Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 08-10-2021

FRIDAY 8th October, 2021

' No.106508

Guyana’s oil resources exceed 10 billion barrels PAGE

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–– as ExxonMobil makes another discovery at the Stabroek Block

President Dr. Irfaan Ali, accompanied by Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, on Thursday, met with a group of American businessmen who are impressed with Guyana’s potential and want to discuss possible areas of investment (Office of the President photo)

Vaccination campaign commences for pregnant, Alleged Brickdam breastfeeding women 05

Dr. Singh foresees 02 positive economic growth for remainder of 2021 PAGE

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fire suspect 14 Hundreds of millions needed to 09 remanded to prison rebuild Brickdam Police Station PAGE

Alleged arsonist, Clarence Greene

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, October 8, 2021

Dr. Singh foresees positive economic growth for remainder of 2021

AS news of Guyana’s positive economic growth continues to make waves across the country, Senior Minister in the Office of the Pres-

ident with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, has said that the positive performance will continue throughout the year.

The senior minister spoke about the prospects of the country during an interview with the National Communications Network (NCN) on Thursday.

During this programme, he discussed the details of the Ministry of Finance’s Mid-Year Report. The report highlighted the performance of the Guyana economy, which grew in real terms by 14.5 per cent, while the non-oil GDP grew by 4.8 per cent in the first six months of 2021.

“Looking ahead for the remainder of the year, we anticipate continued growth and so the economy as a whole, we are looking at our latest projections, will grow in about the vicinity of 20 per cent. Our current projections show that the non-oil economy will show 3.7 per cent,” Dr. Singh said.

He reminded that the first half of 2021 has not been an easy period and

pointed to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the floods.

He said in addition to the global health crisis, Guyana was faced with the environmental shocks of the devastating and unprecedented nationwide flooding.

To this end, the senior minister said: “When you consider the fact that you had the reality of COVID-19 and you consider the fact that you had the flood impacting a number of sectors in a very significant way, you come to realise that recording growth of 4.8 per cent is in fact an extremely commendable achievement.”

This growth, Dr. Singh said, came out of a number of important sectors, including rice, notwithstanding the countrywide flooding; increased quarrying, as well as manufacturing.

Considering the country’s current economic performance, the senior minister pointed out that one must take into account the poor fiscal state the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government inherited from the former administration.

“We assumed office when the economy was literally on its death bed.

As a result of bad policies

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh for five years, as a result of mismanagement of most of the productive sectors, as a result of an environment that was hostile to investment and the private sector, as a result of the refusal to respect the no-confidence motion and then the refusal to respect the elections, by the time you got to August 2020, the economy was in a state of collapse,” he said.

Rebuilding the economy and investor confidence has not been an easy task, the senior minister related, but affirmed that President Dr. Irfaan Ali is keen on engaging with the local and international private sector to send a very clear signal that his government is deeply concerned with economic growth and prosperity.

Going forward, min-

ister Singh expects an aggressive expansion of all other sectors in Guyana, as he pointed out that logically, Guyana is the place to “set up shop.”

Dr. Singh said: “I anticipate continued strong investor interest and that is a direct result of the policy environment that we have created since we have assumed office.”

Earlier this year, the senior finance minister indicated that Guyana would be one of the fastest growing economies in terms of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and would see rapid transformation in a number of sectors, especially since the government would make efforts to boost the non-oil economy as well. (DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, October 8, 2021

Guyana’s oil resources exceed 10 billion barrels –– as ExxonMobil makes another discovery at the Stabroek Block

EXXONMOBIL Guyana has made yet another lucrative oil discovery within the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, pushing the nation’s petroleum resources well over 10 billion oil-equivalent barrels.

The latest find at the Cataback-1 well brings the total discoveries within the Stabroek Block to more than 20.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the oil giant said that the Cataback-1 well encountered 243 feet (74 meters) of net pay in high quality hydrocarbon bearing sandstone reservoirs.

It is located approximately 3.7 miles (six kilometres) east of Turbot-1 and was drilled in 5,928 feet (1,807 meters) of water by the Noble Tom Madden.

In a subsequent statement, the Government of Guyana, via the Ministry of Natural Resources, welcomed the discovery and acknowledged the fact that Guyana currently has the third highest oil reserves in the Latin America and Caribbean Region.

“This new recoverable resource estimate includes discoveries made in Guyana through early September 2021. In addition, the new discovery offshore Guyana at the Cataback-1 well, now indicated that there is a total of 25 economically viable discoveries within the Stabroek Block todate,” Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, said in a statement on Thursday.

According to the minister, in transforming the hydrocarbons sector, the government remains committed to enhancing the exploration and development of Guyana’s oil and gas resources.

“Therefore, as Minis-

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat ter of Natural Resources with responsibility for Petroleum, I would like to once again remind all Guyanese and stakeholders that the oil and gas investments and activities will be undertaken in a manner that is in keeping with international best practices for compliance and transparency within the petroleum sector,” Minister Bharrat said.

Additionally, Bharrat said that the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led administration will be working continually through consultations to enhance local content with policies and legislation that will create a sustainable development pathway to ensure maximum economic benefits for all Guyanese.

Guyana’s oil production and extraction operations are expected to increase significantly with the arrival of the Liza Unity, the second Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) to be operated in Guyana.

It has already been constructed and is currently en route to Guyana.

Minister Bharrat confirmed that the FPSO is already halfway to Guyana and it is expected to arrive offshore in

mid-November 2021 with an anticipated start-up of production in early 2022.

The Liza Unity FPSO has a capacity of approximately 220,000 barrels of oil per day, which will supplement the work of the Liza Destiny FPSO, which is currently producing approximately 120,000 barrels of oil per day, facilitating a production of approximately 330,000 barrels of oil per day in 2022.

Meanwhile, in response to the new oil find, the Senior Vice President of Exploration and New Ventures at ExxonMobil, Mike Cousins, said that the discovery adds to the resources in the Turbot/ Tripletail area, enhancing the potential of the project.

“Our proprietary technologies, global exploration experience and drilling capabilities continue to yield positive results in the Stabroek Block, which will generate additional value for Guyana,” Cousins said.

Similarly, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, said that the latest oil find coupled with the company’s existing projects continue to advance the Guyanese economy.

“For us, it is very important that the people of Guyana feel the benefit of not just the revenues that are generated from the natural resource, but also from the investment activities, the development activities, the work that’s needed to produce the oil and gas,” Routledge said.

He continued: “And so, again, you look back and you say we’ve made remarkable progress since 2015; since that first discovery, more than US$500 million has been spent with local companies; more than 800 local businesses and com-

Guyana’s oil resources could further double by 2025 (HESS Corp. photo) panies are involved in “We anticipate that of Guyana, the Technithe supply chain for our we’ll get to the point of cal Vocational Educabusiness. full funding of that proj- tion Training institutions T h e s e a r e s i g n i f- ect next year in 2022, at (TVETs) and the Centre icant milestones in a that point then we would for Local Business Devery short space of time expect that there will be velopment, benefitting when you think of the the beginning of early more than 3,000 indiscale of the industry and work in Region Three viduals. what it takes to move [Essequibo Islands-West Earnings and investforward. And remem- Demerara],” Routledge ments made by the petrober, we only have one said. leum sector is poised for project so far.”

He added: “[The proj- continued growth as Guyect] would commence ana looks to double its oil TRIPLE THE from the point of the production by 2025.

REVENUE STREAM landing location of the ExxonMobil’s affilThe ExxonMobil of- pipeline; making sure that iate, Esso Exploration ficial said that with the the route for the pipeline and Production Guyana arrival and operation is prepared to several Limited is the main opof the Liza Unity FPSO, works in the area of the erator, holding some 45 the company expects to Wales estate; prepar- per cent interest in the almost triple its reve- ing for the power plant, Stabroek Block. Hess nue stream to the Guy- which is another part of Guyana Exploration ana government, which the scope.”

Ltd. holds 30 per cent would then have more Routledge boasted interest and CNOOC funds to invest whether that ExxonMobil Guy- Petroleum Guyana Limin education, infrastruc- ana’s contribution to the ited, a wholly-owned ture and other projects local economy extends subsidiary of CNOOC for the benefit of all the beyond its operational Limited, holds 25 per citizens. activities to include stra- cent interest.

Routledge said too tegic community investIn the meantime, that the gas-to-energy ments such as the Greater ExxonMobil Guyana project is another ave- Guyana Initiative (GGI), and its partners are nue for the provision of which is a G$20-bil- gearing up to embark significant benefits to the lion-dollar programme on the largest ever exGuyanese people. Those geared at building capac- ploration campaign, benefits would include ity across sectors. which will see the drillthe availability of hunAlready, he said that ing of multiple wells dreds of jobs during the there are ongoing proj- across the Guyana baconstruction phase. ects with the University sin.

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Biden calls on more U.S. businesses to require COVID-19 vaccinations (Reuters) - PRESIDENT Joe Biden, on Thursday, said more U.S. businesses should obligate workers to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, calling the move vital to ending the pandemic and sustaining the economy.

“Today I’m calling on more employers to act,” Biden said.

“My message is: Require your employees to get vaccinated. With vaccinations, we’re going to beat this pandemic finally.

Without them, we face

Friday, 08 October 04:00hrs - 05:30hrs

endless months of chaos in our hospitals, damage to our economy and anxiety in our schools.”

Biden, last month, ordered all federal workers and contractors to be vaccinated, and for private employers with 100 or more workers to require staff to be vaccinated by Dec. 8, or get tested for the coronavirus weekly. That order covers 100 million people, about two-thirds of the workforce.

The president intensified the call on Thursday on a visit to the construction site of a future Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) data

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, October 8, 2021

U.S. President Joe Biden waves as he boards Air Force One for travel to Michigan from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S. October 5, 2021 (REUTERS/ Jonathan Ernst) centre near Chicago. The construction firm, Clayco, said it plans to implement immunisation or testing requirements for all employees.

Biden highlighted other vaccination success stories, including a move

by Chicago-based United Airlines (UAL.O) to set an October deadline for all employees to be fully vaccinated, the first U.S. carrier to do so.

Biden praised other airlines and businesses that followed suit, including entertainment company Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), drugstore

operator Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA.O) and Microsoft.

Immunisation requirements have broad public support, and Wall Street economists agree higher vaccination rates will stoke economic growth and add jobs, the Democratic president said.

Biden’s workplace vaccine order spurred pushback from high profile Republican governors and resistant Americans.

Biden said he was initially reluctant to order vaccinations.

“We have to beat this thing. So, while I didn’t race to do it right away, that’s why I’ve had to move toward requirements (that) everyone get vaccinated, where I had the authority to do that,” he said.

Biden’s mandate announcement in September came at a breaking-point moment as his administration struggled to control the pandemic, which has

killed more than 700,000 Americans, as a large swath of the nation’s population refused to accept free vaccinations that have been available for months.

A surge of hospitalisations and deaths caused by the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus has threatened not just the country but a president who ran on promises to get control of the pandemic. Biden’s approval ratings have sagged since he said in July the United States was “closer than ever to declaring our independence from a deadly virus.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that cases and hospitalisations have edged down on average over the last seven days, but cautioned that deaths - a lagging indicator - are still at 1,400 per day, primarily among the unvaccinated.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

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Vaccination campaign commences for pregnant, breastfeeding women

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony speaking with pregnant women at GPHC, as Chief Medical Officer Dr. Narine Singh looks on

IN an effort to reduce the number of positive COVID-19 infections among pregnant and breastfeeding women, the Ministry of Health has rolled out a targeted vaccination campaign.

D u r i n g T h u r s d a y ’s COVID-19 update, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony said that while the ministry has been offering the AstraZeneca, Sinopharm or Sputnik V vaccines to women in this category, a recent survey has indicated that many of them would prefer to take the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine.

