Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_08_13_2020

THURSDAY 13th August, 2020

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Ministers to work remotely

No.106090

SEE PAGE 03

–– as foreign affairs minister tests positive for COVID-19 President Irfaan Ali being tested for COVID-19

Four die in Montrose accident

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The motor car with registration plate PRR 2569 which collided with motor lorry GJJ 7150 on Wednesday (Adrian Narine photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Senior officers of police force reassigned -- new heads for Special Branch, Strategic Management Department and Regional Division Five THREE senior superintendents of the Guyana Police Force were reassigned on Wednesday as part of a reform of the force.

These reassigned were Ravindradat Budhram, Phillip Azore and Edmond Cooper, who will head the Special Branch, Strategic Management Department and Regional Division Five respectively.

Superintendents Dion Moore, Alistair Roberts and Yonette Stephens have also been reassigned. Moore was previously Deputy Commander of Region Three while Roberts, who now heads the Impact Base was the Personal Assistant to Commissioner of Police, Leslie James, who is now on pre-retirement leave.

Stephens, who previously commanded Regional Division Five is now the deputy in that division.

The reshuffling is part of

Senior Superintendent, Edmond Cooper

Senior Superintendent, Ravindradat Budhram

Senior Superintendent, Phillip Azore

efforts to ensure a more effective and efficient Guyana Police Force.

Under the previous administration, a number of senior officers who held command posts were removed and sent to lesser offices, and in some instances, others were transferred out of the force. Many of those transfers have since been reversed.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, who was seconded to the Ministry of the Presidency, is now head of operations of the force and Senior Superintendent, Wendell Blanhum, who was posted in Region One, has returned to his former post as chime chief.

Transfers within the Guyana Police Force are done solely by the commissioner of police, who is empowered to do under the Police Act.

Four die in Montrose accident

POLICE are currently investigating a fatal accident on Wednesday afternoon which left four dead, including a pregnant woman, and sever-

al hospitalised.

The accident occurred around 17:55 hours when a white Toyota Primo motor car #PRR 2569 and motor lorry

The wrecked motor lorry GJJ 7150 (Adrian Narine Photo)

GJJ 7150 which is registered to Industrial Steel Fabrications (InFab) collided on the Montrose Public Road, East Coast Demerara.

Reports indicate that the motor car was proceeding west along the northern driving lane of the southern carriageway at a fast rate of speed and while negotiating a right bend the driver lost control of his vehicle, collided with the median and ended up on the northern carriageway into the path of the motor lorry which was proceeding east on the southern driving lane on the northern carriageway.

As result of the collision, the driver of motor car, Chris Bradshaw, 35, of Queenstown, Georgetown; Lynden Pryce,

54, of South Vryheid's Lust, East Coast Demerara; one female (name unknown) about 30 years old, and one male (name unknown) also about 30 years old, received severe injuries and were escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital where they were seen and examined by a doctor on duty who pronounced them dead.

A police release said the bodies were escorted to the Lyken Funeral Home awaiting post mortem examination. The driver of the motor lorry and the other occupants received injuries about their bodies and were taken to the Woodlands and Mercy hospitals for treatment.

Former Head of DPI, Imran Khan

Former CEO of NCN, Enrico Woolford

Woolford and Khan get marching orders CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Communications Network (NCN) and Director of Public Information, Imran Khan received “marching orders” from government, as their contracts were terminated.

The Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed that Khan, who served at the helm of the Department of Public Information (DPI) since 2015, received a salary of $701,767 and a duty allowance of $100,000.

The known A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) member also enjoyed government housing, and did not incur expenses for water, electricity, landline and mobile phone bills, and internet services. He also had 24-hour security at the property which he occupied.

Guyana Chronicle was also informed that Khan received a duty-free allowance to buy a vehicle for official duties.

Meanwhile, Woolford was paid $800,000 and received a duty allowance of $40,000; travelling allowance of $80,000; an entertainment allowance of $40,000; a refreshment allowance of $10,000; a security allowance of $30,000; and a housing allowance of $50,000. Woolford also received a gratuity of 22.5 per cent on his salary two times a year.

Khan and Woolford’s termination follows a series of terminations over the past few days. Just Wednesday, this newspaper reported that

Regional Executive Officers (REOs) for regions One, Two, Three, Five, Six, Nine and Ten, received their termination letters from Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Emil Mc Garrell.

This was confirmed by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall.

In chronological order, the REOs were identified as Randolph Storm, Denis Jaikarran, Faye Mc Dougal, Ovid Morrison, Kim Stephen-Williams, Carl Parker and Orrin Gordon.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, had said the current administration expects that political appointees under the previous administration will do the honourable and dignified thing and hand over state assets in their position and resign.

“We want to assure all our people… that we are not here to take away food from people’s mouth, we are not here to take away public servants jobs who have been working hard… we are not dealing with public servants,” Teixeira said in a virtual briefing on the Facebook page of the Office of the President.

She had warned that political appointees have been persuaded to resign and, if they fail to do so by next week (this week), they will receive letters of termination.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Ministers to work remotely –– as foreign affairs minister tests positive for COVID-19

\By Navendra Seoraj PRESIDENT Irfaan Ali has advised members of his Cabinet to work remotely, after Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Guyana, like many countries around the world, has been challenged by both the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but President Ali had committed to keeping Guyanese informed about the fight against this scourge.

“We are dealing with a global pandemic and I assured all Guyanese that there will be transparency, accountability and openness in the way your government works for you,” said President Ali during a virtual message, on Wednesday.

To this end, the president said Minister Todd came into contact with an individual, who tested positive for COVID-19, and subsequently found out he was positive, after being tested for the disease.

Minister Todd, since being sworn in last week, has attended Cabinet meetings and was even part of a meeting among President Ali; the President of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi and other government officials.

“I have since advised him (Minister Todd) to inform all individuals whom he came into contact with and to work with the minister of health to facilitate contact tracing and possible testing,” said President Ali. Further, the president has advised Cabinet members to undergo a COVID-19 test, as a precautionary measure.

Ministers have also been advised to work remotely until they receive the results of their tests.

Guyana has so far recorded 623 confirmed cases of COVID-19, but 191 of those persons have since recovered and 22 persons have lost their lives. The remaining 412 active cases are being monitored by health authorities.

“I have made a commitment to conduct the affairs of the government transparently and there is no greater issue that requires transparency, at every level, than in the way

we address the COVID-19 pandemic,” said President

(MoH) and wear masks in public, and adhere to social

will not go away by denial or ignorance. It is real, said the

the world, has taken a hit because of the COVID-19

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony being tested for COVID-19

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo gets tested for COVID-19

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn being tested for COVID-19

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy being tested for COVID-19

Ali. COVID-19 remains a global pandemic which must be addressed frontally, and government has since taken a holistic and comprehensive approach, which prioritised testing; increased provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); and inter-agency collaboration.

President Ali again assured persons that he will do everything possible to protect Guyanese from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has no barriers.

FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES Persons were advised to take the necessary precautions, follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Health

distancing guidelines.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus.

Most people who fall sick with COVID-19, will experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment.

“So fellow Guyanese, let us act wisely and be responsible as we start another exciting week. We can continue to do all the things we need to do safely and in a way that does not compromise public health in Guyana,” Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud had advised.

He reminded persons that COVID-19 is in Guyana and

CMO, noting that it is evidenced by the many persons who died and the agony and sadness of their families and friends.

The control measures in place are often hard to cope with, but considering the prevailing circumstances, persons must be cautious and vigilant, as they continue to do their part in the fight against COVID-19.

“We are stronger together. So, stay vigilant, observer all the measure, wear a mask in public, maintain physical distance and practice good hygiene for a safer and healthier Guyana,” the CMO advised.

Guyana Chronicle had reported that Guyana’s economy, like many others around

pandemic, especially at the household level, where jobs were lost, income dried up and, in some cases, hunger crept in.

The conditions were exacerbated further because of the long delay in the declaration of the March 2020 Elections results.

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING But the new administration has “hit the ground running” and, according to newly elected President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, his government is working to secure $4.5B as emergency response to help at the household level.

“We have reached out to several multilateral and bilateral sources with a view

to urgently mobilise financial resources of the magnitude that is necessary to overcome the effects of this pandemic.

I must say the response has been encouraging,” said Dr. Ali during his address at the inauguration ceremony, on Saturday.

To further ease the strain on persons, government had met with the Governor of the Central Bank and directed him to extend regulatory permission so as to allow for bankers to continue extending moratoriums.

Government has also looked at the possibility of adjusting the “reserve requirement” which will allow the banks to have more disposable resources and tie that adjustment with lower interest rates.

“We have started to examine, from a fiscal perspective, what support we can give to the private sector and other groups, all with the view of supporting a resumption of the economic activities and putting people back to work.

“Every life in our nation matters and my government will ensure that every life is protected from harm. The COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed too many lives. Everything possible must be done to protect our people from this dreaded and dreadful disease,” said President Ali. That is why, as President, he promised to personally and urgently participate in his government’s programme to stop infection by the coronavirus, curb its spread, and safeguard the health of Guyana.

After completing a rapid assessment, the President has already started to establish a structure to tackle the virus as effectively as possible.

Part of the structure includes the creation of a COVID-19 Response Unit comprising government policymakers, represented by the prime minister and the minister of health, and regional and international partners such as CARICOM, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and UNDP.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Kamala Harris: Countries rush to Beirut blast: WHO warns dozens celebrate Biden’s running mate of health facilities (BBC) It is not just American Democrats celebrating the choice of Kamala Harris as Joe Biden’s running mate, making her the first black woman and South Asian American to become a vice-presidential candidate.

People in India, Jamaica and Canada are also queuing up to heap praise on her.

The California senator was born in the US to parents of Indian and Jamaican heritage.

She also spent a good portion of her early life in Montreal, Canada.

The senator ’s mother, Shyamala Gopalan, moved to the US from India to pursue a doctoral degree.

In India, Gopalan Balachandran, Ms Harris’s 80-year-old maternal uncle, told The Washington Post he was “very, very happy” with the news.

His niece is “quick on her feet and a damn good

debater”, he said, adding that she would not be fazed by the inevitable nastiness of the election.

She “doesn’t take things lying down”, he said.

politician with the opposition Congress Party.

Ram Madhav, a senior member of the governing BJP, also gave her the thumbs up.

The California senator was born in the US to parents of Indian and Jamaican heritage

Indian politicians have been congratulating Ms Harris.

The fact that someone of Indian origin could be “a proverbial heartbeat away from the presidency is thrilling”, wrote Shashi Tharoor, a

THURSDAY, 13 AUGUST ― 12:30hrs - 14:00hrs

The world of Bollywood has been congratulating Ms Harris, including Priyanka Chopra, who called the moment “transformational”.

The reaction has been similarly positive for many in Jamaica.

“As a woman with Jamaican roots, her elevation shows that as a country, Jamaica has developed many nuggets who have made their mark on the global stage,” Irwine Clare, head of Caribbean Immigrant Services, told the Jamaica Gleaner.

