Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_11_02_2020

MONDAY 2nd November, 2020

' No.106171

Legal action to be taken against Jordan, Heath-London SEE PAGE 03

…for $2.3B in lands vested to eight companies after No-Confidence motion

Former CEO of NICIL, Colvin Heath-London

Former Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan

Promise fulfilled! The Ministry of Public Works, for the past week, has been engaging in reparatory works, including the filling of potholes and demarcating clear lines for minibus and travel lanes, at the Stabroek Market area. These works commenced following a walkabout by the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, and Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, recently. (Photo by Elvin Croker)

914 emergency number for 02 domestic, sexual violence victims PAGE

EU investing $1B to tackle President Ali ‘upbeat’ that 11 gender-based violence 14 tourism sector will rebound PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

914 emergency number for domestic, sexual violence victims –– 55% of women have experienced some form of abuse

MINISTER of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud has revealed that a 914 helpline will be introduced by the Ministry to facilitate the reporting of domestic and sexual violence.

“I cannot over-emphasise how important it is to report every incidence of violence to stem the relentless tide,” the minister was quoted as saying in a press release from the Ministry.

The introduction of the three -digit emergency number, Minister Persaud said, will open access to new initiatives that link survivors to agencies, advocacy programmes, referral pathways, micro-enterprise industries, and public-private skills employment database, matching and offering immediate help “to extrapolate them from violent situations”.

“It is perhaps the most obvious manifestation of deep imbalances of power in our society. The vulnerabilities

epitomised through financial dependence, lower employment, the culture of silence in the face of violence, and tangible insecurities; particularly during a crisis, when vulnerabilities are at their peak, and protections at their lowest point will be addressed through the Spotlight Initiative,” she noted.

Against the foregoing backdrop, the Human Services Minister underscored the importance of ending the culture of silence, and the acceptance of violence against women and girls wherever it exists.

“Violence, whether it affects women and girls, or men and boys, is unacceptable.

This is our chance to tangibly change the lives of women and girls, as we promised at the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 25 years ago,” Minster Persaud further stated.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud and UN Resident Coordinator to Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka signing the ‘Spotlight Initiative’ Country Document on Saturday

Here in Guyana, over 210,000, or three out of every five women have experienced some form of violence, either sexually or physically, the Minister revealed during the virtual launch of the ‘Spotlight Initiative’ on Saturday.

The United Nations/European Union funded initiative, which is intended to help over 600,000 women, girls, men and boys, will assist the

ministry in responding and addressing the scourge of all forms of violence against women and girls.

A budgetary allocation of 4.5 million Euros will be used to invest in strategic and catalytic interventions to address the root causes of, and holistically address gender-based violence and family violence over a three-year period.

“We need to ask ourselves

why violence continues to be pervasive and persistent. The heartrending cries of women who are beaten, chopped, stabbed, raped, brutalised and, yes, killed in this most horrific form of gender oppression has propelled us to embark on a pivotal partnership with the UN and EU to significantly improve the conditions of women, foster their empowerment, and work to prevent

and eliminate all forms of violence,” Minister Persaud said in her message.

The Country Document, which signals the commitment of the ‘Spotlight Initiative’, was signed by Minister Persaud and UN Resident Coordinator to Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka. The signing was witnessed by EU Ambassador to Guyana, Fernando Ponz Canto.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

Legal action to be taken against Jordan, Heath-London …for $2.3B in lands vested to eight companies after No-Confidence motion

By Navendra Seoraj GOVERNMENT will be taking legal action against former Finance Minister, Winston Jordan and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Colvin Heath-London for lands vested to private investors by the past administration after the historic passage of the no-confidence motion in December 2018.

Based on a list issued by the Attorney General’s (AG) Chambers on Sunday, lands valuing $2,383,390,759 were issued by the former administration to eight private investors, while only $64,623,276 was paid over, a mere two per cent of the consolidated total.

Among the eight companies listed are Caribbean Marketing Enterprise Inc.; Navigant Builders Inc; Cardiology Services Inc.; Premier Sales and Services; Supergraphics; American Marine Services Inc.; Guyana Oil Company Limited (GUYOIL); and BK Marine Inc. The document showed that two of those companies, BK Marine Inc. and

GUYOIL, were vested lands without an agreement, and, in GUYOIL’s case, no money was paid.

“It will be noted that except in one case, where ten per cent of the purchase price was paid, a mere fraction of the purchase price was paid but title was vested by former Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan,” said the AG’s Chambers.

Further, each of those titles were vested after the March, 2, 2020 general and regional elections, and each agreement of sale was entered into after the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government was toppled by the successful passage of the no-confidence motion, which, essentially, ‘stripped’ them of their authority to enter into agreements of sale or vest titles.

“The Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs has sought and received independent legal advice on this matter and the advice is that Minister Winston Jordan and Mr. Colvin Heath-London have acted recklessly, in bad faith with full knowledge of the flagrant

damages for injury flowing from such misconduct.”

Accordingly, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, believes that he could properly maintain an action for the offence of misfeasance in public office against Jordan, and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DDP) could similarly maintain criminal proceedings against the same individual.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall

illegalities which have resulted in millions of dollars of losses to the State,” said the AG’s Chambers.

The advice received by the AG’s office referred to the precedential case of Marin v.

Attorney General of Belize [2011]. The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), in this case, conclusively ruled that the Attorney General could maintain a cause of action against two former ministers of the Belizean Government for the “tort of misfeasance” in public office, resulting from them

transferring 56 parcels of state land to a company controlled by one of them. The court found that those parcels of land were sold below market value, deliberately, without lawful authority and in bad faith.

The Court went on to state: “is a matter of public policy, serious infractions by a public servant, such as misbehaviour in office, neglect of duty and breach of trust, are to be treated as crimes, subject to the right of any person or body of persons to recover

THIS WEEK As a result, the Attorney General will commence civil proceedings, this week, to, among other things, recover the said parcels of land and claim compensation against those implicated, including Jordan.

Additionally, each of these matters will be passed to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), for their investigations and any consequential actions which may flow therefrom.

Nandlall was clear that no actions would be taken against companies that surrender their allotted lands to the State.

Already, Navigant Builders, Corum Group, Cardiology

Services Inc., Supergraphic, American Marine Services Inc and GUYOIL have voluntarily offered to surrender lands vested to them.

The Attorney General, however, committed to releasing information related to more infractions committed, allegedly, by Jordan and London. On Friday last, London was dismissed, with immediate effect, for alleged illegalities, misconduct and serious failures in performance.

It was reported on Saturday that a review of NICIL’s operations revealed several illegalities and failures by London in the performance of his duties. Some of the issues include the issuance of various leases of NICIL properties located in Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara without public tender, valuations, board approval and Cabinet approval among other derelictions.

The Attorney General has since written to SOCU and the Crime Chief to investigate a lawyer closely attached to APNU over the sale of State lands at Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

Antibody rapid COVID-19 tests should not be used for diagnostic purposes –– Dr. Anthony emphasises that PCR tests from approved facilities should be used

By Vishani Ragobeer THE antibody rapid tests which are used to detect the body’s antibody response to COVID-19, should not be used for diagnostic purposes, according to Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony.

In a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Dr. Anthony said that there are different types of rapid tests -- the antibody rapid test and the more recently developed antigen rapid tests -- which are able to detect the presence of COVID-19 instead.

Antibodies are produced by the body's immune system when it detects harmful substances called antigens.

These antibodies may take up to several days before they are produced, because the body first has to be infected and then the human body reacts afterwards. So, if an antibody rapid test is used to test an individual for COVID-19, Dr. Anthony

highlighted, “at that stage, it is not so much about active infection, it will probably tell you that you were infected.”

It is for this reason he emphasised that the antibody rapid test should not be used for diagnostic purposes (that is, to determine whether someone has COVID-19), but perhaps, it may be used for screening purposes. The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, on the other hand, is the global “gold standard” for detecting the coronavirus, and not just the antibodies.

“The ministry has not been using the old rapid tests (the antibody rapid tests), only PCR, but there are other institutions in Guyana that have been using antibody testing and we have repeatedly said that these should be used for screening purposes, not diagnostic purposes, but I guess people don’t listen to us,” Dr. Anthony lamented.

Recently, however, Dr. Anthony highlighted that 20,000 rapid antigen tests

Monday, November 2, 2020 -- 04:30 HRS

An antibody COVID-19 test

ordered for selective hinterland regions will increase the testing capacity in those areas. These antigen rapid tests (not to be confused with the antibody rapid tests) would be able to detect the presence of the virus and not merely the presence of the antibodies produced by the body.

“The PCR is still the gold standard, but these rapid tests can at least give you a clear indication whether this person is positive or not,” the minister said, but he noted that there is a slim margin of error.

He also explained that the use of these antigen rapid tests is important, particular-

ly in the hinterland regions, because the current testing system is tedious. In these outlying areas, nasal samples are taken, stored and eventually sent to Georgetown for testing at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL). The samples are processed and then the results are sent back to the regions.

“That takes too much time,” Dr. Anthony said, adding, “(The antigen rapid tests) are going to change the dynamic of the testing out there and so we can respond faster to patients.”

Unfortunately, months ago, the antibody rapid tests

were increasingly used for diagnostic purposes. Dr. Seepersaud Chatterdeo, one of Guyana's prominent paediatricians, passed away after contracting COVID-19. He had taken an antibody rapid test, as this provided him with results much faster than a PCR test, and that would have allowed him to take care of his patients sooner -- once he was not positive.

That test showed that he was negative, however.

Dr. Chatterdeo’s unfortunate experience illustrates why the antibody test should not be used for diagnostic purposes. “If you’re just five days or six days and you just got exposed, that’s the time the virus is now multiplying in your body and PCR tests are the only ones that are going to give you a positive test,” Dr. Anthony said.

APPROVED LABS ONLY In a recent interview with

the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister Anthony also warned that individuals should be wary of private institutions offering the PCR tests, since the Eureka Medical Laboratory is the only private laboratory permitted to do this test.

This lab was inspected and deemed capable of offering the service.

Dr. Anthony disclosed that there are now some institutions that are purportedly offering PCR testing while not being appropriately licensed. The Guyana Chronicle understands that there are at least two other private medical centres, aside from the Eureka Lab and the NPHRL, which are offering PCR testing.

The issue with other institutions conducting the gold standard test is that they may not have the adequate capacity to offer the test.

Woman dies after minibus reverses into her AN accident on the Enmore Public Road on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) on Sunday morning has claimed the life of a 60-year-old female pedal cyclist.

