Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_09_10_2021

SATURDAY 9th October, 2021

' No.106509

Guyana receives 100,620 doses of Pfizer vaccine from US

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Protection of Amazon 03 Rainforest vital for planet’s future PAGE

–– President Ali says, reaffirms Guyana’s commitment to Leticia Pact at third summit

$37.8M in flood-relief grants distributed to 02 Region Three farmers PAGE

All smiles as 10 Berbicians are now 18 homeowners PAGE

Leslie Sukhai and his wife Fazeela Ali in front of their new home

Permanent Secretary 09 arrested, placed on bail over bribery allegation PAGE

Amerindian Affairs Permanent Secretary, Sharon Hicks

Three Berbicians die 04 in separate bee attacks PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 9, 2021

$37.8M in flood-relief grants distributed to Region Three farmers

By Tamica Garnett

Regional Chairman, Inshan Ayube, (second from left) hands over a cash grant to a farmer as Minister with the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar looks on (Delano Williams photo)

THREE hundred and seventy-eight cash crop farmers in Region Three, on Friday, received their floodrelief cash grants which many said will go a far way in helping to revive their farms.

A total of $37.8M was distributed during the exercise. Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, accompanied by Regional Chairman Inshan Ayube, distributed grants at Bonasika, Aliki and Lanaballi, which are all located along the Essequibo River. Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson, was present for the distribution exercise at Western and Northern Hogg Island. Each farmer received $100,000.

The exercise began with the distribution of $15 mil-

lion to 150 farmers at the Lower Bonasika Primary School. Ramdai Singh, 67, was one of the first persons to receive the grant.

With over 42 years as a cash crop farmer under his belt, this has been one of the hardest years for Singh, who lives with her grandson in the Upper Bonasika Creek.

“Me feel bad, bad, bad, because me nah had nothing else. And how much money we spend on that farm. Me had about two acre watermelon and all flood out. We had dasheen, lime, cucumber, banana, plantain, all spoil up, nothing, nothing we didn’t get back,” Singh conveyed as she clutched the envelope that was given to her by Minister Indar moments earlier.

The senior citizen said that since the floodwaters subsided, she has been using whatever little savings she (Turn to page 5)

Cash crop farmer, Ramdai Singh, hold up the envelope with her flood-relief cash grant (Delano Williams photo)

Cash crop farmer, Danny Cummings (Delano Williams photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 9, 2021

Protection of Amazon’s Rainforest vital for planet’s future –– President Ali says, reaffirms Guyana’s commitment to Leticia Pact at third summit

PRESIDENt Dr. Irfaan Ali has emphasised that protecting the Amazon’s rainforest is vital to the future of the planet, and reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to the Leticia Pact and its goals and objectives.

The President made the statements, virtually, at the third annual summit on Friday from his office on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive.

“The protection of our rainforest is vital to our future, and that of the planet.

We have an obligation to support regional environmental cooperation aimed at protecting our precious natural capital, and in responding collectively to natural disasters which have regional impact,” he said.

Friday’s event, which attracted several heads of government, including the President of the Republic of Colombia, Ivan Duque Marquez, was held to reaffirm the principles and values of the treaty, which was signed by seven Amazon nations, including Guyana, in 2019 in the Amazonia city of Leticia, Colombia.

The Guyanese Head of State urged the summit to continue acting collectively in the face of threats that can harm their countries and the

development of their citizens.

He said that each country has an obligation to protect its respective rainforests for its citizens, and for the global population, due to Amazon countries’ oxygen-generating capabilities.

The Amazon is the largest rainforest block and carbon sink. It is home to 20 per cent of the world’s freshwater supply, and 10 per cent of its biodiversity.

President Ali was honoured to have been able to participate in the summit, and pledged Guyana’s commitment to the objectives of the pact, and the country’s cooperation in implementing its action plan.

He said that the summit is being held at a critical time, since the region is still facing the dire consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, while attempting to recover from its effects.

“Our region has been making efforts to intensify regional cooperation, so that never again will we find ourselves in a situation in which overdependence on the developed world for solutions to major global crises leave us vulnerable and exposed,” he said.

The president said he is heartened by the level of

regional cooperation that has been triggered by the global health crisis, and that he believes that, equally, the participating countries can ensure greater regional environmental cooperation to help protect against the adverse effects of the global climate crisis.

“We, the countries of the Amazon, must play our part in averting environmental disasters, and in arresting the climate crisis,” he said.

ENHANCED DEVELOPMENT President Ali lauded the pact, and its plan of action, saying that they are instruments of regional environmental cooperation for combating deforestation and land degradation, and for accelerating restoration, rehabilitation and reforestation initiatives.

He also praised the pact’s commitment to the empowerment of women and Indigenous Peoples and their communities, which he said is vital to the conservation and protection of the rainforests and biodiversity.

However, he noted that the pact is still in its infancy, since it was signed only two years ago, and must be given

time to achieve its ambitions, and become an effective mechanism of environmental collaboration.

“Regional environmental cooperation is no quick-fix solution,” President Ali said.

“Regional cooperation takes time, and requires sustained and painstaking efforts, especially in respect to ensuring consensus, coordination and common action,” he added.

Noting that while the region’s current priority is to combat the effects of COVID-19, it should not deflect attention from the pact’s objectives and the implementation of its action plan, President Ali said: “The process of recovery from the pandemic should be used as an opportunity to align our economies along a sustainable development path, and to ensure that preservation and protection is a foremost development priority.”

ALIGNING WITH NATIONAL OBJECTIVES The Head of State explained that environmental cooperation envisioned by the pact might be shortlived or placed on a back burner, unless the region’s development trajectories

President Dr. Irfaan Ali are aligned with the pact’s biodiversity, enhancing valobjectives. ue-added production of forest “Regional cooperation products, increasing the dewill enjoy greater success if carbonisation of each econoits ambitions find increased my and empowering women traction in national devel- and indigenous peoples and opment policies,” said the communities. president. As such, he said, President Ali also reGuyana believes that it is minded the summit of Guynecessary for all the coun- ana’s Low-Carbon Develtries to support the objectives opment Strategy that will of the Leticia Pact for the be broadened to incorpoAmazon, by mainstreaming rate wider environmental its objectives in their national services, water resources development strategies, es- management, climate resilpecially in relation to main- ience, biodiversity and the taining sustainable levels marine economy. (Office of of deforestation, protecting the President)

Guyana receives 100,620 doses of Pfizer vaccine from US IN keeping with the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to fight COVID-19, Guyana received 100,620 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from the US Government on Friday.

The US is the leading financial donor to COVAX and the latest donation brings the total number of vaccines

donated to Guyana through the COVAX distribution to 266,220, the US Embassy in Georgetown said.

This is in addition to the 143,250 Pfizer vaccines donated directly from the US to Guyana.

“I hope this donation encourages more Guyanese to take the jab. None of us is safe until all of us are

safe; with COVID-19 infections unchecked, countries’ healthcare systems are at risk of collapse, and we will see higher mortality rates, broader transmission, and the possibility of new variants spreading – continuing to put Americans and Guyanese at risk,” said US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, and US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch stand behind the cargo of Pfizer vaccine received from the US on Friday (US Embassy photograph)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 9, 2021

Three Berbicians die in separate bee attack

By Nafeeza Yahya

THREE persons lost their lives after they were attacked by bees in three separate incidents on Thursday and Friday in East Berbice, Corentyne.

Those killed are John Sutherland, 57; Dorothy Muriel Adams, 58; and Sirpaul Hemraj, 62, called “Rishi”.

Hemraj of Lot 95 Mibicuri, South Black Bush Polder (BBP), who was a drainage and irrigation(D&I) worker was pronounced dead at the Mibicuri Hospital after he was stung by bees in the Johanna BBP, backdam around 13:17 hours on Friday.

Reports indicate that Hemraj left the Mibicuri

Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) office in the company of two others on his motorcycle to check on an excavator, who was doing drainage works, when the bee attack occurred.

He was sitting on his motorcycle while Chandradall Nankoo, 50, and Rajendra Mohan, 49, both rangers attached to the region and Michael Tyndell, 25, a mechanic attached to the NDIA were standing next to the said excavator when someone shouted “bees!”

The trio ran in different directions seeking shelter while Sirpaul was left behind.

About half of an hour later they all returned to the

Saturday, 09 October 04:00hrs - 05:30hrs

John Sutherland excavator where they saw Sirpaul covered in mud and what appears to red swelling marks about his body. He was rushed to the Mibicuri Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the motionless body of Sutherland of Eversham, Corentyne, Berbice, was found on the ground in the Eversham backlands after he was attacked by bees. The incident occurred at around 12:20 hours.

According to reports, Sutherland had left his home on a tractor with two others to show them a rice field that had to be ploughed.

While in the field, Suther-

Sirpaul Hemraj land and another man were sitting on the tractor fender while the driver was ploughing the rice field. During the ploughing, the driver of the tractor made a sudden stop and shouted “bees!”

The driver and the other man jumped off the tractor and made a run for safety; however Sutherland, who had one foot, was left behind.

Moments later, the duo saw the body of Sutherland lying motionless on the ground with several sting marks about his body.

He was escorted out of the backdam on the tractor to his home and then to Skeldon Public Hospital where he was pronounced

Dorothy Adams dead on arrival. Sutherland’s body is at the Skeldon Public Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

One of the men was also stung several times. He was taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where he was admitted a patient.

Also on Thursday, Adams, a housewife of Rotterdam, East Bank Berbice also succumbed after being stung by bees.

According to her reputed husband, Vishnu Persaud, at about 17:00 hours, she went to a shop to make a purchase and about 10 minutes after he was called by a passerby, who told him that his reputed wife was stung by bees and was lying under a house, some 400 meters away from his home.

He immediately went to her rescue and was also stung

by the bees.

The woman was taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Her body is at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital awaiting post-mortem examination.

An eyewitness, Stevon Ganpat, recalled it was “sad” sight.

He noted that a person who lives at the house where the bees came from ran out of the house and a swarm of bees followed.

