Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_11_27_2019

WEDNESDAY 27th November, 2019

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Shake-up in prosecutorial service

No.105834

… Ramjattan laments low convictions in high-profile cases 18 PAGE

Kosmos owner, senior cop killed in crash

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Dillon DeRamos

The ill-fated Lexus SUV and the accident victimsto(inset) (Delano(Adrian Williams photo)photo) Partners and media operatives signing the banner to indicate their commitment to joining the campaign to bring awareness road safety Narine Brian Eastman

Relief for Moco 300 of 18,000 No smoking at Moco residents claim ID cards 02 sports facilities PAGE

… as GWI commissions PAGE … Alexander believes remainder – Department of Social Cohesion, $22M well station 11 either deceased or overseas Culture, Youth and Sport reiterates 10 PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 27, 2019

UK officially removed from EPA Notorious ‘Spoil Child’ shot, two ex-policemen arrested between CARIFORUM … conductorthe seenEU, gyrating in moving bus while door open

MINISTER of Finance, Winston Jordan has officially amended the Customs Act to remove the United Kingdom (UK) from the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between CARIFORUM and the European Union (EU). The decision to remove the UK from the agreement was initiated, after the UK had announced that it will be withdrawing from the EU, a move which was called BREXIT. An order from Minister Jordan, which was published in the Official Gazette on November 1, stated: “any reference of the UK in the CARIFORUM- European community Economic Partnership Agreement shall be constructed as deleted immediately after October 31, 2019.” As a result of the order, the agreement establishing the free trade area between the CARIFORUM states

and the European community, will now exclude the UK. The CARIFORUM EPA, of which Guyana is a member, grants all CARIFORUM goods, with a temporary exception for rice and sugar, duty-free and quota-free access to the EU. The CARIFORUM region was the first group among African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries to secure a comprehensive EPA with Europe that covers not just goods, but services, investment, and trade-related issues, such as innovation and intellectual property. With the UK now officially out of the EU-EPA, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the CARIFORUM and the UK, which was signed in March this year for the establishment of a UK-EPA, is expected to take effect. Back in March, Ambassador David Hales signed the CARIFORUM-United

Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement and a MoU on behalf of the Government of Guyana. According to a report on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, the signing, which took place on the margins of the twenty-fifth meeting of the CARIFORUM Council of Ministers in St. Lucia, is of economic importance to Guyana’s private sector considering that the UK is Guyana’s largest trading partner in Europe and its sixth overall. The partnership accounts for about two per cent of imports, almost nine per cent of all exports. The UK is an important market for export of Guyana’s sugar, rice and rum. At the regional level, absorbing about a quarter of exports from the Caribbean, the UK is the largest trading partner for CARIFORUM. Signing the agreement was a direct response to the impending exit of the UK

from the EU as the current trade arrangement governing Guyana’s exports to the British market will lapse once that state leaves the regional body. Additionally, this action was the culmination of an approach agreed between CARIFORUM and the UK in March 2017 to ensure continuity in the existing preferential trading relations, including duty free quota conditions, among others. Eight other CARIFORUM Member States — Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines — signed the Agreement, while others have signaled their intention to do so shortly.

EX-POLICEMAN, Teon Allen, known as “Spoil Child”, who was almost killed at East La Penitence, Georgetown, October last, during a shootout with rival gang members, was shot by police, Tuesday afternoon, at Houston, East Bank Demerara. The gunshot wound to the body was not fatal. He is listed as stable. Police, in operations mode, cornered Allen, after the car he was driving, a Nissan Bluebird, slammed into a fence at the Rahaman’s turn, Houston. He was shot after reportedly pointing a gun at a police patrol. Two other ex-policemen who were in the vehicle with Allen were also arrested. They were identified Ex-cop, Teon Allen as Jason Gonsalves of known as “Spoil Child” William Street, Kitty and See page 3

300 of 18,000 claim ID cards thus far

… Alexander believes remainder either deceased or overseas JUST around 300 persons on a list of over 18,000 have come forward to collect their Identification (ID) cards, since the publishing of a list of names in question by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Commissioner Vincent Alexander says that he is not surprised that this number is very low as he had long stated that a number of these Guyanese may be deceased or overseas residents. “If these people who haven’t collected their cards consist of possibly the overseas dead, the local dead and the overseas people who haven’t uplifted their cards, it’s nothing alarming. The number who haven’t uplifted their cards is in itself alarming but the categories, there’s nothing alarming about it,” he told the media on Tuesday. A list of names was published in the local newspapers on November 9, 2019 which showed that amongst those listed were 9,343 persons in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and some 3,267 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). Areas such as Kamarang in Region 7, recorded lower numbers such as 19 and 29 at Port Kaituma (Region One). Everyone on the list has been given 21 days from publication to uplift the cards and will also be contacted by registered mail. Failure to do so will see them being excluded from the Official List of Electors [OLE] and placed on a Supplementary List on Elections Day. They will still be permitted to vote should they turn up with other appropriate identification. Alexander pointed out the issue that there are no mechanisms to take someone off the list who has died overseas and similarly no mechanism locally to get the names of the dead off the list. He said: “So, for me, there’s nothing alarming. We just have to deal with the

issue to ensure that we don’t have these names hanging around to be manipulated at the electoral process…from observation, we don’t have that large number of people who don’t use ID cards but, secondly, whether or not they’ve done it in the past, we have made an effort to say to these people ‘come and uplift your cards’. One has to take a non-response as a problem… we’re trying to determine these people’s existence.” Chairman of GECOM, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, had also expressed that it is “worrying” when such a high number of persons, some for more than 11 years, have not taken the opportunity to collect their ID cards. In the past, efforts have been made to contact these individuals but the majority has still not yet verified their existence in the country. In addition to Regions Four and Six, 313 persons from Region One (Barima-Waini) have not collected their ID cards while 548 ID cards in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) have not been collected. Over in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 2,401 ID cards are still within GECOM’s possession, while in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) there are 1,094. In Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), 280 ID cards are to be collected, in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), 124 and in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) another 263 ID cards are still to be collected. The area with the highest number of persons in question is Coldingen at 2,410, followed by Whim at 1,357. The possession of an ID card enables persons to obtain old age pension, secure a driver’s licence or a loan, apply for a passport, obtain police clearance, transact business at the bank or post office, collect National Insurance benefits and more.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Kosmos owner, senior cop killed in crash

THE owner of Kosmos Bar and Grill located at Movietowne and a senior police officer were on Tuesday evening killed when the vehicle they were in careened off the road on the Rupert Craig Highway and crashed into the concrete fence of car dealership, Yokohoma Trading at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara. Dead are: Dillon De Ramos, 37, the proprietor of the popular Kosmos Bar and Grill and Senior Superintendent of Police Brian Eastman, 35, attached to the Special Branch of the Guyana Police Force. The men are said to be best friends. De Ramos, a father of two, of Lot 85 Dennis Street, Campbellville, and Eastman of 1515 Norton Street, Wortmanville, were travelling in a high-end Lexus

Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), it was a scene of gloom as relatives and friends upon receiving news of the dreadful accident rushed to the institution. Some were visibly distraught and could not contain their grief as they screamed calling out the name `Brian’ while others were tight –tipped regarding any information. The fatal accident comes one day after there were several others over the past weekend and also when the country is observing Road Safety Week. At the end of October some 85 persons, among them six children had been killed in road accidents for 2019 – an increase, when compared to the deaths recorded in 2018, Coordinator of the National Road Safety Council, Ramona Doorgen, disclosed recently, even as she called for an

end to the reckless use of the country’s roads. According to the Guyana Police Force, the leading causes of traffic mishaps in the country, are speeding and driving while under the influence of alcohol. Other major causes are driving while distracted by use of a cellphone, pedestrian inattentiveness, and failure to heed traffic signs and warnings. Though there are established speed limits across the country – 50 km/h in the towns and along sections of the East Bank Demerara (EBD) corridor – Doorgen said some drivers are in the habit of exceeding the speed limits, thereby putting their lives and the lives of others at risk. Speaking directly to drivers, through the online platform, Doorgen pleaded with them to drive within the speed limits.

Dillon De Ramos, 37, the proprietor of the popular Kosmos Bar and Grill, in happier times with one of his children

Senior Superintendent of Police, Brian Eastman PTT 6775, driven by De Ramos, when he apparently lost control and crashed into the concrete fence of Yokohoma Trading. It appears as though the two were heading into the

city. The vehicle is damaged beyond repair. Immediately after the horrific accident, scores of persons converged at the scene and several men were observed using the searchlight of their phones to rummage inside the mangled remains of the vehicle, with speculations that they were looking for a firearm. Word on the ground was that De Ramos died on the spot, while Eastman who was trapped inside had to be taken out by public-spirited citizens. Meanwhile, over at the Georgetown

Notorious ‘Spoil Child’... From page 2

Shaquille George. Allen, who is a suspected gang leader, was recently charged with discharging a loaded firearm and was released on bail. He is also involved in an ongoing gang feud in the Linden community involving two rival gangs from Amelia’s Ward. September last, Allen turned himself in after a wanted bulletin was issued by the Guyana Police Force, in connection with the attempted murder of Denise Grant and Tiffany McDeth, in Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Region 10, on September 2, 2019. Allen’s car was reportedly torched by a bystander who witnessed the ordeal with the women. The act was suspected to be carried out by members of a Cayenne-based Guyanese gang. In August 2017, Allen was charged with harbouring wanted men Mark Royden Williams and Uree Varswyck, who had escaped from the Camp Street Prison on July 9, 2017. Also in January 2017, Allen was charged along with three others for possession of an AK-47, along with matching ammunition. The men were arrested during a police raid at a John Street, Campbellville, Georgetown house. Allen was also previously charged for a number of other offences, including robbery under arms.

Persons associated with the two victims using the phone flashlight to search between what remains of the vehicle

Double blow for the Eastman family THE saying `it never rains until it pours’ can aptly describe the tragic circumstances facing the Eastman family of Norton Street, Wortmanville, who are now mourning two deaths in the family. The Guyana Chronicle has learnt that the matriarch of the Eastman family, Iris Eastman, passed away yesterday morning, November 26, 2019, at age 99. The said evening, her grandson, Senior Superintendent of Police Brian Eastman, 35, succumbed to injuries when the vehicle in which he and his close friend Dillon De Ramos, 37, were travelling, crashed into the concrete fence of Yokohoma Trading at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara De Ramos was the owner of the popular Kosmos Bar and Grill located at MovieTowne, Liliendaal Public Road.

In photo, the now dead Eastman with his grandmother Iris, when he graduated from the University of Guyana in 2015

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday, November 27, 2019

China sets up Hong Kong crisis center in mainland, considers replacing chief liaison

HONG KONG/SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) - Tightening control over efforts to manage the upheaval in Hong Kong, the Chinese leadership has set up a crisis command center on the mainland side of the border and is considering replacing its official liaison to the restive semi-autonomous city, people familiar with the matter said. As violent protests roil Hong Kong, top Chinese leaders in recent months have been managing their response from a villa on the outskirts of Shenzhen, bypassing the formal bureaucracy through which

Beijing has supervised the financial hub for two decades. Ordinarily, communications between Beijing and Hong Kong are conducted through a Chinese government body: the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong. The Liaison Office is housed in a Hong Kong skyscraper stacked with surveillance cameras, ringed by steel barricades and topped by a reinforced glass globe. In a sign of dissatisfaction with the Liaison Office’s handling of the crisis, Beijing is considering potential replacements for the body’s director,

Wang Zhimin, two people familiar with the situation said. Wang is the most senior mainland political official stationed in Hong Kong. The office has come in for criticism in Hong Kong and China for misjudging the situation in the city. “The Liaison Office has been mingling with the rich people and mainland elites in the city and isolated itself from the people,” a Chinese official said. “This needs to be changed.” The Liaison Office may face increased pressure after city voters delivered a resounding defeat to pro-Beijing parties in local district elections on Sunday. Pro-democracy candidates won almost 90 percent of the seats, securing their first ever majority after running a campaign against Beijing’s perceived encroachments on Hong Kong’s liberties. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Office in Hong Kong

called the report “false”, without elaborating, in a statement posted on its website Tuesday. “No matter how the situation in Hong Kong changes, the Chinese government’s determination to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests is unwavering,” it said. The statement said China was committed to the “one country, two systems” policy that governs Hong Kong’s affairs, and was opposed to “external forces” interfering in the city’s affairs. The State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office and the Liaison Office in Hong Kong did not reply to faxed requests for comment. The office of Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam declined to comment for this story. BAUHINIA VILLA The crisis center is located at the secluded Bauhinia Villa, a property owned by the Hong

27 November, 2019 05:00hrs ~ 06:30hrs

Kong Liaison Office, according to sources and official media, and named after the orchid that adorns the Hong Kong flag and currency. The villa, located just across Hong Kong’s border with the mainland, has served as a crisis center before: Senior Chinese officials stayed at the resort during the pro-democracy “Occupy Central” protests that rocked Hong Kong in 2014. Top mainland officials have been gathering at the leafy compound to plot strategy and issue instructions aimed at defusing the crisis, according to six people familiar with the matter. Beijing authorities have been summoning key Hong Kong officials to meet at the villa during the five months of the increasingly violent anti-government protests, the sources said. Among those who have attended, two of the people said, is embattled city leader Carrie Lam, who in September dramatically scrapped the controversial extradition bill that had ignited the protests, with approval by China’s top leadership. Hong Kong police officials, business leaders and local pro-Beijing politicians have been summoned to the villa as well. In an indication of the operation’s importance, Chinese President Xi Jinping is receiving daily written briefings from Bauhinia Villa, said two officials and another person familiar with the operation. The mainland Chinese and Hong Kong officials interviewed for this article spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the matter. A Shenzhen businessman with close ties to Chinese officials

described the villa complex as a “frontline command center” that authorities are using as a base for coordinating and monitoring the Hong Kong situation in a secure environment. The complex is “packed with people,” the businessman said. The establishment of the Shenzhen villa as a crisis center with a channel to top leader Xi points to the gravity and delicacy of the situation in Hong Kong, diplomats said. Mass protests erupted in June over an extradition bill that would have allowed individuals to be sent for trial to the mainland, where justice is controlled by the ruling Communist Party. Beijing wants to restore order in the city, but without being seen to be calling the shots. Though the extradition bill has been killed, the protests have grown angrier, powered by a broad perception that Beijing is meddling improperly in city affairs and by complaints of police brutality. Hong Kong is governed under a charter which grants British-style rule of law until 2047, and its high degree of autonomy is widely seen as key to its prosperity as an international financial hub. City and mainland officials say the police response has been measured and that any violence has been initiated by extreme protesters. The lakeside setting of the villa, in a wooded neighborhood, enables Beijing and Hong Kong officials to meet away from the glare of the Hong Kong media and the chaos of the city’s protest-clogged streets.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday, November 27, 2019

