Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 16-06-2021

WEDNESDAY 16th June, 2021

' No.106393

PM Phillips appeals to public, private sector workers to get vaccinated

Patterson removed as PAC Chair

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SEE PAGE 03

Opposition Member of Parliament, David Patterson

Suspected ‘illicit drug aircraft’ 02 found in Guyana PAGE

The burnt-out Cessna 206 in the Bissaruni trail, 12 miles East of Kwakwani, Region 10 (Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit photo)

$1.5B for critical capital works at GuySuCo

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–– drugs discovered on another plane intercepted in Suriname

Pandit, businesswoman charged for breaching COVID-19 guidelines

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Over 18,000 to 13 access potable water PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Suspected illicit drug aircraft found in Guyana

-- drugs discovered on another plane intercepted in Suriname LAW enforcement authorities, on Tuesday, discovered a burnt-out Cessna 206 in the Bissaruni trail (12 miles East of Kwakwani), while the Surinamese authorities, who were alerted about another aircraft heading in their direction, managed to seize more than 400 kilos of cocaine on board it.

Reports indicate that on June 14, 2021 at 20:15hrs, law enforcement received information that an aircraft was seen circling the Bissaruni trail. The aircraft subsequently landed and was discovered completely burnt.

Police said examiners

identified the aircraft as a burnt-out Cessna 206, but it did not have illicit drugs or burnt bodies. “This suggests that it was a deliberate landing and burning of evidence, and the occupants may still be in the area.”

Ranks from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the Joint Services have since secured the aircraft, and are examining it for further information. A search is underway to find its occupants.

Further, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has deployed roadblocks to intercept persons of interest. The Force noted that anyone who may have in-

PRIME Minister (PM) Brigadier (ret’d), Mark Phillips, on Tuesday, made a special appeal to workers in both the public and private sectors to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“As Prime Minister and Coordinator of the National

COVID-19 Task Force, I am making a special appeal to workers in both the public and private sectors to get inoculated against COVID-19.

By taking the vaccine as quickly as possible, you will not only protect yourself, but your loved ones also,” the

formation regarding the event can contact the nearest police station.

Additionally, according to the Home Affairs Ministry, another aircraft was seen flying over Southern Guyana on Monday and attempts were made by CANU and the GPF to intercept it, but the aircraft managed to land in Kaaimangrasie, Suriname.

Surinamese officials were alerted and managed to arrive on site, and subsequently seized more than 400 kilos of cocaine on the plane.

Last month, the local authorities intercepted an aircraft carrying 450 kilos of cocaine

near the Indigenous village of Orealla.

Two Brazilians, who were occupants of the aircraft, claimed that they were on their way to Suriname to deliver a shipment of magnesium.

However, the cargo turned out to be filled with drugs.

The duo, Salim Nobrega De Alimser, 65, and Andre Pereira, 30, were charged last month, and subsequently appeared at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Alex Moore. They both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

They were remanded to prison until June 22, 2021.

The burnt-out Cessna 206 in the Bissaruni trail (12 miles East of Kwakwani)

PM Phillips appeals to public, private sector workers to get vaccinated

Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (ret’d), Mark Phillips and his wife, Mignon Bowen Phillips are fully immunised

Prime Minister noted.

He explained that although the COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory, it has been proven as the best method in the fight against this novel disease. Unfortunately, too many Guyanese have died while vaccines are available.

“As a government, we take the occupational safety and health of all workers seriously. In a correspondence to the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), dated June 4, 2021, I advised the trade

union to encourage all public servants to get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity. The organisation had written to me regarding the safety of workers during the pandemic.

I responded to the first VicePresident of the GPSU, Ms Dawn Gardner, saying, “We are now in phase two of our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana. I am requesting that the Guyana Public Service Union encourage all public servants to take the vaccine at the earliest opportunity”, the Prime Minister explained.

Further, he added that it is equally important that private sector employees protect themselves.

Thus far, he said that 45.4 percent of the Guyanese population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, while some 18.1 per cent of adults are fully vaccinated. This number is expected to go up as more persons come forward to take their final shot.

PM Phillips said vaccinating the Guyanese population will save lives, and it remains his government’s number one priority in these trying times.

As the government pushes to achieve herd immunity within the fastest possible time, he said it is imperative that more persons come forward to get immunised against the virus.

Underscoring that the process is simple, the Prime Minister encourages all to take the guidance of the professionals within the Ministry of Health and not be influenced by fear or rumours emanating from

anti-vaccination campaigns.

Since the Ministry of Health commenced the vaccination process for members of the public 60 years and older in March, the Prime Minister said “my wife, Mrs. Mignon Bowen-Phillips, and I were among the first to take it. We feel that we have done our civic duty to protect ourselves and others as well.”

As a government, he said “we will continue to try our utmost to ensure that vaccines are available for the country’s entire adult population, and I appeal to you, play your part and please take the vaccine. A pandemic, just like a disaster, brings challenges and disruption to the development process; however, you have chosen a caring government that will be with you throughout this time. As we continue to take our nation forward, I urge you to play your part and get vaccinated against this deadly virus.”

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Patterson removed as PAC Chair GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

By Richard Bhainie

AFTER some six hours of heated debate in the National Assembly, which started at 23:30hrs on Monday and ended in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), David Patterson, was removed as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The motion was moved

by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, and received the full support of the Government side of the House, plus the support of Opposition MP, Lenox Shuman, who voted in favour of removing Patterson; the motion was passed by a vote of 34 votes in favour, 31 against.

The Order Paper listed the motion seeking the removal of Patterson as the Chairperson of the PAC, as a result of his conduct as Chairperson of the PAC, with respect to this open violation of the Standing Orders, among other things, causing the majority of the Committee to lose confidence in him as Chairperson.

However, before the motion was read, leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, rose in an attempt to have the motion disqualified on the ground that it is ‘sub judice’ – meaning the matter is under judicial consideration, and therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere.

He referenced the criminal charges Patterson is currently faced with in relation to the Demerara Harbour Bridge scandal, and explained that the underlying principle under the ‘sub judice’ rule is to ensure trials are not prejudiced by Parliamentary commentary, as even magistrates and judges pay attention to Parliamentary debates.

“This no-confidence motion goes towards the character of Mr. David Patterson, and in the Magis-

trates’ Court, as we speak, there are criminal charges against him,” Ramjattan told the House, noting “there is substantial risk of prejudice to those proceedings” by virtue of what was going to be debated in the National Assembly.

But the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., explained that under the Constitution of Guyana, Parliament has the authority to regulate its own procedures and business; and outlined that the motion sought to provide some level of censure against a member whose conduct has been impugned in a component of the National Assembly, the PAC. “This motion … mentions nothing about any charge … whatever charge he is facing, this motion has absolutely no relevance, no connection, no nexus, makes no reference whatsoever,” Nandlall said, and reiterated, “Mr. Patterson’s criminal culpability is not the subject of this motion … they are disparate and different issues.”

NO WAY “RASH” Patterson was nominated and declared Chairperson of the PAC on December 28, 2020. In introducing the motion, Teixeira noted that her move to table the motion to the House for his removal as Chairperson was in no way “rash” and referenced the series of events which transpired at the Committee level that led to her decision.

In recalling the series of events which led to the motion being tabled in Parliament, Teixeira highlighted that the Committee started to scrutinise the Auditor General’s 2016 Report when several issues were raised by the Government side of the committee but were “put down” by the Chairperson.

This led to Teixeira, on February 1, 2021, attempting to put forward a

motion seeking to remove Patterson from his post as Chairman of the PAC; however it was met with objection from the Opposition side of the PAC. When the PAC sat on February 8, 2021, the stalemate continued, as the opposition remained determined not to replace Patterson as Chairman of the committee. That persistent reluctance on the part of the APNU+AFC members to entertain the motion continued in March, 2021, when Teixeira signalled that it is likely to result in the Government members seeking the intervention of the National Assembly.

The Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, was also summoned to provide guidance and clarity on the way forward.

One Whereas clause on the Order Paper lists Patterson disregarding the Clerk on several occasions with regard to Standing Orders and that he has no respect for the Speaker as reason for moving the motion.

Teixeira labelled the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) criticism, in relation to the removal of Patterson, that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government is trying to avoid scrutiny of the Auditor General’s reports as “bizarre,” and highlighted that the reports currently being examined are for the years 2016 to 2019, the period where APNU+AFC were in government.

“We are not being allowed in the PAC to review the Auditor General’s reports on his findings in the reports; we still have most of 2016 to deal with.

So when my Honourable member says that we are trying to stymie an examination of the public accounts who is really stymieing the accounts?”

Teixeira asked.

“The Honourable member has disobeyed the Speaker of the House; he has showed total disrespect for the Speaker, the Clerk

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance and Government Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira

and this National Assembly, and the fact that he has used every subterfuge to ensure that the motion isn’t put, if we were in another environment Mr. Speaker I would probably say that the person doesn’t have courage,” she told the House.

Government MP and Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill told the house that the matter should have been resolved by the political leadership of the Opposition. However, their failure to do so highlighted that “leadership is in crisis” in the political opposition.

Edghill listed his support for the motion as pertaining to the work of the PAC being compromised with Patterson as chair, as he would have to examine and scrutinise statutory officers whom he presided over while serving as Minister of Public Infrastructure, and has nothing to do with his criminal charges.

“The person who is currently serving as Chairman of the PAC is putting us, and as a subset of this National Assembly, is putting the entire National Assembly under a cloud, question and can bring our work into disrepute and cause us to be looked upon as dishonourable in the eyes of the public,” Edghill argued.

Opposition Member, attorney-at-law, Roysdale Forde, S.C., told the House

that there is absolutely no basis in fact to support the motion, which he believes is “misconceived”.

He contended that there is no precedent before the Assembly which allows the motion to be moved, and it should have been rejected completely.

HESITANT In her closing arguments, Teixeira told the House that the PAC was being held at “ransom”

by Patterson repeatedly refusing to put the motion to a vote at the Committee level, noting that she was

hesitant to submit the motion for his removal to the House, as she had hoped that Patterson would have resigned.

“No Chairperson is so entrenched and so entitled to the position that he cannot, or she cannot be removed, just like a government can be removed; if a government can be removed, why not a Chairperson of a Committee? It’s logical, isn’t it? It’s logical or is that the Chairman of the PAC has Patterson written on the chair,” Teixeira asked.

Opposition Member of Parliament, David Patterson

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Israel strikes in Gaza after arson balloons launched Israel says it has launched air strikes against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, in retaliation for incendiary balloons fired from the territory.

Explosions were heard in Gaza City in the early hours of Wednesday.

Several balloons were sent from Gaza into Israel earlier on Tuesday causing multiple fires, according to the Israeli fire service.

It is the first major flare-up since 11 days of fighting between the two sides ended in a ceasefire on May 21.

It followed a march

by Jewish nationalists in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday, which had drawn threats from Hamas, the militant group that runs Gaza.

In a statement, the

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its fighter jets had hit military compounds operated by Hamas in Khan Yunis and Gaza City.

It said “terrorist activity” took place in the compound, and that the IDF was “prepared for all scenarios, including the resumption of hostilities, in the face of continued terror acts from the Gaza Strip”.

It is not immediately clear if the air strikes have caused any injuries.

A Hamas spokesman said in a statement on Twitter that Palestinians would continue to pursue their “brave resistance and defend their rights and sacred sites” in Jerusalem.

Israel’s fire service said the incendiary balloons launched earlier from Gaza had caused at

Incendiary balloons are commonly used by militants (Image from 15 June, BBC)

least 20 fires in fields by communities in southern Israel.

This is the first violent exchange since Israeli’s new coalition government came to power last weekend, headed by Naftali Bennett and drawing an end to Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year run as

prime minister.

More than 30 Palestinian protesters were injured and 17 people arrested on Tuesday as Israeli police cleared areas of East Jerusalem for the march, firing stun grenades and rubber bullets.

Video on social media shows some Israeli

demonstrators chanting “death to the Arabs” at local Palestinians.

The Jerusalem Day flag march is an annual event that marks Israel’s capture of East Jerusalem - home to the Old City and its holy sites in the 1967 Middle East War. This year’s event had been due to take place last Thursday, but organisers cancelled it after Israeli police rejected the proposed route, citing security concerns.

It was later approved

by Israel’s coalition government, but Foreign Minister Yair Lapid criticised the Israeli participants who sang racist and violent songs.

“The fact that there are extremists for whom the Israeli flag represents hate and racism is abominable and intolerable,” said Mr Lapid. “It is incomprehensible how one can hold an Israeli flag in one’s hand and shout ‘death to Arabs’ at the same time.”

Fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza began on May 10 after weeks of rising tension in East Jerusalem, which

culminated in clashes at al-Aqsa, a holy site revered by both Muslims and Jews. Hamas demanded Israel remove police from there and the nearby predominantly Arab district of Sheikh Jarrah, where Palestinian families face eviction by Jewish settlers.

Hamas began firing rockets after warning Israel to withdraw from the site, triggering retaliatory air strikes.

The Israeli military says more than 4,300 rockets were fired towards its territory by militants and that it struck more than 1,000 militant targets in Gaza.

A ceasefire was later brokered by Egypt and other countries, and came into effect on May 21.

At least 243 people, including more than 100 women and children, were killed in Gaza during the conflict, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel has said it killed at least 225 Palestinian militants.

In Israel, 12 people, including two children, were killed, its medical service says. (BBC)

Seven new COVID-19 deaths push June toll to 39 5

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

FIVE men and two women, who succumbed to COVID-19 between June 13 and 14, 2021, have pushed the death toll for June 2021 to 39, and the overall toll for the deadly virus to 437.

This is reflected in the Health Ministry’s daily COVID-19 dashboard for June 15.

The latest fatalities, according to reports by the ministry, are a 75-year-old female, and a 70-year-old male from Region 10; two men, aged 84 and 66, from Region Four; a 51-year-old male from Region Two, and a 72-year-old male and 66-year-old female from Region Three .

Additionally, the ministry has recorded 84 new cases of COVID-19, with 1,251 tests conducted for

Tuesday, June 15.

Of those, Region Two recorded two cases; Region Three recorded 18; Region Four, 30; Region Five, seven; Region Six, 21; Region Seven, two; Region Eight, one; and Region 10, three.

The newly-infected persons were 35 males and 49 females.

Currently, there are 22 persons within the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 112 in institutional isolation, 1,378 isolated at home, and two in institutional quarantine.

Guyana has confirmed a total of 18,530 cases of COVID-19 since the arrival of the deadly virus in the country. Of that number, 1514 are currently active; and of the 16,401 recoveries, 88 were recorded

within the past 24 hours.

All Guyanese are urged to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures, which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home, the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others, and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If anyone you know is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 2311166, 226-7480 or 6246674 immediately or visit the Ministry of Health at www.health.gov.gy.

Several ‘pitch in’ to help young scholar to read for a first degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, won a partial scholarship of US$19,000 to Howard through the Howard University Achiever’s Scholarship.

The journey has not been easy as Moriah was raised in a single parent home and it was

Richard Ramlall presenting the donation from Western Scientific to Moriah Hamilton in the presence of her mentor, Patrick Stephens

AS the June 28 deadline approaches, the fundraising efforts for 19-year-old Moriah Hamilton continues with the support of many keen Guyanese.

Coming on board with support of US$5,000 each is Dr Charles Ceres of Ground Structures Engineering Consultants Inc and Richard Ramlal, Country Manager representing Western Scientific.

Dr Ceres, who was a scholarship recipient, grew up quite poor and feels that the good gesture is somewhat of a duty for him now that he can do so.

Moriah’s team of supporters,

some of whom also were scholarship recipients, encourages other persons to give back to students who may be in need.

A GoFundMe online appeal launched Saturday also continues to grow steadily with over US$8,000 raised thus far and Moriah and team are heartened at the support shown by the Guyanese community, including the Guyanese media, several of whom have been carrying her appeal.

Additionally, with the help of her mentor, Patrick Stevens, an account at Citizens Bank has been set up.

Moriah, who has big dreams

often a struggle, but Moriah’s mother, Carol Hamilton, instilled in her children the value of a good education.

“With her eyes now set on Howard, Moriah is grateful for all the support shown to her thus far and with her determination and drive, will make Guyana

proud. The mentoring team, who is assisting with this fundraising drive is very appreciative of the kind support shown thus far and it goes to show that community matters,” a release said.

Those who would like to continue supporting Moriah can make a deposit at Citi-

zens Bank, Account Name: Moriah Hamilton/Patrick Stephens, Savings Account No: 219277137 or on GoFundMe link https://gofund. me/d63fe5d4 or can contact Moriah on mobile +592 689 8572 or her Mentor Patrick Stephens +592 688 3670.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Tajeram Mohabir

Remembering the Enmore Martyrs

IT has been over seven decades since the shooting to death of five sugar workers at Enmore, East Coast Demerara.

To be precise, it’s 73 years since Rambarran, Pooran, Lallabagee, Surajballi and Harry, paid the ultimate price in 1948 while struggling for better working conditions for sugar workers. June 16 will always evoke memories of their selflessness and a very sad page in the annals of our nation’s history.

They have been deservedly elevated to the status of martyrs given that their ultimate sacrifices were generally for the betterment of others and, by extension, the country as a whole. In reflecting upon their lives and struggles, one should not lose sight of the fact that, at the time, social and economic conditions were appalling and workers were burdened by poor wages and living conditions on the estates.

In addition, the workers had desired to be represented by the then, Guyana Industrial Workers Union, (GIWU). Wanting a union of their choice, better pay and working conditions were deemed justifiable;

hence, the strike action in 1948.

The context of what transpired then must not be forgotten. The five were representative of ordinary workers who stood up for their rights and what they believed in. More so, they were very cognisant that their efforts and sweat were significant in helping to enrich the colonial masters who seemed unconcerned over the difficulties the workers faced.

That, in itself, must have had a significant impact on their mindsets and morale given that their own advancement was stymied despite toiling arduously in the back-breaking task of cutting cane. That, more than likely, would have further compelled the industrial action they took, and rightfully so. To therefore lose their lives in that just cause, is callous and beyond tragic.

Their deaths were also significant for another reason; profoundly impacting a then young Dr. Cheddi Jagan. Having already established the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), which supported the industrial action, Dr. Jagan, his wife Janet and others, helped to raise much needed

funds to assist the workers and their families.

In addition, Dr. Jagan was so touched by the deaths of the five workers, it is reported that on the day of the funerals, he made a silent pledge to dedicate his life to champion their cause and better the lives of Guyanese. That pledge was momentous, for Dr. Jagan stayed true to his words and relentlessly led the struggles for workers’ rights and an independent Guyana.

Having founded the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in 1950, he, along with his wife and others, paid the price of incarceration in the process of advancing the cause of Guyana and Guyanese. In 1992, those efforts eventually bore fruit, as democracy was returned and Dr. Jagan sworn in as Guyana’s third Executive President. That was also momentous.

Just prior to the no-confidence motion (NCM) in December 2018 to August 02, 2020, our democracy was tested by a deluge of unconstitutionality by the APNU+AFC Coalition government. As a result of their blatant attempts to subvert the

will of the Guyanese people, the PPP/C, through its General-Secretary, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, led the struggles to safeguard our freedoms and to prevent the imposition of a dictatorship.

It should be noted that during its tenure, the APNU+AFC government made the callous decision to close a number of sugar estates, thereby decimating the livelihoods of thousands, with telling social impact.

While the situation may have been different from 1948, sugar workers were once again forced to endure the devastation of a decision that impacted negatively on their welfare and livelihoods.

Their valiant efforts to resist that imposition and the struggles to preserve our democracy last year, might have been a resulting inspiration by the actions of the Enmore Martyrs, their co-workers and that of Dr. Jagan.

That speaks to not only a beacon of strength to draw from, but a lasting legacy of selfless actions and sacrifices for the betterment of others. That epitomises the Enmore Martyrs.

Be wary of the group of ‘unbelievers’ Dear Editor, THE Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) form a group of ‘unbelievers’. It is indeed most repugnant to hear and read that the Leader of the said Opposition, Hon. Joseph Harmon, said that “It has been revealed that mere weeks after Budget 2021 was approved, the PPP/C secretly swiped almost $2Billion from the Contingency Fund.”

He adds that “These monies have already been expended without any oversight or accountability by the National Assembly (and) which the PPP/C is now seeking approval for after the fact.”

First, let me quickly recap a piece of recent bonafide history for the public.

In December 2020, APNU+AFC’s withdrawals from Guyana’s Contingencies Fund for 2019 amounted to $4.150 billion. However, according to the Auditor

General (AG), these funds did not meet the criteria set out in Section 41(3) of the Fiscal Management and Accountability (FMA) Act. The AG’s carefully audited report explained “… that Section 220(1) of the Constitution explicitly states that ‘Parliament may make provision for the establishment of a Contingencies Fund and for authorising the minister responsible for finance to make advances from that fund if he is satisfied that there is an urgent need for expenditure for which no other provision exists.’” I ask, who was the man in charge then? It was APNU+AFC’s Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan.

So, by virtue of moral rectitude alone, Joseph Harmon should be mute on this matter. The APNU+AFC amount was staggering, and the illegality of it was most obvious.

The Auditor General further detailed that “… for the period under review, all the advances granted from the Contingencies Fund were to

meet routine (not emergency) expenditure and did not meet the criteria defined in Section 41(3) of the FMA Act.” So, Harmon is now deliberately forgetting this.

Let me now remind Him and his cronies that what is currently ongoing in Guyana is almost unprecedented.

Just last week, President Irfaan Ali had to officially “Declare a Disaster in Guyana” because of the ongoing flooding. Details have revealed that “… as of June 7, 2021, a total of 28,228 households were affected by flooding, some with water entering their homes, domestic animals, and livestock in distress or farmlands inundated.”

The magnitude of this catastrophe is such that Guyana is now in overdrive mode, as it seeks to combat the rising crisis. The word is that the country is one step closer to securing assistance from the European Union (EU) to boost its flood-relief efforts.

Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission

(CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, said two applications have already been completed for assistance under the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism (CPM). We need to take note that the EU Chargé d’Affaires, Ms. Evelina Melbarzde, became very proactive, actually inviting the CDC to seek assistance.

“One application is to provide real-time flooding mapping and GIS support that would be able to give us a better understanding of the impact across the country.

The second is to provide priority support.”

If what I aforesaid is not enough to hush Harmon, I now point to his verbal attack. This is plain childish and lacks substantiation.

He says that the PPP/C, in utilising funds and seeking for more prove that there is a vulgar mismanagement of “… the economy at an unprecedented level, and is symptomatic of extraordinarily poor economic planning, incompetence and the sort of ‘adhocracy’ which is characteristic of the PPP,

under Bharrat Jagdeo, and latterly, his eager collaborator, Dr. Ashni Singh.”

So, he cannot prove squandering, as he uses the term, and secondly, he cannot show illegality, as the right procedures are being followed by the government.

This is normal in these attacks from APNU+AFC as a whole. There was the call for ‘proof of discrimination’ during the COVID $25,000 Cash Grant exercise, yet none came. This is not dissimilar to the hiding of Statements of Poll (SoPs) for Region Four.

Here are some statistics to upend the verbose garbage constituting Harmon’s unmerited harangue.

In 2014, the last full year of the PPP/C in office, Guyana’s total international reserves were US$668 million.

By March of last year, that amount fell to US$518.5 million.

At the end of 2014, gold reserves in the Bank of Guyana totalled $25 Billion. In June 2018, this amount was reduced to $3.1 Billion, and by mid-2019, this further

dwindled to a disturbingly low $589 million.

In 2014, the last year that the PPP/C produced a Budget, the total tax taken by the GRA was $135 Billion.

During the Granger Administration, over 200 new tax measures were placed on the backs of ordinary Guyanese, raking in $223 Billion in taxes, which is $88 Billion more in tax revenue on an annual basis. Yet, no national good became of it.

At the end of 2014, the total assets held at commercial banks were $421.8 billion. Commercial banks were therefore in a position to provide substantial credit to the private sector. Interest rates in 1992 were 35 per cent. By the end of 2014, Interest rates had reduced to 10.8 per cent.

I hope the issue is settled and that the government simply goes ahead and does its mandated work. ‘So far so good’ is the pronouncement.

Yours truly, LE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

The Enmore Martyrs and their contribution to the working class struggle in Guyana

By Tota Manager

TODAY, June 16, 2021 marks the 73rd Anniversary of the “Enmore Martyrs “.

It was on the 16th of June, 1948 that five sugar workers namely Rambarran, Lall called ‘Pooran’, Lallabagie Kissoon, Surujballi called ‘Dookie’ and Harry, lost their lives while on strike at Plantation Enmore, East Coast Demerara. They were brutally and senselessly gunned down by Colonial Police.

These heroic sugar workers who died have come through the years to be known as the “Enmore Martyrs”. This is indeed a fitting tribute to the highest price they could have paid, that is, sacrificing their precious lives in their determined struggle to win respect from the very powerful sugar bosses of the day and at the same time in their just efforts to obtain improved working conditions and social justice in general.