“In terms of pregnant women, they have to be enrolled at one of our clinics so we can verify the pregnancy, and that would be done at any one of the clinics,” Dr. Anthony explained.

Verification of breastfeeding, he said, will be verified at the level of the local clinics.

Earlier this year, there was a lot of skepticism surrounding pregnant and breastfeeding women taking a COVID-19 vaccine, as there was limited scientific data on the subject. However, recent studies have

shown that the vaccines are safe for those women to take.

“Most of the obstetric societies, globally, have been encouraging pregnant women to get vaccinated in any one of the trimesters, whether first, second or third, because the vaccine is safe, and it is protective,” the health minister said.

Dr. Anthony said there has been a significant number of pregnant women that have become infected with the disease. As such, he is encouraging breastfeeding and pregnant women in Guyana to visit any one of the vaccination sites to take their ‘jabs’, and safeguard themselves from the potentially deadly virus.

“We have seen a number of cases of persons who are pregnant coming in with COVID-19. We have seen that at the Oceanview hospital; we have seen that here at the Georgetown Hospital, and at several of our other regional hospitals, and all of these women are unvaccinated,” Minister Anthony related.

He said, too, that fortunately, the majority of these woman have had a “milder form of the disease”, while

some others go on to have a very severe presentation of the disease. In a few cases, Dr. Anthony said that the virus forced doctors to conduct emergency caesarean sections. “This can be avoided, if women take the vaccine during their pregnancy,” he emphasised.

An expectant mother and her doctor discussing her taking the vaccine

To educate women on the importance of the vaccines, doctors will be conducting sensitisation exercises at various health centres across the country.

During an official launch of the campaign on Thursday at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s

maternal unit, Dr. Anthony, along with several other doctors, including the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Narine

Singh, briefed pregnant women on the safety and importance of the vaccine. (Modified from DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, October 8, 2021

Flouting the curfew, other regulations RECENTLY, there have been reports of businesses and individuals flouting the national curfew and regulations in place to protect citizens against the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.

Some businesses have been disregarding the government’s COVID-19 policy by letting unvaccinated individuals dine at restaurants and ‘sport’ in clubs/bars without proof of a recent PCR test or vaccination. Sometimes these businesses go past curfew hours and shut their premises to escape being detected by the lawmen who are tasked with enforcing the curfew.

Some reports suggest that others have entered into clandestine pacts with wayward cops to ‘watch their backs’ and alert them when the Army Bus is patrolling or is about to swoop down on them. For these business operators, the business must continue as the dollar

from all appearances, in their view, is much better than maintaining the curfew or their health.

And of course, there is the group of vaccinated and unvaccinated persons who have to walk, run or drive to reach home to escape the Army Bus or policemen who display a no-nonsense approach to enforcing the curfew. Again, the risk of contracting the virus in these parties and secret places is treated dismissively.

These reports are troubling, in light of the fact that more than 800 persons have died from COVID-19 and this seems to be not enough reason for businesses and individuals to stop breaking the curfew and breaching the safety rules.

It is astonishing that coupled with the more than 800 deaths and over 31,638 confirmed cases of the virus, these statistics seems to be not enough

to sink fear into some individuals and businesses of the importance of conforming to the curfew and COVID-19 guidelines.

It boggles the mind as to why are businesses allowing their patrons to dictate to them when they know they are at risk of being seriously reprimanded?

Is it so hard to abide by the policy of presenting proof or test results for COVID when Guyanese reach the door of a public building?

There is a view that it is time for the government to seriously consider harsher penalties in the form of fines and sentencing for breaching the curfew and safety regulations for businesses and individuals. It is sad that as a means to deter persons from breaching the curfew, the name, picture, and details of those guilty are now being published.

One could only hope that the public shaming helps in ensuring greater

compliance with the COVID-19 curfew hours. It cannot be overemphasised that reckless action has been the chief cause of loss of life to the COVID-19 virus.

It is great to see the police and the COVID-19 Task Force ramping up their efforts to complement the tireless work of the executive to stem the virus.

They should not hesitate to shut down or suspend businesses that are posing a national threat to the health and security of the nation through their irresponsible action.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali is on record as stating that Guyana will do all that is necessary to protect the lives of citizens as it battles the COVID-19 pandemic.

Business operators, do not make the President think that he is fighting an enemy within us; close your businesses and send away delinquent customers.

Do not put a few dollars in front of the nation’s health.

Sugar workers and the ‘good life’ promise under the APNU+AFC Dear Editor, FIRSTLY, let me commend and congratulate the PPP\C Government for the recent package given to sugar workers.

Why couldn’t APNU+AFC (PNC) do the same? I will answer that question: because of the lazy system in the opposition leadership and its MPs. The then government could not have done that because they had or should I say have no clue or vision when it comes to agriculture; or should I say how to govern a country. All they were thinking of is enriching the top brass through whatever means.

In their 2015 campaign at Whim, Corentyne, Berbice, in front of Dr.Veerasammy Ramayya’s house, the Coalition vowed and pledged that they would not close the sugar industry or any of the estates. They pledged and vowed that the sugar workers wouldn’t lose their jobs. They pledged and vowed that they were going to ensure that sugar workers were paid more because they are the backbone of this country and they will enjoy a good life.

Well soon after gaining the trust of the sugar workers, their families, relatives and friends who voted overwhelmingly for the Coalition, they went and started their very well planned destruction of the industry and its workers, because of race-baiting politics.

Due to the closing of the estates and the fact that workers lost their jobs, the economy plunged into what I will say depression.

The spending power wasn’t there.

Things started to go downhill for Guyana under the Coalition.

Those very workers who voted for the coalition in 2015 could not find jobs to sustain themselves and families. Things went haywire for many. Income was not possible.

School drop-outs for their children were on the rise and problems started to be embedded into their lives.

The promise of the Coalition to sugar workers was just a cloud over their eyes and the AFC leadership contributed 100 per cent towards the workers’ destruction. Moses Nagamootoo stood quietly as the PNC destroyed sugar and Guyana, while he enjoyed

the good life at the top.

Ramjattan had to do what he was told to do in defending the closing of the estates and he had to return to Berbice weekly to talk on the television or keep meetings, or else he would have been fired by the PNC. Today because of President Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s solid leadership, we once again see smiles on the faces of the thousands of sugar workers and their families.

The recent package that was announced by Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo is going to see a very significant rise in the spending power of those very workers.

The business sector is going to benefit tremendously, because the spending power will be there.

The economy will see more significant growth in 2022 when that package will start to be rolled out to the workers and their families.

The Ministry of Agriculture is headed by a man that knows about the sugar industry and agriculture in general, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, MP, continues to show his determination

for this sector to grow by being on the ground very often and listening to the people.

We must all commend the government for their vision for a better Guyana where all of our people can live that good life under the PPP that was promised by the lazy Coalition in 2015.

The Coalition has nothing educational to say that can even bring back an inch of the sugar workers to them, so they are now peddling what they have done to the sugar workers by saying that the PPP plans to close down the industry and that is why they are giving out those financial packages. It’s garbage that PPP is closing down the sugar industry.

Well, those lazy opposition officials won’t even get me to say a word on that, because they have no vision to counteract the great vision that the PPP has for a Better Guyana.

Yours sincerely, Abel Seetaram Former AFC Executive and RDC Region Five Councillor

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, October 8, 2021

OP-ED

By Julio A. Berdegué FAO Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean HUNGER in Latin America and the Caribbean increased by 14 million people in 2020.

With this, the Region lost what all it had achieved in 20 years of fighting this scourge.

At the same time, the pandemic accelerated the overweight and obesity crisis.

Household income fell and prices increased, especially for perishable foods that are more sensitive to disruptions in supply and distribution chains. The combination of lower incomes and higher food prices led millions to transition to cheaper diets of lower nutritional quality. We already see surveys that anticipate high obesity figures, including among girls, boys and adolescents.

There are 113 million people in Latin American and the Caribbean who cannot afford what for them is the luxury of a healthy diet, and are condemned to eat poorly, and, therefore, to get sick and live fewer full lives.

Incomprehensibly, Latin America and the Caribbean is the Region of the planet where it is most expensive to consume a healthy diet.

The pandemic has put around 451 million jobs at risk across the global food system. In the Region, this contributed to the sharp increase in poverty: 22 million people fell into poverty in our Region in a single year. This problem is particularly harsh in rural areas, where 45 per cent of the population is poor.

Must we transform our agri-food systems?

The economic and social recovery is being very uneven. Developed countries will manage to exceed their per capita gross domestic product (GDP) levels in 2021, but at least 18 countries in the Region will have to wait three or more years to return to the level they were at in 2019.

The pandemic has been a humanitarian catastrophe with waves of social and economic repercussions, which has made us relegate to the background the mother of all humanity’s battles: climate change.

The recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has tolled as loud a bell that calls us to urgently refocus. With regard to agrifood systems, it reminds us that 23 per cent of the total net anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are related to agriculture, livestock, forestry and land-use change.

As if that were not enough, a scientific and technological revolution is underway that is generating new realities at astonishing speed.

Just one example: in 2020, private investments in alternative protein companies in the world totalled 3.1 billion dollars, almost five times more than the budget of EMBRAPA, the main agricultural research centre in the Region.

In this context, there are those who wonder if the transformation of agri-food systems is necessary.

According to the dictionary of the Spanish language of the Royal Academy, the verb transform means “to make someone or

something change shape,” and also “to make someone change their habits.”

Should agrifood systems change their shape? Should the actors of these agri-food systems. (which, incidentally, includes all of us as consumers) change their customs?

It is true that among the many agri-food systems that exist on the planet, not everything has to change. It is not necessary to change all the dimensions, shapes and customs. And it is also true that, in many cases, the best response to hunger and climate change, or to the obesity epidemic caused by poor diets, is to conserve rather than transform.

But transformation is a sign of the times.

Bob Dylan said it well: “He not busy being born is busy dying.”

The central question, it seems to me, is not whether agri-food systems should change, but how they should do it.

The transformation will not be a “big bang,” nor will it be a single, centrally planned, unified process. It will be the sum of innumerable partial, decentralised transitions, with local roots and national trajectories, autonomous in origin from each other, but linked by all kinds of interactions. Some changes will be very profound, others less so, but over time, in 10, or 20, or 50 more years, the agri-food systems of our children and grandchildren will be markedly different from those of today.

This is and will continue to be a process where the winners will be those with the

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FAO Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, Julio A. Berdegué greatest capacity for innovation, anticipating the facts, discovering and amplifying solutions and new ways of producing, processing, trading, buying, selling and consuming food.

This is a fascinating era for those who dare to think with an open mind, and a time of dark clouds for those who prefer to entrench themselves in their ways and customs to resist without changing.

The PNC leadership doesn’t care about ordinary Afro-Guyanese Dear Editor, FOR some time now, particularly since March 2, 2020, a group of persons sympathetic to the PNC/APNU have been frequent contributors of letters to the press.

This group, along with members of the PNC, has been doing its damnest to further contaminate the minds of ordinary African-Guyanese with their racist propaganda. The intention is to incite this section of our population to attack the government, up to and including, instigating them to violence.

Since its inception the PNC, working hand-in-hand, with the colonial masters, set out to divide the working people of our country by using race as the main instrument. At that time their objective was to stop independence and to remove the PPP government of 1957 to 1964 from office.

Over and over again in our recent history they have succeeded in fomenting racial strife in Guyana.

These attempts are now being inten-

sified. Only two weeks ago we saw on Facebook some PNC and WPA elements, including David Hinds, talking about undermining the government by any means.

