Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 28-02-2022

MONDAY 28th February, 2022

No.106648

US$35B worth of gold still contained in 03 Guyana’s reserves PAGE

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Wakenaam couple loses 05 Putin puts nuclear house, business place in fire deterrent on alert 08 PAGE

PAGE

A tank burns in the Ukrainian city of Sumy just days after newly revealed dashThe remains of the Rambarran family's home and business at Belle Plaine, cam footage showed a huge column of tanks moving into the city (Photo: The Telegraph) Wakenaam

NBS nets $916M in profits 04 last year PAGE

Families losing hope as search for missing 06 fishermen futile PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

US$35B worth of gold still contained in Guyana’s reserves – President Ali

By Rehana Ahamad ALTHOUGH a notable gold producer for decades, Guyana is still considered a gold mine, literally, with massive amounts of gold still waiting to be extracted.

As a matter of fact, in his commemorative message for Guyana’s 52nd Republic Anniversary, President Dr. Irfaan Ali disclosed that the potential value of the nation’s gold reserves stands at an impressive US$35 billion.

The Head of State emphasised that Guyana is a rich land of some of the world’s most enviable resources, and that these ought to be utilised in a manner that brings prosperity to all Guyanese.

“We, as a people, must understand what our country has to offer, and where it will

continues to take its toll on the world.

In a more local context, climate change, in the past year alone, has affected several of Guyana’s critical sectors, with unprecedented floods having devastated households, farmlands, and operations in the mining and extractive industries.

So much so that some mining operations were completely submerged while some others were washed away. As a result, the gold mining subsector contracted by an estimated 14.8 per cent in 2021, according to Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, during his presentation of the government’s mammoth $552.9 billion national budget for 2022.

But even with the de-

President Dr Irfaan Ali per cent of our total non-oil export earnings,” minister Singh posited.

He said that, going forward, the vision for gold mining lies with the continued support for exploration to uncover new discoveries that can potentially transition

The restarting of operations by Omai Gold Mines is expected to tap into Guyana’s hefty gold reserves be positioned in the future,” President Ali said.

He also reiterated the intention of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government to pursue national transformational development in a manner that is sustainable and resilient to climate change, which

cline, gold mining continues to be an important contributor to Guyana’s rapidly growing economy.

“The gold mining sub-sector represented 8.8 per cent of our GDP (Gross Domestic Product) – the third largest non-oil sector of our economy – and more than 60

to mining projects.

“At a strategic level, more focus on deriving efficiency from the mineral recovery phase of the small and medium scale mines can also help to promote sustainability,” Dr. Singh added.

More notably, the Finance Minister posited that

significant growth can be expected from the gold sub-sector in 2022, with declaration envisaged to continue to be dominated by small and medium scale producers operating 1,054 small- scale mines and 25 medium-scale mines.

Meanwhile, it was highlighted that new allocations of mineral properties last year saw 202 medium-scale mining blocks being awarded via lottery and 65 via an auction.

“Large scale operators are expected to come fully on stream in the medium term,” Minister Singh informed.

He noted, specifically, that at Karouni, while production will be paused this year, the investor will forge ahead with exploration and development of the underground prospect.

“Beyond this year, investment in the Toroparu area will finally result in long anticipated development of a full-fledged gold mine, since an international mid-tier gold company has confirmed their interest in that project.”

The growth of Guyana’s gold mining industry will be further supplemented by the return of Omai Gold Mines, which had wrapped up operations in 2015, after 24 years of service in Guyana.

In its prime, Omai was said to be the largest gold-mining operations in the South American region, having produced over 3.7 million ounces of gold between 1993

and 2005.

However, mining eventually ceased at a time when the average gold price was less than US$400 per ounce, leaving significant drilled mineral resources untapped and prime exploration targets untested.

But, with an initial investment of US$12 million, the company has returned to Guyana to pick up where it left off, and, from all indications, this was a smart decision, because, already, initial explorations have detected 1.6 million ounces of gold at the Wenot Pit, located in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

But the company has not stopped there; it said that the initial Wenot mineral resource justify the potential to expand the known deposits and, together with Fennell’s historical mineral resource, demonstrate the potential to re-build Omai into a multimillion-ounce project.

In January, Omai announced that it had struck even more gold; this time, at its Broccoli Hill pit in Region Seven. A press release from the company’s Toronto, Canada office had indicated that first round of drilling at Broccoli Hill, totalling 690 metres, intersected gold mineralisation.

Commenting on the find, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Elaine Ellingham, said that the new mineral resource is quite an achievement for the company’s first year of return to Guyana.

“We are also pleased to report that our initial trenching and drilling on Broccoli Hill that commenced late in 2021 has already resulted in several significant gold values,” Ellingham noted.

Broccoli Hill is said to be an area located only 300 metres north of the Wenot pit and less than 200 metres east of the Fennell pit. Those two pits combined, produced over 3.7 million ounces of gold.

“After field work and trenching in October and November, we completed six initial wide-spaced holes on Broccoli Hill before the holiday break in December.

We intersected gold in four of the six holes and consider this very successful for first-pass drilling on a large, relatively untouched target area,” the company said in its statement.

With the knowledge gained, Omai, also started additional trenching, mapping and sampling. It said in January that “Over the next couple months, we will advance some of the property’s prime exploration targets, including Broccoli Hill, that hold potential for new near-surface mineralisation amenable to open pit mining.”

Broccoli Hill has been worked by artisanal miners for over 100 years. Broad gold anomalies were identified by previous auger and soil surveys and the airborne geophysical signatures are similar to those of the Fennell deposit.

The abundance of past placer gold workings in the lowlands flanking the hill, together with the numerous scattered artisanal workings on the hill itself, indicate more gold in surrounding areas.

Additionally, the Canadian-based gold mining company had said that with its return, in addition to engaging and potentially supporting small miners, it also had plans to employ hundreds of people. In its earlier days, the company had in excess of 1,000 persons in its employ.

Nonetheless, Guyana currently has over 25 mining companies active in Guyana, and with the country poised for exponential growth, Omai has made it clear that it intends to take full advantage of what it described as the country’s “economic renaissance.”

Currently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has rated Guyana as the fastest growing economy in the world, projecting that the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$3.5 billion is expected to triple within the next five years; that too, with significant contributions from the local non-oil sectors, especially agriculture and mining.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

NBS nets $916M in profits last year

THE New Building Society (NBS), according to its financial statement for the year ending December 31, 2021, was able to garner $916.3 million in profits after earning a total of $1.94 billion in net income last year.

Based on the figures published in the February 26, 2022 edition of the Guyana Chronicle Newspaper, the entity recorded a decline in profits from the preceding year. At the end of 2020, NBS earned $1.07 billion in profits.

In its 2020 Annual Report, the NBS Chairman, Floyd McDonald, said that

the $1.07 billion was an increase of about 4.5 per cent from 2019; in 2019, NBS amassed $1.03 billion in profits.

Based on the newer financial statements, too, NBS’ net income declined marginally in 2021. Last year, the company earned $1.935 billion compared to the $1.942 billion amassed at the end of 2020.

It was noted that NBS’ total comprehensive for the year was $923.2 million.

What contributed to the lowered profits, perhaps, was the significant increase in operating expenses. At the end of 2020, the entity’s total

February 19, 2022

D 03 06 08 24 26 28 21 February 16, 2022

F 08 12 22 25 27 28 04

Board of Director of NBS from left to right: Floyd Mc Donald, Chairman; Seepaul Narine, Vice-Chairman and Moen M. Mc Doom, S.C., Director operating expenses amounted to $871 million but at the end of 2021, that figure expanded to $1.02 billion.

The company’s operating expenses include general administrative expenses, impairments on loan assets, depreciation and other expenses.

