Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 27-05-2022

FRIDAY 27th MAY, 2022

No. 106735

Shelters, hampers being prepared for Kwakwani residents

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‘We must stand by her’ SEE PAGE

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- President Ali says in call for nation to support grieving mother of Mocha fire victims

The community of Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was plunged into mourning following the ghastly news that three children perished in an early-morning fire on Thursday at their 10th Field Barnwell home (Delano Williams photo)

Poultry, fish, pineapple projects for Mainstay/ Whyaka Village 4 SEE PAGE

$10B invested in two years to enhance lives of Amerindians

Floodwaters recede in Region Five 11

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Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and other officials assessing the situation in Region Five on Tuesday

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Four ‘tele-diagnostic’ centres to be established across Guyana

President Dr. Irfaan Ali

By Tamica Garnett In the area of infrastructural upgrades, Dr. Ali noted PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali that improvements for many of has announced that four tele- the regional hospitals are also diagnostic centres will soon on the cards, and the within be established in Regions a few weeks, the government One, Four, Eight and Nine. will be signing contracts for six The President, in his Inde- major regional hospitals which pendence Day address at Anna will be 65,000 square feet each Regina, said the government, at a collective cost of approxiwhile formulating plans for mately US$180 million. the tele-diagnostic centres, is The government is also on simultaneously working with the verge of signing a contract an external funding agency to for the much anticipated modupgrade the protocols for the ern national maternal and child management of hospitals in care hospital.

Georgetown, West Demerara, “That will bring some of Bartica and Linden. the best healthcare for our Tele diagnosis refers to mothers and children of this remote diagnosis. In tele-di- country. We are working with agnostics, local and remote the best in this business we physicians share the same are working with the finest virtual space with the patient, in global health care,” Dr. Ali allowing the remote physician said. to see and examine the patient.

The President noted that an This and other measures important part of the improveform part of the government’s ment of the healthcare system transformational plan to im- will also be about ensuring prove healthcare across Guyana, that healthcare professionals even in the most remote places. are held accountable for the In his message, Dr. Ali quality of care that they deliver sought to underscore the im- to citizens. portance of the public health“We have recognised that care system to the government, we must fix the systems that and outlined ways in which are broken and we have emimprovements are being done barked on a plan to fix the to provide better services to procurement system in healththe nation. care. On a plan to ensure that “I want to lay out the plan we hold people accountable that we have in advancing our because we cannot only invest country long into the future; in the facility and infrastructure building the foundation that we are also investing in the huwill ensure its sustainable fu- man resources. ture for the next generation to “But all of us, the governcome,” the Head of State said. ment, the nurses, the doctors, The President also related those the healthcare service that there will be other infra- is entrusted in they must be structural and human resource accountable for the service upgrades to the healthcare they deliver. That is part of system. the plan,” Dr. Ali said.

‘We must stand by her’

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

- President Ali says in call for nation to support grieving mother of Mocha fire victims

By Jared Liddell FOLLOWING a “heart to heart” with the mother of the three children who died in the fire at their Lot 10 Field Barnwell, East Bank of Demerara (ECD) home, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has charged Guyanese to pray for and uplift the family in this time of great distress.

The President along with several ministers and other senior officials of the government, on Thursday, met with the grieving mother and family members at the Eve Leary police ground. There, the Head of State committed his support and the support of his Cabinet just hours after the devastating incident.

Moments after speaking

with the woman in an effort to console her, President Ali told the media: “None of us can imagine what that mother is going through or what that family is going through. The most we could do is just uplift them in prayers, uplift them in faith and to pray that they’re given the patience. This is the worst test a mother can ever endure.”

President Ali noted that the news of the children’s untimely death did not just have the country in shock and devastation, but it has also left everyone with a “sense of heaviness.”

The children, one-yearold Zhalia Flur, six-year-old Triston Kippins, and eightyear-old Timothy Kippins, all lost their lives in their one-story wooden home on

Thursday morning.

It was reported that at the time of the incident, the young mother was at work, as this is her means of offering financial support to her children.

The Head of State opined that while many theories are being circulated, the government is keen on taking this time to lend the necessary support to the grieving mother and family who need tremendous support during this difficult time.

“Everyone felt a great sense of heaviness when this news came and as a nation, together as one Guyanese family, I want us to uplift this family in prayers, to just let them know that they are part of a wider family.

“They have our sup-

President Dr. Irfaan Ali along with members of his Cabinet comforting Tracy Flur, the mother who lost her three children in an early morning blaze at their Lot 10 Field Barnwell house, located aback Mocha on the East Bank of Demerara (ECD) (Elvin Croker photo) port as family, as good family supports each other. We want to give that

support but more importantly, at this time, there is a greater need for a

positive messaging on this mother and this family,” President Ali related.

Three children dead in house fire; cause reportedly electrical - Fire Service confirms

By Clestine Juan THE Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD) community has been plunged into mourning following the ghastly news that three children perished in an earlymorning fire on Thursday at their 10th Field Barnwell home.

The children have been identified as eight-year-old, Timothy Kippins; six-yearold, Trayshaw Kippins; and one-year-old, Zhlia. Their mother, Tracy Flur, 23, is employed as a security officer and was at work when she received the heart-breaking news.

A neighbour, who requested to remain anonymous, said she observed the house on fire and immediately ran to the scene.

She also confirmed that the children were left alone at the house; however, their relatives lived two plots away and would “check up” on them while the mother was away at work during the nights.

She also recalled hearing screams from the home but within a matter of minutes, the fire had consumed the one-level ‘shack.’

Fire Chief (ag.), Gregory Wickham, who was at the scene told this newspaper that the Fire Service received

Tracy Flur (left) (Royston Drakes Photo)

Fire Chief (ag.), Gregory Wickham (Delano Williams photo) the report around 01:25hrs and two fire tenders were immediately dispatched to the location.

“Because of the terrain, they could not have come any closer to the scene. So, the firefighters had to get there by foot,” he told this newspaper.

The firefighters had to walk almost 20 minutes through a muddy dam to the scene.

“When they were in close enough proximity to the fire scene, they noticed flames and smoke…When they got closer, they realised that the building was totally gutted,” he added.

Fire Chief (ag.), Grego-

ry Wickham, who was at the scene, told this newspaper that the Fire Service received the report at around 01:25 hrs. Two fire tenders were immediately dispatched to the location.

“Because of the terrain, they could not have come any closer to the scene. So, the firefighters had to get there by foot,” he told this newspaper.

The firefighters had to walk almost 20 minutes through a muddy dam to the scene.

“When they were in close enough proximity to the fire scene, they noticed flames and smoke…When they got closer, they realised that the building was totally gutted,” he added.

According to the fire department, the fire was electrical in nature. A source in the department said there was an illegal electrical connection to the home.

Speaking with the media at the scene following the tragedy, the grieving mother said, “I really don’t know what happen last night; I left to go to work. I got a phone call saying that my house on fire when I deh at work.”

She alleged that her former boyfriend, whom she said was abusive which caused her to secure a restraining order, deliberately set her home afire.

The woman claimed that on Wednesday evening the man called her and she refused to answer.

“I was in a relationship with an abusive boyfriend. I go [sic] to the station countless times to make a report.

This month-end supposed to be we court date and he tell me that how anytime I go to court it gon be the last day I ever see a police and that how he gon kill me,” the woman said.

“He threatened me nuff

DECEASED: Timothy Kippins, Trayshaw Kippins, and Zhlia time that he gon burn down me house… but me ain’t know he gon burn down the house with me children them inside…. Why he didn’t just put them out of the house,” the woman said while sobbing uncontrollably.

Flur added that on count-

less nights she is forced to seek shelter as the man would often attack her with weapons while making threats to kill her and the children.

She recalled that one time he even threatened to TURN TO PAGE 10

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guyana CHRONICLE friday may 27, 2022

Poultry, fish, pineapple projects for Mainstay/Whyaka Village –– marine cage initiative to be launched in Capoey, President Ali says

PRESIDENT Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that there will be three agriculture projects for the Mainstay/Whyaka Village and a massive fishing project for Capoey.

The Head of State, who made those announcements while engaging residents of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), said that the projects are expected to increase economic resilience, expand the economic base, open new

economic opportunities, as well as new forms of employment for the residents of the communities and surrounding areas.

In Mainstay/Whyaka, the President said that the government will invest in a facility for a special poultry project that is aimed at satisfying the meat demands for the Lake Mainstay Resort and the village itself.

This project, he noted, will be financed by the gov-

ernment, and led by young residents.

“The government is going to invest in a facility within the school that the children will own,” President Ali said, adding: “Because I believe the new generation, from a very early age, must be exposed to entrepreneurship, and the challenges to the world.”

The President said that he has asked the Ministry of Agriculture to look at the

communities of Mainstay and Capoey so as to come up with a model for the proposed investment.

He said that currently, the Mainstay resort has a demand for almost 1,000 pounds of chicken per month, and that the government is also aiming to make young people understand that there is dignity in agriculture, and that the see page 7

President Dr. Irfaan Ali was given a warm welcome by residents of Capoey

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Businesses call on governments to remove barriers

(Barbados Today) REPRESENTATIVES of two of the region’s largest conglomerates are calling on Barbados and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states to remove barriers to intra-regional trade.

The Barbados-based Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Goddard Enterprises Ltd., Anthony Ali, and Jamaica-based Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GraceKennedy Financial Group, Steven Whittingham, said this is necessary to achieve food security and increase cross-border commerce.

They identified a lack of harmonised regulations and standards as well as high logistics costs as some of the barriers to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engaging in intra-regional trade.

Ali added that there were “a number of infrastructural challenges,” including “the regulatory environment in which we operate [and] the barriers we create ourselves within the region.”

He was responding to questions during a panel discussion as the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) held its 196th annual general meeting at the Barbados Hilton Resort under the theme Building Resilience and Sustainability Amidst the Tide of Global Uncertainties.

Ali pointed out that CARICOM member states have varying standards and requirements for products coming from other CARICOM countries that did not apply to products imported from extra-regional markets.

He said: “Until we get a proper framework from a

regulatory environment that allows the ease of movement of goods [and] capital, moving food across the region to ensure food security would remain a major challenge.”

Ali said while there was potential for the region to become self-sufficient in meeting its nutrition needs, that would require private-public sector partnerships.

“I think it has got to be led at the regional level within government to remove the barriers that will then enable the private sector to do what it does best, which is to deploy capital and exploit those opportunities. But to me it sounds really good on paper and I know there are a lot of projects looking at this, but we really need a collaborative effort at the regional level first to really exploit that opportunity,” he said.

Whittingham agreed, while noting that the lingering issue of costs associated

with shipping should also be addressed.

“Even if we get to the point that it was easy as we are using the same labels and there are unified standards, it is not cheap to move goods in relatively small container-type quantities across the region. That is another problem; logistics become a huge factor in commerce in our region,” he said.

“So, there are some real structural impediments that we need to address. I am not saying we can’t address it, I am saying if the governments are prepared to help support, if the respective regulatory bodies in the region are able to work together then businesses will come together to fix the logistics problem, because if Anthony can move goods and I can move goods the only problem is logistics;

I promise you we will fix that,” Whittingham said.

LOGISTICS COSTS During the discussion, it was also noted that while e-commerce was already allowing for micro and small businesses to sell their products directly to consumers across the region, a lot of work was still to be done to reduce logistics costs.

Senior Technical Advisor to the Barbados Government, Dr. Kevin Greenidge, said he was not aware of the technical hurdles that were preventing the progress towards food security, as he pointed to the ongoing thrust by Barbados, Guyana and other regional states to have Guyana become the breadbasket of the region.

“So, action is happening

at the Government level in order to push that,” Greenidge said, adding: “Sometimes businesses tend to be a bit too reliant on government.”

He suggested that there was nothing stopping the private sector from setting up shop in one country and doing trade with others.

However, Ali cited the issue of front-of-package labelling as one example of what was stopping companies from doing just that. He said until the region was able to get it right, companies were “stuck in limbo.”

“So, within the Caribbean, we can’t decide on how we are going to implement front-of-label packaging.

Every country has not signed off and [some of them] want different models. As an exporter trying to export, I am not going to go and develop five different labels to send to ten different countries; it is impractical,” he said.

Ali also pointed to the Goddard Enterprise experience of having to label some products differently for different markets “because the

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regulatory environment of how you label [and] where that label is, is different.”

Minister of Business Development Kerrie Symmonds agreed there was need for harmonisation of standards in CARICOM. “We are going to have to be able to get the standards,” he added.

