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Free Inside 2021

No. 106341

Gold to clear 154,500 ounces in first quarter –– as authorities continue to engage, support local miners

Climate-resilient Diamond hospital recommissioned PAGE

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PAGE

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Re-migrant package available to Guyanese returning from Venezuela PAGE

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–– Duty-free concessions upon return for household items, vehicles

Corentyne girl graduates with Masters in 18 Civil Engineering from UK university PAGE

April is deadliest month for pandemic here –– Chairman threatens PAGES

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The Diamond Diagnostic Centre has gone ‘green’! The facility will resume full operations from Monday (Photo: Delano Williams)

to lock down Region Two

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Gold to clear 154,500 ounces in first quarter –– as authorities continue to engage, support local miners

By Navendra Seoraj

SHOULD the conditions in the mining sector remain significantly unchanged, gold declarations would reach 154,500 ounces for the first quarter of 2021, Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat has said.

Based on available statistics, in Guyana, gold contributes 11 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 14 per cent to the labour force, and over 50 per cent to the country’s exports, placing it at the top of the economic sectors.

It remains a commodity that could withstand severe turbulence in any economy, and this was seen locally in 2020, when it registered positive results despite the challenges presented by a pervasive pandemic, and a protracted electoral process. Again, with the country regaining stability while navigating COVID-19, gold has positive prospects for this year. The gold mining sub-sector is expected to grow by 4.2 per cent in 2021.

Of the projected 154,500 ounces to be declared at the close of the first quarter, small and medium-scale miners are projected to declare 124,500 ounces, and foreign investors (Troy Resources and Zijin Gold) 30,000.

“As such, the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) are working closely and monitoring the activities of Troy Resources and Zijin Gold, along with small and medium-scale miners to increase production,” Minister Bharrat told the Sunday Chronicle in an invited comment on Saturday.

The ministry and its agencies, he said, will continue to engage all stakeholders to realise the full potential of this sector, while at the same time staying in line with the low-carbon pathway outlined by the government.

“Additionally, the Ministry of Natural Resources, through the GGMC and the GGB, remains committed to working with all stakeholders, especially the small and medium-scale miners and foreign investors to enhance production, declarations and trade of gold,” Minister Bharrat related.

To ensure that stakeholders remain encouraged, and more persons are motivated to invest in this sector, the government, in its 2021 Budget, approved a series of measures and incentives to support small and medium-scale mining operations.

Among those measures are tax concessions on all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), the

removal of value added tax (VAT) on all exports, and the removal of VAT on hinterland travel, among other things.

“All of this has benefitted the mining sector, and contributed to improved production and safer mining practices,” Minister Bharrat reasoned.

According to the World Gold Council, gold mining is a major economic driver for many countries across the world. Well-managed, transparent and accountable resource extraction can be a major contributor to economic growth, due to the creation of employment and business opportunities for local people.

The Council said, too, that gold mining also brings foreign direct investment, foreign exchange and tax revenues to countries.

Often operating in remote locations, gold mining companies invest in infrastructure and utilities. In addition to supporting the needs of a gold mine, these improvements to roads, water and electricity supplies are a long-term benefit to businesses and communities across the area, that outlive the production years of a gold mine.

It was reported recently that one of the companies re-establishing itself in Guyana, Omai Gold Mines Limited (OGML), announced that results from the first two holes of “diamond core drilling” confirmed that high-grade mineralisation continues below the historically-producing Wenot Pit. The 5,000-meter drill programme is focused on expanding the open-pit potential of the Wenot Pit, in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni region, that produced 1.8 million ounces of gold at 1.6 grams per tonne to a depth of 190 meters.

Mario Stifano, Chief Executive Officer of Omai Gold Mines, commented: “We are pleased with our assay results from the first two holes we drilled at Omai that complement the assay results we announced in February. These results demonstrate that the grades and thicknesses of gold mineralisation continue at least 100 to 150 meters below the historically-producing Wenot Pit, and remain open to depth and on strike. We look forward to updating our stakeholders with further results from our 5,000-meter drill program in the coming months.”

Early prospectors identified Guyana’s vast mineral wealth 130 years ago, and at the heart of the country’s gold mining history is the Omai mine, a multi-million-ounce deposit that was once South America’s largest producing gold mine.

“We’re building on this past success with new tools, relationships and vision

to bring this under-explored gold district back to life, providing a unique opportunity for all stakeholders to participate in value creation,” the company said in a recent statement.

It was reported in October 2020 that after ceasing operations here years ago, Omai made a return to Guyana, specifically to its worksite in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni region, where it intends to make an initial investment of US$12 million.

While there is much promise from the return of this company, it was reported that in 1995, waste from the mine overflowed the retention dam, and, over five days, released four million cubic meters of cyanide-bearing tailings into the river that eventually ended up in the Essequibo River.

During this crisis, then President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan declared a stretch of 50 contaminated miles of the Essequibo River as an environmental disaster zone. While concentrations of cyanide of two ppm (parts per million) are fatal, the slag along the Omai River values reached 28 ppm during that disaster.

Considering the environmental impact and the “mishap” in the past, Minister Bharrat had assured stakeholders that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is

MR. PRESIDENT!

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat examining the operations, and the company’s plans to ensure that mining is done in a sustainable manner.

“They are going through that process, so, taking all of that into account, production can start after two years; they have to go through all the regulations,” said the minister.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Climate-resilient Diamond Hospital recommissioned

By Rehana Ahamad

THE Diamond Diagnostic Centre which serves the heavily populated East Bank Demerara corridor is set to be reopened for full operations on Monday, following months of renovations aimed at transforming the facility into one that is energy-efficient, and climate-resilient.

The upgraded ‘SMART’ hospital was officially recommissioned during a simple ceremony hosted on Saturday in the hospital’s compound. During his feature address, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony said that similar conversions

of local hospitals are directly linked to the government’s fight against climate change, having recognised the detrimental impact that poor environmental practices have on human health.

The ‘SMART Hospital’ concept refers to a facility that is both safe and ‘green’.

The efforts to transform local hospitals are being facilitated under an $835M (US$4.175 million) project, funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID).

With the upgrades, the Diamond Hospital now boasts of the requisite infrastructure to guard against flooding, reduce reliance on

Sunday 25 April, 2021 13:30hrs - 15:00hrs

the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Corporation by resorting to renewable energy, and enabling the use of rainwater for its day-to-day functions.

“This hospital would be manned by 58 nurses and we have 20 doctors,” Dr. Anthony disclosed. He said that the upgrading of hospitals mitigates the need for persons to rely on the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for key services such as surgeries and x-rays, etc.

The other institutions currently being upgraded include the Leonora Cottage Hospital in Region Three; the Mabaruma Hospital in Region One (Barima-Waini); Paramakatoi Health Centre in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); and the Lethem Regional Hospital in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

Dr. Anthony said that within the next few years, the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) will be looking to convert all the health facilities in Guyana.

“We have already done the assessment of 89 other health facilities,” the minister posited.

In explaining the importance of the SMART hospital project, Dr. Anthony made specific reference to reports released by the United Nations’ Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), particularly as it relates to the notable rise in global temperatures.

“For the last hundred years, the earth’s temperature

The transformation of the Diamond Hospital is part of a wider $835M (US$4.175 million) project being funded by the United Kingdom has increased by 0.75 degrees Celsius and every decade since 1850, we are living in warmer climate,” the minister said, pointing to the consequences of Guyana’s infamous 2005 floods.

In a series of articles published in January, the Guyana Chronicle examined a number of adverse effects that climate change is likely to have on local sectors, including sea defence, health and food production, all due to the projected rise in sea levels.

As a matter of fact, the IPCC predicts that “global warming will worsen human health conditions, especially in tropical regions.” In countries such as Guyana, an

increase in temperature indicates an increase in mosquito populations, thereby escalating the risk of a variety of insect-borne infections. “…and those mosquitos would bring with them, a number of different types of diseases such as dengue and malaria, and chikungunya, and so forth,” Dr. Anthony previously said in an invited comment.

In addition to vector-borne and water-borne diseases, global warming also paves the way for increased heat waves, which would result in prolonged periods of abnormally high temperatures that can have serious health effects on vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and the sick.

“This was already seen during the 2003 heat wave in Europe, which claimed approximately 35,000 lives,” a recent UN Climate Change report indicated.

The IPCC further predicts that global warming will lead to hot days, followed by nights of high temperatures, which can result in persons developing potentially fatal

hyperthermia or heatstroke.

Additionally, “People suffering from heart problems are more vulnerable to increased temperatures, especially those living in already warm areas, as their cardiovascular system must work harder to keep their body [sic] cool,” the report indicated.

It explained too that, “Hot temperatures increase the ozone concentration, which can damage people’s lung tissue and cause complications for asthma patients and those with lung diseases.

“Increased global warming can also pose a threat to national security, affecting food security, which, in turn, can lead to resource conflicts,” the report noted.

Reflecting on the many environmental tragedies that occurred in 2020, Guyanese Scientist Dr. Michelle Kalamandeen, had told the Guyana Chronicle that climate change has inevitably created the deadly monster that is the novel coronavirus.

In a previous interview See page 5

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Zane Ramotar: Head Prefect, Valedictorian and now, CAPE Top Performer

By Vishani Ragobeer ASPIRING physicist, Zane Ramotar, who was the Head Prefect and Valedictorian of Queen’s College, has emerged as Guyana’s 2020 top performer of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

In 2013, when he wrote the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), Ramotar was awarded a place at Queen’s College. After successfully writing 13 subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination, he continued to pursue CAPE at the college.

Speaking to the Sunday

Chronicle, Ramotar highlighted that during the two years of CAPE, he wrote Applied Mathematics (Units One and Two), Biology (Units One and Two); Chemistry (Units One and Two), Caribbean Studies, Communication Studies, Environmental Studies (Units One and Two); Physics (Units One and Two), Pure Mathematics (Units One and Two) and Integrated Mathematics.

He scored 14 Grade Ones and one Grade Two, the latter in Applied Mathematics (Unit Two).

While pursuing CAPE, Ramotar was recognised as the school’s Head Prefect, and later valedictorian. This, he said, was the first time

the same person has held the esteemed titles at the college. The announcement that Ramotar had topped CAPE was made on Friday during a virtual briefing by the Minister of Education, Ms. Priya Manickchand.

“When it hit, it was a big excitement,” Ramotar said, adding: “Something that really compounded this whole joy or ecstatic feeling was that we were blindsided by the actual release of the results; it came out of the blue.”

Though the announcement was unexpected, Ramotar was convinced that he would be among the country’s top performers, if not THE top performer. This was

so because he’d topped the country during his first year of CAPE, when he scored seven Grade One passes.

But his recognition was delayed for about six months, after major discrepancies were found in the results announced by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) in September last year. These discrepancies, raised by Guyana and other regional authorities, prompted a review process.

Now, six months later, the review process is not yet complete, but the Ministry of Education has highlighted that Ramotar topped. He was followed by Naomi Cambridge of St. Rose’s High, who scored 12 Grade Ones

and two Grade Twos, and Christian Pile, his colleague from Queen’s College, who scored 11 Grade Ones and one Grade Two. Over the past few months, Ramotar has been teaching physics at Queen’s College. With a vested interest in this subject area, he has applied to the University of Southern California (USC), in the United States, where he will be pursuing studies in Physics.

Though he is not yet sure exactly what career path he will pursue, he knows for certain that it will be something to do with physics, and that he will be doing some amount of research.

Zane Ramotar, top performer at the 2020 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (Photo courtesy of the News Room)

Climate-resilient Diamond Hospital ...

From page 4

with this newspaper, the biologist expressed confidence that the emergence of the COVID-19 is a consequence of global administrations ignoring, and, by extension, failing to address the critical connection between the environment and human health.

She explained that three out of every four new infectious diseases in people come from animals.

“More specifically, from our wildlife and from the livestock we keep in ever-increasing numbers…if an area becomes too hot or too cold for certain wildlife, they will migrate to new places, where they interact with other animals that they have never encountered before,” Dr. Kalamandeen had explained.

She reasoned that this usually results in humans increasingly sharing the same spaces and vying for the same food as various species of organisms, thereby increasing the

risk of transmission of diseases from animals to humans.

Minister Anthony gave the assurance that the Low Carbon Development Strategy pioneered by former President Bharat Jagdeo, remains a component of the PPP/C’s operations and that the administration remains committed to protecting the environment.

The Health Minister had previously indicated also that his ministry is currently working to craft a comprehensive 10-year strategic plan which seeks to examine a plethora of ways that the ministry can respond to climate change. “…and our preparedness in terms of health response to things like pandemics and flooding and so forth…we want to ensure that we build that capacity to respond to [the] effects of climate change, and try to make our systems more climate-resilient,” Dr Anthony asserted.

The Diamond ‘SMART’ Hospital will now be less reliant on power provided by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Cost of living

“COST of LIVING” and “inflation” are two terms that are often confused, since they are sometimes used interchangeably.

Despite the fact that both are somewhat similar in nature, since both measure and compare changes in price levels, they are related to different economic conditions.

Inflation is a macroeconomic condition that affects all parties in an economy, while cost of living can be controlled by the mobility of resources.

The key difference between the two is that cost of living is the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living, whereas inflation is the general increase in price levels in the economy. However, both are strong economic conditions that showcase the economic status of a country or region. Generally, if there is high inflation, it is backed by high cost of living. It should be noted, however, that cost of living cannot be controlled easily

by government intervention, since cost of living is mainly driven by demand and supply of resources in a geographical area (Jacobs et.al) and (Pak, 2011).

The importance of cost of living in determining the true value of income shows why policymakers should not be single-minded in pursuing policies that appear to achieve greater economic growth, but should also work towards a lower cost of living. It should be noted that, for example, reducing the cost of living by 10 per cent has the same impact on the standard of living of the population or people as a 10 per cent increase in their incomes (Schomach, 2017).

Another issue that arises from addressing cost of living is income inequality. This has become a central, motivating issue in recent years, owing to the writings of various economic authors. Personal incomes unadjusted for cost of living do not reflect how well or

how poorly people actually live.

Empirical studies have shown that cost of living across some states in the United States can vary profoundly. Studies showed that cost of living were impacted by policies such as stricter zoning; higher minimum wages; occupational licensing; and other labour and business regulations, with more highly regulated states seeing higher costs of living. Consequently, higher regulated states also greatly disadvantage those with low and middle-class incomes. As such, the cost of living should become a major policy consideration, with the aim of keeping cost of living as low as possible.

