Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 27 04 2016 by Guyana Chronicle

Something’s amiss No. 104534

WEDNESDAY APRIL 27, 2016

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Forensic approach needed, Prison Service Attorney tells COI

LUCKY ESCAPE: Fortunately, no one was injured when this laden distribution truck belonging to ANSA McAL toppled into the waterway on the southern side of the Burnham Park in New Amsterdam yesterday morning.

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The incident occurred just before 08:00hrs, minutes after the driver left the Berbice distribution outlet at Main Street and turned off the Esplanade Road en route to the Corentyne (Photo by Jeune Vankeric)

Guyanese ‘Cyber-bully’ put Two N/A Chinese 16 gunned 20 on $200,000 bail restaurants - for threatening President’s life 17 ordered closed down in T&T Page

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Barber charged with 2012 Anna Catherina triple-murder

By Neil Marks

THE Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo barber who confessed to the September 2012 murders of Anna Catherina liquor store owner Jennifer Persaud and her two young sons was formally charged yesterday, as new details emerged about how he had carried out the gruesome crime. He confessed to the murders after his reputed wife, who suffered humiliating abuse and threats of murder, went to the police to report him, and had advised them to question him about the Anna Catherina murders. Abishai Caesar, 31, appeared before Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool and was read the charges, but was not required to plead. Caesar,

- as new details of crime emerge

Murdered: Jennifer Persaud

Murdered: Afridi Bacchus

Murdered: Jadon Persaud

who lived in a shack on government reserve aback the Tuschen Housing Scheme, was also charged with assault causing actual bodily

harm, and using threatening language against his reputed wife. He pleaded not guilty to the abuse charge, but guilty

to the charge of threatening language. However, when the magistrate read him the police details that he had stripped his wife naked and had threatened to kill her

and chop her head off, he denied some of the details, so the magistrate entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and remanded him until May 1st. The Guyana Chronicle has learnt that Caesar had once engaged in a discussion about the murders with his friends, who were having a conversation about the cruelty being witnessed in society. One of those friends said Caesar had spoken of the murders, recounting seeing a bloodied room after the event, and pinning the murders on the man the businesswoman was living with at the time. On the very night he had committed the murders, Caesar’s reputed wife told

Abishai Caesar, as he appeared in court yesterday

the Guyana Chronicle, he had told her that he needed money and so had gone to the house to steal, but the woman was awakened by his search and he had had to kill her, along with her two young sons. At the court yesterday morning, Rasheed Bacchus, the father of six-year-old Afridi Bacchus who had been murdered, said he was relieved that the truth has come to light, but he wants to see justice done. He had always suspected that the businesswoman’s new husband was behind the killings, and had felt justice had not been done after he was questioned by police and released. “I wanted God to show up the truth, but the court is Mankind’s judgement; I want him to face the Almighty’s judgement,” Bacchus told the Guyana Chronicle. Separated from his wife, Bacchus had moved to the East Coast Demerara to live, along with his son. The boy was at his mother’s house for the school vacation, and was due to return home for school the following week, but that was not to be. The businesswoman’s parents, Sankhoari and Kumar Persaud, broke down in tears at the court. They had lived with the pain of not knowing exactly who had murdered their daughter and their two grandsons; and had also blamed their daughter’s new husband, with whom she had her last son, 18-monthold Jadon Persaud, who was also murdered. They’d kept in close contact with their daughter, but had never known of Caesar. They had never seen him next door when

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Something’s amiss

Forensic approach needed - Prison Service attorney tells CoI

By Svetlana Marshall PRISON Service Attorney Eusi Anderson said yesterday that a forensic approach is needed to effectively determine the time taken by the Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to respond to the Georgetown Prison riot of March 3. Since commencement of the commission of inquiry (CoI) into the Georgetown Prison riot, members of the Joint Services have provided the commission with various pieces of information with respect to the time taken primarily by the Guyana Fire Service to respond to the fire within the walls of the Camp Street Prison on that fateful day. Firefighters who would have taken the stand have said the Guyana Fire Service responded to the fire within five to eight minutes. But yesterday, Prison Officer Esther Charles reported that the Fire Service arrived on the scene at 11:26h on March 3, some 22 minutes after they had been informed about the fire at about 11:04h. Speaking with Guyana Chronicle minutes after the inquiry was adjourned yesterday, Attorney Anderson posited that the various log books and records need to be scrutinised to ascertain whose version is more probable. “I wouldn’t want to guess what is the cause of the variation in terms of time. I wouldn’t want to guess that at all. But what I would like to know is how is the time varying so significantly from various officers,” he said, adding: “You have to ask

yourself, ‘Is it possible that, when the Fire Service arrived, the prison officer who is recording that time was not able to visually see the fire service?’ That is question Number One.” Anderson, representing the Joint Services, which includes the Guyana Fire Service, reminded that firefighting involves preparatory work, which includes assembling the necessary tools and equipment. “Is that visible from the Operations Room? I don’t know. Is human error a factor? Absolutely, human error is a factor in nearly everything we do that involves human input,” he said. Anderson explained that, “unlike those three (Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force), the members of the Guyana Prison Service were in the direct line of fire and hostility; they were directly and immediately and personally…involved in the events; so you have to measure their ability to record things, their ability to be accurate in their descriptions against that panic human reaction.” The Prison Service attorney had offered his take on the time variation based on the testimonies provided by Charles and other officers of the Joint Services. Charles, who has been attached to the Operations Room of the Georgetown Prison for the past 10 years, explained that Operation Post Two forms part of the Operations Room, which is the “nerve centre” of the prison. From Operation Post Two, officers would normally observe the activities within the prison yard. While being cross-examined by Anderson, the Prison

Officer explained that she was in Operation Post Two when she observed that there was a fire in Capital ‘A’ Division at about 11:00h. Charles said she immediately ran to the front of the Operations Room and informed the relevant officers and officials. The siren, she said, was also sounded, in keeping with the SOPs. It was pointed out, however, that it would have taken Charles approximately four minutes before she would have arrived at the front of the Operations Room, which is considered to be the communications centre of the prison. While being cross-examined by the Commission’s counsel, Excellence Dazzell, Charles disclosed the response time with respect to the Fire Service: “We position weself at the window so that we could see when the police arrive, when the Fire Service arrive, when the army arrive, and (we) document it,” the Prison Officer said, after being asked by Counsel Dazzell to justify her information. Additionally, according to Charles’s records, Deputy Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels arrived in the Georgetown Prison at 10:55h – approximately five minutes before she observed the fire. Director of Prisons Carl Graham was reportedly at the prison since 8:05h that day. In addition to Charles, Prison Officers Dekanna Benjamin and Lanon Tucker also testified yesterday. Benjamin told the commission that, with the exception of a few devices, all the telephone lines and radio sets had been operational on March 3.

Bandits rob Corentyne businessman Four bandits robbed a Belvidere Village, Corentyne, Berbice businessman some $2.5 million in cash and jewellery at his residence on Monday. According to businessman Akbar Ally, 34, a wholesaler of haberdashery, he was in his room about 21:00 hrs when he heard his sister screaming, but before he could step out to see what was happening, a masked

man pointed a gun at him and demanded cash. “I was in my bedroom and hear my sister screaming and within seconds I saw a masked man in my room with a gun, he tell me ‘bring the money, don’t holler’”. The businessman said he complied and opened his safe which had $2.5 million in cash and handed it to the bandit, who then made good his escape with three accomplices.

“He point the gun to me and say ‘hand over the money’ so I didn’t hesitate, I just opened my safe and handed over all the money that was inside, a total of $2.5 million and give he and he left the same way he came in.” According to neighbours, the men entered the premises by scaling the fence of an unoccupied property next door. Two of the robbers stood guard and the other two

entered Ally’s yard. The men got into the home by jumping over a grilled section of the verandah and entered the house through the open door. The businessman’s sister Bibi Sherina Ally, 39, said at the time there were six persons at home, five of them were on the verandah while her brother Akbar was in his room. She said they were about to retire to bed when the ban-

The home at Belvidere Village, Corentyne, Berbice that was robbed

dits struck. “We had some visitors over who did just left and we were sitting on the verandah, all the lights were still on and as I was about to lock the door fuh guh bed, I hear the dog barking all the time so I watched out but nah see nothing so the dog continue barking. Me suspect something wrong so I tell them leh we hurry and guh inside. A guh me guh fuh close a door when a man jump over ah grill in the veranda.” The distraught woman said one unmasked male of mixed race armed with a gun and knife jumped into the verandah. She described him as small built, about five feet, five inches in height while another masked robber, who

was taller, was behind him armed with a gun. She related that upon seeing the men, she and the other occupants screamed and ran into her bedroom and locked the door. She related that the men did not harm anyone nor tried to get into the bedroom. However, they ransacked the hall but left shortly after getting the money from her brother. Bibi said she called the Whim Police Station and officers responded within 15 minutes. The police and neighbours came out and looked for the men but saw no trace of them. She is appealing to anyone with information to contact the relevant authorities.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Up to US$800M in IS cash ‘destroyed’ UP to US$800 million (£550 million) in cash held by so-called Islamic State (IS) has been destroyed in air strikes, a US military official says. Major General Peter Gersten, who is based in Baghdad, said the US had repeatedly targeted stores of the group’s funds. The blow to the group’s financing has contributed to a 90 per cent jump in defections and a drop in new arrivals, he said. In 2014, the US Treasury called IS “the best-funded terrorist organisation” it had encountered. In a briefing to reporters, Major General Gersten, the

deputy commander for operations and intelligence for the US-led operation against IS, said under 20 air strikes targeting the group’s stores of money had been conducted. He did not specify how the US knew how much money had been destroyed. In one case, he said, an estimated US$150 million was destroyed at a house in Mosul, Iraq. Forces fighting IS received intelligence indicating in which room of the house money was stored. The room was then bombed from the air, Major General Gersten said. While it was difficult to know precisely how much

money had been destroyed in total, estimates put the figure at between US$500 million and US$800 million, he said. Islamic State’s exact wealth is not known, but, after seizing oil fields and setting taxes, it approved a budget of US$2 billion and predicted a US$250 million surplus last year. Since then, however, the group has lost territory, and its oilfields have been targeted in air strikes by the US-led coalition. US intelligence indicated the group’s cash troubles had

led it to start selling vehicles to make money, General Gersten said. In January, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that IS announced it was to cut fighters’ salaries in half “because of the exceptional circumstances that the Islamic State is passing through”. “We’re seeing a fracture in their morale, we’re seeing their inability to pay, we’re seeing the inability to fight, we’re watching them try to leave Daesh in every single way,” General Gersten added, using an Arabic term

for IS. Some defectors had been captured posing as women or as refugees in Iraq, he said. The number of those arriving to fight for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria had fallen to about 200 a month, General Gersten said, down from a peak of between 1,500 and 2,000 per month a year ago. In February, the White House said it believed there were some 25,000 people fighting for IS, down from close to 31,500 last year. Turkey has come un-

Call to stop rides after elephant dies THOUSANDS of people have signed a petition against elephant-riding after an animal in Cambodia died after ferrying tourists to the famous Angkor Wat temple complex. It had been working in a 40C (104 Fahrenheit) heatwave. The tour operator has pledged to reduce elephants’ working hours until temperatures drop. But the petition asks authorities in the Angkor region to ban elephant-riding outright. Cruelty is often “hidden

from view”, the petition says, causing a “lifetime of misery” for the animals, and the elephant’s death should be “a wake-up call”.

Animal rights groups have long complained of cruel training practices used on captive elephants. The charity World Animal Pro-

The elephant’s death has prompted thousands of people to sign a petition against the animals’ use in tourism tection named elephant rides as the top most cruel holiday activity in a list it created for campaign purposes. Some tour companies including STA, Intrepid and

DATE: 23/04/2016 F

der repeated pressure by the United States to tighten its border with Syria and prevent people crossing into IS-held territory. On Tuesday, the US confirmed it would place rocket launchers in Turkey close to the border of territory held by the group. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Haberturk newspaper the system would be deployed near the Syrian town of Manbij, through where IS brings in new supplies and fighters. (BBC)

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Costco have now stopped promoting the popular activity to visitors. Oan Kiri, a manager at Angkor Elephant Company, told AFP news agency the she-elephant had collapsed after working for 45 minutes and walking 2.1km (1.2 miles). “Veterinarians concluded that the elephant’s death was caused by the hot temperatures which caused stress, shock, high blood pressure and a heart attack,” he said. It had been aged between 40 and 45 years, which is towards the end of an Asian elephant’s lifespan. Asian elephants are classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are about 70 domesticated elephants in Cambodia. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Brazil fights surge in swine flu deaths THE Health Ministry in Brazil says 230 people have been killed by swine flu this year -- more than six times the number for the whole of 2015. More than 70 deaths were registered in the last week alone, officials said. A national campaign of free swine flu vaccinations begins on Saturday. Brazil, which will host the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August, is already suffering an outbreak of the Zika virus. Long queues have formed outside private clinics that are already offering the swine flu jabs.