“I think there is no real challenge with us being able to step up to the plate. I think what is important is for us to have a broad buy-in in terms of getting us as a community to that level,” Symmonds related.

Speaking specifically about Barbadian companies, he expressed disappointment that more of them were not seeking to obtain standards and certifications necessary to export to some markets.

He pointed out that while there were an estimated 10,000 businesses on the island, fewer than 100 of them were clients of the Barbados National Standards Institute (BNSI) which is responsible for developing standards.

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guyana CHRONICLE friday may 27, 2022

Staying Connected

GOVERNANCE of a country is a challenging and demanding task, especially when it comes to dealing with people with different and competing interests; but most of these challenges could be solved by maintaining connection with the people, and importantly, delivering on promises made.

The importance of the latter two points cannot be underestimated as the consequences in recent years have been laid bare for all to see. Many would recall the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coming to power in 2015 after selling a long list of promises to the populace and winning the hearts of many non-traditional supporters, who at the time believed that a change in government was needed.

Even though their election to office was deemed questionable in some quarters, the fact at the end of the day was that they managed to wrestle political power from the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C). But having gained power they failed miserably in their efforts to legitimately maintain it and this may largely be due to the nature of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), which was the dominant force in the coalition. The PNC is notorious for rigging elections and through this means held on to power for 28 years. So where did the Coalition fail after passing step

one, that is, winning political power? The answer is simple. The leaders of the Coalition on gaining political power began to rule the country from the proverbial ivory tower.

And by virtue of this, the connection with its base prior to the elections waned significantly as their years went by in office. This was made worse when supporters, both traditional and non-traditional, began to see the promises made by the Coalition as giving ‘false hopes’[sic] and ‘selling dreams’ to win votes with the sole objective of occupying the seat of power and to enjoy the concomitant benefits of such offices.

Of course, they were other internal reasons for the Coalition’s failures, such as a breakdown in communication among parties and unilateral decisions by the dominant player in the Coalition, but neglect of their base and their failure to deliver on promises made to the people were the primary reasons they lost power.

There is a view that the PPP/C experienced a noticeable decline in the years leading up to 2015 elections, because many party leaders did not enjoy the connection the party once had with its base, and the AFC exploited this gap to its full advantage. As one of the oldest political parties in Guyana, the PPP/C no doubt has learnt its lessons from past experiences and on its return to office

less than two years ago, has demonstrated that it is on a mission to correct its missteps, while at the same time building a Guyana that is modern, inclusive and prosperous for all.

Its strategy is a simple one. From the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and ministers, right down to senior government officials are required to meet with the people, listen and provide solutions to their concerns. This approach has seen government outreaches being held throughout Guyana and regular interfacing between government ministers and members of the public on a daily basis, dealing with issues from fixing of roads, alleviating floods and making education more accessible, to bringing people together for the greater good of Guyana.

Based on the outcomes, these engagements are genuine and designed to minimise if not solve issues affecting residents. There are many examples here, but space will not permit the listing of all of them in this editorial.

However, three of the most recent examples are the provision of free fertilisers to farmers after they complained of high prices and the negative effect it is having on production; the reduction of excise tax on diesel and gasoline to zero to ease the burden of transportation costs on commuters, due to the global increase in fuel prices and the subsidising of the costs for water and electricity

to prevent the increase in prices of these two vital services being passed down to consumers.

Due to the engaging approach to governance and genuine commitment to improve the lives of Guyanese, the Irfaan Ali-led government in less than two years has so far been able to deliver on about 80 per cent of its 2020 manifesto promises.

VAT on water and electricity, agricultural inputs and food items, along with scores of burdensome taxes have been removed; the education cash grant has been restored with an increase from $10,000 to $30,000 with a promise to further increase this amount to $50, 000 by 2025; old age pension has been increased by 40 per cent; the unemployment rate is less than it was two years ago; more than 11,000 house lots have been distributed and hundreds of homes are being built that will be handed over to residents. Only recently, the government has taken things a step further, announcing that it will build homes for private land owners who do not have the capital to build, under a scheme in which it will recover its investment.

These interventions are reflective of a government in action, a government that is connected with the people and a government that is committed to delivering on its promises to the people.

Joel Bhagwandin responds to Tom Sanzillo, IEEFA Dear Editor, REFERENCE is made to Kaieteur News article captioned, “Every citizen at present owes ExxonMobil $9m -- IEEFA Financial Analyst,” published in its May 25th edition.

In the article, the author argued that with the planned development, ExxonMobil will rack up some US$75B which will drive up the debt burden for Guyana.

This view; however, is contextually incorrect and grossly misleading. It is not a case where the Government of Guyana somehow would have to find US$75 billion by 2070 to repay ExxonMobil. The investment of itself will repay the investors their capital investment and will yield a profit which is shared between the government and the oil company through a 50/50 split. The Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) has a 75 per cent cost-recovery threshold from which the contractor will recover the initial investment.

The projected capital investment for the Stabroek block over the life of the project is some US$60 billion and the life of the project

is 30 years.

At the very outset it must be understood that ExxonMobil and its consortium partners, inter alia, the 1999 agreement, commenced exploration shortly after that agreement was signed and discovered oil only in 2015, 16 years, while all this time incurring exploration costs. Following the successful discovery, the development stage of the field began which took five years, bringing it to a total of almost 21 years of exploration and development before going into production. That means, Exxon and its partners waited for just over two decades before they started to produce oil in commercial quantities and to recover their initial capital investment and ultimately profit.

Using Liza phase one for the sake of this discussion, the Liza phase one total development cost alone stood at US$4.3 billion, almost 100 per cent of Guyana’s pre-oil GDP. It would appear, too, that Tom Sanzillo does not seem to comprehend that because of the 75 per cent cost-recovery threshold, the recovery period for these investments will be very short. Liza phase one, for example,

using an average price per barrel of US$45 at an annual production capacity of 43.8 million barrels of crude, the investment cost of US$4.3 billion will be recovered within three to four years using the payback method.

With the Net Present Value (NPV) investment appraisal method and a discount rate of 10 per cent, the investment can be recovered within four years. As such, from the Liza One alone, Guyana can earn over US$2 billion in the first five years and up to US$6 billion within 10 years – taking the post-recovery period into the equation. In other words, Guyana’s projected earnings from the Liza One development alone over the first decade is equivalent to 120 per cent of current GDP; 3.5 times current level of total public debt and five times government’s revenue, using 2019 figures.

The highest cost is usually the development cost and, therefore, when the development cost is recovered, the operating expense is minimal since the infrastructure to extract the crude is already in place. To substantiate this view with reasonable certainty, a perusal

of Exxon’s 2018 annual report confirmed that total operating cost was just about 27 per cent of total revenue. Hence, this means that in the post-recovery period, profit share will be greater assuming for example, that operating costs will be 30 per cent of total revenue, then effectively there will be 70 per cent of revenue for profit share of which 50 per cent is Guyana’s share. Consequently, Guyana’s profit share can be as much as 35 per cent post-recovery period, two per cent royalty resulting in a total take of 37 per cent; up from 14.5 per cent during the recovery period in the first three to four years for Liza Phase One development alone. Then there is Liza phase Two and many other FPSOs and development fields that will be operationalised over the decade.

(Author’s note: A more comprehensive counter analysis to Tom Sanzillo’s, by this author is forthcoming).

Yours sincerely, Joel Bhagwandin Financial Analyst

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guyana CHRONICLE friday may 27, 2022

Poultry, fish, pineapple projects ... from page 4

new methods of farming include technology, as well as scientific methods and research and development.

The second project, the Head of State announced, will see the government providing capital investment for a commercial marine cage aimed at providing the community with 11 tonnes of fish every nine months.

He said that as early as next week, technical staff from the Ministry of Agriculture will be in the community to begin establishing the project.

“They will be doing the testing, and looking at the best possible location,” President Ali said, adding that the required measurement of the project is three by 30 metres of flowing water.

“Once we do this right, the annual profitability can be as much as $10 million,” the President said, adding: “So, we are not sitting and waiting; we are looking at ways, methods, policies and programmes that we can bring on board to uplift your life. Because that is what we want; we want all of you to

President Dr. Irfaan Ali shares a light moment with residents of Mainstay (Office of the President photos) benefit from the prosperity.”

The third project, the President said, will be to expand pineapple production in the village.

The Head of State related: “You are known to produce the best pineapple.

We want to work with the village and farmers to see

how we can accelerate this production; to see how we can add value once again to this production.”

The President also said that the government has committed to advancing work on the community’s access road so as to assist it in realising its “tremendous” tourism and

PPP agents did not bomb Sun Chapman Dear Editor, IN another section of the media (May 25), there is a statement that “elements of the PPP Liberation Army bombed the Sun Chapman launch (that was on course to McKenzie from Georgetown) on July 6, 1964 that resulted in the deaths of 38.”

PPP leaders at the time and consistently till now denied they were affiliated with those who planted the explosive near the engine of the vessel resulting in the explosion.

It is not known definitively what led to the explosion and who planted it. The launch or passenger boat was not ‘bombed.’ The Commission of Inquiry into the horrific act reported that explosives were kept near the engine room of the Sun Chapman launch with the heat triggering a blast. It is not clear if the explosives were planted by an agent (s) or were brought on board to be transported to Wismar-McKenzie to unleash violence on people in Wismar-McKenzie.

In my interviews with

individuals familiar with the incident, some alleged that the explosives were secretly brought on board and hidden near the en-

gine room so as not to be detected.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

agriculture potential.

“The government is with you; we are with you! Together, we have to do this; this requires all of us to think differently. Also, we have to think about the bigger picture; the macro picture… We have to embrace the future together, and build together.

The Government is your partner; as your President, I am your partner,” President Ali said.

Meanwhile, during a community meeting in Capoey, the Head of State in-

formed residents that the marine-cage project is aimed at producing over 30,000 tonnes of fish that is expected to bring in more than $6 million in profit annually.

The project will be spearheaded by the villagers. Additionally, the President announced that the government will be procuring a 32-seater bus to assist the village. In both communities, the President handed over sporting gear to youths.

Senior Minister within the Office of the President

with responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd; Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond; Commissioner of Police (ag) Clifton Hicken and current acting Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Colonel Julius Skeete, and other regional and government officials joined the President at the meeting.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Caribbean Food Insecurity Post-COVID and Ukraine Part 8: Following the Food!

By Earl Bousquet THE May 19-21 Guyana Agricultural Investment Forum and Expo, attended by government leaders and delegations from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Montserrat, Trinidad and Tobago, was more than just a historic regional first.

It also opened the way for local innovators to market and display new ideas for tackling old problems and set the stage for local and regional public and private sector entities to talk-the-talk -- and also to walk-the-walk.

The event was all about reducing the Caribbean’s

US$6 Billion food-import bill by 25 per cent and pulling the region (at least a quarter-way, hopefully) out of its current level of food insecurity, in three years – quite an ambition, but not impossible today, the only missing element being the will for governments (primarily) to do what it’ll take at home to achieve that laudable, but hitherto elusive regional goal.

President, Dr Irfaan Ali’s opening address (and comments to the press before and since) have left no doubt that Guyana is ready and willing and has taken huge first steps by investing the highest sums ever in different aspects of

agriculture, from livestock and poultry to fishing, aquaculture -- and exploring future wheat production.

The central and underlying common denominator in all that was discussed between last Thursday and Saturday in Georgetown was Caribbean food, of which there is always enough available in each country, but never the means to ensure equitable distribution to the most needy.

Indeed, Guyana – at 83,000 square miles -can alone plant and grow enough to feed the entire CARICOM region, but it’s also the prime duty and responsibility of every government to meet

each nation’s food needs at home by investing more time and resources in new approaches to agriculture, while also taking serious steps to increase access of local products to local and regional markets.

D o m i n i c a ’s P r i m e Minister Roosevelt Skerrit passionately pleaded for fellow leaders to do more to protect regional farmers and their produce against cheaper or less healthy food imports – and explained why and how Dominica imports rice and sugar only from Guyana; and flour only from St. Vincent & The Grenadines.

As Skerrit also posited, the current generation of 21st Century CARICOM leaders have demonstrated before that they do have the political will to go where their predecessors haven’t.

The three-day event also opened the way for better understanding of why the future of agriculture lies with the region’s youth, as of today.

Along the lines of the new concept of ‘The Youth Economy,’ there’s much scope for attracting youth to modern agriculture without any of the backbreaking manual labour that’s kept too many away for much too long.

Today’s youth have started and will continue to think-up the new ideas to be pursued in these new times, with modern tools and methods still very new and strange to the aging adults still largely keeping the industry alive the world over, but which represent aspects of normal youthful thinking today about how to turn challenges into opportunities.

