Issuu

THURSDAY 10th MARCH, 2022

No. 106658

Increase in fines, more stringent sanctions needed for delinquent road users, says Minister Benn

SEE PAGE

$237M concrete-making factory for Little Diamond SEE PAGE

Oil prices plunge

Photo credit: BBC/Reuters image

- as UAE supports supply boost SEE PAGE

AG appeals judge’s decision to proceed with hearing of PSC case SEE PAGE

PAHO Director: “Too soon to lower our guard” SEE PAGE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

AG appeals judge’s decision to proceed with hearing of PSC case

HIGH Court Judge, Gino Persaud By Clestine Juan ATTORNEY-General Anil Nadlall, S.C., has moved to the Full Court to challenge the decision of High Court Judge, Gino Persaud, to proceed with the hearing of the constitutional action filed by the now expired Police Service Commission (PSC).

On Wednesday, Justice Persaud, who sits at the Demerara High Court, threw out the application made by Nandlall to strike out the substantive matter filed by the PSC. The PSC is challenging its suspension by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, a move which it claims was “unconstitutional”. The judge said that he is

of the considered view that the substantive issue of the legality of the suspension of the body’s commissioners should be heard and determined on its merits as the matter is of public interest. “Judicial review is also concerned with deciding whether there has been a plain excess of jurisdiction or not – whether a decision is lawful or not, whether a decision is ultra vires or not. This cannot be automatically dissolved or whittled away with the end of the tenure of the commissioners,” he said during a virtual ruling which lasted less than 15 minutes. According to Justice Persaud, not hearing the matter would leave the legality of the suspension hanging, never to be adjudicated upon simply because of the inescapable fact that the life of the commissioners came to an end after the proceedings were filed. “This does not seem to me either logical or fair but rather an affront to fairness, natural

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C justice, access to justice and indeed the rule of law,” he added. He explained to the respective parties that the hearing and determination of the case would serve to bring clarity to the role of the Executive in such instances and ensure that the constitutionally-granted autonomy of the PSC remains protected. The judge, in his ruling, also said that from the outset, the suspended commissioners were not properly advised to institute the proceedings which were filed on July 16, 2021, in the name of the PSC given the fact that they were suspended and they were also obviously aware that the end of their three-year term was imminent. “They should have filed as individuals stating their capacities albeit a suspended one. The issue of whether this was fatal or not will be addressed later,” he said. As such, the judge said former PSC chairman and former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe, has a sufficient interest and locus standi to continue the proceedings and be substituted as the applicant in the place and stead of the PSC. According to the judge, this will “facilitate the just and effective resolution of the matters in dispute before the court.” He also made no order as to costs since it is a matter of public interest. The AG was ordered to file an Affidavit in Defence for the substantive case by April 6, 2022, and Slowe is expected to file his reply, if necessary, by April 20. The parties shall simultaneously file, serve and email written submissions by May 4, 2022. A date is yet to be fixed by

the judge for oral addresses. MISINTERPRETATION Expeditiously, the AG moved to the Full Court of Demerara High Court and filed an appeal to challenge the ruling of Justice Persaud. In his grounds for appeal, which were released to the media last evening, Nandlall is arguing that Justice Persaud misinterpreted, misconstrued, and misapplied the important doctrine of “public interest litigation” in such a manner that his decision has resulted in a grave miscarriage of justice. Nandlall is also contending that the judge erred and misdirected himself in law by ruling that Slowe be substituted in place of the PSC, a constitutional body, for the purpose of continuing judicial review proceedings. Among other things, Nandlall is arguing that the judge’s decision to “potentially permit” Slowe, “a citizen, to usurp, interfere with, compromise, undermine, and assume” the functions of the PSC is unconstitutional. He is also of the view that the judge’s decision violates the doctrine of separation of powers and Article 226 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Chapter 1:01 of the Laws of Guyana. Last September, Justice Persaud ruled in favour of an interlocutory application filed by Nandlall, and ordered the removal of President Irfaan Ali as a respondent in the case filed by the PSC. Following that ruling, Nandlall made another application, this time for the PSC’s case to be dismissed since it was already “dead and nonexistent in law.” As it relates to the “dead” PSC, Nandlall explained that because the commission is a “constitutional creature” the court would not be able to appoint a substitute in its place. However, lawyer for the PSC, Dexter Smartt, said that the case touches on key issues such as the supreme power of the land, and the power of the President. “It is a matter of public importance and interest,” the attorney said as he explained that the case is a “peculiar proceeding.” The PSC’s application was filed in July 2021, the month after President Ali, based on advice from Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, and in accordance with Article 225 of the Constitution of Guyana, suspended the PSC Chairman and its members, pending

Former PSC chairman and former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe the findings of a tribunal that was to be established. The PSC is praying that the court grants a declaration that the purported suspension of Slowe and commissioners, Michael Somersall, Claire Alexis Jarvis, Vesta Adams, and Clinton Conway, from performing the functions of their respective offices in the Commission, were in violation of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana Articles 225(6) and 210(3), and therefore of no force or effect. Additionally, the applicant is seeking a further declaration from the court that the Prime Minister’s recommendations to the President for the removal of the PSC Chairman and its members from their respective offices at the commission were in violation of, and ultra vires, the Constitution and, in particular, Article 225(2), being made on grounds other than inability to discharge the functions of office or misbehaviour. In June 2021, Acting Chief Justice, Roxane George S.C., had struck out the legal challenge brought by five senior police officers against the PSC over the 2020 year-end police promotions. Following the CJ’s ruling, the Government of Guyana through the AttorneyGeneral and Minister of Legal Affairs issued a statement rejecting the PSC’s promotion list as unlawful and illegal. It noted that in the circumstances, the purported list of promotions will be ignored since the PSC was suspended. Finally, on August 8, 2021, the life of the five member PSC expired. The commission was sworn in by then President, David Granger, to serve for a period of three years – 2018 to 2021.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

$237M concrete-making factory for Little Diamond COGNISANT of the continuous growth of Guyana’s construction industry, locally owned business, S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc., will soon begin construction of a $237 million Concrete Batching Plant at Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara. At the factory, which will be located on 1.98 acres of land, pre-stressed and pre-cast concrete will be produced. Pre-cast concrete is a construction product produced by casting concrete in a reusable mold or “form” which is then cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site, and lifted into place. On the other hand, pre-stressed concrete is compressed during production. This major investment which is being solely funded by developer Suresh Jagmohan, is projected to have an annual turnover of $300 million.

According to a project summary submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the multimillion-dollar investment will provide jobs for 2025 for persons who are technical to highly skilled, semi-skilled and labourers. Some of the jobs include machine operators, drivers, delivery clerks and clerk of works. Jobs in management and finance will also be available. Additionally, at least two qualified civil engineers will be employed to deal with mix design, interpretations of drawings, pre-stressed components, quality control, and concrete batching. It is envisioned that the factory will be sustained for at least 15-20 years or for as long as possible, given the enormous capital investment. The two-storey steel frame and concrete building will be located at the northern side of the land parcel and will be approximately 205 feet wide and

Locally made concrete blocks 60 feet long. This investment is timely, given that the construction industry did very well in 2021. For the first half of that year, the

large number of public and private infrastructural projects, as well as the countrywide rehabilitation works, saw the industry recording an increase of

25.5 per cent. It was widely reported that from the housing sector to the agriculture sector, there has been mobilisation of resources from

both private and public sector stakeholders, who are laying the foundation to capitalise on whatever growth the industry experiences. Private projects, as reported, range from the construction of hotels and apartment complexes to shopping complexes and office buildings. In the public sector, aside from the construction of several low-income and young professional houses, there were upgrades to highways, main roads, and miscellaneous roads countrywide. This was supplemented by the commencement of construction of new roads. In addition to providing improved road facilities, the ongoing works have also added to the creation of thousands of jobs, bringing the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led administration closer to delivering on its promise to create at least 50,000 jobs within the next five years.

More than just a ‘mani-pedi’ - Vivaanta Ayurvedic Spa & Hair Salon celebrates third anniversary SINCE opening its doors in 2019, Vivaanta Ayurvedic Spa and Hair Salon has been giving Guyanese a unique spa experience by promoting health and wellness. Today, the company is celebrating its third anniversary in providing specialised services such as hair treatment, threading, skin care, body treatment, massage therapy, facials, nail

care, laser treatment and its most recent services which include non-invasive weight loss procedures such as coolsculpting. The company was established by father and son duo, Nitin and Karan Mehra (owner/ director), both of whom are from India. Vivaanta was established with a burning desire to introduce the ancient heritage of ayurvedic therapies to Guyana.

Karan, during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, said the company has created a perfect fusion between age-old therapies and modern spa technology. It is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Vivaanta introduces a totally new concept of care and cure, and according to Karan, To extreme right, directors/owners Nitin Mehra and Karan Mehra with family members “Vivaanta’s mission is to go above and beyond industry expectations to provide professional, high-quality services and products to everyone within and outside of our community.” He added: “Vivaanta ensures we do everything we can to accommodate the needs of our clients so that they feel as much a part of the Ayurvedic family as we do.” Additionally, the compa-

ny offers herbal care products and treatments are designed to remedy a host of skin and health-related issues. Since its founding in Guyana, Vivaanta has evolved, having become a proven leader in quality personal care services and products. “Our steady and continued success has grown out of our commitment to quality, continuous innovation, employee dedication and cus-

tomer loyalty. This has led us to establish a weight loss Centre in 2021 where we offer a variety of non-invasive, non-surgical fat reducing therapies. This latest initiative is led by an expert team of consultants, coaches and dietitians,” Karan said. Over the years operating in Guyana, the company has participated and sponsored a number of Guyanese activities including Rotary events.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Oil prices plunge as UAE supports supply boost

Oil prices have plunged after the United Arab Emirates said it supported increasing production. Brent crude, an international benchmark, fell more than 17 per cent at one point after the statement by the UAE, a member of the powerful oil cartel OPEC. The fall follows weeks of skyrocketing oil prices due to supply disruptions sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The rising prices have

