Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 01-01-2021

FRIDAY 1st January, 2021

' No.106230

Dear readers, the next edition of the Guyana Chronicle will be published on January 3, 2021

$25,000 for

public servants –– 2021, the year of recovery, says President Ali

President, Dr Irfaan Ali

President, Dr Irfaan Ali has announced a one-off cash grant of $25,000 each to workers of the entire Public Sector.

The Head of State declared that over 60,000 workers and their families will benefit from the venture which will cost the Government over $2B. “I am pleased to announce a one-off grant of $25,000 to workers of the entire Public Sector which includes Central Government, statutory bodies, subvention agencies, public corporations, Government pensioners and staff of the University of Guyana.”

These also include teachers, medical professionals and members of the Joint Services.

The President added that the funds are being distributed to assist “these workers to cope with the challenges associated with the

COVID-19 Pandemic”.

The process to initiate the distribution of the funds began right after it was announced.

The President, who has been working assiduously with his team behind the scenes to get the workers this financial support, indicated, clearly, that the initiative will also extend to current workers of GuySuCo. He said that sugarcane workers in particular suffered under the previous administration.

“Those sugar workers who were unconscionably deprived of their livelihood by the APNU/AFC Government will in the New Year be provided with transitional support as we continue to restructure the industry, in keeping with the PPP/C’s promise,” the President said.

Earlier this month, the President had an-

A different start to the New Year!

nounced a two-week tax-free bonus for members of the Guyana Police Force and members of the Guyana Defence Force.

Meanwhile, the President in his New Year’s Day message to the nation said the year 2021 will be the springboard from which the nation will leap into recovery – rebuilding the economy, enhancing the health of all Guyanese and lifting up the vulnerable in society.

“We must not remain a rich country of poor people. The bounty of our nation must be shared across our population. The standard of living and the quality of life must be lifted for all. Work will be rewarded; hard work will be rewarded even more.

“Opportunities will be created to join in such work, and they will be made available to all. I recognise that there are communities

within our society who, because of disadvantages of geographic location, will need more help than others to join our national advance,” the President said.

Government, he said will identify those communities; assess their needs; identify solutions and implement plans to change their circumstances.

This change will not occur overnight, he said, noting that it will take time but every journey begins with a first step.

“I intend to initiate that first step and to maintain a steady pace that will take us to that journey’s end. We still have many challenges ahead of us,” he told the nation.

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Melissa and her nieces took advantage of the light display on Main Street to snap that Old year’s night selfie before the curfew kicks in (Delano Williams photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

A different start to the New Year!

Socially distanced churchgoers during the Old Year’s night service at the Brickdam Cathedral (Delano Williams photo)

Before the curfew took effect at 22:30 hrs, families lit their own fireworks on the seawall (Delano Williams photo)

By Vishani Ragobeer A ‘normal’ Old Year’s night would feature scores of persons gathering to usher in the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display put on by the Guyana Defence Force. There would also be church services -- with avid devotees and the once-a-year specialists who know it’s best to go into the New Year with blessings. 2020 proved to be a year that heralded in a ‘new normal’.

Instead of waiting until after midnight, when the New Year would begin, the pressmen at the Guyana Chronicle were able to start printing the newspaper before 2020 ended. That’s right; this paper was printed since last year! That’s because the 22:30 hrs curfew stymied many of the usual late night gatherings that reporters and photographers at the Chronicle would cover.

In light of the curfew and the other gazetted COVID-19 measures, church services were either virtual or they finished by 21:00 hrs. And, well, curfew meant that persons were supposed to be home by a certain time and not ‘on the road’ or ‘out and about’ at midnight (key phrase: “supposed to”).

This curfew, along with the suite of other restrictions were instituted as part of the COVID-19 emergency measures to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus and mitigate the effects of the pandemic.

This Chronicle wouldn’t lie to the nation; there were some aspects of the ‘GT’ nightlife scene that made it seem as though COVID-19 was simply a bad dream we would wake up from at the stroke of midnight. And boy, don’t we wish that was true!

By and large, however, the absence of crowds at the Stabroek market area and the early end to the socially distanced church services and outings at the seawalls made it seem as though Guyanese did believe that they should adhere to COVID-19 precautionary measures. The virus has an incubation period of up to 14 days, so, by January 14, if we see a spike in the number of cases, we’ll know those covert parties were a major contributor.

Aside from the ‘switchup’ of the Old Year’s festivities, the last day of 2020 presented some good news.

Without any prior indication, President Irfaan Ali gave members of the public sector something to celebrate: a one-off $25,000 grant. This means that those in Central Government, Statutory Bodies, Subvention Agencies, Public Corporations, Government Pensioners and staff of the University of Guyana would all receive the sum, geared at assisting workers to cope with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The total cost of this assistance is in excess of two billion dollars and will directly benefit over sixty thousand workers and their

Ms. Persaud and this little one attended the Old Year’s Night church service at the Brickdam Cathedral (Delano Williams photo)

families,” a statement from the Office of the President stated.

Importantly, this initiative will also extend to current workers of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). The statement indicated that those sugar workers were unconscionably deprived of their livelihood but, in keeping with the Government’s promise to aid them, further transitional support will be provided in the restructuring of the industry.

So even though COVID-19 placed a strain on the economy, President Ali and his Government said ‘year-end bonus is a must!’ (that’s what Koffee said in her song, right?).

All-in-all, the year 2020 will be remembered as a tumultuous 366 days, plagued by a global pandemic that, literally, disrupted life as we were accustomed to. Here in Guyana, we had our own reasons to remember this year. There was a five-month ‘epidemic’ we called our Regional and General Elections.

And of course, the enduring COVID-19 pandemic which wasn’t something we seemed to care too much for, until, well, we had no choice but to care.

Even so, if you’re reading this, you’ve made it into a new year, which is filled with endless possibilities (and maybe more bonuses from ‘oil money’?). Happy 2021!

The last hymn being sung before the end of the service at the Brickdam Cathedral (Delano Williams photo)

For those working late, or just enjoying time in ‘town’ before the curfew, the Old year’s night special -- Cook up rice, and soup - was on sale by the Demico bus park (Delano Williams photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

New Year's Address to the Nation by His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana 2021: THE YEAR OF RECOVERY Fellow Guyanese, ON this rainy night, we leave 2020 and we embark on 2021 with every reason for optimism for our future as a nation and as a country.

Our economic prospects have never been brighter.

Our collective feet are firmly placed on the first rungs of a ladder to prosperity that is clearly within our sight.

The only impediment to our steady climb to the top are those among us who choose selfish gains over national benefits.

History, including religious tracts, is replete with examples of persons who sacrificed the interests of a people in pursuit of their self-interested purposes.

As a nation, we must resist those who try to lure any of us into serving a cause less noble, less beneficial, and less worthwhile than the upliftment and empowerment of all Guyanese.

When I accepted the democratic decision of the

majority of our people to serve as President, I made clear that my stewardship of our nation’s affairs would be in the interest of all; those who voted for me, and those who did not.

I saw my principal role then, as I reaffirm now, as uniting our people – all races, all groups – and advancing their collective interest.

I will not be swayed or influenced from that single-minded focus.

No nation can progress in peace, and in shared prosperity if it is divided against itself.

Every person within it must be given equal opportunity to shine; every individual must be provided the chance to achieve.

And, as a nation, we must take pride in individual achievement; we must applaud it and encourage it, regardless of the race, religion, or geographical origin of the person.

We must recall always that our nation is the sum of all its people.

If we are to fulfil our desire to be a great nation, not one of our people should be neglected; everyone should be lifted up.

Friday January 1, 2021 –– 4:30HRS

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali

YEAR TO RECOVERY The year 2021 will be the springboard from which our nation will leap into recovery – rebuilding our economy, enhancing our people’s health and lifting up the vulnerable in our society. We must not remain a rich country of poor people.

The bounty of our nation must be shared across our population. The standard of living and the quality of life must be lifted for all. Work will be rewarded; hard work will be rewarded even more.

Opportunities will be created to join in such work, and they will be made available to all. I recognise that there are communities within our society which, because of disadvantages of geographic location, will need more help than others to join our national advance.

We will identify those communities; assess their

needs; identify solutions, and implement plans to change their circumstances.

This change will not occur overnight; it will take time. But every journey begins with a first step.

I intend to initiate that first step, and to maintain a steady pace that will take us to that journey’s end. We still have many challenges ahead of us.

TACKLING COVID-19 COVID-19 will not die with the fading of 2020 in the darkness of midnight; it will still be there in the bright light of 2021’s new dawn.

It will remain a threat to the health of our people, and to the fortunes of our commercial sector.

But, we face the pandemic now with the knowledge that vaccines have been created, and have already been distributed to millions

of people in the United States and Europe.

The inoculations offer confidence over concern, and hope over fear. Our government is working intensely to secure vaccines to immunise our nation.

Our goal is to inoculate all who are willing to accept the vaccine, starting with the most vulnerable in our society.

We will soon be concluding Phase One of the COVID-19 G$25,000 household cash grant.

Immediately, in the new year, we will implement Phase Two to provide help to those who were not reached in the first Phase.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a failure by many persons to meet their financial obligations, including those related to hire purchases. The promulgation of a new Hire Purchase Bill will protect consumers.

Never again will anyone suffer the indignity of losing their household appliances by virtue of missing a payment.

In the meantime, we must all act to protect ourselves and the people around us.

Already, too many families have lost a parent or grandparent, a son or a daughter.

They know the wretchedness of loss, and the pain of helplessness against this unseen killer.

I again offer my deepest sympathy and sorrow to all who have lost loved ones to this dreadful disease, and I summon every one of us to act together to halt its spread.

As a people, we have made great sacrifices in the past to overcome great trials and enormous challenges to emerge still standing; still vibrant.

Now this generation must join previous generations that stood up to malaria, cholera, yellow fever and all the other diseases that plagued our country by showing discipline, good sense and care.

Wearing masks, sanitising hands, gathering only in

small groups, maintaining physical distancing – all are necessary to keep everyone safe.

Let us stop the tears of a parent’s untimely death, and the grief for the sudden loss of a young child.

Those tears will only turn to laughter, and sorrow into joy, if we demonstrate the personal and collective responsibility to be our brother’s keeper, our sister’s protector, and our children’s guardian.

CONCLUSION Guyana's economic recovery is demonstrably underway.

Our business communities in Georgetown and elsewhere have reported better performance over this holiday season than any of the previous five years.

And this was achieved, even with the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is more money in circulation, and more disposable income in people’s pockets than our country has witnessed in a long time.

I am confident that the steps which our Government will take in 2021 will continue to lift up our economy, and improve the fortunes of every person within our nation.

The task before us in 2021 is to reaffirm our belief in ourselves as one people and one nation, determined to rise together in harmony, showing the world the strength and determination of which we are capable.

Let us join our hands and our hearts in making 2021 the year we leap into a future of prosperity and progress.

We have it within ourselves to restore with passion the rich soul of our country and our people.

My hand is outstretched to help one and all. Happy New Year.

May God bless and protect you and your families!

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

Guyanese fisherman killed after intervening in fight in Suriname

DEAD: Norris Vanderstoop

NORRIS Dundas Vanderstoop, 20, of Epson Village, East Berbice, Corentyne, lost his life after he intervened in a fight at the River Club Hotel and Bar in neighbouring Suriname on Tuesday evening.

According to Guyana Chronicle’s sources in Suriname, at around 19:47 hrs, a fight started between two groups of Guyanese fishermen at the River Club Hotel and Bar, formerly known as Stardust Hotel, in Paramaribo.

The hotel is frequented by mainly Guyanese fishermen who ply their trade in the neighbouring country.

The source revealed that Norris, who was the occupant of an apartment, saw one of his friends being assaulted and intervened. As he tried to pull his friend away from the fight, he was stabbed multiple times about his body.

Vanderstoop was rushed to a hospital in Paramaribo, but died before he could receive medical attention.

Following the incident, some 20 persons were arrested the said night, and are still in custody, while nine persons were hospitalized, nursing injuries about their bodies. It is unclear what started the fight between the two groups of men.

Meanwhile, an older brother of Norris, Leroy Vanderstoop, 26, said the family is in a state of shock and disbelief following word of his death. Norris, for the past four years, has been operating between Guyana and Suriname, and would normally return home at the end of each trip. However, he was unable to do so for the past year, due to the lockdown of the Surinamese borders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Norris was described as a quiet, humble and very hardworking individual.

The relatives of the deceased are calling on the authorities in Guyana and Suriname to bring the perpetrators to justice.

11 recover from COVID-19 GUYANA has recorded 13 new cases of the virus, COVID-19, according to the Health Ministry’s COVID-19 dashboard for December 30, 2020.

Even as new cases were recorded, 11 persons were reported to have recovered from the virus.

The three newly-confirmed cases were recorded in Regions One, Three, Four and Five. Four of the newly-confirmed cases were males with the remaining nine being females.

Region One recorded two new cases; and Region Three recorded three new cases. Four new cases were recorded in Region Four, while Region Five recorded an additional four cases. It was reported that the three new cases were recorded from a total of 239 tests. The country has now recorded a total of 6,331 confirmed cases since the first COVID-19 case was reported in March 2020.

Following the recovery of the 11 additional persons, the total number of persons who have recovered since March is now 5,820.

There are currently 360 active cases, five of which are being kept at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the National Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

Currently, there are six persons in institutional isolation; 337 are in home isolation and 12 are in institutional quarantine. Many of the persons infected with the virus are said to be asymptomatic, that is, they are not exhibiting symptoms.

The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures (No. Nine) are in force from December 1, 2020, until December 31, 2020. They may be extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Health, after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions of the pandemic. As per the current measures; however, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes. Physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are also important. The current curfew is 22:30 hrs to 04:00hrs. Persons with symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline numbers: 231-1166; 226-7480; or 180/181 for assistance.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

Tajeram Mohabir

Goodbye 2020; welcome 2021

GUYANA has undoubtedly experienced some worse years than the one we are saying goodbye to; but 2020 was certainly an annus horribilis.

Plato propagated the theory that one can change one’s character by turning one’s whole soul towards the light. The actions of some of Guyana’s politicians who are predisposed to fostering strife and sowing discord and disunity in this nation have resulted, over the years, in much discord among communities.

Many of these erstwhile leaders of our country have led their supporters into acts that are unpatriotic, do not correlate to nation-building, and are severely inimical to an ethos of peace and unity in this land we all call home.

The Guyanese nation is a unique tapestry of colours and cultures, each specific to traditional mores and customs, but blended into a harmonious whole of acculturation.

The cuisine of our land reflects our diversity: Chowmein, roti, dhal, pepperpot, curry, metemgee

and countless others is a cook-up relished by all.

Our holidays are enjoyed by all: Diwali motorcades and lightup; zakat during Eid, where the bounties shared are enjoyed by everyone; Christmas and Easter, kite-flying and hospitable, joyous camaraderie between neighbours and communities.

As we welcome and usher in the New Year, 2021, we hope for a changed socio-political dynamic, where goodwill and a love for one’s fellow Guyanese will prevail to allow the government’s developmental plans to fructify to optimum.