The sugar plantation historically has been viewed as a symbol of oppression, degradation and exploitation by expatriate capital. From the very beginning it was a European creation specifically designed to further the ends of colonial exploitation.

As an economic institution, its prime historic need was for a reservoir of “cheap, malleable and immobile labour “, forged in the circumstance, its genesis was antagonistic based on the system of slavery and much later, indentureship.

In Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean, sugarcane cultivation and sugar production were perceived by the coloniser as the “supreme colonial economic effort”. It was not surprising therefore that the plantation, in its pursuit of maximum production and productivity, was preoccupied with arbitrary, crude and brutal tendencies.

During the despicable system of slavery, the enslaved labour force perceived sugar as the “symbol of all their accumulated woes” and the plantation as the main focus of colonial domination and oppression.

As a result they resisted when they could and accommodated when they had to.

Oppression and exploitation persisted during the period of indentureship and immigrants eventually debunked the myth of being a “docile labour force”. They resisted and openly defied the system as in the case of sugar strikes and protests that erupted in the colony in 1869, 1872, 1876, 1879, 1888, 1894, 1896, 1899, 1903, 1905, 1913, 1914,

1924 and 1939.

In every instance the response of the plantation oligarchy and the colonial police was stark, brutal and uncaring.

BACKGROUND The Enmore Strike of 1948 originated from the general dissatisfaction of labourers with their deplorable conditions of work and living.

Wages were far from satisfactory. In fact they were considered extremely low.

At the same time the cost of living index had moved from 95 to 247 between 1939 and 1948 largely as a consequence of World War Two. What it meant was that the workers’ circumstances

logies were in a ‘state of advanced decay, dilapidation and general disrepair’.

A 1937 commission report had recommended their replacement with four-block dwellings and structures of a more private nature, but the response of the employer class was both slow and inconsistent.

Professional medical care on the plantation left much to be desired and illnesses associated with mosquitoes and water-borne diseases were prevalent.

Of added significance was the workers’ disenchantment with the recognised union of the day, the Manpower Citizens Association (MPCA).

This union was led by

which gave workers a ray of hope.

The SPA stood firmly with its MPCA recognition pact and this further infuriated the disaffected workers and made the union more unpopular and being seen as more of a’ company union’.

Workers saw the 1948 strike as a means of forcing the SPA into recognising GIWU as their bargaining agent instead of the grossly ineffective MPCA. STRIKE AND MARTYRDOM The strike itself began on April 22, 1948 at Plantation Enmore and it quickly spread to neighbouring East Coast plantations including Non Pariel,

Soldiers preparing for the salute at the Enmore Martyrs’ Monument (file photo) were deteriorating with each passing year. Further, in spite of repeated demands to improve the existing wage rate, the Sugar Producers Association (SPA) remained intractable.

At Enmore the old system of ‘ cut and drop’ had given way to a far more arduous task of ‘ cut and load ‘ the punts.

This system made the work of cane-cutters more demanding and at the same time caused punt-loaders to be redundant.

Indeed, ‘cut and load’’ proved to be extremely strenuous and hazardous, especially during the rainy season. In addition, there was the faulty weighing of cane which the workers felt was deliberate. This practice resulted in loss of pay, workers’ dissatisfaction and deteriorating industrial relations.

Moreover, potable water was not available, transportation facilities were practically non-existent, dismissals without just cause were rife and housing and sanitary conditions were most appalling. The barrack-type

Mr. Ayube Mohamed Edun, who saw the need to have a separate union in the sugar industry. The MPCA was accorded recognition by the powerful Sugar Producers Association following recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the 1939 strike at Plantation Leonora, West Coast Demerara. It appeared that in the years following recognition, the MPCA lost much of its militancy as it made very little progress against the SPA. Workers, for their part, felt they were being betrayed by the union which was evidently not doing enough for them.

Against such a background, the Guiana Industrial Workers Union (GIWU), the forerunner of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), was formed in April, 1948. At its helm were dynamic leaders, Joseph Prayal Lachmansingh , Amos A. Rangela and Jane Phillips Gay, and it was this union

Mon Repos, Lusignan, La Bonne Intention, Vryheid’s Lust and Ogle.

As the weeks progressed, the strike gained momentum as more and more workers joined in the struggle.

On that fateful day, June16, 1948, the striking workers, as usual, gathered outside the Enmore Estate Compound. With tension running high, some of them attempted to enter the compound and it was at that stage the police took unwarranted action. Without warning, they opened fire into the crowd. Some workers were even shot in their backs as they attempted to escape the onslaught.

All told, five sugar workers lost their lives and 14 others were severely injured.

Those who perished were Rambarran, who sustained two bullets to his leg; Lall called ‘Pooran’, who was shot in his leg and received a gaping three-inch wound above his pelvis; Lallabagie Kissoon, who was shot in

the back; Surujballi called ‘Dookie’ also shot in the back, and Harry, shot in the spine.

It is rather amazing that such harsh actions by colonial police could have persisted in the late 1940s.

After all, the first half of the twentieth century in colonial Guyana had witnessed the emergence and rapid growth of trade unionism and labour organisation in general, the rise of political consciousness, economic diversification, a growing middle class, a declining influence of the plantocracy and other positive developments.

Those killed were taken from Enmore through a long procession along the East Coast of Demerara.

The procession included thousands of sugar workers, and prominent labour union and political leaders. The bodies of the victims were eventually laid to rest at the Le Repentir Cemetery, and it was one of the largest funeral processions to have entered the capital city of Georgetown.

Their deaths and injuries led to the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances relating to this tragic and unfortunate incident. But like many Commissions of the past, this one was seemingly biased. Nevertheless, it felt that with more foresight on the part of the police and estate authorities, actual shooting could have been avoided.

It was also the Commission’s considered opinion that excessive shooting had taken place and it was abundantly clear that some of the victims were shot when they were defenceless and on the run.

This tragic episode could have been prevented had it not been for the contempt shown by the plantocracy to its own workers.

IMPACT Did the Enmore Martyrs die in vain? I venture to say an emphatic no.

Undoubtedly, their contribution to the overall advancement of the working class struggle in Guyana is immeasurable. I daresay that the incident surrounding the Enmore Martyrs had a pronounced and lasting effect on the lives of numerous people including leading personalities. Foremost among them is the Father of our nation and late President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan himself. On this issue he revealed in ‘The WEST on Trial’ that “At the graveside, the emotional outburst of the widows and relatives of the deceased were intensely distressing and I could not restrain my tears. There was

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Historian, Tota Mangar to be no turning back. There and then I made a silent pledge. I would dedicate my entire life to the cause of the struggle of the Guianese people against bondage and oppression.”

In the ensuing years, this remarkable man did exactly that -- he devoted his entire life to the cause of all Guyanese and the working class in particular. In the post 1948 years, he quickly established himself as the champion of the working class in the legislative council and was very critical of the planter oligarchy and other exploitative elements in society. His militancy and robust advocacy won him international recognition as a fearless anti-colonial fighter.

His timely intervention on behalf of the working man, the unemployed and the dispossessed made him the leading political figure in the colony.

As to his radical outlook in the immediate post-1948 tragedy, he confessed: “I brought a new dimension to the politics of protest, continuity between the legislature and the street corner, the legislature was brought to the streets and the streets to the legislature.” Senior Counsel, Mr. Ashton Chase OE, in his seminal work, ‘History of Trade Unionism in Guyana’, acknowledged that, “In Dr. Jagan, the workers found an outstanding champion of their rights -- on many occasions, single-handedly but nevertheless most heroically and inspiringly, he fought for the workers’ rights.”

Addressing a symposium at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre in March, 2002 on the occasion of the passing of Dr. Jagan, internationally acclaimed scholar and Distinguished Professor, Clive Thomas, had this to say: “From the personal reflections I have no doubt whatsoever that Cheddi Jagan was an exceptional patriot, an exceptional trade unionist with a heart readily committed to the working class people and the working class interests”. Obviously, the inspiration, the fierce determination and zeal had to do with his pledge before the Enmore Martyrs in 1948.

The fallen Enmore heroes must have inspired and influenced their colleagues, trade unions and political leaders to intensify the struggle for social and economic justice and betterment in general.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Guyana gets US$1M from Japan to boost National Flood Early Warning System

THE Government of Japan has made approximately US$1 million available to boost Guyana’s National Flood Early Warning System.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, made this disclosure on Tuesday during a virtual handing-over exercise.

In his keynote address, the minister said the recent flooding has highlighted the

need for an effective National Flood Early Warning System.

“The handing over of this National Flood Early Warning System comes as a critical point for Guyana. The recent flooding which has been declared as a national disaster has highlighted the need for a well-developed and operational National Flood Early Warning System.

“Such a system would

provide opportunities for climate change adaptation and resilience benefits while at the same time improving disaster preparedness and reducing the costs associated with response/relief and reconstruction.”

Minister Mustapha also said Guyana is currently experiencing the worst flood on record, in terms of scale, and that recovering from this event will no doubt require

the government and the Agriculture Ministry to redirect resources to address the challenges, which are also affecting planned interventions. Added to that, he said developing a National Early Warning System is crucial to the nation’s advancement.

“It is in this context that the development of a National Flood Early Warning System becomes extremely relevant to the development of Guyana. Early warning systems are an important component of a country’s disaster risk management strategy.

“Going beyond flood forecasting – which assesses flood risks, flood early warning systems, allows authorities (in this case the Hydromet Service) to issue warnings when a flood is imminent or already occurring,” Minister Mustapha said.

Guyana experiences an annual and or bi-annual cycle of flooding, driven primarily by the May/June rains or in the secondary rainfall season at the end of the year, either in the coastal regions or in the hinterland.

The multi-functional

Early Warning System is expected to improve community preparedness for extreme weather events such as the current wide-scale floods, in terms of both warning and increasing understanding of the risks associated with the events, and the appropriate flood responses that have to be implemented.

Furthermore, Minister Mustapha emphasised that in order to develop a fullfledged Flood Early Warning System, significant human, technical and capital investments are required.

“The Government of Guyana recognises that today’s handing over does not represent the development and launch of a full-fledged Flood Early Warning System for every corner of Guyana.

There is still a long road ahead that would require significant human, technical, and capital investments to ensure that we have a truly comprehensive system in place.

“While the current system still requires much more work beyond what has already been achieved, we believe that it sets a strong

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha foundation upon which a comprehensive system can be built. This system, when coupled with the current work being done under the Climate Risk and Early Warning System (CREWS) initiative for the development of a national Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS), will significantly advance Guyana’s climate resilience,” Minister Mustapha added.

The minister expressed gratitude to the government and people of Japan for their timely donation towards boosting Guyana’s Flood Early Warning System.

Officials from UNITAR, UNOSAT, CIMA Research Foundation, and the staff of the Ministry’s Hydrometeorological Service were also recognised for their contribution to the project.

US Ambassador-designate Hinds pays courtesy call on Agri. Minister

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, and Guyana’s Ambassador-designate to the US, Samuel Hinds GUYANA’S Ambassador-designate to the United States of America, Samuel Hinds, on Tuesday,1 paid a courtesy call to Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, at his Regent Street Office.

According to a release, during their engagement, Minister Mustapha congratulated Mr Hinds on his recent appointment and expressed confidence that his tenure as ambassador will serve in strengthening diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Minister Mustapha told Mr Hinds that Guyana is currently exploring non-traditional agricultural commodities like corn and soyabean.

“As you know, we are now exploring non-traditional areas like soya bean and corn.

We’ve been importing over US $30 million in

these two commodities alone for the poultry industry. We did a feasibility study and now we’re in the trial phase. The private sector is also heavily involved in this process. Government will be facilitating the process by preparing the infrastructure. Hopefully, by next year, we can commence large-scale production,” Minister Mustapha said.

The two officials also discussed possible areas for investment in agriculture in Guyana.

Minister Mustapha also provided Mr Hinds with a document outlining all possible areas for investment in the agriculture sector, the release noted.

Mr Hinds served as Prime Minister of Guyana from 1992 to 2015.

He also served as the Head of State in 1997.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Report abuse, neglect –– urges Minister Persaud of the elderly AS Guyana observes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, continues to appeal to the public to report instances of elder neglect and abuse through the recently launched 914 Hotline.

Minister Persaud feels strongly that senior citizens merit the gratitude and respect of their children, grandchildren, caregivers, and the wider public.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) indicated that around one in six people, 60 years and older, experienced some form of abuse in community settings during the past year. The WHO said that rates of elder abuse have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister Persaud emphasises that elderly abuse has serious negative impact on seniors including physical injuries, and harmful psycho-socio-economic effects.

