Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_11_08_2020

In memory of heroes our fallen ce Day 2020 Rememberan

8th November, 2020

, ber 08, 2020 Sunday, Novem

SEE inside

No.106177

Guyana ‘breathing’ again ––stakeholders hail government’s 100-day performance

–– but call for national healing and warn against being carried away by power

BIDEN WINS

SEE STORIES ON PAGES 3&8 ►

…becomes 46th US President

SEE STORIES ON PAGES 4&5 ►

US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris greet supporters after delivering remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, on November 7, after emerging as the winners of the presidential election (Photo: Getty Images)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Child diagnosed with cancer dies at GPHC

–– was tested positive for COVID-19 AN 11-year-old child, who was diagnosed with Cancer and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), died while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

This newspaper understands that the child, who lived in Grove on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD),

was admitted to GPHC’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Wednesday, but succumbed despite valiant efforts by doctors to save her life.

Prior to her demise, she was swabbed and tested for COVID-19. And, the result of the test, which returned on Thursday, showed that she was positive.

Reliable sources, however, clarified that while she would have tested positive for this disease, she is not being listed as a COVID-19 death. This is said to be the case because the complications she experienced were related mainly to cancer.

Kaieteur News had reported, in 2017, that Guyana

has the highest incidence of cancer-related mortality when compared to the Caribbean Region. This data was released by the Ministry of Public Health.

According to the article, based on the ministry’s database, Guyana ranks highest with an incidence rate of 46.9 per cent and a mortality rate

of 21.0 per 100,000 persons.

The Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/ WHO), in a 2012 report, had said that cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, globally, with approximately 14 million new cases.

Countries from across the world, while contending with a high number of Cancer-related deaths, have also been faced with the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected close to 50 million persons and claimed over 1.2 million lives. Guyana accounts for close to 4,500 of those cases, and 134 deaths.

“When you look around the world, you see that Guyana is not unique…everybody is going through the same thing, and if you look at the case fatality rate, Guyana is there like any far more advanced country.

“There is nothing more wrong in Guyana or less wrong, we are in the same situation as everybody else in the world,” said prominent Cardiologist, Dr. Mahendra Carpen, during a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

Data released recently by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) shows that 94 per cent of Americans who have died with the new coronavirus had other underlying health conditions. The report shows that COVID-19 was the only cause of death listed in just six per cent of deaths.

On average, those who died with other underlying conditions had 2.6 additional conditions of causes of death. Those underlying conditions include respiratory diseases, influenza, pneumonia, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, dementia and more.

Authorities in Guyana have noticed a similar trend, with persons assigned as COVID-19 deaths dying from “many other things.”

In explaining the local situation, Dr. Carpen said: “A lot of people assigned as COVID-19 deaths are dying from so many other things, but just happen to be COVID-19 positive.

“There are a number of patients who died from stroke, kidney failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, but unfortunately, that is the way deaths are reported during the pandemic…that is just how it is.”

A death due to COVID-19 is defined by the WHO as a death resulting from a clinically compatible illness, in a probable or confirmed COVID-19 case, unless there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be related to the COVID-19 disease.

The organisation further said there should be no period of complete recovery from COVID-19 between illness and death.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Guyana ‘breathing’ again –– stakeholders hail government’s 100-day performance

By Navendra Seoraj FACED with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and a protracted electoral process, Guyana’s economy was bound and unable to ‘catch its breath,’ but the new People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government, since being elected, has served as an ‘oxygen tank’ for the nation, implementing programmes and policies geared at rejuvenating the economy.

A slew of legal challenges, following the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections, resulted in a fivemonth impasse, which ended on August 2, 2020, with the PPP/C unseating the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition.

With no approved budget and over $200 billion in liabilities, the new government was cognisant that the road to the ceremonial 100 days would be bumpy, but Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo said prudent management and the re-prioritisation of resources were pivotal in the effective rejuvenation of the economy.

“Effectively, it would be about 40 days…we found ourselves in an unusual situation, with no approved budget and in excess of $200 billion in liabilities and spending what needed to be cleared.

There was no money to run the government.

“The ideas and programmes we had, simply could not be implemented because of the lack of funding…so, effectively, it is only about a month since we have had resources to start implementing the necessary programmes,” said Vice-President Jagdeo during a press briefing at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, on Friday.

The routine needs of the country were compounded by those created as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And, after an assessment of the situation, the new government had found that the country was totally unprepared to tackle what it knew was going to be an escalation of cases when the country returns to ‘normalcy.’

“We had to quickly address that situation…a government that did not have budgetary resources, but had to try and address those issues…all these factors are looked at when you assess the performance of the government in the first 100 days,” said Vice-President Jagdeo.

Crafting a National Bud-

get usually takes 179 days.

However, the extraordinary circumstances had forced the government to condense this process and present a budget in 21 days.

In keeping with this deadline, the National As-

cash grant and a $4,000 uniform voucher for school children; $800 million for the Amerindian Development Fund; $5 billion for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo); a two-week, taxfree bonus for members of

100 days…the yardstick is what they had set out in the manifesto and how they went about trying to achieve things they spoke about,” said Boyer.

He was particularly appreciative of the revised tax

measures geared at improving the lives of the elderly; creating job opportunities for women; partnering and supporting with the Differently- abled Association; and tackling domestic violence at the policy level, through the

Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Nicholas Boyer

GOGEC President, Manniram Prashad

Chief Executive Officer, Institute for Private Enterprise Development, Ramesh Persaud

President of the WCCIG, Keri Gravesande

Chairman of the UCFCS, Pameshwar Jainarine

sembly, on September 26, 2020, passed the $329.5 billion budget. It was reported that after re-prioritising and re-programming fiscal measures, the government managed to add $20 billion in relief to the “pockets” of Guyanese. The conduits of relief included revised tax measures and sweeping incentives, which were announced by President, Dr Irfaan Ali. The broad objectives of those measures are to stimulate economic activity; get persons back to work; increase Guyana’s productive capacity; reduce the cost of doing business; improve efficiency; and facilitate growth and development of businesses.

Budget 2020 includes a $25,000 cash transfer to every household; a $15,000

the Joint Services; and $150 million for frontline workers, among many other benefits.

The PPP/C, during its campaign, prior to the elections, had promised to make life easier for Guyanese of all walks of life, by crafting a coherent economic policy, something which the new government said was absent under the former APNU+AFC administration.

‘A GREAT JOB’ The government’s efforts to realise this promise have been recognised by Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Nicholas Boyer, who, in a recent interview with the News Room, said that Government has done a “great job” in the first 100 days.

“I think government has done a great job in the first

measures and the incentives to stimulate growth in the economy. Boyer is also anticipating the big projects like the new Demerara Harbour Bridge, among others.

The PSC has committed to offering support for the government’s move to begin reopening the economy and called on the political opposition to also support the government in this regard.

President of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCIG), Keri Gravesande, also offered her appreciation for measures implemented by the government, acknowledging particular initiatives geared at advancing women and vulnerable groups.

Moving away from the direct business-related advancements, Gravesande told the Sunday Chronicle that the chamber is appreciative of

spotlight initiative.

She also acknowledged the establishment of the National Task Force on Gender-based Violence; support for and the empowerment of young girls; the launch of the childcare protection and adoption committee; and the COVID-19 mask drive.

On matters related to local, regional and international trade, the voices of women must be included in the debate, so the chamber is looking forward to contributing to the recently- established National Advisory Committee on External Negotiations (NACEN).

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Institute for Private Enterprise Development (IPED), Ramesh Persaud, in sharing his views on Government’s 100 days in office, said: “I believe that the government has started off very

well. We are happy about the progress made in achieving the promises that they made.

“We are very happy about the measures that came out in the emergency budget and we are happy to see liberalisation of the telecommunications sector.”

The institute is particularly happy about the social measures such as the $25,000 COVID-19 cash grant, the restoration of the school grants and other tax measures and incentives, which were given to increase the spending power of the individuals.

President of the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), Manniram Prashad, echoed the sentiments of Persaud, noting that many of the promises made by the PPP/C in its manifesto were delivered and achieved quickly.

“We welcome the reversal of all those draconian tax measures for farmers, the removal of VAT on water and electricity, the increase in pension and the many other measures,” said Prashad.

In the area of oil and gas, he said action on the creation of a comprehensive Local Content Policy is commendable, as this will create immense benefits for Guyanese.

Over in the fishing industry, Chairman of the Upper Corentyne Fishermen's Co-op Society (UCFCS), Pameshwar Jainarine, commended the government for the removal of VAT on essential items used in the sector.

“We also look forward to the commitments made by the minister (Agriculture Minister) about looking at some of the issues which were bothering the fishermen…We also commend the major steps to lift the ban on catfish and other initiatives,” said Jainarine.

He, however, requested that the government examine ways to subsidise the fuel cost for fishermen, as COVID-19 has effected a vast reduction in the price for fish.

President of the Essequibo Paddy Farmers’ Association, Naith Ram, also called on the government to see that the removal of VAT on pesticides and other agri-related items is adhered to by the retailers.

Ram, while commending the removal of VAT on those items, said Government needs to ensure that the measures are enforced so that the “small man” could benefit.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Harris becomes first female, first Black, and first South Asian vice president-elect

Sunday November 08, 2020 –– 10:30

KAMALA Harris, who on Saturday became America’s first female, first Black, and first South Asian vice president-elect represents a new face of political power after an election all about who wields power, and how they use it.

The California senator’s history-making win also represents the millions of women in the demographics -- often overlooked, historically underrepresented and systematically ignored -- who are now the recipients of that new power for the first time in the country’s 200-plus-year history.

Harris tweeted a video of herself on the phone with President-elect Joe Biden shortly after CNN projected their win.

“We did it; we did it, Joe. You’re going to be the next president of the United States,” she said with a signature laugh.

Harris and Biden’s victory, as projected by CNN, arrives days after a prolonged vote count, reflecting a deeply divided electorate.

It symbolises a bookend to the Trump era, which followed the first Black US President, and was buoyed by social ills, including White supremacy.

Harris’ triumph, in particular, marks a new high-point in a career of barrier-breaking

US Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris

accomplishments, from San Francisco district attorney to California attorney-general, to just the second-ever Black female US senator.

“That I am here tonight is a testament to the dedication of generations before me,” Harris said during her Democratic National Convention acceptance speech in August, mentioning women such as Constance Baker Motley, Fannie Lou Hamer and Shirley Chisholm.

“Women and men who believed so fiercely in the promise of equality, liberty and justice for all,” she had said.

Harris attended Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington. Her time at Howard, where she joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., profoundly shaped her political vision.

“You didn’t have to be confined by anyone else’s idea of what it means to be Black,” she told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” in September. “You could be a fine arts student, and also be class

president. You could be homecoming queen, and be the head of the science club. You could be a member of a sorority and be in student government and want to go to law school, and it encouraged you to be your full self.”

Over the course of her White House bid, Harris never shied away from mentioning that people attempted to box her in, or doubted her as she sought to pave a path in politics.

“I didn’t listen. And the people didn’t listen, either. And we won,” she would say.

As a Black and South Asian woman in an overwhelmingly White arena, Harris, on her journey to the White House, was something of a pioneer. And voters noticed.

“It just feels like Black girls like me can run for class president; Black girls like me can go for the big things in life like she did,” 14-year-old Paris Bond told CNN in August.

Katerina Shadrach, an 11-year-old South Asian and White American, told CNN at an August 2019 Harris rally that Harris was her role model.

Inside a packed gymnasium, Shadrach stood on the edges of the rally, next to her father, Sheldon, clutching Harris’ memoir, “The Truths We Hold”, as she waited for the senator who looked just like her to take the stage.

An aspiring US senator herself, Shadrach told Harris after the event of her ambition to chart a path like Harris’.

According to Shadrach, Harris told her that “as long as I put my mind to it, and I do the best that I can and be like the best version of me, I will be able to accomplish my goals.”

Seeing Harris on the Dem-

ocratic presidential ticket a year later, Shadrach called the moment a “really big step” for girls and women who look like her.

“She was the one who was able to prove that it’s actually possible,” Shadrach said. “You can see kind of a connection, because we are two similar people. And so if she can get to that, I can get to that. And I can identify with her.”

Or as Leah Daughtry, who headed up the 2016 and 2008 Democratic conventions, said of Harris earlier this year to The New York Times: “She is the stand-in for Black women.

We are on the ticket.”

Harris was born in Oakland, California in 1964, to parents who raised her in a bassinet of civil rights activism.

Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, an Indian immigrant, was a breast cancer researcher; she died of cancer in 2009. Harris’ father, Donald, is a Jamaican American professor of economics. On the campaign trail, the vice president-elect often talked about how her activist parents would push her in her stroller at civil rights marches. The couple divorced in 1972.

Harris grew up in the Bay Area, but took frequent trips to India to visit extended family. At 12, she and her sister, Maya, moved with their mother to majority-White Montréal, where Gopalan Harris had secured a teaching post at McGill University, as well as a research position at the Jewish General Hospital.

While campaigning, Harris frequently spoke about her closeness to her mother.

“My mother, she raised my sister and me; and she was tough,” Harris would say.

“Our mother was all of 5 feet tall, but if you ever met her, you would’ve thought she was 10 feet tall.”

After graduating from Howard in 1986 for her undergraduate degree, and from the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law in 1989, Harris passed the bar the following year, and joined the Alameda County prosecutor’s office as an assistant district attorney. From there, she began her political ascent.

In 2003, Harris won her first race for San Francisco district attorney, becoming the first Black woman to hold such an office in California.

In 2010, she became the first Black woman elected as California attorney- general, and in 2016, she became only the second Black woman ever elected as a US senator.

She often spoke of her barrier-breaking life during her presidential primary campaign, saying that she understood how being the first requires voters to “see what can be unburdened by what has been”.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Joe Biden: Third White House run lucky for 'Middle Class Joe' THIS election was the culmination of former U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden's third bid for the White House.

But unlike previous attempts in 1987 and 2008, he entered the race for the Democratic nomination as the de facto frontrunner, the best-known in the field.

The 77-year-old suffered early setbacks in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary but seized control of the contest with a string of successes on Super Tuesday, when 14 states vote on the nomination.

Mr Biden's lower-key election campaign style contrasted with President Donald Trump's larger rallies as the Democrat portrayed himself as more responsible on observing coronavirus measures.

Although former President Barack Obama called him the "best vice-president America has ever had," Mr Biden's record from four decades in public office came under attack. So who is Joe Biden and how did he get to this point of becoming president-elect?

A POLITICAL FIXTURE Mr Biden ran for the

Democratic 2008 nomination before dropping out and joining the Obama ticket.

His eight years in the Obama White House -- where he frequently appeared at the President's side -- has allowed Mr Biden to lay claim to much of Mr Obama's legacy, including passage of the Affordable Care Act, as well as the stimulus package and reforms enacted in response to the financial crisis.

His association with Mr Obama -- a man he frequent-

executive experience.

