Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 05-08-2021

THURSDAY 5th August, 2021

' No.106444

Delta variant could easily overwhelm health sector if vaccine acceptance remains low

New office buildings, taxiway for CJIA

PAGE

07

PAGE

03

— following signing of $577M in contracts

NGSA pupils excited to return to classrooms 08 PAGE

A mother embraces her son as a form of good luck before he heads into the classroom to complete day one of the two-day National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). Seen at right are pupils socially distanced and ready to complete their assessment, which will culminate today with Social Studies and Mathematics (Ministry of Education photos)

President seeks partnership with World Bank on educational advancement 03 PAGE

Digital COVID-19 vaccination cards in the 02 works PAGE

Woman among five arrested 04 for murder of overseas-based Guyanese man PAGE

Digital COVID-19 vaccination cards in the works 2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

— persons found forging vaccination documents will face full force of the law, Dr. Anthony says

By Jared Liddell

MINISTER of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has said his ministry is working on a system to generate digital versions of the COVID-19 vaccination card.

Dr. Anthony, in an invited comment on Wednesday, said the digital document would be an alternative to the physical cards and would afford persons easier access, especially when having to show proof of vaccination when visiting businesses and government ministries and agencies.

Changes to the existing COVID-19 guidelines, which were instituted on Sunday, saw casinos, betting shops and cinemas being

allowed to operate at 40 per cent capacity.

The other noticeable adjustment to the measures is that patrons are required to produce their vaccination cards to verify that they have been vaccinated- that is, have at least one dose of a recognised COVID-19 vaccine- and must wear their face masks properly, at all times.

In a move to further protect people from the spread of the virus, the guidelines state that unvaccinated people will only be allowed access to in-person services at any government agency or ministry by appointment.

Conversely, members of the public who are vaccinated will be allowed to access

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony those services as per normal.

According to Dr. Anthony, the idea to create a digital version of the card stemmed from the consideration of persons having to constantly walk with their vaccination cards.

Although there is no definitive timeline for the completion and release of digital cards, the Health Minister affirmed that employees of the Ministry of Work are in the process of creating electronic copies of the cards as part of the first step towards digitising the system.

He explained that the new system would be calibrated in a way to detect cases of forgery, given that there have been reports of persons attempting to forge the cards and corrupt the process.

“We have had reports of persons who are forging the card and if we find anyone forging the card, they will face the law because we have a law that deals with forgery, and my understanding is if you are caught then you could get as much as

three years in prison.

“If you didn’t get vaccinated, why would you get a card to say that you’re vaccinated. The vaccines are free.

It’s there, go get it,” Minister Anthony posited.

Several businesses over the past few days have mandated that their employees be vaccinated or provide a weekly negative COVID-19

test before entering the workplace.

In a statement issued last Tuesday, the Giftland Group of Companies said that it is critical that all people in the workforce get vaccinated against COVID-19 because of highly contagious variants.

The company also pointed to the fact that COVID-19-related hospitalisations and deaths are on the rise throughout the country.

“It has become a worldwide known fact that 99.5 per cent of all persons in hospitals and [who are] dying from the dreaded COVID viruses are unvaccinated,” the Giftland Group said.

The company said that its decision was in keeping with continued efforts to protect its employees and patrons, and to create a safe work and shopping environment for all Guyanese.

Giftland’s announcement followed the release of a

A young woman who received her COVID-19 vaccine displays her vaccination card (Ministry of Health photo)

strong statement by the Private Sector Commission (PSC), calling for its members to mandate vaccination of its employees.

“The Private Sector Commission embraces and recommends that its member companies require that all of its employees, who refuse to be vaccinated, must provide evidence of a medically-current COVID-19 negative test from infection before reporting to work, while continuing to encourage all of its employees to become vaccinated,” the PSC said.

Further, the PSC urged that the government makes it mandatory for all medical and security personnel in frontline contact with other persons to either be vaccinated or provide evidence of a medically-current COVID-19 negative test. “… and that all places providing hospitality and entertainment services, including restaurants, require evidence of either vaccination or a medically-current COVID-19 negative test from its customers in order for them to receive service,” the PSC added.

The PSC also lauded the government’s sterling efforts to obtain vaccinations for people in an effort to achieve herd immunity for the nation.

As it is now, Guyana is one of the very few countries that have managed to secure enough vaccines to inoculate its entire adult population. Notwithstanding this feat, there are some Guyanese who are still reluctant to take the vaccine.

New office buildings, taxiway for CJIA 3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

— following signing of $577M in contracts

THREE contracts, amounting to over $577 million, aimed at supplementing the developmental trajectory and modernisation of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), were awarded on Wednesday

by Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill.

The signing of the contracts paves the way for the construction of two new office buildings, which will house a number of facilities and staff, and facilitate necessary repairs and the construction of a new taxiway.

The works are to be executed against the backdrop of the CJIA modernisation project which is being executed by the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).

Edghill, speaking at a simple signing ceremony, on Wednesday, said that the government took a decision to do additional works at the facility, following a request from the management of CJIA. On Wednesday, Kallco Guyana Incorporated signed a contract valuing over $513.7 million for the construction of an office building, which will be joined to the existing terminal building.

The new facility will house a conference room, offices for

tioning airport … we can’t be on this project forever because once you’re working on runway ‘Charlie’ you are going to be in the way somewhere along the line of what is happening,” he said.

Kallco’s Managing Director, Arvin Kalloo; Colin Talbot Contracting Services’ Managing Director, Colin Talbot and Kalitech’s Managing Director, Kalyan Tiwari all registered their commitment to completing the projects by their respective deadlines.

Also present at the signing ceremony was CJIA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ramesh

Ghir, who opined that the additional works will supplement the work that is already being done at the airport.

“We have some remedial works to do. As minister pointed out, we are actually in the peak season; the airport is very busy so these works have to be timed in such a manner that it doesn’t affect aircraft operation,” he said.

The initial airport project was conceptualised and initiated by the PPP/C administration in 2011, but works were halted when the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) assumed office in 2015.

The then government also made some drastic modifications to the project, deviating from the contractual agreement between the PPP/C government and the contractor.

Five years later, when the PPP/C returned to power in August 2020, it made every effort to revert the project to its original specification, and after months of being at loggerheads with the contractor, the government managed to strike a compromise to have the expansion restarted as originally intended.

In June this year, Edghill, following a meeting with CHEC officials, had reported that CHEC has made significant progress with the overall CJIA expansion project, and it was on track to meeting its latest December 31, 2021, deadline.

The installation of the $200 million Instrument Landing System (ILS) a precision-approach aid for pilots, installed along the airport’s runway, was also completed and tested in June last.

2025, a plan to reduce importation in the Caribbean region by 25 per cent in the next four years.

WORLD BANK IMPRESSED Jaramillo said that the World Bank was very pleased that the government has clarity and consistency as it relates to its development plans.

He also stated that the visit to Guyana had left the team impressed as it relates to the country’s emphasis on the expanded LCDS, human resource capacity and educational development.

The bank’s officials also acknowledged the government’s handling and response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its focus on involving the private sector in its progression.

The World Bank officials also applauded President Ali for the government’s aggressive and ambitious vaccination programme.

Jaramillo specifically highlighted the vaccination rates, which he stressed was one of the best in the region, and the government’s creativity by having drive-thru

vaccination options, among other initiatives.

The visiting officials, however, related that they were concerned with the strain the pandemic will put on the education sector and agreed to put education at the centre of discussions.

Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, were also at the meeting. (Office of the President)

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, other officials of the ministry and contractors at the signing ceremony, on Wednesday (DPI photo)

airlines and other supporting agencies, and a duty-free bond.

In addition, Colin Talbot Contracting Services signed a contract valuing over $38.3 million to conduct repairs to the international apron and to build a taxiway.

Lastly, Kalitech Incorporated signed a $25.9 million contract for the construction of another office building to house CJIA’s 280 employees.

The new office building intended to house employees, would create more space in the terminal building for commercial purposes.

All projects under those con-

tracts were allotted a four-month deadline for completion. To this end, Minister Edghill told the contractors that he expects work to commence immediately and be completed within the stipulated timeframe.

As has been the case in the past, the airport will be operating amid ongoing work. So, for this reason, the projects must be well coordinated and integrated to stay within project time and costs.

“We don’t sign contracts and sleep. I expect tomorrow morning work begins … this is the airport … we’ve got to work within a context of a func-

President seeks partnership with World Bank on educational advancement PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has informed senior officials of the World Bank that Guyana is interested in a dedicated funding partner for education.

He lobbied for support in this area during a meeting with a visiting delegation from the World Bank and a subsidiary of the bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), at the Office of the President, on Wednesday.

The visiting high-level team was led by the World Bank’s Vice-President responsible for Latin America and the Caribbean, Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, and the Country Director for the Caribbean, Lilia Burunciuc.

The Head of State said that while the oil and gas sector is important, it will not be Guyana’s sole sector moving forward.

He said that funds will be used to help strengthen other sectors, including tourism, agriculture, educational services for export, health services for export, ICT, environmental services, industrial development and manufacturing, among others.