In the state of Rio de Janeiro alone, some 4m jabs are reportedly being offered. Priority is being given to the groups of people seen as most vulnerable -- the very young, the elderly and those already suffering from other conditions, says the BBC’s Wyre Davies in Rio. “The official data shows that people over the age of 60 and under five are the most affected by the acute respiratory syndrome caused by the H1N1 virus,” the city of Sao Paulo Health Secretary, Alexandre Padilha, told O Globo newspaper. The state of Sao Paulo

has been the worst affected by the H1N1 virus. Deaths there make up half the national total. Because of the surge in cases in Sao Paulo, health authorities have brought forward the national vaccinating campaign there. More than 1.7 million people have already been vaccinated in the city of Sao Paulo. The H1N1 virus first appeared in Mexico in 2009 and rapidly spread around the world. Some estimates put the death toll worldwide at more than 200,000 people. (BBC)

The increase in the number of swine flu cases prompted the government to bring forward the vaccination campaign from June to the end of April

Heavy marijuana use in teens linked to early death – study finds

MEN who were heavy marijuana smokers in their teenage years may not live as long as those who did not use the herb when they were young, a new study has found. Scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm examined data from more than 45,000 men in Sweden who underwent mandatory military training between 1969 and 1970 and were followed for the study until 2011. During the 42-year study period, about 4,000 of the men died. The researchers found that those who were heavy marijuana users in their late teens were 40 per cent more likely to die by age 60 than those who had never used the drug. “Heavy use” was defined as using the herb more than 50 times. The researchers also found that the risk of death from suicide or an accident was directly proportional to the level of marijuana use the men had indulged in as teens. The findings were published online in the American Journal of Psychiatry on Friday. The study nevertheless did not prove definitively that early and heavy marijuana use led to an early death. While a previous study of the same group of men showed no link between

marijuana use and death, this new study covered a longer period (42 years), by which time the men had reached ages when the harmful effects of previous marijuana use, including cancer, lung and heart disease, were more likely to have developed, the researchers indicated. Addiction expert Scott Krakower told CBS News that marijuana users generally had poorer health, and other studies had found early heavy marijuana use was linked with lung cancer and heart problems. “Marijuana users generally may have poorer diets and

they might be tobacco smokers. There’s an increased linkage between weed and tobacco,” said Krakower. Dr Kevin Hill, a member of the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Addiction Psychiatry, told the network: “One of the key messages from a study like this comes down to two words: ‘dose matters.’” Heavy use of marijuana at a young age was linked to poor psychological health and cognitive problems, which may in turn lead to poor food and health choices, Hill said. (Caribbean360)

Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

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

Editorial

Stepping on the brakes IN A world where making the news is often based on unpleasant incidents and events, and where there is an apparent increase of stories of domestic violence, deaths, allegations of impropriety, failing to play by the rules, and abuse of our natural resources, a pessimistic outlook will write Guyana off. Being at the proverbial crossroads, the options couldn’t be clearer: Guyanese either choose the road to success or the one to failure. Given human frailty, there is an inclination to wring one’s hands and throw in the proverbial towel, opting for the path of least resistance in the hope of living to fight another day. Others argue that quitters don’t win, and one should not walk away from what is worth fighting for. To make things turn around or happen for the people, the path of least resistance has to be avoided. Violence is a scourge in the society, and it happens at various levels. Whether violence is inflicted on self or at the hands of another, this nation is being depleted, physically and psychologically, of its most vital resource, i.e. its human capital. Development cannot take place without people. Guyana, having reached the stage of infamy on the global suicide rate, it is reassuring that efforts are being made at governmental and non-governmental levels to arrest the problem. Suicide is a public health problem, and addressing it requires the involvement of all, coupled with attendant resources, skills set, and compassion. Guyanese are capable of setting goals and working to achieve them, if not at the national level, in their personal lives. Were the self-drive to achieve and succeed in spite of the odds applied to national issues, said resilience can work wonders. Where there is despondence or reservation that Guyana is falling apart and things are not what they used to be, or getting to where they ought to be, energies and actions can be directed to make it happen. And whereas it may be easy to question self, others and motive, the truth is that civil society -- which often plays the vocal role in manifesting the will of the people -- is practically non-existent, save for a few individuals and their organisations, who in the past were vocal. Some have retained that militancy when this segment of society stayed silent, disengaged and disinterested in the various socio-economic, cultural and political happenings in society. Were it not for them, things would remain as they are, or get worse. A society like ours -- which is small in population size, with most persons residing on a narrow coastal strip, and almost everyone knowing each other or some-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Stop this malpractice Dear Editor, AN ILLEGAL system of operation by the police in Region Two defeats the course of justice, but is very much evident with the use of documented out-of-court agreements of settlement from a Justice of the Peace (JP). This is being done to dispose of criminal matters at the station level instead of offenders being charged and placed before the court, which is the only proper forum to make a settlement. As a matter of fact, JPs are in violation of the law when they prepare a legal document in this regard, and moreso charge a fee for same, as this is clearly defined in the legal Practitioners Act, which specifically states that only an attorney-at-law is vested with the authority to do so. There is also no provision

whatsoever in the law for the police to make settlements at the station level, as, in the line of their duty, this can be seen as a ‘short cut’ to settle a matter but pervert the course of justice for financial gains to augment their income in a corrupt manner. It also needs to be made known that an out-of-court agreement of settlement made by a JP is not legally binding, and its use is making a mockery of the justice system. Presently, there is a case engaging the attention of the court which emerged from an out-of-court agreement of settlement by a JP that backfired, with a woman who was the victim claiming in her evidence that she was coerced by a detective corporal to agree to the settlement against her will. The JP also testified that he did prepare the legal document on the

instructions of the police, with the fee collected by him being $10,000. All of this problem could well have been avoided if the police had confined their operations within the ambit of the law. It is quite manifest that when settlements are made at the station level, the state stands to lose much-needed revenue, ever so much vitally necessary for the development of the country, as compared with court action which makes it possible to derive financial gains from the imposition of monetary penalties. Furthermore, such settlements encourage the commission of more criminal activities in the absence of court action being taken, where a magistrate could even impose a custodial sentence to serve as a deterrent. A settlement in court is

very simple and easy, with anyone desirous of doing so just informing the magistrate without having to pay to get a JP document, from which the police will obviously get a ‘kickback’. Can anything be done to stop this presumptuous malpractice that is ever so detrimental to the interest of the state? The answer is yes; all Government needs to do is to make it mandatory for all settlements to be made at the courts, with a directive to do so. When this is implemented -- the sooner the better -- it will inevitably exterminate this out-of-court settlement anomaly once and for all. For many good reasons, it is ever so important for justice to be allowed to take its course at all times. Respectfully, BALIRAM PERSAUD

Interaction needed with prisoners Dear Editor, I SAID it in a letter about a year ago, and I will say it again: The Ministry of Public Security, perhaps in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection, needs to have someone or a team go into the Guyana prisons and find out from the inmates why they are becoming so violent. Those who have been arrested for committing these unconscionable crimes should be approached and engaged in some formal question and answer sessions. For the sake of the safety its citizens, Government needs to know what is driving these criminals to become so violent. We need to know what can be done to reduce or eliminate these behaviours. It is as though these perpetrators have given up on life. They commit these heinous crimes, and then brag about them as if they suspect that there are no consequences for their actions; or as if their own lives have no meaning. Something is

driving these individuals to perpetuate these vicious acts, and the administrators of this country need to find out what is happening. How is it that there are so many guns for hire? What is it about the mood in this country that a young person would be so willing to risk his/her life and freedom to commit such barbaric acts? As a criminologist, with a passion for clinical psychology, I would be very interested in those findings, and I am sure that there are other segments of the society that will be equally interested. A suicidal person seeks to end his/ her own life. However, over the last seven to 12 years, we have seen in Guyana a blatant desire from our young people to engage in the acts of taking other peoples’ lives, either as revenge acts or as paid assignments. What we as a country need to understand from those involved in these behaviours is why has the value placed on life (of others as well as their own) become so insignificant and inconse-

one knows someone who knows someone -- where political patronage is burnt into the people’s psyche, these factors understandably play influencing roles in decision-making and judgment. But where such happens to the detriment of the people and nation, such has to cease being a method of dealing with issues. The cessation of that approach, though it may adversely impact reward and association of the affected, works to the benefit of the whole. Guyana, our system of government, laws and resources, identify and represent who we are as a nation, a people;

quential to them? The security and judicial systems are not designed to deal with the collection of data that will aid in these kinds of research. Therefore, the Government needs to construct and empower an outfit to immediately undertake the challenge of ascertaining the causative factors for these deadly, antisocial behaviours exhibited among our youth. The research should include demographic, race, parental upbringing, gender, academic level, religion and age among other factors. The research should be conducted by individuals who are trained and experienced in dealing with the nuances of the criminal mind, and who possess the disposition to gather truthful answers from the participants. Once a significant amount of data is collected and compiled, it should then be released nationally, so that stakeholders could sift through the findings to see how they might be able to help. For instance, if the data

shows that the offenders are of a particular age range, or race, or academic status, or if they come from a certain demographic, programmes can then be designed and interventions made with those scientific realities in mind. Editor, Guyana has, for years, been ‘shooting in the dark’ at the crime situation. A reduction in criminal activities will have to include every possible conceivable aspect of solutions. Cronyism, incestuous friendships, party affiliations, race and ethnicity will have to be relinquished. Guyana’s problems – all of them – can be traced to our 50 years of academic brain-drain. Therefore, all the help that is needed in Guyana should be welcomed, especially in the area of crime and recidivism. PASTOR WENDELL JEFFREY, Practical Christianity Ministries

and these have to work in the interest and to the benefit of all. Consequently there is need to find way(s) to solve our problems, as against resignation and flight. There is no pretence this will be easy, but where there is the recognition, appreciation and conviction that Guyana belongs to all of us and the legacy bequeathed to coming generations will determine what manner of people the present generation is, it would be understood how important it is to step on the brakes of deriding ourselves and running from our problems.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

A local dairy industry: déjà vu! Dear Editor, A RECENT release from the Ministry of Agriculture informed that Minister Noel Holder met with a team from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to discuss possible funding of agricultural projects. Among the projects indicated was a revitalization of the local dairy industry. The minister’s “determination to restore Guyana’s dairy industry” is grounded in his claim that “what was once a lucrative industry is now almost non-existent.” That there was ever a lucrative dairy industry at the national level is an outrageous fallacy. Admittedly, yeoman and very costly efforts, along with some tendentious policies, were put in place between the 1970s and 1980s to enable the sector to be on a firm footing in the context of national food self-sufficiency and food and nutrition security. Among those efforts were LiDCo’s flagship enterprise at Moblissa: the 4,000-acre nuclear dairy farm (which never had even 400 milkers) which was complemented by 25 private satellite farms (each of 50 acres); its smaller gold-digging operation at Blairmont rounded out its primary milk sources. Its Georgetown Milk Pasteurization Plant, for the most part, produced composite products: blends of locally produced fresh milk and

re-constituted milk from imported skimmed milk powder and butter fat. As part of its diversification programme of the 1980s, GuySuCo established dairy enterprises at Liliendaal and Versailles, which also produced secondary milk products; the life of these entities was very ephemeral. Also during the 1980s, the Saint Stanislaus College Dairy Unit was established, with substantial inputs from IICA, as an intensive, mechanized, model for small farmers to emulate. The National Dairy Development Programme also supported the numerous small farm milch cow units across the coastal belt, initially through the establishment of fenced forage plots for zero-grazing, and soon after, with its artificial insemination programme (based on imported semen from bulls of high genetic merit). As the end of the 1990s approached, all of these noble efforts had gradually petered out because of failure to overcome the myriad challenges impacting low productivity, technical inefficiencies, high production costs, and the lifting of import restrictions. The productivity challenges revolved around the complex interactions of animal genetics and environmental factors. Emphasis had always been placed

on grade Holsteins. This temperate breed in our relatively constant high ambient temperature/high humidity environment would have experienced severe limitations in expressing its genetic potential for milk production, growth and reproduction due to the interplay of climate, nutritional factors (quality and quantity of feedstuffs), diseases and parasites. As a consequence of changes in government policies, e.g. trade liberalization from the dawn of the 1990s, a flood of cheap imports, including milk powder and milk products, became available to local consumers. This basically was the death knell of the fledgling dairy industry. Is Government now willing to reinstate tariffs and import restrictions to facilitate the development of a lucrative dairy sector, especially after the social maelstroms of the 1970s and 1980s? Also, will lower yielding milch breeds which will better tolerate the challenging environmental stressors be prioritized this time around, although the costs for establishment of the necessary infrastructure are virtually similar for the temperate types? Can a poor developing country really produce milk and its by-products at competitive prices vis-a-vis the landed cost from the behemoths of international dairy trade

Beautiful antique vehicle Dear Editor, AS I was perusing my little collection of photos from the 1981 inaugural Mass Games, I stumbled on one photo which showcases an antique car, and I am guessing this was the vehicle in which the head of state was a passenger… Immediately, I thought of what a beauty the antique vehicle was.