Dead is Kallowtie Kishun, of Block ‘R’ Cove and John, ECD. According to a statement from the police, the minibus, BVV 7531, driven by a 62-year-old male of Golden Grove, ECD, was proceeding west along the southern side of the road at about 06:00h, while the cyclist was riding in the said direction behind the vehicle.

An eyewitness has been quoted as saying that the minibus suddenly stopped and reversed into the path of the pedal cyclist to pick up a passenger who was standing on the northern side of the road.

According to the eyewitness, the cyclist swerved north to avoid a collision, but despite her effort, the left handle of her pedal cycle collided with the right side rear of the minibus, causing her to fall on the road.

She was picked up in an unconscious condition by the said driver and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The body

is reportedly at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting a post mortem examination.

Dead is Kallowtie Kishun of Block ‘R’ Cove and John, ECD. Police Headquarters in a statement noted that the minibus, BVV 7531, driven by a 62-year-old male of Golden Grove, ECD, was proceeding west along the southern side of the road at about 06:00h, while the cyclist was riding in the said direction behind the minibus.

It was alleged by an eyewitness that the minibus suddenly stopped and reversed into the path of the pedal cyclist to pick up a passenger, who was standing on the northern side of the road.

According to the eyewitness, the cyclist swerved north to avoid a collision but despite her effort, the left handle of her pedal cycle collided with the right side rear of the minibus, causing her to fall on the road.

She was picked up in an unconscious condition by the said driver and taken to Georgetown Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The body is at Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary awaiting a post mortem examination.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

Sustainable development should remain a priority

…says WWF-Guianas Director

WWF Guianas Director, Dr. David Singh

By Vishani Ragobeer EVEN as Guyana and Suriname have discovered large oil reserves offshore with the potential to garner massive revenues, Director of WWF-Guianas, Dr. David Singh emphasised that sustainable development should still be a key development framework.

Speaking at a recent Online forum, Dr. Singh reminded his audience that just five short years ago, there were no massive proven oil resources in either of the two neighbouring South American countries, but now, Guyana has begun producing oil from its significant oil reserves, while Suriname has discovered substantial oil reserves, and will begin production eventually.

These discoveries, Dr. Singh said, could potentially transform the two countries into “oil-centered” economies, rather than put them on the “green” and sustainable trajectory which both countries have long positioned themselves for.

Noting also that inasmuch as an oil-and-gas industry can significantly contribute to sustainable development, Dr. Singh said: “For oil and gas to contribute to low-carbon and ‘green’ economies, oil must only be developed as an important contributor, and not as a central pillar for economic development for the Guianas.”

By “the Guianas”, Dr.

Singh means not just Guyana and Suriname, but French Guiana as well, and to a certain extent much of southern Venezuela, and parts of Colombia and Brazil, as, geologically speaking, they’re all part of the Guiana Shield.

But to get back to the point Dr. Singh was making, he said that in order to facilitate this sustainable development framework at reference, countries must remain resolute about building solid low-carbon and “green” economies. This includes ensuring that the proceeds of oil are sustainably managed to trigger economic diversification; the revenues garnered must be used to increase resource efficiency and address social inequalities and divisions within our multiethnic societies through thoughtful investment; and, the revenues must be used to ensure the rights of the citizens and their basic resource- the natural patrimony.

ECONOMICALLY SOUND Not only is sustainable development a better framework for environmental protection, but is it also an economically sound one, Dr. Singh said. In fact, countries that centered their economies on their oil and gas industry are on the “wrong side of history” according to Dr. Singh, who added that it is myopic to do so given that these resources are finite.

TURN TO PAGE

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Only the use of renewable energy sources is projected to grow this year (Source: Bloomberg Green)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

Tajeram Mohabir

The Timothy Jonas matter NEWS Room reported on October 28, 2020, as did other media houses in Guyana that President Irfaan Ali will appoint Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall and Chairman of A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Timothy Munro Jonas as Senior Counsel from October 30.

The Office of the President released a statement indicating that the decision was taken after consultation with the Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Yonette Cummings-Edwards.

The President acclaimed the merits of the attorneys for “their demonstrable knowledge of and learning in the law and on account of their exemplary erudition and diligence in the practice of law and by virtue of their distinguished contributions to the growth and development of Guyana’s jurisprudence and constitutional democracy.”

Under the previous government, a contention arose over the conferral of silk on several attorneys, with Timothy Jonas withdrawn from the list. Following certain remarks allegedly made by Mr. Jonas in a Demerara Waves report of January 23, 2019, headlined “Timothy Jonas wasn’t withdrawn from Senior Counsel list for

political reasons,” then AG Basil Williams asserted that, even though Chancellor of the Judiciary had submitted Jonas’s name for conferral of the title of Senior Counsel, he did not qualify because of his limited years of experience, which he posited should be over 30 years in practice.

Demerara Waves had reported that Jonas was called and informed by the Ministry of the Presidency that he had been picked to become a Senior Counsel, but after news broke that he had been part of a steering committee of the then recently formed political party, ANUG, he was the following day informed that his name had been pulled off the list of Senior Counsel.

Current AG Nandlall, then in the opposition, averred that this decision was without merit, citing as example Attorney-at-Law Forbes Burnham who was Guyana’s first Executive President, and other prominent attorneys who had become Queen’s Counsel in less than 30 years; 12 years in the case of Burnham.

Nandlall clarified that the Attorney General merely serves as a conduit for the list to be presented to the President, whose role in the process is merely ceremonial. He emphasised: “The President is unfamiliar and is unaware of the attributes of the lawyer.

The judges are regarded as the institution that is qualified to assess the performance of the lawyers. The Attorney-General is simply a conduit because judges ought not to have direct contact with the President, so that system insulates the system from political interference.”

Although the current government did confer silk on Mr Jonas, he expressed reservations about the process; but in a letter published in the Stabroek News of November 1, 2020, and headlined: “The conferral of silk on Mr Jonas,” Dr. Tara Singh of the Guyanese diaspora domiciled in New York, alluded to the previous incident, where Mr. Jonas had been denied silk, and to the case that Mr Jonas has brought before the High Court challenging the legality of appointment of four Senior Counsel by President David Granger on the grounds that such authority exists with the judiciary and not with the President.

Mr. Jonas contended that “… politicisation of the process and lack of transparency reduce public confidence, and cheapen the process itself.”

Dr. Singh avers that “The perception conveyed is that Mr Jonas is committed to legal procedures, non-politicisation, and transparency, and that the process was

politicised and not transparent, despite the fact that his appointment was made in consultation with the Judiciary (and Mr Jonas himself says “the legal requirements identified by me had been met”) Mr Jonas was still sceptical and indicates that he will wait until a ruling is delivered in the case that is before the High Court. Was his action appropriate having been assured that the appointment has the imprimatur of the Judiciary?”

AG Nandall, in his Court submission, stated that (i) the President, as the Supreme Executive Authority of Guyana, is vested with the exclusive prerogative to confer Silk upon attorneys-at-law; (ii) the prerogative or power to confer Silk was never vested in the judiciary of Guyana; and (iii) the President’s prerogative to confer Silk does not infringe on judicial independence, nor is it unconstitutional in any other way.

The current government is determined to right all wrongs, and is taking pains to ensure that it does not breach constitutional requirements and guidelines, so it is of concern that, in doing so, it is taken to task on questionable grounds.

Guyana’s digital economic challenge Dear Editor, I, NEITHER an APNU nor PPP voter, just want the best for our nation regardless of the government in power – I am non-aligned.

Some may be apt to consider this discourse to be a criticism; however, the intent is to elevate the discussion and accelerate change.

There is a big difference between secrecy and privacy and we Guyanese should demand less of secrecy.

There is not enough space to elucidate our digital opportunities, so I will reserve some for another audience as I enjoy the cool breeze of the Atlantic and Demerara River estuary. My focus is on the 90 percent of Guyanese and not the 10 percent like

myself, a simple discourse.

Guyana’s gap in the global digital economy is enormous; however, there is a silver lining if we seize it. Guyana is approximately 20 years behind the rest of the world in technology adaptation -- and I am being conservative.

The technology acronyms of “AI - artificial intelligence”, “Block Chain – Security”, “Big Data – Data integration” , “IoT – connectivity”, Connected retail, “Cloud – storage and usage”, “RFID – tracking”, “Mobile Money” are major technology developments in the rest of the world and Guyana’s 10 percent. The other 90 percent of Guyanese don’t need to know how it works, but should see the benefits.

My concerns are we continue

to be left behind, since technology is an afterthought in our central planning – most think of broadband/phone as the primary objective.

Yes, some of this was caused by our limited financial resources over the years; however, much has been driven by poor planning and execution. Government doesn’t have to do everything, but create the environment that fosters change, innovation and competitiveness. Blunt honesty follows!

We get an ‘F’ for Backoffice automation -- both private and public -- ledger books, carbon copies, police notepad, and physical files are a thing of the past. This is a major source of our nation’s inefficiency and corruption because of no electronic or

forensic footprint!

We get a ‘D’ for electronic payments, electronic billing, debit/card acceptance, etc. We are way behind. We can buy at Courts/Massy using a bank card; however, some of our well-established Guyanese institutions are cash or managers’ cheques only, Gafoors, Toolsie, Kissoon, National Hardware, etc. They have been around for decades and still function as though we are in the 70s in payment acceptance.

Not unusual at most gas stations typically run by two people worldwide because of automation, we have an army of six to eight or more to service gas. Unfortunately, my dad don’t have to go to the post office each month to collect his Old Age Pen-

sion, he is dead. GuySuCo did not have its challenges because of lost subsidy only, automation and inefficacies caused it.

Grade ‘F’ for tax and fees collection by ministries, GRA, NIS and others are abysmal (manual option), bring cash only. My summation is, we pay 14 percent VAT because of the inefficiencies and non-compliance by a vast portion of the population. Automation can push down VAT by five percent or more based on recent assessment, it pays for itself.

Our recent effort of house-tohouse distribution of “Cash 25k” is a glaring example; we need electronic systems.

Grade ‘F’ for Internet availability and voter registration nationwide needs

out-of-the-box thinking, else we will be faced with this ongoing dilemma. There are many options to automate these processes. No more house-to-house, this should be a one-time event at best, not every five years.

Ladies and gentlemen, the world in Guyana is not what it appears to be; yes, we enjoy a simple life here, but it’s a global community we need to compete in; if you have any doubts, COVID-19 reminded us.

Yours sincerely, Everton Morris Technology & Management Executive Re-Migrant

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

46 new Guyanese-American voters in swing states COVID-19 cases from 420 tests

Dear editor,

AMERICANS vote on Tuesday to choose a President. The race is very close between incumbent Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, and Joe Biden, the Democratic challenger.

The swing states with significant numbers of Guyanese would determine the winner.

