Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 22-05-2022

22nd May, 2022

free Inside No.106730

Leaders must recognise importance of youth in ‘agri’ sector 03 PAGE

–– says First Lady Arya Ali

After delivering the keynote address on “CARICOM Youth in Agriculture Dialogue” at the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo on Saturday, First Lady, Mrs. Arya Ali visited some of the booths (Elvin Croker photo)

Special committee to address trade barriers in CARICOM 08 PAGE

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali (second left); Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley (second right), and Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Mr. Gaston Browne (left) along with other CARICOM officials travelled to Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) on Saturday for discussions with Brazilian investors (Office of the President photo)

Opportunities unlocked

PAGE

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–– Small businesses capture investors’ interest at ‘Agri Expo’

DDL eyeing location in Moblissa for dairy farm operations 02 PAGE

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sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

DDL eyeing location in Moblissa for dairy farm operations

By Tamica Garnett

The Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), in partnership with the LR Group of Israel, is currently considering a location at Moblissa, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, for the establishment of the much anticipated state-of-the-art dairy farm operations.

The operation is designed to supply DDL’s TOPCO milk plant with fresh cows’ milk for pasteurisation and packaging, and will produce over four million litres of fresh milk per year when operationalised.

The multi-million dollar project would require approximately 600 acres of land, create dozens of jobs and see the importation of 500 pregnant heifers to supply the milk production.

Speaking at a press conference held on Saturday at the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, representatives from DDL and the LR Group noted that the project has been facing some amount of challenges with sourcing suitable land for the location of the project.

“We have been working to identify the best possible location in Guyana. Once we have identified that location and we work with the [LR] Group to put the technical feasibility together, we will then move to the stage of the financial feasibility and then project implementation,” DDL Chairman Komal Sa-

The head table at Saturday’s press conference, (from left): DDL Topco Managing Director, Ramesh Persaud; DDL Government Affairs Consultant, Wesley Kirton; LR Group Livestock Projects Director, Rami Ofer, and DDL Chairman, Komal Samaroo (Elvin Croker photo) maroo explained, as he delivered remarks at the press briefing.

Also present at Saturday’s press conference were LR Group Livestock Projects Director, Rami Ofer; DDL Government Affairs Consultant, Wesley Kirton, and DDL Topco Managing Director, Ramesh Persaud.

It was last June that DDL and LR Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide for collaboration in the development of the dairy farm, and embarked on a feasibility study for the establishment of the farming operation.

According to Samaroo, several locations have been assessed over the past year as

possibilities for the proposed project, however, several factors are affecting the selection of a suitable location including the soil type, availability of utilities and availability of labour.

Once the land is identified, it is expected that the setting up of the farm should take within in two years to complete. The investors are ready to begin work on the land immediately once the land has been procured. The dairy production is part of the diversification of DDL’s TOPCO facilities.

“The best practices that the LR Group brings to the table and develop a very efficient dairy farm that could feed into our TOPCO pack-

aging facility, supplying our domestic markets and we hope, eventually, the regional market,” Samaroo noted.

The project is seen as an important part of the national and regional food security mechanism currently taking centre focus in CARICOM. It will play a role in assisting to decrease the importation of dairy products and be part of CARICOM’s goal of 25 by 2025 (reducing the region’s food import bill from extra regional sources by 25 per cent by 2025).

“While we designed a facility to package juice, Guyana was importing most of its milk at a significant cost, so we decided to build

in the features to be able to pack [the] milk and supply the domestic market. As an interim measure, we are reconstituting powdered milk but the goal has always been to integrate backwards into the domestic dairy sector,” Samaroo noted.

The dairy farm project will be utilizing a zero grazing system, which means that the animals would be enclosed in their shed in cooling environments, and not be grazed outdoors.

This system, Ofer explained, would enable the cows to save energy which they can use to alternatively increase their milk production.

“Instead of the cows

grazing on the land, we will be taking part of the land usually used by cows and we will be doing some cultivation system for forage crops that will be served to the animals at the table in the shed.

“They don’t go out, they don’t waste any energy searching for food; all of their energy is for milk production.

In this way, we can produce more milk from a smaller units of production,” Ofer noted.

TOPCO currently has a juice processing facility that can process one tonne per hour and an annual capacity to process approximately 7.5 million pounds of fruit, however, the facility is not operating at maximum capacity as it is currently processing less than one million pounds of fruit annually.

Even as the company looks to enter the dairy market, it is still hoping to continuously expand its fruit juice production and further contribute to the reduction of food commodities in the Caribbean region from extra-regional sources.

“The needs that exist within our system for the procurement of fruit so we can incorporate those into our produces. Anyone who would like to get involved in the production of fruit we would encourage them to engage us before they embark on such a venture in that regard,” DDL Topco Managing Director, Persaud noted.

Chinese Medical Brigade introduces new weight loss procedure at GPHC –– to help patients with obesity problems DR. WEI WEN-GUANG of the 17th Chinese Medical Brigade recently performed for the first time in Guyana an Acupoint Catgut embedding procedure for three obese patients at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Acupoint Catgut embedding is a useful therapy for weight management and widely applied in China and involves the implantation of absorbable catgut suture at acupoints.

The doctor identified one of the three patients as a 48-year-old woman from Georgetown. He said she accepted the procedure to lose weight because she suffered low back pain and knee arthritis for several years as a result of being overweight.

She is currently being treated at the acupuncture clinic at the GPHC and she bravely chose the new method after being introduced to it by Doctor Wei. “After the treatment, she

did not feel uncomfortable and said that she would continue to accept the follow-up treatment and lose weight soon,” the doctor said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Victor Allen of the Rehabilitation Department and Dr. Onica Higgins of the Anesthesiology Department were also exposed to the technique of catgut embedding.

They had a discussion with Dr. Wei on acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. It was pointed out

that Dr. Allen will be heading to China to study and learn more techniques and theories.

“As a common problem of public health, obesity is gaining more and more attention and catgut-embedding can be used as an effective and safe method to lose weight and will become another option for Guyanese who may need this type of service,” Dr. Wei told the Sunday Chronicle.

Dr. Wei Wen-guang performs the catgut-embedding treatment on a 48-year-old woman at the Georgetown Public Hospital

sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Leaders must recognise importance of youth in ‘agri’ sector –– says First Lady Arya Ali

By Tamica Garnett

FIRST Lady Mrs. Arya Ali says that regional leaders must play a critical role in stimulating the interest of youth in agriculture by making it an attractive sector.

The First Lady was at the time delivering the keynote address at a forum titled “CARICOM Youth in Agriculture Dialogue” during the final day of the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

Mrs. Ali presented alongside CARICOM General-Secretary Dr. Carla Barnett; Caribbean Head of the World Food Programme Regis Chapman; Assistant Director-General of the FAO Dr. Julio Berdegue; and Deputy Director-General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation (IICA) Lloyd Day. The session, which also involved a panel discussion, was moderated by former CARICOM Youth Ambassador Vishal Joseph. According to the First Lady, there is a growing concern that young people have become disenchanted with agriculture.

“Young people have

become less interested in this field for a number of reasons, one of which is the perception that agriculture is reserved for those who are unskilled, and is an unstable form of livelihood; nothing can be further from the truth,” the First Lady said.

She added: “Regional leaders in agriculture, therefore, have a critical job to stimulate the interest of our youths in agriculture by making agriculture an attractive sector for our youth. [Restructuring] the way youths view and engage in the agricultural sector is key to significantly increasing employment, improving livelihood, and building rural economies.”

The First Lady called on leaders to leverage technology, education, land rights, access to financial information, resources and the creation of entrepreneur networks to make agribusiness profitable and attractive to youths.

She further underscored that leaders must continue to recognise the importance of youth in the sector, as they have an important role to play in the transformation and development of agriculture, and, therefore, every

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First Lady, Mrs. Arya Ali addressing youth and other officials at the “CARICOM Youth in Agriculture Dialogue” during the final day of the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo (Elvin Croker photo) effort must be made to ensure that they are included in the dialogue about how agriculture will help the Caribbean region to achieve food security in the coming years.

“Youth provide a platform for us to not only discuss, but also explore solutions to help transform

After delivering the keynote address on “CARICOM Youth in Agriculture Dialogue” at the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo on Saturday, First Lady, Mrs. Arya Ali, took visited some of the booths. Accompanying her was former President, Mr. Donald Ramotar (Elvin Croker photo)

our regional agricultural sector; to foster increased productivity and sustainability,” Mrs. Ali noted.

She further noted: “It is no longer a debate of whether, or to what extent, youth should be included in decision-making. Their presence here today is a demonstration of the importance of youth in generating solutions to move our respective countries and regions forward.”

The First Lady noted that while engaging youth in agriculture has been a prominent topic recently, it has always been important one.

“Their involvement and input is critical for a number of reasons, including their exposure and familiarity with new technology,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Barnett during her remarks, issued a strong message to the youth of the region that “the region needs you and the region needs you now.”

“This is not the usual cliché about you being the

future. Your [the youths] immediate involvement and action is integral to how this community can achieve the goal of ensur-

ing its food and nutrition security into the future.

The future is what see page 4

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sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Leaders must recognise importance ... from page 3

this is all about.

You are not just the future in reality, you are the present,” Dr. Barnett noted.

Dr. Barnett pointed out that some of the highest paying jobs in the world are in the agriculture sector, and youths must be reminded of this as they think of their future and consider areas to specialise in.

“Agriculture goes well beyond farming, and is one of the areas which involves a wide variety of employment opportunities. It lends itself to self-employment, and becoming your own

boss. With the correct lining support and effort, you can reap rewards within a reasonable time frame,” the CARICOM Secretary-General said.

The need for youth to become integrally involved in agriculture, specifically because of their innovative ways of thinking and their affinity for technology and technology oriented solutions, were further underscored by Chapman, Berdegue, and Day. Chapman, in his remarks, noted that youth constitute a large section of the persons within the Caribbean region who

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are affected by food insecurity, hence the critical need for their involvement.

“We need to look at solutions that the youth have to offer. We need to listen to the youth and identify what some of the solutions are. Now more than ever youth need to be part of the solution to the various challenges that we’ve been discussing,” Chapman noted.

The World Food Programme is currently collaborating with CARICOM on a youth initiative called “I Am Agriculture”, which is about hearing more from

21/05/22 - 07, 15, 17, 19, 25

youth on the importance of agriculture across the Caribbean.

Berdegue, in his remarks, noted that it is important for future dedicated sessions to include youth and women into the agriculture conversation.

The three-day Agri-Investment Forum and Expo is part of the CARICOM “25 by 25” initiative, whereby the region is intent on reducing the extra-regional imports of food commodities by 25 per cent by 2025 to establish safer food security.

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CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett speaking at the “CARICOM Youth in Agriculture Dialogue” forum on Saturday

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 22, 2022

Albanese set to become Australia’s next Prime Minister

(Reuters) - Anthony Albanese, who is set to be Australia’s next prime minister, is a pragmatic leader from a working-class background who has pledged to end divisions in the country.