The Financial Statements were approved for issue on February 22, 2022, by NBS’s

25/02/22 - 04 08 09 11 18

Chairman, Vice Chairman, Seepaul Narine and Chief Executive Officer Anil Omkar Kishun.

It is important to note that McDonald had anticipated that, with the increase in construction activity ongoing across Guyana, NBS would see greater profits in the short term.

Over the past few months,

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however, NBS had taken several measures to relieve consumers; that included cutting interest rates on loans.

In December 2021, bank announced that from January 01, 2022, the interest rate on loans from $6 million to $15 million had been reduced from 6.25 per cent to 5.95 per cent, per annum. That is applicable to both current and new loans.

For low income loans, that is, those that are $6 million and below, the interest rate is four per cent per annum. Before that, in March

25/02/22 - 5 7 5

2021, NBS reduced the interest rate on loans up to $6 million to four per cent from 4.25 per cent The rate on loans from $6 million to $12 million had been reduced to 5.95 per cent from 6.15 per cent and 6.75 per cent depending on agreement. For loans above $12 million and up to $15 million, the rate was 6.25 per cent.

The NBS, in a press statement issued in December, noted that the reductions in those interest rates would allow consumers to save millions of dollars annually. The bank noted that its efforts at providing lowcost, financing options were in keeping with a mandate to help Guyanese become homeowners.

The reduction in interest rates, it said, would put millions of dollars per annum into the pockets of borrowers which is in keeping with its mandate to ensure that Guyanese can acquire ready and low-cost financing and therefore, become homeowners.

25/02/22- 1, 5, 6, 8, 11, 18, 19

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

Wakenaam couple loses house, business place in fire –– rushed to hospital after spike in their blood pressure A BELLE PLAINE couple from the island of Wakenaam, Region Three, narrowly escaped death early Sunday morning, after their entire house went up in flames.

Businessman Anil Rambarran, 54, and his wife Chandrowtie Rambarran, 52, were immediately rushed to the Wakenaam Cottage hospital after suffering a spike in their blood pressure. The incident reportedly occurred at around 02:30hrs.

The Rambarrans are well-known on the island;

the lower flat. The husband and wife then quickly escaped through the back door and ran out on the road and watched as their four-bedroom two-storey wooden and concrete house was consumed by fire.

Everything inside was completely destroyed. Reports indicate that the couple had a quantity of Banks DIH and DDL beverages along with groceries stored at the premises.

Neighbours immediately rushed to the scene and formed a bucket brigade giv-

by the time firefighters arrived at the scene, the entire building was already burnt.

A police report noted that the firefighters, however, managed to prevent further damages to the neighbouring house of Nandkishore Jairam, a 54-year-old businessman, whose home was partially burnt. Jairam, according to the police, estimated his damages to be about $1,000,000.

This newspaper was informed that plans are in place to establish an auxiliary unit with firefighters

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, comforts the family following the fire

The family did not manage to save anything from the house they own and manage Anil’s Liquor shop, a variety store, a speed boat service in addition to being the sole distributor for Banks DIH and DDL products.

The businessman is still coming to grips with the sudden fire and the massive losses. He told police that he was asleep in the upper flat with his wife when he was awakened by screams of his neighbours.

As a result, the victims discovered that smoke was coming from the shop on

en the fact that Wakenaam does not have a fire station.

“We tried our best but nothing could have been done to save [the place]. It’s sad but residents did their best,” a resident said.

Residents contacted the Georgetown fire station which then informed the Anna Regina and Leonora fire stations. These two fire stations then dispatched fire tenders to aid the residents.

Head of the Anna Regina fire station, Clive Mc Donald, told this newspaper that

on the island. Rambarran and his wife were later discharged from the hospital and are currently staying at a relative’s house.

The police force release noted that the cause of the fire is suspected to be electrical in origin, while pointing out that the premises was not insured.

The fire scene was visited by the Minister of

Home Affairs, Robeson Benn; Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Deodat Indar; Region Three Chairman, Inshan Ayube; Deputy Chairman Region Three, Omesh Satyanand; Fire

Chief (ag), Gregory Wickham; Deputy Police Commissioner ‘Operation’, Clifton Hicken; Police Commander, Errol Watts; Regional Detective Officer, ASP Grant, and several other ranks.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

A Clean and Healthy Guyana ‘OPERATION Clean Up’ is gaining momentum in the country with several high-ranking government officials and the wider citizenry playing their part.

The clean-up campaign was initiated

by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali in the city of Georgetown and has now spread to several other regions of Guyana.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall and Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony recently spearheaded clean-up operations along the East Coast corridor in the Mon Repos, Enmore and Haslington communities.

This is a commendable initiative on the part of President Ali and his PPP/C administration which could not have come at a better time as the country is now in the process of changing its image to that of the most attractive tourist destination in the Region and the world.

According to the Attorney-General, “We cannot continue to live in an environ-

ment that is filthy, un-environmental and unhealthy” and he took the opportunity to encourage everyone to keep their communities and public spaces clean.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, who stressed the importance of a clean environment. According to the minister, an unclean and unkempt environment creates a habitat for insects to increase in numbers which could become a health hazard.

“We know that is a space where mosquito larvae can breathe and grow and with an increasing mosquito population, you can have the transmission of a number of diseases, so we want to prevent that and this is one simple way in which we can do that,” the Health Minister advised.

As pointed out by both ministers, the exercise has to be sustained and not be seen as a one-off exercise. This is why the involvement of all citizens is so important.

What is required is an attitudinal change

by the entire society in terms of garbage disposal and the way we treat with our environment.

One encouraging fact in the clean-up exercises is the inter-agency collaboration which has seen the participation of central government, regional administrations, the national democratic councils, the private sector and perhaps more significantly, the wider citizenry.

Guyana is today ranked among the best tourism destinations in the world, not because of its new oil-and-gas potential, but because of its natural beauty and the several initiatives that are being taken by the government to ensure a safe and environmentally friendly country. The country is home to some of the most biodiverse and beautiful rainforests in the world. Few countries in the world can offer a tourist package that is so rich in natural beauty and diversity, a fact that is now being recognised worldwide.

Unfortunately, the physical appearance of the city and coastal areas take away from the true beauty of the country and can project a different image of the country.

This is why the initiative by President Ali and his administration is of such national importance.

There is no better sight than a clean environment. As noted by President Ali, one of the objectives of the nation-wide cleanup campaign is to build a new culture. The environment, according to the President, is a demonstration as to how we value each other, because if you can bring garbage and throw it in front of a school, in front of a church, then it demonstrates who really you are and this is what we have to change, and we can only do this together.

There is dignity in working together in making our community safe and clean.

President Ali has led the way in this regard. It is now for us as a society to come on board for the good of all.

One week later: families losing hope as search for missing fishermen futile

By Jared Liddell IT has been just over a week since a Noble House Seafoods vessel reportedly capsized offshore Guyana with three fishermen on board and to date, numerous search-andrescue missions have proved futile.

This has, undoubtedly, left their families in a state of turmoil and as more time passes with no sign of the men, they are losing hope.

Missing and presumed dead are Captain Harold Anthony Damon, 45; crew member Ronald Burton, 78, along with Winston Sam, 46. Their boat allegedly went down on February 19, 2022, some 26 miles from the Mahaica River.

Damon, a father of three, and Burton, a father of 10, are residents of Agricola, East Bank Demerara.

Claudine Welch, the daughter of Burton, told the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday that she is losing hope as she waits with bated breath for daily updates from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), which is spearheading the search operations.

Despite the low probability that the men will be found alive, Welch is hoping for a miracle that they are alive.

The distraught woman is grateful for the regular updates from MARAD, but she berated Noble House Seafoods for still not contacting the distressed families.