President Ali said that the most inhibiting factors to growth and development in the country are the cost of energy and the country’s human resource capacity, both of which, he noted, the government is aiming to enhance.

To this end, he said that the government is actively seeking a dedicated funding partner for education.

“We want an international partner who will commit to the education sector: primary, secondary, technical education, even building our international capacity. And that

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali (third from left); Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh with senior officials of the World Bank, on Wednesday is an area that we would like to explore in great detail… to build a funding programme with the World Bank that focuses heavily on the education sector,” President Ali said.

Further, the Head of State related the government’s development framework, which focuses on an expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). This strategy, he noted, will also address issues of equality, human rights, climate change, environmental services, among other key areas.

SUSTAINABILITY “We have made it very clear that we have to exploit the oil and gas resources, but to do so in a manner that does not change our standing on the environment. We have a very strong standing on the environment,” President Ali said.

The President told the group that the government is pursuing

an energy mix of solar, wind, gas and hydropower to ensure energy sustainability and reliability, which in turn will also reduce the cost of energy by 50 per cent before the end of 2024.

“This will bring us closer to being very competitive in the region to support development in manufacturing,” the President reasoned.

The Head of State said, too, that while there are opportunities in the oil and gas sector, there are also massive opportunities in other sectors like agriculture.

He pointed to the recent public-private partnership by a consortium to grow soya beans and corn with the intention of providing the local livestock sector with feed that is usually imported.

This, he said, will save millions of U.S. dollars and is in line with CARICOM’s goal of 25 by

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

Woman among five arrested for murder of overseas-based Guyanese man

POLICE in Berbice have arrested five persons, including one who is said to be the main suspect, for the murder of oversees-based Guyanese, Hemraj Pardessi called “Prem”.

During an intelligence-led operation, the police were able to arrest four men; three of whose ages were given as 22, 28 and 31, while the fourth man was identified as a close friend of the deceased and the mastermind of the murder. A 36-year-old woman is the fifth person in custody. Investigators are seeking several others for questioning.

Pardessi, 60, of Reliance Settlement, East Canje was found bludgeoned at his residence on Tuesday night.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the man returned to Guyana sometime last week and has been doing some renovations at his home which also houses a Superbet

cash but during the robbery, the man was killed. It is unclear how much money was stolen.

Additionally, this publication understands that Pardessi was attacked shortly after walking a visitor out of his yard.

While it is unclear who contacted the police, they responded to the crime scene around 23:42 hrs and found Pardessi lying motionless at the bottom of the stairs on the ground floor.

He was facing down, duct tape was around his neck and Hemraj Pardessi blood was oozing from his shop on the ground floor. nose. After following the trail He resided alone and was of blood to the 2nd floor, the last seen alive earlier on police found the entire place Tuesday by his nephew, in ransacked. the company of another male.

He was later pronounced According to sources, dead by a doctor. The body Pardessi made a withdrawal is presently at the Arokium from a local bank on Tuesday Funeral Home awaiting a for the ongoing renovations. post-mortem examination.

It is believed that the intenMeanwhile, one of the tion was to rob him of the dead man’s relatives, Ji-

The house where the murder occurred wantie Singh, said she re- riedly dressed and went to was confirmed that Pardessi ceived a call around 03:00 am the scene where she noticed a was killed.

She noted that the news on Wednesday from an aunt number of police ranks inside who stated that “Thiefman and outside the yard. From came as a shock to the famwent in on Uncle Prem and the gate, she said she was ily since the father of four able to see a pool of blood by did not have any issues with he was dead.”

She noted that she hur- the steps and subsequently it anyone.

Man charged for rape, another for exposing genitals TWO Linden residents w e r e , o n We d n e s d a y, hauled before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on separate charges.

Keron Vandregen, 20, of Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden was charged for allegedly engaging in sexual activity with a child under 16 years on April 28, 2021.

The charge was laid un-

der Section 11 (3) of the Sexual Offences Act Chapter 8:03. He appeared via zoom and was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

The Chief Magistrate later released Vandregen on $150,000 bail and adjourned the case until August 18.

Meanwhile, Edward Reddock, 49 of South Amelia’s Ward, Linden was arraigned on two counts of assault and

Keron Vandregen

Edward Reddock

two counts of exposure of genitals which occurred on June 18, 2021.

The charges were laid under Section 21 of the Summary Jurisdiction Act Chapter 08:02 and Section 28 (2) (a) of the Sexual Offences Act Chapter 8:03.

He appeared via zoom be-

fore the Chief Magistrate and pleaded guilty to the assault charges and not guilty to the other charges.

He was fined $15,000 on each of the assault charges and remanded to prison for the other charges. The matter was adjourned until August 19.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

CoI into protracted 2020 elections still on the cards

­— President Ali affirms, says stakeholder engagement ongoing

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to launching a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to examine what transpired during the five months following polling day on March 2, 2020.

“In relation to the Commission of Inquiry, as you are aware … there are many moving parts in relation to what took place in the last elections. There are many court cases that are ongoing, deliberations at the level of the Guyana Elections Commission [GECOM] in relation to specific staff who are identified for various practises, not consistent with transparency and free and fair elections,” President Ali said during a virtual press briefing held on Monday to commemorate his government’s first anniversary in office.

Despite the ongoing deliberations, the Head of State said his government is “committed” to identifying the in-

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali dividuals who were involved perience such a barefaced in attempts to derail the pro- attempt at facilitating and atcess and pinpointing possible tempting to steal an election,” areas of weakness that can Dr. Ali affirmed.

To this end, he said that be used to guide the required strengthening of Guyana’s there are ongoing engagements with various stakeelectoral system. “[We are doing this] so holders to find suitable canthat never again can we ex- didates to be part of the CoI.

Even as preliminary discussions continue, President Ali said that the government would welcome Local Government Elections, but the necessary budgetary provisions would have to made in order to facilitate this process.

At this point, he said it is up to GECOM to make preparations for those elections and to advise the government accordingly.

The President, however, pointed to the fact that GECOM is still dealing with a motion to remove individuals who were allegedly involved in attempts to derail the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

“So, be assured we are ready. We are supportive of Local Government Elections with a transparent election machinery, with professionals in place to conduct those elections so that we don’t experience what we did just a year ago,” the Head of State

Women in the field of national security to get capacity boost

— as Florida National Guard, GDF partner for women, peace and security workshop WOMEN in the field of national security will be exposed to various capacity-building exercises over the next two days, through a women, peace and security workshop organised by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Florida National Guard (FLNG).

According to a press release from the U.S. Embassy, visiting delegates from the Florida National Guard will be in Georgetown, from August 5-6, to strengthen relationships and leadership among women in the field of national security.

Colonel Elizabeth Evans is leading the delegation and they will cover topics ranging from personal stories of leadership to exploring the obstacles that Guyanese women face as they serve the national security of Guyana.

This programme, according to the embassy, seeks to improve operational effectiveness by providing an understanding of women’s response, integration, recruit-

ment, and behaviour within the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), FLNG and GDF. The U.S. National Guard’s State Partnership Programme (SPP) has been successfully building relationships with partner nation

forces since 1993, and with Guyana since 2003. Through SPP, the National Guard conducts military-to-military engagements to support defence and security co-operation around the world.

The partnership between the Florida National Guard

and Guyana is a critical component of the security co-operation between the U.S. and Guyana. Through training and shared exercises, the relationships built so far continue to contribute to Guyana’s operational readiness and security.

related.

President Ali, during a recent address to the nation, had reminded Guyanese that on August 2, 2020, with the support of the regional and international communities, the people of Guyana celebrated the recovery of their democratic rights.

“It was an historic moment in our nation’s life.

We, the people, decided

5

that the history of rigged and stolen elections, which we suffered in the past, would not be tolerated then or at any time in the future. We established, with resolve, that Guyana and the Guyanese people are committed to democracy and democratic principles, including respect for the decision of the majority,” the Head of State said. (DPI)

6

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

One Guyana WE have long been regarded as a land of six people. And even though our population composition and demographics have undergone some changes over the decades, there is one thing that we all have in common -- a shared geographic space that we call Guyana.

We may not be among the richest country in the world when it comes to Gross Domestic Product and per capita income, but we have never been found wanting when it comes to our love for country, and our willingness to utilise all the resources at our disposal to take this country along the path of higher levels of economic prosperity and sustainable development. Like so many other countries in the world, we are still to recover fully from the vestiges of our colonial past which left in its wake a legacy of un-

derdevelopment, a skewed and imbalanced economic structure and, by no means least, a fractured political system based on an old and discarded system of divide and rule.

A lot of water has since passed under that ‘colonial bridge’. We are now a sovereign state with a proud people determined to move forward along the path of peace, progress and prosperity. We have become much wiser over the years and are less tolerant of those who seek to sow the seeds of division for their own selfish ends.

It is in the above context, and in the true spirit of ethnic and national reconciliation that His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has announced the establishment of a ‘One Guyana Commission’ aimed at the creation of a more cohesive and inclusive society.