“I want to unite the country,” the Labor Party leader said after conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison conceded defeat following an election on Saturday. read more “I think people want to come together, look for our common interest, look towards that sense of common purpose. I think people have had enough of division, what they want is to come together as a nation and I intend to lead that.” Labor’s election campaign spotlighted Albanese’s working-class credentials and his image as a pragmatic unifier.

Albanese, 59, entered parliament in 1996 - just as Labor entered the first of two decade-long patches in oppo-

Anthony Albanese, leader of Australia’s Labor Party, addresses supporters after incumbent Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Scott Morrison conceded defeat in the country’s general election, in Sydney, Australia sition. The party’s time back in power, from 2007 to 2013, was marred by leadership squabbles in which he openly criticised both sides.

Those years forged his

reputation as a collaborator willing to work outside ideological lines, as Leader of the House where he managed government business in the parliament. After losses in

the 2010 election, Labor was saddled with the country’s first minority government in 70 years, requiring it to win support from conservatives or independents to pass laws.

But by one measure cited by political commentators the number of laws passed compared to the number of days in office - it turned out to be Australia’s most productive parliament.

“There was an attempt to create chaos, but what Anthony did (as Leader of the House) was to ensure that the work of government proceeded,” said Craig Emerson, who was trade minister in that government.

At 12, Albanese helped organise a rent strike that kept his mother’s public housing property from being sold off to developers. Those who know Albanese say he is genuinely motivated by the mix of pragmatism and concern for social justice he gained during his childhood struggles.

“It gave me a determination, each and every day, to help the people like I was, growing up, to have a better life,” Albanese told the National Press Club in January,

recalling how he at times depended on neighbours for food when his mother, who relied on a disability pension, was unable to provide for him.

Albanese was the first in his family to attend university, where he studied economics and became involved in student politics.

At 22, he was elected president of Young Labor, the party’s youth wing, and worked as a research officer under the economic reformist government of Bob Hawke, Labor’s longest-serving prime minister.

“Anthony has ... a capacity to look beyond the party political alignment,” said Robert Tickner, a former Labor member who took the teenage Albanese’s call about his mother’s stove. “(He) believes in this idea that there are people of good will in the community,” Tickner said in a phone interview. “He’s not someone who’s a sectarian.”

nel support to Ukraine for about the next five months, includes some $6bn budgeted for armoured vehicles and air defences. President Zelensky tweeted his gratitude, saying military aid was “needed more than ever”.

It also emerged on Saturday that President Biden is one of over 900 US citizens who have been indefinitely

banned from entering Russia.

The list also includes Secretary of State Antony Blinken, CIA chief William Burns and hundreds of members of Congress.

In another development, Russia has switched off its gas supply to Finland after it refused Moscow’s demand to pay for fuel in Russian roubles.

Zelensky: Only diplomacy can end Ukraine war

(BBC) - The war in Ukraine can only be resolved through “diplomacy”, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. Speaking on national TV, he suggested his country could be victorious against Russia on the battlefield.

However, he added that the war could only come to a conclusive halt “at the negotiating table”. Meanwhile, heavy fighting is taking place in and around Severodonetsk, as Russian forces step up efforts to seize the whole of the Luhansk region.

The end of fighting in the southern port city of Mariupol has freed up Russian troops for redeployment elsewhere and allowed them to intensify their onslaught in the east.

Local governor Serhiy Haidai said the Russians

were “destroying” Severodonetsk as they gradually surrounded it.

Writing on the messaging app Telegram, he said Ukrainian troops had repelled 11 attacks on the frontline - with eight tanks among the Russian vehicles destroyed. There was no independent confirmation of the claims.

BBC correspondent James Waterhouse said Russia had increased its artillery and air strikes as well as missile attacks - gaining ground mile by mile in Luhansk while the Ukrainians are forced to retreat. In his TV address, Mr Zelensky said the conflict “will be bloody, there will be fighting, but it will only definitively end through diplomacy”.

But he indicated this would not be easy, as neither

side wanted to give anything up. On Tuesday, Kyiv’s lead negotiator, Mykhaylo Podolyak, said talks were on hold.

T h e f o l l o w i n g d a y, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Kyiv authorities of not wanting to continue talks to end hostilities. Russian news agencies say the last meeting happened nearly a month ago, on 22 April.

With no end in sight to

the fighting, the US is sending more military, economic and humanitarian aid.

On Saturday, President Joe Biden signed a bill to provide a package for Ukraine worth nearly $40bn (£32bn), the White House said.

The money represents the largest programme of American assistance since Russia launched its invasion in February.

The bill, which will fun-

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sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

A Defining Moment

THE Government of Guyana recently hosted an agriculture summit, the first such activity in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

The summit saw the participation of several regional leaders and representatives of several regional institutions including representatives from the private sector.

The summit could not have come at a more opportune time when the region, and for that matter the entire world, is faced with a food crisis due in part to the war in Ukraine and the continuing adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The prices of food items have skyrocketed, especially that of wheat and grain due to disruptions to grain production and distribution in Russia and Ukraine, both of whom are major producers. In addition, there has been a surge in the price of fuel on the world market which has further worsened the cost of basic food items driven by higher transportation cost.

In the midst of an apparent threat to food and nutrition security in Guyana and the region, President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and the PPP/C administration has risen admirably to the challenges posed by factors that are primarily exogenous, resulting from a convergence of climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

At the national level, several policy

interventions were made to cushion the impact of the crisis on the Guyanese people, especially the more vulnerable segments of the population. These included cash grants, food subsidies, reductions and in some cases waiver of value-added taxes and more recently the distribution of free fertilisers to the nation’s farmers. Plans are underway to grow wheat in Guyana with encouraging results which could very well be a game changer in terms of food and nutrition security in the country and for that matter the region as a whole.

The challenges to meeting the food and nutritional needs of the region are daunting but not unattainable provided that the political will is there to so do. Guyana, as the country with the lead role for agriculture in CARICOM has been taking its responsibility seriously but it will take the collective efforts of all member states if the goal of attaining the 25 by 25 target is to be realised.

With 2025 a mere three years away, it would require swift action and renewed commitment by all countries, in addition to making the required resources, both financial and technical, available. As pointed out

by Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, an estimated US$ 7.5 billion in private sector investments are needed for the realisation of the set goals within the projected timeframe. This would require a change in the

mindset of investors, many of whom have an inclination to investments in the non-agricultural sectors, in particular oil and gas, manufacturing and mining.

The framework for food and nutrition security and reductions in the regional food import bill was already laid in 2003 with the Jagdeo Initiative which sought, among other things to address the continuing loss of preferential markets for traditional products and the increasing extra-regional food import bill. In essence, it represented a strategy for removing constraints to the development of agriculture in the region, with the aim of hammering out a common agricultural policy.

This initiative has now been given new and fresh impetus by President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who in his opening address to the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, described the new 25 by 2025 goal as “very realistic” and achievable. According to President Ali, “there is political will, there is energy in the private sector, there is commitment from financial institutions, donor institutions, and there is a real targeted approach to achieving this from all heads.”

The ingredients for success are there and the platform is there as well. The discussions and deliberations emanating from the summit appeared, in the words of the President “action-oriented” and with a high degree of

resolve to move past current barriers to free and unhindered intra-regional trade. It is a fact that perceived national interests at times takes precedence over the broader community imperatives but such an approach is likely to change as the region now seeks a new pathway to food security.

President Ali and the PPP/C Administration must be commended for the several initiatives they are taking to address the issue of food and nutrition security in the region even as the country is now repositioning itself as a major player in the production of oil and gas. This is indeed visionary and forward-looking thinking on the part of President Ali. Indeed, important as oil and gas is to the Guyana economy, as one Caribbean leader puts it, ‘one cannot eat oil and gas’ and in the context of an evolving food crisis there can be nothing more important than ensuring that there is enough food on the table.

In all of this, our farmers must be at the centre of the food production processes. It is a fact that our farmers have been subsidising the cost of food by way of low and declining incomes.

This Agri-Summit could very well prove to be a defining moment for farmers in Guyana and the region and for resilient agricultural development in general.

GECOM must be proactive and decisive to win the confidence of the Guyanese nation!

Dear Editor, The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as the administrator of elections legislation, must within, ensure the organisation’s obligatory compliance with binding requirements on the institution of these and other applicable laws.

The lack of internal and externally potent, proactive, and decisive actions to deter evidence of non-compliance at various levels within the existing legal framework, was insufficient to arrest open lawlessness by staff and remains a grey area of concern.

The debacle and mayhem that took place at the hands of some GECOM officials during the infamous five threatening months in 2020, was inevitable. The catastrophe emerged almost unimpeded, with the acceleration of bright beacons of suspicious activities and policies from the GECOM Secretariat. These were characterised by flagrant and unbelievably late obligatory public notifications of impacting requirements and preparation in the lead-up to the March 2020 Elections.

Notwithstanding constitutional autonomy enshrined in measures of GECOM op-

erations, the enforcement of the Auditor General’s observations and previous recommendations as main counterchecks of GECOM’s financial prudence was largely ignored. These signals informing the need for swift intervention were rendered toothless against revealed evidence of several malpractices under the responsibility of the Chief Elections Officer (CEO).

It was under James Patterson, former president Granger’s unilaterally appointed Chairman of GECOM that these happenings occurred.

Patterson’s ejection by the CCJ was followed by CEO

Keith Lowenfield taking up the mantle, ignoring written and public objections for as long as he was allowed to act as a lone ranger in rolling out decisions usurping the Commission’s Authority.

These were individually and severally coupled and delivered, with the absence of necessary broad consultations of opposition parties and shaded by far too obvious political partisanship of key operators.

The framework highlighted a glaring lack of the necessary prudency to provide transparent results, and the acceptable embracing confidence of the majority of citizens.

For the then main PPP/C

Opposition, the hope that exposure and embarrassment may have forged measures of adjustments towards improved decency by officials; and in the applied procedure to improve the transparency of the process did not make much of a difference.

Rather, the Lowenfield cabal appeared more and more focused on imposing strategic elements of surprise, imbalance, and uncertainty, that overwhelmed the importance of ensuring untainted GECOM officials operate in a framework that would turn out legitimate expectations.

Instead of fixing matters, the CEO chose to halt the

submission of statutory reports. He appeared seemingly certain, that his cabal could get away with ‘murder’ even if there were no accountability and transparency. In the circumstances, the PPP/C and opposition party’s only solace had to be committed to effective campaigning, publicising the wicked practices of APNU; strict monitoring in the place of polls, and secure verifications thereafter!

Reliable information confirms that there was no final report and discussion at the GECOM after the 2015, 2016 and 2018 Elections, while it is see page 7

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sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

GECOM must The ‘gaff and laff’ by viewing the be proactive spectrums of hilarity and reality and decisive ...

Dear Editor,

from page 6

definite that there will be no report on the 2020 General and Regional Elections. After every general and regional elections, it is the necessary protocol for all the Regional Officers (ROs) to provide a detailed report accounting for the results of planned preparatory, actual, and post-election events.

These reports are then forwarded to the CEO who would compile the final report for a thorough interrogative discussion with the respective ROs at a special retreat along with the senior officials of GECOM. Following the preparation and compilation of the final commission report, supported by the audited financial accounts ought to be submitted for the scrutiny of the National Assembly.

