to all schools and the schools desirous of having the lectures indicated their interest, Ovid shared. And he said, “The response has

question and commented that the engagement has been overwhelming, not only at Genesis, but at every school they visited. “The response has been

digenous Heritage Month. This year, it is being observed under the theme “Proud of our Indigenous identity, celebrating in Unity.”

Qual-Eco ready to improve local quality management ahead of oil –– company says MoU between Guyana,Trinidad will have mutual benefits

QUALITY management has become a compulsory requirement for companies that are intent on capitalising on the opportunities which are available in the oil and gas sector. In an attempt to ensure that local companies are ready to be suppliers in the industry, Trinidad and Tobago-based company Qual-Eco, has entered the local market with the aim of offering its consultancy service to Guyanese. Qual-Eco Limited was founded in 1998 by Selwyn Medina, a management consultant, certified auditor and professional trainer. The aim of the company is to elevate businesses to the global platform through the alignment of business processes with international standards, such as ISO certification. “With the advent of oil and gas here, quality management has become a compulsory requirement… apart from the level of consciousness for quality management, there will also be need for health and safety management to minimise injuries and loss of property,” said Medina during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle. He was certain that his company has the expertise and experience to ensure that businesses are ready to be on par with international standards. Qual-Eco offers a range of services related to ISO quality-management standards. Those services include environmental management consultancy, health and safety

Owner of Qual-Eco, Selwyn Medina consultancy and consultancy based on standards related to the oil and gas and energy sectors. The company also offers services in business process re-engineering; process improvement tools and techniques; and specialises in customer service excellence and intervention. Qual-Eco has proven its track record by doing work throughout the Caribbean, in countries such as Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Barbados and even Guyana. “We have worked with Massy and with GPL under a project funded by the IDB,” said Medina, adding that the company has been working with Guyanese since 2006. This time around, the company he said is looking to engage organisations that are intent on providing products and services to the oil and gas sector. “Our intention is to ensure that the companies we partner with will be able to be preferred suppliers to the oil and gas sector,” said Medina. He said prior to 2006,

quality and environmental management in Guyana was somewhat unheard of, but over the years and with the advent of foreign direct investments, the level of awareness has risen. He believes that the country still has a far way to go, but the advent of oil and gas will surely contribute to development in the area of quality management. Qual-Eco, like many other Trinidad and Tobago companies, is also excited about investing in Guyana, especially since the leaders of the two countries recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for energy cooperation. The MoU sets the platform on which Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago can develop and promote joint projects throughout the hydrocarbon value chain, in accordance with identified provisions and without prejudice to their respective national legal systems. Medina said a MoU of that nature will be mutually beneficial to the two countries, especially for Guyana, since the country needs to gain experience in oil and gas. The twin-island republic has over 100 years of experience in the oil and gas sector, so the country can transfer that experience to Guyana. Qual-Eco intends being one of the companies to start that process. Persons who are interested in the services can contact the company through its email, qualeco. guyana@gmail.com or call 608-4ECO (326).

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Aries

Finances cause friction between you and someone close to you. An irritable tiff erupts from seemingly out of nowhere. The enterprising Aries Full Moon charges your 1st House of Self; however, rather than ramming full speed ahead without anyone’s input, consider what others want. Ask pointed questions and listen to their suggestions on how to fix the issue to their satisfaction. Although you often prefer to fly solo, two heads are better than one.

TAURUS

Self-care is paramount. Your body may send you a signal that something is not quite right and you need to adjust your routine. Although the overbearing Aries Full Moon fuels your 12th House of Escapism, avoiding the problem will not make it go away. Fortunately, you can take control by focusing on whatever you are bypassing in your daily life. Put yourself in the here and now. Heed the words of Mahatma Gandhi: There is no path to peace. The path is peace.

GEMINI

A secret indulgence suddenly sours as something is revealed that tips your world off kilter. Thankfully, the energizing Aries Full Moon brightens your 11th House of Friends and Associates. Go out on the town with your people and kick up your heels. However, you can only engross yourself in having fun for so long before you must deal with the surprising consequences of your private pleasure pursuit. Searching your heart for the right way to express yourself clearly is the first step to re-establishing equilibrium

CANCER

You go all out in your professional sphere. Although the unstoppable Aries Full Moon lands in your 10th House of Career, private matters demand your attention, too. Certain aspects of your home life are proving to be incompatible with your unwavering focus on your hopes and dreams. Even though it would be easier to pretend that everything is fine, you must speak out to correct the imbalance. Addressing your domestic domain will alleviate stress, allowing you to return to the pursuit of your ambitious goals.

LEO

Your mind soars to new heights. Your view of the distance from the crest of the mountain enables you to see whatever is heading your way. The independent Aries Full Moon illuminates your 9th House of Future Vision. However, your expanded perspective is only useful if you return to your peers and communicate your findings. Doing so prepares them to successfully navigate their own paths. Bring your wisdom down to earth and share it without restraint.