Those persons feel confident that they can succeed because time and time again they organised racial violence up to as recent as last year. Immediately after the election, former President Granger and his right hand, Harmon instigated many African Guyanese to take the street in West Berbice. In the process, many innocent Indian Guyanese, who were going about their business, were attacked.

The pretext for that attack was the brutal murder of two young African Guyanese, the Henry cousins. Without any evidence they made African-Guyanese feel that the boys’ murder was racially instigated.

Since then the matter was dealt with by the police and persons charged, but the racists continue to try and use it to inflame racial sentiments.

These persons, like those in the PNC leadership, really don’t care about the

Henry boys nor any other ordinary Afro-Guyanese. Their sole intention is to use, or better to misuse them to increase the bargaining power of the PNC at the least and finally to put that elite into power, so that they could again use the state apparatus to enrich themselves through massive pay increases and other perks for themselves, coupled with unbridled corruption as happened between 1964 and 1962 and recently between 2015 and 2020.

If they had any genuine feelings for justice they would have wanted to see justice for Haresh Singh, the 17-year-old who was brutally murdered in what appears to have been a murder of reprisal. It took the police months to charge someone and then the matter seems to have been lost, forgotten, as if his life did not matter.

That racist clique probably welcomed that murder.

Their silence has also been defending on the shooting by police of another teenager, Sewdat Hansraj, during a spontaneous protest to prevent the PNC/

AFC rigging of the 2020 elections. This incident took place on March 6, 2020 at Cotton Tree.

Residents of the village have deemed this a murder. The young man was shot by police across a canal. He was unarmed and posed no danger to the officer or anyone for that matter.

Our “knight in shining armour” has not been calling for justice for the Hansraj family, nor have they uttered a word of sympathy.

Clearly, the PNC leadership together with the racist elements outside that party are at their old game again to create mayhem to promote their own selfish interest which is mainly to pillage the country and to lord it over our working people and live like kings and queens.

It’s time that all these matters be dealt with openly, without fear or favour and let justice prevail in our country.

Donald Ramotar Former President

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

Restorative measures needed for effective justice system -Attorney-General says

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs Mohabir Anil Nandlall AT TO R N E Y- G e n e ral (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, said if Guyana is to have an effective justice system, restorative justice must be applied.

The Attorney-General was at the time addressing ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) engaged

in a ‘pre-trial detention, custodial sentencing and non-custodial alternative workshop’ on Thursday.

Nandlall said that in Guyana, the justice system is accustomed to the brutal aspects of punishment as prescribed by law, but according to experts in the field, such an approach has proven

ineffective, and it’s high time we try something different.

“Now they are recommending a different approach; a softer approach.

An approach that requires a little more engagement, and pursuing alternative method of punishment; alternative to imprisonment,” the attorney-general said, adding: “Pre-trail detention or alternative to pre-trial detention are all concepts that emerge from the precept from what restorative justice embraces.”

He said that aside from alternative sentencing, restorative justice goes deeper than just a lighter punishment for the person convicted.

As he explained, “It examines the root cause of why the persons went into the criminal justice system in the first place, because, if those underlying factors are still there, and he goes into prison and he goes back to that environment and those underlying fac-

tors that precipitated his conflict with the law are still there, there is a likelihood that he will return.”

The workshop, Nandlall said, is a manifestation and demonstration of the government’s commitment to the Rule of Law, Constitutionalism and the Criminal Justice System.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn took a similar position on the matter as the attorneygeneral, in that he, too, believes that many times when someone appears before the court, they are not first-time offenders.

That being the case, he feels that it is important to understand the underlying factors that causes one to take certain actions when they become part of the criminal justice system.

“I speak of the overall new paradigm we have to undertake, and which this activity represents in having a more empathetic; a more respectful engagement with our peo-

Minster of Home Affairs Robeson Benn ple,” Minister Benn said.

Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Clifton Hicken, who is performing the duties of Commissioner of Police, reminded ranks that they are the first point of contact a defendant has in the criminal justice system, and that as such, their partnership

with institutions in the criminal justice system is paramount.

The workshop, which is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), falls under the “Support for the Criminal Justice System Programme”.

Ranks of the Guyana Police Force at the workshop on Thursday

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, October 8, 2021

Hundreds of millions needed to rebuild Brickdam Police Station –– Cabinet to be approached for funds

MINISTER of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn has confirmed that the government will be moving ahead to rebuild the Brickdam Police Station, which was recently destroyed by fire due to arson.

The reconstruction of the central police station is estimated to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and

Minster of Home Affairs Robeson Benn (DPI photo) according to Minister Benn, Cabinet will be approached for the necessary funding.

“The very fact that we have identified that we will rebuild; restore. The fact that we are meeting today says that this is what we will do;

we will rebuild, restore and build better,” Minister Benn stated.

On Saturday last, approximately 80 per cent of the Brickdam Police Station was destroyed by the fire, which officials said started at around 11:00hrs in the upper reaches of an eastern building in the precinct’s compound.

The police headquarters, a wooden structure, housed the Officers’ Mess Hall, the Traffic Department, and the Inquires and Criminal Investigation Departments (CID), as well as the prosecutors’ and commanders’ offices.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, said that the destruction of the station has put hundreds of prisoners, whether innocent or guilty, along with their families at an inconvenience.

“Whenever these acts [of arson] occur, whether they [the perpetrators] do it to a school or they do it to a police station, the people of our country are affected; Guyana is set back,” he said.

The Legal Affairs Minister noted, too, that the burning down of the station will also have an adverse effect on the

What’s left of the Brickdam Police Station in Georgetown (Elvin Croker photo) Magisterial District of Georgetown, since most of the files from the criminal justice system were housed in that very building. (Excerpted from the DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, October 8, 2021

Mahdia residents to get improved water supply

SEVERAL communities in the town of Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), are expected to receive enhanced water services following the completion of a well, which is currently being dug by the Ministry of Housing and Water.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall updated residents of Campbelltown during a recent visit there.

Residents of Campbelltown, Micobie, and other communities had raised concerns about the water supply.

“The government’s position is that everyone must get water; so we have to fix that problem, as people need water, since it is an essential element. And we cannot exist without it, so it is something that we have to sort out as quickly as possible,” the Local Government Minister said.

Minister Dharamlall said that while he understands the residents’ frustration, he hopes they exercise patience until the issue is rectified.

Currently, 200 of the 250 households

within the community receive water directly to their houses.

Minister Dharamlall has promised to provide the necessary support, through the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), to ensure other residents receive water directly to their houses as well. This will be done, once a comprehensive feasibility study is carried out.

GWI’s Regional Technician, Trevor Poole

“The only condition I have to this commitment is that the elderly is the first to benefit from this, and then everyone else who needs this assistance,” he said.

The initiative is in keeping with the government’s commitment to bridge the gap between coastland and hinterland.

The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI)’s Regional Technician, Trevor Poole said the community is currently experiencing a dry season, which makes it difficult to provide them with the amount of water needed to serve all its residents.

The situation has led to the company providing Campbelltown with gravity-fed water from Sambora Creek.

Poole said that the community had once benefitted from a 24-hour water supply, but that was changed about two years ago, after the well began experiencing problems.

“At this time, the GWI staff is working around-the-clock, and even though we are having dry season, we are trying to ensure that we can at least cover some percentage of the areas, so that you guys

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall can get, even if it is low pressure, temporarily, until we can get systems in place,” he explained.

The company’s technical team will visit the region by mid-October to assess the water system. (DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, October 8, 2021

Brickdam fire started in Fraud Department, arson confirmed

By Jared Liddell

THE Guyana Fire Service, on Thursday, has confirmed arson as the cause of the fire that completely destroyed the Brickdam Police Station on October 2, 2021.

This was disclosed by Fire Prevention Officer and lead investigator into the Brickdam Fire, Sheldon Sauns.

The Brickdam Police Station was the headquarters for the Guyana Police Force’s Regional Police Division Four ‘A’ that housed the office of the regional commander.

The findings of the investigation come mere days after the Guyana Police Force (GPF) released information indicating an alleged confession by 26-year-old Clarence Greene that he set the fire that ravaged the Brickdam Police Station.

Sauns, during a press conference on Thursday, said the conclusion reached into the origin of the fire was drawn from “feasible information” gathered by the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) investigations

A section of the St. Stanislaus College tarmac where tents are set up to provide the services that were offered at the Brickdam Police Station before the fire (Elvin Croker photo) coupled with samples from the site of the fire.

The GFS noted that the fire started in the Fraud Department, which is located on the second floor of the administrative building.

The devastating fire, reportedly started in the eastern

section of the compound at 11:06 hours, on October 2 and destroyed more than 80 per cent of the structures, including the Property Room, Inquires Office, Traffic Department and Officers’ Mess Hall.

The Fire Prevention Of-

ficer noted that while no sponge was found at the site of the fire, other materials found at the site confirmed arson as the cause of the fire, stating: “The samples were some paper, wood; we found bits and pieces of cloth, if you’re asking directly if we

found sponge, no, but we found part of a lighter, and that was around the fraud section.”

He noted that the fire service investigation begun on October 2, 2021, just mere hours after the fire had been extinguished, with arson being labelled a suspected cause of the fire.

Sauns also pointed out that the fire service investigation is currently at 85 per cent completed.

Meanwhile, to continue providing services to the people of Georgetown, temporary police offices have been established at the tarmac of the nearby St. Stanislaus College. At the new location, reports and other police-related matters are dealt with.

This development resulted from collaboration between the Ministries of Home Affairs and Education.

The St. Stanislaus College is located on the western side of the Brickdam Police Station compound, with the thoroughfare, Manget Place, separating the two premises.

The Brickdam Police Station housed 398 ranks be-

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Brickdam Fire Lead Investigator and Fire Prevention Officer, Sheldon Sauns longing to the Commander’s Office, Traffic, Impact Base and CID. Commander of Police Division Four ‘A’, Assistant Commissioner, Simon Mc Bean, has assured that while the station will be operating out of a temporary location, none of the services it usually offers has been disrupted.

“So far we have been able to respond to the needs of citizens from the centre. Persons coming to make reports, they have been able to make their reports and they were responded to; traffic accidents are reported and responded to, and our detectives are working.

All our patrols are out so we have been able to respond to the public, providing services as we normally do,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s message on the occasion of Navratri

I AM pleased to extend greetings to all Guyanese, especially to our Hindu brothers and sisters, as they commence the celebration of Navratri - the auspicious nine-day period of fasting and worshipping of the Goddess Durga.

The festival of Navratri is one of awakening and self-consciousness. It is my hope that this festival will help dispel ignorance and adversity from within our midst and instil wisdom and fortune in our lives.

Navartri ignites a glow in our hearts and the opportunity for renewed confidence and the spreading of goodwill towards others. The sacred period reminds us that with divine blessings, we all can possess the courage and strength to overcome life’s formidable challenges.

May the special blessings of this period radiate from our hearts to our homes and to our communities.

May these nine days of devotion be filled with blessings, happiness and be observed with a positive mindset and a commitment of love towards each other.

Happy Navratri!

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GUYANA CHRONICLE friday, october 8, 2021

Five more unvaccinated persons die of COVID-19 THE Ministry of Health, on Thursday, reported that five unvaccinated patients have died after being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The ministry, in its daily report, stated that an 88-year-old female, an 80-year-old male, a 56-year-old female, a 72-year-old female, all of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica),

and a 93-year-old female from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) were the latest deaths recorded locally. Those deaths took the overall COVID-19 death toll to 821.

Meanwhile, statistics show that 224 new infections were recorded within the past 24 hours, taking Guyana’s total infections since March 2020 to 35,175.