As the President noted, an

important part of his Government is inclusion. “Stop being defined by race; stop being defined by politics.

Start being defined by one nationality and by our common love for our country’ the President exhorted.

According to President Ali, his desire is to give meaning to that call for one Guyana by requesting the leader of government business in the National Assembly, the Prime Minister to introduce the adoption of an Act of Parliament establishing a ‘One Guyana’ Commission which will be spearheaded by him. The President said that the work of the Commission will be undertaken countrywide to encapsulate the free expression of all voices and respect for our diversity from which our ‘oneness’ springs.

It is envisaged that the Commission will go beyond race relations in the

country and will also focus on our history, religion, ensuring equal opportunity for all, employment and entrepreneurship and institutional strengthening of the Ethnic Relations Commission.

Not to be overlooked in all of this is our Amerindian brothers and sisters who, as the President noted, occupy a special place in Guyana and are deserving of the respect of all Guyanese for their indigenous knowledge and practices which have contributed to our sustainable development, and who will also benefit from a range of measures over the next few years.

The decision by President Ali to set up a One Guyana Commission could not have come at a more opportune time as the country is now poised for economic and social transformation which will, as it were, lift all boats, and where no

Guyanese will be left behind. The same sentiments were shared by Prime Minister Mark Phillips who, in a recent address to the National Assembly, encouraged all Guyanese to come on board. He said that the spirit of oneness is a critical ingredient for economic and social progress, one that is enshrined in our Constitution and fully embraced by the ruling PPP/C administration. According to the Prime Minister, if we are to achieve One Guyana, there must be room for all, regardless of race, religion, class, gender, geographic location, language, disability and sexual identity.

As a society, we have to embrace each other if the idea of a One Guyana is to be fully realised. We have to come to terms with the fact that our democracy, based on the principle of majoritarian rule, even though may not be ideal

given our ethnic plurality and diversity, is still the best we have at the moment as the basis of rule and governance. More fundamentally, we have to be prepared to play by the democratic rules and refrain from refusing to accept the democratic will of the electorate. Sadly, we still have some work to do in this regard. The political opposition must, as a matter of urgent political and national imperative, come to terms with the reality of our political culture based on the will of the people as determined in free and fair elections.

It is not too late for the main political opposition to embrace the ideal of a free, independent, harmonious and prosperous Guyana as embraced in President Ali’s vision of One Guyana. Our people deserve no less.

Government’s programmes are crafted for the people and are not profit-driven

Dear Editor,

IN what can be described as poor journalism or plain old falsehood, the Kaieteur News is again attempting to mislead the public by insinuating that the government’s housing drive is a profit tool for the Ministry of Housing and Water. The ministry strongly rebuffs this most recent attack on another project which seeks to benefit and improve the lives of Guyanese.

In an article dated Wednesday, August 4, 2021, the Kaieteur Newspaper published the following headline “Housing

Ministry to now construct and sell houses for profit”. To say the least, this headline reflects poor journalistic skills and at most, is grossly inaccurate.

The information shared in the article is grossly distorted and does not fully reflect the information presented in the Minister of Housing and Water, the Hon. Collin Croal, in response to questions, posed to him by Opposition Parliamentarian Annette Ferguson.

Ferguson’s two-part question sought clarity on the $13.

9 B contract for the construction of housing units in Regions Three, Four, Five and Six; the breakdown of the

category of persons to benefit and the expected and final cost for the housing units.

In response, the minister clearly outlined, that persons within the low, moderate, middle, and high brackets will benefit from this initiative.

A breakdown of costing was also provided, and as has been the policy for years under similar housing projects, the cost for the land is included in the final cost.

The units for low-income units carry a final cost of $5.5 M of which $300,000.00 will go towards the cost for the land, ($5.2M per unit). The moderate-income units will

be sold at $7.5M of which $300,000.00 for land ($7.2 M per unit cost).

The cost for high and middle-income units stands at $13.9M and $19.9M respectively with the land carrying a cost of $1.5M each.

As has been the policy on similar housing projects for the construction of housing, each beneficiary is only required to pay the Ministry of Housing’s Central Housing and Planning Authority, the cost of the land and the reminding cost is paid to the contractor, through a mortgage scheme with any financial institution of the beneficiary’s choice.

For Kaieteur News to even suggest that the agency is making a profit on these units is preposterous and disingenuous as the cost for the lands these units are built on are heavily subsidised by the government.

If the newspaper is running out of options for sensational clickbait headlines, in hope of generating a profit, they should spend time researching facts and useful information which will be beneficial to their readers and not mislead them. All of the government’s programmes, including its ambitious housing drive are crafted for the people of this country and are not profit-driven

in any way. The contracts for the construction of the 5,000 housing units across Regions Three, Four, Five and Six were awarded, using the competitive bidding process by public tender. The ministry will not be daunted or distracted from its numerous development projects, all of which stand to benefit Guyanese from all walks of life, and will continue to execute its programmes and policies with precision, transparency and equality.

Yours sincerely, Central Housing and Planning Authority

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

There is no provision in the law for any Mayor to do hand-over/take-over

Dear Editor,

NOW trending on social media is a press conference held by the Mayor of Georgetown, Mr. Ubraj Narine and his clique of councillors, (six councillors from a statutory complement of 30 attended that conference) today, Tuesday, August 3, 2021. It was a public “dressing- down” of the recently appointed acting Town Clerk, Ms. Candace Nelson. Apart from the fact that the conference was very comical, it was very sad to see the Mayor and his councillors continue to ruthlessly attack that young woman in public by calling her out of her name and claiming that she is incompetent and unqualified.

According to the reports in the media, this is the same officer, Ms. Nelson, who the council recommended for that very position in 2020.

And this is the same person who the previous Local Government Commission appointed to act as Deputy

Town Clerk in 2019.

However, on the question of her qualifications and competencies, it would be interesting to see the qualifications of those, who are seeking to publicly disqualify and hound her out of office. The City is already witnessing the effects of their competency or lack of it.

What is unfortunate about all of this is that it appears as though Ms. Nelson’s only crime is that she accepted an appointment from the Local Government Commission to serve the city, in the position of Town Clerk. I can only imagine some of the things that are going through the minds of other young Guyanese professionals, and what they might be thinking about accepting positions to serve form our national leadership.

But, there is something else, the Mayor and many of his councillors represent a political party that complains bitterly about their collective perception of the way the government is treating public servants. Yet, the Mayor

has been having public spats with certain officers of the council to the point where earlier this year, he publicly announced, and subsequently, the council unlawfully attempted to fire the current chief city engineer.

While all of this infighting is raging between the Mayor, some councillors and officers, garbage is allowed to fester in the main business district, and in many communities, posing a risk to the health of citizens. Garbage collection, as well as other public health services, are infrequent and inadequate.

In fact, one can easily get the impression that on the priority scale of the council, public health and good community governance do not carry any weight of importance.

Finally, at that press conference, the Mayor said two things that are completely absurd: First, that the former Town Clerk has to hand over to the Mayor before he, the Mayor, hands over to the new Town Clerk. The only

question that needs to be asked, here, is since when?

There is no provision, in any law, in this country, for any Mayor (Georgetown or other municipalities and/ or towns) to do hand-over/ take-over. The Mayor has no such authority, in law or in municipal policy. It is absolutely ludicrous. How can the Mayor be responsible for handover when he is transient? The Mayor is not part of the formal administration of the council. Even if he were, he could not be responsible for handovers of offices at the council because he does not hold those offices and therefore cannot take or hand them over. There are heads of departments, who are officially and statutorily responsible for that and other related processes.

Second, the Mayor said words to the effect that the council had no problem with the former acting Town Clerk, Ms. Sherry Jerrick.

But it is the very council that, through an inadequate recruitment process, attempt-

vited comment on Wednesday, said that while the ministry can test for the COVID-19, it is not yet equipped to define the different variants of the virus.

For this reason, he urged Guyanese to take the necessary precautions to ensure that they minimise the effects of the disease.

The Delta variant is being regarded as the most deadly and contagious strain of the virus since it was initially discovered in 2019.

“Unless everybody takes their vaccine, we are not going to get to herd immunity and unfortunately when the delta variant gets here, it can easily overwhelm our health system.

Look at what is happening in the United States, look at how many cases of hospitalisation they have, and they have a lot more resources than we do and they are having challenges.

So, imagine if that gets here

and we have an unvaccinated population what are going to be the consequences,” the Health Minister reasoned.

Meanwhile, owing to the government’s intensified efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, some 254,883 Guyanese or 52 per cent of Guyana’s adult population have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Of that number, about 142,114 or 29 per cent of the adult population have received both doses of the vaccine and are now fully vaccinated.

Minister Anthony said that while vaccination rates have been increasing, there is still a significant way to go before the country can achieve herd immunity, which would be reflected in the vaccination of 80 per cent-85 per cent of the country’s adult population.

ed to appoint a group of hand-picked individuals, to different positions, including the position of Town Clerk, last year. The basic question is, if, indeed, the council had no problems with the former Town Clerk, Ms. Jerrick then why did they (the Mayor and councillors) disqualify her during the interview process from the position of Town Clerk as well as from the post of Deputy Town Clerk?

