Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 25-02-2021

THURSDAY 25th February, 2021

' No.106283

Minister Walrond calls out Coalition

–– for ‘radicalising and racialising’ budget debate

SEE PAGE 03

Tourism, Industry, and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond

–– reminds them that PPP/C administration is about inclusive governance

Task Force suspends operations of highway resorts 08 PAGE

$30M training hub for persons with 03 disabilities PAGE

Twins unexpectedly 02 Newly promoted 13 deliver minutes apart GDF officers badged PAGE

PAGE

Cathy Hughes’ 13 ‘missing’ laptop found next to her PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Twin unexpectedly delivers minutes apart

By Jeune Bailey Van Keric

HISTORY was created at the New Amsterdam Hospital when twin sisters Amesha Thuesday-Grant and Amela Latasha Thuesday delivered their babies within minutes of each other on Wednesday morning.

Amesha Thuesday-Grant, who underwent a caesarean section delivery, turned up at the New Amsterdam Hospital on Tuesday to keep her appointment for the surgery.

Her sister, Amela Latasha Thuesday visited the hospital because she was experiencing lower abdominal pains.

She was due to have her baby, next Saturday, February 27.

According to midwife, Regina Black, during the admission interview, the young mothers were observed to have dressed similarly and it was then it was confirmed that they were twins.

Their birthdate is August 22, 2000 and they were delivered at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

However, following

their admission, Amesha was booked for surgery while Amela was prepared for induction.

Subsequently, they delivered a boy and girl each, within 16 minutes of each other. Both babies, namely, Cassidy Miracle Grant and Kyron Kingsly Rajgopaul weighed 3Kg 500grams each and shared similar Apgar score of 9/10.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle, Amela Thuesday said the event was not planned but was subsequently discovered after her twin was being treated for gall stones.

It was during an ultra sound examination that it was discovered that it was a baby instead. Both women are elated over the history-making event. Amesha said she had prayed for such a happening.

The twins planned on being together for a much longer time as they live with their spouses at Lot 116 Jarvis Street, Rosignol Village, West Coast Berbice.

Medical Superintendent,

Twin sisters, Amesha Thuesday Grant and Amela Latasha Thuesday before their historic deliveries on Wednesday at the New Amsterdam Hospital

Regional Health Officer, Dr. Vishalya Sharma and New Amsterdam Hospital CEO, Michael Khan hand over a token to the younger twin, Amela Latasha Thuesday, at the New Amsterdam Hospital Maternity Unit on Wednesday afternoon

Dr. Vasana Henry and Regional Health Officer, Dr. Vishalya Sharma, presented tokens to the mothers.

Dr. Henry described the event as momentous, although the deliveries were different, while Dr. Sharma thanked the young mothers for trusting New Amsterdam Hospital to manage their delivery.

New Amsterdam Hospital, Chief Executive Officer, Michael Khan, was also present at the occasion.

Medical Superintendent, Dr. Vasana Henry and Obstetrician, Dr. Raphael hand over tokens to Amesha Thuesday Grant at the Maternity Ward, New Amsterdam Hospital on Wednesday afternoon

Woman wanted in connection with trafficking narcotics THE Guyana Police Force on Wednesday issued a wanted bulletin for 40-year-old Shabeki Chase in connection with the offence of trafficking narcotics.

The police report noted that the offence occurred on February 18, 2021, at Charlotte Street, Georgetown.

Chase’s last known address is 180 Charlotte Street.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Shabeki Chase is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 2682343, 268-2223, 268-2298,

Wanted: Shabeki Chase

268-2222, 264-2333, 2682328, 268-2329, 225-3650, 226-1928, 911 or the nearest police station.

All information will be treated with strictest confidentiality.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Minister Walrond calls out Coalition

3

–– for ‘radicalising and racialising’ budget debate

–– reminds them that PPP/C administration is about inclusive governance

By Isaiah Braithwaite TOURISM, Industry, and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond on Wednesday called out the coalition opposition for “radicalising and racialising” the budget debate which is supposed to be about policy.

Minister Walrond said the PPP/C administration is about inclusive governance, regardless of race.

Citing herself as an example, the minister noted that her family’s connection to the People’s National Congress was no secret. Growing up, the minister said it was the only philosophy she knew.

“Yet the leaders of the PPP/C when considering what their government will look like and who should have a say in defining and implementing its policies,

chose me despite the political connections of my family and despite the fact that I had never before even dreamed of being involved in politics.

This, Mr. Speaker, speaks to the core and the DNA of a President, a party and a philosophy that cannot credibly be held out to be racist and non-inclusive,” the minister stated during her presentation in support of Budget 2021.

Minister Walrond said her appointment is not just “window dressing,” and slammed the opposition for describing Afro-Guyanese under the government as tokens. The prime minister, along with the Ministers of Labour, Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, is testament to the PPP/C administration’s inclusiveness.

“Mr. Speaker, people can

examine for themselves how portfolios were assigned under the APNU+AFC government. I don’t have to delve into their record, it is there and speaks for itself. Suffice it to say Mr. Speaker, as a person new to politics, my own responsibilities are far in excess of those that the previous administration sought to confer even on their prime minister,” Minister Walrond said.

Members of the opposition were also cautioned for their use of the term “ethnic cleansing,” which she said was being wielded with reckless disregard for social cohesion. The minister said the term was coined to describe the thousands who were killed and forcibly removed from their homeland during the brutal Balkan Wars. She said the opposition

was trivialising the term to gain political advantage.

The opposition has employed the loaded term in reference to workers who were let go or who departed the Public Service after the PPP/C assumed office last August.

But Minister Walrond noted that those let go were individuals who openly indicated they were opposed to working with the PPP/C administration under any circumstance.

“Some of these public servants were captured on camera praying and referring to anyone outside of their ‘chosen political circle’ as ‘devils.’” Some said that the PPP/C were rigging the elections. Others said that any PPP/C administration would be illegitimate under any circumstances. Some

Tourism, Industry, and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond

said they had no intention nor inclination to work with a PPP/C government. These sentiments were not hidden Mr. Speaker. They were openly and bluntly expressed and, in some cases, unrelenting in their frequency,” the minister said.

Minister Walrond pointed out that many of the

persons who were politically affiliated to the coalition, were not content to do the job. Instead, they were determined to be obstructionist to stymie the work of the government. The minister questioned how such persons could be relied upon to implement the agenda of the government.

$30M training hub for persons with disabilities – other ‘people-centred’ allocations in 2021 budget

By Rehana Ahamad MINISTER of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, vehemently defended her ministry’s budgetary allocations in the National Assembly on Wednesday. She indicated that while the $383.1 billion budget will be transformative for the country’s economy, it was also specifically crafted to cushion the needs and improve the lives of women, children, persons with disabilities (PWD) and other vulnerable groups of Guyanese.

The minister made direct reference to a sum of $30 million which will go towards constructing a modern building intended to house a training hub for PWDs. The building is expected to be

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, passionately defending her Ministry’s budgetary allocations for 2021

erected in the compound of the Mahaica Hospital, East Coast Demerara. Persons with disabilities, according to Dr. Persaud, will also benefit from a series of vocational training, as well as the provision of prosthetics and other equipment that are often needed by PWDs; some $120 million will go towards the latter venture.

Added to this, some $50 million has also been set aside to further assist the operations of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.

Dr. Persaud said that large allocations within the budget will go towards empowering, training, and promoting entrepreneurship among women throughout the length and breadth of Guyana. She specified a sum of $80 million which has been allocated to train women in a variety of areas including fashion designing, child and elderly care, interior designing business

and enterprise development, graphics designing, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

As it relates to the promotion of entrepreneurship, Dr. Persaud said that the ministry’s programmes will allow for women to have easier access to financing offered by the Small Business Bureau, as well as other loan and grant agencies.

“We will not only see the transformation of the lives of women once they have only gotten the training, but being a part of an extensive programme that moves them from training to investments and grant access so that they can start their businesses, be their own bosses and if they so wish, acquire a skill that will make them marketable and employable,” Minister Persaud said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Single-shot COVID-19 vaccine ‘safe and effective’ A review by US regulators of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine has found it is safe and effective.

It paves the way for it to become the third COVID-19 vaccine to be authorised in the US, possibly within days.

The vaccine would be a cost-effective alternative to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and can be stored in a refrigerator instead of a freezer.

Results from trials were released by Johnson & Johnson last month.

The Belgian company Janssen, which is owned by the pharmaceutical giant, said its data showed the product was highly effective against severe disease.

It comes as Ghana became the first country to receive coronavirus vaccines through the Covax vaccine-sharing initiative.

The briefing document published by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives more detail on the data submitted by Janssen to the regulator. The FDA concludes that the Johnson &

Johnson vaccine has "known benefits" in reducing both symptomatic and severe illness.

Results from vaccine trials conducted in the US, South Africa and Brazil found its efficacy against the worst outcomes of the virus was "similarly high" but overall protection was lower in South Africa and Brazil, where virus variants have become dominant.

Data showed it was more than 85 per cent effective at preventing serious illness, but only 66 per cent effective overall, when moderate cases were included, when considering cases at least 28 days after vaccination.

Notably, there were no deaths among participants who had received the vaccine and no hospital admissions after 28 days post-vaccine.

An external committee of experts will meet on Friday to recommend whether the FDA should authorise the vaccine, possibly adding to a coming surge in vaccine availability in the US. A White House official said the administration an-

A review by US regulators of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine has found it is safe and effective (BBC photograph)

ticipated distributing at least three million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week, should it receive emergency authorisation from the FDA. The company says it plans to deliver 20 million doses in total by late March,

in line with an agreement to supply the US with 100m doses by the end of June.

Not only will the vaccine require fewer doses than its two-shot Pfizer and Moderna counterparts, it will also require fewer vaccine appointments and medical staff

as a result.

Over 65 million Americans have already been vaccinated and about 1.3 million doses are being administered across the country each day.

New cases, hospitalisations and deaths from Covid-19 in the US have all

been on the decline over the past few weeks.

Top public health experts, however, continue to warn that mutations of the virus can still threaten progress. (BBC)

ACME manager found dead in office THE body of a manager of the ACME General Store

was found by her colleague on Wednesday lying on the

Thursday February 25, 2021 03:30hrs & 13:30 hrs Friday February 26, 2021 04:30hrs Dead: Sandra Dee-Barker

floor in her office located on the third floor of the Regent and King Streets, Georgetown, building.

Dead is Sandra Dee-Barker, 54, of Parfaite Harmonie,

West Bank Demerara.

The body was discovered by a 25-year-old colleague and was later identified by her brother Philip Barker of Cane View Avenue, South Ruimveldt Gardens, Georgetown.

Police said the body was examined by Emergency Medical Technicians and when the scene was processed, there were no marks of violence seen on the body.

