Guyana

THURSDAY 20th JANUARY, 2022

QC students top region at 2021 CSEC, CAPE No. 106610

SEE PAGE

2

Banks DIH profits soar to $6.7B in 2021 SEE PAGE

8

- new Qik Serv restaurants to be constructed in Regions Three, Seven

843, the largest batch Guyana could earn Kwakwani residents of trained teachers, around US$86M slowly rebuilding their graduate from CPCE from ninth oil lift lives after 2021 floods

- Rose Hall girl is overall best performer SEE PAGE

3

SEE PAGE

5

SEE PAGE

14

2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

QC students top region at 2021 CSEC, CAPE

TWO Queen’s College students have won the outstanding overall award for their outstanding performance at the 2021 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exam and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

This announcement was made, on Wednesday, by Education Minister, Priya Manickchand via a Facebook post where she also stated that Guyana secured four of the nine CSEC regional awards established by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

The country has been recognised for outstanding performances in Business, Humanities, History and Technical Vocational education.

Samuel Haynes, a resident of Buxton, East Coast Demerara was

Samuel Haynes named the Caribbean’s most outstanding CAPE student for securing nine Grade Ones.

The Guyana Chronicle had spoken to Haynes in November 2021, at the

Ministry of Education’s announcement of results.

Haynes, in his comments, had said that although his exam preparations were no walk in the park, he was determined

Zaynab Shaffie to not let the stresses that were brought on by the pandemic deter him from the goals he was hoping to achieve.

Haynes had stated that he hopes to pursue

a career in orthodontics, and will soon commence studies, which will lead him to the career path he has chosen for himself.

Meanwhile, Zaynab Shaffie was named the overall outstanding student at the CSEC level with 18 Grade Ones and two Grade Two. The Industry, East Coast Demerara resident had also spoken to this publication back in 2021.

She had said that despite the many challenges that were brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, with support from her friends and family, she was able to emerge successful.

Crystal Benjamin of The Bishops’ High School took third place in the 2021 Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) CAPE Accounting Awards and Abdul Subhan of the St. Stanislaus College won the top prize in 2021 CAPE History.

At the CSEC level, Roshni Samaroo of Queen’s College won the top Humanities award, Naresh Jagnanan of the Essequibo Islands Secondary School won the top Business award, and Sarena Razak of Queen’s College won the top Technical Vocational Education award.

Riley Nurse of Queen’s College and Saalih Rahim of the I.S.A Islamic School were recipients, among other Caribbean students, of the 2021 ACCA CSEC Accounting Awards.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday January 20, 2022

3

843, the largest batch of trained teachers, graduate from CPCE

- Rose Hall girl is overall best performer GUYANA’S teaching capacity received a timely boost on Wednesday, when over 800 persons graduated from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), marking the largest group of graduates in the institution’s history.

This was announced by Principal of CPCE, Dr. Viola Rowe, while presenting her report at the institution’s 87th graduation exercise.

The graduation exercise took on a hybrid format, with participants and graduates using Zoom and those receiving special awards attending the ceremony in person.

According to Dr. Rowe: “The January 2022 graduating class now holds the record of the largest graduating batch with its 843 trained teachers, of which 198 are early childhood trained, 404 primary trained, and 241 qualified for the secondary level.”

She added that of the 843 graduates, 198 pursued the Trained Teacher’s Certificate (TTC) Programme and 645 pursued the Associate Degree (ADE) in Education Programme.

Dr. Rowe said that during the reporting period, the college experienced an astronomically high demand for teacher education with an enrolment of 2,664 first-year applicants.

The Principal said that before the 2021 reporting pe-

Principal of CPCE, Dr. Viola Rowe riod, the online application was unavailable, and this perhaps restricted knowledge and applications for potential applicants.

Further, she said that enrollment size was restricted due to physical space and dormitory capacity for preservice learners.

She said that the college experienced the effectiveness of technology as a contributor to the number of applications received online for the reporting period.

Dr. Rowe said that the increase in teacher demand is also credited to the clarion call by the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand,

for all untrained teachers to register at the college in keeping with the strategic plan to have 100 per cent trained teachers in the education system.

She said too that the college continued to operate its 19 centres across the ten administrative regions with some programmes being expanded.

The ADE programme was previously offered at eight centres, but it is now being offered at nine additional centres while the TTC is now being offered at 16 centres compared to the 11 centres in the previous reporting period.

Chief Education Officer (CEO), Dr. Marcel Hutson, said that it is the Ministry of Education’s vision that the college becomes the premier teacher-training institution in the region.

One cannot overemphasise the importance of education as it is considered the key to opening doors, he said, adding that it is clear that education is a vital ingredient that provides a way of escape from the vagaries of life.

“This benefit has become increasingly important because social changes today take place with increasing speed and affect the lives of more and more people. Education is, therefore, the vehicle through which persons understand these changes and are provided with the skills for adjusting to them,” Dr, Hutson related.

It is against this background that he said that the CPCE must be considered as the vanguard and bedrock of Guyana’s education system, and must do everything within its power to protect its image by producing teachers of quality.

Dr. Hutson said that the performance of the graduates this year was encouraging and he challenged the administration of the college to improve its performance with each passing year.

The CEO said that teachers must embrace, in a strong way, those fundamental principles learnt during their period of training.

Chief Education Officer, Dr. Marcel Hutson He told the trained teachers that as they move into the school system, they must remember that passion and purpose are fuel for energised development.

Dr. Hutson said: “I say to you, never lose focus of your passion and purpose, for a man without them will be like a ship without a sail, a ship without a destination. Remember the future of the nation’s children is in your hands. Believe in yourself and never be afraid to explore new approaches to teaching and learning.”

The ball is now in the court of the newly trained teachers like Jessica Seeraj of Rose Hall, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Some of the graduates who attended the ceremony in person

Emerging as the best graduating teacher, Seeraj, who read for her Associate Degree in Education, said that she was shocked when she received the news of her accomplishment. She said she could not have done it without her “strong support system.”

As reported by the Department of Public Information (DPI), Seeraj said: “To make them realise that, especially my students that it doesn’t matter where you come from, it doesn’t even matter if it is a small village like Canefield in Berbice, you can still top the entire country… so just think of yourself as somebody who can achieve it all.”

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

Jones ‘gives way’ for Jordan WIRSPA mourns passing of Dr. Yesu Persaud PNC/R Executive, Christopher Jones

PEOPLE’S National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) Executive, Christopher Jones, has stepped aside, allowing

New PNC/R Vice-Chair, Vinceroy Jordan for the “young, fresh and vibrant” Vinceroy Jordan to become Vice-Chairman of the party.

January 19, 2022

C

1 10 11 12 13 21 18 January 15, 2022

L 6 7 11 15 22 26 21

Jones and Jordon had received equal amount of votes for the post of Vice-Chair at the party’s 21st Biennial Delegates Congress.

Jones, who serves as Opposition Chief Whip, said he arrived at the decision after he considered and discussed at length, a way forward with the leadership of the party.

“The membership, at the last Congress, expressed their confidence in both of our abilities to serve the party in said position, but in view of the current circumstances, I see it fit to make way for young, fresh and vibrant leaders, like Mr. Jordan, to take the PNC/R into the future.

“I have advised the party’s leadership of my intention to step aside and allow Mr. Jordan to serve as the party’s Vice-Chairperson. I am confident in Mr. Jordan’s ability to further advance the party’s development agenda,” said Jones in a statement.

He also expressed confidence in Jordan’s ability to serve the party well in this position and to bring fresh ideas and perspective to the leadership.

“I look forward to working with him and by extension the full complement of the Executive, as we move towards the development, advancement and upliftment of our party’s base and the Guyanese people.

“I remain a member of the party’s Central Executive Committee having won the second highest votes and will continue to function as an Executive member of the mighty PNCR,” said Jones.

THE West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers’ Association (WIRSPA) has hailed the late Dr. Yesu Persaud as one of the most influential people in the Caribbean rum industry over the past 60 years.

Dr Persaud passed away on Monday at age 93.

WIRSPA, in a release, said that Dr. Persaud made an indelible impact on both Guyana’s rum industry and the Caribbean rum industry, as a whole. In 1975, he became the Executive Chairman of Diamond Liquors Limited, and served in that capacity for over four decades.

During that time, he led the Guyanese rum industry through many changes, including combining Diamond Liquors and Guyana Distillers Limited into a single company under State control – Demerara Distillers Limited – and the subsequent divestment of Demerara Distillers as it returned to be a publicly traded company with thousands of shareholders.

