Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_06_02_2022

6th February, 2022

Free Inside No.106626

Livestock industry to get $997.3M boost this year

– state-of-the-art abattoirs to be constructed –– commercial trials of corn, soya bean cultivation to begin soon 03 Modern $50M apartment complex for Providence 05 PAGE

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Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh

Guyanese acrobat, Owen Stuart is an intriguing sight to see in and around Georgetown.

He is pictured here mid-performance at the Kitty Seawall (Delano Williams photo)

An artist’s impression of the $50 million apartment complex

Hess Corp. projects 24 oil lifts

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for 2022 11

-Company’s President says Payara more than 66% complete

Thousands of Guyanese to 04 benefit from free government Wi-Fi

Gregory Hill, Chief Operations Officer of Hess Corporation

Bharrat 12 slams AFC’s misinformation PAGE

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Livestock industry to get $997.3M boost this year – state-of-the-art abattoirs to be constructed

–– commercial trials of corn, soya bean cultivation to begin soon

By Navendra Seoraj RECOGNISING the potential that exists for further growth in the livestock industry, the government intends to invest $997.3 million to empower existing and potential farmers, and also create the conditions necessary for future expansion.

Included in the plans for the livestock industry is the establishment of a modular swine abattoir at Garden of Eden, on the East Bank Demerara. This facility, which will be constructed through a partnership between the government and the private sector, would have better standardised production systems and biosecurity that would benefit over 600 farmers.

Also, as outlined by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, during his presentation of Budget 2022 to the National Assembly, the government will facilitate the establishment of a modern abattoir at Onverwagt, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

This facility, which is expected to be completed by 2023, will focus primarily on beef and beef products, and be supplemented by pasture development, which is a priority for the resuscitation of the dairy industry.

The establishment of those facilities will be supported by the requisite certification processes and traceability capacity, which would allow Guyana to access regional and international markets.

In Guyana, the livestock sub-sector contributes approximately 13.6 per cent of the agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 2.8 per cent of the total GDP. Livestock is commonly defined as domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce labour and commodities such as meat, eggs and milk, among other things.

The livestock industry grew by an estimated at 9.2 per cent in 2021, despite the losses suffered as a result of periodic flooding.

Speaking on the performance of this industry, Dr. Singh said the increase was on account of growth in the production of poultry meat, beef, pork and mutton, which were estimated to have expanded by 16.5 per cent, 13.9 per cent, 23.6 per cent and 21.3 per cent, respectively, when compared with figures recorded in 2020.

“These more than offset the estimated declines in the production of eggs and milk. The increase in production reflects the growth in demand which followed the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants and other food establishments,

combined with high demand in the oil and gas and mining sectors,” the senior minister related.

To empower farmers and increase their competitiveness, the government took a strategic decision in 2021, to support the local private sector in a trial cultivation of approximately 200 aces of corn and soya bean.

That specific project was adopted because, historically, Guyana’s livestock feed supplies have largely been imported, with the poultry industry consuming approximately 113,000 tonnes annually.

Given that livestock feeds typically comprise 60 per cent corn and rice and 30 per cent soya beans, the recent global supply chain disruptions to imports have transmitted this vulnerability to the domestic food chain.

In light of this, the government took the

COMMERCIAL TRIALS “Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that the success of this trial has led to a decision by the private sector to increase to 2,700 acres for commercial trials in 2022. This will result in 1,500 tonnes of soya bean and 3,000 tonnes of corn being harvested in the second half of this year,” Dr. Singh said.

With the anticipated success of the commercial trial, cultivation is expected to ramp up to 12,500 acres in 2023, 25,000 acres in 2025 and 56,000 acres in 2028. To this end, $102 million was expended in 2021 and a further $426 million is budgeted in 2022 to complete the road to facilitate the expansion of the project.

Further, required storage for anticipated harvests saw approximately $236 million being budgeted to procure a drying and stor-

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh key inputs in the poultry sector, including poultry feed, building materials and packaging were removed; the government also gave the poultry industry zero-rated VAT status.

Since those adjustments, there has been a stark increase in investments in this industry, with about 500 new farmers getting into poultry farming between August and December 2020 alone.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, has said that the increased interest in this industry augurs well for Guyana, and will supplement the growth of the country’s burgeoning oil-and-gas sector.

In his 2021 national budget speech, Minister Mustapha said that the measures introduced in the government’s 2020 budget initiated a reversal of all the challenges facing the livestock industry, and approximately 5,000 small farmers and broiler producers.

Going forward, Minister Mustapha said that much emphasis will be placed The Ministry of Agriculture plans to further enhance the livestock industry with on exporting meats and gaining access to significant investments planned for this year emerging markets, especially the high-end supermarkets and hotels, as well as players initiative to rehabilitate 47 kilometres of a age facility, with an additional $225 million within the mining and petroleum sectors. vital farm-to-market road – the Ituni-Taca- budgeted in 2022 for the additional works Outside of Guyana, in the Caribbean rema road – starting from the junction of the and installation. gion, the Food and Agriculture Organization This initiative sets the stage for large- (FAO) has predicted that the demand for Linden-Ituni road and heading east, towards scale cultivation of corn and soya bean, and food will increase 50 per cent by 2030 and the Berbice River.

Upon completion, this project will open related agro-business development in the 70 per cent by 2050. up approximately 61,000 hectares of prime Tacama area.

And, according to the FAO, livestock As a result of this and other investments, production constitutes a very important farmland in the Tacama, Wiruni, and Ebini Savannahs on the eastern side of the Berbice the livestock industry is on course to ex- component of the agricultural economy of panding this year, with a projected growth developing countries, a contribution that River.

Essentially, that will create space for rate of 13.6 per cent. goes beyond direct food production to When the People’s Progressive Party/ include multipurpose uses, such as skins, the expansion of the corn and soya bean cultivation, which has so far produced Civic (PPP/C) government assumed office in fibre, fertiliser and fuel, as well as capital August 2020, the Value Added Tax (VAT) accumulation. positive results. on fertilisers, agrochemicals, pesticides and

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Thousands of Guyanese to benefit from free government Wi-Fi -‘1000 Hubs Project’ set for five regions

THE Government of Guyana, through the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), has begun the installation process of 1000 free internet access hubs across five regions.

Dubbed ‘The 1000 Hubs Project’, the initiative, which is a collaborative effort between the Industry and Innovation Unit at OPM and the National

Data Management Authority (NDMA), will result in thousands of persons benefitting from access to free Wi-Fi. The hubs will be outfitted with the 1000 internet boxes (LTE/WiFi CPE) presented to the Government by Chinese multinational technology corporation, Huawei, in November last year.

February 05, 2022

H 14 16 19 21 22 25 26

During that presentation, Prime Minister Mark Phillips had said that the donation will assist his government in its aim to bridge the digital divide in Guyana.

The LTE boxes are capable of transferring 4G networks outdoors at over 300 metres and just below 100 metres indoors to more than 100 users at a time.

Head of the Industry and Innovation Unit, Mr Shahrukh Hussain, said that Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region Two), Essequi-

The government has begun the installation process of 1000 free internet access hubs across five regions bo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three), De-

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merara-Mahaica (Region Four), Mahaica-Berbice (Region Five) and East Berbice – Corentyne (Region Six) were selected because of the proximity of the LTE towers on the coast.

Residents of Region Six were the first to benefit from the initiative, through the installation of the WiFi devices at the Bush Lot Secondary School and four Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) buildings (Canefield/Enterprise NDC, Good Hope/ No. 51 NDC, Port Mourant/Johns NDC and the Adelphi NDC).

Other public buildings in the region assigned for free internet access include Manchester Training College, Kilcoy/Hampshire NDC and the Williamsburg Health Centre.

Mr Hussain urged community members to make full use of the free Wi-Fi spaces. He said the initiative takes the total

free government internet access points in Region Six to approximately 66.

Work in Region Two is scheduled to commence in March with the installation of 18 hubs to add to the existing 32 internet access locations there. Hussain noted that the entire project should be completed before the end of the year.

The hubs are geared to complement the current installation of ICT hubs in approximately 200 communities through the ICT Access and eServices for Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities Project, also under the Prime Minister’s direct supervision.

The Government of Guyana has been promoting ICT development.

At last month’s budget, it was announced that $1.3b will be allocated to support the rapid development of the ICT sector this year. (OPM press release)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Modern $50M apartment complex for Providence

A PAIR of local investors plans to add to the ongoing transformation along the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), with the construction of a modern $50 million apartment complex.

According to a project summary seen by the Sunday Chronicle, the complex, which will have nine two-bedroom accommodation spaces, will be constructed on a plot of land spanning 0.127 acres.

The proposed three-storey complex will not just have all the necessary amenities, it will also be built with emphasis on the environment, aesthetics, green engineering, and health and safety.

At the end of this project, the hope is that the complex will be the first choice for ambitious and enterprising guests who see long-term stays as a driver of personal fulfilment and professional growth.

This is aligned with the initial inspiration behind the conceptualisation of this project, which is the growing demand for high-quality hospitality services in Guyana. This increase is fuelled by an influx of contract employees, expatriates, business personnel, learners and other travellers.

According to a study

by Oxford Economics, hotel operations and guest-spending support eight million jobs across the U.S. alone. The same study found that a typical hotel with 100 occupied rooms per night supports 230 local jobs every year.

And the nation’s hotel and lodging industry brings other important benefits to local communities.

These businesses are cornerstones of local economic activity, providing increased tax revenue; capital investment; tourism-related development and promotion; civic leadership; charitable contributions and sponsorship.

These benefits are also expected to accrue to Guy-

ana, as the country continues to function as an investment magnet The aim, as outlined by President Dr Irfaan Ali, is to provide at least 2,000 first-class rooms, making Guyana “a conventional destination.”

A business-friendly climate, supplemented by the anticipated economic ascension, is being credited for the attraction of major players in the hotel industry such as the Sheraton, The Element, Delta Marriott, Best Western Hotels and Resorts, the H- Tower Luxury Hotel, the Hyatt

Hotels Corporation, the Radisson Hotels, and the Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Palm Court International Hotel and King’s Hotel and Residences, among others.

These potential investments are seen as timely, because Guyana, which sits on the edge of South America and has a population of about 750,000 people, is expected to ‘boom’ with its new-found oil wealth, which is expected to drive infrastructural development and other sectoral advancements.

An artist’s impression of the $50 million apartment complex

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Strategic Alignment

THE curtains finally came down in what could be considered one of the most transformative budgets in the country’s history.

This is first budget to be financed partially from the country’s oil revenues. It is also the largest from a financing perspective, with heavy emphasis on infrastructural development and social spending.

Such is the extent to which monies are allocated to the capital works component of the budget that there are concerns by opposition elements regarding the absorptive capacity of the government to spend the money and in having the projects completed within the projected fiscal year.

These concerns were, however, laid to rest by Senior Finance Minister in the Office of the President who not only presented the budget but, along with his parliamentary colleagues, ably defended the budget against criticisms by opposition members.

The PPP/C administration has to its credit a good record of project implementation with a nearly 100 per cent implementation rate in 2021. This year’s capital programme, even though significantly bigger, will no doubt be augmented, as in the past years, by outside capacity. The two major capital works including the Ogle to Eccles Road link and the New Bridge over the Demerara River have already been awarded to Indian and Chinese contracting firms respectively, not to mention the several other private sector investments which are built with both local and overseas building capacity.