Investigators also noted that there were no signs of breakage found on the building. The body is currently at the Lyken Funeral home awaiting a post-mortem.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Two more men succumb to COVID-19 TWO men, aged 48 and 63, from Regions Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), respectively, on Tuesday, succumbed to COVID-19 while receiving medical care at a Ministry of Health facility.

Within 24 hours, the ministry recorded an additional death, a 65-year-old man, who was also from Region Four. These three, the 14th, 15th and 16th such deaths for the month of February, 2021, took the total number of COVID-19-related deaths in Guyana up to 193.

Meanwhile, five new cases of COVID-19 were recorded for Tuesday, February 23, 2021, all of which came from Region Four. No other region recorded new cases of COVID-19.

Currently, seven persons occupy the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Thirty-seven persons remain institutionally isolated, while 387 persons are isolated at home. Eleven persons are institutionally quarantined.

The ministry has, additionally, recorded 26 recoveries, with 812 tests carried out for Tuesday. The number of active cases is currently 442.

All Guyanese are urged to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures, which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home, the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others, and the need for good hand-hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If you or anyone you know is displaying any of

the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional informa-

tion, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 2311166, 226-7480 or 624-6674

Eugene F. Correia Int’l Airport gets health accreditation THE Eugene F. Correia International Airport (EFCIA) has received a “Certificate of Accreditation” from the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Health Accreditation Programme. This is according to a press statement issued by management of the airport. Director-General of the ACI, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, has extended congratulations to Chief Executive Officer of the Airport, Col. (Ret’d) Anthony Mekdeci and his team on receiving the notable accreditation.

The director-general noted in his congratulatory letter that “After reviewing the evidence presented through our evaluation process, your airport has shown that it is providing a safe airport experience for all travellers which is in line with the recommended health measures established in the ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines and ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force Recommendations, along with industry best practices.”

Accreditation of the airport recognises that the trav-

elling public using the airport’s facilities are safe and that precautions are being taken by the airport to reduce any risk to their health. The accreditation is valid for one year.

This important accreditation comes as the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, with various sectors working assiduously to operate under strict guidelines and protocols geared at minimising transmission of the novel coronavirus.

immediately or visit the Ministry of Health at www. health.gov.gy.

‘Curlup’ turns self in for murder of Tiger Bay resident

Dead: Dale Christopher

Osafo Grundall

HOURS after the Guyana Police Force issued a wanted bulletin for 42-year-old Osafo Sereste Grundall of Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown, in connection with the murder of 27-year-old Dale Christopher, he turned himself in at the Brickdam Police Station.

Christopher, called “Sun Skull” of Rosemary Lane, Cummingsburg (Tiger Bay) was shot once to the abdomen around 06:00 hours at Hill Street, Lodge, Georgetown.

Grundall called ‘Curlup’ is of Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown.

Christopher had left home at about 01:15 hours in the company of a friend to attend a party. However, at about 06:00 hours, two to three loud explosions, suspected to be gunshots, were heard, causing the crowd of about 500 to disperse.

At the time of the shoot-

ing, the DJ and Selector were providing their services at the party but were later informed that someone was shot. As such, they reportedly stopped the party, packed up their equipment and left.

Police stated that a taxi driver was passing along Mandela Avenue at the time when he was stopped by three males carrying the injured man, who was bleeding from a wound to the abdomen.

Christopher was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Upon examination, a single gunshot wound was seen at the centre of his abdomen.

Three other suspects are currently in police custody assisting with investigations.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Destructive Fires IN just two months so far into 2021, this country has suffered a dozen devastating fires, destroying buildings, disrupting lives, and dealing a burdensome blow to the economic status of scores of Guyanese.

Earlier this month, three infernos flattened homes in Georgetown, leaving 27 citizens homeless in different parts of the capital city. In January, two separate fires left two men homeless at Corentyne, and a 26-year-old woman, Krystle Chung, died in a fire at Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara. Too often, news of a major fire hits the national news outlets, causing the nation to feel the angst of yet another inferno. It therefore might be opportune for an urgent national confab involving the Guyana Fire Service and all relevant stakeholders, to draft an emergency plan to reduce the frequency, intensity, and impact of conflagrations consuming properties and causing devastation for so many people.

Guyana historically seems prone to sudden eruptions of flaming infernos consuming buildings, with raging fires all too frequently flaring up in homes and businesses, all too often completely flattening the structures, leaving sadness and losses in their wake. It used to be that the country’s building stock was mostly wooden structures, and hence fires devoured the wood like dry stubble. However, even today, with modern concrete buildings dominating the landscape, fires continue to wreak havoc in the lives of too many Guyanese per year.

The Guyana Fire Service just got a new Fire Chief, Kalamadeen Edoo, following the retirement of former Chief Marlon Gentle, who had served the nation for an admirable 36 years.

Government has allocated $1.9 billion in the 2021 National Budget for the Fire Service, a sum that includes relocating the nation’s Central Fire Station from its long-time perch adjacent to the crowded Stabroek Market, to Eccles, along with purchasing two new fire ambulances and six more water tenders. This year, also, the Fire Service is commissioning additional fire stations at Lethem, Mabaruma and Mahdia, with 50 more fire fighters trained and deployed.

Fire-safety drills used to be a regular activity around the country, in schools, and public buildings, with the Fire Service conducting education programmes to train and sensitise the public on how to exit a building in the case of a threatening fire.

Indeed, Fire Prevention Week has played a big role in the life of Guyanese over the years.

Maybe because of the memory in the nation’s history of the Great Fire of February 23, 1945, which wiped out the commercial district of Georgetown, including destroying a wide swath of iconic historical architectures, burning flat 23 buildings and raging for five hours, including the biggest business places around at the time, and also a building housing historical books and documents of the country’s history, the nation takes fire prevention seriously.

In a report on February 24, 1945, the Daily Chronicle newspaper then reported: “Fed by a strong northeasterly wind, the fire reached its peak around five p.m. with thick black smoke billowing thousands of feet up, and exploding chemical containers sending up sheets of flame in all directions.

“Starting in the second storey of Bookers Drug Store the flames quickly enveloped the four-storey building and a

crowd of thousands watched in awe as a wall of fire rolled across the street to the Assembly Rooms. Against this raging inferno firemen fought a losing battle, and in quick succession Bookers Garage, the District Administration Office and the G.P.O. were engulfed.

“Fire hoses looked like water pistols as they played feeble jets against this mass of burning buildings, which made the sun glow red before it was blotted out by an overhanging curtain of smoke.

“Leaping from building to building, the fire assumed alarming proportions, sweeping two blocks to Robb Street and same distance west to Water Street, menacing the entire business area. Five concrete and metal buildings saved Georgetown from a greater catastrophe. As the fire spread north from the Assembly Rooms, the Hand-in-Hand first formed the break, and the Brigade was able to confine the fire to that square. Its destructive path along Hincks Street through the G.P.O. and the “Daily Argosy” was blocked by the B.G. & Trinidad Mutual building. The fire continued down Robb Street to the Royal Bank where the steel shutters and brick walls again halted its progress.

“Sweeping in an arc along the north side of Company Path and on both sides of Water Street, it razed the Reading Rooms, Geddes Grant Ltd., the 5 & 10 Cents Store, Sandbach Parker’s, and here Barclays Bank stopped it. While both sides of Water Street burned, the two banks offered the Brigade an opportunity for the first time, of getting control of the conflagration.

Its course west along Church Street was checked by the metal frame of the Stone Depot.”

That is in the historic memory of this country.

In an inquiry on the origin of that fire, it was determined that carelessness around the storage and operation of drums of alcohol caused the inferno.

This is instructive for today’s Guyana, because quite a few of the fires that happen these days stem from either faulty electrical wiring, or, in too many cases, arson, and other small accidental mistakes, such as starting fires in an open space, something former Fire Chief Gentle had warned the nation to completely guard against and to never do.

In fact, fires seem to start from small, simple mistakes, apart from arson, of course, which is a special case and is addressed as a criminal act.

What is clear, is that this country needs to fully engage the public in a constant fire-prevention and fire education and sensitising agenda, not only rolling out education materials on how to escape a building on fire, but also how to guard against doing anything that could cause an inferno.

Last month, the Fire Service performed with excellence to prevent a major disaster in the heart of busy Georgetown, when it was able to extinguish a budding blaze at the Fogarty’s building on Water Street.

That fired started in the rush hour, around 09:00hrs, and would have caused untold panic in the downtown core, with the General Post Office, the museum, and other key buildings in close proximity to it.

Guyanese seem to need this national fire-prevention structure as a national safety precaution.

Thus, the Guyana Fire Service has its work cut out to inculcate in its operation a national programme to engage people, across every strata of the society, on the seriousness of the situation.

GHK Lall out of his depth and owes His Excellency an apology

Dear Editor,

I READ with interest the opinion piece by GHK Lall published in the Stabroek News of February 20, 2021, with the caption, “President Ali cannot speak glowingly of ‘One Guyana’ when he is the forefront of polarising visions.”

Notably, this particular author, GHK Lall, floods the local media almost everyday writing about almost anything and everything in the public sphere – 99.9 percent of which lack credible, meritorious substance and objectivity. Moreover, I have seen other writers outrightly challenge him with flawless eloquence on various matters, including myself, and I am yet to see him respond to anyone who challenged him or engage in any meaningful hard-core public debate. I suppose this

response too will also go untouched by him as he continues to write his ‘fantasy literature essays’ in a world that is inhabited by no one else but himself. He is arguably completely disconnected from the realities of the environment within which he exists.

In Lall’s 600 words of fluff, he based his argument on the local content consultation with key stakeholders which included the private sector that His Excellency recently held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. In this regard, Lall cited former minister Patterson who lamented that the President did not officially invite the main opposition to the local content consultation and as such it cannot be regarded as a full consultation.

Editor, permit me to illuminate Mr. GHK Lall on this substantive matter which he is championing within the full context of the

issue – ignored altogether by him. Mr. Lall must know it is ludicrous to accuse His Excellency of not consulting the main opposition for more reasons than one, which Mr. Lall must respectfully acknowledge before spewing dangerous vendetta designed to create mischief in our society.

Firstly, His Excellency invited the former President David Granger to a meeting of former Presidents to have open discussions on matters of national importance and moving Guyana forward. Lall would recall that the former President Granger declined this golden opportunity with absolutely no reason of acceptable plausibility.

Secondly, the opposition often do not turn up to the National Assembly on many occasions to debate matters of national importance which they are paid for as parliamentarians to

conduct the nation’s business – by taxpayers.

What sort of representation is this? These acts are utterly disgraceful and should not be condoned.

Thirdly, the opposition which was in government for the past five years produced three draft local content policies – all of which were profoundly flawed and meaningless. In the previous administration’s case, those draft policies were developed with limited consultations, pioneered by foreign consultants and low-profile government officials. Moreover, the recommendations put forward for five years by the private sector stakeholders were never taken into consideration.