They never sent her name by way of any recommendation to the Local Government Commission. These facts are in the media and in the archives of the council.

The other important question that must be asked of the Mayor is a political one. Are the Mayor and some councillors using Ms. Jerrick’s demotion as a rallying point for political action against the government? In my view, I think they are. If one considers the actions of the council in this matter then one will realise that, the council does not

really care about either of the officers; they are concerned with their own interests. Why the fight to hold on to an officer (who the council deliberately refuse to recommend for the position, when it had an opportunity to do so) when in reality the office corps and all departments must work as a team to deliver services to citizens?

Why pit the two officers against each other when they are part of the same structure and are expected to be working towards the same objectives of the organisation regardless of positions? The answer to those questions is found in one word - “interest”.

Personal and political interest weight more on the priority scale of the council than the wellbeing of the environment and the public health of citizens.

Time for a change!

Yours truly, Anthony Subner

Delta variant could easily Freddie and overwhelm health sector if vaccine Dr. Bisram did acceptance remains low — Health Minister says great work

By Jared Liddell

WITH the Delta variant of COVID-19 threatening the health systems of several first world countries, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, is urging citizens to be responsible and take the government-provided COVID-19 vaccines to protect themselves and their families from the adverse effects of the disease.

According to research, the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV 2) is deadlier than the original COVID-19 virus, almost 100 per cent more transmissible, and has been recorded more transmissible than the original COVID-19 virus in younger persons.

Additionally, it was reported that the Delta variant affects children more than the original COVID-19 strain.

In response to the general scourge, the government has

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony been rolling out an aggressive COVID-19 vaccination programme, which sees anyone above the age of 18 having the opportunity to receive a vaccine to guard against the deadly effects of the virus.

Currently, the government is offering first and second doses of the Russian-produced Sputnik V vaccine; the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine, and the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.

Minister Anthony, in an in-

Dear Editor,

REFERENCE is made to a letter captioned “Order of Democracy awards” (Aug 3) by Shamshun Mohamed.

Several individuals are qualified for the Order of Democracy. The popular writers and political analysts Freddie Kissoon and Dr. Vishnu Bisram, among others, come to mind. The duo deserves the OD not only for their work during the five months election saga but for consistently championing democracy decades earlier. No one has written more than the two in the mass media since the free press was restored in mid 1980s. I can assure readers that Dr. Bisram worked quietly and confidentially convincing key figures (who possessed tremendous influence) in getting GECOM to make the right declaration.

Yours truly, Doolarchan Hanomansingh Trinidad and Tobago

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

NGSA pupils excited to return to classrooms

— had ‘good’ first day of examinations

By Richard Bhainie AUGUST 4, 2021 marked the first sitting of the 2021 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) which saw scores of pupils return to the classroom to sit the examinations after a hectic year of balancing learning with battling the COVID-19 virus.

While the consensus among the pupils is that the English Language and Science examinations, which were written on Wednesday, posed no threat due to their

preparations, they are adamant that face-to-face learning is much more effective, thus, it is their preference.

The Guyana Chronicle visited a few primary schools around the City of Georgetown, where the publication interacted with pupils, who sat the examinations, and their parents and was able observe, first hand, the mechanisms in place to facilitate the examinations and protect against the COVID-19 virus.

In addition to the “care package” distributed by the Ministry of Education which

contained sanitiser and face masks, students were mandated to wash their hands before entering examination buildings and every examination room maintained the recommended six-feet social distancing. One school even had a “quarantine room” in the event someone displayed symptoms of the virus.

Shameka Paliford

Akeelah Stoll

Leon Simon

Exiting the examination room, Akeelah Stoll, age 11, a pupil of Comenius Primary School, 49 Anira Street, Queenstown, and aspiring Queen’s College student, told

Sherod John (right) and his mother, Sharon Jacobs (left)

Kathlyn Simpson systems” – one of the exams she wrote on Wednesday.

Jasmine Callier and her father Richard Callier the Guyana Chronicle that she encountered some difficulty with the science papers, “but the rest was simple”.

Reminiscing on her experience with online classes, she highlighted that while online classes did not affect her performance due to her preparations, it was “kinda difficult” as “children would have some problem and teachers would have problem with their Internet” – the reason why she resorted to seeking her teacher’s help, who accommodated her at her home.

Her colleague, also an aspiring Queen’s College student, Leon Simon, age 12, said the examination was “difficult in some ways but in most ways easy” but he is confident that he did “good”; however, he bemoaned the online classes as well.

PREFERS IN-PERSON CLASSES “I did go to online classes but because of the teachers and their Internet and the other children with their problems, I had to switch to lessons,” he said, highlighting that he prefers in-person classes because “online classes you have difficulty understanding,” and he hopes for face-to-face classes as he enters secondary education.

Shameka Paliford, a grade six teacher at the Comenius Primary School, explained that after recognising the difficulties online classes posed to both students and teachers, her colleagues and herself implemented mechanisms from early on to ensure students’ performances were not affected. With parents’ permission, she volunteered her home to facilitate the classes.

She told the Guyana Chronicle that in addition to

the measures in place to protect against the COVID-19 virus, students had no difficulty adhering to the guidelines on Wednesday because they were prepared for the environment beforehand through having to visit the school for various tasks, and the mock exams also assisted.

As a teacher, she is of the opinion that face-to-face contact is needed for at least the upper levels of the school; she is anticipating the re-opening of schools in September, noting that “even if it’s a shift system, I would embrace it.”

Sherod Johnson, a student of the F.E Pollard Primary School, Lot 1 David Street, Kitty, said the exam was “great”. He said that his teachers prepared him by taking him into the classroom nearing the exam because they were not able to manage the students of the class properly through the online mechanism; he also prefers in-person learning.

His mother, Sharon Jacobs, explained that while the online classes were good, “really and truly, online classes can never beat face-to-face, it’s a difficult thing.”

She disclosed that she prefers the classroom and is hopeful that schools will resort to in-person learning in September.

She is also of the opinion that online classes have the ability to affect students’ performance in their exam, an opinion she formed through her observations.

Jasmine Callier, age 11, of the St. Gabriel’s Primary School, Crown Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, told the Guyana Chronicle that as an aspiring medical doctor, she enjoys the subject of science which “tells about the body’s

STUDIED A LOT “I studied a lot,” Callier said, as she pronounced on how she prepared for her examinations. In the end, all was “good”, the aspiring Queen’s College Student said. Her father, Richard Callier, is also confident in his child as she prepared “fairly well”.

Pronouncing on the mixed learning approach which involved both online and in-person classes at her teaching institution, Callier explained that while the online classes are “good”, the mechanism sometimes posed an impediment to her learning objectives as her Internet would usually spontaneously disconnect.

While Jasmine prefers face-to-face learning, as well as her father, he told this publication that given the current situation in relation to the rate at which the COVID-19 virus is going, for the safety of the children it is best to “make the best” of the online learning mechanisms.

Kathlyn Simpson, 12 years old, another student of the St. Gabriel’s Primary School, told this publication that she is confident in her performance as she performed her “best” and found both papers to be “good”.

The examinations, she said were “simple”.

She disclosed that as part of her study routine, as the time got closer for her to sit the NGSA examinations, she started to wake up at 03:00hrs every morning to start her study preparations.

Her parents also played an instrumental role in preparing her, she said.

The aspiring chemist, who is hopeful for a placement at the St. Roses High School or the St. Joseph High School, explained that while classes were conducted online, pupils returned to the classroom for face-to-face learning to aid with their examination preparations.

She highlighted that online classes posed some difficulty for her and she thoroughly prefers in-person learning.

Two males die of COVID-19 9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

TWO more persons have died after contracting COVID-19, taking Guyana’s overall death toll to 551.

The Ministry of Health said that the latest fatalities are two males, a 48-year-old and a 62-year-old, who both lived in Region Four (Demerara- Mahaica). They both died while receiving care at a local medical facility.

Meanwhile, there are 704 active COVID-19 cases in Guyana, following the ad-

dition of 62 new cases on August 4, 2021.

The 62 newly-confirmed cases were recorded in Regions One, Three, Four, Six, Nine and 10. Of those cases, there were 37 females and 25 males.

Region Four accounted for 31 of the new cases while Region One recorded one new case; Region Three recorded seven new cases; Region six, five new cases; Region Nine, 14 new cases, and Region 10 recorded four

new cases.

Based on a breakdown of all the active cases, 11 persons are being treated at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Liliendaal, while 91 persons are in institutional isolation, 600 are in home isolation and two are in institutional quarantine.

Many of the persons infected with the virus are said to be asymptomatic, that is, they are not exhibiting symptoms.

The country has now re-

Men accused of robbery with violence remanded

TWO men were, on Wednesday, remanded to prison for robbery with violence committed on a 42-year-old fisherman.

