Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 04-06-2021

FRIDAY 4th June, 2021

' No.106381

Over 50 per cent of Region Six’s adult population vaccinated against COVID-19

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Floodwater begins to recede 03 in most communities –– as authorities pursue aggressive drainage response PAGE

This excavator was seen to be working well into the night to clear and clean the canal that runs adjacent to the La Parfaite Harmonie Access Road, on the West Bank of Demerara (Rehana Ahamad photo)

Patient reportedly beaten to death, another burnt 07 PAGE

–– amid ruckus at Psychiatric Hospital two weeks ago

Dead: Rohan Suntgalum

Persistent rainfall expected up to 15 mid-July/August PAGE

Guyana cops seven CXC awards for 08 outstanding performances PAGE

$51M multi-purpose 05 facility for Section ‘C’ Turkeyen PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Over 50 per cent of Region Six’s adult population vaccinated against COVID-19 –– as rates lag in Region 10, says Health Minister

RESIDENTS of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) continue to lead the charge against COVID-19, as more than 50 per cent of the region’s adult population has been vaccinated against the disease.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, during Thursday’s edition of the COVID-19 update, said that Region Six has the highest rate of vaccination, with 50.2 per cent of the adult population receiving at least their first dose of one of three (Sputnik V, AstraZeneca, or Sinopharm) COVID-19 vaccines being offered locally.

This region is followed

by Region One (Bari-

ma-Waini), with close to 46.6 per cent; Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), with 46.5 per cent; Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), with 43.6 per cent; Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), with 43.2 per cent; Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), with 42.3 per cent; Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), 40.5 per cent, and Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), with 40.3 per cent of their population having received at least the first dose of the COID-19 vaccine.

Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), on the other hand, remains the administrative region with the lowest

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony

number of persons vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to Dr. Anthony, only 12.4 per cent of adults within Region 10 have received their first dose of one of the three COVID-19 vaccines.

The minister noted that Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) follows closely behind Region 10, with only 27.5 per cent of the persons there receiving their first dose of the vaccine.

The ‘crawl’ in Region Eight, he said, can be attributed to the recent heavy rainfall and flooding, which would make vaccination campaigns almost impossible to be carried out within the

region.

Region 10, on the other hand, has had an ongoing issue with vaccination hesitancy, which is something the Health Ministry has committed to combatting in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry, on Wednesday, reported that a total of 205,944 persons have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine; this is equivalent to about 42.3 per cent of Guyana’s adult population.

Additionally, a total of 72,045 persons have received both doses of the vaccine, equating to some 14.8 per cent of the adult population in Guyana.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Floodwater begins to recede in most communities –– as authorities pursue aggressive drainage response

By Rehana Ahamad FLOODWATER are beginning to recede in most of the affected communities across Guyana, according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha.

He told the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday that more water pumps have been installed, while an around-the-clock drainage support system has been up and running to minimise the devastating effects of continued rain-

clearing of drains and canals; the installation of a number of new water pumps and drainage tubes; the dredging and excavation of clogged waterways, and continuous repairs to breaches and damaged infrastructure.

Minister Mustapha, who has been on the ground since the flood started, said that even though the water levels have dropped, some communities are still heavily affected, communities such as Black Bush Pol-

The Ministry of Agriculture’s team has been paying keen attention to drainage, as well as the agricultural needs of farmers who want to keep livestock and other supplies dry and safe. Assistance is also being provided for the removal of products from farmlands, using heavy-duty machinery.

The Agriculture Ministry has also been issuing seeds, cuttings, cassava sticks and Fastac to those who have been able to move to higher ground.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha visiting one of the many families affected by the floods (Ministry of Agriculture photo) fall.

It has been more than two weeks since the MayJune rains began to wreak havoc, devastating a number of communities across Guyana. The government immediately shifted gear and began rolling out a massive response effort.

This has so far seen the deployment of equipment countrywide to conduct emergency cleaning and

der, in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); Mahaicony Creek, in Region Five (Demerara-Mahaica); and Kwakwani, way up in Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice), where flood waters have surpassed 12 feet.

Emergency response teams have been dispatched to these heavily-affected areas to address the needs of residents.

Minister Mustapha expressed hope that the countrywide interventions would see water levels receding even more within the next 24 hours.

MORE RAIN Meanwhile, Head of Climatology at the ‘Hydromet’ Office, Mr. Khomalchand Dhiram has said that the transition out of the rainy sea-

son has been known to occur during mid-July.

“All the way into July, as we transition out of the rainy season into the dry season, it will be wet,” Chand said during an interview on the National Communications Network (NCN).

His colleague, Chief ‘Hydromet’ Officer, Dr. Garvin Cummings related that unlike the 2005 floods, severe weather conditions have so far not been isolated to any particular geographical space.

“Note that we are just starting in June, so the rainy season is now peaking,” Dr. Cummings said.

He noted that so far, the Hydromet Office has found it challenging to not only effectively communicate the amount of rainfall, but its impact.

He said, however, that the government has invested in initiatives that have boosted the Hyrdomet Office’s forecast capabilities.

In addition to data collection and drainage interventions, the Government of Guyana has also moved aggressively towards distributing flood-relief supplies to affected families, and those who have relocated to government shelters.

MEDICAL HAMPERS With thousands of food and sanitary supply hampers already distributed, the Ministry of Health will now be moving to package medical goods that will further ensure the safety and well-being of those affected by the flood waters.

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony said Thursday that based on the instructions of President Dr. Irfaan Ali, his ministry will be working towards preparing “medical ham-

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony pers”, which will be added to the distribution efforts currently being spearheaded by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), in partnership with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and a number of civilian volunteers.

“We will package things like Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), ointments to deal with rashes, and a number of over-thecounter products… They would all come with clear instructions,” Dr. Anthony said.

He noted that the distribution of these items seeks to prevent the outbreak of diseases that are commonly associated with flooding.

Dr. Anthony told this publication that fortunately, the floods have not yet resulted in any outbreaks of any diarrheal or waterborne disease.

“As of now, we haven’t seen anything, but that doesn’t mean that we might not get anything,” Dr. Anthony posited.

Former Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who is the Adviser to the Ministry of Health, had said that based on the

lessons learnt from the infamous 2005 floods, Guyana’s health system is better prepared to deal with any health implications that are likely to arise.

Dr. Anthony has assured persons that the Ministry of Health is on the lookout for any changes in disease patterns, including leptospirosis, which resulted in the loss of many lives during the 2005 floods.

As Guyana continues to battle the deadly coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Anthony said that all government shelters have been operating under strict COVID-19 protocols, so as to prevent any transmission of the disease. He said that so far, the CDC has not reported any changes that could indicate serious health concerns.

Since the floods began, President Ali has said that his government’s priority at this time is ensuring the safety and well-being of all Guyanese, particularly those who have suffered as a result of the floods.

The CDC has reported that so far, in excess of 6,900 households have been affected.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, June 4, 2021

Impact of rain on infrastructural projects being assessed ―preliminary report to be ready within days

By Rehana Ahamad AS heavy rainfall persists countrywide, all ongoing infrastructural projects continue to be affected, according to Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill.

“They’ve all been affected; mainly the road works and where we’re building sluices and bridges and so on,” the minister told the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday.

He explained during a brief telephone interview that the rains have prevented contractors from moving ahead with certain aspects of their work, since some of these are heavily dependent on good weather conditions.

“Because of the rain and flooding, we can’t get to do paving; we can’t put down the asphalt or do concrete

where there is water, so that is the difficulty we’re faced with,” Minister Edghill lamented.

He said that even with the rain, contractors are moving ahead with components of their work that may

completed, and currently affected by continued rainfall.

“Last weekend, we advertised that the roundabout

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, assisting with the distribution of flood-relief supplies in Region 10

not be reliant on weather patterns.

“Nothing is stalled; affected, but not stalled.

They’re trying to do other things,” Minister Edghill related.

He made specific reference to the Sheriff/Mandela Expansion Project which is less than 60 per cent

at Kitty [Georgetown]; [we advised that] you couldn’t use that area, because we were planning to pave it.

Part is paved and part is not paved,” the Public Works Minister noted.

He reiterated that rainfall causes delays in all construction and infrastructural projects. Asked about infra-

structural damage, Edghill said that a countrywide assessment has been launched to ascertain same.

“The engineers [are working] to see what damages were done; emergency works that are undertaken, and so on,” Edghill said.

Further, the minister said that the assessment figures, which will also measure the cost of emergency works, is likely to be ready within the next few days.

“We have had to restore bridges; we’ve had to restore roads; we’ve had to install culverts for good drainage and so on,” Edghill indicated.

Meanwhile, authorities have been unable to estimate the cost of the government’s overall flood relief efforts so far.

Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel, Kester Craig, had said that once the flood is over, technical teams would be sourced to conduct a comprehensive socio-economic impact assessment, much like the one which was done following the infamous 2005-2006 floods.

According to a report prepared by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the total impact of Guyana’s December 2005 – February 2006 floods were in excess of GYD$6 billion.

This, the report said, represented 4.6 per cent of country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2005.

“As is typical of similar types and magnitude of disasters, damage, which refers to the impact on physical assets and stocks, accounted for roughly 74 per cent of the total impact and amounted to GYD$4.4

billion, [or the] equivalent to 3.5 per cent of GDP,” the report indicated.

As it relates specifically to infrastructure, the UNDP report said that drainage and irrigation components suffered losses of GYD$495 million, stemming from the costs of pumping excess water from flooded areas and the repair of embankments and levees.

In 2014, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) published a report which stated that approximately 290,000 persons were affected by the 20052006 floods, translating to 39 per cent of Guyana’s population.

“The 2005 flood disrupted livelihoods and resulted in long-lasting economic impacts that are estimated to amount to US$465 million,” the report posited, If further noted that the 2005 deluge exposed structural vulnerabilities in Guyana’s flood mitigation infrastructure.

As a result, Guyana’s Ministry of Agriculture collaborated with the World Bank and other international development agencies to initiate the US$3.8 million Conservancy Adaptation Project (CAP), which was aimed at reducing the country’s vulnerability to flooding.

At a press conference on Wednesday, the CDC Head lamented the fact that even though the past flood was an eye-opener, some of the measures taken subsequently were not sustained.

In the meantime, Edghill said that he is extremely pleased that so far, Guyana’s sea defence structures have held up strongly.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

$51M multi-purpose facility for Section ‘C’ Turkeyen

By Jared Liddell

IN keeping with the government’s commitment to improving the lives of residents across the country, the Ministry of Housing and Water on Thursday signed a contract for the construction of a $51 million multi-purpose facility at Section ‘C’ Turkeyen.

Based on the specifics of the contract, the facility will be a 26’ X 50’ reinforced concrete structure, with an open view deck and bleachers, open ground-floor space with washroom and changing room facilities, tiled floors, and wheelchair access ramp.