The number of certified but unemployed youth across the Caribbean has long provided ongoing and worsening proof of

the failure of governments (primarily) to cater for creating jobs for every qualified person in developing economies, where there’s always need for work.

The human and natural resources do exist today across the region to ensure that the likes of Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre’s oft-repeated noble aim to ensure “a university graduate in every home” -- and that (most importantly) each is also employed.

Agriculture today also offers endless opportunities to fundamentally alter the prevailing conditions that still feed the brain drain, while the region is starved of local food.

Modern agriculture has moved by leaps and bounds, beyond the normal thinking of the world’s average citizen -- and thanks to the existing global media landscape, information is always readily available to start a new thinking process.

Every Sunday, for example, the BBC presents a feature called ‘Follow The Food’ (sponsored by Corteva Agri-Science and presented by botanist James Wong).

It’s self-described as ‘an in-depth multimedia series examining the biggest pressures on the world food system, from soil loss to malnutrition, and the solutions to help overcome them…’

This well-presented series is well worth watching, from the standpoint of how far the world has gone addressing and trying to resolve agriculture’s traditional problems by marrying farming, science and food in ways never imagined by those who plant and reap by hand and live by hand to mouth.

It examines issues such as population growth versus food production, in a

situation where the global hamburger industry has grown to US $85 Billion in 20 years, resulting in farmers producing more meat today than planting crops.

With more need to improve the protein intake of the world’s population, some advocate removing animal production from the equation altogether (because of its negative influences on the atmosphere and the planet), while others argue for diversifying sources of protein from plants.

With livestock rearing taking up more land than food, some also recommend improving the protein intake of animals by feeding them better (and healthier) varieties of grass.

But all animal rearing comes at a cost to planting crops, as with egg production: chickens are fed with grain, which has to be planted -- so one big European company is indeed already making and marketing ‘carbon-neutral’ eggs.

With half the world’s arable land dedicated to agriculture and 70 per cent of its surface covered by water, aquaculture is creating underwater farms at a faster pace than ever, with harvesting of everything from seaweed to sea moss gaining everywhere from increased production, with less harm to the environment.

Indeed, ‘Follow The Food’ is a programme I would recommend that every CARICOM agriculture minister and related decision-maker -and everyone else, young or old – watch whenever possible, if only because it shows that improving food production and food security does not have to come at the cost of our tastebuds, or to farmers.

guyana CHRONICLE friday may 27, 2022

$10B invested in two years to enhance lives of Amerindians

By Tamica Garnett

IN just under two years, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government has already expended close to $10 billion on developmental projects targeting various Amerindian communities.

Speaking at the 56th Independence Flag-Raising ceremony on Wednesday night, President Dr. Irfaan Ali highlighted the importance of catering for the enhancement of the lives of Guyana’s First Peoples in the country’s wider transformational plan.

“Our Amerindian brothers and sisters are our First Peoples and deserve the respect and honour of all. In pursuit of advancing their cause, in less than two years, we have invested close to $10

billion on the First Peoples of our country,” the Head of State said.

Of the $10 billion, more than $5 billion has been expended on supporting hinterland infrastructure to cater for economic expansion.

“I want you to see that we are expanding the commitment we made to the First Peoples because we are already ahead of what was promised in our Manifesto.

We recognised the magnitude of investment that is required to uplift the lives of Amerindians and their communities, and we are investing beyond that commitment,” Dr. Ali said.

Living largely in the most remote communities in Guyana’s hinterland and riverine communities, Amerindians are considered to be disproportionately disadvantaged

President Dr. Irfaan Ali when compared with citizens on the coastland, and, as such, special attention and investments specific to the indigenous communities are required.

Due to the sparsity of population in some of the communities over the years, Amerindians have faced challenges with accessing

Lima Sands Nursery, Primary beautified –– with donation from United Contracting IN keeping with their corporate social responsibility (CSR), United Contracting, on Tuesday, made a significant donation to the Lima Sands nursery and primary schools.

Owner of the company, Safraz Ali, said that he is currently conducting works on phase two of the Lima Sands Road and was asked by the headmistress of the school to assist.

He said he immediately

decided to make the donation which went towards the painting and decorating of the building for the recent Independence Anniversary celebrations Region Two. The contractor also made provisions for children to have meals and for furniture to be transported to the primary school.

“We take pride in giving back to the community in which we operate… this is not the first time we distrib-

uted items… we distributed kites during Easter and also shared food hampers to the less fortunate… we are delighted to give back to society,” Ali said.

The donation was presented to the school by the contractor and his wife Shaheeria Ali. Headmistress of Lima Sands Primary, Debra Richard, expressed appreciation to the contractor for the monetary donation.

Owner of United Contracting, Safraz Ali, and his wife, Shaheeria Ali, handing over the monetary donation to the headmistress and teachers of the school

education, healthcare and utilities.

However, more and more emphasis has been placed on creating an equitable system that benefits persons both in the hinterland and on the coastland.

“Every single region; every single group in this country will and must benefit from the prosperity that will come our way. Amerindian people should not be at a disadvantage; we must invest and create an even platform in which every child must have the same equitable access to the same future in the same country. That is the future we want,” President Ali noted in his remarks.

In the latest of measures

that largely targets the Amerindian community, just a few weeks ago, the President announced that residents in riverine and hinterland communities across Guyana will be receiving a special $25,000 per household cash grant as part of measures being implemented to cushion the rising cost of living.

During his address, the President pointed to the building of infrastructure, and the upgrading of roads, particularly those connecting Regions Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), as a few of the examples of ways in which the government has been improving the lives of Amerindians, particularly

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those in the hinterland.

“This is the type of work your government has embarked on, not only to bring relief and bringing you benefits, but more importantly; far more importantly, to ensure that we create the opportunities that will have us live in a sustainable environment for the future.” Dr. Ali said.

The Head of State also noted the developments that have been made by the government in expanding the provision of potable water in the hinterland regions, thereby significantly increasing the coverage to reliable water by 60 per cent, and well on target to achieving 100 per cent by 2025.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Police investigating Ruimveldt fatal shooting … accused cop under close arrest

THE Guyana Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is currently investigating an alleged fatal shooting of a 30-year-old fisherman by an armed police rank on Tuesday.

According to a police release today, the deceased man, Deanraj Singh, also known as ‘Steve’, was shot at Riverview, Ruimveldt, Georgetown sometime around 20:00 hrs.

He was the reputed husband of Akisha Madramootoo, 32, a fisherwoman who resides with their three children at Riverview Squatting Area.

“They separated a few years ago, but Steve would frequently visit the house and assault and threaten Akisha. The woman stated that she was afraid of his constant threats and assault because she is aware that he has a gun,” the law enforcement agency said in its statement.

It added: “As a result, on June 25th, 2021, she was granted a Protection Order by the court against him; however, despite the Order being granted, he consistently violated the Order by going to her house and beating her up and damaging her property; the most recent time

being on Sunday, May 15th, 2022”.

According to the police, Singh was no stranger to the law since he was previously charged with breaking and entering, larceny, and assault.

Additionally, there are two pending warrants for Singh’s arrest with several criminal charges pending against him.

The police report said that on Tuesday last at around 20:00 hrs, Akisha was at home when the now-deceased fisherman went to the house, in violation of the Protection Order, and assaulted her.

The matter was re-

ported to the Ruimveldt Police Station. Police officers, including a member of the community policing group, responded to the call.

One officer was armed with a .38 revolver, with six live rounds.

“The ranks went to a house at Riverview Ruimveldt, where Steve Singh and some other friends were drinking.

“When he saw the ranks, he ran into a house, jumped through a window, and dashed towards the Demerara River. The police ranks, as well as the victim (Akisha), all followed him.

“One of the police ranks claim that while walking on the landing heading towards the river, he heard a sound coming from the bushes on the riverbank, so he quick-

ly shined his torchlight in the direction and saw Steve with an object in his right hand, which was followed by a loud explosion, so he immediately discharged two rounds in Steve’s direction, and he saw him run and jump into the Demerara River.

“The ranks searched the area for Steve, but he was not found,” the police report said.

S i n g h ’s l i f e l e s s body was discovered on Wednesday morning around 06:45 hours by a fisherman, Deonarine Boodhoo, who went to the Riverview area to make repairs to his boat.

According to police, Singh was discovered lying face down on the “mudflat”. The body was examined by crime scene technicians, who discovered one suspected gun-

shot wound on the right side of his abdomen.

The body is currently at the mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination. The area was searched, but no trace of the suspected firearm was discovered.

The hands of both the deceased and the police rank, as well as clothing, were swabbed for gun powder residue.

The firearm, ammunition, and spent shells were marked, sealed, and delivered to the Ballistics Department for analysis. Statements have also been collected as the OPR investigation continues.

The police officer who allegedly fired the fatal shot is presently under close arrest, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Three children dead in house...

Undertakers load the human remains into the tray of a pickup truck (Delano Williams photo) FROM PAGE 3 kill her and bury the body where nobody can find it.

The single parent explained that her children spent time at her parents’ home while she is away at work. She also explained that she was recently forced to take time off from work after the man threatened to kill her if he sees her in public.

“I ask for a couple of days off from work just like fuh don’t get to see him because I get a restraining order for he not to come to me place and last night he

called me and I refused to answer the phone… I don’t know why,” the woman said.

Scores of neighbours and onlookers gathered in front of the gutted house as the firemen searched for the children in the rubble. Around 13:00hrs, the charred remains of the children were removed from the scene.

The police also questioned the father of one of the children, who said that he was away at work when he learned of the news.

The police also arrested the woman’s alleged abusive ex-boyfriend as the investi-

gation is still ongoing.

The resident also complained about the deplorable state of the road, which they said was a major hindrance for the firefighters and the police.

“The road is the problem mek the children had to lose their life… anytime the road was properly done that fire truck would have drive [sic] in. They come in time but the time they tek fuh walk in the house was already flattened,” Roxanne Alleyne, a resident, said.

“We are calling on the relevant authorities to look into this,” the woman said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Banks DIH rakes in $3.6B in half-year profit EVEN as various sectors continue to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Banks DIH group has defied the odds to rake in a profit of $3.6 billion for the first half of the financial year.

According to the Chairman of the Banks DIH, Clifford Reis, in a statement published in the company’s interim financial report, the group’s unaudited profit before taxation for the first half of the year was $3.646 billion compared to $3.262 billion in 2021; this represents an increase of $384 million or 11.8 per cent.

The report noted that the company’s unaudited profit after taxation was $2.5 billion compared to $2.275 billion in 2021, an increase of $258 million or 11.3 per cent.

Reis said the group’s third-party revenue for the six-month period was $21.8 billion compared to $19.7 billion for the corresponding period in 2021, an increase of $2.1 billion or 10.7 per

Chairman of Banks DIH Limited, Clifford Reis cent.

In a breakdown of how the revenue was generated by the group’s subsidiaries, Reis said Banks Automotive and Services Inc., a 100 per cent owned subsidiary of the company, generated revenue of $25.8 million compared to $19.5 million in 2021, an increase of $6.3 million or 32 per cent.

The subsidiary’s profit after taxation was $1.6 million compared to $1.1 million in 2021, an increase of

$0.5 million or 45 per cent.

The unaudited operating profit before taxation for Banks DIH Limited was $2.7 billion compared to $2.4 billion in 2019, an increase of $340 million or 13.9 per cent, while the unaudited profit after taxation was $1.9 billion compared to $1.6 billion in 2019, an increase of $305 million or 18.2 per cent.

Citizens Bank Guyana Inc., a 51 per cent owned subsidiary of the company, recorded an

Floodwaters recede in Region Five - following timely intervention by the Agriculture Ministry

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and other officials assessing the situation in Region Five on Tuesday FLOODWATERS have started to recede in areas across Region Five as a result of swift action by the Ministry of Agriculture.

In providing an update on the situation in the region, Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Five, Vickchand Ramphal, said that floodwaters have started to recede and there were no new reports of flooding in the previously affected areas.

Ramphal, however, said

the RDC was conducting assessments to determine how much damage was done by the floods, as it related to farms and households.

Owing to the situation in the region because of excessive rainfall, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, had ordered that emergency works be conducted to clear drains and install pumps to rid the land of floodwaters.

Emergency works were conducted on the western and eastern sideline dams in

Little Abary, Catherine, Recess, Park, Fellowship, and Good Faith.

