Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 16-12-2021

THURSDAY 16th DECEMBER, 2021

No. 106577

Foundation soon for equal, equitable opportunities in economic sectors - as gov’t moves to table Local Content Bill in the National Assembly today - legislation to create enabling, dynamic environment for locals to flourish, says President

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Strong framework for management of O&G sector expected with new legislations SEE PAGE

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Spreading “JOY” this Christmas! First Lady, Arya Ali, with the help of her son, flipped the switch to enhance the look of Main Street with a magnificent sign, which was sponsored partly by Impressions Inc. (Adrian Narine photo)

Police woman finds $1M, returns it to owner

Counterfeit currency ring busted in Berbice SEE PAGE

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Private sector set to push minimum wage to $60,000 SEE PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

Private sector set to push minimum wage to $60,000

By Tamica Garnett

below it, it will be a good boost to their income. It’s THE Private Sector small, but people need Commission (PSC) has to be comfortable to peragreed to move forward form properly enough,” with plans to increase Cheong said.

With the PSC now the national minimum wage from $44,200 to ready to move forward, $60,000, and is awaiting the next step will be for the formation of a new the decision to, officially, tripartite committee to be accepted by a tripartite officially communicate committee formed among the PSC, Ministry of Laits preparedness.

Speaking with the bour, and trade unions.

Minister of Labour, Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday, PSC Chair- Joseph Hamilton, also man, Paul Cheong, said confirmed that while he that at a PSC meeting last has not yet received an week, it was agreed that official correspondence the private sector will from the PSC, several move forward with the members would have unincrease, which had been officially indicated to him pushed back last year due that they were ready to to the PSC asking for move forward with conmore time to stabilise cluding the long-awaited their businesses in light of move. He was elated to the COVID-19 pandemic. see the issue finally mov“We had a meeting last ing forward.

“This matter has been Thursday and we agreed on the $60,000. A lot of out there and I am heartthe companies already pay ened that I have heard that and more as the mini- from the private sector mum wage, and employ- leaders, who are suggestees need to be comfort- ing to me that we can able. For those who are conclude this matter at the

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton

Chairman of the PSC, Paul Cheong

earliest opportunity.

“I have concluded several matters and this is a major one that is outstanding for me and I’m hoping that we can conclude it and bring finality to it,” Hamilton said.

Soon after the government was elected to office in August 2020, Minister Hamilton had indicated that he was eager to move forward with the discus-

sion and signing of the order to bring the wage increase into fruition.

The national private

sector minimum wage has not been increased since 2017, when it was raised from an hourly rate of $202 to $255, taking the monthly salary from $35,000 to $44,200 for a 40-hour week. Comparatively, the minimum wages for the public sector is currently $70,000.

Though eager to move forward with the issue, it will still be some time before it is executed given that the life of the last tripartite committee has come to an end.

Minister Hamilton said that he will be writing the private sector and trade unions shortly for them to indicate if their representatives for the new committee will

remain the same or if changes will be made.

“When that information is received, I will convene a meeting with the tripartite committee to finally bring this matter, once and for all, to an end,” Hamilton said.

Once that step is concluded, the issue will then be taken to Cabinet.

“At the level of the government, I as minister would have to take it to the Cabinet for validation, scrutiny and instructions to proceed and issue the order, but, of course, I will be guided by the Attorney-General about the structure of the order from the legalistic perspective,” Hamilton related.

ERC readying for online political climate during LGE WITH local government elections (LGE) slated to be held before the end of 2022, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) is mindful of the potential for ethnically-divisive comments in the run-up to poll day, and remains confident in its capacity to intervene in, and mitigate, those issues when they arise.

In its 2020 report presented to the National Assembly recently, the ERC said it expected an uptick in these types of comments on social media, leading up to the highly-anticipated elections.

It should be noted, however, that at the time of this report, local government elections were expected to be held early in 2021, or latest in December 2021.

Given the circumstances at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) including the removal of the former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) and Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) due to alleged elections fraud-related criminal matters, local government elections were effectively delayed until those positions were filled.

On Tuesday, newly-appointed Chief Elections Officer, Vishnu Persaud, was sworn in, paving the way for the holding of local government elections.

Recently, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, issued an order extending the ‘life’ of all

2020 Report of the ERC presented in the National Assembly recently. elected local government the same ethnically divisive officials. environment that obtained The Minister’s Order fol- during those elections will lowed communication be- continue into the LGE vertween Attorney-General and sion”.

Minister of Legal Affairs, The report stated the Anil Nandlall, and GECOM country has not yet fully Chairman, Justice (Ret’d) recovered from the effects Claudette Singh on the elec- of the ethnic disharmony tions commission’s readiness that was created during the to facilitate LGE. Chairman 2020 GRE. Singh said the commission The MMU, under the was not ready.

ERC, is responsible for monConsidering this delay in itoring the official websites the holding of local govern- and Facebook pages of local ment elections, the expecta- media houses and political tion by the ERC that these parties of Guyana. The ERC, elections would have been however, noted that it hopes held soon after 2020’s Gen- its predictions are wrong. eral and Regional Elections The ERC report cred(GRE) was unmet. ited the Elections MonitorThe ERC said in its 2020 ing Programme (EMP), report: “…the [Media Moni- which it said was effective toring Unit] MMU pessi- during the 2020 GRE and mistically predicts that be- is expected to do the same cause the LGE is coming so during local government quickly on the heels of GRE, elections.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

Foundation soon for equal, equitable opportunities in economic sectors

- as gov’t moves to table Local Content Bill in the National Assembly today - legislation to create enabling, dynamic environment for locals to flourish, says President

President Dr. Irfaan Ali receiving a token from SBM Offshore General Manager, Francesco Prazzo to mark the company’s fifth anniversary and opening of its corporate office (Adrian Narine Photo)

By Richard Bhainie THE much anticipated Local Content Bill, which is expected to be tabled in the National Assembly today, is a transformational piece of legislation which will create an enabling environment to foster opportunities for local content in Guyana.

This was highlighted

by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, while delivering brief remarks at SBM Offshore Guyana’s fifth anniversary celebrations and opening ceremony for the company’s new corporate office at Sheriff Street, Georgetown, on Wednesday.

“The Bill basically is reflective of the reality; ensuring that there is enough scope through a legislative framework that incentivise investment for the local private sector and enable the local private sector to be an important partner to the development of the sector, but more importantly, an important participant and stakeholder in the opportunities of the sector,” President Ali said.

According to the Natural Resource Governance Institute in a reader pub-

lished by the institute in 2015, local content is the value that an extraction project brings to the local, regional or national economy, beyond the resource revenues. This can be encouraged through national laws, the reader noted.

President Ali related that the Local Content Bill will be a “living document,” which will address “transactional issues” and “transitional issues” faced within the oil and gas sector. Also included in the Bill is the space for evaluation and changes, as the country moves forward.

“As we move to this very important part of the advancement of the sector, I want us to be conscious of the realities, I want us to be conscious of the opportunities and I’m proud of the product that would be the catalytic, directional, legislative push to the forward development of Guyanese,” he said.

The Head of State elucidated that the Bill is tailored in a way to develop a local content platform and an enabling environment in which there are opportunities for local content.

“These opportunities will advance and be graduated as we improve,

as we build the capacity, as we develop the skills and as we have greater investment in the sector,” President Ali said, noting that through the correct approach, Guyanese enterprises could develop themselves to offer top-tier services to the industry.

On Friday last, VicePresident, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, led a team that engaged with civil society on the final consultation on the draft Local Content Policy before it is tabled in the National Assembly.

Recognising the importance of local content and the significance of Local Content Legislation, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Paul Cheong, recently told the Guyana Chronicle that “it will give the local persons and businesses more opportunities to participate in the industry through more jobs and contracts.”

A s S B M O ff s h o r e opens the doors of its corporate office locally, the company’s General Manager, Francesco Prazzo, related that the development of the company’s local staff complement is critical for the company

and disclosed that 46 per cent of the employees are Guyanese.

PARTNERING STRATEGY “When entering a new country, success does not only depend on our own capabilities, integrity and discipline but also the right partnering strategy.

We believe successful and inclusive initiatives must deeply involve local actors,” Prazzo said.

Delivering remarks at the ceremony, Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, said that the Local Content Legislation is an effort of the government to ensure the platform is laid for Guyanese to enjoy maximum benefit from the oil and gas sector, and that the sector is managed in a transparent and accountable manner.

While highlighting that he is pleased to learn of the Guyanese staffing at SBM Offshore, Bharrat

encouraged that more locals be employed in the future.

“As a government, we want to achieve benefits for our people, we want our people to be trained and employed in the oil and gas sector and I am happy to hear that our people are being trained at university and institutes along with other nationals so they have that same skillset and abilities to work in the oil and gas sector,” Bharrat said.

SBM Offshore, a leading provider of floating production solutions to the global offshore energy industry, was incremental in the construction of the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessel, Guyana’s first FPSO. The company also developed the country’s second FPSO, the Liza Unity, and construction of Guyana’s third FPSO,

the Prosperity, is moving apace, with the hull already at the shipyard in Singapore. The company will also be constructing the country’s fourth FPSO. The company has also been instrumental in the development of the country. In November, SBM Offshore signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), which will see the company funding a Mangrove Restoration Project along a section of the East Coast of Demerara which will cost over GY$68 million (US$332,000).