There will also be a basketball court, a play area with swings, see-saw, slide and round climber. Among works to be done are the raising and landscaping of the playground, and the installation

are battling COVID-19, and there are other challenges that were face. But I promise you that your government is doing everything possible to ensure that we bring relief to you,” he added.

Noting that the interventions taking place in Section ‘C’ Turkeyen are not by chance, as the government has carefully taken into account the needs of all communities, inclusive of the area at reference which falls within the Sophia neighbourhood, Minister Croal said it will continue to work to ensure that the residents of the community benefit from access to critical infrastructure, enhanced mobility and safety, strengthened capacity, urban services and overall improved living conditions.

He said that over 900 residents from Sophia were consulted on the proposed

any other community, is in need of a safe space where children can learn, as well as watch their talents and gifts grow, in a common environment that is easily accessible.

“This will not only improve the look of the community, but it will also enrich and enhance the lives of those who live here,” Minister Rodrigues said, adding: “When we talk about building sustainable communities, this is what we mean by that.

While we try to allocate house lots, we are trying to build neighbourhoods. We’re trying to build communities, so that you can raise your children, and they have a clear play area that they can go to; that there are ‘green’ spaces; that there is access to healthcare facilities; that there is access to schools…

All of these things go into building sustainable com-

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At Thursday’s sod-turning exercise in Section ‘C’ Turkeyen, ahead of the construction of the multi-purpose facility there. From left are, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and Water, Mr. Andre Ally; Ms. Susan Rodrigues, Minister within The Ministry of Housing and Water; Mr. Collin Croal, Minister of Housing and Water; CEO of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Mr. Sherwyn Greaves; and a representative of the contractor, Doodnauth Construction and Supplies

A glimpse of what the facility will look like when it’s done of electrical fixtures such as lighting and outlets, fire prevention and emergency lighting, solar-powered flood lights and walkway lighting, and a new fence around the elevated ground.

The contract for this “milestone project” has been awarded to Doodnauth Construction and Supplies.

Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Collin Croal, at a simple sod-turning ceremony on Thursday, said that this initiative is significant, since it is the single largest investment on a community facility by the Housing Ministry.

This, he said, is a clear indication of the government’s commitment to providing the residents of Sophia with opportunities for a better life.

“These activities are being undertaken because of the government’s commitment to making all communities better; to making the lives of all citizens better,” Minister Croal said. “Many of our citizens now, as we speak, are faced with flooding because of the increased rains; we

project, so as to ensure that the programmes match the needs of the community.

Following those consultations, about 75 residents have gained employment with the Ministry of Housing, in that they have been offered work on all the ongoing projects it has within the community.

As Minister Croal explained, the ministry has a policy wherein at least 30 per cent of the labour required for any project must come from the community within which it is being executed. Since the meeting, Minister Croal said, a community-based monitoring committee has also been formed.

Minister within the Ministry of Housing Ms. Susan Rodrigues, who noted that Sophia has always had a special place in her heart, said this project is especially important, as it directly touches the lives of the residents by providing them with improved access to resource centres that can be used for their further development.

She said that Sophia, like

munities, and give you an improved standard and quality of life.”

She said that the government is committed to working with vulnerable communities to improve access to not just facilities and education, but also to sustainable jobs.

On the issue of jobs, Minister Rodrigues said that Sophia is in line to benefit from the ministry’s $20 million Community-based Employment Stimulation Project (CESP), which seeks to create block-making jobs in several vulnerable communities in four regions, and was recently piloted in Tiger Bay, at a cost of $3.9 million.

“It speaks to a larger conviction that we have as a government to be able to reach out to vulnerable communities, when you look at our job-creation project, now community-based employment project, as we have with the block makers, Sophia being one of the communities that we have selected to participate in employment simula-

tion project,” Minister Rodrigues said, adding: “The most satisfactory thing that

we do in office is being able to touch lives, being able to improve people’s lives, be-

ing able to make an impact, so that you can see your life change in a real way.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Tajeram Mohabir

Servant leadership

THE floods, due to heavy rains, have brought new challenges to the ordinary man in the various communities across the country, the vast majority of whom are still struggling financially due to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic activities.

In situations like these, the call for everyone to be their brothers’ keepers cannot be overemphasized, as many have suffered immense loss of property, including crops and livestock.

A large number of those affected depend on their farms and their livestock for their livelihoods, and, understandably, the loss of income during this period is an additional weight on their shoulders.

But, thankfully, all is not lost, as their government has responded to their plight with alacrity, adopting a two-pronged approach in bringing them relief in their critical time of need.

The first step has seen the deployment of machinery, pumps and tubes to affected communities across the country to enhance drainage, thereby speeding up the discharge of excess water on farmlands and in housing areas.

These efforts have so far yielded dividends in some of the flood-affected communities, as the buildup of water on the land have begun to recede. However, drainage in some areas has thus far proven to be a challenge, with the intermittent, heavy burst of intense rain.

This pattern of downpour has made it difficult for the regional authorities to drain the accumulated water off the land, because as soon as the water begins to recede, it builds up again, due to the heavy rains. Thankfully, though, the sluices and pumps in the critical areas affected by the floods have been in full operation, and this is a positive indicator that despite the rains, the extent of the flooding is expected to be considerably less than what obtained before, and once the weather holds, the water will quickly drain off the land.

Aside from the pumps and sluices being put into high gear, excavators have been deployed across the country, and they have been busy clearing blocked waterways. This has enabled greater efficiency in drainage in the flood-affected areas.

Meanwhile, while the pumps, sluices and excavators have been switched into

high gear, teams led by government ministers have fanned out across the country, and have been into the heart of the flooded communities, distributing food and sanitisation hampers to the affected.

This is the first time in five years ministers of the government are seen in flood-affected areas offering comfort and help to the grassroots from every ethnic background. This level of servant leadership is a translation of words into action from a commitment made to the people of Guyana by President Dr. Irfaan Ali to make the safety and well-being of Guyanese affected a priority.

Notably, too, the distribution of relief hampers has been done without discrimination, as while efforts continue to be made to bring relief to the close to 3,000 people in Region Six affected by the floods, a region viewed as a PPP heartland, similar efforts have been extended to Region 10, a known APNU+AFC stronghold. In the same vein, and in keeping with the president’s commitment to treat the safety and well-being of those affected as a priority, the same spirit of the relief exercises have been extended to all the other regions affected by the flooding.

It is commendable that at a time when a swift response to the flooding was required, the government did not fail, and has mobilised all relevant government agencies as well as community-based organisations to bring relief to those affected.

Quite understandably too, it is never an easy task to tackle a countrywide flood in the middle of a raging pandemic, but the Dr. Irfaan Ali administration has been shouldering their responsibilities most admirably.

The floods, no doubt, have caused discomfort to many citizens, and despite the arising challenges, the fight against the pandemic continues. Heightened efforts continue to be made to get as many persons vaccinated against the deadly virus, even as health officials ramp up surveillance to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases.

At this critical time, the importance of all Guyanese putting aside their differences and working collectively to bring relief to those who need help, cannot be overemphasised; together we are in this battle against the floods and the pandemic and together, united and stronger, we must emerge.

Lowenfield, Mingo and Myers must go! (Part 1)

Dear Editor,

observers were former Prime Ministers from CARICOM, I READ with much consent the grandson of President the various articles in our Carter and his dynamic team reputable print media as at the Carter Center, and it relates to the motions ta- the European Union, which bled for the immediate dis- included Former High Commissal of Mr. Lowenfield, missioners from the United Ms. Myers, and Mr. Mingo. Kingdom, the United NaHaving been actively in- tions, and other overseas obvolved in observing the count server groups. Local observof the March 2020 General ers comprised members of the Elections, as well as the sub- Private Sector Commission sequent recount of the polls, (PSC) and the Ethnic Relathis motion struck a chord tions Commission (ERC), of within me, prompting me to which only two volunteers pen this letter. participated. These were my On March 2, 2021, and in colleague, Mr. Neaz Subhan, the ensuing months, I, along and I, the undersigned. No with over 200 local and in- one else from the Ethnic Reternational observers, was lations Commission wanted exposed to the deception and to participate. There were skullduggery that unfolded also representatives from the in what is known as the most Chamber of Commerce in humiliating and painful tab- Guyana, various Chambers ulation of an elections in the of Commerce in the United history of all elections. The States, journalists, and conelection itself was extremely cerned citizens of the Diassmooth, but it was during the pora. At the time, Guyana counting that all the trickery was on the world stage, but took place. What was even not for the reasons we would more heinous was that all of have desired. this occurred in the full view With the possibility of of some of the most elegant oil, our enormous natural and distinguished observers, resources, agricultural and both local and international. manufacturing potentials, it Among the international was well known that whoever

won these elections would wield significant influence and authority for an extended period of time. So, in the run-up to the elections, Guyana and Guyanese were living in an exciting time.

We were hopeful. We were positive. However, the events that followed, as acted out by Mr. Lowenfield, Ms. Myers, and Mr. Mingo would prove otherwise. As folks across the country awoke to the reality that would haunt them for months to come, the route to development and healing changed quickly. Those who had hoped for a peaceful resolution were taken aback by the reality of life in a waking nightmare. I recall some of the citizens of this dear nation lamenting on the immense stress and anxiety that persisted in the months that ensued. They all hoped for closure. However, the shenanigans perpetrated by these elements of conspiracy within GECOM drained them immensely.

On the night of the General Elections, at about 2am, all political parties knew who had won, based on the results submitted by the Returning

Officers, the various polling stations, and the regions. According to reports, there was pandemonium, depression, and a lot of tears inside the now headquarters of the Opposition. That is reasonable, as losing an election is not easy, especially when one is in power.

I recall witnessing Mr. Lowenfield and his cabal’s covert attempts to disenfranchise about 200,000 people.

I watched the humiliation with which individuals were handled; the lies that Mr. Lowenfield was spouting, and the obvious conspiracies in which he was involved.

I remember looking at him and reading his lips. At that time, I knew he was there to defraud the true victor of their victory, which was to deny the PPP/C what they had legitimately won. He was clearly getting directions from I know who, as did everyone else. We all knew he was being directed and ordered by someone other than the Chairman, Justice Claudette Singh.

I recall Mr. Lowenfield’s sinister smile, even as his guys were involved in at-

tempting to remove a laptop and flash drive, playing with the police and us, smiling like the devil himself. Premised by his body language, I remember asking him, “You don’t have a contingency in place? For example, I own a security company, and I have contingencies in place in the event that certain guards do not show up. I have a system where we will have some people work through, or have one or two standbys, you don’t have that?” And his ludicrous response was, “There are times when even contingencies won’t work.”

