Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 28-01-2022

FRIDAY 28th JANUARY, 2022

No. 106618

Guyana aiming to become global leader in environment, agriculture - President Ali says, commits to further strengthening relationship with India

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President Dr Irfaan Ali receives a traditional Indian greeting as he arrives for a reception to mark India’s 73rd Republic Day hosted

by High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr K.J. Srinivasa (left) at the National Cultural Centre on Wednesday evening. At left, a dancer performs at the reception and at right, a yoga teacher greets visitors at a yoga booth (Office of the President photo)

US$15M Aiden Hotel to now $114.9M to expand Three-storey Fireside Suites First shipment of local facilitate 49 additional rooms legal aid services to open its doors on Saturday manganese slated for March SEE PAGE

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Scenes from India’s 73rd Republic Day celebrations

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

Guyana aiming to become global leader in environment, agriculture

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

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- President Ali says, commits to further strengthening relationship with India

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali delivering the feature address at India’s 72nd Republic Day Anniversary reception at the National Cultural Centre, on Wednesday PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali has said that Guyana is working on an international agenda that will propel the country to become a global leader in several areas, including the environment and agriculture.

The Head of State made this announcement while delivering the feature address at India’s 72nd Republic Day Anniversary reception at the National Cultural Centre, on Wednesday.

He said that the country would look to emulate India’s leadership quali-

ties, especially through Guyana’s expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy and its current international commitments on environmental management.

Guyana, the President said, is already taking on the mantle of providing strong leadership in the CARICOM region to ensure food security and sustainability, and will place more emphasis on reducing the food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

Additionally, President Ali related that Guyana is already following India’s

initiatives by expanding access to and use of renewables, by strengthening bilateral relationships, by enhancing the country’s democracy, by fortifying its laws to ensure it reflects the needs and will of the people and by embarking on an aggressive initiative to transform the country’s human resources through training and educational opportunities.

“Like India, we are also transforming infrastructure landscape, modernising our landscape, making our infrastructure system, our transportation system

more efficient and reliable.

Importantly, like India, we are also in the process of rebranding our country.

“When Guyana is heard in the international community, it must be synonymous with democracy, the rule of law, safe and stable macroeconomic environment and, more importantly, a people that are willing to contribute our bit to global development and a better world,” the President related.

MAINTAINING AND STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIP The Head of State said that as Guyana celebrates with India, he is committed to maintaining and strengthening the traditional and mutually beneficial relations.

He related that Guyana and India have always shared a bond of friendship built on mutual values and principles and shared interests, which have benefitted both countries.

Dr. Ali said: “India has been extremely supportive of Guyana’s development—from the National Stadium at Providence,

to our modernising road infrastructure, the ICT Centre of Excellence at the University of Guyana, to the Indian Immigration Monument at Palmyra—India’s support for Guyana’s development is unmistakable.”

The President said that India leads by example and has helped Guyana tremendously over the years.

He referenced the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme that has provided training to Guyanese students in various areas, including accountancy, agriculture, auditing, banking and information technology, governance, and communication.

The President also alluded to India’s most recent educational support in facilitating opportunities for thousands of Guyanese to study at its universities through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programmes.

“Through the generosity of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we were able to kick-start our COVID-19 immunisation

campaign at a time when many countries were struggling to obtain vaccines,” Dr. Ali said.

Guyana was just one of many countries to have benefitted from this altruistic assistance, which President Ali said shows India’s leadership and goodwill in the finest traditions of international solidarity.

The President added that cooperation between the two countries continues to grow and is evidenced by India’s support for Guyana’s economic development.

India has so far invested in a ferry to provide services in Guyana; offered a line of credit that will provide the country with funds to support the electrification of 30,000 households via solar power and the provision by India of drainage pumps to assist in combatting the negative effects of climate change.

Even with a lot done already, the President expressed confidence that the two nations would enhance their relationship moving forward.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo with officials of the Indian High Commission at the Natural Cultural Centre, on Wednesday

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

US$15M Aiden Hotel to now facilitate 49 additional rooms - as investor acquires more land

THE US$15 million Aiden

by Best Western Hotel, which is being developed by the Guyanese-owned

Arimu Investments Inc., is set to expand from its initial 101-room capacity to 150 rooms, following the investor’s acquisition of additional lands at its Robb and Oronoque Streets, Georgetown, location.

The company’s plans for expansion were outlined

by Co-Director of Arimu Investments Inc., Lorenzo Alphonso, following a site visit on Thursday.

Alphonso said that Aiden is a boutique-style hotel under the world-renowned Best Western Hotel and Resorts.

It is part of a trendy collec-

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Co-Director of Arimu Investments Inc., Geraldo Alphonso (first from left); Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Go-Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop (second from left); Co-Director of Arimu Investments Inc., Lorenzo Alphonso (centre); Best Western’s Director of Hotel Development for South America, Luis Alberto Tito (second from right); and attorney-at-law Sase Gunraj, during a site visit, on Thursday (Delano Williams Photo)

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tion of laid-back boutique hotels that blend cool, casual and charm with an eclectic neighbourly feel.

No two hotels are alike, as each is designed to reflect the unique personality of each community/country they serve. Guests would discover local flair and imaginative designs with Aiden as their welcoming and stylish host.

The Aiden would be providing guests with executive chauffeur services, shuttle bus tours around Guyana, Demerara River tours and the investor is also engaging the aviation sector for helicopter tour packages.

Alphonso said that works on the facility are progressing in line with the estimated timeframe for completion.

The specific deadline for this project is the second quarter of 2023.

He related that since undertaking the project, other than heavy rainfall in mid2021, there have been no setbacks in the progression of works. The main reason for the company’s unhindered progress is support from the government.

“We have had all the support from the necessary government agencies, from Mr. [Peter] Ramsaroop and GoInvest, from the government, as a whole, there was no red tape or no backlog. From the first time when they issued the expression of interest in November 2020 for people that are interested in bringing hotel franchises, it was 100 per cent support from then to now,” Alphonso said.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, related that this investment is instrumental, especially because an indigenous company is behind the project.

He said even as the economy continues to grow, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, and, by extension, the government, are committed to ensuring

that Guyanese benefit from investment opportunities that are available locally.

This investment from Arimu, according to Dr. Ramsaroop, is timely, since the government predicts an increase in demand for services in the hospitality sector.

He related that available data shows that there is an increased need for hotel accommodations; this is projected to continue over the next five years.

“The Best Western rep for this same brand, said he had to book his hotel since November to get a room at the Marriott. So, we’re out of corporate rooms and the President and us, we predicted that we needed 2,000 new rooms by 2025… we are on our way to getting that.

“Even now, we have the energy conference coming up, people can’t find hotel rooms… 400 to 500 people are going to come in for that conference, and we’re behind with catering to those numbers, so the faster projects like this are undertaken and delivered, we can cater to what is needed,” Dr. Ramsaroop said.

GUYANESE BUSINESS Such investments would not just benefit the persons that will be employed in the sector, but it would also benefit persons along the supply chain.

According to Dr. Ramsaroop, several key elements for the construction of the Aiden Hotel were purchased and manufactured by locals.

“What is important about this project is not just the local investors, but the fact that locals are also benefitting, like the steel going up here is done by a local Guyanese company. So, we are really stepping up as local Guyanese companies to be able to deliver on the needs of the nation,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

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Rehabilitation of inmates a priority - Minister Benn says, as two-day Prison Officers’ Conference opens

SENIOR Prison Officers were urged to place more effort on the rehabilitation of inmates, and not just keeping them locked away.

This call was made by Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, at the Guyana Prison Service’s (GPS) Senior Officers’ Conference.

Minister Benn said the government is investing heavily in the prison system to reduce recidivism. To

this end, the government is reconstructing the Lusignan prison, in addition to providing the necessary training for inmates and prison officers.

“If we want to reduce recidivism rate at entry or overall, 13 per cent overall and nine per cent for new intakes, we have to improve the conditions. We cannot reform them unless we improve their conditions. We cannot make things better

if we do not get them doing useful, gainful activities,” Minister Benn said.

He added: “We have talked about a fresh start for the prisoners that we will train and identify those who are suitable, that when they come out the prison, through the CSSP project, we will be giving people tools to go out so they can earn an income and support their families and support themselves at

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn (centre) along with Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas; Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot; Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess; Commissioner of Police (ag) Nigel Hoppie; Chief Fire Officer (ag) Gregory Wickham and senior officers of the Guyana Prison Service (DPI photo)

US$15M Aiden Hotel...

FROM PAGE 4 per cent of the private investments made in 2021 that were approved by Go-Invest, were from locals.

The CEO, in a recent interview, had said that the government has been implementing systems to provide incentives to all investors, whether large or small.

According to Dr. Ramsaroop, outlined in the government’s plans, are opportunities for persons to become investors, and benefit from opportunities across several

sectors.

Even as the government continues to encourage local investors to benefit from the available opportunities, Dr. Ramsaroop said that systems have been implemented to train and equip Guyanese with the necessary tools that would allow them to reap the benefits of any investment.

He said too that several private sector organisations are also offering free training sessions to prepare local investors to enter various sectors.

least.”

He said the prisons and the 1,889 prisoners are a reflection of society, and that there must be a continuous improvement approach to the problem.

“When we see a prisoner, man or woman and when we consider the bad things they may have done, those crimes are not simply their crimes, those are our crimes. We have to find a way to move along to the

point where we reduce these instances of violence, which result in people being incarcerated in these very large numbers,” Benn related.