In the case of the current government, a team was put together, led by respected See page 7

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

The opposition contains elements with very wide imagination Dear Editor, AS a Guyanese I am very disappointed but not surprised by the A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change coalition’s presentation in Parliament during the national budget debate.

The debate contributions made by APNU+AFC parliamentarians lacked any real and true focus apart from cussing the government out. And they didn’t even do a good job at that.

The debate continued with loud and racist remarks made by the opposition during their presentations in the National Assembly.

There was little or no reference to facts and no due-diligence shown on projects they were talking about.

This was an excursion at finding facts and searching for projects to criticize, because the opposition did no real in-depth analyses of the framework or content of the budgetary allocations, or even the speech delivered by the Senior Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh.

It was the presentation by Member of Parliament Sherod Duncan that took home the prize for the “Most Inspiring Piece of fiction.”

He should be ashamed of his delivery because he did not say anything that was different or helpful to the parliament or Guyanese mindsets when it relates to development.

He mentioned during the debate that persons are still waiting on the “pink slip-promises” of the PPP/C administration. But there is deceit when it comes to what he is “trying” to say. It is a known fact that thousands of Guyanese will get their $25, 000 cash grant from government as soon as the budget is passed.

More so, that is not a promise, because the money is there and will be given to the people. This government has achieved giving the cash grants to more than 200, 000 families in the time-frame of six months. This is more than what the opposition did for the lives of Guyanese during the start of the pandemic, or anytime during their five-year term in office.

Secondly, Mr Duncan knows like all of Guyana that he can’t speak about promises not fulfilled by any government because of the APNU+AFC coalition’s record in office.

Maybe Mr Duncan can tell us what happened to the more than 8,000 house lots which were promised by the APNU+AFC during a year?

Or the constitutional reform process

GHK Lall out of his depth ...

From page 6 Guyanese professionals in the private sector including Mr. Carl Greenridge – who is the only distinguished and respected intellectual from the main opposition political party. And, more so, the consultation was led by the highest level of government – none other than His Excellency himself and almost all of the recommendations put forward by the relevant stakeholders during the consultation period were largely reflected in the draft local content policy.

Editor, permit me now to present a synopsis of my analysis of the draft local content policies (LCPs) done by the opposition when they were in government. To this end, the first draft produced by the previous government and now political opposition, I concluded that “having thus benchmarked Guyana’s draft LCP to the LCPs of other established petroleum-producing countries around the world, a number of inherent weaknesses have been identified. While the draft policy recognised in generic terms – the objective of local content strategies – it does not speak to the specificities with respect to how it intends to execute local content activities and/ or strategies. For example,

it highlighted that there will be a regulatory mechanism, but it did not address the workings and functionalities of that mechanism. And it does not speak to a strategy of removing barriers (if any) for local firms’ participation, and what strategies will be undertaken for enhancing the contestability of local firms’ and Guyanese nationals’ participation as against international firms and foreign nationals.” Overall, the draft document mirrors an academic paper – albeit inadequate – rather than a pragmatic policy paper.

See link to full artiecl that was published here: https://newsroom. gy/2018/02/03/the-economy-considerations-for-guyanas-draft-local-content-policy-going-forward/.

With respect to the third and final draft by the previous government, the policy in particular speaks to the Upstream Sector only and the author (s) of the policy highlighted, in particular, that the policy “at this time focuses on the upstream oiland-gas sector,” and “that the government is currently looking at the midstream and downstream sectors.”

Editor, may I point out that the third and final draft by the previous government before demitting office constitutes the highest degree of disrespect, insult and lack of tangible intellectual appre-

ciation and comprehension of the Guyanese economic structure, with due respect.

Let me explain: a local content policy focused on the upstream sector is akin to no local policy at all, simply because Guyanese stakeholders, business sector and the government combined, do not have the financial, technical and technological resources to participate in the upstream sector. The upstream sector is strictly for the big oil companies such as Exxon. To put this into perspective, the Liza phase 1 development alone,

which was promised by his colleagues when they were in office? Maybe he could shine light on what happened with the debacle regarding monies at Chronicle? Or maybe what happened with the community policing body and why it died or was neglected during his chairmanship of the body? What was the government doing with the people’s business?

Were they just running to High Court and the CCJ trying to overturn a case which the world had no doubt would prevail?

I can ask more questions of Mr Duncan, but space and time would not allow me to do so. So, Mr Duncan’s statement about “pinkslip” just defeats the purpose for which he aims to use it.

And also, his use of the term of “green slip” in reference to the things that were influenced by what the former President David Granger’s accomplishments were while in office that are in the 2021 budget, should provide much-needed satire and jokes for Guyanese who are in the know. But let me say, the budget did not strike me as being a rip off of whatever APNU+AFC policies he struggled to mention.

There is a continuity of programmes that for example, is US$5 billion which is greater than Guyana’s entire GDP. This means that if you take all the money in the banking system, the private sector and the government of Guyana combined, it will not be enough for a single investment in the upstream sector.

Editor, having said that, any meaningful and impactful local content policy for Guyana has to by default focus on the midstream and downstream sectors where Guyanese would be easily eligible and can easily build capacity to participate in that aspect of the oiland-gas industry – that is the supply chain, support goods and services to the major operators and their

worked and the new ones that this government plans to implement for all to benefit. If Mr Duncan was hoping that the plans would be to just start afresh and produce an entirely new budget, he is wrong, though I can’t say it’s the first thing that he was wrong about in the delivery of his speech.

Even after this tirade of attacks and ill-fitted policy positions by the opposition, the budget is a balanced set of policies and plans to be rolled out by the People’s Progressive Party while in office.

Consequently, I hope that the opposition would improve the quality of their presentation in the National Assembly. There must be a strong focus on facts and the truth, not one’s own whimsical fantasies. There should be elevated thought about the things that you are going to champion in the budget.

Similarly, there should be things said about how you can improve what is in the budget, or what could be put into the budget estimates to improve the lives of every group of Guyanese across the spectrum.

contractors.

With that in mind, one may appreciate the fact that the previous government does not understand what is local content, and especially since they had five years to develop the same and never got it right. Hence, what’s the point of engaging them in a consultation in this regard? To waste the government’s and His Excellency’s time? Absolutely not.

Not at all. It’s a waste of time, with due respect, to even engage the Opposition on these complex matters that they have demonstrated, evidently, that they do not understand these issues and how to deal with them nor do they possess the capability to so do.

Yours truly, Michael Younge As such, GHK Lall need to get himself in order, study these issues thoroughly before writing about them and offer a public apology to the President as he was way out of order in his missive to the press lambasting his Excellency with no justification.

Editor, in closing, I am prepared and more than willing to engage GHK Lall in a public debate on these matters in greater depth and in any forum at any time.

Yours faithfully, J.C Bhagwandin Chief Financial Adviser/Analyst JB Consultancy & Associates

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

‘Super spreader’ event forces Task Force to suspend operations of highway resorts

THE operations of two resorts on the Soesdyke/ Linden Highway have been suspended until March 31, as the National COVID-19 Task Force Secretariat (NCTFS) discovered that the resorts were acting in breach of the COVID-19 guidelines by promoting ‘super spreader’ events.

According to information provided to the Guyana Chronicle by Director of the NCTFS, Colonel Nazrul Hussain, the Splashmin’s and Aziza Akosua Farm and Nature resorts were found operating in breach of the gazetted COVID-19 Emergency Measures on February 21 and 23.

On Sunday (February 21), when the Guyana Chronicle visited the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, it was observed that scores of persons were at these two resorts. Numerous persons were imbibing and there was an event where no heed was paid to social distancing. Around 17:30hrs,

police officers attempted to disperse the crowds present at the resorts.

On ‘Mash Day’ (February 23), this newspaper was informed that similar activities ensued at the resorts, and it was these events which prompted the applications of sanctions.

The operations of the two resorts have been suspended from February 24 until March 31. Permission for reopening must be granted through the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).

As of December last year, resorts were given the ‘greenlight’ to reopen once they ensured adherence to the recommended hygiene and sanitation protocols.

The GTA would have to first inspect the resorts to ensure that they are in compliance; failure to adhere to these measures will result in the revocation of conditional approval tied to the COVID-19 measures.

As per the gazetted COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No. 14), no rec-

FILE PHOTO: Patrons enjoying themselves at the Splashmins resort

reational activities are allowed on any river, creek, beach, swimming pool and internal waters.

The gazetted orders also indicate that if any person, organiser or operator fails to comply with the

guidelines, the Minister of Health may close the operation of that business or prohibit the event.

$30M training hub for persons with ...

She explained that as International Women’s Day approaches in March, women will have the opportunity to participate in a ‘Women Entrepreneurship Challenge’, which will facilitate the submission of business ideas that will be considered to for financing via a grant that will be made available by the ministry.

Even further to that, Dr. Persaud noted that a business incubator will be established specifically for women and their products. This particular incubator, the minister explained, will serve as a component of the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI) which is slated to be revamped in the coming months. The budget also caters for a $20 million facelift of the GWLI building located at Cove and John, East Coast Demerara.

TRAINING IN MICROENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT Once operational, the GWLI will focus on training women in microenterprise development, especially in areas that have often been male-dominated, such as graphic designing, videography, welding, joining and carpentry, etc. Dr. Persaud also highlighted the ministry’s plan to create digital database and social media platform to

market the skills and products of the trained women.

“That’s creativity; that’s innovation; that’s original,” Dr. Persaud asserted, as she addressed the opposition’s claims of plagiarisation. She also pointed to the “brand new” establishment of the 914 hotline which was specifically designed to deal with violence, especially those committed against women and children. The minister also highlighted the advocacy programmes which were specifically designed to support battered women and abused children.

“We do not believe in wild, wanton, reckless expenditure. All of what we are doing is geared towards ensuring people experience a better quality of life,” Dr. Persaud asserted.

The Human Services and Social Security Minister also pointed to a number of initiatives geared at improving the lives of elderly persons and children across Guyana.

Dr. Persaud pointed to the increase of Public Assistance from $9,000 to $12,000, as well as Old Age pension from $21,500 to $25,000; she said that in the coming weeks, 40 new and more convenient pension distribution locations will be established.

Minister Persaud reminded the House that $892 million has been budgeted

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to respond to child abuse and provide parenting programmes for troubled families. The Drop in Centre, which the minister said is in a “horrendous” state, will also be renovated. The night shelter is also poised to receive a massive overhaul.

Additionally, efforts are also in the works to update several archaic legislations relative to children, trafficked persons and other vulnerable groups.

Meanwhile, Opposition Member of Parliament, Natasha Singh-Lewis, said that the budget contains nothing for poverty reduction, and should therefore receive a failing grade. “I cannot support it,” Singh-Lewis insisted.

Nonetheless, in wrapping up her presentation, minister Persaud said that the areas she highlighted were only a fraction of what budget encompasses, and encouraged the Opposition Members of Parliament to either support the budget, or provide for consideration, wholesome, constructive criticisms on the programmes and policies highlighted in the financial blueprint.

