Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 19-11-2020

THURSDAY 19th November, 2020

' No.106188

Go-Invest anticipates multimillion-dollar investment SEE PAGE 03

-- as Mexico’s ‘Oceamar’ turns attention to Guyana’s O&G sector

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Go-Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, and officials from his office meet with Mexico’s Ambassador to Guyana, Jose Omar Hurtado Contreras and the team from Oceamar (Go-Invest photo)

20,000 Guyanese to Reports of ‘exploitation’ by big mining Teen kills friend benefit from UWI 08 companies being investigated 02 at ‘sleepover’ 09 PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

Reports of ‘exploitation’ by big mining companies being investigated –– Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton

WITH a mandate from President, Dr Irfaan Ali, to work together to iron out the many labour, industrial and regulations issues affecting Guyanese in the mining industry, the Ministry of Labour (MoL) and Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), over the past few months, have been carrying out a number of collaborative outreaches in the mining industry.

Teams from the two ministries are now set to visit the internationally-owned gold mining companies, Troy Resources and Aurora Gold Mines next week, to meet with the management and employees to iron out a number of reports that have been coming out of the companies.

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, explained that his ministry had been receiving a number of complaints, though,

thus far unverified, that employees hired by large scale gold mining companies were being advised against joining a union, and he hoped that the visits will help to get to the bottom of the matter.

Hamilton noted that there were also concerns of possible COVID-19 cases at the locations not being handled properly. Other Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) situations at the companies will be examined.

“Those are the issues I plan to deal with when I go in there, and it’s a joint visit so Minister [Vickram] Bharrat would have mining issues that he would have to raise with them. Since I became minister, the principals of both AGM and Troy Resources have been making requests to see me, so my position is that I would not see them in Georgetown for a photo op, I would see them on

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

their site at the gold mines,” Hamilton noted.

The ministries are scheduled to visit the Chinese-owned AGM on Monday and the Australian-owned Troy Resources on Wednesday. Both sites are located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton

Mazaruni).

Minister Hamilton shared that the visits would be a continuation in a series of collaborations between the two ministries that also included interventions in the bauxite and forestry sectors as well. The relationship having started with a collaboration

to look into the issues at the Russian-owned RUSAL operations in Region 10.

“There was a directive from the President himself to deal with these matters, having all started with the RUSAL matter. When we were discussing the level of intervention from the Government, we were instructed that, together, we have to deal with this matter and since then we have dealt with others in this way,” Minister Hamilton noted.

“We went into the Berbice River to engage the former RUSAL workers. I lead a delegation that met with the employees. We have continued that conversation even at the level of forestry in our intervention. We together dealt with forestry issues in Region 10. Because there they have labour issues and OSH issues also.”

The collaboration is particularly important for the MoL given that it does not currently have the capacity to monitor these far-flung regions, due to no labour or OSH officers being located in the regions where the mining activities take place.

“We can only properly supervise the mining site via people in the region and on site and we don’t have that; the old system was George-

town-based, and only ran up to Georgetown. We have none in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine, and these are the mining regions,” the minister explained.

He, however, is currently on a countrywide visit to assess, on the ground, situations in all of the varying regions and to begin work for the establishment of Regional Labour and OSH officers in each region.

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, also highlighted the importance of a continuous cooperation between the two ministries to ensure that Guyanese are being treated fairly in all aspects of the mining industry.

“We have an excellent relationship between myself and Minister of Labour. Our collaborating on these labour issues and health and safety issues, it is important,” Minister Bharrat stressed.

“We must work hand-inhand and we have an excellent relationship and we will continue to work together because the workers need representation. At the same time while I am looking at regulating mining activities, Minister of Labour is looking at the workers and the labour aspect,” the Natural Resources Minister said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

Go-Invest anticipates multimillion-dollar investment –– as Mexico’s ‘Oceamar’ turns attention to Guyana’s O&G sector

By Navendra Seoraj OCEAMAR, a leading Mexican offshore service provider has turned its attention to one of the world’s newest petroleum states, Guyana, with the aim of making a multimillion-dollar investment.

Guyana, with a Gross Domestic Product (GPD) of around US$4 billion, is pegged to grow tremendously in the coming years because of its new-found oil wealth.

And the anticipated growth has already attracted several international companies, many of whom are interested in investing in the nascent oil-and-gas sector.

Oceamar is among the latest investors which have set their sights on Guyana.

The company, according to its website, focuses on meeting the needs related to the maritime and oil industries, offering a comprehensive and specialised service. It operates in all the ports of the Gulf of Mexico.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Invest (Go-Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, has said that Oceamar, while being a large oil-support company, focuses on many components such as logistics, food management and so forth. The company offers air, land and maritime support.

Dr. Ramsaroop and his team met with a delegation from Oceamar and Mexico’s Ambassador to Guyana, Jose Omar Hurtado Contreras, on Monday.

“The discussions are still

in the preliminary stages, but we outlined the local investment opportunities to the company,” said the CEO during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday.

When asked how much money the company is looking to invest in Guyana, Dr. Ramsaroop said discussions have not reached that stage as yet, but, considering the types of service Oceamar offers, he foresees the investment running into hundreds of millions of GYD. In addition to Oceamar, the CEO said a number of other oil-support companies are looking to establish local operations.

With a projected GDP growth of 26.2 per cent for

Go-Invest CEO Dr. Peter Ramsaroop

2020, Guyana, being one of the only countries in this hemisphere expected to see positive growth, is seen as the ideal investment destination.

And it was already reported that the Government of Guyana is actively encouraging Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and offering tax concessions for priority projects through Go-Invest.

MOVING HEADQUARTERS “Already, a lot of current foreign direct investors are expanding their services to Guyana… they are even moving their headquarters to this country… these are being moved from Trinidad and Tobago, and even Brazil, to Guyana,” said Dr.

Ramsaroop, during a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

Like Oceamar, most of these companies are focused on offering oilfield support services to the offshore operations in the oil-and-gas sector.

Some of those companies offer services such as oil-well maintenance, completion, production, supply, and logistical support services in both on-shore and off-shore activities.

These services, for now, will be offered directly to ExxonMobil, the company operating in the Stabroek, Canje and Kaieteur Blocks, offshore Guyana.

Some 18 discoveries have so far been made in the Sta-

broek Block since 2015, but just three projects have so far been sanctioned – Lizas One, Two and Payara. The operator, ExxonMobil, expects this to ramp up to around five by 2026, generating more than 750,000 barrels of oil per day. Since 2015, ExxonMobil has increased its estimated recoverable resource base in Guyana to more than nine billion oil-equivalent barrels.

A mong some of the companies already servicing ExxonMobil’s operations are Schlumberger and Halliburton, both Fortune 500 companies.

SIGNALLED INTEREST A number of other large U.S. companies have sig-

nalled an interest to invest in Guyana. And in some cases, Go-Invest, according to Dr. Ramsaroop, is processing investment agreements and finalising discussions on particular areas of investment.

“2021 looks great for FDIs and local investments… local providers are doing major joint ventures in order to invest in tourism, agriculture and even oil,” said the CEO. President Dr. Irfaan Ali had said that progress is expected on all fronts in 2021, which has since been designated as the Year of Investments and Development.

“What you will see next year is a flurry of development; there will be active work on the new Demerara Harbour Bridge, the new four-lane road, new hotels, and the creation of 50,000 homes,” said the President.

He said work will commence on the construction and rehabilitation of roads in hundreds of communities; new infrastructure will be created, and there will be major developments in every sector.

Additionally, private-sector investments are expected to increase, stretching from the construction of new shore bases to service the oil-andgas sector, to new office complexes and other private development projects.

The President anticipates that with increased construction, there will be an increased demand for quarry and construction materials and labour.

Fake MMG+‘hotline’, Facebook page under investigation –– customers urged to be vigilant

THE General Manager of Mobile Money Guyana (MMG+) Bobita Ram has issued a public warning following the discovery of a fake Facebook page bearing her name and likeness and a WhatsApp business account said to be a MMG+ hotline.

Ram said that the fake page has already been reported while the

“hotline” is under investigation.

“There will always be attempts by unscrupulous characters looking to defraud and take advantage of individuals. It is our duty to always be vigilant of such activity. While the Facebook page has been reported to Facebook and the WhatsApp account is being investigated by our local authori-

ties, I am personally appealing to our customers, agents and other stakeholders to refrain at all times from sharing sensitive information through unverified channels,” Ram stated.

“At no time would a MMG+ or GTT staff member ever ask for your Personal Identification Number (PIN) or any other information

deemed private and confidential,” Ram clarified.

Ram is personally incensed by the action and notes that communication on the matter would be widespread to help raise awareness and prevent any wrongdoing under her name or that of the MMG+ brand.

A fake social media account

could result in legal action against the impersonator(s).

Similarly, fraud or the attempt to commit fraud would not be tolerated and would be dealt with in cooperation with the local authorities. Investigations into the aforementioned issues are currently ongoing.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

Coalition testing claim against Walrond’s citizenship in court

THE A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) has approached the High Court seeking a declaration to have Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, removed from the National Assembly.

In its fixed date application, which was filed on Wednesday, the party claims that the minister is illegally occupying her seat given her dual citizen status at the time of taking the oath.

