Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_10_13_2020

TUESDAY 13th October, 2020

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‘Sickening’ No.106151

–– President reacts to state of affairs at NA Hospital

SEE PAGE 03

Lowenfield

charged with fraud, misconduct in office 03 PAGE

Miner admits to killing two women in Reg. 7

$25,000 COVID-19 relief rolled out in Reg. 6

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COVID-19 ICUs to be activated in all regions

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A representative of the Government hands over the cash grant to 78-year-old May Jaundoo of Tarlogie, East Berbice Corentyne. (Photo: Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Regional COVID-19 ICUs to be activated –– as Gov’t acquires 26 ventilators, other equipment from PAHO and India

GUYANA will soon have nationwide capacity to provide intensive care to persons who experience severe forms of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), as the country received $122 million worth of ventilators and other equipment from India and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) on Monday.

As it is now, the country has only one COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and this is located at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) but, with the ‘timely’ donation, Guyana will be able to build its regional capacity, said Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony.

The country received 21 ventilators and 315 boxes of gloves from India and five ventilators along with 24 oxygen concentrators from PAHO, to aid in the fight against COVID-19.

Locally, authorities have so far recorded over 3,521 cases of the dreaded disease and there is a possibility that over 176 infected persons (five per cent) would need intensive care. The country has already

lost 104 persons to the disease and there are 16 persons in the COVID-19 ICU at GPHC. The GPHC, in addition to providing intensive care and treatment to COVID-19 patients, also manages other routine ailments and given that cases were recorded in every region across the country, there were also times when persons had to travel to GPHC for treatment.

In recognising the burden being placed on people, GPHC and the need for intensive care, the Government has committed to retrofitting health facilities in various regions, so that they could administer care to patients who develop the severe forms of COVID-19.

“These ventilators will help us to create this regional capacity…it will help us to lift our capacity in a big way because with this donation, most of our facilities will be equipped,” said Dr. Anthony.

He further noted that several ventilators will be placed at GPHC, while others will be deployed to the various administrative regions.

The 24 oxygen concentrators will complement the venti-

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony (second from left) and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Malcolm Watkins (first from left) receive the items from High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr. K.J. Srinivasa and Resident PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. Luis Felipe Codina (DPI photo)

lators and provide much-needed support especially in hinterland communities, where facilities are dependent on oxygen cylinders.

“So oxygen concentrators would be used in the hinterland because instead of buying cylinders of oxygen, we can now generate oxygen from air, and the concentrators work as well as oxygen from cylinder… so we are pleased to get these oxygen concentrators,” said Dr. Anthony.

Advancing regional capac-

ity is seen as timely because the country has recorded a large number of deaths related to COVID-19, within the past two months.

“We were waiting on these equipment for some time because there are severe patients who have breathing problems…so we have a lot more equipment now to put them on and ensure that they get the desired care that can be offered,” said Dr. Anthony.

This donation is a clear indication that Guyana is not

alone in the fight against this disease, said the Health Minister.

Resident PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. Luis Felipe Codina, while reinforcing the organisation’s support for Guyana, said: “This is one portion of support, as our duty here is to work together with the ministry of health in a technical way, especially during this emergency…we have to support with medical equipment and everything to better respond to the pandemic.”

Those sentiments were echoed by High Commissioner to India, Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, who said India is taking the role of a world leader in the fight against COVID-19. “we have helped over 100 countries in combatting COVID-19, and now we are at the forefront of working on a vaccine…we have three in trial and we hope that we will have one that works in early 2021,” said Dr. Srinivasa.

Guyana has evidently not been left of India’s efforts, as the country has already received US$1 million from the Government of India for COVID-19 Response.

This allocation of US$1 million, which was used to purchase the ventilators, was from the “Quick Impact Development Project” that is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Health of India, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support Guyana’s response to COVID-19.

CAL, Eastern, COPA, American Airlines to recommence flights this month SEVERAL commercial carriers including Eastern

Airlines, COPA Airlines, American Airlines and Ca-

ribbean Airlines have made clear their commitment and anticipation to recommence commercial flights to Guyana, following the Government’s decision to reopen its international airports on Monday.

According to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Eastern Airlines is slated to have its first commercial flight into the country on October 13 and will be providing four flights weekly from Miami and New York.

Additionally, COPA Airlines has disclosed that it will be moving to have flights on October 26 with three flights weekly from Panama.

Meanwhile, American Airlines has a timeline that will see its first flight to Guyana on November 4 and will have six flights weekly from Miami while Caribbean Airlines has also disclosed that it will commence flight operations later this month as it finalises its schedule.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that several charter flights commenced operations on Monday.

Both the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the Ogle International Airport were closed to incoming commercial and international flights since March 18 after Guyana recorded its first COVID-19 case on March 11.

The airports were initially scheduled to close for a twoweek period. However, as COVID-19 cases in the country increased, the closures were extended, but growing demand for travel and pressing economic constraints, created by the COVID-19 virus and the necessary containment measures, have pushed the country to take decisive action, which, according to international reports is not

unprecedented, amidst the global pandemic.

The airlines and passengers are mandated to adhere to strict COVID-19 measures before they arrive here. Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, had said he is confident that there are stringent systems and protocols in place to minimize the possibility of cases entering Guyana.

“Preparation is good… we have thought out the system so nobody is going to come to Guyana without a negative PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) test… so that’s the first thing that people need to understand.

“Not because the airport is open you can jump on a plane and come here. No, before you can even get on the flight you are required to have a PCR test at the point of origin. That test would have to be sent to us here in Guyana for us to validate it, and once we are satisfied then we allow the airline to put you on the flight,” said the Health Minister.

If the PCR test was done within 72 hours of arrival, persons would be allowed to go to their destination in Guyana, but once it goes over that time, travellers will have to undergo a second PCR test at the airport.

‘Sickening’ 3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

–– President reacts to state of affairs at NA Hospital

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Al,i has described the state of affairs at the New Amsterdam Hospital, as documented in a report by a team of experts headed by neurosurgeon, Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi, as “sickening”.

The President, who was at the time speaking to residents at Line Path, Corriverton, on Saturday, said efforts will be made to find solutions and resources to fix the issues at the hospital.

“I have received the report on the state of affairs of the New Amsterdam Hospital and it’s sickening. We have to now go and analyse that report, analyse the problems and find the solutions; find the resources so we can fix the problems at the New Amsterdam Hospital. We have an unwavering commitment to the people of Guyana and shall not waiver a moment on the commitment we have for you,” President Ali told the residents.

On September 1, President Ali, on a visit to Region Six, had received several

complaints from residents about the delivery of poor health service in the region.

He promised the residents to look into their complaints and put measures in place to address them.

A National Regional Hospital Review Committee (NHRC) was subsequently established and soon after began an investigation into the New Amsterdam Hospital.

The team of experts headed by Dr. Dukhi found that some of the complaints the President received from residents on his September 1 visit to Region Six, such as drug shortage and lack of laboratory and radiology services, were not far-flung claims.

According to Dr Dukhi, a senior doctor at the hospital corroborated the complaints that President Ali received and also explained why they occurred.

“I have been with this hospital since 2012 and I can safely say there has never been a full year, over the past eight years, that the operation theatre has been functioning

President, Dr Irfaan Ali

Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi

properly – leaking roof, AC not functioning, mould in the ceiling, electrical issues are just a few of the problems we had to deal with,” the senior doctor at the New Amsterdam Hospital said.

The doctor noted that basic medication and supplies that are critical for the operation of the surgical unit, radiation and outpatient departments are usually in short supply or non-existent, preventing doctors from doing their work effectively.

CT SCANNER NOT WORKING “We have a CT scanner here for the past four years and up to now it is not working; it had electrical issues, no lead on the walls, the humidity is too high in the room and now the software is being installed. So sometimes a patient comes in with a minor head injury and because we can’t perform a simple scan we have to transfer them to GPHC whereas we could send over the scans

for the specialist to look at and make their diagnosis,” a senior doctor explained to the committee.

Another doctor related that the x-ray department had been non-functional for the past two months due to the unavailability of films, but over the past two years had been periodically down due to the lack of reagents to develop the films. Patients had to go to private labs or clinics to have the x-rays done or doctors were forced to proceed without them if the patient could not have afforded to get them done at private facilities, the doctor related.

He, however, noted that a new digital x-ray machine was being setup and that should hopefully fix the issues regarding e-rays.

The team has also been monitoring the numerous complaints in the media as well as those they received directly from the staff at the hospital. It would decide whether to visit the hospital for a second time or look to

have a medium where the public can be engaged.

Dr Dukhi expressed optimism that some of the issues identified will be fixed in the near future so as to ensure the delivery of effective and efficient health services in the region.

“In terms of what we have found today here, there is a lot of issues; issues that can be corrected with good management strategy and having effective measures in place to deal with implementation.

These issues I think can be corrected with the will, the need, and of course the resources to make things happen. Some of the things are basically managerial, having adequate resources and other materials that are needed at the regional level transferred to the region in a timely manner and if we have good management of the resources then there should be a much more improved heath response to the people,” the prominent doctor said.

Chief Elections Officer slapped with charges of fraud, misconduct in office –– granted $300,000 bail

By Clestine Juan CHIEF Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield was, yesterday, slapped with six additional charges following a “comprehensive” investigation by the Guyana Police Force in relation to the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections and its aftermath.

Lowenfield appeared before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on three counts of misconduct in public office and three counts of forgery. He was represented

by Attorney-at-law, Nigel Hughes.

The first set of three charges alleged that Lowenfield, between March 5, 2020, and June 29, 2020, while performing his duty as CEO, without lawful excuse or justification, wilfully misconducted himself by ascertaining results of the March 2 elections

knowing the said results to be false.

The charges further alleged that this wilful misconduct amounted to a breach of the public’s trust in the Office of the Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

It is also alleged that between March 5 and June 23, 2020, at Georgetown, Lowenfield conspired with person (s) unknown to commit the common-law offence of fraud by presenting to GECOM tabulations attached to his Election Report, dated June, claiming that it accurately reflected the true results of the said elections in order to materially alter the results with intent to defraud, knowing the said tabulation to be false.

He was not required to plead to the charges and was released on a total of $300,000 bail. The case was adjourned to October 23 for statements.

Outside of the court house,

Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Mr. Keith Lowenfield, the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday [Photo: News Room]

Mr Lowenfield’s attorney proffered that the charges are being used as a tactic to have him removed from his post at GECOM. Lowenfield is currently before the court on three private criminal fraud charges.

He is expected to go on trial for these next month before City Magistrate, Faith McGusty.

The private charges were filed by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) member,

Desmond Morian and General Secretary of The New Movement (TNM), Daniel Kanhai, on June 30, 2020.

The magistrate had set November 13 for the commencement of the trial for the case filed by Morian, while Kanhai’s matter was given a November 20 start date.

Hughes had written the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) requesting that the three criminal charges be withdrawn; the DPP is yet to respond to that request.

Only last week, Mr Lowenfield’s deputy, Roxanne Myers, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan slapped with two counts of misconduct in public office.

Myers was not required to plead to the charges and was granted bail in the sum of $150,000 on each count.