I recall the international observers who were constantly stunned, staring at each other, staring at us, and occasionally whispering. I recall certain APNU+AFC agents who were cleverly manoeuvering amongst the observers to eavesdrop on conversations.

International observers were equally curious as to who these people were. I informed them that these were “agents”.

The term “Tonton Macoute” was then mentioned by one of the observers.

It is even upsetting that ‘till now, Mr. Lowenfield is

of the opinion he owns the SoRs and the SoPs, and so he could provide it at his whim and fancy, even when it is required.

I recall Ms. Roxanne Myers, who had a bullish tone and was completely vile, unintelligible, harsh, and, as the words flow, even pretentious, spiteful, and nasty.

One thing is certain: Her incessant excuses for delaying the recounts would always be remembered and held against her. The excuses, “someone is pregnant,” “someone has a headache” (I am referring to the Returning Officers here), and her other excuses have all been recorded. I recall her ordering us repeatedly, day in and day out, to “pick up your rubbish and leave”. Those words continue to resonate in my ears to this day.

Her heinous, horrible habit of continuously using those words on some of the world’s most prominent diplomats, ambassadors, and others echoes deep within.

Yours sincerely, Haji Dr. Roshan Khan Snr.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Patient reportedly beaten to death, another burnt –– amid ruckus at Psychiatric Hospital two weeks ago

AN argument at the National Psychiatric Hospital (NPH) some two weeks ago reportedly resulted in a ruckus and the subsequent beating to death of a man, who was admitted to the facility after experiencing symptoms of epilepsy.

According to information shared with the Guyana Chronicle, Rohan Suntgalum, 41, of Canefield Canje, was reportedly beaten by two patients of the hospital, two days after he was admitted to the facility. Another patient, Steve Roberts, was reportedly bound, beaten and

burnt to the knees during the incident.

One of Suntgalum’s siblings, Sandiya Suntgalum, told the Guyana Chronicle that her brother was taken to the hospital on May 21, 2021, after he displayed symptoms of epilepsy and subsequently cut his foot after venturing out into the yard.

“Friday, when we reach the hospital, them treat the cut on he foot and by he memory gone and he nah know nobody, them say them gun send he to mental and then we went over and the nurse them say don’t worry we gun

Political activist on $100,000 bail for sullying Min. Ramson’s character

GAVIN Matthews, of Charlotte Street, Lacytown, Georgetown, who was accused of spouting derogatory remarks on his “The Gavin Matthews Show” on Facebook about Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Charles S. Ramson, was on Thursday, granted $100,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he made an appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Matthews pleaded not guilty to the charge, which states that on Thursday, March 25, 2021, in Georgetown, he, without legal or lawful justification or excuse, used a computer system to publish electronic data on Charles Ramson, with the intention to damage his reputation and corrupt public morals.

According to the prosecution, Matthews, on the day in question, allegedly aired a live video on Facebook, which contained dishonouring statements directed towards a group of political figures in Guyana, among them Mr. Ramson.

Minister Ramson claimed that on the day the video was aired, he watched it, and as he was listening to it, he became appalled when he heard detestable comments being made about himself by Matthews. The comments, the minister said, not only depicted him as a murderer, but a terrorist as well.

He said that even though the allegations are false, they have caused him substantial emotional distress, and succeeded in tarnishing his reputation. As a result, he was forced to report the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department, and Matthews was subsequently arrested and charged.

The matter has been adjourned until Thursday, June 10.

keep he safe, that he gun be safe there… so we left he there and come home, we didn’t think anything would a happen cause he does go there for treatment sometimes,” Sandiya said.

The distraught woman said that two days later, when the incident occurred, they did not hear from the mental facility, but from a friend, who said that Rohan had been admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital. But upon arrival at the hospital they were told that Rohan died.

Sandiya claimed that she went into the room and saw her brother lying on a bed, and covered with a blood-stained sheet.

She said that after a closer examination of the body, she saw a gash to the back of his head and blood oozing from his ears.

When Sandiya enquired about what had happened to her brother,

she was reportedly told that he was hitting himself repeatedly to the head with an iron bar. Not being satisfied with the explanation, the woman said she reported the matter to the police.

Meanwhile, Roberts’ grandmother Amina Haniff, said that Steve related to her that his hands were tied behind his back, and he was burnt to his knees.

Regional Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Six, David Armogan, when asked about the purported incident, said that the patients were involved in an argument that turned violent and resulted in Suntgalum’s death.

“What happened on that particular day, I understand, is that one of them pulled out a window or something and it had some grille or mesh on it, and he hit the other one with it so hard that the rest of them stand up laugh-

ing… unfortunately, there was just one nurse in the ward and that person had to run for her life,” Armogan said.

He added that the incident was unfortunate, noting that the regional administration will consider the possibility of stationing guards at the ward to help restrain the patients if the need arises, or help to protect the other patients and medical staff.

Director of Health Services in Region Six, Dr. Vishalya Sharma, said that her office has been in constant contact with the victims’ relatives and has even asked them to meet with the team to get a better understanding of the situation.

Dr. Sharma lamented that despite the efforts of the health team at the psychiatric hospital to keep harmful items away from the patients, they have

Dead: Rohan Suntgalum been making use of things such as the metal grilles, windows, tooth brushes that are sharpened, and even removing the ceramic tiles from the floors and walls, to be used as weapons to harm each other.

Sharma, like Armogan, agrees that more human resources are needed for the safety of the staff and other patients, even though the police are expected to conduct routine inspections of the facility. An investigation into the incident has since been launched.

Guyana cops seven CXC awards for outstanding performances

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By Tamica Garnett

STUDENTS from Guyana have copped five of eight awards at the 2020 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and two of eight awards at the 2020 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Regional Awards Ceremony on Thursday. The ceremony for the first time was held virtually.

Guyana also won the awards for both CSEC and CAPE School of the Year 2020. This award went to Queen’s College.

Guyana won the Dennis Irvine Award for the top overall student at CAPE and the Overall Outstanding Performance Achievement at CSEC, as well as the Most Outstanding Performance in Natural Sciences for CAPE and CSEC. Both of these CAPE awards were won by Zane Ramotar of QC, while both of these awards at CSEC were won by Bhedesh Persaud.

Persaud gained 22 Grade Ones and One Grade Two at the 2020 CSEC examinations, while Ramotar copped 14 Grade Ones and one Grade Two at CAPE during the 2019 – 2020 period.

Guyana also won the award for the Most Outstanding Performance in Business Education. This award was won by Nyron Seoukienandan of St Rose’s High School; the Most Outstanding Performance in Technical and Vocational Studies which was won by Anthony Sukra of New Amsterdam Secondary School and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) award for the Most Outstanding Performance in Principles of Accounts, which was won in a tie between Shania Sattaur of Brickdam Secondary School in Guyana, and Joe Wootten of Trinidad and Tobago.

Aside from Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago (TT) was the only other country to have won awards at the CAPE while TT, St Vincent and the Grenadines were the only other coun-

guyana CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand with the CSEC and CAPE regional awardees

tries to have gained awards at CSEC. The ceremony also saw the awards for the Most Outstanding Performance by a Male and by a Female student in the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) examination, which

were won by Leoneal Mark from Grenada and Mya Lake from Anguilla. .

The Regional Top Awards Ceremony was hosted at St John’s Pentecostal House of Restoration Ministries in Antigua and Barbuda, while the regional awardees participated

virtually from locations in their respective countries.

The feature address for the ceremony was presented

by Antigua’s Prime Minister, Gaston Browne “The days of chalk and talk are long gone. The use of computer technology and

integration of machine learning must become the raison d’etre. The Caribbean Region is depending on you to take the baton to take our Region to heights we never dreamed of,” Browne remarked.

Also delivering remarks at the ceremony were CXC Registrar, Dr. Wayne Wesley and CXC Chairman, Sir Hilary Beckles, as well as Principal of QC, Jackie Ralph and Ramotar.

During his speech, Ramotar commended the students and other stakeholders for having weathered the storm that was the COVID-19 pandemic, and particularly the students for doing their best at the examinations.

However, Ramotar also called on the regional body to continue improving its systems, given the backlash from last year over the preliminary results. Thousands of students initially had less than satisfactory grades; these were later improved when reviewed.

Both Persaud and Ramotar had improved grades after the review.

60 tablets donated to Bishops’ High by Alumni Association Mesha Sealey

THROUGH constant efforts to enhance the quality of education delivery and ensure access to learning at its alma mater, The New York Tri-State Chapter of the Bishops’ High School Alumni Association recently donated 60 Android tablets to the school at its Carmichael Street, Georgetown, location.

The tablets are expected to assist students and teachers to bridge the learning gap created with the advent of COVID-19 and the resultant remote learning environment.

President of the New York Chapter, Wayne Knight, handed over the tablets to the Headmistress, Marilyn Gibson, in the presence of students, Shinia Daniels and Shakeel Babb.

Before they were handed over to the school, the tablets were equipped with several applications by ICT firm Brainstreet, which specialises in information management and business services. The firm is headed by former student of the school, Lance Hinds.

“What has happened is that most schools are utilising online learning platforms. So we had to have Google apps installed onto the tablets. They’re Amazon Fire tablets, but although they’re Android devices, they do not come equipped with Google apps, like Google classrooms; and children need to utilise these platforms to access work from the school,”

President of the New York Chapter, Wayne Knight, hands over the tablets to Headmistress of Bishops’ High School, Marilyn Gibson, in the presence of students, Shinia Daniels and Shakeel Babb Wayne Knight explained, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

He also mentioned Microsoft Word as one of the additional applications installed on the devices.

The New York Alumni Chapter, which is currently the school’s most active alumni, has, in the past, provided the school with equipment and furniture, as well as collaborated with alumni from other chapters to give of their time and professional experiences by hosting biennial student conferences that are geared towards giving students insight into various professions after graduation.

Their most recent ventures, in collaboration with the Alumni Association’s Toronto Chapter, included the retrofitting and furnishing of the school’s multimedia room, as well as the removal

and replacement of old Internet cables within the school.

The recent project, which was to be implemented last year, originally consisted of the provision of laptop computers to the school, to assist the students with their research. However, Knight explained that with the absence of face-to-face learning, the Alumni Association decided to find an alternative project to work on.

“The children weren’t in school, so it didn’t make sense to jump on that plan right away; so we came up with this initiative….

It would have been a better idea to provide them with devices.”

He described the overall execution of the project as ‘seamless’, and noted that the Alumni Association continues to maintain constant communication with the Bishops’ High School to facilitate continuous improvements for the school.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

$10M worth of cannabis unearthed at Corentyne backdam

The narcotics contained in the 10 parcels wrapped in plastic THE Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), following a four-day operation, has unearthed 80 kilograms of cannabis valued $10 million, in a cane field at Goat Dam, Line Path, Corentyne.

