Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 14-12-2020

MONDAY 14th December, 2020

' No.106213

Tragedy strikes Bartica

–– husband burns young children, wife to death

Fishing trip turns deadly

SEE PAGE 02

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Carolina Kennedy and her two daughters, five-year-old Marianna Downer and three-year-old Gabriella Kennedy

The Edun brothers, Mohammed Fiaz and Mohammed Saheer were placed in the back of a police vehicle and escorted from their parents’ house (Elvin Croker photo)

Strategic plans to be initiated with Budget 2021 SEE PAGE 03

An official searching through what’s left of the house in which the mother and her two daughters perished at Four Miles Squatting Area, in Bartica

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Tragedy strikes Bartica

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

–– husband burns young children, wife to death

By Tamica Garnett THE town of Bartica was rocked by tragedy late Saturday night, as news spread that a 48-year-old mother and her two daughters perished in a fire, allegedly set by the reputed husband of the woman and father of the two children.

The charred remains of Carolina Kennedy, a housewife, and her daughters, fiveyear-old Marianna Downer, and three-year-old Gabriella Kennedy, were discovered

late Sunday night, in the south eastern corner of where their Four Miles Squatting Area, Bartica, Potaro Road house once stood.

The incident occurred at approximately 21:45 hours, and the wooden 24 feet by 15 feet structure is said to have already been completely demolished by the time authorities responded to the incident.

Police have since arrested 36-year-old Kenford Downer called “Tallman”, who lived at the same address; he was

eventually discovered hiding in the bushes near the house by the police. He was taken to the Bartica Hospital where he was admitted for minor burns to his feet.

According to reports, the suspect allegedly admitted to having doused the structure with gasoline and setting it afire before running into the bushes, after he had arrived at home and overheard his reputed wife speaking on the phone with one ‘Fatman’, whom he suspected her of having an affair with.

The scene was photographed and processed and the body of the victims were removed and taken to the Bartica Hospital Mortuary.

According to a statement from the police, at approximately 21:30 hours, an unknown person telephoned the Bartica Police Station and reported a fire at the house.

The water tender was unable to reach the location and as such, a bucket brigade was formed.

Visiting the scene of the incident, Bartica Mayor, Gif-

The suspect, Kenford Downer, enters the back of a police pick-up

ford Marshall, described the situation as “beyond comprehension”. According to Marshall, he did not know the couple personally, but would have seen them around the town from time to time while living there.

“I know they were residing first in Bartica before moving to Four Miles, and I know the family that live in the same area. It is cruel and heartless to kill your spouse, but a father who kills his daughters, is not human. Our prayers are with the relatives, friends and the entire four

miles community,” the Mayor said of the incident.

He further added that: “Little Mariana Downer and her sister, three-year-old Gabriella Kennedy, did not deserve to die the way they did. Their mom Carolina Kennedy, I’m certain, was looking forward to spending the holidays with her dear daughters. Like Mariana and Gabriella, she did not deserve to die in that tragic manner.”

The suspect remains in custody as the investigation continues.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

Strategic plans to be initiated with Budget 2021

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–– COVID-19, impact on local economy to also be considered

By Navendra Seoraj AFTER being elected to office on August 2, 2020, following a protracted electoral process, the new government was unable to implement and even initiate most of its plans because of limited time and other constraints, but 2021 will be no “missed opportunity” as the aim is to prepare a national budget, which outlines the medium and long-term plans for human, social and economic development.

“Budget 2021 will outline the medium and long-term vision of our government, building on the manifesto, the basis for which we were elected by the people of Guyana,” said Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance in the Office of the President, Dr. Ashni Singh, during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)’s 2020-2025 manifesto has promised development across all sectors of the local economy. One of the key plans is the creation of 50,000 jobs in the next five years through initiatives such as improving the ease of doing business; providing incentives for small businesses

and young entrepreneurs; reversing Value Added Tax (VAT) on exports, building materials, land rents, data and more; promoting skills training; improving access to financing for investments and incentivising employers to promote youth empowerment, among other measures.

Several of those promises have been fulfilled in the government’s emergency Budget 2020, but there are still key plans such as the creation of 10,000 house lots, the delivery of free tertiary education, and the expansion of Guyana’s infrastructure in the areas of transport, the utilities and sea and river defences, among other things which need to be realised.

The foundation for achieving those and other objectives has already being laid, but the more comprehensive strategies will be initiated with the passage of Budget 2021, which will be the first “full budget” of this administration.

“We expect that the 2021 budget will have a strong medium and long-term orientation, so it will focus on the medium and long-term vision for the country. It will lay out our strategic priorities for the medium and longer term, initiating strategic interventions that would be critical to us realising the vision for the

Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance in the Office of the President, Dr. Ashni Singh

longer term,” said Dr. Singh.

This budget, according to the minister with responsibility for finance, will initiate a menu of strategic priorities and initiatives which are necessary to realising the government’s vision.

The vision is clear, but the road to development, at least in the short term, is not expected to be easy, as Guyana like the rest of the world is still grappling with the direct and indirect effects of the dreaded novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has infected over 71

million persons and killed over 1.6 million.

Considering the crippling effects of the pandemic, there is need for a balance between protecting lives and maintaining economic stability. And while this is no easy task, the government has taken and plans to take further steps towards improving the economic situation.

“The budget (Budget 2021) will have to take account of the reality that we are still operating in a somewhat challenging environment because of

COVID-19…it is still with us and for this reason, we would have to take into account the fact that it is still here and the impact it will continue to have on the economy, until it is brought under control,” said Dr. Singh.

The emergency budget has already outlined some strategies and plans, which would initiate the recovery of the local economy and restore stability, but the reality is that the budget was only meant to guide Guyana through the remainder of this year.

The country, prior to the passage of the emergency budget, went more than eight months without a national budget because of a protracted electoral process, which ended on August 2, 2020.

The prolonged process had restricted the country from having a budget and, by extension, a clear plan for 2020. This was something the government worked on rectifying in just about 21 days after being sworn in.

Crafting a national budget usually takes 179 days; however, extraordinary circumstances forced the government to condense the process and present one in 21 days. A $329.5 billion Emergency Budget was cleared by the National Assembly on September 25, 2020. The government has since been

working to accomplish its plans outlined in this budget.

This budget includes a $25,000 cash transfer to every household; a $15,000 cash grant and a $4,000 uniform voucher for schoolchildren; $800 million for the Amerindian Development Fund; $5 billion for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo); a two-week, taxfree bonus for members of the Joint Services and $150 million for frontline workers, among many other benefits.

President Irfaan Ali had also said that the government, after re-prioritising and re-programming fiscal measures, has managed to add $20 billion in relief to the “pockets” of Guyanese at a time when the nation is faced with the effects of COVID-19, and the recently concluded protracted electoral process. The conduits of relief include revised tax measures and sweeping incentives.

The broad objectives of those measures which feature in government’s emergency budget are to stimulate economic activity; get persons back to work; increase Guyana’s productive capacity; reduce the cost of doing business; improve efficiency; and facilitate growth and development of businesses.

Corriverton man struck down, killed by minibus

A MOTHER is mourning the loss of her only son who was killed in an accident on Sunday afternoon, a short distance away from the Springlands Police Station on the Upper Corentyne.

Dead is 39-year-old Purshotam Tilak known as ‘Navin,’ of Albert Street, Kingston, Corriverton, East Berbice-Corentyne. The Guyana Chronicle understands that he left his house sometime after 11:30hrs to purchase pinetarts for the elderly home owner he was taking care of when he was struck down by a Route 63 mini-bus.

It is alleged that Tilak rode out of the street on his bicycle and into the path of the mini-bus which was reportedly speeding at the time.

“He ride out the street

Dead: Purshotam Tilak

and straight into the bus, but the bus man did speeding tuh, because he tell me he did late for a cricket match. The bus hook the bicycle and drag it and this man pitch, then slide till the bus stop,” said Ramjit Ramsundar, an eyewitness.

Ramsundar, who was standing opposite the Springlands Police Station, said he ran towards the scene and

assisted the police ranks that came out of the station after hearing the impact.

The eyewitness said that Tilak suffered severe injuries to the head; he was transported to the hospital by the police but succumbed shortly after arriving there.

The driver of the minibus who hails from Nigg Village, Lower Corentyne, remains in police custody assisting with the investigation.

Meanwhile, Indranie Samlall called ‘Mala’, is still in a state of shock that her son lived with her is no longer alive to support her.

She stated that Tillack is not married and chose to live with her to assist with her daily chores as they took care of the elderly man on whose property they reside.

Police and residents at the scene of the accident

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Fishing trip turns deadly

–– teen boy drowns, friends rescued

By Richard Bhainie A SUNDAY fishing trip among three friends turned into one of a tragedy, when one of them drowned and two were rescued at the Windsor Forest foreshore, on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD).

to survive, are brothers 16-year -old Mohammed Fiaz Edun and 17-year-old Mohammed Saheer Edun, of Third Street, Windsor Forest.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the three friends left the house of the brothers to go fishing around

Anna Maria Mohammed, the sister of Surendra Singh

Dead is 17-year-old Surendra Singh of Line Top, Windsor Forest, WCD; his two friends, who managed

10:30 hours, while the tide was low but tragedy struck when the tide came in and the friends were too far out in the

Monday December 14, 2020 –– 3:00 HRS

in back, the tide came in and he can’t swim,” the distraught sister explained.

