Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 04-02-2022

FRIDAY 4th February, 2022

No.106625

Health Minister: ‘PPP/C rescued health sector from mismanagement under APNU+AFC’

Building for the future

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Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

–– Vice-President Jagdeo contrasts gov’t’s ‘development agenda’ with APNU+AFC’s ‘consumption philosophy’

President Dr Irfaan Ali interacted with learners and residents of Wakenaam, Region Three, during a visit to the island on Thursday. Accompanied by Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, President Ali listened to the issues raised by the residents and provided several on-the-spot solutions (Office of the President photo)

Finance Minister: CDB grants ‘no-objection’ 03 for Linden to Mabura Road Project PAGE

President Ali will engage new 04 Opposition Leader PAGE

UG valedictorian: ‘Despite economic challenges, 05 I persevered’ PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

Democracy, safety and security - will continue to be key focus of the gov’t, says Minister Benn

By Rabindra Rooplall DEMOCRACY, safety and security will always be championed by the current government and shallow rhetoric by the opposition will not deflect the five months delay of the 2020 elections results which saw all three aspects being taken away.

This is according to Minster of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, during day four of the Budget Debates at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Thursday.

“Mr. Speaker, it is really regrettable that honourable members, most of them with the exception of the Deputy Speaker would stand up here and make presentations of the kind they make and continue to make exhibits of themselves in this House when they talk about crime; we talk about their efforts to steal the elections, we had the most recent disgrace in this House where [they tried] to prevent the passage of the Natural Resource Fund Bill; they stole the mace,” Benn reflected.

He said when government speaks of ‘One Guyana’, ‘One nation and Unity’ to move the country forward in an oil and gas era, the opposition strives for destabilisation.

“I feel a sense of personal vindication that I see the landscape of Guyana changing right now in Georgetown, on the East Bank, all over the country in respect to the oil development and

Minster of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn

Opposition MP, Geeta Chandan-Edmond

other development,” Benn said.

In spite of all that has been said by the opposition, Benn said serious crimes have been reduced but there has been an increase in arsons on buildings in the City.

“For the first time in 16 years, road deaths have dropped below 100 in Guyana,” Benn said while expressing his condolences on the passing of victims of fatal accidents.

Additionally, Minister Benn noted that much investment is being placed on prison reform under the theme “Increasing the peace in Guyana”. Many measures are being explored to give prisoners the tools to restart productive activities to reduce recidivism.

Minister Benn concluded by commending the 2022 Budget and anticipates its rapid and emphatic consideration and passage since it will benefit all Guyanese.

Meanwhile, Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Geeta Chandan-Edmond, in her presentation, noted that public security begins and

ends with addressing the everyday survival needs of the people.

She recommended the immediate formation of an inter-ministerial committee on public security, noting that public security in the age of an oil gas economy has to be reimagined and reflect the new found reality.

“It cannot be limited to the same old, the times are different, we are on the big stage and we all must recognise that this will not exempt us from security threats. Mr. Speaker as a result, Guyana must modernise its security apparatus, we must protect the nation’s emerging oil and gas industry from threats which have the potential to disrupt the value chains of the industry and thus the economic base of the country,” the opposition MP said.

However, Chandan-Edmond praised the $795M allocated for the construction of police stations as a good thing while noting that it is essential that the men and women within those stations are comfortable.

Building for the future

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

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- Vice-President Jagdeo contrasts gov’t’s ‘development agenda’ with APNU+AFC’s ‘consumption philosophy’ USING the capital provisions in the previous A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government’s budgets for the basis of his argument, Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo contended that there would be no future had the country employed the philosophy of the coalition in the management of Guyana’s economy.

“To understand the budget and the starting point from the two competing sides, we have to go back to the financial philosophy of the two parties… often when we accuse PNC, APNU+AFC of being a consumption-based party, we mean one that does not prepare for the future, one that taxes and spends in a particular manner,” VicePresident Jagdeo said during a press briefing at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, on Thursday.

T h e Vi c e - P r e s i d e n t used budgets prepared by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) governments and those prepared by APNU+AFC to justify his

claim that the coalition has a “consumption philosophy.”

In 2014, the then PPP/C government had presented a budget valuing $220 billion, with current provisions of $138 billion and capital, $81 billion. In contrast, with the exception of its 2015 budget, none of the coalition’s capital provisions from 2016 to 2019 exceeded the PPP/C’s 2014 capital provisions, although the overall appropriation increased substantially.

On the current side of the budget, there was a 67 per cent increase between 2014 and 2019, with the budgeted sum moving from $138 billion to $231 billion.

For the same period, capital provisions declined from $81 billion in 2014 to $69 billion in 2019.

“Capital spending is where you build your schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, sea defences… this was accorded very little priority [by APNU+AFC] … if you do not have port facilities, roads, power, then you cannot have long-term growth in the economy,”

Vice-President Jagdeo reasoned, adding that every economy needs to invest in a major way to have long-term growth.

He went on to say: “Current expenditure includes money for rentals of buildings, vehicles, other stuff, goods and services that you cannot see… the capital things we would have seen them.”

The coalition’s ratio of current to capital expenditures, in Jagdeo’s view, proves why the party is consumption based and why its philosophy does not consider future growth.

“If we had continued with their philosophy, we would end up consuming everything we earn, with no provisions for the future,” Vice-President Jagdeo said.

Even in the reported absence of provisions to drive development, the coalition reportedly sought to restrict individual growth by imposing heavy taxes on the citizenry. Within the APNU+AFC’s tenure, tax revenues grew from $135 billion to $225 billion.

On the contrary, the PPP/C government, this year, managed to compile the country’s largest budget without imposing any new taxes. The $552.9 billion Budget 2022, which is funded partly by oil revenues, sets aside $335 billion for current expenditures and $217 billion for capital works.

“That is building for the future… we are spending our money on the future wellbeing, investing in things the country would be able to see and touch,” Jagdeo related.

In his view, the capital provisions tell the story of PPP/C governments and the story of the transformation of Guyana.

“It shows why we did so well without oil and gas from the period we took office [1992], when the debt overhand was nine times that of our economy; to service debt we used 153 per cent of our revenue and when we left office [in 2014] we were using less than 10 per cent… and through that, we had invested in roads,

schools and so on,” VicePresident Jagdeo said.

He contended that APNU+AFC, after being elected to office in 2015, immediately adopted the “consumption philosophy,” which was utilised in the 1980s, that led to Guyana becoming one of the most heavily indebted countries in the world.

Unlike their philosophy, he believes that the PPP/C’s focus on capital projects would be ideal amidst the generation of oil revenues.

“If you spend on the capital side and you have a downturn in oil, you can scale back… the cost is not recurrent… that is why, right from the beginning, we made it clear that we shall not make the mistake of other countries,” Dr. Jagdeo related, adding: “We cannot splurge on things that do not bring future benefits.”

KEY MEASURES This year, in addition to a wide range of public investment projects and initiatives which will stimulate economic activity, create jobs, and thereby gener-

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh from the Ministry of Finance said.

The release added that the process leading to the award of the contract

followed a stringent and transparent procurement process, whereby the call for proposals for the prequalification of contractors was made in February 2021. Ten contractors were prequalified and the prequalified list of contractors was approved by the CDB in October 2021.

Following the prequalification phase, the bidding process began in October 2021 and concluded in December 2021.

Of the 10 prequalified contractors, the following five made submissions: China Gezhouba Group Company Limited, China Railway International Group & China Railway No.10 Engineering Group Co., Ltd., Shandong Luqiao Group Co., Ltd., OECI S.A. (OECI) in JV with Castilho Engenharia

E Empreendimentos S.A. (CEE) and Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A. “The bids were carefully scrutinised and evaluated by a team of local engineers. After a thorough evaluation process involving engagements and consultations with the Caribbean Development Bank, Consultant Mott MacDonald and other specialists, Bid No. 5, Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A, was determined as the most responsive bid indicating full compliance with all Environmental, Social, Health and Safety requirements,” the release said.

It noted that the CDB indicated its concurrence with the recommendation of the Guyanese evaluation committee and issued its ‘no-objection’ to com-

mence negotiations with the winning bidder.

This project will be the largest project ever funded by the Caribbean Development Bank, and one of the most historic projects undertaken in Guyana.

The road works include upgrading the existing alignment to Asphaltic Concrete Surface – 2 Lanes, 7.2m width, approximately 122Km and the inclusion as well of five drainage structures.

Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A is a large Brazilian contractor established in 1966. The company specialises in the construction of refineries, roads, bridges, commercial offices, residential buildings, highways, and sewage systems worldwide.

