Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_10_03_2020

SATURDAY 3rd October, 2020

’ No. 106141

Guyana short-changed by ‘Stabroek agreement’ PAGE

08

–– Jagdeo maintains, contends Harmon is ‘confused’–– Payara Licence not a PSA

Gandhi’s fight for democracy remembered PAGE

15

–– during observation of 151st birth anniversary

Min. Parag: Jordan flatly rejected better allowances for 09 healthcare workers PAGE

Granger exited office with 02 $35.2M Lexus PAGE

COVID-19 relief for Wakenaam rice farmers 04 PAGE

High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr. K.J Srinivasa, greets Prime Minister, Mark Phillips, on his arrival at the Promenade Gardens, Georgetown, to celebrate the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the great Indian freedom fighter (Carl Croker photograph)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Granger exited office with $35.2M Lexus

By Rabindra Rooplall

FORMER President, David Granger, is driving around in a $35.2M Lexus motor vehicle which he chose to take when leaving office, much unlike what his administration did to former President, Donald Ramotar, when it wanted to give him a Toyota Raum.

This was disclosed by Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, during a press conference on Friday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre when the issue of government spending on vehicles was raised.

“When you look at the spending on vehicles under APNU, it’s enormous.

Last year, they bought a vehicle for former President Granger, $35.2M, the best Land Cruiser is between $17M to $20M depending on who you buy it from, the best with all the features

inside, and they spent on a Lexus $35.2M, and guess where it is now, it’s with Granger. We didn’t take it back, he carried it off, he has that, a $35.2M vehicle. Harmon should be ashamed since he ordered that last year,” the Vice-President said.

He said the invoice can be produced if there is a denial.

The opposition had criticised the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government for setting aside some $95M in the 2020 budget to buy new vehicles for top Government officials.

Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira, said that such was as a consequence of the damaged state in which several vehicles were handed over to the new government by former ministers of the APNU+AFC government.

“When former ministers submit-

ted their vehicles, we found cracked windshields, the seats were damaged and stained and ripped up – we don’t know who did that – and when some of the ministers got into the vehicle and drove down the road they discovered different size tyres on the vehicle and radios damaged… so this money is to do some repairs and purchase new vehicles,” she explained.

The funding, which is to be spent from October to December 2020, did not find favour with the APNU+AFC coalition.

“I am still using (Toyota Land cruiser) PPP 2 which I have used since 2010 and it’s a great vehicle, its 10 years old and still driving well, the vehicles they bought, GRA had a tonne of transfers and I got to get that list, apart from the list of who they sold,” Jagdeo said.

The VP explained that under the

APNU+AFC administration, many vehicles were sold outside of tendering, for “$200,000 and $300,000, a new vehicle for $200,000 to their supporters”.

Jagdeo also emphasised that it was sickening to see APNU+AFC parliamentarians speak about corruption.

“A lot of them sitting in Parliament now… they just collected taxes and spent the money and bought fancy vehicles, our maintenance budget for vehicles have gone up by $700M a year from the 2014 level,” the VP said.

He explained that the Government is now tasked with rebooting the economy after the last administration’s squandermania and poor policies destroyed the country.

Jagdeo also said that the Government is focusing on putting monies in people’s pockets for them to spend, not take it out through taxation.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Coalition misused Norway funds –– Vice-President says GRIF being reworked, new agreement being sought

By Navendra Seoraj FUNDS earned by Guyana for the preservation of its forest and its low carbon emissions, were “misused” and “mishandled” by the former APNU+AFC administration, said Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo.

In signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Guyana on November 9, 2009, the Government of Norway had committed to providing financial support of up to US$250 million for results achieved by Guyana in limiting emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

As part of the agreement, the two countries had agreed to establish the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) as the financial intermediary mechanism for the performance-based payments from contributors to Guyana.

The GRIF represented an effort to create an innovative climate finance mechanism which balances national sovereignty over investment priorities while ensuring that REDD+ funds adhere to the Partner Entities’ financial, environmental and social safeguards “Those projects were reconfigured… we (past PPP/C administration) had left US$17.2 million for telecommunication and the hinterland, and they mishandled those funds, under land management and other mishandlings,” Vice-Pres-

ident Jagdeo lamented during a press briefing on Friday.

TRAVELS ABROAD Rather than mapping and zoning for hazardous chemicals, Jagdeo said the former administration was using funds to travel abroad.

“They funded tons of trips, so the GRIF will have to be reworked… we would have reached out informally, but we will do so formally and start discussions with Norway,” said the Vice-President.

The first order of business will be to engage Norway on the remaining tranche from the last allocation of US$250M. Norway in December had announced the release of $393.4 million Norwegian Kroner or G$9.1 billion, its final disbursement to the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund. The fund, administered by the World Bank, is used to finance developmental projects here in Guyana.

Vice-President Jagdeo, however, said that Norway had put the last tranche on hold because of the “lack of democracy”.

With a new government in place and the elections completed, accessing the remaining tranche should be no challenge.

And when those funds are acquired, Government will be looking to engage Norway on a new agreement.

Although Guyana is now an oil-producing nation, Jagdeo was pellucid that the country would still focus on its “green sector”

and even expand the existing concept.

In June 2009, the then Government of Guyana launched its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which aimed to transform Guyana’s economy on to a low-carbon, sustainable development trajectory while simultaneously combating climate change.

The LCDS was geared at protecting and maintaining the forests in an effort to reduce global carbon emissions and at the same time attract payments from developed countries for the climate services that the forests provide to the world.

This strategy was, however, cast aside by the former APNU+AFC administration, which released its “Green State Development Strategy (GSDS).”

A SHAM “The green state strategy was a sham… they farmed it out to the international consultants, so it was not grounded in the Guyanese reality and could not solve our problems,” said Vice-President, Jagdeo in a past report.

At Friday’s press briefing, the Vice-President reiterated the relevance of the LCDS, noting: “this strategy will be expanded to cover the sale of biodiversity services; biodiversity management; and management of water resources… those are important parts of where we want to expand the LCDS into new frontiers.”

Jagdeo promised that actual work will be done under the LCDS, unlike what obtained with the GSDS. No project was implemented under the GSDS other than the planting of trees, said the Vice-President.

He criticised the past administration for “failing” to implement any substantial project and for casting aside the Amaila Falls Hydro Project,

Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo

among other ‘green’ projects.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported that the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, which is being re-examined by the new government, is expected to cost just under US$1 billion and will be able to generate 165 megawatts of stable and reliable electricity for 11 solid months of the year, with the additional month

during the dry season being used for scheduled maintenance.

The last time this newspaper checked, the project is still bankable, meaning that the financiers are still open to the idea of funding the project and all the technical studies are still relevant.

Therefore, the restart timeline is expected to be much shorter than it was before 2015.

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guyana CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Minister Indar brings COVID-19 relief to Wakenaam rice farmers MINISTER within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, on Friday, announced that as part of government’s COVID-19 relief measures, Wakenaam rice farmers will benefit from 50 per cent and 70 per cent reduction respectively, in the cost to transport their paddy to Essequibo and Parika.

The minister made this known to the farmers during an outreach at the Wakenaam Secondary School.

The farmers were informed of government’s new subsidising initiative which is geared towards providing them with much-needed relief during this period.

The initiative is the first of its kind to be offered to the farmers of Wakenaam.

Minister Indar said the government is cognisant of the challenges faced by all Guyanese in this unprecedented time. “Due to the pandemic things have been tough on the island, tough

-50% and 70% reduction in paddy transportation cost -credit option to transport paddy -5 day per week ferry service needs but to work to ensure systems and initiatives are put in place to address the concerns and issues they may have.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar

throughout the country and tough on especially on farmers,” he emphasised.

He added, “The rice farmers of Wakenaam have been asking for assistance to get their transportation cost reduced, not just now, and it’s burdensome to them.

We are aware of that and we have come up with this initiative to bring them some relief.”

He explained that this initiative, which was crafted for this crop harvest, will see the rice farmers paying $80

Minister Deodat Indar and Regional Chairman, Ishan Ayube, having discussions and listening to the concerns of a farmer (Adrian Narine photos)

Saturday October 3, 2020 - 05:30hrs - 07:00hrs

per sack to take their paddy to Essequibo and Parika.

This is a significant reduction from the $170 and $270 that the farmers usually pay to transport their produce.

Further, Minister Indar informed that the initiative is coming through the Transport and Harbour Department of the Ministry of Public Works.

He told the farmers that in continuing the government’s promise to provide relief to them during this period, the Transport and Harbour Department will also be providing the rice farmers with a consignment loan option, so as to enable them to transport their produce on credit and fulfil their payment obligation at a later date.

According to Minister Indar, the department has also returned to its regular five-day ferry operation schedule.

He told the farmers that there are many initiatives planned for the island and that he is looking forward to the continued collaboration with the residents. The aim is not only to hear about their

TIMELY Meanwhile, Chairman of Region Three, Ishan Ayube, told the Guyana Chronicle that he believes that the initiative is both timely and important.

Ayube, who was at the outreach, said that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected revenues earned from production as many farmers are unable to move their products to their markets and consumers. He added that this initiative will allow those affected farmers to have the opportunity to make up for that “dry” period.

Many of the farmers shared their perspective on the initiative, calling it “much needed”. They expressed their appreciation to Minister Indar and the government.

Jeetendra Ramkissoon told the Guyana Chronicle that it has been “really tough” and “expensive” to transport his produce, especially in the last few months.

He expressed his appreciation to government for the assistance being provided.

“The past 10 to 15 crop we were facing this problem with transportation, but for

now I see that the subsidies from the government and the boat returning back to five days a week, I see us as farmers having a better chance of using our crops to sustain ourselves and families,” said Ramkissoon.

He further said the farmers would be able to save that extra money that they would have had to pay for the transport, and this by itself is a major benefit. The farmers, he added, can also reinvest some of the money saved in crop production, so that they could maximise on their profits.

BENEFICIAL Another farmer, Terry Singh, who has been planting of over 20 years, said he has never seen an initiative like this by any government, adding that it is very beneficial to the farmers.

He explained that the reduced cost of transport will allow the farmers the opportunity to be better off during the pandemic.

Tom Singh, like his fellow farmers, commended the government and Minister Indar for bringing relief to them. He said the farmers have been asking for a like initiative for several years and he is happy to see that the government of the day has not just listened to their concerns but has reacted proactively.

“What the government has just done would be really good for the farmers because it would ease them the transportation cost. For now the cost is not very high on the paddy so whatever we can save now would be very good. I feel this initiative would be very good for the farmers,” he added.

Singh informed that sometimes the farmers are

Farmer, Tom Singh engaging Minister Indar at the outreach

“barely afloat” and he believes that this initiative is paving the way to allow them to be able to not just cover their cost of production and transportation, but to do that at a reduced rate, thereby allowing them the opportunity to save, and invest in their businesses as well as families.

MILLIONS WILL BE SAVED Meanwhile, Wakenaam councillor, Sheikh Ahmed, disclosed that with this initiative farmers will save close to $3.5 million. He stated that he is appreciative of the Transport and Harbour Department’s decision to revert to the regular five days a week operation of the ferry.

This, he said, would allow the farmers easier access to transporting their produce from the island to their destination, whether Essequibo or Parika.

Ahmed used the opportunity to thank the government for this initiative saying, “We have seen a lot of positive movements in the just two months the government has been in place. We have seen our president and his ministers and all the regional chairman are on the ground and are moving services to the people and that is what should happen.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Some students with ‘ungraded’ results receive grades –– Professor Simmons-McDonald heads CXC team to review 2020 examinations

By Tamica Garnett

STUDENTS from 11 schools across Guyana who had received ‘ungraded’ in their Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) 2020 examinations results have since received results with grades, a statement from the Ministry of Education (MoE) informed on Friday.

This latest news comes even as CXC announced, also on Friday, that retired Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus, Professor Hazel Simmons-McDonald will head the independent team that will do a holistic review of the Council’s 2020 examinations. This team is expected to commence work immediately and report to the CXC Chairman by Friday, October 16.

In the MoE statement issued on Friday, the ministry revealed that, in Guyana, a total of 20 schools had thus far reported having students who have received “ungraded” results across 15 subject areas written at this year’s sittings of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

Of the 20 schools that have made reports, the 11 schools that have since seen their students’ issues addressed are Port Kaituma Secondary, Patentia Secondary, Annandale Secondary, New Amsterdam Secondary, Paramakatoi Secondary, Harmony Secondary, Carmel Secondary, Central High School, The Bishops’ High School, Leguan Secondary School and Mahaicony Secondary School.

With regards to CSEC, the subjects that were initially ‘ungraded’ but have since been rectified are English A, Principles of Business, Office Administration,

UWI Open Campus Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Hazel Simmons-McDonald will head the independent team that will review the CXC 2020 examations Economics, and Human and Social Biology while for CAPE grades were received for previously “ungraded” results in Geography Unit 1.

As pertains to the remaining nine schools with unresolved ungraded results, the ministry said CXC has committed to providing an update on those at the earliest possible time.

Other affected subject areas for which students have received “ungraded” results include Physical Education and Sports, Mathematics, and Theatre Arts for CSEC and for CAPE Caribbean Studies, Agricultural Science, Environmental Science, Accounting Units 1 and 2, Law Unit 1, and Pure Mathematics Units 1 and 2.