VIRGO

Although you love being of service, you resist being beholden to anyone. You are extremely sensitive to the nuance between helping from desire and helping from obligation. The headstrong Aries Full Moon blasts your 8th House of Collaboration. When others share resources with you, they often try to monopolize your attention in the process. Find a way to reassert your need for fairness into the exchange. Above all, healthy relationships are about mutuality, not dominance.

LIBRA

Your devotion to others enables you to have a sense of purpose. You are comfortable defining yourself by the types of people you share your world with now. Although the energetic Aries Full Moon highlights your 7th House of Companions, the trick is to realize that you are the hub of this fantastic network. You are the common denominator. Falling in love with yourself all over again recharges your batteries, so you can serve your crew with even more vigor.

SCORPIO

Switching up your routine takes precedence over everything else today. The initiating Aries Full Moon magnifies your 6th House of Habits. Any changes you make have been building up for some time, and you are ready to commit to action now. Inject more imagination into your daily plans. There is no need to be boring just because your routine seems so mundane. Someone close to you may show slight resistance to your new behaviour. You do you, and let others find a way to adjust.

SAGITTARIUS

You forge a future that is true to you when you express yourself fully. Although the self-willed Aries Full Moon ignites your 5th House of Spontaneity, make sure your actions are not so rash that they misrepresent your actual aims. The people who support you may be turned off by anything that comes across as vainglorious. Rather than standing on the stage alone, be receptive when your allies join you in your performance. Shakespeare wrote, “The earth has music for those who listen.”

CAPRICORN

The career-family axis has you walking on a tightrope and it’s a good thing you love a challenge. The incorrigible Aries Full Moon lights up your 4th House of Roots. Your heart is fully immersed in caring for your family, while your spirit is soaring on the job. When you are spanned between these two poles, something must give. A spurt of impromptu fun plucks the fine line you are walking. Using your dexterity and strength to keep your balance enables you to juggle both worlds.

AQUARIUS

Even the strongest soldier cannot be deployed all the time. You need a mini-vacation from your mission now. The good news is the warrior Aries Full Moon activates your 3rd House of Distractions. Fortunately, this diversion from your long-term goals brings you back in touch with the here and now. A well-deserved break allows you to return to your life’s work with renewed purpose and increased awareness about the current state of affairs. Reap the rewards of your versatility.

Pisces

You probe the boundaries between you and others. It takes you extra energy to figure out what is yours and what is theirs. Thankfully, the fast-tempered Aries Full Moon revitalizes your 2nd House of Personal Resources, so you are up to the task. Your self-worth is often wrapped up in what you own. Make sure you are not taking on someone else’s self-esteem issues along with their belongings. A surprise exchange of words may nudge you to galvanize your position. Love doesn’t require you to sacrifice your self-respect.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, September 21, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Royal Castle employees return lost cash, bank card, other documents to customer

AN unidentified member of the public and staff members of the Giftland Mall Royal Castle outlet, have recently displayed an example of first-rate honesty when they assisted a customer to retrieve valuable items that were lost. Twenty-year-old Nicholas Alam visited the mall with friends lately and had his ‘Royal Castle’ lunch in the vicinity of the said fast food outlet. Sometime after leaving the mall, Alam realised that he had lost his bank card, Identification Card, money and other documents. Although not very confident that he might find them back, he decided to go back and make a check with Royal Castle. It so happened that another customer had found the items and lodged them at the fast food establishment. Alam told the Guyana Chronicle that he could see that all of the staff members at Royal Castle were happy for him; that he found his

The Royal Castle outlet at Giftland Mall documents. In fact, even before he returned, the staff had already started calling numbers that they could find in Alam’s documents in their bid to find him. One staff member even told him that if he did not

return, she would have dropped the items to him, because she learned of his workplace through his documents. Alam said all of his money was returned as well.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Reparations Committee takes land claim to E’bo Coast

THE Guyana Reparations Committee has spread the message in Region Two of the claim of 15,000 square miles of Guyana’s lands to be given to the descendants of enslaved Africans as reparation. The committee on September 18 and 19 conducted a two-day outreach in Region Two, meeting persons and enlightening them about the Ancestral Land Bill. The outreach was supported by global ambassador Eddy Grant and commenced with the team meeting the Regional Executive Officer Rupert Hopkinson for breakfast. The team then visited the Commander of ‘G’ Division Khali Pareshram and officers from the division. They then met with Hackney residents in the Pomeroon River. The members also reached out to various pri-

Members of the Guyana Reparations Committee with police officers of ‘G’ Division mary and secondary schools, where the Guyana Reparation story books were distributed. During discussion, the committee’s attorney, former Chief of Staff Gary Bess, explained to the audience the importance of African history. He gave

an insight to the Ancestral Land Rights Bill and what is expected to be submitted to the Land Commission of Inquiry. Bess said that the committee is making representation for 15,000 square miles of Guyana’s lands to be

given to the descendants of enslaved Africans. The lands would be overlooked by a trustee and could be used to develop African-Guyanese lives. Bess told Essequibians that Africans toiled to make Guyana an economically-vi-

able state and their struggles should be recognised. He said the Guyana Reparations Committee seeks to make a strong case for reparative justice, since the enslavement of Africans was a grave crime against humanity.