Welch noted that she and her family feel isolated and are at a loss because they have

not been able to get any information from her father’s employers regarding the circumstances of the incident, or the findings of the company’s investigation.

According to her, communication between the company and the families are basically non-existent.

“I am so petrified, I’m not hearing anything about my father and the company -Noble House - is saying speak to their lawyers and we’re not getting anywhere.

“This is very upsetting and disgusting.

Something needs to be done because we’re not hearing anything, were not getting nowhere,” Welch told this newspaper.

Meanwhile, relatives for both Damon and Sam are also distraught that the searches have been fruitless.

Sam’s sister Pamela Sam told this newspaper that the entire ordeal has left her battling daily to keep her blood pressure in check as she continues to develop greater fear as days go by without any information about her brother.

Pamela said that as a result of the situation, she is not just heartbroken, but she is now battling daily headaches and dizzy spells.

Tonszadelle Beckles-Damon, the wife of the vessel’s captain, echoed those sentiments, noting that the ordeal has left her with many unanswered questions, which has caused her significant worry over the past week. Her hypertension level has also since skyrocketed.

NEW FINDINGS Meanwhile, as the investigations continue, Captain John Flores, Director MARAD, in an invited comment, told the Guyana Chronicle that the search team will be deployed on Monday to investigate what he described as a “hit” in the search efforts on Sunday.

He noted that based on the findings from Sunday’s search, the team has been able to pinpoint a place where a vessel could be. He explained that it is too early to state whether it is the sunken Nobel House Seafoods ves-

sel or another one that has been potentially located.

“We are going to be back there in the morning; we seem to have a hit this afternoon that we deciphered, so were checking it early in the morning to see if it’s that or another wreck or something,” Captain Flores stated.

Over the past eight days, a search-andrescue team has been trying to locate the missing men. The team has been using a vessel from MARAD and two trawlers from Noble House Seafoods, to aid search efforts.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

Mashramani celebrations

–– a release valve but caution still necessary

By Vanessa Cort

JUST as at Christmas, Guyanese were able to once more enjoy a traditional celebration after being robbed of the event last year. In fact, the coronavirus which prevented it ‘hit’ the world in March 2020, just after the Mashramani (Mash) festivities of that year.

So the population was ready for a renewed post-lockdown celebration after two years of mask-wearing, social-distancing and curfews.

Indeed, when the government announced the end of controlled business hours and the re-opening of the country, many breathed a collective sigh of relief.

And so they turned out in their numbers to support the Soca Monarch Competition held at the National Stadium and were not disappointed. Jumo ‘Rubber Waist’ Primo reportedly captured the crowd and the crown with his song, ‘Living my life’, while ‘Granny Ivy’ amused and entertained, copping second place and Best Newcomer Award, with ‘Bumpa Tricks’.

J’ouvert festivities were held at various locations and by all reports were well-attended and of course, there was the Beenie Man concert held last Saturday.

Touted as the first live concert in two years, this event gave Guyanese an opportunity to ‘let off steam’ and release so much of the anxiety and stress which had built up since the start of this pandemic.

And though it rained from early Mash Day and continued into the afternoon, music resounded around the City showing that the spirit of the people was not dampened.

However, the Omicron variant of the virus is still with us and so organisers of all events were urging revelers to continue to observe COVID protocol and requested vaccination and identification cards for admittance.

This variant, in particular, has caused

greater anxiety and stress as the number of infected surged, surpassing those affected at the start of the pandemic.

Samples were sent overseas for testing when this country recorded over 1,000 new cases of the virus in one day, prior to which cases had been increasing rapidly.

While this variant is milder and cases of hospitalisation fewer than with the Delta variant, it is highly transmissible. So, while the number of infected seems to be levelling off, vigilance is still required.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has sought to dispel the myth that Omicron’s high transmissibility and lower severity mean “preventing transmission is no longer possible and no longer necessary.”

He pointed out that more transmissions mean more deaths, adding: “We are not calling for any country to return to so-called lockdown. But we are calling on all countries to protect their people using every tool in the toolkit, not vaccines alone.”

The WHO’s Emergencies Chief, Mike Ryan, also urged countries not to blindly follow others in relaxing measures but to chart their own course, and further stated: “Those countries which are making decisions to open up more broadly also need to be sure of capacity to re-introduce measures, with community acceptance, if needed.”

Denmark and Austria recently joined Britain, Ireland and the Netherlands in relaxing COVID restrictions and the United States is poised to relax mask-wearing mandates in several states.

But the WHO message is clear to all governments and populations, that caution is still necessary because of the dynamic nature of this virus.

And not only this, but as the Emergencies Chief put it, “so as if we open the doors quickly, you better be very well able to close them very quickly as well”.

GDF rebukes reports of Venezuelan military operation in Guyana THE Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has condemned and debunked a social media post which alleged that the Venezuelan military conducted operations in Guyana’s territory that destroyed two excavators in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

“Such reckless and irresponsible posts only serve to unnecessarily increase public tension and anxiety about Guyana’s national defence and security,” the GDF statement noted on Sunday.

It added, “The Guyana Defence Force and its Joint Service partners

remain alert and vigilant on our borders. We, therefore, wish to advise that all reports of any unusual activity be first verified before releasing such reports to the public as fact.”

The GDF urged social media commentators and outlets to be “cognisant of the environment and be mindful of the impact of the information they disseminate.”

The public is further advised that such information can also be verified by checking publications of mainstream media entities and personalities.

Chief of Staff (ag) of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Godfrey Bess

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

Putin puts nuclear deterrent on alert as West rallies behind Ukraine

KYIV/MOSCOW, (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin put Russia’s nuclear deterrent on high alert on Sunday in the face of a barrage of Western reprisals for his war on Ukraine, which said it had repelled Russian ground forces attacking its biggest cities.

The United States said Putin was escalating the war with “dangerous rhetoric”, amid signs that the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two was not producing rapid victories, but instead generating a far-reaching and concerted Western response.

The Ukrainian president’s office said negotiations with Moscow without preconditions

would be held at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.

But it was not clear when they would start.

“I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try, so that later not a single citizen of Ukraine has any doubt that I, as president, tried to stop the war,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Less than four days after it started, the invasion has triggered a Western political, strategic, economic and corporate response unprecedented in its extent and coordination.

The 27-nation European Union decided for the first time in its history to supply weapons to a country at war, and a source

told Reuters it would send 450 million euros ($507 million) of weaponry to its eastern neighbour.

As missiles fell on Ukrainian cities, nearly 400,000 civilians, mainly women and children, have fled into neighbouring countries. Hundreds were stranded in Kyiv on Sunday waiting for trains to take them west, away from the fighting.

The capital remained in Ukrainian government hands, with Zelenskiy rallying his people daily despite Russian shelling of civilian infrastructure.

The World Health Organization said medical oxygen was running low.

But a doctor said a blood bank where donors had come under fire on Satur-

day was again packed.

The EU shut all Russian planes out of its airspace, as did Canada, and banned the Russian media outlets RT and Sputnik.

With flight options dwindling, the United States and France urged their citizens to consider leaving Russia immediately.

Germany, which had already frozen a planned undersea gas pipeline from Russia, said it would increase defence spending massively, casting off decades of reluctance to match its economic power with military clout.

The British oil major BP announced it would give up its 19.75% stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft (ROSN.MM), writing off up to $25 billion.

World Bank President David Malpass said the Group of Seven economies would discuss Ukraine on Tuesday, and that the bank may be able to provide Ukraine with financial aid in days.

‘NOT DETERRENCE BUT THREAT’ But Putin, who has called the invasion a “special operation”, thrust an alarming new element into play when he ordered Russia’s “deterrence forces” - which wield nuclear weapons - onto high alert.

