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TOO POWERFUL No. 104518

MONDAY APRIL 11, 2016

Price: $80

(Vat Inclusive)

––AFC urges cut in Harmon’s powers

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The chosen ones: These models, from various modelling agencies, will participate in the Golden Jubilee fashion show titled “The Midas touch”, slated for May 19-22 on the lawns of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications and Tourism (Delano Williams photo)

Man killed by falling tree branch

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Body of Karrau residents drowned cop upset Page

–– say action of Village Council not transparent

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recovered

Dead: Police Special Constable Akeem Hyles

Body of drowned cop recovered

T H E b o d y o f Ta c t i cal Services Unit (TSU) rank Akeem Hyles, who drowned in the Potaro River on Friday last, was recovered on Sunday morning. ‘F’ Division Commander Ravindradat Budhram confirmed that the body has been discovered and is expected to be out of the region by today. Police say that 22-yearold Police Special Constable 14536 Akeem Hyles of the TSU was among a team of Joint Services personnel and officials of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) in a boat

in the Amatuk Falls area of the Potaro River last Friday, when the vessel capsized and the constable drowned. Hyles had departed Ogle Airport on Friday morning along with other ranks who were dispatched to assist the GGMC officials in dealing with illegal mining being carried out in the Kaieteur National Park area. According to officials, the Cuyuni-Mazaruni areas, especially the Potaro River, can be deadly for those who are not familiar with the route and traversing it. The young policeman, who hailed from New Am-

Dead: Police Special Constable Akeem Hyles sterdam, Berbice, has been described by seniors in the TSU as an excellent young man, who will be missed.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Delinquent contractors under scrutiny –– City investigating their alleged non-payment of workers

THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has taken a decision to review the municipality’s relationship with all delinquent contractors conducting work on behalf of the City, following complaints that they have not paid their workers. Town Clerk Royston King made the announcement recently, while expressing Council’s concern that persons who would have assisted in the City’s massive cleanup programme are still to be paid. According to King, the Council has received numerous complaints from persons demanding their intervention. Contractors would have won contracts valued at $1.5 million to clean and clear specific communities. They were responsible for hir-

ing their workers, while the Council assisted with tools and other resources. Although the projects

Town Clerk Royston King would have commenced mid last year, some persons say they have received no payment. “Apart from these complaints, some workers have

picketed the municipality, demanding that they be paid. The municipality sees this as an unfortunate situation, since the contractors would have already collected their (various sums of money) for the areas they were designated to clean,” King noted. The Town Clerk described the issue as unacceptable, and insists that such callous actions reflect negatively on the Council and its intention, while depriving persons of their due. After ascertaining who those delinquent contractors are, the Council intends to make a note of these persons and the relevant action would be taken to ensure that future contractors working on behalf of the Council conduct themselves in the desired manner.

1 in 4 adults in region has diabetes Who’s on page 2

Name: Age: Occupation: Hobbies: reading

Hashim Alli

Hashim Alli 28yrs Marketing Manager Swimming, eco-adventures and

GOALS:To always strive to become a stronger and better person than I was yesterday. Having a talent and passing it on to others is what I try to emulate on a daily basis, making me one step closer to achieving my goal in life. ASPIRATION: It is my dream to continue my drive and support to humanity, as I believe in equality of all human beings; and I also aim to further my commitment to strengthen and create many more opportunities in the entertainment industry in Guyana. Hashim is involved in dancing, acting, managing and designing; and he is also a television host. QUOTE: “You can achieve anything your heart desires, once you have seriously thought about it, rationalised it, believed it, and work towards it. Don’t be fooled by your perceptions, since they are usually not always reality. And remember: life is like a ball; no matter the direction you spin it, it will always come right back to you, and success will follow.”

––UWI studies find STUDIES conducted by the University of the West Indies (UWI) estimate that one in every four adults in some Caricom countries has diabetes. More worrying is the doubling of overweight and obesity in children who are under five years, along with the high rates in adolescence, as obesity is one of the major risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes. Studies also revealed that both obesity and diabetes tend to be significantly higher in women than in men; with, on average, women being twice as likely to be obese and 60 per cent more likely to have diabetes. “This data signals that diabetes can be a big problem for years to come,” warned Director of Surveillance, Prevention and Disease Control at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad, Dr Joy St. John. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar to give one the energy that he/she needs to live. Uncontrolled levels of insulin in the body can have dire consequences. This is seen in the 2011 data for Caricom, wherein the estimated number of premature deaths – persons under 70 years – from diabetes was 39 per 100,000 population: males – 58 per 100,000 and females 35 per 100,000 (PAHO/WHO).

A common effect of uncontrolled diabetes is hyperglycaemia, or high blood sugar, which over time leads to serious damage to many of the body’s systems. High blood sugar can seriously compromise the systems of the body and affect every major organ in the body, increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, nerve damage, blindness, impotence, and infections that can lead to amputations. The overall risk of dying among people with diabetes is at least double that of persons without diabetes. However, simple healthy lifestyle measures have been shown to be effective in preventing and delaying the onset of Type 2 Diabetes. To help prevent Type 2 Diabetes and its complications, people should avoid tobacco use; eat a healthy diet, which includes at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day; reduce intake of fats and sugars; remain physically active -- have at least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity physical activity on most weekdays (for adults), and 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day (for children); and maintain a normal body weight.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

TOO POWERFUL ––AFC urges cut in Harmon’s powers

MINISTER of State Joseph Harmon has defended his credibility in the face of mounting criticisms. He is contending that the organised campaign to damage his reputation will not affect how he performs his duties as minister. Against the backdrop of the criticisms, the Government’s coalition partner, the Alliance For Change (AFC) at a retreat on Sunday has called for the trimming of his powers. Harmon has come in for criticism regarding the details of his recent business trip to China and his reported interference with a law enforcement operation which was being executed by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). These events preceded the minister appointing a prominent businessman as a Government advisor. It was revealed earlier this month that Harmon, unknowing to some Cabinet members, had appointed businessman Brian Tiwari as an advisor on business, even though Tiwari is said to have had close ties with the former administration. The

appointment was subsequently rescinded by President David Granger, who noted that Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin is sufficient-

Minister of State, Mr Joseph Harmon ly competent to function in that portfolio. Following this, locally-based Chinese logging company Bai Shan Lin, which is said to have been evading taxes, was on the GRA radar and a special operation was launched to seize a number of luxury vehicles imported by the company. It is alleged that before those

vehicles could have been seized by the GRA Customs Department and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), the body received a call from Minister Harmon, instructing that the vehicles should not be removed. More recently, the minister was heavily criticised for omitting to disclose the participation of Bai Shan Lin in his recent trip to China. Initially, his press secretary Malika Ramsey released a statement that sought to set the record straight about the controversial trip. A photo subsequently appeared on the front page of Sunday’s Kaieteur News showing Minister Harmon in the company of representatives of Bai Shan Lin. That photograph attracted criticism of Minister Harmon, who, when in opposition was very critical of Bai Shan Lin, even going as far as to say that the company had been stifling Guyana’s development. ORGANISED CAMPAIGN In light of these criticisms, the Minister of State,

in a statement on Sunday, reacted by deeming the criticisms an “organised campaign” aimed at his reputation. The minister stressed that he has always felt that it was the people who had elected him, and the people who had elected the coalition Government, and it is the people who should decide whether or not that Government is performing. “Not one or two newspaper columnists or one or two persons who write newspaper articles,” Harmon said. Minister Harmon also said in his response that he respects the decision of the President, which is that the Minister of Finance has sole responsibility to deal with the issue involving the seizure of the two vehicles. TOO MUCH Meanwhile, key leaders of the Alliance For Change (AFC), a key ally in the coalition Government, at a retreat to review the party’s performance, are of the view that current difficulties which the Government has encountered in

the continuing revelations arising out of the appointment of the Advisor on Business Development and the related issues have their roots in the concentration of the powers of the office of the Cabinet Secretary, the Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency, and the effective Head of the Presidential Secretariat in a single person. “The responsibilities of each of the above portfolios are substantial and of critical importance to the smooth operations of the Government, and would benefit from separate appointments. “The Alliance For Change has mandated its leadership in Cabinet to have these issues raised and addressed as a matter of national importance. “The AFC is committed to responsible and transparent governance, and looks forward to the conclusion of the Code of Conduct for Government Officials and the application of same,” the party said in a statement.

COMMITMENT The AFC also reiterated its commitment to the Coalition Government while recognising that the principles of good governance, transparency and equal opportunities are fundamental to the success of the coalition. The party also said that the report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the death of Dr Walter Rodney should be released to his family, and that the party supports its early release to the public. The AFC is of the view that the report affords the country an opportunity to address a difficult period of its history, and hopes that the report forms the basis for national healing and reconciliation. The coalition member is also of the view that the series of audit reports into apparent irregularities in various Government agencies should be supplemented by a review by experienced independent international forensic auditors, and thereafter be submitted to high quality external professional, independent legal advice with a view to proceeding to prosecution where warranted.

Karrau residents upset –– say action of Village Council not transparent

By Alva Solomon RESIDENTS of Karrau, Mazaruni, are upset at the Village Council’s management style, including its recent investment in a well. They made their discontent known when Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock visited the community on Friday to obtain a first-hand look at a nearby contaminated creek, among other issues. According to the residents, the openness 9-monthold Village Council leaves much to be desired. The community, which is located some five miles from Bartica, has been affected in recent months by the contaminated Karrau Creek which passes through the Region Seven village. A senior village leader was accused of holding rights to mining claims which was said to be the cause of the

creek’s contamination. Reports are that while the Government officials pledged to assist the village in finding solutions to the curb the contamination issue, the residents are pointing fingers at the Village Council’s laid back approach regarding its handling of the situation. Reports are that the village leader allegedly paid over a sum of $500,000 to persons as part of a payment to construct a well in the community. Residents are clueless as regards the scope of works, the contracted persons who will build the well and other sums of monies in the council’s coffers. Attempts to contact Toshao Bertille Thomas on Sunday were futile since his phone was turned-off. A resident told this newspaper that the villagers are upset since there appears to be no transparency with regards to monies expended by the

Council, the latest being the transaction related to the well. The money for the well was allegedly paid over to

Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Sydney Allicock persons unknown to the community, on Saturday, one day after Minister Alli-

cock and other Government officials visited Karrau. The team also included personnel from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). WORK TOGETHER Meanwhile, Minister Allicock, while addressing residents at the community’s pavilion on Friday, encouraged the villagers to put aside their differences and work together towards the development of the village. A legal representative of the Ministry was also on hand and he related various aspects of the Amerindian Act to residents who gathered for the meeting. The residents later received an opportunity to raise matters of concern. “Accountability and transparency was a major one,” one resident stated. It was noted that persons at the meeting accused the Village Coun-

cil of not working in their best interest. “They are undertaking projects that the villagers and some of the Council members don’t know about,” the residents said. Other issues included unauthorised spending by the Village Council, and persons pointed to perceived conflict of interest regarding a senior village leader as regards to mining activities in the community. The residents told the team that the toshao and treasurer continue to make decisions discussed only between the two. Another resident noted too that there are a few instances within the community where the Amerindian Act is breached. “They are also still doing things contrary to the Amerindian act,” the resident said. Following the meeting, Minister Allicock visited the

community’s primary school where a quantity of sports gears was handed over to the village. He then led the team to the backdam area, including a visit to the Three Mile area. Last month, the upset residents blocked a roadway which passes through the community as they protested the silence of the authorities on the contaminated creek. A stand-off between the residents and police ensued, as no one claimed ownership of a truck which was placed across the roadway. The roadway leads from a landing at Karrau into the Mazaruni, where several mining operations are located, including one at Blue Mountain. The truck was later moved from the area. Residents have since noted that the condition of the creek has improved. They pledged to continue monitoring the situation.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Inquiry ordered into fireworks blasts in India

