Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_03_26_2021

FRIDAY 26th March, 2021

' No.106312

US$6M

Sleepin Hotel for Brickdam SEE PAGE 03

––150-bedroom facility to create over 75 jobs

–– company to inject US$1M more into Church Street facility

Veteran news editor dies PAGE

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Brickdam, East Ruimveldt Secondary Schools get smart classrooms 04 PAGE

Fire Service gets four new tenders

PAGE

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Roll out! The Guyana Fire Service, on Thursday, received a welcome boost with the addition of four new fire tenders to its fleet of vehicles (Delano Williams photo)

Pomeroon man chops pregnant wife, burns house down 09 PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Task Force on alert for ‘Phagwah parties’ THOUGH national health guidelines have restricted gatherings on Phagwah, which will be celebrated on Sunday, March 28, the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) Secretariat has taken note of advertisements of “Phagwah parties” and will be heightening monitoring efforts on that day.

“We plan to do enforcement on a daily basis but especially on those days that they (businesses) signalled that they are going to breach these measures,” Director of the NCTF Secretariat, Colonel Nazrul Hussain, told this publication in an invited comment.

His comment came amid concerns that local businesses and organisations will continue to host Phagwah celebrations, despite the national restrictions that are in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus and the resulting infection of people.

Some businesses have signalled that there will be Phagwah celebrations at se-

cret locations; one business on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) has blatantly posted a flyer of a “Phagwah party” that will be held at its premises.

On Wednesday night, during an address to the nation, President Dr. Irfaan Ali noted that while there are several religious and cultural events ahead of the country over the next few weeks -including the celebration of Phagwah and Easter and the observance of Ramadan -citizens should adhere strictly to the approved COVID-19 guidelines.

“The COVID-19 Task Force has been asked to pursue charges against owners of establishments that are found in breach of the COVID-19 guidelines,” he underscored.

The Task Force, which incorporates members of the Joint Services, will be keenly monitoring activities on Sunday to see whether establishments are breaching these COVID-19 restrictions.

Phagwah is a national holiday which is drawn from

the Hindu culture. It ushers in the season of spring and just as the flowers blossom into their beautiful colours at springtime, so too would persons colour each other brightly -- whether with coloured powder or water.

In Guyana, aside from the religious activities, Phagwah is usually a grand celebration that thousands of Guyanese participate in. This year, due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, Phagwah celebrations will be restricted.

According to guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health, Phagwah events at the mandirs, including cultural programmes, chowtaal samelan and satsangh/services, are only allowed at 40 per cent capacity. These guidelines state that mandirs are encouraged to utilise their outdoor spaces where available.

As part of the Phagwah religious observances, Holika is usually burnt the night before. Members of mandirs and other spectators usually go to the space where the A flyer advertising a “Phagwah party” though this is prohibited by the local authorities

Holika plant has been planted to burn it on the eve of Phagwah. This year, however, the Health Ministry emphasised that only socially distanced gatherings for the burning of Holika are allowed.

Large Phagwah events, involving hundreds or thousands of persons, are strictly

prohibited. Similarly, Phagwah gatherings on trucks, canters or other vehicles carrying alcohol are not allowed. This means that there should be no grand celebrations at the National Stadium, the Everest Cricket ground, community centres or other similar spaces.

Instead, persons are encouraged to celebrate within their home circles.

Masks must be worn at all times, the six-feet social distancing guidelines should be maintained and there should be frequent hand washing and sanitising, the ministry said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

US$6M Sleepin Hotel for Brickdam

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––150-bedroom facility to create over 75 jobs –– company to inject US$1M more into Church Street facility

By Navendra Seoraj AFTER demolishing its Lot 24 Brickdam facility more than two years ago, the Sleepin Group will be utilising the space to construct a modern US$6 million (G$1.3 billion) hotel, to cater for the anticipated increase in arrivals to Guyana and the accompanying economic growth.

Guyana, with its newfound oil wealth, is on the cusp of economic transformation, and has already received the title of “investment capital” of the region and possibly the world.

This has so far served as encouragement for some of the key players in the hotel industry like the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, the Radisson Hotels, and the Hilton Hotels and Resorts, among others.

But, the attention from big international players has not discouraged locals in any way, as is evident in the case of the Sleepin Group, which is planning to create a facility like no other.

Although the plan to expand the Brickdam facility has been long in the making, owner of the Sleepin Group, Clifton Bacchus, has said that the time is ripe for the investment to be made.

“We are going bigger with more rooms… we only had 59 rooms and we always wanted to do more rooms, but the old building was not designed structurally to hold more rooms… we had to take down the old building because we want a modern building and modern amenities,” Bacchus said during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, on Thursday.

Based on the new plan and design, the modern facility will have 150 rooms, a conference hall, restaurant, car rental service and other amenities which would be found at any first-class hotel.

Bacchus said too that part of the plan for the new facility includes the addition of two-bedroom apartments to cater for long-term guests.

“This facility will be massive and modern. When done, it will create at least 75 jobs… the old facility, which was built 15 years ago for World Cup Cricket, had already created about 60 jobs, plus the hotel was giv-

An artist’s impression of the modern US$6M Sleepin facility

Work ongoing at the Lot 24 Brickdam site (Adrian Narine photo)

ing back to society by paying taxes, among other things,” the businessman said, adding that it will be no different this time around.

Work on the new facility has started already, with the projected timeline for completion being two years.

The Sleepin Group plans to waste no time in capitalising on the potential opportunities, as the company, in addition to constructing the new Brickdam facility, will be extending its Carnival Hotel on Church Street.

Bacchus said that the multi-million-dollar facility will receive an injection of another US$1 million

(GYD$200 million).

“We are also expanding the Church Street facility… we have already purchased a property on Albert Street [next to the facility] which will be used to enhance the pool area… work on this is already ongoing,” the businessman said.

Only recently, after more than four years of being denied the opportunity to open its doors, the US$16 million Carnival Casino was given the “green light” by the Gaming Authority of Guyana to commence operations, thus paving the way for the creation of more than 300 direct jobs.

COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS Although the facility has the capacity to employ over 300 persons, Bacchus had said that he will be employing 150 for now, because of the pervasive novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“We are only employing 150 persons for now, because of the social distancing and so, and because you have to close at a certain time,” the proprietor said.

The application of COVID-19 guidelines will, however, not just be restricted to the level of employment, but will also apply to

all aspects of the casino’s operations.

The facility has live games, machine games, food and every possible feature of any international casino.

Those activities will be managed by competent employees, who have been trained by experts in the field.

This project is one in a slew of projects which are scheduled for this year. It was reported in December 2020 that Go-Invest was able to facilitate 55 potential investments valuing $276.6 billion within three months, paving the way for the creation of more than 10,000 jobs in 2021 and beyond.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that of the 55 projects to which Go-Invest referred, 28 are local, 25 are Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), and there are two joint ventures.

It was reported recently that a business-friendly climate supplemented by the anticipated economic ascension is being credited for the attraction of major players in the hotel industry such as Sheraton, The Element, Delta Marriott, Best Western Hotels and Resorts, the H-Tower Luxury Hotel, the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, the Radisson Hotels, and the Hilton Hotels and Resorts, among others.

According to a study by Oxford Economics, hotel operations and guest spending, support eight million jobs across the US alone. The same study found that a typical hotel with 100 occupied rooms per night supports 230 local jobs every year. And the nation’s hotel and lodging industry brings other important benefits to local communities.

These businesses are a cornerstone for local economic activity, providing increased tax revenue, capital investment, tourism-related development and promotion, civic leadership, charitable contributions and sponsorship. These benefits are also expected to accrue to Guyana, as the country continues to function as an investment magnet.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has said already that Guyana is on course to prosperity, with a diverse economy which is yet to reach its peak.

“Our economic prospects have never been brighter.

Our collective feet are firmly placed on the first rungs of a ladder to prosperity that is clearly within our sight,” President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, said during his address to the nation on January 1, 2021.

The year 2021, according the President, will be the springboard from which Guyana will leap into recovery, rebuilding the economy, enhancing the people’s health and lifting up the vulnerable groups in society.

“We must not remain a rich country of poor people,” the President affirmed, noting that the bounty of Guyana must be shared across the population.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Brickdam, East Ruimveldt Secondary Schools get smart classrooms

––effective usage of smart facilities will be part of managed programme says education minister IMPROVED access to education is expected at the Brickdam Secondary School and the East Ruimveldt Secondary School, where the Ministry of Education commissioned smart classrooms on Thursday.

According to a press statement from the Ministry of Education, the commissioning of smart classrooms in those schools forms part of the Ministry of Education’s drive to modernise the education sector.

The smart classrooms are equipped with items such as an interactive board, a television that allows teachers and students to connect remotely, and motion and voice-activated cameras complete with a face recognition feature.

Systems Development Coordinator within the Ministry of Education, Godfrey Munroe, explained that the interactive board will allow students to be able to interact virtually with the class that is being facilitated at the time and view all the content that is being shared.

He said too that the smart classrooms will provide for

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, delivers remarks while inside the smart classroom at the Brickdam Secondary School

Some of the equipment installed in the smart classroom at the East Ruimveldt Secondary School

the infusion of Information Communication Technology (ICT) into all subject areas.

The facilities will have a multiplier effect as they will allow for expert teachers to reach and engage with students from other schools and vice versa.

The smart classrooms will directly benefit the 368 students currently enrolled at the Brickdam Secondary School and 506 students at Students of the East Ruimveldt Secondary School benefitting from a demonstration on how the smart classroom will function to their benefit (Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Education)

Friday March 26, 2021 03:00hrs & 13:30hrs Saturday March 27, 2021 03:30hrs

the East Ruimveldt Secondary School.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, said that she was very pleased to be commissioning the classrooms especially in this COVID-19 period when information and teaching can flow from one to many using the equipment installed.

“This is opening doors for us to occasion the equality and equity that we recognise is needed across the sector about which various parties have spoken,” Minister Manickchand said.

The education minister promised that the effective usage of the classrooms will not be left up to the schools alone, but will also be part of a managed programme.

This programme is aimed at ensuring that the classrooms are not only being used effectively to benefit the students at the respective schools, but also those students at other schools which do not have such classrooms.

“Imagine what we can do here. We could get experienced teachers delivering content to thousands of students at the same time. This will help us to expand the reach of our human resources for the benefit of all our students regardless of where they are located,” Minister Manickchand reasoned.

Headmistress of the East Ruimveldt Secondary School, Cathryn Fraser, said that the smart classroom is a very a good move and shows the government’s commitment to education.

Headteacher of the Brickdam Secondary School, Shandrina Welcome-Lee, echoed similar sentiments.

In February of this year, a smart classroom was commissioned at Queen’s College, becoming the second such facility in the public education system.

The commissioning of the facility at Queen’s College had instigated a response from former Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, who claimed that smart classrooms were already installed in several secondary schools across Guyana including the Brickdam Secondary and East Ruimveldt Secondary, which received smart classrooms only Thursday.

Minister Manickchand gave the assurance that the Government of Guyana and the Ministry of Education will continue to establish more smart classrooms in the coming weeks.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Fire Service gets four new tenders

–– three allotted to Reg. 4; relocation of headquarters being considered MINISTER of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, on Thursday, presented the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) with four new fire tenders valuing collectively $175 million, courtesy of the Government of Guyana.

The handing over was done during the opening of the fire service’s annual senior officers conference at the Guyana Police

Force Training Centre at Eve Leary.

The new tenders will be deployed to Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Melanie Damishana, on the East Coast Demerara; Eccles, on the East Bank Demerara; and the GFS headquarters at Stabroek, in the capital, Georgetown.

The acquisition and for-

mal handing over of those tenders bring the number of serviceable fire tenders in the service’s fleet of vehicles to 38.

While not directly related to the new acquisitions, Minister Benn seized the opportunity to appeal to those in administrative positions at the conference to work on making the service more appealing to persons

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, handing over keys to the new fire tenders to Fire Chief, Kalamadeen Edoo on Thursday (Delano Williams photo)

of various walks of life, particularly those of the ‘fairer sex’, for whom he asked that they make the environment as welcoming as possible.

“We have to move forward and develop and improve on the issue of diversity,” Minister Benn said, adding: “Diversity brings in other experiences; other approaches; better optimisation in what we do, and makes it

possible for us to be more efficient in totality.”

As if on cue, Fire Chief, Kalamadeen Edoo, assured the minister that the fire service will be employing a tenpoint system to improve the quality of service it provides.

The annual conference will provide a platform for the senior officers of the GFS to come up with a strategic plan so that together

they can implement new strategies that would not only boost its image, but also make it more efficient and effective.

TEN-POINT PLAN The ten-point plan at reference entails the modernisation and renovation of existing fire stations; TURN TO PAGE

A close-up of one of the new fire tenders (Delano Williams photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Tajeram Mohabir

Strategic response to COVID-19 JUST over a year after the deadly novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic struck Guyana, putting a brake on almost all of the productive sectors, Guyana today has come a long way in terms of putting systems in place to tackle the virus.

It should be noted that the coronavirus came at a time when the country was going through a crisis of a different kind -- the attempts by elements at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) – to rig the March 2, 2020 elections in favour of the then APNU+AFC Government.

At the time the five long months of elections standoff was over and democracy finally prevailed, the new government, on assuming office, was met with the gigantic task on bringing COVID-19 under

control.