She said that from her understanding, one of the brothers was close to the shore and managed to make his way out of the river when he noticed his brother and Singh out in the deep, fighting to stay above the surface of the water.

The young man then sounded an alarm to alert those nearby. Mohammed related that a guard at a school nearby heard the

Guyana Carnival 2021 still possible …if vaccines come through

By Tamica Garnett

river to return to shore.

The sister of Singh, Anna Maria Mohammed, told the Guyana Chronicle what had transpired.

“Normally he goes out [to] set line to catch fish, the water was not that high when they went out, but by time they could have come

Persons at the Windsor Forest foreshore as the family continued their search for the teen’s body

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

screaming and contacted her husband, who then contacted Mohammed.

She then informed her father, Dindiyal Singh, who visited the scene; he gathered some fishermen and located a boat to go out in the river to rescue the boys.

Singh was able to rescue one of the brothers, however, he was unable to locate his son. Singh dived into the river in an attempt to locate his son but was unsuccessful.

The mother of the brothers, Shiroon Inshanally, informed this publication that the boys often ask her for fishing equipment to go to the river, however, she would usually warn them to abstain from doing so.

Up to press time, the family was desperately searching for Singh’s body while the brothers went home. The police subsequently took them into custody as the investigation continues.

The coming on stream of a number of vaccines to treat the COVID-19 virus, has provided a glimmer of hope to the organisers of “Guyana Carnival”, who are hopeful of still seeing the 2021 hosting of the event, should the world return to some form of normalcy.

Organisers of the event are cautiously observing the ongoing state of the COVID-19 pandemic, and if there is a vaccine here by then, the event will be pushed back to a later time in the year instead of its originally scheduled timeslot in May. “In light of the vaccine, we’re very optimistic at this point, but we will have to assess the situation as it comes close to that time to look the distribution of the vaccine and stuff like that,” Co-founder of Guyana Carnival, Kerwin Bollers told the Guyana Chronicle during a telephone interview on Sunday.

He added that: “If we decide to go ahead with it, providing that distribution of the vaccine is done next year, we’re not anticipating having it in May, we’re looking more down to the last quarter of next year. That would give us enough time to prepare and stuff like that, so that’s what we’re currently looking at.”

With its first hosting in May 2018, Guyana Carnival has grown into a much anticipated annual event, which attracts thousands to Guyana’s shores, notwithstanding its small lifespan. Comprising over a week long list of activities, the event was conceptualised by HJ Entertainment, to coincide with Guyana’s celebration of Independence Day on May 26.

The event is usually launched six months in advance to give patrons time to prepare. The event was expected to see its third hosting in May 2020, but had to be officially cancelled due to measures implemented to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

“It would have affected us tremendously because we would have already prepared, we had started selling costumes, and even online tickets. We did refunds for those who requested refunds, of course,” Bollers explained.

The next hosting was scheduled for May 19 – 27, 2021, however that would depend on how things devel-

Organiser of Guyana Carnival, Kerwin Bollers

op with the COVID-19 virus, which has thus far infected over 701 million people across the world, since it was first discovered in December 2019.

But over the past few weeks, a number of vaccines have since been approved in the USA and UK, to treat the virus.

“We’re hoping that Guyana is on the list that will receive the vaccine probably in the first quarter of next year.

Once that is done and the government is satisfied with the amount of distribution they would have been able to do, and they believe that the country could go back to some form of normalcy to that extent, we definitely would host our events,” Bollers established.

With the COVID-19 restrictions mandating the cancellation of any social gathering of groups of more than five persons, it has been a tough year for businesses in the entertainment industry.

Aside from Guyana Carnival, Bollers’ company is also responsible for the hosting of “Jamzone” - another annual event that has become a Guyanese entertainment fixture.

This year Jamzone was also cancelled, however, Bollers hopes that too will be back up and running from next year, should the vaccines come through.

“Even for Jamzone, if not in August, persons can look forward to later on in the year. Both of those events we’re looking at. But it really is dependent on the vaccine, and the distribution of the vaccine, and also assessing the situation on the ground, and following the advice and protocol of the [National COVID-19] Task Force. So it will be done by the directions of the task force,” Bollers said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

No conclusive findings on how six-day-old contracted COVID-19

The West Demerara Regional Hospital

THERE are no conclusive findings as yet which can definitively explain how the six-day-old baby, who died recently at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, Region Three, contracted COVID-19.

On November 29, the Ministry of Health announced that the baby boy was a COVID-19 related death and was the 150th person to die from the disease. It was later clarified that his death, however, was not caused by the coronavirus, but by complications he was born with.

Following his death, as per hospital protocols, he was swabbed and tested for COVID-19. Subsequently, it was found that he did contract the virus. But, when his parents were tested, their results showed that they were not infected, thereby raising questions as to where the baby could have contracted the virus.

Ministry of Health spokesperson, Daniel Singh told the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday that the baby’s sample was retested and it was found to be positive; the authorities wanted to ensure that a false positive was not recorded in the first instance.

“After the baby was found to be positive the second time, the nurses were isolated be-

cause nobody was showing symptoms and chances are, if you test them early, they might be negative,” Singh explained in a telephone interview.

Recently, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Narine Singh reasoned that the baby may have contracted the virus via a nosocomial infection.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) explained that this infection, also called a Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI), occurs in a patient during the process of care in a hospital or other healthcare facilities which was not present or incubating at the time of admission. Transmission usually occurs via healthcare workers, patients, hospital equipment, or interventional procedures.

Singh, however, affirmed that all healthcare professionals are exercising due diligence in sanitising these spaces and wearing their Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).

The baby’s mother confirmed that the baby was laid to rest on Friday. She lamented that the family has gone through enough anguish and just wanted some closure. (Vishani Ragobeer) FROM PAGE

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Guyana Carnival ...

Aside from Guyana Carnival and Jamzone, the company is also known for hosting of legendary concerts bringing some of the biggest names in music and entertainment to Guyana.

But with almost ten months of most businesses having to curtail their activities, it has been a tough year for the private sector.

“As a company that one of our stream of income is providing entertainment, like most other businesses, we have been severely affected by not being able to host parties. But, of course, the safety of our patrons come first, and the world at large would have suffered tremendously as it relates to COVID,” he said.

79-year-old man dies from COVID-19 - 41 new cases A SEVENTY-NINE-yearold man, from Region Four, died after contracting the COVID-19 virus, taking Guyana’s death toll to 155, according to the Ministry of Health.

The Ministry of Health said that the man died while receiving care at a medical facility. Officials of the ministry have contacted all relatives and persons to facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone who may have been exposed to the now-deceased person.

Meanwhile, 41 new cases were recorded. Of those cases 23 are males and 18 females, after conducting 242 tests; this takes the total number of positive cases locally to 5,920.

These cases were also distributed across Region One (four cases), Region Two (six cases), Region Three (five cases), Region Four (one case), Region Six (one case), Region Seven (one case), Region Eight (one case) and Region 10 (22 cases).

So far, 5,073 infected persons have recovered, which is an additional 29 persons over the 24-hour period.

This means that there are 847 active cases of COVID-19.

Many of the persons infected with the virus are said to be asymptomatic, that is, exhibiting no symptoms.

However, six patients are being kept at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the National Infectious Diseases hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

There are 35 persons in institutional quarantine, 50

in institutional isolation and 636 in home isolation. The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures (No. Nine) are in force from December 1, 2020 until December 31,

2020. They may be extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Health, after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions of the pandemic.

However, as per these current measures, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes.

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Physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are also important. The current curfew is 22:30 hours to 04:00 hours.

Persons with symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline numbers: 231-1166; 226-7480; or 180/181 for assistance.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

Rehabilitation of substance abusers A PRESS release on August 10, 2013, relayed the information that the Hugo Chavez Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration, located at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice, would begin taking in occupants within a short span of time.

The opening ceremony was conducted by then President Donald Ramotar and Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana Reina Margarita Arratia Dias, with the unveiling of the dedication plaque which cleared the way for the facility to begin accepting the 100 males and 80 females that it was built to accommodate.

A careful selection process was undertaken that involved a close examination of the mental state of the occupants who were to be housed at the facility, according to then Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Patrick Findlay, Technical Consultant, the late Walter Willis informed the invitees that there was

security surveillance and several other features on the building to ensure the safety and comfort of the inhabitants.

The Hugo Chavez Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration, constructed with US$2M funding from Venezuela, came with recreational, medical, kitchen, conference room, training and dining facilities.

A section of the land space was dedicated to meaningful occupation of residents in agricultural practices.

The primary intent of the centre was to endeavour to transform the lives of its occupants so as to enable them to become disciplined and productive members of the society, according to an officiating minister.

“When the Commander (Chavez) made the decision to approve this project (homeless shelter) to be funded by Alba, through PetroCaribe, he did it because of his compassion and commitment to help the most disadvantaged persons… for the Government and the people of Venezuela, the fact

that this centre bears the name of our eternal Commander Hugo Chavez is of great significance,” Ambassador Arratia Dias said in her remarks Through its aggressive housing initiative and measures that have led, and is continuing to lead, to job creation and self-entrepreneurship, successive PPP/C governments have demonstrated that they remain committed to the task of giving hope and requisite help to the country’s voiceless and vulnerable.