The Irfaan Ali administration has promised to deliver, and/or facilitate higher standards of living, equity and justice, as well as massive economic development for all the Guyanese people, regardless of their ethnicity, religious beliefs, and political persuasions.

As we reflect on the significant challenges encountered in 2020, it is recognised, as an imperative, that we must recommit ourselves to doubling our efforts to overcome those

known and unknown obstacles that lie ahead this year.

The new year must be seen as the year to achieve national healing and reconciliation, racial harmony, unity and cohesiveness.

We cannot afford to continue along a path characterised by political rifts and divisiveness.

The newly-installed government has promised to end the wastage of taxpayers’ funds on politically-tainted and piecemeal initiatives, which were being painted as part of a wider policy of achieving social cohesion.

It hoped that our National Assembly will ascend to a new level, defined by meaningful consultation, political cooperation and consensus, which will no doubt result in the creation of a new political culture.

His Excellency, Dr. Irfaan Ali has promised that his government will bring an end to executive lawlessness, the abuse of power, and breaches of the Constitution of Guyana.

PPP/C governments have a history of exercising political restraint,

and respecting the democratic fabric of our society. The Government is intent on reducing the burdensome fiscal measures imposed on the nation by the previous administration, so that 2021 will engender the will in the national psyche to endeavour and achieve.

Additionally, the new administrative dispensation will see the Government respecting the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act, human rights of all citizens, including its political opponents and time-honoured parliamentary traditions and norms.

The Year 2020 has been a challenging one, not only for Guyana but nations the world over, and is aptly described by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in his New Year’s message 2021.

He said thusly: “2020 has been a year of trials, tragedies and tears.

“COVID-19 upended our lives, and plunged the world into suffering and grief. So many loved ones have been lost, and the pandemic rages on, creating new waves of sickness and death.”

Amid the struggles, the UN Secretary-General also underscores the need for unity to ensure safer families, communities, countries and world.

“If we work together in unity and solidarity, these rays of hope can reach around the world. That’s the lesson of this most difficult year. Both climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic are crises that can only be addressed by everyone together, as part of a transition to an inclusive and sustainable future.

“Together, let’s make peace among ourselves and with nature, tackle the climate crisis, stop the spread of COVID-19, and make 2021 a year of healing: Healing from the impact of a deadly virus; healing broken economies and societies; healing divisions; and starting to heal the planet. That must be our New Year’s Resolution for 2021.”

The Board of Directors, management and staff of the Guyana National Newspaper Limited (GNNL) wish all Guyanese a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Goodbye and good riddance 2020, and best wishes for 2021 Dear Editor, THE year 2020 was perhaps the worst in our lifetime, with so many calamities. It was a year of death and dark tidings. It was a year of ‘stay away’ from one another rather than coming together, a national good engaging in the latter to protect from the virus. It was a year of working and studying from home rather than from the office or the school. Above all, there has been the corona virus pandemic that started in March in Guyana, December in China, and February in America.

In Guyana, there was attempted election rigging, routine flooding, don’t-caredamn attitude of a failed Government, the ongoing COVID pandemic, horrific murder rate, spiraling road fatalities, uncontrollable

corruption of the Coalition, diplomats and CARICOM leaders saving democracy, manifold abuses at GuySuCo under the Coalition, swearing-in of the young President, restoration of a health system that was deplorable under the Coalition, racial violence and robberies, among issues. The nation and its diaspora feel aggrieved about the events of 2020, many of which could have been avoided if there was a Government of integrity, or a Government that cared about people, or about the concept of democracy.

In 2020, many lost loved ones or jobs due to COVID and other problems. The COVID virus so far killed 340,000 Americans, sickened 19 million, and left many survivors with permanent effects; many among the victims were/are Guyanese.

Guyana also suffered from

the Pandemic; 165 dead, and thousands infected.

The pandemic canceled or postponed weddings and religious events in America, Guyana, and the world. It changed the nature of every event, from marketing to wakes, to religious services, to funerals to entertainment, to restaurants, to family gettogethers, to holiday celebrations. As in America, Guyana has had economic depression, and the highest unemployment caused by the pandemic. And, of course, both nations had a toxic election.

But a lot of that is behind Guyana and her American diaspora now. And in three weeks, America will have a new, respectable President.

In spite of the multitude of problems that beset Guyana over the last year, the people did not buckle under,

as the preceding regime had hoped, and did not surrender their democracy. The people held up strongly, propped up by the local-based diplomats, the free media, and the international community. And more than that, they have started to rebuild their lives; the economy has sprung to life again.

Yes, 2020 had been an eventful year, and almost everyone is looking to turn a new chapter in the New Year.

Goodbye, and good riddance 2020, and best wishes for 2021.

The beginning of a new year always gives renewed hope for a better year ahead.

It is hoped that civility and respect would return. There is need for civility in our dayto-day lives, especially in our relations with people of other ethnic groups distrustful of one another.

The country is facing dire social, economic, and political problems. The Government must focus its attention on them, and don’t sweep them under the carpet, as they won’t go away.

Special emphasis must be placed on combating crime, dangerous driving, domestic violence, suicide, and corruption, among other ills.

And we need electoral and constitutional reforms.

Earnest actions are required in the fight against crime. The Home Affairs Minister should consider special community police squads backed by a series of operations by regular armed forces in crime-prone areas; criminals must be flushed out. On road fatalities, Government must set up patrols to deter speeding, in order to reduce the grizzly toll in death and mutilation. Corrup-

tion is the root of evil; those who enriched themselves off the treasury must be held accountable.

The Ali Government has been community- oriented, with ministers going into communities to address pressing needs, something ignored by predecessors.

And the Government is off to a flying start, addressing housing needs, and giving out COVID grants, giving hope for 2021. These must continue.

It is hoped that the peace and quiet of the last week will continue throughout 2021. No doubt, the rebuilding process that began in August with Irfaan Ali’s swearing-in as President will continue throughout the New Year.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

2020 was a very busy year for DPP Chamber THE chamber of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), in 2020, gave legal advice in 3,684 files received from the Guyana Police Force and other law enforcement agencies in 2020.

During 2020, 101 cases were disposed of, 83 of these cases received attention in the courts, while 18 matters were Nolle Prosequi by the DPP. Of these 83 cases, 52 were presented at the De-

merara Assizes, 15 at the Berbice Assizes and five at the Essequibo Assizes There were 63 cases for the offence of murder, three cases for attempted murder, 15 cases for sexual offences and two cases for the offence

The best is yet to come for Guyana’s agriculture sector Dear Editor, ON behalf of myself and all the other hardworking staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, I wish you all a happy and prosperous 2021. This year has been a challenging one for all Guyanese, but we, as a Government, were able to accomplish a lot since taking office, even with the limited resources available.

Over the last five months, the Ministry of Agriculture and its agencies were able to execute a number of developmental initiatives all across the country. During our many community outreaches, drainage and irrigation issues were at the forefront of the challenges faced by residents and farmers alike. With the passage of the 2020 Emergency Budget, the NDIA was able to execute a number of drainage and irrigation works in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and 10.

Although most of these works were not a part of our work programme, they were deemed urgent, and, as a result, relief was brought to all categories of farmers across the country. Rice farmers were able to save thousands of acres of paddy, cash crop farmers were able to have much-needed drainage and irrigation for their farms and livestock and poultry farmers were able to have irrigation water for their animals.

Although several regions on the coast experienced flooding due to heavy rainfall and the current drainage structure, we were able to offer timely relief in these areas, as well as, post-flood assistance to farmers in the form of planting materials, seeds, fertilisers, animal feed and cleaning and disinfecting agents.

Our fast and proactive approach to dealing with issues faced in the sector re-birthed an interest in agriculture that hasn’t been seen over the past five years. Persons are now encouraged to return to the fields. We’ve even seen a new generation expressing an

interest in developing the sector by applying science and technology to farming in order to move away from traditional subsistence farming, something we’ve been advocating for since taking office.

Agencies like NAREI, GLDA, GRDB, MMA-ADA, Hope Estate, PTCCB, GMC and the Hydromet Department, to name a few, have become more responsive to the needs of our nation’s farmers. Government has also invested in the human capital of these agencies by employing more staff to serve as extension officers in areas like Orealla and Siparuta that were without regular extension services.

Further, with the environment for investment in Guyana becoming favourable, a number of local and international companies have expressed interest in investing in several agriculture-related initiatives. With new investments coming on stream, more jobs and better opportunities can be guaranteed for our citizens.

Lastly, what can be considered as one of the most outstanding achievements of the Ministry of Agriculture, and by extension the Government of Guyana, is the reopening of three of the closed sugar estates. This undertaking has resulted in many persons being reemployed, and communities have once again come alive. Government will continue to support GuySuCo and all the persons who benefit directly and indirectly from the reopening of these estates.

Rest assured, the best is yet to come for Guyana’s agriculture sector, our farmers, and all Guyanese.

Once again, let me wish you all the best for the New Year, and I look forward to working with you for the betterment of the agriculture sector and our country.

Yours sincerely, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, M.P. Minister of Agriculture

of manslaughter.

Additionally, there were 12 convictions, 53 guilty pleas, nine formal verdicts of not guilty, five not guilty verdicts by jury, five hung juries, three aborted trials, one quashed indictment and

18 cases were Nolle Prosequi.

Also, in 2020, the DPP’s office received 75 Committal Depositions: 32 of these from the county of Demerara, 29 from the county of Berbice and 14 from the

County of Essequibo.

Of these 75 depositions, 51 have been indicted, three charges were discontinued, 19 are receiving attention and two were remitted to the Magistrates’ Courts.

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2021 should be a year for introspection and atonement by our leaders Dear Editor, AS we bid farewell to a miserable 2020, many Guyanese at home and in the Diaspora will waltz to the famous ballad, “Auld Lang Syne”, hoping that 2021 would be a prosperous, peaceful and pandemic-free year for Guyana.

There are some with great expectations, and others with less for 2021. Many resolutions will be made, but most will quickly be forgotten.

It is the belief that New Year resolutions were first made during the reign of the Roman Emperor, Caesar, and were of a moral nature such as praying, sharing of gifts, and being kind to others. New Year resolutions should not only be about fulfilling a personal wish, but also about helping others, especially the less fortunate in our society.

Historically, a new year was observed to commemorate an important phase in the passage of time. It was connected to agricultural cycles, which the Ancient Egyptians associated with the flooding of the Nile River to fertilise the soil in order to produce abundant food crops for their kingdom. The Thais celebrate the New Year in April with the throwing of water, in the hopes that it will rain plentifully for their food crops.

The Chinese follow a lunar or new moon calendar cycle, which means that in 2021, their new year will begin in February.

In Guyana and the western world, the observance of the New Year in January can be traced to the Roman God, Janus, who was portrayed as the guardian of the beginnings and endings with two faces; one looking to the past, and the other towards the future. Perhaps the most important aspect of the New Year is the seriousness with which we as Guyanese view it. It is the hope of many that the New Year would bring positive changes to the country and to all Guyanese. It is a time for us to find our purpose in society, carve out our destiny, foster unity and reflect on the good and bad times. It is also a time to empathise with the families and friends who have lost loves ones, especially to the pandemic, those who are bed-ridden, jobless and homeless, victim of murders and crimes, the elderly and the poor and suffering.

It is the wish of many that 2021 would bring renewed hope to all, lift the spirits of those battling depression, alcohol and substance abuse and hopelessness. It should be the beginning of a new era to rebuild and unify the nation, end domestic violence against women and the sexual molestation and abuse of children and respect for the rights of all in society, irrespective of their socio-economic status. The New Year should be of tremendous significance for the

country and people of Guyana with its pending massive oil wealth. It would be the 55th year of independence, which is the heart of the nation’s consciousness, heritage, identity and destiny.

Today, Guyana is beset by a series of crisis some of which can be traced to spurious and unfilled promises of early post-independence period. Most of the goals that were set for its development in those momentous years since independence have not been achieved. Today, its economy is not as healthy as it should be and many, if not most of its national institutions remain dysfunctional. The Irfaan Ali Government is faced with the arduous task of solving many of the problems inherited from the last administration, particularly the pandemic health crisis, opening of three of the four sugar estates, the shortage of houses, and a health and educational system that needs urgent and critical care.

However, there were some positive developments in 2020. The people’s confidence in democracy has been restored after its near collapse during the five frightening and demoralizing months of unsuccessful and desperate attempts to change the outcome of the elections by the opposition. Their hope is that the government would embark on the process to unite the races, enrich our core cultural values and improve our modes of behavior in society. As a nation, we must explore and understand our spiritual selves, think positive and eat healthy. We cannot properly be of service to others and to our country if we are not healthy.

The New Year should be the beginning of a new era for our oil-rich Guyana. 2021 should be a year for introspection and atonement by our leaders, the building of a robust economy, the creation of jobs, an end to homelessness, the eradication of poverty, and improving the lives of the poor. We must strive for equality and justice for all and accelerate progress towards the realization of the goal of a better life for all. Happy New Year to all.

We take this opportunity to extend a happy New Year to the Government, the opposition, those who fought for our democracy, the media outlets including this newspaper, and to all the frontline workers of the COVID 19 pandemic and to all our relatives and friends near and far.

Sincerely, Dr. Asquith Rose.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

Cuban who allegedly murdered reputed wife, stepdaughter remanded JOEL Rodriguez, the Cuban who allegedly knifed and hammered his partner and her daughter to death, was, on Thursday remanded to prison.

Rodriguez, also known as Yoel Rodriguez Barientos, appeared before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on two counts of murder and was remanded to prison until January 18, 2021.

Particulars of the charges alleged that between December 25 and December 26, 2020, at Princess Street Lodge, he murdered Tara Krishnaran, 34, who was a salesgirl, and her daughter, Larissa Singh, 11.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported that, on December 26, after receiving the report of the murders, investigators visited the scene and discovered the mother and daughter in a bedroom at their Princes Street, Lodge, Georgetown residence by the woman’s father who also resides there.

The police said that the woman was discovered with a wound to the back of the head, left side temple and left side of the face. Meanwhile,

Joel Rodriguez

her daughter had a wound, about six inches in length, to her neck and what appeared to be blood on her private part. A blood stained hammer and knife – were also retrieved.

The bodies were taken to the Lyken Funeral Home.

An autopsy conducted on the mother and her daughter found that they died from

blunt trauma to the head.

According to the police report, the woman’s father said the couple had an argument on Christmas Day and since such arguments were common, he went to bed.

However, on Boxing Day, he did not check on them as he thought the woman went to work and took her daughter along with her.

Dead: Larissa Singh

Later that night, however, the elderly man realised that he was locked inside the house and went into the room of the victims when he made the gruesome discovery; his grand-daughter was lying on the ground and his daughter was lying on the bed.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the wom-

Dead: Tara Krishnaran

an, her daughter and the alleged killer, for about eight months, lived in the house, which belongs to the woman’ father.

The woman met the Cuban man at the store where she worked, and they were in a relationship for more than a year.

Reports indicate that the man would accompany

Krishnaran to family functions, but relatives noted that he appeared to be a jealous individual.

“We would be together (at a family function) and a boy could walk in, even if it was my brother… if he just looked at her, he would get angry about it,” the relative said.

2020 was a very busy year ...