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Chastanet says two US banks have given a commitment to remain in the Caribbean

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Nov 26, CMC – Prime Minister Allen Chastanet says two US-based banks have given a commitment to remain in the Caribbean as he described the recent round table discussions held in Washington with US legislators and other stakeholders as a “great success”. Chastanet, who is also the chairman of the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping, told Parliament that the commitment by Bank of America and Wells Fargo “is particularly important, because apart from facilitating transactions, banks like Wells Fargo also provide other services to regional banks, such as wealth management and loans”. Apart from Chastanet, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who has lead responsibility for financial services within the CARICOM quasi-Cabinet, Trinidad and Tobago’s National Security Minister Stuart Young,, Barbados Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Dale Marshall and CARICOM Secretary General Irwin Laroque also attended the round table

discussion on matters of correspondent banking and de-risking. He said Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Chair of the Financial Services Committee of the United States’ Congress hosted the Caribbean delegation and that significantly was the attendance of other legislators and senior representatives of major US banks, not least being Wells Fargo and Bank of America. “As CARICOM, we thought it vital that we engage the US government and key industry players, on actions to address decisively, the actual and potential challenges posed to our economies by the de-risking actions that have been taken by US banks,” he said. Chastanet said that in response to the US government’s strict legislation governing correspondent banking relations (CBRs) and the stiff penalties correspondent banks face for criminal infractions related to CBRs, correspondent banks have imposed increasingly stringent measures on domestic banks and, in several cases, have withdrawn correspondent banking services completely. “According to CARICOM reports, by mid-2018, between 25

and 75 per cent of the 50 banks operating across CARICOM member states had reported either termination of or restrictions on correspondent banking services. “Other negative consequences of de-risking have been an increase in operational costs, an extension in the processing time for international payments, as well as increased difficulty in account opening or securing banking services,” Chastanet said. He told legislators that “our domestic banks rely on correspondent banks to access international financial markets and overseas geographic regions. “Without this intermediary service, numerous transactions that are routinely carried out on behalf of all of us, clients of the banks, would be impossible. Without correspondent banking relations, commonplace actions that we as ordinary people have grown to take for granted – such as online shopping, booking a flight or hotel room, a visitor using a credit card to purchase a meal from one of our local restaurants, sending or receiving remittances from loved ones overseas, private sector payment for goods and

services – all of which are facilitated by correspondent banks, could not take place.” Chastanet said that maritime transport companies, cruise lines, airline companies, international goods manufacturers, traders and retailers from basic foodstuff to fine jewelry and luxury items all trade across international borders and require the correspondent relations between banks in order to do so. “Simply put, Mr. Speaker, without correspondent banking, Mr. Speaker, our economies could grind to a halt. I could not underscore enough the serious ripple effect that kind of economic decline would have for individual countries, the region and the wider hemisphere,” he said, indicating that all CARICOM countries have been taking steps to enhance their Anti-Money LaunderingCountering Financing of Terrorism (AML-CFT) capability. He said St. Lucia has already amended its Anti-Terrorism Act in order to strengthen

the island’s ability to combat terrorist financing and that recommended amendments have been made to other laws such as the Money Laundering (Prevention) Act, and new legislation – the United Nations Sanctions (Counter-Proliferation Financing) (Act No. 29 of 2019), designed to combat proliferation financing, has been enacted. “We have also been working on capacity building, training our judiciary and enforcement agencies, as well as increasing the staff in these agencies. There is, nevertheless, considerable work left to be done if we are to halt and reverse the trend towards de-risking and ensure CBRs are re-established.” Chastanet said that the engagement with the various parties in Washington was one critical step in that direction and that it was acknowledged that the loss of CBRs is also having a deleterious effect on institutions outside of the Caribbean, including

US domestic banks. “We agreed to work together to address the vexing matter of compliance. In that regard, the OECS proposal to establish a Single Compliance Department was welcomed. We also agreed to re-consider the structure and governance of our financial review units to ensure they operate independently and are not viewed as arms of the executive, thence open to undue and improper influence. “In improving our compliance mechanisms, we were encouraged to consider the approaches set out in the Wolfsberg Principles and to embrace Know Your Customer, Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing best practice policies,” Chastanet told Parliament.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Communities make the difference

NEXT week, Guyana will join the rest of the world in observing United Nations-designated World AIDS Day. The day seeks to unite people around the world in the fight against HIV; show support for people living with HIV; and to commemorate people who have died with HIV/ AIDS. This year’s theme is, “Communities make the difference.” According to UNAIDS, communities contribute to the AIDS response in many different ways. Their leadership and advocacy ensure that the response remains relevant and grounded, keeping people at the centre and leaving no one behind. Communities include peer educators; networks of people living with or affected by HIV, such as gay men and other men who have sex with men; people who inject drugs and sex workers; women and young people; counsellors, community health workers, door-to-door service providers; civil society organisations and grass-roots activists. World AIDS Day, therefore, according to UNAIDS offers an important platform

to highlight the role of communities. This, at a time when reduced funding and a shrinking space for civil society are putting the sustainability of services and advocacy efforts in jeopardy. When HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) became public knowledge in the early 1980s, it was surrounded by myths, which included how it is being contracted; how it is spread; its origin was ascribed to a race; vulnerability was based on sexual orientation and moral values; and its domain was confined to those of the lower socio-economic bracket. These myths resulted in various behavioural attitudes. Ignorance made spread of the disease more likely, in that some felt immune to its contraction, given that they were not in the ‘category’ of its domain and thus had no need to engage in precautions. Those who contracted HIV were invariably ashamed to seek help, kept silent, or continued to spread the disease, based on the stereotype attached to the use of condoms. There were those who, based on lifestyle choices, exposed their partners to the disease, but for fear of

their lifestyles being exposed, continued to engage in unsafe practices with their mates. And persons who contracted HIV, fearing ostracism from loved ones and society, opted to keep their status private; the above-stated situations have been prevalent in our society. Though within the last 29 years much work has been done to clear up misunderstandings regarding this disease, the myths and stigmatisation persist, and persons are consequently still at risk of contracting this disease and being deprived of the care needed. As the world community works to combat the virus, which includes the race for a medical cure, prevention is, at this stage, still the best option. Prevention not only requires education -- different applications, mediums and tools – but also helps to shatter myths and stigmatisation that still cause some persons to live with this disease in silence, spreading it and not getting the care they need. Where it is recognised that there is statistical extrapolation of the infected population based on reported cases, we cannot lose sight of the unreported.

Culturally, Guyana is somewhat a reclusive society. Issues such as sex and its practices -- including choices -- are not spoken about openly; stigma is attached to some practices, and criminality is attached to others. The influence this cultural phenomenon has on the facility with which conversations about sexually transmitted diseases–in this instance HIV -- should be discussed can therefore not be ignored. Societies that are more open about sexual interactions -- including accepting and legitimising lifestyle choices -- have a greater advantage in addressing complexities surrounding HIV prevention. Moreover, some famous personalities in those societies have put a face to the disease by sharing their stories and leading the fight against it through various supportive measures. The work done by the Ministry of Health/Public Health and other civil society institutions should however be noted, especially the work done by Artistes In Direct Support (AIDS), which has had a significant impact in the fight against this disease. As a nation, we must continue to push the

limits not only to ensure that every person is aware of the dangers attached to contracting this disease, but to ensure that everyone is taking measures to prevent contracting it; seeking the care needed should they contract the virus and ending discrimination against those who have contracted it. Even though HIV remains a challenge, significant strides have been made in combating it. The healthcare industry has moved from not knowing what to do to developing medicines found to be effective in managing the virus. Persons living with HIV are today experiencing quality holistic lives once they adhere to the medication regimen and appropriate health and wellness choices; and medicine has advanced to the level where, if persons suspect they have been exposed to the virus, should they seek help within 72 hours of exposure, they can benefit from post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) drugs – antiretroviral medicines (ART) which can prevent them from becoming infected. There is also the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for persons who don’t have HIV, but are at very

high risk of getting it; to prevent being infected, simply take a pill daily. These drugs are, however, not for everyone, and they should not be prescribed on a willy-nilly basis; candidates for administration of the drug have to meet specific guidelines. HIV prevention still largely remains reliant on education and safe sex. This includes having access to accurate information and having a mature outlook on sexual relations, as in having monogamous relations and using a condom, which remains the most important tool in preventing contraction and spread of the virus. So as we observe another World AIDS Day, we endorse the message by the UNAIDS that “The strong advocacy role played by communities is needed more than ever to ensure that AIDS remains on the political agenda; that human rights are respected and that decision-makers and implementers are held accountable.”

No cutting of Mabaruma rubber trees …residents and authorities should heed thousands of online petition signatories

Dear Editor,

I WRITE again on behalf of trees, those silent workhorses within our midst that toil (often thanklessly) every second of their existence to remove dangerous toxins from the environment and produce the oxygen necessary for human survival. This time it’s the stately rubber trees of Philbert Pierre Avenue, Mabaruma, that are under siege. It is truly saddening that, a century after their planting by a son of that soil, some of the current residents of that community are agitating for their destruction in order to expand the roadway. I have read news articles reporting that the decision will be made by Mabaruma residents. While I respect local authorities and decision-making processes, I maintain that the fate of these trees is one that concerns the wider Guyanese community, not just the residents of central Mabaruma. The ‘Rubber Walk’ is a

well-known tourist landmark of the area and unforgettable to all who have ever visited; even people who no longer live in Mabaruma retain fond memories and deep love for those trees. Evidence of this is in the fact that over 2,000 people signed an online petition pleading for the rubber trees to be saved (see selected comments below). It would truly be a tragedy if these trees are destroyed; I urge that the sentiments of the petition signers be heeded. The fact is that there IS an alternate road route that could be widened to facilitate more vehicular traffic without cutting these trees. In fact, the Minister of Public Infrastructure, Mr David Patterson, has stated on social media that his ministry was actually not in favour of cutting down the trees and had submitted a proposal to the Mabaruma authorities to enable road expansion without destroying the trees. [“MoPI acknowledged the significance of these trees, and presented a programme which did

not affect the trees in any way..” – Facebook comment on Nov 18, 2019]. Surely, the MoPI’s proposal is one to embrace, since it has the backing of engineers and technical experts and will meet the community demand for a new road, while simultaneously saving these trees. I urge the Mabaruma authorities and residents to demonstrate true environmental leadership and make the rest of their fellow Guyanese proud, and to heed the technical wisdom of Minister Patterson and his staff. It is also important, imo, that funds be spent to hire professional tree pruners to prune the rubber trees to prevent dead or damaged branches from falling and causing harm to persons or property. Sincerely, Sherlina Nageer Selected comments of petition signatories: * “Those trees are iconic. Been there for decades. Treat them as both heritage and endangered.” * “Back in 2017 I visited

Mabaruma for the first time and the sight truly captivated me. First time seeing trees so tall! It will certainly be a shame to have this scenic beauty destroyed.” * “We need to plant more trees not cut them down.” * “We need to save more trees as a country to help in the combat against Global Warming.” * “Set o’ backwardness. Leave and nurture the trees. They are part of your natural patrimony. FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE!” * “There is always a way around. Bend the road. Tree saving should be of utmost importance especially in these times we are living in. The age of the trees also should be taken into consideration. They are landmarks..” * “I love the rubber trees. They make a visit to Mabaruma so special. They whisper lovely secrets all day long. Generations have had history with those trees. The air has benefitted from them. Pls don’t cut them down. Remember the tragedy of the teak trees in New Amsterdam.” * “I am signing on behalf of my grandchildren and the lungs of the earth. Future generations in Guyana need to see the beauty and rich history of their country’s natural environment.”

