Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 07-07-2022

THURSDAY 7th JULY, 2022

$100

‘Stronger together’

No. 106776

- Guyana, Barbados strengthen ties with updated co-operation agreement See stories on: PAGE

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CARICOM leaders and regional representatives pose, on Tuesday, for the official photo concluding the three-day 43rd Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Paramaribo, Suriname

PSC is ‘fully functional’, says Nandlall SEE PAGE

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CAPE student builds business brand SEE PAGE

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5,000 acres for wheat production in Rupununi

SEE PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

Guyana, Barbados strengthen ties with updated co-operation agreement GUYANA and Barbados, on Tuesday, signed an updated and augmented copy of the Saint Barnabas Accord, paving the way for the two countries to have further dialogue and co-operation in nine specific areas.

“The specific areas include agriculture, aquaculture and food security; mining and quarrying; tourism and international transport; trade and business development; energy; manufacturing; education - technical and vocational training and capacity building; cooperation in security and bilateral integration measures,” the Office of the President said in a statement.

The signing took place in Suriname where President, Dr Ir-

faan Ali and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley attended the 43rd Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) which ended Tuesday.

President Ali and PM Mottley signed the St. Barnabas Accord in October 2021, creating one domestic space between both countries in areas across multiple sectors.

The Guyana-Barbados St. Barnabas Accord, more tangibly, provides for a seven-acre food terminal in Barbados, a space to accommodate approximately 40 containers, a reservoir holding 20 million gallons of water, and land for crop production.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali (right) and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley signing the updated agreement

‘Restructure Caribbean healthcare’ - CARICOM leaders conclude following regional summit

By Shamar Meusa WITH several countries entering the post-pandemic recovery stage, Heads of Governments of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) recognised that this recovery is an opportunity to restructure healthcare services across the Caribbean.

This was revealed following the recently concluded 43rd Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government, held in Suriname.

During the meeting, regional leaders acknowledged that COVID-19 remains a pandemic as a substantial number of cases are still being reported across the Caribbean Region.

As such, they commended the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for its continued response to COVID-19 in line with its mandate.

As countries advance towards recovery while focusing on building resilience in the event of future outbreaks, the impact of COVID showed that a “whole-ofgovernment” and society approach was needed which balanced economic recovery programmes and public

health measures.

With that, it was further emphasised that vaccination, strengthened health systems, and responsible individual behaviours, among other things, were essential to the successful navigation through this current phase of the pandemic.

In its official Communiqué following the Heads of Government meeting, regional leaders called for multilateral financial institutions to recognise the Region’s urgent need for assistance as it is critical for member states to strengthen social safety nets.

“Heads of Government emphasised that this support was critical as there was genuine suffering and hardship being experienced by a significant number of people in the Region,” the official document said.

Additionally, it was noted that measures should be put in place to reduce the impact of COVID-19 while considering the incidences of long COVID which possibly results in an increase in chronic illness and disability. This, in turn, could burden the Region’s healthcare system.

Against this backdrop, the Heads of Government noted that as the health sec-

tor moves toward recovery after COVID-19, it was an opportunity to restructure healthcare services and public health programmes.

Further, the lessons learned during the pandemic should be used to respond to re-emerging and new diseases which may result in pandemics.

To this end, regional leaders further recognised the outcome of the Ninth Summit of the Americas which addressed health and resilience in the Americas along with other areas. However, the concern was raised

by Caribbean leaders that as it relates to the outcomes from the summit, those did not adequately reflect issues of significance to the Caribbean community like postpandemic recovery.

Among other sectors or issues agreed upon and communicated in the official outcomes document, the regional leaders agreed to accept recommendations from the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) relating to region’s security situation.

Caribbean leaders also agreed to convene a meeting of the conference to address crime and violence as a public health issue.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

UAE funding being considered for ferry connecting Guyana, other CARICOM countries - As Region advances removal of non-tariff trade barriers

By Tamica Garnett WITH an initial focus on building regional trade relations, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is looking towards the United Arab Emirates (UAE) funding to establish an intra-regional ferry service with Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and Barbados for the testing phase.

This initiative also falls into the myriad of measures agreed by the Region’s leaders, which will advance reduction of the Caribbean’s foodimport bill by 25 per cent by the year 2025, the official communiqué read, following the three-day 43rd Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Paramaribo, Suriname, which ended on Tuesday.

Regional leaders recognize, quite often, that affordable intra-regional travel remains one of the major bugbears to trade and movement of skilled labour within the Caribbean.

The Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) has also been mandated to conclude by the end of July, the various initiatives and programmes aimed at the removal of non-tariff barriers to intra-regional trade, the document said. “[They] welcomed an update from the Prime Minister of Barbados on advanced discussions with the United Arab Emirates regarding support for both a traditional ferry and fast ferry service for the Region and noted that a related proposal from the capital Abu Dhabi is being awaited,” the document said specifically.

It further noted that: “Heads of Government requested the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to commence the

Delegates during the 43rd Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting (Office of the President photo) proposed roadmap study on the factors needed for successfully establishing a fast ferry service for the transportation of agricultural produce – with an initial focus on trade between Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, and Barbados.”

The meeting saw the agreement for the establishment of a working group to provide oversight of the project, which will include representatives from the governments of Barbados, Grenada, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, as

well as the CARICOM Secretariat, CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO), and the CDB. During the meeting, the Heads of Government also received an update on the progress made by the Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security (MTF) in advancing the CARICOM Agri-Food Systems agenda.

“A majority of [CARICOM] member states have developed and submitted to the MTF their national targets, which

will contribute to the attainment of the 25 by 2025 targets. The MTF, through the Secretariat, has developed a reporting and monitoring tool which member states are requested to report on monthly,” the statement said.

The CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO) was requested to accelerate implementation for its various agricultural investment projects through which 25 by 25 will be achieved.

“The MTF, working in collaboration with the

CPSO, has identified 19 potential investment opportunities for displacing extra-regional agri-food imports among CARICOM member states,” the communique noted.

Also towards the advance of the 25 by 25 initiative, the Heads of Government welcomed the draft Terms of Reference (TOR) developed by the Secretariat for establishing a Regional Youth in Agriculture Advisory Mechanism.

This was agreed upon following the Regional Youth in Agriculture Dia-

logue during the AgriInvestment Forum and Expo that was held in Guyana in May. “This Advisory Mechanism will assist the MTF in ensuring that youth participation and inclusion is accounted for in all its efforts to achieving 25 by 2025. Heads of Government endorsed and encouraged participation in the AgriInvestment Forum to be held in Trinidad and Tobago from 19-21 August 2022,” the statement said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

Carlos Santana: Legendary US guitarist collapses on stage

(BBC) - LEGENDARY US guitarist, Carlos Santana, collapsed on stage during an open-air concert near Detroit, Michigan.

Medical personnel treated the 74-year-old in Clarkston on Tuesday, and he was taken to a local hospital’s emergency department for observation.

Santana, who was born in Mexico, later wrote on his Facebook page that he “forgot to eat and drink water” and “so I dehydrated and passed out”.

His manager, Michael Vrionis, said the musician was doing well.