Finance Minister: CDB grants ‘no-objection’ for Linden to Mabura Road Project

SENIOR Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, has announced that the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has issued its ‘no-objection’ for negotiations to commence with the most responsive bidder, Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A. from Brazil, for the award of the Linden to Mabura Hill upgrade project.

This project is the first link of the highway between Linden and Lethem. It would provide major support to ease of travel, trade and general connectivity between Guyana and Brazil and open vast opportunities by linking Guyana’s hinterland communities to Georgetown, a release

Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo ate incomes, Budget 2022 proposes specific measures aimed at providing support to both businesses and households, with the same objectives of job creation and income generation and, ultimately, improving wellbeing.

Among those measures is a planned increase in the monthly income tax threshold from $65,000 to $75,000 monthly, thereby releasing a total of $1.3 billion into the hands of current taxpayers both in the public and private sectors.

Another significant measure which would benefit persons in the low-income bracket is the increase of the loan ceiling from $12 million to $15 million. This will make housing loans from commercial banks more affordable to borrowers within the low-income range, and help encourage persons who now have a house lot to proceed to borrow and build.

The government will also increase old-age pension to $28,000, placing an additional $2.3 billion of disposable income in the hands of 65,000 pensioners.

Added to this, there are plans to increase the monthly public assistance payment from $12,000 to $14,000, benefitting 18,000 persons and providing an additional $432 million in disposable income to those individuals.

Specifically on benefits for the youth, the government will increase the uniform voucher to $5,000 and increase the “Because We Care” cash grant to $25,000 per child.

Another “cost of living measure” is the allocation of $5 billion to address rising commodity prices. The specific use of those funds will be identified following consultations with communities.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

President Ali will engage new Opposition Leader - potential meetings could result in appointment of constitutional bodies before month-end, says Vice-President

WITH the stage set for the appointment of a new Opposition Leader, VicePresident Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has said that whoever is elected would be engaged by President Dr Irfaan Ali. President Ali had previously outlined a condition which must be satisfied before he engages with the Leader of the Opposition, who, at that time, was Joseph Harmon. It

entailed the Opposition Leader acknowledging the legitimacy of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government.

Even so, the Head of State had assured stakeholders that where he was mandated to act in accordance with his constitutional role, he was prepared to discharge his responsibilities.

One such role entails engaging the Opposition

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Leader on potential candidates to be appointed to various constitutional bodies.

The reconstitution of some of those bodies will, however, have to await the appointment of a new Opposition Leader, since

Harmon resigned recently from the post following mounting pressure from his party, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), which, from all indications, wants its new leader, Aubrey Norton, to hold the position.

The post of Opposition Leader is a constitutional one that is filled through election by elected members of the National Assembly, who are not a part of the government.

Should this position be filled soon, Vice-President Jagdeo anticipates that several commissions will be reconstituted by the end of February.

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President Dr Irfaan Ali

Leader of the PNC/R, Aubrey Norton the end of February, the President will meet with the Leader of the Opposition if by then there is a new Leader of the Opposition… we are hoping that matter would be resolved shortly,” Dr Jagdeo said.

He added that the government was vindicated in its decision to not engage Harmon, since they believed that meeting with him might be an “exercise in futility,” given that he might not have had a mandate from his party.

“He never had a mandate from his party, although they had a very disappointing show and Norton was elected [as leader],” the Vice-President said.

Norton, although being elected through a process which involved only onethird of the PNC/R’s electorate, has been catapulted to the position of Chairman of the A Partnership for National Unity (ANPU) and is poised to become the new Leader of the Opposition.

“Now they are in the process of electing a new Leader of the Opposition.

Once that person is in place, we anticipate that by the end of February, we should have all of the commissions in place. So, the President will consult with the Leader of the Opposition on the Judicial Service Commission, the Public

Service Commission and the Teaching Service Commission [among others],” Vice-President Jagdeo said.

In some cases, names of persons to constitute some of the commissions have already been identified by parliamentary committees but are awaiting the House’s approval before being sent to the President.

For instance, four names have been approved for the Police Service Commission and the order paper is in the National Assembly awaiting the approval of its members.

Further, while five nominees for the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) have been identified, official approval still needs to be granted by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

As regards the Integrity Commission, while it is not in place, Vice-President Jagdeo said the law still exists and there is a secretariat which oversees the operations of the commission.

Essentially, public officials are still required to submit their statements to the secretariat although the commission has not been reconstituted.

“Even in the absence of the commission, what APNU did, they not only did not have the commission in place, they refused to make the submissions… that is why we disagreed with the [former] chair, who said they would not look at three back years… there was an obligation to comply with the law, it did not change, the secretariat was in place.

“MPs [Members of Parliament] still have to submit… APNU did not submit for three years, 2016, 2017 and 2018,” Vice-President Jagdeo related.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

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UG valedictorian: ‘Despite economic challenges, I persevered’

Davendra Kissoon, 27, of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, is basking in academic glory for copping the coveted title of the University of Guyana’s valedictorian for the Class of 2020/2021 after successfully completing the requirement for a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Civil with Environmental Engineering with a 4.0 GPA. A perfect score!

Kissoon, an engineer by profession, was presented with the President’s Medal for the Best Graduating Bachelor’s Degree student amongst 2,600 students who form this year’s graduands.

The young engineer explained that he grew up in a single-parent home and experienced severe financial hardships during his earlier years. He recounted: “Growing up was very difficult. You know, growing up poor in Guyana, could be very difficult, especially at the secondary level. You see, at the primary level, you grow up in a community that is not very rich, so you have people with a lot in common with you, but at the secondary level it was different because assignments cost a lot, transportation was expensive. So, it was very difficult for my mom to afford.”

“So, we had to cut corners. My brothers had to make some sacrifices for me to go to Queen’s College, the premier secondary institution. Nevertheless, I was determined to

persevere in spite of my economic challenges. I was not prepared to let that get to me or cause me to fail at what I do,” expressed the valedictorian.

According to Kissoon, he was a very delinquent student while growing up.

“I used to skip school and get into all sorts of trouble, but Miss Somwattie and Sir Ariff cared about and helped me a lot with my discipline.”

Kissoon attended the Lusignan Primary School and after writing the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) he was awarded a place at Queen’s College.

However, he explained: “When I reached Sixth Form my behaviour toned down, but I ended up failing CAPE because I took it for granted and thought I could have done the last-minute studying I did for CXC and still pass. But it turned out that CAPE was far more complex. So, because of that, I had to drop out of Sixth Form; that inspired me to continue my education at UG and to excel.”

He added that he was determined to beat the odds and make his mom proud in spite of the challenges they faced. He noted that when he started UG in 2016, he was fortunate to have one of his friends sponsor his first two years. Following that, he was lucky again to have received a Public Service Ministry scholarship, which enabled him to complete his studies.

The young engineer ex-

pressed appreciation and thanks to his immediate family, sponsors, Mr Jackson, lecturers, and peers who made his UG journey one of true success.

In offering words of advice to future engineers, he said: “Enjoy doing engineering, you have to work hard, but you also have to enjoy it. One of the things that made me do so well is having friends that [sic] wanted to study as well.

Rather than being all over the place and going home doing nothing, what we did is that we took turns to teach each other and I think peer teaching is very important to learning. When you could teach a topic, it’s because you have mastered it. So, I would advise students to try to help their colleagues.”

Kissoon is currently employed with the Ministry of Home Affairs as a civil engineer with a special interest in the drainage and irrigation aspect of his discipline. (UG)

Davendra Kissoon with President Dr Irfaan Ali

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

A Social Contract

PRESIDENT Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has indicated that his government’s ‘One Guyana’ vision is aimed at creating a new culture of greater inclusion at the legislative, political and social levels.

These observations were made by the President during an address to religious leaders from North America. The session was interactive and the President took the opportunity to tap into the resources of the religious community to advance his vision of a society in which there are higher levels of tolerance and appreciation of our diversity and multi-culturalism.

What the President is seeking to have established in Guyana is what can be described as a ‘social contract’ between the government and the people of Guyana, one that will give a voice to all segments of the society based on mutual respect and appreciation of our cultural and political diversity.

The diaspora in North America and the rest of the world also have a role to play in the establishment of the ‘One Guyana’ vision, brainchild of President Ali and which is envisioned to encompass the whole of Guyana including the Guyanese diaspora. And

according to the President, under the ‘One Guyana’ vision, all will benefit from Guyana’s resources and social groups including women, Indigenous Peoples and young people will be the main beneficiaries.