Minister Benn said there must also be some sort of self-reform by prison officers to better deal with prisoners. Introspection and retrospection by prison officers can go a far way in reforming inmates which can yield a lot of positive results, he stressed.

“So, we have to reform ourselves, review the way we see these things, look at these things with new eyes and even where we ourselves would have had personal failings in relation to the issuance to them, take a step back and review how we respond to situations,” the minister said.

Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot said despite the challenges faced by the GPS in 2021, they were able to make significant strides in building the capacity of inmates and prison officers. The director said 861 inmates received training in various fields, while 480 prison officers were trained in several programmes.

“This conference will enable us, members of the directorate to make the appropriate decisions to address the challenges we faced in 2021, as we seek to further improve the image of the Guyana Prison Service,” he said.

Several prison officers

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, handing over certificates to a prison officer (DPI photo) also received certificates for being outstanding in the field of prison management at the opening of the conference.

The two-day conference is being held under the theme: “Working towards improving the image of the Guyana Prison Service.”

Present at the conference were Permanent

Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas; Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Godfrey Bess; Commissioner of Police (ag) Nigel Hoppie; Chief Fire Officer (ag) Gregory Wickham and National Security Adviser to the President, Gerry Gouveia. (DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

Forward-Looking Budget

FINANCE Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, on Wednesday, presented what can be described as ‘groundb re a k i n g ’ B u d g e t E s timates to the National Assembly. In a presentation that lasted over five hours, the Finance Minister outlined the plans of the PPP/C administration for this fiscal year which will see the launch of a number of programmes strategically aligned to the goals and objectives of the administration to transform and modernise the country within the framework of a low carbon development strategy.

This year’s budget is historic in that for the first time in the country’s history, revenues from oil will be utilised to partially fund the developmental programmes of the country. It is also by far the largest allocation available to the government, a whooping $552 billion which will be pumped into the economy to facilitate

the country’s multi-faceted development.

This is 44.3 per cent larger than that provided for in the 2021 Budget and 36 per cent above total expenditure last year. Even more significant is the projected growth of the economy which will be 47.5 per cent, the highest not only in the region but the entire world for 2022.

The projected growth will be fuelled by oil production increases which are expected to more than double its current output during the course of this year.

This is no ordinary sum of money and President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali; Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and the entire PPP/C Cabinet must be commended for having put together such an impressive financial envelope which will have a transformative impact on the economy and on the lives and well-being of the Guyanese people. The budget, according to the Finance Minister, launches what

could very well be the most rapid period of transformation and modernisation ever witnessed in the country’s entire history. According to the minister, “supported by the robust institutional architecture that the government has established, Budget 2022 ensures two complementary and critically important objectives are met: firstly that the urgent development needs of the country are met in the shortest possible time and that the long-term well-being of the country is protected and safeguarded at all times.”

The budget has as its theme “Steadfast against all challenges, resolute in building our One Guyana.”

This theme is both apt and relevant having regard to the difficult international and local situation that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, both of which has impacted adversely on the economic and social life of the Guyanese people. Indeed, were

it not for the proactive and resolute manner in which the challenges were dealt with by the PPP/C administration, the impact could have been more severe.

As to be expected, the expectations of the Guyanese people are high and with good reason. The Guyanese people have already benefitted from a menu of policy measures taken by the PPP/C administration to improve their standard of living during the past few years including direct cash relief to all Guyanese to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, financial compensation to those affected by the flood situation, cash grants to parents of school children, tax reductions and in some cases elimination, increased old-age pensions, greater disability benefits, subsidies for water and electricity for the elderly, cash payments to sugar workers and an across the board seven per cent increase for public servants retroactive to January last

year. One consequence of those interventions was an increase in disposable incomes, especially for low-income and vulnerable groups in the society.

The good news is that the full universe of the Guyanese population stands to benefit from a package of financial benefits which would see further increases in old age pension, increases in public assistance, cash payments to parents of school children, further reduction in taxes and an increase in the income tax threshold from $65,000 to $75,000. What this means in effect is that all those who earn below the government minimum wage will now be exempted from income tax payments.

Significant sums of money will also be spent on infrastructural works that will change the face of the country while at the same time opening up vast tracts of lands for productive purposes, establishing new communities and making thousands

of Guyanese homeowners for the first time.

This is truly a people’s budget which is consistent with the philosophical and ideological outlook of the PPP/C administration, namely to place people at the centre of all developmental activities of the government. The debate on the presentations will commence shortly and no doubt the political opposition will search for ways to find fault with the several elements of the budget estimates. It will be no easy search but as the saying goes, ‘those who only look for faults can find nothing else’.

The Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, and his team of advisers and technicians, deserve full credit for putting together such an insightful and forward looking budget, one that fully accords with the vision and developmental aspirations of President Ali and his PPP/C administration.

Mr. Lall without even examining himself, needs to take several seats

Dear Editor, I REFER, with deep regret, to a letter penned by Mr. GHK Lall of letter writing infamy, which appeared in yesterday’s (Thursday) edition of the Stabroek News with the headline.

“The Ministry of Local Government is Running a Parallel City”.

Mr. Lall, I will try to refrain this time from casting aspersions upon your motives, your relevance, and even your purported integrity, but I freely admit that

it will not be easy so please bear with me.

Your letter, stripped of the usual obfuscation and hopeless attempts at literary language, very simply condones the total incompetence and systemic mismanagement which prevails at City Hall.

You attempt to blame a lack of funds on the central government and, aware that it is the council’s duty to collect the taxes due to it, you further attempted to, in the absence of a morsel of

evidence to support your flight of fancy, construct a hypothetical example of what supposedly pertains when it tries to so collect.

Mr. Lall, you and I both know that this is nonsense.

Have you had the experience, for instance, of running a small organisation which receives, one week after the end of an amnesty on interest charges, a bill for $13 million dollars, having never previously received an invoice for the actual taxes, let alone any astronomical inter-

est charges?

Did you, perhaps, then reasonably, request an extension of the just concluded amnesty so that the relatively small quantum of actual taxes could be paid off in full?

Were you then told that this was impossible? Did you appeal this decision in person several times to no avail?

Did you question whether the sum demanded did actually pertain to the building because the partial lot number did not accord with

your records? Were you then assured that it did and that the sum had to be paid immediately or there would be dire consequences?

Did you then, on the advice of your superiors, pay the demanded sum in full?

Only for a similar sum to be demanded by the council a year later?

Mr. Lall, there is an old adage that says something about opening one’s mouth and removing all doubt. It would perhaps have served you better to have remained

quiet but the deed has been done.

I see that you attempted in your letter to question the President’s sanity.

Mr. Lall, you may question mine or the Mayor’s or the sanitation supervisor’s or that of the building inspector or, most credibly, your own, but after this bit of self-indictment, the last thing you should do is question that of His Excellency.

Yours faithfully, Faye Elizabeth Alleyne

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

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$114.9M to expand legal aid services

THE sum of $114.9 million has been earmarked in this year’s budget to strengthen and expand legal aid services in an effort to render support to victims of genderbased violence.

During his presentation of the national budget on Wednesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for finance, Dr Ashni Singh, said, “abuse of any form is unacceptable within our society and a social issue that cannot be ignored. The government continues to pursue initiatives to prevent domestic violence.”

To provide further relief to victims, $19.7 million will be used to rehabilitate the Whim and Onderneeming domestic violence shelters. These facilities provide services for victims of sexual and

Graduation of COPSQUAD 2000 domestic violence.

The senior minister also announced that the administration will continue to implement initiatives to mitigate domestic violence, to safeguard its human resource nationwide.

In this regard, the government reconstituted a number of initiatives to achieve its goals of elimi-

nating all forms of domestic violence and discrimination, such as the Inter-Ministry Gender Focal Point Committee (IMC) to mainstream gender in all government agencies.

The IMC serves as the coordinating committee for the upcoming implementation of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimina-

tion against Women (CEDAW).

In addition, domestic violence training is now part of the curriculum of the police training college.

The Guyana Police Force has established domestic violence units and special rooms at identified police stations to receive reports in a more appropriate environment. (DPI)

A question for Mr. Moseley

Dear Editor, MY letter asking where were the signatures of those who rushed to pen their name in protest against a visit to Guyana by President Bolsonaro when our country faced an attempt to install a dictatorship in place of a democratic election, has drawn a response from Mr. Eric Moseley, which, I suspect, deliberately misses the point of my letter.

The only purpose of my letter was to point out that

these are signatures of well known, influential, reputed human rights defenders of scholarly repute who failed to raise their voices or lend their signatures in protest, preferring to remain silent, when freedom was so seriously threatened in our country, but have suddenly found their voices to protest every issue under the sun and are, therefore, not credible.

I also have a question for Mr. Moseley. Why does he find it necessary to descend into the disgustingly popular

practice in our country today of judging every person on the basis of their ethnic heritage by accusing me of being racist because I am of Portuguese descent?

In fact, I am not a fan of Mr. Bolsonaro and, if I were Brazilian, I would eschew his politics and would never vote for him.

It is also, however, a fact that the majority of the people of Brazil did vote for him to be their President and, as others have pointed out, when Mr. Bolsonaro

Maybe, am I missing something?

Dear Editor, ALMOST every day I read in the local newspapers of many individuals and businesses donating money and/or equipment, as well as sponsorships to the Berbice Cricket

Board.

This is extremely commendable that Berbicians are giving back or paying forward to the development of sport in their county.