INDIAN authorities have ordered a judicial inquiry into an explosion and fire at a Hindu temple in Kerala that killed more than 100 people. Nearly 400 others were injured at the Puttingal temple in Paravur when a faulty firework fell onto a large stockpile of fireworks. A building at the temple then collapsed, causing many of the deaths. Thousands had gathered to watch the fireworks’ display as part of a local New Year festival. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the scene and spoke with victims in local hospitals, said the incident was “heart-rending and shocking beyond words”. “The incident is so grave that it is very difficult to describe in words,” he added. “People who were 200 metres away were also hurt.” The explosion happened at about 03:30 (22:00 GMT) on Saturday, hours after the event started in Kollam district. There were scenes of chaos as emergency teams were slow in reaching the

of Cambridge arrived in Mumbai for a seven-day tour of India and Bhutan, and Kensington Palace said the couple’s thoughts were with those assisting victims. Kerala is in the middle of an election for a new state assembly, but political parties have called off campaigning as a mark of respect for the victims. January 2005: Up to 300 people died in a stampede during a Hindu pilgrimage to the remote Mandhar Devi temple in Maharashtra state. August 2008: At least 140 people died in a stampede at

Many of those killed were crushed when a building collapsed area, and rescue teams used works’ display, but it had bulldozers to clear the area, gone ahead under pressure looking for survivors. from the crowd, officials A power outage hit the said. complex after the first exPolice are planning to plosion, further complicating take action against the temple rescue efforts. administration and the conMany of the dead were tractors who were putting on charred beyond recognition, the display. and would have to be idenKerala’s Government tified by DNA tests, said said it had ordered a judicial Kerala Police Chief, T.P. inquiry that would work Senkumar. alongside the police’s crimThe temple had been de- inal investigation. nied permission on safety The incident happened grounds to hold the fire- as the Duke and Duchess

a hilltop Hindu temple in Himachal Pradesh during the Shravan Navratras festival. September 2008: Stampede at the Chamunda Devi Hindu temple inside Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh Fort kills more than 220. January 2011: More than 100 die in stampede at a festival in Kerala state. October 2013: Stampede at a Hindu festival in Madhya Pradesh kills at least 115. July 2015: At least 27 pilgrims died in a stampede on the banks of a holy river in Andhra Pradesh at the start of the Maha Pushkaralu festival. (BBC)

The temple had been denied permission on safety grounds to hold the fireworks display

Afghanistan earthquake shakes major cities A MAGNITUDE 6.6 earthquake has been felt across a number of major cities across south-west Asia. The earthquake struck in Afghanistan, close to its border with Tajikistan, at 10:28 GMT, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was felt in Kabul, Islamabad, Lahore and Delhi, forcing residents to leave their homes. In October 2015, a mag-

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nitude 7.5 quake in the same border area killed close to 300 people. The latest quake, in the sparsely-populated Hindu Kush mountains, struck at a depth of 210km, the USGS reported. It was the same depth as the 2015 quake. At least one person died in Pakistan’s Swat region, with another 30 injured, emergency officials said. There were no reports of significant damage, but a spokesman for Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority said there was a high risk of landslides. In Delhi, far from the epicentre, the metro train system was temporarily halted. The

08/04/2016

BBC’s Sanjoy Majumder said a number of aftershocks were felt in the Indian capital. Post-quake landslides were a potential threat, said Ahmad Kamal, a spokesman at India’s National Disaster Management Authority. The USGS says the earthquake took place in “one of the most seismically hazardous regions on Earth”. The Hindu Kush mountains sit on the corner of the Indian plate, rather than being at the front line of the continental collision, where the Himalayas are thrust upwards as India disappears beneath Eurasia at a rate of 40-50mm (2ins) per year.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Three dead in elections ahead of Peru polls

SUSPECTED leftist rebels in Peru have killed three people in an attack ahead of Sunday’s presidential election. Two soldiers and a driver died in the attack on a vehicle carrying election materials in a remote coca-growing region, the military said. The election frontrunner is Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, who cracked down on the Maoist Shining Path guerrillas. However she is not expected to win a clear majority. Polls opened at 08:00 local time (13:00 GMT). Opinion polls indicate that Fujimori will not obtain the 50 per cent of votes needed to avoid a second run-off round. Her closest challengers are centrist Pedro Pablo

UNITED States Coast Guard and Dutch law enforcement teams have seized 550 pounds of cocaine and detained one man during an at-sea interdiction northwest of Aruba. The seized cocaine shipment was estimated to have a wholesale value of more than US$8.25 million. The US Coast Guard said that while on a joint patrol, members of its Law Enforcement Detachment, along with the crew of HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën detected and intercepted a suspicious vessel northwest of Aruba in international waters. The cocaine and boat were seized and the man who was on board the vessel was taken into custody. The suspect and contraband were transferred to Panama Express Strike Force agents in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. But the US Coast Guard said the seized vessel became inoperable during the transit and “was sunk as a danger to navigation”. (Caribbean360)

The Peruvian army launched several operations against the rebels last year Kuczynski and left-winger Veronika Mendoza. Keiko Fujimori has marketed herself as being tough on crime and is supported by some Peruvians who credit her father with defeating the rebels. Fujimori is currently serving 25 years in prison for ordering death squads

to massacre civilians during his attempts to end the insurgency. The Shining Path rebel group was largely dismantled in the 1990s after a decade-long conflict that killed about 69,000 people. However, rebels estimated to number in the hun-

dreds still control areas of jungle in a coca-growing region of the country and the Peruvian authorities say they have joined forces with drug gangs. Peru is one of the biggest coca leaf and cocaine producers in the world, according to the US authorities. (BBC)

Jamaica diplomats implicated in suppressing press freedom THE Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), a Government agency tasked with promoting foreign inward investment to Jamaica, may have implicated the Jamaican diplomatic corps in Washington, DC, in what appears to be a blatant attempt to suppress freedom of speech and the press. On Thursday, a letter emailed to Caribbean News Now by Diane Edwards, President of JAMPRO, threatened this publication with legal action should it fail to remove within 24 hours an article therein described as “potentially libelous” published on Tuesday concerning JAMPRO’s relationship, if any, with alleged Ponzi schemer Mark Jones. However, Edwards’ letter made no specific claim as to what was actually libelous but asserted only “potential libel”, a cause of action unknown to the law, and which,

US, Dutch law enforcement officials make US$8M drug bust

in the absence of any legal basis, can therefore only be construed as an attempt to intimidate this publication and its staff and designed simply to suppress freedom of speech and/or the press rather than to articulate and pursue a justifiable complaint. Being based in the United States, Caribbean News Now, its publisher, and the reporter in this instance, Claudette de la Haye, all enjoy the protections afforded by the First Amendment to the US Constitution, namely, the right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press and, further, the right to petition all branches and agencies of the US Government for action to protect such rights. Edwards’ letter and email in question was openly copied to, amongst others, Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States, Ralph Thomas, and Marsha Coore-Lobban,

deputy chief of mission, both at the Jamaican Embassy in Washington, DC. On April 8, 2016, the following email to Thomas and Coore-Lobban: “We note that you were copied on this email to us from Diane Edwards, President of JAMPRO, asserting a spurious and hitherto unknown cause of action, ‘potential libel’, in an apparent attempt to intimidate this publication. “Are we therefore to assume that the Jamaican diplomatic corps in the United States is complicit in this attempt to suppress a n d / o r i n h i b i t t h e c o nstitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech and freedom of the press in the United States?” Neither Thomas nor Coore-Lobban has responded to deny or otherwise counter the assumption of such complicity on the part of the

Jamaican diplomatic corps in the United States. Caribbean News Now has accordingly submitted a formal complaint to the US State Department and members of Congress concerning what appears on the face of it to be an attempt on the part of a foreign Government and its accredited diplomats to interfere with the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Americans. One reader noted that “the Caribbean region playbook of intimidation and bullying of journalists was pulled off the shelves and dusted”, thereby reinforcing the principle enunciated by the then colony of Virginia some 240 years ago: “The freedom of the press is one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained but by despotic Governments.” (Caribbean News Now)

The vessel on which the contraband was found (Photo: US Coast Guard)

Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

Editorial: 227-5216; 227-5204 guyanachronicle.com wnigel10@hotmail.com gnnleditorial@gmail.com

Editorial

Political leadership in perspective

IN POLITICS, leadership matters. Unfortunately, here in Guyana, we have not been blessed with the most persistent, enlightened political leadership. While we would not readily admit it, our admiration for our respective leaders is grounded more in ethnic insecurities than in measurable leadership attributes. Yes, one cannot separate assessment of leadership qualities from our ethnic reality, but it should not be the only criterion. Many of us wonder in frustration why the younger generations are not as enamoured of our political titans of old. Does that tell us more about the quality of leadership than of the quality of younger people? This is not to say that we have not had potentially good leaders who, from time to time, have stirred the imagination of our nation, or parts of it. We have had the Burnhams and Jagans and Rodneys who, in their separate ways, have left their individual marks on our segmented consciousness. Burnham and Jagan led the children out of bondage, and in the process carved out their own niches. Rodney inspired hope for an alternative niche. For some reason, none of them has lived on politically in any big and profound way in the collective consciousness. Good leadership, like good music, must cut across the generational divide. The truth is they may have been victims of the decline of the charismatic Caribbean leader, whose god-like relationship with the masses ensured an almost uncritical hero-worship. Today that exists mostly in the nostalgia of the older generations or the party faithful. That charisma, while serving the function of good-feeling, was in the final analysis not transformative; the intent may have been noble, but the legacy is far from noble. At some point, that would have to soak in. This brings us to the present. President David Granger is a new type of leader, who is not cut from the new technocratic cloth that seems to dominate Caribbean leadership these days. Although a military man by training, his politics do not flow from that authoritarian mindset. If ever there was a pragmatic Guyanese leader, Granger is that one, or comes closest to the ideal. In policy terms, he is not deeply ideological. Despite being the party boss, he is not a party man by inclination. His initial ambivalence about partnership politics did not stand in the way of his emerging as a champion of this new politics. To understand the essence of Granger, the politician, one therefore has to grapple with the challenges of con-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Homosexuality is a mental disorder Dear Editor,

PERMIT me this space in your newspapers to establish this fact about homosexuality. Homosexual behaviour is a manifestation of a psychiatric disorder, and is similar to paedophilia and bestiality. There are a host of psychological difficulties faced by homosexuals. These include major de-

pression, suicidal ideation and attempts, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, conduct disorder, low self-esteem in males, and sexual promiscuity with an inability to maintain committed relationships.” There have been recent calls by some associations for the legalisation of homosexual unions, even an encouragement by Ann Green, the head of Childcare and Protec-

tion Agency (CPA), to have them adopt children. These calls have been made ignoring the potential impact on children in those “unions”. It is being increasingly proven that children have a critical psychological need for a stable family life with a mother and a father, which the homosexual lifestyle cannot provide. While it is the man without knowledge who

would pick on a homosexual for his disability, it is the feeble-minded who would accept these clearly abnormal behaviour patterns. Homosexuals deserve our compassion and help, not our enabling of their self-destructive behaviour. Yours truly, JERMAINE LOCKE

Advice to PPP Councillor Bisram Kuppen Dear Editor, ALLOW me to first congratulate Mr Bisram Kuppen, People’s Progressive Party Councillor, on his ascension to a councillor’s chair around the Georgetown municipality’s horseshoe table. Allow me to say welcome to Mr Kuppen. Welcome to the capital city of Georgetown, which his party tried to, and almost destroyed; and I want to say to this goodly gentleman that today there is good reason why he is the only PPP Councillor seated around the table after 23 years of his party’s rule. In a public letter penned by Kuppen dated April 7, 2016, the PPP Councillor made a public call for councillors to initiate discussions on a forensic audit at the Council, claiming the numerous benefits this move would result in. It is a welcome gesture, but as Mr Kuppen went ahead listing all the great things this audit would do for residents, I am compelled to address this councillor. Given the recent experiences that are still so fresh in our minds, I think I speak for every Georgetown resident in hoping that this councillor intends to earnestly work in the favour of the City and its residents, instead of his party.