The fact is that we live in an increasingly interdependent world in which no country

has enough capacity to propel its development solely from its own efforts. This is true for the United States as it is for India and China despite their advanced and superior building technologies.

In any event, building capacity does not fall from the sky. It has to be built incrementally over time and this new budget with a heavy emphasis on capital works will further challenge local building capacity. There is however, always the opportunity for smaller contractors to combine resources to undertake bigger works beyond their individual capacities or to even partner with bigger companies locally and foreign. The local content legislation favours local contractors and suppliers but such opportunities cannot be taken for granted in an environment of competitive bidding and value for money considerations.

As pointed out by the Finance Minister during his presentation to the National Assembly, the PPP/C administration’s track record of competency and credibility will allow for the much-needed execution of Guyana’s development plans and projects listed in the landmark development $552 billion National Budget. This contrasts sharply with the failed policies and plans of the previous APNU+AFC administration, despite having a significantly smaller budget to manage. Among the failed promises, as pointed out by Dr. Singh, is the failure to provide the ‘good life’ it promised the Guyanese people. Whatever good life was provided was limited only to the ruling elite who made use of political power to line their individual pockets at the expense of the

ordinary people.

Dr. Singh did not mince words in his condemnation of the previous administration which he accused of having had a fundamental problem of credibility. And in further explaining the issue of credibility, the Finance Minister had this to say: “At this point in Guyana’s history, and in the modern age of information, in this era when Guyana is going through a rapid and dramatic transformation, what we need more than ever is serious, credible, capable and competent government.”

The previous government, he lamented, ‘missed the opportunity to actually contribute to a serious debate on the 2022 Budget.

If they had any semblance of credibility, competence and integrity they would have arrived at the unavoidable conclusion that Budget 2022 includes many initiatives that are worthy of unanimous support.’

Budget 2022 is crafted under the theme “Steadfast against all challenges, resolute in building our One Guyana.”

The budget proposals, apart from its transformative agenda make allowance for the further consolidation of our democracy through reforms to the electoral system and the holding of local government elections which was due last year but had to be put back as a result of extraneous factors such as the failure to have a Chief Elections Officer in place on time for the elections.

At a more fundamental level, the budget is aimed at a strategic repositioning of the country to align itself with mega-trends in the region and the world at large within a framework of low carbon development tra-

jectory. Guyana is now a key player on the international stage and developments in the country could have economic repercussions wider afield.

Indeed, as noted by the Finance Minister, the country is on the cusp of an ‘industrial revolution’ especially with the coming into being of the transformational gas-to-shore project in Region Three and the construction of several mega-projects both in the petroleum and non-petroleum sectors.

And with all of this, the ‘human’ side of development is by no means placed on the backburner on the government’s social agenda. Significant sums have been allocated for those areas that impact directly on quality of life issues such as housing, water, energy generation, farm to access roads, health, education, and by no means least, putting more disposable incomes in the pockets of the Guyanese people.

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, his entire Cabinet and the team of advisers and technical officers must be commended for putting together a budget that is fully responsive to the needs and aspirations of the Guyanese people for a better standard of living.

The provisions of the budget for the various ministries and agencies will be subjected to further interrogation by the Committee of Supply which is expected to commence shortly.

That will then pave the way for the business of government to proceed with its work aimed at a further enhancement of the lives and well-being of the Guyanese people, within the framework of the PPP/C’s administration developmental plan as catered for in this year’s budget.

Origin of the funds to build the National Cultural Centre should be recognised Dear Editor, MY letter to the media (Saturday, January 29, 2022) drawing attention to the fact of the disgraceful management of the stage and sound at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) for the Indian High Commission Cultural Presentation on 26th January, 2022, was written in the hope that the ministry responsible for culture would investigate and rectify this matter.

I do not support Vishnu Bishram’s letter (Stabroek News February 2, 2022), urging that Indian Culture Centres should be established throughout Guyana. This will only lead to further racially dividing our country. It most certainly does not support the “One Guyana” vision of our President.

Let me remind that the NCC was built with funds assigned for the repatriation of Indian Indentured Labour and never used for that purpose. Then, former President

Forbes Burnham, in anticipation of Guyana hosting CARIFESTA in 1972, in my view, quite properly used the funds to build a National Cultural Centre for all Guyanese and the Caribbean.

I agree with Bishram that there should have been recognition of the origin of the funds. It’s not too late to identify the source of the funds by a permanent display of Indian art and an appropriate commemoration plaque.

If there are surplus funds from this

source, then let’s use them to build Cultural Centres for the celebration of all of our culture throughout the country.

In fact, I have long advocated the need for well-appointed theatres in all of our major towns, like the Lichas Hall in Linden, for our artistes to display their talent both local and national.

Yours sincerely, Gem Madhoo-Nascimento

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Opposition commissioners’ pronouncement is contemptuous, LGEs are due and must be held now!

Dear Editor,

I REFER to the Press Statement under the caption “GECOM cannot contribute to the amendment of RoPA without probing 2020 elections – Opposition Commissioners”, published on February 3, 2022, in the Kaieteur and Stabroek Newspapers. This is an absolute falsity that exposes the Opposition Commissioners’ surreptitious intent to further delay and derail the holding of Local Government Elections (LGEs) in 2022.

Most of the Guyanese readership, interested stakeholders, and other observers are now aware of the need to exercise much caution when examining language spouted from the likes of Vincent Alexander and his cohorts as opposition mouthpieces.

The deceptive mix of partial truths, silence in relevant areas and words convenience are consistent aspects of the agenda of his political focus rather than the real relevant and legally factual position.

It is easy to recognise the PNC/R prepared agenda-setting and framing, advocated by these commissioners in creating circumstances of party convenience. The focus is nothing but another designed attempt at targeting backdoor manipulation of the Commission’s balance; to strategically defy and malign the High Court’s ruling on

the treatment of the Register of Registrants (RoR).

In their futile argument to discredit and disbar the current RoR and reposition a focus on house-to-house registration as a method of cleansing the voters list, they contend that “the judgment in relation to house-to-house registration should be clarified from the standpoint of its applicability to the voters’ list as distinct from the Register of Registrants.”

The statement, however, is tantamount to a sleight of hand movement that can be easily discerned by even the most cursory examination.

These commissioners cannot expect the nation to buy into their frivolous rhetoric. Rather, the nation would be more aware that no current legislation in Guyana empowers the retirement of the Register of Registrants. Further, it is recalled that when the APNU+AFC took power in 2015, they swiftly went to the National Assembly even before the PPP/C took up their seats in Parliament, and pass the law to allow GECOM to use the continuous registration system to update the Register of Registrants. Following this precedent approach, a preliminary list of voters was prepared to facilitate a short period of the claims and objection process to realise a final voters list.

In 2016, it was this voters’ list that enabled

GECOM to run off LGEs that year. The hypocrisy in their current tantrums is self-revealing and Guyanese are now more aware that the delays are being conjured up because the PNC and their cohorts are always afraid to face the electorate.

It is factual that for almost two decades, the PNC has acted to frustrate all efforts regarding the holding of LGEs. The PPP/C and the Commission must put an end to all the PNC commissioners’ tactics to delay and frustrate the holding of LGEs. Consequently, the GECOM must also move to advance its mandate of ensuring the holding of Local Government Elections this year.

Editor, The call for “HOUSE-TO-HOUSE” registration as a mechanism for the cleansing of the voters list was never considered by the PNC/APNU+AFC while in government. They held three elections with the same Register of Registrants and implemented the very law that they hurriedly put in place in 2015, which relates to the continuous registration process. Further, it was the PNC/APNU+AFC that established an increase in permanent GECOM offices around the country to

facilitate this process. Of significant note, they also supported the establishment of several fully equipped and staffed sub-offices to strengthen the genuine efforts to periodically update the Register of Registrants.

All and sundry must question the timing of this callous statement by the commissioners and its implications for various aspects of the roll-out of GECOM’s programme. It is also unbelievable to learn that GECOM does not have information to facilitate the usual appraisal of the issues that took place in preparation and the running off of the General and Regional Elections held in 2020. The connotations suggest the opposition commissioners knew all along of deals which inform the core issues of GECOM’s Secretariat operation during the 2020 Elections.

It is sad to say that Alexander and his crew, conveniently, never raised any of these matters which were time and time again, advanced by many rational commentators in the press.

The PNC and opposition GECOM commissioners’ call for the internal probe of the 2020 Elections, therefore, is only a ‘Red herring’

exemplifying this crew’s persistence to delay and frustrate the efforts of GECOM’s preparation for the holding of LGEs. Our nation must recognise that the current opposition commissioners will never speak objectively on behalf of GECOM. Notwithstanding, what is urgently needed is for GECOM to win the heart of all Guyanese.

Another contemptuous issue referred to in the press release is the representation of disagreement with the proposed legislative amendments by way of significant penalties including hefty fines and jail time, to improve the enforceability of RoPA. It is clear that what happens under the circumstances, makes it more difficult for political parties and their representatives at GECOM to succeed in influencing the negative role and functionality of the Secretariat’s staff who may be categorised under the ilk of the former Chief Elections Officer and his cabal. It shows that what this crew represents as ideal, is a passive system that may be subjective to their

manipulative undercurrents, albeit, the abundance of evidence of fraud in the 2020 elections.

Finally, GECOM must ensure all its finances and assets are fully audited. Guyanese must be able to see in the public domain, the list of all GECOM permanent and sub-offices to the country. Transparency and accountability will rebuild confidence in GECOM. The PPP/C Government’s massive allocation in the 2022 budget for GECOM certainly clears the way for the holding of LGEs. However, an examination of the massive spending spree that previously unfolded is also necessary.

What we are certain of is that none of these should become a prerequisite for holding the LGEs this year.

The new CEO must be credited for the plans and system that he is putting in place for the holding of elections and the cleaning up of GECOM. Yours sincerely, Neil Kumar

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Calls for renegotiation ignore bigger picture

GUYANA’S production sharing agreement (PSA) for the oil fields of the Stabroek Block has long been a source of debate.

With two new finds in the past few months and ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods visiting this month, it is likely to remain a prominent part of the news.

But it is important that any discussion of that contract incorporates accurate information and important context about how Guyana got to where it is today.

Recent calls for the renegotiation of the contract do not always take into account that history, or the risks that a renegotiation could have for future investment dollars and the billions in revenues the country is expected to receive over the next ten years.

Guyana closed 2021 with nearly US$610 million in its Natural Resources Fund from just one year of production. Nearly all of that is already included in the government’s 2022 budget, the first that includes oil revenues and Guyana’s largest ever. And Guyana will only continue to benefit in 2022, with the government expecting more than US$1 billion this year. With oil prices continuing to increase to

nearly US$90 per barrel, Guyana’s future is only looking better.

Guyana’s oil contract currently incorporates a structure that balances low risk and high reward. This means that exploration companies, including ExxonMobil, Hess, and others, take on the risk to invest in the exploration and development of oil fields. Guyana does not have to invest a single dollar of taxpayer money to make these finds or produce this oil but still receives 50 perfect of profits and a 2 percent royalty.

To balance this out, once oil is found, the operating companies are able to submit certain costs to be reimbursed, or recovered.

It is important to understand that not all costs can be recovered, and that any cost submitted must go through a substantial auditing process before it is approved. This allows companies to recover some of the costs associated with expensive exploration processes.

The benefit of this type of contract is that Guyana takes on no risk if no oil is found, but as its basins have proven lucrative, it still receives a significant part of the revenues.