Myers has to return on October 23; she was represented by Attorneys Nigel Hughes and Ronald Daniels.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has launched a “comprehensive” investigation against Lowenfield and Region

Four District Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, after it received formal reports of alleged criminal misconduct by the duo.

The results of the elections were finally announced on August 2, after a fivemonth delay.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

GuySuCo begins preparing ECD lands for use –– Squatters say the land is being flooded to force them to move

By Vishani Ragobeer

THE GuySuCo lands being occupied by squatters at Vryheid’s Lust, Success and Chateau Margot on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) are currently being prepared for use in the next few months, according to officials.

For the past few months, squatters have been occupying lands in these areas. On Monday, a group of them staged a protest in front of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Freedom House headquarters against what they deemed to be an attempt to force them off of the lands.

Later, however, the Guyana Chronicle learnt that these lands are now being released by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), the parent or holding compa-

ny of the sugar corporation as part of plans to restart sugar production on the ECD. “It was always clear from the very first engagement weeks ago that those were GuySuCo lands and (they) are part of GuySuCo’s pre-cultivation methodology…GuySuCo has to make their own preparation for cultivation,” NICIL’s Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Radha Krishna Sharma told the Guyana Chronicle.

President Irfaan Ali, during a recent press conference, related that a sum of money would be used to start preparation for the reopening of the Skeldon, Rose Hall and Enmore estates. And in order for that Enmore estate to be operationalised, Head of the Agriculture Research Centre at GuySuCo, Gavin Ramnarain, explained that massive amounts of the cane

Tuesday, October 13, 2020 -- 1:30 & 14:30HRS

Some of the Success squatters protesting outside of Freedom House on Monday

crop will be required.

“When the Government announced that things were going to go ahead to restart things at Enmore, and you do the calculation, you would realise that you have to have these lands available because there is no other way to do it,” Gavin explained further when contacted by this newspaper.

A typical cane crop takes one year to grow. Seed canes, like those currently planted at the Enmore estate, will subsequently be planted at a much larger area (such

Liloutie, one of the Success squatters showing that the land is slowly being flooded (Adrian Narine photos)

as at any of these ECD estate lands) by the ‘first crop’ next year, which is expected to be in February.

Before that time, however, the land must be prepared.

Since these lands have been largely unused for some time, they may be colonised by pests and unwanted weeds.

Gavin highlighted that the fastest, cheapest and most environmentally-friendly way of clearing those from the land is to flood the land.

Flooding the land, he said, is only beneficial for the soil.

Recently, the Central and Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) began streamlining the land applications of squatters occupying those lands unlawfully in an attempt to provide some redress. The CEO of the CH&PA, Sherywn Greaves, reaffirmed on Monday that the authority was doing all that it can to assist these persons, but the authority is still distributing lands in a structured manner- giving lands to persons with the oldest applications first.

In the meantime, CH&PA has collected the names and contact information of the squatters. The Guyana Chronicle understands that the Housing Ministry is considering further assistance for those squatters who have applications with the CH&PA for some time.

“As soon as I come off my bed this morning and I put my foot down, is straight into the water my foot gone and I just want an answer as to why they flooding us now if they say they trying to help we,” Nalini Blair, one of the Success squatters said.

Blair is a security officer and a mother of seven; this family of eight has been squatting at Success for the past four months. She applied for a house lot with the CH&PA seven years ago but to date, she has not gotten her desired plot of land.

However, Sharma reminded that the coalition of agencies- the Ministry of Housing, the CH&PA, NICIL and GuySuCo- engaged these squatters on numerous occasions, cautioning them against squatting at the location.

“It’s not a case where NICIL or the Government is insensitive to the needs of the persons, it is just that it was the manner in which it was done. It simply cannot be done,” Sharma stressed, adding later, “it’s unfortunate that the squatters should interpret this (flooding) as something aimed at them.”

He said that the squatters should not have any “false expectations” that they would be allowed to use these lands. Though cognisant of the plight of these squatters, Minister of Housing, Collin Croal previously told the Guyana Chronicle that these individuals have to follow the established process of applying for house lots, that is, through an application to the CH&PA. It was also reported that thousands of cane varieties have been destroyed, resulting in a potential loss of billions of dollars in future cash flows for GuySuCo due to the occupation of lands.

An unquantifiable amount of data and research was also lost, since the Success/ Chateau Margot squatting area was a research nursery for GuySuCo.

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guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

AG commits to examining scientific report, feasibility of hemp industry LEGISLATIVE barriers have prevented the cultivation of hemp locally, but the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has committed to examining a scientific report on the plant and its feasibility.

Nandlall, following a meeting with members of the Guyana Hemp Industry on Monday, requested a report on the innate properties of the hemp and a feasibility study on the production of this plant in Guyana.

Hemp is a variety of the cannabis sativa plant species which is grown specifically for its industrial uses. It is said to be one of the fastest growing plants and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fiber almost 50,000 years ago.

For years, several organisations and persons have been seeking Gov-

Attorney General Anil Nandlall (centre) with members of the Guyana Hemp Association

ernment’s support on the legalisation of Hemp in Guyana, but there has been no decisive action on this front, until today.

According to a press statement from the Chambers of the Attorney General, the Guyana Hemp Industry has, until October 31, 2020, to submit the report which was requested by Nandlall. In the report, the organisation is ex-

pected to include the benefits which will accrue to the local economy.

Advocates of hemp production have said that the plant can be used to produce over 50,000 different items including, textiles, paper, industrial materials, building materials, food, body care products and animal feed.

“It was agreed that this information would be sup-

plied by the 31st October 2020, after which same will be submitted to Cabinet for consideration and directions on the way forward,” said the Attorney General’s Chambers in a press statement.

While in opposition, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, had met with this organisation and other stakeholders, and had promised that once elected, a PPP/C Government would explore the possibility of growing hemp in Guyana.

Nandlall reiterated this commitment and was commended by the Chairman of the Guyana Hemp Association Michael Kirton, who lamented that the former APNU+AFC Government never responded to any of their correspondence, or facilitated a meeting with the Guyana Hemp Association, over the last five years.

Learning Channel apologises for indecent language aired on programme

THE Guyana Learning Channel Trust, under the Ministry of Education, says that a thorough investigation has been launched into what could have led to a situation where indecent language was inadvertently aired on Monday during one of its timetabled programmes.

The Ministry said that the outcome of the situation will be made known when the investigation is completed.

“The Guyana Learning Channel Trust apologises profusely for content aired

earlier today that is inappropriate. A thorough investigation is underway, and the outcome will be made known shortly,” a statement from the Ministry said.

Systems are immediately being put in place to prevent such future occurrences, the Education Ministry noted.

“The Guyana Learning Channel wishes to assure the public, and particularly parents and students that systems have been immediately put in place to ensure that this does not EVER happen

again,” the statement further conveyed.

The mishap is said to have occurred in the afternoon, between 14:00h – 15:00h when the Channel was airing a programme on abbreviations for the Grade Six English class. A clip of the video went viral on social media, and saw many commenters calling for better screening of videos by the Channel.

It was just last month that the Ministry announced that the Learning Channel will be broadcasting in a timetable format, with teach-

Mass testing at Troy Resources --after several employees test positive for COVID-19 MASS testing for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) will be conducted at the Karouni mine site, operated by Troy Resources Guyana Inc, after several of the company’s employees tested positive for the dreaded disease.

The company, in a press statement, said it has ramped up its COVID-19 response measures by implementing mandatory testing for all of its employees at the site, which is located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

The costs of all testing will be covered by the company, and will be done by a private service provider.

Region Seven has so far recorded over 300 cases of COVID-19, and with those persons becoming infected

within the past few days, the company is expected to take added precaution, given that mining remains an “essential service.”

In the circumstances, the company said all those employees who are to be deployed to the Karouni mine site, are to be tested, and must show a negative result before being allowed to travel into the site.

These measures are expected to supplement the existing safety protocols and coronavirus precautions, which were already in place at all of the company’s mining camps.

Following the discovery of the positive cases, the National COVID-19 Task Force and representatives of the Ministry of

Labour and the Ministry of Health were immediately informed about the recent test results, and a course of action was discussed and agreed upon.

The company said the COVID-19 Task Force has since expressed support for the additional measures and mass testing being conducted.

The company continues to follow the guidelines established by the Ministry of Health and all onsite medical personnel are managing the response.

Troy Resources has roughly 300 employees at its project site at any one time. This consists of mainly local employees who work on a shift rotation system.

ing for all of the grades as part and parcel of a number of measures that were a part of a “a blended multifaceted approach” that was being used to re-engage students while they remained home due to school closures effected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To expand the reach of the channel, some $200M was allocated in the National 2020 Budget. The Learning Channel was established in 2011, as a brainchild of then President Bharrat Jagdeo, as a means of airing educational programmes to children across the country.

Woman who murdered friend pleads guilty to manslaughter ANGELA KHAN, on Monday, confessed to killing her 37-year-old friend during a drinking spree at her Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara home in 2014.

Khan was arraigned before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court for the capital offence of murder, but opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

The case against Khan is that, on August 24, 2014, she unlawfully killed Bharrat Singh called ‘Lusty’.

The woman was represented by attorney-at-law, Latchmie Rahamat, while the state was represented by prosecutor, Teriq Mohammed.

According to reports, on the day in question, Khan, her reputed husband Dhaniram Seewah and Singh were all consuming alcohol.

Khan was seated in a hammock cutting up “seasoning” with a knife, when she asked her reputed husband to fetch water for her.

Following an argument, Seewah refused to fetch the water which resulted in Khan using the knife to slash his upper body.

Seewah armed himself with a window frame and used it to hit Khan on her foot. Singh, in attempt to restore peace attempted to take away the knife from Khan, but was instead stabbed to his chest.

Seewah managed to take the knife away from Khan and threw it into the yard.

Singh went to the lower flat of the home and was given some sugar water to drink.

He stayed at the bottom of the house on some wooden pallets, where he later succumbed.

Justice Barlow, in handing down her sentence, started with 10 years, from which she deducted 1/3 of the years after taking Khan’s plea into consideration. The judge then ordered the prison authorities to calculate the final sentence.

Peacemaker stabbed by Police Constable A 24-year-old porter of Middle Street, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara is nursing several injuries to his head and hands after he was stabbed by a Police Constable with a bottle on Sunday.

Police Headquarters, in a statement, noted that Kester Norville was on the roadway in front of his home when he saw the cop, who was off duty at the time, slashing a friend of his to the face with a bottle at around 19:40hrs.

According to the Police, Norville said he intervened with a view of making peace

among the suspect and his friend; however, the suspect became annoyed and dealt him several lashes about his head and body with the bottle.

He was escorted to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was treated and sent away. Police said the suspect was subsequently contacted and had to be escorted to the West Demerara Regional Hospital due to injuries he too had received about his body.

The Constable was treated and sent away. He is currently under close arrest.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

International Day of the Girl Child THROUGHOUT the corridors of history, records of mankind’s sojourn on Planet Earth have always shown a predisposition of global societies to favour men over women. In some countries women have few rights and subsist in lifelong servitude to the domineering males within their families and communities.