“We can sit and conjure all the thoughts, but the people will expect a contribution that can enable us to continue on the journey of development and progress,” Dr. Persaud surmised.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Region Two Chairperson urges residents to unite –– says this is key to moving Guyana forward By: Indrawattie Natram REGION Two Chairperson, Vilma De Silva, has expressed the firm belief that if Guyana is to accelerate, citizens must live in unison despite their various differences.

She was, at the time, delivering the feature address at a flag-raising ceremony held to commemorate Guyana’s

51st Republic Day anniversary. The event was held in the compound of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) at Anna Regina.

Speaking to members of the disciplinary services, RDC councillors, heads of the various departments, and special invites, De Silva noted that in celebrating Guyana’s republican status, it is essential for the nation to

reflect on where the country was before it became a republic. She added that although there is no grand celebration this year due to the presence of COVID-19 and the strict guidelines that are in place, Guyanese still have much to be appreciative of, including being a nation of six ethnicities.

“Guyana as a nation has been transformed in every

Some of those who attended the flag-raising ceremony. Seated in the front row (second left) is Chairperson, Vilma De Silva

Members of the Swarswattie Dance Troupe on stage during the cultural segment

Regional Commander Crystal Robinson, Chairperson Vilma De Silva, Vice-Chairman Humace Oodit and Head of the Anna Regina Fire Station, Suresh Persaud stand at attention as the Golden Arrowhead is being hoisted

sector over the years. We must, therefore, be thankful for many things, including the benefits we reaped today, which include freedom and diversity. We are reaping the benefits all because our fore-parents toiled hard for it,” De Silva expressed.

She said that the present government has presented one of the largest budgets to aid in transforming the life of every citizen. Among the things Guyanese should be grateful for are the removal of VAT from certain items, the $15000 school grant for parents, the implementation of smart classrooms, and massive investments in the housing sector, she said.

Additionally, De Silva said the theme for this year’s celebration is unique as it speaks particularly about unity and diversity.

She later expressed confidence that the Pomeroon-Supenaam region will continue to blossom under the current government.

The chairperson used the occasion to remind residents that the lives of over 800 families will soon be transformed as a result of a recently announced Ministry of Housing and Water initiative. She added that these families will receive house lots, which will enable them to live a better life.

Meanwhile, the gathering

was treated to a rich cultural programme that included calypso, poems, and patriotic dances and songs. Dances were done by the Swarswattie Dance Academy, Mainstay, and the Khandya Dance Group.

The hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead and a march past parade done by members of the disciplinary forces followed the cultural programme.

Regional Vice-Chairman, Humace Oodit; Region Two Regional Commander, Crystal Robinson, and Head of the Anna Regina Fire Station, Suresh Persaud were also in attendance.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

APNU+AFC gov’t failed to make BBIC, Lethem Industrial Estate operational

–– Minister Walrond tells National Assembly THE $117 million Belvedere Business Incubator Centre (BBIC) has been without occupants and equipment since its launch in February 2020, while the $1 billion Lethem Industrial Estate remains incomplete almost two years after its scheduled date of completion.

These revelations were made by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, on Wednesday, during her contribution to the 2021 budget debate.

According to reports, at least $543 million was allocated under the previous APNU+AFC government in 2018 for the two projects which were hailed as a big boost for creating opportunities for small businesses.

“The Belvedere incubator which [was] claimed to have [been] ‘launched’ had no equipment. The six pods were all unoccupied, the incubator had no manager or staff, and worst of all Mr. Speaker, the building was without electricity. How-

ever, there was a ceremony saying that the incubator was launched,” Minister Walrond stated.

After its launch in February 2020, the BBIC was scheduled to be operationalised by March of that year following the installation of equipment and hiring of staff.

Walrond said that it was not until November 2020, after the PPP/C took office that the facility was finally provided with electricity. The minister informed that House that the equipment has been procured, and is expected to be delivered to the site shortly.

“We will then be able to truly and fully operationalise the incubator in a matter of months, and its facilities will be made available on an equitable non-discriminatory basis in an open and transparent manner. We estimate that around 120 jobs will be created through the projects that will utilise these facilities,” Walrond related.

Located in Belvedere Industrial Estate, Region Six, the BBIC was opened with

the aim of nurturing micro and small businesses. The facility includes six pods with a multi-purpose room in the centre. The goal is to providing budding entrepreneurs with a facility to hone their practical and theoretical skills, and produce high quality products and services that can be marketed locally and exported in accordance with international standards.

Three of the pods are expected to be used to provide space for three small businesses to start up their operations. The business would be allowed to stay at the facility for three years, before they would need to move on to allow for another three businesses to be started.

Aside from the space, the entrepreneurs are also expected to be offered training, marketing, consulting, organisation and management as well as legal, financial and other advisory services.

The remaining three pods are expected to house manufacturing equipment to provide manufacturing small businesses with a facility to

produce their products at subsidised costs.

As it pertains to the Lethem Industrial Estate which should have been completed in May 2019, Walrond said that this project was left incomplete.

“When we took office in August 2020, the Lethem Estate had no lessee, the construction works were still

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond

The Belvedere Business Incubator Centre (BBIC)

The Lethem Industrial Estate during its construction.

It should have been completed in May, 2019

incomplete, and not a single piece of the equipment that was needed had been procured.”

The Lethem facility is larger. It consists of 12 pods and a larger multi-purpose area.

Minister Walrond pointed out excerpts from the 2016 and 2019 Auditor General reports, which spoke of the state of the project. For works that were completed, the Auditor General’s 2016 report noted that substandard work was observed.

“As a result of poor supervision of the works, various sections of the finished road surface were not com-

pleted to the required thickness as per contract; and the carriageway and shoulders; however, our physical verification revealed that the thickness of the finished asphalt layer was inconsistent with variances ranging from areas.

There were areas where the asphalt layer was spread very thin and the sub-base of the road could be seen through the aggregate in the asphalt mix,” that report read.

According to the report, some amount of corrective works were subsequently carried out.

Some $100M has now been allocated in the 2021 budget for the procurement of equipment to operation-

alise and furnish the Lethem facility. According to the minister, Expression of Interests (EoIs) for the leasing of plots at the estate were already published, applications were received and are currently under review.

“We will soon see the Lethem Industrial Estate and Incubator serving its intended purpose and all Guyanese without regard to class, race, gender, orientation or whatever lines they may come up with to divide us, will have a fair opportunity from this inclusive government to benefit,” Minister Walrond said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Mustapha: Guyana to become agriculture powerhouse

By Rabindra Rooplall GOVERNMENT is working to ensure that Guyana becomes an agriculture powerhouse in this part of the world by making significant investments in all the related sub-sectors to benefit farmers.

This is according to Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, during his contribution on Wednesday to the Budget Debate at the 20th Sitting of the 12th Parliament.

“Mr. Speaker, all agriculture distribution programmes to rural and hinterland communities were halted by the previous government; this significantly affected agricultural development in this country. Since taking office in 2020, we have not only re-started these programmes, but we have also revamped them and introduced new ones to ensure that everyone benefits,” he told the House.

He explained that government wants to see an agriculture sector that encourages investment and where agricultural producers operate profitable businesses since the aim is to have an agriculture sector that is market-driven, with a clear focus on the transformation of raw materials to healthy

processed products.

Noting that an agriculture sector that consistently contributes to national food security and nutrition is needed, Minister Zulfikar said the agriculture sector will also be built to withstand vulnerabilities, shocks, and stress, with emphasis on adaptation to climate change.

He noted that the agriculture sector will also enhance rural communities through employment and livelihood generation.

DRASTIC CHANGE Following numerous outreaches and interactions with farming communities, he said: “I have recognised that the last government failed our farmers when it came to extension services; farmers were not accessing the service, they were not satisfied with the service and this meant they could not increase production or productivity.

Our farmers are in dire need for the delivery of crucial extension services; therefore, 2021 will see a drastic change in the provision of extension support services.”

Further, he noted that total non-traditional crop exports declined by 10 per cent, from 11,000MT in 2015 to 9,907MT in 2020.

More specifically, he ex-

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, during his contribution, on Wednesday, to the Budget Debate

plained the agro-processing sector took a severe hit as not only did production decline but exports also significantly declined by 45 per cent from 2015 to 2020.

However, he said as a result of the many efforts made by the current Government in 2020, the industry recorded a nine per cent increase in non-traditional exports in 2020 over 2019.

Additionally, he said the measures implemented in budget 2020 started to focus on reducing the cost of production for livestock farmers, improving the quality of the livestock products, and reducing domestic market prices to meet the needs of

the most vulnerable.

PROMISE DELIVERED The Agriculture Minister said the removal of VAT on key inputs in the poultry industry and zero-rating the poultry industry were done as promised and has benefited an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 small farmers and broiler producers.

Budget 2021, he said, allocates $806M to the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, an increase of $46 million.

“With the intervention of Budget 2021, we will create an environment for our local producers to benefit from the increasing demand for meat

coming from the thriving oil and gas companies, as well as other local businesses.

Meat import in 2019 was G$20M even though Guyana is self-sufficient in meat,” he emphasised.

In aquaculture, he said $293 million is budgeted to support the growth of the aquaculture industry since the industry employs over 15, 000 persons and contributes to Guyana’s export earnings.

More importantly, he said as a major source of animal protein in Guyana, fish and fish products contribute to food and nutrition security in Guyana.

STATE-OF-THE-ART SOIL LABORATORY In the rice sector, he said farmers will benefit from the construction of a state-of-theart Soil Laboratory at Burma, an investment of $40M that will enable access to soil testing at affordable cost and in a timely manner.

“This government has been working to ensure that the rice industry remains an economic pillar in the agriculture sector while providing Guyanese with the important staple in their diet.

In the short time that this government has been in office, we have been able to achieve that; imagine the

possibilities for the next four years! The rice industry will prosper,” he said.

For the sugar industry, he said government has injected $7B in 2020 towards commencing the process of rehabilitating the fields, cane transport route and the factories.

As such, Minister Mustapha said that by 2025, the plan is to have a minimum of 61 per cent of sales coming from the value-added packaged sugar line.

“To realise this potential, significant investments have been planned to expand the Blairmont packaging plant, quadrupling its current capacity. Moreover, we will be re-tooling the Enmore Packaging Plant, to support the paradigm shift to packaged sugar. As a result of these strategic actions, the sugar industry will be less dependent on the treasury,” he added.

The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), he said, was allocated $1.24 billion in Budget 2021 ($33 million increase from 2020) to further diversify production base and ensure Guyana’s food security, especially since 2021 has been declared by the UN as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Guyana approves Russian, Chinese vaccines

By Vishani Ragobeer GUYANA, through its Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GAFDD), has granted Emergency Use Authorisation to the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine and the Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, both of which are expected in Guyana sometime this year.