The task at hand is aptly described as gigantic because when it assumed power, very limited testing was done, the country had just a few ventilators and the COVID-19 Hospital at Liliendaal, in which over a $1 billion was spent to remodel, was just little more than a shell.

Businesses were reeling from the restrictions in place to curb the spread of the virus, many persons lost their jobs and production understandably took a significant hit.

There were hardly any assistance from the then APNU+AFC Government for the suffering citizenry and members of the business community.

Today, though the virus remains a major challenge, things are far from the bleak

state that stared the nation in the face some eight months ago.

During the past eight months, significant work has been done to return the country to some level of normalcy while battling the pandemic.

Government has rolled out the $25,000 relief cash grant programme for households; allocated $750 million to support rolling out of COVID-19 vaccines; $51 million in grants from Small Business Bureau (SBB); $20 billion in annualised benefits from the 2020 Emergency Budget measures; $60 billion in annualised benefits from 2021 National Budget measures; $80 million in the 2021 budget for the training of women; given multimillion-dollar COVID-19 relief fund for Amerindian

villages; intensified procurement of Personal and Protective Equipment (PPEs) and COVID-19 tests; engaged in countrywide distribution of education booklets; and ease restrictions on businesses and travel to ‘breathe life’ into the economy and particularly ailing sectors.

Though these measures are significant in terms of relief for citizens and the business community, the government has embarked on a more direct strategy against the coronavirus -- and that is – vaccination.

A few weeks ago, vaccination of frontline healthcare workers began and within a short space of time, vaccination of the elderly commenced, and to date, more than 25,000 persons have been vaccinated. It was most

refreshing to hear the announcement by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Wednesday, that vaccination will commence for persons 40 years and older as early as next week.

Central to the notable expansion of the vaccination programme, is the aim to have at least 10,000 persons vaccinated each day to ensure Guyana achieves herd immunity, which was pointed out by the President in his address to the nation on Wednesday.

In the fight against COVID-19, a number of Guyana’s bilateral partners have stepped forward and offered their support, and among them are China and more notably, India.

And while Guyana is thankful for the support of these friendly nations in the

fight against the deadly pandemic which has claimed the lives of over 220 Guyanese, it is very important that everyone takes all the necessary precautions to avoid contracting and spreading the virus.

Here some valuable lessons could be learnt from ‘Deep South’ Rupununi which is COVID-free amid the countrywide spread of the virus. But what have they done differently from others? The answer is simple: community members wear their face masks, constantly wash their hands and maintain an appropriate social distance. They even went as far as to erect a gate to their community to safeguard against contracting the novel coronavirus.

New York Guyanese celebrating Phagwah virtually

Dear Editor,

THIS year, as was also the case last year, there would be no Phagwah parade because of the pandemic.

Large gatherings are not allowed and the City has cancelled all parades to protect public health. Nevertheless, community leaders have organised Phagwah celebrations online – virtual celebrations. One was held for several hours last Sunday and another is planned for this Sunday – live performances. Artistes performed live in temples or halls or in their homes and their performances were beamed live globally.

Some City politicians also hosted virtual celebrations.

Those who organised these celebrations, Indra Seet, Imran Ahmed, and others must be applauded

for their leadership. They provide entertainment and remembrance of the celebration at a time when critically needed – lives are down as a result of the pandemic.

Some four hundred thousand Guyanese are settled in the greater New York area and look forward for Phagwah parades in Queens, Bronx, and Jersey City. In their absence, the virtual celebrations are a good fill in.

Phagwah has made its mark to bring people together in New York and this is all due to the work of Guyanese cultural and organisational community leaders -- Guyana’s unofficial ambassadors in the City. The celebration promotes a common feeling of togetherness and rekindles the flame of unity among diverse people.

In normal times, the festival would be celebrated in

the streets culminating in an open park with a splurge of colours and chowtaal folk songs and dances. Chowtaal is a tradition that has been handed down from ancestors from India. The New York celebration is giving the Guyanese nation a great promotion of the unique culture (of music, cuisine, folklore, and folk songs) brought from the India and blended with local conditions.

The New York Phagwah parade attracted celebrants from all over the US with a mammoth gathering at Smokey Park, or Queens Village, or Grand Concourse, or Jersey City, where there was playful jollification with all the paraphernalia (abeer, gulal, abrack, pitchkarie, etc.) relating to Phagwah and appropriate music. There is chowtaal galore and tassa drumming and a cultural

variety concert. Volunteers provided free hot and cold beverages and traditional snacks (bara, phulourie, channa, mohanbhog, etc.) to the teeming crowd.

It is no easy task to organise the parades and the park celebration. It took many hours of meetings to put together those celebrations.

The same is true of virtual celebrations. The planners and organisers deserve kudos for sacrificing their time to provide a day of lovely entertainment for the large Guyanese diaspora in the New York metro region and now virtually for the diaspora of so many countries.

The celebration brings people together in a day of love and peace, helping to bridge racial and religious barriers and ease social tensions among Guyanese of all backgrounds. The participa-

tion of different groups in the celebration is a testament of the appreciation they show of each other’s culture because over the years the Phagwah celebrations in Guyana and North America have encouraged cultural tolerance. Today, we see diverse people coming to celebrations of Phagwah all over America.

Politicians hosted celebrations in years gone by which included dances, singing of chowtaal, tassa, and dinner.

The official City Hall celebrations make us feel proud of the cultural contributions to New York society of our ancestors from India to Guyana and from there to America. The civility of Phagwah celebration in Guyana as well as in New York, this coming together of diverse groups, is a stepping-stone towards greater understanding of diverse people.

Thank you Guyana for this great culture and thank you New York Holi organisers for virtual celebrations allowing us to enjoy the festival in the diaspora just like we do back home in years gone by and as is also being done in Guyana virtually.

Without a virtual sammelan or festivity or utsav, there would be no significant Phagwah celebration because there would be no public avenue to celebrate the joyous festival known for its vibrancy of colours. Thanks folks! I hope community leaders will continue to promote these kinds of festivals virtually to showcase Guyana.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Hope Minister McCoy prosecutes his agents provocateurs Dear Editor, I WAS very pleased that the press reported that (independent) investigators, who were probing the assault allegation against Minister Kwame McCoy by APNU+AFC Member of Parliament (MP) Tabitha Sarabo-Halley have found “… that there is no evidence of a physical assault” after rummaging through relevant footage of the supposed assault.

We all recall that on March 4, 2021, that House Speaker, Manzoor Nadir, was forced into suspending a parliamentary session, and why? The reason: “APNU+AFC [A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change] members had begun to disruptively bang on their desks, demanding that Government Member of Parliament, Minister Kwame McCoy, be removed, and apparently they had a right to be accommodated.

Mr. Editor, APNU+AFC have not come to grips with modern day reality, and I refer herein to the ‘inability to hide the truth.’ All we have to do is to revisit the recent post-March attempts to rig the Guyana Elections. It is patently clear that they seemed to be afflicted with

a form of dumbness that befuddles the mind. Their attempts were observed live by the entire world (who had an interest).

The worrying part back then was that when incontrovertible and debunking evidence was confronting them from the general public, the observers and the PPP/C (People’s Progressive Party/Civic), the APNU+AFC continued to live in a world of pretence. Their phobia with transparency is unprecedented.

Now let us look at the series of events. We note that this issue all stemmed from “Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones (alleging) that an Opposition MP, who(m) he did not name (at the time) had been assaulted by Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy”. At a later time, APNU+AFC named the MP as former minister Tabitha Sarabo-Halley.

Where is the evidence? In an atmosphere of modern technology, acquiring ‘live evidence’ is just too facile. In fact, some human rights advocates have become so emboldened that they ‘push’ for matters of assault and verbal attacks to be heaped on them. This is because even the everyday non-professionals have recording and filming de-

vices. So it begs the question: “Do the Christopher Joneses of ANU+AFC think they can just hurl accusations and then be heard or believed?”

Mr. Editor, this kind of opposition filibustering is not new in Guyana’s Parliament. I vividly remember how in 2012, Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman, and Opposition Leader, David Granger, sought to unconstitutionally stop the then Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, from tabling any new bills in the National Assembly. Preposterous! So, this infantile time-wasting, trouble-making tactic, even though non-effective, still permeates the opposition.

I point out that Minister Kwame had indicated that this kind of behaviour was forthcoming. In his Budget 2021 preliminary remarks, he did intone that, according to his own intelligence, the opposition was hell bent on disruption, via ‘heckling’ or a ‘walk out’ and disarming them with such a prognosis then meant that APNU+AFC had to concoct another evil.

Let me remind the public, dear Editor that APNU+AFC has in their artillery ‘horses for courses.’ This said, Christopher

Jones seems bent on some form of vendetta. In August 2020, the former Sports Director faced allegations of simple larceny of a quantity of barber chairs among other items reportedly belonging to the State. All the items were taken from his house.

That exposure of the man redounded from a search of his property, after an audit carried out at the former Ministry of Social Protection, showed that they had approved the payout of almost $5 million under the Region Four administration for the procurement of equipment for a barbershop under the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme.

Police actually ended up seizing “… a number of boxes believed to contain barbershop equipment purchased as part of a $4 million government-funded project under the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED).

I now rest my case. Minister Kwame was vindicated, and I hope he will prosecute his agents provocateurs.

Yours sincerely, Alvin Hamilton

Phagwah builds friendship, fosters national unity and rekindles moral and ethical values GUYANESE and more particular our Hindu brothers and sisters will be celebrating the Festival of Holi or Phagwah on Sunday March 28, 2021.

Phagwah is a time of profound joy and extreme goodwill to all mankind, a time when we sink and shelve our differences and animosities and drench each other’s face with coloured powder, beat our drums and clap our cymbals and sing, dance and be merry.

Further Phagwah is a time when we forgive and forget and embrace our fellow men in bonds of unity, warmth of friendships, love and affection, equality and brotherhood of man.

In our multi-religious and multi-ethnic society, Phagwah over the years have developed a feeling

of oneness among our Guyanese people.

It has also afforded our Guyanese people the opportunity of building bridges of friendship, fostering national unity, instilling and rekindling moral and ethical values and strengthening family ties, which are vital and important ingredients for a strong and vibrant nation.

As we celebrate one of Guyana’s most important and joyous festivals, we must use this day to enrich our individual lives, strengthen our society, promote happiness and inspire the nation.

Happy Phagwah to all Guyana.

Yours sincere, Guyana Hemp Industries Company Inc

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Thief breaks into Dave’s complex A THIEF broke into Dave’s Complex and carted off with an undisclosed sum of cash and articles from several businesses housed within the Chapel Street, New Amsterdam location.

Security guard, Clarence Adams, 58, said he was unaware thieves visited the location until he received a telephone call from his employer at around 07:00 hours.

He was already at home and on returning to the work site, he observed that the inner doors which secured the other businesses were opened.

This newspaper was informed that checks were made around the building and a western window was open. It is unclear whether the thief had gained entry through that window, or he hid himself within the complex after it closed on

Dave’s Complex on Chapel Street, New Amsterdam

Wednesday evening.

Surveillance cameras have captured images of a male in the building.

The businesses affected were Bud Justice of Peace, Conway’s Consultancy and

Valuation Services, Guyana Public Service Union, Street Wise Restaurant and Catering and a boutique.

Police are investigating the incident.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021 FROM PAGE

Fire Service gets ... collaboration with government agencies; implementation of a fire service building code; establishment of a legal department; creation of an Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) department; training courses for staff both locally and internationally; establishment of a public relations unit; operational pole training for all staff; and expansion of emergency medical service.

“Over the next two days, we will focus on our areas of challenges, with a view to identifying the gap and strengthening the weaknesses, so as to enhance the services we provide to the citizens of our country,” Fire Chief Edoo said, adding: “We recognise that competence and enhanced performance can only be realised if structural changes are taking place. During our deliberations, we will certainly finetune, considering in greater detail our 10-point plan. The GFS is committed to improving its performance, and the provision of service to the nation.”

Under the modernisation and renovation of existing fire stations aspect of the plan, one of the major developments will be the relocation of the GFS headquarters

from its present location in down-town Stabroek.

For some time now, the fire service has been contemplating this move, due to congestion in the area, which negatively impacts its response time.

“Admittedly, this is a crowded area, and our response to calls is oftentimes delayed, so this is one project that is in the pipeline, which, when realised, will enable our operation to respond with greater precision,” the Fire Chief said.

NEW FIRE STATIONS The fire service is also looking to operationalise fire stations in Mahdia, Lethem and Mabaruma, where there are currently axillary units in operation; these fire stations are due to come on stream with a permanent staff by the end of this year.

A new fire station is also to be established at Eccles, on the East Bank Demerara; all of these expansion efforts, the fire chief said, are geared at improving the infrastructural aspect of the GFS, so as to make it better to envision their role in providing a fire prevention service, and responding appropriately to other emergencies.

According to the fire

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chief, the GFS also intends to increase its collaboration with other government agencies, so as to provide a high quality of service to the general public; this will be done through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), and the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), which will afford the fire service the opportunity to ensure greater compliance with fire prevention methods.

He stated that the GFS recognises that there is a need for increased inspection of buildings countrywide, and that in light of its role, oversight is meaningful in minimising the outbreak of fires, and possible destruction of buildings.