While government is pursuing macro developmental projects, it is also pursuing adjunctive people-empowerment micro programmes and one hopes that the disadvantaged, such as those addicted to harmful substances that are devastating their own lives and the lives of their families, would not have to be dependent on NGOs for rescue and rehabilitation.

Successive governments have been giving to various NGOs, funding to help

abused women and children and substance abusers, but instead, the monies have, in many instances, been diverted to other causes for which the funding was not intended.

So, well-meaning as its intentions are in its disbursements of funds to NGOs, it would greatly benefit the intended beneficiaries if relevant government departments establish their own protective/rehabilitative programmes, so that recipients of the outlays are the persons that the funding was intended to help.

Many of society’s major problems, including juvenile and adult delinquencies, are directly attributable to substance abuse but, sadly, there are hardly if any affordable facilitating mechanisms, except punitive ones that merely exacerbate the problems that can be accessed by those most needing clinical, medical and rehabilitative interventions to turn around their lives to become productive members of society.

The First Lady enjoys wide popularity among the masses Dear Editor, FIRST Lady Arya Ali is very well liked throughout the nation with the highest approval ratings among First Ladies.

Unlike her predecessors, she is very proactive on social issues and the environment including beautifying community projects.

And she has exhibited one distinguishing quality from all preceding First Ladies – relating with and is very comfortable working with all religious denominations -- Hindu, Muslim, and Christian; patronising hosting, and supporting events of all faiths. She exemplifies good family upbringing, receiving strong support in her public activities.

Because of her non-political and non-controversial activism, she has scored extremely high ratings among recent First Ladies for performance or likeability, much higher than her predecessor and even higher than her husband, the President. In fact, no one has given First Lady Arya Ali a negative rating in an ongoing poll I have been conducting. Everywhere, people praise the stand she has taken on several social issues and the environment.

She is described as friendly, compassionate, caring, adorable, cultured, warm, well mannered, and bright; she is also patriotic and nationalistic, standing up for the country. She has received good traction among younger people, and like her husband, she is on the ground interacting with the populace. Lady Arya complements her husband on several matters, and she is very supportive of him as he addresses ‘political’ or governance issues of the state.

Being the President’s spouse is a unique job; she becomes involved in important causes and raising awareness for the administration’s policy initiatives. There is no defined public-policy role for a First Lady and as such, there is nothing to be evaluated or rated.

She is not assigned a specific public-policy role but has taken on her own roles. The First Lady’s task or role is how she and the government define it. It can be everything and almost anything at anytime. She can pursue any public policy or issue. But she usually does not dabble in politics as Viola Burnham did, and she often restricts her activities to a supporting role to the President. But First Ladies of other nations are well respected.

And they can wield significant influence over people and Presidents to get things done or to focus attention on a pressing issue. People look up to and admire First Ladies and attend her events, being careful not to do things that would offend her or the President. They tend to follow her every action as well as her wardrobe fashion and listen to her.

First Ladies play an important role in any nation, complementing their husbands.

Guyana’s First Ladies -- Janet Jagan and Viola Burnham – Janet during self-rule and both of them during the Burnham dictatorship were very active in politics, serving in the Cabinet or other prominent political posts. Janet Jagan earned her position in the Cabinet because she was a revolutionary figure who fought against colonial rule and Burnhamism. Janet earned distinction through her own political achievement, a hero and iconic figure, with whom no other

First Ladies can be compared. She earned her reputation separately from her husband and did not depend on him to shine. Janet was also a very popular and likeable First Lady throughout the nation and President (among PPP supporters), till her resignation in August 1999. Thereafter, First Ladies were not active in politics or in the Cabinet or in policy-making, playing supporting roles to their husbands. The popularity or approval or likeability ratings of all of them were not measured in polls, except the limited evaluation conducted by this writer. Sandra Granger was well liked among Coalition supporters, scoring higher than her husband; and whereas David Granger scored poorly among PPP supporters, Sandra got decent ratings among them. In contrast to her predecessor, Arya has taken a much more active public role.

Arya has had a public visibility unmatched by her predecessors. She takes the lead volunteering on public matters such as cleaning the environment and speaking out against domestic violence, drug abuse, alcoholism, suicide, and other issues. She supports the anti-drug and anti-COVID campaign, as well as literacy and health programmes.

She has been giving speeches and giving interviews to the media. Arya Ali is admired and popular across the nation among supporters of all parties. She is non-partisan and does not dabble in political issues. She has stayed out of political conflicts. She has focused on everyday family issues on which everyone would agree.

Although they have no specific task,

people do say whether they like or dislike a First Lady. She is part of a worldwide phenomenon of Presidents’ wives being substantially better liked than their husbands. Because they work as spokespersons to bring attention to non-controversial issues, they generally win public approval.

Not surprisingly, their efforts lead to higher approval ratings than their husbands.

President Granger’s ratings dropped from the 60s to the 40s. But First Lady Sandra remained unaffected in the +50 per cent positive ratings. Janet consistently had +50 per cent positive ratings, trailing her husband Cheddi who was the most likeable of all Presidents for his caring, austere, and simple life.

But Arya’s rating, like her husband, is rising with each month in office. Hers is in the 90s. It is reasonable to assume that part of her popularity comes from the policies of the government and the activism of the President. She is also uncontroversial. And she has brought a formal, populist and cultured style from her family upbringing to State House in hosting functions and entertaining guests.

An illustrative example is hosting dinner for Diwali, when she treated guests as Gods and Goddesses as described in the scriptures, and prepared packages of sweets as gifts to take home, as is the festival tradition. Almost everyone rates her as outstanding, excellent, very good and none saying poor or unsatisfactory.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram (Pollster)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

We must strengthen our regional, local government systems to match our development evolution Dear Editor, GUYANA as a country is poised to take off, given the recent oil-and-gas productivity, the accompanying massive international investors’ interest, and the domestic expansion into food productivity guarantee areas on which the government has embarked for which we must ready also our people.

Growth and development are likely to spiral exponentially for the benefit of all Guyanese if we as a nation can work in unison within our democratic framework.

Given the massive March 2020 Elections dilemma which threatened all the foregoing possibilities, it is critical and necessary that we use an appropriate review of our electoral system to simplify and make more equitable, several problematic issues that lend themselves as major threats. The situation allowed the fertilisation of ethnic strife to overwhelm revered constitutional ideals and the aggrandisement of personalities interested in greed-seeking power to overcome the bigger picture for our dear country.

In the case of the structure and formula for the regional elections, the current list of electors for some regions are extremely disproportionate to the representation and service offered per capita and distorts the true impact of public policy for all citizens in the region.

In Region Four for example, thousands of citizens who cast their votes for the Region Four list of regional candidates are not the actual beneficiaries of the regional system of service and governance. This is given that the Georgetown municipality performs this role for those in Georgetown who find themselves falsely influencing which party representative should provide service to the areas outside of this central domain in Region Four.

The situation is replicated in areas such as Region 10, where the heavy, central-based municipality voters, impacts the determination of representatives of those dwelling in the riverine expanses of the region, although many of the elected representatives neither dwell in, or may have never even travelled to the various regions. The egregious situation, therefore, neither establishes an effective balance of economic support or distribution of resources while political orchestrators often manipulate and take advantage of the false, ineffective representation.

It is the rational belief of many that the usefulness of this approach has been outlived with the rise in population and slow urban expansion that is now on the threshold of change. The time has come to divorce the major municipalities from the regional cover in considering a more effective regional formula. If Georgetown and Linden voters are to be instructive in determining who represents Regions Four and 10 respectively, consideration must be given to these townships falling under the direct responsibility of the regional administrative councils.

It is noteworthy the deliberate roles played by clearly contaminated GECOM operatives to strategically manoeuvre around the bumps and pitfalls. The Keith Lowenfield and Clairmont Mingo et.al. fiasco has been woefully exposed, particularly by the delays in the counting of Region Four votes, as well as increasing occasions of the gerrymandering of constituency boundaries outside of the major municipalities to create advantages for the PNC. Regarding the local government system, there is an oversight relationship between the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) and the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and Village Councils, although the latter two have limited independence concerning accountability for financial expenditure.

The reporting role of the overseers and village leaders to the Local Government Commission and the Ministry of Local Government is instructive in this respect.

However, the performances of many of these councils have been sub-optimal, with some lacking the capacity to enforce the applicable laws and by-laws. Others have suffered from vagaries and vastitudes beyond the control of the councils, necessitating a total relook regarding approaches to strengthen them. The role of GECOM in the three-year cycle of running off elections to determine new councils will also have an impact, given the loss of credibility of key officials in the secretariat of the institution.

Worthy of note is the fact that the Ministry of Local Government as required by the applicable laws, is presently running off annual elections for Neighbourhood Democratic Councils for the determination of chairmen and vice-chairmen. This is a clear message across the country that we should have local government elections when they

Public servants and political appointees are not the same Dear Editor, THE leaders of PNC/APNU have been saying that the new PPP/C administration, since it assumed office after winning the last elections, has dismissed scores of public servants.

The PPP/C pointed out that they have not dismissed public servants, since they do not have authority to do so; that authority is with the Public Service Commission.

Unlike the public servant who serves the country, the political appointee serves his political party. Accordingly, the PPP/C government did not renew the contracts of political appointees who should in any case have demitted office, and had dismissed politically appointed persons who were either corrupt or were in sinecures.