However, he added that a show planned for Wednesday in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, “will be postponed to a later date”.

Footage has emerged

showing Santana being helped off stage at Clarkson’s Pine Knob Music Theatre.

In the video, the star waved to the audience as he was wheeled away on a stretcher.

Representatives for the 10-time Grammy Award winner said he was suffering from “heat exhaustion and dehydration”.

The guitarist and his band, Santana, have been touring in North America with their Miraculous Supernatural show.

They rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s, pioneering a fusion of rock ‘n’ roll and Latin American jazz.

Among the band’s biggest hits are ‘Black Magic Woman’, ‘The Game of Love’ and ‘Oye Como Va’.

Today, Santana is considered one of the greatest gui-

tarists of all time, thanks to a distinctive style characterised by long, sustained notes, dextrous runs and Latin rhythms.

Prince, of ‘Purple Rain’ fame, called him a bigger influence than Jimi Hendrix, saying: “Santana played prettier.”

In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 20th on a list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.

Last February, Santana and other members of the band tested positive for COVID-19 and had to cancel several shows.

In December, the guitarist cancelled a number of performances in Las Vegas after he had an unspecified and unscheduled heart procedure.

Highland Park shooting: Suspect confess to shooting, court hears

(Photo credit: GETTY IMAGES) (BBC) - A MAN accused of opening fire on a Fourth of July parade near Chicago will be held without bail as he faces seven counts of murder.

The 21-year-old suspect

faces the possibility of life without parole, if convicted, for deaths due to the attack, which also left dozens wounded.

During a court appearance, prosecutors revealed he confessed to the shooting.

It comes as questions were raised over why the suspect could buy guns despite being known to police.

The alleged gunman passed background checks meant to prevent potentially dangerous individuals from buying weapons, even though he had previously made violent threats reported to authorities.

In a brief hearing, Assistant State Attorney Ben Dillon said that surveillance video showed the suspect, Robert Crimo, leaving the area and dumping a rifle.

According to Mr Dillon, the gunman confessed, after being caught following a manhunt, telling police he “looked down his sights, aimed, then opened fire at people across the street”.

No plea was entered on Wednesday. He will be now held in custody without bond and assigned a public attorney.

On Tuesday, Lake County State Attorney, Eric Rinehart, said that Mr Crimo would be punished for “the killing spree he has unleashed against our community”.

Dozens more charges are expected before the investigation ends.

“These are just the first of many charges that will be filed,” he said to cheers and applause from the crowd gathered for the news conference on Tuesday. “I want to emphasise that. There will be more charges”.

On Wednesday, an eighth

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victim died after the initial seven murder charges were laid.

If convicted, the seven counts alone would carry a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

Prosecutors said, on Wednesday, that 83 spent shell casings, as well as rifle magazines, were recovered from the scene of the shooting.

The gunman told police he disguised himself as a woman so he could escape alongside fleeing victims.

After an eight-hour manhunt on Monday, police arrested the gunman and he was discovered with a second rifle similar to the one used in the attack.

Three other firearms were also found at his home. Police said the suspect had two prior contacts with law enforcement but was still able to purchase five guns in the past year.

Illinois state police said that the suspect’s father sponsored his application for a firearm licence in December 2019, when he was just 19. But his uncle denied this in a statement to the Chicago Sun. The parents requested privacy and expressed solidarity with the victims through a lawyer’s statement.

“We are all mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, and this is a terrible tragedy for many families, the victims, the parade-goers, the community, and our own,” it said.

In April 2019, police were called to the suspect’s home one week after he reportedly attempted to take his own life.

And in September 2019, police were called by a family member who said he had made violent threats to “kill everyone”.

Police responded and seized 16 knives, a dagger and a sword from his home. He was not arrested and no further action was taken.

Officials, on Tuesday, called for an education campaign to raise awareness of the state’s red flag laws, which allow a judge to order that a person deemed dangerous have their weapons seized and be barred from buying more guns.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

First Citizens eyes Jamaica/ Guyana to set up bank

(T&T Guardian) - HAVING failed to acquire Scotiabank’s assets in Guyana, state-owned First Citizens now says it is open to applying for banking licences in both Guyana and Jamaica and opening brick and mortar banks there, as it tries to grow beyond T&T. The bank’s chief executive officer Karen Darbasie held a presentation, on Thursday, for the business editors of the three daily newspapers in which she made the disclosure.

She was asked specifically if First Citizens was

prepared to apply for a licence and start, from scratch, a new bank in

those countries.

Darbasie said, “Am I open to starting opera-

tions, applying for a license to build from TURN TO PAGE 10

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

Transformational Agenda

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, in his recent address to key stakeholders, said the construction of the gas-to-energy project transcends the provision of energy, and is linked to other benefits to the Guyanese people.

According to President Ali, this project is national and transformational in nature, one that cuts across the various sectors of the economy. It is directly linked to poverty reduction, opening up of new opportunities and the creation of new growth poles and developmental hubs. In short, it is one of those projects that is multidimensional in nature and which will bring substantial benefits to Guyanese.

In a significant way, the provision of cheaper energy will change the growth dynamics of the economy and will accelerate the pace and

momentum of the country’s socio-economic and cultural development.

It is a fact that the cost of energy in Guyana is comparatively high by regional standards due to our dependence on imported fossil fuel, the cost of which has now hit the roof. Even though the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administration has completely lifted the excise tax on fuel, the price still remains high due mainly to the war in Ukraine.

The fact is that the cost of energy has always been a limiting factor in the country’s competitiveness. Now that the country is about to have a new source of energy in the form of gas, it will, most certainly, impact big on the quality of life of the Guyanese people.

For one thing, the cost of energy is expected to be cut by half. This facility could

save the country billions of dollars per month from electricity costs and the cost of cooking gas.

As noted by President Ali, approximately 220,000 households are currently on the national power grid. With the power company earning approximately $40 billion in revenue, that amount is likely to be reduced by half when the project comes on stream in another few years.

In the process, this will return almost $20 billion to the pockets of Guyanese consumers.

That money could then be used to enhance consumer spending and, ultimately, result in a much bigger basket of goods and services to consumers.

All of this is good news, but it is much more than a case of putting more money in the pockets of Guyanese consumers. The project,

as observed by President Ali, fits nicely into a much broader seven-pillar transformational agenda which the PPP/C administration is pursuing. These include infrastructural development, technology, service delivery, energy security, food security and mental transformation.

This latter development pillar, namely mental transformation, according to President Ali, is particularly important in the context of a rapidly-changing Guyana where the scale and magnitude of transformation in our society is completely different from the way we think.

From a business perspective, the scale is different from what we have imagined. The mental transformation talks about critical thinking.

These are indeed deeply profound and forward think-

ing on the part of President Ali. It is incumbent on all Guyanese to undergo a “mind-set change”, if the full benefits of the country’s transformational agenda are to be optimally realised.

What is required is the development of a critical mass of High-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) to drive the development process to new and higher levels.

Put in a different way, we have, as a society, to rise above small and narrowminded thinking which, in essence, sees only threats in every new opportunity.