Photo credit: moneycontrol

put a financial squeeze on families around the world. President Joe Biden and other leaders have pledged to try to ease the price pressures for households. Officials from the US have been in talks with oil producers aimed at boosting supply. “We favour production increases and will be encouraging OPEC to consider higher production levels,” Ambassador Yousuf Al Otaiba said in a statement tweeted by the UAE Embassy in Washington. Energy prices have been

soaring for more than a year amid a rapid rebound in demand for oil, which had collapsed during the pandemic. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine added new price pressures, as sanctions make it hard for the country - typically the producer of about seven per cent of global supplies - to find buyers for its oil. The US and Canada have also announced bans on Russian oil imports, while the UK said it would phase them out by the end of the year. Oil prices have jumped more than 30 per cent since 24 Feb, touching $139 (£105) at one point this week before falling back. Oil prices settled down about 12 per cent, at about $112 a barrel. The International Energy Agency (IEA) also recently agreed to release 60

million barrels of oil from strategic national reserves, but that move is not enough to respond to the recent runup in prices. The agency said on Wednesday that oil reserves may be tapped further. “If there’s a need, if our governments decide so, we can bring more oil to the markets, as one part of the response,” said EIA Chief Faith Birol. The UAE statement comes just one week after OPEC rebuffed calls to raise production levels, saying it would stick to an earlier plan to gradually increase output. Stocks in Asia jumped following gains in the US and Europe. Japan’s Nikkei index was more than three per cent higher while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong was up by 2.3 per cent (BBC).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Guyana has made significant strides in gender equality - Attorney-General

AS Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall SC extended his International Women’s Day greetings on Tuesday, he stated that though Guyana is a small country, a lot has been accomplished in the area of gender equality. Nandlall made these remarks during the Tuesday evening edition of his social media show, “Issues in the News”, where he stated that Guyana’s legal system has a number of mechanisms to prevent any form of discrimination against women. “That mechanism is enshrined in our most supreme law, the Constitution, as a fundamental right and freedom. No woman can be discriminated by the State of Guyana or any public sector or any public agency or any government or any public officer on the ground of gender or on any ground connected with gender,” the minister said. He added that in every sphere of activities at the level of the government and at the level of the State there are policies, mechanisms and protective safeguards against discrimination in any form against women on the basis

of gender. Giving further details on the advancements in this regard, the Attorney-General noted that Guyana has a Gender and Equality Commission as a constitutional body which was established to advance the cause of gender equality, among other functions. As such, he mentioned that there are very few countries in the world that have a constitutional commission of this type. He noted that it was in these moments that Guyanese must reflect on the accomplishments that the country has made. “We have a series of legislation on our statute books all designed exclusively to advance the cause of gender equality and to entrench equality of the sexes and to protect women and females from any form of discrimination whatsoever,” he noted. As an example, he highlighted Guyana’s equal rights act, the removal of discrimination act, employment and severance pay act, among others that he noted ensure that women’s rights are protected. “We have a commendable framework of legis-

Shackleton’s lost ship is found in Antarctic

Scientists have found and filmed one of the greatest ever undiscovered shipwrecks 107 years after it sank. The Endurance, the lost vessel of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, was found at the weekend at the bottom of the Weddell Sea. The ship was crushed by sea-ice and sank in 1915, forcing Shackleton and his men to make an astonishing escape on foot and in small boats.

tling constantly shifting sea-ice, blizzards, and temperatures dropping down to -18C. We have achieved what many people said was impossible.” Endurance was spotted in the Weddell Sea at a depth of 3,008m. For over two weeks, the subs had combed a predefined search area, investigating various interesting targets, before finally uncovering the wreck site on Saturday - the 100th

anniversary of Shackleton’s funeral. The days since the discovery have been spent making a detailed photographic record of the timbers and surrounding debris field. The wreck itself is a designated monument under the international Antarctic Treaty and must not be disturbed in any way. No physical artefacts have therefore been brought to the surface. (BBC)

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall lation, policies, concepts and mechanisms within our governmental architecture as well as within the State apparatus that aggregates to form a formidable protective network in respect of women and to advance the cause of gender equality,” the Attorney- General expressed To this end, he added that Guyanese must look at these institutional frameworks as they have allowed women to achieve and celebrate their accomplishments.

More help for patients who require dialysis

Supreme Distributors and Biomed Energy & Dialysis Inc., on Wednesday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Supreme Distributors will be donating a percentage of their sales for the entire month of March to Biomed Energy & Dialysis Inc. in observance of World Kidney Day. The money will go towards assisting patients who are suffering with kidney disease, to help them offset the cost of their dialysis treatment.

The Endurance was trapped in sea-ice for months before sinking to the deep in 1915 (BBC/GETTY IMAGES/SPRI photo) Video of the remains show Endurance to be in remarkable condition. Even though it has been sitting in 3km (10,000ft) of water for over a century, it looks just like it did on the November day it went down. Its timbers, although disrupted, are still very much together, and the name - Endurance - is clearly visible on the stern. “Without any exaggeration this is the finest wooden shipwreck I have ever seen - by far,” said marine archaeologist Mensun Bound, who is on the discovery expedition and has now fulfilled a dream ambition in his near 50-year career. “It is upright, well proud of the seabed, intact, and in a brilliant state of preservation,” he told BBC News. The project to find the lost ship was mounted by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust (FMHT), using a South African icebreaker, Agulhas II, and equipped with remotely operated submersibles. The mission’s leader, the veteran polar geographer Dr John Shears, described the moment cameras landed on the ship’s name as “jaw-dropping”. “The discovery of the wreck is an incredible achievement,” he added. “We have successfully completed the world’s most difficult shipwreck search, bat-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Guyana’s Territorial Integrity GUYANA has submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) a Memorial on the merits of its case against Venezuela as required by the ICJ following its December 18, 2020 ruling that it has jurisdiction to decide the merits of Guyana’s claims. According to a release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the matter is before the Court pursuant to the decision by the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations under the 1966 Geneva Agreement under which parties conferred upon the Secretary-General the authority to determine the means by which the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela shall be settled. As far as Guyana is concerned, the issue of the border between Guyana and Venezuela had long been determined by the Arbitral

Award of 1899, and such, a determination is not only legal but is also binding on the parties. Despite Venezuela’s refusal to accept the jurisdiction of the World Court, Guyana has proceeded to provide written submission on the merits of its case as required by law. In fact, the decision by the United Nations SecretaryGeneral to refer the matter to the ICJ was lauded by several regional and international bodies including the Caribbean Community and the Commonwealth Secretariat. At a meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana on September 2017, it welcomed the decision by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, to refer the long-standing controversy to the International Court of Justice, while noting that

the controversy has impacted the country’s economic development. The Caribbean Community has re-affirmed its full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana and has welcomed the judicial processes currently underway at the International Court of Justice to bring about a lasting and peaceful resolution of the border controversy. President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has made it abundantly clear that even though Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s territory is completely baseless and without merit, the country remains committed to a peaceful resolution to the matter within the framework of international law. Guyana, he said, will not be made a pawn in domestic politics of Venezuela. The President was referring to a so-called

‘accord’ between the Venezuelan Government and the political opposition on the border issue. This year marks the 56th anniversary of the 1966 Geneva Agreement which was originally signed by the British Government and the Government of Venezuela and which Guyana became a party to following the attainment of independence status in May 1966. A Mixed Commission was established with the task of ‘seeking satisfactory solutions for the practical solutions for the practical settlement of the controversy between Venezuela and the United Kingdom which has arisen as the result of the Venezuelan contention that the Arbitral Award of 1899 about the frontier between British Guiana and Venezuela is null and void.’ Within the framework of

the 1966 Geneva Agreement, the Secretary-General of the United Nations conducted Good Offices from 1990 to 1917. On March 29, 2018, Guyana filed an application instituting proceedings against Venezuela with the ICJ having regard to the protocols of the UN Good Offices mechanism and the 1966 Geneva Agreement. Guyana’s case is not only before the International Court of Justice but also in the court of world opinion. Support for Guyana by the international community has been overwhelming. President Ali and his PPP/C administration must be commended for the proactive role they are taking in ensuring the security of the Guyanese people and the country’s territorial integrity.

Some useful facts for Trotman

Dear Editor, Reference is made to a letter by former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman that appeared in Stabroek News edition of March 9, 2022. The Former Minister hastened to highlight that in 2018 when the Opposition was in government, the then Opposition, now in government, was invited to the first oil and gas expo to the extent of participating on the panel. He also reminded that the government, through his ministry, then instructed ExxonMobil to ensure the Opposition Leader is regularly updated on developments in the sector. Mr. Trotman went on to question that in the context of the President’s One Guyana Initiative by not including the Opposition on these key issues. However,

Mr. Trotman failed to highlight and acknowledge a few facts. First, as far as the President’s One Guyana is concerned, the President is passionate and genuine in achieving this and has taken actionable steps in so doing. The fact remains, however, that it is the Opposition that is confused and excludes itself. To this end, I would like to remind Mr. Trotman of the below facts he ought not to have discounted: Fact #1: In December 2020, just four months in office, His Excellency, Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali invited former President Granger to be part of a meeting of former Presidents (and perhaps for the creation of a former Presidents club), and Mr. Granger declined. This was a beautiful opportunity for inclusive governance with the Opposition. The agenda item for discussion was

to craft a proposal framework for development. Fact #2: Mr. Trotman spoke of providing regular updates to the Opposition Leader on the oil and gas sector, but there is no Opposition Leader. Who is the Opposition Leader? The Opposition Leader is a constitutional office. Fact# 3: The President has stated publicly that he is willing and ready to work with the Opposition within the framework of the constitutional requirement to do so. Fact#4: The President and, by extension, the government took a stance that they will engage with the Opposition Leader, but that person needs to recognise the legitimacy of the government. One would agree that if one is to work together towards mutual goal of national interest, there has to be mutual respect. In

2015 when the then government lost the elections, they were unhappy with the results and filed an elections petition. Though the government then as a political party contesting the elections felt it had evidence to support their view that the election result of 2015 suggest otherwise, they nonetheless handed over power, never called the Government an illegal government and illegal President and worked with the government. Fact#5: The Vice-President invited the Opposition to the Nationally Determined contribution consultation session and instead of contributing meaningfully, the representatives who the Opposition sent stormed the whole session taking the podium and cause mayhem. This was a consultation to formulate Guyana’s second NDC to UNFCCC to roll

out plans for climate change over the next 5 years. If we are going to work together and have true inclusive governance, at least, let integrity prevail and mutual respect. And this is important for the country’s political and economic stability. Finally, the Opposition knows this well especially the new leader of the Opposition party, that only a court of law can deem a government to be illegal or illegitimate. To date, this has not been done. Hence, it is with this in mind that I would like to urge the Opposition to desist from referring to the government as being illegal and installed, and work along with the government in the best interest of the country and the people. Yours sincerely, James Hamilton

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

When you consider Freddie Dictionary of Guyanese Kissoon’s arguments, he has points National Biography

Dear editor I make reference to the words of letter-writer Ms. Ryaan Shah in her letter in your newspaper of March 5, 2022. She observed; “The discussion about whether or not we should make allowances for the flaws of brilliant people who produce ground-breaking work continues, and there is no right or wrong answer to what is an individual choice, based on individual values and beliefs. Carter made choices during the PNC dictatorship that were probably a matter of survival. He was not alone in making difficult choices during the darkest days of Guyana’s recent history.” Ms Shah was referring to Mr. Alan Fenty’s reference to Freddie Kissoon’s analysis of Carter. I admit I read Mr. Kissoon but there is an equal amount of agreement and disagreement. Mr. Kissoon writes on everything under the sun some of which generates intense controversy.