Many PNC/APNU politicians seem to confuse political appointees with public servants, as for instance when there was a change of government, Mr Harmon still felt

he was employed by the new President.

It seems that Mr Harmon and Mr Granger would wish to have a non-political public service as in England, where public servants would have no fear that anyone will dismiss them on a change of government.

To achieve this, both government and opposition should meet and agree to adopt the recommendations of the Commission on the Reform of the Public Service which was chaired by Professor Harold Lutchman and presented to the then government in May, 2016. The recommendations of the commission would result in a professional, neutral, politicallyi mpartial and efficient public service.

The salaries of public servants should be higher than the private sector and allow for career service.

Yours sincerely, Paul Validum Ramlochan

are due, thereby upholding the democratic pillars of allowing citizens to have a definitive say in their community development.

Important in this regard is the fact that the elected councillors are particularly constituency councillors and although we have the party system, there are clear cases that some candidates win because of their popularity.

Hence, in all NDCs for effectiveness, it is teamwork that matters most in creating the synergies necessary in supporting the leadership roles of chairmen and vice-chairmen.

This is pivotal for cohesion and development in the communities and to springboard community benefits and a legacy that people will forever talk good about.

The role of GECOM in the scheduled 2021 local government elections is a huge question, given the catastrophe of the March 2020 General and Regional Elections. It is heartening to know that the PPP/C government has announced that it will budget funds for the holding of these elections. The fact that no firm action has been taken by the chairperson and commissioners regarding those GECOM staff who have publicly demonstrated their unworthiness of continued employment at the organization, is extremely perplexing.

It is of significant concern that we are now witnessing a plethora of GECOM advertisements in the widely circulated dailies concerning local government elections, while the PPP/C commissioners at the commission

have not been a part of any of the approving discussions. It is quite disgusting and objectionable that GECOM may be attempting to repeat the build-up to the March 2020 elections. Hopefully, it is not the contaminated CEO and PNC commissioners again making all the decisions. GECOM must not again administer elections with the same staff, particularly those in the GECOM Secretariat who are currently facing serious charges for electoral fraud.

The Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield must be removed from GECOM without any delay. The nation is looking on to see if he will be part of the transactions of the many “advertisements” in the news media.

The five-month vicious ordeal that GECOM staff, particularly Keith Lowenfield took this nation through must never be erased from our memory. The is the time to quickly resolve the intolerable situation at GECOM and commence all necessary reforms. Why is this nation waiting on the ‘forensic” audit of GECOM’s financial transactions over the last seven years? Why we cannot have an audit of GECOM staff?

The operational activities at GECOM must be transparent and accountable! We must strengthen both the regional and local government systems to match our likely expansive growth and development.

Yours sincerely, Neil Kumar

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

Minibus operators, vendors welcome reopening of Savage St.

By Rehana Ahamad THE road which links Robb and Commerce Streets, Georgetown, is soon to be rehabilitated and reopened. The passageway, in its current state, is a fly-infested garbage dump overrun by bushes. During a recent site visit, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill said that the area would be opened up and put to use by bus drivers plying the East Coast route.

“This would provide minibus operators with an alternative exit from the park, instead of having to go around till to Commerce Street,” Minister Edghill noted.

The majority of drivers who spoke with this newspaper are ecstatic, expressing hope that the project would be realised in time for the holiday shopping rush.

Tekchand Persaud, a bus driver who has been working

the UG/Industry-Georgetown route for approximately 27 years, said that he has never benefited from use of Savage Street, as is the official name of the road in question. As a matter of fact, hardly any of the drivers and vendors in the area could recall the dumpsite ever being a traversable road.

Speaking on behalf of several minibus drivers, Persaud said that the UG/ Industry route has close to 50 minibuses that cannot be accommodated on the existing park. He noted that the use of the “alleyway” would go a far way in alleviating the heavy traffic at the minibus park.

This was attested to by Keon Andrews, called “Big foot”, a minibus conductor operating the Plaisance to Georgetown route.

“If they open up this here, buses could come in and out of the park faster, so more buses would be able to come in. This traffic here is mek

most of these guys run the road; they don’t stay in the park,” Andrews told the Sunday Chronicle.

Natasha Avery, who operates a beverage stall in the area, views Savage Street as being nothing but a major health hazard to minibus operators, vendors and shoppers alike.

“This place nasty; it does stink. Is sheer garbage and so does be here,” Avery said.

She noted that oftentimes, after the stores are closed and most vendors vacate the premises, “junkies” would dump garbage at the location.

“They does bring things from all over; all kind of nasty things and leave it right there,” Avery complained.

A minibus conductor, who only gave his name as “Tall Man”, believes that once the street is opened, vendors should not be allowed to crowd the space.

“It does be hard fuh we out here; this park never got enough space. Plus, to mek The current state of Savage Street, a once secluded but important street in down-town Georgetown

things worse, these people that does be selling is very out of order,” “Tall Man”

related.

He explained that vendors have been crowding the

pavements for years, forcing pedestrians to walk “in the middle of the road”. This, “Tall Man” said, usually results in increased traffic along America Street and its surrounding roadways.

“You always got to be stopping for people to pass, ‘cause nobody can’t walk on the paves. Is sheer sellers does tek over de places that people got to walk,” “Tall Man” said.

He noted that the buildup of traffic sometimes goes over Avenue of the Republic, blocking that important thoroughfare.

“Sometimes buses does be out on that road, and even when the traffic light at Church Street turn green, we buses does be blocking traffic that got to go (towards Church Street),” “Tall Man” told this publication.

He is pleading with the Ministry of Public Works to restrict vendors from plying their trade on Savage Street, once it is opened up for use. Meanwhile, Minister Edghill has indicated that Savage Street is likely to undergo a name change. “We will have to figure all those things out,” Edghill posited.

Security guard in custody over shooting death of suspected bandit A 28-year-old security guard who shot and killed a suspected bandit in Eccles Industrial Site, East Bank Demerara, on Friday night, is still in police custody as investigators try to piece together his story.

The dead man has been identified as 29-year-old Zadan Mohammad of Annandale Pump Road, East Coast Demerara. The security guard is attached to Delta Security Service; he resides at Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara.

The incident occurred about 21:5hrs in the compound of Sueria Manufacturing, located at Lot 70 Industrial Site, Eccles. Police Headquarters, in a statement, noted that investigations so far revealed that the security officer, who was armed with a shotgun, was making checks around his point of duty when he observed

Investigators at the scene of the shooting

two male intruders in the compound. It is alleged that he subsequently shouted at them during which a round was discharged by one of the suspects.

Police noted that the security officer took cover and discharged a round in the direction of the men; in a bid to escape, one of the intruders fell to the ground.

It was later discovered that Mohammad sustained

a gunshot injury to the abdomen; he was pronounced dead at the scene by an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) from the Guyana Fire Service and was taken to the Lyken Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem.

A search conducted in the area and its environs unearthed a 12-gauge spent shell, which was lodged, along with the shotgun and five cartridges.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

New police posture to facilitate greater efficiency – Hicken LAX attitudes in relation to the policing of communities countrywide would not be tolerated, and the existing posture of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will be changed to facilitate greater efficiency.

This was disclosed by Deputy Commissioner (ag) (Operations), Clifton Hicken, during an outreach on Saturday at the Diamond Secondary School in Second Avenue, East Bank Demerara.

The meeting was held in collaboration with the Grove/Diamond Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

Residents of Diamond, Grove, Kaneville, and Samatta Point attended the meeting after Hicken had held a previous outreach on November 28.

Addressing the senior officers and other ranks at the event, Hicken said that prevention and community outreach would be the primary focus of the force, with persuasive policing being employed when interacting with members of the public.

The Deputy Commissioner reminded the senior officers that their role in that regard was crucial to confidence in the constantly evolving process.

He asserted that their presence on the ground, and constant visibility, were important as citizens would appreciate that their concerns were being taken seriously.

Hicken concluded his preamble by touching on the care and accountability of police assets - particularly patrol vehicles - presenting a direct correlation between those and purposeful monitoring of communities.

The audience was reminded of the six main “issues and concerns” that were raised at the November 28 meeting: formation of Community Policing Groups (CPGs); absence of police visibility/presence; timely response by the police and constant feedback in relation to crimes that would have occurred; robberies at the ‘Black and White’ bridge in Kaneville; traffic lawlessness, and police unprofes-

Deputy Commissioner (ag) (Operations), Clifton Hicken

sionalism and corruption.

As a result, several recommendations were made: the need to have new CPGs formed in Diamond, Grove and Kaneville, and to have this extend to other com-

Personal responsibility necessary to curb COVID spread in Bartica - Mayor says

By Vishani Ragobeer With a high number of cases of the COVID-19 virus recorded in Bartica, Mayor Gifford Marshall is urging Barticians to be more responsible and adhere to the COVID-19 measures in place to mitigate the spread.

Recently, residents expressed their concerns that students who have returned to the Bartica and the Three Miles secondary schools are at a greater risk of contracting the virus there. But in an invited comment on Saturday, Mayor Marshall explained that the town has a wider issue where the spread of the virus is not being easily controlled.

According to him, it seems as though the students may be contracting the virus outside of the schools and may become

Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall

transmitters inside of the two secondary schools.