The billion-dollar question is, why there was no report prepared since the 2015 general and regional elections?

The argument that electoral reforms are necessary to resolve these issues is useful, but one must consider the involvement of all relevant stakeholders using a phased approach. We must also differentiate between Constitutional Reforms and Electoral Reforms given that some serious but futile discussions about reforms took place during the 10 years following 1995. Notably, in these discussions, the PNC/R representatives deliberately frustrated the work of the special task force that was set up, causing the postponement of Local Government Elections for more than a decade. Consequently, the PPP/C must not allow any postponement of the LGEs but support approaches that will advance the pertinent considerations and collective decision-making.

The issues and concerns about the 2020 debacle for five brutal months became clearer for all to see during the publicised recount process. The role of the GECOM Secretariat and particularly those before the courts for conducting malpractices in the attempt to rig and steal the elections has been exposed. It is, therefore, necessary to immediately reform such flagrant cover by clearing up and strengthening the statutory provisions concerning the elections. In particular, the provisions must strengthen the registration and the Representation of the People Acts.

This nation must be reminded that at the end of the voting process, all participating parties including the APNU+AFC announced that the 2020 General and Regional Elections were free and fair. However, it was the rogue elements in GECOM who were working with the PNC/R elements to rig the elections and activated their backup clandestine plan when the verification showed they were losing. Why? And how did Volda Lawrence’s signature get on the GECOM internally controlled documents?

The issues concerning the documents that were not in the boxes in East Coast Demerara are clear. Those Presiding Officers were told not to put the Poll Books and the documents in the boxes by senior GECOM officials.

However, the Presiding Officers had the documents in brown envelopes at the GECOM Office in the Ashmin’s building. GECOM must therefore cause an investigation of the relevant persons and staff regarding their reports and genuine efforts must be put in place so that this nation is informed about what happened.

GECOM must be proactive and decisive in the effort to hold free and fair elections.

The staff of the institution must win the confidence of this nation by exercising improvement in accountability, transparency, and integrity which must be the hallmark of GECOM. Yours sincerely, Neil Kumar

Guyanese always have time to “gaff and laff” by viewing the spectrums of hilarity and reality in a punch line and reviewing the different shades of green with the twist and slip of the tongue.

Shake the leg with an evening scroll with a stroll, may provide some fresh air, mild exercise and light entertainment.

1. Isn’t cricket a gentleman’s game off the field and on the field? Yet, the players ended up in court, but no, not to play tennis. Out goes the challenge to the GCB elections. Then again, cricket has room for off spin and (on) leg spin.

2. Grow hemp for legal cultivation not weed for illegal cultivation. A one-year jail term plus a $200K fine Bill is being tabled for offenders. There will be a duel for a dual. The Hemp Bill is meant to regularise the cultivation of hemp for industrial and consumer products.

3. Traditional farming is soil fertilisation. Now, innovative technology is paving the way to hydroponics on water and aeroponics in the air. There is nothing and everything fishy about aquaponics! Guyana has enough land, water and space for all. The inaugural Agri-Investment Forum and Expo is being hosted at the Arthur Chung Conference centre from May 19-21, 2022.

4. The GDF and GPF are protecting and securing a “One Guyana”. But 216 persons are undergoing a GDF

recruitment course, while, recruitment of police trainees still stand at a halt due to the pandemic! A case of high or low risk versus no risk!

5. Changing plea from not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter cannot bring back the dead to life. Professor Mars must have pleaded for mercy and not murder while he was being manually strangled and sustained multiple fractures to the head and face. Will the term “throwing the books at them” be relevant?

6. The word “stamp” may be used as a verb and a noun.

Senior Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, “stamps” his feet on the stamp’s requirement for revenue on retail transactions. This is now a thing of the past due to the successful piloting of the Tax Amendment Act, Bill Number Nine of 2022.

7. Martial arts and marital arts have a lot in common but makes a difference when the letter “I” switch (not witch) places.

Areas of interests reflect: the power of the mind over muscle, winning for goal instead of gold, and, realising that drive before desire. The Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation wants to partner with the Police to work on ways to promote the discipline of martial arts.

8 . T h e “ G o l d e n A rrowhead” exhibits five distinguished and significant colours which exposes the brightness and richness of Guyana. The nation has been referred as the “Green” land (mud land?) and now attention is being paid for the

importance of a “Blue” economy. Time to ink in another colour? Guyana and Norway support the “Blue Justice Initiative.” President, Dr. Irfaan Ali welcomed the new Norwegian envoy, Mr. Odd Magne Rudd this week.

9. Brazil invited hackers from around the world to deliberately try and hack the country’s electronic voting system in order to ensure that it is foolproof in preparation for its upcoming election.

Were the Russians (Ramjattan’s) inclusive?

10. There is acclaimed “bad faith” from the big, benevolent elephant and there is assumed “bad breath” from the big, bad wolf! No number of feeble hoofs and poofs will blow the fortified, brick house away. It has been a week since the President and the Opposition Leader officially met for the first time. Dr Irfaan Ali initiated the meeting.

A second round may attract and entertain boxing fans.

11. “The law is (not) an ass” is a famous legal term and some finds joy not coy in quoting. Reading between the lines is as important as reading and interpreting (not interrupting).

The aftermath of the historic 2019 “No-Confidence Motion” lingers on. Will there be a final word (pardon/ parting) between Mr. Jordan and Mr. Goolsaran?

12. What’s preventing ministries to run parallel in terms of being good customer service providers and synchronise with attire, time and proficiency? There is passing remarks over the efficiency of the Chief Immigration Office

Department and the deficiency of the Guyana Revenue Authority Department. That “One Window” needs to be installed “like yesterday.”

13. A pastor with deeds and rapper with words, became a raper in actions.

Trained and trusted as a leader in safe and sound counselling, leads to sentencing for sex due to the vulnerability of the victims who were mere children. One of the rape victims wants Captain Miller to know that, “he is a bad person and needs to stay in prison for the rest of his life, because I do not want this to ever happen to any other child.” You do not have to be an adult to utter words of wisdom.

14. If you drink, don’t drive, let a designated non-drinker drive. But if you drink and must drive, then, drink water, soda, juice, tea or coffee.

The Attorney General is legislating stronger penalties for the guilty ones who drink, drive and commit traffic violations and cause accidents and deaths. Take heed and pay attention. Let common sense prevails, not nonsense.

15. Cricket, lovely cricket, no, not at Bourda. We started with cricket, let’s end with cricket, no, not rain.

“War break” as captains prepare and practice for battle on the pitch.

Guyana’s Harpy Eagles, (image irony or controversy) plan (promise) to hurt Barbados’s Pride. Hold your breath or wait and see?

Respectfully, Jai Lall

Seriously Mr. Norton, from ‘no consultations’ to ‘bad faith’ consultations Dear Editor, As a citizen, I am very glad that President Irfaan Ali has taken the lead in engaging Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton in consultations on the matter of constitutional and statutory appointments.

I am pleased because it seems as though our country is moving politically, just as we have moved socio-economically in just under two years.

The President deserves

our admiration for showing the statesmanship to his political adversary and being cordial throughout the proceedings, despite knowing the false things that Norton has said about him and the PPP altogether in the recent past.

But for the opposition to be crying foul and saying that the meeting was held in bad faith just goes to show up their real intentions concerning meeting the Head of State.

Unfortunately, the oppo-

sition feels that way about the consultations. One would have thought that they would be open about the entire invitation to meet and discuss the appointments with the president even if they were going to request more information and time to come up with adequate positions.

Politicising the meeting at his maiden Opposition Leader press conference is nasty, a breach of protocol, and trying to score cheap political points. It must never be confused with what is needed

for constitutional compliance to occur. It also is repulsive to the civilised political mind as well as the intelligent mind as there appears to be no confidentiality and respect for information and dialogue.

If the opposition wants to just oppose and criticize, it can go right ahead, but having good faith requires patience and being honest.

The opposition seems to be lacking in this area.

Yours sincerely, Alvin Hamilton

8

sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Special committee to address trade barriers in CARICOM Caribbean Food Insecurity Post-COVID and Ukraine

* Regional ministerial task force set up for 25 by 2025 vision

* PM Mottley to complete proposal for establishing regional transportation framework

* CARICOM Secretariat to commission study on ways to increase women & youth participation in agriculture

By Tamica Garnett SEVERAL CARICOM Heads of Government and other high-level representatives have agreed to the setting up of a special committee that would immediately prepare proposals for the elimination of trade barriers, particularly non-tariff barriers, which currently inhibit the development of agrifood systems within the region.

This committee’s proposal, which will include time-bound deadlines, will be presented at a special meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government in the third quarter of 2022.

There has also been an agreement for the mandating of the CARICOM Ministerial Task Force on food security to propose an implementation schedule of “25 by 2025” for urgent consideration by Heads of Government.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, together with the Heads of Government in the quasi-Cabinet responsible for Transport (Marítime and Aviation) and Agriculture, have also been requested to complete a proposal to establish adequate and sustainable regional transportation, after consultation with the Caribbean private sector, the international donor community and multilateral development agencies, for consideration

by Heads of Government in July 2022.

to address food security urgently and sustainably.

The four priority areas are: food insecurity, regional transportation, trade barriers and women and youth.

These priority areas were decided at an important and timely forum held with the Heads of Government and other representatives during the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, which ended on Saturday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Guyana.

“The representa-

the current grave challenges of food shortages and high food prices that the region faces, but to overcome them in a sustainable and lasting manner,” a statement issued on Saturday noted.

According to the outcome statement, the group took the opportunity to discuss the current grave global situation of the shortages and high prices of imported food; the shortage and increased prices of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs; and the severe problems

exposing still further the region’s food insecurity due to its vulnerability to external influences,” the statement pointed out.

It further noted that: “Within CARICOM, member states have the capacity to attain a high level of food security for the Community as a whole, provided that urgent action is taken to establish sustainable machinery, and to adhere to the terms of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.”

The Special Committee responsible for trade

agreed to by CARICOM Governments, however, that initiative suffered from a lack of action to implement. The Jagdeo initiative was the work of former President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

Earlier this week, Dr. Jagdeo delivered a presentation on “Addressing Key binding constraints to agriculture growth” during the Agri-Forum, where he noted that the monopolising of retail trade across the Caribbean by a single large group has contributed to the influencing

The CARICOM Heads of Government at the opening ceremony of the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo. From left are PM of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne; PM of Barbados, Mia Mottley; PM of Dominica, Roosevelt Skeritt; CARICOM Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett; President. Dr. Irfaan Ali; PM of Belize, John Briceno; PM of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley; Deputy PM of The Bahamas, Chester Cooper and Premier of Montserrat, Joseph Farrel (Adrian Narine photo) These measures are part of four priority areas that have been identified for the adoption by all CARICOM Heads of Government, including through the speedy implementation of decisions

tive Group of Heads of Governments and other high-level representatives emphasized the urgency in implementing the four priority issues which they have identified as imperative, not only to surmount

affecting transportation and supply.