According to CANU, the cannabis, which were discovered in 10 bulky parcels wrapped in transparent plastic, is believed to have been due for shipment to Suriname for resale. Three individuals seen walking from the cane field subsequently escaped.

Acting on information, a team of officers proceeded to the area at approximately 17:30 hours and carried out an almost two-hour long surveillance exercise in pursuit of persons said to have been transporting several bags of suspected narcotics.

During the exercise, the

officers encountered the three individuals, who subsequently ran away.

“The officers did not pursue the individuals due to a canal separating the dam from the cane field.

The officers searched the area where the men were seen, and noticed the 10 bulky parcels wrapped in transparent plastic.

“Upon examining the parcels, the officers noticed that the said parcels appeared to be cannabis,” CANU said.

According to the unit, the operation has been ongoing for the past four days and the team was commended for their patience and the professionalism displayed in seeing it through to the end.

“CANU, along with the GRA and police, will continue to carry out op-

erations to stem the flow of narcotics across our borders and also to work with Community Police Groups in various communities to ensure that drug blocks do not become established,” CANU related.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Corrupt practices to be arrested through institutional strengthening –– says Dr. Singh

AS part of its efforts to restrict instances of corruption, the Government of Guyana has started strengthening institutions, according to Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh.

Institutional strengthening is imperative for there to be public accountability, transparency and good governance, Dr. Singh said, while addressing a special session of the United Nations General Assembly on challenges and measures to prevent and combat corruption and strengthen international co-operation.

The senior minister said that corruption threatens the core values of democracy that the global community holds so

dear to them. Corruption, he related, also affects all countries, from advanced economies to fragile states.

“Corruption has deep, insidious, and lasting consequences on economies and societies. Its harmful effects on stability and security, public institutions and trust in them, the functioning and efficiency of markets, and overall economic performance, are well documented.

“It undermines the rule of law, and is often directly linked to serious crime, such as money laundering, terrorism, and trafficking of drugs, arms, and persons,” Senior Minister Singh said.

Considering the impact of corruption on an economy, Dr. Singh said the Government

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh of Guyana will be tackling it from every angle; this includes ensuring that there is greater transparency through parliamentary oversight, in-

dependence and the mandate of constitutional bodies.

Through new constitutional and legal frameworks there will be greater integrity in public office, public financial management, public procurement, and enhanced focus on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.

Additionally, considering the importance of good governance in the natural resource sector, Guyana will also implement the standards of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, and uphold the Santiago Principles for management of sovereign wealth funds.

He further acknowledged the need for international co-operation against corruption, citing the instrumental role played by the international community during Guyana’s March 2, 2020, elections, in ensuring that democracy was not subverted and that the democratic will of the people was eventually respected.

The government, he said, is pleased with the recog-

nition of the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process as a means of preventing corruption, ensuring accountability, promoting good governance, and reinforcing trust in public institutions.

“Guyana wishes to underscore the importance of international co-operation in the fight against corruption.

In particular, we draw attention to Clause 47 in the Lima Commitment on Democratic Governance against Corruption, which emerged from the Fourth Summit of the Americas. That clause calls for co-ordination amongst international and regional anti-corruption bodies, to foster synergies and avoid duplication of effort in the fight against corruption.

This is particularly pertinent to small countries with limited resources, human, technical and financial,” Dr. Singh said.

The senior minister noted that in moving the agenda forward for combatting corruption, the government will be assessing current and emerging realities in determining sys-

tems to achieve its goal.

He stated that the onset of COVID-19 presented an opportunity to deploy digital technology to facilitate remote bidder participation in bid openings in public procurement, thereby enhancing public scrutiny of the process and helping to build trust.

Digital technology offers exciting opportunities for delivery of public services to be enhanced while improving public accountability.

Senior Minister Singh reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to continue working with its international partners, including the United Nations, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and the Implementation Mechanism of the UN Convention Against Corruption.

“We also welcome the recognition of how important technical assistance will be in strengthening national capacity, and we look forward to relevant assistance from such entities as the UNODC and other international bodies within their respective mandates,” Dr. Singh said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Four persons die of COVID-19

FOUR deaths related to COVID-19 have so far been recorded for the month of June, 2021, a statement released by the Ministry of Health on Thursday has indicated.

According to the ministry, the four persons died between June 1 and 2 while receiving medical care at Ministry of Health institutions.

According to the statement, the latest fatalities are two men and a woman from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), aged 71, 88 and 67, respectively, and a woman from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice).

Their deaths take the overall toll for the pandemic, in Guyana, to 400.

Meanwhile, 119 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded after 1,375 tests were

carried out on Wednesday, June 2, 2021.

Of these, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) recorded one; Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 16; Region Four, 46; Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), seven; Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 13; Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), 26, and Region Ten, 10.

The newly infected persons were 59 males and 60 females. There are 17 persons within the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 103 in institutional isolation, 1,783 in home isolation, and seven in institutional quarantine.

Guyana has confirmed 17,376 cases of COVID-19 since its detection in March 2020; 1,910 of which are currently active, while 46 of

the 15,073 overall recoveries were recorded within the past 24 hours All Guyanese are urged to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures, which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home, the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others, and the need for good hand hygiene to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

If anyone you know is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 2311166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit the Ministry of Health at www. health.gov.gy.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, June 4, 2021

Taxi driver gets 18 years’ imprisonment for raping teen A TAXI driver, Damon Assanah, called “Demon,” was, on Thursday, sentenced to 18 years in prison for raping a 13-year-old girl back in 2015.

Assanah, 33, was, sentenced by Justice Brassington Reynolds at the Sexual Offences Court of the Demerara High Court.

Last month, Assanah was found guilty by a 12-member jury for engaging in sexual penetration with the victim during the month of November, 2015.

However, he was found not guilty on two counts of rape committed to the child during

the months of January and October 2015.

The convicted rapist, was represented by Attorney-atLaw Ravindra Mohabir, while the state was represented by prosecutors Nafeeza Baig and Sarah Martin.

Assanah, in his statement to the probation officer which was presented to the court on Thursday, maintained that he is innocent of the charge.

The victim’s impact statement was read in court by a social worker. The victim, in her statement said: “Sometimes I felt like if I can’t trust anyone close to me anymore...This

had a really negative impact on my life, it left me feeling really depressed after what this man did to me… He (Assanah) returned to the streets and drag my name through the mud with his friends and family, telling them what he did to me, and all the blame was cast onto me, saying that I wanted it.”

Justice Reynolds while addressing the “barbaric” manner in which the crime was committed told Assanah: “Removing you from society, at least for a while, is the least that a court can do in its attempt at joining forces with the rest of civil society to combat, if not

overturn the scourge of rape, incest and other deplorable forms of sexual violence being meted out to women and children in our beloved country.”

The judge in sentencing Assanah to 18 years, told him that he preyed on a young girl and shattered her innocence and bodily integrity.

According to reports, Assanah is known to the victim and her family, and during the month of January 2015, he lured her out of her home and raped her near a “fowl-pen.”

Some nine months later, while returning home after being sent on an errand by her mother,

Damon Assanah, called “Demon”

Assanah again struck, grabbing the child this time around, and unceremoniously throwing her into his motorcar, and headed for home, where he allegedly raped her again.

Things, however, came to an end on December 7, 2015, when the teen, while at school, began vomiting; this prompted her mother to take her to a city hospital, where blood and urine tests confirmed that she was seven weeks pregnant.

At that point, the teen confided in her mother about what had transpired. The police were called in and Assanah was arrested.

Health teams fan out in Region Six to deliver medical assistance ―as flooding persists WITH some persons being severely affected by flooding caused by torrential rainfall, the Regional Health Services of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) has deployed a medical team to affected areas, to administer treatment where necessary, distribute medical supplies, provide health tips and even deliver medication to chronic disease patients.

Director of Health Services in Region Six, Dr. Vishalya Sharma, during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, said: “We don’t need another health issue, especially in this pandemic.

So far, our teams have visited over 25 communities across the region, touching over 500 households. Based on feedback we have been getting from the teams, is that the response has been very positive, welcoming and timely, especially for households with children.”

Further, she said that basic medication such as antifungal ointment and creams, Paracetamol and masks, are being distributed to persons in flood-affected areas.

Residents are also being

sensitised on how to purify water, general health tips and best practices during floods.

In addition, the team is distributing medication for chronic diseases to persons who are unable to leave their homes to access same.

Dr. Sharma said the team is being led by Dion Thomas from the Public Health Department of Region Six and Marvin Dindyal of Environmental Health.

The health team is asking residents to be conscious of the COVID-19 pandemic and wear protective gear whenever they move around in the water. In addition to the outreaches, the team is expected to host sensitisation sessions via television and radio.

Regional Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council of Region Six, David Armogan, said that the health team has been providing much-needed services to the residents.

In his own advice, Armogan urged residents to adhere to the measures being outlined by the team, especially since water-borne diseases are usually expected as the water starts to recede.

A doctor distributes medication to a resident in a flood-affected community

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Romance, package delivery scams on the rise

WHILE there is a possibility that infatuation could blossom into a beautiful relationship, there are instances where persons are so blinded by emotions that they are easily manipulated and exploited for personal gains, as has been the case over the past year, with persons falling prey to romance and package delivery scammers.

According to a statement from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Guyana, there are persons in Guyana who are actively involved with international partners in the commission of what is referred to as “package delivery scams or romance scams.”

A proliferation of this act was noted during the height of the COVID-19

pandemic, which surfaced last year.

This Scam specifically targets persons via several social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The methodology used by the scammers is to befriend unsuspecting persons via the aforementioned digital platforms. And after building trust with their “new friend” of “love interest,” the scammer promises the intended victim, some form of assistance.

This, in most instances, is supposedly a “package” containing valuable gift items such as designer clothing, jewellery, televisions, cell phones and other electronic devices.

The victim is usually contacted by a local as-

sociate of the scammer, confirming the arrival of the package and requesting their personal contact and other information.

The intended victim is subsequently contacted again and asked to deposit money to a specified local bank account or to send it via a money transfer agency.

The scammers advise the victims that the payment is required to cover brokerage fees, customs duties, penalties and/or shipping charges for the package(s), which was found on inspection, to contain high valued items.

Once the payment is made, the scammers discontinue all contact with the victim. In some instances, requests are made for addi-

tional payments, for various reasons which may sound plausible to unsuspecting individuals.

“If you or someone you know is approached via Email, Facebook, WhatsApp, SMS, etc.,

and promised gifts or COVID-19 related financial or other assistance, Beware! This may be a scam.

Do not share any personal information, transfer or deposit money into the bank account of persons you meet

online and do not know very well,” the FIU warned.

