Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 17-01-2022 by Guyana Chronicle

MONDAY 17th JANUARY, 2022

No. 106607

Registration for 2022 GOAL scholarships opens today

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Strengthening Drainage Capacity

- over $300M in upgrades of D&I structures underway

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Operation Clean-Up day two continued in full swing in the City on Sunday (Office of the President photos)

‘Saints’ student to participate in prestigious Stanford University hackathon competition SEE PAGE

Authorities launch investigation into infant’s death SEE PAGE

Vendor’s home destroyed by fire SEE PAGE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Vendor’s home destroyed by fire The two-storey wooden and concrete house on fire

A fire of unknown origin has completely destroyed a two-storey wooden and concrete house at Lot 25 Maida Farm, East Berbice, Corentyne, on Sunday. The fire, which began at approximately 08:45 hrs, also damaged a wall and windows of a neighbour’s house. Assif Mohammed, called “Fazil”, 46, who owned the house ravaged by fire, said he was not at home when the fire started and was apprised of the tragedy by his wife. “I went to Eureka Lab to take my aunt to do a PCR test; when I got there my wife call and say the house on fire. By the time I got back, the house was already flattened. A lot of persons were trying to help and the firefighters were doing their duties, everyone tried,” he said. Mohammed, a vendor at the New Amsterdam Market and former hire car driver, occupied the house with his wife. They were unable save anything. At the time, two visiting relatives were staying at their home and they were all in the kitchen preparing for a religious function at

another relative’s house. However, the family was able to recover a Quran among the debris. Though the edges of the holy book were scorched, the words on the pages were intact. According to Mohamed, the fire started in the upper flat near a fuse box. No one was there at the time as everyone was in the upper flat cooking. An eyewitness recalled that after the fire became visible, villagers formed a bucket brigade but they were unable quell the raging blaze. A fire tender arrived from the Rose Hall Fire Station and managed to control the blaze and save the nearby house from extensive damage. A neighbour, Shamdai Mohammed, said after the fire began to spread, they collected a hose from the garden and began to soak the building. As a result of the fire, a window, the side walls, PVC pipes and a water tank were damaged. An investigation is currently underway. Mohammed estimated his losses in the millions since his house was well furnished.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Over $300M in upgrades of D&I structures underway

AS the government continues to address Guyana’s susceptibility to flooding, a conscious effort is being made to construct new drainage infrastructures and upgrade a number of existing ones all across the country. On Sunday, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) of the Ministry of Agriculture indicated that it was embarking on construction works valued in excess of $300 million, during the first quarter of this year. These include the much-needed construction of three key pieces of drainage infrastructure at Vriesland, West Bank Demerara, Region Three. The northern drainage structure is estimated to cost $21,872,600, followed by the construction of a central drainage structure at an estimated cost of $23,019,700, and a southern drainage structure pegged at $21,668,500. The NDIA will also be procuring several tractoroperated water pumps for the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six, at an estimated total of $100.1 million. To further improve the functioning of several channels, the ministry has on its agenda the construction of three concrete bridges at Mahaica, Region Five. These are, the Payo Bridge, which according to an engineer’s estimate is likely to cost $27,064,590; the Eddie Bridge, at an estimated cost of $29,886,418; and the Pelo Bridge, pegged at $27,960,410. Also set to commence before the end of the first quarter of this year is the rehabilitation of secondary outfall channels at Acre Dairy plots in Region Five, at an estimated cost of $36,759,000. In addition to the construction of an access road at Onderneeming, Region Two, the ministry also has a tender out for the supply and installation of a 71 KVA power generator for

Additional tractor-operated pumps are slated to be sourced within the coming weeks

the NDIA’s Lusignan office building; this is estimated at $8,862,400. It should be noted that within the past two years, the drainage capacity of farmlands and even residential communities across Guyana has improved significantly. As a matter of fact, during 2021 alone, investments in drainage and irrigation have surpassed $8.4 billion. CONSIDERABLE HEADWAY The Ministry of Agriculture has indicated that the government was able to make considerable headway with the restoration of Guyana’s agricultural sector, after a five-year pause on investments in the development and maintenance of new and existing drainage and irrigation structures. In addition to the billions worth of drainage works across the country, just over $4 billion was also spent to cover initiatives which included the procurement of heavy-duty machinery, as well as the construction of drainage and irrigation structures. A total of 2,487 contracts were also signed in 2021 and this included a $497,464,600 agreement

for the supply of a Cutter Head Dredge. Farmers in the Pomeroon were also able to benefit from a block drainage programme, which will continue in 2022. Approximately 200 farmers benefitted from this programme in 2021. The unprecedented and devastating May/June floods also saw approximately $1.5 billion being spend on executing a myriad of emergency works, which included clearing and desilting clogged waterways, the operation of both mobile and fixed drainage pumps to drain flooded farms and residential areas, and rehabilitating and reinforcing embankment structures in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and 10. This is in addition to the $7.8 billion flood relief programme which saw thousands of affected farmers and households benefitting from direct financial support. Moreover, despite the challenges faced by the floods, the Agriculture Ministry assured that the NDIA was able to stay on course with its 2021 work programme. Additionally, in keeping with the government’s

goal to double agricultural production and reduce the nation’s food-import bill, NDIA’s work programme focused on carrying out drainage works in communities that had a clear interest in farming. NEGLECT “Some of these communities are historically known for their agricultural outputs, but saw a decline in production due to the lack of proper drainage and irrigation systems under the APNU+AFC government,” NDIA said. In response to this, the drainage and irrigation authority carried out critical works in Nabacalis, Friendship, Victoria, Cove and John, Hogg Island, Wakenaam, Leguan, Zeelugt, Meten-Meer-Zorg, Buxton, Canal Polders and Black Bush Polders, among others, after years of neglect. Through collaboration with various authorities, NDIA also said that it was also able to implement routine drainage maintenance programmes, whereby community stakeholders and beneficiaries were contracted to maintain the waterways in their communities. Added to the work of the NDIA, an estimated

$28.7 billion was expended in 2021 by various agencies under the Agriculture Ministry for a number of transformative projects within the sector. Apart from the $22.6 billion budgeted for drainage works, approximately $6.1 billion worth of supplementary funds were sought and approved to cover additional expenses. Aside from drainage and irrigation work, the government, in 2021, also commenced work on the development of several farm-to-market roads, in an effort to make more lands available to farmers. The ongoing construction of two major roads at Numbers 52 and 58 villages Corentyne, Berbice, as well as a $327 million asphaltic concrete road at Onverwagt in Region Five, are expected to give farmers access to thousands of acres of prime farmlands for the cultivation of rice and cash crops, as well as livestock farming. Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, had said that the roads were among several projects streamlined for implementation in vari-

ous farming communities across Guyana. “These are very significant and transformative projects. You will see thousands of acres of new lands being made available with the construction of these all-weather roads, which will satisfy the needs of thousands of farmers there,” Minister Mustapha said. The farm-to-market road at the Number 52 Village will span approximately two kilometres long and will be completed at a cost of $240 million, while the Number 58 Village Road will cost just about $640 million to construct. The ministry is also advancing its plan to expand the sector over the next four years, which will see the construction of several farm-tomarket roads across the regions. These include a projected $175 million road on the right bank of the Mahaicony Creek in Region Five; an estimated $150 million road on the left bank of the Mahaica Creek in Region Four and an estimated $100 million road at Salem, Region Three, the Ministry of Agriculture said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Authorities launch investigation into infant’s death REGION Six Health authorities have launched an investigation into the death of a four month old at the Skeldon Hospital last Friday. The infant died while receiving medical attention. Grandmother of the infant, Kamlawattie Radreeks, 38, of Crabwood Creek, East Berbice, Corentyne, is distraught at her loss and is seeking an early response from the authorities. She related that the infant was feeling unwell last Thursday and was taken the said day to a private doctor where she received treatment and was feeling better. However, the following day around 10:00hrs, the symptoms returned, accompanied by vomiting and the in-

fant was taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital. “She was ok whole night but around 10 ‘o’ clock on Friday, the baby start get problems breathing and the vomiting nah stop, so we rush down to Skeldon Hospital where we meet a female doctor and she check the child and say she need wan injection and a bottle medicine which was Gravol. We get the injection and they say everything was ok so we leave.” She claimed that on her way back home, the child stop responding and they took a taxi and went back to the hospital where they saw a different doctor, who said the infant needed another ‘injection’ after conducting an examination. “We tell the doctor that

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Dead: Four-month-old Dana ‘Alisa’ Samaroo we done get wan injection for the baby already, but he said the baby needed another one that she weak and gone far already,” she said, relating that the infant died while receiving treatment. Meanwhile, the distraught mother Geetangalie Bissoondyal, 18, said she is unable to put words to her feelings after losing her firstborn. She is calling on the authorities to provide answers as to what might have caused her baby to die suddenly. Meanwhile, Region Six Regional Health Officer Dr Vishalya Sharma in a press release refuted claims made by an online publication that the child received ‘vaccines’ and that the child was discharged

by the hospital the first time. “The child upon arrival at our medical facility was assessed by the doctor on duty and was given initial treatment after which she was placed under observation. The family subsequently left without any further evaluation being done on the child. The child at no point in time was discharged from our care or given any vaccines,” she said. The statement added that the death, like all others at medical facilities, is being investigated and a post-mortem is expected to be performed the infant’s remains today. Dr Sharma extended condolences to the family of the deceased infant.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Citizens laud ‘Clean up’ initiative - happy with Joint Services’ involvement

As government continued to play its role in returning the capital to its ‘Garden City’ status, citizens have expressed heartfelt appreciation at ‘Operation Clean up’ which culminated on Sunday. Guyana-born US citizen, Evelyn Agard, lauded the initiative, as she believes it is one that was desperately needed. “I am very happy this morning to see the massive cleaning by Bourda. This is a massive work and they are doing a wonderful job,” Agard noted. One taxi driver stationed in the area, explained that the importance of the cleaning of the area surrounding the minibus park will boost the health of persons living in the area, since food items would usually be sold in the same vicinity. “It’s a very good effort because remember you got food selling out here, and this [garbage] that is out here, is over three months these things deh out here… so it’s very good,” resident Neville Berkely noted. Another resident, Andre Rozac, related to this publication that not only will it be beneficial through the beautification of his surroundings, but it will also pave the way for a higher quality of life, as clogged up drains will be cleared, thus mitigating the effects of flooding. “It’s very nice that they are doing this clean-up and I hope it could be more often and not once a year, and the residents themselves can come out and keep their part like how it’s clean now. When it rains, it floods out and this would help a lot to drain the water, and also like for mosquitoes and things like that,” he noted. Rudolph Glasgow, who was, at the time of the cleanup campaign on Sunday, taking his family for a stroll on the seawall, said it will be a very good look for Guyana. “It’s keeping the environment clean. Guyana is supposed to be the breadbasket, not the garbage bin, so this is a great initiative,” Glasgow said.

