Guyana Chronicle E-paper 03-30-2019

SATURDAY 30th March, 2019

‘Help create a better Guyana’ No.105592

… President Granger charges 03 youths PAGE

President David Granger and youth leaders at the opening of the inaugural Regional Youth Caucus held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (Delano Williams photo)

Economy Cruise brings 77 09 grew 4.1% tourists to Guyana last year 12 PAGE

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Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan

… Min Jordan says no indication of political disruption

CCJ sets May 10 for hearing of confidence motion 02 PAGE

… GECOM ordered to be a party in the case

President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders

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CCJ sets May 10 for hearing of confidence motion

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

… matters to be heard in consolidation

THE Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has set May 10, 2019 as the day for hearings of all the matters relevant to the appeal in the no-confidence motion and it has ordered the Guyana Elections Commission to be a party to the case. Significantly also, the date for the hearing is after April 30th when the official Voters’ List expires, which will necessitate GECOM conducting house-to-house registration, which that body said it needs nine months to undertake. On Friday, President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders, during a case management hearing for the case in Trinidad and Tobago, set the timelines for the matters to be heard, as he pointed out the urgency of the case. The CCJ is hearing an appeal to the Court of Appeal’s decision of Friday last, when that court ruled that last December’s no-confidence motion, which was filed in the National Assembly by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, was not validly passed, since it required an absolute majority of 34 votes. The CCJ is hearing three matters relevant to the no-confidence motion. Attorneys-at-law Kamal Ramkarran and Devindra Kissoon have filed an application seeking special leave to appeal the majority decision of the Court of Appeal to invalidate last December’s no-confidence vote against APNU+AFC government.

… GECOM ordered to be a party in the case

President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders The regional court will also hear arguments in an application filed by Attorney Anil Nandlall on behalf of the opposition leader, challenging last Friday’s ruling by the Court of Appeal. Former Member of Parliament, Charrandass Persaud, filed an application though Attorney Sanjeev Datadin, in which he is also challenging the Court of Appeal’s ruling; that 34 votes were required to pass a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams is representing the government along with a battery of lawyers. They include Solicitor General, Nigel Hawke; Senior Counsel, Eamon Courtenay and Senior Counsel, Neil Boston. On Friday, Justice

Saunders asked the parties present if there was any objection to the matters being heard in consolidation. Senior Counsel Courtenay said that no one has seen the judgments of the courts here in Guyana. He said the legal team has received the transcripts of the rulings but he noted that the inclination is that there is likely to be cross appeals from the attorney general. Ramkarran, who is representing Ram, said that he has no objections to the matters being heard in consolidation, however he raised concerns of what the arrangement will have on his application. Justice Saunders said that the CCJ is duty-bound to uphold the rule of law and constitution of Guyana. He said the CCJ is not there to give “all the time that you need,” but to give reasonable time and make submissions, as he pointed to the urgency which characterises the case. He said the CCJ orders that the matters be heard in consolidation, that they be heard with urgency and that special leave will be granted in each of the cases before the court. On Friday, at the CCJ hearing, Justice Saunders also said that GECOM is a “necessary party in the matters” and as such the court ordered that the commission be joined as a defendant. “If no application had been made to join them by any of the parties, the court

of its own motion is ordering that the Guyana Elections Commission be joined as a defendant,” Justice Saunders ordered. Justice Saunders ordered that notice to this effect be served on the electoral body on or before April 5, 2019. As he set out the timelines, Justice Saunders said that notices of appeal must be filed by all parties by April 1, 2019. Written submissions are to be filed and exchanged by April 17, 2019 and all parties are to file replies by April 23, 2019. A pre-trial session will take place on April 24, 2019. Justice Saunders noted too that on that date, the court will address issues relevant to the order and length of oral submissions. “But I must warn, we have tried to discourage duplication and parties should cooperate with each other,” he said on this issue. Justice Saunders also urged all counsel in the matter to appear in person at the CCJ. “It would be appropriate that all counsel appear in persons,” he said noting, “it is a matter of extreme importance and the court cannot afford hitches with communications.” Last Friday, the Court of Appeal ruled that the no-confidence motion, which was filed in the name of opposition leader last December, was not validly passed in the National Assembly,

thereby overturning the High Court’s decision of Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, which was made late in January this year. Before a packed courtroom, Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justice of Appeal, Dawn Gregory, ruled that the opposition needed 34 votes to defeat the government and not 33. Then on Tuesday, in a press release, Nandlall indicated that a Notice of Application for Special Leave to the CCJ has been filed in the name of the opposition leader on March 26, 2019. On Tuesday, the Attorney General told the Guyana Chronicle that the Government is ready to defend the decision of the Appellate Court. He added that it might even be necessary for the Government to cross appeal which would see them requesting a review of a lower court’s decision. “We will be there to contest the appeal that will be filed. We will vigorously represent our case,” he said earlier on Tuesday. Regarding the possibility of cross-appealing, the minister added: “I had raised several issues on whether the three-months was mandatory or directory; the whole question of severing the Cabinet from government and a contention that the President and government could remain in office after the expiration of the three months if

Attorney General Basil Williams no elections was held. We also would challenge [the contention] that it was the government to hold elections instead of GECOM. There are several issues that we could [cross appeal] if it comes to that.” The attorney general and a battery of lawyers, in a series of arguments, submitted that the threemonth provision in the Constitution, which provides for early elections, is not mandatory but rather directory. They argued that the Article 106(7) of the Constitution can only be interpreted as directory since the government has no control over elections. Under the current construct of the Constitution, only Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) can hold and supervise the conduct of elections independently.

Businessman among two remanded for stealing gun, ammo

BRENTON “Banko” Charles, a 31-year-old businessman and Quacy Sealey appeared Friday before Principal Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates Court, charged with theft. Both Charles and Sealey pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on March 24, 2019, in the vicinity of

Brickdam, Georgetown, they stole a .32 pistol and 14 rounds of ammunition, the property of Michael Jardine. These items amounted to $270, 380. According to Prosecutor Sanj Singh, on the day in question, Jardine secured his car and left to run an errand. Upon his return, he noticed that the items were missing; a report was

made at the Brickdam Police Station and the defendants were subsequently apprehended. The prosecutor objected to bail due to the nature of the offence and the fact that the items were not recovered. He also told the court that there is a possibility that they would not return to court.

Both defendants have other matters pending: Charles was on January 22, 2019, charged with attempted murder at the Kumaka Market, while Semple was previously charged with unlawful wounding. They were remanded to prison until their next appearance on April 12, 2019.

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‘Help create a better Guyana’

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

… President Granger charges youths By Lisa Hamilton

PRESIDENT David Granger on Friday challenged youths across Guyana to be stewards of their country, leaders in their communities and to make use of the tools provided to create a better Guyana for future generations. He was addressing the opening of the inaugural Regional Youth Caucus where some 300 youths from Guyana’s 10 Administrative regions gathered at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC). The event was hosted by One Youth. One Youth is an amalgamation of civil society, political, private sector, non-government organisations and cultural groups actively collaborating to promote transformation and national development. The event took the theme: ‘Connect; Reflect; Project Advancing Youth Participation in National Development’.

leaders, education remains key. Over just three years in government, through the President’s Five Bs initiative, over 1,200 bicycles have been freely distributed to children; nine boats and 29 busses are now freely transporting children to school. As youths develop, the President said they must be given the opportunity to participate in the leadership and governance of their communities which is why his administration has placed priority on the restoration of Local Government Elections (LGC) which had been dormant for decades. Meanwhile, with the establishment of Bartica, Mabaruma, Lethem and Mahdia as new towns, along with new radio stations in Aishalton, Lethem, Mahdia, Mabaruma, Bartica and Orealla, President Granger said that youths are now in a better position to share their views and have their voices heard. He described to the youths,

employment and, most of all, equality. This is the foundation that will support and sustain your leadership,” he said. During his presentation the President Granger creatively described, in detail, Guyana’s advantages of size, diversity and resources which he charged the youthful generation to preserve and protect from external threats. “We look to you, therefore, to become stewards of this important environmental asset. We look to you to help to organise our communities to continue the efforts to protect our wildlife,” he encouraged. “You too must be prepared to defend your birthright of national patronage against external threats.” Commending the Youth Caucus initiative as one which ought to be repeated, the President urged the youths to form their own youth groups; absorb their education and pursue opportunities of leadership. “Rest assured that the government will continue to work with

interventions for youth business establishment.

SUPPORT FOR YOUTHS Other priorities noted were the resuscitation and establishment of regional youth councils; the expansion of entrepreneurship training programmes; training in ‘green’-technology and more. Carmichael therefore committed that the Department of Youth will continue its efforts towards engaging youths through meaningful programmes with the aim of improving their contribution to their communities and country as a whole. “I would like to encourage you to continue to press on; to continue to advocate for youth change… for things that you are so passionate about. You, young people, are a force for development and we will continue to provide you with the knowledge and opportunities you need to thrive,” she said. Following the opening ceremony, the attendees broke out into seven discussion groups

President Granger speaks to the gathering of some 300 youths at the opening ceremony of the inaugural Regional Youth Caucus at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) on Friday (Delano Williams photo)

Visiting youths check out the various booths on display (Delano Williams photo) In addressing the gathering just one day after relaunching the National Youth Corps located at Kuru Kuru on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, the President spoke to his passion for young people and vision to see them being well-equipped to take up the mantle of leadership. “Your government is interested in ensuring that young people become the lifeline of this country’s economic, political and social transformation. The State must support young people, [equipping] them to assume greater responsibility and prepare them to bear the burden of leadership,” the Guyanese leader said. He told the attentive audience that his administration remains guided by the four pillars of youth development which are education; employment; empowerment and equality. He said before youths can develop into future

his administration’s vision to see aerodromes, highways, stadiums, hospitals and state-ofthe art bridges in every region which would not only result in more efficient community access, but equity in development for each region. BE ENTREPRENEURS He encouraged the youths to pursue entrepreneurial means of employment while he pinpointed that it is the State’s responsibility to ensure that youths are given the necessary tools to fulfil their dreams. “You must be trained and empowered to assume the role of leaders. It would be reckless for older folks to expect young people to lead simply by trial and error. You can learn to lead only when the State strengthens the foundation and that foundation is based on education, empowerment,

you to develop your talents, to enable you to provide the leadership that Guyana needs. We would like to create a cadre of youth leaders in every region; young people committed to developing their regions including providing jobs,” President Granger said. “The future of this country is in your hands. We’ll continue to lend a helping hand, but it is your hands that must seize the opportunity which is being provided.” At the opening ceremony, remarks came too from Ministry of Education Youth Director, Melissa Carmichael, who pinpointed the projects, programmes and financial support awarded to youths over the past few years. She noted that for 2019, over $809M has been awarded to the Department of Youth for which the prime focus will be on the implementation of wellplanned programmes and

which engaged in various thematic areas of discussion. They included re-envisioning education for the next generation; defending Guyana’s territorial integrity; governance and development; crime and violence; the oil and gas economy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); youth entrepreneurship, and sports and culture. “It is the hope that we will have some pointed discussions and some suggestions for implementation for crafting the way forward for the country,” National Chairman of the Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM), Ryan Belgrave explained on the sidelines. The well-attended event also showcased several booths from agencies in the fields of art; science; medicine; manufacturing and agriculture which attracted youths interested in the areas.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

Angry over Brexit delay, ‘Leave’ supporters march through London LONDON (Reuters) Thousands of people opposed to Britain delaying its departure from the European Union marched through central London on Friday as lawmakers in parliament strongly rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal for a third time. On the day that Britain was originally meant to be leaving the EU, large groups

gathered in bright sunshine outside parliament waving Union Jack flags and chanting, “Out means out” - as the Queen song Bohemian Rhapsody was played on a loudspeaker with its famous lyric “Mama Mia, let me go”. As the result of the vote in parliament filtered through to the crowds on Parliament Square, scattered cheers went up.