Persons who believe they are a victim of this form of scamming are asked to report it immediately to the nearest police station.

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guyana CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Additional pumps, machinery deployed to flood-hit Region Six --over 800 more relief hampers distributed to affected residents

By Nafeeza Yahya

RESIDENTS of Babu Jaan in Port Mourant and the Whim/Bloomfield area have received food hampers from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and many are hoping that with the

ease in rainfall, the floodwaters will completely recede.

Babu Jaan has kneehigh water in some parts.

Many residents have suffered losses which include livestock, crops, household appliances and furniture.

The Guyana Chronicle

was told that with the twoinch reduction in the level of water in the community, residents are optimistic that without any heavy rainfall, their situation will improve.

Approximately 800 hampers were distributed by regional officials

on Wednesday. Regional Chairman, David Armogan, disclosed that about 8000 hampers are needed for the region and he has already made this request.

The riverine communities of Baracara and Akura in the Canje Creek will be getting flood-relief hampers on Friday and other affected communities in the region will receive theirs in

the ensuing days once they become available.

Armogan, Vice-Chairman, Zamal Hussain, and Regional Executive Officer (REO), Narendra Person, led the distribution exercise.

WATER RECEDING Little or no rainfall from Tuesday to Wednesday evening and the use of rice-field-type pumps during high tides, have seen the water going down in most areas across the region.

“We are making interventions where necessary and we are hiring more pumps even. If we don’t have these big mobile pumps, we are hiring rice field pumps to make sure we can pump the water out.

In some areas we are giving people who have their own facility for pumping; we are giving them fuel to assist, especially in the Black Bush area we have been giving them fuel to get the water off the land,” the regional chairman said.

The additional pumps have supplemented the mobile and fixed pumps that were already in operation.

Armogan added: “We have also hired quite a number of machines over the last day or two to make sure [that] if there are breaches in any part of the region, we are trying to seal those breaches and also clear any vegetation in the trenches. We have had reports across the region of the interventions working. BPP for example, this morning has reported two inches of drop; Chesney

has seen a drop in the water level and this area here Babu Jaan was much higher. At Bloomfield the water has dropped and most places is the same thing and of course because we have better weather today.

Hopefully if the weather holds, we can see more relief faster.”

Meanwhile, the chairman has noted that the animals in Cookrite Savannah are still in grave danger. He explained that the animals are being taken care of by the Guyana Livestock and Development Agency (GLDA) and were moved to higher ground but the area is still muddy and many animals have died.

In addition to feed and grass being taken to the animals, the GLDA team is also providing veterinary services. Armogan explained there is a high level of the water in the savannah and dry lands are unavailable.

Region Six, like most of the regions across Guyana, has been flooded as a result of high intensity rainfall. The President and Cabinet have been fanning out across the country and making interventions to bring immediate relief to the affected residents. An assessment of the damage incurred to crops and livestock is also being conducted in the region so that a decision can be made at the level of cabinet, as to the form of assistance that could be provided when the water recedes. In the interim, residents have been given food and sanitation hampers.

Regional Chairman, David Armogan, and team about to commence the distribution of hampers to residents of Area R Ankerville or Babu Jaan as it is popularly called

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, June 4, 2021

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Persistent rainfall expected up to mid-July/August THE Guyana Hydrometeorological Service has said that Guyanese could expect persistent rainfall up to mid-July/August.

In an interview on Wednesday with the National Communications Network (NCN), Head of Climatology at the Hydromet Office, Khomalchand Dhiram, said the rainy season ends differently in the northern and southern parts of Guyana.

He explained that normally, the transition out of the rainy season usually occurs in mid-July. In the southern part of Guyana, the transition occurs in August.

Chand said Guyana and other countries in the pacific are exiting the La Nina phase. This, along with the El Nino phase, is a climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean that can affect weather worldwide.

During La Nina events,

trade winds are even stronger than usual, pushing more warm water toward Asia. Off the West Coast of the Americas, upwelling increases, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface.

we may have an abrupt end of the rainy season. But the forecast is suggesting wetter than usual. So, all the way into July, as we transition out of the rainy season into the dry season, it will be wet.

and the predictors responsible for the forecast. The good thing is that we update this forecast every month, so if there is any change, the Hydromet Office will be able to communicate that.”

Chand said: “Now, that we coming out of this La Nina phase, it is likely that

“But that forecast is done with the current variable that we are looking at right now

Meanwhile, Chief Hydromet Officer, Dr. Garvin Cummings, said that the

above-normal rainfall dates back to December 2020 – with the exception of February 2021.

“There were excessive amounts of rainfall which means that the soil is saturated. Really, during May 25-31, 2021 was really the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back because then the soil is oversaturated, hence, the situation that we are in now,” he related.

Dr. Cummings said what is unique about this year, when compared to the devastating 2005 flood, is that the severe weather is not restricted to any geographical space. He was quick to note, however, that the current weather has placed “severe pressure” on the system, as well mitigation efforts.

“We may have seven days of continuous rainfall.

But there are indications that we may have consec-

utive days of dryness as well. While the forecast is suggesting above normal rainfall, above what we would usually get, [when] we compare this year to the long-term average, we see that we exceeded that in some cases by 50 – 60 per cent, and in some cases, approaching to 100 per cent. Note that we are just starting in June, so the rainy season is now peaking,” he cautioned In terms of the Hydromet Office’s capacity, Dr. Cummings noted that the biggest challenge is being able to effectively communicate not only the amount of rainfall, but its impact. Notwithstanding this, he pointed out that recent investments by the government have aided in scaling-up the Hyrdomet Office’s forecast capacity.

(DPI)

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guyana CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

NDIA mobilises more machines for flood-affected Canal Polder

--Minister Mustapha engages residents on short, long-term interventions to mitigate flooding MINISTER of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Wednesday, met with residents from Canal Number One Polder and Canal Number Two Polder, on the West Bank of Demerara, where he committed to providing more aid to alleviate the impact of flooding.

Wednesday’s exercise was a continuation of the assessments that the minister has been conducting across flooded communities along the coast.

So far, Minister Mustapha has visited most of the flood-affected areas in Regions Five and Six, as well as the most affected areas in Region Three.

During the meeting in Canal Number One Polder, residents said there is need for drainage works in the area. They said a machine was dispatched to the community, but the works could not be completed as persons who occupy the reserve objected to the machine traversing there.

Residents also requested that additional works be carried out on the Canal Polder

backdam, as well as other sections of the community. These works, they said, would have to be done after the rainy season.

Minister Mustapha said residents must cooperate while the work is being done.

He said additional measures will be put in place once the rainy period is over.

“The last time I was here, I told you that I would send a machine to do some works.

When the machine came, the works were hampered because persons had erected bridges and were occupying the reserve.

“We are willing to revisit those works if residents can come to a consensus that these works have to be done.

That is the only way the water will be able to run off of the land,” he said.

As part of the emergency interventions to bring relief, Minister Mustapha also told residents that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) is working to source an amphibious excavator to carry out the works.

He also told residents that a machine would also

A pump in operation at Goed Fortuin (DPI photo)

be sent to the community to commence works on the ‘B’ line canal.

Meanwhile, residents in Canal Number Two Polder said their area also needs

drainage works. Cash crop and livestock farmers, who engaged Minister Mustapha, related that they too had lost most of their livelihood.

Shameeza Ali, a cash

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, visiting affected areas in Canal Number One Polder (DPI photo)

crop farmer from Canal Number Two Polder, said she lost all of her crops as a result of the flood.

“I had passion fruit, pine, pear, plantain and other fruits and so. All duck out. I would really like it if some form of assistance can be given to me and the other farmers who suffered losses. All of [our] things them duck out Mr. Minister. Please, we need your help,” Ali said.

Minister Mustapha told residents that a team of extension officers was conducting flood-assessments in the region, and, once those assessments were completed, farmers would receive assistance to return to the land.

“Those farmers who would’ve lost crops and livestock, our officers from GLDA, GRDB, and NAREI have been moving around the region carrying out flood assessments. Once a final report is completed, we’ll see how much assistance we can give you from the level of the Ministry.

“We cannot give money but we’ll help you with some seeds, and other planting ma-

terial so that you can return to the land. We understand the important role farmers play so we will work with you and give you the kind of support you need,” he said.

The minister also told residents that long-term issues that were raised would also be addressed once things return to some level of normalcy.

“Most of the issues that were raised are long-term interventions. We’ll have to work to have those implemented after we deal with the current situation. My engineers will be looking at the feasibility of those suggestions.

“Once these suggestions will help to prevent or at least minimize flooding in the area in the future, we will do the works. They will be done in phases to ensure you have long-term development in the community,” Minister Mustapha related.

During the outreach, the minister also met flood-affected residents from Belle East and West, Vriesland, and Goed Fortuin. (DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

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guyana CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

‘Caribbean Style and Culture’ recognises local MUA for Makeup and Aesthetics award LOCAL make-up artist Susan Ibrahim has been recognised for a Caribbean Style and Culture (CSC) Awards and Fashion Showcase to receive the 2020 Award of Excellence Makeup and Aesthetics and couldn’t be happier with the achievement.

Although she’s been a make-up artist for just about seven years, Susan believes that it is her passion for the work that has landed her the award. As an awardee, Susan will be showcasing her work as part of the CSC’s upcoming virtual showcase.

“I feel really good about this because anything that I really put my mind to and I decide to do…I always try to put my best foot forward and learn as much as possible about what I am doing,” s h e ex-

pressed in an interview with the Buzz.

It came as a surprise to her when the organisation reached out to her and said they’ve been following her for some time now and love her work. Perhaps it’s her versatility that they love so much, she opined.

Explaining how it all began, Susan related that she was in the corporate world for as long as she could remember. Having had her second daughter, she realised that she had to spend quite some time at home. “I decided I would be a stay at home mom. So I learnt how to do my own make-up,” she re-

flected.

While being in Trinidad for a bit, she reflected how the women there were all very well-groomed and their makeup was always on point. “I adopted that style when I came back to Guyana and I was always put together and my friends saw that and started asking me to do their make-up,” she recalled.

It was one particular friend who told Susan that this is something she can possibly do as a side business. “I laughed but I later realised that it can indeed be a side business because I loved it so much and I loved making people over,”she said.

Susan decided to do theory Continued on page 19

Make-up artist Susan Ibrahim

guyana CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Caribbean Style...

From page 18 studies with a Canadian make-up school and a practical course with a Caribbean make-up artist every year after. “I learnt blending colours and once I learnt that, everything came together,” Susan said.

Now with her own business called ‘Saks Makeup artistry’ she mostly does house calls as most of her dates are booked because of advanced appointments.