Additional works were also conducted in Ball Field Street, Calcutta. The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) was also able to install tubes to assist with improved drainage in Airy Hall, Dundee, Good Faith, Recess, Catherine, and in the northern swamplands from Food Faith to Novar.

unaudited profit after taxation of $722.2 million compared to $478.4 million achieved in 2021, reflecting an increase of $243.8 million or 51 per cent.

During the period under review, the company’s capital expenditure was focused on the acquisition of new trucks, display coolers, freezers, dispensers, and draught beer cylinders to enhance the company’s marketing and distribution infrastructure.

There was also the replacement of equipment across the company which included power generation/ supply, refrigeration, security cameras, and computer equipment.

The report noted that in the second half of the year, work will continue on the syrup room upgrade, the new water bottling plant, the new Malt and Rice Mill, as well as a new Centrifuge System for the Brewery.

As a result of the company’s performance, the directors have approved an interim dividend of $0.40 per share unit to all shareholders whose names appear on the share register as at 17 May 2022. The cost of this dividend payment will be $340 million.

Despite the successes recorded in the past six months, the group is anticipating new challenges,

which may arise as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war.

“My fellow shareholders, the mitigation of the effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) has assisted the company to cope with the many challenges that arose therefrom. However, the supply chain will continue to be disrupted as a result of the geopolitical crisis in Europe.

“Prices of key raw materials and supplies will continue to rise which will affect our profitability. We are confident that we will rise above the challenges ahead and will report improved results, in the second half of financial year 2022,” Reis said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Agreement signed for wage increase, training programmes for GTT workers

GPTWU’s President Harold Shepherd; Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton and GTT’s CEO, Damian Blackburn, pose for a photo with the signed agreement (Delano Williams photo)

THE Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) Company Ltd. and Guyana Postal and Telecommunications Workers Union (GPTWU), on Wednesday, signed a collective labour agreement for a six per cent salary increase and training programmes for GTT employees.

The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Labour’s boardroom in the presence of subject minister, Joseph Hamilton and the Chief Labour officer, Dhaneshwar Deonarine.

two years.

“The deal that we have reached is covering a number of topics. We have the pay increases.

We recognise that the pay increase we had in October isn’t quite sufficient… we have increased the pay from January 2023 to six per cent.”

The company made further commitments to award additional increases based on company and individual performance levels as well as major investments in comprehensive fibre skills training for its technicians.

the agreement that was signed on Wednesday.

“GTT as we all know as a company has been around Guyana for the last 30 years and GTT obviously would have transformed the telecoms sector across the length and breadth of Guyana.

With that in mind, based on the jobs that the employees would have performed over the years and [the] union’s efforts to ensure that they are compensated accordingly, we would have had several outstanding matters that were not addressed and

GPTWU’s President Harold Shepherd; Chief Labour officer, Dhaneshwar Deonarine and GTT’s CEO, Damian Blackburn, sign the agreement In brief remarks to the media following the signing, GTT’s CEO, Damian Blackburn, said since his appointment he has worked closely with the union to resolved a number of outstanding issues the company has faced over the years.

He opined that the company will only be able to fulfill its mandate and mission if the two bodies are able to work collaboratively.

“We have been able to work with the union team and I believe that we work very well together.

Sometimes there are difficult things to discuss but we always approach it collaboratively, with an objective in mind,” Blackburn said.

He explained that the agreement will see workers of GTT receiving a six per cent salary increase from January 2023. Additionally, the agreement features a clause for open discussions for an additional increase in the next

“One of the biggest things in this agreement as well, is a commitment to resolve issues and really focus on looking forward. We made commitments into a transformational training programme for our technicians to make sure that they are fully trained in the skills of the 21st century,” he added.

In October 2021, the company had signed an agreement for a 2 per cent increase which had taken effect from February of this year. At the time, the company had vowed to review the agreement for further increases.

Meanwhile, GPTWU’s President, Harold Shepherd, said that, over the last year, the union has been able to address the backlog of several issues they would have brought to the attention of GTT’s management.

Shepherd added that after successful negotiations, some of these issues were resolved resulting in

since Mr. Blackburn took over the leadership of the company some of those issues, we have been able to address,” he said.

Shepherd further explained that agreement will see field technicians undergoing a six-month training programme and, based on their performance, promotions will be in effect.

“Those employees, or technicians I should say will undergo a six-month training. At the end of that six months…once they have performed exceptionally well above 80 per cent … they [will] receive in terms of promotion from Technician One to Technician Two.” In his remarks, Minister Hamilton lauded the two entities for their collaborative efforts in resolving issues faced by workers as well as, the implementation of training programmes to boost personal development and healthy work environments.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Bids open for new Schoonord to Crane four-lane highway

AS part of continued efforts to reduce the buildup of traffic along the West Bank and West Coast of Demerara corridor, the Ministry of Housing and Water has moved ahead to request bids for the construction of a four-lane highway from Schoonord, West Bank Demerara, to Crane, West Coast of Demerara.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali had announced plans for the new highway in late April 2022, noting that the increased traffic along that corridor has necessitated the construction of a channel for traffic flow. “…because of the speed of development in the region [Region Three], we have to go with a stop-gap and build an alternative four-lane highway from Crane to Schoonord because that is where there is a huge traffic back-up,” President Ali said.

According to the bid document which was published in the Guyana Chronicle, the works on the four-lane highway will be divided into eight lots, with construction expected to last for 16 months per lot.

Contractors who wish to bid for any or all of the lots, have, until July 13, 2022, to make their submissions.

Following a Cabinet inspection which was led by the Head of State, it was determined that the alignment for the new highway is about three miles long.

Owing to the rapid pace of development, this highway will precede the planned construction of a four-lane highway from Schoonord to Parika on the East Bank of Essequibo (EBE).

This potential road link, President Ali had said, will open thousands of acres of land for housing, agriculture and agro-related projects, tourism, and other related activities.

The construction of this particular road, however, is merely a component of a broader plan to modernise the country’s infrastructure and create myriad alternative and more convenient linkages.

At the centre of those plans is the intended construction of a new ‘fly-over’ Demerara Harbour Bridge, which will stretch from

FLASHBACK: A technical team surveying the route for the new Schoonord-Parika highway Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) to La Grange, WBD. The new four-lane, highspan bridge, once completed, will replace the existing structure which was built in 1976, over four decades ago.

On a larger scale, in continuing its drive to transform the country’s infrastructure, the government has allocated the largest portion of its milestone $552.9 billion Budget 2022 to the Ministry of Public Works. A total of $96.1 billion has been allocated to the ministry, which is responsible for the country’s infrastructure.

Some $76.7 billion for roads and bridges under the Ministry of Public Works is in the 2022 budget.

Another component of public infrastructure is the construction of houses and the accompanying facilities to make the environment conducive to living. To this end, the government has allocated $12.4 billion for further development of the housing sector.

“With the construction boom underway, particularly pertaining to the rapid expansion in housing and road projects, the development and expansion of the other mining and quarrying subsector is crucial,” Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, had said.

This expansion, he related, has the potential of lowering construction costs since the abundance of local, readily available resources could ease the impact of imported inflationary pressure on the cost of key construction materials.

In an area related to construction and manufacturing, there is expected to be significant growth by the end of this year.

When gender and busi

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(FAO) SHE smiles widely and her face beams with pride. Seeing Agnes Rehema Chisiwa in her garden of carefully selected

and curated tomato plants, there is no doubt that she is proud of what she has accomplished.

Agnes is now the chairperson

of the Juhudi Farmer Field School in Kilifi South, Kenya. She has become a visionary entrepreneur and a dedicated trainer who enjoys

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

sharing her knowledge with other local farmers.

Through her training, she focuses on agricultural business

development and prepares both women and men to challenge local traditions and customs that hinder women from having an equal say.

“We, women farmers, face so many challenges because of the several roles we play,” says Agnes.

She added: “Women bear all the burden of family responsibilities, from the time they wake up until they go to bed. Women are expected to wash dishes, clean the house, fetch water from the well, carry pregnancies, attend school meetings and cook for their husbands and children. At the same time, they also need to attend community meetings and work on the farms.”

Until a few years ago, Agnes had difficulty to discuss financial matters openly with her husband, and they never consulted each other when making decisions, which is true for many families in rural Kenya.

“Whenever my husband got some

The WE-FBS has passed farmers. The programme Cambodia, Senegal an money, we would never talk about it,” Agnes lamented.

She said: “He got his money and I got mine. I would buy a packet of flour and while coming home from work he would also buy a packet of flour. Then, we would end up having two packets of flour but no other food items for the meal, like vegetables.”

Things started to change in 2020, when Agnes attended an FAO-organised training through the Women’s Empowerment Farmer Business School (WE-FBS), an innovative initiative that promotes gender equality and economic empowerment of rural women in the areas of agriculture and food production.

It reinforces the capacities of female and male farmers to create profitable agricultural enterprises and, at the same time, transforms gender relations in households, communities and markets by encouraging participants to critically reflect on and discuss gender challenges, dig into their causes and come up with possible solutions.

Husbands, wives and mature children also develop a five-year visioning plan together on their family and business affairs.

Agnes was among the 100 facilitators from the Kilifi County who participated in the WE-FBS training provided by FAO in partnership with the Government of Kenya, through the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, an initiative funded by FAO’s Flexible MultiPartner Mechanism (FMM).

“Following the WE-FBS training, I can now sit with my husband and plan together. We agreed that one of us should buy flour while the other buys vegetables. Same thing for our children’s school uniforms. I buy the

iness visions converge

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

shirts, and he buys the shorts. So, right now, all is well between us thanks to the training,” Agnes said.

LEARNING ABOUT MARKETS While encouraging family dialogue, the FAO training has also helped Agnes and other group members to develop their farming skills and better understand how to leverage markets.

Using the knowledge from the training, Agnes conducted a market survey which showed a great demand for tomatoes and other vegetables in the local market due to the prevailing drought in her county.

As a result, she started growing them and now she expects to earn more income from selling these crops at the market.

“Before we produce crops, we

d on skills to almost 3,000 is also being rolled out in nd Uganda (FAO photo) must conduct a market survey. We should not plant crops that do not have a ready market. The training was a watershed for us,” Agnes said.

She added: “We must take into consideration what products are available in the market from the buyers’ perspective. We need to ask them what they would be interested in buying and at what prices.”

In partnership with World Vision International, the WE-FBS initiative has prepared 15 master trainers and has built the capacities of 257 farmer facilitators who have, in turn, transferred the WE-FBS skills to further 2,678 farmers. The expectation is to reach 5,200 women and 1,300 men farmers by the end of the pilot phase in 2022.

“By involving both men and women, the WE-FBS approach gives space for unpacking gender norms while strengthening entrepreneurial skills and capacity to improve their farm business activities, engage in lucrative value chains and pursue market opportunities,” FAO Representative in Kenya, Carla Mucavi, said.

She related: “The approach also includes different tools to tackle negative norms that hinder women and men from improving their wellbeing and attaining their full potential.”

“Agnes is much more than a tomato and vegetables grower. She is a powerful woman who has overcome deep-rooted, socio-cultural norms,” said Queen Katembu, FAO WE-FBS Coordinator in Kenya, who trained Agnes and saw her speaking up more at home and in the community.

“Thanks to the training, she has become more skilled in planning expenses, joined a Village Savings and Loan Association, opened a bank account and developed a good basis to

obtain loans.”

While her business grows, Agnes knows exactly what she wants.

“I have a target and a five-year vi-

sion of what I plan to achieve. For instance, right now I need a [water] pump and I have started saving to buy one. Now, I save with a target.

I know I will get that pump thanks to my savings.”

Farmers who have taken the WE-FBS training are applying

what they learned to other farming initiatives in the country.

These trainings are also being rolled out in Cambodia, Senegal

and Uganda, aiming to enhance women’s equitable participation in farming and close the gender gap in agriculture.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Shelters, hampers being prepared for Kwakwani residents

— as floodwaters continue to rise

WITH floodwaters rising to 11 inches in some parts of Kwakwani, Region Ten, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and Kwakwani Neighbourhood Democratic Council (KNDC) are working closely together to establish shelters for residents who have been severely affected by the natural phenomenon.

Speaking with this newspaper via telephone, Vice Chairman of the KNDC, Cort Simeon, said floodwaters in the community of Lamp Island had risen to 11 inches after persistent rainfall from the night before.

Additionally, he said that severe damage to the main access road and other roads in Kwakwani have been re-

ported.

“Rain, lots of rain. We got some breakaway on some roads. Roads are damaging up due to the rainfall, the kokers can’t take off some of the excess water so that is causing the roads to damage up,” Simeon said.