In order to address the issue of rising cost of living, the policy approach must be multi-dimensional, and must include measures to address urbanisation, such as housing, and connectivity, improving financial awareness, and enhancing productivity and

income. Importantly, greater efforts should be directed at increasing productivity levels; inter alia, the adoption of modern technology and increasing the skills of workers through access to better education and training. This would enable the average lower-income earners and mid-income class to move up the value chain towards higher value-added jobs to achieve higher incomes, and hence afford a higher standard of living.

In the case of Guyana, however, in the context of pursuing policies to address rising cost of living, much more needs to be done by perhaps the National Bureau of Statistics to address the lack of data compilation of cost-of-living indicators and to develop a cost-of-living index.

This, in turn, can greatly aid policy-makers to pursue the right mixture of policies to ensure that cost of living is kept at the lowest levels possible.

Actors in the attempted elections-rigging at GECOM must be sent home!

Dear Editor, MANY justifications exist for a detailed review of the 2020 March to August events, involving the miserable and disappointing performance of senior administrative and other key staff in the secretariat of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Full exposure of these is necessary and should be effectively addressed by the appointment of a neutral Commission of Inquiry.

Even the most cursory examination of the despicable and flagrant failures, highlights alarming reasons for the nationwide concerns that necessitate and demand swift remedial action.

In this framework, it is crucial to recognise the constitutional role and responsibility of the chairperson and commissioners appointed to the commission, as they possess the legal authority to ensure the conduct of its staff concerning electoral matters, are upheld within the constitutional parameters. This position is enshrined in Section 162 of the constitution Cap. 1.01 which states: “(1) The Elections Commission shall have such functions connected with/or relating to the registration of electors or the conduct of elections as are conferred upon it by/or under this constitution or, subject thereto, any Act of Parliament; and, subject to the provisions of this constitution, the commission – (a) shall exercise general direction and supervision

over the registration of electors and the administrative conduct of all elections of members of the National Assembly; and (b) shall issue such instructions and take such action as appear to it necessary or expedient to ensure impartiality, fairness, and compliance with the provisions of this constitution or of any Act of Parliament on the part of persons exercising powers or performing duties connected with or relating to the matters aforesaid. …”

It, therefore, contradicts logic and rationality that the commission’s lack of action and slothful disposition has not yet confronted the conundrum of flagrant impartiality [sic]; brutal unfairness and non-compliance executed by some of its key staff members in the National and Regional Elections. Of note, these events following the smoothly conducted voting process on March 2, 2020, were dragged on for over five months to August 2020. Along the way, the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield openly defied the directions of Chairperson Justice (Retired), Madam Claudette Singh after both the courts and the commission had ruled on related matters brought before them.

A central aspect of the plot which stands out as evidence of the CEO’s contentious actions is his clandestine failure to produce copies of the Statements of Poll in support of an accurate verification of the votes cast at polling places on elections day. In his sub-optimal supervision of the operational procedures of GECOM that should have ensured the

attainment of the institution’s constitutional mandate, there is much evidence to support his conclusive, brutal assault on the receipt and use of these key instruments to ensure effective validation of the elections results.

The surreptitious manoeuvres which produced the false spreadsheet and fictitious tally were accommodated by Mr. Lowenfield, who had the absolute scope of review and correction. Through his seemingly and somewhat pretentious tantrums of feigned responsibility, he attempted to disguise the glaring measures of thieving corroboration with the PNC/R’s crookery that resulted in the unnecessary expenditure of billions of taxpayers’ dollars.

Editor, an abundance of public evidence informs the subsequent court proceedings filed against some GECOM officials by the commissioner of police, who acted in concert with the approvals of the director of public prosecutions (DPP). The basis of these charges is certainly hinged on the failure of the CEO and other persons under his supervision to produce the certified copies of the Statements of Poll (SoPs) that were in the possession of GECOM’s electoral officials. Not only is this position overwhelmingly alarming and serious, but it is also ridiculous that the commission still seems uncertain of what is required amidst this plethora of evidence. Our nation must demand that all the fraudsters and riggers be sent home and removed from the payroll at GECOM. Of significance, Commissioner of Police

Nigel Hoppie and DPP Shalimar Ali- Hack are seeking orders compelling the Registrar of the High Court to disclose certified copies of the 2nd march National and Regional Elections SoPs that are in the possession of the registrar. The certified copies of these SoPs and the Statements of Recount are necessary to prove that the figures submitted by Mingo and Lowenfield did not reflect the results of the true elections. The DPP’s affidavit asserts that these documents will prove the defendants’ guilt in criminal offences, and will confirm that the defendants deliberately ignored the correct votes and made false declarations in the furtherance of a deliberate conspiracy.

Further, Keith Lowenfield is presently facing the court on three counts of forgery charges, and three counts of misconduct in public office. He has been placed on $300,000 bail while his deputy Ms. Myers is slapped with two counts of misconduct in public office and has been placed on $300,000 bail concerning both charges. Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo is on $600,000 bail for his charges related to his wilful and serious derelictions. Further, several other GECOM officials, including Denise Bob-Cummings, Michelle Miller, elections officer Shefern February, and Information Technology Officer Enrique Livan are all facing electoral fraud charges and are currently on bail.

Besides, Lowenfield shamelessly and See page 7

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Guyanese-New Yorkers responding to COVID needs Dear Editor, ACROSS the U.S., lives have been impacted (health, employment, nutrition, rental, mortgage, and otherwise) by the coronavirus pandemic. Richmond Hill, Flatbush, Queens Village, Jamaica, and other areas where Guyanese communities are established, seem to have been hit very hard. Many, many Guyanese have lost their jobs and a lot of them who owned small businesses were forced to close.

The increase in need for Guyanese New Yorkers, and perhaps those in Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, Washington, etc., shows the damage that’s been done by the pandemic in Guyanese-American communities.

Guyanese have been severely affected by the pandemic in a variety of ways. A drive through Guyanese neighbourhoods reveal too many shuttered shops. Many Guyanese are struggling through job losses and wage cuts. Also, COVID infection rates are higher in Guyanese and other migrant neighbourhoods. Guyanese communities in Queens, Brooklyn, and elsewhere have been in desperate need of food and other forms of assistance.

These neighbourhoods have seen many

struggles, including a heightened need for food, masks, five-pack face shields, hand sanitisers, and personal protective equipment, as COVID-19 cases spiked.

Their compatriots have not disappointed them. Generous Guyanese-Americans and Guyanese food-pantry volunteers have responded to their needs in Queens in particular. Some assist with rental money and/ or rent forgiveness, and several food pantries, staffed by Guyanese, have been doling out food to alleviate hunger. Mandirs, churches, and masjids have also become centres for food distribution, COVID-testing, and vaccination.

Food pantries and food distribution sites helped Guyanese and non-Guyanese in Greater Richmond Hill to access food and protective equipment at critical times.

Every week, sometimes twice a week, they give out hampers and/ or equipment to protect against COVID. They not only help Guyanese, but members of other ethnic groups as well. And mandirs not only have been helping Hindus, but also followers of other faiths.

The Guyanese neighbourhoods leadership has responded positively to help their compatriots. Some mandirs handed out prepared meals and food boxes. Many individuals and organi-

sations have been behind the effort to help the community. They all deserve public credit. Among those who really stood out in organising assistance for the Richmond Hill area are Vishnu Mahadeo of Richmond Hill Development Incorp, Balram Rambrich of Arya Samaj USA and Pt. Lakhram Ramdat Maharaj of Tulsi Mandir. Rambrich procured equipment that is shared with other organisations and distributed to the public.

Mahadeo and Pandit Lakeram Maharaj have been able to procure food and equipment and without fail have shared same with the public. Mahadeo has been distributing food, masks, gloves, hand sanitisers and face shields, and at times hot meals several times every week, while Pt. Lakeram doles out his handouts on Saturday mornings. In addition to material assistance, Mahadeo has been able to lobby for and procure a mobile testing van that is posted almost permanently in Richmond Hill. He has been fetching seniors and bringing them for testing. He also has arranged vaccine appointments for seniors and arranging transport for those in need in order that they be vaccinated. I would like to recommend Vishnu Mahadeo for national honours by the Guyana Government

for his extraordinary efforts to help Guyanese New Yorkers. No one has done more than him to help GuyaneseAmericans to combat the COVID or to recover from infection.

Access to healthy nutrition and protective equipment is important to overall physical and mental health and well-being. And the public, Guyanese and non-Guyanese, are most grateful for the assistance provided by volunteers to meet the challenges.

Increasing numbers of Guyanese are being tested and vaccinated. Testing is free and multiple tests are allowed without any limit. Lives are being saved through regular testing and vaccination.

Anyone and everyone who wants a vaccine gets it. No one is being turned away.

An appointment is hardly needed now to get the vaccine. Walk-ins are allowed.

There are few who have been resisting the vaccine. And the vaccine has been working.

Guyanese-Americans are urged to take the vaccine and to get regular testing, and take all necessary precautions to protect themselves and others.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Actors in the Vincent Alexander’s letter attempted ... was littered with inaccuracies From page 6

Dear Editor,

falsely reported to the commission that the PPP/C gained 166,343 votes and that the APNU/AFC gained 171,825 votes.

The fully televised and certified results from the recount exercise supervised by GECOM along with a high-level team from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), revealed that the PPP/C won with 233,336 votes, while the Coalition received 217,920 votes. It is therefore quite disgusting that with all of this overwhelming evidence of absolute wrongdoing, the commission of GECOM has taken no meaningful remedial action regarding staff involved in the obvious corruption.

This is a very serious matter, given that local government elections are constitutionally due this year, and the commission cannot reasonably expect the nation to be subjected to the same affront by these corrupt staff. It is therefore imperative that all of these persons charged and placed before the courts be removed from GECOM immediately. Our citizens will not accept that these GECOM staff along with many others who were part of the attempted rigging, and who deliberately made sinister efforts to derail the elections are still on the job.

The actions and performance of GECOM in this setting warrants a full investigation on the many burning issues, including instructions that were given to the ‘Presiding Officers’ on the East Coast of Demerara in respect to the placements of the voting day documents.

It is clear that the PNC had a plan to derail the elections if they cannot win on the East Coast of Demerara, and many of their planted henchmen hiding out in the GECOM secretariat complied.

Yours sincerely, Neil Kumar

PERMIT me space to comment on a letter published in the Stabroek News of April 21, 2021.

Clearly, Mr Alexander was being himself. Besides groping for answers, the letter is littered with inaccuracies.

First, I wish to deal with the inaccuracies. It is not true that the scholarship awardees would be bonded. They would be required to do community-service stints of varying lengths, based on the respective programmes, before they graduate. Clearly, they can seek jobs in any sector of the economy.

Beneath the veneer, however, Mr Alexander seems to be querying whether the awardees of these scholarships would eventually infiltrate the public sector.

Further, the program-

me(s) for teachers contemplate active teachers.

An integral part of these scholarships as envisaged

by President Dr Ali and his government, is the training of our people in their homes and environments in remote parts of Guyana. The aim of this kind of programme, therefore, is not to bring back teachers, but rather to upgrade the skills of those in the profession.

Mr Alexander is probably experiencing selective amnesia; he is well aware that many teachers and nurses, among others, have not been able to upgrade their skills/knowledge to their potential due in part to their locations of employment in remote parts of the country. This is a vital point when one considers that not all teachers or nurses can achieve upward mobility or promotions.

Upgrading of qualifications provides some semblance of parity by way of increased salaries.

While the BPP may not close the academic gap between O’ Level/ CSEC and Advanced level/CAPE, it will sufficiently prepare the student for entry into the respective programmes. Furthermore, it must be noted that only one institution offers this option, which is based on its own national education requirements.

Let me now explain briefly where GOAL fits into the scheme of things.

The first nationally established institution for online and distance education, GOAL functions as an intermediary, broker or clearing-house for education programmes. It identifies internationally recognised programmes that fit the actual and perceived

needs of the various sectors of the economy and negotiates reduced prices for the students. Furthermore, applicants who for one reason or another may not have been awarded scholarships can still pursue their education dreams because they will benefit from the same reduced tuition fees. They would, however, have to apply through GOAL. Besides connecting and enrolling students in the various programmes, GOAL monitors students’ performances and offers a range of services relating to student and academic affairs.

This letter-response, I trust would set some minds at ease on the role of GOAL in the 20,000 scholarships over the next five years.

Sincerely, Dr. Opadeyi

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Understanding Energy

Guyana avoids early signs of resource curse ALTHOUGH the earliest discoveries were made just five years ago, Guyana, so far, appears to have avoided many of the most common early pitfalls that have led to the “resource curse” elsewhere.

The resource curse, or the paradox of plenty, is a phenomenon that occurs when a resource rich country experiences lower long term economic growth than a country with fewer natural resources

due to poor management, political instability, lack of regulatory institutions and volatile international prices of commodities.

The resource curse has been a familiar concern here in Guyana especially in the past five years.

And rightly so. Without institutional safeguards and mechanisms to distribute benefits fairly and widely, countries all over the world have shown that development of natural resources sometimes fails to reach its

transformative potential.

But, while there is still more to do and some developments have been concerning, we have avoided many of the most common mistakes others have made.

Some countries, like Ghana, made early strategic errors that can have negative long-term consequences, like spending revenues ahead of actual production.

Others, like Uganda and Tanzania, have seen spiraling costs or delays of more than a decade between dis-

coveries and development.

The government, in contrast, appears at least to be focussed on the right set of issues to help the benefits of oil be widely felt. It has launched efforts to implement proper regulatory and financial checks that should help develop oil and gas resources responsibly.

Other measures, like pursuing gas-to-power, could reduce energy costs widely, leaving households with more income leftover each month and companies with new ways to grow.

Although there were some post-election uncertainties in early 2020, the eventual transfer of power was thankfully peaceful.

That kind of political stability, judicial independence and institutional resilience is key for resource development. Political violence is an unfortunate risk of the resource curse and has been devastating for development in places like Mozambique.

Beyond a stable political environment, it is critical to have a government that is transparent, highly engaged and responsible in terms of development. It is important that the government continues its efforts to regularly share updates with the public and explain key issues. Regular and

transparent communication as well as providing relevant studies can also help citizens stay informed and feel that the development process is fair and inclusive.

Some key systems are already in place, like the Natural Resources Fund, which currently holds more than US$250 million. But it’s also important that the government continues to heed advice from the World Bank and other leading international institutions on strengthening management and regulatory capacities.