“I’m just grateful to be part of this platform and to be representing Guyana,” she said, adding, “We’re all talented in our own way. Keep focused on your talent and what you want to create and not what anybody else is doing. Once you keep working on it, it becomes a reality. People can see genuine passion and you should continue to fuel it,” she expressed.

The Caribbean Style and Culture Awards is a showcase of fashion, music and art held annually in June to commemorate and celebrate National Caribbean American Heritage Month.

Founded in 2009, the Caribbean Style and Culture Runway Showcase is exciting, dynamic, constantly changing, and full of new styles and colour combinations to amaze the world. It brings the newest collections from the hottest Caribbean fashion designers showcasing the very best from the Caribbean and South American Region.

Over the last 12 years, the event has honoured the work of several renowned designers, models and makeup artists from across the Caribbean. Past awardees from Guyana include Michelle Cole, Carol Frasier, Keisha Edwards, Sidney Francois, Andrew Harris, Olympia Small-Sonaram, Frank J a m e s , R o g e r G a r y, Quinton Pearson, Nadia Winter-Thomas, Natasha Harper, Niketa Barker, Renee Chester, and many others.

This is the second year that the Caribbean Style and Culture Awards and Fashion Showcase will be held virtually, allowing artists to showcase their work to an audience of thousands of Caribbean people in the region and in the diaspora via social media.

Susan has been recognised for a Caribbean Style and Culture Award

Once Susan learnt to blend colours, everything came together for her

Susan now manages ‘Saks Makeup artistry’

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guyana CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Gavin and Chucky to perform live for Bankra Caribbean Culture Festival GAVIN Mendonca and Marlon ‘Chucky’ Adams are all set to perform tomorrow night for the Bankra Caribbean Culture Festival to be held virtually from 16:00 hours to 21:00 hours. The duo has successfully continued to defy the odds by securing more bookings on the international music scene.

The event is being produced

by Braata Productions - an organization based in New York City dedicated to preserving Caribbean culture and creating plat-

forms for Caribbean creatives.

Gavin and Chucky have just released their first official original song together - ‘Everything Gon Be Alright.’ “The past year has been extremely trialling for creatives here in Guyana, especially those who had a budding touring career in progress,” Gavin said this week.

The duo was scheduled to perform together outside of Guyana for the first time last April at New Fire Festival in Trinidad, but the event had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. “Undeterred and with epic resolve, we continued to hone our craft and eventually started producing our own virtual performances with the help of Azikiwe ‘Ziggy’ Denheart of Infinity Productions and local rapper ‘A/TayJAH’,” Gavin expressed.

“The DIY [Do It Yourself] approach proved to be very successful as we were able to create top-class productions, even with lack of funding and financial support, as we possess superb skills and equipment to achieve the tasks at hand,” he said.

The systematic release of these performances on social media proved to be fruitful as the duo began getting bookings from International Organizations. So far, they have The duo is proud of their performed onaccomplishments even in the face of a line for Folk lack of funding and financial support Alliance Inter-

national (which Gavin attended in person in New Orleans mere weeks before the lockdowns began in 2020), Muzikstan (produced in Birmingham) and Nottingham Global Roots Festival.

Gavin said he has observed that he and Chucky receive more support from the international community and non-Guyanese over local organizations and diaspora groups who always seem to want them to perform for free.

“It is our belief that Guyanese need to understand how much time, energy and resources go into creatives being able to do what they do, especially at the high level and standards which we operate by. There has always been a lack of respect and appreciation for Guyanese creatives, by Guyanese, which is a very unfortunate and a sad reality,” Gavin expressed.

Meanwhile, aside from writing and recording their first original album together, Gavin and Chucky are also working with Kross Kolor Records to produce ‘Folk It Up Vol. 2’ - a project aimed at recording all of Guyana’s known folk songs to ensure they can be passed on to the next generation.

“Volume 1 was released in 2019 at the Guyana Folk Festival in New York and has received very positive reviews. We are also advocates for more local content on radio and the development of a system where artistes can be paid by radio stations to have their content played,” Gavin pointed out.

He said he has just completed a course in Copyright Law and IPR through Harvard University and will be participating in an IPR Valuation Course through JIPO (Jamaica Intellectual Property Office).

Gavin plans to use this newfound knowledge and qualification to contribute to better systems for the cultural and creative industries in Guyana.

To tune in to the festival live on Saturday visit Braata Productions on Facebook, or visit www.braataproductions.org.

Gavin Mendonca and Marlon ‘Chucky’ Adams

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guyana CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

‘From nothing to something’

‘Soca My Heaven’ is for all those who feel boxed in, Vanilla says Local singer proud of his humble roots

WITH a lot of people feeling frustrated and boxed in, Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts feels that her new song ‘Soca My Heaven’ can make a difference as it takes its listeners to a happy place.

Written by her and Ofei Clake, Vanilla said the song makes her feel free, especially in light of the confinement due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The new music was released this week on radio and Youtube and all social media platforms. “It’s the first song I have released after Mash,” Vanilla explained. It was produced by Burchmore Simon and recorded at Sound Garden Studio “A lot of people enjoy listening to Soca and it really takes you to a place of happiness,” she expressed in an interview with the Buzz, adding, “A lot of people are frustrated and boxed; we are not free to go to events, have a show or have fun.”

Roberts is all set to produce her latest film, “Eating Papaw on the Seawall” – a story about love and how it navigates hate in darkness. In an interview with Buzz recently, she said the film’s writer Rae Wiltshire of Counterpoint Productions submitted a script to the Commonwealth Caribbean Voices Project for a competition they were having.

Wiltshire was the only Guyanese selected from over 100 participants around the Caribbean. “I consider this great news for Guyana because it opened another window for the creative industry in the area of film,” pointed out Roberts, adding, “It’s a

By Dillon Goring

Local artiste Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts

story about love; where love navigates hate in darkness.

It’s a love than cannot ripen in light.”

Because the creative industry is small in Guyana, building a cast and crew can become challenging in the area of film, especially when there’s a unique story to tell.

“So Rae reached out to members of CeniGuyana who reached out to me because of my experience in film production where I worked not only in Guyana but Barbados and Los Angeles as well,” Roberts explained about how she became involved with the film.

The character list includes an East Indian/Mixed

The album cover of ‘Soca My Heaven’

male 16-22 years old, Afro/ Mixed male 16-22 years old, East Indian/Mixed female 35-45 years old, and Afro/ Mixed male age 35-45 years old.

“There is a specific structure in place because it’s important to cast the right characters with the right ages for the roles so that a compelling story can be told. We hope to achieve the goal of finding all the characters that fit the roles because it’s important for the visuals and emotional connection to tell the story,” Roberts explained.

The team is also hoping to find actors who can connect to the emotions of the film, and good enough to be referred to for future films.

Roberts shot to fame back in 2005 with her single, ‘Koc It Up’ and ‘54321’ which featured Ice under the Kotion Rythym Medley video attached to Kross Kolor Records label.

When she’s not in the studio, the talented artiste is also very active in the filmmaking industry. Having always felt connected to television and the behind-the-scenes workings of music videos she has been a part of in the past, Melissa took up studying Motion Picture Arts in Barbados at the University of the West Indies.

Many artistes usually find inspiration from their own lives when making music. For local musician Alexander Williams, better known as ‘A.W. Lyrical’, this is exactly the case. Proud of his humble beginnings, Williams said that this has guided him throughout his career.

“My motto in terms of the Industry is that I came from nothing to something.

I was the guy who used to walk barefoot, literally…I used to wear slippers that have holes in the bottom, I used to wash clothes and wear them back the next day. I came from Leguan and was disowned by mhy parents and relatives and had to face [life] the hard way,” Williams recounted.

Williams began singing at the tender age of four when he sang for a Nursery School Mashramani Competition where he placed first. Now fully committed

Alexander Williams better known as ‘A.W. Lyrical’

to his musical career, he notes that he is amazed at where he is today when he compares it with where he used to be.

He now knows that he is focused on bringing a lot of happiness to the lives of those who listen to his music and as he grows in his career, he wants to inspire as many people as possible.

Williams also has a message for his fans and for

intended artistes. “ No matter how hard a situation may seem, or how many doubts you have, don’t give up on it because I came from the deepest hole and I see myself going somewhere and once I did it, you can do it as well,” Williams said.

Music plans The songster is currently working on a Gospel album scheduled to be released in August then in December, he plans to launch a Chutney album.

The Singer says that he wants to focus on a Gospel Album because ever since he became a singer, he wanted to see himself singing in Church.

He began singing in church as a child but had stopped when he became a teenager.

Williams related that seeing the joy and the happiness that his music brings is certainly one reason that inspires him to keep going.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, June 4, 2021

John leads Guyana Cycling Federation points-classification

BRITON John has a 33-point lead on his closest opponent in the points-classification of the Guyana Cycling Federation, which was updated this week.

The Independence cycling champion, who had crossed the finish line first in the National Cycling Championships road race, last month, but was relegated to fourth, due to a lane infraction, has so far accumulated 93 points.

His closest competitor is Christopher Griffith with 60 points.

Jamual John, who finished second in the Independence Meet, is fourth in the senior

division on 53 points, with Paul DeNobrega (third in the National 100-mile road race) in fourth on 49 points and US-based Raynauth Jeffrey in fifth on 41 points.

Jeffrey won the second leg of the Independence Championships and was crowned the 2021 National Time Trial champion.

Masters competitor Alex Mendes, who had done extremely well in the early meets, is in sixth with 30 points.

Meanwhile, Romello Crawford, who was adjudged the winner of the 2021 National Cycling Championships

road race, was able to amass 20 points from the win.

Marcis Keiler is eighth on 17 points and Curtis Dey ninth on 13 points, Deoraj Gharbarran, with eight points, rounds off the top 10.

Despite falling in last Sunday’s National Masters road race (criterium format), Mendes is still ahead in that division with 35 points.

Winner of the 2021 National Masters Time Trial, Stephen Fernandes, is second on 24 points, with Paul Choowee-nam third on 18 points.

Walter Grant-Stuart, who finished fifth overall in the

Senior National road race battle, is fourth on 16 points, with Jaikarran Sukhai fifth on 13 points.

Junior Niles (seven points), Kwame Ridley (four points), Segun Hubbard (three points), Johann Burrowes (three points) and Lyn Murray (two points) are also on the list.

Dominant Independence Three-Stage champion and National Cycling Time Trial and Road Race champion Suzanne Hamilton has doubled her closest competitor in the Ladies division.

Her 20-point tally leaves Shenika Teixeira in second

spot with 10 points. Aneisha Crandon and Clivecia Spencer are tied for third on six points, with Selena Spencer in fifth on two points.

In the Junior Division, the 2021 National road race champion Aaron Newton is ahead on 26 points, with Mario Washington and National Time Trial champion Alex Leung tied for the second position on 22 points.