Kamala Harris, a South Asian or Indian or Black Caribbean, Jamaican American is a ‘dougla’ as we say in Guyana. Kamala’s father is a mixed Jamaican and her mother is a Tamil or Madrassi as we say in Guyana.

Kamala is bolstering Biden’s chance in the election among Black and Indian (Indo-Caribbean) voters. The Biden/ Kamala team has collected tens of millions of dollars from Indian Americans.

Trump has also collected millions of dollars from Indian Americans. Under Trump, US-India relations have been strengthened. The Trump administration also saved democracy in Guyana in 2020.

Guyanese are concentrated in a few states and have clusters in a few others. In a party stronghold such as New York or New Jersey or Maryland or Illinois, all very Democratic, the Guyanese vote is inconsequential because Biden would triumph. But in the swing states or battleground states, the Guyanese votes matter and both parties are focusing their energy on those states.

The swing states with clusters of Guyanese are Pennsylvania, Minnesota,

Texas, Michigan, Georgia, Ohio, and Florida (with tens of thousands of Guyanese and Trinis, next in concentration of Caribbean people after NY and NJ). (There is also a handful of Guyanese in Delaware, South Carolina, Virginia, and Louisiana, but not established communities as in the others where there are Guyanese or West Indian shops and mandirs. Delaware is a Democratic bastion while the other three are Republican). Texas, Georgia, and Ohio have traditionally been Republican for the last few decades, while Minnesota and Michigan have been Democratic. But they became marginal in the last election and polls show them as tossups in 2020.

Guyanese began settling in the U.S. after 1965 when the country was opened to Indian immigrants. As a result of their race, Indians were largely prohibited from becoming citizens of the U.S. until passage of the 1965 Act. Thousands of professionals were welcomed from India and the Caribbean and almost instantly given landed status (green card) because of their education background or skills.

The earliest Guyanese immigrants, mostly Indians, came as students and professionals before acquiring residency and citizenship.

Afro female domestics and nurses also came to the U.S. in the late 1960s and early 1970s and acquired green cards through employment sponsorship. The early migrants settled in NY and later branched out to other states.

Indians settled in Manhattan and the Bronx and then gravitated towards Queens and established Little Guyana in Richmond Hill. Afros settled in Brooklyn and some AfroGuyanese students settled in the Washington DC area.

Some Afro Guyanese from NY settled in Florida and Georgia.

Indo-Guyanese students were drawn to colleges in Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois (Chicago area) and settled down in those states after acquiring green cards and citizenship. Indo Guyanese moved to Texas from NY and some were also drawn to the state as university students and oilfield workers. Some Indo-Guyanese studied in Pennsylvania and decided to settle there while many more moved there from NY because land and houses are much cheaper in Pennsylvania, where a few are into animal husbandry and farming. Some Indo-Guyanese also are settled in Georgia).

Through chain migration of families, the Guyanese presence in those states grew.

The Guyanese populations in the swing states are very small except for Florida.

But the several thousands of them in each battleground state are critical for victory for either candidate. And both candidates are campaigning in the swing states to woo voters. Both candidates need to win the swing states for a path to the White House.

Based on conversations with Guyanese, they are divided in their support.

Almost every Afro-Guya-

nese is voting Democratic. Indo-Guyanese are divided, with a quarter going for Trump and the rest for Biden. Indo-Guyanese feel the Republicans will protect democracy in Guyana, while the Afros feel the Democrats are better for a return of PNC to government. It was under Democratic administrations that the PNC was installed in office in 1964 and 2015.

Opinion polls say Biden is ahead in all the swing states. It is the view of this writer that given past trends, Trump is likely to win Georgia and Texas and possibly Ohio (neck and neck). Biden is expected to win the others that would give him a landslide victory over Trump.

Ohio and Wisconsin (with just a Guyanese although several hundreds studied there) are expected to be close, but with a Biden advantage. Were Biden to win Texas, Georgia, and Arizona, all traditionally Republican, it would be a blow out. One cannot discount a Trump victory through voter suppression or last-minute changing of minds of those leaning towards Biden as happened in 2016 with Hillary Clinton.

Guyanese are urged to come out and vote on Tuesday if they have not already done so in mail-in ballots or early voting. Sunday is the last day for early voting and Monday the last day for mail-in ballots in most states.

Yours truly Vishnu Bisram (Pol scientist)

The GuySuCo team under the current CEO needs full support Dear editor, IT is rather strange for a former president of the ruling party to make negative comments about the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GuySuCo, Mr. Sasenarine Singh, who was appointed by the current President of the same political party.

It is daunting to be the CEO of the insolvent GuySuCo at this time and under the present circumstances, especially given the overwhelming and austere task of re-opening three of the four sugar factories shuttered by the Granger-led Coalition Government more than three years ago.

Some say that the previous administration had no choice but to close the sugar factories because of the $10 billion government annual subsidy needed to keep the industry afloat. The

Granger Government felt that it was an absolute waste of the taxpayers’ money. Others, including the then Opposition were of the opinion that it was a calculated political decision by the Granger regime to close the sugar factories, because most of the sugar workers, almost 74 percent are PPP supporters.

Many, regardless of party affiliation or status in society believe that being the CEO of GuySuCo with the arduous task to resurrect it is perhaps one of the most, if not the most difficult assignment in the country. However, the dominant belief is that the newly appointed CEO of GuySuCo is the best choice for the job. He is qualified, talented and confident with the ability and the requisite organisational, management and communication skills more than any other CEO in recent

times to turn the sugar industry around and make it a viable state entity.

And unlike the other CEOs of GuySuCo who had maintained the status quo, Singh is an outside-of-the-box and judicious thinker who would do whatever it takes to succeed and he will, for the sake of the more than 7,000 laid-off sugar workers.

That said, GuySuCo is on the move and its board and its new CEO should be given the opportunity to restore it as Guyana’s flagship industry. We must support the management team of the sugar industry, which for decades has been the country’s second largest employer after the government and its primary source of foreign-currency earnings.

Yours sincerely, Dr. Asquith Rose

GUYANA has recorded 46 new cases of COVID-19 from a total of 420 tests conducted, according to the Ministry of Health. This brings the total number of positive cases recorded in Guyana to 4,208.

Of the 46 new cases reported, there were 25 males and 21 females. These cases were recorded in Regions One (19 cases), Three (four cases), Four (11 cases), Six (one case), Seven (two cases), Eight (six cases) and 10 (three cases). Of the total cases, 3,242 persons have recovered.

Eight other persons are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while 35 persons are in institutional quarantine and the number of deaths is at 126. A further 757 persons are isolated at home. The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures (No. Eight) will expire on November 30, 2020 unless earlier terminated, extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Public

Health after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions of the pandemic.

As per these measures, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes. Physically distancing and adequate sanitisation are also important. The curfew is now 22:30 hours to 04:00 hours.

Persons with symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline numbers 231-1166, 226-7480 or 180/181 for assistance.

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

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

There are, however, vulnerable groups such as persons with underlying conditions and elderly patients, who may develop the severe forms of the disease.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

Local farmers, fisher folk severely affected by COVID-19 – FAO survey –– women’s workload increased, targeted interventions for vulnerable groups needed

THE majority of farmers and fisher folk in Guyana have reported a reduction in overall income from May to July as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and there was a noticeable decline in employment of daily or seasonal agricultural labourers.

This is according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations which utilised data obtained via an online survey to measure and respond to the impact of COVID-19 on Guyana’s food systems.

The survey was done in partnership with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), FAO and with oversight by the Agriculture Ministry. The assessment was conducted from July to August 2020.

The respondents included Agriculture extension officers (167), farmers and fishers (741), vendors (88), and food traders (116). Participants were drawn from all 10 administrative regions of Guyana.

The main areas of focus were on production activities and the livelihoods of farmers, fishers, vendors of agriculture inputs, and food traders to assess income/ production losses; inputs, marketing and supply chain difficulties and shifts in food consumption choices.

According to the FAO, the majority of farmers and fisher folk reported a reduction in overall income from May to July compared to the same period last year while livestock farming respondents revealed production difficulties with access to feed, supply chain, and processing and retail/market issues.

Fisherfolks and extension officers expressed difficulties

to market fish, in decreased prices and other concerns and restrictions related to COVID-19.

Respondents, the FAO noted, also indicated a noticeable decline in employment of daily or seasonal agricultural labourers, the number of market traders operating on a regular basis, hiring of vehicles to transport agriculture produce and livestock, and daily market labour wage rate.

The survey also found that challenges to the food system regarding sales were mainly due to COVID-19 business restrictions, since producers and consumers were unable to access markets/shops.

“Some effects on food access were the closure of food shops, transport limitations, or lost wages. Overall, the reduction of income, access to markets and other difficulties within the food system varied across the 10 administrative regions.

Limited availability of certain foods was also widely reported, while in some instances there were changes in demand,” the FAO reported.

The survey also disclosed that farmers and fisherfolks indicated that they have consumed lesser quantities of nutritious foods because there was not enough food or money to feed household members.

Meanwhile, the FAO noted that women’s workload increased (productive, domestic and care tasks, and community participation) despite the fact that their main productive activities are being affected by COVID-19.

“The majority of farmers and fisher respondents would like some livelihood assistance which can include cash

Fishing vessels in Berbice (File photo)

Farmers were unable to sell off their produce in the market during COVID-19 (File photo)

assistance, seeds, fertilisers, animal feeds, and pesticides.

All of these were also identified by the Extension Officers with the addition of marketing support,” the FAO report noted.

The impacts of COVID-19, the FAO stated,

unfolded on top of different shocks such as heavy rains/ floods, outbreak of pests and diseases, and dry spell/ drought.

“This assessment also documented the systemic nature of disaster risk and establishes the need for

building resilience of the agriculture sector against multiple hazards and risks—both familiar and unfamiliar,” the report stated.

Guyana, the FAO added, like most countries, is early in its pandemic response and the results from this assess-

ment have already begun to help the Ministry of Agriculture in targeting solutions.

The recommendations provided will help the government, development partners, and the private sector to collaborate, rebuild and strengthen approaches to evolving hazards and shocks amidst the continuously fluid COVID-19 situation.

Targeted interventions to support the most vulnerable groups or households that have been most affected, have commenced.

Meanwhile, the FAO stated that recommendations were proposed for the provision of seeds, planting materials, restocking of livestock (small-ruminants, poultry), and supply of critical inputs mainly for most vulnerable and female-headed households.

“It encourages too marketing assistance, processing support, and fishing gears/ tools to small-scale artisanal fishers; and emergency employment or cash-transfer (e.g. Cash for Work) programmes for most vulnerable and affected casual/seasonal workers. Overall, the listed recommendations align well to the 2020 budgetary allocations for agriculture and FAO priority areas for intervention,” the FAO emphasised.