New infections were recorded in Region One (nine cases), Region Two (37 cases), Region Three (58 cases), Region Four (81 cases), Region Five (five cases), Region Six (three cases), Region Seven (14 cases), Region Eight (one case), Region Nine (seven cases) and Region 10 (11 cases).

Up to press time, there were 32 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 157 people in institutional isolation, 3,473 in home isolation and seven people in institutional quarantine.

Additionally, some 28,692 persons have recovered after they were infected with COVID-19.

All Guyanese are reminded to ob-

serve the protocols of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (NO.22), which are in effect until October 31, 2021.

This order emphasises the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home, the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others and the need for good hand-hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 2267480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit us at www.health.gov.gy.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, October 8, 2021

Alleged Brickdam fire suspect remanded to prison

By Clestine Juan ALLEGED arsonist, Clarence Greene was, on Thursday, remanded to prison for the devastating fire at the Brickdam Police Station, which destroyed over 80 per cent of the buildings in the compound that houses the force’s Regional Police Division Four ‘A’ as well as the office of the Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Commander.

Greene, called “Molly”, of Charlestown, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

He was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that on October 2, 2021, he unlawfully and maliciously set fire to a building belonging to the State, that is the Brickdam Police Station.

It is further alleged that on the same day in question, at Water Street, while being armed with a gun, he robbed market vendor, Chitrannie Ramkissoon of a mobile phone valued at $160,000. He was not required to plead to the charge.

Police Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Shellon Daniels, made an application for the charges to remain indictable. The prosecutor objected to Greene being released on bail, citing the seriousness of the charges, and the loss of the state’s property.

Alleged arsonist, Clarence Greene Greene’s attorney, Kiswana Jeffords, asked the court to release her client on reasonable bail since he is the sole breadwinner for his family and his reputed wife is pregnant.

Jeffords told the court that her client is innocent and was threatened by the police to do a video interview to “confess.”

The Chief Magistrate opted to remand Greene to prison on the grounds of the seriousness of the offence.

According to reports, on Saturday, October 2, Green was arrested by police for armed robbery and was being held in custody at the Brickdam Police Station.

It is alleged that while in custody, Greene “grew frustrated” after several hours of detention and decided to set fire to the building.

During the midday hours of Saturday, the fire ripped through the Brickdam station.

The devastating fire, which reportedly started in the eastern section of the compound at about 11:06 hours, destroyed more than 80 per cent of the station, including the Property Room, Inquiries Office, Traffic Department, and the Officers’ Mess Hall.

Guns and ammunition were safely removed from the buildings before the fire spread. The police barrack at the western section of the Brickdam compound remain standing after the blaze, as well as the “clay brick” Impact Base building, and the section which houses detainees.

Greene was one of 16 persons in custody at the time of the fire. The detainees as well as the ranks on duty at the time were all safely evacuated from the compound. There were no reports of serious injury or loss of life.

In an alleged video confession, while in the custody of the Guyana Police Force, it is claimed that Green explained his motive for starting the fire.

It is further alleged that two men, who were also detained with Greene at the time of the incident, informed police that the accused took a piece of sponge, wrapped a piece of wire around it, set it on fire, and pushed the burning materials through a ventilation hole in the cell that led into a section of the building that housed documents.

The case is adjourned until October 28, 2021.

CIOG lauds financial aid given to severed sugar workers THE Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) has issued a statement applauding the Government of Guyana for its initiative to distribute $250,000 to each of the sugar workers who lost their jobs during the abrupt closure of four sugar estates in 2017.

“This assistance will undoubtedly alleviate the suf-

ferings of the seven thousand sugar workers and their families,” CIOG indicated.

The religious body also commended the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led government for its decision to reopen three of the four closed estates. The reopening, CIOG reasoned, will have a positive impact on not only the lives of sugar workers, but also the communities in which they live.

“CIOG congratulates the government for displaying their caring attitude, and consistency in delivering on their promises to this nation.”

The Islamic organisation also expressed trust that the severed workers will utilise the grants wisely, and for the benefit of their families.

“God Bless Our Government and Guyanese people,” CIOG concluded.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, October 8, 2021

GUYOIL contributes $1M to GTT’s ‘Pinktober’ initiative

THE Guyana Telephone and Telegraph company (GTT) has received a contribution of $1 million from the Guyana Oil company (GUYOIL) for its annual ‘Pinktober’ cancer awareness initiative.

According to GTT, the funds received from GUYOIL will go towards providing support to patients for cancer treatment and care.

GTT’s Chief Operations Officer of Business Solutions, Orson Ferguson, who received the sponsorship cheque during a small Pinktober launch at the National Park, said that the company is grateful for the support from the oil company.

“Over the years, GUYOIL has supported our Pinktober initiative, even in the pandemic; their

commitment has remained steadfast, and we are truly grateful for their continued support,” Ferguson said.

He added: “Their unwavering support continues to positively impact on cancer treatment and awareness in Guyana and we look forward to strengthening our community with this kind of support as we rise together.”

Commenting on the sponsorship, Acting General Manager at GUYOIL, Molly Hassan, said the company remains dedicated to raising cancer awareness in Guyana and facilitating access to treatment and care.

“We believe it takes a united effort to touch the lives of many persons in Guyana; so, whether it’s cancer victims, survivors or those who take care of them, their families and

friends - our aim is to facilitate awareness and aid in providing the necessary treatment and care needed for all in Guyana,” Hassan said.

On October 1, GTT launched its annual Pinktober event during a small ceremony and ribbon-cutting launch in the National Park. The company has mounted a “Wall of Hope” and outfitted the park with Pinktober messages as part of this year’s event.

GTT has also sourced a number of new Pinktober items ranging from Polo t-shirts, crop tops, caps and fitness trackers among other items to raise funds.

Items could be purchased at any GTT retail stores, mmg+ agents with updated mmg+ code m20336 or Pinktober partners at affordable prices.

Marketing Executive at GUYOIL, Mowshani Lekraj, hands over a replica of the $1M Pinktober cheque to GTT’s Chief Operations Officer, Orson Ferguson

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

Police speed guns calibrated by GNBS Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent Ramesh Ashram

THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) has upped its capacity to promote “proper road usage” with the calibration and certification of some of its speed guns during a two-day exercise facilitated by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).

Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent Ramesh Ashram, indicated that this initiative will help to boost the force’s ability to prosecute

road users in breach of the country’s speed limits.

The GNBS, on Wednesday, at the CMR&SC, South Dakota Circuit, conducted roadside testing of the GPF speed guns utilizing its new Multi-Radar Compact Device (MRCD) to ascertain the accuracy of the devices.

“This will enable us to have [a] better chance at prosecutions; so if a driver wants to contest a matter in court, because you would

find some drivers would want to contest the ticket and say that the speed that the police show them is not the speed they were going at and when you get to the court there is a requirement that your speed guns are certified and the force would have to prove that and now, we can,” Superintendent Ashram stated.

During the exercise, the GNBS calibrated and certified the accuracy of five speed guns.

Ashram noted that the Force is currently in possession of 20 guns and is aiming to have the remaining 15 devices certified within a few months.

He further noted that for the year 2021, the GPF has trained 239 ranks in the use of the speed guns, breathalyzers, and tintometer instruments.

Meanwhile, Executive Director (ag) of GNBS, Ramrattie Karan, noted that the bureau has spent $11 million on the exercise which included the purchase of the new MRCD instrument that was used to calibrate the GPF speed guns, and the training sessions which were facilitated by Solutions Architect

A GPF rank demonstrates how the speed gun is used to tag the speed of a moving vehicle Manager of JENOPTIK, Corlan McDonald.

Karan noted that the GNBS’s decision to purchase the equipment comes on the heels of numerous complaints from road users about accuracy of the speed guns used by the traffic ranks.

She clarified that the GNBS certification is not a confirmation that the devices are not working properly.

“Allow me to point out that we are not implying that the devices used by the GPF are not accurate… when they were purchased by the police force those devices came with a calibration certificate

and they have a validity date that is still valid, but we will be working with the force when those dates are nearing an end to ensure accuracy is maintained,” she said.

She added that speed guns are expected to be recalibrated and certified every six months by the GNBS. Further, she noted that it is extremely important to determine the accuracy of measuring devices in promoting and preserving the credibility of any agency utilizing some unit of measurement when dealing with the general public.

The Multi-Radar Compact Device (MRCD) that was recently purchased by the Guyana National Bureau of standards (GNBS)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

Woman found dead in GPHC’s washroom

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation THE body of a woman was found in the washroom of the female ward at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), on Thursday.

According to a press statement from GPHC, the body was discovered at around 11:05 hours by one of the employees of the hospital.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the family of the patient were immediately

notified of the discovery by members of GPHC’s management team.

A team from the hospital has been identified to support the family of the patient and provide all the necessary information to assist the GPF in their investigations.

In expressing condolences to the patient’s relatives, the hospital also committed to take every action to prevent this type of event from occurring again.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

Romola Lucas is an attorney for the arts -on a mission to propel the film industry to new heights

Entertainment attorney and co-founder of Third Horizon, Romola Lucas.

PA S S I O N AT E about preserving Guyana’s art, culture and history, entertainment attorney Romola Lucas continues to contribute to the growth of the local film industry, with an aim to positively impact thousands of lives through the arts.

Also the Co-founder of ‘Third Horizon’, a non-profit organisation based in Miami, United States which exhibits, distributes and produces Caribbean films, Lucas, as an entertainment attorney, represent artists and production companies to review, draft and negotiate their production and financing deals.

Speaking with the Buzz this week, Lucas explained what her job entails and just why it is that she loves doing it. “What I like most is

connecting with people in meaningful ways; doing work that has the ability to uplift and positively impact lives,” she expressed. Through her work, Lucas is also able to exhibit her values and process her personal challenges, which she believes makes her into a fairly healthy and

balanced person.

On top of her list of accomplishments so far, Lucas said, is leaving the ‘job’ behind to work for herself on things that she is passionate about, and working with people she enjoys working with and in a manner which fits best with her values.

As a Co-Executive Director of Third Horizon, Lucas is responsible for the business management of the organisation and works with the development director to write and apply for grants. She also produces the team’s flagship film festival in Miami, the Third Horizon Film Festival, as well as the satellite festivals in Los Angeles and New York, the Timehri Film Festival in Guyana, and films by Caribbean filmmakers.

“As a producer and distributor of Guyanese films, I work with local artists whose interests are similar to mine - those interested in preserving our cul-

ture through film,” she shared.

One of the films she produced, “Essequibo Rapture,” explores an interracial relationship in Guyana and a part of it was shot in Wakenaam, which provided a great opportunity to share parts of Guyana and its culture not commonly seen. “So the types of projects I’m interested in producing; all are artistic and capture both Guyana’s physical and cultural beauty.”

Romola is especially proud of the founding of the Caribbean Film Academy (CaFA) in Brooklyn, NY in 2012, and building the Caribbean Film Series and screening series of Caribbean films which found a home at one of New York’s most iconic cinema venues, the Brooklyn Academy of Music. “CaFA has now merged with Third Horizon Media, and we are now known as Third Horizon,” she explained.

With a festival production crew in 2019.

Romola derives great satisfaction from working on things that she’s passionate about.

She’s also proud of the founding of the Third Horizon Film Festival, which is now in its sixth year and has twice been named by Movie Maker Magazine, in it’s top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the world (2019 and 2021).

Lucas is happy to have been producing the Timehri Film Festival (TFF) in Guyana, since 2016, and taking films from the festival to prisons and the juvenile detention center in Guyana. As part of her future plans, she wants the TFF to be more inclusive of the work of indigenous filmmakers in Guyana and from other parts of the world, “and have it fully step into its growing role as the only Caribbean film festival that considers itself an indigenous festival.”

