Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 28-05-2022

saturday 28th may, 2022

No.106736

Guyana, Barbados cooperation a model for the region –– in pursuit of intra-regional food security 03 PAGE

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali

Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley

‘Your presence here will motivate our people in understanding that there is a train that has left the station and that train is the Caribbean food security train and its Captain is President Ali’ --Prime Minister Mia Mottley to President, Dr. Irfaan Ali

Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley assisted by President, Dr Irfaan Ali and Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, cuts the ceremonial ribbon to open the Guyana Pavilion at ‘Agro Fest’in Queen’s Park, Bridgetown, Barbados (DPI photo)

Promise by VP Jagdeo fulfilled: Free 10 transportation for pensioners, learners commuting between Regions Five and Six PAGE

Surveillance team on 14 ‘high alert’ for Monkeypox PAGE

Bound for Howard University, New Amsterdam girl seeks 08 support PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 28, 2022

Strengthening partnerships President, Dr Irfaan Ali, on Friday met with Barbadian Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley at her official residence. Prime Minister Mottley was joined by the Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Lisa Cummins and the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Dale Marshall. Also attending the meeting was the Chairman of the kENUP Foundation, Holm Keller. The kENUP Foundation is a non-profit public benefit foundation that supports research-based innovation in the wider health industries. Below are scenes from the meeting. (Office of the President photos)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 28, 2022

Guyana, Barbados cooperation a model for the region — in pursuit of intraregional food security

By Tamica Garnett

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley have hailed the cooperation and growing partnership between the two nations as a model that can be replicated across the region in pursuit of intra-regional food security.

The leaders of the two nations were at the time speaking at the opening of Barbados’ Agro Fest held at Queen’s Park on Friday.

More than 150 Guyanese across 55 businesses are participating in the Agro Fest, which is being held under the theme, “Greening Together Ah Caribbean Thing”.

Barbados and Guyana have deepened ties, advancing bilateral partnerships in a number of areas, including housing, agriculture, tourism, commerce and capacity building in the past 18 months.

Delivering the feature address at the event, Dr. Ali noted that Guyana and Barbados are working to create a value chain for development.

“This model that we are seeking to create with Guyana and Barbados, it is a model that Prime Minister Mottley and I are convinced that once we can show the results of this model, it is a model that can be replicated all across the region to create a win-win scenario and position for all of us,” Dr. Ali noted.

A number of Barbadians are currently receiving shade-house management training in Guyana, while 6,000 Guyanese will be trained in tourism in Barbados. Both countries are working on the Black Belly Sheep Project.

A delegation from Barbados recently participated in the Agri Investment

Forum and Expo which was held in Guyana from May 19 - 21.

There is also ongoing work to create linkages between Guyana, Barbados and the northern State of Roraima in Brazil, which will further advance work in a number of areas, including tourism.

Guyana and Barbados are currently central in the Caribbean’s goal to achieve food security through ‘25 by 25 (reducing the region’s extra regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025)’.

REINVIGORATED ENERGY Over the past few months, CARICOM member states have been putting reinvigorated energy in bringing agriculture and food production to the spotlight, underscoring its importance in the region’s development, and promoting the need to increase local production, bolstered by increased local consumption.

This is in light of consecutive global crises in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia/ Ukraine war.

Commenting on the region’s aspirations to achieve food security, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali noted that as the world faces a continuously escalating “food catastrophe”, together, the countries in the Caribbean have a great opportunity to advance a path that will be forever remembered as the region sets about a master plan to tackle the global food security crisis.

“We are meeting under very difficult global circumstances; circumstances that have created havoc in many economies.

Empty shelves, rising cost of living, but, more importantly, shortage of food

‘Your presence here will motivate our people in understanding that there is a train that has left the station and that train is the Caribbean food security train and its Captain is President Ali’ --Prime Minister Mia Mottley to President, Dr. Irfaan Ali supplies,” Dr. Ali said.

He noted that the reality is that developing economies will not be a top priority for suppliers as they look to address growing demands to deal with the impending global food insecurity crises.

“The challenges that will come will impact us the most. It’s so important that, as a people, we in this region understand that agriculture must be at the centre of what we do,” he said, adding: “One of the most recent headlines in The Economist is about the common foods catastrophe. We are seeing headlines across every single country about empty shelves and rising cost for food.”

MASTER PLAN President Ali noted that the work has already begun on a master plan for

the region to enhance food production and support systems for farmers.

However, to achieve this would require all players in the region working together. President, Dr. Ali cautioned that the respective countries in the Caribbean must see each other as allies in this quest for food security, otherwise the planned initiatives to improve food security will not see or bear fruit.

“We cannot see ourselves as competitors; we have to see ourselves as a singular partner working together for one common goal and vision,” said President Ali. He called for economic expansion and cooperation to be built on a platform of respect and fairness.

President Ali also took the time to congratulate PM

Mottley on being named Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2022, while, during her remarks, PM Mottley greatly praised President Ali’s attendance at the Agro Fest. It signified the seriousness with which the two countries are taking the need to move forward with the twinning of opportunities.

“Your presence here will motivate our people in understanding that there is a train that has left the station, and that train is the Caribbean food security train, and its Captain is President Ali,” said PM Mottley.

The challenges facing the region can only be overcome through unity and internal solutions.

“When no one else will be there for you, we in the region must be there for our own people. Regional unity is needed now more than ever, if we are going to turn the corner and move away from these multiple crisis,” PM Mottley underscored.

She also emphasised that now is time for the region to get the equation correct in terms of eating what it grows, and growing what it eats.

“We have a duty to do as our forebears did, to eat what we grow, and to grow what we eat. We have a duty to understand that what may come fast and easy may not always be best for us,” she noted.

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guyana CHRONICLE saturday may 28, 2022

Body of female teacher found at Crane

– police looking for husband Police in Regional Division Number Three are investigating the death of a 41-year-old female teacher whose body was found in a state of decomposition at her home at Crane, West Coast Demerara at around 17:00 hours on Friday.

Earlier Friday afternoon, 37-year-old Kevin Ault, a mechanic of Diamond Housing Scheme,

East Bank Demerara went to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station on the West Coast of Demerara and reported that for the past two weeks he has been calling his 41-year-old sister, Omega Ault, a teacher of Crane Public Road, West Coast Demerara, via telephone and he was not getting through to her.

Kevin said he then went to his sister’s address at

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Crane and after calling and getting no response, he pushed open the front door to the house where she lived and immediately got an unpleasant scent.

He went into the front room of the house and saw the body of his sister lying motionless almost in a state of decomposition and soon after reported the matter to the police at Vreed-enHoop after which a party

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Wanted: Clarence Farley

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of police ranks visited the scene.

Enquiries disclosed that the deceased woman was living with her husband, Clarence Farley called “Junior”, of the said address, and their three-year-old son, but they were encountering ‘problems’ in their marriage.

Enquiries also revealed that, about four days ago, Clarence Farley took the three-year-old boy to Tracy Ault (the sister of the deceased) who resides in Diamond, EBD. He left the boy with Tracy, telling

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her that he is going into the backdam. He has not been seen since and the Police Force has now issued a wanted bulletin for him.

Meanwhile, the scene at Crane was processed by the police investigators.

The woman’s body, in a state of decomposition, was escorted to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where it was officially pronounced dead on arrival by the doctor on duty, after which it was taken to Ezekiel Funeral Home, where it is awaiting post mortem.

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guyana CHRONICLE saturday may 28, 2022

ILO: Labour market recovery goes into reverse

MULTIPLE global crises are causing a marked deterioration in the global labour market recovery, with increasing inequalities within and between countries, according to a new report from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

According to a release, the 9th edition of the ILO Monitor on the World of Work, finds that after significant gains during the last quarter of 2021, the number of hours worked globally dropped in the first quarter of 2022 to 3.8 per cent below the pre-crisis benchmark (fourth quarter of 2019).

This is equivalent to a deficit of 112 million full-time jobs.

This represents a significant downgrading of figures published by the ILO in January 2022.

Multiple new and interconnected global crises, including inflation (especially in energy and food prices), financial turbulence, potential debt distress, and global supply chain disruption – exacerbated by war in Ukraine – means there is a growing risk of a further deterioration in hours worked in 2022, as well as a broader impact on global labour markets in the months to come, the ILO report said.