And once the initial investments are paid

back, the percentage of revenues that Guyana receives will increase significantly, since the high initial costs of oil exploration will have already been recovered.

A contract of this type is very normal for a frontier region with a history of dry wells and no commercial finds until the Liza-1 discovery, which occurred post-contract.

Guyana’s offshore basin, while unknown to be lucrative at the time, also required significant investment due to its deepwater nature. This required production companies to take on heightened risk when many were not in a position to do so to lower international oil prices and poor investment outlooks. In hindsight, it’s easy to say that the government should have known that there would be 10 billion barrels of oil offshore in the Stabroek and Guyana’s other offshore blocks. But as recently as 2014, Shell gave up its stake in the area and wrote off investments as lost, deeming it essentially worthless.

Under the current contract, Guyana has received record levels foreign direct investment, including US$9 billion for the Payara project

alone. This has helped boost the economy and ensure that more Guyanese have jobs in more lucrative and stable industries. Furthermore, the increase in investment can support the growth of spinoff sectors in agriculture and chemicals that could further help boost the country’s economy and benefit all Guyanese.

With all this in mind, Guyana’s future contracts are likely to look different from the initial contract, with different terms that consider current discovery levels and lower risks.

However, as Guyana continues forward with exploration, development and production it is important to remember that taking steps towards breaking contracts could diminish the country’s reputation as a stable investment destination. This could spook away investors and risk current promises from international companies.

Especially as the Yellowtail project is about to take off and the start of production from a second floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel expected in early 2022, stability will be key to ensuring that investments are followed through on.

Recalling victimisation during the dictatorship

Dear Editor,

THE National Cultural Centre was in the news recently regarding the poor performance of the staff during the hosting of India’s Republic Day celebrations on January 26.

Not many may know that the cultural centre was built with money from the

Indian Immigration Fund

by Forbes Burnham in spite of objections from Indian community leaders and politicians, including Dr. Cheddi Jagan and the PPP. The opponents wanted the funds to be used to build cultural centres around the country.

Those who objected to the use of the Indian fund were penalised. In fact,

during the ethnic dictatorship (1966 through 1992), anyone who asserted cultural independence or challenged cultural policy was severely punished. The late Dr. Balwant Singh (head of the Gandhi Youth Organisation.) and Mohamed Insanally, among others, were victims for cultural assertion, cultural nationalism,

and opposing Burnhamism.

The duo, among others, used to organise celebrations relating to Indian Arrival on May 5. It used to be called Rama-Khan Day to commemorate the presence of Hindus and Muslims (the first Indian persons) to set foot on the colony. The two, among others, called for a holiday for Rama-Khan Day,

Burnham rebuffed t-hem and would victimise them.

Insanally was admired for his courage in standing up to Burnham. He was the best graduating student at UG. He was extremely brilliant winning many prizes at UG and was hired as a lecturer at the university after graduation. But as a critic of Burnham’s authoritarian rule and racism against Indians and Amerindians, he was fired. He became a hired car driver until he packed up and left for London.

Dr. Balwant also became a victim after he objected to the use of the Indian Immigration funds to build Burnham’s cultural centre.

At the time, Dr. Balwant was the leading pathologist and bacteriologist in the country. In fact, the colonial rulers respected and saluted his professionalism. Dr. Bal-

want at a May 5 Rama-Khan Day celebration publicly announced his opposition to Burnham’s use of the Indian people’s money. Although he was affiliated with the PNC, that did not protect him from Burnham’s vindictiveness who tolerated zero criticism. Burnham fired him from his job, and he went into private practice, becoming one of the doctors who was approved by the US Embassy to evaluate the medical health of would be migrants to America.

Since the change in administration in October 1992, and the restoration of democratic governance, people have become free to critique the government without fear of victimisation from their government position.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Bunta and Boney: Indian Luanda Naach-Nagara Artists from the Corentyne EVERY so often the first glimpse of what we inherit from the past is an idealisation handed down from one generation to the next.

In my village environs on the Corentyne, we are heir to a number of enlightened cultural traditions brought from the eastern part of the world more than a century ago. These traditions are not eschatological but are held up, in my mind, as a paragon of cultural freedom of expression. Yet, these traditions have not been well-chronicled, which ironically, dovetail nicely for exploration.

I am referring to two Indian artists, Bunta and Boney, who drummed and danced according to Luanda Naach-Nagara (male Bhojpuri performers) at Indian weddings along Corentyne, especially from 52 to 74 villages, in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, during a politically turbulent period in Guyana’s history. However, the legacy of Bunta and Boney is forgotten, buried as minor history without much significance. This cultural wound forces one to ask, where were the chroniclers and historians during a time when Bunta and Boney were at their pinnacle entertaining a fractured and fragmented environment along the Corentyne coast? The pressing question of legacy pierces.

To contextualise, and as so revealed in the records at Guyana National Archives as well as from secondary sources, the Indian community in the Corentyne region was formed in the 1870s through a series of stages. Indians were given an option to re-indenture, settle or return to their Janma Bhumi (land of birth). In this process, a majority chose to settle in Karma Bhumi (land of work). When the indenture system was abolished in 1920, Indians in the Corentyne region, and elsewhere in British Guiana, had already merged

the culture of their departed and adopted homeland forming a unique Guyanese Indian community. Although their culture and some customs such as marriage were not recognised by the colonial state, the Indians continued to transfer, merge and produce them in Guyana at a time when the national cultural space embraced westernisation and creolisation as an emblem of identity. Indeed, in the period before and after independence, the music genre of Guyana, for instance, was over ninety percent pro-European and pro-Creole in the national space as so evidenced in the national anthem, in police and military bands, and in radio programmes, reinforcing ideologies of superiority based on culture, ethnicity, and region. This was, and perhaps still is, indicative of how we lived.

Within this context, one has to appreciate how the natural drumming and dancing qualities of Bunta and Boney bloomed and blossomed. The delivery and distribution of their expertise were possible because of their own natural abilities as well as the informality (no cultural schools) of the Indian community that simply needed them. There were, of course, other options for wedding entertainment such as from many makeshift artists and Dil Bihar Orchestra, but an Indian wedding which is a five-day affair, to be glorious and memorable required the repertoire, aesthetics, and versatility of the highest order. Weddings, when well-planned and executed, provide a fertile ground for good entertainment, building relations, and finding spouses. It is not uncommon to hear remarks such as “it was that wedding I first see she” or “that wedding me hear he like me”. The bragging narratives as to which wedding was the best in this or that year in Indian communities is still much alive.

Bunta and Boney grew up in No. 58 Vil-

Businessman’s body recovered in boat tragedy TWO days after the boat he was in capsized in the Essequibo River, the body of 54-year-old Lakeram Kuber known as ‘Ramesh’ was recovered by residents on Saturday morning.

Kuber was a well-known businessman of Belleplaine Wakenaam, Region Three.

He was the father of two and relatives are still trying to come to grips with the tragedy. Kuber was popular on the island especially for his shipping business.

The body was taken to the Wakenaam Cottage Hospital and officially pronounced dead and is now

Dead: Lakeram Kuber

at Sandy’s Funeral home awaiting a post mortem examination.

Kuber, the boat’s captain, Feroze Amin, and another man, Floyd Dazzell, were returning from Supenaan on the Essequibo Coast when the boat capsized. The men were in a 100 HP Yamaha outboard engine boat The men decided to swim to the Wakenaam shore, but only Dazzell and Amin made it there safely.

Police Headquarters had reported that the incident occurred at about 23:00hrs along the Essequibo River.

lage. Bunta was the dancer while Boney was the drummer. The duo would receive invitation months ahead to perform from April to September at Indian weddings for a modest fee. They would stay the entire five days of the wedding, often sleeping on the ground floor of the weeding house on empty rice bags. Bunta would colour his face with bindi (round dot paste), wear a dress to his knees, and rings of sweet drink corks around his neck and ankles. Soon as Boney started the drumming, Bunta would hop gracefully into action bringing up his flute majestically from his hands to his mouth, leaning and turning elegantly from left to right, moving closer to drum, jingling his feet, tossing his head, producing a marvelous performance of Nagara, filling the ears and eyes of the audience.

Despite its grace, Nagara is often confused, unfortunately. The men who dressed up in women’s attire are not necessarily gay.

The dress and dance of Nagara are to pay homage to the Goddess of knowledge, music, and arts, Saraswathi. In my conversation with an Indian student practitioner of Nagara, I

understand this tradition was born in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, India, and was known as Launda Naach. The performers were all men because women were not allowed to participate. Launda performers were the ones leading the Dulha’s (groom) entourage to the Dulhan’s (bride) home. This tradition was transferred from India to most of the former indentured colonies of the world, including British Guiana.

My analysis of Bunta and Boney, of course, is a sketch, but I have provided a window into a cultural world that has been fading. While we may ponder why these artists never made it in the written records, and a few, if any, have emulated them in the modern period, we must recognise that they have provided a valuable lens into how we once lived, a human condition, muscled by the desire to keep their traditions alive in tumultuous Guyana reeling from ethnic upheaval.

Bunta and Boney are gone but their memory remains (lomarsh.roopnarine@ jsums.edu).

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Building Guyana’s future begins now

T

HE debates came to an end on Friday last with the Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance in the Office of the President, Dr. Ashni Singh, rubbishing many of the arguments of the APNU+AFC parliamentarians in the National As-

sembly.

He shared, as they would say in creole, ‘licks, left, right and centre’. Dr. Singh made sure the ‘licks’ were mixed with a financial lecture on the focus of Budget 2022.

Before his sterling presentation,

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

the former Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, had delivered a hum-drum presentation to the House. It lacked substance and passion. It was as though he was travelling in a bus with nobody listening or paying him any mind as his parliamentary colleagues ghosted him.

His points were remarkably handled

by Prime Minister Mark Phillips and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira.

But the opposition APNU+AFC Parliamentarians Catherine Hughes and Roysdale Forde’s arguments were handled excellently by Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, Colin Croal, and Nigel Dharamlall.

All in all, the week-long debates revealed who was prepared and who just came unprepared because there was an increased dependency on reading the prepared speeches which proved problematic at times. It is an outdated way of presenting budget speeches in 2022.

Firstly, the budget for 2022 must be seen as another installment of the government’s financial philosophy.

It shows a preference for increased capital expenditure as opposed to the heavy expenditure on the current or reoccurring expenditures. This is in part due to the financial philosophy of successive PPP/C Governments which target heavy capital spending which is critical to Guyana’s mid and long-term development.

The opposition APNU+AFC Coalition did not understand the philosophy of the budget and it came out over and over again in the entire debate.

If one looks at the Budget 2022, the government plans to spend a whopping $217B on capital expenses compared with $103B in 2021. This is a more than 100 percent increase in allocations for projects and things like roads, bridges, buildings and infrastructure. Current expenditure also moved from $279B in 2021 to over $335B this year, which accounts for a 20 percent increase.

It contrasts sharply with the successive APNU+AFC Coalition Government’s largely consumption-based financial style where they were spending indiscriminately on the current expenditure without focusing adequately on the capital expenditure.

Take for instance the 2019 budget presented by former Finance Minister Winston Jordan which was pegged at $330B. This saw the budget that was big on the current expenditure such as rentals and accommodations, salaries and wages, and goods and services.