The MoE release noted that a number of factors contributed to candidates’ results being recorded as ungraded; however, no information was provided on what exactly those factors were.

“The ministry has immediately begun to revert to pre-existing systems which will be strengthened to prevent a reoccurrence,” the statement

CXC Chairman, Professor, Sir Hilary Beckles offered.

REQUESTED REVIEWS Meanwhile, as it pertains to alleged unjustified, unacceptable results issued by CXC, the ministry disclosed that thus far a total of 24 schools have requested reviews for unsatisfactory results across 20 subject areas for CSEC and six schools submitted requests for review of unsatisfactory results in seven subject areas for CAPE. “Regarding the unsatisfactory results for both CSEC and CAPE, the Caribbean Examinations Council has undertaken to provide an update at the earliest possible time,” the statement said, further adding that: “The MoE is aware that individual students have approached CXC to review grades in a number of subject areas at both the CSEC and CAPE levels. The Ministry of Education is of the view that these requests by students should be addressed expeditiously.”

The MoE would have had cause to engage CXC to review the ‘ungraded’ and unsatisfactory results, after receiving several complaints regarding the grades that were awarded to stu-

dents following the CXC September 22 release of the results for their 2020 examinations.

Guyana is one of several nations across the Caribbean region, which has registered complaints with the Council over the results issued to students, claiming mass discrepancies such as a high number of ungraded results and alleged unjustified lower than expected grades.

Aside from Guyana, countries including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia and Grenada have also complained.

The complainants believe that the discrepancies are due to the Council administering a modified version in 2020 of its customary annual examinations.

For 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council delayed its customary May/June examinations until July/August and modified the CSEC and CAPE to exclude the regular Paper Two component.

Customarily, students are scored in the examinations, based on their performance in a multiple-choice Paper One, the Paper Two, and pre-exam School-Based Assessments (SBAs) or internal assessments. Each component accounts for a separate percentage of the student’s overall score.

The students and their supporters have called on the Council to explain how the percentage was redistributed this year, given the omission of Paper Two, and what the weighting and scoring methods for this year’s examinations were.

The Council faced widespread backlash and repeated calls for a widespread investigation into the administering of the 2020 exams.

INDEPENDENT TEAM On Monday, CXC Chairman, Professor, Sir Hilary Beckles, issued a statement announcing that an independent team will be engaged to review

its 2020 examinations with possible revisions to follow.

On Friday, Professor Beckles convened the team which also includes retired UWI Pro Vice Chancellor, Planning and Development, Professor Andrew Downes; President of the University of Curacao, Professor Francis De Lanoy; Trinidad and Tobago retired Chief Education Officer, Harrilal Seecharan; and Antigua and Barbuda Minister of Education and Chair of the CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), Michael Browne.

The team is tasked with reviewing the modified approach used in the administering of the July/August 2020 CSEC and CAPE examinations; the moderation process applied to the SchoolBased Assessment (SBA) for these examinations; and the grading process used for the examinations, among other related matters.

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guyana CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Development with a human face

THIS was and is the mantra of former President the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan and the political party he founded – the PPP; so, immediately upon accessing office in October 1992 the PPP/C government began a series of restructuring of the various sectors, despite inheriting a bankrupted economy and a devastated socio-infrastructural landscape.

To lay the foundation for a resurgence of investments in the private sector, which Dr. Jagan dubbed ‘the engine of growth,” the first GuyExpo was launched in February of 1994. This catalysed a stimulus in the banking sector, the consequence of a paradigm shift in consideration of loans to new homeowners and small businesses, unavailable and unaffordable before the lowering of interest rates by the PPP/C administration.

Simultaneously, a primary and dire need for homes by grassroots Guyanese en-

gendered the establishment of a Ministry of Housing and the low-income housing drive, which facilitated the home-ownership of tens of thousands of Guyanese families by the time the PPP/C demitted office in 2015.

Obviously, this truncated the national housing programme and persons whose applications for house lots had not yet been processed, and even those who had never applied for land, unable to afford the exorbitant rents demanded by landlords, began invading state lands and other private properties and building structures to shelter their families.

Squatters have been occupying GuySuCo’s lands at Vryheid’s Lust, Success, and Chateau Margot areas along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), at great cost to the corporation.

Head of the Agricultural Research Centre at GuySuCo, Gavin Ramnarain, lamented, “We lost

around 16,000 varieties of cane which were being evaluated and can never ever be replaced.” These varieties were being planted at the GuySuCo research breeding fields located at Chateau Margot (called the “CM” Field), adjacent to the old GuySuCo fields at Success, where the squatters have settled.

Squatters destroyed the crops which were being studied. The fields occupied by the GuySuCo Research department there are 73 hectares in total and contain some 81,730 varieties under evaluation.

Ramnarain revealed, “Initially, the squatters burnt field CM 44 a few weeks ago with a loss of 420 varieties.

This was soon followed by the burning of other fields with a further loss of 16,650 varieties of experimental canes....The department has 31 hectares in cane at this point, it would be a calamity if these were to be burnt.”

He said that it takes just less than two decades to produce a commercial variety of sugarcane.

Additionally, the development of the varieties of cane takes about 14 to 18 years; during this time, approximately 100,000 seedlings are sowed and tested and monitored over the years to determine their quality, size, resilience to pests and diseases, and adaptability to the various soil types. This is done to determine which are commercially viable for the corporation.

Ramnarain explained that a “star” variety cane, which is a crop that has proven to be commercially viable, can be responsible for about 25 per cent of the corporation’s annual production, which equates to $2 Billion, explaining, “We do not know how [many] ‘star’ performers were lost in that nearly 17,000 varieties that were put on fire by the squatters, but

we can expect we lost a fair few and thereby losing billions of dollars that they would have generated.”

Ramnarain lamented that the destruction of these 16,000 varieties represents nearly two decades of data generated, which cannot be replaced also.

However, the housing-the-nation initiative was always a primary priority of successive PPP/C administrations and it is evident that still holds true for the Irfaan Ali administration.

Senior and Junior Housing Ministers – Colin Croal and Susan Rodriques, respectively -- have been taking stock of where the need for adequate shelter is most dire. Their visits to Sophia and other squatting areas in order to formulate plans for final resolution of the illegal occupancy of state and private lands met with eager squatters who were reassured by the ministers that, while squatting would not be toler-

ated, their removal would be executed in a humane way, with the provision of more durable alternative accommodation.

Many times over the past five years the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and the M&CC forcibly dismantled the illegal structures, which were quickly re-built by the squatters.

However, in view of government’s intention to restart closed sugar estates and re-invigorate the sugar industry, it has become imperative that the squatters be removed from the lands that belong to GuySuCo at Vryheid’s Lust, Success, and Chateau Margot, ECD; but government is committed to ensure that this exercise be conducted in a humane way; thus, the Housing Ministry has begun streamlining the land applications of squatters occupying GuySuCo’s lands.

The call to serve and protect Dear editor, WE are already in the last quarter of 2020, in what is turning out to be a significant and momentous year for our country. Some have even voiced their anxieties saying that this year is not passing fast enough because it has not been a good year. There are those also who seek to lay the blame for all the negative happenings in the country to the fact that this year is a leap year.

So far this year, the police have been kept on their toes and have come under intense scrutiny, criticisms and even physical attacks in their responses to the various happenings in Guyana.

Some of the happenings that have drawn the attention of the police so far are: i. The many road accidents and road fatalities ii. The many assaults and robberies iii. Enforcing the COVID-19 protocols: the wearing of masks, the number of persons in a gathering and the curfew iv. Managing protests at the Ashmin’s Building, the Courts, GECOM’s Office, West Coast Berbice and the Arthur Chung Conference Centre v. The retirement and reshuffling of senior officers vi. Racial imbalance in the force vii. Slow response time to reports from citizens viii. The care of service vehicles ix. Rogue cops x. The number of cases lost in the courts due to insufficient evidence or poor investigation

Based on the foregoing happenings, it appears that the next police conference will have some lively discussions.

Interestingly, the Honourable Robeson Benn, Minister with responsibility for the police, was himself not too long ago, at the receiving end of the actions of the police in an incident at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, when he was given “a little roughing up”.

Maybe the police have been judged too harshly. Maybe too much is expected of the police, given their resource capabilities. Maybe the citizens are not cooperating enough with the police.

What is certain however, is the fact that the police cannot be ubiquitous. It behooves the citizens of Guyana to take responsibility for their actions, “….to be obedient to the laws of Guyana and to dedicate their [my] energies towards the happiness and prosperity of Guyana,” [Words from our National Pledge].

Certainly, there is room for improvement in the Guyana Police Force. However, there is no quick fix for the many challenges which face the police force. Guyana is not singular in this regard, for several CARICOM countries and even some first-world countries are similarly challenged. Most notably are the high murder rate in Trinidad and Tobago, allegations of the use of excessive force in Jamaica and the events that spurred the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States of America.

Policing has advanced far beyond the good old days of the

baton and foot patrols. Twenty first century policing requires the police to confront: drug trafficking, terrorism, money laundering, human trafficking, narco-trafficking and cybercrimes.

With the advent of these new challenges, the police have to be retooled and retrained to prevent, reduce and eliminate these happenings.

To do so successfully, the police need to be given the necessary support and resources to produce the results that the citizens demand.

Irrespective of their short comings, it is the police who are vested with the constitutional duty to serve and protect the citizens of this nation without fear or favour. May God help them so to do.

For all the happenings, at the end of the day, each police rank is someone’s son, daughter, father, mother, spouse, sibling or good friend. They belong. They go back home to their families at the end of each work day having faced all of the happenings and the stress that go with those. In addition, when their days as a law enforcement officer are ended and they take off that uniform, they then return to a life as a civilian. Therefore, their welfare needs to be addressed. They are front line workers too. Why not show appreciation to a law enforcement officer today?

Will you? Not too many persons opt to make a career of a police officer.

Yours sincerely, Bernel Wickham

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guyana CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Sugar is the heart and soul of Guyana Dear editor, I AM so pleased that our government is rolling its sleeves up in the trenches fighting the holy war for the growth and development of our economy and for the betterment of our citizens.

I am extremely impressed with the visions being expressed by his Excellency, President Dr. Irfaan Ali; Prime Minister Brigadier, Mark Phillips; and Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, along with the Cabinet advisers and other leaders. I am extremely proud of the dynamo, drive, and incessant visits to firstly listen and speak to the people.

I am elated that they are exemplifying themselves to the people; recognising that the people are the most important factor in our nation-building.

As for the opposition, I wish to give them a piece of advice: they need to know that the person who councils and guides is not an enemy, but a true friend. Your true friend is not the one who flatters and cajoles you. Unfortunately, there are those who cannot see the wisdom of this philosophy and psychology of life.

At this juncture, I wish to refer to one of our major natural resources: sugar, which many of the supporters of the opposition have been fed the idea that sugar is a burden on our economy and prosperity.

Here is wherein the developmental context of nations in the former government was seriously lacking in vision.

Prior to closing down the sugar estates and destroying thousands of lives and shaking up our economy, they could have simply gone and spoken to the people! They should have listened to the heart and soul of the people! The people are the owners and employers of governments and it is the people that will hire and fire governments.

If a government that enjoys the vagaries of power fails to understand the true power of the people, then they are unfit for office. In finality, the people will nail their coffins tight as we have seen. With this in mind, I wish to state that I think the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) or People’s National Congress (PNC) made a huge mistake and caused the people to symbolically nail their coffins tight!

In my view, the opposition has a tough job of re-imposing themselves in the minds of the population to give them another chance.

Also, the acts of some individuals after the elections in 2020 and the five months of prolonged suffering has proven that they continue to play bullies without seeking to win the hearts and minds of the government and, in particular, the people.

They have not grasped the idea of sugar in the hearts of some large segments of the Guyanese population. I am not talking about the Indo-Guyanese grouping alone, but also of the large segment of Afro-Guyanese in many

communities in Region Six, where all ethnicities live as one, breathe as one, share, and coexist as one family.

The new opposition failed to consult with the people, and that is a big blunder on their part. This is possibly one reason why they would never be able to rise again because of their inability to talk to the people, in general, and have the people listen to them. They failed to seek the guidance of the people as the then government. The high-handedness of closing sugar in these major areas is due to the gross dereliction of intelligence, comprehension, and knowledge of areas and people.

As for the Alliance For Change (AFC), it is bye-bye perennially. I am shocked to see an institution as experienced as The People’s National Congress (PNC) which I have had respect for would give nine free seats to an entity that did not even bring a third of one. The same Alliance For Change (AFC) who failed to speak to the people to prepare them that sugar is about to be destroyed. It was Former Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, who said the sugar industry was too big to fall. However, as soon as they took power they started to dismantle sugar.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends, and families, as I said above, and as most of you with wisdom understand, sugar is here to stay! Sugar is Guyana’s heartbeat and a way of survival for tens of thousands of Guyanese. Sug-

ar lives in the bloodline and has become Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the various towns and cities of Guyana.