During the course of the year, the fire service is looking to review and amend its existing fire-related regulations, in an effort to bring it in line with international fire prevention best practices.

“This entity cannot continue to function within the current outdated framework, thus support in the form of advice and assistance is expected from legal advisers of the Ministry of Home Affairs,” the fire chief said. (Jared Lidell)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Wakapoa logger dies after tree falls on him

Dead: Silas Allan Federicks

SILAS Allan Federicks, 27, a logger and musician from Wakapoa, Lower Pomeroon River, Region Two, tragically lost his life on Monday after a tree fell on him.

The incident reportedly occurred at Kaburi Backdam, Mazaruni, Region Seven.

According to reports, Federicks was employed by another logger in the Kaburi District and was cutting the tree when it fell on him, pinning him down. Shortly after Federicks become motionless.

Colleagues immediately went to his rescue but their efforts proved futile. He was rushed to the Bartica Regional Public Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead. His body is currently at the Suddie Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination. Investigations are ongoing.

Pomeroon man chops pregnant wife, burns house down A FARMER of Grant Friendship, on the Lower Pomeroon River in Region Two, went berserk on Thursday morning and chopped his pregnant wife, before setting their house on fire and watching it burn to cinders.

The incident reportedly occurred around 9:00 hours that morning, but it was not until around 17:00 hours that 23-year-old Merisa Cameron, better known as “Melly”, was air-dashed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to seek further medical attention, after being referred there by doctors on duty at the Suddie Public Hospital.

The six-weeks-pregnant mother of five was chopped in the head and about her body, while the blow to her right hand partially amputated it.

According to information reaching the Guyana Chronicle, the couple was at home when an argument ensued, and in the heat of the moment, the husband allegedly picked up a “chopper”, presumably from the

kitchen, and began to chop her, before proceeding to set the house ablaze.

Reports are that it was her screams that brought neighbours to her rescue, but by then her husband was long gone. He was, however, arrested later by the police, and is currently in custody.

Cameron, meanwhile, was immediately rushed to the Oscar Joseph Hospital at Charity, but was later transferred to the Suddie Public Hospital, where she was admitted. Her worsening condition, however, prompted medical officials on duty there to have her air-dashed to Georgetown.

A relative of hers told the Guyana Chronicle that the chop the woman took to her head was so severe, it cut through her skull.

“When we reach, her brain matter was showing,” the relative said, adding: “He chop she bad, bad; wounds were all over. We don't know why.”

Luckily, none of her children was at home at the time of the incident.

The house up in flames

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

$14 million agro-processing facility for St. Ignatius –– ‘Agri’ ministry to help small farmers find markets for their produce VILLAGERS of St. Ignatius and neighboring satellite villages in the North Rupununi will soon benefit from several initiatives that will significantly boost their agro-processing capabilities.

This year, the ministry through the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), will be constructing a $14 million agro-processing facility to assist farmers with adding value and extending the shelf life of their produce.

This disclosure was made

by Agriculture Minister, Zu-

lfikar Mustapha, during a recent meeting with residents and farmers in St. Ignatius, Region Nine.

“We want to ensure your produce is more valuable by helping you to process these commodities so that you can earn more. This year we'll expend $14 million to construct an agro-processing facility right in St. Ignatius.

“We’ll also refurbish the existing facility and install equipment to process peanuts and cashew nuts. A peanut sheller and a peanut skin remover will be installed.

The facility will also have Minister Mustapha handing over a number of tools, chemicals and other planting material to a representative of St. Ignatius

all the necessary equipment to make peanut butter, jams, and jellies, as well as coolers, chillers, and industrial scales. So this facility will be of an international standard," Minister Mustapha said.

He also said that the ministry, through the new GMC will be working to find markets for these agro-processed commodities.

"If we are going to help you to add value to your produce we have to help you find markets. Officers from the new GMC will be more present in the region to work with you and find steady markets for your produce.

“We have a number of areas where we can tap into.

For instance, Caribbean countries import between US$6 billion to US$8 billion in agriculture produce annually. Our local supermarkets are selling peanut butter, jams, and jellies that were imported from overseas. We will ensure we work with you to bring your products to an international standard so that you can access those markets both locally and internationally,” Minister Mustapha said.

In addition to the agro-processing facility, Minister Mustapha also told villagers that, this year, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will be procuring a number of tractors outfitted with ploughs to assist farmers with land preparation. These tractors, he said, will be stationed in different villages in the region.

Phillip Baretto, a senior councillor from Quarrie, a satellite village of St. Ignatius, said that villagers need assistance with land preparation to cultivate in the Savannah.

“We in Quarrie are farmers. We always farm. That is our job and what we do for a living. Minister we have been doing farming with our regular hoes, cutlasses, axe, and for some time now we've been getting assistance with ploughing our farms from the agriculture department.

Minister, we want to plant more in the Savannah,” Baretto said.

In further making his case for more assistance, the councillor said: “We are giving our forests some time to catch themselves so that they can get back to a standard because we all use the forest. We want to do the savannah planting but we would need additional help and we would also need some fertiliser for the soil because the soil in the Savannah is not rich like the soil in the forest.”

Other farmers present said that they would like assistance with rice production, as well as technical support for cash crop production and aquaculture.

Minister Mustapha told villagers that a new system is in place to ensure extension officers in the region are more responsive. He said too that there will now be improved channels of communication between regional officials and agriculture officers stationed in the region.

After the meeting, Minister Mustapha distributed fertilisers and other planting material to farmers.

He informed them that the ministry will be periodically assisting them with more chemicals and planting materials.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Veteran news editor dies

By Tamica Garnett

COMMUNICATIONS specialist and veteran news editor, Namela Henry, passed away on Thursday afternoon, at the Infectious Disease Hospital, due to COVID-19-related complications.

Condolences have poured in from members of the local

media fraternity. Henry, 63, died two weeks after she was admitted to hospital.

She leaves to mourn her three children and numerous grandchildren.

According to her son, Allair Henry, she was admitted to the hospital on March 11 when her symptoms worsened a few days after she had first tested positive for

the virus.

She was eventually transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) last Friday.

“She was tested like the Monday but then she started to get worst and so she was admitted to the hospital on the Thursday. Then when she started to get shortness of breath then she went into the ICU,” he explained.

Allair said he was in constant contact with his mom during her time at the hospital; however, he had not spoken to his mom since Monday after she became unresponsive.

“I used to talk to her on the phone actually every day. But then she had a heart attack on Monday and she went into a coma, so we

Namela Henry

couldn’t speak to her after that. But the doctor was giving me updates,” he said.

Allair related that he got the news of his mother’s passing at 12:45 hours on Thursday, when he was contacted by her doctor. He commended the care his mom received at the hospital saying: “The hospital did good, no doubt about it.”

Describing his mother, Allair said: “She never did anyone any wrong and she

loved her kids and would talk about us all the time. Her whole life she talked about her kids.”

The Guyana Press Association (GPA), in a statement said, Namela, as many would remember, was known for her jovial and caring attributes.

“She would always be remembered for being strong about her opinions and views and for nurturing those under TURN TO PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Report substandard infrastructural work –– AG urges citizens ahead of anticipated economic boom tity of contracts available for various types of work, Nandlall noted that the government is implementing provisions to ensure that small and new contractors benefit as much as large contractors.

“We want everyone to get a piece of the pie, and that is why we are amending or we have amended the procure-

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C.

By Richard Bhainie WITH Guyana anticipating massive infrastructural development as the country continues its economic ascension, Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall, S.C., has said that citizens must act as the ‘gatekeepers’ of quality and value for money by reporting substandard work done by contractors.

Nandlall, in an invited comment, noted that the passage of Budget 2021- Guyana’s largest budget- has cleared the way for there to be a large quantity of capital projects, some of which are already being awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration board, in accordance with the Procurement Act. The awarding of those contracts will result in significant economic activities throughout the length and breadth of Guyana, the Attorney-General said, adding that these projects will provide a fillip to the country’s economy, as there will be projects ongoing in various communities nationwide.

It is for this reason that he is pleading with residents of those communities to report errant contractors who refuse to incorporate the materials reflected on the Bill of Quantities for the contract in the execution of their work.

He is urging citizens to equip themselves with a copy of the Bill of Quantities and compare the work being executed and the materials being utilised by the contractors to what is stated on the docu-

ment.

Nandlall noted that a clerk of works and supervisor or engineer, who is a representative of the government, should be present at the site where the contract is being executed, and if persons notice any deficiencies in the execution of the work they should bring it to the attention of the officials on site.

“If you see silverballi being used instead of greenheart and greenheart is what the Bill of Quantities has, then you have to make that public, publish it on Facebook, talk to the clerk of works, call in the media, make contact with the minister or someone in authority and we will get down there to correct that.

“At the level of the government we will continue to hold contractors strictly to their contractual obligations and we will continue to demand from them, work of a high quality… we are not going to accept substandard work,” Nandlall affirmed.

NECESSARY ACTION The Attorney-General further said that contractors who fail to perform work of exemplary standard will have their contracts revoked, and will be sued accordingly.

“They will have to compensate the government for the loss of time on the project, for liquidated damages and for the various heads of compensation that are available at law. We are not going to waste time this time around with delinquent and errant contractors,” Nandlall posited.

Further, with a large quan-

ment rules and we are amending the protocols to create a more level playfield so that new contractors and small contractors can have a fair chance of bidding,” he said.

Further, the Attorney-General said: “We have relaxed certain requirements, we have restructured certain language in the procurement regulations

and protocols to allow for smaller contractors and new contractors to break into the industry... we have enough work for every contractor.”

Nandlall also appealed to larger contractors to subcontract works to smaller contractors within the communities where works are being executed, to allow for small and new

contractors to benefit from projects as well.

“We want everyone to benefit from this upward stride that the economy will be taking in the next few weeks and it will galvanise into greater speeds as the year progresses,” the Attorney-General said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Settling an old score costs him dearly CLINTON Allen was, on Thursday, sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment

by High Court Judge, Gino Persaud, after he confessed to killing a man over an old feud.

The judge arrived at his decision after considering the mitigating and aggravating factors of the case.

In February, Allen appeared before the Suddie High Court for the capital offence of murder, but opted

to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter instead.

He admitted that between May 30 and 31, 2019, at Kamarang Landing, he unlawfully killed Godrell Joseph, called ‘Roswell’.

According to reports, years prior to the incident, there was a fight between Allen and Joseph, which left the former with a scar on his face.

It is alleged that on May

Clinton Allen

30, 2019, Allen saw Joseph drinking at a bar, and after

lying in wait until he was on his way home, attacked him with a broken beer bottle and hot-foot it out of there.

The next day, Joseph’s body was discovered by a Kamarang Landing resident with injuries to the neck and head.

Allen was subsequently arrested, and confessed to killing Joseph as pay-back for scarring him for life.

Carter for retrial, after jury fails to arrive at a verdict

Murder accused: Rayon Carter

Dead: Ishwar Ramanah

AFTER two hours of deliberations, the jury was unable to arrive at a verdict in the trial of Rayon Carter, who is accused of shooting a man during the course of a robbery back in 2017.

On Thursday, the 12-member jury could not arrive at a verdict even after further direction was given

by Justice Navindra Singh at the Demerara High Court.

Given this development, Carter will remain incarcerated until he is retried at the next practical sitting of the Demerara Assizes.

Carter, formerly of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank of Demerara, had pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleged that on January 13, 2018, in the County of Demerara, he

murdered Ishwar Ramanah, called “Jack”, during the course or furtherance of a robbery.

He was represented by Attorney-at-Law, Rachael Bakker, while the State was represented by Prosecutor, Tiffani Lyken.

According to reports, Ramanah was shot in the abdomen during a robbery at his Kaneville, East Bank of Demerara home on December 13, 2017. He was rushed to the Diamond Hospital, where he was treated and transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. He died there a month later, on January 13, 2018.

FROM PAGE

Veteran news editor... her wings,” he said.

Namela worked at a number of media houses including the LRTV News in Berbice, HBTV Channel Nine and First Look, Guyana Chronicle and the Department of Public Information (DPI).

She also worked as a public relations officer for the Ministry of Legal Affairs, was a former VCT counsellor at Artistes in Direct Support and a former trustee for the Society Against Sexual Orientation and Discrimination (SASOD).

In a statement expressing condolences on her passing, SASOD said her contributions to the organisation were too numerous to mention.

“Namela was empathetic and always willing to lend a helping hand to support the LGBTQ+ movement.

Before resources became available for office space, Namela opened her home in Charlotte Street as a venue

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to host board meetings and gatherings for members of SASOD,” the statement said.

SASOD highlighted that her work with the LGBTQ+ community included founding “Rainbow House”, a now defunct organisation which provided short-term housing for homeless LGBTQ+ youth.

Many also took to social media to express their condolences on her passing.

“Namela was always a nice person to have a good gyaff with and was always willing to share her knowledge and experience in the media field. She will be missed and I know she was big on family and always spoke about her children and grandchildren, so I extend my sympathy to them and her other relatives and close friends,” Journalist and Owner of News Source, Gordon Moseley, said on his Facebook page.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

‘Long Hair’ gets life imprisonment for shallow grave murder MUNILALL Sarjoo called “Long Hair” has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Levan Chandarpaul, whose body was found in a shallow grave in August 2016.

Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall ordered that the prisoner will not be eligible for parole until he would have served 25 years imprisonment.

Earlier in the month, following the unanimous verdict, at the Berbice Assizes, a teary-eyed Sarjoo maintained his innocence. He told the court that he came from the United States of America to improve his life but instead spent four years in jail. However, Justice Simone Ramlall- Morris reminded him of the guilty verdict.

Munilall Sarjoo

State Prosecutrix, Tuanna Hardy, in her opening address, had submitted that Chandarpaul was last seen in the company of Sarjoo.

Chandarpaul, formerly of

Number 68 Village, Corentyne, Berbice was murdered between August 22 and 26, 2016.

Hardy had also told the court that the prosecution would prove that the accused killed Chandarpaul before bounding his hands and feet and burying him in a shallow grave.

In his evidence, Government Pathologist, Dr. Vivekanand Bridgemohan, noted that the man’s death was as a result of a fractured skull where there was also internal bleeding. There were two fractures to the skull, one of which was fragmented, the pathologist recounted in his testimony.

The injuries, he said, were consistent with someone being hit with a blunt in-

strument. He opined that the murder weapon was a piece of wood. Additionally, debris was found in the victim’s trachea, which confirmed that the injuries were inflicted prior to death.

Several witnesses testified during Zoom hearings, and were cross-examined by defence counsel, Rodwell Jugmohan. Among those who testified were the parents of the deceased, ranks of police’s Major Crime Unit and an eyewitness who saw the deceased entering Sarjoo’s motorcar and the body after it was exhumed from the Corentyne backlands. The man’s body was clad in the same clothes he was last seen wearing.

Two wanted in connection with Deeds Registry fraud

Wanted: Alistair Michael Mitchell

THE Guyana Police Force, on Thursday, issued wanted bulletins for two persons in connection with fraud committed at the Deeds Registry, Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, in 2017.

Police are seeking any information that may lead to the arrest of Alistair Michael Mitchell, 45, whose last known address is Lot ‘NN’ Durban Street, Wortmanville, George-

Wanted: Mohamed Wazir

town, and Mohamed Wazir, 60.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of either of these individuals is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 226-1389, 227-2128, 226-7476, 2267065, 227-9271, 227-1611, 227-1149, 227-1270, 2256940-9, 225-3650, 226-1928, 911 or the nearest police station.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Edghill pushes for vaccination of airport staff

By Rehana Ahamad

RECOGNISING airport employees to be critical frontline workers, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, has engaged his colleague Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, to ensure that such persons are catered for in the countrywide rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination.

Edghill’s comments followed an assessment visit to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), last week.

“So, my engagement with the Minister of Health and the letter that has already been transmitted will very well see, in the very shortest possible time, all the staff, which

will include immigration, customs, handlers and all the staff at the airport being vaccinated,” the minister said.

He emphasised that it was imperative for airport employees to benefit from yet another layer of protection against the novel coronavirus, especially as the country remains poised to welcome an influx of potential investors and other visitors.

In the same breath, Minister Edghill announced the return of Surinamese airline, Fly All Ways.

“Fly All Ways out of Suriname will be operating the Suriname route, the Barbados route and Curacao route out of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport,” Edghill

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill

specified.

Guyana inked an Open Skies Agreement with Suri-

name last December in a successful bid to broaden global connectivity and tap into new

and existing markets with the Dutch nation.

The agreement was lauded for the opportunities it will open for both countries, especially in critical areas such as travel, tourism and trade. It is expected that within the coming years, the Guyana-Suriname relation would be further strengthened, owing to the construction of a bridge to link the two countries. Edghill had previously stamped an ambitious 2025 deadline on the project, which is currently in its initial phase of selecting a contractor.

Nonetheless, as Guyana advances along its path to prosperity, the Government is anticipating requests from

many more airlines wanting to operate to and from Destination Guyana.

“We are happy that traffic at CJIA, even in a COVID environment, has been building and coming along and we want to get to a stage where we are opened back up full blast for business,” the minister told a recent press conference.

Since the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) took office in August 2020, JetBlue Airways has gotten approval and has begun its operations in Guyana. Virgin Atlantic and other carriers have also applied to ply the Guyana route.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

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Guyana on track to eliminate filaria –– Health Minister says 70 per cent coverage achieved in MDA

The filaria pills which were taken as part of the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) (PAHO photo)

By Vishani Ragobeer FOR years, Lymphatic Filariasis (LF), commonly known as filaria, has been a public health problem in Guyana but after achieving a 70 per cent coverage in the 2021 round of the Mass Drug Administration (MDA), Guyana is on target to eliminate the disease.

On Wednesday, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony noted that the MDA which had been ongoing across Guyana since February came to an end recently.

Since the country achieved successful coverage in prior rounds of the MDA, this round of the MDA should be the last, since enough citizens took their pills over the past few weeks.

“Overall our assessment is that we have achieved 70 per cent of the population would have received their filaria pills,” Dr. Anthony said on Wednesday.

He added: “We were aiming to get 65 per cent so we have exceeded it.”

The aim of the MDA was to have at least 65 per cent of the population consume the ‘filaria pills’- Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC), Albendazole (ALB) and Ivermectin (IVM). These pills sterilise and kill the worms that cause filaria.

There was a very specific dosing schedule that determines how many pills persons are required to take. All persons were measured by trained pill distributors using a ‘dosing pole’ which measures from 90cm to 160cm.

This dosing schedule rigidly guides the distribution of the pills, and numerous studies done in other countries show the effectiveness of Ivermectin.

During this MDA, the health authorities trained 1400 pill distributors, some 170 field officers, 20 regional coordinators and eight national supervisors, spanning about 130 health facilities across the country.

Importantly, the Health Minister indicated that the local authorities are still wrapping up the final count, and as such, he believed that the country could record a high coverage.

On Tuesday, on the Health Ministry’s Facebook page, notices were published stating that if persons did not receive their pills, they can visit their nearest health centres to get those. It is not clear if this is still occurring as Dr. Anthony, on Wednesday, said that the exercise has wrapped up.

Now that the MDA is complete, the numbers will be finalised before being verified by the Pan-American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO). According to Dr. Anthony, once those authorities are satisfied with the MDA and have verified the numbers, they will, subsequently, certify Guyana as being free from filaria.

Dr. Anthony reminded that the country has been battling filaria for a long time. The country attempted an MDA before, but it was unsuccessful. Now, however, the country may finally be able to get rid of the disease.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), filaria affects the body’s lymphatic system, which functions to remove unwanted fluids from the body and transports ‘lymph’- a fluid which contains white blood cells that help to fight infections. It is caused by bancrofti worms and is transmitted by culex mosquitoes.

Importantly, if someone is infected with filaria, they may develop chronic conditions, resulting in swelling of the legs and scrotum. Locally, the swelling of tissues in the leg is called ‘big foot,’ while scrotal swelling is termed ‘goadie.’ There is no cure for filaria, which means that these chronic manifestations are irreversible.

In addition to these chronic conditions, persons may be unable to work and provide for themselves, thereby resulting in adverse economic implications.

There are also various mental stigmas that belabours those infected.

Though the density of Filaria may be reduced now, those persons who have already been affected will have to continue seeking care.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Guyana expects sixth ‘oil lift’ in two weeks

By Navendra Seoraj

IN just two weeks, Guyana will again benefit from its burgeoning petroleum sector, as the country is in line to receive its sixth oil lift.

The buyer of this lift is yet to be announced, but Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, has confirmed that the country will receive its sixth oil lift from ExxonMobil’s Liza Phase One operation in just two weeks.

Since 2015, ExxonMobil, operator of the Stabroek, Canje and Kaieteur Blocks offshore Guyana, has increased its estimated recoverable resource base to more than nine billion oil-equivalent barrels.

ExxonMobil’s first offshore Guyana project, Liza Phase One, began producing in late 2019, well ahead of the industry average for development time. Liza Phase Two remains on track to begin producing oil by early 2022.

Liza Phase Two will produce up to 220,000 barrels

of oil per day at peak rates, using the Liza Unity FPSO. Recently, the oil giant, following an agreement with the Government of Guyana, decided to proceed with the Payara field development offshore Guyana.

Those operations are all ongoing in the Stabroek Block, which is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometers). There have so far been 18 discoveries on the block, and these have established the potential for at least five floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels producing more than 750,000 barrels of oil per day by 2026.

It was early this month that Guyana last benefitted directly from the sector, receiving US$61,090,968 (approximately GYD$13B) from the sale of the nation’s fifth oil lift.

The fifth lift was sold to New York-based Hess Corp, which in turn vended the local crude to HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL), a joint venture between State-run Hindustan Petroleum Corp

The Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel

and Indian steel tycoon LN Mittal.

It was reported that

HMEL operates a 226,000 barrels per day ‘Bathinda’ refinery in the northern state of Punjab.

VOLATILE MARKET Prior sales of local crude, particularly the first three, went to a trading arm of Shell on a dated ‘Brent’ basis. The oil market is volatile, but Brent price is listed currently as US$63.61 per barrel of oil.

Guyana, new to the petroleum sector, sold its first one million barrels of crude on February 19, 2020, raking in nearly US$55 million. In its second million-barrel sale, the country received US$35 million, US$46 million as proceeds from the sale of its third million-barrel of crude, and US$49.3 million from its fourth oil lift.

Based on a consolidation of all the lifts to date, the country has sold 5,009,797 barrels of oil valuing US$246,542,662.

Along with the earnings from the oil lifts and over US$21 million in royalties and interest, Guyana has close to US$267,668,709 in its NRF, at the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank. Under the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), Guyana receives two per cent royalty and 50 per cent profit oil, which is

what remains after the producer recovers the production cost.

Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo, had said no money from the fund will be used until the government amends or repeals the existing NRF Act. The government had committed to addressing important issues of transparency and ensuring systems and institutions are in place before those funds are utilised.

Sections of the media also reported President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, as saying Guyana’s oil revenue will remain untouched until a series of reforms are enacted to strengthen the government’s regulatory infrastructure for the oil and gas sector.

It was reported, in August last year, that oil revenues must be used to build the economy of the future which must feature supportive infrastructure such as good transport, deep-water harbours and modern airports as well as to strengthen the productive sectors.

“The oil resources have to be spent in a fashion that doesn’t create the Dutch disease where relative prices are changed and kills the competitiveness of other sectors,” Vice-President Jagdeo had said.

He said too that oil revenues will be spent to improve the lives of the citizenry and government will pass local content legislation that will address the issues of the business community and ordinary Guyanese.

Already, a draft local content policy has been developed, and this includes a series of phased targets for improved local participation, benefits and general advancement across all sectors, which will be achieved within the next 10 years, should the timeline remain unamended at the end of the ongoing national consultation exercise.

The overarching aim, as outlined by the government, is to create a policy which guides and regulates local participation in existing and emerging sectors.

This policy and subsequent legislation must be responsive to change and provide the ‘space’ to accommodate expansions in an economy such as Guyana’s, where there has been an increase in investors’ interest.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

US Embassy hosts medical outreach in Port Kaituma

By Jared Liddell THE United States Embassy Humanitarian Assistance Programme (HAP), on Tuesday, launched a two-day medical outreach and health education training in Port Kaituma, Region One. US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah Ann lynch, in her remarks, praised the community’s participation and cooperation that made the largest medical training of the HAP team possible, in Port Kaituma.

“The continued partnership between the U.S. Embassy and Guyana is critical, in order to address, alongside the people of Region One, community needs in health, security, and prosperity. The United States is honoured to work with the people of Region One, hand-in-hand, with a goal of prosperity for all,” said the ambassador.

Programme coordinator, Captain Josh Oppenheim, during an interview with this publication, said the team provided training to hospital personnel, teachers, local volunteers, police officers, and members of the Guyana Defence Force about basic trauma care, preventative medicine, women’s health, sex education and veterinary medicine Oppenheim stated that the team, through discussions with community leaders, had assessed the needs within the area, identified the necessary areas of importance and designed its programme to target residents there.

"We visited there back in February and we noticed that the medical community there is lacking a lot of basic education and basic equipment, so one of our first goals is to help provide that education and base foundation to a lot of the communities, so the hospitals and staff don't have to have as many patients and maybe some of the residents can take that knowledge and use it so they avoid excessive hospital visits," said Oppenheim.

A US team of six doctors who are specialists in various fields in medicine (from the Global Medical and Surgical Support Group) will be conducting training for medical professionals in the area, along with local doctors, including a dentist, from Central Georgetown.

Other medical specialists from the mission will also be in attendance. One U.S. veterinarian specialist, and one preventative medicine specialist was also a part of the training team.

Oppenheim stated that the mission believes health education is extremely important as it allows persons the chance to understand basic health practices, especially during the pandemic.

“Education is very important and getting this information out, especially during this pandemic, is going to be beneficial. I know people are now paying mind to COVID-19 but we will have to be cognisant that there are other health risks that need to be addressed and that’s what we expect this outreach

United States Ambassador to Guyana (Centre), Sarah Ann Lynch, along with representatives of the US Embassy Humanitarian Assistance Programme (US Embassy photo)

to be like. We want to be able to help those community health operatives to help the residents of those communities,” Oppenheim explained.