I saw no controversy this time in Kissoon’s assessment of Carter. What I find troubling are the words of Ms. Shah quoted above. I am a retired school teacher with a Master’s Degree in Literature from London University. I live in the UK. I have never returned to Guyana after settling in the UK, and that is more than 40 years ago. I taught the poetry of Martin Carter to my students. As someone who with more than a passing interest in Guyanese politics due to my wife’s political passion, I have maintained a scholarly interest in Guyanese politics. My wife’s father was once very active in GAWU and came to know Cheddi Jagan very well. I never penned a letter to the press but the interest Carter generated by Mr. Kissoon caused me to respond to Ms. Shah. I never thought of examining the politics of Martin Carter until the Christmas season of 2016 when I read in the online edition of the Kaieteur News,

Warne, Ramadhin and Marsh God made the Universe To revolve around a spin: The Earth upon its axis Spinning around the Sun Each atom in its makeup With electrons that seem to spin. He wanted to see spin performed At His creation’s highest order So He picked the best from recent and the best from recent past One turning from the leg The other turning from the off. Since these were among the wiliest And often beat the best defences He needed a wicketkeeper Who could keep up with their guile. So He sent a call-up for Shane Warne And Sonny Ramadhin And Rodney Marsh And said to them: I want you to play to the biggest house, The Lord’s gallery at the Field of Lords. Shane bowled from the Warne end And Sonny from the Ramadhin end With Rodney Marsh behind the stumps And a bevy of batting angels Including Sir Don, Sir Len and Sir Frank, Paid homage to the spinning ball. St Peter gave them life membership To the greatest cricket club of all Where the spinning ball weaves magic When wrists and fingers somersault. Rest in Peace, our heroes all. Tulsi Dyal Singh, MD Midland, Texas, USA

an article by someone named Dennis Nichols. It opened my eyes. I never ever reflected on this aspect of Carter’s life. Mr. or Dr. Nichols used the word incongruity in referring to Martin Carter hobnobbing with the colonials of Guyana while engaged in anti-colonial politics. Mr. or Dr. Nichols pointed out to readers that Caribbean scholar, Bruce Paddington, had put the question to Carter of his being friends with the top colonial elites in British Guiana like Sir Anthony Tasker and Sir Jock Campbell. Carter’s reply was; “The human aspects of their lives were more important to me.” This information is taken from the West Indian Journal, Caribbean Beat, Issue 13, Spring 1995. Ms. Shah needs to take this statement into consideration when she writes further on Carter. My own experience in London here is instructive. I became very close to a friend who was White through our membership in the same cricket club. This man was very nice to me and had very good qualities. It was when he ran for a council seat, his background became known to our family. He had a history of anti-immigration politics and involved in racist politics. When I spoke to him during the campaign because our family wanted to campaign for him, he told me in those days it was a matter of survival. It was when I read those words of Ms. Shah, I thought of doing this letter. She raised a very important point that may have no answer. I guess someone like Freddie Kissoon has answers for everything complex in this world. He would condemn Carter outright. I suppose people with the mind-set of Mr. Kissoon would use the moral argument that wrong is wrong. As to Mr. Kissoon’s point that Carter was a spy for the British Government, this is the first time I think Guyanese are hearing about it. Mr. Kissoon supplied no [proof] but being an academic, he used the methodology of logical deduction. When you consider Mr. Kissoon’s arguments, he has points. Why was Carter so accepted by the colonial establishment and not the other PPP leaders? I think the ensuing debate will be interesting. Yours Sincerely, Anand Khemraj Poonai London, UK

Dear Editor,

It has been almost four years now since my letter on the urgent need of a “Dictionary of Guyanese National Biography” first appeared in Stabroek News which was further followed up by two additional letters in the four dailies ever since. Responses were overwhelming and enthusiastic but no concrete steps were taken, mainly due to the lockdown brought about by COVID-19. Now that things are reopening, I want to make a start just as I did with my pioneering work on “Bibliography of Guyana” and “Encyclopedia of the Guyanese Amerindians” – both of which are now used by

some prestigious institutions around the globe including both our own UG and UWI. I have been compiling the names for potential entries in the proposed biography project over the years and have managed to build a short profile of each gathered from the Internet, the Guyana newspapers, reference books, magazines, and other authoritative sources. I sincerely want to start this project while waiting on others to join in including support and funding for publication from UG and the Guyana Government. Once there is a first edition put out, it can serve as the foundation on which to build and expand. The thing is to get something out there which will bound to instigate others to submit profiles of other

Guyanese who might have been unintentionally missed and who have excelled in their own disciplines. So, I ask you to send me a profile of prominent Guyanese who you feel should be chronicled in this proposed “Dictionary of Guyanese National Biography”. A half-page might suffice. Once I receive the profiles, I will start editing, validate the information, organise it alphabetically, ensure compliance with established documentation and publishing standards and prepare in a format suitable for publishing. I am targeting an initial completion of September of this year 2022. Yours sincerely, Lal Balkaran

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Oil & Gas Wealth

– Learning and Earning Together By Earl Bousquet WHEN it comes to Saint Lucia and Guyana, there’s so much that binds them together that’s just not seen, simply because it’s never been shown – like their respective entries into the Oil & Gas markets, in which Saint Lucia – without any oil – preceded Guyana by over four decades. Indeed, Saint Lucia has had an ‘Oil Refineries Act’ on its lawbooks since Independence in 1979 when Hess Oil rode into town over four decades ago. The growth of environmental consciousness worldwide and in the USA, after

major oil spills, involving giant tankers delivering from the Middle East, led to Federal legal restrictions on the size of supertankers allowed to enter US seaports, Big Oil needed to find new ways – routes – to overcome that problem. Applying the accepted legal principle that ‘It’s okay to avoid, but illegal to evade paying tax’, the companies selected small Caribbean ports for the supertankers banned from US ports to deliver to in island nations with no such legal barriers. The supertankers would transfer the deposited oil to smaller tankers (within the legal US limit) for onward

trans-shipment to mainland refineries and storage facilities, as well as in smaller dependent regional territories (like in the US and British Virgin Islands and the Dutch Antilles). Saint Lucia became a major trans-shipment port and transfer point for giant-sized oil shipments bound for the US due to popular concerns about environmental risks. Interestingly, the Saint Lucia legislation is entitled the Hess Oil Refineries Act was passed ahead of the crucial 1979 General Elections as the project was sold as an investment that could eventually lead to establishment of an oil refinery in

Saint Lucia. Four decades later the trans-shipment terminal is no longer owned by Hess, but it’s still protected by the Oil Refineries Act that keeps royalty payments (cents per barrel) at predetermined levels for long periods. Buckeye, the new American owners, are involved in different aspects of the energy business -- and coexist with all Saint Lucia governments, like Hess successfully did. Trinidad & Tobago has a wealth of experience in managing oil and gas and all CARICOM nations have had common and different experiences at varying levels managing Oil & Gas and Energy sectors. It’s always been possible for non-oil producing Caribbean states to have explored cooperation to spread the manufacturing of lubricants, greases and other petroleum products, including storage, packing and distribution of local supplies, but limited thoughts and eyes were focused on the bigger picture of the energy industry while the main players concentrated on only buying and selling petrol and cooking gas. The energy options today are wider, as are the related options for new oil-producing nations to chisel their own places into the wider regional and global landscapes – but so are the challenges, including not overlooking or underestimating risks and hoping for the best while planning and preparing for

the worst. In this regard, planning and preparing for inevitable oils pills is of paramount importance as they threaten not only the countries of origin and destination but all along the routes, as well as neighbouring countries and those closest to wherever it may happen. Other environmental disasters are also inherent in oil extraction and shipment, storage and export, all of which cannot be prevented and none of which can be predicted – and therefore why they must always be prepared for by oil-producing states. Nearly every Caribbean island knows what a small oil spill looks like, but none should have to learn what a major one feels like, which is why several support an appeal by Peru at the Organisation of American States (OAS) for international binding regulations to govern responsibility for the consequences of oil spills. In Peru’s case, a January spill of 11,000 barrels of oil belonging to a Spanish company caused such damage to the country’s beaches and the wider economy that its tourism industry will take years to recover from. Risks were also likely examined during Guyana’s recent three-day energy conference, as any spill in any of the many blocs being dug open for the world’s most expensive liquid can cause both repairable and irreparable harm to more than just

Guyana’s coastline. Likewise, the riskavoidance factors that all oil-producing countries must also consider in relation to protection against political and economic backlashes for any number of reasons over which they may have no control, as seen again and again, as in Europe today. Germany has had to forcibly, but sensibly, decide to make a stitch in time to avoid its Nord Stream 2 project becoming an ultimate victim of threats to kill it, just like all the unrest in Ukraine hasn’t led to Russian pipelines through Ukrainian territory being shut-off by either side. But while the ultimate NATO and G-7 goal is to hit Russia hardest where it’ll hurt most, European leaders are silently hoping all will end well-enough not to force them to have to depend on other sources for more expensive oil and gas – and especially in the wake of the current phenomenal increases in prices worldwide caused by the COVIDinspired global Supply Chain shipping problems. Cutting noses to spite faces just isn’t a trait associated with sensible political leaders, but, as in every individual case, it all depends on sensible political leadership, which, obviously, is nowhere near extinct in the ‘One Guyana’ under construction, a continuing work in progress fuelled by Oil and Gas in safe hands, planning today for way beyond tomorrow.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