The budget was lagging on the capital expenditure side because of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government

consumption-based philosophy on less spending on the projects and infrastructure of the country - moving from $138B on current expenditure in 2014 to $231B in 2019, and likewise decreasing capital spending from $81B to $69B in 2019.

The point is, Budget 2022 focuses attention on the transformation of the country physically while it treats the welfare and needs of the people now. It starts to look at developing the future by making solid capital investments now.

The opposition APNU+AFC politicians missed the bigger picture and chose to go with the smaller things which were not sufficiently catered for in their minds. These are the sensational and emotive things to score cheap political points. This was their tone throughout the debates.

Secondly, the budget debates revealed the fact that the opposition APNU+AFC parliamentarians did not do their homework because they would have appreciated that budget 2022 is both pro-poor and welfare-oriented compared to their 2019 budget.

Whereas the Coalition Government had introduced more than 200 taxes and increases, Budget 2022 has zero new taxes and seeks to reduce the already existing ones on the poor and vulnerable.

Poor Guyanese can now benefit from the $50B that would have been spent paying the APNU+AFC Coalition instituted taxes. They have more money in their pockets.

Budget 2022 has $5B to tackle the concerns of rising prices, cost of living, and imported inflation. Some $840M to cover the government’s public assistance programmes and $7.2B in increased old age pension. And the school children will benefit from $5B more when compared to zero dollars under the rulership of the APNU+AFC Coalition. These are all targeting the ordinary citizens and are in addition to a raft of other social and welfare measures that are boldly outlined.

This is one of the most pro-poor budgets with a focus on capital expenditure that was ever presented in Parliament.

If we want to continue along the developmental trajectory, difficult decisions and choices will have to be made today for tomorrow.

History has already revealed to us that spending our wealth indiscriminately on the current side of expenditure and not looking at the capital expenditure will leave us financially bankrupt with or without the oil wealth, and without any physical transformation.

Guyana can ill-afford to play and gamble at this crucial stage in our development.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Hess Corp. projects 24 oil lifts for 2022

–– Company’s President says Payara more than 66% complete

By Rehana Ahamad

BY the end of 2022, it is projected that Guyana will have exported 24 million barrels of oil, owing to the execution of 24 oil lifts, at one million barrels per lift.

This is according to projections released by the top brasses of Hess Corporation, which holds a 30 per cent stake in the very lucrative Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.

In providing a breakdown of the company’s 2022 expectations, Executive Vice President, John Riley, said that the mammoth increases in lifts would be largely ow-

have eight liftings per quarter in Guyana, from these two FPSOs. For the full year 2022, we expect 24 liftings in Guyana.”

Hess Corporation, which is part of an ExxonMobil-led consortium, is currently working with its partners to realise the Payara Development Project, deemed to be the largest single investment in Guyana’s history, estimated to cost more than one trillion Guyana dollars.

In providing an update on the project, Hess Corporation’s President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gregory Hill, said that the overall development is at

this world class project,” President Hill said.

He noted that despite indications of inflation, the majority of the company’s offshore portfolio is driven by its interests in Guyana.

As Guyana’s oil finds continue to grow exponentially, ExxonMobil, along with Hess Corp and their other partners in the Stabroek Block, are preparing to undertake an even more massive task – the Yellowtail Development.

Consisting of 51 wells, the Yellowtail project is estimated to cost approximately G$1.8 trillion (US$9 billion).

“It’s just a bigger project;

Prosperity FPSO, which will serve the Payara Development Project, is on course for a 2025 completion ing to the operations of not one, but two Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels – the Liza Destiny, and the much larger Liza Unity which is slated for startup in the coming weeks.

“In the first quarter we expect to have three liftings from Guyana, with two lifts coming from the Liza Destiny and our first lift from the Liza Unity expected to occur at the end of March. In the second quarter, we expect a total of five liftings,” Riley said during a virtual engagement to examine the entity’s fourth quarterly earnings for 2021.

He continued, “After the Liza Unity reaches full production, which is currently projected for the third quarter of this year, we expect to

66 per cent complete, with Subsea Umbilicals, Risers Flowlines (SURF) activities progressing ahead of plan. “…and we are preparing for a 2022 installation campaign,” Hill said, pointing to the fact that the Payara project consists of 41 wells.

The Payara project will be served by the Prosperity FPSO, which is currently under construction in Singapore. According to Hill, the actual vessel is complete, and topside construction activities are ongoing.

“The government is supportive of the project and startup remains on track for 2025. We look forward to continuing to work with the Government of Guyana and our partners to realize the extraordinary potential of

very large area of extent, very fantastic reservoir. So, it’s going to be one of the world class economics…it’s going to develop new nearly a billion barrels of oil,” Hill related.

Meanwhile, Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, had predicted that, with the full-fledged operation of four FPSOs – the Liza Destiny, the Liza Unity, the Prosperity and the Yellowtail - Guyana could begin facilitating up to 50 oil lifts per year at one million barrels per lift, thereby producing 50 million barrels of oil annually.

The Yellowtail FPSO is slated to come on stream by 2026. Further, with crude prices hovering at US$80 a barrel, Guyana would earn as

much as US$4,000,000,000 (GYD$836,902,800,000) each year for its 50 oil lifts.

“So, when you crunch the numbers, 50 lifts at a million barrels, and based on the oil price today, if it continues along that trend, you can see or get an idea of the direct proceeds coming to Guyana,” Minister Bharrat said in a past interview with OilNow. He also reminded that the aforementioned earnings are outside of other benefits such as royalties, which could see a mammoth increase in the country’s overall oil earnings, going forward.

“We are not even talking

royalties yet,” Minister Bharrat related.

Guyana currently has $126 billion contained in its Natural Resource Fund (NRF). The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government is now proposing to withdraw those monies to finance a myriad of projects outlined in Budget 2022.

The proposed withdrawals are in keeping with provisions of the landmark NRF legislation which specifies that oil revenues can only be used to fund developmental projects, once approved by the National Assembly.

As Guyana’s oil earnings are put to use for the

Gregory Hill, Chief Operations Officer of Hess Corporation first time this year, the See page 12

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Bharrat slams AFC’s misinformation –– says Jadoopat, who was unilaterally appointed by APNU+AFC, was never terminated as GYEITI head

THE services of Dr Rudy Jadoopat, former Head of the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI), were never terminated by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government.

As a matter of fact, when his contract ended in January 2021, his services were still retained for more than a year, and he will continue to function in the portfolio until the end of this month.

This is according to Natural Resources Minister

Vickram Bharrat, who was keen on clarifying the misinformation being peddled by the Alliance For Change (AFC) – the second largest party in the Coalition opposition.

The AFC in a press statement issued on Saturday, accused the government of practising “kleptocracy” by terminating Jadoopat’s contract as National Coordinator of the GYEITI. In responding to the AFC’s criticism, Minister Bharrat stated that when the GYEITI was launched in

2017, the position for a Coordinator was never publicly announced or advertised. On the contrary, Dr Jadoopat, an executive member of the AFC, was unilaterally appointed by then minister Raphael Trotman, former Leader of the AFC. “…with no obvious experience in the extractive sectors. There was no open process…he was given the position because of party affiliation. He was an executive member of the AFC; he would’ve [sic] campaigned and raised funds for them…

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat hosted meetings for [Moses] Nagamootoo and others in New York,” Minister Bharrat noted.

Given the method of appointment, Minister Bharrat said that Jadoopat was well aware that once his contract came to an end, the government would be properly advertising the position, for which he was “welcomed to apply.”

A public notice of the vacancy for a National Coordinator of the GYEITI was advertised during the latter half of last year, attracting some nine applicants. “He even applied and was interviewed for the position,” Minister Bharrat said.

Once the process was completed, Dr Prem Misir was deemed a better fit for the portfolio. “He is a professional, not a politician,” Bharrat asserted.

Misir, PhD, has held many reputable positions throughout his career, including that of Former

Pro-Chancellor of the University of Guyana; former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Fiji; Former Pro Vice-Chancellor, Solomon Islands Campus and Professor and Head of the School of Public Health, at the University of the South Pacific.

“If we wanted to get rid of Dr Jadoopat and if the PPP was [sic] not interested in transparency and the EITI, we could have sent him home since last year January,” Minister Bharrat argued.

He explained that instead, Jadoopat was given a short-term contract, pending execution of a fair and proper recruitment process.

“He was on the job all the time, just so that he can enjoy all his benefits.

We did not terminate his contract or dismiss him as they [the AFC members] are stating,” Minister Bharrat in his response also indicated that unilateral and political appointments to key positions within various ministries and public agencies dominated the employment practices of the former A Partnership for National Unity +AFC government. “…Just like [sic] they did with the Compliance Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and others… they all did the same things,” Minister Bharrat posited.

The EITI is a global standard that promotes transparency and accountability in the oil, gas and mining sectors. Being a

Dr Rudy Jadoopat signatory of EITI sends a clear message to the international community that implementing countries such as Guyana are committed to better transparency and accountability.

Although the APNU+AFC has been credited with launching the EITI, work to align with the global body was started by the PPP/C in 2010.

On May 15, 2012, Guyana’s commitment to implement the EITI was followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI),” according to the GYEITI website.

The launch of the GYEITI led to the creation of a Multi-Stakeholder Group which comprised 12 members, including representatives of civil society, industry and government.

Hess Corp. projects 24 ...

From page 11

government is looking to fund a number of iconic projects and initiatives, including the gas-to-energy project, which aims to cut the cost of electricity by 50 per cent; the continuation of the 20,000 online scholarships initiative; increases in Old Age Pension and the Education Cash Grants; the purchase of more life-saving coronavirus vaccines; as well as the construction of new roads and bridges, which pave the way for infrastructural transformation.

The Budget, which totals $552.9 billion, is likely to

be passed in the National Assembly within the coming weeks. Nonetheless, a report compiled by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in 2021 estimates that earnings from Guyana’s oil and gas sector could reach US$31 billion (roughly G$6.7 trillion) by 2035.

The document, titled ‘Economic Institutions for a Resilient Caribbean,’ outlined that Guyana’s population of approximately 780,000 suggests that the level of reserves equates to 10,250 barrels per person.

“Although this measure

is lower than that of Kuwait with 24,000 barrels per person), it is higher than that of the United Arab Emirates with 10,100 barrels per person; Venezuela with 9,500 barrels per person; and Saudi Arabia with 8,100 barrels per person, making Guyana one of the richest countries in petroleum reserves in the world,” the IDB report said.

With ExxonMobil, Hess and their partners pursuing a production rate of at least 750,000 barrels of oil per day, Guyana is gearing up to become the largest oil producer on a per capita basis in the world.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Better cell, internet services in 2022 –– PM says as he talks up gains in telecoms sector, eases concerns

THE government has pursued several initiatives to facilitate a more competitive telecommunications environment and Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips has assured Guyanese that better cell and internet services can be expected from this year.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing several concerns raised by Opposition Parliamentarian and Former Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, during the Budget Debates on Friday night.

“Through the act of liberalising the telecommunications sector, all we are interested in, on this side of the House, is a better deal for the people of Guyana -better service at the best price for all the people of Guyana,” the Prime Minister said.

And he emphasised, “I wish to assure this House and the people of Guyana that the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will be engaged and will be asked to pay more attention to the quality of the telecommunications sector in 2022 in Guyana.”

For context, the PUC functions as a regulatory, investigatory and enforcement body. As per the PUC Act, the body has the power to initiate and conduct investigations into the operations and standards of services offered at any public utility under its purview.