Some have been joking about how Jamaicans will be claiming Ms Harris’s nomination.

Ms Harris caused controversy last year when she admitted to smoking cannabis when she was younger.

“Half my family’s from Jamaica. Are you kidding me?” she told The Breakfast Club radio show.

While the statement would have made some warm to Ms Harris, who was then one of the front-runners to be the Democratic nominee, it angered one Jamaican in particular - her father.

Donald J. Harris, the emeritus professor of economics at Stanford University, said that his deceased grandparents and parents “must be turning in their grave” to see the family name and Jamaican identity “being connected, in any way, jokingly or not with the fraudulent stereotype of a pot-smoking joy seeker and in the pursuit of identity politics”.

Finally, the senator’s nomination wasn’t overlooked in Canada, where she spent time as a child.

Her old high school in Quebec tweeted their congratulations.

“I’m very proud of Kamala,” former classmate Hugh Kwok told the Montreal Gazette.

“She was a special person, kind and thoughtful, always very interested in helping everyone.”

‘non-functional’

(BBC) The damage caused by last week’s deadly explosion in Beirut continues to hamper healthcare in the Lebanese capital.

The World Health Organization (WHO) assessed 55 healthcare facilities in the city and found that half of them were “non-functional”.

Three major hospitals had to close and three more had to reduce their capacity following the blast.

The WHO also warned that in some facilities Covid-19 prevention measures were not being adhered to.

More than 200 people died and more than 6,000 were injured in the blast, according to the city’s governor Marwan Abboud. The explosion was caused by more than 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely at the city’s port.

On Tuesday, people in Beirut marked the moment the blast hit exactly a week earlier.

There has been outrage that so much explosive material was allowed to be stored in the port. The government resigned on Monday following angry street protests.

WHAT’S THE STATE OF THE HOSPITALS? Dr Richard Brennan, the WHO’s regional emergency director in the Eastern Mediterranean, said that they had assessed 55 primary healthcare clinics in Beirut.

Of those, just over half were found to be “non functional”, leaving Beirut short of 500 hospital beds as it continues to deal with thousands of injured residents.

The WHO said its priority was to get those hospitals and clinics that had closed, up and running as fast as possible.

Dr Brennan said that to ensure supplies got to those who needed them, the WHO was distributing them directly to health facilities it had identified in its own assessments.

He stressed the importance of restoring health facilities to their full capacity both to treat those injured and to deal with a recent surge in daily coronavirus cases.

WHAT’S THE SITUATION WITH CORONAVIRUS? Lebanon has had 7,121 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to health ministry figures released on Tuesday.

There have been 87 Covid-related deaths.

Dr Brennan praised Lebanon’s response to the pandemic, saying it had done an “impressive job” tackling it.

But he warned that there had been “an uptick in the number of cases prior to the blast”. He added that the country had registered its highest number of daily cases on Tuesday.

“While we have to still continue to respond to the consequences of the blast, we also need to stay vigilant with respect to Covid,” he urged.

He said he thought it was possible to “get on top” of the recent acceleration in cases if the response was stepped up.

WHAT’S THE DAMAGE IN THE CITY? Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the blast, leaving parts of the city looking like a war zone. Many historical buildings are among those damaged.

Beirut explosion: Before-and-after images On Wednesday, the authorities announced a ban on the sale of these old buildings to prevent several historical districts from being gutted by developers seeking profits.

The fear is that these traditional homes could be torn down and replaced by high-rise apartment blocks as has happened in other parts of Beirut in the past.

Dr Brennan praised Lebanon’s response to the pandemic, saying it had done an “impressive job” tackling it.

But he warned that there had been “an uptick in the number of cases prior to the blast”. He added that the country had registered its highest number of daily cases on Tuesday.

“While we have to still continue to respond to the consequences of the blast, we also need to stay vigilant with respect to Covid,” he urged.

He said he thought it was possible to “get on top” of the recent acceleration in cases if the response was stepped up.

WHAT’S THE DAMAGE IN THE CITY? Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the blast, leaving parts of the city looking like a war zone. Many historical buildings are among those damaged.

On Wednesday, the authorities announced a ban on the sale of these old buildings to prevent several historical districts from being gutted by developers seeking profits.

The fear is that these traditional homes could be torn down and replaced by high-rise apartment blocks as has happened in other parts of Beirut in the past.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

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COVID-19 Party Crasher - 36 Beaches, Clarendon Clergyman Rivers Ordered Closed; Delinquent Charged For Promoters Face Six-Month Ban Having Sexual

(JAMAICA GLEANER) Following on threats to tighten the restrictions on outdoor and entertainment activities if COVID-19 protocol breaches surrounding their operations continued, Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie announced on Tuesday the closure of 17 beaches and 19 rivers.

These include Alligator Pond Beach, Spanish Bridge River, Noisy River, Little Dunn’s River, Hellshire Beach, Frenchman’s Cove, Blue Hole River, Ocho Rios Bay Beach, and Reggae Falls.

McKenzie told Parliament that operators have been invited to a meeting to discuss the concerns, but in the interim, the rivers and beaches will be closed effective Friday,

August 14.

The local government minister has also clamped down on entertainment venues, revealing that as at August 24, venues will only be allowed to operate on specific days.

The days are Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

McKenzie announced that promoters seeking permits for events would have to apply through the municipal corporations at least 15 days in advance.

Promoters who breach the coronavirus rules could be banned from hosting events for up to six months.

The local government minister said that all promotions must include

Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie has announced tough new measures restricting access to some beaches and rivers

President clarifies constitutionality of PM operating in office

President’s House and Office of the President

(TRINIDAD GUARDIAN) The Office of the President has issued a statement, seeking to clarify concerns which have been expressed about the status of the Prime Minister and other Ministers of Government, as well as Members of Parliament.

Following is the full text of the statement issued by the Office of the President…

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT The Office of the President notes the concerns of the general public regarding the current status of the Prime Minister, Ministers and other members of Parliament, in response to which, much incorrect information is in widespread circulation particularly on social media.

First, and most importantly: the process of appointing or reappointing a Prime Minister and Ministers of Government, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House is guided by the Constitution.

In the context of a General Election: • Prime Minister (Section 77)

After any dissolution of Parliament, the Prime Minister vacates office only after he is informed by the President that he is to be re-appointed or that she is appointing someone else as Prime Minister • Ministers of Government (Section 77) Ministers vacate office only after any person is appointed or re-appointed as Prime Minister • President of the Senate (Section 45) The President of the Senate remains Senate President after the dissolution of Parliament until the Senate first meets after that dissolution. At that first meeting the Senators will elect a President from among themselves.

• Speaker of the House (Section 50) The Speaker of the House remains Speaker after the dissolution of Parliament until the House of Representatives first meets after that dissolution. At that first meeting the Members of the House will elect a Speaker from among themselves.

The OTP trusts that this clarifies the position and puts to rest any unease being felt by citizens.

COVID-19-related guidelines.

“So apart from giving the name of the event and the date and the location, we have agreed that that information must be on the flyer so that the public knows that you must come prepared to get sanitised, wear your mask,” McKenzie said.

“There shall be audible public announcements every 15 minutes during the event, reminding patrons to wear masks when not drinking or eating and to observe physical-distancing protocols.”

The maximum crowd capacity at entertainment venues has been revised downwards from 280 to 230.

McKenzie said that promoters must be willing to self-regulate in order to keep their operations viable.

Intercourse With Teen

(JAMAICA GLEANER) Clarendon clergyman 32-year-old Ian Reid was on Tuesday arrested and charged for having sexual intercourse with a person under 16.

Reid, who is from Treadlight district, is a church minister.

According to the police, he called a 15-yearold girl on Monday, July 20 and decided to meet up with her at an abandoned building in his community where he had sexual intercourse with her.

The matter was reported to the police and Reid was subsequently arrested and charged.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Sugar industry integral to Guyana’s economy FOR decades, sugar formed the mainstay of Guyana’s economy, and the story of sugar in Guyana interweaves this nation’s past, present and, indisputably, according to the PPP/C, its future.

The corporation, until the APNU-AFC government began dismantling sugar estates, was the largest single employer in Guyana, with a workforce of approximately 30,000 employees, with tens of thousands more indirectly dependent on this sector for their livelihoods.

Sugar accounted for approximately 20 per cent of the GDP and 40 per cent of national agricultural production before the coalition tsunami. It was the largest earner of retained foreign exchange in Guyana. In 1995, foreign exchange earned from sugar represented five per cent of export earnings.

In that year GuySuCo earned $20.2 billion before sugar levy.

Before the coalition initiated the systematic demise of the sugar industry, the corporation’s operations were conducted on eight grinding estates along the coastal belt.

These were Skeldon, Rose Hall, Albion/ Port Mourant, and Blairmont in the county of Berbice; and Enmore, LBI, Uitvlugt, and Wales in the County of Demerara.

To meet challenges in the industry and in attempts to sustain the viability of the sector, the PPP/C administration instituted radical changes and implemented several new initiatives, among them a packaging facility in Enmore, at the commissioning of which then President Bharrat Jagdeo predicted a bright future for sugar and promised that new and emerging sectors will not displace traditional industries.

The facility, named “Project Gold”, was part of a US$12.5million investment in enhancing the operational capacity of the Enmore Sugar Estate and complemented the PPP/C government’s overall programme to sustain the ailing sector, which previously, through the sugar levy, had been the mainstay of the country’s various other sectors, including, but not limited to the bauxite industry, the public sector and military/ para-military institutions.

In the approximately 400 hundred years of sugar production, this country had been confined to producing raw sugar, which considerably constrained Guyana’s sugar earnings.

PPP/C had always envisaged an independent Guyana as exploring diversification options for the sugar industry, but this did not fructify until the newly-installed PPP/C government began planning, since 1992, to make the industry a complex instead of a merely a producer of raw sugar so that the earnings and benefits of sugar workers could increase in tandem with the increased market-share and profitability of value-added sugar products, which has always been the focus of the PPP/C administration.

The news and trends in the global marketplace had prepared the former PPP/C government to lose the European preferential market, but the PPP/C government had already been strategising on ways to modernise the industry, which culminated in, among other initiatives, the new factory at Skeldon and the state-of-the-art packaging facility at Enmore.

Accrual benefits that had been redounding to the nation from the PPP/C’s turnaround plan for sugar was electricity being generated at the Skeldon factory; with anticipated projects including other specialities, such as refined sugar; also the projected ethanol and paper production to enhance income-generation and consequently boost the quality of life of sugar workers.

At that commissioning ceremony, then President, Bharrat Jagdeo, had reiterated his pledge that the PPP/C government will always provide sustained support to “… an industry that provides a living for thousands of people, an industry that contributes to our national economy – in innumerable ways; in fact, in excess of 16 per cent of our GDP comes directly from this industry.”

Drawing parallels to indicate the quantum of this amount and its importance to the national economy, the former President elucidated, “In the UK the financial sector contributes just five per cent to their GDP, yet when they have turmoil in that industry,

it threatens to create decades of stagnation in that economy and economies related to it.