The so-called "Middle Class Joe" was also brought on board to help woo the blue-collar white voters who had proved a difficult group for Mr Obama to win over.

He made headlines in 2012 by saying he was "absolutely comfortable" with same-sex marriage, comments that were seen to undercut the president, who had yet to give full-throated support for the policy. Mr Obama ultimately did so, just

In 1974 Biden was the youngest US senator

ly calls his "brother" -- may have also contributed to his enduring support among African-American voters.

As a long-time Washington insider, Mr Biden had solid foreign affairs credentials, and helped balance Mr Obama's comparative lack of

days after Mr Biden.

Mr Biden's two terms supporting the first black President followed a long political career.

The six-term senator from Delaware was first elected in 1972. He ran for president in 1988 but withdrew after

Joe Biden's two terms supporting the first black President followed a long political career

he admitted to plagiarising a speech by the then leader of the British Labour Party, Neil Kinnock.

His lengthy tenure in the nation's capital has given critics ample material for attacks.

Early in his career, he sided with southern segregationists in opposing court-ordered school bussing to racially integrate public schools.

And, as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991, he oversaw Clarence Thomas's Supreme Court confirmation hearings and has been sharply criticised for his handling of Anita Hill's allegations that she was sexually harassed by the nominee.

In 1974, Biden was the

youngest US senator Mr Biden was also a fierce advocate of a 1994 anti-crime bill that many on the left now say encouraged lengthy sentences and mass incarceration.

The record made Mr Obama's moderate vice-president a sometimes uncomfortable fit for the modern Democratic Party.

LOSING LOVED ONES Mr Biden's life has been dogged by personal tragedy.

In 1972, shortly after he won his first Senate race, he lost his first wife, Neilia, and baby daughter, Naomi, in a car accident. He famously took the oath of office for his first Senate term from the hospital room of his toddler sons Beau and Hunter, who

Harris becomes first female, first Black ...

BALANCING ACT Harris is a lot of things beyond her gender and her race, of course. But her mere presence brings so much with it; so much to those, of all ages, who see themselves in her.

As she waited for Harris to take the stage at a rally in Asheville, North Carolina in October, Elinor Earl, 77, said she never thought that she’d see a Black woman like herself rise through the ranks as Harris has.

“Not at my age,” Earl told CNN. “It’s wonderful to see her. I wouldn’t have missed it for nothing in the world.”

Harris isn’t shy about highlighting her upbringing or her influences, as was clear through her shoutouts to AKAs and HBCUs during her DNC speech.

“Family is my beloved Alpha Kappa Alpha, our Divine Nine, and my HBCU brothers and sisters,” she said.

Harris was referring to the nickname for America’s nine historically Black fraternities and sororities, and nodding to the fact that she was the first graduate of a historically Black college or university to be selected as a major party’s candidate’s running mate.

Harris’ remarks couldn’t

have contrasted more with President Donald Trump’s rhetoric over the past four years.

Whereas Trump has spent his tenure in the White House excoriating otherness, and propping up the country’s many hierarchies, Harris used the campaign trail to do the precise opposite.

Indeed, Harris’ bid was a pure distillation of the complex joy of representation. Often in her Converse sneakers, the former prosecutor made space for women of colour to tell their lived experiences during campaign events on the trail.

She made a point of propping up women of colour small-business owners, frequently telling them to say their companies’ names clearly in front of the press,

so they could be included in news stories.

Certain voters felt, in today’s parlance, seen. And come Inauguration Day, that visibility will extend to the White House and, likely, alchemize into substantive representation.

There’s a sobering corollary to Harris’ historic win. In important ways, her success says as much about America’s political institutions, as it does about her.

That Harris is the first female, first Black, and first South Asian vice president-elect is both an affirmation of her excellence -her skill as a debater against Mike Pence, for instance -- and a reflection of the racism and sexism that punish women of colour who run for executive office.

And while it’s true that Harris this week achieved

yet more firsts, it’s maybe more accurate to describe these firsts as onlys; she became the only female, only Black, and only South Asian vice president-elect.

That framing shines

both survived the accident.

In 2015 Beau died of brain cancer at the age of 46.

The younger Biden was seen as a rising star of US politics and had intended to run for Delaware state governor in 2016.

The elder Biden has credited Beau with encouraging him to run again, and during the campaign has used both tragedies to explain why healthcare -- one of his signature policy goals -- is "personal" to him.

Mr Biden garnered considerable goodwill following Beau's death, which served to highlight Mr Biden's central strengths: a reputation as a kind and relatable family man.

This perceived warmth is not without its pitfalls.

After entering the 2020 race, he faced accusations of unwelcome physical contact during interactions with female voters -- complete with uncomfortable accompanying footage.

But the avuncular politician responded by saying he was an empathetic person, though he accepted standards had changed.

The episode, however, stoked a perception for some that he was out of touch. (BBC)

FROM PAGE

a less flattering light on America. But it’s more honest. It also hints at possibility; the possibility that Harris on Saturday opened up the door for women and girls who look like her to

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follow, to claim power for their own.

Harris’ mother put it best: “Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you’re not the last.” (CNN)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Tajeram Mohabir

THE FIRST 100 DAYS IN 1992 the Cheddi Jagan-led Cabinet hit the ground running. The absolute devastation countrywide in every sector in the socio-economic and infrastructural landscape that had impoverished and demoralised Guyanese countrywide needed life-saving injections – literally and figuratively -- of revitalising resources. A near-miracle eventuated, and in pre-election 2015, when economies were in depression worldwide, Guyana was rising like a phoenix from the ashes the PPP/C Government had inherited. From a ranking on global graphs as the poorest country in the world when the PPP/C demitted Government, subsequent to questionable elections in 2015, the country had attained the status of a middle-income country. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines described Guyana as “The only shining star of the Caribbean.”

However, subsequent to elections of 2015, this ‘star’ inexorably began to dim – barely flickering -- until another PPP/C Government curved its protective hands around it and began a runaway restoration process, immediately upon regaining administrative office on August 2, 2020.

One would have thought that the miraculous transformation of a once-again bankrupted, devastated Guyana could not have been repeated, but the Irfaan Ali-led administration has once more created a seemingly magical developmental paradigm driven by brilliantly conceived and implemented initiatives that are not only reconfiguring the

socio-economic dynamics to project Guyana into orbit once more; but the Government’s poverty-alleviation initiatives are bolstering hopes for a ‘good life’ of Guyanese across every divide in the nation.

A Navendra Seoraj article, published in the September 8, 2020 edition of the Guyana Chronicle, headlined “20B in pockets of Guyanese,” informed readers of the many poverty-alleviation strategies programmed by government for implementation in the national budget.

After re-prioritising and re-programming fiscal measures, the new People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has managed to add $20 billion in relief to the “pockets” of Guyanese, even as it battles with the deadly COVID-10 pandemic.

As a result of a rapid assessment of Guyana’s socio-economic dynamics, immediate poverty-reduction programmes were prioritised and implementation, simultaneous with wealth-creation/job-creation strategies being formulated, with stakeholders’ inputs.

The President at a press conference outlined poverty-reduction measures including, but not limited to: a) a reversal of VAT on electricity and water; b) removal of VAT and duties on machinery and equipment; c) granting tax concessions on All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs); d) removing the requirement to register and “take out” road licences for mining equipment, and will remove the requirement for miners to have police clearances to transport fuel in their own vehicles: e) reversal of “land lease fees”; e) removal

of VAT on fertilisers, agro-chemicals and pesticides for the entire agriculture sector; f) revert the poultry industry to zero-rated VAT status; g) offering special incentives, inclusive of land, for planting of corn and soya bean to satisfy the local and regional feedmill demands; h) granting concessions on investment in agro-processing facilities, cold storage and packaging; i) reversal of increased charges for drainage and irrigation in agricultural areas; j) construction of farm-to-market roads, to allow for improved access and the opening of new lands for production; k) $5 billion for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo); l) reversal of VAT on all exports; m) removal of VAT on hinterland travel; n) promoting development and returning jobs lost, through the reintroduction of the Community Support Officers (CSOs).

Some $800 million has been set aside for the Amerindian Development Fund; o) providing 25,000 solar units to hinterland communities, also setting aside $1.5B for hinterland, urban and rural roads; p) working to acquire a new ferry for the North West. The ferry will provide cold storage to farmers; q) removal of VAT on medical supplies, building materials and cellphones; r) introduction of a $15,000 cash grant for schoolchildren, doubling the $2,000 uniform voucher; s) pensioners will be receiving $25,000 as old age pension and will access free water; t) Every household will also benefit from a direct cash transfer of $25,000 COVID-19 relief: u) The Joint Services will also receive a two-week, taxfree bonus and $150 million has been set

aside for frontline workers; v) $200 million to expand Guyana Learning Channel; w) health sector revamp.

Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo posited: “Apart from these immediate measures, in an emergency budget produced in a very short period, are the most significant measures -- and the largest number of measures in any budget I have ever seen…even for budgets that have duration for the entire fiscal period.”

Putting the 100 days achievement into perspective at a press conference last Friday, Dr. Jagdeo elucidated on the significant factor that, while people put emphasis on 100 days in office, in effect it was not 100 days but approximately 40 days. He explained that upon assumption of office the government found itself in an unusual situation where there was no approved budget for the year; with tonnes of expenditure; in excess of $200 billion in liabilities and spending that needed to be cleared with no money to run government because there was no approved budget.

The government passed the budget, but the Appropriation Bill was only approved on 30th September, which effectively gave the administration a fully functioning government only for the month of October and a few days in November. Prior to that, they had no power to spend, so the programmes that had already been devised could not have been implemented because of lack of funding.

Some challenges of on-line learning

Dear editor,

THE coronavirus pandemic continues to bring new challenges with every passing day and even though there have been solutions to many on the issue related to the pandemic, some problems are still unresolved. The fact that some issues have been resolved, however, should not distract us from the fact that even solutions have problems attached to them and on-line learning, (while solving the issue of crowded classrooms and protecting our young ones), has created issues for many students and teachers alike.

Parents, teachers and students have unanimously expressed their displeasure of the idea that children have to sit still and stare at screens for extended periods of time, doing things that (for the most part) do

not capture their attention. Parents are more taxed and burdened with responsibility than ever before.

Financially, there has been an increase in spending since children are at home for longer periods of time (all day and night). On a normal school day, parents would have been able to send their children off to school and thus, save money on the number of snacks that the children would use along with electricity and water. Children are bathing more, eating more, using more electricity and also being as loud as ever; even as some of their parents try to work from home. In other cases, parents have lost their jobs, incomes have dried up and even businesses have taken a negative hit because of the pandemic. Some businesses are spending more (to make sure that the area is safe and sanitary) ,while also earning less because of reduced customer

purchases. Other businesses have closed down completely, leaving the owners and their children in urgent need of funds.

Parents are also more emotionally taxed, since they have the added worry of limited cash flow, the current pandemic and the stress of having to assist their children with education in ways that they never have before. In addition to this heavy burden of stress, parents are faced with constant exhaustion since they are often encouraged (sometimes they respond reluctantly and are thus, forced) to make sure that children do the work that is given to them. Embarrassment and ill-feelings are also at an alltime high, since some parents who were not able to properly complete or participate in formal schooling are now regretting the fact that they are not properly educated, even if they are successful adults. Skills

such as calculating, reading and writing, comprehension and even basic science have many adults baffled. In some of these cases, parents are unable to learn along with their children. This makes classes for the child more difficult. Some parents refuse to learn along with their child or children, because of pride or shame or sometimes both.

Constant exhaustion is not only attributed to parents, but teachers and students also. Both teachers and students are adjusting to a learning environment that has never been in operation before and the added burden of learning how to learn and how to teach increases exhaustion as teachers and students tire faster. Teachers are also faced with the burden of lack of the proper environment in which to deliver their classes due to issues with noise pollution and space. Some teachers and students are cramped

into small corners with mosquitoes tormenting them, just so that they can be part of the on-line learning process. Students from all levels are faced with similar issues as reports of an increase in cases of back- pain and eyestrain are now more common. Another pertinent problem that has presented itself during the pandemic is the lack of specialised attention that was permitted in former classroom sessions. Teachers were able to ensure that students were focused on the content with a simple glance around the classroom but now, with all the faces packed behind a screen, the process is much more difficult. Students who are unable to grasp concepts as quickly as some others are now left behind due to the decrease in options for specialised attention.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Poll finds high marks for President Ali's administration

IT is traditional to assess or take stock of the performance of a new administration around its 100 days in office. November 9 would be the 100th day since President Irfaan Ali’s swearing in on August 2, some five months after the impasse during which several attempts were made to rig the outcome of the elections.

The North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA), a polling group founded in New York that has been conducting surveys in Guyana since 1990, is in “the fields” (in Guyana and in the diaspora in New York) conducting a poll on the PPP administration’s 14-week governance. The poll was conducted by Dr. Vishnu Bisram.

As the 100 days mark approached, the polls in New York City and Guyana found soaring performance ratings for the President and his government (administration), in particular for the Attorney General Anil Nandlall.

Respondents praise President Irfaan, Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo, and Legal Affairs Minister Nandlall, among others, for rescuing the country from poor governance of the predecessor regime and the dire straits of the economy.

The respondents in the survey overwhelmingly say that the PPP has done a much better job managing the affairs of the country than the APNU+AFC coalition and that peoples’ lives are much better now than under the preceding regime. Respondents describe the President and his team as “action-oriented” in getting things done quickly. They say there has been much progress in the country since August 2, even though a budget was not approved until a month later.

In New York, the survey interviewed 102 Indians, 54 Africans and Mixed Races, and six Amerindians, but no Portuguese and Chinese. The data for the survey in Guyana is being processed.

The U.S. and other countries intervened to protect democracy in Guyana and the survey revealed that for-

eign (U.S.) involvement was welcomed by (some 70%) Guyanese in the diaspora and at home.

The New York survey finds that a lot of goodwill was generated for the change in administration given the misbehaviour of the coalition during the five-month election impasse. With regard to numbers, a large majority supports the change in administration with almost every Indian and Amerindian approving the change along with a fifth of Africans and Mixed population. Almost every Indian and Amerindian gave a thumbs up to the performance of President Irfaan (72 per cent approval rating) and the government (71 per cent approval rating).

The President has come in for much praise from those interviewed: young, intelligent, dynamic, balanced, matured, sincere, passionate, dedicated, and committed to national development and harmonious inter-ethnic relations. He has been helping all Guyanese irrespective of ethnicity. Some say he talks passionately of helping all Guyanese and that they see it in his face and communications. He is on right track in terms of economic reforms, especially in lowering taxes.

A large majority approves of the budget (69 per cent). And he has signalled he wants a trustworthy electoral system that will inspire confidence in all Guyanese. Some 68 per cent support prosecution of election riggers and 65 per cent feel that elections will not be free and fair if the riggers remain at GECOM. Some 70 per cent wants electoral reforms.