He has justified the invasion by saying “neo-Nazis” rule Ukraine and threaten Russia’s security - a charge Kyiv and Western governments say is baseless propaganda.

On Sunday, he cited aggressive statements by NATO leaders and the raft of economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the West.

“Not only do Western countries take unfriendly measures against our country in the economic dimension - I mean the illegal sanctions that everyone knows about very well - but also the top officials of leading NATO countries allow themselves

to make aggressive statements with regards to our country,” he said on state television.

The EU foreign policy chief said Russia had clearly threatened a nuclear attack on countries supporting Ukraine after the invasion.

Ukraine, a democratic nation of 44 million people, won independence from Moscow in 1991 at the fall of the Soviet Union and has pushed to join the NATO Western military alliance and the EU, goals Russia vehemently opposes.

Germany, which is sending anti-tank weapons, surface-to-air missiles and ammunition to Ukraine, said on Sunday said it would boost defence spending to more than 2% of its economic output in response to the attack, ending its postWorld War Two practice.

“There could be no other answer to Putin’s aggression,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz told lawmakers.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

AG urges Guyanese to take advantage of learning opportunities

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… as GuySuCo training centre being converted

By Shamar Meusa ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, is urging Guyanese to take advantage of the government’s learning and training opportunities as he referenced the transformation of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) training centre at Port Mourant, in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), into an oil and gas institute.

Nandlall was at the time delivering an address at flag raising ceremony of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Four (Mahaica-Berbice), on Tuesday last, where he noted that, given Guyana’s changing economic landscape, there is great competition for

space and the country’s resources. As such, he said the government had taken steps to ensure that there was capacity building so that Guyanese can benefit from the opportunities.

“In addition to what is going on at University of Guyana and the other training centres, we are going to open back that GuySuCo training centre at Port Mourant and make that into a technical school. We are revamping the syllabus at all of the technical [institutions] in our country,” the Attorney-General said.

To this end, Nandlall stated that major developments were expected in the country including the establishment of hospitals, industrial complexes and even five-star international hotels, some of which will

be along the coast.

Last December, President Dr Irfaan Ali revealed that the cventre would be transformed into the country’s national Oil and Gas Institute. He reminisced on the quality of the craftsmen that the centre has produced throughout the years, many of whom excelled outside of Guyana. With its drive for excellence, he indicated that it would be the perfect location to have the transformation area of study.

The training centre was established in 1957 to provide young Guyanese with greater opportunity to equip themselves with technical skills. It was recognised as the best in Guyana with the majority of graduates progressing into skilled and supervisory positions in GuySuCo after a period of

President Ali off to CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Belize PRESIDENT Dr Irfaan Ali departed Guyana on Sunday to attend the Thirty-Third Inter-Sessional Meeting of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister of Belize, John Antonio Briceño, the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting is scheduled to take place from March 1-2.

According to information from the CARICOM Secre-

tariat, the Opening Session on Tuesday will feature remarks by CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett; outgoing CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne; and CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister Briceño.

The opening session begins at 10:00 hrs (Belize Time).

During the two-day meeting, President Ali will join other Heads of Government from across the Region in deliberating on several mat-

ters, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Region; advancing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy to help build a more resilient Community; and advancing the CARICOM Agri-Food Systems Agency, with emphasis on regional food and nutrition security.

It is also expected that the leaders will engage the regional private sector, labour and civil society; and discuss climate change action following last year’s COP-26 and the security situation in the Region.

12 new COVID-19 cases recorded

EVEN as the government continues to implement systems to tackle the deadly COVID-19 disease, 12 more persons have been tested positive, taking Guyana’s overall confirmed cases to 62,903 since the first case was recorded in March 2020.

No new COVID-19 related deaths were recorded within the last 24 hours.

There are currently 662 active COVID-19 cases in Guyana, following the 12 new cases which were recorded in Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six. Regions One, Two, Three

and Six recorded one new case each; Regions Four and Five recorded six and two cases each, respectively.

Of the active cases, 10 persons are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the National Infectious Diseases Hospital, Liliendaal; 31 are in institutional isolation; 609 are in home isolation, and 12 are in institutional quarantine.

Many of the persons infected with the virus are said to be asymptomatic, that is, they are not exhibiting symptoms.

The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures are in

force until today, February 28, 2021. They may be extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Health, after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions of the pandemic.

As per the current measures, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes, and physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are recommended.

Persons with symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline numbers: 231-1166; 226-7480; or 180/181 for assistance.

consolidation in their jobs, on completion of apprenticeship.

Meanwhile, Nandlall said he interacted with a number of people of all ages in various villages across the East Coast of Demerara and urged them to get on board with the government’s scholarship programmes in order to take advantage of the opportunities that are to come.

“We have to educate our people, we have to technically qualify our people so that we can… take advantage of the opportunities that are going to be opened.”

LOCAL CONTENT And he noted that those were the principles that inspired the passage of Guyana’s historic Local Content legislation; a key factor of that piece of legislation was that companies must employ Guyanese and must allow Guyanese

companies to participate in the country’s nascent oil and gas sector.

The legislation, he said, stipulates that the majority shareholding of a company along with management and employment across the board must be 85 per cent Guyanese.

However, the Attorney-General indicated that the law also allows companies to employ foreigners if local skills are not available.

And as such, it was the responsibility of all Guyanese to ensure that the local skills and services are there, Nandlall said.

“It is our collective responsibility, therefore, to ensure that there is capacity building and the local skills and the local services are available to keep out the foreigners or else we will have to shut down the industry and we don’t want that.”

In further driving the point of education and qualifications being a necessity,

Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall SC (Delano Williams photo) Nandlall used the village of Plaisance on the East Coast of Demerara as an example, noting that while vendors prepared great food, many of them do not have a food handler’s certificate.

“Nobody there has a certificate. So, when the eight branded hotels come and they’re coming within the next three years and they want 25 chefs to be employed, we got the best cook but no qualification.

How [are] you going to compel the people to hire you without certification?” the Attorney-General pointed out.

He reiterated that Guyana is rich and ripe with opportunities and so the citizens and the government should work together to ensure that everyone benefits from the wealth to come.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

Parents! Put down your cellphones

YES, it is a fast-paced, ever-changing world, and yes, we would all like to feel a part of it, but not to the detriment of our children.

Many parents engrossed in their cell phones are neglecting their children daily. With their laughing and ‘talking people’s name’, frolicking and non-important conversations, they fail to realise they are not only setting a poor example but creating a strained parent/ child relationship.

A child would not confide in or take a problem to a parent who is always on his/ her phone. Neither would the child take the parent seriously at times when it matters - such as teaching essential morals and values or sharing life skills. A child might respect his parent, but the child’s life is affected when the parent is constantly on his/her cell phone. Cunning children will use their parent’s ‘phone time’ to get up to all sorts of mischief. These parents generate an adverse environment, which negatively impacts their children.

Cellphones are additive.

In many cases, they are a person’s best friend. For such persons, it is hard to imagine life without a cell phone.

They provide up-to-date sensational news items, entertainment, endless information and connections worldwide.

But parents distracted by cellphones around children is more widespread than need be. The nurturing of children must take precedence over devices and technology.

Spending hours on their phone around children may seem harmless to adults, especially when the children are equally as occupied, doing their own thing; but it kills the art of conversation before initiation, and there are long-term effects. Research shows that the parenting and child outcomes can be low sensitivity and awareness and limited verbal and non-verbal exchanges. such could lead to discontentment with time spent together as a family and less organised parenting (and co-parenting). It also stands to reason that behavioural problems in children could arise from neglect due to adult cell phone

addiction.

While some people need to use cell phones around children for working and studying, adults must designate a specific time to family each day. Children should be aware that the device is a necessary tool, during this time, rather than a plaything.

The adage says: There is a time for everything.