‘Too soon to lower our guard’ - warns PAHO Director as pandemic reaches two-year mark

AS the world reaches two years since COVID-19 was characterised as a pandemic, and public health measures are being lifted in many parts of the Americas, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Carissa F. Etienne warns countries that it is too soon to lower their guard. “When places relax measures at the wrong moment, transmission spikes dangerously and we lose more lives,” Dr. Etienne said in a media briefing on Wednesday, urging countries to base decisions on risk assessments and health data, and to tighten public health guidance if cases go up. “COVID-19 is likely to be here to stay. We must learn to live with this virus, and quickly adapt to new changes,” the PAHO Director added. Reflecting on the past two years of the pandemic, Dr. Etienne said that the Americas has been hit harder than any other region in the world, with more than 2.6

million lives lost – half of all global deaths. “This is a tragedy of enormous proportions, and its effects will be felt for years to come,” the PAHO Director added. She also warned that “the pandemic is still a threat today,” with countries experiencing record numbers of new infections during the Omicron wave, and the Americas accounting for 63 per cent of new global cases in the first two months of 2022 alone. “ “We all want the pandemic to be over, but optimism alone cannot control the virus,” she said, calling for countries to keep a “finger on the pulse”. Countries must build on lessons from the past two years to prepare for quick action and adjust public health guidance if a new variant emerges or outbreaks happen -- by ensuring continued surveillance and by making testing readily available even when transmission is low. The PAHO Director also called for countries to ad-

dress the inequities that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, highlighting that in Latin America and the Caribbean, 248 million people have yet to receive a

PAHO Director, Carissa F. Etienne single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, particularly those in hard-to-reach rural areas and underserved communities. “Our wins against COVID-19 show us what is possible when we work together and use the tools we know are effective,” Dr. Etienne said, referencing the advances made in the fight against COVID-19 in the past year, such as public health measures to slow the spread, safe

Increase in fines, more stringent sanctions needed for delinquent road users - Minister Benn HOME Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn has expressed grave concern and alarm with regards to the recent spate of horrific road accidents which have resulted in significant loss of life and serious injuries. The minister thinks that increasing fines and sanctions for errant road users will be a good thing, to serve as a deterrent. Recently, there have been deadly accidents at Mahaica Bridge, East Coast Demerara; Agricola Public Road, East Bank Demerara; and at De Willem, West Coast Demerara. According to Minister Benn in a statement to the press on Wednesday, these incidents are allegedly caused by speeding, driving under the influence, and driving without due care and attention.

“The year 2021 to date from the Police Traffic Department identified a dramatic reduction by 20 per cent in road fatalities which achievement was the best result in 16 years. The Ministry of Home Affairs intends to have the Guyana Police Force and its traffic ranks improve on the 2021 performance by facilitating all the measures necessary to have improvements in road safety,” Minister Benn noted. Minister Benn noted that the recent accidents and continued reckless road use by identifiable sections of road users make the case for heightened enforcement, increasing fines and sanctions and renewed interventions for public awareness with respect to road safety and traffic management. Beyond statistics, he stated that road deaths and

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn injuries represent traumatic grief and loss which are irreparable to the families, communities, and indeed, to the country at large. “I wish to express regret and condolences to the families who are grieving at this time and to encourage safer road usage, by all concerned, but particularly young vehicle and motorcycle operators,” Minister Benn added.

vaccines and better treatment options. Turning to the COVID-19 situation in the region, the Director reported that COVID-19 cases declined by 26 per cent across the Americas in the last week and deaths

also dropped by nearly 19 per cent. However, possible reductions in testing mean that the number of reported cases may not accurately reflect the situation in some countries. Despite the overall de-

cline in cases and deaths in the region, new cases increased by 2.2 per cent in the Caribbean. Bolivia and Puerto Rico also reported an increase in deaths over the past week. (PAHO)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Relatives of trio killed in De Willem accident plead for justice The accident scene

Dead: Carlito Kissoon Gobin By Rabindra Rooplall THE relatives of the men who were mowed down on Monday night on the De Willem Public Road, West Coast Demerara (WCD), when

a teen driver crashed into the Sharmilla Harikissoon Sports Bar, are calling on the Commissioner of Police and Minister of Home Affairs to ensure justice prevails. Kiran Ramprashad, 48,

known as “Rocky”, a fisherman of Zeeburg, WCD; Carlito Gobin, 22, known as “Carlos”, a Venezuelan national of De Willem and Ayube Mohammed, 44, a fisherman known as “Quarter” of Meten-

Meer-Zorg, WCD, were killed instantly. The three men were relatives. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 19-yearold Matthew David Aaron Ambedkar of Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo. The Guyana Chronicle recently spoke to the relatives of the three men, who called on the relevant authorities to take appropriate action to prevent a recurrence. Imran Allie, a father of seven said he last saw his son, Gobin, on Monday morning, when he was getting ready to head off to work as a watchman in Republic Park. “In the night, I get a message from a call that a car crashed into my son and he died on the spot. When I come out on the road and find out what happened, he was eating a hotdog and two cars were racing down the road and one lose control and hit him and pelt him three buildings away from where he was standing and he died on spot,” the teary-eyed Allie said. He said that his son had been working at the bar for the past four years. “He head split into two, foot broken, hand broken, ribs broken; he dead on the spot. We want justice and we will not rest until we get justice,” Allie added. He explained that his son would have celebrated his 23rd birth anniversary on Thursday. “He was telling his mother that he wanted her to dress up and ensure that he has his cake for the birthday.” Flanked by his family, he emphasised that such a disaster should never be allowed to ever happen again. He said that justice should take its natural course and whoever is guilty should be made an example for all to see. The young man’s mother, Hamimoonnall Gobin told this publication that when she arrived at the scene, the teen driver began apologising. She sternly noted that the

Dead: Ayube Mohammed teen driver and his family will have to pay for the suffering caused. “We need justice for my son,” she said. The mother, who sells hot dogs near the accident scene said it will be difficult to continue plying her trade in that area. The family lived in Venezuela for some time before returning to Guyana in 2012. Meanwhile, Beesham Kamprashad said that, after receiving news of his brother Kiran’s death, relatives rushed to the scene and discovered his body covered with a cloth. By then Mohammed and Gobin’s lifeless bodies were already in the back of a police pick-up, he recalled. “Racing on the road should never be allowed because this can be the result. We want those in authority to deal with this matter properly and ensure we get justice,” he added. He continued: “Them guys that a buy car, buy them book with the car; and them too young to drive on this road; they don’t have respect for the road,” One eyewitness said the teen driver exited the vehicle in a drunken and delirious manner and would have escaped the scene if persons did not stop him. “Every weekend is the same nonsense on this roadway. The same individual that was racing with this teenager was also involved in another fatal accident in Uitvlugt where a vehicle crashed into a parked trailer and someone else died. This is the type of things the police have to investigate,” the eyewitness said. According to police, the teen who was driving his father’s Toyota Raum (PVV 1051) was racing another car identified as a Toyota 212. They were heading in the direction of Parika, EBE. He lost control and crashed into a parked Nissan X-Trail (PYY 9456) and then ploughed into three persons who were at the

Dead: Kiran Ramprashad called ‘Rocky’ sports bar. This account was corroborated by the CCTV footage seen by this publication. The driver of the motorcar received injuries to the left side of his face while the trio received injuries about their bodies. They were all taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where they were seen and examined by the doctor on duty who pronounced Carlito, Kiran and Mohammed, dead on arrival while Chandrika Heerasammy and Edoo Wazim were treated and sent away with minor injuries. The teen driver was admitted as a patient at the said hospital but was later transferred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital in a stable condition where he was further admitted and placed under police guard. The bodies of the three men were then escorted to the Ezekiel Mortuary for storage to await post mortem examination as investigations continue. Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, had recently committed to examine with his colleagues, legislation to ensure stricter controls, be it the training/ re-training of drivers/riders, higher fines or stiffer penalties and a studied approach for the introduction of a demerit system to ensure the safety of all road users. Additionally, Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn, has also expressed his concerns over the continued reckless usage of the country’s roadways. “We can’t help but emphasise again the issues as it relates to speeding on the roads particularly by the younger demographic males; and speeding associated with drinking…” he expressed. He added: “I want to encourage persons who use the roadways to use it in a very responsible manner, particularly young drivers, young men.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Government welcomes criticism and will respectfully respond to them - Attorney -General ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has said that the government has a right to respond to criticism even as he noted that the administration remains open to criticism. Nandlall made these remarks during his Tuesday night edition of his online programme “Issues In the News” where he spoke briefly on the reports of civil society groups making “blistering” accusations against the government. The Attorney-General said that civil society organisations have a crucial role to play in all democratic equations but must function with rectitude and operate with accountability and transparency. If these organisations do not operate this way, they

will not be taken seriously, he said. Nandlall, while he spoke on the issue, stated that following that statement issued by the organisations, which prompted a response from the government, many segments of society became very critical of the government. “It appears that there is a belief in some quarters that democracy allows for government to be criticised and I agree and the government has repeatedly stated that we welcome criticisms but it does not appear that those segments of the press and those segments of society appreciate that the very democracy also permits the government to respond to those criticism,” the Attorney-General said. He noted that some persons hold a belief that criti-

cism is a one-way street and that democracy recognises the right to criticise the government but does not reciprocate in the government a right to respond to those criticisms. The minister said during the show that he does not agree with that belief and noted that he does not believe that democracy suffers such limitations even as he noted that the freedom of expression embraces the free exchange and dissemination of information from all sides. “We in the government, we remain open to criticism but we will reserve the right to respond to those criticism, we will not be disrespectful, we will not be scandalous, we will try as far as possible if the situation doesn’t permit it, we will not ascribe ulterior and disrespectful motive to the accusers,” Nandlall said.