The mood of protesters ranged from satisfaction to despair. “Excellent. We’re now on track for a ‘no deal,’” said saleswoman Louise Hemple, 52, standing in the shadow of Winston Churchill’s statue outside parliament. “And that will mean we’ll have complete control which is what we Brexiteers voted for.” Hemple said she would

continue to protest until Britain had left the EU because she didn’t trust lawmakers to do it. “They’re in their bubble in there. It’s all about their vote, not our vote,” she said, referring to the 17.4 million people who voted Leave in Britain’s 2016 referendum. Nigel Farage - the politician widely thought to have done more than anyone else to spook Britain’s then government into agreeing to hold the referendum - will address the crowd later. Farage, former leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, is due to speak at a “Brexit Betrayal” event as part of the culmination of a 270-mile (435 km), two-week march from Sunderland, northeast England, to London. “What should have been a celebration is in fact a day of betrayal,” Farage told Reuters. “There

will be a lot of anger. I certainly have never known a time in my life when people have said such rude things about the political class, about the government.”

BREXIT BETRAYED? Earlier, about 1,000 Leave supporters had gathered at Bishop’s Park on the bank of the River Thames to march the four miles to parliament. Advertisement Among them was David Malindine, 63, a retired teacher. “We need to remind the country that the majority of people voted ‘Leave,’” said Malindine. “This was the day we were supposed to leave, and Brexit has been betrayed.” Far-right Leave activists were due to speak at a separate meeting being cast as “a make Brexit happen” rally

in Whitehall near May’s office in Downing Street. Police said they were prepared for potential trouble, although the atmosphere was festive with people drinking beer and eating sandwiches. Many of the marchers predicted the political elite will be punished if it fails to fully sever ties with Brussels. Andy Allan, 58, who was carrying a red and white St George’s flag, predicted that there could be unrest modelled on the “yellow vest” protests that have rocked Paris for the last few months if Britain fails to leave the EU. “It is absolutely disgusting what is happening,” he said. “Be warned - this is just the beginning of a mass uprising if we get betrayed by the politicians.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

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Hundreds flock Prospect Open House …housing units for as low as $4M on offer

Some of the low-income houses on display (Carl Croker photo)

THE Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has teamed up with some private developers including the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Prison Service to build 50 homes for low-income applicants at Prospect New Housing Scheme on the East Bank of Demerara. The CH&PA disclosed that more than 50 per cent of Guyanese are applying for house lots within the low-income bracket and the housing officials are responding to this demand. An open-house exercise was held on Friday, during which applicants were afforded the opportunity to view some of the buildings in the low, moderate and middle-income brackets. CH&PA, Chief Executive Officer, Lelon Saul said the prices range from $4M to $6M and $9M.He added that to better address the housing needs for citizens, CH&PA is compelled to move beyond single units and duplexes. Saul revealed that condominiums will be added to new housing developments. “In relation to this project, infrastructure development commenced in November 2018 and several contractors were awarded contracts for land preparation and infrastructure development, totalling, $100M. These contractors are Khemraj Nauth Contracting Services and Puran Brothers Disposal Incorporated, for infrastructure development,” Saul said.

A section of the large gathering at the Open House event

Saul also highlighted that the agency hired contractors to construct twenty houses at the cost of $20M. Thirty other housing units were built by the other collaborative partners. Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Yearwood, stated that there is a low occupancy rate in several newly developed housing schemes. Therefore, ‘We are going into communities where there are house lots that are unoccupied. If there are not allotted to anyone, persons can write into the CH&PA requesting to be allotted those lands. We want to ensure that everyone becomes a homeowner,” Minister Adams-Yearwood said The houses, measuring 400 square feet each, feature two standard size bedrooms, bath and washroom area, kitchen and living room space and a small patio which stands on a plot of land measuring 40 feet x 80 feet. The minister stated that one lucky person will be awarded a furnished one-bedroom wooden house at the end of the event. “This house that we will be giving away will be furnished by the staff of the Central Housing and Planning Authority along with a food hamper for the lucky person or family. I am not going to tell you what else we have in store for you, the rest is a surprise,” Minister Valarie Adams-Yearwood said. Adams-Yearwood said that low-income applicants will receive vouchers in order to participate. She disclosed that the draw for the single-bedroom house will be held on Monday at CH&PA Brickdam, Georgetown. “At the conclusion of this event, the agency will be constructing additional units in the Prospect community and other communities shortly,” the minister said. The exhibition which commenced on Friday will continue Saturday and Sunday from 10.00hrs to 18.00hrs at Prospect New Housing Scheme, EBD. (DPI)

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Yearwood

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

The housing drive

ON Friday, the Ministry of Communities opened a three-day exposition of its houses at the Prospect Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara. The exhibition, as was reported earlier, is aimed at showcasing more than fifty houses at the site for low-income, moderate and middle-income earners. The exhibition’s theme is, ‘Embracing the prospect of affordable living: Opening doors while opening minds’. The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has said that the project, which commenced last October, will provide various opportunities for people who are within the low-income bracket. The CH&PA would have constructed 20 low-income units, and, together with some private developers, they would have constructed 30 units. The low-income unit’s value is $4M; the moderate’s $6M and the middle-income’s $9M. The CH&PA will also be giving persons who would have qualified for a $4M mortgage the opportunity to get their plans and estimates at a cost of $3000 on-site at the exhibition exercise. Coming on the heels of the Public Day programme at the Square of the Revolution, where the majority of the persons who visited

were there in search of land, the exhibition could not have come at a better time. We encourage persons who are seeking their own homes to capitalise on this exposition. To own a home is the dream of most, if not all, and determinedly pursued. A home not only represents a place to rest one's head and share with loved ones, and pride of achievement, but it also has material value, and brings with it ownership of country. Very often society measures, among personal accomplishments, this asset. It cannot be ignored that in the past, ownership eluded many, not because of the absence of land, but also prohibitive cost and absence of a national concerted programme to facilitate acquisition. Efforts by the Coalition Government to correct all these major deficiencies and ensure potential home owners are not only overcharged but get their money’s worth cannot be ignored. Guyanese have departed these shores to find work in order to build their dream home here, or the desire for ownership has served as a major factor to migrate. Squatting areas have also emerged from said desire. To the extent that Government has decided it will play a leading role in helping citizens pursue this dream,

in an evident elevated standard, would play a significant role in not only cementing ownership of country but also the desire to remain or re-migrate. Where citizens believe this prized accomplishment is attainable for them, they are inclined to work to achieve it. The displayed models of some of the houses at Prospect are not only attractive, but are also catering to diverse economic backgrounds, thereby making the housing drive inclusive. When this worthwhile project comes to fruition, it will bode well for creating even development in an aesthetically pleasing environment. Creating communities where standards are set, e.g. aesthetics, functionality, safety, infrastructure and historic preservation- such give rise to residents being actively involved, which brings with it high expectations. People are inclined to value the community, take pride in its sanitation, environment, policing themselves and others in ensuring upkeep and maintenance. This type of neighbour helps to maintain property value as well as re-sale value. Time has also changed, in that people are more aware of environmental and health issues and their

consequences. For instance, sewerage management may necessitate upgrading the solid waste system in keeping with modernity and population growth. These factors would require institutional strengthening not only at the CH&PA, but also new regulations being implemented and enforced. For example, where a home is air conditioned, if the unit’s Freon is leaking, how could it be rectified. Where there is inspection in wiring a house, such inspection should also apply to other construction from a safety, sanitary, environmental and regulatory standpoint, which will ensure proper maintenance. These are support systems the government will have to facilitate, and citizens will be required to help with through maintenance to ensure protection of their valued asset. Supporting the appearance of these new developments would require a proper system behind them. For instance, the construction of some of the buildings appears more temperate-friendly than tropical. With it follows the question whether choice will exist such as refashioning to our climate and in keeping with the 'green state' focus, or owners will have to be prepared to pay higher electricity charges to

make their atmospheric condition conducive. Government, in its effort to facilitate home ownership, may also find it worthwhile to examine the expanding range/possibilities of involvement in light of precedence. History advises that the national housing drive was aided through private development under the Bharrat Jagdeo administration; involvement of the State, trade union, cooperatives, and Disciplined Services under the Forbes Burnham administration, coupled with government oversight, and the State during the premiership of Cheddi Jagan. To the average home aspirants, the displayed duplexes, single-family units and apartments, whether being physically present to see and touch, signed up to own, or followed through media, mainstream and/or social- whoever can help with acquisition helps their cause. Society could significantly benefit from a sustained and structured housing drive. Where government maintains hands-on approach in setting the standards, as it also oversees implementation with other stakeholders, it can make this formidable task doable.

REO clears air on incident involving DDO at Karasabai

Dear Editor,

I VIEW with profound concern an issue that is presently making its rounds on Social Media and casting damaging aspersions on the recently-appointed District Development Officer (DDO) of the Karasabai Sub-District, Mr. Marlon Edwards. That this issue has taken on a political slant is of no surprise to me, but is outside of my mandate as Regional Executive Officer. I will, therefore, confine my response to the administrative aspect of it, even though an attempt was made to drag me

in politically. I was in Georgetown on Tuesday, 2019-03-26, when I was forwarded a Whatsapp message of a post under the name of Nigel Dharamlall, accusing the DDO of the offence. Having no knowledge of the issue, I called asking the Assistant REO, Ms. Althea Fitzpatrick, to travel to Karasabai the next day, Wednesday, March 27, 2019, to investigate and report. I received a report on Wednesday March 27, 2019, which points to the fact that the money was indeed withheld from the Community Health Worker (CHW) and placed

in the safe at the RDC Office in Karasabai. The DDO’s intention was to assist another employee who, too, did not receive her salaries for a protracted period. While the practice is not correct, he did seek concurrence with the CHW, who agreed initially, but backtracked when she related what transpired to residents in the village. At no time did he assert that the REO instructed him to do what he did. It is rather unfortunate that the matter is being treated as a political issue to score cheap political points. This matter is an administrative

issue, and should have been brought to the attention of the Regional Administration first. I have since met with the DDO and advised him on what is acceptable and what is not. I was assured, and am convinced that the DDO genuinely wanted to help a worker who is in dire need, and the Officer has vowed to never let this occur again. I am, therefore, calling on all to be more responsible when making posts on Social Media. Seek to ascertain the facts before commenting. It is the practice in this Region to malign those who do not find favour in certain circles, while those connected to the

circles are allowed to roam free. One such incident occurred in 2013. When I assumed office as REO in July 2015, three teachers from Rewa approached me with the complaint that the then DDO of Annai, now Regional Vice-Chairman, spent out their Remote Area Incentive in 2013, and that repeated attempts by them to have the matter resolved were being stymied by the then REO, Ms. Claire Singh. I investigated the matter, and the DDO, who was then tipped to be Vice-Chairman, was called in and he admitted that he did not pay the

teachers. Since the DDO was tipped for political office, I sought the advice of my minister. The advice I got at that time was to allow him to repay the money, which was done. No one made mention of that on Social Media. As far as the Regional Administration is concerned in the present case, it was a matter of over-exuberance on the part of the DDO. We are quite confident that with time, the DDO will mature into a fine officer. Regards Carl Parker Regional Executive Officer