The ministry has been doing its part to help curb this scourge locally. For one thing, Minister Persaud has placed a focus on bringing more attention to the issue and has noted that while it is something that happens regularly, it often goes unreported.

According to her, there are many cases where elderly persons are without

money, food and shelter.

She pointed out that some elderly persons bequeath their money and their homes to younger people while they are alive and subsequently, are abandoned at the Georgetown Hospital or thrown on the streets to fend for themselves. Dr. Persaud encourages the elderly to make their wills and enjoy their properties and financial wellbeing throughout their life.

Minister Persaud is also encouraging elderly residents to be more vocal about the abuses that they endure.

The Human Services Ministry will exert every effort to have active engagements with other relevant agencies to have this issue addressed and expand its capacity to deal with it.

At the launch of the 914 hotline, Minister Persaud, in encouraging persons to use it, had said: “Let us make 914 a hotline with a difference because it is answered and behind that answer, there is tangible help; help that can change someone’s life, help that can give them a future and help that can save a life.”

She added: “Once that person calls in and the necessary is done at the police station and hospital, they will be linked to a survivor’s advocate who will be able to walk with them, take their hand and hold it all the way

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Human Services Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud interacting with elderly ones at an event to the conclusion of their case. That is the kind of support we want to see the people have.”

When a call is placed between the hours of 8:00 hours and 16:30 hours, it would be routed to a trained customer service operator, who, in turn, will connect the call to a social worker.

Calls made after working hours and during weekends will be routed to the mobile handsets of social workers where all calls will be addressed with confidentiality. The social workers will provide necessary con-

sultations and refer children and parents to local service providers and other relevant agencies.

As we observe Elderly

Abuse Awareness Day, it is imperative that we collectively identify this disturbing social ill, report the cases and work to

eliminate this callous form of abuse against elders so that they can enjoy an excellent quality of life in their twilight years.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Sacrifices of Enmore Martyrs remain relevant today

THE selfless sacrifices of the five slain sugar workers, Rambarran, Pooran, Lallabagee, Surajballi and Harry remain relevant today, said the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in a statement to mark the 73rd anniversary of the Enmore Martyrs shooting.

The party reminded that in 1948, having been strangled by social and economic hardships, the burdensome “cut and load” cane harvesting system, and being deprived of having a union of choice to represent them, sugar workers were forced to mount protest

actions after their fair demands were continually being ignored by the sugar producers.

“Instead of their demands being met, riot police fired on the poor, simple workers, killing five in the process. They died in their quest for a better life for all the workers and their struggles and horrific deaths significantly impacted Dr. Cheddi Jagan.

“On that unforgettable day of their funerals, he silently pledged to dedicate his life to the cause of the Guyanese people and to free them from bondage and exploitation. Fortified in his belief and determi-

nation, he was unrelenting in his struggles for the advancement of Guyana and Guyanese,” the PPP said.

Dr Jagan founded the PPP in 1950 and despite being incarcerated and deprived of his rights during the decades of his unremitting struggles; he

SURAJ Dyal Sahadeo, a pandit and a regional councillor of Lot 134 Crabwood Creek (CWC) and Taijram Jainarine, a businesswoman of Lot 137 Yakusari North, Black Bush Polder, were, on Tuesday, charged with breaching the

COVID-19 restrictions.

Both of them pleaded guilty after the charge was read to them by Magistrate Alex Moore at the Whim Magistrate’s Court.

Jainarine was charged with hosting a wedding while Sahadeo was charged with

attending a wedding. They were fined $15,000 each.

On May 2, police showed up at the home of Jainarine where a wedding was held and attended by a large number of persons.

The wedding was subsequently stopped and Sahadeo

never succumbed to the atrocities meted out to him and his followers by the oppressive forces.

The struggles of the Enmore Martyrs and Dr. Jagan, the PPP said, were guiding forces during the ominous period when thousands of sugar work-

ers were coldheartedly fired and plunged into economic despair through the politically motivated closure of estates by the APNU+AFC Coalition.

“It was also a source of inspiration when the APNU+AFC government, through its visionless and inept leadership, strangled our people through harsh and unjustified economic policies and when in full view of the world, they shamelessly tried to steal the March 2, 2020 elections in defiance of the will of the Guyanese people.

Their efforts have imbued in us that profound sense of value of our freedoms and the need for them to

be safeguarded from those with a penchant for totalitarianism and constitutional transgression. In the end, truth triumphed and democracy prevailed.

Our people and country, despite being challenged, remain resolute and fortified having endured that recent assault on our freedoms. It further exemplifies the relevance of the struggles of the Enmore Martyrs in today’s world.

The PPP will continue to honour the memory of those martyrs so as to ensure their sacrifices will not be forgotten,” the statement from the party concluded.

Pandit, businesswoman charged for breaching COVID-19 guidelines and Jainarine were arrested.

Region Six currently has over 180 active COVID-19 cases. Regional officials have been calling on residents to be more responsible and do their part to help curb the spread of the virus.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Trinidad to send flood-relief supplies to Guyana

THE Government of Trinidad and Tobago, on Tuesday, indicated that it will be sending flood-relief items to Guyana.

A statement from the office of Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, said Guyana has been experiencing heavy and above normal rainfall in the months of May and June, leading to severe flooding.

Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, last week officially declared Guyana to be in a state of disaster by virtue of the ongoing floods.

“The Co-operative Republic of Guyana has been experiencing heavy and above normal rainfall in the months of May and June which has led to severe flooding, The President of Guyana, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has

designated the flooding as a Level 2 event and declared a disaster in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, citing specific affected areas,” the release.

It added: “As a result of this severe flooding, Guyana has requested assistance from CARICOM for various relief items.”

According to the release, Prime Minister Rowley has instructed that Trinidad and Tobago immediately make the necessary arrangements to have requested relief items taken to Guyana as a matter of urgency.

“Accordingly, the Government is arranging for relief supplies to be taken to Guyana and this will be coordinated by the Ministry of Trade and Industries and the Ministry of National Security

(Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management) under the guidance of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs,” the release said.

Additionally, on Tuesday, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) received a further boost with a US$10,723 donation from the International Center for Democracy (ICD) for flood-relief efforts.

Since starting its countrywide flood-relief response, the CDC has received overwhelming support from Guyana’s private sector.

The New York-based organisation said the donation was made in collaboration with its partners in the religious community and private organisations.

“The ICD is committed

Flooded houses in Region Seven (RDC photo) to ensure that democracy prevails in Guyana, but also through our charitable work and contribution, assist the Guyanese people during these difficult times,” the organisation stated.

“It is the hope of the ICD that this contribution will help to mitigate some of the suffering Guyanese are facing. The ICD is continuing to

work with other US-based organisations and private individuals to provide additional aide to Guyana in the coming weeks. Those contributions will also be sent directly to the CDC,” it added.

The ICD said it will continue to work with other organisations to bring additional aid to Guyana in the coming weeks.

Since May 18, 2021, the CDC has received reports of 36,083 households in more than 300 communities across all 10 Administrative Regions being affected by the flooding situation.

To date, a total of 20,484 cleaning hampers and 21,145 food hampers have been distributed as a form of emergency relief.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

President to deliver keynote address at urban forum

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, is set to deliver the keynote address during the opening ceremony of the University of Guyana-Caribbean Urban Forum (CUF) 10th international conference which commences today and concludes on June 18.

President Ali, who holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Urban Planning, will join hundreds of international scholars for the virtual forum, the university said in a press release.

It was noted that this major annual regional urban planning networking event will bring together hundreds of urban planners, environmental experts, municipal managers, community developers, policymakers, academics, and allied professionals, who will address critical urban issues impacting the region.

The event will be held under the theme, ‘Urbanisation: Processes, Policies, and Emerging Challenges’ and is designed to address specific policy issues within the Caribbean’s urban sec-

tor. It will not only support the collaborative efforts of planners in the Caribbean and wider Americas, but across the globe.

Co-hosts of the CUF include the Caribbean Network for Urban and Land Management (CNULM) based at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago; the Central Housing and Planning Authority; The European Union, and other national, regional, and international organisations.

The opening ceremony will be chaired by Dr. Temitope Oyedotun, Dean of the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, and key features of this session include the keynote address by President Ali and remarks by Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin, Vice-Chancellor XI, University of Guyana, the press release said.

Other speakers include, Eleanor Mohammed, President of the Commonwealth Association of Planners; Dr Emanuel Cummings, Deputy

Vice-Chancellor (Academic Engagement), University of Guyana and Chairman of the Central Housing and Planning Authority; Dr Asad Mohammed, Co-Chair of the CUF and Director of Caribbean Network of Urban and Land Management; William Ashby, Portfolio Manager, Economic Infrastructure Division, Caribbean Development Bank, and Carolyn Trench-Sandiford, President of the Caribbean Planners Association.

According to the UG press release, it is noteworthy to recall that it was President Ali who delivered the keynote address at the very first CUF session held in Georgetown, Guyana, in April 2011 in his capacity as Minister of Housing and Water. “The president therefore has played a key part in CUF from the very start,” it added.

Following the opening ceremony, the sessions will largely be focused on technical presentations by experts in the field of urban planning and allied professions, along with several panel

discussion sessions on various issues under the broad thematic area.

The press release said the focus of the conference is to confront the issue of urbanisation in the Caribbean context with a view to critically examine the range of policy responses to this phenomenon. The dialogue starts with the recognition that the Caribbean is one of the fastest urbanising regions in the world.

Participants are invited from the Caribbean, the Guyanese and Caribbean Diaspora communities, faculty members and students of the University of Guyana and other universities in the

Caribbean Region. The CUF also includes participants from other institutions/agencies such as UN-Habitat, the Caribbean Development Bank, and UN-ECLAC. Groups, institutions, and individuals are encouraged to participate. The opportunity for engagement will be provided for persons working on projects and or who have ideas which they believe could be usefully applied for community and national development.

The conference is also open to members of the international community who are engaged in the teaching or practice of urban planning.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali The release added that the Caribbean Urban Forum builds on the principle of collaboration both at the regional and international levels. In this regard, regional agencies such as the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and CARICOM are usual CUF supporters.

At the international level, usual support from organisations such as the European Union and UN-Habitat is also worthy of mention.

Body of elderly woman found in decomposed state THE body of 97-year-old Ruby Williams was discovered, on Sunday last, eaten by vultures at Perseverance Backdam, North West District, Region One, police have confirmed.

Reports indicate that Williams refused to stay with relatives and, instead, chose to live alone in a camp at Perseverance Backdam.

Police said that on June

10, 2021 about 14:00 hours, she was seen alone walking at Perseverance Backdam in the direction of her camp.

However, on June, 13, 2021 about 13:00 hours, William Bell, 69, was walking through a trail at Perseverance Backdam where he observed a flock of vultures.

Upon closer examination, he saw what appeared to be a decomposed body.

A report was later made

to the police via cellphone.

The facial tissues and other parts of the body were eaten by vultures and it was not possible to see any marks of violence about the body.

Based on the advanced state of decomposition and the damage done by vultures, the body could not be transported.

A grave was dug and the body buried for possible exhumation.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Over 18,000 to access potable water –– as House approves $683M for extension of water service MORE than 18, 000 residents will soon be able to access potable water after the National Assembly approved $683.5 million for water service during a sitting Monday evening.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, said residents in 35 communities in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six and 10 are set to benefit.

“At Yarowkabra and Grand Sand, 2000; La Parfaite Harmonie, Nismes, Sea View and Belle West, 2000; Vryheid’s Lust, Success, Montrose, Felicity, Bachelor’s Adventure, 2000; Alness, Crabwood Creek, Number 65, Number 59, another 2000. Swan, Dora, Kuru Kuru, Kairuni, Long Creek, Loo Creek, Moblissa, another 18,000,” Minister Croal said.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal Some 2000 residents of Big Baiabu, Huntley, Good Faith, Number one, Number Three, Number Four, Number Eight, Number 11, Number 28, Number 29 and Number 30 villages will also access potable water when the mains are installed.

Another 6,000 residents in Moraikobai will also benefit from first-time access to clean water as the sums sought for this investment was also approved. Minister Croal said major works must be executed to effectively serve the targeted communities.

He said there will be “installation of four-inch distribution main at Yarowkabra and Grand Sand at Soesdyke; extension of distribution networks at La Parfaite Harmonie, Nismes, Sea View and Belle West. Installation of four-inch and six-inch distribution mains at Vryheid’s Lust, Success, Montrose, Felicity, Bachelor’s Adventure; installation of fourinch distribution mains in Region Six at Alness, Crabwood Creek, Number 65, Number 59.”