Andrew Solomon, called “Biggs” and Kumar Sansas, called “Bruk-Hand”, 23, appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court and were not required to plead to the charges which alleged that on July 31, at Unity Junction, East Coast Demerara, they stole a Samsung S10 valued $200,000 from Mahadeo Singh, with the use of personal violence.

Magistrate Azore remanded the duo to prison until September 23 and transferred the case to the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court for report.

According to reports, on the day in question, the vic-

Andrew Solomon called “Biggs” tim was sitting at Unity Junction awaiting transportation for work when a red motor car approached with three occupants.

It is alleged that while the driver of the motor car inquired from Singh where he was going, one of the male occupants exited the motor car with a steel bar. The man then took away Singh’s cell

Kumar Sansas called “Bruk-Hand” phone and began hitting him about his body with the steel bar. The man then got back into the motor car and made good his escape.

Singh was taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where he was treated.

The two suspects were later arrested and the police are currently looking for several others.

corded a total of 22,705 confirmed cases since the first COVID-19 case was reported in March, 2020.

But even as new cases were recorded, 125 persons were reported to have recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 21,452.

The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures are in force from August 1, 2021, until August 31, 2021. Those measures could be extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Health, after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions of the pandemic.

As per the current measures, however, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes. Persons with symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline numbers: 231-1166; 226-7480; or 180/181 for assistance.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

August 9 set for ruling in case against Gunraj, Shadick COME August 9, High Court Judge, Jo-Ann Barlow, is expected to rule on the application filed

by Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, who is seeking an order preventing People’s Progressive Party/

for submissions were agreed upon and August 9 was set for ruling.

The embattled GECOM official wants “a declaration that the Respondent, having determined that there shall be a hearing of the Motion for dismissal of the Applicant

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)-nominated GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj Civic (PPP/C)- nominat- brought by Commissioners ed GECOM Commission- Gunraj and Shadick, is bound ers, Sase Gunraj and Bibi to provide the applicant with Shadick from participating a fair hearing, including the as adjudicators in the hear- protections of the rules of ing of the motion for his natural justice.” dismissal.

On June 1, 2021, Gunraj, Last month, Lowenfield, Shadick and Manoj Narayan through his attorney, Nigel had tabled a motion seeking Hughes, had filed a fixed- the “immediate dismissal” date application against of Lowenfield, Deputy Chief GECOM, seeking, among Elections Officer (DCEO) other things, a declaration Roxanne Myers, and Clairthat Gunraj and Shadick, in mont Mingo, the Returning their motion for his dismiss- Officer for Region Four at al, cannot properly partici- the March 2, 2020, General pate, hear and determine their and Regional Elections. own complaint against him.

In filing that motion, Justice Barlow had grant- Gunraj, Shadick and Narayan ed an interim injunction relied on a gamut of reasons restraining GECOM from pertaining to breach of funcproceeding with the hear- tions, duties, responsibilities ing of the notice of motion and obligations to support for dismissal based on the their call for the dismissals. complaint by Gunraj and GECOM had unanimousShadick. ly decided to send the trio on During Wednesday’s Continued on page 11 hearing of the case, timelines

Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021 Continued from page 10 paid leave, effective June 28, so as to give it enough time to conclude the ongoing discussions regarding their dismissal within the shortest possible time.

The GECOM trio has come in for harsh criticism from the public at large for their alleged conduct during the elections. They are currently before the court for electoral fraud.

It is alleged that the trio, between March 2 and August 2, 2020, at Georgetown, conspired with each other, together with Volda Lawrence, Carol Smith-Joseph, Sherfern February, Enrique Livan, Denise Bobb- Cummings, Michelle Miller and others to defraud the electors of Guyana by declaring a false account of votes for the elections.

They and their alleged co-conspirators are all accused of inflating the results of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Guyana’s largest voting district, to give the APNU+AFC Coalition a majority win at the polls, when in fact the PPP/C had won by 15,000 votes.

This dispute resulted in several legal challenges which ended up before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which is Guyana’s highest court of appeal, and a five-month delay in the declaration of the results. A lengthy recount of the votes eventually declared victory in favour of the PPP/C,

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)nominated GECOM Commissioner Bibi Shadick which led to Dr. Irfaan Ali being sworn in as the President of Guyana.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, S.C., granted a fiat to attorneys-at-law, Glenn Hanoman, Mark Conway, Ganesh Hira, Arudranauth Gossai and George Thomas, to prosecute the matters on behalf of the State.

In May, Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George, S.C., had ordered the release of the certified copies of the elections’ Statements of Poll (SoPs) and Statements of Recount (SoRs) to the Commissioner of Police (ag), Nigel Hoppie, and the DPP for use in the prosecution of the cases against the GECOM officials in the lower court.

Superintendent Boodnarine Persaud is new Region One Commander SUPERINTENDENT Boodnarine Persaud has been appointed the new Commander of Regional Police Division Number One (Barima-Waini), effective from August 4, 2021.

Superintendent Persaud who is the Deputy Commander of Regional Division Number Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) takes over from the current Commander, Superintendent Khalid Newly-appointed Com- Mandal. mander of Regional Police Superintendent ManDivision Number One, Su- dal will now function as perintendent Boodnarine the new Deputy ComPersaud mander of Region Three.

11

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

August 16 set for arguments about listing of President in PSC case

— AG insists it was a ‘grave constitutional error’

COME August 16, High Court Judge Gino Persaud is expected to hear addresses regarding the interlocutory application filed by the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., who is contending that the suspended Police Service Commission (PSC) made a “grave constitutional error” by listing President Irfaan Ali as a respondent in its legal challenge.

At Wednesday’s hearing of the case in the Demerara High Court, the AG asked that the court hears his application be-

His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali

Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C. fore it gives attention to the matter filed by the PSC against the Government of Guyana over its ‘unconstitutional’ suspension.

According to Nandlall, the substantive matter filed by the PSC is tainted by the grave constitutional error since the president is immune from prosecution.

“We believe a fundamental constitutional issue has arisen, which should be addressed by the court before it proceeds to hear the substantive matter, which we are respectfully submitting is tainted by that grave constitutional error,” the AG said.

As such, Justice Persaud set August 16, for oral addresses on the interlocutory application filed by the AG. The PSC application was filed in July, after President Ali, based on advice from Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, and in accordance with Article 225 of the Constitution of Guyana, suspended the PSC chairman and its members pending the findings of a tribunal that was to be established.

The PSC, with the aid of their attorneys, Selwyn Pieters, Dexter Todd and Dexter Smartt, filed a constitutional action which is praying that the court grants a declaration that the purported June 16, suspension of its chairman, Paul Slowe and commissioners, Michael Somersall, Claire Alexis Jarvis, Vesta Adams, and Clinton Conway, from performing the functions of their respective offices in the Commission, were in violation of the constitution of the Co-Operative Republic of Guyana Articles 225(6) and 210(3), and therefore of no force or effect.

The applicant is also seeking another declaration from the court that the commission remains competent and responsible to fulfil its Constitutional mandate including appointments to any offices in the police force of or above the rank of Inspector in accordance with Article 212(1) of the Constitution.

Additionally, the applicant is seeking a further declaration from the court that the Prime Minister’s recommendations to the President for the removal of the PSC chairman and its members from their respective offices at the commission were

Suspended Chairman of the Police Service Commission and former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe in violation of and ultra vires the Constitution, and in particular Article 225(2), being made on grounds other than inability to discharge the functions of office or misbehaviour.

UNCONSTITUTIONAL However, the AG, in his application, is asking the court for a declaration that the joinder of President Ali to the proceedings is contrary to and in contravention of Article 182 (1) of the Constitution and Section 10 of the State Liability and Proceedings Act, therefore, listing the President is unlawful, unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect.

According to Section 10 of the State Liability and Proceedings Act, except in exceptional instances, “proceedings for the enforcement of any claim by or against the State shall be brought by or against the Attorney-General and may be instituted … in all cases, in the High Court in accordance with the High Court Act”.

Additionally, Article 89 of the Constitution which explicitly states the President is the “Head of State, the supreme executive authority, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces”, therefore any action brought against the Head of State in that capacity should only name the Attorney-General.

Article 182 of the Constitution notes the President shall not be personally answerable to any court for the performance of the functions of his office or for any act done in the performance of those functions and no proceedings whether criminal or civil, shall be instituted against him in his personal capacity in respect thereof either during his term of office or thereafter.

In June, Acting Chief Justice, Roxane George S.C., struck out the legal challenge brought by five senior police officers against the PSC over the 2020 year-end police promotions.

Following the CJ’s ruling, the Government of Guyana through the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs issued a statement rejecting the PSC’s promotion list as “unlawful and illegal.”

It noted that in the circumstances, this purported list of

promotions of members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will be ignored since the PSC was suspended.

“The said decision of the President can only be rescinded, revoked, set-aside or reversed by the President himself, or by a court of competent jurisdiction.

No person, let alone a constitutional commission, will be allowed to become judge, jury and executioner in our constitutional democracy. The Rule of Law simply does not permit it,” the Attorney General, in a statement, said.