Venezuelan nationals relocated from Kabakaburi to Region One

OVER 35 families who are Venezuelan nationals, were, on Monday, relocated from Kabakaburi, Region Two to the refugee camp in the region after reports surfaced that they vandalised farmlands. Police have so far confirmed that 135 persons were removed from Arpiaco, Upper Pomeroon, to Region One. The operation was carried out by the Guyana Police Force, in collaboration with the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard. The group of refugees entered Pomeroon last Friday in their canoes. They were searching for shelter and food at the time when they decided to stop at Kabakaburi, Upper Pomeroon. Having heard of their arrival, Toshao of Kabakaburi, Monty Simon, reached out to the group and they begged him to stay. They pleaded with him for food and shelter, and, according to him, he felt sorry for them. He then recommended

Assistance was provided to the Venezuelan nationals that they clear a piece of land in the Arpiaco area. However, the Venezuelan nationals began to vandalise several farmlands in the process. The toshao, as a result, contacted the Regional Democratic Council. Region Two

Chairman, Vilma De Silva, said that the region responded promptly and food hampers were taken to the families. She said a medical team also visited because she did not know if the families were sick and needed urgent attention.

Shop owner brutally stabbed, beaten by customers

POLICE are seeking the whereabouts of three persons who beat and stabbed a shop owner with wood and beer bottles. Mohammed Razeck, 43, of Number 77 Housing Scheme, East Berbice, Corentyne, is nursing over 25 stitches to the hand, ear and face following the incident. Razeck operates a grocery shop but rents a SuperBet facility. He told the Guyana Chronicle that he was in the process of closing up business for the night when the men became aggravated. At the said time, the area experienced a power outage which prompted him to close earlier than usual. “I tell them I gotta lock up now and they start cuss up and argue and I argue back too and when I turn

Mohammed Razeck after he was physically attacked around the guy burst the bottle and bore meh towards my neck, I bar and it catch my ears, face and hand. One had a cutlass, wood, when they bore me they run away.” The three suspects were imbibing prior to the attack. One of the suspects reportedly struck Razeck to the

left side shoulder with a piece of wood while another kicked him in the abdomen. Razeck said the men are regular customers and he never had issues with any of them. He was puzzled as to why they attacked him. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Mother, daughter accused of beating cousin released on $70,000 bail each A 48-year-old woman and her daughter, on Monday, appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, accused of inflicting a beating on their cousin and were granted $70, 000 bail each by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. Melanie Stewart and her daughter Stiffany Dick, 26, both of East La Penitence, Georgetown, denied that, on January 9, 2022, at East La Penitence, they wounded

Nalisa McKenzie with intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or cause grievous bodily harm. According to reports, the defendants are the victim’s cousin. On the day in question, the victim went to the defendants’ home where there was an argument between her and Dick. During the argument, Dick reportedly choked the victim, causing her to fall to the ground. While on the ground,

the victim was reportedly attacked by Dick and her mother, who were armed with sticks. The police were summoned and McKenzie was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital. The Chief Magistrate released the defendants on $70,000 bail each and ordered them to keep 50 feet away from the victim until the conclusion of the case. The matter was adjourned until March 16.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Bridging the gap in kidney health, education and literacy By Dr. Areefa Alladin, Chair of the KFG THERE is a high burden of kidney disease, and disparities that exist globally, in kidney care. This year, the theme for World Kidney Day (WKD) is Kidney Health for All, challenging the issue of bridging the gap in the global understanding of kidney disease and its health literacy. Regardless of where we live, kidney health should be a priority. There are poor outcomes associated with kidney failure which bring a concomitant growing burden to persons affected, their families and care givers, and the community at large. For kidney care to improve, we need to improve the education of the population. Health literacy is defined as the degree to which persons and organisations enable themselves or individuals with the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others. Improving health literacy largely rests with healthcare providers communicating and effectively educating those with kidney disease. For example, most people are not aware of what kidneys are for or even where their kidneys are located. When these persons become afflicted by disease and the subsequent effects on overall health, an effective healthcare provider communication is required to support individuals to be able to understand what to do, to make decisions, and to take action. Persons will make the right decisions for themselves when they are educated about their condition and available options. Empowering patients is an essential part of healthcare delivery. Health literacy involves more than functional abilities of an individual; it is also the cognitive and social skills needed to gain access to, understand, and use information to manage health condition. Thus why the imperatives around health literacy are now recognised as indicators for the quality of local and national healthcare systems and healthcare professionals within

Dr. Areefa Alladin it. For chronic kidney disease (CKD), as the disease progresses alongside other health changes and increasing treatment complexities, it becomes more difficult for individuals to manage. Therefore, current approaches need to be shifted forward towards patient education and empowerment. Low health literacy in people with CKD has been demonstrated to be associated with poor CKD knowledge, poor selfmanagement behaviours, and reduced quality of life. The KFG recognises that it takes a nation to improve kidney care and there must be interactions among individuals, healthcare providers, and health policy-makers. KFG is partnering with several governmental and non- governmental organisations such as the Ministry of Health, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to bridge the gap in understanding kidney disease and its health literacy. Priority areas include providing educational materials for patients and families across the country; educational and training sessions for patients and medical professionals on kidney diseases and dialysis; and producing a nutrition booklet for Guyanese to promote healthy diets. Non-physician healthcare workers, including nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers, and other allied health professionals, serve an important role in the care of persons with kidney disease as they spend more time with these patients during encounters. There are many opportunities for care providers to educate patients with kidney diseases. Patients are encouraged to ask questions and to have discussions with their healthcare team. The Health Centres can help identify those with, or at risk of developing, CKD and can initiate educating those persons and their family

members about the role of diet and lifestyle modification for prevention of CKD. They can also identify and manage risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension which can lead to preservation of kidney function. The KFG continues its mission to educate and sensitize Guyanese about the kidney, how it is affected by diseases, and how to maintain healthy kidneys. Health literacy, the main mission of KFG, is well themed into this year’s WKD message. Educational materials such as pamphlets, media print, articles and interviews with patients, families and healthcare providers are being circulated for WKD. These can be found on our social media pages (Facebook page - GuyanaKidneyFoundation). This year, the Joint Steering Committee of WKD declares “Kidney Health for All” as the theme to emphasise and extend collaborative efforts among people with kidney disease, their care partners, healthcare providers, and all involved stakeholders, for elevating education and awareness on kidney health and saving lives of persons with this disease. Guyanese are encouraged to be proactive in their kidney care. Everyone can make changes to better care for themselves and their kidneys. Be an active participant in your care. Work with your health care team to create a treatment plan that fits your lifestyle, mobility, health status, and dietary needs. Follow your care plan. Take medicine as prescribed and stay up-to-date on vaccines. The COVID-19 and flu vaccines are especially important for people with kidney disease, who may be more likely to get sicker from COVID-19 or the flu. Build a kidney healthy lifestyle. Try to incorporate healthy habits into your daily schedule. This can include healthy foods and beverages you enjoy, physical activity like walking or taking the stairs to help you stay active and manage your weight, and a sleep routine that allows you to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep at night. Take steps to quit smoking and limit alcohol. The kidney communities, globally, strive to prevent kidney diseases and enable living well with kidney disease. (Adapted from WKD 2022 and NIDDK.nih.gov)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

21 swine farmers to benefit from - to boost Guyana’s pork quality breeding stock production capacity productivity improve,” the farmer said. SWINE ABATTOIR Minister Mustapha also said that the construction of a modern abattoir to service the swine industry is currently ongoing at the Garden of Eden on the East Bank of Demerara and that government is also looking to establish a complete swine processing facility through a Public/Private Partnership (PPP) agreement. “This year we are also looking at commencing the construction of a modern swine slaughtering facility. We are also looking at partnering with investors to build a complete swine processing facility

which will include an abattoir and a processing plant. This will further enhance our capacity to become a producer and exporter of pork,” Minister Mustapha said. The release noted that the swine production improvement programme will see GLDA working with farmers to produce pigs for both breeding and meat production purposes. With good animal husbandry and sustained feeding, each pig can produce as much as 272 kilograms (600 lbs) in six months. In Guyana, swine production is done mainly in six of the 10 administrative regions.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, along with some of the farmers benefitting from the pilot project. Also pictured are other officials from the ministry (Ministry of Agriculture photo) OVER the next two months, ana’s pork production. and we will be challenged to 21 swine farmers from across “As a government we are produce the food for the varithe country will receive sev- working to develop our live- ous sectors in the economy. eral piglets to improve their stock industry. While you We’re seeing that the oil and breeding stock. would’ve noticed that we are gas sector is taking form, with According to a release, putting a lot of effort into more and more people comthese animals are being made the poultry sector, in corn ing to our country to work and available through the Guyana and soya, in non-traditional we will have to satisfy those Livestock Development Au- high-value crops, we are also demands for quality products. thority’s 2022 swine improve- putting a lot of energy into We cannot do this if we do not ment programme. The pilot developing the small ruminant develop new and innovative programme, which forms part sector. Today’s exercise is a ways to produce the required of a $1.8 million investment reflection of one of the recent cuts and quality of meat. As a being made by the govern- actions taken by the GLDA ministry and as a government, ment, will see the GLDA col- to increase pork production we will have to ensure you laborating with farmers to by 400,000 kilograms. Our the farmers are prepared by improve the swine sector’s current production is roughly providing you with the animals breeding and meat production 890,000 kilograms and I am to expand your production,” capacities. hoping that, by the end of he said. On Wednesday, 10 of the this year, with the planned Owen McGarrell, a seaMoA’s George Jarvis (centre) hands over some of the piglets that will be 21 farmers received piglets improvement we have for the soned swine farmer from distributed to swine farmers (Ministry of Agriculture photo) during a simple handing over swine industry, we can achieve Buxton, who was selected to exercise at GLDA’s head of- that target,” the minister said. benefit from the pilot project, fice in Mon Repos, East Coast EMPOWER said he has been in the swine of Demerara, while the reCognisant of the fact that industry for most of his life. maining farmers will benefit with the influx of expatriates “I’ve been constantly refrom the programme before to the country the demand ceiving help from the GLDA the end of the second quarter for specialised cuts of meats in the form of artificial insemiof 2022. will increase, Minister Musta- nation. I also received animals While delivering remarks pha said that the government from them in the past but not at the handing over, Agricul- would need to empower farm- of the quality that I’m receivture Minister, Zulfikar Musta- ers to produce what is required ing today. I think it augurs well pha, said that, for this year, to satisfy the demand, locally. for the future of the industry. the ministry is hoping to see “Our country is moving Like the minister said, we a significant increase in Guy- apace in terms of investments need to ensure production and