However, I am not seeing the same gestures to the

Demerara and Essequibo Cricket Boards from their stars, businesses or the diaspora.

Maybe, am I missing something?

Yours sincerely, Rahman Mohammed

visits Guyana as President Bolsonaro, he represents and speaks for the people of Brazil, a nation which happens to be our most powerful neighbour and a friend of Guyana.

Yours sincerely, Kit Nascimento

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

Chronicles of a Chronic Guyana Chronicler

A Budget pregnant with progressive possibilities

By Earl Bousquet

GUYANA’S $552.9 Billion (US$2.6Billion) 2022 National Budget, also involving US$607 Million from oiland-gas earnings, is pregnant with positive progressive possibilities and government has laid-out plans to spend it widely (but not wildly), to make life better for all Guyanese.

The President’s curtainraising preview signalled that the biggest national budget in the nation’s history will aim at: lowering cost-of-living, creating opportunities, enhancing welfare, livelihoods and living conditions, supporting new businesses, ensuring more oil-and-gas opportunities for Guyanese companies, lowering income taxes, increasing disposable incomes, reducing fuel costs, funding education and youth development, etc.

The ‘Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure’ will be debated by MPs with presentations coloured by how they see their roles in politics -- as honourable public service for

agreed salaries, or serving the public for personal reward (private and public).

But traditional public mistrust in governments and politicians’ handling of taxpayers’ money are such everywhere today that all governments are treated as ‘usual suspects…’

Taxpayers interested in following the money have learned the hard way (or taught to believe) that when it comes to distinguishing between filling their private wallets or the public purse, politicians -- supposedly greedy by nature -- simply cannot resist opportunities to get rich in office.

But the conversion of ‘cleaning-up’ theories (like Transparency and Accountability) into effective practice is never as fast as transactions between the public purse and private pockets, wallets and bank accounts.

Organisation of American States (OAS) diplomats tried hard in the early 21st Century to influence CARICOM governments to adopt laws requiring political parties to declare sources of election finances,

but failed -- if only because in the few places where such policies exist, party lawyers have always got a legal way around it.

Same with laws for declaring ‘personal income’ for tax purposes: In most places it’s not illegal to ‘avoid’ tax, but a crime to ‘evade’ the taxman.

It all boils down to public perceptions, which determine how the main political actors play the budget act, especially with a post-colonial Caribbean mantra still very-much alive in the era of independence: that any politician who serves in government and leaves office ‘poor’ is seen as having ‘wasted’ his or her ‘time’ -- by not pinching the public purse.

Examples exist in every CARICOM nation (and this real debate about whether or how politicians should be ‘rewarded’ for their ‘sacrifices’ in representative politics, will never end…)

Take Saint Lucia’s George F.L. Charles (after whom the Vigie Airport in Castries is named).

An ordinary trade union-

ist and working-class champion from the 1938 West Indian revolutions through to the post-war struggles for voting rights and formation of political parties under colonialism, he was also Founder Leader of the island’s first political party (Saint Lucia Labour Party) in 1945.

Charles became Saint Lucia’s first Chief Minister (in 1951) and led the SLP in five successive election victories between 1951 -- until 1964, when he and his party were cheated out of office by a post-election opposition alliance that defied and reversed the electorate’s expressed will.

This true national hero never recovered from that act of political treachery; and he was never celebrated in his latter life -- even after Independence in 1979 -- until the SLP returned to office in 1997 and he was knighted in 1998.

Sir George died virtually penniless in 2004, but with the honour and dignity of never having been accused of dipping his hands into the people’s kitty.

Yet, you’ll still find many Caribbean people today who’ll say he ‘wasted’ his time in office because he didn’t use the opportunity to ‘make some money…’

Lack of public trust in governments and politicians’ handling of public finances is a subject widely covered by the mainstream media, but more for the headline value of stories about politicians dipping their hands into the na-

tional cookie jar than to teach people how to better watch who’s holding the national purse strings.

So, when it comes to budget presentations, saucy headlines will always sell more than stories loaded with endless facts and figures, minefields of statistics and innumerable statements of intent.

Most of the projects to be undertaken with the funds allocated in Guyana’s third budget since the 2020 elections will also have been promised earlier by every previous Guyana government, but when the money was just not there.

Now that pennies are floating in fuel with oil-andgas revenues outstripping taxpayers’ contributions, until and unless the next Leader of the Opposition decides to break with tradition, the new projects with new money will simply again be the subject of the old traditional protracted parliamentary debates about which party can do better with the same amount of dollars -and more sense.

This annual staged reality play plays-out in Westminstertype parliamentary theatres through structured debates featuring square-offs between intractably-opposing ‘sides’, instead of a give-and-take discussion between people’s elected representatives (and fellow citizens) with a common national interest, sharing ideas on how best to ensure the nation’s biggest-ever Con-

Earl Bousquet solidated Fund is best wellspent, across the country, to the benefit of all.

‘For the benefit of all’ used to be regarded as socialist utopia, but that was onceupon-a-time.

Guyana’s two major political parties, which both embraced progressive socialist thought in the worst of economic times, today have an equal possibility of, together, with their respective parliamentary allies, ensuring social and economic policies are adopted that will help increase people’s confidence in politicians holding national purse strings.

Neither major party is still today what it was under the leadership of Dr Cheddi Jagan or L.F.S. Burnham – and nor is Guyana, as climate change is also reflected, though still largely inequitable, in today’s politics and economic fortunes.

The doors are wide open for progress in promoting and piloting progressive political possibilities in a people’s Parliament, even for creating a new patriotic coalition for national development, in the new dispensation.

It can, but will it happen?

Here again, it all depends

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

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BIT aims to train 4,000 persons this year

SOME 4,000 young people will be equipped in 2022 with the necessary technical and vocational skills to be gainfully employed, as the government has earmarked $448.5 million to advance the work of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).

This was announced

by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, on Wednesday, while presenting Budget 2022.

He told the National Assembly: “Our government’s rapid development trajectory requires a skilled, qualified and innovative workforce.

We have identified human capital development through technical and vocational skills as one of the most critical impetuses if our development objectives are to be met.”

To ensure this, the government will partner with the private sector to provide relevant training to supplement its ongoing plans to streamline the national skills training programmes.

Minister Singh said it is imperative that the technical and vocational training programmes are tailored to accommodate the needs of the labour market in every sector.

“In this regard, we plan to undertake an analysis of the institutions of-

fering skills training with the aim of streamlining them, as well as modernising their curriculum, to make them more relevant to contemporary needs so that they are able to offer training to young and notso-young Guyanese persons in areas that would make them immediately marketable to the labour market,” he said.

As such, the government plans to invest $260 million to establish this year, a Guyana Technical Training College with a campus at Port Mourant, incorporating it with the renowned GuySuCo Port Mourant Technical Training School. The facility will also offer training programmes in the areas of oil and gas, tourism and hospitality.

Additionally, $420.5 million was allocated to train and certify 1,000 people with the necessary skills to be employed in the oil and gas industry.

This venture will see the certification of welders, stevedores, heavy vehicle operators, and others.

In 2021, BIT trained over 3,000 people in the areas of small engine repairs, shadehouse farming, refrigeration and air conditioner repairs, introduction to photovoltaic systems solar installation, maintenance and repairs, electrical installation and computer repairs among others. (DPI)

A BIT graduation exercise held for 151 hinterland youths at the Hinterland Scholarship Dormitory, Liliendaal

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

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First shipment of local manganese slated for March

IN this presentation on Budget 2022, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, announced that the first shipment of manganese from Port Kaituma, Region One, is slated for March 2022.

In his presentation on Wednesday, the senior minister said that a manganese operation in Matthews Ridge has been granted its Environmental Permit and Mining Licence, along with the approval of the mine plan.

“The project investment is pegged at US$75 million, and the annual production and shipment of manganese ore concentrates is targeted at 500,000 metric tonnes annually,” he said.

Manganese is used to make clear glass, to desulfurise and deoxidise steel in steel production and to reduce the octane rating in gasoline. It also is used as a black-brown pigment in paint and as filler in dry cell batteries. Its alloys help stiffen the aluminum in softdrink cans.

On the side of the nonoil extractive sectors –namely gold, bauxite, sand, stone, and other minerals – Dr. Singh highlighted that these will be major contributors to Guyana’s economy going forward.

“Our government recognises the critical role of the mining sector in the economy and will continue to invest in and promote the expansion of the sector, remaining mindful of the challenges and vulnerabilities as illustrated during the 2021 floods when operating sites and access roads were inundated and rendered impassable for an extended time,” he outlined.

At a strategic level, he said, more focus on deriving efficiency from the mineral recovery phase of the small and medium-scale mines can also help to promote sustainability in this sector.

The senior minister related too that significant growth can be expected from the subsector in 2022, with gold declaration envisaged to continue to be dominated by small and medium-scale producers operating 1,054 small-scale mines and 25 medium-scale mines.

As it relates to bauxite mining in Guyana, Minister Singh recalled that one

major producer was lost in 2020 as a result of the hostile investment environment. As further consequence, bauxite mining continued with only two major operators. He was quick to report, however that under this government, companies have inked their interest to expand this sector.

“The larger of the two operating in Linden has in place plans to expand investment in 2022 with an estimated outlay of US$16 million on capital investments. These include the construction of a third kiln and procurement of other heavy-duty equipment to improve the scale and efficiency of their mining operations.