Evelyn Agard

Neville Berkely

Former boxer, Quincy Jones, who was also with his children, said the clearing of garbage from the country’s ‘hot spots’ will allow for a better review from tourists when they visit Guyana. “It’s great that we could get our children playing in a clean environment; the

seawalls clean so that tourists could come and see what beautiful seawalls we have… so I have to commend the police force and GDF for the wonderful job that they are doing,” he said. These remarks come just one day after the Joint Services and private sector,

in collaboration with the government, embarked on a clean-up campaign to restore the City of Georgetown to its glory and splendour, after years of mismanagement and negligence by the Mayor and City Council. This forms part of the PPP/C Government’s

agenda to create family-oriented safe spaces, and to begin taking steps

towards massive infrastructural development. (DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

The Djokovic Factor

A ROW seems to be brewing between the Australian government and the Serbian authorities over the cancellation of the visa of tennis star Novak Djokovic, who was in Australia to compete in the Australia Open. He has since been deported, but not after kicking up a storm which has left the tennis world divided. The controversy started after the unvaccinated Serbian tennis star entered the country on January 5 but had his visa cancelled on ‘health and good order’ grounds, based on an argument by the Australian Government that ‘it was in the public interest to do so.’ He sought legal representation only to have a decision in his favour reversed by the Australian court, thus paving the way for his eventual deportation. Opinion is divided as to whether or not the Australian authorities were too harsh in their treatment of the

tennis star, who is known for his opposition to vaccination mandates, something to which the Australian Government is holding on firmly. The fact that the COVID-19 virus and its several mutations and variants are causing a new surge in infection rates worldwide, has resulted in heightened sensitivities about the vaccines and a higher level of intolerance against the unvaccinated. It is against the above backdrop that the decision to deny a visa to Mr Djokovic has to be seen. It is a case of sticking to the rules regardless of the status of the individual. Granted that Djokovic is no ordinary individual, given his ranking in the tennis world, his unvaccinated status much less his views on the subject of vaccine mandates cannot be ignored. The debate as to whether the matter was properly handled by the Australian Government

will continue long after the games have ended. The games, however, will go on even though it must be very disappointing for Djokovic and his fans over his inability to compete in the games which commence today. He has won a record nine Australia Open titles, including three in a row which makes it all the more painful both for himself and his huge fan base that he would no longer be in a position to compete in the games. Truth be told, his inability to compete in the games is to a large extent of his own making. He had in effect refused to play by the rules in respect of the host country’s vaccination policies and guidelines and as someone who is aware of the importance of playing by the rules on the tennis court, he ought to know that failure to adhere to the vaccination policies of the host nation must have con-

sequences. In other words, the ‘victim’ image he and his supporters are seeking to project is of his own making and he now has to live with the consequences that flow from his actions. To his credit, he has said that even though he was disappointed over the court’s ruling, he respected the decision. Prime Minister Scott Morrison cannot be faulted when he said that ‘no one is above the rules’ and that such rules cannot be applied selectively. There can be no ‘holy cows’ and the rules must be applied uniformly. Failing to do so could send mixed signals and could have serious political and other implications. This is especially so given the fact that Djokovic was tested positive for the COVID-19 virus three years ago and that he was less than truthful to the authorities regarding his post-COVID-19 travelling status. Australians, like so many

others globally, are forced to endure some of the world’s strictest restrictions and many are unable to travel freely between states or internationally. Many were infuriated over what appeared to be an attempted flouting of the COVID-19 rules by people of prominence and there was mounting pressure for the government to stand firmly on principles. Meanwhile, in another part of the world, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has found himself in some trouble after it was revealed that even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister was seen ‘partying’ at a time when lockdown measures were fully in force. He has since offered an apology to Buckingham Palace amid calls by opposition elements for him to step down. Here in Guyana, the PPP/C Government is pushing ahead aggressively with its vaccination programme

to reach the level of herd immunity. The Ministry of Health has set a target of 70 per cent of the population to be fully vaccinated by April 2022 and is on course to meet the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) target to fully vaccinate 40 per cent of its population by the end of 2021 and 70 per cent by mid-2022. In fact, Guyana is one of the few developing countries that actually have enough vaccines for the full cohort of its adult population. As both the Djokovic experience and the political storm involving the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson have demonstrated, the issue of vaccination and attitudes towards the virus go way beyond the boundaries of sports and politics. If there is one positive outcome from the Djokovic affair, it is that there is now a heightened focus on the issue of the COVID-19 virus and vaccination mandates.

GECOM must cleanse itself of all rogue elements! Dear Editor, THE recent termination of the highly controversial Duarte Hetsberger from the employ of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was way overdue. Aside from others who suddenly walked away out of fear of prosecution for their hideous roles, the iceberg is cracking and all the commission must ensure that floating rogue elements are dispensed with. It is not surprising that the contents of the GECOM computers used by Duarte Hetsberger and others were deleted. The purpose it serves is to remove evidence and Hetsberger seems to have

taken the ‘Fall-Guy’ posture. GECOM, however, cannot backpedal as the institution has no choice but to improve its image based on the strongest investigative approach at this time. As the clean-up continues, the public will read much more about the roles of the planted clandestine agents in the attempt to change the results of the March 2020 General and Regional Elections. It is rational for one to link and see the cover up of fraud with the clandestine and criminal intent of wiping computers owned by GECOM. Even though the APNU+AFC Coalition Government piloted the Cyber-

Crime Act in 2018, it is clear that its full operationalisation must be effected to arrest the overwhelming criminal abuse as many of their supporters continue to show scant regard for the law. During the torturous five months following the March 02, 2020 elections, and until the cabals in operation at the GECOM Secretariat were dismissed, there is no evidence of any appropriate reports regarding the elections being prepared. Consequently, the Information Technology (IT) Officers subsequently discovered that the computers were all cleanly whipped of data, and Hetsberger offered no expla-

nations about the sweep. It must be noted that he was totally in charge of the office. This absolute failure within such key controls begs pertinent questions regarding the necessary off-site backups that should be in place. Importantly, concerning computer fraud evidenced in this case, Section 11 (1) of the Cybercrime Act of 2018 states: “A person commits an offence if the person(a) Inputs, alters, deletes, or suppresses electronic data; or (b) (b) interferes with the functioning of a computer system, with the intent to defraud or deceive another person for the purpose of

procuring an economic benefit for himself or another person.” While GECOM is indeed a semi-autonomous organisation, all of its assets are owned by the state. Our taxpayers’ hard-earned contributions were used to procure every piece of equipment and the wiping out and cleaning out of significant information from GECOM computers must be fully investigated. The police must be promptly called in and a full investigation must take place in respect of the clean sweepout of data from the former GECOM Chief Executive Officer Keith Lowenfield and his secretary’s comput-

ers. These rogue actors have sought to intimidate the entire nation, which also brings into consideration offences under Section 19 of the Cybercrime Act. This column has been informed by credible sources that the GECOM Secretariat is depleted of key electronic data, information, and records related to the past several years. At the end of every Local Government, Regional, and National Elections, it is compulsory that the CEO and his staff prepare thorough reports of events regarding the respective elections, and this was notably absent for 2020 and other TURN TO PAGE 7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Price control was a failure By Dr. Vishnu Bisram ON January 13, the opposition PNC called for implementation of price controls (ceiling) to address the rising prices of goods. This is an old idea of the PNC, seemingly built into the political and economic DNA of the PNC. It was implemented around 1970, resulting in disastrous socio-economic consequences for the population. It was abolished in Hoyte’s economic reforms around 1988, as a condition for the UK and U.S. restoring economic aid to Guyana. President Irfaan Ali rightly rejected the idea of price controls, stating “I would not ever take Guyana back to any system that did not serve us well.” In a normal economy such as ours or the U.S., prices are determined by the market and cost of production. There is a dynamic interaction of supply and demand – as well as cost of production, transportation, scarcity, preference by consumer, affordability -- that determine how much (if any) will be bought at any giv-

en price. Consumers will purchase more of a product as its price declines, all else being equal. Analogously, they will consume less if prices rise. Supply and demand shift constantly in response to tastes and costs. Currently, prices are high because of scarcity due to the floods and transportation costs. Government must address those two issues and provide incentives for farmers to produce. During the period of Burnhamism, Burnham introduced this looney idea of price controls (fixed prices) on goods. Price control simply means that the government put a selling price per item (fixed quantity) of a good. Burnham implemented the policy years before he started banning food imports (that he called imperialist or White man food). Almost every food item had a price control. Even toilet paper was under price control. The price of the item had to be publicly displayed in front of it (on the shelf); if not posted, it was a hefty fine. A s a y o u n g s t e r, I

helped to run a small shop, so I was well aware of the policy. Heavy fines resulted in selling above the controlled price. It did not matter for Burnham if the cost of the good was more than the selling price, the grocer had to sell at the controlled price or face a fine and jail time. The fixed price was the same all over the country-- on the Corentyne or in Essequibo or far away from Georgetown. Transportation costs were not factored in when determining the price of goods. The cost of almost every item was much more than the selling price. Government didn’t offer any assistance to grocers to make up for the difference. Shopkeepers had to sell at a loss. Which shopkeeper would remain in business selling at a loss? It was simply unprofitable, unwise for grocers to stay in business. Shopkeepers found ways to “kak’ consumers so as not to lose money. They would sell the goods at the controlled price but lower the weight of the item; unsuspecting consumers didn’t pay at-

tention to weight because most items were prepackaged and consumers didn’t bother to focus attention on the scale when goods were weighed. So instead of selling, as an illustration, one pound (16 ounces) of sugar for seven cents (government price), they would give 14 ounces. Ditto flour, dhal, alou, onions, garlic, channa, boradhal, chaoor (rice), salt, etc; for canned (sardines, corned mutton, tomato paste, etc.), or bottled items, or toilet paper, etc., shopkeepers won’t put them out on display for sale. Only when consumers asked for those items, they would be told the practical (not government) price. The shopper decided whether to purchase the item. The shopkeepers sold only items above price ceilings to those shoppers they knew personally and who would not report them to the food police. In all instances, shoppers paid the demanded, non-controlled price. Consumers or shoppers knew that the fixed-price items were not profitable for shopkeepers. How can a tin of sar-

dines be sold for the same price (24 cents) in 1970 in Georgetown and in Port Mourant? There was not transportation or labour costs to move the sardines from Georgetown to the Corentyne. Goods were often not sold to far-off locations by Georgetown wholesalers because they were forced to supply retailers at fixed prices. So goods became scarce in West Berbice, Corentyne, West Bank, West Coast, Essequibo, etc. Shopkeepers from far-off areas had to go to town and purchase their goods at fixed prices. And inevitably, prices went up (sold above price controls) because grocers had to factor in transport and labour costs. The government didn’t take into consideration while setting prices, compensation for spoilage and spills. Many items were perishables that would lead to losses? Didn’t the Burnham government recognise the idiocy of its policy? Was the policy driven by race? Almost all the stores were owned by Portuguese, Chinese, and Indians. Almost all the importers were Por-

tuguese and Chinese and they did the wholesaling. The larger Indian stores also served as wholesalers and distributors. Almost all the retailing and community shops were owned by Indians. Then the import ban came as well as government control of all imports and exports in offices staffed by supporters of the PNC. The Portuguese, Chinese, and wealthy Indians and mixed-race merchants packed up and left the country, running successful businesses in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Barbados. Guyana’s economy collapsed. Price controls led to the collapse of the Soviet bloc and one of the causes for the low growth of the Indian economy. China’s economy ballooned because of the introduction of the market economy in the 1980s. Price controls were a failure in Guyana under the PNC. President Irfaan Ali was right to reject the PNC’s proposal to return to price controls. It will lead to ever-increasing shortages and prices.

periods. These damning acts are very serious, given all the pains and the tremendous cost that this nation had to bear. It is imperative that the police are called in and the most rigid forensic examination be conducted to inform charges against those found culpable. GECOM is in the process of filling several vacancies in the secretariat, along with many other key areas. It is, however, most disgusting to observe the myopic approach to the

shortlisting of persons for interviews. Hetsberger was shortlisted for other positions for which he is not appropriately qualified. This highly controversial cabal member does not have a first degree, yet he applied for other advertised vacancies and was shortlisted, contrary to other persons in a similar category. Further, this column was reliably informed that Hetsberger was offered other positions than Personal Assistant to the CEO, which he bluntly

refused, forcing the decision to dismiss him. Given the circumstances, I share the view of many others that a person of his ilk and rogue involvement should never be accommodated by the consideration of the commission. In addition, others who have previously committed the unpardonable sins while working at GECOM must be properly scrutinised and weeded out in an attempt to cleanse the organisation of all these rogue elements currently seeking

footholds through new employment. I will be remiss if the ramblings and rubbish that Vincent Alexander are carrying on in the media are not pointed out for what they represent. These statements only continue to expose his vexatious and bitter mentality and partisan support for any means necessary. Alexander will recall his dismissal as Regional Executive Officer by former President Desmond Hoyte. He must be also aware that his challenge

to Robert Corbin for leadership of the PNC, led to him losing his party membership. Alexander’s publicly displayed irrationality only serves to strengthen the nation’s awareness of his continued bitter demeanour from the commission’s decision to cancel the mandatory use of ID cards for voting, as well as the House-to-House Registration. Our citizens are candidly aware that the latter would have only had served to lengthen

the APNU+AFC’s time in office and facilitate jobs for the PNC family. He has failed miserably in all his efforts and pursuit to find a space under the sun, but Guyana needs the togetherness and not the divisive agenda being peddled by Alexander for all our people. Guyana is on the rise, let us move forward with pride and dignity. Steps are being taken to rid GECOM of rogue elements. Yours sincerely, Neil Kumar

GECOM must cleanse itself of all rogue...