Some of the piglets that will be distributed to swine farmers (Ministry of Agriculture photo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

GDF, French Armed Force to strengthen military cooperation

SEVERAL areas of mutual interest between the French Armed Forces and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were discussed, on Monday, when Chief-ofStaff Brigadier Godfrey Bess met with Major-General Xavier Buisson and a small delegation from the French Armed Forces at the Officers’ Mess, Base Camp, Ayanganna. According to the GDF, the officials on both sides reaffirmed their commitment to future partnerships. Major-General Buisson is the incumbent Superior Commander of the Armed Forces of French Guiana and Head of the visiting Delegation. The formal meeting between the two militaries witnessed the signing of new understandings and agreements to strengthen military cooperation and collaboration. GDF noted that it is a direct follow-up to a Letter of Intent signed by Brigadier Godfrey Bess and French Non-Resident Ambassador to Guyana, Antoine Joly, on

Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess and Major-General Xavier Buisson sign the new understandings and agreements to strengthen military cooperation and collaboration, at the Officers’ Mess, Base Camp, Ayanganna (GDF photo) April 15, 2021. Back in April 2021, Major-General Buisson was a member of Joly’s team, and, at that time, he held the appointment of Air Vice Marshal. As a result of the fruitful discourse, the Officers and Other Ranks of the GDF are poised to benefit from support from the French military in several areas, in-

cluding training and military education. Brigadier Godfrey Bess, during brief remarks, welcomed the delegation to Guyana and the GDF. He underscored the importance of the meeting, highlighting that it reflects a testimony of the friendship and partnership shared between the two militaries. “Our unified commit-

ment through the proposed agreements and implementation of the regulations is the testimony of our strengthened friendship and dedication towards the security of the Guyana Shield,” he said. Major-General Buisson, in brief remarks, thanked the GDF delegation and underscored the timeliness of the interaction.

He observed that the two militaries have identified common threats despite not being immediate geographical neighbours. General Buisson referenced the current unrest and destabilisation in Ukraine while underscoring the timely and crucial importance of cooperation between the two militaries. “Our cooperation is the

best way to improve our regional operation joint efforts and provide opportunities in our fight against the many scourges that could affect security on our population and resources,” he remarked. The French delegation also visited the headquarters of the Coast Guard, located at Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Cop freed of bribery charge after complainant refuses to give evidence

A POLICE constable was, on Wednesday, freed from a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice after the victim opted not to offer evidence against him. Back in January, Mario Parasram, 28, of ‘B’ Field, South Sophia, Georgetown, made his first appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. He had denied the charge which alleged that between June 9 and July 6, 2021, at Georgetown, he willfully attempted to obstruct or pervert the course of justice by demanding the sum of $200,000 from Patris Petrie to prevent the institution of a criminal charge. Parasram was out on $100,000 bail. On Wednesday, the case was fixed for report before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. During the hearing, the court was made aware of Petrie’s refusal to give evidence. As a result, Parasram was freed. He was represented by attorney-at-law Bernard DaSilva.

Mario Parasram

Two arrested for US-based Guyanese murder TWO persons were arrested on Wednesday, after a 21-year-old overseas-based Guyanese was stabbed to death at Grant 1802, Crabwood Creek, Region Six. Dead is Lakan Chatterpaul called “Rickash” of Ohio, USA. He and five other family members arrived in Guyana some two weeks ago to attend his brother’s wedding which occurred on Sunday. According to police report, the incident occurred at Grant 1802 Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice, on Wednesday, about 01:00 hours. Police have three suspects on their radar and the two arrested are in police custody. Enquiries revealed that the deceased and his rela-

pects became annoyed, left the yard and went into the street a short distance away from the wedding and started to hit vehicles that were parked on the street. The deceased and other family members, police said went onto the street where an altercation ensued, during which the 21-year-old man was stabbed in the stomach and collapsed on the ground. The 21-year-old man was picked up by family members and taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital Dead: Lakan Chatterpaul where he was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor. Subsequently, two of tives were at a wedding celebrating when the three the suspects were arrestsuspects approached the yard ed and placed in custody and were turned away by the while the third suspect is being sought by the police family members. Police said that the sus- as investigations continue.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

FROM PAGE 24

Magnussen to replace... years with the McLaren, Renault and finally Haas teams. He scored one podium finish, when he finished second on his debut for McLaren in the 2014 Australian Grand Prix. "I really have to say thank you to both Peugeot and Chip Ganassi Racing for releasing me promptly - both are great organisations," Magnussen said. "I've been briefed as much as possible on the development of the VF-22 [car] and the potential in the package. There's work to do but I'm excited to be a part of it. I can't wait to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car in Bahrain." Haas team boss Gunther Steiner said: "When looking for a driver who could bring value to the team, not to

American Racing Tips Gulfstream Race 1 Stormy Stella Race 2 Embrace My Uncle Race 3 Toretto Race 4 School Dance Race 5 Equal Pay Race 6 Face Of Victory South Africa Racing Tips Vaal

mention a wealth of Formula 1 experience, Kevin was a straightforward decision for us. "Kevin's immediate availability means we can tap into him as a resource for pre-season testing alongside both Mick Schumacher and [reserve driver] Pietro Fittipaldi." Fittipaldi will drive the car first in Bahrain, once it has been prepared following flight delays that mean the team will not be ready for the morning session on Thursday. Steiner added: "As a veteran presence in both the garage and the engineering room, he'll provide a solid benchmark for us with the ongoing development of the VF-22."

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Candy in line to buy Chelsea

(BBC) - British businessman Nick Candy is "actively exploring a number of options for a potential bid" to buy Chelsea. Candy, a boyhood Chelsea fan, is trying to form a consortium with a number of international investors. Roman Abramovich put the club up for sale last week amid the ongoing crisis in Ukraine following Russia's invasion. Candy, 49, believes his background as a property developer could give him an advantage with any plans to rebuild Stamford Bridge. There are now 20 credible interested parties being handled by the US-based Raine Group, with a deadline of 15 March before assessing a handful of final bidders. "Nick Candy is actively ex-

ploring a number of options for a potential bid for Chelsea," his spokesperson said in a statement. "Any bid would be made in conjunction with another party, or consortium, and we have serious interest from several international partners. "Mr Candy has a huge affinity with Chelsea. His father was asked to play for the club and he has been watching matches at Stamford Bridge since the age of four." Chelsea announced plans for a new 60,000-seater stadium on the Stamford Bridge site in 2015 but the project was put on hold indefinitely three years later. "The club deserves a worldclass stadium and infrastructure and Mr Candy's unique expertise and background in real estate would be

a hugely valuable asset to delivering this vision," added the statement. Abramovich initially said he intended to give "stewardship and care" of Chelsea to its foundation trustees, but then decided to sell the club completely with the threat of sanctions hanging over him following the invasion of Ukraine. Abramovich has denied having close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Who has announced their bid to buy Chelsea? Only some of the interested parties or bidders have come forward so far: Hansjorg Wyss and Todd Boehly Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and US businessman Todd Boehly

have formed part of a consortium to try to take over Chelsea. Wyss told Swiss newspaper Blick last week that he had been offered the chance to buy the club. The 86-year-old, worth an estimated £3.9bn, added that Abramovich wanted "to get rid of Chelsea quickly" after the threat of sanctions was raised in Parliament. Boehly, who is a part owner of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers, was previously linked with a takeover of Chelsea in 2019.

Muhsin Bayrak Turkish billionaire Muhsin Bayrak says he is one of those to have launched a bid to buy the club, adding "we will fly the Turkish flag in London soon". Bayrak is chairman of AB Grup

Holding, which he founded in 1999, and has investments in crypto currency, construction, tourism and energy sectors. Sources close to Bayrak told BBC Sport he is determined to buy Chelsea and his lawyer will be in London for talks on Thursday. Others Other parties reported to be interested include New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and a Saudi Arabia-based consortium. British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, who owns Ineos and bought French club Nice in 2019, has previously shown interest, but will not seek to purchase Chelsea because he does not see it as good value.

Jadeja is new No.1 test all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is the new No. 1 allrounder in Test cricket, following his epic show with bat and ball in Mohali. Jadeja scored 175 not out and took a match haul of nine wickets to help India to an innings victory over Sri Lanka and displaced West Indies' Jason Holder at the top of the rankings. Holder held the No. 1 spot since February.

This is the second time Jadeja has reached the summit of the Test allrounder rankings: he was No. 1 for a week in August 2017. Jadeja also moved up three places to No. 17 on the bowling rankings, and from 54th to 37th on the batting table. Coming in at No. 7 after India had got to 228 for 5, Jadeja batted 228 balls for his unbeaten 175 - a strike rate of 76.75 - with 17

Benzema hat-trick boots PSG...

FROM PAGE 25

Karim Benzema is the first player from France to score three Champions League/ European Cup hat-tricks

This felt every bit as shattering as their 6-1 thashing by Barcelona in 2017, their last16 defeat by Manchester United in 2019, and was even more remarkable given they had not lost a Champions League away game after leading at half-time since 2001. While PSG are runaway leaders in Ligue 1 and have been crowned French champions in seven of the past nine seasons, domestic success is not the barometer Pochettino will be judged by come the end of the season.