She also hopes to raise the level of Guyana’s consciousness on environmental and other social issues involving race, sexual orientation, etc. “As a queer black (actually mixed - I have both Indo and Afro Guyanese grandmothers) Guyanese woman with a background in environmental science (I have a 2 year degree in Marine Science, a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and 5 years in a Geology PhD program), the levels of racism, homophobia and non-conscious development which overwhelmingly impacts our environment here in Guyana negatively, all really bug me, and I will be doing my part in addressing those issues,” she expressed.

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‘Squid Game’ keeps me up at night

My sleepless nights are often rooted in my love for movies, sitcoms and drama series. Only recently, I diverted from all of those things and became hooked on social media app, TikTok. It snatched my sleep and stymied my productivity, so I made the conscious decision to delete the app and regain at least some amount of my sanity; it worked.

At least until this week when I did the out-of-character thing and tuned into a show that had been dominating the screens of most, and flooded my social media feeds. Mind you, I am not a follower, and when it comes to television, I

tend to stay away from what’s trending, largely because they often become sources of disappointment; much like the Full House reboot – Fuller House. I still can’t believe that made it past season one.

I have successfully steered clear of shows such as ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Brigerton’. As a matter of fact, it was only during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic that I began to watch Grey’s Anatomy; admittedly, I fell in love.

On Tuesday night, at the request of my younger brother, we tuned into ‘Squid Game’ on Netflix.

The episodes were onehour long and by the time we knew it, it was

3:00hrs and we were still craving another episode, but we managed to resist until the following evening.

Luckily, the South Korean series only had one season which featured nine episodes so after the second night of watching, we finished the entire season, and still wanted more.

Also, it’s safe to say, that the game we know as ‘123 red light statue’ will never be the same again. But even so, trust us when we say, Squid Game is worth the watch! And feel free to share your thoughts with us via email – rere. ashley592@gmail.com or on WhatsApp – 592625-3257.

A modern-day apocalypse

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

What did you do when the apps collapsed?

The social media blackout, according to one user, was akin to an apocalypse

By Naomi Parris

When the ‘great’ social media blackout of October, 4 2021 struck, I was sitting at my cubicle at work scanning the Facebook pages of news outlets and government agencies for their latest updates.

This is a usual routine of mine in search of story ideas for the following day’s newspaper.

A few minutes into my search I found myself

on Instagram scurrying through the pictures of the people I follow on that platform; and truth be told, I only knew half of them. But, I’m a ‘lover’, not ‘liker’, so I was simply double-tapping my way through albums of strangers, celebrities and of course, the iconic memes meme pages.

That’s when things took an ominous turn and the dreaded blackout commenced.

Like many persons I

The post-blackout comments were hilarious

thought it was the fault of our local network company, because like many of you, I too know how reliable these service providers are.

I must have refreshed my Instagram feed about five times, harbouring negatives thoughts about a particular company.

With no luck, I quit ‘Insta’ and went back to Facebook, which also refused to load. I then proceeded to WhatsApp, only to find that some of my previously-sent messages never even got a single tick.

I spent a few minutes ranting, only to be stopped in my tracks by one of my co-workers stopped me in my tracks, disclosing that and all its sister-apps were down. A “social media blackout,” they said.

Now as a Guyanese, power outages or “blackouts” are nothing new to me, but this was a different kind of blackout; it was one that I had never experienced before, and for most of

the people around me, it had been uncomfortable to say the least.

For me though, the first two hours were no ‘biggie’ to get by, largely because most of my life doesn’t reside or revolve around social media. I missed no conversations but I did find my myself aimlessly scrolling through the pages of my Instagram and Facebook, hoping it was up and running again.

A few hours would go by, and I would be relatively unbothered, but not for long. On the sixth hour, being without social media felt as though I had been transported back to a ‘cave girl’ state; I didn’t quite like the feeling, but I was adamant that I would persevere and overcome the horrors of the blackout.

To cope, I resorted to the paint application on my work desktop, drawing random shapes and structures. While I’m no Picasso, I did create a master piece of first-grade; it was a piece of art work that I was pleased to have as-

sociated with my name.

I didn’t want to brag and say I would proud.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the office, my co-worker was distraught. The blackout forced him to use his phone credit to communicate, and it didn’t seem like he was pleased. But my colleague persevered and he and his girlfriend reached a compromise; they resorted to communication via TikTok, perhaps pioneering a whole new movement. To be honest, I had no clue that TikTok had a ‘direct message’ feature.

Nonetheless, while that colleague managed to take his love life to “the Tok”, a few others were still in a bit of a frenzy, constantly complaining and repeatedly asking the irritating question of whether “Facebook was back up yet.”

A few of my other colleagues resorted to sending emails, SMS, BIP and even used the good ole’ tool of a

Turn to page 25

The master piece I created during the social media blackout

A modern-day...

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From page 24

simple phone call to communicate with their friends and family, and to get work done.

Eventually, I settled in nicely and spent the remainder of my day listening the music on Spotify and watching makeup tutorials on YouTube. All while I work, of course.

As the day progressed further, I even had good, hearty laughs as I observed some persons who seemed as though they were completely unable to function without social

media. It was a level of dependence I would never want to descend to.

Of course, the “blackout” did put a damper in my day, but it also made me realize that I spend way too much time aimlessly scrolling through these websites. Don’t get me wrong social media does have its pros; It keeps us up to date with news, issues and trends at present-time speeds; it also provides an environment for many creatives such as artists, musicians and

even writers like myself to share their work with their relatives, friends and even the rest of the world, if they so choose.

M o s t i m p o r t a n t l y, these outlets, especially Facebook, connects people, especially at a time when we are in a deadly battle against a global pandemic. I have been able to chat, share milestones and even rekindle relations with relatives and friends I have not seen in years.

To be honest, up until 2017, social media was

the only means of contact I had for my elder sister which I hadn’t seen in ten years. With sites such as Facebook, I can video chat her to my heart’s content.

Also, Facebook and Instagram are my go-to places for the most hilarious memes and videos, especially on those days when I’m feeling down, and in need of hearty laughs.

And, as I mentioned earlier, social media is a space that is bombarded with interesting information and facts that make for

unique and intriguing stories for the newspaper; it has become an important platform for journalists and persons within the communications field.

I hadn’t realized until the blackout how much social media has evolved and just how much the world’s population depend on it; even our grandmothers! Also, have you seen the memes that the ‘social media blackout’ created? Some of the post-blackout comments also had me cracking up.

Even with its pros, the blackout left me with some lingering questions; do we use social media too much? Have we become addicted? How long do you think we can go without it? Can we even handle another “blackout”?

If you have some answers, opinions or even questions, feel free to email me at naomiparris2808@gmail.com or, leave a comment on the G u y a n a C h ro n i c l e ’s Facebook page.

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'New-look' Green Machine named for RAN Sevens … awaiting government support

By Rawle Toney THE Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) yesterday announced a blend of youth and experience in its 12-man squad for the October 16-17 Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens tournament, set for Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.

The event marks the first international competition hosted by RAN since the Women’s 10s and Men’s Under-19 in Barbados in July 2019 and the 2020 RAN Beach 5s in Hollywood Beach Florida last January.

Jamal Angus will lead coach Theodore Henry’s team of experienced players which includes Godfrey Broomes, Osei McKenzie, Rondel McArthur, Lancelot Adonis, Avery Corbin and Peabo Hamilton.

Phibian Joseph, Tyresse Prescod, Oniel Charles, Jonathan Garnett and Lionel Holder are the other players on the team that will seek

to return the RAN trophy to Guyana since Guyana surrendered the title to Jamaica (28-24) in 2017.

George David is the team’s manager and the physiotherapist is Akeem Fraser.

Green Machine Ready!

“I’m about 90% comfortable with the preparation we’ve had so far. I would have liked for us to have some sort of competition,” coach Henry said at a press conference yesterday to mark the team’s announcement and update on their lead-up to the RAN showpiece.Guyana, seven-time winners of the RAN title, will be grouped with Bermuda, Curacao and Belize and, according to Henry, “nothing short of a top-four finish is expected, but given the situation of how we’re seeded, it is highly likely that we can make the finals of the tournament.

“And in this tournament, getting into the finals of this tournament is anybody’s

game.”

With Rugby, like many other sports in Guyana, not given the ‘okay’ by the local COVID-19 authorities to return to training, let-alone see any competitive action, Henry believes “this team has been thoroughly prepared in terms of fitness, but, match fitness is a totally different scenarios all together.’

“Like I’ve mentioned before, had we had the opportunity to play some better opposition, we would’ve been in a better position in terms of match fitness,” Coach ‘Theo’ noted.

He added that “the fact that we’ve been doing this for quite a long time. This team has not experienced that as yet. I’m hopeful, that the fact that I’ve been there and experienced a lot of those heart-breaks, a lot of my teaching is going to rub off on them and we don’t have to start from zero.”

Henry thinks everything “depends on the mind-set that they (the players) enter this

tournament with. If they’re going to go there and bring out that big game mentality, or they’re going to fold under pressure. We’re hoping that they bring out this big game mentality that people know Guyana is capable of doing.”

Meanwhile, Angus, quizzed about the team’s readiness, pointed out “as a team, we’ve done our best to focus on our task; training, adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines. The young players coming up are up to the task, very vibrant and very excited about the task of getting out there.”

Angus said he’s “not really bothered or afraid of the team not gelling because under the circumstances, the right players are going to step-up.”

STILL SHORT In spite of their success over the years and being one of, or if not the most decorated Rugby team in the Caribbean, the Green Machine struggles to receive financial

support from Government and corporate Guyana, still exists.

The team’s manager George David said to-date, they’re still short US19,000 of their budget for the tournament.

A budget of $38,000 was put in place to handle accommodation, travel and meals for the players and staff attending the prestigious RAN tournament.

While Government has promised to support, nothing has since manifested. The GRFU is hoping that things change prior to the team’s departure on Wednesday October 13.

The winner of the twoday event will go on to play in the World Rugby Challenger Series in February/ March of 2022.

The winner of next year’s Challenger Series – with details still to be announced by World Rugby – will join the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series as the 16th team.

‘Golden Jubilee’ CARIFTA Games set for 2023 in Guyana

By Rawle Toney

GUYANA will host the 2023 CARIFTA Games, which will mark the 50th anniversary of the Caribbean’s largest youth and junior track and field event.

This is according to president of the Athletics Association of Guyana, Aubrey Hutson, following the news that the 49th edition will possibly be held next year in Jamaica.

The CARIFTA Games was last held in 2019, when the Cayman Islands hosted the 48th edition.

The games had faced a postponement and then cancellation when it was next scheduled for Bermuda in 2020 and earlier this year, owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the Island’s measures that were put in place to contain the virus.

Ideally, the 50th edition of the CARIFTA Games should have been held in Guyana this year, but like everything else, had to be pushed back because of the coronavirus.

“NACAC had initially asked for us to host two editions, but we got the commitment from the Government for the 50th,” Hutson told Chronicle Sport.

According to the AAG president, hosting the jubilee edition of the CARIFTA Games in 2023, will allow for the local organising committee to better plan and give enough time for the Government of Guyana to handle the much-needed repairs at the National Track and Field Centre, at Leonora.

“It will give us more time to prepare for the games.

By then, we will have work completed at Leonora and put more things in place. Minister Ramson has given us a commitment of Government support and we are grateful,” Hutson said.

With several international hotels being constructed and earmarked for competition by 2023, Hutson also said the area of accommodation will also be addressed and compounded in-time for the highly anticipated event.

Renowned Jamaica-based website, Track Alerts, reported that Garth Gayle, president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) said the Land of Wood and Water received a letter from the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC), asking them “to undertake the hosting, it’s

in short order, but we believe we can do it.”