New staff hires at the Ministry of Natural Resources and the eventual establishment of the new Petroleum Commission later this year are also steps toward building greater local expertise.

Guyana has also adopted 21 of the 24 so-called Santiago principles, an initiative of the International Working Group of Sovereign Wealth Funds that promotes transparency, good governance, accountability, and prudence in the use of resource management.

These programmes can be crucial to helping the country avoid risks of corruption and reduce patronage.

The emerging local content policy is another promising sign, despite concerns about target lev-

els and feasibility. The fact that a policy is in place puts Guyana far ahead of many producers like Trinidad, which took more than 100 years to implement a comprehensive local content policy.

Engagement between the government, opposition and companies is also key.

The Stabroek block operator ExxonMobil’s regular meetings with the government and recent meeting with the leader of the opposition and other members of parliament are positive signs that development will be a long-term partnership. This has also helped Guyana create a highly sought-after investment climate. In 2020, Guyana attracted US$9 billion in investment for the Payara project even during a global slump.

The healthy debates around flaring and environmental safeguards are another positive sign. While no level of flaring is ideal, startup technical difficulties are commonplace. But the fact that flaring levels are transparently disclosed and that the government is forcing the operator to maintain production and flaring levels in a way that balances caution and revenues is a sign that Guyana is working to align itself with the responsible approach taken by environmentally conscious oil producers like Canada and Norway.

As development and production progress, Guyana should continue to reap the benefits of its early efforts to set up the right institutions and regulatory agencies.

But it must remain vigilant.

Guyana has a major line-up of projects over the next few years, meaning more revenues, more production, and its first major investments of oil revenues into infrastructure projects.

Continuing to implement smart and inclusive policies, commonsense regulations and transparent safeguards will be essential in helping to avoid the pitfalls that can turn oil wealth into a curse.

9

SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

The Science of COVID-19

COVID-19 and Pregnancy (Part II) IN Part I last week, we covered the latest research into COVID-19 and pregnancy, as well as looked at mother-tochild transmission and the need for remote appointments if necessary. In case you missed it, here is the link: https:// guyanachronicle.com/2020/11/29/covid-19-and-pregnancy-part-i/.

LABOUR AND DELIVERY If you are healthy as you approach the end of pregnancy, some aspects of your labour and delivery might proceed as usual. But be prepared to be flexible.

Whether you deliver your baby vaginally or via cesarean will depend on a lot of factors, and not just whether you have COVID-19.

If you are scheduled for labour induction or a C-section, you might be screened for COVID-19 symptoms 24 to 48 hours before your arrival at the hospital. You might be screened again before entering the labour and delivery unit.

If you have symptoms or the virus that causes COVID-19, your induction or C-section might be rescheduled.

To protect the health of you and your baby, the hospital might limit the number of people you can have in the room during labour and delivery. Visits after delivery might be affected too.

Also, during your hospitalisation, if you have COVID-19, or are waiting for test results due to symptoms, it’s recommended, during hospitalisation after childbirth, that you wear a cloth face mask and have clean hands when caring for your newborn.

Keeping your newborn’s crib by your bed while you are in the hospital is fine, but it’s also recommended that you maintain a reasonable distance from your baby when possible.

When these steps are taken, the risk of a newborn becoming infected with the COVID-19 virus is low.

Research suggests that only about 2-5 percent of infants born to women with COVID-19 near the time of delivery test positive for the virus in the days after birth. However, if you are severely ill with COVID-19, you might need to be temporarily separated from your newborn.

POSTPARTUM GUIDANCE It’s recommended that postpartum care after childbirth be an ongoing process. Talk to your healthcare provider about virtual visit options for checking in after delivery, as well as your need for an office visit.

During this stressful time, you might have more anxiety about your health and the health of your family. Pay attention to your mental health. Reach out to family and friends for support while taking precautions to reduce your risk of infection with the COVID-19 virus.

If you experience severe mood swings, loss of appetite, overwhelming fatigue and lack of joy in life shortly after childbirth, you might have postpartum depression.

Contact your healthcare provider if you think you might be depressed, especially if your symptoms don’t fade on their own, you have trouble caring for your baby or completing daily tasks, or you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.

BREAST-FEEDING It isn’t yet known if the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted through breast milk. Limited research has shown no evidence of the virus in the breast milk of women with COVID-19. But experts caution that more research needs to be done before they can definitively say there’s no risk.

The bigger concern is whether an infected mother can transmit the virus to the baby through respiratory droplets during breast-feeding. If you have COVID-19 or are a symptomatic person under investigation for having the virus, take steps to avoid spreading the virus to your baby.

THIS INCLUDES: * wearing a face mask * washing your hands thoroughly before touching your baby (be sure to get under your nails and into the webbing of your fingers) * washing your hands thoroughly before handling a breast pump or bottle * considering having someone who is well give the baby a bottle of expressed breast milk WHAT YOU CAN DO A vaccine to prevent infection with the COVID-19 virus is still not available in Guyana at this time.

To reduce your risk of infection, the World Health Organization (WHO) advises pregnant women to do the same things as the general public to avoid infection, such as avoid close contact with anyone who is sick or has symptoms and keep about six feet of distance between yourself and others beyond your household. Wear a cloth face mask in public and at work. Limit contact with others as much as possible.

Instead, consider sharing moments with friends and family via photos, videos or videoconferencing. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. And skip the baby wipes -- they don’t disinfect.

Above all, focus on taking care of yourself and your baby. Contact your healthcare provider to discuss any concerns. If you’re having trouble managing stress or

Samuels reassigned as Assistant Coordinator on People Smuggling DIRECTOR of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, who was sent on 132 days of vacation leave on December 15, 2020, has now been reassigned Assistant Coordinator on People Smuggling before his vacation leave comes to an end on April 25.

Samuels’ reassignment was shared with the media via a press statement on Friday night. In that statement, he explained that in anticipation of resuming duty, the director wrote the Ministry of Home Affairs on April 23, notifying the

Minister, Robeson Benn, of the upcoming end of his vacation leave.

In response, by letter dated the same date, the director was informed that he will be attached to the Ministry of Home Affairs as the Assistant Coordinator on People Smuggling; this reassignment takes effect from April 26. It was noted that this attachment will be on a full-time basis until further notice. It was also stated that Samuels is required to report to the Minister of Home Affairs, who will apprise him of

the details pertaining to his duties.

“The director wishes to thank all members of the Joint Services, Guyana Prison Service, the public and media for their cooperation and support during the time it was his privilege to be Director of Prisons,” the release stated.

In December, after Samuels had proceeded on four months’ accumulated leave, Deputy Director of Prisons, Niclon Elliot, was tasked with overseeing the operations of the prisons ‘until further notice’.

Dr. Narine Singh Chief Medical Officer

anxiety, talk to your healthcare provider or a mental health counsellor about coping strategies.

SAFE MEDICAL TREATMENTS Treatment for COVID-19 is similar to the treatment of other respiratory illnesses. Whether you’re pregnant or not, doctors advise: * taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) for a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher * staying well hydrated with water or low-sugar drinks * rest If Tylenol doesn’t bring down your fever, you have difficulty breathing, or you start vomiting, call your doctor for further guidance or call the COVID-19 Hotline immediately.

Like swollen ankles and constipation, worry is a constant companion when you’re pregnant. But it’s important to keep perspective. This new coronavirus is serious business, but, pregnant or not, you’re not a sitting duck.

While much still needs to be learned about the virus, the little research that’s out shows that pregnant women with COVID-19 are no more likely than others to have severe disease. And the virus is not likely to be passed along to their babies during pregnancy or childbirth, according to limited data we have so far.

As the saying goes, it pays to be prepared, not scared.

Simple steps like thorough hand washing and limiting your time in crowds can go a long way in protecting you and your baby.

This article is submitted as part of the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 public information and education programme. For questions, email ministersecretaryhealth@gmail.com.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Politics & Society Forum

Professor Lomarsh Roopnarine

Jostling with Indian population statistics in early post-indenture British Guiana: What is new?

WHEN Indian indenture ended in British Guiana in 1920, an estimated 239,909 Indians were brought to the colony.

Of this total, an estimated 75,000 went back to India when their contracts expired. We are not sure how many Indians returned to British Guiana for a second time under contract, one blind spot in the Indian indentured experience in Demra/Demerara/British Guiana. However, if a conservative estimate is conducted, based on the reports of the Immigration Agent (recorder of indentured events) that about 100 of them returned to British Guiana each year for the period over 60 years, then it is probable that an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 returned for the second time. The return migration to British Guiana refers to Indians who had served indenture and then returned to India, but decided to indenture themselves to the same colony.

Now, it was not automatic to indenture for a second time. The immigration system screened second-time migrants, based on their state of mind, physical fitness, age, as well as how well the indentured Indian had performed in the colony, including a record of obedience to plantation routine expectations of confirmation to work regulations and rules. This procedure was different from the first migration, when practically anyone could indenture to fill the ships before departure, hence, we have stories of duping, kidnapping (yeah, some kids were indeed napping), and so on, to serve indenture.

Many intended second-time indentured Indians did not make it through the immigration gates. They, however, hung around the immigration depots, using whatever tactics to beat the immigration procedures to get them to British Guiana and elsewhere. Some were successful, while others hung around the depots for years rather than returning to their caste-structured villages. They feared poor treatment and expulsion for breaking caste rules. Out-migration violated caste rules.

What is also perplexing is that at least 1000 Indians paid their own passage from India to British Guiana each year, from 1920 to 1930, demonstrating that at least 10,000 came to British Guiana on their own terms. These Indians were not under contract, because they arrived following the abolishment of indenture, but they worked in the sugar industry. In my years of studying indenture, this movement confuses the daylights out of me, on the basis as to why would these individuals want to pay their own passage to work in a labour system dubbed as monstrous. Oh, no, I am defending the imperial indenture system; I am raising questions about the neo-slave narrative, or scholarship of indenture.

Using random ship and plantation records, of the 239,909 brought to British Guiana, an estimated 10 per cent died on the sea voyage and

on the plantations, while about the same figure was born on the sea voyage and in British Guiana during the 80 years of indenture, from 1838 to 1920. This would mean that about 20,000 died, while 20,000 were born. What should be clarified is that at no time during indenture the Indian population was 239,909. Instead, this figure was the total number of Indians brought during a period of 80 years. An estimated 3,000 were brought to British Guiana each year during indenture, although, in some years, immigration was higher than others. The Indian population during indenture in British Guiana was no less than 100,000, particularly by the 1900s, out of a total population of 250,000.

What is also accurate is that the Indian population grew steadily, even when immigration ceased in 1917. Table One shows growth of the Indian population between 1920 and 1930.

Figure 1. Showing the growth of the Indian Population in British Guiana between 1924-1938 Source: British Guiana: Report of the Immigration Agent General from 1924 to 1938.

The Argosy. Georgetown, British Guiana.

Three analyses can be made from the aforesaid table. First, there was a steady increase of the Indian population, which was largely due to fewer deaths, and more births.

For example, in 1924, out of a population of 129,817, there were 4,317 births and 3,459 deaths, a difference of 858 births, according to the Immigration Agent General of 1925.

This figure suggests that living and working conditions had improved in Indian communities, brought about by better access to western healthcare as Indians decided to settle in the colony. Second, the sex disparity between males and females was reduced substantially.

During indenture, the sex ratio was 25 females to every 100 males. By contrast, in 1929, the sex ratio for adult female to male was 82 to 100, while for children, it was 91 females to 100 males, and the average among adults and children was 85 females to 100 males, according to the report of the Immigration Agent General of 1930. This remarkable equalisation of the sexes was as a result of natural increase, as well as different lifestyles. Indian men have always lived shorter lives than Indian women in British Guiana, because men were exposed to the harsher side of plantation life that included hard work and the consumption of alcohol.

Third, as the overall population grew and the sex disparity reduced in the Indian population, marriages increased steadily.

For example, 343, 391, 482, 535, 609 marriages were recorded for the years 1926, 1927, 1930, 1937 and 1938, respectively, according to the Immigration Agent General’s report from 1927 to 1939 (lomarsh. roopnarine@jsums.edu).

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Chairman threatens to lock down Region 2 Task Force and we, from the council, will ensure that vendors operate safely and they are wearing their

-following surge in COVID-19 cases

-Anna Regina, Cotton Field are hotspots

By Indrawattie Natram WITH over 320 positive COVID-19 cases, the regional administration of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) is mulling a complete lockdown as the cases continue to increase.

The town of Anna Regina and the village of Cotton Field have been identified as hotspots, according to the region’s chairperson, Vilma De Silva.

The chairman, during an interview with the Sunday Chronicle, revealed that if the cases continue to rise, then the regional administration and the Ministry of Health will institute a lockdown and restrict the movement of people.

She said although it will be a tough decision, the lives of residents are important.

During a COVID-19 briefing on Thursday last at the re-

gional State House, De Silva said she was informed that the region’s cases continue to increase as persons continue to act carelessly, especially within the township of Anna Regina.

According to her, the spike in cases came following the observance of the religious holidays, Navratri, Phagwah, and Easter. She said that during those holidays, persons were seen in crowded places and the movement of people was frequent.

She, however, commended the efforts for the Joint Services for tightening and enforcing the measures within the township. The chairman noted that the army bus has been apprehending persons who are not wearing their masks.

De Silva said that the authorities will have to limit the number of persons visiting

resorts and supermarkets in the region.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Rapid Response COVID-19 team, Dr. Sheneer Reid, told the Sunday Chronicle that the region has seen a spike in cases within a week. She said the region recorded 325 positive cases, with 55 being active and there are five deaths.

Dr. Reid, therefore, used the opportunity to urge persons 18 years and older to take their COVID-19 vaccines and to help stop the transmission of the virus. She also advised residents that they should take a COVID-19 test if they are suffering from any related symptoms.

Permanent vaccination sites are located at Good Hope, Husit Diren, Suddie, Queenstown, Abram Zuil, Darthmouth, Anna Regina, Windsor Castle, and Charity Health Centres. Over 5,500

masks correctly and social distancing is practiced,” the Mayor told this newspaper.

Venezuelan soldier reportedly shot by Venezuelans in Reg. One Chairperson of Region Two, Vilma De Silva persons within the region have been vaccinated to date.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Anna Regina, Rajendra Prabhulall, said that the Town Council will be examining ways to limit the number of days allocated to vendors for vending at the Anna Regina Market. Prabhulall said visits will be made to supermarkets and businesses in the commercial centre to observe what is taking place.