And last month, the Guyana Chronicle reported that the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) racked up the most consumer complaints at the PUC, and most were resolved.

Responding to questions on what GTT is doing to address its continuous position as the company with the most complaints, GTT Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Damien Blackburn, noted that the majority of the complaints against the company had to do with its DSL internet service.

According to Blackburn,

APNU party. In 1990, the PNC government issued a licence to Atlantic Tele-Network (ATNI), GTT’s parent company, to provide domestic and international voice and data services in Guyana on an exclusive basis until December 2030. This allowed the company to secure its market dominance.

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips during the budget debate (Photo credit: DPI) the company is trying to directly address this by expanding the coverage of its alternative and upgraded fibre network, and getting more customers to switch to that service from the DSL. As the company strived to improve services, the Prime Minister assured Guyanese that better service will be provided in 2022. This, he explained, is possible because the liberalised sector has resulted in more companies offering services similar to GTT. Due to the nature of business competition, overall quality is expected to increase over time.

In 2020, within two months of assuming office, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government liberalised the telecommunications sector essentially ending the longstanding dominance of GTT. The liberalisation paved the way for completion and expansion of services. Since then, one key improvement has been that other companies have been able to bring fibre optic cables to connect Guyana to the internet.

On Friday, the Prime Minister- who issued the commencement order for liberalisation in 2020 -- said that the former minister benefited from the same technical advice he did.

And, he said that Hughes could have liberalised the sector long before.

COMPENSATION? Hughes, during her presentation earlier on Friday, said that the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government was close to finalising a settlement agreement with GTT. That settlement agreement, she contended, would have allowed GTT to comfortably relinquish its monopoly on the local telecommunications sector. The agreement could have included GTT’s claims for some compensation since they would have been, essentially, allowing competitors to do business in an environment they largely controlled. “... the Former Minister came to this House today and started to talk about issues of compensation for GTT when she knew fully well that the issue of compensation did not arise since GTT voluntarily complied with all the provisions of the law as we issued the commencement order,” the Prime Minister said. “... She certainly demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding of this whole issue of the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector,” he said, further adding that it was the People’s National Congress (PNC) government that provided that monopoly to GTT in the first place.

The PNC Reform is the largest constituent of the

Looking ahead, the Prime Minister said that people are expected to benefit from even more improvements in the sector. Another mobile service operator was licensed and is expected to commence operations in 2022. This means that there would be four mobile service operators in Guyana.

Previously, the Prime Minister explained that liberalisation would result in greater interest and investments in Guyana by new telecommunications operators, Internet service providers, Data Centres, Call Centres, and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) operations.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

$5B for sea defence is an investment to secure agriculture – Edghill

MINISTER of Public Works, Juan Edghill, says the government’s $5 billion allocation for sea defence is an investment to secure agriculture.

The minister made the affirmation on Thursday as he defended the 2022 budget during the debate.

“It is not just boulders and rip-rap sea defence we are thinking about, we are thinking about the thousands of farmers who plant cash crops, rice, sugar, the poultry farmers, the cattle farmers.

“They have to be able to carry on their trade, so we have to keep the sea out. So, we are making the investment to secure agriculture,” Minister Edghill stated.

The minister said while persons cannot eat the stones at the sea defence,

it is because of the sea defence that people can eat. The monies will go towards building sea defences in Grove, La Resource, Maria’s Delight, Zeelandia, Leguan, Bygeval, Essex and Bengal.

In 2021, the government invested $4.7 billion on the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of rip-rap sea defence in areas, including Fairfield, Naamryck, Zeelugt, Zeelandia and Leguan. Further, the construction of 100 metres of geotextile tube groyne at Non Pareil was completed along with the planting of 40,000 mangrove seedlings.

Added to that, budget 2022 has earmarked $28.7 billion to ensure the rapid growth and development of Guyana’s agricultural sector. (DPI)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

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16

Transport and Harbours 2021 earnings top $1 billion

AS the government continues to push for easier access across the country through improved and modernised infrastructure and technology, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, on Thursday disclosed that

the ministry’s Transport and Harbours Department revenue earnings topped $1 billion in 2021.

Minister Edghill noted that this is significant for the department, as there were concerns about its inability to finance itself,

which affected its operations.

“Transport and Harbours Department, which was an entity that all of us had great concern for, because of its liabilities and its inability to finance itself, last year earned rev-

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

File photo of Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill engaging residents at the Leguan stelling enues of over $1 billion,” the Public Works Minister told the National Assembly during his contributions to the budget debate.

Minister Edghill noted that several structural changes were implemented at the department by the advisory board. He noted that the department has significantly reduced wastage through the implementation of better management controls.

This department is responsible for the maintenance of all stellings and public vessels through the Public Works Ministry.

In 2021, the government expended some $82 million on construction of the Fort Island stelling in Region Three.

Minister Edghill, in a previous interview, had noted that the stelling will ‘spur’ economic activity on the island where farming and fishing are the main sources of income. With the pandemic slowing up economies worldwide, the stelling will benefit the 95 persons who reside on Fort Island and over 200 persons from the catchment areas.

Additionally, to further improve access to riverain services, the government in 2021 injected another $50 million to further improve accessibility at the Supenaam Stelling, located near the village of Good Hope, in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

Edghill said that the economic spin-off as a result of the huge allocations in 2021, aided in the revenue haul of the Transport and Harbours Department.

2022 PLANS Meanwhile, in keep-

ing with the government’s plans to further improve river transport, some $2.1 billion has been allocated in the 2022 budget for the construction of a new ocean-going passenger and cargo vessel, which will ply the North West District route; $562 million has been budgeted for the docking of Makouria, Sabanto, and Kanawan.

The new vessel for the North West District route is expected to be completed and operationalised in the second half of this year.

An additional $456 million has been allocated for the continued rehabilitation of Leguan, Fort Island and Bartica stellings.

Minister Edghill further disclosed that a new pilot launch was acquired to assist vessels entering and leaving the various ports, while the ‘Steve N’ ship was rehabilitated to facilitate the dredging of the main channels.

Further, the stellings at Wakenaam and sections of the Parika and Supenaam Stellings were rehabilitated.

The Public Works Minister noted that several systems will be put in place to ensure sustained service to the public by the Transport and Harbours Department.

“There will be greater operational efficiency; the boats are being maintained at a higher level of control, dry-docking as well as maintenance of the engines and generators; [there is] greater training for the people handling the boats and [better] monitoring of works taking place,” Minister Edghill said.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Famous for making ‘casting nets,’ Douglas James turns 103

DOUGLAS James, popularly known back in the days for making casting nets in Perth Village, Mahaicony, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), celebrated his 103rd birthday on Saturday.

Speaking with the Sunday Chronicle, Onecia Bacchus shared that although she is not biologically related to James, he has always considered her his daughter.

“It started from him looking after my mother, that’s when she was small,” Bacchus said.

She related that her grandmother and James lived near each other in Perth Village and that he would take care of her

mother. Bacchus grew up with James always around and so it was easy for her to consider him a father.

Not only did he take care of them, but lots of other people in the village as well. She described him as a lovely person who would never turn away a person in need of help.

Born in 1919, James grew up in Perth with his parents and five siblings and attended the Mahaicony Primary School. He had been making casting nets for over 50 years and was named the “famous casting net maker.”

He also worked in the interior as a gold miner and in more re-

cent years, he became a security guard for rice farmers in Mahaicony, but left the job at age 97.

James lost his parents at age 30 and he is the only living one of his six siblings. His last friend died recently, leaving James as the only survivor of his generation in Mahaicony.

James has no biological children and was never married, but Bacchus, his “daughter” as he likes to say, shared that over 40 years ago, there was a woman who migrated to the United States of America with the intention of “sending for him,” but she never did.

Having received treatment for prostate

17

cancer during his 80s and undergoing a below-the-knee amputation in 2021, James continues to live a healthy life with the exception of a hearing defect.

Bacchus said that after he got the amputation, James moved in with her and her sister on the Mahaicony Public Road; prior to that, he lived alone. Of his 103 years of life, James shared that he is most thankful to God for his life and mercy.

To celebrate this milestone, a small gathering was held for James where Bacchus, her sister and their children commemorat103 not out! Douglas James with Onecia Bacchus at the ed this significant day. small gathering to celebrate his birthday on Saturday (Cassandra Khan)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Renewable energy high on the agenda –– PM outlines transformative energy sector upgrades

PRIME Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips has outlined several transformative projects that the government will undertake in 2022 to significantly improve the local energy sector.

During his budget pre-

sentation on Friday evening, the senior government official said that the distribution of 30,000 solar PV home energy systems will start in hinterland and riverine communities this year. At its completion, 4.5 megawatts of power will be provided

across all 10 administrative regions, benefiting over 200 communities and tens of thousands of Guyanese.

Several small but transformative renewable energy projects are also expected to be completed. Among these include the installation of a 1.5 megawatt solar farm in Bartica and a one megawatt solar farm in Lethem. Both projects are expected to be completed within the first quarter of 2022.

“These initiatives that capitalise on the power of renewable energy will certainly lead us along a path of sustainability while allowing us to reach remote areas to serve the needs of people who have, for too long, remained unserved because of their geographical location.”

Additionally, the Prime Minister said that $31.6M has been budgeted as a catalyst for e-mobility. This allocation will see the installation of six level-three fast charging facilities for electric vehicles. The facilities, which will be located at S & R Parking Lot, Guyana Energy Agency, MovieTowne, Giftland Mall, Massy at Providence and Little Rock Suites in New Amsterdam, are expected to achieve 80 per cent charging capacity within 40 minutes.

The Prime Minister add-

ed that the Government has catered for the addition of 2.8 megawatts of power to GPL’s capacity this year.

This comes as a result of growing demand.

“Despite the challenges faced by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Guyana Power and Light customer base increased by five per cent in 2021.”

He added that GPL expects “10 per cent growth in the customer base, with an estimated 235,576 customers

by December 31, 2022”.

According to the senior government official, there are also planned infrastructural upgrades being undertaken at GPL in 2022 that will see the company reducing loss of generation capacity and improving its ability to transmit power to cater to the demand.

Among these plans is the reinforcing of the Demerara – Berbice interconnected system through the upgrades of several integral transmission and distribution locations.

In addition to these provisions, the Wales gas-to-energy project and the Amaila Falls hydropower project will also commence this year under the Prime Minister’s supervision.

“Both projects will transform the cost structure of GPL and will bring stability to the current fluc-

tuations in generation cost due to the volatility of fuel prices.”

TELECOMMUNICATIONS With regard to the telecommunication sector, the Prime Minister said that the Government is committed to creating an environment that fosters competition.

He assured the National Assembly that in addition to liberalising the telecommunication sector within 64 days of taking office, the administration has also moved to implement number portability – a mechanism that would allow persons to keep their mobile numbers while changing service providers.

A working group among the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and local service providers is in place and pursuing a December 2022 completion date of the new telecommunication mechanism.

“Another competition-facilitating measure is the issuance of a licence for the operation of a third submarine fibre optic cable connecting Guyana to the global internet via the Atlantic Ocean. This development means that all three of our major service providers will have their own transatlantic submarine fiber-optic cables”.

Additionally, the Prime Minister said that a fourth mobile service operator was

licenced and is expected to commence operations within 2022.

The National Data Management Authority (NDMA) has also boosted its operations by increasing its bandwidth capacity by 167 per cent. “This allowed for the increase in Wi-Fi bandwidth from 50 to 200Mbps at 139 public Internet access sites. Overall public WiFi consumption increased from 242Mbps in January to 500Mbps by October 2021.”