Speaking directly to representatives of the religious community in the diaspora, President Ali had this to say: “You are the custodians of morality, and you can help people to appreciate their moral and social obligations. The religious community must also lead the way in promoting social harmony, particularly in encouraging greater tolerance and understanding and through respect for our multicultural diversity.”

On their part, the religious leaders committed themselves to contribute to the promotion of a new society, especially in the context of the ‘One Guyana’ vision as articulated and envisioned by the President.

As correctly observed by President Ali, “No government has all the answers; It is my wish to be able to benefit from the viewpoints of all, including our political parties, trade unions, private sector, workers and social organisations. One Guyana is therefore is a social contract of inclusion.”

This is indeed the way to go in Guyana, known for its ethnic diversity and political pluralism. The fact is that there is no ‘silver bullet’ that could eliminate all of the problems and challenges of the Guyanese society, but it is the extent to which government is prepared to listen to, and respond to the concerns of all segments of the population and take genuine action to address those concerns that really matter. And this is exactly the thinking behind the ‘One Guyana’ concept.

At the theoretical level, social contract has to do with the rights of individuals to enjoy freedoms guaranteed by the government, but it also has to do with obligations on the part of individuals to obey legitimate authority within the framework of the Constitution and the rule of law. The origin of the social contract theory goes back to the early days of the enlightenment which found expression in the writings of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Rosseau which, in essence, spoke to the reality of authority as a derivative from the consent of the people which is the instrumentality of covenant or agreement. People are regarded as the source of all authority

including political power.

This is why any attempt to rupture that contract between the State and the people by way of the seizure of power by through undemocratic means is considered a violation of the norms of legitimate governance and could result in serious consequences for the overall health of the society. The social contract, as envisioned by President Ali, in the context of our politics is one in which the norms of political pluralism based on periodic free and fair elections must be the basis of rule. Any departure from that fundamental principle of governance is fraught will all kinds of dangers including the creation of a state of anarchy, which in the words of the English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, could result in a ‘war of all against all’.

The President’s vision of One Guyana underpinned by a social contract between the government and the people is both commendable and forward-looking and should be embraced by all including the religious community and all social groups and organisations.

This is indeed an idea whose time has come.

‘PPP/C rescued health sector from Mismanagement under APNU+AFC’ – Minister Anthony

DELIV ER ING a fier y contribution in defence of Budget 2022, including the $73.2 billion allocation to health ministry, subject minister, Dr Frank Anthony, had cause to set the record straight against claims made by shadow health minister, Dr Karen Cummings, on Thursday.

Dr Cummings had questioned whether it is advisable for parliament to increase the Ministry of Health’s budget by 36.8 per cent from the previous year.

Responding to the claims made by Dr Cummings, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, declared that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government gave the largest single allocation of resources to the sector in the history of the country.

He expressed shock at the position of the former

Health Minister whom, he said, praised lesser figures allocated to the health sector between 2015 to 2019 as compared to 2022.

Public/Private Partnership Dr Cummings called into question the ministry’s capacity to engage in public/ private partnerships (PPPs), a key feature of the government’s programme as it hopes, among other things, to transform the health sector into an export service through medical tourism.

Dr Anthony said that despite the claims made by the shadow health minister, “she didn’t realise that we had a Public/Private Partnership with CHI, the Caribbean Heart Institute.”

“Under this government, we have been able to increase cardiac surgeries for patients who need cardiac surgeries,”

Dr Anthony added further.

Turning his attention to dialysis treatment as another example of PPPs, Dr Anthony said these are done at non-governmental organisations and private sector partners. “We are going to partner with them to ensure

Opposition MP, Dr Karen Cummings

this service is delivered to every single dialysis patient,” the Health Minister added, as he went on to plug the government’s financial support programme of $600,000 per year for each person needing dialysis treatment in Guyana.

Hospitals Turning her attention to additional regional hospitals, Dr Cummings urged these must be built in areas where they provide access to care with minimum geographic hardships.

She expressed uncertainty on why regional hospitals were proposed to be located in Anna Regina, Region Two; Tuschen, Region Three; Enmore, Region Four; Bath Settlement, Region Six; and No. 75 Village, Region Six. She called for evidence which justifies the selection of the proposed sites for regional hospitals.

Angered by the racebased reference, Dr Anthony

said with the six new proposed hospitals, the first will be in Anna Regina, which is the most populated area in Region Two. In region Three, Dr Anthony continued, the regional hospital was chosen because of the concentration of the population in areas like Tuschen and Parika.

“That is why we are going to put a hospital at DeKinderen. We looked hard to find land and that’s where government land is located, so we are going to put the hospital there, and we make no apologies for that,” Dr Anthony emphasised.

Dr Anthony said Georgetown Hospital should remain a national referral hospital which warrants the establishment of two additional regional hospitals at Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), and Enmore on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

Mental Health

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony On mental health, Dr Cummings said 10 to 15 per cent of Guyanese have experienced some form of mental illness at one time, with three to five per cent having a chronic mental disorder.

She challenged the more than $538 million allocated to mental health support in Budget 2022 as insufficient.

Recounting the less-than-favourable performance in mental health under Dr Cummings as health minister, Dr Anthony said the APNU+AFC government’s approach was highly centralised to Georgetown, while outreaches were not done in See page 7

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

How Caribbean budget debates reflect political leadership at party and state levels

By Earl Bousquet BUDGET debates do have a way of bringing out the best and worst in political parties that have held office; and party leaders, in and out of office, are also always subject to the best and worst of treatment by colleagues and comrades when the chips are down.

Saint Lucia is preparing for the first budget presentation by the new Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) administration led by Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre.

At the February 2 sitting of the House of Assembly – the sixth since the July 26, 2021 General Elections, the Prime Minister, who is also responsible for Finance, Economic Development and The Youth Economy, presented an amendment to the Public Finance Management Act to bring the legislation in sync with the constitution, leading to former Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Allen Chastanet, now Leader of the opposition, circulating to all MPs (ahead of the session) a document basically calling on Pierre to ‘Do things right’ and observe ‘Transparency and Accountability’ -- in ways

‘PPP/C recused health ...

From page 6

the regions.

“If we are really going to have an impact on suicide, we have to decentralise the response to make sure that we are closer to where the problem exists, and that is what we are going to do, not the centralised business that they had,” Dr Anthony admonished.

Dr Anthony said two bits of legislation dealing with suicide prevention and mental health services will soon be brought to the National Assembly.

Recounting the international partnerships which his ministry had undertaken, Dr Anthony said a partnership currently exists with Columbia University in the City of New York who will continue to work with the government of Guyana to provide technical support and advice in mental health and psychiatry.

never demonstrated during his five years at the helm of the ship of state.

In response, the government side – with 15 of the 17 seats in the House – unleashed an almost endless stream of exposures of untendered contracts directly awarded by Chastanet’s Cabinet ahead of the last general elections to un-named persons and entities associated with or supportive of the then-ruling United Workers Party (UWP).

The exposed contracts, issued by Direct Award (with no invitations to bid) add-up to hundreds of millions of EC Dollars (US $1=EC $2.71), at a time when COVID was raging and monies borrowed by government in its name were redirected to other non-medical uses.

But the Opposition Leader’s contribution sounded like he’d written a Handbook on Best Practices for Transparency and Accountability in Handling Public Finances.

In Guyana, where parliamentary politics (like in all other CARICOM states belonging to the British Commonwealth) is geared to facilitate a structured debated between Government and Opposition, ‘For and Against’

everything presented in any National Budget in exchanges more about comparison of periods in office than an interchange of ideas on how best to agree on and implement the best of the proposals tabled.

Opposition parties with insufficient parliamentary numbers to prevent ruling parties from ‘winning’ after the votes are counted tend to resort to trying their best to score debating points by going overboard and hitting under-the-belt during such debates and ‘Opposing for Opposing Sake’ instead of cooperating for The National Good, lending to continuing process of best approaches to handling of national issues, instead of two parts of one whole quarreling and fighting as two sides of one chamber in an endless power contest.

Political leadership in such circumstances is of paramount importance at both party and state levels and in both Small Saint Lucia and Big Guyana this is being manifested as the parliamentarians discuss and debate over budgets.

In Saint Lucia, the UWP lost nine of the 11 seats it held in the previous 17-member Parliament, the SLP adminis-

tration now commanding 15 of the 17 votes after winning 14 and entering into a tactical alliance with the winning Independent candidates who’re now Cabinet Ministers under Pierre -- one a former UWP Leader and Prime Minister (Stephenson King) and the other a former UWP Housing Minister (Richard Frederick).

Chastanet insists he’ll not resign over the 15-2 electoral drubbing he led the UWP into and is staying on until the party decides otherwise.