FROM PAGE

The DPP’s Office gave legal advice in 3,684 files received from the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

The Demerara January 2021 Criminal Assizes will open on Tuesday, January 12.

There are 342 cases listed to be heard. Madam Jus-

tice Jo-Ann Barlow; Justice Brassington Reynolds and Justice Navindra Singh have been rostered to sit during this session.

The February 2021 Berbice Criminal Assizes will commence on Tuesday, February 2. Madam Justice Sim-

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one Ramlall will continue the October 2020 Assizes and open the February 2021, Criminal Assizes.

The Essequibo October 2O2O Assizes will begin sitting on January 5, 2021 presided over by Justice Gino Persaud

During 2020, the DPP appeared in 15 appeals in the Court of Appeal. Of these 15 appeals, six were for the offence of murder, four for the offence of manslaughter, two for sexual offences and one each for the offences of attempted murder, falsification of accounts by clerk

or servant and robbery with aggravation.

There were 10 appeals against conviction and sentence. One of these appeals was withdrawn and one was allowed. The other eight appeals were allowed in part. In two of these eight

cases, the appeal against the conviction of murder was allowed and the offence of manslaughter was substituted, and the appellants sentenced. In the other six cases, the appeal against conviction was dismissed and the sentences were varied.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

A

New

Year

People’s National Congress

GUYANESE, Happy New Year! We extend best wishes to you and your families for your happiness, health and safety during the New Year, 2021 and for the rest of the decade.

We applaud the efforts of the nation’s doctors, nurses and all other healthcare workers who have been on the frontlines of the public health workforce in our national effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. They continue to serve diligently, dutifully and with dedication, even in the face of personal privation and peril.

The Coalition administration is proud of its achievements during its tenure of office from 2015 to 2020.

The APNU+AFC Coalition will continue the work that it started in 2015 to ensure a good life for all Guyanese.

Message Indian Action Committee (IAC)

The People’s Progressive Party

THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) extends best wishes for a peaceful, prosperous and productive 2021 to all our Guyanese brothers and sisters at home and in the Diaspora.

The past year, with its challenges, has tested our resilience as a people. From the struggle to maintain our standing as a democratic nation – resisting attempts by the former APNU+AFC coalition government to thwart the will of our people expressed at the March 2, 2020 polls – to the disruption of lives caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Guyanese have persevered.

The difficulties caused by the ‘new normal’, introduced by the global pandemic, saw creativity in the response from Guyanese.

The previous administration’s attempts to steal the March 2, 2020 elections resonated globally, and tarnished the image of our beloved country. The unnecessary five-month delay in declaring the final results of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections plunged our nation and its people into the depths of uncertainty and hardships. However, in the end, Guyanese, with invaluable assistance from the international community, stood determined and firm in defence of their democratic rights. As a people, our collective resolve has been fortified, and the fact that we are stronger together has been reaffirmed. The People’s Progressive Party recommits to continue working for all Guyanese by advancing measures to ensure the implementation of our Manifesto promises, many of which have already been delivered in five short months since August 2. We recommit to our promises for reduced cost of living and better quality of life; safeguarding the rights of Amerindians; better education; more jobs; safer communities and less crime; support for our productive sector; support for vulnerable groups; cheaper and more reliable electricity; an infrastructure boom that will see us building for the future; enhanced health care services for our people; affordable housing and improved access to enhanced quality of water; workers’ welfare; and management of our oil-and-gas resources for the benefit of all our people.

Looking ahead, the PPP remains confident in the steadfastness, strength, and will of all Guyanese to respond to whatever challenges may arise. Let us build upon this together, as our nation is on the cusp of transformational development for the benefit of all. Let us, as a nation, recommit to working resolutely together in 2021, so that the potential of our country and people can truly be unlocked.

Further, as we engage in personal introspection at the dawn of a new year, in an effort to assess strengths and weaknesses and secure guidance for success, our party is confident about realising a prosperous future. Let us also remember those we have lost to COVID-19, as well as our health workers who are on the frontline of our response to this pandemic, and endeavour to be responsible in our actions. As 2020 leaves us, let us, in the new year, work assiduously to strengthen bonds of togetherness, to aid in the realisation of the fundamental values espoused in our national motto, and to engage in a renewal of ideas for the attainment of success for our beloved country, and all of its people. Once again, best wishes for a joyous New Year! People’s Progressive Party, December 31, 2020.

THE Indian Action Committee (IAC) wishes all Guyanese a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

The IAC, in light of the most difficult and mentally strenuous year of 2020 that has just been completed, given the unwelcome presence of COVID-19 throughout the entire period, and the highly destabilising and distasteful events that preceded, accompanied and post-dated the 2020 General and Regional Elections, recognises the stressful time suffered by all the citizens of Guyana who had wishes for a better year.

The IAC also recognises the havoc and destruction wreaked by COVID-19 on all the nations of the world, especially those in the Americas and the Caribbean, which lost many of their citizens, and which saw their economies severely curtailed.

The IAC, while wishing for a better year in 2021, wishes to remind Guyanese that COVID-19 has mutated, and the citizens need to practise extreme caution, and maintain all safety protocols with great discipline, even when vaccines arrive in the country.

The IAC calls upon the Government of Guyana to rapidly resuscitate the economy, and continue to encourage investments so that the citizens, especially those of the poor and underprivileged class as well as those who became unemployed as a result of COVID-19, can experience better living conditions.

The IAC looks forward to a number of important pieces of legislation being passed in 2021, especially those regarding the oil- and-gas industry and the environment.

The IAC, in 2021, wishes to see greatly improved sea defences along the most vulnerable areas of the coastline of Guyana that are under constant threat by the rising Atlantic Ocean; enforcement of the Traffic Laws by the Guyana Police Force to ensure safer road use and reduction of vehicular accidents and road fatalities; immediate reform of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, which continues to suffer from numerous complaints, especially by small miners who are allegedly being constantly victimised; to witness the allocations of commercial space for small vendors; to view drastic reductions in incidents of spousal abuse, substance abuse, and suicide; to establish refugee housing with sanitation for the continued influx of Venezuelans; to take a strong stance against continued and continuous human trafficking along the borders; to have increased youth employment both on the coast and the hinterland; and to see improved living conditions for the less fortunate elderly citizens.

The IAC will continue to pursue vigorously its three foci: Cultural, educational and social work.

The IAC encourages all citizens and leaders to make 2021 a peaceful and progressive year, in which the economy experiences growth and development.

Guyana Public Service Union, President Partick Yarde GUYANA and the rest of the world embrace the New Year 2021. Before outlining/defining our mission, permit me first of all to thank all members of our union for their invaluable contributions to the effectiveness of our organisation and its ability to overcome, prevail and withstand the onslaught and obstacles that arise.

In this New Year, all Guyanese would be challenged with desires and aspirations for advancement of the quality of life.

Before embarking on our future visions and intentions,

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I would like to reflect on past experiences since I assumed the presidency of the Guyana Public Service Union.

Over the past year, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) took pride in encouraging and motivating its members towards the delivery of quality public service, effectiveness in advancing developments, nation building in a way that earns the respect of users of public services, and to garner support and contribution for the modernisation of the Public Service, as a basis for optimising its efficiency.

There must be genuine care for each other, giving true meaning to our national motto of “One People One Nation One Destiny”.

To all members, I would like to say thanks for your support during 2020, and would welcome your involvement in 2021, in the interest of all Guyanese, and for the prosperity of our beloved country, Guyana.

A Happy New Year to you, and best wishes for the health and safety of your families or loved ones.

May God continue to bless us all, and keep us safe.

January 1, 2021.

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill

THE Ministry of Public Works extends best wishes to all Guyanese at home and in the diaspora for a prosperous 2021.

We take this time to express deep appreciation to all our developmental partners. To the directors, management and staff of all the agencies that fall under the purview of the Ministry of Public Works, namely the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA); Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA); Maritime Administration Department (MARAD); Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD); Canawaima Ferry Service; Demerara Harbour Bridge; Guyana National Shipping Corporation; Aerodromes; and Government Electrical Inspectorate (GEI) We sincerely thank you for the hard work and late nights you have dedicated. To all our hardworking engineers and technical staff at the Work Services Group, and the Sea and River Defence Department, and the Sea and River Defence Board, we wish you God’s richest blessings for a more productive year ahead.

To all the agencies, which collaborated with us from the Government, the private sector and the international community, we thank you for your support, and look forward to working with you in the new year, as we continue to modernise and transform Guyana’s infrastructure.

Georgetown Mayor, Pandit Ubraj Narine IT is a privilege to be in the land of the living to usher in the New Year 2021, after reflecting on what a year 2020 has been.

The year 2020 was a year of struggles, testing, trauma, loss, anxiety, fears etc. for the Georgetown Municipality, but nevertheless, it became a year of rest, learning, family, self-preservation, selflessness, care and love.

To be able to survive through a pandemic is truly a blessing, and we must be thankful for this day, we did it! We made it through 2020, one of the most challenging years of our lives.

Personally, this was a year of growth, enlightenment, family, and rebuilding the City of Georgetown. As Mayor, 2021 will be a year of improvement and practising what we’ve learnt in 2020.

My vision is to have the City of Georgetown emerge once again to its status as the “Garden City”, and I will be working diligently to make this a reality, with the “Clean up, Green Up” campaign. I have hopes of undergoing many projects that can provide jobs, avenues for businesses, proper facilities, better healthcare and better markets in this city.

As the Chief Citizen of the City of Georgetown, my duty is to serve, protect and honour all its Citizens. I look forward to having my vision and plans of this great City executed in 2021 and beyond.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

The Ramotar family with four of their five children

What’s left of the house in which the Tain family lived following the Old Year’s Day fire

Fire on Old Year’s Day leaves seven homeless

A FIRE of unknown origin completely destroyed the home of a Tain, East Berbice, Corentyne family on Thursday. The fire started around 15:15 hrs in a bedroom on the upper flat of the Lot 60 Fifth Street, Tain Settlement building.

In the aftermath of the blaze, seven persons were

left homeless, including five children. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, one of the occupants of the house, Jagdeo Ramotar, 36, said he was at work when he was alerted about the fire.

He quickly headed for home, and when he arrived, he was greeted by a ball of flame that engulfed the upper

flat of the two-storey wooden and concrete structure.

Ramotar and his wife, Amanda, along with their five children, aged one, four, six, 10 and 12, occupied the rented property.

In tears, he said his family was unable to save anything from the blaze.

“I was at work, and I

Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan Snr.

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020 has been a year to forget, but one that we will always remember.

Our peoples and economy were disjointed; mentally and physically beaten and broken by the “humanopolitico” virus that was selfishly unleashed by those seeking aggrandizement and personal gratification post the March 2020 elections. And, to add salt to our wounds, the prevalent COVID-19 pandemic, which brought death, lockdowns, economic instabilities, and anxiety made it even more challenging.

As the New Year dawns upon us, under our new leadership, Guyana is prepared for a new beginning. With renewed hopes for happiness and prosperity, we prepare to bid adieu to 2020, and ring in the New Year.

In this respect, we, the Guyana Islamic Forum for Education, Peace and Religious Solidarity, the Electric Mosque’s Presentation of the Teachings of Islam, in association with the Universal Peace Federation – Guyana, take this opportunity to extend a Happy New Year to His Excellency the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and family, distinguished members of the Government, the Opposition, and all our Divine brothers and sisters in Guyana.

We take this opportunity to remind our fellow citizens that there are silver linings. Silver linings – as in 'new learnings' from a challenging year – that could be golden opportunities as we enter 2021.

We hope that, with sound management and administration, our resources can be handled sustainably, thereby creating a multitude of opportunities for improving the lives of our people and modernizing our nation like that of a first-world country.

Further, we take this opportunity to call for the following: A plan, according to which, in five years or so, a national annual stipend is given to all Guyanese from our oil funds; free university education for all Guyanese; and subsidised tuition for private schools.

While we all know that 2020 has been difficult, we must recognise that it has taught us that if we remain resilient, our well-being will improve. The pandemic has taught us that we are all in this together.

It taught us to embrace, and then to adapt.

In this regard, we urge all to continue living as one human family under God, or as "One People, One Nation, with One Destiny."

Happy New Year. Here’s to better, happier, safer, and healthier days ahead.

hear fire; and when I left to come home, the place already burnt. I am very saddened; I gotta try make up another move,” he said.

Meanwhile, Amanda, 33, a housewife, said she was downstairs with the children when she began smelling smoke, and upon investigation, she noticed the front

bedroom was engulfed in flames and thick smoke.

She quickly collected the children and ran to safety.

Amanda was planning to usher in the New Year by going to church in the evening, and then quietly spend the New Year with her family.

However, with no place to call home, she is uncertain

what will be the next move.

A number of neighbours, who formed a bucket brigade until firefighters arrived at the scene, were unable to control the fire. The family estimated their losses at $1M. Persons desirous of assisting the family can contact them on cellphone number: 665-2748.

Processing of one-off $25,000 grant for public sector employees commences SENIOR MINISTER in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, has instructed his staffers to commence processing of the one-off grant of $25,000 for all public sector employees announced by President, Dr Irfaan Ali on Thursday.

“Following His Excellency’s announcement this afternoon, I have already issued instructions within the Ministry of Finance for steps to be taken immediately to process this grant and my staff within the Ministry have already started that work. Our intention is to ensure that public sector employees receive this grant immediately, so work is ongoing as we speak to ensure that processing is done as swiftly as possible,” the Senior Finance Minister assured.

The minister added that the one-off payment is to be made to all public servants, teachers, members of the Disciplined Services, employees

of statutory bodies, subvention agencies and employees of public corporations such as the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). Additionally, public service and Disciplined Services pensioners will also receive the one-off grant.

“This one-off grant will see in excess of $2B being paid to more than 60,000 public sector employees. This grant is being paid by Government in recognition of the hardships that have been faced and the very challenging circumstances that have faced the employees of the public sector and their families,” Minister Singh reiterated.

The Senior Finance Minister noted that the one-off grant not only forms part of Government’s many other initiatives designed to bring relief to frontline workers and to households across Guyana, but is also a mechanism to stimulate economic activity in the country as it will allow for $2B to be placed in the hands of employees in the public

sector, who will in turn consume or spend the disposable income in markets, shops, or other businesses within the country.

Alluding to other initiatives recently implemented by Government and still ongoing, Minister Singh reminded that the one-off grant is to be viewed alongside and in addition to other recent initiatives such as the 2-week tax free bonus announced earlier this month for members of the Disciplined Services as well as essential Health care workers and the Covid-19 emergency $25,000 payment currently being made to heads of households countrywide.

“Put together, the Covid Relief Programme…. the bonus paid to the Disciplined Services and frontline health sector workers and the one-off grant announced today….the sum total of those is more than $10 Billion put in the hands of the people of Guyana,” the minister concluded.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

Promotion of senior police officers halted

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall

CHIEF JUSTICE (ag), Roxane George, on Thursday, granted a temporary order which will halt the Police Service Commission (PSC) from making its annual promotion of senior police officers for 2020.

The order granted will see that the status quo in the Guyana Police Force remains as it is until the matter comes up again on January 12, 2021.