This third kiln is rated to have a throughput of 650 metric tonnes of bauxite per day and will increase the plant’s installed production capacity by 65 per cent, with operation expected to begin in the latter half of 2022. Government is committed to continue the exploration of opportunities for another large-scale investor to fill the void created in 2020,” the Finance Minister outlined.

As it relates to sand and stone mining, the Minister Singh indicated that attention

will be focused on ensuring beneficial occupation of sandbearing properties along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

This will play a hand in offsetting the demands caused as a result of Guyana’s construction boom.

And finally on quarry production, most of the new quarries are anticipated to come on stream by the end of 2022. This comes on the heels of 11 quarry licences issued to new applicants, covering 30,737 acres, with each having a productive capacity of 150,000-200,000 metric tonnes per year.

(DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

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$2B allocated for aviation sector in Budget 2022 - $600M to go towards rehabilitation, maintenance of several hinterland airstrips

By Jared Liddell IN keeping with its plan to raise the standards of the local aviation sector and improve accessibility across Guyana, the government has set aside $2B in Budget 2022 for enhancement works in this economic area.

The budget, which was presented to the National Assembly by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, outlines significant work to be undertaken in 2022.

This year, based on the budget, $600 million will be spent on the rehabilitation and maintenance of hinterland airstrips at Eteringbang, Karisparu, Paruima and Ekereku Bottom.

The work to be done on those airstrips are intended to make them compliant with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority’s minimum engineering standards. Further, this will improve safety for travellers, aircraft and personnel using the airstrips.

He said that the government has placed emphasis

on modernising the Cheddi Jagan International Airport to fully comply with air transport standards required for a world- class international port of entry. This, Dr Singh said, is being further realised through the construction and rehabilitation of additional facilities.

As it is now, works include the rehabilitation of the international apron and construction of a taxiway; construction of an administrative building with conferencing facilities; offices for the airlines and other supporting agencies; a duty-free bond and the construction of a new office complex to accommodate CJIA’s employees.

The $185 million Lethem aerodrome runway, which was commissioned in 2021

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

Pregnant woman stabbed to death allegedly by ex-boyfriend A 28-year-old pregnant woman has died after being stabbed multiple times, allegedly, by her ex-boyfriend.

According to police reports, Loretta Simon of Cooper Street, Albouystown, was at her mother’s residence in ‘C’ Field Sophia, on

Thursday, when the incident occurred.

Police said that the exboyfriend visited the mother’s place of abode and started demanding that answers be provided as to why Simon no longer wanted to be with him.

Eyewitnesses told police

that the woman asked the suspect to leave her mother’s premises and he suddenly whipped out a knife from his pants waist and stabbed the victim in the region of her heart.

The victim then ran a short distance before she collapsed. He then dropped the

knife in the yard and made good his escape.

The woman was subsequently rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The body was then escorted to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home,

Dead: Loretta Simon where an autopsy will be conducted.

One eyewitness related that the deadly encounter was witnessed by the woman’s nine-year-old

sister. One relative said that the perpetrator was angry because Simon was purportedly pregnant for someone else.

Teen stabbed reportedly by stepfather dies at COVID-19 hospital - mother also injured

A YOUNG construction worker of the East La Penitence squatting area has died at the COVID-19 hospital, Liliendaal, where he was transferred after being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for stab wounds inflicted on him allegedly by his stepfather.

According to a report from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), 19-yearold Isaiah Edwards was stabbed, on Wednesday, to the right side of his hip upon intervening when his stepfather purportedly started abusing his mother because she reportedly did not finish cooking in time.

The purported aggravated stepfather picked

up his knife and attacked the teen and his mother before making good his escape.

Relatives who were alerted of the incident, picked up Edwards and his mother and took them to GPHC, where they were tested for COVID-19.

The results of those tests showed that the teen was positive, so he was transferred to the COVID-19 hospital, where he subsequently died. His body was taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where an autopsy will be conducted.

His mother remains hospitalised in a stable condition, as investigations continue. The suspect has not yet been apprehended.

Three-storey Fireside Suites to open its doors on Saturday

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

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- facility to target business, holiday travellers

The new Fireside Suites in Kitty, Georgetown HAVING established itself as a known hub in Kitty, Georgetown, for finger-licking creole dishes, the Fireside Group is ready to take a bigger step in the hospitality industry, with its new three-storey Fire-

side Suites, which will open its doors on Saturday.

According to a press release, the new boutique hotel, with its 14 selfcontained rooms, is catering for business travellers and holiday seekers, who

are looking for all of the modern conveniences in the heart of Georgetown.

The hotel will also be offering a bed and breakfast service for travellers seeking a longer stay in Guyana. The rooms are spacious and well laid out, with facilities to cater for those who might want to complete work away from the office.

Each room has also been outfitted with its own super-speed fibre internet service, so guests would not have to worry about poor connections with multiple users; every line is separate and secured.

Fireside Suites also boasts specialised security systems for every room; this allows the guests to choose their own combination codes for entry.

Fireside Suites is the brainchild of Simeon

Francis and Tilly Deodat, who also own and manage the popular Fireside Grill and Restaurant that is located in the same area.

Francis said he realised there was a need for a specialised hotel for business travellers when he overheard friends and other visitors complain about their experiences at other hotels.

“We want to make Fireside Suites that comfortable place for our guests to work and relax.

Today’s business traveller wants everything at their fingertips, in a safe and comfortable environment, and this is what the Fireside Suites is offering. We are offering a good taste of Guyanese hospitality with all the conveniences,” Francis said.

Deodat said as a business traveller herself, she ensured that

every room got a personal touch that the company will build on.

Bookings could be made

via the AirBnB website or by calling or messaging (592)-623-3473.

One of the facility’s well-outfitted rooms

Citizens praise ‘transformative’ budget

SOCIAL media came alive on Wednesday with praise for the government following the injection of $552.9 billion into the economy through various initiatives that would rapidly transform and modernise the nation.

Many of the comments were high in commendation of President Irfaan Ali and his Cabinet for being responsive to the plight of citizens.

Some of the comments include: “Thank you for remembering dialysis patients. The

cost is a huge burden on families,” Abigail Young said.

“More development coming to Linden, thanks to this government,” said Brian Mcrae on Facebook.

“This is great news for the small-business owners to get a real help,” contended Rita Bhagmattie,” while Abrams Leon gushed, “Great news, providing improved health care services.”

“Way to go, let’s challenge the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Fire Service personnel to utilise this funding effectively, pro-

ductively and professionally to protect and serve all citizens,” Dhanwatie Lautan urged.

Pratima Persaud was also high in praise: “All of Guyana should be proud because our people will now start seeing what a transformational country looks like.”

For Satie Ramjuss, it was “An excellent budget for intelligent minds.”

Budget 2022, according Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, also lays the

foundation for creation of thousands of jobs and caters for the training of Guyanese to take up those jobs.

Additionally, sums allocated in the budget also cater for massive investment in infrastructure that will change the face of Guyana forever, by opening vast new tracts of land for productive purposes, establishing entirely new communities while connecting others, and making thousands of Guyanese, homeowners for the very first time.

One of the many comments made on social media about the 2022 budget

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

‘ENCANTO’ is a must-watch for everyone!

THIS week, I’ve brought to you, my Buzz family, an exciting film to watch that you can share with your friends and family.

It makes for the perfect movie night, for you and your ‘bae’, for your little ones, for your ‘besties’, or even for your entire extended family (if they can handle the heat). If you’re like me, you can watch this one solo with a glass of wine and well-buttered popcorn.

‘ENCANTO’ is one of Disney’s latest masterpieces. Set in the mountains of Colombia, the story follows an extended family and their surrounding community living in a pro-

tected, magical enclave.

There are many special things about the extended ‘Madrigal’ family, but central to the story is the magical gift bestowed on the children and grandchildren of the matriarch, only referred to as ‘Abuela’.

SPOILER ALERT! The story’s protagonist, Mirabel, voiced by Stephanie Beatriz who is commonly known for her role as Detective Diaz on the Netflix comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, is the only kin without a bestowed power.

However, it is later discovered that Mirabel, labelled as the troublemaker, holds a special responsibility in the family, even

The ‘Madrigal’ Family (Disney Plus photo)

without the magic.

Its witty storytelling and musical renditions simplify those hard-tohave conversations sometimes avoided because of social and cultural differences between and among generations in extended families.

Family expectations, sibling rivalries, and ‘do as I say’ are some of the areas explored in the movie that feels like its own bit of group therapy.

‘ENCANTO’ has been praised widely for its relatability, and exploration of transgenerational trauma, and breaking the cycle of those traumas.

In case you’re still not

Mirabel with her elusive uncle, Bruno convinced to add this to your must-watch list, ‘ENCANTO’ has, thus far, received three Golden Globe nominations, winning the award for the Best Animated Feature Film.

If you’re planning a

movie night this weekend, be sure to add ‘ENCANTO’ to your list and don’t forget to leave a comment on the Guyana Chronicle’s Facebook, Instagram or Twitter accounts, or let me know your thoughts

on WhatsApp (592) 638 5617.

Te l l m e w h a t y o u think about the film, or what movie, series, or book you would like me to review at The Buzz.

(Naomi Parris)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

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James Snyder fired from Broadway ‘Harry Potter’ play over misconduct claim

James Snyder has not yet publicly responded to the allegation, which was made by a female co-star (Photo credited to GETTY IMAGES, retrieved from BBC) (BBC) - An actor has been fired from the Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child following a complaint about his conduct.