The anniversary celebrations and opening ceremony was also attended by Øivind Tangen, Managing-Director, Operations, of SBM Offshore and Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana.

The newly commissioned SBM Offshore Corporate Office at Sheriff Street, Georgetown (Adrian Narine photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

Strong framework for management of O&G sector expected with new legislations

By Kemol King

SENIOR Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, has promised a duo of bills for local content and the Natural Resource Fund (NRF), which, once passed by the National Assembly and accented to by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, will establish a strong framework for managing the oil and gas sector.

The bills are scheduled to be tabled in the National Assembly today after a little more than a year of the new government being in office.

“We look forward to these two critical bills being tabled in Parliament tomorrow. We look forward to a rich and lively debate in the Parliament,” Dr. Singh said.

He added: “We hope that good sense will prevail and that the Bills will be seen for their merits and that they will enjoy smooth and unanimous passage through the Parliament. That is my fervent wish because we need these pieces of legislation critically in place.”

The minister said that despite the “occasional rancour” of Guyana’s political environ-

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ment, the government made a conscious effort to preserve some of what the previous administration intended to do.

So, he hopes the Opposition would recognise this virtue.

The minister was referring to the NRF bill, which will be an amendment of the current Act, instead of a new Act. The government had examined the question of whether the new Natural Resource Fund should be amended or repealed and replaced.

This is because of the “legally unsound” footing of the Bill, given that it was passed in January 2019 after the David Granger administration was defeated in the National Assembly by a vote of no confidence on December 21, 2018.

The minister said the Act has a fundamental flaw, which questions its legitimacy and constitutionality.

In addition to this issue, Dr. Singh revealed that the government could find no record that the Act was brought into operation by the issuance of a commencement order.

This order, he said, is re-

quired by Section 1 of the Act. The government also believes that there are issues with the contents of the Act. Firstly, Dr. Singh pointed out that critical governance structures are missing from the Act, which has alternate governance structures that seek to create a smokescreen that there is some form of governance. There is no board of directors for the Fund, in its current configuration.

“Instead, all of the powers that would traditionally be vested in a board of directors, all of those powers are vested in a Minister,” Dr. Singh said.

SMOKESCREEN The smokescreen the minister referred to is the public accountability and oversight committee, which draws its members with a wide castnet from all across Guyana.

Minister Singh said such a committee cannot be substituted for a board and perform day-to-day oversight of the Fund, including approval of operational policies and assessment of performance.

“That’s the role of a professional board of directors.

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the amount that will be flowing into the Fund in one year and the transfers to the budget in the next year.

Dr. Singh said the government intends to remedy these issues, in addition to establishing a provision which will require the minister to publish, within three months, every deposit into the Fund, and to notify the National Assembly.

The minister would be held criminally liable for failure to do so.

LOCAL CONTENT Putting good local content provisions in place, based on consultations with all stakeholders, mean striking a proper balance between two strikingly opposing viewpoints -- those of the industry and those of local non-oil businesses.

While the industry would want the freedom to operate without binding control over their expenditures, Dr. Singh said the domestic non-oil economy rightly wants a large share of the pie from the oil and gas sector.

“In each of those extremities, there are constraints and issues that need to be considered,” he said.

While oil companies may want complete freedom, the senior minister said the government has a responsibility to ensure Guyanese nationals get as much of the business as they possibly can.

The bill puts in place minimum requirements and timeframes for oil companies to meet, in their use of Guyanese goods, services and employees.

“We can’t stipulate percentages that will put the oil companies where it will be impossible to comply, or where they will be buying things where there simply isn’t capacity to supply them,” Dr. Singh said.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, had said that though the government’s Bill will set strong targets, they will be realistic.

Dr. Singh said: “We have to take account of domestic capacity to produce the goods and services at a scale that is required, with the level of timeliness, at the level of quality…I think we’ve struck a good balance between ensuring a viable and competitive oil and gas sector, and also ensuring that the level of inputs from the domestic private sector is optimised.”

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It’s not the role of a multistakeholder committee. We would be the first to champion multi-stakeholder committees from the standpoint of access to information, performance of non-governmental oversight functions, accountability arrangements and so on.

“So, what you have here - you have no board of directors. You have a 22-member multi-stakeholder committee, which basically means that you have no real oversight of the management and operation of the Fund, and of the performance of the Fund, which really means that the only person performing that function is the minister,” Dr. Singh said.

He said that this is why Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo expressed such concern about the over-excessive reach by the minister. The government intends for a board of directors to manage the Fund.

The government also takes issue with the elaborate mechanism used to determine transfers from the Fund, which he described as smokescreens.

To this end, he said: “A very elaborate macro-economic committee is established.

That macro-economic committee is expected to recommend an economically sustainable amount and then the Finance Minister determines a fiscally sustainable amount, and then there is an elaborate formula that looks at the economically sustainable amount and the fiscally sustainable amount, looks at benchmark petroleum revenue and looks at production constraints, petroleum revenue -- a very elaborate mechanism.”

Dr. Singh pointed out that it is the minister who appoints the committee responsible for determining the economically sustainable amount, as well as himself determining the fiscally sustainable amount.

He said: “When you peel aside all of these elaborate layers, what you have really is a mechanism where the Minister completely controls how much is going to be transferred into the Fund.”

Dr. Singh said too that the structure is elaborate and complicated, so much so that the man in the street cannot understand it. The InterAmerican Development Bank has also criticised this feature of the Act. He said the new formula will be very simple, linking

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

Haiti truck blast death toll rises to 75 as doctors scramble to treat wounded

(Reuters) - THE death toll from a fuel truck explosion in Haiti rose to 75, on Wednesday, as doctors scrambled to treat the wounded from an incident that officials say was made more deadly by residents approaching the vehicle in a desperate search for fuel.

Rescue workers recovered 61 bodies at the site of the accident, which took place late on Monday in Haiti’s second-largest city of CapHaitien, while a director of the city’s main hospital said a further 14 people had died while being treated for wounds.

“We need all the help we can get. The hospital is not used to having so many injured,” said Jean Gracia Coq, medical director at the Justinien University Hospital.

“The shortages have made people let down their guard and not take the precautions that should be taken with regards to fuel.”

Patients with burns on as much as 50 per cent of their bodies were on the hospital’s porch due to lack of space inside the facility, Gracia Coq said.

The hospital is accustomed to treating burn victims from explosions in homes, incidents that have involved up to 20 people, Gracia Coq related.

But Monday night’s major blast charred the facades of several homes and shops nearby, and

destroyed cars and motorcycles on the street.

A witness told Reuters that the fuel truck had flipped over after its driver tried to avoid hitting a motorcycle.

Rescue workers have completed the search of the area, said Frandy Jean, who heads Haiti’s fire brigade for the northern region.

THEY WERE WARNED The impact of the blast was worsened because residents were storing fuel in their homes and because some approached the truck when it flipped.

“The driver had warned the people not to go near the truck,” Jean told Reuters, adding: “They did not listen.

They were carrying their telephones, which they used (as flashlights), and some tried to perforate the tank with hammers.”

The tragedy prompted an emotive lament from Pope Francis and a call to prayer for the Caribbean nation, which this year has suffered a brutal wave of gang violence, a presidential assassination and a devastating earthquake.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry, on Tuesday, visited Cap-Haitien’s main hospital to meet with victims. He promised to release government funds in response to the tragedy, and said the deceased would be buried in an official state funeral.

Wednesday marked the first of three days of national mourning for the

People stand next to the remains of damaged buildings after a fuel truck exploded killing dozens of people amid reports that nearby residents had attempted to take fuel from the vehicle before it exploded, in Cap Haitien, Haiti December 15, 2021 (REUTERS/Ralph Tedy Erol) victims. Haiti suffered crippling fuel shortages for close to a month starting in October when a coalition of gangs blocked access to fuel terminals, forcing some businesses and hospitals to partially or completely shut down.

The gangs, last month, lifted the blockade, but many Haitians say they still struggle to find fuel.

Gangs have grown

more powerful since the July assassination of President Jovenel Moise, which created a political vacuum and allowed criminal groups to expand their territory.

Haiti also suffered a devastating earthquake in August that killed more than 2,000 people and destroyed homes in the country’s southern peninsula.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

Rebuilding Trust

THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has got a new Chief Executive Officer in the person of Vishnu Persaud. Mr. Persaud is no stranger to GECOM having served in several leading capacities including that of Deputy Chief Elections Officer. He is, therefore, in a position to execute his responsibilities with a fair degree of experience and professionalism. He won out from a list of six short-listed candidates and even though he did not get the unanimous endorsement from the full Commission, there is no question regarding his competence to execute his mandate.

The Guyana Elections Commission is the constitutional body that is responsible for the administration and conduct of elections in Guyana. It is headed by a Chair-

man and six Commissioners.