It also noted that the Russian aggression against Ukraine is already affecting labour markets in Ukraine and beyond.

In addition, the report, according to the release, finds that a great and growing divergence between richer and poorer economies continues to characterise the recovery.

While high-income countries experienced a recovery in hours worked, low- and lower-middle-income economies suffered setbacks in the first quarter of the year with a 3.6 and 5.7 per cent gap respectively when compared to the pre-crisis benchmark. These diverging trends are likely to worsen in the second quarter of 2022.

INCREASINGLY CONSTRAINED

In some developing countries, governments are increasingly constrained by the lack of fiscal space and debt sustainability challenges, while enterprises face economic and financial uncertainties, and workers continue to be left without sufficient access to social protection.

More than two years after the start of the pandemic, many in the world of work are still suffering from the impact on labour markets, the ILO said.

It noted that labour incomes have not yet recovered for the majority of workers. In 2021, three in five workers lived in countries where labour incomes had not returned to the level seen in the fourth quarter of 2019; the gender gap in hours worked also grew during the pandemic. In the first quarter of 2022, the global gender gap in hours worked was 0.7 percentage points greater than the pre-crisis benchmark (fourth quarter of 2019), when a large gender gap was already present.

Women in informal employment have been worst affected. And in terms of income groups, low and middle-income countries saw the largest increase of the gender gap; the sharp rise in job vacancies in advanced economies at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 has led to a tightening of labour markets, with a growing number of jobs available relative to job seekers. But overall, there is no strong evidence that labour markets are generally overheated, given the considerable pool of unemployed and underutilised labour in many countries; and driven by disruptions in production and trade exacerbated by the Ukraine crisis, the increase in food and commodity prices is badly hurting poor households and small businesses, especially those in the informal economy.

HUMAN-CENTRED RECOVERY “The global labour market recovery has gone into re-

verse. An uneven and fragile recovery has been made more uncertain by a self-reinforcing combination of crises. The impact on workers and their families, especially in the developing world, will be devastating and could translate into social and political dislocation,” said ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder. “It is now more essential than ever that we work together and focus on creating a human-centred recovery.”

The report spells out a series of measures as a way forward, which are in line with the ILO’s Global Call to Action for a human-centred recovery, and the ILO-led UN initiative, the Global Accelerator for Jobs and Social Protection.

They include timely and effective support to maintain the purchasing power of labour income, and the overall living standards of workers and their families; urgent tripartite dialogue to support appropriate and fair wage adjustments including to minimum wages, strengthening of social protection systems and income support, and the provision of food security measures where necessary; careful adjustment of macroeconomic policies so that they address pressures related to inflation and debt sustainability while supporting a job-rich and inclusive recovery; assistance for hardhit groups and sectors, particularly vulnerable work-

ers and those making the transition from the informal to the formal economy; and long-term, well-designed

sectoral policies that promote the creation of decent and green jobs, support sustainability and inclusive-

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ness, and assist enterprises, especially micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

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guyana CHRONICLE saturday may 28, 2022

Culture

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UYANESE are breathing again. Some might frown on the uptick of a “party culture” in Guyana, but maintaining that position means ignoring a key value of cultural events that give the population a pressure valve to release the stresses of everyday life and allows them the chance to live in the revel.

The sense of renewal felt by Guyanese is undeniable. The country has more of an appreciation of the time they have for leisure activities and family time especially because of the magnitude of restrictions and control the world experienced as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown measures.

“We outside” is an unforgettable battle cry of sorts.

Aside from the social value of public investment in culture, there’s an economic value in giving the culture industry the fiscal breath it needs to revive and expand. The Guyana

Carnival brand is one that emerged under interesting circumstances, and most can agree that the events this year, after a two-year hiatus, were well worth the wait. Although largely a private-led venture, the Government of Guyana’s presence this year, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport, represents a commitment to a revival of every sector post-pandemic in an economy that diversifies instead of depending solely on oil and gas values.

There have been cries in the past for increased investment in the culture sector. At the same time, some naysayers also believe culture and the arts have no large impact on the country’s overall economy. Quite the contrary, there is value in preserving and showcasing the material and non-material cultures that form the social fabric of Guyana brought here from all around the world.

The idea of “One Guyana” is un-

derpinned not only by the solidarity grown between and among peoples through the idea of nationhood and citizenship, but also through a sharing of experience and culture, both material and non-material, not only among Guyanese but between Guyana and the rest of the world. Culture is a formidable export and there are examples in the Caribbean where this is true.

Only recently, the country gasped in awe at the work of star Guyanese designer, Keisha Edwards who, through support from a Culture Ministry grant, pulled off a major fashion show uniquely infusing Guyana’s diverse folklore with climate-appropriate designs. The scale and magnitude of the cultural sector have grown to new heights. The imagination with it.

But even aside from fashion shows and carnival events, Guyanese flocked to open spaces during the Easter weekend to revive a long-standing

tradition of kite-flying and family fun. From Linden’s Bayrock Track and Sport Field to Georgetown’s Botanical Gardens, the family blankets and picnics reigned supreme. For “pandemic toddlers” who were rarely exposed to large gatherings and open green spaces, this season has been a new life experience for them, if only they recall the memory in their later years.

Envisioning a new, different, post-pandemic Guyana means embracing many of the things we recognised we needed, but still did not include in our top list of priorities.

This time, we got it right. Culture has value. Guyanese culture is valuable. Although the circumstance of how we got here as people is quite forlorn for reasons this editorial space is bereft of space to explore in any singular go, we are all here to live, breathe, share, and revel in these shining moments.

All women must take part in all aspects of development that is unfolding THE Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) observed its 69th Anniversary yesterday, May 27, 2022 as the nation concludes its 56th Independence anniversary celebrations. We take this opportunity to thank our party, the People’s Progressive Party, for having the vision to form this organisation, which was created to support and advocate for the advancement of women’s rights and equality.

We wish to pay special tribute to all the women who were the forerunners and, on whose shoulders, we stood on to achieve significant strides for women.

We wish to recognise our late leader and

founder Mrs. Janet Jagan who worked tirelessly for the advancement of women in all spheres of life. It is opportune to remind the citizens of this country that as early as 1953, she was already calling for Guyanese to have the right to self-determination and adult suffrage.

We salute the heroic leaders who took up the cudgel of struggle and who provided dynamic leadership to an oppressed people. Guyana has come a long way and the WPO has been part of the struggle to free our country from our colonial masters and from PNC dictatorship.

We are indeed proud of the role our women have played. We are at a cusp of

unprecedented development and we wish to use this occasion to call on all women to take part in all aspects of development that is unfolding. The struggle for women to have the right to vote and to have education are two important principles that we have fought for and won. Thus, women need to ensure that they are part of the developmental agenda. The PPP has worked tirelessly to support and create opportunities for all Guyanese, including women. The women of Guyana are indeed fortunate to live in a country where their rights are protected and where strong efforts have been made to remove barriers to their upwards mobility. We

take this opportunity to reiterate President Ali’s message on International Women’s Day 2022, where he stated, “We owe it to women everywhere to celebrate, not only their contribution; contribution is a minimal approach at looking at this, but celebrating their integral role in the development and integration of societies.”

We wish to thank all the women in the WPO who have worked beyond the call of duty to assist the party in every facet of its work. Happy 69th anniversary WPO. Women’s Progressive Organisation

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guyana CHRONICLE saturday may 28, 2022

SPHEREX Analytics Article No. 01/2022

The Case for a National Oil Company Background Since the public statement by the Vice President, Dr. Bharat Jagdeo in one of his press conferences, that the Government is considering whether to auction off the remaining oil blocks or set up a National Oil Company (NOC) with a strategic investor, critics hasten to posit that a national oil company would be bad for Guyana.

The justifications for this assertion by all of the opponents including one international institution, namely the International Monetary Fund (IMF), however, are arguably weak.