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

What will the PPP do if the CCJ upholds the ruling of the Appeal Court? Dear Editor, ON Friday, March 22, 2019, the Guyana Court of Appeal handed down a historic decision, which invalidated the no-confidence motion that was passed against the Guyana government in parliament on December 21, 2018. This motion triggered an unprecedented political and legal situation that threw the nation into “uncharted waters”. The Court of Appeal decision effectively lulled the feverish and at times reckless propagandising by the opposition PPPC, their supporters and allies that the government is illegal. The campaign, which was intended to demonise the APNU+AFC coalition government was designed and led by the power-hungry leader of the opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, who demanded that the David Granger-led government immediately demit office and hold general and regional elections. As an APNU+AFC supporter, when the no-confidence motion was passed I was disappointed, more so, because a member from our side had jumped ship, thereby facilitating an undeserved result. However, I accepted the developments, and also the inherent logic of early elections. My position on early elections changed after reading Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes’ contention that in the context of Guyana’s Constitution, it requires an absolute majority of 34 votes of the 65 members of parliament and not 33, as ruled by the Speaker, the Hon, Dr Barton Scotland. It will be recalled that at the time of Dr Scotland’s ruling, there was no challenge to it in the House by any member on the government side. Prior to Mr Hughes’ intervention, no other legal opinion was expressed which pointed to an alternative to the Speaker’s ruling. I, for one, knew of no legal plan by the government to challenge the validity of the motion on the grounds of inadequate votes. However, given Nigel Hughes’ revelation, I became optimistic, and that optimism influenced my politics on the issue and my support of the government’s right to seek a judicial review of the decision. Frankly, if the revelation that 34 and not 33 votes were required to pass the confidence motion had originated from any other source, – be it lawyer or non-lawyer – I doubt that my eventual support of the argument would have been what it was. This point is very important, since,

in supporting Hughes’ position, my political credibility was brought into question by my detractors, particularly, when the hype generated by those who sought to discredit the validity of Mr Hughes’ arguments were taken into consideration. I knew that it was incumbent on me as a citizen and as a political activist in this country to take a stand on this important national issue. Doing so became less problematic for me, since I was confident that Mr Hughes offered a legal opinion which is rooted in the law and precedence. I was convinced that, unlike some who sought to discredit his opinion, he was not playing politics. I formed the view that Nigel Hughes was fully aware and confident in offering his opinion on this very important matter, notwithstanding the views of the naysayers and the prophets of doom who would spare no effort to hold him up to public ridicule. The majority opinion expressed at the Guyana Court of Appeal supporting Hughes’ arguments has enhanced his professional reputation. I am grateful for his bold and timely advocacy on this most important national issue. I was not surprised, given our history of ethnic and political polarization, that the debate on the no-confidence motion would have inevitably been slanted in the direction of political propagandising rather than a principled objective debate. However, I am still disappointed that what should have been a healthy national debate on an important political and legal challenge which, for the first time Guyanese had to confront, turned out to be a propaganda war. Future generations of Guyanese, in reviewing the public polemics on this matter, will not be inspired with what eventuated. Instead, it will be very difficult for them not to be ashamed of our inability to debate such an important national issue in a balanced and responsible manner. What we experienced was a polarised debate which shouted out for objective reasoning, but was influenced to a large degree in support of a political and criminal conspiracy and galvanised by the hysteria of a media gullible to sensationalism and driven by an agenda for regime change. I wish here to give recognition to Brother Kidackie Amsterdam for his insightful observation on the political situation since the passing of the no-confidence motion, which he made on Walter Rodney Groundings.

In his comments, Amsterdam posited the view that what has emerged in that critical period of the “no-confidence vote” debate, was a grand alliance against the APNU+AFC government by the “rich and corrupt” in society. This formulation captured an important element in the present political situation. What also became clear is that most of the privately-owned media - print and electronic – owners and operators of big businesses and other very important persons were complicit in promoting the political/criminal conspiracy, which was organised by the opposition PPPC. The objective was then, and remains, the restoration of the criminal State that was established during the PPP’s 23 years domination of the country whose existence they benefitted financially from. Another worrying concern as a result of the unabated vicious attacks in the media on the government that was deemed undemocratic, dictatorial and illegal, was the undisguised absence of care and total disregard for (1) the right to access the corridors and process of litigation by the government in search of a resolution to the problem; and (2) the welfare and wellbeing of citizens who would have been, and will be, most affected by any internal unrest resulting from the efforts of those in the forefront of promoting instability in the country. These, to my mind, raise questions about those persons/organisations sense of democracy and their apparent absence of adherence to the rule of law. A careful analysis of the post-no-confidence motion struggle would demonstrate that there was a significant realignment of social and political forces in society. It is now pertinent for the leadership of the APNU+AFC coalition to understand the nature of this development and its political imperatives. An obvious question is whether the new alignments have shifted the balance of forces in the society to the advantage of the government or the opposition in a way that is irreversible. How each side answers this question will determine who will prevail come elections. Social and political commentators have pointed to the effect the pending oil-and-gas revenues will have on the political struggle, making the elections a zero-sum contest. The situation in Guyana since the passage of the no-confidence motion has deteriorated at all levels. When this is seen in the context of first-oil and gas, with its immense

possibilities for the transformation of the country and its people in a way never before experienced in the history of the nation, the situation can be equated to someone adding fuel to fire. This reality objectively makes the upcoming national and regional elections an unprecedented “high stakes” contest for political power. Simply put: The results will determine who would control the enormous oil-and-gas revenues. Not surprisingly, the no-confidence motion was engineered with the sole intention to give the PPPC and their criminal allies a decisive advantage in the elections, if held in the 90-day period immediately after the motion was passed. The passage of the no-confidence motion made the APNU+AFC government a victim of a well-thought-

out-and-executed political ambush. The coalition must be given credit for surviving the attack. It recognised the logic of real politics, and resorted to Hughes’ advice to challenge the validity of the results of the vote. The PPP, Jagdeo and his allies’ concerted attempts to force it into elections without first exhausting the process of legal review failed miserably. Given the fact that Guyana had not previously dealt with a confidence motion and its consequences, it was incumbent upon the government to explore every possibility to ensure that the vote was valaid. Nigel Hughes’ formula provided the foundation from which a successful challenge was launched. The PPPC’s lip service to the rule of law was exposed in its response to the Appeal

Court’s decision that invalidated the Chief Justice’s High Court ruling. When the courts earlier had ruled in its favour, Jagdeo hailed it as a bastion of the rule of law. When the motion was reversed by the Appeal Court, Jagdeo the PPPC changed its tune, accusing the court of questionable maths. They conveniently ignored the fact that the ruling was based on legal precedence, and not simply on an application of mathematics. In closing, one can only wonder what will be the PPPC’s position if the highest court of the land, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), upholds the ruling of the Appeal Court. Regards Tacuma Ogunseye

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

GTI hosts 2019 ‘Taste of the Trades Day’

THE Government Technical Institute (GTI) on Thursday hosted an open day dubbed “Taste of the Trades Day 2019” under the theme, “Refuelling the future.” The event was attended by scores of students and was held at the institution’s Woolford Avenue, Georgetown centre. Students were able to be part of career talks, view exhibits of fellow students and leading businesses/ organisations in Guyana. Commercial and Lubricants Manager of SOL Guyana Inc., Ayanna Watson, said SOl specialises in powering the future and it is for this reason the company was happy to share its expertise and knowledge with students. “We owe it to the next generation, to provide them with access to the education, equipment and facilities that can propel them to greater achievement. By our investment in their education therefore, we are literally fuelling the future,” Mrs. Watson said. She said that the company’s success depends on

people working across a varied career spectrum, much of which will be of interest to students at GTI. The Commercial and Lubricants Manager said programmes such as building and civil engineering, principles of commerce and administration, computer science, and electrical or mechanical engineering, can all prepare students for a rewarding and fulfilling future career with SOl. “Those pursuing the fields of electrical, mechanical, building and civil engineering will find exciting career opportunities available here with us, especially as it relates to situations where engineering meets construction,” she said. She challenged the students to focus not just on proficiency in their academics and training, but to also develop other life skills that will contribute to their future success. “I speak here of cultivating a positive attitude, respectful demeanour and deportment. Always strive, thrive [sic] to be courteous, diligent, dedicated

and dependable, and know that with these additional skills further equip you on your way to success,” Mrs. Watson noted.

of Things) and a host of other new devices are being driven by computers powered by AI software.

General Manager of STARR Computer Rehman Majeed with students in discussion about the 3D printer.

Meanwhile, General Manager of STARR Computer, Rehman Majeed, said with the evolution of technology smart devices such as robots, 3D Printing, Drones, IoT (Internet

At the STARR booth, where there is a small 3D printer, Mr. Majeed explained to the students that 3D printing is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects

from a digital file. He told students that creation of a 3D printed object is achieved by using additive processes. In an additive process, an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. He said that 3D printing can produce complex (functional) shapes, using less material than traditional manufacturing methods. The general manager noted that the process all starts with the creation of a 3D model in the computer. He explained that this digital design is for instance a CAD (Computer Aided Design) file. A 3D model is either created from the ground up with 3D modelling software, or based on data generated with a 3D scanner. With a 3D scanner you’re able to create a digital copy of an object. He noted that 3D printing can be divided into metal, fabrics, bio and a whole host of other industries. For this reason, it’s important to see it as a cluster of diverse indus-

tries with a myriad of different applications. Further, the Guyana Police Force booth was also flocked by enthusiastic students, who were told that transforming their minds is a key ingredient for development. Hence, personal transformation is a prerequisite for development of self, positive changes within families, communities, institutions, and the nation. The force’s booth received scores of visits from students, who were given first- hand demonstration of how the various equipment and safety gear are used. Some of the main attractions within the Police booth were Narcotics, Crime Scene, Traffic and Immigration. The Police Public Relations Department and the Felix Austin Police College were also in attendance.