The President is seen as very pro-active and going out in the communities, and he instructed his cabinet of MPs and regional chairs to do same. They like the idea that he is taking government to the doorsteps of people.

Respondents say the President seems committed to democratic governance and to electoral and constitutional reforms. He is working within constitutional boundaries.

He rationalises taxes and has maintained a balance

between government and private sector.

Respondents praise his and the Vice-President’s ability to access resources from friendly countries such as India, the USA, Canada, and the UK for Guyana to address pandemic issues. In spite of the constraints of the pandemic, the government is forging excellent international relations and signing accords with several countries. President Irfaan has been able to secure foreign assistance from several countries for development programmes. He pulled off the biggest achievement in diplomatic relations -- a visit

by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the first visit to Guyana by an American cabinet member. There is overwhelming approval (70 per cent) for U.S. involvement in the elections to secure the democratic outcome and for Pompeo’s visit.

Respondents overwhelmingly approve the performance of Anil Nandlall as

well as to the granting of Silk (Senior Counsel) status to him and Timothy Jonas.

Everyone rates Anil Nandlall as the most efficient minister of the government. Every Indian, Amerindian and a majority of Africans and Mixed approved Nandlall’s performance as AG. The President disappoints the diaspora in one area: many complain that the administration has not appointed qualified individuals from the diaspora to positions as promised during visits to and engagements with diasporans, especially in North America.

The researchers of this survey recommend that the media take stock of (assess) how the government’s accomplishments compare with the goals in the ruling party’s manifesto. The media should interview academics, business persons, market vendors, and people in the streets on the performance of the government and his Cabinet.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 8, 2020

100 days in office

Citizens give gov’t thumbs up ― but urge national healing, warn against being carried away by power

By Vishani Ragobeer and Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur THE first 100 days in office has a symbolic significance, and is used as a benchmark to measure the early success of a President and the new Government. It may be the transition between an old administration and a new, energised body. On November 10, it will be 100 days since August 2, when the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) assumed office after a five-month delay.

In Berbice, there is much satisfaction that the Irfaan Aliled administration is doing a good job in meeting most of their demands thus far.

“So far, the current Government, upon assuming office, has hit the ground running, leaving the comfort and luxury of its office and going across Guyana, meeting with residents to listen to their problems, and address them with much urgency. While we all keep record of the Government’s performance since in office for 100 days, I must say that they are meeting the demands of the nation, while working in the midst of a pandemic, and with an emergency budget. I believe that the Government should continue in the same vein, if they truly want to unite and move Guyana forward, and make it the El Dorado everyone dreams of,” Teddy Sukhdeo, a plant operator at the Guyana Water Incorporated Inc. (GWI), and resident of Number 63 Village stated.

He added: “100 days in office, and the Government is winning the nation’s favour, and at the same time breaking down barriers that have divided the nation, because they have almost fulfilled their Manifesto promises. I am, however, disappointed in the way the Ministry of Home Affairs is handling the crime situation in the country, because I personally have not heard the subject minister outlining how he plans to make Guyana safe and crime-free. I strongly recommend that the Government continues to be people-focused, and make policies and decisions that will benefit the less fortunate, and improve the lives of all Guyanese.”

In light of its performance thus far, Sukhdeo has high expectations for Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and is hoping that the Government continues along the same path it is going.

POWER AND FAME “I want to see East Berbice,

Region Six being transformed into the business capital of Guyana; communities, infrastructure, drainage systems being upgraded; power supply being reliable and affordable,” the young Berbician said, adding: “Also, I want to see an emergency medical service being established in Berbice; an affordable tour package being rolled out for local Guyanese to tour and enjoy the beauty of the Guyana they work so hard to build. 100 days in office so far, and the Government has become the idol of the nation. I do hope they do not lose focus and vision in the midst of fame and power.”

Mankarran Singh, 42, a businessman of Belvedere, East Berbice, Corentyne, is pleased, overall, with the performance of the new Government thus far, but is hoping, like many others, that they continue in the same vein, and deliver on their promises.

Singh, who has a hardware store in Bushlot Farm, in the Central Corentyne area, noted that the $25,000 grant has done wonders for the East Berbice Community. He expressed satisfaction that the Government has chosen to give cash instead of vouchers, since doing so affords one the flexibility to shop wherever one chooses, and whatever items they want.

He praised Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha for the hands-on approach he has adopted, and is hoping the other ministers can take a page out of his book by being on the ground, too, and meeting with ordinary citizens.

“We are seeing some development in infrastructure, but I’m hoping to see more people from the Cabinet on the ground,” the businessman said, adding: “In Belvedere, we have some terrible roads, and we haven’t had any ministerial visit as yet. I see Minister Mustapha all over the place, and that is commendable. I do hope the others can do the same, because that is what is needed to address the concerns of the ordinary man. That being said, as a businessman, I can say more people are buying building materials, and business has picked up, which signals that people are confident in investing, and coming up to the holiday period, it should be better.”

Basmatie Budhoo, 45, who has a roadside vegetable and fruit stand at Alness Village, said she is very pleased to see the removal of VAT on water and electricity, and the free 10 cubic meters of water for pensioners.

“Some old people get it

real hard, and them depend on that pension money to last them the whole month for everything,” Ms. Budhoo said.

“This increase to $25,000, and the subsidy on the water, and less tax will make a whole world of difference to them people. And that is what I am very happy for; I think the Government is doing good for this short time them in there.

And with more time, we can expect much more,” she added.

area, as, for want of a proper facility, they often make do with an open lot if they want to play a little cricket or volleyball. The creation of a recreational ground, he said, will make way for a more structured approach to help nurture the youths.

The Guyana Chronicle also spoke to computer science student and local ‘techie’, Aggrey Marsh, and he expressed his satisfaction that the

to the Internet Society, IXPs provide a more affordable alternative to sending local Internet traffic abroad, as is presently being done here in Guyana, only to have to return that traffic, via an international link, which can be an expensive business.

Aggrey also highlighted that he would like to see the Government support small businesses throughout their tenure.

Teddy Sukhdeo

Mankarran Singh

Basmattie Budhoo

Mahendra Deonarine

Nadira

Mahendra Deonarine, 55, a resident of Auchlyne Village, said he is pleasantly surprised at the amount of development that has already taken place thus far, and is very excited for the future generation, should the Government continue with the same pace.

long-awaited liberalisation of the telecommunications sector has finally been realised.

In October, two months after assuming office, the Government issued Commencement Orders, fully bringing into force the Telecommunications Act 2016, as well as the Public Utilities Commission Act 2016. In effect, it has ended a 30-year anti-competitive telecommunications monopoly that has left Guyanese weary, frustrated, and lagging behind in the telecommunications arena.

“Liberalisation is good, but it is part of a multi-step process, and now that the telecommunications sector is liberalised, what needs to be done now is infrastructure-wise,” Marsh said, adding: “The Government should encourage, but not be involved in the use of Internet exchange points nationally.”

For context, Internet exchange points (IXPs) help create shorter, more direct routes for Internet traffic. According

THUMBS UP “I am very surprised at the pace at which works are being done since this Government took office,” Mr. Deonarine said, adding: “We had a meeting the other day with them minister, and two days after he promise to fix the drains, them machines went and start the work. And with all this rainfall, we nah get no flood. Imagine, with just an emergency budget, they were able to get these things done. And next year, with a full budget, I predict a very bright future. So I would give the Government a thumbs up for their 100 days in office.”

He is, however, asking for the creation of a recreational ground for the youths in the

Aggrey March

He, however, noted few shortcomings of the Government thus far, one of which is the still unsolved murders of the teenage cousins, Joel and Isaiah Henry. He is suggesting that the government bring in the Argentine Forensic team; a move he believes would help to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He also believes that the government did not handle the situation with the squatters at Success, East Coast Demerara (ECD) in a proper manner.

“We should accelerate giving people land, including those squatters there at Success,” he said.

Nadira (only name given), is also hoping that those genuine and vulnerable squatters at Success will be given house lots, so that they can live more comfortably.

NATIONAL HEALING/ POLITICAL MATURITY Moving forward, one area she hopes much more focus will be given to is national

healing. A few days after his swearing in, President Ali committed to fostering the process of national healing, cognisant of the tensions that arise during the protracted election period.

“The division of races in this country is a big thing, and I would say that is what separates us so much,” Nadira said, adding that political maturity is needed to bridge the divide in Guyana.

“Everybody looks at PPP/C as an Indian party, and the APNU as the African party, but that shouldn’t be. They (the current Government) need to focus on bringing the nation together, and really live up to our motto, and not just use it as another talking point,” she emphasised.

One business owner on the ground floor of the City Mall, Sawdah (only name given), said that she is pleased with many of the Government’s initiatives thus far.

“I don’t have anything bad from the Government so far, but one of the good initiatives that they have done so far, and one which I have personally benefited from, is the $25,000 per household,” Sawdah said.

As part of the $330B emergency budget crafted and passed by the Government in September, a COVID-19 cash relief grant of $25,000 will be distributed to each household. Many people, just like Sawdah, have expressed their appreciation for this initiative, hailing it as timely. This grant was part of the stimulus package to help increase citizens’ spending power, and provide some amount of relief to them during the pandemic.

Sawdah is, however, skeptical of the decision to reopen schools already. She indicated that her son is an “active” eight-year-old, and she would not want him to go back to school while the coronavirus is not yet under control.

Maduraj Mohan, who works along with his mother in a small business she owns, indicated that though he has not personally received the cash grant as yet, he believes it is a great initiative.

“With the cash grant, maybe for Christmas, we could see a li’l bit more people coming out to buy, and maybe business might pick up again,” he said. Beyond that, Mohan said that the COVID-19 pandemic is one which there is little control over, and that he believes that the Government is trying its best to manage the crisis.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Some stresses ...

The teachers can no longer come over to your desks and correct your work or give you praise, so motivation to do work from some teachers and students is also a growing issue.

Pranks and rude behaviour have all become a terrible impediment to the entire on-line learning process. Teachers are also concerned with the conduct of some parents who have no teaching experience nor training, but constantly try to instruct the teachers on the best way to do their jobs. Instead of finding a more suitable way to raise their points, parents are on line with their children on a daily basis, giving their so-called professional contributions to the lessons. Some teachers are being threatened and there are even cases of children obtaining the private contact information of their peers or tutors, simply to harass them.

The lack of proper electricity is another major issue in Guyana.

Blackouts have not only interrupted classes and exams, but have also damaged electronic devices, putting some parents and even students and teachers in unforeseen expense. Added to this setback is the superb issue of the lack of effective internet access.

Slow Internet speeds and even Internet blackouts are also major concerns for children, parents and teachers alike.

Many have even complained of the unreliable devices that they are forced

FROM PAGE

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to use. Broken tablets, smartphones with no cameras, devices with insufficient memory to store class materials and even the lack of a device to use for zoom meetings, etc. have all been cited as serious problems that hamper the on-line learning process.

Even if all of the criteria for online learning are met and the students have good electricity and internet access along with a properly working device such as a tablet, smartphone or laptop, there is still the major problem of inconsiderate neighbours who blast music loudly during the time that online classes are in sessions. In other cases, the neighbours are not the issue, but rather the people who reside in the same household. Noise pollution is now a major contributor to the stress levels and negative emotional states of all parties involved in the on-line learning process (parents, teachers and students).

All of these issues and more, contribute to the increase in stress and frustrations in households and on-line classrooms around the country.

Best regards, Khadidja Ba Child Link Communications Associate

11,749 Essequibians have collected COVID-19 cash grant OF the targeted 15, 000 Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) households, approximately 11,749 have already received the Government’s $25, 000 COVID-19 cash grant.

This was disclosed by the region’s coordinator of the exercise, Mr. Iqbaul Khan, who said distributors are working feverishly to ensure that the process is smooth and transparent.

Thus far, many households in areas such as Anna Regina, Akawini, Malbrough, Lima, Dartmouth, Golden Fleece, Perseverance, Johanna Cecilia, Henrietta, Charity, Abram Zuil, Zorg, Martindale, Queenstown and Cozier have benefited from the initiative.

Khan reassured the Guyana Chronicle that supervisors of various distribution teams are on the ground to ensure that there is verification.

So far, he said, Essequibians have been cooperating, and no major challenge has been encountered.

Distribution of the grant would usually commence as early as 07:30hrs daily. Each distribution team has community leaders/representatives who are around to ensure that the process is honest.

Those beneficiaries who have already received the cash grant are very thankful, and many of them have already spend it on much-needed items for their household.

A resident of Golden Fleece said the grant was used to purchase much-needed materials for the continuation of the construction of their house.

Another family from Zorg Village will put the

A proud Essequibian beneficiary

money towards the purchase of a sofa. Other families used the grant to purchase groceries.

Many of the beneficiaries have commended the initiative, which has provided much-needed assistance during the pandemic. ”I think it’s a positive initiative, and I want to thank the Irfaan Ali government for the money; it has helped my family, especially at a time when my husband has lost his job,” Sheena Singh, a resident from Suddie related.

The exercise will continue until all 15,000 households have received the grant.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 8, 2020

Arduous road to democracy

TIMELINE OF EVENTS: * In November 2018, former President and Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, filed a motion of No-Confidence against the coalition government, citing massive corruption and an unemployment crisis. * On December 21, 2018, former Alliance for Change (AFC) back-bencher Charrandass Persaud voted in favour of the Opposition-sponsored motion against his government, toppling what would become a one-term Presidency for Brigadier (ret’d) David Granger. Persaud maintained that it was a vote of conscience.

Charrandass Persaud being abused by his colleagues on the left and right minutes after he voted in favour of an Opposition-sponsored No-Confidence Motion

* That night, former Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, led all the Government MPs, with the exception of Persaud, into an emergency meeting, where it was agreed that the debate on the motion was an open and transparent one and it must be recorded in Parliamentary democracy.

At an urgent press conference that night, the Prime Minister conceded that the APNU+AFC government was toppled by the motion.