“The attempt of the Police Service Commission, therefore, to countermand, disobey and disregard the President’s decision, not only amounts to an effrontery to the highest executive office in this land, but is simply absurd. If anyone had any doubts about the independence and rectitude of this grouping who constitute the Police Service Commission, those doubts should now be put to rest,” he added.

In handing down her ruling, the CJ noted that the circumstances that led to the applications before the court are most unfortunate.

“They do not augur well for the overall management and wellbeing of the GPF. The determination of these applications will not assuage what are clearly deep-seated feelings of distrust and mistrust in the higher echelon of the force.”

She noted that the application highlights a “poor and haphazard” system for dealing with disciplinary matters against police officers and the need for comprehensive regulations governing the disciplinary procedure and promotions respectively, including clarity on what infractions could affect such promotion.

The CJ, however, said that for the sake of good governance, a cordial relation is needed between the two bodies. Among other things, she noted that the PSC did not act unlawful in considering the disciplinary matter and that the application before the court lacked sufficient evidence to grant the orders and declarations that were being sought by the senior officers.

Slowe, along with eight other current and retired senior ranks of the police force, are currently before the court for allegedly conspiring to defraud the GPF of some $10M. In addition to former Assistant Commissioner of Police Slowe; retired Assistant Commissioner Clinton Conway; current Assistant Commissioner Royston Andries-Junor; Assistant Commissioner, Claude Whittaker; Senior Superintendent George Fraser; Superintendent, Mark Gilbert; Assistant Superintendent, Marlon Kellman; Woman Senior Superintendent Marcelene Washington, and retired Senior Superintendent Michael Sutton, were also charged.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

Access to birth certificates made easier

13

— with passage of Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill

THE process of acquiring a birth certificate has now been made easier with the passage of the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill 2021 in the National Assembly.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, said a birth certificate is a critical representation of one’s citizenship and there are many instances where persons have faced challenges acquiring the document.

“Sometimes the process and systems work against people in the interior communities, particularly people who we have to acknowledge are the First Peoples of Guyana and who, by any means necessary, should obtain a birth certificate,” he said.

This amendment adds a new clause that allows an adult with no original document containing particulars of his or her birth or record of birth, to be issued a certificate after being validated by a high standing person in his/her community which includes a Toshao.

Minister Benn said the previous Department of Citizenship was accused of working against the interest of persons in relation to getting a birth certificate.

He said this was coupled with the discovery of fake stamps that were used to stamp birth certificates and other documents at the General Register Office.

“Our efforts now in bringing the amendments to the Registration of Births and Deaths, relate to strengthening the measures by which persons can validly be given their birth certificates, that we expand the architecture in respect of places where people could get documentation to prove that they were born as Guyanese citizens.

“That we can ensure that there is a track record, that there is a paper trail in respect of ensuring that we can go back up the ladder to assure that documentation which is presented is valid, that we speed up the ability of persons to get birth certificates,” the minister related.

He said the delay in issuing birth certificates conflicts with the rights of

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn Guyanese to have in their possession a form of identification.

“This Bill seeks to simplify and clarify certain areas in the Act. An area of change is where an application is made to a Magistrate to correct an error in the birth or death registration form.

“We are aware that, in many cases, mistakes are made in the record and having seen the discovery of an error, it results in finding an opportunity for delays, for frustration and sometimes for grief and the giving up of persons in relation to obtaining what is rightfully theirs…,” Benn said.

Minister Benn said the Bill also identifies the types of error a Magistrate might correct. Further, the unnecessary restrictive provisions, limiting the timeframe within which a child’s

name can be changed on the registration form, and the necessity to appear before a Magistrate to have the entry done, have been removed.

The law against the discriminatory practice to issue a different colour document for an adopted child as opposed to a birthed child has also been removed. Opposition Member of Parliament, Amanza Walton-Desir praised this amendment during her presentation.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., said the amendment to the Bill has allowed the government to fulfill Guyana’s duties under the treaties it has signed at the level of the United Nations.

“What we are doing here, we have a duty to do… this Bill, Mr. Speaker, must be situated and predicated into that context…

The amended Bill, Minister Teixeira said, fixes the problem by allowing a parent to choose any name for a child. Additionally, the minister said that there are many people in the hinterland without identification cards due to the lack of a birth certificate.

“There are people all over this country who statistically do not exist. So, when you talk about a population of less than 700,000, we may very well be dealing with a population with way over 800,000.

“The only time we Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail discover this is when we Teixeira have elections and you go “What we are doing here der the Rights of the Child house-to-house and you is to give effect to Guyana’s Convention and the United discover people who do not international obligation, Nations Development Sus- have an identification card.

This attempts to deal with which we are all required to tainable Goals.

Meanwhile, Minister of that,” she reasoned. do. It binds the Executive, Government Member of the Legislature and the Judi- Parliamentary Affairs and Parliament, Alister Charlie, ciary and every other organ Governance, Gail Teixeira, representing Region Nine, of the State to do what we during her presentation, said said the Amendment to Bill that laws are made based on are doing here,” he said. will address the woes of The Attorney-General the reality and social needs persons living in the hinterfurther said that every pro- of citizens.

The minister pointed land regions. vision in the Bill had been Charlie said it is anout that there are severcarefully thought-out. other intervention by the In his view, it is a re- al households headed by government to bring relief markable step in taking single mothers and many to Amerindian and hinterGuyana forward, and in ad- Indo-Guyanese, mostly feland residents.

(DPI) vancing its obligations un- males with only one name.

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

15

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

17

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

19

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

21

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

de Grasse wins men’s 200m final (BBC) - Canada’s Andre de Grasse won his first gold and fifth Olympic medal overall as he overhauled world champion Noah Lyles in the final 50m of the 200m final.

The 26-year-old, who took bronze in the 100m final on Sunday, won in 19.62 seconds, making him the eighth-fastest man in history.

Lyles led into the final

Holder keen on ensuring success for....

FROM PAGE 26

“I’m really excited about the partnership with Royals (and) I’m sure the guys are looking forward to it as well. We can’t wait to start our campaign in St Kitts,” said Holder, who is currently on West Indies duty against Pakistan.

“The last time we played there (in St Kitts) as Barbados Tridents we had been victorious so I’m looking forward to the prospects ahead.”

The United States-based CMG Companies, headed by Manish Patel, led a consortium of local and international investors in the acquisition of Tridents in 2019.

The move followed a turbulent period for the franchise under former Indian billionaire businessman Vi-

jay Mallya.

Royals Sports Group chairman, and lead owner of Rajasthan Royals, Manoj Badale, said the Caribbean franchise would become a key part of the Royals’ global brand.

“We are delighted to have signed this deal with Manish Patel, to acquire a majority stake in the Barbados CPL franchise,” Badale said.

“We are extremely grateful to the Barbados government for their continued support, and we look forward to making a positive impact on both cricket and tourism for the country.

“We have ambitious plans for the Royals brand globally, and this is an important strategic step.”

Tridents won their first CPL title in 2014 in a rain-hit final in St Kitts and captured their second crown in 2019 when they again beat Guyana Amazon Warriors in the final which was staged in Trinidad and Tobago.

quarter but slowed as de Grasse and second-placed Kenny Bednarek ran him down.

Seventeen-year-old Erriyon Knighton finished fourth in 19.93.

The American teenager broke Rio 2016 champion Usain Bolt’s world junior record for the event in May and may well be its future, but it was de Grasse, himself, once the next big thing, who finally lived up to his billing as Bolt’s

heir-apparent. de Grasse had set a personal-best 19.73 in Tuesday’s semi-finals and looked relaxed as he strode to the blocks.

In contrast to his smiling and clowning, Lyles struck a serious figure, bellowing into the Tokyo skies as he emerged into the arena.

It was Lyles who led off the bend, but his lead was slowly chewed up as de Grasse and Bednarek - side

by side in lanes six and seven - came on strong. de Grasse celebrated with a video call to his partner, American hurdler Nia Ali, at the finish line, seeming to exclaim “finally” during their conversation.

He has been pegged as a potential successor to Bolt since he finished third behind the Jamaican in the 100m final at the 2015 World Championships aged just 20.

He signed a lucrative

deal with the same footwear sponsor as Bolt a few months later. However, hamstring problems stalled his progress before he returned to form with silver and bronze medals at Doha 2019.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment, I’ve been training hard for this moment,” said de Grasse.

“Nineteen point six - I cannot believe the time.

And almost 19.5, I’m almost there.”

City closing in on Aston Villa’s Grealish

Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish.

(BBC) - Manchester City are closing in on the £100M signing of Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish.

A deal could be concluded in time for the England midfielder to play in the

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday August 05, 2021) CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Jeff Dujon-48 dismissals (41 catches; 7 stumpings – 47 ODIs) (2) Ian Healey-49 dismissals (45 catches; 4 stumpings39 ODIs) Today’s Quiz: (1) Which WI player has contested most ODI matches against IND to date?

(2) Which IND cricketer has played most ODI matches against the WI to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Community Shield against Leicester City, on Saturday.

The move for the 25-yearold would make it a British record.

The fee for him would surpass the £89M Manchester United paid to resign France midfielder Paul Pogba from Juventus in 2016.