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Some things to teach girls WHEN girls are confident, they rarely give into oppressive and abusive people. We can steer our girls away from these types of relationships by ensuring healthy self-esteem. Girls need to feel good about themselves regardless of their various shapes, sizes and shortcomings. Confidence grows when a girl feels cherished, loved and has the security of a stable family unit – these basics are her unwavering foundation. From self-esteem grows self-respect. Girls with selfrespect usually have a goal they would like to fulfil. They will set themselves boundaries based on morals and values and live by their principles. They accept that they have strengths and weaknesses, but strive to do better. They respect other people’s opinions, diversity and beliefs. A girl will strive, knowing the love from her parent(s) is unconditional; she understands they have her best interest at heart. But parents should be astute. Not

because little girls are cuter than boys must they always look pretty and neat. Girls must not feel that their selfworth relies on their looks and how they dress. There is plenty of time for girls to be inundated with the pictureperfect images of women floating around media to which they will compare themselves in despair. While they are young, girls should play with both genders and even have a rough and tumble with the boys if they choose. Boys should not be estranged from girls nor be seen as oddities. Encourage girls to be adventurous and playful. Don’t limit their experiences to only things perceived ‘girly’ or feminine. Let them be themselves (creative, determined, thoughtful, brave, inquisitive, capable and smart). Tell girls you love and accept them the way they are. Introduce them to stories of heroic and strong women who stood up for their rights and changed or helped to shape the world. Strong female role models will help give them balance in a world that seems male-

dominated. However, the contributions from women are many. Moms should be the first to model self-acceptance and underline the fundamental things that matter in life. For instance: embrace your unique self and live. Mothers can knock a girl’s self-esteem if they complain about their self-image. (my thighs are too big, my neck is too long, etc.) It won’t be long before her daughter finds something she dislikes about her young image too, rather than embrace her body. As well as mothers, girls need fathers in their lives -- a man they respect with wholesome qualities. He will be her first idea about what to expect from men in the future and the first man who loves her (and vice versa), where possible father/ daughter relationships should be encouraged if they are healthy, respectful and beneficial. Knowing that her dad ‘has her back’ does wonders for a girl’s confidence. As girls get older, they will recognise (handsome) faces that appeal to them and naturally fantasise about

boys. It will be a while before they work out that people have a more profound value, or to put it another way, beauty is only skin deep. Parents can point out that ‘not every smiling face is a friend,’ in the interim. They can talk to girls about relationships and recognise people’s inner virtues. Does a person possess qualities to be admired? Are they honourable and faithful? Can they be relied upon and trusted implicitly? Girls need to seek positive features in men. Girls raised without love, and attention from parents lack self-worth and assurance. Although they may not have witnessed physical abuse, they have low selfesteem and may seek love and attention from the first person who comes along or from someone who fulfils their innate longing. In these situations relationships can go wrong, resulting in physical abuse or other dysfunctions (drugs, alcohol, petty crime) and young, single motherhood. Without stability, love or guidance, some girls emulate what their older sisters

or friends do. Whether they have a baby or toy with several boyfriends for fun, they get by every day by any means possible. They are not “forceripe”; they have no sense of direction -- no aspirations, goals or support. They practise the lifestyle they see because it is the only one they know. People are brought together initially through physical attraction or an emotional need. However, physically based relationships are seldom meaningful or long-lasting. Parents will need to keep their girls focused on goals and aspirations, rather than falling for a handsome face or suavity, as time goes on. Girls dedicated to academic achievements are more likely to stay away from drugs, alcohol, sex and peer pressure. Teach girls that there is time to establish a meaningful relationship with a worthy suitor when they are older. Sadly, the majority of young people are besotted with imagery nowadays. They spend remarkable amounts of time taking pictures of themselves for no reason at all. Therefore, ex-

plaining to girls how to be true to their inner selves (and beauty) to build self-esteem may be a more challenging task for parents when youngsters ogle themselves for a hobby. But don’t give up, parents. Teach your girl compassion for her fellow man, dignity, patience, compromise, resilience and fairness. Teach her to be ruled by her conscience and not only her heart. She must allow her intuition to be her first line of defence and walk away from troubled situations. A girl with healthy self-esteem and self-respect feels good about herself, her family and her lifestyle. While accepting that not every day and all things are perfect, she perseveres in good faith and prevails. If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL SECURITY

Chronicles of a Chronic Guyana Chronicler

From BG Plantain to Stabroek Block

GROWING up under the Union Jack in the mid-tolate 60s, the only references to British Guiana came from adult talk by men at the domino table outside the street side rum shop about its reputation for ‘BG Plantain’ or the ‘BG War,’ reflected in two songs by The Mighty Sparrow in 1966. ‘BG Plantain’ was about a Trinidadian woman complaining that Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams had unfairly banned the sizeable British Guiana (BG) produce to protect similar but smaller local produce, while ‘BG War’ was about Sparrow’s personal concern about a fire in Georgetown being allowed to spread to ‘Tiger Bay’ and ‘burn down de hotel where all me Wahbins does stay…’. A dozen years later I

would land in Guyana for the first time, by then better able to read and understand the hidden messages between the lines of Sparrow’s Guyana songs – BG Plantain more of a saucy social commentary, while BG War was a straightout political commentary that identified PNC Leader and ‘Burnham’ with the blazes burning-down ‘Bookers’ and ‘the whole of BG…’ But in the 55 years since ‘The Doc’ banned ‘BG Plantain’ in Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana has now surpassed T&T by leaps and bounds in terms of its oil-and-gas potential, such that Exxon and other oil majors have been pulling out of Trinidad and heading next-door to Guyana. And it’s now the ‘Mud Land’s’ turn, as the fastestgrowing oil economy today, to confidently borrow and

use Dr Williams popular phrase, “Oil can’t spoil…” The PNC-led APNU+AFC Alliance of 2015-2020 and then the current 2021-2026 PPP/C administration have both had turns at leading the transition to oil and gas, but as per usual in Guyana’s politics, you’d swear the PNC discovered oil and the PPP is now benefitting. Fact is, ExxonMobil has long been after Guyana’s oil and between 1992 and 1996, President Cheddi Jagan was not too hot about an Exxon proposal to extract Guyana’s oil on the basis of a 65 per cent-35 per cent deal in the US multinational corporation’s interest, privately telling close-enough comrades he’d ‘rather the oil stay in the ground…’ Today, the PNC/R is accusing the PPP/C of the same

things the latter accused it of and there’s no sign that under Norton there can be any common denominator for arriving at mutual agreement on how best to handle the nation’s oil reserves. Instead, in keeping with historical trends, Opposition parties stand accused of ‘opposing for opposing sake’, more with a view to replacing each other than working together in any kind of patriotic Coalition for national progress. From independence in 1966 to republican status in 1980, from a return to electoral democracy in 1992 to a return to scorched-earth ethnic strife 1997-98, from Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham jointly leading the PPP in 1953 to their respective deaths in office, Guyana has contributed to the liberation of Southern Africa and

has been associated with progressive governments and causes in developed and developing countries in Europe and North America, Asia, the Arab world, Latin America and the Caribbean. It’s still the largest member state of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and alongside Suriname as new oil-and-gas Caribbean economies on the shoulder of South America, is now more than ever best suited to lead the Region’s expansion into The Guianas and Latin America – and reshaping ties with Belize and The Bahamas, Haiti and The Dominican Republic and the island chain stretching from Jamaica to Trinidad & Tobago. Notwithstanding current continuing territorial differences, Guyana and Venezuela’s oil reserves more

Earl Bousquet than double Saudi Arabia’s and alongside latest findings in the Guianas, this part of the world has what it takes to be the world’s next oil basin. From BG Plantain to Stabroek Block in fiveand-a-half decades, a New Guyana is quickly taking shape, with the economy growing and outpacing the type of political reckoning that’s always been dreamed of, but has remained elusive for some six decades, thanks to one of the widest political divides in contemporary Caribbean politics. But it all has to do with leadership.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Historic High Court ruling ‘brought balance to an unbalanced situation’ By Richard Bhainie

THE historic precedent set by High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon, who ruled that a magistrate erred when he granted bail to two Brazilians who were charged for trafficking narcotics and entering Guyana illegally, will “go a far way” in balancing the interests of both parties to a legal action. This was the view of Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., who initiated the action -- the first of its kind in Guyana -- to challenge the decision of Senior Magistrate Alex Moore. The High Court ruled that Magistrate Moore’s decision to release the two persons on bail was “erroneous and perverse.” While offering quick comments on the matter on Saturday, Nandlall highlighted that the granting of bail by magistrates have often evoked great public commentary and controversy; however, he opined that the new precedent would

pave the way for persons to challenge unreasonable decisions. “Normally, everyone believes that justice is a one-way street, that only the accused person has rights, that is a complete and utter fallacy. Justice is a two-way street; on the one side you have the accused person and he is accorded certain legal protection which the state will valiantly ensure he receives. “But on the other side, you have the victim of crime, you have the public interest, you have the state’s interest that must also be protected. Both sides are entitled to the protection of the law and both sides are entitled to justice, so this case will go a far way, I think, in bringing balance in what is considered to be an unbalanced situation,” the Attorney-General contended. The matter involved Salem Nobrega De Alencar, 64, and André Pereira, 30. Both were arrested and charged following the discovery of some 1,000 pounds of co-

– Attorney-General

caine aboard a plane that crash-landed in a savannah at Orealla, in Region Six on May 20, 2021. Magistrate Moore, who presides over the Springlands Magistrate’s Court, had granted the men bail in the sum of $3M each on the drug-trafficking charge, and another $50,000 each for the charge of illegal entry during their second court appearance. LEGAL PRINCIPLES Nandlall reasoned that bail is granted in accordance with certain legal principles and as it relates to certain offences, bail is only granted upon the satisfaction of specified circumstances in the law. “Possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking is one of such offence. The law says that bail shall not be granted until there are special circumstances which must exist. That has been interpreted to mean that those special circumstances must only

relate to the circumstance of the case and not personal to the defendant,” he said. He highlighted that in this case, bail was granted to two Brazilians who entered Guyana illegally, a serious offence, for which the law says bail shall not be granted, unless special circumstances exist. “To grant bail in such a circumstance would have resulted in releasing those people who are illegal in Guyana, into the streets of Guyana, thereby perpetuating [sic] another illegality because they have no standing in Guyana, so where are you releasing them to?” Nandlall asked. When the decision was made by the learned magistrate, the Attorney-General, who represents the state in legal matters, challenged it. It was the first time in Guyana’s history such a step was taken. “You would appreciate that the state normally represents the magistrate; in this

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C. case the state decided that it would not accept what, in the state’s view, was a plainly erroneous and perverse decision and we challenged it,” Nandlall said. Importantly, as part of the ruling, the judge held that the magistrate’s decision to admit the duo to bail in accordance with conditions for granting bail under Section 94 of the Narcotics Act, Chapter 10:10, were not satisfied, given that said magistrate took into ac-

count factors relating to the offender, and not the offence, as is required by the said Section 94. Justice Kissoon found that there was no basis, fact or circumstances, existing or apparent, nor any principle of law or consideration relevant or applicable in the circumstances of the case to warrant or justify the decision of Magistrate Moore to grant the men bail.