He further explained that the Guyana Reparations Committee, in collaboration with the Caribbean community (CARICOM), continues to work tirelessly to repair the historical wrongs by presenting a case based on law.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

GUYANA’s lush greenery, much-talked-about hospitality and delicacies a mon g oth er amazing features have attracted the eyes of six renowned, international tour operators, who are intent on promoting the country. The operators had an opportunity to explore the wonders of Guyana during a familiarisation tour which was facilitated by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Wilderness Explorers and other stakeholders in the local tourism industry. Among the companies represented were the Lateral Life, South

of things these days, but you cannot fake a genuine, authentic [sic] welcome,” he said, adding that Guyana has delivered “above and beyond” their expectations. He believes that Guyana has much to be explored, but there are areas in the local tourism industry that can be improved. Like his colleagues, he expressed willingness to help Guyana build its tourism base by promoting the country through various means. “Kaieteur Falls is the most spectacular thing we have ever seen in our lives, no matter how

Destination Guyana catches eyes of renowned tour operators American Travel Centre, Jumbo Reisen, Galapagos Classic and Cox and Kings. Though each representative spoke about his/her experience in Guyana, representative of Lateral Life, Steve Wilson, was able to capture the entire trip in his enthusiastic speech. The operators went to a number of Indigenous villages and towns, including Georgetown and even Kaieteur Falls. “We’re so privileged to have met people from so many diverse cultural backgrounds….We see fake news all the time and you could fake a lot

Representative of Lateral Life, Steve Wilson (Delano Williams photo)

many times you have travelled… I see it as a driving force in getting Guyana out there,” said Wilson. Director of the GTA, Brian Mullis, was excited and welcomed the operators’ support, noting that Guyana has a lot to offer and operators should continue to explore the local wonders. “We bring tour operators to see the destination, because we are trying to sell destination Guyana… doing it is not possible without partnerships,” said General Manager of the Wilderness Explorers, Tony Thorne.

In love with the sea

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

–– retired Orealla teacher turns to his second love for his livelihood By Fizool Deo

JOHN Claudius King is ready to return to his post-retirement career. “I’m just 67 years old,” he said with a smile, adding: “I need to feel the wind in my face again.” His livelihood is far more rigorous that the decades he spent in the classroom—and it involves hours on the water. Sir King is preparing for another stint as Captain King. He fell in love with the sea as a child, but it was not until the age of 55 that he began plying the waterways. Two years ago, after working the Orealla to Skeldon route for a decade, his 24-foot wooden boat broke. John was devastated. He was unsure of returning to the sea, but after a while, there was an emptiness in his life. Going back to such a career meant building another boat from scratch, so over the last few months, he did just that. He is

yet to work out his schedule, but since boats are the only means of transportation for the residents in the indigenous community, they are always welcome. Orealla is also a potential tourism destination and many of the residents are looking towards marketing their beautiful flora and fauna—especially the exotic birds that sing every morning. John is confident that he will be able to get passengers; he prides himself on his his work ethics, which he learnt during his first career. As a young man, John’s passion was teaching — and he was good at it. Several years ago, John moved back to the home in which he was born-- the same home in which his mother taught him after school. She was Warrau, but spoke perfect English and ensured that he did also. That drive helped him to become one of the best teachers that the community has ever produced. After a few years in the An-

glican Church Primary School in Orealla, John spent some time in Demerara before returning home. His work ethic was an inspiration to the teachers and they encouraged him to follow the profession. John started his teaching career in his mid-teens. By the age of 37, he was a qualified teacher with almost two decades of experience under his belt in his home community. The father of six left Orealla in 1988 and taught for 18 years in several Berbice primary schools, including the Moleson Creek Primary School, Corriverton Primary, Kwakwani Primary, No.56 Primary and Crabwood Creek Primary, before retiring. John is hoping that the discipline and dedication by which he lived as a teacher will lead him when he returns to the sea; and unlike the mandatory age of retirement in the education system, he intends to continue working with his boat until he can no longer stand or see.

The former teacher was always in love with the sea

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

GBBC’S Young Guns ‘The Proving Guard’ boxing card

King reigns supreme after Richmond’s surrender By Michael DaSilva

BARBADOS’ Keithland King reigned supreme on Saturday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, disposing of Guyana’s Derick Richmond after just six minutes of action. The duo was the headline event at the Guyana Boxing