Opposition Chief Whip, Christopher Jones, is listed as the applicant in the documents which were prepared and filed by Attorneys-at-law, Senior Counsel Roysdale Ford, Mayo Robertson, Raphael Trotman, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, Amanza Walton-Desir, Olayne Joseph and Darren Wade Walrond is listed as the respondent, along with Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall and Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir.

“We consider it a very important case. It is a case of which there is no reasonable defence or explanation which could be provided,” Forde told the media shortly after filing the application.

fully appointed as a Minster of the Government of Guyana.

The applicant is also seeking an order from the court directing the Speaker of the National Assembly to prevent Walrond from sitting in or

Opposition Chief Whip, Christopher Jones and his attorney, Senior Counsel Roysdale Ford (Adrian Narine Photo)

Jones is asking the court for a declaration that Walrond is not a lawful member of the National Assembly of the 12th Parliament of Guyana and was also, therefore, unlaw-

THURS., 19 November, 2020 - 04:30hrs ~ 06:00hrs

participating in the business of the National Assembly.

In his grounds, Jones stated that Walrond took the oath of office as a Minister of Government on August 5, 2020, although she was not named in the List of Candidates presented by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic in accordance with the Representation of the People Act Cap. 1:03 for the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

In October 2020, Minister Walrond had issued a press statement distancing herself from wronging and had chronicled what had transpired. She informed that on August 18,

she wrote to the U.S. Consular Office and renounced her citizenship to that country with immediate effect. The process was finished by August 27 and she received her Certificate of Loss of Nationality.

On September 1, 2020, Walrond took the oath of a member of the National Assembly and it was there, during the first session of the 12th Parliament, that she was recorded as a Cabinet member and a non-elected minister.

U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Officer, Violeta Talandis had told the Guyana Chronicle that renunciation of citizenship becomes official once a person appears before the Consular Officer requesting such under the Immigration and Naturalisation Act, section 349(a)(5).

According to the US Bureau of Consul Affairs, a person who is a national of the US, whether by birth or naturalisation, shall lose his/ her nationality by voluntarily making a formal renunciation of nationality before a diplomatic or consular officer of the US in a foreign state.

However, Jones is contending that, by taking the oath, Walrond is not a valid and legal member of the National Assembly or minister since, at the time, she still had dual citizenship.

In the court document, Jones contended that “As member of the National Assembly, it is right and proper that I insist and demand that

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond

there be full and complete compliance with the Constitution.”

The minister was not a candidate for the PPP/C in the March 02, 2020 elections, but was selected to be a technocrat minister, which means she has no voting power in the National Assembly. The Constitution provides for up to four technocrats in the National Assembly.

The issue of dual citizenship took centre stage in 2019, following former AFC member, Charrandass Persaud’s “yes” vote in a no-confidence motion filed by the then PPP/C opposition. The crossing of the floor occurred in December 2018. Persaud, who hails from Berbice, is a Canadian

citizen.

Following several legal challenges, the Court of Appeal ruled that a person holding dual citizenship is not entitled to be a member of the National Assembly.

This led to several members on both sides of the House relinquishing their foreign citizenship or resigning from Parliament. The list included the current Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira and her PPP colleagues, Adrian Anamayah and Odinga Lumumba, along with APNU+AFC members, Joseph Harmon, Carl Greenidge, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and Dominic Gaskin.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

Pfizer vaccine deliveries could start ‘before Christmas’

Pfizer Inc PFE.N and BioNTech 22UAy.DE could secure emergency U.S. and European authorisation for their COVID-19 vaccine next month after final trial results showed it had a 95 per cent success rate and no serious side effects, the drugmakers said on Wednesday.

The vaccine’s efficacy was found to be consistent across different ages and ethnicities - a promising sign given the disease has disproportionately hurt the elderly and certain groups including Black people.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration could grant emergency-use by the middle of December, BioNTech Chief Executive Ugur Sahin told Reuters TV. Conditional approval in the European Union could be secured in the second half of December, he added.

“If all goes well I could imagine that we gain approval in the second half of December and start deliveries before Christmas, but really only if all goes positively,” he said.

The success rate of the vaccine developed by the U.S. drugmaker and German partner BioNTech was far higher than what regulators had said would have been acceptable. Experts said it was a significant achievement in the race to end the pandemic.

Of the 170 volunteers who contracted COVID-19 in Pfizer’s trial involving over 43,000 people, 162 had received a placebo and not the vaccine, meaning the vaccine was 95% effective.

Of the 10 people who had severe COVID-19, one had received the vaccine.

“A first in the history of mankind: less than a year from the sequence of the virus to the large-scale clinical trial of a vaccine, moreover based on a whole new technique,” said Enrico Bucci, a biologist at Temple University in Philadelphia. “Today is a special day.”

BioNTech’s Sahin said U.S. emergency use authorization (EUA) would be applied for on Friday.

cine showing 94.5 per cent effectiveness.

“We now have two safe and highly effective vaccines that could be authorized by the Food and Drug Administration and ready to distribute within weeks,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said.

The Moderna vaccine is likely to be authorized within seven to 10 days of Pfizer receiving its EUA, U.S. offi-

Vials with a sticker reading, “COVID-19 / Coronavirus vaccine / Injection only” and a medical syringe are seen in front of a displayed Pfizer logo in this illustration taken October 31, 2020 (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)

An FDA advisory committee tentatively plans to meet on Dec. 8-10 to discuss the vaccine, a source familiar with the situation said, though the dates could change. The FDA did not respond to requests for comment.

COVID-19 RUNS RAMPANT The final trial analysis comes a week after initial results showed the vaccine was more than 90% effective. Moderna Inc MRNA.O on Monday released preliminary data for its vac-

cials said, with states ready to begin distribution within 24 hours.

The better-than-expected results from the two vaccines, both developed with new messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, have raised hopes for an end to a pandemic that has killed more than 1.3 million people and wreaked havoc upon economies and daily life.

The news was especially welcome with the virus again running rampant around the world, setting records for new infections and hospitalizations almost

daily.

The Pfizer-BioNTech shot was found to have 94 per cent efficacy in people over age 65, a particularly high-risk group.

“This is the evidence we needed to ensure that the most vulnerable people are protected,” said Andrew Hill, senior visiting research fellow at the University of Liverpool’s department of pharmacology.

Global shares rose as the trial results countered concerns around the soaring infection rate. Pfizer shares were up 1.6 per cent while BioNTech jumped 3.8 per cent in the United States.

Moderna shares fell 3.6 per cent. [MKTS/GLOB] Investors have treated vaccine development as a race between companies, although there is likely to be global demand for as much vaccine as can be produced for the foreseeable future.

DISTRIBUTING SHOTS Pfizer said it expects to make as many as 50 million vaccine doses this year, enough to protect 25 million people, and then produce up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.

While some groups such as healthcare workers will be prioritized in the United States and Britain for vaccinations, it will be months before large-scale rollouts begin in either country.

On Wednesday, Pfizer said it had offered to provide Brazil with millions of doses in the first half of 2021. It also has agreements with the European Union, Germany and Japan where distribution could begin next year.

Mike Ryan, the World Health Organization’s top

emergency expert, said it would be at least 4-6 months before significant levels of vaccination were taking place around the world.

Distribution of a Pfizer-BioNTech shot is complicated by the need to store it at ultra-cold temperatures of -70 degrees Celsius. It can, however, be kept in normal refrigeration for up to five days, or up to 15 days in a thermal shipping box.

M o d e r n a ’s v a c c i n e can be stored for up to six months at -20C though it is expected to be stable for 30 days at normal fridge temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (36°-46°F).

FATIGUE AND HEADACHES Pfizer said vaccine was well-tolerated and that side effects were mostly mild to moderate, and cleared up quickly. The only severe adverse events experienced by volunteers were fatigue (3.8 per cent) and headaches (2 per cent) after the

second dose. Older adults tended to report fewer and milder adverse events.

“These are extraordinary results, and the safety data look good,” said David Spiegelhalter, a professor and expert in risk and evidence communication at the University of Cambridge.

Of the dozens of drugmakers and research groups racing to develop COVID-19 vaccines, the next late-stage data will likely be from AstraZeneca Plc AZN.L with the University of Oxford in November or December. Johnson & Johnson JNJ.N said it is on track to deliver data this year.

Authorization of vaccines for children will take longer. Only Pfizer has started vaccinating volunteers under age 18 and as young as 12. Moderna and J&J have said they hope to start testing the vaccine in younger people soon. (Reuters)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

Tajeram Mohabir

Public Servants

THE newly installed government has been constrained to terminate the services of political appointees holding sinecure positions.

The President of the country, as well as each minister of government and Heads of Departments, all have their delineated mandates peculiar to a particular sphere of responsibility within the national construct; albeit sometimes these responsibilities overlap and morph into each other.

Every one of these heads of entities has support staff holding various portfolios, and it behooves every member of that support system to perform their duties with optimum effort and efficiency, because if one cog in the operational wheel leading to the delivery of service to the nation proves dysfunctional, then the entire system becomes skewed and either diminishes and/or eradicates altogether the product – the product in this case being an item of service to the people, and it is service to the people that is the business of governments.