James Snyder had played Potter in the stage show, which has been a huge hit with both United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US) audiences.

Producers terminated Snyder’s contract following allegations of misconduct from his co-star, the nature of which has not been specified.

Snyder has not yet publicly responded. The BBC asked his team for comment.

Producers said they received a complaint against Snyder in November and immediately

suspended him from the production, pending an independent investigation.

Following the conclusion of that investigation, producers confirmed on Sunday they had terminated his contract.

The complaint was made by actress Diane Davis, who plays ‘Ginny Potter’ in the show, the wife of Snyder’s character, Harry.

Producers confirmed in November that Davis had taken a leave of absence from the Broadway show following the allegation. It is not yet known when she will return.

“We are committed to fostering a safe and inclusive workplace, which is why we have robust

workplace policies and procedures in place for all those involved in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” producers said.

“This includes strict prohibitions against harassment in any form, as well as channels through which any employee can report conduct that they believe is inappropriate.

We will continue to do all we can to ensure the extremely talented team that brings this production to life feels safe, empowered, and fully supported.”

Snyder’s name does not feature on the cast and creative list on the Broadway show’s website.

The play, which picks up 19 years after JK Rowling’s final Potter novel left off, portrays the wizard and his friends as grown-ups, now with children of their own.

It was a huge success in London’s West End before transferring to Broadway, where it won the Tony Award for best new play in 2018.

Snyder has appeared in other Broadway productions such as ‘CryBaby’, ‘If/Then’ and ‘In Transit’. His TV credits include roles in ‘The Good Wife’, ‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’, and ‘Drop Dead Diva’.

The play picks up the Potter story 19 years after the events of JK Rowling’s final novel (Photo credited to GETTY IMAGES, retrieved from BBC)

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West Side Story star Rachel Zegler is set to play Snow White in the new adaptation (Photo credited to Reuters; Retrieved from BBC)

Disney responds to criticism of ‘Snow White’ remake GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

(BBC) - DISNEY has responded to criticism made by ‘Game of Thrones’ actor, Peter Dinklage about its forthcoming live action

adaptation of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’.

Dinklage said the remake of the 1937 animated film, based on story from the Broth-

Peter Dinklage accused Disney of double standards (Photo credited to PA Media; Retrieved from BBC) ers Grimm, was “backward”. dwarves living in the cave,” Disney said it was going he said. “Have I done nothing to “avoid reinforcing ste- to advance the cause from my reotypes from the original soap box? I guess I’m not loud animated film”. enough.

Dinklage had said Disney “They were so proud of should have reassessed the that, and all love and respect project. to the actress and the people “I was a little taken aback who thought they were doby [the fact] they were very ing the right thing but I’m proud to cast a Latina actress just like, ‘What are you as Snow White,” he told pod- doing?’” caster Marc Maron.

British Paralympian “But you’re still telling the swimmer, Will Perry, who has story of ‘Snow White and the publicly condemned people Seven Dwarfs’. Take a step who abuse him, said people back and look at what you’re with dwarfism were often doing there. It makes no sense portrayed as “mythical or to me.” comical characters” on film Dinklage, who stars in the and TV. forthcoming Oscar-tipped film He told Nicky Campbell ‘Cyrano’, has a form of dwarf- on BBC Radio 5 Live: “I ism called “achondroplasia”. know loads of people who The actor has previously love [Snow White and the spoken about the representa- Seven Dwarfs] for the right tion of dwarfism, saying it reason... but we are now in the was “bad writing” to make it 21st Century. a “dominant character trait”.

“People like Disney, who The original ‘Snow White have influence over young and the Seven Dwarfs’ film, people, need to be influencing released in 1938, was the first them in the right direction.” full-length animated feature In a statement, Disney from Disney, and is consid- said the live action remake ered one of the studio’s clas- will be an updated version of sics. the original 1937 film.

‘West Side Story’ star, “We are taking a different Rachel Zegler and ‘Red No- approach with these seven tice’ actress, Gal Gadot are characters and have been set to star in the adaptation, consulting with members of as ‘Snow White’ and the ‘Evil the dwarfism community,” it Queen’, respectively. said in a statement.

Speaking about the new “We look forward to sharfilm, Dinklage acknowledged ing more as the film heads Disney’s casting of a Latina into production after a lengthy actress in the leading role, but development period.” said further progressive castOscar-nominated proing was needed when it came ducer, Marc Platt, who also to the other characters. worked on Disney’s live-ac“You’re progressive in one tion rendition of ‘The Little way but you’re still making Mermaid’, is set to produce that backward story of seven the film.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

Gel-X, Poly Gel: the alternatives becoming conventional in nail tech

Kelisa (left) presents a certificate of participation to Shellon Collins, a student of the Hair Tech’s make-up artistry course LOCALLY, it is safe to say ence in the salon industry, that the Gel-X and Poly the folks at ‘Hair Tech’ have Gel alternatives to nail a pretty good grasp of what’s extensions are dominatneeded to successfully exing, at least at Hair Tech ecute new things.

International, where the “I saw them online and salon girls there are alwent after them. I always ways on top alert to what’s try to keep up with the latnew and trending globally. est. So, I look to see what’s Poly Gel is used to overnew and interesting when lay only if you want to proI’m scrolling through Instect your own natural nails. tagram or TikTok and the Gel-X, on the other rest,” Kelisa McCalman, hand, can also be used to who now manages the salon, protect the nail and could told Buzz, this week. add some length without “I would go on Amazon, the use of acrylic or other bring it in [the country], and chemicals to top it. Simply then practice on the girls apply the nail tips, and polat the salon. Then, I will ish. introduce my clients to it Both Gel-X and Poly when they come for their Gel are lighter than acrylic next touch up or repair,” she and healthier for the nail. related.

It’s not much work to put on Once the procedure is and it doesn’t cause damage new to the salon and nowto your natural nails. tested, the salon would give In fact, the gel polish on the clients the first service the whole is easier to use free, or at a discounted price because it dries with a lamp. so they can decide if they No more worries about like it or not and would want smudging as it dries in just to use the product in future.

60 seconds, once it’s cured Kelisa has found that under the light. most clients choose Gel-X Currently, there aren’t and Poly Gel because they too many salons doing the are working women who two services. To fill the gap, have very limited time to ‘Hair Tech’ commenced spare to have their nails done classes to train interested the conventional way. persons.

“So, because it’s faster With decades of experiand the polish lasts the same amount of time [as the conventional way], they are happy.

Although it’s a little more expensive than the regular nail tips, it lasts for the same time. It’s faster and it’s also healthy for the nails,” Kelisa explained.

Growing up in the salon environment, Kelisa took up the trade in 2016, having been taught by her The Gel-X and Poly parents, Joan and Joseph, Gel alternatives to nail and other family members extensions are now the who are experts in the ‘going’ things business.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

Keemo Paul named...

FROM BACK PAGE

Pestano, Shimron Hetmyer, Keon Joseph and Antony Adams.

The reserves are Kemol Savory, Junior Sinclair, Kevin Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Ronsford Beaton, Trevon Griffith and Demitri Cameron.

The squad and reserves are currently engaged in the third and final trial match at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, after which preparation will continue with intensive practice and fitness training under the watchful eyes of the team management. led by head coach Esaun Crandon.

The Regional Four-Day

Rovman Powell on the go in his sensational knock of 107

Antony Adams

Akshaya Persaud

Championship ended after eight rounds in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pan-

demic, and Barbados Pride dethroned the Eagles after five seasons.

FROM BACK PAGE

Golden Jags intensify...

matches.”

The Trinidadian, leading the squad for its first engagements since he took over in September 2021 for a fourth stint in charge, acknowledged the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on national team activity and preparations, but praised the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) for facilitating the Suriname fixtures as a welcome step back into competition.

"We had a lot of challenges and, at times, when play-

ers and staff were down with COVID-19 and things looked dim,” he said. “GFF president Wayne Forde was very supportive and we are happy that the investment was made and this opportunity created, providing exposure for players.”

Shabazz also thanked the Ministry of Health for its continued support, given the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Shabazz has selected a 24man squad, with defender Thevron Pluck receiving his first 12:10 hrs Hermes Le Gris

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Windies had clarity of purpose - Pooran

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call-up. Clive Nobrega, Colin Nelson and Jordan Dover also make a return after a period of absence to a selection that features three international-based players.

National U20 head coach, Wayne Dover, and former national team captain, Charles Pollard, are supporting Shabazz in the roles of assistant coaches.

(GFF release)

WEST Indies vice-captain Nicholas Pooran believes his performance against England was enhanced by a certain clarity of thought regarding what needed to be accomplished for the team.

Rovman Powell may have stolen the headlines with his sensational knock of 107, but Pooran played just as critical a role in providing the backbone that the 20-run win for the West Indies was built on. As a pair, they combined to frustrate the England bowlers after adding 122 runs for the third wicket.

Pooran, who admits he is still working on adapting to batting at the unfamiliar position of three, scored a crucial 70 off 43 balls.

“For me it was simple. The last couple of games, even from Pakistan I got the opportunity to bat at number 3 and I’m trying to figure out how I should bat at number three.

Today I just felt like I had to be clear. Today was about being clear and just executing.

“If I said I wanted to look for a single, for example, I looked for a single and picked the gap. I just tried to put the ego away for me it was all about staying in the moment, playing the situations well, trying to play things as well as I can."