He explained that while it was the first outreach being facilitated by the programme, it was not going to be the only one, explaining that it will be used as a stage setter for the other outreaches that will be done soon.

“We're just excited to finally kick this off and I’m looking forward to a lot of people getting educated as

Ambassador Lynch engages a participant of the medical outreach training (US Embassy photo)

you know education is the foundation and we hope this education can be amplified throughout the community and these people who attend

can bring the knowledge back to their communities and provide a bit of help to the area,” he said.

Following the training

the team made assessments for future US interagency deliveries of medical supplies for those areas in need.

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Four die of COVID-19 ––954 active cases being monitored

FOUR new COVID-19 related deaths have been recorded within the past 24 hours, taking the country’s death toll to 225, the Ministry of Health has announced.

The latest fatalities are two females, ages 63 years old and 78 years old, from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and two males who have been listed as a 60-yearold from Region Four and a 61-year-old from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

They all died while receiving treatment at a local medical facility.

According to the Ministry of Health, there are currently 972 active COVID-19 cases in Guyana, following the addition of 78 new cases on March 20, 2021.

Even as new cases were recorded, 89 persons were reported to have recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries to 8,721.

The 78 newly confirmed

cases were recorded in Regions Two, Three, Four, Six, Seven, Nine and 10.

Region Four accounted for 45 of the new cases while Regions One and 10 recorded one new case each; Region Three recorded 14 new cases; and Region Six recorded seven new cases. Eight new cases were also recorded in Region seven, while Region Nine recorded two new cases.

It was reported that those cases were recorded from a total of 822 tests. The country has now recorded a total of 9,898 confirmed cases since the first COVID-19 case was reported in March 2020.

There are currently 954 active cases, of which 12 are persons who are being treated at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the National Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

Currently, there are 49 persons in institutional isolation, 893 in home isolation and 18 in institutional quar-

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

The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures are in force from March 1, 2021, until March 31, 2021. They may be extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Health, after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions of the pandemic.

As per the current measures, however, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes. Physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are also important.

The current curfew time is 22:30 hours to 04:00 hours.

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

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Outgoing Brazilian Military Attaché receives Military Efficiency Medal

PRESIDENT of Guyana and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has approved the conferral of the Military Efficiency Medal (MEM) on the outgoing Brazilian Military Attaché in the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Brazil, Colonel Marcelo Ambrosio.

According to a statement from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the award was conferred on Colonel Ambrosio by Army Chiefof-Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, during a simple ceremony at Camp Ayanganna, on Thursday.

The MEM is a prestigious award which is usually awarded to serving members of the GDF, who would have completed ten years of continuous service with good

Chief-of-Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, confers the Military Efficiency Medal (MEM) on outgoing Brazilian Military Attaché in the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Brazil, Colonel Marcelo Ambrosio (Photo courtesy of GDF)

conduct.

Brigadier Bess, in presenting the awarded to Col Ambrosio, thanked him for his service on behalf of President Ali, the government and people of Guyana, and the GDF. “We thank you for the support that you have provided to the GDF and Guyana on behalf of your government.

The work of your office continues to strengthen our mutual ties. You have played a significant role and your support has been unwavering despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are very appreciative of the care and support given to our officers who were in Brazil. We are thankful that they returned to us safe. With the continued support of your government and through our

bilateral arrangements the relationship between our militaries will only continue to be strengthened. Thank you,” Brigadier Bess said.

Colonel Ambrosio, in return, said that it was a privilege to have served in Guyana and expressed thanks to Brigadier Bess and the force for the support he received during his tenure.

“I have been honoured to work with you to strengthen our bonds of friendship and I feel proud to have made an impact. My family has been quite happy here and we have made a lot of friends too,” he said.

Following the conferral ceremony, Colonel Ambrosio his wife and other members of his party were hosted to a special luncheon in the Officers’ Mess.

Above normal tides expected THE Ministry of Public Works has issued an advisory urging the public to take all necessary precautions during the “spring tides” period of March 26, 2021 to April 1, 2021.

According to a release from the ministry, the predicted tide appears to be above normal levels for this period.

The Sea and River Defence Department of the Ministry of Public Works has pinpointed specific areas which it considers to be particularly susceptible to possible flooding as a result of storm surges, which may induce overtopping of sea/ river defence structures.

Those areas which have been identified include the Pomeroon River Banks; San Souci to Sarah, and Maria’s Pleasure to Meerzorg; Good Success, Zeelandia, Moorfarm, Wakenaam Island; Amsterdam/Retrieve, Endeavour/Blenheim, Cane Garden, and Leguan Island; Windsor Forest to DeWillem on the West Coast of Demerara, and Zeelugt, Parika Market Area, Salem to Sparta, on the East Bank of Essequibo; Water Street in Georgetown and Helena Nos. One and Two in Mahaica; Belvedere to Cottage, Mahaicony; Wellington Park/Tarlogie, Lonsdale/ Glasgow on the East Bank of Berbice; and Sheet Anchor, Canje River.

The highest tides are expected to be at 04:30hr and

16:42h on Monday, March 29, 2021, at a height of 3.27 metres, and at 17:07h on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at a height of 3.28 metres.

In addition to the aforementioned locations, all persons residing along the banks of rivers and low-lying coastal areas are advised to take all necessary precautions against possible flooding.

Precaution should also be taken by all mariners, including those operating fishing vessels and larger vessels.

The use of beaches and foreshore areas for recreational

A section of the reinforced earthen embankment in Mahaicony (DPI photo)

purposes during this period is not advised.

Anyone seeking additional information may contact the Sea and River Defence Department on any of its telephone numbers: 2259868, 226-1070, 226-4368, 654-4226, 654-4227, 6231161, 646-3501, 618-5541, 687-1999, or 627-5453.

It was reported recently that as Guyana continues to face threats of global warming and rising sea levels, the government has allocated a total of $5.1 billion to further strengthen the country’s sea

and river defence infrastructure.

“Earmarked for this year is the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of sea and river defence infrastructure in areas including Dantzig, Prospect, Content, Fairfield, Zealand, Cane Garden, Uitvlugt, Anna Catherina, No. 63 Beach, Manila, and Bygeval,” Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, said during his presentation of Budget 2021 in February.

During his presentation,

Dr. Singh had said that the consequences of climate change, including rising sea levels, on Guyana’s sea and river defence infrastructure can have a devastating impact on Guyana’s economy, since most of its inhabitants are on the low- lying coastal plain.

The minister made specific reference to the fragility of the Dantzig, Mahaicony sea defences, which recently suffered a massive breach that devastated residents, particularly the farming community, which suffered loss

to property, livestock and farming activities.

“Mr. Speaker, government continues to keep close monitoring of our shore line, by reactivating the sea defence rangers, applying drone technology to monitor shore line movement and the erosion and accretion cycle, intensifying routine maintenance, and deploying stockpiles of armour rocks to strategic locations, to ensure that quick response mechanisms are in place to avert breaches,” Singh indicated.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Recovered ‘COVID’ patients to be vaccinated

–– says health minister PATIENTS who have recovered after being infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19, will also receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has said.

The minister, during his COVID-19 update with the Department of Public Information (DPI) on Thursday, said that the local authorities prefer to wait until persons have recovered from the disease before administering the vaccines to them.

This position has been adopted due to cognisance that an infected person’s body will start to produce antibodies as part of the natural immune response to fight off the coronavirus infection. At that point, the minister explained, there is no need for a vaccine.

“The vaccines really help you not to get the severe form of the disease, so you want to give healthy people the vaccine so their immune system develops antibodies and then if you come in contact with somebody who has COVID-19, you are able to fight the disease off,” the minister reasoned.

Once a person recovers after being infected, those antibodies will remain in the body and would help to protect individuals from contracting the virus again for at least about two months, according to Dr. Anthony.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), through advice issued by its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE), stated that individuals, who have confirmed positive infection through the use of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests, should

A dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine being administered to Dr. Dave Persaud recently, at the National Infectious Diseases Hospital, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown (Vishani Ragobeer photo)

not be vaccinated until after they have recovered from acute illness and the criteria for discontinuation of isolation has been met.

Furthermore, the WHO noted: “Persons with PCR-confirmed SARSCoV-2 infection may delay vaccination for six months.

When more data on (the) duration of immunity after natural infection become available, the length of this delay may be revised.”

The organisation, however, said that available data indicates that symptomatic reinfection within six months, after an initial infection, is

rare.

Dr. Anthony, previously opined that the WHO’s recommendation to delay vaccination in recovered persons may be due to cognisance of the scarcity of vaccines. As Guyana ambitiously attempts to vaccinate a majority of its population this year, he said that the country would be crafting guidelines for this post-infection vaccination scenario.

On Thursday, he reasoned: “I think the WHO’s recommendation is primarily because of the scarcity of vaccines so if you had the reinfection and recovered, they were basically saying give somebody else a chance because for the next two to three months, your antibodies would help to protect you.”

The WHO did also note that vaccination may be offered regardless of a person’s history of symptomatic or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2

infection. The added protection of vaccinating previously infected individuals, according to the WHO, is yet to be established.

Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony affirmed that once Guyana secures enough vaccines, every person, including those who have recovered, will be vaccinated.

So far, Guyana has been able to secure 3,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from Barbados (through the donation made to that country by India); 80,000 doses of the same vaccine from India and 20,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from China.

Beginning next week, the country is expected to receive 200,000 Sputnik V vaccines from Russia. The Guyana Chronicle understands that the country is also interested in the Covaxin vaccine produced

by India.

Deplorable Diamond-Grove roads to be upgraded –– communities to benefit from new water well

MINISTER of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, has committed to ensuring that all roads within the Diamond-Grove community, East Bank of Demerara (EBD), are fully upgraded following a series of evaluations conducted by his ministry.

The minister made this announcement during an outreach at the Diamond Market Tarmac, on Thursday.

According to Croal, not

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, addresses residents of Diamond/Grove on Thursday

only will residents benefit from new roads, but also rehabilitated thoroughfares.

“That is our plan for here, in terms of roads, because this community, too, will take on even better importance of accessibility,” the minister detailed in his address to the residents.

The minister further outlined the infrastructural plans to be carried out, including the continuation of the road network project that will link Great Diamond, Eccles and Mandela Avenue, which is part of a broader effort to decrease traffic build-up on the EBD. In addition to those plans, an assessment of the water-delivery service was conducted across the EBD corridor. And, based on this assessment, another well will be drilled to supplement the current treatment plant in Diamond; this will be alongside a new well to be drilled at Perseverance, on the EBD. “With all of that, what you will see improvement in is the level of service on the East Bank. Those persons in Grove can also expect the quality of the water to increase,” Minister Croal said.

He added too that while the ministry continues to work towards meeting the demands for housing, they are also collaborating with

other agencies to help families realise their dream of home ownership.

This, he said, includes the recent decision by his ministry, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), to expand its boundaries for the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessible Programme. This programme will see low-income families being able to apply and access “core home” support and home improvement subsidies.

Speaking of other infrastructural developments, Minister Croal told residents of plans for upgrading the community playground to a recreational park, the installation of solar street lamps in vulnerable areas, and plans of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to improve water-delivery services to EBD communities.

Meanwhile, the minister and his team are being aided by the various departments of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) including the land administration conveyance department and the community development department.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

FASHION designing was just something that Shan Anthony Seecharan stumbled upon after finishing school in Mabaruma, but today, he’s branded himself SAS Designs, a popular and well-respected line of clothing that even local celebrities have been tapping into.

An acronym for his name, SAS Designs was created by Seecharan during a period he was jobless and needed something to do, having already tried out several jobs after moving to Georgetown.

“The whole idea came about because I was very creative. I loved to explore and try new things,” Seecharan told the Buzz this week, as he recalled how he especially loved drawing while growing up. This talent came in very handy, as even today he continues to draw his designs before actually making them.

The 26-year-old said he constantly dreamt of making it big in life, and always had a desire to make his parents proud.

He recalls drawing inspiration from local and international designers and having a particular interest in wanting to become his own boss. “I think it’s in my blood as most of my family members are seamstresses and tailors.

I am self-taught and have honed my skills through trial and error.”

With just about seven years in the Fashion Designer business, SAS is an emerging high fashShan Anthony Seecharan ion brand that produces luxurious master-

This couple opted for custom-made wedding attire

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pieces for any occasion be it a wedding, birthday, “or any occasion when you feel like decking out. We provide all the materials. You come and make a payment and we get started.”

Having two workers to help with the sewing, Seecharan does most of the cutting. “When I started, it was a one-man show. Now it’s growing and I work by appointment only.” The showroom is located at Pigeon Island, East Coast Demerara, where Seecharan also lives.

Over the years, many of his customers would inquire of him if he did t-shirt printing, embroidery, and the likes. So Seecharan has finally decided to expand his business to include these other services.

He has already acquired the machine for it and is in the process of working out other arrangements to get started. “If you want to print One of Seecharan’s your logo, or pictures for younger clients in occasions; funerals, special SAS Designs events, ” he said.

S A S D e s i g n s s o f a r, though, has been attracting some well-known personalities who have been donning Seecharan’s designs. Local artistes like Steven Ramphal, Tony Cutz, Vicadi Singh, and Soca sensation Nesta are just a few who have been seen in Seecharan’s designs.

In fact, others have won prizes in gowns designed by SAS while participating in the Miss World and Miss India pageants, among others.