* “These trees are to be cherished at all costs, no getting rid of them. They are iconic to the Mabaruma sub region.” * “I signed because although I have lived in Trinidad for many years, my childhood years were spent at Mabaruma. Those rubber trees are precious to me. I have never forgotten them. I would be heartbroken if they are destroyed.” * “My wife had her primary schooling in Mabaruma and took me to see the scenes of her childhood. The rubber walk stood out as an environmental treasure and area of beauty. It would be criminal to destroy them.” * “It’s ridiculous that people will even consider cutting these trees down. The only iconic thing I know of Mabaruma is these trees. I have never been there and this sticks out in my mind about the place. These trees also provide shade from the hot sun and I am sure it’s very relaxing to walk under just as the trees in Main Street in Georgetown. No way. It must not be cut down.” * “I lived at Mabaruma in the early 60s and those rubber trees were there, welcoming us every time we walked down the rubber walk. They are iconic! Please find a way around it. Be creative! Please!” * “A green economy does

not mean green paint, it means trees.” * “This street (in all my travels locally) is quite unique. Good to learn of its history. Shouldn’t this be a national treasure?” * “I grew up at Mabaruma. I knew the rubber trees when there was forest on both sides and when the trees did not wear white skirts. I took walks here as a child and picked up rubber seeds to see the * faces on them. I have seen a flock of monkeys with their young passing overhead. I remember them being trimmed by someone very high up their trunks. I remember their shade and coolness. I have treasured these memories all my life. I have not visited Mabaruma for a long time and hope to in the future. I look forward to seeing the rubber trees. Sometimes in life we possess a treasure and are unaware of its great value. I am a person of Mabaruma and I am crying out for the trees to be allowed to live. They belong to the soul of Mabaruma.” * “Because trees matter; we need them in order to survive. The lesser they become, the harder for us humans.” https://www.change.org/p/ mayor-of-mabaruma-savethe-rubber-trees-of-mabaruma-no-cutting

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday, November 27, 2019

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‘Guyanese are intelligent people and they read’

Dear Editor

BHARRAT Jagdeo shamelessly looked at a room filled with members of the Association of Concerned Guyanese at a dinner held in Toronto, Canada, November 3, 2019 and said, “Instead of closing sugar estates and creating an economic and social vacuum, a fact-based approach that included impact studies should have been pursued by the government...” This empty-worded political rhetoric would give one the impression that Bharrat Jagdeo lived in a vacuum at his “Pradoville” mansion, while being far from reality. For those who are not familiar with the tactics of the opposition leader, they should know that he is one who conveniently forgets and twists information conveniently. I wish to highlight a few things that the opposition leader deliberately failed to mention to our Canadian brothers and sisters. Bharrat Jagdeo failed to state that the PPP closed the 6000-acre Diamond Sugar Estate in 2010 and had the workers protesting for months for their severance pay. In 2009, former President Jagdeo commissioned a US$200 Million

(GY$40 Billion) new sugar factory, located at Skeldon, Berbice, even though the European Union had discontinued its 32-year-old preferential price trading pact with Guyana and 17 other African, Caribbean and Pacific sugar-producing countries in the year 2006. The loss of the preferential sugar prices by the European Union amounted to a 36 per cent drop in prices and some G$7Billion in losses each year for GuySuco. These perilous times faced by the sugar injury were predicted by the National Development Strategy since 1996. The National Development Strategy (NDS) of 1996, which was crafted by 23 working groups, highlighted the high rate at which the cost of sugar production was escalating at the time.The late Dr Kenneth King ( PhD Forestry Economics from Oxford University) one of Guyana’s most brilliant minds, who was former Minister of Economic Development under the late President Hoyte, was co-ordinator of the committee that put together the revised National Development Strategy, with the growth of the economy being its primary objective. In 1996, the PPP administration was informed that if by

the end of the 1997 cane-harvesting cycle at the Wales Sugar Estate was not able to reduce its production costs, the estate should be closed after that crop. Additionally, the situation at the Uitvlugt and Enmore sugar estates faced an evaluation which also hinged on production costs, with the aim of making them viable by the year 2000, or phasing them out if they proved otherwise. The national development strategy report stated that an industry-planning exercise carried out early in 1995 suggested that profits before levy and taxes were expected to decline by about three-fourths in real terms between 1995 and 1999. This was attributed mainly to the expected downward trend in sugar prices, but also because production costs were increasing. The report stated that in 1996, three sugar estates were going to lose money, and in 1997, a fourth one was forecasted to join them. All four of these estates were in the Demerara region, while the ones located in the Berbice region were profitable. In 2012 GuySuCo received a subsidy of G$4Billion; G$5. 4Billion in 2013; G$6Billion in 2014; G$12Billion in 2015 and G$11Billion in 2016, with a projected G$18.6Billion in

Need for review of all high-powered guns private security companies are licensed to carry Dear Editor, AFTER reading your report (KN 25.11.19) headed “Trigger-happy security grand fined,” I shudder to think that such high-powered guns are in the hands of “guards” as the one identified by your newspaper. I want an immediate review of all high-powered guns which

private security companies have been licensed to carry, and the Guyana Police Force should check the lists of all these companies to make sure that their guards have the necessary clearance to use these weapons. The Sheriff Security Service should not only fine the guard who was seen as he

fired a high- powered gun in the air -- just for fun it seemed. He should by now be charged and put before the court. Also, the guard service should show cause why their license to have these guns should not be reviewed. Regards Cheryl Campbell

GPSU raises voice against domestic violence Dear Editor

NOVEMBER 25 is recognised as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women around the world. The theme for 2019 is ‘Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands Against Rape.’ The Guyana Public Service Union supports the elimination of all forms of violence and has always been at the forefront advocating eradication of this oppressive and burdensome existence, especially for women and girls. Violence against women and girls continues to per-

sist in our societies and is one of the most devastating human rights violations in modern times. Gender-based violence perseveres and no one is spared its effects, since it affects families, societies and the country as a whole. This form of violence has shocking and distressing outcomes for the victims and their families and will cause them physical, sexual or psychological harm, which includes threats of such acts, coercion and deprivation of liberty, which may happen in public and/or private environments. The Guyana Public Service Union adamantly believes that women and girls

must be given opportunities to thrive and live decent and productive lives free from all forms of violence, regardless of their social or economic circumstances. In this regard, the union always encourages and educates its members to adopt decent practices and to be advocates in their places of work to bring awareness to the impact of and to be in the vanguard fighting for the elimination of violence against women. Regards Guyana Public Service Union

2017 for the industry’s survival. Even though Guysuco received these subsidies, GuySuco still incurred the following losses: G$17.5 billion in 2014, G$18.1 billion in 2015 and G$12.1 billion in 2016. The Hon Noel L Holder, MP, Minister of Agriculture stated, “GUYSUCO incurred a debt of more than G$82 billion by 2015. Within less than two years (since 2015), Government subsidies were estimated to be G$32 billion” (State Paper on the Future of the Sugar Industry presented to the National Assembly; May 8, 2017). Given the above facts it begs the question, “Is this the industry that Bharrat Jagdeo is still promising to reopen?” In January 2017, the National Assembly’s Economic Services Committee was informed by then GuySuCo Chief Executive Officer Errol Hanoman, that GuySuco’s debt stood at $77 billion. This debt was owed to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS); the Guyana Revenue Authority; the Caribbean Development Bank and many other entities. (Guyana Times Newspapers;https:// guyanatimesgy.com/guysucostill-buried-under-77b-debtbhim/; February 27, 2018) In 2017, the APNU+AFC

government announced the closure of several sugar estates; initially, the Wales sugar estate was named as the first to be closed one year after it was announced for closure. Later several other estates in the Berbice belt were closed, as keeping these estates open was severely paralysing Guyana’s economy. It must be noted that His Excellency Brigadier Retired, David Arthur Granger, our caring President, ensured that the sugar estates the APNU+AFC administration were forced to close, arrangements were put in place to ensure that the sugar workers were paid their severance, some of them were transferred to other sugar estates and some were exposed to life skills training. Jagdeo’s web of deception concerning GuySuco reveals that Jagdeo did not care for any of the sugar workers. Jagdeo and the PPP knew that the sugar industry was doomed to failure since the 1990s and in the early 2000s. When the European Union advised Jagdeo to divest the sugar industry, Jagdeo did nothing! Jagdeo did not seek to create alternative employment for the Guysuco workers, Jagdeo used the workers and the sugar industry to conveniently guarantee votes.

Jagdeo played on the vulnerability of the sugar workers and gave them the impression that, that was the only job they could do. He pretended to act in their best interest while plundering the treasury to keep this industry which was failing since the 1990s, open. It must be noted that when Jagdeo closed the Diamond Sugar Estate that he did nothing to support the workers. The dishonest Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is now promising to reopen the sugar estates. The development of national industries should last for generations. Is this the employment that Jagdeo is promising our young people? Rather than advancing technological ideas and industries, Jagdeo is promising our young people a hoe, cutlass, and shovel. Even though it is disappointing, I know the nature of the beast -- the beast which is offering the Guyanese public a presidential candidate with unverified qualifications. Regards Gregory Fraser City Councillor

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday, November 27, 2019

First Lady Sandra Granger is a role model

Dear Editor

IN recognition of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, I must applaud the Minister of Social Protection the Hon Amna Ally for her ministry’s 16 days of activism against gender- based violence campaign which was launched in my region, Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice, Region 10. All of us have a responsibility, especially our males, to not engage in any form of violence towards our females. We must respect and love them how GOD intended it to be. Women for many moons have played leading roles in every sector within our society. Many of their leading and transformative roles were not given rightful recognition due to the “this-isa-man’s-world” society that the world had embraced. But thankfully, this is changing, even though not at the impressive rate it should be. It is important to recognise that those changes, the removal of many gender barriers and shattering

of many glass ceilings to what women and girls can and cannot do, were not handed on a platter to our deserving females. Our female soldiers fought diligently for their seats at the table and have proven with distinction that they deserve to be there. Mr Editor, the world is in a much better place and it is much more beautiful because of our women and the leading roles the perform in the workplace, religious and non-governmental organisations, sports, the arts and politics. It is posited that strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she rejoices over the future! (Proverbs 31:25). We in Guyana and this part of the world are most fortunate to have such a woman and she is none other than Sandra Marie Granger (née Chan-ASue) our country’s First Lady. The epitome of academic excellence, confidence and being down to earth, a phenomenal woman in every sense. A wife, mother of two and much more, an academic, role model and leader.

Mr Editor, most of Guyana is unaware that due to her humility, that Sandra Granger is the most qualified First Lady this nation has ever had since our political independence and the most active of our generation. Our First Lady read for two Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in English Literature and one in Portuguese at the University of Guyana. She then attended the University of Pittsburgh where she read for a Masters of Arts Degree in Brazilian literature and a graduate certificate in Latin American studies. Wow! Her resumé is long, exciting and inspiring as her reservoir of experience spans: travel agent; scriptwriter; traffic manager for Radio Demerara; lecturer at the University of Guyana’s Department of Modern Languages; assistant dean of the Faculty of Arts; rapporteur at the CARICOM Secretariat and executive management officer in the Office of the Secretary-General of CARICOM. Mrs Granger thought she would be retired in 2008 and just “chill” doing her thing. But Guyana and the ma-

jority of its people wanted her and the Brigadier to rescue the nation from the abyss of downward spiral we were heading. In 2015 the First Lady immediately rolled up her sleeves, put her hair in a bun an worked assiduously in the areas of women’s rights; the prevention of sexual violence; the welfare of children and the elderly. She ensured that seniors did not feel isolated, because of their age, since she believes they can continue to contribute significantly to the country. Sandra Granger is the vice-chair of the Spouses of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Leaders Action Network (SCLAN), which focuses on reducing adolescent pregnancy, cervical cancer, mother-to-child transmission of HIV and domestic violence in the Caribbean. Mrs Granger is committed to women’s and children’s rights and human rights in general. She is an integral part of preparing Guyanese youth for future employment. She facilitates women’s empowerment through workshops across the country, aimed at

improving their self-reliance and success in business, child care and the care of seniors. She also collaborates with non-governmental organisations for the reintegration of adolescent mothers into the education system and for their social and economic development. Mrs Granger is a champion of the Every Caribbean Woman Every Caribbean Child Initiative; a Champion for Change against HIV/AIDS Stigma and Discrimination of the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP); and a champion of the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Sustainable School Feeding Programme. The First Lady has played an active and integral part of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). She is a visionary who believes that our youth must embrace technology…because our lives are attuned to technology. Mrs Granger spearheads many ICT programmes around the country; these programmes provide young adults with training in the areas of Information and

Communication Technology (ICT); literacy and numeracy; entrepreneurship; sexual and reproductive health; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, including robotics, coding and scratch programming. Our First Lady has inspired many women and girls as she knows that empowering women and girls will produce only well-rounded, stable and healthy women, reduction of poverty and will ultimately strengthen our economy and country. His Excellency who believes in women’s empowerment has unequivocally stated that our First Lady is his equal and stands not behind him, but beside him. Our country’s young girls and women have an outstanding role model in First Lady Sandra Granger. Regards Jermaine Figueira Member of Parliament Region 10.

GECOM to further investigate cross-matching data THERE is further “contentious debate” within the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on what should be done with the house-to-house data as the recent cross-matching report received from overseas is believed to be incorrect. Coming out of the GECOM statutory meeting on Tuesday, Commissioner Sase Gunraj said that the cross-matching information received showed that some 60,000 forms did not “attract a hit,” meaning that they were names apart from the those on the National Register of Registrants Database (NRRD). However, he then added: “On the face of it, one

Commissioner Vincent Alexander

would want to suggest or assume that those are new persons; however, the chief elections officer has indicated to us that the secretariat went through a process where they interrogated and looked at that cross-matching report and they have found about 17,000-plus people who were not a hit or presumed to be new to be already on the database.”

The cross-matching of the 370,000 transactions from the house-to-house registration was conducted by an international digital security company, Gemalto. The decision has been made to contact the service provider. Gunraj said that the commission is unaware whether it is a mistake by the company and is therefore seeking clarity before moving forward. However, there were questions about whether this could cause a delay as the Revised List of Electors (RLE) is expected to be published early in January 2020. Gunraj said that no such concern about a delay has arisen. “At this point, there has been no indication to us about the

possibility of a delay, but a resolution of this in a timely manner will no doubt [lead] to the smooth running of the process,” he said. Meanwhile, Commissioner Vincent Alexander said that GECOM must follow the normal process of conducting field work based on the information sent back by the cross-matching firm. He said that there were about 1,600 duplicates found from cross-matching between the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) and the house-to-house data. “We have to do field work, we have to investigate in the fields,” he said. “That investigation is on its way and that should take maybe

two or three weeks. It seeks to ascertain the information in relation to the names that have come up as duplicates.” Gunraj said that there is still contention amongst commissioners on how or whether the house-to-house data can be incorporated in the Revised List of Electors (RLE). At a press conference earlier in the month, GECOM Chair Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, was able to defend the commission’s decision to utilise the houseto-house data as lawful. She referenced the August 2019 decisions of Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire in a case challenging the constitu-

tionality of the registration exercise in which she ruled that the Constitution and the Laws of Guyana provide for the conduct of house-tohouse registration as a form of verification. Therefore, the chair stated that she decided that every entry from the data, following cross- matching, would be posted for public scrutiny. Had the house-tohouse exercise gone uninterrupted, the chair stated that there would have been no need for the verification process. However, she noted that she cut short the exercise because of the ruling that GECOM had no legal authority to remove names from the NRRD.