Six-year-old, three-month-old among latest COVID-19 deaths

A THREE-MONTH-OLD baby girl and a six-yearold girl are among nine more persons who have died after contracting COVID-19, taking Guyana’s overall death toll to 1,095, the Ministry of Health has reported. The latest fatalities are four persons from Region Three: a 72-year-old fully vaccinated woman who died on January 1; a 70-year-old unvaccinated man who died on January 7; a 63-year-old man whose vaccination status is unknown and died on January 9; and a six-year-old girl who died on January 10. Four additional fatalities were recorded in Region Four. These are a

three-month-old baby girl who died on January 14; a 62-year-old fully vaccinated man who died on January 15; a 49-year-old fully vaccinated man who died on January 15; and a fully vaccinated 61-year-old man

who died on January 16. The other fatality was a 45-year-old woman from Region Six, who died on January 15. There are currently 10,580 active COVID-19 cases in Guyana, following

the addition of 1,082 new cases within a 24-hour period. These newly confirmed cases were recorded in all 10 administrative regions. Region Four accounted for 670 of the new cases; Region One recorded five

new cases; Region Two recorded 14; Region Three, 193 ; Region Five, 37; Region Six, 38; Region Seven, 10; Region Eight , eight and Regions Nine and 10 recorded 67 and 40 cases, respectively. The country has now recorded a total of 51,203 confirmed cases since the first COVID-19 case was reported in March 2020. Of the active cases, 12 persons are at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the National Infectious Diseases Hospital, Liliendaal; 164 are in institutional isolation; 10,339 are in home isolation and five are in institutional quarantine. T h e u p d a t e d C O V-

ID–19 Emergency Measures are in force until January 31, 2022. They may be extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Health, after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions of the pandemic. As per the current measures, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes and physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are recommended. The current curfew is 12:00hrs to 04:00hrs. Persons with symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline numbers: 231-1166; 226-7480; or 180/181 for assistance.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Scenes from Operation Clean-up on Sunday

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Registration for 2022 GOAL scholarships opens today BEGINNING today, Guyanese from all walks of life can begin applying for one of the 20,000 scholarships being offered under the umbrella of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), as the portals for the 2022 registrations have now been opened. As the ground-breaking programme continues to gain momentum, the Government of Guyana has successfully added several names to the list of international universities to which Guyanese can have access. As it is, GOAL has partnered with eight new institutions to meet the challenges and demands of various sectors in Guyana, including oil and gas, engineering and construction, as well as information security. For this year alone, GOAL is set to offer in excess of 187 programmes that can be accessed from 15 reputable academic institutions across the world, including India, Africa, the United Kingdom and Germany, among others. The programmes, which are being financed by the Government of Guyana, range from certificate-level, all the way to PhDs. Among the new master’s degree programmes available are Criminology & Social Policy; Web Design and De-

velopment; Agile Methodologies and Digital Transformation; Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies; Geotechnical Engineering and Foundations & Disaster Risk Management and Climate Governance. Meanwhile, it was announced that the PhDs being introduced this year are Philosophy; Education; Business Administration, Management, and Public Health. GOAL’s Director Professor Jacob Opadeyi had encouraged potential applicants to follow the instructions carefully when completing the online application form. “It is important to submit only the documents requested and ensure they are properly scanned and uploaded to the online portal,” he advised. Currently, GOAL has a comprehensive list that guides applicants on the essential documents required to complete the application process successfully on its social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as the GOAL website. As previously outlined by President Dr Irfaan Ali, GOAL sets out to offer 20,000 online scholarships over a period of five years. In the first year alone, the programme received more than 8,000 scholarships. The persons who were not suc-

cessful last year, have since been encouraged to re-apply in 2022. Recognising some of the shortfalls in the application process, GOAL has embarked on an effort to employ academic counsellors to serve in each of the education districts of Guyana. “The counsellors are expected to conduct tutorial sessions, formulate and mark assignments, advise and counsel students throughout the period of their studies,” a previously published notice read. It explained, too, that the academic counsellors are also expected to be committed to the learner-oriented approach and to be advocates of the system. FULFILLING MANIFESTO PROMISE The rolling out of the programme, the brainchild of President Ali, marks the fulfilment of campaign promises made by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) during the 2020 General and Regional Elections campaign. Since it was launched in April 2021, this landmark initiative has attracted some 8,800 scholarship applications, which are twice the number of scholarships earmarked for this year. This was attributed to the robust outreaches which saw various ministers of government

Public Service Minister Sonia Parag going into various communities to launch the initiative and kick start registration. Professor Opadeyi had previously explained that last year, approximately 60 per cent of all the applications were submitted online, with the majority of them, understandably, coming from persons residing in Region Four, which accounted for approximately 3,400 applicants. Region Three followed with the submission of 1,044 applications; Region Two with 786; Region Six, 674; Region Five, 577; Region 10, 429; Region One, 300;

Region Seven, 296; Region Eight, 109; and Region Nine, 110. Of the submissions received, 80 per cent of the applicants are eligible for the programmes of their choice. The process requires vetting for eligibility by a team from the Ministry of Education, which is responsible for forwarding the eligible candidates over to the Ministry of the Public Service; a panel of fully qualified persons is then given the responsibility of choosing the successful candidates. “[The team] will determine, by various factors, who

is awarded the scholarships,” Public Service Minister Sonia Parag had informed the Guyana Chronicle. She said in a previous interview that persons are chosen based on their ability to fulfil the criteria for the programmes being offered. “Information extracted from the application form and motivational statements will be used to determine this,” the Public Service Minister told this newspaper. Dr Opadeyi had also explained that “there is a rubric of five conditions that must be used before you get a scholarship. One is a Grade Point Average (GPA). So, persons are ranked based on their GPA; then, we rank you based on your income. Of course, if you have a high GPA; more points. Then we rank them based on the region of origin-- where they come from.” Minister Parag had indicated too that the government’s aim is to ensure fair distribution of the scholarships. “It is imperative that there is regional balance in this selection process,” she insisted. Similar assurances were given by Dr Opadeyi, who highlighted the government’s efforts at levelling the playing field by providing technical support to the regions in need.

480 complaints valued $211M received in 2021 - Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission reports

THE Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) in 2021 received a total of 480 complaints valued $211,034,785, marking a three per cent increase in complaints in comparison to last year. However, the value of the complaints saw a 101 per cent increase when compared with 2020. Of the 480 complaints received, the commission has thus far solved 412 of them, worth $152,669,832,

while 63 cases valuing $ 53,335,953 are still ongoing. Three cases, worth $ 4,764,000, have not been resolved at the investigative level and were referred to the CCAC board for hearing and decision and two cases valuing $265,000 were resolved by the board. With 169 complaints received, the category electronics and electronic services accounted for the most complaints; however, the auto industry accounted for the

highest value in complaints, with 78 complaints totalling $117,167,673. Complaints under the electronics and electronic services valued $7,816,711, followed by the auto industry; the construction and building materials category had the second highest value, with 46 complaints amounting to $61,124,229. There were 51 complaints amounting to $6,849,200 about appliances and appliance services.

Clothing, jewellery and accessories had 29 complaints costing $1,278,810, while furniture and household items had 23 complaints that collectively amounted to $1,907,380, and the airline industry had 16 complaints that totalled $2,163,572. Machinery and outdoor power equipment had 14 complaints worth $4,093,780 and financial services had 10 complaints valued at $2,768,000. Internet and cable ser-

vices had 12 complaints; however, those totaled only $264,500 against rentals which had 10 complaints costing $904,600. Shipping and online shopping had six complaints worth $600,131. By administrative region, Region Four, which includes Georgetown, accounted for the most complaints, a whopping 350. Region Three followed with 63 complaints and Region 10 had 25.

In addition to the 480 cases received in 2021, the CCAC also had 202 unresolved cases from 2020, for a total of 682 open cases in 2021. Of the unresolved 2020 cases, the CCAC was able to resolve 84 of those cases in 2021. The high number of unresolved cases from 2020 was due to the influx of complaints against the LIAT airline, which suspended operations while still owing millions to its customers and employees.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Demerara Assizes opens Tuesday with 367 cases - Imam jailed for rape to face eight similar charges - trials also listed for Coen Jackson & former AFC councillor accused of murder

Coen Jackson, former teacher of Bishops’ High School WHEN the new session him to be guilty of engagof the Demerara Assizes ing in sexual activity with a opens on Tuesday, its agen- child by abusing his position da will comprise trying a of trust. total of 367 cases. Among Ali was, at that time, the long list of accused an Imam at the Turkeyen is Mufti Nezaam Ali, the Masjid, where the boys were “Muslim Scholar” who all attending the Arabic has been accused of raping and Quranic lessons that he nine young boys below the taught. age of 16. This time around, he will In 2019, ‘Mufti’ was sen- be tried for the eight adtenced by Justice Navindra ditional counts of engaging Singh to 45 years in prison, in sexual activity with boys after a 12-member jury found under the age of 12, back

in 2012. The charges allege that between December 2011 and January 2012, Ali, being a teacher attached to the Turkeyen Masjid, engaged in sexual activity with the children. He was granted bail in the sum of $1.3 million at the time. During the 2019 trial, Ali denied raping the victim, claiming that he was suffering from erectile dysfunction. However, the prosecution told the court that while there were no physical scars present on the child, the act left emotional scars on the victim and that the accused betrayed the victim’s trust by taking away his innocence. Justice Singh, in passing down his ruling, had said that he considered the geography of the act and determined that Ali took advantage of an under-privileged child. “There is nothing I can tell you that can mitigate these types of crime,” Justice Singh said to the accused. It was noted, too, that whilst

the young victim was put to identify Ali during the court trial, the accused smiled at the young man. Meanwhile, also set to stand trial in the coming weeks is Coen Jackson, the former Bishops’ High School teacher who has been accused of sexual misconduct and the “grooming” of school-aged girls, during his tenure as an economics and business teacher at the reputable school. In this instance, Jackson is facing the charge of ‘sexual activity with a child by abusing position.’ In 2018, Jackson was charged and later committed to stand trial at the Demerara High Court for engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age of 16, while being in a position of trust. He was released on $300,000 bail, pending the commencement of his trial. Meanwhile, the list of cases, more than 130 of which are related to rape

Former Imam, Mufti Nezaam Ali and the sexual abuse of children, also includes the trial of 25-year-old police constable, Carlos Pollydore who was charged for sexually penetrating a 15-yearold girl and permitting another man to also do it in a room at the police station at

Mathew’s Ridge, BarimaWaini, Region One. Previous reports on this matter indicate that in January 2012, the teen was standing on the road with her friend, while the accused and another male were about eight feet away from them. As the matter was called up before then Chief Magistrate, Priya SewnarineBeharry, the prosecutor informed that the accused, Constable Pollydore, ordered the girl to go at the station and, when she refused, he threatened to “lock her up.” Reports are that the young lady subsequently complied with the order and when she arrived at the station, the accused took her into a room, had sex with her and then allowed the other male to do the same. According to the prosecutor, the accused then sent the girl home, where she related the incident to her sister. During the TURN TO PAGE 14

Region Three honours 33 healthcare workers

Awardees with other health officials who were honoured when Region Three held its first award ceremony for exemplary workers in the healthcare system THE authorities in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) recently held its first award ceremony as it honoured 33 healthcare workers for going above and beyond the call of duty. Twenty healthcare workers each received an overnight stay, fully paid, at the Lake Mainstay Resort in recognition of their work; an additional ten received certificates of achievement and prizes.

Samantha Spellen received a Regional Health Officer’s Award; Kirk Barratt the Hospital Administrator’s Award; Nurse Nikois Smith the Medical Superintendent’s Award; and Nurse Vonneysha Harding the Matron’s Award. These awards/prizes are given to staff who go beyond the call of duty, and are ready to serve in good and bad times. The function was held in the boardroom of the West Demerara Re-

gional Hospital, and saw in attendance Director-General of the Ministry of Health Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Mr. Malcolm Watkins; Director of Regional Health Services Mr. Michael Gouveia; and Coordinator of the Foreign Medical Brigade Ms. Nirmala Sukhna. Dr. Mahadeo, in congratulating all the workers, said the healthcare workers of Region Three are deserv-

ing of kudos, since it was because of them that Region Three stood out as the only region that continued doing elective surgeries throughout the year, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also congratulated the hospital itself for having no backlog of surgical cases, as they are now well placed to assist with cases from other hospitals. The Director-General challenged the staff of Region Three to up their

Director-General, Dr. Mahadeo presenting an award to Dr. Lawrence Newton game in this new year, and identified some areas that could do with a bit of improvement, such as taking healthcare to the bed-ridden and elderly in their homes, increasing the number of specialist outreaches to the riverine communities, and ensuring that transfers are reduced to a minimum. He also requested of staff to be prepared at all times to assist other regions with patients, as deemed necessary. The West Dem-

erara Regional Hospital must manage patients passing through from Regions One (Barima-Waini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), while also dealing with referral cases. The prizes were all donated by Meditron (20 trips to the Lake Mainstay Resort), Republic Bank (Best Health Centre Award), and Paul Singh (Longest Serving Employee).

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

GuySuCo CEO sues Kaieteur News for libel

GuySuCo CEO, Sasenarine Singh CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Company Lim-

ited (GUYSUCO), Sasenarine Singh has commenced libel proceed-

ings in the High Court against the National Media and Publishing Company Limited, the printers and publishers of the daily Kaietaur News newspapers. From the court documents seen by this publication, Singh is suing Kaietaur News for a series of publications between December 16, 2021 and December 28, 2021 which, he claims, was an attack on his reputation and has seriously injured his character, credit and reputation.