Can anyone say whatever happened to that car? It would have been a brilliant decision to have such a beauty on display at the GUYEXPO 2016. Yours faithfully, T.PEMBERTON (old man in the sea)

The Rio Olympic Games of 2016

Dear Editor, WORLD-renowned tennis player Rafael Nadal was just announced as the flag bearer of Spain at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. USA and Canada have already showcased the outfits/uniforms which their athletes will wear. Has Guyana begun its preparations for Rio? From which sporting fraternities are Guyana expected to jet off athletes? Will the five colours of the Guyana Flag be used as

the design concept for athletes’ clothing, or will green and yellow be the only two colours used? To those who from qualifications are selected to represent Guyana at the Rio Olympic Games 2016 I say: just have a blast to the max! Yours faithfully, T.PEMBERTON (old man in the sea)

(North America, New Zealand and the EU)? Alternatively, should our limited financial and human resources not be channelled into maximizing the production of those commodities for which we have a competitive advan-

tage, especially since bovine milk production is biologically one of the most inefficient means of protein production for human consumption? Perhaps the time is overdue for establishment of a multi-disciplinary

planning division in the Ministry of Agriculture, which can holistically and competently address developmental initiatives. Yours faithfully, VERNON MC PHERSON

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Barber charged ... From page 2 they had visited their daughter’s house. On the day of the murders, they had sent another of their younger grandsons to the house to uplift some chickens. He had returned to say that there was no answer at the house. Mrs Persaud said she kept calling her daughter on the phone, but there was no reply, and she found that very strange. In the evening, Mr Persaud arrived home, and his ‘gut’ told him something was wrong, as it was not like his daughter to not let them know of her whereabouts. Mr Persaud said he decided to call the police to go with him to the house. When they arrived, they asked neighbours if they knew where their daughter was or if they had noticed anything strange. No one knew anything. Caesar was not among the persons they had asked, as the house he lived in was closed. When they decided to go into the house, Mr Kumar found his daughter lying on the floor with the older of the two boys across her chest. He said he grabbed his daughter’s feet, and he felt they were stiff and cold. He knew right away she was dead, so was the boy lying across her chest. They then looked for the 18-month-old, but could not find him. Then, when they decided to unfold the mosquito net from the bed, they

discovered the boy’s body with a stab wound to his neck. “My heart feel so relieved,” Mrs Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle. “I feel I get justice.” Caesar’s reputed wife told the Guyana Chronicle that she’d kept the murders to

Rasheed Bacchus, father of six-year-old Afridi, who was killed along with his mother and younger brother herself for all these years because Caesar had threatened to kill her and her family if she ever were to squeal on him. The couple has a twoyear-old daughter. The woman said she decided to go to the police because she felt that Caesar would make good on his promise, and she had to make an escape for the sake of her life and that of her daughter.

Mr and Mrs Persaud, parents of the Anna Catherina woman who was murdered

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Stakeholders sensitised on FLEGT /VPA agreement By Alva Solomon STAKEHOLDERS within the extractive sector were on Monday exposed to a European Union (EU) timber trading agreement which when enacted, will affect the exportation of timber to Europe. This was in the form of a workshop, which was held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. The workshop was facilitated by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC). Those in attendance included representatives of the Environmental Protection agency (EPA), the mining sector as well as small and large scale saw millers. The agreement, termed FLEGT /VPA (Forest, Law enforcement, Governance and Trade –voluntary partnership agreement) comes on the hinges of a Guyana –EU negotiation session which was held on March 10 this year. GFC’s Kenney David, who mediated the workshop, noted that the agreement sees both parties working to establish a system in which legally obtained timber will

enter EU markets. He said when the agreement becomes active shippers will have to obtain a license for each shipment of timber. At the March 10 meeting, the EU encouraged Guyana to carefully weigh the practical implications the agreement will have on the local market, to ensure that the agreement is implementable within a reasonable timeframe. The EU also emphasised the need for implementation to be considered at this initial stage rather than at a later point when the discussion over the agreement concludes. According to a report seen by this newspaper, Guyana placed its commitment on the table to finalise the agreement this year. As such, all stakeholders involved have agreed to work collaboratively with the EU and the European Forest Institute (EFI) and other partners in implementing the roadmap activities relative to the agreement, in a timely manner. The agreement is based on 11 annexes of information which details the various aspects of the agreement.

Bandits pounce on Rose Hall businessman

Two men armed robbed a popular grocer at his shop in Rose Hall Town, East Berbice, Corentyne, on Tuesday. The businessman Lomenza Jhonny called “Sham”, who does wholesale and retail grocery at his premises in JC Chandisingh Street, said two masked men ran into his shop, stuck him up and demanded cash. “Around 12 ‘o’ clock or so, two masked man come into the shop and point a gun at me, they demand I hand over cash and I complied. I gave them whatever was in the shop at the time and they left.” The businessman reportedly handed over some $300,000 to the bandits. Jhonny said as soon as the bandits left, he called the police who responded promptly, but by then, the men had made good their escape. When the Guyana Chronicle visited the scene, police were still on site conducting investigations. B Division commander Ian Amsterdam was also at the scene. Jhonny has been plying his trade for over 20 years. His business was previously located in the arch road but was relocated to JC Chandisingh School. It was the first time he has been robbed. This is the second armed robbery in Corentyne in recent days.

The shop that was robbed on Tuesday

These include the product scope which addresses this country’s capacity to effectively trace lumber products from its source to export. The authorities listed a range of products which fall under the agreement and which will be covered by a license for export.

These products, which carry codes on official license forms which will be utilised in the trading process, includes logs, poles, piles roughly squared wood, railway sleepers, crane mats, rough sawn timber as well as non-profiled timber. In addition, veneer sheets,

such as those for plywood, similarly laminated wood among others not exceeding six millimeters, are covered by the license. Dressed and profiled timber trade will also see a requirement for licensing under the agreement. A joint monitoring

and review committee, which functions as a decision-making body, is being established as part of the discussion and that body will hold responsibility for undertaking, facilitating, monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the agreement.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Abortion and the ability to choose By Akola Thompson FROM a young age, I was made aware that abortions in Guyana were legal. Growing up knowing this, I have never given much thought to the state of abortion laws in other countries, neither did I consider that ‘legal’ did not necessarily equate to ‘accessible’ in Guyana. Currently, in Trinidad, several cases of Zika have been confirmed. Seeing that it has been linked to microcephaly and several other foetal brain defects, women are once again calling for a change, or relaxing, of the abortion laws so as to give infected pregnant

mothers a chance to abort. I did not realize how heavily faith-based Trinidad and Tobago is, until I read statements from Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh concerning the possibility of allowing infected mothers to have an abortion. Despite the evident reality of thousands of women dying or becoming sterile every year due to botched abortions, the minister maintained that abortion would not be an option for these mothers, as it still remained illegal. As such, he does not believe the small number of prochoice advocates should overrule the vast majority

of the population. So it does not matter whether you are an adult who has been raped by a stranger, or a child who has been raped by a family member. It matters not whether you are along in your years and believe you have enough children, nor whether your contraceptives did not work; any woman who attempts an abortion is subject to four years in prison, so is the doctor who aided her. And those who would have known of, or encouraged, the abortion are liable to be sentenced to two years in prison. Unlike many of our laws, which can be said to

merely be there for show, this is not the case in T&T. An 11-year-old became pregnant after being repeatedly raped by her father, and there was heavy reluctance to have her do an abortion. A doctor, a mother and her sixteen-year-old daughter were even arrested several years ago because they were guilty of ‘inflicting’ an abortion. Due to the fear of being arrested, many young women continue to devise means to end their pregnancy, one of which includes either self-injury or asking their partners to inflict injuries upon them in hope of terminating the

pregnancy. What the T&T elite, like so many others, fail to realize is that whether it is illegal or not, women will always have abortions. Therefore, the question should not be ‘should we allow abortions?’, but rather, ‘how can we make abortions safer for those who choose to go that route?’ Here, in Guyana, we can, to a certain extent, be considered ‘progressive’ in some aspects; we remain one of the few Caribbean countries in which abortion is legal. However, the fact that doctors can only complete botched abortions, and cannot abort a foetus in a public hospital; and the fact that, after all these years, very few persons are certified to do the procedure and most of them reside in the city, make one realize that the “freedom” to choose is hindered by several factors. There remains an evident lack in the provision of sexual education relating to contraceptive measures in the country. Even when such information is provided, contraceptives are often too expensive to be bought by poorer sections of society. This often results in women from far-flung areas choosing to either take matters into their own hands, or go to a “bottom-house clinic.” This was seen in the incident lately, in which a young woman, in the hopes of aborting her foetus, injected her abdomen with Gramoxone, ultimately causing her own death. The stigma associated

with abortion in most societies, even in Guyana, remains a hindering factor to women professionally getting rid of unwanted pregnancies, even if they could afford it. This stigma has been fostered over several generations, aided on by our deep religious values which we were forced to accept so many years ago. We have been taught that our sexuality should mainly be linked to the fact that we can reproduce. Aided on by the fact that many of these basic tenets are being protected by the patriarchal nature of the societies in which we live, the state, law and religion continue to seek ways to control our social and sexual lives. Too often, they succeed. Yes, more sexual education needs to be provided, to ensure people know the options available to them and ways in which they can protect themselves. However, what we also need is an updated abortion law, in which women who cannot afford to go to private institutions will be allowed to go to public hospitals and carry out the procedure. The current law, which allows us women to go to a public hospital only after we have already botched our pregnancy, is silly at best and needs to be revisited. So while Guyana can boast of being ‘progressive,’ it is a fact that lack of money, education and accessibility still finds many women dying and becoming sterile; and this is evidence that making a procedure ‘legal’ is not enough.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