GECOM is supported by a core staff in its Secretariat.

Prior to 1991, the Guyana Elections Commission was comprised of a Chairman who was appointed by the President and one member in respect of each political party which had not less than five seats in the National Assembly. The Chairman of the Commission then had to be a person, who, at the time, was holding or had held office as a Judge of a Court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil or criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth or a court. The Commission had a temporary life, in that a member had to vacate office within three months of the date of the election for which he or she was appointed to be a Commissioner. The current GECOM was established in May 2000 by virtue of the Constitution (Amendment)

Act No. 2 of 2000 which repealed and re-enacted Article 161 of the Constitution on the basis of recommendations emanating from the Constitution Reform Commission and ratified by the parties.

The appointment of a Chairman prior to 1992 was indeed a cumbersome process which in a way prevented several people of competence from holding that office. It was not until the early 1990s that significant electoral reforms were initiated on the insistence of opposition political parties led by the PPP. Among these were a new formula for the appointment of a GECOM Chairman, a new membership configuration which allowed for a fair measure of balance and a Chairman appointed along the lines of the Carter-Price formula.

That mechanism worked

well until the 2020 elections when attempts were made by the then President, David Granger to depart from the long-established formula and have the Chairman unilaterally appointed. That move was ruled unconstitutional by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

The challenge for the GECOM Commission and to the new Chief Elections Officer is how to restore confidence in GECOM to deliver free and fair elections, having regard to the fiasco that transpired in the tabulation of votes in the March 2020 elections. The new CEO now has the task of rebuilding confidence and trust in GECOM, particularly the Secretariat but given his past experience and his known neutrality, that is not something beyond his competence.

With the appointment of a new GECOM CEO, the

stage is now set to advance preparations for the holding of Local Government Elections which was due this year but had to be postponed because of the absence of key officers of the Commission including the Chief Elections Officer. According to Mr. Persaud, elections could be held within a year and preparing for the elections is among his priority tasks, having regard to the guidance of the Chairperson and the Commission. In an invited comment immediately after his swearing-in, Mr. Persaud said that he stands for transparency and accountability.

This is exactly what GECOM needs at this time.

A credible, accountable and professional Secretariat will go a far way in terms of confidence building and trust in GECOM, especially in the context of what transpired at the last elections. This

is an important aspect of our democracy. The aim of GECOM must be to create a level playing field for all contesting parties and no party should feel or allowed to feel that it enjoys an electoral advantage, especially in so far as the Chief Elections Officer and the Secretariat is concerned.

It is in the best national interest to ensure that there is no recurrence of that shameful episode in which it took over four months before a final result was declared. We have had in the past more than our fair share of electoral malpractices. The opposition parties, in particular the APNU+AFC, have an obligation in the national interest to play by the democratic rules and support the work of GECOM to deliver free, fair and credible elections.

Guyanese Americans: Prejudice, Hate and Stereotyping

By Vishnu Bisram

Scholars have not researched the presence and experience and aspects of life of Guyanese in the USA. Hate of and prejudice against non-Whites lead to various types of stereotyping of immigrants like Indo and Afro-Guyanese.

Guyanese in the US have suffered from racial hate, prejudice and stereotyping long before they even set foot on US soil, the first time during the late 1930s as students and later as immigrants post-1965. In the US, similar to Guyana or in Canada, everyone is a hyphen-American – Italian, Irish, Anglo, German, Jamaican, Ukranian, Greek, etc. and every group has their own neighbourhood community and eve-

ryone prefers to live among their own nationality and so too are Guyanese.

Black Americans historically have been victims of race hate since slavery and Jim Crow laws post-emancipation; Afro Guyanese are grouped under the African American category. Indians have not been permitted to immigrate into the US even when British Indian troops defended US interests overseas and even when Indians in California fought racism.

They were not welcomed until well after 1965 when racist Immigration Laws were reformed because of shortage of skilled labour. Pre-1965, laws prevented settlement of Indians and their acquisition of property. Cheddi Jagan, one of the earliest if not the first Indian Guyanese to study in the US, narrated

his experience of prejudice and hate (from Whites) while studying in the US late 1930s and early 1940s causing him to gravitate towards and living among Black Americans.

He too, like Blacks, had to ride in the back of the bus during the Jim Crow period. He preferred to live in Black neighbourhoods.

Indian and African Guyanese experienced rank hate and prejudice post 1965 when they started settling in the US. Indian Guyanese were conspicuous by their physical looks and colour and subjected to vile racist remarks and told to go back to India.

Afro Guyanese could fit in with Black Americans and were subjected to similar abuse the latter suffered.

Since they could be mistaken as Black Americans, they did not experience the same

types of insults as Indians who could not hide their racial identity. Overall, Indo and Afro Guyanese suffered the same abuses as all immigrants did – taking away jobs from those born in America.

Indians and other immigrants were subjected to poor conditions and maltreatment.

Even born Black Americans abused Black immigrants like African Guyanese and other West Indians for enjoying the benefits of their struggle against White racism. Indians were/are intensely abused by all racial groups – Whites, Blacks, Hispanics – and to a lesser extent by Asians under which category they are grouped. On the charge of taking away jobs of born Americans, the truth was/is immigrants worked in jobs which Americans refused or unwilling to work at or

lacked qualifications; most of the jobs were low paying and or lacked prestige until during the 1990s when Guyanese gravitated towards highsalaried employment having pursued higher education and obtained certification in various professions.

Indians were often mistaken for native or indigenous Americans (pejoratively referred to as Red Indians) and linked with them and also called “savages”. Indians initially were put down as being uneducated, illiterate, and poor (indeed most Indian immigrants were poor) and lived in mud flats or thatched huts. I recall a student at City College in 1977 asking me how was my mud flat in India. (During my college days, I did not come across many Americans, not even professors, who knew

where Guyana was much less anyone who knew of the presence of hundreds of thousands of Indians in the Caribbean and millions around the globe. Once an American (White, Black, Hispanic, Mongoloid) look at an Indian, he or she was from India. They did not know that Indians, like Africans, were dispersed around the globe to labour to enrich White-owned companies. That was the level of background education of almost every American.

Their knowledge of global history and geography was very limited).

Stereotypes against Indians tend to mirror descriptions found in books and the media.

Indian and African Guyanese, in fact almost every immigrant of colour, were seen as “stupid” and “morally TURN TO PAGE 7

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

GAWU pleased with proposed local content legislation requirements Dear Editor,

DURING the final consultation on the local content legislation, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) was heartened to learn that many of our concerns were addressed by the government. In recent times, our union has outlined the dominance of foreign labour in the sector to the detriment of Guyanese.

On several occasions we have drawn to the public’s attention that Guyanese workers, though qualified and capable, were sidelined and made to undertake roles for which they were more than qualified. We considered this an affront to our Guyanese working people who over the years would have

amassed considerable skill and experience. We noted that such attitudes hark back to a bygone period, and we could not condone such actions.

The GAWU was, therefore, pleased that the government, through the proposed legislation, was seeking to correct this malady. The legislation we noted has addressed Guyanese participation not only at the ownership level but has gone deeper to speak to managerial and employment. This requirement alongside requirements to improve Guyanese participation in the coming years will undoubtedly allow our workers to have a fair chance to be able to benefit from the sector and contribute to our development.

We have also highlighted massive disparities in pay

Guyanese Americans...

FROM PAGE 6 Inferior”, “uncivilised”, “unsanitised”, and called “foreigner” even though many would have been born in the US. White Americans felt Indians and other immigrants of colour couldn’t speak English and that they were “illiterate”. (Little did they know that the greatest writers in the English language are/were Indians and that India has been the largest English speaking country). I recall an incident where a White student at City College, upon my telling him I was going to my speech class, responded: “Oh you are learning English”. He wasn’t aware it was an elective course on “Art of Oratory” but it would not have made a difference to his thinking. He, himself, could not speak English with the right grammar and pronunciation of words. But he had an inbuilt prejudice, like most Americans, that immigrants couldn’t communicate in English. Some of the best and leading American writers are immigrants. In recent years, Indians, in fact Asians, have been described as model minority and other groups are encouraged to emulate them. They have the highest percentage of high school graduation, college graduation, educational attainment, median fam-

ily income, home ownership, rate of home ownership and fastest among immigrants, employment rate, and the lowest crime rate, lowest in social welfare recipients, among other positives. Indian Guyanese become home owners between three and five years after arrival in USA, the same as most other Indians; Panjabis become home owners between eight and ten years after arrival.

In recent years, companies have sought to recruit Indians to employ and even to manage businesses especially in the science, tech, engineering, and medical fields. Guyanese, both Indos and Afros, are prized for their contributions to the US in various fields of endeavor, particularly in health. Many Guyanese are on the front lines attending to patients combating COVID-19. But they still face prejudice at the job and even in housing as many cannot live in almost exclusive ‘white’ zones. Thus, they remain in their own ‘Richmond Hills’ and ‘Flatbushes’.