Grealish is set to make the move after returning to pre-season training with Aston Villa following Euro 2020.

It seems as though the transfer has been conducted in a much smoother way than that of City’s other main target, Harry Kane, who is currently in a stand-off with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy over

the striker’s claim that a gentleman’s agreement exists for him to leave the club this summer.

Grealish signed a new five-year deal with Villa last September.

City made their move for him at the end of last week, following up a summer of conversations with Villa by lodging a bid.

Manager Pep Guardiola believes Grealish’s creativity can offer an extra attacking dimension to what is already one of the most potent attacking units in the English game.

City scored 83 goals in the Premier League last season, 10 more than the second-highest scorers Manchester United, but Guardiola

evidently feels they are capable of more.

Grealish is a lifelong Villa fan and has been with the club for his whole professional career, other than one brief spell on loan with Notts County as a teenager.

Villa announced the signing of winger Leon Bailey for £25M yesterday to add to the arrivals, midfielder Emiliano Buendia from Norwich City and Ashley Young from Inter Milan.

If City do land Grealish for £100M it will make him the ninth most expensive player in history.

Only eight players have ever commanded a transfer fee of £100M or more.

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

Bangladesh regain late composure to beat Australia (ESPNCRICINFO) - You wait years for a T20 victory over Australia then two come along at once.

Bangladesh stumbled but eventually found composure in their chase to take a 2-0 lead in Dhaka with Afif Hossain and Nurul Hasan guiding them home with

look at the story of Mustafizur’s career then read this. Suffice to say this was the type of performance that made his name. His 3 for 23 were his best figures in T20Is since 2017 and the third best of his career.

He, being effectively a fast spinner most of the time,

of the reach of the Australia’s fielders.

On at least four occasions he evaded fielders, although when he did middle one off Adam Zampa it went a long way back into the stands.

When he fell, missing a wild charge at Zampa, it was the third wicket for nine runs

Afif Hossain and Nurul Hasan punch gloves during their stand. (AFP/ Getty Images)

eight balls to spare.

The pitch - a new one - was again slow, although looked rather slower when Mitchell Starc was racing in with the new ball, after Australia’s batting had laboured to post 121, in which Mustafizur Rahman was outstanding.

At 67 for 5 the chase was wobbling significantly but with such a small target, the required rate was never an issue and the sixth-wicket pair managed to show a calmness that had eluded a few others.

After struggling in the Powerplay, Australia had given themselves a foundation to launch in the closing overs with a stand of 57 between Mitchell Marsh and Moises Henriques, and with a fair wind 140 would have been achievable.

However, the innings almost went into reverse after Shakib Al Hasan removed Henriques, and when Marsh edged behind, it meant there wasn’t a set batter for the final push. The last five overs brought 31 for 4.

Mustafizur’s fizz If you want an in-depth

Australia’s batters had all sorts of problems facing his brisk cutters that gripped on the surface. He completely befuddled Josh Philippe with a short delivery that held in the surface and dipped slowly under the bat, so much so that Philippe could almost turn and watch it take leg stump.

It was wonderful deception. Later in the innings he knocked back Matthew Wade’s leg stump then found himself on a hattrick when the next delivery spat at Ashton Agar and took the glove. It was Bangladesh’s two left-arm seamers who did most of the damage as Mustafizur and Shoriful Islam claimed 5 for 50 between them.

Mahedi’s charmed life At one point during the chase, the camera picked out a cat roaming around the empty stands. It is arguable whether it or Mahedi Hasan had more lives. At times there was a rather frenetic nature to Bangladesh’s chase, not least when Mahedi kept lofting deliveries tantalisingly out

in three overs as Australia pressed hard.

That had included the key duo of Shakib, playing across the line to Andrew Tye, and captain Mahmudullah dragging on against Agar.

Closing it out Afif had provided some late impetus in yesterday’s match with the highest strike-rate among Bangladesh’s batters, but this was an even better innings.

There had been some doubt as to whether there would be DRS for this series and Afif was left grateful there was, when he was given lbw to Marsh on 1 only for replays to show the ball pitched outside leg.

In the 13th over he took advantage of a seventh delivery from Tye to clear the leg side for six, and bring the requirement back under a run-a-ball, although he saved his best for a sublime cover drive off Starc.

Nurul played a vital hand and victory then rushed into view as Afif hit three boundaries in seven balls.

25

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

England collapse under Bumrah, Shami pressure (ESPNCRICINFO) - India took the last seven England wickets for 45 runs to bowl the hosts out for 183, after they won the toss and batted in tough batting conditions. India’s openers knocked off 21 of those without being separated.

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, the two senior bowlers in the absence of Ishant Sharma and R

morning.

Bumrah took five balls to change the talking point.

Four of them moved gently away from the left-hand opener Rory Burns before the fourth one swung back in. In 2018, when Bumrah got Keaton Jennings in the same fashion, it might have been a surprise, but by now, experts argue, you have to be expecting that delivery as a left-hand batter and not

the break.

After lunch, India operated with Bumrah and Shami, but the line of attack shifted a bit, almost like they decided the ball wasn’t doing much and they needed to get back to the leg trap they had set for Australia in Australia.

Soon enough, Sibley got a leading edge to a ball sliding down leg from Shami, offering short mid-

India were a pleased bunch as Mohammed Siraj had a not-out caughtbehind appeal against Zak Crawley overturned on review (AFP/Getty Images)

Ashwin, took seven wickets between them in 37.4 overs.

Once again, Joe Root looked like a level above his batting teammates, scoring 64 assured runs off 108 balls in an innings that went at 2.78 an over.

England will need to look at five or six wickets which they didn’t make India work hard enough for. It started early as Rory Burns fell for Bumrah’s two-card trick in the first over in a hectic start.

India did not even have time to properly debate the exclusion of Ashwin - who’s in the form of his life - from the XI, to find a combination that fit the conditions and addressed India’s long tail. Ishant had failed a fitness test in the

get beaten as comprehensively as Burns did.

Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley saw off the new ball with a hard-fought 42-run stand in nearly 21 overs, but Rishabh Pant managed to convince his captain to take a second review in the same Mohammed Siraj over to get the wicket of the fluent Crawley.

Three balls after an enthusiastic review for a catch off the inside edge and pad cost India, Pant implored Kohli to take another, similar review. This time the inside edge was taken.

This was minutes before lunch, but in the intervening overs, Root got away with three boundaries in an over - one of them streaky - and also looked to attack Bumrah in the final over before

wicket a catch. A “nothing wicket” on the surface, but India did have a field for straight lines: a short-forward square leg to go with the short midwicket.

From 66 for 3, England found their most assured batting period with Root and Jonny Bairstow batting together for 22.5 overs.

Root showed more attacking intent than any other specialist batter, scored faster than all of them and was more in control than any of them. Bairstow got comfortable as time wore on, but in one over split by the tea break, England were rocked back significantly.

Shami and Bumrah have had to work the hardest for their wickets in England among their contemporaries. As of

lunch on day one, they had needed to induce 19 false responses apiece for a wicket in England, the highest among fast bowlers since 2014. James Anderson and Stuart Broad, by comparison, take about 10 false responses each.

It is part luck, part lengths, but their luck was about to change. It had already begun to turn for Shami with that leg-side delivery to get Sibley, but now even reviews were going to

fall in place. In the last over before tea, Shami bowled that perfect seaming delivery to trap Bairstow in front, but two sounds probably influenced umpire Richard Kettleborough to rule it in the batter’s favour.

Kohli couldn’t get affirmation from anyone in front of the wicket that the ball had missed the bat, but went with the review nonetheless.

It was the perfect length, seaming in enough to beat the inside edge but not the

leg stump. India went to tea buoyant, England on 138 for 4.

Four balls into the final session, the final delivery of that Shami over, Dan Lawrence tickled one fine down the leg side. Unlucky Shami? Not today. Shami and Bumrah proceeded to toy around with Jos Buttler for 17 balls before Bumrah took the outside edge through to Pant. It didn’t cost India a run.

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

GCB peeved over lack of Guyanese in U-19 world cup training squad THE Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has again noted with extreme concern the shoddy treatment of Guyanese cricketers by Cricket West Indies (CWI).

GCB has been reliably informed that only 4 Guyanese are in the training squad of 56 cricketers to prepare for selection to the regional team to participate in the Under-19 World Cup Tournament.

This is despite GCB’s considerable investment in

playing trial matches with livestream feeds and commentary within the region.

Though these matches were affected by rain, the players’ and GCB’s commitment cannot be overstated.

This ICC tournament is scheduled to be played in the West Indies in January and February 2022 and already interest is high for what is expected to be a showpiece for international youth cricket.

Just a few weeks ago GCB was obliged to take issue with CWI over the omission of Veerasammy Permaul, Shimron Hetmyer and Romario Shepherd from the senior regional team for the series against South Africa.

GCB remains firm in its position that Guyana has a number of very talented Under-19 cricketers who must be recognised by the Regional selectors and whose

… Bissoondyal Singh intervenes

names will once again be forwarded to CWI with a request for them to be added to the squad.