“We will work along with the Regional Administration and the COVID

THE police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting of a Venezuelan soldier, reportedly by two Venezuelans on Saturday afternoon at Imbotero, located within the Mabaruma sub-region of Region One (Barima-Waini).

According to police reports, the shooting occurred on Saturday around 14:00hrs in the community, which is in the vicinity of the Guyana/Venezuela border.

Preliminary information received stated that the two suspects and the victim had a previous misunderstanding which resulted in an altercation on Saturday. During that altercation, the two suspects known as “Freddy” and “Kendell,” shot the victim twice about his body.

This newspaper understands that the suspects fled the scene and escaped across the border into Venezuela, after being pursued by ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

The victim, on the other hand, was subsequently escorted by the police to the Mabaruma Hospital where he is currently being treated.

The victim’s condition is regarded as stable. An investigation into the matter is in progress.

13

SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

April is deadliest month for pandemic here

–– 48 deaths recorded in just 24 days –– 152 new infections within 24 hours APRIL has been recorded the deadliest month of the COVID-19 pandemic here since the first case and death were reported in March 2020.

On Friday, two women succumbed to the disease, while on Saturday, two men also died, taking the month’s death toll to 48, surpassing the previous highest tally recorded in October 2020 at 44.

The latest fatalities are a 60-year-old woman from Region Six (East Berbice-

Corentyne) and a 65-year-old woman from Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Upper Berbice), along with two men, a 72-year-old and a 42-year-old, both from Region Four (Demerara- Mahaica). They all died while receiving care at a medical facility. Since the first case was recorded in March 2020, COVID-19 deaths have been on a steady increase.

Between March to July 2020, 20 patients had died; August saw 24 deaths; Sep-

tember recorded 38 deaths; 44 persons died in October while 25 and 13 persons died in November and December, respectively.

In January 2021, 13 persons succumbed to the disease; 20 died in February and 36 persons died in March.

Meanwhile, a total of 152 new COVID-19 cases from 1,760 tests were recorded on Saturday, taking the total number of recorded cases in Guyana to 12,600.

The new cases were recorded across Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and 10.

Region Four accounted for 83 of the new cases.; Regions One and Five recorded three new cases each; Region Two recorded six new cases; Region Three recorded 30 new cases; and Region Six recorded 12 new cases; while Region Seven recorded seven new cases; and Region 10 recorded eight.

Eighty of the newly-confirmed cases were males, with the remaining 72 being females. An additional 83 persons have since recovered within the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries since March to 10,702.

There are currently 1,630 active cases, 16 of which are being monitored at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Currently, there are 74 persons in institutional isolation; 1,529 in home isolation, and 11 in institutional quarantine.

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

The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures are in force from April 1, 2021, until April 30, 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.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Re-migrant package available to Guyanese returning from Venezuela –– duty-free concessions upon return for household items, vehicles

By Indrawattie Natram GUYANESE returning from Venezuela are not exempted from the benefits and opportunities

extended to native Guyanese returning home from other countries across the world.

This was made clear by Foreign Secretary at the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Robert Persaud, on Saturday during an engagement with persons residing in Region Two

Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Robert Persaud (second from left), addressing re-migrants through IOM’s translator, Javier Singh (extreme left) (Pomeroom-Supenaam), natives, out of the country. tive is not just available who returned recently The foreign secretary, to those re-migrants, but from Venezuela. with the aid of translator also any Guyanese who Persaud told the re-mi- Javier Singh of the Inter- returns home after living grants that the Govern- national Organisation for abroad, once they satisfy ment of Guyana, through Migration (IMO), said that the requisite criteria. the Foreign Affairs and the incentive regime will During his engagement International Cooperation enable re-migrants to bring with the re-migrants, PerMinistry, stands ready all their household items saud spoke of the many to facilitate the distribu- duty-free. opportunities that will be tion of benefits to persons He said too that Guya- made available to Guywho have returned home nese returning from Ven- anese who returned to from Venezuela, where ezuela will be able to ac- Guyana from Venezuela economic instability has quire a vehicle of a certain and also Venezuelans that forced not just Guyanese class and below $5 milSee page 15 residing there, but also lion, duty-free. This incen-

A section of the re-migrants who attended the meeting held on Saturday, in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC)

15

SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Bartica woman, accomplice arrested with boat allegedly stolen from Toshao

A BYDERABO, Bartica woman and a boatbuilder of the same community are in police custody after they were found in possession of a boat and engine that were recently allegedly stolen from Chinese Landing, Barama River, North West District (NWD).

The boat is the property of Orin Fernandes, who is the Toshao of Chinese Landing, NWD. Police Headquarters in a statement, noted that a report was made at the Bartica Police Station on Friday last

by Maurvin Garraway, an operator of Onderneeming Village, Essequibo Coast, that between April 18-19, 2021, a person or persons unknown stole one 200hp Yamaha outboard engine and one 19-foot ballahoo boat from Fernandes.

As a result, a party of police officers went to Byderabo Village, Bartica, Essequibo River, where the 19-foot

boat and engine were recovered in the possession of a boatbuilder.

Further investigations revealed that on April 21, one known female resident of Byderabo, Bartica and an identifiable male (call name given), allegedly took the said boat and engine to the boatbuilder’s workshop to change the colour.

Further, the ranks further went to the female resident’s residence where the 200hp Yamaha outboard engine was recovered partially disassembled.

She was arrested and questioned, during which she alleged that on April 20, two of her friends – first names only provided – brought the said boat and engine to her and she assisted them to sell same.

Police said that the boatbuilder and the female were arrested and are at the Bartica Police Station assisting with the investigation.

Re-migrant package available to Guyanese ...

From page 14

had fled their country due to the political and economic turmoil.

Persons desirous of accessing the opportunities are asked to fill out the forms found on the ministry’s website.

“I know that Guyanese who have returned are staying with their families…we want to hear from you; what your interest is so we can channel this to the various ministries and agencies for help,” Persaud said.

Speaking specifically about Venezuelans who were forced to flee their country for a better life, Persaud said that Guyana has welcomed those persons and offered empathy.

He said that in the past, many persons had also fled Guyana due to various circumstances and they were welcomed in other countries and have contributed significantly to those countries’ economies.

MIGRATION POLICY Persaud said the Government of Guyana understands the struggles re-migrants from Venezuela face, and, as such, has developed a strong collaboration with the IOM in order to develop an integrated plan to accommodate and manage the migration crisis of those returning home.

The foreign secretary said that the

collaboration between the government and the IOM was expanded to include a youth volunteer project initiative, which allows young re-migrants to serve Guyana in various sectors. A comprehensive migration policy is being drafted to specify how persons should be treated upon their return, so as to ensure that they are not marginalised.

To make other services more accessible, the ministry will be working closely with the Guyana Registration Officer (GRO) to help re-migrants address issues related to birth and marriage certificates.

Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Two, Devanand Ramdatt, said the meeting was organised to engage re-migrants and listen to their concerns and devise solutions.

Some of the re-migrants told the Guyana Chronicle that most of their difficulties relate to finding jobs, translating their documents, finding accommodation, and also to having food for themselves.

Programme Coordinator of IOM to Guyana, Monserrat Hernandez, said the organisation is partnering with Blossom Inc. to help re-migrants and Venezuelans to access counselling, accommodation, and also packages, on a short-time basis.

The boat and engine that were recovered

16

SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Guyana maintains efficient child immunisation amid global decline

By Rehana Ahamad

PRIOR to the emergence of the coronavirus, global immunisation efforts catered for 26 dangerous diseases.

After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, scores of immunisation campaigns were halted, resulting in a worldwide decline of children being vaccinated against a wide range of diseases, including polio.

Despite the global decline, however, health authorities in Guyana have managed to maintain a very strong vaccination programme for the nation’s children.

“Over the last year, despite COVID, we have been able to continue that immunisation programme,” said Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony, as he addressed the recommissioning ceremony for the renovated Diamond

Diagnostic Centre.

He specified that the vaccination coverage for children in Guyana stand at approximately 90 per cent.

In some instances, immunisation levels have even touched on 100 per cent coverage, making this an exceptional fete for Guyana.

“We are giving about 18 different types of vaccines to our children,” Dr. Anthony posited.

In a recent report, the global Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognised that due to the COVID-19 virus, too many children are missing out on the life-saving power of vaccines. The report indicated that some 13.8 million children go without receiving a single dose of vaccine every year.

As World Immunisation Day commences (April 24 –

April 30), the CDC said that almost 70 preventive immunisation campaigns in over 60 countries remain postponed due to COVID-19, and routine immunisation coverage remains on a global decline, even in the United States.

“As a global immunisation community, we must not lose track of these missed children, and we must close the gaps that hinder the equitable delivery and access to all vaccines in childhood and throughout the lifespan,” the CDC said.

able to get that COVID-19 vaccine; that cannot be said for many countries,” Dr. Anthony emphasised.

He noted that even though the government has managed to secure an adequate supply of the COVID-19 vaccines, these will serve no purpose locked away in storage.

“The only way out of this pandemic is that each adult in Guyana most take the COVID-19 vaccine,” the minister emphasised.

He reported that as of

Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony

Despite the global decline in children being vaccinated against a number of diseases, Guyana’s immunisation coverage stands at 90 per cent

Meanwhile, minister Anthony attributed the success of Guyana’s immunisation programme to the commitment of health workers all across the country.

“Without them going that extra mile; without them going out and making sure that every child is getting their vaccine, this would not have been possible,” Dr. Anthony surmised.

He also used the opportunity to reiterate the importance of adults capitalising on the invaluable opportunity to get vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus.

“The President and the Government of Guyana have invested a lot of money to ensure that we procure vaccines for every single adult in Guyana; we have now tied up some arrangements to ensure that everyone in Guyana would be

Friday, April 23, 2021, a total of 116, 285 persons have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. “That is still not enough…we need to move from where we are now, to close to 85 per cent of our population receiving the vaccine,” Dr. Anthony posited.

He emphasised that while the COVID-19 vaccines are not a cure and does not fully guard against the virus, it will significantly reduce chances of infection. Dr. Anthony said that even in cases where a vaccinated person contracts the deadly virus, the vaccines will minimise symptoms and prevent death.

“All the vaccines that are in use, 100 per cent, prevent people from dying from COVID,” the Health Minister noted.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

17

CSEC top performer is an aspiring engineer ―be it studies or cricket, Bhedesh Persaud is up for any challenge WITH 22 Grade One passes and a single Grade Two pass, aspiring engineer Bhedesh Persaud emerged as Guyana’s top performer of the 2020 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations.

On Friday, after months of reviewing discrepancies, the Ministry of Education announced that Persaud was the top CSEC student. Following the announcement, Persaud told the Sunday Chronicle that he was happy about the results, but since his recognition took more than six months, he had not been thinking about

them.

Now, he is preparing to sit his first year of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE). He is currently pursuing an Associate Degree in Natural Sciences.

On Saturday, as he prepared for a long day of extra lessons, Persaud explained that he opted to write 23 subjects since he wanted to challenge himself.

“I wanted to challenge myself, because you only get to write CSEC once,” Persaud said, adding: “I think challenges motivate me to be a better person.”

Even so, he recounted that the major challenge with writing so many subjects was managing his time effectively.

Of course he had a schedule that he wanted to adhere to, but that was not always possible. Amid his studies, he had to make time for his seven dogs along with his friends and family.

The subjects he wrote include: Additional Mathematics, General Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Human and Social Biology, Integrated Science, Agricultural Science, Geography, Principles of Accounts, Prin-

ciples of Business, Economics, Office Administration, Spanish, Portuguese, Religious Education, Information Technology, Electronic Document Preparation and Management, Technical Drawing, Physical Education and Sport, English A and B. He also wrote Social Studies, which he scored his sole Grade Two pass in.

The young man was not only up to the task in his academics, but he has also been a strong cricketer, as he says, for the “better part” of his life.

He is skilled as an all-rounder, where he functions as a top-

order batsman and a bowler.

He said, however, that cricket is just a hobby, and he is more focused on his studies.

Beyond his degree in Natural Sciences, he is hoping to one day become an engineer, either an aeronautical or mechanical engineer, since he has not settled on one as yet.

Or, he said he may consider a career in the sciences.

For the time being, he is focused on excelling at CAPE, possibly topping the country again, and continuing to make his parents, teachers and friends proud.

(Vishani Ragobeer)

Top performer at the 2020 CSEC examinations, Bhedesh Persaud

Region 9 Eco-lodges can now re-open OPERATORS and staff from the Rewa, Surama and Caiman House Eco-lodges, in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) recently completed COVID-19 training and certification to facilitate the re-opening of their eco-lodges to safely bring tourists back to their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

training was conducted over the course of three months and focused on staff safety, guest safety, sanitation practices and emergency care.

The training was undertaken at the Atta Lodge, also in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), where the Lodge was completely retrofitted, so that it could be used as a visual model for participants from

“Every lodge is unique; but most importantly, each lodge is currently operating with different challenges and different levels of understanding about COVID-19 and what it means to their community and their tourism business. Understanding these differences between the lodges made the individual approach essential,” the re-

Participants in the training being engaged at the Atta Lodge, in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni)

According to a press release from the Canadian High Commission, the training project was executed by Wilderness Explorers in partnership with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and was funded by the High Commission of Canada.

The project, which was titled, “Restarting Tourism: Establishing Health and Safety Protocols for Eco-Lodges to Resume Operations During COVID-19,” aimed to assist in the resuscitation of economic activity in the indigenous villages where the lodges are located.

It was underscored that the lodges are a source of employment for persons in the communities and following the drop in tourist traffic due to COVID-19, their livelihoods were negatively affected. The re-opening of these lodges was a long-awaited relief for these communities.

The release noted that

all of the lodges.

Training sessions included housekeeping, safe guiding techniques and kitchen COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Guides, cooks and housekeeping staff at Atta Lodge also conducted peerto-peer training with visiting lodge participants, which allowed them to practise the protocols daily.

Atta Lodge operates at a high international standard which helped provide visiting participants additional hospitality training. Visiting trainees recognised the level at which the lodge operated and returned to their own lodges with ideas to implement systems for improvements in housekeeping, guiding, food preparation and management skills.

It was noted that a key benefit of the training was the opportunity to customise and adjust the training to suit each lodge and each participant.

lease highlighted.

Importantly, too, it was noted that the training team used this opportunity to clear up many misconceptions about COVID-19 and false news circulating within the communities. At the end of the training, participants received health and safety products and equipment. These donations, along with the training, enabled the lodges to gain conditional approval from the GTA to reopen for business.