Guyanese have come a long way since their early presence in America in the late 1960s through the 1990s. They are increasingly being accepted into the mainstream and recognised for their contributions to the growth and development of USA.

and other conditions of work between foreigners and locals. Indeed, it was saddening to learn that our Guyanese were receiving several times less than their foreign counterparts though they work alongside each other undertaking practically the same tasks. Apart from variations in pay, we have reported that foreigners are enjoying other conditions which Guyanese are denied without any rhyme or reason. For our union,

we were happy to learn that the legislation will impose requirements that foreigners and locals receive equal benefits. This, of course, is an extension of our Prevention of Discrimination Act and bodes well for our Guyanese.

During previous consultative exercises, our union had expressed these concerns. We charged that Guyanese had every right to benefit from the sector and we see the local content

legislation as a pivotal step in this direction. With the expected implementation of the legislation and a shifting to tasks to Guyanese enterprises we expect to see our workers being treated fairly and equitably. At this time, we are eager to fully review the legislation and to have a greater understanding of the enforcement mechanism.

This, we recognise, will give the legislation its true meaning and bring about the in-

tended benefits.

Though we recognise the legislation will address some concerns, it does not completely eliminate the challenges workers in the sector are facing. Remuneration and other conditions of work remain a foremost concern of workers in the sector.

Yours sincerely, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

$93B support package for poor countries to fight COVID-19

THE World Bank has announced a $93 billion replenishment package of the International Development Association (IDA) to help low-income countries respond to the COVID-19 crisis and build a greener, more resilient, and inclusive future.

According to a release, the financing brings together $23.5 billion of contributions from 48 high- and middleincome countries with financing raised in the capital markets, repayments, and the World Bank’s own contributions.

The financing package, agreed over a two-day meeting hosted virtually by Japan, is the largest ever mobilised in IDA’s 61-year his-

tory. IDA’s unique leveraging model enables it to achieve greater value from donor resources – every $1 that donors contribute to IDA is now leveraged into almost $4 of financial support for the poorest countries.

“Today’s generous commitment by our partners is a critical step toward supporting poor countries in

their efforts to recover from the COVID-19 crisis,” said World Bank Group President David Malpass.

“We are grateful for the confidence our partners have in IDA as a non-fragmented and efficient platform to tackle development challenges and improve the lives of millions of people around the world.”

The funds, the release noted, will be delivered to the world’s 74 poorest countries under the 20th replenishment (IDA20) programme, which focuses on helping countries recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. In these countries, the ongoing pandemic is worsening poverty, undermining growth, and jeopardising the prospects of a resilient and inclusive development. Countries are struggling with falling government revenues; increasing debt vulnerabilities; rising risks to fragility, conflict, and instability; and dropping literacy rates. About a third of IDA countries are facing a looming food crisis.

To help countries build back greener, a substantial portion of these funds go to tackling climate change, with a focus on helping countries to adapt to rising climate impacts and preserve biodiversity. IDA will also

deepen support to countries to better prepare for future crises, including pandemics, financial shocks, and natural hazards. While IDA20 will support countries globally, resources are increasingly benefitting Africa, which will receive about 70 per cent of the funding, the release noted.

With this strong package, IDA will be able to scale up its support in the pandemic and address health challenges, helping 400 million people receive essential health and nutrition resources. The social safety nets programme is also expected to reach as many as 375 million people.

The IDA20 programme has more ambitious policy commitments that will support countries in prioritising investments in human capital, covering issues such as education, health and nutrition, vaccines, safety

nets, and support for people with disabilities. IDA will also increase its ambition in addressing other major development challenges such as gender inequality, job creation, and situations of fragility, conflict and violence, including in the Sahel, the Lake Chad region, and the Horn of Africa. A continued emphasis on governance and institutions, debt sustainability, and digital infrastructure interventions will help foster economic and social inclusion.

Due to the urgent development needs of IDA countries, the replenishment was advanced by one year. IDA20 will cover the period of July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2025. The IDA20 policy architecture builds on the strong foundation of IDA19, with enhancements to make IDA20 even more ambitious and fit for today’s challenges, the release said.

Over 7,000 booster doses administered so far

MINISTER of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has said that the administration of booster doses has been increasing incrementally across Guyana.

To date, the Ministry of Health has administered 7,270 booster doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. The programme was rolled out in November and was initially targeting persons 50 years older, persons with comorbidities and frontline workers.

It has since been extended, with booster shots being available for persons 18 years and older, who received the second dose of their vaccine six months ago.

Since the roll out of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign earlier this year, the AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sputnik V, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have been used.

For persons who took the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, a booster shot of the Sinopharm vaccine is recommended 52 days after the dose.

Those who took the Sinopharm vaccine, could take the same vaccine as their booster shot three to six

A nurse at the National Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, preparing to administer a dose of the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine to a local healthcare worker (Vishani Ragobeer photo) months after the second jab.

It is advised too that persons who have been immunised using the AstraZeneca vaccine, could receive an MRNA vaccine, which should be taken six months after the second dose. A shot of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine can be used as a booster shot for the Sputnik V vaccine.

Additionally, the country’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign has been positively progressing with nearly 80 per cent of Guyana’s adult population receiving the first

dose of a vaccine.

To date, 407,341 adults or 79.4 per cent of this age group have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine while 288,315 or 56.2 per cent are fully inoculated. In terms of adolescents, 29,865 teens or 40.9 per cent have received their first dose while 21,107 or 28.9 per cent are fully immunised.

Persons are still being encouraged to visit any one of the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 vaccination sites to receive their jabs.

(DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

APNU+AFC’s COVID-19 relief programme riddled with anomalies - over 9,000 out of 11,000 qualified persons did not receive vouchers - unused vouchers stored improperly, AG report shows

A performance audit of the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government’s COVID-19 Pandemic Assistance Voucher Programme has revealed that more than 9,000 out of 11,000 qualified applicants did not receive vouchers.

“People who needed assistance were denied,” the Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, wrote in his report which examined the period, March to September, 2020.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Assistance Voucher Programme came into operation in April 2020, with the objective of providing economic relief to vulner-

able households through the supply of hampers with fresh foods, dry ration, toiletries, and sanitation items.

The programme targeted single-parents, senior citizens, disabled persons, and persons who suffered a loss of income due to the pandemic.

Persons interested in benefitting from the programme were required to register online. Those without internet access were required to contact either the then Ministry of Social Protection or the Ministry of Communities to have their application forms completed.

Applicants were then shortlisted based on eligibil-

ity criteria approved by the Ministry of Finance. Eligible applicants’ information was verified and approved.

Vouchers valued between $25,000 and $32,000 were dispatched by the Post Office.

The voucher included a flyer showing the list of items that could be obtained from approved supermarkets and shops.

And, as outlined by the Auditor General’s report, although many persons applied, they were unable to access the benefits they were duly entitled to.

The audit report revealed that the programme particularly excluded persons in the hinterland regions, who were

Police woman finds $1M, returns it to owner

By Jeune Bailey Van Keric WOMAN Police Constable, Tatyanna Aaliyah Blair-Da Silva was brought up as a child to be honest and contented. Those qualities followed her into her adult life, causing her to return the contents of a black ‘laptop bag’ belonging to an overseas-based Guyanese, Sheik Ali. In his message to Divisional Commander, Senior Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan, Ali said, “I want to let you know of the honesty of one your ranks.”

“A week ago, I was in Fyrish Village conducting business. I lost a bag containing US$3,000, G$300,000, and I Phone, an identification card and a passport....

It was returned. I offered a reward but she refused, saying she was not brought up that way,” Ali related.

During an interview with the Guyana Chronicle at Divisional Headquarters on Wednesday, the soft spoken Blair-Da Silva, said she had left her Fyrish home on Friday just after 21:00 hours to go to the village shop to

Tatyanna Aaliyah Blair-Da Silva purchase a pack of ‘Ramein’.

“About 15 to 20 feet from the Fyrish bus shed, I observed a black computer bag, I opened it and saw a quantity of United States and Guyana currency. I looked for a form of identification.

After waiting for a while for the owner to return to the area and recover the items, I

took a photograph of the identification card and posted it to my Facebook page, along with my cellphone number. About an hour later, the man’s son called, saying it was his father. The owner of the bag then contacted me before reaching me at the bus shed. He checked the bag and was surprised and shocked as he did not believe that members of the Guyana Police Force had such integrity,” the 22-yearold cop related.

According to Blair-Da Silva, it was not the first time she found large sums of money. On another occasion, she had sent a photograph of the person’s identification card to ‘BIG SMITH’, who posted it to his page. She later learnt that the money found was for the owner’s daughter’s surgery.

“I grew up in a single parent home with my mother and two siblings.

My mother would always tell us, ‘na want wa you mattie get .Wuk fo you own’.” The married mother of one, who is also a former national athlete, has lived up to that advice.

Storage of the unused pandemic vouchers instead promised hampers.

In addition to persons not benefitting from the programme, there were instances where vouchers which were not used, were left unsecured.

“Over 3,000 unused vouchers valued at least $90 million were unsecured on a desk. As a result, the vouchers could have been easily accessed and used to obtain items from suppliers,” the audit report stated.

This also proved that the information system was not fully protected, and lack of standard controls put the information system at risk.