Long term suggestions are to conduct a systematic stocktaking of experiences and lessons learned from COVID-19 and ensure that these are integrated into upcoming or interim updates of sectoral/multi-sectoral plans, strategies, frameworks, policies, and investment plans.

Sustainable development should...

FROM PAGE

While there is still a long way to go before renewable energy sources, such as solar, hydro and wind energy, become the principal sources of energy, he emphasised that the two countries should be building a long-term development path on assets that have a higher chance of appreciating in value.

According to a report from Bloomberg Green, global carbon

dioxide emissions will fall by 2.6 billion metric tons in 2020 (eight percent of total emissions), which is the largest fall in history. This is attributed to the lockdown measures, put in place to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, which have resulted in a decrease in global productivity. Contrastingly, however, the demand for renewable energy

is growing according to the climate-focused agency.

“The last five years have seen dramatic changes and this year is a case in point. What will the next five years bring us and how much of this can we control?” Dr. Singh said. To adequately facilitate sustainably developed economies, he made several proposals.

Institutional capacity to regu-

late the oil and gas sectors in both countries should be bolstered; this should include an urgent review of the programmes at the universities to include training and research into regulation of the sector. A key component, he said, should also be to support state institutions tasked with regulating the sector.

Dr. Singh also emphasised that there should be strong environmen-

5

tal and social safeguards for the industry, reasoning that it should be debated how the oil and gas players should contribute to sustainable development beyond their standard responsibilities and expected Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). And, he championed the role of all citizens in all parts of society in the decision-making process

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

Linden plans big for Tourism Awareness Month - ‘Hi-Kayak-Ton’ competition, ‘BOSS FEST’ among activities

DESPITE the COVID-19 pandemic, the Region 10 Tourism Committee has managed to put together a long list of fun, business and educational events for Tourism Awareness Month, which it will launch on Monday.

The virtual launch is slated for 10:00 hours and will be streamed live on the National Communications Network (NCN), Channel 13, 104.3 Power FM, 104.1 LITE FM. It can also be viewed on the region’s Tourism Committee’s Facebook page and its YouTube channel.

Chairman of the Committee, Devin Sears, in an interview with this publication, said the challenges brought about by COVID-19 has provided Guyanese with the opportunity to be creative, and it was with this in mind that a list of activities was created.

He said one of the first events, on the committee’s agenda is a video competition, which will see Lindeners posting short videos of their favourite tourism destinations in the mining town.

This, he said, will allow more person to see the beauty and diversity of the region which is often referred to as “Guyana’s gem”.

Sears disclosed that several major events are set to draw tourists into the mining town, including the “HiKayak-Ton,” which will be held on November 28, and will see the winner walking away with a grand prize of $100,000. He explained that this event will feature, hiking, rock climbing and kayaking which are some of the major tourism activities in the region.

“The Hi-Kayak-Ton will be one of the biggest events we will have for tourism month. It will see persons taking part in a competition where they will be hiking, kayaking and rock climbing.

The event will be commencing from Nottinghamshire, Richmond Hills, Kara Kara Blue Lake, and Creek, up the Demerara River and conclude at the Watooka Guest House,” said Sears.

In addition to this event, the committee has planned to collaborate with several tourism operators, such as, Adventure Tours, Elite Tours and Watooka Guest House to ensure persons

within the township benefit from the initiative.

The restoration of several of the town’s historical sites is also on the list and is slated to be done from November 1 to 16.

Additionally, tours to the historical sites will be facilitated and will allow persons the opportunity to have an insight into the rich history of Linden.

“We believe you have to preserve your history. If you don’t know where you came from, you definitely will not know where you’re going,” Sears stated.

The restoration and tours will feature the Hamilton Sawmill, on Burnham Drive; the Water Wheel and the Linden Heritage Museum, where he said, visitors would be able to see bauxite, bauxite ores, the walking dragline, and several other pieces of the town’s history.

Further, Sears said river tours, will also be a big feature for this year’s tourism month. He reminded that Guyana’s three major rivers - the Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice – run through Linden and the committee plans to use this to its advantage.

From November 18 to 20, the committee has planned a fishing expedition for persons to fish along the banks of the three rivers.

On the 18th persons will be fishing along the Demerara River, while on the 19th persons will travel to Rockstone to fish along the Essequibo River. The following day, participants will be fishing along the Berbice River in the Kwakwani area.

Sears told the Guyana Chronicle that the beautification of the coastlines of these rivers are also slated to be done through the planting of trees and flower plants, so as to further promote the rivers’ beauty.

He informed that on November 27, the region’s tourism day will be held.

This event is slated to give residents an opportunity to display their crafts, products and services.

He reiterated that the tourism activities are created to not just promote the history of the town, but also to allow the residents to benefit financially.

Bringing the curtain down on the month of activities, will be the virtual con-

cert, ‘BOSS FEST’. The “Because Others See Success” event will feature performances from town’s biggest entertainers. Brandon Harding, Diana Chapman, Davy Marley and several other overseas artistes will be taking the stage.

The tickets for the concert will be on sale from November 2 at a cost of $2000.

Sears said the “mega-event” will feature not just musical performances but also, dance, poetry, and other forms of performing art.

He assured that all the planned activities will be conducted in full compliance with the COVID-19 guidelines.

Chairman of the Region 10 Tourism Committee, Devin sears

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

A behavioural change of mind

APRIL 2015: ‘Not me’ I told Patsy, ‘You can go ahead, but I’m not going, and no one can make me.

She hustling to take in everything those people say but not me. I already raise two children with my wife, and now I have baby Rosie with Patsy; Rosie is not my first child.

If Patsy listened to me, we would have never been in this predicament. She always quarrelling, fighting and aggravating me. Before

she look after Rosie, she foot and foot behind me. Yes, I like my drink with the boys, but she steady on my back.

‘Where you deh? When you reaching home?’ And when she drink, and I drink, is pure lick down and butt up?

Neighbours say, ‘Alya neglecting that child’ and ‘When alya gan done with this stupidness…that child suffering’. But not my Rosie, I made sure she was alright. I buy milk, pampers, and play with she; and when I home I

give she plenty love. It’s Patsy sister with she nosey self, start this thing. Imagine, she come to my home and say we overlooking baby Rosie, and if we don’t do better, she gan tell the welfare people.

That was the start. Next, she come to visit, and find Rosie alone, crying, hungry, with no pampers, and before she try to help the child, she took it upon herself to call the Childcare place. When me and Patsy reach home now, no Rosie. Next, you hear,

baby in the care of a Foster Parent and we have to be interviewed. In-ter-viewed, I tell you, by the Childcare and Protection Agency for neglect, and we could even be prosecuted.

Well, I now reach where I going. The thought of my baby girl in care made water come to me eyes. I sit through the interview and listen good to everything that was said.

Me and Patsy was wrong to leave Rosie alone; it’s a criminal offence, etc. When I think everything done and we going to get we child, is then they gan turn and tell we about investigation, and review of the situation, visitation to see Rosie and suh.

That was over two months ago, and now Patsy come telling me a set of stupidness about Parenting classes. I’m not going. What they gan teach me? I’s a big man.

MAY 2015: When I answer my phone at work, is who you think calling me?

The Childcare place. The officer say both of we MUST attend the parenting classes every week as part of our training to get Rosie back.

Well, I’s a man can swallow my pride when I have to and would do anything for my daughter. So is me, Patsy and them this Saturday – oh, and other parents too.

JUNE 2015: Well, it turns out it wasn’t a class at all, it’s a parenting ‘Programme’,

and I like the way we pass the time. When I first went there, I was set for them. I was waiting to hear just one thing I didn’t like, and you would a’ hear story. But they really surprised me. The presenter asked all a’ we questions, and we gave honest answers.

Everybody joined in; it was good hearing how we all make mistakes due to our upbringing and life experience.

I never thought about why I drink so much or even if I need to drink at all, but certain things I talk about at the session make me look into my childhood and my family life and experiences. I now see how I reach this stage.

One lady in the group, she husband, left she and she start taking it out ‘pon the child. When she tell her story, same way, she was beaten as a child – and she don’t even know who is she father.

At the end of that first day, I asked myself this question; what do I want for me, Patsy and Rosie? On the sixth and final session, we went through the rights of the child. I quote from the leaflet they give we, ‘all children have a right to a standard of living that meets their physical and mental needs’. That’s what me and Patsy should a been doing for Rosie. Instead, she bothering with me and I bothering with she and Rosie suffering.

I grow in a community where men drink every day,

so I did the same. It cost me my first marriage and nearly cost me, Patsy and Rosie.

The parenting programme show me the truth; when we big people fall short through ignorance or mental or emotional problems - our children suffer. If I want a loving family, I’m the one who has to set the example. I’m the one who has to make it happen.

I’m so glad I attended the parenting sessions.

As well as working through things with Patsy, when Rosie come home, we will focus on ‘Rosie’ and give she the best upbringing. That is my vow and Patsy’s too.

Parenting programme sessions were held in various regions last year and were highly attended and appreciated by parents. Due to COVID-19, these sessions have been downsized in keeping with physical distancing and other precautionary measures. Some sessions are conducted virtually, and some in the hinterland are held in open spaces.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL SECURITY

Teen boy unconscious following hit-and-run accident POLICE are on the hunt for the driver of a car which struck down a 14-year-old boy, on Saturday night, in the vicinity of a tyre shop on the Annandale Public Road, on the East Coast of Demerara.

Police Headquarters, in a statement, noted that the teenager was proceeding east on his pedal cycle on

the northern side of the road while his friend was riding in the same direction but on the inner side.

It is alleged that the car (make and colour unknown) was also heading in the same direction behind the pedal cyclists when he collided with the rear of the pedal cycle ridden by the victim, at around 23:45h.

Police said the teen-

ager fell on the road and received injuries about his head and body. He was picked up in an unconscious condition and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was admitted at about 03:00h with a fractured skull.

He remains in a critical condition.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

President Ali ‘upbeat’ that tourism sector will rebound

The Iwokrama Canopy Walkway

DESPITE tourism being one of the sectors severely affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic, President Irfaan Ali, in his address in observance of Tourism Awareness Month, assured that Guyana’s tourism sector will rebound.

This year, Tourism Awareness Month, is being observed under the theme: “Destination Guyana, Recover and Rebuild – Getting ready to bounce back!”

According to President Ali, this theme aptly reflects the challenge that the local tourism sector is facing.

Globally, it is estimated that tourism has declined by 65 per cent during the first half of this year. This has resulted in a loss of more than 850 million jobs and as much as US $1.2 trillion in earnings.