He added that he noticed several animals were also on the road, running in different directions, seeking shelter from the bees and then he saw the woman’s upper body covered in bees.

“I see this woman walking coming and if you see bees on this woman.

You can’t see her face, from her waist go up you can’t see anything that’s how thick the bees was and she just sat there on the bench at the bus shed and she hollering for help but nobody couldn’t help her cause the bees were so thick but in that situation I left my pregnant wife upstairs and ran down with some gasoline and water and throw it on her... if y’all were here and see the amount of bees on that woman y’all would cry,” he recalled.

Several other persons in the area were also stung by the bees.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 9, 2021

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Postal services to expand as nation transforms –Minister McCoy

MINISTER within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy, said Guyana’s postal services will advance significantly as government moves to transform the country.

Speaking at a ceremony at the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) to commemorate World Post Day 2021 on Friday, Minister McCoy said the 2021 theme; “Innovate to recover,” neatly corresponds with the government’s massive transformational agenda.

The minister said it was the PPP/C Administration that initiated action to diversify services offered by the GPOC, noting that these efforts will continue.

“This transformation and

operation speak to the fact that the innovation moves far beyond technology and touches novel ways of thinking and creating solutions for problems at hand.

“Yours is a task that is at the heart of a functional democracy, the development of our economy and our society and yours indeed remains a noble task, and I am not saying this lightly, I am absolutely serious about this,” the minister said.

Accordingly, Minister McCoy asserted that the postal service is more than just mail, and has over the years become one of the most essential means of satisfying the needs of people and businesses, globally.

“This government, the government of Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali is proud of

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy and staff of the Guyana Post Office Corporation (DPI photo) the continued effort of the Guyana Post Office to deliver quality service, and will continue to offer our unwavering support as this institution moves to innovate to recover.”

Postmaster General acting, Anastasia JessemyLynch said despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the entity continues to serve the public, while ensuring that its employees are pro-

tected against the virus.

“Our operations are really run by us the people; we are a labour-intensive organisation and so today, I just want to stand here and say thank you,” she noted.

Following the ceremony, staff received awards as part of the celebrations. Minister McCoy also toured the facility and extended World Post Day wishes. (DPI)

$37.8M in flood-relief grants distributed...

(From page 2) had to jumpstart her farm but it has not been easy.

“Me had lil money and we had to use up all the money to buy some things to raise it back. It was really hard but I hope to raise back the farm,” she said, as she praised the initiative that will now go a far way in making her journey to getting back on her feet, a little bit easier.

The three Essequibo River communities that were visited were among the hardest hit during the May/June rainy season. The flood situation was also aided by the monthly unprecedented rainfall that was occurring across the country.

In June, the situation was declared a Level Two national disaster, with five regions placed as Level Three.

Cognisant of the effects the situation had on the economy, the government set aside $7.8 billion for distribution as relief to farmers and households, to assist them in getting back on their feet.

Under the relief programme, homestead farmers will receive $100,000 each, those with kitchen gardens will get $50,000 each, and households excluding homestead and those with kitchen garden, will receive $50,000 each.

Meanwhile, Walter Suk-

hoo, 83, has been spending the past few months trying his hand as a fisherman to bring in an income and sustain himself while he tries little by little to revive his farm.

Sukhoo, who is from the Lanaballi area, estimates that he lost approximately 10 acres of cash crop. Like other farmers, he agreed that this was one of the worst floods he has ever experienced in all his years. Sukhoo said that he has been farming all his life, having been born into a farming family.

“Water used to come into the land a little bit but on the outer part. This time it came over the land and entered the farm. First time such a great flood. I had bananas, eddoes, plantain and some greens but all the greens die out with the rains,” Sukhoo told the Guyana Chronicle.

“I had over 70 acres but I shared it up with my children and right now I have 10 acres cultivated and I’m trying to revive it back.”

He too stressed how much the $100,000 meant to him, saying: “It mean a lot. I’ve been living here all my life, I was born in this river, married here, get my children here, and I’ve been farming all the days of my life. Farming to maintain my wife and my children.

Farming is my life and this

flood disturb me a lot so I am grateful to government for this assistance.”

At Aliki, Danny Cummings shared a similar story of being born into a farming family, and his fears of how he would source finances to rebound from the flood.

“It damage the crop a lot. The banana trees, couple acres they just stay so and not bearing it get like a disease.

Right now, I’m just trying to replant now so this cash grant will be of great help to me with the farm getting it back on stream,” he told this publication.

In distributing the grant, Minister Indar and Ayube reassured the farmers of the government’s commitment to always being there to support them in whatever way it can.

He used the opportunity to emphasise the critical role farming plays in Guyana’s economy.

“When the flood hit, we saw everything went sky high so that tells you what would happen if the farming community is destroyed.

Persons need money to go back into cultivation. So, we are here today to give a level of support for some persons who lose things. We can’t compensate you for everything, it was hard, we saw the tears, we know the hurt, but our government is one that responds and we respond positively,” Minister Indar said.

He also encouraged the residents to ensure they are observing COVID-19 protocols and to get vaccinated

against the deadly virus.

Outside of receiving the grant, the residents were also given the opportunity to speak to the minister and the regional chairman about issues affecting them in their communities. Some

community representatives noted issues such as the need for improved drainage and irrigation infrastructure. Minister Indar pledged to have the issues assessed with the intention of having them remedied.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 9, 2021

New global infrastructure needed

G

UYANA may be small in terms of geographic and population size but that is no reason for us not to think big. For too long the bigger powers have dominated global economic relations between the rich countries and the less developed nations. This centre-periphery relationship has resulted to a large extent in the underdevelopment of several countries in Africa, Asia and South America.

With the end of the Cold War and the emergence of new global economic centres, the dependency syndrome that had characterised much of the pre-cold war era, many developing countries have come on their own and are now economic powerhouses. Notably among these are the People’s Republic of China, India, Brazil and South Africa who are today key economic players on the international stage. The bi-polar world has now given way to a multi-polar world. Gone are the days when development countries were forced to align themselves with one or the other superpowers in order to gain

economic favours.

Guyana is an example of a country that has now emerged as a key and strategic player on the international stage, thanks to our new status as an oil producing nation but also because of the pro-active role the country is playing in terms of influencing international opinion on important global issues.

At a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Leaders Summit Dialogue III hosted by Barbados, Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, again used the platform to call for more equitable relations between the developed North and the developing South, especially in the area of vaccine distribution which continue to place poorer countries at a severe disadvantage. As the President correctly observed, even though the richer countries are doing better in terms of vaccination rates, the fact remains that most of that recovery is the result of uneven vaccine distribution at the expense of the developing world.

The world is not recovering; it is

the developed countries that are recovering, the President noted in his address and posited that while it is true that some countries of the developed world can boast of vaccination rates in excess of 80 per cent, there are dozens of developing countries that are still lagging way behind.

If there is one thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us is the interconnected nature of our world and the fact that no country is safe until all countries are safe. The virus does not discriminate between peoples and nationalities and in this global village it can take just one unvaccinated person to trigger a national and by extension an international pandemic.

President Ali could not be more correct when he called on the rich countries to rise above nationalism and self-interest and put the interests of humanity as a whole above everything else. There is need for a new global infrastructure, one that is based on the principles of respect and mutuality among countries. As such, the less developed countries should not be

treated as mendicants but as partners in development. In fact the industrialised countries depended to a large extent on markets in developing countries for their manufactured goods in the same way the poorer countries depend on the developed countries for much of their raw materials and food supplies.

The way forward for both the developed North and the underdeveloped South is for there to be free and fair exchange of goods and services to allow for all countries to advance economically.

The balance of trade still, to a large extent, favour the industrialised countries which continue sell their manufactured products at high prices and buy primary products cheaply.

As President said at the UNCTAD Conference, development assistance to the developing world must not be tied to ‘conditionalities’ as in a bygone era.

The world has moved on and there is less tolerance by the developing world for development ‘models’ that are not in congruence with national specifics.

GAWU upholds benefits extended to all sugar workers

Dear Editor,

THE GAWU’s attention was drawn to a letter titled “GAWU must remember that all managerial staff were also affected” which appeared in the October 8, 2021 Stabroek News under the hand of “A human resources management observer”.

At the outset of the letter, the ‘observer’ pointed out that the pay structure proposed by the Hays group was implemented in 2015. However, this is not the case. As our records indicate in the case of GAWU members, the results of the job evaluation exercise conducted by the union and the corporation utilising the Hays framework was implemented in mid-2012. Maybe it is the ‘observer’ was confused or got dates wrong. It is also factually correct to say that all employees of GuySuCo received no pay

rises from 2015 onwards. This includes the workers in the fields, factories, and offices. Our union has never disavowed such realities.

The ‘observer’ goes on to query whether severed senior staff will benefit from the government’s recently announced grant. We cannot speak for the government, and it may be best to raise such queries through the appropriate channels. It is our view, though, that all workers, irrespective of their category and whether severed or not, should benefit from the grant approved by the government. Contrary to the ‘observer’ seeming view, the GAWU holds that all employees of the GuySuCo are sugar workers irrespective of the position they occupy in the industry. While our representation is naturally confined to our bargaining units, we have always upheld the principle of equality.

The ‘observer’ speaks about the head office workers who seldom benefit from representation. Presumably, he/she speaks about the non-unionised categories as the ‘observer’ would be aware that certain categories of employees at the head office are unionised within the GAWU, the GLU, and the NAACIE. On this score, we hasten to remind the ‘observer’ that the non-unionised staffers have the freedom of association, and it is their right to exercise or not to exercise such right. The ‘observer’ goes on to speak about pay rises to public servants in the absence of performance reviews.

It is our view, that public servants are hard-working employees and are deserving of pay rises given their contribution to the society. While indeed it was saddening that sugar workers were treated begrudgingly by the Coalition, we, at the same time, do not detest the public

servants for receiving pay rises.