“Therefore, unauthorised persons could have changed or deleted information. In addition, there were no yearly security checks and business continuity and disaster recovery plans prepared,” the audit report revealed.

Further, payments worth millions were not verified,

and vouchers totalling $56 million were not checked before paying suppliers.

The action of officials, in this regard, could have resulted in overpayment to suppliers and eligible persons not given much-needed relief.

This was the case although the programme was funded entirely through the allocation of funds from the budget for the financial year 2020.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

Permanent Secretary Pensioners, people with disabilities receive to be charged for corrupt transaction hampers at Matthew’s Ridge

Amerindian Affairs Permanent Secretary, Sharon Hicks

THE Guyana Police Force (GPF), on Wednesday, received legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to institute a charge of corrupt transaction by agent against Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Sharon Hicks.

This was confirmed

by Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum, who said that Hicks is expected to appear before a magistrate at the earliest opportunity.

Hicks was being investigated for allegedly demanding bribes from a contractor who paid her with marked bills that were retrieved during a sting operation carried out by the police.

I n O c t o b e r, t h e 42-year-old woman of West Bank Demerara (WBD) was arrested at her Quamina and

Thomas Streets, South Cummingsburg office for allegedly demanding money by menace.

She is currently out on station bail.

Blanhum had told this newspaper that a sting operation was conducted where marked bills were reportedly paid to the Permanent Secretary by the businessman.

Those bills were found in her possession.

He said the police were contacted pertaining to Hicks’ alleged demands for payments from the man. Reports indicate that the payments were being made for several months and that the businessman was allegedly told that he would not receive contracts if the monies demanded were not paid monthly.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, in a release,

had said that on October 7, 2021, Permanent Secretary Hicks was sent on administrative leave pending the outcome of a police investigation relating to the matter in the public domain.

“The Ministry also wishes to respond to the issues circulating in the public about its officials. It was the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, whose recommendation resulted in the appointment of Ms. Hicks to the position of Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs under the PPP/C Government.

Additionally, there was one occasion when the Permanent Secretary was on a seven days sick leave where the Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS) was assigned the duties in her absence, putting to rest the claim that the DPS was executing the duties of the Permanent Secretary while she was on duty.

The ministry wishes to state that at no time was any vehicle registered to the ministry assigned to any close relative of the minister,” the release concluded.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal distributes a hamper to a pensioner NINETY-THREE pensioners and persons living with disabilities in Mathew’s Ridge, Region One and surrounding communities, were presented with hampers on Tuesday evening.

The distribution exercise, which was held at the Matthew’s Ridge Community Centre, was led by Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, who also holds parliamentary responsibility for the region, and Community Development Council (CDC)

Chairperson, Sharon Phillips.

The hampers, which were funded by the Regional Democratic Council, are intended to assist vulnerable households within the area, especially during the Christmas season.

While addressing residents, Minister Croal stated that Mathew’s Ridge is heading in the direction of development as the area will soon see an improved water supply following the completion of a well drilling project. The

drilling of the well will be completed by the end of the year and it should become operational by the end of January 2022.

He further stated that in the coming year, the Mathew’s Ridge Community Centre and the playground, which is attached, will also be upgraded by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

Additionally, Minister Croal participated in the annual Port Kaituma Christmas tree light-up.

Addressing residents, the minister called for the promotion of peace and camaraderie during the holiday season.

He also pleaded with residents to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols, road safety and to be moderate in their celebrations.

Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley; Martakai Neighborhood Democratic Council (NDC) Chairman, Orlando Thorne; Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Shem Cuffy and other officials were also present at the event.

Cleaning supplies, food hampers distributed to flood-affected Pomeroon residents

A house at Kabakaburi under water.

RESIDENTS living in the Moruka/Phoenix NeighbourUpper and Lower Pomeroon hood Democratic Councils River, in Region Two, who (NDCs). Additionally, 150 were severely affected by food hampers were distribthe recent flooding, received uted to affected households in cleaning agents and food Kabakaburi and St Monica/ hampers on Wednesday.

Karawab.

This is according to ReOodit said the entire Pomegional Vice-Chairman Humace roon area is currently flooded.

Oodit, who said that the distri- He said a team from the rebution exercise was a collabo- gional administration was in ration involving the Regional the area and assessments are Democratic Council (RDC) and currently being done. the Civil Defence Commission Flooding was also recorded (CDC). on the Essequibo Coast in vilOodit said that 1,475 ham- lages such as Queenstown, pers consisting of cleaning Anna Regina and Capoey. All detergents were distributed sluices in Region Two are in the Akawini, Wakapoa, St operable.

Monica, Karawab, Kabakaburi, The region began experiJacklow, Siriki, Abrams Creek, encing heavy rainfall on DeNile/Cozier, Kitty/Providence, cember 10, which resulted in

severe flooding in the Pomeroon River. Many residents complained that their crops which were in various stages of production, were destroyed.

Residents of Jacklow in the Lower Pomeroon related that their lands were inundated with about two feet of water. There were also reports of the overtopping of the Pomeroon River.

Residents are currently moving their electrical appliances and other valuables to higher ground. This is the second time for the year that Pomeroon has been severely flooded following heavy rainfall. Many persons said that Christmas as of now will be dull for them.

“All our crops that were growing are currently underwater. We just came out from one flooding, now this is another.

Our livelihood is severely affected,” a father of two related.

Residents are very frustrated by this situation since they were anticipating selling their crops this Christmas to earn an income.

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Partner with investors to grow, expand your business

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

– Minister Indar encourages Berbice Chambers of Commerce

By Nafeeza Yahya

MINISTER within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, has urged the private sector to partner with investors to grow and expand their businesses in light of the booming economy.

The minister issued the call on Wednesday during an address at a luncheon hosted by the Berbice Chambers of Commerce on Wednesday.

While talking up Guyana’s economic growth as the fastest in the world, the minister highlighted that persons are coming from the world over to invest and capitalise on the economic boom.

To this end, he urged businesses to find partners to avoid being left behind as the local content legislation is being tabled today will seek to have more Guyanese involved in the industry.

“As of half year, Guyana’s economy grew by 14.5 per cent; it means that we are one of the fastest growing countries in the world. At the end of this year, we are expected to grow by 19.5 per cent so again, if you look at the global data for every country, Guyana is the fastest growing economy in the world and it is attracting investors from all over the world. From every part of the world people are coming, be it to build hotels,

whether they come to build shore bases, fabrication, construction -- you name it -- people are looking to come here. So we have to make sure we find persons that are coming thought the Chamber of Commerce as well just to make sure that you as business people find a partner that can help you grow your business,” the minister said.

He added: “By partnering with firms that have long history and experience and expertise in areas that you operate in and can add

A counterfeit ring in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) was recently busted after Berbice sleuths, acting on intelligence received, went to a house at Vryied Village, West Canje and seized a quantity of fake US and local

currencies with a face value of just under a millions dollars.

A 29-year-old male and his wife are in police custody and they are assisting detectives with their investigations.

Divisional Commander Jairam Ramlakhan said

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar speaking at the Berbice Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Wednesday in New Amsterdam, Berbice

value to you, you should look to partner with them to grow your business and it will give you a better chance in bidding for contracts and so on.”

The Minister with responsibility for Public Infrastructure also stated that the government of the day works hard and will ensure the right climate exists to attract investors.

“So what I’m saying to you is the stability of the country is intact, you have a democratic-elected government in place that the

Counterfeit currency ring busted in Berbice police, acting on information, went to the house in Vryheid Village and during the search discovered two Kodak flat screen televisions, HP tablets, $774,000 and US$280.

The items are lodged at the Central Police Station in New Amsterdam.

world respects and is working with. You have stability in terms of you are going to make your investment and know there is no disruption to it and what you will be having in very short-term is the reduction of energy cost and operating in a low cost environment so that will enable you to make returns and progress.

So I’m asking you as the private sector to look for these things. The successful businessmen in Region Six did this and broaden their business and you can

too,” he said.

JOB CREATION In addition, the minister said efforts are also being made to steadily increase employment.

“It’s the government’s plan over the next three years to train about 1,000 persons per annum in oil and gas and these people will be trained at a facility that is accredited, which is the Port Mourant Training College. The facility is recognised by the government because it has a certification and the training

will be done there. So it will be 1,000 persons per annum and its different categories of persons that will be working in the oil and gas sector,” Minister Deodat said.

Apart from the oil and gas sector, the minister pointed to the agriculture sector in Region Six that has several farm-to-market roads that are expecting to open up new lands for development. The call centre and the re-opening of the sugar estates were also identified as job creation opportunities that will allow Region Six residents to have more disposable income to enhance their spending power.

Meanwhile, President of the Berbice Chambers of Commerce, Ryan Alexander, earlier called on the minister to allow the chambers to have a seat at the table as it relates to development in Region Six. He posited that as investors, the private sector should have a say as it relates certain decisions, especially location of certain key sites.