And alarmingly the Argentine and his stunned players were unable to provide any adequate response once the tide had turned in this contest. Julian Draxler and Angel di Maria were only introduced once the Parisiens were chasing the game, and aside from a late Messi free-kick which dipped just over, they were unable to conjure a single clear-cut goalscoring opportunity as they meekly exited the tournament.

fours and three sixes included, to have India moving along swiftly. He strung together a century stand with R Ashwin, before India eventually declared on 574 for 8. Jadeja then went on to take a five-for as India bowled Sri Lanka out for 174, finishing the innings off with two wickets in two balls. He could not complete the hat-trick the second time around, but claimed four more as Sri Lanka were bundled out again. Jadeja was the one to break Sri Lanka's longest period of resistance in the game - 17 overs - with the wicket of Dhananjaya de Silva, and quickly

followed up by taking out the other set batter Angelo Mathews to leave India in sight of victory on day three. He remained in contention for a match haul of ten all through, missing out right at the end as the final wicket went to his spin partner Ashwin. Had he claimed that wicket, Jadeja would have been the first player to record a score of over 150 and take ten wickets in the same game. As it were, he became only the sixth to score 150-plus and take a five-for in the same Test.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Djokovic withdraws from Indian Wells and Miami Masters

(BBC) - Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from Indian Wells and the Miami Open - the first two Masters Series events of the year - because of US coronavirus rules. Regulations require any non-US citizen to have a Covid vaccination before entering the country. Serb Djokovic, 34, told the BBC last month that he had not been vaccinated. The 20-time Grand Slam winner was included in the draw for both events, but has since posted on Twitter that he knew it was "unlikely" he could travel. He is likely to make his return to the tour at the Monte Carlo Masters in April. The Indian Wells draw will be less balanced as a result of Djokovic's late withdrawal. As the next player in line to be seeded, last year's semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov will move into Djokovic's space in the draw. A

Magnussen to replace Mazepin

Former world number one Novak Djokovic played in his first tournament of 2022 in Dubai in February

lucky loser from qualifying will fill the Bulgarian's spot in due course. Djokovic missed the Australian Open in January, being deported from the country after its government

cancelled his visa in a row over his vaccine status. In an interview with the BBC last month, he said that he is prepared to miss other big events in future. "The principles of deci-

sion making on my body are more important than any title or anything else," he said. "I'm trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can."

Magnussen said he was "very surprised but equally very excited" to get the call from Haas

(BBC) - Dane Kevin Magnussen will make a comeback to Formula 1 as the replacement for Nikita Mazepin at the US-based Haas team. Magnussen, 29, drove for Haas from 2017 to 2020 before the team decided to replace him and Romain Grosjean with Mazepin and Mick Schumacher. Mazepin was sacked on Sunday as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Haas said Magnussen signed a "multi-year contract" and will drive at the pre-season test in Bahrain this week. The new deal represents a surprise return to F1 for the popular 29-year-old, the son of former F1 driver Jan Magnussen. Haas said they were starting a new chapter when they decided to replace their experienced line-up with two rookies at the start of last season, but Mazepin's

departure forced a rethink. Magnussen said: "I was obviously very surprised but equally very excited to receive the call from Haas. "I was looking in a different direction regarding my commitments for 2022 but the opportunity to return to compete in F1, and with a team I know extremely well, was simply too appealing." Magnussen has had to negotiate releases from his contracts with two separate endurance racing teams for this season - Ganassi in the US and Peugeot's nascent Le Mans project in Europe. The Dane, who said he had retained a "positive association" with Haas after leaving at the end of 2020, sees their approach as a chance to revive an F1 career that he had previously considered over - one that never quite lived up to his own expectations in his six TURN TO PAGE 22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

GMR&SC gets approval for two events in March - Limited spectators for Drags, no spectators for circuit

The Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) has received approval from Guyana’s National COVID-19 Task force (NCTF) for the hosting of two events in March at the South Dakota Circuit. The first event will be its Circuit Racing event set for the weekend of March 12-13 and the second is a drag racing event on the weekend of March 26-27. The approval came following a meeting with the NCTF and GMR&SC executives on Friday last at which the latter requested approval to run off the said events. For the March 13-14 event, the club has secured permission to host an event with to a ‘no spectator’ policy. GMR&SC President Rameez Mohamed said “We must first and foremost thank the task force for granting us this approval. We met with them last week and they are working with the sport to allow for the best possible outcome.” “With this approval for the [March 13] event, we can move ahead to getting all

GMR&SC Executive Member Nyron Maraj

our other plans like the track closure from the CJIA, all other safety and necessary arrangements in place to ensure the running of our first circuit racing event of the year. As it relates to the drag

racing weekend on March 26-27, the club has secured clearance for a limited amount of spectators. According to committee Member Nyron Maraj, “All spectators need to be fully

GMR&SC president Rameez Mohamed

vaccinated. The Task Force has mandated us to put out two checkpoints for this purpose. A first checkpoint at the entrance to the track (Glass factory road) where teams will be checking for vaccina-

tion cards and corresponding IDs and the second is where we will verify these books and ID once again to ensure that no unvaccinated person slips in. We want to make it clear

that tickets alone will not get you into this event. Persons need to bring along their vaccination books.” “As it relates to ticket sales, the club will begin selling on March 23 and tickets will not be sold at the gates, only at the Club’s office. That is one of the areas the task force was very strict with. They said to us that tickets must not be sold on the day and must not be sold at the venue. And the tickets themselves will be limited in number. We will decide on the amount to be sold in the coming weeks.” The task force via letter has outlined strict sanitization policies for all participants, officials and volunteers present on the day with social distancing and mask wearing being actively monitored. Enforcement of this will be done by the club with supervision from the task force and all persons present at the facility will be randomly selected for the presentation of books and corresponding ID’s. Adult tickets will cost $2000 dollars while children under 12 will cost $500.

Benzema hat-trick boots PSG out of Champions League (BBC) - Karim Benzema scored a superb second-half hat-trick as Real Madrid produced a stirring fightback at a raucous Bernabeu to reach the Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of Paris St-Germain. Kylian Mbappe's first-half goal had given PSG a deserved two-goal aggregate lead and looked to have put Mauricio Pochettino's side well on course for the last eight. However, a mistake by PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma proved the catalyst for a dramatic recovery with Benzema turning home after the Italian dawdled in possession. Luka Modric's driving run and intricate

pass made Benzema's second as he levelled the tie against a clearly panicked PSG, and as the visitors attempted to regroup the 34-yearold drove a low effort into the bottom right corner seconds after the restart to settle the tie. Until Donnarumma's error PSG had been in complete control. Marco Verratti was slick and dominant in midfield, while Neymar and Lionel Messi worked themselves into some dangerous positions as the hosts struggled to contain their more fluent opponents. Mbappe in particular was electric, racing on to a pass from Neymar to open the scoring against the side he has been heavily tipped to

join in the summer when his contract at PSG expires. Either side of that the 23-year-old tormented the Real defence, twice having goals correctly disallowed for offside but showing his predatory instincts nonetheless. A surge of acceleration also saw him burst past Real's Eder Militao and only a brilliant covering challenge from David Alaba prevented him from adding to his tally. Mbappe's influence was such that he received warm applause from the home support as he got up after appearing to be hurt in a tackle, but the real damage to his and PSG's long-standing aspirations in the competition

were still to come. PSG suffer another painful exit Benzema's 17-minute treble ensured PSG suffered another painful elimination from a competition that has become an obsession since they moved into Qatari ownership in 2011. And after reaching the final and semi-finals in consecutive seasons this feels like a considerable backwards step for a squad that has been expensively assembled but remains prone to monumental collapses in this competition. TURN TO PAGE 23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

West Indies Women snatch victory from England CMC – Shemaine Campbell struck a Player-of-the-Match half-century before fast bowler Shamilia Connell and veteran off-spinner Anisa Mohammed combined to ambush England, as West Indies snatched yet another dramatic victory at the ICC Women’s World Cup here Wednesday. Choosing to bat first at University Oval, the Caribbean side gathered 225 for six from their 50 overs, with Campbelle top-scoring with 66, Chedean Nation stroking an invaluable 49, Hayley Matthews getting 45 and Deandra Dottin, 31. The target was hardly imposing and England appeared on course for victory at 154 for five in the 34th over, behind opener Tammy Beaumont’s 46 and crucial knocks from Sophia Dunkley (38) and Danny Wyatt (33). However, Connell (3-35) struck twice in the 35th over and Mohammed (2-24) twice in the 48th over, as West Indies pulled off a narrow seven-run victory to post their second straight win of the showpiece. “To win the two games against the top teams in this tournament is definitely a motivation for us,” Mohammed said afterwards. “And it kind of gives us that confidence knowing that if we can defeat the top teams, then going forward once you play our best game, we can go all the way in this tournament.” He added: “I know a lot of teams are

counting us as underdogs. We have not been playing a lot of good ODI cricket lately, but we have nothing to lose.” Fresh from their stunning upset of hosts New Zealand in their opener last week, West Indies started positively with Matthews and Dottin putting on 81 for the first wicket. Matthews, coming off a hundred against New Zealand, lashed four fours and two sixes off 58 deliveries while Dottin faced 64 balls and counted two fours and a six. Both perished in the 20th over, along with captain Stafanie Taylor without scoring, as West Indies lost three wickets with the score on 81, left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone (3-2) accounting for two of the wickets to fall. When Ecclestone removed Kycia Knight for six in the 27th over to a catch at cover, West Indies were tottering on 98 for four but Campbelle and Nation combined in a 123-run, fifth wicket partnership to rally the innings. Campbell struck four fours in an 80-ball knock while Nation punched three boundaries off 74 deliveries before both fell at the death with the charge on. Defending a moderate total, Dottin set the tone for the innings when she removed Lauren Winfield-Hill (12) to an astonishing one-handed catch, leaping high to her left at point off Connell in the ninth over. England then lost wickets steadily to slip to 94 for five in the 26th over, Matthews (2-

Anisa Mohammed leads the West Indies victory sprint after her sensational last over (Getty Images)

40) striking twice to hurt the reigning world champions, despite Beaumont’s best efforts in her 76-ball knock. Dunkley repaired the damage in tandem with Wyatt, adding 60 for the sixth wicket to resuscitate the run chase, as West Indies struggled for the breakthrough. Just when it appeared as if England were gaining control, Taylor claimed Dunkley to a catch at mid-wicket and when Connell removed Wyatt and Katherine Brunt (1) in the 35th, West Indies were back on top. Ecclestone arrived to hit a brave unbeaten

33 off 41 deliveries in a 61-run, ninth wicket partnership with Kate Cross (27) to put England in touching distance of the win. They needed nine to win at the start of the 48th over but Ecclestone full-blooded drive touched the hands of Mohammed and onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end, finding Cross short of her ground. And Mohammed struck the death blow when she hit number 11 Anya Shrubsole’s leg-stump with a full length delivery a few balls later.