It did not appear the leader of Guyana’s APNU+AFC alliance was prepared to easily step aside after the December Sophia Congress resulted in an overwhelming expression of support for a new leader seen in the light of a brigadier’s view of a hot-footed army vet with eyes on becoming the new Chairman of the Opposition’s Joint Chiefsof-Staff.

New PNC Leader Aubrey Norton has been able to facilitate his entry into Parliament without the blessing of his predecessor, who retains command of the alliance’s parliamentary Situation Room.

But while the former Leader of the Opposition has reluctantly bowed out, there’s

no guarantee Norton will automatically inherit that seat as the new party leader, again leaving him at then unlikely mercy of the brigadier who decides on deployment of the party’s parliamentary troops.

In this case, the seasoned soldier will come up with his own tactical and strategic battle-plan to become the party’s next Maximum Leader.

But the tests of leadership challenging political leaders in and out of office is similarly reflected in the current situation facing British Prime Minister and Conservative Party Leader Boris Johnson, who’s been credited with keeping the Tories in office at a time when everyone felt Labour and Jeremy Corbin would have unseated them at the last elections after dumping Theresa May. The Tories now have a safe over-180-seat majority in Parliament, but after the worsening of COVID under his watch, the exposures of ‘Downing Street Parties’ and a former Transport Minister saying she lost her post because of ‘Islamophobia’ are being used to pile pressure by those who want him to ‘resign, or else…’

All of a sudden, the man

the Tories depended on to take them home into a safe election victory is now considered a liability and – like Chastanet in Saint Lucia – is being told ‘Move, or get pushed!

COVID continues to change how everything is done everywhere -- except the politics of old in a new age, 20th Century ‘politricks’ in the 21st Century Age of Climate Change, execution of Ice-Age hostilities in an IT Universe.

But political climate change is usually a slow historical process, which only proceeds as fast as traditionally opposing sides start seeing each-other with new visions -- as part of a common whole, with national interests a common denominator.

Meanwhile, ruling parties will continue to rule by parliamentary numbers – and there’s not much opposition parties without the numbers can do about it.

And the struggle continues.

Public infrastructure programmes geared at modernising Guyana

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

- improving the lives of the citizenry, says Minister Edghill

PUBLIC Works Minister, Juan Edghill has emphasised the importance of innovative and modern public infrastructure, contending that accessibility plays a pivotal role in improving the lives of Guyanese.

Edghill was at the time making his contribution to the 2022 Budget Debate in the National Assembly on Thursday.

Budget 2022, he said is “realistic and futuristic”, pointing out that all programmes and policies outlined are forward-thinking and crafted through visionary planning.

The government has allocated the largest portion of the milestone $552.9B 2022 Budget to the Ministry of Public works. A total of $96.1 billion has been allocated to the ministry, which is responsible for the country’s infrastructure.

The budget, he told the House, was crafted specifically to give back to Guyanese and bring them out of poverty.

The government has al-

located some $76.7 billion for roads and bridges under the Ministry of Public Works in the 2022 budget.

Setting the link between the projects and their effects, Minister Edghill explained that interconnectivity and accessibility have been known to impact every sector and reduce spending costs.

He noted that the business sector, including small business owners and farmers, especially, will benefit from improved infrastructure, noting that the major undertakings by the government will allow for the easy flow of agricultural produce across the country.

“They are urban roads or farm to market access roads opening up, superhighways. These are not roads that are leading to just a destination. For example, there will be a new superhighway from and the construction of the new four-lane superhighway from Schoonord while the road starts at Schoonord and ends up for Parika. It opens up opportunities.

It is not just leading to Parika, but it’s leading to prosperity, opportunities for housing, opportunities for farming. We have given incentives for largescale plantation agriculture. Those roads open up those opportunities.”

BUILDING TOURISM Minister Edghill noted that the modernisation of Guyana’s infrastructure directly impacts the country’s ability to build its capacity for tourism.

He noted that in the 2022 budget, government is investing strategically to ensure roads are opened up to provide different tourism experiences as the government continues to push Guyana’s eco-tourism destinations.

He noted that tourism will not just bring in money for the country but has and continues to be a major avenue for job creation.

“We all know because we travel in the Caribbean; tourism is one of the sectors that create employment in a large-scale. We have to put in place the infrastructure to support

tourism… we have to be able to put in place the infrastructure to ensure that the tourists who are coming here get to rent a car to drive and see the country,” said Minister Edghill.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND AGRICULTURE Another sector that depends largely on public infrastructure, according to Minster Edghill, is the agriculture sector, which does not just benefit from roads for the transport of crops and other goods, but also the waterways.

Minister Edghill noted that following the flooding in 2022, due to unprecedented levels of rainfall, the government has invested in this year’s budget to significantly improve sea and river defences.

“Mr. Speaker, our investments in the infrastructure to accommodate agriculture to this budget provide $5 billion to support sea and river defences. But it’s not just boulders, rip-rap sea defence we are thinking about. We’re thinking about the thousands of farmers… so we are making the investments to secure agriculture.”

HINTERLAND DEVELOPMENT The Public Works Minister also noted that hinterland development is top priority of the government. He stated that in 2021, the government bought tractors and the machinery for harvesting; plows and trailers to transport people in

Minster of Public Works, Juan Edghill several hinterland communities.

In the 2022 budget, government has allocated some $3.4 billion for hinterland roads. In 2021, contracts to construct roads in hinterland communities were given to the people of those communities.

This is part of the government’s vision for an interconnected, accessible Guyana, he said.

“They just can’t have the tractor but you must be able to leave the communities, you know what that means? They must be able to move between villages. And Mr. Speaker, we didn’t only confine them to Region Eight. We are building the road from Region Nine to Region Eight so they could get out to Lethem and once

they get out to Lethem they could get to any other part of this country.

That’s what we are doing with our infrastructure,” he said.

The minister also noted some of the major undertakings by the Ministry of Public Works.

“We have done in excess of 300 kilometers of community roads. We have had to respond to emergencies; the bridge that collapsed at Hogg Street, the Eastern highly leading to Congress place we fix it. We were trying to get it fixed before Congress. We fixed the bridge in New Amsterdam at Glasgow; we fixed the bridge at Dennis Street.

And we went on to fix a number of community bridges. We’ve installed more than 700 street lights covering a 30 kilometre area.”

According to Minster Edghill, the ministry’s special projects unit in 2021 also undertook the construction of all-weather roads from Moleson Creek to El Dorado, as well as pedestrian walkways, at Pouderoyen, Anna Regina, Tuschen, Albert Street and Vlissengen Road.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

Trio nabbed with $1.1M in ‘ganja’ during Rose Hall ‘bust’

TWO women and a man are currently in police custody after $1.1 Million worth of marijuana was found at their Rose Hall,

Corentyne, home According to a Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) statement, the trio were identified as Simeon Lawson, 30;

The cannabis seized during the operation

Convicted sex offender found guilty of teen girl’s rape PREVIOUSLY convicted sex offender, Esan Germain, who is currently serving three concurrent prison sentences, was on Thursday found guilty of three counts of rape committed on a 15-year-old girl.

Germain, a 45-year-old researcher, was on trial before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Demerara Sexual Offences Court for three counts of ‘Rape of a Child under 16 years’ committed between January 2014 and July 2014.

The jury deliberated for two hours and returned guilty verdicts on all three counts.

The second-time convicted sex offender’s sentencing has been deferred until February 28.

He was represented by Attorney-at-Law Clyde Forde, while the state was represented by prosecutors, Nafeeza Baig, Muntaz Ali, and Latifa Elliott.

In 2017, Germain was Convicted Sex Offender: convicted of three counts Esan Germain of child rape committed on a girl. The recorded incidents occurred in 2011 when the child was aged four and continued in 2012 and 2013.

After a 12-member jury in 2017 found him guilty at the Demerara High Court of three sexual offences, he was sentenced by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall to 15 years, 20 years, and 30 years, respectively.

His ongoing sentences, however, will run concurrently which means he will spend only 30 years in jail, as the other two lesser sentences will run alongside each other.

(From left) Simeon Lawson, Veronica Walker, and Leshella Walker.

Veronica Walker, 54; and Leshella Walker, 34.

The statement said CANU ranks acted on information received through a tip-off and carried out an

operation at the suspects’ Lot 33 St Paul Street, Rose Hall, Corentyne, Berbice.

During the operation, the statement continued, a salt bag containing several par-

cels of suspected cannabis was discovered.