Alexander made it clear that the private sector is pro-development and applauded the efforts of the government thus far. He, however, called for the establishment of an industrial hub in Palmyra in light of the expected deep water harbour to aid the oil and gas sector.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

Over 300 Berbice residents to get house lots early 2022 – major infrastructural works moving apace – repairs to several schools completed this year

MORE than 300 residents will receive affordable house lots in three housing schemes within Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) before the end of the first quarter of 2022, according to Regional Chairman of the region’s Regional Democratic Council (RDC), David Armogan.

Armogan, during an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), said the infrastructural works are advancing at the Fort Ordnance Housing Scheme in East Canje and at Williamsburg Housing Scheme on the Corentyne.

He related that the RDC is pushing to complete the road and other critical structures ahead of the land allocation exercise, he said.

“The minister has said by the first quarter of next year we should be able to allocate house lots in these areas,” Ar-

mogan related.

Since taking office in August, 2020, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has committed to delivering some 50,000 house lots within its first term in office.

Through the Ministry of Housing and Water’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), thousands of Guyanese were able to acquire land and houses over the past year.

Armogan said the RDC is ready to partner with government to ensure Berbicians also enjoy the services offered by this administration.

“In the Williamsburg area, what we are doing, we are building houses there which will cost about $5.2 million, so people can buy the house on the land,” the chairman related.

He said 12 contractors

have already been selected to construct the houses. Meanwhile, the chairman said over 50 asphaltic concrete roads were completed in 2021 across the region, some of which were financed by the Public Works Ministry and others through the RDC’s budgetary allocation.

He said while all the thoroughfares which needed attention were not fixed this year, the RDC was able to repair those roads which were deemed priority.

Armogan said works are ongoing on two major roads at Numbers 52 and 58 Villages Corentyne, which will soon give farmers access to 50,000 acres of prime farmlands.

He also spoke about the progressing works at the $100 million Moleson Creek to El Dorado Road project.

Additionally, the RDC

Regional Chairman of Region Six, David Armogan, and Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, during the recent commissioning of the water treatment plant at Sheet Anchor, East Canje, Berbice (DPI photo) was able to conduct major repairs to a number of learning institutions, ensuring proper sanitary facilities are available. Among those

schools which benefitted are the Berbice High School (BHS) and the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School (NAMS). (DPI)

Suspect in murder of minibus conductor surrenders

Paul Junior Lynch MINIBUS conductor, Morven Nurse, bled to death on Wednesday, shortly after being stoned and stabbed during a confrontation at the Route 44 bus park at Commerce Street, Georgetown.

Nurse, 30, called “TuPac”, resided at Haslington, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and is a father of one.

Reports indicate that he and the 27-year-old suspect were at the bus park when they became involved in an argument. According to the police, the suspect, who was first assaulted by Nurse, was armed with a brown-handled knife.

The duo began pelting empty beer bottles and bricks at each before the suspect allegedly stabbed Nurse with

Dead: Morven Nurse a knife to his left side chest.

Nurse ran a short distance before falling to the ground, while the suspect escaped in a minibus. The injured man was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was pronounced dead while undergoing surgery.

His body is currently lying at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation mortuary awaiting a post mortem examination.

Persons at the bus park related that the men had an argument over $120 which led to a confrontation.

Shortly after police released a wanted bulletin for Paul Junior Lynch, he surrendered to police at Brickdam Police Station in the company of his lawyer.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

GTT promises better infrastructure, service for Berbice in 2022

THE Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), on Wednesday, committed to improving the infrastructure and services in the Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) area.

The company’s intention to enhance its services was announced by GTT’s Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Business Solutions, Orson Ferguson, during an address at the Berbice Chamber of Commerce luncheon, which was sponsored by the telecommunications company.

Ferguson said that the company recently met with members of the Upper Corentyne Chamber about expanding its capacity in the region.

To better enhance its relations with businesses in the region, the COO said that the company is already in the process of hiring a project/regional manager to oversee its business relationships.

“This person will be responsible for sitting in each of the chambers as our permanent representative and for selling and supporting our solutions for all businesses from the Berbice River to the Corentyne,” he said.

In addition to the major upgrades planned for the region, Ferguson said

GTT will soon introduce its Biz Fibre Service to benefit businesses in the New Amsterdam area.

This service provides speeds of up to 500Mbps and high-quality voice service, which means that businesses could make “crystal clear” calls, among other features.

Considering the government’s vision to construct a call centre in the region, Ferguson said that GTT is ready and capable to provide support.

“Not only do we have the technical know-how and the infrastructure, but we also have the experience in running and supporting call centres. We currently support Teleperformance, Qualfon, Emerge and MIDAS BPOs. So, we are equipped and ready to back this new call centre in Berbice come 2022,” Ferguson said.

Meanwhile, President of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce, Ryan Alexander, thanked GTT for sponsoring its luncheon and said the chamber looks forward to the fruition of the company’s plans in 2022.

Only last year, GTT extended its fibre network to Berbice that saw several areas including Corriverton and Skeldon benefitting from significantly improved service.

President of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce, Ryan Alexander, giving remarks at the luncheon

GTT’s Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Business Solutions, Orson Ferguson at the BCC luncheon

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Pensioner riding electric bike dies in accident on Berbice Public road

SIXTY SEVEN-YEAROLD Roopnarine Ramoutar, who was riding an electric bike, was killed in an accident on the Number 72 Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice, on Tuesday.

According to reports, a speeding motor lorry crashed into him when he made a sudden turn.

The body of the Lot 219 Number 72 Village resident is currently at the Skeldon Public Hospital awaiting an autopsy.

The driver of the motor lorry bearing registration number GHH 7458 was identified as Diaram Persaud, 52, of Lot 8 ‘C’ Number 74 Village, Corentyne.

Police, in a statement, said that the motor lorry was proceeding south along the eastern drive lane at a fast rate of speed whilst the electric cycle was proceeding north along the western side when the rider made a sudden right turn east in the vicinity of the Number 72 Access Road and ended up in the path of the motor lorry.

The cyclist, police said came into contact with the front right portion of the lorry. He was subsequently flung off his bike and landed some distance away on the road surface on the eastern corner. The electric cycle got stuck under the motor lorry which continued driv-

Man who threatened to kill businesswoman during alleged robbery arrested

The items recovered from the alleged bandit A 50-year-old female shop- became fearful for her life keeper was, on Tuesday, which caused her to hand robbed of jewellery, cash over her money to the susand a cellphone after an pect, who then pulled off armed bandit grabbed onto her rings from her fingers her neck and threatened to and demanded more money. kill her if she did not hand When she insisted that that over money. was all she had, he snatched The knifepoint robbery her phone and ran away. occurred at Chiney Road, She subsequently raised an Moblissa on the Soesdyke- alarm.

Linden Highway.

Ranks were summoned Police said the 51-year- but the suspect managed to old robbery suspect report- escape. However, a roadedly robbed the woman block led to the apprehension of $45,000 cash, two gold of the suspect who was in a rings, and one Samsung J2 hire car. cellular phone.

A search was conducted Police said the victim on him and the aforemenwas preparing to step outside tioned items were found to do some washing when on his person along with she was confronted by the $2,900. suspect who is known to her.

He was told of the alShe related to investiga- legation, cautioned and he tors that, while armed with reportedly admitted. He a knife, the robber grabbed was placed into custody onto her neck and said, “I pending investigation. The want the money or I will kill articles were shown to the you.” victim and she identified The victim, police said them as her property.

ing before stopping about 300 feet away in the eastern drive lane.

Police said that, as a result of the collision, the cyclist received injuries to his head and about his body and was picked up in an unconscious condition and taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital where he was seen

and examined by a doctor, who pronounced him dead on arrival.

A breathalyzer test conducted on the driver recorded zero readings.

He is currently in police custody assisting with investigations. A notice of intended prosecution was also served.

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The motor lorry involved in the fatal accident

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

Mohamed’s Enterprise donates $2M towards GCC’s rehabilitation for U19 World Cup section of the media they have also gotten support from Unique Distributors, while the government has pledged $5 million.

The president indicated that the moneys will be going mainly towards the rehabilitation of the dressing rooms, which have not been refurbished since 2005 when the venue last hosted international cricket.

That budget is pegged at $6 million. From the outside, the club has already replaced the zinc fence behind the members’ pavilion with a concrete structure.

For the Under-19 World Cup, Guyana will host teams such as India, Uganda, Scotland, South Africa, Ireland, Sri Lanka,

along with Australia and West Indies, who play the tournament-opener at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

These eight teams will play 12 matches – warm-up and group matches – over a seven-day period and teams will be arriving from January 2.

The first warm-up match is on January 9 and the final fixture in Guyana on January 15.

Matches will be held also at Everest Cricket Club and Georgetown Cricket Club, while practice sessions will be staged at Enmore Community Centre ground, Demerara Cricket Club, and Police Sports Club.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER Proprietor Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohamed (right) makes the donation to GCC president Timothy Tucker, at Mohamed’s Enterprise

MOHAMED’S Enterprise has plugged $2 million towards the ongoing rehabilitation works being

done at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), Bourda.

The donation was made yesterday at Mohamed’s Enterprise Lombard Street, Georgetown location and, according to a statement from the entity, they are happy to support GCC, an iconic sport institution, and urged others in the private sector to do the same.