Shakib to be rested until April 30 (ESPNCRICINFO) - The BCB has "rested" Shakib Al Hasan from all forms of international cricket till April 30. According to cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus, the BCB considered Shakib's plea for a break from cricket due to his mental and physical state. The exemption, as the BCB later called it in a press release, covers Bangladesh's tour of South Africa where they will play three ODIs and two Tests from March 12 to April 8. Shakib was initially named in both the squads but three days after the announcement, he said that he wanted a break from international cricket. "Before leaving the country on Sunday, Shakib called me and said he is physically and mentally fatigued," Yunus said. "He said that he isn't enjoying cricket. I told Shakib that you since you just finished the Afghanistan series, you should take a couple of days to think about it. I

Shakib had earlier hinted at taking an international break due to his "physical and mental state" AFP/Getty Images

called him today to ask about his plans. He maintained the same position. He wants to skip the South Africa series. We sat together with the board president, chief executive and a couple of other board directors. We have decided that in Shakib's interest, since he is mentally and physically unfit, we want to

give him rest from all forms of cricket, till April 30." Yunus said that they took into account Shakib's current condition, his significance as a cricketer and the big tournaments coming up for Bangladesh. He, however, brushed aside the suggestion that Shakib will miss the Dhaka Premier League that

begins on March 15. "He is a very important player for us. He is an allrounder. We feel that we will need his service later this year, considering the T20 World Cup. He has asked for rest a number of times. Rest definitely means rest. We didn't really consider what cricket he will miss during

this time," said Yunus. He said that Shakib didn't give them any hint of such a state of mind when BCB president Nazmul Hassan told him to tour South Africa for both formats. "You can't really force a player (into playing) when he is insisting that he is not physically and mentally fit. He didn't say anything like this in Chittagong but he went to the media first about all this. You should ask him why he went to the media first. He should have told us before going to the media. Maybe it was the heat of the moment." Shakib will return to Dhaka on Thursday evening, after which he is supposed to sit with board chief Hassan, Yunus and the rest of the BCB high-ups to discuss his immediate future. Yunus said that Shakib no longer holds the position of not wanting to play Tests till mid-November, as he had mentioned during his press conference at the Dhaka airport on Sunday.

Yunus said that Shakib didn't set a good example for the rest of the players, although he also said that the BCB has not made any future plans for Shakib or the other senior cricketers in the side. "These are not good examples. There are 14 other players who follow the seniors who should give a positive vibe. "The senior players are still playing well for the country. They have been serving the country for so long, so it's not possible to take a sudden decision about them. Tamim decided after discussing his T20I plan with us," he said. Bangladesh will not be taking any player as Shakib's replacement in the ODI squad that leaves Dhaka on Friday evening. Yunus said that they already have 16 players in the squad, and one of those who will travel in the Test side could be covering for Shakib if needed.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Rawle Toney 3X3 Classic heads to Linden on April 23 ...party atmosphere promised to help celebrate Linden Town Week Following a successful hosting of the Rawle Toney 3X3 Classic on February 19 – 20 at the Burnham Basketball Court in Georgetown, a decision was made to take the one-of-a-kind event to Linden. Organiser and Sports Journalist, Rawle Toney, via a press release, announced the tournament will be held on April 23 at the residence of National Award-winning promoter and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Kashif Muhammad, in Richmond Hill. With Linden celebrating 52 years as a Town, the tournament will mark the start of the week-long series of events to commemorate the occasion. According to Toney, eight teams will participate in the

Stanton Rose Jr in action against Guardians, during the February 19 – 20 Rawle Toney 3X3 Classic

first 3X3 tournament in Linden in well over a decade. Each team will receive $25,000 as an appreciation

for participating, as well uniforms. The winning team will go home with $100,000, second place $50,000 and third

place $30,000. Toney pointed out that the idea is to also take the unique event, which fuses entertainment with basketball, to Linden as a means of helping to resuscitate the game in the community. “Nothing is being done in Linden with regards to organised sports, let alone basketball. As it relates to basketball specifically, nothing has been played months before the pandemic in 2020. So we’re heading to almost three years of inactivity. I hope that this will spark some interest to have basketball playing again in Linden,” Toney said. He also explained that “at the tournament in February, I had a few teams from Linden, while some players from Linden made up teams in Georgetown. Two teams from

Tournament organiser, Rawle Toney

Linden played in the finals. So there’s certainly a buzz for basketball still in Linden.” Meanwhile, with the event also forming part of Linden’s celebration of 52 years since becoming a Town, Toney said “on the entertainment side, most of Guyana’s top DJs and a few surprise local and Regional

artistes will be performing. So it’s not just basketball, but a party. Linden is known for sports and entertainment so it is only right that my event brings the two together. 3X3 basketball is actually where sports meets entertainment, where the music never stops.” As relates to the choice of venue, it was stated that “for years, the basketball court in Richmond Hill has been the best facility in Linden. Sadly, as it stands, it is the only facility that is pristine in shape to host a premium basketball event. But also, the ambience at Kashif’s residence is ideal for what the 3X3 in Linden will be.” The tournament will officially be launched next week, where sponsors and other details will be announced.

Apex test series first test…

West Indies battle back through Bonner, Holder CMC – A last session consolidation by Jason Holder and Nkrumah Bonner saw West Indies battle their way back into the opening Test after a top order collapse had threatened to derail their progress, on the second day at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium. Stumbling at tea on 127 for four after losing four quick wickets for 44 runs, West Indies hit back through an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 75 between Holder and Bonner, to end the day on 202 for four – 109 runs adrift of first innings lead. Holder, starting his innings after the final interval, was unbeaten on 43 at the close and was partnered by Bonner on 34, the pair ensuring England went without success in the final session marred by breaks due to squalls of rain. Compact and organised, Holder has faced 104 balls and thumped half-dozen fours and a six – a gift from occasional off-spinner Joe Root which he deposited over long on – while Bonner has played the supporting role in an innings lasting 103

deliveries and including three fours. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite top-scored with an uncharacteristically breezy 55 while his left-handed partner John Campbell struck 35, the pair entertaining in an 83-run opening stand before things fell apart quickly in the post-lunch period. Each team had earlier claimed a session, West Indies clearly taking the first with England hitting back in the second, with a cluster of wickets. Resuming the morning on 268 for six, England were dismissed for 311 with young seamers Jayden Seales (4-79) and Alzarri Joseph (2-70) sharing the four wickets to fall. Jonny Bairstow, resuming the day on 109, was the last wicket to fall for 140, the right-hander facing 259 deliveries in just under 6-½ hours and counting 21 fours. West Indies needed six overs before they could make the first breakthrough of the morning when Chris Woakes, on 24 overnight, added four before gloving a lifter from Seales to wicketkeeper Josh-

ua Da Silva. And two balls later in the same over, Bonner outdid himself at short leg, holding on to a sharp chance to remove Craig Overton without scoring and with no addition to the total at 285 for eight. Joseph, who bowled without luck on Tuesday’s opening day, final tasted success in his first over of the morning when he got Mark Wood to sky a short delivery to Veerasammy Permaul at point for one. The languid Antiguan then ended the innings about 40 minutes before the scheduled lunch break when Bairstow got a leading edge and was brilliantly held by Holder running over his shoulder to backward point. Any nerves about surviving the tricky period before the interval were quickly dispelled as Brathwaite and Campbell played positively to race to 44 without at lunch, putting England quickly on the back foot. Playing with welcomed confidence, Brathwaite notched seven fours and a six – a straight hit off leftarm spinner Jack Leach – in

an innings coming from just 70 balls in a shade over 1-¾ hours. Campbell, returning to the Test side after 12 months on the sidelines, stroked half-dozen fours off 63 deliveries in just over 1-¼ hours. It was the Jamaican who perished first, caught down the leg-side pulling at a de-

livery of no particular merit from seamer Overton. Brathwaite brought up his 24th Test half-century approaching the first hour but lasted only another nine balls before slashing speedster Mark Wood hard to gully where Overton took a sharp chance. When Shamarh Brooks

(18) edged an innocuous delivery from medium pacer Ben Stokes and was caught at the wicket and Jermaine Blackwood fell to a catch at gully off Woakes for 11 off the last delivery before tea, West Indies were threatening to implode but Holder and Bonner stonewalled England.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND 1st Innings (overnight 268 for six)

A Lees lbw b Roach 4 Z Crawley c wkp Da Silva b Seales 8 *J Root b Roach 13 D Lawrence c Blackwood b Holder 20 B Stokes b Seales 36 J Bairstow c Holder b Joseph 140 +B Foakes lbw b Holder 42 C Woakes c wko Da Silva b Seales 28 C Overton c Bonner b Seales 0 M Wood c Permaul b Joseph 1 J Leach not out 4 Extras (b1, lb9, nb5) 15 TOTAL (all out, 100.3 overs) 311 Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Lees), 2-17 (Crawley), 3-27 (Root), 4-48 (Lawrence), 5-115 (Stokes), 6-214 (Foakes), 7-285 (Woakes), 8-285 (Overton), 9-305 (Wood), 10-311 (Bairstow) Bowling: Roach 21-3-85-2 (nb5), Seales 22-6-79-4, Holder 21-11-24-2, Joseph 20.32-70-0, Permaul 13-4-35-0, Brathwaite

3-1-7-0.

WEST INDIES 1st Innings *K Brathwaite c Overton b Wood 55 J Campbell c wkp Foakes b Overton 35 S Brooks c Root b Stokes 18 N Bonner not out 34 J Blackwood c Overton b Woakes 11 J Holder not out 43 Extras (b1, lb2, w2, nb1) 6 TOTAL (4 wkts, 66.5 overs) 202 To bat: +J Da Silva, A Joseph, K Roach, V Permaul, J Seales Fall of wickets: 1-83 (Campbell), 2-101 (Brathwaite), 3-111 (Brooks), 4-127 (Blackwood) Bowling: Woakes 12-2-54-1 (nb1), Overton 16-3-58-1 (w1), Wood 12-3-24-1 (w1), Leach 15.5-9-29-0, Stokes 9-0-20-1, Root 2-0-14-0. Position: West Indies trail by 109 runs with six wickets intact.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 10, 2022

Anisa Mohammed leads the West Indies victory sprint after her sensational last over (Getty Images)

West Indies Women snatch victory from England 26 PAGE

GMR&SC gets West Indies battle back approval for two through Bonner, Holder events in March 27 Apex test series first test…

PAGE

- Limited spectators for Drags, no spectators for circuit

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Nkrumah Bonner strapped in for the long haul, West Indies vs England, 1st Test, Antigua, 2nd day, March 9, 2022 © Getty Images

Drag racing action returns on the 27th of March (Ameer Sattaur photo)

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THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022