Enumerating some of his government’s achievements in the sector, which included the largest single investment ever made in Guyana, Dr. Jagdeo had said, “We have kept the sugar industry alive in Guyana when industries right across the world – including in the Caribbean, are failing.”

Dr. Jagdeo, who was the primary architect of Guyana’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, speaking of the economic blueprint for Guyana, established by the PPP/C Government, said that the next wave of wealth will come from the emerging sectors of oil and gas, large-scale plantation agriculture, eco-tourism, agro-processing, and information technology, which are projected to generate “a new type of dynamism”, which will vastly boost income-generation and wealth-creation of Guyanese citizens.

However, he gave assurance of a commitment by the then PPP/C government to sustain the traditional sectors –a commitment which he said was matched by solid investment in the bauxite, rice and sugar sectors.

The former President lambasted the detractors who pessimistically prognosticated doom and gloom scenarios and advocated relinquishing the sector because they envisaged the problems and challenges in the sugar industry as being insurmountable. “In our silence people get away with murder in this land. They talk about the sugar industry receiving support only because it is a support base for the PPP/C and not because it employs Guyanese.”

However, Dr. Jagdeo contended that his government invested even-handedly in all the communities in the country and gave as an example the bauxite community, where $2 billion dollars is provided annually to subsidise electricity.

“We manage with a clear conscience,” Dr. Jagdeo emphasised, “because we see all of our people – regardless of their religion or their race as Guyanese; equal before our Constitution, and equal in terms of opportunities.”

Yet, according to the former President at that forum, detractors hostile to the PPP/C and the PPP/C government continually disparaged his government’s efforts with outright lies and erroneous contentions to satisfy their own selfish agendas, which are often inimical to the nation’s interests.

“Had it not been for the PPP/C Government, sugar today would not have been alive; and had it not been for our government, the bauxite industry – which we took over back at one stage and kept it going until we got a new investor, would not have been alive. It would have been shut down…

We kept both industries alive – in Linden and the Berbice River.”

In addition to expanding the sugar industry, the PPP/C administration stewarded its modernisation, shifting it from a purely agricultural industry to a fully agro-industrial industry. The PPP/C always insisted that there is a bright future for Guyana’s sugar industry.

However, the APNU-AFC fought the PPP/C Government every step of the way in their efforts to sustain the sugar sector and, almost immediately after acceding to office in May of 2015, the coalition government went on a rampage of destruction in the sugar belt – the debilitating, destructive consequences to hundreds of thousands of Guyanese lives and the national socio-economic dynamics are incalculable and now form part of Guyana’s history.

But the current, newly-installed PPP/C Government is undaunted. Despite the large-scale disposal to cronies of sugar-cane fields, the cannibalisation of the sugar factories and related properties; and the outright theft of billions of US dollars acquired to sustain the industry, President Irfaan Ali’s Government pledges to re-operationalise the sugar factories and bring alive, once again, sugar-dependent communities, in keeping with the PPP/C mantra “Sugar is too big to fail.”

Small miners will support the new natural resources minister

Dear Editor,

I WOULD like to extend my heartiest congratulations to the newly-appointed Minister of Natural Resources, Mr. Vickram Bharrat, on the assumption of office. As a small miner I welcome and admire his hands-on approach to managing the sectors under his ministry. His recent tour of the various agencies under his control is indeed the first step to bring the sectors back on track to produce and earn much needed finance for our country, which has been depleted over the past five years.

The task of Mr. Bharrat is a huge responsibility, but I see he has the willingness, youth and passion to drive his ministry to optimum production. This will also have to be

done by all miners and the various associations within the sectors such as the Gold and Diamond Miners Association, GGDMA. I, on behalf of other small miners, would like to pledge our support to bring this sector back into full operation along the path which will be outlined by the innovation and guidance of the competent minister and his team. I do hope we as small miners will get an opportunity to share our views and thoughts with the minister in the coming weeks to contribute towards the transformation of the mining sector.

Most importantly, a lot of support will be needed from the regulatory agency for mining under the ministry to manage the current gold rush as prices has been fluctuating between US$1900 – US$2000. This has resulted in a rush for new mining lands and in some cases illegal mining which

may harm our sector in the long run.

It is in this regard that while we welcome and congratulate the Minister of Natural Resources on his recent appointment, we the small miners call on his good office to pay keen attention to the price of gold and the possible illegal mining which could result from a gold rush.

We, the small miners welcome the minister to the sector and will be looking forward to sharing our views and engage in discussions to transform the sector.

Sincerely, C. De Barros

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Curtsy and Courtesy of the First Lady Dear Editor,

“You will see me in your towns, villages and your homes. I want to hear from you; I want us to talk about your dreams no matter how big or small and let us work together as individuals, as communities and as a country. Together, we can build this nation and love each other as we do so.” This was a strong, powerful, significant, admirable, brave and effective statement made by the adorable First Lady, Arya Ali, after the Presidential inauguration. A young, intelligent mother poised to take Guyana to a united and peaceful future, she has committed not only herself but also her husband, the President of Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali. This is the determination that underlies one of the ideals of the new government and leading the way are the President and the First Lady.

Her words resonate the intensity of honesty, integrity, humility, equality, decency and sincerity towards achieving great intentions. Guyanese women should feel proud that in the forefront lies a backbone that is ready, willing and capable to reestablish pride once again and to help remove the shame that was so intolerably exerted on the nation by a gang of heartless cabals. Guyana would also recall the creditable past performances of previous First Ladies who had established some remarkable agendas during their tenure. The folks do await that personality of pleasantries to grace the streets and homes with her curtsy to maintain that common touch and reach out to understand the problems of the strugglers and stragglers and provide remedial answers.

Guyanese would sadly re-

call the past caretaker administration careless and callous responsibility towards the people of this country. From the inception in 2015, their first move was to increase their officers’ salaries by 50 per cent and ignoring the mass. That was their way of say, “thank you” for putting us in office.

Throughout their term, they ignored the man in the street, failed to address basic but essential issues, lost touch from the mass, lived the “good life” and “turned up their nose” at the small man who remained at the bottom, never made good of all of their promises, pressured the tax payers with increases while they enjoyed all the exemptions and luxuries and hardly reached out in empathy and sympathy.

In fact, their own supporters were shunned and forgotten because they were there only to be used and abused, to do their dirty work and see them in power. What a shame to treat the people who served you so willingly and hoping to be taken care of in return! At the end of the story, who really gained and who lost? The very ones who voted the de facto miscreants in are the ones still clamoring for equality, freedom and justice. Their needs remained unserved and their dreams and hopes shattered because of the aloofness of those “big ones” chauffeured driven with security, living in the expensive free mansions with servants to service their needs. Now it is up to the new government to shoulder this burden but who is only too happy, culpable and willing to share and care about their distress along with the rest of the nation’s anxieties and perplexities. Guyana remembers the last minute splurge that provided cosmetic Christmas gifts in January and February to make up for lost time, to save shame face and to bribe a way for reelection! Election campaign visits that were disguised

as official visits were mocked by the nation, rebutted and did not fool the alert nation. They only added to the expenses of the coffers to be shouldered by tax payers.

Behind every successful man is a woman. Not to deny the expectation and assurance of the First Lady, the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali visited Crane, West Coast Demerara last Tuesday evening and joined devotees of the ISKON Guyana Crane Temple to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami. Hindus throughout the world celebrated the auspicious observance of Lord Krishna’s entrance in the universe. Residents in New York would recall the visits of the then presidential candidate making appearances in numerous mandirs, mosques and churches. It is hoped that a precedent created from inception would derive the divine blessings for its continuity for years to come. Sincerity is not to say everything you think but to mean everything you say.

Leading by example is commendable and knee kneeling and kissing babies as publicity stunts are not the avid cup of tea for public’s satiation and satisfaction. Honesty is a very expensive thing so don’t expect it from cheap people. Confucius observed, “Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue,” something badly lacking, overlooked and ignored by bullies.

To supplement, complement and implement the courtesies of the First Lady, many of the newly-sworn members of the cabinet were seen hitting the ground hard, early, running fast in the streets and conferring and concurring with her wishes and desires as confirmation to her affirmation. To underscore this iteration are the following examples. “This is the way we will go about doing our business. We will not only sit in the office and send out instructions. As a matter of

fact, I plan to visit all of the areas that are affected,” said the newly-appointed Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, as he visited various outreaches having firsthand look at existing problems. Ministers of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai and Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, along with Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Director-General Lieutenant-Colonel Kester Craig and his Deputy Major, Loring Benons, were seen in the village of Kurukubaru, the first stop, where 300 hampers delivered to be shared between that village (150), Itabac (75) and Kanapang (75). In-person appearance and adding the personal touch of ministers themselves make quite a difference. Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, and Minister Susan Rodrigues have assured residents of ‘A’ Field Sophia that there will be no “strong arm” approach to the issue but rather a comprehensive and inclusive one as they made their rounds in the communities to mix and mingle with the man in the street and listen to their problems. Not to be left out, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, on Tuesday, met with the Director of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Ms. Jennifer Cumberbatch, and other members of staff. She also invited the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) to a meeting to hear the union’s views about the impact of COVID-19 on the education sector and teachers in particular.

On the dollar and on the spot was Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, along with a team from the Ministry, the Region Five Chairman, Vickchand Ramphal and Regional Vice-Chairman Rion Peters, paying a visit to the 500m of breached sea defence at Content to Dantzig, Mahai-

cony, Region Five, with hopes of assessing the progress of the works. All the unmentioned ministers were also busy meeting with their ministries and staff, familiarising, reacquainting and updating themselves with their current issues and true status.

Guyanese should feel some degree of assurance that the PPP/C Party has adopted the right approach and positive attitude towards rebuilding a broken nation and uniting its disheartened and flabbergasted people. This can only be materialised from leading by example and, putting that personal touch to realise the true magnitude and reality of the disastrous mess that they have inherited is attributable to personal resolution. A colossus hurdle, the new government now has to grapple and find the impossible answers to resolve these humongous matters, not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination, especially with a depleted Treasury and bankrupt economy, coupled with COVID-19 repercussions and a high and dangerous crime rate. A disgruntled, disorganised, non-cooperative, non-productive, inefficient, ineffective and non-functional major opposition party only adds to their burden as a dead weight and will further delay their smooth flow of operation and be a spanner in the spokes.

This new-born baby does not need this gift to tag along and does need breathing room before it can start walking. It first has to be nurtured and strengthen its body with immunity before it can cope and tackle all the diseases and disasters it has to encounter from exposure.

Expectations from the public are high and time is against everyone, but, a bit of empathy to understand the holistic impositions accumulated from the diabolic syndicates of villainous dictatorship is an appreciation within reasonable boundaries.