“We continue to see irresponsible action from some of the residents; clubbing, gathering in large numbers and the reality is the police force only has a certain number of officers and we can’t place the entire Guyana Police Force to go in every house and in every street,” Marshall lamented.

The police force has attempted to curb gatherings and club activities which are prohibited under the gazetted COVID-19 measures. While there have been some successes in this regard, the Mayor noted that persons have resorted to “closed door parties” and “house parties”. And these are much harder to police, particularly where there is an absence of intelligence.

According to the newly gazetted COVID-19 orders, which took effect from December 1 and will last until December 31, authorities have decided to restrict non-essential travel in or out of Region Seven. Additionally, gatherings shall not exceed five persons and the physical distance of six feet among persons shall apply to those gatherings.

And Bartica, a town, is deemed the capital of the region.

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munities; face the community meetings in all phases of those communities; the Police must respond with alacrity, investigate in a timely manner and provide constant feedback to

the public on the status of all investigations; covert and overt operations at the ‘Black and White’ bridge; traffic management through visibility and constant monitoring; non-confrontational relations between the police and the public, with the former being readily accessible, particularly senior officers.

Tasked with the implementation of those recommendations at the last meeting was Regional Division 4(B) Commander, Senior Superintendent, Linden Isles, who started his report by disclosing that having met with members of the original CPGs in Diamond, Grove and Kaneville, a decision had been made to resuscitate those groups, and that elections would be held to have them ‘up and running’ in short order.

Deputy Commissioner Hicken then called on one of the division 4(B)’s senior detectives to provide an update on the number of crimes that had been reported since the last outreach, and, if any, the status of those investiga-

tions as well as the feedback to the victims.

The senior detective said that there had been five crimes reported, and all the investigations were still active, but none had been solved.

He was reminded of the importance of seeing these matters to their conclusion.

With respect to criminal activity near the “Black and White” bridge in Kaneville, Commander Isles said that operations had commenced in the location, and were ongoing.

He opined that having given his and other senior officers’ mobile numbers to members of the community at the last outreach, and with no complaints being received, it was apparent that the constant police presence had achieved the intended goal of reducing the incidence of criminal pursuits.

The commander also said that roving patrols would continue unabated in all the communities.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

The right to know both parents

SINCE the onslaught of COVID-19 on Guyana and the World, the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) has seen an influx of ‘Access’ cases. The word ‘Access’ in childcare is the legal reference for when a child and a separated parent spend time together. A parent with access also has the right to receive information about the child’s health, education and welfare. ‘Access’ is quite different from custody matters. When parents cannot agree upon who has custody, and who has reasonable access to children, after a separation, the decision is

decided in a Court of Law. Whereas many access cases were taking place efficiently before COVID-19, since the introduction of restrictions, parents have become more concerned about who their children are exposed to, when not in their care. This concern has led to a reluctance in the exchange of children as before, and the break-down of many access cases.

A child’s holistic, positive development is centred on a long and lasting bond, enriched and cultivated with both parents. Access is given to parents to keep that bond for the child’s sake, not be-

cause one parent is better than the other at parenting, or based upon what material assets a parent can provide.

To successfully co-parent, adults need to put aside their differences and consider the psychological, emotional and developmental welfare of the child.

The child should feel confident enough to think, ‘Okay, this week I’ll be with mum and I will be doing such and such, then on the 19th Dad will collect me and I have to make sure my clothes and books are ready before he comes’. It should be a natural and workable arrangement, causing the

child as little harm or disruption as possible. The smooth flow and acceptance of the arrangement, by all parties, is a normal part of his/her life.

If anything needs discussing, it should be done amicably between the adults, before involving the child or seeking his/her opinion; parents must show a united front. Access should never be about enticing a child to take sides. It is about mutual respect and understanding that the child’s best interest is the primary objective. Parents must love their child more than they dislike each other.

Many Access cases involve adults who carry around pain leftover from the break-up of their relationships. The pain caused by rejection, or infidelity, jealousy or incompatibility can shape their decisions and attitudes towards co-parenting. However, while they debate, speculate, hate and complicate matters, children become the weapons used in their warfare; which could lead to child neglect.

The CPA intervenes to protect children while working with parents to sort out their differences. If issues are not resolved agreeably through the Agency, the parents must file the matter in Court. Meanwhile, the child (or children) will need to stay in a neutral environment where the person has no vested interest in the case (e.g. a Godmother, Teacher, or Trusted family friend) rather than go into care. It is unfair to treat children in this way due to adult issues, but the disdain between parents can be so bitter and deep-rooted

that neither side can see sense or recognise how they are affecting their children.

Children have the right to know both parents, whether the parents live together or not. When one or both parents are separated from a child, the child has a legal right to maintain a personal relationship and direct contact with the other parent, (or both parents) regularly.

Children should never be separated from either parent against their will unless a Court of Law says that the separation is necessary in the child’s best interest.

Unfortunately, many mothers’ find it hard to comprehend that fathers have the same rights to children as they do and this right is granted, whether the father has been consistent with financial support or not. When parents separate, mothers usually assume that they will have custody of the child (or children) and the father’s role is to provide financially for his children.

If he fails in this area, a lack of communication usually develops, and the child is prevented from seeing his/ her father.

Parents do not have to like each other to co-parent successfully. Still, they do need to understand that a child’s stable development is reliant upon their ability to communicate effectively.

The separation has already affected the child to some extent, so how adults handle co-parenting can have a further negative (or a healing positive) influence on their child’s development and outcome in life.

There are three types of co-parenting styles; the first is a ‘Co-operative’ style; where exchanges take place smoothly, and parents have a good rapport. They discuss their children frequently and co-ordinate rules for both households. They are supportive of each other’s contact with the children.

The second is a ‘Conflicted’ style where arguments happen often. Each parent views the other as undermining his/her relationship with the child. Emotions govern decisions, views and ability to cope amicably. The third style of co-parenting is the ‘Disengaged’, which consists of parallel parenting with very little consistency. There is no contact or feedback between parents.

The child bounces between households and is more or less left up to his own devices.

When parents want what is best for children, they put their issues on the back-burner and learn to co-operate.

It may not happen overnight, and it might take some fine-tuning, but by taking one small step in the right direction, one day at a time, they will end up eventually where they need to be.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL SECURITY

Personal responsibility ...

FROM PAGE

Between December 1 and 12, the region reported 48 new cases of the coronavirus. And the Town Council, which is part of the Regional Health Emergency Committee, endorsed the recommendations made and the measures effected to essentially lock down the region.

“People have to understand that they have a responsibility to play in this, the Mayor stressed, adding, “If we understand that this thing is about us helping the cause, then our actions will reflect such and our action

will result in the numbers not increasing.”

He also highlighted that persons should be aware that there is only so much the local authorities and medical personnel can do to mitigate the spread and impact of the virus. Aside from those efforts, the onus is on residents to avoid large gatherings and activities that are conducive for the spread of COVID-19.

Moreover, it is that time of the year when social gatherings would usually be more frequent, owing to the Christmas and year-end celebrations. Marshall, however,

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said that persons should not become complacent in this season.

“It is bad enough now,” he posited.

The mayor, however, noted that the town council does not want to make the decision to entirely “shut down” the town, particularly at a time when Christians value engaging in their religious activities.

And so, he said emphasis must be placed on encouraging persons to desist from harmful activities and act more responsibly.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

Murder of Berbice boys…

Head of Argentine Forensic Team ‘hits the ground running’

By Vishani Ragobeer DIRECTOR of the Argentine Team of Forensic Anthropology (EAAF) Dr. Luis Fondebrider, who is currently in Guyana to assess whether the team can help with the investigation into the murder of teenage cous-

mation with the anthropologist. The Guyana Chronicle attempted to contact McCormack via e-mail, but up to press time those attempts were unsuccessful.

In its press release, however, the GHRA stated that as a result of Dr. Fondebrider’s visit, the EAAF will de-

Dr. Luis Fondebrider (left) and Co-president of the GHRA, Mike McCormack (centre) meeting with the family of Haresh Singh (Nigel Hughes photo)

ins, Joel and Isaiah Henry, along with Haresh Singh, has already met with the affected families and has also visited the crime scenes at West Coast Berbice (WCB).

He was accompanied by co-president of the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) Mike McCormack and attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, who is representing the interests of the Henry families.

In an invited comment on Sunday, Hughes said they are hoping that the local investigators would cooperate with Dr. Fonderbrider, who is a forensic anthropologist. This cooperation would include the local authorities sharing what information they have gathered thus far, so that the EAAF Director can lend his assistance.

On Saturday, a press release from the GHRA related that Dr. Fondebrider’s visit is being facilitated in accordance with the wishes of the affected families. He arrived on Saturday and will be in Guyana until December 16.

During this time, he is also expected to meet with the investigators and police personnel and brief appropriate government and diplomatic representatives.

Hughes mentioned too that the GHRA co-president has been engaging the police about sharing infor-

termine whether and to what degree they may be able to support the Guyana Police Force in its investigations.

“If that conclusion is positive, the modalities of how it may be implemented will be addressed,” the GHRA stated.

Local investigations into the murders of the three teenage boys have not been successful in bringing the perpetrator(s) to justice; a $3M reward was even offered to anyone who could provide information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the gruesome murders. Further assistance was also sought from the CARICOM Regional Security System (RSS). Though the RSS was satisfied with the work done by local authorities, the team recommended the local authorities do more work.