Sugar has become life, but as I said, the former government lacked the vision, ideology, and even the mindset of thought to understand the extensiveness and breath of sugar. Every life, every aspect of business: trucking, manufacturing, services, supermarkets, stores, all forms of commerce, welding establishments, transportation systems, etc., all existed and survived because of the thing called ‘sugar.’

I do not have a fiery tongue as Freddie Kissoon’s but the decision and overnight closure by the then newly-appointed A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) + Alliance For Change (AFC) government smacked of gross disrespect and even hate for the sugar bearing areas and the people who dominate these areas.

They did not think of forming groups or as the brainchild of Linden Forbes Burnham called it, cooperatives, thus giving pieces of land to individuals and/or groups so that they could have done their agriculture, animal husbandry, poultry, and even cottage industries, such as making jams and jellies. Making fudge, plantain chips, cassava chips, and even breadfruit chips (what seemed to be the favorite products of former President David Granger). All of these could have become very small cottage industries or operating from

bottom houses or back yards.

And, better yet, the then government could have given them little bits of inputs instead of causing them to beg, commit suicide, cry, lament, and make them unable to feed their children by humiliating them to be like panhandlers or beggars for their rights to receive their gratuity.

It is humiliating that even though for hundreds of years of slavery and indentureship our ancestors had to face, our generation, in the previous government, were put through such challenges. It is the most contemptible insult to the bones of our ancestors for not having no regard for their descendants in the industry.

Unfortunately, bereft of vision and wisdom they came with all kinds of scenarios to tell people sugar was a loss. Whatever is spent from our treasury to keep sugar alive is an investment in tens of thousands of lives and even, in totality, of our nation.

I wrote more than once to the former President and open letters in the media advising them to create other industries that could work along with sugar to make the sugar estates more viable and productive: for example, cattle, goat, sheep, large scale poultry production, processing, canning of meats, fishing using the magnificent stream of canals to grow hassar or tilapia for frozen exports and sales to the nations and neighboring countries. But like I said,

industry and business are not in the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of all people. Some are made for the military, law enforcement, service to the nation in agencies of governments financed by the people.

Business has to bubble in the hearts of the people, in their blood, and in their soul. It has to exist in their breath, it has to flow from the energy of their existence. Only an entrepreneur can understand what I am saying or one who can understand that you can feel the power of success in business and industry through your breath and that you can taste it even with the tip of your tongue. Unfortunately, some people are not born for this. Of course, God created different people for different things so that civilization may continue and survive with the various occupations and skills. That is the vision of the ultimate Creator, the one Lord, God of the world.

Man must not think he is smarter or better and try to interfere with God’s scheme of plans. In doing this, he may wreak destruction, pandemonium, confusion, and failure.

Let us remember that we as Guyanese are one human family under God and, we, as a people must not allow political ambitions to lead us astray to cause us to hate, hurt or deny each other opportunities and facilities.

Sincerely, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan Snr.

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t Dear editor, LET me first begin with a very popular saying, which has been used in a plethora of allegories, but in my opinion, non-more apropos than in politics.

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” This quote is attributed to the poet, John Lydgate, and later adapted by President Lincoln.

I would now like to make reference to the contents of a letter, published in the Stabroek News of October 2, and captioned, “Payara sign-

ing is proof of President’s fascination with saying the right thing but representing nothing.”

In his missive, the author described our newly-inaugurated President as being “relatively young in years, but as old as time in ways not constructive - has manifested before a facility with words that are fulsome but frail in output.”

Since the installation of the new government, there has been swift and sweeping moves to get the country back on its feet again, after more than a year of political quagmire. Following the fivemonth hostage-like situation, the PPP/C’s Government in-

terventions swept across the country like an invigorating breeze.

Among the many interventions undertaken was a review of the Payara Field Offshore Development. The PPP/C Government announced a review of the work already undertaken by the Department of Energy so that the interest of all Guyanese is protected and in keeping with international transparency and accountability standards prior to approval being given.

To the best of my knowledge, this has been completed, and just one day ago, the Government of Guy-

ana and ExxonMobil signed the licence for the Payara field offshore development in Guyana. It is no secret that approval was a result of several reviews and consultations by local and international experts, who assessed the project to ensure that all relevant regulations are complied with and that they can be enforced. This included environmental standards and reservoir management to safeguard the interests of the people of Guyana.

And what are the results of the review? The government has insisted that routine flaring is strictly prohibited without the approval of the EPA. Flaring to maintain oil

production will not be permitted. Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) will pay the government for the cost of gas wasted during flaring and will also be subject to fines under the EPA related to emissions from flaring. The EPA will establish a framework for a price on carbon to conform to international standards.

Additionally, the government has insisted that EEPGL manage produced water to an international standard to minimise the effects of discharging produced water.

I ask, is this not substantive output? Perhaps in the author’s mind it is not the de-

sired outcome he envisaged.

Perhaps he would have been penning another missive had nothing be done or achieved.

Here again we see the old adage ringing true; if the government had made no move to review the Payara licence, there would have been outrage, the government reviewed the licence thereby ensuring that the interest of all Guyanese are protected and in keeping with international transparency and accountability standards, and there still is outrage. You just can’t please everyone.

Regards, Andrea Ince

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Guyana shortchanged by ‘Stabroek agreement’ –– Jagdeo maintains, contends Harmon is ‘confused’–– Payara Licence not a PSA

By Navendra Seoraj

VICE-PRESIDENT, Bharrat Jagdeo, has maintained that the coalition-sanctioned Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil and its partner, did not best serve the interest of Guyanese but the new government is committed to reviewing this agreement to allow for better local content, accountability and other things.

Under the PSA governing the Stabroek Block, Guyana will be receiving at minimum, two per cent royalty on all oil produced in the Block, plus 12.5 per cent profit oil.

As the capital and operating costs are liquidated, Guyana’s share of profit oil will increase, rising up to 52 per cent return on every barrel of oil sold.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic

(PPP/C), while in opposition, had criticised the agreement, and these criticisms still stand, said Jagdeo during a press briefing on Friday.

“The agreement did not serve the best interest of the people and we are committed to reviewing the Stabroek agreement to ensure we get more out of it,” said the Vice-President.

The review entails going through all the provisions in the agreement and identifying areas where Guyana can “get more” for its natural patrimony.

This process was, however, confused with the review of the Payara Licence, which recently got the “green light” from Government.

HARMON AT SEA “Leader of the Opposition (Joseph Harmon) does not know the difference be-

tween production licence and production agreement,” said Jagdeo.

The Opposition Leader said: “PPP duped and deceived the people of Guyana as the Payara Block Agreement is very similar in terms to the Stabroek Block Agreement which the PPP and Bharrat Jagdeo in particular criticised endlessly while in the opposition.”

In response to Harmon, Jagdeo said: “We were not reviewing or negotiating the production agreement, we were negotiating a production licence and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) permit… as most of the fiscal conditions were already established in production agreement.”

The Government of Guyana officially issued the licence for the project which was signed by both parties on Wednesday.

The project located in the Stabroek Block, is expected to produce up to 220,000 barrels of oil per day after startup in 2024, using the Prosperity floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. The US $9 billion Payara development will target an estimated resource base of about 600 million oil-equivalent barrels and the largest single investment in the history of Guyana.

A review of the Payara Development Project, which is the company’s third field development in the Stabroek Block, was previously conducted by the Bayphase Oil and Gas Consultants contracted by the Department of Energy (DoE) under the previous administration.

The new People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administration, however, decided to review the work already undertaken by the DoE to ensure that the interests of all Guyanese are protected and are in keeping with international transparency and accountability standards. The review was done by a team of international experts, headed by Canadian Queen’s Counsel Alison Redford.

Jagdeo reiterated that the licence issued by government does not include royalty, profit sharing and so forth; it just outlines the conditions which ExxonMobil will adhere to and abide by while developing its Payara Project in the Stabroek Block.

WISHFUL THINKING Some ‘critics’ had called for government to ‘hold’ the licence as leverage for the PSA to be revised, but Jagdeo said: “That is wishful thinking… a number of those people have never been party to these negotiations.”

The Vice-President maintained that the PSA will be reviewed but he also emphasised the importance of the US$9 billion Payara investment which is twice the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - just about US$4 billion.

“That means we cannot raise money ourselves… investments need to go ahead so that there is a stream of revenue that will come to Guyana… we want the development to take place,” said Jagdeo, noting that the conditions outlined in the Payara licence

are more stringent than those outlined in the licences for the Liza Phases 1 and 2 developments, which were prepared by the former Coalition Government.

In the licencing agreement, the Government has insisted that routine flaring is strictly prohibited without the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is stated that flaring to maintain oil production will not be permitted. And the company will pay the Government for the cost of gas wasted during flaring and will also be subject to fines under the EPA related to emissions from flaring.

The fine will be calculated by applying the Government’s profit gas and royalty percentage share for a given month to the flared volumes, multiplied by the lower of the following: Inside FERC Henry Hub Index price as published by Platts- a Crude Oil Marketwire- each month; or the sales price agreed for gas from the Stabroek Block.

According to the agreement, ExxonMobil is also required to update its “base design” for the project to include “tie-in points” and space for produced water injection equipment.

ANNUAL AUDITS Additionally, ExxonMobil will have to facilitate and fully cooperate with annual audits of safety critical drilling and production operations, including waste management and compliance conducted by a “chief inspector”.

“Within 30 days of the licence and annually, on such date thereafter, for a total of five consecutive years, the company shall pay to an account controlled by the Government, the amount US$400,000 to be used by the Government for the procurement of the third party auditors to supplement the chief inspector’s resources and development institutional capacity for the ongoing conduct of audits under this paragraph,” said Government in its agreement with ExxonMobil.

The company’s expenditures and operations are, however, still to be fully audited, and Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo, had said Government will aggressively pursue costs incurred by the company.

ExxonMobil and its prime contractors have spent over $300 million with more than 700 local companies since 2015. More than 2,500 Guyanese companies are registered with the Centre for Local Business Development, which was founded by ExxonMobil and its co-venturers in 2017, to build local business capacity to support global competitiveness.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres) with current discovered recoverable resources estimated at more than eight billion oil-equivalent barrels.

The 18 discoveries on the block, to date, have established the potential for at least five FPSO vessels producing more than 750,000 barrels of oil per day by 2026.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Jordan flatly rejected better allowances for healthcare workers

–– Minister Parag FORMER Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, had “flatly refused and rejected” requests by the then Department of Public Service for increased allowances for healthcare workers when the Ministry of Finance was sent proposals prior to the change of government in August.

This is according to Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag, who said as much when she addressed the issue of strikes across the country by healthcare workers, during an interview on the National Communications Network (NCN) programme “Insight”.

For approximately two weeks now, public healthcare workers, nurses in particular, have been staging strikes at facilities across the country, including the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC); the West Demerara Regional Hospital in Region Three; the Fort Wellington Hospital in Region Five; and the Linden Hospital Complex in Region 10.

The nurses are calling for better pay and risk allowances.

At a recent press confer-

ence, a member of the opposition and former Minister of Public Service, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, claimed that the APNU+AFC administration, through the Ministry of Finance, had been “actively considering” a “substantial $100,000 allowance request from the Ministry of Health” prior to being ousted from Government in August. On Friday, Minister Parag said there is no merit to this claim and it could not be further from the truth.

“For several months now the GPHC and Ministry of Health (MoH) were making several requests through the Department of Public Service to the Ministry of Finance for increases in allowances; the then Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, flatly refused and rejected those requests for increase in allowances,” Parag said.

Parag pointed out that it was with the change of administration that the new administration, without being approached, allocated $150 million to the frontline workers.

“Due to financial constraints this is what we are able to offer now, we are offering $150 million

for frontline workers and when the budget has been passed and released, we can disburse the money to the frontline workers so that they can benefit from that,” Parag noted.

POLITICALLY -INSTIGATED Parag said that she believes the healthcare workers are being politically instigated, given that no action was taken in the past, notwithstanding the union for the healthcare workers, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), having had their requests denied.

“There was no protest action, that is what surprises me so today, because at that time when that was flatly refused, no action was taken whatsoever, no threats were made either. I find it strange that protest action is being brought now by the nurses,” Parag pointed out.

Parag reminded that it has been only just two months since the new administration has taken over government, and in that time measures have been taken to make circumstances better for the healthcare workers across the country, even as the Government tries to find a way to provide for all Guyanese.

“This government is committed to taking care of all Guyanese, in the less than two months; we have tried the best we can with the financial constraints.

By the end of five years you will be able to see that all Guyanese will be able to benefit,” Parag noted.

OTHER MEASURES Parag said she did not know the specifics of how the $150 million will be spread across the workers as that will be handled by the Ministry of Health; however, she noted that aside from the $150 million allocated, there are also a number of other measures targeting citizens, from which the healthcare workers will also benefit.

“Everything in the budget is for the benefit of all Guyanese. We have the $25,000 cash grants per household; the $15,000 cash grant per child. The reduction and reversal of numerous taxes. We have the taxes reduced on water and electricity; this will give relief to them and have monies in their pockets,” the minister said.

On Thursday, GPSU President, Patrick Yarde, threatened countrywide industrial action if front line workers are not adequately

remunerated, calling for a “positive response” from the minister by October 6.