Senior Superintendent of Police Calvin Brutus through his attorney Pratesh Satram had moved to the High Court against the PSC, which he claimed bypassed him for a promotion due to an ongoing investigation. Brutus believes the action by the commission was irrational, unreasonable, arbitrary, and unlawful.

During Thursday hearing, Attorney-General, Senior Counsel, Anil Nandlall, who is representing the PSC, said that he did not receive proper instructions from the PSC or the Police Commissioner, Nigel Hoppie.

Nandlall, however, suggested that the matter be put off and for the PSC “hold its hands” on the promotions.

“These are not matters that, I believe, should be contested.

I don’t believe that it helps the Police Force which is so important to the administration of justice to have these matters ventilated publicly and it must have reached this stage as a result of a real serious breakdown between the institutions,” Nandlall said in court as he is hopeful that the issues be resolved outside of court.

“I do appreciate what the Attorney-General has said that one does not want to have discord in such an important institution as the Guyana Police Force,” the CJ said to the court in agreement with Nandlall.

She then granted the temporary order and adjourned the

Deputy Superintendent, Ravindra Stanley

case until January 12, 2021 at 10:00hrs.

Brutus is asking the court to grant a declaration that the policy of the PSC not to promote or consider for promotion officers with pending disciplinary matters before it is unlawful.

He is also contesting for another declaration that he is entitled to be promoted to the office of Assistant Commissioner of Police.

Brutus is also seeking an order of Certiorari quashing, nullifying and/or cancelling the decision of the PSC denying him the appointment to the office of Assistant Commissioner of Police.

He is also praying for order of Certiorari quashing, nullifying and/or cancelling the decision of the Police Service Commission to promote Edmond Cooper, Philip Azore and Kurleigh Simon, Senior Superintendents of Police to the office of Assistant Commissioner of Police.

Lastly, he is also asking the court to grant an order of Mandamus compelling the commission to reconsider its decision not to promote him in accordance with law and in accordance with his legitimate expectation.

The five officers Calvin Brutus, Wendell Blanhum, Ravindranauth Budhram, Errol Watts and Fazil Karim Baksh were recommended for promotion by the Commissioner of Police.

However, the PSC had taken a decision to promote six persons to the office of Assistant Commissioner of Police namely: Blanhum, Budhram, Watts, Edmond Cooper, Philip Azore and Kurleigh Simon.

“It has been the practice of the commission not to promote police officers with pending disciplinary complaints regardless of the nature or seriousness of such complaints. Trivial and

unsubstantiated complaints have been accorded the same weight as grave or serious allegations of indiscipline in denying promotion to those against whom disciplinary complaints have been lodged with the commission,” the court document read.

Brutus was appointed to the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police in 2015. In October 2019, it was alleged by the Deputy Commissioner – Administration that Brutus committed a breach of discipline.

The commission appointed Assistant Commissioner, Royston Andires-Junor to investigate the allegation.

A breach of discipline notice was not served upon Brutus until October 2020. The investigation has not progressed beyond the issuance of the breach of discipline notice. In keeping with its practice, the commission purportedly refused and/or failed to consider and/or denied Brutus for promotion to the office of Assistant Commissioner of Police relying on the said allegation of indiscipline.

“The allegation is frivolous. The applicant knows of no other reason why he was denied the promotion he was recommended for,” the document stated.

According to the court document, Senior Superintendent Edmond Cooper, Phillip Azore and Kurleigh Simon, who are being promoted to the office of Assistant Commissioner of Police outside of the recommendation of the Commissioner of Police, are under investigation for disciplinary and/or criminal offences allegedly committed by them. The said officers were promoted to the rank of Senior Superintendent in the years 2016, 2017 and 2017 respectively and were therefore junior to Brutus.

In a similar charge, Deputy Superintendent Ravindra

Senior Superintendent of Police, Calvin Brutus

Stanley has commenced legal proceedings at the High Court against the PSC seeking the same relief as Brutus’ case.

He is a Deputy Superintendent of Police and is presently performing the duties of an Officer-In-Charge of one of the investigative units at the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) located at Camp

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George

Street, Georgetown. Stanley was last promoted on January 1, 2016.

Stanley is contending that the PSC on December 24 denied his appointment and promotion to the office of Superintendent of Police as recommended by the Senior Promotion Board of the Guyana Police Force and commu-

nicated to the Police Service Commission through the office of the Commissioner of Police.

However, the PSC bypassed Stanley and promoted Deputy Superintendent, Timothy Williams and Colin Henry to the office of Superintendent of Police instead.

Firecrackers hurt animals

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

–– animal activist calls for caution during holiday festivities

By Naomi Parris TO most people, the Christmas season and celebrating the New Year is a time of joy and merriment. However, to animal lovers nationwide, it's a

time of uncertainty and concern.

It is customary for many to usher in the New Year with a ‘bang’ with the use of firecrackers, squibs and bright fireworks. While these are fun for many

adults and children, it is not the same for animals.

Donna Lam, an animal activist and founder of the Rosewood Foundation, in an exclusive interview with this publication, said that during the season of such

festivities animal lovers like herself dread not knowing how their pets will react to the sounds fireworks “Fireworks and other explosive materials produce sparks, flames, and fumes, causing harm to animals.

Founder of the Rose Wood Foundation and animal activist, Donna Lam

The hearing of many animals is much more sensitive than it is in humans, so the explosions of fireworks are not only more disturbing to them, but can damage their hearing more severely.”

She explained that the ‘booming’ loud sounds caused by fireworks and firecrackers can lead to loss of hearing and tinnitus.

Dogs, she added are known to suffer irreversible hearing loss if caught in close proximity to exploding fireworks. The loud sound of firecrackers is enough to give repeated nervous breakdowns to dogs and cats.

Other reactions are freezing or paralysis, uncontrolled attempts to escape and hide, and tremors.

More intense signs may also be present, such as salivation, tachycardia, intense vocalisations, urination or defecation, increased activity, hyper alertness and gastrointestinal disorders.

All these signs are indicative of great discomfort. It has been pointed out that the reaction of dogs to the sound of fireworks is similar

to post-traumatic stress in humans. It is unlikely that a dog will die from the stress of fireworks, but it could trigger an existing health issue that could be fatal.

Lam explained that during this season the worst affected animals are the strays, mostly dogs as well as cats that normally prowl the streets.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

GTT selected as telecommunications provider to Maraiko Bay Megaproject

THE Guyana Telephone and Telecommunications Company (GTT) has been selected as the preferred telecoms provider to the billion dollar real estate, megaproject being built in Maraiko Bay, Mahaica.

According to a release, CIMGRO Construction & Investment Group Inc., the company that is spearheading the project, made the announcement on Thursday following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two entities.

The MoU is based on GTT’s provision of ‘complete telecommunication services’, inclusive of Blaze high speed fiber Internet, Biz fiber shared bandwidth service, Dedicated Internet Access, Postpaid Mobile, PBX and full Cloud management as would be needed by the CIMGRO team and the future residents and occupants.

“GTT looks forward to supporting the continued growth of Guyana – and in this case, the CIMGRO team and those who would reside and establish businesses in Mahaica, as a result of this massively ambitious and eagerly anticipated project,” said Eshwar Thakurdin, GTT’s VP of Sales.

Thakurdin elaborated that the MoU also provides for

GTT to be the recommended provider of choice for services to the single-family homes, multi-family townhouses and condominiums, hotels, medical centre and hospital, shopping mall and business centre, commercial areas, restaurants, supermarkets, recreation and sports centre and other facilities earmarked for construction.

Maraiko Bay prides itself on being the gold standard for communities in the entire region and will possibly be the only one of its kind with just 34 per cent of the entire project allocated for housing with the rest dedicated to amenities and green areas.

"We thought of everything, places of worship, security and fire stations, school, hospital, recreation and of course amazing shopping!" said Chief Operations Officer (COO), Rudy Ramalingum. The COO shared that over the Christmas holidays, CIMGRO launched its unique showroom in the Giftland Mall and attracted hundreds of interested buyers, all anxious to cash in on the pre-construction pricing and promotions being offered by the developer in Maraiko Bay, Guyana's first true community that is living up to its motto of ‘Live, Work and Play’ by providing residents with evFROM PAGE

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Firecrackers hurt ...

“There are also some very cruel people who find it amusing to tie firecrackers to stray dogs and set them off causing burn wounds on the dogs to practically scare them to death. We see incidents of such cruelty every year.”

Wild animals are also severely affected, and according to Lam, birds abandon their nests and young chicks during the confusion, resulting in starvation and eventual death of the hatchlings.

“They also fly into buildings because of disorientation, resulting in death. The noise of firecrackers can cause bird’s tachycardia and even death by fright. Birds who flee from their nests due to these frightening sounds do not know how to return to their nests once the noise ends, which leaves many of their young helpless.”

She explained that firework explosions do not last long enough for animals to become accustomed to the sound. The ears of most animals are considerably more

sensitive than the human ear, so the explosions are even more disturbing to them.

The activist further explained that fireworks normally contain harmful chemicals and metals to produce a variety of bold colours.

“These chemicals and metals are making their way into our rivers. In addition to being poisonous to animals, their explosion releases harmful particles that are toxic for animals to inhale. It can worsen existing respiratory conditions and cause a variety of others. The proximity of the animals to the areas where the firecrackers are lit often causes burns and damage to the eyes. Birds and fishes have been known to ingest harmful material assuming its food.”

She added, “Fireworks are dangerous to all animals. Dangerous to animals who are in close proximity to where they explode and animals further away, who ingest or inhale the particles carried by the wind.”

ery conceivable amenity at their fingertips.

“The reaction of visitors to the showroom ranged from amazed to a sense of pride that a Guyanese company would be the first to provide the standards and quality of a world-class community sought after by expats and reimmigrants, while still being affordable enough for local

residents,” said Ramalingum.

Ramalingum underscored that with the announcements of potential construction of hotels in the past few weeks, only Maraiko Bay Golf Resort offers the amenities such as world-class championship golf course, marina, fabulous beach and eco-tourism that will boost tourism and money spent in the country.

Guyana's President, Dr. Irfaan Ali re-emphasised the message that now is the perfect time for prospective residents and investors to grab a piece of the incredible development opportunities that the Mahaica corridor offers when he spoke to the diaspora in Canada, saying that they should come home and not just

send money. Additional MoU announcements with other major companies in the region are expected as the megaproject moves forward at a pace yet to be seen in recent years as the rush to fill the housing and services needs in Guyana increases.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

Wins for the tourism industry –– despite the COVID-19 pandemic

AS unprecedented as the COVID-19 pandemic has been, it has made one thing abundantly clear the demand for travel and tourism will continue to grow until it can be met, and destination health and sanitation will become the new norm and standard by which travel decisions are made.

As a result of this growing demand, and maintaining Guyana’s position as a top sustainable tourism destination, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has implemented a continuous coordinated approach in light of the COVID-19 pandemic that has since effectively supported and increased the resiliency of the tourism sector throughout 2020.

As such, here are some of the most significant achievements of the GTA. LICENCING AND INSPECTIONS The GTA has recognised the increased level of commitment by many businesses which have since taken advantage of the waiver of licensing and training fees during this period. It is unquestionable that increased support is needed as Guyana’s tourism sector safely reopens to travellers in 2021.

As such, the GTA Board has approved the extension of the waiver policy until March 31, 2021. As a reminder, the policy changes are: Waiver of all GTA Application and Licensing Fees for tourism businesses (Tourism Accommodation Establishments {Hotels, Inns, Apartments and Guesthouses}, Interior Lodges and Resorts, Tour Operators and DMCs) and Tourist Guides until March 31, 2021; waiver of registration fees for GTA-led training programmes until March 31, 2021; and 50 per cent subsidised training fee for First Aid Training led by recognised training institutions until March 31, 2021.

As a result of these reductions in fees in 2020, there was a marked increase in tourism businesses seeking to become officially licenced.

To date, 25 tourism businesses and 12 tourist guides have been officially

licenced with the GTA making it the highest compliance rate for a calendar year. An additional 186 tourism businesses and 98 tourist guides are actively in the licensing process. The inspection efforts provided by the GTA supported the tourism businesses with their preparation for safe reopening through the twostep process which entails submission of the business’ written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to the GTA for a desk review and on-site inspection of businesses to verify the implementation of the SOPs and conditional approval by the GTA. These on-site inspections are conducted by the GTA team with a representative from the Ministry of Health. Given the authority’s current role and procedure, a separate inspection by the Ministry of Health is not required for reopening of tourism businesses. Since

the implementation of this two-step conditional approval process, 11 tourism establishments have been granted their official letters of conditional approval for reopening. It is noteworthy to mention that the conditional approval process and the subsequent listing of tourism as an essential service would not have been possible without the partnership with the National COVID-19 Taskforce.

HEALTH, HYGIENE AND SANITATION RESOURCES AND TRAINING Recognising the challenges that communities and businesses are facing in applying the GTA recommended protocols at a business level to reopen and knowing they are all eager to reopen after being shut down for more than eight months, the GTA has ramped up its efforts to support all tourism businesses

by providing training and technical support. This is evident in the heightened awareness and training programmes which led to 275 persons being trained in hygiene and sanitation guided by the GTA’s official Hygiene & Sanitation Protocol and a total of 726 persons trained in total for the year 2020 in delivering quality service, taxi driver, first aid, social media marketing and city tour guide training.

These sessions have been well received by our sector and have been implemented in their daily operations, some of which have enabled businesses to be granted their official conditional approval letters for reopening by the GTA. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT In the months of July and August, the GTA was able to provide COVID-19 Support Packages to indigenous communities tied to

the tourism value chain.

The support packages were delivered with a training session done by the GTA, Ministry of Health representatives and Ecolab. This was delivered in two phases. The communities which benefitted from this package in the first phase were part of the Rupununi Tourism Circuit and included market ready, visitor ready and start-up communities.

Phase Two saw support packages and training being provided to communities within the other tourism circuits. The GTA has also been working assiduously with various indigenous communities to explore their potential to develop and diversify experiential tourism experiences. Of these communities, the villages of Moraikobai and Wakapau are now both visitor-ready.

The villages’ individual tourism committees have been working with guidance from the GTA to ensure that

their one-day and overnight tour packages are ready to start welcoming travellers as soon as it is safe to do so.

More importantly, they have also undergone rigorous training in hygiene and sanitation protocols, guided by the GTA’s official Hygiene and Sanitation Protocol to ensure they are ultimately safe for all travellers. In addition, the GTA, in collaboration with the Singing Chef Productions, also launched a Seven Curry Tour based in the capital city, Georgetown. This unique experience takes the traditional art of seven-curry making and moulding it into a new culinary experience from picking a purine leaf to cooking your curry which will surely captivate travellers. Other culinary experiences are under development and will be in the tourism marketplace in 2021.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

3,600 house lots allocated for 2020

–– surpasses target by 600

By Richard Bhainie SINCE its assumption of office on August 2, 2020, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has distributed some 3,600 house lots to applicants across Guyana; more than half of the amount that was distributed by the A Partnership for National Unity Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition during their fiveyear tenure.

This was disclosed by Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues during an interview with a section of the media, while outlining the success of the “Dreams Realised Land Allocation Initiative”.