‘Tis the season to have cancer falalalalalalalala…

NO, REALLY, it was. While everyone around me prepared ginger beer and mauby, there I was, steeping leaves from a soursop plant -– one of the first natural treatments I started a few days after hearing the words no woman wants to hear: “You have breast cancer.” The biopsy, which had been dated incorrectly (this is what happens when you copy and paste too much), was inconclusive in terms of being able to stage my cancer, but it was able to determine the bare minimum -- cancer, not very minimal at all, actually. To describe how I reacted would be false, because it’s a blur to me; my post-surgery doctor’s interactions I remember quite well, but this I am a bit lost about. The brain has a way of suppressing or substituting bad memories; I’m sure my brain filed it within a folder within many folders inside my subconscious; but for what it’s worth, I didn’t freak out. I do remember my doctor starting to discuss that my treatment would most likely entail chemo and radiation. Hearing those words brought on an intense feeling; it finally hit home: I have cancer, like I really have cancer -- no joking, no mistaking. Here, at 28 years old, I was being diagnosed with cancer, which the doctor felt was close to a stage two because of how rapidly developed and large the tumour had become, and the information about ‘margins’ in the biopsy report. He suspected that my cancer may have been caused by genetic factors. I was advised that I could request slides or blocks of my tumour from the GPHC lab for testing at a private facility. I decided I needed to do that because the biopsy results from the GPHC lab seemed to leave a lot to be desired by the slew of oncologists who would

have examined it, and I was taking no chances with it. SUPPOSE THEY HAD MADE A MISTAKE? They got the date horribly wrong after all, an entire two months’ difference. At this point, I would also have to start meeting oncologists who specialized in chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments, since my doctor was a surgical oncologist. That December, I was not just searching for the best Christmas presents, but also for the best oncologists, with whom I could start discussing my treatment options. I met with about four doctors -- some of whom came personally recommended. The thing about getting second, third and fourth opinions is the repetition of information; I was getting to the stage where I was confused about what to do. One doctor in particular bashed the chemotherapy treatment offered at the GPHC’s Oncology Department. He told me I would pretty much be dead if I chose that option, and at one point went as far as to suggest that my mother didn’t care enough about me and thus does not want to take his advice. Horrible, I know. When I met with doctors, I would have to ask: ‘Does this doctor care about me, or does he have a monetary interest in my health?’ as unethical as that sounds I have found in my medical experiences in Guyana that ethics don’t always apply. For instance, there is an institution that deals primarily with cancer patients, and they no longer accept medical tests from other institutions except their own. This is unfair to those of us who may be coming for a second opinion from another hospital or medical institution, where we would have already completed, just days

before, the exact tests the institution requires. In fact, the notice at this facility is addressed to doctors, advising that they not accept tests from other facilities except their own. Mind you, this institution’s costs for tests, CT scans etc are ‘off the chain’. These costs are at least twenty thousand dollars more than what obtains at other private hospitals. I find it unethical and uncaring to request the same tests to be done at their institute, as opposed to using recent results from a competent facility. Fees for medical tests are quite high, so to ask a patient to spend the same or even more is callous and unjust. I received the tissue blocks from the GPHC Lab in a timely and friendly manner, and sent them for further testing at the Mt. Sinai Hospital in Canada. I was advised to test for the BRCA gene by at least three of the oncologists I had met with. The following information is scary, and I wish it were possible for both men and women to get tested for this early in their lives, so they would be able to employ preventative medical treatments. Knowing how close you may be to having cancer at some point in your life is a motivational factor in making the best decisions for your body health-wise. Knowing can make all the difference in how much meat you consume, how active you are, and many other simple choices we make daily which can have seriously adverse effects if one is a carrier of this gene. “BRCA1 and BRCA2 are human genes that produce tumour suppressor proteins. These proteins help repair damaged DNA, and therefore play a role in ensuring the stability of the cell’s genetic material. When either of these genes is mutated or altered, such that its protein

product either is not made or does not function correctly, DNA damage may not be repaired properly. As a result, cells are more likely to develop additional genetic alterations that can lead to cancer. Specific inherited mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk of female breast and ovarian cancers, and they have been associated with increased risks of several additional types of cancer. Together, BRCA1 and BRCA 2 mutations account for about 20 to 25

percent of hereditary breast cancers (1) and about 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers (2). In addition, mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 account for around 15 percent of ovarian cancers overall (3). Breast and ovarian cancers associated with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations tend to develop at younger ages than their nonhereditary counterparts. A harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation can be inherited from a person’s mother or father. Each child

of a parent who carries a mutation in one of these genes has a 50 percent chance (or 1 chance in 2) of inheriting the mutation. The effects of mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 are seen even when a person’s second copy of the gene is normal. As I waited for the results from Mt. Sinai, I scheduled a CT scan to determine how much of my body was being affected by the cancer cells. This scan was just a taste of what would soon become the norm as my life began as an oncology patient.

Centenarian, ‘Mackee’, celebrates with book launch

Celebrating with ‘Mackee’

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence with ‘birthday girl’, Ms Helena Maude McAllister at the recent launch of her book, “A Century with Jesus” HELENA Maude McAllister, a household name for those who attended Mac Secretarial School, has celebrated her 102nd birthday with the launch recently of a personal biography entitled, “A Century with Jesus”. McAllister, a businesswoman, former Sunday-School teacher and a devoted Christian, presented a copy of her biography to Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence, one of her past students. At the birthday and book launch ceremony, Minister Lawrence said, “I am overcome with emotion as I stand here tonight to salute this centenarian and stalwart, this woman of God who touched my life some 35 years ago when I was yet of tender age. “As I reminisce, I am humbled and privileged to have been one of Mackee’s, for the love and warmth that she exuded then still enwraps me… As I interacted with her, she communicated her unshakable faith in God to me, and so from my early days, I was nurtured.” Mrs. McAllister, along with her husband, Mr. Hilton McAllister, managed the Mac’s Secretarial School, where Minister Lawrence began her accounting career, the Minister of Social Protection said. “What a thrill to witness an energetic entrepreneur at the formidable age of 102! For as long as I remember, Mackee was always busy and proactive… Her husband back then, spotted the potential in me and my love for numbers, and at each opportunity he literally drummed the word ‘Accounting’ in my head,” Lawrence said. “How great is God’s work that tonight, the product and the producer can rub shoulders together! What connectivity and motivation for which I will be eternally thankful!” the minister boasted. In wishing Mrs. McAllister a happy birthday, Minister Lawrence commended the woman’s family for taking great care of her, something which many seniors lack as they age, she said. “As we age, our caregivers become impatient and oft-times our elderly are victims of neglect and in some cases abandoned. But thank God, you are blessed and have been loved and comforted as all persons of your age should,” she said, while referring to the woman as the oldest Managing Director of Mac’s Housing & Facilities.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Giftland Mall spearheads blood drive GIFTLAND Mall has taken on the challenge of assisting the National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS) in acquiring much-needed blood. The mega mall yesterday hosted its second blood drive for this year in which more than 30 employees were expected to have donated a pint of blood each. The blood drive forms part of a list of activities being held in observance of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) month. Giftland Mall Health and Safety consultant,

Dale Beresford in a brief comment told this newspaper that the company encouraged their members of staff, as well as the general public to participate in the blood drive. He said further, that the company has set out a target of 250 units of blood for this year. They have received 60 units from a previous drive conducted earlier this year and the expected goal at this drive is 40 units. Meanwhile, there was an awareness campaign where the young members of staff were sensitized about the

importance of donating blood before the drive commenced. The company will be hosting a vaccination drive tomorrow, and employees, as well as members of the public will receive free vaccinations for specified infections. This activity will be in observance of National Vaccination Week, and it will be conducted by the Immunization Unit of the Ministry of Public Health.

A Giftland Mall patron donating his pint yesterday during the companyâ€™s blood drive (Photo by Samuel Maughn)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Digicel helps QC outfit new recreation hall

DIGICEL Guyana on Monday handed over a cheque to a representative

of Queen’s College for the purchase of furniture to outfit the school’s newly-constructed recreation hall. The presentation was held at Digicel’s head office at Fort and Barrack Streets, Kingston, where Secretary to Queen’s College Parents-Teachers' Association Marcelle Shewjattan received the cheque on behalf of the school.

Digicel's Public Relations Officer, Vidya Bijlall-Sanichara, hands over a cheque to Marcelle Shewjattan, Secretary of the QCPTA

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Overseas-based Guyanese donates to Kwakwani Hospital

OVERSEAS-based Guyanese, Lewis Robinson yesterday donated a hydrocollator for the Kwakwani Hospital to Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings. The piece of equipment is valued at approximately

Lewis Robinson presenting the equipment to Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings

US$3700, and is used primarily by athletic trainers and physical therapists to heat up "hot packs" that can be used as heating pads on patients with athletic injuries to their joints and muscles. According to a release from the Ministry, Mr.

Robinson, who lived in Kwakwani for some time, explained that he visited the hospital recently and assessed that they needed this piece of equipment. He explained that from time to time, he would make donations towards, not only the health sector, but also

to sporting disciplines in Guyana. The release noted that the marine engineer and entrepreneur, who has been living in the US for some 35 years, explained that he saw the need for the equipment due to the fact that a lot of logging and sporting activities take place in the region. “Mr. Robinson pointed out that logging involves a lot of lifting, bending and stretching, and likewise, sporting disciplines such as

Basketball and Football can result in muscle injuries,” the release stated. It was noted that the hydrocollator can also be used to sterilise medical instruments. Meanwhile, Dr Cummings expressed gratitude to Mr. Robinson for his generous donation. She pointed out the that Public Health Minister, Dr. George Norton would be particularly happy about the donation, since he had visited the Kwakwani Hospital recently and knows

the equipment will come in handy. “We are very appreciative of persons from the Diaspora coming and giving back to the country and as we celebrate our Golden Jubilee, it is certainly a very timely gesture. We want to promise you that we are going to make use of the equipment so that we are more able to improve our service delivery to the citizens of Guyana,” Dr. Cummings stated.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Two N/A Chinese restaurants ordered closed

By Alva Solomon

TWO Chinese restaurants in New Amsterdam, Berbice were yesterday closed indefinitely for violating sanitation regulations. New Amsterdam Mayor Kurt Wynter yesterday told the Guyana Chronicle that the M&TC Public Health Department carried out a spot exercise at several restaurants at midday yesterday, and while a few eating houses were issued with warnings, the Jun

Yue Chinese Restaurant on Main Road, New Amsterdam and the Lucky House Chinese Restaurant were found to have multiple violations of the health regulations. GROSS VIOLATIONS

“The situation at those two (was) gross,” Wynter said. He said he was present during the inspection, and one of the restaurants had food being prepared on the ground, while waste was

discarded nearby. “There was oil scum; in one instance the toilet and bath was right next to the kitchen area,” he noted. Wynter said in other instances food was uncovered, including pasta, and was presumably readied for cooking. “A drain was running through the centre of the cooking area at one of the restaurants,” he said. During the exercise, persons eating lunch reportedly promptly left the locations

while the exercises were ongoing. T h e M a y o r & To w n Council of New Amsterdam has said it is committed to ensuring residents are not exposed to unsanitary conditions, and will continue robust inspection initiatives to ensure adherence to local

laws. Mayor Wynter noted that the restaurants would remain closed until the proprietors have satisfactorily corrected the violations. He also noted that the council will continue to carry out its mandate, despite being cash-strapped. He said the council is “cash-

strapped”, and revenue intake is slow, since persons have been hesitant to pay the requisite fees without receiving the expected services. The council is, however, working to fix this issue, but the weather is a factor to be considered in its sanitation efforts.

New Amsterdam Town Council officials at the Lucky House Chinese Restaurant shortly after the eating house was issued with a close order

A passerby walks past the Lucky House Chinese Restaurant at New Amsterdam shortly after it was ordered closed yesterday

A City Constable closes the door of one of the restaurants yesterday during the inspection

‘Cyber-bully’ put on $200,000 bail GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

BIBI Safoora Salim appeared before yesterday Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer a charge alleging that she has made threatening comments against Guyana’s Head of State, President David Granger, on social media. The 52-year-old Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) resident denied that between March 1st and 31st, by means of a written and printed method, she had declared: “Granger want a bullet in head” on Facebook. The mother of three was also charged with attempting to incite excitement, hostility, or ill-will by means of derogatory remarks of President Granger sent by cellphone to her son on ‘Whatsapp.’ She has also denied this charge. Her attorney, Euclin Gomes, explained that his client is technologically challenged and is unlikely the one who had made the post on social media. Police Prosecutor, Inspector Neville Jeffers, objected to Salim being granted bail on ground that the threats made by Salim had incited several others to comment on the said post.