Finally, we share the ‘observer’ view that “motivation is critical for all in the sugar industry”. We articulated this point on several occasions during the term of the Coalition though it was ignored heartlessly. We also agree with the observation that teamsmanship is required.

Unfortunately, at times, we have recognised that the sincerity of the workers to attain such relations do not find reciprocation from the managerial quarters.

Nonetheless, we have long advocated collaboration among the various levels of the industry in order to promote its success.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine President GAWU

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 9, 2021

Prudent management cause for significant economic growth –– Minister Edghill

THE 2021 mid-year report, which shows a growth of 14.5 per cent in real gross domestic product (GDP), is testimony that the country is under good management.

The half-year fiscal report indicated that the country has seen economic development despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the devastating floods experienced in May/June.

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, during an interview with the National Communications Network (NCN) on Thursday, said the programmes, projects,

policies and projections of the 2021 national budget are manifesting.

He said any country that is reporting the kind of growth that Guyana is experiencing, in spite of the global challenges, must be applauded.

“It is not unusual for a PPP-led government to be able to manage the affairs of state in such a way that they are able to achieve growth during some of the harshest and most difficult times.

“We will recall during the world’s hardest hit food crisis, during the world’s hard-

Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill

est hit fuel crisis and all that was happening in the world, Guyana under the leadership of the PPP/C pre-2015 for 10 consecutive years, recorded positive growth. Those are not just things that just happen.”

Minister Edghill said yet again, in the middle of a pandemic that continues to devastate the world, the PPP/C Government has stabilised the economy by recording double digit growth. Minister Edghill noted that this achievement is a major one and should not be taken lightly.

“Reporting a 14.5 per cent overall growth and in the non-oil sector, 4.8 per cent is

enough reason for all of Guyana. Those who supported the PPP/C into office and those who did not support it to say, ‘these guys know what they are doing. They seem to have a good grasp of the management of the economy’.”

The Public Works Minister said despite challenges, the government has managed to serve Guyanese in a non-discriminatory manner.

This includes through the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant, flood relief cash grant, and the GOAL Scholarships, among others.

“You are not just talking here about a mid-year report in a normal year when everything is equal. You are

talking about a mid-year report under stress of the COVID-19 global pandemic and your own internal challenges.”

Minister Edghill reiterated that the mid-year report shows Guyana is in safe hands going forward.

He added that the investments in social services by the PPP/C Administration are unmatched by the former APNU+AFC administration while they were in office.

The government is committed to sustainable growth in the economy and is devoted to strengthening its non-oil sector, Minister Edghill stated. (DPI)

GECOM must be free of corrupt elements

Dear Editor,

ALL the newspapers are fully decorated with seven prominent vacancies that are at the Guyana Elections Commission.

It is amazing to know that this prestigious and very powerful organisation is so depleted and now desperately needs to set up a fit and proper secretariat.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is responsible for the run off of ‘free and fair elections’ at any time when such elections are due. Local Government Elections are due to be held this year 2021, and the government of the day allocated money in the 2021 budget for the holding of the LGEs. Hence, our people must demand that Local Government Elections be held at the earliest opportunity.

While the Commission had to dismiss the Chief Election Officer and the Deputy Chief Election Officer, it must be noted that the other

vacancies came about because of serious allegations and questions surrounding the performance of GECOM. The vacancy for the assistant chief election officer, the logistics manager, civic and voter education manager, legal officer and chief account are all crucial vacancies that must be in operation for the smooth running of the Commission. However, this nation would like to know that persons who were in their well paid jobs are not there presently.

Former GECOM Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield is before the courts for fraud and other serious charges. He was properly dismissed and removed from the Guyana Elections Commission. It is indeed sad to know that Lowenfield, after struggling for his survival and was fully aware that he was on his way out of GECOM, he went and renewed his personal assistant, Duarte Hetsberger’s contract for a further three years.

Hetsberger contract was due to expire on

the December 8, 2021. Accordingly, to standard procedure, Hetsberger was supposed to put in writing a request to renew his contract three months before his contract expired. It is utter nonsense and total disrespect to the Commission and the Chairperson in particular, for Lowenfield to renew Hetsberger contract six months before the time.

All employment must be done by the Commission and not by Lowenfield. All contracted workers must apply for the renewal of their contract and there must be the necessary evaluation before the renewal is facilitated.

Let us make it crystal clear that the serious queries that were made by the Auditor General Office in respect to the 2015 General and Regional Elections are yet to be cleared. The 2016, 2018 Local Government Elections were not audited, while the 2021 General and Regional Elections are awaiting to be audited. This nation is fully aware of all the phantom staff who were

paid, we are fully aware of the many contracts that were introduced and made in hotel rooms.

It is imperative that Chief Justice (r’td) Claudette Singh, Chairperson of GECOM must make bold decisions and get down to serious work in preparation for Local Government Elections.

With all the talk of democracy at this time and the tremendous development that we are witnessing in the country, we must have Local Government Elections so that our people at the grassroots level could participate in the development of our country.

Justice Claudette Singh and the elected commissioners must get down to serious work and cleanse the corrupt elements who are remaining at GECOM. Down with corruption!

Yours sincerely, Neil Kumar

It is my hope that Mr. Lall would not start a campaign to un-name the Nelson Mandela Avenue Dear Editor, I HAVE noticed the letters expressing disapproval of the proposal to rename Middle Street after Mahatma Gandhi.

While it is not a nice thing to speak about persons, with respect to one of the writers, the least said, as others have already remarked, the better.

However, in the most recent of these letters, GKH Lall’s, “Shake this blind obeisance to things and people foreign,” SN October 7, 2021, noted for its stridency and xenophobic fervour, the writer wonders how Indians would react to his proposal of naming a street in India after Cheddi Jagan. He feels they would think him presumptuous. Maybe not, as there are many places in India, especially streets in New Delhi, named after non-Indian persons. Among the streets in New Delhi’s diplomatic district, Chanakyapuri, one is named after Kwami Nkrumah and another after Nelson Mandela. In fact, there is an Africa Avenue.

In other parts of the metropolis, streets are named after Leo Tolstoy, Alexander Kadakin, former Russian ambassador to India; former Egyptian President, Gamal Abdel Nasser; the French novelist and Minister of Cultural

Affairs, Andre Malraux; Archbishop Makarios, and Benito Jaurez, a former Mexican president. Our communist friends in Guyana would be happy to know that there is a Josip Tito Road and, even more interesting, a Ho Chi Minh Street in Kolkota which ironically houses the US and UK consulates.

As far as the proposal to rename Middle Street goes, which may not now become a reality given Mr. Lall’s strident and adamant, “Not here! Not anywhere here...do it there,” Guyana would not be the first country to honour the Mahatma in this manner. After all, we already have our Promenade Gardens Gandhi monument.

There are similar monuments to Gandhi in Lake Shrine, California, in Union Square, New York, Tavistock Square, London, Copenhagen, Denmark, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa which was unveiled by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Canberra Australia, Memorial Garden Jinga, Uganda, Garden of Peace Vienna, Austria, and Arina Park Geneva, Switzerland. The most recent of these is the Gandhi statue in Parliament Square, London.

Apart from monuments, streets, avenues, roads, boulevards in more than fifty countries of the world are named after Gandhi. These

include Trinidad, Jamaica, Brazil, Mexico, United States and Canada. Interestingly, of all the countries of the world, Mahatma Gandhi seems to have great appeal among the people of the Netherlands where streets and roads in more than twenty-five towns and cities are named after him, second only to India itself.

Coming back to Mr. Lall’s hypothetical proposal, “I wonder if I were to propose a street in India being named after Cheddi Jagan, how the Indians would react,” I have shown how in my view Indians may not be averse to the idea. In fact, I believe it to be quite a brilliant idea. Why shouldn’t India have places and streets named after her distinguished sons and daughters in the diaspora?

I am now making a formal request to the Government of India, though its High Commissioner, to name a locality somewhere preferably in the north after Cheddi Jagan with streets and roads named after Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar, Irfaan Ali, and J.B. Singh, to name a few. Thank you, Mr. Lall, for the idea. Indeed, if Indians in Trinidad, Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa and those in Guyana can come together on this, what to talk of streets, we may get towns and cities named after our heroes.

In history there are many persons who,

because of their achievement, struggles and values, transcend borders, so the question of “blind obeisance to things and people foreign” simply cannot apply to them. I am in no way an expert in Gandhi. This is best left to those who feel competent to remark on his “stain” and “failure.” But, I truly believe that Mahatma Gandhi belongs to all humanity and specifically to that small cherished group of human beings who cannot be described as “foreign” by any stretch of the imagination by any people, and of whom it may be said, with reference to Gandhi, “Generations to come, it may well be, will scarce believe that such a man as this one ever in flesh and blood walked upon this Earth.”

In conclusion, I have seen Mr. Lall’s strong admonition to Guyanese on “obeisance to things and people foreign,” as an argument against the proposal of naming Middle Street after Mahatma Gandhi. Based on this Nelson Mandela would also be seen as foreign.

I am not part of any advocacy, but it is my hope that Mr. Lall would not start a campaign to un-name the Nelson Mandela Avenue.

Yours faithfully, Swami Aksharananda

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 9, 2021

Criminal charges, civil proceedings filed against Digicel Prime Minister, Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips

AFTER a series of monitoring exercises conducted by the Telecommunications Agency, all of which verified Digicel’s unlawful use of spectrum, civil proceedings have been filed in the High Court while criminal charges were filed in the Magistrates’ Court against the telecommunications provider.

The civil proceedings were filed by the AttorneyGeneral and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., and the Telecommunications Agency against U-Mobile Cellular Inc. trading as Digicel Guyana, on Friday.

In an affidavit of support filed with the civil proceedings, Director of Telecommunications, Andre Griffith, stated that the application is extremely urgent since Digicel is currently “squatting” on portions of the 700MHz and the 1800MHz bands which are licensed to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) and E-Networks.

Griffith stated that both GT&T and E-Networks have repeatedly written to the Telecommunications Agency and the Prime Minister requesting urgent intervention in the matter, stating that Digicel’s illegal use is causing interference with their operations, and prevents them from using their assigned spectrums.