In every business the position and responsibilities of the chief executive officer are well defined,

and everyone knows that success or failure of the business entity lies on his shoulders. In other words, the buck stops at him, so if any cog in his support system fails, then he has no recourse but to change it – fire the offender and hire a competent replacement.

The Chief Executive of Guyana does not have that luxury and the governmental structure is overburdened with dysfunctional cogs, many of them planted by those who do not wish this administration well; so our President is aware that he has to adjust to the flaws within the wheel of governance with which he is constrained to work.

A charge was laid on PPP/C Presidents by Dr. and Mrs. Jagan, two people who are revered and honoured by the various PPP/C Heads of State, both for their leadership and their humanistic qualities. By and large, the party’s leaders have prevailed over all the existential dynamics within this nation and the wider world to honour the trust they have reposed in the protégées they guided and moulded into quintessential leadership material. No human being is without a flaw,

and PPPP/C leaders have made their mistakes, as has other leaders within the equation of humankind; but, by and large, the leadership that formed successive PPP/C governments has been exemplary, so much so that the party Dr Cheddi Jagan and Mrs Janet Jagan founded has created synergies for development against great odds, not once, but twice.

Former President and current Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has put Guyana on the map as a pathbreaker on initiatives that have implications for the welfare of nations within the global construct. Two of these are the Jagdeo Initiative on Agriculture and Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), among innumerable others. He also won accolades for many achievements, among them the Champion of the Earth award.

President Irfaan Ali is meeting and overcoming every challenge he has had to face since assuming office in August of this year, However, every initiative that this administration drives has been subjected to negative responses from the political opposition, as well as some members of the

media, which can frustrate efforts and demotivate the leader. Genuine commitment to the national development paradigm should be honoured and supported instead of being subjected to such a plethora of negativity. That is, if we are truly committed to the ideal of nation-building.

And those who revile heads of the nation and national institutions should sit back and re-think their positions. What would they, what could they do differently, or better, in similar situations and circumstances?

This question would stymie those who continually find fault with every initiative undertaken by the government, as in the Skeldon Sugar Estate, the Enmore packaging plant, the OLPF, the LCDS, the Amaila Falls hydro project, as well as the plethora of other developmental initiatives, without taking into consideration that every project entered into by this and previous PPP/C governments is an innovation, because there was no precedent in development prior to 1992 – not on a national scale.

It is as if the malcontents of the nation would prefer to

see the nation go into decline if the current administration is driving the successes, never mind the fact that everyone benefits from the outcomes of these initiatives when they eventually prove successful.

Our motto says: One People, One Nation, with One Destiny.

One people – so the race of our leader should not matter; One nation – it is only with a unity of purpose can we prevail over adversities to become a prosperous nation; One Destiny – is ours, regardless of whomever is President, or leader of the nation. If we support our leaders and strive together in unity, then every Guyanese stands to reap the rewards – collectively, because our destiny is irrevocably interlinked, and our national glories and successes are things that we will all share in – as a Guyanese people. This is the message inherent in our national motto – that the country should not stand divided on issues of national interest. Any other course would lead to diminishing our potential for progress and prosperity.

Violations of children’s rights that lead to death Dear Editor, THE story about the 16-year-old teen who was brutally stabbed to death by a 34-year-old was one of the most shocking stories in the past week. While there are many questions that would have arisen from the situation, the underlying issue of the protection of this young girl is another matter that connects to the story and the rest of Guy-

ana at large, signalling a deficit in the policies made, the services offered and the communities’ willingness and knowledge about reporting violence against children in our land.

A popular newspaper presented the harrowing tale of the stabbing to death of Sanesha Subrina Lall of Richmond Housing Scheme.

Some alarming details about the story that were uncovered included the fact that the

young, 16-year-old Sanesha refused to continue to be in a relationship with her murderer because he was married.

The newspaper was keen to mention the name of this young teen girl but omitted to name the alleged killer.

At some point it may have occurred to any keen-eyed reader and members of the Richmond Housing Scheme where Sanesha lived that the abuse of this young girl (and eventually

her death) was one that highlighted serious violations of her protection rights from abuse as a child by an adult man.

Another observation is that the teen’s parents had died and she was clearly without adequate adult supervision and guidance. ChildLinK has, over the years, recognised and identified that children growing up without adequate parental care are most at risk of all

forms of abuse. Sanesha’s right to life was cut short, her rights to an education were denied. We wondered when she stopped arriving at school: did someone notice?

Were any enquiries made?

As this alleged killer visited her or met with her, did her neighbours and/or community members notice? Did they know who to call to stop this abuse or did they think she was “hot” and looking for “it”? At 16 years old did

Sanesha know where to find help to escape the abuse?

Did she reach to any service provider and did she receive any response? We spoke to a group of young children a week ago to discuss how they learn about child rights and protection and they said that most children don’t know where to find help. They said that such information is not easily available TURN TO PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

Diwali in Guyana, India, New York and elsewhere

Dear Editor,

I MAY be among a few individuals who observed or experienced Diwali celebrations in several countries through my wide travels for research. The observance of Diwali began a week ago in NY with the big event observed last Saturday which is similar to that in Guyana, where in spite of COVID, the festival was celebrated with

gaiety and splendour as in India, Surinam, Trinidad, Fiji, Mauritius, Malaysia, Singapore, Durban, Bangladesh, among other places. In all of these countries and the city of Durban it is a public holiday. In all of these places, as in Guyana, Diwali is even celebrated by non-Hindus although they may not light deyas in their homes or go to the mandirs. Those familiar with the celebrations

look forward for it. I was very fortunate to experience Diwali in India in the cities and in rural villages from where Guyanese migrated during indentureship, Singapore, Durban, and Trinidad. It was extremely colourful in these places.

Multi-coloured lights lit up the evening. In Singapore, ethnic Chinese were seen visiting the Hindi temples for Diwali and as guests

for dinner at the homes of Hindus or Buddhists, who also celebrate Diwali in India and in some other county.

In New York and Toronto and in parts of Florida and other states in the U.S., the celebration, introduced by Guyanese and Trini Hindus is a big hit among non-Indians. Politicians of all ethnicities compete to host Diwali programmes in their offices, government buildings,

and in public halls. Even the White House, President Donald Trump, and Prime Ministers Johnson of UK and Trudeau of Canada observed Diwali, inviting Hindu community leaders and the Indian Ambassador for the celebration. In NY, Guyanese reminisce about the celebration at home, wishing to re-experience it.

As I recall as a child growing up, people of all ethnic

groups usually look forward for the Diwali festival because it is a time for invitation for dinners and the distribution of sweets as well as to take in the brilliant fireworks and light displays.

The same is true in NYC. There was so much and an assortment of food and ‘parsad’ to be had in Guyana and in NY. In India, food was distributed to the public for Diwali.

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The answer to Mr Bhagwandin’s question is yes THE simple answer to the question posed by Mr. Bhagwandin as to ‘whether fuel-smuggling is still a threat to legitimate dealers’ is yes.

The purpose of marking fuel imported into Guyana is to identify the legal fuel from illegal or smuggled fuel and in the process, curb fuel-smuggling and the resulting loss of revenue to the government. Notwithstanding the situation in Trinidad and Venezuela, it is important to note that diesel continues to be sourced from Venezuela. As recent as last week, the captains of two separate fuel vessels reported sourcing their diesel from Venezuela.

The actual cost of marking the fuel to the individual consumer is miniscule, G$0.60 per litre for large fuel importers. Today’s (Nov. 18, 2020) price for gasoline at

GuyOil is G$155 per litre.

The marking fee represents 0.39% of the cost per litre.

The point should be emphasised that the intent of smugglers is to avoid payment of local taxes. The fuel-marking programme utilises forensic technology to identify taxed and untaxed fuels.

GEA’s record has shown that with the advent of the marking programme the ‘percentage of sites found with significant dilution in at least one tank’ has reduced from 34 per cent in 2006 to less than one per cent in 2019.

This has contributed to, among other things: the collection of appropriate taxes by the Guyana Revenue Authority. It is estimated that the sustained collection of taxes from legitimate imports will move from over US$40M in 2021 to nearly

US$60M by 2025. The loss of this collection of taxes may not only end up in the pockets of fuel smugglers, but rob the country of vital revenue needed for development; the fuel imported is of an appropriate quality.

Smuggled fuel is notorious for being of low and substandard quality. This causes more harmful emissions and the prevention of adulterated fuels ending up on the open market. Damage to machinery and equipment can lead to downtime in many important sectors across the country. The various fuels imported need to be monitored to ensure it is not being adulterated – something which is supported by the marking programme.

It should be noted that the fuel-marking programme provides direct employment to over 50 employees of the GEA,

Violations of children’s rights ... and that children don’t really know that they have a right to protection from abuse. This Nov 20th (as we celebrate 31 years of the UNCRC) we must acknowledge that significant efforts are still needed to ensure that across our country: * All children have rights to protection from all forms of abuse * All children know about their rights and where to report abuse * Adults know how and where to report child abuse * Service providers and community members know

that their role is imperative in ensuring the protection of children in their communities.