The trio were arrested and escorted to CANU Headquarters. It was reported that the suspected narcotics were

tested and proved to be marijuana.

The drug was weighed at a total of 3.868 kilogrammes and carried a street value of $1,160,400.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

First People back at centre of development –– Minister Sukhai tells House

By Naomi Parris

DEFENDING her budgetary allocations in the National Assembly on Thursday, Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai said that the 2022 budget is centred on further improving the lives of indigenous youths and the economic growth in hinterland communities.

During her contributions to the 2022 budget debate at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), the minister said, that this year’s budget is one that will continue to strengthen the Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government ef-

forts to build a prosperous nation.

In doing so, Minister Sukhai highlighted that the government will be restarting several projects that were abandoned by the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government during their tenure.

“Mr. Speaker another parked project was the Amerindian Land Titling project… Mr. Speaker, not a single land title was approved by the APNU+AFC Government in five years sitting at the helm of the government,” the minister said, adding: “Mr. Speaker it will be the PPP/C Gov-

ernment that will take that parked project and make it into reality and once and for all deal with land matters for the Indigenous people.”

The minister further noted that within one year the PPP/C government has demarcated five Amerindian villages under the Amerindian land titling project (ALT) and the 2022 budget will see more villages being demarcated.

Minister Sukhai, in responding to critic from the opposition, posited that the budget provides a platform and foundation for improvement in all sectors. This, she said will see significant improvement

of lives across the country.

“And in improving every sector is ensuring that the Guyanese people can rest assure that their security and livelihoods and lives will be taken care [of] by this government.

It is setting the foundation and I want to say to you, the other side, that you better get your act in order to contribute to development and not continue to attempt to destroy this country, it is too beautiful.”

REMEDY ERRORS Additionally, the minister noted that the 2022 budget will remedy the errors that were made by the previous regime.

This, she said, will be done under the Amerindian Development Fund.

“Under the Amerindian Development Fund, we can expect a number of things that will remedy the neglect and remedy the marginalisation and remedy the fact that we are now delivering in a period where in the last five years there was no delivery.”

AGRICULTURE SUPPORT As it relates to the agriculture sector, Minister Sukhai said that the previous administration

did very little to address the issues of farmers and other agriculture stakeholders in the hinterland regions.

“I can assure you in this budget the support from the Ministry of Agriculture will be forth coming, and in fact, in one year of our government, they have been able to provide funding for a number of Amerindian communities throughout the hinterland to strengthen their capacity to cultivate and to grow more food.”

The minister noted that her ministry will also complement the support from the Agriculture Ministry in delivering 71 additional tractor-trailers to several other hinterland communities, especially those in far flung areas.

“The Amerindian Ministry also complimented the support from the Ministry of Agriculture, and we have delivered to Amerindian communities 112 tractors complete with trailers and we are in the process of completing the delivery of the implements to those areas that are logistically difficult to meet in a short period.”

“There is no time in Guyana’s history that the Amerindian people have received such strong support for agriculture,”

Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai she added.

ECONOMIC PROJECTS In addition, Minster Sukhai noted that the Indigenous youths will continue to benefit from the presidential grants to foster economic growth.

“Mr. Speaker, the government continues to provide presidential grants to Amerindian communities, $300 million will be provided this year and additional $25 million will add to looking at an economic and productive project in those communities.”

To complement this, she noted that the Community Service Officers (CSO) programme that was unceremoniously disbanded by the previous government will see monies going back in the hinterland communities.

“We have fulfilled our manifesto promises to them by re-establishing the CSO programme where today this budget is providing one billion and $50 million in the pockets of young people.”

This, she said, will stimulate development in several communities.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

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NDIA installs stop logs at Andrews Labourer remanded for sluice after koker door fails allegedly murdering stepson

THE wooden koker door located at Andrews Sluice in the Evergreen/Paradise Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Region Two, failed after it came under tremendous pressure from heavy waves during the above-normal high tide period on Thursday.

As a result, approximately 70 acres of rice lands and 25 households in the community were affected by flooding.

After receiving reports of the incident, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha instructed the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to mobilise resources to remedy the situation.

According to a release, the NDIA was able to mobilise the necessary materials and equipment to stop the intrusion of sea water. Stop logs have since been installed in place of the failed koker door while flood waters are being pumped out of the system and diverted from the affected areas into

Stop logs that were put in place at the Andrews sluice the Westbury sluice. ture until the NDIA is able Two engineers from the to fabricate a new stainlessNDIA and other regional steel metal door to replace officials are also on site the damaged wooden door. monitoring the situation to The minister further ensure further instances of stated that the NDIA has flooding do not occur, the already commenced the release noted. process to have the door Minister Mustapha also replaced, which, he added, indicated that the stop logs will be done in the shortest will be in place at the struc- possible time.

27-YEAR-OLD construction worker, Shawn Bobb, who allegedly fatally stabbed his 19-year-old stepson Isaiah Edwards as he tried to intervene in a dispute between Bobb and his mother, was, on Thursday, remanded to prison.

The matter was heard before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Bobb, who resides at Independence Boulevard, Albouystown, was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that he committed the capital offence against his stepson between January 26 and 27, 2022 at La Penitence Squatting Area, Georgetown.

According to a police statement issued recently on the matter, Edwards reportedly observed Bobb abusing his mother because she was not finished cooking on time.

After Edwards report-

ACCUSED: Shawn Bobb edly intervened, police said his stepfather armed himself

with a knife and attacked the teen and his mother.

Edwards was stabbed to the right side of his pelvic area.

Relatives who were told of the incident rushed Edwards and his mother to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH). The two were tested for the COVID-19 virus.

The teen’s results were returned as positive, warranting his transfer to government’s specialised Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. Edwards subsequently died on January 27.

Meanwhile, Bobb, who had fled the scene after the incident, was later arrested on January 29 by police who found him seeking refuge in a house in Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The man was disguised in make-up and a wig and reportedly tried to evade police by escaping through a window. Bobb will return to court on February 11.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

- with the introduction of ‘Certificate in Advocacy and Evidence for Summary Courts Prosecutors’ programme

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall THE government has devised a new prosecutors’ programme to strengthen and balance

the scales of Guyana’s justice system. To ensure victims of criminal offences benefit from effective representation, the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the AttorneyGeneral Chambers has collaborated with the University of Guyana (UG) to launch the new ‘Certificate in Advocacy and Evidence for Summary Courts Prosecutors’ programme.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, told the Department of Public Information that the programme will revolutionise prosecution in Guyana, balancing the

scales of justice.

“This has been going on for decades and what we have found is that the level of representation is not balanced and many times victims of crime and the State’s legal interests and indeed the public’s interest are not adequately represented, simply because on the one hand you have an untrained legal mind, a police officer prosecuting, and on the other hand you have a seasoned experienced lawyer appearing.”

The course will benefit 35 persons with a Bachelor’s Degree in law (LLB) from UG who did not further their legal education

at one of the regional law schools in the Caribbean.

Participants will receive basic prosecution training, to represent the State’s interest effectively.

Among the areas of training are criminal procedures, criminal law and evidence finding.

Upon completion, participants will operate as part of the prosecutorial arm of the State under the constitutional supervision of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The course is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through Support for the Criminal Justice System (SCJS) Programme,

with the intent of having a trained prosecutor at every magistrate’s court.

Nandlall said the course will play an important role in revamping Guyana’s justice system, providing citizens with better legal representation.

“I believe that it will have a significant impact on the criminal justice system. I believe that victims of crime, I believe that the state’s interest, I believe that public interests in criminal proceedings will be better served if we have more qualified persons in the form and type that I am referring to, are there representing the

State’s interest along with police officers.”

Additionally, a large quantity of computers and printers will be donated to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to replace handwritten statements by ranks.

The equipment will be utilised by police officers, investigators and prosecutors implementing an efficient, credible and accurate criminal justice system. Persons interested in applying for the course can do so on the University of Guyana’s website. The application process will conclude on February 24, 2022.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

Budget 2022 is about transforming lives –– expenditure in keeping with gov’t’s promises, says Minister Bharrat all ethnic and social backgrounds.

By Rehana Ahamad AMID Opposition criticisms that Guyana’s non-oil sectors are being neglected, Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, has shot back by simply highlighting a few of the projects contained in Budget 2022.

Pointing to some of the investments being made across all sectors, with emphasis on health, education, infrastructure, tourism and social services, “that is what it is being used for!” he exclaimed.