Discussion and Analysis

Other Key Considerations * Internationally, the Red Line8 and Achnacarry9 Agreements of 1928 allowed the major oil companies, namely: ExxonMobil, Socal, Gulf and Texaco, Royal Dutch Shell, British Petroleum and CFP not only to plan investment in reserves located in the Middle East, by allocating production shares to the various territories in which they had concessions, but also to control the market from the point of view of prices. As late as 1972, these seven companies, of which five were American, controlled 91 per cent of Middle East output and 77 per cent of the non-communist world’s oil supply outside the United States. In this respect, US companies controlled the vast bulk of the supply of oil to the key allies of the United States. According to the Financial Times, the “new seven sisters”, the “most influential energy companies from countries outside the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development”, are Saudi Aramco, Russia’s Gazprom, CNPC of China, NIOC of Iran, Venezuela’s PDVSA, Brazil’s Petrobras and Petronas of Malaysia. * Almost four decades later, “big oil” has been pushed into the role of competitor with state-owned companies. As part of this power shift, there is a contest about framing the rules for competition and regulation in the international energy system.

Saudi Aramco and ExxonMobil remain entrenched at the top of the 100 leading oil companies (based on a composite set of indicators). * There is a growing perception fueled by big oil that NOCs have an ‘unfair’ (anticompetitive) advantage over IOCs because of the diplomatic and financial support NOCs get from their home government. * State-owned energy companies will become even more important in coming years. According to the International Energy Agency, in the next four decades, developing countries – most with state-owned companies – will be the source of 90 per cent of all new supplies of oil. According to a Rice University study, state-owned companies already control almost 80 per cent of world oil reserves and will dominate the market in the future.

NOCs Typically Pursue three stylised type of goals

https://www.virtusinterpress.org/IMG/pdf/10-22495cocv11i1c8art2.pdf. https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/98218/20-03-09_StateOwnedOil.pdf.

Arguments Against the NOC for Guyana by the Critics So far there are only two individuals and one international institution that have publicly argued against a NOC for Guyana. Interestingly, common in their arguments is that the only reason why Guyana should not pursue this option is because it is susceptible to corruption or the perception of corruption. Unfortunately, this justification being the primary justification proffered by the opponents against the NOC is weak and ludicrous.

Merely basing a decision of such high national importance

on the basis of the perception of corruption or suspicion of a manifestation of corruption cannot be the only factor to consider. What about weighing the pros and cons? Typically, in small developing countries like Guyana, the allegations and perception of corruption are far greater than the reality of and existence of corruption. This is not to say that safeguards should not be put in place to minimise corruption. In fact, it would have been better for the opponents to suggest ways in which the perception of corruption can be minimised should the country opt for the NOC. The bottom line is such that safeguards, transparency and accountability mechanisms can be put in place and be legislated.

Conclusion / Recommendation Conclusion Notwithstanding the arguably, singularly weak justification against the option of the NOC, it can be explicitly deduced that when examined from a more holistic point of view – that is, the pros and cons of an NOC, this option, if considered, will almost guarantee far greater benefit and value for Guyana on multiple fronts.

With this in mind, it is quite understandable, and for obvious reasons that this approach will be less attractive and yield less favourable fiscal and economic value for multinationals relative to the host country, as well as, minimising the level of dominance, power and control that the multinationals normally enjoy in the current framework.

Recommendation In considering the proposed model of an NOC that Guyana should pursue, the following should be considered in terms of structuring the model for Guyana: i) With the hinted hybrid model of State-owned and Strategic investor, the ownership structure should be in accordance with the formula set out in the Local Content Act of 51/49; ii) A Royalty of 5% from 2% in the current PSA framework; iii) Concessionary tax rate of 25% with a five-year tax break given the capital intensive nature of the sector in order to maintain a relatively competitive fiscal environment for the strategic investor; iv) The strategic investor to contribute the capital, technology and other resources including human resources at the Executive/Board level, as well as technical; v) The goals of the NOC need to be aligned to the national development goals, and be framed using a combination of the cash cow, profit seeker and State supplement model.

It should be noted, too, that by virtue of setting up a National Oil Company, the governance function of the sector which is currently being carried out by the Ministry of Natural Resources, will be transferred to the NOC. This would be critical to allow for the ministry to focus primarily on regulating the sector as opposed to conducting both functions in the current framework which is not necessarily a desired governance and regulatory approach to continue into the future in the spirit of efficiency, and more importantly, accountability and transparency.

Against the backdrop of the analysis presented herein and weighing the pros and cons, it is highly recommended that Guyana pursue the option of a National Oil Company using all of the remaining oil blocks.

Author Joel Bhagwandin Director Corporate Finance Advisory | SphereX Analytics SPHEREX Professional Services Inc. | JB Consultancy & Associates E: jbbankingadvice@gmail.com M: 592-652-1995 W: www.spherexgy.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-bhagwandin-57481470/ J.C. Bhagwandin is a Financial & Economic Analyst who has been providing insights and analyses on Guyana’s economic development, macrofinance issues and public policy for the past 5+ years.

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 28, 2022

Bound for Howard University, New Amsterdam girl seeks support

By Jeune Bailey Van Keric

NINETEEN-yearold Keayla Vanderstoop dreams of becoming a chemical engineer, a position that will afford her the opportunity to serve in the local oil and gas sector.

In pursuit to fulfil her dream, she applied and was overwhelmed with joy when she was offered a place at Howard University, District of Columbia, USA. “Furthermore, I was accepted into the Chemical Engineering programme at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The total cost of my attendance at this university is USD 47,000 each year for four years. Even though I was awarded one of the University’s Freshman Scholarships – Howard University Achiever’s Scholarship – it

only covers USD 19,000, leaving USD 28,000 to be paid out of pocket each year.

Although I was hoping for a full scholarship to attend this university, I am grateful for the partial scholarship that they have offered. Unfortunately, my family cannot offset the remaining cost of attendance. As a result, we decided to reach out to private companies, the government, and the public for assistance. At this point, my enrollment at Howard University has been paused until I can source my tuition,” she wrote on her GoFundMe page.

According to the university’s website, “The Department of Chemical Engineering provides a broad and strong foundation which prepares graduates for entry into all areas of chemical engineering or pursuit of

Keayla Vanderstoop

advanced degrees in chemical engineering and other disciplines. Our graduates are highly sought after.”

It added: “The Department of Chemical Engineering offers studies leading to the Master of Science in Chemical Engineering. This degree requires 24 credit hours of course work; six credit hours for the thesis; and a written thesis and an oral defense. Students must maintain a B average overall in course work and pass the “Proficiency in Expository Writing” examination, administered by the Graduate School.”

The teenager is no stranger to academic success. In 2014, then a pupil of All Saints Primary School in New Amsterdam, she scored 515 marks at the National Grade Six Examinations and earned a place at the presti-

gious Queen’s College.

At the conclusion of her tenure at the premier secondary school in Georgetown, she achieved 13 Grade Ones and one Grade Two at Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examination and six Grade Ones and six Grade Twos at Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations.

‘My education and career are of grave importance because there will be no limit to what I can attain and help others believe and ultimately achieve. Additionally, my seven years at Queen’s College, fuelled by my passion and determination, have helped me realise my goals and dreams of being a chemical engineer,” she posited.

Keayla Vanderstoop can be contacted on: +592682-5471, +592-695-7700.

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guyana CHRONICLE saturday may 28, 2022

Active ‘COVID’ cases surpass 600 –– Health Minister urges public to take precautions

Guyana has recorded more than 600 active COVID-19 cases and Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony is urging citizens to take all the necessary precautions to protect themselves, pointing out that this figure may be an underestimation.

The minister made this disclosure during his daily COVID-19 update on Friday where he stated that there are 638 recorded active cases. This, he noted can be an under-

estimation as not a lot of persons have been testing and reporting.

In giving a breakdown, he indicated that there are three active cases in Region One; 39 in Region Two; 67 in Region Three; 357 in Region Four; 21 in Region Five; 111 in Region Six; four in Region Seven; four in Region Nine and 32 cases in Region 10.

As it relates to hotspot areas, the minister noted that Region Four happens to be the hotspot as there is a higher number of

cases in areas such as the East Bank of Demerara, East Coast of Demerara and in Georgetown.

The minister further indicated that there are clusters of active cases but it is difficult to use the recorded cases to say what the exact hotspots are.

“I think a lot of people are not reporting so it’s hard to keep track of what is the prevalence or the incidence of this disease if people don’t report,” he said.

It was against this background that Dr Anthony indicated that persons should continue to take precautions when in an indoor environment.

Those precautions, he said include wearing masks and getting their vaccines.