The various agencies of the state and also those that originated in private bodies to deal with matters such as these need to take greater attention and also promote their mandates in such a way that the regular people on the street are motivated to be involved, although they are not formally employed there. This would eventually create a general environment of safety and

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accountability that would trickle into the lives of any person having issues as this teen faced (or even people who are near such people) and assist them with the knowledge that would help them to come to a place where speaking out on these issues are second nature. Guyana needs to do better. Guyana can do better.

Yours sincerely, Khadidja Ba Communications Associate ChildLink

not to mention the many other indirect forms of employment as a result of

the goods and services required by the fuel-marking programme.

Yours sincerely, Guyana Energy Agency

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

20,000 Guyanese to benefit from UWI

THE Government of Guyana is currently negotiating an agreement with the University of the West Indies (UWI) to train up to 20,000 Guyanese over the next five years as part of efforts to propel Guyana’s human resource development strategy.

President Irfaan Ali, a graduate of the UWI himself, met virtually with the Vice-Chancellor of the UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, on November 5 to discuss a strategy for the country’s future. According to a press release from the UWI, the Guyanese will be trained through the UWI’s Open campus.

The Open campus is one of the five campuses of the UWI, providing distance-learning services to non-campus territories. According to the press release, Dr. Ali has called on the UWI to be “very aggressive” in producing the business plan that will allow it to deliver, having already identified all areas of human resource development that Guyana is urgently in need of.

Vice-Chancellor Beckles

meet their full potential as members of one of the most dynamic states in the region.

He said, “This is as exciting as anything we have done in any region in the world, because we are on the margin of one of the largest societies, one of the biggest economies and, arguably, one of the most dynamic going

President Irfaan Ali

assured the President that the UWI sees Guyana as part of its environment, recognising that Guyana was once a contributing member to the regional university some decades ago.

Furthermore, Vice-Chancellor Beckles was reportedly “excited” by this “grand invitation” to enter Guyana to assist with the country’s rebuilding process, thus helping the people of Guyana to

ment, but also to bring the University’s internationally recognised brand of excellence into the country.

The diversity and richness of the UWI’s academic programmes, which has been carefully curated over decades, is well suited to help support the people of Guyana during this phase of their de-

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles

forward.”

The release noted, “This represents an opportunity not only to help build a fellow CARICOM nation’s capital infrastructure for economic, social and cultural develop-

velopment.”

MEETING SOON Soon, there will be a meeting between the UWI and the governmental ministers. The release noted that

Vice-Chancellor Beckles was “confident” that the Council of the UWI will endorse this worthwhile and much-needed project. He has already spoken with the UWI’s Chancellor, Mr. Robert Bermudez, who agrees that it must and should be undertaken.

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences and Sport.

As the region’s premier research academy, the UWI’s foremost objective is driving the growth and development of the regional economy. The world’s most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education, has ranked the UWI among the top 600 universities in the world for 2019 and 2020, and the 40 best universities in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2018 and 2019, then top 20 in 2020. The UWI has been the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists.

Diwali in Guyana, India, New York and...

In Guyana as in India and other societies, children, regardless of ethnicity and religious background, eagerly look forward for the holiday because they get a break from school. They also get an opportunity to take in the spectacular traditional earthen lights or deyas and the electronic lights and enjoy the season's delicacies. The children were also the judge of the best lit home or best float in the motorcade. NYC also has motorcades, an idea borrowed from Guyana since the early 1990s. No other countries have motorcades although it was introduced in Trinidad weekends ago. The lights and decorations in India and Singapore are perhaps the best whereas the Diwali Nagar in Trinidad is unique; no other place has that kind of expo. The nagar is beautifully lit up with the most spectacular fireworks. India also has lovely fireworks.

The tradition of sharing foods and sweets is also practised in all the societies. I remember as a youngster taking packages of delicious items

for my mother to neighbours, non-Hindus in particular. My poa, father’s sister, Aunty Bethlyn, for example, having no children, used to get me to run errands delivering packages to Muslim families she grew up with as neighbours in the logies. The same is done in NY, Trinidad, Singapore, Durban, and India. In Guyana, deyas are lit all over the yard, windows, and stairways – a most spectacular sight, just as it is in NY and elsewhere. Homes are decorated with flickering multi-coloured lamp bulbs. Children and adult males visited homes from street to street to take in the night lights in NY as they do in Guyana.

Unlike in Guyana or several other countries, Diwali is not a public holiday in NY, although it is an excused school holiday for Hindu students, though schools are not closed.

Being on a Saturday, schools are closed anyway. It is also accorded official recognition for cancellation of parking rules in NY. The celebrations in NY and Guyana also have some

other similarities. As in Guyana or elsewhere, Hindus in NY usually begin making preparation for Diwali days before the festival to welcome the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi. Houses were given a new look. The lawn was trimmed and tree trunks white washed. New linens and blinds decorated the homes.

New clothes were purchased for pooja. People fasted days prior to the festival and abstained from rank (meat or fish or eggs) and alcohol.

They acquire new food items and religious paraphernalia (ghee, coconut oil, etc.) including deyas in preparation for the festival. (When Burnham had banned several items, including flour, aloo, dhal, channa, etc., celebrating Diwali was most difficult as we could not get delicacies such as bara, phulourie, sahena, kachourie, dhal puri, etc. Even sweet rice was not possible as Burnham had outlawed the consumption of condensed and other canned milk. Aloo curry and dhal puri was a favourite, but Burnham criminalised its consumption,

in a failed effort to deculture Indians).

In NY homes were well decorated. Lights flickered in front of homes and shops and in front of Jhandis or flags where West Indian Hindus reside. Around this time of the year stores are very busy. The pandemic did not reduce the shopping spree as people bought paraphernalia needed for the celebration.

The business district was also decorated in NY as in Guyana with colourful lights and party decorations.

As I recall growing up in Guyana, during the days leading up to Diwali, temples were visited and Hindus propitiated Goddess Laxmi who represents wealth and prosperity. I used to visit the Port Mourant Shivala for services with the mandir packed to capacity; the kick-down- door banditry, introduced by a politician who is still around collecting a fat pension, reduced nightly attendance in mandirs during the 1980s. On the eve of Diwali, Hindus would light five deyas with one placed in front of the main door of the

house and the others distributed on the altar of the home mandir or kutiya and around the home.

In Guyana, on Diwali day, sweets, mohanbhoog (prasadam) and bhojan (food) are prepared and Hindus exchange gifts, cards, and greetings and distribute sweets and foods to their neighbours, friends and relatives. The same is done in NY and other countries. And as in Guyana, on Diwali holiday, after havan services or rituals and aartee of murthis and the elderly, deyas are arranged in rows and lit up around the house.

Every window ledge of the house and every step on the outdoor stairs are decorated with deyas; may homes even mount multi-coloured designs of deyas in front of their homes as they compete for the title of the most deyalit home. The same kind of competition exists in NY and other countries. Some homes are brilliantly illuminated.

As in Guyana, in NY, the temples would be visited and at dawn, prayers and offerings are made to Lord Ganesh and

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Goddess Laxmi. My pupa, father’s sister husband, would get a fit if anyone left the home for Diwali. As a traditionalist, he felt Diwali must be celebrated at home with the family.

In Guyana before the deyas are out, people would walk around their neighbourhoods or drive around to take in the spectacular colourful sight. The same is true in NY, Trinidad, India, and elsewhere. In NY, there used to be a motorcade the weekend before Diwali. This year, there is no motorcade.

But there was a small public celebration and lighting a deya on Liberty Avenue in front of Sybil. But the street lights on Liberty Avenue in Little Guyana, courtesy of Guyanese businesses, and Jamaica Avenue were up for the season of Diwali, Thanksgiving which is next weekend, and Christmas.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

Pensioner loses life to COVID-19

By Navendra Seoraj GUYANA has lost yet another life to the dreaded novel coronavirus (COVID-19), taking the death toll to 142.

The Ministry of Health identified the recent victim as being a 66-year-old male from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). The pensioner, prior to this demise, was receiving treatment at a local medical facility.

The ministry expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and pledged to make every effort to provide all the necessary support during this difficult time.

Officials of the health ministry have also contacted all relatives and persons to

facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone, who might have been exposed to the victim.

The Guyana Chronicle had earlier reported that the COVID-19 disease has proven to be a “real killer”, especially in cases involving persons who have co-morbidities.

In medicine, co-morbidity is defined as the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition; in the countable sense of the term, co-morbidity is each additional condition.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that 81 per cent of the persons who contract the virus will have mild symptoms, while 14 per cent will have severe symp-

toms, and another five per cent will need intensive care.

Guyana, on Wednesday, recorded 24 new cases of COVID-19, taking the total number of cases recorded in Guyana to 4,914. Of that number, 3,962 persons have recovered so far.

Information provided by the Ministry of Health showed that the cases were recorded in Region Four (eight cases), Region Six (one case), Region Seven (one case) and Region Eight (14 cases).

Eight persons remain in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU); 105 persons are in institutional isolation; 53 in institutional quarantine and 697 persons are in home isolation.

A total of 25,756 persons

have been tested for the disease thus far. The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures (No. Eight) will expire on November 30, 2020 unless earlier terminated, extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Health after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions of the pandemic.

As per these measures, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes. Physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are also important. The curfew is now 22:30hrs 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.