It is our hope that Kuppen, unlike the last four PPP Councillors, would abandon the divisive and unproductive instructions handed down by the PPP during his reign. We might be “hoping in the stars”, because already Mr Kuppen is exhibiting the calculated moves structured by himself and his political leaders. Despite participating in the deliberations being Kuppen’s right as a councillor, he chose to remain mute and unattached, and abstained from voting during the nomination of Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and in identifying members of the Finance Committee. Already, Mr Kuppen, we, the Georgetown residents, see this as a plan by you and your PPP leaders to make calculated steps in forwarding your political agenda. Your letter calling for a forensic audit only confirms this assumption; for the simple fact that you refused to voice your concerns around the table, but instead chose to take to the public, making demands suggests this is because you sit on the Council only as the mouthpiece of the PPP. You have not earned our trust. We cannot believe anything you say, when your party members have done what they did to us and our

temporary Guyanese and Caribbean politics. Our society begs for order in our persistent chaos. It dreams of a leadership that tries to understand our inherent complexities. In many respects, it constructed the Granger way, perhaps in spite of Granger. One can’t help but admire his optimism and patience, whether it is with

beautiful City. We can’t believe anything that comes out of a PPP Councillor’s mouth. You say that there has been a loud public cry of corruption against the Council, but it is known that this has been coming from PPP loyalists and party ghost writers. Kuppen contends that no one should oppose an audit, since everyone seems interested in seeing a revitalised Georgetown. Indeed, we are all for the City’s resurrection, but I refuse to be fooled by you, a political player who, instead of acting according to the best interest of citizens, will take your instructions from a source that has no interest in the wellbeing of this City. I restate my belief that Kuppen’s only agenda as a Georgetown Councillor is to play the cards of the PPP. Let it be stated again that Georgetown is not a PPP stronghold; the majority of citizens are Afro-Guyanese who got no support from a party that catered only to rich Indo-Guyanese. The PPP’s last four GT Councils were the worst. They disrespected the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and the councillors; disregarded proper operational procedures, and neglected this City. Their actions escalated with the installation of the uneducated,

obnoxious, insolent Carol Sooba by the said PPP party. They had never put forward any ideas to move this City forward; they never met with citizens and heard their problems; they did nothing but hold the power stable for the PPP under the guidance of their Minister. They enjoyed cussing out with the chair, his deputy, and other councillors; loved making outbursts that interrupted meetings; and adored staging a walkout. That is why I believe every move made by Mr Kuppen is not a genuine one. That party has, in my view, constructed a major plot to vilify and besmirch the image and intent of the new Government, which has inherited the Herculean task of dismantling the corrupt matrix created by the PPP. Almost all of the country’s prime land is ‘gone’; millions and billions of dollars have been made by ministers, their friends and families; the rest of people in the country were left to ‘make it’ the best way they could; and, oh yeah, the police, public servants and others providing services learnt how to survive alright. Yours faithfully, AKEEM BENNONS

his partners in the Coalition or with the rampant Bharrat Jagdeo. But this was complemented with a sure-footed poise as he confronted the Maduro challenge. Are we in the embryonic stage of a new model of leadership as we approach 50 years of Independence? Time will tell, hopefully sooner rather than later.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Transparency International is wrong

Dear Editor,

WHY would our nation focus the national energy on the immense problems plaguing our social space, while not ever focusing on workable solutions? Problem-focused behaviour in the public square demoralizes citizens. Now we pelt at Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, and Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, a plethora of disapproval and a cartload of criticism laced with sour accusations of corruption, incompetence, and bad leadership. We engage in this sort of behaviour as a default reaction -- our instinctive way of being. We did it for the two decades that the former Government held office, and now we’re doing it with this new Government. The private national media and Transparency Guyana International, along with local organizations like Red Thread, an activist non-governmental organisation, have become vociferous against what they perceive as wrong moves from certain Government leaders. Transparency Guyana International launched itself onto a bold bandwagon and declared, with emphatic arrogance, that Minister Harmon engaged in corruption for his dealings with well-known business personality Brian Tiwari. Red Thread wants Minister Lawrence fired for her hand in Winston Harding becoming a Councillor in Georgetown, because of Harding’s troubles around child sexual abuse. We cannot solve the ongoing challenges facing our nation if we continue with this sort of sanctimonious, self-righteous, holier-than-thou, judgmental condemnation of people who may offend us, or with whose actions we do not agree. The Government of Guyana is the Government, elected in free and fair elections to govern the society. Whatever the flaws at the Elections Commission, the Guyanese society operates as a democracy, and that democracy grants the rights of governance for five years to the Government sworn into office. Public opinion, sections of the media and activist organizations cannot exert governance by proxy through unnecessary public pressure

on the State, so that the State becomes weak and caves in every time an unpopular decision arises. Minister Harmon chose to engage Mr Tiwari, who, published information reveals, aided the Government in its electoral campaign. The two travelled together to China on State business. What’s wrong and so corrupt about that? An action in and of itself cannot constitute corruption. Before Transparency Guyana International and the media accuse Minister Harmon of corruption, they must show proof that corrupt practices actually and in fact did take place. Where is the proof and evidence that Minister Harmon and Mr Tiwari engaged in any corrupt practice? How could Minister Lawrence’s role in Mr Harding’s candidacy for Local Government Elections as councillor warrant Government firing her from her ministerial post? Mr Harding went to the electorate and won, when his story was public knowledge. Either the electoral system is flawed in allowing persons with questionable resumes to run for public office, or voters are dumb for electing such a person to high office. Whichever it is, why should Minister Lawrence face sanctions and criticisms for her political work? Mr Harding is subject to the laws of the land, and maybe we should learn from the case and strengthen our electoral laws, instead of lynching Minister Lawrence as a scapegoat. In the Government of President Donald Ramotar, we saw three Ministers of his Government sanctioned: Ganga Persaud, Dr Bheri Ramsarran, and Dr Jennifer Westford. Yet the private media, vociferous citizens with biased and prejudiced agendas on social media, and private media organs showing blatant hatred for the People’s Progressive Party government engaged in wanton accusations of corruption, poor governance, and sinister whisperings of shady mysteries against the Ramotar government. As former President Donald Ramotar himself has written, such behaviour leads to the Guyanese nation building a public perception that is grounded in false, malicious and hateful emotional outbursts. The society then upholds as real this perception, which is not based in actual

-to accuse Harmon of corruption

fact, when all it is is perception. We must allow Government to govern, and its officials to use the five years of its term of office to make the decisions they see as best for the nation. The Guyanese society lacks the intellectual capacity for the development mandate. If Minister Harmon sees Mr Tiwari as an asset, why should that be a problem? With Mr Tiwari’s experience and know-how, this new Government may benefit, and thus the country as a whole. If the watchdogs find concrete evidence of corruption, either from the actions of Minister Harmon or Mr Tiwari, lay the evidence out and let the legal authority take appropriate action. But to subject the nation to baseless and subjective accusations with no grounding in rationale, fact, or objectivity is unfair to the Guyanese nation. These critics fail to realize that the State budget is only US$1B. How much corruption could that fragile wealth sustain? Let’s focus on solutions to grow our economy; that’s what’s important now. Persons and organizations embracing the power of a public voice in this democratic nation must act with strong professionalism and a keen sense of responsibility, with a sensitive nature to the psyche of the population, instead of jumping up in arrogant disdain to pronounce with

emotional wrath on their own perception of what’s going on in the world. We cannot merely assume that our leaders have acted with sinister motives and underhand scampishness; we must prove guilt before we accuse and judge and condemn. In this vein, I raise the issue --which troubles me as a journalist -- of the Stabroek News potentially involving itself in serious conflict-of-interest and unprofessional journalistic ethics by paying State Auditor Anand Goolsarran as a columnist, and also Rawle Lucas, appointed Chairman of the Guyana Revenue Authority, as its Business Page czar. When this writer took a contract with the Government of President Ramotar, the Editor of Stabroek News, Mr Anand Persaud, correctly and professionally and ethically pulled a column I was writing then for the newspaper. That’s what professional Journalism is: a total avoidance of any perception of the possibility of conflict-of-interest. While we may be certain of the professionalism of Mr Persaud, and that the intention of both Dr Goolsarran and Mr Lucas would remain above board and be professional and without ulterior motives, bias or prejudice, the ethics of the Journalism profession could very easily be violated in this case, and

such a precedent could cause other personalities of lesser character, resolve and careful self-diligence to find themselves in just such a tempting scenario. Perception is what matt e r s . A n d Tr a n s p a r e n c y International is wrong and arrogant and unprofessional to smear the name and character of Minister Harmon with baseless accusations of corruption. The social activist groups are wrong to target Minister Lawrence for the situation Georgetown finds itself in with Mr Harding as an e l e c t e d c o u n c i l l o r. T h e problem lies at GECOM, with our electoral laws that do not bar men accused of child sexual crimes from engaging in politics. Given what we saw happen to the Government of President Donald Ramotar, even when he acted based on evidence to sanction three of his Ministers -- how development got choked off under

unfair, biased and really bad accusations: the Specialty Hospital, the Airport expansion, Amaila Falls Hydro Project come to mind -– we must learn from our history, reform our behaviour, and foster a national spirit of sensibleness, professional public conduct, and rational fair-mindedness. We, the people, must trust the Government of the land, whoever governs us democratically; and we must construct a national atmosphere of peace, mutual trust and understanding, with absolute focus on our socio-economic future. Unless we act with deliberate effort at fostering a national atmosphere that is inspiring, motivational and solutions-oriented, we would not escape the history we’ve endured over the last 50 years. Sincerely, SHAUN MICHAEL SAMAROO

Monday April 11th, 2016 - 05:00 hrs Tuesday April 12th, 2016 - 08:30 hrs Wednesday April 13th, 2016 - 09:30 hrs

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Boards of Guardian urged to be innovative THE Ministry of Social Protection has installed what is now called a Local Board of Guardian at Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast and at the riverine township of Bartica. The mandate of these boards is to support families in need of Public Assistance, but subject minister Volda Lawrence is urging members to go beyond making recommendations. At the recent installation ceremony in the communities at reference, Minister Lawrence reportedly suggested that the boards could seek additional support to empower families by collaborating with other departments of the ministry that provide both skills training and job placement with sister agencies, or with the ministry directly. According to the Minis-

try of Social Protection, the Boards are responsible for processing applications for Public Assistance -- a form of temporary financial assis-

from the programme include the aged, infirm, sick, destitute, and children below the age of 14. The abovenamed Lo-

of the applications within the Essequibo County. Children receiving public assistance must benefit from regular health checks,

Minister of Social Protection addressing members of the newly-installed Region 7 Local Boards of Guardian tance issued by the Government of Guyana to specific persons. Those benefiting

cal Boards of Guardian are tasked with evaluating and determining the legitimacy

and attend school regularly; while board members have to monitor such attendances.

According to the Ministry of Social Protection, Minister Lawrence alerted parents to the Ministry’s intention to hold them accountable when they are delinquent in taking care of their children. Such parents will have to face the law whenever they neglect their children’s welfare, she added. Minister Lawrence has advised the new board members that Government is moving in the direction of implementing conditional cash transfers, which would eventually replace Public Assistance. This would be in the form of tangible assistance to families, which would help to empower the entire family, rather than a cash transfer for a few members, as is currently the case. The Minister also indicated that persons with permanent disabilities are now

being given Public Assistance Vouchers for an entire year, instead of six months, as was done previously. Apprising the members of their roles and expectations, the Minister urged them to be compassionate towards people seeking assistance and at all times treat cases with the highest confidentiality. Board members are selected from communities within the regions. The several persons from the previous boards were returned to serve on the new boards. There are 28 such boards across the country. Also attending the ceremony were Member of Parliament and Advisor to the Minister John Adams; Assistant Chief Probation and Social Security Officer, Ricardo Banwarie; and several officials.