He related, however, that preparations have begun for the establishment of shelters.

Previously, during periods of severe flooding, the NDC would utilise schools as shelters, but now that schools have reopened alternative locations are needed in order to house residents who have to be relocated.

“In terms of shelter, the NDC and the CDC are in discussions now trying to get a place to prepare for shelter,

A section of the Lamp Island community in Kwakwani that is inundated (Cort Simeon photo)

because last year we would have used the schools and the hostels but this year we got school going on and we have children in the dorms,” Simeon said.

Up to press time on Thursday, Simeon said that at least four families from the Lamp Island area in Kwakwani have been displaced.

In 2021, residents of Kwakwani were hit with devastating floods that reached 16 feet and, in some parts of the community, completely covered several homes.

The NDC vice chairman noted that residents have not yet quite recovered from the previous flood.

Simeon related that the

waters of 2021 phenomenon had not fully receded; however, residents were getting by.

In light of the ongoing situation, hampers and relief packages are being prepared for the residents.

Simeon urged persons living in vulnerable areas of the community to consider moving to higher grounds during the rainy season.

“There isn’t anything that the authorities can do; people don’t want to move from where they living. Previously, people would have asked for lands to move to higher grounds but some people don’t want to move.

People have to move,” the vice chairman said.

Chesney resident finds passion in philanthropy

By Michel Outridge DRIVEN by her passion for philanthropy and volunteerism, Shabana Samad, of Chesney, Berbice, has been unwavering in her efforts to give back to persons within her community and others in need.

The mother of two is part of the Shree Ganesh Humanitarian Foundation which is headed by Harry Deodat, an overseas-based Guyanese.

Deodat who hails from Guava Bush Village, Berbice, has pledged to support his community through charitable work.

Samad is the local liaison of the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) which is based in Florida, United States of America (USA), and she serves the persons who reside in Number One through to Number 43, Ber-

Shabana Samad bice.

Through fundraisers in the USA via YouTube, Deodat is able to do charitable work in Guyana annually.

Samad told the Guyana Chronicle that, every year, the NGO would distribute $1.2 million in hampers, each valuing $6,500, and gifts to 1,000 children.

Continued on page 19

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Region Three residents gearing up for flurry of opportunities — following signing of contract for construction of new bridge across the Demerara River

RESIDENTS of Region Three are positioning themselves to capitalise on opportunities that will arise from the construction of a new bridge across the Demerara River.

Providing a glimpse of the enthusiasm and excitement among stakeholders within Region Three was the Region Three Private Sector Inc. (R3PSi), which commended the government for moving forward with plans for the project and signing an agreement for the construction of this transformational piece of infrastructure.

The private sector body related that the construction of the US$260 million will enhance all aspects of development within the region.

The contract for this massive project was signed with Chinese joint venture partners which include China Railway Construction Corporation (International) Ltd., China Railway Construction (Caribbean) Co. Ltd, and China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co. Ltd (China & Trinidad and Tobago).

According to the Head of R3Psi, Halim Khan, the new high-span Demerara River Bridge will benefit every citizen of Region Three and all businesses, since there will be no retraction issues.

He said that replacing the

almost five decades-old floating structure with a new 2.65 km four-lane, high span bridge will fast forward housing development and commerce in Region Three with the crossing from La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD), to Nandy Park, East Bank of Demerara (EBD).

“This means businesses in Region Three will no longer be affected by the current traffic flow interruptions due to retractions. Further, as Guyana’s petroleum industry expands rapidly, a non-retracting bridge will enable oil and gas tankers and support vessels to traverse the waters without physical restrictions,” Khan told the Guyana Chronicle.

He noted that President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s vision of a greater Guyana is unfolding with every new infrastructure contract signed.

“One of the many benefits of the new bridge is that it would be able also to carry the fibre optic cable for GPL [Guyana Power and Light Inc.], and it would not have to be underground and suffer cuts and breakages from vessels, as the new structure serves as a critical component of transport infrastructure,” Khan emphasised.

The new bridge forms part of the government’s drive to expand and modernise Guyana’s

From page 18

“Where I live, my door is always open because if there is a death in the village, the people would come to me for advice, assistance and I would do what is needed,” she said.

Samad related that her parents were very giving, benevolent people and she wanted to be just like them.

Her intention is to always help persons in their time of need.

There isn’t day that goes by when she is not doing something for someone and, through the mandir at Guava Bush, she would distribute hampers to the elderly, widows, single parents and the less fortunate.

Samad hardly ever takes a day off because volunteerism is an everyday, full-time job that requires much time away from home. Yet she does it every day with a smile on her face since the need to assist others is much greater than taking time off.

Chesney resident...

She said that the Shree Ganesh Humanitarian Foundation was established eight years ago and she has been on board for the past five years.

“I like to dedicate myself to helping others, a selfless act to humanity and this is something I cannot stop and must continue to reach out to people in need,” she said.

Apart from volunteering, she is attached to the Neighbourhood Police Group at the Albion Police Station, as a rural constable.

Samad is also the President of the Chesney Mandir, where she would assist in the feeding programme.

She said that she is what she is today because of the enormous support she gets form her husband, who is always by her side.

He manages the family business, a bar at their home, while, Samad is out in the fields mostly doing charitable work or at her job at the police station.

transport infrastructure and is expected to be completed in two years from the date of the commencement order.

Floating at 1.25 miles, the current Demerara Harbour Bridge is a strategic link between the East and West Banks of Demerara, facilitating the daily movement of thousands of vehicles, people, and cargo.

The structure was built in the 1970s and was opened in July 1978 with the expectation of lasting only 10 years.

However, over four decades later, the bridge is still floating and being kept “alive” through costly maintenance works.

From left: Head of R3Psi, Halim Khan; Region Three Chairman, Sheik Ayube; Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand; Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar and Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill at a cleared section of Nandy Park, EBD, where the bridge will land from La Grange, WBD (Delano Williams photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Show goes on for Skeng

(Jamaica Observer) DESPITE facing charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, dancehall deejay Skeng will appear at his weekend gigs in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, according to his attorney Christopher Townsend.

“Right now, he’s just anxious to get to Trinidad and perform for his fans. He’s only concerned about his fans. He’s not worried about anything else,” Townsend told the Jamaica Observer on Wednesday.

He disclosed that Skeng was scheduled to leave for his dates on May 25.

Skeng is headliner for ‘Baderation’ alongside Shaneil Muir and Young Bredda, set for Friday in Guyana.

He is booked to perform at the East Side Revival Return of Dancehall Festival at Ranch Setters in Valencia, Trinidad on Saturday as well as at Space Night Club in San Fernando on Sunday.

According to police reports, the 21-year-old deejay — whose given name is Kevaun Douglas — was involved in a confrontation with officials at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston at about 1:50 pm on Tuesday. During

the incident, he was allegedly pepper sprayed by the police.

Skeng was granted bail in his own surety and is expected to appear in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court in Half-Way-Tree on June 21, Townsend confirmed.

The attorney said his defence will be based on camera footage at the time of the incident.

“The good thing about it is that it was all captured on camera. It happened in an area that had a lot of security cameras, so at the appropriate time, we will ask to see that footage,” Townsend told the Jamaica Observer.

Skeng joins a list of entertainers who have had run-ins with the law in recent years. Beenie Man, Elephant Man, and Quada have appeared in court on various charges.

Jah Cure (in The Netherlands), Ninja Man, Laden, and Tommy Lee Sparta were all convicted on charges from attempted murder to illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.

Skeng is known for the hit single Protocol (with Tommy Lee Sparta), Heaven Passport (with Intence), Gunman Shift, London, and Street Cred.

(REUTERS) - K-pop superstars, BTS, will head to the White House next week to address hate crimes targeting

Asians and people of Asian descent with U.S. President Joe Biden, the White House said in a statement on Thursday.

Biden would host the global phenomenon musical group on Tuesday and would “discuss Asian inclusion and representation,

and to address anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination which have become more prominent issues in recent years,” it said.

Skeng (Credited to Jamaica Observer)

Biden to host K-pop stars BTS, discuss anti-Asian hate crimes

Members of the South Korean band, BTS, exit the South Korean Consulate during the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in Manhattan, New York, U.S., September 21, 2021. (REUTERS/David ‘Dee’ Delgado)

The seven members of the South Korean boy band are known for their upbeat songs and dances and have built a loyal global fan base, winning the IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year crown in February for the second straight year.

The meeting comes as May’s recognition of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) month comes to a close amid a sharp upswing in hate crimes against Asian Americans in the past year.

Attacks against people of Asian descent have escalated as some politicians and pundits have encouraged Americans to blame China for COVID-19, amid other tensions.

Just this month, a man

was charged for allegedly shooting three women of Asian descent at a hair salon in Dallas, while another man in California was accused of killing one person and wounding five others in a shooting at a Taiwanese-American church. Authorities are investigating both incidents as potential hate crimes.

The K-pop stars are also known for using their lyrics and social campaigns aimed at empowering youngsters since debuting in 2013.

“Biden and BTS will also discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion and BTS’ platform as youth ambassadors who spread a message of hope and positivity across the world,” the White House said in its statement.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

‘Stranger Things’ returns with more supernatural horrors

(REUTERS) - Hit Netflix sci-fi drama “Stranger Things” returns this week with the first part of its highly anticipated season four promising more supernatural horrors besetting the fictional Indiana, US town of Hawkins.

Set six months after season three ended with the gruesome Starcourt mall battle, season four sees the young protagonist friends separated after the show’s lead, Eleven, played by Millie Bobbi Brown, moved to California with Joyce (Winona Ryder) and her two sons, Will and Jonathan.

Lacking her telekinetic powers as well as social skills, Eleven soon

finds herself bullied.

Meanwhile in Hawkins, the rest of the adolescent gang are steering through high school life as a new threat emerges from the ‘Upside Down’ alternate dimension.

A third storyline sees the previously revealed return of former Hawkins police chief Hopper, Eleven’s adoptive father, now a prisoner in Russia.

“It’s going to answer a lot of questions,” actor Caleb McLaughlin, who plays Lucas, told Reuters. “(It) really kind of just dives deeper into some of the bigger questions that I think a lot of the fans have been asking. I think people are going to really be very satisfied with

this season,” added Sadie Sink, who plays Max. Like other shows, filming of the nine new episodes was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Season three aired in 2019.

Critics have given the new season the thumbs up but have touched on episode length, with the finale running at two and a half hours.

“It’s massive, a massive, massive season and it kind of explains the wait – like it’s been so long,” Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin said.

“We’re anxious to put it out there and we’re excited for it to pay off.”

Set in the 1980s, “Stranger Things” became a huge hit upon its

Actor Kevin Spacey facing sexual assault charges

Kevin Spacey (Reuters photo) ACTOR Kevin Spacey is to be charged with sexual assault against three men, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has confirmed.

Five charges are being brought against the 62-yearold after a review of Met Police evidence following complaints dating between 2005 and 2013.

Three complaints relate to sexual abuse, which is alleged to have taken place in London, and one in Gloucestershire.

He also faces an additional serious sexual offence charge in London.

The first two charges

relate to alleged sexual assaults on a man, now in his 40s, in London in March 2005, while a second alleged victim, a man now in his 30s, claims to have been assaulted in London in August 2008.

The serious sexual offence charge, causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent, also relates to the second alleged victim.

The third complaint relates to an alleged assault on a man, who is now in his 30s, in Gloucestershire in April 2013.

While the CPS has authorised the charges against

Mr. Spacey, it is understood that he has not been formally charged, as he is not in the country.

Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said that following the review of evidence, the CPS had “authorised criminal charges against Spacey, 62, for four counts of sexual assault against three men”.

She added: “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr. Spacey are active, and that he has the right to a fair trial.”

The CPS said it could not confirm or deny whether or not Mr. Spacey, an American, will need to be extradited to the UK. Mr. Spacey, a two-time Oscar winner, is well known for starring in films such as Seven, LA Confidential, American Beauty, and Baby Driver, as well as the Netflix series, House of Cards.

The actor was also the artistic director of the ‘Old Vic’ between 2004 and 2015. (BBC)

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26th Screen Actors Guild Awards – Arrivals – Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 19, 2020 – Cast of Stranger Things. REUTERS/Monica Almeida release in 2016, winning a loyal following around the world.

“There’s always a lot of humour in the show....

The hallmark of the show is being able to bring humour to really serious and dark supernatural circumstances,” actor Joe Keery,

who plays Steve said.