Truck crashes into fence at Republic Bank’s Triumph branch SEVERAL persons were injured, on Monday night, after the driver of a low-bed truck lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the compound of Re-

public Bank’s Triumph, East Coast Demerara branch. Reports are that the truck was heading east along the public road when the driver

lost control of the vehicle. The driver and several other persons on board the vehicle sustained injuries about their bodies. The injuries were not life- threatening.

The scene of the accident. (Credit: Avinash Savage)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 27, 2019

GMSA backs formation of Local Content Commission … as gov’t readies final draft of policy for year-end

THE Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) has joined the call for Local Content Legislation that is enforceable and clear-driven by the imperatives of the creation of Local Jobs, Knowledge Transfers, skills training, capacity building and international accredited certification. In a release on Tuesday the body said “we are strongly of the view that a critical evaluation should be undertaken of all foreign based companies that have been provided with concessions by GO-INVEST and the Government. We urge the Government of Guyana to do so in order to ascertain whether there exists any Guyanese Company that have been and/or will be disadvantaged as it relates to unfair competition particularly within our Manufacturing and Services Sectors and beyond.” According to the GMSA local manufacturers continue to face the hardship of being unable to enjoy the same benefits as foreigners entering into the country primarily to maximise the benefits associated with the new oil and gas industry. For this reason, the GMSA said it would like that emphasis should be placed on the need to derive more benefits from Guyana’s natural resources. It is therefore imperative for policymakers to include robust provisions in our local content policy to ensure the full maximization of local resources across Guyana. “We acknowledge the help and support to the CLDB and its dedicated mostly Guyanese Staff in certifying Guyanese Companies in addition to its advertising portal. The GMSA strongly recommend that the objective of local content policy should revolve around definitive short-term benefits of natural resource extraction into long-term local economic development outcomes through capacity building, institutional strengthening via strategic policy intervention to promote domestic economic linkages, creation of employment and the participation of local Small and Medium-scaled Enterprises (SMEs) in the value chain through the supply of goods and services to the sector.”

ment of FDIs and look forward to working with all stakeholders in this regard in an equitable, fair and measurable way,” the GMSA said.

President of the GMSA, Clinton Williams The GMSA said laying a solid foundation for the implementation of local content policies through appropriate legal and regulatory framework is imperative if the desired outcomes are to be achieved. “To date we have observed that there is no dedicated monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and/or institutions empowered with regulatory authority and autonomy to ensure the implementation of local content policy in Guyana. As such, the GMSA believes that an independent Commission should be an obvious body to remedy this anomaly. In this context GMSA supports the formation of a Local Content Commission to ensure that the intended goals are achieved and for necessary policy adjustments to be made if and when these become necessary.” “In order to ensure that the intended objectives of National Development is realized via a pertinent and realistic Local Content Policy in operation, we wish to politely recommend to the Government of Guyana to take a hard look at the GHANIAN MODEL OF LOCAL CONTENT LEGISLATION and its accompanying procedures and institutions. We remain committed to the encourage-

FINAL DRAFT BEFORE YEAR-END Earlier this month Director of Energy, Dr Mark Bynoe disclosed that Guyana’s final Local Content Policy Draft could be finalised by the end of 2019. In the meantime, he said the Department of Energy (DoE) is working along with international oil and gas companies to develop local content plans. Bynoe, said that the document has received much feedback from a number of stakeholders and is now moving towards finalisation. The policy framework is meant to outline the guidelines by which local content will be understood, developed, measured, secured and implemented in Guyana’s petroleum sector. It takes into consideration the urgent need for optimization of revenues received from oil to benefit Guyana’s economy and citizens, present and future. “We did receive feedback from the Private Sector Commission(PSC), Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the insurance association of Guyana and a number of others and so we’re looking at those comments and ensuring that we’re making the policy more contextually relevant to Guyana,” Dr. Bynoe said. “What we are setting out here is a framework for engagement and allowing the Guyanese private sector and others not only to access businesses but also for technology transfers as well as to allow for the capacity building that is necessary if Guyana is to have a greater share of the local content pie.” Dr. Bynoe shut down the notion that there is nothing catering to local content existing currently in Guyana, by reminding that Guyana’s existing Petroleum Agreement mandates that the operator provide an annual local content plan to be approved by the Government. He assured that the (DoE) is treating Guyana as a unique country with unique needs

Director of Energy, Dr Mark Bynoe and expectations which must rightfully be met. “We will do what is fit for purpose now, and, as Guyana builds further, it ultimately will go through revisions; that’s just the nature of the sector that we’re treating with,” he said. In the interim, he said the (DoE) has been encouraging joint ventures to better allow Guyanese to participate in the sector and raise their own standards Meanwhile, ESSO Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, is working along with the Ministry of Education’s Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The company intends to implement two pilot projects in first quarter 2020 to build capacity at technical institutions in New Amsterdam and Linden. Youths will be trained in the area of slinging and rigging, scaffolding, welding and fabrication, flange and borehole expertise, static training, facility maintenance and more. Bynoe had also indicated that “The last Local Content reported indicated that over 13,000 Guyanese are currently employed in the sector. Additionally, since 2015, over 300 million has been spent by EEPGL and its co-contractors on Guyanese contractors and service providers.”

No Smoking at sports facilities 10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday November 27, 2019

– Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport reiterates

SPORTS communities across Guyana are called to join the fight against the usage of tobacco products and the global “No-Smoking” campaign. The call is made amid an appeal from the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) for a 30 per cent reduction in smoking by 2025. Statistics emerging from the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) indicate that there are 148,000 smokers in Guyana, 33,000 between the ages of 13 -15 years. This urgent call from the Ministry of the Presidency, Department of Social Cohe-

sion, Culture, Youth and Sport (MoTP, DoSCCYS) occurs in collaboration with the National Tobacco Council’s (NTC) implementation of the Tobacco Control Act (TCA), 2017. The Act was passed in the National Assembly of Guyana in July 2017 and received the assent of President David Granger in August, 2017. The Act mandates the Minister of Public Health to establish a National Tobacco Council. This was done on May 10, 2019. Functionally, the Council comprised of 10 members appointed for a period of three years (with eligibility for re-appointment). The

Council advises the minister on matters related to tobacco control and the administration and enforcement of the Act. Guyana’s comprehensive legislation is being implemented, with the enforcement of labelling requirements, including the visibility of general health warnings on packaging, highlighting hazards, dangers of second-hand smoke, tar and carbon monoxide. The penalty for violation in relation to packaging is outlined in Pt. VII - 14A. It states: “A natural person who contravenes any of the provisions of regulations 4-12 (inclusive)

commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for three months.” In the case of a body corporate, the fine is $9 million. With health still being a major priority in Guyana, and for athletes, the department remains committed to the effective enforcement of the law, and reiterates the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke. Recently, where six persons were extracted from the Guyana National Stadium (GNS) during the 2019 Caribbean Premier League T20 for smoking.

The general and sports public should know the following: (1) NO PERSON SHALL SMOKE IN THE FOLLOWING PLACES – (a) in any part of an indoor

workplace; (b) in any part of any indoor public place; (c) in or on any means of public transport, whether or not it is carrying a member of the public; (in or on any means of transport at the time of transporting a minor). (2) NO PERSON SHALL SMOKE IN THE FOLLOWING OUTDOOR PLACES – (a) any area within 5 metres from a window of, ventilation inlet of, or doorway to any indoor public place or indoor workplace; (b) anywhere on the premises of and within 5 metres from the outside boundaries of any health care, education or child care facility; (c) any waiting area or queue in a public place, including but not limited to any public transport stop, bus stand or bus park; (d) any park, playground or amusement park; (e) any stadium, arena or other kind of sport or performance space; (f) any gazetted site of historic or national significance; (g) any space for the commercial service of food or drink; or (h) any other outdoor place prescribed by regulations.

(3) ANY PERSON WHO SMOKES IN ANY PLACE WHERE SMOKING IS PROHIBITED COMMITS AN OFFENCE and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of ten thousand dollars for the first offence, and twenty thousand dollars for any second or subsequent offence.

Harmful effects of smoking: 1. CATARACTS - clouding eye’s lenses, reduced vision, sensitivity to light and muted colours.

2. WEAKENING OF IMMUNE SYSTEM - damaging and removing anti-bodies.

3. INCREASED VISIBLE SIGNS OF AGING -

reduced blood flow to the skin, premature wrinkles. 4. INFERTILITY IN MALES (dramatically lowered sperm count, erectile dysfunction) and females (conception and ovulation problems, damage to eggs and the reproductive organs themselves). 5. WEAKENED BONES - increased risk of osteoporosis, injuries, fractures. 6. GUM DISEASE - offensive breath and tooth loss. 7. THICKENED BLOOD - forcing the heart to work harder pumping blood through body, increasing chances of heart attack and stroke. 8. DESTRUCTION OF LUNG TISSUE increased mucus production resulting in air-way clogs, difficulty breathing, aging the lungs, demolished defense mechanism, extremely dirty, clogged lungs. 9. CANCER CELL GROWTH – the poison in tobacco smoke can alter the DNA of blood cells resulting in a cancerous cell which grows and spreads without the defence to stop them, causing cancer in the body including throat, liver and lungs.

10. INCREASED RISK OF STROKE AND HEART DISEASE (1 in 3 deaths) - narrowed blood

vessels, lowered good cholesterol in blood, raised triglycerides and increased build-up of plaque in blood vessels. 11. Smoking also damages the sense of taste, makes hair smell unpleasant and stains finger nails.

Millions in losses as fire destroys Corentyne house AN investigation has been launched into an early-morning fire that caused over $50M in damage at Number 75 Village, East Berbice, Corentyne. According to proprietor Harrinarine Singh called “Sham,” around 02:30hrs, he was awakened by the blaring horn of a vehicle in front of his home. Upon enquiring, he was told by the person in the vehicle that his house was ablaze. Singh, a businessman, said he quickly alerted his family and as they were about to exit the house, the power came off and they could not find the keys. “The light cut off, so we could not find the keys and the smoke start to get thick in the house and we could not breathe. Me wife eventually get wan torchlight and we open the door and had to jump on the shed and luckily the truck was parked next to it, so we jump on the truck and then come down,” Singh related. He noted that as they were leaving they grabbed a basket of clothes that

Singh’s home in the aftermath of the fire Businessman Harrinarine Singh

was nearby. That was the only thing they managed to save from the inferno that reduced the house to rubble. The fire also spread to a neighbour’s house, scorching a wall and shattering some windows. A pickup truck parked in the yard was completely destroyed. The 60-year-old man, who sells blocks and flower pots, said he recently started

to expand his business and had bought some parts for his trucks as well as some new equipment. They were all destroyed, including his licensed firearm, jewellery and cash that he had for his business at home. The businessman related that the fire started from the back of the two-storey wooden and concrete building in a section that was not

powered by electricity. He believes the fire was an act of arson by persons who are envious of him and his business. The fire reportedly took a while to spread. The businessman expressed dissatisfaction with the Guyana Fire Service, which took a while to respond to the blaze. “Since we come out the house, people calling the

fire service and they not responding; but eventually, some other station call and they get the message and them come, but the pump was not working to pull the water from the trench. So them had to use a smaller pump which take some time, so the fire spread and little bit more the neighbour would a burn up in the house,” he said. His neighbour, an elder-

ly male, had to be rushed to safety after the fire spread to the walls of his bedroom. It was eventually put out by the fire service that had to focus on saving the property from being engulfed in the blaze. The family said they will clean up the debris as quickly as possible and look to rebuild and continue their business.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Relief for Moco Moco … as GWI commissions $22M well station

THE quality of life for some 160 residents of Moco Moco, Central Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) has been significantly boosted with the commissioning of a $22M well station there on Sunday. The new well was drilled to a depth of 150 metres; additionally, distribution and transmission pipelines and 36 individual service connections, were installed The project was funded by the Government of Guyana and Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to the tune of GYD$22M and executed by in-house GWI staff with the community’s assistance. The new water-supply system was commissioned on Sunday at the Moco Moco Primary School; hundreds of residents gathered to witness history being made in their community, which is located approximately 30 minutes from Lethem. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony was GWI’s Managing-Director (MD), Dr Richard Van-West Charles. Dr Van-West Charles said that a minimum of 14 wells have been drilled in Region Nine, as GWI works assiduously to ensure that all Guyanese have access to potable water. In the Moco Moco community, he explained, about five months ago he led a GWI team which had visited to examine the water situation. Four community meetings were hosted since then and a decision was made to drill another well in the community. The community previously had a windmill- driven water-supply system which includes a shallow, hand-dug well, and the water supply proved to be a challenge during the dry season. Further, residents previously had to walk long distances to manually retrieve water from the well, which was prone to contamination. Fast forward five months later, the community has a new water-supply system which allows them to conveniently access water that is fit for human consumption. Dr Van-West Charles told the residents that the water quality is in keeping with World Health Organisation (WHO) standards. According to him, water-quality testing will be done monthly in the community and the results provided to the residents. Further, the previously existing windmill-driven system will be utilised as a backup and disinfection will be done to allow residents to consume that water as well. GWI will continue to install individual service connections in the community, allowing even more residents to gain access to water in their homes. The MD pointed

A student of the Moco Moco Primary school cuts the ribbon to commission the well station

out that residents can now have their own flush toilets and showers. There are 16 pensioners in the community and GWI will be gifting those persons showers for Christmas. Dr Van-West Charles noted that the new system will support economic development of the community, making particular reference to agricultural activities. There are two servicemen in the community who will be trained to maintain the water-supply system. He encouraged the community to care the system, even as he expressed gratitude to the community’s Toshao Mr James George for his assistance and guidance. Turning his attention to Sustainable Development Goal number six, which speaks to clean water for all by 2030, Dr Van-West Charles told the residents that GWI is working to achieve this in Guyana by 2025. Emphasis, he said, is being placed on ensuring that all schools and health facilities have access to 24 hours water supply. Meanwhile, also addressing the residents at the commissioning, Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally said that the government is concerned about the issues the residents are facing so that they can be addressed, affording them the good life the president promised. She pointed out that there will be continued development under the present government as the president wants the best for Guyanese. His mandate is to ensure that the quality of life in the hinterland regions is no different from that on the coastland. The minister congratulated GWI for providing Moco Moco residents with access to potable water. Moco Moco Toshao Mr James George said that he was overjoyed about the development in his community; he expressed gratitude to Minister Ally, GWI and by extension the Government of Guyana, even as he expressed confidence that a lot more will be done in the community. Other residents too expressed gratitude for the water-supply system and one of those residents was Mr Elvis Mandokin. He said that prior to GWI’s intervention, it was difficult to access water that was somewhat contaminated. Mr Mandokin explained that for his grandparents, manually retrieving water from the well was not only difficult but also dangerous, since they risked falling in. The new system now allows them easy access to potable water and for this he is thankful.