Parag noted that, while the law provides for lawful industrial action to be implemented, the law outlines a procedure that has to be followed, and she said that has not been the case with the current ongoing protests and strikes, which does not make them legal.

“These are issues that were not made known to the Public Service Ministry as a grievance. There was no meeting to engage a discussion on that. What I would say on these actions taken is that in the Essential Services Act you have certain procedures which you must invoke to get to this point,” she said.

“The protest action at the moment I deem as being illegal. There are procedures that must be followed. If you are going to go about a strike action, management should be informed. You only have those actions when there is a breakdown, stalemate, the grievances cannot be settled.

It is clear what must be followed.”

Also joining Minister Parag for the interview was Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle, who also stressed that industrial action follows a procedure.

“Notice is supposed to

Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag be given to the ministry. The union is saying that there is an ultimatum that was served January 2019, the notice was given but that is since 2019. Is it still valid?”

Ogle questioned.

Minister Parag said she is pleading with the healthcare workers to know that their Government is making considerations on their behalf, and, in time, more will come their way.

“In the next five years the Government will make provisions but protest action is most certainly not the way to go and not the way to make your requests,” she posited.

“Your services are valued, your services are recognised. We are urging all healthcare workers not to be intimidated, not to be lured into action that can be deemed unlawful and act to their detriment. At the end of the five years they will see their lives improve,” she said.

55 Albion Estate workshop employees receive retroactive payment THE Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo), on Thursday, signed an amended agreement with the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) that will specifically benefit the central workshop employees at Albion Estate.

According to a release, the 2004 Comprehensive Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) had considered offering work to employees of the central workshop at the Albion Estate, on Saturdays, in lieu of when a holiday falls within the week at flat rate, since these workers are constant fiveday employees and would be off for the holiday.

However, with the advent of the “National Minimum wage for regular working hours (for all workers in Guyana) Order”, the work week was fixed at 40 hours from five days but the CLA between the corporation and GAWU, stated

GuySuCo Chief Industrial Relations Manager, Deodat Sukhu handing over the signed agreement to GAWU’s General Secretary, Seepaul Narine that the employees work week is between Mondays through Fridays.

As such, Saturdays’ earnings were treated as a premium day, if they worked all the days required through Mondays to Fridays.

The signing of this new agreement has effective-

ly amended clause six of the CLA with reference to the Albion Estate Central Workshop and as a result, 55 employees will benefit from retroactive payment.

Following this positive engagement between GuySuCo and GAWU, a meeting was also held to explore enhancing the partnership

between the two parties, in an effort to improve the production and the productivity of the corporation.

Both, management of the corporation and the union have agreed that it is in the best interest of all parties to ensure that the estate’s target for the second crop is achieved, so that market commitments can be met fully.

GAWU General Secretary, Seepaul Narine, and the union’s representatives have committed to intensify their drive to increase production and productivity, so that the economy in the local communities can be boosted.

Also attending the meeting was the management from Albion Estate, local union representatives from Cane Harvesting and Factory on the estate, and the corporation’s industrial relations team.

Generally, the meetings were very positive.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

No more subsistence farming –– agriculture minister tells Hague farmers

By Naomi Parris

SUBSISTENCE farming will be a thing of the past as the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) has commenced studies on a new genotype of rice farming for commercial cultivation in Guyana, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, has announced.

He made the disclosure at a meeting with farmers at Hague, West Coast Demerara on Friday.

The minster, during the engagement, told those gathered that such programmes and research will soon see Guyana’s rice industry rising to new heights.

According to the GDRB’s report on the research being conducted on a rice

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha farm at Hague, West Coast Demerara, the ultimate aim of the rice breeding programme is to develop varieties superior to the existing ones in yielding ability, disease resistance, tolerance to lodging, excellent milling and cooking characteristics.

It was also disclosed that one of the candidate farm’s variety has successfully completed the two rounds of testing in farmers’ fields during the first and second crop in 2020.

The minister noted that projects like the rice breeding programme will change the outlook of agriculture and rice farming in Guyana.

“Rice growing and rice cultivation had been with us since the inception when our forefathers came here... we have to move and advance ourselves in farming and in agriculture development.

Gone are the days when we use to do subsistence farming just to exist and sell the produce,” he said.

He added that agriculture is considered to be a trade and such programmes “will bring benefit to the country” and “will ensure that every single citizen enjoy the wealth that will be coming into the country.”

‘PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE’ The minister noted that during the campaign season, the Peoples’ Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) had made several promises to enhance the agriculture sector and has begun doing so.

“When we went to the elections campaign, we made a lot of commitments to invest in agriculture, to modernise agriculture and rest assure all those commitments will be kept by the PPP/C Government,” he said.

He added: “We will continue to invest in agriculture, for this year alone, we

have $18.4 billion dollars in the agriculture sector. We have the emergency fund, when you traverse certain areas, canals are clean, the dams are maintained that is how we are planning to work.”

Since his appointment, the minister and staff have spent their days in the field interacting with farmers and other stakeholders in the agriculture sector to address their concerns.

“We are looking across the country to see how we can improve, where we can give more lands to farmers, more benefits to farmers. We have started it already; we have reversed the increase of land rental and [distributable net income] D&I charges to farmers. Farmers now will have more monies in their pocket,” he said.

For example, he said: “If a farmer used to pay 1,000 in 2014 per acre and they have to pay after 2014 15,000, we have reversed it to the 2014 fees again so farmers will have more money in their pockets again.”

He added that the ministry and its agencies have become more efficient, responsive and proactive in ensuring the demands of the sector are met.

“Our agencies have to be more responsive. I told the senior officers of our agencies that I want them to be more proactive rather than reactive; when I made my budget last two weeks ago, I said that the Ministry of Agriculture will be more proactive and our extension officers and all other officers will go out in the field and I am a minister that will go out in the field,” he said.

‘RESPECT US’ Meanwhile, Ganga Persaud, the owner of a rice farm where the rice breeding programme is being conducted, noted that there is much more still to be done to enhance the programme and rice cultivation.

“Without research we will not be able to move on progressively, without extension we will not be able to pass on technology and because of these two factors I am of the opinion that they need to do more but in order to do more at research, you need budgetary allocation that will give researchers access to funding,” Persaud said.

He added: “A farmer is very important person and he received the blessings of God to produce a staple everybody eats and when you play me down, you are taking advantage of me…. My livelihood depends on this, my family depends on what I do out here and what I carry home.”

The minister also briefly visited the Den Amstel area and vowed to return to listen to the concerns of farmers in the region.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Guyana must position itself to benefit from US$9B Payara project –– says Prashad, calls on Gov’t to expedite requests for land, concessions

By Navendra Seoraj GUYANA needs to position itself to gain a significant portion of the spilloff commercial opportunities from ExxonMobil’s US$9 billion Payara Development Project.

The US$9 billion project has been described as the single largest investment in Guyana and is twice the size of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is close to US$4 billion.

President of the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), Manniram Prashad, while congratulating the government and ExxonMobil for reaching an agreement, believes that the spill-off opportunities from this project will be immense,

and Guyanese must be ready to capitalise.

ExxonMobil, following a recent agreement with the Government of Guyana, has decided to proceed with the Payara field development offshore Guyana.

Payara is the company’s third project in the Stabroek Block and is expected to produce up to 220,000 barrels of oil per day after start-up in 2024, using the Prosperity floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel.

The $9billion development will target an estimated resource base of about 600 million oil-equivalent barrels. Ten drill centres are planned, along with up to 41 wells, including 20 production and 21 injec-

tion wells.

“During this period, and up to 2024, there will be significant increase in the demand for goods and services to sustain this level of operation which will have at least 10 drill centres,” said Prashad.

He believes that Guyanese will be better able to capitalise on these opportunities once there is a ‘solid’ Local Content Policy.

“GOGEC is now urging the Local Content Policy Committee to step up the pace so as to bring a favorable Local Content Policy, so Guyanese businesses can benefit from this massive investment,” said Prashad.

He also called on government to expedite all pending requests and ap-

plications for land and concessions from ‘established’ and ‘legitimate’ local businesses, which want to expand and establish new facilities to service the new oil and gas sector.

Although local content is important, Prashad also commended government for revising the Payara licence and including measures which include the prohibition of routine gas flaring.

ExxonMobil’s first offshore Guyana project, Liza Phase 1, began producing in late 2019 well ahead of the industry average for development time. Liza Phase 2 remains on track to begin producing oil by early 2022.

Liza Phase 2 will produce up to 220,000 barrels of oil per day at peak

rates, using the Liza Unity FPSO, which is under construction in Singapore.

ExxonMobil and its prime contractors have spent over $300 million with more than 700 local companies since 2015.

More than 2,500 Guyanese companies are registered with the Centre for Local Business Development, which was founded

by ExxonMobil and its co-venturers in 2017, to build local business capacity to support global competitiveness.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres) with current discovered recoverable resources estimated at more than eight billion oil-equivalent barrels.

The 18 discoveries on the block to date have

GOGEC President, Manniram Prashad established the potential for at least five FPSO vessels producing more than 750,000 barrels of oil per day by 2026.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Telecoms liberalisation imminent, says Jagdeo

By Rabindra Rooplall

THE formal liberalisation of the telecommunications sector will happen as early as next week, four years after legislation was passed bringing an end to the three-decade monopoly.

This was announced by Vice-President (VP), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo during a press conference on Friday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

In July 2016, the previous administration passed the Telecommunication (Amend-

ment) Bill to liberalise the telecommunication sector by ending the monopoly which the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) enjoys.

The bill is expected to result in greater choice, better quality of service and lower prices to consumers.

It also specifically addresses the expansion of telecommunication networks and services into unserved

and under-served areas through the institution of new universal service programmes, in an effort to further national, regional, social and economic development.

But the then subject Minister, Catherine Hughes, never signed the relevant documents to liberalise the sector.

“We are hoping within a week’s time we can liberalise the sector, a lot

of preparations has been done,” Jagdeo said.

He said liberalisation of the telecoms sector does not depend on the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and GTT settling a tax dispute of US$44.1M. GTT has taxes which are outstanding since 1991.

“The liberalisation is not dependent on a settlement there. If that’s the case, then GTT can always say ‘we never reached a settlement with you’ then you can never liberalise so that is not a condition for liberalisation, reaching agreement on the tax matter,” Jagdeo said.

In January 2020, over 4,000 persons signed a petition calling on the APNU+AFC government to get serious and formally announce the liberalisation of the telecoms sector.

Digicel, the main competitor to GTT, joined the growing calls.

According to Digicel, the change that the people of Guyana are demanding is long overdue.

After three decades locked into a telecom monopoly, Guyanese have suffered from poor choice of services, the mobile phone company had said.

It has signaled intentions to bring a submarine fibre-optic cable to Guyana once the sector has

Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo been opened to allow other players.

Several companies have been applying to operate Internet TV, mobile services and the landing of submarine cables to bring data.

“Liberalisation is a promise that we made a long time ago. Both parties agreed to this and we need to get it implemented. We are hoping by next week that could happen but we had to go through a tonne of technical work doing that,” Jagdeo said.

The Vice-President noted that, with the opening up of the sector, Guyanese would be able to benefit from 5G services, more competition in the mobile telecoms market and the landing of more fibre-optic cables.

“It sets up the basis for an ICT platform which we want to create thousands of jobs,” he added.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Independent CoI to probe GECOM’s weaknesses

WITH public trust in the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) significantly eroded following events at the last Regional and General Elections, President, Dr Irfaan Ali, said an international Commission of Inquiry (CoI) will be appointed to probe the weaknesses of the elections body.

“There has to have a system to people trust in,” President Ali said during a recent interview with some members of the local media fraternity.

“That is why we said we have to get an international Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to go in there independently to bring to us what occurred, where are the weaknesses and where the holes were,” the President explained.

He maintained that an independent CoI is not overreaching as the entire aim of the exercise is to protect democracy and the will of the people.

“This is an independent

CoI that goes there and looks at what took place not only on Election Day, it has to look at everything that took place. The world wants to know what took place,” the Head of State said.

Guyana’s democracy rests on the electorate being able to preserve the will of the people. The will of the people prevailed which allowed the PPP/C Government to assume office after five gruelling months.

“This Government is the beneficiary of the will of the people. This Government is here because the will of the people spoke.

This Government is here because the people elected this Government. We are not the beneficiary of any system,” he asserted.

Dr. Ali said they want the system fixed because it tried to take away the will of the people and derail democracy.

While the CoI will produce recommendations for reforms to fix the system,

Trio granted bail for National Hardware break and enter THREE men were, on Friday, October 2, 2020, released on $100, 000 bail each by Magistrate Leron Daly after denying a break and enter and larceny charge.

Ezekeil Headley, also known as Nigel Headley, ‘Doolie’ and ‘Lil Suckie’, along with Elroy Mc Clean and Ceon Lewis, called ‘Frank’ or ‘Pops’ appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates Court to answer to the charge. They all pleaded not guilty.

Particulars of the charge stated that between Saturday, September 19, 2020 and Monday, September 21, 2020, at Water Street, Georgetown, they broke and entered National Hardware and stole 82 gallons of Berger paint valued $387,184; 105 feet of extension cord valued at $155,238, 20; cordless drills valued $167,994, and eight circular saws valued $112,994. The items, which totalled $823,410 is the property of Eddie Boyer.