“A lot of people still don’t want to wear masks and if you don’t and you go into an environment where people have the disease and you’re not wearing a mask too then you’re going to get infected,” he added.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

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guyana CHRONICLE saturday may 28, 2022

Promise by VP Jagdeo fulfilled: Free transportation for pensioners, learners commuting between Regions Five and Six

A PROMISE by Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, to reintroduce free transportation for school children and old -age pensioners from Rosignol, Region Five to New Amsterdam, Region Six, was fulfilled on Friday through an announcement made by Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill.

Minister Edghill, on Friday, commissioned the boats at the New Amsterdam Transport and Harbour’s stelling for that purpose. The service will be made available from Monday, May 30 and will run from Monday to Friday during peak hours, a release from the Public Works Ministry said.

Other persons wishing to utilise the service will

chant, were also present at the commissioning of the boats.

Minister Edghill, in a meeting with minibus and taxi operators at the Rosignol Stelling, assured them that the reconvening of free travel from Rosignol to New Amsterdam, Region Six, will not affect their daily bread.

Minister Edghill told the operators that the service which begins on Monday will run from Monday to Friday between 07:00 hrs and 09:00 hrs and from 15:00 hrs to 17:00 hrs; and that it is only free to school children and old age pensioners.

The operators expressed their satisfaction knowing

Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo that the project will not be affecting their livelihood, the release from the Public Works Ministry said.

Minister Edghill speaks to the media at the commissioning on Friday (Public Works Ministry photo) be required to pay a fee of $140. Regional Chairman of Region Six, David Armogan

and General Manager of the Transport and Harbours’ Department, Marcelene Mer-

The boats that were commissioned on Friday (Public Works Ministry photo)

Some of the operators at the meeting (Public Works Ministry photo)

guyana CHRONICLE saturday may 28, 2022

Floodwaters slowly receding in Region Nine

By Naomi Parris

AFTER days of heavy rainfall and severe flooding, floodwaters in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) are slowly receding, according to Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal.

Minister Croal is currently in the region conducting assessments, and on Friday told the Guyana Chronicle that water levels in the township of Lethem have receded considerably.

Due to the heavy torrential rainfalls and over-topping of the Rio Branco river in neighbouring Brazil, and the Takutu River in Guyana, several parts of the Lethem township and other parts of the region were hit with floods in the recent days, which resulted in several families being displaced.

This saw emergency shelters being established in the region, at the Tabatinga Sports Complex, the Tabatinga Nursery School, the Culvert City Nursery School, and one more at the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Regional Disaster Risk Management Centre.

Minister Croal said that while flood waters have begun to recede, 138 persons remain in those shelters across the region, but this number is expected to reduce soon.

In the meantime, the authorities are working to make available the necessary cleaning equipment and sanitisation products to assist persons with the cleaning and sanitising of their homes.

“As of today, because the water has started to recede, a lot of them have gone back to check on their houses, and, in those cases, where

they can start the cleanup, we are providing them with cleaning materials through the RDC [Regional Democratic Council] and municipality,” Minister Croal said.

Since the waters have begun to recede, the minister said the authorities are hopeful that residents will soon be able to return to the comfort and privacy of their own homes.

“We expect by from tonight that the numbers will lessen in terms of the persons at the shelters, because the waters have gone down considerably. For example, by the airstrip road, that road is not covered anymore as it previously was,” he told this newspaper.

“The focus now is to ensure that persons can return back to their comfortable homes that they previously enjoyed,” Minister Croal said.

Currently, the regional authorities are carrying out assessments to highlight the immediate needs of residents who were and still are affected by floods across the region.

“There will be different phases of the focus; of course, we are here monitoring and communicating with communities. Over the weekend, I’ll be in the south to a number of communities.

We will have another round to map up assessments, and then interventions,” the minister said.

As the May/June rainy season continues, the CDC is urging persons, countrywide, to take precautions where necessary, and to report any flooding impact to the local authorities or the National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) on 600-7500 or 2261114 at any time.

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Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal speaking with a resident of Region Nine, where flood assessments are underway (Ministry of Housing and Water photo)

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guyana CHRONICLE saturday may 28, 2022

Mother of Barnwell fire victims receiving counselling, funeral assistance

TRACY Flue, the woman who lost three of her children in a deadly fire on Thursday, is receiving counselling and other healthcare-related interventions and is being assisted with the funeral expenses.

Eight-year-old Timothy Kippins, six-year-old Trayshaw Kippins and oneyear-old Zhlia Flue died in the fire which flattened their 10th Field, Barnwell, Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD)

Tracy Flue (left) being comforted by a relative (Royston Drakes Production photo)

home. Their 23-year-old mother was at work at the time of tragedy.

During a social media programme on Friday, the victims’ cousin, Nima FlueBess, said “We feel deeply, as a family, that we should not have been in this position to see three healthy family members, three healthy kids lose their life in such a tragic manner.”

She explained that the post-mortem examination was done on the remains of

the children on Friday morning and the family is currently awaiting the results.

“For us, it’s very hard.

We were at the mortuary this morning (Friday) for the post-mortem and I can tell you, it has really taken a serious effect on me just seeing those three remains wrapped and I know it was even more difficult for the mother and grandmother,” she added.

Flue-Bess said that her cousin did not share what she was going through despite the family being “closeknit.”

“My cousin [Tracy] did not share all that she was going through with us … our family is a closely knitted family and it ain’t get no challenges that we back down from. But she did not share all the information with us. And I’m quite sure that if she did, all this [alleged] abuse taking place, such things would have been different,” she said.

Police have arrested Tracy’s ex-lover for questioning. The grieving woman alleged that her former boyfriend, whom she said was abusive which caused her to secure a restraining order, deliberately set her home afire. The woman claimed that on Wednesday evening the man called her and she opted not to answer.

According to Flue-Bess, Tracy will receive assistance for the burial of her children .

The woman further disclosed that Tracy is receiving counselling as well as assistance from a healthcare provider.

“She’s [Tracy] having difficulty in eating and drinking and even getting to sleep.

We want to thank God that last night [Thursday] she was able to get at least three

Nima Flue-Bess or four hours of sleep,” she said.

“I can tell you the thought of just us making the arrangement today, and we recognise that there will be three caskets… only God can help us… you know. It is really sick that we have to go through… It is very difficult,” the woman said during the programme.

As it relates to the claim made by the fire service that the fire was electrical in nature, Flue-Bess said that the family will await the findings of the post-mortem since they have “different views on that.”

During the programme, the woman said that the family is currently working on relocating the mother and building a new home for her.

“Our immediate need is to try… to get her to start setting up to live a somewhat normal life and having her own space and creating that environment where she can really be able to give love to her remaining child and to grieve as she goes along.

Support is important, positive words are really important at this time to let her know that people are there to give her support,” she added.

DECEASED: Timothy Kippins, Trayshaw Kippins, and Zhlia Flue

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guyana CHRONICLE saturday may 28, 2022

Guyana Pavilion pushes for export, trade and investment at Barbados 'AgroFest'

WITH over 50 exhibitors being part of the Guyanese delegation in Barbados for “AgroFest” 2022, the Guyana Pavilion is set to offer a diverse, cultural fusion of

food, sport and agriculture with the aim of promoting trade and investments between the two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states over the next two

days.

Communications Specialist at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), Travis Bruce, who is currently in Barbados,

One of the booths in the Guyana Pavilion

told the Guyana Chronicle, on Friday, that the response to the local exhibition was highly encouraging.

He said the event is anticipated to further build on the St. Barnabas Accord which was signed by President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, to create one domestic space between both countries, in areas across

multiple sectors.

“The Guyana pavilion offers a taste of what Guyana has to offer to Barbados and the main purpose of this expo or forging ahead is to build on the St Barnabas Accord to give businesses an opportunity to explore on areas of export, trade and investment; so, in a nutshell, that is what it is all about,” Bruce said.

The Guyana Pavilion was

organised by the GMSA, along with the Government of Guyana, through Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest).

President Ali is attending the expo in Barbados.

He is accompanied by Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha and Tourism, Commerce and Industry Minister, Oneidge Walrond.

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guyana CHRONICLE saturday may 28, 2022

Surveillance team on ‘high alert’ for Monkeypox MINISTER of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, on Friday, said that Guyana’s surveillance team has been on high alert since several countries reported cases of monkeypox.