Additionally, the Prime Minister expressed disappointment in the parliamentary opposition for sticking to a political agenda and not acknowledging the many benefits that the Budget 2022 offers to ordinary Guyanese.

“How can you come and lecture us about a budget that does not provide for the people of Guyana, a budget that provides $600,000, starting this year, for everybody who has to do dialysis… I served in the military, I interact with veterans, and this is one of the issues that was raised by the leadership of the veteran foundation. About many shut-ins that have kidney issues and are challenged to pay for their treatment… this is the government that has provided for that this year.”

Prime Minister Phillips recommended the budget to the House as one that is transformative and people centred. (Office of the Prime Minister)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Successive budgets correcting damage, mismanagement under APNU+AFC – Dr. Mahadeo SUCCESSIVE people-oriented, people-centred budgets have begun to correct the destruction and mismanagement of five years under the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration while alleviating the burden on people, healthcare, education delivery, taxation, and infrastructure.

This is according to Government Member of Parliament, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo who contributed to the 2022 budget debates at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) recently.

“I challenge the honourable members of the opposition, who have issues supporting this budget, to name even one measure in this budget that will negatively affect the people of Guyana, especially the poor.

“If you can’t, then you are opposing just because you are in opposition,” Dr. Mahadeo told the House.

“Mr Speaker, the APNU+AFC, like I said before,

has caused a lot of destruction in the health sector, either by not doing maintenance or giving works to friends and families who did not have the capacity, skills or diligence to do a proper job,” he said.

Dr. Mahadeo noted that, in 2021, $97.4M was spent to ensure that every primary health care facility in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentye) was upgraded to improve service delivery and patient access, safety and comfort.

“Let me just mention that, in 2020, when we took over, the drug supply ranged from 0 to 18 per cent. Now it stands at 85 per cent and over. In fact, Mr. Speaker we are increasing our bond capacity in all regions to have more stock on hand,” Dr. Mahadeo disclosed.

Further, he said that the construction of a new modern hospital will start this year in the upper Corentyne.

To improve service delivery in Region Nine, he said three ATVs, two 4x4 vehicles, one two-wheel bike

were added to its fleet of vehicles in 2020 and in 2021 one minibus, four two-wheel bikes, six ATVs, one 4x4 vehicle and one ambulance were added.

In Region One, Dr. Mahadeo said that, at the request of the residents of Moruca, there is now a functioning X-ray department while additional works are being done to the theatre and maternity wing. Moruca now has its own ambulance.

“Mr. Speaker, I must mention that permanent training centres have been established for the first time in Regions One and Nine.

Last year, we trained 104 community health workers.

This year, we will train other categories of health staff, including Pharmacy Assistants, Medical Technicians, Nursing Assistants etc. We hope to meet the need of these communities for these categories of health workers by training right in the communities,” the government MP added.

He noted also that surgi-

cal capacity was restored at Lethem, Mabaruma and soon surgical capacity in Aishalton, Kamarang, Moruca and Port Kaituma will be present and enhanced.

In Region Seven, Dr. Mahadeo said there were specialist outreaches, especially in the upper and middle Mazaruni.

“For the first time there were specialist outreaches to these areas. Kamarang theatre is being constructed and expected to be operational by middle 2022,” he noted.

In Region Eight, specialist outreaches were done at all facilities.

Government Member of Parliament, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo “For the first time a Paramakatoi Hospital will resident doctor was placed be upgraded to Smart fain Monkey Mountain while cility,” he said.

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More money for community infrastructure this year

MINISTER of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamall says that the 2022 National Budget provides large sums of money for community infrastructure development.

The minister was, at the time, defending the 2022 National Budget in the National

Assembly, on Friday.

He stated that, “we are putting $5 billion to community infrastructure through its Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP).

We are putting $714 million to provide greater support to our local democratic organs all across our country, something that the last government

never did.”

He stressed that Region Four residents will see significant infrastructure transformation within their respective communities as the government has earmarked an increase of almost $1 billion to its budget to do so.

“This year, the budget of Region Four is the biggest

ever, even when they were in government as it is almost a billion dollars more.”

Minister Dharamlall stated that there is much to do to convert every community, in both coastland and hinterland regions to provide residents with equitable goods and services.

Minister Dharamlall also recommitted the PPP/C Administration’s dedication to cleaning up this country to restore it to its former glory.

He told the House that while this initiative began in January, spearheaded by His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali in his effort to create a ‘One Guyana’, opposition members have been discouraging residents from doing so.

Such action, he believes, will do more harm than good for the country and its people, as government advances its development.

“Unfortunately, the Mayor of Georgetown and the leader of the PNC does not want, they do not want them to clean up Guyana. I can report that the Mayor and

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamall Deputy Mayor of Linden, came out in support. Every single area of our country we are cleaning and we are going to put more money to transform this country.”

The vision outlined by the PPP/C Government for development does not simply mean spending money, but creating job opportunities in every sector, according to the Local Government Minister.

He said that, “we (government) have a lot of investments to make thousands of people to be employed. As a matter of fact, within our sector alone in the last 18 months we have had over 7000 persons employed and this year we are going to employ more people. We are going to have some shrewd

investment in Region Two to employ hundreds of young people.”

The government also allocated an additional $666.8 million towards the City Hall restoration project.

In support of the budget, the Minister lamented that, “we are here to represent the ambition of the people of this country. We are not here to hold back and deny people opportunities, more money is going to be spent.

More people are going to make money. There will be more money in the pockets of the poor people of this country.

This year’s budget is presented under the theme, ‘Steadfast against all challenges, Resolute in building our One Guyana.’ (DPI)

21

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Unvaccinated woman is latest COVID-19 death; 296 new cases recorded

EVEN as the government continues to implement systems to tackle the deadly COVID-19 virus, an unvaccinated 57-year-old woman from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) has become the latest fatality.

She died on February 04, 2022, taking Guyana’s overall death toll to 1,180 There are currently 5,484 active COVID-19 cases in Guyana, following the addition of 296 new cases on February 5, 2022.

The 296 newly confirmed cases were recorded in all 10 administrative regions.

Region Four accounted for 72 of the new cases; Region One recorded 34 new cases; Region Two recorded 13 new cases; Region Three recorded 30

new cases; Region Five recorded 11 new cases; Region Six recorded 29 new cases; Region Seven recorded nine new cases; Region Eight recorded 38 new cases: Regions Nine and 10 recorded 59 cases and one case, respectively.

The country has now recorded a total of 61,404 cases since March 2020.

Of the active cases, 14 persons are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the National Infectious Diseases Hospital, Liliendaal; 127 are in institutional isolation; 5,343 are in home isolation, and nine are in institutional quarantine.

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

The updated COVID–19 Emergency

Measures are in force until Feb 28, 2021. They may be extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Health, after an assessment of the prevailing

public health conditions of the pandemic.

As per the current measures, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes,

and physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are recommended. The current curfew is 12:00hrs to 04:00hrs.

Persons with symp-

toms of COVID-19 are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline numbers: 231-1166; 2267480; or 180/181 for assistance.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

New ‘Gene sequencing machine’ could be used to test for COVID-19 variants here MINISTER of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, on Friday, disclosed that the government has recently procured a ‘Gene sequencing machine’, to test for the malaria parasite, which he anticipates could be used to test for variants of the coronavirus by the end of 2022.

According to the Health Minister, the machine will be put into operation soon and will begin sequencing to identify the ‘Plasmodium falciparum parasite’ in selected blood samples, which is the parasite that causes malaria in humans.

Minister Anthony noted that this is just one use of the equipment that has been used around the world to identify the gene sequencing of variants of the COVID-19 virus, which equips health authorities with the knowledge of potential outbreaks and the impact of those variants.

Currently, employees of the Ministry of Health are being trained on how to use the equipment.

“We got that machine through another project in malaria and, over the last week we had a number of persons from Harvard [University] here that would have worked with our staff to teach them how to do sequencing and the staff of the lab also went to Harvard to do some training.

“We’ll start first with the Plasmodium falciparum that’s the malaria parasite so they are going to work to sequence that particular parasite but the same techniques can be used to sequence COVID-19,” said Minister Anthony.

TIMELY Minister Anthony noted that the procurement of the equipment is timely as the government continues to boost its capacity to tackle the deadly COVID-19 virus. He noted that the equipment, when put into operation, will allow health officials to make strategic decisions to minimise the spread of the virus.

Currently, the government is still to send 50 COVID samples to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago to test for the Omicron variant.

Minister Anthony noted that while these samples were to be sent since early January, several issues due to the disruption of the global supply chain caused by the pandemic, have significantly delayed the shipment.

According to the Health Minister, while the recent spike in COVID-19 cases could be seen as a direct sign of the presence of the Omicron variant here, gene sequencing from a sample of the population is the best way to confirm that it’s here.

“We actually selected samples way before we started getting the decline and we’ve had some difficulties sending the samples. So, the samples are packed and ready to go, it’s just that we have to make sure we have the right shipments, there are certain arrangements that have to be made. I think that’s what delayed the samples from going,” Dr. Anthony said.

Minister Anthony, nevertheless, noted that he is excited at the possibility that Guyana could soon bypass the shipping and waiting time and test for the variants locally.

“Maybe during this year you’ll see us doing our own sequencing and we wouldn’t have to send samples to labs and have these prolonged delays and we’re so grateful that we’d be able to do that and when we do that, I think that’s really a quantum leap for the kinds of testing we’d be able to do in Guyana,” said Minister Anthony.

23

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 6, 2022

Overseas-based Guyanese launch online business directory and marketplace

THREE overseas-based Guyanese recently launched an online business directory and marketplace under the name Snap.gy aimed at creating favourable opportunities for bbusinesses in Guyana and the Caribbean.

The online platform was launched at an opportune

time when social distancing is mandatory and many persons are now relying on social media for information and even shopping.

The fast-growing online business directory was introduced in Guyana in April 2020 by three overseas-based Guyanese Suruj “Serge” Seecharran, Suraj

Ted Nazir and Seebarrat Ramesh Pooran.

Seecharran, the Chief Executive Officer, said that the platform was designed to meet the needs of all Guyanese businesses (small to large) and provides a free, simple and safe website for non-profit organisations and government services.

Snap.gy creates a marketplace that connects the Guyanese community locally and regionally; persons can utilize the service by just signing in from their Google or Facebook account.

Nazir, the Managing Director, said that Guyanese will be able to increase brand visibility, increase

their website traffic and build a business to consumer (B2C) relationship while providing an opportunity for companies to advertise.

“The registration process is simple and free and only has three steps which include visiting the site, signing in with your Facebook or Google account and

following the instructions to add your business,” Nazir said.

The owners are hoping that they can get support from all businesses, NGOs, and government agencies.

Anyone interested in joining the site can send an email to serge@snap. gy or ted@snap.gy

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 6, 2022

Justin Langer resigns as Australia head coach

(ESPNCRICINFO) - Justin Langer has resigned as Australia men’s head coach after rejecting the offer of a six-month extension that would have taken him to the end of the men’s T20 World Cup. The initial announcement was made by Langer’s management company DSEG yesterday, the morning after a lengthy Cricket Australia (CA) board meeting had finished without a resolution while he was flying from

Melbourne to Perth.