As the Chairman of Demerara Distillers, Dr. Persaud oversaw its expansion into wide interna-

15/01/22 - 4 13 17 18 22

15/01/22 -

7

1 3

15/01/22 -

7 1 2 15/01/22 - 1 3 5 6 11 12 20

17/01/22 - 5 7 11 19 20

17/01/22 -

8

7

7

17/01/22 -

4

3 0 17/01/22 - 2 7 10 12 14 15 16

18/01/22 - 2 5 9 13 18

18/01/22 -

4

6 4

18/01/22 -

7

6 0 18/01/22 - 2 5 7 8 15 17 21

19/01/22 - 8 10 21 23 26

19/01/22 -

5

2

19/01/22 -

3

6 6 19/01/22 - 4 5 6 7 9 10 18

7

tional distribution with its El Dorado rum brand. The 1992 launch of El Dorado 15 is widely seen as a pivotal moment in rum’s transition to a premium spirit.

Dr. Persaud served as the Chairman of the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers’ Association (WIRSPA) from 19901992. Together with Jamaica’s Evon Brown and Patrick Mayers of Barbados, Dr. Persaud played a pivotal role in obtaining funding for the Caribbean Rum Sector Programme.

This programme allowed many CARIFORUM rum producers to substantially benefit from upgrades to their facilities, training and marketing, to transition from low-margin bulk rum to high-value branded products.

Komal Samaroo, Chairman of WIRSPA and now head of the regional conglomerate Demerara Distillers said, “Yesu was a mentor, friend and distinguished gentleman.

Under his Chairmanship, El Dorado rums became a popular, national brand.”

He added: “With his people-focused style of management, the company was restructured,

Dr. Yesu Persaud and this pioneered us in the right direction. His role in WIRSPA, as a former Chairman, led at that time, to the significant improvement of the regional rum industry, through the benefits reaped from the Caribbean Rum Sector Programme, which saw producers from across the region significantly developing their infrastructure and staff. Guyana has lost a true statesman.”

In the late 60s, Dr. Persaud conceived the idea of a private sector bank.

This idea was held in abeyance but reactivated in 1991 and the Demerara Bank was officially incorporated on 20th January 1992. Some of his regional achievements include him becoming a Trustee of the Caribbean Latin American Action (CLAA). Yesu’s successes in business and in the field of wealth creation are legendary but equally so are his accomplishments in many other fields, WIRSPA said.

“On behalf of the board of directors and all WIRSPA memberproducers, we offer our deepest condolences to the Persaud family and to the nation of Guyana on the loss of a true son of the soil,” Samaroo added.

Guyana could earn around US$86M from ninth oil lift -as oil prices reach highest level in seven years

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday January 20, 2022

WITH global oil prices now at the highest level in seven years, Guyana’s prospects of earning more money from its next oil lift is greater than ever before.

At end of Tuesday, the cost for Brent - the benchmark Guyana uses to sell its crude - stood at approximately US$86 per barrel. Should this remain the case when the country sells its ninth one-million-barrels of oil in the coming weeks, the sale could rake in as much as US$86 million.

This would mark a notable increase from the US$73.8 million received from the eighth oil lift in November. This brought Guyana’s total oil revenues to approximately US$607.8 million.

According to an article published by Rueters, oil prices have climbed amid what is projected to be a year of “tight supply.”

In the coming years, Guyana is looking to position itself as a key producer with the capacity to cushion some of the supply shortfalls on the global market.

Currently, Guyana’s oil resources of more than 10 billion barrels is only being serviced by the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, which continues to operate in the very lucrative Stabroek Block, offshore Guyana.

It was during a recent interview that Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, said that Guyana’s second oil ship, the Liza Unity, is also gearing up to come on stream, as planned, before the end of the first quarter of 2022.

Once this happens, Minister Bharrat estimates that Guyana’s oil lifts will become as frequent as once every two months. The Liza Unity vessel, twice the size of its sister ship, the Liza Desti-

ny, was built to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day, with an overall storage volume of up to two million barrels.

But Guyana is not stopping there. Minister Bharrat projected that by 2026, the oil and gas industry will be serviced by a fleet of four FPSOs, which would have the capacity to facilitate as much as 50 oil lifts per year, at one million barrels per lift.

In the coming years, both the Liza Destiny and the Liza Unity will be supported by the Prosperity FPSO which is under construction in Singapore and the Yellowtail FPSO, which is slated to come on stream by 2026. By that time, the minister estimates that proceeds from oil and gas will be “mind-blowing.”

Further, should the cost of Brent crude continue to hover at more than US$80 a barrel, Guyana would be poised to earn at least US$4 billion or G$836.9 billion by the end of each year.

To paint an even clearer picture, oil proceeds by 2026 will be about twice the size of the 2021 national budget, which totalled $383 billion in 2021.

Ever since Guyana sold its first one million barrels of crude in February 2020, for nearly US$55 million, the account, housed in the US Federal Reserve Bank, has remained untouched. However, the government’s passage of a new Natural Resources Fund (NRF) legislation paves the way for the government to begin spending.

In the first instance, Guyana will be able to withdraw 100 per cent of the funds contained in the NRF. Thereafter, a cap would be instituted, taking effect at 75 per cent of the initially withdrawn amount, followed by 50 per cent, then 25 per cent, five per cent, and finally, at three per cent.

5

The Liza Unity, Guyana’s second oil ship, is slated to come on stream before the end of March

It is currently unclear as to when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government intends to begin spending from the fund, but what is known is that the administration held off from dipping into the petroleum revenues, pending modifications to the “flawed” NRF 2019 legislation.

Not only was the 2019 Bill passed in the absence of the then PPP/C opposition, but it was signed into law by a government which was practically in “caretaker” mode, since the then A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration had already been toppled by the passage of a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly.

REMEDIED WITH URGENCY

When the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led administration assumed office in August 2020, following a sixmonth long elections debacle, it vowed to ensure that critical issues to the legislation were remedied with urgency.

As a result, a new NRF legislation was crafted with the input of key stakeholders including the private sector and civil society. A few weeks ago, in December, the 2019 NRF law was replaced with the 2021 legislation, amid a massive ruckus created by the now APNU+AFC opposition.

Eventually, even an attempt to steal the Speaker’s Mace and the abuse of Parliament staff were not enough to prevent passage of the new law, which sought to impose strict and transparent guidelines on how

the oil revenues are to be spent.

It also limits the powers of the Minister of Finance, whilst instituting hefty penalties for breaches, especially as it relates to non-disclosures of the country’s petroleum earnings.

Additionally, the new law introduced the aforementioned caps to ensure that withdrawals are done in a fiscally responsible manner, which guarantees savings for the benefit of generations.

The new law also ensures that withdrawals from the NRF benefit from both pre and post parliamentary scrutiny, since all spending has to be clearly outlined in the national budget.

This means that programmes being funded by oil revenues have to first be approved by the National Assembly, after which its implementation is audited by the Audit Office; any discrepancies detected are then compiled and forwarded to the opposition-led parliamentary Public Accounts Committee

for further scrutiny.

Additionally, the new law stipulates that the oil revenues could only be used to finance developmental projects. More specifically, President Ali had pledged to ensure that Guyana does not become reliant on the oil sector.

On the contrary, he said that the oil earnings will be invested in the development of critical non-oil sectors such as education, agriculture, health and social services, among other things.

With 27 lucrative discoveries, and a massive drilling campaign still to come, Guyana, one of the world’s fastest growing economies, is pegged to have quite a bright future, especially with the implementation of other important pieces of legislation such as the one to govern local content.

Guyana remains poised to become a major supplier within the global oil market, at least for the next 100 years, according to experts.

6

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

Litter Bugs

THE term ‘litter bugs’ refer to people who deliberately deface the surroundings by way of dumping garbage and other refuse in undesignated public spaces.

This is not only unacceptable but illegal. It should be noted that the absence of a waste receptacle is not an excuse to litter. Litter Enforcement Regulations (2013) prohibit anyone from improper waste disposal. Persons can be charged for littering. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) only recently had cause to go on a hunt for persons who dumped a quantity of garbage. What is particularly disgusting was the fact that the dumping of the garbage took place shortly after a massive clean-up campaign spearheaded by none other that President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali. Named “Operation Clean up”, the campaign saw tonnes of garbage being cleared and removed in what could be regarded as one of the biggest clean-up

campaigns the city has ever experienced in recent years.

The police and City Constabulary are now in a much better position to monitor the situation regarding the unlawful disposal of garbage thanks to the introduction of CCTV cameras. According to media reports, three persons were arrested for the illegal dumping of garbage.

The men were released on $40,000 bail each for allegedly littering along Wellington Street, Georgetown.

The Guyana Police Force is cautioning members of the public that it is unlawful to be dumping garbage in the city of Georgetown and its environs and anyone found doing so will face the full force of the law.

President Ali had earlier signalled a warning to litter bugs that such acts will not be tolerated. According to the President, “We are going to put police presence at these sites where people continuously dump their garbage… because they have no regard for the environment.”