The new government needs to be given a chance to first settle down and settle in, and, affirm its feet solidly on the ground to lay a firm foundation. Remember, it is less than two weeks old and still nursing. But, from a layman’s perspective and not a professional, this is being denied. The public is clamoring for the new government to become cognisant of the awareness that a lot of things are wrong, to immediately identify those problems, something they have already initiated and to register an acknowledgement. Analysing the problem by bisecting, dissecting, knowing the pros and cons, pinpointing the advantages and disadvantages, noting the affects and effects and prorating the profit and loss are the next steps. Brainstorming for solutions and examining each proposal is the following step and a process of elimination may be considered. Deciding on the best, safest, possible, workable and profitable resolution from an expert opinion is considerable and its recommended submission for scrutiny, review, acceptability and approval may follow. After implementation, a follow up for effectiveness may result. This basic guideline may contribute to simple resolutions in a number of small areas as a suggested idea. We all need to understand that changes cannot happen overnight but given some time, the impossible will become possible. Remember what old people say as you rest, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”

Respectfully, Jai Lall

GPSU has to get its act together

Dear Editor,

I AM deeply upset at the way the GPSU and the way they really don’t show any sympathy to the hardworking public servants who are going out to work in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Imagine risking not only your lives, but those of your loved ones to earn a living and the GPSU has not been negotiating for a risk allowance for the Public Servants. In fact, over the years, what has the GPSU done for Public Servants apart from hiking their membership fee from $1,000 to the current $2,000? Because of late, all increases in salaries and benefits were arbitrary.

Editor, I am left wondering if I am really just handing over $2,000 of my hard-earned money every month to people doing nothing, much like those on the upper end of the salary scale that is exposed daily. It is amusing that in the Public Service, junior employees are not even thrown a bone to upgrade themselves yet the managers and level heads are given an unlimited opportunity. Yet, our so-called union has not been saying a peep for years now.

Maybe it’s time we had an actual union.

Regards Amir Khan

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Triple-murder convict to appeal FIVE months after Gavin Graham was sentenced to three terms of life imprisonment for the murders of three ‘C’ Field, Sophia residents, who were killed during a fire to their house in 2015, he has expressed interest in appealing the sentence.

On February 28, 2020, Graham, 52, of Linden, was sentenced by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court on three counts of murder, after being found guilty of the offences by a 12-member jury.

He was found guilty of murdering his ex-lover Tabola Abrams, her new lover Shawn Whyte and her stepfather Clifford Sampson, by setting their Sophia, Georgetown house on fire, on January 2, 2015.

Although the 14-day deadline for appeal has passed, Graham recently applied to the Court of Appeal for leave, seeking to have his conviction and sentencing overturned.

According to reports, Graham is the ex-lover of Tabola Abrams. On the day in question, it is alleged that Graham set Abrams’ Sophia house on fire and made good his escape. Sampson was trapped in the house and was burnt alive, while Abrams died at the Georgetown Public Hospital while receiving treatment for burns.

Graham, who was reportedly seen by neighbours at the scene, was later arrested with minor burns about his arms and other parts of his body.

-- in first meeting with labour minister

Gavin Graham

Man on death row plans to appeal MONTHS after Imran Ramsaywack was sentenced to death for the gruesome 2015 murder of businesswoman Samantha Benjamin in Buxton, East Coast Demerara, he has signalled his intention to appeal the sentence.

On December 18, 2019, Ramsaywack called Kevin Jones, Coolie Boy or Ramsa, of Berbice, was found guilty by a 12-member jury for the murder of Benjamin between March 25, 2015, and March 26, 2015 at Buxton, East Coast Demerara.

Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court imposed the death sentence onto Ramsaywack for the crime.

In the Judge’s ruling, he noted that the killing of Benjamin was “a cold- blooded and calculated robbery which turned into murder.”

Justice Kissoon also considered the manner in which Benjamin was killed – the violent nature in which her

During the High Court trial, Police Detective, Inspector Salish Roopnarine, testified on behalf of the state, and read a caution statement which he had taken

DEAD: Samantha Benjamin

body was dismembered.

The judge also deemed Ramsaywack unfit to dwell among civilised citizens, thus imposing on him the death penalty.

Although the 14-day deadline for appeal has passed, Ramsaywack recently applied to the Court of Appeal for leave, seeking to have his conviction and sentencing overturned.

Imran Ramsaywack called Kevin Jones, Coolie Boy or Ramsa

from Ramsaywack, during the investigation in 2015.

In the caution statement, Ramsaywack told the inves-

tigator that he was smoking “weed” and was listening “Kartel” music with his friends Zackery and Itchy.

The men on March 25, 2015, allegedly robbed Benjamin at her Buxton home.

They lashed her to the head then proceeded to ransack the house for valuables, particularly the room Benjamin had occupied.

After hitting the woman to her head, they proceeded to chop off her hands and feet, placed her in a wheelbarrow and wheeled her to the Buxton seawall under cover of darkness. At the seashore, Itchy decided to sever the woman’s head.

On March 26, 2015, Benjamin’s torso was found but her head and limbs were missing. Shortly after, the police returned to the scene where the woman’s head, hands and feet were discovered nearby.

Brazilians charged for illegal entry TWELVE Brazilian Nationals were, on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, remanded to prison by Linden Magistrate, Wanda Fortune, for entering Guyana illegally.

The twelve Brazilians entered Guyana by a land frontier on July 30, 2020.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charge and were re-

manded to prison until August 19, 2020.

On July 30, police intercepted a minibus along the Rockstone trail with the twelve Brazilians inside.

They were escorted to the Upper Demerara Hospital (UDH) quarantine facility at Wismar, Linden.

Also in July, three per-

GTUC lobbies for RUSAL employees

sons were arrested for attempting to ‘smuggle’ nine Brazilian nationals into Guyana via Sand Pit, an illegal crossing at the Takutu River, near the Guyana/ Brazil border.

The police intercepted the minibus, BRR 4856, which was driven by a resident of Tabatinga, Central

Rupununi. The Brazilian nationals were escorted back to Bonfim, Brazil, and handed over to the Federal Police.

With the borders closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, authorities in Guyana have been struggling to monitor the illegal crossings.

THE Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), in its first meeting with the Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, last Tuesday, highlighted the need for the establishment of an arbitration panel to deal with the impasse between the RUSAL-owned Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) and the employees union, Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU).

The GTUC also called for the creation of an industrial tribunal or court, a revisiting of the Trade Union Recognition Act, and the restoration of Agency Shop across the public sector.

“These are issues that the GTUC, over the years, has been advocating for.

These things are the very heart of labour and industrial relations,” a statement from the body noted The union congratulated Hamilton on his appointment as minister of labour and noted that it welcomes the re-establishment of a Ministry of Labour, given that under the previous administration the ministry had been relegated to being a Department of Labour within the Ministry of Social Protection.

The Ministry of Labour was re-established following the changeover of government a few weeks ago, and Hamilton was appointed.

“We look forward to a good, meaningful, and productive working relationship with the minister. Now that we have a return of a ministry, it is therefore our expectation that the ministry will continue in accordance with the established norms,” the statement said.

It added: “The established norms include, embracing the declarations

and conventions of the United Nations and International Labour Organisations, and equally upholding the Constitution and Laws of Guyana without fear, favour or ill will, so that the Guyanese labour force (past, present and potential) can be best served.”

Hamilton will now bring new blood to the RUSAL-GBGWU standoff, which saw many developments over the past few years, including the company’s termination of 326 of its workers last February.

The workers had subsequently responded by blocking a section of the river, as a means of preventing the company from shipping out its materials and equipment from its mines. Nonetheless, the company later shipped, out of the country, a number of pieces of equipment that it was already storing in Berbice.

Due to the blockage, the company has not operated for months; however, the company has never made it clear if it was entirely shutting down operations in Guyana. The situation had been awaiting the outcome of the March 2 elections for a way forward.

Global aluminum giant, RUSAL is a 90 per cent shareholder in BCGI while the government, through the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) owns the remaining 10 per cent.

It was revealed that over the years the company had not been paying over to the government its share of dividends, if any. However, representatives for the company, on several occasions, had reiterated that it was not making a profit.

BCGI and its employees have been at loggerhead for years.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Cocaine bust in Germany…

Local shipper working with CANU

- GRA, GRDB assisting with investigations THE cocaine in a cargo ship container that allegedly originated from Guyana and was busted in Hamburg, Germany, was destined for Poland. Law enforcement has contacted and questioned the shipper who is assisting investigators.

A reported ‘tip-off’ had led police authorities in Hamburg to seize over €300 million worth of drugs, Monday last.

When contacted, Deputy Head of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), Leslie Ramlall, said that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) are assisting with the investigation.

Ramlall said the shipment of rice from Guyana was loaded on May 22 and sailed from the country’s shores on May 25, 2020.

He explained that the vessel with the containers was in transit in a “high risk country” for six days and the vessel was unloaded and reloaded onto another vessel for Germany with an eventual destination of Poland.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, has requested a detailed report from the GRDB on a cargo ship container of rice from Guyana.

“I am very concerned, like you, that those things will affect our export and we would have to put measures in place to avoid future re-

Deputy Head of CANU, Leslie Ramlall

currence. I have asked the manager of GRDB to provide

me with a detailed report so that I can brief the President,” Minister Mustapha said.

The container in question was then taken to the city’s Waltershof customs office and examined in a testing facility.

Officers found 47 large packages hidden between the rice sacks and within those packages, a total of 1,277 small parcels with cocaine.

The parcels all had various symbols on them, including a cat’s face, the Gallic rooster, and the Ampelmännchen (red and green traffic light symbols shown on pedestrian signals in Germany).

Several hundred of the packages were marked with the same logo.

Linden resident charged for dangerous driving

A 25-year-old Linden resident, on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, appeared before Principal Magistrate, Judy Latchman, in relation to the fatal accident at Soesdyke Public Road, East Bank Demerara, which claimed the life of his friend.

Shaquille Henry, of Mora Street, Linden, was ‘hauled’ before the Providence Magistrates’ Court for the offence of causing death by dangerous driving.

Henry denied the charge which read that, on August 10, 2020, at Soesdyke Public Road, he drove motor car #HD 1029 in a dangerous manner which resulted in the death of Quamie Dalton, 25, of Block ‘C’ Ice House Road, Timehri.

Magistrate Latchman released Henry on 250,000 bail and adjourned the matter until August 31, 2020.

According to reports, on

Shaquille Henry

DEAD: Quamie Dalton

August 10, 2020, Henry was the driver of motor car #HD 1029, while Dalton and Shania Budburgh, 18, of Amelia’s Ward, Linden; Melissa Lewis, 20, of Providence; and Rosanna Bobsemple, 27, of Kara Kara, Linden, were passengers in the vehicle.

The Guyana Chronicle was made to understand that, around 02:00 hours, Henry was speeding along the east-

ern side of Soesdyke Public Road with his four friends in the vehicle, looking for a place to ‘hang out.’

It is alleged that Henry, while in the vicinity of the Soesdyke junction, hit a median, which is situated in the centre of the road and lost control of his vehicle.

As a result, the vehicle ‘skidded’ off the road, collided with a lamp post and

‘turned turtle’ before coming to a halt.

The vehicle received extensive damage and the passengers were all taken out of the vehicle by the police and public-spirited citizens and placed into another car and rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.

They were all seen and examined by a doctor on duty. Dalton later died while receiving treatment.

Henry, Budburgh, and Bobsemple were later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where they were treated for various injuries such as fractured legs and laceration to the head and about the body.