“The member states of CARICOM have been deeply impacted by these developments which have resulted in a dramatic increase in the cost of food,

President Dr. Irfaan Ali and other Heads of Government visiting some shade houses

barriers will be convened by the Minister in the CARICOM quasi-Cabinet responsible for the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Trade barriers have been continuously identified as the biggest impediment to the moving forward of “25 by 2025” initiative, whereby CARICOM aims to reduce the extra-regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

The initiative was proposed by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali to the CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in March 2022 when he presented the “Advancing the CARICOM Agri-Food Systems Agenda: Prioritising Food and Nutrition Security and the 25 by 2025Plan”.

The initiative put forth

by Dr. Ali builds on the 2005 “Framework for the repositioning of Caribbean agriculture” (the Jagdeo initiative) which was

of many existing trade barriers that has affected the moving forward of increased food production in the region.

Jagdeo emphasised that strong political will would be needed to break this existing impediment, which often presents itself in the form of restrictive phytosanitary standards in some of the region’s countries.

“I’m not going to call countries but many of you know what I’m talking about. Often they’re [the monopolizing businesses] very politically connected.

To get to open up trade, we have to almost break that monopoly and it’s not going to happen easily. Many of them are the ones that lobby and have deep connections within the government,” Dr. Jagdeo noted.

On the issue of regional transportation, the statement noted that see page 11

9

sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Ex-indentured Indians contributed over US$200,000 to their return passage from British Guiana to India, 1890-1955 FOR over a month, in this space, I have been addressing some “unexplored” areas, namely, unclaimed remittances, of the Indian experience in British Guiana (BG).

My reasons for doing this are twofold. It was in May and June that indentured Indians arrived in the European-owned post-Emancipation colonies across the globe.

The sailing and later steamships left India in March to avoid the challenging weather around the Cape of Good Hope. It is, therefore, not unusual to see “Indian Arrival Day” being celebrated in the aforesaid colonies, from Fiji to the Caribbean, during this period. It is the first shared commonality of Indians in the diasporic indentured colonies. My writings are intended to coincide with this global movement of labour, and its consequences, as well as, since I have turned down five invitations to present papers at five different venues, because of personal family reasons.

My second reason is to continue to address the historical wrongs of indenture to bring about some form of justice. I will address one

wrong briefly today and hope that the British and Indian High Commissioners in Guyana may respond since they might be aware of or be able to address our concerns, despite how limited.

One violation was that when the Indians officially signed or fingerprinted their contracts in India to labour in BG, it was understood that they would serve for five years, and, upon successful completion of their contracts, they would return home. The colonial state would pay their passage from India to BG and back. This was a crucial characteristic/clause of the contract, and if the right to a return passage paid by the colonial state was not in the contract, most and I repeat, most, would not have left India. However, by the early 1890s, some five decades after indenture started in BG, the planter class changed the contents of the right to a “free” return passage without the consent of Indian indentured servants. Indians were required to contribute to their return passage. Men had to contribute one-half and women a third of their return passage.

The contextualisation and

IT seems as though Guyana’s opposition political parties are only interested in the limelight and five-minute fame that they are awarded in the local media to spew their divisive rhetoric about shared governance, electoral reforms and political talks.

One would have thought that newly-minted Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, would have changed the political direction of the collective parties towards a new resolve for the better.

Sadly, he is struggling to do so or is satisfied with the way the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change Coalition (APNU+AFC) is representing its supporters on bread and butter issues and the policy decisions that affect their lives.

As if that was not bad enough, no one opposition political party or politician seems to be ready to hold the PPP/C Administration accountable, thereby, forcing

it to submit itself to higher levels of transparency and good governance.

Firstly, the current administration is making light work of the opposition political stock, shattering its allegations and philosophy.

It is winning the struggle because the opposition still has not learned to provide the evidence or empirical data to support their arguments and allegations against the PPP. They still are making fanciful statements and comments about discrimination and racism. The opposition must recognise that the electorate expects a higher degree of political representation in this respect.

Where are the facts?

Show the citizens the Statements of Polls.

Illustrate, using the maps and areas/villages where the PPP/C is allegedly guilty of discriminatory and racist practices against Afro-Guyanese.

Where are the alleged

Politics & Society Forum

By Professor Lomarsh Roopnarine

consequences of the shifting of this financial responsibility from the planters to indentured Indians are as follows.

Indian men were earning 24 cents per day while women were earning 10 cents per day. The cost of sending back one Indian from BG to India was about £10. One pound at that time worth about US$4.80. The cost in dollars to send back one returnee was about US$48.00, equivalent to one year’s earning for men and three times for that of women.

Now stick with me since I am going to do some rough calculations on how much money Indian returnees contributed with the changing of their contact. To simplify the

calculations, let us use the year 1890 when the right to a return passage had changed from “free” to Indian contribution. Indian indenture was officially abolished in 1920, but the return of Indians from BG continued until 1955.

After that year, the door of indenture ceased. So, from 1890 to 1920 makes it thirty years, the period in which Indians had to contribute to their return passage. I will leave out the years from 1921 to 1955 for now to avoid confusion. I will have to conduct more research during this period to have a solid grounding. So, if we take the Indian male returnees, for example, one male would have contributed $US24.00 (half

of the amount of the return passage of US$48.00). We know also at least about 325 (a conservative figure) Indians returned home every year from BG from the 1880s, and seventy-five per cent (243) of them were males.

So, we multiplied 24 x 243 to find out how much money returnees contributed to their return passage for one year, which is US$5,832. So, for 30 years, we multiply 30 x US$5,832, and the amount is US$174,960.

Now let us do a calculation for women using the same conservative formula.

Indian women contributed one-third of their return passage. I divided 48 by three which means that women

contributed 16 dollars each to their return passage. Out of the 325 returnees, about 25 per cent were women, which meant then that 81 of them returned from BG to India each year during the period under discussion. For one year Indian women contributed 16 multiplied by 81, which gives us a total of US$1,296, and for 30 years we multiplied US$1,296 x 30 resulting in a total figure of US$38,880.

The total amount of money Indian indentured contributed for the years between 1890 and 1920 would be US$174,960 + US$38,880 giving a total of US$213,840. To be continued (lomarsh.roopnarine@ jsums.edu).

Getting serious about electoral reforms or dialogue

Crossfire By michael younge

illegal land allocation, land grabbing, and siphoning off of oil resources taking place?

The APNU+AFC Coalition does not research the issues comprehensively and arrive at conclusions.

The party is proving that it is a cuss-down and hearsay political unit. It cannot use evidence-based rhetoric, quantitative and qualitative evidence, or analytical data to prove any allegation or political belief that it holds.

This explanation of the Opposition behaviour is the

reason the PPP/C politicians will continue to win over the minds of all sensible and right-thinking, and academically potent Guyanese.

Secondly, the issue of the electoral reforms is another area in which the opposition, APNU+AFC Coalition is taking a beating from the PPP/C Administration that has decided, since November last year, to consult the people.

The opposition continues to change the goal post to leave room for them to cast aspirations about the focus,

quality and coverage. They have decided to withdraw and not make their submissions to the authorities, but yet they engage in the mudslinging propaganda about what GECOM is doing wrong and the flaws they are noticing concerning the registration cycle and elections.

Simply put, the opposition is making excuses because it is widely believed that they are not interested in correcting and remedying the wrongs, flaws, and discrepancies that are part of

the process.

The strengthening of the democratic and electoral processes makes it harder to rig an election.

The public does not want the APNU+AFC bright boys to stand on the side. They must submit their recommendations in writing or oral presentation. They must stand firm against rigging, fraud or electoral collusion now since the eyes of ABC countries are upon Guyana.

Is it too much work for the lawyers and academics in the opposition?

10

sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Do the results match the rhetoric?

GUYANA’S rapid rise as a major oil producer has unquestionably led to a flood of new investments into the country.

But, as government officials tout the economic gains of surging oil production, it is worth stepping back to make sure that the reality is still matching the positive rhetoric. Thankfully, despite challenges that come with this kind of explosive growth, the government seems to be taking the right steps to maximise the gains for Guyanese.

In early February, the GUY$552.6 billion national budget was approved and passed, the largest in Guyana’s history. More importantly, for the first time, it included GUY$126.7billion from the Natural Resources Fund (NRF), which represents Guyana’s share of profits and royalties from oil production. The money made from Guyana’s burgeoning oil and gas sector has been strategically used to support infrastructure projects and social programming, including the health and ed-

ucation sectors. Revenues have enabled the government to spend more while borrowing less from the domestic and international debt markets, compared to previous years.

This month in Houston, Texas, at a forum at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, discussed how local content provisions are expected to generate higher demand for Guyanese goods but could also lead to the possibility of price hikes. “We have been pushing the other sectors, especially the agriculture sector,” said Minister Bharrat.

Th e g o v er n men t is seeking to proactively expand in-country production to guard against this problem and other challenges that come with the kind of rapid growth Guyana’s economy is experiencing.

The Minister also highlighted how the government is pushing to build necessary infrastructure across Guyana and using oil funds to support the

growth of its manufacturing sector to help meet demand locally, especially with the new Wales gas-to-energy project.

Recently, NRG Holdings won a contract to support future construction activities of ExxonMobil.

This consortium is building a majority Guyanese owned shorebase, called Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base Inc. (VEHSI), on the West Coast of Demerara. This project is another indicator that local content legislation is encouraging investment. This is evident in the billions of dollars in new infrastructure spending for Eccles to Mandela Avenue Road, which will be compliant with traffic regulations to increase safety. The government has also been vocal about commitment to the training and employment of Guyanese in the energy sector, which has led to development of training programmes and a new training centre.

As revenues are used to fund country-wide infrastructure like roads, electricity service and bridges,

the positive effects of the oil sector could be felt beyond just Georgetown and well into the hinterland.

At the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston earlier this month, the future and growth of Guyana’s energy sector was a key discussion point.

Government officials have been vocal about highlighting both the benefits and challenges Guyana is facing and how it plans to meet them. The rapidly growing economy is driving increased demand for electricity, but the government has pledged that renewable energy will not be left behind. Pairing cleaner natural gas with solar and hydro is a national priority and a key investment area for oil revenues. The Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 establishes incentives that promote a low-carbon economy to support both national and global net-zero goals.

Another benefit of Guyana’s oil wealth is that the country is nearing full employment. However, the surging demand for labour presents a risk due to Guyana’s small population and limited labour force, especially in highly skilled

areas.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo recently pointed out that “we have a small population, a limited labour force; we’d have to carefully, at some point in the future, think we’d hit full employment. So, we may have to consider an active but careful immigration policy. That is how you expand your capacity.”

As the experience of other countries shows, local content policies like the one passed late last year can also have significant implications for this situation. It is critical that they are enforced in a way that does not strip critical workers away from other key industries through overly aggressive efforts that end up hurting the broader economy.

But, despite some of the challenges of a rapidly growing energy sector, oil revenues are enabling the government to proactively tackle issues like rising costs and scarce labour with new tax credits and programmes to support households and businesses in other sectors. Late last month, the Minister of Finance removed the cement

tax in order to support the construction boom in addition to new programmes to help homebuyers and builders.