Kaietaur News had published three letters: one December 16 titled ‘Issues with current GuySuCo CEO for his friends to deal with honestly’ another on December 25 titled ‘The GuySuCo CEO has no strategic plan’ and one on December 28 titled ‘Who is riding the gravy train at GuySuCo?’ Singh claims that by way of the publications, Kaietaur News meant, understood to mean, or implied that he participated in a fraudulent, secret, and corrupt scheme to procure

resources from GuySuCo for and to use for his personal benefits in breach of his duties as CEO. Further, he claimed that Kaietaur News meant, understood to mean, or implied that he participated in a secret and corrupt scheme to take control of GuySuCo resources for his own personal benefit by using unethical means and being involved in other corrupt practices. Singh claimed the publications were calculated to cause and did cause him serious public em-

barrassment, humiliation, ridicule, odium and injury to his reputation, both nationally and internationally, both personally and in his professional capacity. He is suing for damages in excess of $100,000 for libel contained in the series of articles published by Kaietaur News between December 16, 2021 and December 28, 2021; an injunction restraining the media outlet from publishing defamatory material about him; costs and interest.

‘Saints’ student to participate in prestigious Stanford University hackathon competition By Tamica Garnett

ST STANISLAUS College student, Ariel Taylor, has been accepted into Stanford University’s premier and largest hackathon, TreeHacks 2022, which will run from February 18 - 20. A member of STEMGuyana since 2018 through the Sports Hall STEM club, Taylor, a two-time member of Team Guyana Robotics, was blown away when she received the acceptance email from Stanford. “I was very shocked because the acceptance rate is really low and I really didn’t expect that. When I got the email I was just so happy and shocked about it,” the 16-year-old shared in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle. Stanford’s annual TreeHacks brings together over 1,000 students to Stanford every February. Around

2,000 students in over 15 countries participated in the competition in 2021. Stanford University is one of the top private universities in the United States of America. Founder of STEMGuyana, Karen Abrams, said Taylor’s acceptance into the prestigious programme is indicative of the kind of skills available in Guyana, and just how well STEM is developing in Guyana. “What this means for her, and the country, is that based on her experiences and qualifications she is able to compete on a global level and make herself competitive to get into such a programme, which is extremely good,” Abrams commented. She noted how ecstatic STEMGuyana is for Taylor, and how much they look forward to even more similar such accomplishments and development for its members.

“This is what we want for all of our members. This is why we do the things we do at STEMGuyana to encourage our young people to think creatively, globally and to think about solving problems,” she said. She added that: “This can open her up to so many more global opportunities. Ariel has been with us since she was about 12 year old as a member of our STEM club and I am extremely proud and so are her coaches and all the other persons involved in her technical development over the years.” Taylor applied for the programme after it was suggested to the STEMGuyana members last month in a social media group where members regularly encourage each other. Notwithstanding her thoughts that it might be challenging to get accepted, Taylor did not hesitate to put in an application and

STEMGuyana member Ariel Taylor Stanford was impressed with I enjoy doing this kind of what she had to say. things and I think that con“In the application I in- tributed to why they picked formed them about my ro- me,” she shared. botics experience and how TreeHacks 2022 will

be the eighth edition of the hackathon and is being held under the theme, “Hacking for the future: addressing deeply impactful problems and building creative, unique solutions.” For the competition, participants will be placed into groups of four where they will spend 36 hours developing a novel project in one of five global and technological challenge categories. This year, the categories are: privacy, security and safety, healthcare, sustainability, web 3.0, and accessibility. Taylor is currently preparing as best she can for the competition. “Right now I’m doing research on the topics that they would have [sic] put out and I’m preparing ahead of time for it, so that when we get to that point where we have to get together and talk about it, I am well prepared,” she said.

Demerara Assizes opens on Tuesday with 367...

FROM PAGE 13 investigations, the victim was able to positively identify the policeman. The approaching sitting of the Demerara Assizes will also see Orlando Fraser being on trial for also raping a child. Last year, the 49-year-old Lot 12 Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown resident was placed on bail for raping a 12-year-old child. According to information, Fraser picked up the child from school and took her to his residence where he raped her. The child reported the incident to her teacher, who immediately called in the Childcare and Protection Agency.

MURDERS Additionally, the Assizes also has on its agenda the retrial of former Alliance For Change (AFC) Councillor, Mandy Sukhdeo, along with her father Surendra Sukhdeo and a neighbour, Rean Ghani, who have been accused of killing 22-year-old fisherman, Shereffudeen Mohamed Nazamudeen, in February 2017 at Ruby, East Bank Essequibo. When the matter was being tried in February 2017, a 12-member jury was unable to arrive at a verdict, and the trio have been on remand ever since. It was reported that Mandy Sukhdeo and the now-dead man were wellacquainted, having grown up

together in the same village. The former AFC Councillor claimed that on February 14, 2017, she was walking along the Ruby Access Road, when Nazamudeen grabbed her bag and ran away. She allegedly raised an alarm, after which her father and a neighbour came to her aid. The trio claimed that they managed to corner Nazamudeen in a nearby yard and dealt him several blows about his body. They then tied him up with pieces of wire and rope and continued beating him about his body. Nazamudeen sustained several injuries about his body and was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he

subsequently died from haemorrhage and shock due to multiple blunt force traumas to his head, chest, and other parts of his body. Also set for trial are 27-year-old Sherwin Clarke and 22-year-old Godfrey Gill who were charged for the murder of pensioner, David Ramkissoon, also known as ‘Short Man’. It is believed that the accused, both from villages along the East Coast of Demerara, killed the 76-year-old man during the course of a home invasion and robbery which occurred in August 2016. Ramkissoon’s body, with its throat slashed, was discovered in a pool of blood

in the living room of his home by his son. He was a father of five. Also expected to be on trial is Corwyn Arthur called ‘Cross Eye’ who was charged for allegedly stabbing to death Claude DeJonge, his ex-lover’s reputed husband on May 10, 2018. Initial reports are that following the incident, Arthur, a 32-year-old unemployed man of Amelia’s Ward, Linden, escaped. He was later apprehended at a house at Bennett Dam, Rosignol Village, West Bank Berbice. The facts, as reported then, indicate that DeJonge, the now-dead man, was engaged in an argument with

“Cross Eye” who refused to leave his premises. The police were called in and Arthur left DeJonge’s home. The accused reportedly texted DeJonge to relay his intention of making his life “a living hell” for calling the police. Hours later, as DeJonge was sleeping alongside his partner – Arthur’s ex-loverthe man, armed with a knife, gained entry through an open bedroom window and is said to have dealt DeJonge three stab wounds. Tanya Samuels, DeJonge’s partner and Arthur’s ex-partner, is said to have witnessed the horrific ordeal and alerted neighbours with her screams.

Talking about substance abuse

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

By Vanessa Cort

LAST Monday evening I attended a small celebration to mark my friend Andre Wiltshire’s 20th drug-free year. As we chatted about what he termed the “insanity” of crack-cocaine use, Andre, an accomplished dramatist and actor, said that now he just feels “high on life” and the fact that he can “get up every morning reasonably healthy.” He recalled how, at the height of his drug use, he had to flee Georgetown for fear of being beaten up by a ‘pusher man’ whose drugs he was selling on a block. “They, [the buyers] always wanted something bigger… and while I was looking, they were helping themselves.” The result was that the money was ‘short’ and Andre, who was held responsible, faced the threat of a

thorough beating if he could not make the money ‘right.’ “So I headed for Berbice,” he said with dry humour, remembering how he lived with friends, who also smoked “crack” and who had a pusher-man “cutting up drugs at their house.” He was able to live ‘under the radar in Berbice, because the Internet was not as well established as it is today, and ended up working with a security firm, spending all of his earnings on “crack.” Before going to Berbice, Andre, who was well-known for his sterling portrayals of leading political figures in the popular Link shows, was fired by a private school where he worked on drama projects. While there he observed the students’ involvement with drugs and alcohol and began to weave the plot of his plays around this. The school

did not want this kind of exposure so, “they let me go”, Andre recalled, immediately turning our talk to the impact of drug use in our society and the need for ongoing drug education in our schools. Since then the problem has grown. As its use spread, crackcocaine impacts the wider society, leading to petty crime, prostitution, the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and an increase in homelessness. While there are facilities such as the Salvation Army Men’s Rehabilitation Centre and the Phoenix Recovery Project where abusers can ‘come off’ the drug in a safe environment, the majority are still ‘out there.’ Many are reluctant to seek help or are unwilling to admit they even have a problem because of the tremendous stigma attached to

STARR Computer collaborates with local partners to bridge digital-divide TECHNOLOGY enhances the recognition, creation, preservation, dissemination, and utilisation of education and opportunities to all Guyanese, and STARR Computer is collaborating with local partners to help bridge the digital divide at a time when COVID-19 has challenged the educational system, and the country is advancing its local-content opportunities. During an interview with this newspaper, President of STARR Computer Mike Mohan explained that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is rapidly spreading, and the educational institutions are facing their biggest challenge today. “STARR Computer has partnered with local companies to introduce an affordable Technology Educational Solution for students, featuring its Lenovo computer with full warranty, and an optional Student Fibre Internet, along with easy financing,” Mohan said, adding: “The partnership alliance will offer relief to all Guyanese willing to educate and develop themselves in preparation to participate in the local-content opportunities ahead. It’s $69,000 computer, running Windows 10Pro with the optional student fiber Internet is ideal for Online training, high-speed Internet and research and development. Best of all, an optional local financing availability will now help

President of STARR Computer Mike Mohan create an easy solution to most students and families.” Fiber-Optic broadband, Mohan noted, is much faster, more reliable, and readily upgradable than the traditional copper wire broadband. In addition, its end-to-end encryption and decryption between the exchange source and users offers high quality data transmission. Besides, fibre-optic cable has less interference, keeps the signal strength over much greater distances, and operates at a higher frequency rate. Higher frequency means greater bandwidth, and greater bandwidth means faster connection speeds. As Mohan went on to explain, the Lenovo computer running Windows 10 Pro allows persons to connect an additional monitor to experience Online learning with face-time communication on one screen, while navigating multiple applications on the other screen. Most importantly, he said, the brand-new Lenovo sys-

tem comes with a one-year warranty for labour and parts replacement. “And it doesn’t stop here; the system comes with a free 32GB Flash Drive, and a $2,000 gift voucher to allow upgrade choices, or additional shopping for other store merchandise.” Underscoring that the Student Fiber Internet is the first of its kind, Mohan said a new Fibre Internet connection comes with free installation at the purchaser’s premises in Guyana. “This allows you to bring the world to your fingertips: From research and development to information sharing; from text to voice communication, and from streaming video to action movies. The options are limitless, and help bridge the digital divide that exists between the rich and poor, from every corner of the world,” he added. This solution, he explained, can be achieved via easy financing through a local financial institution, STARR layaway plan, or cash basis. And, most importantly, this one-stop experience can be done at STARR Computer’s Brickdam, Georgetown location. STARR Computer is the Authorised Distributor and Service Centre of Lenovo, HP, APC, and several branded products in Guyana. It has also been at the forefront, with a wide range offering disinfectant solution.

drug use and the prohibitive cost of treatment. While back in 2008 several initiatives were launched by the Ministry of Health to help combat drug abuse, many have ‘fallen by the wayside’ and need to be revitalised. No longer can we as a society continue to view drug use as of no concern to us, when it clearly has far-reaching repercussions. And no longer can we continue to shun those with substance use disorders (SUDs), content to call them ‘Junkies’ and ‘put them in a box.’ It is time for us to acknowledge that drug use in our society affects us all.