These are words that cannot be taken lightly and persons who ignore such warnings are doing so at their own risk of being hauled before the courts.

Dumping of garbage in the city is abhorrent in its own right but dumping garbage in the vicinity of a school and a health centre is all the more appalling as in the case of Durey Lane.

There is the Campbellville Secondary School where hundreds of children converge daily. There is also a health centre and fire department in proximity. The sight of piles of garbage along the roadside, apart from being unsightly is also a public health hazard which must be stamped out within the ambit of the law.

Littering is a serious offence in many parts of the world, most notably in Singapore, where the penalty for littering not only carry hefty fines but in some cases flogging in public. There is that popular case of an American student who was caught

defacing a public space and not even the intervention of the President of the United States could have spared him from being flogged.

The Georgetown Mayor and City Council, under the Municipal and District Act 28;01 is allowed to fine persons $10,000 for littering while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can penalise an individual up to $50,000 while a corporate body can be issued a fine of $100,000. Failure to pay the fine can attract an additional fine for outstanding payments. The city by-laws also make provisions for persons who urinate or defecate in open spaces in the city, drivers who allow passengers to litter from their vehicles and those who ask others to dispose of their garbage to be liable for fines.

The penalties are already embodied in the current Act and there are new proposals by the City Council for increased penalties. The difficulty, however, is that even the current laws, dated as

they may be are still not being adequately and effectively enforced by the Council.

In fact, the Council seems to turn a blind eye to the several infractions of the city bylaws. It is ironic that new and more severe laws are being proposed when the Council appears unable or unwilling to enforce existing laws and by-laws regarding littering.

The Government of Guyana is doing its part to change the image of the city but it needs the support and co-operation of the broader citizenry, It is unfortunate that the political opposition has opted to pursue a path of non-co-operation with the Central Government and has in fact urged its supporters not to co-operate with the clean-up operation now underway. The APNU+AFC-dominated City Council seems to be taking instructions from Congress Place on important matters of policy as could be seen from the recent statements by Mayor Ubraj Narine which was reinforced by the PNC

Leader, Aubrey Norton.

It is time for the Mayor and City Council to rise above partisan politics and put the interests of the citizens of Georgetown ahead of narrow selfish partisan interests. President Ali and his PPP/C administration must be commended for the several interventions made to restore the City of Georgetown to its former glory.

As the country gains in stature and prominence on the international stage, there is likely to be a flood of tourist arrivals, along with those coming to do business, especially in the emerging oil and gas sector. It is therefore important that we seek to project a new image of the country and the capital city.

In this regard, every citizen has a role to play. It is more that keeping our individual home environment clean and tidy. It is about national pride and creating that clean and welcoming environment which has been characteristic of us as a people.

Dr. Yesu Persaud has left an indelible mark in the fields he influenced and as a cultural activist Dear Editor, MUCH has been and will continue to be said about Dr. Yesu Persaud. His monumental achievements in business and his invaluable contributions to the advancement of entrepreneurship, will no doubt be foremost.

That in no way even suggest that his efforts over many years to foster and preserve Indo-Guyanese culture and traditions, is of lesser importance.

I knew of him as a boy growing up on the East Bank and was in awe

having had the opportunity to be in proximity to him during a moment in my tenure as a technician at GuySuCo’s Central Laboratory, Georgetown.

He was instrumental in helping to realise the activities in 1988 to mark the 150th anniversary of Indian arrival. Having directed a few Indian-themed stage plays by that time, I missed out on the anniversary celebrations due to prolonged hospitalisation.

My disappointment was profound.

When he personally

approached me in 1989 to direct the sequel to “The Journey”, a stage play depicting aspects of the arrival of East Indians immigrants and settling in then British Guiana, my disbelief and joy were boundless.

Having been in the media for many years and having conducted numerous interviews, I was dumbfounded when he asked some years back to interview me on my achievements on the promotion and preservation of Indo-Guyanese culture.

I felt it should have been the other way around. The description of my feelings to his request would be an understatement given that mine’s pale in comparison to his.

We engaged in many discussions on the promotion and preservation of Indo-Guyanese culture.

During some of those, it unavoidably diverted to life and challenges. His advice remains priceless.

Having had the opportunity to work at the Diamond Distillery, I experienced the positive impact of his

vision and astute leadership.

I was honoured, as I was the day he and I were asked by the Bank of Guyana to be recipients of specially minted coins for the commemoration of the 175th anniversary of Indian Arrival in Guyana.

I never thought that such events of being alongside Dr. Persaud, were possible for me. In all of my interactions with him, he was humble, accommodating, comforting and encouraging. There were times when we had di-

vergent points of views.

Even then, his humility shone through.

He has made an indelible mark in the various fields he influenced and as a cultural activist, I am aware of the void in the efforts to preserve Indian culture his death has left. He, however, has left a legacy; one of hope, optimism and determination to achieve for individual and collective advancement.

Yours sincerely, Neaz Subhan

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday January 20, 2022

7

Yesu Persaud will be remembered for his business leadership Dear Editor,

YESU Persaud was a visionary businessman with determination to translate his vision into reality. His effective and passionate leadership transformed DDL into a magnificent success and now a conglomerate involved in banking and agro-processing, in addition to spirit manufacturing.

I did not know of Yesu, as he was popularly known, until years after I departed Guyana in 1977 to pursue tertiary education. I didn’t get to meet him until the late-1980s when I was involved in a committee charged with organising the New York commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of Indian Arrival in Guyana.

I found Yesu affable, warm, and friendly. Yesu and I met countless times thereafter in Guyana, Trinidad, NY, India, and elsewhere at international conferences on Indian Immigration, conversing on varied interesting pertinent topics of the times -- such as Guyana and Caribbean economies, PNC dictatorship, Gorbachev reforms, Indian economic reforms, Indian culture, free and fair election in Guyana, etc. He interviewed me a couple of times on a TV programme he hosted.

He was praiseworthy of then (early 1990s) Indian Prime Minister PV Narasim-

ha Rao and Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh (who went on to become PM from 2004 to 2014) for opening the Indian economy. Yesu also praised Desmond Hoyte for the 1988 economic reforms in Guyana that set the train for political reforms and the restoration of democratic governance that came in late 1992. Hoyte and Yesu fell out when Yesu joined the struggle for the advocacy of restoration of democratic rule in Guyana; he played a role in GUARD. Yesu’s life was threatened and his house was fired upon with bullets, almost injuring him.

Yesu was a small built man, just about five feet but he had a giant reputation and character. He was soft spoken but had fierce body language and huge stature. He was tough and courageous for taking on Burnham, Jagan, and Hoyte to re-direct Guyana’s economy towards free enterprise away from communist control. And he succeeded. Guyana is no longer a communist state (government directed and controlled economy). Guyana is also a democracy and Yesu played an important role in that outcome joining the struggle against the dictatorship and in Jagan becoming President in 1992. He supported Bharrat Jagdeo when he was chosen as President.

In September 1999, Yesu was

given the honour of introducing a young President Jagdeo at an Indian conference at the Crowne Plaza hotel ballroom in Elmhurst, Queens.

He showered accolades on Jagdeo. He also was critical of the efforts to rig the 2020 general elections, urging David Granger to respect the will of the electorate.

Yesu studied accounting (in UK) and worked his way up in management in the UK. Then he worked in Guyana both in the public and private sector to become an iconic business entrepreneur. It was not easy to be an Indian businessman (in a racially divided Guyana characterised by ethnic animosity), especially during the Burnham/ Hoyte eras. Yesu overcame all those adversities associated with colour, caste, class, ethnicity, religion and politics to become a successful entrepreneur. That he maneuvered Burnham’s racist dictatorship and consolidated his businesses and kept them in forefront of Guyana’s industries was an outstanding achievement. For a businessman to thrive under the very difficult circumstance – authoritarian rule, racism, Burnham’s ujamaa socialism, and government control of over 80 per cent of the economy – was an extraordinary achievement.

As business folks told me, he was not a greedy, self-centred person as characterised

Dear Mr. Editor,

THANK you for the opportunity to publish this missive in your publication.

Already lots of words of appreciation, admiration and sympathy are extended to a legend, Dr. Yesu Persaud. This icon is a friend, neighbour and a community conscious individual, who has captured the admiration of this entire nation.

Dr. Yesu Persaud has played an integral role in his company’s evolution and growth in the last five decades. He has also played a pivotal role in the fight for democracy during those dark

days of rigged elections. He was an outspoken advocate and didn’t mince words to express his criticisms against the political class.

Dr. Yesu Persaud was arguably one of the most knowledgeable and experienced corporate executives in Guyana and probably beyond.