Magistrate Leron Daly granted each defendant bail and adjourned the matter to Friday, October 30, 2020, for hearing in Court 2.

it will not interfere with the election petition filed by the APNU/AFC. “The CoI has nothing to do with the actions

filed; the judiciary will deal with that. That’s a separate arm of Government. It cannot influence the judiciary,” the Presi-

dent said.

During a recent regional interview, Dr. Ali stated that the CoI was necessary to ensure that

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President, Dr Irfaan Ali the persons who attempted to obstruct democracy and the will of the people will be held accountable. (DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Gandhi’s fight for democracy remembered –– during 151st birth anniversary

By Rabindra Rooplall PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has hailed world renowned Indian freedom fighter, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi as a man who was physically small but towering in moral, religious and political stature, during the observance of his 151st birth anniversary.

In a televised message, President Ali said the life of Gandhi is globally known and the admiration and respect of succeeding generations bear testimony of what a great soul he was.

“The grandeur of human achievements – including fame, status, reputation and

Ali said Gandhi’s ideals for a free and democratic society is significant to India’s independence, along with his impact on the anti-colonial struggles everywhere.

The President said India remains the world’s most populous democracy as Gandhi’s values, vision and his virtues have been an important foundational stone in India’s democracy.

“Gandhi once said, ‘Democracy, disciplined and enlightened, is the finest thing in the world’. He described true democracy as one which promotes the ‘welfare of the people’,” the President noted.

Gandhi, he said, tapped the human, economic and spiritual resources of all sections High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr. K.J Srinivasa guides Prime Minister, Mark Phillips, as he pays tribute to late Indian freedom fighter, Mahatma Gandhi (Carl Croker photo)

Foreign Affairs Minister, Hugh Todd, was gifted the auto biography of Gandhi, “The story of my experience with truth” and a commemorative stamp to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi that was issued by the Guyana Post Office Corporation previously (Carl Croker photo) glory – of-ten fade with the passage of time.

The enduring achievements are those which impact greatly and positively on the lives of others. It is for this reason that Mahatma Gandhi continues to enjoy the adoration and respect of each succeeding generation.

He was truly a Great Soul,” the President emphasised.

He added: “The Mahatma (great soul) remains a timeless figure in history, a man of deep moral and spiritual convictions whose impact on history and especially on the lives of the people in his country cannot be devalued or diminished, not by time or revisionists. Mahatma Gandhi’s life straddled historical developments in both the 19th and 20th centuries; he remains respected the world over.”

Recalling his defiance against injustice and his defence of civil rights, President

of society and deployed this in “the service of the common good”.

“The Republic of Guyana has just emerged from a bruising test of its democracy. My government is committed to strengthening the country’s democratic institutions and to insulating them from the threat of being undermined.

In this task, we can draw wisdom from the Mahatma. His commitment to non-violence and his respect for civil liberties are important cornerstones in erecting an impregnable democratic rampart,” the Head of State said.

NON-VIOLENCE Gandhi preached non-violence as a path to freedom as democracy requires disputes to be settled through peaceful and lawful means, Dr. Ali said.

“It involves a commitment to respecting the law and the rights of others and rejecting violence as a solution to resolving differences, disputes and discontents. Gandhi shared the view that violence and democracy were incompatible. According to him, democracy which is sustained by violence cannot protect the weak,” President Ali said.

Gandhi, he said, is considered as champion of non-violence. Non-violence, for him, involved the absence of ill-will and required considerable restraint as he urged the avoidance of inflicting injury and harm to others.

“He viewed non-violence, not as a weakness, but as an ethically superior model to violence. It is for this reason that Gandhi chose non-violence above hatred, love over hatred, forgiveness over retribution and order in preference to chaos,” the President added.

Underscoring that respect for civil rights is an essential element of democratic governance, the President said these rights assure citizens protection of the law and from discrimination whilst facilitating their fuller participation in society.

“When we engage in strife, we undermine the very foundations of our democratic system. For each of us, therefore, we have a duty to preserve peace and justice in our society. Change begins with each person. Each of us makes a difference by banishing the vices of hatred and bitterness from among our hearts. We must build a society based on understanding, respect and tolerance,” the President said.

Prime Minister, Brigadier Mark Phillips, on Friday morning, also observed the birth anniversary of the Indian civil rights icon and was present at a function held at the Mahatma Gandhi Monument, located in the Promenade Gardens, Georgetown.

WORTH EMULATING Phillips said the qualities of Gandhi are worth emulating, pointing out few individuals throughout history have left such influential and far-reaching marks in their lifetime, from civil rights in South Africa, to championing women’s rights and empowerment, to fighting for Independence for his beloved India.

Gandhi’s legacy, he said, is one that encapsulates a widespread, genuine interest in peace, freedom and humanity.

But more importantly, the Prime Minister said his greatest gift to this world was his philosophy of Satyagraha or non-violence with regard to political and social progress.

“The most extraordinary gem of Mahatma Gandhi’s life and his principles is that they do not serve one people. They serve the world-- every country, every nation and every generation. These doctrines can enlighten our children and our children’s children no matter their religion, location, class, or culture,” PM Phillips said.

During the ceremony, the Prime Minister laid floral tributes in honour of the Mahatma and was gifted the auto biography of Gandhi, “The story of my experience with truth”. He also received a commemorative stamp to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi that was issued by the Guyana Post Office Corporation.

The items were handed over to the Prime Minister by High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr. K.J Srinivasa.

Also in attendance were Foreign Affairs Minister, Hugh Todd; Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn; and Mayor of Georgetown, Pandit Ubraj Narine.

They also received tokens of appreciation.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Over 210 persons recovered from COVID-19 in past week

OVER 210 persons have recovered from the dreaded novel coronavirus (COVID-19) within the past week, a positive

sign in the fight against the scourge which was first detected in Guyana in March, 2020.

The number of recov-

eries moved from 1,564 on Sunday to 1,776 on Friday, with 16 of those persons being medically cleared within the past 24 hours.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly-discovered coronavirus. Most people who fall sick with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms, and recover without special treatment.

The WHO had said that 81 per cent of the persons who contract COVID-19 will have mild symptoms while 14 per cent will have severe symptoms, and five per cent will need intensive care.

Health authorities have so far tested 14,520 persons, with 11,552 proving negative, and 2,968 positive. Some 39 of those cases were recorded within the past 24 hours.

While persons have recovered from this disease, 85 persons have died and there are 1,107 active cases which include 165

persons in institutional isolation, 927 in home isolation, and 15 in the COVID-19 ICU. Authorities have said that cases are being detected because more tests are being done. Sampletaking was also increased across the country because the authorities believed that many cases were going “under the radar”.

This suspicion had prompted the authorities to distribute more sample kits across the country, especially to regions where the infection rate is high. Most of the cases have so far been recorded in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

“We are sending out more kits, so there will be an increase in sample collection… the testing itself has components; one

is sample collection, and then there is the processing of samples,” said Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, in a recent report.

Dr. Anthony had stated that “the actual testing will be done centrally at the National Reference Laboratory, because regional facilities lack the capacity and technical skills needed to get it done. While the government hopes to improve capacity in those regions, the immediate need for sample-testing takes precedence, especially with the high number of asymptomatic cases”.

Persons were encouraged to take extra precautions because there is no approved cure or specific treatment for the disease. Guyanese were also reminded to observe the protocols established in the COVID-19 emergency measures.

Bakewell driver succumbs to accident injuries A 38-year-old driver attached to Bakewell Limited, on Friday, succumbed to the injuries he sustained during a September 25 accident at Trafalgar Public Road, West Coast Berbice.

Dead is Ravindra Arjune of Section D, Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara. At the time of his death he was receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

According to reports, on September 25, 2020, around 09:15 hours, there was an accident involving a Nasir Company Limited (Bakewell Limited) motor lorry driven

by Arjune, a motor lorry owned by Banks DIH Limited, Thirst Park, Georgetown and driven by a 32-year-old male of Cummings Park, Georgetown and a motor car owned and driven by a 43-year-old seaman of Edingburg, East Bank Berbice.

According to the police, the Banks DIH motor lorry

Ravindra Arjune was proceeding east along the northern lane at a fast rate of speed, while the motor car was proceeding in the opposite direction in front of the Bakewell motor lorry.

The police noted that according to the driver of the Banks DIH motor lorry, whilst he was proceeding, an unknown motor lorry suddenly stopped in front of him and, on seeing this, he applied brakes and pulled left (north) then

changed back to right (south) and collided into the rear of the motor car causing it to spin and face east. The Banks DIH lorry then collided with the right side front portion of the Bakewell motor lorry.

As a result of the collision, the driver of the Bakewell motor lorry was pinned and subsequently taken out of the vehicle with help from public- spirited persons and taken to the Fort Wellington Public Hospital in a conscious condition.

He was seen and examined by the doctor on duty.

He was subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was being treated for injuries to various parts of his body.

On Friday, October 2, around 07:00 hours, Arjune died while receiving medical attention. His body is presently lying at Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Late-paying security firms under scrutiny

By Tamica Garnett THE Labour Ministry will be considering legal action against several security companies which continue to go weeks and months without paying their employees.

Speaking on the issue in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton, said the matter continues to persist notwithstanding many of the companies being spoken to about the situation.

“At the level of labour we will have to warn them that we will use the law or whatever is available via punitive measures; we will have to go there if this is not changing,” the minister declared.

The ministry has been receiving reports countrywide on late payments by security firms.

“We have had several complaints of the sort coming out of the security company secMinister of Labour, tor. In all the regions Joseph Hamilton the issue exits. I know labour officers are paying attention on the matter in the fields. I have already spoken to some security companies on the matter,” the minister related last Thursday.

His comments came even as reports have surfaced that several Region Four security guards attached to Courtney Benn Security Service have not been paid for the past five weeks. Minister Hamilton said he has heard about the matter and is looking into it.

Hamilton recently held discussions with Sentinel Security Inc., which provides security services at public buildings on West Bank Demerara, which for years have been having ongoing issues with paying their employees late.

The companies continue to blame the late payment on payments made on their government contracts. On Thursday, Minister Hamilton reiterated his stance that the excuses by the security companies of late payments on their government contracts is not a justification.

“In conversations they indicate that it is because the government don’t pay them on time. My position on the matter is that has nothing to do with the workers being paid. The company must make the necessary arrangement that the workers are paid on time; these are two separate issues. Those who I have spoken to, that is what I am holding them to,” Hamilton conveyed.

Minister Hamilton will be reaching out to the Guyana Association of Private Security Organisations (GAPSO) to see what role the organisation can play in holding its members accountable with regards to the situation.

“One of the things I will attempt to do is call in the umbrella security organisation, [GAPSO]. I don’t think all the companies are under that, but my first attempt will be to talk to them, and then individually also talk to those who are not members of the organisation,” Minister Hamilton said.

Johnny Mortley, Chief Security Consultant for the Guyana Oil Company Limited (GuyOil), is president of GAPSO.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

‘There are safe ways to do abortions’

– Dr. Shamdeo Persaud reminds women of Region Two

By Indrawattie Natram

CHIEF Medical Officer (CMO) and Vice-President of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Advisory Board, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, on Friday, reiterated that there are safe ways for women to terminate unwanted pregnancies and such services are readily available from licensed gynaecologists.

He made these comments to the media during a visit to Chairperson of the Region Two administration,

Vilma Da Silva. Dr. Persaud and several members of the Advisory Board are currently on a three-day visit to the region as part of a sensitisation campaign on the safe termination of pregnancy, targeting various women groups, teenagers, and community leaders.

The CMO clarified that the Advisory Board is not in any way promoting abortion but rather the members were in the region to ensure that the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, which falls under the Laws of Guyana, Chapter 32:05, is imple-

mented whenever the termination process is performed.

The Advisory Board intends to work closely with the regional health team to ensure that abortion services are up to standard and that the health of women is prioritised.

Further, the Advisory Board will place emphasis on teenage pregnancy, unwanted pregnancies, and sensitive issues such as sexual violence in all forms in vulnerable communities.

Meanwhile, Da Silva, during her interaction with the team, said that she is

Members of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTC) Advisory Board with Region Two Chairperson, Vilma Da Silva and other officials pleased that Region Two is benefitting from such an outreach. She said the team visited at an opportune time when many teenagers are away from school. Sensitising them about teenage pregnancy is important, she said.

The newly-installed Chairperson said she is looking forward to working with members of the board to ensure the residents of Region Two gets assistance.

Regional Health Officer,

Dr. Ranjeev Singh, in brief remarks, thanked the team for their visit and said that the regional health team will be working closely with the Advisory Board to ensure that the termination of pregnancy is done safely. He said too that the Regional Health Committee will be working closely with the Central Committee in the dissemination of information about this issue.

Accompanying Dr. Persaud were the Senior Proba-

tion Officer of the Ministry of Human Services, Wynette Trotz, and Ryan Belvert and Rajpattie Nauth from the Inter-Religious Organisation of Guyana.

A similar outreach was conducted last week in Region Six. Outreaches were also conducted previously in the Pomeroon area where persons are known to use herbs for the termination of unwanted pregnancies.