‘Love Revolution’ confab stirs new awakening By Shauna Jemmott AFTER the refreshing experience of participating in a revolutionary conference, some local women have been encouraged to be the carriers of hope -- to rise unapologetically and inspire a new awakening in Guyana. Anna McCoy, an American business executive, was the feature speaker at a special forum, titled ‘Empowering Women in Business’, recently hosted by the Women Association for Sustainable Development (WASD) in association with the Sonia Noel Foundation for Creative Arts, at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown. A number of women benefited

from the forum, which took the format of a ‘Love Revolution’ conference pioneered by Linda Wallace, a California Empowerment Specialist and Women’s Rights Advocate. As McCoy observed on her Facebook page in regard to being empowered, “You will arise unapologetically to love deeper, to dream bigger, to outwit and overcome the barriers, and be the solution for economic, social, relational and spiritual awakening in your nation.” To the women who participated in the conference, McCoy said: “I believe in you.” To the women of Guyana, she said: “Your future is bright, full of hope, brilliance, witty ideas, amazing

joy and the reward of achieving your dreams”; and she added that the nation depends on the women’s intelligence, maturity, and skillful precision of saying exactly what they want. The Women Empowerment Specialist said women are the carriers of hope, and she has encouraged them to “be the change you seek.” In this season of change, she said, the women who participated in the conference are “powerful’, and are awake and ready for this time of Guyana’s transformation. “Arise and shine! Your light has come!” she advised. During the segment ‘Key’s to an Empowered you’, the women were given tips on putting enthu-

Former Miss Guyana World Indra Changa-Mekdeci is among participants of the business empowerment forum

siasm in communication; aligning what they believe with exactness, precision and supernatural accuracy; what to do to make a valuable contribution to society; creating a value proposition; knowing what you are bringing to the marketplace; and building self-esteem, among other areas. A HOPE REFORMER Anna McCoy is a certified life and business solutions coach and founder of Woman Act Now, which is an organization “empowering women to learn, launch and live their dreams through affordable coaching, coach training and marketplace empowerment”. She is a hope reformer, and a popularly demanded international life and business transformational coach and speaker to governmental leaders, entrepreneurs, and women of influence. On her website, http:// www.annamccoy.com/, McCoy states, “I am passionate about filling others with courage to pursue the dreams and ideas that they were created for, and I am a global solutionist. I live in the “can do, it is possible” mindset. I am an advancer of human spiritual and intellectual capital, believing in the jewels and great potential that reside in each of us.” According to her bi-

International life and business transformational coach Anna McCoy speaking at the women’s empowerment forum ography, McCoy is also a “seasoned entrepreneur with a demonstrated track record of starting, nurturing, growing and expand-

ing business opportunities from development to manifestation, producing multi-million-dollar companies”.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

$5M for Region 10 Jubilee celebrations By Vanessa Braithwaite

THE Region 10 Administration will be investing $5 million in the 50th Independence Celebrations next month. Out of that amount, $3 million will be used for designing, constructing and showcasing of the float that will be participating in the parade to be held in Georgetown. The region will also spend a significant amount in a massive cleanup campaign and in construction of public washroom facilities to accommodate the scores of visitors and the many social activities slated for that period. Currently, a private citizen has commenced constructing a public washroom facility, and the Regional Administration expects more such facilities would be constructed. Activities surrounding the 50th Anniversary Celebration will complement the Linden Town Week activities, which will commence on May 15th. For that period, Linden will become the hub of entertainment and tourism, and the Commemoration Committee said it is putting all things in place to make these events successful. One of the challenges being faced currently is finding sufficient accommodation for the expected visitors. The calendar of activities will conclude on the 23rd July with a magic show at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground.

The range of cultural activities will involve everyone in the region, including the elderly and school children. Steel pan, calypso singing, dancing, karaoke and drama

are some of the cultural competitions to be expected. For the school children, there will be ‘Spelling B’ and debating competitions, as well as sporting activities. A futsal competition will commence in March and run straight into May, with several teams from the region competing for prizes. A pageant will be held on May 14, 2016 at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, and several delegates will be vying for the crown of Miss Independence. The various events will take into consideration sports enthusiasts, party lovers and cultural aficionados. On May 25, there will be an international artiste concert, and this event will run straight into the flag-raising ceremony. In contrast to previous years, the flag-raising ceremony will be held in front of the Regional Democratic Council, as that building holds the seat of Government in the region. On that same day 50 years ago, the flag was raised at the building which housed the council at that time. The 50th Independence Celebration will also see the restoring of the town’s monuments, such as the Water Wheel and the Aluminum Plant. The commemoration team of the Regional Democratic Council and the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with Vybz Entertainment, will be working assiduously to make these calendar events successful and memorable.

Linden TV station to get vital support from Gov’t ––Solomon By Vanessa Braithwaite SECRETARY to the Board of Trustees of the Region 10 TV station, Sharma Solomon, has said that Government has pledged to give technical and administrative support to the station as part of the promise to give it back to the people. Solomon said licence for operating the station has been granted, but has not yet been handed over. Once that happens, the board will explore the options of what was promised by the Government. “The Government has indicated that they are prepared to support the board in any and all requests that are made to them as far as possible, whether technical or administrative. I believe (that) once the board has (been) expanded, we will be able to explore those offers, from (which) we will be able to extract the offers the Government has promised the board,” Solomon affirmed. At this point, the handing over of the licence has been stalled, because the Prime Minister has given a directive to have the board expanded to include a wider cross-section of stakeholders in Linden. The board has sent correspondence to the various stakeholders to have a representative become a legal member of the Trust, and when these members

have been added, Solomon said, he is confident that the licence will be handed over. With the progress made so far to have the station established, Solomon said, broadcasting can begin directly after the licence has been handed over. READY TO BROADCAST “We are quite confident that the licence is to be approved and signed…. If the licence is placed in our hands this minute, we are prepared to turn on the next minute….,” he articulated. Concerning technical and administrative aspects of the station, he revealed that relevant discussions with the Government were determined on the basis of the board’s technical support from Anthony Vieira, TV broadcast station pioneer. Vieira, he said, supported the region in not only acquiring a transmitter, but also in setting out a technical and administrative business programme based on how resources are acquired and maintained. This is in contrast with rumours surfacing that Vieira had bought the station for $7 million, and would acquire complete ownership of the station. Defending the board on the claim was trustee Pastor Morris McKinnon, who is representing the religious community. He said that legal policies sur-

Sharma Solomon rounding the ownership of the station or board do not allow for any one person to take custody. “Nobody can gain custody; no trustee, no board member, can gain custody of this television station. They cannot, in (any) way. There are legal prohibitions and legal arrangements. No one person or no group can gain custody…. This is the people’s thing.”

PURCHASING SHARES Solomon also commented on the issue, saying that the company’s registration clearly states that it is owned by the people of Linden, and therefore it cannot be sold or transferred. With this being the main purpose, the Board of Trustees has initiated a mechanism to have the common man in Linden purchase shares in the company. The building housing the station is 98 per cent complete, and this has been made possible through several donations by various committees, such as the Rebuild Committee. A group is to make a donation to do finishing work on the building. “Plumbing is finished, electrical work is finished, installation of the air conditioning and everything – the building is completely tiled and painted,” he said. Solomon also gave assurance that the company has established a sustainability plan so that the station will become, and remain, a viable entity. The television station was part of the deal hammered out for Lindeners who were protesting plans by the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) to raise electricity tariffs. Three protestors were shot dead in the monthlong protest.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

National Library commences Week of Celebrations By Shirley Thomas THE National Library on Sunday commenced a Week of Celebrations in observance of what is dubbed “National Library Week”. Celebratory activities and lots of wonderful events are reportedly in store! Held under the theme “Transforming your community with help at National Library”, the week of activities kicked off with a fitness walk around the City. The assembly point was outside the National Library on Church Street, and

venue. Sometimes open mic nights have a featured reader or writing workshop; but, generally, there is a sign-up sheet for anyone interested. Each poet is called to step up to the microphone and read a poem or two. Participating in an open mic reading can be a lot of fun. Some people attend just to listen, others to try out a new poem, while others still attend to share other poets’ experiences. The ‘Big Read’ is a programme organised by the National Library locally. It is one which provides members of

Guyana National Library participants – evidently health conscious -- made a spirited walk, proceeding east along Church Street, turning north into Vlissengen Road, west into Thomas Lands, and finally culminated at the National Park, starting the day off vibrant and refreshed. The walk came on the heels of another that was coordinated by the Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, held in the City last Friday in celebration of World Health Day. Such activities were in consonance with, and a good way of, “Fighting Diabetes” – the theme for World Health Day 2016. An Inter-faith Religious Service is slated for today at the National Library’s Conference Centre, beginning at 08:45 hrs. Prayers are expected to be offered by representatives of the three main religious faiths in Guyana: Christian, Muslim and Hindu. On Tuesday, there will be three big events: The Big Read, starting at 09:00 hrs at the National Library; an Open Mic Poetry forum at the same venue, beginning at 17:00 hrs; and a Reading Symposium at Bagotville Library, West Bank Demerara from 10:00 hrs. Open Mic (short for microphone) Poetry Readings are for anyone who wants to read their poetry in a public

the public with opportunity to broaden understanding of the world, their communities, and themselves through the joy of sharing a good book. The ‘Big Read’ supports organisations across the country in developing communitywide programmes that encourage reading and participation of diverse audiences. The library will, on Wednesday, April 13, stage an ‘Open Day’ at its headquarters on Church Street from 10:00 to 16:00 hrs, and the public is invited to participate. Members of the media are specially invited to a tour of the National Library on this day, commencing at 14:00 hrs, according to Chief Librarian Emily King. Thursday 14, dubbed “Ask a Lawyer”, will be a day set aside for interaction with the legal luminaries. On that day, the National Library will provide a forum for members of the public to interface with lawyers, who will answer questions and generally sensitise citizens on matters pertaining to the law. Friday will see a range of activities taking place at the Library’s Conference Centre; namely, staff appreciation, launch of the friends of the library; unveiling of the donors’ board, a ceremony for a Toy Library Project, a storytelling marathon and a book give away.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Fiscal reform needed –– as Region faces commodity, demographic shocks, says IDB economic report

WEAK global growth, a fading demographic boom, lower commodity prices and deteriorating fiscal positions are underscoring the urgent need for major reformulations in fiscal policies of the Caribbean and Latin America, according to the Inter-American Development Bank’s annual macroeconomic report released yesterday. Most countries need to trim fiscal spending. However, the report argues against cutting capital investments, but advocates undertaking more fundamental reforms. “Fiscal adjustments are never easy,” said IDB Vice-President Santiago Levy. “Many countries are in the difficult position of having to act now or face more painful adjustments later on. The good news is that there is room to increase spending efficiency and rebalance fiscal policy to improve growth and protect the many social gains that have been achieved over the past decade.” The Region will experience flat to slightly negative growth in 2016. However, IDB Chief Economist Jose Juan Ruiz notes that “the reality is heterogeneous. While the Region as a whole faces negative growth this year, almost a quarter of the IDB’s 26 borrowing countries are registering growth of 3.5 percent or higher.” Besides lower commodity prices, Latin America and the Caribbean Region faces a demographic shock also. An ageing population and other demographic trends mean that in 2011-2020 the increase in the employment share may only contribute 0.6% to growth rather than 2% in the 2000s – a potential loss of 1.4 percent. The upshot is that in the post-commodity

boom period of 2014-2020, average annual growth is expected to be 1.7 percent, far below the 4 percent registered during the exceptional commodity boom of 2003-2013. “Most forecasts predict only moderate increases for commodity prices,” said Andrew Powell, IDB’s Principal Economic Advisor and the lead author of the report, “but we

should note that commodity prices are virtually impossible to predict. Countries need to find better ways to manage commodity price uncertainty.” There are additional downside risks. According to IDB calculations, every one percent in slower growth in China reduces growth in Latin America and the Caribbean by 0.6 percent. Every one percent reduction in the growth of the U.S. economy trims an additional 1.5 percent off growth in Latin America and the Caribbean. “Adding China and the U.S. shocks together will delay the Region’s recovery by one year,” said Ruiz. Some countries saved and can now smooth the transition to lower commodity prices. However, several countries increased

fiscal spending in response to the 2009 recession and then failed to reverse the increases as the recession receded. Central America and the Caribbean countries are benefiting from lower oil prices and the U.S. economic recovery, but several countries still require fiscal adjustment to keep debt from rising. The report analyses announced fiscal budgets of 15 countries. Revenue is expected to increase 1.1 percent, while cuts amounted to 1.7 percent, of which one percentage point comes from reductions in capital expenditures, which will impact future growth. BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE There is an opportunity to rebalance spending in favour of public investment such as maintenance and infrastructure repair programmes. Developing nations should invest at least 5 percent of GDP in infrastructure to boost growth. Over 20082013, the average for 16 countries in the Region is 3.7 percent of GDP.