David Hicks is fourth on 18 points, with Sherwin Sampson on 10, Amani King on six, Andrew Forrester on four and Mark Lewis Jr also on four.

(ESPNCRICINFO) - The sixth season of the PSL will resume on June 9, with a final set for June 24. The tournament will after all be played in Abu Dhabi, despite speculation in recent days that it was going to be moved to Sharjah.

The compressed schedule means there will be as many as six double-headers, with the early games starting at 17:00hrs, Abu Dhabi time, and the evening matches at 22:00hrs local time.

Single matches will start at 20:00hrs.

The remaining league games will be played from June 9 to 19, the Qualifier and first Eliminator on June 21, the second Eliminator on June 22 and the Final on June 24.

The fate of the tournament had been hanging in the balance for the last two weeks with several challenges around logistical arrangements and more crucially pending approvals from Abu Dhabi government.

One of the main roadblocks was getting the necessary exemptions for the production crew from India and South Africa to land in the UAE. The delay in their visas and then clearances for chartered flights caused a delay as they are meant to undergo 10 days in quarantine on arrival.

The seven-day isolation period for players and staff who arrived in the UAE via chartered flights from Pakistan ended on June 2 but a delay in the arrival of the production crew forced the PCB to rejig the schedule.

The tournament was earlier meant to start not later than June 5 and they had considered Sharjah as an alternative where the quarantine rules are not as strict as in Abu Dhabi.

“Since its inception in 2016, the HBL PSL has embraced and overcome numerous challenges, only to emerge as a stronger and competitive league year-on-year,” Wasim Khan, the PCB chief executive, said in a statement.

“The enhancement and credibility of the brand remains critical to the PCB and I am pleased that we have continued to take decisive actions in the face of ongoing pressures and major challenges outside of our control over the last 10 days.

Everyone has worked tirelessly to find solutions and way forward, and I am delighted that we are now in a position to announce the complete schedule.

“There was a consensus between PCB and the franchises that it was imperative to complete the remaining matches in 2021 so that we have a clean 2022 (for the next season). Now, after overcoming all obstacles through due diligence and careful planning, I believe we have collectively achieved the desired objective that was set in March following the postponement.”

The PCB has had lengthy negotiations with the Abu

Dhabi government to stage the tournament in the emirate, and got clearances too, recently, but the resumption has not been as smooth as it was expected.

Over the last 15 days, the PCB even came close to postponing the event further, but the board has now managed to put most of the pieces together and finalise June 9 as the resumption date.

One of the biggest challenges was to wrap up the league before June 22 as the Pakistan squad was set to fly to England on June 23 which was later changed to June 25 after the ECB agreed to delay the start of the bilateral tour to accommodate the PSL. But there will be no change in the dates of the matches with the first game of the tour, an ODI in Cardiff, set to be played on July 8.

The squad will land in Manchester from where they

will be transported to Derby for the mandatory 10-day isolation period and training session. They will then move to Cardiff on two days before the first ODI. “We are grateful and thankful for the support and backing we have received from the UAE and Pakistan governments. I would like to thank the England & Wales Cricket Board for their flexibility, the Emirates Cricket Board, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, as well as all the franchise owners for backing our approach and supporting our decision-making.”

Overall, over 300 personnel - both from Pakistan and overseas - are in Abu Dhabi and a majority of them (other than the ones from India and South Africa) have already completed their quarantine.

Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars completed their quarantine and started training on Wednesday, while the other

four sides will start training from today.

Players and player support personnel, who have completed the mandatory seven-day room isolation and returned three negative tests, are allowed to integrate with their sides and participate in training sessions.

The PCB had arranged chartered flights for arriving in the UAE but those who were left behind due to visa glitches were made to fly through commercial flights, including Quetta Gladiators’ Sarfaraz Ahmed, who, along with a few other individuals, was not allowed to board a commercial flight from Lahore and Karachi to Abu Dhabi via Doha on last Sunday. They flew a day later to take a different route via Bahrain.

There are still over seven personnel, including players and support staff, waiting for their visas.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, June 4, 2021

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Burns, Root craft response to Conway’s double ton

Rory Burns swivels into a pull, 1st LV= Insurance Test, England vs New Zealand, 2nd day, Lord’s, June 3, 2021

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ENGLAND fought their way back into the contest at Lord’s, as a fluctuating day ended with Rory Burns and Joe Root orchestrating a composed reply to Devon Conway, who became only the seventh man in Test history to score a double-century on debut.

New Zealand posted 378 but the innings fell away after Mark Wood’s three-wicket burst during the morning had inspired the home side.

Despite losing their last seven wickets for 90 runs either side of lunch, and failing to capitalise fully on a majestic Test bow from Conway, New Zealand tails were up after they claimed two quick wickets with the new ball before tea.

But following a slow start, Burns and Root mixed sound judgement with a positive intent in an unbroken 93run stand that saw England to the close without further loss.

This was an important innings for Burns, in particular, having returned to the side after playing just two Tests out of six over the winter.

He weathered testing spells from New Zealand’s new-ball pair of Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson, and later proved equal to a shortball bombardment from Neil Wagner to bring up his first Test half-century in nine innings, going back to last summer’s third Test against West Indies.

Root was also watchful early on, having come to the crease with England 18 for 2 - Jamieson striking in his second over to have Dom Sibley lbw for a duck and Southee then inducing an impetuous drive from Zak Crawley.

After the interval, Kane Williamson brought on Colin de Grandhomme to bowl to Root, doubtless hoping to play on the memory of their

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World Cup final duel on this ground two years ago. Root was caught behind off de Grandhomme after a tortured 7 off 29 balls on that occasion. Here, he carefully played out 23 dots from the New Zealand all-rounder, before cuffing four through backward point and settling into the rebuilding effort alongside Burns.

Williamson also attempted to find a breakthrough via Neil Wagner’s leg theory - which sounds like a 1970s psychedelia band but remains one of the more compelling sights in the game currently. With fine leg, deep square, forward-square, leg gully and midwicket posted, Wagner hustled in and tested out the middle of the pitch only to find Burns was up to the challenge.

New Zealand’s first-innings total was underpinned by the relentless Conway,

who went to his double-century with a six off James Anderson but fell short of carrying his bat when he was run-out coming back for a second in the following over.

He had batted for almost ten hours to score more than half of his side’s runs, with Henry Nicholls’ 61 the next-highest contribution.

Conway and Nicholls extended their partnership to 174 during the first hour on day two, but the introduction of Wood precipitated a New Zealand collapse of 4 for 6 in 8.4 overs.

From 288 for 3, a score in excess of 400 seemed in order, only for New Zealand to stumble to 338 for 9 before some happy slapping from Wagner - who casually lofted Stuart Broad over long-off before drilling Anderson through the covers - helped add 40 for the last wicket.

Speaking before the start

of play, Wood had suggested England would aim to control the scoring in the hope that “a couple of quick wickets (and) the whole complexion of the match changes”.

Initially that seemed little more than wishful thinking, as Nicholls punched Broad up the slope to the pavilion to raise his half-century and New Zealand runs came steadily.

But Wood made good on the prediction during a controlled spell that sparked the contest into life. First the previously unflappable Nicholls was hurried by a well-directed short ball that induced a flap to long leg; then BJ Watling, so often a oneman roadblock at No. 6, was taken at slip for 1 as Wood found some seam movement to go with his pace from the Pavilion End.

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guyana CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Federer reaches French open third round

Cilic complained Federer was taking too long to get his towel between receiving points, leading to the Swiss being warned by umpire Emmanuel Joseph and then having a long discussion about it

(BBC) - Swiss eighth seed Roger Federer regained his composure during a heated battle with Croatia’s Marin Cilic to reach the French Open third round.

Federer, 39, had some testy exchanges with the umpire on his way to a 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(7-4), 6-2 win on the Paris clay.

Top seed Novak Djokovic produced a focussed performance to reach the third round for a 16th consecutive year.

The 34-year-old Serb won 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in his first career meeting with tricky Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas.

Djokovic will face Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis, ranked 93rd in the world, in the last 32.

The 18-time Grand Slam champion is aiming for a second title in Paris to follow up his sole win in 2016.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal plays his sec-

ond-round match in the night session on Chatrier, taking on France’s Richard Gasquet for the right to face British number two Cameron Norrie in the next stage.

While the Spaniard has won a record 13 titles at Roland Garros and is the favourite for another, he is seeded third behind Djokovic and Russia’s Daniil Medvedev because the seeding system is based on the current world rankings.

Cilic complained Federer was taking too long to get his towel between receiving points, leading to the Swiss being warned by umpire Emmanuel Joseph and then having a long discussion about it All three players find themselves in the same half of the Roland Garros draw - the first time that this has happened at a major tournament.

Having barely played since the 2020 Australian

Open following two knee operations, Federer has been keen to dampen expectations on only his second visit to Roland Garros since 2015.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion says he is focussing on being in prime shape for next month’s Wimbledon - where he has won a record eight men’s singles titles although privately may harbour higher hopes of a deep run on the Paris clay.

After an impressive opening win against Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin, he faced a step up in quality against former US Open champion Cilic.

Other than in a ragged second set, where Federer lost his cool with the umpire after being warned for taking too long between points, the Swiss star played fluently throughout and looked to be moving well.

“I was a bit surprised by the level I played because I didn’t play so much late-

ly,” said Federer, who faces 59th-ranked Dominik Koepfer of Germany next.

“I was a bit on and off, but I served well in the tiebreak. I am very pleased with the result.”

On riling Cilic and the subsequent discussion with umpire Emmanuel Joseph, he added: “I just feel like it was a misunderstanding on many levels.

“I didn’t feel like I was playing particularly slow. I always feel like I don’t make my opponent wait very much, but clearly Marin wanted to go faster. I didn’t realise that.

“I told him, I also haven’t played so much lately that I’m not quite understanding the rhythm and I guess I’m just ‘new’ to the new tour.

“It was quite interesting to live through it. It got a little energy to the match, which I liked.”

‘TopGun’ supporting COVID-19 vaccination drive LOCAL marksman and sportsman Harold ‘Top Gun’ Hopkinson yesterday morning instituted an initiative at his company.

Hopkinson, a motor-racing enthusiast who is also the owner of the Kong Supra drag racing car, is using his company, Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc. to ensure all his

staff members are vaccinated.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport yesterday, Hopkinson said, “In an effort to get more staff vaccinated, the CEO of Guyana’s premier security company, Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc has instituted a monthly lottery of $50,000..”

“How it works is that

employees send pictures of their vaccine cards to the CEO, the names of these employees are placed in an envelope and the name of the lucky person is drawn,” the multiple-time handgun champion said.

“He or she then receives a cash prize,” he added.

“Fully vaccinated staff get their names

placed twice in the bag.