Responding to questions asked by this newspaper during his COVID-19 update with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony highlighted that the government has been engag-

ing the Russian manufacturer for a number of weeks. Previously, it was announced that the Government of China would donate 20,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine to Guyana.

“One of the things that vaccine makers like to see is that the country where the vaccines are going to is that the country has granted permission for the vaccine to be used,” the minister said, alluding to the rationale behind granting the emergency-use authorisation of the vaccines.

This local emergency authorisation, the minister explained, is granted if: the vaccine has been approved

by a stringent regulatory authority; if it has been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and/ or if it has been used by the South American and Caribbean countries.

The Sputnik V vaccine has been rolled out in Brazil and Argentina thus far, and has been submitted to the WHO for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA). Clinical trials have found that the Sputnik V vaccine has an efficacy of about 92 per cent, while the Sinopharm vaccine has an efficacy of 79.4 per cent. These two vaccines, once secured by Guyana, would add to the

ongoing rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine across Guyana. The efficacy of this vaccine, which is currently being administered to frontline health workers, has reached about 82.4 per cent once the second dose is administered after about eight to 12 weeks.

Dr. Anthony was unable to provide details on how many doses of the Sputnik V vaccine Guyana would receive, since arrangements are still being finalised. So far, Guyana has vaccinated about 2,000 of its frontline health care workers.

At a recent virtual forum, Chairman of the Pan-Amer-

ican Health Organisation (PAHO) Regional Immunisation Technical Advisory Group, Professor Peter Figueroa, highlighted that the vaccination ongoing in other parts of the world has contributed to a decrease in the number of cases and deaths.

At that forum, also, Professor of Molecular Genetics and Virology at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Christine Carrington explained that all of the COVID-19 vaccines are still quite effective, even though

they have varying efficacies.

Professor Carrington explained that the varying efficacies of the vaccines — whether it is the Pfizer, Moderna, Oxford-Astrazeneca or otherwise — were created with slightly different formulations and therefore, they work in slightly different ways. Since they work in slightly different ways, she said that they would elicit slightly different immune responses.

Couple sentenced to three years for stabbing man –– ordered to attend anger management sessions A couple, who was charged for stabbing a man after he attempted to intervene in an issue they had with his wife, was, on Wednesday, found guilty of felonious wounding.

Kenesse Bob, 25, and Keino Harlequin, 29, of Durban Backlands, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Leron Daly and were each sentenced to three years in prison.

They were also ordered to attend anger management sessions.

The case against the duo was that on December 10, 2019, at Durban Backlands, Georgetown, they unlawfully and maliciously wounded Jermaine Sampson with intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or to cause him grievous bodily harm.

Prosecutor Morris told the court that Bobb and Harlequin shared children and lived together. On the day in question about 20:20 hours, the couple

went to Sampson’s home and started to verbally abuse his (Sampson) wife.

They also hurled glass bottles at Sampson’s home.

In a state of concern, Sampson went outside to ascertain, from the couple, the details of the problem they had with his wife.

However, to his surprise, they pulled him off his step and into the yard. This resulted in a scuffle between them.

Subsequently, Harlequin took a knife from his waist and dealt Sampson a stab to his right side neck and lower left hand. Bobb then joined in, stabbing Sampson several times to his back. Sampson escaped and was able to secure himself in his home.

Bobb and Harlequin fled the scene.

The injured Sampson was rushed to the GPHC where he remained a patient for six days. The matter was reported and the couple was arrested and charged.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Newly promoted GDF officers badged

NEWLY promoted senior officers of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were on Wednesday morning decorated with their new badges of rank during a simple ceremony held at the Officers’ Club, Base Camp Ayanganna.

Chief-of-Staff (ag) Brigadier Godfrey Bess and branch heads of the force decorated the officers along with their spouses or relatives.

Brigadier Bess congratulated the officers and acknowledged the sacrifices which they have made as they continue to serve. He also thanked the spouses of the officers for their support, which he indicated was essential to the delivery of their duties to the nation.

Lieutenant Colonel Mohinder Ramjag, the most senior newly promoted officer in attendance, thanked

the chief-of-staff, branch heads and other senior officers for the confidence reposed in him and the other promoted officers present.

He pledged continued diligence to duties as they continue to serve Guyana.

Congratulations were extended to the newly promoted senior officers by all members of the GDF and the Guyana People’s Militia.

President Dr Irfaan Ali has recently approved the promotion of 48 officers with effect from January 1, 2021. Announcement of the promotions was done to coincide with Guyana’s 51st Republic Anniversary.

Heading the list of promoted officers is acting Colonel and Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who was made substantive in her rank.

Eight substantive majors have also been promoted to the rank of sub-

Captain Dwighton Bess being badged with his substantive appointment

stantive lieutenant colonel. Those Majors are

Mohinder Ramjag, Anson Weekes, Matthew Chich-

ester, Andy Pompey, Dale De Mendonca, Kennard

Liverpool, Earl Edghill and Miguel Benjamin.

Cathy Hughes’ ‘missing’ laptop found next to her –– Ganesh Mahipaul leaves House after feeling ill IN addition to moderating Day Two of the debates on the 2021 National Budget, Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, was also engaged in solving the mystery behind a missing Apple laptop on Wednesday.

As the afternoon-leg of the debates progressed, Nadir informed the house of a “very serious development”, calling on Opposition Member of Parliament, Catherine Hughes to relate what had transpired.

The A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance

For Change (APNU+AFC) member explained that earlier in the day, she packed up her files, along with her laptop and went to lunch; however, when the debates recommenced after the lunch break, the laptop could not be found. The item was believed to have been stolen from the dome of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where the National Assembly is being temporarily housed.

“I find this [to be] totally unacceptable,” the former Telecommunications Minister told the House.

Opposition MP, Catherine Hughes relating the “incident” to the Parliament on Wednesday

In expressing deep concern over the incident, the Speaker even indicated that the proceedings would have to be suspended to allow for every person at the Conference Centre to be searched, especially since the surveillance cameras installed in the dome may not have been operable.

“I normally leave everything here on the desk too, and I am worried,” the House Speaker related. As the debates took a 45-minute afternoon break, the police were called in to probe the missing item, which was found right behind the chair where MP Hughes sits.

Meanwhile, Nadir had informed the House also, that Opposition Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul, had taken ill and had to seek medical attention. As at 20:00 hours, the House had not been updated on Mahipaul’s condition.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Ruling in Jamaican’s false imprisonment lawsuit imminent

CHIEF Justice Roxane George is expected to soon rule in the multi-million-dollar lawsuit brought against the State by a 56-year-old Jamaican woman, who was held for eight months at the East La Penitence Police Station without being charged or making a court appearance.

Sandra Russell’s attorney, Darren Wade, in 2019,

had filed a lawsuit in the High Court against the Attorney-General, Commissioner of Police and Chief Immigration Officer for wrongful imprisonment and inhumane suffering.

The CJ had previously issued an order for mediation but after this failed the case went to trial.

Wade is contending that the police and immigration

authorities had no legal authority to hold Russell beyond 72 hours without seeking an extension from the courts.

Wade is also contending that Russell was falsely imprisoned by the police and immigration authorities, and that whilst in custody, she had no proper bedding, the food she was given was inadequate, the lock-ups had

Jamaican Sandra Russell

inadequate space and lighting, and ventilation was poor.

The lawyer is further contending that his client’s fundamental rights as guaranteed under Articles 139, 141 and 148 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana were not only breached and encroached, but also infringed by members of the Guyana Police Force and Immigration Officials.

Russell, through her attorney, is suing the State for $10M per day for every day she unlawfully spent in custody, in excess of $20M for the inhumane and degrading treatment she suffered, another $20M for the breach

of her freedom of movement and $50M for false imprisonment.

In 2018, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates Court had sentenced Russell to eight months imprisonment and fined her $135,000 after she threw herself at the mercy of the court.

Russell had pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.

The case against her was that on June 25, 2018 at Omai Landing, she had 70 grams of marijuana in her possession.

However, while serving her time at the New Amsterdam Prison, she was released early after her sentence was

reduced by half, and on November 10, 2018, was released from prison and placed in the custody of a female immigration officer, after being informed that preparation was being made for her deportation back to Jamaica.

In court documents seen by this newspaper, Russell is quoted as saying that the immigration officer into whose custody she was released, after receiving a phone call from sources unknown, informed her that she was no longer being taken to ‘Immigration’ but rather the East La Penitence Police Station.

Russell also alleges that while at the East La Penitence Station, she was not taken before a magistrate or a judge. “While at the East La Penitence Police Station, I fell ill because of poor conditions, and not having proper and adequate meals and supplements, and as a result, I was taken to a doctor at the East La Penitence Health Centre, where I was treated and given medications.”

She also claims that she was prevented from conducting an interview she had scheduled with a Kaieteur News reporter, which led to her eventually becoming depressed and stressed among other atrocities.

On July 7, 2019, Russell was released on $10,000 bail.

Collin Venture committed to stand trial for allegedly raping girl SENIOR Magistrate Leron Daly, on Wednesday, committed Collin Venture to stand trial at the High Court for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl.

Venture, 30, was on trial at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where the matter was held in-camera.

He was not required to plead to the charge since it was laid indictably.

It is alleged that during the month of September 2020, at Meadow Brook Gardens, Georgetown, Venture engaged in sexual activities with a child under the age of 16.

The magistrate ruled that a prima facie case had been made out against Venture for him to stand trial at the High Court for the indictment. He will remain out of prison on

Collin Venture

$150,000 bail.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported that Venture is known to the victim’s parents since he is a frequent visitor at the family’s shop. It is alleged that during visits to the shop, Venture would take the victim into the toilet and engage in sexual activities with her.

However, the victim’s step-

mother saw a series of cell phone messages between Venture and the teen. The teen was confronted by her parents and she subsequently told them that she and Venture were engaged in a sexual relationship.

The matter was reported, and Venture was later arrested.

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

GWI increasing water access in far-flung communities

THE community of Kaikan in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), which borders neighbouring Venezuela, will soon move from having 20 per cent to 100 per cent access to potable water, with the drilling of a new well and upgrading of the existing water supply system there.

This joint effort among Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the community is in keeping with a commitment made by President, Dr Irfaan Ali during his visit to the community in December 2020.

According to a release, the Ministers of Housing and Water also continue to be instrumental in ensuring that unserved communities across the country are provided with access to potable water.

GWI’s Chief Executive Officer, Shaik Baksh; Director of Hinterland Services, Ramchand Jailal and GDF Reserve Captain and GWI’s Customer Services Director, Marlon Daniels, recently visited the community and met with residents to discuss the project to provide water supply improvement.

The existing system, which serves 20 per cent of the community, consists of the pumping of water from a nearby river, which is then stored using storage tanks on a trestle.

The residents then access this water from stand pipes at strategic locations.

A team from GWI visited the community to conduct resistivity logging in order to determine a viable location to drill a new well later this year.