All of the lodges have independently applauded the training team for conducting the training and mentioned how beneficial they found it for their respective lodges, families, and communities.

“The High Commission of Canada is pleased to have been able to fund this initiative, which helps to foster economic resilience in Indigenous communities,” the release said further.

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Corentyne girl graduates with Masters in Civil Engineering from UK university

By Jeune Bailey Van Keric ANNIELA Halley believes that anything is achievable through hard work.

Her journey to achieve her Masters in Civil Engineering, which is a male-dominated profession, was no easy feat. She recalled the many long hours of study, research, and many sleepless nights, coupled with several jobs which ranged from being a waitress; a private Mathematics tutor (travelled to students’ homes); held two student ambassador job roles, and as a course representative, which progressed to a senior representative and then a school representative for Energy, Construction and Environment (ECE). She was also able to secure another job as a Personal Assistant to an Events Decorator during her final year of study.

Born on New Year’s Day in the year 1999, Halley, who hails from Manchester Village, Corentyne, Berbice, has fought the odds to become the youngest in her family and one of the youngest in her class to have graduated from Coventry University in the UK, with a Master’s Degree (distinction) in Civil Engineering.

Halley attended McGowan Primary School, followed by Berbice High School, before moving on to Coventry University. She is currently studying at Edgehill University.

Halley’s focus is not only on academia. She thoroughly enjoyed athletics during her primary and secondary school years and is a National

School Sports silver medallist in high jumps.

Her mother Sheron Halley is now a retired headteacher and father, Colbert Halley, a retired police inspector. Her mother always encouraged her to read as many books as possible and to pursue her dreams.

At 10, she decided to enter an Emancipation Essay Competition and emerged the winner in the 9-12 age group, after she penned a document which highlighted the contributions of three individuals to her local community..

Her journey into the male-dominated field began when she was in Grade 10 at Berbice High School. She had no intention to pursue a Mathematics/Technical Drawing, a male-dominated subject. Instead, she opted to pursue Arts and Business, followed by the Technical stream as the final option.

However, her teachers identified her potential in Mathematics and put her in the Technical stream.

“My reality at that time was the thing I feared the most came upon me, as I did not want to go into that particular class since it was an all-boys class. As you can imagine, I was not happy.

I cried my eyes off on that first day of being in the classroom, but after speaking to family and friends, I decided to remain in the class and that was the decision that changed my life,” she told the Guyana chronicle.

Halley added: “I truly believe that all things work together for good to those

who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose,” Romans 8:28.

The scripture I held on to during my years at secondary school. It took a lot of dedication and early-morning studies to complete my secondary academic journey. I graduated in 2015 with nine subjects, which included a distinction in Mathematics.”

At this point, she said it was clear in her head that she wanted to pursue a career in Civil Engineering.

THE JOURNEY In December 2015, Halley migrated to the UK to pursue her dream.

She was accepted into Coventry University to pursue a foundation degree in Civil Engineering, which was the basis on which she got into the Bachelor’s degree programme. The foundation programme was full time with classes five days per week, starting at 09:00hrs and ending at 18:00hrs from January 2016 straight through to August of 2016.

During this period, the young lady commuted to and from the university for a total of six hours every day: three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon.

It was one of the most challenging times in her life as she was very new to the UK, its culture, and weather, but she fully understood the value of education.

The foundation programme was equivalent to two years ‘A’ level courses.

She had to work extra hard to achieve an average of A-plus in all subjects to have gotten

into the Bachelor’s Degree programme, which commenced in September 2016.

It was on the train where she did her assignments and studied for her examinations, as she travelled to and from university. She used to feel very exhausted by the time she arrived home.

After successfully achieving straight ‘A’s and securing her place on the Bachelor’s Degree programme, Halley moved closer to the Coventry University and lived there for the next four years.

MANY JOBS During that period, in an effort to upkeep herself, she worked as a private Mathematics tutor (travelled to students’ homes); held two student ambassador job roles; worked as a waitress and as a course representative, which progressed to a senior representative and then a school representative for Energy, Construction and Environment (ECE).

She later secured another job as a Personal Assistant to an Events Decorator during her final year.

Being a personal assistant was also demanding as it required her to spend some weekends away from home, working at weddings.

She believes that her ability to balance her life could be credited to her good work ethics. Halley described herself as a planner.

‘It is paramount to remain focused and goal-oriented; success is guaranteed and doors are opened,” she

Anniela Halley said.

It was during her second year at the university that she was granted the opportunity to be a part of the Global Leaders Programme (GLP), a programme for outstanding students. It gave her access to extra courses, travel opportunities and workshops.

“However, I still needed to keep my grades above average because I wanted to continue to the Integrated Master’s programme. Yet again, I had to make sacrifices. I spent countless hours in the library and school buildings where sometimes I had to stay all night in the library and returned home in the mornings to get ready for class at 09.00hrs. God was and remained my source of strength,” she told the Guyana chronicle.

Despite all the odds, Halley still managed to maintain ‘A’s in her studies. In 2020, at age 21, she graduated with a Masters in Civil Engineering. However, due to COVID-19, her graduation ceremony was held in March 2021 (virtually).

COVID-19 has slowed her Civil Engineering career a bit, but it cannot stop her from pursuing her love for Mathematics. So, she has decided to qualify herself as a secondary school Mathematics teacher through Edge Hill University. She currently has a Youtube channel (AH Academy), which was created in May 2020 to assist stu-

dents with their Mathematics during the lockdown.

Her YouTube channel has been beneficial to students who are writing the CSEC and GCSE Mathematics examinations.

TO HIM BE THE GLORY “God has always been [at] the centre of my life.

Before migrating to the UK, I attended Revival Temple Assembly of God Church.

Whilst living in Coventry, I attended a church on Campus (FirstLove Church), and now, I am a full-time member at KCC Assembly of God. Philippians 4:13 states, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’, and this was my reminder and constant reassurance that I can do all things. Faith plus action equals results. I credit all my achievements to God whom I serve,” she said, adding: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Yes, Jesus did. Therefore, do not allow your environment or situations to define you. Take the limits off of yourself and work hard. Sometimes it may appear as though things are not changing, but do not quit on the journey, stay prepared and change will come.

I am just a simple girl from the countryside who has an unquenchable desire to fulfil my purpose on earth. So, keep the flames burning!”

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Min. Parag takes 20,000 online scholarship initiative to Berbice

RESIDENTS in several East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six) communities, on Friday, welcomed Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag, who travelled to the area to officially roll-out the 20,000 online scholarship initiative.

Minister Parag and a team, which included several regional officials, travelled to New Amsterdam, Williamsburg/Rose Hall and Number 63 Village to encourage residents to capitalise on the opportunity to advance their education.

The public would be able to access the scholarships over the next five years.

During her engagements with residents, the minister said the initiative is the brainchild of President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo who are both aware of the challenges people in different parts of the country had accessing tertiary education.

She said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has always prioritised edu-

Wilton Felix could benefit. Ms. Cherish Nassy, a former student of the J.C. Chandisingh Secondary School said she is glad for the opportunity.

“I feel overjoyed because not every day you would have an opportunity like this,” she said.

Yogeeta Seemangal, a former student of Tutorial Academy Secondary School who obtained nine CXC subjects expressed similar sentiments. Ms. Seemangal, who

A section of the gathering cation and has made strides since gaining office in 1992.

“That could have been determined from the incentives that went up in attendance, and passes in secondary schools as prior to 1992, we did not have that.”

The activity marked the beginning of the fulfilment of a manifesto promise made by the PPP/C Administration, just nine months after taking office.

“We recognise that we need a brighter future. We recognise that we need to give education equally to our Guyanese, not just a category of Guyanese who are able to get it, but those of you who cannot even connect to the internet. We are going to provide that service to you so that you are able to conveniently attain or achieve that higher education,” Minister Parag said.

Residents had turned out in their numbers at the named locations to find out how they

also studies tourism at the CAPE level said, “When I saw the course outlines and I saw tourism being offered I was very much excited and having this opportunity is like a dream come through as well, because I had also written a letter about CPCE last year and UG concerning the rural areas, the urban areas and how we are not offered equality in terms of our courses.

“So, if we are living far, we usually have to leave our comfort zone to go to these universities at Turkeyn and CPCE to study.”

She is both surprised and happy about the opportunities now being made available for persons to study.

“I really appreciate what this government is doing for us as well and it’s not only me, if I hadn’t the opportunity for all of this, I’m very happy for the young generations because we need to have sustainability in every

aspect,” she added.

Wilton Felix is another scholarship hopeful who applied during the outreach.

A former student of President’s College, he hopes to pursue studies in Information Technology.

“I think it’s very interesting and amazing to be offered such an opportunity and knowing that its online and free, so easily accessible since currently COVID-19 has reduced the face-to-face interaction in teaching,” he said. Another prospective scholar, Mr. Romario Narain also praised the Government for providing this opportunity for the youth to elevate themselves.

“In the past it was very hard for us to get an opportunity in certain fields that you wanted to study, but this here is actually gonna be a great help not only to the people on the coast but even into the hinterland also,” he said.

Mr. Narain said he hopes to obtain a scholarship to study accounting.

Sisters Felicia and Lydia

Minister of the Public Service, Sonia Parag interacts with sisters Felicia and Lydia Indardat Indardat are both hoping to study tourism.

“I feel honoured and privileged enough because I came from a home that is not that fortunate to have these opportunities like these every day. And once you have an opportunity, a golden opportunity, I should say, like this, I should grab it and I’m very grateful and thankful to the Government for considering youths in this generation to apply for this who cannot afford to do things like this,” Felicia said.

Meanwhile, Minister Parag said the courses are being offered to persons who have completed secondary school. There is no age limit and provisions have been made for early school leavers.

Individuals who do not meet the scholarship requirements, can complete six months of a Bachelor Preparatory Pro-

gramme, and on successful completion, they would be eligible to pursue scholarships for Bachelor degrees.

The scholarships are available for persons interested in pursuing Certificates, and Diplomas, Bachelor Degrees, Post Graduate Degrees, MBAs and PhD programmes.

The scholarships are being done in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, which would determine the qualification for the scholarships while the Public Service Ministry is responsible for selecting successful applicants.

Deputy Director of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) with responsibility for student affairs, Mr. Ronald Singh, said the institution does not itself offer courses, but serves as an intermediary between the universities and the Guyana Government.

“What we do, we broker, we research and initiate discussions with universities, top ranking universities… We act as the go-between you, the student, and the institution.

We broker deals. We negotiate reduced prices,” he said.

Mr. Singh said the five institutions which are the University of the West Indies (Barbados), the Indira Gandhi National Open University (India), the University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Jain University (India) and the University of the Southern Caribbean are all rated higher than the University of Guyana.

Mr. Singh also said GOAL intends to provide support to students once they have been given a scholarship, monitoring their performance and providing advice for student and academic affairs. (DPI)

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Over 100 jobs to be created – as Blue Print Real Estate opens local base

CHANGING the landscape in the local real estate market is the aim of newcomer to Guyana, Blue Print Real Estate, which plans to employ over 100 persons while in pursuit of its goals.

The company, owned and operated by Guyana-born Zalena Khan, officially opened its doors here on Saturday.

Blue Print, in a press statement, said that it plans to revolutionise the way the real estate sector does business in Guyana, as it was developed to meet all the demands of the various sectors, especially in light of Guyana’s current economic boom, fuelled by its petroleum and other productive sectors.

Guyana, with its new-found 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.

The company, in positioning itself to absorb those benefits, plans to provide a suite of real estate services like buying, selling, or property renting, property management, real estate advice, compliance, valuation, drafting of all documentation (agreement of sale and purchase/power of attorney), relocation, full renovation services, construction, property maintenance, security services and more.

Blue Print, unlike other companies, will be targeting a niche related to Guyanese in the diaspora, who own houses here. According to the company, high on its agenda is the handling of matters related to homeowners, living abroad, who require assistance in caretaking or property management, as well as those desirous of assistance with address-

ing property disputes.

The company’s CEO was quoted in the statement as saying: “There are many Guyanese that migrated, leaving their properties unattended. Those properties most times are left empty, unattended and deteriorate over time, or become the subject of fraud in some instances.

“Now we are here and will be providing representation for these homeowners by professionally managing their properties and offering services such as security, renovations, construction, maintenance, amongst many others.”

Cognisant of Guyana’s upward trajectory, the company has implemented a mechanism to ensure Guyanese returning home, as well as ‘ex-pats’, will be provided a world-class real estate service that is second to none.

It was reported already that Guyana’s rapid development presents an abundance of investment opportunities for members of the Guyanese diaspora to capitalise on.

“With the influx of oil and gas workers and migrants returning to their homeland, there is a surge of investment and a demand for a professional and reliable real estate

service and this is what we will provide for our customers,” Khan said.

Further, Khan said: “Our clients are our greatest priority and it is our goal to ensure every client is satisfied and comfortable with the services we provided for them.

Our values guide everything we do which develops and defines our culture, our brand, our business strategies, and who we are as professionals in today’s corporate world.”

The company is affiliated with some of Guyana’s well-known and prominent names such as BM Soat Auto, Cimgro Construction (the developers of Maraiko Bay), and other local and international real estate companies such as Trinidadian-based real estate company, Royal Jordanian Real Estate.

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.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Building political trust is not automatic, forced THE need to build political trust between the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) is not automatic, and cannot be forced if Guyana is to move forward in peace and unity, thereby building ethnic and socioeconomic inclusivity.

Recently, political commentators David Hinds, Vincent Alexander and Henry Jeffrey, alongside APNU+AFC Parliamentarian David Patterson had a very interesting discourse on the subject of race and elections in Guyana, as well its governance systems.

A number of appalling halftruths, one-sided statements, allegations and misinformed views were just thrown out into the public domain for consumption.

This “mighty” group of men, who are all scholars in their own right in various fields, seem not to understand, what many Guyanese understood by trial and error, that there be mutual respect, a build-up system of trust, good faith and political cooperation if any system is going to work in Guyana.

The problem with our politics is that “trust” does not exist genuinely in our relations.

President Bharrat Jagdeo recognised this, and tried vigorously to change the political perception when he wrote the paper, “Towards greater inclusive governance in Guyana: Building Trust to Achieve Genuine Political Cooperation”, which was made public in 2003. He accomplished several constitutional reform changes in the 2000s, but they were not enough, as persons found a way to continue the ethnic mistrust, ingenuity and political savagery that we see taking place in society.