Seecharan has also lately been intrigued by real estate and is currently doing a course so that he can continue to dabble in this business.

Starting his business without any experience, Seecharan said if he were to offer his ‘younger self’ some advice, it would be to get some experience in a field intended to be pursued.

A three-piece outfit by SAS worn “Continue workby a performer recently ing, and pushing and don’t allow anyone to stop you,” is his advice for those thinking of starting up a new business.

Steven Ramphal and his family decked in SAS Designs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Chutney and Soca virtual concert

Marlon Webster

TWO sensational competitions are being organised for a showdown tomorrow night (Saturday) when the best of the best in Chutney and Soca will come together on stage to put on their dazzling performances.

The virtual event is being organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and a significant number of local artistes will put on their best show where two $1.5M cash prizes are up for grabs.

According to the Ministry’s Facebook

Page, there will also be three other competitions tomorrow at the National Cultural Centre - steel pan, junior soca monarch and calypso. The steel pan competition will kick off the day’s proceedings at 10:00hrs while the chutney competition will be streamed live from

19:00hrs, followed by soca.

The event was initially billed for the Guyana National Stadium, which would have been an ideal venue to cater for all COVID-19 protocols, but the NCC was chosen instead owing to recent

with Dulha Aage Dhere Dhere; Paramdai Willie (Vanita Willie) with Meh Dulaha; Dennis Hemerding (Dennis King) with Roll It; Wazir Haniff with Guyanese Indian Wedding; and Allisha Craig (Queen Allisha) with I Am In Love.

In the Soca category, Wilbur Levans (B52) will perform the song Martians; Brandon Harding, We Belong; Jumo Primo (Rubber Waist), In Mi House;

Dennis Hemerding

Wazir Haniff

inclement weather.

The Buzz understands, though, that measures are in place to have the artistes adhere to strict COVID measures, such as limiting the number of dancers that each artiste can perform with.

The event will feature 10 Chutney and 10 Soca artistes and the best person in each category will take home the trophy and cash prize.

In the Chutney category, there are: Anil Azeez and Annalise Azeez with their song, Beautiful Guyana; Kevin Singh with My Baby Guyana; Chait Singh Mohalall (Bunty Singh) with Treat Yuh Woman Right; Bill Rogers (Young Bill Rogers) with The Larkies Man; Sonya Ragbeer

Tennicia DeFreitas

Jumo Primo

Marlon Webster (Malo), Anywhere; Tennicia DeFreitas (Nekeita), Vibez Again; Samuel Medas, Stadium; Diana Chapman, Stage; Roger Hassell (Tropical), Gimme That Wine; Melissa Roberts (Vanilla), I Don’t Give A; and Osbert Cain (Vintage), Work Attire.

(The names of these artistes, their songs, and photos were taken off of the Culture Ministry’s Facebook page).

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

BOLLYWOOD superstar Priyanka Chopra-Jonas now has one more thing to boast about since her one-on-one chat with iconic talk show host Oprah Winfrey, which allowed her to open up on various aspects of her life, including her recently complete memoir.

The 38-year-old actress, who has also made her way into Hollywood, more so with her marriage to American singer and actor Nick Jonas, already has her “Unfinished” memoir on the New York Times bestseller.

“Just like so many of us, I have grown up watching Oprah and been so inspired by her story, so to be a guest on her show is pretty special. Also, the fact that she read my memoir is,” Chopra-Jonas expressed in an Instagram post.

“She has a unique perspective on things

and makes the conversation so insightful and fun. I had the best time. Thank you for having me Oprah. It was such a pleasure,” she added.

During the show, the actress told Oprah that although she had committed to writing the book since 2018, the time she got during the pandemic helped to push the project forward. Between all those flights and little time I would get in hotel rooms, I could just never write, but I had this time because of COVID and that helped me delve deep.”

She said the book helps her to forget the insecurities that plagued her in her younger days. “I also feel like I am….as a woman… in a little bit more of a secure place where I felt like I could leave behind the insecurities of my 20’s and not worry about the things that used to scare me before.”

Completing the book has also helped to inspire more confidence in her and what she can accomplish professionally and personally. “So I think that really helped me address my life and I always just wanted to write a book and I thought the easiest way to do it would be to write about my life,” Chopra-Jonas told Oprah.

The former winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant, has said that her love for writing dates back as long as she can remember. “As a child, I used to write poetry and write in my diaries. There is something so healing and cathartic when putting your emotions and ideas on paper,” Priyanka, also a singer and film producer, has said publicly.

“Ironically, I named this memoir years before I started writing it. Having been a

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public person now for 20 years, with so much life to live and a long list of things to check off my list personally and professionally, I am very much #Unfinished. BUT the funny thing about writing a memoir is that it forces you to look at things differently, reconciling so many things you thought you had put to bed. In doing so I’ve realized that being ‘unfinished’ has a deeper meaning for me, and has in fact been one of the most common threads of my life,” the actress expressed.

The actress, with over 60 million Instagram followers, said over the past two decades, she was blessed to have had the opportunity to write for various publications, with each piece slightly reflecting the stages in her journey, opening up to the world a little more each time.

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South Africa Racing Tips Fairview 08:10 hrs Gallic Girl 08:45 hrs Wolfgang 09:20 hrs Jaeger Moon 10:00 hrs Captain Tatters 10:45 hrs Mendocino English Racing Tips Newbury 09:00 hrs Sebastopol 09:30 hrs Corrany 10:05 hrs Storm Goddess 10:40 hrs He’s No Trouble 11:15 hrs Coeur Serein Lingfield 09:45 hrs Belle Rouge 10:15 hrs Regent 10:50 hrs My Brother Mike 11:25 hrs Portelet Bay 12:00 hrs Tenaya Canyon 12:30 hrs Restless Endeavour 13:00 hrs Valentine Blues Musselburgh 09:55 hrs Mackenberg 10:30 hrs Progressive 11:05 hrs Cedar Hill 11:40 hrs Buillion Boss 12:10 hrs Millie The Minx 12:45 hrs Balranald 13:15 hrs Pop The Champagne Irish Racing Tips Dundalk 12:25 hrs Lilandra 12:55 hrs Moktaffy 13:30 hrs Ñever Mistabeat 14:00 hrs Firstman 14:30 hrs San Martino 15:00 hrs Harbanaker 15:30 hrs Independent Missy 16:00 hrs Betrayed American Racing Tips Aqueduct Race 1 Pay Grade Race 2 Icy Dude Race 3 Imperio D Race 4 Tenderfoot Race 5 My First Grammy Race 6 Professor Snape Race 7 Return The Ring Race 8 Willow Grove

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BCB/ Jafferally 20/20 Tournament - West Berbice

D’Edward beat Blairmont, advance to final

D’EDWARD Cricket Club on Saturday advanced to the final of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)/Faizal Jafferally MP 20/20 Tournament.

After defeating a determined Blairmont Community Centre Cricket Club (BCCCC) by 16 runs at the Cotton Tree ground, in the presence of BCB president Hilbert Foster, the lone semi-final was played under very strict COVID-19 regulations.

D’Edward CC batted first after winning the toss and soon found themselves in trouble when Deonauth Persaud was bowled for nought by Javed

The winning D’Edward CC team

Karim then the ultra aggressive Altaf Khan was caught off leftarm spinner Nigel Deodat for 0 to leave D’Edwards reeling at 5 for 2 in the second over.

It soon became 12 for 3 when Deo Persaud trapped Devindra Lalsa lbw for 7.

The veteran duo of Heralall Bridgelall and skipper Jaipaul Heralall joined forces at 68 for 5 in the 14th over and added 52 in four overs to rescue their team.

Bridgelall ended on 74 not out (7x4, 2x6) and received support from Heralall 15 and Kevon Jawahir 21 as D’Edward ended on 141 for 6 from

their allotted 20 overs.

National Youth players Nigel Deodat, 2 for 22, and Javed Karim, 4 for 30, bowled well for Blairmont. In reply, the youthful Blairmont team were restricted to 125 for 7 when their 20 overs expired.

Deodat returned with the bat to score a delightful 54 which included six boundaries and two sixes. Karim also completed a fine all-round performance with 41 (2x6, 3x4).

Veteran medium pacer Keith Fraser bowled well to take 2 for 28 from 4 overs while Bridgelall took 2 for 3.

BCB/Minister Zulfikar Mustapha Under- 15 tournament …

George century highlights another thrilling round YOUNGSTER Doren George stroked a nice century while a number of other players had sterling performances when action in the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)/Zulfikar Mustapha U-15 tournament continued recently across the Ancient County.

The tournament is currently at the round-robin stage with 18 teams vying for a place in the quarter-finals.

Two teams advanced from Zone A (West Berbice) and three from Zone B (New Amsterdam/ Canje) and Zone C (Lower/ Upper Corentyne).

Sterling performances with the bat came from T. Conelley 52, Tulsieram Ramcharran 74 and Doren George who starred with a brilliant 111.

Also outstanding bowling performances came from A. Khan 4- 21, A. Bacchus 4-28, Ravin Budhwa 5-10, T. Conelley 5-24, Romario Ramdehol 5-24, D. Persaud 4-24, Romario Ramdehol 6-9, Justin Doobay 6-20, Aaron Craig 4-19.

Achievers defeated Paradise by 102 runs.

Achievers 228-5 from 35 overs. Tulsieram Ramcharran 74, Tiea Isaacs 55; S. Ramkishun 2-11.

Paradise 126 all out 22.1 overs. T. Conelley 52, S. Ramkishun 26; Justin Doobay 6 for 20 from 6 overs, W. Hartman 2 for 33 from 4 overs.

RH Canje defeated Edinburgh by 140 runs. RH Canje 173 all out

45.4 overs. Zadeem Larose 36, Adrian Hetmyer 19; Wesley Castello 3-32 from 10 overs, Danish Persaud 2-41 Edinburgh 33 all out 14 overs Troy David 10; Romario Ramdehol 6-9 from 7 overs, Aaron Craig 4-19 RH Canje defeated Tucber Park by 138 runs. RH Canje 187 all out 33.2 overs Aaron Craig 34, Zadeem Larose 25, Romario Ramdehol 28; Demitte Hemonstyne 2-36 from 5 overs, Gavin Kisten 2-27 from 9 overs.

Tucber Park 49 all out 14.2 overs. Gavin Kisten 15; Aaron Craig 4 for 17 from 6 overs, Adrian Hetmyer 3-4 from 1.2 overs, Romario Ramdehol 2-19 RH Canje defeated Kendall’s Union by 7 wickets. Kendall’s Union 65 all out 24.3 overs. Rahul Victor 12; Romario Ramdehol 5-24, Jayden Edwards 2-4 RH Canje 66 for 3 from 11 overs. Zadeem Larose 24; Khemraj Permanand 1 for 17 from 1 over, Devindra Victor 1 for 5 Edinburgh defeated Tucber Park by 6 wickets. Tucber Park 72 all out in 20 overs. D. Persaud 4 for 24 from 5.3 overs, M. Cort 2 for 5 Edinburgh 73 for 4 from 12 overs.. Doren George 17; D. Hermansingh 2 for 25 Edinburgh defeated Guymine by 255 runs. Edinburgh 295 for 7 from 40 overs. Doren George 111, W. Castello 35, Troy David 30; D. Hope 3 for 53 Guymine 44 all out in 10.5 overs. C. Cort 3 for 14

Achievers defeated Cotton Tree by 196 runs. Achievers 218 all out from 40 overs Tulsieram Ramcharran 43, E. Rogers 41; A. Khan 4 for 21 from 8 overs, A. Bacchus 4 for 28 Cotton Tree 28 all out in 13 overs. A. Ramkumar 11;. Tulsieram Ramcharran 7 for 7 from 7 overs, K. Ogie 2 for 2.

Port Mourant defeated UCCA ‘B’ by 10 wickets. UCCA ‘B’ 27 all out from 14 overs. A. Singh 10; Romel Budwah 5 for 10 from 5 overs, J. Mohan 2 for 7 from 7 overs.

Port Mourant 28 without loss Rampersaud Ramnauth 11 not out.

Cotton Tree defeated Paradise by 12 wickets. Paradise 81 all out from 18.5 overs. T. Conelley 24; A. Khan 3 for 17 from 5 overs, A. Ramkumar 3 for 3.

Cotton Tree 82 for 8 from 13 overs. A. Khan 21; T. Conelley 5 for 24 Blairmont defeated Cotton Tree by 70 runs. Blairmont 123 all out, 23.4 overs. R. Shiragon 27, N. Saffar 21; S. Gafoor 4 for 28 from 9 overs, A. Bacchus 6 for 30 Cotton Tree 53 all out 17 overs. S. Shabeed 12.

Albion CCCC ‘A’ defeated UCCA ‘B’ by 198 runs. Albion 264 for 6 from 30 overs. Dhanesh Prabhudiyal 61, Afraz Budhoo 48, Devin Lalbehari 36; T. Ramjit 2 for 60 from 5 overs, T. Bissoon 2 for 52 UCCA ‘B’ 66 all out 20 overs. O. Asait 25; Afraz Budhoo 3 for 34 from 6 overs, Devin Lalbehari 7 for 12.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Bonner maiden Test ...

a game plan. From the evening before, we had discussions and basically the coach and the team said we wanted to bat for ourselves, bat for our families and the people who support West Indies cricket.”