President Irfaan Ali announced, earlier this week, that the government will set up a special unit to assist people who own land but are having difficulties beginning construction of their homes. “The government will support the applicant through the process of applying for bank financing to meet the cost for constructing a home and will also look at helping in the initial phase of construction by the release of resources to expedite the construction process and help in bringing the banks and homeowners together so that you can own your own home,” President Ali said.

Guyana is already working to ensure non-energy sectors are on a path to also benefit and thrive from the new-found oil wealth.

The actions by the government demonstrate a commitment to the responsible stewardship and deployment of resources that matches the rhetoric.

sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Special committee to address trade barriers ... from page 8

the lack of adequate regional transportation by sea and air has been recognised as an obstacle to the transportation of food within the region.

“The Group was heartened by the advice of the Caribbean Development Bank that it is willing to use its best efforts to mobilise resources in this effort,” the statement noted.

In the area of youth and women, the CARICOM Secretariat will be authorised to commission an urgent study for consideration by the Special Meeting of Heads of Government proposed for the third quarter of this year, on ways to attract

and expand the participation of youth and women by at least 20 per cent by 2025.

“Recognising and affirming the importance of the participation of women and youth in agriculture, both to enlarge the sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of national economies and to empower the two groups to share in the earnings that can be generated by a vibrant agricultural sector,” the statement said.

The group also commended Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, and President Ali for the cre-

ation of the food security initiative and the hosting of the investment forum.

“They welcomed with great appreciation the important and timely initiative by Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali of organising the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo from which these deliberations and recommendations have been made.

They looked forward enthusiastically to maintaining the momentum, generated by this meeting, at a follow-up “Agriculture and Food Security Forum” in Trinidad and Tobago in August 2022,” the statement noted.

11

12

sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Opportunities unlocked –– Small businesses capture investors’ interest at ‘Agri Expo’

By Jared Liddell AS the inaugural Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, which saw 250 exhibitors and over 500 delegates in attendance, came to a close on Saturday, several small businesses have caught the eye of major local and international investors.

Speaking with the Sunday Chronicle, the owner of Fresh Packagers Inc., Sursattie Paul, stated that since the conference opened on Thursday, at least three investors have signalled their intention to invest in her company.

The company specialises in the manufacturing of plantain flour, pepper sauce, achars, sugar cake, and mittai, along with several imported spices.

Speaking about the benefits of the expo, Paul said that her business, like the others at the expo, didn’t just benefit from exposure to new consumers, but also partnerships and finding opportunities, both of which, she opined, are extremely important in growing a small business.

“These events are always good for us as small businesses because we’re not only selling, but we are meeting a wide range of people that could help us better and expand our businesses.

“For this one especial-

Owner of Fresh Packagers Inc., Sursattie Paul showcasing her products at the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo (Elvin Croker photo) ly, we got a chance to meet with the delegates and investors. I have so far been able to make arrangements for future talks with three investors since the expo started,” Paul, who has been in business for over 12 years, told the Sunday Chronicle.

Another business owner, Dawn Skepmire, a herbal doctor, described the expo as a “blessing,” noting that the platform has also allowed her the opportunity to align her with several investors who are interested in helping her grow her business.

Skepmire’s business, “Dawndelion” was established in 2017 and spe-

Osemella Semple, owner of ‘Osemella’s Art and Craft,’ showcasing some of her art and jewelry pieces (Elvin Croker photo)

cialises in the provision of goods and services that feed both the body and the mind. She uses over 150 different types of herbs to treat her customers’ specific needs.

Skepmire explained that her business offers remedies for both physical and mental ails.

The businesswoman further stated that the expo has also allowed business owners the opportunity to “go back to the drawing board” to better their products and services and the way it is delivered to the customers.

Skepmire added that the expo also opened the door for local business owners to be able to export their products.

Iambie Cave, co-owner of Azirra Games, echoed similar sentiments when she spoke about her experience at the expo.

Azirra Games, which has been in operation for the past four years, produces fun and exciting board games that centre on the Guyanese experience and history.

Cave told this publication that her company, in particular, has been

Linden and Iambie Cave, co-owners of Azirra Games, showcasing one of their popular games, “Real Guyanese” (Elvin Croker photo) exposed to investors and she held talks with several international investors “it’s very important that you, as a business person, get involved with expos because they allow you to broaden your horizons, you have the potential to form partnerships, meet with investors

Dawn Skepmire owner of ‘Dawndelion’ (Elvin Croker photo)

or even get tips on how to improve your operations, and I think that is invaluable.

“We have been here for three days and I can say we have been able to take away value from this expo that will be used to improve the operations of our business,” Cave stated.

Meanwhile, Osemella Semple, stated that during her three days at the expo, it allowed her the opportunity to meet with persons eager to form partnerships in a bid to aid in her business expansion plans.

Semple, who owns a jewelry and art store ‘Osemella’s Art and Craft’ - lauded the government’s commitment towards entrepreneurship and local business.

Semple said she is happy to see the aggressive role the government has taken to ensure that systems such as the Agri Expo, are being put in place to give small and medium businesses a platform to showcase the talent and the business expertise of Guyanese.

13

sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

54 new COVID cases in 24 hours

THE Ministry of Health on Saturday reported 54 new COVID-19 cases from 1, 847 tests, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 64, 228.

The new cases were recorded in the following regions: Region Two (two cases), Region Three (13 cases), Region Four (31 cases), Region Five (two cases), Region Six (five cases) and Region Ten (one case).

No deaths were reported, which means that the total deaths for this month remains at three persons; to date, 1, 231 persons have died since this pandemic hit these shores in March 2020.

There are currently two cases in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with 21 patients in institutional isolation and 519 in home isolation.

To date, 62, 455 people have recovered from the virus.

14

sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

MoU signing moves Guyana/Antigua into new sphere of integration – President Ali

PRESIDENT Dr Irfaan Ali says the new agreement between Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda now moves the countries closer together, building on decades of already strong bilateral relations.

“This expansion of our relations now moves us into

impact on the agriculture sector.

In the area of energy, President Ali added that the two sides will also examine how they can further strengthen co-operation in ensuring energy security and that the assets in all countries are optimally

can move this forward.”

In his remarks, Prime Minister Browne commended President Ali for his exemplary leadership in the region in bringing together all stakeholders to address the critical issue of food security.

He reminded that Guy-

President, Dr Irfaan Ali and Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at State House on Friday (Office of the President photo) a new sphere of economic integration and infrastructure integration,” President Ali was quoted as saying in a press release from the Office of the President on Saturday.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on Friday by President Ali and the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, provides for economic co-operation in eight areas, including tourism, financial services, agriculture, energy and air transportation.

In his remarks, the Guyanese Head of State said that given the new dynamics surrounding food security and transportation, deliberations in this regard are of “immense importance” and can have a very positive

utilised for the economic and social benefits of their people.

Importantly, he expressed optimism that the new approach and the enhanced co-operation will go a long way to “short-circuit the bureaucracy.”

The President also pointed to the benefits to the tourism and financial sectors of both countries.

“I am very pleased that we were able to conclude this MoU and we will be working diligently with the technical team from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant sectors, in accelerating low-hanging fruits; things that can be achieved in the short to medium term and the longterm initiatives so that we

ana and Antigua have been at the forefront of the integration movement and have enjoyed close bilateral relationships over the years.

Prime Minister Browne said the new co-operation agreement which the two countries are pursuing will create even more opportunities including increased investments and trade.

The agreement, he added, will help to strengthen the countries’ bilateral relationship and enhance their collective contribution to the integration movement.

Prime Minister Browne and a number of CARICOM Heads of Government are in Guyana for the inaugural Agri Investment Forum and Expo.

sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill FINANCIAL accountability and less commute time are some of the benefits of the modern automated tolling system which was officially commissioned on Friday, according to Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill.

“I’m happy to join this occasion to publicly launch this new initiative which is aimed at doing three things.

“Number one; making commute across the bridge easier; number two, improving financial accountability and, number three; bringing us into modernisation, where

Demerara Bridge will also feature a similar system when it materialises. However, the hope is to have it on the western side of the bridge as opposed to the eastern side, as it is situated currently.

“Let’s get Guyanese used to this technology; let’s get Guyanese used to this way of doing business. A new Demerara Harbour Bridge will be in place before the end of 2025; the contract will be signed shortly and construction will begin thereafter.

“We expect that it will

15

Automated tolling system commissioned at 'Harbour Bridge'

be completed within two years from the start of construction,” the Public Works Minister said.

The automated system uses a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) strip which is picked up by scanners installed above the toll booth. The system is supported by GTT’s Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) to facilitate use of the system by way of purchasing credit as payment.

General Manager of GTT’s Mobile Money, Bobita Ram, said the new system is simple and urges commuters to take advantage of it.

“We encourage all commuters to register for the RFID tag which is placed on the vehicle’s windscreen.

Use MMG whether it is from your own MMG account or one of our agent locations to put money on your Demerara Harbour Bridge account, and then you just breeze through, basically in a matter of seconds.”

The new system is expected to make commuting easier for the over 25,000 vehicles that use the bridge daily.

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill and others look on as a vehicle utilises the automated tolling system. (Photo: DPI) people don’t always have to be searching their pockets and bags for money to pay,” Minister Edghill was quoted as saying by the Department of Public Information (DPI).

He said the move to implement the automated tolling system was birthed after a tug hit the bridge and caused traffic to stall. The minister, according to DPI, explained that, at the time, a decision was taken to allow vehicles to pass without paying, so that it would not interrupt the flow of traffic.

Minister Edghill said that in less than one hour, traffic that was backed up for miles cleared the bridge.

He noted that the new

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, cuts the ribbon with General Manager of GTT’s Mobile Money, Bobita Ram and other GTT representatives at the commissioning of the automated tolling system. (Photo: DPI)

16

sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Police Commanders exposed to HIV sensitivity training

THE National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), on Wednesday last, conducted a oneday sensitivity training

at the Guyana Police Force Officer’s Training Centre, as part of a national response guided by the National HIV Strategic Plan

access to public goods, services and justice by the key and other vulnerable populations and people living with HIV.

velopment Project which funded similar training with ranks from regional divisions.

The training agenda

reports at the police stations.

Head of NAPS, Dr. Tariq Jagnarine, gave brief remarks and presented

ers also previewed the epidemiological profile of HIV in Guyana.

The training was facilitated by Alessandra

NAPS officials with Police Commanders and senior officers who participated in the sensitivity training at the Guyana Police Force Officer’s Training Centre session on stigma and discrimination associated with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for Regional Police Commanders.

The training took place

2021 – 2025, Strategic Area 4: “Gender equity, Human Rights and Community System Strengthening.”

It addressed the structural barriers that hinder

The training was a continuation of the collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under its Global HIV Health De-

included areas that would help build core knowledge and skills and applied principles geared towards the elimination of HIV, human rights related issues of persons making

on HIV 101, prevention approaches such as Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) and HIV self-testing.

The Police Command-

Hereman, a Gender Advocate, who would have facilitated several Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression (SOGIE) and Human Rights training.

Fire Service teaches children about prevention, safety

MEMBERS of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) have been visiting schools across the country to teach students and increase their awareness about fire prevention and safety.

According to Public Re-

lations Officer, Silyne Griffith, during the visits, ranks provided vital knowledge to the children through talks and demonstrations.