The motor car driver was subjected to a breathalyser and it showed that he was under the prescribed limit.

‘Cardo’ wanted for alleged murder THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) has issued a bulletin for the arrest of Richardo Mitchell called “Cardo”, who is wanted in connection with the murder of Winston Robertson, who was killed on August 10, 2020 at Cotton Tree Public

standing with a female friend, when her husband, armed with a handgun, ap-

DEAD: Winston Robertson called “Highrollers” or “Redman”

WANTED: Richardo Mitchell called “Cardo”

Road, West Coast Berbice.

Mitchell’s last known address is Lot 30 Bennet Dam Rosignol, West Bank Berbice. He is 31 years old.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Mitchell is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 333-2151, 3335564, 333-3876, 232-0313, 226-6978, 2258196, 911 or the nearest police station.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported that Robertson, father of two of Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice, succumbed to injuries early Tuesday morning.

Robertson called “Highrollers” or “Redman”, a contractor and Fisherman of Lot two, Cotton Tree Village was shot on Monday evening at a wash bay in Cotton Tree, allegedly by Mitchell.

According to information received, at around 19:30 hours on Monday, Robertson, who was in front of the yard at a wash bay, was confronted and shot by Mitchell who, as reported, accused him of having an affair with his wife.

An eyewitness told the media that Robertson was

proached from behind. He gained access to the yard by scaling the back fence.

Guyana Chronicle understands that, on Sunday evening, the suspect physically abused his wife but she managed to escape and sought refuge at a friend’s house.

It is alleged that, on Monday, while at the friend, her husband found out she was there with Robertson and immediately came up with the plan to take action.

After firing at Robertson, the enraged man went after his wife who ran to seek refuge in the upstairs of the friend’s house, but the suspect ran behind her, grabbed her by the hair, beat her and dragged her down the stairs and unto the road. After beating her mercilessly, the man quickly made good his escape.

Robertson, after being shot, attempted to drive himself to hospital but instead crashed his car in the process.

He was subsequently rescued and taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital.

He was later transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he succumbed on Tuesday.

House 'allegedly' owned by ‘Guyanese Critic’ came under rapid fire

INVESTIGATORS have launched a probe into the shooting at a building located in Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, which is allegedly owned by social media commentator, Mikail Rodrigues, called ‘Guyanese Critic.’

The Guyana Chronicle was made to understand that the incident occurred on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, around 09:30 hours.

According to reports, at the time of the incident, Rodrigues’ son and his friends were alone in the

building, when it came under rapid gunfire which lasted for a couple of minutes. The police managed to recover several spent shells at the scene. Police investigation is on-going.

Social media commentator, Mikail Rodrigues, called ‘Guyanese Critic.’

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

‘We do not have a decision as yet’ – says Min. Manickchand on school re-opening -- GTU suggests re-opening should be done in November

By Tamica Garnett MINISTER of Education, Priya Manickchand, on Tuesday, clarified that the Ministry of Education (MoE) has not yet made a decision as it pertains to the opening of public schools, even as consultations are ongoing with stakeholders, the most recent being the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU).

GTU President Mark Lyte told Guyana Chronicle that the union does not believe that schools are prepared for a reopening just yet, but did suggest a possible November timeline.

Schools in Guyana have been closed since March, among measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus, after the first case was recorded in the country on March 11. However, given the five months closure and with the academic year customarily scheduled to commence in September, rumours have been circulating of a possible reopening from September 7.

Setting the record straight, Minister Manickchand said there are several different layers that would need to be looked at to decide the way forward and nothing has been settled as yet.

“We have not made a decision as yet,” Manickchand affirmed during a video posted on social media, last Tuesday.

The minister made it clear that while the ministry is looking at a number of options, ultimately the official decision on the way forward would have to be guided by recommendations coming out of consultations, particularly with the Ministry of Health (MoH).

“Our decision is going to be based purely on sci-

ence, statistics and biology; and the trajectory of the disease in Guyana and what we have learned from around

als for the future of public schools in Guyana.

“We can’t and we will not be doing anything without

be consulted on and we’re facing a big one now which is how do we deal with delivering academic material,

the country and teachers are the backbone of our system,” Manickchand said.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand (third from left), sitting across from GTU President, Mark Lyte (second from right), during a MoE-GTU meeting on Tuesday

the world with school reopening. My position has to be informed by the MoH’s knowledge: their medical knowledge, statistical knowledge, their experience in the various regions,” Manickchand underlined.

GETTING UP TO SPEED Manickchand noted that she is still familiarising herself with the situation at the ministry, given her recent appointment. With the change of government, Manickchand was sworn in as minister on August 5 and has since had to conduct a number of familiarisation activities.

The minister was emphatic on the need for the ministry to engage the GTU even as they brainstormed propos-

collaborating with the GTU. It is important to hear from the GTU on their perspective on what our plans might be, what our possibility and proposals might be and share with them what we plan to do,” she said.

Manickchand and other officials from the MoE met with several representatives from the GTU last Tuesday.

According to a statement from the MoE, those present at the meeting also included GTU President, Mark Lyte; General Secretary Coretta McDonald; First Vice President, Lesmeine Collins as well as MoE Chief Planning Officer, Nicola Johnson; and Director of NCERD, Jennifer Cumberbatch.

“All major decisions will

teaching to students in the COVID-19 pandemic. I don’t know how you could make a decision like that without engaging the union,” Manickchand said in her interview after the meeting.

The minister said that the union’s input is of critical nature given that it is the union that would be able to share a more accurate perspective of what is happening on the ground.

“Sometimes we hear things in the ministry in our offices that is not necessarily what is happening on the ground, so it’s always good to get other views. The GTU is a very important stakeholder in the delivery of education. They look after the interest of teachers across

GOOD WORKING RELATIONS The minister further noted that outside of working along with the union on the current COVID-19 situation, she looks forward to future cordial relationships with the union.

“I believe unions are a good thing,” she said “Unions do what I do in my life, outside of politics, which is represent people who can’t represent themselves.

I don’t think a union-ministry relationship needs to be combative. It needs to be a relationship where both sides enjoy a healthy respect for the other and you work together to make sure we get the best out of our teachers and make them into the best they can be.

That’s kind of the relationship we will be committed to,” Manickchand avowed.

Lyte noted that the meeting was a very cordial one, and the union is looking forward to working with the ministry and hopes that its recommendations are given serious consideration as the ministry goes about crafting its plans.

“Today’s (Tuesday’s) meeting is where the union had a chance to ventilate how we feel about this whole plan of reopening and the discussions went well. We are looking forward to the ministry listening to our voice, and a decision to be made soon in relation to what is put forward. We have proposed the earliest time, providing everything is in place looking at a November opening,” he said.

Lyte noted that, though the union had been sent a previous re-opening plan that had been crafted by the ministry, prior to the government changeover, which suggested a rotation system of students at the varying school, the GTU was never consulted for its input.

“What we know is that the ministry, by itself, without the union’s input was looking at a plan. But when we talk about consultations that means before you create a draft of a plan you have to consult stakeholders. And we believe we form that critical core group that lends a valid voice at the grassroots level but we were not part of the discussions.

We were just preview to a draft,” Lyte explained

Brazilians charged for illegal entry TWELVE Brazilian Nationals were, on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, remanded to prison by Linden Magistrate, Wanda Fortune, for entering Guyana illegally.

The twelve Brazilians en-

tered Guyana by a land frontier on July 30, 2020. They all pleaded not guilty to the charge and were remanded to prison until August 19, 2020.

On July 30, police intercepted a minibus along

the Rockstone trail with the twelve Brazilians inside.

They were escorted to the Upper Demerara Hospital (UDH) quarantine facility at Wismar, Linden.

Also in July, three per-

sons were arrested for attempting to ‘smuggle’ nine Brazilian nationals into Guyana via Sand Pit, an illegal crossing at the Takutu River, near the Guyana/Brazil border.

The police intercepted the minibus, BRR 4856, which was driven by a resident of Tabatinga, Central Rupununi. The Brazilian nationals were escorted back to Bonfim, Brazil, and handed

over to the Federal Police.

With the borders closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, authorities in Guyana have been struggling to monitor the illegal crossings.

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

ExxonMobil spent over G$14B -- engaged over 600 local companies in first half of 2020

EXXONMOBIL Guyana has trained more than 50 Guyanese in countries such as Brazil, Canada, Singapore, Trinidad, United Arab Emirates and the United States, to gain hands-on oil and gas experience to leverage in Guyana.

According to ExxonMobil's Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Janelle Persaud, more than 2,000 Guyanese are supporting ExxonMobil Guyana’s operations, representing 55 per cent of the total workforce.

ExxonMobil Guyana’s direct workforce now stands at 155, more than 50 per cent of which are Guyanese.

She noted that capacity building is an ongoing process for ExxonMobil Guyana and its direct contractors, with more than 100,000 hours of training provided to Guyanese staff as of the first half of 2020.

Persaud said approximately 80 per cent was in the areas of professional/ technical and craft/trade training.

Further, the governance affairs advisor said that, despite the challenges of COVID-19, in the first half of 2020 over G$14 billion was spent locally and more than 600 Guyanese suppliers were used for services ranging from foodstuff to engineering.

ExxonMobil's Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Janelle Persaud

“What we’ve done to date is remarkable, and I want to build on our local content accomplishments," said President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge. “Continued growth of Guyanese capabilities is exactly what we want to see and we remain commit-

ted to supporting this development.”

The Centre for Local Business Development remained supportive of local businesses with a transition to virtual courses.

Additionally, nearly 100 electronic tender notifications were released to over 2,400 Guyanese companies, and the centre continued mentorship of 10 Guyanese companies in the process to be compliant in the ISO 9001 quality management system.

Looking ahead, Routledge emphasised the importance of the timely approvals for future development projects like Payara, noting, “continual development of projects will help further progress local content and provide opportunities and confidence to the local business community, which will lead to additional opportunities for workers and continued capacity building.”

In addition to local content efforts, ExxonMobil Guyana continued to support activities across the country, contributing more than G$80 million to education, women and community empowerment, and environmental sustainability programmes in the first half of 2020.

CDC takes COVID relief efforts to Reg. 9

Some 520 hampers and over 2,000 face masks were handed over to toshaos and community leaders in Region Nine on Tuesday (DPI photo)

SOME 520 hampers and over 2,000 face masks were handed over, on Tuesday, to toshaos and community leaders in Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine) to aid households that are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Making the presentations were Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Campbell-Sukhai; Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall; Civil Defence Commission’s (CDC) Direc-

tor-General, Lieutenant-Colonel Kester Craig and Deputy Director Major, Loring Benons.

The communities of Potarinau, Katuur, Baitoon, Quiko, Sand Creek, Wowetta, Rupertee, Annai and Aranaputa are all expected to benefit from this initiative. The team received a warm welcome and appreciative words from residents of the various communities for the much-needed support they will benefit from.

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

President Ali celebrates Krishna Janmashtami with Crane residents

PRESIDENT, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, on Tuesday evening, joined with the residents and members of the ISKCON Guyana Crane Temple to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami, which is the auspicious observance of the birth of Lord Krishna in Hinduism.