He was passionate about his work and always concerned about the wellbeing of people. This generous business executive has tremendous depth of knowledge of the way the market works. His leadership style was always impressive and candid. Even though he had aged, he was the hardest worker in the room.

Dr. Yesu Persaud had many strengths. The one that I admired the most is to make you step out of your comfort zone and take on new challenges. This gem would be widely missed and fondly remembered.

My family and I wish to extend our deepest sympathy to Dr. Yesu Persaud’s family members. May God Almighty reward him for his outstanding effort in serving Guyana and humanity at large.

With utmost respect, deepest sympathy and regrets.

Yours sincerely, Nazar Mohamed Businessman

Dr Yesu Persaud had the ability to bring out the best in people

some new business persons.

In his time as a prosperous captain of industry, he did not destroy other businesses so his company could succeed. He was in business for self-wealth as well as to help others. As an illustration, his IPED loans allowed many small budding entrepreneurs to get into business. Giving loans is a lot more effective than giving cash grants, which leads to a dependency syndrome rather than financial independence. He helped ordinary people who had ambition and an idea with

financial resources. He gave them loans and supporting officers to streamline their business to make it work.

People came with a passion with an idea and he helped them make it happen.

IPED made money through its interest rates and the small businesses also made money.

IPED had to pay for expenses, maintaining staff, etc. And he encouraged farmers to grow fruit crops. He bought cherries and other fruits from them which his DDL company processed into fruit pulps for packaging juice sold

domestically and regionally, earning critical foreign exchange.

Yesu will be remembered for his personal conduct, simple lifestyle, and leadership in terms of business innovation and entrepreneurship. Aspiring business people looking for inspiration would do well to study the achievements of Guyana’s greatest businessmen.

Yours sincerely, Vishnu Bisram

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

Banks DIH profits soar to $6.7B in 2021 - new Qik Serv restaurants to be constructed in Regions Three, Seven

S T R AT E G I C p l a n ning and prudent decisions by the Banks DIH Group has resulted in the company overcoming challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic to record a profit after tax of $6.7 billion in 2021.

According to the company’s annual report, the profits recorded in 2021 reflect an increase of $1.5 billion or 28.6 per cent when compared with its profit of $5.2 billion in 2020.

Referencing this performance, Chairman/ Managing Director of the Banks DIH Group, Clifford Reis, in his message to shareholders, said: “Banks DIH Group continues to excel by showing consistent sustained growth over the past year ended 30 September, 2021.”

Increased profits were attributed to an increase in physical sales by six per cent, the increase in dollar sales turnover by 17.7 per cent, manage-

ment of operational expenses and better yields derived from raw material utilisation.

Overall, revenue generated by the company was $35.8 billion compared to $30.4 billion in 2020, an increase of $5.3 billion or 17.7 per cent.

As a result of the company’s positive performance, the company’s Board of Directors recommended a dividend proposal of $1.70 per share unit, resulting in an overall cost of $1.4 billion as compared to $1.1 billion in 2020.

“My fellow shareholders, the financial year which ended on 30 September 2021 again presented challenges mainly resulting from the COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions, which contributed to curtailed market conditions.

“However, the company continues to supply its customers with a range of quality beverages and food products and innovative strategies, with

the ultimate objective of remaining at the forefront of the highly competitive market,” Reis said in his report.

By utilising its “stay at home message” and “home delivery packs,” the company was able to deliver products in the post-lockdown period.

Further challenges related to COVID-19 were unavoidable increases in the cost of raw and packaging materials, spares and fuel as well as the availability of those items due to the global supply chain issues.

“The company was able to mitigate some of the effects of this issue through investments in upgraded plant and machinery to enable the extraction of better yields from raw materials used,” Reis said.

To further enhance its operations, Banks DIH, during the period under review, continued to invest in new technology and other assets.

Capital projects com-

pleted within the year include the upgrade of the malts packaging line to enhance the efficiencies of the bottling process. The Soft Drinks Plant also benefitted from upgrades to the blowmoulder, filler, labeller, shrink wrapper and pallet wrapper, and the rum and winery operations received a new labeller, CIP system and new fermenters.

In the Trisco division, the bakery was upgraded with a new intermediate proofer, conveyors and moulders, while a new sugar pulveriser mill was installed on the biscuit plant in order to improve the quality of cookie, cake and pastry products.

A new crate washer was also installed in the dairy plant.

Speaking about additional enhancement efforts, Reis said: “Our route-to-market channel was strengthened with the acquisition of new trucks and forklifts. Our customer experience was also enhanced as we continue to provide them with merchandising coolers, freezers and water dispensers.”

Other projects completed included the new record storage facilities, and a new motorised truck washing facility.

“Our information and communication technology capacity was further enhanced with the addition of new hardware and software as well as the replacement of several

Chairman/Managing Director of the Banks DIH Group, Clifford Reis old items of equipment,” a disrupted supply chain Reis said. and its consequences will MORE PROJECTS impact everyone regardAt the time of report- less of where they may ing, there were capital be. projects which were on“My Fellow Sharegoing and are expected holders, of the many to be completed within lessons learnt from this the new financial year. experience, one stands Among those projects is out and bears being rethe acquisition of lands peated. We must remain at Vreed-en-Hoop and positive and committed Bartica to facilitate the to the words of our misconstruction of two new sion statement that we Qik Serv restaurants. are committed to buildAdditionally, the Soft ing on our traditions of Drinks Plant’s syrup room excellence by providand blending facility are ing quality products and being upgraded to fa- services,” the Chairman cilitate the production related, adding: “We of Minute Maid prod- will remain committed ucts under licence from to achieving those goals the Coca-Cola Company. which are supported by Further, a new malt and the platforms of our core rice mill, as well as a new competencies.” centrifuge system will be Moving forward, added to the brewery. according to Reis, the “My fellow sharehold- company’s most recent ers, as we look to the fu- addition, Banks Auture, perhaps it is apposite tomotive and Services to ask the question in par- Inc., will be the division aphrase of ourselves and to lead in the developour company as we look ment of Banks’ solar to the new year ahead. power and automotive “Where are we going?” initiatives, to add value Reis said. for stakeholders and The global reality of investors.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday January 20, 2022

9

CIOG helps in bringing dignity and respect to the dead THE Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) in collaboration with A. Ally and Son’s L i m i t e d , M o h a m e d ’s Enterprise and Caricom Auto Sales, on Wednesday, donated two hearses to the Ministry of Health to be used at the New Amsterdam Hospital, Region Six. Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony said that the two vehicles will service residents of Regions Five and Six, in an effort to allow for their last rites to be carried out with dignity and respect.

He noted that the donation complements the construction of a mortuary in New Amsterdam, Region Six, done by the govern-

ment in collaboration with the CIOG. Minister Anthony thanked the donors and noted that the good gesture comes at an opportune time as residents of Regions Five and Six have encountered issues with the transportation of their deceased relatives.

The CIOG, recognising the problem, reached out to its donors and solicited their help to acquire the two vehicles.

“The Government of Guyana would have invested in creating a new mortuary and what we are seeking to do with this new collaboration is for us to have a joint partnership managing the facility and the responsibilities of that.

Proprietor of Mohamed’s Enterprise, Nazar Mohamed hands over the keys to the vehicles to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, as CIOG General Manager, Shameena Haniff; representative of Caricom Auto Sales, Bibi Yassin; Director of Education of the CIOG, Shaykh Moeen Hack; and CIOG Vice-President (ag) Gulzar Namdar look on (Delano Williams photo) As a prerequisite to opening the facility, we know that a lot of people would

The hearses donated to the Health Ministry through the CIOG on Wednesday (Delano Williams photo)

have challenges in getting their dead relatives from the site where they died to the mortuary and sometimes to the mortuary to take them back home or take them to the cemetery, and what we want to ensure is that the deceased persons last rites are done in the right way; give that person the

dignity that they deserve,” said Minister Anthony.

The Health Minister also noted that the CIOG, over the years, has been helpful to the government, playing a major role in the organisation of medical outreaches as well as health and COVID-19 vaccination drives across the country.

CIOG’s Vice-President (ag) Gulzar Namdar noted that the organisation intends to continue supporting the government in its efforts to make health care accessible to the people of Guyana, pointing out that community service is one of its core principles.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

Millions of dollars in investment earmarked for Linden - over 200 direct jobs to be created

AS part of its commitment to ensuring that no region is left behind, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government has set out to achieve transformative development in every community.

To this end, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, said on Wednesday that “tens of millions of dollars” in investment have already been earmarked for the mining town of Linden, Region 10.

During a press conference held following a tour

of the Midas BPO (Kara Kara Call Centre), Dr. Ramsaroop said that Go-Invest has signed investment packages with a few big companies that are seeking to expand and develop the township.

“We recently signed an investment package with a large cement plant in Linden that is doing quite a bit of construction work in building houses in Linden.