The team was also forced to put in a strong effort in the field. Led by 75 from Tom Banton, England made a good effort of chasing the target before falling short at 204 for 9.

"For me the extra 22 runs at the end was key. In saying that, England batted well but we knew if we could string a couple good overs together we would have a good chance. It seems like they played more bowlers today, so that was also a big help for us." (Sportsmax)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

Africa Cup of Nations

Equatorial Guinea Salah scores winner as Egypt beat shock Mali on Ivory Coast to reach quarter-finals penalties to reach last eight

EGYPT beat Ivory Coast 5-4 on penalties to reach the quarter-finals at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon following a 0-0 draw on Wednesday.

The North Africans got the upper hand in the shootout when substitute keeper Gabaski saved Eric Bailly's effort in the third round of spot-kicks.

And Pharaohs captain Mohamed Salah netted the decisive penalty to send the record seven-time champions through.

Egypt will face Morocco in the last eight in Yaounde on Sunday (15:00 GMT).

The finale was somewhat harsh on Manchester United defender Bailly, who had performed superbly at the back while sporting a rugby scrum cap on his return from a head injury.

Yet he took a short runup for his penalty and placed his effort too close to Gabaski, who dived to his right

Egypt captain Mohamed Salah netted the decisive penalty

and stuck out his left hand to push the ball onto the bar.

The Zamalek keeper had come on right at the end of the second half after Mohamed El Shenawy picked

up a leg injury, and may well start against Morocco depending on the extent of the injury suffered by Egypt's number one.

Pharaohs receive local backing It may have ended goalless after 120 minutes but the meeting between two of the continent's heavyweights provided plenty of openings despite the poor state of the pitch in Douala.

Two-time champions Ivory Coast had knocked out holders Algeria en route to topping their group, but Egypt had finished second in theirs after losing their opening game against Nigeria.

Cameroonians threw their support behind the Pharaohs, and the appearance of Liverpool forward Salah on the big screen in the stadium during the Egyptian national anthem was met with a loud roar.

The North Africans had the better of the first half, with Omar Marmoush rattling the Ivory Coast crossbar and Salah having two attempts tipped over by Badra Ali Sangare.

The Elephants grew into the contest and Ibrahim Sangare saw an acrobatic volley pushed away by El Shenawy.

SALAH KEEPS NERVE Early in the second period Egypt's Amr El Soleya blazed over when well placed inside the area while substitute Trezeguet dragged a shot across goal and wide.

El Shenawy pulled off good stops to keep out a header from Sebastien Haller and a shot from Wilfried Zaha but was then forced off.

The North Africans started the first period of extra time well, as Mohamed Sherif headed over and Sangare punched away a long-range shot by Zizo, while Gabaski denied midfielder Sangare just before the break.

Trezeguet had a late chance to win it for Egypt, but Carlos Quieroz's side progressed after Gabaski made the crucial save and Salah kept his nerve.

Salah's influence had waned as the game wore on but he had the final say from 12 yards, and could yet lead Egypt to their first continental crown since 2010. (BBC Sport)

GOALKEEPER Jesus Owono was Equatori al Guinea's hero as they shocked Mali in a penalty shootout to reach the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday.

Owono, 20, saved twice in the shootout to help them go through 6-5 on spot-kicks after a 0-0 draw.

Initially, the referee indicated the decisive save from Falaye Sacko's effort needed to be retaken, but a VAR check showed Owono's foot was still on the line.

Equatorial Guinea play Senegal next.

Mali, 61 places higher in the world rankings than their opponents, had the better chances but were frustrated by another resilient Equatorial Guinea performance.

A high-tempo but untidy first half saw Mali's Amadou Haidara with the best chance when the RB Leipzig star who has been linked with a move to the Premier League was only able to scuff a weak shot from close range.

Five minutes before the break, the Eagles were awarded a penalty when Moussa Doumbia clashed with Equatorial Guinea's Josete Miranda.

But referee Bakary Gassama reversed his decision when he viewed the incident on the touchline monitor.

Mali improved further in the second period and Red Bull Salzburg's Mohamed Camara spurned another opportunity in the 56th minute.

After great work from Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma on the right, Camara got the ball, but fired over from close to the penalty spot.

Substitute Moussa Djenepo also came close to putting Mali in front but his powerful effort was deflected just wide.

Equatorial Guinea, who inflicted a first defeat in 36 games on defending champions Algeria in the group stage, rarely threatened at the other end.

But former Middlesbrough and Birmingham

Jesus Owono made the critical save in the penalty shoot-out

defender Emilio Nsue came on as a sub for them with an hour to go and played an increasingly influential role.

He curled a shot over in the last moments of normal time and was a constant menace to the Mali defence in the extra period.

Mali keeper Ibrahim Mounkouro was forced into a rare save when Basilio Ndong struck from a distance.

But one shot on target from each team in 120 minutes of football told the story, and it came to penalties to decide who would go through to face Sadio Mane and Co in Douala on Sunday in the last eight.

Nsue blazed the first kick over the bar, but Mali also missed through Massadio Haidara, and both keepers then made saves in the sequence to take it to sudden death.

Mali's Sacko needed to score to keep his team in it, but Owono dived low to make a fine stop.

Celebrations were held up for a few moments as the VAR check took place, but then Equatorial Guinea - who reached the semi-finals back in 2015 when they hosted the tournament - had their victory confirmed.

It was a bitter disappointment for favourites Mali, who had been the better team throughout, but failed to make their quality and opportunities count. (BBC Sport)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

Barty to meet Danielle Collins in Australian Open final ASHLEIGH Barty became the first home player to reach the Australian Open women's singles final in 42 years as she beat Madison Keys in straight sets on a jubilant Rod Laver Arena.

Wimbledon champion Barty, 25, won 6-1, 6-3 against the unseeded American.

Now, the top seed is one win away from becoming the first Australian - man or woman - to win the singles since Christine O'Neil won the title in 1978.

Barty will face American 27th seed Danielle Collins in tomorrow's final.

Collins, 28, beat seventh seed Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-1 to reach her first Grand Slam final, less than a year after she had surgery for endometriosis.

Channelling her passion into power, Collins settled more quickly than 2020 French Open champion Swiatek and raced into a 4-0 lead with a double break.

The 20-year-old from Poland reduced the deficit to 5-4 after breaks of serve in three straight games, only for Collins to reset and take the opener on her fifth set point.

Collins continued to pick apart Swiatek's game in the next set with her aggressive returning, particularly punishing her second serve, as she moved into another 4-0 lead.

The level of Collins' inten-

Ashleigh Barty (left) has won all 10 singles matches she has played in 2022, while Madison Keys has endured a difficult 2021

sity remained high, cracking another clean winner - her 27th of the evening - to set up a first match point and take advantage on the second when a deep return forced Swiatek long.

"It feels amazing to reach my first Grand Slam final. It has been such a journey, it doesn't happen overnight," said Collins.

"Along with all the health concerns, I couldn't be happier.

REACHING FIRST MELBOURNE FINAL UNREAL While Collins showed aggression and clinical execution to dominate Swiatek, she looks likely to face a tough task stopping Barty.

The world number one reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park in 2020, with de-

feats in the quarter-finals coming either side.

This year, Barty has so far looked unstoppable and unburdened by the weight of Australian expectation.

"It's just unreal - as an Aussie we are spoiled that we are a Grand Slam nation, and now we have a chance to play for a title," she said.

The 25-year-old Queenslander has been in supreme form in 2022, having now won all 10 of her singles matches this year.

After beating three top-20 players to win the Adelaide International title, she has continued that dominance in Melbourne.

Strong serving has been the bedrock of her success, with her returning game - characterised

Title favourite Medvedev to clash with Tsitspas once again for final place

DANIIL Medvedev will take on Stefanos Tsitsipas in a second straight Australian Open semi-final today.

The pair met at the same stage on the Rod Laver Arena last year, with Medvedev winning in straight sets.

The Russian battled from two sets down against Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime, to set up this repeat meeting with the 23-year-old Greek, Tsitsipas.

Tsitipas, who had elbow surgery last year, powered past Italy's Jannik Sinner in straight sets by comparison.

In the first semi-final, 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will face Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini.

MEDVEDEV STILL THE FAVOURITE As the highest seed standing, Medvedev is arguably still the favourite to lift the title on Sunday, but was made to work hard for his semi-final berth.

Medvedev, who is trying to reach a second consecutive Australian Open final said after his quarter-final win: "I said 'I am going to make him work.'

"I managed to raise my level and when they closed the roof I was able to go through momentum and I started playing better."

Tsitsipas made up for his fourth-round struggle in five sets against Taylor Fritz to deliver a clinical performance against Sinner.

The Greek started the year in pain during the ATP Cup following little preparation after his operation, but has come into form in good time, as he plays in a fifth Grand Slam semi-final.

Nadal eyes history with Berrettini in his way.

After another injury-ridden season, a rusty couple of performances at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships and contracting COVID-19, few would have predicted Nadal would be a factor in this year's tournament.

Yet the Spaniard has carved his way through the draw, and faces Berrettini for the second time in a Slam semi-final, having beaten him in straight sets at the 2019 US Open.

Nadal had to fight past a feisty Denis Shapovalov in the quarter-final and was taken the distance, while Berrettini had to make it count against another Spaniard - Carlos Alcaraz - in the third round.

Both men have been tested, but while Berrettini is looking to make a second final in two years, the end-game for Nadal is now tantalisingly close - to overtake both Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic for 21 Slam titles.