Jeffers also pointed out that Salim had admitted to the police that she had posted the status on social media, and he said the ranks were in possession of the laptop she had used to access Facebook. The court was told that the prosecution’s file is complete and 14 witnesses would

––for threatening life of President

of the trial. The woman has been charged under Chapter 23 of the Racial Hostility Act, which states thus: “A person

Bibi Safoora Salim during her appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday be called to testify. Salim was granted $200,000 bail and was ordered to return to court on May 11 for commencement

shall be guilty of an offence if (he/she) willfully excites or attempts to excite hostility or ill-will against any section

of the public or against any person on the grounds of their or his race, by means of words spoken by him in a public place, or spoken by him and transmitted for general reception by wireless

telegraphy or telegraph; or by causing words spoken by him or by some other person to be reproduced in a public place from a record; or by means of written (including printed) matter or pictorial matter

published by him.” If a person is found guilty of this offence, he or she shall be liable, on summary conviction, to be fined $65,000 and face imprisonment of up to two years.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Charged with businessman’s murder

ALMOST one week after 26-year-old Wakenaam businessman Mahendra Persaud had been shot and killed by bandits on a motorcycle, Rawle Vieira was yesterday arraigned for his murder before the Chief Magistrate. Vieira was not required to plead to the capital offence, which alleged that on April 19, at Alexander Street, Georgetown, he murdered Persaud during the course of a robbery. Unrepresented by legal counsel, Vieira

Dead: businessman Mahendra Persaud

was remanded until May 16, and his matter was transferred before City Magistrate Fabayo Azore. Police fingered Vieira in the crime after CCTV footage reviewed from nearby stores showed him driving motor vehicle PVV 3157 as it trailed Persaud’s truck, shortly before a pillion rider on a CG motorcycle shot the businessman. Vieira had taken Persaud to the Georgetown Public Hospital after driving over him; but he then reportedly instructed a mechanic to remove the licence plates from the vehicle he was driving. Police are seeking advice to ascertain whether the mechanic should also be charged. The pillion rider who shot Persaud is yet to be arrested. According to reports, Persaud, who resided at Lot 22 Good Success, Wakenaam, was attacked by a gunman at about 10:45hrs on April 19. A struggle ensued, resulting in Persaud receiving a single shot to the neck. Another businessman, who was nearby, opened fire on the bandit, but the gunman fled the scene empty-handed with his accomplice on a motorcycle. Persaud fell from the wound he had

received, and was run over by Vieira’s car. Vieira then reportedly put Persaud in the car and proceeded to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where Persaud

Murder accused Rawle Vieira was pronounced dead on arrival. Vieira then vanished, leaving the vehicle in the hospital compound; but he reportedly sent another man, along with a mechanic, to change the licence plates of the vehicle. The two men were, however, caught in the act and were arrested.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Mocha murder trial continues today

AT THE Demerara Assizes yesterday, Justice Jo-Ann Barlow, presiding at the Mocha schoolgirl murder, began conducting a voir dire (a trial within a trial) to determine the admissibility of caution statements given to the police by two al-

leged murderers. The alleged murderers Jevon Wharton and Charles Cush, now 25 and 23 respectively, were 16 and 14 when they allegedly committed the offence on nine-year old Sade Stoby, on November 2007.

The accused Charles Cush(left) and Jevon Wharton(right) on trial for the murder of Sadey Stoby 9, are in chains at court yesterday.

Her mother Sharon Benny of Barnwell North, Mocha , EBD, testified that she saw her daughter leave home that day in her cream and burgundy school uniform. Along with other children, she left on her way to school on that fatal day. The mother broke down in Court when relating the discovery of her daughterâ€™s swollen body two days later on a dam near the aqueduct, where her skirt was raised midway on her body while her tight pants and underwear were a short distance away. The Governmentâ€™s Senior Pathologist who had performed the post mortem had told the jury about the condition of the body during the bigger trial.

The Prosecution, conducted by State counsel Miss Shonette Austin and Mr. Siand Dhurjon, are expected to close the voir dire today, following which the judge will rule. In the search for the girl, the mother explained how she and a party walked through bushes on the dam which housed small and tall trees. The girl normally returned home every afternoon about 15:30hrs, but that day she did not return, causing her mother to raise an alarm. Attorney-at-law Max Mc Kay is representing the accused, Wharton, while Nadan Kissoon is appearing for Cush. The hearing is continuing.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Guyanese gunned down in T&T

GUYANESE construction worker Kemraj Persad, 30, who lived at Hummingbird Avenue, Duncan Village, Trinidad & Tobago, was shot and killed in San Fernando on Monday. According to a report in the Trinidad Guardian, Persad was killed and an-

other man critically injured in a shooting incident in San Fernando. The report quoted eyewitnesses who said that Persad, another man identified as Sean Boodoo, and the shooter were having drinks and liming at an apartment when an argument broke out and the suspect shot

the two men. Boodoo, who also lived at the same apartment, was shot in the chest and was listed in critical condition in San Fernando General Hospital. A villager said he heard three explosions and thought they were caused by fire crackers,

according to the Trinidad Guardian. He then saw a man running up the road with blood on his chest. Police said the shooter escaped in a car. According to the report, residents said the men have been renting the apartment for over a year. Meanwhile, another tenant, Kumar Shivprashad, pleaded for financial help to send Persadâ€™s body back to Guyana, as he had come from a poor family.

Kemraj Persad

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Students of the Santa Cruz Primary School pose with supplies they received via Guyana Aid Region One. Also in photo is Regional Executive Officer (REO) Leslie Wilburg. Third left is Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley

Overseas-based NGO working to boost educational potential in Region One

By Alva Solomon GUYANA Aid Region One, an overseas-based group, is working to develop the educational potential of the children of Region One, and the non-profit organization plans to introduce a scholarship scheme as part of its mandate. This NGO was, in 2006, conceptualized on an idea developed by one of its members, David Correia. The following year, after combining ideas, plans and efforts, the group of overseas-based Guyanese was legally registered as a not-for-profit organization. “Today we have about thirty members, who believe in giving back to our homeland,” president of the body, Kaeron Jones, told this newspaper recently from New York. Formerly of Matthews Ridge in the North West District, Jones told the Guyana Chronicle that the group’s main aim is to assist the children of the North West District. “It is our belief that if we encourage recreational activities as well as improve nutrition and education, the entire region will benefit,” Jones noted. In addition, he said, “We cannot neglect the elderly, especially when it comes to healthcare.”

SELF-SUFFICIENT He said the organization’s goal is to enable the people of the North West District to become self-sufficient by providing them with educational, social and economic assistance. Jones said members of the organization have donated their time towards fundraising events and other activities geared at assisting the residents of the hinterland area. The organization has currently undertaken a backpack drive, wherein it is providing school bags with basic stationery supplies at the Grade Three level to school children in the region. Students of several schools, including the Santa Cruz Primary, were recently assisted with school supplies via Guyana Aid Region One. Jones noted that the region is renowned for producing some of the best agricultural products. “Be it eddoes, salted fish or cassareep, to name a few,” he said, “it would be wonderful to see the return of those days.” He said the organization is looking forward to being financially able to build libraries in the different sub-regions and offer full scholarships to students who desire to pursue studies at the University of Guyana (UG) and the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA). As part of its immediate plans, the entity will undertake a health fair at

Kumaka in the Mabaruma sub-region, to coincide with Guyana's 50th Independence Anniversary next month. It would be the second such activity in the area and the fourth in the region. The body has undertaken health fairs at Matthews Ridge and Port Kaituma in 2012. In addition, an essay competition at both the primary and secondary levels for students of Mabaruma and Hosororo Hill will be held next month. As regards the forms of assistance provided to the region, to date, Jones said, the organization has donated computers to Santa Rosa Secondary School, the Port Kaituma Community Centre and the Matthews Ridge Community Centre; and has created computer hubs at Mabaruma and the Moruca Learning Resource Centre. Other forms of donation include story books, stuffed animals, and stationery supplies to the Wauna Nursery School; as well as supplies of bedding to the Mabaruma Hospital and the Pakera Hospital at Matthews Ridge. Over the past seven years, the organization has been rewarding the top ten students in the region at the Grade Six and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) levels. In the extra-curricular activities last year, the body donated trophies and medals to the inter-schools’ sports events in the region.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

129 graduate from BIT training programmes By Shirley Thomas THE Board of Industrial Training (BIT) has, last Thursday, graduated 129 students from the Ministry of Social Protection’s National Training Project for Youth Empowerment (MTPYE) during a ground-breaking ceremony at the National Cultural

BIT officials and trainers, and relatives and friends of the graduating students. The feature address was delivered by Minister Lawrence, while Mr. Clinton Williams gave a background and update on the project. Remarks were also delivered by Winifred Kippins, Director (ag) of the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education of the University of Guyana. There were also reflections by trainees of the Eccles Training Centre, sharing their experiences during the programme. Lawrence extended congratulations to the graduands for their accomplishment, and to the teaching staff as well as parents and guardians, who ably provided the trainees with support at various levels.

BIT Chairman Clinton Williams Centre. It was a watershed moment, since, according to BIT Chairman Clinton Williams, it was about the biggest ever graduating class the entity has produced in Region Four. Joining the graduands in celebration were the BIT chairman; Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence; Permanent Secretary Loreen Baird; Region Four Chairman, Genevieve Allen; other

Collina Johnson, BIT Technical Officer (Photos by Cullen Bess-Nelson)

PARENTAL ROLE The minister also cautioned parents against neglecting and leaving children to their own devices in a world of drugs, abuse, alcohol and crime. She reminded parents that their job is not only to give encouragement, but also to redirect the children when they are headed in the wrong direction. Reminding them that they are now ‘marketable’ with the newly-acquired skills, the minister commended the graduands for responding positively to the training and for sticking it out to the end, so that they can now deservedly experience a sense of accomplishment. She lauded those who graduated in Care for the Elderly, noting that the elderly represents one of the vulnerable groups in society, so this is an area of great need to which the trainees have responded. The minister had kudos for the dedicated staff and officers of BIT, for the critical part they played in providing youths with the requisite skills and tools to function in the Guyanese society, and for undertaking the task of influencing their young minds in the direction of self-worth, competence, self-reliance and self-sufficiency. Minister Lawrence urged the graduands not to be satisfied with what they had just achieved. “You have the potential to rise to greater heights, and so I challenge you to be creative and pursue your own development. You have within you your passport to a good life; do not be laid back, but press on and be innovative. Make good use of your entrepreneurial skills, for this is the only way you can

The graduates at the BIT Youth Empowerment graduation ceremony

utilize the resources that you have at your disposal,” she advised the graduands. TRAILBLAZERS And in a second charge, following the distribution of certificates, Re-

Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, delivering the feature address gion Four Chairperson Ms Genevieve Allen challenged the graduands to be skills-oriented in order to live an empowered life. She charged them to be trailblazers for the development of Guyana, and to have a vision of what they would like this country to be within the next 25 years. Allen also called on the graduates to continue to apply themselves diligently, and set themselves a goal so one day they would be able to attain a Bachelors or Master’s degree in the areas of their endeavours, building upon what they would have started at BIT. The Board of Industrial Training executes national training for capacity-building and youth empowerment, to benefit youths from different walks of life in the areas of technical vocation and training; and in many cases, has been able to assist graduates in finding employment. Courses offered include auto mechanics, welding and fabrication, catering and cake decoration, information technology and office procedure, personal computer repairs, heavy-duty equipment operation, care for the elderly, catering and commercial food preparation, and other life skills. Other areas covered include law and order, self-esteem, moral values, English, mathematics, micro-enterprise, and sexual and reproductive health. The programme, conducted over a period of six months, catered for persons between the ages of 15 and 30. It has recently been extended to persons who are 35 years old. Females have continued to outnumber males on the programmes, with a ratio of 55:45.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Businessman sees hope in aquaculture

Freshly caught tilapias from Samaroo’s artificial aquaculture pond

An aquaculture pond at Samaroo’s farm at Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast

Artificial ponds at Samaroo’s aquaculture farm at Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast

DOODNAUTH Samaroo is putting much faith into aquaculture, since he sees it becoming one of the more lucrative sectors in the near future. The Essequibo Coast businessman thinks Aquaculture is the fastest growing sub-sector in agriculture, and, aside from tourism, is the second fastest growing sector globally. More than 50 per cent of all fish consumed worldwide come from artificial ponds on land and marine cages, compared to some seven per cent that obtained 45 years ago. Having been in the business for the past two years, Samaroo currently has 25 acres of land under cultivation, harvesting tilapia, hassar and the Brazilian fish tambaqui, which grows to a length of three feet and weighs up to 40 pounds. The businessman and the Kayman Sankar family are the only persons engaged in aquaculture on the Essequibo Coast, a region dominated by rice farming. Samaroo told the Guyana Chronicle that he is encouraged by the returns on his aquaculture farm, and is looking to expand it to 100 acres. He began by harvesting tilapia, and, soon after, added hassar and tambaqui in a bid to widen his market options. Tambaqui is not popular among locals, but is a main delicacy among the Brazilian miners in Guyana, and they comprise his main market for the fish. Samaroo is also looking for overseas markets for his tambaqui, but in the meanwhile remains focused on hassar cultivation, which has been bringing in the returns to keep his farm going. His tilapias are produced for local consumption, and all of his hassars are sold right on the Essequibo Coast, since, like elsewhere in Guyana, there is a huge demand for the fish there. The businessman keeps a rigid account of his stocks. He told this publication that he sold a few hundred pounds of hassar last year, and, before year end, will have much more available to sell. He earned between $800 and $1000 per pound for his hassars, and was able to comfortably recoup his investment costs. Some 50 per cent of his 100 acres of fish farm will be dedicated to harvesting hassar. In his 2016 budget presentation, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder said aquaculture will continue to be a main focus of the Fisheries Department, with greater attention being placed on ensuring its progress and increased production. “Promotion and development of aquaculture within the hinterland areas will continue,” he said. As proprietor of Samaroo’s Investment, which has been in business for some 36 years, the businessman told the Guyana Chronicle that he stopped cultivating rice in the late 1980s, and invested in diversifying his business. Today, he is also into the spare parts business; the construction industry; and building, repairs and maintenance of pumps and drainage and irrigation structures.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Students and teachers at the top of the Starr Computers facility where they learned about renewable energy. Also in the photo are (center left) Shunella Taylor (Lenovo Product Manager) and Penny Francis (Sales Manager)

STARR Computers, NFMU

collaborate to promote ‘Girls in ICT’ TECH giant STARR Computers, in collaboration with the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU), exposed 30 female students and six teachers to the role of girls in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The students who recently toured STARR Computers facility on Brickdam were given a demonstration on career paths for women in the field of ICT. The schools involved were Carmel Secondary, Dolphin Secondary, Lodge Secondary, Charlestown Secondary, Brickdam Secondary and Central High School. During the tour of the facility the students were briefed on the hybrid renewable energy (wind and solar), which is a combination used to power the company. The students were also told that free energy is readily available in Guyana, but the fact that so little is done to harness its source and supply opens new opportunities to many as a career path. Sales Manager Penny Francis and Lenovo Product Manager Shunella Taylor enlightened the students on the benefits of having women in the world of ICT. Francis explained that young girls more than often neglect ICT as a viable option for their studies and careers as they do not see many examples of women in this field. However, she highlighted ICT in terms of advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment by encouraging girls to choose a career in that field and by fostering the use of ICT for the social and economic empowerment of women and girls. STARR Computers, Francis added, also seeks to create a platform for advancing women's meaningful engagement with ICTs and their role as decision-makers and producers within this sector. She noted that in considering gender equality mainstreaming, there are now new technologies to transform the lives of women everywhere by giving them access to education, information, support networks, employment opportunities, healthcare and more.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Witness says she had good look at killer

AS THE July 24, 2008 murder trial continues in the High Court before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and a 12-member jury, the wife of the deceased yesterday testified via Skype. Rameena Hydar Alli told the court that she clearly remembered the day her husband was shot and killed during an armed robbery in front of King Solomon on Brickdam. The woman said that they had encashed a cheque after leaving their East Coast Demerara home and was going to do business when she observed a man walking towards her after she had crossed the road prior to exiting the car. Alli stated that her husband was walking in front and she was behind carrying a Diesel bag containing the cash when the man braced a gun to her chest and relieved her of the bag. At that point, Alli told the court that as the bandit was leaving, her husband looked back and was walking towards her, shouting at the suspect to

stop. He was then shot. Alli said she was in shock and could not scream for help but she became aware that her husband was shot when he was near her. She told the court that she had a good look at the suspect (gunman) as such she was able to point him out during an identification parade held by the police after the incident. Under cross examination by Defence Counsel Nigel Hughes yesterday, Alli said she saw the suspects’ face when he was in front of her and was told that he was part of the line-up at the identification parade hosted by the police. Meanwhile, the accused Rondell Bacchus elected to give an unsworn statement from the prisoner’s box when asked to lead his defence yesterday. He told the court that he was nowhere near the crime scene that day when it took place, but was walking along Church Street when he heard gunshots and he looked behind him and saw police firing at him without saying anything.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016 ––– 08:30hrs Thursday, April 28, 2016 ––– 08:30hrs Friday, April 29, 2016 ––– 09:30hrs

Bacchus stated that he did what anyone would do, that is, “run for his life” after he was shot. According to him, a few weeks after the police came to his house and arrested him, after which he was taken to GPHC for medical attention. He told the court he was placed in the lockups and later passed through court charged for murder, a crime he said he was innocent of. Both the defence and prosecution made their closing submissions yesterday afternoon. Defence Counsel Nigel Hughes’ submission was based on mistaken identity on the part of the wife of the deceased in pointing out his client in a line-in during an identification parade. He told the court that the only description the woman had of the suspect was that he was about five feet, nine inches tall and

of African descent and that she did not even have a distinguishing mark or any more descriptive detail as to the identity of the man. Hughes added that the wife of the victim admitted during her testimony that she only saw the man from behind and from some distance away. He said that the police manufactured a story, arrested the accused and came up with a weapon that is issued to police, which conveniently matched the bullet that killed Akbar Alli and had the serial number filed off, Hughes said. He stated that there were no police witnesses, although 14 ranks were part of the operation, which was led by policeman Prem Narine and the shooting of the accused and a chase which ended at Globe Yard, Waterloo Street. Representing the state was Tuanna Hardy, who

reminded the jury of their role in examining the evidence presented in court and they presented witnesses that related a story of how Akbar Alli was killed and they were certain it was the accused that committed the crime. She pointed out that the accused was also known to the police and acting on information received he was arrested and picked out in an identification parade by the wife of the deceased. Bacchus of ‘C’ Field, Sophia Squatting Area, is indicted for the murder of scrap metal dealer Akbar Alli, whom he allegedly gunned downed during a robbery at Brickdam, Georgetown, on July 24, 2008. On the same occasion, Bacchus is alleged to have used a handgun to rob the man’s wife, Rameena Bibi Hydar Alli of $2.M in cash. In 2015, during his trial before Justice Navindra Singh, Mrs. Alli, who cur-

rently resides in United States of America, testified via audiovisual link, (Skype) that she had positively identified Bacchus at an identification parade in Georgetown sometime after the shooting. However, some members of the jury were apparently in doubt about the evidence which was presented before the court, thus the trial ended in a hung jury. It is alleged that on July 24 on Brickdam, Andrew Morris, 34, of 263 East La Penitence, and Bacchus used a gun to rob Bibi Hydar Alli of $2.1M and also murdered her husband Akbar Alli. Andrew Morris was also charged in connection with the robbery/murder, but the matter against him was dismissed as a result of the lack of evidence in the Magistrate’s Court. The case continues today for the Judge to sum up.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

GPHC staffers earn kudos

A TEAM of doctors and nurses of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), as well as Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, deserve

recognition for their diligent efforts that led to the successful outcome of two surgical operations that saved the life of a father of three. The critically ill

39-year-old man was suffering from a perforated appendicitis, as well as a stomach ulcer and the same day he was admitted to the facility he underwent a surgical

operation. After that surgery his condition took a turn for the worse and he was warded in the Male Medical section where he was crying out for unbearable pain, but the nurses there chose to neglect him. At that point, Minister Norton intervened and a second surgery was done, after which the patient was warded in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for a few

days in a semi-conscious state. As his condition improved, due to good treatment by the doctors and nurses there, he was later transferred to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) where his health improved tremendously. The patient was later transferred to the Male Medical Ward once more and two days later he was prescribed medication and discharged.

This was all possible due to the treatment and care of the doctors and nurses of the ICU and HDU Departments respectively and special thanks to Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton. The GPHC must be commended for their efforts in saving the life of a husband, a father and a son. Today, he is recovering and is at home with his family.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

2008 murder of Ruby businessman…

Daughter wanted, three others in custody THE police are hunting 50-year-old Bibi Nazeela Habiboodean of Ruby, East Bank Essequibo (EBE). She is wanted in connection with the murder of her father, 76-year-old Habiboodean, in 2008. This aspect of this murder investigation follows the confession made by Linden Lewis, 28, called ‘Bullet’, of Tuschen, EBE, which detectives obtained while he was in custody with others in connection with the Good Hope, EBE murder of rice farmers Mohammed and Jamilla Munir. Police disclosed that, under interrogation, ‘Bullet’ ‘spilled the beans’ and gave details of the plot to murder Habiboodean. He told investigators that his payment for the businessman’s murder was expected to be over $5M and a plot of land with a house. However, after committing the dastardly act, he returned to the conspirators and was given less Dead: Habiboodean than $10,000 and told to hide away in the interior. He was never given the agreed reward, but was chased away by the conspirators. ‘Bullet’ related to investigators that Habiboodean’s daughter wanted his assets, including all his properties, businesses and cash. It was further revealed that five persons had conspired to kill the businessman. On February 15, 2008, the elder Habiboodean died at a hospital after being badly beaten in his Ruby, EBE home. Later in February, 2008, the dead man’s former employee, Terry Lewton, 38, of Vergenoegen, EBE and his daughter Bibi Nazeela Habiboodean were charged with the murder. They were eventually discharged after there was insufficient evidence to convict them. According to Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, three persons are in custody assisting with these investigations as police hunt for Habiboodean’s daughter. (Rabindra Rooplall)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Charged with stealing Ministryâ€™s $$$ A FORMER clerk of the Ministry of Public Security was yesterday charged and appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for embezzling over $918,000. Anthony Niles, 29, of 134 Victoria Street, Albouystown, was charged for the offence, which alleged that during November 2-16, 2015, Anthony Niles

while being a clerk or servant to the Ministry, he fraudulently converted the sum of $918,417 to his own use and benefit. He denied the charge. Police Inspector Neville Jeffers, prosecuting, did not object to pre-trial freedom for the accused, but requested that he lodge his passport and report to the subordinate officer at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, every Friday at 08:00hrs. The unrepresented Niles was released on $200,000 and the matter was adjourned until May 16.

From the hospital to the courtroom MOMENTS after being discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital for a gunshot wound to his buttocks, Adrian David was brought to the court charged for breaking into a city store on Phagwah Day. David, who was shot during a confrontation with the store-owner, appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore and denied the charge. The court heard that on March 23, at Wellington Street, Georgetown, the 35-year-old man broke into the store of Pen-Nu Yang and stole $80,000 cash along with $500,000 worth in costume jewellery. The accused, after pleading with the Magistrate for leniency, was released on $40,000 and ordered to return to court on June 11.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

After 27 years, police blamed ...