“We are about to sign another investment package with a medical supply company to do oxygen bottling and other types of packaging. In the region, we re-

cently had some large mega farms in soya bean and corn and we are about to do some more in that… We have another investor who came to put up a steel factory right outside of Linden,” the GoInvest CEO said.

He added that the investments will create over 200 direct jobs for Lindeners.

And, with the development and transformation of the mining town, Dr. Ramsaroop underscored the need for the establishment of more commercial industries such as gas stations in the region.

“This is where I recom-

Chief Executive Officer of Go-Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop mend Region 10 folks pay riculture, healthcare and attention to as what the other critical sectors. government is doing, what Just in November, Senthe private sector is doing ior Minister in the Office of and figuring out where you the President with responsifit,” he said. bility for finance, Dr. Ashni Since being elected to Singh, highlighted how government, the PPP/C busy it was in back-to-back has effected a significant meetings with prospective change in the investment investors for Guyana’s ecoclimate locally. Within nomic space. just a few months, several “Today, more than ever Memoranda of Understand- before, international visiing (MoU) were signed to tors, international investors, build hotels, expand ag- international companies

and your more discerning domestic consumer is looking for brands that they recognise.

“And so, it’s not an accident that we’re seeing today the turning of the sod of more Marriotts, more Hyatts, more Best Westerns, the entry of international food chains, the entry of international brands in literally every sector and segment of economic activity,” the senior minister said during the launch of a local branch of the worldclass real estate firm, RE/ MAX. In addition to more international investors, Dr. Singh sees domestic consumers as now more discerning in looking for goods and services of a quality not previously found in the Guyanese marketplace.

It is for this reason that he said this is the age in which Guyanese will see more demand for goods and services to be delivered in compliance with a level of standards that was never before in demand. (DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday January 20, 2022

11

Human Services Ministry to engage AG on amendments to 1996 Domestic Violence Act

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud THE Ministry of Human Service and Social Security will soon approach the Attorney General’s Chambers with its proposed amendments for the updating of the 1996 Domestic Violence Act. This was disclosed by the ministry in a recently issued press release, which stated that subject minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, has received reports of recommendations to update the Act and new and emerging

forms of violence following a legislative analysis of the Act and research under the EUUN that is being spearheaded by the ministry’s Spotlight Initiative.

The release explained that the recommendations and reports were crafted by consultants, Rawle Small and attorney-at-law Rosemary Benjamin-Noble, who were engaged through the Spotlight Initiative, after numerous key

informant interviews undertaken over the last four months with stakeholders including the Judiciary, Magistracy, Guyana Police Force, Child Care and Protection Agency, CSOs, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, DPP, University of Guyana, survivors, perpetrators, and Regional Executive Officers.

Small’s report proposed the need to expand the current Domestic Violence Act to include family violence in recognition of the existing gaps relating to newer forms of violence and the need to increase the category of persons eligible to apply for protection orders.

Minister Persaud and Spotlight Liaison Officer, Anuradha Persaud, engaged in extensive discussions with the consultants on their reports, the release said, adding that the minister in acknowledging the impact of the newer forms of violence said that this type of research under the Spotlight Initiative which focuses heavily on identifying

mechanisms to tackle domestic violence is one of the key elements in modernizing legislation and policies and ultimately strengthening systems.

Meanwhile, BenjaminNoble presented over forty proposed amendments to the current Domestic Violence Act including expansion of the definitions of ‘domestic violence’; inclusive of more comprehensive definitions of ‘economic, emotional and psychological violence’; updating the penalties for breach of protection orders, and inclusion of batterer intervention programmes and counselling as remedies under the law.

Minister Persaud made several important suggestions in the discussions on the proposed recommendations and cited the analysis as a good foundation to having expanded discussions and advancing the process.

According to the release, she also recognised that amending this law would impact on other laws including the Evidence, Custody, Contact, Guardianship and Maintenance Acts to give full effect to the proposed recommendations.

She committed to engaging the Attorney-General’s Chambers as the next step as Government of Guyana is focussed on tackling the scourge of domestic

violence at all levels.

The discussions concluded with the Honourable Minister reaffirming her commitment to continue engagement with all relevant stakeholders on these recommendations on the Domestic Violence Act under Pillar 1 of the UNEU Spotlight Initiative. This is part of a series of countrywide initiatives Minister Persaud has been engaged in through the Spotlight Initiative and under the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security in addressing the serious issue of domestic violence in Guyana, the release added.

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday January 20, 2022

Pomeroon man dies after being hit by boat propeller

A TWENTY-THREE-year old man of Upper Pomeroon in Region Two, tragically lost his life on Tuesday night in a boat accident at Port Kaituma, Region One. Dead is Clive Persaud called “Boyo” and “Putagee.”

Guyana Chronicle understands that the young man was visiting Port Kaituma at the time of the accident.

He was said to be sitting at the back of the boat when the propeller of the engine flew out and hit him in his head.

He sustained severe head injuries and was rushed to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital where he succumbed.

He was the only son for

Dead: Clive Persaud his parents and was described as a loving person.

His friends expressed their condolences on his Facebook page.

Call open for tourist destinations to accelerate their technological transformation

THE Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has launched the Future Tourism Programme that addresses the technological transformation of tourist destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean as a key tool for the recovery and competitiveness of tourism in the region.

The bank, in a release, said Guyana can apply for funding under the programme.

According to a release, with financing from the General Cooperation Fund of Spain at the IDB, the Future Tourism Programme opens a regional call, inviting tourist destinations to benefit from a diagnosis of their level of technological maturity, to develop a detailed action plan and pre-investment agreement with public and private sector stakeholders.

Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the regions where the tourism sector has had the greatest expansion, generating 10 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and nine per cent of employment in 2019, according to data from the World Travel and Tourism Council.

However, the crisis generated by COVID-19 has affected the sector notably, producing a 50 per cent contraction of regional tourism GDP in 2020.

The bank said that, in that

context, the revitalisation of regional tourism was articulated as an essential step towards the recovery, and adoption of new technologies as the necessary engine of that process. The Sustainable Development Goals consider new technologies as a basic element towards inclusion, sustainability, competitiveness, and economic development.

From the proposals received until March 30, 2022, the IDB will select 10 destinations.

Countries that can participate are Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela.

The type of eligible destinations, notably, are consolidated destinations, not belonging to more than two municipalities, excluding national or regional circuits. Applicant destinations may be urban, coastal or nature destinations, the release said.

This initiative is aligned with the IDB’s Vision 2025 - Reinvesting in the Americas: A Decade of Opportunities to achieve sustainable recovery and inclusive growth in Latin America and the Caribbean.

13

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

Kwakwani residents slowly rebuilding their lives after 2021 floods

IN May 2021, the regional authorities of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) had declared that the community of Kwakwani was in a “severe state” since floodwaters had risen above 15 feet, completely covering several homes.

This had resulted in many residents being forced to evacuate their homes and move into the temporary shelters that were established in wake of the disaster.

Fortunately, they were able to return to their respective homes after the water had completed receded. However, there was no warm welcome as they had to deal with the after effects of the flood. Today, many of them are still dealing with those after effects.

Kenrick Samuels, who owns and operates a welding shop in the community, told the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday that he was still rebuilding his home and workshop.

Samuels recalled that the water in the area was rising quickly, and within the blink of an eye, his workshop was completely inundated.

The man said that the water level was so high that it had reached the top floor of his two-storey house.

“I had to start all over again. I had to look after my whole inside, change all the walls and do over everything in the house.

arated from the Berbice River by a long stretch of road and a sandbank along with another area called Lamp Island were the most severely affected parts of the community, due to the over-flowing of the river.

Simeon explained that residents would usually brace themselves for torrential rainfall and high tide, but what they had not prepared themselves for, was high water levels.

As such, he said persons living in those areas

were being advised to relocate; however, there was some reluctance.

“Only thing that can be done is for the government intervention to dredge the river so flooding won’t be so severe, but with climate change you can’t really tell how or when it [will] come again, but people may have to relocate and that in itself is hard thing to get people to move,” he added.

He said that the NDC had since reached out to government officials to

identify lands for persons to relocate and was waiting for a response.

SEASONAL FLOODING To trace the history of seasonal flooding in the Region 10 community, the Guyana Chronicle had spoken to the former Regional Chairman, Mortimer Mingo, who was the acting regional chairman some ten years ago when severe flooding had hit the community.

Mingo, in that interview, had said that severe flooding in Kwakwani was a phenomenon that tended to occur every ten years or so during the rainy season or whenever there was above-normal rainfall.

He had noted that, in 2006, just after a wave of severe flooding, the then government had identified an area in Kwakwani to be transformed into a housing scheme to facilitate the relocation of residents from the waterfront area.