Board of Control’s (GBBC), Young Guns `The Proving Ground’ five-fight boxing card, which was promoted by professional boxer Dexter Marques and former world-rater Clive Atwell. The Barbadian improved his professional record to three wins in as many fights after forcing Guyana Derick Richmond to call it a ‘night’, at the conclusion of the second of their six-round middleweight contest. The much-anticipated bout started off very casually with both boxers feeling out each other out during the first round. King and Richmond went after each other during the second round; Richmond connecting with some telling combinations and King responding in like manner. The fight seemed even going into the final minute, but King unleashed a barrage of one-two combinations that apparently hurt the Guyanese (Richmond) as he went back to his corner looking fit and well. Surprisingly, when the gong sounded for the start of the third round, Richmond refused to come out of his corner, giving King a technical knockout (TKO) victory, his third in his three professional fight career. It is Richmond’s fifth

loss after 11 fights. In the main supporting bout on Saturday night, James Moore pounded a technical knock-out win against Romeo Norville in their four-round cruiserweight contest. From the start of the contest, Moore dominated the proceedings, using his height and reach to great advantage to pummel his opponent at will with no resistance. Moore forced the referee call a halt to the proceedings at the end of the third round of the four-round contest. In the hyped up junior welterweight four-round contest between Anson Green and debutant Joel Williamson, the later won via unanimous points’ decision. Williamson, with over 70 amateur victories to his name pounded out his more experienced opponent, recording 39-37, 40-36 and 40-36 on judges’ Rawle Aaron, Trevor Arno and Dexter Torrington score cards’ respectively. In the female bantamweight contest between Rewinna David and Ansilla Norville, the Lindener (David), proved too strong for Norville, taking the attack to her opponent and dominating the proceeding from the start to the end. She won by a unanimous decision.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday September 24, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

(1) (2)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: 94 Tests WI 30, India 18, Draw 46

(1) (2)

Today’s Quiz: Which WI has scored most runs against India in Tests? Which Indian has scored most runs against the WI in Tests?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

South Africa Racing Tips Turffontein 08:15 hrs Pearl Of Bahrain 08:50 hrs Insignis 09:25 hrs Alyaasaat 10:05 hrs Copper Joy 10:40 hrs Big Mistake 11:15 hrs Shifting Shadows American Racing Tips Delware Park Race 1 Ephesians Six Race 2 Roraima Dos Race 3 Smokey Blues Race 4 Awesome Bill Race 5 Jag Race 6 Sadie’s Magic Race 7 Off the Bourbon Race 8 You Know Too Race 9 Col. North Irish Racing Tips Fairyhouse 10:15 hrs Facethepuckout 10:45 hrs Ancestral 11:15 hrs Born Invincible 11:45 hrs Recon Mission 12:15 hrs All The King’s Men 12:45 hrs Karannelle 13:15 hrs Aspen Belle 13:45 hrs Lethal Power

English Racing Tips Hamilton 08:30 hrs Friendly Advice 09:00 hrs Avenue Of Stars 09:30 hrs Sir Domino 10:00 hrs Little Pippin 10:30 hrs Jacbequick 11:00 hrs Why We Dream 11:30 hrs Granny Roz 12:00 hrs Edgar Allan Poe Kempton 09:10 hrs Finch Hatton 09:40 hrs War Eagle 10:10 hrs Makambe 10:40 hrs Alexa Rose 11:10 hrs Wing Defence 11:40 hrs Polybius 12:10 hrs Mazyoun 12:40 hrs Directory Leicester 09:20 hrs House Of Kings 09:50 hrs Extreme Force 10:20 hrs Johni Boxit 10:50 hrs Camacho Chief 11:20 hrs Outbox 11:50 hrs Cotubanama 12:20 hrs Elation 12:50 hrs Champagne Bob

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Chelsea held at West Ham

Tiger is back!

Tiger Woods of the United States celebrates making a par on the 18th green to win the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 23, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)

Lukasz Fabianki denied Alvaro Morata from close range

(BBC) - CHELSEA’S 100 per cent start to the Premier League season came to an end at West Ham because Eden Hazard was not allowed to influence the game, says Hammers manager Manuel Pellegrini. Blues boss Maurizio Sarri started his Stamford Bridge reign with five straight league wins but his team could not extend that record, and had to settle for a goalless draw against bat-

tling opponents on Sunday. Pellegrini - whose side had lost their previous two home league matches - was pleased with how West Ham “allowed Chelsea to have possession” on the right side of the pitch, denying the “dangerous” Marcos Alonso and Hazard much ball on the left. “We played well tactically because we allowed them to have the ball where we wanted, and we defended

well,” said Pellegrini. “They played most of the game on their right side, so they didn’t create too many chances.” In the end, Chelsea were grateful for Andriy Yarmokenko’s glaring second-half miss, when he headed wide with only keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to beat and the goal at his mercy, for not suffering their first defeat. The visitors had chances of their own, with West Ham

keeper Lukasz Fabianski saving well from substitutes Alvaro Morata and Ross Barkley - but in the end, a draw was a fair result in a game that rarely sparked into life. It is a result that drops Chelsea into third place behind Manchester City on goal difference and leaves Liverpool two points clear at the top of the table, with a maximum return from their six games.