“DSEG confirms that our client Justin Langer has this morning tendered his resignation as coach of the Australian men’s cricket team,” the statement said. “The resignation follows a meeting with Cricket Australia last evening. The resignation is effective immediately.”

CA CEO Nick Hockley confirmed the six-month offer, unanimously endorsed by the board, on Friday, would have been the end to Langer’s tenure with the view that it was time to transition to a new coaching era in the men’s team.

It had previously come close to finishing last August amid strained relationships with the players which first emerged a year ago before high-level talks patched the situation up to the extent that the World Cup and Ashes were won.

“We very much felt that Justin had earned the right to defend the T20 World Cup on home soil…but we understand and respect his decision,” Hockley said. “We were pretty clear with Justin that it was for a period of transition. When we sat down and looked at the needs of the team going forward, we felt that the team had evolved, and the requirements of the head coach had.

“We understand ... many people will be disappointed by the decision to only offer Justin a short-term contract.

The decision to start a process of transition is what we believe is in the best interest of the men’s team for unity and future success.”

Langer’s manager James Henderson, who also manages Ricky Ponting, Tim Paine, and Cameron Green, made

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his views clear on Twitter.

“As a player, Justin retired on top after a 5-0 Ashes whitewash,” Henderson wrote. “Today, despite the views of a faceless few, he finishes his time as Australian cricket coach winning the T20 World Cup and the Ashes. Lest we forget what JL took over in 2018.”

Senior assistant Andrew McDonald has been named interim coach. McDonald was already set to coach the T20I series against Sri Lanka while Langer rested. He will now lead Australia’s tour of Pakistan with another assistant likely called into the fold on a short-term basis. Hockley confirmed they would be looking for one head coach, but there would likely be more tours and series devoted to the assistants.

Langer’s decision came less than 24 hours after a marathon eight-hour CA board meeting where his contract was discussed at length. Langer’s current deal was due to expire in June, and he was seeking a longterm extension. Langer had held multiple contract discussions with Hockley and head of national teams Ben Oliver between the end of the fifth Ashes Test in Hobart and Friday’s board meeting.

Langer has walked away from the job he coveted after those discussions. The views of senior players have played a big part in Langer’s resignation, with his relationship with certain players fractured for nearly 12 months.

The players, led by former Test captain Paine, current Test captain Pat Cummins, and current limited-overs captain Aaron Finch, held crisis talks with Langer while he was in hotel

quarantine in Adelaide following a disastrous T20I tour of Bangladesh in August.

The meetings were mediated by Hockley and former CA chairman Earl Eddings.

Langer himself held over 30 individual Zoom meetings with players and staff while in quarantine to hear complaints about his coaching style. He vowed to change his style and believes he did through the T20 World Cup and Ashes, where he was far less involved in the day-today coaching and far more relaxed than he had been previously.

“In the middle of this year, we did have some challenging conversations and some issues, and I think, credit to absolutely everybody throughout the national teams set up for having some really robust and direct conversations,” Hockley said.

“We’re now evolving to the next phase of a more shared leadership model. If we think about the journey when JL started and think about where the team is now, JL deserves the most enormous amount of credit for where he’s brought the team from and to.”

Australia won the T20 World Cup in UAE last year and the Ashes handsomely, and Langer believed that would be more than enough to retain his job moving forward.

But Cummins and Finch failed to endorse Langer publicly when repeatedly asked in the media if they would like him to continue as head coach long-term. Both captains were consulted by Hockley and Oliver about Langer’s position

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 6, 2022

Seamers gift India fifth U19 World Cup title (ESPNCRICINFO) - It was India’s seamers, not spinners, in the U19 World Cup final who plotted England’s downfall, as Raj Bawa and Ravi Kumar produced match-winning bowling performances to share nine wickets and dismiss their opponents for 189. Bawa’s 5 for 31 was the best bowling performance in an U19 World Cup final ever, while Ravi finished with 4 for 34.

Even though India won by only four wickets, they were always ahead of the chase Shaik Rasheed hit a fifty, Nishant Sindhu stayed unbeaten on 50 too and Bawa made a crucial 35. And as it is often with Indians at World Cup finals, it was a wicketkeeper who hit a six to seal the World Cup title.

Although England did strike with wickets that prevented India from posting big partnerships, the modest target of 190 put very little pressure on them. That England even reached 189 was courtesy of James Rew’s valiant 95 that rescued England from 91 for 7 after Tom Prest chose to bat at the toss.

England’s troubles started early when Ravi found some movement in the morning, assisted in part by a bit of overnight rain in Antigua. He had Jacob Bethell lbw with a full ball in the second over and then had Prest chopping an attempted pull onto his stumps.

George Thomas, who scored a half-century in the semi-final, attacked right-arm seamer Rajvardhan Hangargekar from the other end even though Ravi was among the wickets early.

He smacked Hangargekar for a 16-run over early, however, fell for a 30-ball 27 when Bawa came in at first change. Bawa pitched the ball up, and Thomas tried to mow

one across the line, only to miscue a skyer to cover.

Rew and William Luxton were left with the task of starting England’s recovery, but they lasted only 16 balls together as Bawa struck two more times in consecutive deliveries. Bawa found some extra bounce to a wide-ish ball, and Luxton went chasing only to edge it to the wicketkeeper Dinesh Bana.

George Bell was gone for a duck when Bawa welcomed him with a short ball for his very first delivery, and all he could do was glove it to Bana, trying to block off the back foot. From 45 for 5, England were soon 91 for 7 following the wickets of Rehan Ahmed (caught behind off Bawa) and Alex Horton (caught at midwicket to off-spinner Kaushal Tambe).

With England heading towards being bowled out for a sub-120 score, it was left to Rew, the last recognised batter, to add some runs.

He joined hands with No. 9 James Sales to build a stand, and together they added 93 runs together. Rew was the attacker in the partnership, increasing his tempo as England crossed a hundred, 125, 150 then 175.

Even Vicky Ostwal, the economical left-arm spinner, went for 5.16 per over as Rew preferred pulling off the back foot or going over midwicket.

In fact, as England went past 180, it appeared like it was game on, with India probably needing to chase a target in the range of 225-240.

But that’s where it all went wrong again. Rew, on 95, pulled a harmless Ravi delivery to a fumbling-tumbling-juggling Tambe at deep midwicket while Thomas Aspinwall became Ravi’s fourth scalp three balls later.

From the other end, Bawa combined with Bana once

more to take his five-wicket haul, and England failed to bat 31 crucial deliveries, all out for 189 in 44.5 overs.

The consistent left-arm swing-bowler Boyden lifted England early in the chase when the in-form Raghuvanshi was caught behind for a duck. But he and the other seamers failed to get a second quick wicket despite accumulating the dot balls.

With Harnoor Singh and Rasheed happy to bide their time, it was a waiting game for England as they waited for the error. That finally came in the 18th over, with the score at 49 for 1, when Harnoor gloved a short ball from Aspinwall to the keeper.

That brought the captain Dhull together with his vice-captain Rasheed.

They had put together a double-century stand in the semi-final and looked to attack England’s spinners. Rasheed used his wrists to flick off his pads and stood tall to crunch cuts or drives through the off-side.

Rasheed moved to fifty in the 27th over, but fell moments after, caught on the leg-side after a wild heave off Sales. The bowler then removed Dhull for 17 to give England a tiny glimmer of hope as India lost their fourth wicket for under a hundred.

Sindhu and Bawa, though, counter-attacked instead. Bawa hit two sixes and one four while Sindhu also went over cover or midwicket. Two catches sent Bawa and Kaushal Tambe packing before India could go over the line, but Sindhu had enough time to reach his half-century.

He did that, after which Bana wasted no time to hit back-to-back sixes. The first one went over deep square leg.

The second one soared over long, and even before it landed, the camera panned towards the India players running in to celebrate.

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29

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 6, 2022

Pollard wants West Indies to bat 50 overs

(ESPNCRICINFO) - It was less than a week ago that West Indies were involved in back-to-back T20Is against England in Barbados with the series delicately poised.

A few hours after wrapping up a morale-boosting series win, the Kieron Pollard-led side left for India.

After three-day quarantine in Ahmedabad and negative COVID-19 tests, they were allowed to train in groups of four on Friday.

West Indies go into the first ODI today on the back of just one full training session. It was supposed to be a three-hour practice session but got extended a bit.

However, there have been no warm-up games before they take on a hurt Indian team who are looking to move on quickly from their 3-0 whitewash in South Africa.

“For us, we have to crack on,” Pollard said. “Today is the only full practice we have had, and then we have to have our meetings and discussions, and stuff like that. Again, we know these are some of the things people don’t want to hear and understand because we need to perform on the cricket field, but these are some of the challenges we have to face as international cricketers.

“The most we can do in a short space of time is to try and be in the right men-

tal space, have discussions about it, sort of visualise and plan as to how we want to go about it.

“From a physical point of view, we can do it. We have to get over jet lag. Some of us are still living in the Caribbean time zone. It’s night here in India but the guys have eyes wide open, but we have to get up early in the morning to play a day-night game. So, the challenges are there, but that’s why it’s international cricket and we try and overcome it, and not use that as an excuse.

“We’re doing what is necessary to try to take the field and perform at that optimum level. Hopefully, we can overcome these things and they can make us better cricketers as well as individuals at the end of the day when we stick out and look out for one another.”

The limited acclimatisation time has given West Indies little time to try and address the batting problem which Pollard felt they had, after the ODI series loss to Ireland in January. But the talk has revolved around three things: learn to adapt, take learnings from their series loss, and try to bat out 50 overs.

“Along the way, they want to draw inspiration from the fight they showed in their previous ODI series in India.

They had taken a 1-0 lead

before losing the next two games to concede the series.

This time they want to better that.

“For this series against India, the learning we need to take forward is how we bat 50 overs,” he said. “We haven’t batted 50 overs in the last couple of series against Ireland and Australia, so that is something we need to look at. As a team, we need to follow the template and plans that are put out there so that we can go out there and be successful.

“For us, it’s another opportunity to improve our skills, another opportunity to test where we are in international cricket against a formidable Indian team. The last time we were here, if my memory jogs me right, we did okay.

“We didn’t win the series, but we pushed them. So now we’re looking to push that one step further. Having said that, we need to put our heads together and try to improve in every area of our game where we fell short against Ireland.”

Pollard has been vocal about the team’s need to improve fitness standards.

He hasn’t been shy of calling out issues in selection - like being categorical about how average returns in the Regional Super50, West Indies’ domestic 50-over competition can’t become the basis for international call-ups.

THE Indian High Commissioner based in Guyana, HE Dr KJ Srinivasa, has praised the job done by Cricket West Indies (CWI) in hosting the U19 World Cup as well as the victorious Indian side.

HE Srinivasa hosted a dinner for the team in Antigua last evening but released a statement earlier in the day.

“It’s a time-honoured custom where the Indian High Commissioner hosts the visiting team for a reception. This Indian young brigade has really

performed very well in the U19 World Cup being unbeaten in the tournament.”

“Their positive approach, mature thinking, coming back from adversity where nearly half the team was down with COVID-19 shows that the future of Indian cricket is in great hands. I look forward to interacting with them.”

“The event will have the Governor-General of Antigua & Barbuda, Sir Rodney Williams, as the chief guest along with yesteryear legends of West Indies cricket like

Sir Richie Richardson, Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Curtly Ambrose, ICC and CWI officials including president of CWI, Ricky Skerritt; diplomatic corps; ministers and other dignitaries; and the Indian U19 full team along with BCCI selectors and yesteryear greats like VVS Laxman, Kanitkar, Bahutule etc.”