President Ali noted that in 2019, himself, along with now Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, had visited the temple and promised to return this year.

“I remember that last year when I came, I made a commitment to many of you that when the PPP/C is elected to government, I will come back this year, and so I am here to fulfil that commitment. Many of you ensured that we travelled through those five months and navigated to a place where good triumphed, where decency triumphed and where we can celebrate that democracy won in the

end and I thank all of you for your efforts, prayers and commitment,” he said.

The head of state said the work has not ended, but rather, all hands are now needed to ensure that Guyana is governed in the best way possible so that every Guyanese can enjoy a better quality of life.

“Our prayers and efforts must now be concentrated on building Guyana where every Guyanese is given equal opportunity, a country that is peaceful, one in which poverty is removed from every door step, one in which dignity is returned to every life, one in which honour is given to every home, where children respect their parents, one where young people honour the elderly, one in which the elderly give young people a chance to blossom and where we can be proud that we have done what we were supposed to do in the advancement of humanity. In doing so, we will

be celebrating and giving the greatest tribute to Lord Krishna. We must all do our bit,” the President said.

He noted that as his government takes up office, every citizen can be assured that the administration will work assiduously and tirelessly not only to secure the lives and livelihoods of villagers, especially those in the sugar industry, but will work on creating new opportunities and fulfilling the promises that were made in its manifesto.

“That is my humble commitment on behalf of the Government to you. I always compliment the leaders of these temples for the role they play in the communities and society and as we celebrate tonight, let us recommit ourselves to the values that will make us stronger and recommit ourselves to the task of building a stronger Guyana,” President Ali noted.

Meanwhile, President of

President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, on Tuesday evening, joined with the residents and members of the ISKCON Guyana Crane Temple to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami

the organisation, Mahadeo Ramroop, in his brief remarks, said he was pleased that without any prompting, the Head of State remem-

bered his promise to the people and decided to honour it.

The religious leader noted that the organisation stands ready and willing to

support the government in whatever way as it takes up the mantle of leading the country during this critical time. (DPI)

Minister Manickchand meets CPCE staff

Education Minister Priya Manickchand with staffers of the Cyril Potter College of Education on Wednesday

MINISTER of Education, Priya Manickchand visited the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), on Wednesday, as she continues to engage key stakeholders in the education sector.

Since recently returning to the post of education minister, she has been working

on manifesting solid plans for the upcoming September school term, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced most teachers and students to adapt to new ways of learning.

On Tuesday, Minister Manickchand also met with representatives of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and

made visits to the Guyana Learning Channel, which is anticipated to play a greater role in education delivery.

Decisions made based on the outcome of the engagements will affect more than 100,000 students in all levels of the education system countrywide.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Guyana’s National Protected Areas System (NPAS) WHAT IS IT?/ WHO ARE WE? GUYANA’s National Protected Areas System (NPAS) has been in the making for over 80 years, beginning with the creation of Kaieteur National Park (KNP) in 1929. At that time, Guyana boasted the first national park in the Amazon region, and was one of only three countries in South America to have a protected area (PA).

Since then, Guyana has taken a measured approach to protected areas development, with the country’s second PA, the Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve, being formally established in 1996.

In 2011, the PA Act, which provides for the establishment, management, maintenance, promotion, and expansion of the PA system of Guyana, was passed.

Shortly thereafter, two new PAs, the Kanuku Mountains Protected Area (KMPA) and Shell Beach Protected Area (SBPA) were declared following decades of preparatory work with local communities and other stakeholders.

The newest, largest and first ever indigenous owned PA, Kanashen Amerindian Protected Area was added to the NPAS in 2017. Also included in the system are three urban parks in Georgetown: the Botanical Gardens, Zoological Park, and the National Park; and one, the Joe Viera Park, in West Demerara. The Pas, together with the urban parks, account for approx. 8.4% of the country’s land area.

To manage NPAS, the PA Act established the Protected Areas Commission (PAC) which became operational in 2012.

WHY OUR WORK IS IMPORTANT CONSERVING BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS Guyana is centrally positioned within the Guiana Shield and so contains much of its representative ecosystems and biodiversity, while still featuring many endangered Amazonian species.

At a minimum, the NPAS supports approximately 70% of Guyana’s mammals, 60% birds and 43% of its plants.

All 6 species of cats and all 8 species of primates that occur in Guyana can be found in the NPAS. The KMPA alone is thought to have the highest

diversity of bats of any PA in the world, while SBPA is proposed as a globally important birding area (IBA), supporting more than 200 coastal and migratory bird species. It is thought that healthy populations of at least 30% of globally threatened mammals found in Guyana and approximately 90% of threatened reptiles occur in our NPAS. The PAC has been working with local communities and stakeholders to ensure continuous conservation and sustainable use of the protected areas and the biodiversity within.

PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE USE OF RESOURCES Many of the areas adjacent to protected areas are titled Amerindian lands, comprising 7 out of 9 of Guyana’s Indigenous groups (46 communities). There is a long history and culture of resource use by communities in the country’s protected areas, including hunting, fishing, farming, and gathering. Many of these areas are therefore extremely important features in the livelihoods and long term developmental aspirations of local communities.

The management of NPAS is therefore defined by a participatory approach with community involvement and enhanced local benefits being fundamental to our work.

The PAC is committed to managing the sustainable use of resources in the protected areas, which, in accordance with the PA Act, means that no large scale commercial activities such as mining and logging are permitted.

Subsistence activities that are deemed traditional by local communities like hunting, fishing, and farming are allowed.

TOURISM AND RECREATION The development of the NPAS will directly contribute to the growth of the country’s tourism sector, through the protection of iconic landmarks, landscapes and biodiversity, tourism marketing and the development of tourism-compatible infrastructure.

Strengthened partnerships with key stakeholders have therefore been a priority of the PAC to contribute to the growth and development of Guyana’s ecotourism services and products. So, for example, the PAC, in 2019, signed a MoU with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) to collaborate on the promotion of tourism that supports the conservation values of protected areas. At the centre of the tourism/protected area partnership is Kaieteur National Park, which is Guyana’s premier tourist site and received over 8,000 visitors in 2018.

Visitation within the Urban Parks are also significant and growing which makes them a valuable platform for marketing tourism, improving awareness, education and support for the conservation of Guyana’s biodiversity.

CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION Climate change negatively affects biodiversity, livelihoods, and natural processes at a global level, more so in developing countries like Guyana. Guyana boasts one of the lowest deforestation rates in the world, thus making it a global carbon sink, and a key player in the international efforts to mitigate climate change. Our protected forest and biodiversity therefore play a

significant role in climate change adaptation, acting as natural buffers and regulators of flood, droughts and rising sea levels.

CONTRIBUTING TO

THE COUNTRY’S INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS Guyana is signatory to a number of international and regional conventions and protocols aimed at conserving biodiversity. Some key conventions the NPAS directly contributes to achieving are the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

During these first 8yrs of PAC’s work, significant strides have been made in realising our massive mandate. Some key achievements have been

the development of five year management plans for each state-owned protected area directly under management of PAC (KMPA, KNP and SBPA). Based on these management plans, our work has focused primarily on establishing key infrastructure and equipment; employing and training staff (many of whom are hired from the communities); supporting research in the PAs; conducting outreach and awareness to improve support for NPAS; and working with local communities and stakeholders to manage the PAs and support local livelihoods.

At this juncture, the PAC is looking forward to strengthening management of the NPAS, so that we can achieve our vision of protecting nature and improving lives.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Payara contract to be reviewed by two sets of consultants -Natural resources minister says decision will only be made when Gov’t is satisfied

By Navendra Seoraj IN a bid to ensure that Guyana gets the best deal for its oil wealth, the new government has undertaken a

review of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited’s (EEPGL) Payara contract and will engage two sets of consultants before a decision is made on the way

forward.

The Payara development project, located in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block, will see the drilling of up to 45 development wells which could

take up to five years, with initial production previously set for early 2023.

“The Payara contract is attracting our attention right now because there is a timeline…

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

the previous administration had dragged their feet on it and then they fought to stay in government… so now we are pushed to a position where we have limited time to do this, but we want to be comfortable with the contract,” said Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, on Monday.

Government aims to be comfortable in the sense that Guyanese must benefit or get what they deserve from the Payara contract, said Minister Bharrat.

Judging from the history of previous contracts, which critics believe shortchanged Guyana, it is imperative that a better contract be negotiated so that the country can derive the full or adequate benefits for its valuable resource.

Under the existing Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil, which governs the Stabroek Block, Guyana will be receiving, at a minimum, two per cent royalty on all oil produced in the block, plus 12.5 per cent profit oil.

“We know the history of previous contracts and we are trying to avoid that… consultants are working right now, and we have other people who would look at it so that we are satisfied that it falls in line with our policies and our manifesto promises to the people,” said Minister Bharrat.

Stabroek News had reported that President Irfaan Ali is lobbying for technical and financial support to have an international expert review Exxon’s Payara project and advise on the way forward.

Government, Ali disclosed, has approached Canada for assistance in finding a suitably qualified person to fill the spot.

Back in May, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ExxonMobil Corporation, Darren Woods, had told investors on the company’s Q1 earnings call: “Unfortunately, the ongoing elections process and uncertainty around the next administration have slowed Government approvals of the Payara Development Plan.”

Approving or discussing Field Development Plans require the signature of a minister, and that was virtually impossible, as the country was still awaiting the results of the March 2 General and Regional Elections, which ended on August 2, 2020.

It was the hope that by the time Guyana resolved its electoral impasse, the process can move full speed ahead towards completion.

EEPGL, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, is the operator of Stabroek Block and holds 45 per cent interest. Meanwhile, Back in September 2019, EEPGL also submitted its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the Payara Development Project to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The project marks EEPGL’s third field development in the Stabroek block and targets 180,000 to 220,000 barrels of oil per day, with anticipation to produce approximately 5,700,000 to 6,600,000 barrels of crude oil per month.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Informal settlements in Sophia to be addressed

-- housing ministers interact with residents

Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, interacting with one of the many residents of Sophia during her visit

RESIDENTS of Block X, Liliendaal, Sophia, will benefit from a comprehensive housing policy and proper data collection mechanisms that will see a humanitarian approach in dealing with informal settlement.

This was revealed Tuesday, after residents, through

their community leaders, reached out to the ministers of housing, citing their feelings of neglect, when it comes to house lot allocation.

During their visit, Ministers of Housing and Water, Collin Croal and Susan Rodrigues, conducted a walkabout and fact-finding mission in that community.

They engaged residents of Block X Liliendaal (Section A) and Block (R) Turkeyen and assured them that the strong-armed approach is a thing of the past but a rather inclusive and humanitarian stance will be adopted and implemented.

Minister Croal said his ministry has always adopted

R3CCI looks forward to working with gov’t on business development

THE Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (R3CCI) has congratulated Dr. Irfaan Ali upon his election as President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

According to President of R3CCI, Halim Khan, “your decisive victory is a personal triumph and we wish you success as you take up the responsibility to lead this nation”.