“Guyana has not been immune to these adverse effects,” the President said, highlighting that the revenues of the local tourism sector have declined by an estimated 46 per cent at the first half of the year. Some 30 per cent of the sector’s employees lost their jobs, with an additional 36 per cent placed on unpaid leave.

The President said that, over the last two years, Guyana recorded its highest visitor arrivals, during which time it also won six international awards (four of which

were tied to sustainable tourism).

According to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, released in June, tourism-dependent countries in the Caribbean were expected to record negative growth in their real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by a massive 10.3 per cent this year.

In 2021, there will be an expected growth of 4.8 per cent. These countries include Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

In the October update of this report, the IMF said, “Small states as well as tourism-dependent and commodities-based economies are in a particularly difficult spot.”

“I am optimistic, however, that our sector is resilient and will rebound from this setback. I am supremely confident that while our market may have been affected, our tourism product remains unblemished by the pandemic and, that with the right support, the local tourism sector will recover.

“My Government is not leaving this recovery to chance. It is actively engaged in employing measures to stimulate the revival of tourism,” President Ali said, adding, “We have al-

ready signalled our intention to nurture the recovery and revitalisation of the sector.”

He reminded that in the 2020 emergency budget, measures were introduced to mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic on the sector. These include, the removal of the value-added tax on hinterland travel and the provision of special tax incentives for new hotels and tourism-related businesses.

And, already the country’s international airports have reopened, importantly, under strict Covid-19 prevention and containment protocols.

The President emphasised that a collective effort is needed to safeguard the precious and diverse tourism product as he urged each Guyanese to continue to demonstrate the characteristic traditional Guyanese hospitality, to preserve and protect our natural environment and keep it free from pollution; and to ensure that the COVID-19 guidelines, designed to keep our people and our visitors safe are adhered to.

“Our tourism sector will emerge stronger and more resilient; jobs will be restored and Guyana will continue to entice the world with its astounding tourism product,” he emphasised.

For tourism awareness month, a host of activities have been conceptualised to help boost local tour-

ism. Guyana Restaurant Week, for example, will be held from November 20 to 29. There will also be the launch of a Jonestown Trail, the Seven Curry tour, the rollout of an agro-tourism roadmap and several beautification and enhancement projects.

“I am hearted by the fact that hotels and restaurants have been actively following safety protocols, and I see more Guyanese adapting to the health guidelines which have formed our new norm,” Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond said in a press statement.

She assured that tourism awareness month, this year, allows individuals to experience Guyana’s breathtaking tourism product while remaining safe.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

Bulkan Timber Works opens Georgetown showroom –– Min. Waldrond declares it ‘a bold move’

BULKAN Timber Works Incorporated and sister company, Superior Shingles and Wood Products Incorporated, on Saturday opened a showroom in Georgetown to allow customers easier access to their products, which are produced at its Yarrowkabra Soesdyke-Linden Highway location.

The showroom, located on Smyth Street, Werk-enRust, is a huge investment amidst the deadly coronavirus pandemic which has severely affected businesses here in Guyana and across the world.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond during her address at the opening lauded the Bulkan Group of Companies’ boldness to launch the showroom during the pandemic, but emphasised that although the situation poses a grave threat, the country must move forward.

“Business must go on, while paying close attention to health guidelines and safety protocols; investment, therefore, must not come to a halt. And at the level of the government, we will continue to provide that enabling environment that fosters business confidence; we will use every opportunity to signal local

and international investors that Guyana is open for business,” Minister Waldrond said.

The minister spoke of Bulkan’s record of employing mainly Guyanese to work at their companies, and their commitment to innovation and a higher quality of product.

“Companies such as yours offer an extremely important element, which is your capacity to support upstream business. I am indeed heartened by the quality of your products; it is a vivid reminder of the versatility and quality of wood, a resource that is readily

available to us in Guyana,” Minister Waldron said.

She also used the occasion to disclose that the government intends to see to it that manufacturing costs are lowered, in a bid to make the manufacturing sector even more competitive.

This lowering of costs, she explained, will be facilitated through the government’s plan to reduce the consumption cost on electricity. And while on the subject of electricity, she stressed that the government is not just committed to providing cheaper electricity, but a more consistent supply

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond (centre), cuts the traditional ribbon to officially declare open the showroom. Helping her do the honours are Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat (right), and Showroom Manager, Roseann Bulkan (left)

A ‘pre-fab’ kitchen on display at the Georgetown showroom

An external view of the Georgetown showroom

of it as well.

The minister noted that many local companies have been producing at exceptionally high standards, and it is the intention of government to work along with them to attain international standards.

“This will bring greater predictability to the manufacturing sector, and will have a positive correlation on the ease of doing business in Guyana,” Minister Walrond noted.

She reminded her audience that members of the private sector have a pivotal role to play in the advance-

ment of the country’s economy, as well as providing employment.

Meanwhile, Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, who echoed similar sentiments, spoke extensively about the government’s plans to lower the cost of electricity, at least by 2024 “I would like to assure our Guyanese brothers and sisters that in less than five years, power generation in Guyana would be at a manageable level that would boost business activity,” Minister Bharrat said, adding that the government has embarked on several transformational projects that will reshape the economy and bring tremendous benefits to the country.

Managing Director and CEO of Bulkan Timberworks, Harold Bulkan explained that the purpose of having the showroom in the capital city is so as to allow more Guyanese access to the products that are offered by the company. He said that while 95% of their products are exported, they would also like to give Guyanese an opportunity to access them as well.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

‘Drive-for-Cure’ motorcade culminates Cancer Awareness Month allowing for evidence-based medical interventions.

Cognisant of all of these areas where improvements

Motorists came out to lend their support to Saturday’s “Drive-for-a-Cure” cancer awareness motorcade

TO culminate activities for Cancer Awareness Month, the ‘Cancer Warriors’ organisation hosted a “Drive-for-a-Cure”

do a motorcade. So persons were invited to be a part; with their vehicles, their cars, motorbikes, and cycles, so that we observe

A family in solidarity with the victims of cancer at the cancer awareness motorcade

motorcade on Saturday, aimed at showing support for survivors and victims of the disease.

In the past, the event was held in the form of a ‘walk’, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organisers decided to do it in the form of a motorcade this year.

The event saw a line of vehicles, decorated with pink ribbons, balloons and signs converge around central Georgetown in the early hours of the day on Saturday. It started at the Waterloo Street end of the Parade Ground, and culminated quite on the other side of the field on Burnham Court, which is closer to Middle and Carmichael Streets, in downtown Georgetown.

“We always want to bring awareness to cancer. And not just that; we want to stand in solidarity with all the Guyanese who have had a battle with the disease. And this year is no different; we are going to stand in solidarity with them. Because of the COVID-19 virus, we have had to take a different approach, and we decided to

every 100,000 persons.

In a recent interview with this publication, the Minister of Health had disclosed some of the plans that are in train to help control cancer and other chronic diseases.

He said that the key areas in need of improvement include screening capabilities, with a focus on pathology, in order to classify the various cancers and their stages, as well as laboratory capabilities and the type and quality of treatment being offered (such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy). Of course, greater focus has to be placed on preventive measures.

Dr. Anthony added that

One of the vehicles which participated in the motorcade on Saturday (Photos by Delano Williams)

the COVID-19 preventative guidelines,” Monette Harry, one of the organisers told the Sunday Chronicle.

She said “awareness is important”, since it saves lives. According to her, when persons become more aware of what cancer is and how it operates, then they are able to take the necessary steps to protect themselves.

According to information released by the Ministry of Health in 2017, cancer is the third leading cause of death in Guyana.

It was reported that there is a mortality rate of 21.0 per

while the foregoing measures can be introduced and programmes developed, human resource capacity remains imperative. He related that there are not many persons trained in the field of oncology (the study of cancer).

He said, too, that the need for an improved cancer registry, data collection and analysis, and then making this data publicly available have been an enduring bugbear for Guyana. Data is not only used for public information and record-keeping, but it allows for trends to be studied among other things, thereby

can be made, Dr. Anthony said, “This is definitely one of the priority areas for the Ministry, and over the next

couple of years, we will have to build out a more comprehensive cancer care programme.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

EU investing $1B to tackle gender-based violence THE European Union (EU) will be contributing €4.5M or $1B towards Guyana’s efforts to combat gender-based violence. Over a three-year period, the money will be invested in strategic and catalytic interventions to address the root causes and holistically address gender-based violence and family violence.

President Irfaan Ali, on Saturday, in his feature ad-

dress at the virtual launch of the Spotlight Initiative Programme to end violence against women and girls, said the programme “offers a platform for creating greater awareness, mobilizing financial resources and technical assistance and for the sharing of experiences related to gender-based violence.”

The programme, he said, indicates that all states have a duty to ensure a safe envi-

ronment for women and girls from all forms of violence.

The Government, President Ali said, is committed to gender equality and the empowerment of girls and women.

However, he noted that there are challenges detecting and responding to violence against women and girls because it often takes place within homes and by people they trust.

The European

Union-United Nations Spotlight Initiative Programme responds to the urgent need to address violence against women and girls with a specific focus on gender-based violence and family violence.

Additionally, the President noted that a survivors’ advocate programme for women and girls who experienced domestic violence will soon be rolled out.

“Before the end of 2020, President Irfaan Ali

the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will roll out a survivors advocate programme to offer emotional support and crisis counselling to victims of domestic and sexual violence. The programme will be piloted in regions that account for some of the highest reported cases of violence against women,” the President said.

According to President Ali, Guyana’s approach to gender-based violence is deeply embedded in ensuring compliance with the country’s domestic laws and fulfilling international obligations.

He pointed out that the gender-based violence taskforce has been resuscitated and that the implementation of a National Plan of Action against gender-based violence remains a priority for the Government.

Guyana is one of six Caribbean countries to be a part of the programme.

The others are Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and Belize.

The programme is also aimed at helping countries achieve goals three, five and 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

$3B in vital medicines purchased –– to replenish national supplies THE Ministry of Health recently purchased about $3 billion worth of vital medication to replenish the national supplies, some of which were either expired or out of stock when the new government assumed office in August.

The new administration had been forced to discard $742 million worth of expired drugs, and had in some cases found little to no vital supplies in stock.

“We have just bought, I think, about $3 billion worth of essential medicines that would last us for maybe another six months. While we are going to deal with that, we are going to buy now to make sure that we have an annual supply, so that we don’t run out of these things,” Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony said during an outreach to two Essequibo hospitals on Saturday.

According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), Dr. Anthony also noted that issues with HIV

pharmaceuticals and kits have been rectified.