Guyana is a founding-member of CARIFTA, and in 1972, the games were initiated to mark the Caribbean Free Trade Association’s transition to CARICOM. The 2017 CARIFTA Games will go down as one of the country’s most mem-

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orable outings, given the fact that they were able to bag eight medals – four gold, three bronze and one silver.

It was at the 46th edition of the games, hosted in Curacao, where Linden’s Compton Caesar created history, by winning Guyana’s first-ever gold medal in the 100m at the event.

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Chantoba Bright will go down as the most decorated Guyanese athlete (to date) ever to grace the CARIFTA Games, with the Kansas State student amassing a total of nine medals – three gold, four silver and two bronze in her four outings at the championship.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

Wilder has more than 'one weapon' for title fight with Fury ... Says head trainer Malik Scott

DEONTAY Wilder now has more 'weapons' to topple Tyson Fury in their third world heavyweight title fight, says the American's new head trainer Malik Scott.

Wilder will attempt to regain the WBC title in this weekend's fight with Fury, who inflicted a seventh-round stoppage loss in their rematch last February.

But Scott believes the 'Bronze Bomber' is an even more threatening proposition after he took a leading role in the training camp.

"I'm a student of the game obviously," his new trainer said at the final press conference.

"Deontay, in my opinion, has ruled the heavyweight division, had 10 defences and was just using one weapon, and on certain occasions he'd use two or three. He got content with knocking people out with one weapon which was the right hand.

"What I did was I went to his toolbox and pulled everything out that he does well. Deontay Wilder can do it all. I just

ways something to learn in boxing. Tyson is enjoying learning and having fun with it.

"Trying to be the best, being perfect at what you do, that just makes for a better Tyson Fury. I'm excited for this Saturday coming up."

Fury has hailed the influence of Steward ahead of a career-defining night at the T-Mobile Arena.

"We've got a great bond going on. To have any successful relationship you've got to have good communication and

Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury

pulled a lot of stuff out of him in training camp. I made sure we drilled him with intent."

Wilder is confident he made the right decision in picking Scott, a former opponent, to oversee his corner in Las Vegas.

"I trust my brother with my life as he trusts me with his. I'd give my shirt off my back as he would for me. That's how it's always been from the first connection," he said.

"Even when we fought each other, it brought us even closer than ever. In boxing, you need people that you can trust in this sport.

"This is a money-driven sport. You just never know who may be jealous, who may envy you in certain ways."

Wilder shared a controversial draw with Fury in their first fight in 2018, with many believing the British star had done enough to warrant the

decision.

Fury decided to alter his tactics for the rematch, linking up with trainer Sugarhill Steward, who insists the 33-year-old can be even more dominant in the trilogy clash.

"Tyson Fury being ready is unstoppable. Tyson Fury is very conscious of Deontay Wilder," said Steward.

"It's just being sharp, it's just staying focussed and it's also just learning. There's al-

that's the most important thing in our lives. Me and Sugarhill have got that," said Fury.

"We've got similar personalities. It's not easy for me to pick a trainer because I do outlandish things, I'm outspoken, I do all this stuff and I've got to have someone on the same wavelength and personality factor to match that in order to be able to train me. I've definitely found a match with Sugarhill." (Sky Sports)

ICC to replace ‘batsman’ with gender-neutral term ‘batter’ from T20 WC

THE ICC is all set to replace the term ‘batsman’ with batter in order to maintain gender neutrality in all their playing scenarios and the new move is all set to be in place with the upcoming T20 World Cup. The T20 WC is all set to begin on October 19 in Oman and the UAE. It has to be noted that it was only the last month when Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) announced that they will replace ‘batsman’ with ‘batter’ in the laws of cricket. MCC added in a statement that the game is for all and therefore it calls up for terms that are genActing CEO of International der-neutral.

Cricket Council Geoff “MCC believes in cricket Allardice being a game for all and this move recognises the changing landscape of the game ICC, Geoff Allardice, added in modern times. The use of that they welcome this move. the term ‘batter’ is a natu- However, it will be a new ral evolution in our shared change for all to see from the cricketing language and the T20 WC 2021 only.

“The ICC has been utilisterminology has already been adopted by many of those ing the term batter for some involved in the sport. It is the time now across our chanright time for this adjustment nels and in commentary and to be recognised formally we welcome the MCC’s and we are delighted, as decision to implement it into the Guardians of the Laws, the Laws of cricket and will to announce these changes follow suit with our playing today,” said Jamie Cox of conditions that are derived Marylebone Cricket Club in from the Laws.

This is a natural and a statement.

In the same light of perhaps overdue evolution events, ICC added that they of our sport and now our have been regularly using batters are gender-neutral the term batter in place of the in the same way as bowlers, batsman for four years now fielders, and wicketkeepand it is reflected in their ers,” said Geoff Allardice commentary panel and me- in a statement. (CricTrackdia websites. Acting CEO of er)

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

Chairman Watmore leaves ECB 13 months into five-year term

CHAIRMAN Ian Watmore has left the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

The 63-year-old, who took over from Colin Graves in September 2020, departs after serving only 13 months of a five-year term.

The ECB said he had reached a "mutual agreement" to stand down at the end of the domestic season.

Watmore said: "It is with regret that I step down as chair of the ECB, but I do so in mindfulness of my own well-being and that of the game which I love."

He added: "I was appointed to the post in a

pre-pandemic era, but COVID-19 has meant the role and its demands on time are dramatically different from all our original expectations, which have taken a personal toll on me.

"Given this, the board and I feel the ECB will be better served by a new chair to take it forward post pandemic.

"Leaving now, at the end of the season, gives the board time to find a new chair to support cricket through the challenges of the 2022 season and beyond."

Deputy chairman Barry O'Brien will step up on an interim basis but will not seek

to take the post long term.

Watmore is a former chief executive of the Football Association and senior civil servant.

His departure comes as the ECB prepares to meet to make a decision on whether or not England men's Ashes tour of Australia this winter will go ahead.

The board will meet in the coming days to decide on the tour, which has been under threat because of the conditions in which it will be held as a result of coronavirus.

On Monday ECB said it will "decide whether the conditions are sufficient for

Ian Watmore (left) presented Warwickshire captain Will Rhodes, CEO Stuart Cain and chairman Mark McCafferty with the County Championship trophy last month.

the tour to go ahead and enable the selection of a squad befitting a series of this significance".

Since then, positive talks have been held between England players and Cricket Australia to move the tour a step closer to being confirmed.

Watmore departs soon

after the England men's and women's teams withdrew from limited-overs series in Pakistan scheduled for this month.

ECB said there were "increasing concerns about travelling to the region" and that going ahead with the tour would "add further pressure to a playing group who

have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted COVID environments".

Watmore's tenure also included the launch of The Hundred, the ECB's new tournament that saw men's and women's teams compete in a 100-ball format this summer. (BBC Sport)

England all-rounder Ben Stokes likely Businessman guarantees a blank to miss Ashes after second operation cheque as award to Ramiz Raja if

Pakistan beat India

Ben Stokes' last Test was in March in England's 3-1 series defeat by India

ENGLAND all-rounder Ben Stokes has had a second operation on his injured finger but is unlikely to play in the Ashes against Australia this winter.

The 30-year-old took an indefinite break from cricket in July to protect his mental health and rest his left index finger, first injured in April.

He originally had surgery in April but has now had a second operation to remove two screws and scar tissue from the finger.

The Ashes are due to begin in December.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) says Stokes will have intense rehabilitation over the next four weeks.

But no timescale has been given for his return from the injury or from his break for mental health reasons.

Stokes' only action for England this

summer came in a three-match one-day international series against Pakistan.

He returned earlier than planned after his surgery to captain an understrength England side after a Covid-19 outbreak, but played through pain in his finger.

Were Stokes to be unavailable for the Ashes it would be the second tour of Australia in a row he had missed, having sat out the 2017-18 tour following his arrest outside a Bristol nightclub.

It would also be a further blow to England's Ashes hopes, with fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Olly Stone already ruled out with injuries.

The Ashes moved a step closer to being confirmed on Wednesday after positive talks were held with Cricket Australia over England players' over conditions for the tour.(BBC Sport)

INDIA and Pakistan will face each other in the upcoming T20 World Cup on October 24 in Dubai.

The marquee encounter is one of the much-awaited clashes as the arch-rivals no longer play in a bilateral series. They lock horns only in the ICC events and in the Asia Cup. Tickets for this match also got sold out within hours after ICC opened the window for its sale.

India’s record against Pakistan is impeccable when it comes to playing against them in the World Cups.

The Men in Blue have ended up on the winning side on all seven occasions in the 50-over mega event. In T20 World Cups, the two sides have faced in five matches and India have emerged victorious in all of them as well.

Meanwhile, PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja has confirmed that an investor is ready to give a blank cheque to him if Pakistan manage to beat India for the first time in the World Cup. Former Pakistan cricketers are backing the Babar Azam-led side to emerge victorious for the first time against their arch-rivals.

“One strong investor told me that a blank cheque is ready for the PCB if Pakistan beat India in the upcoming T20 World Cup,” Ramiz said in a meeting with the Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), according to Cricket Pakistan.

In the meeting Ramiz Raja also opened up about making Pakistan cricket strong financially. He pointed out that England and Pakistan wouldn’t have cancelled their tours to the country if Pakistan were financially strong.

“PCB runs 50 per cent on the funding of ICC.

PCB chairman Ramiz Raja

90 per cent of funding to ICC comes from India. I’m afraid that if India stopped funding ICC, then PCB might collapse because PCB gives zero per cent funding to ICC. “I’m determined to make Pakistan cricket strong. If our cricket economy is strong, we won’t be used and then binned by teams like England and New Zealand.

Best cricket team and best cricket economy are two big challenges,” Ramiz further added. (CricTracker)

32

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

Kolkata Knight Riders thrash Rajasthan Royals by 86 runs KOLKATA Knight Riders (KKR) all but confirmed their place in the Indian Premier League (IPL) play-offs with a one-sided 86-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR).

In the final group-stage game for both teams Shubman Gill (56 off 44) top-scored as KKR posted 171-4.

Royals managed a dismal 85 all out in reply with Shivam Mavi taking 4-21.

Mumbai Indians can still mathematically leapfrog KKR into fourth place but will need to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by a record 171 runs today.

RR end the season in seventh place and their wait for a second IPL trophy - having won the inaugural competition in 2008 - goes on.

Kolkata go big after watchful start In arguably their most important game of the season, KKR made a cautious start to their innings, reaching 20-0 after four overs, 34-0 after the powerplay and 50-0 after eight overs.

The platform was then set for opener Venkatesh Iyer to let loose, and he launched seamer Jaydev Unadkat for two sixes in the ninth over.

- came to the crease at 17.1 overs and finished unbeaten on 13 off 11.

The England skipper ends the group stage with 124 runs from 14 matches, at an average of 12.40 and strike-rate of 102.47, but showed a glimpse of vintage Morgan when he flicked the penultimate ball of the innings for six over square leg.

Lockie Ferguson marked his comeback from injury in style ( BCCI)

Iyer seemed to have his eye in after a patient start to his knock, but was dismissed rather tamely when he was bowled trying to reverse-sweep leg-spinner Rahul Tewatia.

Gill then showcased his repertoire of

shots - hitting four boundaries and two sixes - before being dismissed by Chris Morris, the IPL's most expensive signing.

KKR captain Eoin Morgan - who has had a woeful time with the bat in the competition

Livingstone fails as Royals fall apart The Royals reply got off to the worst possible start when opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was bowled by Shakib Al Hasan.

That dismissal - off the third ball of the innings - ended Royals' very slim hopes of making the play-offs on net-run-rate.