However, only a few residents would have opted to relocate.

Mingo had explained to this publication that, in the past, residents would just clean-up and go back to normal after the floodwaters would have receded.

He had insisted that g i v e n t h e re c u r r i n g floods, residents, particularly those living along the waterfront should take climate change and global warming into consideration and relocate.

NINETEEN foreign nationals were taken into custody on Wednesday morning, following the discovery of $14 million in cannabis in a vessel at the Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated (GNIC) Wharf on Lombard Street, Georgetown.

According to a release from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), ranks attached to the Special Operations Section were conducting a narcotics operation onboard the foreign-reg-

istered vessel, which was slated to leave Port Georgetown later in the day with a shipment of cement.

However, during the search, CANU ranks unearthed parcels of suspected cannabis throughout the vessel.

The parcels, along with the vessel’s 19 member crew, were taken to the CANU headquarters for further processing, where the narcotic was tested and confirmed to be marijuana - a foreign type known as “ creepy

“ with a total weight of 16.046 kgs (36 lbs.)

The street value of the drug is approximately $14M (US$68,293) which would have increased if the drug had reached its intended destination.

The anti-narcotics operation was part of an ongoing multi-agency and multi-national investigation aimed at dismantling a regional network involved in the movement of narcotics from Guyana using cargo vessels.

Flashback: Persons in a boat manoeuvre through floodwater in Kwakwani to reach affected residents. Due to the flooding situation that was the only way to move around (Solomon McGarrell photo) Even in the workshop I had to start all over again,” Samuels said.

He noted that he was still trying to get his business back into full operation, having lost almost all of his welding equipment in the flood.

Meanwhile, Cort Simeon, the Vice-Chairman of the Kwakwani Neighbourhood Democratic Council, disclosed that residents would have experienced a similar ordeal in the Kwakwani Waterfront

area some ten years ago and sometime in the 1950s and 1960s.

“Life is like normal again, people gone back to their normal life. Some persons had to do repairs and they would have done.

It’s something that they are accustomed to but this time around the height of the water was really high,” he added.

TIME TO RELOCATE According to Cort, the waterfront which is sep-

19 foreigners arrested following discovery of $14M in cannabis at city wharf

The cannabis that was found in the foreign-registered vessel (CANU photo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday January 20, 2022

15

Demerara Sugar Terminal to be utilised for rice exports

A partnership between the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) has created an avenue for an increase in the exportation of rice and rice products, as the southern bond of the Demerara Sugar Terminal, Ruimveldt, will soon be available for this purpose.

This symbiosis between two of the major players in Guyana’s agriculture sector forms part of GuySuCo’s five-year strategic plan, which is guiding the operations of the sugar industry.

The facility, which will be utilised as a result of this partnership, was moth-balled between 2016 and 2017, when four sugar estates were shuttered by the former A

Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government.

According to a recent press statement from GuySuCo, the southern section of the terminal will be resuscitated and restored to its former glory.

The northern bond will continue to be used exclusively for bulk sugar export as has been the case since the closure of the four sugar estates a few years ago.

“Several critical conveyors systems and motors have to be rehabilitated to implement the elements of the strategic plan and to action this new collaborative relationship with the GRDB. “The bills of quantity are now being prepared to estimate cost of this project

and that information will be submitted to the leadership at GuySuCo, the Ministry of Agriculture and the GRDB shortly,” GuySuCo said.

The Demerara Sugar Terminal was built in the 1960s and is strategically located on the East Bank of the Demerara River and has a prime berthing facility of just over 130 meters in length and seven-meter draft at high tide.

The average operating cost to keep these facilities operational between 2017 and 2021 was approximately $110 million per year.

“The corporation would like to note that such a cost has been unsustainable since the closure of these four sugar estates in a much smaller sugar belt that only exported 33,117 tonnes in 2021 and

A boat docked at the Demerara Sugar Terminal at Ruimveldt

Man charged for attempted murder of fellow vagrant remanded

A FIFTY-EIGHT-yearold vagrant, who is accused of attempting to kill fellow vagrant, Brian Jaikaran, during an argument over sleeping arrangements at the Le Repentir Cemetery, Georgetown, was, on Wednesday, remanded to prison.

Jason Benjamin appeared before Magistrate Annette Singh at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

He was not required to

plead to the charge which alleged that on January 15,2022, at the Le Repentir Cemetery, with intent to commit murder he injured Jaikaran.

Magistrate Singh remanded Benjamin to prison until March 2,2022.

The Guyana Chronicle was made to understand that both men are homeless and would sleep in the cemetery.

It is alleged that on the day in question, the men had a mis-

understanding over sleeping arrangements, which led to a confrontation.

During the confrontation, Benjamin armed himself with an object and attacked Jaikaran. The victim received multiple injuries about his body and had to be rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Benjamin was later arrested and charged for the offence.

Man accused of wounding granted $30,000 bail

A T W E N T Y- y e a r- o l d Mandela Avenue, Squatting Area resident was, on Wednesday, released on $30,000 bail after denying that he wounded a man during a fight.

Omar Moore appeared before Magistrate Annette Singh at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and denied that, on December 11, 2021, at East La Penitence,

he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Andrew Jason with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause grievous bodily harm to him.

According to reports, Moore and Jason are known to each other. On the day in question, Moore saw Jason beating his brother with a belt. Moore intervened and Jason allegedly hit him which caused a fight to ensue

between them.

Jason, who was present in court, said that he is willing to accept compensation to settle the matter. He told the court that he suffered injuries including a puncture to his lung.

The magistrate released Moore on $30,000 bail and adjourned the matter until February 16, for report on the compensation.

produced only 58,025 tonnes in the same year after the worst floods in 40 years,” the sugar corporation said.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GuySuCo, Sasenarine Singh, said: “This visit by the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha, to the sugar terminal on January 12, 2021, to survey how

the Ministry of Agriculture can assist in the fast tracking of this collaboration between the rice and sugar industry is a welcomed development.”

He added: “The outcome of these partnerships will only redound to the benefit of all and especially those in the sugar industry, as it shares the cost of managing the sugar

terminal and multiply the benefits to the country.”

The CEO further said: “The Guyana Sugar Corporation looks forward to working closely with the Guyana Rice Milling Association and the Guyana Rice Development Board in bringing this project to reality.”

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday January 20, 2022

17

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

English Racing Tips American Racing Tips Aqueduct Race 1 Solid Tune Race 2 Demo Doctor Race 3 Hey It’s Tati Race 4 We Ready Race 5 Dancing Kiki Race 6 Fingal Race 7 Kept Waiting South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:05 hrs Country Flame 08:40 hrs Absolute Value 09:10 hrs Rule Book 09:40 hrs Twice A Miracle

Ludlow 09:00 hrs SteelWave 09:30 hrs Zacony Rebel 10:00 hrs Blackcauseway 10:30 hrs Bobhopeornohope 11:00 hrs Terresita 11:30 hrs Another Venture 12:00 hrs Carlo Du Berlais Wincanton 09:15 hrs Duke Of Rockingham 09:45 hrs St Barts 10:15 hrs Native Robin 10:45 hrs Whydah Gally 11:15 hrs Eragon De Chanay 11:50 hrs Favori De Sivola 12:20 hrs Getaway Tom Newcastle 11:25 hrs Tosback 11:55 hrs Lukoutoldmakezebak 13:00 hrs Saulire Star 13:30 hrs Look Out Louis 1`4:00 hrs Antiphon 14:30 hrs Swinton 15:00 hrs Intervention

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday January 20, 2022) COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) IRE 2; WI 1 (2) Andy McBrine (IRE) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who was voted Man of the Match in the second ODI of the recent WI/IRE series?

(2) Who was voted Man of the Match in the third ODI of the recent WI/IRE series?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

Simmons not worried about job security (CMC) – Phil Simmons is not worried about his job as West Indies head coach, despite the team’s recent losses.

On the heels of the side’s 2-1 shocking loss to minnows Ireland in their One-Day International (ODI) series that ended on Sunday in Karachi, Simmons said he was focused on seeing the players improve, and not about whether he could lose his pick.

“If I start worrying about my job then I have problems. I am worrying about the success of the team, I am worrying about how we get players to play their roles and in playing their roles get the team to be successful and that’s all I’m concerned about,” he said as he spoke to the media on Tues-

Phil Simmons

day, ahead of Saturday’s start of the five-match Betway International Series against England.

“You’re always under pressure as a coach or coaches when the team’s not doing well, in any sport you play, and when the team is doing well the coaches are forgotten but that’s the nature of the job.”

Simmons, who was reappointed in October 2019, oversaw the West Indies’ failed title defence at the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup and the 3-0 defeat by Pakistan in the T20 series at home.

Asked how he motivated himself as a coach in light of the repeated losses, he said he continued to enjoy his job as head coach.