To reach the final, Nadal will have to beat a top-10 player for the first time since 2017, while Berrettini has lost all six of his Grand Slam clashes with top-10 players.

The Australian Open is Nadal's second most successful Grand Slam event in terms of matches won, but his least successful event in terms of titles won. (BBC Sport)

by a tricky backhand slice - also proving difficult to unpick.

Barty has not dropped a set in her opening six matches, conceding just 21 games on her way to the final.

Key, a former US Open runner-up looking to reach her second major final, was nervous from the start and never looked like troubling Barty.

A deep forehand from the Australian brought a break point in the first game of the match and another cross-court winner,

punishing a drop-shot from Keys, enabled her to take it.

Barty backed that up with successive holds to love and then broke again for 4-1, with her returning game proving difficult for Keys to cope.

A double-fault brought up a set point after 26 minutes which Barty converted with a crisp forehand winner down the line.

Barty saved a break point at 2-2 in the second set when she put away a smash - moments after dumping one into the net

- and the Australian promptly broke again for 4-2.

The passionate crowd - including 11-time major champion Laver himself - roared as Barty waited to serve on match point, with the volume increasing further when she put away a forehand to win in one hour two minutes.

"I just tried to run and make as many balls as I could, point by point and just try to do the right things every time," she said. (BBC Sport)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

Haynes, Lanning escape England’s clutches on day one of Ashes Test

A MEASURED partnership between skipper Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes was the difference on day one, stabilising Australia's first innings on day one of the Ashes Test in Canberra.

The pair joined forces with the score at 43-3, putting on 169 for the fourth wicket to move the hosts into the ascendancy.

The pair would depart in consecutive overs, though their efforts set up a run-scoring flurry for their lower order, as Tahlia McGrath and Ash Gardner added

84 runs in the final session.

Lanning and Haynes changed the course of the day after England dominated the first hour of proceedings. England captain Heather Knight won the toss at Manuka Oval, electing to send Australia in as the best plan to take the 20 wickets required for her side to hit back in the multi-format series.

The decision proved vindicated with England's new-ball bowlers sharp in their execution, claiming Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney in consecutive overs.

Healy (0) was brought undone by a smart piece of outswing bowling by Katherine Brunt, while Mooney (3), returning from a broken jaw, was dismissed by Anya Shrubsole angling the ball away.

Perry strode out at No.4, though the right-hander was to walk back making 18, falling to a short ball from Nat Sciver.

It brought the captain out to the crease, who set about to re-build, moving the hosts to 79-3 at lunch.

England failed to capitalise on multiple chances given up by

Lanning, as the set pair pushed on in the middle session. Making almost 60 in the first hour after lunch, the pair both raised their bats for half-centuries, bringing up their century-partnership.

Lanning and Haynes opened the flood gates after wearing down England's attack, bringing up the next 50 runs in 65 deliveries.

Both looked destined to reach their first Test centuries, only for the Brunt/Sciver combination to strike in consecutive overs. Still generating prodigious swing

Meg Lanning (93) and Haynes (86) powered Australia on day one

with the older ball, Lanning pushed a catch off Sciver to her opposition skipper in the slip cordon for 93, with Haynes undone by steep-bouncing delivery from Brunt that brushed the lefthander's glove for ’keeper Jones' fourth catch on 86.

Despite the double blow, the work of the dismissed pair set the lower order a solid platform to push the run rate higher.

Tahlia McGrath and Ash Gardner added their 84 in just 134 balls, with Gardner taking just 63 balls to reach a half-century, hitting seven fours and a six.

She was to be dismissed lbw by Brunt soon after, and McGrath will rue the loose shot off the last ball of the day that cost her wicket, just moments after bringing up a half-century of her own. (ICC Media)

Racism in cricket: Justin Langer inducted into Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Clare Connor to lead

FORMER men's Test opener and current Australia head coach, Justin Langer, has been inducted into the Australian Hall of Fame, alongside Raelee Thompson - the former fast bowler and captain, who is considered a pioneer of the women's sport in the country.

Australia saw the best of Langer at the top of the order in their Test line-up where he forged an enviable partnership with Matthew Hayden during the best years of Australian cricket. Langer's gritty career came to a close with 7 696 runs to his name at an average of 45.27.

Langer transitioned into coaching and after successful stints in the domestic circuit, he took over the reigns of the national side in May 2018, succeeding Darren Lehmann, who stepped down in the aftermath of the ball-tampering saga in Newlands.

In his watch, Australia recovered from the lows of

Justin Langer with Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Chairman Peter King

that episode and went as far as the semi-final of the 50over World Cup in 2019 before clinching their maiden T20 World Cup in 2021.

Langer has also just overseen a thumping 4-0 home Ashes victory.

"Justin's contribution to Australian cricket spans across four separate decades," Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Chairman Peter King said. "First as a player, as part of one of the most successful teams that world cricket has ever seen. As a coach, he entered the role at a time of great need and leads the Australian Men's Cricket Team with great distinction, a team which the Australian public is

very proud of."

Todd Greenberg, the CEO of Australian Cricketers' Association and a member of the selection panel for the Hall of Fame, talked up Langer's influence on the game beyond his playing career and the most recent achievements.

"Justin's record as a player speaks for itself. His record as an opener underpinned one of the most successful eras of Australian cricket. And his influence on the game has extended beyond his playing career - firstly through his commitment to the betterment of Western Australian cricket which is almost unparalleled, right through to the national team set-up which has convincingly held the Ashes on the back of CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Friday January 28, 2022) winning the T20 World Cup for the first time," COMPLIMENTS OF Australian Cricketers' CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD Association CEO Todd 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown Greenberg said.

(Tel: 225-6158) The selection committee also recognised Answers to yesterday’s quiz: the efforts of Raelee Thompson under whose (1) 13 teams captaincy Australia end(2) AUST vs ENG, Melbourne, 1876-77 ed a 30-year hiatus to reclaim the Ashes at home Today’s Quiz: in 1985 in what was her final Test appearance.

(1) How many teams have now played Thompson plied her ODI cricket to date? trade at the highest level (2)Who were the first two teams to play an ODI game? for 13 years between 1972 and 1985, featuring Answers in tomorrow’s issue in 16 Tests and 23 ODIs,

while also becoming the oldest player - male or female - to take a maiden five-for in Test at 39 years and 175 days.

After finishing her career on 57 Test wickets at an average of 18.24 and 24 ODI scalps at 18.66, Thompson served as a selector for long time while also mentoring future generations of female cricketers at Essendon Maribyrnong Park Ladies Cricket Club. In 2018, she was offered Life Membership from Cricket Victoria in recognition of all her services to the state side.

"Raelee is similarly a deserved induction, given her outstanding contribution to the game at a time where there was little fanfare at the elite level. She is no doubt one of our great pioneering female cricketers and represented the Baggy Green with such distinction - she is a worthy recipient of this recognition," King said.

"Raelee is an ambassador and ornament to the Women's game and was part of a team of trailblazing women - including four games as captain - who can be credited for the success that the current-day Australian Women's cricket team enjoys. Raelee's commitment to the betterment of women's cricket at all levels through mentoring and administration roles is inspiring, Greenberg said.

"To this day she remains a prominent figure in cricket, particularly at Essendon Maribyrnong Park Ladies Cricket Club where she is a Life Member.

She is hugely deserving of her induction," he added.

(Cricbuzz)

dressing-room review

CLARE Connor will lead a review into dressing-room culture in professional men's and women's cricket as part of a bid to tackle racism and discrimination.

The review comes as part of an action plan announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) following allegations by Azeem Rafiq and other players.

Connor is ECB's managing director of women's cricket.

The review will begin in February and run across the 2022 season.

As part of evidence given to a Digital, Culture, Media & Sport select committee in November, former Yorkshire spinner Rafiq said the English game is "institutionally racist".

He also alleged that the term 'Kevin' was once used in the England dressing room to describe non-white people.

The ECB subsequently published a five-point plan - including "12 tangible actions" - and pledged £25M over five years to combat the issues of race and discrimination.

Yesterday, the governing body issued an update on each of the 12 actions, with "the intention to provide further information about the actions underway across the cricket network".

Former England captain Connor will work with men's director of cricket, Ashley Giles, the 18 first-class counties, the Professional Cricketers' Association and external experts.

The ECB said the review will "examine dressing-room culture(s) across elite cricket in England and Wales and make recommendations to address discriminatory attitudes and behaviours".

A new, independently operated whistle-blowing system for complaints of a discriminatory nature will be established by the end of February. A new anti-discrimination unit will be operational by the end of May. Also included in the action plan is work with each of the first-class counties to review crowd behaviour.

In January, the DCMS committee report said the government should limit public funding for cricket unless there is "continuous, demonstrable progress" on eradicating "deep-seated racism".

The ECB has also confirmed it will work with anti-discrimination group Kick It Out to identify and tackle issues of equality, diversity and inclusion in cricket.

The ECB and Sky Sports are putting forward £100 000 each to support Kick It Out's project, which will be its first outside football.

"Cricket has been highlighted over the last year as a sport potentially in need of a new direction, when it comes to driving inclusion and equality," said Kick It Out chief executive Tony Burnett.

"We want to use the significant expertise we have developed in this area in football to see if there is an opportunity for us to support in cricket."

The ECB stripped Yorkshire of the right to host England matches in November over the club's handling of the allegations made by Rafiq.