Parents need to take a wholesome look at their behaviour and see if it needs to be modified. How do they appear to their children? Can they justify spending hours on the phone listening to a friend talking meaningless garbage instead of spending time with their children? An excellent way to judge worthwhile communication is by asking yourself what you gained from the interaction or the message you took five minutes to read. How much have you grown or been enlightened?

Deep inside, some children may believe their parents prefers their cell phones to them - remember they are children trying to make sense of an adult world. They don’t

know how to say, ‘Hey, I need your attention, and I need it now!’ Or suggest that parents get their priorities in order and use their cell phones in moderation when they are around. No, as usual, when adults are inconsiderate, children suffer.

When parents are lonely, bored or stressed, they may turn to their cell phones for comfort and recreation. After a hard day’s work, adults spend time catching up on events on their phones and do so before they think of their children - disregarding their children’s well-being, to which they are obligated.

Cell phones can displace time that parents should spend with children. Parents must remember children need to off-load too. And who better for a child to talk to than a parent (who is not attached to his/her phone).

Most adults are unaware of the emotional stress accompanying their excessive device use. They multi-task between their phone and parenting daily, and many deny that child neglect is an issue - or their phones have an

unfavourable effect on their lives. They fail to see how incoming communication during family time, bedtime, mealtime or storytime distracts from ‘quality time’. A time meant for sharing, bonding, loving and nurturing is sullied by the consistent and ever-present ping or ring from a cell phone.

Children would benefit if parents turned off their phones at specific times and concentrated more on family life. Parents can develop healthy ‘device-using’ lifestyles for themselves and their children, with a bit of old-fashioned imagination.

They can learn to ‘use’ their phones wisely instead of allowing their phones to use them.

Some people have become highly dependent on their devices without realising or acknowledging their transition. So much so that what they see, hear and watch on them shapes their moods, lives and sense of reality.

Too much cell phone use may be a strong habit that some adults find hard to

break. But it can be overcome in time, with determination and for the sake of children and stable family life. When adults model positive traits, their children follow, but once the time is wasted on idle pursuits, it cannot be regained.

It is incredible how parents can make time for the things they choose to make time for - however, family life should come first. Spend time playing together, hugging, talking, joking, eating, laughing, interacting, phone free. When more time is paid to children than devices, everyone benefits in the long run.

Challenge yourself today, switch off your phone and give your children some love.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL SECURITY

Gov’t monitoring scholarship students in Russia – Foreign Secretary THE government is closely monitoring the welfare of Guyanese scholarship students in Moscow, Russia, following that country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Guyana’s Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud told reporters Sunday, that the 11 students remain unscathed in the country’s capital.

Persaud was at the time speaking on the sidelines of the unveiling ceremony for the 50th anniversary logo, to commemorate half century of bilateral friendship between Guyana and China. The event was held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.

“The Ministry of [the] Public Service which

handles scholarships is in touch with the 11 students that [sic] are in Moscow, Russia and they are in contact on a daily basis.”

Persaud said the minister, Sonia Parag, herself is directly involved in updating and interacting with the students.

“And it is a situation that is constantly being monitored as we speak and the Ministry of [the] Public Service with the support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are collaborating to ensuring [sic] that the welfare of our students is paramount and that we stay in touch,” the Foreign Secretary underscored.

Persaud said it is government’s wish for the situation to remain under

Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud control. However, he added that the administration is already crafting measures, should things get worse.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, has already met with Russia’s Ambassador to Guyana and the issue of the students’ welfare was raised.

Russia last week launched a devastating attack on Ukraine via air, land, and sea.

Ukraine is said to be a European democracy of about 44 million people.

(Modified from DPI)

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Companies accessing Local Content Registry - after swift activation of Local Content Secretariat by authorities

WITH an abundance of opportunities available and on the horizon, companies have started positioning themselves to benefit from the bounties by accessing the Local Content Registry, which is being governed by the recently activated Local Content Secretariat.

This was according to

sector.

As outlined by various authorities, the registers will be used as a way to bring together local expertise, human capital and businesses, including those operating in the oil and gas sector. The registers are currently available and accessible online via the Ministry of Natural Resources’ website.

“When we were considering the Local Content Act, one of the recurring issues that arose was the question of ensuring that Guyanese businesses are not in a disadvantageous position relative to their international counterparts in competing for contracts with the oil and gas sector.

“This could arise, for example, where the sec-

A Guyanese participating in activities within the local oil and gas sector the Private Sector Commission (PSC), which related that it supports the swift operationalisation of the secretariat and the relevant mechanisms that facilitate the execution of its mandate.

“The commission is pleased that the registration portal was launched last Tuesday and note that companies have already been accessing the registration process,” the PSC said in a statement.

The register being accessed by companies is one of two, with the other catering to individuals who are seeking employment in the oil and gas

The creation of those registers was possible because of the historic enactment of the Local Content Act in December 2021.

The new law earmarks 40 sectors or services and stipulates a minimum percentage of the total value of expenditure on those services that oil companies and their sub-contractors must procure from Guyanese suppliers.

In doing so, the Act provides an enabling framework for the development and expansion of Guyanese companies and, most importantly, business and job opportunities for Guyanese nationals

tor is procuring a service and the international companies tendering to supply that service enjoy a particular tax treatment on the importation of their capital equipment to provide that service that Guyanese companies might not enjoy,” Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, said during his presentation of Budget 2022 to the National Assembly on January 26.

He went on to say that, in the interest of ensuring that Guyanese businesses could compete successfully under the new lo-

cal content framework, the government will take steps wherever practicable to minimise disparities arising from the tax system that will disadvantage Guyanese businesses.

This will help improve the competitiveness of Guyanese companies, help secure business opportunities for them, and thereby create jobs for Guyanese nationals.

HIGHER PRIORITY “Local content in the extractive industries is being given ever higher priority by host governments through a wide array of policy instruments.

And oil, gas and mining companies now rate local content among the most significant expectations in the communities in which they operate,” Lead Energy Economist at the World Bank, Silvana Tordo, had said in a special report.

According to the World Bank, policies that govern local content are part of a broader category of policy interventions aimed at strengthening the productive structure of a particular economy.

Speaking recently on the topic of local content, Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, called for citizens to have protected opportunities to participate in the patrimony of their countries.

The Barbados Prime Minister said if opportunities are not provided for citizens to participate meaningfully in their country’s development, there could be disruption.

“You cannot move from being a highly indebted, poor country to being where you are today without being given the opportunity first to

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat bring along your people who have suffered the indignity of that poverty for decades, but secondly without being given the opportunity to participate globally in discussions that will affect your ability to manage the development of your people,” Mottley said.

Guyana’s Minister of Natural Resources, Vick-

ram Bharrat, had said that the new local content legislation was finalised after extensive consultations with civil society, the private sector, as well as the oil and gas companies operating in Guyana.

“This legislation is a way of moving our developmental agenda forward,” Minister Bharrat TURN TO PAGE 12

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

Second International Energy Conference billed for February 2023

BUILDING on the success of Guyana’s flagship International Energy Conference and Expo, organisers have announced that the now annual event will be held again on February 14 through February 17, 2023.

This announcement was made during a post conference press briefing hosted by the event’s Director of Communications, Alex Graham.

Graham and his team dubbed the four-day confab a massive success.

This, he said was measured in several key areas.