Better infrastructure will also help improve the Region’s export performance, something that can be further helped by deepening regional integration to increase scale and allow firms to compete in global markets. The report details fiscal reforms in four countries – Jamaica, Honduras, Mexico and Chile – that promote sustainability over the longer term. The report also recommends trimming current spending by better targeting subsidies on gasoline, electricity and public transportation, which tend to leak to higher-income households. Targeting in conditional cash transfer programmes can also be improved. Low international oil prices are an opportunity to levy more taxes on gasoline. There is also considerable space to improve efficiency, particularly in education and health, which tend to account for a large proportion of expenditure. The IDB will issue a flagship report in June on the importance of savings to boost future growth.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Youth concert rocks NCC

UNDER the theme reflect, inspire, and celebrate, a grand Golden Jubilee Youth Folk Explosion was

staged on Saturday at the National Cultural Centre (NCC). The Youth Concert which

attracted a significant audience, included sing-a-long folk music, dance, poetry and dramatic performances

The National Culture Centre audience was well entertained on Saturday evening by schools, youth groups and dance companies that came together on one platform to showcase Guyana’s rich cultural diversity. According to a release, each performance created a hyped reaction from the audience, especially the Queh Queh presentation by the National Drama Company, ‘Young girls lock it up’; the calypso piece performed by Dominique Haywood from Diamond Secondary School; the ‘Cassava Processing’ dance performed by St Cuth-

bert’s Mission; and the ‘Baccoo Speaks’ by Nathaniel Powers and Noshavyah Walcott from the West Demerara Secondary, Region Three. The ‘Good Old Days’ dance performed by Mystic Dance Group and a medley of Folk songs performed by the Joint School Choir, Region Four, East Coast Demerara, among others, were also well received by the audience. “The items performed at Guyana’s Golden Jubilee Youth Folk Explosion

should be repeated at various upcoming cultural festivals commemorating Guyana Golden Jubilee Celebration, especially the Queh Queh presentation performed by the National Drama Company,” Director of Sports and Entertainment, Christopher Jones said. Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Nicolette Henry, who described the performances as “well-coordinated”, said she was pleased with each segment.

GNBS: Standards are about quality service THE wellbeing of consumers is guaranteed with standards, because standards offer protection, whether during leisure activities in tourism or browsing the Internet, according to the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS). “As consumers, whenever we turn on a light switch, use the Internet, unwrap food from a supermarket, or our children play with toys, or we do hundreds of other everyday things, we knowingly or unknowingly benefit from standards,” the bureau noted. The bureau noted also that the tangible benefits of standards to the lives of consumers are usually realised through their interaction with products, services and the environment. The GNBS says that as products and services are utilised daily, standards do three key things for consumers: They facilitate safety through the setting of minimum requirements; improve quality; and aid easier use of products, so that even the differently-abled can use them. Standards help all kinds of organisations to work in better and smarter ways to improve their efficiency and be more innovative, which ultimately benefit consumers. However, there are other areas where standards have a more profound impact on

consumers across the globe, and these include services, wellbeing, inclusivity, sustainability, and the security of personal information. The GNBS underscores that consumers get essen-

as guidelines to ensure that the security of personal information during online shopping, banking and social networking is secure, even as people are becoming increasingly concerned about their

tial services -- like finance, health or energy -- from a wide range of organizations; and, in recent years, standards have helped to raise the quality of services that they deliver. These standards give organizations clear guidance on how to deal with the whole process: giving good service at the outset; dealing with complaints in the best way if things go wrong; and dispute resolution, if that stage fails. In addition, the bureau explained that consumers’ inclusivity is assured when standards are implemented, as they benefit from equal rights to access the products and services they need. Some standards are used

security and privacy. Such standards give organizations step-by-step guidance on how to securely manage customer information. For the foreseeable future, the hundreds of Standards Institutions, including the Guyana National Bureau of Standards and consumer bodies worldwide, will continue to develop, promote and encourage the implementation of standards as a means of protecting consumers from detriments which can result from the use of substandard products and services; and allow them to garner all the other benefits that can be derived from their use.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

No compromise in Guyana’s – Ramkarran political culture

FORMER Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, is of the view that there is

no compromise in Guyana’s political culture, but there rather exists dominance.

Man killed by falling tree branch

This view was expressed in his weekly blog, “The Conversation Tree”, which was published on Saturday. According to Ramkarran, it is not surprising that Guyana’s two main political parties “cannot

CHRISTOPHER Boyer, a 29-year-old father of five of Wauna Hill in the Mabaruma sub-region of Region One, died on Sunday afternoon after a tree branch fell on him. Boyer reportedly went with his employer into a forested area near Wauna Hill to cut logs, at about 14:30 hrs, when the tree branch fell on him. He

Ralph Ramkarran

sustained mainly head injuries, and was soon after rushed to the Mabaruma Hospital, several miles away. His mother, Evelyn Willis, told this publication last evening that her son died on the way to the hospital. The grieving woman said his loss was a huge blow to the family, as he was the sole bread-winner. Boyer is expected to be laid to rest later this week.

agree on anything”. To support this contention, he referred to the two unsuccessful attempts that were made by the parties in the past to cooperate at the local government level. In 1994, he said, the parties agreed to share the position of the Mayor of Georgetown. However, when the PPP’s turn came, the PNC “reneged on the agreement”. Similarly, in the 2006 regional elections, he noted, the two parties obtained an equal number of seats in Region Seven. An agreement to share the post of chair was subse-

quently discarded by the PNC/R when the elections took place. And at present, there is a similar situation, wherein the two major parties – PPP and APNU+AFC – have recorded ties in six local authority areas following the March 18 Local Government Elections (LGE). Faced with a deadlock, the PPP reportedly proposed that the Mayor and Chairpersons of the NDCs should rotate annually. According to Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, he was told that President Granger had approved the agreement. He further asserted that the decision was revoked by the Government, which proposed that three of the six bodies should be led by APNU and three by the PPP. Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, made no comment on the alleged agreement, but appeared to have confirmed the Government’s position of three-three. Bulkan subsequently appointed heads of all six bodies, stating that this was decided on after the PPP rejected the Government’s proposal.

DOMINANCE Given these developments and those which would have been recorded in history, Ramkarran noted, it is to the credit of the PPP that even with

the experiences of the past, it sought to address the current impasse by compromise. However, he was keen to note that it should not be assumed that the quest for political dominance resides only with APNU. “Dominance, not compromise, rules Guyana’s politics,” he stated in his blog. A former longstanding member of the PPP, Ramkarran noted that dominance is so ingrained in Guyana’s political culture that it can be taken to illogical levels. “When the PPP won the Government with only a plurality of votes in the 2011 elections, it was assumed that the natural outcome would have been a coalition Government, as it would have been in any other part of the rational world,” he said. He noted that the PPP’s position was clear -- that it was prepared to be out of Government rather than stay in the Government and share it with one or both opposition parties.

NOT SURPRISING “This attitude demonstrated the extent to which the principle of dominance, starting almost from the dawn of our modern political history, had become an integral part of Guyana’s political process. APNU’s recent posture on seeking unilateral advantages in resolving the outcome of the elections in the six areas is therefore not surprising,” Ramkarran added. Given the recent appointments by the minister, Ramkarran opined that this is likely to present another opportunity for compromise, since the appointments were not in accordance with the law. “Since on this view the ministerial appointments cannot stand, APNU and the Government will have an opportunity to reconsider the compromise proposed by the PPP, or some other reasonable resolution, before calling election for Mayor and Chair for the six areas,” he said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Economic activity to contract 0.6 per cent --in Latin America and the Caribbean, says ECLAC

THE Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has revised downward its growth projections for the region’s economic activity, forecasting an average contraction of 0.6 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2016. This new estimate reflects that the contraction experienced by regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2015 (0.5 per cent) will extend to the current year. The new projections are evidence of the difficult global scenario in which low growth continues in developed countries, there is a significant deceleration in emerging economies (China in particular), volatility and costs in financial markets are increasing, and there are low prices for commodities — especially hydrocarbons and

minerals. In addition, there is greater weakness in internal demand in the region’s countries, with the decline in domestic investment being accompanied by a deceleration of consumption. As in 2015, during 2016, the growth dynamic shows marked differences between countries and sub-regions, ECLAC says. The economies of South America, which are specialised in the production of commodities, especially oil and minerals, and have a growing degree of trade integration with China — will record a contraction of -1.9 per cent. Meanwhile, the growth rate for Central American economies is forecast at 3.9 per cent. This is below the figure registered in 2015 (4.3 per cent). If Central America and Mexico are taken togeth-

ECLAC has revised downward its growth projections for the region’s economic activities in 2016 er, projections for 2016 are economies of northern Latin sub-region, the organisation 2.6 per cent, below the 2.9 America and the Caribbean says. According to ECLAC, per cent reached in 2015. reflects a weaker-than-exF o r t h e E n g l i s h - o r pected recovery in the United ending this phase of deDutch-speaking Caribbean, States, and shows the effects celeration and invigorating estimated growth will be of fiscal policy adjustments growth in the current sitaround 0.9 per cent in 2016. that have been adopted in uation entails a series of This new scenario for the some economies of this challenges for the region’s

economies. On the one hand, it is essential to stimulate investment and increase productivity to resume a path of sustained and sustainable growth in the long term. Additionally, efforts should be made to protect the social gains achieved in recent years, and avoid rollbacks in the face of a lower economic growth scenario. In this context, the organisation indicates that countries need policies that sustain social and productive investment in the framework of smart fiscal adjustments. ECLAC said it is necessary to attain sustainability in the region’s public finances with policies that take into account the impact on growth capacity in the long-term, as well as the social conditions of the region’s inhabitants.

IsDB membership tremendous benefit for Guyana GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

--says Surinamese diplomat

banking systems. In his opinion, “Islamic banking will contribute to better services for customers. Especially the production sector will benefit the most from the Islamic finance system.” He added that Islamic banking is a “risk and profit-based banking system”. The word “Islamic” should

Ambassador Anwar Lall Mohamed

GUYANA, which recently joined the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), will definitely draw criticism from various elements, but Suriname’s alternate governor to the IsDB, Ambassador Anwar Lall Mohamed, sees this as a “wise decision”, and says that “it will assist in advancing development and prosperity in Guyana”. Mohamed, whose country is also a member of the Islamic Bank, and who has extensive knowledge of Islamic banking and finance, said: “Be aware and be prepared for the anti-Islamic Bank campaign that can be expected from the established financing circles.” Membership in the group guarantees Guyana concessional financing and technical advice. As well, the agriculture, aviation, infrastructure, education and healthcare sectors of Guyana will receive financial and technology boost and knowledge to support the financial sector. Next door in Suriname, the Islamic Bank and Malaysia recently began collaborating to spur the development and export of the agricultural sector there. This reverse-linking project on rice is a tripartite cooperation (financing) between the Islamic Development Bank, the Government of Malaysia and the Government of Suriname. Mardi Holding Corporation has been hired to prepare, implement and evaluate the project. Also, Mardi will train farmers and other stakeholders. Since Islamic banking commenced in Suriname, farmers and small businesses can now tap into generous Islamic finance. Earlier this year, Trust Bank of Suriname

signed an advisory services agreement with the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), the private sector arm of the Islamic Development Bank Group, to process and support its conversion into full Shariah-compliant operations. Suriname has received US$102.8 million in financing for 12 projects since 1997. And some ambitious plans are ahead, one of which will be announced in Jakarta in May. In 2013, Suriname and the IsDB agreed on a new interim member country partnership strategy, which translated into Suriname recently receiving additional loans totalling US$75.8 million for two projects in the health and education sectors. Suriname is now working on a broader partnership with the bank. Guyana will benefit from the various organs of the Islamic Bank: the Islamic Centre for the Development of Trade (ICDT), based in Casablanca, is the organisation that has responsibility to promote and support the increase of trade among Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries. Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI) was founded in 1981 to conduct research and provide training for IsDB member countries with the aim to further economic development and cooperation amongst them; and the ICD was founded in 1999 to develop the private sector in IsDB member countries. Guyana will be able to tap all these resources and support. Mohammed expects that there will now be competition between the conventional

not alarm people; it merely means the application of the “Shariah Law in Islamic finance, which guarantees integrity, transparency and ethics in Islamic banking. Regardless of your respective faith, everyone from any religion can utilize the benefits of Islamic banking,” the ambassador remarked.