The minister made this disclosure during his COVID-19 update where he emphasised that Monkeypox is not a new virus.

Monkeypox, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) is a virus which is transmitted to humans with

symptoms similar to those seen in smallpox patients.

During his update, Dr Anthony stated that last year there were cases of the virus reported in different countries; however, this year cases have appeared in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and other European countries.

He added that, since there are now more vigilant surveillance systems around the world, authorities are able to detect these things much

(Credited to Reuters) earlier. our surveillance team on “Similarly, here, when alert and we have sent out a we saw that countries were memo to all of our doctors to reporting we had also put identify what are the clinical

symptoms of monkeypox,” Dr. Anthony said.

As such, the Health Minister noted that the monkeypox has a lot of similarities to the chickenpox and, as a result, authorities would have to ensure that proper differentiation is done. However, the authorities are checking.

Earlier this week, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Narine Singh, had told the Guyana Chronicle that the ministry had put out a medical

alert so that healthcare professionals can be on alert for persons with possible signs and symptoms of the virus.

According to the WHO, the virus can be spread through animal to human transmission, through direct contact with the blood and other bodily fluids, while human-to-human transmission can result from close contact with respiratory secretions or lesions of an infected person.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 28, 2022

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Region should prepare for aboveaverage wet/hurricane season for 2022 — Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology

A REGIONAL team of meteorologists and other climate scientists are warning that the Caribbean faces another busy wet / hurricane season this year.

They also caution that government and other decision-makers should prepare for hazards such as flooding/flash flooding and landslides to minimise socio-economic disruptions, particularly in the second half of the season, a release from the Carib-

bean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIHM) said.

That announcement was made during a recent virtual forecast delivery for the 2022 Wet/Hurricane Season Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF), hosted by CIMH in collaboration with the National Hydrometeorological Services (NHMSs), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Columbia University’s International Research Institute

(IRI) for Climate and Society and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

The wet/hurricane season officially starts annually on June 1 and ends on November 30.

This year’s forecast would mark the seventh consecutive year of an above-average season for the region. The situation of high tropical cyclone activity and excessive rainfall is likely being enhanced by an extended La Niña that should extend into the

summer. The conditions could result in up to nine hurricanes of which four could be major, according to Colorado State

KEY MESSAGES June-July-August 2022: * Heat discomfort will increase towards August. Heat stress will peak during heatwaves. However, not likely to be as hot as recent years. * Progressively stronger tropical cyclone activity into August. * Flash flood and long-term flooding potential will increase from moderate to high by August in the islands but should remain high in the Guianas. * Flood potential particularly high between 3-9 June in the coastal Guianas, extending recent concerns of flooding particularly in Suriname. * Drought is not expected to be a major concern. However, those currently experiencing drought may still see impacts in early portions of this period.

September-October-November 2022 * Strong tropical cyclone activity through October and, likely, more active than normal. * Heat impact potential peaking in September, with cooler temperatures expected from November onwards, when heat discomfort should sharply decrease. Not expected to be as hot as recent years. * The potential for flooding and flash floods is high and should be of particular concern if the La Niña persists. * Region-wide, long-term drought is not expected to be a major concern by the end of November.

University.

“Governments, sectors, communities and other interests should prepare for the implications of expected conditions during the 2022 wet / hurricane season such as floods and cascading hazards, frequency of tropical cyclones higher than average, a decrease in the frequency of dry spells, and extreme heat peaking between August and October (though not as strong as in recent years),” explained Adrian Trotman, Chief of Applied Meteorology and Climatology at CIMH. CIMH also announced a set of key messages on this year’s predicted seasonal activity intended to alert policymakers and other authorities to take steps to protect property, lives, public health and safety.

CIMH, which also operates the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) designated Caribbean Regional Climate Centre (RCC), advised stake-

holders to check their website rcc.cimh.edu.bb for updated information throughout the season.

Following the forecast delivery, experts gathered with sectoral representatives to discuss how expected conditions can impact climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture and food security, disaster management, health, energy, tourism, water resource management, the release said.

They also addressed how those sectors can effectively engage in contingency planning to prevent loss of economic productivity and livelihoods.

CariCOF is hosted twice a year by CIMH ahead of the start of the region’s wet and dry seasons. During the bi-annual event, Caribbean meteorologists and other climate scientists gather for training, discussions and the preparation of seasonal forecasts and other products.

Man ‘busted’ with cocaine at Charlotte Street

A MAN is currently in police custody after he was re p o r t e d l y c a u g h t , o n Wednesday, with two small ziplock bags of cocaine, during a raid in a yard on Charlotte Street, Bourda.

According to a police release, on the day in question, between 12:50hrs and 17:30hrs, ranks, acting on a “tip-off”, carried out an intelligence-led raid at Charlotte Street.

Upon entering the yard, ranks observed the suspect dropping a “whitish” substance into a small heap of sand on the ground.

As a result, the ranks searched the heap of sand in

the suspect’s presence and found two small ziplock bags.

The police said that the transparent bags contained a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine.

“The suspect was cautioned, arrested and taken to the Alberttown Police Station with the suspected cocaine.

Same was weighed in his presence and it amounted to 19 grams. The bags were sealed and lodged at the Alberttown Police Station to be presented as evidence in court,” the police release added.

The investigation is ongoing.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 28, 2022

Local businesses forge partnership with Barbados’ private sector

SEVERAL local businesses have forged partnerships with the Barbados private sector even as Export Barbados through collaboration with Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) and the local private sector seek to increase exports of products and services to Guyana.

Export Barbados is looking to increase exports to Guyana from $25M to $50M over the next three years.

According to a release from the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GSMA), Export Barbados Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mark Hill said his team will be working with their Guyanese counterparts to develop the Guyanese export market for Barbadian products.

Hill was at the time speaking during a meeting with representatives of a Guyana delegation and Senior Executives of the Barbados Manufacturing Association (BMA) on May 26, 2022, ahead of Agrofest 2022.

The meeting was part of a series of business-to-business collaborations organised by the respective government agencies, namely Export Barbados and GO-Invest.

The local delegation arrived in Barbados on Monday, May 23, 2022 and includes 56 delegates who will be exhibiting their businesses at Agrofest 2022.

Eleven businesses which were involved in several strategic business-to-business level meetings with members of Barbados’ private sector, gathered information and forged partnerships as facilitated by GO-Invest and Export Barbados.

These delegates represent a cross-section of sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture and agro-processing, jewellers, craft and industrial supplies.

This initiative is lauded as being timely and much-needed as the two countries seek to further develop strategic partnerships between their private sectors, the release said.

“There are several projects which we are working on that this collaboration will benefit,” said BMA Executive Director, Shardae Boyce, noting that pineapples and other non-traditional agricultural imports are immediate needs which can be supplied from Guyana for the production of rationing packages as part of their Rationing Pack Initiative.

GMSA Executive Director, Nizam Hassan suggested that his membership is keen on developing such partnerships with their Barbadian counterparts.

“We are looking forward to working with BMA and their members to understand the needs of the Barbados market in order to ensure that products which are supplied from Guyana meet the expectations of the Barbados consumer both from a pricing perspective as well as in terms of quality,” he said.

SIGNAL Also present at the meeting was Paul Cheong, Chairman of Guyana’s Private Sector Commission. He suggested that the St. Barnabas Accord which was signed between Barbados and Guyana is a signal for the private sector to become more active in driving economic growth.

The question of the removal of trade restrictions to ensure easy and affordable access to products and services was also raised.

The release said the private sector is willing to invest in growing their capacity to supply the regions’ food needs but trade restrictions and limited access to affordable and appropriate logistics services must be addressed.

GMSA President, Rafeek Khan, said he is pleased at the level of urgency which has been placed on strengthening collaboration and is optimistic of the prospects of enhancing the value-added manufacturing activities.

“Both President Ali and Prime Minister Motley prioritised the implementation of the St. Barnabas Accord and are wasting no time in putting the necessary resources in place to ensure that this elusive dream of a single economic space is realised,” said GO-Invest CEO, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop.

In the midst of the global challenges facing the region, driven in large part by COVID-19, resulting in increasing supply chain disruptions, the CEO indicated that they are in collaboration with Export Barbados to set up Trade and Investment Facilitation offices in Guyana and Barbados.