Photo courtesy of joburg.org

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Australia complete 4-0 Ashes win Embarrassment for Windies... after another England collapse FROM BACK PAGE

THE Ashes came to a fitting end as England produced one last batting collapse to slump to a 146-run defeat to leave Australia celebrating a 4-0 series win. Joe Root's side had worked themselves into a position where a consolation victory appeared possible as the second session on day three approached its conclusion, reaching 68-0 in their chase of 271 but proceeded to lose all 10 wickets for 56 and were bowled out for 124. Cameron Green (3-21) started the rout as he removed the England top three either side of tea before Scott Boland and Pat Cummins helped themselves to three wickets apiece in the evening session; the Australia captain taking the winning wicket to end a pitiful batting display. Earlier in the day, Mark Wood had claimed his first Ashes five-wicket haul and finished with figures of 6-37 to keep England in with a chance but once Rory Burns and Zak Crawley's encouraging opening stand was The Aussies celebrate after winning the final Ashes Test broken, the away side crumbled as their dismal series concluded with their worst collapse. back leg and he thought he had Carey in his next over, only England began the day needing quick wickets, ideally for the Australian to review with ball-tracking showing the seven of them, as Australia resumed on 37-3 and in the fourth ball pitched fractionally outside leg. over, Wood got them started as nightwatchman Boland (8) Wood returned completing a thoroughly deserved five-for edged behind. with the wicket of Mitchell Starc (1), caught at short leg and The fast bowler was sticking with the short-ball tactics that England wrapped up the innings soon after the dinner intertroubled Australia late on day two, as well as in their first in- val, Carey (49) caught behind off Broad (3-51) one short of nings, and it did the trick again as Travis Head (8) was caught his half-century to give Sam Billings, on debut, a fifth catch behind down the legside before Steve Smith (27) pulled the of the innings. ball straight to Dawid Malan at fine leg in a superb, fiery spell. The last time an England bowler had better figures in a Australia were rescued somewhat from 63-6 as Alex Test in Australia than Mark Wood’s 6-47 was back in DecemCarey and Green put on 49 for the seventh wicket, albeit ber 2006 when Matthew Hoggard took 7-109 in Australia’s the former required a fair amount of good fortune as he was first innings at Adelaide. bowled by Chris Woakes on 19, only for the third umpire to Fittingly, it was Wood who took the final wicket, with make the debatable decision to call a front-foot no-ball. the score on 155, making a mess of Cummins' (13) stumps Stuart Broad eventually broke the stand, England review- as the Australia skipper swung and missed in an attempt ing successfully for lbw, after Green (23) was pinned on the to add to his side's lead in quick time. (Sky Sports)

AUSTRALIA 1st innings 303 England 1st innings

SCOREBOARD

Rory Burns Run Out (Marnus Labuschagne) 0 Zak Crawley c Travis Head b Pat Cummins 18 Dawid Malan c Alex Carey b Pat Cummins 25 Joe Root lbw Pat Cummins 34 Ben Stokes c Nathan Lyon b Mitchell Starc 4 Ollie Pope c Alex Carey b Scott Boland 14 Sam Billings c Scott Boland b Cameron Green 29 Chris Woakes c Alex Carey b Mitchell Starc 36 Mark Wood b Pat Cummins 16 Stuart Broad b Mitchell Starc 0 Extras 4b 8lb 0nb 0pen 0w 12 Total (47.4 overs) 188 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-2 Burns, 2-29 Crawley, 3-78 Malan, 4-81 Root, 5-85 Stokes, 6-110 Pope, 7-152 Billings, 8-182 Woakes, 9-182 Broad, 10-188 Wood Did Not Bat : Robinson Bowling: Mitchell Starc 10 - 1 - 53 - 3, Pat Cummins 13.4 - 2 - 45 - 4, Scott Boland 14 - 6 - 33 - 1, Cameron Green 10 - 0 - 45 - 1.

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES +S Hope c Little b Young J Greaves c Tector b Young N Pooran lbw b McBrine S Brooks lbw b McBrine R Chase c Stirling b Campher *K Pollard c Porterfield b McBrine J Holder run out R Shepherd c Adair b Dockrell A Hosein c & b McBrine O Smith not out A Joseph c Stirling b Young

Extras (lb7, w7, nb2) 16 TOTAL (all out, 44.4 overs) 212 Fall of wickets: 1-72 (Hope), 2-76 (Greaves), 3-76 (Pooran), 4-85 (Brooks), 5-99 (Pollard), 6-101 (Chase), 7-119 (Shepherd), 8-182 (Holder), 9-192 (Hosein), 10212 (Joseph) Bowling: Little 9-1-55-0 (w1, nb1), Adair 7-1-38-0 (w4), Young 7.4-0-43-3 (w1, nb1), McBrine 10-2-28-4, Campher 4-0-14-1, Dockrell 3-0-11-1 (w1), Stirling 4-0-16-0. IRELAND W Porterfield c Hosein b Joseph 0 *P Stirling lbw b Hosein 44 A McBrine c wkp Hope b Smith 59 H Tector lbw b Chase 52 +N Rock c Holder b Chase 2 C Campher b Chase 11 G Dockrell c Holder b Hosein 7 G Delany c Brooks b Hosein 10 M Adair not out 1 C Young not out 5 Extras (lb1, w22) 23 TOTAL (8 wkts, 44.5 overs) 214 Did not bat: J Little Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Porterfield), 2-73 (Stirling), 3-152 (McBrine), 4-168 (Rock), 5-190 (Campher), 6-197 (Tector), 7-208 (Delany), 8-208 (Dockrell) Bowling: Joseph 10-1-35-1 (w8), Shepherd 6.5-0-280 (w1), Smith 3-0-23-1 (w6), Hosein 10-0-59-3 (w2), Holder 2-0-16-0, Pollard 3-0-8-0, Chase 10-0-44-3 (w1). Player-of-the-Match: Andy McBrine. Player-of-the-Series: Andy McBrine.

.............................................................. Australia 2nd innings

Ollie Robinson 11 - 4 - 23 - 0, Mark Wood 16.3 - 2 - 37 - 6 (1w)

David Warner c Ollie Pope b Stuart Broad 0 Usman Khawaja c Sam Billings b Mark Wood 11 Marnus Labuschagne c Sam Billings b Chris Woakes 5 Steven Smith c Dawid Malan b Mark Wood 27 Scott Boland c Sam Billings b Mark Wood 8 Travis Head c Sam Billings b Mark Wood 8 Cameron Green lbw Stuart Broad 23 Alex Carey c Sam Billings b Stuart Broad 49 Mitchell Starc c Ollie Pope b Mark Wood 1 Pat Cummins b Mark Wood 13 Nathan Lyon Not Out 4

........................................................... ENGLAND 2nd innings

Extras 1b 3lb 1nb 0pen 1w 6 Total (56.3 overs) 155 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-0 Warner, 2-5 Labuschagne, 3-33 Khawaja, 4-47 Boland, 5-59 Head, 6-63 Smith, 7-112 Green, 8-121 Starc, 9-151 Carey, 10-155 Cummins Bowling : Stuart Broad 18 - 2 - 51 - 3, Chris Woakes 11 - 3 - 40 - 1 (1nb),

53 12 2 1 19 3 44 13 23 20 6

Rory Burns b Cameron Green 26 Zak Crawley c Alex Carey b Cameron Green 36 Dawid Malan b Cameron Green 10 Joe Root b Scott Boland 11 Ben Stokes c Nathan Lyon b Mitchell Starc 5 Ollie Pope b Pat Cummins 5 Sam Billings c Pat Cummins b Scott Boland 1 Chris Woakes c Alex Carey b Scott Boland 5 Mark Wood b Pat Cummins 11 Ollie Robinson b Pat Cummins 0 Stuart Broad Not Out 1 Extras 0b 13lb 0nb 0pen 0w 13 Total (38.5 overs) 124 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-68 Burns, 2-82 Malan, 3-83 Crawley, 4-92 Stokes, 5-101 Root, 6-107 Billings, 7-107 Pope, 8-115 Woakes, 9-123 Wood, 10-124 Robinson Bowling : Mitchell Starc 8 - 0 - 30 - 1, Pat Cummins 12.5 - 3 - 42 - 3, Scott Boland 12 - 5 - 18 - 3, Cameron Green 6 - 1 - 21 - 3,

one from McBrine and was lbw for one in the next over before the in-form Shamarh Brooks (1) played back when he should have been forward and was plumb lbw to McBrine in the 16th. When Pollard (3), Roston Chase (19) and Shepherd (13) followed cheaply, West Indies had lost seven wickets for 47 runs, to decline to 119 for seven in the 28th over. Holder then anchored an eighth-wicket stand of 63 with Hosein before Odean Smith belted a four and two sixes in a tenball unbeaten 20 to hand West Indies precious runs at the end. Speedster Alz-

arri Joseph provided a ray of hope when he removed William Porterfield with the first ball of the innings but McBrine anchored successive half-century stands – 73 for the second wicket with Stirling and 79 for the third with Tector – to put Ireland in control. Stirling, dropped by Holder at slip in the second over before he had scored, struck five fours and a six in a 38-ball cameo while Tector completed his third half-century of the series, notching three fours in a patient 76ball knock. The left-handed McBrine faced 100 balls and stroked half-dozen fours and a six but it was his dismissal – caught at the wicket off Smith in the 31st over – which triggered the late slide. Spinners Chase (3-44) and Hosein (3-53) then made quick strikes to set up a nervy finish before Ireland eventually steadied themselves.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Pat Cummins eager for clarity over Justin Langer's contract ….The coach is not certain to get a new deal despite T20 World Cup and Ashes success

PAT Cummins is keen to have clarity on Justin Langer's contract status beyond this summer's Ashes, insisting Australia's Test side "absolutely love" their coach. The future of Langer, who comes off contract in mid-2022 and has made it clear he is keen to continue, remains an unresolved talking point. Langer came under intense pressure to keep his job last year, when Cummins and other on-field leaders delivered forthright feedback about dressing-room disgruntlement. The former Test opener changed his ways, adopting more of a lowkey role as Australia went on to win the Twenty20 World Cup and retain the urn. But there remains speculation Cricket Australia will opt to move Langer on. Cummins, asked about Langer after Australia claimed an unassailable 3-0 lead in their five-Test series against England, bluntly replied that "his contract is up for renewal in a few months and we'll deal with that

Australia head coach Justin Langer

then". He struck a more diplomatic note in Hobart, speaking after his four-wicket haul helped Australia claim a first-innings lead of 115 runs in the fifth and final Ashes Test. "That's above my pay grade. We'll wait and see, it'd be nice to

have clarity for everyone," Cummins said. "But he's been doing a fantastic job, we absolutely love JL. "He's been really great through the World Cup and the Ashes. Honestly, it's not been a talking point at all within the camp. "The plan has always been to chat about it after the Ashes, so the powers that be, I'm sure, will chat at some stage. But he's been fantastic for us and the boys love having him around." CA chief executive Nick Hockley and high-performance boss Ben Oliver are yet to set a definitive timeline around the call on Langer, likewise a final decision on potentially splitting the role by installing separate white-ball and red-ball mentors. But the growing expectation is the elephant in the room will be addressed soon after the Ashes series finale. Oliver noted last month that CA will take player feedback on board before resolving Langer's

future. Former captain Steve Waugh, who worked under Langer as a consultant during the 2019 Ashes, offered strong support for his former team-mate on social media. "Position in doubt? Influenced the culture and character of the team after the Cape Town debacle," Waugh posted on Instagram. "Coached the team to a winning World Cup 20/20 and now to a commanding Ashes victory. Time to put the rumours and innuendo to rest. #respect #culture #character." Other former team-mates of Langer have also offered their support in recent days with Shane Warne questioning why he had not already had his deal renewed. "I don't know what everyone's waiting for," Warne told Fox Cricket. "He should be signed up in my opinion because he's done such a good job. We're not inside the dressing room, so we don't know all the in-

Sri Lanka 1-0 up despite Williams 100 for Zimbabwe

Pretty much on expected lines, Sri Lanka defeated Zimbabwe in the opening ODI and earned a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. However, it wasn’t a cakewalk for the home team as Zimbabwe looked determined to cross the line. Sean Williams even slammed a century for the visiting team. However, fifties from Charith Asalanka, Dinesh Chandimal, and Pathum Nissanka meant Sri Lanka chased down 297 with five wickets in hand. Earlier in the game, Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to bat at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Openers Takudzwanashe Kaitan and Regis Chakabva went after the bowlers from the outset and gave Zimbabwe a flying start. The duo added 80 runs for the first wicket before the latter fell prey to Vandersay. While skipper Craig Erine could only manage nine, Chakabva found a potent partner in Sean Williams, and the duo steadied the ship for the visitors. The pair added 50 runs for the third wicket Chakabva walked back for a well-made 72. While Williams