(BBC) - TIGER Woods won the season-ending Tour Championship by two shots to claim his first victory in five years. The American, 42, shot a one-over 71 in Atlanta for his 80th PGA Tour title. It marks a remarkable return to the top for Woods, who was ranked World No 1,199 less than a year ago after having spinal fusion surgery. England’s World No 1, Justin Rose, finished tied fourth to secure the overall FedEx Cup which determines the season-long PGA Tour champion. Rose birdied the 18th at East Lake for a 73 to seal the top-five finish he needed to win the $10m (£7.6m) bonus on offer as FexEx Cup champion. “I had a hard time not crying on the last hole,” Woods told NBC. “I had to suck it up and hit some shots. Once I got the ball on the green, it was done. I could handle it from there.” The 14-time major champion’s last tournament victory was in August 2013 in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. “It was just a grind out there,” Woods added. “I loved every bit of it, the fight, the

grind and the tough conditions. “At the beginning of the year, it was a tall order but as the year progressed and I proved I could play, I knew I could do it again.” He came into the final day of the tournament - the last of four FedEx Cup playoff events - with a three-shot lead over Rose and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who faded from contention with a 74 to finish on five under in tied seventh. Woods birdied his first hole - one of two birdies and three bogeys - with his place at the top of the leaderboard in little danger during the final round. Fellow American Billy Horschel finished two shots back on nine under. “I just can’t believe I pulled this off after what I’ve gone through,” added an emotional Woods. “It’s been tough. I’ve had a not-so-easy last couple of years. I’ve worked my way back. I couldn’t have done it without the help of all the people around me. “Some of the other players knew what I was struggling with. It was really special to see them at the green on 18. It’s just hard to believe I won the Tour Championship.”

Arsenal stun Everton

(BBC) - TWO goals in three second-half minutes gave Arsenal victory over Ever-

ton and took them up to sixth in the Premier League table.

Following a tight first half, in which Dominic Calvert-Lewin squandered a

Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have both scored in three of the past five matches they have played together

fine second-minute opening for Everton, the Gunners asserted control after the break. Alexandre Lacazette swept a curling shot into the top corner from the edge of the area after Aaron Ramsey’s pass. Shortly after, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang poked in from close range after Mesut Ozil broke down the right, cut the ball back and Ramsey nudged it into the path of the Gabon international. Replays suggested that Aubameyang was offside from Ramsey’s touch, though Everton could have few complaints from that point as a third for the hosts was more likely than a comeback from Marco

Silva’s side. Everton had looked the more likely to score for 56 minutes at the Emirates, until Lacazette rifled in a superb opener. Two minutes and 57 seconds later, the visitors were two goals down. The Gunners had managed just one shot on target in the first half, with Jordan Pickford making a smart save from Nacho Monreal, but their superior quality in attack showed after the break as the club’s two most expensive signings quickly put the game beyond the Toffees. Aubameyang appeared to be offside for the second, but Ozil was given time and space to pick out Ramsey in the build-up, as a shell-

shocked Everton left young full-back Jonjoe Kenny to deal with a three-on-one situation in their own area. Aubameyang and Lacazette are forming a potent partnership for Unai Emery’s side, both scoring in three of the past five Premier League games they have started together, while only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, with 16, has scored more than the Gabon striker’s 12 league goals since his Gunners debut in February. Emery may have been more satisfied with proceedings at the other end as Arsenal kept their first clean sheet of his tenure, although goalkeeper Petr Cech was largely to thank for that.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

WI need to improve consistency – Taylor (CMC) – WEST Indies captain Stafanie Taylor believes the recent drawn series against South Africa has highlighted the need for her side to improve their consistency. The hosts lost the first One-Day International of the three-match ICC Women’s Championship series by 40 runs but rebounded to win the decisive third contest by115 runs, here Saturday, after Wednesday’s second game was abandoned as a no-result. “We still have way more to go. We still need to improve on our 50-over game,” Taylor said,following the impressive win in the day/night fixture at Kensington Oval. “We still need to get consistent where that is concerned. And I believe it’s just consistency. We have the players to do it, but we must work on being far more consistent.”

West Indies were installed as favourites to win the series but were stunned in their opener last Sunday when they failed to chase down a modest 202 in good conditions. Taylor described the de-

feat as a “wake-up call”, forcing the side to quickly pull themselves together and focus on playing a positive brand of cricket. “I am not 100 per cent satisfied [with the outcome of the series]. Having lost

Captain Stafanie Taylor (left) celebrates with Hayley Matthews after the opener reached her maiden international hundred. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

Scoring more hundreds is Matthews’ hope CMC – BARBADIAN opener Hayley Matthews says notching her maiden international hundred on home soil was an “unbelievable” feeling and hopes the achievement can be the first of several triple figure scores. The 20-year-old made 117 from 146 balls in Saturday’s final One-Day International against South Africa, which laid the platform for West Indies’ 115-run victory and a share of the three-match series. “It’s definitely an honour for me. It was one of my goals coming here. Kensington Oval is a ground with so much history,” the affable Matthews said. “So many wonderful things have happened here in cricket and to be able to [score a hundred] in front of my friends and family at some place where I grew up, was unbelievable for me. “My dad always tells me that hundreds are things that you have to get over the line for the first one and then once you do, then hopefully they can keep coming, so for me it’s a matter of relief getting that first one and like he keeps telling me, hopefully they can keep coming.” Matthews was always earmarked for a special career, ever since making her debut for the regional side as a 16-year-old in a Twenty20 International against New Zealand.

the first game, we had to go back to the drawing board because we know South Africa have evolved and they have been playing good cricket over the last few years,” the Jamaican explained.