This will see Barbados having a constant presence in Guyana and vice versa.

This move by GO-Invest and Export Barbados, the release said, is intended to ensure that commercial initiatives can be easily and expeditiously operationalised.

The representative of GO-Invest will be housed within the Secretariat which has been set up by Export Barbados in Pelican Village, while the representative of Export Barbados will be housed

within the Guyana Office for Investment in Guyana.

This collaboration will also seek to address some of the financing challenges which have been identified by key stakeholders and see businesses in both countries benefitting from development financing opportunities.

Members of the Guyana delegation meeting with officials of Export Barbados last Monday

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 28, 2022

Businessman dies after seizure attack at gas station

Dead: Hamid Sharriff

A 66-year-old businessman of Lot 113 Block ‘XX’ Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara (ECD) died on Independence Day after suffering a seizure while refuelling his vehicle at the Rubis gas station on the Rupert Craig Highway.

Police identified the deceased as Hamid Sharriff and said that investigations, so far, revealed that, around 13:40 hours, the businessman and his wife left their home in their Toyota Tundra vehicle and headed to the gas station.

On arrival, Sharriff who was the driver, proceeded to one of the gas pumps and began to refuel the vehicle when he had a seizure attack and became motionless.

“It was also revealed that, prior to the seizure attack, the deceased had a history of travelling with ‘high cholesterol’ and a heart-related condition.

The EMT Ambulance Service was immediately summoned to the scene and the deceased was pronounced dead by Doctor Singh at about 14:00hrs,” the police said.

The body is currently at the Jerrick’s Funeral Home awaiting autopsy.

No marks of violence were seen on the exposed part of his body but investigations are ongoing.

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guyana CHRONICLE saturday may 28, 2022

Family demands justice for murdered Sophia father

THE grief-stricken relatives of 43-year-old Collin McPherson, who was executed by a lone gunman on Thursday evening in his D’ Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown home, are calling on the police to ensure they get justice.

The father of four and driver attached to the Ministry of Health, was in his yard in the company of others when the gunman approached and opened fire.

Speaking with the media on Friday, was the victim’s 24-year-old daughter, Meleka McPherson, who arrived at the scene shortly after receiving a call from her younger sister about the shooting.

“Like it leff me shock till now like I can’t believe… My father don’t get no problem with nobody, he don’t interfere with nobody, nobody don’t get any trouble with he. It’s rather

DEAD: Collin McPherson strange to me fuh know what happen,” she said.

Family members of the dead man said they are seeking to find out why someone would want to kill McPherson and they also urged the police to do their work so that they could get justice.

“I just want justice for

Meleka McPherson my father. This is very heart-breaking to know that I lose my father too soon, knowing that he never do nobody anything,” the distraught woman said.

She explained that her father’s killing has left her family traumatised.

According to the police, McPherson’s 18-year-old son and 13-year-old daugh-

ter were at home at the time of the shooting. His two other daughters arrived at the house shortly after. A 26-year-old nephew and two other males (ages 18 and 19) were also in the house at the time. They all ran and hid when the gunman entered the house.

One eyewitness recalled that he was in the house when he heard a loud explosion, after which he saw the victim run inside and started shouting “close the door”.

According to the eyewitness, the gunman who was dressed in a blue shirt, a dark-colour pants and a

blue facemask, is slim-built and fair in complexion.

On seeing the gunman, police said that the eyewitness ran into a bedroom in the house, leaving McPherson in the living room.

Two more loud explosions were heard, and then there was silence. The eyewitness said he emerged from the bedroom shortly after and saw McPherson lying motionless in the living room.

The police visited the scene around 22:00 hours and observed suspected gunshot injuries on the victim’s body.

An emergency medical

technician (EMT) from Alberttown Fire Service Station was also present at the scene and pronounced McPherson dead.

Police said that the crime scene was processed, and two 9MM suspected spent shells were recovered while checks were made for CCTV cameras which were seen but are yet to be viewed.

Several persons were interviewed, statements were taken, and the body was escorted to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home to await an autopsy.

The investigation is still ongoing.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 28, 2022

Digicel supports Tiger Bay project with Community Open Door Alliance

DIGICEL Guyana, in support of the Tiger Bay project being facilitated by the members of the Community Open Door Alliance, delivered on a promise with a donation of several laptops.

According to a release, this donation will support phase one aspect of this project, which is geared towards training in literacy and numeracy skills for children of Tiger Bay.

Digicel commends this initiative and the works of Community Open Door Alliance as they seek to create a safe space for the youth in the area by encouraging positive lifestyle changes through learning and education, the release said.

Digicel has also committed to the members of the group to continue their support towards this project, both phases one and two as they seek to aid in

the development of children and youth.

“We have over the years been committed to fostering the development of youth, and this initiative is one that we give our support to one hundred per cent. We are optimistic that this will grow into something much bigger and influence more children.

This community has always been close to our hearts since

Digicel’s Chief Commercial Officer, Simone Pierre (far right) stands with children and members of the Community Open Door Alliance during the donation

is within the direct environs of our offices, we would like to wholeheartedly thank the members of this alliance for this project and we look forward to continuing our support, as we positively impact the lives of the children and families of Tiger Bay,” added Simone Pierre of Digicel.

Nazia Mohamed Persaud, a founding member of the group noted how grateful they were for the timely donation, as they would have to use their personal laptops to provide the literacy training for the group of children in the training project.

“We reach out to many companies with hopes that

they would assist us, we were so excited when Digicel returned a call to us after seeing our request, this means so much to us and the kids here today, thank you Digicel and we look forward to making this a success and your continued support,” said Persaud.

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Buttler, Prasidh, McCoy put Royals in IPL final

(ESPNCRICINFO) Rajasthan Royals (RR) stormed to their first IPL final since winning the title in the inaugural season in 2008, beating Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by seven wickets in Ahmedabad. The win was set up by their bowlers. Prasidh Krishna and Obed McCoy picked up three wickets each to restrict RCB to 157 for 8.

Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal then added 61 in just 5.1 overs for the first wicket, breaking the back of the chase. Jaiswal fell for 21 off 13 but Buttler was unstoppable. He brought up his fourth hundred of the season, equalling Virat Kohli’s record for most centuries in an IPL season.

Such was Royals’ dominance that the spectators had started leaving the stadium even before the game was over. When Buttler hit the winning hit, a six over

wide long-on off Harshal Patel, there were still 11 balls remaining.

A STREAKY START After winning the toss, Sanju Samson had said the pitch looked a bit sticky. While not many balls stopped on the batters, there was extra bounce and movement - both in the air and off the surface - on offer for seamers.

Kohli flicked Trent Boult for six over deep square leg in the first over but fell to Prasidh in the next, trying to steer a backof-length delivery behind point only to edge to the keeper.

At the end of four overs, Royal Challengers were 25 for 1. Then Faf du Plessis got two fours - one of them via a gloved pull that just evaded Samson off Boult. From the other end, Patidar cut Prasidh past point before punching him

through covers for back-toback fours. He tried another back-foot punch on the next ball but failed to keep it down.

Riyan Parag, however, spilled the chance at backward point. That allowed RCB to finish the powerplay in a much better state, at 46 for 1, despite a slow start.

PATIDAR RIDES HIS LUCK At one point, du Plessis was batting on 22 off 21 and Patidar on 20 off 19. Then Patidar teed off, launching Yuzvendra Chahal over long-on for a six. In the 11th over, he had another slice of luck as his slash off McCoy just beat Ashwin at short third man.

McCoy did put an end to du Plessis’ struggles, sending him back for a 27ball 25, but Glenn Maxwell came in and hit two sixes off the first balls he faced.

Then, he mistimed a pull off Boult in the 14th over and was caught at fine leg.

Patidar, though, kept attacking and brought up his fifty, off 40 balls, with a six off Chahal. In the 16th over, he launched Ashwin over deep midwicket for his third six of the innings. The next ball he tried to clear long-off but was taken right on the boundary line.

THE SLOW DEATH Royal Challengers were 132 for 4 after 16 overs and looked set to reach at least 170. But Chahal, McCoy and Prasidh conceded only 25 off the last four overs. The 19th over from Prasidh was the one that really pegged RCB back.