The ministry would also be drilling wells and building distribution networks with photovoltaic systems at Swan, Dora, Kuru Kuru, Kairuni, Long Creek, Loo Creek and Moblissa.

The distribution network at St Cuthbert’s Mission will also be expanded with the installation of new distribution mains to better serve persons in Regions Five and Six. Minister Croal said the job will be executed by staff of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) as well as hired contractors. He noted that GWI is capable of functioning effectively as there is no shortage of staff.

The $683.5 million is included in the $23 billion supplementary budget presented and passed in the National Assembly. (DPI)

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$623M to further support Harbour Bridge PUBLIC Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, said the additional $623 million supplementary budget, which the government sought from the National Assembly, will be used to further support the infrastructure of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

Defending his ministry’s request on Monday, Minister Edghill recalled that upon assuming office last year, he discovered that the bridge was in a “dire” state of disrepair, which he pointed out warranted emergency intervention.

“Evidence was provided by the way of correspondence that the then minister was written to, making him aware of what needed to be done, but nothing was done.”

The minister noted that the $623 million will support the “much-needed repairs” on retractor spans nine and 10 of the Harbour Bridge.

“We have made a policy decision not to allow trucks carrying more than 18 tonnes to cross the Demerara Harbour Bridge. The interventions have narrowed the span because we have had to insert a pontoon to prop up span

The Demerara Harbour Bridge nine,” Minister Edghill said.

Some $850 million was allocated to the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) in the 2021 National Budget. Of that sum, $650 million was spent on repairs to retractors nine and 10.

Earlier this year, the Public Works Ministry tendered to repair those two retractors and proposals returned with a price tag of $1.2 billion.

The Public Works Minister said the $623 million will fill the shortfalls for the contract, which has been awarded. He highlighted too that the additional funds will ensure the longevity of the Harbour Bridge until the

new, fixed, high-span bridge is completed.

Meanwhile, General Manager of the DHBC, Wayne Watson, said once all commuters work together, the life of the bridge could be prolonged.

“I think that we have the resources in terms of the knowledge and experience, to keep the existing bridge. Some of the other issues that we are trying to tackle is the speed of the loaded or laden trucks. We are going to be putting up signs and we will be monitoring. Once we have the intervention by the traffic units from both sides and

once we are able to provide necessary education; once we understand and we work together, we can prolong the life of the bridge with adequate preventative maintenance,” he told DPI in an interview last month.

Meanwhile, the Public Work’s Minister told the House that an additional $412 million, aside from the $623 million, was being sought as it may be needed to repair the bridge’s anchorage system.

Minister Edghill said those anchors were neglected by management over the past five years. (DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Convicted murderer to know fate today

HIGH Court Judge, Sandil Kissoon, is today expected to pass sentence on Abishai Caesar, who was recently convicted of the gruesome killing of Anna Catherina liquor store owner, Jennifer Persaud, and her two sons in 2012.

On May 28, Caesar was

found guilty of three counts of murder by a jury at the Demerara High Court. He was convicted of the murders of 41-year-old Jennifer Persaud called “Jenny,” and her sons, six-year-old Afridi Bacchus and 18-month-old Jadon Ernest, who were killed between September 21 and 22, 2012, at Sea

View, Anna Catherina.

Caesar was represented by attorney Rachael Bakker, while the state was represented by prosecutor Lisa Cave. He is expected to be sentenced after a probation report is presented in court.

According to reports, Caesar lived near Persaud’s Sea View Anna Catherina

Jennifer Persaud, Afridi Bacchus and Jadon Ernest home. It is alleged that after the murder, Caesar moved out of the area. In April 2016, the murder investigation was cracked wide open, when Caesar’s

Abishai Caesar

reputed wife told the police that she knew who killed Persaud and her sons.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported that the woman told investigators that Caesar told her that he needed money and had gone to the house to steal.

The woman was awakened by his search, and he later kill her and the children.

Chicken smuggler fined $235,200, sentenced to one month AN Annandale, East Coast Demerara fisherman, was, on Tuesday, sentenced to one month in prison and fined $235,200 for smuggling chicken into Guyana to evade restrictions and the payment of duties to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Ishwarie Jeffery, called “Warrie” was found guilty of the offence and was sentenced by Magistrate Annette Singh at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The facts of the matter alleged that in October 2020, Jeffery was intercepted on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, in the vicinity of the National Cultural Centre with 28 bags of foreign chicken legs quarters in motor vehicle GNN 5710.

This matter was prosecuted by GRA’s Head of Law Enforcement and lawyer, Jason Moore, while Jeffery was represented by attorney-at-law, Gary RamIshwarie Jeffery lochan. called “Warrie” In March, three other persons were convicted on similar charges after they were nabbed smuggling chicken, alcohol and mosquito coils.

The GRA and officers from its Law Enforcement and Investigation Division (LEID), over the years, have cracked down on persons carrying uncustomed and restricted goods with the intent to evade the restrictions and duties.

If the smuggled chicken had evaded law enforcement and was dispatched to various sellers and supermarkets, consumers would have been placed at a major health risk.

Bacteria via contaminated or spoilt chicken can provoke a number of symptoms within 72 hours of exposure and could last for four to seven days, necessitating hospitalisation in some cases.

Infection with salmonella could be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants and the elderly.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

$1.5B for critical capital works at GuySuCo

THE Ministry of Agriculture on Monday secured some $1.5 billion in supplementary funds from the National Assembly to offset critical capital works at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

Government’s financial investment in GuySuCo now stands at $10.5 billion since the administration took office on August 2, 2020.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, said the money will be injected in the sugar company, in keeping with the government’s plans to revitalise the industry.

“We are continuing to restructure GuySuCo. There are critical parts on the present estates that need to be rehabilitated and recapitalised and also to reopen the closed sugar estate. We have to get tools to go back and do new planting, we have to do tillage; it’s a whole lot of activities,” he told the National Assembly.

To ensure the continued

$718 million. The Blairmont and Uitvlugt factories will also receive $149 million and $259 million, respectively.

Some of the items listed to be procured to enhance the restructuring process are horse power tillage tractors, crusher run, harrow ploughs, cane punts, long reach excavators, paddle tug and drainage tubes.

Minister Mustapha also noted that the money provided through previous budgetary allocations is almost exhausted, and the restructurAgriculture Minister, Zu- ing operations at GuySuCo is lfikar Mustapha, defend- only 40 per cent complete. ing his budget in the He gave assurances that National Assembly the sugar corporation has development of agriculture money to pay all its bills. and support services at six “Because of the destrucsugar factories, Minister Mution that they have done, we stapha said some $40 milnow have to go and do a lot lion will be pumped into the of critical work and we will Skeldon and Enmore estates, need more money to put respectively. into and rehabilitate GuySuAnother $292 million Co,” the minister said. will advance works at the The PPP/C Government, Rose Hall estate and rehathrough the 2020 Emergenbilitation will continue at the cy Budget, had pumped $7 Albion Estate to the tune of

billion into the sugar sector.

Some $3 billion was initially provided to start the phased reopening process of the mills.

The ministry subsequent-

ly received $4 billion in supplementary funding last December.

Minister Mustapha said if it the government has to return to the National

Assembly to request more funds to sustain employment, and to rehabilitate and rebuild the village and country’s economy, then it will do so. (DPI)

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Bodies at Suddie, Charity mortuaries to be tagged to avoid 'mix-ups'

By Indrawattie Natram

FOLLOWING the recent mix-up of two COVID-19 victims at the Charity mortuary, in Region Two, Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr. Ranjeev Singh, has revealed that all bodies will now be labelled so as to avoid such occurrences.

This new arrangement will be enforced at the Charity and Suddie mortuaries.

Dr. Singh’s disclosure to the media came after the completion of an internal

investigation into the incident which had caused the relatives of the deceased additional distress.

The investigation, which was conducted by officials from the Regional Health Services, revealed that the bodies were not tagged and were wrapped based on advice given. This would have made it impossible for morgue officials to accurately identify the bodies of Reynold James of Lot 41 Charity and 87-year-old Bibi Shazeedh Jalleal of Little Alliance.

James, who was first to be buried, was handed over to the relatives of Jalleal with instructions that the coffin not be opened.

The Basir family, who was taking care of the pensioner prior to her death, became aware that they had buried the wrong body on June 10. At the time they were preparing for a memorial service. James’ relatives were also finalizing his funeral arrangements.

The RHO assured that measures will be put in place to avoid a recurrence.

During a meeting between the families and the region’s Police Commander, Crystal Robinson, it was agreed that James’ body will not be exhumed. Instead, prayers will be said at the spot where he was laid to rest while the other body was to be handed over to her relatives for burial.

Some of James’ relatives expressed discomfort with the arrangement which was approved by James’ brother.

Guyana Chronicle was told that some were adamant that the body could have been exhumed since no documen-

tation was given confirming that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Shelly Henry told this publication that her husband went to work in the interior and returned home with malaria. He later became very ill.

The woman insisted that he was not suffering from any COVID-related symptoms.

Dr. Ranjeev, during his discourse with members of the media, confirmed both persons had tested positive for the deadly virus. Be-

Regional Health Officer (REO) for Region Two, Dr. Ranjeev Singh cause of this, their bodies were wrapped.

He used the opportunity to apologize to both families for the inconvenience that the mix-up caused.

The Charity mortuary where the mix-up took place

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People’s trust in CPC on rise, surveys find –– Respondents satisfied with Party’s role in leading pandemic fight, poverty relief

By ZHANG YI | China Daily CHINESE people’s satisfaction and trust in the century-old Communist Party of China has been on the rise, driven by the Party leading the country in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and eliminating extreme poverty, according to reports and analysts.

Earlier this month, an image circulated online moved many netizens. Three epidemic-control workers dressed in white protective suits were seen in a fast-moving vehicle carrying medical supplies into driving wind and rain along a street in Guangzhou, Guangdong province’s capital, which was recently hit by a new outbreak of COVID-19.

A red Party flag attached to the vehicle fluttered above the workers’ heads, its bright color standing out in the dim light.

The image was taken by a resident in Liwan district, a high-risk area where the first locally transmitted case was reported in the latest outbreak, on June 2. He shared it on the microblogging service Sina Weibo and wrote: “In the rainstorm, it is you who carry this flag to charge to the front. Pay tribute to the heroes in harm’s way.”

Many netizens commented that the Party flag made them feel at ease. One wrote, “The Party flag always flutters high on the front line”, and another commented “At critical moments, Party members will surely step up.”

The Party’s flag is reassuring to the Chinese people, especially after the strong leadership shown by Party organizations in implementing epidemic control measures beginning last year, and the arduous efforts of millions of Party members to eradicate absolute poverty in China.

A survey conducted by the University of California’s China Data Lab showed support for the government among the Chinese public has risen, with the average level of trust in the central government increasing from 8.23 in June 2019 to 8.87 in May last year, measured on a scale of one to 10.

When respondents were asked whether they preferred living under China’s political system compared with others, the percentage of respondents who preferred China’s system increased

from 70 percent to 83 percent over the same period.

A long-term Harvard University survey released last year found that Chinese citizens’ satisfaction with the Party and the government has increased across the board, with the central government receiving a strong level of approval of 93 percent in 2016, the end of the survey period.

From the impact of broad national policies to the conduct of local town officials, Chinese citizens rate the government as more capable and effective than ever before, according to the report from the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation under the Harvard Kennedy School.

“The most striking feature of our survey’s data since 2003 is the near universal increase in Chinese citizens’ average satisfaction toward all four levels of government,” the authors said in the report.

The independent survey drew on in-person interviews with more than 31,000 individuals from urban and rural areas between 2003 and 2016 to offer a look at how ordinary Chinese citizens felt about the government.

These trends are likely continuing today, Edward Cunningham, one of the authors of the report and director of the Ash Center China Programs at the Harvard Kennedy School, said in an article published by the Christian Science Monitor in February.

He cited the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak as an example, and said as the central government engaged in lockdowns and the situation improved, satisfaction with its actions had increased and spread to views of local governments.

A survey of 5,865 people issued last month by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ China Anti-Corruption Research Center showed 96 percent of respondents were satisfied with the epidemic control work. Over 90 percent said the government demonstrated good transparency and adjustment of policies to suit actual conditions were effective, according to the survey conducted in the second half of last year.

Zhang Wanhong, executive director of the Institute for Human Rights Studies at Wuhan University, said: “As a resident of Wuhan, I feel that people’s satisfaction with the Party has been great-

ly improved, especially after the country resumed social stability after the big test of the epidemic and took the lead in realizing economic recovery. The Party is highly resilient and able to adapt to developments and meet different challenges.”