Yorkshire chairman Lord Patel has said he is "very confident" the ban will be lifted by this summer and has warned the club faces a "huge financial crisis" if it is not.

ECB deputy chair Martin Darlow told a DCMS select committee hearing yesterday that a vote on governance changes at Yorkshire's extraordinary general meeting on February 2 would be key in terms of restoring international matches at Headingley.

Asked whether the failure to adopt the changes would mean the ban remaining in place, Darlow said: "I was asked this on Saturday at a Yorkshire members' forum and my response to that was that you are not voting for the return of international cricket, you're voting for the future of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, and it's the right thing to do." (BBC Sport)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022

Taylor calls for consistency from Windies Women as they face South Africa in ODI series

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CMC) – As West Indies Women prepare to take on South Africa Women in their four-match One Day International (ODI) series today, captain Stafanie Taylor has challenged her side to focus on consistency and aggression, two elements she believes were missing when the teams met last year September in Antigua.

The Proteas Women won the T20 International series 3-0 and the ODI series 4-1.

But this time around, Taylor is more confident West Indies Women can perform better even though they will be in ‘South Africa’s backyard’ at the Imperial Wanderers Stadium.

Head coach Courtney Walsh challenged the team to score consistently around the 230-240 mark, with the top order contributing significantly to that.

“I’m pretty confident, I think for us it’s more consistency …. I think that’s something we’re trying to focus on. We know that we’re at a 230 (score), so we’re trying to make sure

GBA supportive of allocations for sport in 2022 Budget THE Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) said it is supportive of the allocations for sport in the 2022 Budget, presented by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh.

In his presentation on Wednesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Dr Singh announced that G$2.2 billion has been allocated for sport - the biggest allocation ever for the sector, surpassing the G$1.5 billion in 2021.

Below is a statement by the Guyana Boxing Association: The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) salutes the Government of Guyana for producing a solid, comprehensive and transformational Budget 2022.

The historic amount allotted to sport will no doubt see further development in the fraternity and, hopefully, will have a lasting impact on athletes and officials.

The GBA has been working closely with Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. and wishes to go on record as being supportive of this budget.

With sport being put on the front burner, we envision an exciting and progressive time ahead for the local sport fraternity.

West Indies Women captain Stafanie Taylor

we consistently hit the 230 mark and then move from there,” Taylor said in a press conference yesterday, the eve of the opening game.

She is hoping the Caribbean women could capitalise on the absence of some key players in the South African side.

“South Africa are a good team and we’re playing in their backyard so we gonna expect that they’re gonna come hard at us. So, I think that we have to be aggressive as well. Looking back at the series against them we probably weren’t that aggressive so we probably need to be a bit more aggressive towards them.”

The West Indies Women scored 202 all out in 46.5 overs to defeat a South Africa Women XI by 53 runs on Tuesday in a warmup match at the same venue.

Taylor said while the players were disappointed that the qualifiers for the World Cup were cut short, they would be prepared for the imminent series and the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand starting in March.

“I think the players are managing pretty well…. We had five games here – we played a practice match and we have four games – so that should put us in good stead preparing for the World Cup right after,” she said.

The West Indies arrived in South Africa

just under two weeks ago and have been acclimatising and training at the Imperial Wanderers Stadium in the lead-up to the series.

This is the first series the team will be playing since the cancellation of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe last November.

The first ODI is day/night fixture with first ball at 14:00hrs. local time (08:00hrs. Eastern Caribbean/07:00hrs. Jamaica). The other three will be a day match on January 31, a day/night match on February 3 and another day match on February 6.

Full Squad: Stafanie Taylor (captain), Anisa Mohammed (vice-captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Jannillea Glasgow, Chinelle Henry, Kycia Knight, Mandy Mangru, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Kaysia Schultz, Shakera Selman, and Rashada Williams.

Powell says months of work on weakness paid off

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – In the last few months that right-handed batsman Rovman Powell was absent from the West Indies team, he worked on overcoming his problem facing wrist spin, and he said his century in the third match of the Betway T20 International Series showed the hard work paid off. He’s hoping it marked a breakthrough in his international performance.

Powell, who played only four T20Is last year, became the third West Indies batsman to score a T20I hundred when his 107 off 53 balls at Kensington Oval helped West Indies to a 2-1 lead in the five-match series on Wednesday.

The Player-of-the-Match said he had been preparing himself for a comeback and had improved his game overall, which he believed observers could see during his performance in the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament last November.

“I think I’m in very good form. I told the guys I’m sure that I’m one of the best in the world at the moment when it comes to hitting the ball and it started from the T10. When I went there, I just tried to express myself and catch back the eyes of the selectors and now everything is coming to fruition,” he said.

“I hope it’s a breakthrough international performance. It’s just for me now to go back to the drawing board, think about the stuff that I did right and hopefully I can replicate it come Saturday.”

Adding that he also made a specific effort to work on his weaknesses, Powell said: “I know that can strike the ball well but I also have a little bit of wrist spin problem. Every time I start my innings they come and bowl wrist spin. So, I went away and for the last six, seven months I’ve just been working on wrist spin and trying to open up the offside and I think that showed today.”

Powell arrived at the crease at number four in the sixth over, when the West Indies were 48 for two.

He said skipper Kieron Pollard had told him the night before of that possibility and he had mentally prepared himself for it.

“I started to think back to some of my good innings and started to come up with a game plan. I think that plan served me well today.

When I walked out to bat, I was confident because for the last five months I’ve been working hard and stroking the ball well so that con-

Rovman Powell with head coach Phil Simmons

fidence transferred into the game,” the Jamaican said.

Explaining the move to place him ahead of expected number four Darren Bravo and pair him with vice-captain Nicholas Pooran, Powell said the plan was to split up the two left-handers against England spinner Adil Rashid.

“We know Rashid is the most threatening of all the bowlers, so all we did is see if we could get 24 or 30 off him… just to limit his wicket count and take our chances against the other bowlers the other 16 overs,” he explained.

“We didn’t want two right-handers to be at the crease. We wanted a right-hander and a left-hander and once both batters communicate and share the workload, that is what [brought] us success today.”

The tactic paid off, with Powell able to hit four fours and ten sixes on his way to a century and vice-captain Nicholas Pooran scoring 70 from 43 deliveries, the pair putting on 122 in a new West Indies record for the third wicket.

The final two matches are on Saturday and Sunday, at Kensington Oval. First ball is 4pm (3pm Jamaica/8pm UK).

Keemo Paul named vice-captain of Guyana Harpy Eagles

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, January 28, 2022 West Indies all-rounder Keemo Paul will act as deputy for the Eagles

… Antony Adams, Akshaya Persaud, Imlach get nod THE Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) yesterday announced a 15-man squad for the first and second rounds of the West Indies Four-Day Championship which starts next month in Trinidad and Tobago.

Leon Johnson will continue to lead, and all-rounder Keemo Paul was officially appointed his deputy.

Among the other names included were Antony Adams, Akshaya Persaud, Tevin Imlach and Clinton Pestano; who would have all played First-Class cricket prior but would have

been out of the squad in recent seasons.

Guyana Harpy Eagles will play Windward Islands Volcanoes February 9-12, 2022, and Leeward Islands Hurricanes from February 16 to 19, 2022.

Both matches will be played at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.

Guyana Harpy Eagles squad: Leon Johnson (captain), Keemo Paul (vice-captain), Chandrapaul Hemraj, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Vishaul Singh, Akshaya Persaud, Anthony Bramble, Tevin Imlach, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, Nial Smith, Clinton TURN TO PAGE 23

Golden Jags intensify NSC applauds the Irfaan Ali goverment’s preparations for friendly unflinching support for tri-nation tournament development of sport Press Release by the National Sports Commission: The 2022 Budget read by the Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh is the most comprehensive and transformational in Guyana’s history and has almost doubled that given to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport last year.

The allotment to the National Sports Commission will ensure that the local sport fraternity has a reinforced foundation which will allow associations to better march to the rhythms of progress.

The recent budget allocation to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport does not only have historic significance for the NSC and sport in Guyana, but reaffirms that the PPP/C government’s manifesto promises are being delivered.

We recognise that in less than two years the government has remained true

to its word by not only returning sport from being a department to its rightful place of a ministry, but also to provide resources that adequately caters for Guyana to take its rightful place among the best in the world of sport.

The 2022 Budget disbursement will allow sportsmen, women and associations to breathe even easier as they can stand certain of solid support from the NSC, which has strengthened its relationship with the fraternity through monthly engagement with associations.

The NSC takes this opportunity to applaud the Irfaan Ali-led government’s unflinching support which further enhances the development of sport, allows for more and better equipped facilities, stronger support for athletes and sustained development of officials.

THE Guyana Senior Men’s National Team have hit the ground running in Suriname as preparations intensified last Tuesday ahead of a friendly tri-nation tournament with the host nation and Barbados, according to head coach Jamaal Shabazz.

The Golden Jaguars squad, drawn predominantly from homebased players, will play Suriname tomorrow and Barbados on Tuesday, February 1.

Golden Jaguars head coach, Jamaal Shabazz

“We have a good spirit and a strong group feeling in the camp, and we intend to make full use of the five days before the two matches tomorrow and Tuesday,” head coach Shabazz said.

“This is an important exercise to evaluate our players after being out of international football for a while. I am eager to see how the guys carry themselves first in the training over here and then the two TURN TO PAGE 23

Taylor calls for consistency 27 from Windies Women as they face South Africa in ODI series

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2022