Off the first ball, he removed Karthik as the batter toe-ended one to long-on.

Next, he flattened Wanindu Hasaranga’s middle and leg stumps with a searing

yorker. Harshal survived the hat-trick ball but the damage had been done.

BUTTLER & JAISWAL BLAZE AWAY It wasn’t a big target.

On top of that, Buttler and Jaiswal gave Royals a flying start. Jaiswal started by hitting Mohammed Siraj for two sixes and a four in the first over. In the seamer’s next over, Buttler took him for two fours and six.

Maxwell slipped in a quiet over before Buttler took apart Shahbaz Ahmed, smashing him for two sixes and a four. Hazlewood got rid of Jaiswal in the last over of the powerplay but there was no stopping Buttler who brought up his fifty off just 23 balls.

Samson had a slow start and was on 4 off 7 balls before skipping down to Shahbaz and hitting him over long-on. Buttler hit two successive fours in the same over. By the halfway

stage in the chase, Royals had raced away to 103 for 1, requiring only 55 from the last ten overs.

NO MIRACLE FOR RCB Having reached 66 off 33 balls, Buttler edged Harshal behind the stumps but Karthik dropped the catch. Hasaranga, though, nailed his match-up when he had Samson stumped off a googly for 23 off 21 balls. He has now dismissed Samson six times in 34 balls while giving away only 25 runs.

Despite only 14 runs coming from overs 12 to 15, Royals still needed just 32 from the last five overs.

Buttler then hit Hasaranga for two sixes in an over, crossing 800 runs for the season in the process. He reached his hundred off 59 balls and then wrapped up the game with his sixth six of the night.

Ferrari’s Leclerc tops both Friday practice sessions in Monaco

(AP) - Charles Leclerc topped both of yesterday’s practice sessions at the Monaco Grand Prix, where the Ferrari driver could use a victory on his home track to return to the top of the Formula One standings.

Ferrrari had a solid close to the day as Carlos Sainz Jr was second-fastest behind team-mate Leclerc.

Red Bull was right behind the Ferrari drivers as Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen were third and fourth fastest but lacked the one-lap speed of

Canadian Racing Tips Woodbine Race 1 She Makes Me Tizzy Race 2 Born Dapper Race 3 Souper Classy Race 4 Full Extreme Race 5 Born Happy Race 6 Ms Vancougar Race 7 Flippin

Ferrari.

Leclerc lost the F1 points lead last week in Spain. F1′s reigning champion Verstappen has won three consecutive races to knock Leclerc from the top of the standings. Leclerc won two of the first three races to build a 46-point lead in the standings, but Verstappen has four wins and now leads Leclerc by six points.

But Leclerc is motivated at Monaco; he’s never finished an F1 race on his hometown streets.

He’s so comfortable with the circuit that he cycles to the track

from his apartment, and although he won the pole last year, he never even started the race because of damage to his Ferrari.

Mercedes, meanwhile, had a disappointing pair of practice sessions with George Russell and seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton. The duo both trail Ferrari and Red Bull in speed and the new Mercedes has struggled with what’s called “porpoising” - an aerodynamic issue where cars hop and bounce on the track.

Hamilton struggled in yesterday’s second practice and

was 12th on the speed chart, a whopping 1.61 seconds behind Leclerc.

The session was redflagged for a few minutes because Daniel Ricciardo slid sideways into the crash barriers.

The Australian driver’s damaged McLaren was lifted off the track by a crane.

There is one more Saturday practice session, followed by qualifying to set the field for today’s race.

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Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving (16) the Ferrari F1-75 during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco yesterday in Monte Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday May 28, 2022)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 6 centuries (2) 4 five-wicket hauls Today’s Quiz: (1) What was the highest partnership for any wicket in the preliminary round of IPL 2022?

(2) Which wicketkeeper effected most dismissals in the preliminary round of IPL 2022?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 28, 2022

Chanderpaul 184,..

From page 32

Scorpions’ bowlers, and Singh, in particular, scoring his eighth First-Class ton off 85 balls, hitting 15 fours, was the one who truly shifted the momentum.

Kevin Sinclair chipped in with 36 while Keemo Paul made 17, Nicholson Gordon has taken 1-122.

At Brian Lara Cricket Academy: Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 133 (Imran Khan 29, Terrance Hinds 25, Joshua DaSilva 23; Jomel Warrican 3-21, Akeem Jordan 2-17, Ramon Simmonds 2-24, Justin Greaves 2-26) and 51-3 (Yannic Cariah 35*, Keagan Simmons 31 Jeremy Solozano 14; Roston Chase 2-26, Greaves 3-27, Jordan 3-32) lost to Barbados Pride 294

(Raymon Reifer 79, Greaves 50, Jonathan Carter 41, Jordan 31; Hinds 5-32, Imran Khan 2-60) by an innings and 22 runs.

At Queen’s Park Oval: Leeward Hurricanes: 333 (Collin Archibald 106*, Jahmar Hamilton 52, Daniel Doram 43, Terance Ward 30; Preston McSween 5-92, Kenneth Dember 2-77) and 252-8 decl. (Devon Thomas 50, Ross Powell 40, Rahkeem Cornwall 38; Dember 3-62, Darius Martin 3-93) lead Windward Volcanoes 173 (Keron Cottoy 73*, Devon Smith 35; Rahkeem Cornwall 5-61, Jeremiah Louis 3-26) & 127-3 (Kimani Mileus 51, Kaveem Hodge 25*; Cornwall 2-20) 286 by runs.

Vishaul Singh walks back after scoring 100* (Photo: News Room)

DDL/Michael Parris U16 & Junior Boxing Championships set to return June 5 THE sixth edition of the Demerara Distillers Limited-sponsored Michael Parris U16 and Juniors Championships is set to return on Sunday, June 5, at the National Gymnasium.

The competition is held annually by the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) in honour of the country’s first and only Olympic medallist.

Parris won bronze at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

Last held in March at the Andrew ‘Six Heads’ Lewis Gym in Albouystown, Forgotten Youth Foundation boxer Michael Greenidge was a cut above his peers in the 47-49kg category when the referee was forced to stop the bout against Jaydon King in the first round.

Berbice Jammers walked away with the Best Gym title, following the performances of Curtis McDonald, Travis Sancho, Aubrey Austin, Javar Jones and Marcus

Guyana’s lone Olympic medallist Michael Parris

Humphrey.

With the Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors tournament, set for August, GBA president Steve Ninvalle had promised that with the help of DDL under its Pepsi brand, the tournament will be a regular feature since it plays an important part in identifying Guyana’s representatives for the prestigious championship.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 28, 2022

Dominant Dhanpaul explodes with 191 in Phoenix’s latest win FORMER Zeeburg Sports Club cricketer, Yutesh Dhanpaul, exploded with 191 runs to lead Phoenix Cricket Club to a 353-run victory when they met Intruders (a predominantly Trinidadian side) in the Lax Network Queen DBA Dunkin 40over League.

The middle-order batter was in a no-nonsense mood as he belted an amazing 20 sixes and 11 fours off 100 balls for the colossal score.

Former Essequibo cricketer, Brandon Cabose, also delivered some big shots, inclusive of nine sixes and two fours to finish

Dhanpaul exploded with 20 sixes and 11 fours in his innings

with 76 runs from 37 balls.

Tejpaul Bishundat (47), Matthew Marques (32) and Dino Chooweenam (30) all had starts, which helped to push the total to a massive 442-6 from 40 overs for the predominantly Guyanese side.

The total was the highest ever recorded in the league.

Although he went for over 10 runs per over, Kinopaul Sailsman with 3-52, was the pick of Intruders’ bowlers.

In total, they used nine bowlers in vain in their attempt to stop the haemorrhaging.

In their turn at the crease, Intruders buckled in the chase and, with medium pacer Samuel Mahabir cleaning up the middle order and fast bowler Kenly Adams and left-arm orthodox spinner Sharma Sukhdeo also doing damage, they succumbed for 89 in 21.3 overs.

Mahabir finished with 4-29 from six overs, while opening bowler Adams dismissed both openers in his spell of 2-16 from five overs.

Sukhdeo, the owner of the club, needed just 1.3 overs to take 2-10.

Andrew Lewis National Novices set for June 24-26 THE Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will host their Andrew Lewis National Novices Championships, on June 24-26, at the National Gymnasium.