Other works which will be conducted include pipe laying, upgrading of the storage facility, installation of a photovoltaic system and the installation of individual service connections.

This project is one of many which is geared towards achieving 100 per cent access to potable water countrywide by 2025, as outlined in GWI’s five-year Strategic plan.

Baseline data from 2019 shows that 96 per cent of the population has access to potable water.

Other areas in the pipeline to benefit include Edinburgh in Region Three and Kato and Taruka in Region Eight.

The visiting team, along with community members, traverses the Kaikan terrain

Murder suspect sentenced to six months for escaping lawful custody JANKIE Tapsie, called “Samantha Khan” who was recently arrested in Suriname following her escape from the Springlands Police Station in November 2020, was, on Wednesday, sentenced to six months in prison.

Tapsie, 27, during an appearance before Magistrate Alex Moore at the Number 51 Magistrate’s Court, Corentyne, pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody on November 19, 2020.

The Lot 180 Grassfield, Lusignan, East Coast Demerara resident was arrested in neighbouring Suriname on February 17, 2021.

She is implicated in the murder of La Grange grandmother, Bibi Nasmonisha Ramjit, and had escaped police custody minutes after

being handed over by Surinamese law enforcement officers.

Tapsie had requested to use the washroom and was escorted there by a male constable. She locked the door and the constable left. After some time had passed and she did not return, the constable returned and called out to her but received no answer.

After managing to open the door that was locked from the inside, it was discovered that the woman had escaped through a window located above the toilet.

Ramjit, known as “Aunty Bibi”, a shop owner of Old Road, La Grange, was found bound and gagged on October 25, 2020 by neighbours.

An autopsy confirmed that the woman died as a result of strangulation.

GWI’s CEO, Shaik Baksh addressing residents of Kaikan

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

WHETHER it is Anna Regina, Georgetown or Corriverton, Guyana’s markets appear traditionally dominated by women vendors.

Be it fresh fruits and vegetables or agro-processed products, their stalls often display agro-food in abundance and variety, as their melodious chants soar above usual market hustle and bustle: “Sweet girl, what you shopping today? A have nice fine bora” or “What you getting today, love?”

In the heart of this lively, vibrant yet complex market surface, and deeper into the country’s agri-food chain, women play many roles – as producers, processors, retailers, and even distributors or exporters. This year, as 2021 observed International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, it is opportune to zero in on women and their contribution to the agri-food system especially involving fruits and vegetables.

On average, women represent 43 per cent of the world’s agricultural labour

could be lifted out of poverty.

Studies have also indicated that on average women work up to 13 hours per week longer than men in agriculture.

Across many rural and farming communities of Guyana, women are well-known producers of cash crops, growing vegetables like bora, pumpkin, ochro, pak choy, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers among others, as well as fruits such as watermelons and passion fruit etc. While some of these activities are done as ‘kitchen gardens’ to maintain self-sufficiency and support feeding of individual households, other women like Patricia produce food on a larger scale, to supply traders and the markets. Patricia said, “Every weekday morning from 06:30 hrs to 08:00 hrs, evenings from 17:00 hrs, and on weekends and holidays, I am farming to supplement my salary.

Sometimes the market price is very low or the yield may not be so good due to bad weather, but I am a single mother and I

Women, the backbone of agriculture

Whether it is Anna Regina, Georgetown or Corriverton, Guyana’s markets appear traditionally dominated by women vendors force and 47 per cent of the world’s food, despite being between male and female global fisheries labour force, less than half of the labour farmers is largely due to difaccording to the United Na- force. Additionally, women ferential access to resources tions Food and Agriculture account for 60 to 80 per cent and inputs. In fact, if the Organization (FAO). These of food production in devel- world’s women farmers had hard-working women pro- oping countries. A crop yield the same access to resources duce more than half of the gap of about 20-30 per cent as men, 150 million people

have to keep going to maintain my family.”

PROCESSING Aside from growing the fresh produces, many women are actively engaged in processing these very crops to produce items such as pepper sauces, jams and jellies, and seasoning.

There are also women distributors, termed locally as ‘middle-men’ – the ones who buy produce from farmers to wholesale to market vendors. In some instances, these traders travel across regions to source the commodities.

For example, a trader may travel to Essequibo every week or fortnightly to purchase fruits and vegetables from Pomeroon farmers and transport same to resell at markets in Georgetown.

Women also work with agri-processors and supermarkets to wash, cut and package fruits and vegetables daily for distribution See page 17

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Man gets nine years behind bars for killing brother

GOPAUL Sewsankar, 24, called “Romel” of Lot 85 Yakusari North, Black Bush Polder, who confessed to fatally stabbing his younger brother on March, 19, 2017, was, on Wednesday, sentenced to nine years, two months’ imprisonment

by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Berbice Assizes.

Last week, the now convicted Sewsankar had confessed to the lesser count of manslaughter, which resulted in the death of his 18-year-old brother, Vishal Sahora.

State Prosecutrix, Tuanna Hardy, had related that Sewsankar had wanted to borrow Vishal’s motorcycle but the owner refused and a fight ensued, during which Sahora was fatally wounded.

Defence Attorney, Surihya Sabsook, told the court that the offender is in

Women, the backbone ...

From page 16 and retail.

Another component in which women have important roles is the overseas export market.

According to a Central Bank report, fruits and vegetables contributed US$3.3 million in exports to Guyana’s economy from January to June last year.

Highly perishable fruits and vegetables need special attention to maintain quality and safety.

Appropriate treatment and handling across the supply chain, from production to consumption are important to ensure that waste is minimised. Many markets are either permanent or temporary and whether rain or hot sun, and vendors must ensure that their produce are safely transported and securely stored to remain fresh for buyers. A female vendor of Skeldon Market explained, “You have to know when to buy, what to buy and the amount to buy for resale. For instance, around Diwali and Phagwa, vegetables such as calaloo, pumpkin, and bolounger are high in demand, so we buy plenty and it does sell out.”

So, what happens when the perishables are left on hand? According to Nina of Port Mourant, “If the fruits and vegetables can keep, we sell them the next day, if not, we cook them or share with neighbours and regular customers.”

SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT GOES TO WASTE Unfortunately, a significant amount goes to waste, as evidenced by the piles of garbage that are seen at the end of many a market day.

This loss and waste represent investment in resources, often by the farmers, but also to

the country.

Despite the central role of women in the open markets, limited market infrastructure to support long working hours makes it harder for female stallholders. Other challenges faced are pricing, competition, and transportation cost.

The dedication and commitment of women to the supply chain are indispensable to preserving the value of fruits and vegetables.

Guardians of much of our food culture and organisers of the market business, they generate income, support empowerment, create livelihoods, and improve food security and nutrition. The income of many women-led households depends on the fruits and vegetable supply chain and at the end of a normal workday, they still have household responsibilities, which include ensuring that an adequate amount of nutritious foods are prepared for their families.

Overall, the fruits and vegetables supply chain remain a relatively large and stable industry that proposes opportunities to reduce post-harvest waste by supporting women’s group with facilities for processing, increasing access to finances and land ownership for female farmers, and improving infrastructure in public retail outlets for women who are working long hours.

FAO continues to partner with the government, farmers and producers, agri-processors, and private sector entities to help supply chains to increase production, enhance availability, safety, affordability, and equitable access to fruits and vegetables.

Maximizing the potential of women to earn from the food system will create economic, social, and environmental sustainability. (Shara Seelall, Communication Consultant, FAO)

The dedication and commitment of women to the supply chain are indispensable to preserving the value of fruits and vegetables

a common-law relationship and fathers a four-year-old daughter.

Sabsook noted that her client has expressed remorse and pleaded for mercy and leniency.

In his remark, Sewsankar pleaded with the court for forgiveness while noting that the incident was never intended but happened by a mistake.

“Was a scramble and we fall on the ground and he got

bore,” the visibly emotional man said.

The father of the deceased, who is also the father of the convict, also pleaded with the judge to extend mercy to his son.

“I beg for mercy for him.

That is my son, pointing to the image on the Zoom call and I beg for him. I forgive him,” the visible shaken man emphasised.

In handing down her sentence, the judge took into

consideration that Sewsankar is a young offender and noted that there is a greater possibility for him to be rehabilitated.

The judge started the sentence ceiling at 18 years, but deducted a third, which is six years for plea of guilt, two years, 11 months for time served as a remanded prisoner and the remaining nine years, two months as the term of imprisonment.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

India seize control of third Test

(ESPNCRICINFO) - What do you see when you look at a pink ball? As Joe Root had indicated on the eve of the Ahmedabad Test, there’s not a lot of data to back up any preconceptions about day-night Test cricket.

Therefore, both sets of players came into this contest at perfect liberty to see in the conditions whatever they so chose.

Ben Stokes, for England’s part, had been “licking his lips” in anticipation of a seam-dominated joust, in what he clearly envisaged being the Trent Bridge of the East. And sure enough, England’s optimistic surge continued on the morning of the match.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad were thrown together for one last heist, like the cast of Ocean’s 14, before Root won a crucial toss and handed his batsmen the same opportunity that they had seized upon in the first Test - a chance to post a gargantuan first innings and dominate the match narrative through sheer weight of runs.

Well, so much for the best-laid plans and all that. Unfortunately for England’s dreamers, India saw clean through the optics, and the lacquer, and all the paraphernalia that comes with this most fundamental switch of the sport’s basics. Instead they looked directly at another dry, dusty red-earthed deck, and opened their ears to the sweet music of 50 000 passionate fans at the newly minted Narendra Modi stadium - which, even when half full, was still more populated than almost any ground bar the MCG. The upshot was an ardour-dousing day of one-sided dominance - one that has emphatically killed off any hopes of Root’s men emulating those of Sir Alastair Cook nine years ago, and inflicting on India a rare home series defeat.

The late dismissal of Virat Kohli was a boost to their hopes of limiting their deficit but by that stage Rohit Sharma was rumbling on towards another century very different, but no less emphatic, to the

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game-breaker he produced on the first day of the previous Test.

And though Anderson and Broad proved predictably parsimonious in their combined analysis of 15-7-27-0, they had been fighting the rising tide from their opening spells after England’s catastrophic batting malfunction had surrendered any right to set the match agenda.

Instead, England’s attentions began to stray to factors beyond their control most notably, the state of the footmarks that were forming big cavities for their heavy-limbed seamers, and the state of the TV umpiring, which reprieved each of India’s openers on evidence that may have been correct, but was less-than-conclusive, much to Root’s mounting fury.

Instead, the mastery of R. Ashwin - in his 77th Test and now odds-on to reach 400 wickets before the match is done was matched for the second Test in a row by the eager apprenticeship of Axar Patel, who proved his debut in Chennai had been no fluke by improving on his Test-best figures with a remarkable haul of 6 for 38 in 21.4 overs.

Between them, they harvested the doubts that still lingered from that last Test, and instigated a collapse that was remarkable even by the standards of England’s last visit to India in 2016-17.