The minister went as far as to highlight specific programmes such as increases in the Education Cash Grants, Old Age Pension and the minimum wage threshold; the groundbreaking 20,000 online scholarships initiative being offered through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), the establishment of six new hospitals as well as the construction of new roads and bridg-

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat cannot be solved within a one-year budget cycle, the government intends to approach the House year after year, to seek funding for programmes that will have positive impact on the country. “We will come again, and we will keep coming,” Bharrat said.

He also made specific mention of the projects under his ministry, which are intended to bring greater relief to Guyanese from all walks of life; projects such as the gas-to-energy and Amaila Falls Hydropower projects which are intended to cut the cost of electricity by 50 per cent.

APNU+AFC Member of Parliament, David Patterson es which will open up thousands of acres of lands for housing and other commercial investments.

These initiatives, Minister Bharrat reminded, are to be funded by oil revenues and are bound to bring a myriad of direct and indirect benefits to citizens in all corners of the nation.

“The NRF (Natural Resources Fund) incentivises non-oil sectors… logging, sugar, fishing,” Minister Bharrat noted.

To even ensure further benefits of the petroleum sector, he said that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government was keen on piloting the landmark Local Content legislation, which guarantees opportunities across all sectors.

In his defence of the $552.9 billion budget for this year, the minister said that he is disappointed, but not surprised by the opposition’s approach to criticise as opposed to positively contribute to it.

“What we heard should have been recommendations,” the minister posited.

Parliamentarian for the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), David Patterson, said that nothing in the budget is “aimed at even helping the working or poor getting to work; not a single word.”

Minister Bharrat, in his response, said that while all of Guyana’s problems and ills

CRITICAL BOOST In addition to cheaper power, the operationalisation of these projects are expected to provide a critical boost to the manufacturing sector, while inspiring greater investments, particularly in the area of value-added production.

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill in an earlier presentation had pointed to the fact that while Guyana produces “soft drinks”, these are sold at higher costs than those that are imported, largely owing to expensive manufacturing costs associated with electricity consumption.

With the establishment of the two aforementioned energy projects, the government is hoping to exponentially increase value-added production.

Minister Bharrat also addressed the Coalition’s comparison of Guyana and Norway, establishing the fact that Norway discovered oil decades before Guyana, and has utilised its earnings to invest in critical areas. “Look at the infrastructure (in Norway) how did they build? Oil revenues,” Minister Bharrat pointed out.

The Natural Resources Minister also responded to the utterances of Patterson and his APNU+AFC colleagues that Budget 2022 was designed to serve “friends and family of the PPP/C”. This prompted Bharrat to admit that all Guyanese are friends and family of the PPP. “It pains me to have elected leaders saying that PPP is only doing things for one section of the population. Is it only one set of people will get cash grants? Will only one set of people be served by the six new hospitals?” Bharrat inquired.

He continued by citing what he said was the opposition’s perception that “only one ethnic group works at GuySuCo”.

The minister clarified that the Guyana Sugar Corporation is staffed by persons of

LONG GONE “I thought we gone past those days… you don’t use that (race argument)… days for that is long gone,” he said.

Former Minister Patterson in his contribution to the House also pointed to the decline in gold production. In responding to this, Minister Bharrat said that indeed, gold declarations for 2021 has declined. He reminded the House that in 2021, Guyana suffered months of unprecedented flooding that were destructive to all productive sectors, including the extraction industries. Some mining operations, according to Bharrat are still being dewatered. “It is not excuse; it is the reality of what happened,” the minister asserted.

As the debates continued, Patterson claimed that the PPP/C Government was allowing waste water dumping to take place offshore Guyana, during the oil drilling operations. The Member of Parliament even hinted that this could be the cause of the drop in fishing quantities.

It is important to note that the decline in fish stocks is not unique to Guyana. As a matter of fact, within the last few years, a global trend has forced world leaders, including the United Nations, to take action in examining and addressing the situation.

Locally, authorities have begun making heavy investments in the area of aquaculture and establishing ponds to heighten fish rearing activities; expansion and continuation of such initiatives are also being funded by the oil revenues, under the Ministry of Agriculture.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

ENCANTO: Let’s talk about Bruno, the ‘black sheep’ we sympathised with

By Naomi Parris

THE storyline of the fictional ‘Madrigal’ family continues to sweep the online and offline world.

But we are all obsessed with one character in particular, and it’s the one character we were forbidden to even talk about in the first place; ‘Tío Bruno’, the proverbial ‘black sheep’ of the family!

Just in case you missed last week’s Buzz story on the subject, I’m talking about Disney’s latest animated film, ‘ENCANTO’, which follows a magical Afro-Colombian family who built, and are maintaining their community

in the mountains, away from the perils of the rest of the world.

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

As a direct offspring of ‘Abuela’, ‘Bruno’—whom we need to talk more about— is blessed with the gift of clairvoyance, or in more colloquial terms, the ability to see into the future.

The gift bestowed on ‘Bruno’ isn’t, however, wildly appreciated by the family nor the community, espe-

cially since it forces them to see some of the less fortunate events that could consume their lives.

Although the popular in-movie song, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” seems like it’s all about the mischievous, absconded uncle of the ‘Madrigal’ household, it is more about the family’s flawed perceptions than it is about the perversity of ‘Bruno’.

The song opens with ‘Pepa’, Bruno’s younger sister, voiced by Carolina Gaitán, and ‘Felix’, Pepa’s husband, voiced by Mauro Castillo, recounting to Mirabel (the story’s main charac-

ter) how Bruno supposedly ruined their wedding, simply by predicting the weather.

SPOLIER ALERT: As the film progresses, it is revealed that Bruno was, in fact, alluding to his sister, Pepa’s, stress level at the time about her wedding day and the unreasonably high expectations placed on her, a similar sentiment of the other family members, which resulted in her conjuring a hurricane as her weathercontrol powers are tied to her emotions.

The story continues with several other characters detailing how Bruno ruined their lives, however, the assumption that Bruno is at-fault for natural and ageassociated phenomena was a bit of a stretch.

The story of Bruno’s character told by his family and community is incomplete. Mirabel knew this.

Imagine our surprise when the perceived “sevenfoot frame [man] with rats along his back” was actually a shy, soft-spoken fixer, who continued to fix the proverbial cracks in the foundation of the home, while living in

Bruno, the ‘black sheep’ character of the Disney animated film, “ENCANTO” the walls—literally.

Can You Relate?

The truth about Bruno is that there’s one in almost every family, but the character trope is more evident in extended families.

The track “We don’t talk about Bruno” has surpassed Disney’s “Let It Go” from the animated movie, Frozen, to become the movie company’s highest-charted song in over 26 years.

Honestly, I can’t seem to get the tune out of my head.

The popularity of Bruno’s story left me wondering; why is it so popular? Is it the blend of music and dance genres? Or is there some-

thing else deeply resonating with the stories sung in the lyrics by members of the Madrigal family?

I think many of us connect with Bruno’s character on a deeper level. Disney got it right in telling the perspective of the “other” person, and ultimately removing the common trope it proppedup for decades that in life there are strictly heroes, and strictly villains.

There’s always room for grey areas, best reflected in stories that portray full character development. Similar lines were taken in ‘Maleficent’, a remake of Disney’s foundational, ‘Snow White’, and “Cruella”, a remake of Disney’s ‘Dalmatians’ movies.

The people we sometimes labelled as ‘black sheep’ or ‘outcast’ are not who they are portrayed to be (all of the time) by others.

There are sometimes misunderstandings or the creation of a convenient villain when others don’t want take responsibility for their respective roles in the prevailing displeasing situations, as experienced

by Bruno.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

Four men charged in actor Michael K. Williams’ overdose death, U.S. prosecutor says

(Reuters) - FOUR men have been arrested and charged in last year’s overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams, according to the U.S. prosecutor in New York City on Wednesday.

Wi l l i a m s w a s b e s t known for playing a shotgun-toting drug dealer in the HBO crime drama “The Wire. The 54-yearold was found dead in his New York apartment on September 7, police said.

One of the men, Irvin Cartagena, was arrested in Puerto Rico and charged in a criminal complaint unsealed on Tuesday in Manhattan federal court with a narcotics conspiracy accusing him of distributing

fentanyl-laced heroin.

This is according to a statement from Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney based in Manhattan.

Under another criminal complaint unsealed on Wednesday, Hector Robles, Luis Cruz and Carlos Macci were charged as alleged participants in the fentanyl and heroin conspiracy.

The three men, all from the New York City borough of Brooklyn, were arrested on Tuesday, authorities said.

“This is a public health crisis. And it has to stop.

Deadly opioids like fentanyl and heroin don’t care about who you are or what you’ve accomplished,”

U.S. attorney Williams said.