There is a tendency, especially among those in the political opposition to, as it were, “throw away the baby with the bathwater.”

This is particularly so as they refer to the oil-andgas sector. And while being critical is not altogether a bad thing, being critical just

for the sake of seeking to score political points could be counter-productive and destructive to the country’s development.

Guyana’s developmental trajectory is done within the framework of the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) which is internationally-acclaimed as a developmental model for emerging economies.

President Ali has certainly pointed the way forward for Guyana with his seven-pillar transformational agenda which essentially is aimed at enhancing the material and spiritual lives of the Guyanese people. Those, along with his “One Guyana” vision, provide a mechanism to bring about a new Guyana where peace, social harmony and economic prosperity are the defining characteristics.

Understanding measurements of development in Economics

Dear Editor, THE Human Development Index is a good measurement for development, and I commend DeLisle Worrell for explaining its components.

What is HDI and what is Guyana’s HDI? How does the country measure up against some other CARICOM nations?

In examining HDI, one must not ignore Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita (person) or annual GDP or GNP [Gross National Product] growth. HDI measures economic progress by combining growth, education, and health indicators.

The missive suggests that the writer actually studied and understood development economics as opposed to others who purport to be

economists but never took an economics course.

The writer is spot on in stating that HDI is increasingly used to measure development post-1990, when the concept was created.

HDI has not replaced or supplanted other socioeconomic indicators, but merely supplemented them. And it may not be a perfect measurement of development, but it is a good one.

HDI is a relatively new concept in measuring human development. After 1990, students of economics have been introduced to this new concept of measurement of human development which gives a ranking between zero and one.

The higher the number generated, after considering a number of features of an

economy, the greater is the development and standard of living of the territory.

The social welfare states of Europe and the G7 [Group of Seven] nations, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore (developed economies), have the highest HDI. Guyana is listed as a middle-range HDI country.

Guyana’s HDI in 1990 was 0.548. As reported recently, between 1990 and 2019, Guyana’s HDI value increased from 0.548 to 0.682, a significant improvement. It should be noted that it happened under democratic governance.

The HDI value in 2020 slightly went down to 0.645 under questionable governance. Guyana is average compared to other CARICOM nations, edging out

Belize and Suriname. This country is listed in a cluster of Caribbean and Latin American nations. African nations are at the bottom of HDI. Those of us who studied economics pre-1990 learn about GDP and GNP per capita and other indicators of an economy like life expectancy, years of education, per cent of budget devoted to healthcare, income of top 10 per cent of the nation, income of bottom 20 per cent, etc.

Those measures were used to measure human development and economic progress of a territory. Per capita measurement, and other socio economic indicators, does not give an accurate picture of standard of living and quality of life,

however, they provide economists and policymakers with a general understanding of the life of society.

The general trends are used to guide policy. HDI captures several indicators like GDP, healthcare, and education, as Worrel explained.

Although not perfect, it is a better measurement than GDP or GNP per capita in terms of human development and standard of living.

The other indicators are still used to understand national development and economic progress of a nation, giving an indication of how much resources are directed towards people, the poor in particular.

The GINI coefficient also gives a good measurement of standard of living and economic means of a territory’s

population — measurements on poverty and variation or disparities in income.

The GINI index serves as a gauge of economic inequality in a territory, measuring income or wealth distribution among a population of a territory. The lower the GINI, the less inequality in a society.

The social welfare nations of Europe and the G7 outperforms most nations.

Guyana had a GINI index of .542 in 1990 that declined to about 0.451 from 1998 onwards. Guyana’s GINI index is average in terms of CARICOM nations, and is midway in terms of the 190 territories for which data is available.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

Op-Ed: Towards a hemispheric partnership for food security

By Manuel Otero

THE looming global food crisis will also significantly impact Latin America and the Caribbean.

Failing to address it, or tackling it in a disjointed manner will have painful consequences and will endanger the peace and future of our societies, which have been hard hit by the pandemic in the last two years, amidst a decade of low economic expansion and increasingly frequent extreme climate events.

These food security-related problems have particular regional significance at this time, given that, between 2012 and 2019, Latin America and the Caribbean experienced its lowest growth rate since the “lost decade” of the 1980s.

Further compounding this problem of low economic performance and the pandemic is the war in Eastern Europe, which has triggered spikes in the prices of energy, fertilizers and several major agricultural commodities, all of these, amidst troubling climate concerns.

This situation has made food security a priority concern, among other issues such as low economic growth, poverty and inequality, environmental sustainability and macroeconomic conditions.

In May, the World Bank’s Food Price Index was 87 per

cent higher than in May of 2020.

Although the index is still lower than it was in comparable crisis situations in the 1970s and in 2008, these prior experiences provided valuable lessons on what to do and what not to do to overcome the disruption.

As far as the region is concerned, it bears mentioning that the Americas continues to play a key role as the world’s major net food exporter, and, therefore, a guarantor of the planet’s food security.

Thus, it is imperative that the region’s countries work together to tackle common challenges; maintain and expand production and export capacity; and avoid trade measures that would heighten insecurity and volatility in international markets.

To this end, several of the major food-producing and exporting countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, along with the United States and Canada, signed an agree-

ment at the recent Summit of the Americas.

The countries of the Americas must continue to advocate for an end to the conflict and, in the meantime, must insist that it not be allowed to affect the production and exportation of food or agricultural inputs originating in the areas that are at war.

Despite the fact that the Americas is a net exporting region, it is critical that it introduce intra-regional trade-facilitation measures.

Added to this, there should be humanitarian aid and financial support to net importing countries, particularly in the English-speaking Caribbean, Haiti and Central America.

In exporting countries, poverty and food insecurity have been aggravated by the pandemic and the pressures of inflation. Policy responses to this situation must consider both consumers and producers.

Regarding the former, it is necessary to prioritize social-protection actions and food assistance for the most vulnerable populations, rather than general energy subsidies or restrictions to international trade.

With respect to the latter, short-term efforts should be geared towards minimizing impacts on the 2022-2023 production cycle.

One way to achieve this objective is for the public

and private sectors to engage in continuous consultation processes to monitor prices, guarantee an adequate supply of fertilizers and secure funding from the banking system in order to offset the rise in production costs. This certainly does not exclude the possibility of applying targeted fertilizer subsidies in special cases.

It is also crucial to undertake medium-term efforts aimed at increasing resilience. Possible initiatives include the design, financing and implementation of a new generation of public policies to strengthen agri-food systems.

IICA’s recently-created Public Policy Observatory for Agri-food Systems (OPSAs), a platform to exchange infor-

mation and best practices, as well as monitor progress with respect to the food situation, will provide support in this area.

At the current juncture, it is even more important to strengthen work in science, technology and innovation in order to bridge productivity gaps and expand inclusive production in family farming.

To this end, it is necessary to foster associative undertakings and cooperative development.

We face considerable challenges, but the Americas, a young, green and peaceful continent, possesses the necessary resources, individuals and institutions to build a better future for everyone.

The current situation need not lead to a humanitarian

crisis, provided that countries in the region work together.