She made her ODI debut later that year against Australia, scoring a half-century in her first outing and has been one of the mainstays of the Windies side since then. Her 66 in the final of the T20 World Cup in India two years ago, which helped West Indies to their maiden title remains one of her most memorable innings, but she said Saturday’s achievement ranked alongside that performance.

Opener Hayley Matthews celebrates her maiden international hundred at her home ground Kensington Oval (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

“I think for me they were both very important, they were both very crucial innings,” Matthews pointed out. “First of all, the World Cup final was very important to me and seeing the team home with that knock, but then doing it here in front of the home crowd, being able to do it in front of so much

family and so many friends, I think was really important for me. “It was always a goal for me and definitely an honour that I could come home and reach one of my very big goals.” Most critically, Matthews’ hundred helped West Indies claw their way back into a series, which they trailed after losing the opening game by 40 runs last Sunday. She said despite that setback, the team had remained focused. “Our goal when we came here to play against South Africa was to win all three games. Unfortunately, we didn’t win the first one and rain got the second one but to be able to come back here and level the series and get another two points on the board is very important for us,” she said. “I think for me it was the focus of the team. We knew what we had to do … we’ve been working really hard the past couple of months in Antigua, training a lot so it was just a matter of executing, and I think … we were able to go out there and do that well.” She added: “I think the wicket was very good. We knew that batting in the night would’ve been a bit harder with the ball swinging, so it was good that we could win the toss. We were able to go out there and bat on a good wicket. Kudos to the groundsmen, we always have good wickets here.”

“So, [losing that first game] was a wake-up call for us – that we needed to get things going and get back to the drawing board and get back to the game we know we can play. “In the second game, I thought we did really well to restrict them to such a total (177 for eight off 38 overs) and I believe that if that game had played until the end, it would have been good. “[On Saturday], we just played brilliant cricket.” The match will long be remembered for a sparkling 100 by 20-year-old opener Hayley Matthews, which propelled the hosts up to 292 for five off their 50 overs. Barbadian Matthews counted 17 boundaries in 117 off 146 balls – her maiden international century – and Taylor was full of praise for her teammate.

“Hayley played a splendid innings. I thought her thought process … was remarkable. It started earlier when she came to the ground, she went straight into the nets hitting balls. Then straight after warmup before we batted, she hit some balls so we knew she was ready and up for the fight. “I thought she batted really, really well to get us to that total which helped us to win the game.” She continued: “When she got into the 80s I noticed she was feeling a bit of cramps. I knew around that might be some nerves as well, so I said to her ‘just dig in, you need 20. Just count down.’ “It was just about telling her ‘keep the energy going, you’re batting well, you’re playing straight’, positive stuff that could help her get over that mark.”

Ramdin hoping to use Super50 to continue comeback CMC – FORMER West Indies Test captain Denesh Ramdin is hoping to use next month’s Regional Super50 as an opportunity to continue his impressive comeback. The 33-year-old gloveman has played 74 Tests and 139 One-Day Internationals but was dropped from both formats two years ago, and has not suited up since.

balls to bat, batting in the middle and lower order,” Ramdin told the NewsDay here. “Being elevated to open in the (CPL) finals was a great opportunity for me. It is just to continue that great work I have been doing for the last four, five months in terms of the four-day set up. I did well in the fourday, scored a lot of runs

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force skipper, Denesh Ramdin.

However, he returned to the first class tournament last season to plunder 799 runs at an average of 61 and grab the attention of selectors. And following a decent run in the just concluded Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Ramdin is eyeing a similar prolific run in the 50-overs tournament. “As we all know [in the] CPL you don’t get a lot of

for TT, so I would like to continue that. “In the 50-overs format, there will be a lot more balls and a lot more time to give myself the opportunity to bat in the middle overs and put up some runs for the team.” Ramdin will be joined in the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force squad by several leading names, including the likes of West Indies

stars Dwayne and Darren Bravo, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, Jason Mohammed and Kieron Pollard. Dwayne Bravo, who captained Trinbago Knight Riders in their recent successful defence of their CPL title, will serve as Ramdin’s deputy – an alliance which Ramdin believes will pay dividends. “It is always good to have a [high] calibre player with his experience,” Ramdin noted. “Throughout the CPL, we have worked closely together in terms of planning, strategising, as well as coming up with good plans to beat the opposition team. Having him on the flip side of that – being vice (captain) and I am the captain – I think it is no different.” He added: “We will work hand in hand, and not only Bravo but the guys like Pollard, (Lendl) Simmons and Narine. All those guys with the experience make my job a lot easier. “It is going to be a good 50 overs [tournament] for us. We have not played together for some time now, so it is going to be exciting.” The Super50 will be staged in Trinidad and Barbados but Cricket West Indies are yet to release the playing schedule.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Last gasp Wins for Mahaica, Buxton as Bangladesh Limacol Football continues beat Afghanistan