“Stranger Things” 4 Volume 1 premieres on May 27, with Volume 2 following on July 1.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Kes and Voice among top C’bean stars in Washington DC’s ‘Hookie Weekend 2022’

T&T Soca giants, Kes the Band and Voice, will be among several Caribbean artistes featured in the Juneteenth celebrations in Washington DC this year.

“This coming ‘Juneteenth Long Weekend’, June 16 to 20, top Caribbean performers will descend on the nation’s capital, Washington DC, for an epic extravaganza of entertainment culture,” promises an official statement from Hookie Life Entertainment, the event’s organisers.

“The beloved, returning Hookie Weekend 2022, produced by Hookie Life

Entertainment, will bring the energetic sounds of Soca and Dancehall music to the DMV, with first-rate performances by fan favourites from the Caribbean region,” the release said.

‘Hookie DC Arcade’, the signature event featuring the T&T Soca stars, takes place on Friday, June 17, 2022.

“Known as the ultimate premium Caribbean pool party, ‘Hookie DC Arcade’ will display the evolution of the event which its organisers have promised to be unlike previous instalments,” Hookie Life Entertainment explains.

“Hookie DC Arcade will provide a top-notch line-up of international DJs and live entertainers headlined by the versatile Kes The Band. Kes will bring its trademark energy and sound to Hookie DC with modern smash songs such as ‘Jolene’, ‘Liki Tiki’, and ‘Stage Gone Bad’, along with classics like ‘Wotless’, ‘Where Yuh From’ and ‘Savannah Grass’,” the release revealed.

It added: “Joining Kes The Band at Hookie DC Arcade is three-time International Soca Monarch, Voice, who is riding high on his 2022 hit, ‘Out and Bad’.”

The versatile Kes The Band will deliver its trademark energy and sound at Hookie DC Arcade on June 17, 2022. (Image courtesy Hookie Life Entertainment) According to Hookie Life Entertainment, Grenada’s Mr. Killa will be sharing the stage with Kes and Voice, and is expected to perform his Soca anthems, ‘Run Wid It’ and ‘Rolly Polly’.

Reggae and Dancehall music also will be well represented at Hookie DC by the dynamic Kranium and his catalogue of major singles such as, ‘Nobody Has to Know’, ‘Wi Dey Yah’ and

‘Sidung’.

Meanwhile, the opening night on June 16 will feature US Virgin Islands Soca star, Adam O, known for his hit songs ‘Warming Up’, ‘Stress Bout Dat’ and ‘Wine and Dip’, headlining the kickoff party called ‘Release Therapy’, at the Ivy City Smokehouse.

Other aspects of Caribbean festival culture such as J’ouvert and Mas also will feature prominently during

the Juneteenth celebration weekend, the event organisers boast.

The Hookie Life team shared that in addition to a full-sized pool, in keeping with the theme, the event offers a full arcade of classic games, exclusive prizes from several spirit brands, multiple brand activations to appeal to various patrons, as well as dozens of food, drink and apparel vendors. (T&T Guardian)

Amber Heard details death threats as testimony ends in Johnny Depp defamation case (Reuters) - “AQUAMAN” actor Amber Heard delivered the final testimony in the multimillion-dollar defamation battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp, on Thursday, telling jurors she has faced daily harassment and death threats since she accused the Hollywood star of abuse.

Depp, 58, sued Heard in Virginia for $50 million and argued that she defamed him when she called herself “a public

figure representing domestic abuse.”

Heard, 36, has countersued for $100 million, saying Depp smeared her when his lawyer called her accusations a “hoax.”

The duelling claims are expected to go to the jury on Friday after each side offers closing arguments.

Heard wrapped up her testimony on Thursday saying she has been “harassed, humiliated, threatened” on social media

since accusing the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star of physical and sexual abuse.

“People want to kill me and they tell me so every day,” Heard said.

“People want to put my baby in the microwave.”

Heard adopted a baby girl in July 2021.

She said the ongoing harassment was part of Depp’s crusade to publicly humiliate her.

Depp admitted to TURN TO PAGE 23

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Shakira loses appeal to avoid trial in Spanish tax fraud case

(Reuters) - A Spanish court has dismissed an appeal from Colombian singer Shakira and ratified a prior decision, which saw “sufficient evidence”

to send her to stand trial over alleged tax fraud, a court document showed on Thursday.

Prosecutors claim the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer

failed to pay up to 14.5 million euros (US$15.54 million) in tax on income earned between 2012 and 2014.

They argue Shakira was living in the Spanish north-

Amber Heard details...

Actor Amber Heard testifies during the Depp vs Heard defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S. May 26, 2022. Michael Reynolds/Pool via REUTERS FROM PAGE 22 listened to explicit re- gations cost him “everywriting in a 2016 text cordings of fights be- thing.” A new “Pirates” that Heard was “begging tween the former couple, movie was put on hold, for total global humili- seen graphic photos of and Depp was replaced ation” and “she’s gonna a bloody, severed fin- in the “Fantastic Beasts” get it.” He said it was ger and heard arguments film franchise, a “Harry written in anger when he about faeces found in the Potter” spinoff. learned she was alleging couple’s bed.

H e a r d ’s a t t o r n e y s that he physically abused D e p p s a i d H e a r d have argued that she told her. threw a vodka bottle that the truth and her opinion “He wanted to ruin cut off the top of his fin- was protected free speech my career,” Heard told ger during an argument under the U.S. Constituthe jury. “The threats he in 2015. Heard denied tion’s First Amendment. made to humiliate me, injuring Depp’s finger They said she also lost globally, are being lived and said Depp sexually work opportunities in out in real time, in front assaulted her that night Hollywood because of of you ... and the whole with a liquor bottle.

Depp’s accusations. world.”

He also said he be“Johnny has taken Depp has denied hit- lieved Heard or a friend enough of my voice,” ting Heard or any woman left faeces in the bed the Heard told the jury. “I and said she was the one morning after a fight. have the right to tell my who turned violent in Heard said the faeces story.” their relationship. The likely came from one of Depp lost a libel case pair met in 2011 while their dogs. less than two years ago filming “The Rum DiAt the centre of the against the Sun, a British ary” and wed in February legal case is a Decem- tabloid that labelled him a 2015. Their divorce was ber 2018 opinion piece “wife beater.” A London finalized about two years by Heard in the Wash- High Court judge ruled later. ington Post. The article that he had repeatedly as“No human being is never mentioned Depp saulted Heard. perfect,” Depp said on by name, but his lawyer Depp’s lawyers filed Wednesday. “But I have told jurors it was clear the U.S. case in Fairfax never in my life commit- that Heard was referring County, Virginia, beted sexual battery, physi- to him. cause the Washington cal abuse.”

Depp, once among Post is printed there.

Over six weeks of Hollywood’s biggest The newspaper is not a proceedings, jurors have stars, said Heard’s alle- defendant.

ern region of Catalonia during those years though the Colombian pop star’s representatives have said she moved to Spain only in 2015 where she has met all her tax obligations since then.

The new decision is a ratification of a prior court ruling issued in July 2021.

The court still has to formally send her to stand trial and set a date.

Her legal team said in statement on Thursday they

Singer Shakira attends the 2022 NBCUniversal Upfront in New York, U.S., May 16, 2022.

REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz will keep defending her case with solid legal arguments.

“Shakira’s conduct on tax matters has always been impeccable in all the countries she had to pay taxes and she has trusted and followed faithfully the recommendations of the best specialists

and advisers,” the statement said.

The 45-year-old singer lives with FC Barcelona soccer club defender Gerard Pique and they have two children. They have been together since 2011.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Tiger Rentals Guyana Inc. pledges $10.6M for GFF’s national U-13 Developmental League

THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has partnered with Tiger Rentals Guyana Inc to undertake a National U-13 Developmental League, following a $10.6M investment.

Tiger Rentals Regional Director, Denis Latiff, said the company is committed to playing its part in the holistic development of Guyana, adding that they’re “very confident in the future of Guyana, and want to do our part in helping this country realise its true potential”.

He added, “We believe

investing in the Guyanese people, in particular, is huge, as here is where we will experience the greatest, highest returns. And we would like to thank the Guyana Football Federation for making this possible.”

Country Manager Shane Singh, further said it’s “really good to know that the coaches will be trained under this tournament to also help them, so, it’s not just about the kids. It’s a well-rounded package”.

Wayne Forde, GFF president, spoke of the country’s

budding coaches benefiting, equally as the players, adding, “every coach participating in the GFF Tiger Rental Guyana Inc. U-13 league will be enrolled into the CONCACAF coaching licence pathway which will begin with the GFF’s introductory coaching course, followed by the CONCACAF D licence programme.

These are all important steps that I believe will help us to meet our short-, medium-, and long-term football development and human development goals.”

Tiger Rentals Guyana Inc. is locally registered and based in Georgetown, Guyana providing services to the offshore drilling operations, energy and other related industries.

Tiger Rentals has had a presence in Guyana since 2011 and is considered a pioneer service provider in the oil and gas industry. Tiger provides Waste Management, Emergency Spill Response, Tank Cleaning Services, and rental of Certified Cargo Carrying Equipment (CCE) as a full

business solution.

Tiger Guyana is a subsidiary of Tiger Offshore, a member of the Modern USA Group of Companies, whose headquarters is in Beaumont, Texas.

The company has developed its business processes to optimise performance and efficiency while realising significant cost savings for our customers. TRG supports local content and has over 85% local workforce with the most senior positions filled

by Guyanese nationals.

FIFA to revise GFF’s statutes FOOTBALL’S world governing body FIFA has formally communicated to Guyana Football Federation (GFF) its intention to revise GFF’s Statutes, to ensure that the country’s Statutes fully comply with the mandatory requirements contained in the Statutes and Regulations of FIFA and CONCACAF. According to the GFF, a joint FIFA/CONCACAF mission will be visiting Guyana in the coming weeks to commence and oversee this process.

The GFF said that during their stay, they will be conducting consultation sessions with the members of the GFF and other football stakeholders.

An ad-hoc ‘Statutes Revision Committee’ will be appointed by GFF to participate in this exercise.

Howard McIntosh, head of One CONCACAF and Caribbean Special Projects, said “FIFA and CONCACAF are keen on ensuring that the Governance Structures of the CONCACAF Member Associations are

fully aligned with the Statutes of the governing bodies. We have successfully revised and updated the statutes of several member associations in recent months and look forward to working with the GFF and its members in the coming weeks.”

Meanwhile, in a letter to GFF’s General Secretary, Ian Alves, FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer, Kenny Jean-Marie, noted, “one of FIFA´s primary objectives is that all its member associations must

comply with their obligations as provided for in the FIFA Statutes”.

“In this respect, GFF as a member of FIFA must ensure that its statutes fully comply with the mandatory requirements contained in the Statutes and Regulations of FIFA and CONCACAF. Furthermore that FIFA and CONCACAF encourage GFF to adopt additional principles of good governance and best practices in their statutes and regulations,” Jean-Marie said.

Campbelle to lead Guyana Women in Super50, T20 Blaze

… All-rounder Shabika Gajnabi named vice-captain

EXPERIENCED West Indies player Shemaine Campbelle has been named captain of the national women’s team who will compete in the Regional Super50 and T20 Blaze to be held in Guyana next month.

Campbelle will have fellow West Indies all-rounder Shabika Gajnabi as her deputy for the tournament which starts June 7.

According to a release from the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), the national selectors met on May 19 at Guyana National Stadium, Providence and selected the Guyana senior women’s cricket team.

The release added that the duo of Campbelle and Gajnabi

will lead a squad of experienced players including Tremayne Smartt, Erva Giddings, Katana Mentore, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Sheneta Grimmond, and Kaysia Schultz, who have all represented the West Indies.

Julian Moore has been appointed head coach of the team, while Kavita Yadram will serve as manager.

The squad will be encamped at LBI Cricket Facility from May 30 to June 3, 2022 in preparation for the tournaments.

The squad reads: Shemaine Campbell (captain), Shabika Gajnabi (vice-captain), Cherry-Ann Fraser, Katana Mentore, Sherica Campbelle, Sheneta Grimmond,

Plaffiana Millington, Kaysia Schultz, Tremayne Smartt, Erva Giddings, Mandy Mangru, Kumarie Persaud, Ashmini Munisar and Lashuna Toussaint.

The reserves are Heema Singh, Dian Prahalad, Latisha Jordan and Naffeza Sabar.

The Super50 Cup matches will be played at three venues – Everest Cricket Club, Enmore Cricket Ground and the Guyana National Stadium from June 7 to 17.