Man remanded for ganja trafficking LLAMONT BEVENEY, on Tuesday, denied ownership of 549 grammes of cannabis which was found during a police raid, when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Beveny was later remanded to prison by Magistrate Faith McGusty.

The charge alleges that on November 13, at Lot 46 Republic Drive, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, he had the cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Prosecutor Inniss informed the court that on the day in question, about 06:30 hours, police ranks from the Narcotics Branch went to the location to execute a search in response to information they had received. Beveney was not present at the time.

During their search, a yel-

low bucket and a purple container filled with a quantity of what was suspected to be cannabis, were discovered.

Later that day, Beveney, in the company of an attorney, appeared at the Narcotics Branch. He was told of the allegation, cautioned and placed into custody.

On November 15, while under caution, he reportedly admitted to the offence in a written statement and a video interview which was conducted. In response to his confession, the police uplifted the suspected cannabis and opened it in his presence.

Beveney was told of the offence committed and again cautioned. While under caution, Beveney reportedly stated “the other person know about it, is his own.”

The matter was adjourned to December 8.

Teen kills friend at ‘sleepover’

Engineer Rockcliff Christie dies

A ‘SLEEPOVER’ turned deadly after a 15-year-old boy was shot to the head by his 17 year-old friend in Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, Georgetown, in the wee hours of Wednesday.

Several hours after, he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was pronounced clinically dead in the Intensive Care Unit.

The perpetrator, who was in hiding, was arrested at another house by police.

Relatives said that, although the shooting occurred at 05:30 hours, they only learned about it three hours after, and the family was left in a state of shock, after visiting him in the Intensive Care Unit.

“The people are not telling us what really happened at the hospital; the neurologist told us that he was brain dead. They did a scan and they found fragments in his head, there is a bullet in there and they can’t do any surgery now because the brain was swollen,” one relative said.

Another relative said: “We have to get justice and answers. Nobody is telling us anything.”

Police are investigating the circumstances of the death.

Dead: Rockcliff Christie

WELL known engineer, Rockcliff Syomen Christie, who was the pioneer of Little Rock Television Station, in New Amsterdam Berbice, died at age 92 on Wednesday.

He founded Berbice’s first television station, Little Rock Television Station (LRTVS) in 1989.

In 1967, he graduated with his Higher National Certificate in Building Engineering in London and later completed many other engineering courses.

After returning to Guyana in 1966, Christie was immediately offered a job as district engineer with the Ministry of Works and Hydraulics.

He had overseen the erection of arches around the capital city as Guyana was preparing for Independence from Britain.

The father of five also assisted in building several roads in Guyana.

In 2005, his engineering skills were again put to the test when he designed and built one of Berbice’s most popular hotels, the Little Rock Suites, in Main Street, New Amsterdam.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

‘Team Police’ denting crime in Region Six

WITH Police Commander of Region Six, Jairam Ramlakhan, launching his ‘Team Policing’ initiative in collaboration with the business community, the region has begun to witness a reduction in serious crimes.

This disclosure was made during a recent interfacing with the Regional Chairman, David Armogan, along with the mayors of the three townships, heads of the respective Joint Services, President of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce, representatives of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Customs and Trade and senior divisional officers, among others, at Central Police Station Boardroom.

The invitees were informed of increased policing

Work begins for 2022 population and housing census

THE Bureau of Statistics has initiated a four-week exercise to update its maps in preparation for the 2022 Population and Housing Census.

According to a release, this activity will be executed in Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and 10.

“For easy identification, the Bureau of Statistics mapping field staff will be outfitted with their Bureau of Statistics identification cards and jerseys with the organisation’s logo printed at the front. The staff will be engaged in mapping from Friday, November 20 to mid-December 2020,” the release said.

The Bureau of Statistics is requesting the usual cooperation from the general public in this critical activity.

activities which commenced on November 15 and will conclude on January 15, 2021.

Divisional Detective Assistant Superintendent, E. Baird, in his presentation, disclosed that while there was an eight per cent increase in murders, there was a 48 per cent reduction with respect to robbery under arms and a 60 per cent decrease in robbery with violence.

Robbery with aggravation increased by 50 per cent; reports of rape also saw a 48 per cent increase.

Assistant Superintendent Baird also noted that during the period under review, there was an increase in breaking and entry offences, mainly by juvenile offenders.

It was also noted that repeat offenders were the main culprits in these offences.

In analysing the statistics, Baird posits that the decrease in some offences was due to improved community policing relations.

“We have conducted over 40 raids targeting drug houses, and known characters and persons suspected to be involved in criminal offences.

We have had over 25 people charged with trafficking and being in possession of narcotics,” he said.

More raids and roadblocks and the targeting of drug houses, along with riverain and maritime patrols and intelligence gathering, will continue.

With respect to traffic,

Deputy Traffic Chief, Inspector Ramnauth, in highlighting incidents within the Number Three sub-division, said that during October 16 to November 16, there were 425 cases with one serious accident and two cases of damage.

Meanwhile, Mayors Winifred Heywood, Chattergoon Ramnauth and Winston Roberts, representing the townships of New Amsterdam, Rose Hall and Corriverton respectively, applauded the initiatives by the police command team in the region.

President of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce, Errol Azar, reminded the police of the chamber’s gift of nine security booths, which should be placed at strategic points in the New Amsterdam

township.

In brief remarks, Regional Chairman, David Armogan, recognising the limitation of the Guyana Police Force in its fight against crime, pledged the region’s vehicle to be of assistance in times of need.

“I know you are short of resources. I know you are incapacitated with respect to vehicles, which makes the work a bit more difficult. We are committed; Commander Ramlakhan is free to call us.

And, once we have a vehicle, we will help,” he said.

The unveiling of the twomonth Christmas Policing plan in New Amsterdam is aimed at minimising the occurrence of criminal activities, traffic accidents and

traffic congestion and to foster closer relations with members of the public.

Over 300 ranks, inclusive of neighbourhood and community policing groups, will be deployed on the roadways of the ‘Ancient County’ in a bid to allow the citizenry to experience an accident-free holiday period.

There is also provision for marine patrol. The ranks have access to one 35-foot fiber glass boat with a 90- horsepower Yamaha outboard engine for riverain checks in the Canje Creek and Berbice River areas.

Man remanded for 300 solar streetlights gun-point robberies to be installed in five AUBREY HYMAN, who allegedly robbed three persons at gunpoint, was, on Wednesday, remanded to prison by Magistrate Rondel Weever when he made an appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Hyman, of Castello Housing Scheme, pleaded not guilty to three counts of robbery under arms.

It is alleged that on October 20, 2020, near Ketley and Princess Streets, Georgetown, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Lancelot Jordon of one gold chain valued $150,000 and $1300 cash.

According to the allegation, Hyman and Jordon are known to each other.

On the day in question, at 06:33 hours, Jordon was riding north on Ketley Street, near Princess Street, when he noticed Hyman and another person coming towards him on a bicycle. They crossed paths, but later the duo reportedly turned around and began trailing Jordan. When Hy-

man got closer to Jordan, he reportedly pulled out a black handgun. Hyman relieved Jordan of his valuables before escaping with his accomplice.

The matter was reported to the police and an investigation was conducted. Hyman was later arrested, cautioned and charged.

It is also alleged that on October 20, 2020, at Sussex Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, whilst being in the company of another and armed with a dangerous weapon specifically, a gun, robbed Delroy Milles of one HTC cellular phone valued at $65,000.

According to the facts, Hyman and Milles are former schoolmates. It further stated that on the day in question, about 6:15 hours, Milles was heading to work, proceeding west on Sussex Street, Albouystown when he was attacked by Hyman and an accomplice. Hyman pointed a gun at Milles and relieved him of his cellular phone.

The matter was reported and

the accused was subsequently arrested and charged for the offence.

Further, it is alleged that Hyman on August 10, 2020, at Sussex Street, Georgetown, while being armed with a gun, robbed Cecil Anderson of one cellular phone valued at $15,000, one rain coat valued at $5,000, one food flask valued at $2500, and one hammock valued at $10,000.

According to the facts, Hyman and Anderson are known to each other for over 25 years. On the day in question at about 06:45 hours, Anderson left his work site. He later rode pass Hyman who was proceeding in the opposite direction on a bicycle.

As he was passing Anderson, Hyman allegedly reached for his black handgun and dealt Anderson a lash to the head. Hyman demanded the valuables mentioned in the charge and fled.

The matter was adjourned to December 18, 2020 in Court 5.

regions soon

RESIDENTS from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six can expect to benefit from the installation of about 300 solar streetlights in their communities before yearend.

This initiative is being undertaken through the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development’s Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP).

Coordinator of the Engineering Services at the Ministry, Naeem Khan, said the intervention is the first phase of a much wider programme that will continue next year.

“The idea is to ensure that all communities have streetlights so that residents can be safe. We are looking to continue the programme with the intent of increasing the number of lights being installed

moving forward. The programme as it is, we are looking at 5,000 streetlights over four years,” he said.

The ministry is consulting with stakeholders to identify the communities severely affected by the lack of this utility.

Each region will be given 58 lights during this phase of the project.

“We want to make sure it is strategically placed where it is most needed; so we are currently assessing the regions, basically, a night audit.

So, coming out from that audit, it will pave [the] way for where these lights will be placed,” Khan explained.