In some cases, they are even cruelly killed for the most minor infractions – real, imagined, or concocted -- without being allowed the opportunity to defend themselves.

Numerous episodes of brutality against women are recorded daily worldwide, and just recently a news report coming out of Ghana related that a woman who stole plantains to feed her hungry babies was stoned to death and dumped in a plantain farm at Aboaso in the Kwabre East Municipal of the Ashanti Region. It was reported that Ghanaian police couldn't locate the children.

In Guyana, Anitha Qualis, a 35-year-old mother of four who was found with 503 grammes of

marijuana in her possession, was sentenced to two years imprisonment and fined $754,000.

The magistrate disagreed with her lawyer Dhurjon’s impassioned submissions that the accused should be given no sentence of imprisonment on compassionate grounds. He revealed that Qualis was deprived of having opportunities in life to advance herself and explained that she did not attend secondary school and was a victim of sexual abuse, as a result of which she had her first child, who is now 16, when she (Qualis) was 15-years-old.

Qualis also bore three other children, ages 10, 14 and 15, during the course of an abusive six-year relationship; as a woman, Qualis was belittled and abused and kept down by her long-time partner who eventually abandoned her and their children.

Attorney Dhurjon added that after his client lost her job at a snackette, she felt an “irresistible compulsion” to do all things necessary to feed her starving children, and also explained that Qualis has had no criminal involvement save

for this incident.

For all of these reasons when the magistrate handed down the sentence, Dhurjon applied for suspension of the sentence under the Criminal Law Reform Act, Cap.11:05, which would have meant that Qualis would be released and if she re-offended, then she would be re-incarcerated. The magistrate, a woman, refused the application.

During her court appearance on September 22, Qualis told the court that: “I accepted the weed, I am a mother of four… I decided to try a thing to provide for my children.”

How does a jobless mother, abandoned by the children’s father, feed her children? Only a mother with starving children would understand the compulsions that drive these women to break the laws of society: and do the guardians of the law, like this magistrate and the people who stoned the Ghanaian mother to death, take into consideration the fate of the children who are consequently abandoned to the mercy of an uncaring, ruthless society, may themselves be forced

to themselves break the law to survive?

In 1995 at the World Conference on Women in Beijing, countries unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing the rights of not only women, but girls. According to a UN release, on December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

It further states, in part: “The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.”

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders in 2015, embody a roadmap for progress that is sustainable and leaves no one behind.

Guyanese have stopped being our brother’s (and sister’s) keepers because in many communities, neighbours witnessing a continuum of, and escalating instances of abuse refuse to become involved. They prefer to enjoy the unfolding tragedy, even adding to it with malicious rumour-mongering and strife-making, because the titillation of feuds and wars within families find a corresponding resonance in the dark nuances resident in every soul, and the average person refuses to rise above their more decadent equivalencies to achieve a higher plane of thoughts and actions, enough to maybe intercede – and probably save -- a family from ultimate destruction.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, has promised to revamp the sentencing guidelines in Guyana’s legal system; mayhap, women like Qualis would be dealt with mercifully, with the Ministry of social Services providing empowerment and job-creation opportunities for such women.

Very good work, First Lady Dear editor, IT has been said that blessed are those who have daughters in their lives for those darlings are the ones who bring love, happiness and harmony into one’s family. They teach us to see the world from a different perspective through the softness of the eyes. Being favoured with embodying the essence of progeny, feminine functionality adds another essential significance regarding the purpose of mankind. But in this present, conflicting and challenging world where women and girls are subjected to molestations, assaults, abuses, rapes, murders, victimis-

ations and discrimination, it is highly important for parents to understand the need for empowering their daughters and to allow them equal opportunities as with the sons. Befittingly, the United Nations has dedicated October 11 as the day each year to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child, to celebrate the importance, power and potential of girls around the world.

It is also a day to highlight girls’ needs and the particular problems they can face and drive efforts that meet these needs and fulfil their rights, not benevolently for them, but in partnership with them.

Once again, the ever

dedicated, selfless and hard-working First Lady of Guyana, Arya Ali, continues to awaken the power, strength and capabilities of the Guyanese women and girls to promote the efficiency and effectiveness of a feminine culture in an overlooked environment.

Last Sunday her timely and motivating message marked the importance of International Day of the Girl Child when she said, “We have seen remarkable achievements in the advancement of rights of girls over the last few decades.

Girls are proving to be unscripted and unstoppable, organising and mobilising themselves to tackle national issues such as education in-

equality, gender-based violence and the climate crisis.”

Encouraging a cohesion for unity, Lady Arya Ali concluded, “In so doing, we must also amplify leadership and actions which inspire solutions to positive change. Together, we can do this!” “A few weeks ago, Lady Ali was in the forefront, bringing a consciousness for “Breast Cancer Awareness,” by decorating the splendour of the colour of Pink on Main Street.

It is interesting to note some of the remarkable achievements from girls that have painted a universal impression and have resulted in positive reactions, globally. A chosen few are mentioned below to supplement

and compliment First Lady Arya Ali’s commitment on her honourable mission and to serve as an inspiration to young Guyanese girls: Greta Thunberg: You’ve probably heard of this environmental activist after her passionate speech at the UN Climate Summit, but this 16-year-old student has been advocating for sustainability for years now.

Greta began by protesting the Swedish parliament in an effort to get them to do more to prevent climate change.

She went on to organise Fridays for Future, a school climate strike movement.

As of 2019, more than one million students around the world participated in a multi-

city coordinated protest for stronger action. She has won numerous international awards.

Marley Dias: Marley is the activist behind the #1000BlackGirlBooks twitter phenomenon.

The hashtag was born out of the avid reader’s frustration that she couldn’t find any stories where the main characters looked like her.

The book drive resulted in more than 11,000 books catalogued with black female protagonists, and counting. Marley also wrote the book Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You as a guide to positive change through activism.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Welcoming gov’t’s decision on travel Dear editor, THE government has done the right thing in opening the airport for travellers to get back to work and for businesses to be productive in this COVID-19 epidemic.

It is a matter of public record that on March 17, a decision was taken out of an abundance of caution to restrict incoming and outgoing flights, barring special circumstances. Now, by allowing flights the space and place to flourish, Guyana is signalling its intention to beat this COVID-19 virus and regain lost territory. This will be good for all the struggling airlines to get back on their feet and start to look at better ways of meeting the needs of the travelling public.

After all, Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill also recently announced that the guidelines adopted by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority follow those of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the International Air Transport Association. He was quoted as saying, that “These measures are designed to ensure the safety of the travelling public. The Cheddi Jagan International Airport recently attained the Health Accreditation from the Airports Council International, Latin America, and the Caribbean. This accreditation is testimony of the airport’s ongoing commitment in prioritising health and safety measures for all travellers…”.

Also, it comes as no surprise that the Eugene F. Correia International Airport (EFCIA) is also in a state of readiness to accommodate international flights because GCAA and health officials conducted several assessments of the airport and are satisfied with the measures in place.

And with the expected stringent protocols in place to safeguard the health and safety of the passengers, all systems are in order, from the look of things, to run smoothly. From the gate to the plane, everyone will see the systems are working efficiently and effectively; so the airlines should get properly on board to boost confidence in the sector. They must revolutionise the service they provide with COVID-19 in mind. The way bookings are done should also be looked at with the view to making it easier for the passengers to get much-needed information as they fly.

We all must play our part in society to make the sector viable and successful. Guyana does not want to suffer like Barbados or Trinidad, whose businesses and people are feeling the squeeze of the prolonged shutdown. Just recently, the Movietowne business announced its “permanent” closure due to the pandemic and other issues after 10 years of providing services to the Trinidadian people.

Therefore, the opening up of airports and travel is a step in the right direction towards a bigger plan of economic development and growth again.

Regards, Erin Northe

Sugar cane production can be profitable

Dear editor,

THERE is much commentary on government’s intent to restart sugar factories closed down by the PNC-led regime.

I am fully supportive of the policy of rehabilitating the sugar estates and factories, including the one at Wales.

Sugar can be very profitable if estates are managed properly and if the workers can be lured into ownership and the state provides management of grinding and marketing (value added).

During the preceding regime, too many individuals lost their jobs as a result of the shuttering of the estates and too many villages have become depressed as a result of a loss of income of tens of thousands of workers leading to myriad social problems. Besides, sugar cane is very important to Guyana’s economy and the navel strings of the ancestors are buried on those very lands (an emotional attachment that ties one to the land that belongs to the ancestors and their descendants).

Sugar was king during slavery, throughout indentureship, and through the 1990s. In fact, for over three centuries, it was the largest foreign-exchange earner and employer). The indentured labourers saved the sugar plantations and it largely has remained profitable though the beginning of the 21st century.

Sugar rescued Guyana’s econ-

omy and now sugar needs to be rescued to provide a breadline for workers who know nothing else but cane cultivation and harvesting. One cannot simply close down estates without providing an alternative for employment for the affected tens of thousands, especially when money that could have been used to help workers were used to fete hundreds of managerial staff and non-productive political hawks who were earning almost $1 million monthly with other perks for not even showing up at an office. Sugar production is back-breaking work. Those on the fields deserve that $1 Million monthly salary, not those who were sitting in air-conditioned offices exploiting the labour of workers. The PNC blew it on management. They returned to the policy of Burnham giving jobs to supporters who know absolutely nothing about cane-growing. I remember conversing with an Afro Guyanese mechanical engineer who said that Burnham had sent him to work management of GuySuCo when he knew nothing about cane cultivation. But for him, it was a well-paying job.

I grew up in the sugar and rice belt on the Corentyne – Ankerville, a sub-section of Plantation Port Mourant. Ankerville itself did not grow rice or sugar, but the backdam was a vast expanse of land for both.

And I used to visit there daily,

growing up looking after cows or even assisting family members and friends with tending to the farms in the reef where the cane and rice grew. Although I did not personally cultivate cane or rice, my family members did and I assisted as much as I could while I was in school.

My parents did not want me on the land; they wanted me to become a doctor as every parent dreamed for their children. My grandparents, parents, and older siblings cultivated the land so that the younger ones like me and other brothers and sisters could get an education to get out of the cycle of subsistence farming, of back-breaking work in farms to eke out a living.

I know enough of cane-farming from my family encounters and from my own limited personal experience on the field as a youngster, as well as from conducting personal surveys (interviewing sugar workers and farmers) to conclude that cane will not be very successful in Guyana unless the worker is invested with some form of ownership. When I was in university in political science, I had a Professor, Randolph Braham, an expert on the Soviet Union and the Eastern bloc countries and Marxism/Socialism. He always reminded the class that no worker would wake up at 4 AM to milk a socialist cow (owned by the state), or no worker would put in full energy to cultivate a crop in which he does

Very good work ...

Emma González: After surviving a school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a group of teen activists was formed to fight for an end to gun violence. Emma González was one of those students, in addition to David Hogg, Alex Wind, Jaclyn Corn, Cameron Kasky, and many others. She co-founded Never Again MSD, a group for gun control, and gave a moving speech at the March for Lives Rally in which she read the names of her classmates who died in the shooting. After the work of Emma and her fellow activists, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act was passed by Florida lawmakers in March 2018.