During a press conference in October 2020, former Minister within the then Ministry of Communities, Annette Ferguson had explained that between June 2015 to May 2020, the APNU+AFC government had distributed some 7,089 house lots; more than half of which was distributed by the PPP/C government in their first four months in office.

Minister Rodrigues explained that when the PPP/C government took office in August 2020, there was a backlog of some 70,000 active applicants awaiting the

allocation of a house lot.

In their 2020 Elections Manifesto, the PPP/C committed to distributing some 50,000 house lots within their first five years in office, disaggregating this into 10,000 house lots per year.

“I am happy to report we achieved 3,600 allocations; we had set a target actually of 3,000 for our first four months for 2020, so that we can do 7,000 next year, so that we can meet our 10,000 target. So, I am very pleased to report that we have surpassed that target by allocating 3,600 for 2020,” the minister said.

She explained that the allocations were made in new housing schemes, with there being between 22 to 25 new housing schemes across the regions.

Rodrigues explained that the government is committed to keeping their Manifesto promise, with the ministry categorising applicants, and giving priority to persons who have been waiting for a long time, in an attempt to clear the backlog.

“In Region Four, we were able to get rid of all of the backlog from the 1990s… In Region Three, it was up to 2010, I believe,” Minister Rodrigues said.

She credits the staff at the ministry for their role in making the initiative a

success, highlighting that the ministry could not have achieved the feat without the staff’s commitment.

ENCOURAGING HOMEOWNERSHIP Rodrigues explained that in their drive to encourage homeownership and 100 per cent occupancy rate of new housing schemes, the government will be implementing a gamut of plans.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that housing schemes are equipped with the necessary infrastructure… But not only infrastructure; we want to ensure that communities are sustainable, meaning that we want to ensure that there are ‘green’ spaces; there’s playgrounds, recreational activities, commercial activities, industrial activities,” the minister said.

She added: “All of these help to make a community wholesome; all of these help to make communities sustainable. And so, there’s a lot of planning that goes into these housing schemes.”

The government has also taken steps to promote and facilitate homeownership.

“We have met with several of the banks already; we have met with the bankers association to try to negotiate better interest rates, and a mechanism in which we

Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues

can send a list to the bank or banks for those who have received their allocation, and then have the banks pre-qualify them,” the minister said.

HINTERLAND HOUSING PROGRAMME During the interview, Minister Rodrigues explained that the Hinterland Housing Programme will be re-introduced in 2021,

with the aim of building 500 homes in the hinterland regions.

“We are currently in negotiation with an international bank to seek and to secure funding for this programme; we’re aiming to build about 500 hinterland houses across Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine,” she said, adding: “We are even going to include certain other communities that are not considered

Wins for the tourism...

COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS The GTA has been managing the Guyana Travel Advisory on www.guyanatourism.com, the Guyana Page on the LATA COVID-19 Restart and Recovery Hub and the GTA Facebook page (@GuyanaTourismAuthority) as the three main sources of updates. To further expand its reach, they have also released more email blasts to the sector as newsworthy updates become available.

A GTA WhatsApp group to share all relevant updates on COVID-19 to expand its communication reach to the sector was also created and is monitored every day.

Additionally, the Travel Industry and Development Division (TIDD) Team partnered with Ovid Williams, who translated simple COVID-19 Advisories into the Makushi and Wapishana languages. These translated advisories have been broadcasted on Radio Aishalton 95.1 FM, Radio Lethem 95.1 FM and Radio Paiwomak 97.1 FM. Further, realtime updates on COVID-19 in the respective communities in Region 9 were done through Radio Paiwomak. Live chat sessions were executed with a GTA representative who sought to reinforce the COVID-19 advisories and new, relevant information that has been released since

those broadcasts.

CONTINUOUS INTERNATIONAL FEATURES Even in the midst of this period of constant change, Guyana still gained significant international recognition that it deserves and remains top in mind of travellers and the wider world. Together with our Market Representatives, Guyana was able to secure US$16m in PR media value! Conde Nast Traveler published an article titled 50 States, 50 Cuisines: The Food Worth Traveling For in Every State which they dubbed the Ultimate food-inspired road trip. Guyanese cuisine is listed as the type of food worth travelling to the state of New York for. Sybil’s Bakery, Hibiscus Restaurant and Bar

and German’s Restaurant were all top features and they are all authentically Guyanese.

On the other side of the spectrum, Guyana was also featured in Outside Online as the Land that Time Forgot under 27 Epic Trips to Start Planning Now. During this period of time, tour operators and travellers were also actively seeking inspirational content and stories which the GTA continued to deliver through the establishment of the Online Travel Training (OTT) platform, monthly webinars and newsletters, and Discover Guyana social media channels.

Through Marketing Representation Firms, an Online Travel Training course was developed for international tour operators and travel

agents to learn more about the destination as they plan for the future of their travel company to get more acquainted with Guyana. From the United Kingdom alone, 138 operators and agents began this programme since its launch in September.

The Discover Guyana Facebook and Instagram pages have also seen tremendous growth this year with a 45 per cent and 72 per cent growth respectively, and maintaining a steady engagement rate with the travellers. Naturally, Guyana’s tourism product is uniquely positioned to be one of the safest destinations given travellers’ concerns. The GTA, however, will continue to monitor and stay up to date with the global solutions and advisories on the COVID-19 pandemic and adjust all inter-

hinterland communities, but are Amerindian communities nonetheless, such as Moraikobai, and therefore they are entitled to such benefits.

“This will help to stimulate the economies within these communities, and help to create jobs, as the materials and labour will come from within the villages.”

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nal plans that may be affected accordingly.

The sector’s commitment to the development of sustainable tourism is a story that touches many and one they want to experience. Their perseverance throughout this period should serve as a reminder that as long as we continue working together, we will rebuild and reopen stronger and safer than ever before. So, as we step into 2021, we would like to once again thank our tourism partners for quite an extraordinary year and into what promises to be a better one than the last. Do enjoy this holiday weekend with your close families and the Guyanese tradition of a plate of cook-up rice as you ring in the New Year.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

New Year, same precautionary measures for COVID-19 –– curfew, closure of bars and entertainment spots remain in effect

By Vishani Ragobeer IT is the New Year, but the novel coronavirus remains a major problem that still requires all hands on deck, and as such, there will be no relaxation of the 10:30pm to 4am curfew, nor will bars and entertainment spots be allowed to open yet, according to the updated COVID-19 measures.

According to paragraph (4) of the newly gazetted measures, which are in effect from January 1, 2021 until January 31, 2021, the curfew remains, throughout Guyana, between 22:30h (10:30PM) and 04:00h (4AM).

In addition to the curfew, recreational activities are still not allowed on any river, creek, beach, swimming pool and internal waters. But, religious services and gatherings are permitted, once these do not exceed 10 persons; sporting events are permitted, once approval is given and precautionary measures are ensured, and gyms and fitness centres may be opened at 50 per cent capacity.

Paragraph (2) Section (1) of the emergency measures

also state that bars and rum shops are to remain closed.

No person is allowed to host, attend or visit a cinema, except for a drive-in cinema; a private party; a banquet, hall or receptions; a public or hotel swimming pool or waterpark; a wake or vigil; a club or discotheque; a meeting of a fraternal society, private or social club or civic association or organisation; or any other social activity.

This measure has been in place for a number of months, as measures were employed to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony told the Guyana Chronicle that bars should not be operational, because one would have to remove one’s mask in order to drink, and most bars are based indoors, where the potential for spread is much greater.

Bars and other entertainment spots, however, have been operating despite these measures. Dozens of bars have been warned by the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF), but aside from being given warning letters, no sterner action has been taken.

“What we have to do is to be more stringent with our enforcement, and we have spoken to the Guyana Police Force about assisting us with heightened enforcement,” Dr. Anthony said recently.

While he acknowledged that these restrictions may be

hurting businesses, he emphasised that the country is currently engulfed in a public health crisis. In December, he’d also said that after receiving two warning letters, the Task Force would shut down these bars.

Section (7) of this para-

graph states: “If any person, organiser or operator who is allowed to host an event or operate a business under this paragraph, fails to comply with this Notice or any guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health, the Minister of Health may close the

operation of that business or prohibit the event.”

The full updated COVID-19 gazetted measure can be found at: https://officialgazette.gov. gy/images/gazette2020/dec/ Extra_30DECEMBER2020CoVID19_13.pdf

Companies coming to Guyana should undergo due diligence –– expert advises

By Rehana Ahamad WITH the emergence of Guyana’s booming oil and gas industry, the country has become a major international attraction, with scores of outside investors tantalised and ready to capitalise on available opportunities.

Apart from a serious case of “bad-eye”, it is also possible for Guyana to be the victim of bad investments; or even worse, investments with ulterior motives. Christopher

Moyes, President of Moyes and Company, recently hosted a webinar which was facilitated by Oil Now Guyana.

Moyes, a negotiation expert, provided an overview of the oil and gas industry in Guyana and globally, with specific focus on licensing, bid rounds, and how Guyana compares to other countries.

Questioned by the local media, Moyes stressed the need for the Government to exercise due diligence when considering outside companies

Oil and Gas Expert, Christopher Moyes

coming into Guyana to invest.

“Negotiate,” he emphasised, adding: “You could pre-qualify companies like what Mexico did and what the US does. You (potential investors) have to disclose

your technical experience; your financial capacity. You sometimes have to advise and demonstrate that you have technical competence to operate.”

In citing the need for mod-

ified regulations, Moyes insisted that Guyana needs to be more prudent in protecting all of its extractive industries, including mining and fishing, among others.

“There are mechanisms to do it; the Government just needs to make up and implement the rules,” Moyes noted.

Guyana’s oil reserves are estimated to contain more than eight billion barrels, one of the world’s largest. The revenue expected from Guyana’s young oil-and-gas sector is estimated at $168 billion over the life of the project.

Moyes noted that with the money “flowing in Guyana

now”, Guyanese are set to be in the top 10 per cent of the world, in terms of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“Guy will have a lot more discoveries,” he opined.

Moyes is the past president and current member of the Association of Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN). He is also a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologist (AAPG); the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain (PESGB); and the South East Asia Petroleum Exploration Society (SEAPEX).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

Consul General Choo emphasises importance of united, strong Guyana

By Frederick Halley CONSUL General to Toronto, Canada, Anyin Choo, has emphasised the importance of a united and strong Guyana which she said cannot be understated.

In her message to mark the Guyana 50th the “Virtual Guyana Republic Jubilee and Cultural Presentation, hosted by the Guyana 50th Republic Anniversary Celebration Committee on Sunday night, the Consul General reminded that Guyana is a society made up of a kaleidoscope of diverse cultures and ethnicities.

“As a people, we all need to work with each other across our diversities to realise and maximise the full potential of our natural resources and opportunities for all Guyanese.”

Choo pointed out that it is imperative “that we aspire to work together not only for our immediate benefits, but more importantly for future generations to come”.

“All Guyanese, abroad and at home, regardless of race, religion, culture and political affiliations are tasked with the responsibility of guarding and developing our beautiful land of many waters, Guyana.

“It is said that choice and not chance determines our destiny. As a nation celebrating our 50th Golden Jubilee Republic Anniversary, let us reflect on, and recognise, the struggles for the independence and republican status for our nation by our founding fathers, who made the choice to fight in unity, putting aside their difference, for the future of our country, Guyana,” she said.

According to the Consul General, “going forward as a nation, we the people must continue to make that choice… united we stand, divided we fall. As a nation we must recognise that our strength lies in our unity, and unity across diversity will be

Consul General, Anyin Choo

our greatest challenge as a nation.”

She added: “I wish to urge all Guyanese, in the Diaspora

and at home, to let us embrace each other and work together to overcome the challenges that lie ahead. The destiny of Guyana lies in our own hands; and in doing so, let us stand and uphold our national motto: One People, One Nation, One Destiny.

“At a time when Guyana is poised to become one of the largest oil producing nations in this hemisphere and is on the verge of a massive economic transformation, it is an undeniable fact that we need to be united as a nation more than ever.”

The Consul General congratulated and thanked them for their valuable services and contributions to communities both in Canada and Guyana.

“You are a testimony of what is possible when people with big hearts and dedication come together to make a difference in the lives of Guyanese. May you all be an inspiration to all Guyanese to strive for excellence and to be

that role model to our future generations.”

Sunday night’s function was hosted by Joe Jaglall and Gillian Williams and was interspersed with cultural presentations from Unique Arts Entertainment, trumpeter Jan Morgan, Media Zhu, Mala Harripersad and National Dance Company, Guyana.

Accomplished jazz artiste, Faith Amour gave sterling renditions of the Guyana and Canada national anthems.

The Awards Committee comprised: John O’Dell (chair), Elizabeth Housein, Julia Daniels and Gale Arlene Lee. Among the several sponsors were Citrus Personnel, E-Magic, Dr Narendra Singh, Sandler Training, Pine Point Banquet Hall, Demerara Distillers Limited, One Care Medical Clinic, Victor’s Collection Agency, Mani Singh-Remax, Art Mortgage Camp and SmartWorx Capital Inc.

Lockdown lifted from Region Seven

By Vishani Ragobeer

The restrictions on non-essential travel in and out of Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) that were prompted by a spike in the number of cases of COVID-19 have been lifted, according to the newly-gazetted COVID-19 orders.

Paragraph seven of the previous COVID-19 measures, which lasted from December 1 until December 31, indicated that travel in and out of this region was only permitted where it is connected to an essential service. Local COVID-19 statistics, then, showed that the region had 471 positive cases, which is eight per cent of the total 5,406 cases recorded nationwide and the third highest of the 10 administrative regions.

On December 31, the last day of the travel restrictions for Region Seven, the region had a total of 537 positive cases out of the 6,332 cases nationwide. And the newly-gazetted orders, which take effect from today (January 1) until January 31, 2021, did not include a paragraph or section specific

Early morning activity on the Bartica Stelling

to Region Seven, as it did previously. This means that the situation in the region has been brought under control and the authorities are comfortable with lifting the previously

instituted restrictions.

In an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, related, “Bartica had a spike

(in the number of COVID-19 cases) and that has come down nicely…. We’re happy about that.”

The township of Bartica is the most populated area in

the region and the minister indicated that the Regional Task Force was monitoring the situation in that community.

The regional team would provide daily updates to the Na-

tional COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) for further analysis.

The minister, however, cautioned that persons remain vigilant in order to avoid another spike in cases. He reminded that the virus has an incubation period of up to 14 days and that means that if the spread of the virus intensified during the holiday season, a spike in the number of cases can be seen shortly.

Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall, told the Guyana Chronicle in December that the town council does not want to make the decision to entirely “shut down” the town, particularly at a time when Christians value engaging in their religious activities. And so, he said emphasis must be placed on encouraging persons to desist from harmful activities and act more responsibly.

He, however, lamented that many individuals were acting in contravention of the guidelines and were finding novel ways of engaging in restricted activities -- such as private, closed door parties.

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Let’s Talk Business With Rosh Khan GUYANA is on the verge of major economic transformation. Almost daily, there is an announcement for a new initiative or investment in Guyana. To meet those growing needs, businesses are forming, expanding, and building capabilities. It is, therefore, critical that our engine of growth, the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are aided in preparing for Guyana’s future.