Former Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo flanked by former ministers Joseph Harmon and Amna Ally, accepted defeat on the night of the No-Confidence Motion

* The successful passage of the motion activated a section in the constitution which stipulated the need for fresh elections within three months. But this did not happen * On Christmas Eve, 2018, an interpretation for what constituted an “Absolute Majority” in the National Assembly was floated and later adopted by the coalition. The coalition argued that the PPP/C needed not one, but two extra votes for the motion to be successfully passed. The coalition proffered that half of 65 was 32.5, but since there could be no half vote, the figure would be rounded to 33. And, an absolute majority could only be garnered from 34 votes or more * From this point forward, a lengthy legal battle ensued and began at the High Court, where the Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George ruled that the motion was validly passed. A dissatisfied APNU+AFC engaged the Court of Appeal and then the final appeal went to the Caribbean Court of Justice

Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George

(CCJ), Guyana’s apex court. * On July 18, 2019, the CCJ ruled that the No-Confidence motion was successfully passed and 33 was indeed the majority of 65. Charrandass’ dual citizenship status was also legally challenged, but the courts ruled that this did not affect his vote in favour of the motion * Elections were further delayed over the selection of the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) when former President David Granger, unilaterally appointed Justice (ret’d) James Patterson. The PPP/C challenged his appointment all the way to the CCJ; the CCJ ruled that Mr. Granger did not have the power to make the unilateral appointment and so, Patterson had to vacate the office

Justice (ret’d) James Patterson takes the Oath of Office in October 2017 before former President David Granger at State House

* After many months of exchanging lists on a suitable candidate, Mr Granger and Mr Jagdeo finally agreed to appoint Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh as the Chairperson, but GECOM then had to deal with the cleansing of the voters’ list and house-to-house registration. Probes into fake certificates and concerns were conducted as GECOM began preparations for the polls

Returning Officer of Region Four, Clairmont Mingo allegedly fell ill during the processing of information from the SOPs

* After a thinly-veiled threat to revoke accreditation and one bomb scare later, Mingo read out the figures which indicated a coalition victory, and another one-seat majority in the National Assembly. * Immediately, an injunction, supported by the PPP/C was filed, blocking the swearing in of President Granger for his second term. This began the second round of court action.

Chief Justice George annulled the results of Region Four and ruled that a partial recount should take place, verifying the results of the contentious region * This recount, dubbed the Spreadsheet edition, saw the tabulation resuming in the presence of party agents and observers. The twist was that Mingo read results directly from a spreadsheet, which did not match the SOPs gathered by the other parties. Something seemed amiss * The International Community made it clear that the Mingo’s results were not credible and would not be accepted.

And Chairperson of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley came to Guyana with a team of CARICOM Ministers in an attempt to mediate between Mr Jagdeo and Mr Granger. This is when the agreement for a full recount of all votes cast in all ten regions was reached between the PPP/C and the APNU+AFC. But then, Guyana started to record cases of the deadly COVID-19

Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh takes the oath as GECOM Chairperson in July, 2019

* By the end of September, March 2, 2020, was fixed as the date for Regional and General elections. This meant that the Regional and General Elections would be held more than a year after the No-Confidence motion was passed, and just a few months shy of when elections were initially, constitutionally due. On December 30, 2019 Parliament was finally dissolved * Dr. Irfaan Ali, 40, a former Housing Minister was selected as the presidential candidate for the PPP/C on January 19, 2019 * On March 2, just about a week after Guyana commemorated its 50th Republic Anniversary, citizens went to the polls. At the end of that day, the elections were hailed as “free, fair and transparent” * Before the next morning, the PPP/C completed its internal tabulations using their Statements of Poll (SOPs) from 2,339 polling stations. Throughout the official tabulation, the figures matched the SOPs and the party was poised to win the elections after the tabulation of Guyana’s largest voting region- Region Four. It seemed as though it would take a miracle for the APNU+AFC coalition to return to government. * Clairmont Mingo, the Returning Officer for Region Four fell ill, stalling the tabulation of the region. His replacement also fell ill, and before long, it was night and the tabulation was stalled until the next morning. When the tabulation resumed, figures that did not match the SOPs secured by the PPP/C, were called out by GECOM; these inflated the votes garnered by the coalition and showed them coming back from certain defeat.

Barbados PM, Mia Mottley with CARICOM heads of government during a visit to attempt to mediate between the political leaders during the electoral crisis

* This recount, though demanding patience from all parties, was seen as a credible solution to the entire process, as claims of irregularities emerged in other regions. A private citizen, Ulita Grace Moore, was not pleased though; she filed for an injunction (yes, another injunction) blocking the national recount. As this matter engaged the judicial system, time passed by. And while the rest of the world battled COVID-19, Guyana was dealing with an electoral epidemic within the pandemic * About two months later, on May 6, the national recount finally got underway, with COVID-19 precautions in place.

CARICOM sent a three-member team to scrutinise the recount. But as the 34-day recount went on, claims of dead voters, migrant voters and electoral fraud were highlighted by the coalition, but there was nothing substantial to invalidate the elections. A month later, the recount was completed and yes, it showed a PPP/C victory * However, the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, in his first elections report, stated that he could not determine the credibility of all votes. As such, he invalidated thousands of votes, giving the APNU+AFC a victory. Another private citizen, Eslyn David challenged the credibility of the recount. It was back into the courts again - albeit COVID-19 style - while “fresh elections” became the new clamour * On June 22, 2020, the CCJ invalidated Lowenfield’s move to discard votes, and elucidated what constituted a “valCont’d to PAGE 11

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 8, 2020

11

27 new cases from382 tests 78% -recovery rate at

Arduous road to ...

Cont’d from PAGE 10

id” vote. There was no other conceivable avenue that could be pursued to stall the swearing in of the PPP/C Presidential candidate yet, Lowenfield found one. He either submitted the incorrect elections report (that is, not based on the national recount) or just outrightly did not submit a report to GECOM so that a winner could have been declared. Somewhere in between visa sanctions, growing tensions and ever-increasing COVID-19 cases, Misenga Jones approached the courts aiming to deter the swearing in of a PPP/C government. The phrase “Res Judicata” was introduced; it meant that matters that were already adjudicated may not be pursued further by the same parties * The Court of Appeal then ruled on Jones’ petition and determined the recount was legitimate and should be used to declare the winner of the elections. Furthermore, it was highlighted that the CEO’s actions should not stall the declaration any longer as he was not a “lone ranger” * The declaration of Irfaan Ali as the ninth Executive President of Guyana and his swearing in happened in one swift motion on August 2, following more than a year of delays manifested by the APNU+AFC coalition. * Subsequently, Chairperson of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Volda Lawrence; Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield; Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, APNU+AFC activist from Region Five, Carol Joseph; Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers, were all charged with electoral fraud.

Their cases are still pending in the courts.

PNC activist, Carol Joseph; PNCR Chair and former minister, Volda Lawrence, and Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court in October

THERE were 27 new cases of the novel coronavirus recorded from 382 tests as of November 7, according to the Ministry of Health.

These 27 new cases took the total number of infected persons in Guyana to 4,484. Geographically, there were 10 cases recorded in Region One, four in Region Two, one in Region Three, ten in Region Four, one in Region Five and one in

Region Six. Of the total 4,484 cases, 3,511 persons have recovered. This means that approximately 78 per cent of the cases have recovered thus far. Since March, 21,752 tests have been conducted across the 10 regions of Guyana.

The number of deaths remains at 134. There are 11 persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 40

persons in institutional quarantine, 73 persons in institutional isolation and 753 in home isolation.

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 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. Physical 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.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Motorcyclist dies Understanding Energy 26 days after horrific Oil takes hit in global downturn Essequibo accident –– but interest in Guyana remains

AFTER hitting historic lows at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, international oil prices have stabilised at around $40 per barrel in recent months. But a $40 per barrel price level squeezes even the largest oil companies’ profit margins.

Even in areas with the most efficient production and lowest costs, publicly-traded firms, small private drillers and national oil companies are all grappling with the most difficult energy market in nearly a decade.

Depressed demand and lower-than-usual oil prices have increased pressure on oil companies to trim their costs across the board. With falling profits, spending budgets for new exploration and development tend to be the first to be cut.

Companies across the world are calling off investments in expensive projects like offshore exploration, and pausing or cancelling other projects where the financial gains no longer outweigh the costs, or the risks presented by a cloudy economic outlook. Many are turning

their focus away from higher cost, and technologically-challenging projects in offshore production towards cheaper and less risky alternatives.

Due to the ongoing crisis, even large companies like those operating in the Stabroek Block are suffering. On October 28, Hess Corporation announced a wider-than-expected loss, and lowered its full 2020 production forecast. The company also decreased its exploration and production budget for 2020 from US$3 billion to $1.8 billion.

ExxonMobil is also facing challenges due to international market pressures. On October 30, the company announced a third-quarter loss of US$680 million, as spending on capital investments and exploration dropped by US$6 billion in the first three quarters of the year, compared to the same period in 2019.

Despite these announcements, Guyana remains a bright spot for both. Hess’s production grew 10.7% since 2019, because of the new Liza field coming online in the Stabroek block.

Meanwhile, Exxon CEO Darren Woods used the company’s recent earnings call to reaffirm its commitment to Guyana, even as it pulls back on investment in other markets. The company recently announced an extensive new drilling plan that will include 41 new wells in the Stabroek Block, with first oil expected by 2024. Woods had previously expressed worries about the company’s long-term investment in Guyana, after approvals for the Payara project lagged months behind schedule.

While Guyana appears to be weathering an extremely tough market well, we cannot take anything for granted. And we cannot be so bold as to think we can dictate terms, or change the rules in the middle of the game, considering investment decisions are often made years before first oil is achieved.

President Irfaan Ali and his team have worked hard to reassure investors that Guyana is “open for business”, in the hopes of creating more stability and trust for new businesses investing in the country, especially as Suriname is increasingly competing for the same investment dollars with its own offshore blocks. The Government’s pro-business approach, and

Guyana’s relatively low costs seem to have been successful so far in retaining investor confidence.

The government’s efforts to preserve the fiscal terms that originally helped to attract companies to drill has also played a role in reassuring businesses that Guyana has both high-quality resources, and a stable political outlook. This gives Guyana the competitive edge in the international oil market, and ensures that the country retains investment moving forward.

The government’s continued efforts to work with oil companies, and not against them, have proven fruitful. Guyana is expected to be the only country in Latin America and the Caribbean to experience GDP growth in 2020. Although it faced downward revisions due to the economic impacts of COVID-19, Guyana’s economy is still expected to expand by more than 26% in 2020.

Despite market conditions, it is clear that oil companies are here to stay in Guyana. While the global conditions are likely to remain challenging for the near future, Guyana’s emerging position as an oil power still looks solid.

–– family calls for justice

Dead: Toolsie Maniram

FIFTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Toolsie Maniram of Devonshire Castle, Region Two, succumbed to his injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on Saturday, 26 days after he was involved in a horrific accident on the Devonshire Castle public road.

Maniram was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and died without regaining consciousness. His daughter, Felisha Maniram Ramnarine, told the Sunday Chronicle that the family was hoping for a miracle that he would have recovered.

She said the family is seeking justice because her father was the sole breadwinner of the family. Maniram was struck off his motorcycle by a speeding hearse attached

to the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Two; he was dragged some distance before the vehicle flipped and ended up inside a trench.

The daughter said that, to date, the driver, 59-yearold Bharat Joseph of Zorg, Essequibo, never contacted the family.

“Look how many days passed, the driver did not even contact us; my father was very hard working and he used to provide money for the family. Since he was at the GPHC, lots of money was spent,” the distraught daughter said.

She and her six siblings are making arrangements to have their father's body transported to the Essequibo Coast for the funeral.

Police reported that around 17:10hrs on the day in question, Maniram was proceeding south along the eastern side of the road, when the vehicle – GNN 5061-- crashed into him.

The driver told the police that he lost control of the hearse while negotiating a turn and the front of his vehicle collided with the rear of the motorcycle.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Belgium cocaine 'bust': CANU wants local shipper Marlon Primo –– container seals to be checked after Guadeloupe intransit

By Rabindra Rooplall THE Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) is on the hunt for local shipper, Marlon Primo, in connection with the largest ever cocaine bust made in Belgium on a shipment of scrap metal which left Guyana’s shores in September.

It was also discovered that the ship stopped in Guadeloupe for a few days before making its journey to Belgium, and so CANU is now examining whether the shipping container had the same seals it left Guyana with after it passed through Guadeloupe.

The Sunday Chronicle understands that the containers left Guyana in September and were discharged while in transit at Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, where they remained until October 3. The vessel subsequently travelled to Belgium where they arrived on October 15.

Head of CANU, James Singh, when contacted, confirmed that the container left Guyana on September 25 and was opened on October 27 in

Wanted: Marlon Primo

Belgium.

He also confirmed that Marlon Primo, who is the shipper, is being sought while others are being brought in for questioning as the investigations continue.

Primo is the brother of local singing sensation, Jomo ‘Rubber Waist’ Primo. Primo is said to be the principal in a company called MA Trading, located at Atlantic Ville, East Coast Demerara.

MA Trading is the company that shipped the containers. The 23,000 lbs of cocaine were neatly packed in a safe inside the container which was then covered with the scrap metal.

The United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and Belgian authorities are collaborating on the cocaine bust.

Counter-narcotics prosecutors said they had tracked the trans-atlantic journey of 11.5-tonnes of cocaine from Guyana, on the northeastern coast of South America, and seized it upon its arrival at the Port of Antwerp.

The catch is “the largest overseas drug bust ever, worldwide,” federal prosecutors told Belgian media, estimating the street value of the drug load at €900 million.

Three police officers, a port manager and a lawyer were among some 20 arrested as part of the operation targeting the “well-structured” criminal organisation suspected of orchestrating large and “regular” drug shipments from South America to Belgium.

Linden historical sites to be renovated

THE Linden Town Council (LTC) will soon begin restoration works on several historical sites in the township.

The sites that will benefit from these works are the Linden Heritage Museum, the Water Wheel at Burnham Drive, and the Hamilton Sawmill.

The move by LTC to commence these renovation works is not just to beautify the mining town, but also to preserve its rich history.

These works are being undertaken following the Council’s receipt of a $10 million subvention from the central government for the remainder of 2020.

Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arindell, in an interview with the National Communications Network (NCN) on Wednesday, said that the subvention will aid in the completion of some of the Council’s planned developmental projects.

“The projects from this year’s subvention remain the same, and so the monies have now focused on the repairs and maintenance of our burial

Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arindell

grounds, the renovation and upgrade of our historical sites and we are focusing on some green spaces,”Arindell informed.

She added that the Council will be working to create several community parks in Wismar and McKenzie.

This initiative, she said, will provide a more beautified look and create recreational facilities around the town.

“We’re looking to see if we can put two community

parks so where we have the martyrs monument, that large fenced area, we are hoping that we’d be able to take part of that and put some stuff for children inside the yard so persons can come. Of course, there is going to be space for persons to come and park off of the road; so parents can drive in and have their children inside. We also looking to put some benches in there also, so parents could watch their children move about,” Mayor Arindell explained.

She stated that the Council has already started to develop the area around Egbert Benjamin Exhibition and Conference Centre, not only for relaxation and spending time with one’s family, but also as a space for any form of recreational activity.

Meanwhile, Mayor Arindell disclosed that the Council will be engaging residents on works for the new year. She stated that the LTC is working to ensure that all works undertaken will benefit the people of Linden.

The cocaine found after the container reached Belgium

35 at-risk young men to benefit from skills training –– through Youth Challenge Guyana/ExxonMobil collaboration YOUTH Challenge Guyana (YCG), with the support of ExxonMobil Guyana, has launched a training programme under the theme ‘Bring the best out of young men and boys’ that will target 35 young men in at-risk communities.

The six-week programme will see participants who were chosen from South Turkeyen and surrounding areas receiving training and certification in electronic repairs, entrepreneurship and personal finance.