Zhang recalled when the outbreak happened in Wuhan, Hubei province. Faced with the unprecedented epidemic, the Party and government quickly summed up what measures were necessary, including organizing community-level prevention and control and using big data to assess the crisis.

The Chinese government’s epidemic prevention and control measures were successful as it adhered to the concept of putting life first and providing fair treatment, Zhang said.

“People’s feeling of gratitude toward the Party is genuine and simple because their lives and interests have been well protected,” he said.

PROSPEROUS LIVES The Party’s people-centered approach is also reflected in its commitment to improving living standards and promoting equality.

Last year, China accomplished its goal of eliminating extreme poverty and entered a new development stage.

The Harvard survey said Chinese citizens reported that the government’s provision of healthcare, welfare and other essential public services was by 2016 far better and more equitable than when the survey began in 2003. People in poorer and inland regions were more likely to report increases in satisfaction, resulting from the provision of basic services.

The life of Peng Xiaying, 53, a resident of Shenshan, a village located in the mountains of Jinggangshan, Jiangxi province, has improved dramatically in the past few years under poverty relief policies.

The village had poor infrastructure, and the villagers walked on dirt roads and lived in adobe houses. Women from outside the village were discouraged from marrying Shenshan men to avoid a life of poverty.

Peng’s household used to be one of the poorest in the village, and the family mainly relied on her to earn a meager income from farming due to her husband’s disability.

Epidemic-control workers brave the rain to transport medical supplies to fight COVID-19 in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, earlier this month. Photo provided to CHINA DAILY In 2015, the local government arranged targeted poverty relief projects in Shenshan and helped villagers develop tea and yellow peach industries. They also built a parking lot, installed streetlights and helped the villagers renovate their houses.

With the help of the government, development of the tourism industry and more visitors, Peng opened the first homestay in the village with her husband in 2016.The guests eat at the homestay and often buy handmade bamboo baskets and chopsticks, which help the family earn about 110,000 yuan ($17,200) a year.

“Now every household has its own business.

Some make snacks, some sell handicrafts and local products. With the government’s support and our own hard work, I believe the future will be more beautiful,” she said.

BETTER IMAGES The Harvard report showed that Chinese grassroots officials were viewed as kind and knowledgeable problem solvers who were concerned with the difficulties of ordinary people and not just talking about them.

They were far less likely to be beholden to the wealthy or concerned about their own interests, the survey found.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences report also said 80 percent of respondents believed that all or most of the problems reported to the government could be solved, that officials were fair in handling subsistence allowances, and it was easier for them to interact with the government.

Zhang, from Wuhan University, said the Party is made up of individual members and grassroots officials.

Party members had demonstrated a good image to the public through their efficient and orderly work, despite risks and pressure.

He said residents in Wuhan had formed a stronger bond with community staff members who cared for residents, especially senior citizens who live alone.

“When my university campus was quarantined last year, volunteers who are Party members worked on the front line. They patrolled the campus, delivered meals and daily necessities to residents,” he recalled.

“The Party won the hearts of the people because of its people-centered philosophy;

governing for, and depending on the people,” Zhang said. “The Chinese people are increasingly aware that the Party cares about their interests, which is different from many political parties in the West.”

In March, while responding to a question regarding ruling legitimacy in China during a video interview, Elizabeth J. Perry, the Henry Rosovsky Professor of Government at Harvard University and Director of the Harvard-Yenching Institute, said that the only people who can really answer the question are the Chinese people themselves.

Legitimacy is a right to rule and it’s the people who decide whether their government has a right to rule, she said.

All of the public opinion polls which have asked Chinese people how they feel about various policies and government at different levels have, in general, come back with “a very rosy picture”, she said.

“They (Chinese people) seem to feel on the whole satisfied that their government is basically looking out for the interests of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation,” she said.

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Greater protection for Venezuelan women, girls from gender-based violence

THE High Commission of Canada, on Tuesday, signed a contribution agreement for a new project that will be executed by HIAS Guyana, entitled “Increasing protection and awareness for vulnerable Venezuelan women and adolescent girls in Guyana who are survivors or at risk of gender-based violence (GBV).”

According to a release, the project aims to address some of the needs of the Venezuelan migrant population in local communities, specifically with a focus on providing gender-based violence prevention and responsive services to migrant women and girls currently residing in Port Kaituma, Georgetown and Bartica.

Canadian High Commissioner, Mark K. Berman, pointed out that there are over 5.6 million Venezuelans who have left or fled their homes since 2015, with over 4.6 million remaining in the region. He shared that on a large scale, Canada is supporting the migrant population by hosting the next International Donors’ Conference in solidarity with Venezuelan refugees and migrants, on Thursday, June 17,

2021. This, he said, is being done in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and that Guyana will also be a participant in the conference.

At the conference, Canada will be collaborating with various partners to bring forward the voices of those affected by the crisis with the objective of highlighting the progress achieved to date, raising awareness of key opportunities and priorities including the impact on women and girls, mobilising additional resources and identifying future actions to maintain focus on the crisis.

Funding from the 2020 International Donors’ Conference provided food, health, protection and cash-based assistance to the Venezuelan migrants and refugees including women and girls. Due to the crisis, many of the migrants are placed in vulnerable situations.

High Commissioner Berman, in his remarks, noted that the needs are growing for the Venezuelan migrant community and the partnership with HIAS in Guyana is timely given the global call for support

Canadian High Commissioner, Mark Berman and Country Manager for HIAS Guyana, Alex Theran signing the agreement

at the upcoming conference, as well as Guyana being a host country for Venezuelan migrants.

“The Government of Canada, through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, is thrilled to be associated with this project. I am also pleased that our government has contributed in a very tangible way to supporting the Venezuelan migrant communities in Guyana. I must commend HIAS Guyana for the valuable work being undertaken,” he said.

This new project being undertaken in Guyana, the release said, will provide services to migrant women, adolescent girls and LGBTQI+ identified survivors of gen-

der-based violence. The needs of these individuals will be assessed to provide psychosocial support, legal assistance and the implementation of an action plan for the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of

the cases.

Through the project, dignity kits (hygiene and self care products) will also be distributed to the women, girls and other gender-based violence survivors to promote physical well-being, alleviate family budget constraints and ensure they can move around despite their periods. The kits will also include health and protection information which will raise awareness on hygiene, reproductive health and gender-based violence.

In her remarks, Country Director for HIAS, Alex Theran, thanked Canada for its support of the project and said “The responsibility of hosting people who have been displaced from another country is

a responsibility for the whole world and it really gives me a lot of hope when I see incredible countries such as Canada, who have a strong track record of supporting refugees and displaced people, stepping up and supporting women and girls here in Guyana.”

The project will be executed over the course of one year.

HIAS is an international Jewish humanitarian organisation that provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers in 16 countries. It advocates for the rights of refugees to rebuild their lives and seek to create a world in which they find welcome, safety, and opportunity.

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Allicock breaks Guyana’s 25-year Boxing Olympic jinx

My only regret is my father not being here to live this dream with me – Keevin Allicock

By Rawle Toney WHILE the sport of boxing in Guyana celebrates the news of Keevin Allicock qualifying for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, for the 2017 Youth Commonwealth Games silver medallist, it’s a bitter-sweet moment.

In an exclusive interview with NCN Sport, Keevin shared that the sad part is that his father, Leonard Allicock, whom he credits for his brothers and himself lacing-up the gloves, would not be here to see him realise his Olympic dream.

Allicock will become the first boxer in 25 years to compete at the Olympics. John Douglas, Guyana’s flag-bearer for the 1996 Olympic Games, was the last boxer to represent the Golden Arrowhead at the IOC’s flagship event. He, however, had lost in the first round of his light heavyweight clash with Germany’s Thomas Ulrich, who went on to claim bronze.

Guyana's lone Olympic medal (bronze) came from the sport of boxing when

Michael Parris reached the semi-finals at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

“My father trained a lot of my brothers and sisters and I’ve made a lot of sacrifices just to show him that I can do it; just to show him that I can be the one. I can fly the flag, I can make him proud. I'm so overwhelmed that he’s not here. This is all I ever wanted. I used to pray and ask God to let him live so that he can see me do this,” an emotional Allicock said.

The Albouystown resident believes that his trip to the Olympics is an opportunity for him to make amends for his controversial defeats at the Commonwealth Games in Australia and the World Boxing Champions.

Allicock’s selection by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Boxing Task Force is being labelled as a “joyous moment for boxing in Guyana,” according to president of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle.

Ninvalle, who was recently appointed as the country’s Director of Sport, said Allicock heading to the Olympics ``underlines that our executive has been on the right track. It has been 25 years since we had someone

qualify for the Olympics. We will need all aboard to increase his chances of medalling or even bettering the bronze that we won in 1980.”

“Congrats to Keevin, who celebrated his 22nd birthday a few days ago. From a personal standpoint I was confident that he would have qualified. He now joins boxers from Antigua, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago as CARICOM representatives in Tokyo,” an elated Ninvalle pointed out.

Meanwhile, for Sebert Blake, Allicock’s coach, his boxer’s achievement will be shared by all his gym-mates from the Forgotten Youth Foundation Gym, since many will be sharing his dream of competing at the highest stage of amateur boxing.

“I’m elated,” Blake said.

“It’s a dream that came true not only for him as a boxer, but for myself as a coach.

I’ve always had the dream of coaching a boxer to the Olympics. As a boxer myself, I never got to reach that level.

I went to two qualifiers (1996 and 2000) and I gave-up and moved on to the other level and said I’m going to coach a boxer to the Olympics,” Blake told Chronicle Sport.

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to the latest International Boxing Association (AIBA) rankings.

Delon Allicock, Keevin’s older brother, was the last Guyanese boxer to be highly-ranked by AIBA and was also coached by Blake.

Desmond Amsterdam, Colin Lewis, Dennis Thomas and Canada-based Taveena Kum, the lone female, were the other boxers hoping to pick-up one of 49 spots for the Tokyo Olym-

pic Games at the American Boxing Confederation (AMBC), Qualifiers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which were scheduled for May. All 49 (33 for men, 16 for women) quota places of the Americas Olympic Boxing Qualifiers will be allocated via the Boxing Task Force Ranking.

“Keevin’s qualification just shows the need for exposure,” Ninvalle said, as he explained that in the absence of a qualification

tournament, Ranking points were then used and Guyana would’ve made it to Tokyo through a tripartite request.

“We will need all resources and all hands-ondeck if we are to get him anywhere near a medal round. This includes international training camps which we’re working. We intend to do the best that we (GBA) can to make him competitive at the up-coming Olympics,” Ninvalle said.

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Aussies awarded prizemoney ahead of WTC final AUSTRALIA'S Test side have netted themselves US$450 000 (A$583 000) for finishing third in the inaugural World Test Championship, as the ICC revealed the winners of this week's final will receive US$1.6M. New Zealand and India will meet at Southampton's Rose Bowl from Friday, with US$800 000 on offer for the runners-up, while the $2.4M prize pool will be split evenly if the match is a draw or a tie.

The winner will also claim the Test Championship mace, which had pre-

viously been awarded to the team that held the top spot on the Test team rankings at the ICC's annual April cut-off date.

Australia missed the opportunity to push for a spot in the World Test Championship final when the threeTest tour of South Africa was cancelled in February.

They were also docked four WTC points by the ICC (in addition to a fine of 40 per cent of players' match fees) for falling two overs short of the target over-rate in the Boxing Day Test.

QUICK SINGLE

'Really slack': Langer laments pivotal MCG breach That penalty came back to bite them when the South Africa tour was cancelled, which confirmed New Zealand's spot in the WTC final.

India then beat England in a home series to ensure they also made the final.

England finished fourth, and will pick up US$350 000 while fifth-placed Pakistan claim US$200 000 while West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will each receive US$100 000.

Ahead of this week's

Ashwin, Jadeja in India WTC final 15-man squad THE Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a 15-member squad for the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand, which is set to get underway at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton from Friday.

The strength of the squad when announced initially by the board was 20. However, the same has been trimmed down by five with Axar Patel, KL Rahul, Shardul Thakur, Mayank Agarwal and Washington Sundar failing to get a go-ahead.

India selectors were likely to opt for Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma to pair as openers, which decision stands confirmed with Agarwal’s axing. Notably, Gill shone brightly during India’s Australia tour last year and played a crucial hand in India securing the historic victory at Gabba, Brisbane.

Meanwhile, questions remain on what the team’s bowling unit would wear.