We need a true hemispheric partnership for food security.

The positive transformation of agri-food systems will yield economic, social and environmental benefits for the region; will have a positive impact on global food and environmental security, and will reduce migration problems.

Urgent action is needed to build a new vision for agriculture in the Americas.

Agriculture holds the key to resolving the formidable challenges of today’s world, including ensuring peace and democratic stability.

(Mr Otero is Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA))

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

CARICOM to increase focus on and investment in energy security

THE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has agreed to increase focus and investment in energy security by utilizing and harnessing hydrocarbon resources in the Region, as a means of reducing dependency on external resources.

This is according to the list of outcomes from the three-day 43rd Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government in Paramaribo, Suriname ,which concluded on Tuesday.

Regional leaders agreed to develop the renewable energy sector through building infrastructure to meet regional power generation needs.

Similar to CARICOM’s food-security initiatives, the Region’s leaders have recognized the need to focus on intraregional energy supply, which could withstand external shocks.

“The Heads of Government considered and approved a paper on Economic Development and Energy Transition and

Climate Change as its overarching strategy in advancing energy security.

“Heads of Government agreed to pursue energy diversification and security through making use of significant assets in the Region with immediate existing capacity in LNG [Liquid Natural Gas] and fertiliser for agriculture,” a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the meeting noted.

Energy needs have become a global concern over the past few months as the war in Ukraine continues with the major players in the global system placing restrictions on Russia-produced oil. Russia is a major supplier to the global market.

The end result is soaring oil prices, which quickly contributed to a rise in costs of many commodities worldwide.

The Ukraine war worsened conditions already created by the COVID-19 pandemic and further devastated the global supply chain. Some countries

Delegates in session during the 43rd Regular Meeting of CARICOM leaders (Office of the President photo)

with renewable energy potential, such as Germany, have signalled fastened transitions from fossil fuel.

During the recent CARICOM meeting, the Heads of Government also agreed that the United States of

America should remove sanctions on Venezuela, thus allowing Caribbean countries to benefit from oil through PetroCaribe, the outcome document said.

The advocacy also in-

cludes allowing for exploitation of cross-border natural gas fields between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.

Just recently, President, Dr Irfaan Ali noted that several Caribbean

Community (CARICOM) member states have come together to advance work on a regional energy strategy that will guide Caribbean nations in areas for investment.

(Tamica Garnett)

PSC is ‘fully functional’, says Nandlall 9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

notwithstanding a vacancy, the commission can still act and the actions or decisions of the commission will not be affected by that vacancy,” he said during his programme.

The Attorney-General contended that this is a “standard principle of law” which exists in constitutions across the world and in many corporate statutes.

“Imagine if the drafters of the Constitution were so naive to say that every time there is a vacancy in an office, that that office can’t function or because of one vacancy, an entire

By Clestine Juan

ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., has insisted that although the Police Service Commission (PSC) is not fully constituted, it is still “fully functional.”

During his ‘Issues in the News’ programme which was streamed recently on Facebook, AG Nandlall responded to comments made by APNU+AFC Shadow Minister of Legal Affairs, Roysdale Forde, S.C., in relation to the constitutionality and legality of the PSC. On May 31, Patrick Findlay was sworn in as chair of the commission, which also includes Mark Conway, Hakeem Mohamed, and Ernesto Chooa-Fat. The four members of the PSC were approved by the parliamentary Committee on Appointments, after consultations with the Guyana Police Association comprising former members of the Guyana Police Force, and the National Community Policing Executive.

Article 212 (1) of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana addresses the composition of the PSC. It states: “The Police Service Commission shall consist of – (a) a Chairman appointed by the President acting after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition from among members appointed under subparagraph (c); (b) the Chairman of the Public Service Commission; (c) four members appointed by the President upon nomination by the National Assembly after it has consulted with such bodies as appear to it to represent the majority of the members of the Police Force and any other such body it deems fit.”

Forde had said that the Police Service Commis-

Attorney-General Anil Nandlall during his weekly Facebook programme ‘Issues in the News’ sion is not properly constituted without the Chairman of the Public Service Commission and as such, the promotion of senior officers that was recently announced would also be null and void.

AG Nandlall told viewers that Forde is now contending that the PSC is unlawfully constituted and therefore cannot act because of this unlawful constitution. He accused Forde of “piggybacking” on an argument advanced

by Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Clinton Conway.

Conway had argued that the PSC consists of five members but only four have been appointed.

It was further argued that because the body is not properly constituted, it cannot act.

“The Constitution of our country provides very clearly that there shall be a Police Service Commission… our constitution speaks to how the Police Service Commission is to be constituted meaning how it is to be populated,” AG Nandlall said while rubbishing Forde’s contentions as being “deeply flawed.”

Nandlall added that

because there is no Public Service Commission in place, the fifth member of the Police Service Commission cannot be appointed. He went on to explain that the Constitution states that there are to be five members of the Police Service Commission, four of whom shall come from the National Assembly.

He added that one of those four shall be appointed the chairman by the President after the President would have consulted with the Leader of the Opposition.

“It is no secret that we don’t yet have a Public Service Commission…

We have a Police Service Commission that has four members, except the chairman of the Public Service Commission,” he added.

AG Nandlall accused Forde of “conflating and creating a condition” that PSC is not fully constituted with one that is not operational.

“Our Constitution specifically says that notwithstanding a vacancy existing in any of the service commissions… providing that there is a stipulated quorum, then those commissions can act. The Constitution also says, that

body or commission cannot function,” he said.

Further, AG Nandlall stated that if this was the situation, the “Constitution would grind to a halt.” He contended that the Constitution’s drafters made provisions to allow for the bodies to function in the absence of a full complement of members.

In giving an example, he explained to viewers that every time the President of Guyana travels overseas, the Prime Minister or any designated officer acts as the proposed President.

“The Constitution also says that if there is any vacancy in a cabinet position, the cabinet can continue to act, notwithstanding the vacancy. Any decisions made would be valid, notwithstanding the vacancy,” he said.

Nandlall strongly rejected Forde’s argument about the Police Service Commission not being functional.

“It is not fully constituted, but it is functional.

We never said that it was fully constituted. [We] want to put those matters to rest,” he added.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

First Citizens eyes Jamaica...

FROM PAGE 5 scratch, and do both?

Yes! Am I open to do that across the jurisdictions? Yes!” She added, “What I can say categorically is that we are interested

in diversification from the group perspective, product, customer and geography.”

First Citizens’ CEO said while the bank was disappointed in not being able to consummate

the Scotiabank Guyana deal, it was still very interested in the South American country.

“We are still interested in Guyana, we are interested in lending to entities and pro-

jects in Guyana, we will do that… only with the requisite regulatory approvals from the Bank of Guyana, and we continue to try to explore opportunities in Guyana,” Darbasie told the briefing.

She said First Citizens has customers from T&T who are engaging in projects in Guyana and would like to support its customers from T&T in their business opportunities.

Darbasie said the failure to extend to purchase agreement was based on the fact that there was no clear way forward, and denied ever being told by the Guyana government or the Bank of Guyana that the transaction would not be approved.