Additionally, the young men will benefit from mentorship in conflict resolution, leadership and workplace behaviour.

Executive Director of YCG, Dmitri Nicolson, during an interview with this publication, said the project aims to improve the young men’s knowledge, skills, attitude and behaviour.

Nicolson explained that the programme targets at-risk

Executive Director of YCG, Dmitri Nicolson

youths, and was designed as a way to provide young men with resources that they could use to sustain themselves.

“The reason we’ve targeted young men is because the national data suggests that young men are more at risk of being on the wrong side of the law, of being in conflict with the law, and the national statistics shows that. Young men are achieving less educational output than young girls, and

we thought of ways that we could deal with this issue and help the young men,” he said.

He further stated that the programme is set to ensure that at the end of the sixweek period, the young men can use their new skills to become functioning members of society.

According to Nicolson, several participants of previously held programmes have found gainful employment.

“This is not just something that they come to and get the training and they go home. What we’re doing here is we’re ensuring that they can go and have a better chance at life, that they have the ability to provide for themselves and understand that they can do more than just lime and hang out. All of these young men in our programme can be a pivotal part in this country and that’s what we are trying to achieve,” said Nicolson.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Indentured emancipation, 100 years later: What can we say?

2020 marks one hundred years since Indian labourers have been released from the jaws of plantation indentured servitude. This state-sponsored contract labour system began in 1838 and continued until 1920, albeit with a checkered existence. The labour system was instituted by the British government and supported by the planter class to supplant the loss of slave labour following emancipation in the middle of the nineteenth century. Despite the positive recommendation from the Sanderson Commission of Enquiry to continue the system, the British and Indian colonized governments pulled the plug on indentured labour primarily because it proved to be abusive to the labourers and unprofitable to the managerial plantocracy, among a host of anti-indenture campaigns in South Africa and India.

Over two million Indians were shipped out of the Indian sub-continent to provide labour in European-owned colonies of Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji, Reunion, and the southern Caribbean. Of this total, 500,000 were shipped to the Caribbean. An estimated 350,000 Indians remained when their contracts expired, choosing to exchange their entitled return passages for settlement and subsequent citizenship, while 175,000 of them returned home, echoing ameliorative and retrograde sentiments, and, in so doing, fractured the notions of indenture as a collective experience. Then we have this unusual aspect of indenture. An estimated 50,000 of the returnees arrived in the Caribbean for a second time which ironically inverts conventional thinking as to why these labourers would want to return to a system deemed as monstrously evil.

Naturally, one would

expect some events from the descendants of indentured labourers to commemorate this momentous occasion.

Since March of this year, numerous virtual meetings, workshops, conferences, and lectures have proliferated across former indentured communities and further afield. These platforms have provided a unique epistemological opportunity, essentially calling on the practitioners of Indian studies to turn the camera onto themselves to re-examine pan-indenturism, 100 years later.

Remarkably, some productive initiatives have emerged from these virtual platforms, namely, book proposals, new journals, scholarly papers, chapters, institutions, and, of course, plans for inter-connectedness among former indentured regions and academics. These initiatives, when materialised, will continue to move the study of indenture from the margin to the mainstream of world his-

tory and literature. We hope.

More steadfast efforts are needed, of course, to bring the field to a desirous standard of recognition. In this process, certain questionable information of indenture should not be seamlessly transferred on the world academic stage as discourses and empirical knowledge. In this limited space, I suggest that the available statistics of the indentured population deserve the utmost renewed attention because it would help us to understand the subject more deeply and arrive at informed conclusions. For example, at a macro-level, we are not sure how we have arrived at the figure that 500,000 indentured Indians were brought to the Caribbean and that 396 or 409 Indians were on the two separate shiploads to British Guiana in 1838, on a

micro-level. These are blind spots in the study of pan-indenturism. Below I provide a table of the statistics and time frame of indentured Indians shipped to the Caribbean to jump re/start the process without repeating past mistakes.

These figures were compiled from archival and secondary sources.

The movement of Indians during the above time-period was not fluid. There were a series of commencements, stoppages, and resumptions during the time-period for each country, revealing the instability, unreliability, and underbelly of indenture as a panacea for solving post-emancipation labour challenges. Three quick points should be noted regarding the table. The only shipload of Indians

who were brought to Nevis has not been documented in the secondary sources, while in the Belize case Indians were brought there in two waves, first from India directly to Belize and then from India to Jamaica and then to Belize. Most Indians in the Caribbean were plantation indentured labourers but those who were taken to French Guiana worked in the goldfields, called placers, deep in the forest interior region. The death rate among the French Guiana indentured Indians was the highest in the Caribbean (lomarsh.roopnarine@ jsums.edu).

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

The Science of COVID-19

COVID-19 and treatment of adults

SINCE March this year, I have treated hundreds of cases of patients infected with COVID-19, but three cases in particular have aroused my curiosity about the genetic relationship of COVID-19. Do genes play a role in how severe symptoms will be?

Take the case of JT, age 61, I saw over a month ago with a history of COPD, hypertension and diabetes, who developed fatigue, body aches, cough, shortness of breath, and a temperature of 101.6 degrees Fahrenheit. His COVID test was positive.

His oxygen saturation was 94percent on 3.5 L. Indicators of severe disease are marked tachypnea (respiratory rate, ?30 breaths

per minute), hypoxemia (oxygen saturation, ?93percent; ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen, 50percent of the lung field involved within 24 to 48 hours).

Once admitted, he started treatment with decadron, remdesivir, convalescent plasma, vitamin C, zinc and anticoagulants. With a history of diabetes and obesity, iron deteriorated, and he was enrolled into clinical trials and received several investigational drugs as well as Actemra, an immunomodulator.

30 days later, he is currently hospitalized with a tracheostomy tube and a feeding tube.

His brother PT, with diabetes, hypertension, and

obesity as well as bladder cancer, was admitted two days prior to his brother’s admission with cough and a positive COVID-19 test.

PT was hospitalized for four days and discharged on oxygen after he clinically improved. PT was readmitted five days later with worsening shortness of breath and he was started on Remdesivir, Decadron, heparin and plasma. PT’s condition improved over the next three days, but then went into cardiac arrest with ventricular arrhythmia and died.

Their 82-year-old mother was infected with COVID-19 as well, but was asymptomatic until she presented three weeks later for thromboembolic event, or a blood clot, involving her right leg.

Dr. Moti Ramgopal

She developed ischemia, an inadequate blood supply, requiring amputation. The family decided on hospice care.

GENETIC COMPOSITION These three cases question the genetic component of COVID-19. A UK group studying more than 2,200 COVID-19 patients has pinned down common gene variants that are linked to the most severe cases of the disease.

In June, one such genome wide association study in “The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)” found two “hits” linked to respiratory failure in 1,600 Italian and Spanish COVID-19 patients: a marker within the ABO gene, which determines a person’s blood type, and a stretch of chromosome three that holds a half-dozen genes.

A gene called IFNAR2 codes for a cell receptor for interferon. A variant of this gene raises the risk of severe COVID-19 by 30 per cent.

There are genes which code proteins, that can activate an enzyme that breaks down viral RNA changes in this gene, and this activation allows the virus to flourish.

Also genes can code for proteins to ramp-up the inflammatory response to lung damage triggered by COVID-19. Genes DPP9 and TYK2 are involved in inflammation and blocking these enzymes may be beneficial. CCR2 is a gene that encodes a receptor for cytokine proteins that play a role in inflammation. But other data points to SLC6Z20, which codes for a protein that interacts with the main cell receptor used

by COVID-19 to enter cells.

The importance of recognizing the genetic impact may influence treatment

strategies.

It is still unknown why African-American or Hispanic patients had such a higher risk of infection, but this can be related back to pre-existing conditions.

However, I would not be surprised if there is a genetic relationship that can be found.

Blood type A is associated with higher risk of respiratory failure. COVID-19 is primarily spread from person to person through respiratory particles, probably of varying sizes, which are released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. Because both smaller particles (aerosols) and larger particles (droplets) are concentrated within a few meters, the likelihood of transmission decreases with physical distancing and increased ventilation.

Aerosols can be generated under circumstances, such as talking, singing, or shouting indoors in poorly ventilated environments. In these situations, transmission over longer distances may occur. Respiratory transmission is probably the main mode of transmission, hence masking and physical distancing markedly decrease the chance of transmission.

Under laboratory conditions, COVID-19 may persist on cardboard, plastic and stainless steel for days.

Patients can be infectious one to three days before symptom onset, and up to 40-to-50 percent of cases may be attributable to transmission from asymptomatic or presymptomatic people.

Just before and soon after symptom onset, patients have high nasopharyngeal viral levels, which then fall over a period of one to two weeks.

A patient maybe positive for weeks to months, but viable virus and contact-tracing assessments suggest that the duration of infectivity is much shorter and isolation can be lifted in most patients 10 days after symptom onset if fever has been absent for at least 24 hours and other symptoms have decreased.

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 infection ranges from asymptomatic infection to critical illness. Among patients who are symptomatic, the median incubation period is approximately four to five days, and 97.5percent have symptoms within 11.5 days after infection.

Symptoms may include

fever, cough, sore throat, malaise and myalgias. Some patients have gastrointestinal symptoms, including anorexia, nausea and diarrhoea.

Anosmia (loss of smell) and ageusia (loss of taste) have been reported in up to 68 percent of patients and are more common in women than in men Risk factors for complications of COVID-19 include older age, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, smoking, pregnancy, diabetes, and obesity.

It is unclear whether other conditions (example, uncontrolled HIV infection or use of immunosuppressive medications) confer an increased risk of complications, but these conditions may be associated with worse outcomes after infection with other viruses.

Laboratory findings in hospitalized patients may include lymphopenia and elevated levels of d-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein and ferritin.

These inflammatory markers are important to trend during the clinical course.

Evaluation of COVID-19 is guided by the severity of illness. According to data from China, 81 percent of people with COVID-19 had mild or moderate disease (including people without pneumonia and people with mild pneumonia), 14 percent had severe disease, and five percent had critical illness. Patients who have mild signs and symptoms generally do not need additional evaluation.

However, some patients who have mild symptoms initially will subsequently have precipitous clinical deterioration that occurs approximately one week after symptom onset. In patients who have risk factors for severe disease, close monitoring for clinical progression is warranted, with a low threshold for additional evaluation. If new or worsening symptoms (example, dyspnea) develop in patients with initially mild illness, additional evaluation is warranted. Physical examination should be performed to assess for tachypnea, hypoxemia, and abnormal lung findings. In addition, testing for other pathogens (example, influenza virus, depending on the season, and other respiratory viruses) should be performed, if available, and chest imaging should be done. Typical findings are ground-glass opacifications or consolidation.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

COVID-19 and treatment ...

FROM PAGE

Hallmarks of moderate disease are the presence of clinical or radiographic evidence of lower respiratory tract disease, but with a blood oxygen saturation of 94 percent or higher while the patient is breathing ambient air.

Indicators of severe disease are marked tachypnea (respiratory rate, ?30 breaths per minute), hypoxemia (oxygen saturation, ?93 percent; ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen, 50 percent of the lung field involved within 24 to 48 hours).

TREATMENTS Remdesivir, an inhibitor of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, has activity against COVID-19 in vitro and in animals.

In the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial 1 (ACTT-1), which involved hospitalized patients with evidence of lower respiratory tract infection, those randomly assigned to receive 10 days of intravenous remdesivir recovered more rapidly than those assigned to receive placebo (median recovery time, 10 vs. 15 days); mortality estimates by day 29 were 11.4 percent and 15.2 percent, respectively. In another trial, clinical outcomes with five days of remdesivir were similar to those with 10 days of remdesivir.

Currently, remdesivir is recommended for the treatment of hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19, but consider data to be insufficient to recommend for or against the routine use of this drug for moderate disease – studies are ongoing.

Data from patients with COVID-19 who were enrolled in a large expanded-access programme for convalescent plasma in the United States suggested that mortality might be lower with receipt of plasma with a high titer of antibody than with receipt of plasma with a low titer of antibody; the data also suggested that mortality might be lower when plasma is given within three days after diagnosis than when plasma is given more than three days after diagnosis.

Ongoing randomized trials must be completed to determine the role of convalescent plasma.

Monoclonal antibodies directed against the COVID-19 spike protein are being evaluated in randomized trials as treatment for people with mild or moderate COVID-19 and as prophylaxis for household contacts of persons with COVID-19.

In the recovery trial, dexamethasone reduced mortality among hospitalized patients with

COVID-19, but the benefit was limited to patients who received supplemental oxygen and was greatest among patients who underwent mechanical ventilation.

Clinical studies have shown that in 1,703 critically-able patients, glucocorticoid reduced mortality versus standard of care passivity of 32 percent versus 40 percent.

Dexamethasone can be given at dose of 6 mg a day for 10 days or until discharged. Other steroids maybe similarly effective, such as hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, and prednisone.

Dexamethasone did not improve outcomes, and may have caused harm, among patients who did not receive supplemental oxygen, and thus it is not recommended for the treatment of mild or moderate COVID-19.

Use of Concomitant Medications in People with COVID-19 Because COVID-19 enters human cells through the ACE2 receptor, questions were raised regarding whether the use of ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) – which may increase ACE2 levels – might affect the course of COVID-19. However, large observational studies have not shown an association with increased risk.

Patients who are receiving ACE inhibitors or ARBs for another indication should not stop taking these agents, even if they have COVID-19. Regeneron cov 2 antibody cocktail has shown to rapidly reduce viral load and associated symptoms and cause an antibody to spike protein that neutralizes the virus. Broadly direct acting antivirals are now in clinical trials. They have been shown to inhibit replication of viral pathogens from multiple RNA virus family including SARS influenza RSV, filovirus, flavivirus to name a few.

The mechanism of antiviral activities viral error catastrophe is a concept that’s predicated on increasing the viral mutation rate beyond a biologically tolerable threshold resulting in impairment of viral fitness and activity leading to viral extinction.

There are multiple other strategies for antiviral work.

Another mechanism in treatment is the role of light cytokine which belongs to the TNF family, which is secreted in high-level general viral infection by reducing the cytokine. This is associated with related lung fibrosis and cytokine storm.

Infection Control and Prevention healthcare workers must be protected from acquiring COVID-19 when they are providing clinical

care. Using telehealth when possible, reducing the number of healthcare workers who interact with infected patients, ensuring appropriate ventilation, and performing assiduous environmental cleaning are critical.

PPEs used while caring for patients with known or suspected COVID-19 should include, at a minimum, an isolation gown, gloves, a face mask, and eye protection (goggles or a face shield).

Contributed by: Moti Ramgopal, MD,

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FACP, FIDSA Medical Director, Midway Immunology and Research Center Founder, Midway Specialty Care Associate Professor, Florida State University Dr. Moti Ramgopal, the Guyanese doctor who led the clinical trial on COVID-19 treatment given to US President Donald Trump This article is submitted as part of the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 public information and education programme

FROM PAGE

35 at-risk young ...