After Shardul Thakur’s exit, India have pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav to choose from. Given the pace troika of Bumrah-Sharma-Shami has reaped immense success, it remains highly likely for the team to stick with the combination

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja

despite Siraj’s excellent debut series Down Under.

It boils down to the choice of fielding four pacers and a spinner versus three pacers and two spinners. A final decision in this regard is understood will be taken after the team gets to take a look at the final surface for the marquee clash.

Indian squad has no leg-spinners, while Axar Patel and Washinton Sundar are missing out, There are only Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin to choose as spinners. While Sundar had an impressive tour of Australia and managed to emulate a similar performance against England at home, Patel had a record-breaking debut series against the latter, where he bagged 27 wickets from

merely three Tests. That said, the experience of Ashwin and Jadeja has pipped them.

Further, the team has retained Wriddhiman Saha in the 15-member squad alongside Rishabh Pant, who remains to be the preferred choice for keeping after sensational performances against Australia, followed by the home series against England.

India’s squad for WTC final: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha. (CricTracker)

final, which will be broadcast in Australia by Fox Cricket and Kayo, ICC has confirmed the percentage points system that was introduced last November in response to the large number of cancelled series due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is to remain in place for the next cycle that runs until 2023.

"We are going to stick with the percentage of points won method to rank teams," ICC acting chief executive Geoff Allardice said.

"That percentage I think served us well in the second half of the competition.

"One of the things that happened during this cycle was that it became evident that not everyone was going

to complete the six series as a result of postponements.

"Because we have had teams playing uneven number of series, we made it a point to tweak the points system and make it as fair as possible."

"Now we can put a standardised number of points per Test match, it doesn't matter whether it is a twoTest or a five-Test series.

"The same number of points will be available for each match that's played.

Every team will be judged on the percentage of points and not on the total."

Allardice also hailed the success of the WTC in adding more context to the five-day game.

"Twelve months ago we

were looking ahead with great uncertainty, halfway through the first cycle of the Test Championship," Allardice said.

"But as we led up to the last couple of series in the competition we had four teams in the running for the two spots in the final and in the minds of a lot of people those last three or four months painted a picture of what the future might look like for the WTC. "It was obvious that the interest in certain series wasn't just restricted to the two teams involved.

It was coming from all over the cricketing world and to bring that sort of context to Test cricket has been a real step forward."

New Zealand pick Ajaz Patel ahead of Mitchell Santner for WTC final NEW Zealand have dropped spinner Mitchell Santner for this week's World Test Championship (WTC) final against India, with left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel set to play in Southampton after his impressive display against England at Edgbaston.

The Black Caps have unveiled their final 15-man squad for the inaugural WTC Final, with skipper Kane Williamson and gloveman BJ Watling both expected to play having missed the Edgbaston Test last week.

The return of the senior duo is expected to see Will Young, who made 82 at Edgbaston, and Tom Blundell drop out of the side.

All-rounder Colin de Grandhomme has also returned after missing the Edgbaston Test, taking the place of fellow all-rounder Daryl Mitchell.

Santner was picked for the first Test against England at Lord's but was below his best due to a finger injury. He was replaced in Birmingham

Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel

by Patel, another left-arm finger spinner who impressed in taking four wickets for the match.

And Patel, 32, showed enough to unseat Santner for the historic match on England's south coast.

The Kiwis still have a selection headache to wade through after they secured a historic series win over England despite missing several first-choice players.

Paceman Matt Henry is set to be axed for the WTC Final despite being named player-of-the-match at Edgbaston, with Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner all at Stead's disposal.

The bowling depth could also spell bad news for de

Grandhomme, who normally bats at number seven and offers a fifth bowling option with his medium pace. However, the Black Caps could opt for a four-man pace attack alongside Patel, a move that would weaken the lower order batting and see Jamieson bat at number seven.

But if the Kiwis decide to boost their batting and stick with de Grandhomme, that would either mean dropping their only spin option (Patel) or one of their four star seamers.

The WTC Final is the culmination of two years of Test cricket in the new-look format, with a total of 24 series played across the world between nine countries.

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Will Young. (cricket.com.au)

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Ronaldo sets new Euros goalscoring record as Portugal beat Hungary CRISTIANO Ronaldo set a new European Championship goalscoring record as Portugal got their title defence off to a winning start with a 3-0 victory over Hungary in Budapest.

The Juventus forward’s 10th goal at the finals, via a late penalty, saw him surpass Michel Platini’s tally of nine, all of which were scored in the 1984 edition, and he added another in injury time to get to 11.

There was an element of relief for the Portugal captain as, embarrassingly for a player of his quality, he had missed a sitter to break the deadlock at the end of the first half.

That had emboldened Hungary to maintain their defensive resilience, only for it to be broken in an awful three-minute period for Willi

Orban.

Six minutes from time Raphael Guerreiro’s shot took a huge deflection off the centre-back to give goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi no chance, and Orban then pulled back Rafa Silva to concede Ronaldo’s record-breaking penalty.

The 36-year-old, also setting another record in becoming the first player to feature and also score in five championships, then capped things off with his 106th international goal in 176 appearances after a smart passing move in the penalty area.

Only Spain a decade ago have successfully retained their title and Portugal started with six of the Euro 2016 winners in their team for this Group F opener in front of a 61,000-strong crowd at the

Puskas Arena, a ground used by the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City for Champions League matches due to coronavirus restrictions.

Portugal’s firepower was vastly superior to their hosts but for a long period their big names fluffed their lines.

Ronaldo was furious when Diogo Jota opted to shoot rather than pass from the first chance of the game and while the Liverpool forward later saw a shot on the turn also saved by goalkeeper Gulacsi, himself a former Red, Ronaldo’s efforts were arguably worse.

He toe-ended a volley into Gulacsi, only to then be flagged offside and then flicked a header wide.

However, the most glaring miss saw him blaze over unmarked from six yards from Bruno Fernandes’ cross

Hawks, Clippers both win to level series TRAE Young scored 25 points as Atlanta Hawks held on to win 103-100 at home to the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the NBA play-offs.

Monday's win levelled their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final series at 2.

The Western Conference semi-final between Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz is also level at 2.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George both scored 31 points as Clippers beat the top seeds 118-104.

The Clippers' Marcus Morris scored 22 of his 24 points during a first half in which the LA side, who lost the first two games in the series, led by as many as 29 points at one stage.

Utah trailed 68-44 at halftime but Joe Ingles drained a three-pointer to pull them within 112-102 with just over two minutes left in Los Angeles.

But the hosts scored six of the next seven points en route to closing it out, with Donovan Mitchell's gamehigh 37 points coming in vain for Utah, despite his tying a franchise play-off record of

Trae Young (left) tied his career-high of 18 assists, to go with a game-high 25 points for the Hawks.

six straight 30-point outings held by Hall of Famer Karl Malone (1995-96).

Leonard left the contest with 4:35 remaining, less than a minute after grabbing his right knee following a collision with Ingles.

Atlanta overcame an 18-point deficit in the second quarter against Philadelphia, the top seeds in the Eastern Conference.

The other Eastern Conference semi-final is also tied 2-2, but Kyrie Irving will join James Harden on Brooklyn

Nets' sidelines for game five after suffering a sprained right ankle on Sunday.

Irving was injured during Nets' loss in game four with Milwaukee Bucks after a collision with Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA's Most Valuable Player for the previous two seasons.

Nets coach Steve Nash said the play was "awkward" rather than "dirty" and that he has "no idea" whether Irving will be fit to play later in the series.

(BBC Sport)

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a late brace against Hungary.

just before half-time.

Hungary were concentrating so much on keeping

out their opponents, chances for them were limited, with the best seeing Adam

Szalai’s weak header easily caught by Rui Patricio.

Gulacsi saved a Pepe header at the start of the second half and then tipped a swerving, low drive from Fernandes around a post, and while Hungary’s defensive organisation was not the slickest, it was good enough to raise Portugal’s frustration levels.

Substitute Szabolcs Schon thought he had snatched an historic victory 10 minutes from time when he cut in from the right to beat Patricio at his near post but a late offside flag was confirmed by VAR and the celebrations were cut short.

Joy then turned to despair as Portugal scored three goals in eight minutes, with Ronaldo stealing the limelight once again.

(PA Sport)

Hummels own-goal helps France beat Germany WORLD champions France started their Euro 2020 campaign with a win over Germany thanks to a Mats Hummels' own goal in a high-quality heavyweight Group F match.

Hummels - recalled for this tournament after being told by coach Joachim Low in 2019 that his international career was over - diverted Lucas Hernandez's cross into his own net in the first half of a fascinating contest in Munich.

Tournament favourites France were marginally the better of the two sides, but appeared to be in third gear for much of it.

Paul Pogba sent the ball over the bar from a corner

with his shoulder, Kylian Mbappe had an angled shot saved, he and Karim Benzema had goals ruled out for offside and Adrian Rabiot hit the outside of the post.

Germany came into the finals with big questions over their best XI as well as their chances of success after an uncharacteristically turbulent few years, but proved typically competitive finals opponents.

Thomas Muller - another player recalled after being jettisoned by Low - headed wide, with Ilkay Gundogan slicing an effort past the post from a good position in the box and Serge Gnabry seeing a shot deflected on to the roof

of the net.

It was not just the actual football that was of interest either. There was a hint that Germany defender Antonio Rudiger may have bitten the shoulder of Pogba in the first half, although replays proved inconclusive.

This came after a Greenpeace protestor had parachuted into the stadium, shedding equipment as he crashed to the pitch before being hurried away by security.

France's win means they and Portugal, who beat Hungary 3-0 in Budapest earlier yesterday, have taken the early initiative in a highly competitive Group F. (BBC Sport)

Mats Hummels scored Germany's first-ever own goal at a European Championship.

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Reality check and opening dilemma for West Indies AFTER four consecutive Tests without a defeat, West Indies have returned to the norm in recent years, after a feeble showing with the bat yet again.

The short period without a Test defeat was hailed as a great accomplishment of this current squad, as the previous stretch of an unbeaten run in Test was since 2012.

Between August 2012 and May 2013, under the leadership of Darren Sammy, West Indies won six consecutive Tests – defeated New Zealand (2-0), Bangladesh (2-0), and Zimbabwe (2-0).

West Indies hold the record for the most consecutive Tests – 27 – without a defeat.

It is a feat they accomplished between January 1982 and December 1984.

The jolt of reality that in order to consistently beat top sides in Test cricket the fundamentals of batting and bowling must be present was brought at a rapid pace by South Africa in St. Lucia.

South Africa are ranked seventh in Test, just one below West Indies, but the latter have never won the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy, and by losing the first Test, the trophy will return home with the Proteas, irrespective of the result in the second Test which starts June 18.

With the decision to appoint Kraigg Brathwaite as full-time captain after the sensational success in Bangladesh, there were numerous positive signs with the hardfought series draw with Sri Lanka that followed.

The confidence trans-

ferred to tactics, as they opted to bat first in seam-friendly conditions.

It was the first time since January 2019, when they defeated England at Bridgetown, that they won the toss in Test outside of Asia and opted to bat first.

The rest is history - bundled out for 97 – as the Proteas ‘fire’ rocked the hosts, who eventually lost the match by an innings and 63 runs.

It was their 200th loss in Test cricket and sixth innings defeat in 253 Tests played at home.

Head coach Phil Simmons, in response to a question whether the loss was a reality check, stated at the post-match media briefing:

“I know it will definitely be for me. I don’t take things for granted, we played well in four Test matches but that is only the start of how you have to get up the table and how much you have to play and this has shown us there is still a lot of work to be done which we kept reiterating with the players last week.

There is a lot of work still to be done, so we need to keep working.”

NO HOPE IN HOPE? Arguably, one of the best batting talents in the Caribbean, Shai Hope continues to dumbfound many as to why his prowess for One-Day International runs, where he averages 53.74, is not trans-

Shai Hope continues to underperform at Test level.

South Africa shocked West Indies back into the reality that there is still much to improve if they are going to consistently beat top teams.

ferred to the Test arena where he averages 25.87 after 66 innings.

In the role of an opener, Hope produced scores of 68 (for President’s XI versus Sri Lanka in March), followed by 79 and 106 in the ‘Best v Best’ Four-Day match, which merited his return to the Test squad. He was dropped after the England tour in July last year.

However, his returns were 15 (opening) and 12 (batting at three) in the first Test.

Simmons was questioned whether it is the “comfortable role” for Hope and he expressed, “I think you would have to ask Shai Hope if he is comfortable as an opener. I think he has the ability to bat anywhere in the top six where he wants to bat and it is a case where this is the position he was asked to go because of where he scored his runs

leading into the Test.”