GCC president Timothy Tucker stated in another

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

Hamilton Burnley’s home game knighted at against Watford postponed Windsor Castle amid COVID scare

Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by Prince Charles

(CNN) - Lewis Hamilton was knighted yesterday, days after he narrowly missed out on a record eighth Formula One title.

The 36-year-old was named in the New Year Honours List in December 2020, and received a knighthood from the Prince of Wales for his services to motorsport, in an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Published twice a year, the Honours List recognises those who have accomplished excellence in a spectrum of pursuits, including both celebrities and non-famous faces.

Hamilton joins Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart as the fourth F1 driver to be knighted, and the first to receive the honour while still actively racing.

Hamilton was made an MBE in 2009, receiving the award from Queen Elizabeth II in the wake of his maiden F1 championship.

Despite adding six further titles since, he returned to be honoured yesterday in wildly different circumstances -- reeling from agonizing final-race heartbreak on Sunday.

Having dominated the majority of the F1 season's much anticipated finale in Abu Dhabi - wherein Hamilton arrived level on points with title rival Max Verstappen - the Brit looked set to cruise to an eighth world championship that would have put him clear of Michael Schumacher's all-time record.

Yet a crash by Williams Racing driver Nicholas Latifi with four laps remaining triggered a disastrous series of events for Mercedes and Hamilton - the subsequent safety car allowing Red Bull to pit Verstappen and put him on fresh soft tyres, whilst his rival stayed out as not to surrender his lead position.

Huge controversy ensued when race director Michael Masi initially said lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen would not be allowed to unlap themselves.

But Masi then appeared to change his mind moments later, leaving the Red Bull driver right behind Hamilton with fresh tyres and just one lap to go.

Having previously commanded a dominant lead, Hamilton restarted the final lap almost side-by-side with a rejuvenated Verstappen -- who hunted down his rival to overtake on turn five and win his first world title in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable.

Mercedes subsequently launched two protests against the result - both of which were dismissed - and on Sunday lodged an intention to appeal against the decision to restart the race for the last lap.

Mercedes said on Monday that there was "no further communication planned at this time" regarding their intention to appeal Sunday's result.

Watford scarves had already been placed on fans' seats before their game at Burnley was postponed

(BBC) - Burnley's Premier League match at home to Watford yesterday has been postponed because of an ongoing COVID outbreak within the visitors' squad.

Burnley made the announcement on social media at 17:00hrs GMT, with the game scheduled to kick off at 19:30hrs.

The Premier League said Watford had "an insufficient number of firstteam players available to fulfil the match".

It added that the decision was taken "with regret" and apologised for "the inconvenience and disruption caused".

A statement read: "The Premier League understands this decision will disappoint and frustrate fans who were due to attend this evening's game."

This is the third Premier League match in the last week to have been called off because of COVID outbreaks after Tottenham's trip to Brighton on Sunday and Brentford's home game with Manchester United on Tuesday.

It is also the second time in just over two weeks that a Burnley home match against a London side has been postponed at short notice after Tottenham's trip to Turf Moor was snowed off on November 28.

The Premier League added: "In considering any application to postpone, the board considers a range of sporting and medical factors.

"Each decision is taken on a caseby-case basis with everyone's health of utmost importance.

"In light of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases across the country, the Premier League has reintroduced emergency measures. These include protocols such as more frequent testing, wearing face coverings while indoors, observing social distancing and limiting treatment time."

California Square rampant as GFF/K&S Futsal kicks off THE Guyana Football Federation/Kashif and Shanghai Organisation Futsal tournament kicked off Tuesday evening and California Square sent an ominous warning with a rampant display at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

California Square had a team effort in their 7-2 triumph over Generation X FC with goals from Brandon Solomon, Wesley Greenidge, Levi Canterbury, Tevin Campbell, Antwone Vasconcellos and Meshak Barat.

Chancy Babb and Joshua Parvattan accounted for Generation X goals.

Alberto Hernandez scored a superb hat-trick, which stormed Vengy FC to a 6-3 hammering of Stabroek Ballers.

Hernandez was ably assisted by Jose Vasquez and Angelo Rajas. Mark Jahlu had a double for Stabroek with support coming from Shemar Welch.

Two goals by the Harrigan brothers, Jemar and Jermone,

led Team Cruel to a 4-0 whipping of Globeyard, as Tyrese Denis and Steven Miller also etched their names on the scoresheet.

Agricola lost to Renegades via goals from Malcolm Miggins, Keavaughn Ward, Dwayne Wilson, Leorian Lovell, while Bilal Jabar, Christopher John and Kevon Bacchus scored for the East Bank unit.

Alexander Village edged Avocado Ballers 4-2 with the seasoned Shem Porter netting two goals followed by Anton Parker and Rolan Junior, while Antony Correno and Endrick Perez struck the back of the net for Ballers.

Teams are playing for first-place prize of $1 million while second will cop $50 000 and third and fourth get $250 000 and $100 000 respectively.

The action continues tonight at 19:00hrs at the aforementioned venue. It is a vaccinated-only event.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

Nandu among U19 cricketers honoured

by Scarborough Cricket Association

West Indies Under-19 batsman Matthew Nandu was one of three cricketers recently honoured by the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) in Canada.

The 18-year-old received a plaque and cash from SCA’s president Shiv Persaud during a simple presentation ceremony.

The left-hander who plays for the Kaieteur International Sports Club in the SCA, is set to suit up for the West Indies team from January 14 to February 5 for the ICC 50-over U19 World Cup. Persaud reportedly told Nandu and two local cricketers Ethan Gibson and Arjuna Sukhu, who will represent Canada in the World Cup, to play hard and with passion.

The Canadian-born who plays his cricket in both Canada and Guyana, became eligible for the West Indies team since both of his parents are Guyanese.

Matthew Nandu (third from right) at the award presentation

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

Carvalhal, Baksh shine as Squash action continues in Canada on point in the fourth as he powered into an 11-7 win, before taking the match with an 11-8 final game to put him in the quarter-finals of the consolation.

Baksh ended his run right down to wire in a 5-setter against a formidable opponent, Singodia, who played an impressive first game taking an 11-4 lead on Baksh.

Baksh took it back in the second but paid heavily for his efforts with an 11-2 defeat in the third.

Pushing back, Baksh dominated the fourth moving his opponent around the court, hitting some hard low balls he couldn’t pick up to take an outstanding fourth game 11-/4. As the boys went into the fifth, tension was high for a place in the semis

Guyanese Squash aces Samuel Ince-Carvalhal and Mohryan Baksh

GUYANESE Squash aces, Samuel Ince-Carvalhal and Mohryan Baksh, ventured to the Canadian Open earlier this week despite the challenges of new travel restrictions and COVID protocol.

The boys were eager to get some good experience and to see how they would fare against others in their age categories after the effects of the pandemic on the sport.

Both players came out strong and won their first matches. Baksh achieved a clean win of 3-0 against opponent Simmons in the Boys’ U15 category and Ince-Carvalhal in the U19. dropped the first 9-11, but took the next three – 11-4, 11-3, 11-9 - taking them on to the next round.

Baksh met Pallwal later that evening and was out-performed despite his fighting spirit and spectacular crosscourts. His Canadian opponent was at home on the court winning convincingly 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 over Baksh.

Ince-Carvalhal suffered

the same fate when he faced the tournament’s number 2 seed in his second-round bout, and, although he gave a stellar performance with good long rallies, amazing retrieval and killer drops, the number two seed, and eventual tournament winner, was clearly in a higher league, defeating Ince-Carvalhal 113, 11-4, 11-4.

Both Guyanese were moved into the consolation draw to continue their bid for a seeding place.

On day 2 Baksh reestablished his dominance in his match-up against Lee. Looking sharp on court he battled through the first game for an 11-9 win and then wore Lee down with clean crisp drives and solid cross-courts that turned his opponent and put the ball past him into the back, where he was unable to reach. Securing his spot in 9-16 placement Baksh won 11-3, 11-6, 11-4.

Ince-Carvalhal looked set to do the same against Richter when he pushed a solid performance in the first two games, earning himself an

11-8, 11-8 wins. During the 3rd however, his opponent got the better of him and he conceded 4-11 and 1-11 losses.

With a final push in the 5th following some gruelling rallies, great lengths and superb drops and what seemed to be enough, Ince-Carvalhal got to match ball before Richter evened at 10.

Snatching back an 11-10 lead, Ince-Carvalhal looked to have it, but Richter evened again and then won the match on a stroke call, sending Ince-Carvalhal into the Plate In Baksh’s third round consolation match, he took an impressive Jain to 5 games. In an outstanding performance Baksh pushed a first close game with the boys going point for point to 10-all, before Baksh took it 12-10. In the second, it was another close call resulting in Baksh losing 9-11 and 6-11 in the third.

However, the determined youngster was not ready to give up on this one and Baksh upped his retrieval stepping. His placement was

and Baksh took an early lead reaching a 9-5 advantage, but Singodia climbed back point by point in long rallies, both boys playing strong lengths and trying to patiently wait for the other to make unforced errors, to even at 9.