The resolute Bonner never wavered in his chance-less innings. He enjoyed a slice of fortune on 52, about 35 minutes after lunch when he was adjudged caught behind by umpire Joel Wilson as he pushed forward at left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya.

However, he immediately reviewed the decision and was vindicated by DRS. Unfazed, he climbed into the 90s after tea with a searing straight drive off luckless fast bowler Suranga Lakmal before smashing Vishwa Fernando (2-73) to the point boundary to move to 95.

He crawled to 99 where he spent eight deliveries before bringing up three figures with the classiest of cover drives for four off Fernando.

“He’s done it in two Test matches so far and it was great to see him get his hundred this time because he’s had [a ninety] before,” said head coach Phil Simmons.

“His dedication and application is only getting better.”

With just about any result possible at the start at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, West Indies got the better of the first session as Bonner and Brathwaite kept Sri Lanka without success for the first hour.

However, Sri Lanka struck

25 minutes before lunch when Brathwaite advanced to Embuldeniya (2-62), played down the wrong line and was bowled after facing 124 deliveries in just over three hours.

Bonner raised his half-century three balls before the interval when he punched seamer Dushmantha Chameera to mid on for a single to be unbeaten on exactly 50 at the break with West Indies on 91 for two.

He and Mayers then dominated the second session to keep Sri Lanka wicket-less, reviving memories of their exploits in Bangladesh as they played with confidence against the varied attack.

Mayers reached his half-century three balls before tea with a single to longoff off Dhananjaya de Silva’s

FROM BACK PAGE

off-spin, to be unbeaten on 50 at the break, partnered

by Bonner on 84, with the hosts on 181 for two.

However, Mayers lasted only four balls after the resumption before driving loosely at Embuldeniya and edging to first slip where Lahiru Thirimanne juggled before holding on to the catch.

Vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood never settled and was a victim of the second new ball, bowled by Vishwa Fernando (2-73) for four approaching the hour mark after tea.

But once a compact Holder joined Bonner to offer assurance there would be no collapse, the result was never really in question especially with time ticking away.

SCORECARD SRI LANKA 1st innings 169 WEST INDIES 1st innings 271 SRI LANKA 2nd innings 476 WEST INDIES 2nd innings (target: 375 runs) (overnight 34 for one) K. Brathwaite b Embuldeniya 23 J. Campbell c wkp. Dickwella b V Fernando 11 N. Bonner not out 113 K. Mayers c Thirimanne b Embuldeniya 52 J. Blackwood b V. Fernando 4 J. Holder not out 18 EXTRAS: (b-4, lb-8, nb-3) 15 TOTAL: (4 wkts, 100 overs) 236 Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-78, 3-183, 4-204.

Bowling: Lakmal 25-10-33-0, V. Fernando 19-0-73-2 (nb1), Embuldeniya 28-9-62-2 (nb-1), Chameera 18-3-44-0 (nb-1), Dhananjaya 10-5-12-0.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: NKRUMAH BONNER

Waves, smiles but ...

Asked by a reporter what organisers planned to do if prefectures where runs are planned declare states of emergency over the spread of the virus, Muto said they would consider alternative celebrations instead of the relay.

NO CROWDS OR CHEERING The relay, culminating with the Olympic opening ceremony on July 23, has been hit by several high-profile runner cancellations as celebrities and top-level athletes have pulled out, citing late notice and worries over the pandemic.

The brief, solemn opening ceremony was held at J-Village in Fukushima, a sports complex converted into a staging ground for workers decommissioning the crippled nuclear power plant.

“For the torch relay viewing, please ensure you are wearing a mask, keep proper distance, don’t stand close to each other and support with things like clapping, instead of using a loud voice,” an announcer said.

Members of the Japanese women’s soccer team were the first to run with the flame, wearing white uniforms decorated with red.

The number of spectators, some waving Olympic flags or carp-shaped cloth streamers, increased throughout the day, ranging from nursery school children in colourful caps to elderly people clapping in front of flowering spring trees.

Most stood far apart from each other on the side of the road and wore masks.

Some runners grinned and posed as they handed off the torch, waving, while others set off to the beat of traditional Japanese drums.

One man pushed himself in a wheelchair, the torch mounted in a bracket.

‘YOU MUST BE JOKING’ Though Games organisers in Tokyo and Lausanne insist the Olympics will go ahead, doctors and nurses have complained about the strain on hospitals and experts warn about the spread of virus variants.

Japan was the last of the Group of Seven industrialised nations to launch a vaccine drive. Only 700 000 people have been inoculated so far, mostly medical workers.

After the torch relay finished for the day, dozens of protesters gathered in downtown Tokyo, holding placards calling on Japan to

FROM BACK PAGE

scrap the event.

Toshio Miyazaki, 60, who organised the anti-Olympics rally, said he was worried about the spread of the virus due to visiting athletes and officials.

“It’s meaningless to hold the Olympics that no one supports,” said Miyazaki, who works for Tokyo’s metropolitan government.

Japan has spent nearly $300 billion to revive the Fukushima region, but many locals are apprehensive about the Games, as some areas remain off-limits, worries about radiation linger and many have settled elsewhere. Decommissioning of the stricken plant will take up to a century.

“Fukushima’s recovery is going steadily,” Fukushima governor Masao Uchibori said at the launch ceremony.

“But there are still many people who can’t return to their homes, and many difficult issues such as reviving these areas and rebuilding the lives of their residents,” he said.

A protester driving a van near the relay shouted over a loudspeaker, questioning how the Olympics could contribute to the region’s recovery.

“You must be joking,” the man yelled. “Everyone knows we can’t have the Olympics.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

Kohli has been ‘pressuring, disrepecting’ umpires throughout England tour ― David Lloyd DAVID Lloyd, in his column for Daily Mail, has criticised Virat Kohli for “pressuring, disrespecting and remonstrating with” umpires throughout England’s ongoing tour to India, asking the Indian captain to be “very careful of what he says and does”.

Kohli has been in the eye of the storm across all legs of the tour, with multiple instances of friction, both against umpires and opposition players. During the Test series, he was seen remonstrating with the onfield umpires after a review call, and later, in the T20I leg, got into an argument with Jos Buttler.

Noting that umpires in cricket are being “increasingly undermined”, Lloyd first questioned Kohli’s reservations against umpire call in the decision review system, and then went on to suggest that the India captain has been “disrespecting” umpires on England’s trip this year.

“I don’t know if England

put pressure on (umpire) Nitin Menon in Ahmedabad (as suggested by Kohli after the Dawid Malan incident) but I do know one thing - Kohli has been pressuring, disrespecting and remonstrating with umpires throughout this tour,” wrote Lloyd.

India captain Virat Kohli

There have also been a number of altercations in India which, when copied, will permeate through every level. There was another on Tuesday near the end of the India innings. You should not confront an opposition

player on the field. It’s just not done. And the toothless International Cricket Council (ICC) has done nothing.”

Lloyd further criticised the slow over-rates in the game, saying that, while both teams were fined in the T20I series, “none of the players gave a damn”.

“When T20 cricket was introduced in 2003 it was short, sharp and great fun.

Now it’s like the Alamo.

Games are lasting more than four hours! And Tuesday’s first innings of 50 overs took over four hours!”

He then went on to say that a player like Kohli, with “vast responsibility and influence, should be careful of what he says and does”.

“Umpires have to be given their authority back,’ Lloyd wrote. “They must be handed yellow and red cards to stamp that lost authority because they look powerless. And Kohli, who has vast responsibility and influence, should be very careful in what he says and does.” (Wisden)

Antuna strike powers Mexico past United States GUADALAJARA, Mexico – A late first-half strike from Uriel Antuna powered Mexico to a 1-0 victory over long-time rivals the United States to close out Group A of the 2020 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying championship on Wednesday night at the Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico.

With the win, El Tricolor finish atop the group with nine points, while the U.S. complete their group stage campaign in second place with six points.

The first half was largely a case of the two sides feeling

each other out until the final minute of the half when a U.S. error led to the Mexico score.

A wayward pass from U.S. FW Sebastian Soto was intercepted by Antuna and the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup winner fired in his second goal of the tournament to give Mexico a 1-0 lead in the 45’.

The U.S. tried to respond and Sebastian Saucedo had a good look at goal in the 58’, only to see his shot bounce wide.

Mexico were keen to find a second goal to put the U.S.

Soca Warriors humble ...

Jones from the penalty mark, when Trayon Bobb fouled Ryan Telfer in the ‘18’.

However, Clarke would blunder at the back when there was a break-down in communication with Terrence Vancooten, which saw Telfer easily tucked in Trinidad’s third goal in the 44th minute.

Keanu Marsh-Brown, Callum Harriott, Bobb and Emery Welshman had their few chances either saved, coming off the ‘wood-work’ or going just wide of the mark.

The last time Guyana lost 3 - 0 to Trinidad was November 15, 2011 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. That game was of no consequence since Guyana had won 2 - 1 four days prior at the Guyana National Stadium to knock

T&T out of the qualifiers.

Prior to 2011, we lost 3 - 0 to T&T in 2008 and then before that April of 1997.

The last time Guyana defeated Trinidad was November 11, 2011, in the 2014 FIFA Brazil World Cup Qualifier. Prior to that, Guyana won 4 – 2 in Port-of-

in a deeper hole and looked set to do it through Jose Juan Macias, but the Chivas man failed to connect cleanly in front of goal.

The U.S. were beginning to find space in the Mexico half and managed to put some pressure on Mexico GK Sebastian Jurado, but in the closing stages Mexico were able to regain control and they saw out the final quarter-hour with aplomb to seal the three points and top spot in the group. (CONCACAF)

FROM BACK PAGE Spain on August 20, 1978.

The Golden Jaguars have lost 15 of their 23 meetings against Trinidad, winning two and drawing six.

Guyana will next face the Bahamas on March 30 in the Dominican Republic. (Rawle Toney)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER Friday, March 26, 2021

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ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S: 9 (WI) 10 (SL)

TODAY’S QUIZ:

(1) Which WI struck the first double-century against SL in Tests?

(2) Which SL cracked the first double-hundred against the WI in Tests?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

FIFA extends ban on Blatter, Valcke until 2028 LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AFP) - FIFA banned its former president, Sepp Blatter, until 2028 yesterday after handing him a new suspension of six years and eight months for receiving huge bonuses.

Former FIFA secre tary-general Jerome Valcke also had his existing suspension extended by the same amount.

The new bans will only come into force when the current bans on Blatter and Valcke for corruption, which last till October this year and October 2025, end.

FiIFA’s Ethics Committee said it had also fined each man one million Swiss francs (US$1.1M, 900,000 euros).

Blatter, who is 85, re-

ceived 23 million Swiss francs in “extraordinary bonuses” linked to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil as well as the Confederations Cup tournament in Brazil that preceded it, the Ethics Committee said in a summary of its decision.

Valcke, the 60-year-old Frenchman who was Blatter’s right-hand man during his 17-year reign at the head of football’s world governing body, received 30 million Swiss francs in bonuses over the same period, the committee said.

The former sports journalist was initially banned for 12 years, but it was reduced to 10 years on appeal.

He is now banned until 2032.

FIFA said Blatter and

Valcke had violated the Code of Ethics by “offering and accepting gifts or other benefits” and through “abuse of position”.

It said in a statement: “The investigations into Messrs Blatter and Valcke covered various charges, in particular concerning bonus payments in relation to FIFA competitions that were paid to top FIFA management officials, various amendments and extensions of employment contracts, as well as reimbursement by FIFA of private legal costs in the case of Mr Valcke.”

Blatter described this latest punishment as a “blow behind the neck, painful and incomprehensible”.

“The ethics commission, in its current form, is nothing

like an independent body,” he told AFP from a Swiss clinic where he is conva-

president and little more than a parody of justice,” said Blatter, who has become a

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter (left) and former FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke speak during a news conference on May 31, 2009 (AFP-JIJI)

lescing after two months in hospital.

“It is nothing more than the armed wing of the FIFA

fierce critic of his successor as FIFA president, Gianni Infantino.

Blatter and Valcke can

appeal these latest sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Blatter was forced to stand down as FIFA chief in 2015 and was originally banned by FIFA for eight years, later reduced to six, over ethics breaches when he was found to have authorised a two-million-euro “disloyal payment” to former Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) president Michel Platini.

Blatter and Platini are both the centre of a Swiss prosecution case and face accusations of “disloyal management”, “breach of trust” and “fraud” over the payment, with the possibility of a five-year jail sentence if found guilty.

ORSCA set sights on 2021 season Morgan out of final two one-day … top teams Masters, Pegasus expected to face stiff opposition THE COVID-19 pandemic may have prevented the Ontario Roundarm Softball Cricket Association (ORSCA) 2019 Grand Champion Masters and Test champions Pegasus from defending their titles in 2020, but the passion has been renewed with unassailable vigour for the 2021 season.

(through ORSCA) has become an unconquerable pride in Ontario over the last decade. What started in 2011 as a process to reclaim a lost art in softball cricket, has blossomed into the most acceptable definition of a legit bowling action and by 2019 completed the evolution process of being one of the most competitive softball

Sasenarine Narine, Vijendra Kowhessar, David Latchya, Amir Khan and Mahendra Nauth, among many others, will compete in potentially three different categories.