He stressed that the public should note that “one does not have to become a Muslim to borrow money according to the Islamic banking system. Islamic banking is for each and everyone, regardless of faith, race, social ranking, cultural background or political colour.” Mohamed expressed ex-

citement that now two countries in the Western Hemisphere are members of the OIC and shareholders of the IsDB. “Now we can share our knowledge and experiences with each other for the benefit of our brotherly, friendly and cross border nations,” Mohamed said. (Caribbean News Now)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

IDB urges Latin America, Caribbean to tackle reforms

THE Inter-American Development Bank has wrapped up its annual meeting by encouraging Latin American and Caribbean countries to strengthen their fiscal positions and prioritise infrastructure investments in order to emerge

stronger from the economic slowdown. In a speech to the Boards of Governors of the IDB and the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC), IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno said: “The backlog of reforms is daunting and the short-

term challenges are great, but this is not the time to hesitate; it is time to seize the initiative.” The Boards of Governors are the top policymaking bodies of the IDB and the IIC, which last year approved a total of US$12.2 billion in loans

and grants for economic, social and institutional development projects. Most governors are finance ministers, central bank presidents, and other high-ranking officials in the IDB’s 48 member countries. According to the IDB’s annual macroeconomic re-

port, presented during the meeting, regional economic growth in 2016 will be negative for a second year in a row. That weighted average, however, masks strikingly different performances, with some small Latin American economies growing at high rates while larger economies are mired in recession. In the report, the IDB recommended that countries make necessary fiscal adjustments sooner rather than later, and rebalance public spending to productivity-boosting investments, such as modernizing or repairing infrastructure. It also advised Governments to take advantage of opportunities, such as the currently low oil prices, to cut fossil fuel subsidies or raise gasoline taxes. In his speech to the Governors, Moreno touched on the international furor set off by the leak of data on offshore structures. “The new citizenry of the region demands a decisive stance to close any gaps allowing corrupt practices leading to tax evasion and money laundering,” he said. The IDB will continue working with Governments that are committed to greater financial transparency, Moreno added. Moreno also voiced hope that Cuba may soon join the IDB. Commenting on U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent visit to Havana, he said: “Let us work together so we can also say ‘Yes We Can’.” HIGHLIGHTS Caribbean issues featured prominently in the agenda of the annual meeting, the first one held in this region since 1979, with a strong emphasis on energy and climate change. Special seminars focused on the prospects of transforming the Caribbean’s energy matrix, which currently depends heavily

on liquid fossil fuels for electricity generation and motor vehicle transportation. The IDB is assisting several borrowing member countries to develop low-carbon alternative energy sources, including wind, solar and geothermal plants. Those efforts will get a boost from up to US$3 billion in financing provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency for an IDB-led programme to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency investments across the region. Climate-proofing infrastructure was another central topic of the annual meeting, with panel discussions on how countries can use cost-effective natural solutions to prevent shoreline erosion and fight against the threat of rising sea levels. The future of Latin American and Caribbean cities was also analysed by speakers, who underscored the need to improve urban planning to avoid sprawl, strengthen citizen security, and modernise public transportation to raise the region’s living standards and economic vitality. One of the highlights of the annual meeting was a series of presentations by innovators from various Caribbean and Latin American countries, who are tackling problems ranging from disease-carrying mosquitos to raising the productivity of smallscale farmers. In a special session, the Governor of the People’s Bank of China, Zhou Xiaochuan, briefed Latin American and Caribbean finance ministers about the priorities on the agenda of the next meeting of the G20. The Chinese Government currently heads that international body. In addition, the IIC and the China-LAC Industrial Cooperation See page 17

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

IDB urges Latin America, Caribbean ... From page 16 Investment Fund signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on projects in borrowing member countries. The IDB and the IIC also hosted a meeting of the Americas Business Dialogue, which brought together finance ministers and business leaders to discuss productivity and economic policies. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED Climate Change Finance: Governors endorsed the goal of doubling the financing for climate-related projects to 30 per cent of the IDB Group’s loan approvals by the end of 2020. The lending target is subject to demand from borrowing countries and clients, and access to external sources of concessional financing. Climate investment needs in Latin America and the Caribbean are forecast to rise to around US$80 billion a year next decade – almost three times what the region invests today. The IDB Group will focus on projects that will help countries implement the commitments made last December at the Paris Climate Conference to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to build resilience to climate change. Complementing the Governors’ endorsement of the financing goal, the IDB announced the creation of a new Climate Change and Sustainability Department which will be responsible for the Bank’s work on cities, rural development, tourism, environment and natural disasters, in addition to coordinating the IDB’s actions on climate change and sustainability. Sustainability of Concessional Lending: Governors instructed the IDB management to prepare a proposal to merge the financial resources of the Fund for Special Operations (FSO) – the source of concessional lending for the poorest and most vulnerable member countries – with the Ordinary Capital (OC), the Bank’s principal source of financing. The goal of the merger is to ensure the sustainable flow of concessional resources to the poorest countries. The merger will also strengthen the IDB’s balance sheet, as recommended by the G-20, by optimising the bank’s capital base. The transfer of the FSO’s net assets, valued at nearly US$5.1 billion as of December 31 of 2015, would increase the OC’s equity by about 20 per cent. Grant facility transfers for Haiti: Governors approved a modification to the mechanism for transferring funds from the IDB’s Ordinary Capital to its Grant Facility which finances the IDB’s grants for Haiti. Between 2011 and 2015, a total of US$1 billion was transferred in blocs of US$200 million a year. Going forward, transfers will be made in amounts consistent with the disbursement requirements of the Bank’s projects in Haiti, ensuring that the Grant Facility always has sufficient funds to meet projected operational needs. Ratifying its support for Haiti’s reconstruction and development, the Board of Governors also authorised the bank to continue approving more grants for Haiti over the coming years, totalling up to US$1 billion. Multilateral Investment Fund: Governors instructed the IDB’s management to draft a proposal on the future operation and financing of the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), which serves as an innovation lab to test alternative ways of promoting development through the private sector. At present, using resources made available by its 39 donor countries, the MIF can provide as much as US$88 million a year in grants through 2018. The proposal will include options to ensure the MIF’s long-term financial sustainability.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Star Wars wins top MTV honours Star Wars: THE Force Awakens was named movie of the year at the 25th MTV Movie Awards on Saturday. The film was nominated for 11 awards going into the Los Angeles ceremony, but only won three including prizes for its stars Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver. Following on from his Oscar win in February, Leonardo DiCaprio won best male performance for his role in The Revenant. Mad Max: Fury Road’s Charlize Theron won best female performance. Will Smith was given the MTV Generation award, recognising his

star John Boyega to win the breakthrough per-

Daisy Ridley beat Star Wars co-star John Boyega to win the breakthrough performance award

Charlize Theron won best female performance for Mad Max: Fury Road and Chris Pratt won best action performance for Jurassic Park film career. Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry, who presented Smith with his award, praised the star as “a champion for diversity in Hollywood”. “[He] blazes a path for actors by showing that someone of any colour can play any role, and can open any movie and win any award and be the biggest freaking movie star in the whole world,” she said. Accepting his award, Smith joked the honour was “code for the old dude award”. He added: “This is absolutely beautiful. I released my first record when I was 17. I’m 47 years old now. This June marks 30 years in this business.” British actress Ridley beat her Star Wars co-

won best true story. Bridesmaid’s star Me-

lissa McCarthy received the comedic genius award and said although she was the first woman to achieve the feat, she was “certainly not the first one to deserve it”. Ryan Reynolds collected two awards - best comedic performance for his role in comic book movie Deadpool, and best fight for a sequence in the film with Ed Skrein.

The cast of Straight Outta Compton collected the film’s award for best true story, which chronicles the rise of hip-hop group NWA formance award, while Driver was voted best villain for his role in the franchise. Chris Pratt and Amy Poehler also collected awards for best action and best virtual performance respectively, while Oscar-winning Amy Winehouse film Amy was voted best documentary and Straight Outta Compton

Among the other quirky category winners were Pitch Perfect 2’s Rebel Wilson and Adam Devine for best kiss, and Jennifer Lawrence for best hero for her part in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. The awards will be screened on MTV in the UK on Monday evening. (BBC)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Leicester march on, Tottenham not giving up Premier League chase By Martyn Herman LONDON, (Reuters)-Leicester City continued their inexorable march towards the Premier League title as Jamie Vardy’s brace earned them victory at Sunderland yesterday but Tottenham Hotspur showed they will not give up the chase after demolishing Manchester United 3-0. Vardy’s late goals in a 2-0 win at the Stadium of Light sent Claudio Ranieri’s side 10 points clear before second-placed Tottenham kicked off at White Hart Lane and judging by the way the Leicester fans reacted they have clearly started believing the impossible dream. The visiting supporters, some of whom have already bought scarves embossed with “Premier League Champions”, gave a rousing rendition of “We’re going to win the league” at fulltime. Tottenham, however, have proved durable pursuers while other more fancied sides have faltered and the way they turned over a lacklustre United suggests they still believe the season could have a final twist. A flat first half at White Hart Lane, not helped by the score from Sunderland and United’s late arrival due to traffic jams forcing a 30-minute delay, was followed by a vibrant second period from Mauricio Pochettino’s team. Three goals in six minutes from Dele Alli, Toby Alderweireld and Erik Lamela earned Tottenham a first home league win over United since 2001 -- a result that

Leicester’s Kasper Schmeichel celebrates with Jamie Vardy at the end of the matchAction Images via Reuters / Lee SmithLivepic meant Leicester are at least guaranteed a top-four finish and a place in the Champions League’s playoff round. United, meanwhile, remained fifth, four points behind Manchester City, and their hopes of salvation this season are more likely to come in the FA Cup in which they face West Ham United in a quarter-final replay on Wednesday. With five matches remaining Leicester have 72 points and Tottenham have 65 with Arsenal back in third on 59. Liverpool moved into eighth place with a 4-1 home victory over Stoke City -- the perfect warm-up for their Europa League quarter-final second leg against Borussia Dortmund on Thursday. Leicester will be guaranteed an improbable first top flight title if they win three more matches after grinding past a poor Sunderland side who are sliding towards relegation. Ranieri’s side have now won five matches in a row without conceding a goal and the Italian’s emotional reaction to victory suggests he finally believes the miracle may happen. He quickly recovered his composure, however. “The fans must continue to dream but we must stay focussed and concentrated, we have now two tough matches at home,” he said. “We have achieved nothing yet though. We must stay calm, stay strong and keep going.” Vardy broke the deadlock in the 66th minute when experienced defender Younes Kaboul failed to deal with Danny Drinkwater’s long ball and the

England striker guided his shot past goalkeeper Vito Mannone. Jack Rodwell wasted a great chance to equalise for Sunderland, wafting a shot over with the goal gaping, and Vardy raced away to seal victory in stoppage time to take his tally in the league to 21. He is the first Leicester player to score more than 20 goals in the top flight since Gary Lineker in 198485. Only Tottenham’s Harry Kane has more this season, although the Spurs striker for once did not get on the scoresheet yesterday. He did have a hand in Tottenham’s opener though, releasing Christian Eriksen on the left before the Dane crossed for Alli to finish easily past David De Gea. Four minutes later Lamela, guilty of a terrible first-half miss, curled in a free kick for Alderweireld to meet with a textbook glancing header and with Spurs rampant Argentine Lamela then finished off a flowing move with precise shot. United’s fans had taunted Tottenham with a chant of “You Nearly Won The League” during the first half, but hope had returned in north London by the time the final whistle blew. “It was important for us to show character after Leicester’s game, because we were under pressure,” Pochettino told reporters. “It’s true we gave a message to them that we are there. We are waiting and fighting.” Divock Origi scored twice for Liverpool while Daniel Sturridge was also on target.