Since its establishment, the CIIP has benefited thousands of citizens and communities by enhancing safety and aesthetics and creating jobs.

Alleged spectacle frame thief granted bail A MAN, who allegedly stole a spectacle frame from Unicomer, on Wednesday, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates' Court on a simple larceny charge.

Yondoll Albert of Hadfield Street, denied the charge when it was read to

him by Magistrate Rondel Weever.

It is alleged that, on November 10, at Lot 25 - 26 Main Street, Georgetown, he stole one Mont Blanc plastic spectacle frame valued $97,999.

According to information provided, on the day

in question, Albert entered Unicomer to browse through the items. Upon his completion, he proceeded to the Optical department where he looked at several spectacle frames.

When the opportunity arose, he allegedly placed a grey silver full-rim plastic

frame in his front left side pants pocket. One of the sales representatives who was assisting Albert noticed the spectacle frame in his pocket and confronted him.

In response, Albert reportedly stated that "it was a mistake." He was later arrested and told of the al-

legation. He admitted to the offence committed and was placed into custody and later charged.

Magistrate Weever granted the accused $35,000 bail and adjourned the matter to December 16.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

Drug-resistant infections threaten to become next pandemic

AS antimicrobial resistance (AMR) drastically rises, threatening to turn into the next pandemic with serious implications for global health, agri-food systems and economies, the FAO is calling on actors across all sectors, from farmers to cooks, producers to consumers, to accelerate efforts to prevent the spread of drug-resistant microbes.

This World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (18-24 November), the organisation highlights that everyone has a role to play to combat AMR, including stakeholders across the food and agriculture sectors, and rolls out recommendations to curb the spread of AMR. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of microbes to persist or grow in the presence of drugs designed to inhibit or kill them. The process is accelerated by the use of antimicrobials designed to kill unwanted pathogens in humans, animals and crops.

In particular, the use of antimicrobials in human and animal health is fuelling resistance.

Currently, at least 700 000 people die each year from drug-resistant diseases. More and more common diseases, including respiratory tract infections, sexually transmitted infections and urinary tract infections, are becoming harder

to treat. Drug resistance is also increasingly threatening our agri-food systems and global food security.

COVID-19 has shown us that human, animal and environmental health are more interdependent than ever before. Pathogens affecting one area can exacerbate challenges in others and have an enormous impact on how we prevent and control health threats to safeguard the world. AMR is one of these global threats, and it is potentially even more dangerous than COVID-19.

It is profoundly changing life as we know it.

"Just like the COVID-19 pandemic, AMR is no longer a future threat. It is happening here and now, and is affecting us all," said Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo.

"Around the world people, animals and plants are already dying of infections that cannot be treated even with our strongest antimicrobial treatments. If AMR is left unchecked, the next pandemic we face could be bacterial and much deadlier if the drugs needed to treat it do not work."

FAO's work on AMR is implemented in coordination with WHO and OIE, using a "One Health" approach.

AMR IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE Food and agriculture sectors have a pivotal role

Members of the AMR Surveillance Pilot Study among chicken layering farmers within Kiambu County analyse samples in a laboratory in Nairobi, Kenya

to play in tackling AMR. In many parts of the world, antimicrobial use is far greater in animals than in humans, and it is rapidly in-

creasing as our populations grow and global demand for food increases.

AMR is spreading quicker than scientists can de-

velop new antimicrobials and is threatening global food systems, food security, food safety, health systems and economies. Our only solution is to take strategic action to keep the antimicrobials we have working.

It is not too late, but time is running out to stop this devastation from worsening, the FAO warned.

On 23 November, the UN agency will launch a new community of behavior-change practitioners to design solutions that make it easier for people to use antimicrobials appropriately and prevent disease effectively. Combining a wealth of insights from farmers and other food-chain actors, veterinarians, epidemiologists, AMR experts and behavioural scientists, this community of practice will work together to ‘nudge'

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behaviours at both farm and policy level to help slow down the spread of AMR. Activities and initiatives for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week will be taking place around the world, including a WAAW Africa Twitter Chat on, ‘How can we improve awareness for antimicrobial resistance in Africa?' on 21 November; a Brussels InfoPoint event for policy- makers and the public to raise awareness on the urgency of tackling AMR on November 24, and the Philippines will host an AMR One Health Summit and webinar series throughout the week.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

AGM transfer of employees to Sinohydro breaches labour laws SIMILAR to the attempt

by Canadian-owned Guyana Goldfields to transfer Aurora Gold Mines (AGM) employees to Peruvian contractor, STRACON, in 2019, new AGM owner, China's Zijin Mining, recently informed that it

was transferring some 141 AGM employees to its mining contractor, “Sinohydro Corporation Limited”.

However, Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, said how the transaction is being done is not in keeping with the labour laws of Guyana.

Minister Hamilton noted that that was among the issues that will be looked into when a team from the Ministry of Labour (MoL) makes a trip to AGM next Monday, where he will be making his clear position on the issue.

AGM was acquired by

China's Zijin Mining, earlier this year, from Guyana Goldfields for US$238 million.

AGM Administrator and Human Resources Manager, Frank Liu, on November 8, wrote to its employees’ union, the National Mine Workers Union of Guyana (NMWUG), informing that the company would be outsourcing its stripping and mining activities to Sinohydro Corporation Limited. As such, AGM said that it was transferring the employees over to the contracted company.

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton

the managers; I will have the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Officers review the issues that have to do with the OSH and I will request a meeting with the employees,” the minister outlined.

In 2019, AGM, at the time owned by the Guyana Goldfields, had entered a mining contract with STRACON, and had attempted to transfer the employees to that contracted company; however, the situation led the employees to embark on strike action in protest.

A section of the Aurora Gold Mine in Region Seven

The letter issued by Liu noted that the number includes a total of 24 permanent employees and 117 employees who were hired on a threemonth contract.

“The effective date of termination and transfer for the permanent employees shall be November 01, 2020 and for the contracted employees the transition to the contractor will commence from December 14, 2020 until January 2021, during which time their various three-month contracts will expire and their transition to Sinohydro will commence,” the letter read.

The letter also added that: “All of these employees shall continue to enjoy all of their previously applied conditions and benefits which shall be no less favourable and they shall continue to enjoy their representation of the recognised labour union.”

Minister Hamilton, however, said that, from all advice, the manner in which

the changeover was being done was not in keeping with proper procedure required by Guyana’s laws.

TOTAL BREACH “My consultation with the Chief Labour Officer [Charles Ogle] is that that is a total breach of the labour laws. It’s not a transfer within a company, or to a sister company, it’s a contractor they brought in and they have indicated to the employees that you have to go work with this contractor.

I can’t be working for you and then without my consent you send me to another company.

All of those issues I would deal with,” Hamilton said.

The minister noted that his ministry has also been receiving reports of employees at some international gold mining companies being told or threatened not to join a union, and this too will be investigated on the trip.

“Those issues I will discuss with the AGM people.

I will have a meeting with

The employees contended that the changeover was not merely a transfer but a termination by AGM and rehiring by the new company, the biggest effect of which would have resulted in the employees losing their years of service at AGM. As such, the employees, at the time, argued that they were entitled to severance pay from Guyana Goldfields.

According to the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act of Guyana, employers are required to pay out a severance or redundancy allowance on the termination of an employee.

The Act specifies that the severance is calculated as one week’s wages for each year for the first five years; two weeks wages for each year over five years, but up to 10 years, and three weeks wages for each completed year of service in excess of 10 years.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

Twelve teams indicate ...

FROM PAGE 22 Each team would play the other teams once in the round-robin preliminary round then the top four teams will advance to the semifinals. The winning semifinalists will then battle for the inaugural BMC championship.

B e f o re c o n f i r m i n g their fixtures, BMC-G will monitor the inclement weather.

The winning team will collect $500 000, while second-placers would receive $200 000.

According to information, Church’s Chicken is happy with the competition.

“When approached by the BMC-G committee, Church’s officials readily agreed to sponsor such a noble and worthwhile venture.

They absolutely loved the theme of the tournament.

They did indicate that they were very happy that this tournament would be featuring teams from across the country and, in addition, matches will be held countrywide also,” the release stated.

The essence of the competition is to invigorate older cricketers, not only to keep them active, but also to get them back into the game at a higher level.

The event has been endorsed by several persons and entities, including the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

Eight Women teams for Commonwealth Games 2022

(ESPNCRICINFO) - Hosts England and six other topranked teams on the ICC Women’s T20I rankings will gain automatic qualification for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. April 1, 2021 is the cut-off date for the rankings.

The final team taking part in the eight-team event will be decided via a Qualifier, for which the format and details are yet to be finalised. The deadline for the Qualifier is January 31, 2022.

If West Indies finish among the automatic qualifiers, the Caribbean nation that takes part in the games will be the winner of the 2021 T20 Blaze domestic competition.

“Cricket at the Commonwealth Games is a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to grow the Women’s game globally,” Manu Sawhney, the ICC’s chief executive, said while announcing the qualifying pathway yesterday. “We are committed to accelerating this growth and maintaining

the momentum we have created over the past few years, which most recently saw 86 174 fans packed into the MCG for the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020.