Fast-forward to the Donald Ramotar presidency. Despite his attempts at bridging the divide politically, the opposition tried at every turn to make ‘success’ out of every little misgiving in government. And finally they succeeded when his

government came to a rough and premature end in 2015.

But it was David Granger’s administration that took home the pie for not doing “anything” much to build on inclusivity governance which it had promised. Remember, it was Granger who piloted his brand of good governance with inclusivity. He had talked up having a mechanism that would eventually achieve shared governance. He promised a process of constitutional reform that would manage to see civil society and all stakeholders working together.

That didn’t happen, because he got comfortable with his laissez-faire attitude.

Granger had succeeded as the first president who had all power, including military force, which he kept a tight hold on, and did nothing “genuine”.

Soon, this administration forgot the people it had been mandated to serve. It was hit by scandal after scandal, and Granger fiddled with his thumbs while Rome burned. This period saw huge amounts spent on CoIs and investigations and plans than actually getting the work done. Then the then Opposition PPP was proving what effective and efficient stance was in Parliament, as they took wind of the mood of country and people, bringing down his government by way of a no-confidence vote.

So, the lack of trust and good faith has to be addressed alongside the racial insecurities of the people, so that you can have a process of genuine constitutional reform started.

These are problems which must be addressed now, if the system of governance is to be truly transformed.

Trust cannot, therefore, be seen as automatic or forced, but there must be small steps designed to purge the problem.

President Irfaan Ali, given the examples of his predecessor, cannot be faulted for working with the groups in society that recognise his government’s legitimacy, with or without a court case.

He is the President, and does not see it as good to be begging the opposition to be

part of major undertakings in this country. The tail must never wag the dog; and that is what this opposition wants. It can continue to behave like this, the President must continue to build trust in society, regardless. It must be noted that the President has said he is open to talking with the opposition, as long as there is legitimate recognition.

But if this is done, and the

opposition comes to the table, you will slowly see “trust and building good faith” blossoming. But the opposition won’t give the President the chance to govern in an atmosphere where there is peace, trust and civility.

So, the quartet, comprising of mainly opposition personalities, will continue to peddle and raise these very interesting issues, because they benefit their constituents. But no one

is fooled by these PR machinations and stunts. We know that the opposition is trying hard to get our confidence and trust; they will never get it again by telling half-baked stories and tales through men like the quartet. This is not them sordidly changing the tale; this is them seeking to change facts and history.

The thing that is wrong is that these individuals can’t

seem to see that they are part of the problem, if they don’t seek to offer solutions that will be accepted, but are comfortable driving fear and insecurity in the society.

In the words of Janet Jagan, “The elections are over,” and it is time to build.

Building Guyana will take all of our collective efforts, but it must be rooted in the notion of trust.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Professional policing pivotal to reducing crime –– says Home Affairs Minister

By Jared Liddell HIGHER level of respect, trust and improved professional policing are pivotal to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) achieving its mission of reducing criminal activities across the country, according to Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn.

Minister Benn made the disclosure during a high-level virtual debate on “Urban safety, security and good governance: making crime prevention a priority for all,” on Thursday, organised by the Permanent Mission of Guyana to the United Nations.

Trust in the GPF, according to the Home Affairs Minister, is critical in generating solutions for crime prevention. He noted that good relations between law enforcement agencies and communities is important since effective crime prevention strategies require a collaborative approach.

In an effort to achieve this goal, there has been renewed efforts to rebuild Community Policing Groups across the country. Additionally, the National Commission on Law and Order (NCLO) has recently been reestablished after a five-year hiatus.

Minister Benn noted that with the rapid growth of urbanisation currently underway in Guyana, the country will continue to face challenges of corruption, illicit trafficking, money laundering, sexual violence, terrorism, and gang-related crimes, which all have negative impacts on the safety and security of citizens and impede efforts towards maintaining good governance.

The Security Minister, however, noted that the government has been working to ensure that it identifies and addresses the underlying causes of urban crime.

“It is acknowledged that the first step in accelerating the reduction of urban crime and violence is to identify and address the underlying causes of urban crime, crime risks and vulnerabilities. Socio-economic factors, including poverty, unemployment and domestic violence, are the elements driving crime.

“The sense of insecurity spawned by crime ultimately affects economic stability and has dire implications for good governance, including the rule of law,” Minister Benn said.

Further, the Home Affairs Minister noted that the recent appearance of significant numbers of migrants and refugees from neighbouring states bring new aspects to the issue of urban crime, adding that the ministry is taking the necessary steps to ensure that all refugees are documented.

In early 2020, Guyana emerged as a leader in responding to the Venezuelan crisis, becoming the first country in the Caribbean and the Americas to roll out government-led registration through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR’s) Population Registration and Identity Management Ecosystem (PRIMES) to collect key data, including biometric information from people forced to flee or people in need of basic services.

“Guyana’s approach to crime prevention in urban settings encompasses a range of targeted initiatives, the sum of which is meant to create safe urban spaces in accordance with international norms and standards,” Minister Benn emphasised.

He noted that the Government of Guyana intends to continue its collaboration with the international community and work with its development partners to accelerate progress in combatting urban insecurity and to creating conditions conducive to sustainable growth and development.

Commissioner of Police (ag), Nigel Hoppie, durng a recent interview, said that the force is committed to moving forward and creating systems that would allow for a higher level of service. He stated that while the past year has been a challenging one, it has allowed the force to rise to the challenge and create innovative ways to utilise its resources to achieve its goals.

He further stated that the GPF will continue to work diligently to promote security through its undertaking of raids, roadblocks, robust anti-crime patrols and intelligence network, bolstered by divisional anti-crime units and analytical work by way of data collection through the integrated crime-information system.

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GCF optimistic of approval for National Championships

… shortlists team for Caribbean Elite Men’s Time Trials, Road Race THE Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) is hoping that it will get approval for next month’s National Cycling Championships, since the three-leg event will not only decide Guyana’s current best cyclists, but it will also help to select the national team that will travel to the Caribbean Elite Men’s Time Trials and Road Race Championships.

That event is scheduled for June 11-12 in Havana, Cuba.

On Friday the GCF announced the 10 shortlisted cyclists - Jamual John, Briton John, Andrew Hicks, Christopher Griffith, Mar-

cus Keiler, Alex Mendes, Deeraj Garbarran, Michael Anthony, Scott Savory and Raynauth Jeffrey.

The last two are based in the US. They, along with Jamual John and Anthony who travel regularly, are all members of Team Foundation, based in New York.

John is a dominant rider, who is in form after he surged to a 60-mile victory last Sunday from Georgetown to Mahaicony and back.

Raynauth also won a competition yesterday in the US, but despite their current form, the Team Foundation cyclists will all have to compete in Guyana to earn a

Cricket South Africa stripped of right to run sport

CRICKET South Africa (CSA) has been stripped of its right to administer the sport in the country by Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa - a move which puts the participation of both the men’s and women’s teams in international matches at risk.

CSA has been involved in a number of ongoing wrangles about its leadership and structure for many months, resisting efforts to install more independent directors - seen as critical to tackling corruption.

“I have decided to invoke my powers by de-funding and de-recognising CSA‚“ Mthethwa said in a letter to CSA. CSA’s interim board responded by saying it is a “sad day” for cricket in the country.

Mthethwa’s letter added that he would inform the ICC of his decision “and provide them with my reasons for doing so”.

Were CSA to be de-recognised, it could mean that South Africa’s cricketers would not be allowed to play in international matches.

Like most sporting governing bodies, ICC has strict rules that prohibit government intervention in the running of national sports associations.

The current problems stem from efforts to change the structure of CSA - making sure that the majority of board members are not from the provincial unions in the country.

A meeting last Saturday was meant to see this agreed, but the proposal did not gain the required support.

Stavros Nicolaou, chairman of the interim board, confirmed in a statement on Friday that the board had received correspon-

dence from Mthethwa.

“It is indeed a very sad day for our country, for cricket, for the millions of fans who love the game and the sponsors who have committed to cricket and its grassroots development,” he said.

“But it is a specifically sad day for the players, staff and others whose livelihoods are at stake.”

South Africa’s men’s team are scheduled to next play Ireland in July in a three-match ODI tournament, while the women’s team do not have any firm fixtures until March 2022 at the Women’s World Cup. ANALYSIS - BBC’S PUMZA FIHLANI IN JOHANNESBURG Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa is effectively giving CSA until Tuesday afternoon to resolve its ongoing leadership squabbles.

If it fails to do so, it risks being banned and losing its government funding. It would also lose its official recognition worldwide, and the South African men’s and women’s teams could lose their national status.

CSA has been plagued by allegations of maladministration and a lack of transformation.

Back in 2019 a number of its top officials had to step down amid corruption accusations – forcing the country’s sports federation to take over its running.

Cricket is one of the most lucrative and well-loved sports in South Africa and its scandals have left not only the players worried but cricket fans too. (BBC Sport)

selection.

This was confirmed by Racing Secretary of the Guyana Cycling Federation, Malcolm Sonaram, yesterday. He said that “nothing is automatic.”

The 10 cyclists will be judged on their performance

at next month’s Nationals and at the Independence FourStage Race.

Five of them will be cut after the events.

“We are eagerly anticipating our approval for the National Championships,” Sonaram said, adding that the

cyclists have already stated that they will compete in the necessary events.

The National Championships are set for late next month with May 22, 23 and 30 allocated for a Time Trials, Senior Road Race and Junior, Female and Veteran

Road Race respectively.

The three-leg event, which includes a 10-miler, a 100-miler, and an unconfirmed distance, will depend on the approval of the Task Force.

To date nothing has been confirmed.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

Double-centurion Karunaratne, de Silva bat through wicket-less day … The pair put on an unbeaten 322 stand with Karunaratne reaching his maiden double-ton on day four

DIMUTH Karunaratne’s maiden double-century and an unbeaten 154 by Dhananjaya de Silva enabled Sri Lanka to come closer to Bangladesh first-innings tally of 541-7.

The wicket-less day finished 53 minutes before the scheduled end, hastened by the second of two bad light-induced stoppages, the first one having lasted 33 minutes. During the 76 overs completed in the fourth day, Karunaratne and de Silva batted gleefully against a bowling attack that could do little on a regressive pitch.

Sri Lankan captain Karunaratne spent in the field all of the 24 hours of play that have been possible across the first four days. He fielded for 13 hours of those and then opened the batting for Sri Lanka, so far lasting 11 hours 3 minutes.

Karunaratne reached his maiden double-hundred after the first stoppage, edging Taskin Ahmed for a four, his feat also the first double-century in Pallekele and the first dou-

ble-hundred by a Sri Lankan batter at home in seven years.

His previous highest score was 196 against Pakistan in Dubai in 2017. Throughout his innings, he pierced the

day, Karunaratne and de Silva had added 322 runs, the highest for the fourth wicket in Sri Lanka, beating the 258 between Michael Hussey and Shaun Marsh from 2011. They added

Dimuth Karunaratne is congratulated by Dhananjaya de Silva. (AFP/Getty Images)

covers at will, but got 12 of his 25 fours through the on-side.

He also ran well between the wickets, picking up plenty of twos and threes in humid conditions.

By the end of the fourth

283 runs at 3.72 per over, with de Silva being the aggressor with his 20 fours in his 278ball stay.

He punished anything pitched wide outside the off stump, carting five fours

through point, and plundered plenty of runs by just gliding the ball behind the slips or past fine-leg. de Silva also brought out the straight hits twice.

Karunaratne and de Silva added 102 in 31 overs in the first session, during which Karunaratne reached 100 runs off 247 balls. He took a bit of time in the nineties, spending 30 balls, but once he had reached the three-figure mark, he took on the Bangladesh bowlers more comfortably.

It allowed de Silva to bat more attackingly, as he built a relatively more proactive innings around Karunaratne’s steadiness. The pair hardly gave any chances although Liton Das failed to grab a thick edge off Karunaratne, when he was on 166, off Taijul Islam.

Bangladesh didn’t have any further chances on the day.

They didn’t bowl well in pairs, nor could any one bowler come up with a fine spell by himself.

Captain Mominul Haque relied mostly on his spinners, who couldn’t replicate the chances

they created on the third day.

Bangladesh bowlers found it hard in the first session, but they disintegrated mostly in

the 10 overs after the lunch break. Karunaratne and de Silva smashed 61 runs in that period, picking up eight fours.

SCORECARD

BANGLADESH 1st innings Tamim Iqbal c Lahiru Thirimanne b Vishwa Fernando 90 Saif Hassan lbw Vishwa Fernando

0 Nazmul Hossain Shanto c & b Lahiru Kumara 163 Mominul Haque c Lahiru Thirimanne b Dhananjaya de Silva 127 Mushfiqur Rahim not out

68 Liton Das c Oshada Fernando b Vishwa Fernando 50 Mehidy Hasan c Niroshan Dickwella b Suranga Lakmal 3 Taijul Islam c Niroshan Dickwella b Vishwa Fernando 2 Taskin Ahmed not out

6 Extras: (b-9. lb-6, nb-6, w-11)

32 Total: (seven wkts, 173.0 overs decl.)

541 Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-152, 3-394, 4-424, 5-511, 6-515, 7-524.

Bowling: Suranga Lakmal 36-14-81-1 (nb-3), Vishwa Fernando 35-9-96-4 (w-1, nb-1), Lahiru Kumara 28-4-88-1 (w-4), Angelo Mathews 7-1-14-0, Dhananjaya de Silva 30-1-130-1 (nb-2), Wanindu Hasaranga 36-2-111-0 .

SRI LANKA 1st innings o/n 229-3 Dimuth Karunaratne not out

234 Lahiru Thirimanne lbw Mehidy Hasan

58 Oshada Fernando c Liton Das b Taskin Ahmed 0 Angelo Mathews b Taijul Islam 25 Dhananjaya de Silva not out 154 EXTRAS: (b-4, lb-5, nb-3, w-9)

21 TOTAL: (three wkts, 149.0 overs)

512 Fall of wickets: 1-114, 2-157, 3-190.

Bowling: Abu Jayed 13-1-58-0 (w-1, nb-1), Taskin Ahmed 256- 91-1, Ebadot Hossain 17-1-82-0 (w-5, nb-2), Mehidy Hasan 52-6-123-1 (w-1), Taijul Islam 39-9-136–1.