It will see the return of the tournament for the first time since 2019.

According to the GBA, the fistic sport’s newbies from across the country will be engaged in battle from 18:00hrs nightly, as the association seeks to unearth new talent ahead of several regional tournaments.

Technical Director, Terrence Poole, pointed out that medical and weigh-ins will be held on Thursday, June 23, at 16:00hrs at the National Gymnasium.

World Champion, Andrew ‘Six Heads’ Lewis Several of the country’s premier amateur boxers had their origin in the ring via the Andrew Lewis Novices tournament, which is held in honour of the former World Champion, who died in an accident on May 4, 2015.

Neto upsets leader Meusa in National Open Chess Tournament … Johnson, Shariff, Lam currently tied for top spot in Women’s Nationals

ROBERTO Neto defeated Candidate Master Wendell Meusa in the sixth round of the nineround GAICO-sponsored National Open C h e s s To u r n a m e n t , which is being played at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence.

Meusa has already defeated number two seed FM Anthony Drayton, who won the Qualifier, and defending National Champion CM Taffin Khan, but he was surprised by the lower-ranked Neto.

Neto was actually playing catch-up in the early part of the game as Meusa took the advantage.

The middle game progressed evenly with Meusa making a material sacrifice as well as a mistake which turned the game from a win to a draw. Another blunder by the former

champion Meusa and a level head from Neto resulted in the latter converting the draw to a victory.

Meusa still is a strong favourite for the title, but with Khan only a half-apoint behind on 4.5 overall points, he will be hoping for another blunder.

Meanwhile, in the KFC Guyana-sponsored Women’s Nationals, Nellisha Johnson, Sasha Shariff and Pooja Lam are currently tied in the top position on five points each after six matches.

Johnson’s only defeat so far was against the defending women’s champion Shariff. She convincingly won her game with Jessica Callender after a laborious three-hour battle.

Minor inaccuracies by Callender gave Johnson the advantage from the beginning. Although the two

players had equal materials during the middle game, Callender’s positions had weaknesses which Johnson took advantage of.

Shariff and Lam have not yet lost any matches but drew their games against each other and No. 2 seed Jessica Callender who won the Qualifying tournament.

Adia Alphonso and Maliha Rajkumar follow closely behind the top three players on three points each.

Along with the respective national champions, a point-based system, inclusive of results from the Grand Prix tournaments as well as the Nationals, will determine the 10-member team to represent Guyana in India at the 44th Fide Chess Olympiad in July-August of this year.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 28, 2022

Colts, Pacesetters latest Golden Jaguars beat teams to advance … Ravens, Mambas, Kobras, GDF in action tonight

Elijah David – Pacesetters

COLTS and Pacesetters were the latest teams to advance to the next round of the Andrew Ifill Memorial Knockout tournament.

Playing last evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Shelroy Thomas poured in a game-high 31 points in Colts’ 93-84 overtime win against Plaisance Guardians.

In the opening game of the night’s double-header, Pacesetters defeated Eagles 61-57. Elijah David scored 14 for the winners. Shamar Huntley had 18 in a losing effort.

Meanwhile, the tournament continues today with Ravens battling Mambas, while Kobras will take on the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

Shelroy Thomas - Colts

ECCB selects U-17 squad to compete in the DCB tournament EAST Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) yesterday named its U-17 squad to compete in the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) tournament scheduled to start today the LBI Facility Ground.

Romeo Deonarain is the captain of the named unit while Nicholas Shiopersad will be his deputy.

The manager of the team is Yeuvraj Khemraj while the coach is Kumar Bishundial.

The full team reads: Vi-

Romeo Deonarain is the captain of the named unit

kash Wilkinson, Anthony Khan, Romeo Deonarain (captain), Nicholas Shiopersad (vice-captain), Hemraj Harripersaud, Suresh Sugrim, Neeran Bani, Alex Datterdeen, Saif Ragbeer, Joshua Behari, Sasenarine Harricharran ,Jahiene Beckles, Tularam Chintamani, Romel Persaud.

Reserves: Tyriq Walters, Arun Gainda, Josh Behari, Obrien Mc Culay.

T&T U-20s 1-0 in training match

IN the build-up to next m o n t h ’s C O N C A CAF Nations League fixtures, the Golden Jaguars got a morale boost with a 1-0 victory over the Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 team in a training match on Thursday at Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

England-based Anthony Jeffrey made the difference in the closed-door match with a conversion in the 81st minute.

There is another closed-door training match scheduled for today against St Lucia at the Hasely Crawford Stadium which provides another opportunity for players to impress and be selected for the 26man squad for the Nations League.

Jaguars are encamped in the twin-island

republic in preparation for the League.

Golden Jaguars are in Group B of League B, alongside Montserrat, Haiti, and Bermuda.

The ultimate aim of the Golden Jaguars is to qualify for another Gold Cup finals and a direct spot will come if they top their group, but Haiti and Bermuda are ranked above them and Montserrat has a strong core from the United Kingdom.

Furthermore, there is another chance if they finish second in the group and then contest the Gold Cup preliminaries.

Their first match is June 4 in the Dominican Republic against Montserrat after which they return home to face Bermuda (June 7) and Haiti (June 11) at the National Track and

Field Facility, Leonora.

Golden Jaguars preliminary squad: Goalkeepers: Alex Murray, Quillan Roberts, Sese Norville, Akel Clarke; Defenders: Marcus Wilson, Quincy Adams, Jaylen Jones, Jeremy Garrett, Kevin Layne, Matthew Briggs, Leo Lovell, Shemar Fraser, Sam Cox; Midfielders: Daniel Wilson, Nathan-Mor i a h We l s h , C l i v e Nobrega, Job Caesar, Curtez Kellman, Javier George, Neil Danns; Forwards: Trayon Bobb, Marcel Barrington, Kelsey Benjamin, Jamal Perriera, Terell Ondaan, Ryan Hackett, Pernell Schultz, Anthony Jeffrey, Omari Glasgow, E m e r y We l s h m a n , Stephen Duke McKenna.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, May 28, 2022

Chanderpaul 184, Singh 100* give Harpy Eagles 191-run lead over Scorpions TAGENARINE Chanderpaul continued his sublime form by crafting a classy 184 while Vishaul Singh blazed to 100*, putting Guyana Harpy Eagles on top after day three of their Regional FourDay match at Diego Martin Sporting Complex, Trinidad.

MATCH SUMMARY: Jamaica Scorpions 393 all out from 109.3 overs (Jermaine Blackwood 114, Aldane Thomas 100, Alwyn Williams 51; Veerasammy Permaul 3-96, Gudakesh Motie 2-39, Kevin Sinclair 2-74, Demetri Cameron 2-103) trail Guyana Harpy Eagles 584-7 from 157 overs (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 184, Vishaul Singh 100*, Tevin Imlach 79, Chandrapaul Hemraj 78, Leon Johnson 58, Kevin Sinclair 36; Nicholson Gordon 4-122) by 191 runs Eagles reached stumps 584-7 and lead by 191 runs heading into today’s final day of play and will want to push for a victory to stay in the close race for the title with one round remaining.

Chanderpaul batted for over nine and a half hours, faced 425 balls, and struck 25 fours for this his highest First-Class score and fourth century.

Furthermore, he shared vital stands of 180 with Tevin Imlach, who made 79, a second successive half-century; Leon Johnson (58) in a stand of 94 and Vishaul Singh (100*) with 61.

Eagles’ batters took the sting out of the

… fifties for Imlach, Johnson on day three

Tagenarine Chanderpaul continued his sublime form with a masterful 184 against Jamaica Scorpions (Photo: News Room)

Continued on page 29

Neto upsets leader Meusa in National Open Chess Tournament

… Johnson, Shariff, Lam currently tied for top spot in Women’s Nationals

Story on page 30 Roberto Neto defeated Wendell Meusa in round six

Golden Jaguars beat T&T U-20s 1-0 in training match

Story on page 31 Jeremy Garrett (#4) in action for Golden Jaguars (Photo: Trinidad and Tobago Football Association)

Buttler, Prasidh, McCoy put Royals in IPL final

Story on page 28 Sanju Samson meets his match-winner Jos Buttler after the latter seals their spot in the final, yesterday (BCCI)

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SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022