“My love for coaching and

love for the players and their improvement carry me a long way every day,” the former West Indies all-rounder said.

He said his role is “seeing the players and working with them, trying to bring out different things in them. To be honest, when we practise there’s a lot coming out; there’s a lot being shown, and it’s just for me right now how they adjust and assess the situation when they cross the rope, because I can’t help them when they cross the rope. None of the coaches can help them when they cross the rope.

“Everything is being done on the other side of the rope to help them to be ready for the game,” Simmons added.

Contrasting centuries by van der Dussen, Bavuma help SA beat India

(BBC) - A sparkling century from Rassie van der Dussen was complemented by a well-paced one from Temba Bavuma, as South Africa (SA) cantered to a 31-run win over India in the first ODI of a threematch series. van der Dussen joined Bavuma when South Africa were 68 for 3 in the 18th over, but they shrugged off that rickety start to eventually drive the team to 296 for 4 on a slow Boland Park pitch.

India were on track in the first half of their chase, particularly when Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan were batting together in a 92-run stand for the second wicket, but the innings withered after they both fell.

Bavuma and van der Dussen had put on 204 runs in just 183 balls, conquering bowlers and conditions. In particular, van der Dussen's knock took the first innings, and as it turned out, the match away from India. In the end, he remained unconquered on an ODI best 129 off just 96 balls.

His innings included four hits over the fence and nine to it, with more than half his runs coming via running between the wickets - this on a day when the heat was sapping.

In the final over of South Africa's innings, van der Dussen was often down on his haunches to gather his breath. It was his batting that

left those watching breathless though.

He got off the blocks quickly, injecting much-needed momentum into the innings, using sweeps and reverse-sweeps to devastating effect against the spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin.

The feature of van der Dussen's innings was how he took the pitch out of the equation. Until his arrival, scoring had been laborious.

But his use of the square boundaries, and ability to capitalise on the slightest errors in length, meant the innings found a new gear.

Bavuma had a head start on his innings and got to his century first, with a single off Shardul Thakur in the 45th over. At the start of the 48th over, van der Dussen got to his hundred with a flick to fine leg.

The heat in Paarl saw the Indian bowling also wilt after a good start, as van der Dussen continued to go full throttle. Bavuma, who was on 23 off 45 when van der Dussen joined him and later on 28 off 53, gradually picked up his pace too. He made 82 from the last 90 balls he faced, playing an able foil to van der Dussen. By the time he had holed out to become Jasprit Bumrah's second wicket, he had made 110 off 143.

India's bowling had begun well. Bumrah got Janneman Malan nicking behind, and the returning Ash-

Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen led South Africa's fightback vs India, 1st ODI, Paarl, yesterday (AFP/Getty Images)

win - playing his first ODI since 2017 - castled Quinton de Kock with a quicker one.

When Aiden Markram ran himself out via a direct hit from debutant Venkatesh Iyer at mid-off, India seemed well in control.

However, the van der Dussen and Bavuma rebuilding, plus counterattack, left India looking a bit ragged.

There were several mis-fields and overthrows too, which eased any pressure that was built up.

KL Rahul, captaining India for the first time, didn't have an outing to remember.

He never went to his sixth bowling option, Venkatesh, and had used up eight overs each of Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar by the time the innings was 40 overs old.

Eventually, 86 runs came off the final ten overs, including a 17-run final over by Shardul Thakur.

When Rahul came out to open the innings, he treated Markram's part-time off-spin

with exaggerated caution.

Markram bowled six overs on the trot after taking the new ball. Rahul had opted to play him out safely rather than attack, but that approach didn't pay dividends either when he poked Markram behind to de Kock.

That led to India's best phase in the chase, with Dhawan scoring freely and Kohli building busily. During that period, the target looked within reach, with both men looking in control. However,

a sharply turning ball from Keshav Maharaj spun into Dhawan, passed the inside half of his bat and hit his stumps as he was shaping to cut, and Kohli top-edged Tabraiz Shamsi to midwicket three overs later.

From 138 for 1 in the 26th over, India's slide was steady. Thakur, coming in at No. 8, belted a maiden ODI fifty and was unbeaten on 50 off 43 balls, but his hits only served to lessen the margin of defeat.

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

Gibson announced as Yorkshire head coach

(CMC) – Former West Indies all-rounder Ottis Gibson has been announced as the new head coach of English County Cricket Club Yorkshire, on a three-year deal.

The Barbadian will start his new job at the end of February once his contract with the Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League finishes next month.

Gibson, 52, will have overall responsibility for the performance and management of the First Team, supported by two assistant coaches who will be appointed shortly, the club said in a statement yesterday.

“I’m extremely honoured and

excited to be given the opportunity to join Yorkshire County Cricket Club as head coach. This is one of the most prestigious roles in English County Cricket and I am really looking forward to working with this talented group of players to take the club forward,” Gibson said.

He added that he had spoken at length with interim Managing Director of Yorkshire Cricket Darren Gough, to whom he will report, about the direction the club is heading in and he was excited to be a part of that future.

Gough described Gibson joining the club as “an important

moment”.

“Ottis is one of the best coaches in the world and will be a fantastic addition. His knowledge, commitment, experience and cricket know-how will be vital for us as we move into pre-season and get ourselves up and running,” he said.

“We were absolutely blown away by the level of interest and quality of candidates for this role, but I have no doubt that he’s the best person for the job and will pick up the challenge with relish.”

Gibson joins Yorkshire with a wealth of coaching experience having previously performed the role of head coach for the West In-

dies and South Africa, and bowling coach for England and Bangladesh.

The former West Indies cricketer played two Test Matches and 15 One Day Internationals during his 17-year playing career and was in charge of the side during their 2012 T20 World Cup triumph. He also formed a key part of England’s backroom staff during two Ashes series victories.

“We’re delighted to welcome Ottis to the club,” Yorkshire chair Lord Patel said. “His playing and coaching credentials speak for themselves and he has had a distinguished career performing at the highest level.”

“He is someone that I know will encourage dialogue and help foster a culture of inclusion at the club, as well as supporting and developing the world-class talent we have here and pushing them to the next level,” he added.

Gibson replaces Andrew Gale, who was sacked along with the rest of the coaching staff during a racism scandal surrounding former player Azeem Rafiq.

An investigation into allegations by Pakistan-born Rafiq, who played for Yorkshire between 2008 and 2018, found that he was a victim of racial harassment and bullying.

Contrasting Reifer praises West Indies centuries by U19 squad for ‘character’ van der Dussen, Bavuma help SA beat India

(CMC) – West Indies made good use of their preparations ahead of the Betway T20 International (T20I) Series starting this weekend when they defeated BCA President’s XI in a warm-up match at Kensington Oval on Tuesday night.

The home side batted first and made 131-6 off their 20 overs. The target was revised to 160 off 20 overs and West Indies reached 165-3 off 18.3 overs to win by seven wickets.

The top five batsmen made good use of a firm, true pitch, with all of them getting starts.

Kyle Mayers got off the mark with a six which laid down a marker as he added 62 in 4.5 overs for the first wicket with Brandon King. The strongly-built lefthander made 38 off 32 balls, while King smashed 32 off 13 balls with two sixes and four fours across the lush, carpet-like outfield.

King was the first wicket to fall – well caught by Kadeem Alleyne at deep mid-off off Roshon Primus.

He was replaced by stand-in

Nicholas Pooran, who made 27 off 21 balls with two sixes – one of which sailed onto the roof of the Greenidge & Haynes Stand at deep midwicket.

Mayers follow soon after as he was bowled by off-spinner Ashley Nurse when he tried to hit a fulllength delivery through the off-side. Roston Chase then joined Darren Bravo and the pair added an unbroken stand 54 for the fourth wicket.

Left-hander Bravo looked in good touch with 32 not out off 27 balls, while the elegant Chase (23 not out) ended the match in style with a big six over long-on into the 3Ws Stand.

The West Indies and England will officially get the inaugural five-match T20I series started on Saturday, with the second game set for the following day. The other matches are scheduled for January 26, 29 and 30.

Only fans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be allowed at the matches being played at Kensington Oval which is operating at 50 per cent capacity.

(CMC) – West Indies Under-19 head coach Floyd Reifer has praised the teenage squad for the character they displayed in their second match of the ICC Under-19 World Cup, following an opening defeat, and said he wanted to see them improve even more when they face Sri Lanka tomorrow.

He said the team played a good day of cricket here on Monday, beating Scotland by seven wickets in their second game of the tournament at Warner Park.

West Indies lost their opening match to Australia in Guyana last Friday, and the hosts hit back strongly, bundling out the Scots for a mere 95 in the 36th over.