Malala Yousafzai: At 17, Yousafzai became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate for her humanitarian efforts. She captured the world’s attention after being shot by the Taliban in Pakistan on her way to school because she was an advocate for women pursuing education. She is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree at Oxford’s

Lady Margaret Hall while continuing her charity work through her organisation, The Malala Fund.

Samantha Smith: Further proof that the words of a child can make a huge impact, Smith was only 10 when she eased Cold War tensions between the United States and Russia with a single letter. She wrote a note to CPSU General-Secretary Yuri Andropov suggesting that both countries could co-exist peacefully, which ended up getting published in a Soviet newspaper. Andropov responded with an invitation for Smith and her family to visit his country. This experience earned her the role of “America’s Youngest Ambassador,” and she later brought her message of peace to Japan. She also pursued a television career as an actress and as a special correspondent for the Disney Channel covering the 1984 presidential election.

Following her untimely death at 13 in a plane crash, her achievements were celebrated in her Maine hometown and in Russia where a monument was built in her honour.

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not have ownership. He would do the bare minimum to get a salary equivalent to that of others who performed or not. But if one owns a farm, he would be up at 4 AM and toil non-stop until 6 PM to ensure that the crop has the care for growth with maximum productivity. In other words, ownership would encourage people to work harder because the profits, the productivity of their labour would be enjoyed by themselves, not some bureaucrats who instruct you what to do from an air- conditioned office.

When one is an employee, one does the bare minimum to meet the requirements of a paycheck. One is not motivated to do more than the minimum.

Also, opportunities become available for corruption and to skylark and let the day and week go by without maximum productivity. On corruption, workers informed me that equipment and materials would be stolen and sold to private farmers. As much as half of the materials of GuySuCo are stolen rather then placed on the soil. Manure, for example, is pilfered. Molasses and sugar are stolen. Stealing is not confined to any one person; theft occurs from managerial level down to the labourer on the ground. There are also ghost gangs. Workers are paid for not showing up at the job site and they shared the loot with management.

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Anoyara Khatun: At 12-years-old, Khatun was a victim of child-trafficking until she was rescued by Save The Children. She returned to West Bengal and committed her life to putting an end to the exploitation and trafficking of children.

Anoyara has rescued hundreds of children through her efforts and prevented many others from being forced into marriage.

Anne Frank: The teenage diarist died in 1945, but the words she put down in her notebook while her family was in hiding during World War II have proven to be timeless. It’s a literary reminder of the horrors of war and hate through the eyes of a young girl.

Anne’s diary has been translated into more than 60 languages since its original publication in 1947.

Gitanjali Rao: Rao was awarded $25,000 at 11-years -old for inventing a device that can detect lead in drinking water. She was motivated by the Flint, Michigan water crisis and built her prototype (called Tethys) for a little more than $20. Rao believes that her

invention is more accurate than current test options and would also be the more affordable option. The invention earned her the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”

Alex Scott: Scott was less than a year old when she was diagnosed with cancer and spent her first few years of life fighting against the odds. After receiving a stem cell transplant around her fourth birthday, she vowed to start a lemonade stand to raise money for other children going through the same thing. With the help of her brother, the first stand raised $2,000. The lemonade stand to support cancer research became an annual event for her family and Alex raised over $1 million before losing her own battle in 2004 at eight-years-old. Her family continues to carry on her legacy through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and has raised over $150 million to date in the hope of finding a cure.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

No further delay for Good Hope Secondary School students –– construction to be completed by August 2021

By Vishani Ragobeer STUDENTS of the still incomplete Good Hope Secondary school, East Coast Demerara, will begin online classes through this school, instead of temporarily attending school elsewhere, Minister Priya Manickchand assured scores of parents on Monday.

The Minister met with many of the parents of the 195 students who were scheduled to commence their secondary education at the Good Hope school this school term. These students, who would be entering into the First form (or Grade Seven), were awarded a place there, after receiving their results of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

“We can get teachers to engage this cohort of children from as early as two weeks from now until we get the teaching service to put teachers in the school and so on,” the Minister told the gathering of parents.

The construction of the school fell under a multi-million-dollar project funded by the World Bank. The Guyana Secondary School Education Improvement Project (GSEIP) aimed to build two new secondary schools: the Westminster Secondary School in La Parfaite Harmonie and the Good Hope Secondary School. This particular school was supposed to be completed

in 15 months.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Adele Clarke had announced in 2018 that a US$4,082,506.80 contract for the construction of the Good Hope Secondary School was awarded to BK International Inc. and, the Minister previously stressed that the delay in completion was “unacceptable” as it has affected hundreds of students.

At Monday’s meeting, it was made known that the school is expected to be com-

their children worked hard and were awarded places at this Grade ‘A’ institution but cannot attend.

Many of these children were scheduled to begin their secondary school journey at another school, such as the Annandale Secondary, until this school was complete.

The COVID-19 pandemic, however, forced all schools in Guyana to operate virtually, and, as such, the solution of engaging the students under the administration of the Good Minister of Education Priya Manickchand engaging a parent

A parent raising her concerns in front of the gathering of parents at the incomplete Good Hope Secondary school

pleted by August 2021 and will accommodate some 800 students.

With the commencement of this new school term in September, the new cohort of students would not have been able to access the school. The Minister told parents she understands their frustration that

Hope Secondary school was made possible. In fact, this suggestion was first floated by one parent, Beena Ganesh before the Minister consulted with her team and assured that it would be possible.

And so, the Ministry’s team present at the incomplete secondary school for

the meeting took down the contact information for the parents of the children who would be part of this school.

The parents were also encouraged to follow the Ministry's Facebook page for updates.

The Regional Office will be asked to post the notices for the parents on its Facebook page as well.

Another parent, a father of a young girl, said that this idea to have the children attend this school virtually was “the best idea”.

There were also a few parents who indicated that they wanted their children to begin classes with the alternative school, the Annandale Secondary, in the coming week because weeks of schooling have already been lost. The Minister noted that those parents would also be accommodated by the Ministry.

TECHNOLOGY WOES The Minister also used the opportunity to address other concerns raised by parents; a prevalent concern was the inability of the children to utilise the virtual platform for learning due to internet connectivity issues or a lack of electronic devices.

One mother, who is also an educator, highlighted that half of the class was unable to access the Zoom classes because they do not have reliable internet access. The students of these households, she said, would only be able to get limited data plans, only sufficient for WhatsApp communication.

Another parent said that she has an older child, at another school who was recommended to sit Electronic Document Preparation and

Sugar cane production can be ...

Workers would inflict self-wounds to stay home and collect NIS compensation or get days off with pay from work. There were all kinds of scams to cheat the system. The same was experienced in Trinidad where sugar was produced at a loss at the state company, Caroni, but was made profitable by private farmers.

In Trinidad, during the Panday administration, I personally championed giving sugar workers the Caroni land for cane cultivation, but Panday opted to sell the land for peanuts to his friend, Lawrence Duprey of Clico. Ramesh Maharaj, a human rights activist, refused to sign off on the deal in 2001 and was fired as attorney general, resulting in the collapse of Panday’s administration and his permanent loss of power.

Ramesh wanted to give the land to the sugar workers while Panday and others, including Kamla, were in favour of giving the land to Duprey. When Man-

ning returned as PM, he closed down Caroni and distributed the land to party supporters and financiers and offered a small plot to former workers – some of whom are yet to receive their plots 20 years after Caroni is closed. Kamla promised to resume sugar production but failed to implement the promise.

She also failed to honour the promise to give all the workers their plots.

Sugar cane is labour-intensive, but it is necessary to be successful. You have to nurse the cane like a baby or if raising a child. The farmers treat the cane as their children. A paid worker would not. Yields would be tripled if not quadrupled in a private farm. Private cane-farming is known to outyield state production. Cane is planted in the hot sun and not during a rainy day. The farmer’s body is burning in heat. It is back-breaking work, bending down on the knees, juking cane, weeding, banking, fertilising, forking, cutting,

and loading punts for which few had the stamina to do. One had to take advantage of opportunity sunny days to plant and care for the canes for harvesting.

The land is prepared by building beds, making mares, farrowing (plowing and making valleys and ridges with shovel) it was called and then one had to juk the cane under the dirt (one or two knots), slanted at an angle, and at the right time manure the thriving cane.

There is flood-fallowing, allowing for fertilisation of the soil. As the cane grows, the trash begins to fall from the cane stalk. One has to cut those dead leaves and bank that trash. Then there was weeding the small bush or cut thick vines around the cane. The rotten trash and weed make its own manure. Then the land is lightly forked with banking to aerate the soil. Aeration of roots was critical, a method that was well tried and tested for centuries that GuySuCo abandoned some years ago. The pri-

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vate farmers thrived on that workable method and have higher yields than GuySuCo. The farmers took pride in the cultivation and harvest. They performed their tass (tasks) efficiently, unlike at GuySuCo. (Using machines, while reducing manual labour of workers, damaged the soil, making it too compact for cane to thrive. The waterlogged soil is not suited for machinery for certain aspects of production. Machines recompact soil, making growth difficult. That is why every year, cane yields decline.

Guyana’s soil is different from say Cuba or Trinidad or Fiji, or Mauritius for machine fertilising or harvesting).

At the right time, the farmer bruk banding. Fishermen would come and set nets so as to catch fish (patwa, houri, hassar, jumper shrimps, etc., that develop during the six months of land-flooding.

The land used to produce three tonnes per acre at one time although in India, one could get twice as much.

Management (EDPM) at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination. This student is unable to do so, however, since the syllabus requires the use of a computer system and she does not have one of her own.

Minister Manickchand noted that these are concerns she has been receiving all across the country but currently, the Ministry has no immediate plan to assist with data and connectivity. She only said that the Education Ministry was looking into devices for at least the Fifth Form students in regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine.

“While you all have some access here to WhatsApp but maybe not Zoom, they have none and we have to make sure that they aren’t left behind,” she lamented.

Though unable to provide short-term solutions to the parents for those issues and concerns, Manickchand related that the Ministry would be adopting a long term, strategic planning approach to cater for future disruptions, such as the current pandemic.

“Never again will the Ministry be caught (unprepared) like that, she stressed, “We will have locked away, filed online, information (so that) if we have ever have to lock up again, we can engage our children again within a week with printed material and so on.”

7 GuySuCo should reduce its role in cane cultivation. Now, it should prepare the land for cane production because they have become forests, thanks to the PNC’s ill-advised policy.

The land should be parcelled out (say 15-acre plots) to the workers for individual cane-farming. Farmers would better produce cane than the state, because they take pride in ownership.

Guysuco should manage the grinding factories, providing a service to the farmers to purchase and process their cane as is done throughout India and in various parts of Africa, where Indian experts own the factories and provide guidance on growth. Sugar production would be profitable as has been the case in Fiji, Mauritius, parts of Africa, and India if sugar workers are given ownership.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

$25,000 COVID-19 relief rolled out in Reg. Six

Man pleads not guilty to murdering brother -in-law

–– 53,111 households to benefit

By Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur THE Government yesterday commenced distribution of its $25,000 COVID-19 relief grant to residents of five Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and one Municipality in Region Six, East Berbice Corentyne.