`I have hardly ever seen him bat’-Atherton’s son on following in his father’s footsteps

By Matthew Henry, BBC Sport

WHEN a teenage university student scores a hundred against a county side, at best a few eyebrows are raised. When that teenager is the son of a former England captain, the cricket world takes notice. Whispers grow louder. Social media whirs.

Last month, 18-yearold Josh de Caires - son of ex-England batsman Michael Atherton - scored 118 against Yorkshire for Leeds-Bradford Universities. A sport that loves nothing more than a bit of nostalgia was given its latest dose.

“Someone asked me if I bat similar to him,” de Caires tells BBC Sport. “I couldn’t tell you for the life of me. I have hardly ever seen him bat! From what I have seen he just blocks the crap out of it, which is pretty similar to me.” de Caires, born eight months after Atherton’s final Test, faced 292 balls at Headingley.

Yorkshire’s full-strength pace attack, albeit building up fitness in a pre-season friendly, was thwarted for six hours. The comparisons to a father who ground his way through the 1990s and into the hearts of a nation were obvious.

“We are both slightly stubborn,” de Caires says. “That might be the only thing that I got from him. I have not stared at hours of footage of him and

thought ‘this is going to be me’. I probably am more old-fashioned. I’m not a massive lad so I don’t belt the ball out of the park. I like to think I am a slightly more versatile than 100 in 290 balls all of the time. We will wait and see, I guess.”

things and be slightly better because your old man was quite good, but I have never felt that massively and he has never piled that on me,” de Caires says.

“I haven’t felt a massive amount of pressure from others, and I put a fair

18-year-old Josh de Caires

de Caires has always been highly rated. Like Atherton, he is a technically sound, right-handed, top-order batsman. He is strong off his pads and on the cut and pull. His breakthrough innings may have been slow but he is targetting a place in the Middlesex team across all formats.

By the age of nine de Caires was representing the county’s youth teams and at 15 made his debut for the second XI. Last year they signed him on a three-year deal, his first professional contract.

“Maybe people look at you slightly differently, thinking you should automatically be able to do certain

amount of pressure on myself anyway. I can’t speak for him, but it feels like he has made a conscious effort not to force me in one direction. I enjoyed beach cricket and backyard cricket but he has stayed out of the way massively. I have just picked up cricket because I enjoy watching it and enjoy playing it.”

At no point does de Caires shy away from talking about his father. He is well-spoken, keenly answering each question that comes his way. He jokes that the “freezing” temperatures during a recent game in Leeds were a “stark introduction to cricket up north”.

Even a snow shower

during the interview - we meet a few hundred yards from his shared student accommodation - does not dampen his eagerness. de Caires is his mother’s maiden name - his mother, Isabelle, is the granddaughter of Frank de Caires, who

earliest opportunity.

“That is actually one of the only things he has pushed me towards - to not tunnel-vision yourself towards cricket. Broaden your mind, get a degree, find interests elsewhere and that will help your cricket,”

Michael Atherton scored 7,728 runs at an average of 37.69 in 115 Tests between 1989 and 2001

played three Tests for West Indies in the 1930s.

The assumption has been made that de Caires wanted to avoid any pressure of the Atherton name, but in truth it is a much more straightforward story. “I took my mum’s name at birth,” he says. “I have no clue and I have never asked my parents why. I have always been happy with it and I have never really been bothered enough to ask.”

Like Atherton, who studied history at Cambridge University, de Caires opted to continue in education rather than throw himself into cricket full-time at the

says de Caires, who admits he still “can’t cook”.

Playing for England is the long-term ambition, but for now a business economics degree is the most pressing issue while also aiming for regular county cricket.

“Anyone in a similar position would say England is the ultimate goal,” de Caires says.

“There is a very long way before that and a very long way before I am involved at Middlesex in all three formats. It would be nice to have something to fall back on and not be completely screwed if I don’t do well in cricket. That really helps me, taking the pressure off

myself. While I am driven and want to do well in my career, it is not the be all and end all if I don’t.”

Three days after the Yorkshire friendly, Leeds-Bradford faced a Warwickshire side which included England opener Dom Sibley and Ashes-winning seamer Tim Bresnan. de Caires made 30 before he “managed to nick a rank ball. That is the game,” he says.

Against Yorkshire he shared a stand of 270 with opener Taylor Cornall, who may have drawn more attention for his 142 on another day.

“It was really funny,” de Caires says. “Taylor, who scored more runs at a better rate than me, was mentioned on Twitter and someone got his name wrong. There was me who scored less runs at a lot slower rate and I was on BBC News and all that.”

Despite the task at hand, the pair managed to stay remarkably relaxed. “Taylor was trying to get me into Line of Duty and was thoroughly disappointed when I told him I hadn’t watched it,” de Caires said. I started series one that night and am now a hefty way through, which is probably not good for my degree. When we were talking about cricket we were on to each other about not breaking before the bowlers - make it count and be really stubborn.”

Those final words “stubborn” and “make it count” sound familiar.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

European Super League:

Clubs ‘cannot leave’, says Real Madrid president Florentino Perez REAL Madrid president Florentino Perez says the 12 clubs that agreed to join a new European Super League have “binding contracts” and “cannot leave”.

Nine of the 12 teams, including all six Premier League clubs, withdrew from the proposed tournament on Tuesday after the plan sparked a furious backlash.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have not yet abandoned the project.

“I don’t need to explain what a binding contract is, but effectively the clubs cannot leave,” Perez told newspaper AS “Some of them, due to

pressure, have said they’re leaving. But this project, or one very similar, will move forward and I hope very

Florentino Perez says the ESL was created “to save football”

soon.”

The Real president added it was “not true” American investment bank JP Morgan - who had provided a 3.5B euro (£2.8B) grant to the founding members - had abandoned the ESL. “They have taken some time for reflection, just like the 12 clubs. If we need to make changes we will but the Super League is the best project we’ve thought of,” Perez said.

“What we have done is taken a few weeks to reflect in light of the fury of certain people who don’t want to lose their privileges and have manipulated the project.”

Perez said on Thursday - in the aftermath of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham’s withdrawing - that the ESL was still on “standby”.

La Liga club Atletico Madrid and Italian sides AC Milan and Inter Milan have also formally pulled out, while Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli admitted the project could no longer proceed.

The 12-team Super League was announced last Sunday to widespread condemnation and has since prompted large protests outside grounds in England. (BBC Sport)

Manchester United fans protest against Glazer family over ESL HUNDREDS of Manchester United supporters gathered outside Old Trafford on Saturday to protest against the club’s owners for their involvement in the European Super League (ESL).

United were one of the 12 founding members of the competition before withdrawing on Tuesday.

Protestors were calling for the Glazer family to leave the club.

It follows protests by Chelsea and Arsenal fans against respective owners Roman Abramovich and Stan Kroenke.

United fans also entered the club’s training ground at Carrington on Thursday to protest against the Glazer family’s ownership.

They carried banners saying ‘Glazers Out’ and ‘51% MUFC’.

Co-chairman Joel Glazer would have been a vice-chairman of the European Super

League before United withdrew on Tuesday after a furious backlash.

On Wednesday, he issued a letter of apology admitting the club made a mistake joining the proposed

breakaway competition.

Earlier on Saturday, there were also pockets of Liverpool supporters protesting outside Anfield against Fenway Sports Group, the club’s US-based owner, for its role

in the ESL. However, many Reds fans also lined the streets to applaud the team bus and show their support for manager Jurgen Klopp and his players.

Supporters protest against Manchester United’s owners outside Old Trafford

Ali makes good on his promise to GDA RAYMOND Ali of All Seasons Racing Club and owner of All Seasons Sports Club made good on his promise in handing over 50 boxes of COVID-19 masks and 20 bottles of sanitisers to the Georgetown Domino Association (GDA) last Friday at his establishment.

The secretary of the GDA, Ann Thompson, was on hand to receive the donation and thanked the donor for his kind gesture and for having the interest of players and supporters of the sport at heart. Each venue will be given five boxes along with two bottles of sanitisers to help curb the spread of the worldwide deadly pandemic.

Vice-president of the GDA, Hazim Hakh, who was also present, thanked Ali on behalf of the executives for his timely donation to the sport.

33

Big names miss ...

FROM PAGE groin tear, Wade was promoted to the top of the order with Langer lauding him as the team’s ‘Mister Fixit’.

Wade finished the Test campaign batting at No.5, and in four matches returned 173 runs at an average of 21.63 with a highest score of 45.

The 33-year-old also captained Australia in a T20 International against India at the SCG last December (in which he top-scored) when Aaron Finch was unavailable due to injury, and opened in all but one game of the subsequent five-match T20I series in NZ last month.

He was not named in the 19man squad for the planned Test series in South Africa earlier this year that was ultimately postponed due to COVID-19 concerns, with ODI keeper Alex Carey preferred as back-up gloveman to skipper Tim Paine.

Marsh was sidelined for the start of the 2020-21 season after suffering an ankle injury while playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but returned to Australia’s T20 lineup for the recent NZ series and is expected to figure in the ICC T20 World Cup scheduled for India “There is a considerable amount of international cricket to be played across all formats in the next 12 months and the door to national selection is never closed to players outside this list,” Hohns said.

“The NSP continues to hold Joe Burns, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis in high regard and expect that they, and many others across Australian Cricket, will continue to make strong cases for national selection next season.

“Competition for spots has always been a hallmark of strong Australian cricket teams and we are happy with the depth across all our disciplines entering next season.

“In the fast bowling ranks, Jhye Richardson is a player we believe has a big future across multiple formats and his return to the game has been strong “We are equally impressed with and optimistic about the form of fellow quicks James Pattinson and Kane Richardson.

“Nathan Lyon took on a huge workload in red-ball cricket this summer and bowled impressively throughout, while Alex Carey has been excellent with both bat and gloves for Australia in white-ball cricket.

“We are also fortunate to have two outstanding captains in

34

Tim Paine and Aaron Finch, and we look forward to them once again leading their respective teams with pride over the next 12 months.”

Green’s inclusion comes after he finished his maiden Test campaign as Australia’s third-highest run-scorer with 236 at 33.71 and a highest score of 84 in the third Test at the SCG. The 21-year-old also topped the Shield run-scorers’ list with 922 at 76.83 (with three centuries and a top score of 251) and this week was named WA’s Lawrie Sawle Medallist as the state’s pre-eminent men’s cricketer “Cameron is a player we believe will play an important role for Australian cricket after his impressive breakout summer,” Hohns said.

“His 84 in the second-innings against India at the SCG demonstrated excellent technique and resolve and we are confident his bowling will be impactful at international level.

“His domestic form was also outstanding, and we expect he will only get better with more international exposure.”

Each contracted player receives a ranking which dictates the value of his overall contract, with Test and limited-overs vice-captain Pat Cummins believed to have retained top billing while Labuschagne – who earned his maiden CA contract last year – is understood to be the biggest mover.

The current MOU, completed in 2017 and due to expire next year, declares the minimum retainer for nationally contracted men’s players is just over $300 000 while the average contract value across the list is more than $800 000.

The minimum retainer for men’s state contracts is around $75 000 for 2021-22, while in the KFC BBL that figure is $40 000 CA last week announced its list of 15 nationally contracted women’s players, with teenage fast bowler Darcie Brown earning a call-up in place of Delissa Kimmince who has retired from top-level cricket.

Cricket Australia men’s contract list 2021-22: Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Tim Paine, James Pattinson, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Adam Zampa. (Cricket.com.au)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER SUNDAY, April 25, 2021

COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD – 83 Garnett street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S:

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Kagiso Rabada-30 wickets (Delhi Capitals) Lokesh Rahul-132* (King’s XI Punjab vs RCB)

TODAY’S QUIZ:

In photo, Raymond Ali hands over the masks and sanitisers to Ann Thompson

(1) What were the best bowling figures in a single game in IPL 2020?

(2) How many centuries were scored in IPL 2020?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

34

SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

High-performance system key to producing world class players, winning teams – CWI

CRICKET West Indies (CWI) is maintaining that its principal objective is to produce world-class players and winning teams but said this can only be achieved by establishing a high-performance system, implementing rigorous coaching and development programmes, and improving women’s cricket throughout the region in strategic alignment and with the full support from the territorial boards and franchises.

In its Annual Report, which was released recently, the governing body for cricket in the region pointed out that “despite the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cricket Department, with the support of the Cricket Committee, was still able to make progress in key areas over the past year.

With the appointment of our Coaching Development Manager Chris Brabazon in late 2019 we have created a West Indies Cricket Pathway (WICP) which will ensure that all our players and coaches

possess the requisite skills and knowledge to efficiently progress from the Foundation to the Elite level.”

The WICP, CWI said, “will assist in Talent Identification and provide feedback on where our High-Performance programmes need to focus. We have made significant progress in Coaching Development programmes at both the high performance and the foundation levels” According to the report, “a High-Performance Coaching Group (HPCG) has been formed to collectively engage our Franchise head coaches, West Indies coaches and specialists on a regular basis to share best practice online and in person. Coach Development Plans are also being put in place for Franchise and International coaches to provide holistic support and enhance their personal development, while at the other end of the coaching pathway we delivered our Foundation Course to over 180 regional players and coaches.”

CWI boasted that last year, it also built an Ath-

lete Management System (AMS) “which is now our central hub for the collection, storage, and dissemination of data for our coaches, players, and managers.

CWI Cricket Development Manager Chris Brabazon

This platform has made it possible for all coaches and players within the region to access data for planning. The relevant data from our regional games are now being captured by the system and is available to all users of the platform.

“This AMS will be a key element for driving perfor-

mance going forward. As of September 2020, we now have a fulltime High-Performance Team which includes a Sports Science and Medicine Manager, Cricket Analytics Manager, Coach Development Manager, Talent Identification Manager, Player Personal Development Manager and a High-Performance Manager.

According to CWI, “Having all these key positions filled is critical in enabling us to drive a new High-Performance system in a meaningful and sustainable way. This means that CWI now has the capacity to support the franchises across all the key areas of elite player development.

“We are confident that with our improved coaching standards and our online platform which will facilitate higher standards, accountability and better planning, we will have the key ingredients which will enable us to drive better performances throughout our cricket system in 2021 and beyond.”

England’s Archer out of Indian Premier League

(AFP) - Fast bowler Jofra Archer has officially withdrawn from the Indian Premier League (IPL) but is on track to be fit for England’s first Test of the summer, cricket chiefs announced on Friday.

Archer missed the start of Rajasthan Royals’ campaign after undergoing surgery to remove fragments of glass from a finger.