Those areas are: * Creating an environment for B2B (Business to Business) engagements * Facilitating the four Ps – policymakers, professionals, practitioners, professors * Bringing the biggest names in the oil and gas and energy sector to an audience in Guyana, with presentations from Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ExxonMobil, Darren Woods; CEO of Hess Corporation, John Hess; CEO of Eco Atlantic, Gil Holzman; Vice Chairman, Daniel Yergin * Broadening the discussion from oil and gas to energy and suitability, hence the theme of the conference, “Charting a sustainable energy future” * Organisers facilitated B2b in which big opportunities were cre-

Guyana’s flagship International Energy Conference and Expo was packed with powerful presentations and insightful engagements (Adrian Narine photo) ated for small businesses * An environment for further facilitating government-to-government conversations about the specific issues was also facilitated * Several business agreements were inked * Opportunities for small businesses and artisans to showcase their products were also created * Booths were set up for the Ministry of Labour and the National Insurance Scheme to educate the public about those agencies’ mandate

* A webinar was created for academics and students of the University of Guyana with the aim of them benefitting from the presentations and panel discussions * Businesses gained the opportunity to meet with several governments to discuss opportunities for investment and expansion * The event was pulled off and managed by young Guyanese.

The oil and gas industry has been dominating conversations, Graham noted, adding, however,

that oil and gas is just one component of the energy future.

“We live in a critical age and time where climate change and sustainability are issues that must be addressed. And so, the energy conversation is an important one because it puts us well beyond oil and gas. Oil and gas is significant, but it is only seen as a part of the broader energy mix,” Graham said.

He added: “We are not going to work at minimum standards. That is going to the direction op-

posite to where we want to go. Our efforts are going to be to increase the opportunities for access that local businesses have.

That is what our goal is and that is why I talk about B2b. The participation and opportunities for Guyanese businesses do not equate to a booth count.”

Conference CEO, Angenie Abel, spoke of her expectations of next year’s conference. “[My expectations] would be the inclusion of more industries and how they would adopt

sustainable measures. We want to see more sectors involved – the mining and logging sector and just to build on the conversations that were already fostered,” she said.

This year’s conference saw attendance and presentations from President Dr. Irfaan Ali; President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo; President of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santohki and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley. There were over 170 exhibitors and over 500 delegates.

Companies accessing Local Content...

FROM PAGE 11

said, adding: “We believe that Guyanese must benefit from this new sector. We might not have the knowledge and requisite skills now, but I am sure that in years to come, and with the programmes that the government is putting in place, both in the hu-

man resource capacity as well as the capacity in our local private sector to ensure that they place a meaningful role in the oil and gas sector and bring true benefits to Guyanese and Guyanese businesses.”

To advance further consultations and discussions on better con-

ditions for Guyanese and businesses the PSC has established a Local Content Advisory Group, chaired by Shyam Nokta.

Other members of the group are Chairman of the PSC, Paul Cheong; President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and

Industry (GCCI), Timothy Tucker; Executive Director of GCCI, Richard Rambarran; Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham)’s Local Content Committee, Joel Bhagwandin and Director at AmCham and Women in Oil and Gas, Dr. Mellissa Var-

swyk.

The advisory group, according to the PSC, will coordinate and advance the local content efforts of the PSC and its member organisations and businesses.

“The PSC will continue to work in close coordination with the Government of Guy-

ana, the oil and gas operators, the Centre for Local Business Development, businesses, and other stakeholders in order to train and educate the Guyanese labour force to take full advantage of the local content opportunities,” the private sector body said.

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Beyond oil and gas: Who’ll lose from Russia-Ukraine trade fallout

(Bloomberg) RUSSIA’S invasion of Ukraine has sparked Europe’s largest land war since 1945, raising the prospect of an exodus of refugees and posing a serious threat to global trade flows.

While the focus is on Russia’s energy exports, there are plenty of other potential chokepoints, ranging from food staples and strategic metals to luxury items.

In all, more than 130 economies have at least one good or commodity import that is predominantly sourced from Russia, Ukraine and neighbouring Belarus, which Moscow is using as a base for some of its forces, according to a Bloomberg News analysis of figures since 2019 from the United Nations’ Comtrade database for global trade.

The U.S., European Union and U.K. have so far focused their sanctions on Russia’s financial sector, billionaires and political elites—giving a pass to the country’s energy industry, which continues to pump natural gas to heavily-reliant European customers.

Yet Western leaders have said that all options remain on the table. And there are signs that even China, a close ally of Russia, may be applying a squeeze, with several staterun banks curbing financing for purchases of Russian commodities.

- wheat and metals are among other key exports to watch

Value of imports from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine in categories they dominated in 2019 and 2020 (UN Comtrade) As well as being an energy giant, Russia is also a major producer of base and precious metals. Ukraine is one of the world’s largest agricultural exporters.

Finland gets more than 90 per cent of its nickel imports from Russia, which also supplies nearly half of Turkey’s aluminum imports. The U.K. is by far the largest buyer of Russian

gold, to the tune of $17 billion in 2020.

Even the U.S. may have some exposure. In 2020, the U.S. bought 3.5 million metric tonnes of pig iron—a key ingredient in the production of steel—from Russia and the Ukraine. That amounted to three-quarters of its overall imports of the metal that year, and was equivalent

to 19 per cent of domestic output.

Egypt and Turkey both get more than 50 per cent of their wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine. India and China import hundreds of millions of dollars of sunflower and cotton-seed oils from the Ukraine. In 2019, both Brazil and China sourced at least 30 per cent of their fertiliser im-

ports from Russia and Belarus, collectively worth $4.3 billion, with the U.S. and India also major buyers.

For a few countries and products, Russia is a major customer, and there’s a risk that demand could be hurt by future sanctions and other economic fallout.

One example: The more than $5 billion in fur coats, clothing and

accessories that Russians bought from Chinese manufacturers in 2019 and 2020—nearly twothirds of their overseas sales. Ecuador sells almost 20 per cent of its bananas, worth more than $600 million annually, to Russia. The country is also a key market for Finnish nuclear-reactor parts.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

Tea can help transform ‘agri-food’ systems to end poverty, hunger

(FAO) THE economic importance of the tea industry has grown during the pandemic but it must confront key challenges, Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Director-General, QU Dongyu, has said.

The tea industry could play an important part in the transformation of global agri-food systems, but it must overcome significant challenges, Dongyu said in opening remarks to the 24th Session of FAO’s Intergovernmental Group on Tea. Tea is a labour intensive sector that provides jobs and income to many of the poorest rural communities in the world, including women and their

families. Smallholder farmers and farming households produce 60 per cent of the global tea output.

This makes tea an important contributor to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

In addition, tea export earnings represent an important source of revenue, especially for many lowincome countries that need foreign exchange to pay for their food import bills and to buy goods and services from world markets.

“To end world hunger and poverty it is critical that we transform our agri-food systems, and tea can play a role in this transformation,” Qu told the meeting, attended by government experts, officials and international

Tea is a labour-intensive sector that provides jobs and incomes to many of the poorest rural communities in the world observers.

Tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world after water and represents an important economic activity, with the value of global tea production estimated at around US$17 billion, while trade is valued at about US$8 billion annually, according to FAO statistics.

The Director-General also noted that tea has an important social dimension; it brings people together to share stories, build friendships and overcome differences.

The data show an increase in the consumption of tea during the pandemic lockdowns as people took comfort in a warm cup of tea during the most difficult moments, he added.

Yet, the FAO DirectorGeneral said the sector faces a number of challenges that require urgent attention,

highlighting: * the impacts of the climate crisis * the need to improve the sustainability of the tea supply chain * the low levels of productivity * the price-cost pressure faced by actors along the value chain.

Moreover, tea production can lead to further erosion of natural resources, particularly soils and water. Deforestation, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion and water contamination are some of the challenges that need urgent attention. But the sector also has its vulnerabilities, with tea bushes subject to recurrent infestations by pests and diseases, which reduce yields and harvests. For example, the brown blight disease of tea can result in significant losses in production and

income.

Smallholders need technical and financial support to invest in pest and diseaseresistant varieties, and to achieve sustainable productivity growth. The Confederation of International Tea Smallholders can provide valuable support in this regard, Qu said.