Inconclusive autopsy for toddler fed ‘Molly’ milk –– uncle being sought

THE autopsy conducted on the body of two-year-old Ronaldo Dave Favourite, who reportedly died after ingesting milk laced with drugs, was inconclusive.

This is according to Regional Commander, Simon McBean, who, on Friday, also informed that samples were taken from the body for testing to determine how Favourite died.

Further, he said, the investigation surrounding the child’s death is still ongoing and police are currently looking for his uncle.

On September 25, Favourite, of ‘C’ Field Sophia, died at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, weeks after he was reportedly given milk laced

with Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as Molly.

Favourite was left in the care of his relatives after his mother died on August 23, 2020.

On September 5, the toddler was rushed to the hospital in an unresponsive state suffering from the methamphetamine intoxication.

On September 7, Favourite’s 25-year-old aunt was arrested after it was reported that the toddler was in her custody when he consumed the drug-laced milk.

However, the woman was released. She was then re-arrested after the child died.

While being questioned by the police, the woman re-

Ronaldo Dave Favourite portedly told the police that it was her younger brother who mixed the substance into milk which the toddler later consumed.

She was released after questioning.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Alleged rapist granted bail CHIEF Magistrate Ann McLennan, on Friday, October 2, 2020, released a 54-yearold horse cart operator on $100,000 bail after he appeared before her accused of raping a woman.

Christopher Howes of Rasville, Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and was not required to plead to the charge.

Particulars of the charge stated that Howes, on April 5, 2020, at his home, engaged in sexual penetration with the 44-year-old woman without her consent.

Howes was represented

by Attorney-at-law, Bernard DaSilva, who made an application for bail.

The Chief Magistrate, in granting bail, also ordered that Howes keep away from the victim. He was also ordered to report to the Ruimveldt Police Station fortnightly.

The case will be heard again on October 19.

The Guyana Chronicle was made to understand that Howes and the woman shared a relationship. On April 5, the woman went to the home of the accused where they had a misunderstanding.

It is alleged that Howes later raped the woman.

Christopher Howes During the altercation, it is alleged that the woman stabbed Howes to his scrotum.

Break and enter accused granted bail DILLON English, on Friday, October 2, 2020, appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly, accused of breaking into a dwelling house with intent to commit a felony.

English appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Particulars of the offence stated

that, on Sunday, August 30, 2020, at Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Georgetown, the accused broke and entered the dwelling house of Dennise Fredricks with intent to commit a felony.

Magistrate Daly granted English $70,000 bail and adjourned the matter to Friday, October 30, 2020.

Man on police assault, other charges granted bail

KARRAN GODDARD, on Friday, October 2, 2020, appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on three charges.

Goddard denied that he assaulted a police constable, resisted arrest and behaved disorderly on Monday, September 28, 2020, at Norton Street, Lodge. He was granted a total of $40,000 bail.

The first charge alleged that he resisted Brentol Sagon, a Peace Officer, Constable 22333, acting in the execution of his duties.

The second charge alleged that within

public hearing, Goddard behaved disorderly.

The third charge alleged that he assaulted Sagon in the execution of his duties.

Magistrate Daly ordered that Goddard be placed on $10,000 bail each for the ‘Resisting Arrest’ offence and the ‘Disorderly Behaviour’ offence. Goddard was also granted $20,000 bail for the ‘Assaulting a Peace Officer’ charge.

The matter was adjourned to Monday, November 2, 2020 for trial in Court 6.

Man granted bail for unlawful wounding MARLON SKEETE was, on Friday, October 2, 2020, placed on $15,000 bail by Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, having been charged for unlawful wounding.

The charge alleged that on Tuesday, Sep-

tember 29, 2020, at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Skeete unlawfully and maliciously wounded Richard Bacchus.

Skeete pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The matter was adjourned to Monday, November 2, 2020, for trial in Court 6.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Efforts being made to build climate resilient agriculture sector

THE vulnerability of the agricultural sector within Guyana to both climate change and variability is well established, not only in the literature, but more so, farmers and consumers realisation and experience.

The general consensus is that changes in temperature

and precipitation will, and has to some degree, result in changes in land and water regimes that will subsequently affect agricultural productivity.

The impacts on agricultural productivity are expected to be particularly harmful in Guyana. As a result, the vul-

nerability is also especially likely to be acute, in light of technological, resource and institutional constraints.

Although estimates suggest that global food production is likely to be robust, it is predicted that tropical regions will see both a reduction in agricultural yields and a rise

in poverty levels as livelihood opportunities for many engaged in the agricultural sector become increasingly susceptible to expected climate pressures, if proven measures are not adapted to these changing conditions.

The Basic Needs Trust Fund – Implementation Agen-

cy (BNTF-IA) Guyana, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the University of Guyana, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry (UoGFoA&F) through the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) have noted the concerns of farmers in this changing climate and have taken the initiative to design and collectively implement a project geared towards the promotion of proven measures to adapt to climate change.

The project titled “Building Climate Resilience through Climate Smart Agriculture – Shadehouse Technology to Ensure Food Security and Create Rural Wealth” which will be executed within Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine and 10, is funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Guyana (GoG), through the Basic Needs Trust Fund Ninth Programme (BNTF 9) and its main objective is to aid in

the alleviation of poverty and to enhance rural livelihoods.

The project focusses on production development, livelihood enhancement of youths and women, capacity building in basic Shadehouse construction and management, climate change adaptation measures, cost of production exercises and training in good agricultural practises.

The project will also facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges among farmers and participating farmers will receive certification of training in Shadehouse management.

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture has for many years advocated and supported innovative shadehouse initiatives that help farmers to adapt to climate change.

Therefore, such collaboration with key stakeholders with the expertise secures the success of this project and, consequently, it will make a positive impact on Guyana’s food security and the most vulnerable within the farming societies.

Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act renewed THE US Senate has voted unanimously to renew the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) until September 30, 2030 following approval by the House of Representatives on September 22, 2020.

The legislation now requires the signature of the U.S. President to be entered into force. The Federal Legislation covering the CBTPA was set to expire on September 30, 2020.

According to a release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Guyana has benefitted from duty-free exports to the US under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act and the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), collectively referred to as the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), since November 24, 1998.

The imminent expiry of the Waiver by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the scheduled expiry of the Federal Legislation of the CBTPA received the exigent attention of the Government of Guyana, the release said.

Guyana submitted statements reaffirming the importance of the renewal of the legislation to the US International Trade Commission (USITC), United States Trade Representative (USTR), and the Ways and Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The renewal of the CBTPA, like the CBERA, is extremely important to Guyana’s economy and Foreign Trade Policy as it guarantees exporters sustained access to the U.S. market for products eligible, including textiles and apparel, for preferential treatment.

The importance of the continued existence of the CBTPA is even more essential to Guyana, especially in the context of the recent oil discoveries and the preferences accorded under the CBTPA for Petroleum and Petroleum derivatives.

“The Government is, therefore, extremely pleased with the vote by the US Senate,” the release concluded.

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guyana CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Suriname celebrates ...

From Backpage interview with CONCACAF.com.

Born in Suriname, Gorre enjoyed great success as a player in the Netherlands and England before ultimately deciding to return home to Suriname to take the reins of the national team for a second time in 2018. Just being a part of its 100-year history fills Gorre with pride.

“Suriname is the country where I was born and two years ago, I made the decision to come and live in Suriname to prepare these amateur players to qualify for the Gold Cup. The hard work we’ve done in the last two years is something to look back on and say we done it. It’s special. My roots are here and now to reach this Gold Cup with my country where my heart is means a lot. I’ve never seen a group so emotional after our last game to clinch a Gold Cup place.

I won cups in leagues in Holland, but that last game was something special,” said Gorre.

Drawn into Group C with Costa Rica and Jamaica for the 2021 Gold Cup, Gorre is looking forward to facing a pair of

CONCACAF stalwarts in next summer’s tournament.

“I think Costa Rica are a world class team. We have seen them play many times.

It is special to play against Costa Rica. For the players we are going to face, we have played Jamaica before.

They beat us 2-1 in the Nations League (Qualifying) and that was a match we really enjoyed playing,” said Gorre.

For the Gold Cup, Gorre will also have the luxury of relying on some Netherlands-based players who are eligible to play for Suriname.

“Having players from our diaspora will make us stronger. We could actually be a surprise in the tournament with this new team.

There’s no Gold Cup experience, but the quality we have will help us. We will enjoy the entire experience,” said Gorre.

The Suriname Football Association was a founding member of CONCACAF in 1961. As the country begins a new century of football, it is Gorre’s hope that the country can soon develop a professional league and enrich their decorated football history. Suriname were champions of the 1978 CFU Championship, and domestic clubs transcended on the international stage, with Robinhood and Transvaal each reaching five different CONCACAF Champions Cups in the 1970s and 1980s, and Transvaal winning the 1973 and 1981 editions.

There is no doubt that the country brims with talent, and Gorre feels like with the proper development, Suriname football can shine on the international stage.

“In the 1970s we had top teams and top players playing for Suriname, with Robinhood and Transvaal.

But there has been a gap and we didn’t grow. Our level is still amateur, so players like myself made ourselves known in the Dutch league.

“You can see Surinamese players have quality by past players like Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and current players like Virgil Van Dijk (who represent Holland). I hope the future will be bright. We put a lot of effort into qualifying for the Gold Cup, and when you put in effort, there is a lot possible. I think with development, football in Suriname has a bright furfure,” concluded Gorre.

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guyana CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Injured Bekele pulls out of London Marathon KENENISA Bekele's much-anticipated London Marathon duel with Eliud Kipchoge is off after the Ethiopian pulled out with a calf injury.

Bekele, 38, was just two seconds short of Kipchoge's world record when he won the Berlin Marathon last year.

"I am very disappointed," said Bekele.

"I picked up a niggle in my left calf after two fast training sessions too close together. I truly believed I would be ready but today it is worse and I now know I cannot race on it."

He added: "This race was so important to me. My time in Berlin last year gave me great confidence and motivation.

"I am sorry to disappoint my fans, the organisers and my fellow competitors."

Kenya's Kipchoge is now the clear favourite to win his fifth London Marathon tomorrow.

Bekele admitted on Wednesday that he had injured himself earlier this year trying to use the latest incarnation of Nike's

medals on the track.

Kipchoge has had the upper hand on the road, winning all four of their races over marathon distance.

Kenenisa Bekele will miss tomorrow’s London Marathon.

shoe technology. The shoes, which use a carbon plate and highly resilient foam to maximise the energy returned to runners, have coincided with new world records in both the men's and women's marathon.

"Several times I had some minor injuries, like a muscle stretch, because the shoe is not stable under the foot," said Bekele.

"It's really unshaped.

It's really soft. The mus-

cle needs to adjust to the movement under it. It's really difficult."

Bekele had planned to race in the older Vaporfly models rather than the latest Alphafly versions that Kipchoge will wear.

The pair's rivalry stretches back to the World Cross Country Championships in March 2002, where they met for the first time at a global level. Since then they have both won world and Olympic

Hemraj blasts unbeaten ton in Ramano Memorial T30 clash GUEST player Chandrapaul Hemraj blasted a quick-fire unbeaten century to lead the Dilly XI (Richmond Hill Liberty Cricket Club) to an emphatic victory over Ramano XI, recently in the 12th annual Ramano Memorial T30 clash at the Cricket Cage at Baisley Park in New York.

Ramano Shahid, who died in a tragic car accident in 2007, was a young New York and USA wicketkeeper/ batsman who went on tours in England and the Caribbean.

The youngster’s father, Rashid Mohammed Shahid, was a popular wicketkeeper in Guyana back in the 70s and 80s.

The Richmond Hill Liberty Cricket Club, Hafeez Ali of Rockaway Group of Companies and the parents of Ramono made the 12th edition of the memorial match possible.

In the game, which was played with 17 players per side, Dilly XI batted first and scored 243-13.

National batsman Hemraj

National batsman Chandrapaul Hemraj blasted a quik-fire century.

struck an even century before retiring hurt. In his 48 balls at the crease, he clobbered 10 sixes and four fours.

A few of the other batsmen had starts, but none dominated like Hemraj.

Michael Sultan was the pick of the Ramano XI’s bowling attack with 4-10

from three overs.

In reply, Ramono’s XI were restricted to 197. Michael Sultan led with 53 runs, while G Motie added 45.

Terrence Madramootoo and T. Haley did the damage with the ball, grabbing 4-15 and 3-19 respectively for the eventual winners.

Bekele's withdrawal leaves compatriot Mosinet Geremew as the fastest rival to four-time winner Kipchoge. Geremew fin-

ished second to Kipchoge in last year's London Marathon, 18 seconds off the Kenyan. (BBC Sport)

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Former Bermuda batsman David Hemp appointed Pakistan women's coach PAKISTAN have hired former Bermuda batsman David Hemp as the head coach of the national women's side. He takes over from Iqbal Imam, who was temporarily working in the role.

Hemp is the second foreigner roped in by the PCB to take charge of the women's cricket team after New Zealander Mark Coles who spent two years in the job before resigning in October last year. Since then, PCB had been bringing in local coaches to fill the vacancy on a series-by-series basis.