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Lt Col Doodnauth retires after 35 years

COMMANDING Officer of the 1 Infantry Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Ramkarran Doodnauth, has retired after giving 35 years and two months of dedicated and selfless service to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). Lt Col Doodnauth is a graduate of the Standard Officer Course 16. A farewell parade was held in his honour recently at the Drill Square, Base Camp Stephenson, during which he also participated in the ceremonial handing over of the unit colour to Major Courtney Mendonca.

Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col), Ramkarran Doodnauth

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 27, 2019

He has held several appointments throughout his career and took command of the 1 Inf Bn in 2017. In his farewell speech, Lt Col Doodnauth said he was overwhelmed with emotion as he expressed thanks to Chief of Staff, Brigadier Patrick West and his colleagues with whom he has rich memories and friendships. “Like anything in life, my career was checkered with ups and downs, disappointments, setbacks and successes! I regret none!� Lt Col Doodnauth said. He also served in the Guyana National Service before enlisting and noted that the culture and dynamism of both organisations helped to mould him into the individual he is today. The chief of staff, officers, soldier and civilian employees of the GDF wish Lt Col Doodnauth, happy retirement and best wishes in his future endeavours.

Lt Col Ramkarran Doodnauth also participated in the ceremonial handing over of the unit colour to Major Courtney Mendonca

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Youths imprisoned on separate charges

MAGISTRATE Dylon Bess on Tuesday sentenced two youths to six months in prison on separate charges of escaping police custody and armed robbery. Twenty-one-year-old Daniel Boutrin appeared at the Georgetown Magis-

trates’ Court and changed his plea to guilty. Particulars of the charge stated that on March 17, 2019, while in custody at the East La Penitence Police Station for the charge of using threatening language, Boutrin escaped.

According to information presented to the court, Boutrin was sentenced before for wounding his sister; his sister had told the court that he breached the protection order that had been issued against him. Alfred Taylor, 23, a

Decomposed body of man found in Hague house

FIFTY-SEVEN-YEAROLD Erick Ghansham called ‘Cook Soup’ and ‘Allen’ was, on Tuesday morning, found dead in his lot 4 Hague Public Road West Coast Demerara house. Police sources told the Guyana Chronicle that the man was normally checked on by his 19-year-old friend. The latter became worried

after not hearing from, or seeing, Ghansham for a few days, and therefore decided to go and make a check at his house. Upon entering the yard, he reportedly began getting a strong stench, but nevertheless continued to make his way into the yard, where he found the 57-year-old bicycle repairman’s decomposing remains in the lower flat of the house.

He immediately exited the house and raised an alarm which saw persons coming out and which subsequently resulted in the police being summoned to the scene. Crime scene and forensic ranks arrived at the location and took ‘possession’ of the scene and began combing the area for clues. No marks of violence were found on the body.

Woman remanded to prison for alleged drug trafficking MAGISTRATE Sherdel Isaac-Marcus on Tuesday remanded a 24-year-old vendor to prison for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. Kamini Devi of West Coast Demerara, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to her. Particulars of the charge stated that, on November

24, 2019, at First Avenue, Bartica, she had in her possession 4,544 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. According to information, on the day in question around12:50hrs, ranks were on police patrol duty at the Bartica Ferry Stelling. As Devi was exiting the boat the boat bowman asked her to take the box which she came on with. Devi denied the box and

they had an exchange of words. The police intervened and Devi was arrested and taken to the Bartica police station along with the box. At the station the ranks opened the box and the suspected cannabis was found; Devi was later charged. Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus refused Devi bail and remanded her to prison until November 28, 2019.

mason, also changed his plea from not guilty to guilty after he appeared before the magistrate. The first charge stated that on June 27, 2019 at Stabroek Market, he robbed Keith James of a Samsung cellular phone, a silver band, and cash totalling $116,000. The second charge stated that on the same day and at the same location, he robbed Akash Per-

saud of a Samsung cellular phone valued at $37,000. According to reports, Taylor entered a Route 47 minibus in which James and Persaud were seated. Shortly after, Taylor began firing several lashes at both James and Persaud and demanded that they hand over their belongings; Taylor then exited the bus and escaped. James and Persaud raised an alarm and pub-

lic-spirited persons managed to apprehend Taylor and handed him over to the police. A search was conducted and the items were found on his person; consequently, he was arrested and charged. Magistrate Bess sentenced the youths to six months each and ordered that the time they spent on remand be deducted.

Man granted bail for wounding A 30-year-old fish vendor was on Tuesday granted $70,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for unlawful wounding. Davendra Kumar of Albouystown appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him. Particulars of the charge stated that on November 11, 2019, at Regent Street, he wounded Terrence Forde

with intent to maim, disfigure or cause grievous bodily harm. “We was having a few drinks at a rum shop and he tell me about my wife and he push me. I gone in the market and he come and was still telling me about my wife, but I will pay him some money cause he ask me to pay and end the matter” Kumar said. Facts presented in court stated that, Kumar and Forde are workmates

and on the day in question Forde confronted Kumar on Regent Street. The men had an argument and Kumar whipped out a knife, stabbed Forde to the chest and fled. The court heard that Kumar was arrested the following day at Bourda market, and was later charged. Magistrate McLennan granted Kumar $70,000 bail and adjourned the matter until November 27, 2019.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 27, 2019

AFC to remember Sheila Holder

THE Alliance For Change (AFC) will today host an event in front of its Lot 26

Railway Line Kitty, headquarters, in remembrance of the late Sheila Valerie

Agnes Holder. The late Holder of the Working People’s Alliance

had, in 2005, teamed up with then PPP MP, Khemraj Ramjattan and PNCR MP, Raphael Trotman, to establish the AFC, with Trotman becoming the leader. Ramjattan who is the AFC leader, and also Minister of Public Security in the coalition government, made the disclosure during a recent interview with Mark Benschop, on his Radio 107.1 FM live programme, pointing out that the event was postponed from November 20, the date of the death. Ramjattan described the late Holder as a “`woman of all seasons” and one of extraordinary strength on issues of politics and social work, if one is to reflect on what she used to do. As an activist for the WPA, and a parliamentarian, she was someone who understood the values of a good community and one who used to speak out

against wrong doing when she saw such. Noting that she is badly missed by the party, he added that the presence of her had strengthened the party tremendously, her experience in all of the social work that she did, the politics she was involved in made her a pillar of strength in the Alliance for Change (AFC). Trotman was earlier reported by this publication as likening the late Holder to a giant among women and the matriarch that stood protectively over the AFC family, adding that her death has left a void that cannot be easily filled. “The Alliance For Change bears the unmistakable mark of her presence and contribution, which we have enshrined as part of our identity. Looking back, I recall when early in 2005 Khemraj and I encouraged Sheila to join on our political

AFC founder leader, Sheila Holder adventure. We had already made a decision that fate and circumstance had trust us in a direction that would see us leading thousands of like-minded patriots in transforming the political landscape in a way that was to be beyond our wildest imagination,” Trotman said.

Cane Grove man bailed for attempting murder DAYS after 22-year-old Hansraj ‘Kevin’ Durga was beaten at a wedding in Cane Grove, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD) by a group of men, a 19-year-old labourer was on Tuesday charged with attempting murder. Jermain Holder of Virginia Village, Cane Grove, ECD, appeared before Magistrate Marissa Mittelholzer and was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that on November 3, 2019, he wounded Durga with intent to commit murder.

Holder was released on $100,000 bail and will return to court on December 17, 2019, for statements. According to reports on the day in question, Druga was at a wedding in his village when he was allegedly attacked and beaten by Holder and others. Druga was found lying in a pool of blood and was rushed to the hospital. He sustained a fractured skull, internal bleeding in the brain and a fractured shoulder.

Hansraj ‘Kevin’ Durga

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 27, 2019

‘HIV gains appear tenuous’ … New study finds progress in treating HIV in the Caribbean ‘tenuous’

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Nov 26, CMC – A new report has found that across the Caribbean, progress has been made in reducing new infections and AIDS-related deaths, but these gains appear tenuous. The report, titled “Communities at the Centre-The response to HIV in the Caribbean”, has been released ahead of World AIDS Day 2019 on December 1 with the theme “Communities make the difference”. According to the study, national responses are highly dependent on donor funding, especially for programmes focused on key populations. The study noted that the financial resources available for HIV responses in the Caribbean have fluctuated over time, reaching the same level in 2018 as in 2010. In total, US$326 million was available for the Caribbean’s HIV programmes in 2018, considerably less than the US$600 million needed to achieve its FastTrack Targets by 2020. The availability of domestic resources for the HIV response increased by 69 per cent during this eight-year period, reaching 27 per cent of the total resources for HIV in the region. International donors decreased their share from 84 per cent in 2010 to 73 per cent last year. During that period, bilateral contributions from the United States government increased by 13 per cent, while disbursements from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) and all other international sources decreased by 32 and 91 per cent, respectively. It said access to evidence-informed

combination prevention services varies markedly, and scale-up of these services is needed, including increased investment in community programmes, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for individuals at high risk of HIV infection and assisted partner notification following an HIV diagnosis. “Many people living with HIV are diagnosed several years after they acquire the virus. Innovative testing strategies are required to reach those who have never been tested and to increase early diagnosis. In 2018, progress towards the second 90 (90 per cent of people who know their HIV-positive status are accessing treatment) has stalled in the region due to slowing treatment uptake”. The publication also notes that discrimination against people living with HIV and key populations is a “formidable barrier” in the Caribbean, often fuelled by a lack of knowledge of HIV and human rights. “Furthermore, there is little information on key populations; national health information systems should be strengthened to collect data to guide and monitor services for these populations. Rates of intimate partner violence experienced by women also are high in countries that report these data. “The region has made great strides towards the elimination of mother-tochild transmission, with Cuba being the first country to reach elimination in 2015; an additional six countries and territories reached that target in 2017. Cuba has since been re-certified. Treatment coverage among pregnant women living with

HIV increased from 75 per cent in 2017 to 86 per cent in 2018, but programmes must be further scaled up to ensure elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, Chagas disease and perinatal hepatitis B” Figures released show that an estimated 16 000 people acquired HIV in the Caribbean last year, 16 per cent fewer than in 2010. Belize is the only Caribbean country to have recorded an increase in HIV incidence between 2010 and 2018. “All other countries reported declining incidence, with the decline in the Bahamas and Cuba exceeding 20 per cent. There has been a 38 per cent decrease in the annual number of AIDS-related deaths since 2010, with 6700 deaths in 2018.” The region’s incidence-prevalence ratio continued to decrease slowly, reaching 4.6 per cent in 2018. Key populations and their sexual partners accounted for nearly half or 47 per cent of new HIV infections in the region in 2018, including nearly one quarter or 22 per cent among gay men and other men who have sex with men and five per cent among transgender people. The study notes that median HIV prevalence was 18 per cent among transgender people and nine per cent among gay men and other men who have sex with men. Data were available from six countries in the region on the population size of sex workers, gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people or prisoners. Five of those countries had a national population size estimate for at least one key population.

Flood advisory issued for several coastal regions

THE HydroMeteorological Service of the Ministry of Agriculture has issued a flood advisory for low-lying areas in Regions One to Four. According to the Hydromet Service, overcast conditions have been observed over the Coastland and these conditions are expected to produce moderate to heavy thunderstorms over Regions One to Four. It was noted that

based on collected data,the Hydromet office anticipates rainfall ac-

cumulation between 25 millimeters and 80 millimeters this evening.