The training programme is being supported by ExxonMobil Guyana.

That company’s Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Janelle Persaud, spoke of its commitment to promoting sustainable communities throughout the country by providing opportunities for sustainable growth.

“We at ExxonMobil Guyana have identified youth and community empowerment as one of our focus areas. We are pleased to support to ensure that

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young people are meaningfully engaged, job ready and empowered to make a positive impact on their communities. And this is all part of a wider commitment on our part as we seek to contribute to the country’s social and economic progress,” she noted.

Youth Challenge Guyana, since 2012, has been training young people to take on leadership roles in their communities and to inspire other youth to empower themselves.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Be wary of digital eye strain –– ‘Eye breaks’ should be part of virtual teaching delivery

By Vishani Ragobeer VIRTUAL learning has become part of the ‘new normal’ brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. While this has allowed learning to continue, despite the physical closure of schools, it has been accompanied by a myriad of

challenges and digital eye strain is one of them.

“The excessive use of digital devices such as laptops, tablets, etc creates something called a digital strain which can cause persons to experience tiredness, runny eyes, fatigue and sometimes even headaches,” explained Optometrist and

Manager of Modern Optical Service, Dr. Johan DaSilva in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

Further, he noted that the use of devices with small screens such as cellphones or some tablets, may exacerbate strain on the eyes. This is so because smaller screens require the user to hold it closer

Local optometrist Dr. Johan DaSilva does an eye test (Delano Williams photo)

A young boy learning via his tablet (Delano Williams photo)

to the eyes which requires the eyes to work harder and may result in some level of discomfort, according to Dr. DaSilva.

In an article published in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, there is some evidence which illustrates that the progression of myopia (nearsightedness) may be exacerbated, particularly through the use of these smaller devices.

But there are several measures which can be taken in order to help reduce this strain, many of which are simple and can be easily integrated into the virtual education delivery system.

Dr. DaSilva advised against using any of the electronic devices in poorly lit or completely dark rooms as this may cause discomfort to the eyes, and straining them to adjust to the bright light emanating from the screen. The brightness of the device’s screen should also

be lowered and the fonts and images of what is being viewed on the screen should be enlarged as well.

For learners who are using phones and tablets, he highlighted that these devices should be placed about 16 or 18 inches away from the eyes, or at least an arm’s length away. Even so, however, viewing what is on the screen may be difficult and it is for this reason that enlarging the text and objects on the screen should be done.

‘EYE BREAKS’ Even with these precautions, however, one’s eyesight could still be affected with the prolonged use of digital devices. As such, it is important to take ‘eye breaks’ which would reduce the strain on the eyes for a short period of time. One long-accepted tool which helps the eyes to relax is the

‘20-20-20 rule.’

“With this, every 20 minutes, you look at something that is 20 feet away for 20 seconds,” Dr. DaSilva explained. Studies show that this may reduce the blurriness in vision which may occur because of prolonged exposure to digital screens.

It also helps to reduce the strain from staring at a screen for a prolonged period.

Moreover, Dr. DaSilva emphasised that prolonged screen time should be limited. Instead of teaching for hours on a stretch before taking a break, from 09:00hrs to 12:00hrs for example, he advised that a five-minute break is given to learners at least after every hour of teaching.

The optometrist said that the relevant stakeholders should consider integrating these mandatory breaks into the system of virtual delivery in order to protect eye health and reduce prolonged exposure to digital screens.

In Guyana, the virtual mode of education delivery has been instituted for only a few months now. The local optometrist indicated that so far he has not seen an increase in the number of persons, and children in particular, coming for eye checkups because they experience discomfort or difficulties seeing as per normal.

“There is a possibility that it can happen,” he stressed, adding, “With this pandemic, we have no clue when it will stop and it is very important that you try to emphasise the importance of [taking care of the eyes] and you have to do and try to prevent what can happen.”

He also encouraged all parents and persons who are experiencing discomfort in their eyes or difficulties seeing to visit their local optometrist and get an eye test done.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

New Liza 1, 2 environmental permits will mirror Payara’s

By Navendra Seoraj OWING to a recent Order by the High Court, the environmental permits for ExxonMobil’s Liza Phases One and Two developments will come up for review in five years instead of the initially agreed 20+ years, but the measures to be included in a new permit would mirror the conditions outlined in the Payara licence.

This was affirmed by Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo, during a press briefing at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, on Friday.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported recently that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration had allowed the company’s Liza Phase One permit to be approved on the same day that the EPA received the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project.

In Guyana’s case, not a

The Liza Destiny

single study was done for the Liza Phase One, yet the APNU+AFC administration went full steam ahead with approving the permit for the project on the same day it received the EIA. The order to have this decision reversed was issued in a case brought by Guyanese citizen, Dr. Troy

Thomas, who filed an action on the grounds that the permit, initially valid for more than 20 years, was issued in clear violation of Guyana’s law, which expressly limits environmental permits to no more than five years.

The environmental permit for the Liza Phase One development, which was initially

valid until 2040, will now expire on June 1, 2022. And, the environmental permit for Liza Phase Two will expire in 2024 instead of 2043.

Following initial hearings in the recent case, Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd (an ExxonMobil

subsidiary) settled the matter by agreeing to limit the permit to five years, as provided by law.

While the government is pleased with the reduction in the timeframe for the permits, Vice-President Jagdeo assured that a new agreement would not be ‘loose,’ but rather mirror the conditions in the recently issued Payara development licence and environmental permit.

“When they [permits] expire, the conditions of the Payara permit would apply to the renewal of permits in the Liza projects…,” said the Vice-President.

In the licensing agreement for the US$9 billion Payara project, the government has insisted that routine flaring is strictly prohibited without the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

It is stated that flaring to maintain oil production will not be permitted. And, the company will pay the gov-

ernment for the cost of gas wasted during flaring and will also be subject to fines under the EPA related to emissions from flaring.

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

New permits for the Liza developments would include this and other conditions determined by government and, by extension, the people of Guyana.

The Environmental Protection Act Cap 20:05 guarantees citizens’ rights to information and participation in the environmental impact assessments that are a pre-condition to environmental permits.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, November 8, 2020

Some private schools to partially reopen

By Tamica Garnett SOME private schools will partially reopen their doors tomorrow, as the Ministry of Education prepares to welcome back exam students in the public schools.

The private learning institutions welcomed the decision of the Government to allow schools to reopen, effective Monday, Novem-

ber 9, and it was officially published in the Gazette on October 30, as part of the COVID-19 measures.

The Ministry of Education (MoE) subsequently announced that it will be partially reopening schools from November 9 for students in Grades 10, 11 and 12, as they are preparing to write examinations with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), and are

Director of School of the Nations, Brian O’Toole

Director of Morgan Learning Centre, Orin Morgan

Morgan Learning Centre on D’Urban Street, Werk-en-Rust will be reopening it’s doors to it’s Fourth and Fifth Form students from November 16

most in need of face-to-face interactions with teachers.

As a result, many private schools have followed suit, given that students have been relegated to virtual learning for the past seven months. At the Morgan Learning Centre, on D’Urban Street, Werk-en-Rust, in southern Georgetown, the school will be opening on November 16, with normal everyday classes for all of its Fourth and Fifth Form students.

“The decision is good, not just for private schools or public schools, but for Guyana’s children,” said Orin Morgan, the school’s director.

“As a country on a whole, we have students who are falling through the cracks in the system.

There are students who are self-motivated, but there are many students out there who need that push,” Morgan told the Sunday Chronicle.

Both public and private schools in Guyana have been closed since March, due to the measures put in

place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). To ensure learning continues during the closure, schools had put in place virtual means of delivering education, however, stakeholders have agreed that the system could never replace in-class teaching.

“While COVID-19 has slowed the world down, the world hasn’t stopped.

And CXC has set the date already, and Guyana’s children must be prepared for this exam. And we will do all we can, while observing the guidelines and protocols, to ensure the business of learning takes place, and the children are prepared,” Morgan said.

He bemoaned Guyana’s unstable Internet supply, noting its effect on students.

“We have our own dedicated and integrated platform, but in Guyana, the Internet supply isn’t stable, and there are some students who aren’t able to get on to the platform, or it wasn’t consistent,” the educator said.

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Some private schools to ...

Like with the public schools, the private schools will be required to host the students in line with the requirements of the COVID-19 safety measures, which include providing facilities for all persons to wash their hands upon entry to the buildings, the testing of temperatures, the requirement that all wear a masks upon entry, and social distancing of students during classes.

The MoE has a Private Schools Coordinator, who is in contact with all private schools, and arrangements are said to be in place for checks to be made at the private institutions to ensure conformity with COVID-19 measures. The schools are preparing the buildings to ensure they are ready.

“We are currently involved with the preparation, such as sanitisation of the building, cleaning of AC vents and ducts. It’s a lot of work; that is why we will not be opening this Monday initially. But because of the

level of preparation we are undertaking, the students will be back at the building,” Morgan noted.

However, outside of Grades 10 and 11, some private schools will also be opening at the primary school level for those pupils preparing to write the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

At Apex Education on the East Coast Demerara, the administration has issued a notice, calling for those pupils preparing for the NGSA to report to school for normal classes from November 16.

The school has noted that it will be implementing a mixed system of physical groups, based on teaching and virtual classes. Apex Education also has reopened its doors for its Grade 10 and 11 students.

At Cherished Lambs, on Brickdam, the administration has also notified parents that it will be reopening from tomorrow, November 9, with physical classes for

its NGSA pupils.

Some private schools, however, have taken the option to remain closed until further notice. At School of the Nations, Director Brian O’Toole told this publication that following consultations

with parents, it was decided that the school will remain closed.

O’Toole said the parents are not worried about learning loss for the students, as the school has a robust virtual-learning platform, where

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the majority of its students are able to learn as much as with physical classes.

“We contacted all our parents, and in a survey, 76% said we have no desire to come back. So what we have decided is that we are

Apex Education on the East Coast Demerara

going to continue on Zoom for the next two weeks, and then review it again. A lot of work has gone into our Online programme, so they are very happy with it,” O’ Toole noted.

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From virtually nothing to something –– Janice Carmichael overcomes battles of single parenting, poor choices in life

By Jeune Bailey Van Keric GROWING up in an abusive environment and having to deal with hardship and rejection would have probably pushed most persons into becoming rebellious and delinquent citizens, but not Janice Carmichael.

Born at Fern Village, East Bank Berbice, Carmichael who is now a cop, from early in her childhood was determined to overcome the odds and create a better future for herself and the family she intended to raise.

For Carmichael, life has thrown some ‘big stones’ at her and it used to seem a dead end, a closed door, wherever she went.

But when she finally got the needed breakthrough she moved from a plastic-covered house to a concrete building.

Having lost her father at age five, she was forced to go to the backlands with her

got to know several persons closely; these relationships produced four more children.

Life’s journey became burdensome and thoughts of suicide and murder plagued her mind. Having multiple partners brought several accusations, scandals and fights. She had to get out from this downward spiral and free herself from the invisible chains that seemed to bind her.

Janice Carmichael with her unpublished book of poetry called "Real Talk”

Janice Carmichael, a certified Social Worker

Janice Carmichael is stationed at the Sisters Village Police Station

mother and other siblings to cultivate their farm. Despite the hardships, she managed to be successful at the then Common Entrance Examination, gaining 721 marks which afforded her a place at the New Amsterdam Multilateral School.

But transportation to school was a challenge and as a result she was forced to stay with relatives where there were good and bad experiences. Thereafter, she attended the now-defunct Victoria Commercial School before returning home and taking up a job as a teacher at Fern Primary School. However, shortly afterwards the doors of the school were closed due to a low student population.

Not able to find work, although several applications were sent to various agencies, Carmichael entered a relationship which resulted in the birth of two children.

Not long after the birth of her second child, she became a single parent.

At this stage her siblings turned against her, believing that she had made poor choices.

As a result, she was forced to seek shelter at Koortbraat Village, another East Bank Berbice area where she erected her first home consisting of ‘salt bag’ (polythene) and plastic bags. While living in the shack, she

ODD JOBS “There is dignity in labour. No work is degrading. As long as you can use your hands in an honest way, you can make it,” she said with a smile, while seated at her home at the Glasgow New Housing Scheme, East Bank Berbice.

“With six children I had to venture out. I did odd jobs. I burst bricks. Cleaned homes.

Farmed. Climbed coconut trees to get the branches to make brooms. Worked at chicken farms. When persons have birthdays, I would bake the cake and would get whatever else was shared… I was exploited as many did not pay, while others paid very little. I tried as I believed that little was better than none.

At night, I would catch fish and boil it with basil…. In an attempt to have a better life, I ventured to various security services but the supervisors always approached sexually. I did an interview at Prison’s, Special Constabulary… it was the same. I decided not to sell myself. I lived at Koortbraat for 12 years without a job,” the mother related.

After being rejected by her family for many years, it was surprising when an overseas-based brother asked, “What do you want me to do for you,” and she told him: “I need somewhere comfortable to live.”

Soon after, with her brother’s help, a one-bedroom house was erected and it was extended to accommodate another room.

“My children did not get to attend school regularly, but they succeeded at the CSEC exams and are employed. One is married and another will tie the knot shortly. In 2006, I became a Rural Constable. And the following year became a member of the Neighbourhood Policing Group and is stationed at Sisters Police Station in Region Six. I am a certified Social Worker and I use my skill to help

fellow women. What I went through is not degrading. It was an experience,” Carmichael related, tilting her head with a smile.

She was quick to recall and pass on the advice of a friend, Shirley Adams, of Bermine Housing Scheme, who told her: “Always make a mark on every salary. In other words when you get your pay, buy something which can be of a benefit on a long-term.”

Carmichael also has a passion for poetry-writing and recites her poems at various functions, be it seminars, anniversaries or funerals. She has compiled several poems but due to the publisher’s cost, she is unable to get them published.

Her favourite poem in her compilation is “Real talk”, which is a summary of her life.

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National High Jump record holder Robert Bynoe pays it forward to Track and Field

By Rawle Toney

ACCORDING to famous American Civil Rights Activist and poet, Maya Angelou, “You shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.”

Maya Angelou’s words resonates with Guyanese Robert Bynoe, the country’s National High Jump record holder, as he yesterday donated a quantity of running shoes to the Super Upcoming Runners Track Club, Titans United Athletic Club and Running Brave Athletic Club.

Set in April of 1995, Bynoe’s 2.17 metres high jump record, 25 years later still firmly stands, but speaking to reporters, the former Savannah State University student-athlete was adamant, that it was because of his foundation in Guyana and all his life-lessons as an athlete, he decided to ‘pay it forward’.

“As a young man, not coming from the wealthiest of families, I was happy to have my talent recognised and fostered by some very generous people that helped me along my journey. Without them, I may not have existed. That is why I’m delighted to make this presentation to the young athletes,” Bynoe stated.

Bynoe, as a student of St Rose’s High School, dominated the high jump event at the National Schools Championships.