Residents in the Municipality of Corriverton along with those in the communities of Crabwood Creek, 52/74, 51/Good Hope, Macedonia/Joppa and Maida/ Tarlogie benefitted from the grant

while residents of the remaining communities will receive theirs during the course of the week.

“We will be delivering to every household, not every family; we have to be very careful with the word household and family because some people may feel that every family may have to get the voucher.

“This relief will be in the form of cash to the residents so they decide how they want to spend it,” said Regional Coordinator Zamal Hussain.

Regional Executive Of-

ficer Narindra Persaud explained that 71 teams will be deployed in the Region to handle the distribution, noting that a total of 53,111 households in the Region will be benefitting from the initiative at the overall cost of approximately $1.3 billion.

DEAD: Terrence Adams

A BLESSING Rawlston Goodings, 46, a farmer and resident of Tarlogie, said the $25,000 is a “blessing” for him.

“First I want to thank God and secondly the President for making this contribution

Les Charles Critchlow

All smiles! Rawlston Goodings receives his $25,000 cash grant (Photo: Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur)

Shawn Bourne (right) receives his cash grant from a member of the Maida/Tarlogie team (Photo: Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur)

to us. It’s a blessing no matter how small it is and we will use it wisely and I trust that each one of us will do the same,” Goodings told the Guyana Chronicle.

Meanwhile, 28-year-old Shawn Bourne, a construction worker and a father of one, said that he lost his job as a result of the pandemic and since then, he has been experiencing dire financial issues. He told the Guyana Chronicle he is grateful for the assistance as it will provide him with stability for now.

“I do construction and right now there isn’t work so this will help me get back on

my feet for now.”

For 44-year-old Latchmanie Uterjee of Number 35 Village, the cash provides some hope as her son has been out of a job for several months. Uterjee said she is unemployed and her husband recently underwent heart surgery.

“I want to say thanks, this will go a long way; it can help fill a hole, it can help buy groceries or pay a bill but I know it will help tremendously.”

Thus far, Regions One and Nine have also benefitted from the cash grant initiative.

SIXTY-four-year-old Les Charles Critchlow on Monday pleaded not guilty to the 2016 murder of his brother-inlaw, when he appeared before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and a 12-member jury.

Critchlow, formerly of Haslington, East Coast Demerara, is on trial at the Demerara High Court.

It is alleged that on May 12, 2016, at Haslington, he stabbed Terrence Adams, called “Uncle Terry” or “Sleepy”, to death during an argument.

The accused is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Max McKay, while prosecutors Tiffani Lyken and Nafeeza Baig entered an appearance on behalf of the State.

The trial is expected to commence next Monday, and a total of 18 witnesses are scheduled to testify.

According to reports Adams, 56, of North Haslington, was found around 20:15 hrs on the day in question on the roadway in the village with stab wounds about his body.

Adams had been stabbed to the left and right side chest, and his neck was partially slashed.

He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

According to reports, Adams had made a derogatory remark to Critchlow, and a subsequent altercation turned deadly.

Adams had reportedly said, “You don’t even wuk no more, and can’t maintain my sister.” Critchlow reportedly flew into a rage and repeatedly stabbed him.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Miner admits to killing two $18M upgrades women in Region Seven for La Penitence, –– remanded to prison East Ruimveldt Markets –– Minister Dharamlall announces

The deplorable state of the exterior of the La Penitence Market (Adrian Narine photos)

The La Penitence Marke

MINISTER of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall has disclosed that $18 million has been allocated for rehabilitation of the La Penitence and East Ruimveldt Markets.

He made the announcement during a recent meeting with the Mayor and City Councillors of Georgetown.

The move to start rehabilitative works on the markets is part of the ministry’s plans for sustainable development of the city of Georgetown and its environs.

Minister Dharamlall believes that this project will not just help in the beautification of the capital city, but will provide better sanitation and healthier working environments for the vendors and shoppers of both markets.

He said that the ministry is cognisant that the country has now been put on the international radar and believes that Guyana has to develop frameworks and initiatives that will enable it to improve and promote the beauty of Guyana.

Further, he disclosed that in the emergency 2020 Bud-

get, funds were not allocated for a full rehabilitation of the markets. However, he gave the assurance that the 2021 Budget will include a larger portion of money to fund a complete rehabilitation.

Minister Dharamlall spoke of the importance of Georgetown, given its status as the country’s capital. He added that it is imperative that citizens and the government collaborate to ensure that all the goals are met.

He added that the ministry will be working to create a city that all Guyanese can be proud of, and it was with this vision in mind that the ministry allocated the funds to rehabilitate the markets, especially during this season.

Meanwhile, Town Clerk (ag) of the Georgetown City Council, Sherry Jerrick told the Guyana Chronicle that the Mayor and City Council has not been given a timeline for commencement of the works or how the ministry intends to carry out the works. She said the council is in contact with the ministry and is willing to work to get the initiative completed in a timely manner.

Mayor Ubraj Narine in comments to the media expressed his determination to work with the ministry to restructure and redevelop the city to better serve the citizens of Georgetown. He added that all citizens should have access to a better quality of living.

Mayor Narine stressed that the rehabilitation of the markets would provide comfort to workers and customers.

He said too that this rehabilitation would aid the workers, and would also help with sanitisation of the markets, which he reminded is especially important in the fight against the COVID-19 disease.

Additionally, $10 million has been allocated for rehabilitation of the Mon Repos Market. Work is expected to commence in three to four weeks and will be done in a phased manner. Phase one will see work being done on the external drainage system, washroom facilities and the fence.

A miner, on Monday, confessed to killing two women when he appeared at the Bartica Magistrate's Court via Zoom before Magistrate Christel Lambert.

The indictable murder charges were read to Joshua Connell; he was not required to plead and was remanded to prison until December 17, 2020.

Police said that Connell admitted to raping and killing Dimas Emilia Lezama Fermin, a Venezuelan found on October 4, 2020 floating at Big Hope Backdam, Cuyuni, Region Seven.

After he was taken into Police custody, Connell gave Police a statement at the Bartica Police Station where he admitted that he

Charged: Joshua Connell

raped the Venezuelan woman at her camp and, in the process, strangled her with his hands when she resisted.

He later threw her body into a pit aback the camp.

Additionally, Police said their investigators discovered that Connell also killed another woman last May over an allegation that she stole his raw gold.

He allegedly killed Rosella Smith, who was found in a pit at Three Miles in Karrau Backdam, Region Seven. An autopsy had revealed that she had died from asphyxiation due to drowning compounded by compression injuries to the neck.

Police said that the suspect was questioned in relation to the murder and admitted via caution statement to having choked Smith and throwing her body into the pit after they had gotten into an argument over raw gold she allegedly stole from him.

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

‘If you see something, say something’ –– CPA Director urges public in appeal to report child abuse

By Naomi Parris SCHOOLS are considered to be a home away from home, and in most cases a safe haven for children who are being abused in the privacy of their homes.

There have been several instances where children have shared stories of their abuse with their peers and teachers, thus aiding in their removal from abusive households, or even seeing their abuser being placed behind bars.

With schools being closed due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been a steep drop in reports of child abuse across the country. However, the Director of the Child-

care and Protection Agency (CPA), Ann Greene is urging the general public not to be silent on cases of child abuse.

Greene noted that schools can be considered an ally to the Agency by supporting its efforts to help abused children. She said that with schools being closed these days, it’s no surprise that the Agency has been seeing a decrease in reports, especially since many children are now at home with the very persons who have been abusing them.

“When we examined the period from March to July compared to the last three years, there has been a drop in the reports, which is expected, because school is out.

Children are in lockdown sit-

uations; they are home with their abusers,” Greene said.

She added that while the Agency has still been receiving reports, it’s just the tip of the iceberg, since child abuse is a hidden crime.

“We are still getting reports, but as I always say, the reports we get is never the true picture, and child abuse is a hidden crime, and it is under reported, so we just don’t look at the figures.

But with schools being out, it is a contributing factor,” Greene said.

She added: “If you see something, say something; call in to our hotline number.

Parents, the public, we are depending on you; if you see something, you must say something.”

CPA Director, Ann Greene

STREET CHILDREN On the other hand, Greene noted that since Guyana recorded its first case of the coronavirus in March, the CPA has seen an increase in the number of street children, and has been working around-the-clock to house and enlist those children in programmes to keep them off the streets.

Ms. Greene also disclosed that a recent exercise conducted to remove children off the streets has revealed that many of them are users of illegal substances, because of the abuse they suffer in their homes. In this regard, Greene noted that the Agency is working assiduously

to locate the parents and guardians of these children to hold them accountable for their crimes.

“We are essential workers; we working all the time. Friday we did a raid on the street; we removed a number of children who were begging… We have our work cut out for us; it’s quite challenging. Just as I said, we are continuing to work; we have to declare war, and I am looking for some warriors in terms of protecting children,” Greene said, adding: “We are going to hold parents accountable for children being placed in a position that they need protection.”

HELP US Greene noted that while persons may sympathise with street children, putting money into their hands will not help their situation, but in most cases make it worse, since a few of them are substance abusers, and the money given enables their addiction.

“We are also saying to the public, don’t give children ‘small-change’ when you see them begging outside. If you do that, you are a part of the problem, and the exploitation of the children.

And you, too, are sinning against them,” Greene said.

Exploitation of children, she said, can be stopped, in a way, if persons report these instances rather than encouraging it by giving the children what they are begging for. As such, she reiterated her call for members of the public to report crimes against children.

“That little small change is not helping them.

You are not a part of the solution. To be a part of the solution, you have to help us guide them, bring them to us. There are programmes for us to help these children and we have to get the support from the public,” she stressed.

Judge to sum up evidence in Sophia murder trial

Accused: Odel Roberts

COME Wednesday, Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry is expected to sum up the evidence in the trial of Odel Roberts, who is alleged to have murdered a Sophia shopkeeper in 2015.

Roberts also called Delon Williams or “Gully Side”, formerly of ‘C’ Field Sophia, pleaded not guilty to murdering Shawn Anys on May 1, 2015, during a robbery at `D’ Field, Sophia.

The trial is being con-

ducted at the Demerara High Court.

The state is being represented by prosecutors, Tiffani Lyken and Nafeeza Baig, while attorney-at-law, Damion DaSilva, is representing Roberts.

In his defence, Roberts told the court “I have no knowledge of no murder that took place because I was in prison.”

His attorney urged the jury to find his client not

DEAD: Shawn Anys

guilty of the offence since the prosecution had failed to establish its case.

Prosecutor Lyken, in closing her case, argued that a sufficient case was made out against Roberts.

Following the summing up on Wednesday, the judge will hand over the case to the 12-member jury who will retire to consider their verdict in the case.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Leguan to see major improvements before year end

PRESIDENT Irfaan Ali has assured the residents of Leguan in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) that they will benefit from a wide range of programmes and projects before the end of the year, in critical areas including health care, education and infrastructure.