The publication states that progress along the HIV testing and treatment cascade in the region has slowed. It said of the estimated 340 000 people living with HIV in 2018, at least 72 per cent knew their status, 55 per cent were on treatment and 41 per cent were virally suppressed. In 2017, treatment coverage and viral suppression among people living with HIV were 54 and 40 per cent respectively. Viral suppression among men was lower than among women in nearly all of the countries in the

region with available data, highlighting an acute need to improve services for men. “The slowing progress in the region is in great part due to insufficient scale-up in treatment services among people living with HIV in Haiti, the country with the largest HIV burden in the region. However, once on treatment, 86 per cent of diagnosed Haitians are virally suppressed. Other notable successes in the region include Guyana, where 93 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, and Barbados, which has

reached 88 per cent viral suppression among those on treatment,” the study noted. It said one of the challenges impeding treatment initiation is late diagnosis. In 2018, five of 12 countries reporting data showed that 50 per cent or more of newly diagnosed cases presented with CD4 counts less than 350 cells per mm3. In 10 of 13 countries providing data, more than 20 per cent of people living with HIV presented with advanced HIV disease (CD4 count).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday November 27, 2019

‘PPP destroyed UG’ …Aubrey Norton says party barefaced to be promising free education

GIVEN that it was the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) that, in 1994, introduced tuition fees at the University of Guyana, it is brazen and “barefaced” of that political party to now promise Guyanese free tertiary education, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) said in a recent statement last week. The PNCR called out the

PPPC for never addressing the issue of free tertiary education, prior to 2019, despite being the party that instituted tuition fees at the University of Guyana (UG) in 1994 and spending 23 years in government without ever addressing the need to reverse such. “It must be the zenith of hypocrisy for them to now be promising a return of free

university education. The PPP never had and will never have the university and its students’ interest at heart. When the PPP came to power in 1992 education at the university was free. It is the PPP government which got rid of free university education. It is therefore dishonest, hypocritical and barefacedness for the PPP to be making such a promise,” PNC

executive Aubrey Norton noted last Friday, at the PNC weekly press briefing. The annual tuition fee at the UG was $100 when the University opened its doors on October 2, 1963. However, in 1976, under former President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, all schools of the government were made free from nursery to university and this was enshrined as a right within the 1980 Constitution. Article 27 of the Constitution states: “Every citizen has the right to free education from nursery to university as well as at non-formal places where opportunities are provided for education and training. The PPP administration introduced fees for the UG since the academic year 1994/1995. In April of this year, an informal group of young people banded together into what is called the “Free University of Guyana Movement” calling for free University education. Several politicians have since weighed in on the issue, beginning with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo who, in May, told the audience at a government out-

reach in Essequibo that the call for free university education to be restored was being considered by the APNU+AFC government. The issue returned to prominence when, in August, President David Granger affirmed the promise to restore Burnham’s legacy of free tertiary education. PPP presidential candidate, Irfaan Ali in September began promising free tertiary education. Norton says the PPP left the university in a terrible state when the party was ousted from government in 2015. The University has faced its share of hardships over the years. “Guyanese will not forget that the PPP starved the University of Guyana of resources and it took President Granger with his deep and sincere interest in education to provide UG with the resources needed so that it is now experiencing significant development. How could the PPP have interest in UG when it allowed the Medical School to lose its accreditation?” Norton questioned. The UG School of Medicine (UGSM), in 2015, lost its accreditation following the university’s delay in submitting

a report on the school’s progress to the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP). The accreditation was restored in 2017. “UG is now an accredited Medical School thanks to the APNU+AFC,” Norton noted. Notwithstanding the tuition, Guyanese can apply for scholarships through the Ministry of Public Service. In August the government began offering scholarships to law school students, who must attend law school overseas to complete their education. “Apart from removing free tertiary education and depriving the poor of access to university education, the PPP probably manifested their disdain for helping the poor by refusing to give scholarships to students who wanted to do law. Fortunately for the poor, President David Granger and the APNU+AFC have restored their right to scholarships to pursue legal studies so that the children of the poor who want to become lawyers could realise their ambition,” Norton noted.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 27, 2019

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Shake-up in prosecutorial services

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday November 27, 2019

Ramjattan laments low convictions in high-profile cases

MINISTER of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan says he is mulling ways in which there can be more successful prosecutions in high-profile criminal cases of crime against the state and even hinted at a shake-up of the prosecutorial services that fall under his ministry. Described as “very embarrassing” and “stressful” knowing that a number of high profile cases in which convictions were expected but have not gone in the prosecution’s favour, Ramjattan said he is mulling “a shake-up of the prosecutorial services by asking them to be more responsible…” He was at the time responding to an observation by political activist, Mark Benschop, during his appearance on the live Radio 107.1 FM, programme, in which he cited certain convictions that were expected of Phantom Squad operatives, a major drug lord who was recently deported from the United States of America (USA) to Guyana and living a free life; none of the

“big fishes” that were taken to court by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) being convicted or sent to prison. Admitting that there were indeed very bad examples, the public security minister remarked “We have to do better than that”, while noting that … it is a journey that will not be done overnight but they are trying to do the best that can be done. Among some of the bad examples are prosecutors not turning up in court resulting in the magistrates throwing out the case and people who are obviously guilty being free. For some of those persons who got off, he said that probable convictions had awaited them. He noted too, cases where witnesses who had already given statements (to the police) not wanting to go in the witness box because they know the defendant, and in instances where they do they claim they can’t remember what had occurred or claim that what is written as the statement was not what they had said

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan

and become hostile. In relation to the alleged fraud cases involving senior official of the previous government, Ramjattan said, “it will take some time”, as had happened in a number of Third World countries where you start an anti-corruption campaign, witnesses give statements then “change their mouth, either because of pressure or certain individual circumstances‘. He conceded that it has been “very embarrassing”. They have not been capable of breaking the barriers in terms of gaining convictions. However, by virtue of what is contained in the files by way of the investigations and forensic audits, as it relates to theft of government property, he said there was now a strategic move which was a step up of “beyond the reasonable doubt and criminal proceedings and rights the accused have” that they have been finding to be incapable of breaking. It is for such reasons that the strategic State Assets Recovery Act (SARA) has been crafted whereby the agency, through a civil procedure, can go after the stolen property, Ramjattan added. While the government has made efforts to bring to justice the culprits behind the massacres of innocent Guyanese during the “Troubles,” the methodical killing of those with evidence continues to hinder conviction. The period in Guyana from August 11, 1999 to December 3, 2011 has been dubbed the “Troubles” by President David Granger who recently said that he was disappointed that, even now, persons were being executed for the knowledge they hold. This, in turn, continues to hinder the work of Law Enforcement in bringing peace to the many who lost relatives during the period characterised by drug-driven chaos and bloodshed under the Bharrat Jagdeo administration. “This is a major factor that there might be people out there who are unwilling to speak because it might be felt that persons who disclose evidence which could incriminate the actual culprits might themselves be eliminated,” the President said. From August 11, 1999 to December 3, 2011 there were three massacres: Lusignan where 11 people were killed- Bartica where another 12 were killed and Lindo Creek where seven miners were slaughtered. Besides these, there were countless extra-judicial killings- with some activists estimating that around 400 Afro Guyanese males were gunned down. The President has stated that it was only through the acquisition of evidence that persons involved can be charged. “A previous Commissioner of Police, at some time not too long ago, in relation to another massacre, had mentioned that all of the witnesses were killed. I found it very difficult to believe that there had been methodical elimination of all witnesses for some of those 12 massacres that occurred in the ‘troubles’,” he said. “We did make a start having a Commission of Inquiry into the Lindo Creek Massacre and even now the relatives of the persons who were killed would like to see some follow-up and we are discussing with them the recommendations of the Lindo Creek Massacre. But, it pointed to the fact that there has not been any smoking gun; that evidence has not been sufficient to bring anybody to justice and that many of the possible witnesses have been killed or eliminated.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 27, 2019

China’s commitment to multilateralism vital to world’s healthy development, says U.S. scholar NEW YORK, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- China’s strong commitment to multilateralism is vital to the stability, security and healthy development of the entire world being threatened by an upsurge of unilateralism and protectionism, a leading U.S. expert on China has said. “I am struck by the breadth and scope of China’s engagement with the world. There is now no matter of global importance in which China does not participate,” said Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation, in a recent interview with Xinhua. Noting that China needs a “stable international environment to enable its domestic development,” the expert said the Asian nation has also recognized and shouldered its global

Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation

responsibilities as a major country to make this world a better place. Speaking at the UN Office at Geneva in 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China will continue to pursue a win-win strategy of opening-up, share development opportunities with other countries and welcome them aboard the fast train of China’s development. Among all the actions taken by China to back up its commitment to multilateralism, Kuhn cited the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a fine example, adding that China’s expertise and experience in infrastructure construction is what the developing world needs to spur their economies. “China’s Belt and Road Initiative expands

links between Asia, Africa and Europe and thus reduces imbalances in national development and promotes economic growth,” he said. “It is crucial for the developing world’s economy, and thus it is vital for the peace and prosperity of the entire world,” he added. Proposed in 2013, the BRI aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa on and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. It comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. So far, the BRI has become a platform of opportunities and a road to prosperity for all its participants. China has signed cooperation documents with more than 160 countries and international organisations.

China’s e-commerce success reflects digitalization benefits: World Bank

BEIJING, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Digital technologies can be powerful tools in reducing poverty and injecting vitality in rural areas, a report jointly issued by the World Bank and Alibaba Group said. The success of rural China’s e-commerce development showed that digital technologies could not only benefit high-income countries and urban areas, but also developing countries and rural regions with the right conditions, the report said. The report attributed rural China’s e-commerce achievements to the country’s “tremendous” improvements in human capital, logistics and transport infrastructure. With the implementation of evidence-based policies that support e-commerce development for poverty alleviation, other countries can learn from the China experience to help make the dream

of a world without poverty a reality, said Martin Raiser, World Bank country director. The China experience shows that targeted support that lowers entry barriers and transaction costs, addresses information asymmetry and allows new entrants to participate in online markets can help launch e-commerce in less advantaged

areas, the report said. When more individuals, merchants and governments embrace the power of the Internet, big data and cloud computing, and understand the way of thinking in the digital age, they will not only change themselves with their creativity, but also boost the industrial transformation of the retail, wholesale, finance, manufacturing, service and other sectors, said Wen Jia, partner of Alibaba Group. The report also pointed out that e-commerce should be deployed with care as it is not suited for all locations, households or products.

A staff member of an online shop checks order information in Shenzhou, north China’s Hebei province

Local villagers transport agricultural products for sale in Shenzhou, north China’s Hebei province. The city has pledged to lift its rural people out of poverty through the e-commerce platform

Villager Wang Yiping distributes goods through e-commerce platforms in Datianzhuang Village of Feixian County, east China’s Shangdong Province

World Bank country director Martin Raiser said other countries can learn from the China experience to help make the dream of a world without poverty a reality.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday November 27, 2019

‘Crass minibus culture’ …conductor seen gyrating in moving bus while door open

THE United Minibus Union (UMU) has condemned the reckless road use of minibus operators in a video which recently surfaced on social media. The video showed a bus driving along the East Coast

of Demerara, while the person sitting in the position of the conductor gyrated to loud music, while leaning himself out of the open bus door. Seconds later, the driver of the mini-bus opened his door in the moving bus and pushed

his legs out, also gyrating to the music. The acts were videoed by someone within the minibus and some of the occupants of the vehicle were heard laughing. “That is against the Minibus Code of Conduct. This is

A Route 40 -Kitty/Campbellsville minibus letting off passengers on the pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Camp and Regent Streets.

crass indiscipline and danger to life and limb,” UMU President, Eon Andrews told this newspaper on Tuesday. The Union is still trying to determine the route of the minibus seen in the video; the driver of said minibus and when the video was taken, even as the police are also looking into the matter. Andrews said that he finds it hard to believe that the bus could have been in the regular process of transporting passengers. “It could well be that they were coming from some social function, probably some beach or some creek or something…I can’t see them doing that on a regular day,” he said, adding: “They have to face penalty. I’m hoping that the police find them. We’re not going to condone anything like that.” Meanwhile, another photo circulating social media

showed a Route 40 -Kitty/ Campbellville minibus letting off passengers on the pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Camp and Regent Streets. The photo was taken by an individual in another vehicle at the traffic stop. “You’re not supposed to put off passengers there,” Andrews said. “You have to use the designated bus stops along Regent Street…they will kill a lot of people for Christmas.” The UMU has been working over the years to get mini bus operators within various routes uniformed and in adherence to the Minibus Code of Conduct implemented by the Ministry of Business. While some progress has been made, the Consumer Affairs Division continues to receive a steady flow of complaints against errant minibus operators.

The reckless road use of yet-to-be identified minibus operatives

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday November 27, 2019

17 graduate in basic Skill-At-Arms Course

SEVENTEEN ranks of the Guyana Police Force recently graduated from a basic skill-at-arms training at the Tactical Services Unit Auditorium. The course, which commenced on November 04, 2019, concluded on November 22 and saw 17 ranks drawn from the various policing divisions benefitting from the specialised training. Lance Corporal 23100 Shemar Doris (Reg#2) was awarded best graduating student for his outstanding performance followed by Lance Corporal 21952 Nyal Brutus (Reg#4B) as the first runner-up student. Best classroom student was Corporal 21668, Shawn

Fraser (Reg#2). Lance Corporal 20866, Esan Harding (Reg#4C) grabbed the most improved student award. Best Fitness Award went to Lance Corporal 23100, Shemar Doris, while Sergeant 201725, Jermaine Fraser from the TSU was awarded Best Shot for his consistency of hitting the targets. Officer-in-Charge of Tactical Services Unit, Superintendent Guy Nurse, lectured on the theoretical aspect of the course while the Course Instructors, Inspector Joseph Grant; Sergeant 17045, Lambert Peters; Corporal 21825, Rudyard Thomas and Corporal 21718, Shain Kippins did the practical aspects.

Trial for Sophia shopkeeper murder commences

Jamal Forde

THE trial pertaining to the murder of ‘D’ Field, Sophia shopkeeper Shawn Anys, who was killed during a robbery in 2015, commenced on Tuesday before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-member mixed jury at the High Court. Jamal Forde, 25, formerly of South Ruimveldt, denied the charge which alleged that on May 1, 2015 at ‘D’ Field, Sophia, he murdered Anys. The state is being represented by prosecutors Mandel Moore and Abagail Gibbs. The trial continues on Wednesday, November 27, 2019. Odel Roberts, 24, of Sophia is currently on remand for the murder of Anys also. According to reports, Anys, who owned and managed a small grocery shop at his home, was confronted by the bandits just before 23:00hrs. The man was in his home when he heard his dogs barking and decided to venture out of the house to investigate. He was then confronted by two armed men who forced him into the house and shot him while demanding money and valuables. The gunmen made off with $40,000 in cash along with jewellery. Anys was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Seated from left: Officer-in-Charge of Tactical Services Unit, Superintendent Guy Nurse; Deputy Commissioners, ‘Operations’, Maxine Graham and ‘Administration’, Paul Williams, flanked by the graduates of the basic skill-at-arms course

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Deputy commissioners ‘Administration’ and ‘Operations’, Paul Williams and Maxine Graham who were in attendance commended the ranks for their dedication and successful completion of the course. They were encouraged to push harder and keep excelling in the future, and, most importantly, to ensure that the skill acquired be imparted in their respective divisions so as to ensure a better quality of service delivery.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday November 27, 2019

Essequibo Coast salesman robbed, shot

A FORTY-YEAR-OLD salesman of Perseverance Village on the Essequibo Coast sustained a gunshot injury to his hip, following a robbery on Monday night. Injured is Karan Persaud. Reports are that Persaud was shot around 20:10 hours Monday at Zorg Market Dam. According to reports, Persaud went to a businessman’s home to drop off some cash when he was confronted by a man. The bandit, who was armed with a handgun, demanded the plastic bag in which the salesman was carrying the money. The sales clerk handed over the bag to the bandit who fired his gun in Persaud’s direction as he fled.