Damodar Daesrath

Bobby Parasnauth

ORSCA is cautiously optimistic that control of COVID-19 will permit a full 2021 season where some of the most talented softball players will be given the opportunity to display their skills and compete against each other.

Round-arm bowling

tournaments in Canada.

ORSCA is looking forward to this year where the likes of Bobby Budhram (over 700 runs), Damodar Daesrath (seven centuries), Bobby Parasnauth, Jeetendra Beharry, Ramiz Mohamed, Roopnarine Lalbehari, Vijay Jhappen, Naresh Roopnarine,

ORSCA welcomed Uprising Superstarz (led by Fazal Khan) and Cool Runnings (skippered by Mitch Bacchus) in 2020.

Defending grand Champions Masters will be looking forward to Budhram, Abdool Samad, Anil Ramoutar and Azib Ali Hanif to take care of the batting. The bowling would be spearheaded by Mark Nazir, Amzad Haniff and Imran Ali. Pegasus’ Daesrath, Riaz Kadir, Farook Hussain, Ritchie Shivrattan and Abinash Ramnarayan will take care of the batting whilst

Davo Ramsawak, Naresh Singh and Tariq Hussain will spearhead the bowling. Aftab Shamsudeen, a veteran softball player and youngster Ameer Khan joined the league in 2020.

Masters and Pegasus are expected to be seriously challenged by several teams which have strengthened.

2019 finalists Cambridge have added Rishi Harricharan to support Zulfikar Rozan. Gladiators, under the captaincy of Naresh Bhagwandin, have Avinash Sookdeo, Shaun Deonandan, Looknauth Ramsuchit and Yadram Bhoj.

Dinesh Ramkissoon and Parmanand Singh will be part of three-time champions lineup while Spartans have been eerily competitive since joining ORSCA. With Morrison Edwards, Rawl Scott and Fazil Gani they have sent fear in many top oppositions.

Rangers, through one of the top all-rounders in Ramiz Mohamed, and Anil Mahadeo; Challengers, with Harry Sukhram, and Enterprise with Sasenarine Narine will also be in the title hunt.

The 2021 season will, however, be dependent on ORSCA getting the goahead from the relevant health authorities.

internationals with hand injury

Eoin Morgan injured his hand during England’s 66-run defeat in the first ODI in Pune

ENGLAND captain Eoin Morgan has been ruled out of his side’s final two one-day internationals in India with a hand injury.

Morgan split the webbing between his thumb and index finger during England’s defeat in the first ODI on Tuesday.

Batsman Sam Billings is also out of today’s second match with the collar bone injury he suffered on Tuesday but could be fit for Sunday’s finale.

Lancashire’s Liam Livingstone will make his ODI debut today in Pune.

Fellow batsman Dawid Malan, still in India following the Twenty20 series as cover for the ODI squad, has been added to the squad and is available for selection.

Wicketkeeper Jos Buttler will lead England in Morgan’s absence.

Morgan injured his hand late in India’s innings in the series opener but did return to bat after having four stitches.

He took part in a fielding drill on Thursday but afterwards declared himself unfit.

“It quickly became apparent that I found myself protecting the injury and getting into the wrong positions to catch the ball,” Morgan said.

“There’s nowhere to hide on the field in international cricket these days, especially in limited-over formats so it didn’t require any great thought to make myself unavailable.”

Billings bruised his left collar bone diving in the outfield and, while he also batted during England’s innings, did not train on Thursday and has been ruled out. (BBC Sport)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 26, 2021

35

St Kitts, Guatemala, Dom Rep among the Rugby Union trapped in limbo winners as World Cup qualifiers begin … awaiting NCTF’s response THE Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) unfortunately continues its competitive hiatus with no word of approval coming from the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) or any other authorities, to date.

While it may be a good sign of commitment from the athletes who remained active since the arrival of the pandemic, president of the union, Ryan Dey, believes the sport’s current situation is quite grim.

Part of the action in Wednesday night’s World Cup qualifying campaign

ST KITTS and Nevis, Suriname, The Dominican Republic and Guatemala opened their World Cup qualifying campaigns with victories on Wednesday night.

In Group B play at the Dr Ir Franklin Essed Stadion, Suriname enjoyed the largest margin of victory with a 3-0 win over the Cayman Islands courtesy of goals from Shaquille Pinas, Ryan Donk and Gleofilo Vlijiter.

Meanwhile, Vinceroy Nelson’s 42nd-minute strike gave St Kitts Nevis a 1-0 win over Puerto Rico at the San Cristóbal Panamerican Stadium in Group F action.

In Group D, Fran Nunez scored in the 52nd minute to give The Dominican Republic a 1-0 win over Dominica at the Estadio Felix Sanchez.

Luis Martinez scored in the 60th minute in Guatemala’s 1-0 victory over 10-man Cuba in Group C. Karel Espino was sent off in the 61st minute in the match played at the Estadio Mateo Flores.

In Group A, Antigua and Barbuda came from behind twice to hold Montserrat to a 2-2 draw at the Ergilio Hato Stadium.

Lyle Taylor scored from the penalty spot after only seven minutes to give Montserrat the early lead. Eugene Kirwan pulled Antigua level in the 23rd minute only to see Taylor score his second three minutes later to put Montserrat ahead for a second time, 2-1.

However, D’Andre Bishop scored in the 45th minute to secure a share of the points. (Sportsmax)

Swimmers undaunted by SA Aquatics performances THE Guyanese duo who recently competed at the CONSANAT South American Swimming and Diving Championships in Argentina believe improvement is around the corner as they campaign for a spot at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Andrew Fowler and Leon

Seaton each contested three events at the meet which was hosted in Buenos Aires, but failed to make much of an impact at that point of the journey.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had extended the general qualification deadline for all athletes to June 29, 2021, with the understanding

Leon Seaton

that international federations could still define their own deadlines before this date.

This leaves the Guyanese team an approximation of three months to improve their time stamps. Following the tournament, both Fowler and Seaton made an assessment of their performances.

Fowler said, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to race at this meet. I haven’t been racing in like 13 months, and I just gained access to the pool in mid-January so it was like a month and a half preparation for the games.

“So we didn’t rest, we just used the games as a

Andrew Fowler

The president said, “There have been some talks with the COVID task force earlier in this month and as of today, we’re still awaiting approval from them to hold a Tag Tournament and have continuity in the sport of rugby. But to date, we haven’t had any solid answer from them for approval or disapproval for the playing of rugby, which I think is a very sad.”

“Firstly, the GRFU wants rugby to be played, but at the same time, we want it to be done in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Ministry of Health.”

“We have been in contact with many health officials

and have gotten a clear way in which we can return to rugby. This way is through tag rugby, which is essentially non-contact rugby, where you have a small amount of players, and a large playing field. So far, our governing body RAN has earmarked July 2021 for a sevens tournament; that’s a male and female sevens tournament,” Dey disclosed.

He further mentioned, “We haven’t had any other correspondence with them concerning this tournament, but that’s why we wanted to start the tag rugby so at least these guys can be in shape, somewhat in shape for this tournament.”

Touching lightly on the senior national teams, he stated, “We haven’t called any official training as yet but the guys are working on themselves individually, some are in groups, trying to stay fit, trying to stay ready in case we have something pop up on us that we have to prepare for in the near future, so most of the guys are staying fit.”

“Some of them are doing it at home alone but so far I would say, from seeing some of the videos from some of the guys, we have a reasonably fit team. It’s now just to put them together for us to start playing some rugby together, getting some skills training in, you know, some passing some tackling drills and stuff like that. But again, we are waiting on the COVID taskforce to give us the okay to do such.”

All local rugby activities were suspended by the GRFU in 2020 when Guyana’s lockdown commenced.

training meet just to get actual racing back under our belts, so I’m not disappointed with the performances nor am I satisfied but I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be able to race at the games.”

“Getting back to racing after 13 months is difficult.

Think about 13 months in a sport whereby you need a lot of timing and racing to get the touches together. So, after the long wait it kind of makes you lose your touches in the pool and your skills.

So it’s going to take a lot of racing to get back to where I was and to build the confidence that I need, and with the training we’re moving forward with, I am confident that we’re going to get the time we need in time to come. So I’m grateful for the opportunity to race once again. It’s a gauge to see where I’m at, at the moment.”

Meanwhile, Seaton acknowledged the crunched time period remaining and is convinced that there is work to be done.

He disclosed, “With the work I’ve been doing I can see that there have been results. So once I continue to work, I believe it is possible that the opportunity may arise and I may get on board.”

Seaton further stated that he was very happy with the results that he produced, but it’s back to the drawing board for him.

“The opportunity that was given to me was a memorable one, and I took it up, and I came out and rose to the occasion. Being my first international swim meet I did really well.”

The meet which concluded exactly a week ago saw the pair compete in the Men’s 50m and 100m Freestyle and the Men’s 50m Butterfly.

GRFU president Ryan Dey

Bonner

maiden Test ton earns Windies share of honours NORTH SOUND, Antigua, (CMC) – Unflappable righthander Nkrumah Bonner composed a high quality maiden Test hundred to undergird West Indies’ final day resistance, as the home side defied a determined effort from Sri Lanka to earn a deserved draw in the opening Test here Thursday.

Resuming from their overnight 34 for one in pursuit of an improbable target 375, West Indies never looked in danger at any point as the 32-year-old Bonner batted the entire day for an unbeaten 113 to crystallize the result.

Left-hander Kyle Mayers struck 52 and captain Kraigg Brathwaite chipped in with

a dogged 23, batting around Bonner to lift West Indies to 236 for four, before Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne finally called time on his side’s victory quest with ten of the mandatory 15 overs in the final hour still to be bowled.

Starting the day on 15, Bonner faced 274 deliveries in a shade over seven hours at the crease, and struck 13 fours and one six, demonstrating composure and maturity which belied his inexperience at highest level.

Crucially, he extended his overnight second wicket stand with Brathwaite to 66 before posting a precious 105 for the

third wicket with Mayers, and then seeing out the contest in an unbroken fifth wicket partnership of 32 with former captain Jason Holder (18 not out).

In only his third Test after making his debut last month in Bangladesh, the Jamaican has now scored a hundred and two half-centuries in six innings, to extend the prolific start to his career.

“This is truly special for me. This is my childhood dream and I am really happy I got this monkey off my back,” Bonner said afterwards.

“Obviously the team had

TURN TO PAGE 32

An overwhelmed Nkrumah Bonner is congratulated by Jason Holder after reaching his maiden Test hundred (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

Waves, smiles but no cheers as Olympic torch relay kicks off under pandemic shadow

By Kiyoshi Takenaka, Elaine Lies, Ju-min Park FUKUSHIMA/TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -With waves, smiles and streamers, but no cheers, the Olympic torch relay kicked off yesterday, beginning a four-month countdown to the postponed 2020 summer Games in Tokyo, the first ever organised during a deadly pandemic.

Casting a pall over celebrations already scaled back because of coronavirus measures, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles before the relay began in Fukushima, an area hit hard by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.

“For the past year, as the entire world underwent a difficult period, the Olympic flame was kept alive quietly but powerfully,” Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto said at an opening ceremony closed to spectators.

“The small flame did not lose hope, and just like the cherry blossom buds that are ready to bloom, it was waiting for this day,” Hashimoto said.

Foreign spectators won’t be allowed in stadiums and it remains unclear how many Japanese will be permitted to attend.

With organisers billing the games as the ‘Recovery Olympics’” a nod to the disaster as well as the pandemic, yesterday’s runners included many evacuees who fled their homes after the meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant.

“This town is where I was born and raised, and I never thought a torch relay

would be held here,” said Takumi Ito, 31, in Futaba, one of the towns worst hit by the nuclear disaster.

“We are still in the coronavirus pandemic, but I think it’s great we could hold the relay.”

Japan has fared better than most countries, with about 9 000 coronavirus deaths, but Tokyo reported

420 cases on Wednesday, the highest single-day figure this month. Polls show the majority of the public oppose holding the Olympics as scheduled.

About 10 000 runners will take part in the fourmonth relay, which will go through all Japan’s 47 prefectures.

Tokyo 2020 organising

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay Grand Start torchbearer Nadeshiko Japan, Japan’s women’s national soccer team, leads the torch relay in Naraha, Fukushima prefecture, Japan March 25, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool

committee executive Toshiro Muto said the first day of the relay had gone smoothly and organisers were able to maintain adequate social distancing among spectators.

RELATED COVERAGE Tokyo 2020 torch relay sets off on four-month journey

TURN TO PAGE 32

Too much Soca!

Soca Warriors humble Golden Jaguars 3 – 0 THE Golden Jaguars 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign got off to a rocky start when they went down 3 – 0 to Trinidad and Tobago in the Dominican Republic last night.

Levi Garcia opened the Trinidadians account in the seventh minute after he slipped by Kadell Daniel and placed his right-footed shot past Akel Clarke in goal at the ‘first post’.

Sheldon Bateau, in the 15th minute, was lucky enough to beat Clarke for Guyana’s second goal.

Clarke would then show his goalkeeping skills when he saved Joevin

Matthew Briggs

TURN TO PAGE 33

FIFA extends ban on Blatter, Valcke until 2028 PAGE 34 SEE

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FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021