“We encourage schools to contact the Fire Service to request and plan these

visits, as we wish to reach all schools and educate the population.

The education of even a small child does not aim at preparing him for school, but for life,” she noted.

These Prospect Nursery School children were ‘treated’ to the use of the fire hose by a rank of the GFS

Learners of the Canadian School of Arts and Science with ranks of the GFS along with a fire engine

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 22, 2022

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sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Prison Officers awarded medals for long service, dedication

PRISON wardens, on Saturday, received medals for their long service and dedication to the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) during a ceremony held at the National Racquet Centre Tarmac, Woolford Avenue Georgetown.

The Prison Service, in a press release, noted that the medals were presented to ranks who had given over 15 years of service, and so, a total of 93 ranks received medals.

During his remarks at the ceremony, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, emphasised that responsibility, dedication and hard work were the essential values that should always drive Pris-

on Officers in their duties.

Prison Officers, he underlined, have the crucial role of upholding law and order in the penal system and should therefore carry out their duties in an effective and efficient manner for a safer environment through best correctional practices.

Minister Benn commended the ranks’ efforts and sacrifices as well as their vast contribution in the progress achieved by the prison service.

Meanwhile, Director of Prisons (ag), Nicklon Elliot charged the ranks and officers to adhere to the established ethical rules in order to maintain a secure and efficient Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn pins a medal on one of the recipients during the ceremony at the environment in the coun- National Racquet Centre Tarmac, Woolford Avenue Georgetown

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn and Permanent Secretary Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas flanked by some of the women who received medals for their years of service

try’s prisons, as he congratulated them for their services.

Elliot extended gratitude to the ranks for their contributions as criminal justice professionals, while explaining that their efforts have created an “environment for inmates to acquire the skills and attitude to be effectively re-integrated in their communities.”

On congratulating the medallists, he urged them to continue to conduct themselves in a manner which other ranks could emulate, as such would create a sustained environment of efficiency and

professionalism.

The GPS noted that the ceremony was established to recognise the valuable services given by prison officers, particularly those who inspired other members of staff through their efficiency and dedication to the prison service.

The list of medallists was headed by Principal Officer 11, Shellon Nero for 33 unbroken years of service.

Also at the award ceremony was Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn and Permanent Secretary Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas flanked by some of the male ranks who received medals for their years of service

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sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Coconut industry sees expansion – CARDI’s Executive Director

THE global coconut industry is expanding, and so is the industry in the Caribbean, with Guyana being among the top producers.

Speaking on Day Two of the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, Ansari Hosein, Executive Director of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), gave some insight into the development of the regional coconut industry.

“Long time ago when we spoke about ‘liquid gold’, we would normally be speaking about oil, but coconuts have the potential to be liquid gold as well.

“Out of 70 billion coconuts harvested every year,

a lot of prospects for the development of the industry in the region, Hosein highlighted a number of strengths, such as acreage.

He said that while some rehabilitation is needed, there is much room for expansion and development.

Hosein noted that through a new project, more than 100 linkages were developed with partners, such as the European Union, CARDI and other regional and international agencies.

He added that there is a growing number of governments in the region willing to support the coconut industry, including Guyana.

But while there is scope for development, the industry has its challenges, such as

Ricky Roopchand, General Manager of the Hope Coconut Industries Limited about at least 10 billion is used for coconut water alone. The global market is estimated to go from about the value of $11.5 billion in 2018 to more than $30 billion in 2026,” he was quoted by the Department of Public Information (DPI) as saying.

China, the largest importer of dehusked coconuts, has increased its quota from approximately US$62 million in 2012, to US $401 million in 2021.

According to the DPI, Hosein said that the demand for coconuts in the Caribbean between 2016 and 2020 has grown from more from US$8 million to US$10 million, and that production in the region will move from more than 313,000 tonnes in 2010 to more than 726,000 tonnes in 2023.

Guyana is among the three countries in the region that account for more than 90 per cent of that production at 20 per cent, with the Dominican Republic producing 59 per cent, and Jamaica 12 per cent.

Noting that there are

poor agricultural practices and the common issue of accessing equipment and planting materials.

Access to capital and need for better infrastructure were also highlighted as challenges, along with trade barriers in some countries.

The red palm mite and lethal yellowing are among some of the pest and diseases that also pose challenges.

Despite these challenges, there is great interest and a number of regional companies have invested heavily in the sector.

Meanwhile, during the interactive session, General Manager of the Hope Coconut Industries Limited, Ricky Roopchand noted that there is a major issue that is hampering the import and export of coconut seedlings.

“We have a major bottleneck in terms of moving material or getting material in the country among CARICOM, the phytosanitary conditions that you have to meet is a major bottleneck.

I think it’s draconian, to put it in another term, you

can’t even move anything,” Roopchand said.

He noted that there are currently 10 coconut nurseries across the country capable of producing 206,000

coconut seedlings at full capacity.

“Guyana could supply other places with coconut planting materials, and we need, at this time, to import some 18-month variety from Suriname, but we can’t do it,” Roopchand noted.

In response, Hosein

acknowledged the challenge, but noted that this it necessary to prevent pests and diseases from entering another country. He said these policies can only be changed by the individual territories.

The PPP/C Government, since taking office in

2020 has made tremendous strides in providing support to the various stakeholders in the coconut industry.

To revive the industry, several coconut nurseries were set up in various parts of the country to encourage the cultivation of coconuts.

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sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

GDF ranks complete Maxido self defence training TWENTY THREE members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), on Friday, graduated following their completion of the Maxido Adult Self Defence training.

The ranks were awarded internationally recognised certificates at a simple closing ceremony held at the Auditorium, Base Camp

rity personnel how to apply breakage and dislocation in under four seconds and goes under the motto “Pain Application for Bullies”.

Further, the training better equips soldiers to defend themselves in any close quarter combat situation and augments their military training, which enables them to safely execute their duties.

Soldiers demonstrate an aspect of the Maxido techniques taught to them Ayanganna, Thomas Lands.

According to the GDF, the training, which is the first of its kind to be held for soldiers only, was conducted from May 9 to May 20, 2022, at Base Camp Ayanganna by Master Max Massiah and his team.

Master Max Massiah is a highly decorated member of the martial arts community, both locally and internationally.

Maxido Adult Self Defence is a system that teaches vulnerable people and secu-

All the graduates were promoted to the “GREY” level in Maxido.

Also, ranks were taught how to defend against a series of armed and unarmed attacks.

The severity of the defence response excluded the system from sports or competitions and it is only taught to adults 20-90 years old.

Private Nick Bascome was recognised for having the most outstanding performance and was awarded a Maxido badge by Master Max Massiah.

Private Nick Bascome receives his Maxido Badge from Master Max Massiah

sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

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Agreement signed with IPED to enhance financial literacy of police ranks THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Institute of Private Enterprise Development Ltd (IPED) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) that will see the two organisations partnering, with emphasis placed on improving financial literacy that caters for both members of the Force and the public.

The agreement was signed recently in the Commissioner’s Conference Room at Force Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown

by Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ (ag), Calvin Brutus and IPED’s Officer in Charge of Admin/Human Resources, Dianne Wong.

According to Police Headquarters, the five-year MoA will see IPED providing training to members of the GPF in building capacity in areas such as human resources; project management; entrepreneurship; business management; technical and managerial support services; community relations; scholarships and resources that will aid the progression of members of the Force.

The partnership also caters to members of the community being trained in areas of entrepreneurship among

other beneficial areas.

“We are appreciative that the Police decided that they are going to reach these young people before they become a statistic in our country.

“This is a good initiative you have started and IPED is proud to be a part of this because I know it will curb a lot of behaviour and once behaviours are fixed a whole lot of things can be changed as well, so thanks for giving IPED this opportunity,” Wong noted.

Specialised training for officers heading into retirement will also be a primary focus of the GPF. IPED will provide highly effective retirement training and also provide the most comprehensive retirement assistance.

Deputy Commissioner Brutus also lauded the collaboration, which will see participants gaining knowledge that would allow them to make informed financial decisions.

Brutus also alluded to the fact that financial literacy is paramount and is something that those who are of age will be able to benefit from and for those who are younger, they will be in a better position to make informed decisions.

Woman allegedly kills husband in Port Kaituma

POLICE have arrested a 50-year-old woman in connection with the murder of her husband, 43-year-old Felix Henry, a chainsaw operator known as ‘Oldie.’

Police Headquarters reported that the incident occurred at 10 Miles, Port Kaituma, North West District, between May 19 and May 20, 2022.

When the police visited the scene on May 20, around 09:50hrs, they found Henry’s body in a sitting position inside the kitchen with a two inch wound in the middle of his neck.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect and the victim shared a 20-year abusive relationship, the police noted.

It is alleged that between 17:00hrs on May 19 and 07:40hrs on May 20, the couple was at home imbibing when an argument erupted.

The wife claimed that Henry armed himself with a cutlass and chased her around the yard. She then went back into the house and armed herself with a knife and stabbed him once to his neck in the kitchen area of the house.

“The victim then collapsed and the suspect went into the bedroom area of the house and slept. When she woke up on the morning of May 20th she found the victim lying motionless with a stab wound to his neck,” police reported.

At around 06:30hrs, the woman’s 28-year-old son went to the house where he saw the victim lying motionless. He immediately visited the Port Kaituma Police Station and reported the matter.

A brown handle knife with suspected blood stains was recovered at the scene and the suspect admitted that was the weapon used to inflict the wound on her husband.

Henry was officially pronounced dead at the Port Kaituma Hospital.

Deputy Commissioner (ag), Calvin Brutus and Officer in Charge of Admin/Human Resource, Dianne Wong, exchanged a signed copy of the MoA. Others present include: from left, Force Training Officer, Superintendent Keithon King; Head of the Force’s Strategic Planning Unit, Woman/Assistant Superintendent, Nicola Kendall; Head of the Community Relations Department, Superintendent Crystal Robinson and IPED’s Company Secretary, Juanita Critchlow

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sunday CHRONICLE may 22, 2022

Roy’s Quality Spices – savouring a tradition

By Naomi Parris

WITH a small hand mill, and just a few ingredients at this Essequibo Coast house, Roy Singh, in 1996, started a business that would, decades later, dominate the Guyanese market.

With recipe’s passed down from generations, Roy’s Quality Spices, is not your typical agro-processing business; it is a flavourful fusion of history and a love for family bottled in a spice bottle.

Now heading the company, Govinda Singh inherited the rich and authentic taste of Roy’s Quality spices from his father. This newspaper met Singh at the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), where he shared the unique history of a family empire.

“Roy’s Quality Spices is located on the Essequibo; we’ve been doing this business for 26 years…so it started off with my father; we

started doing the spice trade and selling the raw spices.”

It all began with a favour to a friend. According to Singh, his father was asked to grind some Garam masala for a friend who was travelling at the time. After receiving rave feedback, Singh’s father decided to start a small business selling raw spices.

“He started grinding the spices by hand mill and then later on he improved with electric mill; so since then to now, we would have devel-

Govinda Singh of Roy’s Quality Spices oped recipes like the fried rice seasoning and so on but our Garam masala, which is our signature product, is an actual recipe from my grandmother, so that recipe has been passed down from generations.”