The Head of State made this announcement during his address to residents on Sunday, the Office of the President noted in a press release.

“My brothers and sisters, whether you are nurses, teachers, public servants, rice farmers, labourers, sea defence workers; whether you are a doctor or an army chief, whether you are a military officer, you are all equal in the eyes of your President and your government, and you will be treated equally.

Rest assured, we are working every day and every night to bring benefits to your lives.

That is our commitment to the people of this country,” President Ali was quoted as saying in the release.

The President pointed to several important projects which the government has invested in to make a reality; these include improving the supply of electricity to the island, and more importantly, the reduction in the cost of electricity.

“We are working on improving the power supply now. However, before the end of year, you can rest assured that your electricity bill will be cut by half under this government. We will ensure that every community is equipped with street lights.

“I come here as your President, and we come here as your government to re-

mind you of these things.

People will say those were campaign promises, but I am here to tell you that these are the commitments that your government will deliver to you in these five years,” the Head of State noted.

He noted, too, that there will also be improvements in the healthcare facility on the island, while he assured that he will address concerns over the working condition of the x-ray machine there.

In addition, the President announced that the private sector is also playing a key role in bolstering the capacity at the health facility on the island.

“A son of the soil, Mr Tony White has asked me to communicate to the people in Leguan that his family will be investing into the Leguan hospital to improve it and to bring it into top notch condition; that is a son of the soil here. He will be spearheading this. These are the types of initiatives that will improve life.”

Meanwhile, the Head of State also said that $3.5M has been allocated to the improvement of the Post Office and the facilities there which are used by pensioners.

“When I was here the last time, I was told that the pensioners have to go and line up for their pension without seating accommodation, no proper shed, and they are there exposed to the elements…We have some special funds to be allocated to the improvement of that facility, for a proper shed, sanitation facility, and seats, so that our pensioners can be taken care of properly,” President Ali announced to resounding applause from the residents gathered.

the term, 20,000 new scholarships for young people in this country.”

Residents of Leguan at the meeting with President Irfaan Ali

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT In outlining the importance of fostering youth development, the President noted, too, that community grounds will be upgraded to the tune of $1.5M. In addition, efforts will be made to improve the facility at the computer lab on the island.

He also announced the rejuvenation of business incubation initiative for small farmers, which will assist young people in going into business and in advancing their technical education.

“We can train young people to go into the new areas of development because there will be many new technical areas that will be opened up for development,” the President said.

The President assured that there will be many more opportunities for youth development, particularly through the Government’s

Speeding biker killed in EBD accident A 40-year-old Delph Street Campbellville, Georgetown man lost his life on Sunday after he lost control of his motorcycle, #CG 3100, on the Diamond Public Road, East Bank Demerara, in the vicinity of DDL. Police Headquarters, in a statement, noted that Marlon Fiedtkou was proceeding north along the western carriage way of the road at a fast rate of speed when he lost control and fell. The accident occured around 17:45hrs.

Fiedtkou received injuries about the body; he was picked up in a conscious condition by the police ranks

Dead: Marlon Fiedtkou

and escorted to the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital where he was examined and later trans-

ferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

The Police said that Fiedtkou was admitted a patient in the Accident and Emergency Unit Critical Bay where he was being treated for a punctured lung and lacerations about his body. He later succumbed to his injuries while receiving attention.

The body is at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that Fiedtkou was a member of the Sonic Hunters Motorcycle Club.

scholarship programme.

“I want to assure you that we have already launched 1000 scholarships, but next year we are going to start in a big way, to make a dent

into the 20,000 scholarship promise we made. By next year, we will have more than 4000 scholarships available to the young people of this country and by the end of

INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Meanwhile, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill pointed to critical infrastructure improvements to the island’s sea defence and road networks. Towards this end, he announced that $106M has been earmarked for capital development on the island over the next three months.

In his remarks to the residents, the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharmalall explained that the Ministry will be investing an additional $70M in Leguan over the next three months. Some of the funds will go towards the provision of solar street lights to enhance safety and security on the island.

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Family picnic ends tragically …after youth drowns

Dead: Humal Jaggernauth

A family’s worst fears were confirmed yesterday when they retrieved the body of 25-year-old Humal Juggernauth who was reported missing on Sunday during a picnic at Hamburg Beach.

The young man’s body was discovered by divers at the spot where he was suspected to have drowned; his body was pulled from the murky water early yesterday morning at Hamburg Beach.

Police Headquarters, in a statement, noted that Juggernauth left his Spring Garden, Essequibo Coast home on Sunday at around 11:30hrs with 25 of his family members in a wooden vessel for the beach.

On arrival, Juggernauth’s

family members exited the boat and went ashore, leaving him and his uncle, Randy, to moor the boat. After they finished mooring the boat, Juggernauth and his uncle began to swim to shore but only the uncle reached to shore.

The family immediately launched a search for the young man but his body was only found yesterday.

A close friend, Ravin Sharma, told the Guyana Chronicle that Juggernauth was very helpful and was a leader at his temple. The young man was a dryer/operator at Golden Fleece Rice Investment Mill (GFRI) and was the President for the Spring Garden Mandir.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Inter-agency committee to look into welfare of Venezuelan migrants – President Ali ––re-migrants call for low-income housing projects PRESIDENT Irfaan Ali has assured Venezuelan migrants that their welfare will be looked into when he establishes a special committee.

The President gave this assurance on Sunday as he responded to a request by a Venezuelan re-migrant, Susan, [only name given] during an outreach held in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region.

The President informed that the committee will include the Minister of Housing, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Local Government. These ministries will work along with other officers and stakeholders in drafting comprehensive strategies to assist Guyanese who returned from neighbouring Venezuela. The committee will provide documentation and translation services while the Housing Ministry will also examine housing projects for the re-migrants.

President Ali said that special programmes will be set up to handle the education aspect so that re-migrant children can integrate into Guyana’s school system.

During the meeting, a Venezuelan re-migrant related that her entire family was

President irfaan Ali with Venezuelan re-migrants Sherry and Sharron at Suddie

forced to migrate to Guyana due to the harsh economic crisis there. She said there are many other Venezuelans who are in the country seeking jobs and housing.

“We have qualifications but no one wants to hire us; we have to pay high fees to get our documents translated.

We need representation and

we need to re-integrate in the Guyana population; we are begging the Government to assist us,” El Gordo related.

Another re-migrant, Sharon Kowlesser, is also advocating for low-income housing projects for persons who returned; this will allow then to apply for loans through the banking system. Kowlesser

said that the Housing Ministry has been helpful and persons were advised, in the past, to apply for house lots and put on the form that they were re-migrants.

Many Venezuelans are currently in various communities within the Pomeroon-Supenaam region living with relatives.

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Former PS refuses to accept reassignment to Sophia Exhibition Centre –– police called in

THE Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce had cause to call in the Police yesterday to remove their former Permanent Secretary (PS), Mrs. Karen Van Sluytman-Corbin, who reportedly refused to vacate her office after she was reassigned to the Sophia Exhibition Centre.

But Mrs Van Sluytman-Corbin told reporters that she visited the office to uplift her belongings when she was locked out. However, a statement from the Ministry noted that the former PS indicated to subject minister, Oniedge Walrond, that she would not vacate the office of Permanent Secretary or accept reassignment.

Following the appointment of new Permanent Secretaries on October 8, Mrs. Van Sluytman-Corbin was informed of her reassignment on October 9, while still at the office, the Ministry noted.

“Specifically, Mrs. Van Sluytman-Corbin was advised of her reassigned position, job description, and place of work, which is the Sophia Exhibition Centre.

On being so advised, Mrs. Van Sluytman-Corbin indicated to the minister that she would not vacate the office of Permanent Secretary or accept reassignment. It is in this context that Mrs. Van Sluytman-Corbin’s reporting to work on October 12 at the Ministry's premises on South Road instead of the Sophia Complex must be interpreted,” the Ministry’s statement noted.

According to the Ministry, Mrs. Van Sluyt-

Karen Van Sluytman-Corbin

man-Corbin refused to leave the premises and it was at this time that the Police were requested to assist in escorting her therefrom.

“It is only after these incidents that Mrs. Van Sluytman-Corbin requested to see the minister. On being asked about the intended issues to be discussed with the minister, Mrs. Van Sluytman-Corbin then indicated that she wished to remove personal items from the office.

“Permission to remove personal items under supervision was promptly given, and Mrs. Van Sluytman-Corbin secured same before exiting the building.”

The Ministry further noted that Mrs. Van Sluytman-Corbin remains a member of the team, and they look forward to a productive working relationship. The government has since appointed Sharon Roopchand-Edwards as the new Permanent Secretary at the Ministry.

Chicken vendor shot in Bagotstown

A CHICKEN vendor of Seadam, Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara is in a stable condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) nursing a gunshot wound to his right elbow after he was shot on Sunday night by person (s) unknown.

According to the police, 43-year-old Shemroy King was standing on the eastern parapet of Seadam having a conversation with the mother of his child at around 20:30h, when he heard a loud explosion, and

immediately felt a burning sensation in his right elbow.

He told the police that upon seeing blood running down his elbow, he realised that he’d been shot, and immediately joined a taxi and proceeded to the GPHC. Doctors on duty there recovered one warhead from his right hand.

Police say checks were made to locate the ‘child-mother’ but without any success, and that several persons were also questioned, but nothing useful came out of that exercise either.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Commander Ramlakhan heads to Berbice --urges ranks in Reg. One to enhance qualifications, community partnerships Under his supervision, several station management committees were also initiated in all the districts, along with team policing programmes at Port Kaituma, Kumaka and Santa Rosa.

Outgoing Commander of Region One, Senior Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan inspecting the attire of ranks at the Matthews Ridge Police Station

COMMANDER of Region One (Barima-Waini), Senior Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan will wrap up his service in the region this week, after being reassigned to Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The senior cop was only posted to Region One approximately two months ago, but as the Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed, he will take up his new post sometime this week.

When contacted, the senior cop confirmed his re-assignment, and urged those ranks he’d be leaving behind in Region One to take advantage of Online Coursera courses currently available to enhance their qualifications.

On Sunday, Commander Ramlakhan conducted inspections at the Mabaruma, Acquero, Imbotero, and Morawhanna Police Stations, along with community policing group members from Mabaruma, White Water and Barbina.

During his visit to the various stations, the Commander also held meetings with the various ranks there, and used the opportunity to remind them to ensure that they maintain and enforce the COVID-19 protocols.

Among some of the topics discussed during those meetings were the importance of weekly drills and instruction classes, usually held by subordinate officers

in charge of Stations, as well as building and enhancing partnerships with members of the various communities they service.

Commander Ramlakhan also encouraged ranks to familiarise themselves with the Standing Orders which guide their professionalism and operations with members of the public.

He also thanked the ranks for their support in the short time he spent with them, and emphasised the need for them to be honest and work together in the execution of their duties.

He also interacted with members of the Community Policing Groups, and thanked them, too, for their continued support.