This month’s column will focus on four simple but critical tips for Guyana’s small and medium-sized enterprises.

SOLVE A PROBLEM & FILL A NEED Businesses solve problems, period. To start a business merely for the sake of starting a business would be a mistake. Yes, entrepreneurs have taken this route and have been successful in the past, but this is more the exception than the rule. Take the time to think strategically about the ‘problems’ that exist now and the ‘problems’ that will exist in the future. In other words, think about the gaps in the market. Then, ask yourself: “How can I position my business accordingly to fill the need?”

With the looming oil & gas sector, many businesses are tempted to pivot entirely to this

sector. Do not be rash, pause and be strategic, review your strengths and weaknesses objectively, then review the entire supply chain to see where you may best provide your products and services, if it’s a good fit.

A word of caution: If you and all of your competitors are rushing to serve the oil & gas sector, ask yourself: Who’s serving the needs of all the other sectors?

DEVELOP YOUR COMPANY CULTURE A strong business is never a one-man or one-woman show. It requires a team. As Dr. Maxwell says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.”

So, developing a strong company culture, which is people-centric, goal-oriented and future-focussed starts with you, the leader.

To build company culture, ask yourself and your team questions such as: • Why does our company exist?

• Why do we do what we do?

• What does our company believe in?

• What are our values?

• Where do we want our company to go, i.e. what's our company's vision?

The more clarity you have, the more you can articulate that with your team. If you’ve never shared your vision with the team, per-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

haps it’s time to include your team in the process. When your team feels more connected to your company, they’ll hang in there when it gets tough. Engagement creates commitment.

IMPLEMENT THE RIGHT SYSTEMS Simply put, a system is a series of processes that dictate how one part of your company operates. Once implemented, a system requires little thought and minimal effort to maintain.

It doesn’t matter how little or how many team members you have. If you want to grow as a company, you need to have systems.

With effective business systems, it will enable you to produce the same products and services with the same level of consistency.

Think about good experiences you’ve had with fast food outlets.

The stronger the systems, the better the experience, speed and convenience.

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Rosh Khan

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New York-based Guyanese Girls Rock Foundation, Inc. will host the “Let Girls Rock” virtual Fundraising Concert on January 2 at 17:00hrs to launch and raise funds for the Young Women Leaders Fund-GY. The mission of this fund is to inspire leadership through mentorship and help to combat technology-related issues

affecting girls in Guyana.

The concert, which will be hosted by Award Winning Multimedia Journalist and Caribbean Correspondent, Melissa Noel, will feature an all-female lineup of Guyanese artists located across the globe, including Maiko Munroe – Canada; Olivia K – USA; Omaje – Guyana; McKenzie Diamond – USA;

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

Maritza Lord – USA; Timeka Marshall – Guyana; Rkhty – USA; Kira Divine – USA; Empress Petra – USA, and Shamain Greaves – USA. The event is being produced through GGRF’s partnership with the RDE Pros Production Company, the Word On The Street Show and Guyanese Girls Rock! Empowerment Blog.

The concert will be hosted via a virtual Facebook live stream.

The media representative of the group, Tracey Khan stressed on the importance and the purpose behind the fund. Tracey explained that; “The Young Women Leaders Fund-GY will be used to provide leadership development support for underprivileged high school girls and help to defray the cost of technology-related expenses for girls who are pursuing advanced studies by supplying them laptop computer, iPads, and access to internet connectivity”. “Guyanese Girls Rock Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that is dedicated empowering young women to create their own paths to success by encouraging excellence and cultivating an environment where girls feel encouraged and supported to contribute to their communities and the world,” said Cloyette Harris-Stoute. She is the founder and also currently the CEO of

Guyanese Girls Rock Foundation, Inc. The Guyanese Girls Rock Foundation was initially founded three years ago and from then to now, they have played a major role in transforming the lives of high school girls. Launched in October 2017, GGRF’s mission is to harness the power of leadership to ignite inspiration among high schoolgirls through its Young Women’s Leaders Academy (YWLA).

They do so with the help of the Guyanese community in New York through the Young Women’s Leadership Academy (YWLA) Mentoring and Scholarship Programmes.

To date, the organisation has awarded scholarships to six college-bound graduates of the programme. Based in Queens, New York; One can learn more about Guyanese Girls Rock Foundation, Inc. and the Young Women Leadership Academy (YWLA) by visiting their online website; www.guyanesegirlsrock.org

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

YOUTH development in any country is vital since youth are deemed the change-makers of tomorrow. Youth play one of the most important roles in the steadfast development of any country. They are not only tomorrow’s leaders but also the anchors of today.

provements through learning from each other and interactions with many of the nation’s young people can be attained.

“Through this programme’s facilitation and interaction with young people across Guyana, I expect there to be widespread awareness of the rights and

The Buzz caught up with a few of tomorrow’s leaders, who through their new show “Empower hour” have been sending shock waves throughout the local social media scene.

Shaqwuan Gill and Lydia Roberts, during an interview with this publication, expressed that “Empower Hour” serves as a platform for their voices to be heard, one where self-growth/im-

responsibilities of children, and that children will grow up with the knowledge and capacity to express themselves effectively. We will not tolerate being silenced any longer. Our thoughts, opinions, aspirations and expression matters. We are the future and it is our responsibility to ensure that we take charge of what belongs to us in whatever way we can,” Lydia articulated.

Gill further noted that the organisation in which they and the show represent is a trifold organisation that encompasses a leadership training company, a tour company, and a youth ambassadorship programme. Empower Guyana is dedicated to using its resources to provide awareness to human rights in all its forms but particularly child rights. It also provides the platform for young artists and other talented persons to showcase their talent through the multiple personal development workshops that are held all across to the country to every demographic.

“Our organisation’s target audience obviously consists

of children and youth. We are of the unwavering belief that there needs to be more awareness raised about the issues that our young people and children face on a daily basis. We intend to allow our multi-talented and extremely passionate set of youth ambassadors to engage and facilitate conversations that help our youth to blossom in ways that they haven’t begun to imagine,” he posited.

When asked about what sparked their interest in the aforementioned initiative, Shaqwuan responded, “Personally, my interest in youth empowerment and personal development started when the founder of the group Mr.

Panday gave me the opportunity and platform to reach out to less fortunate children and educate them about their respective rights and responsibilities. Growing up in a society where I was told to only ‘speak when spoken to’ and being disregarded in school by many teachers who opted to abuse their authority. I felt a burning desire to reverse the narrative and allow children, young men especially, to understand their right to free speech and expression, as long as it does not affect or harm others.”

In advising the next generation and future world shapers of tomorrow, Lydia expressed, “My advice to

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our youth is to be you. Being your authentic self in all situations and challenges Affects the decisions you make. Invest in yourself, your creativity and health in the process of finding yourself. Remaining true to you will impact how you treat others and how you spend your time. Whether your dream is to become an artist, a dancer, doctor, and environmentalist or to be better than you were yesterday, work hard and accomplish those dreams.”

“Empower Hour “will be aired every Saturday from 15:00hrs on the National communication Network (NCN).

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In keeping with the protocols of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most

anticipated events of the Caribbean, the annual Chutney Soca Monarch (CMS) will be held vir-

tually.

The event which features chutney artistes from the Caribbean and other

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

parts of the world will not miss a beat and may even be spicier than the previous events held over

the years.

George Singh, the event’s producer during the official launch earlier in the week explained that while many may not be able to gather physically to have the full chutney experience and enjoy the talents of the Indo-Caribbean community, the virtual event will bring that feeling of excitement right to the homes of many fans.

Additionally, he explained that a virtual event will also see chutney music being stream all across the world, which he hopes will give the artistes who are slated to perform and compete in the activity to make it on the big stage.

“Over the last 10 years of producing the CSM, producers have noticed a trend that has proven that the bigger audience looking at CSM has not been the ‘live’ audience, but the ‘online’ audience that can vary from 100,000 ‘live’ viewers to more than 1 million viewers over the first month that the event

stays online,” Singh said.

“The audience also comes from all parts of the world, with particular emphasis on USA, Canada, UK and the Caribbean regions like Guyana, Surinam, Barbados and other parts of the Caribbean.”

He further stated that a well-produced online and television event will give CSM the unique opportunity to become more creative and innovative within this year’s event, making it even more attractive to the online audience.

“It will give us the opportunity to pre-package the ‘live’ events and also edit out unnecessary content, eliminating dead spots, making the event shorter, more attractive and more palatable to the online viewers.”

Indo-Caribbean artistes from Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Canada and the United States of America will be performing and competing on the virtual stage of this year’s event

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

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The little art shop t f a r c e d a m d n a h r o f e c a l p o t o g r u o Y er. I combined my love for art and aestheticism.

Upon what felt like an impulsive decision, I went out the next day with a friend, and bought some materials; two tubes of paint and three mason jars.”

She explained that at first the method she worked with did not turn out the way she had hoped but that did not stop, using her creativity.

Zaman made henna-like tubes and began drawing flowers and creating designs on the jars.

“The next day I took pictures and shared them on-

line; the feedback was incredible, there were so many shares and reactions, it basically blew up. I even received many orders on just the first day,” she said.

She stated that one thing led to another and she began making more jars all while experimenting with her art and what she can do with it.

The young woman explained that her goal is to make inspire and make others happy with through her artwork.

“As an artist, putting my ideas out into the world, I only aspire to create beautiful things to not only beautify my life but the lives of others,” she said.

Ameena Zaman, owner of the Little Art Shop

Art for many is not just a paintbrush to canvas. It is a voice for the shy and a form of expression for those who have A hard time expressing their emotions.

Being an introvert, art has helped 19-year-old Ameena Zaman to not only express herself and share her talent with the world but has motivated her into becoming an entrepreneur at the peak of her young adult life.

The young woman who is currently perusing studies at the University of Guyana told the Buzz, “I believe the words shy, imaginative and creative describe me well. It was about four years

ago while watching a YouTube video that I first heard the quote by Elise de Wolf: ‘I’m going to make everything around me beautiful, that will be my life’; since then, I have made it my personal mission statement. I began to change my surroundings, my room, the way I dress, to whatever I considered to be beautiful and artistic, I would smear it everywhere I go, and that’s where my journey as an artist began.”

She explained that she first began working with watercolour painting pulling inspiration from the aesthetic of nature, flowers, leaves, vines and animals. Over time, I became better and

b e t t e r, exploring new mediums of art.

Zaman told the Buzz that she was working on a piece when from a simple mistake her small business ‘The little Art Shop” was birthed.

“One afternoon, I was painting and a bit of paint fell on my glass. I thought it looked quite pretty and so I continued doodling flowers on the cup with my paintbrush and then an idea struck me! I could make these and sell them! Not only would I be selling my art, but it would be in a functional way,” the artist said. “I began brainstorming, ideas flowed one after the oth-

A few of Zaman’s custom made mason jars

TURN FROM PAGE 30

to determine who will be crowned king or queen of chutney soca in January 2021 as many countries prepare to enter into the festivities of carnival.

Singh disclosed that the event will be one of grand theatrics even with the ongoing pandemic to sustain the love of chutney soca music.

“In this time of ‘social distancing’, we are cognizant of the public health protocols in place, but we are also very aware of the responsibility that we have to continue the annual development of the Chutney Soca brand of music,” he said.

The semi-final and the

Scenes from last year’s Chutney Soca Monarch (Photo Credits: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday)

final will be relayed live to the national audience on TV and streamed on social media to a local and international audience. The semi-final will be shown on January 30 and the final on February 13, with the results being announced live after the show.

Agents in New York, Toronto and Georgetown, Guyana will register artistes locally in their regions, allowing them to compete without travelling to Trinidad and Tobago.

Currently, he added registrations have been ongoing in the various regions and has been strong thus far.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

Ecuador for Schoolboys tournament in Guyana this year THE Ecuador Boxing Federation (EBF) will send a team to participate in the fifth annual Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors tournament scheduled for August 13 to 16 this year in Guyana.

EBF president Alex Gonzalez made the promise on Christmas Day during a telephone call with Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) president Steve Ninvalle.

The two South American presidents were discussing ways to further develop the sport in the continent and the Caribbean.

Ninvalle informed Chronicle Sport that Ecuador’s pledge has made it five countries that have so far

committed to participating.

Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia, St Maarten and Grenada have also signalled intention of sending teams to the invitational event.

“Presidents Cecil Forde (Trinidad and Tobago), David Christopher (St Lucia), Johnson St Louis (Grenada) and Shawn Blair (St Maarten) have indicated that they are on board. I have also discussed participation with Remy Burke, president of the Suriname association and he has given a favourable response,” Ninvalle said.

The GBA boss noted that Barbados has been a feature at all of the tournaments held here.

The tournament is the only one of its kind in the

Caribbean and was created

by Ninvalle back in 2016.

The GBA boss confirmed that Chairman of the AIBA Referee/Judges Commission America, Ray Silvas, will run a seminar here for officials leading up to the tournament.

In addition, Ninvalle and his Ecuadorian counterpart were also able to finalise discussion on preparation for the Olympic Qualifiers.

Ecuador will host a onemonth training camp leading up to the Qualifiers. “Mr Gonzalez has disclosed that Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guatemala will be sending their national teams to the training camp. He has extended an invitation to Guyana and will forward all necessary infor-

mation via an official letter shortly).

According to Ninvalle, Trinidad and Tobago is also interested in going to the camp. Last month Gonzalez had pledged his support to GBA in relation to upcoming international competitions being planned by the latter.

Ninvalle had reasoned then that Guyana and the Caribbean will need to up the level of competition at hosted tournaments in order to make an impact in the world. He pointed to the last Caribbean Championship held in Trinidad and Tobago where the host country went in that direction by inviting Cuba.

“My belief is that we will remain stagnant if we continue as is and don’t open

the door to Latin and South America. Trinidad and Tobago made the bold step (of inviting Cuba) last year. Once our international tournaments recommence Guyana will be inviting Ecuador.

Ecuador, Brazil and Argentina are South American powerhouses,” Ninvalle said.

“Though our invitation is informal at this time Mr Gonzalez has pledged his full support to that and other things. We have promised to update each other every fortnight. Guyana and Ecuador have visa-free travel between the two South American countries.

Guyana had four boxers training in Cuba for three months leading up to the Olympic Qualifiers.

Milwaukee Bucks set three-pointer record as Orlando Magic continue fine start THE Milwaukee Bucks set an NBA record of 29 three-pointers in a game in a 144-97 win over the Miami Heat.

The Bucks dominated - leading by as many as 51 points at one stage - and broke the Houston Rockets’ record of 27 three-pointers in a single game.

Orlando Magic beat Oklahoma City Thunder 118-107 and have now won the first four games of a season for the first time in their 32-year history.

Only Orlando and Atlanta Hawks remain unbeaten in the new NBA season.

Magic top the Eastern Conference from Atlanta, while the Los Angeles Clip-

pers sit top of the Western Conference after a 124-101 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Orleans Pelicans, in which Jae Crowder scored a season-high 21 points.

Julius Randle hit 28

107 loss to the Chicago Bulls means they have lost their first four games of a season for the first time since

Giannis Antetokounmpo was the only Bucks player not to register a three-pointer against Miami Heat

The Phoenix Suns sit second in the Western Conference after a comfortable 111-86 win over the New

points as the New York Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 95-86, while the Washington Wizards’ 115-

2012-13.