Hemp, 49, is currently based in Australia and has

Pakistan appoint former Bermuda, Glamorgan cricketer David Hemp as Women’s coach.

worked with Melbourne Stars and Victoria in the Women's Big Bash League between

2015 and 2020.

As a cricketer, he played 271 first-class matches and

scored over 15 000 runs for Glamorgan, Free State and Warwickshire. He represented Bermuda at international level, scoring 641 runs in 22 ODI innings that included a century and four half-centuries.

Hemp is a UK-qualified level four coach who has also held a coaching role with Australia's team for cricketers with intellectual disabilities, Premier Cricket's Prahran, and was the director of coaching at Scotch College. His first assignment with Pakistan will be the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier next year for the event proper that will take place in

New Zealand in 2022.

"David brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge, more importantly around women's cricket development, which is extremely critical to our strategy as part of our endeavour to increase the pool of cricketers and rise to the level of the front-running international sides," Urooj Mumtaz, acting head of Pakistan Women's Wing and Chair of women's selection committee, said.

"I am sure our players will make optimum use of David's expertise and strict work ethics, while I am sure David will have an enjoyable time when he relocates

to Pakistan to join the elite company of illustrious coaching staff of Atiq-uz-Zaman, Grant Bradburn, Mohammad Yousuf, Mohammad Zahid and Saqlain Mushtaq at our National High Performance Centre.

"David has worked for five years in Australia with the Melbourne and Victoria women's sides and he is a perfect fit for the role we were looking for, as he will be able to use that experience and knowledge to translate into our system that will ultimately benefit Pakistan women's cricket."

(ESPN Cricinfo)

South American qualifiers pose TTCB removes all 4 significant risks for players, says union selection panels

By Brian Homewood BERN (Reuters) - The decision to play South American World Cup qualifiers this month poses significant risks, the global footballers’ union FIFPRO said yesterday as it warned that around 250 players face longhaul journeys amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two rounds of qualifying matches will be played between October 8 and 13, featuring many

of the world’s top players, including Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Paris St Germain’s Neymar who have been called up by Argentina and Brazil respectively.

FIFPRO said that players should have the right to turn down a call-up without facing disciplinary action, adding that it would support players and challenge sanctions where necessary.

“Many players will be travelling in and out of countries with some of the highest incidence of COVID-19

pandemic, with more than 100 cases per 100 000 people,” it said. “There remain significant risks and legitimate concerns for players and their families and we maintain that all players must have a free choice to participate in national team activities or not.”

Global soccer body FIFA confirmed on Thursday that clubs would be obliged to release players for the matches although it also imposed conditions, a move which was welcomed

by FIFPRO and the European Club Association (ECA).

FIFA said that players must be exempted from any travel or quarantine restrictions, both in the countries where they are due to play matches and in the country where their clubs are based; otherwise their clubs would not have to release them.

This potentially opened the door for clubs to withhold players although there were no immediate reports of withdrawals.

One source told Reuters that FIFA and CONMEBOL, the South American Confederation, were helping negotiate exemptions with public authorities.

FIFPRO said that 30 of the 35 players named in Argentina’s provisional squad play for clubs outside the country, while 33 out of 34 of Colombia’s squad were based abroad along with the entire Paraguay and Uruguay squads.

Only Bolivia has a predominantly home-based squad.

However, FIFPRO also called on clubs not to stand in the way of players who wanted to play.

“National team football is an important part of our game and players who wish to participate under the provided safeguards and regulations should be free to do so without interference,” it said.

THE T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) has done away with all their selection panels and they will soon meet to choose new ones for the next season, according to president of TTCB, Azim Bassarath, who spoke to Guardian Media Sports on Thursday.

The Moruga native in his fourth term as president of the board said, "We have dismantled all the selection committees and will meet soon to choose new panels."

The national senior team panel, as well as the Under-19, Under-17, and Under-15 panels, has been cleaned out.

"We have planned a retreat for October 17 and once we get clearance from the Prime Minister Hon. Dr Keith Rowley on October 10, we will gather at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) for our retreat. At this retreat will have several items to deal with as outlined by first vice-president Arjoon Ramlal and we will attend to them.

"One of the items I can tell you is the matter of filling our different selection panels. We have removed all selectors and will discuss amongst the executive members who will stay and who new comes in. Whether we remove all or keep some we will discuss all this. We have thanked all selectors for their contributions and have indicated

President of TTCB Azim Bassarath

that we will be choosing new panels."

Bassarath added that in difficult financial times the board decided that it was better to dismantle the selection panel as there is no cricket carded soon.

"We pay the selectors a stipend so what we decided in these tough financial times was to disband the panels and save ourselves that expense. Times are tough and we need to look at ways to survive financially.

"We will put together new panels and then commission them before tournaments begin so they can perform their duties.

"The TTCB executive met on the weekend via zoom and decided that it is better to meet face to face and hence the retreat was born out of this. They now await word from the prime minister as to whether quarantine restrictions will be lifted. (Reprinted from Trinidad Guardian)

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guyana CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Garg, Abhishek shine for Sunrisers as CSK lose three straight SUNRISERS Hyderabad (SRH) registered their second win in the row after they beat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by seven runs in the 14th match of the Dream11 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

After SRH elected to bat, they lost Jonny Bairstow in the first over as Deepak Chahar disturbed the timber to strike early. Manish Pandey, who joined David Warner in the middle, edged the first delivery, but managed to get a four off it to open his account.

Over the next four overs, Manish hit a four every over as he and David Warner went on to add 46 runs for the second wicket. However, Shardul Thakur broke the partnership in the eighth over, dismissing Manish for 29.

(Brief Scores; Sunrisers Hyderabad 164-5 (Priyam Garg 51*, Abhishek Sharma 31; Deepak Chahar 2-31) beat Chennai Super Kings 157-5 (Ravindra Jadeja 50, MS Dhoni 47*; T Natarajan 2-43) by 7 runs) Warner and Kane Williamson added 22 runs together, but CSK managed to push SRH on the backfoot as both the experienced SRH batsmen were dismissed on the successive deliveries in the 11th over.

While Faf du Plessis pulled off yet another stunner on the boundary rope to hold on to a fine catch to get Warner out, off Piyush Chawla’s bowling, Williamson was then run-out for 9.

SRH needed a partnership and two of their youngsters – Abhishek Sharma and Priyam Garg – answered the call.

Sharma went after Ravindra Jadeja in the 14th over, hit-

Priyam Garg and Abhishek Sharma starred with the bat as Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Chennai Super Kings by 7 runs.

ting a four and a six to push SRH past 91.

While the two scored 20 over the course of next two overs, it was in the 17th where SRH hammered 22 in an over, courtesy a Garg

Ruthless Nadal charges into French Open last 16

By Julien Pretot

here at Roland Garros this year.”

PARIS, France (ReNadal, in his 16th uters) - Claycourt consecutive appearance master Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros since powered his way into his triumphant debut in the fourth round of his 2005, started in dominant beloved French Open fashion, winning the first as his campaign for a nine points. record-extending 13th After 23 minutes, the title picked up momenfirst set was already in tum with a merciless the bag. Travaglia had 6-1, 6-4, 6-0 demolionly managed six points, tion of Italian Stefano being completely overTravaglia yesterday. whelmed by the SpanThe second seed, iard’s power. looking to match Roger The 74th-ranked ItalFederer’s record of 20 Rafael Nadal is aiming for his 20th ian played deeper early in men’s Grand Slam sin- Grand Slam title to level with Roger the second set and Nadal gles titles, will next meet Federer's all-time leading men's tally. found himself with a little 20-year-old American more of a challenge. py to hear that. I know he’s Sebastian Korda, one of his He broke for 4-3 but in playing great. He’s a very biggest admirers. the following game faced his young kid with a lot of pow“That means that I have first break point, which he er. I think he has an amazing been on the TV for such a saved to extend his lead to future - hopefully not yet.” long time, that’s the main 5-3, then held to love to move Nadal faced little resisthing. The same like when two sets up. tance on court Philippe ChaI was a kid, I was watchTravaglia’s resistance trier, hitting 28 winners as ing (Pete) Sampras, (Andre) cost him dearly as he colthe stars start to align for the Agassi, Carlos Moya, etc,” lapsed in the third set, manSpaniard. said Nadal, who has yet to aging only eight points.

“The scoreline is because lose a set in this year’s edi“I made a step forward I did a lot of good things, I tion. in a lot of ways,” said Nawent to the net more often, “Another negative thing dal. “I think he played a I was more aggressive,” he that means is that I am 34. great second set, it was said.

That’s another point that is close. I was able to find a “I played my best match not beautiful. But I’m hapway.”

attack. The right-hander hit Sam Curran for 3 fours and a six.

Although Sharma got a couple of reprieves in the 18th over, Chahar managed to get his second wicket,

dismissing the left-hander in the same over. Garg, then, brought up his maiden IPL fifty in the penultimate over before SRH eventually ended their quota of 20 overs with 164-5 on board.

Defending 164, SRH bowlers kept the things tight before Bhuvneshwar Kumar got Shane Watson out in the third over.

However, it was the final over of the powerplay, which proved extremely effective for SRH. First, T Natarajan dismissed Ambati Rayudu before Faf was run-out in the final ball of the powerplay.

A couple of overs later, Abdul Samad got the wicket of Kedar Jadhav after Warner held on to a sharp catch in the covers.

CSK were 42-4 when Jadhav got out and needed a partnership to steady the innings and MS Dhoni and Jadeja did just that.

The two put up the much-needed partnership, but SRH still did not concede too many easy runs before Jadeja hit three fours in the 17th over to push CSK past 100.

Jadeja then hit a four and six in the 18th over bowled

by T Natarajan to complete his fifty. However, he got out in the same over. While Curran hammered a six on the first ball he faced, the task at hand still was not easy.

SRH, meanwhile, suffered an injury blow as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, after bowling the first ball of the 19th over, had to leave the field. Khaleel Ahmed, who completed the over, conceded 15 more.

CSK needed 28 runs off the final over, which was bowled by Samad. While the over began with 5 wides, Samad and SRH managed to hold their nerve to seal a 7-run win. (IPL)

No change over Jadon Sancho leaving Dortmund Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc says Jadon Sancho will not be joining Manchester United before the transfer window ends on Monday.

Sancho was United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's number one transfer target at the start of the summer.

Dortmund turned down their latest bid earlier this week, having placed a 10 August deadline on a deal being done.

"Everything there is to tell on this matter from our end has already been said," Zorc said on Friday.

"And that won't change over the next three days."

It remains to be seen whether United have one last attempt to change that stance.

However, as Sancho has three years left on his contract and has indicated a willingness to remain in Germany for another season before moving to United, who have already agreed a salary and agents' fees, Dortmund are evidently in a position of strength.

United sources have told the BBC they are relaxed about the situation and there

Jadon Sancho will not be joining Manchester United before the transfer window ends on Monday.

is no sense of panic at the club despite external pressure building.

Former club captains Gary Neville and Patrice Evra have both expressed their frustrations with United's transfer policy.

It is understood they retain an interest in Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele but club sources have played down speculation linking the club with Sevilla wide-man Lucas Ocampos.

Barcelona sporting director Ramon Planes has said French forward Dembele is not leaving the Nou Camp.

"There are no negotia-

tions with Manchester United," he said. "He is a player we are counting on."

While some rivals have added to their squads significantly, United's only signing is Netherlands midfielder Donny van de Beek, who cost £40m from Ajax, while they are in talks for Porto's Brazilian full-back Alex Telles is another target..

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward says matches played behind closed doors have hit the club financially.

Speaking earlier on Friday, Solskjaer was asked about the likelihood of more players coming to the club before Monday's 23:00 BST deadline.

"They [United] know my view," he said. "The transfer window is still open for a little while. If something happens in or out you will get to know."

The deadline for international transfers and moves between Premier League clubs is 23:00 BST on Monday, although topflight sides can still sign players from the English Football League until 17:00 on 16 October.(BBC Sport)

42

guyana CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Jamaican striker Flemmings on leave but denies homophobic slur TAMPA, Florida, (CMC) – Jamaican striker Junior Flemmings has denied making a homophobic slur against an opposition player in a United Soccer League match this week, but has agreed to take administrative leave pending an investigation into the matter.

The contest at San Diego’s Torero Stadium erupted after San Diego Loyal midfielder Collin Martin – an openly gay player – was given a red card on the stroke of half-time with the hosts up 3-1 against Flemmings’s Phoenix Rising FC. Martin subsequently accused Flemmings of the anti-gay slur as play was halted and after Phoenix refused to remove their

leading forward, San Diego abandoned the game by walking off.

“At no point did I say a homophobic slur towards Collin Martin,” Flemmings subsequently tweeted.

“I do not know Collin personally, but I respect all of my opponents equally, Collin included.”

Phoenix manager Rick Schantz, who has also taken leave but unrelated to the investigation, said he had received conflicting information at the time of the incident but had chosen to back his player.

“I work with this young man every day, I was in a serious quandary,” he explained.

“I have one person yelling at me saying this is what

Jamaican striker Junior Flemmings.

happened and I have a player denying what happened. And I just chose to – I had to support my team and support our players.

“If it comes out that he did say that or he said something disparaging, I think

that’s reprehensible and I’m deeply sorry to the player, the fans and all those that are affected.”