He continued: “Your Excellency, we look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our relations and foster close ties of friendship and cooperation.

Best wishes for your well-be-

President of R3CCI, Halim Khan

ing and peace, progress and prosperity for the Guyanese people.”

The R3CCI also extends

Payara contract to be ...

A third Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel will be used during production which would be named ‘Prosperity’.

Guyana has already received US$8.6M in oil and gas royalties and over US$90 million from the sale of crude, which is being produced by EEPGL’s Liza phase 1 de-

velopment.

ExxonMobil is now firmly established in Guyana, operating an office in Georgetown, with numerous ongoing exploration and development operations offshore. ExxonMobil Guyana has made 16 discoveries since May 2015 and began production in December 2019 from the Liza

sincere congratulations to the newly-appointed Cabinet.

Khan said the chambers look forward to working with ministers of government to implement and facilitate decisions that will develop the business community, and, by extension, the country.

“We would like to find an early opportunity to meet with policy leaders to discuss the potential synergies between the work of R3CCI and some of the initiatives identified, particularly for the business sector. Once again please accept our best wishes on your new portfolios,” he said.

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Phase 1 development project.

The company is the operator of the Stabroek, Canje and Kaieteur Blocks offshore Guyana. Since 2015, ExxonMobil has increased its estimated recoverable resource base in Guyana to more than 8 billion oil-equivalent barrels.

a zero-tolerance approach to informal settlement and a comprehensive plan will have to be formulated to address the issue in the near future.

He urged residents to be patient with the agency and to cooperate with the staff in their bid to effectively address housing issues.

The minister also assured residents that their issue will be addressed with some urgency as the agency is formulating a comprehensive housing policy which will cater to the needs of all.

He noted that the agency will be giving priority to the matter since, in some instances, squatting impedes on infrastructure development.

Minister Rodrigues echoed similar sentiments, saying she has been active

in the community prior to taking up her ministerial post and, unfortunately, witnessed firsthand, people’s houses being demolished.

She assured the residents that this will not be the new administration’s approach and noted that a more humanitarian one will be taken.

In so doing, she stressed the need for a proper data collection mechanism which will guide the relocation and resettlement process.

“We need to fix the situation; we are looking for your full cooperation; we commit to working to put this situation to rest and resolving it in a way where everyone is satisfied,” the minister said.

She too reminded residents that the agency was dealing with a backlog of applications which has now reached a total of 62,000 active applications as she pleaded with them to be patient.

Though only a few days in office and having been briefed on the issue of informal settlement (squatting), the ministers opted to give residents an audience.

Some residents complained that, late last year, they were invited to an outreach where they were made to add their names and contact information to a list after which contact would have been made when lands were available.

To date, the residents said they had not been contacted. Fearful of having their properties, which are all on the government’s reserve, demolished, the residents said they thought it best to engage the subject ministers.

“We have no intention of living on the dam for the rest of our life; we are willing to move if we are given lands,” one resident lamented.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Unnamed Barcelona squad member tests positive for COVID-19

Barcelona play Bayern Munich in the Champions League in Lisbon on Friday

(BBC) - Barcelona say an unnamed squad member has tested positive for COVID-19.

He was one of nine reporting for pre-season training, showed no symptoms and has been quarantined at his home.

Also yesterday fellow La Liga side Athletic Bilbao said six players had tested positive as they returned for pre-season training.

Valencia confirmed two cases of COVID-19 this week, while Atletico Madrid reported two positive tests before their Champions League quarter-final.

Barca say their player has not been in contact with any senior players, who travel to Lisbon today to prepare for their Champions League quarter-final.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Champions League is concluding with a ‘final eight’ tournament in Lisbon, comprising single-leg games held behind closed doors.

Barcelona play Bayern Munich tomorrow, the day after Atletico Madrid face RB Leipzig.

Everyone who has been in contact with the Barcelona player has been tracked to perform tests.

Periods, the pill ... tampon out” during a training session.

If you had a sore ankle, for example, you’d tell your coach about that. So why not your period?

“Athletes are very keen to talk about how they sleep, what they eat, how they train, what sports kit they’re wearing,” Elliot-Sale adds.

“And yet for such a long time we’ve not really con-

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sidered or spoken about menstrual cycles or hormonal contraceptive use.

“It’s been pushed back and I think the tide has turned. There is certainly more of an appetite now for this type of research to be implemented into elite sport.”

If we talk about it, they have to listen. So let’s talk.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER Thursday, August 13, 2020 COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD – 83 Garnett street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: (1) Krishmar Santokie (GAW) (2) Chris Gayle (JT)

TODAY’S QUIZ:

(1) Who scored most runs in the first ever CPL competition?

(2) Who took most wickets?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Azam must become matchwinner before ‘greatness’ tag (BBC) - Pakistan batsman Babar Azam must “become a match-winner” before he can be compared to the likes of England’s Joe Root or India’s Virat Kohli, says former all-rounder Shahid Afridi.

Babar, 25, scored 69 and five as Pakistan lost to England in the first Test of the three-match series. He averages 44.74 from 27 Tests.

“He is very talented - the backbone of the team - but needs to score big runs,” Afridi told BBC Sport before the second Test, which starts today.

Babar is ranked as the number one batsman in Twenty20s and third in one-day-internationals, but Afridi who retired from playing for Pakistan in 2017 - says he has more to do in the longer

format of the game.

“If Babar wants to become like Root, Kohli, Australia’s Steve Smith or South African AB de Villiers then he needs to convert his fifties into hundreds,” the 40-yearold added.

The young pace duo of Naseem Shah, 17, and Shaheen Afridi, 20, impressed for the tourists in the thrilling first Test but Afridi warns that it is too soon to be drawing comparisons with Pakistan greats Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.

“We have high expectation of Naseem and Shaheen,” said Afridi.

“They are young, energetic and highly talented, but if they are to become like Wasim and Waqar then they have to be consistent in their performance and we have to

win matches.

“They need to just take the pressure which they are under, enjoy the game and give 100%.”

‘Azhar’s consistency isn’t there’ Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has come in for criticism after he failed to score in the first innings against England in the first Test and was out for 18 in the second innings.

In his post-match interview, Azhar also admitted to BBC’s Test Match Special that perhaps he “was too late to bring fielders up” in the hosts’ run-chase.

Afridi says Azhar needs to first improve his own displays with the bat to help his side level the series at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

“If you look at Azhar’s Babar Azam made his Pakistan debut in 2015 and has scored 6 754 international runs in all formats.

track record, the consistency in performance hasn’t quite been there,” added Afridi.

“When any team loses the captain is criticised. That will always be there. But his own performance is very important. As the captain he is the base.”

Bouncing back against ‘world-class’ England Afridi scored 11 196 international runs and took 541 wickets in all three formats of the game.

He expects Pakistan to react strongly against a “world-

class England team” in the second Test.

“I’m totally confident Pakistan will always bounce back very well,” he said.

“Our squad is very good.

We have experienced management and players, good batsmen and players.”

Golden Jaguars to know 2022 World Cup Qualifiers opponents on August 19 GUYANA’S Golden Jaguars will know their opponents for the 2022 Qatar World Cup on August 19, when the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), hosts its preliminary draw at the Home of FIFA in Zurich.

With 35 member associations from across North, Central America and the Caribbean set to be involved, CONCACAF said the preliminary draw is a significant moment that will determine the tournament pathway for the first and final rounds under the new qualification format.

Based on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World ranking as of July 16, 2020, the draw for the first round will allocate the 30 lowest-ranked CONCACAF teams to six groups. This will be followed by the draw for the final round, which will indicate the position of each team within the final qualification stage, which will also be contested in a group format.

The pots for the first-round draw will see Guyana being joined by Grenada, Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Bermuda and Belize in Pot three.

El Salvador, Canada, Curacao, Panama, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago are in Pot 1, while Antigua and Barbuda, Guatemala, St

Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic are in Pot 2.

Pot 4 will have St Lucia, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Montserrat, Dominica and the Cayman Islands. Bahamas, Aruba, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands and Anguilla are in Pot 5.

The six highest-ranked teams in the first round – El Salvador, Canada, Curacao, Panama, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago – will be pre-seeded into groups A to F respectively.

The first round will be played in a single round-robin format, meaning each team will play four matches; two home and two away.

During the second round, the six group winners will face-off in a home-and-away elimination format in three predetermined pairings. The winners of each tie will proceed to the final round.

The final round will see the three winners from the second round join the five highest-ranked CONCACAF teams, according to the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking as of July 16, 2020. They will play each other in a home-and-away round-robin format.

Fans around the world will be able to follow the draw live on FIFA.com, with the exception of the territories where the draw will be broadcast live on TV.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

F1 delays first of two deadlines for 2021 (BBC) - Formula 1 has delayed the first of two deadlines for teams to sign up to be part of the championship from 2021.

Teams were in line to receive a bonus if they committed to F1 by August 12, but that deadline has been moved back six days to allow time for more talks.

F1 said: “We have received some final small legal comments that are being considered so the early sign-on deadline has been moved to August 18.”

The final deadline for teams to commit remains the end of the month.

Ferrari, McLaren and Williams said at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix last weekend that they were ready to commit to the next contractual period from 2021 to 25 on the terms currently on offer.

However, Mercedes have made it clear there are still some outstanding issues it wants to resolve before it will sign up.

F1 has restructured the sport so that there will be a more equitable split in prize money between the teams. That will reduce the huge disparity between the big teams and less successful ones - created by former chief executive Bernie Ecclestone in the current contracts, which were negotiated in 2011.

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said last Friday that the company had “legal, commercial and sporting issues” with the new contracts.

He added that he had

Ferrari are the only team to have remained in F1 throughout since the launch of the championship in 1950.

not seen any willingness to compromise from F1.

F1 responded by saying it had “engaged with all the teams in a collaborative and constructive way” and that the agreement would “not be delayed any further”.

On Sunday, Wolff said: “What F1 wants to achieve is that it’s not being dragged out any further.

“They have set the deadline and made it clear that we have to get on and sign the Concorde Agreement. I don’t think that if anyone fails to meet the 12th or large corporations need more time, this is going to be an issue.

“This is a partnership; they need the teams and we need a strong commercial rights holder.

“I know why they put a line in the sand to get everyone acting, and they have been pretty successful with that.

“I would not pin it down to a day or two or a few weeks. It is a matter of getting the assurances

and the buy-in and commitment from the teams to move on and settle it quickly.”

Mercedes is committed to F1 and wishes to stay involved but Wolff’s comments betray unhappiness with the terms on offer.

Under the new agreement, the massive bonuses paid to the big teams have been removed.

These saw Ferrari last year earn about an additional $110M (about £84M), Mercedes and Red Bull more than $70M (£53.7M), McLaren about $30M (£23M) and Williams $10M (£7.7M).

The new system will see Ferrari earn $40M (£30.7M) for their longterm commitment to the sport as the only team that have been in the championship since its inception in 1950.