“I thank the Commonwealth Games Federation for their support and for making this possible. We share with them the vision of greater equality, fairness and opportunity in sport and I am sure Birmingham 2022 will go a long way towards achieving our common objectives.”

The Commonwealth Games, which are set to be held in Birmingham from July 28 to August 8, 2022, will include women’s cricket for the first time, and cricket for only the second time after a men’s 50-over event at the 1998 CWG in Kuala Lumpur. South Africa, captained by Shaun Pollock, took home gold by beating the Steve-Waughled Australia in the final.

“We are absolutely delighted to have wom-

England to visit ... umes for the relationship that we have with the ECB and I would like to thank ECB for its strong will and desire to make this short tour a reality.

“The enhanced progress made over the last two years has been down to nurturing relationships with various cricket boards and international players, as well as building trust and confidence.”

England’s next Test matches away against Pakistan are scheduled for the end of 2022.

ECB has also announced a provisional home schedule for the

summer of 2021, with m e n ’s a n d w o m e n ’s international matches taking place across the UK after the coronavirus pandemic forced all of 2020’s fixtures to be played behind closed doors in Southampton, Manchester and Derby.

England’s men will play five Tests against India and limited-overs matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

An additional twoTest series against an unnamed opponent could also be staged in the early part of the summer depending on

en’s T20 cricket debut at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games,” said Dame Louise Martin, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president. “Cricket has always been one of the Commonwealth’s most popular sports and it is so special to have it back at our Games for the first time since the men’s competition at Kuala Lumpur 1998, where true greats of the game including Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Sachin Tendulkar were on show.

“Now is the turn of the women and I can’t wait to see the next generation of stars like Heather Knight, Harmanpreet Kaur and Meg Lanning take centrestage.

“Birmingham 2022 will be a fantastic showcase for the women’s game and the unveiling of the qualification criteria today is an exciting and important milestone as we head towards what will be a spectacular competition at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium.”

FROM PAGE 22

the scheduling of the World Test Championship final, which is due to take place in England in June.

England’s women are planning to meet New Zealand and South Africa, while the visually-impaired team will take on Australia.

“While COVID-19 means there’s still a great deal of uncertainty, we really hope to be able to welcome fans back into the grounds safely next year to bring that unique atmosphere to stadia across the country,” said Harrison.

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

WEST INDIES TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND 2020

Upbeat Chase calls for more from batsmen ahead of series … says vice-captaincy just a title, plans to continue role regardless

By Clifton Ross

get in other countries. But I think batting is the more WEST Indies new Test difficult of the two, seeing vice-captain Roston Chase the experienced bowling said he’s unfazed by his attack New Zealand have. recent appointment and They make it very tough is more focussed on his for touring teams to come game and ensuring his down here and make those team wrap up 2020 with big scores that you see in success against the Kiwis. other parts of the world, so On the eve of the first I would put batting as a bit warm-up game against the harder of the two,”.said the Kiwis A-team Chase, during Bajan. a Windies virtual conference Regarded as the ‘Crisis said that he had already been Man’ of the West Indies moulding his image as that Test team thanks to his grit, of a senior team member resiliency and class with bat both on and off the cricket and ball, more so for helping field, making this now of- his team secure wins/draws; ficial appointment of Test the all-rounder said he’s vice-captain something he currently in the best space plans to continue respecting. of his career and with 5 “I don’t feel any added hundreds and 8 fifties under pressure; I’ve always been him, currently, he’s will be one of the go-to guys in the keen on capitalising during team in terms of seniority. the upcoming assignment.

So it’s just a title for me, it’s “I feel confident in my not a difference in my doing game right now. I’ve been anything else,”. said Chase. working hard on my batting Although the T20 series and bowling. I think I’ve bowls off first, the real test reached that point in my will follow when the Test career where I understand series gets underway and my game. That’s the first similar to how the West stepping stone, understandIndies have yet to win a ing your strengths and weakT20 series in New Zealand; nesses and what you should Chase believes that the lon- and shouldn’t do at certain ger format also poses its stages of the game and that’s own challenges with batting the first part of me taking it and bowling being two huge to the next level.” the new areas of concern. vice-skipper pointed out.

“Bowling-wise it’s alA stocked bowling attack ways hard for a spinner in with pacers Shannon GaNew Zealand. Being here briel, Kemar Roach, Jason before, we don’t usually get Holder, Alzzari Joseph to those returns that you would name a few, the 28-year-old

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(2) How mant T20 Int’l matches NZ have played to date?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

said more responsibility will need to be soaked up by their batters.

“I think our bowlers have been doing a brilliant job for us, but our batsmen have not

been getting in big enough scores for them to bowl at, mainly in the first innings.

“First innings sets up a game for the whole Test match because when you

put a team under pressure in the first innings with a good total, they will always be chasing the game and that’s a good thing to have opposition doing,

“It means you always have chances coming your way to win the game so I think we need to give our bowlers something to work with,” Chase ended.

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

IKO Karate Academy of Guyana launches official website

THE International Karate Organisation (IKO) Academy of Guyana has just launched its official website that is accessible at the Uniform Resource Locator (URL), more commonly known as the web address at www.ikoacademygy.org.

According to the World Karate governing body, the International Karate Organisation that is headquartered in Florida, USA, the new site has been designed to “allow for a positive user experience for its present and incoming karatekas in Guyana” and is

intended to “strengthen its status as the premier karate organisation in that South American territory”.

“We are thrilled to launch our new portal for Guyana,” said IKO president Shihan Adrian Ellis 8th Dan Black Belt. He said that “it is part of the IKO’s growth strategy; we are proud to present this dynamic online resource to the people of that country.”

The website, which has an intuitive layout, reflects the organisation’s innovative essence with the ability to share all of the site’s content

on its other social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

It contains excellent photographic and video features and is jam-packed with karate information on its content sections including recent events, plans and programmes for the future of karate in Guyana, and club activities.

The website has been described as ‘fresh and modern’ by Shihan Jeffrey Wong 7th Degree Black Belt who is the Chairman and Chief

Instructor of the IKO Karate Academy of Guyana.

He said that ikoacademygy.org best represents our interests in technical excellence and innovation; and is the culmination of the hard work that we have put in to deliver a website that can inspire Guyanese of all walks of life, all ages, all genders, and all backgrounds to join the martial art and combat sport of karate-do and acquire its benefits.

The IKO welcomes students from ages of 4 to 104, he quipped.

Karate practice strengthens the mind, develops composure, a clearer thought process, deeper insight into one’s mental capabilities, and more self-confidence.

It also strengthens the entire body, improves coordination, quickens reflexes and builds stamina and overall health.

Wong said that ikoacademy.org will act as our gateway to all Guyanese and will further demonstrate that the IKO Karate Academy of Guyana is the leading, and most advanced Karate-do

organisation in Guyana.

The website has been optimised to work on all devices including desktops, laptops, tablets, cell phones and other handheld devices.

The launch of this website comes at a time when karatekas from all over the world, are preparing to compete at the next Olympic Games scheduled for 2021 in Tokyo.

The sport of Karate-do makes its debut at these world games. It should be noted that Okinawa is the birthplace of Karate-do.

England to visit Pakistan CONCACAF cancels regional for T20 series next year qualifiers for Women’s U-17 (BBC) - England will visit Pakistan for the first time in 16 years when they play two Twenty20 internationals in October next year.

England have not toured since 2005 following an attack by gunmen on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore in 2009.

said: “As was demonstrated this summer, we have a strong relationship with the PCB and the ECB is delighted to be able to play our part in ensuring the safe return

Pakistan toured England last summer, living and playing in a bio-secure environment

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had invited England to tour in early 2021 after Pakistan toured the UK this year, playing matches in a bio-secure bubble, but that could not be arranged.

However, two T20s will be played in Karachi on October 14 and 15.

They will form part of the preparations for the Twenty20 World Cup, with both teams departing for India on October 16.

E n g l a n d a n d Wa l e s Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Tom Harrison

of international cricket to this wonderful nation of passionate cricket fans.

“As always, the safety and welfare of our players and staff will be paramount. We are working closely with PCB to ensure all the necessary plans are in place, especially concerning the anticipated levels of security around the team, the proposed travel protocols and of course the situation re-

garding the fast-moving and ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic.”

No international cricket was played in Pakistan for 10 years following the attack on the Sri Lanka team, with Pakistan holding the majority of their home matches in the

United Arab Emirates (UAE).

However, touring teams have slowly returned. Zimbabwe visited last month and a number of English players have taken part in the Pakistan Super League T20 competition.

PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said: “The ECB’s confirmation further endorses Pakistan as safe and secure. Importantly, this announcement speaks volTURN TO PAGE 20

(CMC) - Regional football governing body, CONCACAF said it has decided that the regional qualifiers for its Women’s Under-17 competitions have been cancelled.

This follows the decision of FIFA, the sport’s World governing body on Tuesday, to cancel the Women’s Under-20 and Women’s Under-17 World Cups.

Eight Caribbean Football Union teams were involved in the Women’s Under-17 competition, which was scheduled to take place from April 18 to May 3 this year in Toluca, Mexico.

The eight CFU teams were Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Trinidad & Tobago, but the disruption caused to life by the COVID-19 pandemic

has forced the cancellation of the competition.