New York City’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner concluded that the actor died of “acute intoxication” by the combined effects of drugs including the powerful painkiller fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.

Other television roles that won Williams praise included characters he portrayed in “Boardwalk Empire,” “Bessie” and “Lovecraft Country.”

Reporting by Brendan O’Brien in Chicago; Editing by Will Dunham and Chris Reese (Modifications were made to this story by this publication.)

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Michael K Williams arrives for the premiere of “The Public” at the New York Public Library in New York, U.S., April 1, 2019. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

Rihanna is pregnant and the internet is ‘wilding’ – STILL! Whatever it was, the internet was on fire!

THE difference between the reactions on Rihanna’s announced pregnancy with rapper boyfriend, A$AP Rocky was largely based on which lens internet users were using to view the announcement that shocked the world.

And then the Drake memes started rolling in. Of course, Rihanna and Drake shared memorable moments of intimacy over the years. Drake is among a solid line of potential suitors Rihanna had considered in the past.

The Certified Lover Boy, however, did not make the cut.

And the internet won’t let him sleep.

It’s hard to tell what really has people shocked.

It could be that Rihanna has finally chosen someone she is prepared to have an eternal connection with.

She’s always been the small island sweetheart with a universal personality. But then again, it could also be that many persons expected her to choose someone… different; whatever that means.

TURN TO PAGE 19

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Rihanna is pregnant and the internet is ‘wilding’...

FROM PAGE 18

There’s one thing we all agree on however, and that’s that this will be one lucky baby.

A few fans or ‘stans’ from Rihanna’s loyal ‘NAVY’ clan still took the time to remind the celeb that while she has been promoting her cosmetic and fashion lines, her music fans have long been neglected with Rihanna’s last album, “Anti” releasing six years ago.

(Retrieved from @_hasheem)

Of course, the Right Excellent, Robyn Rihanna Fenty—as she is to be properly styled as an official ‘National Hero of Barbados’—took a minute to cheekily respond to much of the lukewarm and steaming hot anti-black comments made on social media against her partner.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

Akeal Hosein is West Indies top T20 bowler places to 31st while left-arm spinner Fabian Allen moved up ten places to 35th, to round out the West Indies players in the top 50, headed by Sri Lanka leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.

Meanwhile, left-hander Nicholas Pooran has overtaken Evin Lewis as the highest ranked West Indies batter, after

Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein

(CMC) - Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein is now the highest rated West Indies bowler in Twenty20 Internationals, after jumping 15 places to 18th spot in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings.

The 28-year-old, who only made his international debut last year, finished the fivematch Twenty20 International series against England in Barbados with eight wickets at an economy rate of seven and an average of 15.

Hosein has performed a key role for West Indies since his arrival, bowling in the all-important opening power-play.

In last Sunday’s finale at Kensington Oval, Hosein snatched four for 30 to change

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the course of the game and lay the foundation for West Indies’ 17-run victory and 3-2 series success.

Former Test captain Jason Holder, whose four wickets in four balls in the final over of that match sealed England’s demise, has also made upward movement in the rankings, rising three places to 23rd and also enjoying a healthy gain of 20 ratings points.

The 30-year-old fast-bowling all-rounder finished with five for 27 after sharing the new ball with Hosein.

Holder, who picked up four wickets in the opening game to help see West Indies to a dominant nine-wicket win, ended the series with 15 wickets.

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jumping eight places to 18th.

The 26-year-old finished the series with 164 runs at an average of 41, including a top score of 70 in the third T20 International, to be the leading run-scorer on either side.

Lewis, who has not featured for West Indies since last year’s T20 World Cup in United Arab Emirates, (UAE)

has dropped to 23rd and is the only other Caribbean side batter in the top 50.

Opener Brandon King, who enjoyed a revival in form with 122 runs at an average of 30, moved up 25 places to 58th, while his captain Kieron Pollard leaped 15 places to 60th.

Pakistan batting maestro,

Babar Azam, tops the batting charts with opening partner Mohammad Rizwan lying second.

West Indies players will have the opportunity to make further inroads in the rankings when they take on India later this month in a threematch series in Kolkata from February 16 to 20.

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

CWI commends KOMI for England series management

CRICKET West Indies (CWI) has welcomed the safe return of fans in large numbers, under COVID-19 protocols for the recent Betway T20 International (T20I) Series between West Indies and England and confirmed it was delivered with great success.

CWI, in a wide-ranging collaboration with the Gov-

ernment of Barbados, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) and Kensington Oval Management Inc (KOMI), safely hosted the Betway T20I Series with thousands of fully vaccinated local and travelling fans within the stadium, carefully managed to 50% of its capacity.

Five exhilarating matches

were played over a nine-day period, climaxing with a memorable finish on Sunday night. Two-time T20 World Champions, West Indies, registered a famous 3-2 triumph over #1-ranked England, with several records being established at the historic venue.

The Betway T20I Series signalled a successful return of spectators in large num-

Kensington oval

bers to watch cricket, with Barbados hosting an average of 4 300 fans attending each of the matches.

With capacity restricted to a maximum of just under 5 500 fans, to allow for the safe hosting of the event, with distancing between groups of fans, the West Indies played in front of a carnival-like atmosphere for the first time in nearly two years.

All persons attending the matches were fully vaccinated, with their vaccination status checked and verified

by Ministry of Health and Wellness officials at the point of entry.

An aggregate of just over 22 500 persons attended the five matches. As the excitement built, home fans returned in greater numbers to watch the West Indies making up over 51% of all fans for the fifth and final Betway T20I. The long-standing appeal of watching England away games in the Caribbean led to an average of 2 500 travelling England fans attending each game.

Dominic Warne, CWI’s

Commercial and Marketing Director, saluted the untiring work of the event staff from CWI, BCA, KOMI, and the Government of Barbados, in particular the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

“We are extremely pleased with the way the Betway T20I Series was delivered, following such a long gap without fans being able to attend. Blessed with some outstanding performances on the field, fans created an amazing atmosphere in the stands in a safe and secure environment provided by a great collaboration between all parties.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness officials provided a smooth, efficient and friendly validation process on entry to the stadium to confirm fans’ vaccination status,” Warne said.

“This gives everyone involved in the staging of the event confidence and assurance ahead of the forthcoming Apex Test Series in March. Not only did we enjoy the return of the world-renowned West Indies carnival

cricket atmosphere, but the successful return of fans will have generated much-needed economic benefit for the region.

“We want to thank the English visitors who travelled in huge numbers as well as the returning West Indies fans who brought their special vibes to support their favourite team.”

England return to the West Indies in March for the Apex Test Series as the teams play for the newly minted Richards-Botham Trophy, named in honour of legends Sir Vivian Richards and Lord Ian Botham.

The Apex Test Series opens appropriately at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and runs from March 8 to 12, followed by the second Apex Test at Kensington Oval from March 16 to 20.

The third and final contest will be at the idyllic Grenada National Stadium from March 24 to 28. All three Apex Tests are part of the ICC World Test Championship.

25

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

Brevis lights it up one final time; Akram shines in Pakistan’s huge win

AN extraordinary day at the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup saw Pakistan captain Qasim Akram produce a display of all-round brilliance to help demolish Sri Lanka in the fifth-place playoff, while Dewald Brevis was the star again as South Africa beat Bangladesh in a thriller. Here are the big talking points from Day 19

of the tournament.

Pakistan’s demolition of Sri Lanka in Antigua was one of the best displays of the tournament and their dominance began right from the start as openers Muhammad Shehzad and Haseebullah Khan put on 134 for the first wicket.

Remarkably, that was far from the best partnership of the day for Pakistan, as She-

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hzad’s dismissal for 73 off 69 balls brought Qasim Akram to the crease and he proceeded to play, arguably, the knock of the tournament.

The Pakistan captain creamed 135* off just 80 balls in a remarkable innings that included 13 fours and six sixes.

Akram and Khan put on 229 runs for the second wicket in just 25.3 overs, with Khan dismissed for 136 in the final over of the innings.

Not content with scoring one of the most impressive centuries of the tourna-

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Jason Holder-15 wickets (2) Adil Rashid-7 wickets Today’s Quiz: (1) Which WI hit the highest score in the recent T20 International series against ENG? (2) Which ENG player struck the highest individual score?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

ment, Pakistan’s captain went straight back out and bagged himself a five-wicket haul.

Akram’s five scalps came in super-quick time too, as he dismissed Sri Lanka’s top five inside the first 11 overs of the innings.

The 19-year-old finished with figures of 5-37, becoming the first player in the history of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup to score a hundred and take five wickets in the same match.