Jayson Tatum scored 14 of his game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter as the Bos-

ton Celtics rallied to beat the Indiana Pacers 116-111.

And Andrew Wiggins put on a late show - scoring 13 of his 27 points in the final eight minutes - as the Golden State Warriors overcame the Detroit Pistons 116-106.

Warriors’ Stephen Curry led all scorers with 31 points as the Pistons lost for the second time in as many nights to leave them with four defeats from four matches.

De’Aaron Fox got 24 points and nine assists as the Sacramento Kings beat the Denver Nuggets 125-115 while Joel Embiid shone for the Philadelphia 76ers with 29 points in their 100-93 win over the Toronto Raptors.

The Raptors have lost their first three games of a season for the first time since 2005-06. (BBC Sport)

Man Utd, Man City to play rescheduled Premier League games in January (REUTERS) - Manchester United and Manchester City will play their rescheduled fixtures from the opening weekend of the season in January, the Premier League announced on Thursday.

Both Manchester clubs did not play on the opening weekend in September due to their participation in the knockout stages of last season’s European club competitions which ended only in August due to the COVID-19 hiatus.

Burnley will host second-placed United on Jan. 12 while City host Aston Villa on Jan. 20.

The fixtures add to a packed schedule for both Manchester clubs who also play each other in the League Cup semi-final on Jan. 6 before they begin their FA Cup campaign the following weekend.

City, eighth in the standings, have two games in hand after Monday’s match at Everton was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak at their club.

City’s first team have since returned to training after their facilities were closed for two days but the league has yet to reschedule the game against Everton.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

Williamson leapfrogs Smith, Kohli to be world’s top Test batter NEW Zealand captain Kane Williamson has overtaken Australia’s Steve Smith and India skipper Virat Kohli to top ICC Test batting rankings.

It is the first time since 2015 that Williamson has held the top spot. He has scored a career-best 251 and 129, in two Tests this month.

Kohli remains second overall, while Smith’s poor start to the Australian summer has seen him drop to third - the first time since November 2015 he has been outside the top two.

Smith, who had held the top spot since February, has scored just 10 runs across four innings against India, who levelled the series at 1-1 with victory in Melbourne.

Kohli hit 74 in the first Test defeat by Australia, which will be his only appearance of the four-Test series, having returned home for the birth of his first child.

Williamson, playing his first Test since February because of the coronavirus

pandemic, struck a sublime 251 to lead his side to victory over West Indies in the first Test earlier this month.

ry in the first Test against Pakistan that boosts their hopes of making the World Test Championship final.

FORMER Guyana and We s t I n d i e s c a p t a i n Ramnaresh Sarwan is of the view that a depleted West Indies side is not the best advertisement for the Test and ODI series against Bangladesh. However, he reckoned that while the team lacked experience, they possessed the tenacity to perform well.

“It’s unfortunate that a number of players opted out, but this is not the first time it has happened in West Indies cricket. However, at the end of the day, whoever goes out there to play is representing the West Indies and is a West Indies team, so I think those selected for the tour to Bangladesh will make us proud,” Sarwan figured.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) was forced to pick two second-string squads to tour Bangladesh, due to a number of players opting out through COVID-related concerns or personal issues.

Both Test captain Jason Holder and ODI skipper Kieron Pollard, along with Shimron Hetmyer, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran,

‘Utter nonsense’

WI legend Ambrose dismisses arguments made for Chemar Holder Test omission

one spot above captain Joe Root.

Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins remains

West Indies fast bowler Chemar Holder

From left: Kane Williamson, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith (Getty Images)

He missed the second Test because of the birth of his first child before returning to lead New Zealand to a thrilling final-hour victo-

England’s Ben Stokes remains top of the Test all-rounder rankings, but falls one place in the batting rankings to eighth,

top of the Test bowling rankings, ahead of England’s Stuart Broad and New Zealand’s Neil Wagner. (BBC Sport)

Squads possess tenacity to perform well, says Sarwan

By Rajiv Bisnauth

35

and Shai Hope are the players to have opted out of the tour citing COVID-19 as the reason while Fabian Allen and Shane Dowrich have made themselves unavailable over personal concerns.

discussions to make the series happen in Bangladesh.

The new-look Test squad will be led by the experienced Kraigg Brathwaite with Jermaine Blackwood as vice-captain. Former

squad for the first time, after making trips to England and New Zealand as reserves this year.

Two players have earned their first call-ups for the ODI squad — Akeal Hosein, a left-arm spinner allrounder; and Kjorn Ottley, a left-handed top-order batsman.

“I don’t think that people should write them off. We have two young squads and they would be going there to make a name for themselves.

The guys in the squads may not be the most experienced, but I am sure they are willing to make full use of the opportunity,” the 40-year-old,

Veerasammy Permaul makes a return to the West Indies lineup after five year

The CWI COVID-19 policy allows any player to opt out of selection for an overseas tour, only when based on the player’s own safety fears or concerns. Such decisions will not impact their consideration for future selection.

This move by the players is definitely a setback for both CWI and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) who were involved in serious rounds of

Trinidad & Tobago and West Indies A team captain, Jason Mohammed, will lead the ODI team with Sunil Ambris as vice-captain.

Kavem Hodge, the right-handed top-order batsman, has earned a maiden call-up in the Test squad while left-handed opener Shayne Moseley and all-rounder Kyle Mayers will be touring in the Test

Former Guyana and West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan

WEST Indies fast-bowling legend Curtly Ambrose has rubbished suggestions that conditions in Bangladesh are a good reason for up-and-coming fast bowler Chemar Holder to be left out of the Test team for next month’s tour.

The 22-year-old made his debut under difficult conditions in New Zealand, earlier this month, performing creditably, despite a heavy loss for the West Indies. Holder ended with figures of 2 for 110, with one maiden, but often providing some testing deliveries despite not claiming more wickets.

For next month’s tour, despite 12 first-team players opting not to take part in the series, there is no space in the Bangladesh Test squad for Holder. One of the players missing is West Indies captain Jason Holder, who typically makes up part of a pace-bowling quartet alongside Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach, and Alzarri Joseph.

Some believe Holder would have proved a suitable replacement for his namesake, but Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief of selectors Roger Harper pointed out that the player had been excluded for a spinner, considering the spin-friendly nature of pitches in Asia.

Ambrose, however, does not agree and pointed out that it is crucial the young fast bowler, having shown promise, be given the opportunity to excel in all kinds of conditions.

“That to me is utter nonsense. I can’t support that.

If you want to be a top-class international cricketer, you have to be able to bowl on all surfaces, in all conditions anywhere you go,” Ambrose said.

“To me, that type of reasoning does not hold any water, it is disappointing. Having made his debut in New Zealand and done fairly well on his debut, he is full of confidence. He is one of the guys for the future in my view. To be left out of the Test squad to me was a big surprise. Don’t tell me because it’s a spin-friendly environment that you are going to, you want to, walk with 10 spinners, that to me makes no sense.” (Sportsmax) Sarwan said.

WELL DESERVED Further, Sarwan, who played 87 Tests and 181 ODI’s, asserted that the recalled of left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul is a ‘well deserved selection’.

“He has proved himself in the regional tournaments and has been performing consistently for a number of years, so his selection is a well-deserved one,” Sarwan pointed out.

The West Indian touring party are scheduled to play three ODIs on January 20, 22, and 25 after reaching on January 10. The ODI series will be followed by a two-match Test series with matches at Chattogram and Dhaka, from February 3 and February 11, respectively.

West Indies Test Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Shayne Moseley, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Raymon Reifer, Jomel Warrican We s t I n d i e s O D I Squad: Jason Mohammed (captain), Sunil Ambris (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua Da Silva, Jahmar Hamilton, Chemar Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Andre McCarthy, Kjorn Ottley, Rovman Powell, Raymon Reifer, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

Australia prepared to risk Warner in Sydney even if not fully fit

By Ian Ransom MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - David Warner may play the third Test against India even if he is short of full fitness as Australia look to the veteran opener to strengthen the top order, assistant coach Andrew McDonald said yesterday.

Warner was ruled out of the first two Tests in Adelaide and Melbourne after tearing an adductor muscle, but has been included in the 18-man squad for the match at the Sydney Cricket Ground starting on Jan. 7.

With opener Joe Burns dropped after a woeful Melbourne Test, Australia will have a new opening partnership as they look to rebound from an eight-wicket defeat and take a 2-1 lead in the series.

McDonald said having

Warner pad up if not completely fit would be a “clear option” and a matter for the player and head coach Justin Langer.

he’s fit enough to be able to go out there and perform his duties for the team, then I’m sure that’ll be a conversation the coach has with the player.

Veteran Australia opener David Warner may play in the third Test

“He may not be 100%.

Who is coming off an injury? You never know until you get out there,” McDonald told reporters on Thursday.

“Look, if he’s 90-95% fit and the conversation is that

“Most times Justin is pretty open with the players in terms of giving them accountability around that.”

Uncapped opener Will Pucovski was also included in the squad and McDonald understood that to mean the

youngster had cleared concussion protocols.

Pucovski, who has a history of concussion problems, was ruled out of the opening tests after being struck on the helmet with a bouncer in a tour match.

McDonald said he would be with the squad when they return to training in Melbourne from Jan. 2.

“It will just be a matter now of what training and how quickly he can ramp up to make himself available for selection,” he said.

Matthew Wade was promoted to open with Burns in the first two Tests and made solid starts in three of his four innings without cracking a half-century.

McDonald praised Wade’s performance as a makeshift opener but said he felt his best position was in the middle order.

BCB invites clubs to register for 2021 tournaments

Former Guyana West Indies opener Clayton Lambert hands over the donation to Mr Egbert Lyken Edwards of the BCB

BERBICE Cricket Board (BCB) has hit the road running as it strives to fulfil its promise to host 30 cricket tournaments this year at all levels.

To this end the board is inviting interested clubs to register for the BCB/Romario Shepherd Under-13 and the BCB/ Zulfikar Mustapha Under-15 Inter-club tournaments.

The tournaments are been sponsored by all-rounder Romario Shepherd and Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha respectively.

The cutoff date of birth for the Under-15 tournament is September 1 2006, while September 1 2008 is the cutoff date for the Under-13 tournament.

Only Berbicians are allowed to participate in the tourna-

ments and clubs have until Tuesday January 5 to register for the Under-15 tournament, while the Under-13 tournament has a closing date by mid-February.

BCB president Hilbert Foster is urging all clubs in Berbice to get their grounds in order for the 2021 season, which is scheduled to have at least 30 tournaments at the junior, female, senior and school levels.

Meanwhile, a number of Under-15 and 17 players drawn from 19 clubs are expected to benefit from the distribution of $1.5M worth of cricket gear and white uniforms, under the BCB/Clayton Lambert Youth Players’ gear project.

The presentation of the items to the clubs will be done tomorrow at the Area ‘H’ ground.

Former Man Utd and Scotland manager Tommy Docherty dies at 92 LONDON, UK (Reuters) - Former Manchester United and Scotland manager Tommy Docherty, popularly known as ‘The Doc’, has died after a long illness at the age of 92, his family announced yesterday.

The much-travelled Docherty managed 12 clubs including Chelsea and Aston Villa and a stint in Australia - after a playing career that included 25 caps for Scotland between 1951 and 1959 and more than 300 games at Preston North End.

everyone defended. If the opposition scored two, we scored three ... the words he used most in his team talks were ‘please the fans, excite the fans’.”

Docherty was also famed for his ready wit and acerbic one-liners, joking that he’d had more clubs than golfer Jack Nicklaus.

“He said he was right behind me so I told him I’d rather have him in front where I could see him,” he once said of the late Aston

Tommy Docherty’s playing career included 25 caps for Scotland between 1951 and 1959

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Tommy Docherty, who led us to FA Cup victory in 1977 with a thrilling, attacking team in the best traditions of Manchester United,” United said on Twitter.

Docherty was at Old Trafford, 1972-77, replacing Frank O’Farrell, with the 2-1 FA Cup final victory over Bob Paisley’s Liverpool a highlight along with winning the second division title.

The Glaswegian was sacked in 1977 after an extra-marital affair with the wife of the United physio, whom he went on to marry.

His departure saw flair replaced with more dour fare under replacement Dave Sexton.

“For about four to five years, we were an unbelievable side and that was all down to The Doc,” former United player Sammy McIlroy told Sky Sports news.

“It took him a little bit of time to get what he wanted, but when he got the team, we were very, very attack-minded. The fans loved it at Manchester United.

“Everyone attacked,

Villa chairman Doug Ellis, who sacked him in 1970 after 13 months in the job.

The Scottish FA said in a statement that it was deeply saddened by the passing of a man who had “a profound impact on the game.

“Football has lost a tremendous personality in Tommy Docherty.

He was tenacious on the park and a great leader off it,” said Scottish FA president Rod Petrie.

“Tommy was a regular in the Scotland side in the 1950s that qualified for two World Cups, and his record as Scotland manager was impressive, albeit cut short by his decision to take the Manchester United job.

“He was on record as saying that the biggest regret of his career was leaving his Scotland managerial role and, looking at the results and performances he inspired, it is hard not to wonder what might have been had he remained.”

Chelsea, with whom he won the League Cup in 1965, hailed Docherty as a “legend of our game”.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

‘How did they become so big’ …

Windies legend Roberts questions players’ decision to skip Bangladesh tour LEGENDARY West Indies fast bowler Andy Roberts has questioned some of the reasoning behind players opting not to go on the team’s upcoming tour of Bangladesh.

12 players, including captains Jason Holder, Kieron Pollard, and Roston Chase all opted to make themselves unavailable for the series, citing health and safety concerns. Joining the trio on the sidelines are Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Fabian Allen and Shane Dowrich.

The West Indies were among the first teams to

resume international cricket when they visited England, under quarantine

Legendary West Indies fast bowler Andy Roberts

protocols, in July. On that occasion, Bravo, Hetmyer and Keemo Paul opted not to go on tour. The team then

travelled to New Zealand earlier this month. On that occasion, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, and Lewis opted out of the tour.

With so many players deciding not to accept the invitation on this occasion, however, Roberts has questioned the difference between England and New Zealand vs Bangladesh.

“How do all of these guys who couldn’t make a team two or three years ago now become so big that they are refusing to tour and blaming it on the bubble,” Roberts said.

“Was it a problem when the majority of these players went to England? Was

it a problem when the majority of these players went to New Zealand? How now is it a problem when they are going to Bangladesh?”

Bangladesh has a very high rate of COVID-19 transmission with 510 080 confirmed coronavirus cases and 7 479 deaths.

However, England also had a high death and infection rate at the time of the tour. Under the CWI COVID-19 rules, however, the players have the option to accept or decline tour invitations during the pandemic without it influencing thoughts of future selection. (Sportsmax)

Archery Guyana certifies first batch of National Judges

From L-R: National Judges – Ryan McKinnon, Robert Singh, Mohamed Khan, Dr. Ricardo Stuart and Nicholas Hing

ARCHERY Guyana congratulates the recent graduates of the Inaugural Online Archery Judges Seminar hosted

by Archery Guyana in collaboration with World Archery (WA) to train National Archery Judges.