In November, Hughes recommended this Argentine team after local authorities had not yet been able to bring the perpetrator(s) to justice; and on Sunday he highlighted, “We’d like the government to allow the rest of the team to come and investigate.”

In order for the team to come to Guyana and help with the investigation, special permission to operate would have to be granted. The team will include a forensic anthropologist from Argentina,

and, from Spain, two forensic pathologists and a criminalist.

And it was reported that the total cost of their visit was estimated to be $7M; the GHRA was hoping to secure $4M, with TURN TO PAGE

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EAAF Director Dr. Louis Fondebrider (second left), along with the Henry families, visit the scene where the bodies of Joel and Isaiah Henry were found (Nigel Hughes photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

Fire destroys New Amsterdam house –– children among six left homeless

A FIRE of unknown origin early Sunday morning destroyed a two-storey wooden and concrete house in King Street, New Amsterdam, Berbice, leaving three children and three adults homeless, and millions of dollars in losses.

The uninsured property was owned by 84-year-old Doreen Thom, who lived on the upper flat with her niece, 40-year-old Alana Joseph and her three children.

The lower flat was occupied by one Redeson Jarvis, who is currently abroad.

Joseph, who is the Town Engineer (ag) of New Amsterdam, said she awoke just around 04:30h on Sunday after feeling an extreme heat.

That’s when she realised that there was a fire in her bedroom, and immediately alerted Ms. Doreen and her children so they could get out while they could. The fire service was alerted, too, but when they arrived, they

found it difficult to source water from a nearby fire hydrant.

And as firemen tried to get water from an open source, the fire continued to rage, and quickly spread to other parts of the building.

By the time they did manage to source some water from Republic Canal, the entire upper flat was already gone, and nothing could be salvaged.

Although the bottom flat was partially destroyed, but most articles were water soaked.

At the time of the incident, the family was unable to assess the total cost for the damages incurred, but noted that the house was fully furnished, and electricity was sourced from Guyana Power and Light Inc. Investigations are ongoing.

Alana Joseph (centre) and two of her colleagues from the New Amsterdam Municipality, who paid her a visit to see what assistance they could render

What’s left of the King Street, New Amsterdam property after Sunday morning’s fire

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

The ‘914’ abuse hotline has to work

–– Min. Persaud says the figures are ‘staggering’

By Rehana Ahamad A RECENT national survey, led by the Guyana Bureau of Statistics, has revealed that more than half of Guyana’s females have at one time or another been victims of abuse.

The findings specify that 55 per cent of Guyanese women between the ages of 15 and 64 had experienced at least one form of violence

two women here in Guyana.

One such woman is Patricia Smithet, a mother of four who endured 12 long, frightening years of abuse from her husband.

“He came into my life as a saviour in so many ways,” Smithet recalled on Thursday last during the launch of the hotline number. She related that it was only after two years of marriage that things became ugly; that the

Patricia Smithet, who survived 12 years of abuse at the hands of her husband, a former policeman at the hands of their partners.

According to Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, a total of 1,009 cases of violence were reported for the period January – July 2019.

“This period, we had 569 cases, and 457 earlier than that,” Minister Persaud said during the launch of the hotline last Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre at Liliendaal, on the lower East Coast. .

Reflecting on the figures that came out of the survey, which she found quite “staggering”, Dr. Persaud stressed that the 914 hotline initiative “has to work”. She noted that “the figures show that nine out of ten perpetrators are men, and the most common form of violence is assault.”

It was explained that some 60 per cent of all reported cases have resulted in the perpetrators being charged and prosecuted. But this, the Minister said, is still not enough. “We need to see 100 per cent,” Dr Persaud asserted.

The aforementioned survey had specified that while the global figures show one in three women worldwide being victims of violence, this translates to one in every

violence began, and the covered parts of her body had become a veritable punching bag.

Smithet recalled that it took her quite some time before she could become mentally prepared and ready to seek help. However, the process was a tedious one, and was plagued with many uncertainties. “Going to the police was much worse back then,” Smithet said.

She said that since her then husband was a policeman at the time, it was much harder for her to get help.

“A policewoman was trying to get me to a safe house, but he was in the Force; he knew where the safe house and so was,” Smithet related.

She noted that while it is often easy for persons to advise survivors to seek help and move on, it is not always that simple.

“Unless you make up your mind, and love you, that’s the only way you can do it,” Smithet said.

Recalling that for her, moving on was not easy, she said: “It is not promised. I tried moving on; many times, but he is always there. He used his police training on me.”

In chronicling her ex-

periences, Smithet said she wished that the 914 initiative had come sooner, as she believes that had it been established years ago, it would have saved thousands of women from being abused, and dozens more from being killed by their partners.

“I wished it too,” Minister Persaud posited. She noted that since “wishing” is water under the bridge, it is now time for every citizen to take up positions as advocates against violence, whether it is committed against men, women, or children.

“Every person, male or female; every child that faces abuse is one too much,” the Minister stated.

In an effort to eliminate inefficiencies, Minister Persaud related that she is in possession of a list of police officers at various police stations who will be responsible for acting on reports received via the ‘914’ hotline.

“The point of reporting is the point at which it all starts; that person may have that one chance to report anything. And if we fail; if we lose their confidence; their trust at that one time, can you imagine the life they will continue to have,” Dr. Persaud wondered aloud.

She emphasised that the process is one that has a clear direction. “For this to work, it requires our team to respond effectively; it requires the police to intervene and take people to safety.

To respond immediately, it requires many partners,” the Minister said.

In addition to executing effective rescue missions, the ‘914’ operation would also be linked to the Ministry’s Survivor’s Advocacy Programme, which will see survivors benefitting from the guidance and support of advocates for as long as needed.

“They will have somebody who will hold their hand and walk with them throughout, until the conclusion,” Minister Persaud noted.

She said that while “nothing is perfect”, the Human Services Ministry is determined to ensure continuous review and strengthening of its programmes, especially the hotline initiative.

She maintained that every case of violence that happens is learnt behaviour for generation next. She insisted on the need for parents to raise their children to become advocates against violence and injustices.

The ‘914’ hotline is a toll-free, 24-hour service

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

‘Lockdowns’ helping communities recover

By Vishani Ragobeer IN an attempt to curb the outbreak and spread of the COVID-19 virus, a few local communities instituted community-wide lockdowns which have been able to keep residents and the wider population safer.

Several weeks ago, there was an outbreak of cases in Kwebanna, a small satellite community with a population of less than 1,000 located in the Moruca sub-district, Region One. In response to that outbreak, the village was placed on a three-week lockdown, during which movement in and out of the village was restricted.

On Sunday, several weeks after the restrictions were lifted, Toshao of Kwebanna and Vice-Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Paul Pierre, told the Guyana Chronicle that the community has been recovering and re-

bounding.

“Since after the three weeks’ lockdown, we haven’t had any more positive cases, so we’re almost back to normal but still abiding with the protocols and measures in place,” he said, via a telephone interview.

With a reduction in the spread of COVID-19, and the removal of the restrictions, members of the community have been able to return to their main source of livelihood-- logging. Pierre explained that the residents could even return to work at the village sawmill, where the numerous “Christmas orders” for timber could be fulfilled.

But the community has not let down its guard. The Toshao emphasised that there are monitoring systems, such as temperature checks, that are readily employed to ensure that potentially infected persons are readily detected. This, he said, is especially important

for the individuals who do not reside within the community.

“We keep hearing about a second wave and some third wave and you can never tell what’s going to happen. We don’t want a situation like what we had before,” he lamented.

In St. Cuthbert’s Mission, a 14-day lockdown was instituted from November 7, 2020, after several teachers and healthcare workers tested positive for the deadly virus.

The community began testing residents on November 1, when one member, who travelled out of the community, was tested positive.

While on lockdown, the personnel from the Ministry of Health (MoH) set up a testing centre in the village benab and conducted tests daily. As the restrictions were gradually relaxed to allow essential travel, individuals were required to submit their negative test results first. That lockdown has since been lifted and Toshao,

Beverly Clenkian, told this newspaper that the community has been recovering well.

“We still have our gate and the men at the checkpoint; you have to produce a medical if you want to come in the village and before you leave the village, you have to get a clearance,” she said.

Additionally, residents are still able to access testing services at the community’s youth centre and the village council has been securing donations for persons who have been unable to work.

With a growing number of cases in the indigenous communities of Orealla and Siparuta, in East Berbice, Corentyne, the village council made the decision to lockdown the villages.

According to Toshoa, Carl Peneux, the decision was taken to shut down the villages for two weeks and let the law enforcement officials deal with residents who refuse to

Toshao of St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Beverly Clenkian

adhere to the numerous warnings to adhere to the gazetted COVID-19 guidelines.

He later warned that if

Toshao of Kwebana, Paul Pierre

toshao related that the lockdown in both Orealla and Siparuta could be lifted sometime this week.

A sanitisation exercise being done at Orealla

COVID-19 guidelines are not followed, and residents do not cooperate with the measures, a decision to extend the lockdown by another week will be taken. At the end of November, 62 positive cases were recorded in Siparuta while Orealla recorded 33 positive cases.

On Sunday, in an interview with this newspaper, he related that there was only one active case in Orealla, from an asymptomatic patient who will be cleared on Monday. And In Siparuta, there are another few cases.