Spare a thought for the people of Mozambique Dear Editor,

I AM appalled and disappointed that I see nothing in the media to offer even a word of sympathy to the people of Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. A cyclone, which started last week, has taken

nearly a thousand lives and left a million persons displaced. We are a country that is making a fuss over a few Venezuelans. Is it that our civil society, political or religious leaders don’t regard the people of Southern Africa

as God’s children? If Forbes Burnham was alive, he would have led a Caribbean response to this week-old human tragedy. Regards Hamilton Green

Disappointed with the statements of new GCCI president Dear Editor, AS A businessman whose company is a member of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, I would like to point out a few things that bother me: 1.Why are there so many letters from every wannabe political pundit on the majority issue? The courts have ruled, and no number of letters will change that. Let us get on with our work while we await the CCJ ruling. 2. I am so disappointed at the recent statements made by the incoming Chamber leadership. No businessman worth his salt would make investment decisions based on ‘political stability’. He

would look at the opportunity and do his feasibility study. One gets the impression that among the Chamber leadership are individuals whose businesses did extremely well under friends in previous Governments and who are bitter now that things are being done differently. They secured prime properties in the Ruimveldt Industrial Estate, at Farm on the East Bank, both of which were working factories and have now been converted into warehouses, along with prime housing lands just outside Central Georgetown. These were all acquired for a song, yet they are not contented and are upset that they cannot get more from this

Government. 3. The leadership of the Private sector bodies have some of the best brains in Guyana, but with leadership must come responsibility. They need to change from their rapacious way of thinking to a developmental one, and engage the Government in constructive dialogue on visionary matters, for example, an infrastructure development plan for the entire country. Sadly, I foresee that this is a pipe dream, and I am considering resigning from the Chamber. Sincerely, Disappointed businessman

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

77 tourists on cruise ship come for a taste of Guyana

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–– Tourism DG says task force in place to attract more cruise ships, tourists

SOME 77 tourists, from Europe and the USA, alongside a crew of about 55 persons, have stopped in Guyana for three days to enjoy the hospitality and ecotourism the country has to offer. At about 07:00 hours, on Friday, the MS Serenissima docked in Georgetown, at the Guyana National Shipping Corporation’s (GNSC) port in La Penitence. Soon enough, the tourists were greeted with the sounds of local music being played on Ras Camo’s steel pans and an array of local craft and cuisine- set up right on the wharf. The tourists travelled to Antigua, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago, before arriving

Tourist Winifred Keeves forward to “nice people, wonderful weather and interesting scenery”. The group of tourists in Guyana is divided into three sub-groups; these sub-groups have different itineraries. While each sub-group will be visiting the Kaieteur Falls, Georgetown, the Baganara

place made for tourism, if only people would come,” she stressed. As a first-time visitor of Guyana, a retired Chemistry teacher, Richard Chambers shared that he and many of his fellow tourists felt the warm hospitality emanating from the country- indicated by the ‘welcoming posse’ on the wharf. “In the U.K. we do not think, yet, of Guyana as a tourist destination [for cruises],” he said however, while explaining: “Geographically it’s a bit detached from the Caribbean.” TASK FORCE Transforming Guyana into a tourist destination

Tourists from the MS Serenissima looking at information about Guyana in Guyana, their penultimate stop. It is worthy to note that Guyana is the only country, so far, where the tourists have spent more than one day. One tourist, Stephen Lockwood, who hailed from the United Kingdom (UK), indicated that Guyana was not usually a destination for cruise ships and coming to Guyana was part of the appeal for him. The warm welcome the group received on Friday morning, coupled with the sunny weather gracing the morning, perhaps, gave the man an indication of what his trip in the Land of Many Waters would be like. And with this being his first trip to Guyana, Lockwood shared that he is simply looking

Island resort and enjoy the popular Essequibo River tour during the course of the three days, each of these will be engaging these activities at a different time. Lecturer Winifred Keeves was one who was wholly looking forward to what Guyana has to offer. “I’ve been to South America many times…I love South America… I love the islands, but this was important for me because I love the continent,” she said. “I love wildlife, I love the rainforests so I should enjoy that, and enjoy the river trips.” She, like many of her fellow tourists, had never visited Guyana. Nevertheless, she stressed: “It (Guyana) is a

MS Serenissima docked in Georgetown [Vishani Ragobeer photos] for cruises is something the tuted specifically for cruise operators as part of efforts Ministry of Business and visits, according to him, with to attract a “steady flow” of other stakeholders have this visit being the first. En- similar tourists. begun to address, Director- compassed in this task force “What the department General of Tourism, Donald is a myriad of stakeholder of tourism will do is preSinclair said. agencies that are required for pare a manual of Standard Sinclair reminded the this type of tourism. Operational Procedures media, on Friday, that, in “We put together all (SOPs), so when other 2018, a cruise ship came to those agencies to make sure cruises are coming you just Guyana, but the tourists could that nothing could go wrong refer to that and you know not enjoy the country because and that the welcome could what all the steps are,” he of technical difficulties expe- be superb,” he explained, said. rienced. while adding that these Moreover, he indicated “We’re happy that this agencies would be those that, since Guyana has won time we were able to put that function to ensure that the international award for all arrangements in place to tourists are processed in a being the number one ecobring this one here,” he high- “speedy amount of time” and tourism destination in the lighted. “This is all because to ensure that health, revenue world, there will be more we put together something and safety requirements are curiosity about Guyana and called the crew-visit task in place. what Guyana has to offer. force, comprising all the relSinclair further disclosed As such, it is incumbent evant agencies.” that local operators were in upon the ministry to ensure This task force was insti- contact with foreign cruise that all systems are in place.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

President signs into law Sovereign Wealth Fund … Guyana on track to handle oil and gas profits - Minister Jordan

GUYANA will be one of the few countries to have a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) in place before “First Oil,” so says Finance Minister Winston Jordan. In an exclusive interview, the minister said that the Act governing the SWF was assented to on January 23, 2019 by President David Granger. The next process is to implement the Act and set up the committees mandated by the legislation. These include the Macro-Investment Committee and the Public Oversight Committee (POC);

the latter will examine proposals to manage the fund’s resources. Minister Jordan explained that the POC is slated to be the largest body with 22 members, representing a wide cross-section of society, “We will be writing letters to the various people, mentioned in the committee, indicating their role and function and inviting them sometime soon to have sensitisation sessions.” The minister anticipates some challenges as a selection will have to be determined of the “groups most representative of women, civil

society, trade unions and youths.” The letters will be dispatched before the end of April. There is a need for an expert, the minister indicated, to work with the Finance Ministry, “for at least a year or two” to help with identifying proposal requests which are in keeping with the core issues of managing a fund. Personnel will also be needed to do “due diligence” on proposals along with investment advisers. According to the minister, at least seven “well known” firms have indicated interest in getting on board with the government, to offer investment advice etc. With the preparations on track, Minister Jordan indicated that, “The mere fact that we have an Act, virtually a year ahead of oil is a significant achievement, which has been praised by a number of international institutions. We have literally put our money where our mouth is! Now is the time to implement and have everything ready, so that when the first dollar goes into the fund, we know what to do.” He added that there will be sensitisation programmes to “get around all the hoopla by the opposition, about the management of the fund.”

According to Jordan, “The Act is very strict about the withdrawal for funds, accountability and so on, are very, very tight and praised by a number of experts in the field.” He emphasised that it was a national effort and the proof of the pudding will always be in the eating, “if a 22 member oversight committee cannot oversight. With a disparate number of bodies that are represented, then I don’t know who would.” Minister Jordan said he was proud of the fact that the government was able to reach to current stage of preparations with the available financing. He further praised the Commonwealth Secretariat for its input and Finance Ministry staffers for their “constant dedication” towards the effort. The Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) is defined as pools of money derived from a country’s reserves, which are set aside for investment purposes that will benefit the country’s economy and citizens. The funding for a Sovereign Wealth Fund comes from Central Bank reserves that accumulate because of budget and trade surpluses, and even from revenue generated from the export of natural resources.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

MoTP calls for retraction of Inews, Guyana Times articles

THE Ministry of the Presidency has condemned and rejected, as deliberately false and misleading, articles relating to Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, published by INews Guyana and Guyana Times, which misquoted the minister’s response to a question posed to him about serving members of the Government who hold dual citizenship, during his Post Cabinet Press Briefing Friday morning. In the first and second paragraphs of the INews and Guyana Times articles published on Friday and titled, “Harmon says he will not give up his foreign citizenship” and “BREAKING: Harmon refuses to give up foreign citizenship” the news outfits stated that the State Minister said that he “will not give up his foreign citizenship but will continue to serve as a Member of Parliament (MP) until the ruling by Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).”

The articles further said that “Harmon, during a post cabinet press briefing, maintained that this move is not illegal, and that all government parliamentarians with dual citizenship will return to the National Assembly at the next sitting which is scheduled for April 11.” “The Ministry of the Presidency would like to make it pellucid that no such utterances were made by the Minister of State. The Ministry further maintains that the assertions carried in the articles have no basis in fact and are clearly designed to mislead the public and create mischief. As such, the Ministry is calling for an immediate retraction from the publishers of INews Guyana and Guyana Times.” MoTP said. In responding to a question posed to him by Prime News journalist, Ms. Nazima Raghubir, Minister Harmon said: “The question of dual citizenship, this is matter which is hot in the media

right now and therefore, I believe it is important that we clarify this matter. I must say to you that this matter has engaged the attention of the High Court of Guyana, it has engaged the attention of the Court of Appeal and it is also a matter which has been appealed to the Caribbean Court of Justice as one of the grounds for appeal. In that regard, the attorneys representing the State will advise the Government with respect to the situation with Members of the Government that are dual citizens so in that regard, I will say that this matter is still engaging the attention and Cabinet has not made a ruling on it. In that regard, it is contemplated that on April 11th, 2019 when the National Assembly sits, that all the members of the Government side will be there.” Further, in response to a question posed by journalist, Mr. Neil Marks of News Room, who asked, “Sir, could you explain the Government’s reasoning for

not wanting to uphold the Court’s decision on dual citizenship even though that is under appeal as is the passage of the No Confidence Motion? The Opposition Leader has accused you of being duplicitous…” Minister Harmon made it explicitly clear that while the matter is under appeal at the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Government will respect and honour the final decision of the Court. His verbatim response was, “Well you know the Opposition Leader has accused us of many things that he himself is guilty of, but I am not sure that those labels accurately describe us as an administration. I see nothing duplicitous about it. The fact of the matter is that the Court of Appeal has dealt with the matter and the matter is now under appeal at another level. In so far as we are concerned, the Court of Appeal has made a determination on all of the matters before it and so we will abide by what the Court of Appeal