FAO’s Strategic Framework aimed at achieving better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all, leaving no one behind, can support the transformation of the tea sector, he noted, adding that the tea sector can contribute to achieving the Four Betters.

To mark last year’s World Food Day, FAO convened a Dialogue on Tea and Coffee, exploring the cultural and economic significance of both beverages.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

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West Indies Women suffer heavy defeat in warm-up match CMC – Captain Stafanie Taylor struck a half-century but a timid West Indies run chase saw them go down by 90 runs to Australia in their first official warm-up of the ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup. Asked to chase 260 at Lincoln Green on Sunday, West Indies limped to 169 for nine from their 50 overs, Taylor punching 66 to lead an otherwise disappointing batting effort, a week out from their opening group stage campaign against host, New Zealand.

Hayley Matthews, 24, and Chedean Nation, 20, both had starts but failed to convert as Ellyse Perry (26), Tahlia McGrath (2-17), Analana King (2-18) and Annabel Sutherland (2-19) finished with two wickets each.

Earlier, Australia compiled 259 for seven after being sent in, with Perry (62) and Sutherland (54 not out) lashing half-centuries.

Rachael Haynes punched 36 to dominate a 42-run opening stand with Alyssa Healy (20), before putting on

Captain Stafanie Taylor a further 41-run, third wicket stand with Perry after Australia lost two quick wickets.

Perry struck five fours and a six off 77 deliveries, posting 46 for the fourth wicket with Beth Mooney (20) but West Indies hit back with three wickets for 30 runs to leave the Aussies 170 for six in the 40th over.

However, McGrath hit four fours in a 43-ball cameo to underpin an 82-run, seventh wicket stand with Sutherland who plundered half-dozen fours and two sixes, as the threat from West Indies faded at the back end.

Taylor claimed three for 51 while fellow off-spinners, Hayley Matthews (2-45) and Anisa Mohammed (2-45)

SCOREBOARD AUSTRALIA R Haynes c Selman b Taylor 36 +A Healy c Alleyne b Mohammed 20 *M Lanning b Mohammad 3 E Perry c Matthews b Taylor 62 B Mooney b Taylor 22 T McGrath c Campbelle b Matthews 40 A Gardner b Matthews 7 A Sutherland not out 54 N Carey not out 5 Extras (lb2, w7, nb1) 10 TOTAL (7 wkts, 50 overs) 259 Did not bat: J Jonassen, A King.

Fall of wickets: 1-42 , 2-48, 3-89, 4-135, 5-159, 6-170, 7-252.

Bowling: Connell 5-0-24-0, Matthews 9-1-45-2, Alleyne 4-023-0, Mohammed 10-0-45-2, Selman 7-1-44-0, Taylor 10-0-513, Fletcher 5-0-25-0.

WEST INDIES D Dottin lbw b Perry 18 R Williams ret. hurt 6 K Knight b Perry 0 *S Taylor c Haynes b Sutherland 66 H Matthews c Sutherland b King 24 S Campbelle c Schutt b King 0 C Nation c Carey b Gardner 20 C Henry c Jonssen b Sutherland 4 A Alleyne not out 14 A Mohammed c Haynes b McGrath 8 S Connell c Jonassen b McGrath 2 Extras (lb1, w6) 7 TOTAL ( 9 wkts, 50 overs) 169 Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-22, 3-76, 4-82, 5-131, 6-143, 7-144, 8-163, 9-167 Bowling: Schutt 5-0-14-0, Brown 6-0-24-0, Perry 3-0-6-2, Sutherland 6-0-19-2, McGrath 5-0-17-2, King 7-1-18-2, Carey 7-0-19-0, Jonassen 6-0-36-0, Gardner 5-0-15-1

supported with two wickets apiece.

In reply, the Caribbean side plunged to 22 for two in the seventh over and when Rahada retired hurt for six in the 13th over with the score on 33, the innings was in strife.

Taylor, who faced 86 balls and counted nine fours, stitched together a 43-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Matthews before adding 49 for the fifth with Nation.

Nation’s demise, however, saw the West Indies challenge fizzled out quickly.

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Grandhomme’s century helps New Zealand chip away at South Africa

(ESPNCRICINFO) - Colin de Grandhomme’s second Test century and a 133-run sixth-wicket stand with Daryl Mitchell allowed New Zealand to chip away at a sizeable South African first innings score, but they eventually conceded a 71-run lead.

This was mainly due to Kagiso Rabada’s 11th Test five-for, which included two wickets in two balls, on a cold, cloudy, seamer-friendly day in Christchurch. Then

with the bat, South Africa lost five wickets but had stretched their lead to 211 to firmly be in control of the Test.

Already, New Zealand will have to pull off the highest successful chase at this ground if they are to take the series. And they may fancy themselves to do so, too. For starters, there’s plenty of time left, and though there is something in the surface for both the quicks and Keshav Maharaj,

run-scoring is far from impossible.

South Africa were rescued by a half-century stand from Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma after they slumped to 38 for 3 before tea. Then Neil Wagner, as he often does, broke open the door for New Zealand in a terrific spell of shortpitched bowling to dismiss the set batters to bring the hosts back in contention.

South Africa too stuck to a short-ball plan for most of

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the third day and dismissed New Zealand before the second new ball was due. de Grandhomme picked up where he left off on Saturday, blazing the first delivery to the boundary and continuing to attack his way to a century. Mitchell, who played second fiddle for much of his time on Saturday, also cashed in. He hit Kagiso Rabada’s third ball over midwicket and topedged a hook off Jansen to force South Africa to rethink their bang-it-in lengths.

Mitchell brought up his third fifty with a neat clip off his toes and then raised the century stand with a leg-glance to fine leg. At the other end, de Grandhomme greeted Wiaan Muller with back-to-back fours to surge into the 70s. Soon enough, Dean Elgar turned to Maharaj, the match’s only specialist spinner. He didn’t fare better either, being welcomed with a paddle.

Maharaj’s persistence paid when he had Mitchell lbw, ball-tracking showed

it would’ve hit the middle of middle stump. He could have had a second but Kyle Jamieson was reprieved at silly point. de Grandhomme soon brought up his century off 138 balls. After taking just 36 deliveries for his first fifty, the all-rounder showed a more patient side in getting to his second. He was dropped by Kyle Verreynne six balls later, when he gloved a pull off Jansen.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

India sweep Sri Lanka 3-0

(ESPNCricinfo) - Avesh Khan and Mohammed Siraj showed serious pace and skill in helpful conditions to blow away Sri Lanka’s top order, and there was no coming back from 29 for 4 - even after an unbeaten 38-ball 74 from Dasun Shanaka that transcended the circumstances, the conditions, and the ordinariness of his team-mates’ output.

Extras (24) was the second-highest scorer, and no Sri Lanka batter other than Shanaka (194.73) managed to score at even a run a ball.

Sri Lanka only set a target of 147, and it never really tested India, even though they went into this match a batter short and had Harshal Patel slotted at No. 7. Shreyas Iyer commanded the run-chase with

his third half-century in three games, and Ravindra Jadeja - who didn’t bowl a ball - scored an unbeaten 22 to ensure India’s lack of depth didn’t get tested.

India, who wrapped up the series 3-0 and completed their 12th successive T20I win, will now reflect on a triumphant shortest-format home season that has left them with a problem of plenty as far as selection for the T20 World Cup later in the year is concerned.

New approach, new problems Yesterday, Sri Lanka’s openers batted with caution to ensure they didn’t lose early wickets on a Dharamsala pitch that offered both bounce and seam movement when the ball was new. Their openers put on 67, and they eventually put

Shreyas Iyer makes room and plays the upper cut ( India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I, Dharamsala, February 27, 2022 © BCCI) up a total of 183, but India still won with 17 balls to spare.