San Diego manager Landon Donovan, the former US national star, said the fact his side were ahead

in the game and closing in on a playoff spot had been irrelevant.

“They were very clear in that moment that they were giving up all hopes of making the playoffs even though they were beating one of the best teams in the league handily,” he stressed.

“But they said it doesn’t matter, there are things more important in life and we have to stick up for what we believe in. So they made the decision to walk off.”

In a statement, the USL said it condemned any such homophobic actions but would carry out an investigation into the matter.

“We are aware of the alleged use of a homophobic slur in [Wednesday’s] match between San Diego

Loyal SC and Phoenix Rising FC. Foul and abusive language of any type has absolutely no place in our society and will not be tolerated in USL matches,” the statement said.

“An investigation is currently underway to determine the facts surrounding the incident and more information will be provided as soon as it is available.”

The 24-year-old Flemmings, who has made a handful of appearances for Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz, is the USL’s leading scorer with 14 goals for the campaign.

Rising has already qualified for the playoffs by virtue of winning Group B while San Diego lie third and have been eliminated from playoff contention.

NBA Finals Game 1 draws lowest TV rating in history

Sadio Mane scored in Liverpool's 3-1 Premier League win over Arsenal on Monday.

Liverpool forward Mane isolating after positive coronavirus test Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating.

The news comes three days after the club said midfielder Thiago Alcantara had tested positive for Covid-19.

Liverpool say the Senegal winger has "displayed minor symptoms of the virus but feels in good health overall".

Mane, 28, played for the Reds in a 3-1 win over Arsenal on Monday but was

not in the squad for the EFL Cup defeat on penalties to the Gunners on Thursday.

A statement on Liverpool's website added: "Like with Thiago Alcantara, Liverpool are - and will continue to - following all protocols relating to Covid-19 and Mane will self-isolate for the required period of time."

Mane, who has scored three goals for the Anfield club this season, will now miss the Premier League

game against Aston Villa on Sunday prior to the international break.

The club's first game after that will be the Merseyside derby at Everton on 17 October.

On Monday, the Premier League announced 10 people had tested positive for coronavirus in the latest round of testing - the highest number of positive tests since the season began.

DESPITE featuring the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and having two major-market teams playing in the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night drew record-low TV ratings.

The game - a 116-98 Lakers win - drew 7.41 million viewers to ABC, according to overnight ratings.

The previous low was 8.06 million viewers for Game 3 of the 2003 NBA Finals between New Jersey Nets and San Antonio Spurs.

The number is also a 45 percent drop compared to the audience for last year’s Finals opener between Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors. On the plus side, ABC broadcast still led all shows in total viewers, and drew the same rating among 18-49-year-olds that it drew for the Oscars.

As for the night’s big winner, Week 2 of Fox’s ‘The Masked Singer’ was up double-digit percentage points from Week 1’s ratings, both overall and among adults 18-49. The raw audience number for ‘The Masked Singer’ wasn’t too far behind the Finals, at 6.93 million.

The numbers come two weeks after MoffettNathan-

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) celebrates with forward LeBron James (23) after a play during the third quarter against Miami Heat in game one of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena Orlando, Florida, USA.. (Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

son Research found that overall TV viewership was down 26 percent year over year in August and down 27.1 percent through the first

half of September.

The Stanley Cup Finals were down more than 60 percent, as well, this year.

(Field Level Media)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday October 03, 2020)

COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel-683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Brendon Mc Cullum-158* (KKR) (2) 6 centuries Today’s Quiz: (1) Which wicketkeeper effected most dismissals in IPL 2008?

(2) What was the highest partnership for any wicket in IPL 2008?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

43

guyana CHRONICLE Saturday, October 3, 2020

Wallace tells coaches: 'Bare with us two weeks again'

"BARE with us two more weeks again and your matter concerning salaries will be taken care off," said William Wallace, president of the now-suspended T&T Football Association (TTFA) to the coaches of this country's national teams.

The coaches expressed concerns over the none payment of their salaries from a Steering Committee comprising Angus Eve, Clayton Morris, Wayne Sheppard, Jefferson George and Richard Hood, after ongoing negotiations with Normalisation Committee chairman Robert Hadad broke down over the TTFA's decision to challenge FIFA's ban, and reinsert their legal battle in the T&T High court with FIFA. A letter expressing the concerns of the coaches on Monday stated: "The T&T technical staff members have been locked in negotiations with the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee for the better part of the last month. At present, we believe that we have an un-

T&T national coach former national captains, Clayton Morris, second from right, and Angus Eve, second from left, together with Wayne "Barney" Shepphard,left, and Richard Hood during their media conference at Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo Road on September 4.

derstanding and agreement between both parties, of the payment amounts due to us and the mechanism by which we will be paid.

"In previous newspaper articles and interviews, you and other members of the United TTFA have indicated that you were not opposed to

the office staff and coaches being paid by the FIFA or Concacaf, and would not interfere or act in any manner to negatively affect the payment of staff. On Saturday 26th September, however, we were informed by the Normalisation Committee that FIFA is unwilling to

Rugby World Cup 2023 draw on December14 to use 2019 rankings LONDON, England (Reuters) - The draw for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France will take place in Paris on December 14 using seedings based on the world rankings taken after last year’s tournament, organisers said yesterday.

Officials said it was the “least-worst option” following the disruption of the international calendar in 2020.

However, recognising the potential for major swings in form and personnel over such a long period, the Rugby World Cup Board has also recommended that the draw for future tournaments should take place no earlier than one year before the event.

Twelve teams have automatically qualified owing to a top-three place in their 2019 World Cup pools - champions South Africa, England, Wales, New Zealand, Japan, France, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Argentina and Fiji.

The remaining eight teams will come through

The Webb Ellis Trophy is seen during a news conference on the 2023 Rugby World Cup in Paris, France, November 15, 2018. (REUTERS/Charles Platiau/ File photo)

the regional qualification process.

The rankings for the draw have South Africa, New Zealand, England and Wales in the top band. Ireland, Australia, France, and Japan are in Band Two, with Scotland, Argentina, Fiji and Italy in Band Three. Bands Four and Five consist of qualifiers.

“While COVID-19 means that, in the interests of fairness for all qualified teams,

we needed to draw a line under the rankings at the beginning of the year, everyone should appreciate that this is a unique time.

“We can’t delay and we must continue to accelerate planning for what is going to be a truly spectacular and special Rugby World Cup 2023 in France,” World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said in a statement.

make these payments because of the reinstated court action by the United TTFA. We, the national staff members, would appreciate hearing from you on how you can assist us with regards to our remuneration in the existing circumstances."

Wallace gave the assurance that a solution will

come in two weeks time, October 9, when the court is expected to rule on their fight against FIFA for the legitimacy of having the normalisation committee replace them (TTFA) as the rightful administrators of football in T&T. Wallace said although FIFA has money set aside for the payment of coaches, his group has already started working on a way to pay the coaches if the judge rules in their favour.

"If the judge rules against us, then it would be easy, as we will drop the case against the FIFA and the normalisation committee will pay them," Wallace explained.

However, if the judge rules in their favour, then they will call an emergency meeting among their members to decide how they will move forward. He did not say where monies to pay the coaches will come from if they are recognised as the legitimate administrators of local football.

Wallace, who said he took appropriate steps to ensure that the country is

not left out of the Concacaf Gold Cup Draw last night by filing an Injunctive Relief in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Switzerland on Friday.

The TTFA also agreed to challenge the suspension by FIFA in the CAS, as well as reinsert the court battle with the FIFA back in the High Court.

Wallace assured they will not prevent the payment of salaries by the normalisation committee. He noted that matter is still the same way, as it was last month, as the matter is still in the court.

Wallace and his three vice presidents — Clynt Taylor, Joseph Sam Phillips, and Joseph-Warrick are seeking a declaration that the decision to remove them on March 17, and replace them with a Normalisation Committee (NC) comprising of businessman Robert Hadad, attorney Judy Daniel, and retired banker Nigel Romano as a member, was null, void, and of no legal or binding effect. (Reprinted from Trinidad Guardian)

Neymar scores first goals of the season in PSG rout PARIS (Reuters) - Brazilian forward Neymar scored his first two goals of the season as Paris St Germain demolished hapless Angers 6-1 in a hopelessly one-sided Ligue 1 match on Friday.

Alessandro Florenzi, Julian Draxler, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Kylian Mbappe shared the other goals as PSG claimed a fourth successive win while Ismael Traore headed one back for Angers.

PSG, who lost their opening two games of the season, jumped to second in the table with 12 points from six matches, one behind leaders Rennes.

Angers coach Stephane Moulin, who has been in charge since 2011 and is the longest-serving coach in any of Europe’s top five leagues, set up his side with a fiveman defence but to no avail.

Mbappe had an early shot saved by Paul Bernardoni and PSG only needed seven minutes to break the dead-

Neymar scored his first two goals of the season.

lock.

An attempted clearance went straight to Florenzi who flicked the ball up and lobbed into the net without letting it touch the ground.

Stephane Bahoken should have equalised but sent a free header wide of the goal and the Cameroon forward was also denied when Keylor Navas dived at his feet.

The visitors inevitably paid the price when Mbappe slipped between two defend-

ers and laid the ball back to Neymar who fired a left-foot shot into the roof of the net in the 36th minute.

The Brazilian drilled home a loose ball for the third two minutes after the break and, although Traore pulled one back with a far post header, it was only brief respite for Angers.

Draxler and Gueye scored with deflected shots before Mbappe turned in the sixth with six minutes

Suriname celebrates 100 years of football history

M

IAMI, Florida – It has been a week to remember for Suriname football. In addition to taking part in the Draw for their first-ever CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Suriname Football Association celebrated its centennial last Thursday, commemorating 100 years since its founding on October 1, 1920.

Despite not being able to have a full celebration due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Suriname head coach Dean Gorre says it is nevertheless a very special day in the country.

“It is fantastic to celebrate a 100-year anniversary and it is special. The president of the country will come. We’ll have a celebration that is within the COVID-19 protocols, but I would have liked it to have been open and free for everyone to enjoy,” said Gorre in an exclusive See page 38

Suriname is drawn into Group C with Costa Rica and Jamaica for the 2021 Gold Cup.

Windies legend Lloyd wants better, more 'powerful' WI anthem LEGENDARY West Indies captain Clive Lloyd believes the time is right for the regional team to consider a new and more ‘powerful’ anthem.

Politically, with the West Indies operating as several separate countries, it would not be possible to have a national anthem.

Currently, the song ‘Rally Round the West Indies’ by Calypsonian David Rudder, however, serves that purpose.

The song was released in 1987 – before being officially adopted as the team’s ‘national’ anthem by thethen West Indies Cricket Board 12 years later.

Lloyd, however, believes the song possibly lacks the feel, power, and emotional depth of some of the national anthems of member nations that comprise the regional team.

The former skipper made note of a memorable experience, while on tour of

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has won two Olympic gold medals.

Former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd

Australia.

“When I was manager in Australia they played the anthem from both teams.

The president came to me and said Clive we would like to play the anthem from your country because you are the manager. I said, ‘No sir you would have to play the anthem of Mr Walsh, he is the captain,” Lloyd recalled recently, on the Mason and Guest radio programme.

“It was performed by an opera singer. When they sang the Jamaica national anthem, it has some drums and so on, hair grew on parts of my body that I didn’t think I had hair.

It was so powerful.

There was a guy there that

was married to a Jamaican woman and tears came to his eyes. I told Walsh, 'If you do not bowl this Australia side out, after listening to this anthem, something must be wrong with you guys'. It was the most powerful thing,” he added.

“We have great anthems around the islands.

Let us come together and get one anthem that is powerful. When you listen to all the other anthems, they make you feel proud; they make you feel like doing extraordinary things. I think this is the time we should have that and one flag.” (Sportsmax)

Fraser-Pryce targets '10.6 or even 10.5' as she chases historic third Olympic title

T

WO-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has targeted breaking the 10.70-second barrier as she goes for an unprecedented third Olympic title in Tokyo next year.

The 10.70 personal best that she set on June 29, 2012, still stands as the Jamaican national record but that she now shares with teammate and rival Elaine Thompson-Herah, who equalled the record in July 2016. Only three women have run faster – Florence Griffith-Joyner (10.49), Marion Jones (10.65) and Carmelita Jeter (10.64).

The three Americans have run faster but would give up those times to accomplish what the diminutive Jamaican had achieved over the past decade. However, she is desperate to join that pantheon of four.

Fraser-Pryce has won two Olympic gold medals, nine at the World Championships.

She has also run faster than 10.80 seconds 15 times, more than any other woman in history, but that is not enough for the Pocket Rocket who is intent on building on her significant legacy as arguably the greatest-ever female 100m sprinter.

“There is still breaking this ’10.70’ barrier. It is a big challenge for me and that’s one thing,” she said in a recent interview on the Olympic channel. “That’s the goal for next year.

“Yes, I want to stand on the podium for sure but I think also if I can run fast and do it, then yeah. I really want to run 10.6 or even 10.5 and I want to break the 22-second barrier for the 200m and run 21.”

Fraser-Pryce's 200m best of 22.09 was set while winning the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. (Sportsmax)

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