Over the years, the Singhs

HORIZON Roy’s Quality Spices is also hoping to tap into other Caribbean markets.

Singh said that investors have already lined up and indicated their interest in his business and want to learn

A few of Roy’s Quality Spices on display have perfected their recipes, making an array of products to offer the markets.

“We have recently started upgrading our packaging and stuff, but it is not only the lovely packaging, it’s the lovely taste that our products give the food.”

With 67 products available, the Singhs are to expand their product line further to provide spices to cover all the letters in the alphabet.

“We are introducing our new product line which will cover all the spices from A-Z, any spice that you can think about; if you want Annatto we have that, if you want rosemary we have that, himalayan pink salt, we have that, Za’atar we have that.”

EXPANSION ON THE

more about what he has to offer the Caribbean market.

“It has been great, it is not the first time being at exhibitions; I can see a lot of potential customers, but, apart from that, the event has enabled me to meet with all of these different people from different countries and parts of the world.”

As the curtains closed on Saturday at the Expo, Singh will take back to the Cinderella County more than what he came with.

“We are in the process of expanding our factory and so on to cater for an increased demand that we are expecting.

So all of these banks and so have made contact for us to seek loans from them.

So right now, we are considering how we will move forward.”

A few of the spices from Roy’s Quality Spices

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 22, 2022

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 22, 2022

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 22, 2022

GSW fight back to beat Dallas in Western Conference Curry’s 32-point tally included six threepointers

(BBC) - Golden State Warriors (GSW) fought back from 19 points down to beat Dallas Mavericks 126-117 and go 2-0 up in the Western Conference play-off final.

Stephen Curry topscored for his side with 32 points, while six Golden State players finished in double figures.

Luka Doncic posted a game-high 42 points for Mavericks.

“I told them that if we developed some poise in the second half that the game would come to us,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

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Mavericks led by 19 points at one point during the first half and were 7258 up at the break on the road in California.

The visiting side made 15 of 21 three-pointers in the first half but only six in the second half.

Warriors, helped by outscoring their rivals 19-6 at the end of the third quarter, closed the gap to two before taking the lead at the start of the fourth quarter and went on to take victory in a game in which Kevon Looney scored a career-high 21 points.

“I thought we were so scattered in the first half, maybe emotionally more

than anything. Dallas came out and punched us,” said Kerr.

“We just needed to get poised and get the game under control. We felt confident that if we did that, they wouldn’t make 15 three-pointers in the second half. And that if they did, you just had to pat them on the back.”

Mavericks went 2-0 down to Phoenix Suns in the last round of the play-offs before winning the best-of-seven series 4-3 and coach Jason Kidd hopes his side can learn the lessons from their latest defeat to launch another comeback.

“We have to understand, when we shoot three or four threes in a row and miss, you’ve got to get to the rim and get the ball into the paint,” Kidd said.

“It happens. They held serve. We’ve seen this in Phoenix so now we have to go back and just focus on game three and get ready for game three, understanding what’s at stake.”

Game three of the bestof-seven series is tonight (01:30 BST Monday) in Dallas.

In the Eastern Conference finals, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat are tied at 1-1.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 22, 2022

Leclerc takes pole in Spain ahead of Verstappen, Sainz (BBC) - Charles Leclerc withstood enormous pressure after a spin on his first lap in final qualifying to bounce back and take pole at the Spanish Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver pulled out a superb performance to demote title rival Max Verstappen’s Red Bull to second.

The world champion was fastest on the first lap but suffered a loss of power on his final lap that meant he was unable to respond to Leclerc’s pace.

George Russell was fourth for Mercedes’ best performance of the season.

Te a m - m a t e L e w i s Hamilton was sixth fastest, behind Red Bull’s

Sergio Perez. Carlos Sainz was third in the second Ferrari at his home race.

Russell was 0.643 seconds off pole position after upgrades for this race moved the team forwards and reduced the aerodynamic bouncing that has plagued them all season.

Mercedes had looked

Charles Leclerc has won two of the first five races of the 2022 season more competitive through the weekend than at any race so far this season, but in the end they were not in the fight at the very front, even if they can be pleased to have beaten one car from the top two teams.

The Ferrari drivers and Verstappen were out of reach, though, and Leclerc underlined his status as the qualifying king of F1 this season with his fourth pole position in six races.

When he spun entering the final chicane on his first run in the top-10 shootout he made life much more difficult for himself than it needed to

be - his first lap already looked set to put him at the top of the times.

But if he felt any pressure it did not show in his driving, and his final lap was remarkable.

“I feel good,” said Leclerc, who leads Verstappen by 19 points in the championship. “It was a very, very difficult session, especially in Q3 as I did a mistake in the first run and then I only had one lap.

“It went extremely well. I had a bit of a moment but I made it stick.

It was a very good lap and the car was amazing too, so very, very happy.”

Verstappen, winner of

the last two races, said he did not know whether he would have been able to beat Leclerc had he not run into problems with his DRS overtaking aid not opening on his final run.

“To be on the front row is a good performance but I would like to have gone for that final lap,” he said, admitting that Red Bull had struggled to find a balance in the car this weekend.

As has been the case for much of the season, the top two were in a league of their own Sainz was 0.416 secs adrift of his team-mate in third place.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday May 22, 2022) COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 6 centuries (2) 3 five-wicket hauls Today’s Quiz: (1) What is the highest partnership for any wicket in IPL 2012?

(2) Which wicketkeeper effected most dismissals in IPL 2012?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue …………………………………………………………………

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 22, 2022

BCB grants leave to Rahim ahead of West Indies series

(ESPNCRICINFO) - The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has granted leave to Mushfiqur Rahim for Bangladesh’s upcoming tour of West Indies, so that he can perform Hajj in July.

This year’s Islamic pilgrimage is in July, for which Mushfiqur is likely to travel to Saudi Arabia on June 22.

“He informed us before the Sri Lanka series that he wants to perform Hajj this year,” Jalal Yunus, BCB’s cricket operations chairman, said. “When he got confirmation, he gave us a letter that he wanted leave. We have granted him the time.

We had an initial thought that he might be available

for part of the tour but he is off for the whole tour.”

Bangladesh are likely to travel to the West Indies on June 5. ESPNcricinfo understands that they will play the two Tests against West Indies, in Antigua and St Lucia from June 16. The T20Is are from July 2 to 6 while the ODIs are from July 10 to 16. Only the Test series is part of the World Test Championship. The ODIs are not part of the Super League.

Mushfiqur, Bangladesh’s most capped Test cricketer, became the first from the team to reach 5 000 runs in the format in the Chattogram Test last week. Bangladesh therefore will miss

the batter who was in their last three West Indies tours.

The team is already without four key bowlers, all out with injuries. Taskin Ahmed is still recuperating from a shoulder injury while Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shoriful Islam and Nayeem Hasan all have hand injuries.

Bangladesh selectors haven’t yet named any of the three squads, but it is very likely that they have their hands full to replace at least these five cricketers.

Mushfiqur these days is a middle-order batter who only keeps wicket in the white-ball format, but it will be tough for them to find his replacement in any of the three formats.

Mushfiqur Rahim reached the landmark of 5 000 Test runs last week (AFP/Getty Images)

Powell blitz in vain as Capitals beaten by Mumbai

(ESPNCRICINFO) Ten balls. That’s all it took. Ten balls of carnage to end Delhi Capitals’ season and thrust Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) into the playoffs.

Ti m D a v i d w o u l d have been out for 0 had they opted to review a caught-behind decision in the 15th over when the

equation was 65 off 33.

Instead he got to face 10 more balls and scored 34 heartbreaking runs to punish Rishabh Pant and his men for an error that will haunt them for what will feel like forever.

BUMRAH ROARS Even in this atrocious season, Mumbai Indians managed to have a say in who would win the IPL.

They restricted Capitals to 159 for 7 in a must-win game.

Jasprit Bumrah (4-025-3) was extraordinary.

Even on a slow pitch, he hurried batters with his pace and picked up the kind of wickets that will form a fast-bowling hype reel: Prithvi Shaw bounced out, Mitchell Marsh caught at first

slip and Rovman Powell clean-bowled.

The thought of him bowling in tandem with Jofra Archer next season is just bonkers.

POWELL POWER Wankhede tonight was all about pace off the ball and even a hitter of Rishabh Pant’s repute was going at 10 off 15 and later 24 off 28. Rohit Sharma

Rovman Powell lined up Hrithik Shokeen’s finger-spin (PTI)

was worse: 2 off 13.

Capitals needed someone to defy the conditions just like Bumrah did and up stepped Powell. With the score at 50 for 4 in the ninth over, he understood that he needed bat time. Then, after he had taken the time to assess the pitch, he took a calculated risk, targeting a finger-spinner who brought the ball into him. Shokeen was smashed for 20 runs in the 12th over.

This was a fine finisher at work, respecting the conditions when he needed to, and then winning a favourable match-up to bring his team back into the game. Powell made 43 off 34 balls, the best of those runs was a pull for six off the virtually unplayable Bumrah.

CAPITALS’ FIGHT At 5.1 overs, Capitals had a 57% chance of winning the game. At 5.2, when Rohit fell, that rose to 62% At 11.2 overs, Capitals had a 43% chance of winning the game. At 11.3, when Ishan Kishan fell, that rose to 51% At 14.2 overs, Capitals had a 69% chance of win-

ning the game. At 14.3, when Dewald Brevis fell, that rose to 77%.

The bowlers did everything they could to keep them in the game.

Then came 14.4, Thakur to David - 0 run. It was a gorgeous ball. Full. but not quite drive-able, just kissing the pitch and whooshing through to the keeper.

The appeal was instant. Umpire Tapan Sharma was unmoved. Pant and Thakur got together.

They spoke at length.

Then they separated and all was good with the world until the replay came on the big screen and UltraEdge had a big spike as ball passed bat.

Pant kicked the turf.

Ponting fumed in the dugout. David kept hitting sixes. Capitals tried to hide the ball out of his reach. But he’s 6’4 and very strong so even mishits tend to go the distance.

In the end, 11 men in red and blue skulked around the Wankhede outfield, expressionless.

For the second season running, their IPL ended in heartbreak.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 22, 2022

Kevin de Bruyne voted 2021-22 Premier League player of the season

(BBC) - Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne has been voted the 2021-22 Premier League player of the season, while team-mate Phil Foden was named best young player.

Belgium midfielder de Bruyne has scored 15 goals and registered seven assists, with City top of the league before the final day of the campaign today.

“To win this award for a second time is an achievement that I am really proud of,” he said.

Foden, 21, is the first player to win his prize in successive seasons. de Bruyne, 30, was chosen after the votes from the public on the Premier League website were combined with those of the 20

Premier League club captains and a panel of football experts.

His City team-mate Joao Cancelo, Liverpool pair of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, Tottenham forward Son Heung-min and Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse were also nominated. de Bruyne also claimed the honour in 2019-20 and joins Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo and Nemanja Vidic in winning it more than once.

“There is so much quality in the Premier League and it is a pleasure to be nominated with so many other great players who have had

incredible seasons for their clubs,” added de Bruyne.