“I think when the Scotia transaction came to an end we did put out a Q and A that stated we are interested in lending across the region, lending subject to regulatory approvals from T&T, we are still interested in lending to entities or projects in Guyana and we are interested in northern Caribbean as well.

“So we are interested...We are looking at what opportunities develop and based on what develops and if it makes sense we will progress it,” she said.

She added, “When you enter into agreements such as these to purchase, these agreements normally have an expiration date, because they are entered into at a point in time with a price and it’s a clearly defined period.

“To be honest, COVID happened, nobody really thought COVID would have taken so long and the process stretched out and the agreement came to an end. It was never declined. The agreement came to an end before and consummation could happen.”

Darbasie was asked if the threat of Fintec meant that the best approach to moving into Jamaica or Guyana was

a digital first approach, she said if it happens it would be a combination of both digital and brick and mortar. Promising to keep us updated if there were any announcements to be made.

“In T&T, we are deploying brick and mortar in conjunction with a digital strategy. So we are maintaining our branch footprint and we are investing in new products and services and technology to really expand our digital product offerings.

“So we doing both in T&T. My personal view is that you need a brick and mortar presence in our state of development, where we are in the region, that it would be very difficult to have a full financial services group, which is what our ambition is without some degree of brick and mortar in that model.

“Percentage brick and mortar vs digital will vary according to the state of development of the country,” Darbasie explained.

On the issue of First Citizens future outlook and whether it is holding a lot of government debt as a state enterprise, Darbasie accepted that the bank had more government paper than its competitors but said it was only 35 per cent of the total balance sheet.

She argued, “Am I concerned in the current environment? Not really concerned in the current environment, because T&T is performing better in the current environment because a lot of the negatives that are impacting across the board is actually benefiting us from an energy price and taxes etc, unlike some countries.”

She noted that a significant part of the First Citizens balance sheet is actually in investment with more of the balance sheet in investment as opposed to loans.

Asked about the experience from taking a hit on sovereign paper from Barbados, she said,

“We took the hit from the Barbados restructuring on the chin. We didn’t have a choice, they restructured, because the size of our operations in Barbados is so small.

“Any hit is a material hit, but it was not a material hit that caused an issue with our earnings potential in that year.”

She was asked if being exposed to the Barbados situation has chastened the bank’s approach to lending to governments, she said, “My philosophy on any asset is to look at the credit risk of the asset, relative to the return of the asset.

“So anything that we do, whether it is a loan, or an investment, whether it is a private sector or a sovereign, we look at the risk reward ratio.”

On the issue of investing, Darbasie defended the Barita share purchase saying it was a good investment that had made the bank and its shareholders’ money.

“Barita was an investment that was done because we saw a business opportunity. In early 2019, there was a Bloomberg article that said Jamaica was the best performing stock exchange in the world for 2018. Even in that article, Barita was identified as an entity that was one of the top performing stocks, we saw a business opportunity that we made in FCIS. “The only collaboration between us and Barita has been the Massy cross listing where we worked together with Barita on Massy. Other than that we are a very small shareholder in Barita.”

Darbasie said First Citizens remained a great opportunity for investors, she said dividends remains steady, the loan delinquency ratio was low, it is well capitalised for growth and has shown constant growth in its balance sheet and capital appreciation for investors.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

Local air transport recovering well post-COVID

THE local aviation sector has been recovering faster than the rate of the rest of the world following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar.

During his remarks to delegates of the Conference on International Air Transport Cooperation in Incheon, Republic of Korea, Minister Indar said the pandemic has taught the world that ‘traffic in the skies’ is an economic generator of wealth through jobs and trade.

He said the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), through an analysis, revealed that global airpassenger traffic declined by some 60 per cent in 2020 when compared to the previous year.

Traffic was also down some 49 per cent in 2021 when compared to 2019, and from 21 to 24 per cent in the first half of 2022 when com-

pared to 2019.

Minister Indar told the gathering that in Guyana, however, traffic declined by 72 per cent in 2020 and 47 per cent in 2021 in comparison to 2019. The country’s aviation sector has since bounced back.

Indar said, “In Guyana, international traffic declined by 72 per cent in 2020 and 47 per cent in 2021 against 2019 records. But fortunately, we are recovering much faster than the industry, and as of May 2022, we are [at] 95 per cent of the pre-pandemic passenger numbers; and we expect to close 2022 with five per cent more passengers than in 2019.”

Additionally, he noted that as it relates to domestic aviation, there was a 46 per cent and 30 per cent drop seen in passenger movement in 2020 and 2021, respectively, when compared to 2019.

With that, he added that government sees the aviation sector as robust and,

in anticipation of the rapid growth, is continuing to invest in the sector.

“While we have just completed the expansion of our main airport, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA); works have already started on the design of a new terminal building and cold storage and packaging facility,” Minister Indar said.

Indar further expressed that recovery of the industry will require the enhancement of technical cooperation across the range of civil aviation activities with a focus on sustainable development.

As such, he stressed that the strengthening of technical cooperation in civil aviation can foster better social and economic conditions, while also helping to foster improved relations among countries.

To this end, he highlighted that collaboration in areas of human resource capacity building, infrastructure services and environmental

- Minister Indar tells air transport conference, plugs cooperation with Republic of Korea

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar protection can strengthen relations on the institutional and country levels.

Minister Indar said Guyana is ready and willing to engage in deeper dialogue and increased technical and inter-regional cooperation

with the Republic of Korea.

Meanwhile, as he spoke on the recovery of the sector, he indicated that most countries are now facing the common threat of rising costs of fuel and shopping, food security,

and climate change among others.

With this in mind, he underscored the importance of bilateral and multilateral cooperation which is needed now to strengthen the sector.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

Supported by friends and family CAPE student builds business brand

By Naomi Parris

WITH a pocket full of savings and a determined spirit, Quiana Chester, a Grade 11 student of St. Stanislaus College, took a leap of faith last year and launched her very own small business to support her studies.

The 18-year-old had officially opened her accessories store, Lewks GY, just days before writing the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) in August 2021.

During a recent interview, the young adult told the Guyana Chronicle that she had thought of

opening a small business for quite some time to help in paying her fees for extra classes; however, she found herself questioning whether she should juggle academics and a business.

“So, when I started talking about launching a business, I had spoken to two friends about it.

One was very excited about it and was like, ‘yea you should go ahead’ and the other, who was writing CAPE with me, was like, ‘are you sure?’”

Chester recounted that she tried to ease herself out of the idea, but it still lingered. With very little cash in her savings at the time, she finally decided it was time to take on the challenge and open her business.

She officially opened Lewks GY the day before she had her first CAPE examination. Chester said she started her business with just $8,000 and an additional $10,000 from a friend, from whom she felt ashamed to take money.

While she did not have knowledge about the business world and self-marketing, she still felt confident, as both her parents were entrepreneurs.

“I always had an eye for business,” she explained, “both of my parents are entrepreneurs.

My mom is a juice vendor and my dad is a food vendor. I feel like entrepreneurship is some-

thing that I always saw. So, the selling aspect of it wasn’t anything new.”