“If the court does not urgently intervene, both carriers have expressed to the agency and the Prime Minister that in addition to the severe losses to be incurred by both carriers, deployment of their services will be impeded and delayed for

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C.

a considerable time, affecting the immediate provision of services to Guyanese,” Griffith said.

On October 5, 2020, the telecommunication sector in Guyana was liberalised when the Telecommunications Act No. 18 of 2016, and the Public Utilities Commission Act No. 19 of 2016, were made effective; Digicel, GT&T and E-Networks were issued their respective telecommunications licences and frequency authorisations on the same day.

Digicel’s current frequency authorisations are 909-914.8 MHz, 1729-1735 MHz, 1904-1910 MHz and 836.6-841.6 MHz for transmitted signal, and 954-959.8 MHz, 1824-1830 MHz, 1984-1990 MHz and 881.6886.6 MHz for incoming signal.

On November 2, 2020, Digicel made an application to the Telecommunications Agency seeking frequency authorisations to support the immediate upgrade of its mobile network. The requested frequencies included 772.00 – 787.00 MHz for transmitted signal and 717.00-732.00 MHz for incoming signal.

However, on November 5, 2020 and November 6, 2020, as part of the Telecommunication Agency’s frequency-monitoring exercises, it was first discovered that Digicel was already unlawfully using the 700MHz band to transmit between the frequencies of 770 MHz and 785 MHz at its Waterloo Street and Kitty transmission towers.

CEASE-AND-DESIST LETTER As a result, on 26 November 2020, Griffith sent

a cease-and-desist letter to Digicel captioned “Instructions to Cease Unauthorised Use of Spectrum”, reaffirming that the only frequencies that Digicel was authorised to use were specified in the Frequency Authorisation issued October 5, 2020.

In the letter, he reminded that the use of spectrum without the requisite authorisation was contrary to Section 67 (1)(b) of the Act and instructed, pursuant to Section 9(4)(b) of the Regulations, that transmission of the following frequencies be ceased within seven days of service of the notice.

However, Digicel failed to comply with the instructions, in contravention of Section 48(2) of the Act and Sections 9(4) and 13 of the Regulations.

“In response, instead of complying, in wanton disregard of the laws of Guyana, on December 2 2020, Digicel demanded by way of letter that my letter dated 26 November be rescinded, stating that the unlawful use of spectrum was done in the best interests of its customers, despite acknowledging the requirement of authorisation and the discretion of the minister,” Griffith stated.

After a series of events which included Griffith meeting with Digicel on June 3, 2021, on June 23, 2021, a Notice of Intended Amendment published in the Official Gazettes which proposed 738-748 Rx/Mhz – 793-803 Tx/Mhz spectrum assignment to Digicel, however, the company later objected to this.

In response to that objection, by letters dated August 12, 2021, the Prime Minister withdrew the proposed as-

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of U-Mobile Cellular Inc. trading under Digicel Guyana, Gregory Dean signment and gave reasons for the proposed assignment of the 700MHz spectrum and the Telecommunications Agency prepared a detailed report outlining Digicel’s illegal use of the 700 MHz band.

In the affidavit, Griffith stated that multiple monitoring exercises were conducted in December 2020, January 2021, February 2021, April 2021, May 2021, June 2021, September 2021, and October 2021, all of which verified Digicel’s unlawful use of spectrum.

On August 16, 2021, Digicel instituted legal action against the Prime Minister to quash a decision where the government granted E-Networks and GT&T amended frequency authorisations.

The company also initiated legal proceedings against the Director of Telecommunications.

“Moreover, I have been advised by counsel and verily believe that regardless of the outcome of those actions, Digicel has no right to use the portions of the 1800 MHz and 700 MHz spectrum, the wider public interest weighing in favour of the injunctions and declarations sought,” Griffith stated.

ATTEMPTING TO UNILATERALLY DICTATE GOVERNMENT’S POLICY He said that through the series of actions by Digicel, the company is attempting

Director of Telecommunications, Andre Griffith

to “unilaterally dictate government’s policy and usurp the decision-making process generally as it relates to assignment of spectrum.”

The Attorney-General is asking the court for a declaration that Digicel is unlawfully using spectrum in the 700 MHz and 1800 MHz frequency band, and is otherwise in breach of Sections 26(1)(e), 28(1)(a), 30(1), 31(1) (f), 48(1) and (2)(a), 67(b) and (c) and 68(1) of the Telecommunications Act 2016 and Sections 9(4)(b)(i) and 10 of the Telecommunications (Spectrum Management) Regulations 2020.

He is also asking for an injunction restraining Digicel from using, transmitting or otherwise accessing the 700 MHz spectrum and the 1800 MHz spectrum without first obtaining the frequency authorisations and permissions which are required by the Act and Regulations, pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

Additionally, he is seeking damages in favour of the state in an amount not less that G$100,000.00 arising from Digicel’s unlawful conduct and a corresponding order that an assessment hearing be held and evidence taken to determine the amount to be awarded.

Further, declaration that Digicel has been unjustly enriched from its unlawful use of spectrum and an order in favour of the state disgorging all revenue and profits

earned by Digicel arising out of its unlawful activity and a corresponding order that an assessment hearing be held and evidence taken to determine the amount to be awarded.

He is also seeking exemplary damages in favour of the state, arising out of Digicel’s intentional and wilful acts, in an amount to be determined in an assessment hearing, but not less that G$100,000.00 and interest on any sum awarded.

On the other hand, the criminal charges were filed

by Prime Minister Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips, the Minister with responsibility for Telecommunications against Gregory Dean, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of U-Mobile Cellular Inc. trading under Digicel Guyana.

The matters are for Digicel’s failure to comply with the directions issued under Regulations 9(4)(b) and 11 of the Telecommunications (Spectrum Management) Regulations 2020, No. 5 of 2020 (the Regulations) in breach of Regulation 13 of the Regulations.

Further, for the unauthorised use of spectrum contrary to Section 67(b) of the Telecommunications Act 2016; failure as a licensee to comply with Section 30(1) of the Telecommunications Act 2016 and failure to observe the provisions of Sections 30(1) of the Act contrary to section 79(1)(a) of the Act.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 9, 2021

71.4 per cent of adults receive first dose of COVID-19 vaccine

SOME 366,190 persons, or 71.4 per cent of Guyana’s adult population, have received their first dose of one of the COVID-19 vaccines available locally, as the Ministry of Health ramps up its vaccination campaign against the deadly virus.

Aside from the adults, 25,615 persons, or 35.1 per cent of the adolescent population, have received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

This is according to Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, who, during his COVID-19 update on Friday, posited that the country is “getting closer” to achieving herd immunity, but acknowledged that there is “a lot of work” yet to be done.

A regional breakdown of the numbers indicates that Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) has been leading the vaccination efforts, in that some 80 per cent of the its adult population have received

their first doses of the inoculation. Region One (Barima-Waini) follows with a 78.2 per cent rate, while Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) are within the 70 to 73 percentile range.

Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) has the lowest vaccination rate, with only 30.8 per cent of its adult population receiving their first dose. Region Eight

(Potaro-Siparuni) has recorded a 44.4 per cent firstdose vaccination rate, while Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) has recorded 58.2 per cent, and Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) 67.6 per cent.

In terms of second doses, the latest statistics have shown that 220,017 adults were administered their second dose of either of the vaccines, representing 42.1 per cent of that population, while 14,679 adolescents received their second dose, representing

20.1 per cent of that population.

A regional breakdown of the number of second doses administered thus far indicates that Regions Four, Five, Six and Nine are in the 40-percentile

range, while Regions One, Two, Three and Seven are in the 30-percentile range.

Only 14.2 per cent of Region 10 received its second dose, while 29.6 per cent of Region Eight received theirs.

Permanent Secretary arrested, placed on bail over bribery allegation PERMANENT Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Sharon Hicks, was, on Thursday afternoon, arrested after allegedly demanding bribes from a contractor who paid her with marked bills that were retrieved during a sting operation carried out by the police.

The 42-year-old woman of West Bank Demerara (WBD) was arrested at her Quamina and Thomas Streets, South Cummingsburg Office for allegedly demanding money by menace.

The Permanent Secretary was released on bail and investigations into the matter are ongoing.

Crime Chief, Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum, who confirmed the arrest, noted that a sting operation was conducted where marked bills were reportedly paid to the Permanent Secretary by the businessman.

Those bills were found in her possession.

He said the police were contacted pertaining to Hicks’ alleged demands for payments from the contractor.

Reports indicate that the payments were ongoing for several months

and the businessman was allegedly threatened that he would not receive contracts if the monies demanded were not paid monthly.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs in a release said that on October 7, 2021, Permanent Secretary Hicks was

sent on Administrative leave pending the outcome of a police investigation relating to the matter in the public domain.

“The Ministry also wishes to respond to the issues circulating in the public about its officials.

It was the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline

Sukhai, whose recommendation resulted in the appointment of Ms. Hicks to the position of Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs under the PPP/C Government. Additionally, there was one occasion when the Permanent was on a seven days sick leave

where the Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS) was assigned the duties in her absence, putting to rest the claim that the DPS was executing the duties of the Permanent Secretary while she was on duty.

The ministry wishes to state that at no time was any vehicle regis-

Amerindian Affairs Permanent Secretary, Sharon Hicks tered to the ministry assigned to any close relative of the minister,” the release concluded.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 9, 2021

Retired St Rose’s HM honoured for her 24 years of service

THERE were glowing tributes and some tears, when St Rose’s High School paid homage to its retired Principal, Paula Hamilton, at a small ceremony held in her honour at Parc Rayne, Houston, East Bank Demerara, on Thursday.

Hamilton, who retired in August 2021, had served 24 years at the school.

Chief Education Officer, Dr. Marcel Hutson, and other Ministry of Education officials were among those who attended the event. Also present were several past students, the current Principal (ag) Rayon Tobin, past and present members of the Board of Governors, teachers, family members and friends. Several USA and Canada Alumni Association members attended virtually via Zoom.