In fact, his leap of 2.03 metres, while competing for North Georgetown/District 11, still stands.

“I fully understand the needs of our local athletes and I know first-hand what education and opportunity can bring. I stand here today having benefited from the Amateur Athletics Association of Guyana’s network, the organisation’s resourcefulness, diligent coaches and a lot of improvising on my part due to the lack of

facilities,” Bynoe said.

The now 44-year-old who went on to have an outstanding career representing the oldest Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in Georgia, said he’s “happy to see that we’re turning the corner in a different era and the athletes have a lot more going for themselves and support today. I hope that this donation will help the athletes get to the next level, be competitive and also to encourage other former athletes to pay it forward.”

Meanwhile, Aubrey Hutson, president of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) thanked Bynoe for his contribution to the clubs and athletes, calling it “timely,” adding “right now we’re into the cross-country season so they’re going to come in very, very handy for athletes who will be going out there to train and compete.”

“We’re very honoured to know that we have in our presence, still the record-holder at high jump. What we’re looking for in this sport are people that our athletes can reach out too and see these people whom we have as our record holder,” the AAG boss related.

Hutson said AAG, in an effort to preserve the rich history of Track and Field in Guyana, will be “moving into a realm now where we will have portraits of our athletes put up into the schools that they’re coming from, so St Rose’s High will be blessed with a portrait of Robert Bynoe, the National record-holder at high jump.”

Bynoe has been working in the Oil and Gas sector in the US for a number of years and said he’s hoping to use his resources to further help in the development of Track and Field.

Minister Ramson visits sports grounds in Region 2 MINISTER of Culture, Youth & Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. paid a visit to several sports grounds along the Essequibo Coast on Saturday.

He was accompanied by a team from the Ministry and took the opportunity to interact with the sporting community. Among the grounds he visited were Golden Fleece, Reliance, Lima, Anna Regina, Affiance, Pomona and Aurora.

Minister Ramson pledged substantial support towards the development and maintenance of the grounds and also donated financial incentives and sports gear to several clubs.

President of the Reliance Management Committee, Trevis Simon, expressed delight and thank the Minister for the timely donation and commitment to enhance sports in

the Region.

He stated that the gear was a fitting gesture given that an under-19 tournament will commence shortly and will benefit the emerging players. At other venues, similar sentiments were expressed by sports officials.

Minister Ramson also disclosed to the gathering at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground that a Multi-Purpose Sports Facility will be constructed there that will provide for national events to be hosted there.

He further opined that more athletes from the county will gain national recognition with the boost of the facility. Also accompanying the Minister was football organizer, Kashif Mohamed. (Elroy Stephney)

GFF, UEFA team up for 100-day ‘bounce-back’ programme

THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) announced yesterday, in collaboration with European football’s governing body UEFA, to develop a 100-day action plan as part of its ‘bounce-back’ programme to pave the way for the resumption of football competitions and development.

Under UEFA’s second bounce-back partnership in the CONCACAF region, European football administration and development experts are collaborating closely with the GFF team to prepare and execute its post-pandemic football recovery strategy, covering areas such as planning, communications, finance, fan engagement, remote working and crisis planning, the Federation said in a release.

“In this crucial period of transition, we are committed to focussing all of our time and efforts on ensuring that football hits the ground running as soon as the authorities give us the green light,” said GFF president Wayne Forde.

According to Forde, “through the UEFA Bounce-back programme, we are receiving expert support to fine-tune our action plan and to equip our entire team with the tools it needs to continue to deliver on our strategic goal to transform football in Guyana.”

“The programme also underlines the significant progress we have made in building strong and productive relationships with our global partners as part of the Executive Committee’s long-term pledge to restore and enhance the GFF’s international image and to leave a strong legacy and foundation for future generations,” the GFF president stated.

The programme, the GFF said, will see UEFA experts

connect with their departments and staff via a series of video conference workshops over five weeks, focussing on a thorough situational analysis, building unity and togetherness within the football community, action planning for the future and preparation for the delivery of the Federation’s 100-day ‘Bounce-back’ plan.

At the conclusion of the programme, the UEFA experts will continue to provide mentoring support to GFF Heads of Department and staff on a needs basis.

The partnership, the Federation says, represents a further deepening of ties between the two organisations under the UEFA Assist programme, which provides support in capacity-building, youth football development and infrastructure projects while nurturing cooperation between UEFA member associations and national governing bodies around the world.

In February, GFF received two minibuses to bolster its youth development programmes by improving access to, and reducing the costs associated with the running of, its national network of GFF Academy Training Centres.

In 2019, also as part of UEFA Assist, GFF and the Denmark Football Association signed a historic six-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focussed on providing technical and operational assistance ahead of the CONCACAF region’s hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “We would like to thank our European friends and partners for their ongoing support and we look forward to making further landmark announcements related to the UEFA Assist programme in the very near future,” Forde said.

Bristol moving forward with ‘Return of the Dragon’ boxing card CHIEF Executive Officer of Bris O Promotions, Seon Bristol, has shifted gear with the promotion of the ‘Return of the Dragon’ boxing card.

Bristol said that he held virtual discussions which were encouraging with several key players. He, however, maintained that the COVID-19 holds the swing on the reality of the card.

Dexter Marques is expected to face USA-based Elton Dharry in the main event. Bristol said that he has also spoken

to president of the Guyana Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle, for there to be an amateur segment. President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) Peter Abdool was also contacted as were the boxers who are expected to feature in the main bout.

“I must say that the results of these discussions are encouraging. The main hurdle is receiving the go-ahead from the health authorities in Guyana,” Bristol said.

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Positive Heyliger has good reasons for being optimistic … describes 2019 as his best year in cricket

By Frederick Halley AFTER a positive 2019, which he described as probably his best year in cricket, Guyanese-born all-rounder Dillon Heyliger has good reasons for optimism as far as his career is concerned.

In 2019, the 30-year-old Heyliger achieved two incredible feats. After grabbing a hattrick for Montreal Tigers against Edmonton Royals in the second edition of the Global T20 Canada tournament, he was named Best Bowler in the ICC T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier, played in Bermuda.

Regarded as one of the best spells seen in the Global T20 Canada, the fast-medium bowler had the remarkable figures of 4-1-13-3 and also had the satisfaction of hitting the winning runs for his team.

No doubt buoyed by his performance in the Global T20, Heyliger followed this up with 11 wickets in Bermuda which earned him the prestigious Best Bowler award while representing the Canadian national team.

Heyliger, who hails from Suddie, Essequibo, credits his fine performance in the

Global T20 to head coach Tom Moody, the former Australian player, and his coaching staff.

According to Heyliger, after playing only two games in the inaugural tournament in 2018, last year he was delighted to play all the matches “That performance was one of my best. I just stuck to

tunity to play in the Global T20, pointing out that the experience served him well in the ICC qualifiers.

Heyliger is extremely disappointed that Canada didn’t qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup which was scheduled to be staged in Australia this year but which has been

Dillon Heyliger’s Best Bowler-of-the-Tournament trophy

the basics, which I discussed with the coach prior to the match.”

On winning the Best Bowler award, Heyliger expressed sincere thanks to Cricket Canada for giving him the oppor-

postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

After winning their first three games, including a decisive victory over Ireland, the Canadians lost the remaining three matches in the tour-

Gambhir calls for Kohli’s removal from RCB captaincy MUMBAI, India (Reuters) - Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir feels Virat Kohli should be replaced as captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) after the team ended yet another Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign without the trophy.

India captain Kohli has led the Bangalore side for the last eight editions during which they have just made the final once in 2016, when they went down to Sunrisers Hyderabad.

It was the same team, led by Australian David Warner, who eliminated Kohli’s side from this year’s edition in the United Arab Emirates, in a low-scoring thriller on Friday.

Asked if Kohli should be removed from RCB’s captaincy, Gambhir told ESPNCricinfo: “100 per cent, because the problem is about accountability. Eight years into the tournament, eight years is a long time.

“Tell me any other captain ... forget about

captain, tell me any other player who would have got eight years and wouldn’t have won the title and would have still continued with it.”

India captain Virat Kohli has led RCB for the last eight editions of the IPL

Gambhir, who led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014, said Kohli needs to take responsibility for the team’s lack of success and be accountable.

“The problem and the accountability start from the top, not from the management or the support staff, but from the leader,” said Gam-

bhir, who was one of the vital cogs in India’s triumph in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007. “ Yo u ’ r e t h e l e a d e r, you’re the captain. When you get the credit, you should take the criticism as well.

“It’s not that Kohli isn’t experienced. He captains India, he captains whichever team he plays for, but you’ve got to give results, you’ve got to deliver. Sport is all about delivering.”

Coach Simon Katich felt the batting department let down the team, who lost their last five matches in the tournament.

“We felt like we were on track at the 10-games mark, and then heading into the last four games ... looking back on it now, it feels like we probably ran out of a bit of steam,” Australian Katich told reporters.

“Particularly with the bat; that’s probably the one area that faded a bit after a really good start to the tournament.”

nament, staged in the UAE during the latter part of last year.

Heyliger is, however, still hopeful that Canada will qualify for the next T20 World Cup scheduled for 2021 and is looking forward to the Qualifiers which are scheduled to be held prior to the staging of that tournament.

Since representing Guyana at both the Under-15 and Under-19 levels, it’s been a roller-coaster ride for the talented Essequibian all-rounder who has plied his trade in England, the Caribbean and now Canada. Since migration, his aim was to represent his adopted country which he eventually achieved in February, 2018.

According to Heyliger, his cricketing career started on the Essequibo Coast where he represented his village team Santos, and before long he was a member of the Essequibo Under-15 and Under-19 teams.

He subsequently represented Guyana at the Under-15 level in 2005. His progression continued three years later when he was selected to play for his country in 2008 and 2009 at the regional Under-19 tourna-

ments.

In 2006, Heyliger was already a member of the Essequibo senior team and despite his sojourns in the Caribbean, United Kingdom and Canada, he was part of the Cinderella County side for whom he last played in 2013.

In the interim, he also turned out for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at the First Division level in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) competitions.

Strong all-round performances at the First Division level subsequently earned him a place in the 2011 Guyana T20 squad and despite not being part of the playing 11, Heyliger said the experience was quite electrifying and satisfying. “I decided to build on the success of Guyana’s cricket and move on to gain some international experience.”

Heyliger explained that he went on to play cricket for teams in Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, and moving farther afield to England, played for Basingstoke in the Hampshire League. “With new success and recognition in the United Kingdom, I gained a spot in the Middlesex League with a team in Uxbridge, increasing my knowledge, skills, and

career development on the international level,” he boasted.

Heyliger’s cricketing stint in Canada started in 2014 when he turned out for Islanders Sports Club in the Toronto & District Elite Division tournament. He, however, switched to Vikings in the 2015 season when he enjoyed a very productive season and later represented Brampton Masters.

More recently, he turned out for Yorke in the Toronto & District T20 tournament, the only one played this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In the interim, he has been undergoing rigorous training under the tutelage of former Canada player and Guyanese-born Abdool ‘Birdy’ Samad and has also been helping the youths under Samad’s command.

Heyliger made his List A debut for Canada in the ICC World Cricket League Division Two tournament in February, 2018. In September of the same year, he was named in Canada’s squad for the 2018–19 ICC World Twenty20 Americas Qualifier tournament. The following month, he was selected for the Regional Super-50 tournament in the West Indies.

Azam leads Pakistan’s rout of Zimbabwe in first T20 international

SKIPPER Babar Azam smashed a robust half-century to lead Pakistan’s six-wicket rout of Zimbabwe in the first Twenty20 international in Rawalpindi yesterday.

won the toss and batted.

Azam, determined to regain his place as Twenty20’s top batsman - which he lost to England’s Dawid Malan two months ago - punched nine

Babar Azam hit an attractive 55-ball 82

Azam proved yet again why he is one of the top batsmen in white-ball cricket with an attractive 55-ball 82 to anchor Pakistan’s chase of a modest 157-run target in 18.5 overs.

The win gives Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and a 12th straight win over Zimbabwe in all Twenty20 international cricket.

Wesley Madhevere struck a maiden half-century to lead Zimbabwe to 156-6 after they

boundaries and a six during his 80-run stand for the third wicket with Mohammad Hafeez, who made 36.

Azam was finally caught in the 17th over, as was Hafeez in the 19th, but the target was never beyond Pakistan.

Paceman Blessing Muzarabani finished with 2-26.

Zimbabwe, who upset Pakistan in the third one-day international at the end of their 2-1 loss in the preced-

ing series, were never able to stop Azam’s free-flowing stroke play despite dismissing Fakhar Zaman (19) and Haider Ali (seven) by the eighth over.

Earlier, Zimbabwe added 46 in the last five overs with Madhevere in the lead.

Madhevere, the 20-yearold right-hander, struck a 48-ball 70 not out with nine boundaries and a six to help Zimbabwe post a respectable total.

Madhevere, who had only four runs in his previous two Twenty20 appearances, added 34 runs for the sixth wicket with Elton Chigumbura, who made a 13-ball 21 with one six and two boundaries.

Sean Williams (25) and Brendan Taylor (20) were the other contributors.

For Pakistan, pacemen Haris Rauf and Wahab Riaz took two wickets apiece.

Pakistan gave a Twenty20 international debut to 27-year-old spinner Usman Qadir, son of the great Abdul Qadir, who died last year.

The teams will meet again at the same venue today and Tuesday. (AFP)

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Fired-up Powell backing Windies young brigade to deliver goods … says team coping well with quarantine

By Clifton Ross WEST Indies all-rounder Rovman Powell believes his team is well-equipped with the weapons necessary needed to upset the Kiwis in their backyard, when the T20 series bowls off in a few weeks.

The Jamaica Scorpions skipper told the media during Friday’s Zoom conference, that despite missing the likes of Chris Gayle and other marquee players; the Windies have enough weapons in their arsenal to possibly secure their first T20 series win in New Zealand.

“To be honest I think this squad can turn it around. NZ hasn’t been an easy place to tour not just for us but for other overseas teams who have toured. But I think our squad is a pretty good one and the captain and coach stressed about the brand of cricket we want to play leading up to the World Cup so the guys have been buying into that brand of cricket,” said Powell..

Speaking on lockdown and how players have been handling it, Powell explained, “Windies have been in quarantine since arriving in New Zealand, successfully passing

West Indies all-rounder Rovman Powell

the first sets of COVID-19 tests as they await another round of testing.

“It’s been pretty good; credit must go to the New Zealand government and

the cricket board for putting in such good measures. The food, all the activities we’ve had as a team. Although we have not had that much, it has been smooth sailing, so credit has to be given to all those who have made this a success.”

“Guys stayed in their rooms, played a few games and did what they had to do because we still have responsibilities. We have a few days when we get out in groups of 10 to do a little bit of training, so there we come together as a team and play a little bit of football, then we get into the cricket details of the tour.

So most times it’s staying in our rooms,” the all-rounder explained.