“We have had problems with HIV medicines; again, not only the medicines, but kits were not available. So, we have now gotten back kits; you will get kits if you don’t have them,” he said.

Minister Anthony explained that during the period of shortage, the Government had sought assistance from neighbouring Suriname and Brazil, and now that it has replenished its stocks, it will be returning those supplies it had borrowed. He noted, though, that some medications to treat tuberculosis are still being sourced.

“We are making efforts to get them; so we’ve been proactive in trying to fix the medicine problem. I want to assure you that we are working hard at it,” Dr Anthony said.

The Ministry of Health has budgeted $3.2 billion of its overall $14.3 billion allocation to remedy drug shortages in the public healthcare system.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

Eking out a livelihood in Long Creek … Ann Marie De Jesus does amazing craft, ‘bush medicines’ from Suriname.

“Bush medicine is all about your belief and I am aware of the healing properties of plants and I would boil it to make a ‘drink’ and give to relatives for the relief of many ailments,” she said.

De Jesus revealed that she is from the Arawak tribe and has embraced her culture and tradition as a Lokono woman.

By Michel Outridge SIXTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Ann Marie De Jesus is known for her amazing craft in her community of Long Creek on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, East Bank Demerara.

She is also known as the local ‘bush medicine lady’ and a farmer who operates a shop in the community. Being multi-talented is perhaps another outstanding quality which adds to her bubbly personality, making it easy to talk with her.

She is a native who moved with her family to the village in 1982, but she migrated to Suriname for a few years and returned to Long Creek eight months ago.

De Jesus says she still has some energy left to keep busy because she must succeed.

Despite her age, De Jesus is very fit and active, doing many things simultaneously to earn a living.

Her shop is the only one in the village and because of rising prices, she is forced to sell for a few dollars more, much to the annoyance of buyers who often complain.

De Jesus used to rear chickens to sell and would make cassava bread and other Amerindian cuisine for sale as well.

CRAFT-MAKING De Jesus in her spare time would make head-dresses, bags, hats, place mats, necklaces, carpets, shak-shaks, jewel boxes and indigenous wear.

She does her necklaces and earrings with tibisiri straw, beads from a nearby tree and lucky seed and head-dresses with colourful feathers, making them attractive to the eye.

Under this administration, De Jesus reported that she will be able to sell her craft products to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs of which she is a patron and where her work is known and appreciated.

Making craft has given De Jesus many opportunities in which she participated in some exhibitions -- both local and overseas -- to showcase Guyana’s craft and talent.

She was the recipient of the Commonwealth Institute in England training programme in 1994 and was a craft teacher. De Jesus is also a trained school teacher and attended the then Lillian Dewar Teacher’s Training School in Kingston, Georgetown, in 1974 and in 2010, she received training at the Venezuelan Institute in tiedye, fabric-painting, craft, and floral arrangements.

Ann Marie De Jesus with some of her products

Craft products made by Ann Marie De Jesus.

The home of Ann Marie De Jesus at Long Creek.

BUSH MEDICINE This elder in the community began practising her ‘bush medicine’ after her aunt, who was a well-known herbalist, passed away.

She started to gather leaves from trees and plants with healing properties and boiled them; she would then give it to relatives who were ill. Her work was made known when her relatives recovered after using the ‘herbal bush medicine’ and she con-

tinued in that stride whenever the need arises.

“Although I knew about the various ‘bush medicines’ from the plants and trees around me, I wasn’t practising [but] after years of learning from my aunt paid off when my relative took ill… I was forced assist and it worked,” she said.

In addition to using the plants from her community, De Jesus disclosed that she also brought her own plants

“All the leaves from plants and trees have a purpose and I use it with guidance from my Arawak book and boil it to make ‘bush medicine’ to heal the sick,” she said.

De Jesus can speak in her own dialect and would converse with her elders. She explained that her father came from Madrid in Spain, but migrated to Venezuela and

then relocated to Region One (Barima-Waini) in Santa Rosa Village.

De Jesus said he later settled in St. Cuthbert’s Mission as the head teacher and that’s where he met her mother, who was a local of that Amerindian reservation and they formed a union.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

KKR hinge win ...

FROM PAGE 22

earth rapidly though.

Cummins ended his first over with Robin Uthappa flicked to deep backward square leg, and from that point on, the Knight Riders stayed on top.

Stokes was taken behind when Karthik leapt to his left to pluck the ball out of the air in one of the catches of the season, Smith was bowled off the inside edge and Riyan Parag was too late on a short ball that got big on him to glove it behind. In between, Shivam Mavi moved one off the seam to have Sanju Samson poking it behind.

Jos Buttler fought for a while, and Tewatia tried to do what he could, but 37 for 5 in five overs, the Royals needed a miracle, and that didn’t materialise.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

Simmons backs IPL arrivals as ‘sharp’ (ESPNCRICINFO) West Indies coach, Phil Simmons, has backed the players arriving on the New Zealand tour from the IPL to be ready for the T20I series at the end of November, despite the fact that they will not have completed their managed isolation until the eve of the opening match in Auckland.

While the remainder of the touring party arrived on Friday after a 54-hour journey from the Caribbean, six members of the T20I squad, including captain Kieron Pollard, will leave the UAE following the conclusion of the IPL on November 10.

The other players to join Pollard are Fabian Allen, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran,

Oshane Thomas and Test captain Jason Holder, who is not part of the T20I squad.

during their two weeks of managed isolation where players are able to train in various sized bubbles.

West Indies head coach Phil Simmons

However, Simmons did not believe the benefits of being in the competitive environment of the IPL would wear off

“It’s a little bit difficult this time because when the main T20 guys get here they are in isolation until [just before] the first

game,” Simmons said.

“But the plus about that is that they are coming from playing in a high-quality tournament so they will be sharp. The guys that are with us, we have to get them up to that level so when we meet on [November 27] as a full squad everyone is on the same page.”

West Indies, who last played T20Is in early March against Sri Lanka when they won the series 2-0, will be missing two of their key allrounders, with Dwayne Bravo ruled out through an injury sustained at the IPL and Andre Russell opting out of the tour. Simmons,, however, said this was a chance for other players to press their claims for next year’s T20 World

Cup in India following the postponement of the 2020 event in Australia which would have been taking place now if it weren’t for the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are going to try and continue how we planned the preparation,” he said. “In this series especially there are a few guys who weren’t in that team in Sri Lanka and they will be trying to push themselves into the final 15 next year because we are missing the two main allrounders.

“At this point you have quite a few players trying to understand how exactly they fit into the line-up and that’s what the buildup is now - if you are on the bench you know exactly what you have to do and if you are in the XI

you know what you have to do.”

Looking further ahead to the Test series in December, Simmons wants his players to learn the lessons from the England tour which included a notable victory in Southampton before their form slipped to lose the series 2-1.

“We are trying to continue to build,” he said. “We have to take that Southampton performance and see what the points are that we need to work on to better that. It’s very difficult to beat teams [at their] home now and we need to play the best cricket we can in any Test to beat teams high up the table, of which New Zealand is one of them.”

Bale helps Tottenham beat Brighton Gareth Bale’s first goal since re-signing for Tottenham helped his side beat Brighton to go second in the Premier League table.

In an action-packed game, Harry Kane put Spurs ahead from the penalty spot-- his 149th Premier League goal-after a video assistant referee check deemed Adam Lallana had fouled the England captain.

Tariq Lamptey scored a controversial equaliser,

the exciting 20-year-old sweeping home after Solly March appeared to foul Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the build-up.

Referee Graham Scott consulted the pitchside monitor before allowing the goal to stand, much to Tottenham’s disbelief, before substitute Bale had the final say.

The Wales forward powered home a cross by Sergio Reguilon past debutant Brighton keeper Robert

Sanchez, his first Spurs goal since May 2013.

BALE TO THE RESCUE Bale celebrated his first Spurs goal in seven years and 166 days goal as though he had won the Champions League again, wheeling away to celebrate with his jubilant team-mates.

Jose Mourinho turned the clock back in an attempt to get his Tottenham tenure

moving into the future when he brought Bale back to the club he left in 2013 for Real Madrid.

Bale was derided in Spain as more golfer than footballer after being marginalised by coach Zinedine Zidane but he played a key role as Spurs climbed two points behind leaders Liverpool.

Mourinho demanded a reaction following his side’s surprise Europa League defeat at Royal Antwerp on

Thursday, a game in which he made four changes at half-time.

He got one although his side were made to battle hard against Brighton, who cancelled out Kane’s opener in highly contentious circumstances before Bale stole the headlines.

Erik Lamela hit the post and Kane missed a great chance from close range to score his landmark 150th top-flight goal, yet this was

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ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ:

(1) Naman Ojah--16 dismissals : 14 catches; 2 stumpings (Delhi Daredevils) (2) 206 – second wicket (Chris Gayle andVirat Kohli-- RCB vs DD)

TODAY’S QUIZ:

(1) How many IPL teams have won the title once?

(2) Which team was the first to win the IPL title?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

Gareth Bale scored his first headed goal in the Premier League since October 2012

not vintage Spurs.

But for the second successive league game they dug deep to come away with three points.

LAMPTEY IMPRESSES DESPITE DEFEAT Brighton played without a recognised striker, with leading scorer Neal Maupay left out of the 18.

In addition, the visitors gave a debut to keeper Sanchez, whose last competitive match was against Rotherham United for Rochdale in League One last season.

But Graham Potter’s side played some good football and in Lamptey, who was a bundle of energy, they have one of the most exceptional young talents in the Premier League.

His first career goal came from a pass by Pascal Gross, who has now assisted 16 Premier League goals for Brighton, double that of any other player at the club.

The worry for Potter is his side are not winning enough games.

Despite enjoying more possession than Spurs, it is now one victory in seven league matches.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

Aubameyang penalty gives Arsenal win over United

Cristiano Ronaldo (right) has scored five times in four league games for Juventus this season

Ronaldo scores twice on his return

(BBC) - Substitute Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice on his return after two weeks out with Covid-19 as Juventus won at Serie A rookies Spezia.

The 35-year-old, who missed four games, slotted in to make it 2-1 three minutes after coming on in the second half.

His second was a cheeky Panenka penalty after Adrien Rabiot’s cool finish had given Juve a two-goal advantage.

Alvaro Morata gave the visitors the lead with a low angled strike before Tommaso Pobega equalised for Spezia.

The Turin club move up to second in the table with 12 points, four behind leaders AC Milan.

(BBC) - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s second-half penalty gave Arsenal their first Premier League away win over Manchester United since 2006.

Aubameyang ended a run of five games without a goal by sending David de Gea the wrong way on 69 minutes after Paul Pogba had fouled Hector Bellerin.