Despite having only pride then to play for, things did not get much better for Royals.

Skipper Sanju Samson - the competition's fifth highest run-scorer (484 runs) this year - was dismissed by Mavi in the next over, Morgan taking the catch, to leave RR on 1-2.

That soon became 12-3 when Liam Livingstone sliced a rising delivery from Lockie Ferguson (3-18) to the leg side and was caught for six. (BBC Sport)

KL Rahul's unbeaten 98 leads France stun Belgium to reach Punjab Kings to victory over CSK Nations League final

KL Rahul hit a stunning 98 not out from just 42 balls to lead Punjab Kings to victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

The India opener hit eight sixes as his side chased down a below-par 134 with seven overs to spare.

Earlier, South Africa’s Faf du Plessis scored 76 as CSK recovered from 61-5, with England’s Moeen Ali dismissed for a duck.

Despite the defeat, CSK remain in second place in the table with their qualification place secured.

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings are in sixth position and unlikely to progress. They are relying on the results of other fixtures to go their way – although this rapid victory will have boosted their net run-rate significantly.

England’s Chris Jordan replaced Nicholas Pooran in the Kings’ side and made an immediate impact, taking 2-20.

Rahul’s masterclass leads the way The orange cap – awarded to the IPL’s leading run-scorer – was in du Plessis’ possession at the end of CSK’s innings before Rahul stole it back almost immediately.

The opener provided a batting masterclass, showing brutality down the ground and deft touches past the fielders.

His sublime knock included eight sixes and seven fours – putting an end to any debate about whether the pitch led to CSK’s collapse.

There were not enough runs to chase for him to reach a century, but he was still able to finish the match in style by sending Shardul Thakur – a shining light for CSK with 3-25 – over the ropes.

Rahul had to bat aggressively – as Kings’ chances of making the top four rely on their net run-rate being superior to that of the Kolkata Knight Riders, so they had to chase the total down as quickly as possible.

Despite Rahul’s heroics, it might not have been quick enough. But his stunning innings

France also beat Belgium in the 2018 World Cup semi-final.

KL Rahul's unbeaten 98 came from just 42 balls and included eight sixes.

has given them hope and with the T20 World Cup approaching, India will be delighted with his form.

Rahul’s knock was very different from that of du Plessis in the first innings – with the South African having to play the anchor role.

His opening partnership with Ruturaj Gaikwad has contributed almost half of their team’s runs during the tournament so far – meaning the team face trouble when one of the top two doesn’t score. Here, Gaikwad fell early and they slipped to 61-5 from 12 overs.

Only a late flurry of runs from du Plessis in the final overs, including two sixes, allowed CSK to reach 134 – which never felt like enough, and so it proved.

(BBC Sport).

THEO Hernandez scored a superb 90th-minute winner as France hit back from 2-0 down to stun Belgium and reach the Nations League final.

Didier Deschamps' side looked out of contention at the break after conceding two goals in the space of four minutes, but a thrilling second-half fightback set up a meeting with Spain.

AC Milan full-back Hernandez was the match-winner, collecting the ball on the edge of the box and firing home a finish into the far corner to spark joyous scenes at the Allianz Arena in Turin.

It started well for Belgium, who took a 37th-minute lead when Yannick Carrasco cut in from the left and drilled in a finish at the near post, wrong-footing goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Just four minutes later, Roberto Martinez's side doubled their advantage as Romelu Lukaku latched on to Kevin de Bruyne's through ball and fired a blistering

shot into the roof of the net.

But Karim Benzema pulled a goal back on the hour mark, turning and sliding a finish into the bottom corner from Kylian Mbappe's lay-off.

And they drew level through Mbappe's confidently taken penalty after Youri Tielemans' trip on Antoine Griezmann inside the area.

Lukaku thought he had won it with three minutes remaining after slotting in from Carrasco's low cross, but the strike was ruled out by VAR for offside.

There was still time for Paul Pogba to rattle the crossbar with a sublime curling free-kick from 30 yards out, before Hernandez struck late on.

The final takes place at the San Siro on Sunday, (19:45 BST kick-off) while the third-place play-off between France and European champions, Italy, is in Turin on the same day (14:00). (BBC Sport)

33

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

New Newcastle owners target trophies as fans celebrate Saudi-backed takeover

AMANDA Staveley has vowed to transform Newcastle into a club challenging for trophies and Champions League football after her Saudi-backed consortium finally completed its takeover.

Thousands of delirious fans converged on St James’ Park on Thursday evening to celebrate official confirmation that Mike Ashley’s ill-fated reign on Tyneside was over, with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has taken an 80 per cent stake in the club, Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media having handed over £305million in exchange for the keys.

The financier told supporters outside the Jesmond Dene House hotel, where the consortium members had gathered to await news, that they were there for the long haul and would invest in the club, and later outlined her vision for the future.

Asked if a return to Champions League football – the Magpies have qualified for Europe only once during Ashley’s 14-plus years at the helm – was the aim, Staveley told the PA news agency: “I would hope so.

“Obviously we bought this club with a view that we want the fans to get the trophies they deserve and we need to work with the fans to help us get there and that will take some time.

“We’re not going to be winning the Premier League just yet and it’s going to take some time to build the infrastructure at all levels to allow us to challenge for trophies.

“We love the FA Cup. Newcastle last won the FA Cup in 1955 – that’s a long time.

We’ll get there.

“We’re obviously painfully aware of the relegation issue and we’re going to do everything we can to make sure the club is not relegated.

“But all decisions about players and managers are for another day.”

Staveley’s optimism is based at the Magpies’ new-found spending power – PIF is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, making the club potentially one of the richest in football.

However, she warned that investment, while sizeable, would also be sensible.

She said: “Yes, we have deep pockets, but we have to also be commercially sensible in terms of there are rules around investment in

Newcastle fans gather at St James' Park to celebrate Saudi takeover.

the Premier League. We have to keep within those, and we’re fully aware of that.

“But we’re going to invest at every level, and I think that Mike knew we would be good caretakers going forward.”

Staveley revealed she had spoken to head coach Steve Bruce, but insisted no decision on his future had yet been taken.

Bruce, though, accepted he may be replaced, saying in an interview with the Daily Telegraph: “I want to continue, I’d like the chance to show the new owners what I can do, but you have to be realistic and they may well want a new manager to launch things for them.”

The takeover was confirmed in a Premier League statement which revealed it had received “legally binding assurances” that the Saudi state would not control the football club, one of the main stumbling blocks when the bid was first sent for approval back in April last year which prompted Ashley to take legal action.

The statement said: “The legal disputes concerned which entities would own and/or have the ability to control the club following the takeover.

“All parties have agreed the settlement is necessary to end the long uncertainty for fans over the club’s ownership.

“The Premier League has now received legally binding assurances that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not control Newcastle United Football Club.

“All parties are pleased to have concluded this process which gives certainty and clarity to Newcastle United Football Club and their fans.”

PA Sport understands that the Premier League is comfortable with the new ownership structure, despite the closeness of PIF to the Saudi government.

The PIF says on its own website that it “acts as the Kingdom’s main investment arm to deliver a strategy focused on achieving attractive financial returns and long-term value for Saudi Arabia”.

It is understood that if any direct involvement from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia became apparent, it would constitute a breach of Premier League rules and could lead to the owners being disqualified.

Asked about the issue of separation, Staveley said: “The Premier League has issued a statement today, they’ve made their

views on the separation very clear. There is very clear separation between PIF and the Saudi state.”

Sources close to the league have insisted that establishing who would have control of the club had always been at the centre of the takeover dispute, rather than piracy.

They also suggested Wednesday’s news of an end to the commercial dispute between the Premier League’s Middle East broadcast partner beIN SPORTS and Saudi Arabia was a consequence of the work towards a settlement on the takeover, rather than a precursor which allowed the takeover to go ahead.

Newcastle confirmed in a statement that PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan would act as the club’s non-executive chairman, while Staveley, chief executive of PCP, will have a seat on the board and Jamie Reuben, of RB Sports & Media, will also serve as a director.

The statement added: “Today’s announcement is the conclusion of a thorough and detailed process that has allowed the Investment Group to arrive at a deal that benefits all stakeholders and will leave Newcastle United well-placed to pursue a clear, longterm strategy.”

News of the takeover was greeted with dismay by Amnesty International, who described it as “an extremely bitter blow for human rights defenders”.

Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s CEO, said: “We can understand that this will be seen as a great day by many Newcastle United fans, but it’s also a very worrying day for anyone who cares about the ownership of English football clubs and whether these great clubs are being used to sportswash human rights abuse.

“In our assessment, this deal was always more about sportswashing than it was about football, with Saudi Arabia’s aggressive move into sport as a vehicle for image-management and PR plain for all to see.”

However, asked about concerns over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, Staveley said: “I totally understand that, but as I said before, PIF is a really autonomous organisation and I wouldn’t be working with them and partnering if I thought there were any concerns at that level.

“I wouldn’t, nor would I be investing alongside them.” (PA Sport).

Middlesex sign Pakistan pace bowler Shaheen Afridi for 2022 season

MIDDLESEX have signed Pakistan paceman Shaheen Afridi for the 2022 season.

The 6ft 6in left-armer, 21, has made 19 Test appearances and has 59 white-ball caps. He took his first 10-wicket Test haul against the West Indies in August.

He will stay with Middlesex until international duty in mid-July, meaning he can play in the entire T20 Blast and part of the County Championship season.

Shaheen played for Hampshire in the 2020 T20 competition, where he took six wickets in the club's final match.

"We are absolutely delighted to have

secured the services of one of international cricket's most exciting talents. Shaheen is a world-class pace bowler, and we are thrilled that he will be representing us in 2022," said Middlesex chief executive Andrew Cornish.

"His signature was highly sought-after, and the fact that he has chosen to join Middlesex is a massive coup for us as a club and speaks volumes of our ambitions."

Shaheen added: "I know from my time in England they are a great county and to play at the home of cricket really will be a dream come true."(BBC Sport).

Shaheen Afridi was part of the Pakistan side beaten 3-0 in the one-day international series in England this summer in the 2018 World Cup semi-final.

34

Old Trafford to miss out on hosting rescheduled Test next year -reports

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

Cristiano Ronaldo sexual assault case recommended for dismissal by US civil court

Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo

The Old Trafford cricket ground

AS per the latest reports, Old Trafford will not be able to host the rescheduled fifthTest between India and England the next year.

The reason for the same has been stated that South Africa is set to tour England during the same period of time for their white-ball assignments and hence, Lancashire won’t be available during that period of time.

It is known that an agreement has been fixed that India will complete the remaining Test match of the series the next summer as guests refused to take the field in Manchester at the 11th hour. India refused the series decider due to COVID-19 concerns in their camp.

However, as per the reports by Sportsmail, the final Test of the series will be staged somewhere else. As per the same reports, Lancashire had to bear a loss of almost £ 1 million over hospitality arrangements as the fifth Test between the two nations was called off. They have had open talks with the ECB on receiving the compensation which will follow in

the near future.

Meanwhile, it has also been reported that Old Trafford is due to host some musical gigs during the same period next summer. While the ODI between England and South Africa is fixed for July 24, the dates of several gigs are still unknown.

ECB are yet to finalize the talks with BCCI and it remains to be seen where the all-important series decider will take place.

India are already set to tour England for six white-ball games between July 1-14 and their commitments against South Africa are set to begin on July 19. The same series will conclude on July 31 and it will be followed by the second edition of the new 100-ball format game The Hundred. With all the financial values associated with the game, ECB are reluctant to cancel any white-ball game with India.

On the other hand, the touring party cannot hand around for the entire summer. In this case, hosts might be forced to play their B side in one of the series. (CricTracker)

A UNITED States court has recommended that a civil case in relation to an allegation of sexual assault against the Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo be dismissed.