Perhaps because of this, Sri Lanka’s top order took

more chances early on today, and that didn’t work either. The bounce made it particularly risky to try and hit good-length balls down the ground, and Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka were both dismissed while attempting to do so against Avesh and skying the ball off the high part of the bat. Danushka Gunathilaka had already inside-edged an attempted pull onto his stumps off Siraj by then, and Sri Lanka’s situation worsened further when Janith Liyanage was bowled through the gate by a Ravi Bishnoi googly in the ninth over. At 29 for 4, they were going nowhere.

Shanaka to the rescue Sri Lanka’s next two partnerships were worth 31 and an unbroken 86, but Dinesh Chandimal and, in particular, Chamika Karunaratne were mostly just spectators. Shanaka began cautiously, as he had to in the situation he walked into, and moved to 25 off 19 by the end of the 16th over.

Then, as he had done yesterday, he took India’s bowlers apart at the death with his clean hit-

ting, capitalising on width when he was offered any, and showing tremendous hitting range down the ground, especially when he used the power of his bottom wrist to shovel low full-tosses - which aren’t usually easy to hit - back over the bowler’s head.

Siraj, Bishnoi and Harshal Patel all went for plenty, and Avesh, who only conceded four runs in his first three overs, gave up 19 in his fourth. Sri Lanka took 56 off their last four overs, and they had something to bowl at.

Chameera gets Rohit again With Ishan Kishan ruled out after taking a blow to his helmet on Saturday, Rohit Sharma walked out with a new opening partner in Sanju Samson. Rohit adopted a similar approach to Sri Lanka’s top order, and, on the day, achieved similar results, skying a catch to mid-off while attempting to hit his nemesis, Dushmantha Chameera over the top. On this pitch, particularly against the new ball, the “hard” length for fast bowlers was a much larger patch on the pitch, extending fuller than it usually does in Indian conditions.

It was the sixth time Chameera had dismissed Rohit in T20Is. No other bowler has dismissed any batter even five times.

Shreyas takes over Shreyas is a lavishly gifted player, but his batting against high pace and shorter lengths has always come under the scanner.

Lahiru Kumara’s first ball was a 147kph rib-tickler that Samson tucked into the leg side for a single.

Shreyas, facing the next ball, gave himself yards of room, expecting a similar delivery with the field set for such a ball, with the two fielders outside the circle stationed at fine-leg and deep square-leg. The ball arrived exactly where Shreyas wanted it to, and he slashed it over point for four.

The next ball was over-corrected and overpitched, and Shreyas caressed it between cover point and extra-cover. He was looking in rare touch already, and with the target not a particularly challenging one, the question for India was how the rest of their inexperienced line-up would perform.

As it turned out, there were promising starts from Samson and Deepak Hooda, but they only made 18 and 21 respectively. When Venkatesh Iyer was fourth out in the 13th over, joining the long list of batters who succumbed to the extra bounce of this pitch, India needed 44 off 46 with six wickets in hand.

Another wicket might have brought Sri Lanka back into the contest, but the required rate was too low to push Shreyas and Jadeja into the sort of mistakes that would give them that opening.

The fifth-wicket pair saw India home with an unbroken stand of 45 off 27 balls, completing the job with 19 balls to spare.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

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Table Tennis team wings out today for Senior Caribbean Championships

Christopher Franklin Seven Table Tennis players and one coach from Guyana will depart today for Cuba where they will compete at the 62nd Caribbean Region Table Tennis Federation Senior Championship from March 3-8.

Current National champions, Christopher Franklin and Olympian, Chelsea Edghill, will lead the team with support from Shemar Britton, Jonathan Van Lange, Natalie Cummings, Miguel Wong, and Priscilla Greaves while Idi Lewis will act as coach.

For the men’s division, Guyana, Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, The Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, along with the host, will do battle while in the female category, those teams, ex-

Chelsea Edghill

Shemar Britton cluding Haiti, will compete.

Franklin and Guyana Table Tennis Association president, Godfrey Munroe, has expressed that the team has the utmost ability to produce a strong showing and return as the best team from the English-speaking

Miguel Wong Caribbean.

The last Senior Caribbean Championship was held in Guyana in 2019, and the host finished second to the Dominican Republic.

Guyana secured 10 medals -- gaining a medal in each event except the

Guyana start CONCACAF women’s U20 on a winning note - face Mexico tonight in second match

Group F started Saturday at the ongoing CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship in the Dominican Republic, and Guyana’s Lady Jags got a positive start by defeating Honduras 2-0.

Samantha Banfield gave Guyana the lead in the 45’+4, and that proved the only goal for much of the second-half until Andrey Narine doubled the advantage (90+1).

Attention now turns to

Mexico who they face tonight from 19:00h, followed by the final group game against Panama on Wednesday from 19:00h.

The top three teams from each of the four groups will progress to Round of 16, alongside four additional qualifiers.

Alongside the top 16 ranked sides in the region, Guyana qualified automatically for this year’s tournament as it is regarded by

CONCACAF as the 10th strongest nation in this age and gender group in the Caribbean, and Central and North America.

Guyana is making its second consecutive appearance at the regional championship, having reached the quarter-finals in its first outing at this level in 2020 – just two games shy of qualifying for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Natalie Cummings

Jonathan Van Lange female Under-21 Singles.

This year, the Senior Championship will have no Under-21 category, owing to COVID-19 restrictions

and the raising of the Under-18 to Under-19 age group.

Additionally, the Guyanese contingent would also

Priscilla Greaves look for a high placement to secure a spot at the Commonwealth Games to be held in England from July 28 – August 8.

CWI pays tribute to Sonny Ramadhin Cricket West Indies (CWI) today paid tribute to Sonny Ramadhin, the legendary spin bowler who passed away at age 92.

Ramadhin was an outstanding match-winner and formed a famous partnership with left-arm spinner, Alf Valentine, throughout their careers.

They were a crucial part of the team which led West Indies to a famous 3-1 series win against England in 1950.

Ramadhin had the remarkable match figures of 11 wickets for 152 runs in the historic win at Lords – West Indies first Test match win in England.

CWI President, Ricky Skerritt said: “On behalf

of CWI, I want to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Sonny Ramadhin, one of the great pioneers of West Indies cricket. Mr Ramadhin made an impact from the moment he first stepped onto the field of world cricket. Many stories are told of his tremendous feats on the 1950 tour when he combined with Alf Valentine to form cricket’s ‘spin twins’ as West Indies conquered England away from home for the first time. This iconic tour is part of our rich cricket legacy, which was pioneered by Mr. Ramadhin and others of his generation. His English exploit was celebrated in a famous calypso – and is still remembered more than 70

years later. Today we salute Sonny Ramadhin for his outstanding contribution to West Indies cricket.”

Ramadhin was born in Trinidad on May 1, 1929.

He made his Test debut against England at Old Trafford in 1950 in the team, alongside the legendary Three Ws -- Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Everton Weekes and Sir Clyde Walcott.

H e p l a y e d 4 3 Te s t matches and took 158 wickets at an average of 28.98 each.

His best bowling figures were 7-49 against England at Edgbaston in 1957.

Overall, he played 184 first-class matches and captured 758 wickets at 20.24 each.

Guyana start CONCACAF women’s U20 on a winning note

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 28, 2022

SEE PAGE

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- face Mexico tonight in second match

Photo name: Celebrate Caption: Guyana Under-20 ladies celebrate at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Guyana Under-20 ladies celebrate at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

West Indies Women CWI pays tribute to Sonny Ramadhin suffer heavy defeat 23 in warm-up match SEE PAGE

SEE PAGE

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Captain Stafanie Taylor

Sonny Ramadhin

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2022