This training seminar offered a unique opportunity to the eleven Guyanese participants who together with over 200 persons within the Americas who attended this Training Seminar to develop a new skill set. They are now uniquely placed to assist with the advancement and development of the discipline in Guyana.

National Judges are held in high esteem and depending on their personal commitment this can also open a pathway into becoming a Regional Archery Judge on the World Archery America (WAA) and possibly an International Judge on WA roster of Judges. This therefore has the possibility of providing

a very meaningful experience for the dedicated and diligent Judge.

In this regard, the Secretary-General of Archery Guyana, Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, congratulated all participants for successfully completing the Course and expressed great delight in the next step and what this means for Guyana moving forward with the hosting of National, Regional and International Competitions.

She expressed congratulations to the five certified National Archery Judges who are Mohamed Khan, Robert Singh, Dr. Ricardo Stuart, Ryan McKinnon and Nicholas Hing The Secretary-General expressed further congratulations to certified National Judge Candidates Mala Mahadeo, Elizabeth Mason, Samuel Arjoon, Samira Duncan and Audia Moe.

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Sri Lanka to tour West Indies in February SRI Lanka which lost the first Test match to South Africa on Tuesday by an innings and 45 runs, will tour the West Indies in February to play two Test matches, three ODIs, and three T20 Internationals under the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Championship programme and the trophy at stake will be the Sobers-Tissera Trophy.

Guardian Media Sports understands that both Cricket West Indies and Sri Lanka Cricket authorities have agreed to the series being played and it gets off in mid-February during the regional Super 50 Cup which will run from February 4-27.

This is after the West Indies return from the Caribbean side tour of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka wraps up a 2-Test series at home against England.

The series will be split between Antigua and St. Lucia as those countries have shown an interest in hosting the matches under bio-secure protocols and it has been decided that they will get the matches.

Later in the year, the West Indies will play host to Australia for a total of six matches - three T20s and three ODIs in the period June/July. The venue for these matches are yet to be decided but Barbados may well play a major part here.

Pakistan which lost to New Zealand in the First Test on Tuesday by 236 runs, will visit the Caribbean at the back end of July and will play two Test matches in Trinidad before moving to Guyana for the third Test. They will also play two T20 internation-

als in Trinidad and one in Guyana.

The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will take place in August and the opening venues are expected to be Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.

A depleted West Indies team will soon fly to Bangladesh for a series of matches with ten players including Test captain Jason Holder and ODI skipper Kieron Pollard missing out because of Covid-19 fears.

The other players who have opted out are — Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran. Cricket West Indies (CWI) statement said that left-arm spinner Fabien Allen and Test wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich were “unavailable due to personal reasons”.

The tour is from January 20 to February 15 in the south Asian country, which up to Tuesday had reported 510, 080 confirmed cases of COVID-19 along with 7 479 deaths.

In Holder’s absence, experienced opener Kraigg Brathwaite will now lead the Test side in the two-match series while Trinidad and Tobago’s Jason Mohammed, without a match for West Indies in 2-½ years, takes charge of the ODI unit for the three-match rubber.

The West Indies became the first country to tour since the advent of Covid 19, as they visited England for a three-match series that they lost 2-1. They then jetted to New Zealand recently where the team lost the Test series 2-0.(Extracted from Trinidad Guardian)

Former New Zealand cricketer John F Reid dies at 64 FORMER New Zealand cricketer John F. Reid, who played a key role in their success in the 1980s, has died in Christchurch at the age of 64. The former Test batsman was responsible for establishing both New Zealand Cricket’s (NZC) high-performance centre at Lincoln, and its underlying grassroots development programme.

In the 19 Tests he played, Reid scored 1 296 runs at an average of 46.28, including six centuries; with his highest coming in the blazing

Former New Zealand Test batsman John Reid

heat of Colombo in 1984, when he scored 180 in 685 minutes against Sri Lanka.

Reid, a cousin of Australian left-arm paceman Bruce Reid, was the fastest New Zealander to 1 000 Test runs, taking just 20 innings.

Recognised as one of New Zealand’s best players of spin, the left-hander scored all but one of his six centuries against sub-continental opposition, striking a purple patch in the awayand-home series against Pakistan in 1984-85, when he compiled consecutive scores

of 106, 21, 97, 148, 3 and 158*.

“His passing is an enormous loss and our thoughts are with his family and close friends,” said NZC chief executive David White in an official statement.

“Quite apart from anything else, John was the most lovely, engaging man who inspired all those around him, including generations of young men and women cricketers,” he added.

Playing at a time when cricket in New Zealand was still amateur and when most

home-based players had day jobs, Reid - a high school geography teacher - opted against going on the 1985 tour of the West Indies, instead choosing to devote his energy to his pupils.

He later stepped away from teaching to become the first chief executive of Auckland Cricket before returning to it in a different form - turning his hand to coaching and high-performance development, and becoming a highly-respected mentor and administrator at NZC.

It was Reid who took on the role as New Zealand caretaker coach for the centenary season of 1994-95 after the controversy-ridden tour of South Africa in 1994, guiding the national side through a bumper summer that included visits from the West Indies, India, Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka.

And it was Reid who took on the role of White Ferns assistant coach in the 12 months leading up to the team’s victorious World Cup campaign in 2000.

38

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

Formula One champion Hamilton gets knighthood

By Alan Baldwin

LONDON, England (Reuters) - Seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton was awarded a knighthood in the UK New Year’s honours list published on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old this year became the most successful F1 driver of all-time after equalling Ferrari great Michael Schumacher’s record seven titles and beating the German’s 91 race wins.

The sport’s only Black driver, who grew up in social housing as the grandson of immigrants from the Caribbean, Hamilton has also used his profile to campaign for

diversity and speak out against racial injustice.

The Monaco resident’s presence on the overseas and international list rather than a main one with many rewarded for service to public health in a pandemic was seen as a reflection of his tax status.

The Daily Mail newspaper said Prime Minister Boris Johnson had “bent the rules” to get around the tax requirements for domestic awards.

The citation referred to Hamilton’s sporting record and his “charitable and philanthropic contributions in the UK and overseas”.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins, famed for his work

on movies such as ‘1917’, ‘Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘Skyfal’, was also knighted on the same overseas list.

Hamilton’s supporters have long felt his achievements have not been sufficiently recognised at home and they expressed delight at the Mercedes driver joining a select group of sporting sirs.

“Lewis is a true giant of our sport and his influence is huge both in and out of a car,” said newly-appointed Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali, a former Ferrari team principal.

“What he has achieved is phenomenal with still more to come.”

Mercedes team boss Toto

Wolff hailed Hamilton, who won his first title with McLaren in 2008, as the most successful British sportsperson of his era.

The knighthood, he add-

ed, showed that Hamilton -- often seen as a polarising figure -- was “now receiving the recognition he has earned during a career of unparalleled success in motorsport”.

Lewis Hamilton won a seventh F1 world championship in 2020

“The UK can be very proud to have a champion and ambassador of the calibre of Sir Lewis Hamilton,” added the Austrian.

Hamilton is the fourth F1 driver to be knighted after the late Australian Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and triple champion Jackie Stewart and the only one to have received the award while still racing.

Cycling’s Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins, Olympic 5 000 and 10 000 metres gold medallist Mo Farah, twice Wimbledon tennis champion Andy Murray and England cricketer Alastair Cook have also been knighted as active sportsmen.

Injured Neil Wagner out of second Test CWI sympathetic to players in ‘unprecedented times’: CEO … could be out of action for ‘five to six weeks’

NEIL Wagner has been ruled out of the second Test in Christchurch against Pakistan and would need “probably five to six weeks of healing”, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said. The fast bowler played through the pain of two fractured toes, bowling 49 overs across two innings in New Zealand’s win in the first Test against Pakistan, getting injections in the middle to numb the pain.

Wagner bowled lengthy spells throughout the Test, finishing with match figures of 4 for 105. He made a crucial breakthrough on the last day when he had centurion Fawad Alam gloving a catch behind off an attempted pull when on 102.

“Neil Wagner was outstanding,” Stead said. “I’m not sure there are too many individuals that could do what he did in that Test match. He was getting injections to try to numb the pain he was going through.

He isn’t traveling for this Test match, we made that call. The injections he was getting were wearing off each time and we can’t have him going through

that again for this Test match.

Hopefully by tomorrow we’ll be naming the replacement.

“It was amazing what he did. I got to witness what was happening, four-five-six in-

Neil Wagner battled through the pain of two broken toes in the first Test (Getty Images)

jections going in at a time to work things out. It went from one to two fractures when

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they looked at his foot again in the X-rays that came through.

Everyone knows Neil plays with his heart on his sleeve.

He just showed how tough he really is and how valuable he’s

ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: 27 Tests; 125 wickets 74 Tests as captain

TODAY’S QUIZ:

How many times Alvin Kallicharran captained the WI team in Tests?

What is Carl Hooper’s highest Test score?

ANSWERS ANSWER S IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

been to New Zealand. He was prepared to put his body on the line, he probably needs five to six weeks of healing now to be right for end of season.”

Stead said that they would be looking for a like-for-like replacement, hinting Matt Henry could fill Wagner’s spot.

Henry, who returned to action from injury earlier this month, took a match haul of seven wickets against the Pakistan Shaheens two weeks ago in Whangarei. He has also played for Canterbury side in the domestic Ford Trophy and Super Smash.

“I think it’s likely to be like-for-like replacement, so you imagine it’s going to be a pace bowler. Matt’s fully fit and he’s playing again and he’s one of the options we’ll be looking at.”(Cricinfo)

KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Cricket West Indies (CWI) says it has no hard feelings towards players who have declined selection for the tour of Bangladesh, saying the global COVID-19 pandemic had resulted in “unprecedented times and unprecedented conditions” under which to play cricket.

Chief executive officer, Johnny Grave, said CWI had made it clear to players once cricket resumed amid the ongoing pandemic the decision to tour would rest with them, with no backlash from the regional board if they opted not to participate in any planned series.

He was speaking against the backdrop of the decision by 10 players, including Test captain Jason Holder and white-ball skipper Kieron Pollard, to pull out of the January 20 to February 15 tour of Bangladesh.

“We knew it was going to be unprecedented times and difficult for players and we said from the outset we’d accept any player who choses, due to these unprecedented times and unprecedented conditions for these tours, to opt out,” Grave said in a television interview here.

“And in the case for this tour, we’ve had our largest number of players opt out but it gives me a lot of confidence that we are going with a leadership group of team management support, so that Phil Simmons and the best technical coaches will be there to support these teams on what will be a difficult tour.”

Holder and Pollard have been joined by the likes of Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran in missing the tour due to what

CWI said were “COVID-19 related concerns or personal fears”.

White ball all-rounder Fabian Allen and Test wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich also declined selection due to “personal reasons”.

CWI chief executive Johnny Grave

The exodus from the tour will be a huge blow to CWI, especially after director Dr Akshai Manasingh – also a member of its medical advisory committee – undertook a review of protocols in Bangladesh on a reconnaissance tour there last month.

Then, Mansingh has said BCB had met all “international standards recommended for COVID-19”, in preparing for the series.

Grave said, while CWI and its medical advisers believed the safety of the touring party would not be compromised in any way, the board understood there would be players who “might not be confident enough to go”.

“We’re satisfied that we have gone through a really robust and lengthy process with BCB to ensure that the players will be safe in Bangladesh,” Grave explained.

“We’ve also spent a lot of

time with the players talking through these medical protocols. We knew that Bangladesh would present new challenges. That’s why we took the decision to send not just Dr Mansingh but also our safety, security and compliance manager, Paul Slowe, to try and give everyone the comfort that they would be safe.

“We’ve said from the outset that the players’ health and well-being would be our number one priority and that continues to be the case.”

He added: “With that said, we’re pioneers. No international team has been to Bangladesh since COVID-19 and therefore we have to accept that the best medical practitioners who have kept the players safe to date to allow international cricket … have given this (tour) their blessing, and are confident that the plans BCB have put in place to ensure player safety are robust.

“But we have to accept these unprecedented times mean that some players, for whatever reasons they have, may not be confident enough to go.”

Grave stressed it was critical that only the players who were confident in the safety and security provided, undertook the tour which comprises three One-Day Internationals and two Tests.

“What we don’t want is players going there not confident they are going to be in a safe environment because we know they won’t perform if they’ve got uncertainties about the conditions they’ll be playing in,” the Englishman said.

“So it’s important that we go with players who feel safe and happy to go because we know that will give us the best opportunity for those players to perform.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 1, 2021

39

GFF/MCYS/K&S Bounce Back Football culminates tonight

Linden, G/T to battle for top honours backing up near goal, umpteen chances were carelessly squandered but two shots managed to find their way into the back of the net for them.

Linden may find themselves in the same scenario at kick-off time this evening since the Georgetown team emerged victorious from a

Proprietor of Trophy Stall of Bourda Market, Ramesh Sunich (right), displays the winners’ trophy alongside K&S co-director Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major who holds the MVP hardware TONIGHT an exhilarating match defeated East Coast 4-2 with a which has been brewing for two composed brand of football while nights comes to past as George- the losing side in that match was the town and Linden All Stars face aggressor, but failed on numerous off in the final of the Bounce occasions to find the final touch.

The score line should have seen Back Football tournament at the Guyana National Stadium, at least 4 more goals to Linden’s tally but they too were guilty of not Providence.

The event, which is a collab- finishing easy opportunities.

Added to that, the opposioration of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Ministry of Cul- tion’s main goalkeeper picked up ture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) and an early injury which hampered Kashif and Shanghai Organisation his performance in the first half in (K&S) has set the kick-off time for which they (East Coast) conceded the first two goals. this match at 18.00hrs.

With no trained replacement, an In keeping with the COVID-19 parameters, no spectators are al- improvised move was made to put lowed in the venue for the match but an inexperienced player between the the showdown will be broadcast live uprights for the second half. That on NCN Television, E-Networks should have been the green light Linden needed to steamroll the East and MCYS Facebook page.

On the first of the two-night Coast but they could manage to put tournament, all four teams played only two goals past him because completely contrasting football their attempts kept finding the only which worked to their advantage. obstacle in front of goal.

Meanwhile, East Coast’s pace However, the teams with the least mistakes advanced to the final was troublesome for the Mining Town team but with not much round.

In the opening match Linden team chemistry and no players

high octane battle with West Demerara.

It was a match that showed a lot of players displaying fatigue as crunch time drew near with the scores level.

Prior to that, equal chances were given on both sides while the play manufacturing was at a good

standard. A few simple aspects of that match showed that even though it was a night of ‘All Stars’, their anticipation level was quite low in the 18-yard box.

The feature match saw the weight of the contest being shifted on several occasions but the final result saw Georgetown advance

after a 3-2 win over West Demerara.

While the hardware for the tournament victors and runners-up are already on display, the finalists will receive an undisclosed incentive for their efforts.

According to the federation, they plan on revealing the incentives at the closing ceremony.

Steve Ninvalle

Ecuador for Schoolboys tournament in Guyana this year SEE PAGE 34

David Christopher

Johnson St Louis

Linden, G/T SEE to battle for PAGE top honours 39

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2021