“I think my performances this season have been good and I am happy that I have been able to contribute with goals and assists throughout the season.”

Foden secured the most combined votes from the public and a Premier League panel, to win the young player trophy for a second time.

The England international has scored nine goals and provided five assists this season.

Foden beat Alexander-Arnold, Crystal Palace’s on-loan Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, Palace full-back Tyrick Mitchell, Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount, Arsenal duo Aaron

Ramsdale and Saka, and West Ham midfielder Declan Rice to the award for players aged 23 or under.

“I’m very proud to have won for a second season in a row,” he said.

“I have been really happy with my performances this season and it has been great to contribute to this team in what will hopefully be another successful year for us all.

“To be nominated alongside so many great players is an honour as they have all had great seasons for their clubs.” de Bruyne and Foden can help City retain the Premier League title today - when they host Aston Villa - as their side go into the final round of fixtures

Mbappe agrees to stay at Paris St-Germain (BBC) - France forward Kylian Mbappe has agreed to stay at Paris St-Germain (PSG), turning down a move to Real Madrid.

He has signed a lucrative new three-year deal with the French champions.

The 2018 World Cup winner, 23, had been heavily linked with a move to Spain but has committed his future to PSG. Spain’s La Liga reacted angrily to the news, calling the deal “scandalous” and announcing it plans to file a complaint to UEFA as well as French and EU authorities.

“This type of agreement threatens the economic sustainability of European football,” read a La Liga statement, adding that it put “hundreds of thousands of jobs and sporting integrity at risk in the medium term, not only from European competitions, but also from our domestic leagues”.

According to Spanish football expert, Guillem Balague, writing last month, PSG were prepared to offer Mbappe a 150M euro signing-on fee to keep him for another two seasons.

He had agreed a financial package with Real months ago for a potential switch to Spain, but has decided not to join Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

Mbappe said he was “very happy” to stay at PSG after he and club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi announced the striker’s new deal on Parc des Princes pitch before his side played Metz in their final Ligue 1 match of the season.

“I am convinced that here I can continue to grow within a club that gives itself all the means to perform at the highest level,” Mbappe said in a club statement.

“I am also very happy to be able to continue playing in France, the country where I was born, grew up and flourished.”

He initially joined PSG on a season-long loan from Monaco in August 2017 and has helped them win four Ligue 1 titles in five seasons.

With his contract running out in June, the Qatari-owned side were desperate to keep him and were prepared to offer the player a £21M net annual salary.

Mbappe scored in each leg against Real in the

Champions League last 16 this season, but it was not enough to prevent PSG from going out 3-2 on aggregate.

He finished the season as Ligue 1’s leading scorer with 28 goals and provided a further 17 assists in 35 games as PSG won the domestic title with four games to spare.

‘AN INSULT TO FOOTBALL’ Javier Tebas, president of Spain’s La Liga, has been a staunch opponent of big-spending European clubs such as PSG and Manchester City, as well as the proposed European Super League.

In a post on social media, he said: “What PSG is going to do by renewing Mbappe with large amounts of money after losing 700M euros in recent seasons and having more than 600M euros in wages, is an INSULT to football.”

According to a report published earlier this month by a supervisory body of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the governing body of the French professional leagues, PSG made a loss of 224.3M euros during

the 2020-21 season.

That came after a loss of 124.2M euros in 2019-20, when the Ligue 1 season was cut short in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tebas also added PSG president Al-Khelaifi “is as dangerous as the Super League”.

Real Madrid and Barcelona were among 12 leading European clubs that signed up for a breakaway competition last April, but the proposal collapsed within days following a backlash from players and fans, as well as governments and football’s governing bodies. PSG and Bayern Munich opposed the controversial plans.

The La Liga statement, released after Tebas’ tweet, said it was “scandalous that a club like PSG” could agree such a contract “while those clubs that could accept the arrival of the player without seeing their wage bill compromised are left without being able to sign him”.

La Liga said PSG were “not respecting the rules” and repeated many of the accusations made by its president.

de Bruyne (left) becomes the fourth player to win the Premier League player-of-the-season award more than once one point ahead of ri- home to Wolverhampton vals Liverpool, who are at Wanderers.

Harpy Eagles beat Pride to keep title hopes alive

GUYANA Harpy Eagles pulled off a thrilling victory over Barbados Pride on the final day of play in their Regional Four-Day clash at the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago, yesterday.

Harpy Eagles needed 68 from the final 13 overs and slipped to 46-5 in 9.1 overs until first-innings hero Tagenarine Chanderpaul smashed 23* from ten balls to seal the sensational five-wicket victory with one over to spare.

SUMMARY: Guyana Harpy Eagles 490-7 decl. (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 140*, Gudakesh Motie 110, Tevin Imlach 53; Akeem Jordan 3-108, Raymon Reifer 2-37) & 71-5 (Chanderpaul 23*, Leon Johnson 14*, Keemo Paul 10; Jordan 4-31) beat Barbados Pride 266 (Shai Hope 119, Shane Dowrich 44, Reifer 29; Veerasammy Permaul 4-81, Motie 2-37, Keemo Paul 2-37) & 291 (Kraigg Brathwaite 111, Shayne Moseley 48, Reifer 27, Dowrich 24; Paul 4-90, Nial Smith 3-76, Motie 2-35) by five wickets Pride started the day 44 without loss, still needing 180 more to make Eagles bat again, and the Test duo of Shayne Moseley and Kraigg Brathwaite extended that stand to 84 when Moseley became Nial Smith’s first victim for 48 (9x4) from 85 balls.

A slight stutter saw Pride slip to 150-4 as International players Shamarh Brooks (13), Shai Hope (4), Roston Chase (15) all went cheaply.

Raymon Reifer (27) and Brathwaite stabilised the innings with a 47-run stand

until Veerasammy Permaul dismissed Reifer.

Keemo Paul then produced an inspired and aggressive spell of fast-bowling to rattle Pride and swing things back in the Eagles’ favour.

He peppered the Barbadians and even broke the 50-run stand between Pride’s most experienced pair of Brathwaite and Shane Dowrich.

The Test skipper managed to reach his 27th first-class century and stretched it to 111 (16x4) from 241 balls - the pillar of Pride eking out a 67run lead.

Paul ended with 4-90 while Smith who started the slide took 3-76 and Gudakesh Motie 2-35.

With both Pride and Trinidad & Tobago Red Force losing their third-round matches, it leaves the title open for the taking.

Harpy Eagles will head to Diego Martin where they will play Jamaica Scorpions from May 25 then Red Force on June 1 at the Oval.

In the other match: At Diego Martin: Leeward Hurricanes 357 (Kieran Powell 139, Amir Jangoo 58, Jeremiah Louis 42; Jayden Seales 5-49) & 241-7 decl (Devon Thomas 84, Powell 83; Yannic Cariah 3-33, Akeal Hosein 2-64) beat Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 140 (Joshua DaSilva 65, Bryan Charles 25; Colin Archibald 4-27, Louis 4-32) & 271 (Cariah 100, Jason Mohammed 36, Seales 33, DaSilva 27; Rahkeem Cornwall 4-50, Louis 3-31, Sheeno Berridge 2-30) 187 runs.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 22, 2022

Lucrative prizes up for grabs at Albion/ Everest Independence Day clash AN annual rivalry between Everest Cricket Club (ECC) and Albion Community Centre Cricket Club (ACCCC) will be renewed on May 26, at the ECC ground, and the winning side will pocket $500 000.

It is themed the Dave West Indian Imports Independence Day Challenge and the 40-over clash has historical significance, as these two clubs have had previous exchanges, the last being in the early 90s.

There are also other lucrative prizes on offer for individual brilliance. $3 000 will be awarded

Devendra Bishoo

to every six struck and $2,000 for every four or wicket For the hosts, national players Clinton Pestano, Amir Khan, Rajendra Chandrika, and Richie Looknauth are expected to feature against Devendra Bishoo, Kelvin Umroa, Kandasammy Surjnarine, Sharaz Ramcharran, and Gauraz Ramesh.

The Guyana Tourism Authority and SuperBet have also come on board as sponsors.

Match time is 10:00hrs and admission is free.

Clinton Pestano

Estwick cautions West Indies against expecting easy run in Netherlands

(CMC) – Assistant coach Roddy Estwick has cautioned West Indies against expecting an easy run on the tour of Netherlands, stressing the unfamiliar European conditions could be a factor in the three-match One-Day International series.

The May 31 to June 4 assignment will mark the Caribbean side’s first-ever tour of the Netherlands, and Estwick said a lack of knowledge about pitches, weather and players meant there was plenty of information-gathering to be done in a short space of time.

“If you’re going to represent the West Indies, you should always be thinking about winning,” Estwick told a virtual media conference.

“Our expectation is to win all three ODIs

but it’s not going to be easy. Remember a lot of the players would not have played in conditions like the ones we will encounter in the Netherlands, but it’s how quickly we adjust to the conditions and how quickly we adapt.

“We’ve only got a couple days of practice before we go into the first ODI, so it’s all about adjusting and getting used to the conditions and then executing our game plans as spot on as possible.”

All three matches are scheduled for the VRA Cricket Ground in Amstelveen, an area located in the northwest of the country.

There has been no international cricket at the venue in nearly three years.

Some rain and low temperatures hovering around 20 degrees Celsius have been forecast

for the duration of the tour.

“The major challenge will be adjusting to the pitches and getting used to the conditions,” Estwick continued.

“We don’t know what the conditions will be like – it could be cold, it could be hot – but it’s adjusting to the conditions.

“Obviously we haven’t played any cricket against Holland so we don’t know a lot about the players. Once we get there we’ll have a look at footage, we’ll get the analyst to come up with various strengths and weaknesses (of their players) and then we will come up with a game plan.”

He added: “The key thing is all about focusing on us and making sure we are properly prepared, and that we get as much infor-

West Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick

mation – while we’re practising – about the conditions.

“So that’s going to be very, very key how we prepare over the three days’ practice that we’ve got, and focusing on our skills and our strengths.”

We s t I n d i e s a r e lodged at ninth in the International Cricket

Council’s (ICC) ODI rankings, five spots above the Netherlands, and will be heavy favourites for a clean sweep.

But Estwick again warned his side the only focus which mattered was execution on match-day. “ U n f o r t u n a t e l y, cricket is never played

on paper; it’s played on grass and being favourites count for nothing …,” he argued.

“I think what people have got to look at is the opportunity that’s given to them. The opportunity that is given to them is to go out and represent West Indies – it doesn’t matter who you play. You should not be lowering your standards to accommodate the opposition.

“The bottom line is always give a hundred per cent, no matter who you’re playing against.

That’s the important thing.

“We’re going to try and take the opposition out of the equation and try to make sure we prepare properly and (make sure) the players are in the mental space to go out and execute their skills.”

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 22, 2022

Estwick cautions West Indies against expecting easy run in Netherlands SEE PAGE

West Indies team engage in a training session

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Harpy Eagles beat Pride Powell blitz in vain as to keep title hopes alive Capitals beaten by Mumbai SEE PAGE

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SEE PAGE

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Tagenarine Chanderpaul struck 23* from 10 balls to seal the victory

Keemo Paul took 4-90

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| SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2022