The numbers suggest he is better suited in the middle-order but with strong performances from Nkrumah Bonner, Kyle Mayers and the return of Roston Chase, it is extremely difficult for him to find a spot.

Hope averages 50.00 while batting at number five, where he also has his Testbest of 147, and 32.70 at number four while as an opener he averages 14.40 with a best of 36 and in the number three position the average is 17.00.

OPENING CONUNDRUM From December 2014 to the present, Brathwaite had six different opening partners - Devon Smith, Shai Hope, Rajendra Chandrika, Kieran Powell, Leon Johnson, and John Campbell – all of whom brought little success.

The lone century stand – 113 – was between Smith and Brathwaite against Bangladesh in July 2018.

“That is one of the things we have been trying to work on very desperately because if you watch back when we won Test matches against top teams, we have good opening stands. That has not been happening and we are working very hard on that.”

He added, “It is disappointing because when you look at the last seven Test hundreds scored by an opener, I think they are all scored by Kraigg; so it is disappointing for us and we are trying to work very hard on that.”

Powell, who averages 26.64 after 77 innings, and last played Test cricket in November 2018 on West Indies tour of Bangladesh, is another recalled opener in the current squad.

Gavaskar picks Sir Garfield Sobers as the greatest all-rounder FORMER legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar had to deal with

many of those pitches but he used to come on top of some, while on some he

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Answers in tomorrow’s issue

would get battered and bruised.

The former opening batter scored over 10000 runs and has batted on some of the quickest and bounciest surfaces like Perth, Jamaica, Brisbane, and more. But he feels the one pitch in Chennai was the hardest one deal with.

Speaking about the match where India had hosted West Indies where the batter was taken aback by the pitch which was on offer, he said, “The hardest pitch that I have played on was in Chennai in 1978 against the West Indies. It was the fastest pitch that I played on.”

“I’ve played at Sabina Park on a couple of occasions where the ball was flying. I’ve played at Perth.

I’ve played at the Gabba where the ball was travelling,” Gavaskar said on The Cricket Analyst podcast.

“I’ve played on a rainfresh pitch at Sydney when Jeff Thomson was really letting it rip. But that pitch in Chennai with Sylvester Clarke. The ball was just flying around. I think that’s the most difficult pitch I’ve batted on.”

During his time, Gavaskar played with and against the likes of Sir Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Sir Garfield Sobers, Imran Khan,

Sir Garfield Sobers

and Richard Hadlee, who were all considered as one of the best allrounders to have ever graced the game.

When asked to pick one, the

former opener went with Sobers due to his sheer brilliance in all aspects of the game.

“The greatest allrounder that I saw was Sir Garfield Sobers because he was quite simply somebody who could change the game with the bat, he could change the game with the ball. He could change the game by taking an incredible catch close in or even in the outfield.

But that impact that he had and the number of matches he turned with both bat and ball is the reason why he was the greatest allrounder that I have ever seen,” he said.

(CricTracker)

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Holder calls for proper management of pacer Seales FORMER West Indies Test captain Jason Holder is adamant that for the promising pacer Jayden Seales to reach his potential, Cricket West Indies (CWI) will have to manage the young lad properly going forward.

The 19-year-old, who had played just one firstclass match prior to his Test debut against South Africa in St Lucia, bowled with great pace and consistency and took 3-75.

“The most impressive thing about his debut is the sustenance of his consistency, he was there nagging and asking tons of questions with his consistency for a 19-year-old and I think the sky is the limit for him if he can stay fit,” the former skipper stated at yesterday’s virtual media briefing.

Holder added, “I just hope we manage him. We got to understand that this is his second first-class game and the body will take a bit of time to adjust to the workload. We got to be very careful not to bowl him to the ground.

“Sometimes we get excited with a young prospect such as Jayden and we throw him into all three formats. I would personally like to see

a gradual build-up into the three formats if that is the direction CWI wants to go.”

Holder, fielding in second-slip, completed the dismissal of Keegan Petersen to give Seales his first Test scalp.

The former skipper exuded immense emotions after taking the catch and said he was overjoyed for the lad from Trinidad and Tobago.

“I am excited for Jayden.

It was special to see not only the way he bowled but the way the team rallied around him. I was commenting on his first Test wicket and everyone was saying how they really enjoyed how we got around him. I honestly felt I was taking my first Test wicket when Jayden got Petersen, but it is a pleasing note for me.”

Seales, a former West Indies Under-19 pacer, played at the 2020 Youth World Cup in South Africa and excited many with his pace and aggression.

He later impressed at the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which earned him a spot on the tour to New Zealand.

Seales took 3-43 and 1-23 in the recent ‘Best v Best’ match which led to his Test selection.

Jayden Seales celebrates a wicket on his debut Test against South Africa.

Tendulkar gives NZ slight edge in WTC final THE final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) will see a highly-anticipated encounter between India and New Zealand.

Going into the WTC final, the Blackcaps have a massive advantage as they were recently involved in a two-match Test series against England. The Kiwis won the Test series by 1-0 and also got a chance to get back to the rhythm and adapt themselves to the English playing conditions.

India, on the other hand, are relying on intra-squad matches and training sessions to prepare themselves for the showpiece event. Former Indian skipper and legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar didn’t seem happy with the England and New Zealand Test series as he asserted that the series should have been played after the WTC final.

Tendulkar argued that both India and New Zealand should have gotten an equal chance to prepare for the WTC. The Indian veteran believes that playing the Test series against England has provided an edge to the Kane Williamson-led side.

“I don’t know when New Zealand vs England series was decided. I’d like to believe that it was decided way in advance, way before New Zealand booked their spot in the Final. Maybe it’s a coincidence. This England vs New Zealand series was not going to contribute to the WTC Final ... so maybe the WTC Final first and then this series (could have been staged).

“This is, without any doubt, another way to look at it. New Zealand will have that slight edge because they’ve played the two Tests against England while India

Former India captain and legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar

haven’t had practice matches except for playing between themselves,” Tendulkar remarked, as quoted by Times of India.

Further, in the interaction, Sachin also opined on hosting the WTC final as

a three-match affair. The Indian veteran believes that playing just one match as the WTC final is unfair as there is no continuity. The Mumbai-born also believes that the teams have played two to three games in a series to reach the top spot and thus the same pattern should be followed for the finals too.

“Where’s the continuity?

It should actually be a World Test Championship series, not just one match. Because to get to this point, you’ve played Test series involving two or three Tests or more.

So, it shouldn’t have just been a World Test Championship Final but the World Test Championship Final Series. Because you’ve played series to get to this point,” said the former India batsman, who has played a record 200 Test matches. (CricTracker)

Phoenix CC dominate MMZ in Caribbean Fest 40-over clash PHOENIX Cricket Club registered a surprising 125run victory against fellow pro-Guyanese club MetenMeer-Zorg NY when action in the New York National Cricket League (NYNCL) Caribbean Fest 40-over competition continued over the weekend.

Sunday’s defeat has pushed the previously unbeaten MMZ side to second place in Group B and has lifted Phoenix CC to sixth in the same group.

Most of the 20 teams in the two groups are pro-Guyanese sides.

In the latest clash, Phoenix CC won the toss and opted to bat first. Led by former Essequibo U-19 cricketer Mahendra Persaud, the side propelled themselves to 232 before they were bowled out in the 37th over.

Persaud, who captained the side, paced his half-century. His 58 came from 45 balls and included seven sixes and a four. Support came from Keniemo Alphonso who scored 48 from 40 balls (3x4s, 4x6). Opener Reyad Mohammed 31 (4x4, 1x6) and middle-order batsman Brandon Cabose 28 (3x6) also played their parts.

Bowling for MMZ, pacers Navin Stewart and Kelvin Shewprasad took seven wickets between them. Stew-

The Phoenix CC outplayed their opponents in the clash.

art finished with 4-62 from eight overs and Shewprasad 3-31 from 7.4 overs. Rickey Kisson also grabbed two wickets.

In reply, former National U-19 cricketer Looknauth Chinkoo 35 runs (21 balls, 1x4, 3x6) and former Berbice

all-rounder Terrence Madramootoo 37 (22 balls, 3x4, 4x6) played a few shots and added 74 for the third wicket after MMZ lost their openers early.

The resistance folded with Chinkoo and Madramootoo, as spin-bowling

from Samuel Raghubir (4-10, 5 overs), skipper Persaud (315, 5.1 overs) and Brandon Cabose (2-46, 4.3 overs) resulted in MMZ being dismissed for 107 in 18.3 overs.

The teams are almost halfway through the competition.

Allicock breaks Guyana’s 25-year Boxing Olympic jinx

PAGE

27

My only regret is my father not being here to live this dream with me – Keevin Allicock

Keevin Allicock

FLASHBACK! Keevin Allicock (L) and his coach Sebert Blake showing off his silver medal won at the 2017 Youth Commonwealth Games in The Bahamas.

Maximo stays!

GFF president plays down talks of firing Golden Jaguars head coach

By Rawle Toney FOLLOWING Guyana’s dismal performance in the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar Qualifiers where they were booted out of the first round, there has been mounting calls for the country’s National football team’s head coach, Marcio Maximo, to step down.

However, it doesn’t look like the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will be giving-in to the pressure of firing the Brazilian.

Wayne Forde, president of the GFF, at a press conference yesterday, said their plan is to allow Maximo to focus on seeing Guyana qualify for the Round-of-16 at the CONCACAF Gold Cup next month.

“What I would like to say to the general public and to those who may have expressed their views about the head coach’s future with Guyana football is that we have to bring much more to bear in out deliberation and consideration before we make those very significant decisions,” Forde said responding to a question asked by Chronicle Sport about coach Maximo’s future with the programme.

According to Forde, “The fans and the public, as one would expect, they’re expectation is consistent high performance and we were unable to do that this time around. But that does not mean that we would be making hasty decisions before we would’ve considered all the factors.”

He lamented that “the leadership of the GFF will continue to examine the entire programme and the decisions, that are necessary to give us the results that not only we (the GFF) expect but the nation expects, will be made as the situation demands.”

DISMAL PERFORMANCE The Golden Jaguars were placed alongside Trinidad and Tobago, eventual group-winners St Kitts and Nevis, Puerto

Rico and The Bahamas. It was Maximo’s first taste of World Cup qualifying football for Guyana.

Guyana’s only victory came against The Bahamas (4-0), as Maximo went on to be defeated by Soca Warriors (0-3), St Kitts and Nevis (0-3) and Puerto Rico (0-2).

Forde, told the Media at the GFF’s National Training Centre at Providence yesterday, that the Golden Jaguars’ 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign did not go as GFF had planned or expected, stating that they are all very disappointed.

“While there are positives to take away from each game, not least the promising performances of our young talent, it was heart-breaking to see the team consistently conceding soft goals in the early stages of the three games that we lost,” the GFF boss noted.

Forde said following on from the Golden Jaguars’ historic qualification and appearance at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which was further cemented by the team’s solid performances in each game, “we can surely understand the high expectations of the fans and other stakeholders, and we share in their disappointment”.

GFF has consistently stated that its strategic focus is to qualify for the expanded FIFA 2026 World Cup, as Forde mentioned “while four years may seem to be a long time ahead, it is our intention to start the integration of new talent into the national team programme now by building a squad that will reach its peak in time for that qualification process.”

LOOKING AHEAD GFF, Forde noted, “also understands the importance of maintaining public confidence as we pursue this ambitious goal.

As a stepping stone towards this ultimate goal, it was one of the senior men’s national team’s targets this year to reach the second phase of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We

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GFF president Wayne Forde (right) and Golden Jaguars head coach Marcio Maximo

would, therefore, have to accept that, while the successful integration of some potential stars of the future can be considered an encouraging step forward, the recent performance of the team fell short of creating the momentum we had hoped for.”

While it is critical that we begin the grooming process of the generation of players that will be tasked with achieving the goal of 2026 qualification, Forde assured that it was never GFF’s intention to do this at the expense of the nation’s flagship football brand, and no-one within the national team programme should be saying otherwise.

Head coach Marcio Maximo and his technical staff must now shift their focus to preparing the team for their opening game against Guatemala on July 3 in Miami, Forde mentioned, adding “we are planning to travel to Miami early, with the hope of playing two friendly games as part of our preparation for this important encounter. These friendly games are crucial in assessing the players’ level of match-fitness and other performance benchmarks.”

After the Gold Cup, the GFF president mentioned that the team will not be in competitive action until next year and that they “will use this time to further strengthen the development of our home-based national team players together with a consistent level of local and international games.”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021