In a statement, the Board of Governors described Hamilton as a “tough act to follow” given the immense work she had done at the school and the indelible mark she has left.

Chief Education Officer, Dr. Marcel Hutson (left) greets retired Principal of St Rose’s High School, Paula Hamilton “She attained that 100 per cent matriculation rate almost every year and fell below 98 per cent only on one occasion during her tenure. This impressive achievement of having all graduating students achieve at least five subjects was further topped by notable top performers both in

Guyana and the Caribbean at external examinations,” the statement said.

It was noted that Hamilton stands as an exemplar illustration and her record should be emulated by others.

“This is a huge legacy which Mrs Paula Hamilton has created during her tenure

at St Rose’s High School and for our country at large,” the statement said.

A University of Guyana (UG) graduate with a Science Degree in Biology/Chemistry, Hamilton also acquired her master’s degree in 2012, which helped to equip her in preparation for the head-

Treasurer of the St Rose’s Alumni Association (Guyana) Inc, Ruth Jeffers presents the school’s former principal, Paula Hamilton, with a plaque in appreciation of her years of dedication and service mistress position which she attained in 2014 and served with distinction.

Thursday’s event included several cultural items such as a performance by 2008 graduate and local song-

stress, Jackie Jaxx.

The programme was chaired by well-known cultural and broadcast personality, Russel Lancaster, who himself is a St Rose’s alumnus.

Six more tourism businesses granted conditional approval for reopening

SIX tourism businesses have been granted conditional approvals for reopening, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has announced, pointing out that they have met the National COVID-19 measures and the GTA’s recommended Hygiene and Sanitation protocols.

This takes the total number of tourism businesses that have been granted conditional approvals for reopening to 47. These businesses, Blackwater Adventures; Double Day Hotel; Glow Royale by the Sea Hotel Restaurant & Bar; Pegasus Hotel; Status Hotel; and Ubudi Lodge can now welcome travellers and guests to their establishments safely.

Acting GTA Director,

Kamrul Baksh said, “The GTA’s collective, coordinated approach towards a safe recovery has been proven successful. With 63 per cent of interior lodges and resorts, and 46 per cent of tour operators being conditionally approved to offer safe tourism experiences, I am convinced that we will see more businesses reaching out to us for support to gain this seal of approval.”

He further emphasised that businesses, “must be cognisant of the guidelines that govern their reopening or face revocation of their approvals as well as one month’s suspension of operations”.

The GTA, a release said, has been providing support to tourism businesses in areas such as training and

capacity building, technical review of Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) to ensure the recommended Hygiene & Sanitation protocols are implemented, onsite inspections and supplying sanitation products and signage to tourism-focused communities.

This is an ongoing effort, the GTA said, and urges all travellers to use only those businesses that have been GTA-approved to ensure that they have only safe travel experiences.

“For a list of these businesses that have been deemed Safe for Travel, please visit the GTA’s Facebook page under the album titled, ‘Safe for Travel’,” the release concluded.

Six tourism businesses have been granted conditional approvals for reopening, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has announced

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 9, 2021

Guyana, Brazil to advance military co-operation

THE 24th Meeting of Military Exchange between Guyana and Brazil concluded on Thursday with agreement on a number of new understandings aimed at advancing co-operation in areas of mutual concern.

Among them, heightened simultaneous patrolling along the border strip aimed at curbing ever-present cross-border criminal activities such as illegal mining, illegal airstrips, drug trafficking, illegal border crossing and the effects of climate change.

Both delegations, in their presentations, found common ground and challenges, resulting in the recognition of the need for the development of a stronger mechanism for communication and coordination against these events.

The discussions were fruitful and allowed for both

Brigadier-General, Adriano Fructuoso and Colonel Trevor Bowman affix their signatures to the final minutes and new understandings at the conclusion of the meeting on Thursday sides to examine and share strategies and agree on the way forward.

Brigadier-General, Adriano Fructuoso, Commander of the first Jungle Infantry

Brigade, said he felt that the meeting has achieved its objectives.

He was confident that the new understandings will be executed.

Brigadier-General Fructuoso also expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome which his team received from the GDF, which he said was testament to the

strong bonds of friendship and good relations between the two nations.

“You have a friend in Brazil and I wish your institution well as it works

towards achieving all of its objectives,” he assured the delegation of GDF Officers.

In response, Commandant of the Guyana People’s Militia, Colonel Trevon Bowman, who led the local delegation, said he was satisfied with the conduct of the meeting and gave personal assurances that he will spare no effort in ensuring that the good relationship which the two armies share is solidified and advanced.

“You accepted our invitation during these difficult times and we have come here and we have met our objectives. This is evidence of the enduring nature of our friendship,” he asserted.

The officers exchanged gifts and tokens of appreciation at the conclusion of the meeting.

The 25th meeting of Military Exchange is scheduled to be held in Brazil next year.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 9, 2021

Agriculture sector on way to recovery

–– compliments of the incentives allotted to farmers by the gov’t, says Minister Mustapha AGRICULTURE Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring Guyana’s agriculture sector continues to grow despite setbacks caused by the recent flooding during this year’s extended MayJune rainy period.

On Thursday, during a meeting with farmers from Cove and John, a village located on the East Bank of Demerara, Minister Mustapha said that Guyana’s agriculture was well on its way to recovery, given the many incentives the government has extended to farmers who were affected by the recent flood. He also told farmers that they, too, stand to benefit from the transformative initiatives that will be implemented over the next four years.

“During the flood, our farmers were prevented from planting all the areas this year. Floodwaters have receded in most of the farming areas, and the government has already started working to rebuild the sector,” Minister Mustapha said, adding: “Next year, more lands have to be opened up for farmers to extend their cultivation.

When we took office, the infrastructure in all of the agriculture areas was dilapidated. Since taking office, the ministry has worked to improve the infrastructure in all of the farming communities, so that our production can expand and improve.

Agriculture in Guyana is now a big business because of the interest this government is placing on developing the

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha engaging the farmers on Thursday sector.” floor for their paddy, Minis- lage that is looking after benefit from proper drainage Rice farmers in the area ter Mustapha told the farmers the interest of the residen- and irrigation. Further, he told the minister that while that if they can identify an tial area; I want farmers told farmers that come 2022, there has been a noticeable available area, the ministry to form themselves into a villagers will benefit from improvement in the sector will work with them to fa- farmers’ group, inclusive maintenance contracts from over the last year, there is cilitate the construction of of cash crop, rice, and live- the ministry to carry out need for a drying floor, since a drying floor to assist them stock farmers. works on the drains in the A team from the ministry community. the one they once used has with drying their paddy. been closed.

The subject minister will come back to the com“Our budget is almost “Minister, we need a dry- also advised farmers to munity next week to help exhausted now, in terms of ing floor, because we are form themselves into a you form the group. maintenance works, but in That group will also be next year’s budget, we’ll really punishing to dry our group, so that there can be paddy. We had a private a systematic approach to tasked with helping our offi- make funds available so that place where we usually dry collaborations between the cers to monitor the situation maintenance works can be our paddy, but the place was ministry and themselves to in this area,” Minister Mus- done on the trenches in this sold, and when we dry on carry out works needed in tapha said. area. We’ll give those works Minister Mustapha also to persons in the community. tarpaulin, the paddy is not the community. told farmers that, through the While you’re cleaning the germinating,” one farmer National Drainage and Irriga- trench for the satisfaction of said.

FARMERS’ GROUP While responding to re“There is already a tion Authority (NDIA), the the farmers, persons who are quests made by farmers for Community Development machines in the area continue carrying out these works will the construction of a drying Council (CDC) in the vil- working to ensure farmers be able to earn. We need the

farmers to cooperate. You cannot continue to work in isolation because things will not be done properly.

The ministry will work with everyone but we need everyone to be honest. If farmers want development in their community, I can assure you that the government will work to bring development to the community,” Minister Mustapha explained.

Minister Mustapha also committed to having the ministry construct a gate to secure farmers’ rice fields after farmers voiced their concerns about cattle from neighbouring communities destroying their crops.

While explaining Guyana’s role in agriculture in CARICOM, Minister Mustapha told farmers that there will be many opportunities for them, since Guyana is once again playing that leading role in the region.

“From last year when we took office to now, more farmers have been coming back into the agriculture sector, because they see a future in agriculture. Guyana is now leading the agriculture agenda in CARICOM, so there will be a lot of opportunities for you. The government will continue to make the necessary investments, so that you can benefit. Our president is very passionate about agriculture in Guyana.

He speaks on agriculture in CARICOM, and we are leading the Ministerial Taskforce, and pushing the agricultural development agenda in the region,” Minister Mustapha said.

(Ministry of Agriculture)

Motorcycle bandits rob technician of car, cash

ARMED motorcycle bandits robbed a technician of a quantity of cash, electronics and his vehicle after he stopped in Tucville Terrace, East La Penitence, Georgetown, to urinate on

Wednesday.

Police said four armed gunmen carried out the robbery around 10:50 hours.

Reports indicate that the technician was driving through Tucville Terrace

when he stopped to ‘ease his bladder’, leaving the driver side door opened and the ignition on.

The gunmen reportedly rode up on two motorcycles from an eastern direction; one of the pillion

riders dismounted, pulled a handgun from his waist and held the technician at gunpoint.

After demanding cash and valuables, the armed pillion rider went into the technician’s white

and black Toyota Fielder Wagon #PWW 9299, which contained one iPhone X valued $100,000, one Lenovo laptop valued $80,000 and $17,000 cash and drove away.

The other suspects

followed and escaped in an eastern direction on Tucville Terrace.

Police said checks were made to locate the perpetrators, but this was unsuccessful as investigations continue.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 9, 2021

All smiles as 10 Berbicians are now homeowners

By Nafeeza Yahya

FOOD for the Poor Guyana Inc (FFTP) in collaboration with St Francis Community Developers (SFCD), on Friday, handed over 10 houses to persons from mainly the East Bank of Berbice and Canje. A total of 61 persons will be occupying the 10 homes.