A phenomenal stroke-maker with overwhelming Global T20 experience, having represented a number of teams over the years, the 27-year-old said he’s shrugged off his dismal Hero CPL 2020 and is now prepared to play his best brand of cricket when the 3-match

series bowls off.

“It’s an important tour for me. CPL is behind me and I’m looking forward to brighter things now and hopefully I can put my best foot forward. It’s good that New Zealand have dealt with their COVID-19 situation so we are able to play cricket in front of some fans after a long time,”.

Powell stated.

West Indies will be backing themselves and with the permission to train and a few practice games against NZ A team ahead of series, the likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Andre Fletcher, Brandon King and others were given trust by Powell, who was firm on this young brigade bringing the heat to the Kiwis.

“It’s a very strong team with regard to being a power-hitting team. The missing guys provide an opportunity for us younger guys before the world cup, just before the start of 2021 to put our best foot forward and put in good performances,” he concluded.

Djokovic clinches sixth year-end No.1 ranking to match Sampras (REUTERS) - Novak Djokovic has sealed the year-end men’s world number one tennis ranking for the sixth time to go level with childhood hero Pete Sampras after closest rival Rafael Nadal opted against playing in the ATP Tour event in Sofia, next week.

Novak Djokovic is the winner of 17 Grand Slam titles

Spain’s 20-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, ranked second, was the only player who had a chance to stop the Serbian from finishing as the top-ranked player in 2020.

“Pete was somebody I looked up to when I was growing up, so to match his record is a dream come true,” Djokovic said in an ATP statement.

“I will also keep striving to be a better player, hopefully have more success and break more records in a sport I love with all my heart.”

During the year Djokovic won the ATP Cup in January before picking up a record-extending eight Australian Open Grand Slam in Melbourne. He also won the Cincinnati Masters and a record 36th ATP Masters title in Rome.

In September, Djokovic also overtook American Pete Sampras, who ended as No. 1 for six straight years between 1993 and 1998, for the most weeks overall at the top ranking and will begin his 294th week in first spot tomorrow.

The 33-year-old Djokovic, the winner of 17 Grand Slam titles, has mentioned that Roger Federer’s record of 310 weeks as No. 1 remains his target and he will have a chance to move past the Swiss on March 8 if he can hold on to his top spot.

“To finish the year as No.1 is one of the most impressive achievements in our sport, one which requires sustained excellence across the season,” ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi added.

“To see Novak achieve this for the sixth time and match Pete’s record is simply incredible, and he continues to cement his place in the history books.”

Michael Holding appointed MCC Foundation Patron Selman prevails over Dottin but both teams reach final MICHAEL Holding has joined the MCC Foundation as a patron. Holding, the former West Indies fast bowler-turned-broadcaster, is a passionate advocate for equality in cricket and the wider community.

At the start of England’s international season and following the death of George Floyd in police custody in the USA, he and fellow Sky Sports commentator Ebony Rainford-Brent gave powerful accounts of their experiences of racism.

summer.

Holding said he was “thrilled” by the opportunity to join the MCC Foundation’s work to “make cricket a game that champions respect and equality for all”.

“Cricket has the power to heal divided communities, give hope in the most desperate of circumstances, and transform lives,” Holding said. “There is much pain and prejudice in our world, but the Foundation is empowering and inspiring young people through cricket, so that they may build a bright-

coaching and playing opportunities to state-educated cricketers and mental health workshops.

MCC Foundation director Sarah Fane said: “Over the past year, important conversations around equality and diversity have occupied the public’s consciousness. These have been discussed and felt across all areas of society.

“While cricket is more diverse than it has ever been, we recognise there are inequalities which still dog the sport, and we are determined to play our part in changing the landscape so that cricket becomes a reflection of the diversity of our nation.

HARJAH, United Arab Emirates, (CMC) – Deandra Dottin hit a cameo but it was her West Indies teammate Shakera Selman’s two wickets which proved pivotal as Supernovas edged Trailblazers by two runs in a dramatic finish here Saturday.

Fast bowler Shakera Selman celebrates the wicket of Barbados and West Indies teammate Deandra Dottin.

Playing in the third game of the Women’s T20 Challenge at the Sharjah Cricket Ground, Supernovas piled up a challenging 146 for six of their 20 overs with Sri Lankan opener Chamari Atapattu top-scoring with 67 off 48 deliveries.

She struck five fours and

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER Sunday, November 08, 2020

Michael Holding and Michael Atherton on commentary duty (Getty Images)

Holding subsequently criticised teams for not continuing to take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement as West Indies, England and Ireland had done earlier in the

er future.”

The MCC Foundation, which is the Marylebone Cricket Club’s charitable arm, runs a number of initiatives including offering

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ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: Shane Watson-101 (RR) 4 centuries

TODAY’S QUIZ:

(1) Which wicketkeeper effected most dismissals in IPL 2013?

(2) What was the highest ever partnership for any wicket in IPL 2013?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

four sixes and put on 89 off 72 balls for the first wicket with Priya Punia (30) before adding another 29 for the second wicket with captain Harmanpreet Kaur whose 31 came from 29 balls.

Selman, who finished with two for 31 from her four overs, then knocked over Richa Ghosh for four four, two balls later in the seventh over, to put Supernovas in command.

Fast bowler Shakera Selman celebrates the wicket of Barbados and West Indies teammate Deandra Dottin

Once Atapattu holed out to long-off off-spinner Harleen Deol in the 17th over, the innings fell away as five wickets tumbled for 28 runs.

In reply, Dottin gave Trailblazers a swift start, belting a 15-ball 27 in a 44-run opening stand with captain Smriti Mandhana who scored a patient 33 from 40 balls.

The right-hander counted four fours and one six before she was first to fall in the seventh over, lbw to fellow Barbadian Selman off a full length delivery in the seventh over.

However, Mandhana posted 35 for the third wicket with Deepti Sharma, who top-scored with 43 in adding 52 with Deol (27) to revive the innings.

Trailblazers needed 10 from the last over but 20-year-old left-arm spinner Radha Yadav claimed Deol with the fifth delivery to end their hopes.

With the win, Supernovas clinched a place in Monday’s final of the threeteam tournament against Trailblazers.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 8, 2020

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From Track & Field to Oil and Gas Industry ….Guyana’s National high jump record holder – Robert Bynoe

By Rawle Toney TRACK and Field is more than just a past-time for many Guyanese. The country, though missing out on an Olympic Medal in the sport, can still boast of several athletes who represented Guyana with distinction and with considerable amount of success on the international stage.

R e c e n t l y, C h r o n i c l e Sport’s Rawle Toney sat down with National high jump record holder, Robert Bynoe, who highlighted his journey from Track and Field, where he holds Guyana’s National high jump record (2.17 metres) to becoming a Senior Crude Accountant at Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI) Petroleum in Houston, Texas.

1. Who is Robert Bynoe?

Robert Dave Bacchus-Bynoe was born at Georgetown Public Hospital and grew up in Robb Street, Georgetown.

I attended Charles Nursery School, St. Andrew’s Primary School, Brickdam Secondary School and St. Rose’s High School. I wrote CXC at Brickdam Secondary School and went to Sixth Form at St

Rose’s High School.

I attended Georgia State University and Savannah State University where I completed Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Computer Information Systems and Accounting.

I then completed a Master’s Degree in Business Administration in International Business and Project Management at Louisiana State University.

2. Tell us about your journey in Track and Field.

My father Gregory Bynoe was a sprinter in his day so he always encouraged me to start running. I started running in primary school. My path to high jumping was a bit unorthodox.

I was a Boy Scout, taking a First Aid Course at the Guyana Red Cross. On the day of the final exam, I arrived early and saw an athlete jumping at Eve Leary. I asked her where do I learn to do that and she said told me about Atoms Athletic Club.

I joined the Club at 15 years old and learned to jump.

I started competing at the Guyana Teachers Union Athletics Championships (Nationals), excelled, setting several field records in high, long

February 2021 earliest for Regional Super50 with Sri Lanka shortly after - Grave LIKE the CPL, the 2021 Regional Super50 competition will likely be held in one country as Cricket West Indies (CWI) attempts to get competitions back up and running in the Caribbean.

And, like the CPL that was held in Trinidad in late August, there will be no spectators.

CWI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Johnny Grave provided some insight as what this hybrid form of the competition could look like during an interview on Sportsnation Live on Nationwide Radio in Jamaica yesterday.

“I think at this stage it looks like flying in the six regional teams to one country to host the tournament across two venues.

We think realistically for us to put on the best tournament that we possibly can then we need at least eight weeks of preparation in order to make sure that the training pitches, the practice pitches, and the grounds are in the best possible condition, so that we can sustain as many games as possible in a short period of time,” Grave said.

The CWI said he didn’t see where it would be possible to get crowds into the stadia but

they would be working closely with the host board and the host government from the ministry of sport and ministry of health perspective to make sure that the players are safe and that the community and country are safe.

Grave said it was too early to say what the medical protocols would be but it is likely the matches will be played behind closed doors.

That said, he is not completely ruling out having people in the grounds.

“We know Caribbean cricket fans are desperate for entertainment, desperate to watch some high-class cricket, so if we can get crowds into the stadiums, working with the government and going through the current protocols to do so then absolutely we would try and get crowds there.”

He said that over the next few weeks CWI would be working with their international fixture list committee and the board of directors, to put forward their recommendations about where to host the Super50 and after that, hopefully, host Sri Lanka for three T20s, three ODIs and two Test matches.

and triple jumps. I went on to successfully represent Guyana at the CARIFTA Games in 1994 and 1995 in the high jump event., winning bronze and silver medals respectively and establishing the Guyana National junior and senior high jump record at 2.17 metres which stands until today.

International Olympic Committee scholarship to attend their training facility outside of Atlanta in La Grange, Georgia after which I won a track scholarship to attend Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia. I represented Savannah State in the decathlon and high jump - winning the decathlon at the conference meet in 2000. I graduated that year with dual Bachelor Degrees.

3 - How does it feel being a National record holder; a record that still stands 25 years after being set?

I feel gratified that my hard work paid off. I worked very hard to break and hold the national high jump record for Guyana. I’m honoured that the record still stands because it says that I’ve set the bar high for the current crop Robert Bynoe – National of high-jumpers to surpass. high jump record holder

I also represented Guy4 - How much did Track ana and medalled at several and Field help you regional meets notably, the in your journey Inter-Guiana Games, South throughout life?

American Junior ChampiTrack and Field taught onships, Central American me determination, disciand Caribbean Junior Games pline and diligence – lesand the Hampton Games. sons that I apply in everyIn 1996, I was awarded an thing I do today. Training

back then in Guyana in an environment where facilities were limited, taught me to improvise and think outside of the box. These are lifelong lessons that have been invaluable to me in my professional career.

5 - You’re a player in the Oil and Gas Industry; tell us about your career and how can or will Guyana benefit through your contribution.

I have over two decades of back-office experience working in Oil and Gas sector – primarily in a variety of Risk and Accounting roles. In my current role as a Senior Crude Accountant at ENI Petroleum in Houston, Texas, I manage settlement, reconciliations, and financial reporting functions for International and Domestic Crude Oil. I’ve worked for several multi-national companies over the years including Shell and British Petroleum.

I would like to return to Guyana to work in a Risk or Accounting back-office role where I can leverage my strong, cross-commodity background in Natural Gas, Crude and Power.

6 - How important is it to have a balance in Education and Sports and how much are you willing to assist this young generation of athletes.

It’s important to balance education and sports because the next level of development for local athletes would be at the collegiate level in the Caribbean and North America. To gain acceptance to colleges and universities, you need to be not only an outstanding athlete but also a good student.

I will continue to make donations when I can, similar to the one I made today. I would like to be able to make an annual donation. Additionally, I am happy to share my collegiate journey and insights from my college experiences with young athletes who are aspiring to compete at the collegiate level.

7 - What’s next for you and your role in Guyana’s new economic landscape?

I’m hoping to re-migrate to Guyana in the very near future and explore some personal business initiatives, in addition to looking for ways to contribute in the Oil and Gas sector, in a Risk Management or Accounting role.

Jason Holder always ‘in consideration’ for T20s ― Phil Simmons PHIL Simmons, West Indies coach, has said that Test captain Jason Holder “always in consideration” for the shortest format despite not being part of the T20I squad for the tour of New Zealand.

Before Kieron Pollard took over the white-ball captaincy last September, Holder was West Indies captain in all formats. But since December 2019, Holder hasn’t featured in a T20I, despite impressive performances in the CPL and the ongoing IPL, strengthening his case for a comeback to the national side.

Although Barbados Tridents finished second from last under Holder in the CPL, he was their best player last season with 192 runs at an average of 21.33, a strike rate of 140.14 and ten wickets at an economy of 6.63.

In the IPL, he has been instrumental in giving Sunrisers Hyderabad a shot at the final. Coming in as a replacement for the injured Mitchell Marsh, Holder has

picked up 13 wickets from just six games at an economy of 7.62. With the bat, too, he has played a couple of crucial knocks.

According to Simmons, though, the decision to not include him in the T20I side was taken keeping in mind the packed tour. West Indies are scheduled to play three T20Is in four days followed by two Tests, with a gap of just two days between the two series.”Jason always has a chance to play T20 cricket,” Simmons said. “Let me just clear it up here. This is an odd tour here. The T20 series finishes a day or two days before the first Test match and (Holder) being captain of the Test team, a decision was taken by us as a selection panel that Jason will not be considered for that part. Seeing that he is coming from IPL, he will have one chance to play in the four-day game before the Test match.

“But Jason is always in consideration for T20s. He had two good years at the

CPL and now he is having a good tournament at the IPL.” West Indies will also be without Dwayne Bravo for the T20I series. The all-rounder sustained a groin injury while playing for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and was subsequently replaced by Romario Shepherd.

“It’s a concern because he was injured in the CPL and he is injured in the IPL,” he said. “But there is a break now. He is going to go back home and do what is necessary for him to be fit enough to play.

“There are a few series, there is another IPL I think before the World

Phil Simmons and Jason Holder have a chat (AFP)

Simmons was a bit concerned due to Bravo’s injury, but given the next T20 World Cup is still a year away, he felt there was enough time for him to prove his fitness.

Cup, so there are a lot of chances for him to go and get himself fit and we will see what his fitness is like leading up to the tournament.”

National High Jump record holder Robert Bynoe pays it forward to Track and Field

National High Jump record holder Robert Bynoe pays it forward to Track and Field

SEE PAGE 36

Cleveland Thomas (right) receives the donation of running shoes on behalf of the Running Brave Track Club from Guyana’s National high jump record-holder, Robert Bynoe (Delano Williams photo)

GFF, UEFA team up for 100-day ‘bounce-back’ programme

SEE PAGE 36

Minister Ramson visits sports grounds in Region 2 SEE PAGE 36

SEE PAGE 36

Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport, Charles Ramson Jr.

Bristol moving forward with ‘Return of the Dragon’ boxing card

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2020