CARICOM to train experts to tackle youth crime and violence AS part of the approach to fight crime and violence from a social perspective, several persons associated with youth development will benefit from training in five Member States of the Caribbean Community over the next month. The training is aimed at establishing a cadre of trainers to build capacity of youths at risk of, or are already in conflict with the law. The training, which will be held in the Member States of Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Suriname, includes life skills development, leadership and mentoring and parenting skills. It is an activity of the Crime and Violence Prevention and Social Development Project in the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM), under the wider CARIFORUM/European Union Crime and Secu-

rity Cooperation Programme being implemented under the 10th European Development Fund. The training initiative builds on outcomes of the ‘Gangs and Violence: Partnering for Prevention and Social Development Pilot Project’. The activity is intended to equip stakeholders with the knowledge and skills to facilitate gang leaders with life skills which will enable them to better re-integrate into society. This involves conduct of gang prevention training workshops, targeting rehabilitated gang leaders, parents, teachers, school administrators and faith-based organisations (FBOs). To this end, approximately 35 trainees will be drawn from identified schools and related communities, past student associations, the business sector and faith-based organisations and

youth institutions. According to Project Manager at the CARICOM Secretariat, Mr Louis Dodson, such programmes are intended to result in community-based initiatives aimed at creating behaviour

change and fostering proactive, healthy and productive lifestyles for at-risk youths and by extension, their communities. “Youth already in conflict with the law must be targeted when addressing the issues

has said. If at the level of the CCJ these matters are dealt with and they are definitively pronounced upon then certainly we will abide by what the Court says.” It is also urging the members of the media corps to be guided by the tenets and principles of sound journalism and to desist from publishing false information. The Ministry also urges the Guyana Press Association to recognise its role as the body responsible for maintaining professional standards among its membership and to condemn this level of careless reporting. The Ministry further notes that the Post Cabinet briefing was broadcast live via television, online and other communication platforms for the members of the public who can listen and form their own opinions. It is therefore urging all right-thinking Guyanese to view the presentation for themselves and not to be misled by halftruths and other falsehoods

designed to manipulate them and destabilise the society. While the Government of Guyana stands resolutely for the protection of freedom of speech and freedom of the press in Guyana, it condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the publishing of untruths, dangerous propaganda and misleading information that could create unrest in the society by fostering resentment among citizens towards the legal sitting Government.

related to reducing crime and violence to enhance their chances of navigating out of the paths they have begun to traverse”, he emphasised. The project manager noted also that the social crime prevention approach addresses the root causes

(for example poor education, lack of opportunity, drug abuse and alcoholism) of crime, driven by poor social conditions. The first training programme takes place in Saint Lucia, and will run from April 2-6, 2019.

Minister of State Mr Joseph Harmon

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

Economy grew 4.1% last year … Minister Jordan DESPITE the political fallout following the no confidence motion, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan said there has been no disruption to the economy which grew by 4.1% last year. Describing the nation’s economic performance as “solid”, Minister Jordan said the sectors responsible for the “better than expected performance” were sugar, livestock, forestry, gold,

diamonds and the wholesale and retail trades. The private sector has been saying that due to “uncertainties” economic activities have slowed. They however, have not produced actual data and method they used to arrive at the claims. Last year’s growth came on the heels of a less than 3% GDP growth rate in 2017 and bettered the 3.4% growth which was initially projected in November

of 2018. The latter was based on figures at hand and projections, explained the minister. He recalled some of the challenges of the previous year such as the reforms implemented to stop the “haemorrhaging” of the sugar sector. Those in the gold mining sector included ore quality, fluctuating international prices and poor quality access roads. Minister Jordan noted that forestry, for example

gained as the government had allocated funds to rehabilitate many hinterland access roads. This, he said, enabled the forestry sector to benefit. The sector also gained from the move to redistribute lands, formerly controlled by the BaiShanLin Company to smaller operators who seized the opportunity to utilise the tracts of forests. REBOUND OF SUGAR Moving forward, Minister Jordan stated that sectors such as sugar are expected to continue their stabilisation and rebound, along with bauxite. The latter, he said, should be on target despite recent labour disputes. The fact that the economy has expanded despite the “bleating of some naysayers”, the minister said, was a clear sign that the policies and measures being put in place are effective. He added that the economic performance, which has been praised by the Caribbean Development Bank for example, demonstrated that the Coalition Government was on the right track, even as it prepares for first oil in 2020. According to the minister, growth is also spurred by the increased in “oil related activities”. He cited reports which indicate that financial and insurance activities, for example, are showing growth. He added that many are aware of

the infrastructural building boom with many new buildings, such as apartments for example which are under construction. The fact that local beverage giants, Banks DIH and Demerara Distillers Limited are recording profits and expanding operations and even the profits reported by banks, are also telling signs, Minister Jordan stated. The finance minister said that even the naysayers, and some of those trying to cast a pall over the economy, “are quietly investing behind the scenes.” It is projected that the GDP’s growth rate will be 4.4% in 2019. The annual economic reports which have been produced since the government took office in 2015 will be done as is customary, the minister emphasised. In a recent report the CDB said Guyana is on the verge of a sharp increase in economic growth this year but immediate prospects partly depend on ending political uncertainty. In a country brief the CDB alluded to Jordan’s November last budget speech where he projected 4.6% GDP growth in 2019, with all major sectors contributing. However, the Bank said increased political uncertainty in early 2019 may dampen this momentum. The uncertainty to which the bank refers is the Opposition no confidence motion, which was passed in the National Assembly on

Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan December 21, 2018. The CDB also noted that preparation for oil production continues, noting that commercial production is due to commence in 2020. This, the bank said will increase economic growth and provide windfall revenues for the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. The Bank said the proposed Natural Resources Fund (NRF) is supposed to help manage the risks associated with this new development, including minimising negative impacts on other non-oil industries. Reforms to the ‘doing business’.. environment are also necessary to ensure that non-oil industries can become more competitive. Other risks include political uncertainty. Of the traditional main industries, sugar output fell by nearly 30%. However, the Bank noted that the government has commenced a restructuring programme of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) being financed by a 5-year external bond issue for $30 billion. This restructuring includes reducing the workforce and divesting assets, in order to reduce subsidies.

House to reconvene on April 11

THE National Assembly will reconvene its sitting on April, 11, 2019 and government will await the outcome of the appeals at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) before it acts on the court’s ruling that dual citizens should not be sitting in Parliament. This is according to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on Friday at a post-cabinet press briefing. “The attorneys representing the State will advise the government with respect to the situation with members of the government that are dual citizens, so in that regard I will say that this matter is still engaging the attention of the courts and cabinet has not made a ruling on it,” Harmon said. Further, he said that on April 11, when the National Assembly reconvenes, all of the members on the government side will be present. “The decisions will be made in the public’s interest,” Harmon said. When asked to comment, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo claimed that government was being duplicitous by recog-

nising only parts of the Court of Appeal’s ruling. Harmon said that is not the case, noting that the government will abide by the ruling of the CCJ. “Well you know the opposition leader has accused us of many things that he himself is guilty of, but I am not sure that those labels accurately describe us as an administration. I see nothing duplicitous about it. The fact of the matter is that the Court of Appeal has dealt with the matter and the matter is now under appeal at another level. In so far as we are concerned, the Court of Appeal has made a determination on all of the matters before it and so we will abide by what the Court of Appeal has said. If at the level of the CCJ these matters are dealt with and they are definitively pronounced upon, then certainly we will abide by what the court says.” A number of PPP MPs also carry dual citizenship including longstanding member, Gail Teixeira. Also MPs, Adrian Anamayah, Odinga Lumumba and others have dual citizenship.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

House-to-house registration will not disenfranchise overseas-based Guyanese

WITH the Guyana Elections Commission set to embark on houseto-house registration, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, is encouraging Guyanese living overseas to return during the period of registration, since they are not catered for outside of the country’s terrain. Harmon made this announcement at his post-cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of Presidency on Friday, in response to a question asked. “House-to-house registration means that when the enumerators from the Guyana Elections Commission go to your house, that you should be there. And therefore if you reside overseas and you are not here at the time when the enumerators go to your house, then you

cannot be considered to be on the list of the names of the electors,” Harmon said. He also noted, that it is not a matter of disenfranchising anyone, but rather, the laws of Guyana do not provide for oversees voting, with the exception of persons who are in the employ of the State and are in the embassies and other agencies abroad. “So persons who are Guyanese, residing abroad at the time of house-to-house registration, certainly your names will not be on the list,” Harmon emphasised. The commission itself would continuously stress the essentiality of these registrations on their sites and public relations platforms. House-to-house registration essentially entails the registration of persons by house-to- house

visits. In relation to funding for elections, Minister Harmon explained that it is a matter that has to be dealt with, first by GECOM, before the government has a say. “The Guyana Elections Commission has to indicate to the government that this is what they require. When that is done, it goes to the Ministry of Finance and they justify their figures with the Minister of Finance. It is then taken to Cabinet for approval to be taken to the National Assembly. So these are the various steps along the way, and it’s not just us to say okay, give GECOM x amount. It’s a process that has to be gone through,” Harmon expounded. President David Granger, on Wednesday, told the

Guyana to benefit from disaster resilience forum MINISTER of State, Joseph Harmon, has announced that approval was granted for Guyana’s attendance at the tenth meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee of Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) in Bridgetown Barbados. The engagement is scheduled to occur from April 8 to 12 2019, he said, and Allan Walters, Mitigation and Recovery Manager at the Civil Defence Commission was selected as Guyana’s representative. Minister Harmon noted that this forum, organised by CDEMA, is to strategize on building a Caribbean pathway for disaster resilience in member states of the Caribbean. “It is expected that this will be achieved through sharing best-practices and national resilient building strategies,” Harmon said. Disaster resilience is the ability of individuals, communities, organisations and states to adapt to and recover from hazards, shocks or stresses, without compro-

mising long-term prospects for development. CDEMA therefore ensures that the 18 participating states are equipped with the necessary knowledge, since they are the regional inter-governmental agency for disaster management in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The agency was established in 1991 as CDERA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency) with primary responsibility for the coordination of emer-

gency response and relief efforts to participating States that require such assistance. It transitioned to CDEMA in 2009 to fully embrace the principles and practice of Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM). CDM is an integrated and proactive approach to disaster management and seeks to reduce the risk and loss associated with natural and technological hazards and the effects of climate change to enhance regional sustainable development.

media that the government will ensure the funds are available to GECOM for the preparations of General and Regional Elections. A November, 2019 timeframe was given by GECOM to prepare the country for elections.

However, with the Appellate Court’s ruling that the no-confidence motion was invalidly passed, at this stage, government is not mandated to hold early elections this year. However, President Granger said “…regard-

less of what happened at the Supreme Court, regardless of what happened at the Court of Appeal, regardless of what’s happening at the CCJ, we are going to ensure that we satisfy GECOM’s requests.”

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Fly Jamaica issues redundancy letters to staff

EVEN as Fly Jamaica Airways announced that it intends to restart flight operations in a few months, the company on Friday issued redundancy letters to its staff members, an indication that the airline may fold. On Friday, the airline stated in a media release that it continues to pro-

employees that due to the lack of aircraft and the impact this has had on the company’s financial position, it had no other alternative but to make all employees redundant, effective March 31, 2019. The company said that it was hoping for funding, but this has been slow in the making

vide refunds to persons affected by the recent disruption in flights. However, in a letter seen by this newspaper, which was signed by the airline’s Chairman and CEO Ronald Reece, the company informed its

The Jamaica-based company lost function of one of its aircraft last November in a runway crash at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and has not operated since. Some Fly Jamaica pas-

Saturday, March 30, –– 01:00 hrs to 02:30 hrs

sengers, who had booked flights prior with the airline, have been gradually receiving refunds as the airline works to regain its footing. In a media release on Friday, the airline stated: “Fly Jamaica Airways has been providing refunds to our valued customers. All

requests for refunds are being honoured, however, it is a process that has to be checked by our reservations and accounts staff. Some passengers would obviously like to see the process move faster, but we have to be constrained by our cash and credit card business safeguards.”