Given these numbers, the

“The lockdown was effective and what made it more effective was the assistance we got from the Minister of Health through the team of doctors who were here to do contact tracing during the lockdown and, of course, with the cooperation from the residents,” Peneux said.

Though the communities have been able to control the spread, the Toshao said that the restrictions on travel by boat to Corriverton may continue, and the gate between Orella and Siparuta will be continuously monitored.

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Head of Argentine ... the remainder being provided by the government.

The Stabroek News reported on Sunday that Dr. Fonderbrider’s visit was covered through some of the GHRA’s fund-raising efforts. His visit reportedly costs approximately US$3,000 which is equivalent to over $600,000. This covers airfare, the costs of visas and medical tests and accommodation for the period that he is here.

The mutilated bodies of cousins Joel and Isaiah Henry, were found in the Cotton

Tree backdam in West Berbice on September 6, 2020.

On September 9, three days after the Henry boys were found, Singh was found in a bloodied state as well in the Number Three Village backlands, hours after he left home on his motorcycle to transport water for his relatives who were working on their farm.

The gruesome deaths sent shockwaves throughout the country and resulted in widespread public outrage and mass protests.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

Lethem aerodrome upgrade…

EPA asks for environmental, social management plan

The Lethem airstrip

THE Government of Guyana is not yet in the clear as it relates to commencement of the Lethem Aerodrome upgrade project. In a public notice on Sunday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that the Ministry of Public Works’ Works Services Group will no longer be required to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment. Instead, the agency is asking that an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) be submitted.

The EPA said that it has decided to “formally retract its previous decision published on December 28, 2019, which required the government to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in order for the agency to approve the project.”

It was explained that “after careful consideration of the project, its scale and its potential environmental impacts, the agency has determined that the proposed project will not significantly affect the environment, or human health.”

As a result, the EIA is no longer required; however, the commencement of the upgrades is now dependent on the submission and subsequent approval of the required ESMP. In September 2019, “a ceremonial signing” of the agreement for the rehabilitative works was done at the Takutu Hotel in Lethem. The contract was awarded to H. Nauth and Sons Limited on September 20, 2019, at a cost of $137. 3M. The contracted works

entail the upgrade and extension of the existing runway, in an effort to meet standards set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The project, which was catered for in the country’s 2019 budget, also entailed the construction of a terminal building. Last year, some $250M had been set aside to improve airstrips and aerodromes across the country.

The upgrade of the aerodrome is viewed as a necessary step in accommodating the increase of air transportation between Georgetown, Lethem, Northern Brazil and the Caribbean. It is also projected that it will significantly reduce the cost of doing business and improve the quality of inter-regional connectivity.

Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Field, had recently pointed out that prior to the globally devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Guyana was on an upward trajectory as regards air travel, both domestic and international.

In a message to observe International Civil Aviation Day on December 7, Field specified that domestic air travel has recorded a significant 16 per cent increase, with some 224,881 passengers travelling within Guyana’s borders in 2019.

“Domestic aviation is also critical to the growth and sustainability of several sectors, including Oil and Gas, Mining, Forestry, Agriculture and Tourism,” Field noted.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

Da Silva half century fails to save Windies

New Zealand are all smiles after wrapping up a 2-0 win and moving to the top of the ICC rankings, New Zealand vs West Indies, 2nd Test, Wellington, 4th day, December 14, 2020 © Getty Images CMC – Joshua Da Silva’s impressive half-century on debut did little to diminish West Indies’ pain as they crumbled to an innings and 12-run defeat to the Black Caps inside the first hour of the penultimate day of the second Test here Monday.

Wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua Da Silva celebrates his maiden Test half-century at the Bason Reserve on Monday’s penultimate day.

Resuming on 244 for six, West Indies lost captain Jason Holder to the sixth ball of the morning after he had added only one to his overnight 60, signalling the death knell as they tumbled to 317 all out in their second innings at the Basin Reserve.

Amid the carnage, the 22-year-old Da Silva managed to take some plaudits, converting his overnight 25 into 57, an innings that consumed 84 balls and

2-½ hours, and included six fours.

Left-arm seamer Neil Wagner snatched two of the four wickets to fall to end with three for 54 while veteran right-armer Tim Southee claimed the other two to finish with two for 96.

The defeat for West Indies followed on the heels of their innings and 134-run loss at Seddon Park in Hamilton last week, leaving them with a 2-0 whitewash and still without a series win on New Zealand soil in a quarter-of-a-century.

Further, the loss was the fourth in five Tests this year for West Indies and 12th in their last 17 Tests over the last three years.

Starting the morning needing another 85 runs to avoid an innings defeat, much of the pressure rested on captain Holder but he lasted just

four balls before playing down the wrong line to Southee and having his stumps rattled.

Alzarri Joseph, emboldened by his half-century in the first Test, arrived to launch a bold counter-attack, lashing three fours and a couple of sixes in a 12-ball 24, in posting 30 for the eighth wicket with Da Silva.

Playing with authority, he cleared the ropes at mid-wicket with Southee for his first scoring stroke and then elegantly drove the next ball straight for four.

In Southee’s next over, Joseph thumped him over the ropes at square leg for his second six but then gloved a leg-side catch to the wicketkeeper two balls later to leave West Indies on 282 for eight.

Da Silva kept his composure, however, moving into the 40s by cutting

left-arm pacer Trent Boult to the square boundary before bringing up his landmark four overs later with a quick single.

Wagner eventually got one to straighten and remove him lbw in his first over of the morning, the Trinidadian reviewing the

decision more in desperation than in confidence but finding no reprieve.

And Shannon Gabriel followed without scoring in Wagner’s next over, bowled down by the first delivery to end the innings with 2-1/2 sessions remaining in the day.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday December 14, 2020) COMPLIMENTS OF THE XTRA ENERGY DRINK, STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Malcolm Marshall-7/80 (Barbados, 1985) (2) Bruce Taylor-7/74 (Barbados, 1972)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) What are the best match figures by a WI in a WI/ NZ Test in the WI to date?

(2) What are the best match figures by a NZ bowler in a WI/NZ Test in the WI to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

Verstappen wins in Abu Dhabi (BBC) - Max Verstappen’s victory in a dreary Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi was the sort of race Red Bull expect of themselves but have only rarely been able to deliver these past seven years.

The Dutchman utterly dominated the race, in a performance that evoked some of the dominant drives of Sebastian Vettel when he was romping to four consecutive world titles with Red Bull at the beginning of this decade.

That, though, was another era. And not just for Vettel, who has appeared a shadow of the driver he was back then in his last three years at Ferrari.

The advent of hybrid engines in 2014 put an end to Red Bull’s success and ushered in an unprecedented level of achievement for Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, to whom all the sport’s records have surrendered.

Red Bull have had to be satisfied with scraps that have fallen off the table.

There have been moments of promise here and there for Red Bull, but they have been islands in an ocean of silver and now black.

Recent years have followed a familiar pattern - Red Bull start the season

boss Toto Wolff said, and they were losing 0.3secs a lap just in those three corners. The last sector of the lap - the sequence of corners around the hotel and marina - “wasn’t great either,” Wolff added.

On top of that, in the last few races Mercedes have become aware of a reliability concern with their MGU-K, the part of the engine’s hybrid system that recovers and redeploys energy through the rear axle.

Messi narrowly hands Barca win Verstappen acknowledges Red Bull must ‘learn from mistakes’ in previous seasons if they are to build on Abu Dhabi victory when racing returns in 2021 poorly, they make strong progress to the point that they challenge towards the end of the year, only to fall back again over the winter.

Is there any reason to believe 2021 will be any different? Well, maybe.

What happened in Abu Dhabi?

Although Verstappen’s victory at Yas Marina appeared to come out of the blue, it was not totally against the run of play. The team have been edging closer to Mercedes for some time now.

Verstappen was pushing Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas hard for the lead in the first part of the Emilia

Romagna Grand Prix at the start of November, albeit the Finn was delayed by a piece of bodywork stuck in his car and disrupting his aerodynamics.

He was looking a potential winner in the slippery conditions in Turkey, with Hamilton still a couple of places behind, when a spin while he was attacking Racing Point’s Sergio Perez for second place derailed his afternoon.

Verstappen finished just over a second behind Hamiton in the first Bahrain race, and was just 0.056secs off pole in the second a week later. Red Bull had hopes he

could challenge Bottas and Hamilton’s stand-in George Russell for victory there, only for Verstappen to crash on the first lap trying to avoid a collision between Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Perez.

In Abu Dhabi this weekend, the Red Bull was simply a quicker car, and although Hamilton admitted to not being at 100% after his brush with coronavirus, even a healthy Hamilton would not have been able to challenge Verstappen, team and driver agreed.

Mercedes had two main problems. The car “wouldn’t turn” in corners Five, Six and Seven, team

(BBC) - Lionel Messi scored the only goal as Barcelona returned to winning ways with victory over struggling Levante.

Martin Braithwaite, Clement Lenglet, Jordi Alba and Antoine Griezmann all had chances but found keeper Aitor Fernandez in inspired form.

But there was little Fernandez could do when Messi struck from an angle after Frenkie de Jong’s assist.

Levante’s best chance fell to Jorge de Frutos, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied substitute Son right at the end.