The T20 Blaze will be from June 19 to 25 and there will be three matches per day, starting at 10:00hrs, 14:30hrs and 19:00hrs under lights at Providence.

Shabika Gajnabi is named vice-captain

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SCORE BOARD BANGLADESH 1st innings 365 SRI LANKA 1st innings o/n 282-5 Oshada Fernando c Najmul Hossain Shanto b Ebadot Hossain 57 Dimuth Karunaratne b Shakib Al Hasan 80 Kusal Mendis lbw Shakib Al Hasan 11 Kasun Rajitha b Ebadot Hossain 0 Angelo Mathews not out 145 Dhananjaya de Silva c Liton Das b Shakib Al Hasan 58 Dinesh Chandimal c Tamim Iqbal b Ebadot Hossain 124 Niroshan Dickwella c Liton Das b Shakib Al Hasan 9 Ramesh Mendis lbw Ebadot Hossain 10 Praveen Jayawickrama c Liton Das b Shakib Al Hasan 0 Asitha Fernando run-out Shakib Al Hasan 2 Extras: (lb-8, nb-2)

10 Total: (all out, 165.1 overs) 506 Fall of wickets: 1-95, 2-139, 3-144, 4-164, 5-266, 6-465, 7-482, 8-501, 9-502.

Bowling: Khaled Ahmed 23-3-85-0 (nb-1), Ebadot Hossain 38-4-148-4, Shakib Al Hasan 40.1-11-96-5, Mosaddek Hossain 12-1-38-0, Taijul Islam 49-10-124-0 (nb-1) BANGLADESH 2nd innings Mahmudul Hasan Joy c Kusal Mendis b Asitha Fernando 15 Tamim Iqbal c Kusal Mendis b Asitha Fernando 0 Najmul Hossain Shanto run-out Praveen Jayawickrama 2 Mominul Haque c Niroshan Dickwella b Kasun Rajitha 0 Mushfiqur Rahim not out 14 Liton Das not out 1 Extras: (b-1, w-1)

2 Total: (four wkts, 13.0 overs) 34 Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-19, 3-19, 4-23.

Bowling: Kasun Rajitha 6-3-12-1, Asitha Fernando 6-2-12 2 (w-1),

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Mathews, Chandimal tons put Sri Lanka in box seat in Dhaka Test

… Bangladesh four down in second innings, still trailing by 107 runs ANGELO Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, Sri Lanka’s two most senior batters, forged a 199-run stand to put the heat on Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka lost their last five wickets cheaply, but then their quicks gutted the hosts’ top order for the second time in the Test to ratchet up the temperature further.

At the end of a fourth day in which Sri Lanka advanced more or less relentlessly, they stand in sight of a Test (and thus, series) victory. Bangladesh are still 107 runs behind, with four wickets down.

But then the batters at the crease are Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das, who have already hit hundreds in this match, and there’s plenty of batting to come too. Still, aside from the period in which they lost their last five wickets for 49 runs, Sri Lanka dominated the day.

They were led by Chandimal and Mathews, who played out the first two sessions wicketless - even if their progress was sedate at times - thanks largely to Mathews’ muted strike rate.

Dinesh Chandimal (left) and Angelo Mathews added 199 runs for the sixth wicket (AFP/Getty Images)

But with a session having been lost to rain on day three, the steady-but-safe approach had its merits. It allowed Mathews to get to his second hundred in as many Tests, even if it was the slowest on his record; he reached triple-figures off the 274th ball he faced.

Chandimal hit a 12th Test hundred too, but having been almost as conservative as Mathews while compiling his first 50, switched gears thereafter, and pushed Sri Lanka forward at a quicker rate.

Chandimal was out for 124 off 219. Mathews remained not out at the end of Sri Lanka’s innings, having attacked a little more alongside the tail, to get to 145 off 342. Together they had built the platform from which Sri Lanka could push for victory.

In the 13 overs they could bowl to Bangladesh before stumps, Sri Lanka’s seamers ensured that the victory push was in good health, taking three wickets between them.

There was a direct-hit run-

out as well, leaving the hosts 34 for 4 by the end of the day.

Kasun Rajitha could have had Mahmudul Hasan Joy caught behind at the end of the first over, but no one appealed even though snicko suggested the batter had nicked it. He should have had Joy for 9 had Kamindu Mendis (substitute fielder) held a chance at third slip.

But it didn’t matter so much in the end. Asitha Fernando had Tamim Iqbal caught at second slip for zero in the next over.

Then in Asitha’s next over, a prowling Praveen Jayawickrama threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end to dismiss Najmul Hossain Shanto as he attempted a quick single.

Rajitha, Sri Lanka’s best bowler of the series, had Mominul Haque edging behind - a not-out decision that was overturned on review. And Asitha, whose bouncers have been a revelation this series, got another wicket off a short ball, as Joy fended at a chest-high delivery, and only got it as far as Kusal

Mendis at second slip.

Litton then came in to bat ahead of Shakib (who had bowled more than 40 overs in the first innings, though Litton had kept wicket for more than 165), and survived the 11 balls he had to face till stumps. He and his overnight partner Mushfiqur had put on 272 together in the first innings.

Bangladesh thought they had got Mathews twice - once on 94 when he was given out caught behind off Khaled Ahmed, and on 105 when he was given lbw off Mosaddek Hossain - but both times Mathews overturned the on-field call, the first time proving he hadn’t hit the ball, the second time that he had edged it faintly onto his pads. Chandimal overturned a caught-behind review as well.

But their only true period of joy came in the third session, when they sent Sri Lanka from 465 for 5 to 506 all out. Ebadot Hossain started that process, having Chandimal caught athletically at cover by Tamim, with Sri Lanka’s lead on 100.

He got Ramesh Mendis lbw not long after too. Shakib completed his five-for either side of that Ramesh wicket; he had Niroshan Dickwella and Jayawickrama caught behind.

Shakib finished with an innings analysis of 5 for 96, having easily been Bangladesh’s most-threatening bowler through the very long innings. Ebadot took 4 for 148.

The last Sri Lanka wicket was a run-out, and Taijul Islam undeservedly went wicketless from his 49 overs, conceding 124. (ESPN Cricinfo)

RACING TIPS

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Haydock 13:25 hrs Study The Stars 13:55 hrs Nicholas George 14:25 hrs One World 14:55 hrs Noya 15:25 hrs Hail Sezer 15:55 hrs True Accolade Pontefract 13:30 hrs Carnival Zain 14:00 hrs Close Quarters

14:30 hrs Breeze 15:00 hrs Lawman Blis 15:30 hrs Fylde Coast 16:00 hrs Ventura Express

South Africa Racing Tips Greyville 10:35 hrs King’s Spear 11:10 hrs Beltway 11:45 hrs Ministrel Gallery 12:20 hrs Sea Master 12:50 hrs Youcanthurrylove 13:20 hrs Khanyisa Indela 13:53 hrs Maximus 14:32 hrs Lake Como Irish Racing Tips Fairyhouse

12:20 hrs Recurrent Dream 12:50 hrs Atavique 13:20 hrs Broadhurst 13:50 hrs Warrior Brave 14:20 hrs Pandemic Princess 14:50 hrs Inventor 15:20 hrs Red Azalea American Racing Tips Belmont Race 1 Gotta Like Him Race 2 Its All Relevant Race 3 Frosted Oats Race 4 Chloe Rose Race 5 Sassy Melissa Race 6 No Chalk Race 7 Fast N Fearious Race 8 Forest Caraway

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Timing very important to ThompsonHerah’s success at World Championships this summer, says coach A LT H O U G H p l e a s e d with her ‘workout’ at the National Stadium in Kingston last Saturday, Derron Herah, coach and husband of Olympic champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah believes the next six weeks of preparation will be crucial.

This is especially true if she is to realise her goal of winning her first World Championships title this summer.

The triple gold medallist at last year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, ran a smart 10.94s to win the 100m dash, running into a headwind of -1.8m/s and then less than an hour later clocked a decent 22.55 to complete the double.

“Her performance is good,” her proud husband told Sportsmax.TV after the 100m final where had there been no headwind, Thompson-Herah’s time would have been 10.81.

“Today (Saturday) was mainly a training run; didn’t know she was going to run this fast. She was not necessarily pressing the gas, just basically the first 30 and trying to maintain, and maintaining brought her 10.94, so we are right there.

We just need to lighten up

Triple gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah

because we’re still heavy.

So when the time is right we will lighten up and then go when we need to go.”

Lightening up, as Herah puts it, involves getting Thompson-Herah to approach her peak at the National Championships from June 23-26 but be at her best at the 2022 World Championships that begin in Eugene, Oregon on July 15, just over two weeks later.

He explained that with the two championships so close to each other, everything comes down to timing.

“The timing is very important. After the National Championships, we have two weeks before World Championships, so we almost have to peak in the

championships and maintain that into the World Championships. We have to be very careful and very and very selective with races and how we approach races,” he said of Thompson-Herah’s preparation.

“What we are trying to do is getting her to peak for Oregon, not necessarily the trials. We will have to be in some kind of shape to indicate what we are going to do in Oregon so we have to be on that cycle now, six-seven weeks out, so by the time trials come around we would have to be in similar shape as to what we would be in Oregon.”

The delicate nature of this phase is partly why they decided against flying to Birmingham, England last week for the Dia-

mond League meeting after Thompson-Herah suffered some discomfort during training.

“Even our decision to not go to Birmingham, we had everything in mind because we knew what the weather was going to be like and she was feeling some type of soreness. It’s not like we would go and then not run,” he said.

“We decided on the day not to go and as the week went along she started to feel a little better so I decided we would come out here today (Saturday) because we would have had a training session today anyway, so we got in two competitive runs but what we saw today was good enough.”

Thompson-Herah is down to compete at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon tomorrow.

She lines up against some of the fastest women in the world including Dina Asher-Smith, World 60m champion, Mujinga Kambundji, Olympic gold medallist Briana Williams, Shericka Jackson, Marie Jose Ta Lou and Twanisha Terry. (Sportsmax)

Albion/Everest 40-over clash shifted to July

ALBION Community Centre Cricket Club (ACCCC) and Everest Cricket Club (ECC) were set to resume a year-old rivalry on Independence Day but the inclement weather leading up to match day left the organisers no choice but to move the fixture to July.

No fixed date has been set as yet for the highly anticipated contest.

Dubbed the Dave West Indian Imports Independence Day Challenge, the new date means both sides could be at full strength with the fleet of National players on show.

Keemo Paul

Once available, ECC will have the likes of West Indies all-rounder Keemo Paul, ODI batter Chandrapaul Hemraj, Guyana Harpy Eagles opener Tage-

Veerasammy Permaul

narine Chanderpaul, FirstClass batter Akshaya Persaud, West Indies Under-19 opener Matthew Nandu and all-rounder Clinton

Pestano.

Albion will include Test spinner Veerasammy Permaul, West Indies T20 left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, former West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, Guyana Harpy Eagles wicketkeeper/batter Anthony Bramble and all-rounder Jonathon Foo. There are also other lucrative prizes on offer for individual brilliance. $3 000 will be awarded for every six struck and $2 000 for every four or wicket.

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

Langer blames ‘politics’ for quitting as Australia coach

JUSTIN Langer says internal politics at Cricket Australia (CA) is the reason he left as head coach of the men’s side.

He resigned in February having been offered a six-month contract extension after humiliating England in the Ashes and winning the Twenty20 World Cup. “Ironically, the last

Ponting, Matthew Hayden and the late Shane Warne, had been vocal about the way he was being treated

by CA. “I said, ‘Yeah it is, acting chairman, but with all due respect, those mates are also the all-time greats of Australian cricket. They are the fabric of Australian cricket. They are Australian cricket. They also

Justin Langer quit as Australia coach earlier this year.

six months of my coaching career were the most enjoyable period of 12 years,” he said.

“Not only did we win everything, but I had energy, and I had focus, and I was happy - besides the politics.”

Langer has spoken for the first time about leaving the role, and criticised then-acting chairman of Cricket Australia, Richard Freudenstein.

He told a chamber of commerce event in Perth about a meeting he had with Freudenstein the day after his acrimonious split.

“The first thing he said to me was, ‘It must make you feel so good that all your mates are supporting you in the media’,” Langer said, according to Cricket Australia’s website Former team-mates of Langer, including Ricky

work all around the world in cricket. So yeah, I’m glad my mates are looking after me. Imagine if you had …’

Cricket Australia admitted at the time of his departure there had been some “challenging, robust and direct” conversations around the “evolving” head coach role.

Reports in Australia had suggested some players were unhappy with Langer’s leadership style.