Fly Jamaica has been a source of fresh air since they brought some amount of stability to the extremely lucrative Georgetown/New York route. At the time, Guyanese had experienced grave difficulties which included exorbitant prices and

bad service from foreign based airlines and fly-bynight charter companies when airlift was limited. The company added: “Fly Jamaica Airways Limited is not currently operating any aircraft, however, we hope to restart flight operations in a couple of months.”

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Juvenile Justice Committee to be established CABINET approved the establishment of the Juvenile Justice Committee which will support the implementation of legislations that will include diversionary programmes. This was disclosed by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on Friday at a post-cabinet press briefing. He said that the committee’s implementation is in accordance with section 82:2 and 83:3 of the Juvenile Justice Act. Further, Minister Har-

mon said this will also ensure compliance with the required standards set out in the child’s rights convention and its supporting guidelines. He noted that the committee will be chaired by William Boston along with 11 other members and will serve for a period of one year. The Juvenile Justice Act 2018 will transform the delivery of juvenile justice and minimise the criminalisation of youths. The Act aims to amend

and consolidate the law in relation to criminal justice for juveniles and make provision for proceedings with respect to young offenders and provide for the establishment of facilities for the custody, education, and rehabilitation of these offenders. The Juvenile Justice Bill was passed in April 2018. It seeks to address infractions of the law involving juveniles from a standpoint of reformation and diversion. It also decriminalises offences such as truancy and wander-

ing, and deal with issues of youth sentencing. The Act is also aimed at providing a framework where professionals are in the forefront, supporting juveniles rather than the police and prison wardens. Back in January this year, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, appointed William Orrin Boston as Director of Juvenile Justice, who will now head the Juvenile Justice Department at the ministry. This appointment was made on January 2, 2019 in accordance with provisions made under Section 76 (1) of the Juvenile Justice Act 2018. The commencement order bringing the Act into operation was gazetted on October 10, 2018. In a release, the ministry had said the Act confers on the director among other things, the responsibility of organising and supervising

custody, education and rehabilitation of juveniles. The director is also expected to advise the minister on policies and procedures related to the operation of the Juvenile Justice System. The Juvenile Justice Act 2018 spells out new rights and protections for juvenile offenders. The newly-appointed director is assisted by two deputy directors, both of whom will help in fulfilling the mandate outlined in the Juvenile Justice Act 2018. They are: Attorney-at-law Ms. Joan Ann Edghill-Stuart and Child Activist Mr. André Massiah-Gonsalves. Boston has served over fourteen years in senior management positions at both local and multi-national institutions, including the Rights of the Child Commission (RCC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the

United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the National Insurance Scheme. Ms. Edghill-Stuart is an attorney-at-law who is grounded in civil law. She has served as State Counsel at the Ministry of Legal Affairs, and Legal Counsel & Child Advocate to the Child Care & Protection Agency. Massiah-Gonsalves has over a decade of experience in human rights, child protection and juvenile justice. He is a policy analyst who has served at the Ethnic Relations Commission and the Rights of the Child Commission. The Juvenile Justice Department will be fostering skills development, rehabilitation, addressing treatment needs, and the successful reintegration of juveniles into the community. These are all critical elements for the maintenance of public safety.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

Students tour Mackenzie Police Station

THIRTY students of the Aroaima and Hururu Nursery schools accompanied by their teachers and guardians, on Thursday, visited the newly-built Mackenzie Police Station, ‘E’ Division Linden. The students were given a tour of the various departments at the station. During the tour, the pupils were exposed to first-

hand interactions with police officers and engaged in conversations about what happens in the station. The topics discussed were: the role of the Operations Room, the dos and don’ts of the courtroom and behavioural patterns highlighting those tendencies which most likely would identify the presence of criminal activity.

The students captivated by the explanation being given by the policeman

Vendor charged with ‘ganja’ possession KESTER King, a 28-year-old vendor of Albouystown was arraigned Friday before Principal Magistrate Leron Daly, charged with two counts of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. Particulars of the first charge alleged that on September 21, 2018, at 2925 North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he had in his possession 44 kilograms of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. Three other persons were also charged in relation to this matter last September. Keith Barker, 64 and Cheryl Barker, 56, along with their daughter- in-law are related to King. On the day of the discovery, September 21, 2018, ranks from the narcotics department acted upon information and conducted a search at the Barkers’ home in North Ruimveldt. The ranks recovered the quantity of marijuana and the Barkers were subsequently arrested. However at the time of the arrest, King’s whereabouts were unknown. However, based on information from the Barkers, the police later contacted King who,when told of the allegation, confessed to ownership of the narcotic. He was then arrested and charged. The second charge read that on March 27, 2019, at 56 James Street, Albouystown, King had in his possession eight grammes of cannabis; the defendant once again pleaded not guilty to the charge. According to police reports, the narcotic was found in King’s underwear that he was wearing at the time. King was denied bail and was therefore remanded to prison until his next court appearance on April 18, 2019.

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New youth group holds talks with Greenidge

A DELEGATION from the board of directors of the newly-formed MOVE ON GUYANA, INC (MOG) youth movement, earlier this week made a courtesy call on Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge at his office. The delegation presented its Charter to the vice-president and discussed its policy initiatives for which MOG wishes his support at Cab-

inet, Parliament and on the international stage. According to a release by the group, Vice-President Greenidge expressed support for the goals and objectives of MOG. He said the organisation’s mission synchronises generally with the overall development agenda of the Government of Guyana. Mr. Greenidge also agreed with MOG that the youth population has a vital role in the immediate development

of Guyana’s economy and emphasised the importance of youth participation in national development; starting with their full inclusion in the democratic process as registered voters. According to the group, this meeting represents the commencement of an extensive consultation process which MOG will undertake with various stakeholders including President David Granger, Prime Minister Mo-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

MOVE ON GUYANA Board Members pose with Vice-President and Minister Of Foreign Affairs Hon. Carl Greenidge following their meeting ses Nagamootoo and other also plans to meet with oth- per and live happy, fulfilling government officials. The er national stakeholders, lives. The MOG delegation organisation’s directorship including the political op- comprised MOVE ON GUYposition. ANA’S President, Vishal MOG said it will aggres- Joseph; First Vice-Presisively pursue its objectives dent, Dineshwar Jaiprashad; of mobilising the youth pop- Vice-President for Business ulation and integrating youth Development, Rosco Jeffrey; leadership into the gover- Vice-Chairman, Dr. John Annance and development agen- derson; Director of Education da of our country. MOG will and Public Policy, Joseph also work with policymakers Singh; Secretary, Christoand national stakeholders to pher Johnson; Vice-Presiconceptualise and implement dent for Communications policies and legislation, as and Community Relations, well as other measures to Mary Adams; Assistant Secadvance youth empowerment retary, Eon Bollers; Director and improve opportunities of International Relations, and the livelihood of young Dr. Randy Domer; Director people throughout Guyana. of Social Affairs, Saiku AnAs a broad national front drews and MOG member, movement, MOG reiterates Andrew Weekes. eagerness to partner with Vice-President individuals and organisations Greenidge promised to reacross the national spectrum, main open and accessible to which share its goals, aspira- MOG. He said he will enthutions and vision for the over- siastically assist the organall development of Guyana, isation to fulfill its mission and to create opportunities for within the mandate and all of Guyana’s youth to pros- resources of his ministry.

Fly Jamaica says providing refunds to passengers … hoping to restart operation in few months

FLY Jamaica Airways has announced that it intends to restart flight operations in a few months even as it continues to provide refunds to persons affected by the recent disruption in its air service. The Jamaica-based company lost function of one of its aircraft since last November in a runway crash and has not operated since. Some Fly Jamaica passengers, who had booked flights prior with the airline, have been gradually receiving refunds as the airline works to regain its footing. In a media release on Friday, the airline stated: “Fly Jamaica Airways has been providing refunds to our valued customers. All requests for refunds are being honoured, however, it is a process that has to be checked by our reservations and accounts staff. Some passengers would obviously like to see the process move faster, but we have to be constrained by our cash and credit card business safeguards.” Fly Jamaica has been a source of fresh air since they brought some amount of stability to the extremely lucrative Georgetown/New York route. At the time, Guyanese were experiencing grave difficulties which included exorbitant prices and bad service from foreign-based airlines and fly-by-night charter companies when airlift was limited. The company added: “Fly Jamaica Airways Limited is not currently operating any aircraft, however, we hope to restart flight operations in a couple of months.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

Christ Church teacher-student showdown was in 2017

THE Ministry of Education said the video being circulated on social media showing a confrontation between a teacher of Christ Church Secondary School and a Grade Nine student is an incident which occurred in 2017 and had been dealt with. However, even though the matter has long been dealt with, the ministry has reiterated its zero-tolerance of any act of violence, particularly within the school environment. The 30-second video which regained traction on Facebook on Friday, showed the female teacher and male student struggling for possession of a cellular device for some 20 seconds. The cellphone in question belonged to the student and was confiscated by the teacher in keeping with school rules. In the video, another

student, who was out of sight, could be heard inciting the situation by encouraging the male student to “throw she [the teacher] in the bin”. Shortly after the struggle, the teacher gained possession of the cell phone and immediately raised a warning finger at the student who was still in confrontation mode. The remaining 10 seconds of the video showed that when the teacher attempted to leave the classroom, the male student blocked her movement with his shoulder while another male student also stood at the door. It is unclear whether the other male student stood intentionally at the door but it caused the teacher to sternly ask one student by name to remove from the doorway at which time the video ends. In a release from the ministry on Friday, it noted

that the incident actually took place on October 19, 2017. It verified that the confrontation was a result of the student using a mobile phone during instruction time, which is prohibited. “The matter was reported to the administration of the school following which the child’s parent requested that the child be transferred to another school. That request was granted,” the release stated. “The Ministry of Education has a clear position concerning the use of mobile phones by students during instruction periods.” According to a Ministry of Education circular since 2007 to heads in the public education sector, the ministry had prohibited the use of cellphones during class sessions; student assemblies

and examination rooms. The circular indicated that any student found using any similar gadget or device during the periods can be suspended for a minimum of three days. Furthermore, in the Friday release, the ministry reminded that it condemns any act of violence, particularly in the school environment. It also reminded that an update on the recent incident at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute will soon be made available upon the completion of the investigation. The investigation is in relation to a viral social media video which surfaced on Tuesday, showing three students of the New Amsterdam Technical Institute, Region Six, being brutalised by another student with the use of a belt and fists.