Sean Williams celebrates his hundred AFP/Getty Images

continued to trouble Sri Lankan bowlers from one end, he kept losing partners from the other. However, this didn’t stop the southpaw from recording a stellar century. He

scored 100 off 87 balls as Zimbabwe posted 296/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Chamika Karunaratne, with three wickets, was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers. With a stiff target in front, Sri Lanka needed a steady start and they got it. Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka made brilliant use of the powerplay overs and added 40 runs in no time. While number-three batter Kamindu Mendis got out for 17, Nissanka formed a potent partner in veteran Dinesh Chandimal. The duo added 66 runs for the third wicket, tightening Sri Lanka’s grip over the contest. Nissanka departed after an aggressive 71 and in came the young talent Charith Asalanka. Chandimal joined forces with and the duo gave Zimbabwe bowlers a tough time. They added 129 runs for the fifth wicket, almost knocking the Craig Ervine-led side out of the contest. Skipper Dasun Shanaka came at a stroke of the game and did the formalities. This way the hosts crossed the line in 48.4 overs, clinching the contest by five wickets. (CricTracker)

side-outs, but I think the only way we can judge a coach is from the performances and has Australian cricket got better? Is the better of cricket better domestically? Is there a group of players? There's probably three or four players outside this squad now that could all play and that wasn't there a couple of years ago." Australia do not have much of a break in their schedule after the Ashes with limited-overs matches against New Zealand and Sri Lanka from late January to mid-February. That is then followed by the tour of Pakistan, Australia's first to the country since 1998, which also fallswithin Langer's current contract. There will be the need to split coaches during that period with a brief T20I series in New Zealand during March, the same situation that was set to occur last season before the South Africa tour was postponed. (AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Africa Cup of Nations

Equatorial Guinea stun holders Algeria Equatorial Guinea stunned Algeria to leave the defending champions on the brink of a group-stage exit from the Africa Cup of Nations football in Cameroon. Esteban Obiang slid in at the far post to convert a flickon and net the only goal with 20 minutes left in Douala. Algeria have just one point from their opening two games and must beat Ivory Coast in their final Group E game to have a chance of reaching the last 16. The north Africans had two goals ruled out in what was a scrappy encounter. The result ended Algeria's unbeaten run at 35 matches, two short of Italy's world record set last year. Equatorial Guinea reached the Nations Cup semi-finals as hosts in 2015 but, having qualified for the tournament by right for the first time, this will go down

Equatorial Guinea are ranked 114th in the world - 85 places below Algeria

as one of their biggest results in their history. Juan Micha's side move on to three points and are second in Group E, with Ivory Coast top on four points, Sierra Leone third on two points and Algeria bottom on one point. The tight nature of the

group will make Thursday's final round of games fascinating, with the Equatoguineans facing the Leone Stars in Limbe at the same time as Algeria take on Ivory Coast in Douala (16:00 GMT). Frustration for Mahrez and company Algeria were held to a

goalless draw by Sierra Leone in their opening match and were once again frustrated in front of goal - this time by a side mostly comprised of players from clubs in the lower leagues in Spain. Youcef Belaili had two attempts blocked by keeper Jesus Owonu shortly before

the Desert Foxes had the ball in the net for the first time midway through the first half. Owonu made a fine reaction save to keep out Riyad Mahrez's header but Baghdad Bounedjah tapped in the rebound - yet an offside flag against Mahrez cut the North Africans' celebrations short. Equatorial Guinea then threatened, as Pablo Ganet had a low free-kick clawed away by Rais M'bolhi and Iban Salvador sent a fierce strike flashing past Algeria's right-hand upright. Belaili had a shot deflected wide midway through the second half before Josete Miranda helped on Salvador's corner for Obiang to convert for a shock lead. Algeria had chances to equalise, with their record goalscorer Islam Slimani miskicking from close range before Belaili's rasping low strike from the edge of the

area was ruled out for offside. Obiang then made a crucial block to shut down an opening for Ramy Bensebaini and the Equatorial Guinea defender subsequently diverted Youcef Atal's cross behind. The Equatoguineans managed five minutes of injury time well and defeat leaves Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi sweating on their final match against Ivory Coast, with the Elephants not yet assured of progress to the knock-out stages themselves. No country has successfully defended the Nations Cup since Egypt in 2010, and once again questions will be raised about Algeria's performance in sub-Saharan Africa, with two of their players citing the tropical climate as a factor in their opening stalemate. (BBC Sport)

Ashes missed emotions that were in SA-India series – Ian Chappell

FORMER Australian captain Ian Chappell was very much surprised with how the Ashes had panned out recently and felt that it missed the fight. Australia recorded a 4-0 victory over England at their home in the five-match Test series and England had run out of answers as this is their sixth loss in the ongoing World Test Championship 2021-22. Over the years, Ashes has been one of the oldest rivalries that have gone down into the wire with players giving their 100 per cent. It was complete domination from the home side as the new skipper Pat Cummins has now started with a series victory. Chappell also admitted that the recently concluded Test series between India and South Africa had much more enthralling action than expected as both

the teams had fought tooth and nail until the last delivery. However, it was the home side that emerged victorious against India. Ian Chappell credited the batters for playing some extraordinary innings in tough conditions in South Africa and admitted the Ashes lacked the emotions it should have had. He added that the pitches in South Africa were completely seamer-friendly, but despite that, the home side had shown immense courage in chasing down scores above 200 . The Proteas did lose the first Test but staged a stronger comeback in the second and third Test to win the series 2-1. “Some nine hours away South Africa surprisingly defeated India in an old-fashioned dogfight that included some enthralling cricket. It also involved ample emotion of

the sort that has notably been missing from an Ashes contest that has been surprisingly uncontroversial so far. The South Africa series featured bowling domination on pitches that were probably too much in favour of the fielding side, but there was also some exquisite batting.” Chappell wrote on his column for ESPN Cricinfo Former Australia captain Ian Chappell Chappell acknowledged the brave efforts from the top run-scorers in the South Africa-India series and was very much impressed Rahul and Virat Kohli stood out. The exwith the attacking stroke play of Rishabh Pant hilarating shot-making extravaganzas of and Keegan Petersen. Pant scored a magnif- Rishabh Pant and Keegan Petersen proved icent century while Petersen finished as the that aggressive batting with scoring in mind man of the series in just the second Test series. could be achieved even on testing surfaces.” “Because defiant batting wasn’t prev- He added. (CricTracker) alent, gutsy innings by Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma, KL CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

Smith stops Geffrard, retains WBO heavy title WBO light heavyweight world champion Joe Smith Jr (28-3, 22 KOs) scored a ninth round KO over late sub Steve Geffrard (183, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Smith had trouble getting through Geffrard’s high guard early on, but he was also far busier. Smith started connecting with his right hand in round three and began teeing off the defensive-minded Geffrard in round four. Smith had Geffrard hurt in round five.

Joe Smith (left) on the attack

Geffrard seemingly went into survival mode after that. Smith battered Geffrard to the canvas in round nine to end it. Time was :37. “He really brought it today,” said Smith afterward. “It was a great fight. As you can see, he’s a great boxer, a good survivor. I was trying to get him out of there early, but I realized he was very tough and I wasn’t going to be able to do that. I tried to wait until the later rounds and started throwing more combinations to pick him apart. (Fightnews)

(Monday January 17, 2022)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Mark Adair (2) 8.5-1-38-3 Today’s Quiz: (1) Who is the only WI with a debut ODI century to date? (2) What is the highest score by an Irish batsman on his ODI debut to date? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Djokovic leaves Australia after losing deportation appeal

NOVAK Djokovic has been deported from Australia after losing a last-ditch court bid to stay in the country. Judges rejected a challenge by the unvaccinated tennis star after the government cancelled his visa on "health and good order" grounds. Djokovic said he was "extremely disappointed" but accepted the ruling. He has left on a flight to Dubai. It marks the end of a 10-day saga, in which the Serb fought to stay to defend his title in the Australian Open. Djokovic's supporters fell silent outside the courtroom as the decision was announced on the eve of what would have been his opening match in the tournament. One fan told the BBC her summer would be "empty" without the 34-year-old playing at

the Open. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison welcomed "the decision to keep our borders strong and keep Australians safe" but his government faces criticism at home and abroad for its handling of the affair Djokovic launched his case after Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used his powers to cancel his visa, arguing his presence in the country risked fanning anti-vaccine sentiment. During Sunday's court hearing before a three-judge panel, Djokovic's defence unsuccessfully argued that the grounds given by the government were illogical because to deport the star also risked fanning anti-vaccine sentiment. Chief Justice James Allsop said the court ruling was

based on the legality of the minister's decision, not on whether it was the right decision to make. He promised to release the full reasoning for the ruling in the coming days. There has been much public anger in Australia over the player's attempt to enter the country without being vaccinated against Covid-19. The federal government has repeatedly said people must comply with the strict laws in place to deal with the pandemic, and that no-one is "above the law". Djokovic was originally granted a medical exemption to enter Australia by two different independent health panels - one commissioned by Tennis Australia, the other by the state government of Victoria - after testing positive for coronavirus in

Ashes 2021-22:

Novak Djokovic boarded a flight at Melbourne airport on Sunday

mid-December. However, the Australian Border Force detained him on 5 January for not meeting federal coronavirus requirements, and his visa was revoked. A judge overturned that decision but the government stepped in last Friday to revoke the visa again, saying it was in the public interest. Although Djokovic is not vaccinated against Covid-19, he has not actively promoted anti-vax disinformation. However, Australian anti-vaxxers have been using the hashtag #IStandWithDjokovic on social media.

Botham attacks 'gutless' England as Cook says team have hit rock bottom

IAN Botham led an onslaught of criticism for England's Ashes failures after Joe Root's team capitulated pitifully to lose the final Test in Hobart. Botham was joined by fellow former England captains Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan and David Gower in picking apart another wretched display, with Australia tying up a 4-0 series victory. England sit at the foot of the World Test Championship, and Botham said the culture of English cricket needed to change, with the heavy emphasis on domestic limited-overs competitions harming the five-day team. Speaking on Channel 7, Botham said: "It's been embarrassing, if I'm honest. Gutless. "The way they performed today disappointed me and will have disappointed everyone back home." England went from 68-0 to 124 all out, the final ignominy from a shambolic tour performance as Australia won by 146 runs. "The one thing we need to do right now is take our heads out of the sand and pull together and prioritise red-ball cricket," Botham said. "If we're not careful, the eskimos will be beating us." Cook, Joe Root's predecessor as captain, found it a jarring watch as England went from building a solid foundation to outright carnage, unable to hold back Australia's victory charge. "There was no resilience there. As soon as they get under pressure, you seen how much resolve there is," Cook said. "That was very, very tough viewing and that has to be our rock bottom. There cannot be any worse a place in terms of getting bowled out in an hour and a half." Speaking on BT Sport, Cook added: "As

Former England Test all-rounder Ian Botham

a batter and a professional who plays games of cricket, you get bowled out in a session once or twice in a career. "You see a batting line-up devoid of all confidence and belief, that once you lose one wicket or two wickets, nobody's going to step up and stop that slide. "You can talk all you want about it in the dressing room, but until some people grab this team by the scruff of the neck and move it forward themselves, I can't see what's changed." Vaughan, on Twitter, said England had carried through 2021's "year of the batting collapse" into this year, adding: "You can cope with losing but not when you throw the towel in." Gower suggested the positive messages that Root and coach Chris Silverwood attempted to deliver were misleading. "I think we understand very easily that neither Joe Root or Chris Silverwood are going to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth under these circumstances," Gower said.

"Both are under pressure for different reasons. Joe has handled it well, kept a smile on his face. When you see him run out to bat today you can see there is a man who wants to do his best to finish on a high note, but he is not being supported. "Silverwood's role is a different one because he is fully implicated in selection, and selection's been one of the huge talking points on this tour, right from Brisbane onwards." For the first Test at the Gabba, England went into the match and series with star bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson mystifyingly left on the sidelines. "There were jaws dropping at home and in Brisbane when the team was announced and when events unfolded," Gower said. Also speaking on BT Sport, Gower said he had "genuine sympathy" for Root given the focus on white-ball cricket. Although England won the World Cup, in Test cricket they are firmly in the doldrums. "This is the oldest, most important form of the game," Gower said. "We need to defend it, we need an England team that plays it well, that is not languishing at the foot ... barely even at the foot of the World Test Championship. "These things really annoy people and apparently it's really annoying me at the moment. "When you're going to try to be constructive, you look at personnel for sure, so there will be people fearing for their position in the side. Then you also have to consider who else is there to take over. There are players out there who would hope they might get a go as a result of other people's failures, but they've got to show character." (Sportsmax).