He was hit in his side and he collapsed shortly after. The victim was then rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital by the businessman, who is his uncle, and he was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for surgery. His condition was listed as stable. Police visited the scene of the robbery and has since commenced an investigation into the incident. Meanwhile, in light in Monday night’s robbery, residents of Zorg are calling on “G” Division of the Guyana Police Force to carry out patrols in the area as they noted that many businesses operate in the area.

Texila conference to focus on non-communicable diseases

THE second edition of the Texila American University (TAM) International Conference is set for Thursday and Friday at the institution’s Providence, East Bank Demerara location. The conference will be held under the theme: “Non-communicable Diseases (NCD) in the Caribbean Region: Current Scenario and Future Perspectives”. Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence; PAHO/ WHO Representative for the Guyana Country Office, Dr. William Adu-Krow; and Chair of the Presidential National Non Communicable Disease Commission – Guyana (PNNCDC-G), Dr. Holly Alexander are scheduled to be among the local speakers at the two-day conference. The international speakers include Dr. Matthias Schmidt, MD, Research Director of Diagnostic Radiology at Dalhousie University; Dr. Chen Howard, from Tufts University Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences; and Dr. Rajendran JC Bose, Biomedical and Translational Medical Researcher. Other local speakers scheduled to speak at the conference include Dr Kumar Sukhraj, Head of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Diabetic Foot Centre; Dr. Sayan Chakraborty, Radiation Oncologist at the Cancer Institute of Guyana; Dr. Shanti Anthony, Former Director for the Department of Disease Control; Dr Mahendra Carp-

en, Consultant Cardiologist at the Caribbean Heart Institute; and Public Relations Specialist, Alex Graham. The international conference was initiated with intent to help medical students broaden their knowledge and have a better understanding of internationally accepted concepts and practices. Last year the conference was hosted under the theme ‘Enriching the Caribbean Medical Education through Research’. This year the institution chose to focus on NDCs to bring about awareness to the issue. In Guyana, NCD account for some 70 percent of deaths annually, with the country loosing many of its citizens to diabetes, cancer, heart diseases and chronic respiratory diseases. “Non-Communicable disease is a major public health problem globally as well as in the Caribbean region. The conference is intended to create awareness among healthcare providers, consumers and stakeholders on pervasiveness of NDCs, in a bid to make an effort to find evidence-based solutions which are proven to be effective in the region,” a statement from TAM said. A United States headquartered institution, TAM opened a branch of its medical school in Guyana in 2011, offering health science programmes. In 2017 the school moved into a new US$20 million five acres campus in Providence on the East Bank of Demerara.

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Five T&T teams for DMW Hockey Festival

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FIVE Trinidadian teams, including 2017 Male Open champions Queen’s Park Cricket Club, are set to take part in this year’s Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival, which is scheduled for Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown from tomorrow afternoon. According to information from the organisers, US$3500 will be up for grabs in the 15th edition of the Festival. In total, 16 teams will battle in three divisions over five days (44 games), with the final set for Sunday afternoon. Six teams have registered for the male division, including defending champions Pepsi

Hikers, YMCA Old Fort, Bounty GCC, Saints, and Trinidadian teams QPCC and TTDF. QPCC, who lost from a suddendeath shootout in last year’s final, will aim to regain their title, but the Hikers, who won last month’s GTT National Indoor Hockey Championship, look in excellent touch and will have their eyes set on their ninth overall title. The Female Open Division will have five teams, including George United of T&T. The Guyanese sides are National Indoor Champions GBTI GCC Tigers, sister team GBTI GCC Spartans, YMCA Old Fort and Saints. The Over-35 battle will also have

five teams, including Trinidadian sides QPCC and Fatima. The Guyanese sides are defending champions YMCA Old Fort, Bounty GCC Vintage and Antonio’s Hickers. On Wednesday, the festival bullies off with five games, including two women’s battles (Saints vs YMCA Old Fort and Tigers vs Spartans) from 17:00hrs. In the Over-35 division, YMCA Old Fort will play Antonio’s Hickers, before Bounty GCC meet Saints and YMCA Old Fort play Pepsi Hikers in the Men’s Division. Tomorrow the male T&T teams will be in action. George United’s first game is on Friday.

Nedd delighted with selection, credits WIEP for added success GUYANESE spinner Ashmead Nedd credits the West Indies Emerging Players (WIEP) team for providing players with the foundation and adequate learning experiences required to play cricket at the highest level. Nedd, who represented the West Indies at the last ICC U-19 World Cup was named in Monday’s 15-man squad for next year’s tournament in South Africa, again finding favour with the selectors after his excellent showing for the red-hot WIEP, who have been playing out of their skins in the ongoing Super50 tournament. Nedd, along with fellow countryman Kevlon Anderson, managed to make the final cut and the former Guyana U-19 player was adamant that going forward, the team will help to polish more and younger players who are on a senior path in their careers. “The WIEP is a good learning

opportunity and it’s an opportunity for player to keep working on their skills,” Nedd said. Speaking to Chronicle Sport, the Windies spinner said he was spending some time with his WIEP teammates, when he got the news of his selection. “When I got the news of my selection I was overjoyed and happy. I was at the hotel with my teammates, I called home right away and told my father I got selected once again for the U-19 World Cup team and he congratulated me.”. Prior to the Cup, Windies will have their hands full when they tackle England and Sri Lanka U-19s in a West Indies Rising Stars U-19 Tri-Series set for Antigua next month. Some nine matches will be played between the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and the Coolidge Cricket Ground from December 6 and Nedd was laser-focussed on

helping the home team prevail. “I’m mostly looking to just contribute to winning; we are just looking at winning the Tri-Series. I’m not thinking too much about my personal performances as yet I just want to win,” the 18-yearold pointed out. In closing, Nedd credited his father, former Guyana spinner and national youth coach Garvin Nedd for being the mainstay throughout his cricket career. “My biggest inspiration in cricket is my father. Through my entire career both on and off of the field, he has been the one behind all the success.” Meanwhile, Windies U-19 team who will be looking to recapture the title, will travel to South Africa following the Christmas holiday season and resume preparations for the World Cup which bowls off January 17 and ends February 9. (Clifton Ross)

New Zealand Cricket apologises to Archer for racial abuse WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Reuters) - New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief David White visited England’s Jofra Archer in his hotel yesterday to apologise for the racial abuse the fast bowler said he was subjected to in the first Test at Mount Maunganui. The England and New Zealand cricket boards both launched investigations on Monday after Archer reported racial abuse from a spectator to ground stewards at Bay Oval. White said he had offered assurances to Archer that there would be extra security to ensure there was no repeat when the second Test started in Hamilton on Friday. “I just had a good chat to him,” the NZC chief executive said in Hamilton. “I said that we were very sorry that he had to experience that in our country and we’re very disappointed, but he was very thankful I had made

the effort to come see him.” Archer, who was born in Barbados and represented West Indies at Under-19 level, scored 30 runs on Monday to delay New Zealand’s innings and 65-run victory in the first Test. The 24-year-old then took to Twitter to say he had found it “a bit disturbing” to hear the racial insults coming from one person in the crowd. White said, if identified, the alleged perpetrator would be referred to the police and NZC would push for the person to be banned for life from attending cricket matches. “Our team is working closely with the team at Bay Oval just going through the security footage and trying to get as much information as we can and hopefully we’ll find the individual over the next day or so,” White added. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who lives close to

the Bay Oval ground, said he would also seek out Archer to offer an apology. “It’s a horrific thing,” Williamson told Fairfax media. “In a country, and a setting where it is very much multicultural, it’s something we need to put to bed quickly and hope nothing like that ever happens again.” England team director Ashley Giles said the 24-year-old paceman had been affected by the incident but thought his team mates would offer him plenty of support. “The tweet that went out was obviously emotional. It hurts,” Giles said. “You know what our team is like, they’ll rally round him pretty well, but it’s a serious incident. He’s a young man making his way in the game and we don’t need this sort of thing.”

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Smith responds to Yasir’s seven-finger salute

After dismissing Steve Smith for 4 at the Gabba the 33-year-old Yasir Shah celebrated the wicket by putting his hands up as teammates embraced him. PAKISTAN’S Yasir Shah may have awakened the beast with his seven-finger salute at the Gabba, with Steve Smith saying it motivated him to not get out to the leg-spinner again in Adelaide this week. Yasir handed Smith a rare Test failure in Brisbane, bowling him for just four and celebrating by holding up seven fingers to signify it’s the seventh time he’s dismissed the world’s best Test batsman in the longest format. Speaking in Adelaide yesterday, Smith pointed out that some of his past dismissals to Yasir – including the one at the Gabba last week – came when he was trying to be aggressive and had played a “funky” shot in order to quickly lift the run rate. And he promised he would adopt a much more cautious approach against Yasir in the second Test, starting on Friday, in order to not get out to the legspinner again. “It gave me a bit more motivation next game to not get out to him,” Smith said of Yasir’s celebration. “I’ll be a little bit more disciplined against him. “It was interesting. A few of the times he’s got me out, I’ve been on a few runs and been slogging. There’s been a couple of second innings ones where I was playing some funky shots. So I’m not too worried. “I thought he bowled really well at the Gabba, got some good drift and a little bit of a

spin on a wicket that wasn’t spinning that much. He bowled well and we’re going to have to play him well this game.” Yasir dismissed Smith three times in four innings during Australia’s away series in 2014, when the leg-spinner was on debut and Smith had only just started his ascent towards becoming the best batsman in the world. The leggie added three more dismissals of Smith on their tour of Australia three years ago, two of which came when the hosts were speeding towards a declaration in their second innings. Smith was caught on the longon boundary in the first Test of that series and then dismissed playing a risky paddle sweep in the third Test in Sydney, while Yasir also found a more conventional edge behind on the opening day of the SCG Test. With Australia again cruising towards a massive total in Brisbane last week, Smith was given licence to take the game on by coach Justin Langer, which resulted in two swipes across the line, one that found the mid-wicket boundary and another that clattered into his stumps. “The situation we were at was a pretty good one; the boys batted beautifully at the top,” Smith explained. “I actually spoke to JL in

the morning (and asked) ‘how should I approach this today?’. He (said) ‘do what you want to do’. “I thought about being quite aggressive and it didn’t work.” Smith found himself in an unusual position in Brisbane, coming to the middle with 351 runs already on the board and the Australians looking to ram home their advantage. In complete contrast, Smith’s dominant Ashes campaign this year came despite Australia’s top order misfiring badly, with the former skipper walking out to bat after the 10th over just once in seven innings. The prolific right-hander, who punished himself for his failure in Brisbane by jogging from the Gabba back to the team hotel after play, admitted the higher stakes bring out the best in him. “It’s great for the team when there’s no pressure on,” he said. “It means someone else or a couple of guys have done a really good job, which is good. “But I do like batting under pressure and trying to help the team post a total and dig them out of a hole if we’re in a hole. I probably do bat a bit better when there is that pressure on.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Barca being asked to ‘give a masterclass in every game’ - Valverde BARCELONA, SPAIN (Reuters) - Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde knows his side can play better than in their last few matches but urged them not to lose perspective when they host Borussia Dortmund today with a chance to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League. The Catalans are top of La Liga and also lead Group F, which also contains Inter Milan and Slavia Prague, but have produced a series of underwhelming displays recently which have brought serious criticism. Their last Champions League match was a dire goalless draw at home to Slavia Prague, while they needed a freak, late goal from Arturo Vidal to overcome La Liga’s basement club Leganes 2-1 last weekend. “Here at Barca there is always turbulence and there always will be, if people aren’t complaining about one thing then they are complaining about another,” he told a news conference. “We have just won a game in which we suffered a lot and it was an uphill struggle for us

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde but we won it. The problem is in at every opportunity but we that here we are asked to give should look on the bright side a football masterclass in every so that we don’t lose our heads.” game and sometimes we are not Valverde’s side will seal their place in the knockout stages able to.” Valverde, who has a knack of as group winners if they beat keeping his cool in the face of Dortmund, who are second in pressure, advised his players the standings on seven points to not get too bogged down and would advance to the last by what they have been doing 16 with victory at the Camp Nou. wrong. “We could also focus on the “The good thing is that you good things we are doing, like always have another game the fact we managed to come to look forward to and now from behind and win a very we’re playing Dortmund, we difficult game the other day,” will try to win and make our fans happy again,” added the he said. “We showed a good attitude coach. and never lost control of the “We’re in a strong position game; we should appreciate and we want to take advantage that. I understand that there is of that, and we are also a very a tendency to stick the knife good team at home.”

England’s Root won’t blame batting woes on captaincy

(REUTERS) - Joe Root says it would be easy to use the England captaincy as an excuse for his batting woes but the 28-year-old is confident he can get things back on track by continuing to work hard. Root underwhelmed with the bat in England’s defeat by New Zealand in the first Test at Mount Maunganui on Monday, scoring two runs in the first innings and 11 in the second as the tourists were trounced by an innings and 65 runs. Root, who was named fulltime Test captain in 2017 and averages 47.35 in Tests, scored the last of his 16 centuries in the longest format against West Indies in February. “I’ve had a rough time in terms of scores,” Root told reporters. “I’m working hard. You have to go through a bit of a dip. The fact I’m captain, it’s an easy excuse to use. “I’m going to have to keep trusting my game ... I must

England captain Joe Root not overthink things and just try to find that rhythm which allows me to get my innings off and running.” Root had said before the start of the New Zealand series that England’s batsmen would try to be more patient and stay at the crease longer. While that approach did not pay off at Bay Oval he said it would take time to perfect. “There was a period during the

Ashes where we looked to try to find ways of managing on a good surface against a very disciplined attack,” he said. “It’s evolved from that and it’s clear here that it’s a method that works. “We want to play in a way very different to how we’ve played in our conditions and it’s going to take time.” The second Test begins in Hamilton.