Queen’s College receives baseball donation

BASEBALL in Guyana and the thirst for knowledge and equipment are growing daily, according to president of the Guyana Baseball League, Robin Singh. To this end, the GBL president with assistance from the National Sports Commission (NSC) handed over a quantity of baseball gear to Queen’s College coach Osafa Dos Santos on Saturday. After the presentation, Singh said, “I am pleased to be able to provide equipment to a capable coach Osafa Dos Santos to begin a baseball programme at one of our nation’s oldest institutions.” He also noted that sport

scholarships would enable youths to attend prestigious colleges and universities in the United States of America (USA). He also noted that parents and students need to carefully consider the benefits of a balanced life and to not focus solely on academia. The sport has been growing with its nucleus in the ancient county at the Berbice High School and Singh says that is heartening. He believes that the sport’s pilot project at Berbice High School has yielded positive results and he is ready to replicate the said results in other parts of the country, hence Saturday’s donation.

Hinds explains ...

From back page

for the same reason before. “For guys who are not retained—they will get match fees and a certain amount for wearing the brand.” Hinds signed off by saying that WIPA has negotiated well with the WICB and the players get US$30.5m

of the commercial revenue. Out of this amount 57 per cent goes to the international players and the other 43 per cent goes to the CPL players. The smaller number of the players are getting the bigger part of the revenue,” he ended. (First Published In The Trinidad Guardian).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Joshua beats Martin to become world heavyweight champion By Ben Dirs

ANTHONY Joshua stopped Charles Martin in two rounds at London’s O2 Arena to claim the IBF heavyweight title in only his 16th professional fight. The Briton floored his American opponent with a peach of a right-hand counter and after Martin was knocked down again, the referee called a halt. The 26-year-old is his country’s sixth bona fide heavyweight world champion. Joshua is also just the fourth man to win a pro heavyweight world title while still a reigning Olympic champion. And he is the first Briton to win both the super-heavyweight Olympic gold and a version of the world heavyweight title - London-born Lennox Lewis was fighting for Canada when he won the 1988 Olympic super-heavyweight title in Seoul.

Anthony Joshua’s ascent to world champion is the fifth-quickest by any heavyweight in anger It took Joshua half of the Joshua’s victory now velvet cape and a smile as brings a super-fight against broad as his shoulders. But first round to find his range but when he did, he landed fellow Briton and WBA and the smile soon disappeared. WBO champion Tyson Fury Some thought previ- with three or four big right a step closer. ously unbeaten Martin, 29, hands that appeared to rattle Champion Martin, who would trouble Joshua with the champion. The challenger stagwas making the first defence his southpaw stance - he was of the title he won in January, the first left-hander Joshua gered Martin with a sweet entered the ring wearing a had faced in the paid ranks - left hook early in the sectall crown, a fur-trimmed, but he barely threw a punch ond, before a beautifully

THE Golden State Warriors remain on track to break the NBA wins record, while the Chicago Bulls may still reach the play-offs. The Warriors are on track to break the 1995-96 Bulls’ 72-win record after edging the Memphis Grizzlies 100-99. The Warriors rallied from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to secure their 71st win of the season. Draymond Green led the way with a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds. Stephen Curry (17 points) and Klay Thompson (20) were again good contributors, but they shot below their usual high levels. Matt Barnes finished with a double-double of 24 points and 15 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who will get another chance at stopping the Warriors. The Warriors were at the San Antonio Spurs yesterday before hosting

Ex-England batsman Kevin Pietersen has said he could return to international cricket with his native South Africa. The 35-year-old has not played an international match since he was sacked by England in 2014. Pietersen has since become a T20 specialist but would be eligible to play for South Africa in all forms of the game in 2018. “Yes, it is a thought in my head,” said Pietersen, who has also not given up hope of a return to the England set-up. Pietermaritzburg-born Pietersen left South Africa 16 years ago and qualified to play for England via his English mother. The right-hander scored 8,181 runs at an average of 47.28 in 104 Tests but was discarded after the Ashes whitewash in Australia. He later released an auto-

timed right put him on the seat of his pants. Martin rose at eight but after another massive right put him down again, referee Jean-Pierre van Imschoot counted him out on his feet, one minute and 32 seconds into the round. Remarkably, Joshua now has 16 knockouts from 16 pro fights and has only boxed 34 rounds in total. His only fight to go past three rounds was a seventh-round stoppage of Dillian Whyte last time out. Joshua joins Ali in history books Joshua joins Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks as the only men to be professional heavyweight world champions while still reigning Olympic champions. Patterson won middleweight gold at the 1952 Helsinki Games and went on to beat Archie Moore to claim the vacant world heavyweight title on 30

November 1956 (Gennadiy Shatkov succeeded Patterson as Olympic middleweight champion in Melbourne just one day later). Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, won light-heavyweight gold in 1960 before dethroning Sonny Liston in 1964; Spinks won light-heavyweight gold in 1976 before dethroning Ali in 1978, in only his eighth paid fight. While nobody has won a world heavyweight title faster than Spinks, Joshua surpasses Ali (20 fights), Lennox Lewis (22) and Mike Tyson (28). Frank Bruno, Lewis, David Haye and Bob Fitzsimmons complete the list of Britain’s heavyweight world champions. Herbie Hide and Henry Akinwande were WBO title-holders when the belt was not taken seriously by many of the elite fighters in the division. (BBC Sport)

Warriors’ bid alive, Bulls Pietersen considers still in play-off race playing for South Africa

Draymond Green the Grizzlies three days The Atlanta Hawks later. The 2015-16 Bulls claimed a 118-107 win over remain in the play-off race the Boston Celtics, and the after a 105-102 win over the Phoenix Suns breezed past Cleveland Cavaliers. the New Orleans Pelicans LeBron James had a 121-100. game-high 33 points for the The Minnesota TimCavs, but they were out- berwolves edged the Portscored 26-20 in the fourth land Trail Blazers 106-105 quarter. and the Sacramento Kings Jimmy Butler (21 points) upset the Oklahoma City and Pau Gasol (11 points and Thunder 114-112.(Sports12 rebounds) led the Bulls. max.com)

Kevin Pietersen still holds the record for the most international runs scored by an England batsman biography criticising some of returning for England. Pietersen has played T20 his team-mates and officials at the England and Wales cricket in domestic competitions around the world and Cricket Board (ECB). He last played first-class is currently playing for the cricket in 2015 after new Rising Pune Supergiants in ECB chairman Colin Graves the Indian Premier League. “The eligibility for suggested he could be recalled to the national team, South Africa is still [more only for cricket director An- than] a year away. So we drew Strauss to reaffirm Piet- will have to wait and see but [an England call-up] is ersen’s exile. One-day captain Eoin definitely still an option,” Morgan said in February said Pietersen in quotes that the door was “com- on the Cricket Australia pletely shut” on Pietersen website.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Russell and Hogg wreck Daredevils Despite losses, BVA

KOLKATA Knight Riders (KKR) responded with a ‘horses for courses’ approach on a greenish Eden Gardens surface, yesterday. Shakib Al Hasan and Morne Morkel, central to their plans last season, were benched. Sunil Narine, who played a stellar role in their title-winning run in 2012 and 2014, was unavailable because of his father’s demise. Did it hamper them? It didn’t look like, as Andre Russell and Brad Hogg took three wickets apiece to skittle Delhi Daredevils for 98. Robin Uthappa and Gautam Gambhir’s 69-run opening then set the tone for a comfortable win with 35 balls to spare. Russell and John Hast-

West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell picked up three for 24 to be named player of the match. was the first to go when he ings, taking Morkel’s place, skewed a catch to mid-off. ran in hard and hit the deck Four balls later, Shreyas to extract unusual bounce. Iyer was trapped lbw for a Quinton de Kock, who had duck. pulled Umesh Yadav for Mayank Agarwal and back-to-back boundaries, Karun Nair also exited in successive overs as Hastings capped the Powerplay with a wicket maiden. By then, Daredevils were in a familiar spot at 35 for 4. Gambhir multiplied the efficiency of his attack by deploying two slips for most parts of the innings. He even placed himself at short leg after Russell dismantled the top order. Pawan Negi, who was promoted to No.6, swished and missed balls. He was finally put out of his misery when Hogg had him stumped for a 19-ball 11. IPL debutant Carlos Ravi Rampaul Brathwaite, who had fired Mullaney until he had guid-

Mullaney ton gives Notts solid start against Surrey ….Ravi Rampaul takes five for 93

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE piled up 446 on the opening day of the 2016 Engglish cricket season as Steven Mullaney punished newly-promoted Surrey with an impressive hundred. Mullaney (113) plus Riki Wessels (81) and Samit Patel’s (85) century partnership saw Notts beyond 300, and Chris Read added an unbeaten 63. Surrey’s Tom Curran took three wickets and West Indies paceman Ravi Rampaul (5-93) saw off Notts’ lower order. At the close, Surrey were 7-0 having survived two overs unscathed. Surrey, who took the option to bowl first without a toss, removed Greg Smith and Michael Lumb before lunch, but could not halt

ed Notts beyond 200. The hosts, who picked up maximum batting bonus points, looked like posting a huge total until Wessels was caught behind by Ben Foakes off Rampaul to leave Notts 308-5. Surrey will resume today with openers Rory Burns and Arun Harinath looking to give them a foothold in the match.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday April 11, 2016) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Mumbai Indians (2) Chennai Super Kings Today’s Quiz: (1) Who were the losing finalist of the first IPL final? (2) Who were the losing finalist of the last IPL final? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

West Indies to their second World T20 title last week, momentarily broke the shackles with a biff over wide long-on, but was foxed by a skiddy googly from Piyush Chawla two balls later. Sanju Samson was the eighth Daredevils batsman to be dismissed before Hastings made a reappearance to wrap up the innings. Daredevils had slumped to their seventh sub-100 score in IPL, which also happened to be the second-lowest score in the tournament’s history at Eden Gardens. The chase was a stroll for Knight Riders, and the onset of dew only made things worse. Zaheer Khan, playing his first competitive game since May 2015, floated flick-me balls in the lower 120kph range to Gambhir’s pads and got picked away for three fours in the second over. Uthappa got into his shot-making stride with a brace of straight-driven fours as the hosts raced past 50 in the eighth over. Although Uthappa holed out for 35 in the tenth over against the run of play, Gambhir and Manish Pandey ensured Knight Riders enjoyed a winning start.(ESPN Cricinfo)

Notable Dates

Andrew `Six Head’ Lewis was a knock out specialist with power in both hands. The southpaw welterweight drove fear into the hearts of opponents and by his 14th fight he had totalled 13 Knock Out victories. At that time, the only person to be spared his Knock Out wrath was South Korean born Han Kim, who earned a Technical Draw with the Guyanese `power house’ after being cut on the forehead during the second round. With support from Compton Maycock Beckles, Lewis shifted camp from Guyana to the USA in 1997 just after he won the local welterweight title by stopping Terrence Alli. While in the USA `Six Head’ would tackle American Gerald Reed on April 11, 1998. Reed was 36 and nine years older than Lewis at the time. The fight, Lewis’ fifth in the USA, was held at the Township Auditorium in South Carolina and the referee was forced to halt it in the second round to hand victory to the Guyanese. Seven fights later, the hard hitting southpaw earned Guyana its first world title. This was also achieved through the abbreviated route. Lewis won the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title following a seventh round TKO of American James Page in February 2001. He gained a unanimous Decision victory over Larry Marks in the first defence in April of the same year but lost the title to Ricardo Mayorga in March 2002. Lewis died on May 4, 2015. He was 44 years old.