Sri Lanka’s captain has enjoyed a terrific tournament with both bat and ball, and he impressed again in North Sound, albeit in a doomed cause.

A clatter of early wickets meant that Wellalage strolled to the crease at number six in just the fifth over, but he stuck around for a classy 40 off 67 balls that helped his side avoid

Qasim Akram

humiliation.

Wellalage has shown plenty in this tournament to suggest he has the potential to make it all the way, with several in the commentary box even tipping him as a future Sri Lankan captain.

South Africa’s young batting sensation has an exceptionally bright future, and he

underlined his brilliance with a second century of the tournament to take him well clear as the World Cup’s leading scorer.

Brevis’ brilliant 138 off 130 balls effectively won his side the game, and the way he went about it was extremely impressive, building a foundation before accelerating the scoring to bring the target of 294 within reach, hitting seven maximums along the way.

The 18-year-old has scored two centuries and three half-centuries from six innings in the Caribbean, racking up 491 runs at an average of 98.20.

And not content with being the standout batter, he has also picked up seven wickets with his useful legspin. The future is extremely bright for the youngster.

(ICC Media)

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

CECC 10/10 final set for this Sunday

THE inaugural Central Essequibo Cricket Committee (CECC) Invitational ten-ten knockout final is scheduled for this Sunday at Reliance Sports Ground, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

But before the championship fixture, eight teams are still in the race as the quarterfinal actions will begin at 10:00hrs with four matches.

The final will commence at 15:00hrs, according to the president of the CECC, Trevis Simon.

At Reliance Sports venue, Reliance Hustlers Sports Club will collide with Reliance Sports Club while at the same time, Invaders Masters will lock horns with Bacchus Bulls at Imam Bacchus facility.

In the two other matches Queenstown will tackle Charity at Anna Regina Multilateral School ground also from 10:00hrs and, Rising Stars will confront Aurora Knight Riders across at the Affiance venue.

After these games, the top four teams will advance to the semifinals before the decider begins for a top prize of $70 000 and a trophy.

The second-placers will collect $30 000 and a trophy as well.

In the opening round last Sunday, former national youth player Rovindra Parasram hit an aggressive 62 to inspire Reliance Hustlers Sports Club to a commanding 37-run victory over Young Achievers. Hustlers raked up a for-

Hassan Rahim

midable 120-4 off the 10-overs while Achievers reached 83-6 when the overs expired.

Another ex-youth national cricketer Nathan Persaud supported the right-handed Parasram with 25. Ganesh Gopaul made 34 in Young Achievers’ chase and off-spinner and captain Trevis Simon grabbed 3-6 off his two overs.

At the Reliance ground earlier in the day, seamer Hassan Rahim helped Charity defeat JC X1 by 18 runs. Rahim grabbed 5-3 in one over, including four wickets from as many deliveries.

JC X1 responded with 58-6 from the reduced

seven overs after Charity had scored 76-5.

The reduction of the overs was due to the late arrival of both teams.

At Imam Bacchus ground, Bacchus Bulls whipped Devonshire Castle/Walton Hall by ten wickets. Devonshire Castle/Walton Hall made 79-5 while Bacchus Bulls replied with 80-0, with 11 balls unused. Former Guyana Under-15 batter Sheldon Charles hit a flamboyant, unbeaten 43 for the victorious combination.

Back at Reliance, Queenstown brushed aside Reliance Hustlers A team by 70 runs. Queenstown rattled up a formidable 153-4 from their 10 overs while Hustlers A team only reached 83-5 when the 10 overs ran out. Carl Gilgeous led the way for Queenstown with 56 while a good contribution (48) came from Wazim Mohammed.

Invaders Masters beat Affiance by a handsome nine-wicket margin. On an Imam Bacchus pitch, Affiance got to an inadequate 59-4 from the 10 overs while Invaders Masters surpassed the target in the 8th over. Fazir Khan hit 27 not out. His teammate Amit Persaud had earlier taken 3-14 from his two overs.

Reliance Sports Club got the better of Cotton Field by 5 wickets to round off the initial segment. Rising Stars drew the bye while Aurora Knight Riders claimed a walkover from Lima whose players were absent due to work commitment.

DCB to host drawing for First Division clubs at GCB Boardroom

THE Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) will be hosting a drawing for First Division clubs in Demerara at the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Boardroom on Friday, February 4, 2022 from 17:00hrs, The drawing is being held as DCB prepares to host a 50 overs First Division knockout competition on a date to be announced.

The invited teams are Georgetown Cricket Club, Demerara Cricket Club, Everest Cricket Club, Gandhi Youth Organisation, GNIC, Muslim Youth Organisation, Police Sports Club, Malteenoes Sports Club, Transport Sports Club, Guyana Defence Force, University of Guyana, Enterprise Sports Club, Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club, Buxton Carl Hoper Cricket Club, Better Hope Cricket Club, Golden Grove Cricket Club, Ogle Cricket Club, Lusignan Sports Club, LBI CCC. All listed teams are asked to begin preparation of their grounds for this tournament.

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

Knight’s half-century undone as South Africa level series Knight’s dismissal – holing out in the deep in the 32nd over – triggered the final

Left-hander Kycia Knight struck a half-century

(CMC) – Left-hander Kycia Knight struck her first One-Day International half-century in five-and-a-half years but Laura Wolvaardt’s third hundred in the format helped to sink West Indies Women by 96 runs and set up a tantalising series finale on Sunday.

Asked to chase an imposing 300 in the third ODI under lights at the Wanderers after Wolvaardt had lashed a polished 117 here yesterday, the luckless Caribbean side folded for 203 in the 45th over, despite Knight’s 69 off 94 deliveries.

West Indies Women were set back considerably by the loss of captain Stafanie Taylor who suffered a concussion after she was struck on the helmet and was forced to retire hurt on 13, while Chedean Nation picked up an injury while fielding and never returned.

Seamer Shabnim Ismail tore through the middle and lower order to finish with four for 37 while new-ball partner Ayabonga Khaka (2-27) supported with her pace.

The victory for South Africa Women – their biggest ever against West Indies in terms of runs – levelled the four-match series at 1-1 after the first match was rained off and West Indies Women had won the second courtesy of a dramatic super-over.

“It was a tough challenge” especially losing Taylor and also Nation,” said vice-captain Anisa Mohammed.

“We lacked a little in the batting after losing both of them but while both of them were there it was definitely game on.”

She added: “The spirits are still very high in the camp. We can still win the tournament come Sunday.”

Opting to bat first, South Africa Women were propelled to 299 for eight off their 50 overs by Wolvaardt, who stroked 11 fours and a six in a 123-ball knock.

After fast bowler Shamilia Connell (457) struck twice to reduce the home side to 40 for two in the seventh over, Wolvaardt

anchored a 141-run, third-wicket stand with captain Sune Luus (56) to rebuild the innings.

Luus counted five fours off 93 deliveries but was one of three wickets to fall for 38 runs along with Wolvaardt, as West Indies Women clawed their way back to leave the hosts on 219 for five in the 43rd over.

However, Chloe Tryon belted a cameo 24-ball 43 with two fours and three sixes in a 75-run sixth-wicket partnership with Nadine de Klerk (22), to regain the initiative at the back end.

In reply, Rahada Williams (1) notched her third successive single-digit score of the series when she edged a drive low to Luus at slip off Khaka in the second over with four runs on the board.

And when the in-form Deandra Dottin drove the same bowler firmly to short mid-wicket to fall for 12, two overs later, West Indies Women were in trouble at 14 for two.

Knight, with one previous fifty to her name in ODIs, then set about repairing the damage in a crucial 72-run, third-wicket stand – first with Taylor – and then with Hayley Matthews (15), before adding a further 55 for the fifth wicket with Shemaine Campbelle (16).

Dropped on 15 at cover in the ninth over, Knight composed herself to reach her landmark off 73 balls with a four in the 25th over off de Klerk.

Taylor, meanwhile, was forced off in the 14th over with the score on 52 for two after being struck by a looping short ball from Nadine de Klerk in the previous over.

She was replaced by concussion-substitute Aaliyah Alleyne.

Matthews followed in the 21st, bowled playing back to one from Ismail that nipped back sharply, and Campbelle was caught and bowled by leg-spinner Chloe Tryon in the 33rd.

slide as West Indies Women lost their next six wickets for 62 runs.

CWI commends KOMI for England series management

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 4, 2022

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Kensington oval PAGE

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Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein

Akeal Hosein is West Indies top T20 bowler

Left-hander Kycia Knight struck a half-century

Knight’s half-century undone as South Africa level series

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2022