The 10 recipients, who each had challenging stories, were moved to tears as they expressed gratitude to the FFTP and SFCD for making them homeowners, which will now allow them to live “comfortable and freely”.

President of St Francis, Alex foster, noted that thus far, 385 houses have been built and handed over to families in the region.

This gesture has enabled the recipients to transform their lives and livelihoods.

He highlighted that the SFCD does not only provide persons with a home but moves beyond that to provide psychosocial support to the families.

One of the recipients, Neil Eleixie Archer of Lot 800 Glasgow Housing Scheme, a single father of three, was emotional when he described the hardship he faced having to rent and maintain his three boys from his earnings as a cane harvester.

Being able to now own his own home has restored

Food for the Poor, Chief Executive Officer, Kent Vincent (sitting in centre); FFTP Project Manager, Andrea Benjamin (sitting left); and President of St Francis Community Developers, Alex Foster (sitting right) with other officials and beneficiaries at the handing-over ceremony on Friday at the headquarters of St Francis Community Developers in Berbice hope and belief in a better were before. I can move life and future for him and A BETTER PLACE forward to better possiSTRONG AND his children ages 17, 14 Another beneficiary, bilities. The counselling I STABLE and 11.

Nurse Kenesha Stephens received helped me to staCOMMUNITIES “Today is a happy day. of Patrick Dam, Angoys bilise myself mentally and FFTP Project ManHappy day for my chil- Avenue, said she was emotionally and stable me ager, Andrea Benjamin, dren, they are happy. I chosen at a time when with my job. I am in a bet- said she is pleased to be would like to say thanks she was going through a ter place,” Stephens said. celebrating with the reto Food For the Poor for “difficult period”.

For Leslie Sukhai, 27, cipients and noted that what they have done for “It was an opportunity and his wife Fazeela Ali, the FFTP is working with my children. Living in a that came along when I 26, of Lonsdale, East Bank its partners to contribute rented house is not easy, was in a very low place Berbice, their dream has to the social development raising children without a and the timing of it was been realised. The couple of this country. mother is not easy, and I impeccable because I was previously shared a space Homeownership, she take care of my children shortly separated from my with Sukhai’s parents. said, plays a critical role in from little to where they husband and with my chil“This feels extraordi- building strong and stable are now. dren I was down emotion- nary and gives me a sense communities.

I must say Food For ally and I wasn’t sure what of freedom.

“So it’s not about Anthe Poor has done this, to do and where to turn It wasn’t comfortable goy’s Avenue, not about a wonderful thing in the to. A door opened for me living with people. Now the East Bank, it’s about children lives and once when I thought there was me and my children will helping Guyana achieve its they are happy, I am no door and from there to be happier and at ease. I millennium development happy. Having their own now I can say my kids and want to thank everyone goals that speak to housing room, they lay down, I are in a better place emo- who made it possible to and ensuring that families they roll, they just hap- tionally and physically. give us this new lease in have adequate housing and py,” he said.

They are happier than they life,” she happily said. that speaks to an improved

community. Improved housing means improved communities and we tend to forget that when you have families who have safe houses, you have better communities; it also means reduction in social ills…. Better accommodation also means children do well in school,” Benjamin explained.

She also charged the families to care their new homes and look to expand it.

Meanwhile, FFTP Chief Executive Officer, Kent Vincent, said the organisation is pleased that the dreams of owning a home has become a reality for many. This year, Food For the Poor is hoping to construct 120 homes.

“The housing programme is one of the most significant in the country. And it is our sincere pleasure to hand over 10 homes to the 10 families today. We are happy that it will be impacting the lives of 45 children significantly. The children are the ones to move this country forward to the future and we are happy for that,” Vincent told the beneficiaries.

The two-bedroom house is equipped with the necessary furniture, including beds and chairs, indoor sanitary facility, gas stove, solar panel and a rain harvesting component.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 9, 2021

FAO Food Price Index rises further in September

WORLD food commodity prices rose in September, led by tightening supply conditions and robust demand for staples such as wheat and palm oil, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has reported.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 130.0 points in September, up 1.2 per cent from August and 32.8 per cent higher than in September 2020.

The index tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly-traded food commodities.

The FAO Cereal Price Index in September increased by two per cent from the previous month, with world wheat prices up almost four per cent -- and as much as 41 per cent higher than a year earlier – due to tightening export availabilities amid strong demand.

World rice prices also rose in September, while those of maize increased by a moderate 0.3 per cent – averaging 38 per cent higher year-on-year -- as improved global crop prospects and the start of harvests in the United States of America and Ukraine largely countered the impact of hurricane-related port disruptions in the U.S. “Among major cereals, wheat will be the focus in the coming weeks as demand need to be tested against fast rising prices,” says FAO Senior Economist Abdolreza Abbassian.

The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index was up 1.7 per cent on the month – and about 60 per cent from September 2020 – as international palm oil prices reached 10-year highs due to robust global import demand and concerns over migrant labour shortages impacting production in Malaysia. World rapeseed oil prices also appreciated markedly, while soy and sunflower oil quotations declined.

The FAO Dairy Price Index increased by 1.5 per cent from August, as solid global import demand and seasonal factors in Europe and Oceania drove up international quotations for all dairy products, especially butter.

The FAO Sugar Price Index was 0.5 per cent higher from the previous month – and 53.5 per cent from a year earlier – underpinned by adverse weather conditions and higher ethanol prices in Brazil, the world’s largest sugar exporter. Slowing global import demand and good production prospects in India and Thailand curbed the upward pressure.

The FAO Meat Price Index was virtually unchanged in September from the previous month and up 26.3 per cent on an annualised basis.

Ovine and bovine meat quotations rose due to tight supply conditions, while those for poultry and pig meat declined amid ample global supply volumes of the former and lower demand for the latter in China and Europe.

BELOW CONSUMPTION NEEDS World cereal output in 2021 is seen on course to hit an all-time record of 2,800 million tonnes, but that is less than the anticipated consumption requirements in 2021/22 marketing season, according to new projections in FAO’s latest Cereal Supply and Demand Brief, also released today.

FAO now anticipates 776.7 million tonnes of wheat to be harvested in 2021, with expected higher yields in Eastern Europe and Australia offsetting weather and planting-driven output drops foreseen in Canada and the Russian Federation. The forecast for global production of coarse grains is now

pegged at 1504 million tonnes, with global sorghum and barley harvests rising faster than that for maize. World rice production is foreseen at 50 million tonnes, a new record, primarily reflecting more buoyant expectations from India’s main crop.

A t t h e s a m e t i m e, world cereal utilisation in 2021/22 is now forecast at 2,811 million tonnes, up 1.8 per cent from the previous season, led by an anticipated significant increase in the use of wheat for livestock feed, a trend driven in part by high prices of coarse grains.

Consequently, the 2021/22 world cereal stocks-to-use ratio is expected to stand at 28.4 per cent, down from 29.2 per cent in the previous year, but still indicating an overall comfortable level.

The Cereal Supply

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 130.0 points in September, up 1.2 per cent from August and 32.8 per cent higher than in September 2020 and Demand Brief also includes FAO’s latest forecast for 2021/22 world trade in cere-

als, which points to a 0.3 per cent year-onyear contraction to 473.2 million tonnes,

led mostly by lower volumes foreseen for barley and maize trade. (FAO)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 9, 2021

Over 3,500 complete BIT programmes THE Ministry of Labour, through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), has successfully trained over 3,500 young people in various skills within the last 10 months, surpassing its initial target of 3,000.

This is according to subject minister, Joseph Hamilton, who told Guyana Chronicle during a recent telephone interview that graduation exercises are currently being held across the country.

He anticipates that by the end of November, those who have successfully completed training in skills ranging from engineering to home economics have graduated.

“Based on the financing

we got via [the] budget, we determined we can train about 3,000…some of the programmes have been finished and you would have noted that I have been doing graduations,” the minister said.

Minister Hamilton stated that graduation ceremonies will be held in small regional gatherings to maintain the mandatory COVID-19 protocols. So far, graduation exercises have been completed in four of the 10 administrative regions.

“We have already concluded graduation ceremonies in Regions One, Two, Three, Six [and] presently we are doing Region Four.”

He told this publication that several training

programmes are currently ongoing, some of which are expected to be completed next year.

“While I speak, trainings are still going on and we might have some trainings that will roll over to 2022,” he said.

The minister also disclosed that over 420 persons from hinterland regions across the country will also be graduating from several of the training programmes.

Meanwhile, BIT’s CEO, Richard Maughn, posited that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, BIT has managed to successfully execute training and provide apprenticeship programmes for several graduates to gain meaningful employment

A recent graduation exercise held for 151 hinterland youths at the Hinterland Scholarship Dormitory, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara in their respective communities.

“Although we have COVID, we still had an excess of people benefitting from trainings so far for the year and we continue to have persons registering and showing interest,” he said adding: “Despite the pandem-

ic, persons would have completed the training and found employment.”

BIT also provides apprenticeship training in accordance with the Industrial Act and issues certificates of competency to persons who are qualified to be engaged in any trade or craft, to which the act applies.

Persons ages 15 years and above can register to do any of the courses which range from four to six months duration and are available in all the regions.

Persons can access programmes in building, engineering, forestry, home economics and clerical/ information technology.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 9, 2021

Pardoned fraudster in court again FOUR years after being pardoned by former President, David Granger, convicted fraudster, Khemawattie Ramnauth, on Friday, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on two fraud charges and was released on bail in the sum of $3M by Magis-

trate Dylon Bess.

Ramnauth of Grove, East Bank Demerara, pleaded not guilty to conning a businessman out of $6.5M and forging a United States passport.