Under-19s gave good account of themselves

DESPITE losing all their matches in the recently concluded Flow Easter Classic Invitational Players League 5 Tournament in Trinidad and Tobago, the Berbice U19 volleyball squad gave a good account of themselves. This is according to a release from the Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) which stated that while the Berbice team was a junior squad made up of U19 players, the other clubs that participated used senior players in the competition. The Berbice team during their successful debut engagement last year played against fellow U19 players then, but this year, most of the clubs that participated are top clubs in their respective countries and some even had franchised players from other countries including the United States of America, Canada, Jamaica and Barbados. The tournament was organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation and was played at the Mayaro Indoor Sporting Facility in Trinidad. According to the release, the Berbice team was invited by the TTVF (Trinidad & Tobago Volleyball Federation) based on their (Berbice) remarkable performance in winning the Goodwill Tournament in Trinidad last year. According to the results released by the BVA, the Berbice U19 squad which is preparing for the Inter-Guiana Games tournament did not go down without a fight. Results of the matches played showed the Trinidad Defence Force defeating the Berbice U19s- 15-5, 15-8. The Berbice U19 next encounter was against Chargers of Barbados and despite putting up a good fight, they lost 15-12, 15-9. Against eventual winners Technocrats of Trini-

Levi Nedd dad, the Berbice U19s lost 15-8, 15-10. Bigcepos of Trinidad then got the better of the Berbice U19 (2-0), the scores being 15-12, 15-10 in a hard-fought contest. The locals then took on Barbados Beacons and lost 15-12, 15-11 in a good encounter. The tournament was won by Technocrats who defeated Bigcepos in the final. According to Chief de Mission and Coach/ Manager, Levi Nedd, he was pleased with the team’s participation. Although unhappy that they did not play against junior players and they lost, he is happy with his charges’ performance against the bigger and more seasoned players the release stated, adding Nedd stated that the engagement was good and will work in good stead for the upcoming Inter–Guiana Games (IGG) and the CSV Inter–continental Tournament billed for later this year. Nedd, who is also president of the BVA and vice-president of the Guyana Volleyball Federation, expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, the National Sports Commission, the Guyana Volleyball Federation, Guysuco, the management and apprentices of the Port Mourant Training Centre (PMTC), Poonai’s Pharmacy and members of the Berbice business community.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday April 11, 2016

Over 40 students successful at GKC Grading

The Karatekas pose with their new belts. (Ivan Bentham Photo) By Stephan Sookram

OVER 40 students were successful in advancing their rankings when the Guyana Karate College (GKC) held its annua l g r a d i n g c e re m o n y conducted by Master Frank Woon-a-Tai last Friday. Speaking after the grading examination, sensei Jeffrey Wong, the senior instructor of the GKC, contended that his students were well prepared. “A few weeks ago, we held a successful two-day outdoor training camp at

the Splashmins Eco-Park where we had the students do some outdoor training and as we can see, it paid off,” continued Wong. He continued, “We want to thank Master Frank for taking his time to come down here, he also helped us a bit during our classes before the grading; and lastly, I want to say congratulations to those students who advanced their belts.” Navindra Soodoo, Kenrick Cheeks and Emily Bettencourt were able to advance to Nidan (second dan), while Bruce Yong, Dominic Johnson, Aditya Seetaram, Jessica Callender and Jon-

DCC, GDF advance to GCA final

AFTER securing first-innings points in their respective semi-final matches in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) first-division two-day tournament, Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have advanced to the final. At DCC, Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), resuming on 172-5 in pursuit of 301, were bowled out for 217, within an hour after the lunch interval. Overnight batsman Devon Lord failed to add to his overnight eight. His dismissal saw the demise of the remaining batsmen without much resistance. However, fellow overnight batsman Ronaldo Ali-Mohammed was left unbeaten on 29. Left-arm unorthodox spinner Totoram Bishun finished with 4-49, while Paul Wintz took 3-46 to give their side a lead of 84. Batting a second time, DCC reached 156-3 when play was called-off after tea. Brian Sattaur went without scoring, followed by Kevon Boodie (05), but West Indies Under-19 batsman Tevin Im-

Tevin Imlach

lach and Christopher Barnwell added 111 for the third wicket before Vishaul Singh removed Barnwell for a well composed 68, with seven fours and a six. Imlach ended with an unbeaten 70, which included 10 fours. Sherfane Rutherford was the other not out batsman on 10. Over at the GDF ground, GNIC were bundled out for 127 after resuming on 69-5; Kurt Lovell topscored with 35 and Gajanand Singh made 30. Leg-spinner Andre O’Neil 3-7, Kevin Ramdeen 2-4 and Colin Hamer 2-28 where the chief destroyers for the soldiers. With a lead of 64, GDF batting a second time reached 204-5.

athan Robinson moved to Shodan (first dan). Aaron Hendricks and Kelissa Jupiter were promoted to the 1st Kyu, while Josiah Dyall moved to the second Kyu and Diego De Nobrega, Taissa De Nobrega, Jonathan NG-A-Fook, Zaine Bispat and Javed Nurhausain moved to 3rd kyu. Moving to 4th kyu were Jayden Jettoo, Nathanael Archer, Paula Louis-Grant, Nadia Ramlal and Nalini Rampersaud, while the lone new 5 th kyu karatekas is Tristan Richards.

Joshua Gibbs, Somlata Bispat, Sophia Mittelholzer, Scott Sherlock, William Grant Sr. and Devina Daodat moved to 7th kyu. Meanwhile, Jadon Lee, Shamar Duguid, Jared Bird, Angelina Campayne, Joshua Aaron, Omar Shariff, Justin Peters, Micaiah De Peazer, Jerome Blyden, Lemuel Wilson, Laurence Baptiste, Daniel Gonsalves, Esha Fredricks, Adisa Congreaves, Jose Rodrigues, Amber De Goeas, Jaden Zepher and Rishabh Rameshwar each went to 8th Kyu.

Newly promoted shodan(first dan) Jonathan Robinson poses with his mother Ms Michelle Baldeo and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport. (Ivan Bentham photos)

Pacquiao beats Bradley in ‘final’ fight (REUTERS)-Manny Pacquiao defeated Timothy Bradley by unanimous decision in the rubber match between the fighters on Saturday, prevailing in what the Filipino has said is the final fight of his career. Pacquiao, who bounced back from a controversial split-decision defeat to Bradley in 2012 with a decisive win two years later, delivered the final blow in their welterweight clash in Las Vegas as all three judges scored it 116-110 in his favor. With fans chanting ‘Manny’ at the conclusion, Pacquiao (58-6-2) maintained that he is heading into retirement and continuing his political career in the Philippines. “I have a commitment to my family that I’m going to retire after this and we don’t know,” Pacquiao told ringside reporters. “If you ask me about if I’m coming back, maybe I enjoy by being retired and serving and helping the people.” After a slow start narrowly controlled by Brad-

ley, the 37-year-old Pacquiao seized the momentum in the middle portion following a furious fifth round. Pacquiao then caught an off balance Bradley with a right hand to the ear to drop him in the seventh, but the American surprisingly bounced back to hurt Pacquiao during the eighth. From there Pacquiao wrested back control, high-

lighted by a right uppercut that dropped Bradley in the ninth. At the strong urging of his trainer Teddy Atlas, Bradley (33-2-1) continued to hang in for the latter rounds though he appeared in trouble at the final bell. “Every round (I was) looking for a KO but Bradley is a very good boxer,” Pacquiao said of the perfor-

mance, which may go some way to helping cement his legacy after a disappointing fight against Floyd Mayweather last May. Mayweather easily won the fight that lacked much action to retire undefeated, though Pacquiao’s support team said afterwards he had suffered a shoulder injury in training beforehand and later needed surgery.

Referee Tony Weeks counts as Timothy Bradley gets up after being brought down by Manny Pacquiao at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Over 40 students successful at GKC Grading See Story on page 27

GDF, Monedderlust register Hinds explains remuneration STAG Elite victories THE Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Monedderlust Football clubs registered victories over Buxton United and the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) respectively, when round eight action of the Guyana Football Federation’s Stag Elite League came to an end on Saturday night at the #5 West Coast Berbice ground. In the opening encounter, GDF defeated Buxton United 2-0 with the goals coming off the boot of Kennard Simon and Delroy Fraser in the 68th and 92nd minutes respectively, while in the feature game, home side Monedderlust edged GFC 1-0 with a Travis Henry 34th minute goal. The win for GDF moves the army boys to 14 points in the standings, 10 points behind points leaders Slingerz. The soldiers to date have won four of their matches while losing two and drawing a similar

GDF’s goal-scorers Kennard Simon (left) and Delroy Fraser strike a pose after defeating Buxton United 2-0 at the #5 West Coast Berbice ground on Saturday night.

number with 13 goals for and 12 against for an average of plus one. Buxton United on the other hand, have five points from their eight matches to date. They won a single game, lost five and drew two. To date, they have scored five goals and conceded 12 for a minus seven average. During their game on Saturday night, they were reduced to 10 men as Ralph Moffatt was red- carded for abusive language. But before that another Buxtonian player Kwadjo Garnette was shown the yellow card. Monedderlust’s victory takes them to six points from the victory over GFC and three drawn games. They have lost four of their eight matches. They have scored five goals to date and conceded 16 for an average of minus 11. GFC is yet to win a match in the League. They have lost seven and drew one and has so far scored six goals, while conceding 22 for an average of minus 16.

Queen’s College receives baseball donation See Story on page 24

President Robin Singh and Coach Osafo Dos Santos flanked by QC students Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216.

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Marlon Samuels PRESIDENT of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) Wavell Hinds slammed into West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels for speaking the untruth concerning his remuneration for playing for the West Indies. Samuels said he was being paid US$5,000 per Test match and it was much lower than what he was accustomed to getting. He said that he started 16 years ago and his salary back then was $5,000 and it is now very hard to go back to playing for $5,000. Hinds, who played for the West Indies, said: “I started 16 years ago when Chris Gayle and I made our debut at the Queen’s Park Oval and we got US$2,500 for our first game—this is a far cry from the $5,000 that Marlon is speaking about. “He said he was getting US$17,500 before his salary was cut to US$5,000. Marlon is a retained player and gets a monthly salary and then match fees. If he doesn’t play cricket he gets a salary each month.” The former aggressive left-hander went on to explain further: “What Marlon is speaking about when he says he was getting US$17,500 is a salary based on the fact that the West Indies Cricket Board

(WICB) was giving the players US$35,000 per cricket day for wearing their brand on the clothing. “As part of the deal with Digicel, they wanted the WICB to retain players so they are guaranteed to have staff to represent the brand on the field. What the WICB did was to move the US$35,000 it into retainer fee, which has been ramped up. The match fees right now are as follows, Test match is US$5,750, ODIs is US$2,300 and T20s US$1,750. Back in the year 2000, of which Marlon is speaking, the retainer had three categories and the value was as follows, an A+ player of which we had one, got US$105,000, an A grade player got US$80,000, a B players got US$53,000 and a C player made US$30,000. As of today the retainers have been increased significantly and we have even added an extra category. An A+ now gets US$150,000, an A grade is now US$135,000, B+ grade US$120,000, B grade US$115,000 and a C grade US$100,000—that is a great amount. “What the WICB has done is to take the sponsorship and put it in the retainer because the players were being paid twice See page 24... MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016