From a pre-lunch scoreline of 74 for 2, with Zak Crawley batting with uncommon poise and panache, England squandered their last eight wickets for 38 in 17 overs almost universally spooked by the fear of what might have been, rather than by any un-playability on the part of the balls that did them in.

Between them the spinners accounted for nine of England’s ten all told - the exception being Dom Sibley, who flinched to slip in the third over for a duck to give Ishant Sharma a souvenir from his 100th Test appearance.

On the evidence of the rest of the innings, Ishant is unlikely to be overworked in the next few days.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Assuria Insurance inaugural 3-Hole golf tournament tees off March 10 … No fees needed for entry

ASSURIA General Insurance and Nexgen Golf Academy will host its ‘Just For Beginners Golf Championships’, at the Scouts Association of Guyana ground, Woolford Avenue.

Many years ago, golf was played in Thomas Lands and the National Park but its recent resurgence in popularity will see it being played in the heart of the city once again, as the unique three-hole Par 3 event will cater to players of every category and will be played under floodlit, cool night conditions at the Lusignan Golf Club.

Due to COVID-19 guidelines, the ‘Just For Beginners’ competition will run from March 10 to 13 starting

at 16:00hrs.

The tournament consists of three holes that are 145, 100 and 80 yards and players will have to complete the hole by putting out. All equipment and balls will be provided at no cost and at Assuria General’s request, there will be no tournament fee.

Prizes and trophies will be presented for best scores to Juniors Under-12, Under-21, Women’s and Men’s categories and for beginners and recently-started players who do not have a handicap rating.

General Manager Yogindra Arjune spoke about the impact the game has had on him personally and the effects he was seeing nation-

ally, “I was introduced to the sport by Aleem two years ago and have been hooked on it ever since. It’s a game that makes you strive for betterment at every opportunity, similarly with our business, and we will continue to support the development, especially in the schools and new players.”

Arjune welcomed the return of competitive golf to the centre of Georgetown, saying that change was necessary for the sport.

“For far too long, we have accepted that golf should only be played a certain way and by a select group of persons. That is about to change in a dramatic way with the plans by The Guyana Golf

Mohamed, Narine win Mash Online Chess Championship

FORMER Chess president Irshad Mohamed and junior player Ricardo Narine emerged victorious in the Guyana Chess Federation Mashramani Senior and Junior Online Chess Championship, which was held online on Tuesday afternoon.

A few of the players who took part in the recently concluded Closed Senior Chess Championships competed in the older age division battle, including the 2020 Rapid and Blitz Champion Davion Mars.

Despite their recent playing sessions, it was Mohamed who controlled the event.

He was flawless to nine points, which had a time control of 10 minutes plus two seconds increment. Mars finished second with 7 ½ points.

Glenford Cortlette placed third with seven points, while Murphy Bagot was fourth on five points and Steve Leung fifth on 4 ½ points. Sherlyta Campayne was

sixth with four points, Rai Sharma seventh on three points and Rashad Hussain eighth on 2 ½ points.

A total of 45 players between the ages of 8 and 19 competed in the junior competition. In the end, it was the Queen’s College duo of Narine and Alec Lumelino who finished first and second respectively.

St Stanislaus’ Keron Sandiford, the reigning national junior blitz champion, settled for third position.

Oluwadare Clement Oyeyipo, Adia Alphonso, Kishan Puran and Raveon Adonis all ended with six points.

Alphonso also finished as the best female junior.

According to information from the federation, there were commendable performances from Under-12 players Omar Sharrif and Anya Lall.

Cash prize of $50 000 from the GCF will be shared among the winners of the event.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday February 25, 2021) COMPLIMENTS OF THE XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Viv Richards-181 (Karachi, 1987) (2) Avishka Gunawardene-132 (Nairobi, 2000)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) What are the best ODI bowling figures by a WI bowler against SL to date?

(2) What are the best ODI bowling figures by a SL bowler against WI to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Association, Nexgen Global and support from hundreds of new players and sponsorsm,” said Arjune.

The Three-Hole Championships will continue to be a part of golf development around the country according to president of GGA, Aleem Hussain.

“As we expand our facilities to Berbice, Essequibo, West Coast and Linden, our plan is to create leagues, inter-region, inter-company and parent-child activities that will see everyone involved in the only fully COVID-19 compliant sporting activity.”

This tournament will be

the first of many events that is aimed at allowing as many Guyanese as possible to experience the game at virtually no cost with the ultimate goal of building a national team that will represent the country at the Olympics.

The aim of this event is to get everyone to participate in physical activity and try something different that all ages can enjoy together. Three players will also have a chance to win a Copa Airlines ticket during the competition.

Interested participants are asked to register in advance by calling 645 0944 or visiting the Academy no

Assuria Insurance General Manager Yogindra Arjune later than March 9, so that proper arrangements and groupings can be made.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

We won the psychological battle ahead of today’s game, says Johnson … Permaul, Reifer in for crucial semi-final clash

By Rajiv Bisnauth CAPTAIN Leon Johnson feels his Guyana Jaguars team have won the psychological battle going into today’s semi-final clash against the Windward Island Volcanoes.

The Guyana Jaguars completed an all-round performance with bat and ball that propelled them to a comfortable victory over the Volcanoes, in the final group game of CG Insurance Super50 Cup last Monday.

With this result the two teams will now meet in the second semi-final at Coolidge Cricket Ground from 13:30hrs.

“Yes we are (thinking of title).

We have a couple of days before that game. It’s good to get a victory against the Windwards which will be the same opposition that we will be playing on Thursday (today). We were very convincing in our victory and at least won the psychological battle going into that game.

The Jaguars were always in complete control of Monday’s encounter after CG Insurance man-of-the-match Keon Joseph took two wickets in the first over as the Windwards were routed for 153 in 45 overs.

The strongl-built fast bowler, operated from the Sir Curtly Ambrose end, and produced a fantastic spell of 8-2-24-4. This was a career-best List A analysis in just his fifth game

at this level, after making his debut back in 2009.

Reacting to the win as Guyana Jaguars continued their hopes to win their first regional 50-over title since 2005 when the tournament was called the KFC Cup, the 29-year-old Joseph said “I’ve been around the team a while, so I know when I get the ball the team is looking for me to produce. The camp is good (ahead of semi-finals). We just have to tick all our boxes, keep consistent, win the semi-final and potentially get to the final.”

The Jaguars have won four out of five matches in the preliminary stage, and indeed looked a compact unit, despite a few batting errors. The Volcanoes, on the other hand, have qualified for the knockout stages at third position with two wins and three losses during the league stage, and will definitely face a difficult challenge.

Guyana have not won the Super50 since Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s side bested Courtney Browne’s Barbados by seven runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method 15 years ago at the now decommissioned Bourda Oval.

Prior to that, Guyana reigned supreme in 1980, 1983, 1985, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2001 and 2003.

In 14 tournaments staged since then, they failed to reach the semi-final 11 times, lost at the semi-final three times and in the final thrice.

Meanwhile, the technical committee for the CG Insurance Super50 Cup has approved squad replacements ahead of today’s game.

Several players, who were part of the magnificent West Indies Test series victory in Bangladesh, have been drafted into their franchise 15-member squad.

For the Jaguars, left-handed all-rounder Raymon Reifer and experienced left-arm spinner Veersammy Permaul will replace wicketkeeper/ batsman Kemol Savory and batsman Assad Fudadin, while for Windward Islands Volcanoes, Kavem Hodge, the right-handed batsman who also bowls left-arm spin, has been included in place of opener Desron Maloney.

Guyana Jaguars: Leon Johnson (captain), Shimron Hetmyer (vice-captain), Christopher Barnwell, Anthony Bramble, Raymon Reifer, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Tevin Imlach, Keon Joseph, Ramaal Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Akshaya Persaud, Veerasammy Permaul, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair, Nial Smith.

Windward Islands Volcanoes: Sunil Ambris (captain), Andre Fletcher (vice-captain), Alick Athanaze, Roland Cato, Keron Cottoy, Kenneth Dember, Larry Edward, Ryan John, Ray Jordan, Kavem Hodge, Obed McCoy, Preston McSween, Kimani Melius, Emmanuel Stewart, Kevin Stoute.

CWI High-Performance Fielding Workshop helps on-field improvement CRICKET West Indies (CWI) hosted a High-Performance Workshop on Tuesday, geared towards improving the standard of fielding in the game around the entire region.

Coaches from all six territorial professional franchises were involved, as well as several players now participating in the CG Insurance Super50 Cup as part of CWI’s new Coach Development Programme.

The on-field presentation was led by Trevor Penney, the current West Indies men’s assistant coach, an experienced international fielding coach who has also performed a variety of high-profile coaching roles across the IPL, CPL, and Australian domestic cricket.

Penney, alongside fellow West Indies men’s assistant coach, Rayon Griffith, shared cuttingedge fielding techniques already in operation to prepare the West Indies squads for the upcoming CG Insurance T20 Internationals, CG Insurance One-Day Internationals and Test matches

Trevor Penney against Sri Lanka.

The workshop was also attended by West Indies legends, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, assistant coach/ manager of Guyana Jaguars; Courtney Walsh, head coach of West Indies women’s team; and cricket consultant, Sir Curtly Ambrose.

The workshop was organised and coordinated

by Chris Brabazon, CWI’s Coach Development Manager, and conducted at the world famous Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

CWI’s new Coach Development Programme includes a variety of

High-Performance Coaching Workshops that are all designed to equip regional coaches with the latest practical coaching methods and technologies required to help West Indian players perform at their peak and be successful at the highest levels of the game.

Key areas covered in this workshop included mental approach and attitude to fielding, anticipation, intercepting ground balls (including diving/sliding) and throwing techniques (including direct hits).

“This was a great morning with our dedicated regional coaches and some of the best fielders we have. It was all about sharing information as we look to improve cricket in the West Indies and produce better equipped players. It’s all about the fundamentals – going back to the basics and fixing some of the things that need attention. It was wonderful to see the level of enthusiasm, the interaction, the awareness and skill from everyone involved.” said Penny.

Courtney Walsh added,

“This was a great step forward as we send the message that all the coaches in the region are working on the same page with techniques and player development as we try to do what is best for our cricket athletes.

We were trying to get some basic information shared and it was very helpful. For me it was very beneficial, and I was happy to participate.”

To maximise the impact of this and future workshops, CWI will be developing the footage into shorter coaching videos to be shared with coaches and players across the region within the new CWI Coach Development Programme.

This programme is a key part of the new “Cricket First” strategy and investment plan to implement a sustainable world-class coach development system across the breadth of the West Indies Cricket Pathway.

This will ultimately lead to the development of better players through better coaching.

GMR&SC drag racing Round 1

Plans ahead of schedule as championship draws closer PLANS are well on stream for this weekend’s twoday drag race meet set for the South Dakota Circuit according to executive committee member Motilall Deodass.