The 51-year-old was linked with the-then vacant England coaching job after quitting Australia.

But he said it was never in his mind to take the role and lead his former rivals.

“I’ve never spoken to English cricket,” he said.

“The thought of coaching England ... mate!”

(BBC Sport)

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Mambas, GDF advance in Andrew Celtics move Ifill Memorial KO tournament within one win of NBA Finals

GUYANA Defence Force (GDF) secured a nail-biting 65-64 win over the Nets, while Mambas had a blow-out 8636 victory over University of Guyana (UG) Trojans to mark the start of the Andrew Ifill Memorial Knockout Tournament on Wednesday at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

In the opening game of the planned double-header at the country’s premier indoor facility, former national youth player, Jonathan Pooran, had a game-high 19 points and Brandon Bento had 16.

Olympian and National Long Jump record-holder, Emmanuel Archibald, returned to the basketball court and showed off his handles with a crafty 15 points in the Mambas win.

For UG Trojans, Orson Smith’s 13 sees saw him as the only player from his team in double figures with Dwight McKinnon and Damani Thomas registering seven and five points respectively.

Meanwhile, in what could be described as an upset, the newcomers to the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association

Brandon Bento – Mambas

Ronaldo Niles – GDF

(GABA), GDF, defended well to edge the more experienced Nets unit.

Jason Khan led his team with 20 points, while Ronaldo Niles had 19.

Royan Wilson’s 20 and Dennis Niles’ 18 were not enough to keep Nets in the tournament and they will now be spectators.

The tournament continued last evening with another double-header: Colts versus Guardians, Pacesetters versus Eagles.

Tomorrow, the tournament’s number one seeds, Ravens will battle Mambas, while Kobras will take on GDF. Following the conclusion of the first round of matches, the tournament will move into the semi-final stage on Friday, June 3, and the final on Sunday, June 5.

The tournament marks the return of competitive action for clubs in the GABA, and according to president Jermaine Slatter, it was only fitting that they bounce their season off in memory of Andrew Ifill, one the best to ever suit up for Guyana. He died in October of 2019.

Gooch says racism allegations ‘stain’ his old club’s history FORMER England captain Graham Gooch has said racism allegations surrounding Essex are “very distressing” and a “stain” on the club’s history.

Essex were fined £50 000 earlier this month after pleading guilty to two charges relating to a racist comment made at a board meeting in 2017.

Three former players have also alleged they suffered racist abuse during their time at the club.

“I’m very sad about what’s happened,” Gooch told BBC Essex.

“The strength of Essex cricket has been to promote local talent in east London, Essex and East Anglia and the proudest moment for me was in 2017 and 2019 when we had eight local players in our team who won those County Championships, which is unheard of in modern sport.

“As someone who came to Essex in 1973, when I started playing as an amateur, and since 1986 when I became captain,

Graham Gooch scored 8 900 runs in 118 Tests for England

I’ve been involved in the back room as well as on the field and been in cricket committee meetings, and I’m very sad.”

Former Essex chairman John Faragher resigned in November following an allegation that he used racist language in a board meeting five years ago.

Faragher denied making the comment, but Essex pleaded guilty at an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) discipline commission to two charges relating to the use of the comment and a failure to conduct an appropriate investigation.

Days later, former players Zoheb Sharif, Maurice Chambers and Jahid Ahmed came forward with their allegations of abuse.

Batter Sharif, who played for Essex between 2001 and 2004, said he was called ‘Bomber’ in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

Among the allegations made

by Jamaica-born fast bowler Chambers during his decade at the club were: being subjected to racist jokes and being told by a player to climb up the stairs for a banana after a team night out.

‘VERY DISTRESSING’ “I’m very saddened that a club with a great history has been stained with these dressing room culture allegations from the past and some other things

in the boardroom,” Gooch, who spent his entire 24-year playing career at Essex, told BBC Essex’s Around the Wicket podcast.

“We’ve been a family club and a model for how we run things.

“We kept our head above water financially so to hear and see these things, and see the way they have been ripped apart behind the scenes is very distressing.”

Following the panel’s verdict, Essex said they will “continue to work with the ECB to eradicate discrimination from the game” and that they have “a zero-tolerance policy towards racism and any form of discrimination”.

The ECB announced a five-point action plan in November to tackle racism and discrimination within cricket.

It was established in the aftermath of Azeem Rafiq’s experiences of racism at Yorkshire during his time as a player at the club. (BBC Sport)

Jayson Tatum (right) was the number three pick overall for Boston in the 2017 draft JAYLEN Brown scored 25 points as Boston Celtics recovered from a poor first half to win at Miami Heat and move within one win of the NBA Finals.

After trailing 42-37 at halftime, Boston won 93-80 in Miami to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Jayson Tatum added 22 points 12 rebounds for Celtics, who are aiming to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.

Boston will host game six of the best-of-seven series today.

Bam Adebayo produced 18 points and 10 rebounds for Heat, who lost at home for the second time in the series after going 6-0 in Miami during the opening two rounds of the play-offs.

Boston took charge in the third quarter, outscoring Miami 32-16, and they opened their first double-digit lead on a Brown turnaround jumper with eight seconds remaining in the quarter to lead 69-58.

Then in the fourth quarter, Brown hit consecutive three-pointers to cap a 24-2 run and give Boston an 83-60 lead.

The Golden State Warriors hosted the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference play-offs last night, leading 3-1 and knowing victory will see them reach the Finals for the first time in three years. (BBC Sport)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Friday May 27, 2022) COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD -83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Yuzvendra Chahal-26 wickets (RR) (2) Jasprit Bumrah-5/10 (MI vs KKR) Today’s Quiz: (1) How many centuries were recorded in the preliminary round of IPL 2022?

(2) How many five-wicket hauls were snarled?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Regional Four-Day Championship

Thomas slams maiden hundred, Chanderpaul eyeing another PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Aldane Thomas lashed a savage maiden firstclass hundred for Jamaica Scorpions but left-hander Tagenarine Chanderpaul was closing in on his second in as many matches, as Guyana Harpy Eagles made a strong reply on the second day here yesterday.

The 27-year-old Thomas, in only his 14th first-class match, made exactly 100 from 101 deliveries as Scorpions were dismissed for 393 in their first innings at the Diego Martin Complex.

However, Chanderpaul then marched to an unbeaten 96 to guide Harpy Eagles to 213 for one at the close, trailing by 180 runs.

At Queen’s Park Oval, Test off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall snatched a five-wicket haul to earn Leeward Islands Hurricanes a first-innings lead of 160, after Windward Islands buckled for 173.

Hurricanes, dismissed for 333 in their first innings with Colin Archibald finishing 106 not out, ended the day on 64 for two – an overall lead of 224 heading into today’s day three.

Leaders Barbados Pride, meanwhile, dominated hosts Trinidad and Tobago Red Force for the second straight day, racking up 294 after all-rounder Raymon Reifer (79) and Justin Greaves (50) struck half-centuries.

Armed with a first-innings lead of 161 runs, Pride reduced

Tagenarine Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 96 at the close Red Force to 51 for three, leaving the hosts requiring a further 110 to avoid an innings loss.

Thomas produced the fireworks, however, smashing 16 fours and a brace of sixes, after resuming the day on 35 with Scorpions 282 for six.

Test vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood added only four to his overnight 110 but his early dismissal – caught at cover by Chanderpaul off seamer Keemo Paul – did nothing to dent Scorpions’ enthusiasm.

Thomas went on the attack, posting 76 for the eighth wicket with Jamie Merchant whose 39 came from 36 balls and included half-dozen fours and two sixes.

In reply, Chanderpaul once again anchored the Harpy Eagles’ innings in a knock that has so far spanned nearly 4-¾ hours, 229 balls and included 16 fours.

He put on 112 for the first wicket with Chandrapaul Hem-

raj, the left-hander entertaining with 15 fours and a six in an 87-ball innings.

When Hemraj perished on the stroke of tea, caught at the wicket driving loosely at a wide ball from fast bowler Nicholson Gordon, Chanderpaul combined with Tevin Imlach (38 not out) in a 101-run, second-wicket partnership to keep Harpy Eagles steady.

Hurricanes, meanwhile, added 32 to their overnight 301 for nine before being dismissed, with left-arm pacer Preston McSween finishing with five for 92.

Volcanoes then flattered to deceive, crashing from 73 for two to 173 all out to concede a significant first-innings lead.

They owed much to Keron Cottoy who struck an unbeaten 73 from 97 balls at number six while veteran opener Devon Smith chipped in with 35 but no

other specialist batter passed 15.

Cottoy, who hit 13 fours, ensured the tail wagged as he put on 26 for the ninth with Denis Smith (11) and 39 for the 10th with Darius Martin (8).

Captain Cornwall was outstanding with five for 61 while seamer Jeremiah Louis claimed three for 26, to sink the innings.

There was some reprieve for Volcanoes as they claimed openers Montcin Hodge (24) and Kieran Powell (18) cheaply.

Resuming the morning on 87 for two, Pride flourished as overnight batters Reifer and Jonathan Carter (41) stretched their third-wicket stand to 101.

Reifer, on 32 at the start, struck nine fours off 161 deliveries in just over 4-¼ hours while Carter, on 19 overnight, punched five fours off 119 deliveries.

When Carter perished, fending a short ball from speedster Uthman Muhammad low to gully, Reifer put on 34 for the fourth with Roston Chase (28) and 35 for the fifth wicket with Greaves.

Reifer and Shane Dowrich (8) fell within the space of 18 balls to leave Pride on 221 for six but Greaves countered with eight fours and a six in a 75ball knock as he posted 59 for the seventh wicket with Akeem Jordan who counted five fours in a 36-ball 31.In Red Force’s second turn at the crease, Keagan Simmons resisted with 26 not out while wickets tumbled around him, as the top order collapsed for the second time in the game.

No let-up for Holland, warns Windies head coach Simmons

AMSTERDAM, Holland (CMC) – Head coach Phil Simmons has given the assurance West Indies will play at full intensity despite coming up against unfancied Netherlands in the three-match One-Day International series starting here next week.

The Caribbean side are ranked ninth, five spots above their opponents who are ICC associate members, and are heavy favourites to pull off a clean sweep of the series scheduled for the VRA Cricket Ground in Amstelveen.

However, Simmons said West Indies were taking the series seriously and would not be using it as a trial for newer players even though the Netherlands were not necessarily top-tier opposition.

“We have to play our strongest team,” Simmons stressed.

“One, to win the games but also to get that knit going.

There’s a new captain and he’s got to get the knitting of this team together so that everything flows.

“We have three – which everyone would agree – more difficult games (against Pakistan) after here but right now is where we start building this squad.”

The tour will be the first-ever ODI series between the two teams and will run from May 31 to June 4. It forms part of the ICC ODI Super League, the top seven of which gain automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup. Following the series, West Indies will head to Pakistan where they will take on a strong home side in a similar threematch series from June 8 to 12 in Rawalpindi.

West Indies head coach Phil Simmons Simmons was quick to underscore the importance of the Super League points, pointing out this meant West Indies playing their best cricket against the Netherlands.

“The first thing you have to realise (about this series) is that it’s cricket and (the Netherlands) have been playing cricket for a long time now.

They qualify for World Cups,” he noted. “To do that and to win those points you have to play cricket properly so you have to prepare properly.”

West Indies are coming off three successive series defeats, swept 3-0 away by India last February after slumping to a shock 2-1 loss to Ireland the month before.

They also suffered a 2-1 defeat to Australia in the Caribbean last year and have now only won three of their last 10 series.

West Indies are scheduled to practise for the first time on Friday and Simmons said it was critical players made a smooth adjustment to the conditions.

“We only came in (on Wednesday) … so we will know over the next three or four days before the first game how we’re adjusting by the way we practise,” Simmons said.

32

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, May 27, 2022

Tiger Rentals Guyana Inc. pledges $10.6M for GFF’s national U-13 Developmental League See story on page 27

GFF president Wayne Forde receives Tiger Rentals Guyana Inc.’s cheque from Country Manager Shane Singh, following its announcement of a National U13 League

FIFA to revise GFF’s Campbelle to lead Guyana statutes See story on page 27

Women in Super50, T20 Blaze

… All-rounder Shabika Gajnabi named vicecaptain

FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer, Kenny Jean-Marie

See story on page 27

Shemaine Campbelle, captain of Guyana women’s team

Thomas slams maiden hundred, Chanderpaul eyeing another Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limited, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 226-3243-9 (General); Editorial: 227-5204, 227-5216. Fax:227-5208

See story on page 31

FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2022