United tried to rally but came no closer to an equaliser than when Donny van de Beek’s cross-shot flicked off Mohamed Elneny and then into the face of goalkeeper Bernd Leno before bouncing to safety off a post.

It was not the greatest contest between two clubs who used to fight it out for the biggest prizes but are now a pale imitation of their former selves.

Sterling goal at City. Last week, United and another London club, Chelsea, played out a thoroughly forgettable goalless draw at Old Trafford.

The first-half of this contest felt like a combination of the two games.

United were a shadow of the side that hammered RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Their one decent opportunity came when Marcus Rashford found Mason Greenwood with a superb pass across the area but Bernd Leno saved with his feet and would have been disappointed if he had been beaten at the near post.

Arsenal were decent.

Egypt midfielder Elneny justified his selection ahead of Granit Xhaka with an excellent performance screen-

Ronaldo, who tested positive on 13 October, expressed his frustration on social media after failing to produce a negative result on the eve of his side’s Champions League match against Barcelona on Wednesday.

After finally being cleared to play on Friday, the former Real Madrid forward was named as a substitute by coach Andrea Pirlo, who brought him on in the 56th minute. Three minutes later, Ronaldo scored when he took the ball around goalkeeper Ivan Provedel.

His second, and Juve’s fourth, came 14 minutes from time after Federico Chiesa had been fouled in the area.

Hamilton secures Mercedes constructors’ title with Imola win (BBC) - Lewis Hamilton moved to the brink of a seventh world title with victory in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

A one-two for Mercedes with Valtteri Bottas second sealed a record seventh consecutive constructors’ championship.

In the drivers’ title chase, Hamilton is 85 points clear of Bottas, who was promoted to second when Red Bull’s Max Verstappen suffered a puncture.

Hamilton will win the title at the next race as long as Bottas does not out-score him by more than seven points.

Williams driver George Russell was on target to score his first F1 points but the Briton crashed while trying to warm his tyres behind the safety car.

How did Hamilton win?

Hamilton joined Ricciardo in doing a ‘shoey’ on the podium Hamilton dropped behind Verstappen to third after making a poor start, but had moved into a winning position before the virtual safety car made his victory certain.

The race had been shaping up for a tense scenario, one in which the advantage was with

Hamilton.

He decided to stay out longer before his pit stop - after Bottas and Verstappen had stopped for fresh tyres - to try to extend enough of a lead to stop and stay in front.

emerge still in the lead - when race director Michael Masi called the virtual safety car to recover Esteban Ocon’s stricken Renault.

The safety car was out for not much longer than Ham-

Hamilton joined Ricciardo in doing a ‘shoey’ on the podium

Bottas was struggling with a damaged car - a large piece of Ferrari debris was trapped in his ‘barge boards’ behind the front wheels and costing at least 0.5secs a lap - and holding off Verstappen, and Hamilton put in a string of fastest laps to extend his advantage.

The Finn had just been told by his engineer that he was “one second unsafe to Lewis” - meaning that Hamilton had enough of a lead to pit and

ilton was in the pits for his fresh tyres and he was able to emerge with a four-second lead and cruise to the flag.

Bottas appeared to have lost second place to Verstappen when he made one too many mistakes locking his front wheels into Rivazza.

On lap 42, the Finn ran wide and just slipped on to the edge of the gravel, allowing Verstappen to close up and pass into Tamburello at

the start of the next lap.

But a right-rear puncture 10 laps later smashed his suspension and sent him spinning into the gravel, promoting Bottas back to second.

More jeopardy than it looked Although Hamilton appeared to be in control once he took the lead, there were concerns in the Mercedes pit.

They were noticing vibrations from his rear tyres in the second part of the race - a tell-tale sign of a potential imminent failure - and Mercedes began to think they would need to stop again.

As a result of this concern, once Verstappen’s tyre had failed, Mercedes would have stopped both cars for fresh tyres regardless of whether there had been a safety car or not.

It is not yet known why Verstappen’s tyre failed.

It was well within the expected wear life and Pirelli will investigate whether the failure was caused by debris or was influenced by certain circuit characteristics that put extra strain into tyres - notably a high-grip track surface and kerbs that put a lot of energy through the tyres.

Aubameyang ended a run of five league games without a goal - scoring with his first shot on target in his past three games in the competition

While Arsenal will be delighted at the deserved victory, this was not the kind of United performance that did justice to the memory of club legend Nobby Stiles, who died on Friday.

Pogba is the most high-profile figure in the United midfield that World Cup winner Stiles used to operate in. But the Frenchman had a day to forget, giving the ball away too cheaply when his side attacked and needlessly fouling Bellerin to turn the contest Arsenal’s way.

The Gunners now have 12 points and are up to eighth and United remain in 15th on seven points.

ARSENAL END LONG WAIT FOR A ‘BIG SIX’ AWAY WIN It is only two weeks since Arsenal visited Manchester and did quite well, only to lose to a Raheem

ing the visitors’ defence.

William schemed ahead of him and Arsenal enjoyed the majority of possession.

But they never really looked as though they believed they could score.

Alexandre Lacazette might have done had Victor Lindelof not nudged Aubameyang’s pass away from him.

Willian skimmed the bar with shortly afterwards and Bukayo Saka should have done far better when Bellerin picked him out with a right-wing cross.

Aubameyang also lacked conviction when he curled an excellent chance wide after the break but given an opportunity from the spot, the former Borussia Dortmund man delivered, in the process ending Arsenal’s unwanted 29-game wait for an away win against a fellow ‘big six’ rival.

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(ESPNCRICINFO) - After messing with the playoff chances of the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Kolkata Knight Riders, the already-ousted Chennai Super Kings took down the Kings XI Punjab along with them. The 23-year old Ruturaj Gaikwad, the second-youngest member in the Super Kings squad, provided another glimpse into their future with his third successive match-winning half-century in a chase. He calmly batted on around the more experienced Faf du Plessis, who was back from injury, and Ambati Rayudu, as the Super Kings knocked off a target of 154 and knocked out the Kings XI. The Rajasthan Royals, the Knight Riders, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, the Delhi Capitals, and the Royal Challengers will tussle for the three playoff spots that are still up for grabs.

It was the Super Kings’ bowlers who had set up the victory on a slow, low Abu Dhabi track that might have reminded them of Chepauk.

Lungi Ngidi had the returning Mayank Agarwal chopping on with a cross-seamer

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

CSK deny Kings XI playoff spot

and then knocked over KL Rahul with a slower dipping yorker that was straight out of Dwayne Bravo’s playbook. Imran Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja squeezed the Kings XI so much that they went nearly eight overs without a boundary following the powerplay. Deepak

Hooda then got on top of the conditions and the Super Kings attack, cracking an unbeaten 62 off 30 balls, but it wasn’t enough in the end for the Kings XI. RAHUL, AGARWAL REUNITE AT THE TOP Agarwal, who had been

Ruturaj Gaikwad puts one away to the on side, Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2020, Abu Dhabi, November 1, 2020

sidelined for the last three games with injury, marked his comeback with a first-ball four off Deepak Chahar. He hit four more fours off his next 13 balls before Ngidi foxed him.

With Agarwal back, KL Rahul took more chances in the powerplay, swishing Chahar, Shardul Thakur and Ngidi for boundaries. The powerplay ended with Kings XI at 53 for 1, with Rahul and Agarwal scoring 26 each.

Ngidi then took pace off and removed Rahul as well, with the Kings XI slipping into a mid-innings comatose.

Thakur hit a hard length and had Nicholas Pooran nicking off for 2 off six balls in the 11th over and Tahir trapped Chris Gayle for 12 off 19 balls with a skiddy legbreak. After having topped the wickets charts in IPL 2019 with 26 strikes, Tahir ended this season with a solitary wicket in three games.

The Kings XI then probably missed a trick by not promoting Jimmy Neesham ahead of Mandeep Singh to counter Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm fingerspin. After the two big-hitting left-hand batsmen Gayle and Pooran were

dismissed, MS Dhoni drafted Jadeja into the attack, and he knocked over Singh with a 992kph arm ball. When Ngidi had Neesham holing out, the Kings XI innings was crying out for a finishing kick at 113 for 6 in 17.1 overs.

HOODA TEES OFF It was Hooda who gave that kick as the Kings XI took 40 off the last 17 balls. On a pitch where all the other Kings XI middle-order batsmen went at less than a run-a-ball, Hooda struck at over 200. After getting himself in with hardrun singles and doubles, he launched Tahir over extra-cover with the spin, clearing the bigger boundary.

He then lined up Ngidi, smashing him for 27 off a mere nine balls. The fast bowler’s plan was to bowl wide yorkers, but he missed his lengths and Hooda punished him by repeatedly shuffling across off and hitting him cleanly through the line.

CSK SIGN OFF ON A HIGH In their last fixture, against the Kings XI in Dubai, du

Plessis kept hitting over the top in the early exchanges, allowing Shane Watson some breathing space at the other end. On Saturday, du Plessis reprised that role and claimed 31 of the 57 runs the Super Kings made in the powerplay.

Du Plessis’ innings could have been cut short at 5 had Hooda hung on to a difficult catch running back from midon off Neesham. Du Plessis finally fell for 48 off 34 balls when Jordan ditched his onpace balls for cutters and had the batsman scooping a catch behind to Rahul.

As for Gaikwad, he was middling balls, but he couldn’t quite find the gaps.

He was given out caught at point by Singh on 20, but TV umpire Chris Gaffaney overturned the on-field call after checking that the ball had momentarily touched the ground before Mandeep grabbed it.

It was Gaikwad who finished another chase, along with Rayudu, leaving the UAE with scores of 62*, 72 and 65* that gave him an average of 51 in the tournament, the best for a Super Kings player this season.

KKR hinge win on Cummins, Morgan performances (ESPNCRICINFO) - Both the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Rajasthan Royals had come into this game knowing it was not just must-win, but they needed to win it with a big margin to get some playoff security. Both teams showed the intent to go hard, and maximise their chances, but it was the Knight Riders who came out smiling at the end, having romped to a 60-run victory that vaulted them from last place in the points table to fourth.

The margin of the win meant their net run rate had lifted to -0.214, within touching distance of the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Delhi Capitals, with all three teams on 14 points. A big enough loss for either of those two, when they face off on Monday, could see the losing team slip below the Knight Riders, an important cushion should qualification come down to net run rates.

The first game on Sunday had already seen the Kings XI Punjab crash out with a defeat to the Chennai Super Kings, smoothening the way further for the Knight Riders.