GCB will continue to diligently monitor the selection processes of CWI to ensure there is a level playing field across the region.

In this regard, GCB will continue to engage CWI in order to obtain a copy of the ‘CWI Selection Criteria Pol-

Pakistan shift focus to Test series (ESPNCRICINFO) - An early 1-0 lead that’s consolidated by not much happening for the rest of the contest sounds like something out of Jose Mourinho’s playbook, but if ever a cricketing equivalent were to have such a result, you’d put good money on Misbahul-Haq being the mastermind.

There weren’t too many tactics involved in that scoreline, though, with uncooperative weather ensuring a T20I in Guyana was all the cricket that could be played, and once Pakistan edged West Indies in it, there was little West Indies could do to prevent a Pakistan series win.

But while the weather might be the enduring narrative from what should have been a five-match series (even before the weather played foul, COVID-19 cut into the schedule), Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali insisted a series win at the home of the defending T20 world champions meant a lot to his side.

“Winning away to a side with such firepower that they can hurt you anytime is great. A win is a win and we’re very happy with the series victory in the West Indies,” he said. “We’re all disappointed because we wanted to play. Even when it was raining we were all raring to go. But the weather is not in our

control. Of course, the disappointment is we couldn’t prepare properly away to a champion side.

“We had to learn some lessons from the England series, and we’re working

Unlike the last cycle, which somewhat passed Pakistan by, the fixtures and scheduling have fallen in a way that represents a real chance for Babar Azam’s side to claim a spot in the

We have plenty of spinners with Yasir (Shah) coming back, and in dry conditions like these that’s very useful.

“Then we also have (pace options in) Shaheen (Afridi), Naseem (Shah]) (Moham-

icy’. A request has already been made to CWI. President of GCB, Mr Bissoondyal Singh, on August 2 2021 intervened by discussing with CWI president Ricky Skerritt the selection issue in general and the continuing omission of Guyanese players in particular.

On August 3 2021, Singh also had a discussion with

CWI vice-president Dr Kishore Shallow on the very matters.

President Singh was given the assurance that CWI will address the concerns of GCB and update him accordingly.

GCB remains committed to Guyana and West Indies cricket and is prepared to represent the best interests of both.

Holder keen on ensuring success for Barbados Royals (CMC) – Captain Jason Holder says he is keen on ensuring the continued success of Barbados Royals, after the Bridge-

known as Barbados Tridents since the tournament’s inception in 2013.

However, Royals Sports Group, which owns Indian

Hasan Ali says Pakistan are not thinking of the game against India in the upcoming T20 World Cup just yet. (Randy Brooks/AFP via Getty Images)

on our bowling in the middle and the death. I really like our bowling unit right now, and also my personal form.

As a bowling unit, we trust each other and our coaches trust us too. Of course, we have to improve, but we have a month or two to hone our skills ahead of the T20 World Cup.” There’s another assignment, though, before the focus shifts completely to the shortest format. A two-match Test series against West Indies starting next week, to kick off the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for both sides.

final come 2023.

The upcoming two-match series presents arguably Pakistan’s most challenging away fixtures in this cycle, with the other away series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

That, of course, makes performing in this Test series that much more important, and Ali said the series was his side’s primary focus for the moment.

“We’re looking forward to the Tests; we have a few days to get used to the red ball. I’ll try to capitalise on my form and the rhythm I’ve got going for now,” Ali said.

“Our team is very balanced.

mad) Abbas and myself.

We’ve won the last two Test series (against West Indies) and we’re looking to continue that and get the WTC off in victorious fashion.”

Facing up to the usual, mandatory question on Pakistan being drawn in the same group as India in the T20 World Cup group, Ali was clear that it was not something the team was dwelling on. “We’re not looking forward to the India match right now at all, to be honest with you,” he said. “That’s still very far away. My focus is just on these two Tests right now.”

Barbados Royals (formerly Barbados Tridents) captain, Jason Holder.

town-based Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise was rebranded last week.

The franchise, two-time CPL champions, had been

Premier League (IPL) franchise, Rajasthan Royals, has bought a controlling stake in what was formerly Tridents and has rebranded the outfit.

SEE PAGE 23

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 5, 2021

GMR&SC issues strong warning to members engaging in ‘unsanctioned meets’

THE Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) yesterday issued a strong message to its members who have been seen engaging in unsanctioned activities at the South Dakota raceway.

In a release, the club threatened possible suspension for those members who flout the COVID-19 task force rules.

See full release below: The Guyana Motor Rac-

ing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) wishes to state that it has given ‘NO PERMISSION’ to any competitor, group of competitors or persons to host any event of any kind at the South Dakota Circuit.

GMR&SC, the local body charged with the administration and control of all motorsport events, has noted several instances where persons have been using parts of the ‘drag strip’ with an aim to

hosting racing events/meets.

Some instances, brought to the club’s attention via social media, have featured persons attempting to dragrace using sections of the strip.

The club is in no way, shape or form associated with those events and discourages its members from participating in such.

It is against the National COVID-19 guidelines to host an event without proper

Chooweenam, Habibulla lift Liberty to victory in Caribbean Fest FORMER Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) cricketer Dino Chooweenam, who was outstanding in the early part of the season, seems to have found form once again for the Richmond Hill Liberty Cricket Club, while opening bowler Altaaf Habibulla produced another devastating spell.

In their latest encounter of the Caribbean Fest 40 Overs Tournament, Chooweenam, the opening talisman, struck an aggressive half-century to lead his side to an eight-wicket victory against the Bronx Cricket Club at the Baisley ground.

Bronx CC won the toss and opted to bat, but the side could not get on top of the bowling as Habibulla destroyed the top order. He finished with 5-13 from eight overs. Support came from Leon Mohabir who unravelled the tail with 3-37 from six overs. Chooweenam and skipper of the side, former national U-19 cricketer Trevor Henry, picked up a wicket Altaaf Habibulla picked up 5-13 from eight each to restrict their oppoovers. nents for 106 in 28.1 overs.

Henry’s wicket was that of opposing captain Sabbir Chowdhury (45 from 52 balls).

Chooweenam then ensured that his side romped to victory with a blistering 72 from 31 balls. The hard-hitting opener blasted eight sixes and three fours at a strike rate of 232.26, which propelled the side to 111-2 in 11 overs.

With the victory, the US-based Guyanese team are back on top of Group B. They currently have a better net run rate than fellow Guyanese sides Everest/ACS and MetenMeer-Zorg CC. All three teams are tied on 19 points with nine wins in 12 matches.

Another Guyanese side, Galaxy CC are the overall leaders with 22 points with 11 wins from 12 games. They lead another pro-Guyanese team, Majestic CC by four points in Group B. A total of 20 teams, 10 in each group are competing in the tournament.

permission from the National COVID-19 Task Force.

The club wishes to remind all members and competitors that attending, promoting and participating in non-sanctioned GMR&SC events may result in bans or suspension of said competitors and team members.

Movable blockade across drag strip

GMR&SC also notes comments by some club members regarding the ‘privatisation of the track’ by racing stakeholders, stemming from a ‘fence’ erected across the drag strip.

The club wishes to categorically deny any such ideology of privatisation.

Due to private citizens and even members of the club attempting to host unsanctioned drag-race meets and to prevent the heavy

machinery which frequents the area from destroying the strip, the club has sought to protect the investment made

by Team Mohammed’s Enterprise by erecting a ‘movable blockade’.

For members who wish to utilise the track for ‘PRIVATE TESTING OF THEIR CARS’, contact can be made with the office to secure permission and subsequent removal of the blockade.

Those persons who are granted permission for testing are also reminded that they must adhere to the all COVID-19 guidelines set out by the Government of Guyana regarding the wearing of masks and social distancing.

Those granted permission must also be reminded that ‘Private Testing’ is not ‘Racing.’

Events update

GMR&SC has been in constant consultation with the NCTF to gain requisite permission for the hosting of several events for the remainder of the year.

These talks have been set back by the videos and photos of unsanctioned racing at the South Dakota circuit but the club has managed to regain the trust of the NCTF. To that end, the club has put forth a request for a spectator-less and advertisement free event in the near future.

In light of this, the club is urging all drivers, team members, marshals and officials to get vaccinated as it tries to mimic the same guidelines set out for the recent hosting of the West Indies versus Pakistan cricket series.

GMR&SC issues strong warning to members engaging in ‘unsanctioned meets’

SEE STORY ON PAGE 27

The GMR&SC Executive committee at the Annual General Meeting earlier this year (Ackeem Greene Photo)

de Grasse wins men’s 200m final SEE STORY ON PAGE 23

De Grasse (wearing six) and Bednarek (obscured) overhaul Lyles (three) in the final stage of the 200m final.

GCB peeved over lack of Guyanese in U-19 world cup training squad … Bissoondyal Singh intervenes

SEE STORY ON PAGE 26

CWI’s president Ricky Skerritt

GCB president Bissoondyal Singh

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

CWI’s vice-president Dr Kishore Shallow Thursday, August 5, 2021