Speaking on Tuesday, the committee member said that all the necessary arrangements that are needed to be put in place by the club have been dealt with.

“Things are actually ahead of what and where we want to be right now. We have secured permissions from the relevant persons; that is the COVID-19 Task Force, as well as the police for the venue. That was done a while ago.”

“We were also able to confirm marshals as well as the emergency medical teams long before our prescribed dates so I’d have to say that we are ahead of schedule when it comes to that.”

As it relates to the live streaming that the club has promised, the guys from E-Networks were up here setting out spots for cameras and getting a layout of the land. So we can safely say that the Saturday/Sunday event is poised to be successful.”

“Competitor-wise, we’ve been granted a limited number, so we are urging people to get registered early.

It will be on a first-come, first-serve basis and when we get to our quota, that is it.”

The Executive member also confirmed that there will be mandatory wearing of masks for all competitors, mechanics and support staff as well as officials and the limited number of spectators.

“There will be strict penalties for those persons found in the venue not wearing their masks or adhering to the COVID-19 Guidelines. Those could result in people being ejected from the venue and for future events. It’s not something we want to do but if you put us in the position, we will have no choice.”

Meanwhile up to press time yesterday, 62 competitors were confirmed with five of those being bikers.

The club also managed to net a new sponsor in L. Mahabeer and Sons Cambio who came on board late yesterday afternoon.

The company joins the list of other sponsors in Cyril’s Transportation Services, E-Networks, First Class Auto Sales, GUYOIL (Castrol), Homeline Furnishing, Imran Auto Works.

KFC, KGM Security, Land Star Drilling Company, MMD Hollow Blocks and Pavers, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Motor Trend Service Center, Modern Building Solutions, NALICO/NAFICO, Panko Steel Fabrication, Power Tech Sound Company, Prem’s Electrical, Ready Mix Concrete, Rush Energy Drink, Samaroo Investments Inc., Secure Innovations & Concepts Inc., STAG Beer, Trans Pacific Motor Spares & Auto Sales, Truck Master, UNICOM - United Commodities, West Coast Customs Washbay and Windjammer are the others.

Tickets for the event go on sale from today at the Club’s Albertown office with no tickets being sold at the venue.

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 25, 2021

Singh will bring new optimism, says former cricket administrators … calls on ECB to support Singh’s candidacy

By Rajiv Bisnauth FORMER cricket administrators, Elroy Stephney and Sheik Ahmad, have endorsed the president of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Bissoondyal Singh as “absolutely the right man” to lead the local governing for cricket.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, has set February 26 as the date for the long-awaited election of the new executive of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).

Both Stephney and Ahmad say Singh will bring a renewed optimism to the administration of local cricket.

The Essequibians said while there are massive challenges facing the administration of the game locally, Singh, who is a successful businessman, possesses the necessary leadership skills to confront those issues.

“Singh has the capacity and experience to lead GCB during this time, so I call on the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) to support his candidacy,” Stephney, the former Essequibo senior inter-county captain said.

“I believe that ECB will benefit from the leadership of Mr Singh, whose vast management skills as a cricket administrator and entrepreneur will ensure that the ECB receives much needed sponsorship which has been non-existent for the past years,” the CWI Level 11 coach pointed out during an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport yesterday.

Stephney who is also a former national youth manager further added, “There has to be serious impetus in addressing our youth and female cricket in Essequibo, and I am confident that Mr Singh will provide the technical and financial resources to uplift our standards.”

Meanwhile, Stephney, said once elected, Singh should immediately look at providing more trained coaches who will serve in the eight area committees of Essequibo’s cricket.

He also noted that the refurbishing of the ECB hostel, regular coaching seminars for cricketers, strengthening club structures, a strategic plan that will incorporate coaching, competitions, stronger capacity-building and mentorship, along with financial viability to sustain the functioning of the office, support cricketers, provide the necessary equipment and resources for the hostel and a river taxi should also be Singh’s top priorities for the county Further Stephney feels ECB therefore has an opportunity to foster a strong and successful partnership under the stewardship of Singh and in the best interest of cricket development generally.

On the other hand, Singh, once elected to the top post will find himself presiding over an entity that is badly battered by administrative incompetence for over a decade.

It would definitely be a huge challenge but Ahmad, the former president of the ECB, believed Singh’s expertise would prove vital.

“Singh is the reason why I’m more optimistic about cricket now than I’ve been for the past 10 years. I think we have absolutely the right man. Mistakes are going to be made given where we’ve come from but I think we’re very fortunate to have him at this time.”

Ahmad, who had served as treasurer on the GCB and as alternate director on the West Indies Cricket Board, now Cricket West Indies (CWI), added: “The reality is if you’ve got the right leader anything is possible.

The minister’s move stems from consultations with CWI, pursuant to the requirements of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act and on the heels of the DCB elections held last Friday.

Elections at the GCB level have not been held since 2012.

Charles, Roberts lift Essequibo Eagles to victory over Golden Fleece Vikings

SHELDON Charles and Lance Roberts performed with bat and ball to lead the Essequibo Eagles to a 54-run victory over Golden Fleece Vikings when their first-round clash of the Devon Ramnauth Region Two Youth Cricket League was held on Tuesday at the Imam Bacchus ground.

The game was postponed from last Saturday because of rain.

The Eagles won the toss and opted to bat with former U-17 captain Charles leading the attack from the top. He paced his innings well in the T20 clash and ended with 56 runs.

Roberts, batting at three, supported with 20, which helped to lift Eagles to 125-6.

R. Ragubir finished with three scalps for Golden Fleece, who struggled in the middle. It was Ragubir who

Sheldon Charles and Lance Roberts were exceptional with bat and ball. gave them a start. He and Rohan Persaud attempted to bat themselves in, but the Eagles’ bowling proved too penetrative.

Ragubir lost his wicket for 18 and his opening part-

ner was dismissed for 15 which unhinged the floodgates as Eagles captain Roberts proved destructive with his medium pace.

Roberts, who bowled Persaud, was the sixth bowler

used in the innings. His line and length proved effective as he decimated the middle and lower order to finish with six wickets for seven runs.

This restricted the Vikings to 71 all out..

The performance also earned him the man-of-thematch award.

Tuesday’s game was the second in the competition.

Last Saturday, Queenstown U-19 defeated Reliance Hustlers Youths.

In that clash Essequibo U-17 medium pacer Romal Hubbard picked up 6-14 to help his team to a 10-wicket victory.

As an added incentive in the league, players who score 50 plus runs or take five wickets will receive $5 000 each, while those who score 100 plus will collect $10 000.

Hat-trick performances will also result in $5 000 cash prizes.

Fruta Conquerors to know Caribbean Club Shield opponents tomorrow CONCACAF has announced that the 2021 Flow CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship will take place in the Dominican Republic from May 14 to 26 and the 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield (CCCS) will be played in Curacao, between April 23 and May 2.

The two Caribbean club competitions, for professional and amateur clubs respectively, are part of the Confederation’s club platform that qualifies teams to the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League and Scotiabank CONCACAF League.

In total, four Caribbean clubs will advance to confederation-wide club competitions, three for the 2021 Scotiabank CONCACAF League and one for the 2022 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League.

Guyana’s Fruta Conquerors will join 13 other

FLASHBACK! Fruta Conquerors’ Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson was a thorn in the Jong Holland defenders’ side, during their 0-0 draw in the 2019 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield, in Curacao.

clubs in Willemstad, Curacao, from April 23 to May 2, 2021, for the 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield.

The competition will feature clubs from Caribbean member associations who are working with CONCACAF towards a long-term vision to professionalise the club game across the region.

The tournament will kick off with a Group Stage where the teams will be divided into two groups of four and two groups of three.

After round-robin play from April 23 to 27, the four group winners will advance to the semi-finals.

The semi-final matches will be played on April 30, followed by the Final and 3rd place match on Sunday, May 2.

The draw for the Group Stage will take place tomorrow at 11:00hrs EST.

We won the psychological battle ahead of today’s game, says Johnson

Ricardo Narine won the junior competition

Mohamed, Narine win Mash Online Chess Championship See story on page 25

Fruta Conquerors to know Caribbean Club Shield opponents tomorrow

Guyana Jaguars captain Leon Johnson

… Permaul, Reifer in for crucial semi-final clash See story on page 26

GMR&SC drag racing Round 1

Plans ahead of schedule as championship draws closer See story on page 26

See story on page 27

FLASHBACK! Fruta Conquerors’ Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson was a thorn in the Jong Holland defenders’ side, during their 0-0 draw in the 2019 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield, in Curacao.

Jamaica Scorpions vs Trinidad Red Force Semi-final 1 …

Simmons, Pooran fifties pilot Red Force into CG Insurance Super50 final … Rampaul bags 4-29

By Clifton Ross

TRINIDAD and Tobago Red Force rocketed to a 6-wicket win over the Jamaica Scorpions, compliments of some power-hitting and stroke-play from half-centurions Lendl Simmons and Nicholas Pooran.

The pursuit of 255 which the Scorpions made losing 7 wickets in the process resulted in the Red Force knocking off the runs with 47 balls remaining, ending on 256-4, but more importantly securing a place in the Saturday’s final.

Simmons, who top-scored with 68 off

70 balls, the explosive Pooran who blasted a quick-fire 54 from 40 not out and Kieron Pollard who took almost all the pressure off Pooran by hammering 5 massive sixes and a four in his 18-ball 37* blitz, were the main catalyst behind the chase.

A solid middle-order contribution from Jason Mohammed who grafted 41, further helped to stifle Scorpions’ bowling efforts as Odean Smith was their most successful bowler with 2-54.

The Scorpions’ foundation for their total, batting first, was laid by John Campbell who played a classy hand of 84 from 131 deliveries, decorated with just four boundaries and

a solitary six.

The dynamic Brandon King then doubled up on the Jamaican’s milestone, as he too scored a tempered half-century.

The West Indies batsman hit five fours and a six in his 58, but more importantly sharing a 2nd wicket stand of 108 with Campbell.

Andre McCarthy (35), who bowled Scorpions to arguably the most emphatic win of the tournament a few games ago, then added 58 for the 3rd wicket along with Campbell.

Not much came from Red Force bowlers with the exception of the rearguard Ravi Rampaul who continued to impress with a brilliant haul of 4-29 from his 10 overs.

During the chase Simmons teed off

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against the bowlers without hesitation, smacking 7 fours alongside his 3 towering sixes. Evin Lewis was also aggressive during his brief knock of 24 as the openers added 63.

When Lewis and Darren Bravo (19) departed, it was Mohammed and Pooran who teamed up to put on an additional 59 for the 4th wicket, before the latter lost his wicket.

Little was then left for Pooran and Pollard, who eventually made light work of the deficit with a flurry of boundaries between them, with the final nail in the coffin being a six which brought up the left-hander Pooran’s fifty; taking the Red Force home in what turned out to be an effortless chase.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021