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Grand Champion …winners Masters steal show at ORSCA awards gala Rajkumar Budhram cops League MVP TORONTO, Canada - Ontario Round Arm Softball Cricket Association (ORSCA) held its ninth annual Awards Gala at the beautiful Sagan Banquet Hall in Mississauga on November 9 last. This year’s gala turned out to be the league’s best attended and the most successful event in its history. Speakers in attendance were: Guyana Consul General Anyin Choo, prominent businessman Mani Singh, and ORSCA’s own president Arvin Persaud. First-time Grand Champion winners, Masters, had their most sensational year since joining ORSCA four years ago. They were finalists in the ‘T20 TEST’ Championship, semi-finalists in the T10 Championship and played unbeaten during the regular season, winning all 13 games. Rajkumar (Bobby) Budhram was awarded the prestigious League MVP trophy for 2019. He was the league’s highest runs-scorer with 715, which included four centuries and four half-centuries at an astonishing average of 102.14. He struck 82 sixes throughout the tournament and shared the most sixes hit award with Randy Roopnarine, who was super with 82 sixes as well. Cambridge Jaguars took home the Grand Champion runners-

Grand Champion winners Masters up Award, with Vijay Jhappan Jeetendra Beharry (SCW) was to Romesh Persaud of North stealing the batting show in the the league’s most economical Zone with 18 wickets and Ricky final with a blistering knock of 87 bowler, for the second straight Sukhai was the best for the East year, with runs per over (RPO) Zone with 24 wickets. to share the MVP spoils. Top Batsman awards were also of 2.63. Pegasus took home the T20 Test given to: Ramiz Mohamed Naresh Bhagwandin took home championship and were the T10 for being East Zone top scorer the most successful bowler award runners-up. Former Guyana (645 runs), Rajkumar (Bobby) with 29 wickets, which included national skipper Damodar Budhram West Zone top scorer four 4-wicket hauls. Daesrath, Pegasus runs-master, (715 runs), Amir Khan North Naurang Brigmohan, the most Zone top scorer (482 runs) and successful South Zone bowler was in belligerent form hitting Munir Bashir South Zone top with 19 wickets also won the seven centuries and a half-century. scorer (635 runs). Munir Basher award for the best bowling spell - Steel City Warriors retained was also awarded the trophy for eight wickets for eight runs versus their T10 crown for the third consecutive year. the highest individual score, 168 Panthers. runs vs Jays Hawk. Top bowler awards also went Appreciation Awards for service,

MVP Rajkumar Budhram collects his prestigious dedication and sponsorship were presented to Rayad Kamal (R&M Auto Clinic), Annie Gosai (Primerica), Satishwar Persaud (Adana Homes); Munir & Shabana (Fence Masters),

Kim Sue (Norman Sue Bakery), Brian Ramcharran (Office Line), Amar Punu (AP Staffing), Arvin Persaud (ORSCA president), Mitch Bacchus (ORSCA vice-president).

Russia’s sports officials cry foul as WADA eyes four-year Olympic ban By Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) - Russian sports officials yesterday spoke out against a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) committee’s recommendations that the country be banned from the Olympics for four years, saying this was overly harsh and would hurt sport there. The recommendations, published on Monday, mean Russia could miss out on the next two Olympic Games and world championships in a wide range of sports. WADA’s independent Compliance Review Committee recommended the ban after Moscow provided WADA with laboratory data that was found to have been doctored. “It’s sad. I can only call these recommendations unfair,” Umar Kremlev, head of Russia’s boxing federation, said in a statement. “Russia plays an important role in the development of global sport. How can such a country be banned?” The committee’s recommendations will be put to

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov the agency’s executive committee in Paris on December 9. For Dmitry Svishchev, president of Russia’s curling federation, the country has already sufficiently been punished for its doping scandals. “These recommendations are harsh, baseless punishment for old problems for which Russia has already been punished,” he told Reuters. “Russia has made great progress in fighting doping. To punish the next generation in such a harsh manner is too much.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov linked the

recommendations to what he called broader attempts by Western countries to reprimand Russia. “The more these types of decisions are made, the better it is ... for their anti-Russian argument,” Lavrov said. HOSTING EVENTS Russia was banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from last year’s Pyeongchang Winter Games as punishment for alleged statesponsored doping at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. But some Russian athletes with no

history of doping were cleared to compete as neutrals. Under the latest recommendations, some Russians without a history of doping could be cleared to compete in major international events as neutrals, as was the case in Pyeongchang. The IOC said in a statement it welcomed the opportunity for clean Russian athletes to compete, saying WADA did not indicate “any wrongdoing by the sports movement in this regard, in particular the Russian Olympic Committee or its members.” The committee also recommended barring Russia from hosting major sporting events for four years, and moving major events for which Russia has already won hosting rights elsewhere “unless it is legally or practically impossible to do so.” Russia is currently set to host the 2023 men’s world ice hockey championships. St Petersburg is due to host four matches in the 2020 European championships and was selected to host the Champions League final in 2021. These fixtures may

not be affected by a new WADA ban as European football’s organising body UEFA is not on its list of signatories. “Given that UEFA is not a WADA signatory and Russian soccer players have not been caught doping, I am 99.9% certain that nothing will happen with the Euro next year,” parliamentarian

Igor Lebedev, a former member of the Russian Football Union’s executive committee, was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin in St Petersburg today.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday November 27, 2019) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Brandon King (2) Ibrahim Zadran Today’s Quiz: (1) How many Test nations the WI have played against to date? (2) How many Test nations AFG have played to date? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday, November 27, 2019

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Ebini beat Sandhills by 2 wickets in BCB-organised 80th anniv.T20 EBIBI recorded a two-wicket win over Sandhills when the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)organised its 80th anniversary celebratory T20 cricket match was played last weekend. Sandhills Friendship, after winning the toss and opting to bat first, made 110 for 5 from their allotted 20 overs with Leon Swammy hitting an unbeaten 33. Bowling for Ebini, Totaram Sooknanan snatched 3-12 and Peter Grant 2-14. Despite winning by two wickets, Ebini had headaches on their way to 112 for 8 in 17.5 overs after being reduced to 90 for 8. A lower-order fightback from Peter Grant (4) and Kempton Richards (7) which yielded some 22 runs - enough to get

The victorious Ebini team share a photo with BCB president Hilbert Foster (third from left, back row) and BRCA president Samuel Seegolam (1st from left, front row).

their side over the line. Sooknanan returned with bat to contribute 22 and Keron Kurtzious 14, as Ryan DeNobrega completed a fine all-round match by returning 3-12 from 4 overs. Apart from the match, active clubs in the area; namely Ebini, Sandhills and Wiruni met last month and held elections for the Berbice River Cricket Association (BRCA). The elections held at Wiruni saw businessman Samuel Seegolam being elected president along with his executive members being Cliff Lindie vicepresident, Curtis Moore secretary, Ulrick Joseph treasurer and Shamar Lindie - Asst secretary/treasurer.

The committee members elected were Leton Grimmond, Garfield Leacock, Deon Da Silva and Johnny Sinclair. Seegolam stated that his elected executives were committed to working along with the BCB, so that cricket in the subassociations can be developed. He praised BCB president Hilbert Foster’s leadership of Berbice cricket and noted that players from his area were finally getting the recognition they deserve. Foster, meanwhile, urged the executives of BRCA to commit themselves to the development of the game, to always strive for excellence and to be the best role models they can be.

Emerging Players clinch Super50 semi-final spot despite crushing defeat PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – West Indies Emerging Players survived a crushing 10-wicket defeat to Group A winners Trinidad and Tobago Red Force here Monday, to qualify for the semi-finals of the Regional Super50 Cup.

In a lopsided affair at Queen’s Park Oval, the impressive development side were rolled over cheaply for 78 off 27.1 overs and Red Force hardly raised a sweat in overhauling their target in the 18th over. Emerging Players, who started the match second in Group B on

18 points, needed a victory to confirm their spot in the semifinals especially with Guyana Jaguars, in third spot on 16 points, breathing down their necks. But Jaguars suffered a shocking defeat to minnows United States at the Brian Lara Stadium,

allowing Emerging Players to escape unscathed. Choosing to bat first, Emerging Players suffered a huge batting meltdown and only all-rounder Justin Greaves displayed any enterprise with 43. In fact, he was the only player in double figures, striking five

fours in a 69-ball knock, as legspinning captain Imran Khan (3-19) and fast bowler Anderson Phillip (3-23) wrecked the innings with three wickets apiece. Spinners Akeal Hosein (27), a left-armer and Jon Russ Jaggesar (2-29), an off-break

bowler, supported with two wickets each. In reply, Jeremy Solozano struck an unbeaten 43 from 59 balls with five fours and a six while fellow left-hander Keagan Simmons, in his first match of the series, finished on 27 not out off 47 balls.

Heartbreak for Jaguars as U.S. deny them Super50 semi-final place TAROUBA, Trinidad (CMC) – Medium pacer Rusty Theron snatched two wickets in a magnificent last over to deny Guyana Jaguars a crucial victory and a place in the final four of the Regional Super50 Cup here Monday night. Requiring 11 runs from the last over in pursuit of 222 for victory, Jaguars lost Ramaal Lewis (10) and Jonathan Foo (41) and managed just two runs, to slide to a shock eight-run defeat to United States under Duckworth-LewisStern at the Brian Lara Stadium. Theron kept Ramaal Lewis scoreless off the first ball before having him caught at the wicket, desperately flashing at a widish second delivery. New batsman Renaldo Alimohammed then scrambled a single to long off to get the inform Foo on strike but the righthander missed a swing at the

Chris Barnwell top-scored for Guyana Jaguars. fourth delivery and had his stumps a must-win situation especially after second-placed WI shattered. With 10 needed from the last Emerging Players (18 points) two balls, Veerasammy Permaul suffered a 10-wicket trouncing could only get a single off the at the hands of Group B winners penultimate delivery, leaving the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force. result as a formality. Jaguars had entered the contest Initially set 231 for victory in a in third on 16 points and faced game reduced to 41 overs, the

target was revised to 222 from 36 overs following a rain delay with Jaguars well placed on 71 for two in the 16th over. Chris Barnwell continued his impressive form with a top score of 54 – his third half-century of the campaign – while Anthony Bramble chipped in with 38 and all-rounder Raymon Reifer, 33. Left-arm pacer Saurabh Netravalkar claimed three for 42 while Theron picked up two for 44. Opting to bat, United States had rallied to 230 for five off their 41 overs with Monank Patel topscoring with 85 and Ian Holland smashing a 37-ball 59 not out. Leg-spinner Ramaal Lewis proved expensive in his four overs but ended with three for 24. The result left Jaguars, last year’s losing finalists, with their fourth defeat from their eight preliminary games, and outside

of the top two in the group. For the U.S., meanwhile, the victory was their second but was not enough to get them off the bottom of the standings. Xavier Marshall fell cheaply for seven in the third over with 12 runs on the board but Monank and then Holland inspired a series of partnerships to revive the innings. Monank, who faced 105 balls and struck three fours and sixes, put on 39 for the second wicket with Steven Taylor (17) before adding a further 78 for the third wicket with Aaron Jones who made 37. The pace of the innings then quickened when Monank posted a swift 59 off 36 deliveries with Holland, who blasted two fours and three sixes. In reply, Jaguars lost Chandrapaul Hemraj for 10 in the second over, feathering a catch behind off Netravalkar

but Bramble and captain Leon Johnson (18) added 54 for the second wicket to stabilise the innings. Both fell within the space of 16 balls, however, to leave Jaguars on 73 for three in the 16th over and paving the way for an 80run fourth-wicket stand between Barnwell and Reifer. Barnwell needed just 47 balls and belted a four and four sixes while Reifer counted three fours in a 45ball knock. Again, Jaguars lost both set batsmen in quick succession in the space of 12 balls. Even though Foo, who lashed two fours and three sixes off just 22 balls, inspired a 47-run, sixthwicket stand off 40 balls with Lewis, the last three overs of the innings yielded just 13 runs.

Hourihane helps Villa beat Newcastle on unhappy return for Bruce

BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Aston Villa brushed aside recent poor results to beat Newcastle United 2-0 at home on Monday and create some breathing space above the Premier League drop zone as Conor Hourihane scored and set up another goal with a couple of clever free kicks.

Ireland midfielder Hourihane put Villa ahead in the 32nd minute, tapping a dead ball to Jack Grealish and then unleashing a thumping shot which flummoxed goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. Villa soon earned another dangerous set piece and Hourihane again assumed responsibility, firing the ball into the heart of the penalty

area where Anwar El Ghazi arrived to knock the ball into the roof of the net from close range in the 36th. El Ghazi stuck the ball into the net again later in a dominant display from the hosts but his effort was ruled offside, while Villa should have extended their lead after the interval as Jack Grealish and John McGinn

both came close. Newcastle’s only chance in an unambitious 45 minutes was a Federico Fernandez header which was well saved by Tom Heaton. The Villa keeper was forced to make a couple of more saves as Newcastle showed a little more imagination after the interval but they rarely looked like getting back into the game.

The win snapped a threegame losing league run for Villa and took them up two places to 15th on 14 points from 13 games, four clear of the relegation zone. Newcastle are 14th on 15. “It was important to get a good result because they haven’t been great in the past few games,” Hourihane told reporters.

“The squad doesn’t have much Premier League experience so we all have a point to prove.” Newcastle coach Steve Bruce spent two years in charge of Villa and came close to leading them to promotion in the 2018 Championship playoff final but they were beaten by Fulham.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Winners of the 2018 DMW Hockey Festival

Five T&T teams for DMW Hockey Festival PAGE

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Cricket apologises Nedd delighted with NewtoZealand Archer for racial abuse selection, credits WIEP 31 for added success PAGE

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019