The engine manufacturers will each receive payments of $10M (£7.7M) a year in recognition of their support for the sport.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

Periods, the pill and effect on female athletes

By Amy Lofthouse PERIODS must be powerful. After all, just mentioning the word can be enough to create an awkward silence in no time at all.

But while we are getting better at discussing how menstrual cycles affect our day-to-day lives, there are still too many misconceptions.

There will never be a one-size-fits-all way to deal with periods. Women’s bodies are too different, too unique, to allow for that. But for female athletes, even the slightest change in their body can impact performance.

Some 60% of respondents in the BBC Elite British Sportswomen’s Survey said their performance had been affected by their period, and they had missed training or competitions because of it.

However, 40% said they did not feel comfortable discussing their period with coaches and a number take the contraceptive pill to control their menstrual cycle.

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS ATHLETES FACE? White clothing. No sanitary bins. Wearing the same tampon or pad for hours on end. Cramps. Bloating.

Most women will, at some point in their life, come up against all of those issues, but the impact it has on athletes is still largely misunderstood.

A number of survey respondents said they took the pill to regulate their periods, because competing while menstruating became too painful or inconvenient.

But the pill brought its own problems. One athlete said her bones were made denser by the pill, another struggled to lose weight, while some said the mental effect of extra hormones in their body was too much to cope with.

Jockey Liz Kelly told BBC Sport she would sit in a sauna if she had to race on her period, because the extra two or three pounds of weight she carried from bloating would make such a difference.

“I’d have to sit in there for a couple of hours - just sitting there sweating.

You are weighed on the day of the race and you can probably be sitting in the sauna until about 45 minutes before your ride if you’re really struggling,” Kelly says.

“You get out of the sauna, get dressed, do the weighing and g i v e the

Rachel Newborough plays for Northern Ireland and Charlton Athletic

saddle to the trainer. You might have time to go in and sit down but you can’t drink anything or you’d be a different weight.

“That is the everyday reality for everyone in racing.

The boys find it a lot easier to sweat but they have to do it more often because they are heavier.”

Bobsleigher Isabella Burke did not like the idea of taking a pill, so she opted for the coil.

“I tried a Mirena coil but I really hated it. It had this odd suppressive effect on my mood,” she says.

“I am someone who has high highs and low lows, but this somehow just made me feel almost dead inside.

I just didn’t enjoy how it felt at all and eventually had it removed.”

And then there are the practicalities of having a period.

“My sport is not well funded almost anywhere in the world. In some places the toilets don’t even have toilet paper, let alone sanitary bins,” one athlete, who wished to remain anonymous, told BBC Sport.

“When I was younger, doing the junior rounds, it was a huge problem. I would have to take toilet paper to every competition I went to. Often there were toilets that didn’t have locks on the doors which, if you’re trying to change a tampon is a nightmare.

“It’s really horrifying, when you’re on your period, to be thinking: ‘Oh, am I sweating or have I leaked?’ You’re running to the toilet between contests. It’s not something you want to think about but it is in your mind.”

The athlete remembers sharing outfits with other women while competing in junior competitions because if you get your first period, there is no hiding it when you are dressed in white.

“We live in a world largely designed by men, for men.

Sporting laws and stadiums are designed with men in mind, whether or not those in charge realise it.

Take cricket. The idea of women playing cricket was one so fanciful that Sir Len Hutton, one of England’s greatest batsmen, said: “Ladies playing cricket? Quite absurd! Like men trying to knit.”

“In the laws, you’re not actually allowed to leave the field to go for a wee,” Scotland’s Katie McGill says.

“In a 50-over game, you’re out there for three hours or more.

“A lot of us will double up with a tampon and a pad. It’s not great. If you get the wrong day … you’re running around a lot and then in the in-between bits, you’re standing still a lot. You have time to think about it.

“With sanitary products, a lot of cricket grounds aren’t geared up for women. A lot of us play men’s cricket to supplement our training. That’s where products become like gold dust.

“Quite often we’ll go and play and there won’t be a changing room. You’ll be using the toilet because there are men in the changing room. Or even like a women’s game, the facilities will be set up by men. There won’t always be the correct disposal units or stuff like that.”

‘IT WAS CHANGE MY PILL OR GIVE UP FOOTBALL’ Let’s face it, heading the ball is a pretty key part of football - especially for a defender. But every time Rachel Newborough did it, she would struggle for the rest of the game.

“My vision would go blurry from the bottom to the top,” she told BBC Sport. “You feel really disorientated and you can’t track

an attacker.

“I had to come off the pitch and would have a banging headache for a couple of hours.”

As a 16-year-old, Newborough had gone on the combined pill, which contains a mixture of estrogen and progesterone. She was also approaching a key part of her career, stepping up into the Northern Ireland Under-19 squad and increasingly competitive environments.

She had a head scan, which came back clear, but the doctors were concerned about the potential effect the pill could have when coupled with Newborough’s headaches.

“They told me they had to take me off that pill because the headaches I was having highly increase your chances of having a stroke,” she says.

“The advice from the private doctor was to take a supplementary pill once a day, or stop heading the ball. I thought: ‘I’m a defender, I cannot head a ball.’”

The other option suggested by the doctor was to stop playing football; essentially, give up the chance of representing your country.

Newborough opted to take a progesterone-only pill, but it took two and a half years for the headaches to subside.

“Two of my good friends have stopped playing football this year because of head injuries. The doctors have said they can’t keep playing. They had similar episodes to what I was having,” she adds.

“Is the awareness there that if you’re having those headaches when you head the football, then you shouldn’t be on this type of pill because it’s dangerous? I don’t think that is a known thing.”

WHAT DOES THE SCIENCE SAY? Scientifically speaking, the effect of a pill on an athlete’s performance is negligible - but that will never be a one-size-fits-all rule.

The most common pill usage is to take it for 21 days, and then have seven pill-free days. During those, the body will typically undergo a withdrawal bleed, which is a reaction to a sudden drop in hormones.

“The bleed athletes have while on the pill is not a period - it is caused by withdrawing the exogenous hormones,” says Dr Anita Biswas, the co-lead for female athlete health and performance at the English Institute of Sport.

Some women may retain fluid on the pill, or find that the change in hormones impacts their appetite.

“Whether weight gain affects an athlete will depend on their sport. Usually weight gain, if present, only occurs initially and doesn’t continue, provided the athlete is aware of this and able to monitor and manage what they are eating,” Biswas adds.

Dr Kirsty Elliott-Sale, who looked into the impact of the pill on performance for Nottingham Trent University, said women should be comfortable discussing what they are putting into their bodies.

“It’s a very individual response and we should look at it on an individual basis. It may take some trial and error; it may take some different pills,” she adds.

“It’s important to invest some time and a little bit of research into which is the best one for you.”

HOW DO ATHLETES TALK ABOUT IT? Is it that time of the month again? - Hockey players talk periods Survey respondents who said they would not feel comfortable discussing their period with their coaches had similar stories.

Their coaches are middle-aged men; they are scared their period problems would be used against them in selection; they didn’t want to be seen as Turn to finding an excuse for underperforming. page 19 One athlete recalled a male coach telling her to “man up and pull your

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 13, 2020

23

GFF president Wayne Forde (right) presents a customised ‘Golden Jaguars’ replica jersey to Minister Ramson in the presence of Dion Inniss

GFF PRESIDENT of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde made a courtesy call on the new Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport (CY&S) Charles Ramson Jr on Tuesday.

The GFF boss emphasised the importance of strategic partnerships to enable the development of sports and football, in particular, and updated him on some of the key initiatives being undertaken by the GFF. The visit, through invitation by the Honourable Minister, was held at the Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue, and was attended by GFF executive committee member, Dion Inniss, while Mr Kashif Muhammed accompanied the minister.

Forde, in congratulating the minister and giving GFF’s commitment for a long-term and mutually-beneficial partnership to advance football development, noted the impact these partnerships have on the human

capital – the thrust of the investment.

“At the core, sports organisations are essentially in the business of human development, which is a primary nation-building objective.

Football is a key example of how that takes place.

“Those of us who are blessed with the privilege to manage football will say to you that less than 1% of every human being that comes into contact with the game from a playing standpoint will go on to play professionally.

“So, the vast majority of humans who participate in football, whether they start at the early grassroots level or older, will take away the fundamental human values that football teaches and will most likely go on to lead a wholesome, responsible and productive life.

“With football we develop a passion for winning, we also learn to lose gracefully, we learn to respect the rules of the game, and the importance

of identifying a figure of authority, who is usually the coach. These are the hallmarks of the football experience.”

The GFF president noted the investment being made on student-athlete scholarships as well as the infrastructural projects in train, including the FIFA and CONCACAF-supported projects.

These projects include the country’s first exclusive football Technical Training Centre, which is currently under construction at Providence, EBD and the D’Urban Park Complex.

The D’Urban Park Complex, for which the Denmark FA will provide engineering assistance, will consist of a playfield for international matches as well as a number of mini pitches for the promotion of grassroots football where the surrounding communities will have unlimited access.

“The GFF is committed to cultivating partner-

ships that would lead to the holistic development of the sport, at every level,” said Forde. “We will surely do our part and that is my assurance to you, under my leadership.”

For his part, Minister Ramson has promised to bring a proactive approach towards the management of sports in Guyana, noting that there has to be a holistic approach to revive sports with associations and federations playing a major role.

The minister stated that his aim would be to build relationships of trust, cooperation and confidentiality among all stakeholders to advance sports, pointing out that the GFF can look forward to the full support of his ministry, “We want to be able to collaborate first and foremost, to be able to get football with all the main sports functioning at an optimum level so that we can get young people play sports, har-

nessing young talent for the bigger stage.”

While acknowledging the challenges that come with his vision for the development of the sport, which includes infrastructure, he stated that institutional partnerships are key to harness the young talent that is available here, pointing out that there’s a huge difference between “just being good and being great.”

“With us here, you’ve got friends who understand the importance of building it from the ground up and who have similar objectives to be able to work together for a common goal. So it’s a win-win situation for us to be able to collaborate in a major way to get things done.”

The aim, Ramson said, is for the sports ministry to interface with the various federations and associations on a regular basis. “It would obviously require for you to dance with me because I cannot dance alone. I

just want you to know this is where we stand; Collaboration - know that you have access, know that your government is here to work with you.

“You would have far more weight in whatever you do in your own operation and relations with your international parent body to say that your government is assisting in this regard.

It adds a lot of weight and credibility to you and your operations so I want you to know that this is the basis on which we start and how we will proceed.”

Minister Ramson further noted: “What you’re not going to get from me is laziness; it would be a very proactive operation on my end and lots of energy.”

Both Forde and Ramson have pledged that they’ll be meeting regularly in the ensuing months and years, as they seek to further advance the development of the world’s most beautiful game.

FLASHBACK! Mexico’s Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez (#14) swarmed by Guyanese players at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston Texas, during the second leg of their 2014 World Cup Qualifiers

to know 2022 World Cup Qualifiers opponents on PAGE 20

Minister Charles Ramson and team engage the group

PAGE 23

SEE PAGE 22 & 19

GFF

Periods, the pill and effect on female athletes

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020