From back page

and staged a cover-up of “industrial proportions” to hide their mistakes in managing the crowd surging into the stadium. “The conspiracy and lies which began on the April 15 1989 and continued over the years involving police, politicians, and officials of high standing had been the most evil act of man’s inhumanity to man,” Karen Hankin, whose husband Eric was among those killed, told a news conference. The fans, many of them young, died in an overcrowded, fenced-in enclosure at the Hillsborough ground in Sheffield, north-

ern England, at an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on a sunny spring afternoon. It was one of the world’s worst stadium disasters. Britons were shocked by harrowing images of supporters crushed against metal fences, bodies lying on the pitch and spectators using wooden advertising hoardings as makeshift stretchers. After the longest jury proceedings ever held in England, the inquest jurors ruled by a 7-2 majority that the fans had been unlawfully killed, finding police commanders had made mistakes in the build-up to the match

Wimbledon to beef up measures ... From page 41 data monitoring and player education as well as additional anti-doping controls to complement those already run at the tournament by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). “Whether it’s integrity or anti-doping, we feel we should enhance what we are doing,” Richard Lewis, chief executive of the All England Club, told reporters. “There has been lots of media scrutiny since January and it’s appropriate that we respond accordingly.” The Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) received no betting alerts during the 2015 cham-

pionships, but All England Club chairman Philip Brook said the prestigious tournament needed to safeguard public trust, admitting that the sport’s image was under threat. “We don’t think there is a big issue but we will do whatever it takes to keep the sport clean,” he said. “It’s an issue of perception rather than reality.” “I think it’s hard to say (this year’s events) haven’t had an impact,” he added. It is still unclear whether provisionally suspended Sharapova, the 2004 champion, will play this year as she is awaiting the outcome of her anti-doping hearing after testing positive for Meldonium at the Australian Open. Brook said her absence would be a “great shame”. “She is a former champion here at Wimbledon and very popular with the crowds. But I think in terms of what has happened we need to let due process take its course,” he said. No figures were revealed regarding how much the All England Club is investing to safeguard the tournament’s integrity. They were more forthcoming about a five percent rise in prize money, taking the total pool to £8.1M - second only to the U.S. Open. The winners of the men’s and women’s singles titles will pocket £2M, up 6.4 percent on 2015. First-round losers in the singles will take home £30 000 pounds ($44 000) -- a 161 percent rise from 2011 when Wimbledon pledged to assist those players struggling lower down the rankings.

and on the day itself. The jury absolved Liverpool fans of any role. T h e c o ro n e r, J o h n Goldring, had told jurors that to return an unlawful killing verdict they would have to be sure that David Duckenfield, the police commander in charge at the match, was responsible for “manslaughter by gross negligence”. Duckenfield had told the inquest he had lied about fans forcing a gate open, and acknowledged that his failure to close an access tunnel had directly caused the loss of lives. The state Crown Prosecution Service said it was considering whether criminal charges should be brought against individuals or any corporate body. An independent police watchdog is also investigating. The tragedy changed the face of English football. Banks of terracing and metal fences around pitches disappeared, replaced by modern, all-seated venues and better security. “LANDMARK DAY” “Landmark day, as the Hillsborough inquest provides long overdue justice for the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the tragic disaster,” Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter. In 2012, Cameron apologised to families of the victims after a damning

SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Scottsville 08:25 hrs Streets Of Gold 09:00 hrs Aldric 09:35 hrs Royal Kaitrina 10:10 hrs Hejira 10:45 hrs Seventh Moment ENGLISH RACING TIPS 08:50 hrs Diamond Runner 09:20 hrs Red Rose Riot 09:55 hrs Love Oasis 10:30 hrs Dream Ally 11:05 hrs Bionic Indian 11:40 hrs I Am Not Here 12:10 hrs Harry Holland 12:45 hrs Bombilate PONTEFRACT 09:00 hrs Zumran 09:35 hrs Lord Yeats 10:10 hrs Memory Cloth 10:45 hrs Maleficent Queen 11:15 hrs Normandy Barriere 11:50 hrs Zain Emperor 12:25 hrs Captain Dion 13:00 hrs Taffeta

independent report detailed a catalogue of errors and evidence that police dishonestly tried to deflect blame onto Liverpool fans whom they portrayed as being aggressive, drunk, and ticketless. The new inquests were ordered in December that year, when London’s High Court quashed accidental death verdicts from 21 years earlier. Andy Burnham, a Liverpudlian who speaks on home affairs for the opposition Labour Party, said the tragedy had been “the greatest miscarriage of justice of our times”, and people must be held accountable. David Crompton, Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police said his force “unequivocally” accepted the jury’s findings and that they had got the policing on the day “catastrophically wrong”. “The force failed the victims and failed their families,” he told reporters. The disaster is still an open wound in Liverpool, the port city of nearly half a million people that is passionate about football. Many in Liverpool still boycott Rupert Murdoch’s top-selling Sun tabloid after it accused their fans of stealing from the dying, urinating on policemen and beating up an officer giving the kiss of life. The newspaper’s executives have since apologised for the story.

ASCOT 09:10 hrs Create A Dream 09:45 hrs Dawn Of Hope 10:20 hrs Mizzou 10:55 hrs Washington DC 11:30 hrs Arod 12:00 hrs Chevallier IRISH RACING TIPS Punchestown 10:40 hrs Steamboat Bill 11:20 hrs Val De Ferbet 11:55 hrs Bellshill 12:30 hrs Cue Card 13:05 hrs Moon Racer 13:40 hrs Rogue Trader 14:15 hrs Augusta Kate AMERICAN RACING TIPS Keenland Race 1 Tapanna Race 2 Spellker Race 3 Donita’s Ruler Race 4 Price too High Race 5 Francesca Di Fiori Race 6 Pine Needles Race 7 No Hiding Places Race 8 Gone Away

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

South African sports row reopens old wounds over race By Joe Brock and Mfuneko Toyana JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - When Temba Bavuma became the first black cricketer to score a century for South Africa at this year’s Cape Town Test, a jubilant crowd erupted in celebration and commentators swiftly hailed it as a symbolic bridging of the racial divide. Bavuma’s achievement was even more significant be-

when the government banned its national cricket, rugby, athletics and netball federations from bidding for international tournaments due to a failure to increase their number of black players. The ban was a blow to South Africa’s hopes of hosting the 2023 rugby World Cup. It also reopened old wounds and highlighted the inequality between blacks and whites that persists 22 years after Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress

South Africa hosted the Rugby World Cup in 1995, with Francois Pienaar receiving the trophy from Nelson Mandela. cause his selection in the January game against England had provoked accusations from critics that some black sportsmen and women are picked due to affirmative action and not purely on ability. Any hopes that the issue of race in sport was fading were damaged this week

(ANC) swept to power on a wave of optimism at the end of apartheid. Mandela, a keen amateur boxer, believed that sport could be a great unifier, encapsulated in his handing the 1995 Rugby World Cup trophy to victorious captain Francois

Pienaar on home soil in front of an overwhelmingly white crowd. Yet two decades later the national rugby and cricket sides remain dominated by whites, who make up just 10 percent of the population. “Most of the time in South Africa it is white people in the forefront. Where are the black people?” said security guard Ntombizodwa Mvelase. “As black people we also want to see ourselves succeeding, not seeing white people succeeding all the time.” South Africans in favour of affirmative action believe long-term change must begin with national teams showcasing black players who will inspire future generations of non-white schoolchildren. PAINFUL PROCESS “Transformation is a very painful process. Let us start acting now. We have been talking for too long,” one caller on Johannesburg’s Talk Radio 702 said. “It will be painful today but tomorrow we will celebrate.” Those in the opposing camp say racial quotas can dilute the achievement of playing for South Africa and undermine the ability of its teams to compete internationally. South Africa’s cricket team, the Proteas, and its rugby team, the Springboks,

are among the world’s best. Successful national teams encourage young people to take up sport. “When the Springboks run onto the field I want to see our best team. The same with the Proteas,” businessman Shaun Walters told Reuters in Johannesburg’s affluent Sandton business district. “You compete to win. It’s not about whether you have enough black people or enough white people. It’s about winning.” The issue of race in sport in what is a sports-mad nation runs deep, and draws in high-profile opinions. “So sad that I find myself embarrassed to call myself a South African so often these days, no place for politics in sport,” Jacques Kallis, one of South Africa’s greatest cricketers, said in a tweet on Monday. OFF TARGET According to the South African Rugby Union’s ‘Strategic Transformation Plan’, published on the website of broadcaster Supersport, rugby is aiming for 50 percent black participation in its domestic leagues and international sides by 2019. In last year’s World Cup, the 31-man squad had eight non-white players, compared with one in 1995. This month, Allister Co-

etzee, a coloured or mixedrace South African, became the second non-white to be appointed national rugby coach. His backline coach, Mzwandile Stick, is black. The cricket side’s guide-

politics with race and sport ahead of important local elections in August. Many of South Africa’s top track hopes at the Rio Olympics are black, including 2012 Olympic 800m

Temba Bavuma celebrates his maiden Test century. lines say at least four nonwhites should be in the team of 11, a quota it normally meets although most of the non-whites are of Indian descent - as in former captain Hashim Amla - or mixed-race. Few are black African, like Bavuma, or new fast-bowling sensation Kagiso Rabada. The inclusion in particular of athletics in the ban delivered by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula this week also sparked accusations that the ANC was playing

women’s silver medallist Caster Semenya, 2008 Olympic long-jump silver medallist Khotso Mokoena and 400m world champion Wayde van Niekerk. The opposition Democratic Alliance said the ban was merely a smokescreen to hide the ANC’s failure to develop sport in state schools. “If every child is provided with an equal opportunity and if structural racialised inequality is addressed, every team would reflect SA,” it said on its Twitter feed.

Kallis says he is ‘embarrassed’ Wimbledon to beef to call himself a South African up measures against FORMER South African cricket legend Jacques Kallis has expressed his disappointment at the increasing political interference in the country’s sporting affairs claiming that he was ‘embarrassed’ to call himself a South African. The former all-rounder was not very happy with the announcement made by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula regarding South Africa’s position on hosting of major international sporting events. On Monday, Mbualula announced that the Athletics South Africa (ASA), Cricket South Africa (CSA), Netball South Africa (NSA) and the South Africa Rugby Union (SARU) were suspended from bidding for, or hosting, major international events due to the federations not meeting their transformation

Jacques Kallis says he is ‘embarrassed’ to call himself a South African. targets. This evoked a sharp reaction from the current Kolkata Knight Riders coach on Twitter. “So sad that I find myself embar-

rassed to call myself a South African so often these days - no place for politics in sport.” Black African representation has become a big

issue in the country. The South African cricket team currently has only a 9% black African representation. South Africa is not due to host any senior-team ICC events until at least 2023 but is scheduled to play host to the Under-19 World Cup in 2020. Now with these sanctions, Cricket South Africa (CSA) cannot actively lobby for hosting rights of any international tournaments until they are cleared by Mbalula. CSA will be seeking clarity from the sports ministry on areas where they have failed, particularly on their transformation targets, with the communication manager Altaaf Kazi saying: “We need to review the contents of the report and understand where the transformation targets were not met before making any further comments.”

doping, corruption

By Martyn Herman LONDON, England (Reuters) - The Wimbledon championships will protect its squeaky clean image with enhanced anti-doping and anti-corruption measures for this year’s 130th tournament, organisers said yesterday. Tennis was rocked by allegations of match-fixing on the eve of this year’s Australian Open and suffered another blow to its integrity when former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova said in February she had failed a drugs test. At a news conference announcing yet another substantial hike in prize money, the All England Club pledged to beef up its safeguards against sport’s two biggest

Former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova threats. Measures will include data streams and videos of all matches, including in qualifying events, enhanced See page 40

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

NOTABLE DATES Wins for SUR, GDF men at Boyce ADRIAN David Dodson (Carew) had four fights in the year 1999 and one three. The first was on April 27, against Suriname-born Orlando Wiet at the York Hall in London.. Dodson won the 10-round super middleweight bout by a unanimous decision. It was the 21st professional victory for the 28-year-old Guyanese southpaw. Dodson once trained at the West End Gym in Tiger Bay and represented Guyana at the 1988 Olympic in Seoul,

ADRIAN DODSON

South Korea. The next Olympic Games saw him switch uniforms as he represented Great Britain. Dodson is one of a handful of Guyanese boxers who never competed as a professional in the land of their birth. Dennis Andries, Steve Frank and `Vicious’ Vivian Harris are also members of that small group. The classy southpaw was undefeated in 18 fights when he met World Boxing Organisation (WBO) super welterweight (junior middleweight) champion Ronald `Winky’ Wright. The fight was held in December 1997 and the Guyanese retired at the end of the fifth round due to cuts. He later challenged for the Commonwealth title in October 1999 but was disqualified in the 12th round for biting Alain Bonnamie. Dodson would win the lowly regarded International Boxing Organisation on March 3, 2001 following a third round knockout of Paul Jones. He lost the title in his first defence which took place the following month and quit the sport in 2003. Dodson was born on September 20, 1970. His career spanned 10 years and produced 25 victories (17 KOs) and six defeats.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday April 27, 2016)

and Jefford Relay Festival

DISQUALIFICATIONS for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Guyana Police Force (GPF) teams handed the men’s sprint medley win to the Super Upcoming Runners (SUR), while GDF men walked away with wins in the 4x100m, 4x200m and distance medley. Police won the men’s 4x400m of the Boyce and Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day last Sunday at the Guyana Police Force ground, Eve Leary. On the women’s side, the SUR girls won their sprint medley and 4x100m relay, Mercury Fast Laners (MFL) won the distance medley and 4x400m while Police women’s team picked up the win in the 4x200m. What promised to be a day of excitement and intense rivalry lived up to all expectations, as passionate battles raged, both on and off the track, particularly between the GDF and GPF men. The situation climaxed in the men’s sprint medley (100x200x400x800m), where it was obvious both teams were fiercely gunning hard after that win. Police Kevin Abbensettes threw down the gauntlet against GDF’s Rupert Perry for the 100m, before Elton Bollers upped the

lead for Police on the 200m dash, leaving Akeem Stewart in his wake. The first sign that all was not right showed up in the third leg as a tussle ensued between Police’s Kareem Purch and GDF’s Davin Fraser, as Fraser tried to

Police saved their best for last and won the men’s 4x400m in stunning fashion in the day’s final event. The Police team consisted of Purch, Linton Mentis, Trevor Scotland and Winston Dummett. Second place for this relay went to the SUR team

GPF’s Winston Dummett (first, from right) finishes in first place, followed by GDF’s Edwin Tudor, in the men’s sprint medley, where both teams were disqualified for unsportsmanlike behaviour. overtake Purch on the turn in the 400m dash of the relay. Though both managed to finish their leg and see the relay end with Police finishing first and GDF in second, uproar followed on the field, with patrons

Nonetheless, the GDF were the most accomplished men’s team of the day beating the Police into second place in the 4x100m, 4x200m, and distance medley. SUR came third in all three relays.

with MFL third. On the distaff end, Police picked up second place in the sprint medley and 4x100m, where MFL also finished third both times. Police also placed second in the 4x400m.