FOOTBALL action continued on Saturday evening with wins for Mahaica Determinators and Buxton Stars, as the third edition of the Limacol Football tournament ended the round robin phase. In the first game of the night, Mahaica were 1-0 winners against Northern Rangers FC, with Dellon Charles scoring the lone strike on the stroke of the 75th minute. Try as they may, Northern Rangers had no response. In the second game, Buxton was able to overcome Camptown FC 2-0 to close off the round robin phase of the competition.

A 46th minute penalty from Kenaz DeCambra and Shamar Scott’s 85th minute strike sealed the deal. In the first two of the four quarter-finals carded for tomorrow, Riddim Squad will take on Beacons FC while in the second game, Police will play GFC. The second two quarter-finals will see Mahaica Determinators playing Pouderoyen and Santos taking on Buxton Stars. The semis are billed for Sunday with the winner of QF1 (quarter final) playing the winner of QF2 in the semis, while the winner of QF 3 and 4 will play the other semi. The final is billed for October 5.

TCI football coach expects Guyana to be “very good” THE Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) are aware of Guyana’s potential in football, and will not take them lightly when the two teams clash in the 2019/2020 CONCACAF Nations League Qualifiers next month. Head coach of the TCI Matt Barnes, told the Guyana Chronicle that he expects Guyana to be very good although they will play away from home on October 13. “We have another tough draw in Guyana. I expect them to be very good - they are ranked extremely close to Cuba in the international rankings.” In the latest FIFA rankings, Cuba are at 179, Guyana are 182 and TCI are at the bottom at 210. TCI are now rebuilding

their team. In their first clash against Cuba on September 8, TCI went down 11-0— their worst international defeat to date. The side played with a second string keeper and were without their best player, Billy Forbes. Forbes, who plays for the Phoenix Rising FC in the US, is yet to confirm his participation for the rest of the league. Without Forbes, TCI are limited in striking. He makes up a solid line of attack with current captain Marco Fenelus, who plays in the Taiwan Football League. Barnes, a US College coach, said that he is focused on developing the team and not on a result. “Everyone is excited that we are hosting our first

Déjà vu! By Rawle Toney

Déjà vu is said to be the feeling of recollection, or having lived through a specific moment. However, following the result of last evening’s Rugby Americas North (RAN) Men’s Sevens Championship final, the word will have another definition; “Déjà vu, the way Jamaica beat Guyana every year in the RAN 7’s final.” In similar fashion to 2017, Jamaica repeated as RAN 7’s Champions after defeating Guyana 22 – 17 in a humdinger at the Bellevue Plantation & Polo Club in St Michael, Barbados. Lancelot Adonis, just like in 2017, made a mistake that could be seen as the play that handed Jamaica a back-toback title. Jamal Angus, who along with Claudius Butts and Avery Corbin were the try scorers for Guyana in the finals, was also

guilty of making a play that added to the Guyanese demise at a crucial point in the game. Guyana only have themselves to blame for the loss which means that they will not be heading to Hong Kong next year to play in the IRB World Series. Guyana, however, has qualified for next year’s Pan Am games in Lima, Peru. The Green Machine’s path to the final wasn’t an easy one, but on Day Two, they defeated the Dominican Republic (12 – 5) in the quarter finals and long-time rivals Mexico (17 – 12) in the semi-finals to set-up a showdown with the ‘Reggae Ruggers’, who also played undefeated in the tournament. The team featured an all Guyana-born and bred unit, while Jamaica once again featured a squad heavily laden with players out of England. In the final, Jamaica got things going first, registering

Nations League match. We will focus on improving our overall fitness level and layer in more ideas tactically. I am hoping we expand our player pool this month as well. I expect some new faces in the

mix.” Guyana drew with Barbados 2-2 in their first clash of the tournament at the National Track and Field Centre in Leonora early this month.