Particulars of the first charge alleged that Ramnauth, between February 20, 2020 and August 24, 2020, at Georgetown,

with intent to defraud, obtained from Brian Perriera the sum of $6.5M by falsely pretending that her name was Latchmin Shiwmangal, the registered owner of the property situated at Block XXX Zone, East Bank Demerara, Parcel 1107, part of Plantation Ruimveldt, Greater Georgetown, and

Man accused of theft granted bail A THIRTY-SEVEN-yearold fish vendor, who allegedly stole jewellery from a woman while they were involved in a brawl, on Friday, appeared in the Georgetown Magistartes’ Court and was granted bail in the sum of $80,000 by Magistrate Dylon Bess.

Tafivan Vieira of Meadow Bank, Georgetown, ap-

peared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and denied that on September 26, 2021, at Meadow Bank Wharf, he stole from Roma Monasar one gold ring valued at $152,200 and a silver ring valued at $14,500.

According to the facts presented by Police Prosecutor Christopher Morris, on the day in question, the accused

had a physical altercation with a woman at the wharf.

It is alleged that during the fight, Vieira snatched Monasar’s rings and made good his escape. He was later arrested after being identified by the victim.

Magistrate Bess granted Vieira $80,000 bail and ordered him to lodge his passport at the court.

that she was in the position to sell same to him knowing same to be false.

It is further alleged that between February 20, 2020 and October 5, 2021, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, she forged one United States of America passport #454099867 in the name of Shirley Shiw-

mangal with a picture bearing her likeness, purporting to show that same was issued by the United States Department of State, knowing same to be forged.

Police Prosecutor, Christopher Morris, objected to Ramnauth being released on bail on the grounds that she was

previously convicted for similar crimes.

He informed the court that the accused was convicted in 2015 for fraud but was pardoned by Granger in 2017.

Magistrate Bess overruled that prosecutor’s objection and released Ramnauth on $3M bail.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 9, 2021

ECB gives approval for tour to go ahead

… Critical conditions to be resolved before travel (ESPNCRICINFO) - England’s men will travel to Australia for the 2021-22 Ashes, “subject to several critical conditions being met”, the ECB has confirmed.

Uncertainty has surrounded the series due to the stringent COVID-19 restrictions applied by Australia’s government, but reports in recent days suggested that England players had largely been satisfied by assurances from Cricket Australia.

A statement from ECB said that “excellent progress” had been made, and that it had given “conditional approval” for the tour, for which a squad will now be selected. No further details were given on the conditions that are still to be satisfied, other than that the aim was to resolve them “in the coming days”.

“Over recent weeks we have made excellent progress in moving forward on the England men’s Ashes tour,” the statement said.

“To facilitate further progress and allow a squad

Joe Root and Tim Paine pose with the Ashes urn. (Getty Images) to be selected, ECB board has met today and given its approval for the tour to go ahead. This decision is subject to several critical conditions being met before we travel.

“We look forward to the ongoing assistance from Cricket Australia in resolving these matters in the coming days.”

Negotiations between the two boards have been ongoing for some time, amid concerns in the England camp at the length of time they could be apart from their families.

Multi-format players such as Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan and Chris Woakes, as well as some members of the coaching staff,

face being away from home for up to four months for the T20 World Cup, which starts next week, and the Ashes.

Joe Root, the England Test captain, had previously said he was “desperate” to tour Australia again but could not commit until the players had been fully apprised of the quarantine conditions they would face.

An advance party is set to travel next month, to be joined by those players also taking part in the T20 World Cup, with the expectation of a flexible quarantine period on Brisbane’s Gold Coast that would enable them to train at the same time. Allowances are also understood to have been made for families joining the tour in December.

Jos Buttler, the Test vice-captain, is one player who had made it clear he would not be taking part in the tour unless his wife and two daughters - the younger was born last month - were permitted to travel.

The differing regulations applied from state to state

are a further complicating factor, with the Perth Test still thought to be at risk due to Western Australia’s hardline approach to those entering from elsewhere in the country.

England have not won in Australia since 2010-11 and have already been hit by the loss of several key players - Jofra Archer was ruled out with a long-term elbow problem, Ben Stokes has not played since July and recently underwent follow-up surgery on his finger while Moeen Ali elected to retire from Test cricket last month.

The confirmation of England’s intention to tour is a significant boost for Cricket Australia, with some AU$200M believed to be at stake in broadcast revenue.

England Women are also due to contest the Ashes down under this winter. That tour, set to take place in January and February, has been considered less at risk due to rising vaccinations rates and the expectation of Australia increasingly opening up to international travel.

Hamilton to take grid penalty for engine change in Turkey (BBC) - Lewis Hamilton will have a 10-place grid penalty at tomorrow’s Turkish Grand Prix but topped both Friday sessions at Istanbul Park.

Mercedes have taken a fourth engine - one more than is permitted - to reduce the risks of suffering a failure during the tight championship run-in.

But he has taken only one power-unit component - the internal combustion engine - so escapes a full grid drop.

The aim is to lose as little ground to title rival Max Verstappen as possible.

The Red Bull driver trails Hamilton by two points in the championship after recovering from the back of the grid following his own engine penalty to finish second behind the seven-time champion in Russia at the last race.

Hamilton topped first practice at Istanbul Park,

0.425 seconds ahead of Verstappen, and also headed the time sheets in the second session, in which Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was second, 0.166secs behind the Mercedes.

Hamilton said the car had felt better in the first session than the second but was confident Mercedes could improve it overnight.

“I need to be on pole to limit the loss (from the penalty),” he said.

Verstappen was 0.635secs off the pace in the second session, in which the understeer he was suffering in the first session had been replaced by oversteer.

He said: “Great track, but today was challenging.

It looks like we have some work to do overnight to improve our performance.”

Leclerc, who was third fastest in the first session, looked competitive all day

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W12 during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Turkey at Intercity Istanbul Park yesterday in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Dan Istitene - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) in the Ferrari, which is fitted with an engine with the upgraded hybrid system to which he gave a debut in the last race in Russia.

Mercedes have made the decision to change Hamilton’s engine for reliability and performance reasons, after the seven-time champion lost one of his three engines with a failure in practice at

the Dutch Grand Prix last month.

Taking the fourth internal combustion engine gives them a bit more peace of mind, as well as overall performance, for the championship run-in.

The team based their decision on simulations of the races to come, trying to balance the negative impact

of a penalty with the risk of reliability issues.

It was influenced by the fact that a grid penalty such as this is far less damaging than a failure in a race and a penalty at a subsequent one as a result.

Mercedes said they required only a change of internal combustion engine, and not that of any of the other components: the turbo, hybrid system, battery and electronics.

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz had already been confirmed as having a full engine change and he will start from the back of the grid.

In the second session, Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas was third fastest, ahead of the Red Bull’s of Sergio Perez and Verstappen, McLaren’s Lando Norris and the Alpines of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 9, 2021

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KS Bharat’s last-ball six powers RCB home ESPNCRICINFO) - What was essentially a dead rubber looked like slipping away from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at 55 for 3 halfway into a chase of 165 against Delhi Capitals (DC).

But then two catches slipped through the hands of Shreyas Iyer and R Ashwin, and Glenn Maxwell made the most of the lives to set the scene for a blockbuster finish from KS Bharat.

It was still anybody’s game when RCB needed 19 off 12 balls. Anrich Nortje, who had taken out both Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal in his first two overs, stepped up once again, bowling a four-run penultimate over to leave RCB needing 15 off the final over, bowled by Avesh Khan.

Maxwell found the boundary off the first ball and followed it with a double to notch up his fourth half-century in his last five innings.

The third ball was a terrific inswinging yorker which smashed Maxwell’s boot, but he survived again because this had pitched outside leg stump. A leg-bye put Bharat on strike and the next ball was a swing and a miss.

The penultimate ball, thanks to a misfield from Axar Patel in the outfield, eventually left RCB needing six off the last ball. Avesh went searching for another

leg-stump yorker, but ended up bowling a full-toss down the leg side for a wide.

Avesh whisked short fineleg back for the last ball and went for another yorker, but it came out as a fulltoss again, this time on the stumps. Bharat lined it up and shanked it over longon to provide a throwback to Arun Karthik’s last-ball six for RCB in the Champions League T20 a decade ago.

Perhaps if Royal Challengers had batted first and adopted a no-holds-barred batting approach like Mumbai Indians had done in Abu Dhabi, their slimmest of chances of making the top two might have stayed alive a tad longer.

Match practice and fine-tuning aside, the game was dead from the moment they decided to bowl. Next, they will run into Kolkata Knight Riders in the eliminator, while DC will face CSK in the first qualifier.

The Dhawan-Shaw show Virat Kohli had thrown the new ball to Maxwell, giving him a crack at Shikhar Dhawan, but the left-hander picked him off for 15 off eight. Shaw, who had managed scores of 11, 10, 6, 18 in his first four innings in the UAE this IPL, hit form by driving and punching on the up in the powerplay, which yielded 55 runs overall for DC. Shaw also lined up Yuz-

vendra Chahal for a pair of sixes, but the leg-spinner dangled one outside the batter’s eye-line and found sharp dip to have him holing out to sweeper cover for 48 off 31 balls. Dhawan too had fallen by then, with Harshal Patel tricking him with his trademark loopy off-cutter for 45 off 35 balls.

Having copped a George Garton beamer on his shoulder, Dhawan was spotted with an icepack after his dismissal and subsequently he didn’t take the field in the chase.

The middle order doesn’t show up After Dhawan and Shaw put on 88 together in the first ten overs, the pitch slowed down, as did the rest of the Capitals’ batting line-up.

They could muster only 76 in the second chunk of their innings, with Mohammed Siraj and the slower bowlers hiding the ball away from their swinging arcs.

Dan Christian bounced out Rishabh Pant before Siraj had both Shreyas Iyer and Shimron Hetmyer hole out.

Ripal Patel, who had retained his spot in the XI ahead of an overseas option, also couldn’t get the ball away at the death, getting a run-a-ball seven.

Bharat, Maxwell punish sloppy Capitals With the Royal Challengers openers falling cheaply, AB de Villiers came in as early as the third over and

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday October 09, 2021) COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Evin Lewis-322 runs (2) Rohit Sharma-519 runs Today’s Quiz: (1) What is the highest individual T20 Int’l score made by an IND player against the WI to date?