Neither player was giving an inch and at 10-10, the battle was at its peak before Singodia moved to 11-10 and finished it at 12-10.

In the final game for the boys, Ince-Carvalhal faced Hug in the Plate finals. After a point for point start Ince-Carvalhal pulled away to a 7-4 lead before Hug evened back at 7-all and stayed close but Ince-Carvalhal carved out a space for himself by taking the first game 111-9.

Hug took the second with

the same score. Ince-Carvalhal secured the third 11-8 and then battening down, Ince-Carvalhal began to move more smoothly and looked clearly on a mission to finish this one in 4.

He bent lower, hit harder, found his targets and executed some perfect drops in his final game of the tournament to take the match with a final game score of 11-7.

The duo played outstanding squash this tournament and represented their country well. They move on to the U.S. on the 16th where they will be joined by teammates Wiltshire, Alphonso and Verwey to gain more experience from the international U.S. Junior Open.

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

GuySuCo/Nexgen Golf Academy West Indies youngsters spreads Christmas Cheer to finding footing as Pakistan look to sweep T20I Series East Coast youths

(ESPNCRICINFO) - It hasn't been the best of tours for West Indies.

First they were forced to leave out seven first-choice players due to a combination of workload management, injuries and personal reasons that followed their regular white-ball captain's withdrawal due to a hamstring issue.

After all that, three members of their touring party tested COVID-positive, thus ruling them out of the T20Is. They now find themselves 2-0 down and facing a 3-0 sweep.

There have been glimpses of the possible damage even a weakened West GGA/Nexgen Golf Academy and GuySuCo teamed up to spread some Christmas cheer on the Indies can cause on the current tour alEast Coast recently ready, not least when they had Pakistan MAKING good on its promise to bring joy to behind the scenes to create the event and setting at 141 for 7 after 18 overs, and then had more families this year, GuySuCo provided that included a 15-foot recyclable tree made from eight wickets in the shed with 88 to get dozens of children from the Enmore and Enter- plastic bottles which was a main part of the activ- in just over nine overs during the second prise areas with a special GuySuCo Christmas ities.

T20I on Tuesday.

GolFun event at the Nexgen Golf Academy last GuySuCo has set high expectations for the But they ended up conceding 172 as Sunday. coming years with a focus on human resources Shadab Khan, an able but not generally "GuySuCo has made a commitment to improve development and profitability not just production threatening No. 8, got into them with the the lives of as many persons in our communities numbers. "Our aim is to deliver results to our bat. They eventually fell short of the tarand we see this as a major step in that direction," stakeholders that show we are not just the largest get by nine runs despite a spirited fight said CEO Sasenarine Singh. employer outside of government but that we are by their own No. 7 Romario Shepherd.

"We want to ensure that there are direct benefits able to perform at all levels.

All that said and done, it is another to the residents in our areas as evidenced by our "The Corporation is embracing old and new opportunity for a fresh, untested unit to efforts with training, re-employment, diversifica- ideas to achieve its goals and looks forward to re- not only prove they can perform but also tion and contributions on a regular basis to our ceiving suggestions and comments from everyone eye a permanent place in West Indies' stakeholders." who wants to see improvement for the betterment starting XI. The annual Christmas Thanksgiving event was of the corporation and industry", said Gavin RamPakistan, on the other hand, seem adopted by GuySuCo's CEO, who seized the op- narain, Head of Agri Research & Communications. to be the side in form in the shortest portunity to provide these kids with a memorable Singh stated, "GuySuCo plays a daily part in format. They have won ten of their last experience, something that will impact them for homes around the world making lives sweeter, a 11 T20Is - including a 3-0 sweep of more than just a day and create a passion for a new little bit at a time, but especially around the holi- Bangladesh last month after the T20 activity that could see our next world champions. days with baking of cakes and natural drinks such World Cup - and six out of their last The weather cooperated as the kids were treated as sorrel and ginger beer." Based on the reactions seven bilateral T20I series, including to an afternoon of fun that included photos with from the participants, he indicated that such ac- the ongoing one.

Santa, Ms Claus and an entire team of Santa's tivities could be expanded to other areas in which Their openers have developed a Helpers from the GuySuCo LBI head office, a golf GuySuCo operates and may not be limited only to dominant union, their middle order experience, lots of food and drinks (contributed by the holiday season. has been boosted by the likes of Asif the Beharry Group KFC) and they all received a He added "On behalf of myself, management Ali and Shadab, youngsters Haider Ali gift-wrapped toy from Santa. and staff of GuySuCo, we wish our stakeholders and Mohammad Wasim Jr have rapidly Transportation was provided by the Guyana and customers a safe and happy holiday season adapted to international cricket and the Defence Force who saw this as an opportunity to and best wishes for prosperity for all Guyanese skills of Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf support a worthwhile cause. in 2022." (Clifton Ross) have repeatedly come to the fore.

This is the fourth year that the Enmore OrphanThe fact that they fielded the same age has been the beneficiary of activities involving XI across the two wins in the series golf and the children have also been given a chance says a thing about how settled this side to attend golf training camps at the Nexgen Golf is, having three members yet unused.

Academy on Woolford Avenue.

And although the third and final match Director Kenneth Finlayson stated, "Our might be labelled as a dead rubber with children look forward to experiencing the joys of the series already in Pakistan's pocket, something new and they talk about this all the time it provides just the perfect opportunity as a wonderful experience. for the team management to experiment Without the help of GuySuCo, Mr Hussain and with fresh faces, as they aim to build the entire team of volunteers, this would not be a solid pool and go two steps better at possible this year so on behalf of the children and the next edition of the T20 World Cup, staff, I want to thank everyone for your support in which starts in less than a year's time. making a difference in their lives."

President of Nexgen Golf Academy, Aleem FORM GUIDE Hussain, expressed his gratitude to the management Pakistan WWWWW (Last five comof GuySuCo’: "Giving back to those less fortunate pleted matches; most recent first) West is important and this year we were able to give Indies LLLLW many more kids an opportunity to enjoy a day of GolFun due to the support from GuySuCo, Maraiko IN THE SPOTLIGHT Bay Resorts, KFC and the Nexgen Global Group."

He didn't get to play a single game Hussain also thanked the volunteers, especially A beautiful Christmas tree made completely of in the T20 World Cup despite being in Alicia, Phillip, Michelle, and Steve, who worked Pakistan's final squad, but spin-bowling plastic bottles, done by the volunteers

all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has had an impactful five matches since. His two wickets came at 27 and an economy rate of exactly six an over against Bangladesh, and he has followed that up with three wickets at 20 against West Indies.

That aside, a cameo of 18* off just eight balls helped Pakistan inch ahead in a tense finish in the first T20I against Bangladesh, while 30* at a strike rate of 300 in the first T20I versus West Indies pushed his team up to a match-wining total of 200. Should Nawaz continue to blossom with both ball and bat, he could prove tough competition for the more established Imad Wasim.

West Indies' death-bowling so far in the series has made it tough for their batters during the chase. The visitors conceded 53 in the final three-and-ahalf overs in the first T20I to Haider and Nawaz, and 31 in the last two overs to Shadab on Tuesday.

However, they have the best economy rate of 8.57 and the third-most wickets in the final four overs among all T20I sides in the calendar year. The West Indies bowlers would quickly want to get back to that level.

TEAM NEWS Pakistan wouldn't mind giving some of their regulars a break and bring in the three unused members of the squad: right-arm quicks Mohammad Hasnain and Shahnawaz Dahani, and leg-spinner Usman Qadir.

With the ODI series starting just two days after the third T20I - the three ODIs will all be done inside five days - resting Afridi, Rauf and Shadab, although the latter is their vice-captain, ahead of matches that count for World Cup Super League points would be prudent.

Pakistan XI (possible): Babar Azam (capt.), Mohammad Rizwan (wkp.), Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan (vice-capt.)/Usman Qadir, Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf/ Shahnawaz Dahani, Shaheen Shah Afridi/Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Wasim Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie is the only real choice for a change for the third game. With nothing further to lose, he could be drafted in for an international debut although that would imply leaving out one of the quicks, with Akeal Hosein having done appreciably well and Hayden Walsh Jr having played just one game. But dropping a fast bowler may not be all that bad, considering the pitches have been slow, and where the spinners' economy rate has been just 5.86.

West Indies XI (possible): Brandon King, Shai Hope, Shamarh Brooks, Nicholas Pooran (capt,/wkp.), Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Dominic Drakes/Gudakesh Motie, Akeal Hosein, Hayden Walsh Jr, Oshane Thomas.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 16, 2021 Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by Prince Charles

Hamilton knighted at Windsor Castle

Mohamed’s Enterprise California Square donates $2M towards rampant as GFF/ GCC’s rehabilitation K&S Futsal kicks off for U19 World Cup PAGE

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Proprietor Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohamed (right) makes the donation to GCC president Timothy Tucker, at Mohamed’s Enterprise

Part of the action on Tuesday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall

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West Indies youngsters finding footing as Pakistan look to sweep T20I Series 26 PAGE

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2021