“We hope that the event will bring together people to congratulate the achievements of our young team and the team will be inspired by the presence of such legends.”

Indian High Commissioner congratulates India on U19 World cup win

This appears to have ruffled a few feathers higher up in the West Indies cricket administration, but as captain, Pollard insists he is “in a good space” and isn’t going to allow off-field chatter to come in the way of his vision.

“Obviously, I didn’t tour Pakistan (for the limited-overs series in December), so I got some much-needed time off to refresh the mind and body,” he said. “Coming back in the Ireland series, yes, it was difficult. And the England series was another tough series, but these things happen. Once you have the

intention of playing the sport, emotions, mental space and physical capabilities - all these things get tested.

“I’ve played my entire career with a lot of things riding on it, and I have come through it with a smile on my face. That is how I’m going to finish my career as well. For me personally, I’m in a good space and always looking forward to a challenge.”

As captain, one of the things he is doing is wearing a bigger cape around his broad shoulders to shield his players from external noise and give them the security

to perform. For this, Pollard said it was imperative for him to “continue his process and judgment”.

“For me, it is just a matter of backing my skill, ability, backing my cricketing acumen in terms of leading,” he said. “Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns. Sometimes you have to put guys in a situation where they can thrive with their confidence and stuff like that.

“For me, those are a couple of things coming out of it, just letting things happen and continuing my process and judgment.”

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 6, 2022

Three cricket committees benefit from private investment initiative

Zaman Mustapha of Leguan (left) and Anil Beharry THE Pomeroon, Wakenaam The balls were handed and Leguan cricket commit- over to Delvin Austin of tees were the latest to benefit Pomeroon, Zaheer Mohamed from the ‘Cricket Gear for of Wakenam and Zaman MuYoung and Promising Crick- stapha of Leguan. They all eters in Guyana’ project. praised the initiative and exThe three committees are pressed gratitude. They also affiliated to the Essequibo promised to promote young Cricket Board (ECB) and cricketers in their respective were each recipients of one areas. box of red cricket balls.

Total cricket-related items Anil Beharry, one of the collected so far are $40 000 partners in this initiative and cash, two trophies, three crickin his capacity as an execu- et boots, 12 pairs of batting tive of the Guyana Cricket pads, 14 bats, nine pairs of Board (GCB), recently visit- batting gloves and four cricket ed the County of Essequibo bags. to observe the election of To date, 23 young playoffice-bearers of the newly ers from Essequibo Coast, elected ECB. There he met Pomeroon, Georgetown, East with representatives of the Canje, East Coast Berbice and Committees.

Upper Corentyne have already He further explained that benefited from a junior gear after discussions with the bag, two trophies, nine bats, representatives, he decided to one pair of bowling shoes, six make a commitment to assist pairs of batting pads and six them with the balls. The balls pairs of batting gloves. he emphasised, are to be used In addition, Rose Hall for the development of young Estate Cricket Club benefited cricketers. from a pair of stumps and

Zaheer Mohamed of Wakenaam

bails and two clubs in the Pomeroon area received two used bats. Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenaam cricket committees also received one box of red balls each.

This project is a joint initiative by Kishan Das of the USA and Anil Beharry.

Cricket-related items, used or new, will be distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are important qualifications of the recipients.

Talent-spotting is being done across the country and club leaders will also help in this regard.

Beharry and Das take this opportunity to thank Javed and Imran of West Indian Sports Complex, Option Group of USA, Hilbert Foster, Bish Panday of P & P Insurance Brokers, Sean Devers, Trevis Simon, Årïêl J. Tïlkú, Aaron Beharry, Leanna Bachan and Imran Saccoor, Devon Ramnauth, Teddy Singh, Romash Munna, Ravi Etwaroo, Ravin Harkishun, Surendra Harkishun, Allan Mangru, Vishal Mahabir, Sherman Austin, Huburn Evans, Rajendra Sadeo and Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall and Cricket Equipment Guyana.

More distributions will be done as soon as the items become available.

Anyone who is interested in contributing can contact Anil Beharry on 623 6875 or Kishan Das on 1-718-664-0896.

Delvin Austin of Pomeroon

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 6, 2022

Conditional approval granted for GMR&SC to host endurance event … No spectators, says Mohamed THE Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) has secured approval for the hosting of an endurance event later this month.

Via a release yesterday, the club confirmed that the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) granted conditional approval for the event once pre-set conditions are met and kept.

One said condition is a zero-spectator policy for this event, something GMR&SC president Rameez Mohamed confirmed will be the hallmark of the event.

According to Mohamed, “We had earlier this year sought an audience for the hosting of an event because we understand that our members are eager to get back on track. However, we need those same members to understand that this isn’t an excuse to bring out spectators.”

“We are now giving these members a chance to use

the machines that they have been prepping all through the latter part of last year for an official club event.”

“What we want to complete as soon as possible is a list of key personnel who will be present on race day. Those include the medical and emergency teams, the marshals and race officials and of course those members.”

The GMR&SC boss added that the club has already secured donations from some of its members to help offset the cost of the event, as another condition on the approval features a ‘no-marketing policy’ of the club’s events.

“We want to say a special thank you to the team over at Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc., for throwing their hat in the ring at the first ask to help offset the expenses of this event. It’s something not a lot of people see. There is an expense incurred with hosting these events.”

FULLY VACCINATED ONLY Another conditional measure is that all persons who are attending the event must be fully vaccinated as stated by committee member Nyron Maraj.

“All persons present on the day must be fully vaccinated. That is to say that they have had two doses of a Ministry of Health-approved COVID-19 vaccine. We cannot overstate the importance of this for our members, their crew and other officials.”

“We are not above expelling those members who have not been fully vaccinated, be it our own marshals. We understand the importance of meeting the requirements of these conditions and persons must know that if they attempt to breach these rules, it can cost us future events.”

150-PERSON LIMIT WITHIN A SET TIME FRAME

Guyana Harpy Eagles wing out today for four-day action

Guyana Harpy Eagles are practically at full strength and will pursue a positive start in the tournament AFTER two years, the R e g i o n a l F o u r- D a y Championship makes a return from Wednesday with matches in Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago.

It will be just five rounds instead of the usual ten, after the season was curtailed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guyana Harpy Eagles depart these shores today after completing their COVID-19 tests on Friday.

They head to Trinidad for back-to-back matches at the Queen’s Park Oval.

First against Windward Volcanoes from February 9 then Leeward Hurricanes from February 16.

Head coach Esaun Crandon told local media operatives they are keen on taking each game at a time, and, to get back to winning ways they need to perform well, especially the batters.

Eagles won the title five consecutive seasons since 2014 until Barbados Pride copped it in 2020.

Captain Leon Johnson also insisted that the batters need to apply themselves in the transition from the slew of white-ball

cricket.

Apart from a ton each from Shimron Hetmyer and Tevin Imlach in the three warm up matches and a few fifties, the batting underperformed.

Unlike most of the occasions in the past, Eagles will have the talent of Hetmyer available for selection and the international player they don’t have available is Romario Shepherd, who is in India on West Indies duties.

The squad reads: Leon Johnson (xaptain), Keemo Paul (vice-captain), Chandrapaul Hemraj, Ta g e n a r i n e C h a n d e rpaul, Vishaul Singh, Akshaya Persaud, Anthony Bramble, Tevin Imlach, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, Nial Smith, Clinton Pestano, Shimron Hetmyer, Keon Joseph and Antony Adams.

The reserves are: Kemol Savory, Junior S i n c l a i r, K e v i n S i n clair, Kevlon Anderson, Ronsford Beaton, Trevon Griffith and Demitri Cameron.

According to the approval letter, the club will have permission to host no more than 150 persons for the event commencing no earlier than 10:00hrs and not exceeding 17:00hrs.

“We got approval for 150 peesons and all we ask is that persons continue to abide by these guidelines.

The task force has already said to us that they will be there in person to ensure that these rules are upheld.

Mask wearing and social distancing as well as sanitisation stations are all things we have to abide by.

“Also, the task force can and will be randomly asking persons to produce their vaccination cards or copies of it to ensure that

GMR&SC committee member Nyron Maraj they are fully vaccinated.

If by some means some persons manage to slip by us and they are found by

GMR&SC president Rameez Mohamed the task force, they will obviously be expelled from this and possibly future events.”

Britton wins two senior doubles titles at National TT Championships SHEMAR Britton won back-to-back doubles titles yesterday and sound a warning to a packed field for today’s Men’s Singles, which will close off three weekends of the 2022 Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) National Championships.

The 23-year-old first teamed up with another former Caribbean U21 champion Chelsea Edghill to defeat seasoned competitors Christopher Franklin and Natalie Cummings in the final of the Mixed Doubles.

The games were close, but Britton and Edghill managed to win 3-0 (11-8, 11-9 and 11-6).

In the semi-finals, the winners had gotten the better of Miguel Wong and Thuraia Thomas 11-4, 9-11, 11-1 and 11-5, while Franklin and Cummings had defeated 15-year-old Jonathan Van Lange and 11-year-old Jasmine Billingy.

The losing semi-finalists finished joint third.

BATTLE OF THE AGES The Men’s Doubles final was an intense battle, that was not reflective in the final scores, with Britton and Van Lange tackling former National Singles champions Franklin and Godfrey Munroe.

The 35-year-old Franklin and his older partner proved their experience when they bounced back from an 11-3 opening loss. They countered the exuberance of their younger opponents with a class and finesse, targeting the younger less experience

Shemar Britton and Jonathan Van Lange were crowned the Men’s Doubles champions Van Lange. should come down to a clash Munroe, 48, won his first between defending champion national senior singles title Cummings and Edghill with six years before Van Lange the latter a clear favourite. was born but in the second The most anticipated game, he gave the relatively event for today is the Men’s young audience of current Singles. players a taste of his brilAlthough Shemar is exliance, with clinical finishes pected to be a front-runner and looked like the young- for the title, due to his form est man at the table. That and because Franklin is not game ended 11-5 to draw the 100% fit. The title can go scores even at 1-1. either way.

Britton had a pep talk Franklin knows how to with his younger partner at win. He is the defending the break and although the three-time champion, having dominance of Franklin and dispatched of Britton in the Munroe rolled over into the last National Championships third game, it was short- two years ago. lived.

For Britton, winning toVan Lange proved why day would be a coming-ofhe is the best young player in age occasion. He is already the country as he swung the one of the best players in pendulum with solid plays. the country but has always Franklin kept his compo- played second fiddle to sure and Munroe also played Franklin. hard, but Shemar used his Without Munroe, there spins well to ensure that are a few other players, he and Van Lange emerged including the likes of Van champions with two consec- Lange, Miguel Wong and utive wins (11-8 and 11-9). even the resurgent Edinho Today is a packed day of Lewis, who might have a table tennis. The U21 male shot at the title, but it will and female finals will be most likely come down to played, along with the ‘B’ a battle between Britton Class and the Women’s Sin- and Franklin and it will gles. In the female battle, it be epic.

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Pollard wants West Indies to bat 50 overs

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 6, 2022

SEE PAGE

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West Indies captain Kieron Pollard

Conditional approval granted for GMR&SC to host endurance event SEE PAGE

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… No spectators, says Mohamed

The start of the GMR&SC Endurance event last year (GTRidez photo)

SEE PAGE

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2022