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Sunrisers Hyderabad clobber Rajasthan Royals (ESPNCRICINFO) - RAJASTHAN Royals may wonder how they lost this one. Their No.3 batsman Sanju Samson struck a sublime 102 not out off 55 balls. During the course of that knock, he had also shared a 119run partnership of 75 balls with captain Ajinkya Rahane. With the ball, leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal even took 3 for 27 - by a distance the best figures of the match. And yet, despite having had the best innings of the game, the biggest partnership and the best bowler, Royals lost by a distance. Sunrisers Hyderabad had an over and five wickets to spare when the winning runs were hit. Royals had star individual performances, bur Sunrisers made better use of their resources across the board. Royals only had four batsmen take strike, but Sunrisers were better able to use their depth, because their top order bats-

men took more chances. David Warner, for instance, had bludgeoned 67 off 36 balls and had motored his team to a position where they were well

ahead of the required rate, and yet, he continued to take chances, perhaps knowing there was plenty of firepower to come. He was caught on the fine leg

David Warner smokes one into the leg side. (BCCI)

boundary off the 37th ball he faced. Jonny Bairstow, who was involved in a 110-run opening stand of 58 deliveries with Warner, and Vijay Shankar - who made 35 off 15 - were similarly adventurous, despite having propelled their team to a position of strength. They trusted the batsmen below them. Royals, meanwhile, had slow-ish periods in their innings. The Powerplay brought them only 35 runs, perhaps a consequence of Jos Buttler losing his wicket in that period. Even the next three overs yielded modest returns - Royals sitting at 62 for 1 after 9 overs. Sunrisers still had to orchestrate their highest successful chase ever, beating the 188 they had made against Delhi Daredevils last year. Had Royals taken more risks at the top of their innings, Sunrisers may have had to chase even more than 199.

Australia claim victory to deny Pakistan in Dubai (REUTERS) - AUSTRALIA clinched a dramatic six-run victory over Pakistan yesterday, despite Pakistan debutant Abid Ali and in-form Mohammad Rizwan hitting centuries in the fourth one-day international in Dubai. Chasing 278 to win, Pakistan were in cruise control with Abid and Rizwan adding 144 runs to take the total to 218-3 before the middle order imploded in familiar fashion. Ali, whose 112 off 119 balls was Pakistan’s record ODI score on debut at the age of 31, holed out to leg-spinner Adam Zampa.

Klopp, Guardiola in favour of pitch walk-offs over racism

Abid Ali goes for a pull, Pakistan v Australia, 4th ODI, Dubai, yesterday. (AFP)

Pep Guardiola manager of Manchester City and Juergen Klopp manager of Liverpool react during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool FC at Etihad Stadium on January 3, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

(REUTERS) - JUERGEN Klopp and Pep Guardiola are both willing to halt matches if players are subject to racist abuse, the likes of which some England players experienced in Montenegro this week. UEFA have opened an investigation after England players Danny Rose, Raheem Sterling and Callum Hudson-Odoi said they were victims of the abuse during their 5-1 win in Podgorica. Liverpool manager Klopp believes a walk-off because of a minority of supporters would give “too much power for one or two idiots”, but said the decision should be down to match officials if abuse escalated. “If it’s the whole stand I would do it, 100 percent,” Klopp told reporters ahead of tomorrow’s Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur. “But it’s too much power for one or two idiots. We have to find ways to punish these incidents.

“It’s not that the coaches should do that - match officials - because if I take the players off and they say it was not that serious, you lose the game, our job is to win football games.” Guardiola is also in favour of taking his Manchester City players off the pitch, adding football should try and set an example for action against racism. “We could do that (walk off),” the Spaniard added. “Football is a strong weapon to defend the principles of humanity. People said you can’t mix football and politics but that’s not true. “It’s not a football probleml it’s society itself. I think in Europe, not in football, it’s getting worse.” The Football Association Board met on Thursday to discuss the incidents in Montenegro and called on a structured campaign within UEFA and FIFA to ensure that incidents such as this are dealt with appropriately.

Umar Akmal and debutant Saad Ali fell for seven runs each to paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile, who finished with 3-53, while Marcus Stoinis removed Rizwan (104) and Usman Shinwari (six) in the final over to seal Australia’s seventh consecutive ODI win. It was only the fourth time in history that a side have lost an ODI chase with two centurions. “I thought our composure with the ball was really good,” said Australia captain Aaron Finch. “We knew how slow the wicket was, we knew if we could get some new batters in it would be tough. Credit to our boys although Abid and Rizwan’s hundreds were great knocks!” Earlier, Glenn Maxwell fell short of a fighting hundred by two runs but guided Australia to a competitive 277-7 on a slow track, repairing the innings alongside wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey (55). The 30-year-old Maxwell was closing in on his first ODI century in four years but was run-out while selflessly chasing a second run in the final over of the innings. Sent out to bat first, Australia began steadily as in-form openers Finch and Usman Khawaja stitched together a 56-run partnership in 12 overs. Finch was first to depart when he was trapped leg-before by fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain before Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb fell to Imad Wasim’s left-arm spin. Leg-spinner Yasir Shah removed Stoinis and Khawaja, who finished with 62. That left Maxwell and Carey with a rebuilding job and they combined for a sixth-wicket stand of 134 runs, stepping up the scoring rate in the final 10 overs. Australia lead the five-match series 4-0 with the final match scheduled in Dubai tomorrow.

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BCB names 14-man squad for U-17 Inter-county cricket competition

Herstelling players pose with their spoils after the final.

Herstelling register eight-wicket win in ISG/Sterling Products T20 cricket final HERSTELLING A defeated Nandy Park by eight wickets in the final of the East Bank Demerara Cricket Association (EBDCA)-organised ISG/Sterling Products T20 cricket competition, which was played recently at the Laluni ground. In the championship clash of the 14-team competition, Nandy Park won the toss and batted first. Several batsmen had starts, but none exploded. Sagar Hathamani, who struck two sixes and an equal number of fours, led the charge with 39. Support came from national cricketer Tevin Imlach, who scored 27 runs (1x4, 2x6).

Bowling for Herstelling, former Guyana U-19 cricketer Richie Looknauth finished with 2-17 from his four overs, while skipper Anand Bharat took 2-22 (also from four overs) and Delroy Williams 1-11. Safraz Esau then batted his team to an easy win. The all-rounder struck seven fours and five sixes in a top score of 67 unbeaten runs. Support came from another all-rounder, Looknauth, who finished with an unbeaten 30 (2x4, 1x6). Fast bowler Keon Morris took both wickets for Nandy Park. He finished with 2-21 from three overs.

Ferrari strongest in Bahrain

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel takes part in the second practice session yesterday, ahead of the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix (March 31) at the Sakhir circuit in the desert south of the capital Manama. (Photo by Andrej Isakovic/AFP/Getty Images)

(REUTERS) - FERRARI signalled a return to form in Bahrain Grand Prix practice yesterday with Sebastian Vettel and new teammate Charles Leclerc well clear of the rest at the top of the timesheets. The German, a four-time Formula One world champion who trailed the Monegasque in the first of the day’s two sessions, lapped the floodlit 5.4-km Sakhir desert track in one minute 28.846 seconds, pipping Leclerc by 0.035. Reigning champion Lewis Hamilton, fourth in the afternoon behind teammate Valtteri Bottas, was the quickest Mercedes driver in the evening as the pair swapped positions. The Briton was still 0.603 seconds off Vettel’s benchmark while Bottas, winner of the season-opener in Australia two weeks ago, had been nearly a second off Leclerc in the afternoon session.

The speed Ferrari showed yesterday came as a relief to the Italian glamour team, even if rivals are closer in qualifying and Sunday’s race. Tipped as the pre-season favourites after strong testing times, the Maranello-based team were surprisingly slow in Melbourne. Vettel and Leclerc finished fourth and fifth, and nearly a minute behind Bottas, but Bahrain has been good for Ferrari historically with six wins and Vettel triumphant last year and in 2017. “The car is not yet where it was in Barcelona. Certainly, it’s better today than in Australia,” said Vettel. “It was a better day overall, but we still need to pick up the pace for tomorrow. I am not entirely happy...we were on a different strategy compared to other drivers and teams, that’s why for tomorrow we still need to improve.”

AFTER several rounds of practice matches, Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) selection committee has named a 14-man squad to represent the county at the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Inter-County U-17 cricket competition. The players, who will be coached by Delbert Hicks and managed by Ameer Rahaman, are asked to assemble at the Area H Ground on Monday at 15:30hrs with their parents or guardians for a practice session and a meeting. Along with the 14 players, six standby players were also named. The squad reads: Ricardo Ramdehol, Sarwan Chaitnarine, Marvan Prashad, Reyad Karim, Tomani Caesar, Daniel Milne, Jonathon Rampersaud, Abdul Ramsammy, Collis Noble, Mahendra Gopilall, Zeynul Ramsammy, Hemraj Heralall, Gourav Ramesh and Quincy Alder. The standby players are: Inzam Shazam, Anthony Williams, Lloyd David, Jeremy Sandia, .Surendra Ramcharitar and Leon Cecil.

Britton bags U-21 silver at Caribbean TT Championships ... France cops bronze in Over-45 Masters

DEFENDING champion of the U-21 competition, Shemar Britton settled for silver last night when the curtain came down on day four of the 61st edition of the Senior Caribbean Table Tennis Championship, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown. Guyana’s other medal yesterday was a bronze by 62-yearold Colin France who bowed out of the semi-finals of the Over-45 Masters after a 3-0 defeat by president of the Caribbean Region Table Tennis Federation, Teddy Matthews, who represented St. Lucia. The 63-year-old Matthews lost to Barbadian player Trevor Farley by straight sets in the final of the competition later in the evening. Although the Barbadian copped gold, the day belonged to the young Cuban pair of Livan Martinez and Carrazana Fonseca who won the U21 male and female titles. MALE FINAL Britton proved competitive in the male U21 final against Martinez, but the latter was the better player and was able to counter his attacking plays. For most of the match, Britton was in catch up mode as the Cuban played aggressively off his serves. Although the Guyanese had several moments of control, he was never able to dominate a full game, leading to the 4-0 result (119, 11-7, 11-9 and 11-9). Prior to that clash, the Britton registered a come-frombehind win against Barbadian Tyrese Knight 3-1 (8-11, 11-8, 11-5, and 11-5). That game was a replay of last year’s final, with the same end result, while in the quarter-final, the fourth-seated Britton defeated Puerto Rican Gabriel Jose Perez 3-0 (11-3, 11-8 and 11-5). FEMALE BATTLE A new female champion was also crowned, given that defending champion, Guyanese Chelsea Edghill, was ineligible this year, due to her age. Guyana’s lone female representative yesterday was Priscilla Greaves, who lost to eventual second place finisher Esmerlyn Castro 0-3 (10-12, 6-11 and 7-11) in the quarter final. Although Castro was clinical, she was defeated by the spirited Fonseca 4-2 (8-11, 11-2, 12-10, 11-8, 7-11 and 13-11) in the female final. The championship, which is set to conclude tomorrow, continues today with the men and women singles.

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Inaugural Linden Mayor’s KO Cup set for tomorrow

IAAF coaching workshop came at the ‘right time’ – AAG

From left, Assistant secretary/treasurer of GOA, Dion Nurse, Professor Oscar Gadea and AAG president Aubrey Hutson

Linden Town Week Committee representatives are pictured at the drawing of the football fixtures. Deputy Mayor Wainwright Bethune is third left and Linden Mayor Arrindell is fourth left with club representatives.