Kathryn Mayorga claimed she was raped by Ronaldo in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009. In 2019, US prosecutors said Ronaldo – who strenuously denied the claims – would not face criminal charges.

Mayorga subsequently pursued a civil case against Ronaldo but a Las Vegas court has now ruled that the historic accusations should be thrown out.

Mayorga’s lawyers could yet object to the court’s recommendation for dismissal and have 14 days to do so.

Ronaldo’s lawyer, Peter S Christiansen, said: “We are pleased with the Court’s detailed review of this matter

and its willingness to justly apply the law to the facts and recommend dismissal of the civil case against Mr Ronaldo.”

Ronaldo has always maintained his relations with Mayorga, then 25 and a model, were consensual.

Mayorga reportedly reached an out-of-court settlement with Ronaldo in 2010, involving a $375 000 payment for agreeing never to publicise the allegations.

Ronaldo’s lawyers said the non-disclosure agreement was “by no means a confession of guilt” and the player was following advice “to put an end to the outrageous accusations made against him”.

In 2018, Mayorga sought to reopen the case, with her lawyer saying she had been inspired by the #MeToo movement against sexual violence. (PA Sport)

Unvaccinated Irving misses Nets' first practice in New York LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Brooklyn point guard Kyrie Irving, who has been staunchly against getting vaccinated for the novel coronavirus, missed the

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Friday October 08, 2021)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) WI: 6 (2) IND: 10 (1 NR) Today’s Quiz: (1) Which WI player has scored most T20 Int’l runs against IND to date?

(2) Which IND player has scored most T20 Int’l runs against the WI to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Nets' practice on Wednesday.

Irving practised with his teammates last week in San Diego but did not attend the team's first practice in New York City as a result of the city's strict COVID-19 protocols.

Because of the ongoing pandemic, New York has implemented new health and safety regulations which do not allow unvaccinated athletes to take part in practices and games.

Irving would need proof of at least one vaccine shot in order to practise at the Barclays Center arena.

“No further update,” Nets coach Steve Nash said at practice on Tuesday. “We support him. We are here for him. Things change. When there's a resolution, we're here for him.”

If Irving continues to shun the vaccine, he would start missing Brooklyn's home games. Irving could end up losing millions of dollars if he does not play home games this season.

“I'm not really worried about anything,” Nash said.

“We're just trying to work every day. We came in today and had a great practice and we'll do the same tomorrow, and that's kind of where I leave it.”

Brooklyn point guard Kyrie Irving

35

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

We can match it with the best in the world: Aussies captain

AUSTRALIA captain Aaron Finch is in no doubt his team can win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, backing star men David Warner, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell to step up at the showpiece event.

The Men’s T20 World Cup remains the one available limited-overs trophy Australia have not collected in their illustrious history in the game.

Despite their star power, they do not go into the tournament among the favourites thanks to a lean 2021 that has seen them slide to seventh on the MRF Tyres ICC T20I team rankings.

A confident Finch said on Wednesday he was not too concerned about the team’s detractors, encouraging his outfit to end Australia’s long wait for trophy success at the tournament.

“We understand that we haven’t played our best in these tournaments,” he said ahead of the team’s flight to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). “We’ve had an interrupted preparation like everyone has over the last 18 months. We’re still very confident though.

“We know that if we play at our best we’re going to be hard to beat, we can match it with the best in the world.

“We feel as though our squad is well rounded, we’ve got options to play different combinations, different structures to the side, so there’s definite motivation but we’ve just got to be at our best at the right time.”

One man currently playing his best cricket is Maxwell, who has made three consecutive fifties in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Given Maxwell boasts the second-highest strike rate in T20 World Cup history (mini-

Australia T20 captain Aaron Finch

mum 125 balls faced) – 160 – his form bodes well for Australia’s title ambitions.

“He is a world-class player, when he is on; he is as destructive as anyone in the world. He is someone who, in World Cups, has shown in the past, whether that’s T20 or 50-over, that he can win games for Australia off his own bat.

“When he is firing his bowling is really important and is going to be really important to the structure of our team. His fielding is the best in the world and his batting is unbelievable.

“He is a really important cog in our team.

We’re really happy with how he is going.”

While Maxwell has enjoyed an encouraging IPL ahead of the T20 World Cup, the same cannot be said for Warner and Smith.

Warner has not been turned to by Sunris-

ers Hyderabad since posting scores of 0 and 2 when the IPL resumed in September, while Smith has also played just the two games, making 48 runs across two innings.

Finch is no doubt however that they will be central to Australia’s plans.

“He is one of the best players to have ever played the game for Australia,” Finch said, locking in his long-term opening partner to be there when Australia begin their tournament against South Africa. “While he would have loved to be playing for Hyderabad, no doubt, I know that he is still training away. He’ll be good to go.”

The captain confirmed Smith was a lock in a middle-order.

“What we’re going to do is be really flexible through that middle part of the game,” he said. “There is a lot of power there and there is a lot of ways we can go about it.

“He is a brilliant player of spin; he is someone who can adapt to all situations of the game, so we see that as a real asset for us.

“His game speaks for itself. The 360 nature of his game is really suited to our middle order. He is someone who will be in there, no doubt.”

In a boon for Australia, Finch is confident he will be fit in time for Australia’s two warm-up matches ahead of the tournament.

The skipper required knee surgery after Australia’s T20I series against West Indies, and was initially expected to be racing the clock for the T20 World Cup. Fortunately, his recovery has been quicker than expected.

With much of the team coming together for the first time since the Australian summer, he expects the warm-up matches to be

Glenn Maxwell boasts the secondhighest strike rate in T20 World Cup history.

particularly important while backing the experience of the group to stand them in good stead either way.

“Training indoors or training in the nets, there’s no comparison to game intensity. The two warm-up games and the lead-in to the World Cup is going to be really crucial.

“They are going to be really important to get guys up to speed as quick as possible.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in the experience of the group. We’ve got guys who have come off long lay-offs before, we’ve got guys who have come off injury before, and it’s not really all that much different when you’re trying to get yourself up to speed quickly. That will play into their hands.” (ICCCricket.com)

Birmingham 2022:

Queen launches Commonwealth Games baton relay THE Queen has set in motion a global relay of the Commonwealth Games baton in her first major event at Buckingham Palace since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The baton's 90 000-mile, 269-day journey travels through 72 Commonwealth nations and territories ahead of the Games in 2022.

The competition, hosted by Birmingham, coincides with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year.

The baton will be handed back to the Queen at the city's opening ceremony.

After the events in London, it emerged the Birmingham Games had received almost 2 million applications for tickets.

Organisers say they are well on the way to having capacity crowds at all venues.

The Queen began the relay yesterday by passing the baton to Paralympic gold medallist Kadeena Cox who carried it on the first leg of its journey.

The baton received by four-time Paralympic chamption Cox is meant to represent the spirit of the "friendly games", and contains a message from the Queen to athletes and the Commonwealth.

It is due to arrive in Cyprus in a few days.

Among guests at Buckingham Palace were Baroness Scot-

land, secretary-general of the Commonwealth; Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer; and sports minister Nigel Huddleston. They were joined by representatives from the Commonwealth Games Federation, of which the Queen is patron, along with grassroots sports organisations from the West Midlands and athletes who are set to compete next summer.

The Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, joined the Queen in his role as vice-patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation.

The baton was carried around the palace by athletes from the home nations. It arrived with a group of "hometown heroes" from Birmingham, including blind marathon runner Dave Heeley, who was appointed an OBE in the 2020 Birthday Honours after raising millions of pounds for charity.

The Games will take place in Birmingham and across the West Midlands from July 28 to August 8 2022.

Birmingham 2022 CEO Ian Reid said: "We had in excess of 850 000 ticket applications for the West Midlands ballot alone and I think we are nearly at 2 million applications in total following the national ballot.

"So that gives you a sense of the number of people now who want to engage with the Games.

"We're tracking around 10% ahead, post-ballot, of ticket sales of both the Gold Coast and Glasgow. Of course, Glasgow

Gold medallist Kadeena Cox takes the baton on the first leg of its 90 000-mile journey.

sold 96% of tickets in total by the end of that journey, following general sales. So that bodes incredibly well."

The baton will leave the country later from Birmingham Airport and is due in Cyprus on October 9, and Malta on October 12.

It will then be flown to Africa, visiting all 19 Commonwealth countries there, before heading to Pakistan and then Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, Australia, the Caribbean and Canada, followed by the Falkland Islands, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, (BBC)

36

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday October 8, 2021

Match officials for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup announced

Joel Wilson is lone West Indian on 16-man umpires panel DUBAI, (CMC) – Trinidadian Joel Wilson will be the only West Indian member of the panel of 16 umpires and four match referees that will oversee matches in the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup from October 17 to November 14 in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

The International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s world governing body, announced yesterday the match officials’ appointments for the qualifying round of matches and the group stage of the global showpiece.

“We are delighted to be able to call on some of the world’s top officials for the T20 World Cup with a group of 16 umpires and four match referees,” ICC senior manager for umpires and referees Adrian Griffith said.

The ICC said the appointment of the umpires and referees meant that for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be neutral umpires for all matches.

“Our aim is always to appoint the best possible officials, and we have also been able to appoint neutral umpires and referees in all matches,” Griffith, a former Barbados and West Indies opener, said. “We wish them all the very best, and we are confident they

Trinidadian Joel Wilson

will ensure the smooth conduct of matches.”

Wilson, 54, is currently the only West Indian on the 11-member ICC elite panel of umpires, arguably the best umpires in the sport from around the world, and he has officiated in 36 Tests, 101 One-day Internationals and 42 Twenty20 Internationals.

Fellow West Indian umpires, Gregory Brathwaite, Nigel Duguid, Leslie Reifer Jr and Patrick Gustard, all members of the second tier ICC panel of internationals umpires, were overlooked.

Former West Indies captain, Sir Richie Richardson, a member of the ICC elite panel of match referees, will also not be part of the tournament.

Wilson is carded to be part of the officiating team in 17 matches during the tournament, comprising seven warm-up matches, two qualifying matches and eight group matches.

Of those, he will be on the field for three warm-ups, one qualifier and four group matches; he will be the video umpire in two warm-ups and three group matches, and he will be the fourth umpire in two warm-ups, one qualifier and one group match.

The umpires – all 11 elite umpires and five international umpires – and match referees finalised for the 45-match tournament

‘Golden Jubilee’ CARIFTA Games set for 2023 in Guyana

also include three umpires who will be officiating in their sixth T20 World Cups – Pakistani Aleem Dar, Marais Erasmus of South Africa and Australian Rod Tucker.

Dar and Erasmus have been selected for the opening group match for West Indies against England, a rematch of the last T20 World Cup final back five years ago, with former Australia batsman David Boon the match referee for that encounter and New Zealander Chris Brown, appearing in his first T20 World Cup, on TV duty.

Officials have been named for all matches in the qualifying round and group stage, with the selections for the semi-finals and final of the tournament to be named in due course.

Match Officials at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 Match Referees: David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Ranjan Madugalle, Javagal Srinath Umpires: Chris Brown, Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nitin Menon, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Langton Rusere, Rod Tucker, Joel Wilson, Paul Wilson.

‘New-look’ Green Machine named for RAN Sevens PAGE

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FLASHBACK! Chantoba Bright and Claudrice McKoy carrying the Golden Arrowhead and leading some members of Guyana’s contingent of athletes at the opening of the 48th CARIFTA Games in the Cayman Islands. (Track Alerts photo)

… awaiting government support PAGE

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Osei McKenzie makes a diving pass during a previous RAN Sevens tournament.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021