Matt Barnes with the TCI squad in the island of Providenciales, the location of next month’s clash

... Jamaica pip Guyana again to repeat as RAN 7’s Champions! the first try of the game to take a 5 – 0 lead, but the conversion was no good. However, Guy-

field to score. The scoreboard had Guyana with a 7 – 5 advantage,

(ESPN/CRICINFO) MUSTAFIZUR Rahman defended seven runs off the last over against Afghanistan, as Bangladesh set up a virtual knockout clash against Pakistan on Wednesday. As impressive as Afghanistan had been in the Asia Cup, they are out of the tournament having failed in their first chase, which was their second straight loss in the Super Fours. After conceding two off the first ball, a cramping Mustafizur had Rashid Khan caught and bowled, before Samiullah Shenwari and Gulbadin Naib managed only two legbyes from the last four balls. When Afghanistan needed four off the last ball, Shenwari’s bat flew out of his grip as he swung and Corbin, on the stroke of half time, scored a try to bring things even at 12 – 12, giving them (Guyana) momentum heading into the final stanza of the game. Butts, using his speed and experience, exploded

The ‘Green Machine’ receiving their second place trophy after falling to Jamaica 17 – 22 in the Ran 7’s finals

ana bounced back when Angus faked a pass in his side’s 22 that made the defence collapsed, which opened a clear path down the middle of the

but Jamaica, once again capitalized on a defensive error by Guyana to score a try and a conversion and saw them going up 7-12.

down the wing to score a try to put Guyana in winning position. With a 17 – 12 advantage and victory in sight Angus was

missed Mustafizur’s short ball. The key moment in the closing stages was Mohammad Nabi’s dismissal in the penultimate over as he had already struck two fours and two sixes in his 28-ball 38. While Mustafizur lived up to his billing as one of the best finishers with the ball in the world, it was Mahmudullah’s timely 74 which got Bangladesh to a competitive 249 for 7 in 50 overs. He earned the Player-of-the-Match award after he also took the crucial wicket of Mohammad Shahzad, and a great catch to dismiss Afghanistan captain Asghar Afghan, who had added 78 runs for the fourth wicket with Hashmatullah Shahidi, who reached his third fifty in a row. the first to make a critical mistake which resulted in Jamaica scoring a try and evening the score (17 – 17). Jamaica took the lead (17 – 22) after Butts was sent off, capitalizing on Guyana being a man short. The conversion from the try was not successful. Twenty seconds on the clock, trailing Jamaica by five points and the championship on the line, Guyana had another chance but Adonis fumbled the ball from a Richard Staglon pass. Adonis was not being contested at the time. Just like in 2017, the Guyanese players sat in sorrow on the field, as Jamaica celebrated another title. While Jamaica will go on to represent RAN at the Hong Kong Sevens in the World Series, Guyana, by virtue of reaching the final, will be present at next year’s Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru. Meanwhile, Guyana’s female team finished 7th in the 10-team women’s tournament which was won by Mexico.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 24, 2018

Paruima wins female Heritage football PARUIMA successfully defended its Female Football title at the Indigenous Heritage Games after a penalty shootout win against Gladiators FC of Region N ine at the Everest Cricket ground yesterday. The game ended 3-3 after extra time failed to break the deadlock and went to a penalty shootout which was won by Paruima who capitalised on misses from two of Gladiators’ penalty takers. The win meant they successfully defended their title which they won last year. Full results of the Heritage games will be published in a subsequent report.

No backing down! A Paruima player takes on a Gladiator during the final of the female football competition at the Indigenous Heritage Games. (Samuel Maughn)

Anderson thumps Novak in Laver Cup (BBC)-SOUTH African Kevin Anderson avenged his Wimbledon final defeat by Novak Djokovic with victory over the Serb in the Laver Cup team competition. However, Anderson and Team World trail Team Europe 7-5 going into the final day of the three-day exhibition event. Team Europe had taken control of the match 7-1 after singles wins for Alexander Zverev and Roger Federer. But Anderson’s victory and doubles success for American Jack Sock and

Australian Nick Kyrgios closed the gap. Anderson beat Djokovic 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 10-6, sending down 17 aces in the match to help him out of trouble. Errors from Djokovic, who had lost in the doubles with Roger Federer on Friday, cost him dearly. “It’s not easy playing one of the best players of all time, but what an amazing atmosphere,” said Anderson afterwards. “I felt I played a great match - beating Novak on any stage is great and here in Chicago makes it extra special.”

In the singles matches, Federer had an easy 6-3 6-2 win over Kyrgios but Germany’s Zverev had to save a match point against American John Isner before winning 3-6 7-6 (7-6) 10-7. It then left Sock and Kyrgios to combine to win the doubles match finale, beating Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and David Goffin of Belgium 6-3 6-4. Saturday’s matches were worth two points each, but three points per match are up for grabs on the final day, with the first team to 13 points lifting the trophy.

Anderson helped to keep Team World in the tournament in Chicago

GBBC’S Young Guns ‘The Proving Guard’ boxing card

Guyana’s Derick Richmond (left) on the attack against Barbados’ Keithland King during the second round of their middleweight contest at the CASH on Saturday night. King went on to win the fight by a TKO

James Moore (left) pummels Romario Norville in their cruiserweight contest on Saturday night, which Moore won by a TKO

King reigns supreme after Richmond’s surrender

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Paruima wins female heritage football

See Page 31

A Paruima forward (in blue) on the attack against Region Nine Gladiators FC (in red) during the final of the Female Football competition at the Indigenous Heritage Games. (Samuel Maughn Photo)

Déjà vu!

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The winning Jamaican team celebrates

--Jamaica pip Guyana again to repeat as RAN 7’s Champions! 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

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2018