By Joe Chapman THIS year’s Linden Town Week sports will see the first-ever Linden Mayor’s Cup knockout football championship being played in honour of Linden’s Mayor, Waneka Arrindell. The tournament kicks off tomorrow at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground with a double-header feature. The tournament will have 12 participating teams. Undisputed Upper Demerara champions Eagles United of Christianburg, Net Rockers, Winners Connection and Botofago who have all drawn byes to the quarterfinals. The other teams are Topp XX, Milerock’s B Selection, Capital FC, Amelia’s Ward Panthers, Silver Shattas and Coomacka, Hi Stars and Blueberry Hill United will battle to get past the first round in what is a knock-out cham-

pionship. The opening fixture has Capital FC and Amelia’s Ward Panthers and the other game pits Hi Stars against Blueberry Hill tomorrow. There will be a march past of the 12 participating clubs from 18:00hrs after the first game at 16:00hrs featuring a Veterans East versus West encounter. The main sponsor is beverage giant Banks DIH while others are being sought to ensure the championship is a success. The fixtures for the tournament were drawn on Thursday night at the Linden Mayor and Town Council Chambers where Mayor Arrindell assisted in the draw. Clubs were informed that there will be no guest players in this tournament but the recent transfer of players from clubs, authorised by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), will be in effect.

GOA Sports Administrators course underway in Linden

Some of the participants at the GOA Sports Administrators Course in Linden

By Joe Chapman THE Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) 20th annual Olympic Solidarity-sponsored Sports Administrators Course began on Thursday evening at the Egbert Benjamin Conference Centre. Various sports administrators attended the four-day lecture on sports. Thursday’s sessions began with an overview by Coordinator Mayfield Taylor-Trim; followed by treasurer of GOA, Garfield Wiltshire, who dealt with ‘The Olympic Movement’ Olympic Solidarity and Programmes’. ‘Challenges Facing Sport in Developing Countries’ was covered by Claude Blackmoore. Course Director of GOA and Wiltshire brought the opening session to a close on Thursday with ‘Budget and Money Management’.

Yesterday, the topics discussed started in the morning with ‘Volunteerism’ by Blackmoore, followed by National Team Selection, its Policies, Guidelines and Consideration’ by Wiltshire. ‘Strength and Conditioning in Sports’ was done by Guyana Football Rugby Union (GRFU) coach Theodore Henry while ‘Drugs and Doping in Sports’ was handled by Charles Corbin, vice-president of GOA. The lecture on ‘Combining Education and Sports’ was given by Noel Adonis a former vice-president of GOA, while the ‘Women in Sport’ aspect was covered by Wanda Richmond who is chief coach of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG). ‘Governance of a Sports Organisation’ was dealt with by Adonis and ‘Group Work’ was done by Corbin. The event will continue today before concluding tomorrow after an evaluation at 15:00hrs.

THE Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) and the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) is of the opinion that IAAF Instructor, Professor Oscar Gadea’s recent work with coaches that continues into the weekend came just at the right time. At a press conference held at the Guyana Olympic Association headquarters at Liliendaal, president of the AAG, Aubrey Hutson, expressed his satisfaction with the work done by Gadea. “What you might have found is that coaches would have been pushing some of the athletes a bit too hard, so what you will find here with Gadea especially in the future is that the transition of our athletes, because of what the coaches learnt, will be better and they will have longer careers, but certainly we will see the impact in years to come,” Huston noted. Professor Oscar Gadea, lauded the talent that exists in Guyana and the region and noted that it was a pleasure working with the coaches. “Guyana is developing fast and we must aid that, but I think all of the coaches are happy and we have put the theoretical aspect into practice, but we must have more of these programmes and not just have one maybe every five years. It must be consistent,” Gadea stressed. Assistant secretary/treasurer of the Guyana Olympic Association, Dion Nurse, shared that GOA was pleased to facilitate such a programme for the coaches and athletes, noting that it was part of the Olympic Solidarity funding. The coaching programme will conclude this weekend with a training camp for all Carifta hopefuls at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.

Digicel, NSC reward special Olympic athletes CORPORATE communication giant Digicel teamed up with the National Sports Commission (NSC) to award the Guyanese athletes who attended the Special Olympics earlier this year in Dubai. Guyana captured five medals, three of which were silver and two were bronze There was bronze for Calvin Thomas in the 5 000 metres while Abdullah Braithwaite, Faith King and Dacia George won Silver in separate 400-metre events. The team also snagged bronze in the 4x400 metre event. During yesterday morning’s ceremony at the National Racquet Centre, the athletes were rewarded by both entities with medals and prizes. Communications Manager Vidya Sanichara told those gathered: “Digicel is pleased to have been a sponsor. We are here to give back to you for representing your country so well.” Digicel was one of the main sponsors of the venture to the Middle East. Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Cohesion, Melissa Tucker, expressed delight at the performance of the unit. “It provides us with a special occasion to unite in so many ways and with so many opportunities to see these children,” she said. He contended that their drive to do their best is unmistakable and their will to perform well is something that all of Guyana should support. Also expressing his feelings were Director of Sport Christopher Jones, who, while commending the team for their performance, reminded them of their importance as Guyanese ambassadors. Apart from the medals and tokens given, the team, including coach Mark Scott and chaperone Wilton Spencer, will receive an all-expenses paid trip via Old Fort Tours with stops at various islands in the Essequibo.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 30, 2019

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CWI Women’s T20 Blaze

Guyana register first win in second round By Rajiv Bisnauth AFTER suffering a five-wicket defeat at the hands of Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday, Guyana rebounded nicely, to thrash the Leeward Islands by 23 runs in game one of the second round of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s T20 Blaze yesterday at Guyana National Stadium, Providence. Captain Shemaine Campbelle was in prime form once again and top-scored with a run-a-ball 31, with two boundaries, as the home team posted 146-7 in their 20 overs. Spirited bowling efforts by player-of-the-match Erva Giddings (3-12), Plaffiana Millington (3-15), Sheneta Grimmond (3-19) and Mandy Mangru (1-23) then ensured that the Guyanese did not disappoint the handful of spectators, including students, parents and teachers from Mortice Nursery School.

After being set a target of 147, the visitors made a complete mess of the chase as they gave away their wickets easily. The home team bowl-

LINDEN’S Milerock Football Club will be seeking their first win in the 4th edition of the Guyana Football Federation’s Elite League tournament when they host Guyana Defence Force. The highly ranked Guyana Defence Force side will travel to the mining town for the long fixture at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, starting at 20:00hrs. Milerock and GDF are playing their second game of this season’s championship. Milerock will be looking to bounce back from their loss against Western Tigers when they played their opening game while GDF must be confident after getting past Guyana Police Service in their first game. Milerock will have in their lineup the experienced Rawle ‘Boney’ Gittens along with Omally Babb in midfield while in goal is Guyana’s number two goalkeeper Sese Norville. On the other hand, GDF will pin their hopes of winning on the Fraser brothers, Delroy and Delwyn, and new addition Kevin Layne. (Joe Chapman)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday, March 30, 2019) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

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run chase. In the first six overs, the visitors were reeling at 32 for 4 and the Guyanese bowlers kept picking up wickets,

Player-of-the-match Erva Giddings celebrates after bowling Shawnisha Hector. (Adrian Narine photos)

Milerock seeking to upset GDF as Elite League rolls into Linden

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ers piled on the pressure and, barring a last-wicket stand of 47 runs, did not allow the Islanders to score runs easily for most part of the

ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ:

TODAY’S QUIZ: Who is the first WI to cop the Man of the Match award in an IPL final? Who is the only WI to have won the Man of the Series title TWICE in the IPL?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

eventually bowling out the Islanders for 123. In a disappointing batting display, Rozel Liburd topscored with 41 off 34 balls, while Terez Parker (26), Davanna Claxton (18 not out) and Shawnisha Hector (13) were the other batters to have reached double digits. Earlier in the day, the home team were dealt a quick blow – opener Grimmond was dismissed by Melicia Clarke for 13, at 161. However, the 26-year-old Campbelle then shared 39 runs for the second-wicket with Tremayne Smartt, who made 20 off 24 balls, with three fours. She then stitched together another vital partnership with Shabika Gajnabi (13), worth 44 runs for the third-wicket. But after those solid partnerships, the home team failed to keep the momentum going and lost wickets at regular intervals. Campbelle, who has been in tremendous form recently, fell while trying to up the

scoring rate. The Leewards bowlers then dried up the runs significantly. Such was the situation that after Campbelle’s dismissal at the start of the 14th over, the Guyanese could manage only 47 runs from 41 balls. Towards the end of the innings, Cherry Ann Fraser (15), and Melanie Henry (12 not out) propelled the team past 140. Claxton (2-2) was the pick of the bowlers and was ably supported by Clarke, Amanda Edwards, Saneldo Willett and Liburd, who claimed one wicket each. Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago beat Windward Islands by seven wickets. The tournament continues tomorrow with Guyana playing Jamaica from 09:00hrs. In the other two games, Barbados will clash with Windward Islands from 14:00hrs while Trinidad & Tobago and Leeward Islands will oppose each other from 19:00hrs.

MILO Schools Football tournament

Quarter-finals on this weekend THE top eight teams in the 2019 edition of the MILO schools football tournament will battle for a spot in the semi-finals from this weekend. After more than a month of games, the business end of the tournament gets going from13:00hrs at the Ministry of Education (MoE) ground on Carifesta Avenue. This year, a new champion will be crowned. Today, Charlestown Secondary will match skills with Annandale Secondary in the opener before The Bishops’ High lock horns with President’s College in the feature and anticipated clash. Tomorrow, tournament favourites Christianburg/ Wismar Secondary School

(CWSS) will play Vergenoegen Secondary in the first match before Lodge Secondary face St. John’s

College at 15:00hrs. Please see the official fixtures of the tournament, which is supported by the

Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) through their ‘Stop Gender-based Violence’ campaign, below.

The quarter-final stage of the Milo schools football competition gets going today.

3/30/2019

Quarter Finals - Knock Out

13:00 hrs

Charlestown Secondary

VS

Annandale Secondary

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15:00 hrs

Bishops’ High School

VS

President’s College

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3/31/2019

Quarter-Finals - Knock Out

Ministry of Education groundMatch #

13:00 hrs

Christianburg/Wismar Secondary VS

Vergenoegen Secondary

47

15:00 hrs

Lodge Secondary School

St John’s College

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Ministry of Education groundMatch #

VS

CWI Women’s T20 Blaze

The Guyanese players celebrate the victory at the end of the game.

Guyana Page

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Rozel Liburd is bowled by Mandy Mangru (not in picture).

register first win in second round

Digicel, NSC reward 34 special Olympic athletes Page

Shemar Britton battled past a number of quality players before he lost in the final.

Front row: Guyanese athletes at the Special Olympics earlier this year in Dubai. Back row from left: Director of Sport Christopher Jones, Mark Scott, Melissa Tucker, Wilton Spencer and Vidya Sanichara.

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Britton bags U-21 silver at Caribbean TT Championships ‌ France cops bronze in Over-45 Masters

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SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2019