Minister distribute gear, equipment in Buxton MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, yesterday visited the community of Buxton, as he continues his outreach across Guyana.

Ramson’s visit to the East Coast Demerara community was prompted by members of one of the several football clubs in the area, who told stories of their needs and wants and for him to assist.

They said to use that they were desperately in need of sports gear and so we had to act swiftly to ensure that they continue to engage in the sports they love” Ramson told Community leaders.

Ramson said it is the vision of President Dr. Irfaan Ali and his PPP/C Administration, to transform communities across

Barcelona, who have two games in hand, are nine points behind leaders Real Sociedad

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr during his community outreach in Buxton.

Guyana and sport will be one of the conduits used to help manifest the Government of Guyana initiatives.

Ramson also met with leaders of the Buxton community, to address several

issues in the area of culture, youth and sports.

It was also during the community meeting that Ramson and his team distributed toys to children from the community.

The Minister, according to information from the Big Smith News Watch, also made several stops at some sport clubs and facilities along the East Coast of Demerara.

Barca’s fifth league win lifts them two places up the La Liga table to eighth before Wednesday’s home match with leaders Real Sociedad (20:00 GMT).

Messi’s finish was greeted with relief by his teammates after a bad week for Ronald Koeman’s side.

They followed up a surprise defeat at Cadiz last weekend with a 3-0 home setback to Juventus in the Champions League.

That defeat to Juve means Barcelona will be unseeded when the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League is made on Monday.

On Sunday, Levante were on course for a point after Fernandez made a string of fine stops.

He did well to push Griezmann’s header away before Lenglet blazed a great chance over the bar.

Messi struck for the eighth time this season, to leave Levante 18th in the table, two points from safety.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

Ramsammy flexes way to overall bodybuilding title at ‘Resilience’ –– Fung wins Ms Bikini, Caldeira crowned Men’s Physique champion

DARIOUS Ramsammy was cuts above his competitors and he was duly rewarded when the Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GBBFF) held ‘Resilience’ on Saturday evening at the National Cultural Centre.

The no-spectator competition—the first event by the federation since February, was streamed live on social media and on several local television channels.

As Ramsammy dominated the bodybuilding category, Rosanna Fung ruled the Ms Bikini competition. The reigning national champion was flawless on stage, she exhibited her trademark confidence and proportional body— which made the judges work easy.

Although Fung stood out, the Ms Bikini contestants performed admirably. Reigning Novice champion Asanti Conway settled for

second place, while Christina Ramsammy finished third.

The event, which was sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport with support from Fitness Express, was divided into four categories, included the Men’s Physique division.

Reigning Mr Novice Physique Jonathan Jeffrey had to settle for second place against rival Renaldo Caldeira. The 24-year-old Caldeira had a balanced physique and his waist was the smallest on display, which gave him the edge.

Jeffrey was a close second, but most of the other competitors came with too much muscle, which worked against them in the category— one such was Derran Harris, who had finished fourth overall at the 2019 Senior National Championships (bodybuilding division). Har-

Renaldo Caldeira was crowned Men’s Physique Champion. (Delano Williams photo)

Darious Ramsammy won the 165 and Under division and the Overall bodybuilding title, which earned him $300,000. Here he collects his prizes from Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson. (Delano Williams photo)

ris settled for third.

The night started with 10 participants battling in the 165 and under division.

There were many impressive performances, but with the introduction of Ramsammy the others faded.

Darious was ripped, confident, measured and gave just enough, which led to his victory.

Eybo Orford finished second in that division, while Reigning Mr Guyana Marlon Bennett finished third.

The surprise of the night came in the 166 and Over division, which saw a new and improved Julio Sinclair.

Sinclair looked significantly better than last year—and brought a beast mentality— which resulted in him winning first place.

Former Mr Guyana, Clint Duke knew how to work the judges, but his body seemingly re-

tained too much water, which left him behind Nicholas Albert and Guyana’s strongest man Carlos Petterson who finished second and third respectively.

As good as Sinclair looked—Ramsammy looked better, so in the end he easily won the overall title, which earned him $200,000. Each of the division winners pocketed $100,000.

Minster of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr, was on hand to present Ramsammy with his prizes.

Meanwhile, former multi-year winner and Guyana’s current top bodybuilder Kerwin Clarke looked solid in his guess posing routine.

The event was filmed and produced by Hits and Jams Entertainment for television, while DJ Casual and President of the GBBFF Keavon Bess emceed it.

Briton John crowned champion of time trials –– Wins third leg in Berbice

BRITON John stormed to his second victory when he competed in the eight-mile Berbice race yesterday, which earned him championship honours for the three time trial races which were used to re-started cycling activities after a long break, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

John from We Stand United Cycle Club had won the Linden leg of the time trials last Sunday, which had placed him in the lead in the Open division.

Yesterday’s win solidify his dominance.

He finished the eight-mile race in 18 minutes and 26 seconds, while Williams clocked 18:37 and Jamual John 18:43.

In total (all three races), Briton John tallied one hour, two minutes and 42 seconds. Jamual John finished second overall in the Open Division after three second place finishes. He

clocked 01:04:21, while Marlon Williams finished just behind (01:04:29) after a first in Georgetown, a third in Linden and a second in Berbice.

Marcus Keiler (01:07:02), Balram Narine (01:10:12) and Deeraj Gharbarran (01:14:12) finished off the top six in the Open Category.

In the Junior Division, Alex Leung (20:02) pipped Aaron Newton (20:03) in the Berbice race, which started at Palmyra Village and ended at Fyrish at Benjamin’s Sports (Sales and Service), but it was the latter who rode away with the overall title.

Over the three races, Newton (01:02:15) finished one minute ahead of Leung (01:03:15).

Only two juniors rode all three time trials.

Meanwhile, Stephen Fernandes finished first in the Veterans division yesterday. His 19:06 time was better than Alex Mendes

Various winners from yesterday’s leg in Berbice.

(19:36) and Segun Hubbard (19:39).

Due to his overall performance in the three races, it was Mendes who won the Veteran’s overall division. He clocked a combined time of 01:08:49, which propelled him over Segun Hubbard (01:09:40) and Kwame Ridley (01:10:13).

Lear Nunes (1:13:16) finished fourth

overall, with Jaikarran Sukhai (01:17:42) in fifth place and Sebourne Fernandes (01:18:55) in sixth.

The top six finishers in the Open Division and the top three in the Veteran Division will be awarded prizes at a later date.

None of the female cyclists rode all three races.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 14, 2020

South American 10K Road Race ‌

Missigher, Tyrell finish on top THIS year, the all local South American 10K saw Winston Missigher and Sheama Tyrell claiming the male and female overall titles in the West Coast Demerara route on Sunday which featured close

was third with 49:56.68s and Kissanna Glen followed with 54:29.08s.

This junior line up of female participants was also the overall finishers for the females.

category was Hanna Joseph who turned in an impressive time of 3:19.3s while Marissa Thomas was the runner up with 3:31.9s on the clock while Akeelah Dover was third with 3:47.9s.

VETS 10K Francis King topped the 40-54 years Master category with a time of 39:53.80s while Larry Josiah was second with 40:50.63s and Adrean Thomas was third with 47:45.34s.

In the 55 & over category, Debidyal Harald was the winner with 42:42.3s while Linden Phillips finished second in a time of 48:10.68s and Oswald Phil was third with 50:47.67s.

The only female Master was Carla Adams who stopped the clock at 1:04.14s.

Sheama Tyrell was the top overall female to 50 starters.

The race ran off from the village of Mary in the latter part of the afternoon and concluded at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora.

Missigher’s chalked up a comfortable win in which he stopped the clock a few minutes over the half hour mark at 34:22.34s.

Following closely was Cleveland Thomas who clocked 34:53.20s, Kennard Harding was third with 36:06.84s, fourth was Rosmond Harvey with a time of 36:23.40s and Jonathan Fagundez rounded out the top rewarding spot with a time of 37:19.25s.

The females pressed closer to the hour mark with Sheanna Tyrell copping the top spot in a time of 43:00.87s ahead of Shaquka Tyrell who clocked 45:27.47s. Aaliyah Headly

2K SPRINT In the heated 2K battle, Samuel Henry was the top male running out of Rurallites with a time of 6:14.20s ahead of Jonathan Seedath of De Challengers who ran a time of 6:18.8s while Timothy France (Rurallites) was third in a time of 6:32:5s.

The top female was Attoya Harvey who chalked up a time of 7:16.8s ahead of Jennifer Byass of NA United who ran 7:21.4s and Charissa December of De Challengers (8:11.0s).

THE 1K Kevlon Roethoff was the winner of the 1K with a time of 3:09.9s while Kaiden Persaud was second with 3:10.11s and Zackery Favourite was third with 3:35.6s.

Winning the female

South American 10K Road Race …

Missigher, Tyrell finish on top See story on page 23

Winston Missigher leads Cleveland Thomas during the South American 10K on Sunday

Da Silva half century fails to save Windies

See story on page 20

Ramsammy flexes way to overall bodybuilding title See story at ‘Resilience’on page 22 –– Fung wins Ms Bikini, Caldeira crowned Men’s Physique champion

Rosanna Fung (middle in front) ruled the Ms Bikini competition. Asanti Conway (left) finished second and Christina Ramsammy third. (Delano Williams photo)

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2020