This will continue for the rest of the year. We are here to protect our staff members, clients and the rest of Guyana.”

This week’s winner was Shavance Vyphuis, who received his cheque from Director of Security Operations and Training Officer, Dwayne Bagot.

Young helps Hawks eliminate Knicks from Eastern Conference (REUTERS) - Trae Young continued his breakout postseason, scoring 18 of his game-high 36 points in the fourth quarter as the visiting Atlanta Hawks eliminated New York Knicks with a 103-89 win in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

The fifth-seeded Hawks, who won the final three games by a combined 42 points to clinch their first series win since 2016, will face the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the conference semi-finals beginning Sunday.

The 30-point game was the third of the series for Young, who averaged 29.2 points per game.

Clint Capela (14 points 15 rebounds) had a doubledouble for Hawks while De’Andre Hunter scored 15 points and John Collins 13. Julius Randle (23 points 13 rebounds) posted a double-double as a resurgent season ended for the fourth-seeded Knicks, who made the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

Jazz 126, Grizzlies 110 Donovan Mitchell amassed 30 points 10 assists to lead Utah to a first-round clinching Game 5 victory over Memphis in Salt Lake City.

Sixth Man-of-the-Year winner Jordan Clarkson added 24 points and Rudy Gobert totalled 23 points with 15 rebounds and three blocks as the Jazz, who led by as many as 35 points, earned their fourth consecutive win to eliminate the Grizzlies.

Ja Morant tallied 27 points with 11 assists while Dillon Brooks also scored 27 for Grizzlies, who were in the playoffs for the first time in four years. Memphis had to win two games in the play-in - over San Antonio and Golden State - to qualify for the playoffs.

Mavericks 105, Clippers 100 Tim Hardaway Jr and Kristaps Porzingis rescued a tiring Luka Doncic with consecutive 3-pointers inside the final three minutes and visiting Dallas survived a frantic Los Angeles rally for a victory and a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Doncic finished with a game-high 42 points, helping Mavericks record the series’ fifth consecutive victory by the road team.

Returning to the site of their surprising wins in Games 1 and 2 of the series, the fifth-seeded Mavericks led most of the way, including by as many as 16 points early in the fourth quarter. But with Doncic running out of gas, Mavericks managed just four points over nearly a nine-minute span of the fourth period, allowing fourth-seeded Clippers to climb within 9591.

76ers 129, Wizards 112 Seth Curry scored a playoff career-high 30 points, Tobias Harris added 28 points nine rebounds and hosts Philadelphia eliminated Washington in five games.

Ben Simmons started at centre and had 19 points 11 assists 10 rebounds for the top-seeded Sixers, who will meet Atlanta Hawks on Sunday in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

Bradley Beal led the eighth-seeded Wizards with 32 points while Russell Westbrook had 24 points 10 assists eight rebounds. Rui Hachimura added 21 points.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 4, 2021

Bubble life taking a toll on Andre Russell

(ESPNCRICINFO) - Bubble life has “definitely taken a toll” on West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell because of the restrictions, quarantine rules imposed on players as more and more international series and T20 tournaments are being played around the world during the pandemic.

Russell last represented Kolkata Knight Riders in the truncated IPL and will now show up for Quetta Gladiators in the 2021 PSL, which is likely to resume on June 9.

“I think it’s taking a toll on myself,” Russell told Geo News from Abu Dhabi, where the rest of the PSL is scheduled to be played.

“I can’t talk for any other player, or coaches or anyone that goes through this whole quarantine stuff. But it has

definitely taken a toll on me mentally because from bubble to bubble, in a room locked in, you can’t go out for a walk, you can’t go certain places, you can’t socialise, it’s different.

“But at the end of the day, I’m not being ungrateful, I’m grateful that we’re still playing, we’re still doing our job. So it’s tough for us. But even though we prepared for it, it still takes a toll.”

Russell said he tries to utilise the time and space in hotel rooms during quarantine by doing a variety of exercises.

“So for me, I like to have a bike or something in my room so that I can get my heart rate up,” he said. “I would utilise the space that I have, go on the floor, do

Andre Russell is set to play non-stop T20 cricket from June. (BCCI/IPL) some push-ups. For some exercises, I use stuff in the room to just get something done.”

The PSL is currently set

Maximo ‘optimistic’ ahead of must-win St Kitts encounter today THE Golden Jaguars will roar today, from 16:00hrs against St Kitts and Nevis, with the aim of keeping their 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup dreams alive.

Needing a win in their remaining Group F CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, head coach Marico Maximo is optimistic of success.

The Golden Jaguars arrived in St Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday ahead of matches against the host nation today and Puerto Rico (June 8), after a brief encampment in Antigua and Barbuda.

“We have seen very high intensity in training and great commitment from the players,” said Maximo. “We are very optimistic that we can achieve some positive results in St Kitts. We know it’s going to be a challenge, but everyone has high confidence about hitting our targets,” Maximo said.

Guyana lie in third in Group F, behind leaders St Kitts & Nevis and Trinidad & Tobago. Golden Jaguars need to win their remaining matches and then hope that other results go in their favour in order to top the group and qualify for the second round.

For 2021, Guyana Football Federation has set targets for Golden Jaguars to reach the second round of FIFA World Cup qualification and to improve on their performance at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, when the team notched one point from their three

group-stage matches.

Maximo made six changes to the squad that lost to Trinidad and Tobago and beat The Bahamas in March, with 30-year-old former England youth international Matthew Briggs taking on the captaincy for the first time.

Full Guyana squad below GOALKEEPERS: Akel Clarke (Mount Pleasant Academy), Kai McKenzie-Lyle (Cambridge United FC) Shawn Adonis (GPF FC).

DEFENDERS: Miguel Scarlett (Colchester United), Matthew Briggs (Vijle Boldk FC), Liam Gordon (Bolton Wanderers), Terence Vancooten (Stevenage FC), Nicholai Andrews (Santos FC), Bayli Spencer-Adams (Watford FC), Kevin Layne (Mount Pleasant Academy), Nathan Moriah-Welsh (Bournemouth FC).

MIDFIELDERS: Javier George (Stade Beaucairois), Daniel Wilson (GPF FC), Jobe Caesar (GDF FC), Marcus Wilson (Santos FC), Pernell Schultz (GPF FC).

FORWARDS: Stephen Duke-McKenna (Queens Park Rangers), Keanu Marsh-Brown (Wrexham AFC), Omani Glasgow (Fruta Conquerors), Kelsey Benjamin (GDF FC), Osafa Simpson (GPF FC), Trayon Bobb (Uitvlugt Warriors), Emery Welshman (Hapoel Raanana).

to go on from June 7 to 24 for the remaining 20 games in Abu Dhabi where players and personnel are undergoing varying days of quarantine.

Players, especially, will be bracing themselves for the UAE heat which is expected to shoot temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius during the day.

Russell has the experience of playing in hot con-

ditions before, but he said this time it’s going to be “a bit different” because players will have to acclimatise quickly as soon as they come out of quarantine.

“I have played in hot conditions before. But I was in competition, playing games, having proper net sessions and back and forth, getting used to the condition and fully acclimatised,” Russell said. “However, in this case, it’s going to be a bit different where we are in quarantine and then we just gonna get out and have a few practice sessions and then go straight into the games.

“The night won’t be as bad as the day games but if it’s a day game, we just have to be up for the challenge.

We are professionals, so we have to condition our minds to deal with the heat and the weather.”

Known for his brutal power-hitting, Russell also said a batter with a proper technique can also provide great value in T20s with a different set of skills.

“The more power you have as a batter, the more fear you bring into the bowler,” he said. “But for a guy with a proper batting technique, he can pick the gaps, he can score boundaries whenever he wants, then it still adds up.”

Russell also spoke about the one-year ban he was handed in early 2017 for a doping code violation and said the incident had opened his eyes.

“It was tough for me. It was definitely an era that I wish I could just be careful and just get it done at that time. But, the past is the past, it’s already happened, it definitely opened my eyes to reality and life,” he said.

Soon after the PSL, Russell will play in the T20I series against South Africa, Australia and Pakistan at home in June and July before representing the Jamaica Tallawahs in the CPL which starts on August 28 and then head to the UAE again for the remainder of IPL 2021.

Chase steers Hamilton’s XI to win Windies inter-squad match

(CMC) – Roston Chase returned from injury to hit an aggressive match-winning knock as Jahmar Hamilton’s XI wrapped up the West Indies four-day inter-squad match with a three-wicket victory over Jermaine Blackwood’s XI here yesterday.

Resuming the final morning at the Darren Sammy National Stadium on 218 for four in pursuit of 311 or victory, Hamilton’s XI defied a two-wicket burst from medium pacer Kyle Mayers (2-36) to get over the line.

Chase, who retired hurt the previous evening on one, following a blow to the groin, returned to stroke an unbeaten 45 while all-rounder Raymon Reifer carved out 32 and Paul Palmer, 23.

Off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall added another wicket to his tally to end with three for 99.

Requiring a further 93 runs at the start, Hamilton’s XI flourished as lefthanders Reifer and Palmer extended their

fifth-wicket stand to exactly 50 before being separated.

Palmer, starting the day on 15, fell to a catch at the wicket off Mayers at 237 and with two runs added, Cornwall gained an lbw decision against Reifer who counted four fours in an 84-ball knock.

When Mayers got Hamilton to edge to Shai Hope at third slip, victory appeared unlikely for Hamilton’s XI but Chase combined in an unbroken 61-run, eighth-wicket partnership with Keron Cottoy (19 not out) to turn the tide.

Chase, pushing for a place in the side for the opening Test against South Africa starting here next week, crunched half-dozen fours and two sixes off just 50 deliveries while Cottoy hit two fours off 34 balls.

The fixture was the only match preparation for the two-Test series against the Proteas and selectors will now sit down to choose a squad for the encounter.

The Golden Jaguars putting in some work before their clash with St Kitts and Nevis

SEE PAGE 27

Maximo ‘optimistic’ ahead of must-win St Kitts encounter today Chase steers Hamilton’s XI to win Windies inter-squad match

SEE PAGE 27

Roston Chase struck an unbeaten 45

John leads Guyana Cycling Federation points-classification

… Mendes, Hamilton and Newton ahead in Masters, Females and Juniors categories SEE PAGE 24

‘TopGun’ supporting COVID-19 vaccination drive SEE PAGE 26

Briton John accumulated a lot of points in the Independence Cycling Championships

Security Officer, Shavance Vyphuis (right), receives his G$50 000 cheque from Director of Security Operations and Training Officer, Dwayne Bagot, in the presence of CEO Harold Hopkinson (Photo: News Room/June 3, 2021)

Burns, Root craft response to Conway’s double ton

SEE PAGE 25

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FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021