“I think coming out of the first game’s defeat, the young lads showed a lot of character in bouncing back from that first defeat against Australia. Obviously, there would have been a lot of nerves going into that game; only if we had batted a bit better in that game, we could have won that game also. Coming into the second game, we showed some good character … we played a good game of cricket,” Reifer said.

“In the team meeting before that match, we spoke about ticking off a lot of the boxes that we wanted to tick off in the different departments, so I thought that the bowlers bowled well.”

Making specific reference to left-arm fast-medium seamer Shiva Sankar,

Floyd Reifer

who claimed 3-17 from his seven overs, accounting for the first three of Scotland’s wickets to fall, Reifer said he bowled “with good control and good discipline”, backed by McKenny Clarke.

He also singled out Onaje Amory.

“So, it was a good bowling performance from the bowling unit. I thought we bowled well in partnerships and it was backed up by good fielding. In the fielding department, we were very sharp …. We took some very good catches,”

the coach said. “(Giovonte) Depeiza did a god job as well captaining the side. So, all in all, I thought it was a good day of cricket displayed by the young men and they showed a lot of character.

“Obviously, we had some challenges leading up to the game and it was good to see that these young men rose above those challenges and came out and played the game of cricket that they played (Monday).”

Reifer said going into their next game, the young

West Indies team had to replicate the approach they took in the first match.

“We’ve got to continue that trend. We gonna again look at the opposition and look at our game and see the areas we can continue to improve in, continue to tick those boxes and get ready for the next game tomorrow,” he said.

The home side will face Sri Lanka Under-19s in their final Group D match on Friday, with the top two teams progressing to the next round.

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

Cave, D’Anjou to represent Guyana at IMMAF World Championships after US Lab mishap … Team pays courtesy call on Minister Ramson prior to departure

IJAZ Cave and Corwin D’Anjou will be the only two representatives for Guyana at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) World Championships, which is set for January 24 – 29 in

Abu Dhabi.

The team will depart today and will see D’Anjou compete in the Men’s Welterweight (77.1kg) division, while Cave will do battle in the Men’s Light Heavyweight (93kg) category.

Initially, the Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation (GYMMAF) had announced a six-man team to attend the prestigious event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Capital City. However, as executive member, Dr

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, sharing a light moment with Ijaz Cave and Corwin D’Anjou, the only two representatives for Guyana at the IMMAF World Championships in Abu Dhabi

Sawan Jagnarain explained, following a mishap in several important tests that had to be done overseas, Webster McRae, Akeem Fraser, Christopher James and John Campayne will be left behind.

According to Dr Jagnarain, the GYMMAF had solicited the services of a lab in the United States of America, since some of the required testing of the athletes that are mandatory by the IMMAF, could not have been facilitated in Guyana.

Dr Jagnarain said the athletes blood samples were done and sent in December but up to crunch time, the Lab related that they had encountered some technical difficulties and only two of the samples were done, being that of Cave and D’Anjou.

“This is a major blow to all the work the athletes had put in,” a livid GYMMAF president, Gavin Singh, highlighted.

Singh said he had spoken to the other four athletes and apologised on the GYMMAF’s behalf, while encouraging them to stay the course and focus on other up-coming International en-

gagements, one of which will be the IMMAF Pan American Championships.

Meanwhile, the team paid a courtesy call on Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, yesterday at his Main Street office.

Minister Ramson, according to Singh, has been supportive of the GYMMAF since coming into office last August.

Through the National Sports Commission (NSC), the GYMMAF had received support from the Government of Guyana.

Minister Ramson congratulated the fighters for being selected, adding “all of Guyana is behind you and on behalf of the Government of Guyana, I want to say good luck.”

“This is a huge achievement since you will be the first Guyanese to compete at the World Championships.

You should be proud and be good ambassadors for Guyana,” Minister Ramson said.

Guyana will be the only country from the Caribbean present in the UAE, given the fact that Trinidad and Tobago had to withdraw after their

representatives recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Singh revealed that Guyana’s up-coming participation at their first IMMAF World Championships is a manifestation of almost two years of planning, with the GYMMAF using the opportunity presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several companies came in for praise from the GYMMAF, particularly Banks DIH, Bounty Farm, Akbar Inc., Sandcorp Development, Zoon, Universal Travel, WR Services, Eureka Labs, Acarai Properties and Northwest Securities.

The aforementioned companies, according to Singh, played a major part in helping to make the team’s trip to the UAE a success.

Hosted by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and MMA Federation, with the support of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and in partnership with Palms Sports, the senior and junior national tournaments are to take place at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena in Zayed Sports City, near UFC Fight Island. (Yas Island)

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

BCB/Tenelec Under-15 cricket tournament

Rose Hall advance to quarter-finals

ROSE Hall Canje Arbosmart advanced to the Berbice Cricket Board/ Tenelec Under-15 quarter-finals after a dominant performance in Zone C. They will now await the runners-up of Zone B at a date and venue to be announced.

In their latest clash, Rose Hall Canje defeated East Bank Blazers by eight wickets in a rain-reduced 35-over clash.

East Bank Blazers batted first, but could not handle the home team’s bowling attack and succumbed for 99 in 32.5 overs.

Simeon Gafoor finished

with a top score of 15, as the side struggled against the disciplined bowling attack. Left-arm orthodox bowler Enrique Mickle finished with 4-22, while right-arm leg-spinner Abdulla Azad took 2-6.

Although Canje Arbosmart needed to score at just above 2.8 runs per over, they played their shots, which enabled them to reach their target in 21.2 overs with the loss of two wickets.

Skipper Romario Ramdihol finished with 38 unbeaten runs (2x4, 1x6), while Lakeram Singh added 26 not out (3x4).

Romario Ramdihol (left) and Lakeram Singh finished unbeaten in the chase

Enrique Mickle finished with 4-22

India progress to quarter-finals after imposing win … Australia’s Wyllie (101 not out) continues to impress

INDIA became the first team to progress from the Group Stage at the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup with a thumping win over Ireland, while Australia’s Teague Wyllie continued to impress in the Wallabies’ second win of the tournament.

India’s openers got the match off to a controlled start, building a huge partnership to set their team up for a potentially mammoth total. Angkrish Raghuvanshi (79) and Harnoor Singh (88) played exceptionally well at the top of the order, putting on 164 together before the fall of the first wicket in the 26th over.

The rest of the top five all scored runs too, but India will perhaps reason that the total could have been even more had there not been a slightly quiet period during the second half of the innings.

As it was, the 300-mark was reached and in style, with Rajvardhan Hangargekar providing that much-needed acceleration with a blistering 39 not out off just 17 balls, a knock

of the possible outbreak are as yet unclear.

But the new-look India side showed no sign of disruption, with the top five all looking fluent with the bat and all seven bowlers on

show returning tidy figures.

A chase of 237 to win was not a foregone conclusion for Australia, but they made the task look easy with a dominant performance with the bat.

Teague Wyllie

that featured five sixes..

Ireland may have been outclassed on the day in Tarouba, but spinner Jamie Forbes held his own against a high-calibre of opponents in Trinidad.

The 17-year-old stemmed the tide of runs and finished with extremely tidy figures of 1-38 from his ten overs.

It was to India’s great

credit that they managed so competently with six members of their squad unavailable for selection due to a COVID-19 scare in the camp.

Sidharth Yadav, Yash Dhull, Aaradhya Yadav, SK Rasheed, Manav Parakh and Vasu Vats were all placed in isolation ahead of this fixture against Ireland, and the wider implications

Harnoor Singh

The top three all scored big, with the openers putting on a century stand before Campbell Kellaway fell just three runs short of his half-century.

Number three Aiden Cahill kept the momentum going and upped the rate significantly with his blistering 72 of 45 balls, hitting seven fours and four maximums in a sparkling knock.

But it was opener and star of the day Teague Wyllie who was the standout performer with the bat for Australia, finishing unbeaten and reaching his century just before the target was reached. His 101 not out from 115 balls follows on from his outstanding undefeated 86 against West Indies in the opening game.

Wyllie was also excellent in the field throughout, but his catch to dismiss Rafay Khan in the final over of the innings was particularly eye-catching, with him taking the spiralling catch one-handed and on the run as the ball dropped over his shoulder. (ICC Media)

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, January 20, 2022

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, sharing a light moment with Ijaz Cave and Corwin D’Anjou, the only two representatives for Guyana at the IMMAF World Championships in Abu Dhabi

Cave, D’Anjou to represent Guyana at IMMAF World Championships after US Lab mishap

PAGE

22

… Team pays courtesy call on Minister Ramson prior to departure PAGE

Phil Simmons

20

India progress to quarter-finals after imposing win 23 PAGE

… Australia’s Wyllie (101 not out) continues to impress

Simmons not worried about job security

Harnoor Singh

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

Teague Wyllie THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022