(2) What is the highest individual T20 Int’l score made by a WI player against IND to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………..

Srikar Bharat and Glenn Maxwell led RCB to a very fine victory vs Delhi Capitals, IPL 2021, Dubai, yesterday. (BCCI)

began a repair job with a run-a-ball 26. Axar dismissed de Villiers in the tenth over and could have got Maxwell (twice) soon after had Ashwin and Iyer had not dropped those chances. Having been dropped on 6 and 16, Maxwell showed off his range once again, slogging and reverse-slogging the DC

bowlers.

As for Bharat, he was a more sedate presence in the early exchanges against high pace, but then laid into Axar’s left-arm darts, taking him for 25 off just nine balls.

With two right-handers in the middle, Ashwin bowled just a solitary over, which

cost DC 11 runs. Ripal stepped in for Ashwin with his medium-pace, giving up 22 in his three overs.

Nortje maintained his machine-line accuracy at the death, but Avesh had a rare off day as Bharat finished off the league phase of IPL 2021 with a last-ball six.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 9, 2021

KKR sweating over Russell’s fitness ahead of playoff Andre Russell hurt himself while fielding, vs Chennai Super Kings, Abu Dhabi, IPL 2021, September 26, 2021.

(CMC) – Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are keeping their fingers crossed that West Indies

all-rounder Andre Russell will be fit enough to be part of their side for the playoffs in the Indian Pre-

mier League (IPL).

Russell, 33, suffered a hamstring injury while fielding on the boundary

against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) last month and he has missed the last four matches that KKR have played.

During that period, KKR sealed a playoff spot with a massive win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Thursday, and they believe Russell can play a critical role in their bid for a third title.

“We are taking it day by day,” KKR and England captain Eoin Morgan said at the post-match presentation on Thursday.

“We know that he heals quickly. He proved that last year. He had a two-anda-half inch hamstring tear last year and came back in two weeks. He is working

incredibly hard.”

KKR will face Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Monday in Sharjah in an elimination match, giving Russell at least three extra days to get fit.

“He had a fitness test (on Wednesday),” KKR’s chief mentor and former Australian player, David Hussey said.

“He is maybe a game away, so I think he will be pushing hard to get back in for the (playoffs), which will be a huge boost not only for us, but for the competition. He is world-class and he provides lots of entertainment.”

When the IPL was suspended midway at the half-

way stage in May after two franchises reported several COVID-19 cases, KKR had only two wins out of seven.

But the change of scenery from last month to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the completion of the League has done them a world of good and they have won five matches out of seven to seal their place in the playoffs.

West Indies team officials will also be closely monitoring the progress of Russell. He was named in the Caribbean side’s 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup starting in nine day’s time in the UAE and Oman.

Mumbai Indians out of IPL 2021 playoffs

(ESPNCRICINFO) - They gave the ball and their chances at qualification for the play-offs an almighty whack, but eventually, Mumbai Indians’ defence of their title ended in their final league game of IPL 2021.

They had come into it needing to win by an unprecedented 171 runs, and although they eventually did win, that margin was always going to prove too much despite the power-hitting and skill of Ishan Kishan (84 off 32) and Suryakumar Yadav (82 off 40).

Two batters who had not had the greatest time in this tournament rocketed Mumbai to a mammoth 235 for 9, but that still meant they needed to keep Sunrisers Hyderabad to 65 or less. Sunrisers eventually made a decent fist of an impossible chase, ending at 193 for 8, to lose by 42 runs.

The result meant Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) qualified ahead of Mumbai, both sides having 14 points but KKR ending with a superior net run-rate. They will face Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the eliminator, while Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on Delhi Capitals (DC) in the first qualifier.

Kishan impossible Mohammad Nabi opened the bowling and the first ball that Kishan faced, the second of the match, was slog-swept with extreme prejudice over deep midwicket, and he was away. Back at the top of the order, fresh off a 25-ball 50* in the last game, and with a clear mindset that Mumbai had to go from ball one to make their unlikely bid for qualification, Kishan seemed a different beast than the young man who had struggled so much that he was dropped from the XI. Manish Pandey - back in the XI and leading Sunrisers with both Kane Williamson

and Bhuvneshwar Kumar nursing niggles - tried five bowlers in the powerplay including Rashid Khan, but there was no stopping Kishan.

Siddarth Kaul was crunched for four consecutive boundaries, Jason Holder’s first over disappeared for 22 runs, Umran Malik’s pace was casually thwacked. Kishan was on 63 off 22 at the end of a powerplay that yielded 83 for 1 for Mumbai. He had reached fifty off just 16 balls, the quickest of IPL 2021 and the fourth-fastest of all-time in the tournament.

The end of the powerplay didn’t bring an end to the carnage, with even Rashid being smashed around. Kishan looked on track for a century when the extra pace of Umran finally did him in, with a top edge to a short ball outside off nestling in the keeper’s gloves. By the time he fell, Mumbai had racked up 124 for 3 in 9.1 overs.

Suryakumar strikes Given the qualification scenario they faced, Mumbai seemed to have binned their careful match-up strategies and decided that the biggest six-hitter in the dugout will walk out at the fall of each wicket. That meant Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard came in at three and four, while Suryakumar arrived when Kishan fell, at No.5.

Where Kishan had hit his first ball for six, Suryakumar collected four, though he was helped by Holder not getting behind the ball at fine leg as Sunrisers’ fielding wore a ragged look in the face of the furious assault.

Suryakumar didn’t have other batters sticking with him long enough to form substantial partnerships, but he kept peppering the legside boundary with sweeps and scoops that showcased both innovation and finesse.

If Suryakumar’s pace seemed anything

but extra hot, it was only because of what had come before. He batted magnificently, matching Kishan shot for shot given he didn’t get the powerplay advantage. His fifty was raised in 24 balls, and he looked within striking distance of a century too, before holing out in the final over.

Roy, Abhishek puts paid to Mumbai hopes Just like they had done while batting, Mumbai started the bowling by going all out, having attacking fields and giving the first couple of overs to Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah, the bowlers most likely to get wickets. However, the newly-minted opening pair of Jason Roy and Abhishek Sharma took a leaf out of their opposition’s playbook, going on the attack from the outset. Both men found their timing

and range, having seen what hyper aggression could do in the first innings.

Rohit Sharma also rang in the bowling changes quickly, but Roy and Abhishek didn’t let up. Although Bumrah got Roy with a well-targetted bouncer, the openers had put on 64 in 5.1 overs. Two singles in that very over meant Mumbai’s play-off hopes ended within Sunrisers’ powerplay.

Pandey, who came in at No.3, put on a display of his shot-making ability too, another man who had endured a tough IPL 2021 coming good at the end. But for Sunrisers, the weight of the Mumbai total was always going to be a bridge too far, even though they showed plenty of intent in their chase.

In the end, Mumbai got the victory, but not the result they wanted.

THE Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycling Club recently benefitted from the generosity of the Guyana Breweries Incorporated, under its Ginseng brand.

With the sponsorship, Guyana Breweries Inc. will join Guyana Lottery Company as supporters of the club over the next year.

The company is extremely happy to partner with the Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycling Club, adding that “during the next 12 months, we will advance our partnership with the club to improve the support to the athletes, and the immediate community of Linden.”

Meanwhile, the club’s assistant secretary/

treasurer, Jeffrey Yearwood, thanked Guyana Breweries Inc. for taking the step in being its branding partner for 2022-23 cycling seasons.

“We believe that branding its ‘Ginseng Up’ beverage would give a good boost to the awareness of this product in Linden, as well as the cycling fraternity, and its contribution towards sports and youth development. Our cyclists are grateful for this initiative and intend to do their best,” Yearwood said.

He hopes the two entities will also partner in other projects to continue the development of cycling within Linden.

‘Ginseng Up’ support for Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycling Club

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 9, 2021

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Lady Jags secures Assuria support for World Cup journey

GFF Marketing Committee Chairperson, Lisa Ahmad, receives a cheque from Erwin Daniels, Head of the Life, Pensions and Health Department at Assuria.

ONE of the country’s leading insurance companies, Assuria, has thrown its support behind the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) as a sponsor of the Senior Women’s National Team for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

“At Assuria, we take our corporate social responsibility very seriously.

We’ve had a very fruitful relationship with the Guyana Football Federation for quite a number of years with Mr Forde at the helm of that organisation,” said Erwin Daniels, Head of the Life, Pensions and Health Department at Assuria.

“This donation is another aspect of our giving

back to the community.

It is geared towards the medical needs and other enhancement needs of the footballers,” he said, presenting a cheque for an undisclosed sum to Lisa Ahmad, Chairperson of the Federation’s Marketing Committee.

“On behalf of the Guyana Football Federation, we want to thank Assuria for coming on board once again to support the Lady Jags as they embark on these World Cup qualifiers,” said Ahmad. “We want to welcome Assuria again to partner with us as we embark on this journey.”

Lady Jags are preparing for a week-long train-

ing camp in Puerto Rico, between October 18 and October 24, with practice matches against the hosts scheduled for October 20 and October 23.

Guyana have been drawn in Group F of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship qualifiers with Trinidad and Tobago, Nicaragua, Turks and Caicos and Dominica.

The winning team in esch group will join the five other qualification group winners and automatic qualifiers, Canada and the U.S., at the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Championship which acts as the region’s gateway to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Mumbai Indians out of IPL 2021 playoffs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 9, 2021

SEE PAGE 30

Ishan Kishan climbs into a pull shot with ferocity. (BCCI)

‘Ginseng Up’ support for Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycling Club SEE PAGE 30

KS Bharat’s last-ball six powers RCB home SEE PAGE 29

Srikar Bharat and Glenn Maxwell led RCB to a very fine victory vs Delhi Capitals, IPL 2021, Dubai, yesterday. (BCCI)

Seweon McGarrell (R), Head of Trade Marketing at Guyana Breweries Inc., makes the presentation to the Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycling Club.

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SATURDAY,OCTOBER 9, 2021