Along the way, Chester learnt how to promote and market herself on social media and, eventually, was able to open a storefront at a collaborative space in Georgetown. She later expanded her business to offer delivery services which went beyond the boundaries of the capital city.

Chester later found herself investing more time in her business than studies.

“I’m not going to say it was completely easy managing CAPE and a business… it was really difficult sometimes because I found myself gravitating more to the business. But then coming on to exam time, I had to remind myself I’m doing business for CAPE and not CAPE for the business,” she said.

Chester, last month, finished her final units of CAPE. To prepare for this, she said her business had to be placed on the back burner. Instead, a friend

Chester at a pop-up shop

18-year-old Quiana Chester took over the operation for three months.

The teen noted that the support she has had from both her close friends and family, as well as patrons, has been overwhelming.

“I am overwhelmed; I’m truly grateful. Every moment that I get to tell everybody ‘thanks,’ I just express it because I saw so many [situations] with people and their families not wanting to support them,” she reflected.

As Chester is now awaiting the results of her examinations, she is wasting no time in planning her future.

As it relates to her business, she intends to expand her services to Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice). As for her future, Chester intends to read for a degree in the natural sciences or psychology.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

Human Services Ministry hosts three-day training for PWDs

IN an effort to provide Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) with the necessary tools to be independent, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS) is currently hosting a threeday training at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre.

The training which is being provided by the Ministry, will see the 24 participants receiving accredited certificates in Social Media Marketing from Nations University.

According to Head of the Difficult Circumstances Unit at the Ministry, Mahendra Budhram, who is responsible for these trainings, the MHSSS has been at the forefront of providing equal opportunity for Persons Living with Disabilities.

He noted that the aim was to train approximately 650 PWDs,

with approximately 150 already trained, in a plethora of courses.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, visited the training on Wednesday where she related that it was a heart-warming experience.

“This is an entire programme that caters for Persons Living with Disabilities which started last year and is continuing this year. What I like this year, is that more persons are accessing these classes and programmes. I’ve listened to the dreams and aspirations of persons in the class and they want to start their own businesses, some want to expand and they have excellent ideas,” Minister Persaud said.

She added: “I think with this kind of mentorship and train-

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ing that the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has been providing and will continue to provide, we will be able to efficiently and effectively serve those Persons Living with Disabilities with the full respect and understanding that they have visions, dreams and aspirations for themselves, their future and what they want to do to be empowered.”

According to a press release, one participant, Odessa Blair said that she is thankful for the training since she aspires to open an online business. Jamal Browne, another attendee Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, at reasoned that from this, he will the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre (MHSSS photo) now be equipped with the skills jobs and he will now be ventur- istry is taking to empower complimenting this training to market around the country.

PWDs with the provision of is the provision of tablets to Browne added that the pro- ing into his own business.

The trainings compliment assistive aids, a staple of its persons who completed ICTgramme came at an integral time since it was challenging to find a holistic approach the Min- initiative. Another project based training.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

Upper Demerara-Kwakwani makes clean sweep of inaugural kayaking competition

DISTRICT 10 (Upper Demerara-Kwakwani),

on Monday, won every category of the first-ever

Inter-District Kayaking Nationals, held in

the Demerara River behind the Watooka Guest

The overall winners of the Inter-District Kayaking Nationals, District 10 House in Linden.

Two boys, Exekial Persaud and Limuel Wilson, partnered to win the male relay event, the last race of the competition, which drew a large crowd.

Persaud told the media that his team was prepared as they were in the previous event and had no challenger that came close to them.

“We did what was expected of us to win and we executed all as planned,” Persaud said.

District 10 was the overall winner of the competition. District Nine (Rupununi) came in second and District Two (Pomeroon) and District Seven (Potaro-Siparuni) tied for third.

For the female individual race, Shaneesa Cornelius of District 10 was the winner. The second spot went to Shanez Debideen of District One and third to Duane Williams of District 15 (New Amsterdam).

For the male individual event, Iwayne Torez of District 10 was first, followed by Stewart France of District Two in second and Zain Andrews of District Five (West Coast Berbice) in third.

In the female relay event, District 10 won, while District Two placed second and District Nine, third. District 10 continued its winning streak in the male relay event, which saw District Seven

(Bartica) placing second and District Nine third.

T h i s i n t e r- d i s t r i c t school kayaking competition is the first of its kind and was made possible through the sponsorship of Schlumberger Guyana.

It will be an annual event hosted by Elite Kayaking and Nature Tours in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority.

The competition saw first place winners receiving $100,000 plus a trophy; second place $70,000 and those coming in third, $50,000.

The event was unique as it provided a platform for local athletes to showcase their skills in a wide range of aquatic sports while promoting “Sports Tourism.”

Proprietor of Elite Kayaking and Nature Tours, Deon Anderson, told the Guyana Chronicle recently that, “the intention of this pioneering event was to highlight the concept of sports tourism, build social cohesion and catapult Guyana towards the achievement of transformational development and holistically building the ideals of One Guyana.”

He noted that the idea was to facilitate the creation of an event that would serve to connect sports, eco-tourism, and education.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

5,000 acres marked for wheat production in Rupununi

AS Guyana continues to advance local and regional food security, some 5000 acres of land in Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) has been earmarked for wheat production.

Speaking exclusively with the Guyana Chronicle on the subject, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, said the initiative here will commence by the end of this month. Back in May, Guyana received 49 lines of wheat from the Government of Mexico to start a trial phase.

“By the end of July, we will start a trial of 5000 acres of wheat in Region Nine, and I am very optimistic that [it] will be successful,” Minister Mustapha said, adding: “Once that is successful then Guyana will do it on a larger scale first to produce our own wheat and then produce for the [Caribbean] Region.”

Following up on what he called an already successful indoor trial, Mustapha said there are other trials ongoing which utilise wheat from the 49 lines of wheat provided by Mexico.

The indoor trial, which explored several varieties, was completed at the Burma Rice Station in Mahaicony, Region Five

trial and production.

“We had discussions with the Brazilians and they want to help us also. So, I am going there to meet with them soon,” Mustapha said.

Wheat prices have skyrocketed globally. To ease the negative economic impact felt locally, President, Dr Irfaan Ali, in March, had announced that Guyana is exploring the possibility of sourcing a variety of wheat for local production.

The surge in wheat and other commodity prices is as a result of a number of global factors including the war in Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine account for approximately 30 per cent of the world’s traded wheat.

“Soon, we are going to work to see whether we can find a variety of wheat that we can plant in Guyana, so that we can fulfill even our local requirement,” President Ali had said earlier this year. “We are learning important lessons now that we must not leave unanswered for future generations,” His Excellency noted.

The Guyanese Head of State lamented that both the COVID-19 pandemic and the war have led to supplychain disruptions, which have major economic implications.

The pandemic, in some instances, has increased the

(Mahaica-Berbice). Minister Mustapha said he was optimistic that the outdoor trial, too, will be a success.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Minister said Brazil could also be a supplier of wheat aiding in Guyana’s

cost of goods and services between 20 and 145 per cent, while the increased cost of logistics, primarily shipping, has caused increases in food prices by as much as 200 per cent.