During his short stint as Commander of Region One, Ramlakan regularly encouraged residents of the various communities to continue observing the COVID-19 guidelines and emergency measures, such as the mandatory wearing of face masks and practising of social distancing.

The Commander also advised ranks at the border to enhance their relationship with members of the Venezuela National guards.

The Senior Superintendent, who made several transfers within the region, also ensured training for ranks to use body cameras at the Kumaka Market during market days on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Inspection done with police and community policing group members recently at the Port Kaituma Police Station

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Hamilton steers clear of great debate after record success

By Alan Baldwin LONDON (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton looks sure to become the most successful Formula One driver of all time but argument about the greatest will rumble on.

But the Mercedes driver, who equalled Ferrari great Michael Schumacher’s all-time record 91 wins in Sunday’s Eifel Grand Prix and is heading for a seventh title, said that did not matter to him.

“There’s a lot of talk in all sports about greatest, past and present, and I think it’s almost impossible to compare,” said the Briton.

“There’s all this talk of who is and who is not and it’s not important to me. What’s important is the journey...it’s what we’ve done along the way, the obstacles you’ve faced. And everyone’s got a different journey.”

Triple world champion

Jackie Stewart, previously Britain’s most successful driver, said last week Hamilton would not be in his top three because there were so many more races now and the Mercedes was so superior.

The sport’s only Black driver, who has broken down barriers and spoken out on a range of subjects from racial injustice to the environment, said he got knocked by many people and especially older drivers.

“Maybe one day they’ll get over it,” Hamilton said.

“I have so much respect for the past legends, even those that do continue to talk negatively about me all the time. I still hold them in high regard because I know it was a different time in history. It was incredibly tough for them.

“In 20 years’ time when I’m looking back...I will not be talking down any young driver that’s coming through and succeeding, because a

means them getting to that record, that’s amazing.”

MORE RECORDS

Formula One F1 - Eifel Grand Prix - Nurburgring, Nurburg, Germany - October 11, 2020 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton celebrates with a trophy on the podium after winning the race FIA/Handout via REUTERS

responsibility as an older driver is to shine the light as bright as possible and encourage those.

“There’s going to be someone else, whether it’s Max (Verstappen) or whoev-

Delhi's Pant out for a week, Smith hails Stokes' return ..Shimron Hetmyer likely to sit out two more matches (REUTERS) - Delhi Capitals wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant will miss a week’s action in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after sustaining a hamstring injury in Friday’s victory over the Rajasthan Royals, his captain Shreyas Iyer said.

Pant was seen limping towards the end of the match and sat out of Sunday’s loss to Mumbai Indians, with Australian Alex Carey replacing him behind the stumps.

“I spoke to the doctor and he said he is going to be resting for a week,” Iyer said after Sunday’s five-wicket loss in Abu Dhabi.

“Hope he comes back strongly after this break.”

Pant’s absence disrupts the team balance for Delhi, who are second behind fourtime winners Mumbai.

With Carey the only other wicketkeeper in the squad, West Indian batsman Shimron Hetmyer is likely to sit out two more matches.

Delhi Capitals wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant will be out for a week.

IPL teams are allowed to field a maximum of four overseas players in their playing XI and Marcus Stoinis, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje look certain to retain their places for Delhi.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes made his belated appearance in this year’s tournament on Sunday in Rajasthan Royals’ five-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Stokes ended his international season after the Manchester Test against Pakistan

in August and travelled to New Zealand to be with his father, who has brain cancer.

The 29-year-old bowled only one wicketless over, conceding seven runs, and made five in opening the batting but skipper Steve Smith was happy with his overall impact.

“With Stokesy back, it brings a nice balance to us.

He bowled only one over tonight but he just got out of lockdown yesterday. It helps our balance for sure,” the Australian said.

er, chasing the record that I eventually set. It’s the wrong approach to be hoping he doesn’t break it.”

“You should be encouraging them to live to their full potential and if that

Hamilton was presented with one of Schumacher’s helmets by the German’s son Mick after the victory at the Nuerburgring, with the youngster offering the family’s congratulations.

The sense of achievement was not lost on his rivals, either.

As Australian Daniel Ricciardo observed, if Hamilton had taken his 91 wins consecutively then nobody else in Formula One would have had a look in for the past four and a half seasons.

“It’s incredible and very impressive. And I’m pretty sure there will be some more victories coming his way, and probably also championships,” said Red Bull’s Verstappen, runner-up on Sunday.

Hamilton is now 69

points clear at the top and closest rival, Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas, recognised it would take a miracle to stop him taking the title.

Many more wins will surely follow for a man who has averaged 10 a season since 2014. He is on seven for 2020 with six races remaining.

The tally could be well past 100 before Hamilton hangs up his helmet, with rules and cars staying substantially the same next year.

Mercedes have won both titles for the last six years and are set to make that seven, with Hamilton likely to be around for some time to come even if he has yet to sign a new contract.

“Hopefully, we have got more records to break and to make,” he said on Sunday.

“I am not done yet. I still feel I am able to improve. I still feel I am driving at a really good level.”

Deonarine continues dominance in Minor League Cricket

FORMER Guyana and West Indies batsman, Narsingh Deonarine, led his team, the Silicon Valley Strikers, to back-to-back victories in the last playing day of the Minor League Cricket (MLC) Exhibition Games for 2020 in the United States.

Deonarine followed up a half- century in the penultimate week with 36 and 46 runs respectively in consecutive clashes on Saturday at the Arroyo Park Cricket Field in California.

In the first game, East Blazers (H) batted first and were restricted to 116-9 in their 20-overs. In reply, the Strikers were struggling with their top order falling cheaply, but Deonarine, batting at four, played a few shots and swung the pendulum back in their favour.

The left-hander’s top score of 36 included four sixes and a four off 28 balls.

When Deonarine fell, wickets continued to tumble; luckily his team was able to claim a win off the last ball

Flashback: Narsingh Deonarine played both Test cricket and ODIs for the West Indies. (WICB photo)

of their innings.

In the second clash, the Strikers batted themselves to a respectable 180-3 off their allotted 20-overs.

Rahul Jaiwala led the attack with 77 runs, while vicecaptain Deonarine added his 46 from 28 balls.

The 37-year-old Deonarine clobbered four sixes and two fours in his knock.

The Strikers then restricted East Bay Blazers (A) team to 125 in 19 overs.

In week four, the Berbician had announced himself to the league with a massive half century.

His 83 off 48 balls, included eight massive sixes and three fours.

Last weekend’s games were the last for 2020.

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Search for an allrounder answered in a golden hour AUSTRALIA's selectors have waited a decade to unearth a player capable of cracking a century and grabbing a five-for in a single Sheffield Shield match.

Then today they found a pair of them within an hour, with Queensland's Michael Neser and Western Australia's Ashton Agar completing the feat barely a few hundred metres from one another in the opening round of this season’s competition in Adelaide.

Prior to Neser reaching his maiden first-class hundred with consecutive pull shots to the mid-wicket boundary off Tasmania's Riley Meredith, the previous player to pull off the double was Queensland-born WA recruit Mitchell Johnson in November, 2010.

Neser's effort after claiming 5-32 in Tasmania's first innings on Saturday was remarkably similar to Johnson, who also scored 121 batting at number eight and then followed up with 5-35 against Victoria at the MCG ten years ago.

But no sooner had the hubbub of Neser's achievement at Gladys Elphick Park subsided than Agar, who posted a career-best Shield tally of 114no against South Australia at neighbouring Karen Rolton Oval yester-

day, clinched his double in even more remarkable circumstances.

The left-arm spinner's fifth wicket came courtesy of a return catch chipped back at him by younger brother Wes, in a manner doubtless similar to numerous dismissals in the family's backyard contests.

Ashton's Agar's innings a day earlier had enhanced his claims for inclusion in Australia's Test squad this summer, which is expected to be significantly larger than usual for the upcoming four-match Vodafone series against India due to the COVID-19 restrictions on player health and replacement protocols.

Promoted Agar rewards WA with mature hundred Having famously come within a boundary of a Test hundred on debut at Trent Bridge in 2013 (albeit batting at No.11), his batting prowess is well known to those who have seen him as a possible long-term allrounder, especially in spin-friendly sub continental conditions.

Neser has gained growing renown as a handy lower-order batter, but was demonstrably delighted to reach triple-figures for the first time with Queensland nine wickets down and fears growing that No.11 Mitchell Swepson might leave him stranded in

Michael Neser (left) and Ashton Agar achieve a rare feat within an hour of each other on day three of the Marsh Sheffield Shield season.

the 90s.

He said a Sheffield Shield century had remained a dream for him, having posted 11 scores between 50 and his previous best of 77 (against WA in Perth in 2012-13) with four of those unbeaten when he ran out of partners or batting time.

Today, he had been told by skipper Usman Khawaja he had time to reach his goal as he wasn’t considering a declaration until the time reached “38 minutes past” 3pm, but he initially thought the pull shot he hit to reach triple figures wasn’t going to make it to the boundary rope.

"It's special,” Neser said of his breakthrough knock in his 84th first-class innings.

"A couple of times I've been stranded in the 70s and 60s and one of my goals was to score a century in

Dominant Flora Duffy strikes gold again ARZACHENA, Italy, , (CMC) – Olympics-focussed Bermudian Flora Duffy clinched her second successive ITU Triathlon World Cup gold medal by leaving her rivals floundering and storming to victory here Saturday.

Following her triumph in the first rescheduled World Cup event, the Karlovy Vary ITU Triathlon in the Czech Republic last month, Duffy led from start to finish over the sprint distance to clinch Bermudian Flora Duffy clinched her second successive ITU victory in one hour, 53 Triathlon Gold medal. seconds, ahead of Britain’s Bether Potter in than 35 seconds after one lap 1:02:04 and Italy’s Vere- of the bike, and never lookna Steinhauser in 1:02:07. ing back as she cruised down Duffy, a 33-year-old former the blue carpet to complete a two-time world champion, dominant display. held a 10-second lead over “I was super happy with her rivals after leaving the the swim, as well as the water, extending that to more

overall race,” said Duffy afterwards. “Sorting out my swim was a main goal here and the bike course I knew I just had to attack.

I wasn’t expecting to be riding solo but I’ve been there before so it didn’t freak me out.

“My coach and I had discussed what sort of power I’d need to use so I tried to ride hard but within myself and really maximise the descent, get aero and push.”

The abbreviated season will conclude with an Olympic-distance race in Miyazaki, Japan, in two weeks’ time.

Duffy is building up to next year’s Olympiad in Tokyo where she is one of the strong favourites to medal and hand Bermuda only their second Olympic success following boxer Clarence Hill’s bronze at the 1976 Games in Montreal.

Shield cricket.

"Now that I've done it, it's a bit of a weight off my shoulders and hopefully I can get another one."

Neser revealed he has been working on his batting during an off-season when his bowling was hampered by a nagging groin injury, but claimed the workload he carries as leader of the Bulls’ attack precludes him from shifting higher up the batting order than the No.8 berth he occupied today.

"The amount of bowling I've done in the past, it's quite unrealistic for me to start at six," he said.