Dinda stars on debut as Pune beat Sunrisers

ASHOK Dinda shone on his Rising Pune Supergiants debut as Sunrisers Hyderabad suffered a 34-run Duckworth-Lewis defeat at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in the Indian Premier League yesterday. The Supergiants lost four games in a row after winning their first-ever IPL game against champions Mumbai Indians, but stopped the rot with an emphatic victory in Uppal. Paceman Dinda claimed the key wicket of David Warner in the first over, while Mitchell Marsh and Ravichandran Ashwin also impressed with the ball as the Sunrisers could only post 118-8.

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) Anil Kumble (RCB) (2) Anil Kumble-4/16 (RCB)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Who scored most runs in IPL 2009? (2) Who took most wickets in IPL 2009?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

needing to restrain fuming athletes from both teams. Both teams were subsequently disqualified. The SUR were consequently named winners. The MFL team rose to second, and the University of Guyana (UG) team advanced to third.

Player-of-the-match Ashok Dinda took three for 23.

Sunrisers opener Shikhar Dhawan (56 not out from 53 balls) carried his bat but lacked support and Pune were well on course for victory at 94-3, with Steve Smith unbeaten on 46, when rain brought the game to an early end with nine overs remaining. Warner had made four half-centuries in five innings before striding to the crease following a delayed start due to rain, but the Australia opener cut the fourth ball of the match from Supergiants debutant Dinda straight to Ajinkya Rahane at backward point. The quick then got rid of Aditya Tare and the Sunrisers slumped to 32-5 after Marsh had England limited-overs skipper Eoin Morgan (0) and Australia team-mate Moises Henriques (1) caught behind. Dhawan stood firm, scoring at just over a run a ball, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar made a brisk 21 from only eight balls but the Sunrisers were still well short of setting an imposing target. Rahane went without scoring in the first over from Bhuvneshwar, but Faf du Plessis (30 from 21) and Australia captain Smith put on 80 for the second wicket and there only appeared to be one winner when play was ended just after MS Dhoni (5) was dismissed.(Omni Sport)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Goodluck and Felicien cart off Fullbore Pairs competition REIGNING local Individual Champion Ransford Goodluck teamed up with junior Sherwin Felicien to cart off the first-ever Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA) Fullbore Pairs competition held in observance of the nation’s Jubilee celebrations. Goodluck took to the task very well as the margin that separated the winners from their rivals was very slim. This inaugural format which is normally shot at the Commonwealth Games saw Guyana, represented by the pair of National captain Mahendra Persaud and reigning Caribbean Individual champion Lennox Braithwaite placing 6th at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

Shooting at the 300-, 500- and 600-yard ranges,

(X-Class) counterparts and at the end of the 300 yards

one-point lead over Goodluck and Felicien.

The winning combination of Ransford Goodluck and Sherwin Felicien (with trophies) flanked by the second-placed Leo Romalho (right) and Terrence Stuart, and third-placed Lennox Braithwaite (left) and Ryan Sampson. senior (A-Class) shooters were paired with their junior

range, the pair of Braithwaite and Ryan Sampson held a

But Goodluck who shot the only possible on the day

at the 500-yard range and Felicien who dropped just one point at the same range erased the one-point deficit to pull ahead of their competition and eventually win the historic shoot. The challenge of the wind, which was mostly blowing right to left and changing fast, kept the coaches alert throughout the shoot. Third-place finishers were Leo Ramalho and Terrence Stuart followed by Braithwaite and Sampson. The event, which was held at the Timehri Rifle Ranges, last Sunday, saw the bulk of competitors among those in preparation for next month’s West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council (WIFBSC) Short Range championships in Antigua.

GuyanaNRA vice-president Paul Slowe, who was on hand, performed duties of presenting the trophies and medals to the winning pair and other top performers. He encouraged the shooters to keep the competitive spirit going as they continue to focus on next month’s Caribbean championships. Team captain Mahendra Persaud informed that preparation over the next two weekends would be focused on Team shoots as they seek to retain the West Indies Short Range Trophy. Persaud also promised that more Pair Shoots would be held in the future. Meanwhile, the team continue their quest for sponsorship towards the Antigua trip.

Guyanese hero Alex Bunbury wants to give back By Daniel Haynes IN the football world, the name Alexander Bunbury is one that is quite popular and well known. He is one of the greatest Canadian

football players of all-time, being inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame in the year 2006. Alexander Bunbury was born in Plaisance, Guyana on June 18 1967. He was the

Day of Athletics to commemorate Guyana’s Golden Jubilee TO commemorate the Golden Jubilee, the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) and former athletes based in North America will team up to host a Day of Athletics on May 22. According to the organising committee of the venture, a 5km, a 10km and a track and field event will be staged four days prior to Independence Day at the Carifesta Avenue Sports Complex (formerly Guyana National Service Sports Complex) and the Guyana Defence Force ground, Camp Ayanganna. Lots of cash prizes and trophies will be up for grabs. There will be a 5km race for athletes 14-16 years and a 10km (open) event which will start at 06:00hrs at the Carifesta Sports Complex and end at the same venue. The official route will be published in a subsequent release. Five hours later, the youth, junior and senior track and field athletes will swing into action at the GDF ground. They will compete in the 4x100m, the 4x400m relay races along with the 100m, 200m, 800m and 1500m and long jump events. Sixty and eighty-metre events will also be contested by athletes 12 years and under. While the top three finishers in the Under-16 and U-20 events will take home bicycles, the top five seniors will pocket $40 000, $30 000, $20 000, $15 000 and $10 000 respectively. The top three Masters, male and female finishers, will be rewarded with cash prizes of $20 000, $15 000 and $10 000 in that order. Admission is free.

ALEX BUNBURY youngest of 13 children, born to Doreen and Harry Bunbury. At the age of 9, he and

his family moved to Canada. It was in Canada that Bunbury discovered his passion for football, a game which he picked up at the age of 12 and by age 13 he was on the Canadian U-15 National side. He went on to represent his adopted home country at the Junior (9 caps, 3 goals) and Senior (65 caps, 16 goals) levels; and in 2006, the Guyanese was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame. Six years later, Bunbury was named in an all-time Canada Men’s X1 as part of the centennial celebrations of the Canada Soccer Association. Bunbury returned home

to Guyana for the first time in 40 years. When asked why, he became emotional. “My brother Sam would usually visit but I was comfortable in my little part of the world, not wanting anything to do with Guyana,” he admitted. “I had listened to everyone talk down about Guyana and I fell into the trap of not going,” he continued. “My only wish was that my brother and sister could be alive to see me here, see the work I’m doing,” he finished. Bunbury had lost his sister three months earlier to cancer and then his brother five weeks later to a heart attack. When asked if his

motivation was out of guilt for not doing anything earlier he was unflinchingly truthful. “Yes, guilt did play a part, I won’t lie; but it’s guilt mixed with my desire to see Guyana grow and move into the 21st century when it comes to sports and academics.” His plan revolves around establishing the ‘Alex Bunbury Sports and Academics Academy’. According to the Canadian football icon, it will be established to help athletes in a cross-section of disciplines; to teach and build the same values that helped him become one of the best players to ever don the colours of the ‘Canucks’.

FA Cup final likely to define van Gaal’s United tenure - Pardew

(REUTERS) - Louis van Gaal’s future at Manchester United will likely depend on the outcome of the FA Cup final next month just like it did for English football’s most successful manager Alex Ferguson in 1990, Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew has said. Palace meet United at Wembley next month in a repeat of the 1990 final. Winning that trophy reportedly helped keep Ferguson at United then. The Scot went

on to win 13 Premier League titles and four more FA Cups during a trophy-laden career. Van Gaal’s position has come under increasing scrutiny during an erratic United campaign and the FA Cup represents the last chance for his side to win any silverware this term. “I remember Sir Alex’s career hinged on that game and maybe Van Gaal’s career will hinge on this,” said Pardew, who played for Palace in the 1990 final, which United won after a replay. “I like the guy (Van Gaal). He’s had some ter-

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal rible, terrible press and I look forward to seeing him in the final.”

Pardew’s men booked their place in the final after beating Watford 2-1 on Sunday, with Connor Wickham’s goal proving the winner after Hornet striker Troy Deeney cancelled out Yannick Bolasie’s opener for the Eagles. “This is a different team, with a different spirit, but the characteristics are similar to 1990. They are hard-working, diligent, with good defenders and some pace on the attack,” Pardew said. “I just hope the destiny isn’t the same result in the final.”

Goodluck and Felicien cart off Fullbore Pairs competition See story on page 43

After 27 years, police blamed for Hillsborough stadium crush By Phil Noble WARRINGTON, England (REUTERS) - Police were responsible for the deaths of 96 Liverpool football fans in the 1989 Hillsborough stadium crush, a jury concluded yesterday after two years of hearings into Britain’s worst sporting disaster. The inquest verdicts of “unlawful killing”, which could pave the way for prosecutions, were greeted with a mix of cheers and tears

Relatives react after the jury delivered its verdict at the new inquests into the Hillsborough disaster, in Warrington, Britain, yesterday. (Reuters/Phil Noble)

by relatives of the victims, who sang the Liverpool fans’ anthem “You’ll never walk alone” outside the court in Warrington, northern England. The families had campaigned for almost three decades to get “Justice for the 96”, refusing to accept the deaths were accidental. They said the police, who at first blamed the tragedy on the supporters themselves, had told lies

See page 41

Jury finally gives out verdict on Hillsborough disaster - Fans unlawfully killed.

CFU president Derrick St.Lucia boxing to appeal FIFA ruling contingent due tonight GORDON Derrick, president of the Caribbean Football Union, is to appeal a ruling by FIFA declaring him ineligible to contest the presidency of CONCACAF. The CONCACAF elections have been set for May 12 in Mexico City. Reports emerging from the Caribbean suggest that Derrick’s legal team has filed an appeal. Derrick was initially among three candidates vying for the presidency along with Bermuda’s Larry Mussenden and Canada’s Victor Montagliani. However, FIFA announced recently that the Antiguan would not be able to continue in the race.

Derrick has served as CFU president for the last four years, after replacing Trinidadian Jack Warner in

GORDON DERRICK 2012, following the cashfor-votes scandal which

rocked Caribbean football. Regional officials were accused of either being offered or accepting cash bribes of US$40 000 in return for votes for FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam back in 2011. Several CFU members were suspended but Derrick was fined and reprimanded. Responding to the FIFA ruling Derrick said he found it curious that the reprimand of 2011 was too minute to warrant an appeal; that the principal person in the matter was vindicated upon his appeal; yet the matter was deemed significant enough to derail his candidacy. (Sportsmax.com)

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THE St. Lucia boxing contingent is due to arrive in Guyana tonight for the inaugural Caribbean Schoolboys, Junior, Youth and Female boxing championships to be held on Friday and Saturday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. (In photo third from left is manager/coach Conrad Hunte. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2016