Meanwhile speaking

about the objective of the wheat trials in a previous interview, Minister Mustapha said the aim is to have Guyana become self-sufficient by removing dependence on imports.

He said: “We are very determined! And as long as the trial is successful, we will be going to produce

our own wheat because we can’t depend too much on imports… [A]s a country, we have to ensure that we produce our own food and be self-sufficient.”

He acknowledged that the pandemic played a major role in the epiphany.

“We can have all the money in the world and

we would have seen during the pandemic how many countries were suffering to get food because there was a scarcity,” M u s t a p h a re f l e c t e d .

“And in Guyana, we are very fortunate that we produce most of the food that we consume,” he continued.

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Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday July 07, 2022) COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 15 T20 Int’l matches (2) WI 8 Today’s Quiz: (1) Who has the distinction of facing the first ball in a WI/BANG T20 Int’l game?

(2) Who delivered the first ball?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

English Racing Tips Newmarket 08:20 hrs Ivory Madonna 08:50 hrs Masekela 09:25 hrs Persian Force 10:00 hrs Hierarchy 10:35 hrs Yibir 11:10 hrs Mighty Ulysses 11:40 hrs Enforced Doncaster 08:30 hrs Dusky Prince 09:00 hrs Jeans Matte 09:35 hrs Mill Stream 10:10 hrs Sir Robin 10:45 hrs Fresh Hope 11:20 hrs Darbucks Epsom 12:53 hrs Caius Chorister 13:23 hrs Butterfly Effect 13:53 hrs Otago 14:23 hrs Indian Creak 14:53 hrs Lenny’s Spirit 15:23 hrs Rita Rana

South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:35 hrs Beltway 09:15 hrs Speilburg 09:50 hrs Before The Dawn 10:25 hrs Fennec Fox Irish Racing Tips Leopardstown 12:30 hrs Thornbrook 13:00 hrs Zahee 13:30 hrs Mc Tigue 14:00 hrs Reverberation 14:30 hrs Entropy 15:00 hrs Lily Pond 15:30 hrs Okita Soushi American Racing Tips Delware Park Race 1 Midnight Trick Race 2 Uncle Jerome Race 3 Auld Lange Syne Race 4 Snackster Race 5 Silvery Rill Race 6 Ruby Bleu Race 7 Cannon’s Roar Race 8 Illusion Of Hope Canadian Racing Tips Woodbine Race 1 Smart Illusion Race 2 Highland Society Race 3 Tomcat Black Race 4 Epilogue

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

Nadal battles through injury to reach Wimbledon semis (BBC) - Rafael Nadal fought through injury to come from behind to beat Taylor Fritz and reach the Wimbledon semi-finals.

The Spaniard, who had a medical timeout at the end of the second set and struggled with his movement for long spells, won 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (104).

It keeps Nadal’s bid for

two matches, had got off to a good start with a break in the opening game but Fritz raced to the net to launch a stunning forehand down the line to break back for 3-3.

From then on Nadal seemed troubled physically and when he handed Fritz a break with a double fault, the American wasted no time serving out the set with three aces in a row.

a calendar Grand Slam on track and sets up a semi-final against Nick Kyrgios.

Nadal, who had strapping on his abdomen in his previous match, was bothered by the same issue again.

The first question he faced after the forehand winner that sealed victory, in a match that at one point he looked like he might not be able to finish, was ‘how did you do that?’

It was the one on anyone’s lips who witnessed the events on an enthralled Centre Court.

“I don’t know,” the 36-year-old said.

“The body in general is fine, but in the abdominal (area) something is not going well, to be honest. I had to find a way to serve a little bit different.

“For a lot of moments I was thinking I would not be able to finish the match but the crowd, the energy, thanks for that.”

NADAL’S FIGHTING SPIRIT PREVAILS Nadal, who was in sublime form in his previous

The Spanish 22-time Grand Slam champion went off court for treatment at 3-4 in the second set and although he returned to take that set, his movement continued to be hampered and he struggled on his backhand side and on his serve, which increasingly dropped in speed.

Hanging his head while sitting at the changeovers, Nadal looked lost, calling on the trainer at the end of a third set that he handed to Fritz when he sent a forehand wide. He had a chat with the trainer but no treatment, merely shaking his head before heading over to the baseline.

Nadal was broken eight times in the match, his serve frequently 25mph slower than that of his opponent, but he held it to love to take the fourth set and force a decider that had looked so unlikely at times.

This was a reminder that this is one of his sport’s all-time greats and whose fighting spirit is his trademark.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

de Kock, Miller join Barbados Royals

THE Barbados Royals have announced their overseas signings for the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which gets underway on August 31.

Quinton de Kock will appear at Hero CPL for the first time, bringing with him a huge amount of experience. de Kock has played more than 250 T20 matches for South Africa and franchises around the world.

He will be joined by fellow South African David Miller who will be playing for his third Hero CPL team having previously appeared for the Jamaican and St Lucian franchises. Miller has more than 8 000 T20 runs at a strike rate of 138.

Pakistani batter Azam Khan is returning to the Royals for a second successive season having made his Hero CPL

Quinton de Kock and David Miller will be reunited at this year’s CPL (BCCI) debut in 2021.

Afghan spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman will be with the Royals in 2022 having previously played for the Jamaica Tallawahs. Mujeeb has raced to almost 200 T20 wickets and has become a sought-after bowler around the world.

The final overseas spot

will be filled by South African all-rounder Corbin Bosch who recently joined the Rajasthan Royals at the India Premier League (IPL).

Expressing his thoughts on the team’s overseas signings, head coach Trevor Penney said: “We are delighted to have signed some of the best over-

seas players of the T20 format, who we feel will complement our retentions perfectly “Quinton is a proven match-winner who has delivered for both his country and all the franchises he has played for around the world, and we are delighted that he’s chosen the Royals as the team to start his CPL journey at.

“On the other hand, having worked closely with David Miller and Corbin Bosch at the Rajasthan Royals, we know exactly what they bring to the table and at the same time, they also understand the philosophy of the Royals perfectly.

“We are also happy to have the energy and excitement that Azam Khan can bring to the group, having seen him perform for us last season.

Mujeeb ur Rahman is a world-

West Indies vs Bangladesh 3rd T20 …

Windies keen on wrapping up series, as Tigers seek turnaround

By Clifton Ross FOLLOWING a complete mauling of the Bangladeshis in the previous game, hosts West Indies will have a profound urge to maintain their grip over the out-of-sorts visitors, who will be seeking an immediate turnaround ahead of the ODIs. The last encounter was a realisation of the obvious mismatch, especially in the batting department. While the Tigers have a fairly experienced batting attack, the Boys in Maroon managed to upstage them by posting almost 200 runs in the last match.

Today’s clash will no doubt revolve around the batting-heavy West Indies top and lower/middle-order. Opener Brandon King spanked 57 in the previous game, while skipper Nicholas Pooran (34) and all-rounder Rovman Powell (61*), practically clobbered the Bangladesh bowlers.