The 26-year-old has also been managing a long-standing elbow injury and it has been decided he will not linking up with the Royals.

“The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that England and Sussex bowler Jofra Archer will not play in the 2021 Indian Premier League,” it said in a statement.

“Archer returned to bowling this week with higher intensity and the

ECB and Sussex medical teams will continue to monitor his progress.”

The paceman, who plays for county side Sussex, is expected to return to action

Jofra Archer has played 13 Tests, 17 one-day internationals and 12 Twenty20s for England

in the next two weeks if he is pain-free.

England play their first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s on June 2, the start of a packed summer schedule that also includes white-ball series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan and a Test campaign against India.

Archer is the third England player lost by Rajasthan this season, with Ben Stokes out after breaking a finger in the field and Liam Livingstone citing coronavirus bubble fatigue for his departure.

England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler remains with the side.

The world’s richest Twenty20 tournament is taking place during a coronavirus emergency in India, which on Friday reported more than 330 000 new infections.

Big names miss out in CA contract shake-up FORMER Test vice-captain Travis Head is among five recent national representatives to be cut from Cricket Australia’s (CA) contract list for the upcoming season, which sees budding all-rounder Cameron Green included among a cohort that’s been pared back to its bare minimum.

Green earns his place on the 17-man list – down from 20 players awarded deals last year – at the expense of fellow all-rounder and Western Australia teammate Mitchell Marsh, while opener Joe Burns and the Test team’s ‘Mister Fixit’ Matthew Wade have also missed out.

All-rounder Marcus Stoinis did not receive a CA contract despite being elevated to the national list last season after his recall to Australia’s ODI and T20I ranks.

In addition, the national selection panel could find no room for openers Will Pucovski (who, like Green, made his Test debut

“There are two main reasons behind the size of the contract list announced today,” Hohns said today.

“Firstly, we have seen format specialisation become increasingly prevalent in recent seasons which, accordingly, has resulted in a broader group of players representing Australia, often beyond the initial list of contracted players at the start of each year.

“Secondly, we want to create an environment where players strive for national selection through consistent domestic performances and earn national contracts through consistent international performances.

“There will continue to be opportunities and support for players outside this group, to represent Australia and earn an upgrade to a central contract with strong performances throughout the year.

“But in naming these 17 players, we believe we have a strong core group which covers all forms of the

Matthew Wade (left) and Travis Head miss out on a national contract for 2021-22 season against India during the summer) game for the 12 months ahead.” and Marcus Harris, but it was Head’s The contracts are largely exclusion that came as the biggest based on player performances surprise. over the preceding 12 months, The left-hander showed great with the national selection panel form in both halves of the Marsh choosing those expected to repSheffield Shield season where he resent Australia over the coming finished as the second-highest year, which will include a home run-scorer behind Green, but Ashes series against England and lost his place in the Test line-up a T20 World Cup scheduled for after failing to convert a couple India. of starts in the Boxing Day Test Under the terms of the Memoagainst India. randum of Understanding between The 27-year-old, who last week CA and the Australian Cricketers’ cleaned up at South Australia’s end- Association, CA must award a of-season awards night, is scheduled minimum of 17 and maximum of to travel to the UK next week where 20 men’s contracts each year with he will begin a stint with county contracts weighted more heavily outfit Sussex. towards Test players.

Those who miss out on the Head has held a CA contract initial contract list can be upgrad- since 2017, the year before he ed during the year by earning se- played the first of his 19 Tests to lection in national teams. Players date against Pakistan in the UAE, need to accrue 12 upgrade points while Burns, Marsh and Wade to earn a contract, with Tests were all returned to the national worth five points, ODIs two points contract list last year and T20s one point.

Burns retained his Test berth Men’s team coach Justin Langer at the start of the summer despite a revealed the contract list was sched- lack of runs in the early rounds of the uled to be released publicly yes- Sheffield Shield, but was replaced by terday but was held back because Pucovski for the third Vodafone Test selectors had been unable to contact against India at the SCG. one of the players, with contracted Pucovski subsequently sufcricketers currently on a period of fered a shoulder injury while mandated annual leave. fielding in his debut Test, which Langer also noted the ratio- saw his Victoria teammate Harris nale for reducing the number of recalled for the series-decider in CA contracts was to generate in- Brisbane. creased competitive tension among With incumbent opener David top-level players, a message that Warner absent from the first two was reiterated by national selec- Tests against India due to a serious tion panel (NSP) chair Trevor Hohns when names were released TURN TO PAGE yesterday.

35

SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 25, 2021

35

Exploria, Q2 set to host games in confederation showpiece MIAMI, Florida (CMC) – Orlando’s Exploria Stadium and Austin’s Q2 Stadium will host CONCACAF Gold Cup matches for the first time ever, in this year’s edition of confederation showpiece.

The venues, which will stage group, quarter-final and semi-final matches in the July 10 to August 1 tournament, were among nine announced Thursday by the organisers.

Dallas’ Cotton Bowl, which last hosted a Gold Cup fixture 28 years ago, is back on the itinerary and is accompanied by the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, BBVA Stadium and NRG Stadium in Houston, Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, State Farm Stadium in Glendale and Frisco’s Toyota Stadium.

“The announcement of these outstanding venues

moves us a step closer to what is sure to be a great Gold Cup this summer,” said CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani.

“It is fitting that in our 60th anniversary year we will use a number of stadiums with a rich history of hosting CONCACAF football, while also making history with new venues that will host Gold Cup matches for the very first time.”

“I am also extremely pleased that we have enhanced the Gold Cup format so that all the final group stage games will be played simultaneously.

“This will add to the competitive intensity of the tournament and provide an even more compelling spectacle for fans.

Alongside the introduction of a first ever Gold Cup

Prelims and a new format in the knockout stage, this

He continued: “We’re obviously looking to maximise revenue. That’s obviously difficult at the moment with matches being played behind closed doors and the enormous increase in costs we’re facing by hosting cricket in the pandemic.

“In the short term, while we’re going through these unprecedented times, it’s going to be challenging.

CWI chief executive, Johnny Grave “You’ll notice how much we’ve reduced our borrowing.

We no longer have near the debts that we had either institutional or member borrowing, so that’s all part of the strategy to reverse the finances and get them back on track.

“So that by the end of 2023, we don’t want to have deficits and we don’t want to have liabilities – we want to have financial reserves.”

With the Caribbean hosting just a single tour last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CWI saw revenues slashed by nearly a third from the previous year to US$23.5 million.

Also due to the pandemic, the already cash-strapped organisation was forced to slash employee and player salaries in half last year, while also reducing disbursements for cricket

CONCACAF.” The Gold Cup Prelims is

Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas

Embattled CWI aggressively targeting reserves by 2023 BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Cricket West Indies says it plans to aggressively continue rolling back debt and streamlining its financial practices, in an ambitious bid to realise profits by 2023 and place the organisation on sound commercial footing.

Speaking in the wake of an audited financial statement for last year which showed losses in excess of US$13 million and prompted auditors KPMG to “cast significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern”, CWI chief executive Johnny Grave said it was critical the board remained prudent in managing costs by adhering to initiatives already in place.

He said CWI had already managed to reduce borrowing and while the COVID-19 pandemic continued to present unprecedented financial challenges, it was hoped that within the next two-and-a-half years the organisation could be in a sustainable position.

“Making good choices about our investments and how much money we spend, having really good control over our costs [will be key to improving CWI’s finances],” Grave said.

“Hence the restructure of our finance department, embracing technology, implementing a procurement system. All of these things will give us greater control of our costs.

“We are also going to be auditing all of our international event budgets with our territorial boards to make sure we’re procuring not just directly but indirectly through our territorial boards and associations, where we’re procuring services at the best possible price.”

is another example of our football first approach at

development regionally.

Since the start of the year, however, CWI has rolled out several major broadcast deals and is banking on the resumption of international cricket and tours by major Test nations like England and India, to boost its income.

With KPMG acknowledging that CWI’s revenue was “cyclical in nature and depends on the popularity of the various reciprocal tours”, Grave said it was important the governing body’s finances were viewed in a four-year cycle in which important money-spinning tours took place.

“I keep articulating that we work in a four-year business cycle. Annual profit and loss isn’t particularly, in my opinion, a very good metric for Cricket West Indies,” he told Starcom Radio’s Mason and Guest cricket show.

“We make surpluses when England and India tour and then we use these surpluses to fund the years when they don’t tour. So therefore, looking at our finances in a 12-month snapshot, depending on when the financial year starts and ends depending on who tours, I don’t think is particularly meaningful for helpful.

“What we need to do and what we do now is analyse four-year cycles where we’ll have at least one England tour and at least one India tour and look at the period of that cycle, as to whether you’ve been able to meet your obligations from a cash flow perspective and at the end of that cycle, finish it with surpluses.”

England are scheduled to tour the Caribbean next January for five Twenty20 Internationals before returning in March for three Tests.

a 12-team tournament which will be played from July 2 to 6 at Inter Miami’s CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, to determine the last three spots in the Gold Cup finals.

It comprises the likes of Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Guyana among 11 Caribbean Football Union nations, with Guatemala as the only Central American side.

Two-tine finalists, Jamaica, have already qualified and are installed in Group C, with CFU nations Curacao, Martinique, Suriname and Grenada already booking their spots.

Thursday’s announcements completed the slate of venues for the tournament with Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium named last week as hosts for the final.

Buttler fails but Rajasthan Royals beat KKR RAJASTHAN Royals captain Sanju Samson guided his side to their second Indian Premier League win of the season with a six-wicket win over Eoin Morgan’s Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR).

Chasing 134 to win Samson made an unbeaten 42 as Rajasthan won with seven balls to spare.

Kolkata made 133-9 with Rahul Tripathi making 36 and Dinesh Karthik 25.

IPL record signing Chris Morris took 4-23 for Rajasthan but England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler made five.

After falling to 31-5 in their last game against Chennai Super Kings Kolkata batted with more restraint during their innings, and only scored 25 runs in the six-over powerplay before slipping to 61-4 in the 11th over when Morgan was run out in comical fashion.

The England limited-overs captain was yet to face when a shot from Tripathi struck his bat at the non-striker’s end and then confusion led to be him being comfortably run out

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by Morris - who equalled his best IPL figures from 2015, when he was in his first spell at Rajasthan.

Earlier Buttler - who was fielding in the covers rather than behind the stumps - ran out Shubman Gill with a direct hit.

ner Varun Chakravarthy, they reached 50-2 in the powerplay.

Although Morgan rotated his bowlers well and put pressure on Samson - who hit the winning run and is now fourth on the highest run-scorers in this season’s tournament - he lamented

Sanju Samson hit an unbeaten 42 for Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan, who are without the English trio of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer - both through injury - and Liam Livingstone who has returned home due to bubble fatigue, were always in control of the chase.

Despite the loss of Buttler, who was trapped lbw by spin09:20 hrs The Cola Kid 09:50 hrs Finest 10:20 hrs Lipizzaner 10:50 hrs Willow 11:20 hrs Santiago 11:50 hrs Lady Dahlia 12:20 hrs White Desert English Racing Tips Salisbury 09:00 hrs Angel Bleu 09:30 hrs Vape 10:00 hrs Great News

the lack of runs his side made saying they were “at least 40 runs short”.

His side are bottom of the table, with just one win from their opening five games, while Rajasthan move up to sixth. (BBC Sport)

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GFF submits official protest to FIFA over T&T player Boucaud

AFTER saying it was duty-bound to file a protest to CONCACAF and FIFA once it could have validated the report by Inside World Football that Trinidad and Tobago fielded an ineligible player in the Dominican Republic, during the opening round of matches in the FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup Qualifiers, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has complied.

According to a release from GFF, it has submitted an official protest to FIFA regarding the selection of Andre Boucaud by the twin-island republic in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in March.

The GFF said that following an extensive investigation and careful consultation with its legal team it has written FIFA, urging the global governing body of football to consider its case. “We have taken this matter very seriously and have presented our findings to FIFA– that Boucaud was ineligible to play for Trinidad and Tobago as a registered intermediary with the English Football Association.

The GFF also pointed out that it believed that Boucaud was ineligible for selection as a registered intermediary and, as such, that any points secured by Trinidad and Tobago during any related FIFA World Cup qualification matches should be forfeited.

In their FIFA World Cup qualification match on March 25, Guyana lost 0-3 to Trinidad and Tobago. Boucaud, who was registered as an intermediary with the English Football Association at the time, was selected in Trinidad and Tobago’s matchday squad.

The GFF said that under FIFA rules, “all conflicts of interest with intermediaries – or agents – must be avoided. Intermediaries cannot have any contractual relationship with a national football association. Under English Football Association rules, players cannot be registered intermediaries.”

GFF president Wayne Forde is adamant that “it is vital for the integrity and fairness of the game that the rules are respected and upheld by everyone. We look forward to FIFA’s response in due course.”

Boucaud was an unused substitute against Guyana but played during Trinidad and Tobago’s one-all draw versus Puerto Rico on March 28.

Trinidad and Tobago are drawn alongside Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico and The Bahamas.

The 36-year-old Boucard, who last featured for Trinidad and Tobago in March 2017, had not played for at least seven months before his call-up by coach Terry Fenwick.

The Inside World Football report stated that Boucard was playing for Maidstone United in England’s sixth tier, though a search of records shows no indication of his registration. However, Inside World Football noted that he was registered as a player intermediary with the English FA. English FA rules expressly prohibit an agent playing competitively in the elite professional and semi-professional tiers of the game.

Rule 1.2 of Appendix II in the English FA rules states; “An Official (as defined by the FIFA Statutes or any successor here to) or a Player cannot be an Intermediary. An Intermediary becoming an Official or a Player shall have his Registration suspended for as long as he remains an Official or a Player.”

Boucard was subsequently pulled from the list of English FA The GFF has submitted an official player agents and his protest to FIFA regarding the selection licence temporarily of Andre Boucard by the TTFA suspended.

Exploria, Q2 set to host games in confederation showpiece E SE E PAG

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Cricket South Africa stripped of right to run sport

SEE PAGE 31

SEE PAGE 31

GCF optimistic of approval for National Championships … shortlists team for Caribbean Elite Men’s Time Trials, Road Race

From left, Alex Mendes, Briton John and Jamual John all performed exceptionally well in last Sunday’s 60-mile road race, and all three have been shortlisted for Cuba

South Africa’s men’s cricket team were most recently in action in a four-match T20 tournament against Pakistan.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE APRIL 25, 2021