"And our top-order is quite solid at the moment with their positions, so I don't see myself moving any higher.

"But I have done a lot of work on my batting.

"I suppose the off-season gave me a chance to get volume into my batting as well and I've done some minor changes, but nothing too major.

"I suppose with a bit of confidence, it all helps."

After witnessing at painfully close quarters last year the impact England's match-winning allrounder Ben Stokes can wield in the Test arena, the search for the next great swing man in Australia has gained greater urgency.

Neser begins Shield season with fab five Mitchell Marsh was viewed as a front-runner to take on that role against India if an allrounder was deemed essential, until he sustained an ankle injury that forced him home from the Indian Premier League last month.

Marsh’s WA teammate Cameron Green is touted as a future Test player but is currently not bowling at Shield level having suffered back stress fractures last summer, and Australia under-19s representative Liam Scott is currently playing just his second first-class match for SA as he finds his feet at senior level.

But the honour board of

allrounders to have completed the hundred/five-wicket double across almost 130 years of Shield competition indicate it's as rare as it is coveted.

In more than 2200 Shield games during that time, only 26 players can lay claim to the double that patrons in Adelaide could have witnessed twice today if they carefully timed their stroll from one venue to the other.

Agar follows Shield century with five wickets West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers – rated the greatest all-round cricketer of all time – managed it four times inside three seasons when playing for SA in the 1960s.

Monty Noble achieved it three times for New South Wales either side of the turn of the 20th Century, while ex-Test players Doug Walters (NSW) and Phil Carlson celebrated it twice during the 1960s and 70s.

Former Test captains Warwick Armstrong, Richie Benaud and Bob Simpson have their names on the list, as does Steve Smith who scored an even hundred and snared 7-64 for the Blues against SA at the SCG in 2009-10.(Cricket.com.au)

ICC chairperson appointment - October 18 deadline for candidates to file nominations NEARLY four months after Shashank Manohar stepped down, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has set the ball rolling on picking its next chairman.

October 18 is the deadline for potential candidates to file the nominations and an appointment is expected to be made before the end of the year. The candidates will need to be seconded by at least one current ICC board director to be eligible to contest the election.

The ICC has not disclosed how the eventual winner will be declared, though.

Incidentally that was the sticking point and the reason behind the ICC board failing to agree upon a process to elect Manohar's successor.

On July 2, the ICC board had said it would finalise within a "week" the process to accept nominations. Despite several meetings in the past

few months, the ICC board remained severely divided.

As per the ICC's constitution, any present or former director who has attended at least one board meeting is eligible to run for chairman. ICC directors are each allowed to nominate one candidate, and nominees with the support of two or more directors are eligible to contest an election. The election process is being overseen by the Independent Chairman of the ICC Audit Committee and can vary every election.

In 2016, when Manohar took charge for the first time, he was elected through a secret ballot. Two years later, he was the sole nominee and was re-elected unanimously without a vote.

On his way out, Manohar himself had attempted to find a successor as a unanimous choice, but failed. Consequently the ICC board agreed to appoint Imran Khwaja as

the interim chairman.

It could not be confirmed whether the votes would be cast via a secret ballot and whether the eventual winner would be picked based on two-third majority or just a simple one. For any resolution to be approved, the ICC constitution currently requires a two-thirds majority, or a minimum of 11 votes.

During the deliberations recently some of the ICC board directors wanted that to be changed to simple majority.

The ICC board comprises 17 directors: 12 Full Members, three directors representing the Associates, and the chairman (Khwaja is one of the Associate representatives as well as interim chair, currently), the ICC chief executive officer (Manu Sawhney) and an independent woman director in Indra Nooyi. The CEO, though, does not have a vote.(ESPN Cricinfo).

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guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 13, 2020

LeBron earns 'respect' and fourth Finals MVP award

(REUTERS) - LeBron James became the first player to win NBA Finals MVP honors with three different teams on Sunday, and for LA Lakers coach Frank Vogel the Ohio native has cemented his status as the best player “the basketball universe has ever seen”.

James’s fourth NBA championship, which came after he led the Lakers to a 106-93 win over the Miami

Heat in Game Six, also saw him take home his fourth Finals MVP award.

He trails only Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan, who won six to go with his six NBA championships.

The 35-year-old James, who also won the award during two championship runs with Miami and one with Cleveland, averaged 29.8 points per game on 59% shooting in the Finals while leading a defensive

effort that handcuffed the Heat offense in Game Six. While many still consider Jordan as the sport’s best player of all time, Vogel put James above him.

“He’s the greatest player the basketball universe has ever seen,” Vogel told reporters.

“And if you think you know, you don’t know, okay, until you’re around him every day, you’re coaching him, you’re seeing his mind,

you’re seeing his adjustments, seeing the way he leads the group.”

Lakers team mate Kyle Kuzma said James was a driving force on the court and off it.

“He’s one of the greatest leaders in sports, not just the NBA,” said Kuzma.

“He’s always rallying LeBron James holds his fourth NBA Finals MVP award, after the Lakers' victory on Sunday night. the troops, talking in group chats and making sure ev- Makes everybody account“I told (Lakers president) erybody’s fine. Holds ev- able.

Jeanie (Buss) when I came erybody to a high standard.

“Everything you want in here that I was going to put a leader.” this franchise back in the James had said bring- position where it belongs. ing the Larry O’Brien tro“We just want our rephy back to Los Angeles spect. Rob (Pelinka) wants for the first time since 2010 his respect, coach (Frank) was his sole focus when he Vogel wants his respect, joined in the summer of our organisation wants its 2018 after the franchise respect, Lakers nation wants had fallen on hard times. its respect,” he said. tude to the minister for his “It means a lot to rep“And I want my damn cooperation and pledged to resent this franchise,” said respect too.” uphold the high standards James. the BCB has set itself.

Minister Ramson launches BCB Brian Ramphal School Bags programme -fruitful meeting held with BCB Executives MINISTER of Youth, Culture and Sports, Charles Ramson, on Friday last, joined president of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), Hilbert Foster, to officially launch the board’s Brian Ramphal School Bags project for young cricketers in the Ancient County.

The Minister was, at the time, meeting with Executives of BCB as part of his outreach programme. The school bag drive is an annual event which comes under the Foster-led BCB umbrella as part of their educational assistance project.

Dozens of young cricketers who attend primary and secondary schools are set to receive the bags among other educational materials from the programme which, in 2020, received support from overseas-based Guyanese businessman, Brian Ramphal and the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC).

Minister Ramson recently handed over bags to six Under-15 players from the RHTYSC, Albion and Rose Hall Canje Cricket Clubs. He urged the players to take care of the bags and also to place special emphasis on the importance of education. Foster, who is also the Secretary/ CEO of the RHTYSC, stated that one hundred cricketers will receive school bags as the BCB strongly believes in the value of education. Only last week, the board handed out financial stipends to six cricketers who excelled at the 2020 CSEC under the Adana Homes Educational Scheme.

He expressed gratitude

BCB Secretary, Angela Haniff, presents Minister Ramson with a publication of the book.

to Brian Ramphal and the RHTYSC for their continued investment in the development of Berbice cricket.

Meanwhile, the Minister and Mr. Kashif Mohamed met with the BCB executives, led by Foster, in a very fruitful meeting in the boardroom of the Albion Sports Complex. Other BCB executives in attendance were vice-president, Albert Smith; Robby Saywack; Secretary, Angela Haniff; Assistant Secretary, Ameer Rahaman; Treasurer, Dr. Cecil Beharr;, Assistant Treasurer, Rovin Bahadur; Public Relations Officer, Simon Naidu, and executive, Mr. Edwards.

The Minister used the opportunity to bring the BCB’s top brass up to date with the current status of the Cricket Bill Act and praised the outstanding work of the BCB. Foster provided the Minister with the ongoing efforts of his administration and also the work over the last two years. The current executive inherited a board with no funds, no proper cricket tournaments held for years, no developmental programme

in place, while the game was slowly falling apart at the grassroot level.

Two years later, the BCB has raised over $30M in cash and kind, organised over sixty tournaments at all levels, implemented dozens of developmental programmes and assisted clubs as never before. The Minister committed to assisting the BCB with funds for some tournaments, cricket coaches and to look into possible ways of assisting with grass cutters.

It was also disclosed that an indoor cricket practice center would be constructed as part of the Albion Stadium .The BCB submitted a list of grounds to Minister Ramson for possible upgrading by the government.

The grounds include Paradise, Bush Lot, Bath, Lovely Lass, Blairmont, Guymine, Sisters, Hampshire, Fyrish, No 19, Kilcoy and Skeldon.

The Minister was also informed of four motions passed at the BCB Annual General Meeting and for the inclusion into the cricket bill.

Foster, at the end of the meeting, expressed grati-

Lakers pay tribute to Kobe Bryant after first NBA title win in 10 years See Story on Page 24

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) holds up four fingers after winning his fourth NBA championship after game six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena. The Los Angeles Lakers won 106-93 to win the series. USA TODAY Sports

AB de Villiers dazzles as Royal Challengers Bangalore hammer KKR Pulev says he will fight Joshua

Champion Anthony Joshua (left) and Kubrat Pulev will clash on December 12.

A

B de Villiers bludgeoned a swashbuckling half-century to set up a crushing 82run Indian Premier League win for Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB) over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

The Knight Riders had won three consecutive matches, but they were brought back down to earth at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday.

It was an astonishing knock from De Villiers that made it very much advantage RCB, the maverick South Af-

rican smashing 73 not out off just 33 balls to get his side up to an imposing 194-2.

De Villiers blasted six sixes and five fours, reaching his half-century in 23 deliveries as the likes of Andre Russell and Pat Cummins were taken to all parts.

Aaron Finch (47), Virat Kohli (33no) and Devdutt Padikkal (32) also contributed, but it was De Villiers who very much took centre stage with his highest score against KKR. The Knight Riders could

only make 112-9 in reply on a slow track, with the impressive Washington Sundar taking 2-20 from his four overs and Chris Morris 2-17.

All six RCB bowlers took at least one wicket and Yuzvendra Chahal finished with outstanding figures of 1-12 from the 24 deliveries he sent down.

Shubman Gill topscored with 34 as only three Knight Riders batsman made double figures in an See Page 24

on December 12 in London

K

UBRAT Pulev will fight champion Anthony Joshua in a world heavyweight title bout in London on 12 December, the Bulgarian claims.

Briton Joshua was originally scheduled to fight Pulev, 39, on 20 June but it was postponed because of coronavirus.

"It's official: Pulev vs. Joshua on 12 December in London," Pulev posted on his official website on Monday.

"There is no way back, no postponement, no rescheduling! Let the better one win!" he added on Facebook.

Joshua, 30, beat Andy Ruiz to regain the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles in Saudi Arabia in December.

Pulev, the IBF's mandatory challenger, said both fighters have signed their contracts for the fight.

Pulev has been waiting for a chance to face Joshua for almost three years after a shoulder injury forced him out of their planned world title bout in October 2017.

It is not clear if the fight will be behind closed doors because of Covid-19 restrictions.(BBC Sport)

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Tuesday, oCTOBER 13, 2020