The tourists should feel some pressure heading into today’s battle, especially with the ODIs set to bowl off this weekend at the same venue. Veteran all-rounder Shakib Al-Hasan was the lone star from game 2, finishing with 68 runs and figures of 1-38, adding a bit of confidence to the Tigers’ spirit.

Although Bangladesh were outplayed recently, should the

Bangladesh wicket-keeper/batter Nurul Hasan doing some final fine-tuning ahead of today’s battle (Adrian Narine photo)

likes of: Litton Das, Anamul Haque, captain Mahmudullah and Afif Hossain click today, the Tigers could likely save face and end the series on a high.

With the experience of the captain, the aggression of Das and Haque at the top of the order and Shakib’s world-star presence, Bangladesh must be harnessed should they seek to muster confidence for the remainder of their stay in Guyana.

From a bowling perspective, both units are equal to the task, with Bangladesh relying heavily on their star pacer Mustafizur Rahim and the lively Taskin Ahmed, both of whom went wicket-less in the last match but who are easily capable of slicing through the Windies order.

Spinners Mehedi Hasan and Shakib will control the lion’s share of pulling things back, if needed, or spinning the necessary webs required for a victory. West Indies on the other hand will be keen on seeing more from leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr and all-rounder Keemo Paul, who both struggled in game 2, Outside of the aforementioned pair, the Caribbean team should feel comfortable from the collective works conducted

by Akeal Hosein, Obed McCoy, Odean Smith and Romario Shepherd - all claiming wickets in the team’s thumping last win.

Both teams conducted their respective training sessions yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium, further fine-tuning

themselves for today’s last T20 match before shifting gears to the all-important ODI series.

First ball is set to be bowled at 13:30hrs today.

West Indies: Kyle Mayers, Brandon King, Shamarh Brooks, Nicholas Pooran (capt.. & wkp.), Rovman Powell, Odean Smith, Romario Shepherd, Romario Shepherd, Obed McCoy, Akeal Hosein and Hayden Walsh Jr (probable) Bangladesh: Litton Das, Anamul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah (capt), Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wkp.), Mosaddek Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman (probable):

class spinner who has made his name plying his trade in T20s globally and is a quality and potentially effective addition to our spin department.

“From my perspective, these signings are an indication of the kind of cricket we want to play here at Barbados, and I’m confident going into the drafts that we’re building

a talented and dynamic squad to vie for the title this season,” added the 54-year-old Penney.

The Royals will have five more spots to fill at the Hero CPL draft with details of these picks released during the draft show which will be broadcast today at 09:00hrs ECT.

West Indies ‘A’ to play Bangladesh ‘A’ in August CRICKET West Indies (CWI) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) today announced the match schedule for the West Indies Men’s ‘A’ Team series against Bangladesh Men’s ‘A’ Team in August.

The series will be played at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in Saint Lucia and will feature two four-day first-class matches and three 50-over matches from August 4 to 20.

This will be the first West Indies Men’s ‘A’ team series since 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic restricted opportunities and the resumption of West Indies Men’s “A” team matches sees the return of a key development opportunity for players pushing for selection to the West Indies senior team and for emerging players to build their First-Class International experience.

Roland Holder, CWI’s Senior Operations Manager said the series will provide exposure for a number of players and noted it was part of CWI’s commitment to continually developing talent for the international level.

He said: “We are pleased to have confirmed the itinerary for the Men’s ‘A’ team series with BCB and we are excited to host Bangladesh in the

region again.

“This is a vital part of the development of our players in the pathway toward full international selection, and no doubt this upcoming series of matches in Saint Lucia will provide a platform for further exposure and progress.”

He added that CWI and BCB are also in the planning stages for a reciprocal tour

by West Indies ‘A’ to Bangladesh in 2023.

BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said the ‘A’ Series provides an excellent opportunity for players of both teams to prepare for international commitments.

“The international schedule is getting busier by the season and therefore it is very important for the cricketers to keep themselves ready through good competitive cricket.

We thank CWI for accommodating the ‘A’ tour.

The four-day ‘Tests’ and the One-Day matches will provide invaluable experience for the players,” he noted. “The BCB and CWI share a warm longstanding relationship and have worked tirelessly to make this tour happen. I hope we will see more reciprocal programmes between the two boards in the future.”

MATCH SCHEDULE Darren Sammy Cricket Ground August 4-7: 2nd Four-Day ‘Test’ – local start time 10:00hrs (09:00hrs Jamaica) August 10-13: 2nd Four-Day ‘Test’ – local start time 10:00hrs (09:00hrs Jamaica) 6 August: 1st 50-over match – local start time 09:30hrs (08:30hrs Jamaica) August 18:: 2nd 50-over match – local start time 09:30hrs (08:30hrs Jamaica) August 20: 3rd 50-over match – local start time 09:30hrs (08:30hrs Jamaica)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

GAW announce Tahir, Shamsi signings for 2022 St Kitts & Nevis Patriots from 2015 to 2018.

Shamsi, the number oneranked bowler in T20 Internationals, has 33 wickets at the CPL. Amazon Warriors’ batting is bolstered with the addition of South Africans Colin Ingram and Heinrich Klaasen and Ireland international Paul Stirling.

Amazon Warriors will have six more spots to fill at the Hero CPL draft with details of these picks to be released during the draft show which will be broadcast this today at 09:00hrs (Eastern Caribbean Time).

Tabraiz Shamsi will turn out for the Guyana Amazon Warriors IMRAN Tahir and Tabraiz Shamsi are the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ overseas signings for the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which gets underway on August 31.

Tahir will be back with Amazon Warriors

for the fifth consecutive season. Tahir is the record wicket-taker for the franchise with 60 wickets from 43 matches.

Tahir will be joined by fellow South African wrist-spinner, Tabraiz Shamsi, who has Hero CPL experience with the

Imran Tahir returns for Guyana Amazon Warriors

Amir signs for Jamaica Tallawahs

THE Jamaica Tallawahs announced the overseas signings for the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which gets underway on August 31.

Left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir will be joining the Tallawahs

for the first time having represented the Barbados Royals last season, claiming 11 wickets at an average of 13.54.

The other four overseas players have all had experience with the Tallawahs in the past. Nepalese leg-spinner Sandeep

Lamichhane was with the franchise in 2020 when he took 12 wickets and went at an economy rate of just 5.27 runs an over.

Imad Wasim, Chris Green and Miguel Pretorius were all with Tallawahs in 2021 and will return this season as over-

seas signings.

The Tallawahs will have seven more spots to fill at the Hero CPL draft with details of these picks released during the draft show which will be broadcast today at 09:00hrs Eastern Caribbean Time.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 7, 2022

West Indies vs Bangladesh 3rd T20 …

Windies keen on wrapping up series, as Tigers seek turnaround SEE PAGE

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Bangladesh wicket-keeper/batter Nurul Hasan doing some final fine-tuning ahead of today’s battle (Adrian Narine photo)

GAW announce Tahir, Shamsi signings SEE PAGE

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Imran Tahir returns for Guyana Amazon Warriors

for 2022

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| THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022