“The impact of COVID-19 has been significant on the football calendar,” a CONCACAF statement said on its website.

“With further uncertainty regarding options for dates in 2021 and concern over international travel of minors in the current environment, it is particularly challenging to reschedule youth competitions.

“Following FIFA’s communication that it has cancelled the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, originally scheduled to take place in India in 2020, CONCACAF has decided that the regional qualifiers for this event will not take place.”

CONCACAF said it also noted FIFA’s decision that the 2020 FIFA Under-20 Wom-

en’s World Cup, originally scheduled to be played this year in Costa Rica and Panama, will not now go ahead.

“The Confederation, however, welcomes FIFA’s decision to award to Costa Rica the 2022 edition of this World Cup,” he said. “The Costa Rican Federation will prove an excellent host for the competition.”

FIFA said their decisions were made after consulting with all stakeholders – including the host member associations, participating member associations and confederations – to continuously monitor the situation in relation to the pandemic, in particular with regard to any potential impact on the overall welfare and safety of age-group players and participants.

,,, Church’s Chicken on board as sponsor BIG MAN Cricket-Guyana (BMC-G) is getting all the attention - and for the right reasons. This week it was announced that Church’s Chicken is on board in terms of sponsorship, while 12 teams have indicated their interest to play in the Over45 T25 competition, which is scheduled to bowl off on

Sunday.

The teams hoping to do battle are from different parts of Guyana. They are: Upper Corentyne, Jai Hind, East Coast Strikers, GT Royal Rangers, Sarjoo Tigers, Regal Masters, Everest Masters, West Bank Warriors, West Dem Vipers, Essequibo Eagles, Ras Tafar Eye Patriachs and The Godfathers.

The committee was originally looking to target 10 teams, but due to the influx, it will be decided by this weekend if all the teams would be included.

Whatever the number, the format would not change.

TURN TO PAGE 19

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 19, 2020

RHTYSC Christmas outreach Programme bowls off … Donations made to Police ‘B’ Division, Williamsburg Health Centre

THE ten cricket teams of Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) recently launched their 2020 Christmas Outreach Programmes by making donations to several organisations across Berbice.

Those teams, namely the Poonai U-12 and U-13, Farfan and Mendes U-15, Bakewell U-17 and Second Division, Pepsi U-19 and Intermediate, Metro Females, NAMILCO Thunderbolt U-21 and First Division teams handed over donations to the Berbice River Cricket Association, Police ‘B’ Division, Williamsburg Health Centre, St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church and the Little Angel Feeding Programme.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster who is heading the RHTYSC Christmas Programme along with his deputy Simon Naidu and Organising Secretary Rabindranauth Kissoonlall stated that this year’s edition would be the largest of its kind since the outreach programme started in 1990 - the same year that the club was founded by the St Francis Community Developers.

The teams, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, would be unable to host their annual Christmas Village in its full glory but would be distributing 1 000 food hampers, 5 000 Christmas toys, clothing, footwear and educational materials including school bags across the Ancient County.

Additionally 500 single parent households would receive a Christmas package and hundreds of senior citizens would

benefit from a special Christmas breakfast.

Hundreds would also receive a box of warm meal along with refreshments during a Christmas Feeding of the Poor programme.

The Berbice River Cricket Association, on request, received a donation of cricket balls and scorebooks from the RHTYSC while the Berbice ‘B’ Division of the Guyana Police Force received a donation consisting of cricket balls, batting gloves, football, batting pad, scorebooks, youth information booklets and a quantity of

COVID-19 educational posters.

The Williamsburg Health Centre, which cater to newborn children in the Rose Hall Town to Albion area, ben-

efitted from a donation of items including electric fans, toilet covers, bucket, small water dispenser, weight scale, paint, clocks and scotch tape while the Little Angel Feeding Programme, based in Albion, received a financial contribution towards providing toys to less fortu-

Hilbert Foster hands over cricket gear to the ‘B’ Division Commander Jairam Ramlakhan

nate kids.

The St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in Port Mourant also benefitted from a financial contribution of $250 000 for the two projects; which the Church is undertaking in its compound.

The president of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) also used his influence to obtain a donation of white sand for the projects from a New Amsterdam-based businessman.

Foster explained that RHTYSC was quite passionate about making positive difference in the lives of others and as such, the 10 cricket teams every year are mandated to undertake a combined 320 personal developmental programmes under a wide range of sub-headings including charity, youth development, community development, educational, social, religious, anti-drugs, anti-crime and environmental.

Foster hailed the outstanding work of the teams and the executives of the club, noting that despite the eight-month long pandemic, RHTYSC was well on the way to achieve its target of 700 activities for 2020.

Asst Secretary/CEO Simon Naidu stated that several organisations, includ-

COVID-19 National Task Force grants Youth cricketers benefit from BCB/Vickram Bharrat Patron’s Fund BCB approval to re-start cricket THE Berbice Cricket Board’s (BCB) mission to develop its youths continued recently, courtesy of the Patron Fund Project, funded in partnership with Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat.

The pro-active cricket board over the last week handed over a piece of cricket gear to 13 youth cricketers across the county under the newly established Fund.

BCB president Hilbert Foster stated that the Patron Fund Project was established immediately after the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, was inducted as the first Honorary Patron of the board on November 7.

The main objectives of the Patron Fund are to make sure that every talent in the county is allowed to develop by providing assistance wherever possible, to assist clubs to fulfil their mandates to membership and also to make sure that every cricketer in Berbice has opportunities to complete his/her educational careers.

Foster noted that in the past, too many young cricketers with talent were forced to leave the sport due to the simple reason that their parents were unable to stand the cost of gear needed.

Poverty, the BCB president stated, should not be the reason why youths drop out of the game as others can assist.

He stated that once he re-

mains the head of the board, Hall Canje, Achievers and Bush every effort would be made to Lot United. assist youth cricketers to fulfil The gear was donated to their potentials on and off the the BCB by Minister Bharrat, cricket field. who also contributed $1M Since February 2018, over towards the hosting of the 200 youth cricketers in the An- historic Berbice Semi-Profescient County were recipients of sional League in 2021. cricket gear and bicycles from Foster, in brief remarks BCB and Rose Hall Town Youth to some of the players,, urged and Sports Club, MS. them to remain focussed and not Hundreds more have be distracted by the evil ways benefitted from donations of of Satan. educational items including He cautioned them that school bags, footwear, exercise to be successful on the cricket books and stationery. field, they need to develop The cricket gear shared out a culture of discipline, hard included bats, batting pads and batting gloves. The players were drawn from clubs like R H T YFour of the players pose with their S C , gear after the presentation Al-

work and dedication.

He also spoke on the importance of education and the need to stay in school.

Foster reassured the attentive youths to take care of the gear and also pledged that BCB would continue to invest in their career.

He advised that they could approach the board, whenever they need any form of assistance. He expressed gratitude to Minister Bharrat for the gear and for the role he was playing as Patron.

In December the BCB would assist dozens more cricketers under a special project with former Guyana a n d West In-

THE BERBICE Cricket Board (BCB) was given approval by the COVID-19 National Task Force yesterday afternoon to re-start cricket.

According to information from the president of the board, Hilbert Foster, BCB would hit the ground running.

“The BCB would now restart its season next Saturday with the Under-15 semifinals between Port Mourant and Tucber Park CC.

Naeem Khan has been accepted at the University to study for a Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) in the Facility of Agriculture and Forestry

bio n , P o r t Mourant, Upper Corentyne, Edinburgh, Rose

bert.

dies opening batsman Clayton Lam-

The Mike’s Pharmacy Under-15 finals would be played next Sunday between Albion and Port Mourant,” Foster stated on his Facebook page.

Foster also extended thanks to Minister Dr

Frank Anthony, Prime Minister Mark Phillips and Adviser Dr Leslie Ramsammy.

The list of COVID-19 guidelines would be published shortly.

BCB/MINISTER MUSTAPHA EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP Meanwhile, BCB also announced yesterday that Naeem Khan of Chesney and Albion Cricket Club was selected to receive the BCB/ Minister Zulfikar Mustapha Educational Scholarship.

The young off-spinner is the son of former Albion all-rounder Zameer Khan.

The older Khan represented Berbice at the U-19 level.

Naeem, who attended the New Amsterdam Secondary School where he obtained 10 subjects (2 Grade One, 5 Grade Two and 3 Grade Three) at CSEC level, has been accepted at the University of Guyana to read for a Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) in the Facility of Agriculture and Forestry.

President Foster met the youth and his father yesterday afternoon and spoke on the importance of upholding his high standard.

The President would today submit Khan’s name to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture.

WEST INDIES TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND 2020

West Indies vice-captain Roston Chase

SEE PAGE 21

Upbeat Chase calls for more from batsmen ahead of series … says vice-captaincy just a title, plans to continue role regardless

IKO Karate Academy of Guyana launches official website

Eight Women teams for Commonwealth Games 2022 SEE PAGE 20

SEE PAGE 22

Edgbaston will host the Women’s T20 event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. in December (Getty Images)

The BCB Executive members have been proactive behind the scene

IKO has launched its website

COVID-19 National Task Force grants BCB approval to re-start cricket

SEE PAGE 23

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020