Intent was shown before the game itself, when the Knight Riders included a still not fully fit Andre Russell for this match. The thinking was

evident: with the season on the line, you need one of T20’s best players in the XI. Eoin Morgan led the way with the bat, while Pat Cummins was devastating with the ball, as the Knight Riders won crucial passages of play handsomely. Morgan had come in at 74 for 3, after a double-wicket over, and paced his innings to a nicety. He expertly picked the bowlers to target, and bludgeoned his way to his highest IPL score. The unbeaten 68 off 35 he scored was also his first half-century of IPL 2020. The Morgan blitz took the Knight Riders to 191 for 7, a total well in excess of what they looked like getting more than halfway into the innings.

The Royals innings began at breakneck speed but their unravelling was equally swift. The first five legal balls brought 19 runs, the next 4.1 overs produced 18 for 5 four of those wickets going to Cummins. It was only the fourth time ever that a bowler had taken four or more wickets in an IPL powerplay. In seven of their last eight games, the Knight Riders had gone wicketless in the powerplay, and as if to revert to the mean, they got five on Sunday. Morgan took the aggressive option and bowled Cummins for three overs in the powerplay, and

was amply rewarded for it.

Cummins shrugged off those 19 runs he conceded first up to eventually end with 4 for 34.

ARCHER AT ONE END, RUNS AT THE OTHER The match began in familiar fashion for the Royals.

Jofra Archer was quick, hostile, accurate at one end. The

Archer, with the rest offering ample waywardness in line and length.

Steven Smith also erred in giving Shreyas Gopal the fourth over, when pace might have been more suited and with the Royals having enough options. Gopal’s over went for 17 runs and the control Archer had given them first up

one of the stars of this tournament with a canny spell in the middle overs that dragged the Royals into the game for a while. He didn’t rip the ball a great deal, but kept it flat and on difficult-to-hit lengths. He also kept it out of the strike zone of the batsmen, denying them room to free their arms.

He struck twice in the ninth

Pat Cummins sent back Ben Stokes and Steven Smith in the same over (BCCI)

runs leaked from the other.

Archer’s first spell read 2-03-1 but the Knight Riders still had 55 for 1 in the powerplay, with Shubman Gill in his new avatar as an aggressive opener leading the way. Gill carted the other bowlers around as the Knight Riders shrugged off the first-over dismissal of Nitish Rana to continue to hit out against all bowlers save

disappeared. Later on, Smith would also call on Gopal when Russell was new to the crease again with pace options available since the Royals had six frontline bowlers - and that over went for 21 after a middle-overs lull.

TEWATIA STRIKES Rahul Tewatia continued to enhance his reputation as

over to get a fluent Gill and then the promoted Sunil Narine for a duck. Later on, he took the important wicket of Dinesh Karthik, who chipped tamely to short midwicket, finishing with 3 for 25 in his four overs, bowled on the trot.

When he was done, the Knight Riders had been reined in to 100 for 5 in 13 overs after a quick start.

Morgan’s blitz He had been busy at the crease since his entry, though he had to temper his aggression against good bowling by Tewatia, while also setting himself up for launching in the death overs. Still, Morgan hadn’t let a scoring opportunity go, looking to attack even through the middle overs. The re-entry of Gopal for the 14th over opened the sluice gates, as Morgan smashed two fours and two sixes. Russell then showed some of his prime hitting form, even taking Archer for a six after an edged four.

Though Russell was out for an 11-ball 25, Morgan stayed on, taking down England teammate Ben Stokes in a massive 19th over that yielded 24 runs.

CUMMINS RUNS THROUGH THE TOP ORDER The first ball of the chase was picked up for six over fine leg, the second was a big wide down leg. Stokes hit an audacious ramped six off the fourth and suddenly the Royals were flying. They were brought thudding to

TURN TO PAGE 19

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, November 2, 2020

Scott elected as new president of GASA

The new executive of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association

FORMER national hockey player, Dwayne Scott, was elected as the new president of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) on Saturday evening at the National Aquatic Centre in Lilliendall.

Scott, who has been actively involved in swimming over the last several years, promised to take the sport to new heights under his tenure.

He said that his main goal is to build the sport from the grassroots level up, which would result in better overall administrative functioning and an improvement of the images of the clubs.

“I want to expand the sport beyond Georgetown and Linden, foster better working relations with the government and improve conditions at the Aquatic Centre.”

The 43-year-old also indicated that he is hoping to get clubs outside of the capital city the same training facilities as those in Georgetown.

“We will look to have a home for the Linden club; currently, they do not have a facility to work out.”

The Vice President of the Sea Otters (swim club) will serve in his capacity for

the next two years.

Elke Rodrigues and Randolph De Santos were elected as vice-presidents for administration and technical management respectively.

Yelema Phillips was elected as secretary and Valmakki Singh as treasurer.

There were no nominations for assistant secretary/treasurer.

Sir ‘Bobby’ diagnosed with Dementia Big Man Cricket Guyana’s first competition bowls off on November 15 THE inaugural upcoming Big Man Cricket Guyana Over-45 competition is being touted as revolutionary, since it would not only promote healthier lifestyles for retired cricketers, but also serve as an inspiration to younger players.

Raj Singh

Head of Big Man Cricket Guyana, Raj Singh, said that the idea behind the tournament is to breathe life into talented individuals who are not playing at a competitive level anymore.

“This is a private tournament and non-ICC event.

Some of our aims and objectives are to promote healthier lifestyles for our retired (Over 45 years) cricketers whilst keeping these cricketers actively involved in the game for a longer period of their lives.”

Singh, a former member of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) and Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), is well versed in the administration of the game and aims to take the newly formed association to high levels.

“This body is affiliated to Cricket West Indies Masters Association which was formed to administer the game around the Caribbean.”

Along with the popular businessman, Dave Narine, Timothy Bhagwandin and John Ramsingh are also directors of the new body.

Singh, the proprietor of Raj Singh Insurance, added that the competition serves a greater good, since along with longevity of its players, it would also help the younger generation to see the benefits of the sport.

“These tournaments are also important to spur the younger generation to continue with cricket as a career since these older players will be serving as role models for them. These retired cricketers can also serve as administrators, coaches, umpires, scorers, match referees and assist in instilling discipline in the game for all generations.”

For the inaugural competition, which bowls off on November 15, some 10 teams will clash in a 25over round robin format.

The top teams will then advance to the semi-finals with the winners playing the final.

The official list of teams will be released later this week, but venues countrywide have already been allocated.

“Fixtures will be out in a few days. Matches will be played at several venues around the country-- Imam Bacchus in Essequibo and Albion in Berbice; GCC, Everest, etc.”

Although this competition will have several cash prizes and trophies, it will be a warm-up to next year’s regional events.

“The February to March 2021 Regional competition will be a 25-over affair and we will have a similar regional tournament of 45 overs in October to November, which will shortlist players for the World Cup in March 2022 in South Africa. The WI team is also slated to face off against Canada in a three-match bilateral series in August of 2021 as preparations for the 2022 World Cup.” Next year’s first regional competition will see a team from Guyana battling against teams from Barbados, Canada, Jamaica, USA, Trinidad and Tobago, Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands.

(BBC) - England World Cup winner and Manchester United legend, Sir Bobby Charlton, has been diagnosed with dementia.

The news follows the deaths of his older brother, Jack in July, and fellow World Cup-winner, Nobby Stiles on Friday, both of whom had also been diagnosed with dementia.

Sir Bobby, 83, won three league titles, a European Cup and an FA Cup with United during 17 years at Old Trafford.

“Stay strong, we love you,” said United striker, Marcus Rashford.

His wife, Lady Norma Charlton, expressed the hope that the knowledge of his diagnosis -- first reported by the Telegraph -- could help others.

Manchester United said in a statement: “Everyone at Manchester United is saddened that this terrible disease has afflicted Sir Bobby Charlton and we continue to offer our love and support to Sir Bobby and his family.”

Rashford, 23, said on Instagram: “Sir Bobby, you are my hero and I am devastated that you are having to go through this.

“I filmed alongside this man as a child and was in awe. I still am when I see you.

This man, from day one, was everything I wanted to be.

Kind, professional, caring, talented.”

AIR CRASH SURVIVOR AND BALLON D’OR WINNER Joining United in 1953, he scored 249 goals in 758 games

for the club, long-standing records which were eventually broken by Wayne Rooney in 2017 and Ryan Giggs in 2008 respectively.

Born in Ashington, Northumberland, he remained England’s record goal scorer until Rooney surpassed him against Switzerland in September 2015.

At the age of 20, Sir Bobby was a survivor of the Munich air crash of 1958 in which 23 people died, including eight of his Manchester United teammates.

He inspired United to a first European Cup win in 1968, scoring twice in the final, and was awarded the Ballon d’Or in 1966 after playing every minute of England’s World Cup victory.

Sir Bobby came second in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award in 1958 and 1959. In 2008, he received the lifetime achievement award.

United renamed Old Trafford’s South Stand in honour of Sir Bobby in 2016.

DEMENTIA IN FOOTBALL Sir Bobby is the fifth member of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning side to be diagnosed with dementia.

In addition to his brother, Jack, and Stiles, both Martin Peters and Ray Wilson - who died in 2019 and 2018 respectively - also had the condition.

Stiles, Peters and Wilson were diagnosed with it while still in their sixties.

In a BBC documentary screened in 2017, Stiles’ son John told former England captain Alan Shearer he was “utterly convinced” heading a football was responsible for his father’s dementia.

A study by Glasgow University in 2019 found former professional footballers are three and a half times more likely to die of dementia than people of the same age range in the general population.

The study began after claims that former West Brom striker Jeff Astle died at the age of 59 because of repeated head trauma and compared deaths of 7,676 ex-players to 23,000 from the general population.

The inquest into Astle’s death found heading heavy leather footballs repeatedly had contributed to trauma to his brain, but research by the Football Association and the Professional Footballers’ Association was later dropped because of what were said to be technical flaws.

Astle’s daughter, Dawn, said “players who have suffered dementia must not be a statistic” after she was left “staggered” by the study’s findings.

In response, the FA launched new coaching guidelines to restrict the amount of heading by under-18 players in training.

’ p r a h s ‘ s a s l a v i r r a L P I s Simmons back SEE PAGE 20

Phil Simmons and his players were all smiles on the fourth morning (Getty Images)

Scott elected as new president of GASA SEE PAGE 23

KKR hinge win on Cummins, Morgan performances

SEE PAGE 22

Pat Cummins sent back Ben Stokes and Steven Smith in the same over (BCCI)

Sir ‘Bobby’ diagnosed with Dementia

SEE PAGE 23 Dwayne Scott aims to use his presidency to develop the sport outside of its traditional locations

Sir Bobby Charlton regularly attended matches at Old Trafford

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2020