Mr Morrison said the centre-right government was "prepared to take the decisions and actions necessary to protect the integrity" of the country's borders. But Kristina Keneally, a senator for the opposition Labor Party, said Mr Morrison had made himself a "laughing stock on the world stage" by mishandling the Djokovic case. The government's "litany of failures", she tweeted, had "undermined Australia's border security settings, & provided a lightning rod for the anti-vaccination movement". A former Labor prime

minister, Kevin Rudd, tweeted that the "political circus" could have been avoided had a visa not been issued in the first place. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic accused the Morrison government of conducting a "witch hunt". "He [Djokovic] came to Australia with a medical exemption proposal and then you were mistreating him for 10 days," he said. "Why did you do it? Doing a witch hunt against him? This is something that no one can understand.". (Yahoo Sports)

Liverpool beat Brentford to go second in Premier League LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp promised that his side will "go for everything" in their pursuit of runaway Premier League leaders M a n c h e s t e r Roberto Firmino and Takumi Minamino were able to almost walk in Liverpool's City after they third after the former had robbed Ethan moved up to Pinnock of possession second. It will take a spectacular The Reds overcame a stubborn Brentford and sudden disintegration in side at Anfield, but are still 11 Manchester City's form, and points off City, albeit with a a near flawless run-in from Liverpool to reverse the teams' game in hand. "We don't have to convince standings by May. City have anyone outside to believe. If dropped just 10 points so far they want to believe they can this season. Liverpool find a way withbelieve," said Klopp after his out star duo side's 3-0 win. It was the first time since "If you are with us, you will enjoy the ride and we will go May 2017 that Liverpool had for everything. We are ready to lined up without either Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane for go as much as we can." Fabinho's far-post header a Premier League match. And, eased some of the tension that for a while, it showed. Liverpool had huffed and had built up at Anfield over 43 goalless minutes, but the home puffed to little effect against fans were relieved when Brent- 10-man Arsenal in the Carabao ford's Bryan Mbeumo sliced Cup in midweek and once wide from a fine position after again they initially dominated possession without making an the break. Shortly afterwards, Alex impression on the scoreline. With Salah and Mane Oxlade-Chamberlain connected with an Andy Robertson cross away on international duty, to double the lead and Takumi the hosts lacked the necessary Minamino came off the bench guile and dexterity to prise apart the packed ranks of to side-foot home a third. defenders.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Harry wins best overall net in Crown Mining golf — Watson finishes with best gross score

DAVID Harry walked away with the overall net title when the Crown Mining Golf Championship was held on Saturday at the Lusignan Golf Club. The 12 handicap golfer finished with an impressive five birdies en route to a net 67, which resulted in him also winning the 10-18 handicap flight. Also outstanding was British player Tom Watkins, who used his long drives to power his way to a three-over-par 73, which earned him the best overall gross score at the championship. The four handicapper also finished with the best net score in the 0-9 handicap flight after a countback win against Ravindra Harry, who finished with a gross 77 and a net 69.

Watkins was also victorious in the longest drive battle on hole number five. In the 10-18 handicap division, Paton George finished second with an overall net score of 71 stemming from a handicap of 13. In the 19-36 handicap flight, Ronald Bulkan emerged first with a net score of 69 (21 handicap), while Eureka Giddings placed second with a net score of 70 (handicap 24). Kasim Khan also took home the Nearest to the pin prize (hole number four). Crown Mining’s Executive Manager, Nadine Persaud, was on hand for the presentation ceremony. The company also had its heavy duty TOLSEN tools on display.

The winners of Saturday’s 18-hole golf tournament with representatives of Crown Mining

ICC Men’s U-19 World Cup

Boyden stars as England blow away defending champions Bangladesh JOSHUA Boyden was the star with the ball as England skittled Bangladesh out for 97 in the seventh match at the ICC Men's U-19 World Cup in the West Indies. Here we pick out the big talking points from the match in Basseterre. The foundation for England’s comfortable victory was built by opening bowlers Joshua Boyden and James Sales, who had Bangladesh scoring at less than a run-an-over in a superb opening eight overs. Sales looked sharp, finishing with figures of 1/29, but it was Boyden who impressed the most. At one point the Lancashire left-armer had figures of 2/3 after five overs, and finished with four wickets to his name for just 16 runs off nine. Still just 17 years old, Boyden has been pushing for a call-up to the Lancashire first team after strong showings in the second XI, and on this evidence he will be a major force for England throughout the tournament. England’s bowling ranks look strong in general for the tournament, with the opening pair well backed-up by fellow Lancashire seamer Tom Aspinwall and tidy offspinner Fateh Singh from Nottinghamshire. This England attack are a group to keep an eye on Work to do for the defending Champions Bangladesh won this tournament two years ago and came into the current edition as one of the strong contenders to take the crown again. But they’ll have plenty to think about after a subdued display in Basseterre. It was with the bat where Bangladesh looked off the pace, with the top six all falling for just 31 to leave the side in a heap of trouble. The tail did wag, with number 11 Ripon Mondol the only player to go past 15, finishing unbeaten on 33*. The bowlers faced a near-impossible task, with England able to take hardly any risks and roll along at under four-an-over to reach the target with ease. But there were signs that, with

Joshua Boyden picked up four wickets for only 16 runs (ICC via Getty)

more runs to defend, this Bangladesh attack has some real quality, with Ashiqur Zaman, Rakibul Hasan and Ripon Mondol standing out. Bangladesh can take solace from the fact that their talented top-order are unlikely to be this disappointing again in the tournament. And they’ll have a chance to bounce back on Thursday when they face Canada in their second Group A match, with a match against UAE next Sunday rounding off their group stage fixtures. With two qualifying for Super League from each group there is still hope for Bangladesh’s title defence, but they’ll need to sharpen up and fast Alex ‘safe-hands’ Horton sets a record England keeper Alex Horton snaffled all of Bangladesh’s top three with sharp catches behind the stumps, and the Glamorgan star went on to take three more in the innings. Those six catches is the most ever in a single match by an England keeper at an ICC U19 World Cup, and second only to Charith Fernando’s effort of eight in an innings for Sri Lanka back in 2002 against Zimbabwe.(ICC .com)

GCA U-15 cricket clinic/drills and trial matches set to start today THE Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) U-15 cricket clinic/drills and trial matches are scheduled to bowl off today from 15:00hrs at the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) ground. Technical Director Mark Harper and several coaches, including former West Indies Test batsman, Travis Dowlin, along with Jermaine Neblette, Kervin Ross, Jeremiah Harris, Qusen Nedd and Neil Barry Jr., will conduct the course. Some 39 players have been placed into two groups. Group A includes 20 players and they are scheduled to participate this afternoon and Wednesday, while Group B includes 19 players who are expected to be at the venue tomorrow and Thursday. According to information from Chairman of the GCA Competitions Committee, Shaun Massiah, strict COVID-19 measures will be in place. “A rapid test for all players will be done then we will counsel them during the sessions on the importance of the vaccine if they are to move forward from the group.”

Emanuel Lewis

Dave Mohabir

All players will also be required to walk with a photocopy of their birth certificate, vaccination card, face mask, sanitiser, white top, track pants, booths, socks and water bottle. They are also required to put their names on their cricket equipment. Group A players include Joshua Charles, Kishan Silas, Arun Gainda, Thierry Moore, Jonathan Mentor, Narinda Isurdeen, Amir Samad, Aaron kissoon, Rishi Seodat, Daniel Kissoon, Jason Wahid, Adrian Kissoon, Sameer Bhola, Shawn Thompson, Torrel Assaye, Peter Khan, Randel Manoharlall, Nicholas Nieuelder, Anthony Isreal and Shemarion Gomes. The Group B players are Joshua Narine, Emanuel Lewis, Reyaz Latif, Dave Mohabir, Dhanish Persaud, Ravin Singh, Kwesi Wilkinson, Mickel Sharma, Anthonio Chan, Nicholas Sulker, Hezekiah Hohenkirk, Alex Gonsalves, Darwin La Rose, Nicholas Archer, Jermaine Fyffe, Ryan Khan, Omarion Allen, Kerron Toppin and Trilok Nanan.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 17, 2022

Embarrassment for Windies as Ireland take ODI series 2-1

"I think it’s a sad day for us and a sad day for West Indies cricket" – Skipper Pollard KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – Minnows Ireland survived a lower order wobble to beat West Indies for only the third time in a One-Day International when they stunned them by two wickets here Sunday, to also claim their first-ever series win over the Caribbean side. Set 213 for victory in the decisive third ODI at Sabina Park, Ireland got 59 from Player-of-the-Match and Player-ofthe-Series Andy McBrine and 52 from Harry Tector, while stand-in captain Paul

Stirling chipped in with a breezy 44. And the visitors looked on course for an uncomplicated victory at 190 for four in the 40th over when panic suddenly set in among the lower order, four wickets tumbling for 18 runs in the space of 23 deliveries, and leaving the door slightly ajar for a West Indies comeback. However, number 10 Craig Young held his nerve and steered the penultimate delivery of the 45th over from fast bowler Romario Shepherd to the backward point boundary, to secure the world 12th-ranked

Ireland celebrate another West Indies wicket during their historic win on Sunday

Ireland a historic win as Kieron Pollard’s unit plummeted to new depths. For West Indies, ranked eighth in the world, the defeat was their seventh in 12 outings over the last 13 months, and their sixth series loss in their last ten tours. “I think it’s a sad day. A sad day for us and a sad day for West Indies cricket overall,” Pollard lamented afterwards. “As players, we take responsibility. As the leader of the team, I take responsibility for our performance on the field.” Stirling, who missed the first ODI while recovering from COVID-19 but then took over the side for the last two matches after captain Andy Balbirnie tested positive, hailed the victory as a major one for the Irish. “We’re delighted. It doesn’t happen every day. You don’t come out on away trips and turn over a side like West Indies every day, so I’m very proud of the lads and how they’ve performed,” said Stirling. Shai Hope’s top score of 53 – his 20th half-century in the format – looked to be laying the foundation for a large West Indies total after they were sent in.

But his dismissal triggered a decline, the next nine wickets going down for 126 runs, to leave the home side with an inadequate 212 all out in the 45th over. All-rounder Jason Holder propped up the lower order with an important 44 off 60 balls and Akeal Hosein got 23 but West Indies were left in tatters by off-spinner McBrine’s whose four for 28 and seamer Young’s three for 43, and the innings never really recovered. “There was a nice bit of spin in there for me. I just changed up my lengths and kept it as simple as possible, and tried to force them to make mistakes and thankfully it’s happened for the last three games,” said McBrine, who ended with a batting average of 64 and a series-leading ten wickets at 11 runs apiece. Hope struck nine fours and a six in a swift 39-ball knock, posting 72 for the first wicket with fellow Barbadian Justin Greaves (12), before top-edging a hook at Young to fine leg in the 11th over. Greaves then sliced Young to point in the 13th, Nicholas Pooran (2) missed a straight TURN TO PAGE 19

Junior Sinclair grabs 11-59 in four-day warm-up match OFF-spinner Junior Sinclair produced match figures of 11-59 in the second fourday warm-up match which ended on Sunday at the Albion Community Centre ground. The 21-year-old, who was a wicketkeeper-batsman in his days for Guyana at the youth level, has certainly put his name in the hat for potential Guyana Harpy Eagles selection with another creditable performance. Sinclair’s performance spearheaded Keemo Paul’s XI to an eight-wicket win over Leon Johnson’s XI. Paul’s XI required a mere 67, and they reached 71-2 in 12.2

overs compliments of Trevon Griffith (30) and Seon Glasgow Jr. (26*). He backed up his 5-18 in the first innings, producing an even better spell of 6-41 which bowled out Johnson’s XI for 163 in 71.4 overs. Once again Sinclair was supported by left-arm spinner Antony Adams (2-41), who has also pressed a substantial case for selection. Another off-spinner, Kevin Sinclair, also had a good outing, taking 5-61 in the Paul’s XI first innings of 218 which was built on Tagenarine Chanderpaul’ 86, and

Griffith’s 67. Summarised scores: Leon Johnson’s XI 121 (Leon Johnson 33, Sachin Singh 32; Junior Sinclair 5-18, Antony Adams 3-16, and 163 (Javid Karim 36*, Chandrapaul Hemraj 25, Kevin Sinclair 25; Junior Sinclair 6-41, Antony Adams 2-41) v Keemo Paul’s XI 218 (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 86, Trevon Griffith 65, Kevin Sinclair 5-61, Nial Smith 2-10, Ronsford Beaton 2-26) and 71-2 (Trevon Griffith 30, Seon Glasgow Jr. 26*; Kevin Sinclair 1-28, Smith 1-31) The third and final practice match is from January 20-23 at a venue to be

Off-spinner Junior Sinclair

named. The matches are being staged in preparation for next month’s scheduled Regional Four-Day Championship which has been reduced to five rounds.

Djokovic leaves Australia after losing deportation appeal 22 PAGE

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MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022